captioning sponsored by macneil/lehrer productions >> woodruff: prices plummet at the pump. the cost of oil keeps dropping and drives the sharpest weekly loss in u.s. stocks in three years. good evening, i'm judy woodruff. also ahead this friday. it's not always a party. drinking in college is linked to injuries, sexual assault and even death. what institutions of higher education can do to curb the problem. historically, colleges have not talked about drinking when they talk to students about preventing sexual assaults and i think the reason is they're going to worry they're

captioning sponsored by macneil/lehrer productions >> ifill: the murder of two new york city police officersgnites a volley of blame between the police department and the mayors office and exposes the deep rifts dividing a city in mourning. good evening, i'm gwen ifill. >> woodruff: and i'm judy woodruff. also ahead, it wasn't an ordinary christmas list from pope frances, the pontiff veering from tradition to use his annual christmas message to outline 15 spiritual flaws he wants to eradicate from the vatican. >> ifill: plus, what started out as one thirteen-year-old's lego creation, becomes a new way for the blind to communicate.

captioning sponsored by macneil/lehrer productions >> ifill: a rare glimpse behind the front lines with the islamic state in iraq and syria. one westerner who gained access to the extremist group tells us what he saw. good evening, i'm gwen ifill. judy woodruff is away. also ahead this christmas eve: tis the season for sibling spats and political clashes. how to navigate the tricky territory of family time, and stay stress-free for the holidays. >> we just don't discuss it. i'm within one end and my brother's on the other end, and we just do not discuss it, period. >> just remember they're your family. you don't have to agree with them.

captioning sponsored by macneil/lehrer productions >> ifill: a new blow to syrian refugees scarred by war and facing starvation, as the united nations makes drastic cuts to food aid. >> every month we feed 4 million people inside syria, in addition to approximately 2 million refugees in neighboring countries, and in order to resume the operation for the refugees, we need $64 million immediately. >> ifill: good evening, i'm gwen ifill. judy woodruff is away. also ahead this tuesday: the darker side of professional sports. lawmakers look at how the big leagues tackle domestic violence. plus, in philadelphia, as charter schools become more popular, the city's public schools rethink how they can compete to attract students and improve education. >> everybody learns at their own pace. so if i'm quicker than chauncey, i'll be able to keep going instead of waiting for him to come to my level, or vice-versa. >> ifill: those are some of the stories we're covering on tonight's pbs "newshour >> major funding for the pbs newshour has been provided by: >> at bae systems, our pride and dedication s

. >> captioning sponsored by macneil/lehrer productions >> woodruff: surprising new numbers show tremendousomentum for the u.s. economy, reaching its highest growth rate in a decade. we'll take a look at what economists are expecting for 2015. good evening, i'm judy woodruff. >> ifill: and i'm gwen ifill. also ahead, peru's ruins have stood for centuries, but extreme el nino storms threaten to wash them away. we explore how archaeologists are bolstering the defenses of these ancient treasures, piece by piece. >> woodruff: plus, side by side on the front lines of battle, soldiers and their canine counterparts form a special bond in the face of danger. a look at man's best friend as his source s

captioning sponsored by macneil/lehrer productions >> ifill: protests erupt nationwide, americans chanting "we can't breathe," and marching on the streets after a grand jury in new york votes no indictment for the police officer who killed eric garner. good evening, i'm gwen ifill. judy woodruff is away. also ahead this thursday: we go to the scene of garner's death in staten island, where definitions of justice diverge. and, as more tech entrepreneurs trade silicon valley for los angeles, the counter-culture of venice beach starts to disappear. >> things really started to go sour when google moved in, so it's now silicon beach. the landlords just turned around and raised the rent to the point where now the artist just can't afford to live there. >> ifill: those are some of the stories we're covering on tonight's pbs newshour. >> major funding for the pbs newshour has been provided by: >> lincoln financial-- committed to helping you take charge of your life and become you're own chief life officer. >> supported by the john d. and catherine t. macarthur foundation. committed to building a m

captioning sponsored by macneil/lehrer productions >> woodruff: president obama announces tougher standards on how local police can use military style equipment in the wake of ferguson. >> woodruff: good evening, i'm judy woodruff. gwen ifill is away. also ahead this monday, when facebook rants turn menacing, the supreme court considers whether threats made on social media are protected by the first amendment. >> woodruff: plus, as philadelphia schools grapple with crippling budget cuts. one school forces students to think for themselves and solve real-life problems. >> i've had kids cry in front of me, like, "i just... can you just tell me, ms. hull. i just... i want to do a good job." and i said, "i know you want to do a good job, and i'm going to help you do that, but you have to find your own answers now." >> woodruff: those are 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. >> lincoln financial-- committed to helping you take charge of your

captioning sponsored by macneil/lehrer productions >> ifill: people around the world bid farewell to014, as they ring in the new year good evening, i'm gwen ifill. judy woodruff is away. also ahead this wednesday. stormy weather hinders efforts to recover remains from the air asia jetliner that crashed off the coast of indonesia, as officials search for more clues about what led to the disaster. plus, rose bowl opponents florida state and oregon team up to push for more research into a rare blood disorder few americans even know exists. >> when we learn something about f.a., we learn something about what can cause cancer, what can cause bone marrow failure.

captioning sponsored by macneil/lehrer productions >> woodruff: in another high profile case of a police officer killing an unarmed black man, no indictment for the new york city cop who killed eric garner in a choke hold. good evening, i'm judy woodruff. >> ifill: and i'm gwen ifill. also ahead this wednesday, the manufacturer of faulty airbags with deadly defects refuses government demands to expand recalls. >> woodruff: plus, do pregnant workers face unfair discrimination? the supreme court weighs whether employers must provide special considerations to expecting mothers. >> ifill: and nasa prepares to take the next step towards sending humans to mars. but a successful journey to the red planet will take time, money and political will. >> we've either got to augment the resources to make the goal achievable, or we've got to adjust the goal to be something that's consistent with the available resources, because if we don't, we're going to waste a lot of money. >> ifill: those are some of the stories we're covering on tonight's pbs newshour. >> major funding for the pbs newshour has bee

captioning sponsored by macneil/lehrer productions >> woodruff: higher wages, more jobs, and an economic recovery that finally might be felt by most americans. >> woodruff: good evening, i'm judy woodruff. also ahead, change of command at the pentagon, president obama taps ash carter to be the next secretary of defense. >> woodruff: it's friday, mark shields and david brooks analyze the week's news. plus, "rolling stone" magazine apologizes for errors in its reporting on sexual assault at the university of virginia. >> woodruff: those are 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. >> lincoln financial-- committed to helping you take charge of your life and become you're own chief life officer. >> and with the ongoing support of these institutions >> 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: it's the biggest burst of hir

captioning sponsored by macneil/lehrer productions >> ifill: without a trace, a missing airasia jetliner disappears and international searchers look for signs of the plane officials say is likely at the bottom of the sea. >> ifill: good evening, i'm gwen ifill. judy woodruff is away. also ahead this monday, the u.s. and nato put an official end to its official combat mission in afghanistan. what's next for the fight against the taliban? then, a year of viral philanthropy filled with thousands of ice bucket challenges. plus, fifty years after colombia's civil war began, the fear and reality of threats, brutality and death remain for those caught in the crossfire.

captioning sponsored by macneil/lehrer productions >> woodruff: it was a banner year for mergers and markets, the biggest since the financial crisis. but is bigger really better for companies, and shareholders? a look at the year's dizzying cycle of deal-making. good evening, i'm judy woodruff. also ahead: at harvard, using new technology to restore faded rothko masterpieces to their former crimson glory. >> he really wanted you to be up close and surrounded by his work so that you could feel the painting. >> woodruff: and it's friday. mark shields and michael gerson are here to analyze the week's news. those are 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. >> lincoln financial-- committed to helping you take charge of your life and become you're own chief life officer. >> and with the ongoing support of these institutions >> this program was made possible by the corporation for public broadcasting. and by contributions to your pbs stat

captioning sponsored by macneil/lehrer productions >> ifill: people around the world bid farewell to 2014, as they ring in the new year good evening, i'm gwen ifill. judy woodruff is away. also ahead this wednesday. stormy weather hinders efforts to recover remains from the air asia jetliner that crashed off the coast of indonesia, as officials search for more clues about what led to the disaster. plus, rose bowl opponents florida state and oregon team up to push for more research into a rare blood disorder few americans even know exists. >> when we learn something about f.a., we learn something about what can cause cancer, what can cause bone marrow failure. so our very, very brave patients and our very, very brave families are often our best teachers. >> ifill: then, we continue our "breakthrough" series with a look at one doctor's mission to change the way physicians treat patients, by using big data to determine what's most effective. >> what we're trying to do is use the data to really drive decisions in real time so that patients' value systems can really be the biggest driver.

captioning sponsored by macneil/lehrer productions >> ifill: the senate intelligence committee charges the c.i.a. with deceiving the white house, congress and the american people, in a new report that reveals brutal new details of the interrogation techniques critics, including the president, call torture. good evening, i'm gwen ifill. >> woodruff: and i'm judy woodruff. we dig into the details of the report, with senator diane feinstein who led the investigation, and robert grenier, former head of the c.i.a.'s counter terrorism center. >> ifill: then, we continue our series on innovations and inventions that could affect how we relate to man's best friend. scientists develop new ways for humans to talk to dogs. >> we're developing the technologies that are going to help us, what we like to say decode, or interpret, what our dogs are saying or communicating to us, as well as help us communicate back to our dogs. >> woodruff: and, rock star melissa etheridge on life, music and her latest album. >> i still believe in the art form of the album that, that i want to spend you know 45 minute

. ♪ captioning sponsored by macneil/lehrer productions >> sreenivasan: debris and bodies from the wreckageasia jetliner have been found in the java sea, revealing the grim fate of those on board flight 8501. but still many questions remain about what went wrong and why. good evening, i'm hari sreenivasan. gwen ifill and judy woodruff are away. also ahead this tuesday. as the u.s. prepares to restore diplomatic relations with cuba the two countries remain at odds about what new freedoms will mean for the cuban people. >> one of the things we want to do is see how far we can really encourage cubans to take control of their own destiny.

captioning sponsored by macneil/lehrer productions >> woodruff: surprising new numbers show tremendous momentum for the u.s. economy, reaching its highest growth rate in a decade. we'll take a look at what economists are expecting for 2015. good evening, i'm judy woodruff. >> ifill: and i'm gwen ifill. also ahead, peru's ruins have stood for centuries, but extreme el nino storms threaten to wash them away. we explore how archaeologists are bolstering the defenses of these ancient treasures, piece by piece. >> woodruff: plus, side by side on the front lines of battle, soldiers and their canine counterparts form a special bond in the face of danger. a look at man's best friend as his source of strength in combat. >> they were on a patrol and colton was shot by a taliban sniper, and he sort of fell where he was standing. and the dog's reaction was to climb on top of him, on his fallen body, and protect him. >> woodruff: those are some of the stories we're covering on tonight's pbs newshour. >> major funding for the pbs newshour has been provided by: >> at bae systems, our pride and dedica

captioning sponsored by macneil/lehrer productions >> woodruff: reaction at home and abroad sharpens political divide over the senate report on the c.i.a. interrogation program. we explore the effectiveness of torture. good evening, i'm judy woodruff. >> ifill: and i'm gwen ifill. also ahead this wednesday, as the deadline looms to pass a government funding bill, house republicans propose a budget deal replete with fine print on school lunches, campaign spending, and even marijuana sales. >> woodruff: in michigan, senior citizens move out of nursing homes in favor of more independent living and lower health care costs but those alternatives that use medicaid dollars are only open to a select few. >> the only way states avoid paying too much for these programs is they have long waiting lists. in some states waiting lists are two or three years, so chances are very good you will be dead before you get to the top of the list. >> ifill: plus, wildly popular, profanity laced bedtime stories for parents. >> "i'll read you one very last book if you swear you'll go ( bleep ) to sleep." >> wo

captioning sponsored by macneil/lehrer productions >> ifill: without a trace, a missing airasia jetliner disappears and international searchers look for signs of the plane officials say is likely at the bottom of the sea. >> ifill: good evening, i'm gwen ifill. judy woodruff is away. also ahead this monday, the u.s. and nato put an official end to its official combat mission in afghanistan. what's next for the fight against the taliban? then, a year of viral philanthropy filled with thousands of ice bucket challenges. plus, fifty years after colombia's civil war began, the fear and reality of threats, brutality and death remain for those caught in the crossfire. fred de sam lazaro reports on the high cost for finding peace amid violence. those are 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. >> lincoln financial-- committed to helping you take charge of your life and become you're own chief life officer. >> and the william and flora hewle

captioning sponsored by macneil/lehrer productions >> woodruff: news on the failed rescue attempt in yemen of an american photojournalist. we examine the risks and odds of success for freeing american hostages from their captors. good evening, i'm judy woodruff. >> ifill: and i'm gwen ifill. also ahead this monday, as protests against police killings continue in cities across the country. younger protesters weigh in on race and justice in america and why they march. >> woodruff: plus, struggles of the homeless in a place known for wealth and innovation. >> we have a regional housing crisis. we have the most expensive housing market in the nation and it takes five minimum wage jobs to afford to live here. i think silicon valley is especially unique because it's almost like a tale of two cities >> ifill: and... >> ♪ i'm so tired of being alone. ♪ so tired on my own, won't you help me... ♪ >> ifill: ...al green on a life of music making and preaching the iconic voice of soul. >> woodruff: those are some of the stories we're covering on tonight's pbs newshour. >> major funding for the pb

captioning sponsored by macneil/lehrer productions >> ifill: a rare glimpse behind the front lines with the islamic state in iraq and syria. one westerner who gained access to the extremist group tells us what he saw. good evening, i'm gwen ifill. judy woodruff is away. also ahead this christmas eve: tis the season for sibling spats and political clashes. how to navigate the tricky territory of family time, and stay stress-free for the holidays. >> we just don't discuss it. i'm within one end and my brother's on the other end, and we just do not discuss it, period. >> just remember they're your family. you don't have to agree with them. >> ifill: plus, can replacing classrooms and lectures with video chat seminars create a more engaged learning environment? how one san francisco startup is breaking down the walls of higher education. those are 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. >> lincoln financial-- committed to helping you take

captioning sponsored by macneil/lehrer productions >> ifill: in a rare news conference, c.i.a. director john brennan defends his agency against claims of torture, admits to mistakes, and says the value of harsh tactics against suspected terrorists is unknowable. good evening, i'm gwen ifill. >> woodruff: and i'm judy woodruff. also ahead this thursday, protests continue across the country in response to recent police killings. we explore how law enforcement can occur in a way that reduces unnecessary use of deadly force. >> the conversation here can't just be about the tactics we use. it has to be about the relationships that we build. relationship of trust. building legitimacy in the eyes of our community. >> ifill: then, as nations meeting in lima work toward a new global climate change treaty, peru's indigenous populations call for better protection of their lands from environmental exploitation. >> this demonstration was set up as a kind of counter to the official climate change gathering taking place across town. the idea here was to raise the world's awareness of increasi

captioning sponsored by macneil/lehrer productions >> ifill: the murder of two new york city police officers ignites a volley of blame between the police department and the mayors office and exposes the deep rifts dividing a city in mourning. good evening, i'm gwen ifill. >> woodruff: and i'm judy woodruff. also ahead, it wasn't an ordinary christmas list from pope frances, the pontiff veering from tradition to use his annual christmas message to outline 15 spiritual flaws he wants to eradicate from the vatican. >> ifill: plus, what started out as one thirteen-year-old's lego creation, becomes a new way for the blind to communicate. >> there is something so special that comes with taking a page, opening a book and reading that page yourself. >> ifill: those are 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. >> lincoln financial-- committed to helping you take charge of your life and become you're own chief life officer. >> and the william and flo

captioning sponsored by macneil/lehrer productions >> woodruff: in his year-end news conference, the president names north korea as the force behind the hacking attack on sony pictures, and says sony should not have backed down in the face of terror threats. >> sony is a corporation. it has suffered significant damage. there were threats against its employees. having said all that, yes, i think they made a mistake. >> woodruff: good evening, i'm judy woodruff. also ahead, tunisia gears up for runoff elections. we look at the struggle for democracy in the country that gave birth to the arab spring. and it's friday, mark shields and david brooks are here, to analyze the week's biggest news developments. those are 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. >> lincoln financial-- committed to helping you take charge of your life and become you're own chief life officer. >> and with the ongoing support of these institutions >> this program

captioning sponsored by macneil/lehrer productions >> sreenivasan: debris and bodies from the wreckage of the air asia jetliner have been found in the java sea, revealing the grim fate of those on board flight 8501. but still many questions remain about what went wrong and why. good evening, i'm hari sreenivasan. gwen ifill and judy woodruff are away. also ahead this tuesday. as the u.s. prepares to restore diplomatic relations with cuba the two countries remain at odds about what new freedoms will mean for the cuban people. >> one of the things we want to do is see how far we can really encourage cubans to take control of their own destiny. whether that is going to exist within the confines that president castro has outlined, i really dont's know. >> sreenivasan: plus, a couple of best-selling authors share their favorite reads of 2014. those are some of the stories we're covering on tonight's pbs newshour. >> major funding for the pbs newshour has been provided by: >> at bae systems, our pride and dedication show in everything we do; from electronics systems to intelligence analysis

captioning sponsored by macneil/lehrer productions >> sreenivasan: as president obama closes a door on cold war hostilities between the united states and cuba, american businesses wait in the wings for new opportunities with the island nation that has for so long been off-limits. good evening, i'm hari sreenivasan. gwen ifill and judy woodruff are away. also ahead this thursday. the limits of free speech and creative expression in hollywood in wake of a massive cyber hackç from steve carrell to rob lowe, stars express dismay over sony pictures' decision to cancel the release of a satiric film on north korea. plus, economics correspondent paul solman tests out holiday gifts that can help people create better habits and win the daily struggle between naughty and nice. >> you have yourç hershey's ki. now what do you want, another one. >> yes. >> you go back. you reopen it. this is a nice product where i had my one hershey kiss. >> right, that's all we should have. >> and now you hear the lock and now you can't get anymore. >> sreenivasan: those are some of the stories we're covering on t

captioning sponsored by macneil/lehrer productions >> today, the united states of america is changingts relationship with the people of cuba. >> woodruff: a historic shift. the u.s. and cuba will restore diplomatic relations, after more than 50 years of hostility and isolation. good evening, i'm judy woodruff. gwen ifill is away. also ahead, sony pictures cancels the release of their satiric comedy about the assassination of north korea's leader after threats of violence and terrorism if it made it to theaters. >> all the other studios in hollywood are frightened that they could be next. they're trying to beef up their security and be more careful about theor

. >> "bbc world news" was presented captioning sponsored by macneil/lehrer productions >> woodruff: amatic standoff in australia ends in heavy gunfire after police storm a sydney cafe where several hostages were held at gunporct. good evening, i'm judy woodruff. gwen ifill is away. also ahead this monday, protest backlash, greenpeace damages protected lands in peru, where centuries-old drawings are etched into the dry earth. >> when you stood on it, you break thexd patinaÑiñr, how long does itÑi takec to lift again all that sandçó andÑi expose a patina

captioning sponsored by macneil/lehrer productions >> ifill: in a rare news conference, c.i.a.john brennan defends his agency against claims of torture, admits to mistakes, and says the value of harsh tactics against suspected terrorists is unknowable. good evening, i'm gwen ifill. >> woodruff: and i'm judy woodruff. also ahead this thursday, protests continue across the country in response to recent police killings. we explore how law enforcement can occur in a way that reduces unnecessary use of deadly force. >> the conversation here can't just be about the tactics we use. it has to be about the

captioning sponsored by macneil/lehrer productions >> sreenivasan: as americans line up at the box office to see "the interview" this christmas, or stream it from the comfort of their homes, we take a look at how the movie's release came to happen. good evening, i'm hari sreenivasan. gwen ifill and judy woodruff are away. also ahead: as pope francis calls for peace in the middle east and beyond in his annual christmas address, some insight into how his early life shaped the outlook of this reformer. plus, as common core tries to stay afloat in stormy waters, what principles are some states tossing overboard, and what can be salvaged? >> the states are nervous. anytime re