PBS NewsHour - Segments

A decade of illegal gold mining in the Peruvian Amazon has left thousands of acres of rainforest a wasteland. Unpermitted miners cleared vast sections of trees near Peru's border with Brazil and infused the land with mercury, causing an environmental disaster. But some miners have fled after Peruvian troops moved in. Special correspondent Leo Schwartz reports in the first of a two-part series.

In our news wrap Friday, President Trump appeared to downplay the chance of a military strike on Iran. U.S. and Saudi officials have pointed to Iran as the culprit in last weekend's attacks on Saudi oil facilities, but Trump said Friday that exercising restraint toward Iran "shows strength." Also, the death toll from a Taliban suicide bombing in southern Afghanistan Thursday nearly doubled, to 39.

In parts of southeastern Texas, only building roofs are visible above water after remnants of Tropical Storm Imelda dumped more than 40 inches of rain on the area over three days. At least three people died in the storm, which hit just over two years after the historic inundation from Hurricane Harvey. Still, state officials said they were better prepared this time. Lisa Desjardins reports.

Reports of a whistleblower complaint that might involve President Trump, potentially related to his conversations with the president of Ukraine, have raised myriad questions. Yamiche Alcindor has the latest details, and for a look at the geopolitical angle of the story, Judy Woodruff speaks to Nina Jankowicz of the Wilson Center, an independent, non-partisan research institute.

Amid new reports of a whistleblower complaint that might involve President Trump and his interactions with a foreign leader, the president continues to deny any wrongdoing. and Judy Woodruff talks to Joel Brenner, who was the National Security Agency's inspector general under President George W. Bush, about why he expects Congress to investigate further.

In cities across the globe on Friday, protesters took to the streets to demand action on climate change. The demonstrations, easily the largest to focus on climate, represent a movement driven largely by young people -- many of whom left school to join the walkout. William Brangham spoke to several participants about their mission to reduce fossil fuel emissions and how they plan to execute it.

After millions of protesters marched around the globe to demand action on climate change, we more closely examine what policies they are proposing. Miles O'Brien joins William Brangham to discuss current sources of U.S. energy and what it would take to transition to all renewables, plus the outlook for nuclear power as the infamous Three Mile Island plant closes.

Syndicated columnist Mark Shields and New York Times columnist David Brooks join Judy Woodruff to discuss the week's political news, including reports of a whistleblower complaint that might involve President Trump, the debate about whether a sitting president can commit a crime and the U.S. response to attacks on Saudi oil facilities.

One of the most popular television series of the past decade is returning -- but this time, to the big screen. After four years off the air, the British period drama "Downton Abbey" is making its film debut. Judy Woodruff sits down with series creator Julian Fellowes and members of the cast to discuss reuniting and how the beloved characters provide a welcome diversion from modern cynicism.

In our news wrap Thursday, Iran threatened an "all-out war" if attacked by the U.S. or Saudi Arabia. From the United Arab Emirates, Sec. of State Mike Pompeo said he hoped for a "peaceful resolution" of the tense situation. Also, a Taliban truck bomb in southern Afghanistan's Zabul province killed 20 people and wounded nearly 100, while a U.S. drone misfired and killed 30 civilians in the east.

A whistleblower complaint dubbed a matter of "urgent concern" by the intelligence community's inspector general may involve a communication between President Trump and a foreign leader, according to reports. Now, a standoff is ensuing between the White House and Congress over access to the details. California Rep. Adam Schiff, chair of the House Intelligence Committee, joins Amna Nawaz to discuss.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is mired in scandal since three separate images emerged showing him in blackface. The controversial instances, for which Trudeau apologized Thursday, have quickly dominated the Canadian election period. William Brangham reports and talks to BuzzFeed's Elamin Abdelmahmoud about why the news is so shocking and how it might affect Trudeau's campaign.

After a series of shooting massacres over the summer and renewed calls for stricter gun regulation, Senate Republicans have indicated some willingness to consider new legislation. But according to Sen. Mitch McConnell, President Trump has not yet weighed in on what type of proposal he would support, leaving the congressional GOP feeling pressure without a plan. Lisa Desjardins joins Amna Nawaz.

The cost of running Guantanamo Bay's prison and court system climbed by nearly $90 million from 2013 to 2018, even though the number of prisoners housed there has fallen. Amna Nawaz talks to The New York Times' Carol Rosenberg about the factors contributing to the rising costs and whether there's any political appetite to move Guantanamo's so-called "forever prisoners" to another site.

The United Nations has called climate change the "defining issue of our time." But new analyses suggest the planet's temperature will rise by even more than the UN had estimated -- and that warming creates ever-increasing energy consumption due to the need for more air conditioning. Paul Solman takes an updated look at the extreme risks the globe faces from potential worst-case scenarios.