♪ >> TONIGHT, ON PBS NEWS WEEKEND THERE -- WITH JARED SET TO START THIS WEEK, WHAT THAT MAY DUE TO THE CARS AND AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY, THEN AS THE DEATH TOLL IN SOUTHEAST ASIA CONTINUES TO RISE, WE SPEAK TO AN AID ORGANIZATION ON THE GROUND ABOUT THE UNFOLDING CRISIS.

AND LET'S SET ASIDE POLITICS FOR A FEW MINUTES.

THE CAPITOL IS IN FULL BLOOM, WE EXPLORE THE HISTORY AND SYMBOLISM OF WASHINGTON'S CHERRY BLOSSOMS.

>> IT IS DEFINITELY A GEM, IT IS A JEWEL.

♪ >> GOOD EVENING.

I'M LISA DESJARDINS.

JOHN YANG IS AWAY.

WE START WITH A KEY PIECE OF THE AMERICAN ECONOMY, THE CAR INDUSTRY.

SOME CAR BUYERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY WERE RUSHING TO SHOW ROOMS AS AUTOMAKERS BRACE FOR A 25% TARIFF ON VEHICLES AND AUTO PARTS MADE OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES.

THOSE KICK AND THURSDAY AND COULD RAISE SOME CAR PRICES BY THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS.

BUT PRESIDENT TRUMP TOLD NBC NEWS AND A PHONE INTERVIEW YESTERDAY "I COULD NOT CARE LESS," I HOPE THEY RAISE THEIR PRICES BECAUSE IF THEY DO, PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BUY AMERICAN-MADE CARS.

WE HAVE PLENTY.

WE ARE JOINED BY A VETERAN BUSINESS JOURNALIST AND AUTHOR WHO COVERS THE AUTO INDUSTRY.

WE ARE GOING TO VOTE TO A FEW SECTORS HERE BUT LET'S START WITH THOSE LOOKING TO BUY A CAR.

SHOULD THEY BE RUSHING OUT TO DO THAT NOW?

>> THE CARMAKERS HAVE QUITE A FEW VEHICLES ON THEIR LOT SO I DON'T KNOW IF YOU NEED TO JUMP OUT TOMORROW AND BUY A CAR, THEY DO HAVE INVENTORY.

THIS IS LIKE THE DAYS DURING THE PANDEMIC WHEN THEY WERE DOWN TO NO CARS.

BUT YOU HAVE TO FIGURE THAT THE CLOCK IS TICKING AND THAT WE WILL START TO SEE THE INVENTORY OF THESE VEHICLES RUN OUT BEFORE THE TARIFFS KICK IN.

IF YOU ARE PLANNING TO DO IT ANYWAY, I WOULD GO.

BUT I DON'T THINK YOU NEED TO FEEL LIKE IF I WAIT UNTIL THE SUMMER, I'M GOING TO HAVE TO PAY A BILLION DOLLARS MORE.

>> TALKING TO SOME FOLKS I KNOW WHO WORK IN CAR DEALERSHIPS, SOME OF THEM HAVE HAD A GREAT MARCH ALREADY AS IT IS BUT NOW THEY ARE DEALING WITH THE PROSPECT OF THESE TARIFFS AND IT SEEMS LIKE THERE'S A REAL MIXED PROSPECTS FOR THEM.

WE WANT TO PLAY SOMETHING FROM A FORD DEALERSHIP, SOMEONE WORKING IN MICHIGAN, FOR EXAMPLE.

>> I AM KIND OF ON THE FENCE WITH TARIFFS, I COULD SEE WHERE THE BENEFITS COULD LIVE AND WHERE THE MISSTEPS ARE WITH TARIFFS.

I'D RATHER US AS A GLOBE, AS A TOTAL WORLD WORK TOGETHER TO MAKE PEOPLE'S LIVES BETTER.

AT THE SAME TIME IT WAS BETTER WHEN THERE WAS MORE MANUFACTURING HERE.

>> ASSUMING THAT THESE TARIFFS TO TAKE PLACE AS THE TRUMPET MINISTRATION SAID IT WILL, WHAT'S THE SITUATION FOR CAR DEALERS, COULD THIS BE A REAL PROBLEM FOR THEM IN BUSINESS?

>> ABSOLUTELY, THIS IS HOW THIS WILL WORK, THE CARS THAT ARE ON THE LOTS NOW, THERE'S NO REASON WHY THE PRICES SHOULD GO UP, HOWEVER, WE HAVE SEEN IN THE PAST THAT DEALERS WERE OFTEN PLACE FEES ON CARS, EVEN IF THEY HAVE BEEN SITTING ON THE LOT.

SO IT'S UP TO THE DEALERS THEMSELVES BECAUSE THEY'RE INDIVIDUAL BUSINESS PEOPLE.

THEY COULD PLACE A TARIFF FEE ON THE VEHICLE EVEN IF IT WASN'T BROUGHT OVER AFTER TARIFFS TAKE EFFECT.

NOW, WHEN THE TARIFFS TAKE EFFECT, THIS IS ALL VERY CONFUSING, BECAUSE IT'S BOTH THE VEHICLE AND PARTS IN THE VEHICLE.

AND THERE'S ALMOST NO VEHICLE SOLD IN AMERICA THAT DON'T HAVE PARTS THAT COME FROM OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES.

EVEN TESLA, WHICH SAYS IT MANUFACTURES EVERYTHING HERE IN THE UNITED STATE, GETS SOME PARTS FROM OVERSEAS.

SO IT'S GOING TO BE, WILL THE DEALERS RAISE THE PRICES OF THE WHOLE VEHICLE, WILL THEY RAISE PRICES TO REFLECT THE PARTS THAT ARE IN THE VEHICLES?

IT'S ALL A BIG UNKNOWN RIGHT NOW.

>> THERE SEEMS BE SOME BACK AND FOURTH WITH PRESIDENT TRUMP.

ABOUT HIS STANCE HERE.

COUNTER TO THE NBC REPORTING WE JUST MENTIONED, THE WALL STREET JOURNAL REPORTED THAT PRESIDENT TRUMP WARNED CEOS NOT TO RAISE PRICES BECAUSE OF THE TARIFFS.

HOW DO YOU THINK AUTOMAKER CEO'S WILL APPROACH THIS?

>> YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THAT WHEN YOU LOOK AT CAR PRICES, THEY'RE CALLED MANUFACTURERS RECOMMENDED RETAIL PRICES.

THE CAR COMPANIES CAN RECOMMEND A PRICE, BUT THE DEALER IS IN CHARGE OF SETTING THE LAST PRICE.

SO THE CAR COMPANIES COULD SAY, OH, NO, WE DON'T WANT OUR DEALERS TO RAISE PRICES, BUT THESE ARE INDIVIDUAL MEN AND WOMEN WHO ARE RUNNING THESE DEALERSHIPS.

AND IF THEIR COSTS FROM THE COMPANY GO UP, I CAN ALMOST GUARANTEE YOU THAT THEY'RE GOING TO RAISE CAR PRICES.

SO THAHAWILL PUT PRESSURE ON THE AUTOMAKERS TO KEEP THEIR WHOLESALE PRICES AT THE SAME LEVELS THAT THEY ARE NOW.

AND I'M NOT SURE IF THE CAR COMPANIES WILL BE ABLE TO RESIST DOING THAT.

THEY DON'T WANT TO TAKE LOSSES.

>> IN OUR LAST MINUTE OR SO, I WANT TO STEP BACK AND JUST DO A BIG PICTURE HERE.

PRESIDENT TRUMP HAS SAID HE WANTS TO PROTECT AMERICAN WORKERS, AMERICAN MANUFACTURING.

HE WANTS TO SPUR A NEW ERA, I THINK, IN AMERICA AND CAR MAKING AS HE SEES IT.

BUT THE WAY THIS TARIFF IS GOING, DO YOU SEE IT HAVING THAT EFFECT, SHORT OR LONG TERM?

>> I THINK SHORT TERM, THERE'S GOING TO BE A LOT OF PAIN, AND IT'S NOT GOING TO JUST BE IN DETROIT, BECAUSE MORE VEHICLES ARE ACTUALLY BUILT IN THE UNITED STATES BY NON-U.S. COMPANIES NOW THAN ARE BUILT BY THE DETROIT COMPANIES.

AND SO, WE WILL HAVE TARIFFS ON EUROPEAN VEHICLES, ON SOUTH KOREAN VEHICLES, ON JAPANESE VEHICLES, AND THAT'S GOING HURT EVERYBODY ACROSS THE ENTIRE AUTO INDUSTRY.

LONG-TERM, I KNOW THE GOAL IS TO PUSH CARMAKERS TO BUILD MORE VEHICLES IN THE UNITED STATES.

RIGHT NOW, THEY DON'T HAVE THE CAPACITY TO DO THAT.

AND THEY WILL HAVE TO MAKE DECISIONS ON BUILDING NEW FACTORIES OR NEW ASSEMBLY LINES BASED ON THE THOUGHT THAT DONALD TRUMP MIGHT ONLY BE IN OFFICE UNTIL 2028 OR EARLY 2029.

SO THESE ARE LONG-TERM DECISIONS.

WILL THEY WANT TO MAKE A LONG- TERM DECISION FACING THE SITUATION THEY'RE IN NOW?

AND I THINK THEY'RE GONNA THINK VERY CAREFULLY ABOUT THIS.

>> MAYNARD, YOU CAN FIND HER REPORTING AT INTERSECTION, EVERYTHING THAT MOVES.

AND WE'RE SO GRATEFUL THAT YOU JOINED US TODAY.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME.

>> ALSO MAKING HEADLINES TODAY, PRESIDENT TRUMP SAID HE IS CONSIDERING SERVING A THIRD TERM DESPITE THE CONSITUTIONAL BAN.

HE MADE THE REMARKS TO NBC NEWS.

WHEN ASKED ABOUT THE DETAILS, THE PRESIDENT SAID "I'M NOT JOKING AND THERE ARE METHODS WHICH YOU COULD DO IT."

WHEN PRESSED ABOUT THOSE METHODS AND ASKED IF VICE PRESIDENT VANCE COULD PASS THE ROLE TO HIM, MR. TRUMP INDICATED THAT THERE IS ONE WAY AND ADDED BUT THERE ARE OTHERS, TOO.

THE 22ND AMENDMENT WHICH WAS ADDED TO THE CONSTITUTION IN 1951 SAYS NO PERSON CAN BE ELECTED TO THE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT MORE THAN TWICE.

THE GROWING MEASLES OUTBREAK IN TEXAS IS SPARKING CONCERN IN WASHINGTON AND PUTTING A BRIGHTER SPOTLIGHT ON PRESIDENT TRUMP'S CABINET SECRETARY, ROBERT F. KENNEDY JR. KENNEDY WHO HEADS HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES HAS ORDERED THE CDC TO PROVIDE "UP TO DATE GUIDANCE" FOR THE VIRUS.

HE ALSO WROTE VACCINES CAN PROTECT VULNERABLE POPULATIONS.

AT THE SAME TIME, HE FORCED OUT A TOP VACCINE OFFICIAL.

TODAY REPUBLICAN SENATOR JAMES LANKFORD WHO VOTED TO CONFIRM KENNEDY SAID HE IS WORRIED ABOUT THE OUTBREAK.

AS FOR SECRETARY KENNEDY, HE SAYS HE TRUSTS HIS PREVIOUS TESTIMONY ON THIS SUBJECT.

>> WHEN HE ACTUALLY WENT THROUGH THE NOMINATION PROCESS, HE SUPPORTED THE MEASLES VACCINE AND TALKED ABOUT THE WHOLE CHILDHOOD SCHEDULE OF VACCINES AND ENCOURAGED THAT AND SAID THAT IS SOMETHING THAT HHS IS GOING TO DISCORUAGE FAMILIES FROM DOING.

>> THERE ARE 483 CONFIRMED CASES OF MEASLES ACROSS THE U.S.

MOST ARE IN TEXAS, BUT OUTBREAKS HAVE BEEN CONFIRMED IN 19 OTHER STATES AS WELL.

ACCORDING TO THE CDC, THE MMR VACCINE IS 97% EFFECTIVE AGAINST MEASLES.

FIRE CREWS IN THE CAROLINAS ARE GETTING HELP FROM NATURE AS THEY FIGHT WILDFIRES IN THE STATE.

RAIN IN GREENVILLE COUNTY, SOUTH CAROLINA TODAY COULD GIVE THOSE CREWS THE UPPER HAND AGAINST THE TABLE ROCK FIRE.

BUT OFFICIALS WARN THE FIRE IS ONLY 9% THAT BLAZE, WHICH HAS CHARRED MORE THAN 10,000 ACRES SO FAR, HAS NOW STRETCHED INTO PARTS OF NORTH CAROLINA.

MORE DISISREEMENTS IN THE CEASEFIRE TALKS BETWEEN ISRAEL AND HAMAS.

HAMAS LEADERS SAY THEY ACCEPTED A CEASEFIRE DEAL SATURDAY AFTER A PROPOSAL CAME FROM EGYPT AND QATAR.

BUT ISRAEL SAYS IT WILL PUT TOGETHER ITS OWN COUNTER-PROPOSAL IN COORDINATION WITH THE U.S.

THIS, AS ISRAEL CONTINUES MILITARY ACTION IN GAZA.

OVERNIGHT, AT LEAST 19 PEOPLE WERE KILLED BY ISRAELI STRIKES.

THOSE STRIKES HIT SHORTLY BEFORE THE START OF THE HOLIDAY MEANT TO BE A JOYOUS CELEBRATION TO MARK THE END OF THE FASTING MONTH RAMADAN.

ACTOR RICHARD CHAMBERLAIN HAS DIED.

CHAMBERLAIN IS BEST KNOWN FOR HIS ROLES ON TWO POPULAR TV SHOWS THAT CEMENTED HIM AS THE "KING OF THE MINI SERIES."

HE WON GOLDEN GLOBES FOR HIS ROLES IN THE EPIC PERIOD PIECE "SHOGUN" AND ROMANTIC DRAMA "THE THORN BIRDS."

CHAMBERLAIN'S PUBLICIST SAID THE ACTOR DIED IN HAWAII FOLLOWING COMPLICATIONS FROM A STROKE.

RICHARD CHAMBERLAIN WAS 90 YEARS OLD.

STILL TO COME ON PBS NEWS WEEKEND -- HOW AN AMERICAN JOURNALIST SURVIVED MULTIPLE ASSASSINATION ATTEMPTS ORCHESTRATED BY THE IRANIAN GOVERNMENT.

AND, DONT WORRY ABOUT PARKING, WE TAKE YOU TO SEE CHERRY BLOSSOMS IN FULL BLOOM IN THE NATION'S CAPITAL.

♪ >> A NEW 5.1 MAGNITUDE AFTERSHOCK RATTLED THE SURVIVORS OF FRIDAY'S DEVASTATING EARTHQUAKE IN SOUTHEAST ASIA.

RESCUE TEAMS WORKED FRANTICALLY TO PULL SURVIVORS FROM THE RUBBLE IN MANDALAY, THE COUNTRY OF MYANMAR'S SECOND LARGEST CITY.

CASUALTY NUMBERS ARE EXPECTED TO RISE BUT OFFICIAL TOTALS STILL INDICATE APPROXIMATELY 1,600 PEOPLE HAVE BEEN KILLED.

IN THAILAND, MORE BODIES WERE PULLED TODAY FROM A COLLAPSED BUILDING IN BANGKOK.

"SAVE THE CHILDREN" HAS TEAMS ON THE GROUND THERE NOW.

THIS MORNING, I SPOKE WITH JEREMY STONER, THE INTERIMIMSIA REGIONAL DIRECTOR FOR SAVE THE CHILDREN AND ASKED HIM ABOUT THE EFFECTS OF THE QUAKE IN THAILAND AND WHO'S BEEN HIT THE WORST.

>> BANGKOK HAS FELT THE REAL PRESSURE IN TERMS OF SOME DAMAGE TO BUILDINGS.

BUT MOST OF ALL I THINK IT'S BEEN A VERY DEEPLY FRIGHTENING EXPERIENCE FOR RESIDENTS ACROSS THE CITY, MUCH OF WHICH, AS YOU MAY KNOW, IS HIGH-RISE BUILDINGS.

BUT ACTUALLY THE AREA WHICH IS OF MOST CONCERN TO SAVE THE CHILDREN IS ACTUALLY WITHIN MYANMAR ITSELF, THERE ARE SIX REGIONS OF THE COUNTRY THAT ARE IN SORT OF THE CENTER OR THE EPICENTER AROUND THE EARTHQUAKE.

AND THAT ACCOUNTS FOR ABOUT 28 MILLION PEOPLE IN THAT AREA.

NOT ALL OF THOSE WILL BE AFFECTED.

BUT OUT OF THAT 28 MILLION, THERE'S ALMOST SEVEN MILLION CHILDREN.

SO THE EARTHQUAKES HAD A HUGE IMPACT IN MYANMAR ITSELF, LESS SO IN THAILAND.

BUT IN MYANMAR, IT'S THE WORST EARTHQUAKE FOR THE LAST 100 YEARS, SO IT'S A BIG DEAL.

IT REALLY IS.

>> AS WE NOTED, WE'RE SPEAKING TO YOU IN THAILAND, BUT CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THE DIFFICULTY OF REACHING THE AREAS IN MYANMAR THAT HAVE THE GREATEST NEED?

>> IT'S REALLY DIFFICULT TO GET ROBUST INFORMATION OUT.

AND THAT'S BECAUSE INFRASTRUCTURE, LIKE ROADS AND IN SOME CASES, BRIDGES, BUT ALSO BUILDINGS WHICH HAVE COLLAPSED ACROSS THE REGIONS HAVE REALLY MADE IT VERY, VERY DIFFICULT TO BUILD AN OVERALL PICTURE OF WHAT'S ACTUALLY HAPPENING ON THE GROUND.

A COMMUNITY WORKER IN THE SHAN REGION IN MYANMAR WHO CONTACTED SAVE THE CHILDREN, THAT'S ONE OF THE REGIONS THAT'S BEEN AFFECTED.

HE HAS TWO CHILDREN OF HIS OWN, AND HE WAS SAYING THAT IN HIS TOWNSHIP, A SMALL TOWNSHIP MORE THAN 200 BUILDINGS HAD COLLAPSED.

I MEAN, THE OVERARCHING SORT OF IMAGE, AND I CAN ALMOST HEAR IT WHEN HE WAS DESCRIBING IT, WAS THAT AT THE TIME OF THE EARTHQUAKE, CHILDREN AND ADULTS WERE RUNNING INTO THE STREETS, CHILDREN SCREAMING, ABSOLUTELY TERRIFIED OF WHAT WAS GOING ON AROUND THEM.

AND THIS WAS JUST IN THE FIRST SECONDS AND THE FIRST MINUTES OF THE EARTHQUAKE.

AND WHAT'S NEEDED NOW ON THE GROUND IS URGENT MEDICAL SUPPORT FOR THOSE CHILDREN AND OTHER MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY WHO'VE ACTUALLY SURVIVED THE EARTHQUAKE BUT ALSO OTHER LIFE-SAVING THINGS ARE REQUIRED, THE BASICS OF LIFE BASICALLY, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT FOOD, CLEAN WATER, AND SHELTER.

AND WHEN WE THINK ABOUT SHELTER AFTER A VERY SEVERE EARTHQUAKE LIKE THIS, PEOPLE ARE ACTUALLY TOO SCARED TO GO BACK INTO THEIR HOMES BECAUSE THEY'RE WORRIED THAT THERE'LL BE ANOTHER AFTERSHOCK OR ANOTHER EARTHQUAKE.

AND SO YOU'LL FIND PEOPLE SLEEPING OUT ON FOOTBALL FIELDS AND IN MONASTERIES AS WELL, WHERE LOCALLY MONASTERIES HAVE TAKEN IN PEOPLE AND FAMILIES TO SUPPORT THEM.

ALSO THERE'S A LONGER-TERM IMPACT, PARTICULARLY ON CHILDREN IN TERMS OF THEIR SORT OF, THEIR MENTAL WELLBEING, AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE SPEND QUITE A LOT OF RESOURCES INVESTING IN AFTER EARTHQUAKES EVERYWHERE WHERE WE WORK.

>> CAN YOU HELP US WITH THE TIMELINE HERE?

OBVIOUSLY, SOME URGENT NEEDS, LIFE AND DEATH NEEDS RIGHT NOW.

BUT HOW LONG COULD AN AREA LIKE THIS BE IN CRISIS FROM AN EVENT LIKE THIS?

>> DEPENDING ON THE OVERALL SEVERITY OF THIS, WHEN WE GOT A VERY GOOD SORT OF BROADER PICTURE, YOU KNOW, WE COULD BE TALKING ABOUT AT LEAST A YEAR OR TWO OF SUPPORTING COMMUNITIES THROUGH THEIR IMMEDIATE CRISIS AND THEN SOME OF THE MEDIUM AND LONGER TERM THINGS.

A COUPLE OF SCHOOLS WERE COMPLETELY DESTROYED.

AND AGAIN, CHILDREN, IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT AFTER A HUGE TRAUMATIC EVENT LIKE THIS THAT CHILDREN GET BACK INTO SCHOOL AND GET SOME KIND OF NORMALCY BACK INTO THEIR LIVES.

SO THAT THEY CAN START TO REBUILD THEMSELVES AS WELL AS THEIR COMMUNITIES.

>> HOW CAN PEOPLE HERE AT HOME HELP?

>> WE HAVE AN EMERGENCY FUND WHICH WE ACCEPT DONATIONS FROM THE PUBLIC AND THAT CAN BE FOUND ON OUR WEBSITES AND PEOPLE CAN GIVE THERE.

SO THAT'S A VERY IMPORTANT WAY OF DOING IT, AND THIS BASICALLY - - THAT ENABLES US TO PROVIDE LIFE-SAVING SUPPORT AND MEDIUM TO LONGER-TERM SUPPORT TO REBUILD CHILDREN'S AND COMMUNITIES' LIVES OVER THE COMING COUPLE OF YEARS.

>> JEREMY STONER WITH SAVE THE CHILDREN.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.

>> PLEASURE, THANK YOU.

>> THE U.S. IS NOT IMMUNE TO FOREIGN ASSASSINATION ATTEMPTS, JUST THIS MONTH, TWO MEN WITH TIES TO THE RUSSIAN MOB WERE CONVICTED IN A PLOT TO KILL AN IRANIAN-AMERICAN JOURNALIST AND WOMEN'S RIGHTS ACTIVIST LIVING IN NEW YORK.

HER NAME IS MASIH ALINEJAD.

AS THE COURT HEARD, HER ATTEMPTED MURDER IN 2022 WAS ORCHESTRATED BY THE IRANIAN GOVERNMENT, PART OF MORE THAN A DECADE OF VIOLENT PLOTS TARGETING ITS CRITICS ABROAD.

I SPOKE WITH HER ABOUT HOW SHE SEES THESE TIMES IN IRAN AND THE U.S. AND BEGAN BY ASKING HER REACTION TO THE GUILTY VERDICT FOR HER WOULD-BE ASSASSINS.

>> TO BE HONEST, I FELT RELIEVED.

BECAUSE THREE YEARS I HAVE BEEN MOVING BETWEEN SAFE HOUSES 21 TIMES.

I DIDN'T HAVE A NORMAL LIFE.

AND I WAS SCREAMING, CRYING, DANCING.

I WAS BOMBARDED BY DIFFERENT EMOTIONS.

PEOPLE WERE THERE TO KILL ME, CONVICTED.

I AM ALIVE, I AM A ALIVE.

I KNOW MAYBE PEOPLE DON'T GET IT, BUT YOU MUST BE GIVEN A COND LIFE TO UNDERSTAND HOW IT FEELS TO FACE YOUR WOULD-BE ASSASSINS.

>> I DON'T WANT TO BRING UP TOO MUCH TRAUMA FOR YOU, BUT I THINK FOR SOME AMERICANS, THIS KIND OF THING SEEMS FAR AWAY.

BUT THIS WAS AT YOUR HOME IN NEW YORK THAT YOU ACTUALLY SAW THIS WOULD-BE ASSASSIN.

WHAT MEMORY OF THAT DAY IN 2022 STANDS OUT TO YOU?

>> FIRST OF ALL, I REALLY APPRECIATE WHEN YOU SAID, YOU DON'T WANT TO BRING TOO MUCH TRAUMA, BECAUSE A LOT OF TIME PEOPLE EVEN DON'T GET THAT THIS IS NOT A NEWS STORY.

THIS IS MY LIFE.

BUT AT THE SAME TIME I WANT PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND THAT IF THIS HAPPENED TO ME TODAY, IT MIGHT HAPPEN TO YOU IN AMERICA, IN BROOKLYN IN FRONT OF MY SUNFLOWERS GARDEN, MY BEAUTIFUL GARDEN WHERE I USED TO FEED THE WHOLE NEIGHBORHOOD WITH MY TOMATO, CUCUMBERS, BASIL, THE GUY WAS THERE, GIGANTIC GUY, I STARED INTO HIS EYES, BUT I THOUGHT HE'S JUST TAKING PICTURE OF MY BEAUTIFUL GARDEN.

I THOUGHT HE'S ADMIRING MY GARDEN.

BUT HE WAS NOT.

>> HE WAS THERE TO KILL YOU.

>> HE SAID THAT IN A PUBLIC COURT THAT I WAS THERE TO KILL THE JOURNALIST.

>> NOW, KNOWING WHAT YOU DO, AND WE'VE SEEN OTHER REPORTING THAT IRAN, FOR EXAMPLE, HAS WORKED WITH CRIMINAL GANGS IN THIS COUNTRY TO TRY AND TARGET THOSE WHO OPPOSE IT, HOW BROAD DO YOU THINK IRAN'S REACH IS AROUND THE WORLD?

>> LISTEN, IT'S NOT JUST ME.

THERE ARE MORE THAN 500 PEOPLE WHO WERE THE TARGET OF THE ISLAMIC REPUBLIC IN FOUR DECADES, BEYOND THEIR OWN BORDERS.

AND IN THIS CASE, THEY ACTUALLY HIRED RUSSIAN MOBSTERS.

THEY WERE TRYING TO ACTUALLY KIDNAP ME FIRST, BECAUSE AS YOU KNOW, THIS IS NOT THE FIRST ASSASSINATION PLOT.

I SURVIVED THREE.

THE FIRST PLOT, THEY WERE TRYING TO KIDNAP ME, TO TAKE ME TO VENEZUELA.

SO YOU SEE, VENEZUELA, RUSSIA, SO THESE DICTATORS ARE HELPING EACH OTHER TO GET RID OF ANY OF THEIR CRITICS BEYOND THEIR OWN BORDERS.

THIS IS CALLED TRANSNATIONAL REPRESSION.

AND THAT'WHY I THINKS VERY, VERY IMPORTANT FOR AMERICANS TO UNDERSTAND WHAT HAPPENS IN DICTATORSHIP IS NOT GONNA STAY THERE.

I KNOW WHAT HAPPENED IN VEGAS, STAYS IN VEGAS.

BUT WHAT HAPPENED THE TERRORIST - - HAPENS IN THE TERRORIST COUNTRIES LIKE IRAN, RUSSIA.

THEY CAN INFECT THE REST OF THE WORLD.

>> YOU REMAIN AN ACTIVIST AND A TARGET.

CAN YOU HELP US UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU KNOW ABOUT THE STATE FOR WOMEN RIGHT NOW UNDER THE IRANIAN REGIME AND HOW YOU THINK THAT COULD CHANGE OR IF IT COULD?

>> THEY ARE MY HERO.

THE REASON, ACTUALLY, I'M NOT GIVING UP MY FIGHT ARE BECAUSE OF THESE WOMEN.

THEY'RE SAYING TO THE AYATOLLAHS, WE'RE HERE, UNVEILED.

WHERE ARE YOU?

SO THAT ACTUALLY SHOWS YOU THAT WOMEN IN IRAN, THEY'RE NOT JUST FIGHTING AGAINST, LIKE, COMPULSORY VEILING OR A SMALL PIECE OF CLOTH.

THEY WANT TO HAVE SECULAR DEMOCRACY.

YOU KNOW, IN MY COURT, THERE WAS A WOMAN WHO WAS DELIBERATELY BLINDED BY THE REVOLUTIONARY GUARDS DURING THE UPRISING.

>> BLINDED.

>> BLINDED, YEAH, SHE LOST HER EYE BECAUSE THEY SHOOT HER IN HER EYE.

AND THEN SHE WAS BLINDED, BUT SHE WAS THERE WITH THE HOPE, WITH ME IN A PUBLIC TRIAL.

AND I WAS LIKE ASKING HER, WHY DID YOU COME ALL THE WAY?

SHE WAS LIKE, I WANT TO SHOW AMERICANS THAT THEY DID EVERYTHING TO US.

THEY TOOK EVERYTHING AWAY FROM US, BUT NOT HOPE.

>> WHAT IS THE MEANING OF YOUR TATTOO?

>> ZANZAN DEGHI AZADI, WOMAN, LIFE, FREEDOM.

YOU KNOW WHAT, IT MAKES ME EMOTIONAL BECAUSE IN MY COUNTRY WOMEN GOT BLINDED, GOT KILLED, MEN GOT EXECUTED.

FOR THE CRIME OF JUST PEACEFULLY CHANTING, WOMAN, LIFE, FREEDOM.

SO OUR CULTURE IS TOLERANCE, MUSIC.

SINGING.

BUT WOMEN ARE IN PRISON FOR THE CRIME OF SINGING IN MY COUNTRY IN 21ST CENTURY.

SO I WANT TO ASK EVERYONE TO JOIN MY FIGHT.

YES, I AM AN ACTIVIST.

I'M LOUD, LOUDER THAN EVER BUT I CAN'T DO IT ON MY OWN.

>> YOU ARE A JOURNALIST.

YOU ARE ALSO AN AMERICAN CITIZEN.

PRESIDENT TRUMP HAS TAKEN SOME ACTIONS AGAINST THE MEDIA IN THIS COUNTRY.

HE SAYS THE MEDIA IS BIASED AGAINST HIM.

I WONDER HOW YOU SEE WHAT'S GOING ON IN THIS COUNTRY WITH THE MEDIA RIGHT NOW.

>> TO BE HONEST, IT BREAKS MY HEART WHEN I WALK IN THE STREET, EVEN PEOPLE TELL ME THAT, MASIH, WE SUPPORT YOU.

DON'T GO TO FOX NEWS.

SOME OF THEM STOP ME AND THEY SAY, MASSEY WE SUPPORT YOU, BUT DON'T GO CNN.

SO, AND I'M LIKE, OH MY GOD, I'M COMING FROM DICTATORSHIP COUNTRY, HAVING FOX NEWS AND CNN AND MSNBC, PBS, IT'S JUST OUR DREAM, BECAUSE WE HAVE ONLY ONE STATE CONTROLLED TV.

WE HAVE ONLY ONE.

THE CLERIC, THE BIG GUY MAKING DECISION ABOUT EVERYTHING, ABOUT - - DECISIONS ABOUT EVERYTHING, ABOUT MY BODY, ABOUT NUCLEAR, ABOUT OUR LIFESTYLE, ABOUT EVERYTHING.

SO THAT'S WHY I WANNA DEDICATE MY LIFE TO NOT ONLY GIVE VOICE TO MY PEOPLE, TO GET RID OF DICTATORSHIP, BUT TO PROTECT AMERICA, TO PROTECT FREEDOM OF SPEECH FROM THIS MINDSET, SAYING THAT, LET'S CANCEL THIS, LET CANCEL THAT.

- - LET'S CANCEL THAT.

LET'S WORK TOGETHER AND LOVE AMERICA AND PROTECT AMERICA.

>> MASIH ALINEJAD, WHAT AN HONOR TO SPEAK WITH YOU.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME HERE.

♪ >> THE TIDAL BASIN, THE ENTRY POINT TO WASHINGTON, D.C., AND HOME TO THE JEFFERSON MEMORIAL, IS AT ITS MOST COLORFUL AND VIBRANT THIS WEEKEND.

THE CITY'S HISTORIC CHERRY BLOSSOMS ARE IN FULL BLOOM.

TONIGHT, WE TAKE A LOOK AT THE HISTORY AND SYMBOLISM BEHIND THESE NATIONAL TREASURES.

♪ >> THE START OF SPRING AROUND THE GLOBE MEANS LONGER DAYS, WARMER RAYS OF SUNSHINE AND BURSTS OF BLOOMING FLOWERS.

IN THE NATION'S CAPITAL, THE CHERRY BLOSSOMS ARE AMONG THE WORLD'S MOST TREASURED EXAMPLES, DRAWING THOUSANDS OF ADMIRERS EVERY YEAR.

REVERED FOR THEIR ELEGANT AND AIRY FLOWERS, THESE STURDY TREES CREATE A PINK AND WHITE HALO AROUND THE TIDAL BASIN.

AND WHILE IT TAKES WEEKS FOR THIS JAPANESE SYMBOL OF HOPE TO BLOOM, THE PAPER-THIN PETALS ONLY STAY PUT FOR A FEW PRECIOUS DAYS.

THESE TREES ALSO REPRESENT A CENTURY-OLD BOND BETWEEN TWO NATIONS HALF A WORLD APART.

IT BEGAN AS A GIFT IN 1909, WHEN THE CITY OF TOKYO DONATED 2,000 CHERRY TREES TO THE U.S.

BUT BY THE TIME THE SHIPMENT ARRIVED IN EARLY 1910, THE TREES HAD BECOME DISEASED, INFESTED WITH BUGS, AND HAD TO BE BURNED.

A DETERMINED TOKYO SENT A SECOND BATCH OF TREES IN 1912, THIS TIME MORE THAN 3,000 OF THEM, PLANTED AT THE TIDAL BASIN AS A SYMBOL OF FRIENDSHIP BETWEEN JAPAN AND THE UNITED STATES.

DECADES LATER, BY 1941,WHAT HAD BEEN A SMALL GATHERING TO CELEBRATE THE GIFT, HAD BECOME THE CHERRY BLOSSOM FESTIVAL.

NOW, THE ANNUAL EVENT STRETCHES FOR NEARLY A MONTH.

>> THE CHERRY BLOSSOMS ARE ALWAYS A WELCOME DISTRACTION, IF YOU WILL, WHETHER IT'S FROM FROM WINTER OR ANYTHING ELSE THAT'S GOING ON.

YOU KNOW, IT'S WASHINGTON'S GRANDEST SPRINGTIME TRADITION.

>> IN A MIRROR IMAGE OF THE FAMOUS SAKURA OR CHERRY BLOSSOM SEASON IN JAPAN, MORE THAN A MILLION VISITORS FROM NEAR AND FAR FLOCK TO THE NATION'S CAPITAL TO EXPERIENCE THE COLORFUL CLOUDS OF FLOWERS KNOWN AS "PEAK BLOOM."

>> IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE SHOW UP HERE, AND THAT WE DEFINITELY HONOR AND CHERISH WHAT WE HAVE.

IT IS DEFINITELY A GEM.

IT'S A JEWEL.

>> THAT JEWEL WILL GROW EVEN MORE BRILLIANT NEXT YEAR.

>> JAPAN RECENTLY ANNOUNCED IT WILL BE SENDING A SURPRISE GIFT - - AN ADDITIONAL 250 CHERRY BLOSSOM TREES TO HONOR AMERICA'S 250TH BIRTHDAY.

>> THAT IS SET FOR OUR PROGRAM TONIGHT.

- - IS IT FOR OUR PROGRAM FOR TONIGHT.

I'M LISA DEJARDINS.

FOR ALL OF MY COLLEAGUES, THANKS FOR JOINING US.

SEE YOU SOON.

♪