i'm hari sreenivasan. pbs "newshour weekend." i'm hari sreenivasan.e'll see you tomorrow. -- captions by vitac -- www.vitac.com ♪ ( horns honking ) mexico city-- one of the largest concentrations of humanity anywhere on the planet. it's currently estimated that around 26 million people live here, and the city stretches for miles in all directions. but scratch the surface and you'll find there was once another great city here, one that rivaled in size and complexity the cities of europe, but whose religion, rights and ways of life and death, were utterly alien to europeans.

." >> good evening, i'm hari sreenivasan. thanks for joining us. the budget impasse continues and a federal government shutdown is now set to begin in a little more than 24 hours. today, a top democrat said the partial shutdown is all but certain. >> we know what's going to happen. tomorrow the senate will come in session, the house position, which is basically the same one they sent us the last time, is going to be rejected again and we're going to face the prospect of the government shutting down come midnight monday night, tuesday morning. >> durbin warned a government cloture would create hardships and jeopardize the snags's economic recovery and blamed houmgs republicans for tying the fate of the budget to the health care reform. >> if there's to be a constructive conversation about the future health care reform, it's going forward. i fully support that, but let's sit down in a bipartisan and calm way, not with the prospect of shutting down the government or shutting down the economy. >> the first portion of the divided question is adopted. >>

hari sreenivasan asks: does that make it easier for hackers to disrupt our daily lives? >> woodruff: and, it's a bird, it's a plane, it's the story of superman through the ages. >> there is no more symbolic character than superman, who created the archetype of the superhero. and everything that's come after him that's touched on the idea of somebody who dressed up in a weird outfit and fights for the powers of good, comes from him. >> woodruff: that's all ahead on tonight's newshour. >> major funding for the pbs newshour has been provided by: ♪ ♪ moving our economy for 160 years. bnsf, the engine that connects us. >> and by the alfred p. sloan foundation. supporting science, technology, and improved economic performance and financial literacy in the 21st century. >> and with the ongoing support of these institutions and foundations. and... >> this program was made possible by the corporation for public broadcasting. and by contributions to your pbs station from viewers like you. thank you. >> brown: the u.s. push to punish syria over chemical weapons use dominated the g-

i'm hari sreenivasan. "pbs newshour weekend." i'm hari sreenivasan.nks for watching. -- captions by vitac -- www.vitac.com >>> pbs "newshour weekend" is made possible by lewis b. cullman and louise hirschfeld cullman. mutual of america, judy and josh weston. . additional support is provided by -- and by the corporation for public broadcasting and by contributions to your pbs station from viewers like you. thank you.

i'm hari sreenivasan. the president of syria, bashar-al-assad, said he is readying his nation for an attack by the united states and plans to retaliate if there is one. assad made his comments in an exclusive interview with charlie rose. rose talked to us by phone . >> my first question would you expect a strike. he said he did not know. asked if he was move things around. he talked about that retaliation if there is a strike he couldn't talk about that but suggested clearly that both syria and some of his friends would retaliate in some way. he denies that he had anything to do with the chemical attacks, basically says -- make all of the obvious points he pointed to the evidence that john kerry has, he says why would i make it public. there have been other cases in which we suggested somebody had when they hadn't. >> this occurred as the obama administration launched an all-out media blitz today in an effort to persuade a skeptical public and congress about the need for a military attack. the president wi

hari sreenivasan has the story from our new york studio. >> sreenivasan: like other surveillance stories of recent weeks, the government's efforts are being led by the national security agency or n.s.a. and like other disclosures, the latest information comes from documents provided by former n.s.a. contractor edward snowden. in this case, the reporting was done by a partnership of "the new york times," pro-publica and "the guardian." reporters found the n.s.a. is able to crack through encryption or protective encoding tools that are used by businesses, banks, social media and other kinds of online commerce. for example, it's often assumed that when you purchase a product online or bank online with a secured and locked h.t.t.p.s. connection, you have protected your password and financial information. but the news reports say the n.s.a. can unlock that information. nicole perlroth is a cybersecurity reporter with "the new york times." she joins us from san franciso. so, nicole, how significant is this? >> this is huge. this was the last bastion of privacy on the internet and what we've di

tonight, hari sreenivasan reports on a push to make new york city more livable in later years. ♪ >> sreenivasanit's 9:30 in the morning in east harlem, new york city, and the thomas jefferson pool is springing to life. >> take the plunge! >> sreenivasan: several dozen seniors have come to take the plunge, and take part in the pool's senior swim hours. 72-year-old maria pacheco, who takes attendance, comes three times a week. >> people socialize. being around people their own age, i should say you are not self-conscious of who's looking. here, nobody's comparing you to anyone else, so you can relax. >> 1, 2, 3, 4! >> sreenivasan: the jefferson pool was the first to offer the senior swim hours. now, there are 15, with more than 1,000 seniors participating. it's pacheco's third summer here at jefferson. it helps keep her days busy. so, you're volunteering, you are teaching seniors, you are taking swim classes. you are pretty active. >> i don't want to get old, and this does it for you-- being involved, doing everything. >> sreenivasan: and that's becoming easier to accomplish, thanks to a recent i

but hari sreenivasan dissects new revelations saying the n.s.a. can crack those codes. >> woodruff: and we return to syria, starting with two looks at its impact on the middle east.

. >> woodruff: and hari sreenivasan reports on a california town's unique plan to stem the damage from the housing downturn, by taking control of underwater mortgages. >> the city may invoke eminent domain, seizing the loans, and then working with owners to try to refinance their homes at today's lower price. >> woodruff: good evening. i'm judy woodruff. >> ifill: and i'm gwen ifill. those are just some of the stories we're covering 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. >> and by the alfred p. sloan foundation. supporting science, technology, and improved economic performance and financial literacy in the 21st century. >> and with the ongoing support of these institutions and foundations. and... >> this program was made possible by the corporation for public broadcasting. and by contributions to your pbs station from viewers like you. thank you. >> ifill: our lead story tonight: republicans and democrats were locked in a standoff over the president's health care l

. >> woodruff: and hari sreenivasan reports on a california town's unique plan to stem the damage from the housing downturn, by taking control of underwater mortgages. >> the city may invoke eminent domain, seizing the loans, and then working with owners to try to refinance their homes at today's lower price. >> woodruff: good evening. i'm judy woodruff. >> ifill: and i'm gwen ifill.

. >> woodruff: and hari sreenivasan reports on a california town's unique plan to stem the damage from the housing downturn, by taking control of underwater mortgages. >> the city may invoke eminent domain, seizing the loans, and then working with owners to try to refinance their homes at today's lower price. >> woodruff: good evening. i'm judy woodruff. >> ifill: and i'm gwen ifill. those are just some of the stories we're covering 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. >> and by the alfred p. sloan foundation. supporting science, technology, and improved economic performance and financial literacy in the 21st century. >> and with the ongoing support of these institutions and foundations. and... >> this program was made possible by the corporation for public broadcasting. and by contributions to your pbs station from viewers like you. thank you. >> ifill: our lead story tonight: republicans and democrats were locked in a standoff over the president's health care l

. >> woodruff: and hari sreenivasan reports on a california town's unique plan to stem the damage from the housing downturn, by taking control of underwater mortgages.

of come cast talking with hari sreenivasan in new york. here's some background on the changing t.v. landscape they discussed. >> sreenivasan: with all the new ways to consume media-- phones, tablets, laptops-- you can now watch t.v. shows without a television set or a cable connection. but established companies are reluctant to give up their hold on the media industry. among them: cable giant and owner of nbc-- comcast. it's the largest cable company in the u.s., and one of the biggest broadband internet and home phone service providers. in 2011, it acquired nbc universal, making it a major content player in the market. >> we can't wait to show you what's next. >> sreenivasan: but new companies are starting to threaten media veterans like comcast, and their service models. one of those is aereo, which allows customers to stream live free t.v. to phones and computers for a monthly subscription fee, but without paying a cable bill. the c.e.o. and founder of aereo, chet kanojia, says that there is a transformation underway in the media industry. >> the goal of aereo was to create an alt

on wednesday, hari sreenivasan reports on the mayoral contest in new york city, and the legacy left by michael bloomberg's 12- year tenure. i'm gwen ifill. >> woodruff: and i'm judy woodruff. we'll see you online, and again here tomorrow evening. on behalf of all of us at the pbs newshour, thank you and good night. >> major funding for the pbs newshour has been provided by: >> bnsf railway. >> and with the ongoing support of these institutions and foundations. and... >> 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 macneil/lehrer productions media access group at wgbh access.wgbh.org ( theme music playing ) ♪ you must remember this ♪ a kiss is still a kiss ♪ a sigh is just a sigh ♪ the fundamental things apply ♪ ♪ as time goes by. ( doorbell rings ) jean: oh. - morning. - morning, john. i don't see... you said you'd look after them.

i'm hari sreenivasan.nks for watching. -- captions by vitac -- www.vitac.com >>> pbs "newshour weekend" is made possible by lewis b. cullman and louise hirschfeld cullman. mutual of america, judy and josh weston. . additional support is provided by -- and by the corporation for public broadcasting and by contributions to your pbs station from viewers like you. thank you. >> coming up next on "voces"... >> it's something i guess you kind of have in your blood. >> we want to compete like no other team has in california. >> we made it. i'm gonna go to mexico, finally. >> the top 18 teams don't get there by being lucky. >> if i wasn't scared, now i am. >> this series has been made possible by...

hari sreenivasan has the story. >> climate change caused by carbon pollution is one of the most significant public health threats of our time. >> sreenivasan: at the national press club in washington, e.p.a. administrator gina mccarthy said the stakes are too great to wait to address climate change. >> power plants are the single largest source of carbon pollution. new power plants, both natural gas and coal-fired, can minimize th eir carbon emissions by taking advantage of available modern technology. these technologies offer them a clear pathway forward today and in the long term. >> sreenivasan: under the proposed rules, new power plants would have to install technology to capture and store carbon emissions. natural gas plants would be limited to one-thousand pounds of c.o.-2 per megawatt hour. while coal-fired plants would be limited to 1,100 pounds per megawatt hour. to put that in context, the most efficient plants running today emit about 1,800 pounds. but the guidelines would not affect existing plants, which will be dealt with in a separate proposal next year. last year coal-fired

our report is narrated by hari sreenivasan. >> reporter: this is theophile. he's tossing shards of ore into a bucket 150 feet below ground. his eyes are glassy and his movements are rote, trained by repetition and circumstance. down in this cramped, humid space, theophile's small body moves about more freely than an adult's would. >> i thought i was near the bottom, and then i realized there's another 40 or 50 feet to go. >> reporter: a fact photojournalist larry price found out for himself as he descended the shaft to meet the boy. >> this has really, really been hard to get down this far. this shaft is about four to five feet in diameter, and at its narrowest, it's probably less than 28 inches. >> reporter: above ground is the small mining village of kollo, one of the many boomtowns that's sprung up over the last few years in burkina faso. slightly larger than colorado in acreage-- and among the poorest countries in the world-- this landlocked nation of 18 million people is a relative newcomer to the gold trade. but the precious metal-- used in everything f

join hari sreenivasan for a 30- minute look at the top news stories, with the same in-depth, independentoverage you've come to expect from the newshour. that's pbs newshour weekend, premiering right here this saturday. check your local listings. i'm gwen ifill. >> woodruff: and i'm judy woodruff. we'll see you online and again here tomorrow evening. thank you, and good night. >> major funding for the pbs newshour has been provided by: >> bnsf railway. >> and by the alfred p. sloan foundation. supporting science, technology, and improved economic performance and financial literacy in the 21st century. >> and with the ongoing support of these institutions and foundations. and... >> 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 macneil/lehrer productions media access group at wgbh access.wgbh.org >> this is the journal coming to you from berlin. >> the u.s. attack against the syrian regime gaining momentum, warning that such action might be illegal and may have dir

hari sreenivasan kicks it off. >> sreenivasan: you can still shop for a t.v.your local electronics store. and you can still use it to watch network and cable t.v. but that traditional model is just one in a dizzying array of options these days. on larger, thinner and increasingly h.d.t.vs, viewers set their d.v.rs or tivos to record their favorite cable and network shows. or, using devices like a roku box, apple t.v., or a gaming console like xbox. consumers stream video from online subscription services like netflix, amazon and hulu, which increasingly are creating their own shows. by one estimate, the online video market attracts an average of 75 million viewers every day and streams nearly 40 billion videos each month in the u.s. alone. in fact, the future of t.v. increasingly doesn't even involve a t.v., as more people turn to cell phones, tablets and laptops to view content. >> the state of video has never been stronger. >> sreenivasan: at a house hearing yesterday on innovation and regulation, executives from companies operating in this rapidly changing

hari sreenivasan and the team in new york have a story of a billion dollar private project to build a city in the hills of the west bank. that's on "pbs newshour" weekend tomorrow night. then, right here, on monday the latest on efforts to pass açó government spending plan as the clock approaches a new fiscal year. i'm judy woodruff. have a nice weekend. thank you and good night. >> major funding for the pbs newshour has been provided by: ♪ ♪ moving our economy for 160 years. bnsf, the engine that connects us. >> and with the ongoing support of these institutions and foundations. and... >> 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 macneil/lehrer productions captioned by media access group at wgbh access.wgbh.org >> this is "bbc world news america." funding of this presentation is made possible by the freeman foundation, newman's own foundation, giving all profits to charity and pursuing the common good for over 30 years, united healthcare, and union bank.

hari sreenivasan tells the tale. >> reporter: xia junfeng was an unknown and unlicensed food vendor in northeastern china in 2009. but following his execution yesterday by the chinese government, in the last 24 hours, his name became one of the most searched for terms across chinese social media. that's because on her micro- blogging weibo account, his wife, zhang jing, chronicled her emotions at seeing her husband just before he died. "i'm going to see xia jungfeng xia met his wife and mother for a half-hour through a chain-link fence before his execution. when he begged his jailors if he could take a family photo to leave behind as a memory for his son, the request was denied. a photo posted by his wife's family showed a distraught mother. his wife typed: this message, like so many in the campaign, was shared tens of thousands of times. the troubles began in 2009, when xia and his wife were selling kabobs on the street. they say a gang of chengguang-- government sanctioned urban enforcers-- began beating xia for not having a license. witnesses say they took xia back to their offices,

on wednesday, hari sreenivasan reports on the mayoral contest in new york city, and the legacy left by michael bloomberg's 12- year tenure. i'm gwen ifill. >> woodruff: and i'm judy woodruff. we'll see you online, and again here tomorrow evening. on behalf of all of us at the pbs newshour, thank you and good night. >> major funding for the pbs newshour has been provided by: >> bnsf railway. >> and with the ongoing support of these institutions and foundations. and... >> 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 macneil/lehrer productions media access group at wgbh access.wgbh.org >> rose: welcome to the program. tonight the president speaks out about syria in a speech to the nation from washington. >> for sometimes resolutions and statements of condemnation are simply not enough. indeed, i'd ask every member of congress and those of you watching at home tonight to view those videos of the attack. and then ask: what kind of world will we live in if the unit