January 9, 2020 - PBS NewsHour full episode

For investigative reporter Ronan Farrow, the ability to produce a story hinges upon the courage of his interview subjects. But the chance an abuse survivor has to exact justice is tied to the wealth and stature of those they accuse, and we need the transparency and accountability journalism demands to expose this imbalance. Farrow shares his Brief But Spectacular take on interrogating the truth.

According to the U.S. government, evidence is mounting that an Iranian missile was responsible for the crash of a passenger plane near Tehran Wednesday. Iran denies the charge, but the U.S. says radar, satellite and photos indicate it is "highly likely" -- raising the question of why civilian aircraft were flying amid a conflict. Nick Schifrin reports and joins Judy Woodruff and Miles O’Brien.

In our news wrap Thursday, Britain’s House of Commons gave final approval to the country’s leaving the European Union on January 31st. The bill will become law once the House of Lords gives its pro forma consent. Also, officials responding to fires in southeastern Australia have ordered more evacuations before a new round of high winds and extreme heat. Friday temperatures could top 110 degrees.

For decades, Taiwan's political status has been a contentious issue between the U.S. and China. The U.S. considers it a real democracy, while mainland China sees a rogue province that should be under Communist control. Taiwanese voters will elect their next president Saturday, in a decision with major implications for Taiwan and U.S.-China relations. Special correspondent Divya Gopalan reports.

The Trump administration wants to roll back part of a seminal law requiring environmental impact statements for infrastructure projects such as roads, mines and pipelines. Industry has long pushed for these changes to reduce what it says are endless delays, but environmental groups argue the proposal would be disastrous for environmental protection. William Brangham talks to Amy Harder of Axios.

Organized labor in the American workforce has declined since the 1980s, with many unions struggling to attract workers as companies voice opposition to them. But in Las Vegas, one union has broken through to much of the city’s hospitality sector -- and done so by involving its membership in all of its operations. Paul Solman reports on how this new model of organization is driving results.