News Wrap: Senate report outlines failures by the FBI, Homeland Security before Jan. 6

Geoff Bennett:

In the day's other headlines: A Senate report cited sweeping intelligence failures by the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security before the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol.

Democrats on the Homeland Security Committee released the findings. They said the agencies ignored tips and social media posts calling for violence before January 6 and, even after the attack began, intelligence officials still played down the threat. In the end, the report concludes the FBI and DHS simply could not conceive the Capitol would be overrun.

A heat dome scorched Texas again today, amid warnings that blistering temperatures will invade the Midwest and the Deep South through July 4. Roughly 62 million Americans from Arizona to the Florida Panhandle were under heat warnings today. Dallas had a forecast high of 110 degrees.

Meantime, smoke and haze from wildfires in Canada covered Chicago and much of Michigan and triggered air quality alerts.

Suzanne Leitner, Visiting Chicago:

It's burning on the eyes and burning in the nose. And I don't think this mask is even strong enough. I have an N95, but I think I need a better one.

Geoff Bennett:

Officials say the haze could drift farther south and linger for several days.

The Roman Catholic bishop of Knoxville, Tennessee, Richard Stika, has resigned over allegations he mishandled sexual abuse claims. The Vatican had complaints from priests, who said the Bishop abused his power and protected a seminarian accused of rape. In an interview today, Stika denied covering up abuse.

In Germany, police and prosecutors in Cologne searched Catholic Church properties today in a perjury probe of Cardinal Rainer Woelki, the region's archbishop. Investigators went through church offices in Woelki's home. They're focused on allegations that he lied in court regarding sexual abuse complaints.

Ulf Willuhn, Cologne Prosecutor (through translator):

In terms of content, the main issue in each case is whether Cardinal Woelki had any knowledge at all, and, if so, at what specific point in time, of allegations of abuse leveled against two clerics.

Geoff Bennett:

The cardinal has denied the allegations.

Police in the Czech Republic say they have arrested 14 people and broken up an international ring of migrant smuggling. Police video today showed squads of officers raiding apartments and restraining suspects with handcuffs. The ring allegedly smuggled at least 1,000 migrants from Turkey to Western Europe since 2021.

A U.S. government watchdog today doubled the estimate of pandemic relief money stolen from two main programs. The inspector general for the Small Business Administration now says the total could top $200 billion. It was meant to aid businesses and workers. Other estimates have run even higher.

Newly analyzed sales records show a surge of e-cigarette devices onto the U.S. market in the last three years. The Associated Press reports the number almost tripled to more than 9,000. They were mostly unauthorized disposable vapes from China. That's despite the FDA's crackdown on flavors that appeal to minors.

On Wall Street today, encouraging economic reports helped stocks rebound a bit. The Dow Jones industrial average gained 212 points to close at 33926. The Nasdaq rose nearly 220 points, more than 1.5 percent. The S&P 500 was up just over 1 percent.

And archaeologists at the ancient Roman ruins of Pompeii may have uncovered a slice of culinary history. Italy's Culture Ministry says they have found a fresco depicting a precursor to pizza. The image appears on the wall of a house dating back 2,000 years. It looks like pizza, but it's not, since tomatoes and mozzarella weren't yet available. Instead, it's said to be a kind of focaccia.

Gabriel Zuchtriegel, Director, Pompeii Archaeological Park (through translator):

We are in the atrium of a house that was already partially excavated over 100 years ago.

We think this is a kind of sacrificial flatbread, an offering with perhaps a seasoning on it, some spices, some kind of condiment, but also pomegranates and dates, an image that obviously to the modern observer immediately brings to mind a pizza, since we are near Naples.

Geoff Bennett:

The Italian culture minister said Pompeii never ceases to amaze.

Indeed.

Still to come on the "NewsHour": an aging population poses many challenges for the country's future; the weaponization of deepfake technology to target women; a new book calls for a renewed commitment to American citizenship; and a citywide art project hopes to reveal the forgotten history of St. Louis.