News Wrap: Philadelphia reinstates indoor mask mandate for COVID-19

Judy Woodruff:

In the day's other news: Philadelphia reinstated an indoor mask mandate for COVID-19, the first major U.S. city to do so. Cases had risen 50 percent in 10 days.

And, in China, the manufacturing hub of Guangzhou closed itself to most travelers. Meanwhile, Shanghai began easing its lockdown in some places amid rising criticism from residents. That's despite a new daily record of more than 25,000 infections.

Campaigning began in France for a two-week race to a presidential election run-off. President Emmanuel Macron was out and about after leading Sunday's first round. Far right populace populist Marine Le Pen surged late and finished second. Macron easily beat Le Pen five years ago. Polls show that is much closer this time.

In Pakistan, lawmakers chose opposition leader Shehbaz Sharif as interim prime minister today after a political crisis in the nuclear-armed nation. Imran Khan had been ousted Sunday in a no-confidence vote. More than 100 lawmakers loyal to Khan walked out and resigned today. Sharif denounced Khan over political divisions and economic mismanagement.

Shehbaz Sharif, Interim Pakistani Prime Minister (through translator):

Today is a great day for the whole Pakistani nation, because this Parliament has thrown out a selected and fake prime minister from this honorable House.

Judy Woodruff:

Sharif will serve until elections that could come by the end of this year.

Israeli forces have killed a fourth Palestinian in 24 hours. It happened last night near Bethlehem in the West Bank. Troops said they fired on a man who threw a firebomb. Hundreds of people marched in the funeral today. It followed a spate of Palestinian attacks that killed 14 Israelis in recent weeks.

A jury in London today convicted an Islamic State supporter of murdering Sir David Amess, a member of Parliament. Ali Harbi Ali had denied that he stabbed the lawmaker to death during a meeting with voters last year. The jury took just 18 minutes to find him guilty.

Back in this country, President Biden has nominated former federal prosecutor Steve Dettelbach to run the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. An earlier nominee stalled in the Senate.

In a Rose Garden event, the president also rolled out a finalized rule to regulate so-called ghost guns that are privately made.

President Joe Biden:

A felon, a terrorist, a domestic abuser can go from a gun kit to a gun in as little as 30 minutes. Buyers aren't required to pass background checks. Because guns have no serial numbers, these guns, when they show up at a crime scene, they can't be traced.

Judy Woodruff:

Both the ghost gun rule and the ATF nomination face opposition from gun owners groups.

A federal jury in Washington has convicted a former Virginia police officer of storming the U.S. Capitol on January 6 last year. Thomas Robertson was found guilty today of interfering with police and carrying a weapon in a restricted area. He is only the second January 6 defendant to have a jury trial.

A district attorney in South Texas moved today to dismiss a murder case against a woman over a self-induced abortion. The prosecutor said a review showed state law exempts pregnant women from homicide charges involving abortions. The woman was arrested last week.

Pacific Gas & Electric will pay $55 million to avoid criminal prosecution in two major California wildfires. The fires destroyed thousands of homes and buildings and were blamed on aging power lines. PG&E already settled with wildfire victims for more than $25 billion.

And on Wall Street tech and energy stocks dragged major indexes down 1 to 2 percent. The Dow Jones industrial average lost 413 points to close at 34,308. The Nasdaq 300 points. The S&P 500 gave up 75.