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Elon Musk to Buy Twitter in $44 Billion Deal; Ukraine: No Agreement on Evacuation From Mariupol Plant; Texts Shed Light on Election Conspiracies, January 6 Riot; Kim Jong-un Vows to Quickly Strengthen His Nuclear Force. Aired 4:30-5a ET
Aired April 26, 2022 - 04:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[04:30:00]
MAX FOSTER, CNN ANCHOR: It's a $44 billion deal between the world's richest man and one of the top social media platforms. Tesla CEO Elon Musk is now set to buy Twitter saying that his goal is to bolster free speech and unlock the company's tremendous potential. But many people are worried about the changes Musk will could make to the platform. CNN's Clare Sebastian joins me now in London with more. We don't know what he's got planned. He's talking about making it the platform for free speech and taking away advertising. So, what do you think.
CLARE SEBASTIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I think we have a lot of questions and not too many answers at this stage. But in terms of what he's actually said, Max, he gave quite an illuminating interview after he announced his initial bid for the platform. He said he wants more transparency around the sort of promotion and demotion of tweets that the platform does. That's part of what he thinks what would happen if you open source the algorithm. He says that he actually favors a lighter touch when it comes to content moderation. He said if there's a gray area around a tweet, his instinct would be to let the tweet exist.
And in terms of banning people from the platform like we've seen with sort of people who are known to promote extremist content and even former President Donald Trump, he says that he favors time-outs rather than bans. So of course, that has raised the questions about what will happen to the account of former President Trump. Musk has not commented did on this. But actually, in an interview on Fox News, Trump himself said even if invited back, he would not want to return to Twitter, he would rather go on his own new social media platform called Truth Social.
FOSTER: We can't ever under estimate Musk, can we? Because he's taken on huge industries like cars and the payment system and won. So, it's going to be interesting what he does. But this debate about freedom of speech is interesting because moderation is largely there to allow freedom of speech, so people don't feel bullied by trolls.
SEBASTIAN: This is the concern I think that if he dials back too much on content moderation, then you get a free for all, you get hate speech abuse, pornography, all those kinds of things. But as you say, don't underestimate Elon Musk. They were naysayers throughout his career, especially with Tesla when no one thought he could produce sort of a mass market electric car. He is now the market leader in this. So, he has proved the naysayers wrong. And not everyone is unhappy about this. The actual former CEO and founder Jack Dorsey said to him and the current CEO Parag Agrawal, thank you both for getting the company out of an impossible situation. He said this is the right path. I believe it with all my heart. So, I think that some people are cheering the situation, others are worried about what comes next.
FOSTER: He's a divisive figure but very successful.
Still ahead, buildings levels, bodies littering the streets. A Ukrainian pastor from the besieged city of Mariupol. He says those nightmarish scenes are now playing out in his home. We're live in Ukraine with Isa after the break.
[04:35:00]
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ISA SOARES, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome back to CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Isa Soares coming to you live from Lviv, Ukraine. And if you are just joining us, an update of our breaking news coverage of Russia's war on Ukraine. Right now, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin is holding meetings on the situation in Ukraine with his international counterparts at Ramstein Air Base in Germany. In the last few minutes, he said that we can do more to help Ukraine defend itself. Calling Russia's invasion as well as its atrocities indefensible.
The meeting comes one day after Austin and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken traveled to Kyiv to meet with Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Meanwhile, in the besieged city -- the southern port city of Mariupol, there's still no safe way out for hundreds of civilians sheltering inside the Azovstal steel plant. On Monday Ukraine said that it was unable to establish humanitarian corridors to evacuate the plant and conditions inside seem to be growing increasingly desperate -- you can imagine. Ukrainian forces released this video on Sunday and it appears to show women as well as children sheltering in an underground bunker. One woman says that the children haven't seen sunlight in more than a month. And food and water are running out. Earlier CNN spoke with a pastor from Mariupol who says his city now resembles a huge cemetery.
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GENNADIY MOKHNENKO, PASTOR FROM MARIUPOL: Can you imagine your American city like New York for example, and if somebody came to your city, will destroy it completely the city where you was born, when they will kill thousands and thousands of people, children, women, old people. And they will tell for all world we are just saving people here. What is that? What is that? How it's possible. But they did it, they tell for people we are savers, we save people here. We told them please don't save us. We don't need Russian soldier there.
Mariupol, what was one of the best city in my country. Amazing city. Even last eight years, from mine was so far, just 15-20 kilometers from my home. But even last eight years my city built, they remodeling -- they built so many beautiful place. But now all of this garbage.
[04:40:00]
Everywhere killed people. My city now looks like huge cemetery, I think. Everywhere people's body.
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SOARES: Looks like a huge cemetery said the pastor. And if you would like to help those in Ukraine who maybe in need shelter, food as well as water, please go to our website CNN.com/impact and there you'll find several ways that you can help safely as well as securely.
I'm Isa Soares coming to you live from Lviv, in Ukraine. And we've much more ahead on our breaking news coverage of the war in Ukraine. At the top of the hour on "EARLY START." For now, I want to send it back to Max Foster in London with some of the other top stories -- Max.
FOSTER: Isa, still ahead this hour, a CNN exclusive newly revealed text messages exposed, some Republican reaction to the January 6 U.S. Capitol riot. And it is very different than what they are saying now.
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FOSTER: Now to a CNN exclusive. A treasure trove of newly revealed text messages is providing a look at Donald Trump's final days in the White House. They include plans for overturning the 2020 election and reaction to the January 6 Capitol riot. CNN's Jamie Gangel reports.
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JAMIE GANGEL, CNN SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT: CNN has now obtained all 2,319 text messages that President Donald Trump's then Chief of Staff Mark Meadows has voluntarily handed over to the January 6 Committee. The texts provide the most revealing picture to date of what members of Trump's inner circle, supporters and Republican lawmakers were doing behind the scenes in the weeks between the election and January 20th.
[04:45:00]
The texts include messages from Trump's family, from his children, White House officials, January 6 rally organizers, Sean Hannity from Fox News, and even people like the CEO of My Pillow, Mike Lindell.
In addition, there are text messages with more than 40 current and former Republican members of Congress including Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene whose first text on January 6 was actually surprising. She sent this to Meadows asking for help.
Quote: Mark, I was just told that there is an active shooter on the first floor of the Capitol. Please tell the president to calm people. This isn't the way to solve anything.
There were also other new messages that were coming into Meadows on January 6. Once again these are people who are inner circle Trump supporters, and they all have one thing in common. They are pleading for President Trump to act. From Mick Mulvaney, former acting chief of staff.
Quote: Mark, he needs to stop this now. Can I do anything to help?
From Congressman William Timmins, the president needs to stop this ASAP.
And from Reince Priebus, former chief of staff, in big capital letters, tell them to go home with three exclamation points.
There are many, many more, thousands. But the bottom line to keep in mind is this is what Mark Meadows turned over voluntarily to the January 6 Committee. So, you have to wonder what's in the rest of the documents.
Jamie Gangel, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
FOSTER: The U.S. federal judge is keeping in place Trump era COVID restrictions along the U.S./Mexico border. The measures allow border authorities to turn migrants back to their home countries because of the public health crisis. The Biden administration planned to end the practice known as Title 42 in about a month. Both Democrats and Republicans have spoken out in favor of the rules and more than 20 states asked the court to keep them in place.
A woman on death row in Texas will get another chance to prove her innocence. Melissa Lucio was granted a stay of execution on Monday just two days before the state was set to execute her. She was convicted of capital murder in the death of her toddler in 2007. But her family and attorneys have long argued that the death was an accident and that the girl fell down a flight of stairs. Here is the moment Lucio found out her life had been spared.
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REP. JEFF LEACH: The Court of Criminal Appears issued a stay of your execution for Wednesday.
MELISSA LUCIO: Are you serious? (SOBS) When did this happen?
LEACH: We just got word about 15 minutes ago.
LUCIO: Oh, my God! (SOBS) That is wonderful.
(END VIDEO CLIP) FOSTER: Lucio's mother and sisters were visibly moved by the news. Her case is now head back to a trial court to review new evidence.
Actor Johnny Depp has concluded a grueling four days on the witness stand in his defamation case against ex-wife. Depp is suing Amber Heard for $50 million over an op-ed that she wrote about surviving domestic violence. Though Depp was not named in the 2018 article, he claims that it cost him lucrative acting roles. During testimony Depp acknowledged the pair had arguments during their relationship but said he never hit her. Amber Heard has not yet testified.
Just ahead, another grand parade by North Korea marking its latest military milestone and a new nuclear warning from Kim Jong-un. We'll have a live report for you next.
[04:50:00]
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FOSTER: South Korea is calling for complete denuclearization and lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula just hours after North Korea staged its latest grand military parade. On the 90th anniversary of the founding of the Korean People's Revolutionary Army, Kim Jong-un vowed to strengthen and develop his nuclear force, quote, at the fastest possible speed. All this comes after a flurry of missile tests by North Korea this year and warnings from South Korea and the U.S. that Pyongyang could resume nuclear weapons tests for the first time in five years.
Now let's go to CNN's Blake Essig joining us from Tokyo with more on this. You are watching the parade and what clues did that give you, Blake?
BLAKE ESSIG, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, you know, Max, North Korea's highly anticipated military parade celebrating the founding of its army was held last night, definitely something that we've been keeping an eye on. It was expected to be held at some point this month given all the different anniversaries that North Korea was celebrating.
And according to North Korean state-run television, KCNA, Kim Jong-un and his wife were there to see it. Kim dressed in a white military suit. Also delivered a speech not only saying that North Korea would continue to strengthen and develop its nuclear force, but that North Korea's armed forces are fully prepared for any fight.
Kim's comments and last night's parade took place as South Korea welcomes a new president, Yoon Suk-yeol, will who takes office early next month. The president-elect from South Korea has pledged to take a hard line against North Korea which he calls the main enemy of South Korea.
Now in the past these parades have been used to unveil updates to its missile arsenal KCNA is reporting reported that the Hwasong-17 its longest-range developmental ICBM and super large multiple rocket launchers were also part of that celebration.
[04:55:00]
While it's still unclear exactly every piece of military hardware that was displayed during the parade last night, North Korean watchers expect that the parade likely also featured weapons from Kim Jong-un's wish list. That list includes items like hypersonic glide vehicles, underwater launch nuclear weapons and a 15,000-kilometer intercontinental ballistic missile. All of those weapons have either been tested or are in the process of being developed.
Now so far this year Pyongyang has conducted about a dozen weapons tests. And based on last night's speech from Kim Jong-un and the Biden administration's more muted response in dealing with North Korea, there are no signs that North Korea is going to slow down its military development. In fact, South Korean military officials have reported for weeks now that the North has been working to restore tunnels at its main nuclear test site, a sign that nuclear tests could be coming our way, the first since 2017 -- Max.
FOSTER: OK, Blake, we'll be watching. Thank you for joining us from Tokyo.
And the Boston Celtics are moving on to the next round of the NBA playoffs. They beat the Brooklyn Nets Monday night in New York to sweep the series four games to none. Jayson Tatum led the Celtics with 29 points. Kevin Durant scored 39 for the Nets.
The Toronto Raptors have won their second straight game against the Philadelphia 76ers. The series now heads back to Toronto for game six with Philadelphia leading three games to two. And the Dallas Mavericks dominated the Utah Jazz to take a 3-2 series lead. Luka Doncic scored 33 points and found 13 rebounds to beat the Mavericks. Dallas can win its first playoff series in 11 years with a game 6 victory on Thursday in Salt Lake City.
Thanks for joining me here on CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Max foster in London. Our coverage continues on "EARLY START" with Laura Jarrett. You're watching CNN.
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