May 18, 2023 - PBS NewsHour full episode

Since the start of the pandemic, homeschooling has been on the rise with an estimated 30% increase in enrollment since the beginning of the 2019 school year. While the total number of homeschooled families remains relatively modest, its rise has impacted traditional school enrollment and the way we view education. William Brangham reports.

The actors union SAG-AFTRA has called for a strike authorization vote. If the strike is approved, actors could join the more than 11,000 Writers Guild members already on the picket line putting more pressure on studios and networks. The writers' strike halted production of movies, scripted series and late-night shows. Geoff Bennett discussed what's at stake with Sal Gentile and Jeane Phan Wong.

The FBI arrested two Chinese nationals in New York last month, accusing them of running a secret police station to watch and intimidate Chinese dissidents living overseas. There are more than 100 of these stations around the world that researchers say Beijing uses to silence its critics. Nick Schifrin and producer Teresa Cebrián Aranda report.

Congressional and White House negotiators met again Thursday as they try to reach a deal on the debt ceiling. President Biden and Speaker McCarthy said they believe they can get an agreement next week. But fears of a default still loom since both sides remain divided on federal benefits and spending cuts. Economics Correspondent Paul Solman reports on what could happen in the case of a default.

For the second time this month, an underage migrant has died in U.S. custody. U.S. Customs and Border Protection said an 8-year-old girl at a Border Patrol facility in Texas “experienced a medical emergency.” Officials said the number of encounters with migrants crossing the U.S.-Mexico border has fallen by more than half since Title 42 ended. Geoff Bennett discussed the latest with Kica Matos.