Judy Woodruff

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In our news wrap Thursday, an overnight barrage of Russian drones and missiles killed at least 10 people in Ukraine, the Georgia father whose teenage son killed four people in a 2024 school shooting was sentenced to 15 years in prison and two of soccer's regional governing bodies threatened to boycott FIFA competitions over a proposal to sell stakes to private investors.

A four-ton upper stage of a SpaceX rocket is believed to have hit the moon at 5,400 mph. The SpaceX rocket launched a pair of lunar landers last year, but the company’s scientists say a combination of solar activity and gravity put it on a collision course with the moon. Geoff Bennett discussed larger concerns about lunar litter with science correspondent Miles O’Brien.

It’s been 150 years since the Battle of the Little Bighorn, one of the most famous and enduring events in American history. While Native Americans were victorious, the battle reshaped the government’s policy toward Indigenous people and still resonates so deeply for so many today. Judy Woodruff reports for her series, Crossroads: America at 250.

How did American English become distinctly American? In this episode of “In Pursuit of Happiness”, Judy Woodruff explores the 250-year evolution of the language we speak with linguists Anne Curzan and Valerie Fridland. From revolutionary-era spelling changes and regional expressions to the many accents and dialects that shape the country today, they examine how American English has been transformed by history and culture and what the way we speak tells us about our identity as a nation.

Judy Woodruff has been speaking to a host of experts about the country's 250th anniversary for her "In Pursuit of Happiness" podcast. That includes conversations about the roles satire, national parks and music have played in our history. The latest episode looks at how American English evolved. As it turns out, there's one word that reveals a lot about the way we speak.

Support Canvas Sustain our coverage of culture, arts and literature.

In our news wrap Monday, President Trump signed an executive order calling for fewer childhood vaccines and spacing out shots across separate doctor visits, Tropical Storm Dolphin made landfall in eastern China and President Trump's Board of Peace says it's in discussions with Israel after Prime Minister Netanyahu rejected Trump's Gaza peace plan, in yet another public break with the White House.

For her latest book, Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Beverly Gage traveled across the country, exploring the people, places and turning points that have shaped America over its 250-year history. Judy Woodruff joined her for part of that journey, starting in Chicago. It’s part of her series, Crossroads: America at 250.

Judy Woodruff recently visited the September 11 Memorial in New York for a look at how the attacks, 25 years ago, continue to shape our lives today. It's part of her series, Crossroads: America at 250.