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New Day Sunday

Ukraine: 60 People Feared Dead After Russia Bombs School Shelter; President Biden To Hold Virtual Summit With Zelenskyy, G7 Members; Zelenskyy Points To Brutality, Destruction Of Russian Invasion; Zelenskyy Releases Video Honoring Those Killed In World War II; Ukraine: More Than 300 Civilians Freed From Steel Plant; Ukraine: Rescue Efforts Underway After Deadly School Bombing; Ukraine: All Women, Children And Elderly People Have Been Evacuated From Mariupol Steel Plant; New Details In Hunt For Escaped Inmate, Missing Corrections Officer; Three American Tourists Found Dead At Resort In The Bahamas; White House: COVID Wave Could Infect 100 Million This Fall And Winter. Aired 6-7a

Aired May 08, 2022 - 06:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

[06:00:20]

ALEX MARQUARDT, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning and welcome to your NEW DAY. I'm Alex Marquardt in on this Sunday morning for Boris Sanchez.

CHRISTI PAUL, CNN ANCHOR: Alex, so good to have you back with us. I'm Christi Paul.

This morning, dozens are feared to be dead after Ukraine says Russia bombed a school that is being used as a shelter, what we're learning about that this morning. And President Zelenskyy's meeting with G7 leaders this morning as well.

MARQUARDT: And there are new details in the search for Vicky White and Casey White. Police are detailing what they found inside of Vicky White's abandoned patrol car and the thousands of dollars that she withdrew leading up to the escape.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: A very Idaho way of thinking about things is to be loving and welcoming. But then there's this fear of will they change what we have?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PAUL: So Boise is booming. And with it the local housing market, why some say the new recognition is actually bad for business.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, my goodness! The longest shot has won the Kentucky Derby!

(END VIDEO CLIP) MARQUARDT: And it was a stunning upset at Churchill Downs for a horse that just 48 hours ago was an alternate in the Kentucky Derby. NEW DAY starts right now.

It is Sunday, May 8th. Thank you so much for waking up with us. Happy Mother's Day, Christi, to you and to all the moms out there.

PAUL: Thank you. Thank you so much, Alex. It means a lot.

And, you know, it's interesting because I was thinking about this morning the moms in Ukraine who are separated from their husbands and potentially their sons today and what this must be for them. And we want to start in Ukraine too because there is news from there where 60 people are feared dead following the bombing of a school in the Luhansk region.

Now, local officials say 90 people were sheltering in the school when a Russian plane bombed that building. We know 30 people were rescued. A regional official says the others are -- quote -- "most likely dead."

MARQUARDT: President Biden is holding a virtual summit today with other G7 leaders as well as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Now, this G7 meeting was deliberately scheduled today to be held ahead of Russia's annual Victory Day celebrations, tomorrow, May 9th. That day in Russia marks the Nazi surrender in World War II. And as Vladimir Putin prepares to commemorate, President Zelenskyy points to the brutality of Russia's invasion in Ukraine including the destruction of Ukraine's cultural heritage sites.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, UKRAINE (Through translator): Every day of this war, the Russian army does something that is beyond words. But every next day it does something that makes you feel it in a new way.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MARQUARDT: Today President Zelenskyy released a new video marking the Day of Remembrance and Reconciliation. It is a day that is marked every year on May 8th to honor those who lost their lives during World War II. Take a look.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ZELENSKYY (Through translator): This year we say "never again" differently. We hear "never again" differently. It sounds painful, cruel. Without an exclamation but with a question mark. You say, "Never again?" Tell Ukraine about it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PAUL: Now Ukraine says all women, children and the elderly have been freed from that battered steel plant in Mariupol. But more than 300 civilians have been rescued and a new round of evacuations is to begin today to rescue the wounded, medics and military personnel there. MARQUARDT: Our correspondents are covering all the major developments in Russia's war on Ukraine. Jasmine Wright has the latest on President Biden's virtual summit with G7 leaders. And Isa Soares has more on that bombing of the school where so many sought shelter. Isa, what more can you tell us about this latest Russian attack?

ISA SOARES, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: A very good morning to you, Alex.

Just horrific, those images that we have been seeing for the village of Belogorivka where obviously so many people were sheltering in that school that is now become a pile of rubble. Now, Luhansk officials have been speaking to us and what they told us was 90 people or so were sheltering in the basement of the school. That is almost, Alex, the entire population of that village. They were sheltering inside when Russian forces dropped a bomb on that school. And officials are saying that 60 people are most likely dead as a result of that bomb.

[06:05:01]

They've been told that 30 have been rescued from the rubble. And now of those 30, Alex, seven have been injured. Now for perspective here for our viewers in terms of location, this is about 10 kilometers or so from the front lines. It's part of the Donbas region where we have seen a lot of that push and pull of battle where the fight really has intensified in the last few weeks as, you know, the two sides try to capture and try to reclaim their territory.

Now, an official in that area in the Luhansk region told us that they have seen weeks in fact of artillery fire as well as air strikes but -- and I'm going to quote him here -- "Ukrainian troops are holding their ground." But clearly, as we have been seeing the last few days, really they're ramping up with the attacks on the population on the eastern front, Alex.

PAUL: Isa Soares, we appreciate the update so much. Thank you.

President Biden, meanwhile, and other G7 leaders are holding a virtual summit today with Ukrainian President Zelenskyy. CNN White House reporter Jasmine Wright traveling with the president in Wilmington, Delaware. Jasmine, good to see you this morning as always.

Military aid, we know, to Ukraine is going to be on that agenda. What can you tell us about what's to come on this call?

JASMINE WRIGHT, CNN WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: Well, it's a major show of allyship here. President Biden's virtual G7 meeting with special guest Ukrainian President Zelenskyy, it comes at a critical time, just one day before Russia's annual Victory Day, May 9th, where some believe it could mark a new chapter in Russia's assault on Ukraine. So this called is going to be an important part to show not only the support for Ukraine and their sovereignty but also to show just how coordinated G7 allies have been throughout these months really trying to punish Russia for their actions in Ukraine.

And so not only are military aid going to be on the agenda here, but also sanctions are going to be on the agenda while they kind of get an update on the ground about what's happening from President Zelenskyy. And now we know that this, of course, comes just a few days after President Biden announced just the latest security package, about $125 million to Ukraine.

I want to read you a bit about what was inside this package. Because again, it gets to that point of U.S. making sure that Ukraine has the weapons that it needs. So this latest package included 25,000 155 millimeter artillery rounds, counter-artillery radars, jamming equipment, field equipment and spare parts, a White House official said. But a tagline of that announcement on Friday comes as the president said that, listen, they're nearly exhausted of the amount that they can continue to draw down from this specific place to aid Ukraine in this war, really asking Congress once again to revisit that $33 billion of security that the White House has asked for for it to be able to give to Ukraine. In certain moments really trying to fuel them as this war continues. So back to this call, of course, we will be looking for the White House to provide us with a readout really about what this call says once it happens.

MARQUARDT: All right. A busy day for the president in his hometown of Wilmington Delaware. That's where we find Jasmine Wright. Thank you very much, Jasmine.

PAUL: Thank you, Jasmine.

CNN military analyst and retired Air Force Colonel Cedric Leighton with us now. Colonel, thank you very much for taking time to be with us this morning.

I want to jump off of something that Jasmine was talking about, the fact that sanctions will be discussed on this call today with G7 leaders and with President Zelenskyy. At what point, when you look at these sanctions, I mean, I think a lot of people are looking at and thinking, what additional sanctions would be effective by now?

COL. CEDRIC LEIGHTON (RET.), CNN MILITARY ANALYST: Yes. Christi, good morning. I think that's a really good question to ask because, you know, what we're looking at is a series of sanctions that have a medium to long-term effect. You know, you're going after oil exports, gas exports. You're going after the personal assets of various oligarchs, including those who are close to President Putin, possibly the girlfriend, the alleged girlfriend.

So those are things that are important and are necessary but they don't necessarily have a tactical effect on the battlefield. In fact, they really don't have a tactical effect on the battlefield except for maybe a few months from now or maybe a year from now. And that's frankly too late to affect the tactical outcomes that we need to look at in order to preserve as much of Ukraine's independence and sovereignty as possible.

So there is a difficulty in relying solely on sanctions. It really depends on getting military aid as quickly as possible to the front lines in Ukraine and that, I think, will make more difference in the short term than the sanctions will. The sanctions will bigger in the long term but in the short term they won't be as effective.

PAUL: I want to point out some of the good news that came from yesterday that we know some of the civilians, women and children, and elderly were finally evacuated from that steel plant in Mariupol.

[06:10:10]

The dire news is that the Ukrainian troops are still there. And even though there are reports that they may be evacuated, I think, there are questions surrounding whether that would actually happen. The "Washington Post" this morning reporting that a Ukrainian commander made a plea on Facebook for -- quote -- "everyone to make the maximum effort to evacuate the military." He described the plant and the life there as some hellish reality show.

What do you believe is the reality for the troops there in Mariupol and is that the key to Russia right now, claiming some sort of victory in Ukraine? Is Mariupol on their radar there?

LEIGHTON: I think it is, absolutely, Christi. I think Russia sees Mariupol as, you know, kind of a mini Stalingrad. And, you know, in World War II, Stalingrad was the big turning point for the soviet armies and it resonates, you know, given the fact that tomorrow is the big Victory Day celebration for World War II in Moscow. But Mariupol is that pivot point because it gives the Russians that land bridge basically that goes between Crimea, the Donetsk and then eventually into Russia. So that's one military reason and economic reason to have that.

There's also a huge symbolic value. We know that the Russians have changed the road signs and, you know, they're going to change the currency back to rubles. They're changing the road signs into Russian. They want to eliminate the use of the Ukrainian language in the territories that they've occupied.

So Mariupol symbolizes all of this. And it's a symbol really for both sides as well. You know, so on the one hand, it represents -- the Azovstal steel plant represents a victory for the Russians in their view. But for the Ukrainians it's, you know, more or less Stalingrad and the Alamo rolled into one because what it does is it gives them a rallying point. And, you know, a point at which they can say we have defended our country and we, you know, need to remember those who sacrificed at Mariupol and especially at Azovstal.

PAUL: I want to touch too on what you just said about Victory Day tomorrow, a holiday there in Russia as they use it to mark Russia's victory over Nazi Germany in World War II. There is speculation though tomorrow that President Putin is going to declare war officially on Ukraine. Up to this point he has not done so. He's just called it a special military operation.

If he were to declare war, Colonel, first of all, what would that look like? And secondly, what does the world do then? Does it change what the world needs -- how the world needs to respond?

LEIGHTON: Yes. This would become a very difficult issue for the G7, for NATO countries, for the U.S. because a declaration of war is something that most countries haven't used since World War II. We haven't done it. The Russians haven't done it, in an official capacity in, you know, the way that we're used to from, you know, the old news reel footage. So, it becomes an area that is kind of uncharted territory in the 21st century.

What I think it would mean is that the Russians could call up even further reserves. That would then intensify the conflict. It would force the west to go in and provide more -- even more aid, more lethal aid to the Ukrainians. And in essence, it would mark the beginning of a new phase in the war. It would also be a situation where the Ukrainians would be very hard-pressed until aid arrived to really defend themselves against a fresh onslaught of Russian forces.

Now, on the other hand, the Russians have a major industrial base problem. They can't replenish the things like material and the personnel that they lost in these assaults on Kyiv. So they would have some difficulties.

It would be symbolic. It would be political, but on the ground it would cause some difficulties for the Russians as well. And, of course, difficulties for the Ukrainians just because eventually the Russians would bring in a lot of troops to try to take over at least part of Ukraine.

PAUL: OK. Colonel Cedric Leighton, your insight and your expertise is so valued here. Thank you for taking time for us this morning.

LEIGHTON: Absolutely, Christi. Thank you so much for having me.

PAUL: Always.

MARQUARDT: Now to developments in that dramatic hunt for the escaped inmate and missing corrections officer from Alabama. Investigators have released new video and other evidence as they search for Casey White and Vicky White. They have the same last name but they're not related. They were last seen more than a week ago leaving the Lauderdale County Detention Center in Alabama.

[06:15:03]

CNN's Nadia Romero reports.

NADIA ROMERO, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes. We're learning new details about what happened leading up to the escape of inmate Casey White and corrections officer Vicky White. A new video released of Vicky White inside of a Quality Inn Hotel, not far from here in the county courthouse where she allegedly stayed on Thursday, the night before the escape just last week.

We're also getting a look inside of the patrol car she used to transport inmate Casey White outside of the detention center. Remember there was this plan that they were going to the mental health evaluation here at the county courthouse. And we now know that never happened. No evaluation or hearings were scheduled. Inside that patrol car investigators found her jail keys, her radio and other items. And then that patrol car was abandoned at a shopping mall and they presumably got inside of an orange Ford Edge. And that SUV was found in the middle of a road in Williamson, Tennessee, about two hours north of here.

The sheriff believes that that wasn't part of their plan. He believes that the SUV broke down and that interfered with this escape plan. But they already had a head start. We also know that Vicky White took out some $90,000 from her bank accounts while she's been on the run to help with this escape. That all coming from the sheriff's office.

Now this is all happening because the sheriff says Casey White and Vicky White met at the Lauderdale County Detention Center during arraignment charges -- during his arraignment for capital murder charges in the death of Connie Ridgeway. And we spoke to the son of Connie Ridgeway, Austin Williams. Here's his plea to Casey White.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

AUSTIN WILLIAMS, SON OF MURDER VICTIM CONNIE RIDGEWAY: Please turn yourself in as soon as possible. I know you contest to my mother's murder. It is a possibility that you're innocent. And if you're innocent let us find out.

You know, if you're innocent I'm OK with that. I don't want anyone who's innocent to be punished for something that they didn't do. But please turn yourself in.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROMERO: Alabama Governor Kay Ivey adding $5,000 of a reward to both Casey White and Vicky White, upping that total reward for both of them up to $25,000. Nadia Romero, CNN, Lauderdale County, Alabama.

MARQUARDT: Just an extraordinary manhunt. Our thanks to Nadia Romero for that story.

Now, there is new information this morning in the mysterious deaths of three Americans who were staying at a resort in the Bahamas. This was at the Sandals resort in Exuma.

PAUL: Now two men and a woman died at the resort. A fourth American, a woman, was airlifted to a hospital in Nassau. CNN's Polo Sandoval brings us the details.

POLO SANDOVAL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Christi, Alex, good morning to you. I asked Commissioner Paul Rolle of the Royal Bahamas Police if they have any indications about causes of death in this case. He said at this point it is still too soon. Autopsies will have to be performed to try to answer that question.

But there are some early findings so far that are key here. Investigators so far have found no signs of foul play, saying that there was no trauma that was found on those bodies. His investigators were called to Sandals' Emerald Bay Resort in Exuma on Friday morning after the staff discovered the body of a man in one of their villas. They then discovered the bodies of two other people, a man and a woman, at a second villa on the property.

Investigators say that they had showed signs of convulsion at the time that they were found. Commissioner Rolle told me that that couple that was found in that second villa has actually turned to a local medical facility the night before they died. They've been complaining about nausea and about vomiting. So that's a clue there. They were treated and then eventually sent back to their resort for the night.

There was a fourth person that was found at that villa, a woman. She had to be airlifted. And investigators telling me that she's still being treated and ill at the hospital right now. Sandals resort, they've released a statement over the weekend. They wrote, "A health emergency was initially reported and following our protocols we immediately alerted emergency medical professionals and relevant local authorities."

The company goes on to write that they are currently supporting both the investigation and also the families of those affected. And because of privacy reasons, they can't release a whole lot more.

Now when it comes to the efforts that are happening this morning I'm told by investigators that the U.S. embassy there in the Bahamas along with the ministry of tourism currently working with authorities to positively identify these three individuals. Their hope is that they can proceed with performing those autopsies that will hopefully tell them a lot more about what happened on Friday morning. Christi, Alex.

PAUL: Polo, thank you so much.

Still to come this morning, COVID surge concerns. The White House warning of another potential COVID wave this fall. What the numbers are telling us now.

MARQUARDT: And it was once a hidden gem in the housing market, but now that more and more people have found Boise, Idaho, housing prices are skyrocketing. You'll hear how locals are reacting to a new wave of residents. We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[06:23:59]

MARQUARDT: Public health officials are watching cautiously as COVID-19 case numbers tick up in the United States. Now though the CDC said that this week the majority of the U.S. lives in areas that they consider to have what they call low COVID-19 community level, the Biden administration is warning that the U.S. is not yet out of the woods. They say that a new wave this fall and winter could infect up to 100 million Americans if no additional resources are provided or extra mitigation methods are taken in order to fight this deadly pandemic. The White House is sharing that estimate as it urges Congress to approve new COVID funding and as the nation approaches a COVID death toll of 1 million deaths. Joining us now to discuss all of this is Dr. Saju Mathew. He's a primary care physician and a public health specialist. Dr. Mathew, thank you so much for joining us this morning.

DR. SAJU MATHEW, CNN MEDICAL ANALYST: Good morning, Alex.

MARQUARDT: Let's start with that incredible figure from the White House. Hundred million possible COVID infections later this year in the fall and the winter. How is that possible given that by then we will have had these vaccines, a whole range of vaccines for almost two years?

[06:25:08]

MATHEW: Yes, it's a great question, Alex. But if you really think about where we are currently in the pandemic, we've got these dangerous subvariants. You know, we've talked about how contagious Omicron is. We've compared it to measles which is the most contagious variant out there. And now the subvariants are even more contagious.

We're also undercounting cases grossly. A lot of people are getting tested at home. That's not being reported into the daily count. I know a lot of patients who have colds and coughs that are saying, hey, listen, I'm not going to get tested. I don't think I have COVID. That combined with the fact that there are lots of Americans that are still not boosted, we have got waning immunity. It's just the perfect storm. And I really worry about how we're grossly undercounting cases because people don't think that this is really a big issue at this time.

MARQUARDT: But not all infections are the same, right? Like an infection today or in the fall, since we're talking about that timeframe, that's not the same as an infection say two years ago at this moment.

MATHEW: That's exactly right. You know, we focus a lot now on hospitalizations and ICU admissions. The mortality rates have gone down significantly. The daily deaths, still hundreds of people are dying every day in the U.S. but not like during the Delta variant.

Vaccines absolutely are keeping us out of the hospital and preventing ICU admissions. Having said that, Alex, we should still talk about long COVID. Because even if you don't have symptoms or you're asymptomatic from COVID, three, four months down the road I'm seeing these patients at work with heart problems, brain fog, neurological issues. So we still need to realize that, yes, we're not dying, which is incredible. But if you're infected, your risk of long COVID is still pretty high.

MARQUARDT: That is such an important point. There's so much we don't know. And it's terrifying to think that even if you have such a -- you have a mild case you can end up with something like long COVID for a very long time.

Doctor, if we have this surge of infections, what would that mean for the hospitals and for, you know, for doctors like you who have to care for people who are getting infected? MATHEW: You know, I mean, I think that it goes back to the lead, into the story which is, the White House asking for more congressional support when it comes to the pandemic. You know, we still have a long way to go. This is not an endemic. And when a lot of people get sick, even if they're not going into the ICUs and being hospitalized, we still have to take care of a surge of cases.

And what I worry about the fall mostly is how the cold weather activates this virus. We're also going to have a lot of people coming in with heart attacks. So it's always worrisome when we have to deal with so many people coming in at the same time to the emergency room or to my office.

MARQUARDT: So, what additional resources do you think are needed as we face this potential surge and what can we all be doing in order to prevent that?

MATHEW: Yes. I mean, I think that first of all, you know, the Congress should not be, you know, undercutting what the White House is asking because another pandemic will happen in our lifetime unfortunately. We still need to make sure that people are getting tested. We still need to make sure that we're reporting the cases adequately.

And also when it comes to Paxlovid, which is the oral antiviral pill by Pfizer, we don't have enough supply. So if you have COVID, calling your doctor and getting Paxlovid is not easy. I had to call about five pharmacies the other day for an 80-year-old female. And also we have to worry about minority communities in terms of their access for testing and also for oral antiviral pills.

So I still think that we have willed the pandemic away but the pandemic is ongoing. We need as much support as we can.

MARQUARDT: Yes, this virus is still very much with us. Dr. Saju Mathew, thank you so much for joining us this morning. Appreciate it.

MATHEW: Thank you, Alex.

PAUL: Looking at Boise, Idaho, this morning. I actually used to live there, full of great people, beautiful terrain. Take a look at it there. But you know what? Apparently a lot of other people have seen it as well because the population is exploding. It's one of the fastest-growing cities in the country and some locals have real concerns about that. We'll tell you why. Stay close.

[06:30:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ALEX MARQUARDT, CNN ANCHOR: Police in Israel have arrested two men in connection to a deadly attack near Tel Aviv that killed three people and left four others injured. The attacks took place Thursday night during celebrations of Israel's Independence Day. Police are saying that one of the attackers fired a rifle while the other attacked people with an axe or a knife. Israel's also saying it will keep the Palestinian territories sealed off until Monday. Now, the closure of the occupied West Bank and Gaza, that started on

Wednesday for Israeli Memorial Day that continued into Thursday for Independence Day and then was extended through Sunday after the deadly attack.

PAUL: Police in Raleigh, North Carolina say an officer shot and killed a man who was throwing Molotov cocktails. This happened outside of police station. Investigators say the suspect was throwing the cocktails, the Molotov cocktails at police vehicles, was told to stop several times, and that's when officers opened fire. A total of four officers were involved. All placed on administrative leave protocol.

So, according to the census bureau, Idaho's population is growing at a faster rate than any other state right now.

MARQUARDT: And as a result, it is triggering a whole slew of changes from community and culture to unmanageable price hikes. CNN's Lucy Kafanov has the latest.

[06:35:09]

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

LUCY KAFANOV, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voiceover): With its stunning mountain vistas and idyllic country charm, it's easy to see why more and more people are moving to Idaho.

So, what brought you out to Boise, Idaho?

XAVIER TORRES: I mean, just look around, paradise on earth.

KAFANOV: Paradise.

A year ago, Xavier Torres and his family were living in California. But a visit to Boise inspired them to make this little corner of America their permanent home.

TORRES: We were looking at changing our life. We're looking at something better. We decided to take a road trip up here to visit some friends. And we fell in love.

KAFANOV: The family found a home they loved priced under $600,000, but decided to put off purchasing until things settle down. Now, that home and others like it are out of reach.

TORRES: Now, I'd say it's close to two million.

KAFANOV: So, what's the reality of home ownership in Boise now?

TORRES: There's waiting lists. There's people putting down payments down on empty lots that aren't even built.

KAFANOV: Now, the sound of Paradise is changing. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Idaho is the fastest growing state in the country. The Boise area, which has seen roughly a 10 percent increase in population since 2019 is struggling to cope with the influx of new arrivals. NATALIE PLUMMER., HOST, THE BOISE BUBBLE PODCAST: And it's kind of like every single thing you can think of in some way has changed and just so quickly. And you're trying to wrap your head around it and realizing I have to have a totally new definition for what my hometown is.

KAVANAUGH: Natalie Plummer hosts the Boise Bubble Podcast, which has addressed the somewhat divisive topic of the city's sudden population boom.

PLUMMER: There's a reason that they're coming here. They want opportunities for their families. They want -- look at the -- it's beautiful here. They want to come to a place that's clean, that's safe.

KAFANOV: Has it divided the community to have so many people moving here?

PLUMMER: Yes, for sure. The people who are moving here are our neighbors. And a very Idaho way of thinking about things is to be loving and welcoming. But then there's this fear of will they change what we have. And in some ways, yes. No matter what, it will change.

KAVANAUGH: For Boise natives like Donna Allen, that change has been difficult to bear.

DONNA ALLEN, BOISE NATIVE: I went from a five bedroom, three bath house to a 35 foot camper. The landlord sold the house. And so, we had to move out. And with rent prices the way they were back in August, we just could not afford a house big enough for us.

KAFANOV: Priced out of her native Boise and battling a cancer diagnosis, Donna and her family of five had nowhere to go. She placed an ad on Facebook asking for help, one that caught Xavier's eye.

TORRES: This lady, breast cancer survivor, was reaching out because she -- they had nowhere to go. They live in the same home their whole lives pretty much. So, she's reaching out for anything. I've been blessed. We had a trailer. It was just sitting in storage.

KAFANOV: Xavier offered the trailer to Donna and her family. What would have happened if he didn't step up?

ALLEN: We would have been homeless on the streets.

KAFANOV: What pushed you to do that?

TORRES: It's called donor, I think.

KAFANOV: One act of kindness helping one family, while so many others are left to figure out their place in this new Boise on their own. Lucy Kafanov, CNN, Boise, Idaho.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MARQUARDT: Our thanks to Lucy for that report. Now, still ahead, despite the conflict back on Earth, U.S. astronauts

and Russian cosmonauts are working hand in hand in space. Next, we'll have two astronauts who describe their shared goal and the magnitude of their mission. We'll be right back.

[06:40:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PAUL: 43 minutes past the hour. And this week, a Russian cosmonaut took over command of the International Space Station after three NASA astronauts and a European astronaut returned home from the ISS.

MARQUARDT: But the remaining crew are determined more than ever to cooperate with one another in space even as you're back on Earth, their countries are fiercely at odds with one another over the war in Ukraine. CNN's Rachel Crane has this story.

RACHEL CRANE, CNN INNOVATION CORRESPONDENT (on camera): That's right, Christi and Alex. I spoke to these two astronauts who said they understand the magnitude of what they are doing up in space. You know, it's important to remember that the International Space Station is perhaps one of the last diplomatic links between Russia and the U.S.

Now, this is a decade's long partnership. And it really is a true partnership. The Russian side of the International Space Station controls the propulsion while the U.S. side controls the power. So, they're really reliant on one another here. And Dmitry Rogozin, head of Roscosmos, he has consistently been tweeting statements threatening to pull out of the International Space Station.

Now, NASA maintains that there is no immediate threat to this partnership, that Russia continues to cooperate and is very much a part of the International Space Station. I had the opportunity to speak with NASA astronaut, Jessica Watkins, and also ESA astronaut, Samantha Cristoforetti, about the mood and the spirit onboard the International Space Station. Take a listen to what they had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SAMANTHA CRISTOFORETTI, ASTRONAUT, EUROPEAN SPACE AGENCY: Yes, you know, we do not worry about that. And the reason is that, you know, we have I think an instinctive understanding of the community that we are part of. I think that we all understand that what we do here is valuable, that the space station is valuable. And that even in times of conflict, you have to preserve bridges. You have to preserve some areas of cooperation. And you know, the best candidate for that is just a space station.

[06:45:24]

JESSICA WATKINS, ASTRONAUT, NASA: We are a family up here. We have dinner with our cosmonaut -- our cosmonaut colleagues, and we are -- understand this this shared mission, the shared goal, and we'll all work together to do our best to accomplish that and do so successfully, safely, and efficiently. (END VIDEO CLIP)

CRANE: Now, Christi and Alex, I also want to point out that Jessica Watkins. This is a milestone mission for her. It's her first journey to space, but she's the first Black female astronaut to accomplish an extended stay on station. Meaning, that she'll be up there for six months. She'll be conducting research as well as doing maintenance on station. Jessica Watkins, she's also been selected by NASA to be part of the astronaut class potentially going to the moon. She's part of the Artemis astronaut corps.

So, I had an opportunity to ask her also if this first journey to space has just given her a taste of what it's like if she's more motivated than ever to go to the moon. She said, she's certainly enjoying her time up there and she would love to have as much of it as possible. Christi, Alex?

MARQUARDT: All right, astronauts and cosmonauts keeping their eyes on the mission. Good for them. All right, well, CNN's new original series Nomad with Carlton McCoy continues to follow the chef and master sommelier all around the world.

PAUL: Yes. And tonight's episode, Carlton makes his first trip to South Korea. Here's a preview.

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CARLTON MCCOY, CNN HOST: Do you feel that the younger generation in Korea values places like this?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (text): Young people like it a lot more. Because to them, this is a totally novel experience.

MCCOY: I didn't expect that answer. I think if there is one positive about how fast the world moves today, all the technology, social media, it's actually drawing people back into places like this. The young people are leading the pack where they're sort of like starting to like say like we don't want this, you know. I think it's really powerful.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (text): Interestingly, I think, rather, that the young people of today enjoy and are interested in these kinds of natural space a lot more than eve I did at their age. As time changes and things shift, I think culture cycles through and through. People will like very modern things, and then when they get tired of it, they fall back into nature.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PAUL: Catch an all-new episode of nomad with Carlton McCoy. It's tonight at 10:00 p.m. Eastern right here on CNN.

Underdog, Dark Horse, for some, not even an afterthought. It didn't matter. A historic night for the longest of longshots at the Kentucky Derby. [06:50:00]

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PAUL: 80 to one odds. A Kentucky Derby champion now, Rich Strike paid serious history.

MARQUARDT: And Coy Wire was right there. Coy, I mean, putting aside the fact that this this race itself was incredible. Rich Strike was even supposed to be there.

COY WIRE, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: Yes. He just show up and win the Kentucky Derby. Well, I mean, this is like it was out of a movie. Rich Strike wasn't even part of the original fuel at 20 horses. In fact, it wasn't until Friday when another horse scratch that the team got the call to be the replacement. Rich Strike and jockey 32-year-old Sunny.

Now, look how far their back 16 horses were in front of them approaching the final turn. And then, just turning on the jets, riding the rail down the backstretch. And the final pass comes against three race favorites, Epicenter, and Zandon, and Rich Strike, the second longest shot to win in derby history, biggest underdog to win in over 100 years.

And get this. Its trainer, Eric Reed, was lucky that he was able to see his first Derby win. Listen to this.

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ERIC REED, TRAINER FOR KENTUCKY DERBY WINNER RICH STRIKE: I don't know how -- I fell down the paddock when he hit the wire. I'm about passed out. I'm so happy. This is something that, you know -- it's the reason everybody does this because we're not supposed to be here.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I know that horse, he can be in the race, and I don't know if he can win. He could win the race. But I have a good feeling with him. I think I got that race. I got to push him more hard than ever. That's why he did it. And then I can't say what I feel, man. That's real.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WIRE: All right, let's go to some NBA playoff action. It was a rough night for the Grizzlies, already on the wrong side of a blowout against Golden State. Their superstar also getting hurt in the fourth quarter, Ja Morant, down near half court and then he is clutching his knee, clearly frustrated on the bench afterwards, before headed to the locker room. He would not return. But even a wet towel wasn't going to cool off Steph and the Warriors, Golden State is shooting better than 63 percent, game high 30 from Curry. Warriors win by 30 and take a two-one series lead.

And the Miami Grand Prix making his Formula One debut this afternoon. A slew of stars like LeBron James, Serena Williams, David Beckham Snoop, all there for qualifying for the Super Bowl of F1. That's what it's being called. I sat down with Tom Brady and the Tom Brady of F1, Lewis Hamilton this week.

Both considered greatest of all time. Both with seven championships. Hamilton and Mercedes team off to a slow start this season. But he shared with us his mindset when he and his team face adversity. Listen.

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[06:55:24]

LEWIS HAMILTON, FORMULA ONE CHAMPION: We have responsibilities to pick each other up and put it through those difficult times. That's why we grow stronger, and we grow closer. And we pull tight, and we dig deeper than we ever thought that -- you know, they say you want to dig deep, but you can always dig deeper.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WIRE: Incredible focus, determination, grit from each of those warriors to allow them to come successful. We'll see how Lewis Hamilton team Mercedes do later today from Miami Gardens there for F1.

MARQUARDT: All right, Coy, thanks for all that. Someone out there is enjoying those 80 to one winnings, so have fun with that. All right, Coy.

We'll have a lot more news coming up in this next hour. I hope you'll stay with us. We'll be right back.

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