PBS News Hour full episode, May 11, 2026

President Trump rejected Iran's latest peace proposal, which did not include nuclear concessions and instead demanded U.S. recognition of Iranian sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz and a lifting of sanctions. This rejection led to new U.S. sanctions against Iran and discussions of renewed military action to open the Strait, raising fears of a prolonged conflict.

President Trump stated the cease-fire is 'on massive life support' after receiving a 'piece of garbage' proposal. U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright alluded to 'restarting military operations' if negotiations fail. Iran's Foreign Ministry called their terms 'reasonable and generous'.

Robert Kagan, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, asserts that defeat for the United States in the Iran conflict is not only possible but likely. He argues that Iran's control over the Strait of Hormuz grants it enormous leverage, potentially more than a nuclear weapon, and that the U.S. lacks viable military options short of a full-scale invasion, which is politically unfeasible.

Kagan stated, 'This conflict has revealed in America that is unreliable and incapable of finishing what it started. Defeat for the United States, therefore, is not only possible, but likely.' He added, 'If Iran can charge tolls, if Iran determines who gets in and out of the strait and when, that's just enormous power. And, in fact, I think it's even more power than they would have if they were able to develop a nuclear weapon.'

A hantavirus outbreak on a cruise ship, caused by the Andes strain, has led to the quarantine of 18 Americans in specialized biocontainment units. The virus's long incubation period (up to eight weeks) and potential for easier human-to-human spread than previously understood are significant concerns. Dr. Ashish Jha criticized the U.S. health officials for a slow initial response and the prior elimination of a CDC unit dedicated to cruise ship outbreaks.

Dr. Ashish Jha noted, 'There is evidence... that it is potentially a little easier to spread than has been traditionally taught in the textbooks.' He also stated, 'The communication out of HHS has been also very slow and I think unclear. The engagement with the global community, with WHO has been far less than what it would be under normal circumstances.' He highlighted the elimination of the CDC's cruise ship outbreak unit last year.

The cost of President Trump's reflecting pool renovation on the National Mall has escalated from an initial estimate of $1.8 million to $13.1 million. A nonprofit group has filed a lawsuit, alleging the 'American flag blue' repainting violates federal historic preservation law. Concerns also exist regarding the use of a no-bid contract awarded to a firm with no prior federal experience and unclear expertise in such large-scale pool projects.

David Fahrenthold of The New York Times reported the cost jump and the contractor's lack of previous federal contracts. The Cultural Landscape Foundation's lawsuit claims the new color 'will fundamentally alter the visual and experiential character of the pool.'

In Jamaica, scientists and artists are using innovative sound technology to help revive coral reefs devastated by climate change. Underwater speakers play recorded sounds of healthy reefs to attract fish and tiny coral organisms, which use sound for navigation. This method aims to repopulate and restore silent, degraded reefs, with previous experiments showing significant increases in fish populations.

Marco Barotti, Coral Sonic Resilience Artist, explained, 'If a reef is alive with sound, it's most likely to stay alive... And when reefs degrade, they grow silent.' A similar experiment on the Great Barrier Reef 'saw fish populations double in just six weeks.'