News Wrap: Somalia drought killed an estimated 43,000 people last year

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• Geoff Bennett:

  In the day's other headlines: A new report estimates Somalia's longest drought on record killed 43,000 people last year and half may have been children under the age of 5

  U.N. agencies released the study by British scientists today. It focused on Somalia and neighboring Ethiopia and Kenya, where six dry years have caused severe food and water shortages. The study forecasts at least 18,000 more drought-related deaths in the first half of this year.

  The financial world endured another tense day. Trading in First Republic Bank shares had to be halted several times. The stock fell nearly sent, despite a $30 billion rescue by major U.S. banks. European bank stocks generally leveled out after Swiss regulators brokered a takeover of Credit Suisse by UBS. Shares in Credit Suisse tumbled nearly 60 percent.

  In France, the government survived no-confidence votes today over hiking the retirement age from 62 to 64 without Parliament's approval. But President Emmanuel Macron still faced another day of strikes and protests. Walkouts by waste disposal workers kept garbage piling up in Paris. Union members demanded that the government reverse course.

• Kamel Brahmi, Striking Union Member (through translator):

  President Macron is going to realize that the country is in opposition. There are many employees on strike, that a very large majority of public opinion is against his social regression in this pension reform, and he must listen to employees.

• Geoff Bennett:

  A new round of nationwide strikes and protests is set for Thursday.

  Israel is facing new criticism after its finance minister declared that there is no such thing as a Palestinian people. That drew condemnation today from European Union and other leaders.

  Separately, Israeli officials are pushing ahead with part of a plan to overhaul its judicial system despite protests. In a Sunday phone call, President Biden urged Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to compromise on the overhaul.

  The U.S. charged today that all sides in Ethiopia's two-year war committed war crimes, including murder, rape and ethnic cleansing. The conflict pitted the TPLF rebels in Tigray against the Ethiopian and Eritrean armies. An estimated half-million civilians were killed. Today's announcement did not mention penalties.

  Instead, Secretary of State Tony Blinken called for the factions to police themselves.

  Antony Blinken, U.S. Secretary of State: In terms of what happens next in Ethiopia, including what process they establish to provide for justice, for accountability, we will see. I don't think that's been determined.

• Geoff Bennett:

  The Ethiopian war ended with a cease-fire last November. So far, all sides have denied allegations of war

  crimes. A federal jury in Washington has convicted four people associated with the Oath Keepers militia in the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol. They were found guilty today of conspiracy and obstruction. Two other defendants were acquitted. Six Oath Keepers had already been convicted of the more serious charge of seditious conspiracy.

  President Biden today issued his first veto. He rejected a bill to prohibit federal retirement plan managers from considering climate change or social justice when making investment decisions. Republicans favor the ban, but don't have the votes to override the veto.

  Amazon will cut another 9,000 jobs in the next few weeks. Today's announcement adds to 18,000 workers already slated for layoffs. The tech giant's work force had doubled during the pandemic.

  And, on Wall Street, financial stocks joined a broad advance. The Dow Jones industrial average gained 382 points, more than 1 percent, to close at 32244. The Nasdaq rose 45 points. The S&P 500 added 35.

  Still to come on the "NewsHour": Chinese President Xi Jinping visits Vladimir Putin in Moscow; can the takeover of Credit Suisse calm the banking sector?; and how a new claim about the Iran hostage crisis changes the history of the Carter presidency.