January 15, 2020 - PBS NewsHour full episode

As the impeachment trial of President Trump opens, questions persist about how it will be run. In particular, Democrats and Republicans have argued over whether or not to include witness testimony. Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., joins Lisa Desjardins to discuss how he and his GOP colleagues can be impartial while coordinating with the White House and why he supports postponing the witness question.

Six candidates for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination met on stage in Iowa Tuesday night for the final debate before the state’s caucuses in early February. Electability was a prominent theme, as the candidates sparred over who would be able to beat President Trump in November. Amna Nawaz reports and Judy Woodruff talks to Radio Iowa’s O. Kay Henderson about how Iowa voters are reacting.

After two years of escalating threats and tariffs, the U.S. and China have signed a trade deal. In what is known as Phase 1 of a larger agreement, Beijing pledged to increase purchases of U.S. goods, while U.S. tariffs remain on $360 billion of Chinese imports. Nick Schifrin reports and Judy Woodruff talks to Peter Navarro, director of the White House Office of Trade and Manufacturing Policy.

In our news wrap Wednesday, Virginia became the crucial 38th state to ratify the 1972 Equal Rights Amendment, which bars discrimination on the basis of sex. Three-quarters of the states now approve the amendment. Also, Russia’s government abruptly resigned after President Vladimir Putin proposed sweeping constitutional changes that could keep him in power after his current term ends in 2024.

Many questions remain regarding how the Senate impeachment trial of President Trump will be conducted. Among the points of contention is whether or not witnesses should be called. Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., joins Lisa Desjardins to discuss why he believes “you can’t have a trial without witnesses and evidence” and how it’s “no surprise” that most Americans are not following impeachment closely.

An outbreak of the deadly Ebola virus has plagued Democratic Republic of Congo for nearly a year and a half, with more than 3,000 people getting sick and 2,000 dead. Major medical advances in prevention and treatment have kept the disease's toll from rising, but ongoing war -- and attacks on medical teams -- have forced the response to a standstill. Special correspondent Monica Villamizar reports.