December 24, 2019 - PBS NewsHour full episode

In Syria, forces loyal to the Assad regime -- and backed by Russian air power -- are advancing in the province of Idlib, the last remaining rebel stronghold. As the Syrian army and its allies try to secure a key highway to Aleppo, thousands of civilians are caught in the crossfire. Judy Woodruff reports and talks to Smith College’s Steven Heydemann and the University of Oklahoma’s Joshua Landis.

For years, Washington has seen a bipartisan push to change laws, regulations and incentives to make household appliances and goods more energy efficient. In a warming world, many scientists and advocates say even tougher standards should be set. But President Trump is moving to roll back some of those laws, arguing they’ve gone too far. John Yang talks to The Washington Post’s Juliet Eilperin.

At the request of the NewsHour, the Defense Department produced a music video of service personnel around the world singing a seasonal favorite. It’s an annual holiday tradition, and this year’s song is “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen.”

With the approaching end of 2019, we take a look back at important moments and major developments from the past decade. Arts and entertainment changed dramatically during this period, transformed in their creation, distribution and consumption. Jeffrey Brown talks to Wesley Morris of The New York Times and Lorraine Ali of The Los Angeles Times about pop culture trends and trend makers.