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Judy Woodruff:
In the day's other news: President Biden and Vice President Harris met privately with Asian American community leaders in Atlanta.
Six Asian American women and two others were shot and killed Tuesday at three massage businesses. Police have not named a motive, but the president vowed today to fight rising anti-Asian violence.
Pres. Joe Biden:
Whatever the motivation, we know this. Too many Asian Americans have been walking up and down the streets and worrying, waking up each morning the past year, feeling their safety and the safety of their loved ones are at stake.
Judy Woodruff:
Mr. Biden also issued a statement urging Congress to pass a COVID-19 hate crimes bill.
Authorities around Atlanta publicly identified the remaining shooting victims today. In all, there were eight, including Hyun Grant who was 51, Paul Michels, age 54, Delaina Yaun 33 years old, and Xiaojie Tan, age 49.
The others were Daoyou Feng, who was 44, Suncha Kim, 69 years old. Soon Park, age 74, and Yong A Yue, age 63.
A judge in Minneapolis refused today to delay or move the trial of a former police officer charged with George Floyd's death. Lawyers for Derek Chauvin argued that the city's $27 million settlement with Floyd's family could unfairly influence jury selection.
We will get an update later in the program.
The Taliban is warning the U.S. against ignoring a May 1 deadline for leaving Afghanistan ,as agreed to last year. The warning came a day after international talks in Moscow. The militants insisted the U.S. abide by the agreement.
Suhail Shaheen:
After that, it will be a kind of a violation of the agreement. So, in that case, if there is action, of course there will be reaction.
Judy Woodruff:
Taliban officials said they do support accelerating the peace talks, and the Kabul government said the same.
Tanzania made history today, swearing in its first female president. Samia Suluhu Hassan took the oath of office during a ceremony in Dar es Salaam, the East African nation's largest city. Hassan succeeds John Magufuli, an outspoken COVID-19 denier. Officials say that he died on Wednesday of heart failure.
Back in this country, the White House says that President Biden will nominate former Florida Senator Bill Nelson to head NASA. The veteran Democrat grew up near Cape Canaveral and flew on a space shuttle in 1986. If confirmed by the Senate, he will be the space agency's 14th administrator.
On Wall Street, bank stocks fell on news that the Federal Reserve is ending some of its COVID emergency measures. The Dow Jones industrial average lost 234 points to close below 32628. The Nasdaq rose 99 points, and the S&P 500 slipped two.
And the White House says that President Biden is fine after stumbling as he boarded Air Force One this morning. He tripped twice climbing the steps to the plane, and fell to his knees at one point. He appeared to rub his left knee, before continuing.
An aide says that high winds may have been a factor in the fall.
from:pbs