>> Sreenivasan: ON THIS EDITION FOR SATURDAY, DECEMBER 19: A SECOND COVID-19 VACCINE WINS APPROVAL AS NEW CASES AND HOSPITALIZATIONS CONTINUE TO SURGE; A HISTORIC FIRST FOR PRESIDENT-ELECT BIDEN'S CABINET; ( PROTESTS IN POLISH ) AND IN OUR SIGNATURE SEGMENT, THE FIGHT OVER ABORTION RIGHTS IN POLAND.

NEXT ON PBS NEWSHOUR WEEKEND.

>> PBS NEWSHOUR WEEKEND IS MADE POSSIBLE BY: SUE AND EDGAR WACHENHEIM III.

THE ANDERSON FAMILY FUND.

BERNARD AND DENISE SCHWARTZ.

THE CHERYL AND PHILIP MILSTEIN FAMILY.

BARBARA HOPE ZUCKERBERG.

THE LEONARD AND NORMA KLORFINE FOUNDATION.

CHARLES ROSENBLUM.

WE TRY TO LIVE IN THE MOMENT, TO NOT MISS WHAT'S RIGHT IN FRONT OF US.

AT MUTUAL OF AMERICA, WE BELIEVE TAKING CARE OF TOMORROW CAN HELP YOU MAKE THE MOST OF TODAY.

MUTUAL OF AMERICA FINANCIAL GROUP, RETIREMENT SERVICES AND INVESTMENTS.

>> FOR 25 YEARS, CONSUMER CELLULAR'S GOAL HAS BEEN TO PROVIDE WIRELESS SERVICE THAT HELPS PEOPLE COMMUNICATE AND CONNECT.

WE OFFER A VARIETY OF NO-CONTRACT PLANS, AND OUR U.S.-BASED CUSTOMER SERVICE TEAM CAN HELP FIND ONE THAT FITS YOU.

TO LEARN MORE, VISIT www.consumercellular.tv.

ADDITIONAL SUPPORT HAS BEEN PROVIDED BY: AND BY THE CORPORATION FOR PUBLIC BROADCASTING, A PRIVATE CORPORATION FUNDED BY THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.

AND BY CONTRIBUTIONS TO YOUR PBS STATION FROM VIEWERS LIKE YOU.

THANK YOU.

>> Sreenivasan: GOOD EVENING, AND THANKS FOR JOINING US.

A SECOND CORONAVIRUS VACCINE IS APPROVED, AND MILLIONS OF DOSES ARE EXPECTED TO BE SHIPPED OUT STARTING TOMORROW AS INFECTIONS RISE AND HOSPITALS IN MANY STATES REPORT INTENSIVE CARE UNITS ARE NEAR CAPACITY.

THE FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION APPROVED MODERNA'S VACCINE LATE LAST NIGHT.

TODAY, THE GENERAL LEADING THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT'S VACCINE DISTRIBUTION PROGRAM SAID THE MODERNA VACCINE WILL BE SHIPPED OUT TO 3,700 LOCATIONS.

>> BOXES ARE BEING PACKED AND LOADED TODAY.

TRUCKS WILL BEGIN ROLLING OUT TOMORROW FROM FEDEX AND U.P.S., DELIVERING VACCINES AND KITS TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE ACROSS THE UNITED STATES.

>> Sreenivasan: THE MODERNA VACCINE IS STORED IN STANDARD FREEZERS, MAKING IT EASIER TO DISTRIBUTE THAN THE PFIZER VACCINE, WHICH HAS TO SHIP IN SUPER-CHILLED CONTAINERS.

IN THE UNITED KINGDOM, A NEW VARIANT OF THE CORONAVIRUS IS SPREADING RAPIDLY, AND TODAY PRIME MINISTER BORIS JOHNSON ANNOUNCED NEW RESTRICTIONS FOR AREAS IN BRITAIN'S SOUTHEAST INCLUDING LONDON.

HE URGED ALL RESIDENTS TO STAY HOME FOR THE UPCOMING CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY.

>> IT IS WITH A VERY HEAVY HEART I MUST TELL YOU WE CANNOT CONTINUE WITH CHRISTMAS AS PLANNED.

>> Sreenivasan: THE VARIANT HAS TURNED UP IN SEVERAL OTHER COUNTRIES, AND MUTATIONS ARE NOT UNUSUAL.

BRITISH OFFICIALS SAY THIS VARIANT DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE DEADLIER, BUT IT DOES SPREAD MORE RAPIDLY.

IN THE U.S., CASES OF CORONAVIRUS INFECTIONS AND DEATHS FROM COVID-19-RELATED CAUSES ARE AT RECORD-HIGH LEVELS.

ACCORDING TO THE "NEW YORK TIMES," THE COUNTRY RECORDED AN ALL-TIME HIGH SINGLE-DAY NUMBER OF NEW CASES, MORE THAN 251,000 YESTERDAY.

DESPITE THE GROWING CRISIS, CONGRESS HAS NOT YET REACHED AGREEMENT ON COVID-19 RELIEF FUNDING.

LAST NIGHT, PRESIDENT TRUMP SIGNED A 48-HOUR EXTENSION THE HOUSE AND SENATE PASSED THAT KEEPS THE GOVERNMENT OPEN UNTIL MIDNIGHT TOMORROW.

THE SENATE MET TODAY AS NEGOTIATIONS CONTINUED.

THE HOUSE IS SET TO MEET TOMORROW AT NOON.

FOR MORE ON HOW AND WHEN THE COVID-19 VACCINES ARE BEING DISTRIBUTED, PROPUBLICA REPORTER CAROLINE CHEN JOINS US FROM NEW YORK CITY.

CAROLINE, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THIS ACROSS THE COUNTRY, RIGHT NOW, WHAT IS THE GENERAL PECKING ORDER, IF THERE IS ONE?

WHO IS SUPPOSED TO BE GETTING IT FIRST, AND WHO ARE WE EXPECTING TO GET IT IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS?

>> AT THE HIGH LEVEL, IT'S HIGH- RISK HEALTHCARE WORKERS FIRST, AND THEN LONG-TERM CARE FACILITY RESIDENTS NEXT.

AND THEN, THAT'S REALLY GOING TO BE THE NEXT MONTH OR SO.

THEN WE WILL MOVE INTO SORT OF THE NEXT, MUCH BIGGER BUCKET OF BOTH OLDER-THAN-65 AND ESSENTIAL WORKERS.

THAT'S ALL DETERMINED BY THE STATES.

>> Sreenivasan: DECREASING THE TRANSMISSION AND INFECTION RATES IN LONG-TERM CARE FACILITIES SHOULD BRING DOWN OUR OVERALL DEATH RATES THAT WE'RE SEEING CONTINUE TO RISE.

>> SOMETHING LIKE 40% OF THE COVID DEATHS HAVE COME FROM THE LONG-TERM CARE FACILITIES.

SO, THIS IS SUCH A HUGE PRIORITY TO GET THAT POPULATION TAKEN CARE OF, TO REDUCE TRANSMISSION THERE, TO REDUCE DEATHS THERE BECAUSE THEY'RE JUST SO HIGH- RISK, AND WE JUST HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO STOP TRANSMISSION THERE.

SO, THIS IS A HUGE ROLLOUT HAPPENING THROUGH CVS AND WALGREENS.

YOU KNOW, NOT ONLY IS IT, YOU KNOW, CVS AND WALGREENS BRINGING ALL THESE VACCINES TO THE RESIDENTS, BUT ALSO THEY HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY GET CONSENT FROM ALL THE RESIDENTS, YOU KNOW, TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY'RE GETTING.

AND IF, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A RESIDENT WHO IS UNABLE TO GIVE CONSENT, THAT THEY HAVE TO GO FIND THEIR FAMILY MEMBER OR THEIR HEALTH CARE PROXY AND GET CONSENT FROM THEIR HEALTH PROXY.

NOW REALLY IS THE HARD PART: GETTING THROUGH THE LOGISTICS TO GET IT TO PEOPLE.

>> Sreenivasan: DO WE SEE ANYTHING ELSE COMING DOWN THE PIPELINE THAT SHOULD INCREASE THE AVAILABILITY OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF VACCINES?

>> YEAH, SO THE NEXT ONE THAT WOULD BE UPCOMING-- AND THIS WOULD NOT BE IMMEDIATELY IN JANUARY, BUT, YOU KNOW, HOPEFULLY COMING UP SOMETIME SOON IN 2021-- WOULD BE JOHNSON & JOHNSON'S VACCINE.

THE-- THE BIG DIFFERENCE WITH JOHNSON & JOHNSON'S VACCINE IS IT'S A ONE-SHOT VACCINE.

SO WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE IT GETS THROUGH PHASE-THREE TRIALS, THAT IT IS EFFECTIVE, THAT IT IS SAFE-- BUT IT WILL PROVIDE THIS THIRD OPTION THAT HOPEFULLY IS A LITTLE MORE CONVENIENT.

>> Sreenivasan: AND JUST FOR PEOPLE'S BACKGROUND, IF THEY HAVE A FAMILY MEMBER WHO GETS A VACCINE, THAT DOESN'T MEAN WE COULD JUST WALK AROUND WITHOUT MASKS AROUND THEM?

>> YEAH, SO THIS IS A GREAT QUESTION, AND ONE THAT WE JUST DON'T HAVE A 100% ANSWER TO YET, AND PEOPLE ASK "WHY?"

YOU KNOW, THIS-- YOU KNOW, "ISN'T A VACCINE SUPPOSED TO PROTECT ME AND MAKE ME IMMUNE?"

SO, WHAT WE KNOW RIGHT NOW, AS OF THIS MOMENT FROM THE TRIALS, IS, DOES THE VACCINE PREVENT ME FROM COVID SICKNESS?

AND THAT'S BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT THEY MEASURED IN THE TRIAL SO FAR.

THESE TRIALS, THE PFIZER AND MODERNA TRIALS ARE ACTUALLY ONGOING, AND THEY'LL ACTUALLY TRACK THE PEOPLE IN THE TRIALS AS LONG AS THEY CAN FOR TWO YEARS BECAUSE THEY WANT TO KNOW, DID THEY HAVE ANY SIDE EFFECTS LONG ONGOING?

AND THEY'RE STILL MEASURING AND GATHERING DATA.

SO, THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO KNOW THAT WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO GET INFORMATION FROM THESE TRIALS.

SO, AT THIS POINT IN TIME, THEY'RE ABLE TO SAY, WHAT WAS ITS EFFECT ON COVID SICKNESS?

SO, THAT MEANS SYMPTOMATIC ILLNESS THAT THEY-- YOU KNOW, SOMEBODY FELT BAD, THEY HAD A FEVER, THEY HAD COVID SYMPTOMS, AND THEN THEY WENT AND GOT A TEST.

SO, IS IT POSSIBLE THAT YOU COULD HAVE THE VACCINE AND THEN PICK UP THE CORONAVIRUS?

IT'S HANGING OUT IN YOUR NOSE.

YOU DON'T HAVE SYMPTOMS.

YOU WOULDN'T BE POSITIVE ON A TEST.

AND, YOU KNOW, YOU WOULDN'T GET SICK, BUT YOU COULD STILL PASS IT ON TO SOMEONE ELSE.

THAT'S STILL SOMETHING THAT HASN'T BEEN TOTALLY PROVEN.

NOW, I HAVE TALKED TO A LOT OF SCIENTISTS, AND THEY SAY, YOU KNOW, "IT'S SO EFFECTIVE AT PREVENTING SICKNESS, IT'S ACTUALLY QUITE LIKELY THAT IT WILL ALSO PREVENT TRANSMISSION.

BUT WE JUST HAVEN'T 100% PROVED THIS YET IN A TRIAL, SO I CAN'T TELL SOMEONE, 'I PROMISE YOU THAT YOU CAN NO LONGER TRANSMIT THE CORONAVIRUS.'"

THEY ARE TRYING TO GATHER DATA ON THIS, AND MODERNA'S TRIAL ACTUALLY HAS COLLECTED A LITTLE BIT OF DATA THAT LOOKS POSITIVE, BUT THIS IS NOT YET A SIGNED-AND-SEALED ANSWER AT THIS POINT IN TIME.

I HOPE THAT THEY'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS AS THE TRIALS KEEP GOING, AND, OF COURSE, WE ALL WANT TO KNOW THIS.

BUT AGAIN, UNTIL A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE THE VACCINE, UNTIL WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, AS A COUNTRY MORE HERD IMMUNITY, UNTIL THE SCIENTISTS GATHER MORE DATA, I THINK WE JUST CAN'T AFFORD AT THIS POINT TO BE, LIKE, "WE'RE GOING TO LET OUR GUARD DOWN AND DO WHATEVER WE WANT."

SO, IF YOU GET A VACCINE, I THINK, YOU KNOW, YOU ALSO DON'T KNOW WHO ELSE HAS GOTTEN A VACCINE.

WE WANT TO KEEP ENCOURAGING, ALSO MODELING GOOD BEHAVIOR FOR OUR NEIGHBORS UNTIL THIS PANDEMIC IS OVER.

SO, I THINK THAT'S WHY EVERYBODY IS ENCOURAGING, YOU KNOW, EVEN IF YOU'VE GOTTEN A VACCINE, YOU WANT TO KEEP WEARING A MASK AT THIS POINT.

AGAIN, SCIENCE EVOLVES.

WE LEARN MORE AS WE GO.

SO, THIS IS-- COULD BE A CASE WHERE, AS WE LEARN MORE AND WE GET MORE DATA, PUBLIC HEALTH GUIDANCE MIGHT CHANGE.

>> Sreenivasan: CAROLINE CHEN OF PROPUBLICA, THANKS SO MUCH.

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

>> Sreenivasan: FOR MORE ON THE NEW COVID-19 VACCINES AND A LONGER CONVERSATION WITH CAROLINE CHEN, VISIT www.pbs.org/newshour.

>> Sreenivasan: SECRETARY OF STATE MIKE POMPEO BLAMED RUSSIA FOR THE WIDESPREAD CYBERATTACK ON FEDERAL AGENCIES AND U.S. COMPANIES IN A RADIO INTERVIEW LATE YESTERDAY.

SPEAKING ON THE "MARK LEVIN SHOW," POMPEO SAID THE GOVERNMENT IS STILL WORKING THROUGH THE BREACH BUT THAT IT WAS "PRETTY CLEARLY" A RUSSIAN INTRUSION.

POMPEO IS THE FIRST TRUMP ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL TO PUBLICLY LINK THE ONGOING HACK TO RUSSIA.

U.S. OFFICIALS BELIEVE BETWEEN MARCH AND JUNE, 18,000 ORGANIZATIONS WERE COMPROMISED AFTER USING A POPULAR NETWORK MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE THAT WAS INFECTED WITH MALICIOUS CODE.

RUSSIA DENIES BEING BEHIND THE ATTACK.

IN WILMINGTON, DELAWARE, TODAY, PRESIDENT-ELECT JOE BIDEN CALLED CLIMATE CHANGE "THE EXISTENTIAL THREAT OF OUR TIME" AS HE PUBLICLY INTRODUCED HIS ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY TEAM.

IT WAS A DAY OF FIRSTS.

>> WE WILL ENSURE THAT THE DECISIONS AT INTERIOR WILL ONCE AGAIN BE DRIVEN BY SCIENCE.

>> Sreenivasan: CONGRESSWOMAN DEB HAALAND OF NEW MEXICO WAS TAPPED TO LEAD THE INTERIOR DEPARTMENT.

IF CONFIRMED, SHE WILL BECOME THE FIRST NATIVE AMERICAN TO HEAD THE AGENCY.

MICHAEL REGAN WAS NOMINATED TO LEAD THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY.

HE CURRENTLY HEADS NORTH CAROLINA'S DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY AND WILL BE THE FIRST BLACK MAN TO LEAD THE E.P.A.

IF CONFIRMED.

OTHER NOMINEES INCLUDE FORMER MICHIGAN GOVERNOR JENNIFER GRANHOLM FOR SECRETARY OF ENERGY, AND BRENDA MALLORY, WHO SERVED IN THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION, TO LEAD THE COUNCIL ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY, A FIRST FOR A BLACK WOMAN.

>> Sreenivasan: FOR MORE ON THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF REPRESENTATIVE DEB HAALAND TO PRESIDENT-ELECT JOE BIDEN'S CABINET, I'M JOINED BY JULIAN BRAVE NOISECAT, VICE PRESIDENT OF POLICY AND STRATEGY AT DATA FOR PROGRESS, A PROGRESSIVE THINK TANK.

JULIAN, BESIDES THE FACT THAT THIS IS THE FIRST NATIVE AMERICAN IN A CABINET-LEVEL POSITION, WHY IS THIS NOMINATON SO SIGNIFICANT FOR SO MANY NATIVE AMERICAN COMMUNITIES?

>> I THINK CONGRESSWOMAN HAALAND SAID IT BEST TODAY DURING HER ACCEPTANCE SPEECH FOR THE POSITION OF SECRETARY OF INTERIOR WHEN SHE SAID, YOU KNOW, THAT THIS THIS MOMENT IS PROFOUND BECAUSE A PRIOR SECRETARY OF INTERIOR DESCRIBED HIS JOB AS TO, "EXTERMINATE-- CIVILIZE OR EXTERMINATE US," AND "US" BEING NATIVE PEOPLE.

AND WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THE WEIGHT OF THAT HISTORY AND WHAT THIS DEPARTMENT HAS DONE, YOU KNOW, I GET GOOSEBUMPS JUST-- JUST THINKING ABOUT WHAT THIS MEANS.

>> Sreenivasan: TRIBAL COMMUNITIES WERE PART OF JOE BIDEN'S VICTORY, ESPECIALLY IN STATES LIKE ARIZONA.

BUT THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY, THERE'S ACTUALLY A FAIR AMOUNT OF BIPARTISAN VOTING BY MEMBERS OF TRIBES.

>> YOU KNOW, IF YOU LOOK AT ANY SORT OF MAP OF, SAY, MONTANA OR SOUTH DAKOTA OR A SORT OF WESTERN STATE WITH A LARGE, YOU KNOW, NATIVE POPULATION, WHAT YOU'LL SEE IS THAT THE RESERVATIONS ARE LIKE LITTLE ISLANDS OF BLUE IN GIANT OCEANS OF RED.

AND BECAUSE OF THAT, YOU KNOW, TRIBAL LEADERS HAVE HAD TO CULTIVATE RELATIONSHIPS ACROSS THE AISLE WITH REPUBLICANS FOR MANY GENERATIONS, AND ARE ACTUALLY VERY EFFECTIVE AT WORKING WITH REPUBLICAN PARTY LEADERS.

>> Sreenivasan: THERE ARE ALSO MEMBERS OF TRIBAL COMMUNITIES THAT ARE ASKING FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR TO START TO RETURN SOME LANDS BACK TO THEM.

>> ABSOLUTELY, SO, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT THERE IS THIS GROWING MOVEMENT FOR LAND RETURN FOR NATIVE PEOPLE.

AND, OF COURSE, THE POLICIES IMPLEMENTED BY THE NEXT SECRETARY OF INTERIOR, HOPEFULLY CONGRESSWOMAN HAALAND, ONCE SHE IS NOMINATED AND CONFIRMED, YOU KNOW, WILL HELP ADVANCE THAT VISION.

AT THE SAME TIME, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT SHE'S GOING TO BE LEANED ON PRETTY SIGNIFICANTLY TO MEET THE ADMINISTRATION'S CLIMATE AND ENVIRONMENTAL GOALS.

YOU KNOW, PUBLIC LANDS ARE, RIGHT NOW, OPEN TO FOSSIL FUEL DRILLING AND LEASING, WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT BIDEN HAS PROMISED TO END.

AND THERE IS ALSO, OF COURSE, A NEED TO BUILD RENEWABLE ENERGY ON PUBLIC LANDS, AS WELL AS TO CONSERVE AND PROTECT OUR ENVIRONMENT, AND MANY OF THOSE PROGRAMS WILL RUN THROUGH, HOPEFULLY SOON-MADAM SECRETARY HAALAND.

>> Sreenivasan: AS YOU WROTE A RECENT PROFILE OF HER, WHAT IS THE SECRET?

WHAT KEEPS HER GOING?

WHAT KEEPS HER MOTIVATED?

>> YOU KNOW, I REALLY THINK THAT WHEN SHE SPOKE TODAY ABOUT THE RESILIENCE OF HER FAMILY, OF HER ANCESTORS, YOU KNOW, I DO BELIEVE THAT IT'S NOT THE DEGREES OR ANYTHING ELSE LIKE THAT, BUT IT'S REALLY THE LIVED EXPERIENCE OF, YOU KNOW, BEING A SINGLE MOTHER ON FOOD STAMPS, YOU KNOW, SOMEONE WHO-- WHOSE GRANDPARENTS WERE SENT AWAY TO ASSIMILATIONIST BOARDING SCHOOLS.

YOU KNOW, SOMEONE WHO STARTED A SMALL SALSA BUSINESS ON HER RESERVATION.

YOU KNOW, JUST SOMEONE WHO IS REALLY SALT OF THE EARTH, WHO WENT TO STANDING ROCK IN 2016 AND COOKED FOR PEOPLE WHO WERE IN THE CAMPS IN THE PATH OF THE DAKOTA ACCESS PIPELINE.

I THINK IT IS THOSE SORTS OF EXPERIENCES AT THE END OF THE DAY, MORE SO THAN ANYTHING ELSE, THAT DRIVE HER AND HAVE BROUGHT HER TO THIS HISTORIC MOMENT.

>> Sreenivasan: CABINET POSITIONS ARE PRIZED.

THERE IS A LOT OF COMPETITION THAT HAPPENS BEHIND THE SCENES.

HOW DID CONGRESSWOMAN HAALAND GET TO THIS?

>> YOU KNOW, I THINK IT IS WORTH POINTING OUT THAT CONGRESSWOMAN HAALAND WAS NEVER A SHOO-IN FOR THIS JOB.

YOU KNOW, SHE IS A RELATIVE NEWCOMER HERE IN WASHINGTON.

IT WAS JUST HER FIRST TERM IN CONGRESS.

AND, YOU KNOW, UNLIKE MANY OF THE OTHER FOLKS WHO HAVE BEEN PUT FORWARD AND NOMINATED FOR A CABINET POSITION, SHE DOES NOT HAVE A LONG-STANDING RELATIONSHIP WITH PRESIDENT- ELECT BIDEN, WHICH IS, I THINK, VERY IMPORTANT TO THE PRESIDENT-ELECT.

AND DESPITE THOSE SORT OF CONCERNS, AND ALSO CONCERNS ABOUT THE VERY THIN HOUSE DEMOCRATIC MAJORITY, A VERY CONCERTED AND EFFECTIVE EFFORT LED BY TRIBAL LEADERS, ENVIRONMENTALISTS AND PROGRESSIVE ACTIVISTS ACTUALLY SYSTEMATICALLY, BOTH IN PUBLIC AND BEHIND THE SCENES, WAS ABLE TO GET HER ACROSS THE FINISH LINE AND TO MAKE HISTORY.

AND, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT THAT IS JUST A TESTAMENT TO WHAT AN INCREDIBLE LEADER SHE IS.

YOU KNOW, FOLKS LIKE ME, AND FOLKS, YOU KNOW, WHO HAVE STRONG BELIEFS IN JUSTICE, ETC., AREN'T JUST GOING TO GO OUT THERE AND ADVOCATE FOR ANYONE.

>> Sreenivasan: ALL RIGHT, JULIAN BRAVE NOISECAT.

THANKS SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.

>> THANKS SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME.

>> Sreenivasan: COCA-COLA IS CUTTING 2,200 JOBS GLOBALLY, 1,200 OF THEM IN THE U.S., AS PART OF A BROADER RESTRUCTURING PLAN.

FOR THE ATLANTA-BASED COMPANY, THE CUTS REPRESENT ABOUT 12% OF ITS U.S.

WORKFORCE.

COCA-COLA MADE THE ANNOUNCEMENT THURSDAY AFTER A DECLINE IN SALES THIS YEAR, AS RESTAURANTS, SPORTING VENUES AND MOVIE THEATERS SHUT DOWN DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC.

IN OCTOBER, THE COMPANY ANNOUNCED IT WOULD RETIRE 200 BRANDS, OR HALF ITS PORTFOLIO.

SEVERAL BRANDS WERE ALREADY DISCONTINUED THIS YEAR, INCLUDING ODWALLA, ZICO COCONUT WATER AND TAB SODA.

>> Sreenivasan: A MAJOR BATTLE IS UNDER WAY OVER ABORTION RIGHTS IN POLAND.

THE COUNTRY'S CONSTITUTIONAL COURT, WHOSE LEGITIMACY IS QUESTIONED IN MANY QUARTERS, HAS MADE IT EVEN HARDER FOR POLISH WOMEN TO GET ABORTIONS.

THE MOVE SET OFF MASS DEMONSTRATIONS AND HAS BEEN CONDEMNED BY THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND HUMAN RIGHTS GROUPS LIKE AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL.

AS SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT MALCOLM BRABANT REPORTS FROM THE CAPITAL, WARSAW, IT'S A FIGHT FOR POLAND'S SOUL.

( CROWD CHANTING IN POLISH ) >> Reporter: "WE'RE NOT GOING TO LET YOU SLEEP," CHANT THE DEMONSTRATORS.

THEIR TARGET IS POLAND'S RIGHT-WING GOVERNING LAW AND JUSTICE PARTY, AND IN PARTICULAR, ITS ARCH CONSERVATIVE LEADER, JAROSLAV KACZYNSKI, WHO MOST PROTESTORS BELIEVE IS THE PUPPET MASTER BEHIND THE ABORTION CRACK DOWN.

( CROWD CHANTING IN POLISH ) THESE ARE THE BIGGEST DEMONSTRATIONS THAT POLAND HAS SEEN SINCE THE COLLAPSE OF COMMUNISM MORE THAN 30 YEARS AGO.

POLAND JOINED THE EUROPEAN UNION IN 2004, AND, NOW, JUST 16 YEARS LATER, WHAT WE'RE SEEING HERE IS POLAND MOVING AWAY FROM CORE EUROPEAN VALUES.

>> Reporter: KASIA BIENKOWSKA SPORTED THE SYMBOL OF THE WOMEN'S MOVEMENT.

SO DID EMANUELA ZIELINSKA.

IT'S A RED LIGHTNING BOLT TO REPRESENT WOMEN'S STRIKE, AS THIS SLOGAN SAYS.

BUT THE GOVERNMENT CLAIMS ITS THE INSIGNIA OF ADOLF HITLER'S BRUTAL S.S.

CORPS.

THE WOMEN ARGUE WITH PLACARDS LIKE THIS THAT ONLY KACZINSKI'S GOVERNMENT IS BEING AUTHORITARIAN BY DICTATING CONTROL OF THEIR BODIES.

>> ( translated ): I FEEL TERRIBLE.

I FEEL LIKE SOMEONE IS THROWING MUD AT ME.

IT SHOULDN'T BE LIKE THIS IN A COUNTRY WHERE I'M SUPPOSED TO FEEL FREE.

I'M SCARED AND DISGUSTED WITH THE GOVERNMENT.

IT'S SHAMELESS WHAT THEY DO.

IT SHOULDN'T BE LIKE THIS.

>> Reporter: POLAND'S BITTER DIVIDE WAS APPARENT IN PARLIAMENT AS JAROSLAV KACZYNSKI CONFRONTED HIS OPPONENTS.

>> ( translated ): FIRST OF ALL, TAKE OFF THOSE S.S. SIGNS.

AND SECONDLY, ALL THOSE DEMONSTRATIONS WHICH YOU HAVE SUPPORTED AND STILL TAKE PART IN, ALL THOSE DEMONSTRATIONS COST MANY PEOPLE THEIR LIVES.

YOU HAVE BLOOD ON YOUR HANDS.

>> Reporter: OPPOSITION LAWMAKERS RESPONDED BY TELLING KACZYNSKI, "YOU'LL END UP IN JAIL."

( CROWD CHANTING IN POLISH ) >> ( translated ): ONCE THE RULE OF LAW RETURNS, MANY OF YOU WILL BE IN JAIL.

>> Reporter: KACZYNSKI'S POLITICS ARE ROOTED IN POLAND'S DOMINANT FAITH, ROMAN CATHOLICISM.

THIS SLOGAN COMPARES CATHOLIC DOGMA AS BEING AS FUNDAMENTALIST AS ISLAM'S SHARIA LAW.

( CHURCH BELLS RINGING ) CHURCH POWER FORGED POLAND'S HISTORICALLY TOUGH ABORTION RULES.

CRITICS ACCUSE THE LATE POLISH POPE JOHN PAUL II OF EXPLOITING HIS ADULATION TO IMPOSE HIS WILL, PERMITTING LEGAL ABORTION ONLY IN THREE CIRCUMSTANCES: RISK TO THE HEALTH OR LIFE OF THE PREGNANT WOMAN; SEVERE OR IRREVERSIBLE IMPAIRMENT OF THE FETUS; PREGNANCY FOLLOWING RAPE OR INCEST.

NOW, POLAND'S HIGHEST COURT HAS OUTLAWED THE CLAUSE AFFECTING MALFORMED FETUSES, THE MAIN JUSTIFICATION FOR THE MAJORITY OF LEGAL ABORTIONS.

PRESIDENT ANDREJ DUDA HAS SUGGESTED THAT PARLIAMENT SHOULD PASS A COMPROMISE.

>> WE ARE SUPPORTING THE PRESIDENT'S PROPOSAL.

>> Reporter: DEPUTY GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN, RADOSLAW FOGIEL: >> IN MANY CASES, A SEVERE MALFUNCTION FOR THE FETUS ALSO MEANS A DANGER TO MOTHER'S LIFE.

THE IDEA OF THIS-- OF THIS PROPOSAL IS TO MAKE THE-- THE LAW AS PRECISE AS POSSIBLE WITHIN THE RULING OF THE CONSTITUTIONAL COURT THAT WILL ALLOW TO PROTECT MOTHERS' LIFE IN CASES LIKE THIS.

>> Reporter: ACTIVISTS CLAIM THE NEW RESTRICTIONS WILL FORCE MORE POLISH WOMEN TO TRAVEL ABROAD TO OBTAIN ABORTIONS.

WE MET ANNA URBANEK AT A WARSAW HOTEL.

SHE WENT TO THE NETHERLANDS TO TERMINATE AN UNWANTED PREGNANCY.

>> IT WOULD BE REALLY, REALLY WAY BETTER IF WE COULD DO THIS IN OUR OWN COUNTRY.

I FELT A BIT WEIRD BEFORE MY ABORTION, JUST BEFORE THE-- THE MEDICAL PROCEDURE, BECAUSE I WAS SO HAPPY THAT I'M GOING TO STOP BEING PREGNANT.

AND NOW, I THANK GOD.

QUITE NORMAL.

AND NO, I NEVER REGRETTED IT.

>> Reporter: NATALIA BRONIARCYZK RUNS A NON-PROFIT THAT ADVISES WOMEN ON ABORTIONS AND HELPS THEM FIX TERMINATIONS IN OTHER COUNTRIES.

THEIR HELP LINE IS NOW INUNDATED.

SHE'S LIVID THAT WOMEN ARE BEING FORCED TO TRAVEL DURING THE COVID PANDEMIC.

>> THIS IS, LIKE, PUTTING US IN A POSITION WHERE WE HAVE TO RISK OUR HEALTH, OUR LIFE.

WE HAVE TO LIE TO OUR PARTNERS, TO OUR FAMILIES BECAUSE MANY WOMEN DON'T TELL TO THEIR FAMILIES THAT THEY ARE PREGNANT BECAUSE THEY ARE AFRAID OF STIGMA, AND THEY ARE AFRAID THAT SOMEONE WILL JUDGE THEM.

I THINK THAT THE SITUATION SHOWS THAT POLAND, IT'S A REALLY, REALLY BAD COUNTRY TO LIVE FOR WOMEN.

>> ABORTION IS A VIOLATION OF BASIC HUMAN RIGHTS, ESPECIALLY THE RIGHT TO LIFE.

EVERY LIFE SHOULD BE PROTECTED, BEFORE AND AFTER BIRTH.

>> Reporter: LAWYER KAROLINA PAWLOWSKA IS DIRECTOR OF A WELL- FUNDED PRO-LIFE FOUNDATION THAT OPPOSES THE PROTEST MOVEMENT.

>> I THINK THE RULING OF THE CONSTITUTIONAL TRIBUNAL OF POLAND IS A GREAT STEP TOWARDS FULL REALIZATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS IN OUR COUNTRY AND THAT THIS RULING COULD BE ALSO AN INSPIRATION FOR OTHER COUNTRIES TO PROTECT HUMAN RIGHTS OF EVERYONE.

( ANNOUNCEMENT IN POLISH ) >> Reporter: THE ABORTION RULING IS THE LATEST POLISH REJECTION OF EUROPEAN UNION NORMS.

THE GOVERNMENT'S DISMISSAL OF CRITICAL JUDGES AND REPLACING THEM WITH PARTY LOYALISTS WAS THE SUBJECT OF THIS WARSAW DEMONSTRATION IN JULY 2019.

( CROWD CHANTING IN POLISH ) THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION THEN LAUNCHED DISCIPLINARY ACTION AGAINST POLAND FOR UNDERMINING THE INDEPENDENCE OF THE JUDICIARY.

( CROWD CHANTING IN POLISH ) AT THE SAME TIME, HARD-LINE LOCAL AUTHORITIES WERE ESTABLISHING WHAT THEY CALLED "L.G.B.T.-FREE ZONES."

( CROWD CHANTING IN POLISH ) A PRIDE MARCH IN THE TOWN OF BIALYSTOK WAS ATTACKED BY A MOB OF RIGHT-WING POLES.

BACK IN WARSAW THIS WEEK, PROMINENT POLITICAL SCIENTIST ROMAN KUZNIAR WAS IN NO DOUBT WHAT IS HAPPENING.

>> Reporter: BAKER TOMEK GRABOWSKI TRAVELLED 180 MILES FROM KRAKOW IN SOUTHERN POLAND TO REGISTER HIS DISGUST WITH THE LAW AND JUSTICE'S JAROSLAV KACZINSKI.

HIS T-SHIRT READS, "DON'T LET THE THIEF RULE OVER YOU."

>> THERE ARE TWO POLANDS, AND THE SPLIT IS MORE OR LESS 50/50.

THERE IS A MODERN, OPEN-MINDED, TOLERANT POLAND; AND THERE IS THIS BACKWARD-LOOKING, CLERICAL, AUTHORITARIAN POLAND.

AND THEY ARE IN CLASH FOR THE LAST FIVE YEARS.

IT'S THE LAST MOMENT FOR US TO DEFEND THE EUROPEAN VALUES, TO STAY IN EUROPE.

>> Reporter: MEMBERS OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT PASSED A RESOLUTION EXPRESSING SOLIDARITY WITH THE PRO-ABORTIONISTS.

FRANCES FITZGERALD FROM IRELAND: >> WE IN THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT SUPPORT YOU, WE SALUTE YOU, AND WE STAND WITH YOU.

POLAND, "PIEKLO KOBIET"-- "WOMEN'S HELL"-- NO MORE.

>> Reporter: BUT LEGAL EXPERT MONIKA PLATEK DISPELS THE NOTION THAT EUROPE'S HIGHEST COURT MIGHT VETO THE ABORTION LAW.

>> EUROPEAN COURT OF HUMAN RIGHTS HAS NO POWER TO OVERTURN THE LAW.

IT CAN STATE THAT THE SITUATION THAT WE HAVE IN OUR COUNTRY IS A BREACHING THE CONVENTION OF HUMAN RIGHTS, BUT IT HAS NO RIGHTS TO TELL "YOU HAVE TO CHANGE THE LAW."

>> Reporter: PROFESSOR PLATEK FEARS THE ABORTION BAN IS PART OF A MUCH MORE SINISTER STRATEGY.

>> IT'S LIKE A BATTLEFIELD, AND THEY ARE CHECKING HOW FAR THEY CAN MOVE AND TAKE THE HUMAN RIGHTS AWAY FROM PEOPLE.

WOMEN ARE JUST FIRST.

>> Reporter: THESE PROTESTS ARE EVIDENCE OF GROWING TURMOIL WITHIN THE EUROPEAN UNION.

THE IMMINENT DEPARTURE OF BRITAIN WITH ITS REPUTATION FOR MODERATION MEANS THAT POLAND WILL MOVE UP THE EUROPEAN LADDER AND HAVE A MORE POWERFUL VOICE.

THE CHANGING BALANCE OF INFLUENCE IS CAUSING CONSIDERABLE UNEASE ACROSS THE CONTINENT.

>> Sreenivasan: THAT'S ALL FOR THIS EDITION OF PBS NEWSHOUR WEEKEND.

FOR THE LATEST NEWS UPDATES, VISIT www.pbs.org/newshour.

I'M HARI SREENIVASAN.

THANKS FOR WATCHING.

STAY HEALTHY AND HAVE A GOOD NIGHT.

>> PBS NEWSHOUR WEEKEND IS MADE POSSIBLE BY: SUE AND EDGAR WACHENHEIM III.

THE ANDERSON FAMILY FUND.

BERNARD AND DENISE SCHWARTZ.

THE CHERYL AND PHILIP MILSTEIN FAMILY.

BARBARA HOPE ZUCKERBERG.

THE LEONARD AND NORMA KLORFINE FOUNDATION.

CHARLES ROSENBLUM.

WE TRY TO LIVE IN THE MOMENT, TO NOT MISS WHAT'S RIGHT IN FRONT OF US.

AT MUTUAL OF AMERICA, WE BELIEVE TAKING CARE OF TOMORROW CAN HELP YOU MAKE THE MOST OF TODAY.

MUTUAL OF AMERICA FINANCIAL GROUP, RETIREMENT SERVICES AND INVESTMENTS.

ADDITIONAL SUPPORT HAS BEEN PROVIDED BY: CONSUMER CELLULAR.

AND BY: AND BY THE CORPORATION FOR PUBLIC BROADCASTING, A PRIVATE CORPORATION FUNDED BY THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.

AND BY CONTRIBUTIONS TO YOUR PBS STATION FROM VIEWERS LIKE YOU.

THANK YOU.