PBS NewsHour - Segments

In our news wrap Thursday, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro ordered his diplomats to leave the U.S. and accused Washington of trying to put a puppet in his place after the Trump administration backed opposition leader Juan Guaido as interim president. Also, the Democratic Republic of the Congo inaugurated a new president in its first peaceful transfer of power in nearly 60 years.

Unions representing air traffic controllers, pilots and flight attendants are warning that the government shutdown compromises the safety of air travel. On Thursday, they gathered at Reagan National Airport with Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., to express their concerns. Judy Woodruff speaks with Trish Gilbert, vice president of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association, about "unraveling" safety.

The family of an American who disappeared in Syria two years ago is going public with their story, hoping to persuade President Trump to intervene. American citizen Majd Kamalmaz came to the U.S. as a child. He dedicated much of his career to helping people affected by war and natural disasters. According to his family, he was also the "glue that brought everybody together." Nick Schifrin reports.

The Atlantic has published a report detailing multiple allegations of sexual abuse against director Bryan Singer, whose film “Bohemian Rhapsody” received an Oscar nomination for best picture just two days ago. Some victims accuse Singer of misconduct that occurred when they were underage. Journalist Alex French, who investigated the story, joins Amna Nawaz.

Jobs in the trucking industry are increasingly threatened by technology and the rise of driverless trucks. But what explains the contradictory dynamic between fears of job elimination and a current shortage of truck drivers in the U.S.? The NewsHour returns to the unusual story of driver Finn Murphy, who left college and a literary family for the open road. Paul Solman reports.

Journalist Jason Rezaian was the Washington Post’s bureau chief in Tehran until 2014, when he and his wife, Yeganeh, were arrested by Iranian authorities. She was released after three months, while Jason was held for another 15. He describes the harrowing experience in his memoir, “Prisoner: My 544 Days in an Iranian Prison,” and talks to Judy Woodruff about why he believes he was targeted.

Zimbabwe’s music legend Oliver Mtukudzi, more commonly known as “Tuku,” died Wednesday. His music career spanned more than four decades, and largely cut across Zimbabwe's political divide.

On day 33 of the government shutdown, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said the House won't host the president's State of the Union address until the shutdown is resolved. In response, President Trump said Pelosi is "afraid of the truth." Meanwhile, some Democrats are considering a new plan for $5.7 billion in border security, but no wall. Judy Woodruff talks to Yamiche Alcindor and Lisa Desjardins.

In our Wednesday news wrap, Afghan intelligence says the Taliban commander who orchestrated Monday’s deadly attack on a security complex has been killed in an airstrike. The Taliban dispute the claim. Also, Pope Francis arrived in Panama, kicking off a Central American tour during which he is expected to address thousands of youth and speak out against the impulse to view migrants with fear.

As the Senate prepares to vote on two funding proposals Thursday, what are their expectations for making progress to end the government shutdown? Judy Woodruff speaks to Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., for his take on how we got to this point, what Democrats and Republicans should do next and why the president's request for additional miles of border barrier is "not unreasonable."

Amidst huge crowds of supporters in Caracas, Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaidó proclaimed himself interim president until new elections can be held. The Trump administration was quick to back Guaidó, and the country's nominal president, Nicolás Maduro, broke off U.S. relations as a result. Nick Schifrin reports on why this challenge may represent a "perfect storm" Maduro can't withstand.

The Senate is scheduled to vote on two funding proposals Thursday, and Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., says he hasn't given up hope that the one to reopen the government for two weeks will pass. Judy Woodruff talks to Sen. Van Hollen about the "poison pills" included in President Trump's most recent proposal and why the short-term funding deal represents a bipartisan "best alternative" for now.

The weeks-long partial government shutdown has many Americans losing faith. But at the same time, groups are coalescing to provide support to the hundreds of thousands of federal employees going without their paychecks. Across the country, airports are setting up food pantries, banks are offering interest-free loans and schools are hosting job fairs in an effort to pitch in. Amna Nawaz reports.

High school valedictorians are the best in their class academically. But a new report finds that the top graduates of Boston’s public high schools are encountering great obstacles to attaining educational and economic milestones. John Yang talks to the Boston Globe's Malcolm Gay, one of the story's reporters, about how former stars are struggling and why success takes more than scholarship money.

Viruses like Avian flu, Ebola and Marburg often fester in animals before moving into human populations. Animals in regions that are geographically remote present particular challenges for disease containment. But in Thailand, local residents are using technology, including digital scanning, to track animals and stop outbreaks before they start. Special correspondent Fred de Sam Lazaro reports.