amna: In the day's other
headlines the us military's top
leaders warned it will take
sharply higher defense spending
to head off a conflict with
China.
The Pentagon budget request
totals more than $840 billion
dollars.
That includes $9 billion for the
pacific -- up 40% from last
year.
At a house hearing, general mark
Milley said the budget prepares
the nation to meet China's
challenge and to deter it.
>> The people's republic of
China's actions are moving it
down the path to its
confrontation and potential
conflict with neighbors, and
possibly the United States, but
again I say, war with China is
neither inevitable, nor
imminent.
Amna: Mark Milley also said the
U.S. Military is recovering from
years of war in Iraq and
Afghanistan and overall
readiness is the best in many
years.
In Israel, prime minister
Benjamin Netanyahu is vowing to
pursue what he calls responsible
judicial reforms and to heal
deep divisions.
But, he gave no details in an
evening address.
Earlier, opponents of a plan to
give the government more control
over the courts blocked main
highways in tel aviv again.
Police fired water cannons to
try to clear roads.
The Israeli defense minister
reportedly urged Netanyahu to
halt the court plan.
The largest demonstrations yet
rocked France today -- after the
government raised the retirement
age without a vote in
parliament.
Tens of thousands filled streets
in Paris, mostly peacefully, but
police fired tear gas at
protesters who attacked stores
and lit fires.
Across the country, strikers
blocked train stations, ports
and refineries.
European union leaders today
endorsed sending 1 million
artillery rounds to Ukraine,
within a year.
But in a video address,
Ukrainian president volodymyr
zelenskyy urged them to do more
-- and do it faster.
>> Let every meeting, every
discussion, every day of our
joint work during the return of
peace closer.
If Europe hesitates, at the
people may have time to regroup
and prepare for years of war.
It is in your power to prevent
this.
It is in our common power to
free Ukraine from Russian
aggression this year.
Amna: Solesky also made a new
frontline visit, this time to
the city of kherson in the
south.
He pledged full-scale rebuilding
efforts.
In southern Africa, the world
health organization says the
death toll from tropical cycle
and Freddie has now top 600.
The powerful storm devastated
parts of Madagascar are,
Mozambique, and Malawi over the
past two months and two separate
strikes.
The resulting floods ruined
homes, roads, and hospitals.
The who warned today that huge
numbers of people face
malnutrition and cholera.
The world athletic counsel today
banned transgender athletes from
international track and field
competition.
It applies to athletes who
transition from male to female
and have gone through male
puberty.
International swimming has a
similar ban.
Georgia became of the fourth
state to ban gender affirming
therapies for youth under the
age of 18.
A prosecutor in New York has
rebuffed congressional
Republicans seeking
information on a hush money
probe of former president trump.
In a letter, the Manhattan
district attorney's office said,
quote, Donald Trump created a
false expectation that he would
be arrested and his lawyers
reportedly orders you to
intervene.
The letter charged the
Republican request violates
state sovereignty.
Two big companies have announced
new job cuts.
I.T. Service giant sn sure
slashing jobs worldwide over 18
19,000 months. That's 2 and
a-half percent of its work
force.
And Walmart, the largest private
employer in the U.S., says it
expects to lay off hundreds of
workers add five major
distribution centers.
Stocks swung higher and lower
before finishing with modest
gains.
The Dow Jones industrial average
was up 75 points to close at
32105.
The NASDAQ rose 117 points, 1%.
The S&P 500 added 11 points.
Still to come on the newshour, a
new report shows a dramatic rise
in antisemitism in the us.
Another covid subvariant causes
a rising cases.
Belarus' exiled opposition
leader speaks out against the
country's latest crackdown on
dissent.
Plus much more.
>> This is the pbs newshour from
weta studios in Washington and