Nov 12, 2026 · 53 min
Listen from 6:23
Listen at 6:23
Iran-linked plots sharpen battles over power and accountability
November 11, 2026 - PBS News Hour full episode
The broadcast connects overseas threats, domestic oversight fights, pricing technology, and the widening distance between American civilians and military service.
- 1An indictment alleges Iran-backed operatives planned attacks against targets in the United States and Europe from a New York detention center.
- 2White House threats and Justice Department upheaval raise questions about congressional oversight and the limits of executive power.
- 3Algorithmic pricing and military service reveal how institutions increasingly shape everyday life while accountability remains contested.
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The algorithmic-pricing investigation shows how personal data can help determine what different consumers pay for the same kinds of goods and services.
The brief
An indictment alleges that an Iran-backed operative directed plots from a New York detention center, including surveillance of RAF Fairford and plans using coded communications.
The broadcast then turns inward: Devlin Barrett examines White House warnings to incoming Democratic lawmakers, Justice Department resignations, and preparations for conflict with Democratic-led states.
Senator Chris Coons outlines Democrats’ foreign-policy priorities, including ending the Iran war, rebuilding alliances, repealing tariffs, and overseeing artificial intelligence and national security.
A pricing investigation shows how Instacart, Uber Eats, Expedia, Target, Walmart, and McDonald’s use algorithms and personal data to vary prices, prompting debates over fairness and regulation.
Judy Woodruff traces the military’s shift to an all-volunteer force, while Mosquito Bowl links football, brotherhood, and ambition to the devastating cost of wartime service.
Books & mentions
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