News Wrap: Russian forces pressure eastern Ukraine, possibly building new offensive

In our news wrap Monday, Russian forces kept up pressure in eastern Ukraine possibly building toward a new offensive, Israeli forces killed five Palestinian gunmen in the latest raid on the occupied West Bank, tens of thousands of nurses and ambulance workers in Britain are back on strike and a landmark national security trial began for some of Hong Kong's most prominent pro-democracy activists.

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  • Geoff Bennett:

    In the day's other headlines: Russian forces kept up the pressure in Eastern Ukraine, possibly building toward a new offensive. Already, heavy fighting intensified around the city of Bakhmut.

    Meantime, crews works to restore power in Odessa after a fire. It started in equipment that's been damaged by repeated Russia shelling.

    Israeli forces killed five Palestinian gunmen early today in the latest raid on the occupied West Bank. The Israeli military said a gun battle erupted as troops tracked down militants after a failed attack on a Jewish settlement. Palestinian officials called the raid a crime. More than 40 Palestinians and seven Israelis have been killed so far this year.

    Tens of thousands of nurses and ambulance workers in Britain are back on strike. Unions say the 48-hour walkout is the largest in the history of the U.K.'s public health system. Health workers today renewed their demands for a pay increase amid the worst inflation in four decades.

    They said it's killing their profession.

  • Rebecca Cosgrave, Striking Nurse:

    I think we're going to find it harder and harder to recruit, harder and harder to retain staff. A lot of people have left the profession already because they're so disillusioned. I think we have got to look to the future.

  • Geoff Bennett:

    The nurses plan to strike again tomorrow. In the meantime, they say emergency care and cancer treatments will continue.

    In Hong Kong, a landmark national security trial began for some of the city's most prominent pro-democracy activists. Their supporters gathered outside the court for a trial expected to last 90 days. The 18 defendants are accused of holding an illegal primary in 2020 and trying to bring down the government. It's seen as part of China's clampdown that has mostly silenced Hong Kong's pro-democracy movement.

    Back in this country, Dell is the latest tech company to cut jobs. That computer maker says it's shedding 6,600 positions, about 5 percent of its work force.

    And, on Wall Street, stocks fell over fresh worries about interest rates and inflation. The Dow Jones industrial average lost 35 points to close it 33891. The Nasdaq fell 119 points, or 1 percent. The S&P 500 slipped 25.

    And still to come on the "PBS NewsHour": calls for paid leave grow louder 30 years after the passage of the Family Medical Leave Act; hundreds of migrant children remain separated from their families despite the push to reunite them; and we look at the major takeaways and surprises from the Grammy Awards.

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