captioning sponsored by macneil/lehrer productions >> woodruff: nelson mandela has died at home in johanesburg, south africa, at the age of 95. good evening, i'm judy woodruff. >> ifill: and i'm gwen ifill. we remember mandela, a towering man whose passion, sacrifice and battle against aparthied changed south africa and the world. >> woodruff: tonight we devote our whole program to life and legacy of nelson mandela. >> major funding for the pbs newshour has been provided by: ♪ ♪ moving our economy for 160 years. bnsf, the engine that connects us. >> and the william and flora hewlett foundation, working to solve social and environmental problems at home and around the world. >> 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: nelson mandela's death was formally announced late today by south africa's current president jacob zuma. he expressed the country's love and sense of loss for their iconic leader, often

captioning sponsored by macneil/lehrer productions >> woodruff: the u.s. is rushing missiles and surveillance drones to iraq after a surge of violence from al-qaeda-linked insurgents. good evening. i'm judy woodruff. gwen ifill is off this thursday. also ahead: from the shadows to the spotlight-- we look back at u.s. government spying programs revealed in 2013; plus, a battle over keeping the waters of lake tahoe clear. >> the blueness comes in large part from just the incredible cleanliness of it. and the trick is how do we keep that quality and keep using it.

captioning sponsored by macneil/lehrer productions >> woodruff: the federal reserve scales back, deciding today that it will start putting the brakes on its stimulus program. good evening, i'm judy woodruff. >> ifill: and i'm gwen ifill. also ahead this wednesday, a presidential task force calls for placing limited controls on n.s.a. surveillance at home and abroad. >> woodruff: plus, an update from tacloban, where typhoon damage can still be seen in all directions and a massive aid effort keeps churning away. >> in this temporary warehouse, there are some 200 volunteers from the community preparing care packages for an estimated 2.5 million to three million mouths

captioning sponsored by macneil/lehrer productions >> ifill: today's deadline to sign up for health insurance under the affordable care act has been pushed back yet again this time to tomorrow. good evening, i'm gwen ifill. judy woodruff is off. also ahead, violence and instability in south sudan and central african republic. i'll talk with u.n. ambassador samantha power, who just returned from the region. jeff brown tackles limits on surveillance with two members of a presidential task force that said the government may go too far. >> ♪ it's beginning to look a lot like christmas. ♪ >> ifill: and with christmas

captioning sponsored by macneil/lehrer productions ( singing ) >> woodruff: mourning his death, but also celebrating his life in the streets of south africa and beyond. the world continued its look back today at nelson mandela's long journey. good evening, i'm judy woodruff. we further explore mandela's legacy. tonight, how south africa was forever changed by the man they called "father." >> to many people nelson mandela does represent the kind of more all center an a choice to turn away from violence, to turn away from strife. and to turn away from racial divisions. >> woodruff: back in the u.s., paul solman digs into today's jobs report, which points to strong gains in hiring and a five-year low in the unemployment rate. and mark shields and david brooks are here. they reflect on mandela's life and the rest of the week's news. those are just some of the stories we're covering on tonight's "pbs newshour." >> major funding for the pbs newshour has been provided by: >> support also comes from carnegie corporation of new york, a foundation created to do what andrew carnegie called "real an

captioning sponsored by macneil/lehrer productions >> ifill: at the vatican, pope francis called foreace, while some in berlin marked the holiday with a dip into a frigid lake. just some of the scenes from around the world, as millions celebrated christmas. good evening, i'm gwen ifill. judy woodruff is off this holiday. also ahead: china, egypt, iran, syria-- the list goes on. we look back at this busy 2013 in american foreign policy. >> this is a year which president obama really tried hard through diplomacy to reposition of united states after these difficult wars. but we saw how hard it is to reposition a superpower.

captioning sponsored by macneil/lehrer productions >> woodruff: a car bomb ripped through the heart ofebanon's capital today. among those killed: a prominent pro-western politician. good evening. i'm judy woodruff. also ahead: one of africa's biggest music stars blends sounds and languages from around the world. >> i don't try to mix things because i want to make a mix, but i am the mix. >> woodruff: and it's friday. mark shields and michael gerson are here to analyze the year's political news.

captioning sponsored by macneil/lehrer productions ( singing ) >> woodruff: mourning his death, but alsoelebrating his life in the streets of south africa and beyond. the world continued its look back today at nelson mandela's long journey. good evening, i'm judy woodruff. we further explore mandela's legacy. tonight, how south africa was forever changed by the man they called "father." >> to many people nelson mandela does represent the kind of more all center an a choice to turn away from violence, to turn away from stre.

captioning sponsored by macneil/lehrer productions >> ifill: on this christmas eve, scenes of celebrationrom the vatican to bethlehem, from the typhoon-ravaged philippines, to american bases in afghanistan. good evening, i'm gwen ifill. judy woodruff is off tonight. also ahead, violence and instability in south sudan and the central african republic. i'll talk to u.n. ambassador samantha power, who's recently returned from the region. n.s.a. leaker edward snowden declares his mission accomplished. we talk to the "washington post" reporter who interviewed him over two days in moscow.

captioning sponsored by macneil/lehrer productions ♪ songs of celebration and words >> ifill: a blessingf rain, songs of celebration and words of inspiration as world leaders joined tens of thousands for a memorial honoring nelson mandela. good evening. i'm gwen ifill. >> woodruff: and i'm judy woodruff. also ahead, the push to curb risky trading on wall street. after years of debate, regulators give the green light to a rule key to financial reform. >> ifill: and crossing a contentious border: kurdish refugees flee from war-torn syria to an already unstable iraq. margaret warner reports. >> it wasn't bashar al-assad's forces that drove them out. the threat came from a different quarter instead, the ranks of anti-assad jihadi rebel fighters linked to al qaeda. >> ifill: those are just some of the stories we're covering on tonight's pbs newshour. >> major funding for the pbs newshour has been provided by: ♪ ♪ moving our economy for 160 years. bnsf, the engine that connects us. >> and with the ongoing support of these institutions and foundations. and... >> this program was made possible b

macneil/lehrer productions >> ifill: the senate cleared the way for a final vote on the bipartisan budget deal. good evening. i'm gwen ifill. >> woodruff: and i'm judy woodruff. also ahead this tuesday, russia offered billions in aid to bolster the president of ukraine while protesters in kiev continue to call for him to resign and for closer ties to europe. >> ifill: plus, a peek inside p.b.s' "masterpiece," the long- running series introducing american audiences to british dramas like "downton abbey." >> there is a certain goodness of intent to all these characters, and i think that's been missing in television, british and american. >> ifill: those are just some of the stories we're covering on tonight's pbs newshour. >> major funding for the pbs newshour has been provided by: ♪ ♪ moving our economy for 160 years. bnsf, the engine that connects us. >> 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. >> woodruf

macneil/lehrer productions >> ifill: the senate cleared the way for a final vote on the bipartisan budget deal. good evening. i'm gwen ifill. >> woodruff: and i'm judy woodruff. also ahead this tuesday, russia offered billions in aid to bolster the president of ukraine while protesters in kiev continue to call for him to resign and for closer ties to europe. >> ifill: plus, a peek inside p.b.s' "masterpiece," the long- running series introducing american audiences to british dramas like "downton abbey." >> there is a certain goodness of intent to all these characters, and i think that's been missing in television, british and american. >> ifill: those a

captioning sponsored by macneil/lehrer productions >> woodruff: president obama was out touting the benefits of the affordable care act today in the latest bid to move past the rocky rollout of healthcare.gov. good evening. i'm judy woodruff. >> ifill: and i'm gwen ifill. also ahead, the biggest municipal bankruptcy in u.s. history gets the green light. a judge ruled detroit can shed billions in debt and reduce public pensions while overhauling its finances. >> woodruff: and tensions are rising in asia, where vice president biden voiced support for japan as it feuds with china over islands and airspace. >> we, the united states, are deeply concerned by the attempt to unilaterally change the status quo in the east china sea. >> those are just some of the stories we are covering on tonight's pbs news hours. >> major funding for the pbs newshour has been provided by: ♪ ♪ moving our economy for 160 years. bnsf, the engine that connects us. >> the william and flora hewlett foundation, working to solve social and environmental problems at home and around the world. >> and with the ongoing support

captioning sponsored by macneil/lehrer productions >> ifill: the obama administration says consumers will have an easier time using healthcare.gov now that it's fixed the major glitches. but insurers warn problems still exist when confirming coverage. good evening, i'm gwen ifill. >> woodruff: and i'm judy woodruff. also ahead this monday, the uproar in ukraine, protesters who want closer ties with europe now control a public square in the heart of the capital, as they call for the heads of government to resign. >> ifill: and spencer michels profiles david hockney, the prolific artist who continues to innovate using technology to advance his work. >> hockney, at 76, shows no signs of slowing down, and in fact, he admits he is working as he can on a wide variety of projects. >> ifill: those are just some of the stories we're covering on tonight's "pbs newshour." >> major funding for the pbs newshour has been provided by: >> and by the alfred p. sloan foundation. supporting science, technology, and improved economic performance and financial literacy in the 21st century. >> and with th

captioning sponsored by macneil/lehrer productions >> ifill: the white house pressed lawmakers to hold off on new sanctions that could complicate the interim nuclear deal with iran. we talk to the lead u.s. negotiator at the nuclear talks, wendy sherman. good evening, i'm gwen ifill. >> woodruff: and i'm judy woodruff. also ahead, president obama was out making his health-care pitch to young americans today. bua new survey of their politics says they might not be buying in. >> by a margin of about 2 to 1, people believe that the quality of care will actually get worse under the affordable care act. a solid majority disapprove of the act as of today. >> ifill: and the "women of vision" behind photos of war, poverty, and cultures near and far, showcased as part of the national geographic society's 125th anniversary. >> it is the tougher story about humanity. everything goes back to honoring my subject. i think that the story has to be told. i feel though strongly that these stories need to be seen by the american public. >> ifill: those are just some of the stories we're covering on toni

captioning sponsored by macneil/lehrer productions ♪ songs of celebration and words >> ifill: a blessingf rain, songs of celebration and words of inspiration as world leaders joined tens of thousands for a memorial honoring nelson mandela. good evening. i'm gwen ifill. >> woodruff: and i'm judy woodruff. also ahead, the push to curb risky trading on wall street. after years of debate, regulators give the green light to a rule key to financial reform. >> ifill: and crossing a contentious border: kurdish refugees flee from war-torn syria to an already unstable iraq. margaret warner reports.

captioning sponsored by macneil/lehrer productions >> sreenivasan: for a second straight day, a deadly blast rattled the russian city of volgograd. stoking security fears in a country that will host the winter olympics in just six weeks' time. good evening. i'm hari sreenivasan. gwen ifill and judy woodruff are both on holiday. also ahead, author and journalist david ignatius, just back from a visit to iran. details reaction inside the country to the nuclear talks. >> i asked this hard line person close to the leader, go did you think compromise is possible on the nuclear deal and he answered directly no, i don't think it is.

captioning sponsored by macneil/lehrer productions >> ifill: the obama administration says consumers will have an easier time using healthcare.gov now that it's fixed the major glitches. but insurers warn problems still exist when confirming coverage. good evening, i'm gwen ifill. >> woodruff: and i'm judy woodruff. also ahead this monday, the uproar in ukraine, protesters who want closer ties with europe now control a public square in the heart of the capital, as they call for the heads of government to resign. >> ifill: and spencer michels profiles david hockney, the prolific artist who continues to innovate using technology to advance his work. >> hockney, at 76, shows no signs of slowing down, and in

captioning sponsored by macneil/lehrer productions >> ifill: target confirmed today 40 million credit and debit cards have been compromised this holiday shopping season. good evening. i'm gwen ifill. >> woodruff: and i'm judy woodruff. also ahead this thursday, in a surprise move, russia's president putin promised to pardon the country's most famous prisoner. >> ifill: plus, he's young, erratic and mysterious. north korea's leader stokes fears around the world. >> instability in north korea would be probably one of america's and the region's worst nightmares. >> ifill: those are just some of the stories we're covering on tonight's pbs newshour. >> major funding for the pbs newshour has been provided by: ♪ ♪ moving our economy for 160 years. 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

captioning sponsored by macneil/lehrer productions >> ifill: at the vatican, pope francis called for peace, while some in berlin marked the holiday with a dip into a frigid lake. just some of the scenes from around the world, as millions celebrated christmas. good evening, i'm gwen ifill. judy woodruff is off this holiday. also ahead: china, egypt, iran, syria-- the list goes on. we look back at this busy 2013 in american foreign policy. >> this is a year which president obama really tried hard through diplomacy to reposition of united states after these difficult wars. but we saw how hard it is to reposition a superpower. >> ifill: and we close with a different take on the story of jesus. this time, from a novelist, poet and scholar of literature jay parini. >> i do think the story of jesus, this great mythical story, can have transforming value in our lives. those are just some of the stories we're covering on tonight's pbs >> 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

captioning sponsored by macneil/lehrer producti >> woodruff: house republican leaders back the new budget deal, despite grumbling from both parties on ways it falls short. good evening, i'm judy woodruff. >> ifill: and i'm gwen ifill. also ahead this wednesday, the most popular pontiff in decades is "time" magazine's pick for person of the year. how pope francis has altered the image of the church around the world. >> woodruff: plus, lessons at ni

captioning sponsored by macneil/lehrer productions >> woodruff: president obama looked back at a bruising3 today, fending off questions about health care, government surveillance and other issues during a year-end news conference. good evening, i'm judy woodruff. also ahead, video games for the aging brai can mental workouts keep people sharp as they grow older? >> the proof will be in the pudding. it's not going to happen to me now while i'm in my 50s, but if i'm still able to do stuff like this in my 80s, i'll be thrilled. >> woodruff: and it's friday. mark shields and david brooks react to president obama's remarks today, and the rest of the week's news.

captioning sponsored by macneil/lehrer productions >> woodruff: technology giants, lead by google and microsoft, call for limits on the scope of government spying. good evening, i'm judy woodruff. >> ifill: and i'm gwen ifill. also ahead, how islamist fighters in syria are taking the lead, but also splintering the fight to topple the assad regime. >> woodruff: and, rock legend carlos santana, on a life of music and inspiration. >> real musicians remind the listener of a forgotten song inside them and when you hear that forgotten song you know you get chills, you get tears, you dance and didn't even know why. >> woodruff: those are just some of the stories we're covering on tonight's "pbs newshour." >> major funding for the pbs newshour has been provided by: >> 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 y

captioning sponsored by macneil/lehrer productions >> woodruff: the u.s. is rushing missiles and surveillance drones to iraq after a surge of violence from al-qaeda-linked insurgents. good evening. i'm judy woodruff. gwen ifill is off this thursday. also ahead: from the shadows to the spotlight-- we look back at u.s. government spying programs revealed in 2013; plus, a battle over keeping the waters of lake tahoe clear. >> the blueness comes in large part from just the incredible cleanliness of it. and the trick is how do we keep that quality and keep using it. >> woodruff: those are just some of the stories we're covering on tonight's pbs newshour. >> major funding for the pbs newshour has been provided by: ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ moving our economy for 160 years. 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 corpor

captioning sponsored by macneil/lehrer productions >> woodruff: a retired f.b.i. agent vanished in iran, reportedly part of a secret- unauthorized mission for the c.i.a. in one of the most serious scandals for the spy agency in years. good evening, i'm judy woodruff. also ahead, our series with lawmakers on reforming government surveillance. tonight, margaret warner talks to one of the leading critics in the senate, oregon democrat ron wyden. >> those technological limitations provided a measure of privacy for americans. now, with essentially no technological limitations, the technology can do practically anything. >> woodruff: and it's friday. mark shields and michael gerson are here to analyze the week's news. those are just some of the stories we're covering on tonight's "pbs newshour." >> major funding for the pbs newshour has been provided by: >> my customers can shop around; see who does good work and compare costs. it can also work that way with healthcare. with united healthcare, i get information on quality ratings of doctors, treatment options and estima

captioning sponsored by macneil/lehrer productions >> woodruff: a car bomb ripped through the heart of lebanon's capital today. among those killed: a prominent pro-western politician. good evening. i'm judy woodruff. also ahead: one of africa's biggest music stars blends sounds and languages from around the world. >> i don't try to mix things because i want to make a mix, but i am the mix. >> woodruff: and it's friday. mark shields and michael gerson are here to analyze the year's political news. >> major funding for the pbs newshour has been provided by: >> support also comes from carnegie corporation of new york, a foundation created to do what andrew carnegie called "real and permanent good." celebrating 100 years of philanthropy at carnegie.org. >> and with the ongoing support of these institutions and foundations. 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. >> woodruff: the giant retailer target confirmed today that hackers stole encrypted pin n

captioning sponsored by macneil/lehrer productions >> ifill: on this christmas eve, scenes of celebration from the vatican to bethlehem, from the typhoon-ravaged philippines, to american bases in afghanistan. good evening, i'm gwen ifill. judy woodruff i o tonight. also ahead, violence and instability in south sudan and the central african republic. i'll talk to u.n. ambassador samantha power, who's recently returned from the region. n.s.a. leaker edward snowden declares his mission accomplished. we talk to the "washington post" reporter who interviewed him over two days in moscow. >> he, i think, feels vindicated by the fact that there has been six months of very intensive attention to things he thought were worthy of attention. >> ifill: and in the forests of mexico, worries are growing about the shrinking number of monarch butterflies spending winter there. those are just some of the stories we're covering on tonight's "pbs newshour." >> major funding for the pbs newshour has been provided by: ♪ ♪ moving our economy for 160 years. bnsf, the engine that connects us. >> and with the ongo

captioning sponsored by macneil/lehrer productions >> woodruff: the federal reserve scales back, deciding today that it will start putting the brakes on its stimulus program. good evening, i'm judy woodruff. >> ifill: and i'm gwen ifill. also ahead this wednesday, a presidential task force calls for placing limited controls on n.s.a. surveillance at home and abroad. >> woodruff: plus, an update from tacloban, where typhoon damage can still be seen in all directions and a massive aid effort keeps churning away. >> in this temporary warehouse, there are some 200 volunteers from the community preparing care packages for an estimated 2.5 million to three million mouths that need to be fed every single day. >> woodruff: those are just some of the stories we're covering on tonight's "pbs newshour." >> major funding for the pbs newshour has been provided by: >> my customers can shop around; see who does good work and compare costs. it can also work that way with healthcare. with united healthcare, i get information on quality ratings of doctors, treatment options and estimates for how much i'll

captioning sponsored by macneil/lehrer productions >> ifill: the house is poised to pass a bipartisan budget deal today despite opposition from conservatives. we talk to one of the architects of the compromise, washington democratic senator patty murray. good evening. i'm gwen ifill. >> woodruff: and i'm judy woodruff. also ahead this thursday: a new series of interviews with lawmakers on government surveillance. tonight, margaret warner talks to the chairman of the house intelligence committee, michigan republican congressman mike rogers. >> ifill: and the story of the families of children killed in newtown, turning their loss into a call to curb gun violence one year after the tragedy. >> my way of grieving is to be active and to ensure that this isn't just a senseless tragedy. this is my way of honoring dylan and the others that died, and providing him a legacy. >> ifill: those are just some of the stories we're covering on tonight's pbs newshour. >> major funding for the pbs newshour has been provided by: ♪ ♪ moving our economy for 160 years. bnsf, the engine that connects us. >>

captioning sponsored by macneil/lehrer productions >> woodruff: a federal judge ruled today the national security agency's bulk collection of phone records is likely unconstitutional. good evening, i'm judy woodruff. >> ifill: and i'm gwen ifill. also ahead this monday, the ongoing push to curb gun violence as the deaths, the injuries, and the incidents continue to mount. >> ♪ i bet there's rich folks eatin' in a fancy dinin' car ♪ >> woodruff: and we close with a look at the man in black with a new biography on the storied life of johnny cash. >> his mission was to lift people's spirits the way his spirits had been lifted as a child. >> woodruff: those are just some of the stories we're covering on tonight's "pbs newshour." >> major funding for the pbs newshour has been provided by: >> 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. a

captioning sponsored by macneil/lehrer productions >> woodruff: president obama looked back at a bruising 2013 today, fending off questions about health care, government surveillance and other issues during a year-end news conference. good evening, i'm judy woodruff. also ahead, video games for the aging brain. can mental workouts keep people sharp as they grow older? >> the proof will be in the pudding. it's not going to happen to me now while i'm in my 50s, but if i'm still able to do stuff like this in my 80s, i'll be thrilled. >> woodruff: and it's friday. mark shields and david brooks react to president obama's remarks today, and the rest of the week's news. those are just some of the stories we're covering on tonight's "pbs newshour." >> major funding for the pbs newshour has been provided by: >> my customers can shop around; see who does good work and compare costs. it can also work that way with healthcare. with united healthcare, i get information on quality ratings of doctors, treatment options and estimates for how much i'll pay. that helps me and my guys make informed decision

captioning sponsored by macneil/lehrer productions >> woodruff: technology giants, lead by google and microsoft, call for limits on the scope of government spying. good evening, i'm judy woodruff. >> ifill: and i'm gwen ifill. also ahead, how islamist fighters in syria are taking the lead, but also splintering the fight to topple the assad regime. >> woodruff: and, rock legend carlos santana, on a life of music and inspiration. >> real musicians remind the listener of a forgotten song inside them and when you hear that forgotten song you know you get chills, you get tears, you dance and didn't even know why.

captioning sponsored by macneil/lehrer productions >> ifill: the house is poised to pass a bipartisan budget deal today despite opposition from conservatives. we talk to one of the architects of the compromise, washington democratic senator patty murray. good evening. i'm gwen ifill. >> woodruff: and i'm judy woodruff. also ahead this thursday: a new series of interviews with lawmakers on government surveillance. tonight, margaret warner talks to the chairman of the house intelligence committee, michigan republican congressman mike rogers. >> ifill: and the story of the families of children killed in newtown, turning their loss into a call to curb gun violence one year after the tragedy. >> my way of grig