Stories of the Week | PBS NewsHour Podcast | PBS

In 1870, on the heels of civil war and the end of slavery, the nation's first African-American public high school opened just blocks from the U.S. Capitol. Today Dunbar High School is honoring its past while hoping to recapture what once made it great. Jeffrey Brown talks to Alison Stewart about her new book, "First Class."

Ray Suarez talks to Michael Oppenheimer, a professor at Princeton University and member of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, about a new scientific assessment that updates the previously-held understanding of the rate and consequences of global warming.

How does the Affordable Care Act alter Medicare or other insurance coverage for older Americans? Mary Agnes Carey of Kaiser Health News joins Ray Suarez to answer some of your most frequently asked questions.

New details were released about coverage choices for consumers in the new health care exchanges. What will their premiums cost? Ray Suarez is joined by Louise Radnofsky of The Wall Street Journal to answer some of your most frequently asked questions.

House Republicans plan to eliminate funding for the Affordable Care Act as part of a spending bill that would keep the government running past October 1. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said any bill that defunds health care reform won't survive the Senate. Gwen Ifill reports on the budget battle.

Mathew Brady, a 19th century pioneer of American photography, was known for both his portraits of celebrities as well as for his searing images of the Civil War. Jeffrey Brown talks to Robert Wilson, author of a new biography called, "Mathew Brady: Portraits of a Nation," about how the artist shaped the vision of America.

More than 300 miles north of the Arctic Circle, Alaska’s North Slope is ground zero for global climate change. NewsHour producer April Brown reports the melting ice has opened up opportunity for shipping and other development – industry that could be catastrophic for the way of life of residents.

The health care reform law was designed to help give people without health insurance an affordable avenue to buy it. But how does it affect Americans who get their insurance through their workplace? NewsHour analyst Susan Dentzer joins Ray Suarez to help answer frequently asked questions about how companies are affected.

Chairman Ben Bernanke announced that the Federal Reserve would continue its stimulus effort of pouring money into the bond market because the economy still needs help. Gwen Ifill talks to Neil Irwin of The Washington Post for a deeper look into the thinking at the Fed.

In the wake of the Navy Yard shooting, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel recognizes his department's responsibility to ensure the safety of its employees. But, he told Judy Woodruff, there were "red flags that didn’t get connected." On Syria, Hagel said the military is ready to respond to any option the president decides to take.

In our news wrap Wednesday, House Republican leaders announced they would try to block funding for the health care reform law, even if it means shutting down the government at month's end. Also, in Mexico, the death toll rose to nearly 60 in the wake of two storms that hit both coasts of that country.

Melting glaciers mean more water to explore and profit from in the Arctic, but it can also mean danger for mariners. NewsHour producer April Brown reports that scientists from the NOAA who inform sailors how close they can get to the ice have not been able to keep up with the dramatic speed of climate change and new vessels.

Polls show that a majority of Americans don't understand how the health reform law and the new insurance exchanges -- slated to open Oct. 1 -- work. Who can sign up and what will be covered? Ray Suarez poses your frequently asked questions to NPR's Julie Rovner.

Flooding in some Colorado communities wiped out infrastructure, rendering many homes uninhabitable and stranding citizens. Displaced Coloradans now face the challenge of finding temporary housing and the "enormous task" of clean-up and rebuilding. Special correspondent Mary Jo Brooks takes us to the scene of the wreckage.

When the 9/11 attacks occurred, Americans flooded the Internet to seek news and feel connected. Danny Lewin was a tech entrepreneur who had developed algorithms to ensure the Web wouldn't crash from high traffic. He was also the first victim on Sept. 11. Molly Knight-Raskin joins Ray Suarez to discuss her new book about Lewin.