Transcripts For KQED PBS NewsHour 20170527 : comparemela.com

Transcripts For KQED PBS NewsHour 20170527

News, and the president s first tour abroad. 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. 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. Sreenivasan once again tonight, Coptic Christians in egypt are under attack. This time, gunmen blasted a bus packed with men, women and children. Chief Foreign Affairs correspondent Margaret Warner has the story. Reporter hours after the attack, the bus sat on an unpaved desert road. Shattered windows and blood stains bore witness to the ferocious assault. Survivors told of being overtaken by eight to ten gunmen in s. U. V. s. How many people were on the bus . translated we were 40 people, including children in the bus. Reporter what did the attackers look like . translated they were masked. Reporter what were they wearing . translated like military uniforms. Reporter it happened on a isolated road in minya province, south of cairo. The Coptic Christians were on their way to a monastery. The Health Ministry says many of the dead and wounded were children. This was the latest in a series of attacks on egypts embattled christian minority since late last year. Those claimed more than 75 lives. And the Islamic State group claimed responsibility for those earlier incidents. In december, the main coptic cathedral in cairo was bombed. Then on palm sunday, came twin suicide attacks on churches in alexandria and tanta. After that, egyptian president adbel fatah elsisi declared a threemonth nationwide state of emergency. translated i wont say those who fell are christian or muslim. I will say that theyre egyptian. Reporter the pope, visiting egypt weeks later, condemned the violence against the copts. translated god, the lover of life, never ceases to love man. It is essential that we reject any absolutizing that would justify violence. For violence is the negation of every authentic religious expression. Reporter Coptic Christians make up about 10 of egypts population of 93 Million People, and theyve long been a target for islamist radicals. In 2013, they largely supported thengeneral elsisi when he ousted the Muslim Brotherhood from power. In return, he pledged to protect the christian minority. Now, christians say elsisi has failed to make good on his promise, as his government confronts an islamist insurgency. Npr reporter jane arraf, in cairo, said christians dont complain about elsisi publicly. They dont want to criticize him. We know thats the case because after these attacks, in hospitals in minya, where people gathered to gather their dead and comfort the wounded, there were protests, but the protests were against the attack itself, they werent against the government. Reporter and, on a dayto day basis, christians must be evermore watchful and circumspect about practicing their religion, fearing violence from terrorists or their own muslim neighbors. In one place, christians were attacked and their houses burned after they gathered to pray for victims of a suicide bombing on palm sunday. When i asked villagers there whats the problem you have with christians, they said, we dont have a problem, they just cant build churches. So its really very unsettled for them in places like that, and theyre not sure who to turn to, to be perfectly honest. Reporter today, as family members mourn the latest victims, egyptian jets struck militant bases in eastern libya. And, elsisi appealed to President Trump to take the lead in fighting terrorism. For the pbs newshour, im Margaret Warner. Sreenivasan this evening at the g7 summit in sicily, President Trump condemned the attack in egypt. He blamed what he called evil organizations of terror with a thuggish ideology. In the days other news, an activist Group Reports u. S. Coalition air strikes in Eastern Syria killed more than 100 people overnight. That word comes from the syrian observatory for human rights, based in britain. It says the strikes hit a town held by Islamic State fighters. Children and other relatives of the militants were among the victims. Police in manchester, england have made two more arrests in the concert bombing that killed 22 people. They say they now have nine people in custody, including several they call key players. Investigators also raided new locations today, and the police chief said thats likely to continue through the weekend. We have hundreds of officers that are working on this investigation from across the National Counter terrorism policing network. And we have seized thousands of exhibits that are now being assessed. I think its fair to say that theres been enormous progress with the investigation. Theres still an awful lot of work to do. Sreenivasan also today, secretary of state Rex Tillerson said the u. S. Government takes full responsibility for information in the case that leaked to news organizations. In sri lanka, monsoon rains triggered floods and mudslides today, killing 91 people. At least 110 others are missing. Swollen rivers washed over roads and houses, and 2,000 people were forced to evacuate. More than 60,000 have been affected by the rain. Back in this country, Hillary Clinton delivered a searing critique of President Trumps policies, in a commencement address. She spoke at her alma mater, Wellesley College in massachusetts. Without naming the president directly, she branded his budget an attack of unimaginable cruelty against the most vulnerable. She also charged theres a fullfledged assault on truth and reason. When people in power invent their own facts, and attack those who question them, it can mark the beginning of the end of a free society. Sreenivasan Vice President pence also addressed a Graduation Ceremony at the Naval Academy in annapolis, maryland. He told the 1,000 graduates the era of budget cuts of the armed forces is over. We will not relent, until we rebuild our military, restore the arsenal of democracy, and ensure that our soldiers, sailors, airmen, marines, and coast guard have all the resources that you need to accomplish your mission and come home safe. Sreenivasan the president already signed into law a large increase in defense spending, and hes calling for major new outlays in his budget. The president s soninlaw, jared kushner, says hell cooperate with an f. B. I. Investigation into ties between Campaign Aides and russia. Thats according to a statement from his lawyer. News accounts say the focus is on kushners meetings with russian officials in december. They say it does not mean he is suspected of a crime. Republican Greg Gianforte is headed to congress from montana, despite being charged with assault. He beat democrat rob quist by six points in yesterdays special election, for the states only u. S. House seat. In his victory speech, gianforte apologized for his altercation with a reporter the night before. I made a mistake. And i took an action that i cant take back. Im not proud of what happened. I should not have responded in the way that i did, and for that im sorry. Thats not the person that i am, and its not the way ill lead in this state. Sreenivasan President Trump cheered the election result today, telling reporters great win in montana. And, wall street went quietly into the memorial day weekend. The Dow Jones Industrial average lost two points to close at 21,080 today. The nasdaq rose about five points, and the s p 500 edged up a fraction. For the week, the dow and the s p gained more than 1 . The nasdaq rose 2 . Still to come on the newshour an exclusive interview with aya hijazi, freed after spending three years in an egyptian prison. What President Trump accomplished on his first trip abroad. Mark shields and david brooks analyze a full week of news. And much more. Sreenivasan now, to judys exclusive interview with aya hijazy, the egyptianamerican aid worker released last month from prison in egypt, along with her husband, mohammed hassanien. The 30yearold hijazy grew up in the washington area, and in egypt. In 2013, she and mohammed founded the belady foundation. The goal to help impoverished Street Children in cairo. But they soon found themselves in prison, falsely accused of horrendous crimes, and the subjects of International Efforts including by president s trump and obama to gain their release. Judy spoke with aya and mohammed earlier this week. Woodruff the calm, mundane routine of daily life is something new and special again for aya hijazy and her husband mohammed hassanien. The apartment they moved in to outside washington is still sparsely furnished but its a place to call their own, and its a world away from the egyptian jail cells and crowded courtroom cages they were kept in for three years. They had met in Tahrir Square in the heady days after egypts 2011 revolution. Initially, it seemed like the Political Climate would allow for political change. Woodruff but by 2013, after the military deposed the Muslim Brotherhood government, the picture darkened. They looked to build a little light. So it seemed like the only venue to actually do change and give hope and not be not vilify or be vilified is to work on humanitarian causes that no other two people could differ on, like strata children. Who would want a child to sleep in the streets . Woodruff the organization they founded to help those children would lead to heinous unfounded charges of child abuse and human trafficking. We still dont really know what happened. We know p picture but not why or how. The kids started to love us and tell everybody about our organization and everything was going on smoothly until one day supposedly a father came looking for his son, whom we have never seen, and the children have never seen, and we went with him to file a Police Report because he was quite abusive with us and the children. Instead of us filing a report, we found we are charged with human trafficking. Woodruff so there had been no indication before that of a problem . No. Woodruff and were you immediately taken into custody . Yes, from that day on. Woodruff how did you deal with it . You were separated pretty immediately, is that right . Yes. Yes. And we couldnt contact anyone, but the word got through very, very quickly, and, so, lawyers came, but they werent ours, they were just volunteers. So i just thought that immediately when i talk to a prosecutor or a judge, well be released within a day or a few days, and it went on for three years. Woodruff three years, shuttled from different prisons to court appearances. The newlymarried couple seeing each other only fleetingly. How much were you able to be in contact with each other during the time you were held . It was very hard to get letters across through our families. Our families would visit us, exchange letters. Other than that, we would wait for Court Sessions to meet. So its like a total of 18 months we saw each other only three times and maybe only for a minute or less even. Woodruff tell me about your experience. I wasnt tortured in prison or beaten or even i did not receive abusive words. It was very hard for me that i was placed with regular crimes. I wasnt even classified in prison as a political prisoner and the charges were very heinous like raping children. So it was very hard just coping with that. Prison itself is against human nature. The idea of prison is that it takes away from the persons humanity and the persons ideas. But if the person was able to keep his orler core ideas and humanity, then the person has won. Woodruff aya taught herself french and spanish in prison and learned to draw. She showed me one pencil sketch that she said reflected what was her own experience. Where are you in this drawing . I find myself in a lot of those. Like, i find myself here, like, all right, im ready to go to prison just to prove my point. I find myself here looking at the window, seeing the streets and wishing that i could be part of it one day again. Woodruff is it true that most of the people in egypt dont know whats going on inside prison . Yes, prisons are largely a closed place, and we suffered that. Woodruff while they endured, unbeknownst to them, aya hijazy and mohammed hassanien had many advocates on the outside in high places. Id like to raise the case of egyptianamerican citizen aya hijazy. Woodruff were you aware president obama was trying to get you out . I was aware the administration did a lot. It was toward the end of our imprisonment and their administration. I have to give credit where credit is due, so i am thankful to them. Woodruff that happened. A new president comes into office, and how did you hear that he was working on this . What we saw was he said something to president elsisi. How did you hear about this . In the prison we got to see some newspapers, and, so, trump was saying that they should not be discussing human rights issues publicly. It seemed like its being discussed but behind closed doors. Woodruff and then how did you learn that something might happen . That you might be freed . So we knew that there was american interest, but up until the last day, we had no idea how it will go until the day of the acquittal. Woodruff until the final day . Yeah. Woodruff so how did you learn . It was actually in the cage where the judge committed us all acquitted us all, and it was unbelievable. Like, we prayed for it so much, but we thought its far reaching. Like the best that could be done was a pardon and we were really hoping we wouldnt reach that. It was a surprise. Woodruff you literally had no preparation. The judge told you, you were acquitted. We didnt know he would say acquitted, in a sense. It was, like, the best moment of our lives, all of us. Woodruff that moment just six weeks ago came after President Trumps meeting in washington with egypts president abdel fattah elsisi. Mr. Trump has been complimentary of elsisi following years of strained relations with the obama administration. I want to say to you mr. President you have a great friend and ally in the United States and me. Woodruff ayas view of mr. Trumps praise of the egyptian leader are complicated. This is difficult for me because i dont share his view on mr. Sisi. I could differ with mr. Trump, and i would actually direct this to mr. Sisi, if he listens. It wasnt just us who were unjustly imprisoned, and if mr. Sisi had a role, i would tell you, mr. Sisi, if you had a role, then thats good, but there are thousands and thousands of wrongly imprisoned people. Woodruff almost immediately upon her release, a u. S. Government plane whisked aya and mohammed to the United States where aya soon sat with the president in the oval office, the same chair in which president sisi had a few weeks earlier. We are happy to have aya back home and great honor to have her in the oval office. Woodruff house of your meeting with President Trump . He was very hospitable. He made us feel very welcome and he admired our strength. I went for the children. I was glad. Woodruff what did he ask you . He asked about the time of my arrest. Not sure, but seemed like he had this idea or conviction that it was at the time of the Muslim Brotherhood. Woodruff which was before president sisi. Which was before sisi. He said was it at the time to have the brotherhood . I said, no. He said, oh, it was at the time of sisi. He was taken aback. Woodruff is there a contradiction between President Trump working to get you released and, on the other hand, praising the government of egypt which was holding you in prison . I think hes trying to be effective because he even said it to me, while we met, that, well, that he was effective, wasnt he . And i dont know how to say no. So there is the traditional way of just mere criticism, very sharp criticism, and there is the more diplomatic way, perhaps. Woodruff do you think that maybe in your conversation with him and in his learning about your experience that maybe youve adjusted his thinking about human rights or what do you think about that . I hope he gets to know that human rights situation is really horrible at that time. And people are not just its not just for fighting terrorism because people are unjustly held and there are so many fabricated cases that are illegitimately held. Woodruff are both of you optimistic things will get better in evipt . Worry and optimism are different things. Its normal to be worried but its not normal to live out hope, and were also hopeful, and im worried. Woodruff what do you want for the people of egypt . We want what we call some may call american values. I would like to think of them as universals values. Humanity, number one. A good governed state where people can express themselves, where they can assemble, where they can live in harmony and peace. Democracy is not a bad word to describe that. Woodruff you believe that time is coming . We have to believe until the very last day we die. I mean, if we want to be parents were not parents yet and we want to see something good to future generations, so either we say weve given you a better world or we die trying. Sreenivasan President Trump spent the last full day of his first, and lengthy, overseas trip in sicily t

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