Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Newsroom

Agreement Reached To Reopen Ukrainian Ports For Grain Exports; Steve Bannon Found Guilty In Jan. 6 Contempt Of Congress Trial; Secret Service Identified Potential Missing Text Messages On Phones Of 10 Individuals; Trump, Pence Campaign For Opposing AZ Governor Candidates; Scorching Temperatures Rocking Massive Swaths Of The U.S.; Italian Climate Activists Glue Their Hands To A Botticelli Painting; Biden Improving But Taking Additional Medication To Treat COVID. Aired 5-6a ET

Aired July 23, 2022 - 05:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[05:00:26]

KIM BRUNHUBER, CNN ANCHOR: Hello, and welcome to all of you watching us here in the United States, Canada and all around the world. I'm Kim Brunhuber, ahead on CNN Newsroom, striking a deal between Ukraine and Russia after months of war and this one could help the world's food supply. We're live in Kyiv and Istanbul with the latest.

Plus, Donald Trump's longtime ally Steve Bannon looking at jail time after being found guilty of contempt for refusing to appear before Congress. And how big a win is this for the January 6 committee.

And the northern hemisphere is baking as fires rip through Europe and temperatures soar across the U.S. live in Rome and the CNN Weather Center for the latest.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Live from CNN Center. This is CNN Newsroom with Kim Brunhuber.

BRUNHUBER: We begin in Ukraine where emergency crews are on the scene following a barrage of Russian missile strikes. Officials say 13 missiles struck a city north of Mykolaiv this morning leaving a number of people injured or killed. The targets were reportedly a military airfield and a railway facility.

Meanwhile, the mayor in Mykolaiv says his city was also rocked by powerful explosions. Meanwhile, four more HIMARS advanced rocket launchers will be on the way to Ukraine. They're part of a new batch of U.S. military aid announced Friday the European Union is following suit pledging more than half a billion dollars in new security assistance.

And American weapons are already making a mark on the battlefield. According to a senior U.S. defense official, Ukrainians have destroyed more than 100 high value targets in recent weeks partly due to U.S. artillery. Meanwhile, diplomats are hoping to ease the global food crisis with a new agreement signed by Russia and Ukraine. On Friday, they made a deal to resume Ukrainian grain exports through the Black Sea. Now much of that grain has been blockaded by the Russian Navy, according to a UN estimate that has already put 47 million people across the world in a state of acute hunger.

Now under the deal, grain ships will be given a safe passage in the Black Sea. And that would allow Ukraine to export about 20 million tons of grain that's now sitting unused. The agreement was signed in Istanbul after months of talks mediated by Turkey and the United Nations.

The UN Secretary General says the deal will bring much needed relief to people who are struggling to put food on the table. Here he is.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANTONIO GUTERRES, UN SECRETARY GENERAL: I believe will bring puzzle prices down will stabilize the markets and will allow developing countries that are in an extremely difficult situation and vulnerable populations where famine is growing, that will allow this to stop. That was our objective our motivation.

What has guided us during these three months that were very difficult, many obstacles. But I have to say, I mean, today I feel like leaving probably the most important day of my tenure of Secretary General.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: Our reporters are covering that story from all angles. Nada Bashir is joining us from Istanbul and Nic Robertson is standing by in queue.

So firstly, to you Nic, a monumental deal for millions relying on that grain. So take us through how it'll work. And will it work? I mean, there's plenty of skepticism that Russia might not stick to it.

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Yet there's a great deal of concern that we've heard from Ukrainian officials. And part of that concern is that they don't necessarily trust Russia. And I think it's significant that this deal was not signed between Ukraine and Russia. But Ukraine signed a deal with the UN and Russia signed a deal with the UN.

And Ukrainian officials here are saying they put their confidence in the UN. The Turkey will have an inspection system to be able to inspect vessels that are coming in and out of the Black Sea, taking grain and in the case of Russia grain and fertilizer that there will be inspected and there'll be able to oversee these secure navigation channels that the ships are supposed to use.

But we heard from President Zelenskyy speaking last night saying that, you know, trust really is not high with Russia that they will hold to the deal. These were his words.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VOLOYDMYR ZELENSKYY, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): It is clear to everyone that there may be some provocations on the part of Russia some attempts to discredit Ukrainian and international efforts, but we trust the UN. Now it is their responsibility and responsibility of international partners to ensure compliance with the agreements.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[05:05:09]

ROBERTSON: So really, in the last few minutes, President Zelenskyy's words have really sort of taken perhaps a new weight and a new meaning because we're just getting in reports from an advisor to the minister of interior here, the Ukrainian MP as well, and as well as local reports on the ground, that there has been anti-aircraft fire and strikes, explosions, loud explosions around the port of Odesa, which is one of the three ports that is to operate getting the grain out under this new agreement.

So when President Zelenskyy last night spoke about the possibility of provocations, it's not clear precisely what has happened today. But from a Ukrainian perspective, explosions in the port of Odesa, when we get more details can flesh that out more, but from a Ukrainian perspective, that is going to feel a lot like provocations that President Zelenskyy and others in his in his government were referring to just yesterday.

Again, part of this deal requires in faith and trust in both sides, which is in short supply, that there is no hard ceasefire agreement. And we heard yesterday from a Ukrainian official, an adviser to President Zelenskyy's chief of staff saying if there were military strikes against them, then against Ukraine, then Ukraine would respond.

It doesn't mean in any stretch the information that we have coming from Odesa means this sdeal is in tatters already, but it clearly indicates an underlying strain that is going to perhaps, continue through these huge and important efforts to get this great and to markets and to the needy people around the world who want it.

BRUNHUBER: Now fascinating, Nic, everything poised on a knife's edge here. So to Nada now, walk us through Turkey's role in helping to bring this together and what role it'll have in administering the deal.

NADA BASHIR, CNN REPORTER: Well, look, and President Erdogan has been engaged with talks with both Ukraine and Russia alongside the United Nations for weeks now, trying to come to some sort of agreement on this global food security crisis to get that grain out of Ukraine.

And relay it here in Turkey summit taking this as a diplomatic win for President Erdogan, who has, of course maintain that channel of communication, of dialogue with President Putin throughout while simultaneously offering support to the Ukrainian Armed Forces. Turkey has transported drones and other military hardware to Ukraine's armed forces.

But crucially, and perhaps conversely from his other NATO counterparts, President Erdogan has maintained that dialogue with President Putin clearly, that has yielded some positive results, although there is as Nic mentioned, significant skepticism around the implementation of this agreement.

I can tell you today one Turkish newspaper carrying the headline at this is the signature which will end the food security crisis. So there is a significant amount of pride in Turkey's involvement in this mediation effort. And those were the words of President Erdogan yesterday when he spoke at that signing ceremony, saying that the Turkish government takes immense pride in having been able to mediate and negotiate this agreement. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RECEP TAYYIP ERDOGAN, TURKISH PRESIDENT (through translator): World has been busy for a long time with the solutions for the global food crisis. And this initiative will play an important role and we have this righteous pride of paving the way for it, along with the deal made today from Africa to the Middle East, from America to Asia, millions of people will be relieved of this danger of hunger and we will be contributing to the solution all together.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BASHIR: Speaking alongside President Erdogan, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres describe the role of the Turkish government as essential. But he also said that Turkey will meet, and the UN expects Turkey at least to continue this role over the coming days and weeks and of course, all eyes will be on the implementation process.

And as Nic mentioned, there is a significant degree of skepticism as to whether or not this agreement will hold whether or not these vessels will be able to safely transport green out of those ports from Ukraine's Black Sea ports through to those most in need. That is a concern.

Now, Turkey will be set to play a central role amongst that agreement and within the framework will be a Joint Coordination Center, which is going to be established here in Istanbul with representatives from Turkey, Russia, Ukraine and the United Nations. They will be charged with inspecting those vessels to ensure that they are carrying a gun weigh in and other agricultural goods as permitted in the agreement and crucially not carrying weapons, that was a key stipulation by the Russian Federation.

[05:10:07]

And the Turkish government already has some degree of authority in regulating passage through the Turkish Strait, which is the central passageway, of course from the Black Sea. Under the Montreux Agreement that, of course, will be extended now. Turkey will be overseeing this process. And clearly now, all eyes will be whether or not this agreement can really work. BRUNHUBER: Yes, absolutely. So much at stake here. All right, I want to go back to you, Nic, focusing on the battlefield itself, what's the latest on the ground in Ukraine in those most recent attacks?

ROBERTSON: Yes, we're just getting fresh details from Odesa, from the spokesperson for the military administration in Odesa, saying there have been missile strikes, plural, on Odesa port confirming it's the port spokesperson said that there are fires there right now. That's the official Ukrainian government line and that rescue operations are underway.

These strikes in Odesa have only happened -- appear to have happened in the last half an hour or so. So it's a little too soon to get more details about how many missiles witnesses did report prior to the missile strikes these loud explosions that there was anti-aircraft gunfire in the air prior from the Ukrainian side. But again, details are very limited at the moment.

But this is really going to test the will and the nerve of everyone involved in trying to get this grain deal from the starting blocks. The firing gun fired yesterday, the signatures, the handshakes to make it work. Part of that process is going to include removing ships that have been sunk to protect Ukrainian ports from Russian invasion, part of it is going to be to sort of make sure that there are safe channels through the mines, the sea mines that the Ukrainians have us to make sure that there's no land invasion from Russia.

Russian, rather, Ukrainian officials have been saying just yesterday that they are 100 percent confident that they're -- that they are secure from an attack from a sea attack by Russia. But of course, airstrikes are entirely different part of the equation.

BRUNHUBER: Awesome. Great to have you both. Looking at all the different angles of this monumental deal, Nic Robertson, Nada Bashir, thank you so much.

Well, it seems no one knows what's happening at Europe's largest nuclear power plant in the Ukrainian region of Zaporizhia. The facility has been under Russian control since the war began. And that means five months have gone by without international inspections.

The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency says it's alarmed by recent reports of an incident possibly with casualties as urgently calling for an international inspection.

On Thursday, the plant's operator said the Russian military was hiding weapons and munitions inside the facility where they would be safe from Ukrainian artillery.

Now later in the show, a Ukrainian parliament member will join me to make the case for even more U.S. military aid.

Donald Trump ally Steve Bannon was defiant and unapologetic Friday after he was found guilty on two counts of contempt of Congress. The former White House chief strategist vowed to appeal the verdict and declared his continued allegiance to his old boss and also told conservative TV host Tucker Carlson that he's not afraid to go to jail. Listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

STEVE BANNON, "WAR ROOM" HOST: I will never back off. I support Trump in the Constitution and I'm not backing off one inch. If I go to jail, so be it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: Bannon was indicted last November after failing to comply with a subpoena from the House committee investigating the January 6 insurrection. CNN political correspondent Sara Murray has more.

(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)

SARA MURRAY, CNN POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Longtime Donald Trump ally Steve Bannon found guilty on two counts of criminal contempt of Congress.

BANNON: We may have lost the battle here today but we're not going to lose this war.

MURRAY: Bannon who smirked as the verdict was handed down faces at least 30 days behind bars after a jury rejected his defense that the dates of his subpoena weren't set in stone. The conviction is a major boost for the House Select Committee investigating January 6 reaffirming its subpoena power as it continues its quest for more information and additional witnesses. Bannon refuse to comply with the committee's subpoena for information about his contact with Trump and comments like this one ahead of the Capitol riot.

BANNON: All hell is going to break loose tomorrow.

MURRAY: Prosecutor Molly Gaston boiling it down in her closing argument. Bannon didn't show up. He has contempt for our system of government and he does not think he needs to play by its rules.

[05:15:00]

She compared his defense to snubbing a parking ticket. A sorely relevant analogy for a Washington DC jury and said the former White House chief strategist chose allegiance to Donald Trump over compliance to the law.

BANNON: I stand with Trump and the Constitution, and I will never back off that ever.

MURRAY: As for Bannon last gasp offered to testify publicly before the committee --

BANNON: Give me a date, a time, a room number, a microphone and a Holy Bible I can take the oath on. Boom.

MURRAY: Prosecutor Amanda Vaughn called him out saying he and his friend former president Donald Trump suddenly decided he's going to comply. Give me a break. Bannon is not above the law. He is not the decider of the law. He is guilty, she said.

Well, Bannon promised a fiery case --

BANNON: This is going to be the misdemeanor from hell.

MURRAY: That defense rested without calling a single witness. In a choppy closing argument, Bannon attorney Evan Corcoran was interrupted by objection after objection, highlighting the limited defenses the court allowed Bannon to present. Ultimately, Corcoran claim there was no magic to Bannon subpoena date.

In a final bid to inject politics into the case, Corcoran said the powerful tried to silence the opposition. Politics can play no role, he argued. It's important that we are all in this together and Steve Bannon is innocent.

The jury didn't buy it, deliberating less than three hours. But Bannon's team already plotting their appeal.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is a bullet proof appeal.

MURRAY (on camera): Now (INAUDIBLE) Bannon's appeal is actually bullet proof remains to be seen. But until then we know he has a sentencing date set for late October. Sara Murray, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEO TAPE)

BRUNHUBER: When the January 6 committee resumes its hearings in September, one key issue will be missing text messages from Secret Service agents who are present at the time of the insurrection. Now CNN has learned of the 24 agents in question, 10 had no text messages on their phones. Three had only personal messages, and one had saved a text conversation.

But the metadata on the phones have 10 other agents show text message activity that was now missing. So we have recovered the messages could help corroborate testimony that Trump became irate when agents blocked him from going to the Capitol to join his supporters.

While the rift between Donald Trump and his former Vice President Mike Pence is growing, the two held competing rallies on Friday in Arizona for their candidates and the state's upcoming Republican primary for Governor.

Trump is back in Keri Lake a political novice and former local news anchor she's embraced the former president's lies about the 2020 election. While Pence has endorsed Karen Taylor Robson, a businesswoman and political ally of outgoing governor Doug Ducey. The race is being viewed as something of a referendum on the future of the Republican Party.

A candidate running for Governor of New York is condemning the cashless bail system that allowed a man suspected of attacking him to be released quickly from custody. Republican House Representative Lee Zeldin was unharmed after he was attacked on stage at a campaign event in New York on Thursday. On Friday, Zeldin called for changes to the state's bail system, saying judges should have the discretion to decide who remains in police custody. The suspect was charged with attempted assault and released on his own recognizance. Police say he was armed with a set of self-defense knuckles with sharp pointed ends. Now the motive for the attack is unclear.

All right, ahead here on CNN Newsroom. No relief in sight from scorching heat and humidity across much of the U.S. with millions of Americans under heat warnings in California, the east coast. Derek.

DEREK VAN DAM, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Yes, Kim and record high temperatures will be challenged once again today through the end of the weekend. Plus, a new dangerous wildfire has erupted just outside of Yosemite Park in California. I'll show you aerial video footage of that fire coming up after the break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[05:22:40]

BRUNHUBER: Scorching heat and suffocating humidity are expected to continue through the end of the month in many parts of the United States. Look at the forecast highs 110 degrees Fahrenheit in Phoenix, Arizona 94 degrees in New York City, 102 degrees in Dallas. As much as 85 percent of the U.S. population could see temperatures higher than 90 degrees Fahrenheit over the next week. That's more than 270 million people.

Now, Sunday is expected to be the hottest day and that's when the long standing temperature records in Boston and New York can be broken and Philadelphia could have its first day above 100 degrees Fahrenheit in a decade.

Now with much of Europe sweltering and record breaking temperatures, people are scrambling for ways to beat the heat. Dozens of cities are under extreme heat alerts across the continent where air conditioning is a rarity. The heat could ease up a bit this weekend in some areas, but until then people will continue to suffer through temperatures reaching as high as 37 degrees Celsius almost 100 Fahrenheit.

The scorching heat is also triggering wildfires swaths of land have been burned in Italy, Slovenia, Spain and Greece with firefighters forced to battle the flames amid the extreme weather.

We have Barbie Nadeau in Rome where the temperature is expected to reach almost 97 Fahrenheit 36 degrees Celsius in just a few hours. But we begin with meteorologist Derek Van Dam. Derek, so, you know, it's not just Europe dealing with the heat. It seems the whole of the northern hemisphere has been baked.

VAN DAM: Literally. I think that's the climate emergency that we're all collectively facing here, right, from North America, to Europe, to even Northeast Asia. But let's focus in on what's happening across the United States. Just literally by minute by minute I'm seeing the updates for the National Weather Service come in, and the heat advisories expand especially across the nation's midsection Memphis, you're included now in the heat advisory much of the East Coast and even portions of the west coast.

So this spans coast to coast. Over 80 million Americans under some sort of heat advisory with heat, excessive heat warnings inclusive of Philadelphia, heat advisories for Boston to New York. When you step outside, it will literally feel like 105 degrees today. That's when you factor in the humidity.

[05:25:02]

So ice a precious commodity today across the nation's capitol as they try to keep their drinks cool, keep their bodies cool, do whatever they can to beat the heat. Look at these temperatures really crescendoing into the end of the weekend. By Sunday that will be the hottest day for places like Philadelphia, New York as well as Boston, the potential to threaten some record high temperatures, or at least high than the forecast in Boston on Sunday will be 98 record. Previous record was 98.

We've had five days of temperatures above 90 degrees in the Big Apple. And if we have another day that will tie the record set back in 2016 of the longest 90-degree day plus stretch. And then look at the temperatures across the central US. Triple digit heat for many locations, including Oklahoma City, heat and to C values there will be impressive. And then the heat over the West unfortunately has caused some major concerns including this fire coming out of Mariposa County, threatening Yosemite.

OK, so this is a aerial view of the oak fire, which is currently at 0 percent containment. There are several 100 structures that are threatened by this particular fire and there are even evacuation orders in place near the oak fire in Mariposa County across central portions of California. Terrifying sight.

And get this, at 6:00 p.m. yesterday, the fire started at 2:00 p.m., at 6:00 p.m. the fire was 60 acres. By midnight, it was already at 4,000 acres. Currently right now at 4,300 acres burned so far. So, the drought (INAUDIBLE) drought and the heat ongoing.

I want to give you a heads up across the upper Midwest, from Iowa to Wisconsin, Minnesota and Michigan today, with all this heat, we're bound to see thunderstorms, severe weather, straight line winds, and even a few powerful tornadoes across this region. Keep an eye to the sky from Western Michigan right through California -- through southern Wisconsin, and Minnesota that chance of severe weather shifts east on Sunday, as does the heat. Kim.

BRUNHUBER: Yes, so much going on there. All right, so for more on the heat, let's go to Barbie in Rome. And I mean, you must be baking there as well up on the roof. How are folks being affected across Italy there?

BARBIE NADEAU, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: Well, people are suffering from this heat because it's lasted so long. We're really into the second week of these temperatures, and they don't go down at night either. And as you mentioned, a lot of people don't have air conditioning, so people are curtailing their normal activities, trying to stay indoors drinking water. Several cities in Italy have offered free admission to swimming pools to the elderly, so they can at least try to cool off if they don't have air conditioning at home. It's really impacted how people run their daily lives, Kim.

BRUNHUBER: And then the other big concern, as you mentioned off the top the fires burning throughout Europe in Italy as well. What's the latest there?

NADEAU: Yes, there are 19 European countries right now that are under extreme fire alert because it's just so dry and it's windy, the heat of the fire spreads very quickly because, you know, they pop up someone flicks a cigarette butt or has a barbecue and they start sort of, you know, by human error, and then they just spread so fast.

There was a fire outside of Rome that started inside a country club. They've got that contained now but it just goes to show how quickly these fires spread. And it is so hard for these firefighters to work under these conditions imagining all that heavy protective equipment under 100 degree temperatures, and there's really no end in sight. The weather is not supposed to let up at least here in southern Europe anytime soon, Kim.

BRUNHUBER: Yes, all right. Well, listen. Both of you, Derek Van Dam, Barbie Nadeau, thank you so much. Appreciate it.

Well, environmental activists staged unique protests in front of one of the world's most popular paintings on Friday demanding an end to the use of gas and oil. Have a look this.

So, what they did there, they glued their hands to the glass case protecting Botticelli's Primavera in Florence, Italy. A female protester was dragged away while the male protester was lying on the floor singing, a third activist rolled out a banner.

Police say the 15th century masterpiece wasn't damaged and they escorted all three protesters out of the museum.

Presidential health checkup just to head find out how President Biden is faring as he isolates in the White House after his COVID diagnosis. And California Governor Gavin Newsom signs a law allowing citizens of his state to sue some gun makers and dealers. We'll have a report from Los Angeles coming up. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[05:33:04]

BRUNHUBER: Welcome back to all of you watching us here in the United States, Canada and around the world. I'm Kim Brunhuber. This is CNN Newsroom.

The White House says President Biden's condition is improving, adding he's taking additional medication to treat his COVID infection. The President is isolating but meeting virtually with staff. At the end of a meeting with his economic team today, reporters ask the President how he was doing. Here's how he answer.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Sir, how do you feel? Are you feeling better?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thank you guys.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: Biden tested positive for Coronavirus on Thursday. And since then, the White House medical team has been closely monitoring his symptoms. CNN's Jeff Zeleny has more.

(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)

JEFF ZELENY, CNN CHIEF US NATIONAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT (on camera): President Biden will be spending the weekend in isolation in the residence here at the White House. It's actually a rare weekend for him to be spending in Washington. He had scheduled to be in Wilmington, Delaware, at the Biden home. That's where First Lady Jill Biden is spending her time. As of Friday, she tested negative for COVID 19.

But the White House clearly trying to make the case the President is doing fine. He is working behind the scenes, working virtually. They released these images of him meeting with his national security team as well as showed this brief meeting where he was meeting with advisors on Friday to talk about low gas prices. He said he feels better than he sounds. He sounded a bit congested and was talking with a lower voice.

But clearly his advisers said that he is doing better because of vaccinations and the booster and he's being treated for Paxlovid, that's the antiviral medication.

So the White House clearly trying to use this as a teachable moment, if you will. They said he is being treated with world class medical treatment that's available free to all Americans. That is vaccinations. That is boosters as well as antiviral medication. So clearly the President will be here The White House until at least Tuesday that is five days.

[05:35:04]

And they will also be going above and beyond the CDC recommendations of he will be to have to test negative before he goes out into the public as well. So for now, the President spending a rare Washington weekend here at the White House, doing things virtually, as so many Americans have during this long pandemic. Jeff Zeleny, CNN, the White House.

(END VIDEO TAPE)

BRUNHUBER: And COVID cases are rising around the world driven by the BA.5 variant. On Thursday, China afforded more than 1,000 new cases and nearly 1,000 the day before, and here in the U.S. cases are the highest and rising fastest in the south, according to Johns Hopkins University, but also ticking up in the Midwest and Northeast.

And concerning development in the spread of monkeypox. Health officials say the first two cases of the virus have been found in children in the United States. Officials are investigating how the children were infected. Both have symptoms but are in good health and receiving treatment with an antiviral medication.

Now this comes as the U.S. government shipped around 300,000 monkeypox vaccines to U.S. states and territories.

California is liberal governor has signed a new law that's aimed at cracking down on manufacturers and others who provide guns that are already illegal in the state. The irony is that the law is based on a controversial anti abortion measure on the books in conservative Texas. CNN's Josh Campbell has the details.

(BEGIN VIDOE TAPE)

JOSH CAMPBELL, CNN SECURITY CORRESPONDENT (on camera): Saying it's time for gun safety advocates to go on the offense against illegal gun manufacturers and distributors. California Governor Gavin Newsom just signed this law Friday, a first of its kind it clears the way for citizens to sue makers and sellers of illegal ghost guns and assault weapons that are banned in the state.

Now under the law, Californians will be able to sue for damages of at least $10,000 per weapon involved. The same damages are also available against gun dealers who illegally sell firearms to those under the age of 21.

California's new gun law is modeled after a Texas law that allows citizens to sue doctors and other medical professionals that provide abortion services after the U.S. Supreme Court opted not to block the Texas bill, Newsom vowed to use those same legal tactics to propel gun safety. Here's what he said Friday in Los Angeles.

GAVIN NEWSOM, CALIFORNIA GOVERNOR: It's time to put them on the defense. You cannot sell, you cannot manufacture. You cannot transfer these illegal weapons of war and mass destruction in the state of California. And if you do, there are 40 million people that can collect $10,000 from you and attorney fees for engaging in that illegal activity. The Supreme Court opened the door. The Supreme Court said this was OK. It was a terrible decision. But these are the rules that they have established.

CAMPBELL: Now interestingly, Newsom is facing opposition from groups like the American Civil Liberties Union who claimed this may launch a quote, arms race. Friday, Newsom said he knows there's criticism. He believes the law will be litigated, but says in his view, there's no principled way the Supreme Court will be able to overturn this law while upholding his decision. In Roe vs. Wade. Josh Campbell, CNN, Los Angeles.

(END VIDEO TAPE)

BRUNHUBER: The Uvalde Texas School Board has canceled a meeting set for Saturday that would have considered whether to fire district police chief Pete Arredondo. Statement from the district superintendent says quote, in conformity with due process requirements and at the request of his attorney the meeting to consider the termination of Chief Arredondo will be held at a later date.

He remains on unpaid leave and can be seen on police body cam video inside the Robb Elementary School on May 24 when two teachers and 19 children were killed. Officers wanted waited more than an hour to confront the gunman.

State authorities identified Arredondo as the incident commander but he says he wasn't in that role. Calls for his removal had been growing louder following a Texas House committee report outlining multiple failures by law enforcement as the shooting unfolded.

A Ukrainian lawmaker is making a new case for more U.S. military to his country. Next, he'll join me live to explain why he thinks it's a U.S. obligation to provide weapons like these to Ukraine. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[05:42:29]

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

OLEKSIY GONCHARENKO, UKRAINIAN PARLIAMENENT MEMBER: So what is now done by Russia is a genocide. And the convention and prevention of genocide is saying not only about what is genocide, but if there is a genocide that is the responsibility of every country in on the planet to do everything possible to stop it as soon as possible. So it means in Ukrainian case it means give us weaponry.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: That was a Ukrainian lawmaker making the case for more American arms at the U.S. Congress. He spoke after Russia made it clear its military goals will expand beyond the Donbas region and we're now hearing Odesa was hit this morning. The second strike there within days. Now comes just one day after Ukraine and Russia agreed on a deal to allow the movement of Ukrainian grain from Black Sea ports.

Two other Ukrainian cities also came under Russian fire in recent hours. Oleksiy Goncharenko joins us now live from Washington. Thanks so much for being here with us. I just like to start first with what's happening right now in Ukraine and Odesa, an the area you represent.

So on one hand, there's some good news in that region, the deal to allow the grain exports from the port there, but on the other hand, we've just got reports that the port itself has been attacked by Russia. So I wanted to get your reaction to the grain deal, and then whether these attacks undermine it at all.

GONCHARENKO: Absolutely. That's shows again to the role that Russia does not expect any agreements, any deals just less than 24 hours after signing of the deal on grain export. Russia attacked Odesa port with the four caliber missiles to were intercepted by to hit the port. There are wounded. There is a fire now in Odesa port. That support that is shows to the world what means Russia today and they understand only force.

Even this deal in general, it became possible only because Ukrainian army destroyed big part of Russian Navy in the Black Sea including their flagship Moskva missile cruiser, which is now submarine, also Ukraine liberated Snake Island, and only after this. Russia agreed to some deal on grain export. But immediately after this attacked, showing that they want to continue to threaten the world, food security, threatened and like challenging by anti-famine. Millions of people on the planet because 400 million people on the planet according to estimations of the United Nations are dependent from the calories from Ukrainian crops, and Putin using them these people as hostages.

[05:45:13]

BRUNHUBER: Yes, well, we'll have to see what effects these attacks will have on the deal. In the meantime, and sort of the longer term, it seems more apparent that Russia is targeting Odesa that they want to capture because it's such a strategically important city. So how concerned are you that your city might be directly in the crosshairs and face a major offensive coming up?

GONCHARENKO: Definitely. Odesa is one of the main objectives for Putin is sure the biggest sit on the Black Sea, so possibility to make corridors to occupy Transnistria, occupied part of Moldova definitely. Definitely Odesa is very important for Putin.

At this campaign, probably he understands that he will not already achieve it, because he is not successful enough in Ukraine. But in his head, this war, and this war last not for five months, but more than for eight years already. So in his head, there will be new campaigns, where he will definitely attack Odesa. And the only answer of the road for it is to give weaponry to Ukraine, finally to give Ukraine long range missiles, fighters, and that is the only answer to this aggression from Putin and to restore international order.

BRUNHUBER: So on that, I mean, that's why you were addressing Congress, and you gave the very touching and disturbing account of one young girl who lost her arm. You even showed her picture. You ever brought her toy horse there to show the congressmen, and you call what's happening in your country genocide. You were there to support a bipartisan move in Congress to pass a bill condemning Russia's actions as genocide. So what difference would it make calling what's happening there genocide?

GONCHARENKO: First of all, the justice, it's really genocide. And I very much thankful for all senators and congressmen who sponsored this bill. And I'm sure that Congress of the United States will support it, and will designate what's going on in Ukraine as genocide. Because all criteria which are in the United Nation convention on genocide, unfortunately, I'm not in Ukraine.

So that means that all possible help should be provided to Ukraine by all countries in the world to stop genocide, because genocide should be stopped. It's crime of crimes. Also, it shows that there cannot be any deal on giving up of Ukrainian territory, because we just can't leave millions of people and the threat of genocide on occupied territories of Ukraine.

BRUNHUBER: Now, you've received plenty of supports. Ukraine has financially militarily from the U.S. and from both sides of the political divide. You must have seen a lot of support when you were there in Congress. But sort of as this war drags on, as the economic problems here in this country get worse. There are polls that suggest that support for Ukraine is slipping, particularly among Republicans. How worried are you about that, particularly if Republicans take back control of Congress?

GONCHARENKO: I met in the Congress with leader of Republicans, Kevin McCarthy, with number of other with Adam Smith, who is Democrat leader of defense committee, Mike Rogers, Mike Turner, ranking members, Gary Palmer, and others. So I see bipartisan support to Ukraine.

And I'm sure that will be like this. And they ensured me that whenever the results of the elections will be, all of them realize that if the international order will not be restored, the world will end it that is about the occupation of Ukrainian territories. The world will become like a wild jungle with a bear, with Tiger hunting for peaceful nations. So everybody in American politics, I see everybody with whom I spoke and met, they understand it clearly.

And also I should -- I want to address the American people and say, understand inflation and other things. But if the war would not be over, and if Ukraine would not win as soon as possible, the situation will just get worse. So the only way back to normality in food prices and energy prices, in everything, it just as soon as possible restore international order victory of Ukraine. And that will be the end. All other scenarios are very bad.

BRUNHUBER: We'll have to leave it there. But really appreciate getting your insights and perspective. Oleksiy Goncharenko, thank you so much.

GONCHARENKO: Thank you very much.

BRUNHUBER: All right. And we'll be back with more news in a minute. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[05:53:30]

BRUNHUBER: That doesn't seem possible but Bruce Springsteen apparently expects some of those diehard fans to pony up five grand for an upcoming concert ticket. That's right. Some tickets to next year's tour are selling on Ticketmaster for $4,000 and $5,000 each.

As you can imagine, fans are extremely upset. One of them tweeted nobody can afford these ridiculous ticket prices. CNN has reached out to Ticketmaster for comment. Springsteen's international tour kicks off in February with a show in Florida. And rock icon Pat Benatar will no longer perform one of her signature songs.

Well, you recognize that one? She says ongoing gun violence in the U.S. has caused her to reevaluate her 1980 classic Hit Me With Your Best Shot. She told me the newspaper USA Today that she won't sing in any more, quote indifference the victims of mass shootings and their families. Benatar went on say quote, you have to draw the line. I can't say those words out loud with a smile on my face.

According to the gun violence archive the U.S. is on pace to match or surpass its worst year ever for mass shootings.

In American sports legend Bo Jackson wanted to do something to help families who lost loved ones in the recent school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, so he paid funeral expenses for all 21 children and adults murdered at Robb Elementary School.

[05:55:06]

Uvalde's mayor said Jackson actually flew into town and presented the governor with a check, saying he wanted to give victim's families one less thing to worry about.

Well, the Mega Millions lottery jackpot is now up to $790 million after no winning ticket was sold in Friday's drawing is the third largest prize in Mega Millions history. So far this year, four Mega Millions jackpots have been one. The most recent was a $20 million jackpot won on April 15. The next drawing is scheduled for Tuesday, July 26.

And SpaceX has set a new record.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And lift off. Starlink 3-2, go Falcon 9.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: They are launching their 32nd reusable Falcon 9 rocket in the calendar year on Friday beating the company's previous record of 31 as part of an effort to build and launch a constellation of broadband satellites called Starlink. An estimated 3,000 of these satellites are already in orbit and this mission added 46 more. SpaceX says it's on track to reach his goal of 52 orbital missions by the end of the year.

And before we go, American sprinter Noah Lyles won the men's 200 meter finals at the Track and Field World Championships in Oregon, Thursday. This time of 19.31 seconds breaks the U.S. record that had been held by track legend Michael Johnson since 1996. Lyles win -- led the way for an American podium sweeping the 200-meter and makes him the third fastest athlete of all time for the event. Congratulations to him.

All right, that wraps this hour of CNN Newsroom. I'm Kim Brunhuber. For viewers in North America, New Day is next. The rest of the world, it's Inside the Middle East.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)