JUDY WOODRUFF: In the day's other news: Senate Democrats largely abandoned attempts to include a
minimum wage hike in their COVID relief bill. It's in the version that passed the House on Saturday.
But the Senate parliamentarian has ruled that keeping it in the bill would violate Senate rules.
As an alternative, Senator Bernie Sanders called for higher taxes on companies
that don't raise wages. But it is widely reported that that effort has now also collapsed.
Wall Street surged today around hopes for that federal stimulus money,
around a third COVID vaccine and easing interest rates. The Dow Jones industrial
average gain 603 points, 2 percent, to close at 31535. The Nasdaq rose 396 points,
3 percent. And the S&P 500 added 90 points, also 2 percent.
The Biden administration stepped up warnings today to migrants not to rush
to the U.S. Southern border. Lately, Border Patrol agents have been catching more than
200 children a day, crossing without parents.
Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said again that migrants need to wait.
ALEJANDRO MAYORKAS, U.S. Secretary Homeland Security:
We are flooding the space with that critical message. I cannot overstate its criticality
for the well-being of those very individuals who are thinking of coming, not to mention the
well-being and stability of the border, as we seek to rebuild it from its dismantled state.
JUDY WOODRUFF: Mayorkas said that a new policy will let separated
families be reunited inside the U.S., pending a resolution of their status.
Meanwhile, President Biden met virtually with Mexico's President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador.
They discussed the border and the pandemic, among other things.
In Myanmar, crowds returned to the streets a day after security forces killed 18 people.
Police in Yangon shot rubber bullets and fired tear gas, leaving medics to treat
the injured. The leader of the military junta said that protest leaders will be punished.
Meanwhile, ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi made a virtual court appearance,
as officials filed more charges against her.
The United Nations appealed to donor countries today to help Yemen,
where six years of war has killed some 130,000 people. Rebels aligned with Iran
have been fighting a coalition led by Saudi Arabia and backed by the United States. The
U.N. secretary-general asked for more than $3.8 billion today to head off famine.
ANTONIO GUTERRES, United Nations Secretary-General: It is impossible
to overstate the severity of the suffering in Yemen. More than 20 million Yemenis need
humanitarian assistance and protection, with women and children among the hardest hit.
That means two out of every three people in Yemen need food aid,
health care or other lifesaving support from humanitarian organizations.
JUDY WOODRUFF: In the end, donors pledged only $1.7 billion.
That was than less than half what the U.N. wanted.
A Paris court today convicted former French President Nicolas Sarkozy
of corruption and influence peddling. He was given one year in prison, but might be allowed
to serve it under house arrest. Sarkozy was president from 2007 to 2012. He was convicted
of illegally trying to obtain information in a court case after he left office.
Back in this country, the U.S. Senate voted this evening to confirm Miguel
Cardona for secretary of education. Earlier, the Judiciary Committee endorsed Merrick Garland for
attorney general. His nomination now goes to the full Senate for a confirmation vote.
And the Senate also made a bit of history today. Ann Berry was sworn in secretary of the Senate.
She becomes the first Black American to hold that position.
The secretary oversees day-to-day legislative and administrative operations.
Still to come on the "NewsHour": survivor advocates discuss solutions to the problem
of sexual assault in the military; New York Governor Andrew Cuomo
faces another allegation of sexual harassment; former President Trump's return to -- return
highlights the party line for Republicans; and much more.