News Wrap: Russia fires new missile barrage at Kyiv

Read the Full Transcript

• William Brangham:

  In the day's other headlines: Russia fired a missile barrage at Ukraine's capital overnight.

  The Ukrainians said they shut down all 18 missiles, including six that were hypersonic. The Russians denied that claim. Midair explosions lit up the night sky over Kyiv. Ukraine said its Western-supplied air defenses blunted Russia's bid to terrorize the city.

• Col. Yurii Ihnat, Ukrainian Air Force Spokesman (through translator):

  It is clear that the capital has always been and is such a priority target for the enemy, because there are central state objects and important infrastructure objects. And there's a certain symbolism in this.

  It is clear that the enemy wants to strike at the very heart of the country and thus keep the entire Ukrainian nation in tension.

• William Brangham:

  To the east, Ukraine claimed its troops have retaken territory on the outskirts of Bakhmut, where a savage battle has raged for months, but a spokeswoman conceded the Russians have made some gains inside the city.

  In Sudan, airstrikes and explosions escalated across Khartoum today as the army defended key bases from a paramilitary group. The fighting has intensified since peace talks began earlier this month. The worst of it is focused in Khartoum, but combat has also flared in the war-ravaged region of Darfur in Western Sudan.

  Amnesty International is reporting a surge in official executions to the highest level in five years. The organization recorded 883 executions in 20 countries in 2022. That's up 53 percent from the year before. Iran led the list, carrying out 576 death sentences. Saudi Arabia had 196. Amnesty says it believes China executed thousands of people, but government secrecy makes an accurate count impossible.

  The European Union today formally adopted rules to regulate products that fuel deforestation. They include cattle, coffee, chocolate, and palm oil. Companies trading with the 27-nation bloc will now be asked to prove that their products have not led to a decrease in forested areas.

  Back in this country, U.S. bank executives were called to account over the salaries and bonuses they earned in the run-up to their own institutions collapsing. At a hearing, senators pressed the former heads of Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank.

  Maryland Democrat Chris Van Hollen challenged Silicon Valley's former CEO, Greg Becker.

• Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD):

  Do you really think that taking — getting a bonus of $1.5 million, given the showing in 2022 in just a short time before the total collapse of the bank, do you believe you deserve that?

• Greg Becker, Former CEO, Silicon Valley Bank:

  I believe the board did the best job they could in evaluating the performance that we had in 2022.

• Sen. Chris Van Hollen:

  Well, this is — this is why I think people watching this hearing are just going to be scratching their heads and get angrier and angrier, because this is clearly an example where bonus was not tied to performance.

• William Brangham:

  Four senators on that committee have proposed legislation that would claw back executive pay within five years of a bank's failure.

  And, on Wall Street, energy stocks sagged, helping to push the broader market lower. The Dow Jones industrial average lost 336 points, 1 percent, to close at 33012. The Nasdaq fell 22 points, and the S&P 500 slipped 26.

  Still to come on the "NewsHour": apprenticeship programs aim to alleviate teacher shortages; how fatherhood has changed talk show host Andy Cohen; the science behind why the Northern Lights are venturing further south this year; plus much more.