Friday morning news - March 18, 2022

For WORLD Radio, I'm Kent Covington. 

Biden to call China’s Xi to discuss Russia, other issues » President Biden will place a phone call to Chinese leader Xi Jinping today to talk about the war in Ukraine and other issues.

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said Biden’s chief concern is ensuring that China does not aid Russia with its invasion of Ukraine.

PSAKI: Our concerns about China assisting in any way Russia as they invade a foreign country is a significant concern, and the response to that would be consequences.

Russia has reportedly asked China for equipment and other military aid.

Rescuers search for survivors in bombed Mariupol theater » Meantime, in Ukraine, rescue workers searched for survivors Thursday in the ruins of a theater blown apart by a Russian airstrike.

Hundreds of civilians had been taking shelter in the grand, columned theater in central Mariupol after their homes were destroyed in the southern port city. No word yet on an exact number of injuries or deaths.

Across the city, snow flurries fell around the skeletons of burned, windowless and shrapnel-scarred apartment buildings as smoke rose above the skyline.

A Mariupol resident identified only as Elana described her desperation.

ELANA: We are trying to survive somehow. It’s just that I cannot tell my mother that I’m alive. My mother lives in Makiivka. There is no connection. There’s nothing. It’s cruel. My child is hungry. I don’t know what to give him to eat.

President Biden recently said he believes Russia has committed war crimes in Ukraine. And Secretary of State Tony Blinken said Thursday…

BLINKEN: Personally, I agree. Intentionally targeting civilians is a war crime. After all the destruction of the last three weeks, I find it difficult to conclude that the Russians are doing otherwise.

Scores of Ukrainians across the country have died in recent days in urban attacks on a school, a hostel and other sites.

Russian media: Detention of WNBA's Griner extended to May 19 » The Russian government has extended its detention of Brittney Griner until May 19th. That according to Russian media on Thursday. That means the 31-year-old WNBA star could remain behind bars for at least three months before her case is resolved.

Police detained the two-time Olympic champion at a Moscow airport in mid-February. Authorities said a search of her luggage revealed vape cartridges allegedly containing oil derived from cannabis. That’s a violation that could carry a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.

Germany set to boost defense spending » Russia’s invasion of Ukraine appears to have awoken a sleeping giant. Germany will soon become one of the world’s biggest military spenders. WORLD’s Kristen Flavin has more.

KRISTEN FLAVIN, REPORTER: The military budget was presented to Germany’s coalition cabinet this week alongside a law that commits 100 billion euros to a special fund for its armed forces.

That will raise Germany’s defense spending from one-and-a-half percent of GDP—gross domestic product—to better than 2 percent. That’s the level that all NATO members are supposed to meet. Many U.S. officials, particularly former President Trump, have criticized Germany in the past for not doing so.

But Germany’s defense spending boost will make it the world’s third-biggest military spender, trailing only the United States and China.

Attitudes toward big defense spending have shifted in Germany since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine last month. Shortly after the war began, Germany changed its policy to allow weapons experts to Ukraine.

Reporting for WORLD, I’m Kristen Flavin.

Biden COVID coordinators leaving in April, Jha to take over » The White House is naming a new coordinator to lead its COVID-19 response.

The current virus response coordinator Jeff Zients is leaving the administration next month.

Dr. Ashish Jha, the dean of the Brown University School of Public Health, will replace him.

The White House credited Jeff Zients with helping to make vaccines and treatments widely available. But the change comes amid criticism of the administration for confusing public messaging around the virus response.

Dr. Jha is a familiar face to many. He’s been a fixture on cable and network news programs throughout the pandemic.

President Biden said as the country enters a new phase in its pandemic response, he “is the perfect person for the job.”

Court: Honduras ex-president can be extradited » The former president of Honduras wore a blue suit and shackles in a Honduran courtroom this week. And he may soon appear in a U.S. court. WORLD’s Anna Johansen Brown has that story.

ANNA JOHANSEN BROWN, REPORTER: Former President Juan Orlando Hernández insisted that he had no ties to drug traffickers. But the Honduran Court of Justice announced Wednesday that they would extradite him to the United States to face drug trafficking and weapons charges.

Hernandez’s lawyers vowed to appeal.

Authorities arrested Hernández last month, shortly after he left office after eight years as president.

The U.S. Department of Justice asked for his extradition. The DOJ implicated him in the transportation of 500 tons of cocaine from South America to the United States through Honduras.

Prosecutors said he used money from bribes to fund his presidential campaign.

Reporting for WORLD, I’m Anna Johansen Brown.

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

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