Tuesday morning news: November 15, 2022

For WORLD Radio, I'm Kent Covington. 

Biden / Xi » For the first time since taking office, President Biden met face to face with Chinese leader Xi Jinping on Monday. Biden described the meeting this way …

BIDEN: I found him the way he’s always been, direct and straightforward. And do I think he’s willing to compromise on various issues? Yes.

Biden said there is absolutely no need for “a new Cold War” between America and the rising Asian power.

But he also objected directly to China’s “increasingly aggressive actions” toward Taiwan.

Scott Kennedy is an analyst with the Center for Strategic International Studies:

KENNEDY: These are two countries with very different interests, very different values, that are taking the measure of each other and figuring out how they’re going to be in this competition for some time.

Biden reiterated U.S. support for its longstanding “One China” policy. That policy recognizes the government in Beijing — while allowing for informal U.S. relations and defense ties with Taiwan.

And he said he does not believe Beijing has any imminent plans to invade the island.

Aid package to Taiwan » But on Capitol Hill, lawmakers are moving to fast-track billions of dollars in military aid to Taiwan. WORLD’s Kristen Flavin has more.

KRISTEN FLAVIN, REPORTER: Leaders on both sides of the aisle want to avoid another crisis like the one in Ukraine. And they’re hoping that heavily arming Taiwan will make China think twice about invading the island.

The military aid package would reportedly include anti-air and anti-ship defense systems, naval mines, drones, and more.

The package would deliver up to a billion dollars worth of munitions and as much as $2 billion dollars in weapons.

Reporting for WORLD, I’m Kristen Flavin.

Zelenskyy: Kherson is the beginning of the end » Onlookers applauded as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy awarded medals to soldiers in an unannounced trip to the newly liberated city of Kherson.

Soldiers shouted “Glory to Ukraine. Glory to the heroes.”

AUDIO: [Chants in Ukrainian]

The retaking of Kherson was one of Ukraine’s biggest successes in the war, dealing another stinging blow to the Kremlin. And Zelenskyy told reporters …

ZELENSKYY: This is the beginning of the end of the war.

Perhaps the beginning, but likely nowhere near the end, which Zelenskyy acknowledged. He said Ukraine was coming step by step to all occupied territories.

But he also grimly noted that the fighting has taken—quote—“the best heroes of our country.”

Nuclear warning to Russia » CIA Director Bill Burns reportedly met on Monday with his Russian intelligence counterpart to warn of Russia not to use a nuclear weapon in Ukraine. WORLD’s Josh Schumacher has that story.

JOSH SCHUMACHER, REPORTER: A White House official said Burns met with Sergei Naryshkin in Turkey. Naryshkin is the head of Russia’s SVR spy agency.

Burns is said to have re-stated America’s planned response if Russia crosses a nuclear red line.

Ahead of the meeting, U.S. officials said Burns also planned to raise the cases of two Americans jailed in Russia: Brittney Griner and Paul Whelan.

The Burns-Naryshkin meeting was the highest-ranking face-to-face meeting between U.S. and Russian officials since before the war in Ukraine.

For WORLD, I’m Josh Schumacher.

Trump to announce » Former President Donald Trump is expected to announce another White House bid tonight at 9 p.m. Eastern Time. He recently promised supporters …

TRUMP: A very big announcement on Tuesday, November 15th, at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida.

In recent weeks he’s already started taking jabs at possible GOP opponents—most notably his biggest potential rival, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.

In a recent YouGov poll of 1,500 Americans, 41% of Republicans named DeSantis as their preferred nominee to 39% for Trump.

UVA shooting » Students and faculty at the University of Virginia are still in a state of shock after shooting that killed three students.

UVA President James Ryan …

RYAN: The entire university community is grieving this morning. My heart is broken for the victims and their families and for all those who knew and loved them, and they are all in my prayers.

The shooting happened just after 10 p.m. Sunday as a charter bus full of students returned from seeing a play in Washington. The three students killed were members of the UVA football team.

Police have arrested the suspect, 22-year-old Christopher Darnell Jones Jr. He is a former member of the team. No word yet on a motive for the shooting.

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

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