Iraq Troop Drawdown
The U.S. military confirmed Friday it will cut the number if troops in Iraq by about 7,000 early next year. Ray Suarez gets the latest from Baghdad -- one week after the country's parliamentary elections -- from John Burns of The New York Times.

Then, Suarez discusses the implications of cutting troop levels with Col. Thomas Hammes, an author and former Marine Corps. officer, and Lt. Col. Robert Maginnis, a consultant who served in the Army for 30 years.

Hired for a Day
Kwame Holman reports from Northern Virginia on the tensions of hiring day laborers.

The Public's Editor
Jeffrey Brown talks with PBS ombudsman Michael Getler about his latest reports.

Shields and Brooks
Syndicated columnist Mark Shields and New York Times columnist David Brooks join Margaret Warner to discuss a frantic final week on Capitol Hill, the domestic surveillance controversy and other political developments of the week.

Transit Strike Ends

Then, Brown discusses the impact of the labor negotiations with Harley Shaiken, professor at the University of California at Berkeley, and Rick Berman, labor attorney and manager of the Employment Policies Institute.

Patriot Act Vote
The House on Thursday passed a one-month extension of the USA Patriot Act, following the Senate's six-month extension.

Margaret Warner discusses Congress' actions and the fate of the act with Norm Ornstein, Congress watcher at the American Enterprise Institute.

California Flooding Fears
Spencer Michels reports on how Hurricane Katrina's devastation of the New Orleans levees could happen in California's central valley along the Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers.

Terrorism Suspect Case
A government request to transfer terrorism suspect Jose Padilla from military to civilian custody was rejected yesterday by an appeals court. Ray Suarez discusses the latest developments with Neil Lewis, reporter for The New York Times.

Essay: Merry Little Christmas
Essayist Roger Rosenblatt reflects on his exasperation with the music of the season.

Senate Showdown

Then, Suarez discusses what the Senate's actions mean with Jennifer Duffy, managing editor for The Cook Political Report.

Journalism Hot Spots
Jeffrey Brown of the Media Unit reports on the dangers journalists around the world face when reporting in their home countries, including threats from their own governments.

Saddam on Trial
Saddam Hussein returned to the courtroom Wednesday after a two-week absence. Margaret Warner speaks with Feisal Istrabadi, Iraqi deputy ambassador to the United Nations, and Miranda Sissons, senior associate at the International Center for Transitional Justice, on how this trial stacks up to other noted war crimes tribunals.

Domestic Spy Story
Gwen Ifill discusses new developments on President Bush's decision to authorize domestic spying on suspected terrorists without court approval with Bradford Berenson, former associate White House counsel, and David Cole, professor of law at Georgetown University Law Center and attorney for the Center for Constitutional Rights.

Intelligent Design Defeat
A federal judge in Pennsylvania ruled Tuesday against teaching "intelligent design" in public schools.

Margaret Warner gets an update from Laurie Goodstein of The New York Times.

Then, Warner gets reactions from two lawyers involved in the case: Eric Rothschild, a partner at Pepper Hamilton LLP, and Richard Thompson, president and chief council of the Thomas More Law Center.

A Closer Look at NSA
The Bush administration has recently come under fire for authorizing the National Security Agency to spy on people in the United States suspected of terrorism ties.

Gwen Ifill discusses the powers of the NSA with John McLaughlin, senior fellow at Johns Hopkins University and former acting director of the CIA, and James Bamford, author of two books about the NSA.

Political Shift in Bolivia
Evo Morales was elected president of Bolivia Sunday. He has vowed to reverse a campaign financed by the United States to wipe out coca growing and called President Bush "a terrorist" Tuesday.

Ray Suarez gets two different perspectives on Bolivia’s incoming president and the rise of populist leaders in Latin America from Roger Noriega of the American Enterprise Institute and Mark Weisbrot, co-director of the Center for Economic and Policy Research.

Domestic Spying
In response to a barrage of criticism, President Bush said Monday he did not break the law when he authorized spying on Americans suspected of ties to terrorism.

Ray Suarez discusses the use of domestic surveillance in the anti-terrorism effort with Senate Judiciary Committee members John Cornyn, R-Texas, and Sen. Russ Feingold, D-Wis.

Shields and Brooks
Syndicated columnist Mark Shields and New York Times columnist David Brooks join Gwen Ifill to discuss executive powers and the revelations of domestic surveillance, along with the administration's efforts to bolster support for the war on Iraq.

Grim Forecast in Pakistan
Winter storms have arrived in the valleys around Balakot in Pakistan. Bill Neely of Independent Television News reports on the struggle to survive there following the earthquake in early October.

Back to School in New Orleans
Special correspondent for education John Merrow reports from New Orleans on the recent reopening of several high schools since Hurricane Katrina hit in August.