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Ukraine Puts Destroyed Russian Weaponry On Display; Funeral Services Begin In Devastated Uvalde Community; Shanghai Begins To Loosen COVID Restrictions. Aired 2-3a ET
Aired June 01, 2022 - 02:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[02:00:00]
ROSEMARY CHURCH, CNN ANCHOR: Hello and welcome to our viewers joining us from all around the world. You are watching CNN NEWSROOM and I'm Rosemary Church. Just ahead, Russian forces tightening their grip in eastern Ukraine, while U.S. President Joe Biden vows that more help is on the way.
Plus, as funerals begin for the children and teachers killed in Uvalde, Texas, we will talk to a survivor of a school shooting about how children process the trauma as they grow up. And as Shanghai begins to loosen Coronavirus restrictions, an epidemiologist researching COVID says, be prepared to get the virus over and over again.
ANNOUNCER: Live from CNN Center. This is CNN NEWSROOM with Rosemary Church.
CHURCH: Thanks for being with us. Well, Russia is on the verge of claiming one of its biggest prizes yet in the war on Ukraine. Ukrainian officials say Moscow's forces control most of Severodonetsk. It was one of the last cities in the Luhansk region in Ukrainian hands. And now local officials have suspended all evacuations saying it's just too risky.
Ukraine says a Russian missile hit a nitric acid tank in the city's industrial area producing a thick orange cloud of smoke. But Russian- backed separatists claim Ukrainian forces blew up the tank as they retreated. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says Ukraine is losing 60 to 100 soldiers a day in the war with Russia, and supply lines into the Luhansk region are under persistent shelling. Farther south, Ukraine is reporting gains in Kherson, but internet and mobile phone services are down now that the city is under Russian control. And Russian soldiers are reportedly selling sim cards to people who provide their passport data.
Ukraine will soon be getting more high-tech help from the United States. President Joe Biden has announced. "We will provide the Ukrainians with more advanced rocket systems and munitions that will enable them to more precisely strike key targets on the battlefield in Ukraine." Biden administration officials stress that the U.S. is not encouraging or enabling Ukraine to hit targets in Russia, but these new systems have a far greater range than any weapons the U.S. has sent to Ukraine so far. Well, Ukraine is showing off some of the Russian military equipment it has captured and destroyed in the streets of its capital, Kyiv. CNN's Matthew Chance is there.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, this looks like the aftermath of a ferocious battle. But it's in fact, an exhibition that's been assembled here in the center of the Ukrainian capital, using real Russian military hardware that has been destroyed on the outskirts of the city. Obviously, this is a -- it's a T-72. Russian tank, absolutely devastated, of course, by some kind of anti- tank weapon.
We walk across here, some missiles on the floor, the casings have been put on a show, an anti-aircraft gun here with its -- with its turret that people can come and look at it. It's all here for the benefit of the people of Kyiv to show them the weaponry that has been essentially threatening their lives over the course of the fourth -- of the last four months.
I spoke to one visitor here and you can see there are lots of people here taking photographs, showing their children you know what the Russians have been throwing at them over the course of the past several months. One guy told me he said, look, it's the first time we've actually seen this stuff up close. Because even though it's been very, you know, on average television screens, not everybody has had the chance to come this close to this kind of Russian armor. And he said it's important because seeing this Russian weaponry destroyed in this way, makes us believe that we can win. I thought that was a really poignant remark by just one of the visitors we spoke to here, looking at this destroyed armor in the center of the Ukrainian capital.
Matthew Chance, CNN in Kyiv.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
[02:05:04]
CHURCH: Global oil prices spiked on Tuesday in response to the EU's partial ban on Russian oil imports. The oil embargo is part of the latest sanctions package on Russia for its invasion of Ukraine. Brent crude gained 1 percent on Tuesday, as EU leaders met to finalize the deal. That's its highest level since March. Ukraine's president says that while he is grateful for the action against Russia, EU leaders took too long to make it happen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, PRESIDENT OF UKRAINE: (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We have agreed on the necessity to increase sanctions. It's more than 50 days since the fifth package of sanctions. This is unacceptable for us.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHURCH: Meantime, Ukraine is facing its own fuel crisis. The country has become completely dependent on imported fuel. This, after its largest oil refinery in the city of Kremenchuk, was destroyed by Russian missiles. The leader of Ukraine's Oil and Gas Association says there are many hurdles to increasing production, not to mention the current war.
A Ukrainian court has sentenced two Russian soldiers to more than 11 years in prison for violating the laws of war. The court found no evidence the soldiers were coerced into committing the crime. The two pled guilty, accused of firing rockets at the Kharkiv region.
Meanwhile, Ukraine's Prosecutor General says authorities have identified more than 600 Russians suspected of war crimes. The long list of suspects includes high-level Russian military officials, politicians, and what Ukraine calls propaganda agents of the Russian Federation. The prosecutor general says investigations have been complicated by the ongoing fighting.
Meanwhile, jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny says Russian authorities may tack on more prison time to his sentence. The outspoken opposition leader says he may face up to 15 additional years in prison on new charges. He posted on Instagram. He's been accused of creating an extremist organization. Navalny was sentenced in March to nine years in a maximum-security jail over fraud charges. And that ruling came as he was already serving a two and a half year sentence for violating probation terms.
Well, in the wake of the horrific school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, the debate over gun control has intensified in the United States, and some in Congress are pushing for action. The House Judiciary Committee plans to vote on wide-ranging gun control legislation as early as Thursday. A small bipartisan group of senators already mesh on the issue with one lawmaker saying it was a very constructive conversation. An aid familiar with that meeting says senators are optimistic that a small package of gun reform measures could come together in the coming days, but that it was too early to tell if the effort will be successful.
Well, meantime in the devastated community of Uvalde, the first of the 21 victims from last week's shooting have been laid to rest. Funerals were held for two 10-year-old girls, Amerie Jo Garza and Maite Rodriguez. More funerals and visitations will take place this week. And as heartbroken families begin to bury their loved ones, they're also demanding answers about the police response to the massacre. CNN's Ed Lavandera has details.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voiceover): A chilling new account from inside Robb Elementary during the mass shooting.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Are you injured?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We got shot. We're hit. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Where? Is that kid got shot?
(INAUDIBLE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They shot a kid?
LAVANDERA: That audio was taken by a man who spoke to CNN but didn't want to be publicly identified. A Facebook Live video includes what he says is audio from the radio in a Customs and Border Protection vehicle outside the school. It is not clear at what point during the shooting this video was taken.
We're also hearing from a Customs and Border Protection Officer whose wife is a teacher at the school where his daughter is also a second- grader. He was off duty at a barbershop when he got this text message from his wife.
JACOB ALBARADO, U.S. CUSTOMS AND BORDER PATROL PROTECTION AGENT: There's an active shooter. Help. I love you. From my wife.
LAVANDERA: That's when he raced over to what he describes as a chaotic scene at the school.
ALBARADO: Everyone's trying to get to the school. People were trying to get everything situated. I was just trying to get towards my wife's room in my daughter's room. As I was going in, I could just see kids coming out of the windows and kids coming my way so I was just helping all the kids out.
[02:10:01]
LAVANDERA: Both his wife and daughter got out safely. One teacher describes the tense moments in her schoolroom after spotting the gunman outside her class window.
NICOLE OGBURN, 4TH GRADE TEACHER: I just kept hearing shots fired and I just kept praying, God, please don't let him come in my room. Please don't let him come in this room. And for some reason he didn't.
LAVANDERA: ABC News obtained a portion of the video that appears to be audio from a 911 operator relaying information from a child inside the classroom.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We have a child on the line. Child is advising he is in the room full of victims.
LAVANDERA: Questions remain focused tonight on the police response. The Texas Department of Public Safety Director says it was the school district police chief, Pete Arredondo, who made the decision not to breach the classrooms earlier. Arredondo who hasn't been seen publicly since the shooting is facing harsh criticism and a Department of Justice review for what officers didn't do as kids inside the school repeatedly called 911 pleading for help.
JULIE GARCIA, ATTENDED MEMORIAL: When you cry and you mourn harder here because they didn't have a chance. LAVANDERA: The first funerals for the victims of the mass school shooting in Uvalde were held today.
GARCIA: When that casket closes, and then they lower it down, for me it's the realization that you won't be able to touch them again, one more hug, one more kiss, and one more goodbye.
LAVANDERA: The funeral expenses for every family are being covered at no cost, thanks to an anonymous donor, according to Texas Governor Greg Abbott.
EDUARDO MORALES, PASTOR: Off the top of my head, I couldn't tell you how many but I think one every day.
LAVANDERA: Father Eduardo Morales says he will preside at 12 funeral services for victims over the next two weeks. Today, visitations or funerals were held for at least four students and one teacher.
DORINA DAVILA, ATTENDED VISITATION: Nobody should ever have to go through this hardship, you know, and something that could have very well been avoided.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LAVANDERA: If you remember last week, Texas Department of Public Safety investigators said that the gunman had entered Robb elementary through a door that was left propped open by an unidentified teacher. Well, now that turns out not to be entirely the case. Texas DPS officials are now saying that the teacher realizing that there was a gunman on campus, went back, close the door, but it did not lock. Ed Lavandera CNN, Uvalde, Texas.
CHURCH: Marin Cogan is a senior correspondent for Vox who survived a school shooting when she was in the sixth grade. Months before Uvalde, she wrote about her experience and how kids like her process what happened to them as they grow up. Marian joins me now from Tampa, Florida. Thank you so much for being with us. And I'm so sorry that you had to go through that trauma as a child.
MARIN COGAN, JOURNALIST, VOX: Well, thank you so much for having me. And I'm sorry that this trauma is being repeated all across the country.
CHURCH: Yes, it is just horrifying, isn't it? I wanted to ask how your own experience as a survivor has shaped you in life, and what's your reaction when you hear the details of this latest school shooting Uvalde, and all the shootings that have come before this because they just keep happening?
COGAN: It's so interesting you asked because this is something you know, I've done a lot of reporting on survivors of school shootings. And what I realized is I never considered myself a survivor because I wasn't in the room where the shooting happened, I was outside. And so many of the other survivors I spoke with had the same feeling like they didn't feel like they deserve to consider themselves survivors. But I think you know there's a reason why I kept returning to the subject as an adult and trying to seek out other people who had been through this experience and talk to them. And it's because I've been trying to sort of unpacked what happened in my own community. To see it happen again and again and again has been so disheartening and so frustrating, you know. To think that these shootings, which were unusual, but were happening when I was a kid in the late 90s and early 2000s, to see them become more frequent and much more deadly, is not just disheartening, but it's incredibly frustrating because the people who you know, were young -- when I was young. We now have children and to see this pass through to another generation makes me feel like we've really failed as a society to protect our children.
CHURCH: I totally understand that sentiment. And you -- some are suggesting, though, that this shooting in Uvalde marks a different time in history, perhaps setting in motion, bipartisan efforts in Congress to make changes to this country's gun laws. And many gun owners are speaking out saying enough is enough, along with most Americans, of course, who want to see gun controls put in place.
[02:15:00]
CHURCH: Do you think it will be different this time, and what gun control measures do you think are possible and do you want to see put in place now?
COGAN: You raise a very good point. And to your point, you know, I grew up in a family where people owned guns. That was just sort of what everyone did where it came from. It was -- it really wasn't a partisan thing quite like it is now. And I think you're right, that there are a lot of people as much as the debate is framed, as, you know, pro-Second Amendment gun owners and people who hate guns and would never touch them, there's actually a ton of people in the middle. And I think you're seeing those people really demanding change now.
So we're talking about things like universal background checks and expanded red flag laws that make it easier for guns to be removed from the hands of people who are considered high risk for violence. Those are things that have large public majority support. And so if there is a hope of getting something done on a federal level, I think that that would be the direction that they would be looking at.
CHURCH: And how much do you worry that the failure of the police in Uvalde to respond urgently to an active shooter situation will end up overshadowing the need for gun reform because everyone's talking about that now. Do you worry it will get forgotten in the mix?
COGAN: I think if anything, it underscores the need for gun reform because I -- you know, the details are still emerging. We don't know everything that happened there. But the details that have come out so far really seem to indicate that the police hesitated because they know how serious an AR-15 is, and they were reluctant to confront someone who was armed with one. And if they are reluctant to confront someone who's armed with an AR-15, I think that says a lot about how dangerous these weapons are. And really makes a case for some sort of meaningful reform. So I think, if anything, it just really underscores the need for sensible gun reform in this country.
CHURCH: And, Marin, what would you say to the parents and the young students who survived this latest school shooting, who more than likely fear returning to the classroom now?
COGAN: I would say that their fear is totally understandable. I think that it's so unfortunate that so many kids have had to return to school after something like this has happened. But mostly, I would want them to know that there are millions of people all over the United States, and I think all over the world as well, that are grieving with them, that are holding them in their hearts, and really want to fight to make sure that you know nothing like this ever happens again. And that we make schools safer so that they don't have to have that fear.
Because I think you're right, you know, the survivors are having that fear, but also parents all across the United States. I don't think there's any parent in the United States who hasn't thought about this in the last few days. And I think, you know, that really underscores the need to not let this moment go to waste and to have a real conversation about how we can keep each other safe and our children safe.
CHURCH: Yes. It's such an important point. So we need change now, we need action now. Marin Cogan, thank you so much for joining us.
COGAN: Thank you.
CHURCH: Well, the U.S. president says the pain was palpable when he traveled to Uvalde and met with the families of the victims. Joe Biden describes that heartbreaking time ahead of his Oval Office meeting with New Zealand's Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern. The two leaders emphasized the need to take action against gun violence, and the president promised to meet with Congress on guns, New Zealand crackdown on guns following the 2019 massacre in Christchurch.
Well, just ahead, after a long strict COVID lockdown, Shanghai has started lifting restrictions on most residents, and look at the excitement. We will have a live report from China. And more than two years into the Coronavirus pandemic, and after hundreds of millions of vaccines, we will hear from an expert who thinks we'll all be infected with COVID multiple times during the course of our lives.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
[02:20:00]
CHURCH: After more than two months under lockdown, China's richest city is finally beginning to ease COVID restrictions in low-risk areas. Most Shanghai residents are now able to leave their homes and see some semblance of normalcy. Although the number of new cases has been declining, China's COVID outbreak is not over. And there are still restrictions in place.
I'm joined now by CNN Beijing Bureau Chief Steven Jiang. Good to see you, Steven. So, Shanghai loosened COVID restrictions in some areas and people fled. Where were they heading, and what is the situation in the city right now?
STEVEN JIANG, CNN BEIJING BUREAU CHIEF: Rosemary, it is actually quite surreal to see the return of hustle and bustle on many streets in Shanghai after so long. Now, we've been talking to numerous residents in the city, many are telling us they're reacting to this moment with very mixed emotions and feelings in stark contrast to the portrayal on state media, which very much focused on people's excitement, hopefulness, and the gratitude towards the government leadership and health workers. What we are hearing from residents is many are still processing this moment, processing, or the pain, suffering, and the last is they have either experienced or seen in the past two months. And really going through various stages of PTSD, if you will, many, of course, is still very angry with the local authorities handling of the whole thing, demanding a public apology, which is very unlikely to come because the root cause of many tragedies in Shanghai, of course, is the Beijing leadership's insistence on a zero-COVID policy.
But many people in Shanghai are now indeed asking what we -- what have we achieved at what cost because even though the majority of the city's population now have regained some degree of freedom of movement, they are indeed faced with increasingly pervasive and invasive COVID control measures that are here to stay. That includes COVID tests every 72 hours in order to access most public places, including public transportation, and also this incessant and constant need of scanning so-called location QR codes, really allowed the authorities to even more easily track literally every step people make in the city in the name of contact tracing.
And then, of course, this huge economic toll on the city, many small and medium-sized businesses especially in the private sector may just have to fold permanently after being forced to shut down for so long. And perhaps also not surprisingly, many people have become very reflective telling us this locked down really was such a watershed moment, making them realize no matter how much money or perceived success they have, their life could be upended overnight by arbitrary decisions, you know, made by a distant leadership with very little accountability. So that's why many having voting with their fee, Rosemary, not just ex-pats but also the local population who are saying they are now willing to leave Shanghai that they say that will never be the same again.
And, Rosemary, it's also worth noting the sensitivity of this topic as I'm talking to you, the Chinese censors have blacked out CNN's coverage in this country. Rosemary.
CHURCH: Yes, of course. It always happens, doesn't it? Steven Jiang, many thanks for joining us there with an update.
Many around the world wondering if living with COVID will be our forever reality. Our next guest thinks so, and she has the research to back it up. Aubree Gordon is an epidemiologist and associate professor at the University of Michigan, and she joins me now from Ann Arbor in Michigan. Good to have you with us.
AUBREE GORDON, EPIDEMIOLOGIST, UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN: Nice to be with you. [02:25:00]
CHURCH: So, you have said that we need to learn to live with COVID, that it's not going away and you even suggest that we'll each get infected on average every three years or so barring some incredible intervention. What is the evidence for that?
GORDON: Well, the evidence for that is, clearly people are being reinfected with SARS-CoV-2. It's very similar to -- in a way to other coronaviruses. So we know for seasonal Coronaviruses you are infected many times in your life with the same type, right? There are four different types of circulating. You and I have both had them many times. And on average, people are infected once every three years. We also see that for other respiratory viruses, things like influenza virus or RSV.
CHURCH: And, of course, you know that because right now, you are tracking large groups of people studying the risk of reinfection and you're already starting to document some promising patterns, so what are you finding?
GORDON: So, we are finding that you know, people do get reinfected, obviously, that's becoming quite common now. But as people do get reinfected, those infections get less severe. So a second infection is less severe than the first infection, and a third infection is even less severe. So that's very promising. And that's in the background with not having any immunity.
Of course, if you've already been vaccinated and have that background immunity, then a first infection will be more -- will be less severe than it would have been otherwise, on average, right. And we were expecting to see that same pattern as people start to have a second or third infection on top of vaccination.
CHURCH: And how much does the fact that the Omicron sub-variants seem to be more contagious, but less severe? How much does that play into the fact that these reinfections seem to get less severe each time?
GORDON: So the way that we are comparing reinfections is to actually look at people in the same wave, so comparing Delta infections to Delta infections, and looking at people who are having their first infection, compared to their second infection. So we're starting to do that same thing for people during the Omicron wave. So that's kind of taking into account, you know, having the same virus.
CHURCH: So even if we all get a yearly or six-monthly COVID shot, you don't think we can fully break the cycle of COVID reinfections?
GORDON: You know I don't think so, not with the technology we have right now for the vaccines. If we can figure out how to make a vaccine that is more broadly protective, then I think we could start to break that cycle. But right now, that you know, the vaccine is specific for the particular variant or the original virus that it was made against, and it's just not as protected for preventing infection, so very protective against severe disease. CHURCH: So, why is it that some people we know have been infected repeatedly by COVID, while others have never had it? I mean, I haven't had it. My family hasn't had it. How do you explain that, and the fact that some people are asymptomatic, while others may die of COVID?
GORDON: So I think there are a lot of different factors that go into that. So, how cautious people are, will certainly play a role in whether or not they get exposed, although I know lots of very cautious people who've been infected. Luck or chance certainly has a role. But then I actually think that how you -- how you get exposed is also important, you know. So if you're -- if you're masked or if it's a brief exposure, I think you're likely to be less severe, maybe even asymptomatic, than if you get exposed to a really heavy dose of the -- of the virus.
CHURCH: All right. Audree Gordon, thank you so much for joining us. We really appreciate it.
GORDON: Happy to be here. Thank you.
CHURCH: Well, ahead here on CNN. Air travel chaos, commercial airlines in Europe are struggling to handle a spike in travel. We will explain why things have gone so very wrong.
Plus, U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen tells CNN she was wrong and misread the threat of inflation to the U.S. economy. Hear more of her comments next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[02:30:00]
STEPHEN JAMIESON, GLOBAL HEAD OF CIRCULAR ECONOMY SOLUTIONS, SAP: I'm Stephen Jamieson, global head of circular economy solutions at SAP. The aim of the circular economy is to eliminate waste, circulate materials, keep products in use as long as possible, and regenerate natural systems.
We're talking about a fundamental reworking of how we deliver the economy. At the moment we're based upon an extractive system which depends upon nature but is ultimately extractive. That will only go one way in the long term. A regenerative economy ultimately creates abundance of opportunity, abundance of materials, abundance of resources that enable us to thrive as a species and thrive as a piece of nature and part of nature.
CHURCH: It is an agonizing time for air travel. Long lines, delays, and canceled flights are causing chaos and frustration for travelers and airlines alike at airports across the world. This is London's Gatwick Airport, where some travelers reportedly waited for six hours before being sent home on Tuesday.
Well, the disruptions come as the aviation industry continues to suffer from staff shortages and financial challenges triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic. As CNN's Nada Bashir reports, airlines in Europe are having an especially tough time ramping back up now that consumer demand is spiking.
NADA BASHIR, CNN REPORTER: Well, look, this certainly isn't the first time in recent weeks. We've seen disruptions at airports, both here in the UK and also across Europe. Long queues, major delays, and hundreds of flight cancellations. But this really couldn't have come at a worse time for travelers here in the UK. It's the beginning of the half-term school break, and for many families in England and Wales, this is the first school break since COVID travel restrictions were lifted.
But this also comes just days ahead of the Queen's platinum jubilee and many would've been hoping to make the most of the long weekend to squeeze in a quick break. But for those traveling with airlines, including EasyJet, TUI, and BA setting off on holiday has not been so straightforward.
EasyJet has canceled more than 200 flights over the school break and has apologized for the late notice on passengers received. TUI has also canceled several flights scheduled between now and the end of June, siting operational challenges.
Now, one of the key challenges these airlines are facing is, of course, staffing shortages. The European Aviation Sector is still tackling the sector of huge layoffs during the pandemic. The sector was hit particularly hard after European airports were left at a standstill due to strict travel restrictions.
The UK Department for Transport has urged travelers to check the latest travel information before setting off. But we've also heard from one government official on Tuesday who told Sky News that the aviation sector should have done more to prepare for this kind of situation.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
STEPHEN PARKINSON, BRITISH ARTS MINISTER: Well, coming to the Department of transport, working with the industry, we have been for, many months urging them to make sure they've got enough staff so that, thanks to the success of the vaccine rollout, as people are able to travel again. That people can take the holidays that they've missed and that they've observed, and of course, it's causing a lot of stress for people, particularly in half-term. People with family and children with them. It's very distressing if you tell them at the airport that your flight isn't ready.
So, we've been saying to the industry that they need to prepare for this. They need to have the staff that they need to make sure that people can get away and enjoy holidays.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BASHIR: Now, the Opposition Labor Party Shadow Finance Secretary, James Murray, also spoke to Sky News on Tuesday. He said the government needs to take greater responsibility for not offering enough support to the aviation sector during the pandemic. Allowing airlines to make huge staffing cuts and now expecting them to get back on track to meet the surge and demand that we're seeing now. [02:35:00]
But, of course, this is not just a UK issue. Many of these canceled flights would have been heading to Europe, where we've also seen significant delays and cancellations. And this trend could worsen still as we head into summer. Nada Bashir, CNN, London.
CHURCH: On Tuesday, President Joe Biden held a meeting with Federal Reserve Chair, Jerome Powell and Treasury Secretary, Janet Yellen, who talk -- to talk about soaring inflation rates. The Fed is under pressure to slow inflation without pushing the U.S. economy into a recession. The president held the meeting to show Americans he's doing what he can to curb inflation while letting the Fed do its part with monetary policy.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOE BIDEN, U.S. PRESIDENT: My plan is to address inflation. It starts with a simple proposition. Respect the Fed. Respect the Fed's independence. The Fed has dual responsibilities. One full employment. And two, stable prices. Chair Paul and the other leaders of the Fed have noted, at this moment, they have a laser-focused on addressing inflation, just like I am.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHURCH: It's rare for anyone in Washington to admit they're wrong. But on Tuesday, Treasury Secretary Yellen, told CNN she failed to anticipate back in 2021 just how long rising inflation rates would plague Americans. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JANET YELLEN, U.S. TREASURY SECRETARY: I think I was wrong then about the path that inflation would take. As I mentioned, there have been unanticipated and large shocks to the economy that have boosted energy and food prices and supply bottlenecks that have affected our economy badly. That I didn't, at the time, didn't fully understand.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHURCH: The Biden Administration says it is optimistic that inflation will ease over the coming months.
In Dubai, a historic trade deal was reached between Israel and the United Arab Emirates on Tuesday. The two countries normalized relations in 2020 in what was then a groundbreaking move. The Free Trade Agreement was reached after months of negotiations. And will gradually remove most tariffs on food, medicine, cosmetics, and other goods. Leaders from both sides called Tuesday's deal, "A new chapter of prosperity." The agreement aims to reach $10 billion in annual free trade within the next five years.
Well, the U.S. President meets BTS. The Korean pop megastars visit the White House. How they're using their global platform for an important cause. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[02:40:00]
A dangerous moment captured on video as a massive section of this cliff wall collapsed into a lake on the Arizona-Utah border on Monday. The boaters who recorded this video tells CNN they were enjoying Memorial Day out on the water when they noticed rocks and sand falling off the cliff. An enormous slab broke off and toppled into Lake Powell, scattering debris and creating a large wave. Thankfully, there were no reports of injuries.
Well, we are learning more about the deadly remnants of hurricane Agatha. Officials say the storm killed at least 11 people and left 21 missing. Agatha made history as the strongest hurricane to come ashore in the month of May during the Eastern Pacific hurricane season. It made landfall, Monday, in Southern Mexico as a category 2 hurricane but then lost power becoming a tropical storm that is moved inland.
In Northeastern Brazil, officials say flooding and landslides triggered by torrential rain have killed at least 100 people. Rescue teams are still finding bodies after floodwaters tore through neighborhoods. More than a dozen people are reported missing and more than 6,000 have been displaced.
Well, global K-pop sensation, BTS, visited the White House, Tuesday, to meet with the U.S. President. And to speak with reporters on the last day of Asian-American and Asian Pacific Islander Heritage Month.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I know, I know --
RM, BTS GROUP LEADER: Hi, we're BTS. And it is a great honor to be invited to the White House today to discuss the important issues of anti-Asian hate crimes, Asian inclusion and diversity.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHURCH: Other group members said through an interpreter that they were devastated by the recent surge of hate crimes, including those against Asian-Americans. The seven-member, Grammy-nominated boy band from South Korea was invited. The White House says to film digital content for the Biden Administration and to discuss importing causes around Asian representation and diversity.
While the UK is getting ready to celebrate Queen Elizabeth's platinum jubilee, four days of festivities are set to begin on Thursday. The event marks the Queen's historic 70 years on the throne. The streets around Windsor Castle are lined with flags and decorations. And the local shops are stocked with all kinds of souvenirs for the occasion. You can stay tuned to CNN for live coverage of the festivities.
And thank you so much for joining us. I'm Rosemary Church. World Sport is up next. And I'll be back with more news from all around the world in about 15 minutes. You're watching CNN. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[02:45:00]
DON LEMON, CNN HOST, DON LEMON TONIGHT: The investigation of investigators coming up empty today that, after the first trial of special counsel John Durham's investigation. He spent three years looking for wrongdoing in the Trump-Russia probe. And today Hillary Clinton's campaign lawyer, Michael Susman, was acquitted of lying to the FBI. Joining me now, CNN Senior legal analyst Preet Bharara.
Preet, good to see you. Thanks for joining. So --
PREET BHARARA, CNN SENIOR LEGAL ANALYST AND FORMER U.S. ATTORNEY: Good to see you.
LEMON: So, this was the first trial in the Durham investigation, which has gone now, I'd say, for three years, costs millions of dollars. And what did they have to show for it -- forward at this point?
BHARARA: Well, not much. You know, I've overseen trials where the result was not what I wanted when I was a United States attorney. In this case, it looks like it was thin. It looks like the jury didn't take a very long period of time to determine that the right result was an acquittal, six or seven at the most, after a trial that went on for some days.
It seems like there was a hard road for the government to plow with respect to showing that there was a false statement made. And then probably even more importantly, in this case, based on the facts as I understand them, it was very difficult for them to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the misstatement or the false statement that was alleged to have been made was immaterial in any way. In other words, did it derail the investigation? Did it cause the investigators to do something differently from what they otherwise would have done?
What I would like to note about this, by the way, is the Durham investigation was began by and sanctioned by the prior administration, Donald Trump and his attorney general, Bill Barr. And I think is notable that I haven't heard a lot of talk about in the last couple of days and certainly today with the conviction -- I mean, the acquittal is that he was allowed to go forward. Continue his investigation even though there's a lot of critics on the Democratic side and the pro- Biden side saying that this was a witch hunt, language that we've heard used by the other side.
And he was allowed to continue his investigation and see it to its conclusion with respect to Michael Sussman. And a jury spoke and, I think, John Durham said the right thing. So, you know, we sometimes may disagree with the results of juries but we respect what the jury's verdict was and we move on.
LEMON: Yes, but it's interesting because we've had so many of these, right, that turned out to be nothing, right? Even a lot of conspiracy theories, right? I mean, media makes such a big deal out of them and then it turns out to be nothing, and then they just don't talk about it again as it didn't happen.
BHARARA: Yes, you know, I don't know how the other network is covering this because they have been breathlessly reporting about it. Because if I thought it was big bombshell and it was a first step leading towards a further inquiry and maybe another investigation of Hillary Clinton.
Look, I think -- my perspective as a lawyer and someone who used to be a prosecutor is when partisan folks follow trials, they don't really follow them in good faith. They often wouldn't have followed them at all. They want a result to be -- had at the end of the case. Lock him up, lock her up, whoever the case may be, and then they cry foul at the end of the case if it's not the outcome that they wanted. It's very ironic.
I think not too long ago, Don, you and I were talking about Clarence Thomas giving a speech talking about how people should, you know, accept outcomes that they don't like. Well, this is another example of an outcome. And it was done fairly and squarely. A jury in Washington, D.C. and a lot of people who were in the party and the side of the ideological spectrum that Justice Thomas is on don't abide the outcome. If it's good for one side, it should be good for the other side as well.
LEMON: Well, let's talk more about the Supreme Court being -- the debts where the investigation, the search of their investigating, the search of that source of that linked draft opinion that would overturn Roe V. Wade. They're asking court clerks to turnover their phone records. How rare is that? And what does it tell you about the investigation, anything?
BHARARA: Well, this is like many things that you and I have discussed over the past couple of years. The response to something, we describe as being unprecedented and highly unusual never happened before. I'm not aware of any time ever in history, even -- since the advent of cellphones, you didn't have that a hundred years ago where people have been asked who work for the court to give over that private information. But it's also true that that's in response to something that is unprecedented and has never happened before, namely, the leak of a draft opinion.
So, I understand the response. I get it. I'm not sure how effective it will be. You know, among other things, they can only make those requests to people at the court. They can't really, under the law, effectively make those requests of the people who published the report. The easiest thing to do would be ask the political reports who had the bylines. Who gave you this information? Case closed. You can't do that because they won't comply because there's a reporter's privilege recognized in many jurisdictions.
It's also the case that if it was a clerk or some employee of the court, who engaged in this conduct, they -- you know, everyone who works at the court, staff, and the lawyers both are really, really, really smart lawyers.
[02:50:00] It's probably the hardest legal job to get in the United States of America. To be in a position to clerk for a justice of the Supreme Court. So, they're not dumb. If they chose to do something that's never been done in the history of the court, you would imagine it would be fairly clever and wily about it. And there would not be an electronic record. They would not have e-mailed it to a reporter or texted it to a reporter.
My understanding is there are about 75 people who were previewed to the draft opinion. Many of whom had, you know, actual hard copy versions of it. And it's a much easier matter to read to someone, a reporter, or to provide to someone a copy of the opinion that leaves no electronic trail. So, you know, I think it's an unnerving thing for people who are employed by the court. I don't know if it will bear any fruit.
LEMON: We'll see. We heard that some of the clerks are so concerned that they're hiring lawyers free. Thank you. Appreciate that.
BHARARA: Yes, of course.
LEMON: President Biden is sending new rockets to Ukraine. Rockets that could go farther than any others the U.S. has sent so far.
Plus, another wrong answer from the Uvalde police. What they're now correcting, that's straight ahead.
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[02:55:00]
President Biden extending a big hand to Ukraine tonight. Writing an op-ed in the "New York Times" saying that the U.S. will provide Ukraine with more advanced rocket systems ammunitions. Enabling them to strike key Russian targets on the battlefield.
Senior administration officials also saying that the U.S. will send equipment that will allow Ukraine to fire rockets at greater distances than any weapons they've received today. Although not at the system's maximum range. The President reiterating that the United States will not send any troops to Ukraine, but will work with allies to strengthen NATO's Eastern flank.
And with Vladimir Putin's war in Ukraine now in its fourth month, his forces appear to be making new advances in the Eastern part of the country. An airstrike on the chemical plant is sending a massive gas cloud into the sky.
First, they blame the teacher for propping the door open in Uvalde that allowed the shooter entering. But now, police are correcting themselves. Stay with us.
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