Stories of the Week | PBS NewsHour Podcast | PBS

Hollywood's biggest night is just around the corner. This year's Academy Award-nominated films include both mainstream blockbusters and darkly-themed foreign and independent movies. Ray Suarez talks with New York Times film critic A.O. Scott about why this a "good year for mainstream movies that grownups might want to go see."

A tough battle is being waged over gun laws and ways to address gun violence in Florida, a state known to have some of the least restrictive firearm laws in the country. Special correspondent Trimmel Gomes of Florida Public Radio looks at gun ownership in the Sunshine State.

At first, many Republican governors actively opposed expanding the Medicaid program and said they would not participate. Now, some of them, including Florida Gov. Rick Scott, have reconsidered. Judy Woodruff talks to Paul Howard of the Center for Medical Progress at the Manhattan Institute and Ron Pollack of Families USA.

According to a new report from the CDC, Americans' consumption of fast food has declined and kids are eating fewer calories, suggesting that efforts to fight fat may be working. Ray Suarez discusses the state of the obesity epidemic with Michael Moss, author of "Salt, Sugar, Fat," and former CDC official Dr. William Dietz.

A new archaeological find in the Orkney Islands off the northern tip of Scotland could have connections to Neolithic religion. Jeffrey Brown examines the background of the discovery and explores some of its surrounding mysteries, including why the site might have been part of one of the biggest barbecues in history.

In his State of the Union address, President Obama proposed a decade-long effort to map the activity of the brain. To understand the president's plan and walk through the possible implications, Ray Suarez talks to Dr. Francis Collins, director of the National Institutes of Health, who would coordinate much of the project.

What causes a seemingly happy, non-violent teenager to open fire on classmates? Science correspondent Miles O'Brien reports on the minds of rampage killers by profiling Andy Williams, who killed two students in a school shooting in California.

Justice Sonia Sotomayor is the first Hispanic justice -- and one of the youngest ever -- to serve on the Supreme Court. Her new memoir, "My Beloved World," talks about her early life and difficult childhood. Justice Sotomayor talks with Gwen Ifill about her adjustment to "the bench" and the importance of an open mind.

Automatic spending cuts will take effect in March if a defense budget deal cannot be reached. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta has said he may resort to furloughing the department's civilian workers. Judy Woodruff assesses what this new threat means for the U.S. Military with Ashton Carter, Deputy Secretary of Defense.

In our continuing look at the gun debate for PBS's weeklong special "After Newtown," Jeffrey Brown explores whether there is any connection between violent video games and violent behavior.

Seventy years ago, Lyndon B. Johnson took to snail mail to court Claudia Alta "Lady Bird" Taylor. The letters have now been released by the LBJ Presidential Library in Austin, Texas. For more on the love letters, Judy Woodruff talks with historian Michael Beschloss, and Catherine Robb, granddaughter of LBJ and Lady Bird.

Chuck Hagel's nomination as defense secretary was delayed when Senate Republicans called for a filibuster. Outgoing secretary Leon Panetta, due to leave his post Feb. 14th, will stay until his successor is confirmed. Jeffrey Brown has the latest with Time Magazine’s Mark Thompson and Public Radio International's Todd Zwillich.

In his State of the Union Address, Pres. Obama called Congress to address climate change, gun control, and federal budget. Judy Woodruff talks with four House freshmen, Krysten Sinema, D-Ariz; Joaquin Castro, D-Texas; Luke Messer, R-Ind.; and Doug Collins, R-Ga., about their new positions and the president's priorities.

In other news Thursday, Senate Democrats took action to prevent the 'sequester,' which is set to take effect March first. United Nations inspectors have again failed to gain access to Iran's nuclear sites. Across the world, people rallied together to protest violence against women.

In Sen. Marco Rubio's State of the Union response he called for a solution to the 11 million undocumented immigrants living in the U.S. Is a bipartisan immigration reform plan the answer? Margaret Warner discusses the question with Norman Ornstein of the American Enterprise Institute and Manu Raju, senior reporter at Politico.