May 20, 2021 - PBS NewsHour full episode

President Joe Biden is expected to meet Friday with South Korea’s President Moon Jae-in. The two leaders are at very different points of their terms. Biden, newly-elected, and moon in his final year. They are expected to discuss progress on North Korea, and discuss tense U.S.- China relations. Amna Nawaz gets the details from South Korean Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong.

U.S. jobless claims were at their lowest levels since March of last year according to numbers released Thursday. Hiring is on the rise, as are renewed questions about the need for the weekly $300 federal unemployment benefits, which many Republican governors across the country are rejecting for their states. U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo joins Amna Nawaz to discuss the matter and more.

In our news wrap Thursday, President Biden signed the new COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act that passed Congress with bipartisan support. The U.S. House of Representatives approved nearly $2 billion to increase security at the Capitol in the wake of the Jan. 6 insurrection, but it is unclear if the Senate will vote to create an independent commission to investigate the events of the day.

A cease-fire is at hand in the war between Israel and Hamas. Word of the truce came Thursday from Israel, and Hamas quickly agreed. If it holds, it would end 11 days of fierce fighting that killed at least 230 Palestinians and 12 Israelis, and wrecked Gazan cities. John Yang begins the report, and Yamiche Alcindor joins Amna Nawaz to discuss the Biden administration's role and reaction.

This week, the annual Kennedy Center Honors for lifetime artistic achievement are being awarded, remotely. One of the honorees is the world-renowned violinist Midori. Starting as a child, the now 49-year-old has wowed audiences for decades, and has been a champion for music around the globe. Jeffrey Brown spoke with her for our arts and culture series, CANVAS.

President Joe Biden has said that changing immigration law remains an important piece of his agenda. But the path to new legislation is complex and hardly clear. One of the biggest flashpoints in this debate are questions about undocumented workers and their role in the economy. Paul Solman dives into those questions for his latest report for "Making Sense."