tonight on pbs news weekend -- we are in the wild wild west with baby food.

there is not regulatory enforcement. it can be very confusing for families. john: in a preview of the conversation with wisconsin residents on the country's political divisions. >> major funding for the "pbs news weekend" has been provided by -- >> consumer cellular, how may i help you? this is a pocket dial. well, i thought i would let you know that with consumer cellular, you get nationwide coverage with no contracts. that is kind of our thing. have a nice day. ♪ >> and with the ongoing support of these individuals and institutions. and friends of the news hour.

♪ >> this program was made possible by the corporation for public broadcasting, and by contributions to your pbs station from viewers like you. thank you. ♪ john: good evening. i'm john yang. tensions in the middle east are reaching new, dangerous levels as israel and hezbollah intensify both their tit-for-tat assaults and their threats of more violence. overnight, hezbollah launched more than 100 rockets, missiles and drones at israel, targeting areas deeper into israeli territory than before. some hit near the city of haifa. at least three people were injured, and israeli hospitals went on wartime footing, moving patients deep underground. israel sent of barrage of rockets into lebanon. the israeli military said it struck terrorist targets and thwarted hezbollah's plans for an even larger attack.

on cbs' "face the nation," israeli president isaac herzog said his country is prepared to do what it takes to defend itself. >> this is jihadism at its best, and that's what we are fighting. and i wish, truly, and i say it as the president of israel officially, and i say it outright, because i know we don't want war, but if it's waged against us, we go all the way. john: israel has ordered qatar-based al jazeera to shut down for 45 days. the channel's cameras were rolling early this morning as israeli forces raided their west bank offices. the broadcaster had already been barred from operating in israel. in ukraine, russia launched a new wave of attacks in kharkiv, the nation's second largest city. bombs hit highrise apartment buildings, injuring 21 people, including an 8-year old boy. president volodymyr zelenskyy condemned the attacks and renewed his call for western allies to provide more long-range weapons. a massive rescue operation is underway in iran following one of the worst mine disasters in

the country's history. at least 50 people are dead and 20 others injured after the explosion in an area about 335 miles southeast of tehran. authorities blame a methane gas leak for the explosion. in birmingham, alabama, federal law enforcement officials are helping local police investigate a deadly mass shooting. police say more than 100 shots were fired in an entertainment district known for its bar and restaurant scene. four were killed, and 18 others wounded. investigators believe multiple people opened fire and many of the people hurt were bystanders caught in the crossfire. there have been no arrests. according to the gun violence archive, so far this year, there have been 404 shootings in america involving four or more victims. and, former miami dolphins running back eugene "mercury" morris has died. morris helped power the miami offense to two super bowl championships and, in 1972, to the only undefeated season in nfl history. mercury morris was 77 years old.

still to come on "pbs news weekend", the potential political storm facing the nation's top weather and climate service, and why a majority of supermarket baby food is unhealthy. >> this is pbs news weekend from weta in washington, home of the pbs news hour weeknights on pbs. john: north carolina's historic rainfall this past week is the sort of extreme weather event that's become more frequent and more severe. according to the union representing its employees, by july, the national weather service had issued some 13,000 severe thunderstorm warnings, 2000 tornado warnings and 1800 flash flood warnings. the weather service and its parent agency, the national oceanic and atmospheric administration, or noaa, are targeted for drastic changes in project 2025. that's the roadmap for the next

conservative president. many of its authors are former trump administration officials, although the former president has tried to distance himself from it. rachel cleetus is policy director in the climate and energy program at the union of concerned scientists. rachel, the section on noaa in project 2025 is written by thomas gilman. he was in the commerce department in the trump administration. he was an executive at chrysler before that. the section says that noaa has become one of the main drivers of the climate change alarm industry, and as such is harmful to future u.s. prosperity and should be broken up and downsized. what do you say to that? >> is an extremely damaging attack on an agency that is providing science that helps keep people safe, helps keep critical infrastructure and our economy safe. as you pointed out, noaa's weather service is providing information that helps communities get prepared ahead of things like extreme heat waves, major storms and

hurricanes. when we have these flooding events, when we have wildfires, this agency is crucial in providing the kind of information that helps first responders get out ahead, helps communities prepare and saves lives, frankly. so attacking this agency, attacking the science that it's doing is really damaging to the public. they would like the private sector to run rampant and not be fettered by any kind of guardrails. and we all know that the climate crisis is accelerating, getting worse, having an impact on our economy, as well as the environment. we've seen homes get destroyed, infrastructure get destroyed, insurance rates skyrocket. this is about our country's healthy future, our prosperity, our children's prosperity. so this document is just an incredible assault on science-based policymaking, and it will have a disproportionate impact on a low income communities and communities of

color who have long borne the brunt of pollution in our nation. john: and it is more than just the weather service. when we talk about the national hurricane center and the oceanic and atmospheric office they call it the source of much climate alarmism and that the data should be presented neutrally. what do those offices do? what do those agencies do? how does it relate to research on climate change and what do you take of them saying that data should be presented neutrally? >> the reality is that climate change is a scientific fact. and we are seeing it in the impacts all around the country today. we've seen these extreme weather events. we're seeing billion dollar disasters mount around the country. we have seen incredible extreme heat waves just this year in our country, major wildfires, hurricane beryl, hurricane francine, that stalled out with major rainfall. this is the reality. this is not about climate

alarmism or whatever that might mean. this is about climate reality. this is an agency that is not policy prescriptive. it's providing essential scientific facts that track both the day to day weather as well as the long term trends, including that caused by climate change, which is driven by fossil fuel emissions. the most recent noaa data shows that the january to august period is the hottest in the 175 years of tracking these records. so, once again, we're seeing these record breaking years. and then the trend, which is truly concerning this year, 100% of the u.s. population saw an extreme weather alert. everywhere in the country, wherever you live, you've been under one of these alerts. you've maybe experienced some of these damaging impacts. john: and on the weather service, project 2025 notes that a lot of the forecasts people get are from private forecasting

companies and that they say that they're actually more reliable than the weather service. so they say that the weather service should fully commercialize its forecasting operations. what do you think about that? >> people may not realize that a lot of private companies that are providing new information are getting the underlying data from noaa. so whether it's accuweather or your local tv forecaster, the data that they're relying on is coming from noaa. and the fact that that data is freely and widely accessible is really important. you don't have to be rich, you don't have to be a wealthy community. you can access that information. the other piece of data that people may not be aware of is noaa's tide gauge data, which is providing information all along our coastline off the impacts of accelerating sea level rise that's already causing sunny day flooding, even without extreme storms. so this are the kind of data that we'rell relying on and may not realize it. john: if you had your own

project 2025, we're laying out a roadmap for the next administration, whoever it is. what sort of things would you be prescribing for noaa? >> i think one thing we should all want is independent scientific information that can help us get to better policymaking. so agencies like noaa providing that information, that their scientific integrity is protected, that their scientists can provide the information and not be afraid of intimidation, and that that information can help guide policymakers. that can help us both in the near term as well as in the long term prepare for the impacts of climate change. so having noaa be an independent, well-resourced agency that can do its work, essential work that we depend on, that's what we should be looking for as a nation. john: rachel cleetus of the union of concerned scientists, thank you very much. >> thank you so much for having me.

♪ john: for most parents, feeding their infant or toddler healthy foods as a priority but new research shows baby food aisles and grocery stores in america are stocked with products that might not be as nourishing as they seem. allie rogan reports on what parents need to know to ensure they are giving their children a balanced diet. ali: proper nutrition in the first years of a child's life can have a significant impact on their development. but according to a recent study, nearly two thirds of supermarket baby foods don't meet nutrition guidelines set by the world health organization. researchers at the george institute for global health found that 60% of the 651 products they reviewed either fail to meet protein and calorie recommendations, or have too much sugar and sodium. jill castle is a pediatric nutritionist and dietitian. she's also the author of "kids thrive at every size." jill, thank you so much for being here.

we mentioned that this study looked at foods for children ages six months to three years. why is nutrition in that window of time so crucial? jill castle: so, there are several reasons. number one, brain development is happening at quite a good pace. and that's a nutrient dependent process. anso we want young children to have a nutrient rich diet. the other thing that's happening is that children are developing their flavor preferences and their food preferences. and so we know if they' eating lots of sweet foods or salty foods, they're going to prefer those later on. so we really want to have that nutrient-rich diet and foods that are going to nurture their flavor and food preferences down the road. ali: what do we know about some of the what this study would call deceptive and untruthful practices that the companies that make these products do when they put their products on the shelf? jill castle: well, i think part of it is just the labeling on

the front of the package may not represent what's actually in the product. and so i encourage parents to turn the package over and look at the ingredient list. the first item on the list will be what is most prominent in that baby food package. so if apple is the first item, it's going to be mostly made with apples. so if you're buying baby food or a blend of grains and fruit and vegetables, you want to make sure that what you think you're getting is actually on that ingredient list, listed at the top of the list. ali: and how are these nutritional guidelines determined? and is it different here in the united states than it is in other parts of the western world? jill castle: over the last decade, the baby food market has really exploded. and we don't have regulations necessarily that really tell manufacturers what those products need to include. we do have the dietary guidelines for americans. and in 2020, when those came out, we had new guidance for

children under age two, which went on to talk about when we introduced food allergens and also talked about no added sugar in the diet in the first two years of life. and really limits on sodium. so we're kind of in the wild, wild west with baby food right now. we don't have guidance. we don't have regulatory reinforcement of what needs to be in there and what needs to be limited. and so it can be very confusing for parents who are trying to do the best by their children. they're looking at the front of pack. they're looking at what it might say, gmo or no added sugar or all natural. and that can be very confusing for families because they don't know exactly what's in there. and those claims can be misleading. ali: and some parents might turn to these foods because they're convenient, they're affordable. are there alternatives that are likewise that parents can explore? jill castle: sure.

i mean, single ingredient baby foods are just going to have that one ingredient. so, for example, carrots or peas, those are a great place to start. they may not have the type of texture as your baby gets older that you're going to want to expose them to. but you can make your own mixes with single ingredient food, for example. maybe you take oatmeal, carrots , and green beans and you mix it together. the other thing that parents can do is fork mash. foods like avocado, banana, boil a sweet potato and fork mash that you can thin that with a little infant formula or breast milk. and then the other thing parents can do is use a baby-led weaning approach where they can use finger foods for children, or a hybrid approach where you're using both baby food and age appropriate sized whole foods for your baby. ali: what about for parents who live in places where fresh food might not be as readily available? food deserts where supermarkets

are sparse. what are their options? jill castle: so if families are economically challenged, there's a great program called the women infants and children program, or wic. and that program is designed for mothers and children under the age of five. they provide education, food sources, access to nutritious foods for children under the age of five. ali: what advice do you have for parents who might be looking to change course? they might have read these studies and found that what they're feeding their baby isn't as nutritious as what they thought. what would be your advice for those parents? jill castle: i would say, don't panic. you know, there are lots of foods out there. there are brands out there that are doing a good job, although these brands weren't highlighted in the article. but i would say, you know, you can always talk to a registered dietitian or your pediatrician and ask for guidance, but don't panic. variety is really the key, and looking for foods that are going

to be rich in nutrients to help nurture your baby's relationship with food, their growth and development, and their flavor preferences. ali: jill castle, pediatric nutritionist and dietitian and the author of "kids thrive at every size." thank you so much for joining us. jill castle: you're so welcome. ♪ john: for the past year and a half, judy woodruff has been exploring the ways our country's political divisions have affected our personal lives, creating rifts between family, friends, and communities. as part of that series, called “america at a crossroads,” in milwaukee this past week, judy met with more than 50 wisconsin residents from across the political spectrum for a frank discussion about the challenges we face as a country. here's a bit of that discussion. >> i have family members that want to throw the racist card at

me and i want to let people know as a trump supporter, i am not racist and i do not believe that trump is, either. >> as a black man the only thing , that he tries to identify with is my struggle. not me being a parent, not me being a person trying to work and pay bills and buy a home and things like that. john: that is part of a pbs special that airs tomorrow night called “crossroads: a conversation with america.” and judy joins me now. people feeling that division personally, how common was it? >> we heard several people who are trump supporters say they have family members who will not have anything to do with them, that women just said it has really hurt her what has happened and her family, another woman told us she lost customers, a woman who owned a

shooting range and a beauty salon and when her customers learned she was supporting trump and affected tm and they stopped patronizing her business. on the other hand we heard people who are very much democrats supporting biden and harris, saying it caused deep splits in their family as well so we know now and we have heard this across the country for the last year d a half. john: did anything in the discussion surprise you? >> a lot of things. for example, we asked people about specific issues that were the reasons they mainly support either trump or harris. we had a trump supporter talk about her family, she said we are a family of immigrants but we believe in coming across the border and doing it by the books, being legal and we do not

believe in allowing people to come into the country and takes jobs and frankly take the place of people who have paid their dues. i think if you are asking me what surprised me, after the conversations, and we talked to another gentleman by the way who is a daca recipient, he came undocumented with his parents and now he is a successful business person and still cannot vote and does not have citizenship status. so after the session we saw him talking with the woman who had said i do not like people coming across the border and taking up space in our country. we saw the same thing around reproductive rights, people who had different points of view talking with one another. so there is no possibility of common ground, it is just that you do not hear about it in the public space. john: did you come away from

this more or less hopeful about political discourse? >> you are not going to like this answer, but it is both. you cannot help but be discouraged when some people express very strong feelings on one side or the other and most people in that room told us that they believe compromise is a good idea and we should be seeking common ground but they also said there are things i do not want to compromise on. i think many of the people were on good behavior, frankly. they knew we were filming this and we probably got the best answers they were going to give. we had a political science professor from university of wisconsin who said people might be more candid but on the other hand, traveling around the country and in milwaukee monday night, you got the sense people are tired of the division. yes they have strong feelings,

yes they have strong principles, but they want to be able to function as a society, as a people, and to me there was this sense that they would like to see us figure out a way through this. john: it sounds like a fascinating conversation. thank you very much. “crossroads: a conversation with america” airs tomorrow night on pbs at 9:00 p.m. eastern, 8:00 central. ♪ for many years, nature and wildlife photographers have been disproportionately male. but tonight, the story of a young girl in india who's helping change that stereotype. ali rogin is back with her story. >> i'm shreyovi mehta, i live in india, faridabad, and i'm 10 years old. ali: shreyovi mehta is the eyes

behind this photo -- a highly commended image that's part of the prestigious natural history museum of london's “wildlife photographer of the year” awards. shreyovi mehta: so i took it in november 2023. me and my dad went to keoladeo national park which is in bharatpur. and then in the morning was around 6:00 or 7:00, we were walking through the forest, and my dad showed me a path with the mist, and the golden light mixed together. it was creating shades of gold and yellow light. with the two peahens in the center of the road, and he was telling me how to frame the shot. ali: she's been capturing wildlife from a very young age. shreyovi mehta: i touched a camera and i was really fascinated by them. and, i must be two around then. and since then, i got to know more about cameras, learn more about cameras. and when i was six, i began to use my dad's camera. but i grew up with cameras

around me. ali: photography runs through her veins -- from her mom kahini's small camera to her dad shivang's professional long lenses. they run a wildlife photography tour company together and shreyovi has traveled with them to encounter all kinds of animals in the wild. >> hello, friends. we are at the national park. this is our first safari. i've clicked langurs, deer, tigers. ali: she's a dedicated student -- her days start early. shreyovi mehta: so i wake up at 4:45 for my photography lessons. and then 5:00 to 6:00 is my photography lessons, 6:00 to 7:00 i get ready to go to school. ali: she's set her sights on a career in photography in the long term, and in the shorter term, she wants to go to the himalayas with her dad and photograph a snow leopard. for pbs news weekend, i'm ali rogin.

♪ john: a little news what we have been on the air, congressional leaders have announced a pending bill intended to avoid a government shutdown. it would fund the government for three months, pushing longer-term decisions until after the election. both chambers would have to pass the bill this week. and that is pbs news weekend for this sunday. i am john yang. for all of my colleagues, thanks for joining us. have a good week. >> major funding for the "pbs news weekend" has been provided by -- and with the ongoing support of these individuals and institutions. this program was made possible by the corporation for public

broadcasting, and by contributions to your pbs station from viewers like you. thank you. ♪ [captioning performed by the national captioning institute, which is responsible for its caption content and accuracy.]

♪♪ -sometimes the greatest outdoor discoveries are made right in your own backyard. it's kind of fun shooting a show local though, isn't it? -oh, i love it. no, this is cool. this is like a dream come true for me. -a place you thought you knew reveals a side of itself you never truly understood. you and i grew up as the crow flies, -what, 30 miles from here maybe? -yeah. -we love our side of the hill. -yeah. -this is we haven't explored it.