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Democrats Walked Out from House Floor; Sense of Normalcy Now Felt by Americans; U.S. Warship Failed Its Missile Test; Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Fighting for His Leadership; Australian Softball Players Head to Japan for Olympic Games; Some EU Countries are Restricting U.K. Travel as Coronavirus Cases Rise; Demonstrators in Brazil Demand for President's Impeachment; Florida Police Hunt for Shooters After Banquet Hall Attack; An Unthinkable Discovery in a Former Residential School in Canada; Mount Nyiragongo Threat. Aired 3- 4a ET

Aired May 31, 2021 - 03:00   ET

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

[03:00:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ROSEMARY CHURCH, CNN ANCHOR (on camera): Hello and welcome to our viewers joining us here in the United State and around the world. You are watching CNN Newsroom. And I'm Rosemary Church.

Just ahead, Democrats walk out of the state legislature in Texas stopping a restrictive voting bill for now. Why the governor says the measure is not dead.

Plus, a move towards a new governing coalition in Israel but for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is not giving up without a fight.

And an uproar in Brazil. Tens of thousands of protesters calling for the impeachment of President Bolsonaro for how he has handled the pandemic.

Good to have you with us.

Well, a battle over voting rights in U.S. is waged in Texas with a dramatic pause in the fight just a few hours ago. Texas Democrats foiled a sweeping Republican measure for now at least. The bill would ban unsolicited mail in ballots overnight and Sunday morning voting, it requires I.D. and signature matching for mail-in ballots. It also bans drive-through voting and expands access for partisan poll watchers.

Republicans in the Texas House were up against a midnight deadline to win approval, but Democrats walk off the floor leaving a House without a minimum number of members to vote. The governor has indicated he will call a special session to restart the process. Texas Democrat Jessica Gonzales spoke after the House adjourned.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) JESSICA GONZALEZ (D), MEMBER, TEXAS HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES: When this bill came to the floor, we thought that we were going to be able to have a serious conversation. A real conversation. Because this will affect every single person in this including Republicans. We were told time and time again that the secretary of state, that our elections were safe and secure. And so really this is a witch hunt. It's a witch hunt that is aimed at people of color.

We're going back centuries. Instead of working on problems, instead of making our state a better place for every Texan, we spent time on guns. We spent time on trying to restrict their rights to the polls.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH (on camera): Earlier, Republican Congressman Michael McCaul of Texas said the legislature was trying to restore confidence in the election process.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. MIKE MCCAUL (R-TX): Now we can debate whether how much fraud occurred in the last election. And Democrats who have claimed fraud have happened in the prior, previous elections. But one thing is pretty clear to me, Jake, is that a lot of the American people seem to have lost faith in our government, they've lost faith in our elections that we need to restore it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH (on camera): But Texas Democrat Sheila Jackson Lee doesn't see it that way.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. SHEILA JACKSON LEE (D-TX): This is ludicrous. And let me tell you why. I think you've heard the facts. But it was the Department of Homeland Security thank gave the crowning final statement about the 2020 election. And they have consistently said they found absolutely no fraud or fraud of said amendments that it had no relevancy whatsoever. So, the big lie is crushing truth and the vote to the very earth.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: Joining me now is Jessica Levinson, a professor of law at Loyola Law School and the host of the Passing Judgment podcast. Good to have you with us.

JESSICA LEVINSON, PROFESSOR, LOYOLA MARYMOUNT UNIVERSITY: Good to be back.

CHURCH: So the state of Texas has been debating one of the most restrictive voting bills in the country that would create challenges for voters of color, particularly, is that with this is all about? Shutting out Black and Latino voters? LEVINSON: Yes. I wish I could say otherwise. But the answer is yes

because they tend to vote for Democratic candidates. This is not about trying to make our elections safer or have more integrity. This is about voter suppression. There's simply no evidence to indicate that these are true solutions.

There's plenty of evidence to indicate that this is just voter suppression because the demographics in states like Texas are changing. And we've seen what happens with higher turnout tends to be better for Democrats in Texas.

[03:04:59]

Texas is red turning purple. Eventually turning blue, and this is a way to ensure that Democrats don't win elections according to the number of registered Democrats in the state.

CHURCH: So, Jessica, how loud are the voices pushing against this, and what are some of the worst voting restrictions that you see in this bill?

LEVINSON: So, there are voices that are loudly opposing this. And I think one of the most disgraceful things is that this has become a partisan issue and that this is Democrats versus Republicans. Whether or not we make it difficult for eligible voters to actually vote should not be a partisan issue. And yet here we are and it is.

So, what are the big challenges here? Let's think about what the law would do. It would make it harder to vote by mail. It would say that you can automatically be sent a vote by mail ballot. You can't become a permanent vote by mail voter. You have to each time request a ballot. On that request you have to have your license or your social security number.

That information has to appear again on the envelope for your return ballot. It would eliminate ballot drop boxes. It would eliminate longer voting hours. It would restrict voting on early voting on Sundays. Restrict drive-through voting. All the ways that frankly we make it easier for certain voters who have less time, less resources to weigh in.

There is nothing magic that happens on a Tuesday and election day. Your vote counts just as much, and just as likely to be free of fraud on a Sunday or Saturday, as it is on a Tuesday. So, all these things making it harder to vote right now, restricting the avenues that we can vote. Again, the drop boxes, the vote -- the drive-through, all these things are making it more difficult in areas where there are concentrated people of color to weigh in on who their elected officials will be.

CHURCH: And of course, meantime, we have the same recounts continue in Arizona and Georgia. What might they signal for the 2022 midterms and the 2024 presidential elections? And how much of a threat to multiple recounts like this pose to democracy?

LEVINSON: All of this poses a really serious threat to democracy, and again, because these are ways to restrict votes or in the case of a recount, to try and call into question valid votes without any reason. And these re-counts in Arizona, we should find a new word for that. It shouldn't really be called a recount because that's something legitimate.

What's happening here is there were allegations of fraud based on nothing. And there is a partisan group that trying to look under the hood, and find errors that don't exist. Is this a threat going into the midterms? Yes.

People should feel that it when they vote in America that that is safe. That we are not trying to trump up charges of fraud. And the idea that we are now we are playing electro hard ball with our voting laws and with these recounts is so dispiriting to voters. And the way to get around it for voters is to turn out, even if it's difficult, it's to turn out and vote.

CHURCH: Yes. I think that these are the lesson of all of this, isn't it? Jessica Levinson, many thanks for joining us. I appreciate it.

LEVINSON: Thank you.

CHURCH: U.S. prosecutors have now charged four more defendants in the federal criminal conspiracy case against the right-wing Oath Keepers group. They allegedly prepared for and took part in the January 6th capitol riot. This case is the largest against any of the far-right extremist groups that took part in the insurrection.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is fighting for his political future as efforts to build a diverse new government coalition gained traction. His rivals from the center left and right are working to form a unity government without him. Right-wing leader Naftali Bennett announced the plan Sunday night. But Mr. Netanyahu was quick to go on the attack in response.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NAFTALI BENNETT, LEADER, YAMINA PARTY through translator): There is no right-wing government. Four rounds of election in the past two months prove to us all that there is simply not a government to be led by Netanyahu. It's either a fifth election or a unity government.

BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER (through translator): I heard enough Naftali Bennett. Unfortunately, he is again misleading the public. Same lies, same empty slogans on hate and division from someone who gets a hand to hatred and division. And someone who is perpetrating, I must say, the fraud of the century.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH (on camera): If a formal agreement is reached on the emerging coalition, it will still have to be proved by Israel's parliament.

[03:10:00]

Elliott Gotkine joins me now live from Jerusalem. Good to see you, Elliott. So, this isn't a fait accompli just yet. What do Netanyahu's rivals need to do next to make this coalition government a reality and oust him as prime minister and what's Netanyahu's likely next move?

ELLIOTT GOTKINE, JOURNALIST: Rosemary, in practical terms, the various parties that are opposed the chain, the so-called the chains bloc that are opposed to Netanyahu are still meeting. I understand from a spokesman from Yair Lapid of Yesh Atid party that they will meet until 3 o'clock this morning.

So, they're ironing out some of the details among themselves. They've gotten to midnight on Wednesday Israel time, so that's about 5 p.m. Eastern Time on Wednesday to go to President Reuven Rivlin and for Yair Lapid to say yes, I've got a coalition that can get the votes in the Knesset.

They will then be up to a week within which the Knesset the parliament here will vote whether to approve or to not approve this governing coalition. Basically, they need more than half of the people in the Knesset, half of the lawmakers to vote in favor of this governing coalition.

At the same time of course, there is plenty that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will be trying to do at the same time. He and his supporters will be trying to persuade and encourage their base to persuade members, especially of the right wing Yamina Party of Naftali Bennett to defect, to disagree, to object to the formation of this coalition government.

Indeed, outside the Tel Aviv home of Ayelet Shaked who is the number two to Naftali Bennett -- there been protests this week outside her home trying to encourage her to do the right thing for the right-wing base and to not go into what Netanyahu has derided as a left-wing government.

There could be procedural shenanigans as well in the Knesset. The speaker of the Knesset is a Likud. He's an ally of Prime Minister Netanyahu as well. And in extremist there could even be some kind of attempt to get the courts involved perhaps trying to suggest that because Yair Lapid received the mandate from President Reuven Rivlin to try to form a coalition government that Naftali Bennett cannot therefore be the first -- be prime minister first.

So, I'm sure those shenanigans and others will be tried by Netanyahu. He will do everything in his considerable powers to try to avoid being removed from office. But certainly, for the first time in 12 years we are as close as we have ever been to seeing that happen.

CHURCH: All right. Elliott Gotkine joining us live from Jerusalem, many thanks.

Well, as we've mentioned, the emerging coalition is across the political spectrum. And it's not clear what unites them beyond a sheer desire for new leadership. The editor-in-chief of The Jerusalem Post, Yaakov Katz, explains how such a diverse group might govern.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) YAAKOV KATZ, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, JERUSALEM POST: I call it a kaleidoscope of a government. But on the other hand, it's a beautiful idea. It's bringing the right wing together with the left wing, together with the center. Let me just say. Naftali Bennett who is a high-tech entrepreneur has had success in business came into government was pragmatic. He is an ideologue but he's pragmatic. He is a renowned reformer. He's got reforms done when he was minister of the economy, minister of education, when he was minister of defense.

So, he knows how to work with people who are on the other side of the aisle. I think that the people on the other side of the aisle from merits, from the Labour Party, Yair Lapid have also shown a maturity, and idea that they can put their egos aside for the better of the country. And that's what this is about.

Now will it last? Will it have lasting power? Because like you said, there are major challenges. Right? What we you do with the Palestinians? What do you when there's going to be another, God forbid in Gaza? How do you manage those situations? What is there is pressure from the U.S. administration to free settlement construction? You got people on the right who want to build, you got people on the left who want to freeze. How do you manage that?

If they can keep their eye on the goal, which is how do we advance Israel out of those nearly three years of political instability, mudslinging, no state budget, this is what they need to focus on. I think that if they are mature, and they understand that and it seems that they do, they can move forward and potentially succeed.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH (on camera): The U.S. missile defense agency says a U.S. warship failed to intercept a ballistic missile during a test on Saturday.

Barbara Starr explains what happened.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT (voice over): The whole idea was that there was a navy ship out there, and it is equipped with something called the standard missile, an advanced version, not a fancy name, but very advanced, very high tech.

They were testing to see if they could fire a salvo of those missiles against what would have been a stimulated ballistic missile target. Not a real ballistic missile, but in a test of course you want something that's a target and you try and shoot it down and that tells you if your missile defense is warped. This time, it didn't work and they don't know why yet. So, an investigation underway into this failed test.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[03:15:02]

CHURCH (on camera): The U.S. is working to fine-tune its missile defenses to guard against threat from countries like North Korea.

Well COVID numbers are dropping in the U.S. as Americans come out in droves to mark Memorial Day weekend. We'll take a look at that just ahead.

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CHURCH (on camera): Racing fans were revved up to return to the truck on Sunday as the Indianapolis 500. This year's race was still limited to 40 percent capacity. But all 135,000 tickets sold out almost immediately. The event was billed as the U.S. sporting event with the most fans to attend in person since the pandemic began more than a year ago.

And when the final flag waved, Helio Castroneves walked away the winner. It's the 46-year-old Brazilian's fourth time winning the Indi 500 tying a record.

Well this time last year the pandemic had only been around for a few months. On the left is Jones Beach New York back then, COVID deaths had just passed 100,000 in the U.S. And we were almost six months away from the first authorized COVID-19 vaccines.

[03:20:03]

On the right is Jones Beach on Sunday. Travel is up. COVID-19 cases are down. And just over half the population has received at least one dose of the vaccine. two very different pictures of the U.S. Memorial Day weekend there.

Well, CNN's Paul Vercammen is in Los Angeles where parades, barbecues, and pool parties have the go ahead in most places.

PAUL VERCAMMEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Memorial Day weekend. Los Angeles. The return of the swan boats at the Echo Park Lake it is reopened after $600,000 worth of renovations. An upbeat mood in Los Angeles and that's because the COVID-19 numbers are extremely good. Very low positivity rate.

The only sort of dark cloud we ran into it was people getting gas. It is painful. A little over $4.20 a gallon average in L.A. County. One man in a Chevy Silverado truck telling us it's a big tank. It's costing him about $100 to fill up.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNKNOWN: It's costing me almost about $100. It's hard. Especially now when there's not that many jobs. And you know, we're in a bad situation economy wise. So, I feel like it's too overpriced.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VERCAMMEN: So back on this lake looking forward to the coming weeks when we're going to have a further easing of restrictions in Los Angeles. But for now, the people taking in Echo Park Lake just enjoying a picture post card Memorial Day weekend in Los Angeles. I'm Paul Vercammen reporting.

CHURCH: Joining me now is Anne Rimoin, professor of epidemiology at the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health. Always great to have you with us.

ANNE RIMOIN, PROFESSOR, UCLA DEPARTMENT OF EPIDEMIOLOGY: It's really great to be here.

CHURCH: Wonderful. So we are now seeing the U.S. returning to some level of normalcy with so many Americans now vaccinated. But still around 20 percent or so hesitant about getting their shot. How concerned are you that those refusing to get their shots and the impact that that may have?

RIMOIN: Well, Rosemary, I think it is important to pause for a minute and see and think about how far we've come which is really terrific. We are now in a position where we have more than 50 percent of the population with at least one shot. I mean, that's really fantastic news. But we still have 50 percent of the population not yet vaccinated.

And we're now, we got through the easy part where everybody was rushing to get their vaccine but now, we have a lot of people who are on the fence. And we're going to have to really work hard to be able to get there. To get over to the other side.

There was a very interesting analysis in The Washington Post the other day that really suggested that you've been in a place like Washington where you have high rates of vaccination. In unvaccinated people this virus is still spreading very, very rapidly.

And in fact, in unvaccinated people, the rates are still the same as opposed to those people who are not. So just another highlight that if you are vaccinated you are very well protected at this point and can get back to living life normally in many, many ways. But those people who are unvaccinated, they are at great risk.

CHURCH: Yes, such an important message. And of course, other parts of the world are still suffering like India and Brazil. And then we see a rise in the U.K. cases despite the vaccine rollout that has been very successful there. And then parts of Europe, a concern, reinstituting some COVID restrictions.

Will this be what happens until the majority of people are vaccinated this bouncing backwards and forwards, lifting restrictions, life getting back to normal then having to take a few steps back particularly with the variants out there in the mix.

RIMOIN: Well, I think that the one thing that this pandemic has really driven home that an infection anywhere is potentially an infection anywhere. And we're going to be playing whack-a-mole and chasing after this virus as opposed to getting in front of it until we have the vast majority of the world vaccinated as we've discussed many times on the show, when you do not have the vast majority of the population vaccinated there are more cases that are going to arise. More cases means more opportunity for mutation. And more mutation

means that we can potentially see more and more infectious variants spreading like this India variant which is going to be creating havoc in many cases. And that's why we're seeing these restrictions back in place.

CHURCH: Right. And of course, I do want to touch on the debate over the origins of COVID-19. Because we need to know the origins of the virus to prevent this from ever happening again. It's been pointed out by many medical experts. But with China pushing back so hard on this, will we ever likely know for sure? And what's your sense? Was this likely a lab accident or a virus moving naturally from an animal to humans?

[03:25:06]

RIMOIN: Well, Rosemary, I don't know which it is. Nobody at this point at least here in the United States or anybody that I know knows exactly what happened. There are two hypotheses. One that it was a natural spillover from animal to human, it's very reasonable hypothesis.

But the other hypothesis that this was a result of a lab accident is also a reasonable hypothesis. And what needs to happen is we need to use the scientific method, gather data, and determine whether or not the evidence actually supports a natural spillover event or a lab leak.

Listen, there are people who were sick back in 2019 from the lab. It would be very interesting to understand has anybody looked at their -- were samples collected? Has anybody looked at this? Had there been zero surveys conducted looking to see if many, many people who were at the institute have antibodies or had evidence of infection?

There is a lot that should be done. And until we really have this kind of information we really cannot say reasonably if it's one hypothesis or the other that is actually correct. But we need to know. That's how we're going to prevent the next pandemic with information.

CHURCH: Anne Rimoin, many thanks for joining us as always. I appreciate it.

RIMOIN: Always a pleasure.

CHURCH: And still to come here on CNN newsroom Japan is under a state of emergency for the coronavirus pandemic. But Olympic athletes are already on their way to the upcoming summer games. The latest details in a live report. That's next.

[03:30:00]

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CHURCH: Coronavirus concerns are growing with about 53 days to the Olympics. Australian softball players are on their way to Japan, among the first athletes to travel to the games. The team departed from Sydney just a short time ago. They are set to land in Tokyo in the coming hours. And when they do, they will arrive as Japan is under an extended state of emergency due to COVID-19. The country's prime minister has called the situation unpredictable.

CNN's Angus Watson is following the developments for us from Sydney. He joins us now live. Good to see you, Angus. So, talk to us about the Australian softball team's journey to the Tokyo Olympics and how concerned are they about the situation in Japan?

ANGUS WATSON, CNN PRODUCER (on camera): Well, there was some at the airport earlier ahead of their take off, Rosemary. This would, otherwise, be such an exciting time, a lot of Olympian's going to play out their first games, but coronavirus was, of course, all that anybody could talk about.

They'll take a rather long trip to Japan via Singapore. When they get there, they'll have to prove to the Japanese authorities that they have met all the very stringent coronavirus protocols that they need to have met to be there. They will have to prove that they've got both their vaccinations, that they've had all their tests.

They will then travel to a bubble, which they will live in for one and a half months ahead of the start of the Olympic Games, and they will have to be tested every day.

The reason why they are going so early? It is because coronavirus has disrupted their plan so much so that they haven't played together since 2019. These are all struggles, however, that the Olympians say they're willing to meet. Here's what one senior player said to me earlier.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JADE WALL, AUSTRALIA SOFTBALL OLYMPIAN: We're gonna go through lots and lots of COVID testing. But, look, we're all prepared for it. We want to do everything that we can to make sure that we are safe when we get there and we are safe while we are in Japan as well.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WATSON (on camera): So the safety of people in Japan is something that is on the minds of so many in that country. So much so that the government has extended a state of emergency, as you say, right up until the 20th of June. That's just a month before the Olympics are set to begin.

That is because cases in places like Tokyo and Osaka are just too high, hospitalizations are just too high, and a lot of people in Japan are nervous about the Olympics even going ahead, Rosemary.

CHURCH: It is a remarkable situation. Angus Watson, keeping a very close eye on that, joining us live from Sydney. Appreciate it.

The World Health Organization is investigating a possible new coronavirus variant in Vietnam. WHO is working with the country's health ministry after four people were confirmed infected. A suspected variant looks like it has some characteristics of variant first detected in India and the U.K. One to WHO official says they expect to see more variants emerge as the virus circulates.

Well, the Indian government says it will deliver nearly 120 million doses of COVID vaccines in June. About half will go to health care and frontline workers and people over 45. The country has the ability to produce its own vaccines yet it still suffers from supply shortages and has been unable to deliver on promised vaccines to the global COVAX program. The government hopes, announcing this latest delivery in advance will ensure better planning by states.

Well, starting today, France will require British travellers to quarantine for a week when entering the country. It is due to a rise in new COVID infections in the U.K. Even with a relatively low case rate, experts say Britain is still battling the spread of the variant first identified in India.

CNN's Bianca Nobilo joins me now live from London with more on this. Good to see you, Bianca. So, cases are going up again in the U.K. despite the successful vaccine rollout there. What are health experts saying about this?

BIANCA NOBILO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: There is now rising concern, Rosemary, in the expert circles and the government advisers about this so-called Indian variant, this B16172 which originated in India.

As you mentioned initially, there was optimism within the government and from the scientists, all the confidence that the vaccine effort would be sufficient to keep that Indian variant at bay. So things have started to change over the last week or so. The data that the government has received is painting a slightly more precarious picture.

[03:35:03]

NOBILO: We've see an increase of about 25 percent in cases in the United Kingdom over the last seven days. So while the cases are still low, this is a concerning development that we are seeing taking place.

The government making all the decisions, so they say based on this data, so it does throw the 21st of June, end of lockdown date in Britain, into jeopardy potentially because Boris Johnson just last week said there was no reason to think from the data that they had then that they would need to change or delay that date.

However, things are looking a little bit murkier now. The scientists who advised the government to come out in public to speak about the so-called Indian variant are now saying that we're on the cusp of a decisive moment. Everything is really hanging on the balance at the moment.

Now, even though the vaccine effort in the U.K. has gone very well, there had been approximately 39 million first doses of vaccine and 25 million double doses of vaccines. So the country is doing well relatively speaking. It may not be doing well enough to stop the spread of the Indian variant and that is because after two vaccines, it still takes about three weeks to get yourself up to top immunity.

And at the moment, there's a question on whether or not the vaccines work as effectively on the Indian variant. Initially, that looked like it was the case. Now, people are not quite so sure. So until we get more data in Britain to really understand that, it does appear the lockdown could be delayed, that the end of lockdown could be delayed.

That's because some key questions about this so-called Indian variant remain and that's its true level of transmissibility. The efficacy of the vaccine for, at the moment, it looks like at 60 percent, but it could be even less than that, Rosemary. So that's what we're keeping our eye on at the moment.

CHURCH (on camera): All right. We appreciate that. Bianca Nobilo, joining us live from London, many thanks.

Protesters in Brazil are calling for the ouster of President Jair Bolsonaro.

(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)

CROWD: (INAUDIBLE).

CHURCH: Tens of thousands marched across the country over the weekend. They are unhappy with the president's handling of the pandemic and want better access to vaccines. The coronavirus has been raging out of control there. Brazil reported more than 43,000 new cases on Sunday alone and the death toll is now above 460,000.

CNN's Rafael Romo has more now on the protest.

CROWD: (INAUDIBLE).

RAFAEL ROMO, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Screaming at the top of their lungs, people on the streets say the leader of their country must go. It was just one of the massive multicity protests held across Brazil this weekend against President Jair Bolsonaro.

It's our duty to fight for democracy, this protester says. This government is now use to us. It doesn't serve the people and its political project is to kill us.

The demonstrations against Bolsonaro in cities like Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo, and Brasilia are some of the largest since the beginning of the pandemic. Demonstrators have two main demands: Calling for the president's impeachment and getting better access to COVID-19 vaccines.

Impeachment now, Bolsonaro must go, this protester said, adding that more people will die if he stays in power.

Early in the pandemic, the controversial right-wing former military officer downplayed COVID-19 as (INAUDIBLE), a little flu. The president also questioned the effectiveness of vaccines and was often seen greeting crowds of supporters without a mask before contracting the virus himself. (On camera): Brazil has been one of the hardest hit countries in the world and is now facing a possible third wave of COVID-19. Vaccination has been slow. Less than 10 percent of the total population of 210 million is fully inoculated and the South American country currently has the third highest number of infections after the United States and India.

(Voice-over): Some protesters say Bolsonaro's lack of action is tantamount to genocide. Cemeteries are full. Refrigerators empty, this banner reads. The Brazilian Senate has opened an investigation into the president's handling of the pandemic.

The protest happened only a week after a mask-less Bolsonaro led a motorcycle rally where he once again questioned the usefulness of measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Rafael Romo, CNN.

(END VIDEO TAPE)

CHURCH (on camera): And still to come, Canada in mourning, details on the devastating discovery on the grounds of a former school for indigenous children.

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[03:40:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CHURCH: In South Florida, police are hunting for suspects after this weekend's deadly banquet hall shooting. The attack happened as a crowd was gathered for a concert. Authorities say two people were killed and at least 20 others injured. One hundred and twenty-five thousand dollars is now being offered for information leading to an arrest.

Natasha Chen has more now from Miami-Dade County.

(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)

NATASHA CHEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Miami-Dade police say three people got out of a white Nissan Pathfinder sometime after midnight Sunday morning and started shooting indiscriminately at the crowd. They say these people used assault rifles and handguns then got back in the car and fled the scene.

Police say a number of people standing outside at the time included patrons of a lounge where a private concert was being held. That establishment advertises itself as a Hookah Lounge Billiards Club and Banquet Hall.

Throughout the investigation here, police have used dozens of yellow markings on the ground for shell casings. They brought in canines to assist. We've also seen a couple of families come by the scene. One woman said her son and nephew were among the 20 people injured. UNKNOWN: My son, my only son, my child. Not a statistic. He is a graduate from college, so he is educated. He was going out with his educated cousin to just celebrate. They had not made it (INAUDIBLE) as of yet. They said that some guys (inaudible) three guys that they know (inaudible), they just started shooting up this area. For whatever reason, we don't know.

CHEN: We are expecting a press conference Monday morning with county officials, including the police director, to give an update on the investigation.

Natasha Chen, CNN, Miami-Dade County, Florida.

(END VIDEO TAPE)

CHURCH (on camera): Texas law enforcement officials say they were able to stop a planned mass casualty event from taking place. Police arrested Coleman Thomas Blevins on Friday.

[03:44:58]

CHURCH (on camera): They say he was networking with extremists and was planning a mass shooting, possibly at a Walmart. Local authorities say they worked with the U.S. Secret Service, the FBI, and other agencies to discover the alleged plan. Authorities found firearms and ammunition inside Blevins's home. They say they also uncovered books, flags, and documents that reflected radical ideology. Police say he may face federal charges.

Flags in Canada are flying at half-staff to honor hundreds of children whose remains were found buried on the grounds of a former school for indigenous children. The news is drawing strong reactions from across the country.

CNN's Paula Newton reports.

(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)

PAULA NEWTON, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The discovery is astounding and so too the anguish, leaving community members and much of Canada reeling. The remains of 215 children, some as young as three, buried for decades on the grounds of the Kamloops Indian Residential School. Their deaths believed to be undocumented, graves unmarked.

The indigenous community in British Columbia calls it an unthinkable discovery and yet former students of the school like Harvey McLeod, who was subjected to abuse there, tell us they thought of nothing else for decades.

HARVEY MCLEON, UPPER NICOLA BAND (voice-over): What I realized yesterday was how strong I was, as a little boy. How strong I was, as a little boy, to be here today. Because I know that a lot of people didn't come home.

NEWTON (voice-over): It was one of the largest residential schools of its kind in Canada, but there were well over 100 across the country. Many, like the one in Kamloops, was run by the Catholic church and later by the federal government.

According to Canada's Truth and Reconciliation Commission, indigenous children were forced to attend the schools separated from families and many neglected and worse, physically and sexually abused, and many disappeared, their families never knowing what became of them.

ROSANNE CASIMIR, TK'EMLUPS TE SECWEPEMC FIRST NATION: What they were told was that when children were missing, that they were told they ran away.

NEWTON (voice-over): And yet the community here knew that couldn't be true. Survivors and families of the missing children were sure a mass grave would be found. But they were unprepared for the loss of 215 souls.

UNKNOWN: It was devastating. It was actually quite mind-boggling.

NEWTON (voice-over): Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau tweeted that it is a painful reminder of the dark and shameful chapter of our country's history. The government own commission says thousands of children likely died of abuse or neglect in these schools. The legacy now is one of intergenerational trauma for many of Canada's indigenous communities.

While the archbishop of Vancouver and other individual societies have acknowledged the abuse, the Catholic Church has never formally apologized. In 2019, Trudeau agreed decades of abuse perpetrated on indigenous peoples amounted to cultural genocide.

Now, native leaders say it's time the government step up. Two hundred and fifteen pair of shoes are lead on these Vancouver steps. Finally, their souls symbolically are at rest.

Paula Newton, CNN, Ottawa.

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CHURCH: Incredible images from the air here are showing plumes of gray ash spewing from a volcano in the democratic Republic of Congo. It erupted a little over a week ago, killing at least 31 people and forcing hundreds of thousands to evacuate the nearby city of Goma.

A local official says nearly 100 small earthquakes and tremors were reported around the volcano in the past 24 hours. And there are concerns another irruption is still possible. It's estimated at the damage shown so far will cost more than a billion dollars to repair.

Joining me now is CNN's Larry Madowo, who is live from Goma. Good to see you, Larry. So, what is the latest on this volcano and the possibility of another eruption?

LARRY MADOWO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Rosemary, the frustrating thing about this whole thing is that officials are not willing to tell the people it was safe for them to come back home because there's still a possibility that there might be another volcano.

We flew over the volcano yesterday with a team of experts, including a volcanologist, who has been studying this mountain since 1995. And he says the imminent danger is gone. However, it was impossible to predict the most recent eruption, which means that he cannot rule out the possibility of another eruption happening suddenly with little or no warning.

This is the scene back here. This is the city limits of Goma and the lava got this close. Back there used to be some people's homes. It was completely flattened. We've met some of them. We'll be speaking to them. However, those evacuated to nearby cities, they really want to come back home and yet it is not quite safe for them yet.

CHURCH: And so Larry, what plans are being put in place for those left homeless from the initial deadly eruption?

MADOWO: And there are many of them, Rosemary. Eighty thousand households had to evacuate from here, somewhere around 400,000 people. There was not enough government support. There is no camp. There is nowhere to put all these (ph) people. And so people opened their doors to complete strangers. They were sleeping on the floor. They were sleeping on front porches, every available space.

We have come to learn of something called Congolese generosity. They will open their doors to strangers in need and that is where most people went. However, this is an area that is endemic to cholera. Cholera could break in these places where there is poor sanitation, and that's the fear.

We are also in the middle of a pandemic. People in close quarters without masks, without proper social distancing, that could be an outbreak of that. And even if those two don't happen, they don't have enough food, they don't have enough shelter, they don't have enough medicines. It is just a really terrible situation to be in, especially it has been more than a week since then and they still cannot come back home.

[03:55:04]

CHURCH: So many concerns. It is a dreadful situation. Larry Madowo, joining us live from Goma, thank you so much.

Well, a fire on the cargo ship of Sri Lanka's coast is mostly out now. The ship's operators say there are only small spots of flames left. The fire began a week and a half ago as the ship was sailing from India. Sri Lankan officials say all 25 crew members were rescued.

But now, the vessel is spinning a lot of plastic debris into the sea. It is washing out on the shores of Columbus, Sri Lanka's capital. The ship's operators say, so far, there appears to be no danger of an oil spill.

And finally, some breathtaking images of our galaxy. This collection is from the annual Milky Way photographer of the year competition as selected by the travel and photo site, "Capture the Atlas." Twenty- five photographers of 14 different nationalities took their shots. They are published right at the peak of what is called the Milky Way season. Late May to early June is the best time to photograph our spiral star system anywhere in the world. Spectacular pictures there.

And thank you so much for being with us. I'm Rosemary Church. You can follow me on Twitter at Rosemary CNN. I'll be right back with another hour of news. Do stay with us.

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CHURCH: Hello and welcome to our viewers joining us here in the United States and all around the world. I'm Rosemary Church.