AMNA NAWAZ: Good evening.

I'm Amna Nawaz.

GEOFF BENNETT: And I'm Geoff Bennett.

On the "NewsHour" tonight: Moments before trial, FOX News settles a legal case with Dominion Voting Systems over the network's lies about the 2020 election.

AMNA NAWAZ: Questions abound in a shooting where a homeowner opened fire on a young person who mistakenly approached their house.

GEOFF BENNETT: And cases of so-called long COVID keep many Americans from going back to work.

CHIMERE SMITH (Long COVID Patient): My body is broken.

On some days, I feel like a cracker that somebody can put in their hands and just crumble, because that is how my body feels.

(BREAK) GEOFF BENNETT: Welcome to the "NewsHour."

The defamation trial against FOX News ended before it started.

Dominion Voting Systems had alleged the right-wing network knowingly broadcast lies that its voting machines were used to steal the 2020 presidential election.

AMNA NAWAZ: In a settlement announced by Dominion's lawyers today, FOX agreed to pay $787 million, roughly half the amount Dominion had been seeking.

Dominion's lawyers called the deal a ringing endorsement for truth and democracy.

JUSTIN NELSON, Attorney For Dominion Voting Systems: The truth matters.

Lies have consequences.

Over two years ago, a torrent of lies swept Dominion and election officials across America into an alternative universe of conspiracy theories, causing grievous harm to Dominion and the country.

GEOFF BENNETT: In a statement, FOX News said - - quote -- "We acknowledge the court's rulings finding certain claims about Dominion to be false.

The settlement reflects FOX's continued commitment to the highest journalistic standards."

David Folkenflik is NPR's media correspondent and is outside the courtroom in Delaware.

Thank you for being with us.

And, David, Dominion executives and lawyers, they really sidestepped reporters' questions during that press conference about what, if any admission of guilt is included in this settlement beyond the initial statement I just read.

You were in the courtroom today.

Do you have any clarity on that?

DAVID FOLKENFLIK, NPR: I think we do have clarity about what FOX is willing to admit.

And I think you have just read it aloud.

It is willing to admit in the passive voice that false claims were made.

And it said that it wanted the nation to be able to move on from the controversies engendered by these false claims that there had been election fraud in the 2020 race to cheat then-President Trump of victory.

But, essentially, the payment, the announcement of the size of the payment is the apology.

And that's what FOX is willing to give here.

That's what the Murdochs atop the FOX News and its parent company are willing to pay to make -- to be able to sidestep themselves the question of any apology and also be able to avert Rupert Murdoch and others having to testify in open court and for more embarrassing testimony or evidence to come forward about how FOX operated in that crucial period after the 2020 elections.

GEOFF BENNETT: Well, on that point, this settlement means that FOX avoids a potentially messy and embarrassing trial.

One can imagine why they would want to settle this case.

What's in it for Dominion?

Why were they inclined to settle?

DAVID FOLKENFLIK: Well, on the one hand you can look at it and note that it is exactly $12.5 million less than $800 million, which would be the halfway mark to the $1.6 billion damages that Dominion had sought in this case.

So, FOX can say, we settled for less than half.

But it is an astronomical figure, more than FOX and the Murdochs have ever paid for any single settlement, far more.

And it is also an opportunity to avoid being tied up in court for years, not in this trial, given that Dominion had amassed so much evidence of the knowledge that people inside FOX had that what they were putting on the air was untrue and damaging, but also that this would have gone into appeals.

And that could have taken a lot of years, even had Dominion prevailed upon appeal.

And appellate courts often reduce the amount of damages awarded by juries.

So, Dominion would have been rolling the dice if they had turned down the opportunity to achieve a settlement as large as this.

And I want to reiterate, I think the size of the settlement, nearly $800 million, because it was made public, becomes the apology itself.

GEOFF BENNETT: FOX Corp in February reported total quarterly revenues of $4.6 billion.

Is $787.5 million, is that enough?

Will that make enough of a dent for FOX to change the way it does business, to stop knowingly spreading disinformation, about the 2020 election?

DAVID FOLKENFLIK: I think it's enough to do that last specific thing you mentioned, to stop sowing misinformation and falsehoods and lies about the 2020 race.

And FOX had effectively backed off from doing that.

I think it's a real open question, in fact, I'm very skeptical that FOX will do business extremely -- difficulty.

It may not put an out there and broadcast explicitly false claims, but I think the tenor of what it does, stoking certain form of cultural grievances, and really ignoring unwelcome truths, is likely to continue to be adopted by FOX News because of what you just cited, the billions of dollars a year it generates in revenues and in profits.

It's the vast majority of the profits for its parent company, FOX Corp.

It's really the most important property the Murdochs control in their vast global media empire.

And so I don't think you're going to see FOX do business greatly differently.

I think this isn't pocket change.

This isn't just loose money you find between couch cushions.

Even for somebody named Murdoch, it's notable.

It's important.

But it's not enough to make them say, you know what, we're not going to do business this way.

I think they will avoid the explicitly false claims, but continue to embrace the tenor of what they say, which is really what people are looking for anyway.

GEOFF BENNETT: NPR media correspondent David Folkenflik.

David, thanks for that reporting and thanks for being with us.

DAVID FOLKENFLIK: You bet.

GEOFF BENNETT: In the day's other headlines: Heavy gunfire echoed in Sudan's capital after a 24-hour cease-fire was supposed to begin.

The military and a paramilitary rebel force had agreed to a temporary truce, but fighting raged on.

In Khartoum, civilians lined up outside bakeries, despite the danger, desperate for fresh food after four days of combat.

MOHAMED, Khartoum Resident (through translator): The situation is very hard.

It was sudden.

There's no electricity, no water.

It's the fourth day in a row without water.

People also weren't prepared.

As you can see here in the supermarket, most goods are not available.

GEOFF BENNETT: Late tonight, in Khartoum, the U.S. Embassy advised Americans in Sudan to shelter in place.

In Ukraine, two warring leaders have made competing visits to their troops as they gear up for expected spring offensives.

The Kremlin today released a video of Russian President Vladimir Putin visiting a Russian-held part of the southern Kherson region on Monday.

And Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with soldiers in the Donetsk province.

That eastern area has seen fierce fighting all winter.

A Russian judge today ordered Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich to stay in jail pending his prosecution on espionage charges.

The 31-year-old appeared in public for the first time in weeks standing in a glass cage in Moscow city court.

Afterward, his lawyers said he's staying upbeat.

MARIA KORCHAGINA, Attorney For Evan Gershkovich (through translator): He's in the mood.

He is in a fighting spirit.

He is ready to prove the right to free journalism.

He is ready to defend himself.

Today, at the court session, he made a corresponding statement that he was ready to prove that he was innocent of the act incriminating him.

GEOFF BENNETT: Gershkovich was arrested in late March and accused of trying to get secret information about a Russian arms factory.

The U.S. government and The Wall Street Journal strenuously deny the charges against him.

Back in this country, the U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments on whether the Postal Service violated a mail carrier's religious rights by forcing him to work on Sundays.

He eventually quit and is now asking the court to revisit a 1977 ruling.

That ruling allowed employers to deny some religious accommodations if they impose undue hardship on the business.

Southwest Airlines faced a new disruption today after data connection problems briefly grounded its flights nationwide.

The grounding lasted 17 minutes, delaying more than 1,800 flights.

Planes sat on the tarmac and customers sought answers at airports.

Just four months ago, Southwest's scheduling system collapsed during the Christmas travel rush.

Buffalo Bills player Damar Hamlin says he has been fully cleared to return to pro football just four months after his heart stopped during a game.

Hamlin had just made a tackle when he collapsed back in January.

Emergency crews worked to save him in front of a national TV audience.

Today, he reflected on it all.

DAMAR HAMLIN, Buffalo Bills: The wow moment is every day just being able to wake up and just take deep breaths in and live a peaceful life, to have a family, to have people around me that love me and that care about me, and for those people to still have me in their lives.

They almost lost me.

Like, I died on national TV in front of the whole world.

You know what I mean?

GEOFF BENNETT: Hamlin, who's 25 years old, says he started attending voluntary off-season workouts with no medical restrictions.

The FDA today cleared the way for yet another COVID-19 booster.

Approval from the CDC could come as early as tomorrow.

Those 65 and older or with immune system problems are eligible for the bivalent booster that targets the Omicron strain and its offshoots.

The original versions of the vaccines will no longer be used.

On Wall Street, stocks had little to show for the day's work.

The Dow Jones industrial average lost 10 points to close it 33976.

The Nasdaq fell four points.

The S&P 500 added three.

And a toddler has joined the ranks of White House intruders.

A little boy squeezed through the security fence today.

He was intercepted by Secret Service uniformed officers, then returned to his parents.

The fence was doubled in height in recent years, but the space between the bars was widened by an inch.

Still to come on the "PBS NewsHour": government officials come under scrutiny for failing to keep migrant children out of unsafe jobs; more on the efforts to free Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich from Russia; and we speak with former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett about the recent violent clashes in his country.

AMNA NAWAZ: Two stories of homeowners shooting a teen and killing a young adult for going to the wrong address have stunned many around the country.

Both suspects in these cases are now charged.

But that's hardly easing any of the anger or the grief.

Our communities correspondent, Gabrielle Hays, begins with this report.

GABRIELLE HAYS: Hundreds of students walked out of Staley High School in Kansas City today to demand justice in the shooting of their fellow classmate Ralph Yarl.

Authorities say an 84-year-old white man shot the Black teenager Thursday night after Yarl mistakenly went to his home to pick up his younger brothers.

The homeowner, Andrew Lester, has now been charged with two felony counts, including first-degree assault.

He was taken into custody today.

Yarl was shot in the head and the arm.

The 16-year-old was not carrying a weapon and didn't cross the man's threshold.

Yarl's aunt Faith Spoonmore described the terrifying incident.

FAITH SPOONMORE, Aunt of Shooting Victim: He looked my nephew in the eye, told him, "Don't ever come back here again," while he shot him in the head.

My nephew fell to the ground, and he shot him again.

GABRIELLE HAYS: Yesterday, Clay County prosecutors confirmed there was a racial component to the shooting, but did not elaborate.

Yarl is now recovering at home after being hospitalized.

Lee Merritt is the Yarl family's attorney.

LEE MERRITT, Attorney For Family of Ralph Yarl: His prognosis long term is guarded, based on the significance of this kind of traumatic brain injury.

However, how well he is doing is, in fact, miraculous.

And we are excited about the progress that he has made.

GABRIELLE HAYS: Meanwhile, in Upstate New York, outrage is growing in a separate homeowner shooting; 65 year-old Kevin Monahan has been charged in the death of a white woman looking for a friend's house; 20-year-old Kaylin Gillis was riding with friends Saturday when they made a wrong turn on Monahan's property.

Washington County Sheriff Jeff Murphy said she would shot while they were trying to turn the car around in the driveway.

JEFFREY MURPHY, Washington County, New York, Sheriff: Once they determined that they're at the wrong house, the subject came out on his porch for whatever reason, and fired two shots, one of which struck the vehicle that Kaylin was in.

The shooting took place in a world town with limited cell phone service, so Gillis' friends had to drive to a neighboring town to call 911.

After initially resisting, Monahan was taken into custody and booked for second-degree murder.

As anger mounts in Upstate New York, back in Kansas City, Ralph Yarl's supporters are holding a rally to condemn his shooting and cheer on his recovery.

For the "PBS NewsHour," I'm Gabrielle Hays.

AMNA NAWAZ: Activists are calling for hate crimes charges to be filed and Ralph Yarl's shooting.

Meanwhile, late today, the suspect in the case was released on bond.

Joining me now is Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas.

Mayor Lucas, welcome to the "NewsHour."

And thank you for joining us.

First and foremost, I know you have been in touch with Ralph Yarl's family.

What can you tell us about how they're doing and how Ralph is doing?

QUINTON LUCAS (D), Mayor of Kansas City, Missouri: Ralph so far has had an absolutely miraculous recovery.

I know there are many more steps ahead.

But to have been shot in the head and shot a second time by this defendant and be out of the hospital by now is absolutely miraculous.

So, I know that, at least physically, they're holding up.

I think, mentally, there will be an ongoing challenge for this young man, who had seemingly everything going for him in the world and who was struck by this unimaginable incident.

AMNA NAWAZ: What about the people in your community?

I mean, the idea that a child, a teenager could be shot just for showing up at the wrong house is a horrifying notion for parents, especially for parents of Black children.

How is this resonating in Kansas City?

QUINTON LUCAS: Terribly.

I mean, it's terrifying for everyone.

This is one of those things that, either for me in public service, I feel like for those of you all in journalism, that you wake up with in the middle of the night that you worry.

I was looking at my door at my home.

And I was just thinking, how can somebody think that it's just right to shoot out front through their door, with two locked doors, by the way?

And the fact that this defendant said basically he was scared of this kid.

And it's what leads to the conversation about race, which I think is very much a part of this.

It leads to the broader concerns about the fact that guns and guns everywhere is literally killing our country.

And so the question we all have to ask at some point is, as we expand stand your ground laws and possession laws for anyone and no red flags for those who shouldn't have guns, when do we stop?

How many rounds get shot?

How many people are harmed?

That, to me, is the concern.

AMNA NAWAZ: Mayor Lucas, what else can you tell us about Andrew Lester, the 84-year-old man who was charged in the shooting?

We know he was charged yesterday, taken into custody late this afternoon and then, as we just heard recently, released on bond.

There were a lot of questions about why he wasn't taken into custody sooner.

What's your understanding of why that unfolded the way it did?

QUINTON LUCAS: Well, I'm learning more as everyone else does, too.

I mean, he turned himself in.

So, something that I know concerns a lot of people in the world is that often, when you don't shoot somebody, maybe you don't have the convenience of showing up at the jail, actually, whatever you want.

But, be that as it may, that's what happened today.

We will learn more about that.

What we have learned is that he's got a particularly, well, not even well-heeled family.

He was able to put $20,000 on to be released.

So this man, who I consider to be a risk, at least to Black people in this community, is out on the streets of Kansas City again, is out and available.

And I don't think the age is an excuse, if what he claims his fear is just seeing a Black boy who is taller than him.

But he's afraid of about 75,000 people in my city.

I find that to be a concern.

And I think that this is something that, hopefully, as we go through this prosecution and get a conviction, hopefully, it's something that does lay a basis for, if not expanded hate crime charges, then certainly a very clear conviction.

AMNA NAWAZ: The prosecutor has said clearly that Ralph did not cross the threshold into the home.

You mentioned that the so-called stand your ground law.

Do you believe that could be used as a defense in this case?

QUINTON LUCAS: I believe they will use several different laws in Missouri, one of which is the castle doctrine.

That exists in most states, that you can protect your home.

It's your castle.

And if you have some apprehension, then you can shoot somebody usually who comes within it, though.

I think any other principles of self-defense are likely.

The concern that I have is that, because we have expanded so many of these self-defense laws, so not only do you just have the right to protect yourself in your home, which has been around for a while.

You can go outside your home.

You can go outside your car.

You can -- as we saw with the Trayvon Martin tragedy, you can pick a fight with someone.

And if you think you're going to lose, then you can still kill them.

I mean, it's out of control.

And I expect every one of these defenses to be raised.

And that's why I think you are seeing people in my community, even after charges are filed, say, we got to do more at the state legislature and in more places addressing racism and addressing guns in our country.

AMNA NAWAZ: Mayor Lucas, in the minute or so we have left, we are talking about a 16-year-old kid here whose parents said he loved video games and music.

He excelled in school.

His life has been forever changed, the life of his family, of his twin younger brothers who he was going to pick up.

You have said that you want to see justice in this case.

So what does justice look like to you?

QUINTON LUCAS: It is.

It is very hard, I guess, because justice for the family is a conviction here.

I see that they have a GoFundMe going.

I hope it's compensation.

I hope it's a lawsuit against this gentleman.

It's him taking care of his life.

But, broader, justices allowing Black people in our country to feel like they are not, in some ways, criminals with everything they do, driving while Black.

Now, what, knocking on the door, ringing the doorbell while Black shouldn't be a thing that people worry about.

So, justice is for a lot more people than just this family, to our whole community.

And we will have to fight to try to get it.

AMNA NAWAZ: That is Mayor Quinton Lucas of Kansas City, Missouri, joining us tonight.

Mayor Lucas, thank you.

Thank you for your time.

QUINTON LUCAS: Thank you.

GEOFF BENNETT: Today is Tax Day, but, right now, we're waiting to see how long the country has before it could default on its own bills, more than $31 trillion worth.

Lisa Desjardins has the latest on how lawmakers plan on avoiding a global financial crisis of their own making.

Lisa, it's great to see you.

So, where does House Speaker Kevin McCarthy's proposal, where does that stand?

LISA DESJARDINS: This is a big week.

This is the week where House Republicans have to figure out, do they have something they actually agree on amongst themselves?

This morning, I and our producer Kyle Midura were outside the closed-door meeting for House Republicans when Speaker McCarthy unveiled his proposal.

Here's what we know about so far what Speaker McCarthy plans to say he wants.

He says he was willing to increase the debt limit until 2024.

That could change, but that's where he is right now.

In exchange, he is saying he would like the federal government spending to be cut back to 2022 levels, in addition, a future limit on growth to 1 percent a year for the next 10 years.

And then he also is saying he would like more work requirements for Medicaid and for SNAP.

Some people may know that by the name food stamps.

Those are all ideas that are on the table.

And those are many ideas that Senate Democrats probably won't agree to.

However, that might not be enough for House Republicans.

Coming out of that meeting, several of those sort of holdouts that made it difficult for Speaker McCarthy to get his job said they're not exactly happy with this proposal as it is now.

GEOFF BENNETT: So the Republicans who are opposing this plan, what exactly do they want?

LISA DESJARDINS: Right.

Let's go through that.

We did a lot of reporting on this today.

There are a lot of ideas out there.

Everyone knows this is a do-or-don't-do moment.

What I can tell you is sort of there's a thought leader in all of this, Chip Roy.

He's one of those members who was important also in the speakership fight.

Here's what he said today on the Glenn Beck show, indicating that he indeed wants a lot more.

REP. CHIP ROY (R-TX): Speaker McCarthy has a tough job.

I'm not trying to give him an excuse.

It is hard.

We had a good conversation this morning.We laid out an outline that I think is a good framework, OK?

There are still some things we need to address.

LISA DESJARDINS: Now, he wants for the following things, to entirely get rid of the Inflation Reduction Act.

That's a signature achievement from President Biden, but especially they're pushing for getting rid of the climate change credits that are in that.

Other ideas in there, crawling back some of the money that was going to the IRS, billions of dollars.

Essentially, they think this needs to be much more conservative.

And I think probably Speaker McCarthy will have to get there if he wants his conference on board.

GEOFF BENNETT: So, big picture, then where are we with the risk of a real debt crisis ahead?

LISA DESJARDINS: OK, here's the situation, of course.

Let's look at the math for the House, where we're kind of starting this conversation.

You need -- you have 222 Republicans in that body.

There's 218 votes needed, many of our viewers know, to get anything through that chamber generally.

Now, here's the issue.

There are 16 Republicans who've never voted for a debt limit at all.

And, really, they need just about every Republican on board any kind of debt ceiling proposal.

It's not clear that they have 218 now.

I think this is going to come under a head next week.

If the House Republicans can't pass anything, Geoff, then we're really going to be in a quandary.

Some Democrats say maybe that's an advantage for them.

It's just the case that there are -- it's hard to predict what's going to happen here.

And that in itself is a little bit of a problem.

GEOFF BENNETT: Well, let's talk briefly about another matter you're following, the absence of Democratic Senator Dianne Feinstein.

There was some action that today.

What happened?

LISA DESJARDINS: Right.

So, Senate Leader -- Senate Leader Chuck Schumer asked the Senate to temporarily allow her to step down from her position the Senate Judiciary Committee.

We have spoken about that here.

That -- the fact that she could not show up for votes right now, because she is out with complications from shingles is freezing many judicial nominees.

Senator Schumer asked the Senate to allow her to temporarily step down be replaced, and there was an objection.

So that is not going to happen, at least today.

Senator Schumer will have to reconsider what he does next.

Does he try a full floor vote?

But, in general, my reporting, Geoff, is that Republicans are not going to allow her to do that, not going to allow her to temporarily step down.

So then the option for Democrats is, do they put pressure on Dianne Feinstein to resign?

I'm still told that she has no plans to do that, no plans to retire early, but it leaves them in a really difficult situation here.

We don't know when she's going to return.

Here's what Senator Schumer said, being careful to stay on message today.

SEN. CHUCK SCHUMER (D-NY): Look, I spoke to Senator Feinstein just a few days ago.

And she and I are both very hopeful that she will return very soon.

Let me first say again, I spoke to Senator Feinstein just last Friday, and she and I are very hopeful she will return soon.

LISA DESJARDINS: He spoke to Senator Feinstein.

He's very hopeful she will return soon.

But we don't know if she will return soon.

And, in the meantime, the clock is ticking here on these critical months for getting judicial nominees in.

GEOFF BENNETT: More to come.

Lisa Desjardins following it all for us, thanks so much.

LISA DESJARDINS: You're welcome.

AMNA NAWAZ: Three years after the start of the pandemic, some 16 million Americans have long COVID, meaning their symptoms continue well after the initial infection.

An estimated four million people say long COVID has significantly reduced their ability to carry out day-to-day activities.

For many of them, that includes their jobs.

Economics correspondent Paul Solman has our story, which was produced by Diane Lincoln Estes.

CARLY ANNA HURST, Daughter of Meredith Hurst: COVID just make things harder.

PAUL SOLMAN: Six-year-old Carly Anna (ph) Hurst remembers her mom before long COVID.

CARLY ANNA HURST: She, well, when on some walks with me.

PAUL SOLMAN: And she can't do that now?

CARLY ANNA HURST: No.

PAUL SOLMAN: Is it sad?

CARLY ANNA HURST: Yes.

PAUL SOLMAN: Carly Anna's 22-year-old brother, Dan, says their mom is mostly out of action these days.

DAN, Son of Meredith Hurst: She tends to be bedridden a lot more.

PAUL SOLMAN: How much?

DAN: At least a good bit of the day every day.

MEREDITH HURST, Long COVID Patient: My activity is sitting here talking to you.

That's a lot for me.

PAUL SOLMAN: Single mom Meredith Hurst was a paralegal in Wilmington, Delaware.

MEREDITH HURST: How was school today?

CARLY ANNA HURST: Good.

PAUL SOLMAN: She hasn't been able to work in three years, doing this interview, a struggle.

MEREDITH HURST: I have to prepare in advance by resting days in advance.

And then, getting ready today, I had to take breaks between, because I get shortness of breath while I was getting dressed.

I also get extremely exhausted getting dressed.

PAUL SOLMAN: Now, I cover economics, not medicine, but long COVID, it turns out, may be a major factor and one of the most bedeviling trends in the economy these days, the lack of workers.

DAVID LAZER, Northeastern University: People who get long COVID are more likely to be subsequently unemployed.

PAUL SOLMAN: So says Northeastern University's David Lazer.

DAVID LAZER: It's a significant effect.

They are 16 percent less likely to be employed.

KATIE BACH, Brookings Institution: We do have a big long COVID problem.

PAUL SOLMAN: There are many others who, like Meredith Hurst, are no longer working, says researcher Katie Bach.

KATIE BACH: I would bet somewhere around 500,000.

That would not include people who have reduced their hours.

So I'm talking about just people who are out of the work force due to long COVID.

And the afflicted don't appear to be coming back anytime soon, due to a slew of symptoms.

MEREDITH HURST: I will get pain down my arm, elbows, hands, shortness of breath, tachycardia, extreme exhaustion.

PHILLIP BACZEWSKI (Long COVID Patient): The pain in my foot is awful.

PAUL SOLMAN: Phillip Baczewski was a social worker for the state of Massachusetts.

PHILLIP BACZEWSKI: I had been an adoption social worker.

I had done social work for 25 years.

PAUL SOLMAN: But COVID put him in the hospital back in March of 2020.

And he's never been the same.

PHILLIP BACZEWSKI: My stamina, ability to go up and down the stairs is a struggle.

I have had to use a cane for years now.

PAUL SOLMAN: Another symptom actually recurred during our interview with, brain fog.

PHILLIP BACZEWSKI: I can't tell you how long we have been talking right now, but this is where it gets harder to focus.

CHIMERE SMITH (Long COVID Patient): I feel every nerve in my body now that I didn't used to feel before I had COVID and long COVID.

PAUL SOLMAN: Chimere Smith was a teacher in Baltimore before she got sick.

CHIMERE SMITH: My body is broken.

On some days, I feel like a cracker that somebody can put in their hands and just crumble, because that is how my body feels.

PAUL SOLMAN: Smith first discussed her condition the "NewsHour" two years ago.

CHIMERE SMITH: It felt like a ghost or a monster had started to inhabit my body.

PAUL SOLMAN: And today?

CHIMERE SMITH: Now my memory has gotten progressively worse.

PAUL SOLMAN: Interacting with, you seem as sharp as anybody I ever talk to.

CHIMERE SMITH: Long COVID is a very sneaky, invisible condition that people don't recognize unless there are visible symptoms.

And so, today, I feel OK.

But when you leave here, and when this conversation ends, I will be on my couch for the next five to six hours, because this conversation itself is exhausting.

PAUL SOLMAN: Post-exertional malaise, Meredith Hurst had it for a week after our interview, as her son documented.

Phillip Baczewski is heartbroken he can no longer do the adoption work he loves.

PHILLIP BACZEWSKI: When you can match a child who really needs a family to a family, it feels wonderful to be able to say, all right, now you're going to move on as a family.

PAUL SOLMAN: Baczewski asked for accommodations to return part-time.

PHILLIP BACZEWSKI: They said I either come back full-time, work at full capacity of what I was doing before, or tender my resignation.

PAUL SOLMAN: And that's what you had to do?

PHILLIP BACZEWSKI: That's what I ultimately had to do.

MEREDITH HURST: When I tried to go back to work, I got physically sick.

PAUL SOLMAN: Hurst tried to return to work twice.

MEREDITH HURST: The sore throat, the lymph nodes, the exhaustion, the fever, achiness.

And that's what happens when I ever exert myself.

CHIMERE SMITH: I loved my job.

I will pat myself on the back to say I was an extraordinary teacher.

PAUL SOLMAN: Chimere Smith's realization she could no longer teach really hurts.

CHIMERE SMITH: You know, as a Black girl growing up in Southeast D.C., in the hood, in a poor community, people would tell me, because I was like the nerdy girl, you should teach.

You should teach.

When I became a teacher, it was like the puzzle pieces of my life just started to fit together.

That was my true calling.

PAUL SOLMAN: But not anymore.

And the financial toll is immense.

CHIMERE SMITH: Eighty percent of my income is government-assistant based.

So I receive Social Security.

I am on Section 8.

PAUL SOLMAN: Housing.

CHIMERE SMITH: Yes.

And I receive food stamps from the government.

PAUL SOLMAN: Simply applying for benefits has been hard for Hurst.

MEREDITH HURST: I did try to apply for Social Security disability on my own.

And due to my disability, I was unable to complete the application.

PAUL SOLMAN: How do you survive?

MEREDITH HURST: Sadly, I'm maxing out my credit cards.

I have drained my 401(k) at this point.

I am going to be applying again for Social Security disability, in hopes of having some income, and assistance from family.

PAUL SOLMAN: And long COVID is taking its toll on the economy as well.

Total estimate?

In the hundreds of billions, says Bach.

KATIE BACH: It includes lost wages for people who are not working.

It includes increased health care costs, and then there's lost quality of life, which is a concept in health economics where there is a cost to people suffering.

PAUL SOLMAN: Suffering Phillip Baczewski knows only too well.

PHILLIP BACZEWSKI: I have gone through times of, I haven't left my room for days, depression, thoughts of suicide, rage.

PAUL SOLMAN: Chimere Smith has been there.

CHIMERE SMITH: I wasn't teaching.

I couldn't stand up.

I could hardly move my body.

I was nauseous all the time.

I couldn't poop.

I could hardly pee.

I wanted to die.

CARLY ANNA HURST: This tree grows in the country.

PAUL SOLMAN: Finally, there's the cost to others, like the kids of Meredith Hurst.

Hurst mourns the mother she once was.

MEREDITH HURST: And we would go to the mountains and take vacations and things like that.

And I'm not able to do that anymore.

They're memories now, the memories of a life I used to live that I'm not able to anymore.

PAUL SOLMAN: Memories her daughter shares.

CARLY ANNA HURST: We also used to do a bunch of picnics.

PAUL SOLMAN: No more?

CARLY ANNA HURST: Nuh-uh.

PAUL SOLMAN: Painful even for the reporter... CARLY ANNA HURST: This apple tree.

PAUL SOLMAN: ... and perhaps you too.

For the "PBS NewsHour," Paul Solman.

AMNA NAWAZ: His lawyer said today that Evan Gershkovich is in a mood to fight after his appearance in a Moscow courtroom, where he faced farcical espionage charges lodged by Russian authorities.

The U.S. says The Wall Street Journal reporter is wrongfully detained and the president and his aides have made his release a priority.

So have his colleagues, one of whom joins me now.

Almar Latour is publisher of The Wall Street Journal and CEO of Dow Jones, which owns the paper.

Almar, welcome.

And thank you for joining us.

Today was the first time Evan was seen in public since March 30.

The Russian court upheld his detention, rejected Dow Jones' offer of $600,000 of bail for him to be put under house arrest.

What is your reaction to what you saw in today's hearing?

ALMAR LATOUR, CEO, Dow Jones: Well, it obviously very disturbing to see Evan in a glass cage just for doing his job, just for reporting.

And it's disturbing for the family.

It's disturbing for all of his colleagues.

And I think it should be disturbing to people at home to see a reporter put in that situation merely for doing his job.

And so we were expecting this outcome, but, nonetheless, we're disappointed.

We have come to expect from autocracies, and Russia included, that there is disregard for free press.

And that was on wide display today.

AMNA NAWAZ: Have you been in touch with Evan indirectly or with his family since the hearing?

I mean, how are they doing?

ALMAR LATOUR: We have a very robust team in place that is very multifaceted, that is in touch with Evan indirectly.

We have retained lawyers for Evan, who are working under difficult circumstances there.

And our team is in touch with Evan's family.

Obviously, for any family, this is devastating to see one's loved one treated like this.

AMNA NAWAZ: Evan does stand accused of espionage.

That conviction carries up to 20 years in prison.

And virtually all espionage trials in Russia end in a conviction.

Do you believe this is a legal fight that can be won?

Or will Evan only be freed through diplomatic channels?

ALMAR LATOUR: Well, our focus is on Evan's release.

And that's our sole focus.

And we're working around the clock to make sure that that happens.

We're working closely with the administration, with the State Department and, as you mentioned, the White House on his release.

And we will achieve that by any means possible, any means at our disposal.

The legal process, we suspect, will play out.

But we are focused on walking any channel really to make sure that Evan is released.

AMNA NAWAZ: Based on what you know so far, is this a weeks-long or months-long or years-long effort ahead?

ALMAR LATOUR: Well, obviously, we want this to end as quickly as possible.

I think it's important, obviously, first and foremost, for Evan and for his family, for his colleagues, but also for a free press.

The world is watching how the U.S. and Western democracies respond to this kind of affront to free press.

And, therefore, it's even more important to get Evan out very quickly.

The precedent, Amna, is that reporters accused of espionage -- I think the last time it happened to a U.S. reporter was during the Cold War.

But, obviously, autocracies have a bad track record in treating journalists in these cases.

And so we're prepared to do what it takes for as long as it takes.

But we have got our eye and our hopes on getting him home as quickly as possible.

AMNA NAWAZ: As you well know, Russia has long not been a safe place for journalists.

I think Evan's case solidifies that.

He was, we should note, accredited with the Foreign Ministry to work there as a journalist.

At this point, would you be advising other news organizations to pull their reporters?

ALMAR LATOUR: Well, every news organization has to make their own judgment of that.

As you know, we asked some of our staff to return and to -- and we have extricated some from Russia.

I think the bottom line, though, is that it's become significantly more difficult to report from Russia in any form.

It's more dangerous, clearly, if an accredited reporter just doing his job can be picked up, put in a van, and a couple of weeks later, we see him in a glass cage for the world to see.

So those are unsafe circumstances.

And it's a loss for the free world.

It's a loss for democracies.

It's a loss for the audience and in the U.S. and policymakers.

But it's also, I would argue, a tremendous loss for people in Russia to understand what is actually happening in their society.

Evan really focused in his reporting on that.

And there's a lot of disinformation and misinformation that goes into that society.

So it's a it's a loss all around.

AMNA NAWAZ: That is Almar Latour, the publisher of The Wall Street Journal and CEO of Dow Jones, joining us tonight.

Almar, thank you so much for your time.

ALMAR LATOUR: Thank you, Amna.

AMNA NAWAZ: More than 250,000 migrant children have entered the U.S. alone in the last two years.

Stephanie Sy dives into a new investigation on the growing problem of child labor among these migrant children.

STEPHANIE SY: Amna, we first reported in February that a New York Times investigation exposed how thousands of migrant kids are working in jobs across the country, in violation of child labor laws.

The Times' latest report reveals that the Biden administration was made aware of the risks facing these children as the Department of Health and Human Services relaxed vetting procedures to move unaccompanied minors out of overwhelmed shelters quickly.

Hannah Dreier spent a year investigating all this for The New York Times and joins me now.

Hannah, thanks for being with the "NewsHour."

So, you spoke to people in this latest piece who raised red flags that this was happening to migrant children.

Who did they raise those concerns to?

And why weren't they heard?

HANNAH DREIER, The New York Times: So, like you say, I spent a year looking into migrant child labor in this country.

And we found kids working in all 50 states.

These are sometimes 12-, 13-year-olds.

And I started asking myself, how can it be that the Biden administration didn't know about this, when it is so widespread, and we're talking about tens of thousands of children?

And it turns out, there were people in the administration, some of them in senior roles, who were trying to raise this.

So the administration was told about people out in the field who were coming across children who said that they were being forced to work.

And then people at the highest levels of the administration, people in the White House were told about clusters of children working in meatpacking factories, working in car plants, all around the country.

And they were also told that there were these staffers out in the field or in the D.C. headquarters who were trying to send up a warning about this.

But, somehow, this still got missed.

So these warnings were maybe ignored.

STEPHANIE SY: The White House denies, from what I understand, it was aware of these reports, but in at least one case, you have some evidence that one of the high officials on domestic policy within the Biden administration was aware of these reports, right?

HANNAH DREIER: So this is Susan Rice.

She is Biden's top adviser for immigration.

Pretty much everything that comes up the chain then goes through her team.

And, yes, members of that team say that they were hearing these reports of something's going wrong here, something's going wrong here, or the Department of Labor has found children, and not just one or two children, but dozens of children who are working at plants in the Midwest or in -- basically all around the country.

What the White House has told us is, these basically were puzzle pieces that they didn't put together.

And when I have gone back and asked the whistle-blowers at the agencies, well, why didn't they put them together, what these staffers say is,we think they just didn't want to know.

STEPHANIE SY: Your report has generated a lot of criticism against the Biden administration, Hannah, especially among Republicans in Washington.

Here's Senator Josh Hawley at a hearing questioning Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas earlier today.

SEN. JOSH HAWLEY (R-MO): One 13-year-old forced to wash hotel sheets in Virginia, kids running milkshake machines -- milking machines, rather, in Vermont, delivering meals in New York City, scrubbing dishes late at night, all in violation of our country's laws, all facilitated by your policies.

Are you proud of this record?

ALEJANDRO MAYORKAS, U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security: Senator, the horrific exploitation of children is something that we do not condone.

You are incorrectly attributing it to our policies.

One of the significant policy decisions that we have made is to focus our worksite enforcement investigative efforts, our criminal investigative efforts on unscrupulous employers that exploit individuals because of their vulnerabilities.

STEPHANIE SY: Hannah, which policies do you believe are most contributing to the exploitation and harm to these children?

HANNAH DREIER: This crisis is the result of policy failures on multiple levels.

And part of it has to do with labor enforcement.

And the Biden administration has said that it is going to get very serious about enforcing child labor laws, not just with manufacturers, but also with the biggest brands that are profiting from the labor of these children.

And then, on the other side, this is a child welfare and immigration issue.

And one thing that people point to in this country is, no single agency is really responsible for these children after they're released to sponsors.

So they're released.

And then most of them are really on their own.

And that's part of how we have ended up in this situation.

STEPHANIE SY: Hannah Dreier with The New York Times, thank you so much.

HANNAH DREIER: Thank you for having me.

AMNA NAWAZ: There was more violence in Israel today.

Police say a Palestinian gunman shot and wounded two Israelis in Jerusalem.

Meanwhile, Israeli forces conducted another raid in the occupied West Bank.

Palestinian militants responded by opening fire.

At least six Palestinians were wounded, according to local health officials.

All of this comes as the Israeli government's proposed judicial reforms have stalled.

Joining me now to discuss the situation on the ground and what happens next is Naftali Bennett.

He was Israel's prime minister from June of 2021 to June of 2022.

Prime Minister Bennett, welcome, and thank you for being here.

NAFTALI BENNETT, Former Israeli Prime Minister: Great being here, Amna.

AMNA NAWAZ: So, those judicial reforms brought Israelis into the streets en masse, brought the country to a standstill.

Prime Minister Netanyahu has hit pause.

But he has not completely pulled the plan.

Should he?

NAFTALI BENNETT: Well, in effect he has.

I can now openly declare that the democracy in Israel has prevailed.

It's clear.

It'll take a while to -- until everyone understands it, but I think what Israel got was a great gift for its 75th birthday.

Democracy will prevail.

You are right that the -- explicitly, the prime minister has not yet said what I think needs to be said, which is, we will progress on the reforms only in agreement, and we won't unilaterally try and shove it down the other side.

AMNA NAWAZ: This has led to some increased tensions between the U.S. and Israel.

We should note, Prime Minister -- or, rather, President Biden has said that Mr. Netanyahu cannot continue down this path.

If Netanyahu continues to push, do you worry about the relationship between the U.S. and Israel?

NAFTALI BENNETT: I don't think Netanyahu will continue to push unilaterally.

I think, right now, there's meaningful discussions going on at the Israeli president's leadership between the coalition and opposition.

I think Netanyahu understands very well now that the only way forward is a big compromise.

AMNA NAWAZ: I'd love to ask you about Americans' views on Israel, because there's been a dramatic shift that I'd love to put to you.

There was a recent Gallup poll that showed Democrats, specifically in the U.S., are now more sympathetic to Palestinians by a 15-point margin.

And that is a -- that's a real reversal in just a matter of years.

Seven years ago, sympathy was 30 percent greater for Israelis than for Palestinians.

What do those numbers say to you?

NAFTALI BENNETT: Well, I think we need to do a better job of bringing the reality and the beautiful reality, but complex reality of Israel to American viewers.

Israel is not about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

It's such a richer environment.

We're a democracy, flawed.

We're imperfect, but we try to do our very best to thrive and to do good for everyone in Israel, for the Jews, for the Arabs in Israel.

AMNA NAWAZ: Critics will say, how is this a real democracy, though, when you have five million Palestinians who have no voting rights, no access to government?

I mean, in a true democracy, wouldn't everyone have equal rights?

NAFTALI BENNETT: Well, they do.

The Palestinians do have access to democracy.

They belong to the P.A., which has its own elections.

They elect their own officials.

And, in Gaza, there's a full-fledged state, a Hamas state.

We handed over the -- all the land in Gaza to the Palestinians, pulled out all the Jews from there, all the army, and went back to the '67 lines, and handed over.

AMNA NAWAZ: But under occupation, under... NAFTALI BENNETT: No.

AMNA NAWAZ: In the West Bank -- in the West Bank, specifically, Palestinians do not have voting rights or access to government.

NAFTALI BENNETT: So, they do.

They have voting rights for the Palestinian Authority and access to the government of the Palestinian Authority.

AMNA NAWAZ: But they do live under a military occupation of Israeli forces.

NAFTALI BENNETT: Only from a security standpoint.

We have to defend ourselves.

But, barring that, they have full freedom.

The huge majority of Palestinians are governed by the Palestinian Authority, vote for the Palestinian Authority, pay them taxes, are subject to their rules of law.

I do admit that the P.A.

is doing a fairly lousy job in governing.

And, for example, they keep on postponing their elections.

AMNA NAWAZ: I will say, people and critics who watch the mistreatment and the unequal treatment of Palestinian and Israeli citizens there, some have written now that because Israel doesn't treat all of its citizens equally, that it does not have shared values with the U.S. And they argue -- some argue Washington should begin conditioning military and economic aid on specific measures to end military rule over Palestinians.

What's your reaction to that?

NAFTALI BENNETT: I think that would be a profound mistake.

First of all, we do share common values.

Israel is a full-fledged democracy.

In Israel, we have about two million Arab citizens that they vote for the same Knesset that I vote for.

Arabs enjoy full -- the full rights that any Jew enjoys within Israel.

AMNA NAWAZ: Again, I'm not asking about Arabs or Israeli citizens.

NAFTALI BENNETT: Right.

And we're... AMNA NAWAZ: I'm asking about the five million Palestinians who are not Israeli citizens.

NAFTALI BENNETT: And they belong to the -- all right, so part of them belong to Gaza, and they have their own government and their own failed state.

And part of them belong to the P.A.

And they have their own government and their own failed entity.

Here's the problem.

We keep on trying again and again to provide them all the freedoms, all -- everything they need.

We cannot make them succeed more than they want to.

AMNA NAWAZ: We are speaking at a time of accelerating tensions and increased violence in Israel as well.

And this -- settlement expansions are something U.N. officials have pointed to repeatedly as fueling that violence, the eviction of Palestinian families, the demolitions of their homes.

Would halting those settlement expansions help bring down the temperature?

NAFTALI BENNETT: Well, I want to be very clear.

Israel does not evict anyone from his home unless they are illegally there.

And then we evict Jews and Arabs alike across the board.

So we get criticism.

AMNA NAWAZ: And legal by whose determination, though?

NAFTALI BENNETT: By the Supreme Court of Israel.

AMNA NAWAZ: Because we have seen Palestinian families en masse evicted from properties they have occupied for generations.

NAFTALI BENNETT: Well, we are a country of rule of law.

We have a Supreme Court, which is respected across the world.

And that Supreme Court tells us, you have to evict this because it's illegal or you don't need to evict it because it's legal, regardless of whether it's Jews or Arabs.

AMNA NAWAZ: Saudi Arabia, with whom Netanyahu has said he'd like to reach a peace deal, has been issuing multiple statements condemning Israeli actions in recent months.

He's now calling it an occupation.

Rather, Saudi is calling Israel an occupation government again.

How can Israel improve relations with Saudi Arabia, with its Arab neighbors in general, if the settlements continue and if the violence escalates?

NAFTALI BENNETT: I think the Saudis look at the region, and they view Israel as a potential partner to fend off the real big threat of the region, which is Iran.

AMNA NAWAZ: But they have just begun to normalize relations with Iran.

NAFTALI BENNETT: That's correct, because they sense there's a degree of vacuum in the region, and they're hedging.

But if they see that Israel continues the correct policy that I enacted of fighting Iran back on its territory, as opposed to waiting it -- for it to hit us in our homes, whether in Israel or any Arab country, I think that will garner more respect, and we will be able to make progress on -- with the Saudis.

AMNA NAWAZ: Former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett joining us tonight, thank you so much for being here.

NAFTALI BENNETT: Thank you, Amna.

GEOFF BENNETT: And there is a lot more online at PBS.org/NewsHour, including a story about why state lawmakers in Missouri are pushing to defund public libraries, amid nationwide calls from some conservatives to ban certain books.

AMNA NAWAZ: And join us again here tomorrow night, when we will speak with Representative Katherine Clark, the second-highest-ranking Democrat in the House.

And that is the "NewsHour" for tonight.

I'm Amna Nawaz.

GEOFF BENNETT: And I'm Geoff Bennett.

Have a great evening.