Queen Elizabeth II is laid to rest, tensions between the U.S. and China have escalated over Taiwan, and Puerto Rico is flooded from Hurricane Fiona.

Karah Rucker Anchor/Reporter

Final goodbyes to Queen Elizabeth; Taiwan tensions escalate; Puerto Rico floods

Sep 19, 2022

Karah Rucker Anchor/Reporter

By Karah Rucker (Anchor/Reporter), Ben Burke (Producer/Editor)

On Sept. 19, 2022, the world said its final goodbyes to Queen Elizabeth II as she is laid to rest; tensions between the U.S. and China have escalated once again over Taiwan; and Puerto Rico is experiencing flooding from Hurricane Fiona.

Queen Elizabeth II final goodbyes – The world is joining Great Britain in saying its final goodbyes to Queen Elizabeth II. Her funeral at Westminster Abbey was held Monday morning with world leaders showing up to offer their respects to the royal family. President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden were in attendance. A private burial for the royal family is set for later today.

U.S. vows to defend Taiwan, China fires back – Tensions between the U.S. and China over Taiwan have once again escalated. In a CBS “60 Minutes” interview, President Biden said the U.S. would defend Taiwan in the instance of a Chinese invasion. A Chinese official said this violates America’s commitment to refrain from supporting formal independence for Taiwan. Beijing previously said this sentiment would lead to war.

Hurricane Fiona floods Puerto Rico – The governor of Puerto Rico is reporting catastrophic damage after Hurricane Fiona made landfall Sunday. The power grid was knocked out and flooding hit historic levels, according to local meteorologists. No deaths were immediately reported. The storm quickly made itqus way over to the Dominican Republic as it made landfall there Monday morning.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

GOOD MORNING. I’M KARAH RUCKER WITH STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS. HERE ARE THE DAY’S TOP STORIES.
THE WORLD IS JOINING GREAT BRITAIN IN SAYING ITS FINAL GOODBYES TO QUEEN ELIZABETH.
HER FUNERAL AT WESTMINSTER ABBEY THIS MORNING — WRAPPED UP WITH TWO MINUTES OF SILENCE ACROSS THE U-K.
A PRIVATE BURIAL FOR THE ROYAL FAMILY IS SET FOR LATER TODAY.
TENSIONS BETWEEN THE U-S AND CHINA OVER TAIWAN — FIRING BACK UP THIS MORNING.
THIS TIME — IT’S OVER PRESIDENT BIDEN TELLING 60 MINUTES THE U-S WOULD DEFEND TAIWAN IN THE INSTANCE OF A CHINESE INVASION.
A CHINESE OFFICIAL SAID THIS VIOLATES AMERICA’S COMMITMENT TO REFRAIN FROM SUPPORTING FORMAL INDEPENDENCE FOR TAIWAN — A STEP BEIJING HAS SAID WOULD LEAD TO WAR.
THE GOVERNOR OF PUERTO RICO IS REPORTING CATASTROPHIC DAMAGE AFTER HURRICANE FIONA MADE LANDFALL SUNDAY.
WHILE THE POWER GRID WAS KNOCKED OUT — AND FLOODING HIT HISTORIC LEVELS — NO DEATHS WERE IMMEDIATELY REPORTED.
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THE STORM QUICKLY MADE IT’S WAY OVER TO THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC — MAKING LANDFALL THERE EARLIER THIS MORNING.