Return to Transcripts main page
CNN Newsroom
Russia Pushes to Take Full Control of Severodonetsk; Kyiv Suburbs Begin Cleanup After Russian Withdrawal; 15 Former McDonald's reopen as Vkusno & Tochka in Russia; North Korea Fired Multiple Rocket Launchers Shots; Video of Women Being Attacked Sparks Outrage in China; U.S. Senators Announce Bipartisan Deal on Gun Safety; Remembering the Victims of the Pulse Nightclub Shooting; British Appeals Court to Rule on Asylum Bid; Nations Under Pressure to Return Looted Art. Aired 1-2a ET
Aired June 13, 2022 - 01:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[01:00:22]
MICHAEL HOLMES, CNN ANCHOR: Hello, and welcome to our viewers all around the world. I'm Michael Holmes. I appreciate your company. Coming up here on CNN Newsroom, Ukraine fearing defeat as Russia batters the eastern part of the country. Now, President Zelenskyy making a plea for help.
Plus, McDonald shut down its restaurants in Russia due to the war. Well, now a new fast food chain popping up in its place with very familiar looking items. And U.S. Senators broke a deal for increased gun safety measures, what critics say it falls far short of what's needed to stop America's epidemic of gun violence.
ANNOUNCER: Live from CNN Center, this is CNN Newsroom with Michael Holmes.
HOLMES: And we begin in Ukraine where Russian forces appear closer than ever to taking total control over a critical city in the east. The grinding battle for Severodonetsk is central to Russia's efforts to seize control of the wider Donbass Region. Ukraine says, Russia now controls most of the city and plans to cut it off completely in the coming days.
Fighting has raged there for weeks now with Russian forces unleashing the full might of their artillery to try to pummel the city into submission. Ukrainian officials say Russian shelling also caused the fire at a chemical plant in the city where hundreds of civilians are still sheltering. In his nightly address, Ukraine's President pleading with Western allies to send more heavy weapons to help them counter Russia's attacks.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, PRESIDENT OF UKRAINE (through translator): Today is the 109th day of a full scale war. But is not the 109th day as we tell our partners a simple thing. Ukraine needs modern missile defense systems. The supply of such systems was possible this year last year, and even earlier, can we get them? No. Do we need them? Yes. There have already been 2606 affirmative answers to this question in the form of various Russian cruise missiles that have hit Ukrainian cities, our cities, our villages for the period from February 24. These are lives that could have been saved. These are tragedies that could have been prevented if Ukraine had been listened to.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: For more, let's bring in CNN Salma Abdelaziz live for us in Kyiv. And I guess, Salma, after initial success on the battlefield, is there a sense momentum in this war is starting to shift?
SALMA ABDELAZIZ, CNN REPORTER: Absolutely. And it's shifting in Russia's favor. It's hard to deny that a Ukrainian commander that was briefing U.S. officials yesterday said Russian artillery is superior by 10 times. Ukrainian forces are running out of weapons, Michael, that is what. They are telling us. They are outmanned. They are outgunned in that all important city of Severodonetsk, they are nearly encircled by Russian forces. The latest updates we have show that two out of the three bridges in that city have been blown up, the third bridge is being heavily shelled. That would mean of course for any civilians trapped inside and there's an estimated 10,000 of them. Evacuations would become nearly impossible.
And that means also that supply lines into that city are also cut off extremely tenuous, being shelled. Neighboring towns and cities near Severodonetsk are already evacuating, leaving because the anticipation of this Russian advance and this is important, again, you have that map up, you look at that region, this is important because it takes Russia one step closer to claiming the whole of the Donbass Region. Of course, that was a critical part, a critical goal for President Putin. So absolutely, we are looking at a city now that I can't imagine how we won't be looking at it, falling in a matter of days.
HOLMES: And where you are there in the Capital Kyiv, I mean so many people fled initially many I hear of coming back, what are they finding? What are they saying?
ABDELAZIZ: Absolutely. Here in Kyiv, of course, it's a very, very different picture. This is a city of 4 million. Of course, when Russia advanced, when Russian troops entered to try to encircle Kyiv that population dwindled down to just 1 million. Now, most of those people have returned in here in the center of Kyiv, of course, untouched. There is a sense of normal life that has resumed. But it's in the suburbs, those places that were along the path of Russian artillery that were decimated, places were horrific atrocities happen that people are having to recover. They're having to rebuild. Take a look, Michael.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ABDELAZIZ: This was once someone's home, a place where children played and families gathered. Now, this group of volunteers is working hard to restore what was lost. [01:05:08]
ANDRIY KOPYLENKO, COFOUNDER, DISTRICT 1 ORGANIZATION: I feel that we are really gathering --
ABDELAZIZ: You're unified?
KOPYLENKO: Unified, yes, we are together and we know that it's our home. And all Ukrainians understanding we need to rebuild.
ABDELAZIZ: Hundreds signed up to join more than a dozen cleanup operations across Kyiv suburbs launched by charity group, District 1.
DMYTRO NIKITYUK, VOLUNTEER: We are all different, like we have different age, different interests. But we have worked here together as one.
ABDELAZIZ: Colorado native, Karl Voll is among those helping out.
KARL VOLL, VOLUNTEER: The building that we're in now has been bombed by the Russians. And this has to be covered by the homeowners themselves. So by all these people coming out and helping, it's really helping to jumpstart that process for them.
ABDELAZIZ: This tiny village of Myla became a front line overnight, when Russian forces barreling towards Kyiv fired wildly out apartment blocks in their path. The rounds set the building's roof ablaze and destroyed the upper floors. Civilians were killed even as they fled. Resident Maria Popova (ph) witnessed the horror.
We hid in the basement. We were very scared. She says, we sat and watched her houses burn.
(On camera): Russian troops have withdrawn but the devastation they've left behind is incredible. Homes here were shattered in an instant, but rebuilding life that will take much longer.
And those recovery efforts are up to communities.
KOPYLENKO: Army has job, soldiers working and we are working.
ABDELAZIZ: So they have a job on the front line.
KOPYLENKO: Yes.
ABDELAZIZ: You have a job here too.
KOPYLENKO: Yes, yes.
ABDELAZIZ: 77-year-old Popova (ph) was the first to return to the building. Her apartment was largely spared.
I believe in our army, she tells me. And there's no place like home. When you're at home, the walls calm you down.
With war never far just living in Ukraine feels like an act of defiance.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ABDELAZIZ: Now, Michael, this isn't just about rebuilding and restoring the physical infrastructures that were decimated by Russian artillery, by Russian forces. It's also about restoring a sense of peace, a sense of security, a sense of hope. As you can imagine, people are afraid that this could happen again, that Russian forces could once more try to invade. I was speaking to one of those volunteers who said look, we just have to accept the reality that we live beside a Russia that could attack us at any time. Michael.
HOLMES: Fascinating report. Salma, thank you. Salma Abdelaziz there in Kyiv.
Sunday was the Russian national holiday commemorating the declaration of state sovereignty of the Russian Federation in 1990. President Vladimir Putin handing out medals and awards for achievements in science literature and the arts. Russia Day also marked in Russian occupied parts of Ukraine. Ukrainian official alleges that people celebrating in the occupied city of Kherson were lured there with the promise of food and then used as propaganda. CNN cannot independently verify those claims.
Now, McDonald's was one of many U.S. and global brands to leave Russia because of the war in Ukraine. Coinciding with Russia Day a company which took over the McDonald's stores has launched its first 15 restaurants in the Moscow area with more to follow across the Russian Federation. CNN's Fred Pleitgen with the story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Russia now has its own version of McDonald's, it comes under a different name here, it's called Vkusno & Tochka essentially means tasty and that's it. Also has a different label or a different logo. You can see it right there. It's supposed to symbolize the company says, fries and a hamburger. Other than that a lot of things are actually very similar to McDonald's. However, there is no big mac and there also is no Happy Meal either. As you can see, this place is pretty much jam packed. There's really a lot of people who came here. We spoke to some of the customers including some actually wearing the symbols of Vladimir Putin's war in Ukraine, which of course the Russian has called a special military operation.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Food and politics have nothing in common like come on, man keep things separate.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Basically, it's important for me to have at McDonald's fuel.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think it's not a good idea because McDonald's, it's a history, it's a brand, it's great idea. It's not classical McDonald's.
PLEITGEN: As you can see the Russian version of McDonald's looks a lot like McDonald's. You have the double cheeseburger here, fries and this is a nine piece, hot McNuggets, it's nuggets and some sort of soft drinks, see how it tastes.
[01:10:15]
So the packaging is also very, very similar to McDonald's. You can see the cup here, everything except the branding. Same goes for the fries. And if you look carefully, you can see the sauces, even seem to have the McDonald's logo blacked out and see looks like nuggets, look like nuggets. So it's pretty much exactly the same as McDonald's.
This is a very historic place. Also, this is where in 1998, back then during the Soviet Union, the first McDonald's restaurant was opened. Now, that of course led to a huge success story of McDonald's here in Russia. And the Russian company that's now bought these franchises from McDonald's say they hope they'll be able to replicate that success. Fred Pleitgen, CNN, Moscow.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HOLMES: Jill Dougherty is a CNN contributor and former CNN Moscow Bureau Chiefs. He's also an adjunct professor at Georgetown University, and joins me now. Always good to see you, Jill. And let's talk about Putin and Peter the Great. I mean, Putin's rationale for the invasion was always about, you know, fighting nationalists or Nazis or saving Russian speakers from oppression. A lot of people did think he had grander designs. And now this comparison with Peter the Great from 300 years ago, seems to confirm that. What did you make of it?
JILL DOUGHERTY, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: Yeah, pretty much the same thing, Michael, I think this is pretty clear. You know, the President seems fixated on history. And here he is reaching back to his hero who really is Peter the Great 300 years ago, and saying, essentially, that Peter the Great, you know, fought this war against Sweden, he took that land. But that land was ours, was Russians. So he actually wasn't taking it. He was returning it. And he was for defying Russia. And the message is very clear, I think, which is this all applies to Ukraine. I mean, it's what Putin said at the beginning of the invasion, that's ours, we're going to take it, protect it, et cetera. And this is really, this message, Michael, is being picked up on all the Russian state media. And I think they feel that they found a winner.
HOLMES: I was going to ask you that, what is state media saying?
DOUGHERTY: They are saying, you know, this is our historic destiny. President Putin is, you know, like Peter the Great bringing back what we deserve. And I think it's really, at this point, Putin probably believes this, because I really do feel he thinks that he has an historic mission. But there could be a lot of elements. He could be threatening, and he could also be kind of trolling the West.
HOLMES: I guess that whole rationale, it certainly would give pause to any sort of promise Russia might make to end the conflict, wouldn't it? I mean, he stated his goal, clearly, and that is not stopping with Donbass and Crimea, it sort of destroys any facade of bargaining, doesn't it?
DOUGHERTY: Yeah, I think it really does. And that's the kind of worrying part of that this, you know, he was talking about, watch that video, by the way, in Russian, the entire thing with these young entrepreneurs. And I think, you know, he kept going back to Russia's destiny, and probably what he feels his destiny to return it. So I don't see any, you know, about face on this. I think he's continuing fostering to him.
HOLMES: Yeah. Yeah, and that talk, you're rattled nerves elsewhere. And I know you sort of have talked about this too. He also referred to Peter the Great assault on Narva, which is now in Estonia, and the Estonians aren't happy. On top of that, you've got a Russian lawmaker introducing a bill saying recognition of Lithuania's independence should be withdrawn. Obviously, that increases the regional concern.
DOUGHERTY: Oh, absolutely. You know, I was just in the Baltics a few weeks ago, both Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania. And they're always worried about what Russia might do. And I've actually been to Narva, I've looked at, you know, you can look across to Russia, across the river. So there is great concern. And when he starts specifically using that name, and saying Narva, it is understandable, I think that the Estonians called the Russian ambassador in to complain about it.
HOLMES: I also want to ask you about the new Russian McDonald's those stores have now been taken over rebranded locally. It's not about McDonald's, but speak to the optics of what was an iconic moment for Russia now gone and what it says about the broader post invasion and changes for Russians the sanctions starting to bite, the Western stores and goods disappearing?
[01:15:06]
DOUGHERTY: Yeah, I was thinking about that, Michael, because I think, you know, right before the war, you know, Moscow was a very nice city, you could get everything. And I think a lot of the people, especially the middle class, people got used to that all the sudden companies are pulling out that 1000 Western companies and pulled out, McDonald's is gone. And so bringing back their version of McDonald's, and tried to brand it, I mean, this happened really fast. They want to keep, I believe, they want to keep the middle class happy, and they want to brand it with something Russian, but it looks kind of Western too. It looks pretty sophisticated. And that's their idea, keep people happy so that they will not begin to worry about this war, and about the effect of sanctions, which are really beginning to bite.
HOLMES: Yeah, I only got a minute or so left. But I do want to ask you this too, the Russian Duma has started the process to establish, I think they're calling it a national children's and youth movement called the great change, kids joining from age six, what does that look like to you?
DOUGHERTY: Well, it's under the care of President Putin. So I think it looks to me like the old, you know, pioneers comes from all, the Communist Youth organizations, and the children's version of that the young pioneers. I mean, legitimately, that I think they do want to somehow, give activities to young people, but there's a real effort by the Kremlin, and President Putin personally, to inculcate what he thinks of as patriotism, and especially at this moment, where the country really is war, that becomes extremely significant.
HOLMES: Great analysis is always there. Jill Dougherty appreciate it. Good to see my friend.
DOUGHERTY: Thanks, Michael.
HOLMES: South Korea says North Korea fired multiple rocket launchers shots early on Sunday morning, the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff didn't give many other details. Multiple rocket launchers though usually fire shorter range munitions, not buying long range ballistic missiles. All of this company has sold announces a dramatic boost to its defenses. CNN's Paula Hancocks joins me now from Seoul with the very latest. Tell us more about these strengthened, you know, defensive capabilities.
PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Michael, this was something that the defense minister on Sunday, Lee Jong-sup, made an announcement. This was at the Shangri-La Dialogue, which is a meeting in Singapore of all the defense ministers. And he said that they would boost the capability, in fact, to use the word dramatically. And then we're going to use those capabilities in order to counter the North Korean threat. He also went on saying that what North Korea is doing at the moment with all this intensive testing is leading to instability not just in Northeast Asia, but the whole of the Indo- Pacific region.
He also pointed out that North Korea's provocations, the missile tests are advancing in both quality and quantity of certainly something which is concerned many in the region that recently, even though some of those tests have failed, North Korea is still learning from every single weapon and missile that they are launching.
And he also said that if North Korea did make significant progress in denuclearization, then South Korea would pursue a bold plan to try and help them revitalize the economy and help the quality of life for North Koreans. But of course, that's does appear to be a fair way down the road, given the fact that North Korea is showing absolutely no interest in engaging with South Korea or with the United States. And it's showing no interest in negotiating.
So what North Korea is in the midst of at this point is a very intensive testing period at the beginning of last year, we heard from Kim Jong-un who gave an effective wish list of everything that he wanted to achieve over the next five years when it comes to missiles and weapons capabilities. Michael?
HOLMES: And to that point, still concerns about the possible nuclear tests by the North?
HANCOCKS: Yes, this is one of those things that was on that list that North Korea wanted to perfect. There is an expectation of a seventh underground nuclear test at any time. We've been hearing, really for the past week or so that it could be imminent. In fact, when the U.S. President Joe Biden was here at the end of last month, there was a suggestion that it could happen as early as during his visit, and we heard from his national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, that they had planned for all contingencies. Now, obviously, that didn't happen. Although just after President Biden left the region, North Korea did fire some missiles.
But the assessment at this point from both the U.S., from South Korean side, the intelligence agencies believe that Pyongyang is ready that all the preparations have been carried out. We've heard from the IAEA as well, the International Atomic Energy Agency saying that they believe there is a possibility of this this seventh nuclear test. And certainly that would cause great concern, according to the IAEA, it would provoke more of a response as well from the region and also from the U.S. more so than these missile launches. Michael.
[01:20:22]
HOLMES: All right. Great wrap up there, Paula, I appreciate that. Paula Hancocks there in Seoul with the very latest.
Now, violent attack against women caught on video prompting public outcry in China now some are saying it's a bigger issue throughout the country. We'll have the latest from Steven Jiang in Beijing.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: Welcome back. Beijing is imposing mass COVID testing in hopes of quelling what they call a ferocious COVID outbreak. City officials said more than 160 infections have been linked to a bar in the city's Chaoyang District, the area will undergo three days of testing. A government spokesperson says getting a handle on this outbreak is harder than controlling one link to a local fish market two years ago.
Meanwhile, a viral video showing a man brutally attacking women is fueling new discussions on women's safety in China. Nine people were arrested following a fight that broke out at a barbecue restaurant with at least four women injured. We must warn viewers video of the incident is very disturbing. It's difficult to watch. But it has triggered nationwide outrage in China and is important to see. CNN's Beijing Bureau Chief Steven Jiang joins me now. It is extraordinary. It is hard to watch. Tell us what happened?
STEVEN JIANG, CNN SENIOR PRODUCER: Michael, it is extremely difficult to watch this video especially as parents of young daughters like myself. But as you mentioned, we are going to show our viewers portion of this because it is so important to illustrate and explains why this incident has sparked so many reactions and emotions around the country.
Now, in this surveillance video from last Friday, you can see a man in green walking past by a group of women eating at this restaurant making unwanted advances to this woman in white after she rebuffed him more than once. Not only he did not give up, he actually started hitting her in the face. And that's when this woman and her friends tried to get him away by trying to hit him with what appeared to be beer bottles. And then this man and his cohorts escalated their violence against these women by a punching and kicking them in the restaurant and also throwing a cheer at them. And then this group of men actually drag this woman in white out of the restaurant and continue to pummel and kick her and also worth throwing her and her friend to the ground littered with broken beer glass.
Now, as a result two women suffered serious injuries and got hospitalized and two others sustained minor injuries obviously as you said all nine suspects have been arrested. But this incident has sparked nationwide outrage but also really stirred renewed debates about violence and sexual harassment against women.
[01:25:18]
Those are increasingly taboo subjects in this country because the authorities have been cracking down on many such conversations and especially feminist activists whom they are portraying as subversive forces instigated by anti-China elements from overseas. And that's why even after this incident, we have seen authorities seem to are trying to steer the focus away from gender based violence to something akin to an isolated incident involving local gangsters and some Chinese social media platforms even announced the blocking and censorship of some posts and accounts. They deemed to be, "stirring gender-based confrontations."
But despite all this effort from the Government and authorities, it's clear that this topic is now back at a front and center of a national discourse, with many people really highlighting the systemic problems faced by women in this still very much largely patriarchal society, not to mention all the censorship as well as very sporadic legal support for female victims of violence, and their impact and the possible connections to horrific incidents like this one. And just to illustrate how sensitive this topic is, Michael, as I'm speaking to you, the censors here have predictably blacked out CNN signal in this country, Michael.
HOLMES: As they do, I'm curious to get back to what is it all authorities are afraid of when it comes to sort of protecting women's rights in the situation or criticizing the behavior of men? And by the way, the men who were standing around as well, not directly involved also not doing anything about it?
JIANG: Yeah, I think the fear here is not to direct the attention or the conversation to systemic problems about what's wrong with the system, with this political system. Remember, the part of the irony of this, of course, is this is indeed a police state with millions of surveillance cameras around the country and with the omnipresence if you will, of police officers and security forces, not to mention, you know, the kind of draconian COVID measures they have been able to enforce around the country. But somehow this incident happened in plain view of so many people. And many have actually criticized the initial at least the initial seemingly inaction from local police. So there's a lot of questions the government seem to be trying to divert people's attention away from, you know, that is part of the reason why they're so hell bent in censoring a lot of the conversations. And then of course, remember, this is a country that is very proud of that sort of famous saying from it's a communist founding father, Chairman Mao, women hold up half the sky, but seems the reality is very much still men still rule this land and dictate the narrative on women's rights. Michael?
HOLMES: Yeah. And as you point out the sensitivity and not even wanting this story reported there and turning off our signal, and you'll find reporting on it. Steven, thanks so much, Steven Jiang there in Beijing for us.
Turning now to Brazil and authorities say they have found a backpack and personal belongings of a missing British journalist and Brazilian Indigenous Affairs expert. The pair went missing last week in a remote part of the Amazon known for illegal mining and drug trafficking. Police had already found possible human remains in the area and blood on a boat belonging to someone they described as a suspect. Police say Dom Phillips and Bruno Araujo Pereira were in the area to research a book project on conservation efforts. They had reportedly received death threats just days before.
Still to come on the program, U.S. Senators reach a bipartisan agreement on gun safety legislation. But one senator says there is still a lot more work to do. We'll have the details on that.
Also, it's been six years since the mass shooting at a nightclub in Orlando, Florida. The city pauses to remember the victims. We'll have that more when we come back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[01:31:48]
MICHAEL HOLMES, CNN ANCHOR: And welcome back to our viewers all around the world. I'm Michael Holmes. You're watching CNN NEWSROOM.
U.S. President Joe Biden says a framework on gun safety reflects important steps in the right direction. His comments coming after a bipartisan group of senators announced an agreement in principle that could lead to the biggest gun reform legislation in decades.
Now, that news, of course, just 19 days after a gunman opened fire inside an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas killing 19 children and two teachers.
CNN's Daniella Diaz with more from Washington.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DANIELLA DIAZ, CNN CONGRESSIONAL REPORTER: The bipartisan group of senators that has been working on some sort of framework on gun safety reform in the wake of the Uvalde shooting, announced on Sunday that they reached a framework, they reached a deal.
Now, they do not have the legislative text of bill language yet. That is incredibly important. It is just an agreement on principle. It will have measures that support state crisis intervention orders, investment in child and family mental health services, protections for victims of domestic violence, funding for school based mental health and supportive services, funding for school safety resources and telehealth investments.
And also important and notable, an enhanced review process for buyers under the age of 21. And there is also going to be a measure that includes penalties for straw purchasing.
I want to emphasize, too, that there are ten Republicans who signed off on the announcement for this framework. And remember, because of that 50/50 split in the Senate -- 50 Democrats and 50 Republicans, if every single Democratic senator supports this, there still needs to be ten Republicans to break that 60 vote threshold for the filibuster.
Now, Republicans are saying -- an aide actually told our Dana Bash -- a Republican aide told our Dana Bash earlier today that they have not agreed yet. Once they see the legislative text, those details are going to be important. They said, quote, this is an agreement on principles not legislative text. The details will be critical for Republicans. Particularly, for the firearms related provisions. One or more of these principles could be dropped if the text is not agreed to. So really, really important as we continue to see once they start writing the text to this bill.
But I do want to note that the top Republican in the Senate, Mitch McConnell, put out a statement on Sunday after this announcement on the framework praising the top negotiators, John Cornyn and Chris Murphy. He said, "I appreciate their hard work on this important issue. The principles they announced today show the value of dialogue and cooperation."
So, there is some praise from the top Republican in the Senate -- very, very notable. But Senator Chris Coons was actually on CNN on Sunday after this announcement. And he told our Dana Bash, that while they do have this framework, it is not a win yet for Democrats for this bipartisan group because there is still a lot more work to happen that needs to take place before they vote. Take a listen to what he said.
[01:34:54]
DANA BASH, CNN HOST: It is very delicate still.
SENATOR CHRIS COONS (D-DE): That's right.
There is a lot of work still to do to take this framework agreement and reduce it to legislative language. We shouldn't take a victory lap yet.
But I'm so grateful for the leadership that senators like Chris Murphy and John Cornyn have shown in getting us to this point. And I'm optimistic that the pressure that we are all feeling from our constituents to act and to deliver real results will get us to the presidents desk with legislation this time.
DIAZ: I want to emphasize, that while this framework is incredibly important, that it just came out super notable, it is narrow in its scope. But Democrats were hoping that they could at least have some sort of incremental change on gun safety reform. That was the goal in these bipartisan talks to find something, find consensus with Republicans to make progress on this issue that has been a stalemate for more than 30 years.
So, that is why it is so notable that they are now doing this. But there's still a lot more work ahead for this bipartisan group to get it over the finish line.
Daniella Diaz, CNN -- Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HOLMES: Joining me now from Los Angeles is CNN senior political analyst Ron Brownstein, also a senior editor at "The Atlantic". Good to see you, Ron.
(CROSSTALK)
HOLMES: I guess, of course, a deal struck doesn't mean laws passed, but what does it say that even incremental measures like this, well short of what gun safety advocates say is really necessary, is seen as so significant?
RON BROWNSTEIN, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: Well, it's a measure of how great an obstacle the Senate has presented to executing the will of the people on gun control. I mean you look at -- you know, you look at the polling and not only in the aftermath of terrible tragedies like the ones we've had in the last month, but pretty consistently over the last few years, there's a majority of the country that wants to go much further than this deal, you know, envisions on a whole variety of issues.
And yet, because of the Senate, the narrow apportionment of the Senate, the disproportionate influence of small, rural states where gun culture's most powerful and magnified by the filibuster, that is all off the table.
So this is progress, as analysts have noted. This will the first bill that does anything to advance gun control since the assault weapon ban in 1994 but it is pretty meager on that front compared what there is broad public support.
HOLMES: Yes, I mean the proposals include like incentivizing states to introduce red flag laws, but no requirement to do so. No federal law, a lot of mental illness plans but most mass shooters aren't mentally ill. Nothing on high capacity magazines, access to high-powered weapons and ammunition.
I guess. It's not nothing but do you feel at the end of the day yet again, time has passed, attention turns elsewhere and nothing truly substantive gets done.
BROWNSTEIN: Well look, it's clear to me that nothing substantive is really going to get done as long as the filibuster is in place. I mean It just empowers the states where gun control -- where the gun culture and the gun lobby is so powerful that Republican elected officials won't combat it. Let me give you one example, though, of what we're discussing. You mentioned the red flag laws. What this compromise does is try to give states incentives to pass their own. There's a poll last week for the National Public Radio and PBS and Marist College in which 73 percent of Americans, including 77 percent of Republicans who don't own guns, said they would support a national red flag law. And that is just indicative of something that we have talked about before.
On most of these issues -- raising the age for buying assault weapons, banning assault weapons, banning high-capacity magazines, national red flag law -- there is support not only among Democrats who do or don't own guns. There's support among Independents who do and don't own guns. There's majority support for all of those things even among Republicans who don't own guns. The only group that opposes these ideas are Republican gun owners. And yet, they have a veto in the party, and because of the filibuster, the states that they dominate politically have a veto over the rest of the country.
HOLMES: Representation in action.
I wanted to get you on this too, before we let you go. Another televised January 6th hearing on Monday. What are you expecting?
BROWNSTEIN: Well, you know, one of the things I think they did most effectively in that first hearing was establish that Donald Trump knew, or should've known, that he lost the election. That he was told repeatedly by people around him that he lost the election.
And he proceeded in his months-long, multipronged effort to subvert the result despite that. Now obviously, that's critical from a legal point of view, in terms of establishing his state of mind. And I think the testimony tomorrow is going to be more along those lines.
[01:39:53]
BROWNSTEIN: To me -- and I think for most people watching -- the overwhelming takeaway of that first hearing was changing the frame of how we should be thinking about this. For most of (INAUDIBLE) in the 18 months since January 6th have been did Trump's tweets and words ignite the mob?
The committee is asking a different question. They're asking did Donald Trump engage in a multipronged, multi-month effort to subvert the election? And I think they are answering clearly yes, and it was not only wrong, it was not only a broad violation of his oath to the Constitution as president to ensure the laws are faithfully executed. It was a crime.
HOLMES: Right.
BROWNSTEIN: And I think they're trying to build that case. And we're going to see more of that over the next couple of weeks.
HOLMES: We're almost right out of time, but I have to ask you, to that point, more and more the questions being asked whether if the hard evidence is there, Donald Trump could or should be charged or indicted.
Do you think even if there is compelling evidence there would be the political will to charge a former president even in this extraordinary circumstance? I mean members of Congress were asking for pardons, apparently.
BROWNSTEIN: Yes, we don't know, you know. I mean Merrick Garland in many ways, was an attorney general choice by Joe Biden that reflected his desire for a return to normalcy as they say in American politics. This will be the decision that defines his career ultimately.
But I think the committee is both paving a path and pointing a finger at Merrick Garland in making a very strong, sustained, and evidence- based case that they believe Donald Trump not only acted improperly, but illegally.
And ultimately this will be, you know, the decision of Garland's career. And I don't think we know which way he will come out, but I think the pressure after these hearings seriously considering legal action is going to be enormous because they seem to have a lot of the goods.
HOLMES: Yes. Lack of accountability paves the way for the next guy, that's for sure.
(CROSSTALK)
BROWNSTEIN: You know, what they say, Michael?
HOLMES: Yes.
BROWNSTEIN: They say a coup without consequence is practice.
HOLMES: Yes, absolutely. Yes, a good saying. Ron Brownstein, always a pleasure. Good to see you, my friend.
BROWNSTEIN: Thank you.
HOLMES: One of the United States' worst mass shootings took place at the Pulse Nightclub in Orlando, Florida six years ago, you probably remember it.
Well people paused to remember the somber anniversary on Sunday, and honor the 49 people killed in what authorities called a targeted attack on the LGBTQ class community.
CNN's Nadia Romero with more.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
NADIA ROMERO, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: (INAUDIBLE) has been more than emotional here in Orlando outside of the Pulse Nightclub, marking six years since that shooting where 49 people were killed, 53 others wounded.
You can see behind me the memorial that just never stops growing as people come by and lay down flowers and balloons and posters to honor those victims.
On Sunday, Governor Ron DeSantis ordering all flags in the state to be flown at half staff. And at 9:00 a.m. Sunday morning, there was a moment of silence to remember and reflect on what happened here six years ago.
There was a woman who came out and she was overcome with emotion. She was inconsolable. Weeping over the death of her son. She said that her son died in the nightclub on that night. She was only here briefly before getting back in her car and leaving.
We also spoke to another man by the name of Antonio. He says that he was supposed to come to the nightclub that night with his husband to enjoy, to have fun, a place that he thought would be fun and safe. But his husband got off work too late, so they ended up turning around and going home. And that's when he found out, the very next morning, what happened. Take a listen.
ANOTNIO ECHENIQUE, ORLANDO RESIDENT: It definitely marks a day for me. Every year, I try my (INAUDIBLE) if I work, if I have to be somewhere, I always stop by because like I said, it could happen to me, and they were here, they lost their lives, and they were here for the same reason I was going to be here. Just to have a good time and be able to spend time with my loved ones at a safe place -- or where we thought it was going to be a safe place.
ROMERO: We also met another woman who came from Tampa. So she drove about an hour away to get here. She says she comes every single year. She brings her nephews -- ages three and seven -- to make sure that they can see what she says was hate in motion. To see the hatred that amounted to this mass shooting, and she wants to remember.
Now, just last year, President Joe Biden giving the seal of approval to have a national memorial here, a memorial and a museum is in the works to forever, permanently honor the victims of that Pulse Nightclub shooting six years ago.
Nadia Romero, CNN -- Orlando.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HOLMES: A last-minute attempt to stop the British deportations to Rwanda. Coming up, how an appeals court could decide the fate of dozens of migrants in the coming hours. We'll be right back.
[01:44:42]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: In the coming hours, the British court of appeals will issue a ruling on an asylum appeal that could see dozens of people deported to Rwanda, beginning on Tuesday. Under a controversial program announced in April by the British government, anyone who arrived in Britain illegally this year could be relocated to Rwanda.
CNN's Larry Madowo with more. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
LARRY MADOWO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: These are the final touches at Hope Hostel in Kigali before the first migrants deported from the U.K. arrived.
And so this is the new place waiting for the migrants?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
MADOWO: This building that until recently housed the young survivors of the Rwandan genocide, have a new purpose. This newly-renovated household can host up to 100 people, two to a room and sharing communal bathrooms.
So this is one sample room.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, this is the one sample room (INAUDIBLE). We've got amenities. We've got towels, it's got an (INAUDIBLE), it's got a change of sheets.
MADOWO: Yes.
This is where the migrants will live under the watchful eye of Rwandan authorities. The hostel is functional, not luxurious. But the Rwandan government says the migrants will be free here, not in detention like in the U.K.
Officials are also promising health care and support for at least five years or until they're self-sufficient.
But the plan has been widely criticized by many refugee rights groups in U.K., internationally and here in Rwanda. The main opposition party here says, Rwanda shouldn't have to bear the U.K.'s burden.
JEAN-CLAUDE NTEZIMANA, SECRETARY GENERAL, DEMOCRATIC GREEN PARTY OF RWANDA: It is their responsibility.
MADOWO: So you think the U.K.'s violating its international obligations by passing that off to Rwanda?
NTEZIMANA: Yes. And they don't see why. We are still struggling of having enough infrastructure -- electricity, water, roads, schools, hospitals. We are not the same like to U.K. We have to think twice.
MADOWO: Rwanda and the U.K. expect this migrant scheme to disrupt the business of people smugglers. But many international bodies, even the U.K. rank Rwanda poorly on some human rights indicators.
Critics also say accepting migrants rich countries don't want is cruel and inhumane.
YOLANDE MAKOLO, RWANDAN GOVERNMENT SPOKESWOMAN: It's cruel and it's inhumane that people are dying in the desert, trying to cross the desert, making these dangerous journeys, drowning in the Mediterranean. We're interested in protecting vulnerable people. And this has been our philosophy for the last 30 years.
MADOWO: Rwanda has also welcomed refugees and asylum seekers evacuated from Libya after unsuccessfully trying to cross to Europe.
Orientation has started for the latest arrivals at the Gashora (ph) Emergency Transit Center. They are mostly from the Horn of Africa.
How do you compare the conditions in the four years you spent in Libya and here in Rwanda?
ZEMEN FESAHA, REFUGEE AT GASHORA EMERGENCY TRANSIT CENTER: It's difficult to compare, because it's like from hell to heaven.
[01:49:55]
MADOWO: Being in Libya to Rwanda is like coming from hell to heaven.
FESAHA: Yes, yes.
MADOWO: Zemen is grateful for the peace and freedom in Rwanda but it's still not his destination of choice. None of the people we spoke to here wanted to stay, even though it's one of the options.
Your final goal is still to go to Europe?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
MADOWO: Rwanda has become the global market leader in migrant offshoring. After the U.K. scheme, a deal with Denmark is in the works.
It's helped clean up Rwanda's image internationally, but some accuse it of trying to paint over a dark reputation.
Larry Madowo, CNN -- Kigali.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HOLMES: The Iraqi parliament is now short dozens of members. Lawmakers belonging to the Sadrist Movement submitted their resignations after the head of the party, the Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr told them to do so on Sunday.
The group which is part of the Saving The Homeland Alliance has reached a stalemate with the Shiite Coordination Framework which is made up of the Iranian-backed parties. Sadr said that the resignations are a sacrifice aimed at finally getting a government formed.
Still to come, more than 125 years after they were looted from their homeland, an effort is underway to recover historical artifacts known as the Benin Bronzes. We'll have a report from Lagos.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: Countries around the world are feeling the pressure to return stolen African artifacts to their rightful owners. Belgium's King Felipe just traveled to the Democratic Republic of Congo, bringing back a looted traditional mask to the national museum in Kinshasa. But Belgium still has thousands of Congolese artifacts, and this is not an isolated phenomenon either.
Nigeria currently fighting for ownership of precious relics from the kingdom of Benin taken from the late 1800s.
CNN's Zain Asher explains.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ZAIN ASHER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The faces of an African civilization now centuries old immortalized in elegant bronze plaques. Their traditions personified in ancient brass figurines. Their artistry carved into ivory tusks.
PEJU LAYIWOLA, ART HISTORY PROFESSOR, UNIVERSITY OF LAGOS: These are documents of our history. You see, it's a broad range of object types, telling you about the glory of a kingdom, telling you about what transpired at the time, and how very developed the technology was, and how very developed the culture and civilization was.
ASHER: Peju Layiwola said she's a direct descendant of the monarch of the Benin kingdom, in what is now Nigeria. It was here where thousands of these precious relics were forged hundreds of years ago, a vast collection of artifacts considered some of Africa's greatest treasures.
But they're also some of Africa's rarest. That is because very few of these carvings remain within Nigeria. Historians say that thousands were stolen during a gruesome and vicious battle here in the late 1800s.
LAYIWOLA: They killed a lot of people. It was ultra violent. They actually wanted to exterminate the culture.
ASHER: In 1897, a handful of British officials were murdered during a trade mission that was clearly provocative. In retaliation, the British launched an attack on a scale the city had never seen. It was brutal.
[01:54:57]
ASHER: They killed civilians, burned everything in their path, and looted thousands -- and I mean thousands, of precious objects known as the Benin Bronzes.
These spoils of war were eventually sold and housed in foreign museums around the world. Many foreign museums across the Europe and the United States have been under intense pressure to return these stolen objects to Nigeria.
LAYIWOLA: It's a moral issue. It's a way of correcting the wrong that happened in 1897. It doesn't erase the trauma of the past, but it makes it easier for you to (INAUDIBLE) that incident without, you know, thinking about all of the pain that went with it. ASHER: Here in Lagos, the national museum director Abba Tijani (ph) recently helped negotiate the repatriation of two Benin Bronzes previously displayed at Cambridge and Aberdeen Universities in the U.K.
ABBA TIJANI, DIRECTOR, LAGOS NATIONAL MUSEUM: Most of European colleagues, look at these objects as objects of aesthetic equality. But we look at them as they are living arts, which we associate themselves to on a daily basis.
ASHER: But many museums are still hesitant to return the prized objects. The British Museum houses the largest collection of Benin Bronzes in the world. And although it's been involved in lengthy discussions about their possible repatriation, it's still yet to return a single one.
Tijani believes there is room for compromise.
TIJANI: We are not saying that we want to have them displayed all in Nigeria. We want these objects to still continue to be our ambassadors in those countries. But under our terms.
ASHER: Despite progress, thousands of Benin Bronzes remain on display outside of Nigeria. Unclear when or if these priceless works will return to their rightful home.
Zain Asher, CNN -- Lagos.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HOLMES: Now, some Ukrainians are using 3D technology to preserve their cultural heritage during the war. A group called Backup Ukraine is using volunteers to scan cultural landmark and artifacts using an app. The software creates 3D images which organizers say can be used to reconstruct those objects if they end up being damaged. Ukraine says hundreds of cultural sites have been hit by Russia since the war began.
Thanks for spending part of your day with me. I'm Michael Holmes. You can follow me on Twitter and Instagram @HolmesCNN.
Do stick around, your favorite Canadian Paula Newton is going to have more news for you in just a moment.
[01:57:28]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
