News Wrap: FDA acknowledges missteps in baby formula shortage

Judy Woodruff:

In the day's other news: The head of the U.S. Food and Drug administration acknowledged failings by his agency in the baby formula shortage.

Robert Califf testified remotely at a congressional hearing. He said the FDA made missteps after contamination, closed the nation's largest formula-making plant in February.

Robert Califf, Commissioner, Food and Drug Administration: It was too slow and there were decisions that were suboptimal along the way.

And I'm sure you also know that, as I was going through confirmation, I got many calls from people concerned about the food side of the FDA because of the lack of resources and concerns about the organizational structure.

Judy Woodruff:

Meantime, a second shipment of infant formula from Germany arrived in the U.S. First lady Jill Biden and the U.S. surgeon general, Dr. Vivek Murthy, welcomed the plane at Dulles International Airport outside Washington.

The president of Ukraine insisted today that he will not trade land for peace with Russia. Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke via video link to the World Economic Forum in Switzerland. With rocket strikes blasting towns in the Donetsk area, Zelenskyy demanded that Russian forces begin withdrawing and that President Putin agree to direct talks.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Ukrainian President (through translator):

Today, you can only talk to the president of the Russian Federation. There is no point in doing this with intermediaries. When he is ready to come to reality, and when he gets to reality, he will understand that many people are dying. Innocent people are dying.

Judy Woodruff:

In turn, President Putin said today that Russia's economic problems are not all due to the war. He spoke as he ordered 10 percent increases in pensions and the minimum wage to compensate for surging inflation.

The U.S., South Korea and Japan have issued fresh condemnations of North Korea for firing three missiles into the sea. South Korea said one may have been an intercontinental ballistic missile. In response, U.S. and South Korean forces fired short-range surface-to-surface missiles into the sea off of the Korean Peninsula.

Police in Pakistan used tear gas today to push back protesters who threw stones and tried to march on Islamabad. Ex-Prime Minister Imran Khan called for the rally in a bid to oust the new government. Authorities banned the march and used shipping containers and trucks to block roads. They reported arresting more than 1,700 people.

In Britain, an investigative report formally blamed senior government leaders for an office culture that allowed parties despite COVID restrictions. The gatherings took place at Number 10 Downing Street, which is Prime Minister Boris Johnson's official residence. Some were described as boozy parties.

Johnson apologized again to the House of Commons, but also dismissed calls on him to resign.

Boris Johnson, British Prime Minister:

I overwhelmingly feel it is my job to get on and deliver, and that, no matter how bitter and painful the conclusions of this may be — and they are — and no matter how humbling they are, I have got to keep moving forward.

Judy Woodruff:

Johnson still faces a parliamentary inquiry into whether he lied to lawmakers.

Israel and Turkey took a major step today toward repairing relations after years of tensions. The two nations' foreign ministers met in Jerusalem and said they agreed to reenergize diplomatic ties. It was the first trip to Israel by a senior Turkish diplomat in 15 years.

Back in this country, West Virginia's attorney general announced a tentative opioid settlement with two drugmakers worth $161 million. The deal with Teva Pharmaceuticals and AbbVie's Allergan came as closing arguments were about to begin in a seven-week trial. It has focused on the company's role in fueling the opioid epidemic.

And on Wall Street, stocks bounced back as small company and retail shares recovered some ground. The Dow Jones industrial average gained 191 points to close at 32120. The Nasdaq rose 170 points. That's 1.5 percent. The S&P 500 added 37. That's 1 percent.

Still to come on the "NewsHour": a new biography of George Floyd puts his life in context against the United States' legacy of systemic racism; former President Trump's endorsement deals mixed results in Georgia's Republican primaries; and in the wake of the Uvalde massacre, how parents might talk with their children about school shootings.