hamilton. but it really is unlike anything thats come on broadway before and its drawing audiences that broadway hasnt really brought in en masse in many years. Woodruff all that and more on tonights pbs newshour. Major funding for the pbs newshour has been provided by moving our economy for 160 years. Bnsf, the engine that connects us. Fathom travel. Carnival corporations small ship line. Offering seven day cruises to three cities in cuba. Exploring the culture, cuisine and Historic Sites through its people. More at fathom. Org. You were born with two stories. One you write every day, and one you inherited thats written in your d. N. A. 23andme. Com is a Genetic Service that provides personalized reports about traits, health and ancestry. Learn more at www. 23andme. Com. Lincoln financial committed to helping you take charge of your financial future. Supporting social entrepreneurs and their solutions to the worlds most pressing problems skollfoundation. Org. The ford foundation. Working with visionaries on the frontlines of social change worldwide. And with the ongoing support of these institutions and friends of the newshour. This program was made possible by the corporation for public broadcasting. And by contributions to your pbs station from viewers like you. Thank you. Woodruff the white house confirmed today that the military now has approval to expand air strikes in afghanistan. Theyll be in support of afghan troops against the taliban. And, u. S. Ground forces will be joining afghan units on more missions. At the same time, white house spokesman josh earnest stressed that the u. S. Will not be taking on direct combat roles. We are actually giving our commanders on the ground the ability to decide to do more where its appropriate. And thats why it is not a change in our mission but rather it gives them the ability to conduct this mission of advice and assistance in slightly more areas if our commanders have concluded that its beneficial. Woodruff afghan leaders have been appealing for american air power to resume backing up their soldiers. U. S. Air strikes on the taliban largely ended in 2014. In syria, food deliveries have reached a besieged rebel suburb of damascus, for the first time in four years. U. N. And red crescent officials entered the town of daraya overnight. Its been under siege by government forces. Dozens of convoys brought in basic food items and medical supplies. The u. N. Estimates between four and 8,000 people are living in daraya. The european soccer championship, euro 2016, kicked off today in france, amid tight security. The country is still under a state of emergency after terror attacks in recent months. And, tensions surged last night in marseilles, when fights broke out. Keme nzerem of independent Television News reports. Reporter this is not what france needs. More violence in marseille, where england play russia tomorrow. And reports spreading of more trouble between rival fans. And local youths. Like there was last night. The problem is people are twitchy for another reason. France is under a state of emergency but last night tens of thousands danced the night away at the opening concert in paris. Right now, nearly 100,000 more are flocking to the stad de france for the opening game. Yards away, this anonymous side street. Many fans will be oblivious to the secrets it holds. But not aca pavlovic. Last november 13th, he nearly died when shrapnel from suicide bombs strafed this lamppost and his flesh. But aca will be back tonight, selling scarves to raise money for survivors like him. translated it is a stadium. The game goes on, and so does life. People need to celebrate and go see games. And that makes me happy. Reporter into this cauldron of hopes and dreams, fans from 24 European Countries are pouring. But it is france, no doubt, with the most at stake. Woodruff the monthlong tournament comes as france is struggling with strikes by garbage collectors and Public Transit workers. A wave of religious murders surged again today in bangladesh. A hindu holy man was hacked to death by suspected islamist militants in the countrys north. That follows the killing of a hindu priest, and a fatal attack on a christian Grocery Store owner earlier this week. Police have launched a crackdown, and detained hundreds of suspects. Back in this country, the man they called mr. Hockey, gordie howe, died today. Hes considered one of the greatest players ever. John yang has more on his life. Heres gordie howe in, hes going to score reporter he had some of the best skills, and sharpest elbows, in the game second on the all time scoring list with 801 goals and winner of four stanley cups with the detroit red wings. Gordie howes 32year career spanned five decades, as the Detroit Free Press put it today, from world war ii through vietnam, truman to carter, sinatra to the sex pistols. Canadian Prime MinisterJustin Trudeau spoke of howes legacy. His career inspired and gave rise to many dreams and to many canadians of what could be. Howe is in the right place at the right time. Reporter howe was the leagues most valuable player six times. A gentleman off the ice, he was a ferocious competitor on it. During his career, he had some 500 stitches to his face alone. In my early days, id yell, look out and id hit him. If i didnt like him, id yell look out when i hit him. Reporter he retired after the 1971 season, but came back two years later to play in the upstart World Hockey Association with his sons, mark and marty. Howe over the line to his father, father to son, they score reporter they were the only fatherson teammates in pro sports. Howe called it the highlight of his career. He was a 52yearold grandfather when he left the game for good. Howe was diagnosed with dementia in 2012 and suffered two strokes in 2014. He was 88 years old. For the pbs newshour, im john yang. Woodruff a milestone of a decidedly different sort for the first family, today president obamas oldest daughter, malia, graduated from high school. She attended the private Sidwell Friends School in washington, and plans to take a gap year before starting college at harvard. And, wall street had its second off day in a row, as stocks were hit by falling oil prices, and Global Growth concerns. The Dow Jones Industrial average lost nearly 120 points to close at 17,865. The nasdaq fell 64, and the s p 500 slipped 19. Still to come on the newshour a funeral fit for the greatest, muhammad ali. Donald trump and Hillary Clinton trade barbs. A day in the life of a middle class family struggling to make ends meet, and much more. Woodruff the famous and the anonymous alike paid tribute today to muhammed ali. Their final farewell came in his home town of louisville, kentucky. It was a daylong tribute befitting the man known as the greatest. Muhammad ali began his final journey at a louisville funeral home. The casket, draped in an islamic shroud, was guided into a hearse by pallbearers who included actor will smith and former heavyweight champion mike tyson. A butterfly symbol, a nod to alis signature phrase, float like a butterfly, sting like a bee, adorned the windshield. From there, the 17car motorcade wound its way through louisville, with thousands lining the streets ali his impact transcends across the world, and you know, its just a blessing and it makes us as louisvillians proud that hes from our city and our hometown. Woodruff some even touched the hearse, while others ran alongside it. And the procession paused at sites of significance, such as the ali center in downtown louisville, and the boxing legends childhood home. The 19mile procession ended at Cave Hill Cemetery on a road strewn with flower petals. Muhammad ali chose the site a decade ago as his final resting place, with a headstone to be inscribed simply ali. And he spoke to the people. He spoke to all people. All people came together regardless of race and gender and religion. Everyone came together. Woodruff the Burial Service was private, but 15,000 people turned out for the Public Memorial Service that followed, ali himself had requested the event be open to ordinary fans, and hundreds of celebrities, dignitaries and sports greats joined them. They ranged from Jesse Jackson to jim brown to utah senator orrin hatch, whom ali befriended in the 1980s, and who spoke at the service. The formal eulogies began with alis widow, lonnie on grandnr avenue in louisvie kentucky grew in wisdom from his journeys. He discovered something new, that the world really wasnt black and white at all. It was filled with many shades of rich colors, languages and religions. Andnr as he moved with ease arod the world, the rich and powerful were drawn to him, but he was drawn to the poor and the fo woodruff and there was comedian billy crystal, dubbed little brother by the three time heavyweight champion. Crystals famous 1979 routine 15 rounds was about ali. Its great to look at clips and its amazing that we have them, but to live in his time, watching his fights, experiencing the genius of his talent absolutely extraordinary. Every one of hisni fights was an aura of a super bowl. He didxd things nobody would do. He predicted the round he would knock somebody out and then he would do it he was funny. He was beautiful. He was the most perfect athlete you ever saw, and those were his own words. laughter woodruff journalist Bryant Woodruff journalist Bryant Gumbel met ali as a teenager, and, in 1991, interviewed him about the parkinsons disease that he battled for decades. Some of us like him took pride in being black, bold and brash, and because we were so unapologetic, we were in the eyes of many way too uppity, we were way too arrogant. Yet we reveled in being like him, by stretching societys boundaries as he did, he gave us levels of strength and courage we didnt even know we had. Woodruff former president bill Clinton Woodruff former president bill clinton presented ali with the citizens medal in 2001, and spoke at the dedication of the ali center four years later. He gave the days final eulogy. I think he decided, before he could possibly have worked it all out, and before fate and time could work their will on him, he decided that he would not be ever disempowered. He decided that not his race nor his place nor the expectations of others, positive, negative or otherwise, would strip from him the power to write his own story. Woodruff in the end, one man in the crowd summed up the day woodruff the two presumptive nominees for president were in washington today, each speaking to a friendly crowd and trying out attack lines aimed at the other. Political director Lisa Desjardins reports. Reporter it was an effort to reassure the religious right donald trump speaking to an evangelical christian audience at the faith and freedom coalitions conference in washington. We want to uphold the sanctity and dignity of life. Religious freedom, the right for people of faith to freely practice their faith, is so important. Reporter at the same time, he tried to address recent accusations of racism, including from some in his own party. Freedom of any kind means no one should be judged by their race or their color and the color of their skin, should not be judged that way. And right now we have a very divided nation and were going to bring our nation together. Reporter trump seemed to gain ground with the crowd, if not a full embrace. I came in a little skeptical, but his speech was really what i wanted to here. Im going to continue to be a little skeptical. But i am more excited about the outcome of what the president could offer christian voters. This is a room full of conservative voters, so i think they came into this ready to vote for him but the question now, but the question is will they fight for him. Reporter and how many as the republican presumptive nominee tries to shore up his argument with the religious right, Hillary Clinton shes pounding away with her base on the left. Reporter clinton was also in the nations capital, at a planned parenthood event, giving her first speech as the democratic partys presumptive nominee. When donald trump says lets make America Great again that is code for lets take america backward, back to a time when opportunity and dignity were reserved for some, not all. Back to the days when abortion was illegal, women had far fewer options and life for too many women and girls was limited. Reporter last night, following a day of endorsements from the president and Vice President , clinton also received the backing of progressive champion, massachusetts senator elizabeth warren. I am ready to get in this fight and work my heart out for Hillary Clinton to become the next president of the United States and to make sure that donald trump never gets any place close to the white house. Reporter this morning, the senator and the candidate met at the clintons washington home. Clinton later declined to respond when asked if warren is a potential running mate. Clinton hosts a fundraiser at her d. C. Home tonight, while trump holds a rally in richmond, virginia. Their job now excite their respective bases enough to come out in november. For the pbs newshour, im Lisa Desjardins. Woodruff stay with us, coming up on the newshour mark shields and david brooks on this weeks political news. And broadways landmark year ahead of sundays tony awards. But first, the financial pressures of the middle class. Its part of what youre hearing from voters and on the campaign trail this year. Tonight, we zero in on the case of a California Family feeling the squeeze. Its part of our joint project with American Public medias marketplace and pbs frontline, called how the deck is stacked, funded by the corporation for public broadcasting. The correspondent is the host of marketplace, kai ryssdal. Dont i call my insurance first . To make a claim . Yeah. Do you think its totaled . Yeah. Reporter this has not been a good morning for aaron and mary murray and vandy, their five yearold daughter. They came out to find aarons car had been hit overnight, one of those unexpected expenses hat can throw a lot of middle class families offtrack. Thank you for calling esurance my name is rebecca, how can i help . Hello rebecca. I am calling because my car got sideswiped. I did not see them, they just left a note on my car. Ah the note. They swerved to avoid a cat dashing across the street. Got to brake for animals. Reporter things get back on track, though, with marys car, and they head to the Los Angeles Zoo to meet some friends. Vandys really looking forward to the dinosaurs. Oh my gosh. Its okay, ill protect you. Reporter over a standard zoo lunch of chicken fingers, talk turns back to the car accident. The check goes to pay off the car, it doesnt go to me. Reporter next up, groceries at target fruit, chicken, taco kit, and george bedding. Nice. High five. Reporter mary keeps a close eye on the family budget. Money saving apps are key. Bread any bread. Unlocked. 25 cents. Chaching. Alright. Reporter the tricky thing when youre talking about the middle class is who exactly youre talking about. One definition, according to the pew Research Center, is a family of four, making between 48 and 145 thousand dollars a year, which is basically the murrays. Theyre both teachers. Household income is right at 90,000. And theyre the ones politicians talk about all the time. Hey, howre you . This is vandy. Reporter how are you sweetie . You good . Crazy day today. Aaron you walked out to get your laptop and. Yeah, ive been sideswiped this morning, the rear axels broke, i mean this is. Reporter is that part of the wheel . Yeah, thats the wheel. The tow trucks here. Reporter how big of a pain is this . Youre insured, but. Thats exactly it. Im insured but, even if they pay everything out, i now dont have a new car. Do we get a new car . How do we find the money to get the down payment . Like, thats really the big thing. Reporter whats that going to do to your Monthly Budget . This month is shot, next month is shot. Im a teacher, i dont get paid over the summer. Reporter so as you try to get ahead, this is like two steps back. Yeah. Reporter maybe more. They say theyre going to cover everything, but covering everything is never everything. Reporter our family, the murrays, they make 90,000 a year, now granted they live in l. A. , an expensive part of the country, housing is ridiculous, theyre middle class, right . They would be, yeah, by definition. Reporter Jennifer Pate is an economist at Loyola Marymount university. When we hear politicians and others say the middle class in america is being hollowed out. What does that mean . That means its getting smaller . People are either going up, which is called upward mobility or more likely its downward mobility, were seeing a hollowing out of the middle. These are people who purchase goods and services across the year that leads to higher Economic Prosperity in our country. What do families do when they struggle . Reporter they dont spend, right . They retrench. They spend less. They sometimes have to take jobs that have better security but pay lower wages. Wages have been stagnant in real terms roughly since the 70s. Reporter our family, the murrays, theyre teachers, theyre hustling to get by. Getting wrecked was not in their budget. When youre living very close to your means, or just barely living within your means, when you have a catastrophic event, Something Like having your car totaled unexpectedly, that disproportionately weighs on you. I dont feel middle class. Id like to feel middle class. I dont. I hardly feel like an adult. Reporter we asked the murrays whether they expected things to turn out like this. In my best reme