May 18, 2026 - PBS News Hour full episode

Friday on the News Hour, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard resigns, the latest high-profile shakeup in the Trump administration. We look at the many causes driving a decade-long decline in students' math and reading scores. Plus, as carbon credits to offset climate change often haven't lived up to their promise, some groups are now trying to change that. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

With talks stalled and Iran maintaining its chokehold over the Strait of Hormuz, President Trump is weighing whether to restart the war. Strikes failed to eliminate Iran's regime or destroy its military and nuclear capabilities, so is it time for the U.S. to reassess its strategy? Compass Points moderator Nick Schifrin discusses this with Sina Azodi, Justin Logan, Firas Maksad and Danielle Pletka. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Unexplained sightings have appeared in our skies for years, and now the U.S. government has started releasing declassified files about what we used to call UFOs. What explains these phenomena, and what do we know about life beyond Earth? Horizons moderator William Brangham explores what we do know, and what we don't, with Leslie Kean and Garrett Graff, two authors who've studied this topic deeply. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Thursday on the News Hour, some congressional Republicans show a willingness to break with President Trump over concerns about funding for his proposed ballroom and "anti-weaponization fund." The Democratic Party releases the long-awaited autopsy report of its 2024 election defeat. Plus, New Mexico's secretary of state discusses a new law barring armed federal personnel from polling places. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Wednesday on the News Hour, the Justice Department indicts former Cuban President Raúl Castro in the latest escalation of tensions with the island nation. Another Congressman who stood up to Donald Trump is ousted, underscoring the president's hold on the Republican Party. Plus, Xi Jinping hosts Vladimir Putin in China, cementing their alliance a week after President Trump's visit. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Tuesday on the News Hour, authorities work to establish a motive in the fatal shooting at a San Diego Islamic Center that's being investigated as a hate crime. The Trump administration seeks to roll back regulations on toxic forever chemicals in drinking water. Plus, the higher education landscape continues to evolve, with more colleges offering students the chance to graduate in three years. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Soman Chainani's young adult novel series, "The School for Good & Evil," has sold more than 4.5 million copies around the globe and became a hugely popular Netflix movie. In the latest episode of Settle In, he joins Amna Nawaz to talk about what's changing for young people right now — and how to engage them in both reading and the political process. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Monday on the News Hour, San Diego police respond to a shooting at an Islamic center that they're calling a hate crime. The DOJ creates a $1.8 billion fund that could compensate Trump supporters. We sit down with former FBI Director James Comey, who has been indicted for a second time. Plus, an Ebola outbreak has claimed more than a hundred lives. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Friday on the News Hour, questions about the future of U.S.-China relations remain following the pomp and circumstance of President Trump's visit to Beijing. As Jerome Powell ends his tenure as chair of the Federal Reserve, a look at the legacy he leaves behind. Plus, artificial intelligence supercharges scams aimed at older Americans, costing seniors billions with hyper-realistic voice cloning. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Moscow started as a fort on a hill and has survived invasion, revolution, civil war and Soviet collapse to transform into a formidable world power. But with the limits of Russia's power tested in Ukraine, is history doomed to repeat itself? Nick Schifrin discusses how Moscow's complex past helps us understand the present with Simon Morrison, author of "A Kingdom and a Village." PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy