Friday morning news: September 2, 2022

For WORLD Radio, I'm Kent Covington. 

Biden primetime address » AUDIO: Please welcome the president of the United States.

President Biden addressed the nation last night standing in front of Philadelphia’s Independence Hall.

In a campaign-style speech, Biden said equality and democracy are under attack ….

BIDEN: Donald Trump and the MAGA Republicans represent an extremism that threatens the very foundations of our republic.

Biden is aiming to reframe the November elections as part of an unceasing battle for the—quote—“soul of the nation.”

But speaking in Biden’s home town of Scranton, Pennsylvania Thursday, House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy said the president is out of touch with the soul of the nation. He said Americans have never been more worried …

MCCARTHY: … More alarmed by the direction of our country, yet they tell you everything is fine.

The explicit effort by Biden to marginalize Trump and his supporters marks a sharp turn for the president, who declared a desire to bring about national unity in his Inaugural address.

Trump special master hearing » A federal judge heard arguments Thursday on whether to appoint an independent legal expert to look over the government records that the FBI seized from Donald Trump.

Trump lawyer Alina Habba said a special master is needed …

HABBA: So that we can have some impartial mediators to look at everything and get the documents that are supposed to be with the president back.

She said that could include “highly personal information” such as diaries or journals.

But the Justice Department says a special master isn’t necessary and could slow down the investigation.

The judge has not yet issued a ruling.

Zaporizhzhia latest » On the ground in Ukraine Thursday, the UN’s nuclear chief, Rafael Grossi, again sounded alarms about the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant.

Standing in front of the Russian-occupied plant, Grossi told reporters …

GROSSI: It is obvious that the plant and the physical integrity of the plant has been violated several times.

Fourteen UN inspectors are combing through the facility, assessing the damage from months of war and neglect.

They’re trying to determine the state of the plant’s safety systems and the conditions control room staff are working in.

Experts are concerned that the staff is overworked and stressed out by armed Russian troops roaming the halls. That raises the risk of a dangerous error.

GROSSI: I worry, and I will continue to be worried about the plant until we have a situation which is more stable.

Fighting between Russian and Ukrainian forces this week prompted the shutdown of one reactor and underscored the urgency of the UN agency's task.

Grossi said his team plans to establish a continued presence at the plant.

UN report reaction » Human rights groups are applauding a new United Nations report for spotlighting potential crimes against humanity in China.

The UN’s outgoing human rights chief, Michelle Bachelet, released the report this week. It pointed to the confinement and even torture of Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities in China’s Xinjiang region.

Rahima Mahmut is with the human rights group, World Uyghur Congress.

MAHMUT: I am relieved that this report is finally out. We know the pressure from the Chinese government, how they tried to whitewash by inviting Madam Bachelet to China and showing her completely different things.

But she said the report was still not as forceful as it could or should have been.

Migrants bused to Chicago » Two buses arrived at Chicago’s Union Station this week, carrying up to 100 migrants from the Texas border.

That as Texas continues a busing program transporting migrants to self-proclaimed sanctuary cities.

One of the passengers on that bus said he had just crossed the border the day before.

AUDIO: We are not asking for charity, but we just want to find at least a shelter and a place to stay.

City buses later picked up the migrants and took them to a city shelter.

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot accused Texas Gov. Greg Abbott of—quote—“racist practices.”

But Abbott said—his words—“Mayor Lightfoot loves to tout the responsibility of her city to welcome all regardless of legal status, and I look forward to seeing this responsibility in action.”

Palin defeated in House race » Democrat Mary Peltola is the winner of a special election for Alaska’s only U.S. House seat.

She’ll take over the seat of the late Republican Don Young, who died in March after 49 years in Congress.

PELTOLA: It’s just a tremendous honor to come in and finish out the remainder of his term.

Peltola edged out former governor and GOP vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin by a few percentage points.

Transportation.gov flight dashboard » Just in time for Labor Day weekend, the Dept. of Transportation has launched a new online tool for air travelers.

WORLD’s Kristen Flavin has more.

KRISTEN FLAVIN, REPORTER: The dashboard at Transportation.gov will show what compensation airlines provide when a flight is delayed or canceled. It's designed to help travelers shop for air carriers that offer the best guarantees.

It’s part of a pressure campaign by the Transportation Department to get carriers to improve customer service after a summer plagued by frequent delays and cancelations.

Airlines have largely blamed staffing shortages for the issues.

Reporting for WORLD, I’m Kristen Flavin.

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

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