May 20, 2022 - PBS NewsHour full episode

President Biden's trip to Asia aims to improve economic and security relations with allies in the region, with plans to introduce a new regional economic framework designed to counter China's influence. Nick Schifrin reports, and Judy Woodruff speaks with Frank Jannuzi of the Mansfield Foundation and Bonnie Glaser of the Asia program at the German Marshall Fund of the United States to learn more.

President Biden has indicated he will soon announce a decision on whether he will cancel $10,000 in student debt for college graduates. It’s a decision being widely anticipated but also much debated over its scope and merits. Katherine Welbeck of the Student Borrower Protection Center and Marc Goldwein of the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget join Amna Nawaz to discuss.

After hitting near historic lows pre-pandemic, crime has been spiking in many parts of the U.S., including in the nation's most populous city. Shootings in New York City have more than doubled this year compared to the same time period in 2019. The city's new mayor has made public safety his top priority, while polls show half of New Yorkers view crime as the leading issue. Jeffrey Brown reports.

Financial markets closed out the week with yet another head-spinning day, with one of the main indexes, the S&P 500, plunging for almost three hours into bear market territory, signifying a drop of 20 percent or more from its prior record. Jason Furman, an economist at the Harvard Kennedy School who served as a top adviser to President Obama, joins Judy Woodruff to discuss.