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CNN International: Blinken In Riyadh To Press Ceasefire, Hostage Talks; Hamas To Discuss New Proposal For Ceasefire & Hostage Release; U.S Wants Civilians In Rafah Protected From Ground Operation. Aired 8-9a ET
Aired April 29, 2024 - 08:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
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AMARA WALKER, CNN ANCHOR: Hello everyone, and welcome to our viewers all around the world. I'm Amara Walker. This is CNN Newsroom.
Just ahead, delicate diplomacy, the U.S. Secretary of State is in Saudi Arabia before heading to Jordan and Israel. But, can Antony Blinken make any progress on a ceasefire deal? Plus, dozens are killed after heavy rains in Kenya cause a dam to burst. We are live in one of the affected areas this hour. And universities across the United States and around the world grappling with how to handle protests over the war in Gaza. A full report is coming up.
Talks over a potential ceasefire in the Middle East appear to be gaining some momentum. That is one reason U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is in the region, his seventh visit since the Israel- Hamas war started. Earlier, he met with the Saudi Foreign Minister in Riyadh. He will also travel to Israel and Jordan to help jumpstart hostage release and ceasefire talks. A short time ago, Blinken told the World Economic Forum, only one thing is standing in the way of a ceasefire right now.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) ANTONY BLINKEN, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: A major effort has been made over the last couple of months to get to that ceasefire, to get the hostages out. And right now, as you said, Hamas has before it a proposal that is extraordinarily, extraordinarily generous on the part of Israel. And in this moment, the only thing standing between the people of Gaza and a ceasefire is Hamas.
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WALKER: And a source tells CNN, President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke over the phone on Sunday, and the source says a hostage deal was the main focus of the call.
CNN's Scott McLean is live for us now in Istanbul with more. Scott, what more are you learning about where things stand in terms of the hostage talks, and what Secretary Blinken's strategy will be in Riyadh, given that the Saudis do seem to have more leverage with Hamas?
SCOTT MCLEAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yeah. The priorities for this trip are pretty clear. And we're obviously getting that ceasefire deal and getting buy-in from the regional neighbors, obviously, and people who have sway with the Palestinian side of things, certainly will be key here. The other thing is that Blinken is also in discussions with several Arab countries about what happens after this war ends and how to parlay the end of the war into the beginnings of a two-state solution, and that's where the Saudis come in. The U.S., of course, under President Trump signed or was involved in brokering the Abraham Accords, where Israel agreed to normalize relations with a handful of Arab states, and they would very much like to expand that to include the Saudis as well.
But, the Saudis have made quite clear that they're not going to sign on to anything like that as long as there is war that continues to rage in Gaza, and unless there is an irreversible path to a two-state solution. This is something that yesterday the Saudi Foreign minister said, was in everyone's best interest in order to avoid repeating history and to make sure that all of the suffering that we've seen since the outset of this war is not in vain. Now, Blinken said on Friday that you might be able to get that kind of a deal even without a formal ceasefire. This is a departure from what we've been hearing from U.S. officials for some time now.
You mentioned also, Amara, that Blinken will go to Jordan and then to Israel, and U.S. officials say that he is going to take all of the input that he has gotten in Riyadh and present it to the Israelis. It's also worth noting that he likely just wrapped up a meeting with the Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Turkey. This perhaps demonstrates the strength of the Turkish position. Turkey has been one of the most outspoken critics of Israel since the outset of this war, but they have been quite useful for the West as of late. They helped pass messages between the U.S. and Iran a few weeks ago. And of course, they also have close ties with Hamas. And so, potentially, Turkey could be quite useful in what ultimately comes out of these ceasefire talks or in helping to broker a ceasefire, given their relationship with Hamas and perhaps their ability to persuade. WALKER: All right. Scott McLean in Istanbul, thank you very much.
Now, we're getting word that Hamas is discussing a new proposal for a ceasefire and hostage release during talks in Cairo. The latest framework calls for the release of 20 to 33 hostages over several weeks, and this comes as Israel keeps up its strikes on Gaza.
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Gaza hospital officials say at least 20 people were killed in what defense officials say were three successive attacks on residential homes in Rafah.
CNN's Jeremy Diamond joining us now live from Jerusalem with the very latest. Hi there, Jeremy. First off, what do you know about hostage negotiations? You're getting some new information about that?
JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yeah. That's right. Hamas officials are actually currently in Cairo, Egypt, meeting with Egyptian and Qatari mediators to discuss this latest framework that has been put forward by Egypt. This latest framework has significant input from the Israelis who met with Egyptian officials last Friday to try and put something on paper here, a framework that Hamas could review to see whether or not there is indeed a path forward for these talks.
This latest framework, I'm told, would see somewhere between 20 and 33 hostages released over the first phase of this agreement, and following that there would be a longer-term ceasefire, something that's being described as the restoration of sustainable calm, diplomatic speak, that would effectively lead potentially to the end of this war in Gaza, as well as the release of the remaining hostages and Israeli soldiers being held by Hamas.
Now, a lot of details still remain to be seen. But, the basis for this framework in terms of how long that initial ceasefire would last, I'm told, would be one day of ceasefire in exchange for every single hostage. So, we're looking at something less than the initial six weeks that was being discussed for the 40 hostages. But now, instead, we're looking at something that could be potentially between three to five weeks for some 20 to 33 hostages. And then, following that, there is an attempt to kind of broker a comprehensive deal that would lead to the release of all of the hostages as well as an end to this war, the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza.
Now, we've seen significant movement from Israel over the course of the last month or so in this latest framework. For example, Israel has agreed to, I'm told, to allow for the unrestricted access of Palestinians to northern Gaza, which was something that Hamas was insisting on. Israel had refused to do so far. But, there are still gaps between these two sides. And the next couple of days as Hamas officials review this proposal, the proposal, I'm told, is also in the hands of Yahya Sinwar, Hamas' leader in Gaza. These next couple of days will be critical to determining whether or not there is a path forward for a deal or perhaps what is looming all over these talks is an impending Israeli ground offensive in Rafah, whether that will happen instead. One Israeli source familiar with these negotiations said effectively
that a deal through this latest piece of negotiations is the only way to avert that Rafah offensive. For now, Israeli officials appear to be holding off on going forward with that offensive, seeing if a deal can be reached this week through these negotiations. But, if there is a clear sense that these talks are going nowhere, then it is understood that that Rafah offensive will move forward.
WALKER: Understood. So, as you were mentioning earlier, Jeremy, there was this phone call between President Biden and Prime Minister Netanyahu on Sunday. Obviously, these hostage negotiations are top of mind, but of course, for the Biden administration, the impending Rafah invasion as well, depending on how the talks go. President Biden has said that it would be a red line if Netanyahu went forward with this, especially if they don't take measures to protect civilians. Have you seen any more preparations for that?
DIAMOND: Well, there is no question that the Israelis are indeed preparing for a major ground offensive in Rafah. The question is only the timing, based on whether or not there is some kind of a hostage deal that can be secured before them. We know that Israeli officials and American officials have held multiple consultations over the course of the last couple of weeks to discuss Israeli plans to move into Rafah.
But today, the Secretary of State Tony Blinken saying that we have not yet seen a plan that civilians can be effectively protected in the event of a ground offensive in Rafah, and that's obviously a major red flag here, because Israeli officials have insisted that they are making preparations to evacuate the civilian population from Rafah to move them to areas further north in the Gaza Strip, where they are setting up tents and field hospitals and other facilities to provide for the basic needs of those displaced individuals. But yet, the U.S. Secretary of State is still saying at this hour that he hasn't yet seen a plan that effectively protects civilians.
So, clearly, there is still some more work to be done, or perhaps the Israelis will move forward with a plan that the Americans simply do not support or agree with.
WALKER: Jeremy Diamond, appreciate your reporting. Thank you so much.
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Pro-Palestinian protests continued across the U.S. at college campuses over the weekend. We want to show you the scene now at Virginia Tech.
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The University says the situation has now stabilized, although police were called in earlier and there are reports of arrests.
CNN's Rafael Romo has more.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) RAFAEL ROMO, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): At university campuses across the nation, heated protests and some violent clashes between police and pro-Palestinian protesters.
MARTIN BERG, EMORY UNIVERSITY, ARRESTED STUDENT: What I saw was unprovoked and severe brutality exacted by police.
ROMO (voice-over): On some campuses, as fast as the protests popped up, universities called police to shut them down by removing demonstrators, a move that has been harshly criticized, and not only by those protesting.
NOELLE MCAFEE, EMORY UNIVERSITY, PROFESSOR & CHAIR OF THE PHILOSOPHY DEPT.: The real problem here is that the administration called the Atlanta Police.
ROMO (voice-over): The University of Southern California has canceled its main commencement ceremony citing new safety measures in place. Dozens were arrested Thursday at Emory University in Atlanta, including Martin Berg. The third year law students who is expected to graduate in three weeks says their protest was peaceful until the police showed up.
BERG: Nothing was disrupted, and anyone saying that campus was disrupted doesn't understand what a campus is. A campus is a place for open expression and exchange of ideas, and that's exactly what folks were doing out there.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We are gathering here and we stand firmly.
ROMO (voice-over): But, some Jewish students say that the last few months since Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, and Israel began its assault on Hamas in Gaza, they have been subjected to a hostile environment.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Now, I believe everyone has a right to protest. The problem is when it becomes threatening, like holding up signs that say Jews are Nazis, and things of that sort, is not at all peaceful.
ROMO (voice-over): Others like this first year law school students say tensions within the student body have made it very difficult not only to learn, but to attend school altogether.
AVITAL KESSLER-GODIN, EMORY UNIVERSITY, FIRST YEAR LAW STUDENT: When these people are chanting, excuse my language, in unison (BEEP) Zionist on the quad lawn of Emory University, and I have to stand by and hear that and we're told that we don't belong on campus because we don't identify with their movement. To me, that says that they don't want to have a dialogue.
ROMO (voice-over): As schools get ready for graduation, they're under intense pressure to bring the situation under control, and many students say that's also what they want.
SUEDA POLAT, COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY STUDENT NEGOTIATOR: It is in our best interest to reach an agreement before commencement because we want students and families to be able to celebrate this milestone together on this campus.
ROMO (voice-over): The volatile situation has also become a political issue with leaders such as Texas Governor Greg Abbott blasting protesters. Students joining in hate-filled, antisemitic protests at any public college or university in Texas should be expelled, he said on X.
KESSLER-GODIN: I truly do think that dialogue is the only way we as a society are going to be able to come together to truly create lasting peace.
ROMO (voice-over): But, in an environment where the rhetoric is so loud, the few voices calling for peace are getting drowned out.
Rafael Romo, CNN, Atlanta.
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WALKER: And at the University of California, Los Angeles, UCLA, there were physical altercations between protest groups.
CNN's Camila Bernal joining us now live from Los Angeles. It's five o'clock in the morning there, still dark. But, I do hear some action going on. What's going on there?
CAMILA BERNAL, CNN U.S. NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yep. For the most part, it's quiet. What you're seeing here behind me, that is the encampment. They covered it with plywood and signs. But, behind the wood is the tents. In front of me, the music that you're hearing is from one tent that is in support of the Jewish students, and they have a screen here that is currently off at the moment, but they were hoping to play video of what Hamas has done. That was what they told me yesterday.
Of course, very different scene from what we saw yesterday, because we saw protesters on both sides of this issue. And the problem that the university was having was when the two sides would collide. And when they would come together, that's when you would see those fights breaking out, the yelling and the screaming and the pushing and shoving. It was definitely tense and it was definitely violent, both verbally and physically while we were here throughout the day yesterday. That is what we saw.
Now, the university is saying that they're adding extra security officers because of what happened yesterday. Tensions do remain high between the two groups. And I do want you to listen to what some of the students and the protesters that I spoke to yesterday had to say.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The only people that are calling for aggression are the people hiding behind those masks because they're too afraid to show their face. Do you see anyone here with a mask on this side of the protest? No, because we stand with what we believe in.
[08:15:00] UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They terrorize us all the time, and they censor us. Students are constantly getting doxed that they're going to attack us. We're not going to back down, but we're going to take precautions.
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BERNAL: So, as you can see, just very high energy, very high passions here. And what the university did was focus on the security guards. They were really the ones that controlled the protesters. At some point, they were able to line their bikes to divide the two sides, and that's when you saw less physical confrontations. Eventually, those security guards pushing a lot of the protesters out of the campus, and behind them, you had campus police officers in riot gear. The police officers did not engage with those protesters, and we did not see any arrests here on campus. But, it has definitely disrupted the activities here at UCLA. Amara.
WALKER: It is graduation season. And of course, the question is, what will this week and the next several weeks hold? Camila Bernal, thank you very much. Live for us there in Los Angeles.
Well, the U.S. campus protests are being closely watched around the world. Let's bring in Frederik Pleitgen now with a look at how Iran and Russia have been capitalizing on these arrests of protesters at U.S. colleges. Fred, what are the leaders of Iran saying about what's happening here?
FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hi there, Amara. First of all, you're absolutely right. You hear, for instance, from the Russians ripping into the U.S. for its support of Israel and its operation in Gaza. And then, the whole thing really comes to another level here in Iran, where we've seen the President of Iran talk about this, the Foreign Minister talk about this at length, ripping again into the U.S. because of its support for Israel and because of the operation inside Gaza, but then also heavily criticizing some of the arrests that have taken place on U.S. campuses, as those protests that we just saw have been unfolding.
Now, one of the things that we did this weekend is we actually went to a protest here in Tehran at Tehran University, where some of the faculty and some of the students came out in support of U.S. students protesting on American campuses, and essentially saying that they believe that these two have the same message, the Iranian students and the U.S. students. And today, I went to a press conference of Iran's Foreign Ministry, and the spokesman of the Foreign Ministry had something similar to say. Let's listen in.
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NASSER KANAANI, IRANIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESPERSON (Interpreted): It shows that public opinion of the world and free thinkers of the world will not tolerate this genocide, and that their loud voice won't be silenced. And through police actions and violent crackdown policies, they cannot silence the voice of those that protest against this crime and genocide.
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PLEITGEN: So, there you have the spokesman of Iran's Foreign Ministry. Of course, the U.S. has in the past heavily criticized the Iranians for some of the crackdowns that have happened here 2022, in the fall of that year. Of course, that was a very prominent example where the U.S. ripped into Iran for the crackdown on some of those anti-hijab protests that were taking place here in this country. But now, the Iranians are saying that America's own reputation as a defender of free speech, as a defender of civil rights very much up in the air and very much suffering, of course, not just in this country, but in some other countries in this region, and indeed around the world. Amara.
WALKER: And Fred, you've reported many times from Tehran over the last few years. I'm just curious how this visit compares to the previous ones you've had. And are you noticing a shift in tone since the Hamas war began?
PLEITGEN: Yeah, very much so. I think that a lot of things have changed. And I think one of the things that we always have to look at when we look at the situation here in Iran, that is all, of course, is embedded into the situation that is geopolitical but, of course, first and foremost, in the Middle East, and there, of course, you had the attack by Hamas on Israel for killing scores of people and taking so many people hostage, but then also Israel's action in Gaza. And that really has been a catalyst for this increased confrontation that we've been seeing, not just between Iran and Israel, but also between Iran and the United States.
And to that extent, the rhetoric here in Tehran from the leadership has definitely shifted considerably, especially after that recent massive standoff where you had Iran's embassy in Damascus being bombed, several top level Revolutionary Guard commanders killed there, then the Iranians answering, the Israelis answering back. The Iranians now saying, if Israel makes another move, they will hit back hard. Of course, those were some pretty tough words coming from the Iranians.
But, at the same time, you do see that message once again repeated again and again, criticizing the U.S. for what the Iranian say is being part of Israel's action in Gaza, but then also for the way that those protests are going down in the United States, and some of those arrests that we've been seeing, of course, we just saw in our program just now, Amara.
WALKER: Fascinating perspective from our Frederik Pleitgen in Tehran. Fred, thank you very much. Still to come, dozens of people died after devastating floods in Kenya caused a dam to burst.
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We will have a live update from the country.
Also, death and destruction in Oklahoma after sudden two dozen tornadoes tear through the region, and today, millions are under flood watches in parts of the southern U.S.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK) WALKER: At least 35 people have died and dozens are missing after a dam burst its banks in Kenya. It comes amid weeks of devastating rain and flash flooding, which the government says has killed more than 100 people.
CNN's Larry Madowo has the latest for us, reporting from Nairobi.
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LARRY MADOWO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Overnight in Kenya, another sign of the devastation brought on by recent heavy rains that have been pounding all over East Africa, a dam bursting its banks about 50 kilometers northwest of Nairobi in Mai Mahiu. A multi-agency search and rescue team on the scene right now trying to reach survivors. But, it's been made extra difficult because part of the road had been cut off due to recent heavy rainfall. She says, after this dam burst its banks overnight, it swept everything in its path.
And social media videos have shown the harrowing situation there of the search and rescue operation. They have been clearing debris in this area, trying to reach survivors, trying to pull out some bodies, sending them to hospitals. They have set up a place in a nearby town for families to report any family members that have -- are still missing. But, that also is a sign of deeper problems with the recent heavy rainfall in the country.
Overnight, the government of Kenya postponing the reopening of schools nationwide for at least a week to avoid endangering the lives of learners across the country. There have been recent calls to the government to do so but it did it at the absolute 11th hour of that. There has been devastation all across the country. Kenya's longest and largest river, Tana River, also burst its banks, rendering some roads impassable, and some people have drowned in different parts of the country.
So far, the government says it has a plan to provide shelter and basic necessities for those who've been affected, and to make sure that everybody is taken care of, and the government also asking Kenyans to move to higher ground wherever they are close to banks or places that are prone to flooding.
Larry Madowo, CNN, Nairobi,
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WALKER: Larry, thank you for that.
Meanwhile, in the U.S., a tornado outbreak in Oklahoma has claimed at least four lives, including an infant. Nearly two dozen tornadoes touched down over the weekend there. And in Sulphur, which is about an hour south of Oklahoma City, an EF3 tornado was reported, leaving behind a large path of destruction.
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KEVIN STITT, OKLAHOMA GOVERNOR: I just haven't seen this much destruction from my time as governor. It looks -- I mean, you just can't believe the destruction like it. It seems like every business in downtown has been destroyed now here in Sulphur and --
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WALKER: Tornado watches for Arkansas, Louisiana, and Texas are expiring.
CNN Meteorologist Derek Van Dam joining us now with more. I mean, that drone shot there, it just is devastating to see the damage. Is this threat -- the threat of tornado is still out there, or is this now the focus turning to recovery and rebuilding?
DEREK VAN DAM, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Well, it's certainly a lot less of a threat this morning than it was compared to this past weekend. So, that's the good news. There is still, however, a severe weather threat ongoing across portions of Louisiana. I'll show you that in just one moment. But, I want to revisit this video, very compelling video coming out of the Sulphur, Oklahoma region. This is some of the areas that were hit hardest.
And what's interesting about this is that this was the intersection, the crossroads of two violent and extremely large tornadoes that crossed the same area here within a span of roughly an hour. It was roughly a quarter-mile wide, winds of 218 kilometers per hour or greater. That's 136 miles per hour. And you can see the damage that was left behind, completely taking roofs off of buildings, flipping vehicles. I mean, look at this house. You can see all the way to the lower floor. And then, this is pretty astounding as well. Look at the cinder blocks that have been completely toppled. But, this United States Postal Service truck completely flipped on its side, tossed around like a toy.
So, this is the brutal force of these tornadoes that come in and create such damage. 137 tornado reports in total through the course of this weekend. So, that's a three-day total. But, you can see right across the nation's midsection, this is Tornado Alley. This is the plains. And then we look towards tomorrow for another threat of severe weather, including tornadoes in some of the hardest hit areas, extending southward through Oklahoma and Nebraska. So, we are close to our year-to-date average for the end of April. We will likely exceed that this week as we head into Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday with our severe weather threat.
The immediate threats right now, though, is located across this area. We still have a severe thunderstorm watch throughout Central Louisiana. The storms threats here with wind gusts in excess of 50 to 60 miles per hour, but it is weakening as it traverses eastward through Baton Rouge and towards New Orleans. This is the I-10 corridor, heavily traveled region. The real big threat here at the moment is actually heavy rainfall that could lead to some localized flash flooding. We have a severe thunderstorm warning here. This is for some of the local parishes just west or east of Lafayette. But, these are the flash flood warnings that are ongoing.
Some of these rainfall reports are astounding. We're talking about and half an inch of rain in about a five-minute period of time reported overnight across southeastern Texas. That's why we have the flash flood warnings that are in place across this particular area.
Here is the storms again, lots of lightning, hundreds of lightning strikes occurring every minute throughout this area. A marginal risk of severe weather going forward for Monday. But again, for the day tomorrow, Tuesday and then once again on Wednesday, we focus our attention on the nation's midsection, Tornado Alley, the plains states for another round of severe weather, Amara. This is the last thing we want to see. But, we're going to highlight it regardless, Des Moines, Iowa, to Omaha, Kansas City. A few tornadoes possible once again for Tuesday afternoon.
WALKER: All right. A lot to remain vigilant for. Derek Van Dam, thank you very much.
Still to come, we will take a closer look at the flurry of diplomatic activity this hour aimed at brokering a ceasefire in the Middle East. Plus, in eastern Ukraine. Russia's Defense Ministry says it is making gains on the frontlines. We will bring you the latest after a short break.
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WALKER: We are following U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken's latest tour of the Middle East. The goal is to jumpstart ceasefire and hostage negotiations, which appears may be gaining momentum, with sources saying Hamas is set to meet with mediators in Cairo to discuss a new proposal. Now, Blinken says the only thing standing in the way of a ceasefire itself is Hamas. Blinken's comments come a day after the U.S. and Israeli leaders held a phone call that focused on securing a ceasefire and the release of Israeli hostages.
Let's bring in our Kylie Atwood, joining us from the State Department. Hi there, Kylie. First off, let's talk about this trip to Saudi Arabia, and of course through the Middle East for Blinken. What is he hoping to achieve on this trip?
KYLIE ATWOOD, CNN U.S SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Well, listen, what they're really trying to push forward is this ceasefire, and of course, the secure of the release of hostages. This has been, of course, an ongoing effort between Israel and Hamas and the parties that have been involved, including Qatar, Egypt and the United States. What the Secretary said this morning is that Israel had provided, in his words, an extraordinarily generous proposal to Hamas, and that Hamas should accept it. He has been saying for a while now, the Secretary of State Antony Blinken, that the onus is on Hamas right now to accept what Israel has put on the table. And it's worth noting that when I spoke with him last week, he was a
little bit more hopeful that things, this go round, in terms of these negotiations could actually manifest into a ceasefire and the release of prisoners, because he said, there is less degree of challenges in the region right now that could escalate into a wider war. Of course, we saw that back and forth between Iran and Israel occurring in the recent weeks. That has obviously simmered down. So, he thinks that Hamas was looking at that and hoping it would turn into a wider war, but it hasn't. And so, maybe they're in a position to actually accept the terms of this deal for a ceasefire and hostage relief.
Now, in the backdrop here, we're also looking at the State Department where there is division over whether Israel is using American-made weapons in accordance with international law. According to a State Department official, there is not consensus in the department as to if the assurances that Israel has provided to the United States are credible.
So, this is something that's going to come to the fore next week, because the Secretary of State, according to a national security memorandum that President Biden signed last year, next week, he is going to have to provide Congress with his assessment as to if all of the countries that are using American-made weapons are doing so in accordance with international law. He is going to have to determine if the reasons, if the justification that Israel has given are credible and reliable in this report to Congress. So, we'll have to watch and see where he lands. But, as it stands now, the State Department itself is divided on this topic, which is incredibly noteworthy.
WALKER: Before the war even began, before the October 7attacks, there was this road to normalizing relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel. How much of that is also a focus of, what is it, the seventh trip for Blinken to the Mideast since the October 7 attacks?
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Will he also be focusing on the future of the region during this trip?
ATWOOD: Absolutely. I think it's a great point. Obviously, the State Department is focused on trying to use this moment to gain momentum for the ceasefire, and then potentially to roll out some sort of framework, which would include Israel-Saudi normalization of relations and a two-state solution. But, they also are eyes wide open about the fact that these negotiations between Israel and Hamas have been stalled for a while now. And so, they're also beginning to, in the backdrop, rethink, OK, maybe there is a world in which we roll out a framework for normalization of relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia. They've been working on for a while.
Now, as you said, this proposal for a two-state solution, this defense agreement between the U.S. and Saudi Arabia as a means to push towards a ceasefire. That's something that Secretary said they could roll out before there is a ceasefire, if they aren't able to come to a ceasefire agreement. So, we'll have to watch and see if they get to that first. But, if they don't, they're trying to think of plan B here to try and push towards peace. WALKER: All right. A lot on his agenda, obviously. Kylie Atwood, great to have you, at the State Department. Thanks so much.
Now, Russia's Defense Ministry says it is making gains in eastern Ukraine, taking over a village in the Donetsk region. Putin's tactical advances are now daily and reflect the rhythm of the battlefield since the fall of the industrial town of Avdiivka February. Ukraine's Army Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi says the situation on the frontline has escalated, but he cautions that the circumstances are dynamic and changing every day.
Joining us now with more is CNN's Clare Sebastian from London. Hi there, Clare. What are you learning?
CLARE SEBASTIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yeah. Look, Amara, I think what's clear is that the task of stabilizing this frontline, especially in the east for Ukraine as it waits for that U.S. aid to arrive, is getting harder by the day. The Commander in Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces Oleksandr Syrskyi over the weekend in quite a detailed message on Telegram revealing that Ukraine had withdrawn from a cluster of three villages northwest of Avdiivka, he said, to preserve the life of personnel. That's on top of the village that the Russian Defense Ministry says that it has taken in that same area. So, you can see that the momentum is on the Russian side.
As of now, we're talking really small villages with literally like an intersection of two roads, a cluster of houses. So, this is not a lot of territory. Right now, it is more tactical than it is strategic, but the momentum is towards more important higher ground from which they can fire on important military hubs. So, Russia's strategy is clear here. And the momentum is on their side, superior manpower. They have air superiority. Still, they're able to drop these halftime glide bombs from planes miles behind the frontlines. That was, by the way, a key determinant in their capture of Avdiivka in February. So, the momentum is on their side.
Ukraine is still waiting for that first injection of U.S. aid, and is really working hard to stabilize the frontline, not only in the east, but up north in the Kharkiv region, where there are reports that Russia is gaining some momentum there, a region where the frontlines have been largely stable since a very successful Ukrainian counteroffensive there in the autumn of 2022, Amara.
WALKER: Is there a sense that Ukraine will be able to make up for all that lost time? I mean, it took many, many months for the U.S. Congress and for Joe Biden, the President, to finally sign that foreign aid package, sending $61 billion to Ukraine. But, it's been months since they've been running out of ammunition and weapons. And of course, they also have a personnel shortage there, a troop shortage. How much has this delay impacted the battlefield?
SEBASTIAN: It's profoundly impacted the battlefield. When we look back to sort of the autumn of last year, there was a stalemate. Right? That was what the then Commander in Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces called technological parity. They could really both see what the other side was doing, and no one was really moving. Since then, of course, we've seen Ukraine's ammunition supply is dwindling. They've had to ration. They're at a point now where they're firing one artillery shell for every 10 that Russia is firing. When we look at the loss of territory, as I said, it's not necessarily game changing in the course of the war, but Russia has gained momentum here, and the frontlines are now not stable.
So, the thinking among military circles and experts that we speak to is that what Ukraine will do with this new U.S. aid is try to stabilize things, to dig in, to regroup, and then potentially only look to go on the offensive again next year in 2025, Amara. So, that is the big picture here.
WALKER: All right. Clare Sebastian, appreciate it, live for us there in London.
Now, protesters in Georgia are denouncing the government's efforts to force through a controversial Russian-style foreign agents law.
[08:40:00]
Thousands of people marched on Sunday against a bill they say will be used to crush dissent in civil society. If the bill passes, organizations that receive more than 20 percent of funding from abroad will be required to register as foreign agents or face huge fines. The EU says the bill could halt Georgia's integration into the bloc. Protesters say their future is in the West.
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LEVAN JOBABA, PROTESTOR (Interpreted): I want to show the position of my favorite, the real Russia, and our path in future is in Europe because we view the European injustice and the European order (ph) where the system serves the people and not the other way around. The system doesn't serve the people.
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WALKER: Well, the bill faces two more readings in Parliament. The next is on Tuesday.
Pedro Sanchez has announced he will not resign from his post as Spanish Prime Minister and will remain in office. The announcement comes five days after Mr. Sanchez abandoned his public duties temporarily to decide whether he could continue his job. That is after a Spanish court launched an investigation into his wife Begona Gomez over corruption allegations. Mr. Sanchez said his wife would defend herself and cooperate with the judicial system.
Well, politics can be a brutal business. That's the word from the Scottish First Minister Humza Yousaf in his resignation speech. He quit earlier on Monday after a power-sharing agreement with the Scottish Green Party collapsed. His resignation cuts off a likely no- confidence vote in both his leadership and minority government. Humza Yousaf says he will stay on until his party chooses a new leader.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) HUMZA YOUSAF, SCOTTISH FIRST MINISTER: Therefore, after spending the weekend, reflecting on what is best for my party, for the government and for the country I lead, I've concluded that repairing a relationship across the political divide can only be done to someone else at the helm. I have therefore informed the SNP's national secretary of my intention to stand down as party leader, and ask that she commences as a leadership contest for my replacement as soon as possible.
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WALKER: All right. French actor Gerard Depardieu has been taken into police custody in Paris. That is according to CNN affiliate BFMTV. The 75-year-old is being questioned over sexual assault allegations by two women who say the assaults happened on film sets. Depardieu has previously been placed under investigation for alleged rape and sexual assault after a number of women had filed complaints against him. The French actor has maintained his innocence, denying the accusations.
Still to come, why millions of Americans could soon lose their internet access, increasing the burden on already struggling families. Plus, Elon Musk makes a surprise visit to China, as the Tesla CEO is trying to export his company's self-driving technology. We will have a report from Beijing.
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[08:45:00]
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WALKER: This week in the U.S., nearly 16 million people may have to decide between paying for their internet or for food and other essentials. That is because the government program that keeps low income households online will run out of money by Wednesday.
Jason Carroll has more.
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CINDY WESTMAN, ACP RECIPIENT: I have a growing child, and with inflation and the cost of food, I don't have that much in food assistance.
JASON CARROLL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): And for Cindy Westman, times are tough, but manageable for now. She lives on disability and carefully budgets each month to care for her 12-year-old daughter who has cerebral palsy and autism.
WESTMAN: I even have to budget when I have an oil change.
CARROLL (voice-over): Now, a program Westman relies on will run out of funding at the end of April, cutting off a critical lifeline for her and millions of other low income Americans. It's called the "Affordable Connectivity Program" or ACP. The 2021 pandemic-era benefit helps Americans afford internet access, crucial for rural Americans like Westman who use it for telehealth for her daughter, especially when service goes out in her hometown of Eureka, Illinois.
WESTMAN: Having that funding allowed me to afford a portable hotspot backup internet that I was using for my daughter.
CARROLL (voice-over): The Federal Communications Commission warns the ACP will end unless Congress extends it, forcing more than 23 million American households to either pay hundreds more for internet or go without it, widening a digital divide and not just in rural areas.
Before the ACP, Milton Perez had to use free internet on the subway platform. He calls his apartment an internet deadzone, which made taking his online classes nearly impossible.
MILTON PEREZ, ACP RECIPIENT: I had to walk out in the front of the building to be connected to the class.
CARROLL (voice-over): Perez, once homeless himself, works as an advocate for people experiencing homelessness. He now helps connect those still in shelters to the internet.
PEREZ: Seeing during my shelter state, the difference between people who had internet access and that didn't, it could be deadly.
CARROLL (voice-over): Millions of veterans also rely on the program, like Walter Durham in San Diego. He uses the internet to contact doctors and to chat with his daughter overseas.
WALTER DURHAM, ACP RECIPIENT: I'm going to have to either do without Wi-Fi, or I'll have to come up with other means to pay for Wi-Fi. So -- because I can't count on the politicians doing anything to help the American people.
CARROLL (voice-over): Legislation to extend the program has received bipartisan support. But, like so much in Washington, the bill has stalled.
CARROLL: Is there anything that realistically can be done?
REP. YVETTE CLARKE (D-NY): Absolutely. We need to make sure that this bill comes to the floor to make sure that we --
CARROLL: But, it hasn't come to the floor so far. Right?
CLARKE: It hasn't. It hasn't. However, we still have time.
CARROLL (voice-over): President Biden has called on Republicans to do more to get the bill brought to a vote. Meanwhile, those who need it most have little faith in lawmakers.
DURHAM: I would say most likely they're not going to do anything.
WESTMAN: They can pass things with a drop of a dime, and answers on both sides of the party, both parties agree, there should be zero resistance, and this should have been done yesterday, instead of people fearing that they are losing this one day.
CARROLL (voice-over): Jason Carroll, CNN, Eureka, Illinois.
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WALKER: All right. Still to come, colonies of emperor penguins are dying off in Antarctica. We will have an alarming report on the impact of climate change.
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[08:50:00]
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WALKER: Elon Musk made a surprise visit to China where, according to state media, the Tesla CEO met with senior trade officials. The visit coincides with Beijing's auto show where Musk is trying to make his case for China's approval to roll out Tesla's self-driving technology.
CNN's Marc Stewart is at the show and has filed this report.
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MARC STEWART, CNN CORRESPONDENT: This is "Auto China", the largest car show in all of China, and one of the largest in the world. There are a few gas-powered cars here, but the real focus is electric.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (Interpreted): I came here mainly checking on EVs. Now, there are many EV brands. So, there are lots of options.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (Interpreted): We liked the standout eye-catching color.
STEWART: There are more than 200 EV makers in China. Take a look over here. This is the line to see the latest offering from Xiaomi. It's a Chinese tech company known for its phones. This is the much talked about Xiaomi SU7. Yes, it has an aerodynamic design. It can accelerate very quickly. Its battery can take you for about 500 miles. But, its most distinct point is this touchscreen. You can use it to control almost whole aspects of your life. It can turn the lights in your home on and off. It can even start the coffee maker. This isn't just about performance. Geopolitics plays a role too.
Elon Musk flew to China over the weekend on a surprise trip and met Chinese Premier Li Qiang. Musk has his biggest overseas Tesla factory in Shanghai. So, he has big stakes in China. According to state media, Li said that China is open to foreign business and wants to make it easier for global companies to come here. In addition, Musk said Tesla's Gigafactory in Shanghai is its best performing. Tesla wants to be an even bigger player in the Chinese market in addition to its American base.
ELON MUSK, CEO, TESLA: It's good to see electric vehicles making progress in China. All cars will be electric in the future.
STEWART (voice-over): As a piece of American technology, Tesla faced lots of restrictions in China out of security concerns. Until this visit, Tesla cars were sometimes not allowed to enter airports, government compounds and other sensitive areas. Well, this time, after Musk met Li, Chinese authorities announced that such restrictions on Tesla cars are no more because the company's China-made vehicles have passed the country's data security requirements.
STEWART: As Elon Musk looks for success here in China for Chinese carmakers looking to break into the American market, that may not be so easy. Top U.S. officials have expressed concern that Chinese cars could potentially collect data and send it back here to Beijing, a potential blow for China, the world's largest auto exporter.
Marc Stewart, CNN, Beijing.
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WALKER: The emperor penguins of Antarctica are in peril. Low levels of sea ice driven in part by climate change are threatening their breeding grounds and causing colonies to die off.
CNN's Lynda Kinkade has more.
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LYNDA KINKADE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Waddling and gliding through the Antarctic, some of these penguins have seen better days. The world's largest penguin species, emperor penguins, are severely threatened by climate change. Scientists from the British Antarctic Survey say tens of thousands of emperor penguin chicks may have died as the species battle to survive record low sea ice in 2023.
PETER FRETWELL, BRITISH ANTARCTIC SURVEY: We know that they breed on sea ice. We know sea ice is one of the first things affected as temperatures, warmer ocean temperature, lower temperatures, and we're starting to see these losses in Antarctica now. Our models are quite dire.
KINKADE (voice-over): Dire because these penguins also lay their eggs and raise their chicks on sea ice. But, with the ice melting away, the chicks may fall into the sea before they get their waterproof feathers, leaving them to freeze to death or drown. Despite the recent losses, 2023 wasn't as bad as 2022 for the emperor penguins. Scientists say it's because some colonies adapted to the worsening conditions by moving south to find better ice, or to more stable ice shelves or icebergs.
[08:55:00]
FRETWELL: It was reassuring that it wasn't quite as bad as we'd feared with the worst ever sea ice, but it was still bad.
KINKADE (voice-over): Well, this is a good sign, Fretwell says. Work still needs to be done. Just save the emperor penguin, and we should do it before it's too late.
FRETWELL: It can be worse. But, that really depends on us. How much carbon and methane we put into the atmosphere? Can we change the trajectory of global warming that we're on at the moment? If we can, we still have time to save the emperor penguin. But, if we don't, then emperor penguins is going to be one of the first major animals that will be lost purely by a warming planet.
KINKADE (voice-over): Fretwell and his fellow scientists predict that 99 percent of the emperor penguin population could be gone by the end of the century, a tragic loss for a majestic bird.
Lynda Kinkade, CNN.
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WALKER: Let's hope we can reverse that trajectory.
Thank you so much for being with me here on CNN Newsroom. I'm Amara Walker. Connect the World is up next.
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