♪ john: tonight on "pbs news weekend" -- why a record number of people across america are experiencing homelessness this holiday season. en, as the congressional fight over ukraine aid is pushed into 2024, a new film documents the human toll of the war and resilience of those fighting and living on the front lines. and on this christmas eve, we dig into the business of christmas music and why so many love listening to these holiday hits.

nate: the oldness of this music is part of its appeal. because christmas, the holidays, this is a time when you crave familiarity and comfort. ♪ >> major funding for "pbs news weekend" has been provided by -- >> consumer cellular, this is sam, how may i help you? this is a pocket dial. well, somebody's pocket, i thought i would let you know that with consumer cellular you get nationwide coverage with no contract. that is kind of our thing. have a nice day. ♪ >> and with the ongoing support of these individuals and institutions -- and friends of "the newshour."

♪ this program was made possible by the corporation for public broadcasting and by contributions to your pbs station from viewers like you. thank you. john: good evening. i'm john yang. on this christmas eve, peace and harmony are rare commodities in some parts of the world. in gaza, this weekend has seen some of the most intense and bloodiest fighti of the war -- more than 200 palestinians dead, according to the hamas-run gaza health ministry, including at least 70 in an israeli air strike today. and the israeli military says that since friday, 15 israeli soldiers have been killed in combat. all told since october 7, gaza

officials say roughly 20,400 palestinians have been killed, and 154 israeli soldiers have died, in addition to the 1200 israelis killed in the initial hamas attack. israel is unused to big numbers of military casualties, so these numbers hit hard. israeli prime minister benjamin netanyahu said in a cabinet meeting that it's the sacrifice needed to free the 129 hostages still held by hamas. pm netanyahu: the war exacts a very heavy price from us but we have no choice but to continue fighting, continuing with all the force, until the end, until victory, until we reach all our goals. john: in bethlehem, revered by christians as the traditional birthpla of jesus, there are empty streets instead of the festive decorations and crowds of international tourists of past christmas eves. in one church's display, the

baby jesus is wrapped in a keffiyeh and lies on a pile of rubble. munther isaac is a lutheran pastor in bethlehem. pastor isaac: this is what christmas looks like in palestine, with occupation, with destruction, with the bombardment of children. while the world is celebrating, our children are under the rubble. while the world is celebrating, our families are displaced and their homes are destroyed. so this is christmas to us in palestine. john: in europe, security is tight after an alert about a possible terror attack. at the cologne cathedral in germany, worshippers faced security checks. in the united states, dreams of a white christmas will go unanswered outside of the mountain west. for much of the rest of e country, christmas day is expected to be unseasonably warm and wet. that's in sharp contrast to last year, when a cold snap brought snow, ice, and frost in many parts of the united states. this year, it's been mild in the upper midwest and northern plains. in minneapolis today, it was in the 50s, well above the previous

record high for the day of 46. this caps what's expected to be the warmest year on record. still to come on "pbs news weekend" -- a new documentary captures the resilience of soldiers and civilians on ukraine's front lines. and the business of christmas music. >> this is "pbs news weekend" from weta studios in washington, home of "the pbs newshour" weeknights on pbs. john: a new government report estimates a record number of americans are experiencing homelessness. starting in 2007, the department of housing and urban development sent volunteers out on a single night each january to count all the people they could find who didn't have shelter. experts caution that this is not a census, and it's likely an undercount because it's hard to find everyone experiencing homelessness on a single night. this year, they counted more

than 650,000. that's a 12% increase over the last year, the biggest one year jump on record and more than four times greater than any previous increase. in the past, a single category drove the increase. but this year, all categories went up. individuals, families, unaccompanied children and so on. ann oliva is the ceo of the national alliance to end homelessness. what do you make of those numbers of that big jump? ,ann: thank you first for having me on your show today. this is such an important topic and we need to make sure that folks are aware of what's happening. we are certainly concerned about these numbers. this is the highest number, as you mentioned, since 2007. and it's across all categories. so what that means to us is that this is a systemic problem and it needs systemic solutions. john: explain that. a systemic problem. what needs to be changed or what needs to be fixed? ann: so what this means is that we have an affordable housing crisis.

what the data tells us and what the evidence tells us is that when housing becomes less affordable for pple, homelessness increases. so seeing a 12% jump year over year really should be a wake up call to many folks, including our partners in the federal government, that we need to make investments in affordable housing and services because we know that's what ends homelessness. john: why do you think it went up so much? i mean, obviously, you say it's a housing problem. did the inventory of housing shnk or what happened? ann: well, we've been tracking data over the last year. and while we were deeply disappointed in this increase in 2023, i can't say that we were surprised. and that's because we have seen sort of a perfect storm of issues coming up over the last couple of years. so, for example, rents are skyrocketing all over the country and people's wages aren't keeping up with the amount of rent that they have to pay. so they're paying more and more

of their income towards rent. we saw the end of the covid era protections, the funding that was available for families and individuals across the country and the end of the eviction moratorium. at the same time, we are seeing this rise in unsheltered homelessness. so we have we have a number of things that that we need to address structurally in this country. john: are there disparities in terms of what who is likely to be homeless? ann: yeah, thank you for asking that question. it is an important one. there are disparities. historically, marginalized people are disproportionately impacted by homelessness and housing instability. what i mean by that is people of color, people with disabilities, lgbtq people are all disproportionately impacted by homelessness and housing instability. so they're more likely to be homeless than others in our country. john: you mentioned the covid era programs that we're helping.

-- that were helping. the number of homeless did increase from about 2016 until 2020, and then it didn't rise between 2020 to 2022 because of those programs. is there a lesson in that? ann: there's absolutely a lesson in the covid era protections. first, they were funded at a scale that's much closer to the problem. so, for example, hud's homeless programs are funded at a little bit more than $3 billion per year. and the covid emergency rental assistance program was funded at $50 billion per year. so you can see the scale was much greater. they were also quite a bit more flexible than our regular, our regularly funded programs. so as those pandemic era protections and resources started to dwindle, again, it is not surprising that we are seeing an increase in homelessness and at the same time that we're seeing those

skyrocketing rents. john: president biden campaigned on ending homelessness. is he doing enough or is the administration doing enough? ann: well, thank you for asking that. i don't think that anybody is doing enou at the federal, state or local level. when we see a 12% increase over the course of one year, i think it should be a call to action for all of us who are concerned about people who are living unsheltered across this country and people and families who are living in shelters. so there is definitely more that we can do in terms of resource that are made available for this problem and really funding affordable housing at the scale that it needs to be funded. john: because you're trying to expand affordable housing, does this need to involve the private sector as well? ann: so the best way to expand housing that is affordable to people at the lowest incomes -- that's usually somewhere between zero and 30% of the area median income -- is really to ensure that the government is

subsidizing rents and providing subsidies to folks who can do to do the development tt's needed. affordable housing is really hard to do in the private sector, given how expensive it can be in some markets especially. john: ann oliva, ceo of the national alliance to end homelessness, thank you very much. ann: thank you so much for having me. john: for more of our reporting on chronic homelessness in america, and why the number of those without elter continues to go up, visit our website, pbs.org/newshour. ♪ while aid for ukraine has become entangled in a partisan fight on capitol hill, it can be easy to lose sight of what's at stake in the war and the human toll it's taking. in a new documentary, "glory to the heroes," french writer and filmmaker bernard-henri levy turns the focus back to those he

calls the heroes -- not just the fighters on the front lines, but also the civilians whose decision to remain in ukraine is in itself an act of defiance. from the flooded streets of kherson after russia destroyed a dam under its control, to the eastern front where battles raged in bakhmut, from kharkiv in the north and odesa in the south -- viewers experience ukraine's summer counter-offensive through levy's lens. >> [speaking french] >> this is my country, this is my army. >> [speaking french] john: ali rogin recently sat down with bernard-henri levy to

discuss the film. ali: thank you so much. welcome back. you say at the beginning of this film that your goal is to make sure that ukraine does not become a forgotten war. do you think it's at risk of becoming one? bernard-henri: there is a risk. and what is happening these days on capitol hill, what is happening in most of the world, great capitals, increase the risk. there is a fatigue about ukraine and this worries me so much. i did this film. i went on fronine. i went in the trenches. in order to try to prevent this becoming a forgotten war, which is the worst. for people to be the victim of a forgotten war it is the worst , destiny possible on earth. ali: ever since this full scale

invasion of ukraine began, there have been many conflicts all over the world, but none seem to have captured the attention of the world quite like the war between israel and hamas. i don't mean to diminish the importance of that conflict by asking this question, but are you concerned that the war in the middle east is taking attention away from what's happening in ukraine? bernard-henri: it's an illness of our time, a plague of our time not to be able to focus attention on two things at the same time. we have to understand, the war of hamas against israel, the war of putin, of russia, against ukraine, are two parts of the same picture for many regards. the actors are linkeon the two sides. hamas and putin are linked. we know that. we know that moscow is the only big capital in the world where hamas was received with the red carpet before the october 7th pogrom and after the october 7th pogrom. ali: you visited ukraine.

this was your 11th trip there since the beginning of this war. one of the things that struck me the most was when you were embedded with soldiers on the front lines, one soldier says, if we had more ammunition, we could finish the job. do you agree with that? bernard-henri: i more than agree. i saw it. i saw how the other 20 shells for the week and they don't know when a new delivery will come. and they have a target. how many will they use? one, two, three, not more. so the scarcity, the non-delivery, the lack of promises or the betraying of promises of the west. this is a reality of which i am a personal witness. ali: another reality that you capture is the incredible resilience, the passion of the ukrainian people. the civilians, the figers. what did you take away about those moments with the ukrainian

people? bernard-henri: my film is entitled glory to heroes. i mean it. these guys who come with the violin, with their music instruments, with who try to re-hance, upgrade the morale of a troupe of soldrs who lost their brothers a few hours before. the old lady who is growing some cucumbers and some tomato on the macadam of our street. the houses destroyed. there is just the pavement of the street. and there she put some earth and she grows some cucumber. she's a hero too. and she will not move. ali: another really striking set of moments in the film is when you talk to russian captives, prisoners of war who have been captured, they are incredibly demoralized. then you contrast that with the spirit of the ukrainian fighters, men who've lost limbs and who can't wait to get back on the front lines.

bernard-henri: as you say, i have the chance and the privilege to film both. the russians, they're really poor guys. they were taken out of jail. they were brought on frontline. "nobody told us we will fight." they were sold like slave for 25,000 rubles each by the official officers of the official army to private companies like wagner, you know. so when you compare that, the high morale of the ukrainians and the low or no morale, not morale at all of the russians, there is a logic since the antiquity, you cannot win a war when you don't know why you do it and you cannot lose it when you have such a high morale. now, there was a question of the weapon. without f16, withoutrench caesar cannons.

of course the war will last. it has to end quickly with the capitulation of the russian army, which is logical. if we deliver what is needed for that. ali: to that end, what is your message to lawmakers as they debate funding for this war? bernard-henri: i am here since a few days. i hear that the borders are the big topic here at the congress and so on. border, border, border. ali: funding is connected to border funding. bernard-henri: yes, our border. i would like to say with all my respect to speaker johnson to senator graham, that the border of america, the border of europe today is in ukraine. those who defend the border of these brave ukrainian fighters

whom i depict in dust in my movie and others. the border is there. if we let putin win the war or even lose it hard, it would be a terrible signal given to all those who hate the liberal values, the democratic way of life, the sense of freedom which are cherished still in a big part of europe and of america. it would be a horrible, terrible signal given to all the enemies of that in our countries and around. ali: the new documentary is "glory to the heroes." bernard-henri levy, thank you so much. bernard-henri: thank you. ♪ john: right now, christmas music

seems to be everywhere on the radio, in stores and in waiting rooms. but if history is any guide, it will essentially disappear on tuesday, even though its lifespan is the four weeks between thanksgiving and christmas christmas music is a , big part of the music industry. nate sloane is an assistant professor at the university of southern california's thornton school of music. he's also the co-host of a podcast called switched on pop. nate, what is it about christmas music that makes it so popular, that makes people love it so? nate: i think the main thing is that it sounds different from the things that you hear the rest of the year on radio. christmas music is nostalgic. it's fr different era. it uses acoustic instruments. you hear voices like bing crosby and brenda lee. >> ♪ rocking around the christmas tree ♪ nate: it stands out from business as usual in the american music industry. john: i mean, you mentioned bing crosby, brenda lee.

i mean, that brings up another point is that so much of the christmas music is old, comes from the 1940's or 1950's. the top five records on the billboard hot 100 this week or this past week are all christmas songs. three of them are performed by artists who are no longer living. why is that? is it that new music isn't being written? it doesn't measure up? nate: the oness of this music is part of its appeal. because christmas, the holidays, this is a time when you crave familiarity and comfort. and so the fact that these artists are the same ones that you've been hearing your entire life is exactly why they've retained such popularity. john: and it seems like every artist feels the need or has to do a christmas album. when i look back, there was a heavy metal album with alice cooper. ♪ there was a hip hop album with snoop dogg. ♪ and of course, a few years ago

there was a bob dylan album. ♪ why do the artists feel the need to do this or why do they do it? nate: well, as you said, john, it's very difficult to join this exclusive club of christmas hitmakers. but if you're able to do so, this can be a very lucrative proposition because it means that year after year people will be listening to, downloading, streaming, playing on radio, your music. and if you are able to join that club, that's a really great place to be as an artist. john: well, we can't talk about year after yeawithout talking about mariah carey's "all i want for christmas is you." >> ♪ i don't want a lot for christmas ♪ john: this is a song that was written almost three decades ago, and it's number one on the billboard top 100. what explains its staying power? nate: well, i think there's a few things with mariah carey

's song. i think one thing is you have to credit her as a songwriter and as a performer. her vocals are incredible. she's able to reach these stratospheric notes that few other singers can. >> ♪ for christmas is you ♪ nate: also, the song was used in really popular film, "love actually," that was released in 2003. so people watch that film and that reinforces the popularity of the song. and i think, third, the song has so many hallmarks of classic christmas music in terms of its instrumentation, in terms of its harmonies. so it really fits comfortably alongside frank sinatra and bing crosby and all these other chrimas greats. john: you're a musicologist, and i think we've talked about it a little in bits and pieces here, but pull it all together. what makes a great christmas song? nate: ok, i think you need a few essential elements. one is there should be some sleigh bells in there. it also helps if you have a nice string orchestra, some lush

orchestral accompaniment, and then you want to have more complex harmonies than you usually hear on the popular music charts. the kind of harmonies that people like irving berlin wrote in his song "white christmas." >> ♪ i'm dreaming of a white christmas ♪ nate: that really sends you back to this this era of the great american songbook when many of these christmas classics were written. john: that's the classics. are there any new songs or newer christmas songs that have drawn your attention? nate: well, i've been noting that kelly clarkson's 2013 hit "underneath the tree" is currently at number 11 on the billboard charts. ♪ so after a decade of growing popularity, i think kelly clarkson is poised to join this pantheon of christmas hitmakers.

john: what's your favorite christmas song? nate: i'm partial to nat king cole's "the christmas song," chestnuts roasting on an open fire. to me, this song is all about deceptive simplicity. it's so easy to sing. it rolls off the tongue. >> ♪ chestnuts roasting on an open fire ♪ nate: but once you start to play it on piano and i'm a pianist, i love to play it during the holidays. there's some really clever you notice harmonies and rhythms here. and i think that keeps us coming back to that song year after year. john: nate sloan of the university of southern california, thank you very much. nate: thanks for having me. ♪ john: that is "pbs news weekend" for this christmas eve. i'm john yang.

for all of my colleagues, thanks for joining us. we hope you have a merry christmas and a joyous kwanzaa. >> ♪ santa baby i want a yacht and really that's not a lot been an angel all year ♪ >> major funding for "pbs news weekend" has been provided by -- >> consumer cellular, this is sam, how may i help you? this is a pocket dial. well, somebody's pocket, i thought i would let you know that with consumer cellular you get nationwide coverage with no contract. that is kind of our thing. have a nice day. ♪ >> and with the ongoing support of these individuals and institutions -- ♪ this program was made possible by the corporation for public broadcasting and by contributions to your pbs station om viewers like you. thank you.

♪ [captioning performed by the national captioning institute, which is responsible for its caption content and accuracy.]

>> the days are getting shorter, the nights are getting colder, so what do theeople in many of the cities and towns of europe do? >> ♪ wassail, wassail ♪ ♪ all over the town ♪ >> they go out into the cold and have a big street party every day for four weeks, also known as the christmas markets. it is a time when the town center, market square, or the narrow cobblestone streets come alive in the dark of winter with festively decorated wooden stalls, offering hot wine, regional food, christmas decorations, sweet confections, baked goods, local crafts, and all other manner of gifts to