Azhar Merchant

Associate Producer, National Affairs @newshour • @NewsHourUnion • alum @UF • [email protected]

[PBS News @NewsHour]

A coalition of leading cultural and architectural preservation organizations asked a federal court to stop the Trump administration from carrying through with its Kennedy Center reconstruction project.

It's the latest development in an ongoing fight over the very look and architecture of the nation's capital, and a referendum on the power of the Trump presidency.

@JeffreyBrown reports.

[PBS News @NewsHour]

Robert Redford, a screen legend, filmmaker, environmentalist and champion of independent voices in cinema, died Tuesday at the age of 89.

Revered for his magnetic presence onscreen in classics like "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid," "The Sting" and "All the President’s Men," Redford’s legacy is as much about art as it is about integrity.

@JeffreyBrown looks back at Redford's life and legacy.

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Billionaire Bill Gates says he will continue to make the case directly to President Trump about reversing his administration's cuts to foreign aid.

"Unless we act very, very quickly to reverse this, it will mean millions of additional deaths," Gates tells @IAmAmnaNawaz.

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For NASA astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore, the long wait to return to Earth is almost over. They went to the International Space Station last June in a Boeing Starliner spacecraft. They were supposed to return a week later, but because of problems with the Starliner, they've stayed at the station for more than 250 days.

@IAmAmnaNawaz spoke with Williams, Wilmore and crewmate Nick Hague.

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Communities that were hit hardest by Hurricane Helene are still struggling to recover. NASCAR driver Greg Biffle is among those making a difference. He's using his personal helicopter to deliver supplies to hard-to-reach areas of western North Carolina. https://t.co/WD4xCUYt7Y

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The detention of Miami Dolphins star Tyreek Hill has sparked conversations on policing in America and the treatment of Black Americans.

"If Tyreek Hill wasn't who he was ... if he wasn't a celebrity, that could have been another hashtag," @10zJohnson tells @IAmAmnaNawaz.

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The arrest of Telegram's CEO and founder has reignited concerns about the balance of free speech and responsibility that comes with running social platforms.
https://t.co/GjMbayqumN

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NASA's initial launch with the Boeing Starliner has not worked out well. The agency announced it has decided the two astronauts stuck at the International Space Station will come back on a SpaceX capsule next year. https://t.co/6lueUPm6vR

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Climate change not only threatens to destroy fragile island infrastructure but also the artifacts and documents that help define the cultural identities of the countries affected.

Digitization projects are a way to preserve history and culture.

@AliRogin reports.

[Azhar Merchant @AzharMerchant_]

It was a true pleasure producing this story with the team at PBS News Weekend-- a fascinating combination of technology, climate change, and cultural preservation.

[Andrew Mark Corkery @AMcorkery]

Island nations are battling some of the worse impacts of Climate Change. In our latest for @NewsHour, @AzharMerchant_ , @AliRogin , @garyezard and I look at two island nations taking steps to preserve their threatened histories for future generations. https://t.co/XWaJfRf3jL

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The 2024 campaign was already shaping up to be the most expensive election of all time, but now several high-profile billionaires are dumping massive amounts of money into the presidential race. https://t.co/K1tkWwNTMz

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The pledge of 40 acres and a mule has been known as a broken promise. But a new report reveals that not only did the government grant land to hundreds of formerly enslaved people, it also took that land back and returned it to white southerners.
https://t.co/MiT4xlZWbu

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The trial of Hunter Biden highlighted his struggles with addiction, a struggle that resonates with millions in this country. Two-thirds of all Americans say drug addiction has either personally affected them or their families. https://t.co/4ARMcJc6e5

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More than six decades after he was selected but ultimately passed over to become this country’s first Black astronaut, Ed Dwight finally made it to space aboard Blue Origin's New Shepard rocket. He joined @GeoffRBennett to discuss the ride.
https://t.co/l53A6y6YkP

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This has been a big week for the markets as the Dow Jones, S&P 500 and the NASDAQ all reached record highs. @GeoffRBennett discussed what it means for the economy with @robenfarzad of @FullDRadio.
https://t.co/tpyu7j6BUH

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Our coverage of the ongoing Israel-Hamas War has been named a @PeabodyAwards recipient.

Congratulations to @Leila_MA, @IAmAmnaNawaz, @GeoffRBennett, @JohnYangTV, @NickSchifrin, @LBarronLopez and so many others who contributed to this reporting! https://t.co/dvoyF7qeVh

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The African nations of Niger and Chad have both been key partners with the United States in combating terrorist groups in the region. But now that both countries are ruled by military regimes, that cooperation is in question.
https://t.co/Vnmy4qDt9c

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In India, voting in the world’s largest election is underway for the next six weeks. Prime Minister Modi is favored to win a third term, but his consolidation of power and crackdown on dissent have raised questions about his commitment to democratic values.https://t.co/mlss2FpVBD

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The U.S. relationship with Saddam Hussein evolved dramatically across the decades. Using previously unreleased materials, author Steve Coll examines how Iraq's long-time dictator and four U.S. administrations repeatedly misinterpreted each other. https://t.co/aeXM966V0Z

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In 1929, Charles Curtis, an enrolled member of the Kaw Nation, became Herbert Hoover's vice president.

@johnyangtv speaks with biographer Deb Goodrich and tribal attorney Ken Bellmard about America's first and only Native American vice president.
https://t.co/8epfGMnCNV