PBS NewsHour; December 6, 2011 6:00pm-7:00pm PST

Captioning sponsored by MacNEIL/LEHRER PRODUCTIONS

>> Ifill: TWIN SUICIDE BOMBINGS IN AFGHANISTAN KILLED DOZENS OF SHIITE WORSHIPPERS TODAY, IN THE WORST SECTARIAN VIOLENCE IN TEN YEARS. GOOD EVENING. I'M GWEN IFILL.

>> Woodruff: AND I'M JUDY WOODRUFF. ON THE NEWSHOUR TONIGHT, WE GET THE LATEST ON TODAY'S ATTACKS AND ASSESS WHAT'S NEXT AFTER U.S. FORCES LEAVE THE WAR-TORN NATION.

>> Ifill: THEN, WE UPDATE THE PROTESTS IN RUSSIA, WHERE, FOR A SECOND DAY, HUNDREDS RALLIED AGAINST ALLEGED FRAUD IN SUNDAY'S PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS.

>> Woodruff: WE HAVE A REPORT FROM OUR PBS COLLEAGUES IN DETROIT, ABOUT THE CITY'S PLAN TO STAVE OFF A FINANCIAL CRISIS.

>> IN THE LAST 60 YEARS DETROIT HAS LOST MORE THAN HALF OF ITS POPULATION. THIS IS A COMMON SCENE IN ONCE COMFORTABLE MIDDLE CLASS NEIGHBORHOODS: ABANDONED HOMES BEING LEVELED BY CITY WRECKING CREWS.

>> Ifill: GEOFFREY BROWN GETS THE STORY OF THE VIOLENT LIFE AND TRAGIC DEATH OF A 28-YEAR-OLD PROFESSIONAL HOCKEY PLAYER AS TOLD BY JOHN BRANCH OF THE "NEW YORK TIMES".

>> Woodruff: AND WE CLOSE WITH A LOOK AT A GALAXY VERY, VERY FAR AWAY, WHERE THERE ARE TWO MONSTER BLACK HOLES, EACH OF THEM BILLIONS OF TIMES MORE MASSIVE THAN OUR SUN.

>> Ifill: THAT'S ALL AHEAD ON TONIGHT'S NEWSHOUR. MAJOR FUNDING FOR THE PBS NEWSHOUR HAS BEEN PROVIDED BY:

>> COMPUTING SURROUNDS US. SOMETIMES IT'S OBVIOUS AND SOMETIMES IT'S VERY SURPRISING WHERE YOU FIND IT. SOON, COMPUTING INTELLIGENCE IN UNEXPECTED PLACES WILL CHANGE OUR LIVES IN TRULY PROFOUND WAYS. TECHNOLOGY CAN PROVIDE CUSTOMIZED EXPERIENCES, TAILORED TO INDIVIDUAL CONSUMER PREFERENCES, IGNITING A WORLD OF POSSIBILITIES FROM THE INSIDE OUT. SPONSORING TOMORROW, STARTS TODAY. AND THE WILLIAM AND FLORA HEWLETT FOUNDATION, WORKING TO SOLVE SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS AT HOME AND AROUND THE WORLD. AND WITH THE ONGOING SUPPORT OF THESE INSTITUTIONS AND FOUNDATIONS. AND... THIS PROGRAM WAS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE CORPORATION FOR PUBLIC BROADCASTING. AND BY CONTRIBUTIONS TO YOUR PBS STATION FROM VIEWERS LIKE YOU. THANK YOU.

>> Woodruff: A SUICIDE ATTACKER KILLED 56 PEOPLE AND WOUNDED MORE THAN 160 OTHERS IN KABUL, AFGHANISTAN, TODAY. IT WAS THE WORST OF SEVERAL ATTACKS THAT SHOOK THE COUNTRY. PENITENTIARY NENT WORSHIPPERS RITUALLY BEATING THEMSELVES ON SHIITE ISLAM'S HOLIEST DAY HAD FLOODED CENTRAL KABUL STREETS WHEN THE BOMBER STRUCK. THE CROWDS WERE COMMEMORATING THE 7th CENTURY DEATH OF IMAM HUSSEIN A GRANDSON OF THE PROPHET MOHAMMED.

>> THE CEREMONY WAS ABOUT TO FINISH. A NEW GROUP ARRIVED AND THE SUICIDE BOMBERS PLACED THEMSELVES AMONG THE NEW GROUP.

>> Woodruff: A SHORT TIME LATER THE SHOES OF THE DEAD AND WOUNDED WERE PILED IN THE GUTTERS NEAR THE MOSQUE. THE SHRINE IS IN AREA OF THE CAPITAL NEAR THE PRESIDENTIAL PALACE AND MANY GOVERNMENT MINISTRIES. A SECOND ATTACK IN THE NORTHERN CITY OF... KILLED FOUR MORE SHIITES. A THIRD ATTACK IN KANDAHAR KILLED ONE PERSON. MAJOR SECTARIAN VIOLENCE IN AFGHANISTAN BETWEEN SUNNIS AND THE 20% OF AFGHANS WHO ARE SHIITES HAD BEEN NEARLY UNKNOWN SINCE THE FALL OF THE TALIBAN IN 2001. THE TALIBAN DENIED ANY ROLE IN TODAY'S ATTACKS, BUT IN PAKISTAN WHERE SUCH VIOLENCE IS COMMONPLACE, A SPOKESMAN FOR A SUNNI MILITANT GROUP DID CLAIM RESPONSIBILITY.

>> THE FIRST TIME ON SUCH AN IMPORTANT RELIGIOUS DATE IN AFGHANISTAN TERRORISM OF THAT HORRIBLE NATURE IS TAKING PLACE.

>> Woodruff: AFGHAN PRESIDENT KARZAI WAS IN BERLIN TODAY MEETING WITH GERMAN CHANCELLOR MERCKEL.

>> THIS SHOWS THAT WE MUST CONTINUE TO WORK HARD IN ORDER TO ENSURE THE SECURITY SITUATION IN AFGHANISTAN.

>> Woodruff: THE LEADERS SPOKE ONE DAY AFTER A MAJOR CONFERENCE HELD IN BONN. THE AGENDA STABILIZING AFGHANISTAN AFTER TEN YEARS OF INTERNATIONAL INVOLVEMENT. AND AFTER THE 2014 WITHDRAWAL DATE FOR U.S. FORCES. THE AFGHANS SAID THEY WOULD NEED A FURTHER DECADE OF ASSISTANCE BEYOND THAT DATE UNTIL 2024. ANOTHER IMPORTANT PLAYER, PAKISTAN, BOYCOTTED THE GATHERING OVER LAST WEEK'S NATO AIR STRIKE THAT KILLED 24 PAKISTANI SOLDIERS. THE GOVERNMENT HAD ALREADY BARRED NATO CONVOYS FROM BORDER CROSSINGS INTO AFGHANISTAN. SECRETARY OF STATE CLINTON LAMENTED THE PAKISTANI DECISION TO STAY HOME FROM BONN.

>> IT WOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER IF THEY HAD COME. TODAY'S CONFERENCE WAS AN IMPORTANT MILESTONE TOWARD THE KIND OF SECURITY AND STABILITY THAT IS IMPORTANT FOR PAKISTAN AS WELL AS FOR AFGHANISTAN.

>> Woodruff: PAKISTAN'S PRIME MINISTER SAID YESTERDAY THE BOYCOTT DID NOT MEAN HIS COUNTRY COUNTRY HAS ABANDONED THE MISSION TO STABILIZE AFGHANISTAN.

>> WE ARE COMMITTED. DESPITE NOT ATTENDING, BUT WE ARE COMMITTED.

>> Woodruff: OVER THE WEEKEND HE AND PAKISTAN'S PRESIDENT FIELDED CALLS FROM CLINTON AND PRESIDENT OBAMA, SEEKING TO REPAIR THE RELATIONSHIP THAT BEARS SO HEAVILY ON THE INTERNATIONAL ENTERPRISE IN AFGHANISTAN. FOR MORE ON THE SITUATION IN AFGHANISTAN, WE GET TWO VIEWS. CELESTE WARD GVENTER WAS A DEPUTY ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF DEFENSE IN 2006 AND 2007. SHE'S NOW AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS IN AUSTIN. ANDREW WILDER IS THE DIRECTOR OF AFGHANISTAN AND PAKISTAN PROGRAMS AT THE UNITED STATES INSTITUTE OF PEACE. HE HAS WORKED IN BOTH COUNTRIES FOR MORE THAN 20 YEARS, RUNNING HUMANITARIAN ORGANIZATIONS AND DOING RESEARCH. WE THANK YOU BOTH FOR BEING WITH US. ANDREW WILDER, TO YOU FIRST. ON TODAY'S BOMBING. THESE ARE RARE, AS WE SAID, HAVE BEEN YEARS SINCE SOMETHING LIKE THIS HAS HAPPENED IN AFGHANISTAN. SECTARIAN VIOLENCE ON SHIITES. WHAT IS THE SIGNIFICANCE THAT IT'S HAPPENING NOW?

>> AS IF AFGHANISTAN NEEDED A NEW KIND OF VIOLENCE. WE HAVEN'T SEEN THIS KIND OF SECTARIAN ATTACK IN AFGHANISTAN. IT'S QUITE FREQUENT AND COMMON IN PAKISTAN TO SEE THIS KIND OF ATTACK. BUT NOT IN AFGHANISTAN. THAT'S WHY IT'S VERY UNUSUAL. AGAIN, A COORDINATED ATTACK IN THREE CITIES AT THE SAME TIME. REALLY UNFORTUNATE TO SEE THIS KIND OF SUNNI-SHE A TYPE OF VIOLENCE IN AFGHANISTAN. THE ATTACKS HAVE BEEN MOSTLY DIRECTED AT OFFICIAL TARRING HES, MILITARY TARGETS BUT NOT SECTARIAN TARRING HES LIKE THE SHIA COMMUNITY.

>> Woodruff: WE REPORTED THAT A PAKISTANI SUNNI MILITANT GROUP CLAIMED RESPONSIBILITY. HOW DO YOU SEE THIS, THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS TAKING PLACE RIGHT NOW?

>> GOOD EVENING, JUDY. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME. I AGREE. IT'S A TRAGIC AND TROUBLING EVENT THAT WE'RE SEEING THIS KIND OF SECTARIAN ATTACK IN AFGHANISTAN. NOW. AND IT'S NOT A PATTERN WE'VE SEEN BEFORE, BUT I THINK THE ADMINISTRATION HAS TO KEEP ITS EYE ON THE BALL DESPITE THIS EVENT AND KEEP WORKING TOWARD A NEGOTIATED SETTLEMENT TO END THE CONFLICT IN AFGHANISTAN.

>> Woodruff: STAYING WITH YOU, DO YOU THINK THERE'S REASON TO BELIEVE THERE WILL BE MORE ATTACKS LIKE THIS, SUNNI ON SHIITE?

>> THERE MAY WELL BE. THAT WOULD BE VERY TROUBLING INDEED. BUT AGAIN THE ADMINISTRATION, I THINK, IS ON THE RIGHT COURSE BY HELPING TO INTERNATIONALIZE THE PROBLEM. FOR INSTANCE THROUGH THE BONN CONFERENCE A FEW DAYS AGO. AND CONTINUING TO MAKE THIS A REGIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL PROBLEM WHICH IS REALLY WHAT IT IS WHICH OFTEN AMERICANS TEND TO FORGET BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN INVOLVED FOR SO LONG BUT IT'S CRITICAL WE VIEW IT AS A REGIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL PROBLEM REQUIRING A REGIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL SOLUTION.

>> Woodruff: ANDREW WILDERS, WHAT ABOUT THAT CONFERENCE? THIS WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A PLACE FOR AFGHANISTAN TO CEMENT AID FROM OTHER WESTERN COUNTRIES, BUT THE TIMING OF TODAY'S ATTACK COMING AT THE SAME TIME ESPECIALLY UNFORTUNATE. IS THE CONFERENCE... DID THE CONFERENCE PRODUCE WHAT IT WAS EXPECTED TO PRODUCE?

>> UNFORTUNATELY NOT BECAUSE THE ORIGINAL PURPOSE OF THE CONFERENCE WAS TO BE MUCH MORE SIGNIFICANT STEP IN THE PEACE PROCESS. BUT LONG BEFORE THE PEACE PROCESS WASN'T MOVING FORWARD SO THE AGENDA SHIFTED TO BE MUCH MORE OF AN INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE WHERE THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY COULD EXPRESS SUPPORT FOR AFGHANISTAN LONGER-TERM COMMITMENT THAT WE WON'T ABANDON AFGHANISTAN AGAIN. YET AT THE END THERE WAS QUITE A DISCREPANCY BETWEEN WHAT PRESIDENT KARZAI I THINK WAS ASKING THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY TO DO IN TERMS OF LONG-TERM FINANCIAL COMMITMENTS TO AFGHANISTAN AND WHAT I THINK THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY AT THIS POINT IS READY TO DO. WHICH I THIS I IS UNFORTUNATE BECAUSE WE CAN'T WALK AWAY FROM AFGHANISTAN PREMATURELY LIKE WE'VE DONE IN THE PAST.

>> Woodruff: WHAT ABOUT THE EXPECTATIONS FOR THAT CONFERENCE AND WHAT ACTUALLY CAME OUT OF IT?

>> WELL, I AGREE. IT SEEMS THAT THE ADMINISTRATION INITIALLY WHEN IT PUT TOGETHER THE CONFERENCE WAS EXPECTING A LOT MORE TO COME OF IT. CERTAINLY THEY WERE EXPECTING THE PAKISTANIS TO ATTEND WHICH THEY DECIDED NOT TO. AND THERE ARE SOME REPORTS THAT THEY WERE HOPING THAT CERTAIN MEMBERS OF THE TALIBAN WHO PERHAPS THEY ARE NEGOTIATING WITH MIGHT ALSO BE THERE. THOSE DIDN'T COME TO PASS. THESE ARE CLEAR SETBACKS.

>> Woodruff: WHAT ABOUT AGAIN AND AGAIN STAYING WITH YOU. WHAT WHEN WHAT WE HEARD JUST YESTERDAY FROM PRESIDENT KARZAI? THAT HE'S NOW LOOKING FOR AID FROM THE WEST, FROM OTHER COUNTRIES, FOR TEN YEARS BEYOND WHEN U.S. AND INTERNATIONAL TROOPS LEAVE AFGHANISTAN. IS THAT REALISTIC?

>> WELL, I CERTAINLY DON'T THINK IT'S REALISTIC TO EXPECT THAT WE WOULD CONTINUE TO PROVIDE AID AT THE LEVELS THAT WE HAVE OVER THE LAST DECADE. THAT WOULD BE UNSUSTAINABLE FOR THE UNITED STATES AND ALSO FOR MANY OF ITS INTERNATIONAL PARTNERS. BUT I DON'T THINK OUR CHOICES HERE ARE TO, QUOTE, ABANDON AFGHANISTAN OR TO CONTINUE PROVIDING AID AT THE LEVEL WE HAVE. WE CAN CONTINUE TO HELP THEM EVEN AFTER A REDUCTION IN U.S. MILITARY FORCES WITH A VARIETY OF AID AND TRAINING AND OTHER KINDS OF SUPPORT. SO I DON'T THINK U.S. FORCES GOING DOWN MEANS THE U.S. IS ABANDONING AFGHANISTAN. THAT'S AN IMPORTANT DISTINCTION.

>> Woodruff: ANDREW WILDER, HOW REALISTIC DO YOU SEE PRESIDENT KARZAI'S INSISTENCE THAT HIS COUNTRY IS GOING TO NEED A HIGH LEVEL OF DEVELOPMENT AND AID FROM OTHER COUNTRIES AFTER THE TROOPS ARE GONE?

>> I WOULD AGREE WITH CELESTE. I CAN EXPECT HIM TO EXPECT THAT BUT I DON'T THINK HE'S GOING TO GET THAT. I THINK IN SOME WAYS I WOULD ARGUE AND HAVE ARGUED THAT WE'VE PROBABLY SPENT TOO MUCH MONEY IN AFGHANISTAN TOO QUICKLY AND CREATED THIS BIT OF A WAR AND AID ECONOMY, BUBBLE ECONOMY. BUT NOW THE LAST THING WE SHOULD DO IS POP THAT ECONOMY BECAUSE THAT WOULD BE VERY DESTABILIZING. WE NEED TO START LETTING AIR OUT OF THAT BUBBLE IN A SOMEWHAT CONTROLLED MANNER AND THEN HAVE A LONGER TERM SUSTAINABLE LEVEL ENGAGEMENT IN AFGHANISTAN NOT AT THE LEVELS WE HAVE NOW BUT CERTAINLY NOT DOWN TO ZERO.

>> Woodruff: LET ME TURN THE QUESTION AROUND BECAUSE MANY OF THE OTHER COUNTRIES WHO WERE THERE SAID TO PRESIDENT KARZAI IN EFFECT, OKAY, WE'LL CONSIDER GIVING YOU THIS AID IF YOU WILL CLEAN UP THE CORRUPTION, IF YOU'LL PROMISE US THIS COUNTRY WILL BE STABLE AND IF YOU'LL DO OTHER THINGS TO PUT AFGHANISTAN ON TRACK TO BEING A NORMAL... A COUNTRY THAT IS STABLE IN THE UNIVERSE OF NATIONS. IS THAT A REASONABLE AND REALISTIC REQUEST FOR THESE OTHER COUNTRIES TO MAKE?

>> I THINK ABSOLUTELY. I MEAN, I THINK IF PRESIDENT KARZAI WANTS THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY TO SUPPORT HIS COUNTRY AND HIS GOVERNMENT THEN HE'S ALSO GOING TO HAVE TO DEMONSTRATE THAT HE'S WILLING TO ACTUALLY BUY INTO A REFORM AGENDA, MAKE CLEAR WHAT HIS OWN TRANSITION STRATEGY IS. HIS TERM COMES TO AN END IN 2014 AND HE NEEDS TO BE CLEAR THAT HE'S GOING TO STEP DOWN, SUPPORT A DEMOCRATIC TRANSITION. SO I THINK THAT HE NEEDS TO DEMONSTRATE A LOT IF HE'S GOING TO KEEP THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY ENGAGED IN SUPPORTING HIM. BUT EVEN IF HE DOESN'T, I THINK WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT AFGHANISTAN IS GOING TO HAVE VERY SIGNIFICANT HUMANITARIAN NEEDS THAT REGARDLESS OF PRESIDENT KARZAI'S GOVERNMENT'S PERFORMANCE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO SUPPORT THE AFGHAN PEOPLE ESPECIALLY THERE'S A DEVASTATING DROUGHT ON NOW AND THE WAR SITUATION THAT IS GOING TO NEED LONGER TERM COMMITMENTS OF SUPPORT BUT I THINK HE'LL GET MORE SUPPORT IF HE CAN DEMONSTRATE BETTER GOVERNANCE ON HIS PART.

>> Woodruff: CELESTE WARD GVENTER, HOW DO YOU SEE THESE DEMANDS IN EFFECT EXPECTATIONS FROM OTHER COUNTRIES THAT WE'LL CONSIDER THIS MONEY IF YOU WILL DO THESE THINGS. MOVE TO A RULE OF LAW. GET RID OF THE CORRUPTION AND SO FORTH.

>> WELL, I THINK THOSE DEMANDS I AGREE ARE ABSOLUTELY APPROPRIATE ESPECIALLY GIVEN THE LEGACY OF CORRUPTION WHICH IS ENDEMIC IN HAMID KARZAI'S REGIME. WHETHER OR NOT HE CAN FULFILL THOSE REQUIREMENTS OR NOT IS A DIFFERENT QUESTION. OF COURSE, THE U.S. HAS BEEN ASKING HIM TO MAKE THOSE REFORMS FOR A LONG TIME NOW. IT'S NOT CLEAR WHETHER HE CAN OR IS WILLING TO. BUT WE ARE RIGHT TO PUT THOSE KINDS OF RESTRICTIONS ON.

>> Woodruff: ARE YOU SAYING THE DEMAND, THE EXPECTATIONS RAISED BY OTHER COUNTRIES IS NOT REALISTIC?

>> WELL, SO FAR WE DON'T HAVE MUCH OF THE PAST TO GO ON TO SUGGEST TO US THAT INDEED HE CAN FULFILL THOSE REQUIREMENTS. BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN WE SHOULD STOP ASKING HIM TO DO SO. I THINK WE NEED TO INSIST THAT HE DEAL WITH THE CORRUPTION IN HIS GOVERNMENT BUT AGAIN SO FAR HE HASN'T BEEN ABLE TO OR HASN'T BEEN WILLING TO SO THERE'S NOT A GREAT REASON FOR OPTIMISM ON THAT FRONT BUT WE SHOULD NONETHELESS REQUIRE HIM TO.

>> Woodruff: JUST QUICKLY ANDREW WILDER, WHAT SHOULD THE WEST, THE REST OF THE WORLD, REALISTIC EXPECT FROM PRESIDENT KARZAI IN THE SHORT TERM?

>> WELL I THINK TO DEMONSTRATE THAT HE IS SERIOUS ABOUT ALLOWING THE REFORM AGENDA TO MOVE FORWARD. TO DATE HE'S DEMONSTRATED NOT A LOT OF SUPPORT FOR THAT. I THINK AS I SAID BEFORE TO MAKE VERY CLEAR HIS OWN TRANSITION STRATEGY BECAUSE IF PEOPLE ARE UNCHRIR THAT HE'S GOING TO BE LEAVING, I THINK THAT'S REALLY CONFUSING MATTERS IN TERMS OF THE POSSIBILITY FOR A SUCCESSFUL PEACE PROCESS. THE NORTHERN ALLIANCE OPPOSITION MOVEMENTS DON'T TRUST HIM. IN ADDITION TO BUILDING, REACHING OUT TO THE TALIBAN, PRESIDENT KARZAI NEEDS TO REACH OUT TO HIS OWN OPPOSITION IN THE COUNTRY. I THINK IMPROVING THE PERFORMANCE OF HIS OWN GOVERNMENT WOULD BE A REALLY GOOD FIRST STEP IN THAT DIRECTION.

>> Woodruff: WE WILL LEAVE IT THERE. THANK YOU BOTH.

>> THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.

>> Ifill: STILL TO COME

>> Ifill: STILL TO COME ON THE NEWSHOUR, THE CRACKDOWN ON PROTESTERS IN RUSSIA; THE MOVE TO TURN AROUND DETROIT; THE DANGEROUS JOB OF A HOCKEY ENFORCER; AND THE MASSIVE BLACK HOLES IN GIANT GALAXIES. BUT FIRST, THE OTHER NEWS OF THE DAY. HERE'S HARI SREENIVASAN.

>> Sreenivasan: PRESIDENT OBAMA CONDEMNED ECONOMIC INEQUALITY TODAY, AND DECLARED THAT IT IS A "MAKE OR BREAK MOMENT" FOR THE AMERICAN MIDDLE CLASS. HE SPOKE IN OSAWATOMIE, KANSAS, WHERE THEODORE ROOSEVELT DELIVERED HIS "NEW NATIONALISM" SPEECH IN 1910, CALLING FOR PROGRESSIVE REFORMS. IN HIS SPEECH TODAY, THE PRESIDENT PAINTED REPUBLICANS AS OBSTACLES TO PROGRESS.

>> THEY WANT TO GO BACK TO THE SAME POLICIES THAT STACKED THE DECK AGAINST MIDDLE CLASS AMERICANS FOR WAY TOO MANY YEARS. AND THEIR PHILOSOPHY IS SIMPLE: WE ARE BETTER OFF WHEN EVERYBODY IS LEFT TO FEND FOR THEMSELVES AND PLAY BY THEIR OWN RULES. I AM HERE TO SAY THEY ARE WRONG.

>> Sreenivasan: IN WASHINGTON, REPUBLICANS CHARGED THE SPEECH WAS A PLOY TO DIVERT ATTENTION FROM THE STRUGGLING ECONOMY. SENATE MINORITY LEADER MITCH McCONNELL SAID THE PRESIDENT BEARS THE BLAME FOR THE IMPASSE ON JOBS LEGISLATION.

>> I DON'T THINK WORKING AMERICANS SHOULD HAVE TO SUFFER ANY MORE THAN THEY ALREADY ARE FOR THE PRESIDENT'S FAILURE TO TURN THIS JOBS CRISIS AROUND. UNFORTUNATELY, THE MAJORITY LEADER HAS YET TO INTRODUCE LEGISLATION TO CAN ACTUALLY PASS THE SENATE OR THE HOUSE.

>> Sreenivasan: ANOTHER CONFRONTATION LOOMS LATER THIS WEEK, WHEN SENATE DEMOCRATS OFFER A NEW VERSION OF THE PAYROLL TAX CUT EXTENSION. BANK OF AMERICA HAS AGREED TO PAY $315 MILLION TO INVESTORS WHO SAID THEY WERE MISLED ABOUT SECURITIES BASED ON RISKY MORTGAGES. THE INVESTMENTS WERE SOLD BY MERRILL LYNCH BEFORE IT COLLAPSED IN 2008 AND WAS BOUGHT BY BANK OF AMERICA. IN TODAY'S SETTLEMENT, BANK OF AMERICA ADMITTED NO WRONGDOING. THE AGREEMENT NOW GOES TO A FEDERAL JUDGE WHO STRUCK DOWN A SIMILAR SETTLEMENT LAST WEEK, INVOLVING CITIGROUP. ALSO TODAY, CITIGROUP ANNOUNCED IT IS CUTTING 4,500 JOBS OVER THE NEXT FEW QUARTERS. IT'S PART OF THE BANK'S EFFORTS TO REIN IN COSTS. AND ON WALL STREET, STOCKS SEARCHED FOR DIRECTION AS INVESTORS KEPT WATCH ON EFFORTS TO RESOLVE EUROPE'S DEBT CRISIS. THE DOW JONES INDUSTRIAL AVERAGE GAINED 52 POINTS TO CLOSE AT 12,150. THE NASDAQ FELL 6 POINTS TO CLOSE AT 2649. A MAJOR FINANCIAL SETTLEMENT WAS ANNOUNCED TODAY IN A DEADLY COAL MINE ACCIDENT IN WEST VIRGINIA LAST YEAR. IT WAS THE LARGEST SUCH AGREEMENT EVER REACHED. THE SETTLEMENT MEANS FAMILIES OF THE MEN KILLED IN THE UPPER BIG BRANCH MINE DISASTER WILL FINALLY SEE SOME FINANCIAL RELIEF. THE MINE'S NEW OWNER ALPHA NATURAL RESOURCES WILL PAY A RECORD $210 MILLION. THAT INCLUDES $46.5 MILLION TO FAMILIES OF THE VICTIMS AND THOSE INJURED IN THE BLAST. THERE'S ALSO $128 MILLION FOR MINE SAFETY IMPROVEMENT AND $35 MILLION IN FINES FOR FEDERAL MINE SAFETY VIOLATIONS. THE UPPER BIG BRANCH WAS OWNED BY MASSEY ENERGY AT THE TIME OF THE DISASTER IN APRIL OF 2010. AN EXPLOSION 1,000 FEET INSIDE THE MINE KILLED 29 MEN. IT TURNED OUT MASSEY ENERGY HAD BEEN CITED FOR MORE THAN 1300 FEDERAL SAFETY VIOLATIONS OVER FIVE YEARS. AN INQUIRY LAUNCHED BY WEST VIRGINIA'S THEN GOVERNOR JOE MANCHIN FOUND A PATTERN OF NEGLIGENCE INCLUDING COAL DUST BUILD-UP AND MALFUNCTIONING EQUIPMENT. TODAY THE U.S. MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION ISSUED ITS FINAL REPORT. THE AGENCY ISSUED 12 CITATIONS FOR VIOLATIONS OF FEDERAL LAW THAT CONTRIBUTED DIRECTLY TO THE MINE EXPLOSION. IT DESIGNATED NINE OF THE VIOLATIONS AS FLAGRANT. THOSE INCLUDED ILLEGALLY GIVING ADVANCED NOTICE TO MINORS WHEN INSPECTORS WERE COMING AND FAILING TO CONDUCT PROPER SAFETY EXAMINATIONS. MASSEY ENERGY WAS ACQUIRED BY ALPHA NATURAL RESOURCES IN JUNE OF THIS YEAR. UNDER THE SETTLE. THE NEW OWNER WILL NOT BE CHARGED WITH ANY CRIMES BUT INDIVIDUAL EMPLOYEES WHO WERE THERE WHEN THE DISASTER OCCURRED CAN BE PROSECUTED. AND VICTIMS' FAMILIES RETAIN THE RIGHTS TO FILE CIVIL LAWSUITS.

>> Sreenivasan: THERE WAS ALSO NEWS IN THE LEGAL FIGHT OVER LAST YEAR'S GULF OIL SPILL. IN A FEDERAL COURT FILING, B.P. ACCUSED HALLIBURTON OF DESTROYING EVIDENCE THAT COULD PROVE IT SHARED RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE SPILL. THE OIL COMPANY SAID HALLIBURTON EMPLOYEES DESTROYED TEST RESULTS SHOWING THE CONTRACTOR USED A FAULTY CEMENT MIXTURE TO PLUG THE MACONDO OIL WELL. THE WELL EXPLODED, KILLING 11 WORKERS AND CAUSING THE WORST MANMADE ENVIRONMENTAL DISASTER IN U.S. HISTORY. EAD OF THE FAA RESIGNED AFTER BEING CHARGED WITH DRUNKEN DRIVING. RANDY BAAB IT WAS ARRESTED OVER THE WEEKEND IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA DRIVING ON THE WRONG SIDE OF THE ROAD. HE WAS A LONG TIME AIRLINE PILOT AND A RECOGNIZED EXPERT IN AVIATION. HE BECAME HEAD OF THE F.A.A.IN 2009. AT LEAST 50 PEOPLE WERE KILLED IN SYRIA IN THE LAST 24 HOURS, IN VIOLENCE BETWEEN RIVAL MUSLIM FACTIONS. ACTIVISTS SAID IT HAPPENED IN THE CITY OF HOMS OVERNIGHT, AFTER A SPATE OF KIDNAPPINGS EARLIER ON MONDAY. AMATEUR VIDEO SHOWED VICTIMS LYING INJURED IN THE STREETS BEFORE BEING TAKEN AWAY FOR TREATMENT. THE VIOLENCE PITTED MEMBERS OF PRESIDENT BASHAR ASSAD'S MINORITY ALAWITE SHI-ITES AGAINST THE MAJORITY SUNNIS. ALSO TODAY, ASSAD RECEIVED PUBLIC SUPPORT FROM SHEIKH HASSAN NASRALLAH, THE LEADER OF HEZBOLLAH IN NEIGHBORING LEBANON.

>> WE SUPPORT THE REFORMS IN SYRIA, AND WE STAND WITH THE REGIME AGAINST THE RESISTANCE MOVEMENT. THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE WHO DO NOT WANT REFORM, SECURITY AND STABILITY IN SYRIA. AND NEITHER CIVIL PEACE NOR DIALOGUE. THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO WANT TO DESTROY SYRIA, TO MAKE UP FOR THEIR DEFEAT IN IRAQ. AND SYRIA IS A PARTNER IN DEFEATING THE AMERICANS IN IRAQ.

>> Sreenivasan: THE SYRIAN GOVERNMENT HAS COME UNDER GROWING PRESSURE FROM NEW SANCTIONS IMPOSED BY THE U.S., THE EUROPEAN UNION AND THE ARAB LEAGUE. AND IN EGYPT, THE LEADER OF THE MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD SOUGHT TODAY TO REASSURE EGYPTIANS AND THE WORLD THAT HIS GROUP WOULD NOT TRY TO "ISLAMICIZE" THE GOVERNMENT. INSTEAD, HE INSISTED THE BROTHERHOOD REMAINS COMMITTED TO DEMOCRACY. HIS GROUP-- AND A SEPARATE, HARD-LINE ISLAMIST FACTION-- DOMINATED THE FIRST ROUND OF EGYPT'S PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS. THOSE ARE SOME OF THE DAY'S MAJOR STORIES. NOW, BACK TO GWEN.

>> Ifill: NEXT TONIGHT, A SECOND DAY OF POLITICAL PROTESTS IN RUSSIA. JONATHON RUGMAN OF INDEPENDENT TELEVISION NEWS NARRATES THIS REPORT.

>> Reporter: TONIGHT'S CROWDS WERE NOT HUGE. ON ONE SIDE, A FEW HUNDRED OPPONENTS OF VLADIMIR PUTIN WHO ACCUSE HIM OF TRYING TO STEAL SUNDAY'S PARLIAMENTARY ELECTION. ON THE OTHER, A FEW HUNDRED PUTIN SUPPORTERS. JUST AS ADAMANT THAT RUSSIA IS NO WHERE NEAR AN ANTI-PUTIN REVOLUTION. THE KREMLIN APPARENTLY DETERMINED TO SNUFF OUT THE MEREEST WHIFF OF DISSENT. AN OPPOSITION LEADER WAS AMONGST THOSE DETAINED. IN WHAT IS NOT A CRISIS FOR PUTIN'S RUSSIA BUT A NEW KIND OF CHALLENGE NONETHELESS. THIS WAS LAST NIGHT. CHANTING RUSSIA WITHOUT PUTIN. LEADING A CROWD OF SEVERAL THOUSANDS IN MOSCOW'S BIGGEST ANTI-PUTIN PROTEST IN YEARS. 300 WERE ARRESTED YESTERDAY, AND WHILE THEY CLAIMED MR. PUTIN'S UNITED RUSSIA PARTY HAD STOLEN THE VOTE, EUROPEAN ELECTION OBSERVERS AGREED. IT WASN'T FAIR.

>> THE PRELIMINARY REPORT BY THE O.S.C.E.CITES ELECTION-DAY ATTEMPTS TO STUFF BALLOT BOXES, MANIPULATE VOTER LISTS AND OTHER TROUBLING PRACTICES. RUSSIAN VOTERS DESERVE A FULL INVESTIGATION OF ELECTORAL FRAUD AND MANIPULATION.

>> Reporter: AND THE SCANDAL IS GROWING. THE TV REPORTER DRESSED IN RED HAS BARGED INTO A POLLING STATION WHERE IT'S ALLEGED THAT SOMEONE HAS BEEN BUYING VOTES. IN THE TOILET, HE FINDS VOTING PAPERS MARKED IN FAVOR OF MR. PUTIN'S PARTY. WHICH IS CLAIMED WILL BE ADDED TO THE TOTAL. IN THIS INTERNET VIDEO AN INVESTIGATOR SAYS HE'S FOUND PENS IN A COUPLE OF BOOTHS WITH REVERSIBLE INK SO THE VOTE CAN BE CHANGED IF THE CROSS HASN'T APPEARED IN THE RIGHT PLACE. TODAY SAW A REMARKABLE SHOW OF FORCE WITH SOLDIERS AND POLICE FLOODING THE STREETS OF THE CAPITAL. ANYWHERE ELSE THIS MIGHT BE JUDGED AN OVERREACTION. IN MOSCOW, IT'S A MARK OF JUST HOW UNUSED TO CRITICISM MR. PUTIN IS. STILL THIS PRO PUTIN YOUTH DEMONSTRATION NEAR THE KREMLIN CAME AS A REMINDER THAT THE PRIME MINISTER IS STILL VERY MUCH IN CHARGE. HE'S ON COURSE TO WIN A THIRD TERM AS PRESIDENT NEXT MARCH. IN A SHOW OF STRENGTH HE SAID A GOVERNMENT RESHUFFLE WOULD NOT HAPPEN UNTIL THEN.

>> THERE ARE THOSE WHO SAY THE RULING PARTY IS THE PARTY LINKED TO ROBBERY AND CORRUPTION. IF WE REMEMBER THE SOVIET ERA, WHO WAS IN POWER THEN? EVERYONE CALLED THEM THIEVES AND CORRUPT PEOPLE. IN THE 1990s IT WAS THE SAME. BUT IT'S IMPORTANT HOW EFFECTIVELY THE CURRENT GOVERNMENT IS TABLE TO FIGHT SUCH NEGATIVE STATEMENTS.

>> Reporter: MR. PUTIN'S CRITICS SAY PART OF THAT FIGHT IS INTIMIDATING HIS OPPONENTS. TWO MEN, ONE A WELL KNOWN BLOGGER, WERE TODAY GIVEN 15-DAY PRISON TERMS FOR ORGANIZING YESTERDAY'S DEMONSTRATION AND DISOBEYING POLICE.

>> Woodruff: NOW, DETROIT'S BUDGET CRISIS. THE MOTOR CITY IS ON TRACK TO RUN OUT OF CASH IN FOUR MONTHS. TODAY THE MICHIGAN STATE GOVERNMENT BEGAN A 30-DAY REVIEW OF THE CITY'S TROUBLED FINANCES, A MOVE THAT COULD LEAD TO A STATE TAKEOVER. SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT DESIREE COOPER OF DETROIT PUBLIC TV HAS THE STORY.

>> Reporter: DETROIT IS ON THE VERGE OF A FINANCIAL DISASTER. HUNDREDS, POSSIBLY THOUSANDS MORE CITY WORKERS, COULD SOON BE LAID OFF WHILE TRYING TO STAVE OFF A STATE-APPOINTED EMERGENCY MANAGER WHO WOULD TAKE CONTROL OF CITY GOVERNMENT. NOW DEMANDING THAT THE CITY'S FIRE AND POLICE UNIONS ACCEPT ANOTHER PAY CUT.

>> FOR DECADES THE CITY HAS REFUSED TO FACE ITS FISCAL REALITY. WE CANNOT CONTINUE TO OPERATE THAT WAY. WITHOUT CHANGE, THE CITY COULD RUN OUT OF CASH BY APRIL WITH THE POTENTIAL CASH SHORTFALL OF $45 MILLION BY THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR.

>> Reporter: IN THE LAST 60 YEARS, DETROIT HAS LOST MORE THAN HALF OF ITS POPULATION. THIS IS A COMMON SCENE IN ONCE COMFORTABLE MIDDLE CLASS NEIGHBORHOODS LIKE YORKSHIRE WOODS, ABANDONED HOMES BEING LEVELED BY CITY WRECKING CREWS. MORE THAN 3,000 STRUCTURES HAVE COME DOWN SINCE MAYOR BING TOOK OFFICE TWO YEARS AGO. BING WANTS TO TAKE DOWN 6,000 MORE BY THE TIME HIS TERM ENDS IN 2013. THESE DEMOLITIONS ARE A KEY COMPONENT OF BING'S PLAN TO TURN DETROIT AROUND. IT'S CALLED DETROIT WORKS. WITH A SPRAWLING CITY 139 SQUARE MILES AND FEW RESOURCES FOR CITY SERVICES, THE MAYOR TOOK THE DETROIT WORKS PROJECT AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO REDEFINE THE CITY'S FISCAL, ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL LANDSCAPE. HE BEGAN BY TAKING INVENTORY, TAKING A CLOSE LOOK AT WHAT DETROIT REALLY HAS. DEMOGRAPHERS HAVE IDENTIFIED AT LEAST 100 DISTINCT NEIGHBORHOODS WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS. WITH THAT IN MIND DETROIT WORKS UNVEILED ITS SHORT-TERM PLAN CLASSIFYING THE CITY'S NEIGHBORHOODS BY THEIR QUALITY OF HOUSING AND STABILITY OF POPULATION. THE DEGREE OF CITY SERVICES AND INVESTMENT WOULD DEPEND ON WHETHER THE NEIGHBORHOOD IS DEEMED STEADY, TRANSITIONAL OR DISTRESSED.

>> WE HAVE TO GET THIS RIGHT NOW. I MEAN, WE HAVE SERIOUS STRUCTURAL PROBLEMS. AS YOU LOOK AT THE VACANCY OF PROPERTY, AS YOU LOOK AT THE INFRASTRUCTURE.

>> Reporter: ARCHITECT LANEY HAMILTON GREW UP IN DETROIT. HIS FIRM COMPILED THE REPORT THAT DETROIT WORKS IS IS BASED ON. HE SAYS FOCUSING ON AREAS WITH THE MOST PEOPLE AND THE MOST VIABLE HOMES MAKES SENSE.

>> WE SHY AWAY FROM TALKING ABOUT MOVING BUT WE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THAT IT'S EASIER FOR ME TO PROVIDE SERVICE TO YOU IF I'M PROVIDING POLICE PROTECTION, FIRE PROTECTION, IF I HAVE A COMMUNITY THAT IS SOLID.

>> Reporter: DENSITY.

>> IT'S A DENSITY ISSUE.

>> Reporter: BEGINNING LAST FALL DETROIT WORKS HAS BEEN HOLDING COMMUNITY MEETINGS ACROSS THE CITY LOOKING FOR INPUT AND SUPPORT. CARL A HENDERSON HEADS DETROIT WORKS.

>> WE'RE MAKING DECISIONS WITH RESOURCES RIGHT NOW. WHERE HE PAVE STREETS, WHERE HE INVEST IN PUBLIC... WHERE WE INVEST IN HOUSING. WE NEED TO MAKE THOSE DECISIONS RIGHT NOW WHILE THE LONG-TERM PLAN IS BEING DEVELOPED.

>> Reporter: UNDER THE DETROIT WORKS PLAN, THREE DEMONSTRATION AREAS WERE PICKED. IN THOSE AREAS EFFORTS WOULD BE MONITORED AND ASSESSED TO SEE WHAT WILL REALLY WORK TO BOLSTER PROPERTY VALUES. DETROIT WORKS HAD TO PICK AND CHOOSE WHERE TO FOCUS FIRST. SOME NEIGHBORHOODS ARE NOW GETTING MORE ATTENTION THAN OTHERS. PALMER WOODS IS ONE OF THEM. IT SITS IN THE MIDDLE OF ONE OF THE DETROIT WORKS DEMONSTRATION AREAS. HOMES WORTH A MILLION DOLLARS IN THE SUBURBS GO FOR A QUARTER OF THAT HERE. FOR MANY, IT'S A CHANCE TO LIVE IN AN UPPER CRUST NEIGHBORHOOD FOR A FRACTION OF THE COST. HAVE YOU BEEN IN THIS HOUSE FOR 25 YEARS?

>> YEAH, ALMOST... 24-PLUS.

>> Reporter: BARBARA AND SPENCER BAREFIELD HAVE WHAT THEY CONSIDER A SMALL HOUSE AMONGST THE MANSIONS.

>> YOU CAN'T TALK ABOUT PALMER WOODS WITHOUT TALKING ABOUT THE AUTO INDUSTRY. THE WEALTHY INDIVIDUALS THAT STARTED THE CAR COMPANIES MADE PALMER WOODS THEIR HOME.

>> Reporter: IT CONSISTS OF DEDICATED DETROITERS. THE MORE AFFLUENT DETROITERS WHO ARE PART OF THE TAX BASE THE CITY DESPERATELY WANTS TO HOLD ON TO. BUT EVEN IN PALMER WOODS, HOMEOWNERS ARE STRUGGLING. SOME EVEN THINKING ABOUT LEAVING DETROIT. THE BAREFIELDS ARE STAYING PUT ALTHOUGH CITY LIVING HERE COMES AT A HIGH PRICE. DETROIT'S PROPERTY AND INCOME TAXES, ALONG WITH MORE EXPENSIVE CAR INSURANCE, ARE A PART OF IT. COOLING AND HEATING A BIG HOME ON A MODERATE INCOME MAKES IT EVEN TOUGHER. THE CITY CAN'T HELP REDUCE THE BAREFIELDS' $900 A MONTH UTILITY BILL BUT IT CAN HELP BY GIVING PREFERENTIAL TREATMENT IN THIS COMMUNITY'S UPKEEP, MAINTAINING ROADS, SIDEWALKS AND STREET LIGHTS. THAT COULD MEAN THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN RESIDENTS STAYING OR LEAVING. THEN THERE ARE THE NEIGHBORHOODS OUTSIDE THE DETROIT WORKS DEMONSTRATION ZONES. ON THE FAR WEST SIDE, 12,000 PEOPLE CALLED THE BRIGHTMORE NEIGHBORHOOD HOME. WHILE PALMER WOODS WAS HISTORICALLY WHERE THE AUTO MAGNATES USED TO LIVE THE OTHER WAS HOME TO THE WORKERS. TODAY MOST OF THAT TAX BASE IS LONG GONE.

>> BRIGHTMORE IS A CHALLENGE BECAUSE IT'S SO SPARSELY POPULATED. IT'S SO RURAL ALMOST. I MEAN YOU DRIVE THROUGH THERE AND YOU'RE LIKE WHERE AM I.

>> Reporter: CITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT SERVES THE ENTIRE CITY OF DETROIT.

>> YOU GO IN SOME NEIGHBORHOODS AND THERE'S ONE OCCUPIED HOUSE. EVERY OTHER HOUSE, THE OTHER 40 HOUSES ARE BURNED-OUT SHELLS.

>> Reporter: WITH PARTS OF BRIGHTMORE SO DECIMATED, FEW WOULD LIKE THE RESIDENTS TO CONSIDER MOVING TO MORE VIABLE NEIGHBORHOODS NEARBY SO THE CITY CAN REDIRECT SCANT RESOURCES FROM THOSE ALMOST EMPTY TRACTS OF LAND. WHILE THE MAYOR SAYS HE'LL CONTINUE PROVIDING SERVICES LIKE POLICE, WATER AND FIRE PROTECTION, DETROIT WORKS WON'T BE INVESTING IN NEW CONSTRUCTION HERE. CARLA HENDERSON SAYS THE CITY WILL ONLY SPEND ITS FUNDS ON THE DEVELOPMENTS IN THE HEALTHIER NEIGHBORHOODS.

>> I RECALL SOMEBODY SAYING EARLY ON THAT THERE HAS NOT BEEN ANY NEW HOUSING BUILT IN THE CITY OF DETROIT SINCE THE '80s THAT HASN'T RECEIVED SOME TYPE OF CITY SUBSIDY. THE CITY REALLY HAS AN ABILITY TO CONTROL AND STEER DEVELOPMENT WHERE IT'S MOST APPROPRIATE.

>> Reporter: THE NEIGHBORHOOD COALITION, THE BRIGHTMORE ALLIANCE, TAKES ISSUE WITH THE DETROIT WORKS PLAN. ITS MEMBERS BELIEVE DETROIT WORKS IS CHOKING OFF THE MOST DISTRESSED NEIGHBORHOODS OUTSIDE THE DEMONSTRATION ZONES. REV. LARRY SIMMONS IS A LEADER OF THE GROUP.

>> THAT'S WHY WITH ALL DUE RESPECT TO THE CITY, LOVE THE MAYOR, BUT IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT THEY DO. MAYORS COME. AND MAYORS GO. BUT THE PEOPLE REMAIN.

>> Reporter: SO WHAT I'M HEARING IS NOT ONLY DO YOU TAKE EXCEPTION BUT THIS ENTIRE COMMUNITY IS TAKING EXCEPTION?

>> YES.

>> Reporter: WHY?

>> BECAUSE THE WHOLE IDEA THAT THE VALUE OF A COMMUNITY IS DETERMINED BY ITS DENSITY IS PROVEN WRONG. WHAT'S THE LEAST DENSE COMMUNITY AROUND HERE? BLOOMFIELD HILLS.

>> Reporter: A RICH, SUB URBAN.

>> BUT NOBODY IS TALKING ABOUT REDENSE FIING THEM.

>> Reporter: BLOOMFIELD HILLS A SUBURB NORTH OF DETROIT IS ONE OF THE COUNTRY'S WEALTHIEST COMMUNITIES WITH A TAX BASE TO MATCH. BRIGHTMORE LIES FAR ON THE OTHER END OF THE SPECTRUM. THE BRIGHTMORE ALLIANCE HAS LONG BEEN RESIGNED TO THE IDEA THEY'LL HAVE TO FIND THEIR OWN WAY TO SURVIVE. IT'S HERE THAT A PERSON HAS BEEN OPERATING A COMMUNITY GARDEN FOR SEVERAL YEARS PUSHING FOR SELF-SUFFICIENCY. NOW SHE AND OTHERS ARE LOOKING TO TAKE THE NEXT STEP TOWARD A NEW FUTURE.

>> THE SAME PEOPLE WHO ARE WILLING AND ABLE TO DO URBAN FARMING ALSO HAVE SOME IDEAS ABOUT WHAT THEIR HOUSE IS SUPPOSED TO LOOK LIKE. THEY MIGHT NOT WANT TO BE HOOKED UP TO A TRADITIONAL SEWER SYSTEM. THEY MIGHT COME UP WITH SOME REALLY INNOVATIVE SELF-SUSTAINING 21st CENTURY SOLUTIONS TO ENERGY PROBLEMS.

>> Reporter: THEY MIGHT WANT TO LIVE OFF THE GRID.

>> THAT'S RIGHT.

>> Reporter: AS DETROIT TEETERS ON INSOLVENCY, MORE NEIGHBORHOODS COULD SOON BE LEFT TO FIND THEIR OWN SOLUTIONS FOR SURVIVAL. AND THE FIRST PLACE THEY MAY TURN TO IS BRIGHTMORE.

>> Ifill: NEXT, THE DEADLY TOLL OF HOCKEY'S VERY HARD KNOCKS. JEFFREY BROWN HAS OUR STORY.

>> Brown: HIS NICKNAME WAS THE BOOGIE MAN. PROFESSIONAL HOCKEY PLAYER DEREK BOOGAARD, HAD ONE JOB: TO BE HIS TEAM'S ENFORCER, FIGHTING AND INTIMIDATING OPPOSING PLAYERS. IT WAS HIS TICKET TO A LIFE IN THE NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE. HIS DREAM FROM NILDHOOD IN SMAUN SMALL TOWNS IN WESTERN CANADA AND HE WAS VERY GOOD AT IT. BUT YEARS OF PUNISHMENT TOOK A TERRIBLE TOLL. NUMEROUS INJURIES AND CONCUSSIONS EVENTUALLY ADDICTION TO PAIN KILLERS. AND LAST MAY JUST 28 YEARS OLD, DEREK BOOGAARD DIED OF AN OVERDOSE OF MEDICATIONS AND ALCOHOL. RESEARCHERS LATER DETERMINED HE HAD A DEGENERATIVE CONDITION SIMILAR TO ALZHEIMERS CAUSED BY REPEATED BLOWS TO THE HEAD. BOOGAARD'S STORY HAS BEEN CHRONICLED THIS WEEK IN A THREE-PART SERIES IN THE "NEW YORK TIMES". WE'RE JOINED NOW BY JOHN BRANCH. A SPORTS REPORTER FOR THE "TIMES" AND AUTHOR OF THE SERIES. AND DR. ROBERT CANTU OF THE BOSTON UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE, ONE OF THE RESEARCHERS WHO STUDIED BOOGAARD'S BRAIN AFTER HIS DEATH. JOHN BRANCH, SO THIS WAS A MAN WHO RARELY IF EVER SCORED A GOAL, COULDN'T SKATE FAST BUT WAS A CROWD FAVORITE AND A KIND OF STAR IN A PARTICULAR WAY. EXPLAIN THAT ROLE FOR THOSE WHO DON'T FOLLOW SPORTS.

>> SURE. THE ENFORCER IS A GUY WHO MAYBE DOESN'T HAVE THE GREATEST SKILLS BUT HE'S USUALLY A BIG GUY. HE TREATS... HE'S TREATED AS A BODY GUARD FOR THE OTHER TEAM MEMBERS. WHEN THEY HAVE... IF THEY START TO GET ROUGHED UP BY THE OTHER TEAM THEY SEND OUT THE ENFORCER. THAT'S THEIR BODY GUARD.

>> Brown: DEREK BOOGAARD TOLD HIS MOTHER, HE SAID IT'S MY JOB NOW. THIS IS REALLY JUST PART OF HOCKEY. RIGHT?

>> HE CAME TO ACCEPT IT. LIKE MOST KIDS HE WANTED TO GET TO THE NHL. WANTED TO DO IT BY SCORING GOALS. AT A CERTAIN TIME WHEN HE WAS ABOUT 15 YEARS OLD HE REALIZED HE DIDN'T HAVE THE TALENT TO MAKE IT TO THE PROFESSIONAL LEVELS AND SOME SCOUTS DISCOVERED THAT YOU KNOW WHAT? IF YOU ARE WILLING TO FIGHT AND CAN ABSORB THE BEATINGS AND IF YOU CAN DO IT WELL AND YOU'RE WILLING TO DO IT THEN THERE'S ANOTHER WAY YOU CAN GET TO THE PROFESSIONAL LEVEL. THAT'S WHAT HE DID.

>> YOU DESCRIBE SUCH A PAINFUL FALL FOR HIM THROUGH DRUG ABUSE, DEPRESSION AND HE CHRONICLED MUCH OF THAT AND MUCH OF HIS LIFE IN NOTES THAT YOU FOUND OR WERE FOUND AFTER HIS DEATH, RIGHT? TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT THE MAN THAT YOU FOUND I GUESS THROUGH THE WRITING.

>> YEAH, HIS WRITINGS REALLY WERE OVER... REALLY COVERED HIS CHILDHOOD. HE HAD WRITTEN DOWN A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO ABOUT 15 PAGES WORTH OF HIS MEMORIES ABOUT HIS CHILDHOOD. THEY'RE OBVIOUSLY VERY TELLING. THEY'RE VERY HONEST. FOR SOMEBODY WHO IS SEEN AS THIS BIG TOUGH GUY ON THE ICE, THEY'RE VERY TENDER. IN A LOT OF WAYS. HE DESCRIBED, YOU KNOW, THE BACK-AND-FORTH HOCKEY GAMES WITH HIS DAD. HIS DAD WAS A MOUNTY IN SASKATCHEWAN. THEY WOULD DRIVE IN THE PATROL CAR ACROSS THESE ICY LANDSCAPES TO PRACTICES AND GAMES AND SO ON. HE DESCRIBED REALLY AS HE GOT OLDER THE ROUGH-AND-TUMBLE WAYS OF HOCKEY IN WESTERN CANADA.

>> Brown: DR. CANTU, I WANT TO BRING YOU INTO IT. WHEN BOOGAARD DIED HIS FAMILY DONATED HIS BRAIN TO YOUR CLINIC FOR STUDY YOU YOUR AND COLLEAGUES FOUND SOMETHING CALLED C.T.E. WHAT IS THAT?

>> CHRONIC TRAUMATICEN SELF-APATHY. THAT'S A PROGRESSIVE NEURO DEGENERATIVE DISEASE ASSOCIATED WITH BRAIN TRAUMA. NOT JUST AT THE CONCUSSION LEVEL BUT ALL BRAIN TRAUMA. IT SHARES WITH ALZHEIMERS DISEASE MANY SIMILARITIES INCLUDING THE DEPOSITION OF AN ABNORMAL PROTEIN, A FORM OF TAU. BUT THE LOCATION OF THE TAU IS DIFFERENT IN ALWAYS ALZHEIMER THAN IT IS IN C.T.E.AND ALZHEIMER HAS A GREAT AMOUNT OF BETA A.M. LLOYD DEPOSITION SO THERE ARE CLEAR DISTINCTIONS.

>> Brown: IN THE ARTICLES, DR. CANTU, ONE OF YOUR COLLEAGUES IS QUOTED AS EXPRESSING GREAT SURPRISE AS WHAT SHE FOUND, WHAT YOU ALL FOUND WITH DEREK BOOGAARD'S BRAIN. EXPLAIN THE IMPORTANCE OF HIS CASE IN THE CONTEXT OF OTHERS THAT YOU'VE SEEN.

>> WELL I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THAT AT THE CENTER FOR THE STUDY OF TRAUMATICEN SELF-OP THEE THERE ARE FOUR CO-DIRECTORS OF WHICH I'M ONE BUT THE INDIVIDUAL WHO ACTUALLY STUDIES THE BRAINS THAT ARE SEEN IN THE BRAIN BANK WHICH IS JUST ONE FUNCTION OF THE CENTER IS DR. ANN McKEE. DR. ANN McKEE AND HER TEAM FOUND THIS HYPER FOS LATED PROTEIN DEREK'S BRAIN HAD IT NOT IN EXTREME DEGREE, A MILD DEGREE OF IT BUT DEFINITELY HAD IT SO HE DEFINITELY HAD THIS ABNORMAL PROTEIN IN HIS BRAIN. THEREFORE, THE DIAGNOSIS OF C.T.E.COULD BE MADE.

>> Brown: BUT HE HAD IT AT A VERY YOUNG AGE.

>> WELL THAT'S THE REAL CONCERN. REGGIE FLEMING... THREE OF THE FOUR NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE PLAYERS THAT WE'VE STUDIED THAT HAVE HAD C.T.E. HAVE BEEN ENFORCERS. THE FOURTH ONE RICK MARTIN WAS NOT AN ENFORCER. HE HAD A MILD FORM OF IT AS WELL. REGGIE FLEMING, WHO DIED AT A MUCH MORE ADVANCED AGE, HAD A VERY EXTREME AMOUNT OF IT. DEREK WAS JUST 28. THE YOUNGEST OF THOSE IN THE NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE THAT WE'VE HAD A BRAIN TO STUDY. AND THE VERY FACT THAT HE HAD IT, EVEN AT THIS MORE MILD FORM IT'S A PROGRESSIVE DISEASE SO HAD HE LIVED TO BE IN HIS 50s AND 60s, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN EXPECTED TO BE MUCH MORE SEVERE.

>> Brown: JOHN BRANCH, YOU QUOTE IN YOUR STORY THE NHL COMMISSIONER GARY BETMAN SAYING THAT IT'S TOO EARLY TO DRAW DIRECT CONCLUSIONS ABOUT A DIRECT LINK BETWEEN HOCKEY VIOLENCE AND C.T.E. IS THAT THE STATE OF UNDERSTANDING OR ACCEPTANCE OF THIS... THESE LINKS THAT YOU FIND IN SPORTS GENERALLY? TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT.

>> SURE. THAT'S ACTUALLY VERY SIMILAR TO WHAT THE REACTION WAS FROM THE NFL A FEW YEARS AGO FROM THE SAME SORTS OF RESEARCH FROM DR. CANTU AND THE OTHERS. THE NFL, I'M SURE, DR. CANTU WOULD SAY IS... WAS PRETTY DISMISS I HAVE BEEN ABOUT THE RESEARCH FOR A LONG TIME AS WELL. IT TOOK A FEW MORE CASES FOR THE NFL TO KIND OF COME AROUND AND DECIDE THAT THIS WAS A SERIOUS THING AND NEEDED SERIOUS ATTENTION. THE NHL HAS NOT REACHED THAT POINT. I THINK QUESTION FLOATING OUT THERE IS HOW MANY MORE CASES NEED TO COME FORWARD BEFORE THE NHL DECIDES TO TAKE IT A LITTLE BIT MORE SERIOUSLY.

>> DR. CANTU, WHAT DO YOU FIND AND WHAT IS IT THAT YOU THINK SHOULD BE DONE TO AVOID MORE HEAD TRAUMA IN SPORTS. YOU DO SEE MORE ATTENTION TO IT CERTAINLY IN FOOTBALL THESE DAYS. WHAT DO YOU THINK NEEDS TO BE DONE GENERALLY?

>> JEFF, I AGREE COMPLETELY WITH EVERYTHING JOHN JUST SAID IN TERMS OF THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE WHO DOES GET IT AND THE NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE WHO, I HOPE, IS ON THE WAY TO GETTING IT. IT IS INTERESTING THOUGH THAT THESE THREE OUT OF FOUR THAT HAVE ALL BEEN ENFORCERS AND HAVE HAD A ROBUST FIGHTING CAREER, THE FIRST DESCRIPTIONS OF CHRONIC TRAUMATICEN SELF-OP THEE WERE IN BOXERS OVER 80 YEARS AGO BY HARRISON MARTLAND. IT'S NOT A GREAT SURPRISE TO FIND THIS FIGHTING ON ICE AND BOXING KIND OF MAKING IT VERY LIKELY THAT THAT'S WHERE THEY GOT THEIR BRAIN TRAUMA. NOW THAT'S NOT TO SAY THAT'S THE ONLY PLACE THEY GOT IT. BUT CLEARLY THAT'S WHERE THEY GOT A TREMENDOUS DOSE OF IT. I THINK WHAT WE NEED TO DO IS TO TAKE ALL THE UNNECESSARY BRAIN TRAUMA OUT OF SPORTS. SO PRACTICES SHOULD HAVE LESS HITTING AND CERTAINLY RULES NEED TO CONTINUE TO BE CHANGED. WE'VE SEEN OVER 10 RULE CHANGES IN THE NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE IN THE LAST YEAR-AND-A-HALF. ALL TAKING HEAD TRAUMA, REDUCING THE AMOUNT OF HEAD TRAUMA THE ATHLETES ARE SEEING. I THINK WE HAVE TO SEE THAT IN THE NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE AS WELL.

>> Brown: ALL RIGHT. DR. ROBERT CANTU AND JOHN BRANCH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. CONGRATULATIONS, JOHN, ON THAT SERIES.

>> THANK YOU.

>> CONGRATULATIONS.

>> Ifill: FINALLY TONIGHT, THEY'RE BIG, THEY'RE SCARY-- AND, LUCKY FOR US, THEY'RE ABOUT 300 MILLION LIGHT YEARS AWAY. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE LARGEST BLACK HOLES IN THE UNIVERSE, AND NOTHING-- NOT EVEN LIGHT-- CAN ESCAPE THEIR GRAVITATIONAL PULL. ASTRONOMERS RECENTLY DISCOVERED TWO BLACK HOLES, EACH ABOUT 10 BILLION TIMES THE SIZE OF OUR SUN. THEIR FINDINGS ARE BEING REPORTED THIS WEEK IN THE JOURNAL "NATURE." JOINING ME NOW IS CHUNG-PEI MA. SHE IS A PROFESSOR OF ASTRONOMY AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, BERKELEY, AND LED THE TEAM THAT PUBLISHED THE STUDY. WELCOME TO THE PROGRAM. DESCRIBE FOR US HOW MASSIVE REALLY THESE HOLES ARE THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.

>> EACH ONE HAS THE MASS OF ABOUT 10 BILLION TIMES THAT OF THE SUN. WE CAN ALSO THINK ABOUT THEIR SIZES, THAT IS TO SAY, THE REGION OF SPACE WITHIN WHICH LIGHT CANNOT EVEN ESCAPE. THAT SIZE FOR THESE BLACK HOLES ARE ABOUT FIVE TIMES THAT OF OUR SOLAR SYSTEM. WITHIN WHICH THESE OBJECTS ARE DARK.

>> Ifill: WHAT ARE BLACK HOLES REALLY AND HOW DOES ONE GO ABOUT FINDING THEM?

>> BLACK HOLES ARE THESE REGIONS OF SPACE WHERE THE GRAVITY IS JUST ENORMOUS. SO BY THAT DEFINITION, THEY ARE DARK. WE HAVE TO USE THINGS WE CAN OBVIOUSLY SEE. SO IN THIS CASE WE USED STARS THAT ARE ORBITING VERY CLOSE TO THE BLACK HOLES. WE MEASURE THEIR SPEED. THE FASTER THE STARS ARE MOVING, THAT INDICATES THEY'RE FEELING STRONGER GRAVITY. THEREFORE THE MORE MASSIVE THE BLACK HOLE WOULD BE.

>> Ifill: YOU DIDN'T OBVIOUSLY SEE THESE WITH THE NAKED EYE. HOW DID YOU FIND THEM? HOW DID YOU EVEN KNOW WHERE TO LOOK.

>> YEAH, THEY ARE HARD TO FIND. THEY ARE HIDING AT THE CENTER OF VERY MASSIVE GALAXIES. IN ORDER TO MEASURE THE STARS WE RELIED ON STATE-OF-THE-ART TELESCOPES SUCH AS THE GEMINI AND THE TEXT TELESCOPES IN HAWAII AND THE MacDONALD OBSERVATORY IN TEXAS. WE USED THE SPECTROGRAPHS ON THEM VERY SENSITIVE ONES TO MEASURE THE ORBYS OF THESE STARS.

>> Ifill: YOU FOUND BLACK HOLES... IN FACT, YOUR TEAM HAS FOUND THEM BEFORE. WHY ARE THESE SO BIG? SO HUGE? WHAT IS IT ABOUT THE ONES YOU FOUND THAT'S DIFFERENT FROM WHAT YOU'VE SEEN BEFORE?

>> THE PREVIOUS RECORD-HOLDER HAD A MASS OF ABOUT HALF OF THE ONES WE SAW. THEY WERE DONE BY OUR... TWO OF OUR TEAM MEMBERS, CARL GEPHARDT IN TEXAS AND ANOTHER. THESE TWO WE FOUND HOWEVER DWARFED THEM BY A FACTOR OF TWO.

>> Ifill: YOU DESCRIBE THEM AS ABSENCE OF LIGHT IS WHAT A BLACK HOLE IS BY DEFINITION. HOW DO YOU KNOW THAT WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT WHEN YOU FIND IT IS ACTUALLY A BLACK HOLE AND NOT JUST SPACE?

>> SO WHAT WE'RE ABLE TO DO IS WE ARE ABLE TO ESTIMATE THE AMOUNT OF MASS THAT ENCLOSED WITHIN THE ORBIT OF THESE STARS. SINCE THERE'S ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF MASS CONCENTRATED ON A VERY SMALL REGION IN SPACE, WE BELIEVE THE BEST CANDIDATE FOR THE THING THAT IS PULLING ON THE STARS WILL BE A BLACK HOLE.

>> Ifill: WE KNOW OR WE HAVE AN IDEA, I DON'T KNOW IF WE CAN ACTUALLY SEE HOW BIG THEY ARE, BUT HOW FAR AWAY ARE THEY FROM US? IS THIS SOMETHING THAT SEEMS CLOSER THAN WHAT YOU'VE SEEN BEFORE OR IS IT FARTHER AWAY?

>> THE PREVIOUS RECORD HOLDER WAS IN A GALAXY THAT'S MUCH MUCH CLOSER TO OURS, ABOUT FACTOR OF 20 CLOSER. AND THESE ONES WE SAW ARE IN A GALAXY THAT'S ABOUT 300 MILLION LIGHT YEARS AWAY. THAT SOUNDS LIKE A VERY LARGE DISTANCE. WE KNOW ABOUT MANY MANY GALAXIES THESE ARE ACTUALLY QUITE NEARBY.

>> Ifill: NEARBY BUT NOT A THREAT? I MEAN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT BLACK HOLES THAT SUCK IN LIGHT AND GASES AND EVERYTHING IN ITS PATH BUT WE'RE NOT IN ITS PATH?

>> THAT'S RIGHT. WHAT MADE THIS OBSERVATION VERY DIFFICULT IS LIKE YOU SAID WE ARE OBSERVING THE STARS NEAR THE BLACK HOLES. BUT WE NEEDED TO LOOK AT STARS VERY CLOSE TO THE BLACK HOLES. IN THIS CASE WE'RE LOOKING AT STARS WITHIN ABOUT A THOUSAND LIGHT YEARS OF THE BLACK HOLES. THAT SOUNDS LIKE A LARGE DISTANCE. BUT THAT REGION IS AT 300 MILLION LIGHT YEARS AWAY SO IT REQUIRES VERY SHARP EYES. THAT IS, YOU NEED TO HAVE VERY GOOD GLASSES IN ORDER TO SEE THESE STARS. IN OUR CASE WE RELIED ON THE STATE-OF-THE-ART TELESCOPES.

>> Ifill: TELL US ABOUT WHY THESE BLACK HOLES MATTER TO US? DOES THAT SAY SOMETHING ABOUT THE GALAXIES THAT WE KNOW OF, THAT WE LIVE IN? DOES IT SAY SOMETHING ABOUT THE UNIVERSE?

>> YES, ABSOLUTELY. ASTRONOMERS HAVE KNOWN FOR SOME TIME THAT BIGGER GALAXIES SEEM TO HAVE BIGGER BLACK HOLES. THAT IS SO SAY, THE BLACK HOLES SEEM TO KNOW ABOUT THE BIG ENVIRONMENT THAT THEY LIVE IN. THEY LIVE AT THE CENTERS OF THESE GALAXIES. THIS CORRELATION IS VERY IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT INDICATES THAT WHEN WE LEARN ABOUT THESE BLACK HOLES WHEN WE DO THESE MEASUREMENTS THAT CAN ALSO HELP US UNDERSTAND HOW THEIR PARENT BLACK HOLES WERE ASSEMBLED. GALAXIES ARE AFTER ALL THE BUILDING BLOCKS OF THE UNIVERSE. THIS WILL ALLOW US TO UNDERSTAND HOW THE UNIVERSE EVOLVED.

>> Ifill: THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING US TO UNDERSTAND THE BUILDING BLOCK, PROFESSOR CHUNG PEI MA OF BERKELEY.

>> THANK YOU.

>> Woodruff: AGAIN, THE MAJOR DEVELOPMENTS OF THE DAY. SUICIDE BOMBINGS IN AFGHANISTAN KILLED AT LEAST 56 SHIITE WORSHIPPERS AND WOUNDED MORE THAN 160 OTHERS. AND A RECORD SETTLEMENT WORTH $210 MILLION WAS ANNOUNCED IN A WEST VIRGINIA COAL MINE DISASTER THAT KILLED 29 MEN LAST YEAR. ONLINE, WE REPORT ON CALIFORNIA'S BUDGET CRUNCH. HARI SREENIVASAN HAS THE DETAILS. HARI?

>> Sreenivasan: SPENCER MICHELS EXAMINES THE PRESSURE ON GOVERNOR JERRY BROWN AS THE STATE FACES AUTOMATIC SPENDING CUTS TO CLOSE A $3.7 BILLION GAP. ON OUR GLOBAL HEALTH PAGE, WE LOOK AT HOW FOOD SHORTAGES IN NORTH KOREA ARE HURTING THE MOST VULNERABLE POPULATION: CHILDREN. ALL THAT AND MORE IS ON OUR WEB SITE, newshour.pbs.org. GWEN?

>> Ifill: AND THAT'S THE NEWSHOUR FOR TONIGHT. ON WEDNESDAY, WE'LL LOOK AT SUPREME COURT ARGUMENTS OVER WHO OWNS MONTANA'S RIVERS. I'M GWEN IFILL.

>> Woodruff: AND I'M JUDY WOODRUFF. WE'LL SEE YOU ONLINE, AND AGAIN HERE TOMORROW EVENING. THANK YOU, AND GOOD NIGHT. MAJOR FUNDING FOR THE PBS NEWSHOUR HAS BEEN PROVIDED BY:

>> COMPUTING SURROUNDS US. SOMETIMES IT'S OBVIOUS AND SOMETIMES IT'S VERY SURPRISING WHERE YOU FIND IT. SOON, COMPUTING INTELLIGENCE IN UNEXPECTED PLACES WILL CHANGE OUR LIVES IN TRULY PROFOUND WAYS. TECHNOLOGY CAN PROVIDE CUSTOMIZED EXPERIENCES, TAILORED TO INDIVIDUAL CONSUMER PREFERENCES, IGNITING A WORLD OF POSSIBILITIES FROM THE INSIDE OUT. SPONSORING TOMORROW, STARTS TODAY.

>> AND BY BNSF RAILWAY.

>> AND BY THE BILL AND MELINDA GATES FOUNDATION. DEDICATED TO THE IDEA THAT ALL PEOPLE DESERVE THE CHANCE TO LIVE A HEALTHY, PRODUCTIVE LIFE. AND WITH THE ONGOING SUPPORT OF THESE INSTITUTIONS AND FOUNDATIONS. AND... THIS PROGRAM WAS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE CORPORATION FOR PUBLIC BROADCASTING. AND BY CONTRIBUTIONS TO YOUR PBS STATION FROM VIEWERS LIKE YOU. THANK YOU.