PBS NewsHour Weekend; PBS NewsHour Weekend : KQED : July 27, 2014 5:30pm-6:01pm PDT

Captioning sponsored by WNET

>> Sreenivasan: ON THIS EDITION FOR SUNDAY JULY 27... ISRAEL RESUMES ITS ATTACKS IN GAZA AFTER HAMAS REJECTS A CEASEFIRE. HAMAS LATER OFFERS ITS OWN TEMPORARY TRUCE. FIGHTING INTENSIFIES IN EASTERN UKRAINE, AS THOUSANDS OF RUSSIAN TROOPS MASS ALONG THE BORDER. AND IN OUR SIGNATURE SEGMENT, A TINY PACIFIC ISLAND TAKES ON THE WORLD, CLOSING OFF A HUGE AREA OF THE OCEAN TO TRY TO PREVENT OVERFISHING.

>> I SECOND THE DECISION TO FULLY CLOSE ALL FISHING ACTIVITY FROM THE FIRST OF JANUARY 2015.

>> Sreenivasan: NEXT ON PBS NEWSHOUR WEEKEND.

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>> Sreenivasan: GOOD EVENING, THANKS FOR JOINING US. INTERNATIONAL EFFORTS TO CREATE A LASTING CEASEFIRE BETWEEN ISRAEL AND HAMAS APPEAR TO HAVE AT LEAST TEMPORARILY BROKEN DOWN. THERE WAS MORE ISRAELI SHELLING OF GAZA AND NEW HAMAS ROCKET FIRE INTO ISRAEL TODAY. YESTERDAY, HAMAS REJECTED AN ISRAELI OFFER TO EXTEND A 12- HOUR CEASEFIRE. AND ALMOST IMMEDIATELY, HAMAS FIRED MORE ROCKETS INTO ISRAEL. TODAY, ON THE EVE OF EID, THE MUSLIM FEAST MARKING THE END OF FASTING DURING RAMADAN, HAMAS REVERSED COURSE AND OFFERED A CEASEFIRE.

>> IN RESPONSE TO THE ASSESSMENT OF THE UNITED NATIONS AND TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION THE CONDITION OF OUR PEOPLE IN GAZA, ESPECIALLY IN LIGHT OF THE COMING EID HOLIDAY, THERE WERE DISCUSSIONS BETWEEN THE FACTIONS AND THEY HAVE REACHED AN AGREEMENT TO ACCEPT THE OFFER OF A 24-HOUR HUMANITARIAN CALM.

>> Sreenivasan: BUT ISRAEL TODAY RENEWED ITS ATTACKS ON HAMAS TARGETS IN GAZA. PRIME MINISTER BENJAMIN NETANYAHU APPEARED ON CNN'S STATE OF THE UNION WITH CANDY CROWLEY.

>> YOU SAY ISRAEL RESUMED ITS OFFENSIVE. NO, ISRAEL DIDN'T RESUME OUR OFFENSIVE, WE HAD A CEASEFIRE, THEY VIOLATED IT, AND NOW THEY'RE VIOLATING THEIR OWN CEASEFIRE AND OBVIOUSLY WE'LL TAKE WHATEVER ACTION IS NECESSARY TO PROTECT OUR PEOPLE, INCLUDING AGAINST THE TERRORIST TUNNELS THAT THEY'RE TRYING TO DIG AGAINST US. HAMAS IS SIMPLY CONTINUING ALL ITS OPERATIONS AND ISRAEL WILL NOT LET THIS TERROR OPERATION DECIDE WHEN IT'S CONVENIENT FOR THEM AND NOT CONVENIENT FOR THEM TO ATTACK OUR PEOPLE, WHEN IT'S CONVENIENT FOR THEM TO RESTOCK AND RELOAD, AND WHEN IT'S NOT CONVENIENT FOR THEM. FOR MORE WE ARE JOINED BY SKYPE BY RUTH EGLASH OF "THE WASHINGTON POST"MENT SO WAS'S THE LATEST?

>> IT'S BEEN A VERY UP AND DOWN DAY. I MEAN THIS MORNING THERE WAS A CEASE-FIRE AND IT WAS HOLDING FOR A LITTLE BIT, EVEN THOUGH THERE WAS STILL ROCKET FIRE COMING IT FROM GAZA INTO ISRAEL. THE ISRAELI GOVERNMENT HAD ORDERED THE MILITARY NOT TO RESPOND UP UNTIL MIDMORNING. AND AT THAT POINT THE ROCKETS JUST KEPT ONCOMING. AND THE GOVERNMENT DECIDED TO INSTRUCT THE MILITARY TO CONTINUE ON POUNDING GAZA WITH ITS AIR STRIKES AND FROM THE SEA, AND ALSO TO CONTINUE SEARCHING AND DESTROYING TUNNELS THAT HAVE BEEN DISCOVERED UNDER THE GROUND BETWEEN ISRAEL AND GAZA. AT AROUND 2:00 TODAY THERE WAS SOME WORDS THAT HAMAS WAS SEEKING A CEASE-FIRE, AND THAT PROPOSAL BY HAMAS WAS REJECTED BY ISRAEL. AND THEN OVERALL THE CEASE-FIRE ATTEMPTS BY THE U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE JOHN KERRY HAS BEEN AS FAR AS I KNOW REJECTED, FLATLY REJECTED BY THE ISRAELI GOVERNMENT.

>> WE'VE ALSO HEARD THAT THERE HAVE BEEN ATTEMPTS AT INFILTRATION ALONG THE BORDER WITH GAZA.

>> THAT'S BEEN AN ONGOING FOR THE LAST THREE WEEKS. THERE HAVE BEEN PRETTY MUCH EVERY FEW DAYS INFILTRATION ATTEMPTS, SOLDIERS DISCOVERING TUNNELS INSIDE THE GAZA STRIP AND MILITANTS MANAGING TO GO THROUGH THOSE TUNNELS AND COME OUT INTO ISRAEL. THAT'S BEEN PRETTY MUCH CONSTANT FOR THE LAST THREE WEEKS.

>> WE'VE ALSO HEARD THAT THERE WAS AN ATTEMPTED INFILTRATION INTO ISRAEL FROM THE WEST BANK TODAY.

>> YES, I RECEIVED AROUND MIDDAY AN UPDATE FROM THE ARMY THAT SAID A CO-OP CARRYING EXPLOSIVES HAD BEEN STOPPED AT A CHECK POINT NEAR JERUSALEM. THE SUSPECT WAS APPREHENDED AND THE CAR WAS TAKEN IN FOR FURTHER INVESTIGATION. I DIDN'T HAVE ANY MORE DETAILS ON THAT AT THIS TIME BUT THERE HAS BEEN QUITE A NUMBER OF-- QUITE A LARGE AMOUNT OF PROTESTS IN THE WEST BANK OVER THE LAST FEW DAYS. AND AT LEAST NINE PALESTINIANS KILLED DURING CLASHES WITH THE ISRAELI SECURITY FORCES IN THE WEST BANK.

>> YOU KNOW, WE'VE SEEN A COUPLE OF CLIPS AND IMAGES AND VIDEOS OF PEACE RALLIES IN CITIES LIKE TEL AVIV. IS THIS GAINING ANY ATTRACTION, THE SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGNS AS WELL?

>> YEAH, YOU KNOW, THESE HAVE BEEN HAPPENING SINCE THE BEGINNING. THERE WAS ALWAYS A SMALL NUMBER OF PEOPLE IN ISRAEL WHO WERE SPEAKING OUT AGAINST THE WAR SAYING THAT IT WASN'T GOING TO ACHIEVE ANYTHING. LAST NIGHT POSSIBLY WAS THE BIGGEST RALLY IN TEL AVIV, ROUGHLY 3,000 PEOPLE ATTENDED. AND THAT RALLY WAS CUT SHORT WHEN HAMAS FIRED ROCKETS TOWARDS TEL AVIV AND THE SIRENS WENT OFF IN TEL AVIV, FORCING PEOPLE TO GO INTO BOMB SHELTERS. BUT THERE IS A CONSISTENT VOICE HERE, BUT IT'S VERY, VERY SMALL.

>> RUTH EGLASH OF THE "WASHINGTON POST" JOINING US VIA SKYPE FROM JERUSALEM THIS EVENING, THANKS SO MUCH.

>> YOU'RE WELCOME.

>> FOR MORE ABOUT THE SITUATION ON THE GROUND IN GAZA WE ARE JOINED ONCE AGAIN TONIGHT VIA SKYPE BY NICHOLAS CASEY OF "THE WALL STREET JOURNAL." SO WE'VE HEARD BASICALLY THAT ALL SIGNS OF THE TRUCE ARE OFF. THAT THERE IS CONTINUED ROCKET BEING HURLED AT ISRAEL FROM HAMAS, AND THAT THE SHELLING CONTINUES FROM ISRAEL ON GAZA.

>> BASICALLY THAT'S WHAT IS HAPPENING, UNFORTUNATELY. I SAW JUST RIGHT OUTSIDE MY HOTEL WINDOW THREE ROCKETS FROM HAMAS OR ONE OF THE AFFILIATED GROUPS GOING OUT TOWARDS ISRAEL. AND MOST OF THEM WARNING, WE WERE GETTING BOMBARDED HEAVILY RIGHT AROUND THE HOTEL. WE HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THE ISRAELIS WERE TRYING TO HITMENT BUT THEY WERE TRYING TO HIT IT MULTIPLE TIMES. THE SOUNDS OF THE BOOMS WERE SO LOUD THAT IT WAS SHAKING THE WINDOWS, SCARING EVERYBODY OUT OF THE ROOMS. AND I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THE SITUATION WAS LIKE JUST A COUPLE OF BLOCKS AWAY WHERE THESE TARGETS WERE GETTING HIT.

>> THERE SEEM TO BE DIFFERENT MOTIVATIONS FOR BOTH SIDES ON WHETHER TO AGREE TO A CEASE-FIRE OR NOT.

>> THERE ARE. I THINK AGREEING TO THESE TEMPORARY CEASE-FIRES IS MOST WITHIN ISRAEL'S INTEREST BECAUSE WHEN THE FIRING STOPPED, ISRAEL GENERALLY CONTINUES TO GO AFTER THE HAMAS TUNNELS AND HAVE ITS TROOPS STILL STATIONED WITHIN THE GAZA STRIP WITH A PROMISE FROM HAMAS THAT HAMAS WON'T ATTACK IT. AS FOR HAMAS, ITS INFRASTRUCTURE, ITS WEAPONS FACILITIES AND ITS TUNNELS CONTINUE TO BE DESTROYED BY ISRAEL AS THE PEOPLE OF GAZA GET A SMALL BRIEF BREAK TO GET SOME WATER. WHEREAS THE TROOPS FROM ISRAEL REMAIN IN THE GAZA STRIP AND IS UNABLE TO ATTACK THEM BY ITS OWN AGREEMENT.

>> WE ALSO RECEIVED INFORMATION TODAY ABOUT A RED CROSS BUILDING THAT WAS DAMAGED. WHAT HAPPENED THERE?

>> THERE WAS A RED CROSS BUILDING SOUTH OF HERE THAT WAS TORCHED. IT'S NOT CLEAR WHY PEOPLE CAME AFTER THE RED CROSS BUILDING. BUT THE FACT IS, WHAT'S GOING ON IN GAZA NOW IS THAT THERE'S A FOREIGN ARMY WHOSE ATTACKING IT. THERE ARE A LOT OF FOREIGNERS HERE WHO ARE TRYING TO PHOTOGRAPH, DOCUMENT AND ALSO HELP GAZANS. AND THERE'S A TREMENDOUS FEELING OF FRUSTRATION AND ENTRAPMENT HERE. THE OTHER THING THAT HAD GONE ON WAS THAT THERE WAS A BIT OF ANGER TOWARDS THE RED CROSS BASED ON SOME RUMORS THAT HAD GONE AROUND BEFORE THE EVACUATION OR THE ATTEMPTED EVACUATION OF A U.N. SHELTER IN THE NORTH OF HERE. I DON'T KNOW IF THIS HAD ANYTHING TO DO WITH IT. BUT WHAT HAD HAPPENED WAS THAT THERE WAS A RUMOR GOING AROUND THAT THERE WERE RED CROSS VEHICLES THAT WERE GOING TO GET PEOPLE OUT OF THE SHELTER. THEN AS PEOPLE WERE GATHERING, THERE WAS AN ATTACK ON THE SHELL TER THAT KILLED 16 PEOPLE. ONE OF THE DAYS THAT I WAS IN THE HOSPITAL WHERE THESE PEOPLE WERE BEING TREATED, THERE WERE PEOPLE YELLING AT THE RED CROSS SAYING WHY DIDN'T YOU COME TO RESCUE US. AND THE DRIVER FROM THE RED CROSS WAS TRYING TO EXPLAIN THAT HE HIMSELF COULDN'T GET INTO THE AREA BECAUSE IT WAS TOO DANGEROUS THAT DAY.

>> ALL RIGHT, NICHOLAS CASEY OF "THE WALL STREET JOURNAL" JOINING US VIA SKYPE FROM GAZA, THANKS SO MUCH.

>> THANKS.

>> Sreenivasan: AND NOW TO ANOTHER MAJOR CONFLICT ZONE: UKRAINE. TODAY, DEPUTY NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR BEN RHODES SAID THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION IS EXPLORING NEW WAYS TO HELP THE UKRAINIAN GOVERNMENT SUPPRESS PRO-RUSSIAN SEPARATISTS.

>> WE'VE INITIATED A DISCUSSION WITH THEM, WHAT A LONG TERM TRAINING AND EQUIPPING RELATIONSHIP WOULD BE WITH UKRAINE SO THAT THEY HAVE MORE MODERNIZED AND PROFESSIONALIZED SECURITY FORCES SO THAT THEY CAN PROVIDE FOR SECURITY IN THE COUNTRY. AND WE'RE ALSO VERY FOCUSED ON WHAT WE CAN DO TO HELP THEM SECURE THAT BORDER. WE HAVEN'T MADE THE DECISION TO PROVIDE CERTAIN TYPES OF WEAPONS, BUT INTELLIGENCE, WE DO PROVIDE INTELLIGENCE AND WE'VE REVIEWED THAT. WE STILL THINK THE BEST THING THAT THE UNITED STATES CAN DO IS SEND A MESSAGE TO RUSSIA THROUGH VERY STRONG SANCTIONS, COORDINATED WITH THE EUROPEANS.

>> Sreenivasan: THIS AS FIGHTING BETWEEN UKRAINIAN GOVERNMENT FORCES AND PRO-RUSSIAN SEPARATISTS HAS INTENSIFIED IN RECENT DAYS, DELAYING INTERNATIONAL INVESTIGATORS TRYING TO REACH THE SITE OF THE MALAYSIAN JETLINER THAT WENT DOWN IN EASTERN UKRAINE WITH 298 PEOPLE ON BOARD. OUR REPORT BY ITN IS NARRATED BY JANE DODGE.

>> THIS GRAINY AMATEUR FOOTAGE WAS REPORTEDLY FILMED IN THE REGION TODAY HEADING WESTWARD INCLUDING LORI LOADS OF TROOPS BELIEVE TO BE PRO RUSSIANS, ROCKET LAUNCHERS AND HEAVY ARTILLERY. THE MILITARY HARDWARE A POSSIBLE RESPONSE TO THE UKRAINIAN GOVERNMENT'S INTENSIFYING HOSTILITIES. IT HAS BEEN TRYING TO REGAIN CONTROL OF REBEL HELD TOWNS THIS WEEKEND AND SECURE THE CRASH SITE OF FLIGHT MH-17. THAT EXPLAINS WHY A TEAM OF INTERNATIONAL POLICE OFFICERS ONCE AGAIN DELAYED VISITING THE WRECKAGE. THE BODIES OF EIGHT PASSENGERS ARE STILL MISSING.

>> WE WILL NOT RISK OUR UNARMED CIVILIAN OBSERVER MISSION TO DEPLOY TO A SITE WHERE WE CAN'T CONTROL THE RISKS.

>> Reporter: FLIGHT MH-17 CRASHED IN REBEL HELD TERRITORY 78 KELOMETRES FROM DONETSK. TWO TOWNS TO THE NORTHWEST THE UKRAINIANS ARE TRYING TO REGAIN OF CONTROL. THE UKRAINIAN PRESIDENTS WITH DRESSED FOR WAR YESTERDAY AS HE VISITED HIS TROOPS. THE THE BIG PRIZE TO SECURE IS REBEL CONTROLLED DONETSK, HOME TO MORE THAN A MILLION PEOPLE, NOW ALMOST COMPLETELY SURROUNDED BY GOVERNMENT TROOPS.

>> AS WE WERE LEAVING DONETSK WE SAW A LARGE CONVOY OF MILITARY HARDWARE AND TROOPS OF THE UKRAINIAN GOVERNMENT WHICH WAS HEADED TOWARDS DONETSK. I THINK THERE WERE AROUND 40, 50 LARGE VEHICLES, MANY OF THEM CARRYING TANKS. SO I THINK WHAT IS HAPPENING IS THAT THE UKRAINIAN GOVERNMENT IS USING THE MOMENTUM THAT WAS CREATED AFTER THE CRASH OF THE MALAYSIAN AIRLINES TO STEP UP THEIR CRACKDOWN ON THE SEPARATISTS REBELLION.

>> Reporter: VLADIMIR PUTIN WAS HONORING RUSSIA'S MILITARY PAST TODAY. HE'S REPEATEDLY DENIED ARMING UKRAINE'S REBELS BUT THE U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT HAS RELEASED SATELLITE IMAGES WHICH THEY SAY SHOW RUSSIAN FORCES FIRING ACROSS THE BORDER AT UKRAINE TROOPS LAST WEEK.

>> FROM AFGHANISTAN

>> Sreenivasan: FROM AFGHANISTAN TONIGHT, WORD OF TALIBAN GAINS IN WHAT ARE DESCRIBED AS SEVERAL STRATEGIC AREAS NEAR THE CAPITAL CITY OF KABUL. THIS FROM THE NEW YORK TIMES. THE NEWSPAPER SAYS THE TALIBAN HAS MOVED BEYOND ITS TRADITIONAL STRONGHOLDS IN RURAL AREAS AND NOW CONTROLS TERRITORY NEAR CRUCIAL HIGHWAYS CLOSE TO KABUL AND IN OTHER STRATEGIC PROVINCES. THE NEWSPAPER SAYS THE RECENT GAINS CAST DOUBT ON THE AFGHAN ARMY'S ABILITY TO STAVE OFF THE INSURGENTS AFTER NATO FORCES LEAVE. MORE TROUBLING NEWS ABOUT THAT EBOLA OUTBREAK IN WEST AFRICA THAT HAS KILLED APPROXIMATELY 670 PEOPLE. ONE OF LIBERA'S TOP DOCTORS WHO HAS BEEN TREATING THE DISEASE HAS DIED OF IT. AND AN AMERICAN DOCTOR THERE HAS ALSO BEEN INFECTED AND IS RECEIVING INTENSIVE MEDICAL TREATMENT. HE IS SAID TO BE IN STABLE CONDITION. AND FROM GENOA, ITALY TONIGHT PICTURES OF THE SHIPWRECKED COSTA CONCORDIA AFTER TUGBOATS PULLED IT INTO PORT. THE CRUISE SHIP, WHICH RAN AGROUND IN JANUARY OF 2012, KILLING 32 PEOPLE, WILL BE SOLD AS SCRAP AFTER A FINAL SEARCH FOR THE LAST MISSING VICTIM-- A 33-YEAR-OLD WAITER. NISSAN IS RECALLING ANOTHER 226 THOUSAND VEHICLES FOR THE MODEL YEARS 2002 THROUGH 2004 BECAUSE OF FAULTY AIRBAGS THAT COULD CAUSE INJURY IN AN ACCIDENT. IT'S PART OF A MUCH LARGER RECALL BY CAR MANUFACTURERS WHO USE THE SAME AIRBAG SUPPLIER. FOR A LIST OF THE NISSAN MODELS AFFECTED BY THE LATEST RECALL, VISIT NEWSHOUR.PBS.ORG. AIRLINES HAVE BEEN FINED NEARLY 21 MILLION DOLLARS DURING THE PAST THREE YEARS FOR VIOLATING THE PASSENGER BILL OF RIGHTS. THIS ACCORDING TO DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION RECORDS OBTAINED BY THE LOS ANGELES TIMES. THE NEWSPAPER SAID MOST OF THE FINES ARE FOR UNFAIR AND DECEPTIVE PRACTICES, LIKE ADVERTISING FARES THAT DON'T REALLY EXIST. THE STEEPEST FINES WERE FOR UNFAIR TREATMENT OF THE DISABLED. AND IN WYOMING, A CAVE THAT'S BELIEVED TO CONTAIN THE REMAINS OF THOUSANDS OF ANCIENT ANIMALS WILL BE OPENED TO AN INTERNATIONAL TEAM OF SCIENTISTS TOMORROW. THE CAVE IN NORTH CENTRAL WYOMING IS THOUGHT TO CONTAIN FOSSILS OF SEVERAL LONG-EXTINCT CREATURES, INCLUDING MAMMOTHS AND SHORT-FACED BEARS THAT STOOD 10 FEET TALL WHEN UP ON THEIR HIND LEGS. THE CAVE IS 85 FEET DEEP AND MANY OF THE ANIMALS ARE BELIEVED TO HAVE PLUNGED TO THEIR DEATHS. THE SCIENTISTS WILL NEED TO USE ROPES TO RAPPEL IN AND OUT. THEY HOPE TO RECOVER DNA FROM THE BONE FRAGMENTS. AND NOW TO OUR SIGNATURE SEGMENT. TONIGHT, WE EXAMINE THE HEALTH OF OUR OCEANS AND ITS IMPACT ON THE GLOBAL FOOD SUPPLY. ESTIMATES ARE THAT AT LEAST 15 PERCENT OF PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD-- THAT'S A BILLION PEOPLE- - DEPEND ON FISH AS THEIR MAIN SOURCE OF PROTEIN. BUT SEVERAL SPECIES ARE NOW THREATENED BY OVERFISHING. RECENTLY, THE PRESIDENT OF THE TINY PACIFIC ISLAND NATION OF KIRIBATI ANNOUNCED A PLAN TO TRY TO HELP SAVE ONE OF THE WORLD'S MOST WIDELY CONSUMED TYPE OF FISH-- TUNA. NEWSHOUR CORRESPONDENT WILLIAM BRANGHAM REPORTS ABOUT THE PLAN AND LATER SAT DOWN WITH THE PRESIDENT OF KIRIBATI TO DISCUSS THE PROPOSAL.

>> Reporter: THE U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT RECENTLY CONVENED ITS FIRST OCEANS CONFERENCE, BRINGING SCIENTISTS AND POLITICAL LEADERS FROM AROUND THE WORLD TO ADDRESS THE MANY THREATS TO THE WORLD'S OCEANS INCLUDING POLLUTION, CLIMATE CHANGE, AND OVERFISHING.

>> THE PROTECTION OF OUR OCEANS IS A VITAL INTERNATIONAL SECURITY ISSUE.

>> Reporter: SECRETARY OF STATE JOHN KERRY SAID THAT PROTECTING THE OCEANS WAS AN OBVIOUS CONCERN BOTH FOR THE U.S., AND FOR ALL NATIONS.

>> PROTECTING OUR OCEAN IS ALSO A GREAT NECESSITY FOR GLOBAL FOOD SECURITY. THE CONNECTION BETWEEN A HEALTHY OCEAN AND LIFE ITSELF FOR EVERY SINGLE PERSON ON EARTH CANNOT BE OVERSTATED.

>> Reporter: KERRY THEN INTRODUCED PRESIDENT ANOTE TONG, OF THE PACIFIC ISLAND NATION OF KIRIBATI, A MAN KERRY CALLED "ONE OF THE WORLD'S GREATEST ADVOCATES FOR THE WORLD'S OCEANS" TONG'S COUNTRY IS NEARLY SEVEN THOUSAND MILES AWAY-- FAR OUT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PACIFIC OCEAN. YOU MAY HAVE HEARD OF KIRIBATI BECAUSE ITS APPROXIMATELY 100,00 RESIDENTS ARE EXTREMELY VULNERABLE TO SEA-LEVEL RISE CAUSED BY CLIMATE CHANGE. IN FACT, KIRIBATI RECENTLY PURCHASED LAND IN FIJI AS A REFUGE FOR ITS PEOPLE IN ANTICIPATION OF WHEN RISING SEAS MAY MAKE IT TOO DANGEROUS TO CONTINUE LIVING HERE. BUT PRESIDENT TONG'S MOST RECENT CONCERN HAS BEEN OVERFISHING. HE'S WORKING WITH THE ENVIRONMENTAL GROUP CONSERVATION INTERNATIONAL TO PROTECT THE MARINE LIFE THAT LIVES ALONG THE RICH CORAL REEFS THAT RING HIS COUNTRY'S ISLANDS. THE AREA IS HOME TO A HUGE ARRAY OF SPECIES, MOST IMPORTANTLY TUNA. TONG WENT TO THAT STATE DEPARTMENT CONFERENCE TO ANNOUNCE THAT IN ORDER TO PROTECT THOSE TUNA, HE WAS BANNING COMMERCIAL FISHING IN WHAT'S CALLED "THE PHOENIX ISLANDS PROTECTED AREA." IT'S OVER 150,000 SQUARE MILES OF KIRIBATI'S TERRITORIAL WATERS-- AN AREA ROUGHLY THE SIZE OF CALIFORNIA.

>> KIRIBATI HAS TAKEN THE DECISION TO FULLY CLOSE ALL COMMERCIAL FISHING ACTIVITIES WITHIN THE PHOENIX ISLANDS PROTECTED AREA WITH THE EFFECT FROM THE FIRST OF JANUARY 2015.

>> Reporter: BECAUSE OF OVERFISHING, MANY OF THE WORLDS TUNA STOCKS ARE DEPLETED OR IN JEOPARDY. THE TUNA THAT COME FROM THE CENTRAL PACIFIC ARE NOW ONE OF THE LAST REMAINING RELATIVELY HEALTHY STOCKS OF THIS LUCRATIVE, CRUCIAL FISH. TUNA ARE KNOWN AS A ¡PELAGIC' SPECIES-- WHICH MEANS THEY MIGRATE HUGE DISTANCES ACROSS THE PACIFIC DURING THEIR LIFESPAN. SO WHILE KIRIBATI'S CLOSURE PROTECTS JUST ONE SMALL PART OF THE TUNA HABITAT, IT'S CONSIDERED AN IMPORTANT-- IF SYMBOLIC-- STEP IN PROTECTING THE ENTIRE FISHERY. I TALKED WITH PRESIDENT TONG THE DAY BEFORE HE ANNOUNCED THE CLOSURE.

>> Reporter: PRESIDENT TONG, WHY DID YOU DECIDE THAT THIS WAS THE RIGHT TIME TO CLOSE THESE FISHING GROUNDS?

>> FOR FAR TOO OFTEN IN THE PAST, WE STAND BY AND WATCH WHAT GOES ON. AND WE HAVE THEORIES, WE POSTULATE THEORIES AS TO HOW TO DEAL WITH IT, BUT I THINK WE WANT TO DO MORE THAN THAT. ASE IN TERMS OF CLIMATE CHANGE. I THINK WE KNOW WHAT'S WRONG, WE BELIEVE WE KNOW WHAT SHOULD BE DONE, BUT WE CONTINUE NOT TO DO IT. WE CONTINUE TO WAIT FOR THE NEXT COUNTRY TO DO IT. AND DEFINITELY THE CASE IS THAT MANY AMERICANS EAT TUNA, EITHER SASHIMI OR CANNED, BUT WHAT WE SEE ON THE TABLE, WHAT WE SEE AROUND OUR DAILY LIVES, WE DON'T ALWAYS ASSOCIATE IT WITH SOMETHING ELSE BEYOND. BUT THE REALITY IS THAT THIS HAS TO COME FROM SOMEWHERE. AND AT THE MOMENT THE MOST VIABLE TUNA FISHING GROUNDS THAT REMAIN VIABLE ARE THOSE IN THE WESTERN AND CENTRAL PACIFIC, IN OUR WATERS. AND SO LEADERSHIP HAS GOT TO BE TAKEN.

>> Reporter: HOW WILL THIS BE ENFORCED THOUGH? AS YOU KNOW, THERE ARE MANY PROTECTED MARINE FISHERIES AROUND THE WORLD WHERE ILLEGAL FISHING IS STILL RAMPANT. SO HOW WILL KIRIBATI, WITH REALLY NO NAVY AND FEW RESOURCES BE ABLE TO PROTECT THIS PROTECTED AREA?

>> WE HAVE ARRANGEMENTS WITH OUR DEVELOPED PARTNERS INCLUDING THE UNITED STATES, WHEREBY THE US COAST GUARD VESSELS GO INTO OUR WATERS AND THEY DO PROVIDE SURVEILLANCE AND THEY HAVE IN THE PAST ACTUALLY CAUGHT AND WE HAVE PROSECUTED ILLEGAL FISHING VESSELS. BUT I BELIEVE THAT IT'S GOT TO BE DONE AS A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT. WE CANNOT DO IT ALONE; WE SHOULD NOT HAVE TO DO IT ALONE, BECAUSE WE ARE DOING THIS FOR THE REST OF HUMANITY AS A FOOD SECURITY ISSUE, GLOBAL FOOD SECURITY ISSUE. AND SO OUR PARTNERS, OUR NEIGHBORS SHOULD BE WILLING, IF THEY ARE ABLE, TO CONTRIBUTE.

>> Reporter: AS YOU KNOW, TUNA SPEND-- THEY CROSS AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF THE PACIFIC OCEAN, AND SO WHILE YOU MAY BE ABLE TO PROTECT THEM IN THE SHORT TIME WHEN THEY ARE IN YOUR WATERS, ISN'T THERE A CONCERN THAT THEY'RE EVENTUALLY GOING TO MIGRATE SOMEWHERE ELSE AND MIGHT BE UNPROTECTED AND SNATCHED UP ONCE THEY'VE LEFT YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD?

>> THERE'S NO DOUBT THAT THIS IS, THE TUNA ARE RENOWNED FOR BEING A PELAGIC SPECIES. THAT'S ABSOLUTELY CORRECT. BUT AT LEAST SOMEWHERE WHERE THEY KNOW THAT, WE'LL WE KNOW THAT THEY WILL BE ABLE TO FIND REFUGE. I HOPE THE TUNA LEARN THAT IN TIME, BUT I THINK IT'S BETTER THAN DOING NOTHING AT ALL. AND HOPEFULLY BY DOING THIS, OTHER NEIGHBORING COUNTRIES WILL DO THE SAME AND SO ON. HOPEFULLY IN TIME WE WILL HAVE SOMETHING MUCH MORE EFFECTIVE TO ENSURE THAT THE TUNA FISHERIES IN OUR PART OF THE WORLD DOESN'T SUFFER THE SAME FATE AS OTHER TUNA, FISHERIES IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE WORLD IN THE ATLANTIC, THE SALMON, THE COD AND WHATEVER, THE BLUEFIN IN THE ATLANTIC, THAT'S ALL GONE. WE DON'T WANT TO REPEAT THE SAME EXPERIENCE.

>> Reporter: YOU'VE OBVIOUSLY SPENT A GREAT DEAL OF YOUR TIME TRYING TO DRAW THE WORLD'S ATTENTION TO CLIMATE CHANGE AND TO SEA-LEVEL RISE AND TO THE VERY REAL THREAT TO YOUR NATION. IS THERE A CONCERN THAT, AS SEA LEVELS CONTINUE TO RISE AND THE TERRITORIAL SIZE OF YOUR OWN COUNTRY IS THREATENED, THAT IT BECOMES HARDER AND HARDER TO PROTECT THE FISHERIES AROUND THEM?

>> WELL, A LOT OF THINGS ARE GOING TO NEED PROTECTING, AND I THINK THE FIRST ANIMALS THAT WOULD NEED PROTECTING ARE OUR PEOPLE, OKAY? SECONDLY, OF COURSE THE QUESTION THAT ARISES AS TO WHAT HAPPENS TO OUR EXCLUSIVE ECONOMIC ZONE. DOES IT DISAPPEAR WITH THE SUBMERGENCE OF OUR ISLANDS? WE BELIEVE NOT. I'VE LOOKED AND I'VE BEEN SEEKING ADVICE ON THIS, AND THERE'S NO LEGAL PRECEDENT. IN OTHER WORDS...

>> Reporter: IF A NATION GOES UNDER THE WATER, DOES IT STILL HAVE JURISDICTION AROUND IT.

>> DEFINITELY. WE BELIEVE THAT IT IS OURS, IT REMAINS OURS. WHETHER OUR ISLANDS GO UNDERWATER OR NOT. BUT OF COURSE LET ME MAKE THE POINT THAT WE ARE COMMITTED TO ENSURING THAT WHATEVER HAPPENS, WHATEVER THE SEA LEVEL RISE MIGHT BE, WE WILL BUILD THEM UP SO THAT TO ENSURE THAT OUR NATION CONTINUES TO EXIST, EVEN IF ONLY A SMALL PIECE OF IT. BECAUSE IT'S SYMBOLIC. IT'S A STATEMENT TO EVERYBODY NOT TO ALLOW THINGS LIKE THAT TO HAPPEN.

>> Reporter: PRESIDENT ANOTE TONG OF KIRIBATI, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

>> YOU'RE VERY WELCOME AND THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME THIS OPPORTUNITY TO COMMENT ON THIS VERY SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGE.

>> THIS IS PBS NEWSHOUR WEEKEND SUNDAY. AND NOW VIEW EVER-- VIEWERS LIKE YOU. YOUR FEEDBACK ABOUT SOME OF OUR RECENT WORK. OUR SIGNATURE STORY LAST SUNDAY ABOUT WEB-BASED INCENTIVE PROGRAMS DEVISED BY BEHAVIORAL ECONOMISTS AND USED BY BIG FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS TO TRY TO BOOST SAVINGS PROMPTED MANY SKEPTICAL COMMENTS.

>> FANNIE WROTE US ON FACEBOOK, DEVELOPING WILLPOWER ON YOUR OWN IS PROBABLY A BETTER IDEA THAN BECOMING EVEN MORE DEPENDENT ON THE DIGITAL GRID. ANTHONY WHO WROTE US ON OUR WEB SITE ADDED THIS, FIRST YOU HAVE TO CONVINCE PEOPLE TO LIVE WITHIN THEIR MEANS. CREATE A REALISTIC HOUSEHOLD BUDGET, AND STICK WITH IT.

>> BUT MOST OF THE RESPONSES WE GOT EXPRESSED DISTRUST, EVEN DISDAIN FOR BANKS AND OTHER BIG FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS. DEBORAH WROTE US ON FACEBOOK, GOOD IDEA ON THE FACE OF IT, BUT WITH THE TRACK RECORDS OF THESE MONSTERS, I WOULD ADD HAVE KATE TRUST BUT VERIFY. AND LOOK AT IT FROM THE STANDPOINT OF WHAT THESE BIG FINANCIAL GUYS FIGURE THEY'LL GET OUT OF IT. AND WE HEARD THIS FROM MA YEE DIXON, HEY, YOU FIRST ON THAT RESPONSIBLE FISCAL PRACTICE, BIG BANKS. OTHER COMMENTED ABOUT THE DIFFICULTY OF SAVING IN THE FIRST PLACE. A PERSON IDENTIFIED AS RANSOM O SHOOELDS WROTE, WHAT DOES THIS SAVE MONEY Z WE FIX THE PROBLEMS OF LIVING HAND-TO-MOUTH FOR 100 MILLION AMERICANS. MK ADDED THIS, PERHAPS PERSONAL SAVINGS ARE HALF OF WHAT THEY WERE A GENERATION AGO BECAUSE THE INTEREST RATE ON SAVINGS ACCOUNTS AND BONDS IS ABOUT 0% NOW COMPARED TO 7% A GENERATION AGO. NO AMOUNT OF SELF-INCENTIVIZING GIMMICKERY WILL CHANGE THAT. AND PETER SHARED A SIMILAR VIEW ON FACEBOOK, SAVE WHAT? BETWEEN LOW WAGES AND HIGH PRICES, WHAT IS THERE TO SAVE? AS ALWAYS, LET US KNOW WHAT YOU THINK OF OUR STORY ON TWITTER, FACEBOOK OR AT NEWSHOUR .PBS.ORG.

>> SOME LATE NEWS BEFORE WE LEAVE YOU TONIGHT. DURING A PHONE CALL TODAY WITH ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, THE WHITE HOUSE SAYS PRESIDENT OBAMA EXPRESSED SERIOUS AND GROWING CONCERN ABOUT CASUALTIES ON BOTH SIDES FROM ISRAEL'S CONFLICT WITH HAMAS. THE PRESIDENT SAID ANY LASTING SOLUTION WOULD REQUIRE THE DEMILL TARIZATION OF GAZA. AND AN AIDE TO PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY PRESIDENT ABBAS SAID A PALESTINIAN DELEGATION IS HEADING TO CAIRO TO TRY TO NEGOTIATE A NEW CEASE-FIRE. JOIN US ON AIR AND ON-LINE TOMORROW ON THE NEWSHOUR. PAUL SOLOMON EXPLORES WHICH MIGHT BE BETTER, AN ECONOMIC ENGINE MORE TARGETING TOWARDS THE RICH OR HIGHER WAGES FOR THE WORKING CLASS. THAT'S IT FOR THEY DECISION OF PBS NEWS-- NEWSHOUR WEEKEND, THANKS FOR WATCHING.

>> PBS Captioning sponsored by WNET Captioned by Media Access Group at WGBH access.wgbh.org

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