News Wrap: Peru’s president ousted, leaving the country in political turmoil

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• Judy Woodruff:

  In the day's other news: The U.S. Supreme Court will now decide whether state lawmakers have absolute authority to shape election districts.

  Republicans in North Carolina argued today that state courts should have no role in the process. Those courts have rejected Republican-drawn districts as illegally gerrymandered. We will explore the case and its potential implications nationwide after the news summary.

  And the Biden administration has reversed itself now and says that it will appeal a federal court ruling against pandemic era legal asylum restrictions on migrants. The Trump policy, known as Title 42, allows border officials to rapidly expel migrants without allowing them to seek asylum. A judge had ordered it to end by December 21.

  But border crossings are surging. And the administration said today that it wants a higher court to keep 42 — Title 42 in place.

  In Russia, President Vladimir Putin today played down the risk of nuclear war over Ukraine. He spoke to his Human Rights Council and stopped short of saying that Moscow would be the first to go nuclear, but he insisted that Russia's nuclear arsenal is meant to be a deterrent.

• Vladimir Putin, Russian President (through translator):

  We haven't gone mad. We have these means, and they are more advanced and modern than in any other nuclear country. But we are not going to swing them like a razor running around the world. But, of course, we proceed from the fact that we have them.

• Judy Woodruff:

  Putin also acknowledged that the nine-month-old war is taking longer than expected. He said — quote — "It could be a lengthy process."

  Peru is in political turmoil after President Pedro Castillo tried to dissolve Parliament — or Congress today and was himself ousted instead. Protests erupted when Castillo announced that he would rule by decree and install an emergency government. Senior ministers called it an attempted coup. Congress then voted him out of office and swore in the vice president as interim president.

  China formally rolled back strict COVID restrictions today, effectively endorsing moves already under way. Beijing and other cities have stopped requiring a negative test to enter most public places, and people with mild symptoms may now isolate at home, instead of at government centers.

  Today's announcement brought cautious reactions.

• Jing Xuan, Beijing Resident (through translator):

  Our life and work has become more convenient now because we don't need negative COVID-19 tests enter office buildings anymore, which saves our time. On the other hand, because people are not testing anymore, if there is someone who is infected, we won't know in a timely manner.

• Judy Woodruff:

  Despite the announcement, China's National Health Commission says that restrictions may not be completely lifted until at least mid-2023.

  Authorities in Indonesia today paroled Umar Patek, an Islamic militant who helped to build the Bali bombs that killed 202 people 20 years ago. He had served roughly half of his 20-year prison sentence, but officials said he has been reformed and will help deradicalize other militants.

  Back in this country, more classified documents from the Trump White House have turned up, this time at a storage facility in Florida. Published reports say that lawyers for President Trump, former President Trump, found at least two items marked classified at the unit in West Palm Beach near his Mar-a-Lago estate. Material has been turned over to the FBI.

  Utility officials in central North Carolina say they expect power to be fully restored for thousands of customers by late tonight. Repairs began Saturday at two power substations damaged by gunfire. The attacks initially knocked out power to 45,000 homes and businesses. Officials today announced rewards totaling $75,000 for information leading to an arrest.

  And on Wall Street, stocks had a relatively quiet day. The Dow Jones industrial average gained just one point to close near 33598. The Nasdaq fell 56 points. The S&P 500 slipped seven.

  Still to come on the "NewsHour": German police arrest dozens of far right extremists attempting a coup; a museum works to repatriate artifacts looted from West Africa; plus much more.