Tuesday morning news: October 4, 2022

For WORLD Radio, I'm Kent Covington. 

Biden Hurricane to PR » President Biden stood in front of shipping containers at the Port of Ponce in Puerto Rico on Monday. Speaking alongside Puerto Rican Governor Pedro Pierluisi Biden promised federal aid after Hurricane Fiona triggered catastrophic floods.

BIDEN: Thank you, governor, for your partnership as we work together to help rebuild Puerto Rico. And I mean, rebuild it all, and rebuild it in a resilient way, so when the storms come again, which they will, they’re not having the damage they’ve caused before.

Biden vowed $60 million in aid through last year’s bipartisan infrastructure law to help Puerto Rico shore up levees, strengthen flood walls and create a new flood warning system.

Fiona struck five years after Hurricane Maria, devastated the island, ripping apart its power grid.

Ian update » Meantime, in Florida, Gov. Ron DeSantis said five days after Hurricane Ian slammed the state, some areas are still dealing with significant inland flooding.

DESANTIS: I mean, I saw homes that had almost up to the rooftops still different buildings, RVs that were almost totally submerged. So this is a big deal.

Power is still out for thousands of Floridians.

The storm is blamed for more than 80 deaths in the state.

Farther north, Hurricane Ian’s remnants are still wreaking havoc. The mid-Atlantic and Northeast coasts saw flooding on Monday from heavy rains.

Ukraine » Ukrainian troops continue to beat back Russian forces in eastern Ukraine. WORLD’s Josh Schumacher has more.

JOSH SCHUMACHER, REPORTER: Ukraine’s forces continue to advance in the very areas that Russia is trying to annex.

In their latest breakthrough, Ukrainian troops broke through Moscow’s defenses in the strategic southern Kherson region.

They also made gains in the east and other major battlefields.

And the U.S. government just announced it will soon deliver to Ukraine four more of the advanced rocket systems. The HIMARS systems are credited with helping the country’s military gain momentum.

Reporting for WORLD, I’m Josh Schumacher.

Iran protests » AUDIO: [Protest]

Protesters gathered outside Tehran’s Sharif university on Monday.

Demonstrations erupted two weeks ago after a 22-year-old Kurdish Iranian woman died in police custody. She was reportedly beaten by Iran’s so-called morality police.

As of last week, 76 people were confirmed to have been killed in clashes with security forces. Hundreds more were arrested.

White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre:

PIERRE: We’re alarmed and appalled by reports of security authorities responding to university students’ peaceful protests with violence and mass arrests.

Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Khamenei on Monday broke his silence on the protests and accuses the United States and Israel of planning what he called “riots.”

Planned Parenthood mobile abortion clinics » Planned Parenthood officials on Monday announced plans for a mobile abortion facility to make it easier to have an abortion across state lines. WORLD’s Kristen Flavin has more.

KRISTEN FLAVIN, REPORTER: A 37-foot RV will stay in Illinois but travel close to the borders of adjoining states that have enacted strong protections for unborn children.

Planned Parenthood says the mobile abortion facility will provide abortifacient drugs up to 11 weeks of gestation by the end of the year. But it plans to start performing surgical abortions in the RV after the first few months.

The National Right to Life Committee called the plans “another grotesque demeaning of human life.”

It added that “Chemical abortions can lead to life-threatening complications.”

Reporting for WORLD, I’m Kristen Flavin.

Supreme Court reconvenes » The Supreme Court is back in session.

ROBERTS: We will hear arguments first this morning in case 21454 - Sackett vs EPA.

Chief Justice John Roberts heard there.

There’s a new justice hearing arguments in the new fiscal year. Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, wasted no time joining the lively give-and-take.

JACKSON: Are you saying that neighboring wetlands can’t impact the quality of navigable waters?
WITNESS: Justice Jackson, not at all.

That exchange, part of nearly two hours of arguments in the dispute over the Clean Water Act.

And for the first time since the pandemic lockdown in March of 2020, the public is allowed to attend the hearings.

100m songs on Apple Music » SONG: [I believe] What you say to me, I believe …

You Say by Lauren Daigle is one of a hundred-million songs now on Apple Music.

The streaming service just crossed the massive milestone, adding its 100-millionth song. Each day, roughly 20,000 artists release music on the service.

Apple Music now features music in 350 languages. About 40% of its content is in English.

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

For WORLD Radio, I'm Kent Covington. 

Biden Hurricane to PR » President Biden stood in front of shipping containers at the Port of Ponce in Puerto Rico on Monday. Speaking alongside Puerto Rican Governor Pedro Pierluisi Biden promised federal aid after Hurricane Fiona triggered catastrophic floods.

BIDEN: Thank you, governor, for your partnership as we work together to help rebuild Puerto Rico. And I mean, rebuild it all, and rebuild it in a resilient way, so when the storms come again, which they will, they’re not having the damage they’ve caused before.

Biden vowed $60 million in aid through last year’s bipartisan infrastructure law to help Puerto Rico shore up levees, strengthen flood walls and create a new flood warning system.

Fiona struck five years after Hurricane Maria, devastated the island, ripping apart its power grid.

Ian update » Meantime, in Florida, Gov. Ron DeSantis said five days after Hurricane Ian slammed the state, some areas are still dealing with significant inland flooding.

DESANTIS: I mean, I saw homes that had almost up to the rooftops still different buildings, RVs that were almost totally submerged. So this is a big deal.

Power is still out for thousands of Floridians.

The storm is blamed for more than 80 deaths in the state.

Farther north, Hurricane Ian’s remnants are still wreaking havoc. The mid-Atlantic and Northeast coasts saw flooding on Monday from heavy rains.

Ukraine » Ukrainian troops continue to beat back Russian forces in eastern Ukraine. WORLD’s Josh Schumacher has more.

JOSH SCHUMACHER, REPORTER: Ukraine’s forces continue to advance in the very areas that Russia is trying to annex.

In their latest breakthrough, Ukrainian troops broke through Moscow’s defenses in the strategic southern Kherson region.

They also made gains in the east and other major battlefields.

And the U.S. government just announced it will soon deliver to Ukraine four more of the advanced rocket systems. The HIMARS systems are credited with helping the country’s military gain momentum.

Reporting for WORLD, I’m Josh Schumacher.

Iran protests » AUDIO: [Protest]

Protesters gathered outside Tehran’s Sharif university on Monday.

Demonstrations erupted two weeks ago after a 22-year-old Kurdish Iranian woman died in police custody. She was reportedly beaten by Iran’s so-called morality police.

As of last week, 76 people were confirmed to have been killed in clashes with security forces. Hundreds more were arrested.

White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre:

PIERRE: We’re alarmed and appalled by reports of security authorities responding to university students’ peaceful protests with violence and mass arrests.

Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Khamenei on Monday broke his silence on the protests and accuses the United States and Israel of planning what he called “riots.”

Planned Parenthood mobile abortion clinics » Planned Parenthood officials on Monday announced plans for a mobile abortion facility to make it easier to have an abortion across state lines. WORLD’s Kristen Flavin has more.

KRISTEN FLAVIN, REPORTER: A 37-foot RV will stay in Illinois but travel close to the borders of adjoining states that have enacted strong protections for unborn children.

Planned Parenthood says the mobile abortion facility will provide abortifacient drugs up to 11 weeks of gestation by the end of the year. But it plans to start performing surgical abortions in the RV after the first few months.

The National Right to Life Committee called the plans “another grotesque demeaning of human life.”

It added that “Chemical abortions can lead to life-threatening complications.”

Reporting for WORLD, I’m Kristen Flavin.

Supreme Court reconvenes » The Supreme Court is back in session.

ROBERTS: We will hear arguments first this morning in case 21454 - Sackett vs EPA.

Chief Justice John Roberts heard there.

There’s a new justice hearing arguments in the new fiscal year. Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, wasted no time joining the lively give-and-take.

JACKSON: Are you saying that neighboring wetlands can’t impact the quality of navigable waters?
WITNESS: Justice Jackson, not at all.

That exchange, part of nearly two hours of arguments in the dispute over the Clean Water Act.

And for the first time since the pandemic lockdown in March of 2020, the public is allowed to attend the hearings.

100m songs on Apple Music » SONG: [I believe] What you say to me, I believe …

You Say by Lauren Daigle is one of a hundred-million songs now on Apple Music.

The streaming service just crossed the massive milestone, adding its 100-millionth song. Each day, roughly 20,000 artists release music on the service.

Apple Music now features music in 350 languages. About 40% of its content is in English.

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

WORLD Radio transcripts are created on a rush deadline. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of WORLD Radio programming is the audio record.