Landmark civil rights law. Think about it as segregation. People are still segregated. Its wrong, its wrong morally, economically and its wrong in compliance with americans with disbill teeth acts. Ifill tempers often flare as the temperature outside rises. Could Climate Change be making us more violent . Ray suarez dives into the details of a new study. Brown and a powerful drama based on the true story of one mans last day, before being fatally shot on an oakland subway. We sit down with the director of fruitvale station. Ifill thats all ahead on tonights newshour. Major funding for the pbs newshour has been provided by supported by the john d. And catherine t. Macarthur foundation. Committed to building a more just, verdant and peaceful world. More information at macfound. Org and with the ongoing support of these institutions and foundations. And. This program was made possible by the corporation for public broadcasting. And by contributions to your pbs station from viewers like you. Thank you. Ifill president obama has called off next months planned meeting with russian president putin. That announcement today underscored the damage done by the dispute over Edward Snowden. For the record, the statement posted on the white house website said u. S. Officials could not justify a meeting of the president s. State Department Spokeswoman jen psaki elaborated major issues were not teed up to make significant progress on the level of a president to president summit. That wasnt a constructive step to take at this point, but there ifill but it was clear the Edward Snowden affair was the driving force behind the decision to cancel the summit. Last week, the kremlin granted asylum to the National Security agency leaker, in spite of u. S. Demands that he be handed over to face espionage charges. Last night, in an appearance on the tonight show with jay leno, president obama said that was the wrong decision. I was disappointed because, you know, even though we dont have an extradition treaty with them, traditionally we have tried to respect if theres a law breaker or alleged law breaker in their country, we evaluate it, and we try to work with them. Ifill and todays white house statement acknowledged the snowden matter was indeed also a factor that we considered in assessing the current state of our bilateral relationship. In the leno interview, the president gave the russians credit for cooperation in the boston bombing investigation and other areas, but, he said but there have been times where they slip back into cold war thinking and a cold war mentality, and what i consistently say to them and what i say to president putin is thats the past, and weve got to think about the future, and theres no reason why we shouldnt be able to cooperate more effectively than we do. Ifill tensions in the obama putin relationship were clearly evident at the g8 summit in ireland last june, after they clashed over syria. Today, kremlin officials expressed their own disappointment at the u. S. Decision to forego the summit. But they said president putins invitation still stands. Mr. Obama still plans to attend the g20 gathering in st. Petersburg, next month, but has added a side visit to sweden instead. And secretary of state john kerry and defense secretary chuck hagel will meet with their russian counterparts in washington on friday. Brown was the president right to cancel the meeting . And where does this leave u. S. Russian relations . Stephen sestanovich teaches International Diplomacy at columbia university. He served in the state department during the reagan and clinton administrations. Dimitri simes is president of the center for the national interest. He just returned from a trip to russia where he met with senior russian officials. Welcome to both of you. Stephen sestanovich was it the snowden asylum in the end that led to this and do you think it was the right move. I think it was a key factor in the decision but it wasnt the most important issue. What it did was force the administration to take careful stock of where the relationship stood. Whats going on they had to ask, and is this meeting going to be a loser. I think they were right to conclude it was going to be a loser. That it was going to be a waste of time, at best, and at worst. Brown you told one of our producers earlier today you think president obama mishandled the situation with putin over snowden. Explain what you mean by that and is that how russian officials that youve talked to felt. Well, snowden came to russia not as invitation of the russian government. Actually from what i was told, and it was confirmed to me by u. S. Officials, that the u. S. Government have informed the russians about snowden being on a plane from hong kong to moscow only when the plane had already left hong kong. So snowden was traveling to cuba. He was supposed to board a plane to cuba, a russian plane next day. Then the u. S. Government goes to the cubans and despite a rather difficult relationship, the cubans decided to talk with the United States and not allow snowden to go via cuba. So here is snowden at the russian airport. Hes there for less than six hours and the secretary of state already was with putin about consequences. And the state Department Already express a strong consent. And senator schumer wants putin about are terrible implications for the relationship and says that putin put the knife in the american back. Brown to fast forward to todays action, this scene in russia as a clear diplomatic slight. I think that the way it is seen in russia as a logical progression of this situation, they obviously are not happy that it was consult. At the same time i think everybody recognizes that under the circumstances that was the right decision. Including from the russian standpoint. Because president obama came to moscow under the current circumstances with all this media criticism, pressure from the hill, he would have to conduct himself in a way that is a serious negotiating would be impossible. Brown we hear the president on jay leno and hes almost chiding russians for a cold war mentality. What do you make of that. What does that tell you about the state of thing . I think putin radiates a cold war mentality so a lot of other people have come to that conclusion. Im not sure its the best move to throw that in his face. There are many other factors producing this. But i think its clearly the way the president reads the relationship right now and reads putins view of the relationship. He sees putin and Administration Officials across the board see this as blocking any kind of Real Progress on a whole host of issues. Brown what are the other issues that are most important in this relationship . Well there are two sets, in addition to snowden. The bilateral geo political issues, syria, iran, missal defense, nuclear arms reductions. There are, in addition to that, are the internal developments in russia that make it embarrassing for an american president to be shoulder to shoulder with putin without as dimitri sues having to duke it out with him. Brown from the russian view is Something Like this seen as a below to putin in the sense it denies him in this big moment. No. Brown or is it in fact boost him because it looks like he stuck to his guns. It looks like obama goes to the whitehouse that he would go. There will be an opportunity to cover a meeting at the sidelines at the summit. The whitehouse said that such a meeting was not plan. Of course it was not planned at this point. Brown its possible you think. I think between u. S. And russian senior officials is productive i think would be very difficult to avoid a discussion between putin obama in st. Petersberg is not a big deal. I agree with every specific point he made about problems with the u. S. Russian relationship. But theres a more fundamental problem and this is a problem that appears with policy not only with the russians but in general. I think at the end of the cold war were often developed a mind set that where is only super power but where master of the universe. And a dozen nations including the great powers i expect to talk about and once they dont do it as in the case of the snowden affair, we take it very very that is not helpful. All Foreign Policy effectiveness. Brown the puts it in a much grander scale. Whats your reaction to a Statement Like that. I dont think president obamas northern policy is a master of the universe Foreign Policy. And i dont think he has treated the russian account that way. Hes actually approached it in a pretty transactional way trying to make progress on specific issues. And although its clear theres no particular love lost between him and putin, i think the view that the administration had when putin came back was well lets see what we can do with this guy. And they built toward this meeting with the idea that if you can make progress on serious issues, it will be worth having a meeting. But they have been stuffed, stiffed essentially for the whole of this year. Brown so how would you characterize today the u. S. Russian relationship. Pretty empty. Brown empty. Yes. Its a core of substance that could be there that is now missing and very negative atmospheric relating to internal developments in russia and bad personal vibes. What more do you want. Brown how would you characterize it . Empty. Going down at the expense of very important Nation Security in terms of the United States. It was a potential american light as we have seen in the case when in absence of Adequate Security dialogue with russia led which was avoidable. Very serious consequences. Serious consequences and we should do better but under the circumstances im glad that it was consult. Brown thank you both very much. Ifill still to come on the newshour changing how we pay for our homes; protecting the rights of people with disabilities; hot tempers in a warmer world and the gripping film that captures one mans final hours. But first, with the other news of the day. Heres kwame holman. Holman a military judge in texas today temporarily halted the mass shooting Court Martial of Army Major Nidal Hasan after just one day. Hasan is defending himself, but his standby attorney said he appears intent on getting sentenced to death. The lawyer asked that his own role be minimized. Hasan has admitted killing 13 people and wounding nearly three dozen in 2009. He says he acted because america is at war with islam. The trial is expected to reconvene tomorrow. The deadly assault on the u. S. Consulate in benghazi, libya has produced its first criminal charges. It was widely reported overnight that u. S. Prosecutors have begun the process of bringing suspects to trial. Word of the charges comes almost a year after the attack in benghazi, that killed ambassador Chris Stevens and three other americans. Its unclear how many people are included in the sealed complaint, or what the charges are, but the reports name ahmed abu khattala, the former commander of a benghazibased Militia Group. Khattala has denied involvement in the past, and did so again today. He insisted hes left the Militia Group and that he has not been questioned in the case. In washington, the u. S. Justice department refused to comment, except to say the investigation is ongoing. But republican congressman darrell issa of california said anyone charged must be placed in u. S. Custody without delay. Issa and other republicans have accused the administration of neglecting security in benghazi and misleading the public about what really happened. Authorities in yemen said today theyve foiled an alqaeda plot to take over strategic port cities in the south. They claimed its the same plot that led the u. S. To close embassies in 19 cities across the muslim world. Meanwhile, another suspected u. S. Drone strike today killed seven al qaeda militants in southern Yemens Shabwa province. In egypt, the militarybacked leaders declared foreign efforts to mediate the countrys political crisis have failed. They blamed the Muslim Brotherhood, which backs mohammed morsi, the ousted president who remains in custody. Egypts interim Prime Minister went on state t. V. To warn islamist protesters that the decision to dismantle their camps in cairo is irreversible. We asked them once more to leave quickly and return to their homes and work without resistance. Those who do not have blood on their hands, the state promises to provide them with free transportation. The cabinet warns against the continuing dangerous escalation and inassignment from among the brother hoods. Holman the Muslim Brotherhood rejected the warnings, and said protesters are not concerned about talk of clearing their sitins by force. A small fire got out of control today at kenyas main airport in nairobi, the busiest in east africa. The extensive damage grounded International Flights and roiled schedules across the continent. The entire airport was closed for a time, as firefighters battled the blaze. Inbound flights were rerouted to the coastal city of mombasa. When the airport reopened later, it was only for domestic and cargo flights. Kenyan officials announced plans to convert a domestic flight area into an International Terminal. From tomorrow we will be preparing this unit, unit three as an International Terminal for departure and arrival we have started pitching tents on the air side for handling departing passengers. Holman the cause of the blaze was under investigation, but officials said there was no initial indication of terrorism. Tensions between the two koreas eased somewhat today. Communist north korea announced it is reopening an Industrial Park that is run jointly with south korea. The park closed in midapril amid threats by the north to retaliate against washington and seoul for international sanctions. Formal talks on future operations at the Industrial Site are scheduled to begin august 14. On wall street today, the Dow Jones Industrial average gained lost 48 points to close at 15,470. The nasdaq fell 11 points to close at 3,654. Those are some of the days major stories. Now, back to jeff. Brown president obama returned to the topic of housing today. Margaret warner has that. Warner the president today vowed to Push Congress to pass broad housing reform by the end of the year. One of his key proposals wind down the roles of freddie mac and fannie mae. The two massive Mortgage Finance companies taken over by the federal government in the depths of the housing crisis. In phoenix yesterday, he endorsed a Senate Proposal to quote end freddie and fannie as we know them first, private capital should take a bigger role in the Mortgage Market. I believe that while our housing system must have a limited government role, private lending should be the backbone of the housing market, including communitybased lenders who view their borrowers not as a number, but as a neighbor. Warner freddie and fannie have been in government receivership since failing nearly five years ago. Costing the government 187 billion to bail them out. Now they are turning a profit. And are on track to fully repay that amount by 2014. Two out of every three new home mortgages today are guaranteed by freddie and fannie, 68 of the market. To explain how would the change that landscape we turn to guy cecala publisher of inside Mortgage Finance. A housing Industry Research publication. Welcome mr. Cecala. The president has been talking since taking office in 2009 about reviving the housing and Mortgage Market. Do you see these statements this week as significant. Yes. The first time in several years that weve heard position advanced by the whitehouse and somewhat significant in that hes talking about specifically changing the existing system we have of closing down fannie mae and freddie mac and coming up with something to replace them but maintaining some sort of government presence in the housing market. Warner how would that work. Hes not proposing ending all government guarantees is that right. Yes. Hes talking about a Senate Proposal which is bipartisan at least in the senate that talks about setting up a federal Mortgage Insurance Corporation that would operate somewhat like the federal deposit Insurance Corporation in that it would collect money from lenders and in return give them a government guarantee. Warner it would be fees paid. Exactly. Warner explicitly. What is the thinking behind this as to how this would prevent the kind of unscrupulous lending to unqualified borrowers that really precipitated the whole housing crises . Well the legislation specifically says the only type of mortgages that can go into these new securities insured by the federal Mortgage Insurance Corporation would be super safe. They would have to be, couldnt have any features that were considered predatory or anticonsumer. So they would be the safest mortgages that wed have. Warner were really talking about tighter regulation. Its tighter regulation but its modeled after the doddfrank act and its pretty much a regulation that the Consumer FinancialProtection Bureau has already finalized and put in place to take effect in early 2014. Warner now hasnt tighter standards already been put in place just anecdotally. There are many reports about how much more docum