Stories of the Week | PBS NewsHour Podcast | PBS

Leaks by Edward Snowden and other recent disclosures have revealed the scale of U.S. surveillance efforts. Judy Woodruff examines the impact of those revelations with Craig Whitlock of The Washington Post, Kate Martin of the Center for National Security Studies and former Department of Homeland Security official Stewart Baker.

While some prominent lawmakers have thrown their support behind a limited military strike in Syria, others remain unconvinced. Gwen Ifill talks to Sen. Deb Fischer, R-Neb., about her concerns and questions about why the U.S. is choosing to react to chemical weapon use now and how potential allies could be involved.

Diana Nyad has made history as the first person to swim the 110-mile Florida Strait. This was Nyad's fifth attempt at the feat, and it took her 53 hours to complete. "I wanted this swim, this endeavor not to just be the athletic record," Nyad, 64, said, "I wanted it to be a lesson for my life that says, be fully engaged."

The Japanese government is planning to build an ice wall around the damaged Fukushima nuclear plant to try to stop radioactive water leaks. Jeffrey Brown examines the risks and potential political fallout with Arjun Makhijani of the Institute for Energy and Environment Research and Kenji Kushida of Stanford University.

Fifty years after the March on Washington, the vision of the civil rights movement has expanded beyond black and white, but what is left to be done? Gwen Ifill sits down with Peniel Joseph of Tufts University and filmmaker Bonnie Boswell Hamilton on how the goals of the March translate to the needs of today.

Urban schools often face great challenges, low test scores and high dropout rates. Eddie Aruzza of WTTW in Chicago reports on programs that train principals to improve learning despite the odds. Ray Suarez continues the conversation on the importance of principals in troubled schools with Will Miller of the Wallace Foundation.

The National Football League struck a $765 million settlement with retired players over brain-related diseases. The settlement will go towards compensation for the injured and research. Margaret Warner talks with Mark Fainaru-Wada of ESPN about what the agreement means for pro-athletes and the sport.

In reaction to the Supreme Court's decision to strike down part of the Defense of Marriage Act, legally married same-sex couples are now entitled to the same tax benefits as straight couples, regardless of where they live. For more on the IRS policy change, Judy Woodruff talks to Brian Moulton of the Human Rights Campaign.

In other news Thursday, the Department of Justice announced it will not challenge laws in Colorado and Washington state permitting the recreational use of marijuana and instead focus on drugged driving and cultivation. Also, a federal appeals court upheld a California ban on medical therapy focused on making gay youths straight.

The world is waiting for United Nations inspectors to announce their findings over the alleged use of chemical warfare in Syria. What are inspectors looking for? And how would they be able to tell if the weapons came from the Assad regime? Jeffrey Brown gets analysis from former UN and U.S. weapons inspector Charles Duelfer.

As United Nations inspectors wrap up their investigation into alleged chemical arms use by the Assad regime in Syria, U.S. legislators are demanding Congressional approval of any American military action. Jeffrey Brown reports on the state of international debate among European allies Britain, France and Germany.

Would a possible U.S. military strike in Syria send a message that chemical weapon use is universally unacceptable or make a bad situation worse? Jeffrey Brown gets three views from Hisham Melham of Al Arabiya, Ivo Daalder of Chicago Council on Global Affairs and John Mearsheimer of the University of Chicago.

On the very moment that Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his famous speech 50 years ago, a bell rang out amid a crowd of thousands who gathered on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington. Ray Suarez highlights notable moments and words from the celebration.

President Barack Obama said he had not yet made his decision regarding a U.S. strike on Syria during an interview with Judy Woodruff and Gwen Ifill on the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington. Mr. Obama reflects on the challenges Americans still face over jobs, health care, education and voting rights.

Fifty years ago, 23-year-old John Lewis raised his voice to a crowd of more than 200,000 people at a protest march that would come to represent "the best of America." Gwen Ifill talks to the congressman about what motivated him to become a young civil rights leader and the current state of civil rights and equality in America.