News Wrap: Biden and Xi speak for first time since November summit

Geoff Bennett:

In the day's other headlines: President Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping spoke by phone in their first conversation since a summit in California last November.

White House officials said the topics ranged from Taiwan to fentanyl to artificial intelligence. They described the conversation as — quote — "candid and constructive," as the leaders try to tamp down tensions.

John Kirby, NSC Coordinator For Strategic Communications:

We believe that there is no substitute for regular communication at the leader level to effectively manage this complex and often tense bilateral relationship. And both presidents agreed to pick up the phone and speak when needed.

Geoff Bennett:

As for Xi, China's state broadcaster quoted him as saying that Beijing and Washington should make stability in relations a priority.

The president also hosts Muslim American leaders for a meeting tonight and iftar dinner, breaking the day's fast during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan. The gathering was reportedly downsized after invitations were declined by some Muslim American community leaders amid ongoing political tensions over the war in Gaza.

Ukrainian military drones struck a major oil refinery today in a drone-making factory in what may be the deepest attack inside Russia yet. The targets were near cities in Tatarstan some 750 miles east of Ukraine. Initial reports said the attacks did no significant damage. Cell phone video caught the moment one of the drones crashed, causing a large blast. An official on the scene said two people were injured. In

Turkey, a fire at an Istanbul nightclub has killed at least 29 people. The blaze broke out today as the club was undergoing renovations while it's closed for Ramadan. Flames and smoke engulfed the site and rescuers brought out the injured as the fire left the club in charred ruins. Istanbul's mayor said the city had never approved the construction work.

Ekrem Imamoglu, Mayor of Istanbul, Turkey (through interpreter): There's no application to the local municipality for renovation or construction. And, as it was below the ground level, the repair work wasn't visible.

Geoff Bennett:

There was no word on the cause of the blaze, but several people were detained for questioning.

Here at home, hundreds of thousands of people lost power across the nation's midsection as severe storms rolled through. In Southern Indiana, some homes had their roofs ripped away. And Kentucky's governor declared a state of emergency as communities cleared through debris scattered by high winds. In Northeastern Oklahoma, the storm front spawned three possible tornadoes. At least one person was killed.

Four more states had their say in presidential primaries today. Connecticut, New York, Rhode Island and the battleground state of Wisconsin. President Biden and former President Trump have already locked down their nominations. Still, the contests are being watched for the degree of opposition both men still face within their parties.

Anti-smoking advocates are suing the Biden administration over a stalled ban on menthol cigarettes. The administration had planned to outlaw the flavoring last summer, but the action had been delayed for months. The groups who sued today say, in the meantime, tobacco companies are still targeting youth, women, and Black smokers.

And on Wall Street, stocks gave ground on worries that the Fed may opt for fewer interest rate cuts than expected this year. The Dow Jones industrial average lost 396 points to close at 39170. The Nasdaq fell 156 points. The S&P 500 slipped 38.

Still to come on the "NewsHour": the fallout around rap mobile Sean "Diddy" Combs, who is accused of rape, sexual assault, and human trafficking; the evolving role of America's first ladies; and author Percival Everett on his reworking of "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" from Jim's point of view.