JUDY WOODRUFF: In the day's
other news: Twenty-eight
Russian athletes who
had been banned from

the Winter Olympics for
doping have now been
cleared by the International
Court of Arbitration

for Sport.

The panel ruled there was
insufficient evidence.

It also reinstated seven
gold medals won by Russians
at the 2014 Sochi Olympics.

President Vladimir Putin
hailed the decision
as he toured a vehicle
factory in Rostov-on-Don.

VLADIMIR PUTIN, Russian
President (through
translator): I think we
have to avoid euphoria

on our side.

We have to take it calmly.

We are happy for the athletes
supported, but not everyone
was fully cleared of charges.

We have things to improve
on our side for sure.

JUDY WOODRUFF: Russia is
still banned from the upcoming
Winter Games in South Korea for

state-sponsored doping.

But the 28 athletes could
compete, if the International
Olympic Committee agrees.

The United States charged today
that Syria is still making
and using chemical weapons.

Unnamed Trump administration
officials made the accusation
in various news accounts.

They said it is -- quote --
"highly likely" that Syria's
President Bashar al-Assad kept

a hidden stockpile of chemical
weapons after agreeing
to give them up in 2013.

The stream of Syrians and
others seeking political
asylum in Europe dropped
last year, for the

second year in a row.

The European Union's
asylum agency says nearly
707,000 people in all
applied for the special

status.

That is down 43 percent.

Syrians made up the largest
single group of applicants,
with more than 98,000.

In Myanmar, new evidence today
that the military and Buddhist
supporters massacred Rohingya

Muslims.

The Associated Press
reports that it confirmed
at least five mass graves.

Time-stamped cell phone video
shows the remains of one
village burned to the ground.

Human bones were found
in pools of acid used to
prevent identification.

In Seoul, South Korea today,
a top U.N. official said
there must be a reckoning.

YANGHEE LEE, United Nations
Special Envoy on Human Rights:
Yes, I would think that these

are part of the
hallmarks of a genocide.

I think Myanmar needs to
get rid of this baggage
of, did you or did you not?

And if proven that they
did, then there has
to be responsibility
and accountability.

JUDY WOODRUFF: Myanmar denies
all claims that Rohingya
Muslims have been systematically

slaughtered.

Kenya's high court ordered
today that three TV stations
be allowed to broadcast again,

but the government
ignored the order.

The stations have been shut
down since they tried to air the
mock inauguration of opposition

leader Raila Odinga this week.

Odinga's supporters say
President Uhuru Kenyatta
rigged last year's election.

Back in this country, the
State Department's top career
diplomat, Tom Shannon, announced

that he's retiring
after 35 years.

He cited personal reasons.

His departure comes as President
Trump faces criticism for
not filling a number of top

diplomatic posts.

The Arizona Statehouse
today expelled a Republican
lawmaker over allegations
of sexual harassment.

Don Shooter is believed
to be the first state
lawmaker to be dismissed
since the MeToo movement

began.

Others have resigned
or been stripped of
leadership positions.

And on Wall Street, the Dow
Jones industrial average gained
37 points to close at 26186.

The Nasdaq fell 25
points, and the S&P 500
lost almost two points.