News Wrap: High winds help wildfires spread across Texas Panhandle

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• Geoff Bennett:

  In the day's other news: High winds pushed wildfires across the Texas Panhandle, and one grew into the second largest in that state's history.

  The fire has charred more than 1,300 square miles and destroyed homes around the towns of Canadian and Fritch. Disaster declarations covered dozens of counties, and officials said the burned areas now look like moonscapes. Hundreds of people were urged to evacuate.

  The U.S. Supreme Court will also decide whether to uphold a ban on bump stocks that let semiautomatic weapons fire like machine guns. Arguments today centered on whether the devices fall under laws against machine guns dating back to the 1930s. A decision is expected by summer.

  An appeals judge in New York refused today to let former President Donald Trump delay paying a huge civil fraud penalty. Instead, he will have to post a bond worth $454 million while his appeal continues. But the judge also lifted for now a ban on letting Mr. Trump seek bank loans in New York. Trump lawyers argued he will need the loans to cover the bond.

  In the Middle East, the leader of Hamas says his group will consider making concessions in the Gaza cease-fire and hostage talks. But he added that Hamas is equally ready to continue fighting.

• Ismail Haniyeh, Chairman, Hamas Political Bureau (through interpreter):

  Any flexibility we are showing in the negotiations is to protect the blood of our people and to put an end to their huge pains and sacrifices in the brutal war of extermination against it. In parallel, we are ready to defend our people.

• Geoff Bennett:

  Meantime, families of Israeli hostages held in Gaza began a four-day march from Southern Israel to Jerusalem. They carried signs and pictures demanding that their loved ones be released.

  Loved ones and supporters of Alexei Navalny now say they will hold a funeral for him on Friday at a church in Moscow. The Russian opposition leader died this month at a prison in the Arctic.

  In France today, Navalny's widow told the European Parliament that she's worried about arrests at the funeral. She also warned against negotiating with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

  Yulia Navalnaya, Widow of Alexei Navalny: Putin must answer for what he has done with my country. Putin must answer for what he has done to a neighboring peaceful country. And Putin must answer for everything he has done to Alexei.

• Geoff Bennett:

  The head of Navalny's foundation said today the funeral was originally planned for tomorrow, when Putin makes his annual address to Russian lawmakers, but no venue would host the service on that day.

  Back in this country, President Biden had his annual physical and his doctor reported that he's in good health. A summary described Mr. Biden as — quote — "a healthy, active, robust 81-year-old male who remains fit to execute his duties."

  The physical did not include a cognitive test. White House officials said his neurologist did not believe one was necessary.

  The president signed an executive order today to block China and Russia, in particular, from gaining access to Americans' personal data. The goal is to prevent so-called data brokers from selling information to so-called countries of concern. It could take months to set up enforcement mechanisms.

  And dreams took flight in Dubai today as the Persian Gulf city-state held its first-ever jet suit race. Pilots zoomed around the marina, controlling jet engines attached to their backs and hands. The suits, with 1,500 horsepower, were capable of doing 80 miles an hour. One flier ended up in the water, but he was not hurt.

  On Wall Street, stocks edged lower. The Dow Jones industrial average lost 23 points to close at 38949. The Nasdaq fell 87 points. The S&P 500 was down eight.

  And comedian Richard Lewis has died in Los Angeles after battling Parkinson's disease. For years, he starred on HBO's "Curb Your Enthusiasm" and performed in clubs and on late-night TV for decades. His self-proclaimed paranoia about everything earned him the nickname the Prince of Pain. Richard Lewis was 76 years old.

  And still to come on the "NewsHour": we speak with Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen in an exclusive interview about the congressional funding deal and the state of the economy; and how some governors are trying to solve their states' problems at a time of intense political polarization.