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World Leaders Prepare To Converge On Rome; Biden Pushing For Ambitious Climate Agenda; Iran Agrees To Resume Nuclear Talks Before End Of November; Global Summits on Rome, Glasgow; Climate Crisis; Interview with Blueprint Earth Executive Director and Co-Founder Jess Phoenix; First COVID case in years in New Zealand; Heavy rain in Sicily. Aired 2-3a ET

Aired October 28, 2021 - 02:00   ET

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

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[02:00:40]

ROSEMARY CHURCH, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: Hello and welcome to have you is joining us from all around the world. You are watching CNN NEWSROOM and I'm Rosemary Church. Just ahead, world leaders are heading to Rome in the coming hours for the G20 Summit. What's on the agenda and who will and won't be in attendance.

And from one summer to another. The COP26 Climate Summit is just days away. The White House has ambitious climate goals but so far, nothing to show for it.

Plus, an exclusive interview with Taiwan's president after China tests a new hypersonic missile. She says the threat from mainland China is growing every day.

ANNOUNCER: Live from CNN Center. This is CNN Newsroom with Rosemary Church.

CHURCH: Good to have you with us. Well, U.S. President Joe Biden heads off to Rome in the coming hours to attend the first in-person G20 Summit since the pandemic began. Followed by next week's COP26 Climate Summit in Glasgow. And with his plan to address climate change stalled in Congress. It appears President Biden will arrive at both empty handed.

Well, the Russian and Chinese leaders say they won't be there in person. Without them it's questionable whether the Rome summit can lead to meaningful action on climate or vaccines or anything else. President Biden's busy schedule calls for a meeting on Friday with Pope Francis. After the G20 he then heads to Glasgow. CNN's Senior International Correspondent Ben Wedeman joins us now live from Rome.

Good to see you, Ben. So what's likely to come out of this G20 Summit and who will be absent this time around?

BEN WEDEMAN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, as you said, the Russian and Chinese leaders will not be attending and that sort of takes that accounts for a large part of the G20's combined economies. The Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi has set out three main slogans for this meeting. It is people, planet and prosperity. But as you said, President Joe Biden is arriving handicapped by paralysis in the U.S. Congress.

And therefore it is questionable how much is going to be achieved at this -- one of the first major summits post-COVID. We do know that the Italians have prepared for this arrival, mass arrival of these world leaders. 5000 policemen have been mobilized for the event. Parts of Rome are basically going to be forbidden zones for ordinary people. But many are questioning the purpose of this meeting all together given the massive disparity between the developing economies like Brazil and India and the developed economies like the United States, China and the E.U.

It is already point -- been pointed out, for instance, Rosemary that the G20 countries have received or the populations of those countries have received 15 times as many vaccines as Sub-Saharan Africa, for instance. So we're going to be hearing a lot of rhetoric, but we may be waiting quite some time when it comes to action for addressing the gaps between the haves and the have nots. Rosemary?

CHURCH: Yes. A very important point. Ben Wedeman joining us live from Rome. Many thanks. Well, Leslie Vinjamuri is director of the U.S. and Americas program at Chatham House and joins me now from London. Good to have you with us.

LESLIE VINJAMURI, DIRECTOR OF U.S. AND AMERICAS PROGRAM, CHATHAM HOUSE: Thank you, Rosemary.

CHURCH: So President Biden sets off on his high stakes overseas trip in just a few hours from now. He'll face tensions of course, with key U.S. allies After a chaotic Afghanistan exit and the diplomatic rift with France over a nuclear submarine deal. How is he likely to be received this time around?

[02:05:00]

CHURCH: And can he get his Atlantic partners back on the same page do you think?

VINJAMURI: Well, it's a very good question and as we know it's been a very bumpy few months since that meeting in Cornwall. But the thing to note, I think here is that diplomacy has continued. Of course, we are focused on the big summits on the G7, the G20, those sort of marker moments. But in between, we've seen a series of meetings that have taken place in person between the U.S. at the highest levels and in France.

And so working to really get that key relationship between the U.S. and France back on page after the very difficult politics surrounding the office announcement but I think you're absolutely right, that one of the goals of this trip, apart from the obvious ones of climate, and that global minimum corporate tax rate is really getting the Alliance. The Western alliance back together again, rehabilitating it after what was a very difficult summer with many remaining issues surrounding Afghanistan, especially.

But I think as we look forward, that President Biden is, you know, facing a difficult time at home but really seeking now to take forward his agenda, focusing on Asia, focusing on climate and focusing on a healing that alliance.

CHURCH: Mentioned his difficult time at home because of course, as President Biden arrives in the midst of these tensions with allies, his leadership looks somewhat diminished and shaky by his inability to get his own domestic agenda passed. And with no climate deal on the table, what impact will all this likely have on his efforts to get allies on board with his pledges and promises when he can't even get his own party behind them?

VINJAMURI: I think that America's key allies understand very well, the domestic politics that the President is facing. They understand that it's within his own party, as well as across the aisle. But what they also see now is a pretty radical transformation on the question of climate when it comes to U.S. leadership not withstanding what's happening within Washington. Remember, Rosemary, as you know so well, it was not very long ago that we had a U.S. president that simply denied the fact of climate change.

So it's a difficult set of politics. But this is a president who's saying, I'm doing my best, I'm going to bring the country along with me, it's going to take time, but we have to push harder. He's had John Kerry here in London yesterday making a very strong case. I think another key question, though, is, you know, there is some division within the Biden administration on the question of China with those who really think we've got to be careful with the U.S.-China relationship in order to get China fully onboard, the climate agenda.

And those who think that the stakes are too high, and the very hard line is absolutely critical. Given the deterrent, the need for deterrence, and the geopolitical challenges that China faces. So that's another really key tension in (INAUDIBLE)

CHURCH: Right. And sort of given all of this. So what commitments though, can we expect to come out of Joe Biden's trip and, you know, many is saying the absence of China and Russia will make it difficult to make those commitments. But on the other side of the coin, perhaps the absence of those two leaders will help the U.S. reclaim the mantle of global leader. Is that possible?

VINJAMURI: I think it, you know, first of all, they won't be entirely absent. They'll be there with smaller teams, not the leaders of the country, but also using technology in various formats. It's not the same, but they will have a presence. But you're absolutely right. That the -- that the lack of that leadership at the highest levels creates the opportunity for Joe Biden to really reclaim that mantel piece that President Xi had done so well on the climate issue during Donald Trump's period.

But on concrete measures, I think that the U.S. President is looking certainly at the G20 to secure a commitment to the minimum global corporate tax rate that is absolutely essential for him. He wants that globally. He wants that for his domestic audience. It's critical to his own the financing of his own planet home. Talk about climate finances is absolutely key, also getting some sort of commitment on climate finance for developing countries.

And of course, really pushing countries to accelerate their commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Not only the ultimate target for net zero, but really accelerating their move towards that. This is what the President seeking to achieve. And it's not only a state of commitment, but of course, as is always the case, with the summit's it's really getting the private sector, the public sector, affirming those private public partnerships.

Getting civil society engaged, and really driving momentum in the right direction. It comes at a very difficult time, high levels of inequality and vaccine distribution, climate, the distribution of costs and benefits on climate change is highly unequal as we know.

[02:10:04]

VINJAMURI: But this is a president that is, you know, seeking to drive a very positive agenda and really aiming to build up the alliance in order to do that effectively.

CHURCH: Yes. We'll be watching very closely to see what comes out of this overseas trip. Leslie Vinjamuri, many thanks for joining us. Appreciate it.

VINJAMURI: Thank you, Rosemary.

CHURCH: Well, three years after the former U.S. President pulled out of the Iran Nuclear Deal, there's a new chance to revive it. Iran's chief nuclear envoys' talks with world powers will resume before the end of next month. Negotiations have been suspended since June when Iran's new hardline president took power. And it's not clear what changed. The Biden administration has been pushing for Iran's return to the talks with the U.S. Secretary of State recently warning that the window for diplomacy was closing.

Iran has long insisted the U.S. was at fault for leaving the deal and must lift sanctions before any progress can be made.

Well, the leaders of Sudan's military takeover are now facing growing pressure from across the globe and growing calls at home for civil disobedience. Protesters took to the streets again Wednesday to oppose the unfolding coup, as seven international envoys met with Sudan's Prime Minister. Pressure also coming from the African Union which suspended Sudan's membership and the World Bank has now paused disbursements for all operations.

CNN's Nima Elbagir is following developments from London.

NIMA ELBAGIR, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Sudan's airport reopened to international flights and taken in tandem with the return to his own home by Sudan's Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok and his wife. There was a sense that perhaps the generals Sudan's erstwhile military rulers were trying to step back from the precipice of this confrontation with the global community and with their own populace in Sudan over there cutting short the transitional period and seizing power back from the civilian leadership.

But we are hearing from the ground on Sudan that violence continues and these videos that we've been able to verify from social media show that violence continues in standoffs between Sudanese soldiers and members of the prodemocracy movement. There are fears that that violence will only continue to grow. As greater calls for civil disobedience are being heard and also calls for more process in the lead up to protests over the weekend that demonstrators are hoping we'll reach the millions in the capital of dorm itself.

Nima Elbagir, CNN, London.

CHURCH: Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro is asking the Supreme Court to intervene after a Senate commission called for criminal charges against him for his handling of the pandemic. That says one recent poll found 53 percent of Brazilians consider Bolsonaro's presidency "bad or awful," but he's getting a vote of confidence from a former leader who shares his political outlook. Isa Soares has a report.

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ISA SOARES, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): He's been dubbed the trump of the tropics, and with less than a year until the Brazilian election, President Jair Bolsonaro is getting a reelection boost from the man himself. In a statement, former U.S. President Donald Trump calls them a great president who will never let the people of his great country down. Trump show of support coming just hours after Brazilian Senate committee recommended that Bolsonaro face nine charges including crimes against humanity.

For his mishandling of the pandemic which is claimed more than 600,000 lives, only the United States has lost more lives. The explosive report accuses Bolsonaro of intentionally allowing COVID-19 to spread throughout Brazil in an effort to reach herd immunity. It also claims he delayed vaccine distribution in Brazil by ignoring at least 72 e- mails from Pfizer. Bolsonaro scenario has dismissed the charges as politically motivated, blaming his opponents and leftist groups.

JAIR BOLSONARO, BRAZILIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): They label me as genocidal, a charlatan, document forger and exterminator. It's absurd what these guys have done.

SOARES: Throughout the pandemic Bolsonaro has repeatedly dismissed the severity of COVID-19 calling it a (INAUDIBLE) just a little cold and spreading misinformation about the virus. Just last week he claimed on a Facebook live stream that COVID vaccines could cause AIDS. Facebook finally removing the misleading video almost a week later. With growing anger on the streets and plummeting approval ratings, Bolsonaro has increasingly look to the American right for inspiration.

DONALD TRUMP JR., FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP'S SON: Do you go the path of socialism or do you remain steadfast and strong for freedom?

[02:15:04] SOARES: Just a few months ago the Conservative Political Action Conference, CPAC, an American import joined in hoping to revive Jair Bolsonaro's dwindling bass. Taking a page from the Trump playbook.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Bolsonaro will win unless it's stolen by guess what?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The machines.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The machines.

SOARES: Bolsonaro has been sowing doubt on the integrity of Brazil's entire electronic voting system, calling for printed ballots to supplement electronically cast votes.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You don't have proof that there is fraud. But there's also no proof that there isn't.

SOARES: As the cause for as impeachment grow louder and the threats of criminal prosecution loom large, Bolsonaro continues to fight for political survival. Echoing the words of his U.S. ally and role model Donald Trump and threatening not to hand over the presidency next year if there's a suspicion of fraud.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): I have three alternatives for my future. Being arrested, killed, or victory.

SOARES: Isa Soares, CNN.

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CHURCH: And still to come here on CNN NEWSROOM. An exclusive interview with Taiwan's president. What she has to say about the threat from China and U.S. troops on the island.

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CHURCH: Welcome back, everyone. Well, there are new developments in the growing military threat from China to the U.S. and its allies and exclusive reaction from Taiwan's President. First though the top U.S. General is confirming for the first time the Pentagon believes China tested a hypersonic weapon back in August. The Financial Times reported earlier this month the space launched weapon could potentially evade U.S. missile defenses.

Joint Chiefs Chairman Mark Milley says he's worried about China's expanding military and cyber capabilities.

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MARK MILLEY, CHAIRMAN, U.S. JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF: What we saw was a very significant event of a test of a hypersonic weapon system. And it is very concerning. I think I saw in some of the newspapers they use the term Sputnik moment. I don't know if it's quite a Sputnik moment, but I think it's very close to that. So it's a very significant technological event that occurred or test that occurred by the Chinese. And it has all of our attention.

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CHURCH: So let's bring in CNNs Will Ripley. He joins us live from Taipei. Good to see you, Will. S you sat down and interviewed Taiwan's president. What did she say about the threat posed by China and what she expects from the U.S. should Beijing ever attack?

WILL RIPLEY, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: She says the threat is bigger every single day and her foreign minister says the tensions are at their worst level in 40 years. So clearly, Rosemary The government here in Taipei is very concerned about the cross strait tensions and yet their approach is not to try to bow down or acquiesce. No, they say now is the time to show strength and unity.

[02:20:13]

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RIPLEY (voice-over): At this temple in Taipei prayer and politics go hand in hand for Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen.

TSAI ING-WEN, PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF CHINA: Normally when I go to the temple, there are hundreds of people there. I will shake hands with each one of them.

RIPLEY: People are remarkably happy, at ease.

TSAI: You have to give them a sense that there's somebody there to take care of them.

RIPLEY: Elected in 2016, Tsai won reelection by a landslide last year on a promise to keep people safe from what she calls a growing threat across the Taiwan Strait.

Is Taiwan more safe today than it was when you became president in 2016?

TSAI: If it's a threat from China, is increasing every day.

RIPLEY: The Mainland's massive military, two million strong more powerful than ever. China flew 150 war planes near Taiwan in just five days this month. This democracy of more than 23 million governs separately from the mainland for more than 70 years since the end of China's Civil War still seen as a breakaway province in the eyes of Beijing's communist rulers who have never controlled the island.

China has pressured most of the world to sever formal diplomatic ties with Taipei. Chinese President Xi Jinping says reunification is only a matter of time.

RIPLEY: Are you interested in speaking with President Xi? Would you like to have more communication with him?

TSAI: Well, more communication would be helpful so that we would reduce misunderstanding, given our differences. Differences in terms of our political systems. We can sit down and talk about our differences and try to make arrangement so that we'll be able to coexist peacefully.

RIPLEY: Your predecessor as you know, did meet with President Xi. Why do you think that things -- the communication has really gone south since 2016?

TSAI: Well, I think the situation has changed a lot and China's plan towards the region is very different.

RIPLEY: That plan includes war threats over Taiwan, clashes with Japan and the East China Sea and militarizing manmade islands in the South China Sea. Posing a direct challenge to seven decades of U.S. military supremacy in the Indo Pacific. In response, the U.S. ramped up arms sales to Taiwan, selling the island $5 billion in weapons last year. President Tsai confirms exclusively to CNN, U.S. support goes beyond selling weapons.

RIPLEY: Does that support include sending some U.S. service members to help train Taiwanese troops?

TSAI: Well, yes, we have a wide range of cooperation with the U.S. airing at increasing our defense capability.

RIPLEY: How many U.S. service members are deployed in Taiwan right now?

TSAI: Not as many as people saw.

RIPLEY: Defense Department records show the number of U.S. troops in Taiwan increased from 10 in 2018 to 32 earlier this year. The State Department asked for more Marines to safeguard the unofficial U.S. Embassy in Taipei. Any U.S. military presence in Taiwan, big or small, is perceived by Beijing as an act of aggression, state media says. When report surfaced earlier this month of U.S. Marines training Taiwanese troops, China released this video, a training exercise targeting Taiwan independence and interference by external forces like the U.S.

A warning for President Joe Biden who vowed to defend Taiwan at this CNN town hall last week.

WOLF BLITZER, FOX NEWS ANCHOR: So you're saying that the United States would come to Taiwan's defense if the China attack?

JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Yes, we have a commitment to do that.

RIPLEY: The White House later walked back Biden's comments. They seem to contradict the long standing U.S. policy of strategic ambiguity, leaving U.S. military involvement in Taiwan, an open question.

TSAI: People have different interpretation of what President Biden has said.

RIPLEY: Do you have faith that the United States would defend Taiwan if the mainland were to try to move on Taiwan?

TSAI: I do have faith and given the long-term relationship that we have the U.S. and also the support, the people of the U.S. as well as the Congress and the administration has been very helpful.

RIPLEY: Taiwan's defense minister says China could launch a full scale war by 2025. He says military Tensions are the worst in more than 40 years.

[20:25:04]

TSAI: We have to expedite our military reform so that we have the ability to defend ourselves. And given the size of Taiwan compared to the size of the PRC, developing asymmetric capability is the key for us.

RIPLEY: How prepared is Taiwan today?

TSAI: We are trying to make us stronger in every aspects and increase our military capability. And our international support.

RIPLEY: Support bolstered she says by Taiwan's critical importance to the global supply chain, the island is a world leader in semiconductors, Taiwan was Asia's fastest growing economy last year. A fact President Tsai proudly points out over lunch.

TSAI: This is one of my favorite.

RIPLEY: All right. Despite everything, she appears calm and confident. You talked about how really the situation is so complex now?

TSAI: Yes. It is very complex. This is probably the most challenging time for people of Taiwan.

RIPLEY: You read the outside headlines, the most dangerous place on Earth.

TSAI: We read these reports as a reminder to us as to what are the threats that were under and we have to get ourselves better prepared, but we're not panic, we're not anxious, because we have gone through so many difficulties in the past.

RIPLEY: She says Taiwan's future must be decided by its people, the people who've worked hard over the last 70 years to build the world's only Chinese speaking democracy. A democracy under growing threat.

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RIPLEY: It has been reported in recent years, kind of and then backtrack by various, you know, government agencies that there is some sort of U.S. military presence here in terms of training purposes. But it's never really been officially confirmed if it hasn't been dialed back. But President Tsai is the first Taiwanese leader in more than 40 years to actually say, yes, this is happening. And her defense minister was asked about this in Parliament. And he said, yes, this is happening. But he said these are American military personnel who are training Taiwanese troops, but they're not based here, he said. He was very, very careful to say that they don't actually have a permanent base here, which might try to kind of dial back some of the -- some of the anger that could be sparked from Beijing by those remarks. But Rosemary, you know, Beijing just yesterday was saying they're not ruling out, taking back Taiwan by force.

This is one of the top issues on President Xi Jinping's priority list. And so you're in Taiwan, they know they do need to train and they do need to be prepared for any eventuality.

CHURCH: Yes. Great interview there. Will Ripley joining us live many thanks. Well, the U.S. president heads to Europe for two-high stakes summits, but with his economic and climate agenda still on hold in Congress, President Biden may not have much to offer when he arrives at the G20 and COP26. We'll take a look.

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CHURCH: Leaders of the world's 20 largest economies are getting ready to meet this weekend in Rome for the first time in more than two years. But to leaders, Russia's Vladimir Putin and China's Xi Jinping are skipping the G20 despite the important issues at stake. President Biden is expected to leave from Rome later today and will meet with the pope on Friday.

After the G20 of the U.S. president will travel to Scotland for the COP26 Climate Summit, but it looks like he won't have much to show of his climate agenda aside from promises. Biden has vowed to cut around half of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions below their 2005 levels by 2030. The White House says, he's considering new executive actions restricting methane, mercury and power plant emissions. But analysts say that won't be enough and that President Biden will need Congress to pass clean energy bills to reach his goals.

Well, for more on all of this, we're joined by geology and earth sciences professor and vulcanologist, Jess Phoenix.

Good to have you with us.

JESS PHOENIX, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND CO-FOUNDER, BLUEPRINT EARTH: Thanks so much for having me. It's always great to be here.

CHURCH: Wonderful. So, as one of the world's biggest carbon polluters, along with China, India Russia and Japan, what does the U.S. specifically need to do to lead the charge of the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow? Because so far, America hasn't been setting a particularly stellar example, falling well short oof its own carbon emission pledges. And right now, President Biden doesn't even have a climate deal, just promises. PHOENIX: Yes. It's definitely a less than ideal position to be in.

However, the United States does have a long track record of being a leader in global affairs. So, I think that with the new government that the U.S. has, you know, it has had in the last year, and a lot of the strong actions we've taken to reassure our allies around the world, I think we're well positioned to make a return to the track we are on, where we were trying to meet our Paris Accord numbers and just really attempting to become a leader in global green tech. I mean, that's where the United States is going to have to position itself to remain both competitive and a strong ally to our friends around the world.

CHURCH: And, Jess, this climate summit starts Sunday, and could potentially determine if world leaders can bring the negative impact of climate change under control. But according to the annual U.N. Emissions Gap Report, the G20 group of industrialized nations isn't even on track to meet its own existing pledges. So, what do they all need to do to try to turn this around?

PHOENIX: I would say the biggest thing is to really get away from fossil fuels. That is our biggest sticking point, our biggest stumbling block, it has been something that has really propelled many societies around the world into the modern era. Yet, it's something that is actively undercutting our future as a planet.

This is not limited to any one country. And what we do see is that the countries that are wealthier often, obviously, produce more of the carbon emissions from fossil fuels. And countries that are less developed usually end up holding the shorter end of the stick when it comes to dealing with the repercussions of the changing climate.

CHURCH: And China's president, Xi Jinping, isn't even showing up that the COP26 Summit despite trying to be in the biggest emitter of carbon emissions. And other leaders are staying home, including Russia's president, Vladimir Putin. Why do these world leaders fail to recognize the dire circumstances facing our planet muted climate change? Is it ignorance, do you think, or pure opportunism and about money?

PHOENIX: I mean, when you break it down a lot of politics is about money. So, I'm sure there is that element too. And actually, when you see people being very doom and gloom about the climate or pessimistic or just stay in home what they are doing is they're acting from a position of less urgency of more privilege.

[02:35:00]

If you have, you know, sea levels rising into your house, you don't have the luxury of waiting to take action. And, these world leaders are saying, we're going to kick the can down the road and get rid of the accountability, they're going to shirk that. And so, it's really important, it's even more important that the nations in attendance step up and make a strong unifying statement of action.

CHURCH: And of course, we mentioned the world's five biggest carbon producers, China, the U.S., Russia, India and Japan together accounting for almost 60 percent of all global missions. Does there need to be more naming and shaming or are holding those nations to account in other ways to wake them up, to tell the rest of the world, these are the culprits, these are the country's not doing their part?

PHOENIX: Well, it's a little bit nuanced, because I can say yes, but then, there is also the no that comes along with, again, if you look at the U.S., we are a much more developed nation than some of those on that list. So, it's very difficult to say, well, we've had -- we've been able to enjoy indoor air conditioning and on demand heating and electricity whenever we want, and yet, countries like India that have a little bit -- you know, they're a little bit further behind in the development of the infrastructure, we can't turn to them and go, no, you can't enjoy the privileges that we've enjoyed.

So, we have to say, look, everyone has accountability here, and we need to find ways to encourage investment in green tech in a lot of these countries that have people who are going to be suffering from climate change. So, this is a real opportunity, I think, for the United States to basically supercharged its economy by becoming a global leader in green tech and encouraging investment in countries where the technologies are really, really needed and the investment can be used right away.

CHURCH: Jess Phoenix, a pleasure to chat with you and many thanks.

PHOENIX: You too. Thanks, Rosemary.

CHURCH: Christchurch in New Zealand has just recorded its first COVID case in more than a year and a half. The ministry says two community cases came from the same households and plans are now underway to transfer them to a local quarantine facility. One of the individuals infected have recently traveled to Auckland, which has been dealing with an outbreak of the Delta variant since august.

And the coronavirus situation is especially dire in Russia, the country reported a record number of COVID deaths in the past 24 hours for the second day in a row. There were more than 1,100 deaths and nearly 37,000 new coronavirus cases reported Wednesday.

A look at Moscow now where the first day of new lockdown measures are in effect in an effort to stop the spread and with workplaces closing for paid nonworking days. Some Russians are opting to travel abroad instead of hunkering down at home.

Well, trouble continues for the parts of Sicily overwhelmed by heavy rains and flooding. Forecasters say, the storm that caused all this is not done yet. We'll take a look.

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CHURCH: Well, the parts of Sicily inundated by heavy flooding have more rain coming their way. A hurricane like storm known as a Medicane is expected to linger until the weekend and keep dumping rain. The storm a hit this week killing at least two people and leaving one person missing. Firefighters have carried out hundreds of rescues in the City of Catania. Some areas in Sicily have received a year's worth of rain in only two days.

But how much more rain are we talking about in the coming hours and days? Let's turn to our meteorologist Pedram Javaheri to get some answers on this.

Pedram, you've looking into the forecast, when are you seeing?

PEDRAM JAVAHERI, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Yes, Rosemary. You know, the storm system responsible for a lot of this rainfall is really going to be slow to move out of here and that's the concern. You noticed the alerts here. The highest here indicated there in the color red for portions of Calabria and points to the south around areas -- include Catania. So, this is certainly going to be an area of concern with heavy rainfall in store at least the next two to three days.

And, of course, the images of such here, we've seen so much rain come down, as you noted, almost a year's worth of rainfall just since Monday in parts of town has really devastated this particular region. But this system, again, exhibiting what we call a Medicane, essentially a Mediterranean hurricane. Now, hurricanes are warm core, they take water of a at least 28 or so degrees to form. When it comes to the Mediterranean, 14, 15, 16 degrees, these are temperatures that are conducive for a Medicane. Cold core system but still produces tropical like winds and, of course, the heavy rainfall that you see with tropical systems.

But these are much smaller, they're bound by the Mediterranean. They don't get very large in nature. But notice that symmetry, that organization and that persistence here, very little in the atmospheric environment here to move this long until at least Saturday maybe even into Sunday, that's a concern. You get rounds of heavy rainfall, Thursday, maybe a little bit less. Friday, forecast intensity picks up a little.

And then, you'll notice here, the severe weather concern remains very high. Some areas, a level two here, for the probability of severe winds and, of course, some isolated tornadoes possible across this region and water spouts as well.

But when it comes Medicanes, typically happens once or twice per year, peeks this time of year in the autumn and winter months. And, again, it is a cold system as opposed to the tropical ones that are warm in nature. Notice, it doesn't matter when it comes to getting to 300, 400 millimeters of rain, Catania, Rosemary, averages about 450 millimeters, about 350 has already come down. So, in three days' time, about seven months of rainfall has come down across this region of Italy. Rosie.

CHURCH: Just unbelievable, isn't it? Pedram Javaheri keeping a close eye on all of that. Many thanks to you.

Well, the U.S. State Department has announced a major milestone in supporting equality for all Americans. The agency has issued the first U.S. passport with an X gender marker for nonbinary intersex and gender nonconforming people. In a statement, Wednesday, the department reiterated its commitment to promoting the freedom, dignity and equality of all people.

And thank you so much for joining us. I'm Rosemary Church. I'll be back at the top of the hour. World Sport is coming up next.

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