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Supreme Court to Overturn Abortion Rights Law; EU Commission President Proposes Ban on Russian Oil; Government's Handling of Shanghai Lockdown Fuel Outrage. Aired 4:30-5a ET

Aired May 04, 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: There's a growing backlash to a draft opinion that shows the U.S. Supreme Court may be poised to end a woman's right to an abortion by striking down Roe v. Wade. The news has sparked protests across the country including in Washington in front of the Supreme Court.

Meanwhile in Oklahoma, the state's Republican governor has signed a bill modeled after the controversial Texas abortion law. The Oklahoma Heartbeat Act will prohibit abortions when a heartbeat is detected, which could be as early as six weeks in to pregnancy and the law will allow private citizens to take civil action against abortion providers. The Governor Kevin Stitt says he wants Oklahoma to be the most pro-life state in the country. And Oklahoma isn't alone in the pro-life push. More than two dozen states could feature abortion bans if Roe v. Wade is overturned. CNN's Tom Foreman takes a closer look.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

TOM FOREMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: If the Supreme Court goes through with this ruling, these are all the states in red that are certain to ban abortion, the states in the yellow likely to ban them, according to the progressive Guttmacher Institute. Which says even though these bans may be of different measures, some may be outright, some may be 16 weeks, some may be 15 weeks, six weeks, whatever it may be, the truth is that what this would do would affect 58 percent of the women in the country who are of child bearing years. Those people would then be living in states that the institute says would be hostile to abortion rights.

And of course, there are many more states that are talking about that than there are states talking about protecting abortion rights. How will this be moved forward with very far-reaching laws in terms of the language we have seen so far.

For example, if you look at one proposal here in Missouri, they would not merely forbid a woman getting an abortion, but any attempt to help her get one. Providing transportation, giving instructions, providing internet service by which she might access services, providing money, arranging for insurance or referrals. Any of that could make you an accessory. So, if your sister became pregnant and wanted to talk to you about abortion, under these laws, you could be culpable if you even discussed it with her. [04:35:00]

Beyond that, there is this notion that what they're trying to do is basically say any child conceived in that state automatically becomes a resident and legally protected. So much so that if you read the details here, if a couple simply stopped in a hotel in Missouri, conceived a child and then went on to their homes in let's say Nevada or in Oregon or California and then had an abortion, they would be treated as simply as fugitives from Missouri because that resident went with them.

Legal battles, political battles all over the place connected to this. This is worth noting though. While Democrats are scrambling to find some way here to blunt the impact of this ruling if it comes through, on this side there is a tremendous amount of energy with Republicans and abortion opponents pushing very, very hard to say now is the time to run with this. To enact a national standard that says it's illegal everywhere no matter what the states want because the courts are no longer standing in the way.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FOSTER: Let's get you the latest on the situation in Ukraine again. Let's go back to Isa in Lviv.

ISA SOARES, CNN ANCHOR: Thanks very much Max. Well, Ukraine's military says despite the heavy artillery fire on a number of fronts, that Russian forces have made few advances toward capturing all of Luhansk as well as Donetsk regions. This as Ukrainian officials say fresh evacuations are under way from the besieged city of Mariupol. Regional authorities say a convoy of buses has departed the besieged port city this morning. They will join the more than 150 evacuees who have reach Zaporizhzhia -- as you can see there -- on Tuesday.

But a Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister said hundreds of others remain trapped in Mariupol and local officials say the steel plant is under constant fire. Meanwhile, Ukraine says Russian missile strikes hit several regions in the past 24 hours, causing severe damage to railways. Here in Lviv where I am, the mayor says that two people were injured and these images show a power stations on fire in the aftermath knocking out electricity for parts of the city on Tuesday.

Well, in the last hour and half or so, the president of the European Commission is proposing a sixth sanctions package that would include a ban on Russian oil. Here's what she said just a short time ago. Have a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

URSULA VON DER LEYEN, EUROPEAN COMMISSION PRESIDENT: This is why we will phase out Russian supply of crude oil within six months and refined products by the end of the year. Thus, we Maximize the pressure on Russia while at the same time -- and this is important -- we minimize the collateral damage to us and our partners around the globe because to help Ukraine, we have to make sure that our economy remains strong. (END VIDEO CLIP)

SOARES: European Commission President there. Well, CNN's Clare Sebastian joins me now live from London. She's been monitoring the breaking news in the last hour or so. So, Clare, look, an important move no doubt by the EU, but from what I understand this won't be an immediate ban. Talk us through the sanctions, the list -- the package of sanctions here.

CLARE SEBASTIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Isa, it's true this would be the biggest economic weapon that the EU has deployed against Russia. Russia actually makes more money from oil than it does even from gas. So, this would really hit its war chest where it hurts.

As you said, it is not immediate. The Ursula von der Leyen, EU Commission President, has outlined that EU crude oil products would be phased out of Europe within six months and refined products -- things like diesel and petrol -- by the end of the year. So, the idea is to sort of minimize the impact on European economies. She doesn't want people to have widespread disruptions or deal with major price rises, things like that. While at the same time, inflicting this pain on Russia.

So, this would be a really big move. EU council member and ambassadors are debating this as we speak. They then have to adopt it by the council for it to go into effect. And after that, we would see these measures take effect. Not just the oil ban as part of the sixth package of sanctions, Isa, there's also new sanctions on banks. They're going to de-SWIFT, so disconnect from SWIFT, the International Payments Messaging System, Sberbank which is a really systemically important Russian bank. It's the biggest. It accounts for about 37 percent of all of the whole banking sector in Russia, two other major banks as well.

They're also going to -- banning three big Russian state broadcasters from any kind of distribution within the European Union. And they are enlisting a number of high ranking military officials and officers who they say are committing war crimes in Bucha. So, a wide range in a package sanctions, Isa, coming less than a month after the fifth package of sanctions was introduced by the EU.

SOARES: And on oil, Clare, I know this hasn't been approved -- this is a proposal at this stage. But where does this leave, for example, the likes of Hungary and Slovakia who are more reliant on these supplies, will they just simply just veto it?

SEBASTIAN: Well look, We don't know for sure as of yet, but certainly there are reports that have been coming out on this package as we've been leading up to this point today where it was announced by Ursula von der Leyen, is that the aim is to try to present the united front.

[04:40:00]

So, to be able to come out as a bloc and say, look, we've adopted the sixth package. Europe is taking this very extreme measure against Russia in banning oil. And the way to do that given that certainly Hungary has been very clear, that it isn't able to get rid of Russian energy imports. Would be to carve out some kind of exemption for Hungary and potentially Slovakia as well, perhaps a longer transition out of these products. So that is something we're looking at, Isa. As of yet, we have not confirmed or unlikely to hear for sure until the EU council adopts these measures.

SOARES: And Clare, it's probably too soon given that we've heard it from this breaking news in the last hour or so, but any reaction thus far from Russia on how they may react even to the sixth round of sanctions from the EU?

SEBASTIAN: Nothing concrete as of yet, Isa. Checking the Russian media, is simply straight sort of telling the story, listing the various sanctions. But interesting if you look at sort of the rhetoric on sanctions leading up to this, even in that phone call that President Putin had with French President Emmanuel Macron yesterday, the way that Russia presents sanctions is that they say they are at the root of the economic problems the world is having. They discuss the global food crisis and President Putin says that it was caused by the Western sanctions. Obviously, the Western perspective is that it was caused by Russia's unwarranted invasion of Ukraine. So, you get the sense of how they approach this issue.

SOARES: Yes, and in the past as well, haven't they. I can't believe they said that they have gone through this, they have had sanctions before and the economy was able to survive. So, I know that we'll wait for any reaction coming out of Moscow. Clare Sebastian for us there. Thanks very much, Clare. Good to see you.

And still to come here on CNN, we are following a rise of new COVID infections in the U.S. What we are learning about a possible fourth vaccine dose, that's just ahead.

Plus, social media videos are fueling more backlash against Chinese officials in their handling of Shanghai's COVID outbreak. We'll have a live report from the region as millions of people remain under lockdown. You are watching CNN.

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[04:45:00]

FOSTER: In the U.S. a spinoff of the Omicron BA.2 subvariant is driving up COVID cases. The CDC estimates more than one in three new cases last week were caused by that offshoot. Health officials are keeping a close eye on the upward trend. The states with the biggest uptick in cases overall are shaded here in red and orange in this map.

Meanwhile federal officials are aiming for a June timeline to decide who should be eligible for additional COVID vaccine shots in the fall. The composition of these vaccines may also be updated by June to target specific variants.

Now Chinese officials have come under fierce criticism for their handling of the growing COVID outbreak there. And shocking new video coming out of Shanghai are fueling accusation of mismanagement and heavy handedness. Anna Coren joins me live from Hong Kong. I mean, these videos are getting more and more extraordinary.

ANNA COREN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, it really points to the dysfunction that is occurring in Shanghai as officials desperately try to maintain their zero COVID strategy. This video we're about to show you is very distressing. There is police basically breaking down a door to forcibly remove the people inside. They have apparently tested positive. They do not know this, they were waiting for results. And you can hear the women inside saying we will call police. The officials are saying we are the police. You have to come with us. We are taking you to the quarantine center.

Now, this is nothing new, Max. We have been seeing this week after week when people can post these videos on to social media. I mean, it's quite extraordinary that sensors haven't scrubbed these out.

But as I say, this has been going on as authorities try to stamp out COVID by taking people away to these quarantine centers. And you're talking about elderly people, a lot of elderly, you know, more than half those over the age of 80 haven't been vaccinated. Many of them are obviously succumbing to COVID. They are being dragged from their homes into these makeshift quarantine camps and having to live under quite basic, if not squalor conditions.

Now interestingly, Max, authorities in Shanghai had announced that six districts, which is about 7 million out of the 25 million that have been in lockdown for more than a month, that restrictions would be easing. They announced that days ago. Well, it turns out it's only beginning today. And what it will mean is that one pass per household, they will be allowed to leave their apartment, go to the grocery store, go to the pharmacy, and then return straight home.

And the catch is, Max, you know, case numbers are hovering around 5,000. If there is one positive case in one of these neighborhoods, then there will be a snap lockdown for the next two weeks. So, you know, people in Shanghai are just feeling like this is never going to end.

I was speaking to a friend there earlier in the week and she just talked about this state of depression that she is in, that she has stopped monitoring the news. She has stopped monitoring social media feed. She has stopped counting the days because it has just dragged on for so long.

You know, compare that to Beijing, the country's capital, where admittedly case numbers are in the dozens according to officials, but they are going through another round of mass testing. They are doing everything in their power to ensure that they don't have to impose a Shanghai-style lockdown.

We're also hearing that schools which were supposed to go back in person as of tomorrow, they will now remain online. So once again, you know, Beijing doing everything to ensure that things don't spiral out of control there -- Max.

FOSTER: OK, Anna in Hong Kong, thank you. Now just ahead, new details are emerging in the case of an Alabama

corrections officer who disappeared with an inmate. We'll have an update coming up.

[04:50:00]

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FOSTER: The U.S. State Department is now classifying pro basketball star Brittney Griner as being wrongfully detained in Russia. This means the U.S. won't have to wait for Griner's case to move through Russia's legal system. And the U.S. will seek to negotiate her return through President Biden's special envoy for hostage affairs.

Griner was arrested at a Moscow airport in February and accused of smuggling narcotics which is punishable by up to 10 years in prison.

The parents of U.S. Marine veteran abducted in Syria say U.S. President Joe Biden offered support on effort to bring her son home. Journalists Austin Tice was kidnapped near Damascus in 2012 whilst reporting on the Syrian civil war. His parents met with the president this week. They spoke with CNN on Tuesday and said they came away from the meeting feeling encouraged.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DEBORAH TICE, MOTHER OF AUSTIN TICE: We were astonished at how up-to- date he was on Austin's case. And how committed he is to getting him home.

MARC TICE, FATHER OF AUSTIN TICE: And you know, to me that means the potential for a real sea change because when the president is behind something, the rest of the system falls in step and makes things happen.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FOSTER: Austin Tice's parents there. And another Marine veteran Trevor Reed on the left was leased last week by Russia in a prison swap. A second Marine veteran Paul Whelan on the right remains in Russian captivity.

Now we're tracking new developments out of Alabama where a search is ongoing for a corrections officer and an inmate who disappeared together after leaving a detention center on Friday. New surveillance video shows officer Vicki White leading inmate Casey White out of the detention center and into her patrol car. The two are not related. The officer claims that she was taking him, a man who's charged with murder, to the courthouse for a mental health evaluation which authorities say that it was not true.

[04:55:03]

The Lauderdale County sheriff says he's now learned the pair had a relationship.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RICK SINGLETON, LAUDERDALE COUNTY, ALABAMA SHERIFF: We have confirmed that there was what we call a special relationship. It's not a physical relationship that we can have any evidence of. But they did communicate at times when she was not at work.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FOSTER: The sheriff also says the pair ditched the patrol car on Friday at a shopping center near the jail and got into another vehicle that had been parked earlier.

Now in New Mexico, more than 15,000 homes could be threatened by wildfires if flames continue to spread over the next few days -- according to officials. This includes an area 85 miles or 136 kilometers northeast of Albuquerque. High winds and a massive drought are helping to fuel the flames. Right now, five fires are actively burning in the state and more than 6,000 homes have already been evacuated. The federal government and fire crews from other states are helping to battle the blazes.

We're learning of the apparent attack on the comedian David Chappell. It happened Tuesday whilst he was performing in Hollywood. Video on social media appears to show a person running on stage and tackling him. Chappell didn't appear hurt and he later joked about the incident. Los Angeles Police say that they took a man into custody and that he was armed with a gun and a knife.

That does it here on CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Max Foster in London. Our coverage continues on "EARLY START" with Christine Romans. You're watching CNN.

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