. >> suarez: and fred de sam lazaro gets a rare look inside syria, where the government is just beginning to be challenged by protesters. >> brown: that's all ahead on tonight's newshour. major funding for the pbs newshour has been provided by: >> okay, listen. somebody has got to get serious. >> i think... >> we need renewable energy. >> ...renewable energy is vital to our planet. >> you hear about alternatives, right? wind, solar, algae. >> i think it's going to work an a big scale. only, i think it's going to be affordable. >> so, where are they? >> it has to work in the real world. at chevron, we're investing millions in solar and biofuel technology to make it work. >> we've got to get on this now. >> right now. ♪ ♪

with a report from inside >> suarez: we'll be back shortly with a report from inside syria by fred de sam lazarouarez: finally tonight, a rare look inside syria, an arab country where the street protests are just beginning. we have a report from special correspondent fred de sam lazaro, one of the few american journalists admitted into syria recently. >> reporter: the people of syria's crowded capital, damascus, face many of the same ills that have triggered street protests in so many other cities in the arab world-- high unemployment, widespread corruption, and authoritarian one-party rule. yet unlike egypt's hosni mubarak or libya's moammar qaddafi, syria's bashar al assad has faced minor and scattered demonstrations. but the situation is fluid and possibly escalating. scenes from youtube claimed to show protests across the country, including deraa, where there were deadly clashes. assad, who took power 11 years ago after the death of his father, has taken recent steps to put more money into people's pockets, and pledged to loosen some of the tight restrictions that have marked his government'

. >> suarez: and fred de sam lazaro gets a rare look inside syria, where the government is just beginning to be challenged by protesters. >> brown: that's all ahead on tonight's newshour. major funding for the pbs newshour has been provided by: >> okay, listen. somebody has got to get serious. >> i think... >> we need renewable energy. >> ...renewable energy is vital to our planet. >> you hear about alternatives, right? wind, solar, algae. >> i think it's going to work an a big scale. only, i think it's going to be affordable. >> so, where are they? >> it has to work in the real world. at chevron, we're investing millions in solar and biofuel technology to make it work. >> we've got to get on this now. >> right now. ♪ ♪ moving our economy for 160 years. bnsf, the engine that connects us. pacific life. and by toyota. the william and flora hewlett foundation, working to solve social and environmental problems at home and around the world. and with the ongoing support of these institutions and foundations. and... this program was made possible by the corporation for public broadcasting. and

. >> ifill: from india, fred de sam lazaro reports on troubles in the business of providing small loans to the poor. >> people in villages like this say agents from various microfinance companies would come in and try to sell them on loans without regard to whether they had other loans outstanding. there were no questions asked about what the loans were for. ( gunshots ) >> lehrer: and judy woodruff has a conversation about this date 30 years ago, when president ronald reagan was shot outside a washington hotel. that's all ahead on tonight's "newshour." major funding for the pbs newshour has been provided by: in 1968, as whaling continued worldwide, the first recordings of humpback songs were released. ( whale singing ) public reaction led to international bans. whale populations began to recover. at pacific life, the whale symbolizes what is possible if people stop and think about the future. help protect your future with pacific life-- the power to help you succeed. ♪ ♪ moving our economy for 160 years. bnsf, the engine that connects us. >> and by the bill and melinda gates foundation