PBS NewsHour | News Wrap: Germany says Ukraine can use weapons in Russia | 2024 season

GEOFF BENNETT: In other headlines of the day: Germany has given Ukraine the green light to use long-range weapons supplied by Berlin on targets inside Russia.

The Biden administration gave a similar endorsement yesterday.

In both cases, the use of these weapons is limited to defense against Russian attacks in the Kharkiv border region.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was in Stockholm today to conclude long-term security agreements with Sweden and Norway.

kyiv has now signed such agreements with 15 Western countries.

And Secretary of State Antony Blinken said today that the upcoming NATO summit in July would provide more Western support, as well as a path to membership in the alliance.

ANTONY BLINKEN, US Secretary of State: And our goal now is to build the bridge that will bring Ukraine closer to NATO and then to membership.

And like I said, it's a bridge that I think you'll see emerging at the top, both very sturdy and very well lit.

GEOFF BENNETT: Against a backdrop of diplomacy, there was a moment of relief on the front line today as Russia and Ukraine participated in a prisoner exchange; 75 Russians and 75 Ukrainians took part in this exchange, the first since February.

And a significant death this evening.

Marian Robinson, mother of former first lady Michelle Obama, has died, family says.

She was a fixture in the Obama White House, having moved from Chicago to Washington with the Obamas to help with her young granddaughters.

The family said in a statement — I quote — “She passed away peacefully this morning and, at this time, none of us know exactly how we will move forward without her.”

Marian Robinson was 86 years old.

Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia has registered as an independent.

The longtime Democrat has long flirted with the idea of ​​leaving a party he considers far too liberal.

In a video statement today, Manchin cited his commitment to putting country before party as the reason for the change.

SEN. JOE MANCHIN (I-WV): My commitment to my great country has been to do everything I can to ensure that we can survive as a representative form of democracy, a government that we have and that the people control, not the party. systems.

And, today, in order for me to fulfill that, I changed my registration to independent with no party affiliation.

GEOFF BENNETT: Manchin said in November that he would not seek re-election, but today's decision raises new questions about his future political aspirations.

A spokesperson for Manchin told the NewsHour that he would continue to work with Senate Democrats.

The Texas Supreme Court has rejected a challenge to that state's strict abortion ban.

More than 20 women suffering from serious pregnancy complications have filed a lawsuit seeking clarification on cases in which their mothers' lives are in danger.

In its ruling, the court wrote that the procedure is permitted if the mother has — I quote — “a life-threatening physical condition that places her in danger of death or serious physical impairment,” but declined to specify further.

Critics say this confusion means most doctors won't take the risk of performing an abortion.

If they do so, they risk fines and even prison sentences.

Vermont became the first state to require oil companies to pay for damages caused by climate change.

This comes after widespread flooding inundated Vermont's capital and neighboring areas last summer.

The new law would assess the impacts of climate change on issues such as public health and economic development, calculate the total cost of climate change to Vermonters from 1995 through the end of this year, and use the awarded funds to improve infrastructure drainage, rail and road. .

Maryland, Massachusetts and New York are all considering similar legislation.

On Wall Street today, stocks ended the month on strong footing after an inflation measure arrived as expected.

The Dow Jones industrial average jumped more than 570 points to close at 38,686.

The Nasdaq finished virtually flat at 16,735.

The S&P 500 added 42 points.

And the Kansas City Chiefs headed to the White House today to celebrate their second straight Super Bowl victory.

President Biden briefly donned a Chiefs helmet as he congratulated the team on the South Lawn saying he liked the idea of ​​winning back-to-backs.

He then turned to shake hands with team members, including star players Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce.

Kelce's girlfriend, music superstar Taylor Swift, did not appear.

Coming on 'NewsHour': As a deadly heatwave grips much of India, a look at why temperatures are reaching record highs; and David Brooks and Jonathan Capehart analyze the latest political headlines.