Stories of the Week | PBS NewsHour Podcast | PBS

A central figure of American music, Pete Seeger touched the lives of generations with his long list of folk and protest songs that became cultural landmarks of various social movements. Jeffrey Brown talks to Peter Yarrow, friend of Peter Seeger and member of the folk group "Peter, Paul and Mary," for more on Seeger's influence.

Filipino divers disappear into water as opaque as chocolate milk as they blindly dig in search of gold trapped in muddy sediment. It's risky business: As miners go deeper, underwater tunnels could collapse or the compressor that provides air may fail. Hari Sreenivasan reports on a dangerous venture undertaken by adults and kids.

For punk band Pussy Riot, a prank in a Moscow cathedral led to nearly two years in prison for two young women. Journalist Masha Gessen corresponded with the art activists and chronicled their rise as human rights figures in her new book, "Words That Will Break Cement." Gessen joins Jeffrey Brown to discuss the crackdown.

According to the USDA, 30 to 40 percent of the food produced in America goes uneaten. Mona Iskander reports from West Virginia on how new businesses have emerged to help kitchens reduce food waste while turning a profit.

Since November the news about Iran has focused on the deal to limit that country's nuclear program. But what is life like for average Iranians? NewsHour Weekend correspondent William Brangham reports on how sanctions have impacted daily life for the people of Iran.

Syndicated columnist Mark Shields and New York Times columnist David Brooks join Judy Woodruff to discuss the week's news, including the income inequality and consequences of money in American politics, the federal corruption charges against former Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell and some early super PAC support for Hillary Clinton.

Technologies that track data can make life more efficient, but can they go too far? Jeffrey Brown talks to technology and privacy experts Jules Polonetsky and Adam Thierer for more on why corporations should avoid being "creepy" and why it's important to empower consumers to hold companies and developers to strict standards.

Smart gadgets collect user information so that they can adapt to individual habits and personal tastes. But as this technology becomes more pervasive -- embedded in automobiles, refrigerators, even fire alarms and thermostats -- many fear the ways that private companies could misuse private customer data. Jeffrey Brown reports.

In 2003, the CIA established a secret prison and black operations site at a villa in Poland. Washington Post reporter Adam Goldman joins Judy Woodruff to tell the story of how this clandestine prison played a role in the U.S. war on terror and what fallout these revelations have for the U.S. and in the international community.

In California's Mojave Desert is one of the world's finest solar power resources, but it's also the habitat of endangered tortoises. This story was produced by Gabriela Quiros and narrated by Andrea Kissack, both of KQED.

Operating on the principle that Americans should not find it difficult to vote, a bipartisan committee came to a unanimous conclusion about how to improve the election process. Robert Bauer and Benjamin Ginsberg, co-chairs of the Presidential Commission on Election Administration, join Gwen Ifill to discuss their suggestions.

Former Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell and his wife were indicted on federal corruption charges for receiving tens of thousands of dollars in gifts and loans from a wealthy campaign donor. The former rising star in the Republican party has vowed to fight the charges. Judy Woodruff talks to Rosalind Helderman of The Washington Post.

For American industry, finding employees who have all the requisite skills is a big challenge, and hiring people who don't stack up can cost businesses a great deal of money. Special correspondent John Tulenko from Learning Matters reports on a certification test that aims to boost U.S. students' workforce readiness.

The record drought in California is not only likely to decrease the state's agricultural yield and affect food prices, it could also wreak severe economic consequences for rural communities. To discuss the impact on farming and for consumers, Jeffrey Brown talks to Karen Ross of the California Department of Food and Agriculture.

A dry spell that has been building for three years has become a full-on emergency in California. Gov. Jerry Brown called it the worst drought on record and has asked everyone across the state to conserve water. Jeffrey Brown reports on the threats posed by the dry conditions.