. >> major funding for the pbs newshour has been provided by: >> bnsf railway.

. >> bnsf railway. >> and by the bill and melinda gates foundation. dedicated to the idea that all people deserve the chance to live a healthy, productive life. >> 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: a leaked document today put the spotlight back on lethal strikes by the u.s. government on u.s. citizens abroad. in response, top officials in the obama administration argued their actions are justified and legal. >> primary concern is to keep the american people safe, now do so in a way that's consistent with our laws and our values. >> ifill: attorney general eric holder today defended the justice department's rationale for authorizing the killings of americans overseas. >> we are -- we have as a basis for action that we take a congressional statute that allows us to operate against al qaeda and associated entities not only in pakistan or not only in afgh

bnsf, the engine that connects us. >> and by the alfred p. sloan foundation. supporting science, technology, and improved economic performance and financial literacy in the 21st century. >> 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. >> suarez: the world witnessed something today it had not seen since the 15th century: a sitting pope, benedict xvi, announced he is giving up the papacy. the news reverberated around the globe and stunned many of the world's 1.2 billion catholics. >> it was a big surprise because this doesn't happen all the time. and my first reaction was to pray and to call my friends, texted my friends and asked even my non-catholic and nonbelieving friends to keep us in their thoughts and in their prayers. >> i had never heard anything like this in my life. the pope has to be there until he dies. and he is resigning? >> popes can't resign. this hasn't happened in

bnsf, the engine that connects us. >> and by the bill and melinda gates foundation.o the idea that all people deserve the chance to live a healthy, productive life. >> 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. captioning sponsored by macneil/lehrer productions captioned by media access group at wgbh access.wgbh.org

bnsf, the engine that connects us. >> and by the bill and melinda gates foundation. dedicated to the idea that all people deserve the chance to live a healthy, productive life. >> 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: the federal government moved another day closer today to $85 billion in automatic spending cuts. and as political charges and counter-charges flew, federal reserve chief ben bernanke raised new fears about the potential economic fallout. the fed chairman told a senate committee that forcing across-the-board spending cuts could slice half a percentage point off economic growth. >> i think an appropriate balance would be to introduce these cuts more gradually and to compensate with larger and more sustained cuts in the longer run to address our long-run fiscal issues. >> ifill: bernanke said the sequester was supposed to be a doomsday weapon designed to spur

bnsf, the engine that connects us. >> and by the alfred p. sloan foundation. supporting science, technology, and improved economic performance and financial literacy in the 21st century. >> 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. after aurora, after virginia tech, after columbine, the question of gun violence becomes a recurring national conversation. this evening, newshour joins pbs in a week of special coverage on the topic of gun violence: "after newtown." the waves of reaction since december's connecticut school shooting continue to reverberate from coast to coast. >> now! ifill: as gun-control activists push for stricter laws. and gun owners chafe against the prospect of new regulation, crossing for... causing for now an increase in sale in firearms and attendance at gun shows. that dpebt is now spreading well beyond washington as cities and states take steps to distance

bnsf, the engine that connects us. >> and by the alfred p. sloan foundation. supporting science, technology, and improved economic performance and financial literacy in the 21st century. >> 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. >> suarez: president obama and congressional republicans traded barbs today, opening the final week before the looming sequester. but there was no outward sign of a breakthrough to prevent $85 billion in automatic spending reductions. >> these cuts do not have to happen. congress can turn them off any time with just a little bit of compromise. >> suarez: the president's appeal came as he met with the nation's governors at the white house amid growing indications that the sequester will indeed take effect. >> this town has to get past its obsession with focusing on the next election instead of the next generation. all of us are elected officials. all

bnsf, the engine that connects us. >> and by the alfred p. sloan foundation. supporting science, technology, and improved economic performance and financial literacy in the 21st century. >> and with the ongoing support of these institutions and foundations. and... >>his ograwas de possible by the corporation for public broadcasting. and by contributions to your pbs station from viewers like you. thank you. >> ifill: president obama made his first second-term foray outside washington today, with a call to stop gun violence. it was part of a campaign-style effort designed to goad congress into action. >> we don't have to agree on everything to agree it's time to do something. >> ifill: the president took that message to minneapolis, a city that's already imposed stricter background checks on gun buyers. the white house plan calls for those checks, a renewed ban on assault-style weapons and limits on high-capacity magazines for ammunition. >> the only way we can reduce gun violence in this country is if the american people decide it's important. if you decide it'

bnsf, the engine that connects us. >> and by the bill and melinda gates foundation. dedicated to the idea that all people deserve the chance to live a healthy, productive life. >> 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. >> woodruff: a u.s. security firm charged today there's an all-out effort to break into computer systems in the u.s. and elsewhere. the report laid out an extensive case against china and its military. the newest allegations of cyber attacks by the chinese government came up at the white house today. reporters asked spokesman jay carney about a study that blames china's military for a large-scale years-long hacking campaign. >> we have repeatedly raised our concerns at the highest levels about cyber attacks with senior chinese officials, including in the military, and we will continue to do so. >> woodruff: the report alleges this nondescript 12-story office building

. >> bnsf railway. >> and by the bill and melinda gates foundation. dedicated to the idea that all people deserve the chance to live a healthy, productive life. >> 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: a leaked document today put the spotlight back on lethal strikes by the u.s. government on u.s. citizens abroad. in response, top officials in the obama administration argued their actions are justified and legal. >> primary concern is to keep the american people safe now do so in a way that's consistent with our laws and our values. >> ifill: attorney general eric holder today defended the justice department's rationale for authorizing the killings of americans overseas. >> we are -- we have as a basis for action that we take a congressional statute that allows us to operate against al qaeda and associated entities not only in pakistan or not only in afgha

bnsf, the engine that connects us. >> and by the bill and melinda gates foundation. dedicated to the idea that all people deserve the chance to live a healthy, productive life. >> 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. >> brown: another defiant act by north korea today. the nation carried out its third nuclear test, triggering new fears and a global outcry. the announcement blared forth on north korean state television. >> main purpose of this nuclear test is to show the resentment of our people and army of the united states' hostile actions that are no better than robbery. our nuclear test is a fair self-defensive action which does not contravene any international law. >> brown: the underground blast took place at a remote location in the north eastern part of the country. it was the communist regime's third nuclear test since 200 20062006. seismic readings in south korea suggeste

bnsf, the engine that connects us. >> and by the bill and melinda gates foundation.ea that all people deserve the chance to live a healthy, productive life. >> 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. captioning sponsored by macneil/lehrer productions captioned by media access group at wgbh access.wgbh.org