captioning sponsored by newshour productions, llc >> woodruff: good evening. i'm judy woodruff. on the newshour tonight: tensions mount over north korea's missile test, as questions on dealing with the nuclear threat follow president trump on his trip to europe. then, while republicans work to salvage their health care reform bill, we talk with the governor of new hampshire about what plan could mean for the nation's opioid epidemic. and: ♪ ♪ singing the blues, together. two musical greats join forces for a new album and tour that's bringing joy to the blues. >> our job as musicians is to help them get loose and have a good time, and feel good about themselves. >> woodruff: all that and more,

on tonight's pbs newshour. >> major funding for the pbs newshour has been provided by: ♪ ♪ moving our economy for 160 years. bnsf, the engine that connects us. >> supporting social entrepreneurs and their solutions to the world's most pressing problems--

skollfoundation.org. >> the lemelson foundation. committed to improving lives through invention, in the u.s. and developing countries. on the web at lemelson.org. >> supported by the john d. and catherine t. macarthur foundation. committed to building a more just, verdant and peaceful world. more information at macfound.org >> and with the ongoing support of these institutions: >> this program was made possible by the corporation for public broadcasting. and by contributions to your pbs station from viewers like you. thank you. >> woodruff: from north korea today, new defiance. the communist regime's leader, kim jong-un, insisted he will never negotiate away his missile and nuclear programs.

but, the world's highest diplomatic body held an emergency session on how to get the north to do just that. nick schifrin begins our coverage. >> reporter: this afternoon in the u.n. security council, the u.s. tried to rally the world to punish and isolate north korea. >> it is a dark day, because yesterday's actions by north korea made the world a more dangerous place. >> reporter: u.s. ambassador nikki haley said north korea's test of an intercontinental ballistic missile requires a global response. >> we will work with every and >> they have not had any care for russia or china in this. they have not listened to anything you've said. they're not going to listen to anything you say. and so, it's time we all stand together and say, we will not put up with this action. >> reporter: haley is trying to lead a diplomatic effort to change north korean behavior. the u.s. needs chinese and russian help, but beijing and moscow have their own strategy. >> ( translated ): we call for all interested states to act

with restraint, rather than provocation and war-mongering. >> ( translated ): we call on all the concerned parties to exercise restraint, avoid provocative actions and belligerent rhetoric, demonstrate the will for unconditional dialogue. >> reporter: tuesday's missile launch crossed the intercontinental threshold the u.s. had been hoping to prevent. in science terms, the missile advance was an incremental, but u.s. officials tell the newshour it was in a new, previously unseen configuration. it was fired from a mobile launcher, had a re-entry vehicle, and was two-stage, as seen on north korean tv. the immediate american response was its own launch. the u.s. and south korean militaries fired tactical missiles today that can be rapidly deployed. and south korea released a video of what attack on north korea would look like... ( explosion ) ...blowing up north korean missiles... ( explosion ) ...and video game graphics of a south korean jet bombing pyongyang. but as of now, the focus is very much on diplomacy and increasing pressure on north korea.

secretary of state rex tillerson released a statement hours after the missile launch, saying any country that helps north korea is "aiding and abetting a dangerous regime," and that all countries must show north korea "there are consequences to their pursuit of nuclear weapons." in a tweet this morning, president trump expressed frustration that china hasn't done more, writing, "so much for china working with us. but we had to give it a try!" so, the administration is casting a wide net. today, mr. trump talked with egyptian president abdel fattah el-sisi by phone. north korea sells missile technology and receives remittances from africa to southeast asia. to try and stop that income, today the u.s. delivered a threat, to china and others. >> there are countries that are allowing, even encouraging, trade with north korea, in violation of u.n. security council resolutions. such countries would also like to continue their trade arrangements with the u.s. that's not going to happen. >> reporter: the u.s. military in south korea says it is being "self-restrained."

that policy will remain until the diplomacy plays out. for the pbs newshour, i'm nick schifrin. >> woodruff: we will take a detailed look at the question of sanctions and north korea, right after the news summary. in the day's other news, the city of hamburg, germany braced for mass demonstrations, involving up to 100,000 people, at this weekend's summit of the leaders of 20 top industrialized nations. last night, police used water cannons to disperse crowds. today saw hundreds of people dressed as zombies, staging a peaceful march. tomorrow, activists plan what they call a "welcome to hell" march, to greet president trump and the leaders of russia, china and turkey. mr. trump arrived in warsaw, poland, this evening, to begin his european trip. tomorrow, he will hold talks with his polish counterpart, before delivering a speech in warsaw square. poland hosts several thousand u.s. troops as part of its nato defenses. an american soldier has been killed in afghanistan.

the pentagon says private first class hansen kirkpatrick of wasilla, alaska, died in a mortar attack on monday. it happened in helmand province, in the south. two other soldiers were wounded. seven u.s. troops have been killed in afghanistan this year. in syria, artillery and air strikes pounded away today at raqqa, the islamic state's the self-styled capital. kurdish-led militia fighters backed by u.s. coalition planes are steadily advancing into the city. john ray of independent television news is there, and filed this report. >> reporter: into the city of jihadi john and countless barbarities, a road stretching back to terror in london, manchester and beyond. it lies in ruins now. we pass the body of an isis fighter, his caliphate decomposing with him. beyond the sand barrier is the wall of ancient medina, that has now fallen to kurds.

we have obtained exclusive pictures from a drone above this urban battlefield. they show the devastating power of the wests' war planes and missiles. the so-called islamic state is being wiped off the map. the route to the front line involves a sprint across sniper alley, and careful steps over rubble that often conceals mines. ( speaking arabic ) we are close enough to hear isis radio. "now is time for jihad," the commander urges his beleaguered forces. the kurds are claiming this is a great victory. they have taken the old city walls after a months-long blood- soaked slog through the streets of raqqa. but ahead of them now, heavily armed isis fighters, booby trapped buildings and suicide bombers. these soldiers took up arms against isis from the start.

they believe they are moving in for the kill. >> i want a free raqqa for my family. for everyone in here. for every family in syria. >> reporter: is isis finished in raqqa now? >> it's finished, yes. >> reporter: inside the old city, perhaps 100,000 civilians are trapped, caught between air strikes and 4,000 isis fighters. those who can't escape, run. home is this makeshift camp in the desert. "we have left hell behind," they tell us. but in one corner, separated from the rest, the brides and children of isis. the husbands or fathers are dead or in jail. here, isis might measure its future in weeks or months, but its days are numbered. >> woodruff: that report from john ray, of independent television news. a gunfight between two armed

gangs in northern mexico left at least 14 people dead early today. it happened in chihuahua state, when members of rival drug cartels got into a shootout. drug violence has pushed homicides in mexico to their highest point in 20 years. pro-government militias in venezuela attacked opposition lawmakers today, with sticks and metal bars. they stormed into the congress, in plain sight of security forces. four lawmakers were injured, and at least one had to be taken to a hospital. it was the latest incident in venezuela's growing political violence. the killing of a police officer in new york city drew widespread condemnation today. an ex-convict who ranted about police online, ambushed miosotis familia at her mobile command post in the bronx last night. he was killed moments later by other officers. in a statement today, u.s. attorney general jeff sessions cited a string of attacks on

police in recent years. he said, "these killings must stop." in economic news, the european union and japan reached an agreement "in principle" on a far-reaching free trade deal. their leaders plan to endorse it at a summit tomorrow. and on wall street, the dow jones industrial average lost a point to close at 21,478. the nasdaq rose 40 points, and the s&p 500 added three. still to come on the newshour: could new economic sanctions stall north korea's nuclear program? a change of mind-- a new poll suggests the british now want to stay in the e.u. new hampshire's governor on how the republican health care bill could affect the opioid epidemic. and, much more. >> woodruff: there are no easy

answers, and few good options, when it comes to dealing with north korea. we look now at whether new economic sanctions like those being considered at the united nations could change the trajectory of the country's nuclear ambitions, with david cohen, who served as under-secretary for terrorism and financial intelligence at the treasury department during the obama administration. he also served as the deputy director of the central intelligence agency from 2015 to 2017. and, john mearsheimer, a west point graduate and former air force officer. he writes extensively on strategic issues, and is a political science professor at the university of chicago. he also works with the u.s. intelligence community. and we welcome both of you to the "newshour". i want to start with you, david cohen. we heard in nick schifrin's report, ambassador nikki haley referring to countries doing business with north korea in violation of u.n. sanctions. what is the picture? give us a picture of the financial and business dealings

other countries do right now with the north. >> well, most of it is illicit, with the exception with the trade with china, and that tends to be in coal, in minerals and very few other items. there are other countries around the world, in africa, in particular, in the gulf where you have north korean laborers work and you have north korea selling weapons to these countries. that is in violation of u.n. security council resolutions and in violations of the sanctions, and those transactions tend to flow through financial institutions in china in a way that is intended to be disguised from the international community because they are illicit transactions. >> woodruff: you've written new sanctions could be enacted that would put real pressure on

the north. what would they look like? >> they'd look like sanctions primarily focused on chinese front companies and chinese institutions that are facilitating this illicit trade. if you look at the way north korea engages with the world today, there are a few nodes -- 20, 40, 100 nodes -- but it's a limited sets of these companies and financial institutions in china where the bulk of the financial activity occurs. we could focus on those nodes, squeeze those nodes and, as a result of that, squeeze north korea. >> woodruff: and john mearsheimer, you've taken a look at this. do you think that could work? >> no, i don't think sanctions will work, judy, and i think there are two reasons for that. one is that north korea is not going to give up its nuclear weapons. indeed, it would be crazy to give up its nuclear weapons. the united states is interested in regime change, and nuclear weapons are the ultimate

deterrent. so you would have to inflict enormous pain on north korea to get -- to give up those nuclear weapons. i mean, you would really have to put tremendous economic pressure on them, and you cannot do that, in large part because the chinese will not allow you to do it. for china, north korea is a vital strategic asset. for china, it's imperative that the north korean regime remain in place and that the regime not be toppled. therefore, if we try to put really significant pressure -- economic pressure on pyongyang, the chinese will move in and make sure the north korean regime survives and north korea is going to keep its nuclear weapons. >> woodruff: what do you think? >> john's right, north korea looks at its nuclear weapons tas

guarantor of survival, but there is a possibility that a wedge scb given between the nuclear weapons program and kim jong un's desire to stay in power, and the way to drive that wedge is by putting coercive, diplomatic and economic pressure on the regime in north korea. we will need china to make this effective. we cannot do it over china's objections. >> woodruff: but his point is china won't do it. >> well, i think we have not fully tested that proposition, and one of the purposes served by the sanctions done last week and the sanctions we can do is to encourage china to take this more seriously and to work with us. >> woodruff: john mearsheimer, why can't that be? why can't that happen? >> well, let me respond to david's point. >> woodruff: sure. hat president trump wanted to do was he wanted to get the chinese to put significant pressure on north korea to stop these nuclear tests and to reach some sort of agreement with the

united states. but the chinese could not do that, and the reason the chinese could not do that and the reason they won't be able to implement david's suggested policy is because the chinese have remarkably little leverage over north korea, and the north koreans fully understand that, and the north koreans don't play along with the chinese when they put pressure on them because the north koreans fully understand that the chinese need north korea to survive, and once the north koreans understand that, it gives them significant room to basically poke the chinese in the eye. >> woodruff: and david cohen, what about his point that china really does have limited leverage, not as much as as some people have been thinking? >> they actually have quite a lot of leverage in both the elicit and illicit financial activity that goes in north korea. they can squeeze north korea on the coal sales, they can squeeze

north korea on their illicit financial activity. they will do it to an extent that doesn't cause a destabilizing situation in north korea, but they can do it in a way that can make north korea more interested in a potential negotiation. >> woodruff: so you're talking about thread ago needle, john mearsheimer. sounds like we're talking about something in between doing nothing and doing a lot more. >> well, you can do a little bit more, but the point is to make the north koreans give up their nuclear weapons. you have to put a great deal of pain, a great deal of punishment on them, and the chinese are not going to play that game because the chinese are heavily dependent on maintaining a sovereign north korea. and the last thing they want to do is see the west bring north korea to its knees and then see north korea crumble and run the risk of south korea incorporating north korea into a greater korea. this would be a strategic

disaster for the chinese, and this is why we have so little leverage over north korea when we try to go through the chinese. >> woodruff: what about that? ell, i think that john and i agree it would require an extraordinary amount of pressure to bring the north koreans to the table. my point is that we ought to try. the alternative is to sort of accept a north korea with a nuclear weapon with an icbm. there is the potential we can use pressure working with the chinese to thread that needle, to bring the north koreans to the table and to find a way to denuclearize the korean peninsula, which the chinese have been very clear about for many years is also their policy preference as a denuclearized peninsula. >> and perhaps this would bring them to the table to talk. all right. i think what we agree -- john mearsheimer, quick comment? >> yeah, just very quickly. let's assume that david's right and we can put tremendous

pressure on the north koreans, do we really want to do that? do we want to back a nuclear armed state run by kim jong un into a corner? isn't that the most likely scenario where they might use nuclear weapons, when they're desperate? >> i think the most likely scenario is if we threaten them militarily. i think it's very important we exercise restraint militarily in the short term. i think this is a long-term plan that needs to be implemented smartly but can be accomplished. >> woodruff: i think everybody dpreez there is a lot at stake here. david cohen, john mearsheimer, thank you both. >> you're welcome. >> woodruff: in what was perhaps the most consequential decision in britain this century, voters are now having second thoughts about their choice to leave the european union.

a new opinion poll shows a majority of british people now want to stay, and business leaders warn their once- flourishing economy will flounder unless the right compromise is reached with the e.u. during exit negotiations. add to that a deeply divided government, after the recent election left a hung parliament, and it has become harder for many to keep calm and carry on. special correspondent malcolm brabant reports. >> reporter: aldeburgh, in eastern england. this is brexit beach. the town's centuries' old fishing tradition is on its death bed. in common with kindred coastal communities around the country, fishermen voted to leave the european union. they believe excessive regulation from brussels is killing their industry. one year after britain's so-called independence day, mark foreman is worried that the country's commitment to brexit is wavering. >> i thought that would improve the fishing situation, but now

i've got my doubts. i'd have still come out anyway for anything else. i want the country to be run by british people, not by the e.u. i think there are too many people who are in power who are against brexit, and i think there are so many people with money tied up in europe, they just don't want to come out. >> reporter: the government has promised to revitalize the fishing industry post-brexit, but in the current climate, kirk stripling fears betrayal. >> i'm really afraid we'll be sold down the river. they'll do a deal over something else and sacrifice us fishermen. we're in a ludicrous situation, where we only catch which is in season and which is on our doorstep. and quite often, we have loads of the fish in the sea right here and we've got no quota to catch it. so we sit here and starve to death, while the fish swim by. >> reporter: polar opposite views about europe prevail 80 miles away in cambridge, a historic seat of learning and innovation. this is britain's silicon valley, whose ethos is that

science is collaborative and requires an international, frontier-free mentality. but campus director professor michael wakelam fears its cutting-edge biotech research and development could be jeopardized by what some perceive as the xenophobic nature of brexit. >> we will have reduced access to the talent pool within europe. and secondly, what brexit says about our approach as a country is that people no longer want to work with us. there is a perception that britain is no longer a welcoming place for talented people to come. >> reporter: cambridge-based entrepreneur david cleevely specializes in turning great ideas into profitable businesses. a self-proclaimed angel investor, he disputes the brexit mantra that leaving the e.u. would enable british companies to exploit untapped markets in the rest of the world. >> we do business in some of the most difficult countries, in pakistan, or in nigeria or other countries, for example, in south

america. the amount of extra margin there for increasing those exports is, quite frankly, limited. my concern about brexit is that we have a big market a few miles away and we're not going to be able to access it as freely as we could before. >> reporter: according to a new opinion poll, the result of the brexit referendum would be reversed if it was held today. the survey showed a clear majority. 54% would vote to remain within the european union, and 46% would decide to leave. it's quite clear many britons regret the decision they made last year, and perhaps wish the brexit mechanism could be reversed. according to experts, that's technically possible, but unlikely to happen. at trinity college, professor catherine barnard believes the recent election, which left britain with a minority government, has further undermined its hand during protracted talks to withdraw from europe. >> in reality, the u.k. is in a

somewhat weak bargaining position. the famous phrase is to have your cake and eat it. that it would be possible both to leave the european union, but have the best bits of membership. and it was always been clear that the e.u. was not going to allow this. because why would they? it's not in the e.u.'s interests for a country to do what the u.k. did. and so, it's in the e.u.'s interests, as chancellor merkel has said, is to look after the e.u. 27, which means being tough on the u.k. >> reporter: this monument commemorates the great fire of london, which wiped out much of england's capital in 1666. many economists fear brexit will have a similar impact on the city of london, europe's biggest financial services center. the japanese bank nomura has said it will move some of its operations to germany after brexit. others may join the exodus. this week, a city of london delegation is heading to brussels to appeal for a free trade deal to preserve a sector that generates 12% of britain's income.

jens torpe is the danish publisher of a daily business newspaper. >> i think inevitably a number of bankers and institutions would have to move over to the continent. it's about half a million people working here. i think you would see at least some 50,000 moving out. so, i think it's going to have quite dramatic implications for the city. the latest growth figures for britain put us down on the same par as italy. we used to be number one in the e.u. so everybody agrees there is a crisis coming. >> reporter: london's cosmopolitan borough market is flourishing again after last month's islamist terror attack in which eight people were murdered. some traders favor a so-called soft brexit, which would permit the continued free movement of goods and people from the continent. a hard brexit would mean the re-imposition of import tariffs and restrict the migration of e.u. citizens. marianna kolokotroni from southern greece has been running this stall for seven years.

>> it is a little bit scary, i have to say. but i am trying to remain positive, and i hope that nothing is going to change, because it's not in the interests of anyone, really. >> reporter: thea wunderer is from italy's border with austria, and she fears customs duty resulting from a hard brexit would compound price increases on her meat products, caused by the british currency dropping in value after the referendum. >> so the exchange rate has already affected it, so the euro has much more value than it used to be. the business already loses money on that. and there's only so much we can put our prices up, to be still fair and competitive. >> reporter: britain's tourism and hospitality industry generates 10% of the nation's income. it relies heavily on foreign workers. 25% of the three million people in this field comes from the european union. the duty manager bashir issa is

originally from somalia. >> british people are not working in the industry, and we need to have people from the european community or anywhere else in the world coming to us with their expertise, helping us and the industry to grow. >> reporter: the industry wants to preserve freedom of movement, and is lobbying the government hard. spokesman vernon hunt: >> we believe that the economy must be put first, that the british industry, especially from our perspective, hospitality businesses, their needs and requirements put first. >> independent doesn't mean isolated. it's an interactive independence. where do people get this idea that when you're independent, you're closing your doors? they're mad. >> reporter: nick ward relishes the freedom of motorcycling. independence and national sovereignty drive his continued support for brexit. >> there's more to it than economics. what brexit actually means is that you want to control your own borders and you want to make your own laws, and that is your starting point for negotiations.

why do so many people want to come here in the first place? britain is probably the least racist or xenophobic country in all of europe. try being black and playing football in europe. we want to maintain for everybody and generations to come. >> reporter: british attitudes towards europe are turning, as people belatedly agree with the so-called remainers that pre-referendum, pro-brexit rhetoric was flawed. business leaders hope the prospect of economic trouble will convince the government to compromise with brussels. on brexit beach, britain's schisms are as deep as ever. for the pbs newshour, i'm malcolm brabant in aldeburgh. >> woodruff: stay with us. coming up on the newshour: the toll insecticides are having on bees. two renowned blues musicians

team up on a new album. and, what it's like to be the first muslim covergirl. but first, let's turn to the senate republican bill to overhaul parts of obamacare. the senate may be in recess this week, but majority leader mitch mcconnell is working behind the scenes to craft a bill that will appeal to enough republican votes to pass. one of the key stumbling blocks: the provision to cut medicaid spending by more than $770 billion over ten years. that has sparked serious concern among many governors, among other reasons, over what it could mean for opioid abuse treatment and related health needs. the medicaid expansion under the affordable care act provided new coverage to many. reportedly, senator mcconnell has been considering a $45 billion fund to deal with opioid abuse. new hampshire is one state that is dealing with a crisis.

it has the second highest rate of opioid deaths relative to its population. i spoke with the state's republican governor, christopher sununu, a short time ago. and started by asking him why he does not support the current republican senate proposal. well, i think it's important to start off by understanding obamacare has failed, it is not sustainable, it is not affordable. specifically here in new hampshire, the healthcare exchange is really on the brink. we're looking upwards 40% cost increases to individuals. that's not affordable to anyone. i applaud the senate and the trump administration's efforts to take obamacare as a reform, that has to happen. that said, they're conflating two issues, looking at traditional medicaid entitlement reform which has to be a discussion in congress and obamacare reform. they're puppetting the two together. that's the end result. the cost implications are drastic to the state of

new hampshire. 1.5 billion at best over the next ten years. that's not just a challenge for us, it's not practical. we have no sales tax, we have no income tax. we don't have the taxes to raise, nor would we want to like other states do. so we have to find a better solution. so i commend them for taking up the challenge. but as this sits, the senate plan is not a viable solution for this state. >> woodruff: specifically with regard to the opioid use crisis in your state of new hampshire, what would this proposal mean for that? >> well, we have been on kind of ground zero for the opioid crisis. we have one of the fastest growing economies and best qualities of life. because we are a small state, that allows us to be very innovative in our approach so we've sustained great success in the state despite the opioid crisis. but part of that, whether you look at medicaid expansion or other programs that have allowed individuals to get care, medical

services, medical care they would not have been otherwise able to receive has been a big boon for our state and boost to those individuals to allow those doors to be opened to them that otherwise wouldn't have. so the costs, medicaid expansion being willowed down over the next few years, those costs are severe and not practical for the state of new hampshire. >> woodruff: what would it mean to the program you have in place now in new hampshire? >> when you look at folks coming through recovery or treatment or folks looking to fight that addiction, addiction with opioids is not something you get through in a couple of years. it's a life-long struggle and life-long battle, if you will, that folks have to have the programs in place not just for six months or a year but the long-term. and we have to have those recovery programs and treatment options in place. with opioid addiction comes medical conditions as well whether liver or heart issues

that come with that. right now, we're able to treat those and be preventative with a lot of those as opposed to allowing the old way t of doing things where people would pile into the emergency room. instead of taking three or four steps back to the point where we're cutting services that pre-obamacare were in place, we're looking for a system for new hampshire that is worse than pre-obamacare. so my message to the senate is very clear. look at obamacare reform as is. look at that program, what we can do to reform it. understand the opioid crisis is affecting a lot of states, not just new hampshire, understand what those implications might be. not just in the funding but in the flexibility states v. you have to have a flexible system, and being able to do that will allow us as governors to implement the programs that much easier. >> woodruff: it's been reported, as i think you know, that is senate majority leader mitch mcconnell is looking at possibly adding something like

$45 billion to deal with opioid abuse around the country over a period of years. would that make a difference? >> when you look at $45 billion to deal with the opioid crisis, absolutely that's going to make a difference, no doubt about it. if it's money going in to hopefully get this senate bill, that's a different issue. i'm not going to sign on to that. but it allows recovery centers to have longer term programs, open up treatment options. we can break down the permitting process to get the bed open to individuals, peer-to-peer recovery services. we have been innovative here in new hampshire on the cutting edge and have been able to sustain a growing economy and high-quality of life if spite of the crisis. we don't want to throw a wrench many those gears and throw down the incredible process we have been able to make in new hampshire. >> i ask you about that money because specifically other governors, i know john kasich of ohio and others, who have an opioid crisis in their own

states have said that's just not enough money to make a difference over a long number of years. >> well, as i said earlier, you know, this is something that is not going to getvolved in the next couple of years. it is going to be a lifetime issue for a lot of the folks. we need to have lifetime style projects in place to ease them off the opioids, make sure they have peer to peer programs, workforce and getting on programs instead of just relying on expanded medicaid or healthcare exchange. i'm an engineer by trade and all about creating an efficient system. when you're able to do that and implement that, there is a lot of savings you can have on the back end. i believe dollars can help. no doubt about that. when you look at the total implication of this senate bill, 1.5 billion at best over the next ten years, i don't mean to sound glib, but 45 billion here and there really isn't making the dent and making the long-term effects we have to be

addressing as part of long-term medicaid reform. >> woodruff: governor, one other thing, the argument that the republicans in congress have made on medicaid and that is -- and the president's budget director mick mulvaney -- have said medicaid has grown way too expensive and cannot continue, cuts have to come, there has to be a change in the trajectory. >> well, look, i would absolutely agree with that. look, washington is dealing -- the senate and the house and the president are dealing with nearly 20 trillion-dollar in debt, real money owed to someone and a lot of it oversees. so the spending in the last years went out of control so they have to real it in and reeling it in is one thing, going above and beyond where we were eight years ago is another story. that's where we draw the line. we say let's deal with

obamacare here, medicaid and entitlement reform in another discussion that has to be a longer discussion and get input from the states, nothing that can be rushed. so if we can deal with the two issues separate ri, i think we can have better outcomes and a more viable solution for all the states. >> woodruff: governor christopher sununu of new hampshire, thank you very much for talking with us. >> thank you, judy. >> woodruff: it's time for our weekly segment on science and technology, "the leading edge," and this week, hari sreenivasan is here with an update on a pair of important stories. >> sreenivasan: they are important findings and analysis on a pair of stories we have been covering, the health of bees and the impact of climate change. a recent study looked at the economic consequences of climate change and concluded it will make the u.s. poorer and more unequal if present trends continue. the south would be hit the hardest. a different set of studies

looked at the health of bees in connection to insecticides used in crops. bees are critical for our global food production. honey bees alone are responsible for pollinating $15 billion of u.s. crops. the new papers demonstrated the popular insecticide used in agriculture can be harmful to bees. miles o'brien is with us again. miles, we have been looking at or scientists have been thinking about the chemicals used in insecticides as the reason for colony collapse for a long time. what about the the studies? >> you're right, a lot of studies have looked at bees and insecticides which are coated on the seeds and call it systemic to the plants, widely used for decades. an alternative is the concern they can harm pollinators. so far, that's only theory in the lab. separate teams in europe and canada tested the possible link

between these neo-nics and bee losses in h the field for the first time. they placed bee colonies close to crops treated with the insecticides and others far away. they sampled nectars, pollens, bees, pollen, and say the insecticide is not only found in the crops they are meant to protect but spreads to orthoplants in the area that are attracted to bees and persists for months. >> sreenivasan: so how does it affect the bees and what happens to the whole colony? >> researchers in york university in ontario did a second test in the laboratory mimicking what they found in the field. they exposed the bees to a small amount of the insecticide pollen and typically bees will remove sick or dead bees, but the insecticide bees leave sick bees

inside and the beehive became a pigsty. i caught up with one of the lead authors of the york university study. >> what we found in her study was that worker bees from exposed colonies die 22% sooner, so that's a very big hit to the colonel any. they also had abnormal foraging behaviors. we found also the colonies had difficulty replacing the queen. so, over time, we had more and more queenless colonies, which unless there is an intervention, the colonies will perish. >> at first blush this seems to put to rest the neo--nic debate. but a european team found bee colonies in germany that thrift even though close to insect tiedside crops. this led researchers to believe there is another factor in play.

some bees may be more susceptible to the toxin. but the studies show the effects of the neo--nics are inconsistent. but that study was fund bid beyer which is the maker of neo--nicatinoids. they determine the seed treatments are useful and effective tool for farmers and have no effect on the bees. >> sreenivasan: usually when climate studies come out, we look at environmental impacts. this one was looking at economic impacts. tell us about that. >> this was an impressive study on climate change. scientists in the science -- scs looked at the change projecting

into the future and found climate change will hit different socioeconomic classes differently. here's berkeley scientist and lead author of the study solomon shung. >> in the south where it's hot and along the coast, we might see populations losing equivalent of 20% of their income, whereas in the cooler and northern and western regions populations might benefit a little. because the north tends to be wealthier and the south poorer, what we see is that in the future change is going to increase economic inequality within the united states. >> sreenivasan: so how does the u.s. fare overall? >> the team estimates that for each degree fahrenheit increase in global temperatures, the u.s. economy overall loses about .7% of gross domestic product with each degree of warming costing more than the last as you go up. so the u.s. as a whole is not a winner economically. >> sreenivasan: does a breakdown by industry, say for example agriculture, might be hit harder or real estate?

>> well agriculture especially in the midwest will likely suffer immensely, that seems obvious, but it could be comparable to the dust bowl in the 1930s, according to the researchers. of course, real estate on the coastline, that's another obvious one. but here's a surprise. the team found the biggest economic impact of climate change was in healthcare. expect people living in the south, especially, will be hit more with heat-related complication, like heat stroke, managing that and dealing with the victims is, of course, very expensive. >> and this is happening to a population that's already poorer than the general average in the united states. >> and there is the vicious cycle. >> miles o'brien, thank you very much. >> you're welcome, hari. >> woodruff: finally tonight, a pair of blues greats are collaborating on a new album, and a north american tour. they have known each other for

decades, but their joint project has only recently come to fruition. jeffrey brown has the story. ♪ ♪ >> brown: the chautauqua auditorium in boulder, colorado recently: at the start of a new tour by two musicians who've been doing this a long time, but never together. ♪ ♪ and while it's called the "blues," 75-year-old taj mahal and 65-year-old keb mo are feeling nothing but joy. >> that's what we like about music. that's why we do music, to have fun. i just have to know that life brings a lot of strife these days. in the digital age, it's even more intense. a lot of people don't know how to get loose of it. so our job as musicians is to help them get loose and have a good time, and feel good about themselves. >> brown: born henry saint clair fredericks, taj mahal is a living legend in the world of

roots and blues music-- a singer-songwriter who plays many instruments and draws from many musical influences. ♪ ♪ from the '60s on, he's played kevin moore, keb mo's given name, spent many years in various r&b, rock, and pop bands, until he went out on his own in the early 1990s and focused on his first love, the blues, gaining reknown as a master guitarist, singer, and songwriter. >> it was like a missing piece, that made everything relevant. so what i did was, i took all of those things that i had been doing before, those experiences, took the blues and wrapped it in there. and what came out was keb mo. ♪ don't leave me in chicago don't leave me here ♪ >> brown: now, together, they are "taj-mo," the name of their new album, which features

several songs they co-wrote, including "don't leave me here." ♪ ♪ on "take a giant step," one of taj mahal's earlier songs, they were joined on stage by his daughters. ♪ if the river were whiskey i'd be a diving duck ♪ and then there was the more raw, acoustic duet of "diving duck blues," a song that taj mahal first recorded on his debut album back in 1968. ♪ ♪ i've heard you for a long time: blues, folk, world music.

i mean, different kinds of elements, different influences. >> my grandparents come from the caribbean, i grew up listening to caribbean music, as much as i listened to the southern gospel. my dad liked bee-bop. we had bee-bop and jazz, classical music, everything. so it's like-- it didn't hurt me, 'cause i heard all those things. it didn't take away if i heard a real deep blues song. i don't care how much ragtime i listen to, that song's going to get me. you know, it's going to get somebody else too, if they get a chance to hear it. >> it's beautiful-- the beauty in it is just so deep. when i heard the old stuff, i thought, wait a minute, that's what it is. i could feel the slave ship coming over the ocean. i could feel the jim crow, the cotton picking. i could feel the sense of pride welling up in a man out of his own circumstances, that he had to rise up out of a challenging

circumstance of jim crow and slavery and stuff. i hear all of that and that resonates universally. >> brown: but what you two have managed to do is make a life of this, without worrying about the commercialism? >> there's something working in life and in the universe, in the bigger picture, that has nothing to do with commerce and money. for me, i found that after 20 years going after money, that the faster i ran after money, the faster the money ran. >> brown: that sounds like a blues song! >> ...the faster i ran after money. >> so i finally just got out of breath and stopped running. ♪ ♪ >> brown: and of course neither of them has stopped playing. together, the sound they're

creating is both upbeat and uplifting. >> did we know what it was going to sound like at this point? no. but we knew that it was going to be something good. i mean it could have gone the other way too. i could have said, "moore, get out of here." >> that's what i thought was going to happen! ♪ ♪ >> brown: as always, there's the question of how long the blues will live on, and who will take up the mantle. taj mahal and keb mo are supremely confident the music will take care of itself. >> taking on the blues is a big responsibility. so i understand why people would be concerned about that. but the music and riches is about happiness. so, the blues will be fine. >> disciples? we've got plenty of them. ♪ ♪ >> brown: taj mahal and keb mo, "taj-mo," are touring the

country throughout the summer and into the fall. for the pbs newshour, i'm jeffrey brown in boulder, colorado. >> woodruff: and you, yes, you can watch taj mahal and keb' mo' perform "diving duck blues" on our website at www.pbs.org/newshour. now to a "newshour shares:" something that caught our eye, that might be of interest to you, too. just five years ago, nura afia was a young mother in denver who enjoyed watching youtube videos while taking care of her daughter. turns out it was time well spent. she began producing her own videos on how to apply make-up. and now she's a sensation, becoming the first muslim "brand ambassador" for covergirl. mary mccarthy from "colorado

politics" brings us her story from denver. >> covergirl was the big break for me that i never thought i'd get. that was a national beauty campaign that i never thought i'd see anyone who looks like me featured in, or anyone who dresses like me. >> reporter: from this humble home studio, with her daughter's toys at her feet, nura afia has built an international following. with 340,000 followers on instagram, and over 200,000 subscribers to her youtube channel, the 25-year-old makes a very good living with these tutorials on the art of applying make-up, the benefits of skincare, and how to wear the muslim hijab. >> i lined the edge to my scarf -- >> i posted i was in the glamour magazine >> i was in "glamour" magazine today. when i posted it, i got comments like, "congratulations, you're paving the way for muslim women everywhere." >> reporter: it was after afia

built up her own following online that make-up brands started reaching out to her. afia admits that, even though her career has taken off, it's a complicated time to be a visible muslim in america. the atmosphere caused by the election has made her more cautious, while at the same time, some in her community have been reaching out. >> people go out of their way to smile, and are nicer. i feel like those who are angry or, you know, scared of muslims, they are still few and far between. they are not the majority, i think. >> reporter: the wider fashion world has begun embracing the hijab, with retail giant h & m featuring a veiled model, and nike just launching a hijab sports line. >> hijab isn't just how you dress. it's supposed to be how you act. if someone has never met a muslim and they meet me, and that's their first experience, i'm hoping that it's the best experience.

and wearing the hijab reminds me that it needs to be the best experience for everyone that comes across me. >> reporter: afia hopes the greater exposure of islam in the fashion world will help reduce negative stereotypes of muslim- americans. for the pbs newshour, i'm mary mccarthy in denver. >> woodruff: on the newshour online right now: we are keeping track of how states are responding to a trump administration request for voting data. find the latest updates at our website, www.pbs.org/newshour. on the newshour all next week, correspondent nick schifrin brings us an in-depth look inside vladimir putin's russia. >> many n russia today, resurgent nationalism. >> it's organic and not artificial. >> built by and around one man. russians told pollsters suddenly they felt like a super

power again. >> but for putin's opponents. people who have tried to leave the putin family voluntarily have not fared very well. >> a rare look inside putin's russia all next week on the pbs "newshour". >> woodruff: and that is the newshour for tonight. on thursday, we are on the ground in europe as president trump speaks in poland. i'm judy woodruff. join us online, and again right here tomorrow evening. for all of us at the pbs newshour, thank you, and we'll see you soon. >> major funding for the pbs newshour has been provided by: >> bnsf railway. >> supported by the rockefeller foundation. promoting the wellbeing of humanity around the world, by building resilience and inclusive economies. more at www.rockefellerfoundation.org.

>> and with the ongoing support of these institutions and individuals. >> this program was made possible by the corporation for public broadcasting. and by contributions to your pbs station from viewers like you. thank you. captioning sponsored by newshour productions, llc captioned by media access group at wgbh access.wgbh.org

...and by the following. anne: "we have so little faith in the ebb and flow of life, of love, of relationships. we leap at the flow of the tide and resist in terror its ebb. we are afraid it will never return. how can one learn to live through the ebb tides of one's existence? how can one learn to take the trough of the wave?" reeve: "gift from the sea," has touched people all over the world. no matter what generation reads it, it says something very important. it's about marriage, it's about women's lives, and -- and i think it's about freedom, about personal freedom.