News Wrap: In Berlin, Biden urges Western allies to continue flow of aid to Ukraine

In our news wrap Friday, Biden met with Western allies in Berlin to discuss the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, a federal judge unsealed nearly 2,000 pages of evidence in Trump’s election interference case, safety officials are investigating Tesla’s “full self-driving” system, autoworkers in Italy went on their first national strike in 20 years, and Cuba suffered a nationwide power outage.
Amna Nawaz:
We start the day’s other headlines in Berlin, where President Biden said Western allies must keep aid flowing to Ukraine, even as the U.S. heads towards a pivotal election next month.
Biden met with the leaders of Germany, France and the U.K. to discuss the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, but the possibility of another Trump presidency loomed large. The former president this week signaled that Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was partly to blame for Russia’s war and has questioned America’s support for Kyiv.
Speaking alongside his host, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Biden said Ukraine’s allies must stand strong.
Joe Biden, President of the United States: America and Germany are the two largest supporters of Ukraine in its fight for survival as a free and independent nation. As Ukraine faces a tough winter, we must — we must sustain our resolve, our effort, and our support.
Amna Nawaz:
As he was leaving Germany, Biden told reporters that there is no consensus on allowing Ukraine to use Western-supplied weapons to strike deep into Russian territory. That is part of President Zelenskyy’s so-called victory plan, which he says is necessary to end the war.
Here in the U.S., a federal judge unsealed nearly 2,000 pages of documents filed by special counsel Jack Smith in the 2020 election interference case against former President Donald Trump. The evidence is mostly redacted, with entire pages labeled simply as sealed.
But U.S. District Court Judge Tanya Chutkan, denying a request by Trump’s lawyers to keep the documents under wraps, wrote that — quote — “Withholding could itself constitute or appear to be election interference.”
Prior to the release, Trump blasted Chutkan on a right-wing podcast, calling her a — quote — “evil person.”
In Texas, the state Supreme Court has halted what would have been the first execution in the country related to shaken baby syndrome. Robert Roberson faced lethal injection for the death of his daughter in 2002. Supporters say his conviction was based on flawed science. In a last-ditch legal bid, a bipartisan group of lawmakers issued Roberson a subpoena, calling on him to testify before a House committee next week. The Texas Supreme Court agreed to allow it.
State Representative John Bucy called the ruling unique, saying that Robertson “is an innocent man. He has a unique experience to tell, and we need to hear that testimony in committee on Monday.”
Road safety officials are investigating Tesla’s full self-driving system after reports of four crashes, including one that killed a pedestrian. They occurred in low-visibility conditions, including fog or glare from the sun. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says it will look into the car’s ability to — quote — “detect and respond appropriately in reduced visibility.”
The probe will cover more than two million Teslas from model years 2016 through 2024. The company has said that the system cannot drive itself, and that human drivers must be ready to intervene at all times.
Autoworkers in Italy took to the streets today in the first national strike in 20 years. Tens of thousands of employees from the country’s three main unions crisscrossed Rome, calling for the government to guarantee them more work amid a slowdown in auto production. The largest carmaker, Stellantis, has slashed its output there by nearly 70 percent over two decades.
Employees say there simply isn’t enough work left for them to get by.
Alberto Zanetti, Secretary-General, UIL Modena (through interpreter):
People are working six days every two months. It is a direction that cannot go on. We are asking for investment. We are asking for solutions to problems. We are asking for work.
Amna Nawaz:
Stellantis, which makes Fiat, Jeep and Chrysler vehicles, warned earlier this year that it expects an annual loss of up to $11 billion. As a result, the company’s CEO says Stellantis may have to lay off union workers and offer buyouts to salaried employees.
Cuba has suffered a nationwide power outage after a failure at a plant just east of Havana. The blackout comes just a day after the government stressed the need to save electricity amid ongoing fuel shortages. Officials had canceled schools for today and shut some state-owned businesses to try and save energy.
The head of Cuba’s energy utility blamed the shortages on an increase in demand from companies and the private use of air conditioners. The blackout comes as millions of Cubans face shortages of food, fuel and medicine amid a deepening economic crisis.
On Wall Street today, stocks posted modest gains to cap off a sixth straight winning week. The Dow Jones industrial average added just 36 points, but managed to notch a new all-time high. The Nasdaq added more than 100 points on the day. The S&P 500 also ended the week at a new record.