As the nation's housing woes continue, the government announced a plan this week to shore up mortgage-giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Paul Solman weighs the role of government intervention and the possible ramifications of rewarding risky financial behaviors.
Analysts David Brooks and Ruth Marcus take up the U.S. economy's shaky health and Sen. Barack Obama's trip to the Middle East and Europe, which has drawn both vast media coverage and controversy.
Fannie Mae CEO Daniel Mudd discusses the stability of the mortgage-lending giant and government proposals to back Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac in order to maintain confidence in U.S. markets.
In Malawi, where some 83,000 children are infected with HIV, a new program brings U.S. doctors to the East African country and encourages African doctors to set up practices in their hometowns, instead of leaving for more prosperous countries.
In a conversation with the NewsHour's Steve Goldbloom, senior correspondent Gwen Ifill reflects on her exclusive interview this week with Sen. Barack Obama and discusses how his campaign is shaping its Iraq policy ahead of his upcoming trip to the war zone.
Unlike in previous elections, both Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., and Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., reached out to black voters at this year's annual NAACP conference in Cincinnati, Ohio. Representatives from both parties weigh the race factor in this year's campaign.
Two black coffins containing the remains of soldiers abducted by Hezbollah were returned to Israel in exchange for the release of five Lebanese prisoners. Analysts discuss the U.N. brokered deal.
In an interview with the NewsHour's Gwen Ifill, Sen. Barack Obama calls for the U.S. to dramatically scale down in military effort in Iraq and, instead, focus more forces on the deteriorating situation in Afghanistan.
Troubling economic reports and bleak forecasts from the nation's economic policymakers have fueled new concerns over the health of the economy and the stability of the nation's banks. Banking experts offer insight.
As the Tribune Co. searches for ways to sustain readership, two of its newspapers, the Chicago Tribune and the Los Angeles Times, suffered heavy losses in leadership. A columnist and a professor discuss the latest blows to the company and changes in the media landscape.
In the latest issue of the New Yorker, a cover illustration of presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Sen. Barack Obama and his wife satirizes some of the rumors that have swirled about the candidate. Writers Michael Eric Dyson and Eric Bates examine the media controversy.
On Sunday, Taliban militants waged the deadliest assault on U.S. and NATO troops in three years, highlighting the challenge of the ongoing armed conflict. A New York Times Magazine reporter and a counter-insurgency expert measure the complexity of the conflict.
Congress must soon decide on a U.S. Treasury-Federal Reserve measure to save mortgage giants Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae from further crisis. An economics editor and House Financial Committee members weigh the options.
With continued financial troubles in the headlines, the presidential hopefuls have made their plans to improve the economy central to their case to voters. Mark Shields and David Brooks discuss the Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac panic and campaign trail developments.
The market value of mortgage giants Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae slumped again Friday, but rebounded after officials downplayed the likelihood of government action. A reporter and analysts discuss the developments.
In Shishmaref, Alaska -- a 600-person village 20 miles south of the Arctic Circle -- residents are feeling the effects of climate change: earlier sea ice melts and increasing storm surges. Tom Bearden reports on how the villagers are coping.
Zimbabwe has been embroiled in a high-profile political crisis, which saw leader Robert Mugabe return to power amid reports of a violent crackdown. The Washington Post's Craig Timberg details his reporting on the story.
Sen. John McCain is facing an enthusiasm gap on the campaign trail, a new Pew poll shows, while his rival, Sen. Barack Obama, faces his own challenges leading a divided party. After a campaign news update, the Pew center's Andy Kohut discusses the poll's findings.
In a conversation with the NewsHour's Steve Goldbloom, NewsHour senior correspondent Gwen Ifill discussed reports about a shakeup in John McCain's staff along with the messages voters are meant to take away from the campaign's ad strategy, including independent ads from so-called 527 groups.
A Senate panel held a hearing Wednesday to investigate the growing issue of online privacy and what rights individuals should have to decide how their Web surfing history can be used by advertisers. Public policy advocates weigh the debate over online privacy.
A day after Iran vowed to retaliate against Israel and U.S. interests if Tehran were attacked, the country test-fired nine missiles -- posing a policy test for the presidential hopefuls. Campaign advisers mull the issue.
Sens. John McCain and Barack Obama addressed Latino leaders Tuesday as both candidates seek the support of Hispanic voters. Campaign advisers discuss the appeals to this key voting bloc and weigh the power of the Hispanic electorate in battleground states.
Sen. Barack Obama hopes to win four Western states -- Colorado, New Mexico, Nevada and Montana -- in November, but Sen. John McCain is campaigning hard to hold on to the GOP strongholds. Pollsters offer insight.
Sen. Barack Obama will forgo the Democratic convention floor when he accepts the Democratic nomination in August, opting instead to speak at the 75,000-seat stadium of the Denver Broncos. A reporter from the Denver Post discusses the decision.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommended Monday that children with risk factors such as obesity and a family history of cardiac disease be screened for high cholesterol -- and said some should be treated with cholesterol-lowering drugs.
Columnist Mark Shields and Ramesh Ponnuru debate the potential impact of presidential hopeful Sen. Barack Obama's statements on Iraq and other news, including the death of Sen. Jesse Helms.
In a conversation with the NewsHour's Steve Goldbloom on Friday, Senior NewsHour Correspondent Judy Woodruff discussed likely Democratic nominee Sen. Barack Obama's most recent statements on Iraq, the Democratic Party's strategy to play in all 50 states and the death of Republican Sen. Jesse Helms of North Carolina.
For the first time since the early 1990s, California is facing a summer of potential water shortages amid low rainfall and water allocation rules. Spencer Michels reports on how the problem has unfolded and the struggles over water rights in the state.
As the race between presumptive nominees Sens. John McCain and Barack Obama continues to heat up, historians look to past races to weigh the advantages and disadvantages brought to a national ticket by a vice presidential candidate.
