PBS NewsHour; May 14, 2024, 6 Pm Show

Thanks for watching! Thanks for watching! I'm Amna Nawaz. On the next NewsHour, Judy Woodruff reports from Arizona on how diversity in the Latino community can help moderate our divided moment. That's Wednesday on the PBS NewsHour. I'm Amna Nawaz.

Tonight on the NewsHour, the prosecution's star witness, Michael Cohen, is grilled by the defense in former President Trump's hush money trial. That's coming up at 7, after Evening Edition on KPBS. I'm Amna Nawaz. Tonight on the NewsHour, the prosecution's star witness, Michael Cohen, is grilled by the defense in former President Trump's hush money trial. That's coming up at 6 on Arizona PBS. That's coming up at 7 on Arizona PBS.

Good evening, I'm Amna Nawaz. Jeff Bennett is on assignment. On the NewsHour tonight, the prosecution's star witness, Michael Cohen, is grilled by the defense in former President Trump's hush money trial. Jeff Bennett is on assignment. the defense in former President Trump's hush money trial. President Biden raises tariffs on Chinese imports to protect strategic U.S. industries. And ignoring massive protests, Georgia's parliament enacts a law that opponents say sets back democracy. The consequences of this law will be very, very bad for Georgia, for the civil society of Georgia, for the opposition of Georgia. Major funding for the PBS NewsHour has been provided by the ongoing support of these individuals

and institutions and friends of the NewsHour, including Kathy and Paul Anderson and Camilla and George Smith. Certified financial planner professionals are proud to support PBS NewsHour. CFP professionals are committed to acting in their clients' best interest. More information at letsmakeaplan.org. Cunard is a proud supporter of public television. On a voyage with Cunard, the world awaits. A world of flavor, diverse destinations, and immersive experiences. A world of leisure and British style. All with Cunard. Cunard's White Star Service. The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, fostering informed and 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. 1 1 The driver of the other vehicle involved in the collision was also hospitalized with serious

Cunard's chief of police said it could take months to determine exactly what caused the accident. At this point, we are conducting a massive traffic homicide investigation. We have a full team and then some here on the scene. This will be a very long and lengthy and thorough investigation. We do not get in a hurry to conclude what happened until we have all the facts. 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 serious injuries. At least three people have been killed in severe storms across a number of Southern states. In Louisiana, tornadoes toppled power lines on Monday night and flipped cars upside down. The region had already suffered weather-related damage this spring, in one of the most active periods for tornadoes on record. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is in Ukraine to show support for the country's war against Russia. He is the first U.S. official to visit since Congress passed a $61 billion aid package last month.

Blinken met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv today. He promised that American arms will help beat back Russian advances. PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, U.S. The assistance is now on the way. Some of it has already arrived. More of it will be arriving. And that's going to make a real difference against the ongoing Russian aggression on the battlefield. And we're determined, along with many others, to do that. PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, Meanwhile, French President Emmanuel Macron announced today that he will send a new military aid package to Ukraine in the coming weeks. Russia struck the center of Ukraine's second-largest city today, part of an increase of attacks. Authorities in Kharkiv say at least 17 people were injured when a high-rise residential building was hit. A fire broke out at the scene of another strike. Police carried out more evacuations of the region and say more than 7,500 people have fled so far. A manhunt is under way in northwestern France after a brazen ambush of a prison convoy that killed two guards and injured three others.

Authorities say a drug dealer known as The Fly was being transported to jail when his van came under attack, as seen in this CCTV footage. He escaped, and the assailants are at large. Hundreds of police officers are investigating the scene. France's prime minister vowed to bring justice. FRANCE'S PRIME MINISTER, French Prime Minister, Everything will be done to find the perpetrators of this despicable crime. We will spare no effort, no means. We will track them down. We will find them, and they will pay. AMNA NAWAZ, Officials say the escaped prisoner was recently convicted of burglary and is under investigation for a kidnapping and homicide case. In the Middle East, the United Nations says... ... more than half-a-million Palestinians have been displaced in recent days, as Israel escalates attacks on both ends of the Gaza Strip. Most people are fleeing Rafah in the south, where Israel is targeting the last Hamas stronghold. 100,000 people were also ordered to leave the north. In the meantime, the White House has condemned the burning of an aid convoy bound for Gaza

by Israeli settlers. No food has made it through southern Gaza's two main border crossings in the past week. The U.S. and the U.K. have been in close contact with the U.S. and the U.S. and the U.S. Harvard University reached an agreement with student protesters today to end the pro-Palestinian encampment in the school's Harvard Yard. As part of the deal, university officials agreed to address calls for divestment and will begin the process of reinstating suspended students. The latest reading on U.S. wholesale prices shows that inflation remains stubbornly high. The Labor Department said today that its producer price index rose half-a-percent from March to April. That is more than expected. Compared to last April, prices were up 2.2 percent, the biggest increase in a year. The reading tracks price changes before they reach consumers and are a good barometer of where overall inflation is heading. And on Wall Street today, worries over that wholesale data were offset by comments from Fed Chair Jerome Powell, who downplayed any talk of a possible interest rate hike.

The Dow Jones industrial average gained 126 points to close at 39,558. The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 126 points to close at 39,558. The Nasdaq rose nearly 123 points to close at a record high. The S &P 500 tacked on 25 points. And a literary passing of note. Alice Munro has died. The Canadian literary giant and Nobel laureate was a master of the short story and one of the most esteemed writers of her time. Munro's best-known fiction included The Beggar Maid and Corrie. In a statement, her Canadian publisher said, quote, Alice Munro is a national treasure, adding that her work leaves an indelible mark on our literary landscape. She'd been in poor health for years, and often spoke of retirement, including in this clip from 2006. ANNA BOLT, The thing about stopping writing. I say it with perfect honesty. I believe in it. You know, I believe that there's such a thing as a normal life, and that I am going to find it some day.

LISA DESJARDINS, Fortunately for us, she kept writing. The S &P 500 was the first book she wrote, and it's one of her best-selling books. Her last work, a collection called Dear Life, came out in 2012. Alice Munro was 92 years old. Still to come on the NewsHour, the Biden administration seeks to change protections for migrant children in government custody. The editors from two digital-only community news sites talk about winning the Pulitzer Prize. And a look at the feud between rappers Kendrick Lamar and Drake. 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. AMNA NAWAZ President Biden announced a series of major tariffs today on several Chinese imports. The world's two largest economic superpowers are colliding over the future of electric vehicles and other industrial sectors. It comes just about six months before the election, as both President Biden and former President Trump are both in the White House.

They're battling to sell voters on their visions for the economy, manufacturing, and jobs. Lisa Desjardins begins our coverage with this report. LISA DESJARDINS, Former President of the United States of America, After reviewing former President Trump's tariffs on Chinese imports, President Biden is adding to them. DONALD TRUMP, President of the United States of America, I want fair competition with China, not conflict. And we're in a stronger position to win that economic competition in the 21st century against China than anyone else, because we're investing in America again, in American workers. LISA DESJARDINS, Former President of the United States of America, He's targeting Chinese manufacturing, especially green tech, hitting roughly $18 billion worth of goods annually, including a more than 100 percent tariff on Chinese electric vehicles, nearly tripling the current amount. Tariffs will also go up for solar cells to 50 percent, lithium-ion batteries to 25 percent, and Chinese steel and aluminum products to 25 percent. Chinese authorities immediately called the U.S. hypocritical. DONALD TRUMP, Former President of the United States of America, I want fair competition with China,

not conflict. The United States is trampling on the principles of market economy and international trade rules. It is a blatant act of bullying and hegemony. LISA DESJARDINS, Former President of the United States of America, But Biden is arguing that China is far worse, a global trade manipulator. DONALD TRUMP, Former President of the United States of America, We're not going to let China flood our market. LISA DESJARDINS, Former President of the United States of America, Biden there means the electric vehicle industry. China is overwhelming some world markets, selling EVs with a sticker price as low as $11,000. The U.S. says the Chinese state is making up the difference, artificially slicing prices. Europeans charge it may be illegal. In 2020, Biden once said he would end previous Chinese tariffs, but he is expanding them now, while battling a political opponent who is aggressive on tariffs. DONALD TRUMP, Former President of the United States of America, China is eating on lunch right now. LISA DESJARDINS, Former President of the United States of America, Trump spoke in New York today. His speeches have long focused on Chinese manufacturing as a threat. Both campaigns want to win in critical Rust Belt competition. DONALD TRUMP, Former President of the United States of America, Trump wants much wider tariffs, and, as this past weekend, tries to downplay Biden's plan.

DONALD TRUMP, Former President of the United States of America, He says he's going to put a 100 percent tariff on all Chinese electric vehicles. Isn't that nice? Should have done this four years ago, but Biden is not going to put this tariff on their gasoline-powered cars or any of the other products. You have to put it on other cars also, not just the electric cars. LISA DESJARDINS, Former President of the United States of America, While some might win from tariffs, others in American business are shuddering. The U.S.-China business, the U.S. Council said Trump's tariffs and Biden's new ones ultimately make it harder for American companies to compete in the U.S. and abroad, cost American jobs, and increase prices. A heated U.S. political fight is woven into an escalating global trade war. For the PBS NewsHour, I'm Lisa Desjardins. AMNA NAWAZ For a closer look into the administration's thinking behind these new import taxes, we are joined by Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen. Madam Secretary, welcome back to the NewsHour. JANET YELLEN, U.S. Treasury Secretary. Thanks so much.

AMNA NAWAZ So, as you have seen, there have been some experts, some groups, the National Retail Federation among them, who have expressed concerns that it will be U.S. consumers who eventually end up paying for these tariffs. As you know, polling shows that rising prices are voters' biggest concern right now. So, I would ask you to speak directly to them. Will American consumers bear the cost of these tariffs? JANET YELLEN, U.S. Treasury Secretary. I don't believe that American consumers will see any meaningful increase in the prices that they face. President Biden announced tariffs on roughly $18 billion of imports from China. They're very carefully targeted at sectors that we're supporting through legislation that President Biden passed with Congress, the clean energy sector, semiconductors. JANET YELLEN, U.S. Treasury Secretary. We're in sectors where we consider it critical to create good jobs. We're seeing massive investment in manufacturing in these areas.

And we think it's very important to protect our workers and our firms in these strategic sectors from the kind of dumping that results when China develops massive overcapacity in these areas. And we're not alone. JANET YELLEN, U.S. Treasury Secretary. Japan and Europe, Mexico, India, Brazil, South Africa, other countries are all concerned. These are areas where the investments that we're making will ultimately result in lower prices. AMNA NAWAZ I hear you saying they could ultimately end in lower prices, but you mentioned that consumers may not see any meaningful price increase. Does that mean that people should brace for potentially some price increase? JANET YELLEN, U.S. Treasury Secretary. I don't think that anything will occur here that would be noticeable to the typical American family. Mainly, these tariff increases serve to protect firms and workers that are being supported by the incentives,

the tax incentives and other incentives in the Semiconductor and Chips Act and Inflation Reduction Act. JANET YELLEN, U.S. Treasury Secretary. These are sectors where American firms are gearing up production, are very able to compete, but they face an unlevel playing field. AMNA NAWAZ Madam Secretary, your view on this has evolved. It was in July of 2021 when you were asked about the Trump era tariffs on China. And you said tariffs are taxes on consumers. In some cases, it seems to me what we did hurt American consumers. So, what changed between then and now? JANET YELLEN, U.S. Treasury Secretary. Well, what we're talking about here are a targeted group of strategic sectors, where we have developed a real over-dependence on China. We have vulnerabilities in our supply chains. We have made it a national priority to diversify our supply chains,

so that we don't experience the same kinds of shortages that we did during the pandemic. JANET YELLEN, U.S. Treasury Secretary. And, of course, we're talking about the U.S. economy. And these are sectors that are core ones in a modern economy. AMNA NAWAZ This does represent an escalation in what's been a sort of tit-for-tat with China. And we should mention, we got a statement from the Chinese embassy here in which they said that these are false narratives of overcapacity, as you mentioned earlier, made, in their words, to hinder China's high-quality development and scapegoat for their own or the U.S.' own problems. Are you worried about Chinese retaliation? JANET YELLEN, U.S. Treasury Secretary. I hope so. I hope so. I hope so. I hope so. I hope so. I hope that the Chinese react in a rational way to what is a very targeted set of actions. We have a deep trade and investment relationship with China. We think most of it is beneficial both to America and also to China. And most of it is unproblematic and uncontroversial.

And, at this point, China's capacity to produce, say, solar panels is twice global demand for these panels. And what that means is that prices will drop to levels that make American firms uncompetitive. And I have made our concerns in this area very clear. I have been very straightforward in public about it. So this should not be a surprise. And China itself is, as mentioned, that it is concerned about overcapacity. AMNA NAWAZ Doesn't this in many ways work cross-current to President Biden's larger goals of addressing climate change? I mean, take Chinese electric vehicles, for example. Yes, they are cheaper. But if more people end up buying them, doesn't that go a long way towards addressing climate change? JANET YELLEN Well, we are doing a great deal to support the electric vehicle industry

in the industry. We are doing a great deal to support the electric vehicle industry in the United States and to encourage adoption by consumers of EVs. That includes building a network of charging stations all across the country, something that's taking place right now because of the bipartisan infrastructure law. And consumers are eligible for up to $7,500 subsidies to buy electric vehicles. We know that, over time, as our firms develop experience at producing these cars, and we have battery factories that are we have a new battery belt that's really developed throughout the Midwest, that the prices of these vehicles will come down over time. The programs that we're following are the best of both worlds there.

We have Count Guard cars in all of America. We're a great supply hand for hurt cessation oil, so we're working hard to keep Americans out there addressing emissions in a forceful way and also creating good jobs for Americans who need them. DR. ELIZABETH WARREN That is U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen joining us tonight. Madam Secretary, thank you. Good to speak with you. JANET YELLEN Thank you. й찬ъ Dr. Parliament in the country of Georgia passed a contentious new bill that requires aid and civil society groups and media that receive foreign funding to register as, quote, organizations serving the interests of a foreign power. Georgia has a country of 3.6 million people between Russia and Turkey on the Black Sea. Critics dubbed the bill the Russia law and say it could increase Russian influence and block Georgia's integration into the West. Here's Nick Schifrin with more. NICK SCHIFRIN They filled the streets of the capital, Tbilisi,

by the tens of thousands, mostly young Georgians who hope the West is their future and their shield, against authorities pushing the new law and pushing back on demonstrators' dreams. Police have kicked, beaten, surrounded and arrested dozens of protesters, including two Americans. These are the largest protests in Georgia. Since independence nearly 35 years ago. ANA TITSLIDZE, Georgian Parliamentarian, United National Movement Member, United Nations The consequences of this law will be very, very bad for Georgia, for the civil society of Georgia, for the opposition of Georgia. NICK SCHIFRIN Ana Titslidze is a Georgian parliamentarian and member of the opposition United National Movement. When she protested, she ended up in the back of an ambulance, beaten by police. ANA TITSLIDZE, Georgian Parliamentarian, United National Movement Member, United Nations I was injured when I tried to help the young girl. I was beaten. And I was hospitalized. We are very, very angry. And I don't care. I'm angry. NICK SCHIFRIN The ruling Georgian Dream Party has pushed

through the law that designates organizations with more than 20 percent foreign financing as quote foreign influence agents. The party's chairman, former Prime Minister Badina Ivanishvili, argues the bill increases transparency and fights foreign meddling. BADINA IVANISHVILI, Former Prime Minister of Georgia, The financing of NGOs, which portrays itself as assistance, is in reality strengthening intelligence. BADINA IVANISHVILI, Former Prime Minister of Georgia, The financing of NGOs, which portrays itself as assistance, is in reality strengthening intelligence agencies and helping bring them to power. This money has nothing to do with assistance. Their only aim is the loss of Georgian sovereignty. NICK SCHIFRIN But the bill's critics call it a Trojan horse. That echoes Russia's 2012 foreign agent law, which the Kremlin used to crack down on criticism and even detain American journalists, despite initially claiming it, too, was designed to tackle foreign meddling. NICK SCHIFRIN Today, in Georgia's parliament, the two sides tussled before the government. For the final vote, Anna Tsitslidze tried to keep the peace, even if she says the bill wages war on Georgia's civil society. ANNA TSITSLIDZE, Georgia Public Broadcasting Corporation, If you compare the text of Ivanishvili's

law and the Putin's Russian law, you can see that they are very similar. And this bill have gives possibility government to monitoring to NGOs, to close them if he decided to arrest the civil activists. NICK SCHIFRIN. We already see consequences. We have politicians who are beaten by the special forces of Ivanishvili. NICK SCHIFRIN. More than 20 years ago, Georgia was the first ex-Soviet republic to launch a pro-democracy revolution. In 2008, Russian troops invaded and have occupied 20 percent of Georgia ever since. Georgian Dream won elections in 2012 financed by Ivanishvili's billions, which were made in post-Soviet Russia. TINA TINJAPARIDZE, Eurasia Group Analyst, Eurasia Group Now more than ever, there is so much at stake here. NICK SCHIFRIN TINA TINJAPARIDZE is an analyst for Eurasia Group. She says Georgian Dream's motivation to stay in power past upcoming elections

has led it to align with Moscow. TINA TINJAPARIDZE, Eurasia Group It's likely that the timing of this rollout by the Georgian Dream in many ways influenced and inspired, if not directly asked, by the Kremlin. TINA TINJAPARIDZE, Eurasia Group We're seeing now a lot of signposts that show that a lot of the Georgian Dream's objectives and goals coincide with the broader goals and objectives of Russia. NICK SCHIFRIN TINA TINJAPARIDZE, Eurasia Group And those goals could threaten Georgians' desire to join the European Union and the E.U.'s willingness to continue negotiations. It could also lead to U.S. sanctions and the end of U.S. military and economic aid. Assistant Secretary of State for Europe and Eurasia Jim O 'Brien warned that the U.S. military and economic aid could lead to U.S. sanctions and the end of U.S. sanctions and the end of U.S. sanctions and the end of U.S. military and economic aid. NICK SCHIFRIN TINA TINJAPARIDZE, Eurasia Group If the law goes forward out of conformity with E.U. norms, and there's undermining of democracy here and there's violence against peaceful protesters, peaceful protesters, then we will see restrictions coming from the United States. Those tend to be financial and or travel restrictions

on the individuals responsible for those actions and their families. NICK SCHIFRIN TINA TINJAPARIDZE, Eurasia Group Do you want the United States to do more? TINA TINJAPARIDZE, Eurasia Group The United States also, I think, must issue sanctions against the Ivanishvili, against the Ivanishvili's family members, against the Georgian Dream leaders, against the members of the parliament from the Georgian Dream who voted for this Russian law, and against the special forces leaders of the Ivanishvili who beat the young people in the streets of Tbilisi. NICK SCHIFRIN TINA TINJAPARIDZE, Eurasia Group And so the people will prolong their protest even today, banging on the barricades that the institution meant to protect them, fearing their future and their country's relationship with the West is under threat. For the PBS NewsHour, I'm Nick Schifrin. TINA TINJAPARIDZE, Eurasia Group The Biden administration is asking

a federal judge to partially terminate a decades-old agreement that sets standards of care for unaccompanied migrant children held in U.S. custody. White House correspondent Laura Barron-Lopez joins us now to explain what this means. So, Laura, if the Biden administration's request is granted by the court, what does that mean? What does that do? LAURA BARRON-LOPEZ, White House Correspondent, U.S. White House Correspondent, U.S. White House This would essentially end one part of the decades-old Flores Settlement Agreement. And that Flores Settlement Agreement was first established in 1997. And the part that they're looking to terminate is the part that applies to the Health and Human Services Department. The Health and Human Services Department is responsible for caring for these unaccompanied migrant children. Shortly after their arrival, they oversee the facilities where they're housed across the southern border. And this agreement mandated standards of care. We're talking about basic safety for these migrant children, adequate food, drinking water, medical care. LAURA BARRON-LOPEZ, White House Correspondent, U.S. White House Correspondent, U.S. White House Temperature control, sanitary living conditions. And if a judge agrees with the Justice Department, then this part of that decades-old settlement agreement would be terminated.

LISA DESJARDINS- And so why is the administration doing this now? LAURA BARRON- HHS recently finalized a new regulation that they say strengthens protections across the board for these unaccompanied migrant children. And they say that it goes well beyond the 1997 Flores Agreement. And, in its court filing, the Justice Department argues that the Flores settlement was meant to be temporary, and that HHS's new regulation is expansive and responsive, and that these new care standards that they're mandating under the regulation will provide needed protections to unaccompanied children for years to come. Amna, I spoke to a senior HHS official today who said that they're essentially just following the timeline that was laid out by that original court agreement, the Flores Court Agreement, which mandated, which essentially stipulated that, once a regulation is finalized by the government that lays out standards of care for migrants, that, 45 days after that, they should seek to terminate that court agreement.

LISA DESJARDINS- But the independent Flores lawyers are opposing the administration's move to end that agreement. Why? AMNA NAWAZ Because the Flores counsel, these are lawyers that represent these unaccompanied children held in U.S. custody, say that there's a big gap between what's covered under the Flores Agreement and this new HHS regulation. These Flores counsel lawyers say, essentially, that their oversight power that they have had under the court agreement, the ability to inspect facilities under HHS jurisdiction all across the southern border, is going to be taken away if the court agreement is terminated. And I spoke to Deanne de Garment, a Flores attorney with the National Center for Youth Law, who shared what she has seen when she's inspected these facilities. LISA DESJARDINS- You had, thousands of children in cots in a giant space, in some places without any ability to go outdoors, with no education, with no structured activities, with no access to mental health care. And nobody, apart from us, was able to go in and speak to them.

AMNA NAWAZ Deanne de Garment stressed that only independent attorneys are able to have access to speak to these children, to alert the government to potential violations, and then, if they need to go to court, they can go to court to take action to enforce standards of care. Now, the senior HHS official that I spoke to pushed back on this, essentially saying that the new regulation sets up an ombudsman office, a public advocate of sorts, that will be independent of HHS's office that currently oversees these facilities, and that that independent public advocate office will receive complaints, they will investigate, and they will address concerns. LISA DESJARDINS- But the full breadth and capabilities of that office aren't known yet, Amna, and it won't be known for some days now, until the regulation is fully in effect in July. AMNA NAWAZ So, when it comes to who could be impacted by all this, who are we talking about here? LISA DESJARDINS- In recent years, there have been roughly 120,000

unaccompanied migrant children that have arrived at the southern border per year. Now, at any given moment, there are about 7,000 to 10,000 unaccompanied migrant children, in these facilities that HHS oversees. Now, many of them are quickly released to family or sponsors that are living in the U.S., but there are also some that are detained for quite a long time in these facilities. And that's why the Flores Council lawyers that I spoke to said that oversight is so key, because they feel that it's necessary for them to be able to get into those facilities, to speak to these unaccompanied migrants, to see what they're experiencing, and to potentially force government action. AMNA NAWAZ Laura Peron-Lopez, thank you for your reporting. LAURA PERON- Thank you. AMNA NAWAZ The Pulitzer Prize is one of journalism's most prestigious awards.

And this year's winners include some familiar names, like The New York Times, Associated Press, and The Washington Post. But it was It was also a big year for some small newsrooms, including some new digital outlets with just a handful of reporters covering stories in their local communities. Stephanie Sy has our look. STEPHANIE SY, National Public Radio Network of America, Across the country, fewer and fewer Americans have access to high-quality local news coverage. Last year, an average of two-and-a-half local papers closed up shop each week. And today, more than half of U.S. counties have either no local news source or only one remaining outlet. But new digital-only enterprises are increasingly filling the gap. For more, we're joined by editors from two of this year's Pulitzer-winning community newsrooms. Ken Docter is the CEO and founder of Lookout Santa Cruz in California, which won for their breaking news coverage of devastating floods. And Andrew Phan, executive director of the Invisible Institute in Chicago, which took

home two Pulitzers for reports related to race and policing. Gentlemen, thank you for joining us. Welcome to the NewsHour. And congratulations on this prestigious award. How did you do it? Both of your newsrooms are small, digital-only outlets. You each have just a handful of employees. Ken, starting with you, your outlet, Lookout Santa Cruz, less than five years old. What did it take? And what does this recognition mean to you and your colleagues? KEN DOCTER, Founder, Lookout Santa Cruz, Inc.: So, it means the world to us. We are just almost 3-and-a-half years old just at this point. We were ready for it. to cover these storms, but we didn't expect these storms. This is January 2023, nine atmospheric storms rolled through Santa Cruz, and it was just horrendous. Roads closed and everything, communications out. We found being digital, of course, was a real benefit to us and to the readers. So we could connect without newsprint, without ink. We could use the internet. We could

use text messaging. And we used every means that we could to reach those readers. And it really has cemented our relationship around local news with these readers for an outlet as new as ours. And, Andrew, what about the reaction in your newsroom? You won two Pulitzers. One was for a podcast looking at a hate crime that occurred in the 90s. The other about how systemic racism affects missing Black women and girls. What was the reaction? When you found out about this win? Well, I think our newsroom was in pandemonium for a good couple of hours. There are only 12 of us. We only have just about a dozen staffers. So I think it was really an incredible moment. I think to have two teams recognized at the same time, I think none of us saw that coming. So we all crammed into our one-room office, and we're pretty over the moon. Ken, I want to go back to you and your coverage of those horrible floods in Santa Cruz last year. You won for breaking news,

Reg, and you said you only had some 10 employees, I believe. How did you manage to cover a catastrophic weather event with such a small staff? What was your strategy going in, or was it sort of just fly by the seat of your pants and wing it? Well, it's 10 in the newsroom, 15 overall, and the people on the community and business side, they pitched in as well. So we're using Instagram, we're using text message, and we deployed ourselves throughout the county. So we have mountains, we have, we have coasts, we had flooding on the levees in South County agricultural area. We just deployed people to all of those areas and then stayed in touch with each other and got the news out as quickly as possible. And it's a skilled staff. While it's small, we have about 150 years of experience among us, and about half of the people have really good experience in Santa Cruz County. I do want to ask Andrew, very different type of reporting, but also very skilled staff. I understand that the series of reports that you're doing, you're doing a lot of work on the missing Black women and girls, started with a data scientist that you have on staff who grew up

on the South side of Chicago. Tell me about how that led to this coverage. Yeah, absolutely. So that's Trina Reynolds-Tyler, our director of data, and she's been at the Invisible Institute since 2016. Part of what makes our newsroom different is that we're not all journalists. We have people who are data scientists, who are community engagement experts, who are civil rights lawyers. So in the case of Trina's investigation, done alongside City Bureau, another Chicago-based nonprofit, the real focus emerged out of our interest in looking at data and understanding. With every complaint filed in Chicago, we had tens and tens and thousands of these police complaints. But what Trina and others on the team really understood was underneath every one of those complaints was an individual story about someone's bad interaction with the police department. How do you see yourselves playing in the local news landscape? Are you helping to fill a void, or are you catering to a completely... So for us, and I think the commonality, and we're different kinds of news organizations, but the commonality is the engagement with the populace. And I know Invisible Institute has

talked about that. That's hugely, a huge important part to us, this story and everything that we do. For us, we are a replacement for a daily newspaper. We depend on reader revenue and membership and in advertising, but we're delivering the news digitally, the same bedrock local news people depended on print for, but the print had disappeared. How do you, Andrew, see your role in the local news landscape, especially because you have a much tighter focus on criminal justice? Well, first off, I strongly agree with what Ken said. I think that through line with both organizations is an intense focus on engaging with our community, building relationships and trust over time. And I think that's been a huge part of our long-form investigative reporting, even though it looks fairly different. I think the big thing I would say is that almost all of our investigations are done with partners or are done with collaborators. So, even though we're bringing a particular focus in the criminal justice system, we love to work with local news outlets, daily newspapers, people like Ken's outlet

that are covering communities on the regular, and we think we work really well alongside them. Does the fact that both of you won Pulitzers give you optimism that we may be seeing a resurgence in local news? in terrific local news, award-winning work. It's happening, and it just needs to be covered more, and people need to realize that we need to move on from criticizing the hedge funds that bought up newspapers to competing with them and putting them out of business. I agree with Ken, and I think one thing we're seeing in Chicago is the way that you could have an entire ecosystem of newer nonprofit digital outlets that are covering communities alongside each other. We know that we work alongside a community of peers in nonprofit media, and we're really excited to be part of this movement right now. Andrew Phan with the Invisible Institute in Chicago and Ken Docter with Lookout Santa Cruz, thank you both, and congratulations. Thank you.

Thanks. They are two of the biggest names in hip-hop. Kendrick Lamar and Drake. And they've been locked in a rap battle that's capturing global attention and having a big impact on the music industry. That is the focus tonight for our arts and culture series, Canvas. Kendrick Lamar is a rapper from Compton who gained notoriety in 2012 with his album Good Kid, Mad City. He's since won 17 Grammys and a Pulitzer Prize for his music. And Drake, who was born in Canada, has commercially dominated the U.S. rap market for more than a decade. With 13 number one albums and five Grammys. The once collaborators turned enemies have been firing at each other through their lyrics in multiple new songs. And you gon' feel the aftermath of what I write down

I'm at the top of the mountain so you tight now A pathetic master manipulator I can smell the tails on you now You're not a rap artist You're a scam artist With the hopes of being accepted Always rapping like you about to get the slaves free You just acting like you're a scam artist Like a activist, it's make-believe Say Drake, I hear you like I'm young You better not have her go to cell block one Their feud has touched on weighty themes from racial identity to their authenticity as artists to the treatment of women and minors with some serious allegations about underage relationships and domestic abuse. And fans have been fascinated by the rap battle. Both artists made the Billboard Top 10 this week with Kendrick Lamar's Not Like Us, debuting at 90. Number one. For a closer look at this feud and its implications, I'm joined by Sydney Madden, who covers music for NPR. Sydney, it's good to see you. If you can just bring us up to speed, what is behind this beef? How did we get here? This beef between Kendrick and Drake,

it's actually been simmering for over a decade. These are two people who are considered at the top of their game in hip-hop. They're considered to be on the Mount Rushmore of hip-hop's current rap acts. And even though they both came up around the same time, in 2011 and 2012, hip-hop fans have noticed that Drake and Kendrick haven't really worked together for that long a time. And even though they're considered to be part of the Big Three, which is Drake, J. Cole, and Kendrick, Kendrick really brought this long-boiling beef to an overflow when he said in March, it's not Big Three, it's really just Big Me. And from there, that set everything into motion to the two rappers exchanging diss tracks for the past three weeks. And it's been over 40 minutes of music in total, so it's pretty much an album's worth of tête-à-tête. And we heard a few lines there from those diss tracks of what we could play. We should say there's a lot we could not play. What they have to say to each other got very personal, very intense, very troubling in some cases.

There was an opinion piece in The Guardian by a writer named Tai Obiro I want to read to you. And she said, in the course of the nasty back and forth, they've made women, women who are possibly survivors of sexual abuse, harassment, or domestic violence, the collateral damage of their violent mudslinging. Sydney, what is that about, and why did it go there? Absolutely. As I said, this hip-hop beef has been unprecedented in so many ways, two artists at the top of their game. They've also employed social media and technology in new ways. Drake used AI-generated lyrics to kind of prod and goad Kendrick into engaging with him. He also used live streamers to premiere tracks, and it created a very participatory feedback loop on social media. But even with those changes in the format and the rollout, some things never change, and the hardest hits that they take at each other are the most misogynistic ones.

In his songs, Drake is accusing Kendrick of abusing his longtime fiancée, named Whitney. And on the other hand, Kendrick is accusing Drake of long-term grooming of underage girls and also keeping people in his company, in his camp, who've been accused and found guilty of assault of young women. So this mudslinging is really so much more for bruising of their egos and not much about the accountability of any potential harm that they're doing to women in their lives. As you mentioned, people have just been flocking to it, following every single new track that comes out. Why? Why do you think it's captured people's attention the way that it has? I think even... I think it's really enamored a lot of people, because even if you're not a die-hard hip-hop fan, even if you're not a big fan of either one of these artists, you have to admit the speed and the velocity and just the rigor that these two are going at each other

is truly something amazing. Like I said, it's something that doesn't happen very often in the hip-hop arena now. You can think of it as similar to two political foes who've been throwing slights at each other on the campaign trail for a long time, let's say years, and they're finally getting to a podium and going face to face, or two teens who are at the top of their game finally facing off for the Super Bowl in a long-awaited battle that's no holds barred. Knowing what you know about both Drake and Kendrick, would you say that this whole thing is on brand for both of them? Is this the kind of thing you expected to see from them? And also, how does this end? Where does it go from here? I think in terms of it being on brand, they are both people who want to be considered the best. You know, hip-hop is about peacocking, but it's also about bloodsport. It's about claiming that number-one spot so that everybody wants to be the best. And for a long time, Kendrick and Drake

have kind of, like, puffed out their chests, in their own respective ways, to say, I'm the best, but this was the first time they're going head-to-head, again, in something that's been so long, simmering in, like, animosity that's been building up. So the spectacle that came from it is very on brand. I think the long-term legacy is one that is going to question the validity of each one of these rappers and who won and who didn't. And their fan bases are gonna have a lot to debate about for a very long time. That is Sydney Madden, who covers music for NPR. Sydney, thank you. Always good to talk to you. Thank you. Professor Mary C. Murphy is a social psychologist whose new book, Cultures of Growth, explores what specific traits can make individuals and teams successful. Tonight, Murphy shares her Brief But Spectacular take

on how to create cultures of growth. Cultures of genius are really problematic. If you Google the word genius, you're gonna see a lot of Einstein. You might see some Thomas Edison or a Steve Jobs. You might even see Elon Musk. They're all white. They're all male. You don't see women. You don't see people of color, LGBTQIA people. You don't see people with disabilities. And so what we see over and over is that these cultures of genius really focus on who fits that narrow mold, and it has consequences. I grew up in San Antonio, Texas, as part of a bicultural, Hispanic, working-class family. I think that in American culture, we all like to think that we are independent agents, but I think we underappreciate how much the world shapes us and how much the cues in the environment tell us, are we human? Are we valued? Are we respected? Do we have what it takes or don't we?

And we all have the power to create these environments around us, and we have to do that. As a researcher, I focus on how our environments and the cues within them shape our motivation and our engagement, and I figure out how we can recreate these environments. The fixed mindset holds that talent and ability and intelligence are relatively fixed traits. You either have them or you don't. You're a math person or you're not. You're a creative person or you're not. And the growth mindset is often seen as the opposite. It holds that we have universal potential. The book I wrote is called Cultures of Growth. The work that we've been doing has really shown us that mindset is not just a quality of our minds. It's also a feature of groups, teams, schools, and companies, and that when we can build these inclusive cultures of growth, we will create environments where everyone thrives. How I know I'm in a strong culture of growth is that I see people collaborating,

and they're excited when new and novel and innovative ideas come from anywhere. Sometimes all it takes is for other people to see who we really are and what we're capable of. My name is Mary Murphy, and this is my Brief But Spectacular take on how we create cultures of growth. And you can watch more Brief But Spectacular videos online at pbs.org slash newshour slash brief. And join us again back here tomorrow night for Judy Woodruff's report from Arizona on how diversity in the Latino community can help moderate our divided moment. And that is the NewsHour for tonight. I'm Amna Nawaz. On behalf of the entire NewsHour team, thank you for joining us. Major funding for the PBS NewsHour has been provided by... Consumer Cellular. This is Sam. How may I help you? This is a pocket dial. Well, somebody's pocket. Thought I'd let you know that with Consumer Cellular, you get nationwide coverage with no contract.

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