News Wrap: Biden pledges federal resources to help tornado recovery efforts

John Yang:

Good evening. I'm John Yang. President Biden declared a major disaster in Arkansas this morning and pledged federal resources to help recovery efforts there after severe storms and tornadoes struck across the South, Midwest and even the East Coast this past week.

Today, cleanup is already underway as families picked through the rubble created by confirmed or suspected tornadoes in at least 10 states. The storms leveled homes and businesses, tore roofs off churches and toppled trees. So far, 26 people have died.

In Russia, an explosion at a cafe in St. Petersburg has killed a prominent pro war military blogger. More than a dozen others were injured. Russian media reports that there have been no claims of responsibility.

Meanwhile, Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke with Russia's foreign minister today, calling for the immediate release of a Wall Street Journal reporter who was detained in Russia last week, as well as another imprisoned American, Paul Whelan.

Saudi Arabia and other OPEC oil producers say they'll voluntarily cut oil production from May until the end of 2023. The Saudi Energy Ministry called it a precautionary step aimed at stabilizing the oil market. But it's a move that could raise prices at the pump, further straining U.S.-Saudi relations as the world continues to cope with inflation.

Former Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson says he's running for president. Today, the longtime Republican offered himself as an alternative to Donald Trump and urged the former president to pull out of the race and focus on his legal troubles.

Asa Hutchinson, Former Governor of Arkansas: The office is more important than any individual person, and so for the sake of the office of the presidency, I do think that's too much of a sideshow and distraction.

John Yang:

Hutchison says he'll formally announce his run later this month that would make him the fourth candidate in the Republican race. The Taliban closed Afghanistan's only radio station run by women. They allege it broke the law by playing music during the holy month of Ramadan. The head of the station denies it and called the closing of the station a conspiracy.

The Taliban have barred women from most forms of employment and from education beyond the 6th grade. Many Afghan journalists lost their jobs after the Taliban took over in August 2021.

Still to come on "PBS News Weekend," how artificial intelligence is being used to deny health insurance claims and the Biden administration's complex relationship with fossil fuels.