PBS News Hour

LAURA BARRON-LOPEZ: Good evening.

I'm Laura Barron-Lopez.

Geoff Bennett#and Amna Nawaz are away.

On the "News Hour" tonight: New# Year's celebrations turned to## horror.

A driver tore through# Bourbon Street in New Orleans,## killing and wounding multiple people in what's# being investigated as a terrorist attack.

After decades of work, Jimmy Carter's goal of# eradicating a tropical disease appears within## reach.

We examine the lasting global health# legacy the late president leaves behind.

And new research shows exercise could be the# most potent medical intervention ever known.

DR. EUAN ASHLEY, Stanford Medicine: Stressing# our bodies with exercise in just the right## amount actually prepares our bodies to# deal with the stress of everyday life.

(BREAK) LAURA BARRON-LOPEZ:##Welcome to the "News Hour."

At least 15 people are dead and dozens injured# after a man dr.. the French Quarter in New Orleans early this# morning, where people had gathered to usher## in the new year.

Authorities found an ISIS# flag and weapons in the truck.

The suspect,## a U.S.-born citizen, is dead, and the FBI is# investigating the attack as an act of terrorism.

A warning: Video of the attack is disturbing.

In New Orleans, what should have been a# night of celebration ringing in the new## year ended in terror.

Authorities say,# at around 3:15 a.m., the suspect plowed## a white Ford pickup truck into a crowd on# Bourbon Street.

After crashing the vehicle,## the driver fired at police officers on the scene.

Law enforcement intervened, killing the# man, identified today as 42-year-old## Shamsud-Din Jabbar,all of this leaving# an unimaginable trail of destruction and## lifeless bodies in the streets.

Today,# a coroner van on the city's main roads,## a popular area known for its bars and live# music, now an active crime scene.

More than## 30 people were injured, including two police# officers shot that remain in stable condition.

Witnesses describe the scene as surreal.

MAN: What we saw was insanity, I# mean, something out of a movie,## the graphic nature of it, and it was unbelievable.

LAURA BARRON-LOPEZ: Authorities say he was## dressed in military gear and had# an ISIS flag inside the .. New Orleans Police# Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick: ANNE KIRKPATRICK, New Orleans, Louisiana,# Police Superintendent: Because of the## intentional mind-set of this perpetrator who went# around our barricades in ord.. he was hell-bent on creating the# carnage and the damage that he did.

LAURA BARRON-LOPEZ: The FBI does not believe the## suspect acted alone and is# asking the public for help.

ALETHA DUNCAN, FBI Special Agent: We're# asking if anyone has had any interaction## with the deceased subject, Jabbar, in the last# 72 hours, provide us with this information.

LAURA BARRON-LOPEZ: President-elect Donald# Trump implied the attacker was an immigrant,## saying -- quote -- "When I said# that the criminals coming in are## far worse than the criminals we have in# our country, it turned out to be true."

But authorities confirmed the suspect was# a U.S.-born citizen from Texas and an Army## veteran.

New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell# told residents her priority is safety.

LATOYA CANTRELL, Mayor of New Orleans,# Louisiana: The mission now is to facilitate,## support, and coordinate safety procedures# to keep our residents and our visitors## safe.

We're taking every necessary step to# put even more safety procedures in place,## especially given the nature of the investigation.

LAURA BARRON-LOPEZ: Increased police# presence can be seen around the area## as the investigation continues.# The Sugar Bowl college playoff,## initially scheduled for tonight just blocks from# the attack, has been postponed until tomorrow.

For insight into the ongoing terrorism# investigation, we're joined by Bruce Hoffman,## senior fellow for counterterrorism and homeland# security at the Council on Foreign Relations.## He's advised the CIA and has studied# terrorism and insurgency for five decades.

Bruce, thank you so much# for joining us this evening.

The suspect was an Army veteran and he had# an ISIS flag in his truck, according to## authorities.

How significant is it that he had# that ISIS flag and what else stands out to you?

BRUCE HOFFMAN, Council on Foreign Relations:# The ISIS flag is enormously significant,## because it's very clear he was trying to situate# this act of violence in a political context,## indeed in a terrorist context, and show# allegiance or support of ISIS' aims.

LAURA BARRON-LOPEZ: Law enforcement has said# that they don't believe that the suspect,## Shamsud-Din Jabbar, was acting alone.

So what can we infer so far# from what we know about who## else might be involved or what this means?

BRUCE HOFFMAN: This is what's so alarming about# this particular incident is, it wasn't just a## matter of someone getting in a truck and driving# from Texas to Louisiana and carry out an attack.

It's believed that at least two other# improvised explosive devices were found## in the French Quarter of New Orleans and# that several other men and a woman have## been captured on video planting# them there.

So this suggests some## conspiratorial dimension to the attack,# which means that this may not be isolated.

LAURA BARRON-LOPEZ: Right.

Authorities# did say in the last few hours, though,## that they're not sure if that man and woman# were involved or connected to the suspect,## but there's a lot that we still don't know.

And, again, based on the# information that we have so far,## how likely is it that the suspect was# inspired or directly linked to ISIS?

BRUCE HOFFMAN: It's difficult to say.

It's clear that he was going through some# .. for example.

He was recently divorced.# He's a recent convert to a religion,## for example.

All of those things may have# played in his mind of doing something daring,## dramatic and violent that would all of a sudden# catapult him into some sort of infamous notoriety,## but notoriety nonetheless, as opposed to having# been a failure at everything else that he's tried.

And what we know from the recruitment# and radicalization of individuals is that## members of terrorist organizations, handlers# play on individuals' personal weaknesses or## their personal traumas and attempt to get# them to engage in acts of violence that,## in normal circumstances, they# might never have contemplated.

LAURA BARRON-LOPEZ: Are there similarities between# this attack, between what we know about the## suspect, and past U.S.-grown acts of terrorism# that may or may not have been linked to ISIS?

BRUCE HOFFMAN: Well, we really have to# put this in a broader context.

ISIS,## for at least the past decade, has# deliberately targeted highly populated,## let's say, celebratory type of events, the Ariana# Grande concert in Manchester, England in 2017.

For instance, just this past summer, there was# an attempted attack on the Taylor Swift concert## in Vienna, Austria.

So, ISIS has generally# in recent years been striking at events## where there's densely populated and, as it's# well-attended, they're celebrating something,## whether it's a concert or, as in this morning's# tragedy, a New Year's Eve event, and trying to## find places where they can kill lots of# people, but also get lots of attention.

LAURA BARRON-LOPEZ: ISIS has been# substantially weakened in recent years,## but what reasons would they# still have to attack the U.S.?

BRUCE HOFFMAN: Well, one of# the main reasons is that,## during the Trump administration,# for example, on several occasions,## President Trump proclaimed the defeat# of ISIS, which was in fact the case.

The international campaign against# ISIS from 2014 to 2019 destroyed the## caliphate.

This could be a way of# ISIS poking at the United States,## especially as the inauguration# is only three weeks away.

LAURA BARRON-LOPEZ: I mean, could this attack# indicate that ISIS might still have more influence## than we previously believed and the ability# to conduct an attack like this on U.S. soil?

BRUCE HOFFMAN: Absolutely.

Let's not forget that there was an#aborted ISIS plot that was derailed## in October to stage an attack in Oklahoma# City on Election Day.

So, unfortunately,## we have to see this morning's events# as not necessarily an aberration.

LAURA BARRON-LOPEZ: Bruce, what are you# looking for as the investigation moves forward?

BRUCE HOFFMAN: I think the biggest question# is, was this a broader conspiracy and who## are the fellow conspirators and# what conceivably might be next?

I would say, secondly, it's whether that# explosion, a very mysterious explosion of a## Cybertruck outside of a Trump-owned hotel in Las# Vegas is in any way connected to this event as## well.

It seems odd that two electric vehicles# are involved in explosions on the same day.

LAURA BARRON-LOPEZ: Bruce Hoffman, thank# you so much for your time and your insights.

BRUCE HOFFMAN: You're very welcome.

LAURA BARRON-LOPEZ: Let's turn now to# possible security lapses in New Orleans.

For that, I spoke a short# time ago with Juliette Kayyem,## a former assistant secretary at the# Department of Homeland Security and## faculty chair of the Homeland Security# Program at Harvard's Kennedy School.

Juliette, thank you so much for joining us today.

Given your expertise, how was a vehicle# able to ram into a crowd?

And, from a## physical security standpoint, could# more have been done to prevent this?

JULIETTE KAYYEM, Former U.S. Department of# Homeland Security Assistant Secretary: The## evidence is starting t..

So, in 2016, New Orleans changed its sort# of safety and security positioning for## Bourbon Street specifically.

That was# after two major terrorist attacks in## Europe, in Nice in France and Berlin in# Germany, in which automobiles were used.

In that instance, or afterwards, New Orleans# put up three different security measures.## It's the barricades, the bollards, which we# will get to in a second, and then basically## trucks.

But it's basically sanitation trucks,# so that you would have this layered security.

What we're starting to learn and what's# being disclosed is that that second,## these sort of cement entities that would# really essentially tear up a car if it## was trying to ram through Bourbon Street, were# not functioning, that they were being upgraded,## presumably for the Super Bowl in a couple weeks,# and, therefore, were not ready for this big event.

And that's what everyone is focused on# right now is whether alternative measures,## alternative security were used, and# whether they were sufficient enough.

Look, any terrorist who really wants to# kill could have just gone down the street## and gotten another group of people.# But, obviously, you want to protect## areas that are going to have the greatest# risk and the greatest density of people.

LAURA BARRON-LOPEZ: Juliette,# authorities have said that the## suspect may not have acted alone.

Was this# a city security failure or something larger?

JULIETTE KAYYEM: The larger question, at least in# terms of what we're hearing from public officials,## that this perpetrator did not act alone.

We have# no clarity on who he may have acted with and,## therefore, whether the city is safe# tonight and, of course, tomorrow,## when they are going to finally host# a delayed Sugar Bowl tomorrow night.

It's that discrepancy between saying that the city# should be open and people should move forward and## the potential that there might be co-conspirators# is something that they're going to have to answer## to.

It's a legitimate question for reporters# and the citizens to ask of public officials.

If they are wrong about# their being co-conspirators,## that's actually good news.# It shows a horrible incident,## but one that can be managed by the# city and it can move forward faster.

LAURA BARRON-LOPEZ: You said that there should# have potentially been a backup option to those## barriers on Bourbon Street that were not# being used at the time of this attack.

What next steps are you looking# for in this investigation?

JULIETTE KAYYEM: I think an honest accounting.

There was a press conference today that seemed# just remarkably defensive.

I don't .. good posture for New Orleans, nor for the police# department.

We need an honest accounting of,## what were those alternative measures?

Were# they focused on the wrong events, so to speak?

In other words, a Super Bowl is in a couple# weeks, and so they were rushing for that,## but forgetting they had a high-risk,# high-profile event.

What we also have## to figure out is why -- were there sanitation# trucks and were they removed after midnight?

So, any buildup to a risky event is also going# to have a drawdown.

And that drawdown may have## happened at 2:00 a.m., 2:30 a.m. Did that create# greater vulnerabilities for the people who## are -- who were still partying on the street# on New Year's Eve?

Those are the questions,## operational questions, that have# to be asked and answered honestly,## not just for New Orleans, but every# other city that is going to do this.

Paris, for example, has learned they essentially# keep a sort of hardcore security posture in Paris,## almost impossible to get vehicles in for# New Year's Eve, until 6:00 or 7:00 the next## morning.

These may be the lessons that we have# to learn from this tragedy that happened today.

LAURA BARRON-LOPEZ: Juliette, you write# in "The Atlantic" today that New Orleans## needs to return to normal as quickly as# possible.

But how safe is it to be in## New Orleans right now and is it feasible and# safe for the Sugar Bowl to continue tomorrow?

JULIETTE KAYYEM: So, I think the# delay was appropriate.

I think it## needs to guarantee that there's no ongoing threat.

So, what kind of changes can they make# to security planning for the bowl that## will assure safety and also assure the# perception of safety?

You want people## to have a good time.

And I think that's# -- I don't think there's anything wrong## with that.

You don't want terrorism to# hold captive an entire city indefinitely.

They may never find these people.

You want# to be able to move forward.

So those were## the two major aspects, both in# terms of what an accounting of,## is it safe?

Who are these potential# co-conspirators?

And, secondly,## what changes are they going to make to# the security posture to move forward?

I am not a fan of cities closing# down for long periods of time.## We have learned in the past they# create more tension, more fear,## more isolation.

They generally aren't# beneficial in terms of finding people.

But, most importantly, they# give the terrorists a narrative## that is greater than they should.

It# makes them feel more powerful: Look,## we can close down the Sugar Bowl and all# of New Orleans in the first week of 2025.

And I think there's something important# about giving a counternarrative.

LAURA BARRON-LOPEZ: Juliette# Kayyem, thank you for your time.

JULIETTE KAYYEM: Thank you.

LAURA BARRON-LOPEZ: The day's other news# begins with the restoration of power in## Puerto Rico following an island-wide# outage that struck on New Year's Eve.

The U.S. territory's private energy# provider says that as, of this afternoon,## 98 percent of its customers have their# lights back on.

But LUMA Energy warns## there could be temporary outages in the# coming days as it works to fully restore## power across the island.

The exact cause# of the outage is still under investigation,## but early indications point to a# problem with an underground power line.

At the peak of yesterday's outage, nearly# 90 percent of LUMA Energy customers were## without power, forcing people to# start the new year in darkness.

And, in Las Vegas, authorities say# one person is dead and seven others## were injured today when a Tesla Cybertruck# caught fire and exploded outside the city's## Trump International Hotel.

Eyewitness# video captured the vehicle as it burned## in the valet area of the hotel.

The# driver is the only known fatality.

The cause of the explosion is unclear, though# a law enforcement official tells the Associated## Press that the truck appeared to# be carrying a load of fireworks.## Authorities are reportedly investigating# the explosion as a possible act of terror.

Authorities in New York City have# arrested and charged a 23-year-old## man after a Manhattan subway passenger# was shoved onto the tracks as a train## approached.

Security camera footage shows the# 45-year-old victim wearing an orange jacket## being pushed violently from behind.

Police# say he's in critical, but stable condition.

The suspect has been identified as Kamel Hawkins.# He has been charged with attempted murder and## second-degree assault.

It's just the latest act# of violence to raise concerns among New York's## transit passengers.

The police figures show major# crimes on subways are down compared to last year.

Israeli airstrikes killed at least a# dozen Palestinians in Gaza overnight,## as the war grinds on into the new year.# Hospital officials say one strike hit a## refugee camp in Central Gaza, killing# a woman and child.

Israeli forces say## the attack was in response to militant# rocket fire that had come from the area.

Another strike hit a home in Northern Gaza,# killing seven and wounding a dozen others.

The## Israeli military has been conducting a major# offensive in that area since early October.

Ukraine is putting the brakes on Russian# gas flow through its pipeline network to## European customers.

The shutoff in supplies comes# nearly three years after Russia invaded Ukraine.## That's because a five-year agreement between# the two countries had kept the gas flowing,## but the deal expired at the end of 2024# and Ukraine has refused to extend it.

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico said# the stoppage will have a drastic impact## on European Union countries, but not on Russia.

ROBERT FICO, Prime Minister of# Slovakia (through translator):## Nobody, I repeat, nobody is pushing Slovakia away# from the European community.

But we must see that## selfish national interests are beginning to# dominate this community.

In world politics,## it absolutely applies that it does not# matter whether elephants love or fight;## the grass always suffers.

I do not# want Slovakia to be such grass.

LAURA BARRON-LOPEZ: Before the war,# Russia supplied almost 40 percent of## the E.U.

's natural gas via pipelines.

But,# by 2023, their share had dropped to around## 8 percent as the E.U.

moved to diversify the# bloc's energy sources.

The U.S. and Norway have## stepped in to fill the gap, becoming# the two largest suppliers to Europe.

In South Korea, investigators say they# have extracted black box data from the## Boeing jet that crashed at Muan International# Airport on Sunday, killing 179 people.

They## hope to use the information to determine# the exact cause of the crash.

Transport## Ministry officials are also sending a damaged# flight data recorder to the U.S. for analysis.

Today, relatives of the victims visited the site# to pay respects to their loved ones.

Officials## say they have identified all of the victims.

Only# two people survived when the Boeing 737-800 jet## skidded off the end of the runway and slammed# into a concrete fence, bursting into flames.

And a Navy medic who survived the attack# on Pearl Harbor has died.

Harry Chandler## was a hospital corpsman on# the morning of December 7,## 1941, when Japanese planes dropped bombs and# fired on ships in the harbor.

He helped pull## injured sailors from the oily waters after the# attack.

Chandler told the Associated Press in## 2023 that he saw the planes approach as he was# raising the flag at a nearby mobile hospital.

He's the third survivor to die in# recent weeks.

With his passing,## only 15 remain.

Harry Chandler was 103 years old.

Still to come on the "News Hour": the# election result for a North Carolina## Supreme Court seat is held up by legal# challenges; and an English town that's## been on the decline places its hopes# on the success of its soccer team.

For more than four decades after leaving# the White House, President Jimmy Carter## channeled his work on the world stage# through his nonprofit Carter Center.

One of the key achievements, the# near-eradication of Guinea worm disease,## which once affected 3.5 million people.

Last# year, there were just 14 cases reported in Africa.

That's why, as William Brangham# reports, Carter's work promoting## global public health is being remembered# by many as a core piece of his legacy.

WILLIAM BRANGHAM: The Carter Center's efforts# span more than 80 countries and help bring about## the eradication of diseases, the delivery# of lifesaving drugs to far-flung areas,## and a focus on improving mental health care.

To examine this work that was# so important to Jimmy Carter,## we are joined again by Dr. Peter Hotez.

He's# co-director of the Texas Children's Hospital## Center for Vaccine Development and dean of# the National School of Tropical Medicine at## Baylor College of Medicine.

He worked with# Jimmy Carter on neglected tropical diseases.

Dr. Hotez, great to have you back on the program.

When you look at Jimmy Carter's legacy# on this front with regards to global## public health, what stands out the most to you?

DR. PETER HOTEZ, Baylor College of Medicine:# I think, for me, it's the fact that the## president really hit home for the world# how health is a fundamental human right.

Just like people have a fundamental right to# access to food, water, and shelter, they also## have a fundamental right of access to being# free from ancient scourges, like Guinea-worm,## like river blindness, like lymphatic filariasis,# diseases that are not household names here in the## United States, but globally they're among the most# common afflictions of people living in poverty.

He, more than anyone else, I think,# really hit on the fact that people## have a fundamental right to be free of these# parasitic and neglected tropical diseases.

WILLIAM BRANGHAM: And a lot of his work was in the# field, but it wasn't only in the field.

I mean,## he was also just as active twisting arms# of world leaders and pharma executives and## business leaders, using the leverage that# only a former president can really do.

How important do you think# it was to have someone of## his stature pointing the finger at these issues?

DR. PETER HOTEZ: Yes, this is# what was absolutely game-changing,## to have a former president of the United States,# arguably the most powerful nation in the world,## focus his attention on diseases that represent# the most common afflictions of the world's poor.

For me, that was -- for those of us# who worked in global health, of course,## that was so inspirational, but it really held# elected leaders and leaders of foreign countries'## feet to the fire, both in terms of low- and# middle-income countries, as well as at the## advanced countries, high-income countries,# to really pay attention to these illnesses.

And there was nothing like the power of the# president to provide that kind of advocacy.

WILLIAM BRANGHAM: You have hinted at# this already, but do you have a good## sense as to why this suddenly became such# an important mission in his latter life?

DR. PETER HOTEZ: I think, throughout his# presidency and something permeating the## president's life, and his wife, Rosalynn,# who was a real champion of vaccines as well,## was helping, was service,# and helping those in need.

And when he asked Dr. Foege, Bill Foege, to# head the Carter Center, his original plan,## my understanding, was that it was not necessarily# around global health, but Dr. Foege convinced## the president that this had to be on the# forefront as well.

And he quickly got it.

Now we're at a place where more than a billion# people annually receive these donated medicines## for neglected tropical diseases, and a lot of that# is happening through a USAID program that I worked## with the president on.

So,imagine, more than# a billion people now receive those treatments,## and this is an extraordinary legacy# of president -- for the president.

WILLIAM BRANGHAM: I want to play# a clip from a 2010 story that my## colleague Fred de Sam Lazaro did.

He# went to South Sudan with Jimmy Carter.## This was on one of their Guinea# worm eradication missions there.

And Carter is describing how they wanted to# use an insecticide in this pond to kill the## Guinea worm eggs and larvae, but the locals there# were resistant to it because the pond was very,## very precious to them.

Here's# how Carter solved that problem.

JIMMY CARTER, Former President of the# United States: In fact, the ponds of## water were looked upon as sacred.

If that# partic.. there, the village wouldn't have# existed.

They wouldn't be alive.

And, of course, we said that# the pond was, in effect, sacred,## but there was a curse on their pond.# And if they would just help us remove## those Guinea worm eggs from their pond or from the# drink of water that they took out of that pond,## then that curse could be removed from# their pond and their village forever.

So, we had, you might say,# not only a philosophical,## but also a theological explanation to make.

WILLIAM BRANGHAM: How critical is that level# of cultural competency for this kind of work?## Because, certainly, a former president of the# United States could have come in and said,## look, we know how to do this, just let us do it.

But... DR. PETER HOTEZ: Yes, this was something also# really special about President Carter, and, by## the way, the good work of the Carter Center, which# still continues today, that it's not all top down.

Yes, of course, President Carter was talking# to leaders of low- and middle-income countries,## talking to the leadership of the World Health# Organization and UNICEF and other international## U.N. agencies.

But then he was also talking# to the people who were the recipient of these## medications and treatments and approaches to# ensure that there was community ownership.

And that was really special, because he# recognized that, without community ownership,## none of these interventions were going# to be sustainable.

And that was what## was going to allow it to continue.

And# that continues to permeate, for instance,## the program from our U.S. State Department at# USAID for neglected tropical disease control,## is to ensure that there is that ownership# at the local government level and equally## important at the community level, all,# again, part of his extraordinary legacy.

WILLIAM BRANGHAM: All right, Dr. Peter Hotez,## thank you so much for sharing your# remembrances of Jimmy Carter.. DR. PETER HOTEZ: Thank you.

LAURA BARRON-LOPEZ: It's been nearly two# months since Election Day, but control of## a seat on the North Carolina state Supreme# Court is being held up in, well, the courts.

As Stephanie Sy explains, the# trailing candidate is asking## for more than 60,000 votes to be invalidated.

STEPHANIE SY: After more than 5.5 million# ballots were cast in the Tar Heel State,## this contest came down to 734 votes separating## incumbent Democrat Allison Riggs from her# Republican challenger, Jefferson Griffin.

Griffin says there were voting irregularities# that could have changed the outcome.

Here to explain the dispute# and the stakes is Rusty Jacobs,## voting and election integrity reporter# for public radio station WUNC.

Rusty, it's a pleasure to# have you on the "News Hour."

Judge Griffin, the Republican challenger, is# asking for 60,000 votes -- he's asking the## court system to throw these votes out.

Now,# that's just about 1 percent of the votes,## but in a contest that I understand came down to# two one-hundredths of a percent, that matters.

What irregularities is he alleging?

RUSTY JACOBS, Voting and Election Integrity# Reporter, WUNC: He's alleging most -- in## most cases that 60,000 of these ballots or so were## cast by voters who were not completely# registered or registered appropriately.

Essentially, it comes down to this issue# over registration forms that predated what## was the Help America Vote Act, the# HAVA Act.

Early 2000s, it passed.## Once that law passed, registration required a# voter to either provide the last four digits## of their Social Security number# or a driver's license number.

Some voters in North Carolina registered with# forms that predated passage of that act.

This## issue has been brought up before and has been# dismissed by a federal district court judge and## in the lead-up to the most recent election.

The# state Board of Elections also reviewed allegations## that these people were improperly# registered and therefore ineligible## to vote, and they dismissed that# claim, and they looked into it.

In all these cases, voters who cast ballots in the# most recent election had to provide either photo## I.D.

or fill out an exception form.

All of those# ballots had to be reviewed by local boards of## election.

Anybody who cast a ballot, those ballots# were reviewed and their eligibility was confirmed.

STEPHANIE SY: Why is Mr. Griffin so confident# that, were these 60,000 ballots to be thrown out,## it would help him or change the outcome of the# election?

Do we know the registered parties,## for example, of who these voters are?

RUSTY JACOBS: The pool of voters swept up in# these ballot protests filed by Judge Griffin,## it includes voters of all registrations,# Republican, Democrat, unaffiliated.

It## also happens to include the parents of Allison# Riggs, the incumbent that he's running against.

It includes an editor from my station, WUNC.# These are valid voters.

And that was one of## the reasons why the Board of Elections and# a federal district court judge said you## can't just summarily throw these people's# ballots out.

For all intents and purposes,## these are eligible voters who, maybe due# to some clerical error, their registration## might seem incomplete, but it's not a reason# to keep them from having their vote counted.

STEPHANIE SY: His opponent, Judge Riggs,# has been quoted as saying he's trying## to engineer the election.

I wonder# what the stakes really are, though.

It's not as if this election itself# determines even the political makeup## of the state Supreme Court, which is a# 5-2 Republican majority.

So what is at## stake with this outcome, not just in# North Carolina, but perhaps broadly,## as we see these types of legal maneuverings# in other races as well around the country?

RUSTY JACOBS: What's at stake really is public# trust in elections, elections administration,## and election integrity.

There's nothing unusual# about a race outcome looking like it did,## in this case, at the end of Election Day, you# have a tight race between two judicial candidates.

And then over the course of the 10-day canvas# period, when all the final ballots are being## counted, when provisional ballots are being# validated, when absentee ballots are being## finalized by boards of election, and if# you have a slim margin and the outcome is## different after the canvass period than it was# at the end of Election Day, that is not unusual.

But since at least 2020 candidates like# Donald Trump, many Republican candidates## have tried to exploit tight races# like this, where provisional ballots,## where ballots that come in at the end of the# Election Day process may change the votes.

They have sought to exploit that and to# try to conjure up lack of trust in the## process.

But this is the process.

This# is how it works.

There were two recounts## that came out at the end and# showed still a very tight race.

Now you have a candidate who is trying to# convince courts to invalidate ballots that,## by and large, seemed to have been# cast by eligible voters.

If those## legal processes are used to change# what seems to be a reliable outcome,## that could really damage public trust# in the elections administration.

STEPHANIE SY: And it could be a playbook# for other contested elections in the future.

Rusty Jacobs, a reporter at WUNC,# thank you so much for joining us.

RUSTY JACOBS: You're welcome.

LAURA BARRON-LOPEZ: Today, many Americans are# making a New Year's resolution to exercise more.

It's well-known that regular exercise is# good for your health.

But a new scientific## consortium is revealing fresh insights into just# how profound the benefits are for the human body.

William Brangham spoke recently with# someone who's helping lead this research,## Euan Ashley.

He's a professor# of cardiovascular medicine and## genetics at Stanford University and the# newly named chair of its Department of## Medicine.

And he calls exercise the single# most potent medical intervention ever known.

WILLIAM BRANGHAM: Euan Ashley, so# good to have you on the "News Hour."

You are undertaking this massive multidisciplinary# study to understand how exercise changes our body## in some fundamental way.

But, as I mentioned,# don't we already know a lot of this?

I mean,## what is the importance of doing this# much deeper dive that you're doing?

DR. EUAN ASHLEY, Stanford University:# Well, look, we have known for maybe 70## years that exercise was among one of the# most potent medical interventions known.

We knew from studies in the 1950s comparing London# bus drivers and London bus conductors that lived## in the same environment, but one -- they had the# bus drivers who were sitting, the conductors were## standing, and the heart disease rate among# the drivers was twice that of the conductors.

So yes, we have known for 70 years that exercise# is really, really good for you.

But we have not## through that entire time really understood how it# works.

So the new study was to bring together 17,## 18 different groups from across# the United States to really study,## to build a molecular map of exercise# to try and work out how come this## intervention that's so available to all of# us is the most powerful intervention known.

How does it actually work?

WILLIAM BRANGHAM: And so you have# started to publish some of your## findings.

When you compare exercise# to these other critical things that## we know are important for health,# diet or sleep or things like that,## where does exercise fit in?

What are the sort# of top-line findings of exercise's potency?

DR. EUAN ASHLEY: Well, one of the things# that really surprised us -- were all## exercise people already, so we were# all convinced as to the benefits.

So -- though, in this study, we also had a control# group.

So the first study we released was rats## that were sedentary, and then they were trained# over the course of eight weeks aerobic training## on -- literally on a treadmill.

And then at# the end of the period of time and at the end## of several time points along that eight-week time# period, we looked at the tissues from the rats.

And the thing that we were really surprised# to find was that really they turned into## almost different beings.

I mean, exercise was# that potent.

Every single tissue we looked## at should something completely different# from before.

It really changed the entire## molecular makeup of the individual organs# of the rats in a very positive direction.

One example might be that multiple tissues,# for example, fat tissue.

Another example would## be the mitochondria, the little battery-like# organelles inside each cells.

When we looked at## the changes with exercise, we often saw mirror# image changes to the ones we see with disease.

So, exercise was quite literally kind of reversing# in a mirror-image-like way the changes that happen## with disease and explaining a little bit about how# exercise manages to protect from those diseases.

WILLIAM BRANGHAM: I mean, some of the other# findings I read in your initial research is## showing that exercise impacts the body in# ways that we don't associate with exercise,## the digestive system, the mood and mental health.

How do you explain that# mechanism being so widespread?

DR. EUAN ASHLEY: Well, I think one of the# things is that exercise, at the end of the day,## is a stress.

And we don't recommend stress# for anyone, certainly not work stress.

But the reality is, I think that stressing# our bodies with exercise in just the right## amount actually prepares our bodies to# deal with the stress of everyday life.## One of the biggest signatures we saw# was in a system that basically tends## to the proteins in our cells.

So it helps# them come together in the right format## in three dimensions.

It stops them# sticking together and aggregating.

And when it's time for those proteins to be# renewed, it helps.

It's called the heat shock## response.

And this was something that# we saw changed across multiple tissues,## across all the tissues, as you mentioned,# lungs, skeletal muscle, not just the## ones that you might expect.

We would expect# perhaps skeletal muscle and heart, for sure.

But we were seeing changes in the kidney,# in the adrenal gland, in the intestine, in## the brain.

And I think that begins to get at how# exercise is just such a remarkable intervention,## essentially helping with, for example, reducing# the risk of heart disease by 50 percent, reducing## the list of many cancers by 50 percent# and more, reducing the risk of back pain.

People sleep better.

They have better# mood.

They're able to breathe better.## There are just so many ways in which# exercise helps.

And I think the key is,## is just stressing you just enough so that# your body then in recovery builds these## mechanisms that help you deal with# the stress of life in other ways.

WILLIAM BRANGHAM: And I understand# there have been some interesting## gender differences in your results.

Can# you explain a little bit about that?

DR. EUAN ASHLEY: Yes, I think one# of the other things we were really## surprised by was just the extent of the changes.

In this study, we had both mail and female rats.# And of course, we expected to see some changes,## but really the changes were profound.

And# we saw them both at rest before we started,## but also with exercise.

Some things got# closer together with exercise between## the sexes.

Some things got further apart.

And this was the case particularly in# adipose tissue and in skeletal muscle,## where we really saw very profound differences# between the two sexes.

And I think what it## led us to believe is that really every study# from now on should be done with both sexes.

This is something we have known for some# time, but, over the history of science,## we have tended, just because# science costs a lot of money,## to choose one or the other.

We do studies in all# males or all females, or both when we could.

But,## often, the numbers were smaller then, and# that gave us less power for discovery.

What's really clear, I think, from this study is# that we really have to do both sexes in order to## really work out what the differences are and be# able to describe them adequately for both sexes.

WILLIAM BRANGHAM: I know people# listening to you will, of course,## be wondering -- I'm sure you get this question# all the time -- what kind of exercise,## how often?

Does it matter when I do it, how# much I do it?

What does your research indicate?

DR. EUAN ASHLEY: Well, this particular research# with the rats doesn't answer that question, but,## fortunately, we have lots of research to# give us a good answer to that question.

And although you read lots of different things# as every new study comes up, the overall advice## has remained the same.

The first thing is, any# movement is better than none.

So, if you're in a## sedentary job or you're not used to moving much,# then just stand up.

Standing up is a good start.

If you can walk, take some walking# paces, go for a walk at lunchtime,## that's great as well.

If you can get 30 to# 45 minutes of moderate intensity exercise,## that's like a brisk walk, if you can do that# five, six times a week, that's fantastic.

And, of course, if you want to do more, there's# added benefit.

One of the things I regularly tell## my patients -- I'm a cardiologist -- is that# one minute of exercise buys you five minutes## of extra life, which means you definitely# have time to exercise, because, even if you## exercise even a little bit higher intensity,# you get seven or eight minutes of extra life.

So you definitely have time to make in your# day to exercise.

It doesn't matter whether## you do it in the morning, at lunchtime, in the# evenings.

It's particularly good after meals,## so the evening is a fine# time to take a brisk walk.

But the main thing is get up,# move about as much as you can.

WILLIAM BRANGHAM: Euan Ashley# of Stanford University,## such fascinating research.

Thank you# so much for talking with us about it.

DR. EUAN ASHLEY: My pleasure.# Thank you for having me.

LAURA BARRON-LOPEZ: On this holiday,# we return to Ipswich in Eastern England## and its precious soccer, or,# should we say, football club.

Our man in Britain Malcolm Brabant is from# Ipswich, and he visited earlier this year## just as his club was returning to the top tier of# British football, the Premier League.

Since then,## it's been a very rough road for the team.# They're near the bottom of the league,## but, on Monday, a stunning victory.# They beat legendary Chelsea 2-0,## winning their first home# Premier League match since 2002.

Here's a second look at Malcolm's# story that charts the team's fairy## tale rise since American investors took over.

MALCOLM BRABANT: You may have Fenway# Park, Yankee Stadium, the Rose Bowl,## the Astrodome, but, for me, the field# of dreams will always be Portman Road.

TERRY BUTCHER, Former Ipswich# Town and England Defender:## It just has this real good family feel.

It's# a lovely place to live.

It's a one-club town.

RUSSELL OSMAN, Former Ipswich Town# and England Defender: The club has## got its footballing identity back again.

MALCOLM BRABANT: They were a towering# partnership for both Ipswich and England,## Russell Osman and Terry Butcher, who# famously shared blood for his country.

TERRY BUTCHER: The whole county loves watching# Ipswich Town Football Club play.

So, yes,## it's part of your soul.

And as the old# saying goes, it's part of your DNA.

STACIE CHENNER, Ipswich Town Fan: The atmosphere# is incredible.

It's something that we watched as## a kid.

We saw the generation grow up Premiership.# Now it's their time to enjoy it, so that's good.

GEORGE KETTERINGHAM, Ipswich Town Fan:# It's living a dream, a dream that I was## dreaming upon when I was a child.

Football is# everything, and this club is everything to me.

MALCOLM BRABANT: The team's shirt sponsor and## minority stakeholder is a local# lad by the name of Ed Sheeran.

ED SHEERAN, Musician: People like# success stories like this.

It is a## grassroots club.

And it just feels like# it's lifted up the town as well.

Like,## Ipswich has gone through some tough# years, and this feels great for the area.

MALCOLM BRABANT: Ipswich is the# town where I went to school,## misspent my youth and, to be honest,# got away from as quickly as possible.

This region is a rural backwater.

The clue# is in the nickname of the football team,## the Tractor Boys.

After an absence of 22 years,# Ipswich are back in English football's top tier,## the Premier League.

Hard to believe# after this performance four seasons ago,## which gave tractors a bad# name.

Ipswich are in blue.

When Chris Barclay and I were schoolmates,## our team was one of England's best,# but in 2019 Ipswich hit rock bottom.

CHRIS BARCLAY, Ipswich Town Season Ticket# Holder: There was a season a few years## back where the football was dire, it was negative,## and I described it as random acts of# football.

There was no thought behind it.## It was an insult to your intelligence.

I did# think about giving up my season ticket then,## but I'm so glad I hung on, because since we have# got our new manager, it's been uphill all the way.

MALCOLM BRABANT: And this is the# moment in may when Ipswich secured## Premier League status after back-to-back# promotions from the third and second tiers.

The architect of that success is Kieran# McKenna, a young coach from Northern## Ireland regarded as a genius by his players# and the club's American financial backers.

Do you think American drive has made a difference?

RUSSELL OSMAN: No, I don't think so.

I think# it's just the fact that the Americans have this## attitude that if everything's going well, we# will keep backing you.

He's repaid them in the## way that he's got the team playing.

He's# got the supporters back at Portman Road.

MALCOLM BRABANT: One of Kieran McKenna's# gifts has been to transform players from## the lower echelons into all-conquering heroes.

Has everybody got the potential to be a# star, do you think, with the right handling?

KIERAN MCKENNA, Ipswich Town Manager: I don't# think so.

I think, if I understand the question,## I don't think star is the word.

I think everyone# has the potential to improve and everyone has the## potential to develop.

And not many people are# operating at their maximum capacity every game,## whether that's physical reasons, technical# reasons, mental reasons, tactical reasons.

So it's trying to help the players in each of## those areas and in an environment# that is built to support them.

MALCOLM BRABANT: McKenna's greatest challenge# in the top flight is competing against clubs## with vast budgets and world-class# players.

He's recruited relatively## inexpensive players from lower divisions with# huge potential such as defender Jacob Greaves.

JACOB GREAVES, Ipswich Town Defender:# I can already definitely feel that## he's improved me already in a short space of time.

MALCOLM BRABANT: But schoolboy errors like this## could come back to haunt Ipswich# Town at the end of the season.

Oh, well.

Time to talk to the old enemy.

MICK DENNIS, Sports Journalist: I'm a# Norwich City supporter.

Welcome to my home.

MALCOLM BRABANT: Thank you so much.

I have known top sports reporter Mick Dennis# for 50 years.

.. that he supports Norwich City, Ipswich# Town's great rivals in Eastern England,## who are currently in the second tier.# Dennis keeps his Norwich memorabilia## in the smallest room, which Ipswich# fans would say is the perfect place.

Mick, how much does it hurt you as a Norwich# supporter that Ipswich are doing so well?

MICK DENNIS: Well, it's a matter# of supreme indifference to me,## because they haven't beaten Norwich# for 5,712 days, not that I'm counting.

(LAUGHTER) MICK DENNIS: I thi.. the three promoted teams came straight back# down again.

Enjoy the ride at the moment.

MALCOLM BRABANT: Success has cascaded to the# Greyhound public 10 minutes walk from the stadium.

KATIE MOY, Ipswich Town Fan's# Wife: I'm a football widow.

(LAUGHTER) MALCOLM BRABANT: Because?

KATIE MOY: Because Ipswich -- well, Ipswich,# in thr.. he was very dedicated fan.

And now they're# in the Premiership, football comes first.

MALCOLM BRABANT: What's the change like?

TOM MALLETT, Ipswich Town Fan: Oh, it's huge.# .. sort of leads up a couple of# days before the actual kickoff.

MALCOLM BRABANT: Landlord Danny Lightfoot# relishes the transformative power of sport.

DANNY LIGHTFOOT, Landlord, The Greyhound Public:# Oh, it's amazing for us.

The ground is sold out## every game.

So we're packed.

All the pubs# in town are the same before and after the## games.

It's been great for the economy, great# for us, just a great boost for the business.

MALCOLM BRABANT: But on the# days when there's no football,## Ipswich Town center is moribund.

For example,# its most historic building, the Ancient House,## where I bought school books, is empty, as is# a former old-fashioned gentleman's outfitters,## where I was sacked for my negligent attitude# to the clientele's inside leg measurements.

Neil MacDonald is the leader of Ipswich Council.

NEIL MACDONALD, Leader, Ipswich Borough Council:# We definitely would like to bring more busines.. here.

And part of bringing business here is to# have a successful football team, a successful## nightlife, successful culture offer.

And all# that helps attract and retain people in the town.

MALCOLM BRABANT: When I lived here, Cornhill,# the central square, was bustling.

Not anymore.

SOPHIE ALEXANDER, Ipswich Chamber of Commerce:# The main square should be the central hub of## this town.

We should be trying to create an# atmosphere, like every other European city.

MALCOLM BRABANT: Sophie Alexander# of the Chamber of Commerce believes## Ipswich would thrive if this square# was ringed with bars and restaurants.

SOPHIE ALEXANDER: It could be internationally# renowned.

We're missing out on a huge element## of the tourism, the visitor economy.

And this# place could be so much more than what it is.

MALCOLM BRABANT: One of the# main obstacles is this store,## which once sold my school's uniforms.

It's been# empty for 12 years.

The owner is from Dubai.

SOPHIE ALEXANDER: It's a unit that's# prime location, and the owners won't## look to sell it to anybody that wants# a late night or an alcohol license.

NEIL MACDONALD: It's been a nightmare, really.

MALCOLM BRABANT: The council# is hoping to break the impasse## by invoking powers compelling the owner to sell.

NEIL MACDONALD: It's so frustrating, when we work# very hard to improve the town, around the town.

MALCOLM BRABANT: Regenerating Ipswich will# take time.

So the town desperately needs the## football club to remain in the top flight.

With# Kieran McKenna at the helm, there's always hope.

But as English football supporters know all too# well, it's the hope that often rips you apart.

For the "PBS News Hour," I'm# Malcolm Brabant in Ipswich.

LAURA BARRON-LOPEZ: One of the world's# most famous classical pianists, Lang Lang,## discovered his passion for piano while# growing up alongside other musicians in China.

His extraordinary talent has led him to# perform with diverse musical legends,## from the prestigious Philadelphia Orchestra to# contemporary icons like Coldplay and Metallica.

Tonight, he shares his Brief But# Spectacular take on loving what you play.

LANG LANG, Classical Pianist: The# first few years of studying piano,## I would say, it was more like# having a little toy in my hand.

So, I was 2.5 when I started.

The first piece was## moving my heart was "The Nutcracker" by# Tchaikovsky.

I really loved it, the... (SINGING) LANG LANG: So I grew up in China,# Shenyang, which is the northeast region,## and it's a very industrial city, big factories.# And every day, I hear music from everywhere.

It## was a very musical neighborhood.

It was a dorm# of a Chinese traditional orchestra, which my## father was the principal erhu player, Chinese# violin.It's two strings only, like chopstick.

I was in Beijing at the age of 9, and I# got fired by the piano teacher there in## the conservatory.

She was kind of# very skeptical of my piano style.## And that was very, very difficult for# me.

I thought my piano career is over.

So, when I was 17 years old, I had this big dream# to play with the biggest orchestra in America.

But## in the reality, I always play as a sub, waiting# for somebody to get sick.

You have to be ready## all the time, and because the opportunity comes in# very fast.

And if you catch it in the right way,## you are in a game.

So it was a Chicago Symphony at Ravinia# Festival w.. conductor.

The wonderful pianist Andre Watts got# sick.

That was the biggest concert this summer.

When I was a kid, people sometimes called me as# a prodigy.

But, of course, now I'm 41.

It's far## from that age.

Sometimes, the child prodigy# remains child, but the prodigy went away.

So,## the important thing is to keep the# talent, but let the child go away.

For me, transformation is quite an# important element of a performance.## I'm always trying to move my heart into# somewhere and then take my audience## with me.

I think my music-making has changed a# bit since I got married, having a little kid.

Sometimes, it's challenging.

I don't# know whether I should be a little bit## more strict or a little bit more relaxed# on his education.

I'm not so sure in this## moment.

And -- but he's certainly makes# my playing more subtle, more sensitive.

When we play piano, every note needs# to have real life, real emotions.

The## hard thing to do is, what is behind the# note?

What's the meaning behind the bars,## rather than just play everything right.# What's the whole story and what's the## background of this piece?

What is the precise --# the technique behind all those virtuosic passages?

My name is Lang Lang, and this is my Brief# But Spectacular take on loving what you play.

LAURA BARRON-LOPEZ: And that's the "News# Hour" for tonight.

I'm Laura Barron-Lopez.

On behalf of the entire "News Hour" team,# thank you for joining us, and happy new year.