next on pbs newshour weekend. >> pbs newshour weekend is made possible by: bernard and irene schwartz. the cheryl and philip milstein family. sue and edgar wachenheim, iii. dr. p. roy vagelos and diana t. vagelos. the j.b.p. foundation. the anderson family fund. rosalind p. walter, in memory of abby m. o'neill. barbara hope zuckerberg. corporate funding is provided by mutual of america-- designing customized individual and group retirement products. that's why we're your retirement company. additional support has been provided by: and by the corporation for public broadcasting, and by contributions to your pbs station from viewers like you. thank you. from the tisch wnet studios at lincoln center in new york, hari sreenivasan. >> sreenivasan: good evening, and thank you for joining us. in california, firefighters are racing to gain control of the six wildfires burning through the southern part of the state before high winds return to the region later today. since thursday, more than 8,500 firefighters have used a break in the high-powered gusts that can spread and intensify the flames

next, on pbs newshour weekend. >> "pbs newshour weekend" is made possible by: bernard and irene schwartz. the cheryl and philip milstein family. sue and edgar wachenheim, iii. dr. p. roy vagelos and diana t. vagelos. the j.p.b. foundation. the anderson family fund. rosalind p. walter, in memory of abby m. o'neill. barbara hope zuckerberg. corporate funding is provided by mutual of america-- designing customized individual and group retirement products. that's why we're your retirement company. and by: >> babbel. a language app that teaches real-life conversations in a new language, like spanish, french, german, italian, and more. babbel's 10-15 minute lessons are available as an app, or online. more information on babbel.com. >> additional support has been provided by: and by the corporation for public broadcasting, and by contributions to your pbs station from viewers like you. thank you. from the tisch wnet studios at lincoln center in new york, hari sreenivasan. >> stewart: good evening, and thank you for joining us. protests against the iranian government grew for a third straight da

. >> woodruff: all that and more on tonight's pbs newshour. >> major funding for the pbs newshour has been provided by: >> 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: all eyes are on alabama today as voters choose their next senator in a special election. it was supposed to be a little- noticed race with no real competition. but as john yang reports, due to state politics and sexual misconduct claims, the race between republican roy moore and democrat doug jones has come down to the wire. >> yang: embattled republican senate candidate roy moore saddled up today, going on horseback to vote at the fire station in gallant. moore was asked if he had a message for the multiple women who have accused him of sexual misconduct when they were teenagers, moore replied: "tell the truth." he also had a message for alabamians. >> i think they oughta go out and vote their conscience and we have a tremendous turnout-- states, th

. >> woodruff: all that and more, 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. >> the ford foundation. working with visionaries on the frontlines of social change worldwide. >> and with the ongoing support of these 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. >> woodruff: all across southern california, from the mountains to the coast, major wildfires are burning into the weekend. they have already destroyed hundreds of homes and forced nearly 200,000 people to flee. william brangham has our report. >> brangham: by this morning, the largest of the fires had swept across even more of ventura county. along the way, the so-called thomas fire burned at least 430 homes and other buildings. the flames scorched a car and left a staircase that now leads nowhere. >> it's amazing to watch the magnitude of the winds and the firestorms,

. >> woodruff: all that and more 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. >> carnegie corporation of new york. supporting innovations in education, democratic engagement, and the advancement of international peace and security. at carnegie.org. >> and with the ongoing support of these institutions: and individuals. >> 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: house and senate republicans are rushing to finish their sweeping overhaul of the tax code, as they press to hold a final vote next week. as william brangham reports, details of the compromise are still emerging, as are some potential roadblocks. >> brangham: congressional republicans raced to keep their promise of sending a final tax overhaul bill to the white house by christmas. house speaker paul ryan: >> this tax

pbs station from viewers like you. thank you. captioning sponsored by newshourons, llc captioned by media access group at wgbh access.wgbh.org >> you're watching pbs. >> narrator: todayay's episode is about chocolate. and more chocolate. and even more chocolate! because my son is taking over my kitchen, so what's a mama to do? in oaxaca, i'll show you how the locals get it, and in my kitchen, we are making 3 out of this world chocolate dishes. a spectacular chocolate crepe tower. chocolate-chocolate chunk banana bread. an overloaded mexican milkshake. >> we have gone overboard! >> narrator: i think willy wonka has met his match. >> i think we should open up shop. ♪

pbs station from viewers like you. thank you. captioning sponsored by newshourons, llc captioned by media access group at wgbh access.wgbh.org >> you're watching pbs. elyse: we're the history detectives, and we're going to investigate some untold stories from america's past. gwen: in this episode, we use scientific analysis to find out if this beautiful new england home once belonged to an accused salem witch. in that time, we've been given to believe, that if a person was, in fact, convicted of being a witch, the accuser would take their land. tukufu: we discover if this whaling ship provided a safe haven for fugitive slaves in the 1850s. so now we have some information. he's from the south, from a slave state in 1856. wes: and we uncover the remarkable story

. >> sreenivasan: all that and more, on tonight's pbs newshour. >> major funding for the pbs newshour has been provided by: >> bnsf railway. >> 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. >> sreenivasan: a record-setting blizzard has blanketed much of the northeastern u.s. in snow, while parts of the midwest bundled up today for brutal wind chills. john yang has our report. >> yang: the joys of a picturesque white christmas quickly gave way to the reality of digging out in sub-zero temperatures. wind chill warnings or advisories were issued for parts of nearly a dozen states, from north dakota to maine. >> it's cold; cold is cold and you've just got to adjust. >> yang: erie, pennsylvania recorded its snowiest christmas day ever: 34 inches of snow. overnight, another 19 inches on top of that. farther north, the wintry weather snarled post-holiday travels. snow blanketed roadways in buffalo, new york, making for hazardous whiteo

for all of us at the pbs newshour, thank you and see you soon. >> major funding for the pbs newshour d by: >> 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. captioning sponsored by newshour productions, llc captioned by media access group at wgbh access.wgbh.org martha stewart: are you eager to learn how to update your favorite recipes with better for you ingredients from the modern pantry? then you won't want to miss this season of "martha bakes." join me in my kitchen where i'll teach you how to transform everything from traditional cakes, pies and even breads with new ingredients, plus mouthwatering gluten and dairy free treats for everyday and every occasion. welcome to a new way to bake. narrator: "martha bakes" is made possible by. for more than 200 years, domino and c&h sugars have been used by home bakers to help bring recipes to life and create memories for each new generation of baking enthusiasts. ♪

. >> sreenivasan: all that and more 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. >> supporting social entrepreneurs and their solutions to the world's most pressing problems-- skollfoundation.org. >> the lemelson foundation. committed to improving lives through invention. in the u.s. and developing countries. on the web at lemelson.org. >> 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: >> this program was made possible by the corporation for public broadcasting. and by contributions to your pbs station from viewers like you. thank you. >> sreenivasan: a cold wave kept the nation's midwest and northeast in the deep freeze today. wind chill warnings and advisories stretched from north dakota to new hampshire, as arctic winds dropped temperatures to 20 degrees below zero in some places. officials warned of th

for all of us at the pbs newshour, thank you and see you soon. >> major funding for the pbs newshour d by: >> 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. captioning sponsored by newshour productions, llc captioned by media access group at wgbh access.wgbh.org tukufu: we're the history detectives and we're going to investigate some untold stories from america's past. elyse: this week, could this rusting wreck be the lost remains of the ss portland, the ship that started the klondike gold rush? wes: did this civil war saddle carry confederate cavalry commander john hunt morgan on an epic raid deep into union territory? gwen: and was this striking old banner carried at the head of a 1966 civil rights march that changed the face of u.s. labor history? ♪ watchin' the detectives ♪ i get so angry when the teardrops start ♪

. >> woodruff: all that and more on tonight's pbs newshour. >> major funding for the pbs newshour has been provided by: >> 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: republicans are reveling tonight in passage of a sweeping revision of the nation's tax laws. the house approved it today, 227 to 203, and the senate moved to follow suit. but a last-minute procedural glitch meant the house will have to vote one final time, tomorrow. lisa desjardins begins our coverage. (cheering) >> desjardins: cheers as the g.o.p. tax overhaul received final house passage, largely along party lines. it signaled the end of republicans' sprint to get the bill to the president by christmas. minutes before the vote, protesters in the house gallery interrupted the debate several times, with some chanting "kill the bill." but for republicans, like speaker paul ryan, who has long focused on tax policy, it was a day to celebrate. >> this is

. >> o'brien: all that and more 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 the william and flora hewlett foundation, helping people build immeasurably better lives. >> and with the ongoing support of these institutions: and individuals. >> this program was made possible by the corporation for public broadcasting. and by contributions to your pbs station from viewers like you. thank you. >> o'brien: president trump came to the defense of his former national security adviser today. michael flynn pleaded guilty on friday to lying to the f.b.i. about his contacts with russia. today, the president called the charges "very unfair." we'll have more on the unfolding russia investigation, later in the program. mr. trump is also throwing his full support behind roy moore, the republican senate candidate in alabama. in tweets today, the president said democratic opposition to tax cuts is "why we need roy moore to win in alabama." moore has denied knowing any of the women w

all that and more, 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. >> the ford foundation. working with visionaries on the frontlines of social change worldwide. >> and with the ongoing support of these 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. >> woodruff: he was candidate trump's, and then president trump's, main adviser on national security and foreign policy. but today, michael flynn entered a guilty plea in the special counsel's investigation into russia, the trump campaign and the 2016 election. william brangham begins our coverage. >> brangham: michael flynn walked into federal court in washington this morning, and plead guilty to a single count of making false statements to the f.b.i. he's now the senior-most member of the trump administration to cooperate in special counsel robert mueller's probe into russian meddl

pbs station from viewers like you. thank you. captioning sponsored by newshours group at wgbh access.wgbh.org >> you're watching pbs. >> you're watching pbs. >> pati narrates: you give so much to your r cooking! now it's time for your kitchen to give back. >> the best part is the smell! >> pati narrates: today, i'm making 3 recipes that can be used in a variety of ways. >> you can do a gazillion million things with it! >> pati narrates: you can make a lot and keep them in the fridge for when you need them. and because each one is fantastic in a sandwich, i'm using a tangy chipotle goat cheese spread for a blt. savory cesina is piled onto crisp ciabatta bread. pickled poblano rajas sparkle in a tuna melt. >> this one's a winner. another one. ♪

pbs station from viewers like you. thank you. captioning sponsored by newshours group at wgbh access.wgbh.org >> you're watching pbs. gwen: we're the history detectives and we're going to investigate some untold stories from america's past. elyse: this week: did this beat-up old boat play a vital role in the invasion of europe during world war ii? tukufu: are these fascinating photographs rare evidence of a victorian mail-order bride business? wes: and did this flag play a pivotal role in the campaign to abolish slavery in america? ♪ watchin' the detectives ♪ i get so angry when the teardrops start ♪ ♪ but he can't be wounded 'cause he's got no heart ♪

for all of us at the pbs newshour, thank you, and see you soon. >> major funding for the pbs newshour been provided by: >> bnsf railway. >> 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. captioning sponsored by newshour productions, llc captioned by captioned by media access group at wgbh gwen: we're the history detectives, and we're going to investigate some untold stories from america's past. tukufu: in this episode, we use the latest scientific techniques to discover if this trumpet played a role in shaping the nation. was this really used during the revolutionary war? tukufu: and we track down a long forgotten war hero. now who was captain lewis? who is he, where was he, and how was this object used? wes: is this drawing of george washington really a lost work by an american master? i would have to guess it would probably be in the range of value of $30,000 to $50,000. but, of course, we've got to find out if it really is a ge

all that and more 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 the william and flora hewlett foundation, helping people build immeasurably better lives. >> and with the ongoing support of these institutions: and individuals. >> 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: two weeks before christmas, residents and workers in new york city experienced another heart-wrenching moment when an explosion occurred in a passageway in the subway near the port authority bus terminal. the would-be suicide bomber left at least three people with minor injuries. >> approximately 7:20 this morning we had a terror-related incident in the subway in the >> brangham: emergency crews swarmed the streets near times square this morning, after a man detonated a homemade pipe bomb in the subway. >> it's the guy in the hoodie. >> brangham: here, cellphone video of a port au

all that and more, 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. >> the ford foundation. working with visionaries on the frontlines of social change worldwide. >> and with the ongoing support of these 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. >> sreenivasan: an arctic cold wave still dominates the nation's weather tonight. it's blamed for several deaths, and it's making life miserable for millions of people. that includes new york, where a dozen people died last night, in the city's worst residential fire in decades. john yang begins our coverage. >> yang: it was just 15 degrees when the bronx blaze erupted, forcing firefighters to battle both the fire and the cold. residents escaping the flames had to brave the elements. >> all i see is a bunch of kids on the fire escape-- cold, and with no jacket, no pajamas, no nothing

. >> woodruff: all that and more, 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. >> supporting social entrepreneurs and their solutions to the world's most pressing problems-- skollfoundation.org. >> the lemelson foundation. committed to improving lives through invention, in the u.s. and developing countries. on the web at lemelson.org. >> 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: >> 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: house and senate republicans have reached an agreement in principle on a sweeping tax overhaul package. it reportedly will narrowly cut the top tax rate for individuals to 37%, but slash the corporate tax rate to 21%. at the white house, president trump hailed the p

all that and more, 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. >> the ford foundation. working with visionaries on the frontlines of social change worldwide. >> and with the ongoing support of these 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. >> woodruff: president trump signed the republicans' $1.5 trillion tax overhaul into law today. he marked his first major legislative victory in the oval office, and said the numbers will speak to americans, despite polls showing the bill is seen unfavorably. >> i think its selling itself. it's becoming very popular but i think it will really, you'll see something when they open up the paycheck. that's when you're going to start to see it. by signing it now, it kicks in this year. >> woodruff: the president also signed a spending bill to keep the government open into january. it incl

for all of us at the pbs newshour, thank you and see you soon. >> major funding for the pbs newshour been provided by: >> 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. captioning sponsored by newshour productions, llc captioned by media access group at wgbh access.wgbh.org tukufu: we're the history detectives and we're going to investigate some untold stories from america's past. this week, three real-life movie mysteries. wes: was this camera used to create the classic monster movie, "king kong?" elyse: is this antique lighter evidence of a relationship between renowned antifascist film producer harry warner and hitler's propaganda machine? gwen: and did these old park gates once grace the entrance to hollywood's first movie studio? ♪ watchin' the detectives ♪ i get so angry when the teardrops start ♪ ♪ but he can't be wounded 'cause he's got no heart ♪

. >> woodruff: all that and more on tonight's pbs newshour >> major funding for the pbs newshour has been provided by: >> 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: the u.s. supreme court today heard one of the biggest cases of this term: whether religious beliefs override the rights of a gay couple. a colorado baker refused to bake the couple's wedding cake in 2012. today's arguments pitted his religious convictions opposing same-sex marriage against the couple's claim of discrimination. >> our case has always been about being singled out in public and humiliated, just for who we are and who we love. and we pursued this case not just for ourselves but because we don't want another loving couple to have to go through what we want, or, what happened to us. >> it's hard to believe the government is forcing me to choose between providing for my family and employees and violating my relationship with god. that is not

for all of us at the pbs newshour, thank you and see you soon. >> major funding for the pbs newshourhe 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 >> 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 newshour productions, llc captioned by media access group at wgbh access.wgbh.org wes: we're the history detectives and we're going to investigate some untold stories from america's past. elyse: this week, did this old brass cann ignite the first battle of the revolutionary war? [ boom ] tukufu: is this riding crop a reminder of a brutal beating that took place on the floor of the senate? gwen: and was this new york townhouse where john wilkes booth hatched his plot to kill abraham lincoln? ♪ watchin' the detectives ♪ i get so angry when the teardrops start ♪ ♪ but he can't be wounded 'cause he's got no heart ♪

. >> woodruff: all that and more 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. >> carnegie corporation of new york. supporting innovations in education, democratic engagement, and the advancement of international peace and security. at carnegie.org. >> and with the ongoing support of these institutions: and individuals. >> 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 wreckage of an amtrak train lies strewn around an overpass in washington state tonight. it derailed this morning, with more than 80 people on board. at least six were killed and dozens were hurt. the southbound train went off the rails near the town of dupont and shut down part of interstate 5. near the scene is austin jenkins of radio station kuow and the northwest news network, a collaboration of npr stations.

for all of us at the pbs newshour, thank you and see you soon. >> major funding for the pbs newshour 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 >> 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 newshour productions, llc captioned by media access group at wgbh access.wgbh.org - today on america's test kitchen: julia makes spanish braised chicken, jack challenges chris to a tasting of israeli couscous, and bridget makes israeli couscous salad. right here, on america's test kitchen. america's test kitchen is brought to you by dcs. dcs: manufacturers of professionally styled indoor and outdoor kitchen equipment. at dcs, our mission is design that delivers,