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In our news wrap Friday, a federal jury convicted former Trump adviser Steve Bannon of contempt of Congress for defying subpoenas from the Jan. 6 panel, President Biden's COVID symptoms are improving, a heat wave continues in parts of the U.S., Sri Lankan troops clear protestors, and Rep. Lee Zeldin is back campaigning for New York governor after being attacked.

A federal jury in Washington, D.C., has convicted Steve Bannon of contempt of Congress. The former Trump adviser had defied subpoenas to answer questions from the January 6 Committee.

The jury took less than three hours today to find Bannon guilty, but, afterward, he insisted he will win on appeal.

Steve Bannon, Former White House Chief Strategist:

We may have lost a battle here today, but we're not going to lose this war, OK? I stand with Trump and the Constitution, and I will never back off that, ever.

The two misdemeanor counts carry a maximum penalty of two years in jail and $200,000 in fines.

President Biden's mild COVID symptoms are said to be improving tonight. The White House physician says he's responding well to treatment. The White House showed Mr. Biden today in a virtual meeting with economic advisers. His voice was ragged, but he said he felt better than he sounded.

Later, the president's COVID coordinator said the key is still being fully vaccinated and boosted.

Dr. Ashish Jha, White House COVID-19 Response Coordinator:

We are now at a point, I believe, where we can prevent nearly every COVID death in America. That is a remarkable fact. So, if you're vaccinated, but have not gotten a booster, this is a really good time to go and get a booster.

White House officials also say they have informed 17 people deemed to have been close contacts of the president.

Parts of the Deep South and the Northeastern U.S. have suffered through another day of dangerously high temperatures. Utilities projected record-high power usage, with air conditioners running full blast. Meanwhile, fires Fed by high heat are still burning in several European countries. Aerial water drops have helped fire crews make slow progress.

Russia and Ukraine today signed breakthrough agreements to start shipping Ukrainian grain through the Black Sea, free from Russian attack. The plan also lets Russia export grain and fertilizer.

The warring countries sat down separately for the signing ceremony in Istanbul, Turkey. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the grain is desperately needed.

António Guterres, United Nations Secretary-General:

Today, there is a beacon on the Black Sea, a beacon of hope, a beacon of possibility. It will bring relief for developing countries on the edge of bankruptcy and the most vulnerable people on the edge of famine.

We will return to this later in the program.

In Sri Lanka, troops and police violently cleared the main protesters camp in the capital overnight. The security forces dismantled barricades after the new president ordered the camp removed. Protesters said a number of people were hurt, including two journalists. The protesters say the new leader shares blame for Sri Lanka's economic collapse.

Back in this country, Republican Congressman Lee Zeldin is back campaigning for governor of New York after being attacked Thursday. It happened at a rally near Rochester. A man came on stage and raised a sharp object, before Zeldin grabbed his arm and others dragged him down. The man was charged with attempted assault. Zeldin was unhurt.

California's governor today signed a bill that effectively allows private citizens to enforce gun laws. It pays at least $10,000 for successful lawsuits against those who distribute illegal assault weapons, among other things. The law is patterned after a Texas statute that lets citizens sue anyone who provides an abortion.

And Wall Street ended the week with a thud after disappointing data on the global economy. The Dow Jones industrial average lost 137 points to close at 31899. The Nasdaq fell 225 points, nearly 2 percent. The S&P 500 dropped 1 percent. But, for the week, all three indexes were up 2 to 3 percent.

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