GEOFF BENNETT: Good evening.

I'm Geoff Be AMNA NAWAZ: On the "News E. Jean Carroll more than $83 million for defamation.

GEOFF BENNETT: The United Nations' top court orders Israel to do all it can to prevent acts of genocide in Gaza, but stops short of calling for a cease-fire.

AMNA NAWAZ: And Alabama carries out the nation's first execution with nitrogen gas, reigniting debate over the death penalty.

CHIARA EISNER, NPR: He w seemed to take around 22 minutes, which was significantly longer than what a lot of people expected.

(BREAK) AMNA NAWAZ: Welcome to the "NewsHour."

The U.N.'s top court today delivered major warnings to Israel about how it should conduct the war in Gaza.

GEOFF BENNET news tonight.

A New York j to writer E. Jean Carroll for defaming her after she accused him of sexual assault decades earlier.

AMNA NAWAZ: against the former president, pointing to Mr. Trump's continuing attac White House as president and after leaving office.

GEOFF BENNETT: William Brangham is here to help us make sen So, William, let's break down what the specific damages are, because the tot than eight times what Ms. Carroll asked for in her initial lawsuit.

WILLIAM BRANGHAM: That's right.

It was a pre And let's break those down, what they actually are; $7.3 million was offered for emotional harm, $11 million in reputational damage, and $65 million in punitive damages.

That's what the jury was able to decide on their own.

And let's talk a little bit about each of those individually.

The emotional harm was for what E. Jean Carroll said was this to through after the then-president defamed her.

And she said she received death threats, a sort of torrent of online abuse.

She felt unsafe.

She was sleeping So the jury gave her $7 million for that.

She also said that her career basically fell off a cliff and that she stoppe She stopped going on morning TV.

Only thing anyone ever wanted to talk to her ab And with the specter of her out there calling her a liar and a -- quote -- "whack as he did, they awarded her $11 million for her reputational repair; $65 million was the punitive damages.

That's what she was of That's what th former president, and that's the number that they chose.

It is worth remembering she already received $5 million from the former president was found liable for sexually abusing her and defaming her.

So, this is now on top of all that.

GEOFF BENNETT: The $65 million in p What did Ms. Carroll's team argue that the jury was then led to arrive at that number?

WILLIAM BRANGHAM: That's right.

The punitive damage number really is the one An d Carroll's lawyers all along had been arguing that, if you want to stop Do continuing to make these now unfounded claims about E. Jean Carroll, that money is the only way that you're going to do that.

We should note the former president has Every time he talks about this case, he calls her a whack job.

He says she's a liar.

He says he's nev He says he never did He says she made this all up to sell a b this month, he put out about her.

GEOFF BENNETT: In a single day.

WILLIAM BRAN GEOFF BENNETT: Y WILLIAM BRAN -- Carroll's lawyers posted long swathes of video of the f his wealth as a way of sort of priming the jury to remember, this is a very wealthy man, and maybe you ought to take advantage of that.

GEOFF BENNETT: And as you and ot front of the jury with his behavior, today even.

He got up and walked out of the courtroom during Tell us more about that.

WILLIAM BRAN I mean, I'm himself in front of the jury and with this judge and think he did himself any favors.

I mean, all of the times that I sat there in the court with him, he was irascible, huffing, often speaking loud enough for the jury to hear so that lawyers and the judge had to stop and tell him to be quiet.

And, as you said, in the middle ev ent, he got up in the middle of it and walked and left out -- left the courthouse.

So, again, it's hard to see that did him any favors.

GEOFF BENNETT: So what comes next, William?

WILLIAM BRANGHAM: The former president ha and that is certainly his right, and that's definitely going to happen.

He posted on TRUTH Social today, we should say.

This is what he had to say.

He said this is -- I fully disagree with both verdicts, and will be a focused on me and the Republican Party."

Again, it's worth stating again, as we have before, ther connected to the Biden White House at all.

This was a civil case brought by an individual nothing related to the Biden administration whatsoever.

The president will appeal this.

We will see how GEOFF BENNETT: W president, thanks so much.

AMNA NAWAZ: Now to our other Th e International Court of Justice today rejected South Africa's request for a it accused Israel of genocide.

But the court also rejected Israel's request accusations should be further investigated, ensuring a legal spotlight will continue to shine on the war.

Nick Schifrin reports.

JUDGE JOAN DON in the Gaza Strip.

In NICK SCHIFRI human rights group called a judicial thunderbolt.

JUDGE JOAN DONOGHUE: Israel must, in accordance wi in relation to Palestinians in Gaza, take all measures within its power to prevent the commission of all acts within the scope of Article 2 of the convention.

WOMAN: The draft Convention on Genocide.

NICK SCHIFRIN: The Genocide Convention was systematic campaign to eliminate European Jews.

And Article 2 defines genocide as acts committed with the intent to destroy, in part, a national, ethical, racial or religious group, and cites as examples killing, injuring, inflicting conditions calculated to bring about physical destruction, preventing births or transferring children.

JUDGE JOAN DONOGHU do not commit any of the aforementioned acts.

NICK SCHIFRIN: The court declined South Africa's request fo Israel's right to defend itself.

But it also said Israel must take i aid to Gaza, prevent and punish incitement to commit genocide, and preserve evidence of its military decisions.

The first two were supported even b BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, Israeli Prime Minister: Israel's commitment to international unwavering.

NICK SCHIFRI but also pledged the very steps that the court had demanded.

BENJAMIN NETANYAHU: Our war is against Hamas terrorists, not agains We will continue to facilitate humanitarian assistance and to do our utmost to keep civilians out of harm's way, even as Hamas uses civilians as human shields.

NICK SCHIFRIN: But Israel's defense minister, Yoav Gallant, was less restrained.

In a statement, he said: "Those who seek justice will not find it on the leather chairs of the court chambers in The Hague.

They will find it in the Hamas JO HN KIRBY, NSC Coordinator For Strategic Communications: We respect the court's role as an arbiter of solving peaceful dispute NICK SCHIFRIN: Today, at the White House, National Security Council spok said the court's ruling echoed U.S. calls to minimize civilian casualties an assistance.

But he also said it JOHN KIRBY: It's difficult to see that it alone is going to change the As I said, the president believes the approach we have been taking has been getting results, and we're going to keep at that.

NICK SCHIFRIN: In war, today, the U.N.'s principal agency in Gaza fired 12 employees for participating in the attack.

In response, the U.S. al l of Gaza's basic services.

GILAD ERDAN, Israeli Ambassador Ho locaust remembrance day, it was exposed that UNRWA employees took part in the massacr NICK SCHIFRIN: For perspective on the International Court of Justice's orders today, we turn to Harold Koh, who served as the State Department's legal adviser during the Obama administration and assistant secretary of state for democracy and human rights during the Clinton administration.

He's now a professor of international law at Yale Law School.

Harold Koh, thanks very much.

Welcome back What's your reaction t HAROLD KOH, Former State Department Official: I think it's a lop Africa, and it's a very severe public relations loss for Israel.

I think it has some virtues.

I think it's going to force the Israelis to be much more open about granting of ac to humanitarian assistance, and it's going to encourage its politicians to dial back their over-the-top rhetoric, which the court indicated might be considered incitement to genocide.

But it's an unba It leaves Hamas free to continue its attacks.

NICK SCHIFRIN: When it comes to Israel, does it fundamentally force or the way it's prosecuting the war?

HAROLD KOH: Well, they didn't tell the But the Israelis had said that calling this a genoci They used that term.

What the court said, and by a very dec be capable of being viewed as either committing genocide or failing to prevent genocide, meaning that this is a plausible claim, depending on how severe civilian casualties are going forward.

So the Israe The kind of unrestrained language that was quoted showed that the da ys after October 7 were really using overbroad language.

And even the Israeli judge, the great Aharon Barak, said, you have to give humanitarian assistance, and you can't make these intemperate statements that can be viewed by some as a call to genocide.

NICK SCHIFRIN: On Is to be more precise, does it?

The court is only saying y in the convention that would show -- quote -- "the intent to destroy Palestinians in Gaza," right?

HAROLD KOH: the same things we're doing and just very much renounce that we have any against the Palestinians in Gaza, as opposed to Hamas, who we have said we want to eradicate.

The problem, though, is that what the court flagged is that the scale of civilian deaths is so broad that from those deaths you could infer, possibly infer, an intent to wipe out a group.

So I do thin they have been to this point.

NICK SCHIFRIN: As we j Council staff, said, this would not change U.S. support to Israel.

Is he right?

HAROLD KOH: The United States wants -- doesn't want to be accused of ai So all conversations are going to be inflected through the idea is, could what we're doing in terms of aid to the Israelis be taken as aiding and abetting genocide?

They want to stay on the side of it.

I think also what Kirby said was, the r to the Israelis anyway, which suggests that it may actually help the United States in calling for the restraint from -- more restraint from the Netanyahu government, both in terms of its words and actions.

NICK SCHIFRIN: What ki comes to pushing Israel one way or the other, if it does, as you say, use this court ruling for that effect?

HAROLD KOH: The Bi so that there's some assurance that they're actually following international humanitarian law.

It's a well- a white flag.

And the obviou in which they would fire when someone's waving a white flag?

And I think what they could say is, we're telling you this because we're your fri but also because we think you're under the supervision of the court.

And if you don't take it seriously, they're going to rule against you further.

NICK SCHIFRIN: As we reported earlier, the U.S. has suspended funding to th and Works Agency, UNRWA, after the U.N. admitted that 12 of its staff members participat in the October 7 Hamas terrorist attack.

And John Kirby today went even further.

He said -- quote -- "We'll certainly consid going forward, depending on the U.N.

investigation."

How significant is that?

HAROLD KOH: This i UNRWA has 13,000 aid workers in Gaza.

It's absolutely critical to alleviating the humanitarian crisi now, which may lead to the death of thousands more civilians in the next period.

So it's hard to do this without UNRWA.

On the other hand, it's already become clear that at least some p Commissioner General Lazzarini of the UNRWA fired 12 people already.

I think what it will do is also create a pall over U.N. activities.

The International Court of Justice opinion actually quoted language from Lazzarini in its report.

And the Israelis could view on the part of UNRWA.

NICK SCHIFRIN: Harold Koh, HAROLD KOH: Thank you, Nick.

AMNA NAWAZ: In the day's other headlines: The Israeli military ordered sweeping new evacuations of three neighborhoods in Khan Yunis in Southern Gaza as intense fighting raged.

That sent th It's already packed with displaced people living in tent cities.

President Biden spoke with the emir of Qatar and the president of Egypt today on prospects for a cease-fire and hostage release in Gaza.

That came amid reports that CIA Director Bill Burns will meet in Europe with and Egyptian intelligence chiefs and the Qatari prime minister.

Still, the White House kept expectations low.

JOHN KIRBY, NSC Coordinator For Strategic Communicatio to be able to stand up here on Friday afternoon We 're not.

What I hope including the phone calls that the president had today, is how seriously we're taking the issue, how hard we're working to try to see if another hostage deal can be put in place.

AMNA NAWAZ: It's believed that Hamas and other militants still hold up to 130 hostages in Gaza.

Houthi rebel A U.S. Navy destroyer shot down one incoming missile today.

Later, an oil tanker was hit by a missile and caught fire.

Meanwhile, some 30 House members demanded that President Biden get congressional ap for reprisals against the Houthis.

They warned in a letter -- quote -- "No president, re authority to bypass Congress on matters of war."

The speaker of the House, Mike Johnson, now says a potential Senate deal on border security and Ukraine funding is -- quote -- "dead on arrival."

He made that known today in a letter to colleagues.

Hard-line conservatives and former President Trump are gift to Democrats.

Russia denied today that President Putin is open to ta Bloomberg News reported Putin has put out feelers to the U.S. and might consider dropping objections to Ukraine joining NATO.

In response, a Kremlin spokesman said today -- quote -- "This It absolutely does not correspond with reality."

Also, today, a Moscow court once again extended the pretrial deten reporter Evan Gershkovich.

It now runs through the end of March, one ye Gershkovich listened to the ruling today from inside a courtroom cage.

He's accused of espionage, something he and The Journal deny.

In Australia, thousands of people protested as the country observed Australia Day, when British convicts arrived in 1788 as the first European settlers.

Crowds waved aboriginal flags to mark centuries of injustice.

Many pushed to do away with the usual celebrations and rename it Invasion Day.

ADRIAN BURRAGUBBA, Aboriginal Elder: We're here to tell people that Australia Day doesn't mean anything to us.

It's the day o That day when they came here, we have to keep telling people tha our law, and we still operate under our laws.

AMNA NAWAZ: Last October, voters rejected on policies affecting indigenous people.

Back in this country, the American Museum of Natural History in New York tw o major Native American exhibits.

It follows new federal rules that say museums need p artifacts.

Several other museum And on Wall Street, stocks had a mixed finish, despite new data showing inflation continues to moderate.

The Dow Jones in 55 points and the S&P 500 lost three.

Still to come on the "NewsHour": Jonathan Capehart and Eliana Johnson weigh in on th week's political headlines; an astronaut who spent a year in space discusses readjusting to life back on Earth; an American chemist causes a stir in Britain by suggesting a cup of tea can be improved with salt; plus much more.

GEOFF BENNETT: For the first time in this nation's history, nitrogen gas was used as a new method of capital punishment in the execution of an Alabama prisoner.

Kenneth Eugene Smith was convicted of a murder-for-hire scheme in 1988, and he survived a botched execution attempt in 2022.

For the second and final execution, the state opted for a method, despite concerns voiced by several human rights groups and the U.N. that it could amount to torture.

We're joined now by NPR's So , Chiara, Alabama tried to execute Smith first by lethal injection two years ago, but was unable to find a vein before the state's death warrant expired.

Why did they turn to nitrogen suffocation?

CHIARA EISNER, NPR: So, in 2022, Kenneth Smith's execution was botched They were not able to ultimately execute him.

But that was the third execution that year that was botch So the state struggled repeatedly with lethal injection.

And after Kenneth Smith's failed execution, his lawyers argued that they should never try to use that method on him again.

And they advocated for the second method of execution that's legal in Th e secondary method is nitrogen gas.

So that's the other approved method.

And that was what was available as an alternative.

GEOFF BENNETT: Smith's spiritual adviser condemned this method of execu reporters last night.

REV.

JEFF HOOD, S this knows that we didn't see someone go uncon We didn't see somebody go unconscious in 30 seconds.

What we saw was minutes of someone struggling for their life.

I stood there and cried while I saw someone get suffocated to death.

GEOFF BENNETT: So, Chiara, what exactly transpired during this execution?

CHIARA EISNER: So we heard from multiple media witnesses that Smith was awake, at least for multiple minutes.

We heard that he was writhing and gasping for multiple minutes And the entire thing seemed to take around 22 minutes, which was significantly longer than what a lot of people expected.

GEOFF BENNETT: And we should say that Sennett to death with a fireplace poker more than 30 years ago.

The victim's son, Mike Sennett, also spoke to the media last night.

MIKE SENNETT, Murder Victim's Son: It's kind of a bittersweet day.

We're not going to be jumping around, whooping and hollering, hoo That's not us.

But we're glad this day is over.

Kenneth Smith made some bad decisions 35 years ago.

And his debt was paid tonight.

GEOFF BENNETT: So looking ahead, as I understand it, Oklahoma and the use of nitrogen gas for execution.

Is there an expectation that other states will f CHIARA EISNER: I think a lot of people were looking at what happened l whether it is a viable alternative.

Lethal injection has not been a viable alternative for many s The drugs have been difficult to obtain after pharmaceutical companies widely and unanimously objected to their drugs being used to kill people.

That's made it very difficult for states to obtain those drugs and to execute their with them.

And people are We have seen the death penalty decrease in popularity are going on, but it's not stopping, by any means.

There are multiple executions scheduled for this year and mult in Oklahoma, where, like you said, nitrogen gas is an approved method of execution.

GEOFF BENNETT: NPR investigative reporter Chiara Eisner, thank you for being with us.

CHIARA EISNER: Thank you.

AMNA NAWAZ: Republicans are increasingly coalescing around former President Donald Trump, even as the likely GOP presidential nominee continues to use racist and incendiary language.

DONALD TRUMP, Former President of the United States (R) and Current U.S. Presidential Candidate: They're poisoning the blood of our coun That's what they hav They poison not just the three or four countries that we think about.

But all over the world, they're coming into our country, from Afri the world.

They're pour Nobody's eve AMNA NAWAZ: From cir immigrants, Trump's rhetoric has reshaped the party's base.

White House correspondent Laura Barron-Lopez has been covering this, and she joins Good to see you, Laura.

LAURA BARRON AMNA NAWAZ: What has Mr. Trump been saying on the campaign so far?

LAURA BARRON-LOPEZ: So, in addition to what we j repeatedly saying that migrants are poisoning the blood of the country, whic of Nazi Germany point out is echoing Adolf Hitler's language, in addition to that, he's also deployed racist tactics against his chief rival, Nikki Haley, the last woman standing against him, questioning her citizenship, her American citizenship.

On TRUTH Social, he reposted an account, the Gateway Pundit, that questioned whether or not she was eligible to be the president of the United States and questioned her American bona fides.

And then he also has re Nikki Nimarata Haley when talking about her.

And so this isn't the first time that the president has deployed tactics like that.

You will remember that he repeatedly questioned former President Barack Obama's citizenship and repeatedly asked for his birth certificate and called him Barack Hussein Obama over and over again.

AMNA NAWAZ: Is there a political strategy behind all of this?

LAURA BARRON-LOPEZ: There is a playbook that has been used the past that appeals to fears of the other, fears of brown and Black people.

We saw it used by Richard Nixon.

We have seen it used by Ronald Reagan.

And so this is something that isn't necessarily new But I spoke to Ian Haney Lopez, who is from U.C.

Berkeley, and he's a professor of race and constitutional law.

And he explained how dog whistle politics animates American voters.

IAN HANEY LOPEZ, U.C.

Berkeley: Wh are strategically, intentionally, purposefully seeking to exploit peo by saying welfare queen, illegal alien, terrorist, gangbanger, terms that they know will trigger unconscious racist views, but which they can also say, hey, I didn't say anything racist.

I didn't use a racial epithet.

I didn't mention s LAURA BARRON-LOPEZ: Professor Lopez added it animates fear and anger among voters.

And when voters become fearful or angry, they don't really listen to any ot AMNA NAWAZ: So tell us more about those voters.

How is this rhetoric and this language resonating LAURA BARRON-LOPEZ: I spoke to Denver Riggleman, a former GOP congressman from Virginia he said that this -- these types of racist appeals and nativism from Trump and from other Republicans is essentially infecting the Republican voting base.

And then Sarah Longwell, a Republican pollster, shared some responses that she's been getting in her focus groups.

And specifical which shows that Republican voters are repeating Trump's dog whistles when they're talking about some of the other candidates that were running in the primary, such as Vivek Ramaswamy.

MAN: I'm sorry.

I'm not being prejudiced, guys, but I don't like where he came from.

After 9/11, I still harbor a lot of hard feelings abou MAN: No offense to any woman out there.

I just feel like They have got to mak They're the commander in chief.

They have that red button at their disposal LA URA BARRON-LOPEZ: In that last one, we heard some sexism directed at Nikki Haley.

And so, again, Republican voters repeating some of the same sexist rhetoric used by former President Donald Trump.

AMNA NAWAZ: What does all of this mean for the Republican Party and also for the country moving forward?

LAURA BARRON-LOPEZ: I want to take a step back, Amna, because, in 2012, the Republican National Committee, after that presidential election and their losses th ey needed to be a more inclusive party.

They issued an autopsy report that said thought that their party didn't want them in the country.

But then, when Donald Trump won in 2016, he essentially sent the party d different path.

And it basically convinced the Republic whistle politics and win.

I asked Professor Lopez what impact that could IA N HANEY LOPEZ: The tragedy is that Republican leadership and also important media outlets like FOX News have convinced a significant portion of Americans that their best future depends on rejecting and indeed actively fighting against a multiracial democracy.

But we're already a multiracial society.

What we stand to lose then is our democracy and a society that works for all of us.

LAURA BARRON-LOPEZ: So, even though Trump's playbook isn't new, Amna, Professor Ian Haney Lopez said that that relentless rhetoric has essentially reshaped the entire Republican voting base.

AMNA NAWAZ: Laura, thank you for that reporting.

LAURA BARRON-LOPEZ: Thank you.

AMNA NAWAZ: Funding for Ukraine is on hold, as former President Donald Trump has urged lawmakers to reject any compromise immigration deal.

On that battle and the other stories shaping the week, we turn now to the analysis of Ca and Johnson.

That is Jonathan C editor in chief of The Washington Free Beacon.

David Brooks is away.

Good to see you both Thanks for b JONATHAN CAP AMNA NAWAZ: his colleagues today that the Sena dead on arrival in the House.

That's after former President Trump was ra deal.

Republican Senat SEN. MITT ROMNEY that he doesn't want us to solve the border problem because he wants to blame Biden for it is really appalling.

AMNA NAWAZ: Did Mr. Trump's pressure just put it into the ground?

JONATHAN CAPEHART: I don't know.

I mean, Senator president is asking them to do, speaking out in favor of a bill that under normal circumstances they wouldn't get.

We have to k meaning none of us at this table.

It has not been released.

We're just talking about rumors of wha rumor is what Speaker Johnson used in that letter.

It is my hope that Senator Romney, Senator Graham, Senator Cramer from North Dakota and the other six stay cohesive, stay at the bargaining table and come up with something, because the idea that you won't -- that you shouldn't come up with something because it will give President Biden some sort of win is appalling.

These are the same people who have been complaining about open borders and invasions and fentanyl killing Americans coming over the border and why won't the president, President Biden, do anything.

They're trying to AMNA NAWAZ: To that point, President Biden put out this late today.

Here's what He called a deal He said: "For anyone -- for everyone," rather, "who's d is the way to do it.

If you're serious will sign it."

So, Eliana, ELIANA JOHNSON: That statement from President Biden was -- is clearly going to be his message.

I am skeptical that this bill is going to pass, but immigration and the border have been a problem for President Biden, and you can see him now prepared to say, we came wanting to sign a deal with the toughest border provisions in a long time, and Republicans rejected that.

The question is whether Biden will actually be able to get out from under all of the bad press and his poor handling of the border up until now.

How closely are people actually paying attention to this?

There are a couple of other interesting dynamics Mi tch McConnell, the Senate minority leader, this deal is Republica funding in exchange for Democrats agreeing to tougher border provisions.

Mitch McConnell has been the loudest proponent on the Republican side of Ukraine funding.

He's going to be in favor of this deal.

It is very much a legacy i So it looks like very much it's going to be Presid the bad situation at the border, versus Mitch McConnell in the Senate wanting this legacy issue, more funding for Ukraine.

AMNA NAWAZ: Would Mitch to a deal?

ELIANA JOHNS (LAUGHTER) ELIANA JOHNS Yes, I think He's not beh Others are m in an election year.

And the House already And what Speaker Johnson came out and said is that, if the Se as tough as the House deal, this thing is dead.

And it's not going to be as tough as that House JONATHAN CAPEHART: And we should communication with Donald Trump.

And so we know what's going on here.

No matter what the Senate comes up with, the House is not going t And certainly they're not going to come up with a bill that could even garner a single Democratic vote.

AMNA NAWAZ: the background and Mr. Trump now being the likely presumpti I want to get both of your takes on what the biggest takeaways we early contests in Iowa and New Hampshire.

And also we saw his strengths now, right, Jonathan?

We kind of know where his core constituencies and his loya But you also saw today this key judgment from a jury awarding E. Jean Carr for -- that he has to pay for defaming her.

Is any of this a vulnerability for him?

JONATHAN CAPEHART: Not in the primary, not during the primary c have seen, his poll numbers started going up among the primary electorate the moment he got that first indictment.

The problem comes in, if he does ind campaign.

And there are -- certainly, Demo of Republicans who are troubled by these felony indictments who I think woul by the fact that a former president of the United States today has been ordered to pay $83.3 million to a woman he defamed in a lawsuit that had already determined he sexually assaulted her.

I'm old enough to town, let alone don't even think about running for president.

And yet he's in the hunt.

But what the -- Nikki Haley's second-place fini that independent voters went to her.

And independent voters in the general election are going to be a big deal, and they don't like -- I don't think they like what Trump is up to.

And then, if you add on top of it -- and this will be the last t issue... AMNA NAWAZ: JONATHAN CAP AMNA NAWAZ: Which we know is the centra Eliana, how do you look at this?

ELIANA JOHNSON: Look, I don't think this verdict is telling voters anything the know about President Trump.

They know he's crass.

They know he They know he But I do think that Nikki Haley's campaign against him revealed some of his weaknesses.

She won overwhelmingly independent voters and coll It's pretty clear, I think, that Donald Trump may not need those voters to win the primaries.

He's got the base of the Republican Party behind him.

He will, however, need those voters to win a gene And I do think this is where the lawsuit is relevant.

The lawsuit can hurt him among women and independents, as can a Nikki Haley, where he's more likely the longer this goes on to say some things.

He made a comment on the night of their New Hampshire primary about Nikki Haley's dress, that it was -- oh, she tried to look nice, but the dress was ugly, or something along those lines.

Those are so need those people in a general election.

AMNA NAWAZ: You think that's So... ELIANA JOHNS AMNA NAWAZ: Her campaign has said that they have raised over a million dollars since th primary.

Is this about Is she looking for a vice presidential pick here?

What's the play?

ELIANA JOHNS she in this just until after South Carolina, or is she Is this about securing a vice presidential nomination?

Or is it about trying to reshape the party in 2028 and beyond?

I'm not quite sure we know that from her -- from her yet.

AMNA NAWAZ: We should also note, President Biden had an objecti There were more strong economic numbers.

He got a big endorsement from the He's really shifting into much more of a general election campaign mode.

You have got key advisers like Jen O'Malley Dillon and Mike Donilon, architects of his 2020 win, now shifting to the campaign from the White House.

Are they in a more general election mode now?

And what does that mean for the campaign?

JONATHAN CAPEHART: Yes, Trump will be the Republican presidential nominee.

It is, I think, a fight that they are looking -- very much loo As we saw, I think it was New Hampshire primary night, when the Biden campaign put out a statement slamming Donald Trump, but also slamming Nikki Haley, saying it doesn't matter.

She -- basically, she's Trump-lite.

She supports all the things that he supports.

So bring it on, no matter which one co But I do think that the campaign shifting into general elect thing to do, and it's the necessary thing to do, because we know, with Donald Trump, he's constantly in campaign mode, whether he's sitting in the courtroom or standing on the sidewalk giving a press conference or actually on a stage in Iowa or New Hampshi And I think the sooner that the Biden campaign gets out there, the more that it will be on.

I just think everyone needs to buckle up, because between now and Election Day is going to be rough.

AMNA NAWAZ: Eliana, how do you look at this?

And where do you thi attacks?

ELIANA JOHNS a long time.

He gave a bi He's given a couple of them in the past six months.

And I think that's very much going to be a general election the I think Biden is most vulnerable on immigration and the economy.

And I am skeptical.

I said a cou Republicans rejecting the offer from Democrats.

I think they probably won't, and Biden will be blamed for the situation at th border.

And I think he's The numbers are good, but I don't think voters And foreign policy, there's a lot going on in the world right now, but it tends not to be an issue that people actually cast a ballot on.

So I do think economy, immigration, those are going to be the outcome of this election.

AMNA NAWAZ: Eliana Johnson, Thank you so much.

ELIANA JOHNSON: Thank you.

JONATHAN CAPEHART: Thanks, Amna.

AMNA NAWAZ: In the future, astronauts could be sent on yearslong missions to the moon and Mars.

But living in space that l So, NASA is trying to learn as much as it can from astronauts who've spent the most time in space.

Science correspondent Miles O' longest single space mission.

MAN: Touchdown.

Touchdown confirmed at 6:17 a.

Central time.

Rubio's record ride comes MILES O'BRIEN: NASA astronaut Frank Rubio 371 days after he launched to the International Space Station aboard a Russian Soyuz rocket.

It was a record-breaking mission for a U.S. spacefarer that was not planned.

About three months after he and his two Russian crewmates arrived at the station, their Soyuz capsule sprung a coolant leak, apparently after a micrometeoroid strike.

They would have to wait for the Russian Space Agency to build and launch them a new ride home.

It more than I caught up with Frank Rubio toward the end of his re-accl How are things going?

What are you exp FRANK RUBIO, NASA Astr Yes, it's been a And that's gone well and smoothly, which has been a blessing, and then a lot of physical training.

So, yes, it' MILES O'BRIEN: You're a physician and also a test subje I'm curious what you have experienced and what the road to normalcy has been like.

FRANK RUBIO: Yes, so one of the good things is that we have been doing this for 23 years, right?

And so astro And that's just because you're not getting the day-to-day pounding on the standing and walking provide.

And that stressor actually is really good And so when you're missing that, floating around for a year especially hard.

The good thi day.

And I actually lost diligent and consistent on that exercise.

I actually lost a little bit less than a lot of six been great.

MILES O'BRIE FRANK RUBIO: Not 100 percent, but I bet I'm pretty close t So I'm feeling really good.

MILES O'BRIEN: S learned, including all that resistance training that you mentioned.

Is NASA ready to send astronauts on long-duration missions, ultimately to Ma FRANK RUBIO: Yes, so I think, from a human perspective, we definitely understand what would need to happen.

And, essentially and back.

And I think Obviously, w getting us there and back.

But I think we could.

It would be But I also t like that.

And so the h MILES O'BRIEN: All right, let's talk a little bit about the psyc You expected to see your family after six months.

Walk us through how you came to terms with all of this.

FRANK RUBIO: Yes, Miles, that's a great question.

Fortunately, my background had sort of prepared me for it.

I am an Army officer in my previous career.

And so I have had deployments, and the family's kind of been through that adjustment up to the deployment, having the fortitude to make it through it.

And then, as you know, a lot of our military often get told, hey, you're staying a little bit longer than anticipated.

I never got extended much Bu t, psychologically, it's really not too different, whether it's a And you just -- you definitely have a little bit of an adjustment period.

It was hard for a few days or maybe a week.

And then, after that, you kind of settle in, you realiz has to happen, and you just kind of set your mind to it.

MILES O'BRIEN: And I know astronauts have pr ivate teleconferences with their families.

How important was that for you?

FRANK RUBIO: Incredibly impo And that's something that I th at's something that we're going to have to make sure that is present.

Honestly, it makes you feel like you're still part of the family.

And as long as your family is doing well, I think most of us can do just for as long as it's needed.

MILES O'BRIEN: So, a when they're on the space station is fresh food.

And you became quite a gardener in space, famously g I'm curious how the vegetables you grow in space, how do they taste?

I mean, after all, you're not using soil.

FRANK RUBIO: We were supposed to back for science.

Unfortunately, because of thin back.

So, I really MILES O'BRIEN: In March, when he was harvesting some of thos bag and thought he'd Velcroed it firmly in place.

But it floated away.

He says he searched for it for hours.

His fellow crewmates jokingly accused him of eating But in December this year, about three months after he left the station: WOMAN: We might have found something that someone had been looking for, for quite a while.

MILES O'BRIE I assume that was a nice moment of exoneration.

FRANK RUBIO: Yes, it was.

And I -- again, it's all -- we're all friend And my crewmates are going to take eve So they sure as heck weren't going to get me out of it by making up that they found it.

And they wer And so if we were going to eat So it really wouldn't have been worth it in the first place.

But, yes, no, it's -- I'm glad they found it.

I don't know that they're going to be able Bu t, hopefully, they can use them for somethi MILES O'BRIEN: Let's talk about the It's a complex situation, of course, with the invasion of Ukrain partnership in a different light.

Is there much concern abou the game?

FRANK RUBIO: And so my focus was on my two crewmates.

And they are fantastic human beings on an individu We really meshed well.

We supported eac Ultimately, we're on depend on each other.

And so you h anything were to happen.

And so, again, des that relationship as much as possible.

And I think we successfu MILES O'BRIEN: All right, Frank Rubio, thank yo FRANK RUBIO: Thanks so much, Miles.

Take care.

Good talking MILES O'BRIEN: Bye-bye.

AMNA NAWAZ: All right, a few things are more British than a cup of tea.

But Britain was brought to a boil this week over a suggestion by an American chemist on how the classic cup might be improved.

GEOFF BENNETT: We asked our own Earl G brew-haha.

MALCOLM BRAB The beverage that for centuries has sustained this nation through wars and other cris has been assaulted in the name of science by an American academic.

As newspaper columnist Quentin Letts harrumphs, salt is for tequila, not the traditional British cuppa.

QUENTIN LETT it comes to tea, but I did try An d I must say it was a thoroughly unpleasant experience.

It was like the worst sort of pre-operation laxative that you could drink.

MALCOLM BRABANT: Not since the Boston Tea Party 250 years ago has Britain's national drink suffered such an indignity, so much so that, tongue in cheek, the U.S. Embassy in London issued a reassuring statement that salt in tea was not official American policy and would not affect the special relationship.

Do you have realized how much trouble you have cause MICHELLE FRANCL, Bryn Mawr College: I am I had no intentions of causing a diplomatic incident, but I woke up yesterday morning to find that the U.S. Embassy was weighing in on my science.

MALCOLM BRABANT: Michelle Francl is a professor of chemistry at Bryn Mawr Co MICHELLE FRANCL: It begins with an eighth century Chinese manuscript called "Book of Tea" by a tea master Lu Yu, who recommended adding a sort of salt to the tea water.

So I wondered what the chemistry literature had to say.

Turns out the coffee chemists know that the sodium ions in the salt so it makes the tea a little bit less bitter.

MALCOLM BRABANT: To gauge more British reaction, we tracked in the open-minded city of Brighton.

SONYA MENDOZA, Yorkshire Tea Aficionado Not for me.

MALCOLM BRABANT: Manager Jay Fry hot water, no messing.

JAY FRY, Man It seems to kind of blend the tea with a little It kind of adds a little tingle to your tong at all.

It's pretty I don't think it n MALCOLM BRABANT: We then touched Fishpool Grove (ph) reinforced the need to use boiling, not lukewarm, water, as some Americans do.

Sacrilege.

ELISE FISHPO I think if you're brewing it correctly, it doesn't need to ha MALCOLM BRABANT: So could the science change Elise's preconceptions?

What do you think?

ELISE FISHPO MALCOLM BRABANT: This is the kind of tea I normally drink, English breakfast.

I usually have it with milk without sugar, but I'm going to do what the professor says and just put a couple of grains of salt in, not a teaspoon full, as some I feel like I'm a traitor.

It's not too bad.

(LAUGHTER) MALCOLM BRAB QUENTIN LETTS: I'm just a moldy old Englishman who on a quiet day might put in on But the thought of even putting a few grains of salt just is so counterintuitive, it just fries my mind.

MALCOLM BRABANT: T Put the kettle on.

For the "PBS NewsHour," I'm Malcol AMNA NAWAZ: All right, online, you can read more on th tea.

That is at P And be sure to tune into "Washington Week With "The Jeffrey Goldberg and his panel discussed Donald Trump's all-but-certain pr and the fate of the bipartisan border security deal.

GEOFF BENNETT: And tomorrow, on "PBS News Weekend," special education teachers across the country.

And that is the "NewsHour" for tonight.

I'm going to have some tea.

I'm Geoff Bennet AMNA NAWAZ: On behalf of