Monday morning news: October 17, 2022

For WORLD Radio, I'm Kent Covington. 

Ukraine » AUDIO: [Siren]

The familiar sound of air raid sirens in central Kyiv over the weekend after days of Russian attacks on civilian targets.

That as Ukraine awaits delivery of more air-defense systems from Washington and NATO allies. Ukrainian Ambassador to the United States Oksana Markarova told Face the Nation …

MARKAROVA: Unfortunately, this system is difficult to produce, and they’re not already on the shelves waiting, but we’re doing everything possible and asking our partners to do everything possible to speed up delivery.

The White House just announced another $725 million in weapons and military aid for Ukraine.

ZELENSKYY: [Ukrainian]

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Sunday that by his government’s estimate, Russia has lost nearly 65,000 soldiers in the war.

Vladimir Putin said on Friday that he plans to halt his military draft in two weeks, claiming that Russia has added more than 200,000 troops to its ranks.

Musk SpaceX Ukraine » Oksana Markarova also expressed optimism Sunday about keeping the Starlink internet service from Elon Musk’s SpaceX company up and running in Ukraine.

The satellite internet service has provided critical battlefield communications and humanitarian contacts amid the war.

Musk tweeted on Friday that it was costing SpaceX $20 million a month to support Ukraine’s communications needs and asked the Pentagon to pick up the tab. Markarova said Sunday …

MARKAROVA: It’s the only connection that we have and very important that to continue having it, and I’m positive that we will find a solution there.

Markarova did not indicate whether Musk had agreed to continue funding the service.

Xi Jinping Communist Congress » In China, thousands of delegates gathered in Tiananmen Square’s Great Hall on Sunday for the start of the Communist party conference.

Leader Xi Jinping was expected to receive a third five-year term, breaking with recent precedent and making him perhaps the most powerful Chinese ruler since Mao Zedong.

Drew Thompson is research fellow at the National University of Singapore. He says the Chinese people can expect more of the same …

THOMPSON: Including censorship, policing to further control and enhance the party’s control over the everyday lives of Chinese citizens.

Xi Jinping’s formula will remain the same: strict one-party rule, intolerance of criticism and a hard-line approach toward COVID-19 including quarantines and travel bans even as other countries have opened up.

Migrants » President Biden has repeatedly slammed President Trump’s immigration policies, calling them “cruel,” including toward those fleeing the “brutal” government of Venezuela.

But with growing numbers of Venezuelans arriving at the Southern border, Biden is cracking down on Venezuelan migrants who attempt to cross without authorization.

He has now followed Trump’s lead in invoking Title 42 to deport Venezuelans who are not already authorized to enter the country. That even as Biden’s own Justice Department is fighting Title 42 in court.

GOP Senator Bill Cassidy charged that the Biden administration effectively wants open borders, but …

CASSIDY: Now it’s so totally out of control, even they have to do something. So they’re going back to policies that the last administration did, which were the last policies that worked.

Under the policy, Venezuelans who walk or swim across America’s southern border will be expelled and any Venezuelan who illegally enters Mexico or Panama will be ineligible to come to the United States.

However, the Biden administration said it would offer legal entry to up to 24,000 Venezuelan immigrants if they applied remotely and came to the U.S. by plane.

Raleigh shooting aftermath » Families continue to grieve in Raleigh, North Carolina after a 15-year-old boy killed five people and injured two more in a shooting rampage on Friday.

Jennifer Metallo is with the Billy Graham Rapid Response Team, which is working to support the families.

METALLO: This community is reeling. There’s a senselessness to things like this, so we just pray for that hope, that spark of hope to just come back into this community.

The gunman appeared to shoot people at random. The victims ranged in age from 16 to their late 50s.

Police have not disclosed the suspect’s name. He is behind bars awaiting charges.

Gas prices » Gas prices have dipped once again after rising last week. AAA’s current national average stands at $3.89 per gallon. That 2 cents lower than a week ago, but 20 cents higher than this time last month.

Georgia has the cheapest gas in the country, $3.26 per gallon on average. California has the highest average price: $6.08.

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

For WORLD Radio, I'm Kent Covington. 

Ukraine » AUDIO: [Siren]

The familiar sound of air raid sirens in central Kyiv over the weekend after days of Russian attacks on civilian targets.

That as Ukraine awaits delivery of more air-defense systems from Washington and NATO allies. Ukrainian Ambassador to the United States Oksana Markarova told Face the Nation …

MARKAROVA: Unfortunately, this system is difficult to produce, and they’re not already on the shelves waiting, but we’re doing everything possible and asking our partners to do everything possible to speed up delivery.

The White House just announced another $725 million in weapons and military aid for Ukraine.

ZELENSKYY: [Ukrainian]

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Sunday that by his government’s estimate, Russia has lost nearly 65,000 soldiers in the war.

Vladimir Putin said on Friday that he plans to halt his military draft in two weeks, claiming that Russia has added more than 200,000 troops to its ranks.

Musk SpaceX Ukraine » Oksana Markarova also expressed optimism Sunday about keeping the Starlink internet service from Elon Musk’s SpaceX company up and running in Ukraine.

The satellite internet service has provided critical battlefield communications and humanitarian contacts amid the war.

Musk tweeted on Friday that it was costing SpaceX $20 million a month to support Ukraine’s communications needs and asked the Pentagon to pick up the tab. Markarova said Sunday …

MARKAROVA: It’s the only connection that we have and very important that to continue having it, and I’m positive that we will find a solution there.

Markarova did not indicate whether Musk had agreed to continue funding the service.

Xi Jinping Communist Congress » In China, thousands of delegates gathered in Tiananmen Square’s Great Hall on Sunday for the start of the Communist party conference.

Leader Xi Jinping was expected to receive a third five-year term, breaking with recent precedent and making him perhaps the most powerful Chinese ruler since Mao Zedong.

Drew Thompson is research fellow at the National University of Singapore. He says the Chinese people can expect more of the same …

THOMPSON: Including censorship, policing to further control and enhance the party’s control over the everyday lives of Chinese citizens.

Xi Jinping’s formula will remain the same: strict one-party rule, intolerance of criticism and a hard-line approach toward COVID-19 including quarantines and travel bans even as other countries have opened up.

Migrants » President Biden has repeatedly slammed President Trump’s immigration policies, calling them “cruel,” including toward those fleeing the “brutal” government of Venezuela.

But with growing numbers of Venezuelans arriving at the Southern border, Biden is cracking down on Venezuelan migrants who attempt to cross without authorization.

He has now followed Trump’s lead in invoking Title 42 to deport Venezuelans who are not already authorized to enter the country. That even as Biden’s own Justice Department is fighting Title 42 in court.

GOP Senator Bill Cassidy charged that the Biden administration effectively wants open borders, but …

CASSIDY: Now it’s so totally out of control, even they have to do something. So they’re going back to policies that the last administration did, which were the last policies that worked.

Under the policy, Venezuelans who walk or swim across America’s southern border will be expelled and any Venezuelan who illegally enters Mexico or Panama will be ineligible to come to the United States.

However, the Biden administration said it would offer legal entry to up to 24,000 Venezuelan immigrants if they applied remotely and came to the U.S. by plane.

Raleigh shooting aftermath » Families continue to grieve in Raleigh, North Carolina after a 15-year-old boy killed five people and injured two more in a shooting rampage on Friday.

Jennifer Metallo is with the Billy Graham Rapid Response Team, which is working to support the families.

METALLO: This community is reeling. There’s a senselessness to things like this, so we just pray for that hope, that spark of hope to just come back into this community.

The gunman appeared to shoot people at random. The victims ranged in age from 16 to their late 50s.

Police have not disclosed the suspect’s name. He is behind bars awaiting charges.

Gas prices » Gas prices have dipped once again after rising last week. AAA’s current national average stands at $3.89 per gallon. That 2 cents lower than a week ago, but 20 cents higher than this time last month.

Georgia has the cheapest gas in the country, $3.26 per gallon on average. California has the highest average price: $6.08.

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

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