Friday morning news: January 20, 2023

For WORLD Radio, I'm Anna Johansen Brown. 

Debt limit » The Treasury Department is now taking what it calls extraordinary measures to keep the government from defaulting on its debt.

The U.S. reached the limit of what it can legally borrow yesterday. Congress can raise that limit, but not everyone thinks that’s a good idea.

Senator Joe Manchin:

MANCHIN: I think what we have to do is realize that we have a problem, we have a debt problem.

Republican leaders say they will only agree to raise the so-called debt ceiling if Democrats agree to spending reductions. That’s a non-starter for the White House. Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre.

JEAN-PIERRE: It is essential for Congress to recognize that dealing with the debt ceiling is their constitutional responsibility. This is an easy one. This is something that should be happening without conditions.

The Treasury Department’s stopgap financial measures are expected to expire June 5. 

Biden tours CA damage » AUDIO: [Official talking to Biden]

President Biden has approved even more federal funding for California’s storm recovery efforts. He toured storm-damaged areas in the state yesterday.

Atmospheric rivers have washed over California since late December, dropping as much rain in that amount of time as many areas see in one year.

FEMA director Deanne Criswell also joined Biden on the visits.

CRISWELL: There’s 20 confirmed fatalities across the state, and that’s just really devastating. We’re talking about homes that are impacted, but we’re also talking about their livelihood, we’re talking about the loss of life.

Biden also met with first responders during his trip and discussed how the federal government could continue to support the state’s recovery.

More than 500 personnel from FEMA and other agencies have deployed to California to help with emergency response.

FBI offers reward for info on pregnancy center vandalism cases » The FBI is offering a cash reward for information about a string of attacks against pro-life pregnancy centers. WORLD’s Kristen Flavin reports.

KRISTEN FLAVIN, REPORTER: The FBI says it will pay $25,000 to anyone who can help them find, arrest, and convict “the suspects responsible for these crimes.”

The bureau is looking for two suspects involved in an arson attack against a pregnancy center in Amherst, New York, back in June.

But attacks on other pro-life centers throughout the country remain unsolved.

Those attacks began after someone leaked a draft opinion pointing to the eventual reversal of Roe v. Wade. The Supreme Court announced yesterday that it has not identified the source of that leak despite an in-depth investigation.

For WORLD, I’m Kristen Flavin.

Sec. Austin meets with allies about Ukraine aid » Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin is huddling with Western allies at Ramstein Air Base in Germany today to talk strategy and military aid to Ukraine.

AUSTIN: We’ll join our partners and allies at the year’s first meeting of the Ukrainian Defense Contact Group. And we’ll renew our united commitment to support Ukraine’s self defense for the long haul.

Germany is facing mounting pressure to supply tanks to Kyiv. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says the weapons aren’t arriving fast enough to keep up with relentless Russian attacks.

Kyiv is asking Germany to send its Leopard 2 tanks after the U.K. announced it will send tanks to Ukraine. At the very least, Zelenskyy is asking Germany to clear the way for Poland and others to deliver German-made Leopards from their own stock.

Grossi: We have to protect Ukraine nuke plants » Meantime, the head of the United Nations nuclear watchdog says his agency is already hard at work in Ukraine hoping to safeguard nuclear plants. That as missiles and shells continue to shake the ground. Rafael Grossi said the plants must be protected.

GROSSI: This is perhaps my challenge because the parties are not negotiating with each other.

The UN nuclear chief also once again called for permanent safe zones around all nuclear plants.

GROSSI: I am very clear about the absolute necessity to exclude nuclear facilities, nuclear power plants from any military action. This is of course a permanent message that I have for everybody.

The UN’s International Atomic Energy Agency this week sent teams of experts to each of Ukraine’s four nuclear plants.

Baldwin charged with involuntary manslaughter » Actor Alec Baldwin is facing criminal charges in New Mexico, stemming from a fatal shooting on a movie set. WORLD’s Josh Schumacher has that story.

JOSH SCHUMACHER, REPORTER: Both Baldwin and an on-set weapons handler will be charged with involuntary manslaughter in the shooting of a cinematographer.

A gun that was supposed to be loaded only with blanks instead fired a live round, striking and killing Halyna Hutchins.

Weapons specialist Hannah Gutierrez-Reed also faces involuntary manslaughter charges. She was in charge of supervising weapons on the set of the Western “Rust.”

Prosecutors accused both Baldwin and Gutierrez-Reed of “criminal disregard for safety.”

Assistant director David Halls, who handed Baldwin the gun, has signed an agreement to plead guilty to negligent use of a deadly weapon.

For WORLD, I’m Josh Schumacher.

Welcome Corps » The U.S. government has announced a new program called the “Welcome Corps”  that will allow private donors to sponsor refugees arriving in the U.S.

Secretary of State Anthony Blinken.

BLINKEN: Providing a safe haven and a new home for people fleeing war, violence and persecution is one of America's noblest traditions dating back to the founding of our nation. And throughout our history, our country has benefited from the energy, the ingenuity, the hard work of refugees.

The State Department says its goal is to have at least 10,000 Americans sponsor at least 5,000 refugees from around the world.

I'm Anna Johansen Brown. For more news, features, and analysis, visit us at wng.org. 

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