wow, you get to watch all your favorite stuff. it's to die for. now you won't miss a thing. this is the way. xfinity internet. made for streaming. amna: good evening. i'm amna nawaz. geoff: political chaos with

countries president accusing sympathizing with north korea. amna: the bank of america ceo gives his take on inflation, inflation -- and the broader u.s. economy ahead of trump's return to the white house. geoff: and new fighting has erupted in syria but civilians describe how they have long been caught in the crossfire ever since the start of that country's brutal civil war. >> we are always afraid. we've been scared for 13 years, not just this year. we live in fear. ♪ >> major funding for the pbs newshour been provided by -- including kathy and paul , anderson and camilla and george smith.

>> the charles vallow kettering foundation, working to advance closer democracies. learn more at kettering.org. >> the john s. and james l. knight foundation, fostering informed, engaged communities. more at kf.org. and with the ongoing support of these individuals and 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.

amna: welcome to the news hour. today, for the first time since south korea became a democracy some 40 years ago, a south korean president declared martial law. geoff: but hours later the opposition and members of his own party in parliament rejected the order and it's been rescinded. nick schifrin is here following the story. nick: a senior official tells me the declaration was untenable and urge him to reverse it quickly. the official warns he might not survive the episode and it could threaten the stability of one of the u.s.'s most important allies. tonight they storm the institution they pledged to protect. special forces soldiers acted under martial law and fought with protesters, pushback opposition politicians.

inside the only thing that stopped soldiers from the floor was furniture deployed by opposition staffers. that allowed them to vote down -- the parliament to vote down the opposition, the leader live-streamed himself jumping over the fence to get to parliament but also by the leader of the party who said the president's declaration of martial law is wrong and our people need to stop it. afterwards, security forces rushed at parliament. he revoked his own declaration. >> i will except the national assembly's demand and live martial law through a cabinet meeting. nick: six hours earlier, he accused the opposition of being infiltrated by north korea. >> i declare martial law to

eradicate the despicable pro-north korean antistate forces that are plundering the freedom and happiness of our people. nick: the decree prohibited all lytic collectivities and ban ongoing strikes by south korean doctors. but thanks to immediate protest, it's not clear if any of that actually happened. for the last two years, the president has been a vital u.s. ally. singing from the same biden administration songs to sheet to advocate for global democracy and expand against north korea and china. behind the scenes, the u.s. wanted to see the crisis into. >> we have every hope and expectation that any political disputes will be resolved peacefully and in accordance with the rule of law. nick: a senior u.s. official

told me that some of his own advisors were shocked and humiliated by his declaration and tonight it appears he could soon be impeached are forced to resign. to discuss this day of crisis and what comes next, i'm joined by the president and ceo of the marina and mike mansfield association that works foster understanding between the united states and nations across the world. do you think this political crisis at this point is over? >> know, there are still more shoes to drop. i believe the president will be hard-pressed both by impeachment and by voices within his own party to consider stepping down. but if he does so, it doesn't just end his own presidency, it potentially ends the ruling party's occupancy of the presidential office because special elections would be held within 60 days and at the present time the opposition is well-positioned to win those. nick: let me get to the implications of that, especially

with president from becoming president in just a few months. esco back to today, why do you think he declared martial law? >> what precipitated the crisis were numerous frustrations with the president. he came in with the budget for congress, they are investigating his wife for allegations of various fraudulent stock manipulations as well as taking gifts, and they've also been frankly working to impeach him already. his popularity has been very low, and has the hallmarks of a desperation move of a man not well accustomed to politics. nick: speak in politics, a senior administration official i spoke to today told me the message that -- of south korean officials was that the declaration was untenable and to reverse it while they could. the official also said it wasn't u.s. pressure that made him change course. do you believe that? >> i think the pret out -- i think the pressure was essential but it's not the only

ingredient. the hope you had at the biden administration might stand by him, but it was the voices of his own party that were decisive , much as republican leaders once were responsible for nixon choosing to resign, it was the opposition party in league with the people's power party together with his own party that forced him to resend this martial law. nick: as you mentioned, if he doesn't survive, it's expected the democratic party will come to powder -- to power, and as i alluded to, that was the party that was the partner of donald trump to reach out to north korean leader kim jong-un. so what would the opposition's priorities be when it comes to north korea and china? >> on one hand, the opposition party today is less pro-china than it used to be and they are more impressed with -- they

would open the door potentially to a new diplomatic initiative with north korea, something the president has staunchly opposed and even had biden wanted to make such an initiative, he would have stood in his way. nick: so this is guessing perhaps, but how would it work with the trump administration? >> i would expect the main issues will still be tensions like support for the alliance forces on the peninsula, and how much south korea pays the u.s. to help support them, as well as trade frictions. president trump is signaling his intention to impose tariffs which would have a negative effect on the south korean economy. so those tensions will still be there, but when it comes to potential outreach with north korea, there may be an opening. nick: finally, this has been a dramatic day. you have mentioned democracy, and the constitution multiple times. what does this say about south

korea? >> i was with president biden in 2001 and what it really says is that south korea's democracy is resilient in the face of a move to restore some kind of authoritarian regime. so it gives me hope that notwithstanding the street protests and the tussle of south korean politics, that there democracy is resilient. nick: thank you very much. ♪ amna: the days other headline start with more on the chinese hack of american telecommunications firms earlier this year. officials with the nation cyber defense agency and the fbi tell

the news hour that after seven months of investigating, they still don't know the true scope of china's cyber attack. the officials also said the hack is ongoing and there is no evidence of chinese hackers have been kicked out yet. he found that the hackers mostly stole metadata from a large but unspecified group of americans. senate intelligence chairman art warner recently called it the worst telecommunication hack in u.s. history. to the middle east now where the limits of a shaky cease-fire deal between israel and hezbollah are being tested with new violence and new threats. since last week's truce went into place, both sides have claimed relations by the other. the hezbollah monday attacks into an israeli border area were met by an israeli response, airstrikes that killed at least 11 people in lebanon. troops are told that if the cease-fire broke israel would not limit it strikes to hezbollah, saying there were no longer be an exemption for the state of lebanon.

the israeli prime minister said the cease-fire doesn't mean israel will sit idly by. >> were currently in a cease-fire, not the end of the war. we have a clear goal to return the residence to rehabilitate the war and were forcing the cease-fire with than arne fist, acting against any violation, minor or serious. amna: in nearby syria, insurgents have pushed forward with their offensive. war monitoring organization confirmed the militants captured four new towns today as they pushed for the fourth largest city in syria. in the meantime, government forces have retaken a village that fell to the insurgents last week. we'll have more on syria later in the broadcast. the war in ukraine was top of the agenda at a nato meeting in brussels today. but when asked whether the military alliance would heed ukraine's calls for membership, the secretary-general said the focus should be on sending more weapons to strengthen its

negotiating position. u.s. secretary of state and tenure blinken urged nato to brace for what could be another year of war. >> this is a vital moment for the alliance to make sure we are set for the year ahead. the reason the alliance is stronger than ever is because we all know it's a best guarantee against war, the best means to prevent conflict and to ensure our collective security. amna: meanwhile ukraine's air force as russian drone struck more critical infrastructure overnight, cutting power in some western regions. about half of ukraine's power has been knocked out from russian strikes since the war began. president biden said he is all in on africa during a trip to angola that is meant to counter china's influence on the continent. biden was welcome alongside angola's president and toured a

slavery museum. he's the first sitting u.s. president ever to visit the country. mr. wyden also promoted a 3 billion-dollar u.s. commitment toward an 800 mile railway project that connects several sub-saharan nations. in remarks this afternoon, the president said the future runs through africa. pres. biden: it's been the goal of the united states to build a strong partnership with peoples and nations across the continent of africa. bringing to bear the dynamism of america's private sector and the expertise of our government to support aspirations of african on tumors, experts and leaders both inside and outside of government. amna: china has invested heavily in after signing industry and today announced it will ban exports of several critical minerals to the u.s. that are used in tech. after delaying for weeks, president elect donald trump's transition team has signed the customary agreement with the justice department that will

allow investigators to conduct background checks on his nominees and appointments. the justice department confirmed to the news hour that the agreement was signed and the department is ready to process for security differences. the step was important for smooth transaction and for those among mr. trump staff and nominees who need to access briefing materials and national security information. all of this comes as another one of mr. trump's nominees has withdrawn tonight. florida sheriff chad chronister had been tapped to run the drug enforcement administration. he had recently come under fire for making what was seen as a controversial arrest of a tampa bay pastor who defied public health restrictions to whole services during the height of the covid pandemic. on wall street today, more mixed results. the dow jones industrial average lost more than 70 points while the nasdaq gained practically the same amount. the s&p 500 inched higher. still to come, civilians find

themselves caught in the crossfire amid syria possible war. a look at what president elect trump's return to power means for the january 6 rioters, and much more. >> this is the "pbs news hour" from the david m rubenstein studio at weta in washington and in the west from the walter cronkite school of journalism at arizona state university. geoff: the u.s. economy continues to perform well by many measures, retail spending was up notably around black friday, markets are at or near record levels and unemployment remains low. and yet most americans have long felt the economy is not doing well for them. all of this is front and center as president elect donald trump is set to clement an agenda heavily focused on new tariffs, cutting regulations and extending tax cuts. the fed is also expected to cut rates again this month, decisions watch closely by

businesses, investors, and lenders. let's get some insight from brian moynihan, the ceo a bank of america, who joins us now. as we talk about the stated the economy, one key indicator is consumer spending. we have some fresh data on that front. on black friday, americans spent nearly $11 million online, shattering a record. travelers heading home after thanksgiving set a record on sunday. airport tsa screen more than 3 million people. so it's just that americans have disposable income. what does that say about the overall strength and stability of the u.s. economy? >> if you backup to the big picture, the u.s. economy is driven by consumer activity. the largest economy in the world, our purchase power on a global basis is high. it is key that the u.s. consumer stays in the game. all month of november is up 4%, that's a good, healthy level,

consistent with a strong consumer sentiment. consumers expect to spend about 7%-10% more this year than last year. that being said, with inflation worries and prices being up, there's a lot of, wait a second, i'm paying more for this than i did four years ago. it's now more under control but still people don't forget the past. geoff: is that how you reconcile those widespread anecdotes with people struggling with higher prices? that's what people seem to indicate with their vote. is that how you explain that disconnect? >> i'm always a person who says follow what they do, not what they say. in the last week, including thanksgiving, they spent 10% more than last year in that same week and i think they were feeling ok last year.

if that's what they are doing, but that shift around. gas prices have come down. a little more clothing and cosmetics, more online than not online but that has been going on for years. if you put it all together, the american consumer is healthy. unemployment is 4.1%. wage growth is stronger than the inflation rate. but they're still going to remember, i paid three dollars for that and now i'm paying four dollars for that, doesn't sound right to me. geoff: meanwhile the fed will consider cutting rates again. what do you hope to see in the way of more rate cuts into the next year? >> our research team has a cut in december and maybe three or four cuts next year. that has come down, meaning less cuts, because as a belief that the economy is strengthening, next year from 1.5% to 2.5%,

it's a big move up. the united states is 2%, plus or minus. they believe the rate cuts will be slower largely because inflation is under control, but the fed will keep airing to make sure they keep inflation under control. it puts purchase power into the economy so we have to keep it balanced. what will be different than anyone that entered the business world after the financial crisis in 2007 and 2008, we will probably see in endpoint of the fed funds rate in the 3.5% range which is where we were for a long time in history. that will be different for people to think through. people see 6.5%, a first mortgage was 18%. that was the reality back then. that rate in absolute terms is high based on the last 15 years, but based on the last 40 years

is much lower. the good news is the rate structure stays a little higher and that means the economy is healthy. geoff: president elect donald trump has made it clear he plans to implement significant tariffs. most economists agree that this tariff plan could boost prices for consumers and make inflation worse, but they seem to disagree on how much. how do you see it? >> it really depends on what else happens. if the tariffs talked about during the election cycle is coupled with regulation of corporate profits, they will feel ok about it. at the end of the day the tariff comes through and the distributor of the bicycle or whatever it is will decide whether to pass through the price or not. they will pass it through based on the benefits. it's a balanced by the impact of

other measures. the question will be, everyone will focus on the tariff at the question is what is the package and how it works. the real question will be what businesses pass through are needed because they can get profit margin through growth and other things. so it's a much more complex question. businesses will always be trying to make more revenue and that means more sales and they will use price as a lever so it ought to work through. geoff: we are hearing reports of companies shifting their spending in advance of what they hear might be another trade war. bank of america has relationships with 95% of the fortune 1000 companies. what are you hearing? >> we all learn something in the pandemic about supply-chain interruptions. supply-chain interruption because of tariffs when people are not sure of demand, the

whole mix is pretty powerful. at the end of the day, think about surgical masks. all the hospitals were out of surgical masks and you are saying, why don't you have surgical masks? china was shut down because of the pandemic. they have to figure out how to make sure they have supply. so they go out and grab all the supply they can, figuring that will give them an extra three or four months. that is natural human behavior. but shifting supply around, to other countries, vietnam, indonesia, mexico and other places. the second goal will be to make sure i have adequate supply at any cost. if i don't have anything to sell, i can't make any revenue. this is all temporary. in six months, this is all through the system and you have to adjust to the reality of the long term thing. geoff: the president elect is

also saying he will bring in elon musk and vivek ramaswamy to cut federal spending and make government more efficient as they see it. do you have any concerns at indiscriminate budget cuts could affect economic growth? >> you have to be careful in the broadest context. the theory is it will be made about other places. at the end of the day, you can make anyplace more efficient. every day we make our company more efficient. when the team took over in 2010, our costs were high. here we are in 2024, we will be in the mid 60's. automation, everything. you have to do it in a rational fashion that insures it sticks to the ribs. otherwise you cut it and it comes right back.

it will be an interesting dialogue. other people have thought they could do this. geoff: al gore tried to do it back in the 1990's. geoff: al gore was going to -- barack obama, everyone was going to do it. at the end of the day, they are serving the american people. can it be more efficient? there is no question. i wouldn't worry about the economic impact as much as making sure the core services are operating. the irs runs properly, the fcc runs properly. on the other hand, i guarantee you, with any company or enterprise, there is always efficiency to be gained if you go at it the right way. geoff: brian moynihan, ceo of bank of america, a pleasure to speak with you. let's take a closer look at the

disconnect between solid economic numbers in the way many people say that feel about this economy. voters said they were upset about the cost of living and then helped elect donald trump to a second term. our economics correspondent reports from ohio on how many americans see this in the wake of the election. >> outside a kroger in dolehide township, ohio. how is the economy for you? >> it's horrible. >> i think everyone could be doing a little better right now. >> in exit polls come more than six in 10 voters rated the economy is not so good or poor. 69% of them cast a roquefort trunk, despite sowing inflation, solid growth and low unemployment. >> the kind of shock we saw in 2020, he doesn't translate to a simple experience of well-being for large numbers of people.

>> the economy currently is not working for me and my family. >> she voted for hillary clinton in 2016, trump in 2020. this year she says the economy kept her with trump. >> some of the records that came out to black people and i nor eddie's, it's not my number one issue. how are you going to make things better for my family? it's about affordability of food, gas, heating, energy. >> many americans are comparing the cost of living to what it was four years ago and blaming inflation. technically, inflation is the rate of price change over time, and that annual rate has slowed. they are looking at the long-term climb. >> inflation is when things are too expensive, or when i can no longer afford anything. >> in a survey conducted about

inflation -- >> wages are just not keeping up with prices. >> especially in the service industry. $15 an hour, that is impossible. >> there's a sense of injustice and inequity. >> outside kroger, grocery prices were a common gripe. >> now it cost me close to $200. >> i'm paying double what i was paying a few years ago. it's horrible. >> grocery prices are up 25% since the pandemic, but just 1.1% from a year ago. it's not just groceries, though. >> a couple of years ago i could take my money pay my bills and have extra money to do fun stuff. now i can't. >> i have two young children,

prices continue to rise and without any assistance, it has become a challenge. >> higher interest rates have added to the cost of living but are not even counted in the official inflation rate. >> i saw statement saying 28.9%. it is criminal. >> it's almost untenable for money meals -- millennials like myself who have good jobs. >> if you want to purchase a house with a mortgage, those are considered cost-of-living, yet they are not reflected in the inflation numbers we see. >> inflation has slowed over the past two years, but during peacoat -- p covid -- >> you're still dealing with the pain you felt in that period and the anxiety you felt, and you will compare this with how you felt between 2017 and 2020

before covid hit and you will realize in that period you felt like you were doing better every single week. >> even if you aren't. that's how lots of folks feel. >> things seem to be on the uptake, and then biden took over and it went down. >> inflation has a really lasting impact on people. also emotionally. this episode is definitely leaving some scars. we ask people about their experiencing, it's not just the year before, it's really what is happened over this whole inflationary episode. >> larry summers recently pointed out that higher prices affect everyone. >> if we have extra unemployment , it's 2% of people that don't have jobs. if you have extra inflation, it's 100% of people who see

higher prices. >> moreover, people get a 7% raise and 7% price increases, they don't say to themselves there is zero real wage, they say to themselves i did a fantastic job and i got a 7% increase and it all got taken away from me by inflation. >> so who do folks blame? >> people do mention the government as a major cause of inflation. people sat have a lot of anger and fear. lots of people say it's directed at the government. >> this economist says that for many, inflation is merely a label. >> for a lot of people, inflation can be a catchall for just a bad economy, or economic uncertainty. >> she found that people's perceptions are influenced by their politics. >> if they are the same

political party as the president, they expect lower inflation. during the biden administration, the gap in expectations got bigger. democrats still expected inflation to be about the same as it had before, but republicans inflation expectations rose a lot. >> now you've got inflation on top of inflation. i don't see a big and insight. >> it's also due to differences of how the media was reporting on inflation. >> the biden inflation -- bryden -- the biden been calling it transitory. >> in retrospect, her results should've been a warning for the democrats. >> we saw the expectation of

independents are closer to the expectations of republicans. a lot of them did not seem as worried about inflation as republicans. >> we are about to see how they willfully if the cost-of-living doesn't return to pre-covered levels, or worse, start rising faster once more. ♪ amna: since syria on arab spring protest there have devolved into a decade plus bloodletting, fleeing civilians have been caught in the crossfi between the assad regime and its russian and iranian allies in various opposition groups. now the conflict has reignited, northwest syria's idlib and aleppo promises principally. our special correspondent travel there to meet some of the victims of this war and its

survivors. >> brutal return to the bloodiest days of the syrian civil war as allied sources -- forces surge to seize the country second city, aleppo, and a matter of hours. but as rebels continue to push their way toward the heart of the country, it civilians back in idlib back and aleppo bearing the terrible brunt of the retaliation as allies and russian warplanes double down on their bombardment. trapped by syrian forces on one side and the turkish border on the other, more than 4 million destitute, grieving civilians languish in despair. families in the rebel held north west have been under assault from syrian and russian forces for years, suffering in silence. many of the young children born here don't know eight life without the sound of bombs and

bullets. were just a few miles from the front line in the tens of thousands of civilians living in those areas face the constant threat of both shelling from regime forces and airstrikes carried out by russian warplanes. when tensions are high, they are sometimes attacked on succeeding days. >> they tell me that they don't belong anywhere now. they're stopped from traveling anywhere except back to regime held syria. they built their lives around the threat of attack. bags of essentials ready to run and little effort to build more than rough shelters. their temporary homes may be destroyed as well. amir has seven children, the place from their home village by

syrian government forces five years ago. she has extended family packed inside this water tower complex in an abandoned area for shelter , thinking they would be safe. they were wrong. >> the kids were sleeping. we heard a loud bang. then fire, shrapnel and falling stuff. >> their shelter was under attack from a russian warplane. >> it was very, very scary. we didn't know which way to go. the kids were screaming. we ran to the mountains, then i started screaming for my dad and my nephew. >> his father and six-year-old nephew were killed in the attack. >> we are always afraid. we've been scared for 13 years, not just this year. we live in fear. the jets are always targeting civilians. >> with little outside help, under relentless attack, local

volunteers from the white helmets continue to do what they can. he came running the night the shelter was hit. >> the scene we found was brutal and so painful. people running around in terror. everyone was in a state of panic because of the bombing. our team arrived and found bodies lying around, the victims hit by the aircraft that bombed the station. there was a child whose body was covered in face -- covered in dust. >> the volunteers risk the regular practice of double tap attacks. they try to rescue who they can. by day, they buried their neighbors. by night, the attacks again and again. for those who survive come the road to recovery with no home to

return to. thousands of patients begged the turkish authorities to let them cross to get medical treatment they cannot get here. you are given permission. mohammed is one of the lucky ones. he made it across the border to a medical center for displaced syrians run by a syrian emergency task force. and he was two years so, his home was hit by russian airstrike. his aunt and grandmother were both killed. his entire body was burned. >> he suffers from burns in his lungs and constant infections and suffers from intensive nerve damage from the burns. >> desperate to save his son, he smuggled the family into rebel held territory. then he began trying to get into turkey for further treatment. now seven, he's been waiting

years for the surgeries he needs to correct his agonizing injuries. there is little more they can do for his face. next, his father hopes they can separate his fingers. he has never been to school. he has spent his whole life waiting for painful operations. he sits alone, playing silently. in darker moments, he begs his father to find a way to help him make friends. >> the children at the displacement camp would not stand near my son or talk to him. he remains isolated in the camp. and the children saw him, they would be afraid of him. >> just one family member is allowed to accompany each patient across the border. they have little means to survive. he has not seen his mother for more than two years. >> my family is living in a

difficult situation in syria. they have no one to support them. they are alive simply because they have not died. >> the cost of surgery or not covered. his next operation will cost $450, nearly a year of average wages for those in syria for those who can find work. frozen in time and misery, millions more children spend their days deprived of education for much of their young lives. the earliest lesson is not to hope. ♪ amna: a delaware federal judge formally dismissed the case against president biden son hunter this morning following

the president sweeping pardon. some legal islands have expressed concerns that the president's pardon of his son gives president elect from a roadmap to protect his political allies. mr. trump hinted on social media yesterday he would do so, saying does the pardon given by joe to hunter include the j six hostages? kyle cheney has been following the fallout of the president's pardon and the impact it would have on a second trump term. welcome back, thanks for being with us. let me starve with those january 6 cases which i know you been following closely. to bring people up-to-date, so for some 1500 people have been charged, nearly 1000 have pleaded guilty, more than 600 have been sentenced to jail time. so to this question, what kind of impact could the biden pardon for his son hunter have on those cases? >> in theory it should not have a connection but i think what

you're seeing is reaction from trump's allies saying if he's going to pardon his son basically for personal reasons, then why should donald trump not exercise his sweeping pardon authority in the same political way? trump has signaled that he planned to pardon many of the january 6 defendants for months, it was a big part of his campaign, but this is embolden him to go further and make it more expansive and complete for the larger group or the alleged crimes that they committed? that is the question as to what the impact will be. amna: you have covered these cases so closely. if some kind of blanket pardon like that was issued, how would that be received? >> it would be fairly seismic. is donald trump going to pardon somehow provide relief to the people who were accused up or pleaded guilty to assaulting

police officers? donald trump has not said a word about his intentions for any specific sort of way since winning the election. so one of the questions is, is he prepared for the backlash and the consequences of potentially, not exonerating, but pardoning providing clemency to people who did attack cops that day? amna: and beyond the january 6 rioters, we know in the past mr. trump did use his broad powers to pardon people close to him, even members of his family, roger stone, charles kushner come of those were all tied to specific cases and specific allegations of specific crimes that those pardons were linked to. does the sweeping nature of this pardon my president biden, does that offer mr. trump broader political powers for the future? >> no, he had that authority to begin with. the difference is that biden has

blazed a trail, the exception is richard nixon. even richard nixon's pardon only covered his term in office. the hunter biden goes far beyond that, 11 years of any conduct that may have been criminal. that's really the crux of this. it's not that trump doesn't have the authority, it's just never been used that way, the one exception arguably of richard nixon. it brings a sort of permission structure or a political argument that if biden did this, why can't donald trump do this? amna: it's worth noting there are still over 500 january 6 cases still pending. so back when matt gaetz was the nominee to be attorney general, we knew to some degree what direction those might take. he had said he was supportive of the writers on january 6 and voice that support a number of times. he has withdrawn his nomination. pam bondi is the new nominee for

attorney general. what would her leadership at the agency mean for the future of those january 6 cases? >> a great question, that i pondered and have not got an answer to. she has had virtually nothing about january 6. i've asked what her views are and got no answer there. matt gaetz was a known quantity. he embraced certain conspiracy theories and was clearly on the side of maximal clemency for this group of rioters, and pam bondi is just an unknown quantity. you would eect her to be loyal to donald trump and do what he wants her to do. she also has a history as a prosecutor and me book -- may be more sympathetic to the justice department who put some of these people in jail. maybe we will find out at her confirmation hearings. amna: when you talk to your

sources inside, how are they looking at all this, the potential for pardons and an uncertain future ahead for the cases they are still working on? >> it's a pervasive sense of anxiety about the unknown. is donald trump really going to follow through on these promises to clean house and what does that look like? is anyone working on the january 6 case is going to be fired? can he even do that? attorney general garland has encouraged people to stay, that it's better to stay and steer things in a direction they feel confident in, but i think anxiety and uncertainty is the best way to describe it at the moment. amna: kyle cheney joining us

tonight. thank you for your time. always good to see you. >> thank you for having me. gef: we will be back shortly with a look at an annual christmas tradition here in washington dc. amna: but first, take a moment to hear from your local pbs station. it's a chance to offer your support, which helps keeps programs like this one on the air. ♪ geoff: for those of you staying with us, detroit is increasingly known for its creativity and one couple is using the arts to turn around an entire neighborhood. special correspondent megan thompson visited little village to see its big plans. this encore report is part of our arts and culture series, canvas.

>> it's a famous intersection. >> dolores has lived for more than 70 years in the east village neighborhood of detroit. >> you had the drugstore on the corner, and right here the bakery, they baked all the best bread in the world. i can even tell you how much of a change i've seen. i've seen it right and fall. >> she was thrilled when she was approached about a big idea, the creation of a new arts district here called little village. it was start with converting an empty charge into an art gallery. >> anthony, real estate developer, first became a gallery owner in 2012 when he cofounded the library street collective with his wife, a downtown detroit art gallery with a mission of supporting social causes, local artists, and the revival of the city center.

>> creating change, trying to impact the community in different ways. >> they wanted to impact a neighborhood, after meeting with east village leaders like dolores, they bought the good shepherd church in three more billings on the lot and launch the new cultural space earlier this year. >> we wonder try to keep as much of the church intact as we could. >> it is a meeting space, performance space and art gallery all in one. there's an emphasis on artists of color, reflecting the community that surrounds it. >> we wanted to feel like a place you can come and feel welcome and have a connection to. >> there's a small library by the old confessionals, curated by the founder of a traveling collection of books called black art library.

there are books on a wide range of topics. >> this book is called the ultimate art museum. i won the space to feel like you could find something, if you're interested in art, no matter what that actually means. >> outside, giant sculptures are meant to be played on. and there's a skate park created by artists mcarthur binion and renowned skateboarder tony hawk. >> the idea was to turn this ideal public sculpture into a very exclusive thing that can be accessible. >> when other arts groups all the transformation, they wanted to be in the neighborhood, too. so they open a new space earlier this year called lantern. it's now home to two nonprofits.

one for artists with developmental disabilities. upstairs, there are artist studios. paula was living in toledo, ohio. since moving here three years ago, he has pivoted from figurative drawings to more abstract work. he says the affordable rent and gallery support gave him the freedom to do it. >> i can just really just think about my creativity. >> they have rehabbed more than 20 residential properties in the area and run them at below market -- rent them at below market rates. he says he has seen a big change in the neighborhood since moving in. and there will likely be even more. the old rectory is now an art field bed-and-breakfast. coming soon, a cocktail bar, pastry shop and more art space

and galleries. they are transforming a large property into stanton yards, a waterfront park of offices and restaurant that will open in 2027. more than 16 acres of green space and 17 buildings across 10 city blocks. michelle riley is the director of arts and culture of the city of detroit. >> we are on a mission to revitalize the city using arts as a catalyst. i want people from around the country to come and see what we did to detroit. more than that, i want people here to say, look what we've got here, and enjoy it. >> to loris orr says they've made it clear everyone is welcome to enjoy the new modern art spaces but she believes some of the long time lower income residents are hesitant.

>> the people in the neighborhood don't think that it is for them. if it were myself and i didn't know, how would i feel coming over here myself to see what is going on? i don't know if i would, because i'm not in the same class, i would say. >> she wants to change that mindset because she believes projects like this are making the east village rise again. >> other developers came in and said come we have not forgot. we are here to help. >> nine-year-old aiden and his five-year-old sister live in the building next door. he says he likes to come over here to play and enjoy the art. >> had you ever seen art like this before? >> no, never in my life.

now i say it is beautiful. >> when aiden looks up at these giant sculptures, he imagines butterflies. >> that's one thing i love about nature, butterflies. it just brings me joy. >> for the pbs news hour, i megan thompson in detroit. ♪ amna: before we go, it's a little bit brighter here in washington tonight, now that the u.s. capitol is officially lit up for the holiday season. >> 3-2-1, there we go. amna: house speaker mike johnson did the honors, just like that, the capitol christmas tree was aglow on the west front lawn. geoff: the enormous 80 foot spruce made the long journey to

washington from alaska. it's adorned with thousands of lights and ornaments handcrafted by members of alaskan communities. across town, the white house is also decked out for what will be president biden's final christmas there. first lady dr. jill biden called this year's theme a season of peace and light. amna: and that is the news hour for tonight. geoff: thanks for spending part of your evening with us. >> major finding for the pbs news hour has been provided by >> in 1995, two friends set out to make wireless coverage accessible for all. with 100 percent u.s.-based customer support. consumer cellular. ♪

>> moving our economy for 160 years. bnsf, the engine that connects us. >> carnegie corporation of new york, working to reduce political polarization through philanthropic support for education, democracy, and peace. more information at kornegay.org -- carnegie.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. [captioning performed by the national captioning institute, which is responsible for its

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