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CARL AZUZ: Hi, I'm Carl Azuz.
And we're looking up on today's show
explaining everything from a no-fly zone
to the sky-high cost of rent to the flight of a wayward owl.
We begin with money.
The US government is committing more of it
in support of Ukraine and its continued
fight against an invasion by neighboring Russia.
Despite what we told you yesterday about hope
that Russia might be pulling back from some areas
and that there might be a meeting in the works
between Russian and Ukrainian leaders,
the battle has not let up.
In a Ukrainian city, where Russia
said it would drastically reduce its military activity,
the mayor said it was under, quote,
"colossal attack" on Wednesday.
Earlier this month, US President Joe Biden
signed an emergency spending package for Ukraine
worth $13.6 billion.
Part of this will send war weapons to the Eastern
European country, part of it supports more US troops
in the region, but not in Ukraine itself, part of it
goes to helping Ukrainian civilians and refugees.
In the days after signing that package into law,
President Biden committed hundreds of millions
in additional military assistance to Ukraine.
And during a phone call yesterday
with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy,
the American leader said another $500 million was on the way.
But there are limits to what the Biden
administration and America's allies in Europe
are willing to do.
One of them concerns fighter jets.
Ukraine has repeatedly requested more of them
to target Russian forces from the air,
but Russia has said that the US and its allies
would become participants in the war
if they gave jets to Ukraine.
So they've so far refused to do that.
It's a similar situation concerning Ukraine's
calls for a no-fly zone.
VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY: [non-english speech]
- Since the start of Russia's invasion of Ukraine,
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has called on Western
governments to close the skies and enforce
a no-fly zone over the country.
A no-fly zone would put an end to Russia's superior air power,
prevent Russian planes from bombarding Ukrainian cities,
and let civilians flee the conflict more safely.
They've previously been used in Iraq, Bosnia, and Libya.
But what is a no-fly zone, and how does it work?
JUSTIN BRONK: A no-fly zone is typically
a UN-mandated aerial peacekeeping operation, where
a multinational force mounts combat air patrols
and surveillance over a country and prevents either side
from flying any aircraft.
The most basic requirements would be fighter aircraft
based at air bases near to, but not in the country in question.
- But these fighter Jets would need to be
supported by refueling tankers.
JUSTIN BRONK: Fighter aircraft typically have about an hour
to an hour and a half of fuel.
They'll typically be on cap for two or three hours at a time,
so they will require a tanking stop on the way over there.
They will require tanking while they're on cap
and then tanker to take them back over.
- To monitor aircraft in a no-fly zone,
you need another kind of plane called
Airborne Warning and Control System Aircraft or AWACS.
JUSTIN BRONK: An AWACS is the equivalent of turning
on a big ceiling light.
It enables you to detect and then go
and interdict any aircraft attempting
to violate the no-fly zone.
But of course, those tankers and AWACS
also then need to be protected as do the fighters themselves.
- This complex and expensive operation
is not something that every military is able to provide.
JUSTIN BRONK: Only the United States
has the military capacity to do this.
We should be quite clear about what people are asking when
they ask for a no-fly zone.
What they're asking is for America
to militarily secure the skies over Ukraine
and others to join them along the way.
LLOYD AUSTIN: A no-fly zone means that you're
in a conflict with Russia.
So from a US perspective, we're--
again, our position remains that we're not going to do that.
JUSTIN BRONK: The West is hesitant to introduce a no-fly
zone for a couple of reasons.
Primarily, of course, the danger of escalation
in terms of Russia escalating quickly
to tactical nuclear weapons, probably in Ukraine,
to force the West to back off.
But also, of course, for political reasons,
the response internationally to Russia's invasion of Ukraine
has been extremely unified.
- But unity would likely be shattered if there was any
serious attempt to impose a no-fly zone,
potentially leading to direct combat between
NATO and Russian forces.
In fact, a no-fly zone could even play into President
Vladimir Putin's narrative.
JUSTIN BRONK: It would aid the Russians
in this post-facto justification that they've been trying to put
in place for their invasion, that it
was in response to a potential NATO intervention in Ukraine.
- So while it's unlikely to happen,
there are reasons why President Zelenskyy and his government
keep pushing for a no-fly zone.
JUSTIN BRONK: They feel that the West needs to be pressured
continually to do more.
Even if they understand that a no-fly zone is very unlikely,
Western countries will feel obligated to do more
in terms of other forms of aid because they
feel bad about continually turning down this no-fly zone.
- Hours after President Zelensky addressed the US Congress,
President Joe Biden announced an additional $800 million
in security assistance to Ukraine.
JUSTIN BRONK: Ultimately, I think
it may be a slightly self-defeating
strategy at this point.
It is becoming a bit of a drag on people's morale in Ukraine
that the West won't do this.
And of course, even if you could impose a no-fly zone over all
of Ukraine, the vast majority of the damage being done
in Ukrainian cities is being done
by artillery, which is nothing that a no-fly zone can touch.
- As Russia intensifies the offensive over Ukraine,
pounding civilians through punishing artillery strikes
on several cities, the West has been grasping for alternatives
to a no-fly zone, as it refuses a direct
confrontation with Russia.
CARL AZUZ: 10-second trivia.
What is the most common type of roofing material in the US--
rubber, aluminum, asphalt, or slate?
Shingles made from asphalt are common and affordable,
though they may not last as long as other options.
There are several factors behind rising home prices and
the record-high costs of rent.
We're about to show you what they are.
The reason this matters is that it contributes
to inflation, when overall prices go up
and your money buys less.
This can impact the entire US economy
because it's largely based on the goods and services people
buy.
When it comes to home prices, it's not
just about lumber and labor.
Practically, everything is getting more expensive.
ALLISON BRAUN: This was nothing as I expected
purchasing my first home.
VANESSA YURKEVICH: Allison Braun bought
her first home in February.
After losing bidding wars and paying $75,000 over budget,
she settled on a fixer upper, expecting to save some money.
ALLISON BRAUN: It was really surprising getting in here
and fixing things up.
Overwhelming is another way I'd explain it.
VANESSA YURKEVICH: Rents are up a record 17% in the last year,
with homes up nearly 20% and so are construction costs.
Braun, who works for the real estate company Redfin,
is redoing nearly every space in her home.
The kitchen needed new counters.
ALLISON BRAUN: And we were really
surprised by the cost, especially the labor
to put them in.
We wanted to figure out a way of how we can do our countertops
on our own and save cost and labor,
so the concrete counter tops were born.
VANESSA YURKEVICH: But it's not just homeowners getting
stuck with higher costs.
Construction materials are up 24% in the last year.
Bill McGrath's company is installing
elevators in this new residential housing
complex in New Jersey.
So far, they've put in two.
What are the materials in this elevator
that you have seen an increase on?
BILL MCGRATH: Well, right here you have the electronics, which
this is a stainless steel.
You have the plastics, the electronic boards behind it.
That's costing more.
The ceilings-- wood.
You're standing on lumber.
They're steel underneath.
VANESSA YURKEVICH: And is all of it going up?
BILL MCGRATH: Yeah.
VANESSA YURKEVICH: Supply chain slowdowns and demand
have pushed construction costs up, forcing projects to come in
over budget and over deadline.
How much more is this elevator going to cost
than the one we just saw?
BILL MCGRATH: We're at-- right this one here
is going to cost 17% more material
costs than the other two that we completed.
VANESSA YURKEVICH: And he says his 18-person company is
spending more on gas to bring materials in,
up 24% in the last month.
All of these rising costs will get passed down.
CARL AZUZ: Teachers, instructors, home school
parents, if you're not subscribed
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[theme music]
A crime story rates at 10 out of 10.
Police could clearly see that after he broke into a house
in North Carolina, Steve needed help.
This is Steve.
He entered a house uninvited through a garage door
and hid out in tight places as well as on the kitchen counter.
No one would see him there, but someone did.
So the Greenville Police Department caught the suspect,
had him checked out by Animal Protective Services,
and let Steve freely fly back home--
his home.
So now that he's free as a bird, he's probably
having a hoot singing hits like "I'm Like A Bird,"
"Snowbird," "Free Bird," "Blackbird" "Blue Bird,"
"Mockingbird," "Fly Like An Eagle,"
"Owl Survive," and my personal favorite, "Owl Fly Away."
Or maybe, just like a bird set free, all he had to say
was see ya.
Today, we see Many High School.
Thank you for watching from Many, Louisiana.
I'm Carl Azuz.
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