Thursday morning news - June 2, 2022

For WORLD Radio, I'm Kent Covington. 

United States sending medium-range rocket systems to Ukraine » The United States is sending powerful new rocket systems and ammunition to Ukraine.

The Biden administration had been reluctant to send the medium-range systems because they have the ability to strike targets on Russian soil. But Secretary of State Tony Blinken said Wednesday…

BLINKEN: The Ukrainians have given us assurances that they will not use these systems against targets on Russian territory. There is a strong trust bond between Ukraine and the United States, as well as with our allies and partners.

Providing that assurance was key to convincing Washington to send the systems amid concerns about provoking a wider war with Russia.

The Pentagon says these systems are a perfect fit for what Ukrainian forces need right now for the fight in the eastern Donbas region and will significantly upgrade their ability to fight at range.

But Under Secretary of Defense Colin Kahl says it will take weeks for the precision weapons to reach the battlefield.

KAHL: These of course are systems that Ukrainians need to be trained on. We think that will take around three weeks. And they’ll need to know not just how to use the systems, but of course how to maintain the systems.

The rocket systems are part of a new $700 million military aid package that also includes helicopters, anti-tank weapons, radars, tactical vehicles, and more.

NATO chief in Washington for talks on ongoing Ukraine war response » The head of NATO, Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, is in Washington this morning for more talks about the ongoing allied response to the war in Ukraine.

Speaking at the State Department on Wednesday, he thanked US officials for their leadership. And he said Vladimir Putin’s decision to order the invasion of Ukraine was a massive strategic blunder.

STOLTENBERG: President Putin wanted less NATO. He is getting more NATO; more troops and more NATO members.

“More members” presumes that Finland and Sweden will eventually join the defense alliance.

They have applied to so, but all current NATO members must unanimously agree and Turkey has voiced concerns. Stoltenberg hopes to iron out those differences. He said he’ll convene a meeting between with Turkey and the Nordic countries during a summit in Madrid later this month. He said the summit will be a “historic” opportunity to strengthen the alliance.

Biden hosts roundtable with baby formula makers amid shortage » At the White House on Wenesday, President Biden again addressed the continued nationwide shortage of baby formula.

BIDEN: As a father and a grandfather, I understand how difficult has been for families all across the country.

He hosted a roundtable with executives from several companies that, together, make much of the infant formula in the country.

But one company not represented at the meeting was Abbott Nutrition. The shutdown of Abbott’s Michigan plant in February over safety concerns fueled much of the current shortage.

Speaking later to reporters, Biden conceded that his administration was caught off guard.

BIDEN: I don’t think anyone anticipated the impact of the shutdown of one facility.

But Robert Cleveland, senior vice president of Reckitt, which makes Enfamil formula said he did in fact anticipate the impact.

CLEVELAND: We knew from the very beginning this would be a very serious event.

Abbott’s Michigan facility is the largest formula plant in the country. After addressing health violations, is set to reopen this weekend, though it could take up to two months for supplies to hit store shelves.

The White House said a third round of formula shipments from overseas will begin next week.

Lawmakers debate new gun legislation » Meantime on Capitol Hill, lawmakers continue talks on new gun control legislation in the wake of last week’s shooting in Uvalde. Members of a House panel could vote as soon as today on a series of regulations. WORLD’s Kristen Flavin reports.

KRISTEN FLAVIN, REPORTER: The House Judiciary Committee is working on a bill that would raise the legal age to purchase a semiautomatic centerfire rifle to 21. It would also create new federal offenses for trafficking firearms or selling large-capacity magazines.

The bill is said to include new rules on the safe storage of firearms and a tax credit for the sale of things like gun safes.

In the Senate, a bipartisan group of lawmakers is talking over potential gun measures. Republican Senators John Cornyn and Thom Tillis huddled this week with Democrats Chris Murphy and Kyrsten Sinema.

Murphy says Democrats won’t be able to get everything they want in new gun legislation. Winning enough votes to overcome a filibuster won’t be easy.

But he said the two sides are discussing things like red flag laws, background checks, and safe gun storage.

Reporting for WORLD, I’m Kristen Flavin.

U.S. job openings decline from record level but remain high » The white-hot demand for U.S. workers cooled off just a bit in April. But companies are still desperate to hire more people.

The Labor Department says employers advertised 11.4 million jobs at the end of April. That was down from about 11.9 million in March.

The number of people quitting their jobs in April remained near record highs at 4.4 million.

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

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