President Joe Biden on Friday announced the creation of the first-ever federal office of gun violence prevention, which will be overseen by Vice President Kamala Harris and aimed at curbing the national epidemic of firearm violence. William Brangham talks to White House correspondent Laura Barrón-López about why this issue means so much to young voters, and what the office is designed to do.

Another new investigation by Pro Publica raises serious questions over undisclosed connections between Justice Clarence Thomas and powerful people who have brought cases before the Supreme Court. William Brangham talks to ProPublica’s Joshua Kaplan about Thomas’ attendance at a Koch Network fundraiser that attracts wealthy, conservative donors.

Ukraine’s President Zelenskyy is visiting Washington with the goal of securing more armaments to repel Russia’s 18-month invasion. But there is growing skepticism and some hostility toward the requests among House Republicans, even as senators met Zelenskyy with open arms. Laura Barrón-López and Lisa Desjardins discuss the latest developments in D.C., while Nick Schifrin reports from Kyiv.

Before his mission to Washington, Ukraine’s President Zelenskyy first stopped in New York on Tuesday to address the United Nations General Assembly and Security Council. Ambassador Victoria Nuland, who is the acting deputy secretary of state for the U.S., joins Amna Nawaz to discuss American policy and global security in the face of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

In our news wrap Thursday, the Senate confirmed two more top military nominees after a monthslong blockade, a U.S. government contractor was charged with espionage, Congress heads home for the weekend as a government shutdown looms, Azerbaijan officials met with representatives from the breakaway Nagorno-Karabakh region, and India suspended visa services in Canada amid a widening diplomatic rift.

Over seven decades, Rupert Murdoch assembled a global media empire that includes Fox News, The Wall Street Journal and The New York Post. Now, the 92-year-old mogul is stepping down, with his eldest son set to take over in November. NPR media correspondent David Folkenflik joins John Yang to discuss Murdoch’s legacy and successor.

The police use of force Thursday against Alabama high school band director Johnny Mims is sending ripples across the nation. Video of the incident after a football game shows police arresting and tasing Mims after he refused to stop the band’s traditional “fifth quarter” performance. Mims and Alabama state Rep. Juandalynn Givan join Amna Nawaz to discuss what happened.

The Inflation Reduction Act includes a number of incentives to build and buy electric vehicles. For auto manufacturers, that includes incentives for sourcing their parts and raw materials domestically. That presents challenges for some communities — notably in northern Minnesota, where there has been a rise in permit applications for new mines. Special correspondent Fred de Sam Lazaro reports.

The Senate is loosening its long-standing dress code requiring business attire, igniting a debate about clothing in the halls of Congress. Sen. John Fetterman, D-Penn., known for wearing shorts and hooded sweatshirts around the Capitol, appreciates the change — but many others do not. Stanford Law School professor Richard Thompson Ford joins Geoff Bennett to discuss the change and what it means.

Astronomers around the world are calling for international agreements to limit the spread of satellite constellations in space, with warnings that light pollution at night from the satellites damages vital scientific work. In Britain, the government is also being urged to impose new planning regulations to reduce light pollution to stop the loss of the nation’s dark skies. Malcolm Brabant reports.

In our news wrap Wednesday, the Federal Reserve announced that interest rates will remain unchanged, U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland faced a barrage of criticism from Republicans, the Senate is moving to vote on three top military nominations, President Biden met with Israel's prime minister, and funerals were held after six Palestinians were killed in Israeli military raids.

As political fights across the country become more contentious, key decisions over issues like gerrymandering are finding their way to state Supreme Courts. That’s turned once-overlooked questions about who sits on the bench into all-out political battles of their own, including in Wisconsin and North Carolina. Zac Schultz of PBS Wisconsin and Colin Campbell of WUNC join Geoff Bennett to discuss.

California claims the five biggest oil and gas companies knew that using their products led to climate change, but then spent decades misleading the public. The lawsuit says extreme weather fueled by climate change has caused billions of dollars in damages in the state and these companies should pay for some of that damage. California Attorney General Rob Bonta joins William Brangham to discuss.

Being employed has proven to reduce the chances that people who have recently left prison will reoffend. But for many, jobs that require a state license or certificate can be difficult or even impossible to obtain, even as dozens of states have moved to lift barriers. Special correspondent Cat Wise reports from Oregon for our ongoing series “Searching for Justice.”

India and Canada are caught up in a tense diplomatic showdown over the assassination of a Canadian Sikh separatist leader in British Columbia. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau this week linked the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar to India's government. Both countries have since expelled top diplomats. Bloomberg columnist Bobby Ghosh joins Amna Nawaz to discuss.

The Federal Reserve did not hike interest rates Wednesday, but many Americans are still struggling with the burden of the higher costs of borrowing. The Fed’s series of hikes over more than a year has triggered a big jump in mortgage rates, pushing them to the highest level in more than two decades. Daryl Fairweatherr, chief economist of the real estate company Redfin, joins Amna Nawaz to discuss.

Abandoned fishing gear, often called "ghost gear," is breaking down in our oceans and adding to the problems brought by plastics and microplastics. But there was a recent effort to get the United Nations to enforce tougher regulations, and a coalition announced new funding to remove some debris in the Gulf of Maine. Science correspondent Miles O'Brien reports.

Organizers on Tuesday took part in National Voter Registration Day, a civic holiday to encourage and register Americans to participate in elections up and down the ballot. The League of Women Voters is one of the largest on-the-ground organizations signing people up. Their president, Deborah Turner, joins Geoff Bennett to discuss the effort amid the 2024 presidential race ahead of key elections.

Only 11 days remain before the U.S. government shuts down, and proposed budget deals are stuck in partisan gridlock on Capitol Hill, Lisa Desjardins reports. A small group of House Republicans say they will not support the current deal to fund the government. Among that group is South Carolina Rep. Ralph Norman, a member of the House Freedom Caucus. He joins Amna Nawaz to discuss his stance.

Ruth Simmons grew up in a deeply segregated part of Texas to become one of the country’s most distinguished educators, as president of three colleges and the first African American women to head an Ivy League university. But her new memoir takes us to the time before her rise. Jeffrey Brown traveled to Houston to speak with Simmons for our arts and culture series, "CANVAS."