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Blinken: Russian Sanctions Already Having Dramatic Effect; Heat Advisories in Place for Several U.S. States; 22 People Died in Unclear Circumstances at South African Tavern; Planned Parenthood joins Pride Parade; Vote Likely to Be Held to Dissolve Israeli Parliament. Aired 4:30-5a ET
Aired June 27, 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]
ISA SOARES, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome back to CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Isa Soares. If you're just joining us, day two of the G7 summit is underway in Germany at this hour. It's a meeting that has so far been dominated by Russia's war on Ukraine. Leaders began the working session just moments ago on the war -- with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy joining them virtual -- as you can see there -- by video link. He is expected to press for more sanctions on Russia as well as more military aid for Ukraine.
And it appears the leaders are making progress on new sanctions against Russia. In the last hour we learned that the bloc will try to cap the price of Russian oil. The details are still being worked out but the plan could deprive Moscow of a key revenue source for funding its aggression against Ukraine. It comes one day after an import ban new gold from Russia was announced. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is telling CNN's Jake Tapper that Western sanctions are starting to bite. Have a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANTONY BLINKEN, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: Everything that we've done from the start, in imposing unprecedented sanctions and the export controls is having a profound impact on Russia. Even as it gets oil revenues with higher prices, is unable to spend them because of export controls. It can't acquire what it needs to modernize its defense sector, to modernize is technology, to modernize its energy exploration. Which means that over time each of these areas is going to go on decline. Already we're seeing predictions the Russian economy will shrink by 8 to 15 percent next year. The ruble is being propped up artificially at great expense. A thousand companies, major international companies, have left Russia.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SOARES: Well, earlier I spoke with Kira Rudik, a member of Ukraine's Parliament. She told me what Western nations must do to help Ukraine. Have a listen to this.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) KIRA RUDIK, UKRAINIAN MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT: We also want the world to do their part and make sure that while the emotions may be winding down, that support of Ukraine is the part of the strategic plan for each democratic country, especially for the world leaders.
SOARES: So, the world to do their part, that's what you say, Kira. I mean, is your sense there that there needs to be greater urgency, that the weapons are not getting to Ukraine fast enough? If not, why not?
RUDIK: Look, everybody is asking me why and when the war would end. My answer to that is, well, the sanctions that would really hurt Putin will start working only in 2023. So, the expectation that war will end right now, they are not based on any fact.
Second, their weapons. We only started getting the weapons that we were promised at the beginning of this war. So, for some of the promises, it took four months to be fulfilled. So right now, we need not only the promises and packages of support, but we need them fast and we need a way to get them to Ukrainians ten times faster than we were getting them before.
Otherwise, again, we will be able to fight, but we will be able to fight almost bare hand. But I will give you one example. I have small office in Bucha that was destroyed. It was destroyed by three missiles. It's $300,000 spent of Russian money on one small office, one small building. And they're just using those resources without thinking because they have tons of them.
[04:35:00]
We cannot afford this luxury. That's why we need to have it more and more and more support and supplies from the Western countries.
Our only question would be like, OK, if you are slow in supporting Ukraine, then what is the plan? What is the plan? Let Russia move forward? What is the plan, to let Russia take over Ukraine? And we are just two months away from autumn. Does anybody think that in autumn when the heating season in Europe starts, Putin will become a better person? Easier to negotiate? Or he will use his leverage to cut down the energy resources or ramp up the prices as high as he can to make sure that he has upper hand in the potential negotiation? And this is why we need to take the momentum now while he is still not as strong as he can be, and he will be in autumn when the whole Europe and European citizens will be just hostages to this energy crisis.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SOARES (on camera): Kira Rudik there speaking to me earlier. She also told me Ukraine cannot negotiate with Russia in good faith. As they believe Vladimir Putin cannot be trusted to keep his word on any potential agreements.
It's just not easy to fly right now. Flight delays and cancellations are continuing to frustrate travelers. More than 600 flights are canceled for Monday so far in the United States. Delta Airlines continues to have the most cancellations, scrapping more than 200 flights on Sunday alone. Airlines say staffing shortages and weather are to blame for the cancellations.
While millions of people along the U.S. West Coast are under heat advisories, but some locations seeing very high temperatures indeed, CNN's meteorologist Pedram Javaheri has more on the record temperatures. Good morning, Pedram.
PEDRAM JAVAHERI, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Good morning, Isa. The big-time heat across the Western U.S., the story here for at least 20 million Americans, you'll notice temps as warm as 102 across portions of eastern Washington. Even western Washington 90s. Upper 90s across southern Oregon, Northern California and in the 100s widespread across portions of Southern/Central California, as well. And big-time heat for an area that has been absolutely doused here with cooler temperatures, wet weather in the last couple months, and finally tapping into some excessive heat. And you'll notice Astoria, Oregon, far northwestern Oregon there, a high on Sunday of 92, besting the previous record of 85.
And incredibly, the drought across portions of the Western United States, at least around the northwest, has shrunk quite a bit here, going from about 70 plus percent in September of last year to the most present update coming in at only 11 percent encompassing eastern Washington. Again, speaks to how wet this region has been, but the heat is on here for at least one day. And temps will climb up to the 90s in Seattle. 93 in Portland and you'll notice, back down to reality, 60s and 70s more of the norm here over the next several days. So, a dramatic drop in temperatures as Mother Nature turns on its air conditioning across that region.
But how about the wet weather across areas of the Southwest where nearly the entirety of the states of Arizona and New Mexico have been underneath drought, extreme excessive drought. And you'll notice rainfall here, the monsoonal moisture, enough to actually bring the containment numbers for the Hermits Peak, Calf Canyon fire there, up to 92 percent. So, great news for the firefighting efforts across that region when it comes to rainfall.
And also watching some news developing across portions of the tropics. An area of disturbance, 20 percent chance of formation. Mainly going to be a rainmaker for Texas. Couple of pockets, one with a 90 percent chance of forming in the next five days that is going to be threatening areas of South America certainly in and round Nicaragua as we approach that region over the next five days or so -- Isa.
SOARES: Thank you very much, Pedram. Still to come right here on the show, a tragic accident at a bull fight in Colombia. Police are trying to figure out what caused the partial stadium collapse killing four people. We have dramatic images for you.
Plus, 22 people, most of them teenagers, mysteriously die at a tavern in South Africa. We have the latest on the investigation next.
[04:40:00]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK) SOARES: The president of South Africa has expressed his condolences to the families of the 22 people who died at a tavern in the city of East London. Forensic examiners were at the scene on Sunday trying really to figure out what the cause of the deaths were. A local health official said the victims were between 18 and 20 years old. Though some may have been as young as 13. CNN's Larry Madowo joins us live from Nairobi with the latest on this story. And Larry, we're all trying to scratch our heads here trying to understand what exactly unfolded. Are you getting any more clarity as to what happened?
LARRY MADOWO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Isa, we're trying everything to understand exactly what happened and that's what authorities, investigators are also looking into. What we know is that the South African Police Minister Bheki Cele has ruled out a stampede. He also ruled out natural causes of the deaths here after going to the morgue.
One of the working theories has been out there that's not confirmed, authorities have not even commented on is some kind of poisoning. The owner of this tavern claimed in a local interview in South Africa that somebody could have used pepper spray. Again, we just don't have any information on that at this stage. What is not unclear -- what is unclear is how children, because that's what they were, children as young as 13 were in a tavern on a Friday -- on a Saturday night. They were aged between 13 and 17, and many of them are supposed to have finished their end of year exam so they could have been celebrating. That's why they were at this tavern.
These are all things they will be looking into. Authorities now tell us that four remain in critical condition. And they're hoping that when they recover, they can shed more light on what happened. And there are still five unidentified bodies according to the Eastern Cape Provincial Premiere Office. But the Police Minister Bheki Cele who went to this location and then to the morgue was reduced to tears and later this is what he had to say.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BHEKI CELE, SOUTH AFRICAN MINISTER OF POLICE: But when you look at their faces, you realize that they are dealing with kids, kids, kids, kids. You have heard the story, that they are young. But when you see them, you realize that it is a disaster.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MADOWO: South African police say they are spending maximum resources to investigate the circumstances of the deaths. They are taking samples from the bodies for toxicology reports and we should know more. We expect a statement from provincial authorities and likely the police, Isa, later today.
SOARES: Do keep us posted. Larry Madowo for us there in Nairobi, Kenya. Thanks very much, Larry.
Well, a Sunday bullfighting event turned deadly and Columbia after the stadium partially collapsed. Officials say four people were killed after the three-story structure collapsed and local hospitals have treated more than 300 injured patients from the event. Now investigations are underway to find out what may have caused the collapse. No cause has been reported so far.
[04:45:00]
Still to come right here on the show. Planned Parenthood takes to the streets of New York during the city's Pride Parade. We have the details for you just ahead. You are watching CNN NEWSROOM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SOARES: Turkish riot police repeatedly -- as you can see there -- beating and kicking someone curled up on the ground there. This was the scene on Sunday as protesters in Istanbul defied a ban on a march celebrating pride month. According to local groups, LGBTI and pride week, more than 350 people were detained by police. Turkey's conservative government under President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has cracked down on local LGBTQ plus events. At least 23 of the protesters have been released so far.
[04:50:00]
In New York, the annual Pride Parade kicked off this weekend with Planned Parenthood leading the march just two days after the Supreme Court ruling that overturned the landmark Roe v. Wade decision. CNN's Polo Sandoval was there and has details for you.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
POLO SANDOVAL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The crowds are back to celebrate New York City Pride. However, this year another additional element of protest as Planned Parenthood was invited to basically lead the parade this year. Symbolic move meant to echo the frustration and also the anger that we have seen in New York City since the Supreme Court ruling was handed down on Friday.
I heard from not just spectators, but also participants and heavy on their mind was Justice Clarence Thomas' additional opinion in which he expressed that perhaps it is time to examine previous rulings involving gay marriage. This is certainly a major concern for many of the participants in this year's parade. Though the court in its conservative majority assured the Friday ruling was not meant to affect that particular part of the law, that is still providing little to reassure participants here. And one person calling it terrifying.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think he's really gunning for people who are different and things he's afraid of and things a lot of other people are afraid of. It gives us power, it gives us strength to fight back. And I mean, the fact that he, you know, pointed out those names, I mean, we know what he's gunning for. So, we're going to be fighting right back.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They promise under oath, no. They lie to you under oath. They lie to this community. They lie to my community as a woman. I know I'm safe in New York because it's in our state's constitution. But it's not just us, it's about everyone in all 50 states.
SANDOVAL: And we should note that on Friday the conservative majority did write the ruling that we saw on Friday. It does not call into question any aspects of any same-sex related rulings in the past. But again, that does little to assure people here. But it certainly does open up the conversation about what, if anything, New York will do to take additional steps to codify that aspect of the law. It also currently sets the country on a path to continue further political -- politically charged conversation.
Paolo Sandoval, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SOARES: Now to another major political development. In Israel, a vote on whether to dissolve Parliament will likely take place sometime today on this Monday. CNN's Hadas Gold joins us from Jerusalem with the latest. And when that comes, Hadas, that of course what trigged new elections before. What's the mood like there given that this may be the fifth in the country in what, three years or so?
HADAS GOLD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, it will be the fifth elections in less than 3 1/2 years. But let's just quickly walk through what is expected to happen today. We are still waiting for the Israeli Parliament, the Knesset committee that can decide to fully put the vote to actually fully be able to put that vote to the fall Parliament. It is still expected to happen today. Then the bill on the dissolution of the Parliament will need to go through three readings.
Those are expected to pass once it actually makes it. And once that is passed and the Parliament is officially dissolved, Yair Lapid, who has currently Foreign Minister, will then become the caretaker prime minister on the next calendar day. So, if the vote is at 11:30 tonight, at midnight he will become the caretaker, the new Prime Minister, and then elections will be triggered. But we're waiting to hear in this bill amongst that it will actually happen, will also be the date of the election. That has not yet been decided. It will likely take place in the fall.
In terms of the mood of the Israelis, I think some of them are just sort of rolling their eyes and resigned at the fact that they have to go to elections once again. But I also think that there is almost a bit of a fear that even another set of elections won't help fix the sort of political dysfunction Israel has found itself in. Because when you look at the latest polls, Isa, even though former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud Party is expected to win the most number of seats, his block of parties that could form a coalition, according to the latest polling, they still don't pass that 61-seat threshold needed to have a functioning majority government.
So, there is a question that even if they have elections, if all of the results end up as the way the polling is pointing to, then they might still find themselves in this sort of endless cycle of political dysfunction. Now, if that happens, and no government is able to be formed, Yair Lapid will actually stay as caretaker prime minister until either a government is able to be formed, or this is very possible, more elections could take place -- Isa.
SOARES: Hadas Gold for us in Jerusalem. Thanks very much, Hadas. Good to see you.
Now, NASA is teaming up with an Australian spaceport to launch missions that can only be studied from the southern hemisphere.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: 3. 2. 1. Go! Yes!
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SOARES: Someone's very excited. They launched the first of three missions from Australian's Arnhem Space Center Sunday night. It is the first time NASA has launched a rocket from a commercial facility outside the United States.
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The country partnering with NASA, says it's a milestone for Australian space flight.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MICHAEL JONES, EQUATORIAL LAUNCH AUSTRALIA CEO: This is historic for Australia. And so, I don't want that to pass without it sort of, you know, doing possible what that needs, the Fourth of July is the next launch. And so, we need to dust ourselves off, take a day off and then get back into it with readiness for the next launch because it's just as important.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SOARES: And with the U.S. space agency as its first customer, the Australian Space Center hopes to ramp up and conduct more than 100 launches a year with various clients.
According to Hollywood, there could be a new king at the box office.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Bring that base up, Jay.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I wish to promote you, Mr. Presley.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I believe I can be great.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SOARES: During its opening weekend, Baz Luhrmann's "Elvis" biopic was in a dead heat for number one with "Top Gun: Maverick." According to industry news outlet "Deadline," estimates from early Sunday show, each film made just over $30 million this past weekend. But "Elvis" has a long way to go to catch the Tom Cruz-led "Top Gun" sequel. It has grossed $1 billion in its fifth week in theaters. And a full disclosure here. "Elvis" is a Warner Brothers movie. This studio owned by CNN's parent company Warner Brothers Discovery. It does look great though.
Now the Colorado Avalanche are Stanley Cup champions. They defeated the two-time defending champs the Tampa Bay Lightning 2-1 in game 6 of the National Hockey League finals on Sunday. The game was tied 1-1 until about halfway through the second period when Colorado scored the deciding goal. This is the team's first Stanley Cup title since 2001, and third overall. Congratulations to them.
And that does it here for me on CNN NEWSROOM. Thanks very much for your company. I'm Isa Soares in London. Details on your screen on how to stay in touch. "EARLY START" with Christine Romans and Laura Jarrett is next. I shall see you tomorrow. Have a wonderful Monday. Bye-bye.
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