Friday morning news: September 16, 2022

For WORLD Radio, I'm Kent Covington. 

Railway contract » The trains will keep moving today. Railroad companies and unions reached an agreement on Thursday to avoid a strike ahead of today’s deadline.

A rail stoppage could have caused supply chain chaos across the country less than two months before midterm elections. That has the White House is breathing a sigh of relief. President Biden told reporters…

BIDEN: I am very pleased. This agreement is a big win for America, and for both, in my view.

The deal, which includes a 24% pay raise, will go to union members for a vote after a cooling-off period of several weeks.

Special master » A federal judge has named the independent legal expert who will review the documents the FBI took during a raid of Donald Trump’s Florida home.

Former federal prosecutor Raymond Dearie will serve as special master.

He’ll sift through the documents and potentially weed out any records that may be protected by attorney-client privilege or executive privilege.

Trump’s legal team gave Dearie the thumbs up. And the Justice Department did also, though it opposed naming a special master in the case.

Ukraine aid, Russia sanctions » The United States is reportedly set to send another big military aid package to Ukraine and hit Russia with more sanctions. WORLD’s Kristen Flavin has more.

KRISTEN FLAVIN, REPORTER: The United States is rushing more weapons to fuel Kyiv's counteroffensive, which has reclaimed large parts of eastern Ukraine from Russia.

The Biden administration was expected to announce $600 million in additional aid. The package will include more heavy equipment and ammunition.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukrainian authorities found a mass burial site near the recently recaptured city of Izium.

The State Department also slapped sanctions on dozens of Russian companies and officials—and some Ukrainian officials—for human rights abuses and the theft of Ukrainian grain.

For WORLD, I’m Kristen Flavin.

Putin-China concerns » Vladimir Putin conceded publicly for the first time Thursday that China has concerns about Russia’s war in Ukraine.

Putin sat face to face with Chinese leader Xi Jinping in a meeting room in Uzbekistan.

Putin said, “We understand your questions and your concerns in this regard, and we certainly will offer a detailed explanation of our stand on this issue.”

The White House finds the continued alliance of Russia and China troubling.

PIERRE: We’ve made clear our concerns about the depth of China’s alignment with Russia, even as Russia prosecutes a war of aggression in Ukraine, a brutal war. This meeting is an example of that alignment.

Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre heard there.

Putin thanked Xi Jinping on Thursday for his—quote—“balanced” approach to the Ukrainian crisis.

China worries about the war making oil prices more volatile and economic uncertainty worse.

WHO: pandemic end ‘in sight’ » The COVID-19 pandemic is not over, but “the end is in sight.”

That’s the word from the head of the World Health Organization.

At a press briefing in Geneva, Tedros Ghebreyesus told reporters…

GHEBREYESUS: Last week, the number of weekly reported deaths from COVID-19 was the lowest since March, 2020. We have never been in a better position to end the pandemic.

But Ghebreyesus compared the fight against the virus to a marathon. He said, “Now is the worst time to stop running.”

In its weekly report, the WHO said COVID deaths fell by 22% in the past week, at just over 11,000 reported worldwide.

Hungary abortion » The government of Hungary now requires abortion providers to show signs of life to mothers seeking an abortion. WORLD’s Josh Schumacher has more.

JOSH SCHUMACHER, REPORTER: The decree issued on Monday states that abortionists must provide pregnant women with an “indication of fetal vital signs” before proceeding with an abortion. The rule took effect on Thursday.

In a statement, the Interior Ministry said that “nearly two-thirds of Hungarians associate the beginning of a child’s life with the first heartbeat.”

It added that the measure is intended to give mothers more information before making a decision.

Abortion laws in Hungary remained largely the same since the procedure was legalized during the country's socialist period in 1953.

The government enshrined in Hungary's 2011 constitution that “the life of a fetus will be protected from conception," yet it hasn't sought to significantly tighten abortion laws.

Reporting for WORLD, I’m Josh Schumacher.

I’m Kent Covington. For more news, features, and analysis, visit us at wng.org. 

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