April 18, 2024 - PBS NewsHour full episode

WILLIAM BRANGHAM: Good evening.

I'm William# Brangham.

Geoff Bennett and Amna Nawaz are away.

On the "NewsHour" tonight: After some setbacks,# the jury in the Trump hush money trial is filled.

The U.S. and Britain target# Iran with new sanctions,## as the world waits for Israel's# response to Iran's weekend attack.

And scientists sound the alarm# as warming ocean waters trigger## massive bleaching of the world's coral reefs.

(BREAK) WILLIAM BRANGHAM:#Welcome to the "NewsHour."

A full jury has been seated in former President# Trump's criminal trial.

.. had a rocky start, as two previously selected# jurors were dismissed.

And prosecutors again## accused the former president of violating a gag# order and asked the judge to hold him in contempt.

I'm joined now by former# federal prosecutor Jessica Roth.

Jessica, great to have you back on the# program.

A bit of a whiplash with this## jury.

It was up and then it was down# and now there was a full jury seated.

Two issues came up with regards to these jurors# being dismissed.

One, a juror was worried that## her identity was being revealed in the process.

A# second was concern over whether another juror was## somehow hiding his or her true intentions# about why they wanted to sit on the jury.

Are those just normal concerns,# especially in a case like this?

JESSICA ROTH, Former Federal Prosecutor:## Well, they raised two distinct# concerns, these two jurors.

The first juror who said that she was# concerned essentially about her privacy## and I think implicitly her safety because# she thought that her identity essentially## was being found out, that's particular# to this case.

You usually don't see## those kinds of juror concerns about# their safety and privacy in a case,## for example, involving falsification of business# records, which is, of course, the charge here.

You might see that in an organized# crime case or a terrorism case.

But,## of course, this is an unusual case that's,## at its heart, a white-collar case involving# the former president of the United States,## but who is -- has engaged in a pattern of conduct# and speech online, in particular, that really has## caused threats to people who are involved in# legal proceedings that are associated with him.

And so it's highly unusual that you would# have a juror in a case like this expressing## those kinds of concerns.

And it's unique to# the circumstances presented by Donald Trump## and his followers.

So that particular instance# with the juror was of grave concern to me,## because I'm concerned not only about that juror,# but about other jurors who similarly may develop## concerns about their safety and privacy and those# of their families as this case goes forward.

The second juror presented a different# kind of issue.

And that was somebody who## appeared possibly to be trying to get# onto the jury potentially because of## some bias that this person harbored,# so a sort of motivated, biased juror## who would have been potentially lying about# their own past, failing to disclose something## that might have caused the lawyers to strike that# juror for cause or using a peremptory challenge.

And the worry with somebody like# that is less about whatever it is## they're concealing and more the# fact that they're concealing it,## because that suggests they might# not be a fair and impartial juror.

WILLIAM BRANGHAM: I see.

Prosecutors, as I mentioned, have also asked# Justice Merc.. court, arguing that he has repeatedly violated# the gag order that the judge placed on him,## which bars him from attacking witnesses,# jurors, the judge, other members of his family.

Merchan said he's going to have a hearing# about this next week.

Do you think that## this has gotten to the point, with# the former president's behavior,## that the judge does need to issue# some kind of censure or worse?

JESSICA ROTH: I think the judge absolutely has to## take some firm action here# that involves a sanction.

The question is, what will the sanction be?

As of# the last time the district attorney's office had## filed a motion in this regard and briefed it,# they were asking for monetary sanctions and a## reprimand and a stern warning that future# conduct would lead to even more severe## sanctions.

They had asked for $1,000 fine per# instance in which Mr. Trump violated the order.

But that was when I think there were only# three instances that they were pointing to,## and those involved witnesses in the case.# Now what we have are instances of Mr. Trump## allegedly violating the gag order, and I think# that the record's pretty clear that he did,## with respect to jurors, who# also were listed on that order,## prohibiting from making comments outside# of the courtroom about those people.

And so I think a lot is going to turn on how# the judge handles this next week, not only## for these particular instances of misconduct# and violations of the order, but it's going to## set the tone for the rest of the case, in terms# of how strict he's going to run this courtroom.

WILLIAM BRANGHAM: Jessica Roth, always# good to hear from you.

Thank you so much.

JESSICA ROTH: My pleasure.

WILLIAM BRANGHAM: In the day's other headlines:# Police in New York City have arrested several## pro-Palestinian protesters who had set# up an encampment at Columbia University.

This comes a day after the school's president# addressed a congressional hearing on antisemitism.## Minouche Shafik said students participating# in the protest would be suspended.

That## included the daughter of U.S. Congresswoman# Ilhan Omar.

Police made several arrests and## removed the tents put up by protesters.

They did# not say what charges the protesters would face.

President Biden picked up endorsements from# members of the famed Kennedy family today.## It was a rebuke against Robert F. Kennedy Jr.,# who is running as an independent.

Members of the## prominent Democratic family appeared with the# president at a campaign event in Philadelphia.

Kerry Kennedy, who is the# daughter of the late RFK,## said President Biden shares many# of the same values as her father.

KERRY KENNEDY, Daughter of Robert F.# Kennedy: Daddy stood for equal justice,## for human rights, and freedom from want and# fear, just as President Biden does today.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE) KERRY KENNEDY: Donald Trump mocks these# values, just as he mocks our system of laws.

WILLIAM BRANGHAM: Kennedy did# not mention her brother, RFK Jr.,## by name, but she did allude to# him, saying -- quote -- "There## are only two candidates with any# chance of winning the presidency."

There were dramatic scenes on Capitol Hill today,## as House Speaker Mike Johnson scrambles to# get the votes for his proposed foreign aid## bills.

Johnson has doubled down on separate# funding measures for Israel, Ukraine, and the## Indo-Pacific.

Hard-liners within his own party# are angry over further aid to Ukraine, and there## have been growing calls for Johnson's removal.# Votes on the bills are expected this Saturday.

In Germany, authorities have arrested two# German-Russian nationals for allegedly spying## on behalf of Russia.

One allegedly agreed to# carry out attacks on U.S. military facilities## in a bid to undermine support for Ukraine.# A court ordered they remain in custody while## prosecutors seek indictments.

Germany's# top official vowed to stand with Ukraine.

NANCY FAESER, German Interior# Minister (through translator):## Since Russia's murderous war of aggression# against Ukraine, our security authorities## have ramped up all protective measures against# this threat from the Russian regime.

We will## continue to provide Ukraine with massive# support and will not be intimidated.

WILLIAM BRANGHAM: Germany is# one of the biggest suppliers## of weapons to Ukraine, second only to the U.S. Back in this country, Maine's state# legislature has approved sweeping new## gun reforms.

They come nearly six months# after the state's deadliest mass shooting,## where 18 people were murdered in Lewiston.# The legislation mandates background checks## for private gun sales, requires# waiting periods for gun purchases.## It also criminalizes the sale of guns to# people who are barred from having them.

The mass outage of 911 emergency# services across several states## last night has been blamed on a# light pole being installed.

The## company that provides the service# said a fiber line had been cut.

Emergency lines were down in South# Dakota, Nebraska, Nevada, and Texas,## though the outage in Texas was# unrelated to the cut fiber line.## All call entries -- all call centers were# up and running again within a few hours.

On Wall Street, a lackluster day of# trading with markets ending mixed.## The Dow Jones industrial average# gained 22 points to close at 37775.## The Nasdaq fell 81 points.

The S&P 500# closed lower for a fifth straight day.

Reuters photographer Mohammed Salem has# won the World Press Photo of the year.

His## image shows Gaza resident Inas Abu Maamar# cradling the body of her 5-year-old niece,## Saly.

The young girl was killed alongside# her mother and sister when an Israeli missile## struck their home last October.

Salem won# the same award more than a decade ago.

And legendary guitarist and singer Dickey Betts# has died.

Betts, there on the left, was a founding## member of the Allman Brothers band.

He wrote# some of their biggest hits and helped pioneer## the Southern rock sound.

Here he is in 1981# performing his best-known song, "Ramblin' Man."

(MUSIC) WILLIAM BRANGHAM: Betts died# at his home in Florida after## battling cancer.

He was 80 years old.

Still to come on the "NewsHour": a new# report looks at the high turnover of## election officials; philanthropist Melinda# French Gates discusses increasing economic## empowerment for women across the globe; after# the end of Ethiopia's brutal civil war, famine,## starvation and an uneasy peace; and why more# employers are exploring a four-day workweek.

Today, the U.S. imposed new sanctions on# Iran in response to Tehran's unprecedented## attack last weekend on Israel.

The# U.S. is also vetoing an attempt in## the U.N. Security Council to create# an independent Palestinian state,## all this as Israel continues to debate# how and when to respond to Iran's attack.

Nick Schifrin looks at the U.S.' attempt# to prevent even more regional escalation.

NICK SCHIFRIN: William, this afternoon, President# Biden and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's top## national security aides talked about Israel's# potential response to the Iranian attack.

U.S. officials have made it clear they think# Israel should not respond militarily and are## trying to increase economic and diplomatic# pressure on Iran to help make their case.

For the lay of the land in the U.S.# and the region, we get two views.

Ambassador Dennis Ross played leading# roles in the Middle East peace process## for more than 12 years.

He is now the# counselor and a distinguished fellow at## the Washington Institute for Near East Policy,# a Washington think tank.

And Khaled Elgindy has## participated in past Israeli-Palestinian# negotiations and is now the director of## the Middle East Institute's Program on# Palestine and Israeli-Palestinian Affairs.

Thanks very much.

Welcome,# both of you, to the "NewsHour."

Ambassador Ross, let me start with# you, and let's start in New York.

The U.S. is vetoing a resolution that would# have allowed the state of Palestine to join## the U.N. as a full member.

U.S. allies# and fellow permanent member the United## Kingdom is abstaining and France is voting in# favor.

What's your response to those votes?

DENNIS ROSS, Former U.S.

Envoy to Middle# East: Well, I'm not surprised that## the Biden administration is going to veto it.

I think they look at this# as not just a symbolic move,## but at this point the Palestinians don't look# like a state.

And so I don't think they're## prepared to recognize it as such in a U.N.# context.

I also think they see this as not## necessarily connected to the diplomacy that# they're engaged in right now with the Saudis.

They clearly still have an interest in trying to# reach a Saudi-Israeli normalization deal.

I think## they're negotiating exactly what that might mean,# not only in terms of bilateral U.S.-Saudi issues,## in terms of defense treaty, the Saudi# development of a nuclear industry.

But I## think they're also talking about what would the# Palestinian component of this understanding be?

What would the Israelis have to do in# terms of recognizing some kind of move or## commitment towards Palestinian statehood?# I think, while they're negotiating that,## they're not interested in having a# symbolic move at the Security Council.

NICK SCHIFRIN: Khaled Elgindy, what's your# response to the U.S. vote in New York?

KHALED ELGINDY, Middle East Institute: The# U.S. vote is not at all unexpected.

I mean,## we expected that the United States would# veto this resolution.

They have said it.## They have said all along that the# only possible way for a Palestinian## state to emerge is through direct# bilateral negotiations, which means## essentially that Israel has a permanent# veto over Palestinian self-determination.

And so this is an attempt by Palestinians# maybe to do an end run around that principle.## But I think even they understood that this# was not going to pass.

I think President## Abbas has pursued this for his own reasons.# I think he's looking more and more obsolete,## given the destruction in Gaza.# He's unable to influence either the## military or the diplomatic equation and# is looking for some way to be relevant.

NICK SCHIFRIN: Dennis Ross,# as I mentioned, some of this## effort by the U.S. to try and tamp down# escalation in the region is economic.

New sanctions announced on Iran# today, on Iran's drone program,## Iran's defense industrial base, including steel# production, the first time that those sanctions## have been imposed in about three years.# Do those kinds of actions help convince## the Israeli government not to respond to# Iran's attack with another military attack?

DENNIS ROSS: Look, I think it probably helps.

But I'm not sure it's enough.

I think the# Israelis would probably be more impresse.. we were closing some of the loopholes on sanctions# as it relates to Iran being able to sell its oil;## 91 percent of their oil sales are going# to the Chinese.

If we were doing more## to basically prevent those sales, convincing the# Chinese either not to go ahead or being prepared## to sanction Chinese companies, that would# probably be more impressive to the Israelis.

NICK SCHIFRIN: Khaled Elgindy, do# you believe that President Biden is## doing enough to try and influence Israeli# behavior, whether toward Iran or in Gaza?

KHALED ELGINDY: Well, I agree with Ambassador# Ross that it's probably not enough to convince## the Israelis not to go off on their# own or to pursue a military response.

And I think they're going to leverage# that.

I think they're going to try and## extract more from the United States,# quite possibly up to and including## the oil sanctions that Ambassador# Ross mentioned.

I mean, that would## be definitely a game changer as far as Israel's# decision-making.

But we're not quite there yet.

NICK SCHIFRIN: Ambassador Ross, there are# some Democrats who are wanting President## Biden to use more leverage on Bibi Netanyahu# when it comes to Gaza especially and condition## military aid until Israel takes certain# steps when it comes to the war on Gaza.

Do you believe the U.S.# should condition military aid?

DENNIS ROSS: No, I have not been in# favor of conditioning military aid,## especially right after Israel has just been# targeted with more than 350 cruise missiles,## drones, and ballistic missiles.

I think that# would be the wrong signal to send right now,## especially vis-a-vis the Iranians and many# of their proxies, including Hezbollah.

NICK SCHIFRIN: Khaled Elgindy, do you believe that# the U.S. can exert pressure on Israel, especially## when it comes to Gaza and how Israel wages that# war, separate from how Israel responds to Iran?

KHALED ELGINDY: Yes, absolutely.# There's no question that the lack## of consequences is precisely why we have this# humanitarian catastrophe unfolding in Gaza,## where we're now at the fastest any population has# reached the stage of famine in recorded history.

So there's a lot that the United States could# do.

It should.

It can and should condition## military assistance.

At a very minimum,# it could hold up the offensive weapons,## the massive 2,000-pound bombs that do# what President Biden called indiscriminate## damage in Gaza and that have caused# so much civilian death and suffering.

So, I think there are ways to condition# aid that don't necessarily affect Israel's## ability to mount a defense against# an Iranian threat, but that would## inhibit its ability to continue to cause# this mass death and destruction in Gaza.

NICK SCHIFRIN: Khaled Elgindy, Dennis# Ross, thanks very much to you both.

DENNIS ROSS: Sure.

Good to be with you.

KHALED ELGINDY: Thank you.

WILLIAM BRANGHAM:## The temperatures of the world's oceans are quite# literally off the charts.

That orange line,## that is last year's reading.

The red line at the# very top, that's this year's temperature readings.

One of the most severe consequences of these# warming falls on the world's coral reefs,## which nearly a quarter of all ocean# species rely on.

According to NOAA,## the National Oceanic and Atmospheric# Administration, scientists issued a## warning due to record-breaking temperatures# in 2023 which accelerated the speed of the## second largest mass bleaching event across# the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans.

For more on the global situation and what's# at stake, we are joined by Julia Baum.

She's a## marine ecologist and coral reefs researcher and a# professor at the University of Victoria in Canada.

Julia Baum, thank you so much for being here.

So NOAA just issued this report# showing this widespread bleaching,## which is a sign of distress in corals.

We have# seen reports over the years of declining health## in corals.

So how do you put what's happening# now in the context of what we have seen before?

JULIA BAUM, Marine Ecologist, University of# Victoria: What we're seeing now is the fourth## global coral bleaching event, as you said,# and it's alarming and likely catast.. And what's particularly alarming about it is that,# in the past, these bleaching events occurred a## sufficient amount of time apart that coral reefs# had a sufficient time to recover in between## them.

But now we're seeing these global coral# bleaching events occur two within the past decade.

So there was a mega event during the 2015-2016 El# Nino that devastated coral reefs right around the## world, including mass bleaching and mortality# on the Great Barrier Reef and in many, many## other locations.

And coral reefs take many years# to recover, so 10, 20, 30, 40 years to recover.

So now to see another bleaching# event that is very, very intense## and widespread happening just eight# years later is extremely worrying.

WILLIAM BRANGHAM: So I mentioned briefly corals# importance in the ocean ecosystem.

I mean,## we love them because they're not just# what we see in Jacques Cousteau and## David Attenborough documentaries.

They are# that, but they are also many other things.

Can you sort of explain,# remind us of their importance?

JULIA BAUM: Absolutely.

So I'm a marine ecologist, so, of course, I think# about all of.. reefs.

And you already mentioned that a quarter# of the world's diversity, different species of## animals in the ocean live on coral reefs, which# is completely astounding when you think about## the fact that coral reefs cover less than 0.1# percent of the surface area of the world's oceans.

But coral reefs are also extraordinarily# important to people, so they are worth## hundreds of billions of dollars every year.

And# that's through things like tourism, recreation,## all of the coastal protection that they provide.# So when we risk losing a huge proportion of the## world's coral reefs, we're actually at risk# of losing all sorts of other things that are## vitally important to many, many people around# the planet, especially those who live really## close to coral reefs and rely upon them for# either their sustenance or their livelihoods.

WILLIAM BRANGHAM: When you look at# the drivers of this warming ocean,## climate change, El Nino,# perhaps some other factors,## what does your research indicate# is most complicit in this problem?

JULIA BAUM: Right.

Well, it's climate change.

So this is# without a doubt driven by human-caused## climate change.

And so I want to link El Nino# to that.

Under climate change, El Ninos are## now supercharged.

And that means that they# are occurring more frequently.

They are at## a greater intensity.

So the magnitude of the# heat stress that they unleash is a lot bigger,## and they also can last for a much longer period.

So, in the past, for example, you might have# had some heat stress on an individual coral## reef lasting for a couple of weeks.

Now we# see that type of heat stress lasting for many,## many months, and that causes the corals# to bleach and then eventually die.

So## they're becoming much more serious, and# that's a direct result of climate change.

WILLIAM BRANGHAM: We have seen over the# past year all of these efforts to try to## preserve the corals, pull them out of warmer# oceans and store them in cooler tanks on land,## sometimes cryopreserve these corals.

What do you make of those efforts?

And do you## think overall they are going to# be enough to save this ecosystem?

JULIA BAUM: I think it's a tragedy# that we are pushing to -- coral reefs## and coral reef researchers to that# absolute extreme.

That's a triage## type of response.

And it's a last-ditch response.

Maybe it will make a little bit of a difference# in some areas where it's being implemented,## but it's not a solution that is going to# save the world's coral reefs.

And it's## undoubtedly the only thing that is going to# save the world's coral reefs at this point## is a rapid reduction in greenhouse gas# emissions.

That is absolutely certain.

Anything else that we do might help# a few areas here and there.

And,## of course, that will be important in those# areas where it helps.

But if we are going## to ensure that the world's coral reefs are# still in existence in the coming decades,## we have to rapidly mitigate climate# change.

There's no other way forward here.

WILLIAM BRANGHAM: All right, Julia Baum# of the University of Victoria in Canada,## thank you so much for talking with us.

JULIA BAUM: Thank you.

WILLIAM BRANGHAM:## A new report reveals a historic amount of# turnover within local elections offices,## but also the resiliency of that work force.

Stephanie Sy takes a closer look.

STEPHANIE SY: The new report from the Bipartisan# Policy Center, in collaboration with researchers## at UCLA, acknowledges what we have been hearing# from election workers since 2020, when Trump## supporters were accused of intimidating# and threatening these civil servants.

But while many election# workers have left the field,## the report finds that there are glimmers of hope.

Miles Parks covers voting and election# security for NPR and joins us now to help## us unpack what this new data may teach us# about what's to come in this election year.

So Miles Parks, the report states that# turnover is not new and that, for decades,## local election offices have dealt with# this.

Why is that context so important?

MILES PARKS, NPR: Well, it kind of gives a good# news and a bad news, I feel like, Stephanie.

I feel like, on the good news, it -- there's# been all of this hyperbole over the last## couple of years as this started to come out# that election officials were leaving their job,## kind of people freaking out about the state# of the 2024 election.

The fact that this## isn't as new indicates to some experts that# maybe the election administration profession## is a little bit more prepared than --# for 2024 than maybe previously thought.

The bad news is that the fact that# turnover has been ticking up over## the last 20 years indicates that# there are some chronic issues with## the profession outside of the threats and# harassment we have heard so much about,## things like election officials saying that# they are not getting enough resources.

And the other thing I hear a lot from election# officials is that their jobs have just gotten## a lot harder over the last decade.

We know# that laws are changing rapidly.

That can have## an impact on how hard an election official's# job is.

And then election officials have to do## things like become cybersecurity experts, become# physical security experts now, in addition to## just making sure people can get their ballots and# making sure those ballots are counted correctly.

STEPHANIE SY: And some of those# election workers would say that,## after the 2020 election in particular,# things got even harder for them.

You have been covering the election landscape,# Miles, since 2016, including threats to election## workers.

I just want to remind viewers of# what some of them have been going through.## We spoke to election officials from both sides# of the aisle in North Carolina and Pennsylvania.

AL SCHMIDT, Pennsylvania Secretary of the# Commonwealth: In the past, candidates ran## against other candidates and campaigns ran against# other campaigns.

And in the .. the people responsible for running elections# have been targeted as enemies, when, in reality,## they are simply trying to make sure# that their voters' votes get counted.

KAREN BRINSON BELL, Executive Director, North# Carolina State Board of Directors: These are not## high-paying jobs for a lot of folk.. for serving the public, for carrying out our# elections process.

They do so with integrity.

And yet we're at a time when their# integrity is being questioned,## both personally and professionally, quite often.

STEPHANIE SY: And we have heard# of similar frustrations, Miles,## among election workers here in Maricopa# County, Arizona, where I'm based.

Did this report show turnover has# been worse in battleground states?

MILES PARKS: It did.

And this was one o.. researchers looked at, turnover kind of impacted# jurisdictions, no matter their political leaning,## no matter their geography.

And then, in 2020,# what they found specifically, that turnover jumped## the most in states that were competitive in the# presidential election, which aligns with what we## have heard from law enforcement about where there# has been an uptick in threats and harassment.

And I will also note, even when I talked# to election administrators who are in these## battleground states, even if they personally have# not received the threats, they talk about how## much more pressure is on them to do their jobs# completely perfectly every single day because## there's just this general sense, this cloud# that they could be next in terms of targeting.

STEPHANIE SY: You know, one# of the positives, however,## that came out of this report is that# the data suggests, even though there's## been more turnover, more experienced# election workers are filling the jobs.

Is that across the board, or do you# see more of a struggle to retain those## experienced election officials# in hotly contested districts?

MILES PARKS: So, what we're actually seeing is# kind of the inverse,is that, across the board,## on average, the people replacing the who are# -- who have left, according to this new report,## on average have about eight years of# experience in the administration field.

But when you look at these larger jurisdictions,## which generally since 2020 have been the# places, the Detroits, the Philadelphias,## the Maricopa counties, highly populated# areas, on average the election officials who## are replacing the people who've left there have# 11 years of election administration experience,## which is really surprising, I think,# to the researchers I talked to.

They found it oddly comforting, that maybe# it's not all doom and gloom ahead of 2024.

STEPHANIE SY: So maybe things aren't as bad# as post-2020 election headlines suggest.

Miles, I want to ask you about something# else.

You also recently have reported that,## despite concerns about voting access that# came after the 2020 election, that new data## shows it has actually gotten easier to vote since# 2000.

Tell me a little bit about that reporting.

MILES PARKS: Yes, this was a really# interesting report that came out## recently from the Center for Election# Innovation and Research that basically## looked at, do people have more than just# Election Day to be able to cast a vote?

And what they found is that in 46 states and D.C.,# voters have the -- have some sort of option to## vote early, which is a really big sea change# when you think about two decades ago.

In 2000,## 86 percent of voters cast a ballot# on Election Day, whereas, in 2024,## 97 percent of voters live in a place that# they have the opportunity to vote early.

And so when you just think about the most basic# aspect of voting, filling it out, turning it in,## that -- voters have more options to# do that now than almost ever before.

STEPHANIE SY: As you said,# it's not all doom and gloom.

Miles Parks with NPR.

Thanks so much, Miles.

MILES PARKS: Thanks, Stephanie.

WILLIAM BRANGHAM:#Consider this.

In at least 93 countries,## it's legally acceptable to pay women less# for doing the exact same job as a man.

That's just one of a litany of# examples where women's economic## equality is denied.

And these inequities# impact not just women, but their children,## their families and their broader communities.# The U.N. estimates that closing the gender gap,## not just in pay, but in other ways, such as# giving them more access to loans and capital,## could give the global economy# a $7 trillion jump-start.

These issues are atop of mind for many this# week as world leaders gather in Washington,## D.C., for meetings hosted by the World# Bank and the International Monetary Fund.

One person advocating for a more just economy# is Melinda French Gates.

She's the co-chair of## the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation,# which is a funder of the "NewsHour."

Melinda Gates, welcome back to the# "NewsHour."

So nice to have you here.

MELINDA FRENCH GATES, Co-Founder, Bill and Melinda# Gates Foundation: Thanks for having me, William.

WILLIAM BRANGHAM: So I mentioned this# one fact about the -.. to pay women less than men, but, again,# that's just one example of so many.

When you are here trying to convince people## about this inequity existing and# causing harms, what do you argue?

MELINDA FRENCH GATES: I'm arguing for, let's fix# the system.

And to be honest, it's not that hard.

If you look at high-income countries,## we don't have it all right yet, but women are# doing better in our country than in many others.

WILLIAM BRANGHAM: Right.

We're not immune to this.

MELINDA FRENCH GATES: We're not immu.. it was 19 -- early 1970s that a woman finally## didn't need her husband to sign on# her bank account in our country.

So if we get the regulations right in# other countries and we move capital,## this large-scale capital that goes from# the World Bank or the IMF, but we really## hook it up to the women entrepreneurs,# there are literally millions of female## entrepreneurs across the continent of Africa,# and we make sure the loans are right-sized,## the interest rate is paid monthly, not# weekly, it isn't at an exorbitant fee,## these women will actually grow not just# their business, but their entire economy.

WILLIAM BRANGHAM: And those disparities that# you're describing, those are what exist today?

MELINDA FRENCH GATES: Yes, they still exist# in many countries.

A woman can't get a loan## without her husband signing off on it.

So we need# to fix those laws, but we also need to fix credit.

Right now, a woman often doesn't have a credit# score in Africa.

She doesn't have the collateral## to prove she's creditworthy.

And yet, if# we can get her on a mobile bank account,## which many women are getting on to, we can# start to see that she's paying bills.

She's## actually financially very literate and that she# can build credit and we can help her then get a## small loan to not only educate her kids,# but advance the business she cares about.

WILLIAM BRANGHAM: So you're here talking# to the World Bank and the IMF and the## heads of these very large# international banking structures.

When you make this argument to them,# are they nodding along with you?

Are## they looking skeptical at you?

Do they# appreciate what you're talking about?

MELINDA FRENCH GATES: I would say it's only# been in about the last eight years that the## world and these large financial institutions have# woken up to the opportunity that women present.

If I look back 15 years, when I used to# come to these institutions or to the U.N.,## we didn't really talk about women.# But now people realize -- like,## take the United States.

Women have the most# purchasing power of anybody in our own country.

WILLIAM BRANGHAM: Right.

MELINDA FRENCH GATES: And .. their whole organization moving in that direction.

WILLIAM BRANGHAM: How do you explain that chasm,# the disparity that exists?

Again, we understand## some of the societal forces that work here that# we have been fighting against for generations.

How do you explain that around the world?

MELINDA FRENCH GATES: Well, it's# much the same.

It's the social norms.

For better or for worse, we set the world up for# males.

And what's happening now is that females,## when you send them out into the work force# or to capitalize their small business,## they run up against these systemic barriers.# So, a man doesn't understand their business## if he's the one that's going to extend the# credit or he's going to give the loan, right?

They don't see the business.

They don't# understand it.

They often have bias,## thinking, oh, a woman can't run a business.# So we have to break down those barriers so## that we show and we demonstrate that women can# create society the way we want it and that we## can as investors get a good return.

And then I# think you will see vast amounts of money flow.

WILLIAM BRANGHAM: It's a good investment,## a good return on investment that always see.. MELINDA FRENCH GATES: That's# right.

And it should be,## right?

We expect in our investments to have a# return, but sometimes also in.. For instance, these large global# institutions we're talking about,## you have to both do some grant funding and# the loan piece, because we know -- India is## a perfect example.

They put their women -- many# women in these self-help groups, and now they are## lending to 42 million women-led businesses because# they're seeing it's advancing the Indian economy.

But there had to be grant-making at the# beginning to get women organized and have## the mentorship and the sponsorship to then# be able to know how to start their business.

WILLIAM BRANGHAM: I imagine there's also this# suite of other complicating factors too, war,## conflict, political unrest,# climate change, that, again,## we know disproportionately falls hardest on# women and that you also have to be trying to## ameliorate those things to create the# conditions by which women can thrive.

MELINDA FRENCH GATES: Absolutely.

And it's particularly difficult at the meetings#.. climate change.

Conflict is rife.

But what# we're trying to get the high-income countries## to understand is, you have to also continue these# investments in Africa and across the continent## of Africa and Southeast Asia, because countries# want to move from low to middle to high income.

And we know it's possible.

Peru has done# it.

India has done it.

South Korea used## to be a recipient of aid.

Now they give aid.# And so, if we keep making these investments,## you will see peace and prosperity in# those places, as opposed to more conflict.

WILLIAM BRANGHAM: You touched on this before,## but I know you're here trying to cajole bankers# and the World Bank and the I..

Some of this, as you mentioned,# is also pushing back on societal,## cultural, oftentimes religious beliefs about# the role that women should and ought to play## in societies.

That seems like that's# a much tougher stream to swim against.

MELINDA FRENCH GATES: Those issues are tough to# swim against, even in our own country, right?

We're seeing the rollback of women's rights and# health.

And so, when I look at those issues,## I say we need to get more women,# for instance, in our country,## in the 7,000 seats in the statehouses# and in Congress and in the Senate,## because women have a different lens on# society and they will make different policy.

In countries around the world, much is# the same thing.

Some -- they're trying## to get more women into their parliaments# because they create different policies.## They see what is often unseen.

They see# the unpaid work women do.

They see the## caregiving burden of they need to care# for the children and run the business.

And so I think getting women into all those# seats of power really will change society.

WILLIAM BRANGHAM: Are there examples that you# point to, if someone expresses skepticism about## moving this rock up this huge hill, that# you say, look at X, this proof of concept?

MELINDA FRENCH GATES: Well, at large scale,# I say, look at India.

India really has gotten## their mobile phone penetration out there.# They have gotten people I.D.ed on their## phone.

People have bank accounts.

It's# not just men, but they have looked at## the gender gap and they're trying to get# more women with their own bank account.

They're now scaling and getting resources out## to women.

And they're starting to see# they're on the economic rise in a huge## way.

So I point to them as a large-scale# example of how and where this can work.

WILLIAM BRANGHAM: Melinda French Gates, thank# you so much for being here.

Great to see you.

MELINDA FRENCH GATES: Thanks for having me.

WILLIAM BRANGHAM: Ethiopia continues to face#one of the worst droughts in recent history, and millions of its people are# suffering from acute hunger.

Back in December, the United States resumed# aid shipments after previously suspending## them due to concerns about theft,# but starvation is still prevalent.

Special correspondent Jack Hewson reports# from the Tigray region in Northern Ethiopia.

JACK HEWSON: These might be the last days of# Gebremichael life.

After months of little or## no food, he's starving, his stomach swollen# from water retention that results from protein## deficiency, skin stretched taught across# his upper body, his heartbeat visible.

GEBREMICHAEL TESFEY, Farmer (through# translator): I have a hard time## breathing.

It gets worse each day.# I'm al..

I can't go to the toilet because# everything I eat, I vomit out.

JACK HEWSON: Gebremichael# is so acutely malnourished## that his body is rejecting food.

His wife, Gember,## grinds a few grains outside their home in the# Yechila district of Northern Tigray province.

This is all they have.

After the rains failed to# fall in August, the crops failed too.

As climate## change bites, Ethiopia's drought is the worst many# here have ever experienced.

People here are just## trying to forage the last grains and berries# that they can get from this arid landscape.

Food aid is beginning to arrive, but,# for some, it may be too late.

Millions## face acute food insecurity in the region.# Approximately 400 have reportedly died of## starvation in Tigray and Amhara.

Gebremichael is# dangerously close to becoming the next fatality.

GEBREMICHAEL TESFEY (through# translator): There's nothing## we can do about the .. JACK HEWSON: The legacy of conflict,# visible across the region, is also## making the situation worse.

The civil war# that ended in November 2022 displaced 2.5## million.

These people here in Yechila have fled# ethnic persecution in contested Western Tigray.

Among them was Dessalegn# Abadi Tafere and his family.

DESSALEGN ABADI TAFERE, Ethiopia (through# translator): I have so many problems.

I## lost my house,.

I lost everything.

I have# to beg.

I ask people to help me for the## sake of my babies.

I ask people to support# me until we get through this hard time.

I used to go to local people before.# But now I can't even go to them,## because they are also suffering themselves.

JACK HEWSON: Despite this widespread# suffering, in January, Ethiopian Prime## Minister Abiy Ahmed was awarded the U.N.# Food and Agriculture Organization's highest## award for his contribution to rural and economic# development, this for a leader accused of using## starvation as a weapon of war as government# forces laid siege to Tigray two years prior.

ABIY AHMED, Ethiopian Prime Minister (through# translator): I am deeply honored and grateful## for the U.N. Food and Agriculture# Organization for recognizing Ethiopia's## diligent efforts over the past five years# in addressing food and nutrition security.

I would like to emphasize my government's# commitment to meeting zero hunger goals.

JACK HEWSON: Zero hunger?

That's the rhetoric.# But, in Tigray, the reality looks very different.## Baby Leul was brought to Ayder Hospital in# Mekelle by his mother, Alem Degefu Birhan, after## she was unable to produce breast milk# and he became dangerously underweight.

ALEM DEGEFU BIRHAN, Mother (through# translator): When I was pregnant,## there were food shortages.

When# I got cl..

I had so many problems.

My breasts# ran out of milk because I had no food.

JACK HEWSON: Further down the ward are other# children that have developed hydrocephalus,## the swelling of the brain with spinal fluid,## a condition that can be caused by# malnutrition in pregnant mothers.

If nothing is done, Tigray could slide into# famine.

But using what's termed the F-word is## sensitive for the government and aid agencies# alike.

The memory of 1984 haunts Ethiopia,## when pictures of the devastating famine shocked# the world.

Forty years later, the death rates and## numbers suffering severe acute malnutrition do not# now meet the U.N.'s technical famine definition.

But for Reda Getachew, interim Tigrayan# president, he's not interested in semantics.

GETACHEW REDA, Interim President, Tigray Region:# I see people dying because there is no food on## their plate.

No amount of technical obfuscation# is going to convince me that this is not hunger.

Whether the F-word should be avoided at this# point is overly academic, as far as I'm concerned.

JACK HEWSON: Tigray's hunger was exacerbated# by the World Food Program and USAID suspending## food deliveries last March.

The grain# was being systematically stolen and## sold on the black market, reportedly by# both the federal and Tigrayan military.

After changes to prevent theft,# WFP resumed shipments in August,## and USAID in December, but, according# to Mr. Getachew, it's not enough.

GETACHEW REDA: The response is not adequate# at all.

The resumption of food aid only covers## 20 percent of what used to be the humanitarian# need in Tigray.

I know the federal government## for quite some time has been dragging its feet# to come to terms with the reality on the ground.

JACK HEWSON: And the reality remains bleak.

Responding to "PBS NewsHour" in a written# statement, the Ethiopian government said## it was distributing $250 million in food# aid, and claimed that national wheat yields## had increased dramatically since 2021.

But# there's little sign of this supposedly bumper## crop in rural Tigray.

For millions facing# acute hunger, the words will ring hollow.

For the "PBS NewsHour," I'm Jack# Hewson in Northern Ethiopia.

WILLIAM BRANGHAM: Nearly one-third of large U.S.## firms are exploring new work# schedules for their employees.

Economics correspondent Paul Solman takes a look## at some companies that are trying out a# four-day, 32-hour week with the same pay.

PAUL SOLMAN: At Metro Caring in Denver,# the food pantry is crazy busy.

There## were 45,000 visits last year, not far off# the 47,000 at the start of the pandemic.

TEVA SIENICKI, CEO-Visionary, Metro Caring: I# came out of the pandemic just exhausted, frankly.

PAUL SOLMAN: CEO Teva Sienicki# felt overworked and overwhelmed.

TEVA SIENICKI: I worked far too many hours.# Hunger has been steadily growing.

I was really## feeling discouraged.

I just don't see us making# progress.

And so that landed really heavily on me.

PAUL SOLMAN: And on many of her co-workers.

TEVA SIENICKI: We were experiencing a# lot of burnout on staff, and feeling## like we were treading water around our mission.

PAUL SOLMAN: Cory Scrivner oversees# food procurement and distribution.

CORY SCRIVNER, Food Access Manager, Metro# Caring: We have had four different food## access managers in the last four# years.

It has 1000 percent been## a burnout factor with every single# one of the last three previous ones.

PAUL SOLMAN: In fact, Sienicki almost quit.

TEVA SIENICKI: Burnout among nonprofit# CEOs and nonprofit employees was higher## than any other industry.

Probably like four# out of 10 left the field.

I was nearly there.

PAUL SOLMAN: Instead, though,## she took a sabbatical .. TEVA SIENICKI: If you can have a more# balanced life and work fewer hours,## you actually bring more creativity to your job and## you bring more efficiency.

And those# hours that you do work mean more.

PAUL SOLMAN: Alex Pang has# written about working less,## runs research and innovation at# nonprofit four day week global.

ALEX SOOJUNG-KIM PANG, 4 Day Week Global:# If you're in an industry in which there## are serious challenges with recruitment# and retention, with work-life balance,## or if you have concerns about the# sustainability of your organization,## a four-day week is a great way to address# all of those challenges simultaneously.

PAUL SOLMAN: Hey, Bernie Sanders# thinks so.

He recently introduced## a Senate bill to reduce the# standard workweek to 32 hours.

SEN. BERNIE SANDERS (I-VT): The sad# reality is Americans now work more## hours than the people of any other wealthy nation.

PAUL SOLMAN: Now, look, a shorter# workweek is hardly a new idea.

In## 1930, given ever-increasing output per# person, increasing productivity that is,## economist John Maynard Keynes foresaw# a 15-hour workweek in 100 years.

In 1956, vice President Richard# Nixon predicted a four-day workweek## in the -- quote -- "not-too-distant# future."

That future is yet to arrive,## but thanks perhaps to COVID,# companies have begun to shift.

ALEX SOOJUNG-KIM PANG: The pandemic had forced a# lot of companies to change how they had worked,## and so they were more open to the# idea of playing around with work time.

PAUL SOLMAN: As were workers.

NICHOLAS BLOOM, Stanford University:# We all realize our own.. PAUL SOLMAN: Stanford's Nicholas Bloom.

NICHOLAS BLOOM: More than a million Americans# have died.

You should enjo.. here.

Work from home has been such a# bonanza.

So, I have taught hundreds,## thousands of managers, employees.

And they're# kind of like, why didn't we do this earlier?

And so as soon as you start thinking like# that, you think, well, what else is there?## And other things like the four-day week,# the whole bunch of changes come into play.

PAUL SOLMAN: Metro Caring's pilot began# in late summer.

The staff worked Monday## through Thursday, took Fridays# off, 32 hours of work, same pay.

TEVA SIENICKI: There's definitely# a learning curve, right?

Like,## it doesn't just like happen, like you're# just like, oh, I'm going to be efficient.

PAUL SOLMAN: To get their work# done in eight fewer hours,## employees turned off computer# alerts, reorganized their time.

TEVA SIENICKI: A lot of those have# been around meetings and e-mails,## not responding right away, but like# setting aside concentrated blocks,## and how to make meetings that are# normally an hour into 15 minutes.

PAUL SOLMAN: A shortened week# increases focus, says Graye Miller.

GRAYE MILLER (Food Access Assistant, Metro# Caring): If I have to be here Monday through## Friday, I am much more likely to# take that half-an-hour sitting and## drinking coffee or that 15 minutes# stepping outside for a cigarette.

PAUL SOLMAN: Integrity Pro Roofing# also tried a four-day week.

RAE BOYCE, CEO, Integrity Pro# Roofing: There are so many tangible,## tactical ways that you can give your team# back that additional eight hours of time.

PAUL SOLMAN: CEO Rae Boyce says her staff# focused on tasks and projects in the morning,## when they were more energized,# pushing meetings to the afternoon.

ALEX SOOJUNG-KIM PANG: The average knowledge# worker loses about two hours of productive time## per day to overly long meetings, to poorly# used technology or outmoded processes.

So,## in a sense, for a lot of us,# the four-day week is already## here.

We're just spending a full day in the# office sitting around in meetings wondering## who's going to change the toner cartridge# or talking about whatever football game.

PAUL SOLMAN: In surveys completed in# February at the end of Metro Caring's trial,## employees reported well-being had improved.# Pretrial, just 8 percent were highly or very## highly satisfied with their work-life balance.# At the end, that figure rose to 46 percent.

At the start of the pilot, 50 percent felt# burned out, by the end, half that number.

GRAYE MILLER: Having four days# and then a three-day weekend,## oh, my lord.

It is rejuvenating on all levels.

The results didn't surprise Pang.

His firm# helped run a 2022 trial of 61 British firms## that showed benefits to workers' health and# productivity when their hours were reduced.

ALEX SOOJUNG-KIM PANG: Mangers and companies also# reported that people were collaborating better,## that they were happier in the office.

All of the# important metrics trended in positive directions.

PAUL SOLMAN: Bloom has his doubts, though.

NICHOLAS BLOOM: Very productive,# well-managed American companies## that are already pretty kick ass in terms# of how well-managed they are, these places## are very efficient.

It's not that easy to# take a day out and produce the same amount.

PAUL SOLMAN: At Integrity Pro Roofing, a strictly# four-day workweek did not work year-round.

RAE BOYCE: Roofing and construction# tends to be very seasonal.

PAUL SOLMAN: So employees now work# fewer hours during the off-season, but: RAE BOYCE: The summer and the fall is# our busiest season.

And so we have found## that there are times where we do need to# ask our team to be flexible and to come## back to a five-day workweek when we're# experiencing that type of a high volume.

PAUL SOLMAN: Still, Boyce remains# committed to a shorter week for## her employees the rest of the year.

RAE BOYCE: Time is our most precious resource.# We have a really short life.

So if there's any## ways that we could give them some additional# time, that's really what we wanted to focus on.

PAUL SOLMAN: At Metro Caring, the four-day# workweek created some problems of its own.

CORY SCRIVNER: We rely on donations# and foundations and grant funding to## be able to exist in the way that we do.# And they don't have a four-day workweek.## They don't have a three-day weekend.# There are deadlines that are due on## Friday.

I often miss e-mails that# are important that come on Fridays.

We really do need to be available# for some of these bigger deadlines.

PAUL SOLMAN: As a result, CEO Sienicki# still has to put in hours on Fridays.

TEVA SIENICKI: I don't know that all of us# are two 32 hours yet.

I think some of us,## at least on some weeks, are at 35 hours.

But,## frankly, 35 hours is way better than the# 50 hours I was working prior to this trial.

PAUL SOLMAN: Metro Caring plans to# make the shorter workweek permanent,## even as they work out the details.

TEVA SIENICKI: It may not be exactly like# we have done the trial, right?

Maybe we## go to a 35-hour workweek, or maybe we# look at a little bit more flexibility.

PAUL SOLMAN: Different schedules, perhaps.

CORY SCRIVNER: Maybe it looks like one team# works a different set of days than another team.

PAUL SOLMAN: And that flexibility# may help with retention.

Cory Scrivner thinks she will last# longer than her three predecessors.

CORY SCRIVNER: I'm feeling# really good.

I'm not leaving.

(LAUGHTER) CORY SCRIVNER: I broke the curse.

PAUL SOLMAN: Scrivner bucked the burnout trend,# she says, thanks in part to the four-day workweek.

For the "PBS NewsHour," Paul Solman.

WILLIAM BRANGHAM: And that is the "NewsHour"# for tonight.

I'm William Brangham.

On behalf of the entire "NewsHour"# team, thank you so much for joining us.