>> good evening. i'm geoff bennett. >> on the newshour tonight. former president trump is indicted over hush money payments during the 2016 campaign to cover up an alleged affair. >> an american reporter detained in russia on spying charges for the first time since the cold war. >> more uncertainty ahead for homeless people in washington, d.c. as the city phases out is covid era housing hotel program. >> i've often said housing's health care, housing with the appropriate supports in place is health care.

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this progr was made possible by the corporation for public broadcasting and by contributions to your pbs station from viewers like you. thank you. >> good evening. welcome to the newshour. we come on the air with breaking news. former president trump has been indicted in a hush money case involving an alleged affair. a lawyer for mr. trump says he's been informed at a grand jury in new york returned the indictment. >> the first time any ex president has been charged in a criminal case. it comes as he's running for president again in 2024. turning to two former peder -- federal prosecutors.

i think it is fair to say we were not expecting an indictment today. a grand jury conducts its work in secret. we knew the manhattan grand jury works on mondays and wednesdays, and there was a reporting the jury was planning to take off much of april for a preplanned break. walk us through how this jury would have arrived at an indictment. >> we don't know if they voted on it today or another day. it had remained under seal as it still does as we sit here. one of the extraordinary things about a grand jury is it does its work in secrecy. we don't know precisely when they voted on it. after theyeard the last witness by the district attorney's office to shore up the testimony of mr. cohen and his presumably after the witness was called.

to impugn his credibility. >> when that happened, and today, the grand jury indicted. >> we have to underscore the unprecedented nature of the case, the first ex president to be charged with a crime. what does it tell us about the case that was built by the manhattan district attorney, and the kinds of evidence and witnesses that have to be presented to the grand jury? >> i will say alvin bragg must know that this is going to be his legacy. i'm sure his office has handled many cases. he's obviously had a lengthy career. the bottom line is this is the case for the history books. he h aconfeaidisenndt stthey t . i will say to an outside observer, who doesn't have

access to the secret grand jury material, that i think your other guests wisely mentioned a moment ago. it certainly looks like serious questions about this case. at this stage, we have to presume prosecutors are confident in their evidence. they set themselves up for a difficult challenge ahead. >> tell us more about alvin bragg, the prosecutor who has brought an indictment against mr. trump? >> the former president -- federal prosecutor, also a former state prosecutor's office has shown himself since he took office to be very careful with respect to big things, with respect to prosecution of former president trump. you will recall he took a lot of heat for not moving forward with a prior indictment or suggested

in several prosecutors who had been working on alvin bragg's preet assessors to submit to the grand jury to the trump organization and former president trump's inflation of assets for cerin purposes. and deflation of their value for other purposes. those prominent prosecutors resigned when alvin bragg was not prepared to move forward. i think the history since he took office suggests he has been quite careful in this regard. >> there is a lot, we don't know , the indictment remains under seal at this moment. what could we expect to happen next when we learn more about the details on what happens on mr. trump's side, if you can surrender at some point. >> what we would expect is there would be a day to be set for the initial aparance and arraignment.

that is essentially a hearing, traditionally formerly red and the defendant is advised of his rights and potential penalties. there will also be a bond that will be set. so i would expect trump's attorneys and prosecutors would be in contact. there would be an understanding that he would appear with his initial appearance. we don't know whether that will be virtual or in person. the former president wants that to be in person, regardless. i think the indictment would be unsealed. we would learn what the charges are. an excellent point, all of that done in secret. >> jessica ross, as we wrap up our conversation, you are a

student of the law. the minute or less we have left, characterize this historic moment for us. >> as we all know, the former present has been indicted. indicted by a state prosecutor in the county where he used to live. he has since left. the narrative is extraordinary. i think it is going to be probably a prelude to other indictments to come that this was the first step toward a number of crimes that the former president -- obstructing justice and impairing our democracy. i think it is the first chapter. >> thanks to both of you. >> in the days other headlines, the u.s. army was hit by tragedy.

nine soldiers killed, and the crash of two blackhawk helicopters late wednesday. they belong to the 101st airborne division and were on a training mission. the army crashed about 30 miles an hour northwest of fort campbell near the kentucky tennessee border. at a briefing, the deputy commander said it is not clear what went wrong. >> very detailed planning, very detailed rehearsals, depending on the risk of operations has different levels of approval from command. always redouble our safety and precaution measures. like all of the training events, safety is a primary focus for us. >> the helicopters carry flight recorders that could be critical information. federal regulators are investigating another fiery train derailment in minnesota. it happened near raymond, some 100 miles west.

at daybreak, some of the 22 derailed cars were still burning. the trains operator is a newshour funder. the nashville school shooting sent crowds of protesters into tennessee's state capital demanding tougher gun laws. demonstrators filled hallways and shouted six are dead, how many more. republicans controlled the legislature and have backed greater gun access. police released 911 recordings from that school shooting. callers appeal for help amid sounds of gunshots. doctors say pope francis is showing market improvement at a rome hospital. he was admitted wednesday with br isponngantiotonisch. gathered outside of the hospital and left flowers today. he voiced his gratitude and a message on twitter. >> taiwan president spent the

day in new york on a highly sensitive stopover. she arrived in manhattan on wednesday and held a series of closed events before heading to central america hoping to shore up support for taiwan. in washington, the state department counseled calm, despite warnings from mainland china, officially the people's republic. >> our message continues to be there is no reason to turn this wi intothconsilong-standing u.s, someth ing it is not or use it as >> china considers taiwan a renegade provi nce andverrct. warned not to be with u.s. leaders. for now, she is expected to meet with house speaker kevin mccarthy in california on her way home next week. brazil's former president has returned home after a three-month stay in florida. the far right populist said he wants her new role in politics, but faces investigations that

could prevent a comeback. supporters and yellow and green chased after him and swarmed party headquarters today. bolsonaro predicted the leftist president who ousted him will not last or get much done. finland one admission to nato with turkey ratifying its application. all 30 members of the alliance had to agree and turkey was the last to do so. finland and sweden applied for nato membership after russia invaded ukraine. sweden's application is still pending. back in this country, the founder of ftx, sam bankman-fried, has pleaded not guilty to new federal criminal charges. he appeared briefly this morning in federal court in new york. the new indictment alleges he bribed a chinese official to unfreeze nobody assets. republicans in the u.s. house of representatives pushed through a broad energy package to undo most of president biden's climate priorities. it would ramp up u.s. production

of fossil fuels and expedite approvals for pipelines. democrats controing the senate say the bill is dead on arrival. on wall street, stocks had another positive day as fears of banking turmoil faded further. the dow jones industrial average gained 141 points to close at 32,859. the nasdaq rose 87 points and the s&p 500 added 23. still to come. the debate over raising the federal debt limit heats up on capitol hill. a federal judge's decision puts the future of the affordable care act in doubt. detroit era american artist reflect on the invasion of iraq 20 years later. plus much more. >> this is the pbs newshour, from weta studios in washington and in the west from the walter

cronkite school of journalism at arizona state university. >> for the first time in nearly 40 years, russian authorities arrested an american journalist and charged him with espionage. he was detained by intelligence agents yesterday while reporting in central russia. it is an escalation of a kremlin campaign that has targeted independent media, opposition politicians, and any critics of the full-scale invasion of ukraine. >> it is a moment not seen since the cold war. an american journalist accused of espionage detained by russian police. russian intelligence agents arrested evan gursky which as he reported 900 miles east of moscow. police took him into a closed court hearing in the federal security service accused him of acting on instructions from the american side to collect information about the activities of one of the enterprises of the russian military industrial

complex, that constitutes a state secret. >> under the cover of journalist activity, this person has been involved in a completely different kind of activity. what he has been doing, i'm speaking about this case only for now, is not journalism. >> in response, the wall street journal denied the allegations and seeks the immediate release of our trusted and dedicated reporter. >> the charges against him are ridiculous. >> in washington, the u.s. said it was trying to gain access and warned americans living in russia to leave. >> this is sadly common for russia to detain americans. that is what we have been very clear about americans not going to russia. it is not safe for americans right now in russia. >> russia holds another american, former marine paul wheeling, arrested in december 2018. a russian court convicted him on espionage charges that they call

a sham. in today's russia, russians are most often targeted. at least seven russian journalists have been arrested and charged since the full-scale invasion of ukraine. single father faced punishment for questioning the war on social media. russian authorities investigated him after his daughter made this school drawing. glory. note to war. authorities separated them. she was forced to an orphanage, he faces two years in prison. he fled and was detained. the daughter trying to comfort the father. she wrote a letter please don't worry about me. please don't give up. i love you. you are my hero. since the invasion, the human rights organization said police detaedizg e war. among them, the opposition leader. he is a longtime kremlin critic and target. twice has been poisoned.

>> at this stage when you are lying there gasping for air, i felt life slowly going out of my whole body. >> we interviewed him and his wife in 2017. after the full-scale invasion, he returned to russia to continue his work. last april, authorities arrested him. he's on trial for high treason. >> have you ever asked him not to go back? >> it is terrifying. not going to lie to you. but i want him to continue to do what he thinks is important. what he thinks is right. >> now she has continued vladimir's work. the free russia foundations director for advocacy. she vows to keep fighting for her husband and justice for as long as it takes. for the pbs newshour, nick schifrin. >> with us once again is -- and

andrew weiss joins us. he served in the george h w bush and clinton administrations. thank you both for being here. russia earlier this month began the closed door trial of your husband. he faces more than two decades in prison on charges including treason for comments critical of the kremlin. how is he doing and how is the case unfolding? >> thank you for having me here. everything in my husband's case is happening behind closed doors. the entire trial happening behind closed doors because the russian authorities are afraid to give him a platform, even if it is a courtroomo speak. and he will continue to speak out. he will continue to pose the regime. and there are accusations

against him including dissemination of forced information in the war in ukraine, or in other words, denouncing the war crimes committed by the russian army on the territorof ukraine and calling for the creation of a tribunal to prosecute all those responsible. and high treason for public speeches he made on different international platforms in which he denounced the regime, talked about political persecution in russia, and the ever-growing number of political prisoners in the russian federation. >> howre detainees treated? >> it really depends. i can tell you the russian authorities are now using a whole spectrum of intimidating techniques and repressive mechanisms. that include an punitive psychiatry, torture, sexual

violence, in prison terms, it can go up to 15 years for just saying no to the war. protests in any way, even making a post on social media, putting a like under someone else's post. reposting information. the dissemination of not only forcingsperion. for any kind of protesin e ficial narrative, e current russian po wpposeshe narrativethermi insa, or a traitor. this is what we have in russia. >> vladimir putin focused on suppressing dissent. but youay it is a mistake to believe he's been successful in suffocating the resistance movement. >> absolutely. i believe he very much depends on creating this image for the entire world.

the image in which the entire russian population stands behind him and the war. the number of people detained over the last year, over 20,000 people for protesting against the war and official kremlin policies shows there are probably millions against what is happening but afraid to speak up. because they see what happens to those who dare to oppose the regime. >> the biden whi house today condemned the detention of the american wall street journal reporter for what moscow described as espionage. the white house national security spokesperson said the administration had no advanced awareness of a new russian effort to target american journalists. does his detention read to you like a stepped up effort on the part of the russians to target americans with the end goal of a prisoner swap? >> it is hard to speculate given

how few concrete facts have been released, and we need to be careful not to assume what the russians are saying is true. in this instance, a small number of western journalists have gone back in and out since the war began. at the beginning, everyone left. the message from the u.s. administration has been clear, no americans should be in russia due to the threat of arbitrary detention or worse. now we have something that looks worse. espionage charges, real potential for a very long prison sentence. >> the official russian line is he's a spy. the white house said it is unsubstantiated. if you look at his recent reporting, he was writing about russia's economic struggles, troubles on the battlefield, the wegner group, a paramilitary force with ties to vladimir putin. does it suggest what he may have been targeted? >> western reporters who have

gone back for these reporting trips have really punctured the veil of lies and been able to report and tell the truth about how russian society is reacting to the war, the problems in the economy, and problems within the the russian government doesn't like criticism or scrutiny. in a situation like this, i think they are trying to push western journalists back out of the country. he can be targeted, so can you. >> we saw what it took to secure the release of renee greiner. paul whelan has been held for more than 40 years. what are the prospects? >> it is a green picture at the moment. no one has been formally accused of espionage or treason since the late 1990's. there was one case in the cold war era in 1986 of a western journalists arrested on espionage charges. he was released an accomplice maneuver involving the you --

u.s. and soviet governments. i think the focus right now has to be on not treating the russian assertions as accurate. on his face, it is a laughable accusaon. it also being careful to do what we can to make sure we don't endanger him more than he already is. >> as we wrap up our conversation, what do you make of that? and this current moment? >> this is a rime that doesn't value human life. has never valued human life. this is a regime that has been committing these kinds of crimes, including war crimes, for years. they have already committed war crimes in chechnya and syria, already carried out acts of aggression against our neighbors in georgia and in ukraine i 2014. this is a regime that holds the longest surveying russian political prisoner. he's been behind bars for 20

years in violation of two decisions of the european court of human rights. and several demands by the committee of ministers for his immediate release. this is a regime that held over 300 political prisoners even before the full-scale invasion of ukraine. now the numbers are growing by the day. it will take hostages, it will try to erase ukraine from the face of the earth. it will accompany this war of aggression by genocide. it will do all of the possible -- carry out all of the possible crimes against its own population. this is why this regime has to come down. it has to be brought down. the only wayor russia to stop being a threat to itself and its neighbors is for it to become a democracy. this regime cannot be transformed into a democracy. it has to stand trial for all of the crimes committed against the russian people and everyone else

around. this is the only way. >> thas to you. our thoughts are with you, your family, and husband. thank you. >> a looming global financial crisis of congress' own making is months away, but timing is running short on capitol hill. lisa desjardins caught up with lawmakers before they left for the long easter break enjoins me. bring us up to speed. what happened and what does it mean for the debt >> ceiling? >>talking about the debt ceiling debate. the principles need to watch our house speaker kevin mccarthy. he governs house republicans. and president biden has to sign a new legislation with the debt ceiling. they have not spoken in two months. they have a lot time, now they

have a lot less time. engagement, they sent each other letters. first a letter from speaker mccarthy to president biden. outlining potential ideas essentially saying he would like spending cuts and some tax cuts. president biden wrote a letter back to speaker mccarthy. the content of the letters was also spelled out today by bh of these men in separate news conferences. i want to play what speaker mccarthy told us. he said he wants to sit down with president biden as. >> what we need to do is sit down like any household would have it, and find places we can eliminate waste, but most important, create a system that makes the energy in america stronger, lower-priced, but make our economy even better. if the president doesn't act, we will. >> that was an important moment. he means the republican

conference he said they planned to pass something. we will see what. what did the white house say? here's the white house spokesperson. >> what we really need from speaker mccarthy and house republicans is to see their budget. where is the budget? >> they have not passed a budget in the house, saying we will not meet with you until you have a plan. speaker mccarthy saying we want to meet with you first. they are starting to engage. that is why we are talking about this now. there is not progress yet, but it seems to be a realization they need to figure something out. >> you do have some new reporting on what could be a short-term offramp. >> talking to sources on capitol hill, especially conservative republicans driving the train in the house, seems to be they will be getting ready for a short-term deal to extend the debt ceiling for a couple of months. they are hoping in exchange for some easy way to get compromises because there is unspent covid relief money they think perhaps

president biden would allow to go back into the federal treasury. there is a problem for kevin mccarthy. they don't necessarily have 218 votes. there is also a problem for president biden. some of his democrats also have issues. we saw this op-ed from west virginia coming out today. saying the biden administration is pursuing an ideological agenda rather than confront debt and defits. the senator wants a part going ahead. you see pressure on both sides. we see the debt ceiling. we will hit it. sometime between june and september. a very wide set of months. it is tax month. we should know april 18, how much revenue the government has brought in. >> a lot of important information coming in. i do want to ask about another

issue, lawmakers being asked about in the wake of another mass shooting america, gun violence and where it stands. you recorded a very unusual conversation yesterday. outside of the house chamber, a place where there are hard rules and the decorum is firm and important. yesterday a witness coming out of the gun debate a democratic member starting to shout his frustration about what he sees as a lack of action on this issue. i want to play what happened next. the mall bowman is a representative from new york, and he was raising this issue. republican tom massey came over to engage with him. >> i'm talking about gun violence. >> i'm talking -- in a school that allows teachers to carry. >> carry guns? you think more guns -- more guns lead to more death.

>> this is very personal for both of these men. represtative bowman is a former crisis intervention teacher and a school principal in new york. he was talking about kids he sees dying and he sees a lack of intervention on guns from lawmers. representative massey was saying i don't think it is -- that is not the problem, we need to arm teachers. more guns is the answer, the other says fewer guns are the answer. it was clear that there was substance to what they were saying. this comes not in isolation. we saw in nashville in the state capital in tennessee protests. hundreds coming out sparked by the death of those six people, including the 39-year-olds. it was the first time state legislature met since the shooting. so you see something happening in this moment. a real outcry for legislation. i asked speaker mccarthy what specifically he thought should be done on this. he said there should be a national conversation.

he did not give me specifics. let's talk about that conversation right now. according to the washington post, 17 school shootings this year. we also know gun violence is the leading cause of death among american children. >> hard and true facts. thank you. >> a federal judge in texas has ruled emoyers cannot be required to cover key preventative health care benefits under the affordable care act. it jeopardizes free coverage of a wide range of services for some 160 million americans. the biden administration expected to request a stay on the ruling. larry levitt is the executive vice president for health policy at at the kaiser family foundation and joins us. thank you for joining us. this ruling stems from a case brought by christian owned

businesses and others who argued they should not have to cover hiv prep, which is a preexposure prophylaxis. what does it mean more broadly in terms of the implications? >> on one hand, this decision is not as broad as some of the other legal challenges we have seen with the affordable care act. it does not threaten the very existence of obama care, the subsidies that may cover more affordable pre-existing condition protections. on the other hand, it is a very significant decision. 100 million people in a typical year use their preventive services. and it requires them to provide with no deductibles. the judge's decision does not pull out of the -- all of those preventative services. it will affect millions over time. >> when you talk about the preventative services, what kind of things are we talking about? >> the kind of preventive

services are very broad. it is cancer screenings, contraception, screenings for depression and anxiety. many of those will stay. what the ruling does is say any preventive services that were added after 2010 when the affordable care act passed, where the ones thrown out. the ones that will no longer or could no longer be covered by insurers include prep, medication that prevents hiv. that lower cholesterol and help prevent heart disease. medications that help reduce the risk of breast cancer, lung cancer screening. a narrower set of services many people are getting, but still quite significant. >> insurers can either drop coverage for those kinds of services and screenings altogether, or start charging for those. what do you expect to happen? >> first of all, i don't think

anything will happen immediately because we are in the middle of the calendar year and many insurance contracts are still in place. come next year, i think insurers will look at the ruling if it stands, if the biden administration does not successfully get a stay, they will look at it and make decisions. i suspect it will still cover these services. any of them will be subject to deductibles or co-pays,hich can be quite expensive. >> the judge in this case basically ruled the government can't force employers to provide services because the task force that determine which should be covered was comprised of medical advisors, not government employees. we mention we expect the biden administration to appeal. what happens next? >> the first step will be on appeal to get a stay. this judge in texas not only said the preventive services

requirement doesn't apply to these employers, the employers in texas, or even just in texas. then it would go to the court of appeals in that region, a pretty conservative court. >> we've got about a minute and a half or so left. oh we ago, the white house was celebrating 13 years of the affordable care act and record high open enrollment numbers. this was narrow. but it was a key provision o the aca. what does it tell you about the future? >> this is an enormously popular provision of the aca. not something that is controversial like the mandate that required people to get insured or pay a penalty or the employer mandate. it was extremely popular. the politics around the affordable care act. with 13 years in, the biden

administration has reinvigorated the affordable care act after the trump administration tried to weaken it. record enrollment, record low uninsured rate. republicans are really not publicly talking about repealing the aca anymore. this ruling potentially puts them on the hot seat. >> we will be watching this unfold. larry levitt, executive vice president for health policy at the kaiser family foundation. thank you for joining us. >> thank you for having me. at the start of the pandemic, we were urged to stay at home and avoid crowds. but for homeless people, packed shelters made transmission nearly unavoidable. many cities using federal covid

money housed people in vacant hotels to better protect them. washington, d.c. announced it would phase out its program, following others like it across the nation, leaving some housed people unsure where they will go next. > at mcpherson square, once the largest homeless encampment in washington, d.c. the 70 or so people living here are losing the closest thing they have two home. >> please collect your belongings and exit the park now. >> he lived here for three years. he said life outside was much better than inside city shelters. >> i'veeard people who go to the homeless shelter and are more violent than the streets. >> these weeks, occurring constantly as cities are coming at a particular bad time, because a successful homelessness program is ending and the sea, following other programs like it around the country. during the pandemic, the city brought homeless people at

particular risk from covid because of pre-existing medical conditions to hotels like this one in southwest d.c.. people like dean elliott clark. d.c. housed more than 2000 people like him and these hotels. here he gets health care, meals, and privacy. >> you can ask for anymore. a person don't appreciate this, they don't appreciate anything. that is sad. it is sad when it is cold outside andt is warm here. >> she has an autoimmune disease and had been living on the streets and in the woods for over eight years when caseworkers offered her a spot el. let me g o in this year. give it a try. that way i get to take a shower, get something to eat. so when iot g mysf. i started resting.er >> i often said housing is health care.

housing with the appropriate support in place is health care. >> how are you doing? >> dr. catherine crossland treated residents since the program began. she said one of her patients saw a huge improvement in his health after just a week inside. >> he was not short of breath, the swelling in his legs was gone. the ulcers were healed. he had all of his medications lined up on his dresser. my medical intervention had not changed at all. what changed was he had this stable place to care for himself. >> another hotel resident found the same effect with stable housing, he takes his psychiatric medicine regularly. >> helps me keep my medicine. >> having a steady place to say? >> yes. >> how are you able to do that living in a tent? >> it is hard, i was not able to

hold down very much. >> this hotel is one of three remaining housing people in washington, d.c. as federal funds disappear and the city phases out the program, the 400 or so people that still remain face on uncertain future. city officials say the program was never intended to be a permanent solution. >> continuing it as designed is ill-timed. it was launched during a global pandemic. >> dana is the director of policy and program support for d.c.'s department of human services. >> as we are phasing out the program, with the phaseout of pandemic efforts through the nation, we will make sure every resident is linked to the services eligible for them. some would include permanent housing, some will not. >> according to the department of human services, as of the end

of february, 60% of all residents have been matched to a housing subsidy that would cover the cost of rent. dhhs estimated people will have to return to shelters after it clos. >> i'm worried they're going to phase it >> out without plan b. >>amber harding is executive director at the washington legal clinic for the homeless married -- homeless. >> now that it is lapsing in may, it is going to be a real test for local governments as to how high of a political priority it is to actually provide a program they know is saving people's lives and is improving their health in many ways. >> for dr. crossan, sending her patients back to shelters is the worst outcome. >> seeing people together under one roof with end-stage renal disease, metastatic cancer undergoing chemotherapy, congestive heart failure, severe

copd requiring oxygen, these are folks who should never be in a shelter, let alone an outside encampment. it has really highlighted the need of a place for this vulnerable population to, while they are experiencing homelessness. >> this model offers a blueprint for temporary housing cross the country. the long-term solution should be the end goal. some point to california's project home key program, where local entities are providing grants to purchase vacant hotels and prevent them into permanent housing. >> no shelter solution, be it congregant or non-congregant shelter, will be successful without having a housing exit strategy for the people staying temporarily. >> sam is a principal research associate at the urban institute. >> the most important thing a community can do is read house people as quickly as possible.

it means making sure every shelter you have is oriented towards minimizing the time people spend in it and getting them into permanent housing. >> while d.c.'s program is ending, the city will continue to improve housing options for its on housed residence. do you worry there might be some people, given the federal money is disappearing, that might fall through the cracks? >> what we are committed to is making sure the lessons we have learned from this crisis is implement it, integrated into a long-standing services and supports for residents. >> after just over a year, t anna williams appeared subsidized apartment with help of her case order. >> yesterday i was with my worker and she took me to this complex. it is up by the zoo. i want to take my grandkids to the zoo. and waiting on my inspection and then i will be on my life. >> it is a happy ending for her,

but one not everyone will experience. for the pbs newshour, william brangham. >> 20 years ago after the u.s. invaded iraq, iraqi american playwright and actor heather rafa created and starred in an acclaimed play titled nine parts of desire about the lives of iraqi women. she's returned to the subject, but on film and through a distinct the american lens. setting a new version of the work in michigan. jeffrey went there to see how the work lands for the arts and culture series canvas. >> they are setting a church on the flint river in michigan.

> dementia took my dad. he spent 80 years carrying in six years forgetting. >> in the midst of the pandemic, and iraqi american woman mourning the loss of her father is visited by a series of women. >> we didn't know if our neighbor was -- or if it was offensive to us. people demand to know what i am. >> i have not been to school since america came. >> many stories. all played and told by writer and actor heather rocco. >> even my son said yesterday, where they really there? or where they all in her head? and he's like did it happen or didn't it? i'm like i think that is up to you. how you feel about that. that is how i felt often times during the pandemic. am i connected to my ancestors? am i connected in my grief to all of these angst that have happened across the world

through time, or am i isolated and alone? i think it is bot >> there's all generation today that want to think for themselves without iran, without americ >> at detroit public theater, she screamed her new film nine parts for family, friends, and community members. >> this is absolutely meant to be initiative. >> a homecoming on several counts. >> wanting to be in my conversation wit and the conversation >> with my cotry. >>she lives in new york, but were -- was raised in this area. and this was also a chance to mourn her own iraqi born father, a member of its minority christian. who died during the pandemic when his family could not hold public funeral. >> who is going to let you inspire the people -- >> the film itself is a kind of return to her critically

acclaimed 2003 play nine parts of desire that explored the lives of iraqi women through a decade of war and up people. >> the original images for the play was to reach americans with the humanity of iraqis. which meant they are repeat -- real people, they have deep and complicated feelings, both politically and personally. and that we cannot pigeonhole them to one side of the issue. and of course, once the civil strife started happening, it was showing the huge diversity and depth of their thinking. >> 20 years later, the impact of the american invasion continues to be felt. in iraq, a country still torn by divisions, set by economic woes and political corruption. an estimated 9 million iraqis are internally displaced earlier cludg most of her extended

family. many of whom left when isis took over in 2014 and targeted iraqi christians. >> i had about 100 family members living in iraq in 2003. i now have one cousin left in the country. thousands of years old family and community that has been displaced in less then 10. >> a lot to talk about homeland, struggling with it the older i get. >> also continuing to be felt in the iraqi american community. among those attending the detroit screening, was this 24-year-old. >> so much emotion. the struggles and the hardships we go through our something that is not talked about quite often. >> it is not talked about even in your community? >> it is talked about, but with

big trauma, things tend to be buried deep. >> she came to the u.s. as an infant just before the war. many relatives remain in iraq. she straddles in parts of her public programming coordinator as the arab-american national museum in dearborn. which features exhibitions of the past and present. including showcasing the work of contemporary artists. what is your sense of your friends or people in your generation, how important are the tradions and history? >> for the most part, we were raised in america, we try our hardest to keep in touch with our heritage, even further than just hearing the stories of our friends. -- parents. we want to define being arab american and what that means to us. it is a place that allows us to do it.

encouraging conversations through art. >> i hate politicians. >> heather is no artist in residence at the museum. a chance to develop a new play that expands her canvas with the migration around the world. and featuring musicians and actors from a variety of countries. >> i very much feel this void. i have no peace. >> it was this country that seems most on her mind, especially setting the new film version of nine parts in michigan and 2020. division and anger all around reminding her of iraq's point. now the flint river and the ongoing water crisis stood in. the pandemic brought in epic loss of life on the scale of war.

>> from a michigan point of view, armed militias in the buildings. in the way the country was increasingly tense was something that almost every arab american, particularly iraqi american goes ok, warning signs are really clear. >> you see that happening in the u.s.? >> are you red orlue, how will you talk to your family member over thanksgiving? what are you going to say? it is hostile. it is hot. as an artist, we go toward the heat. >> iraq could be a bellwether for the u.s., she says. >> everything bounces back, the market, the weather, it will bounce back. >> unless we address where we are 20 years later. >> money doesn't move, it bounces. >> for the pbs newshour, jeffrey brown. >> the new play tomorrow will be

sunday. it opens in washington dc's kennedy center on april 13. >> there is a sad passing of note tonight. a member of the larger pbs family, mark russell who poked fun at america's political elite for more than half a century, died today. with his fingers at the piano keys, he planted biting parity with song. >> best known for his pbs comedy specials that aired from 1975 to 2004. he went on to serve as host of the popular nbc reality program real people in the late 1970's and early 1980's. russell died at his home in washington, d.c. of complications from prostate cancer. that is why his wife told the washington post. here is mark russell at his finest. >> i can speak with brash

impunity ♪ i can sing a different song and please the community ♪ every different kind of resident until i count enough to vote for me as president ♪ i bear in mind that winning is very critical, i'm very model of a candidate political ♪ >> mark russell was 90 years old. our thoughts are with his friends and family. th ih me onne, including a look at how a possible ban made the social media apps tiktok for data privacy concern. >> join us again tomorrow night, a look at the music and activism of any land. that is the newshour for tonight. >> on behalf of the entire newshour team, thank you for joining us. >> major funding for the pbs newshour has been provided by.

>> for 25 years, consumer cellular has offered no contract wireless plans to help people do more of what they like. our u.s.-based customer service team can find a plan that fits you. to learn more, visit >> the ford foundation, working with visionaries on the front lines of social change worldwide. and with the ongoing support of these individuals and institutions. and friends of the newshour, including leonard and norma glorified, and koo and patricia yuan. and with the ongoing support of these institutions. and friends of the newshour. this program was made possible by the corporation of public

broadcasting and contributions to your pbs station from viewers like you. thank you.

♪ >> hello, welcome to "amanpour & company" dividing they stand. netanyahu's calls israel's relationship with the u.s. un shake about. >> they cannot continue down this road. >about a crisis driving a public wedge between two long-standing allies. >> i'm still in shock, i am 62 years old and i've invested my heart and soul to build and now that i'm old, it is destroyed. >> lives and livelihoods destroyed in russia's war on ukraine. the deputy foreign minister in in