Six months of very intensive attention to things he thought were worthy of attention. Ifill and in the forests of mexico, worries are growing about the shrinking number of monarch butterflies spending winter there. Those are just some of the stories were covering on tonights pbs newshour. Major funding for the pbs newshour has been provided by moving our economy for 160 years. Bnsf, the engine that connects us. And with the ongoing support of these institutions and foundations. And. This program was made possible by the corporation for public broadcasting. And by contributions to your pbs station from viewers like you. Thank you. Ifill Christmas Eve was marked by festivities and preparations around the world today. The faithful prepared for Midnight Services in places both traditional and unusual. Some of 2013s first Christmas Eve celebrations occurred in china, where guards and volunteers held back hundreds crowding into a beijing cathedral for holiday services. translated so i say, christmas will be merry. Why is it merry . Because our savior jesus christ has come. But when he comes close to our hearts, then well be happy. Ifill in the philippines, survivors of last months catastrophic typhoon erected giant christmas lanterns across the devastation in tacloban. children singing jingle bell rock ifill people in other towns sang and danced to holiday songs as they remembered lost loved ones. translated we will still celebrate christmas, despite this tragedy that came to us. Christmas will go on. Ifill and in bethlehem, parades filled the streets as christian pilgrims and tourists from around the world poured into manger square, considered the birthplace of jesus. Decorations and holiday lights adorned the west bank for the evenings celebrations. Ifill and at the vatican, worshippers filled st. Peters basilica for Pope Franciss first christmas Midnight Mass as pontiff. Thousands more gathered outside in st. Peters square. U. S. Troops in kabul marked the 13th Christmas Eve for American Forces in afghanistan with candles and hymns. singing but as always, they were missing loved ones. So it is difficult, but they, they love me, and they understand that im here serving our country and. And so its, its really not very easy, but you know it is not easy being away from my family. Ifill and far above the planet, astronauts on the International Space station performed a rare Christmas Eve space walk only the second in nasas history. The goal to replace a faulty cooling system that failed december 11. All this as american shoppers raced against time to find last minute gifts. This is ideal. I mean, youre in, youre out. Get great deals, get the wifes last minute Christmas Gift and youre good. Ifill but even a surge of buyers in the closing hours may not be enough for merchants. The Industry Data firm shopper trak reports sales at u. S. Stores have fallen each of the last three weeks, compared to a year ago. The Housing Market is ending the year on a down note. The Mortgage Bankers association reported today that Mortgage Applications have fallen 60 60 since may, as Interest Rates rose. And, new home sales fell in november. On wall street, the market had a shortened trading day. The Dow Jones Industrial average gained nearly 63 points to close at 16,357. The nasdaq rose six points to close at 4,155. The u. N. Security council moved today to beef up its peacekeeping force in south sudan, to more than 12,000 troops. Its a bid to quell growing violence between rival ethnic factions. Well ask Samantha Power, the u. S. Ambassador to the u. N. , about south sudan and the neighboring Central African republic right after the news summary. In syria, a new round of air raids killed at least 15 people in the Northern City of aleppo. The opposition said government planes and helicopters blasted apartment buildings, homes and cars. The aerial assault began on december 15, activists say more than 360 people have been killed since then. At least 13 people were killed in egypt today when a powerful bomb ripped through a police headquarters. More than 100 others were hurt. The blast brought down an entire section of the fivestory building in the city of mansoura. It was the deadliest attack since islamist president Mohamed Morsi was ousted in july. The interim Prime Minister vowed to respond. Here at the forefront of a confrontation with one of the worst faces of terrorism, we will not stay silent. We will confront it and whoever committed this attack whether an individual or a group is a terrorist. Ifill mohammed morsis organization the Muslim Brotherhood denied any role in todays bombing. Back in this country, the u. S. Postal service won a temporary rate increase today, after losing 5 billion in the last fiscal year. The Postal Regulatory Commission raised the price of a first class stamp by three cents to 49 cents as of january 26. Rates for bulk mail, magazines and packages will rise 6 . The increases will last for two years. Grammywinning musician and composer yusef lateef died last night at his home in shutesbury, massachusetts. The renowned tenor saxophonist and flutist was one of the first to incorporate world music into jazz. And, in 2010, he was named a National Endowment for the arts jazz master, the nations highest jazz honor. Yusef lateef was 93 years old. Still to come on the newshour Samantha Power on the violence in two african countries; one reporters exclusive interview with Edward Snowden; the dwindling number of monarch butterflies wintering in mexico; a year End Assessment of Public Education reform and an entrepreneurial alternative to college. Ifill we take a look at two bordering african nations consumed by conflict, beginning with south sudan, where there fighting continued today, as fears of civil war prompted the United Nations to send more help to the worlds youngest nation. Ifill the Security Council voted to nearly double the size of the peacekeeping operation in south sudan hoping an additional troops will protect civilians from the worsening violence. Secretary general ban kimoon warned all sides in the conflict that the world is watching. Attacks on civilians and the u. N. Peacekeepers must cease immediately. The United Nations will investigate reports of these incidents and of Grave Human Rights Violations and crimes against humanity. Those responsible will be held personally accountable. Ifill meanwhile, the countrys president , salva kiir, said his troops have retaken bor, from rebels. But there were also reports that the bodies of dozens of government soldiers were found in a mass grave in bentiu. In all, u. N. Officials report more than 1,000 people have been killed in south sudan and more than 100,000 turned into refugees since fighting broke out only a week ago. Many are seeking shelter at u. N. Bases in the capital of juba and elsewhere. translated the two factions should be reconciled by the International Community so that the problem is solved once and for all, so that everyone can go back where they came from. We cant live like this. Ifill the conflict erupted after president kiir, an ethnic dinka, accused former Vice President , riek machar, an ethnic nuer, of plotting a coup. Heavy fighting in bor over the weekend prompted the u. N. To evacuate nonessential staff and wounded civilians from its mission there. There was a lot of looting. A lot of gunshots. A lot of dead bodies and very, very out of control youth. Heavily armed and that needs to be brought under control. Ifill rebels in bor also fired on three u. S. Osprey aircraft saturday, wounding four american troops as they attempted to evacuate u. S. Civilians. Civilian helicopters ended up bringing out the americans. On sunday, president obama alerted congress that the 46 troops already sent to south sudan may not be enough. He wrote u. S. Defense officials said monday that more than 100 marines, plus aircraft, are being moved to the horn of africa, in case theyre needed. Next door, in the Central African republic, an unrelated sectarian conflict threatens that countrys stability. In march, muslim rebels overthrew the government in the majority christian nation. Since then 700,000 people, almost 20 of the population, have fled their homes. Nine people were killed in religious violence in the countrys capital yesterday. France has now deployed 1,600 troops to its former colony to help African Union forces trying to disarm both sides. translated we are waiting for all the french people do their work and finish with the militias and then we will go home. But if it carries on we will stay here, even six months if necessary. Ifill last week, the u. S. Ambassador to the u. N. , Samantha Power, visited bangui to appeal for peace. I spoke with Samantha Power this afternoon just before Security Council voted. Ambassador power thank you for joining us. Its only been a week since everything fell apart in south sudan, how did it happen so fast . Well, as you know there have been deep political divisions, been playing themselves out for some time but when president ki,r responded to maneuvering within his own government by making arrests then a full on rebellion was declared and as they say, the rest is history. Weve been living with the consequences of that. So you now have espla. Sudanese government the army up against rebellion thats pretty widespread and very volatile. We know that there are some American Forces on the ground in neighboring countries poised to act, do we know how much u. S. Military action might be involved . We have been focused on securing the fate and security of u. S. Citizens and we have performed and u. S. Military has help perform along with the United Nations evacuations of personnel, u. S. Citizens who wanted to get out. There was also a departure of Embassy Staff and so forth. We just have a small presence remaining to try to help with the diplomacy. That is our emphasis. Our parallel emphasis is helping the u. N. Secretary general beef up forces. The secretary general came to the so Security Council asked for permission to move about 5,500 troops and police from other missions, principally in africa but also elsewhere in the world to south sudan so that the relatively small u. N. Force there could get support. So were focused on doing what we can to support the secretary general, do that as quickly as possible time is of the essence. Ifill when the president said that he may take further action to support the security of americans on the ground, how far would further action go . Im not going to speculate on what is going to happen on the ground, so many contingencies, so many things that were working through right now. Again, our focus is to working the political track, the diplomacy, don booth our special enjoy is in juba today just as he was yesterday, he will be there again tomorrow. Shuttling twine the parties, reinforcing the efforts by african foreign men terse to get president kiir and riek machar to start negotiating have a political dialogue this armed approach that both sides are taking is going to be extremely powerless for the country. Ifill are those talks imminent . I think were pushing. Its very hard to say, i dont want to get in to the details. But the contacts between u. S. Officials and senior officials on the ground in south sudan have been extensive, even relentless you might say. And we are determined to do everything we can and leverage the very strong relationship we have had with south sudan and with the people for so long. To try to help calmer and cooler heads prevail here. But the African Union and number of african Foreign Ministers are also active in this regard. I. T. Its safe to say that president kiir and riek machar are hearing from a lot of people this Christmas Eve. Ifill from a trip to the Central African republic been things also seem to be veering out of control. How did that happen . Well, again, similar in the sense that theres a rebellion that took hold in part of the country and swept through the country, run by a group that call themselves celica, means alliancea muslim group. There was again on the trip again great relimb us harmony between and among muslims and christians in the Central African republic for years. But the looting and killings that accompanied this sweep through the Central African republic have led to christians on the other side forming these self defense militia known as antimachete. Now you have a dynamic you have ex celica forces that are seen as Muslim Forces and antibalaca seen as christian forces targeting people sometimes on religious ground. Often on religious grounds. The good news, such as it is that the African Union has been very responsive to the circumstances on the ground and themselves have increased the troops just as were doing in south sudan to try to deploy more africans in to the Central African republic. Ifill you mention the the c. A. R. With you also in sudan. Are there being stretched a little thin and does the u. N. Need to beef up its peacekeeping presence . Let me take each question in turn. Are they being stretched a little thin, i think the answer is, yes. The demands on african peacekeepers are higher than they have been in a very long time. Lets recall also the Somalia Mission which has made a lot of headway against slshabob and is doing a very important job. Not only main feigning peace and security for the people of mali but also fending off the presence of extremists who could present problems across the broader region and beyond. If you combine those very Large Missions with these two that weve discussed, yes, the demands are very high. And so it is true that u. N. Peacekeeping as a whole right now is at one of its high water marks in the history of the u. N. Peacekeeping. So one of the things that were seeking to do to try to get more countries interested in deplowing their forces and wearing blue helmets because the needs are feeling very great right now. Ifill you mentioned so malleolar, around the world there are a couple of different lessons to be taken from that, one is to stay out. And the other is that you cannot allow big states to fail. Which lesson can you apply in this case . Well, i think that we all know now is that particularly when you have a failed state or an under governed or ungoverned base, that is Central African republic, thats how i would describe it, having visited it. Just so little electricity across the country, roads that are impassable. When you see then state failure where a government collapses as a happened over the last year nothing good comes of that. And the people who take advantage of environments like that are extremists, of all kinds. Whether its al shabob or al qaeda or extreme cyst now lunching muslims or christians in the Central African republic theres both the imperative of the International Community and regional players coming together to try to help because they matter intrinsically. Then theres the additional collateral reality that we have encountered as you suggest in somalia and mali and elsewhere. These border are huge among these countries, not very well patrolled and the kinds of unsafer reelements that graph kate toward situations like that cross borders and cause havoc for our core interest as well. Ifill u. S. Ambassador to the u. N. Samantha power, thank you so much for joining us. Thanks for having me, gwen. Ifill Edward Snowden, the n. S. A. Contractor who leaked a trove of documents about that secret agencys operations is once again in the news. Jeffrey brown has the story. Brown the Missions Already accomplished. I already won. The words of Edward Snowden from an extended interview conducted in moscow. It comes six months after snowdens revelations first appeared in newspapers. Barton gellman of the Washington Post wrote some of those key early stories and it was he whos just interviewed snowden. Hes also a senior fellow at the century foundation. Gellman joins us now. The welcome to you, clearly Edward Snowden feels you succeeded how does he define his mission and what he silt out to do . Thats exactly the important question. He is not saying he succeeded in remaking the world or changing any particular policy. What he wanted to do was take big important decisions out of a small secret world and give it to the people, on whose behalf the policies were undertaken. He though