PBS NewsHour

Hari Sreenivasan reads viewer comments about a recent NewsHour Weekend segment on Beligum's euthanasia law, the least restrictive law governing physician-assisted suicide in the world.

A shelling attack that killed dozens of people Saturday in eastern Ukraine was only the latest sign of the deteriorating situation there. Even though a ceasefire was signed in September, fighting between pro-Russian rebels and Ukrainian government troops once again has intensified. And on Friday, the rebels launched a new offensive. Andrew Kramer of The New York Times joins Hari Sreenivasan via Skype from Donetsk, Ukraine with the latest.

Applicants with criminal backgrounds, including those with nonviolent criminal convictions or even arrests, are increasingly being driven into poverty. Even if it has been years since they've served time for past criminal infractions, those applying for jobs are often unable to find work -- especially in a climate of extreme job competition. NewsHour's Stephen Fee reports.

Former National Security Advisor Stephen Hadley and former Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta join Judy Woodruff to discuss the many regional crises at play as Saudi Arabia moves to new leadership.

American photojournalist Luke Somers and South African aid worker Pierre Korkie died during a failed U.S.-led rescue mission in Yemen on Saturday. Both men had been held hostage by al-Qaida militants since 2013. Eric Schmitt of the New York Times joins Hari Sreenivasan from Bahrain via Skype with the latest.

Raising a large pool of money from many small contributions online, known as crowdfunding, was supposed to be an option for startup business to raise money when President Obama signed the 2012 JOBS Act into law. But today, that method of raising investment capital still remains out of reach for many entrepreneurs. NewsHour special correspondent Karla Murthy explores the support, concern and timeline of the crowdfunding provision's implementation.

Social media, email and bank accounts can remain active even after their owner dies, meaning valuable information can become vulnerable -- especially when estate managers can't access these accounts. NewsHour's Hari Sreenivasan reports on the complications surrounding digital estate planning and the drive to increase awareness through legislative action.

In our news wrap Friday, protests over the Eric Garner case and police conduct overall continued across the U.S. with no sign of abating. The NYPD launched a program to train its officers to use body cameras. Also, the International Criminal Court dropped charges of crimes against humanity against Kenya’s president for lack of evidence.

President Obama announced that Pentagon veteran Ashton Carter will be his nominee to succeed Chuck Hagel as secretary of defense. From the White House, Carter pledged his “most candid” strategic and military advice if he is confirmed. Judy Woodruff gets reaction from retired Brig. Gen. David McGinnis, a former Defense Department official, and Foreign Policy’s David Rothkopf.

Job growth surged last month, with more than 300,000 new positions added. Hourly wages increased, too. Is there a catch? Diane Swonk of Mesirow Financial joins Hari Sreenivasan to discuss how the economy took a step in the right direction and where it can still improve.

After reporting on a horrific case of sexual assault at the University of Virginia, Rolling Stone magazine acknowledged discrepancies in the victim’s story, saying their trust in her was “misplaced.” Judy Woodruff speaks with T. Rees Shapiro of The Washington Post for more on the revelations that have cast doubt on the account.

A new round of protests began across the nation in response to a grand jury decision to not indict a police officer in the death of Eric Garner. While the head of New York's police union called the chokehold used by officer Daniel Pantaleo a “textbook” maneuver, New York Mayor Bill de Blasio called for retraining for the city's police. Gwen Ifill reports.

In our news wrap Thursday, House Republicans pushed through a bill to declare President Obama’s executive actions on immigration “null and void.” The House also passed a defense spending bill authorizing $585 billion in funding and expanding military operations in Iraq and Syria. Also, a grand jury in South Carolina indicted a white police officer in the murder of an unarmed black man.

Staten Island is whiter and more conservative than the rest of New York City, and it’s home to a large number of active and retired firefighters and police officers. It’s also where Eric Garner died in a fatal incident with a police officer, as well as where members of the grand jury who ruled on Garner’s death reside. How are people there responding? The NewsHour’s William Brangham reports.

Following the choking death of Eric Garner, New York police commissioner Bill Bratton promised an overhaul of the police training program, and, with the mayor, addressed how officers should react to minor offenses. For the perspective from City Hall, Gwen Ifill speaks with Zachary Carter, legal adviser to Mayor Bill de Blasio.