News Wrap: Rudy Giuliani appears before Georgia grand jury in 2020 election probe

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• Judy Woodruff:

  In the day's other news: Rudy Giuliani appeared before a special grand jury in Georgia over attempts to change the state's 2020 election results.

  He acted as personal attorney for then-President Trump and is now a target of the investigation. Giuliani arrived at a courthouse in Atlanta this morning and left after more than six hours. He said he would not be able to discuss his testimony.

  Former Vice President Pence implored fellow Republicans today to stop verbal attacks on the FBI. Violent threats against agents have been growing since the search of former President Trump's estate in Florida.

  In Manchester, New Hampshire. Mr. Pence said that he too has questions about the search, but that threats are out of bounds.

  Mike Pence, Former Vice President of the United States: The Republican Party is the party of law and order. Our party stands with the men and women whose serve on the thin blue line at the federal and state and local level. And these attacks on the FBI must stop.

• Judy Woodruff:

  The former vice president also said he would consider testifying before the congressional committee investigating the January 6 attack.

  The nation's top public health agency announced a shakeup today after being widely criticized for its response to COVID-19 and to monkeypox. The head of the CDC, Dr. Rochelle Walensky, said the organization has fallen short in many ways. The overhaul will include staff changes and steps to speed up data releases.

  Traffic deaths have been rising since pandemic lockdowns faded two years ago, and they are still rising. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that more than 9,500 people were killed in the first three months of this year. That was the highest number for a first quarter in two decades.

  Overseas, Germany voiced outrage today at remarks by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on the Holocaust. It happened in Berlin last night. At a news conference with Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Abbas accused Israel of committing — quote — "50 holocausts against Palestinians." Scholz said nothing at the time. But, today, his spokesman condemned the remarks.

• Steffen Hebestreit, German Government Spokesman (through translator):

  The German chancellor is disgusted and appalled by the words of Mr. Abbas. Making comparisons to the Holocaust, with its more than six million dead, is completely unacceptable. To do so on German soil is inexcusable.

• Judy Woodruff:

  More than six million Jews died at the hands of the Nazis during the Holocaust. In a new statement today, President Abbas said that it was — quote — "the most heinous crime in modern human history."

  Syria has denied that it is holding American journalist Austin Tice or other Americans. It called the claim misleading and illogical. Last week, President Joe Biden marked the 10-year anniversary of Tice's disappearance in Syria and accused the regime of involvement.

  China is shutting down factories and rationing electricity amid severe drought and record heat. Months of the scorching temperatures have wilted crops in Central and Northern China. And hydropower reservoirs are critically low in the Southwest.

  Back in this country, the latest heat wave has arrived in the Northwest, pushing temperatures well over 100 degrees. California's power grid operator urged cuts in usage today to prevent blackouts.

  Three national pharmacy chains have been ordered to pay more than $650 million for their role in the opioid epidemic. A federal judge in Cleveland ruled today that CVS, Walmart and Walgreens over that amount to two Ohio counties. At least two of the companies say they plan to appeal.

  And, on Wall Street, big tech stocks retreated and led the broader market lower. The Dow Jones industrial average lost 171 points to close at 33980. The Nasdaq fell 164 points, more than 1 percent. The S&P 500 slipped 31.