Stories of the Week | PBS NewsHour Podcast | PBS

Could a Surplus of California Milk Fulfill China's Cheese Needs?

Fri, 14 Jun 2013 18:43:00 EDT

Milk production is a nearly $8 billion business in California. Meanwhile, Chinese milk consumption tripled in the last decade and the dairy industry there wants to produce more. In another report in the "Food for 9 Billion" series, special correspondent Suzanne Rust examines the complex exchange of resources and money over milk.

Shields and Brooks on Syria, Snowden and Surveillance

Fri, 14 Jun 2013 18:31:00 EDT

Syndicated columnist Mark Shields and New York Times columnist David Brooks analyze the week's top political news with Judy Woodruff, including the Obama administration's decision to provide aid to Syrian rebels, NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden and American attitudes towards domestic surveillance.

As Assad Makes Gains, Will New U.S. Strategy for Syria Change the Dynamics?

Fri, 14 Jun 2013 18:22:00 EDT

The Obama administration says it will send help to the rebels after determining that the Syrian government has used chemical weapons. Jeffrey Brown assesses the decision and the risks with Vali Nasr, former State Department official, and former National Security Advisor Zbigniew Brzezinski.

Painful Options Ahead: Detroit to Default on $2.5 Billion Debt

Fri, 14 Jun 2013 18:11:00 EDT

The city of Detroit is facing difficult decisions in the face of billions of dollars of debt. Emergency manager Kevyn Orr laid out a last-ditch plan to 150 creditors to accept pennies on the dollar to keep the city running. Some residents are skeptical of Orr's approach. Ray Suarez talks to Matt Helms of the Detroit Free Press.

Obama Policy Shift on Arming Syrian Rebels Triggers Concerns

Fri, 14 Jun 2013 18:02:00 EDT

Having concluded that the Syrian government has used chemical weapons against rebels in the last year, the White House announced that the U.S. will dramatically increase military assistance to opposition forces. Jeffrey Brown reports on the Assad regime's response to the American findings and requests from the rebels.

In 'Little Green,' an Old, Familiar Character Makes an Easy Comeback

Thu, 13 Jun 2013 18:44:00 EDT

The last time readers heard from detective Easy Rawlins, he was driving off a cliff. But Rawlins, one of the best-known characters in American literature, returns -- alive -- in a new novel called "Little Green." Jeffrey Brown talks to author Walter Mosley about his new book and more.

California Prepares for Fallout as High Court Ruling on Prop. 8 Nears

Thu, 13 Jun 2013 18:37:00 EDT

In San Francisco, city employees are preparing for a rush of same-sex marriage applications in case the Supreme Court strikes down Proposition 8, which banned marriage for anyone except between a man and a woman. Spencer Michels looks at the history of California's fight on same-sex marriage and previews the court's decision.

Though Acceptance for Gay Americans Is Growing, Discrimination Persists

Thu, 13 Jun 2013 18:28:00 EDT

A new survey by the Pew Research Center offers a complex view of what it's like to be an LGBT American. The survey found that while 92 percent of LGBT Americans say society is more accepting, 53 percent say they still face discrimination. Ray Suarez talks with Paul Taylor, co-author of the survey, and Gary Gates of UCLA.

Struggling Farmers in India Find Promise for the Future in Ancient Seeds

Thu, 13 Jun 2013 18:12:00 EDT

Since a devastating cyclone hit in 2009, farmers in a region of India have struggled with salty soil. With climate change, that problem is likely to worsen. Special correspondent Sam Eaton reports for the NewsHour's ongoing series "Food for 9 Billion," about how some farmers have returned to ancient seeds for better results.

Singapore Looks Skyward to Take Farming in New Directions

Wed, 12 Jun 2013 18:38:00 EDT

Singapore's skyline is not just a point of pride for residents, it can also be a source of fresh produce. As part of the NewsHour's series "Food for 9 Billion," special correspondent Sam Eaton reports on Singapore's vertical solution to the challenge of feeding a growing population in an urban environment.

Daughter's Search for Her Dissident Father Inspires Fictional Retelling

Fri, 07 Jun 2013 18:48:00 EDT

Ti-Anna Wang is the daughter of a once prominent Chinese dissident, who named her in honor of the deadly protests in Tiananmen Square. The story of Wang's search for her father, who was arrested in 2002, inspired a new young adult novel. Gwen Ifill talks with Wang and The Washington Post's Fred Hiatt, author of "Nine Days."

To Lower Dropout Rates, Finding Potential Where Support Systems Are Lacking

Fri, 07 Jun 2013 18:39:00 EDT

Nonprofit educational organization OneGoal has partnered with Chicago public schools to push kids at risk of dropping out of high school to persist and attend college. Ash-har Quraishi of WTTW Chicago reports for our American Graduate project on a special curriculum that hones leadership skills these kids often already have.

Shields and Brooks on NSA Big Data Discovery, Christie's Election Maneuver

Fri, 07 Jun 2013 18:29:00 EDT

Syndicated columnist Mark Shields and New York Times columnist David Brooks discuss the week's political news with Judy Woodruff, including the NSA's secret collection of phone, Internet and credit card data, foreign policy staff changes in the Obama administration and the special election to replace late Sen. Frank Lautenberg.

Can Tenuous Peace Among Lebanon's Religious Sects Survive Stress of Syria's War?

Fri, 07 Jun 2013 18:20:00 EDT

Fragile relations between Lebanon's various religious sects have been strained by the continuing fallout of neighbor Syria's civil war and resentment of Syrian refugees. Margaret Warner concludes her series of reports from Lebanon with a closer look at the country's sectarian politics.

News Wrap: Economy Added 175,000 Jobs in May, but Unemployment Grew

Fri, 07 Jun 2013 18:13:00 EDT

In other news Friday, although 175,000 more jobs were created in May, unemployment rose to 7.6 percent. Also, a gunman fired at vehicles near a college in Santa Monica, Calif., killing one person and injuring several others. At the time of the shooting, President Barack Obama attended a fundraising event three miles way.

Mass Collection of Communication Data Speeds Inquiries, Prompts Privacy Debate

Fri, 07 Jun 2013 18:06:00 EDT

What are the origins of the NSA's surveillance programs, how do intelligence officials use the information and what questions may arise about the cost of privacy? Jeffrey Brown talks with two reporters who have been covering the story, The Wall Street Journal's Siobhan Gorman and Charlie Savage of The New York Times.

Obama Defends NSA's Surveillance of Phone, Web and Credit Card Use

Fri, 07 Jun 2013 18:03:00 EDT

President Barack Obama defended the NSA's secret mining of Americans' phone calls, web use and credit card transactions, saying intelligence officials use the information to find leads and prevent terrorism. The president reiterated the government is not listening in on calls or scrutinizing content. Jeffrey Brown reports.

'Economics Is Not a Morality Play': Paul Krugman on Managing Financial Crisis

Thu, 06 Jun 2013 18:30:00 EDT

Should we have let foundering financial firms fail in 2008? Economics correspondent Paul Solman sits down with economist Paul Krugman to discuss the provocative bestseller "The Great Deformation" by David Stockman and the government's role in mediating economic meltdowns.

With 47 Million Americans on Food Assistance, Congress Considers Cuts

Thu, 06 Jun 2013 18:22:00 EDT

The Senate will soon vote on the farm bill, which includes funding for food assistance programs that help roughly 47 million Americans. How would spending cuts impact needy families? Judy Woodruff hears debate from Chris Edwards of the Cato Institute and Lori Silverbush, co-director of the documentary "A Place at the Table."

Writer Advocates 'Clean' Start for America on Addiction

Mon, 03 Jun 2013 18:45:00 EDT

In his new book, "Clean: Overcoming Addiction and Ending America's Greatest Tragedy," journalist David Sheff outlines a slew of reasons why addiction treatments largely fail to help 20 million people struggling with the disease. Judy Woodruff talks to Sheff about why the stigma of addiction has hurt addicts seeking to get clean.

Hezbollah's Role in the Bloody Syrian War Comes at a Price

Mon, 03 Jun 2013 18:23:00 EDT

Hezbollah troops, among the best trained and equipped in the Middle East, have been helping the Assad regime in the fight. Margaret Warner reports from Lebanon on the various sectarian and regional conflicts motivating Hezbollah's participation in its neighbor's conflict and the increasing attacks in Lebanon by Syrian rebels.

Chopra Brothers Tell Story of How They Became Americans and Doctors in Memoir

Thu, 30 May 2013 18:42:00 EDT

In their new memoir, "Brotherhood: Dharma, Destiny and the American Dream," Deepak and Sanjiv Chopra tell their family story, first as immigrants, then as Americans and how they grew up to become physicians with expertise in very different fields. Jeffrey Brown talks with the Chopras about their journey to America as brothers.

Satiating Chinese Appetite for Pork: China Looks to U.S. as New Source for Meat

Thu, 30 May 2013 18:33:00 EDT

Over the past 30 years, China has quadrupled its meat consumption. The nation's increasing appetite for pork has led a Chinese company to bid to buy American pork producer Smithfield Farms. Judy Woodruff talks to economists Steve Meyer and Thilo Hanemann about China's interest in U.S. companies and concerns raised by the deal.

Coping With Alzheimer's: A Mother and Daughter Portrait Of Long-Term Care

Thu, 30 May 2013 18:26:00 EDT

After being diagnosed with Alzheimer's, professional artist Mary Wyant slowly lost her ability to paint and the ability to take care of herself. Ray Suarez examines the story of Mary and her daughter Rebecca, who is now her mother's legal guardian and primary caretaker, about the daily struggles of long-term care.

News Wrap: Baghdad Car Bombings Kill 33 as Sectarian Violence Escalates in Iraq

Thu, 30 May 2013 18:12:00 EDT

In other news Thursday, at least 33 people were killed in Baghdad, amid a surge of sectarian violence between minority Shiite and majority Sunni populations. The car bombs that exploded in Iraq's capital are part of the country's worst outbreak of violence since U.S. forces withdrew in December 2011.

Country Music Legend Dolly Parton's New Role: 'Book Lady'

Wed, 29 May 2013 18:49:00 EDT

Country music legend Dolly Parton has delivered nearly 50 million free books to children's homes. Called Imagination Library, the program started in 1996 in one one rural Tennessee county and has spread to 1,400 communities across the United States, England and Canada. Special correspondent for education John Merrow reports.

Inside Immigration Reform: Securing the U.S.- Mexico Border

Wed, 29 May 2013 18:38:00 EDT

In Nogales, Ariz., a long stretch of fencing separates the residents there from people just across the border in Nogales, Mexico. One of the busiest ports of entry between the two countries, it is case in point critical to the debate over immigration reform. Ray Suarez holds that conversation with two law enforcement officials.

Are Faces the New Fingerprints?

Wed, 29 May 2013 18:27:00 EDT

The New York Police Department's facial identification unit might not quite measure up to Hollywood standards, but they are on the cusp of a big change in the way police do their job. Miles O'Brien examines the software that turned the grainiest of images into information used to identify the Boston Marathon bombing suspects.

Suspected American Drone Strike Said to Have Killed Pakistan Taliban No. 2

Wed, 29 May 2013 18:16:00 EDT

Days after President Obama announced new restrictions to the drone program, a suspected U.S. drone strike killed a top Pakistani Taliban commander. Pakistani intelligence officials say the man, Wali ur-Rehman, was killed along with four others, but the White House would not confirm the attack or deaths. Jeffrey Brown reports.

More Women As Family Breadwinners Reflects 'Values Shift' in the U.S.

Wed, 29 May 2013 18:16:00 EDT

Mothers are the sole or primary source of income for a record 40 percent share of all families in the U.S., according to a new Pew Research Center report. Judy Woodruff discusses what the study suggests about the changing dynamics of work and family life with Pew's Paul Taylor and Ellen Galinsky of Families and Work Institute.