January 7, 2020 - PBS NewsHour full episode

The U.S. killing of one of Iran’s top military leaders has prompted questions about whether the Trump administration has an effective strategy for Iran, Iraq and the larger Middle East. As Iran announces it has fired missiles at Iraqi bases housing U.S. troops, Nick Schifrin talks to Mara Karlin of the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies and the Hudson Institute’s Michael Doran.

As President Trump's decision to kill a prominent Iranian general continues to draw scrutiny, what does Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, a candidate for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination, think of the move? Sanders joins Judy Woodruff to explain why the strike could set a dangerous precedent, how his health care plan will create jobs and why he is the best choice to beat Trump.

There is still no official word on when a Senate impeachment trial of President Trump might begin. The lack of forward movement is due to an ongoing impasse between House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. To make sense of the situation, Lisa Desjardins talks to Nadeam Elshami, former chief of staff to Pelosi, and Steven Law, former chief of staff to McConnell.

Venezuela’s political turmoil deepened Tuesday as supporters of President Nicolas Maduro tried to open a new session in the National Assembly without opposition members or their leader, Juan Guaido. Guaido managed to force his way into the parliament, but the confusion left Venezuelans unsure of which contingent is running their government. Special correspondent Marcia Biggs reports.

The long-awaited criminal trial of movie mogul Harvey Weinstein began in New York City this week. Although more than 80 women have accused Weinstein of sexual assault, harassment or misconduct, this trial is based on charges of rape and criminal sexual assault brought by two women. Weinstein maintains the encounters were consensual. The New York Times’ Jodi Kantor speaks to Amna Nawaz.

For those tired of the stresses and excesses of contemporary civilization, a survival expert in the Italian Alps offers a training program in living as the Neanderthals did. Participants endure a rough existence in the wilderness, learning to kill prey for food and build their own shelter. Special correspondent Malcolm Brabant left his own modern-day comforts to experience life as a caveman.

Early Wednesday, Iran’s Revolutionary Guard launched 15 ballistic missiles at air bases in Iraq that house American troops -- a remarkable step as it came directly from the Islamic Republic rather than its network of proxies. Nick Schifrin joins Judy Woodruff and gets analysis from Mara Karlin of the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies and the Hudson Institute’s Michael Doran.