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Russia Shelling Near Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant; Buffalo Bills Cuts Matt Araiza On Gang Rape Allegations; California To End Sales Of New Gas Car By 2035; Racial Slurs Hurled At Duke Volleyball Players At Brigham Young University; Family Of Uvalde Victims Calling For Stricter Gun Control In Texas; Federal Reserve Expected To Raise Rates In September; Final Week To Get Free COVID Tests; Man Survives 100-Foot Fall In California. Aired 5-6p ET

Aired August 28, 2022 - 17:00   ET

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

[17:00:00]

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JIM ACOSTA, CNN HOST: You are live in the CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Jim Acosta in Washington. Too close for comfort in Russia's war on Ukraine. Recent shelling has landed within 100 meters of reactor buildings at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. That's barely over 300 feet. The International Atomic Energy Agency warning this heightens the risk of a potential nuclear accident.

Radioactivity levels are within normal range right now, but that could change at any moment and thousands of residents living in the shadow of this plant are all too aware of the dangers as city authorities are now handing out iodine pills in case of a nuclear disaster. CNN's Sam Kiley has the latest from Zaporizhzhia in Ukraine.

SAM KILEY, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Jim, the Ukrainian authorities remain deeply concerned about what might happen at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. For the first time now issuing iodine tablets to the population here in Zaporizhzhia. We're only about 20 miles from that nuclear power station.

Of course, iodine being given out as a potential prophylactic against the worst effects of radiation sickness, but ultimately, this all boils down to the problem that the nuclear power station is on the frontline being used as a firebase by the Russians. The Russians claim the Ukrainians are shooting back at it. There's no independent evidence for that, but there are allegations that the Russians are also shelling their own locations.

Now, in the last few days according to the International Atomic Energy Agency, a building inside the compound about 100 yards or so from one of the reactors was hit in some kind of artillery or rocket attack. That is potentially the most worrying latest scenario in a number, you'll recall that just a few days ago the main power line into the whole plant was cut. There were four of them. Three had already been broken.

Now, this fourth one was cut. That was restored but had it not been restored it would have put a great strain on the cooling systems around the nuclear reactors.

At the same time, now we've heard from Energoatom, the Ukrainian nuclear body here in this country if the Russians effectively, that at the beginning of this week, if there were any significant problems at that nuclear power station in the form of nuclear fallout, radioactive fallout, it would blow into Russian territory, clearly signaling to the Russians quite literally the dangers of actual blow back were they to do something irresponsible in this plant.

And Rafael Grossi, the head of the IAEA saying that he hopes to get inspectors that will be led by him into this plant on behalf of the U.N. in the next few days. And he also said that this latest news of the damage to a building there by shelling simply underlines the emergency nature of that visit. Jim?

ACOSTA: All right, Sam Kiley, thanks very much. I'm joined now by someone who literally wrote the book on this, Kate Brown. She's the author of "Manual for Survival: A Chernobyl Guide to the Future." Also, with us former CIA chief of Russian operations, CNN national security analyst Steve Hall.

Kate, let me start with you first. Shells exploding just a football field's distance from reactor buildings, iodine pills being handed out, that is scary stuff. What is your view right now in terms of where we are with the risk to what is obviously a very sensitive installation?

KATE BROWN, AUTHOR, "MANUAL FOR SURVIVAL: A CHERNOBYL GUIDE TO THE FUTURE.": Well, the risk level is now very high. I'm personally very alarmed so is the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency. They've been shouting, sending out the alarm for the last week or so.

Last Thursday when the power went out, I just want to tell you that about that there's about -- we have about four to eight hours once the power goes out before you have a threat of a meltdown, a nuclear meltdown. That would be a situation like Fukushima. Fukushima fortunately was on the coast and a lot of radioactivity that was released went into the Pacific Ocean. Landlocked Ukraine, we're going to see that radiation spreading over areas where people live.

[17:04:57]

ACOSTA: And Steve, early on in this was there was a similar standoff at Zaporizhzhia. But instead of lessons being learned, this time it's even more perilous. What does that tell you about how this war is dragging on and perhaps the desperation level is taking this to the brink.

STEVE HALL, CNN NATIONA: SECURITY ANALYST: There's no doubt that Russia and specifically Vladimir Putin feels, understands that he cannot lose this war no matter what the cost, which you know, under even seminormal circumstances where you're talking about no matter what the cost, okay, we're going to shell civilian buildings. It doesn't matter how many Russians have to die and using cannon fodder to win this ware. That's all sort of, you know, we've almost become used to the Russians

waging war like that. But when we're talking about the largest nuclear power plant in Europe, certainly in Ukraine, I mean, this is sort of beyond the pale. When Vladimir Putin, as he is clearly doing at this point, he says, look, it doesn't matter to me that much whether or not there's a nuclear power plant involved or not.

We're going to put military material inside of that power plant and we're possibly going to create some sort of fabrication or a false flag as many people like to call it, where we do damage and then blame it on the Ukrainians. I mean, these are all things that civilized nation simply don't do. And it's one of the reasons why I don't think Russia is truly a civilized country, certainly not in the way that they are waging war right now, Jim.

ACOSTA: And Kate, you pointed out that during previous nuclear emergencies, a government can mobilize a response, take control of the area, handle evacuations. But if one breaks down in an active war zone, that's a different story.

BROWN: Yeah. I mean, look at the Soviet Union, Japan, were fully functioning countries and they said to spend -- the Soviet Union eventually sent in 600,000 people to help liquidate the Chernobyl accident. Who is going to take responsibility for that situation should that plant melt down? Is Ukraine going to do it? Is Russia going to do it?

Right now, we have the Ukrainian authorities running, overlooking the plant, Ukrainian employees, but Russia has the territory. What are we going to do? We can't -- International Atomic Energy Agency has been trying to get inspectors in there for the past month. That has been possible. I fear that, you know, we won't have emergency services that can go in.

Firefighters, people to go in, snuff out fires to radiation monitors, people to rush other people to hospitals. When your reporter talked about the handing out of potassium iodine, that is just for one radiation symptom, that's to prevent thyroid disease and thyroid cancer. But radiation can cause immediate acute radiation sickness. People get very sick. They get burns and they die from it.

The count in Ukraine in 2016 is 35,000 men had died from Chernobyl exposure. That was accounted for just workers. That doesn't include children and women and anyone in heavily exposed areas of Belarus or Russia. So, you know, off the record, Ukrainian officials think that 150,000 people died from -- just in Ukraine from the Chernobyl accident. So, you know, we're talking about really serious possible accident.

ACOSTA: And Steve, I want to press a little further on what you were saying a few moments ago. Is it your sense that the Russians are being intentionally reckless because there are neighboring countries that would ultimately suffer if there's some sort of disaster.

HALL: Well, I think you just have to look, Jim, in how the Russians wage war. They have had -- they have shown no remorse whatsoever in not following the standard law of warfare. And so, the idea that they might, you know, blow something up, destroy something, take a reactor offline and then blame the Ukrainians, that is certainly consistent with the way that the Russians have done business before.

I can guarantee you this. If there is a serious meltdown or some other horrific situation that happens at this nuclear plant, the Russians will simply withdraw and leave literally this steaming, you know, contaminated thing for the Ukrainians to deal with who are, of course, already stretched as far as a country can be stretched with regard to infrastructure and trying to fight the war.

What really needs to happen in my view is you've to get the IAEA in there. You got to have some sort of demilitarization of this area. That's simply human common sense. And look, guys, try to (inaudible) whatever it is you're going to fight, but leave this kind of thing out of it because the consequences are so, so severe. And of course, we know this from Chernobyl and from Fukushima and some of the other accidents that have happened, Jim.

ACOSTA: Right. We absolutely know what the consequences could be. Alright, Kate Brown, Steve Hall, thank you so much. Let's hope the world is paying attention to this. It really needs to be right now.

Coming up, the Buffalo Bills released their punter amid claims that he participated in the gang rape of a 17-year-old girl. Details next. You're live in the CNN NEWSROOM.

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ACOSTA: The Buffalo Bills have released punter Matt Araiza amid allegations that he took part in the gang rape of a 17-year-old girl. Araiza is one of three men accused in a civil lawsuit of raping the girl at an off-campus party last year while he attended San Diego State University. CNN's Chris Nguyen is following the story for us. What do we know so far?

CHRIS NGUYEN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Jim, good evening. The Buffalo Bills making the decision to release Matt Araiza just days after he and two of his former college teammates were accused in that lawsuit. The team general manager saying this was their best action to take and that their culture in Buffalo was more important than winning football games. Take a listen.

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BRANDON BEANE. BUFFALO BILLS GENERAL MANAGER: We tried to be thorough and thoughtful and not rush to judgment and it's, I would say, it's not easy. You are trying to put facts around a legal situation, you know, sometimes with limited information.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[17:15:02] NGUYEN: The NFL rookie and his co-defendants, Xavier Leonard and Nolan Ewaliko, were on the San Diego State football team at the time of the incident last October. According to a lawsuit filed last week by the plaintiff's attorney, the three men are accused of gang raping a then 17-year-old girl during a Halloween party off campus.

The complaint alleges that the girl was separated from her friends at the party and then met Araiza who could observe that she was heavily intoxicated and handed her a drink anyway. The filing states that Araiza eventually led her to a bedroom where there were at least three other men including Leonard and Ewaliko. The lawsuit alleges she was raped for about an hour and a half until the party was shut down and then stumbled out of the room bloody and crying.

According to the lawsuit, the girl reported the alleged incident the next day to the San Diego Police Department and underwent a rape exam at a hospital. Araiza's attorney is disputing the claim saying his client did not rape the accuser, never used any force against her, and maintains that she was not visibly intoxicated.

Araiza releasing a statement through his attorney saying, quote, "The facts of the incident are not what they are portrayed in the lawsuit or in the press. I look forward to quickly setting the record straight." As for the two other men, Jim, Leonard's attorney declined to comment but Ewaliko's attorney told CNN that he sees some issues with the accuser's credibility and the circumstances under which she reported the incident.

The San Diego County District Attorney's Office says police have submitted their investigation and they're reviewing it but did not say when a charging decision might be made. The university is also investigating. Jim?

ACOSTA: All right, Chris Nguyen, very disturbing story. Thank you.

More than a thousand people including 359 children have been killed by monsoon rains and flooding in Pakistan since June. Pakistan's federal minister for climate change posted this video of floodwaters going over a bridge. You can see it right there. Very dramatic footage. She says at least 33 million people have been impacted by the deadly flooding.

The minister says Pakistan is in the middle of one of the most serious climate catastrophes of the world. Just stunning footage there. Roads and bridges near swollen rivers have been washed away. The country is in its eighth cycle of monsoon rains which comes after a summer of extreme heat.

Back here in the U.S. in a historic move, California regulators this week voted to ban the sale of new gasoline cars by the year 2035. It's one of the first such plans anywhere in the world and multiple states are expected to follow suit. CNN's chief climate correspondent Bill Weir joins me now.

Sorry about that, Bill. Bill, that 2035 deadline is not that far away and some people see it as pretty drastic. California often leads the way on this issue and they seem to be doing it here though.

BILL WEIR, CNN CHIEF CLIMATE CHANGE CORREPONDENT: Absolutely. And they probably wouldn't do it any other sort of time in human history but the climate crisis as we know is a timed test. The clock is getting louder as you can see as you just showed what's happening to our water cycle around the world in so many different countries.

But it is hugely ambitious and they have to go from, right now, they sell about, what is it, 12 percent. They got to jump that up to 35 percent of the cars sold in California just in the next three years. And then it has to go up to close to 70 percent by 2030 and then 100 percent by 2035. And that includes 1.9 -- it's estimated 1.9 million charging stations California will have to build.

And then there's transmission lines to carry all the power that's charging these things hopefully from clean sources. That's the point. But it is hugely ambitious. But then the scientists and activists would say it's not nearly ambitious enough. Some groups are calling for a zero ban in just, you know, by 2030, five years sooner than that.

They're hoping, those folks in California, that this will work. But this will be a market signal because so many states follow. Washington already state announced they're going to copy California. New York will probably follow and a bunch here in the northeast. And that's a third of American vehicles.

And you can see the pressure of that consumer base who really wants this. "Consumer Reports" study, Jim, recently said, I think it was about 36 percent of Americans would definitely or seriously consider buying an electric vehicle on their next one. There's a smaller percentage that say they definitely wouldn't. But at a ceratin point there were enough Model A's and Model T's on the road that it was obvious we weren't going back to horses.

This maybe enough to push it over the top where it's obvious that the tailpipe is on its way towards extinction at least as a pillar of the economy. This doesn't outlaw gas-powered cars. It also covers plug-in hybrids. So, gas stations will be in California's future for coming generations. There will be a lot of used cars. Some may hold on to those old gas burning cars longer than they would have. So, it remains to be seen, but yes, California is leading the vanguard on this one.

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ACOSTA: Yeah. And I want to get your take on some of these incredible discoveries. I'm sure you've seen this in the news all caused by this extreme drought that we're seeing. Obviously, the extreme drought is a terrible thing and it's a very serious indicator of what we're dealing with around the world with climate change.

But in Texas, revealing dinosaur tracks. In Europe, their drought pushing water levels in the Danube so low that more than 20 World War II-era Nazi warships were apparently found. Are we going to be making more and more discoveries like this? I mean, what's going on here? WEIR: Yeah. It is probably thrilling to historians and paleontologists

to see those, you know, manifestations of the things they study. It's horrifying to earth scientists and ecologist and climatologist because, again, it shows that the water cycle that we learned in seventh grade is completely unpredictable now. (Inaudible) that means there's lot more moisture in the air or in parched soil or thirsty plants and a lot less in our lakes and riverbeds.

So, all of these, all these, you know, glimpse of the not so ancient past are coming up. I think, you know, given what we grew accustomed to, and people say we have to worry about saving the planet. The planet is going to be fine. The planet's been spinning through fire and ice for four and a half billion years. It's us, it's life as we know it, what we've built (inaudible) is next to these bodies of water.

And we've built modern supply chains based on predictable weather patterns over the last, you know, couple hundred years. All of that is up in the air right now. So, I see these as real bright red warning lights on the dashboard.

ACOSTA: Yeah. Maybe we should take a look at those dinosaur tracks and take them to heart, you know. They didn't stick around forever.

WEIR: Yeah. Those dinosaurs thought that there was going to be that way forever great, you know. And then it's actually changing. It's true how quickly we can adapt to it, right. Human beings are incredible at adaptation. The greatest leaps in human evolution came at times of climate change in the past. But right now, it's urgent, more urgent than ever to figure this out.

ACOSTA: Alright. Bill Weir, thanks as always. We appreciate it. Such an important topic. Great to have you on. Thank you.

Coming up next, a Duke University volleyball player is speaking out after she and other black teammates were called racist slurs and threatened during a match against Brigham Young. That's next.

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ACOSTA: A Duke volleyball player is speaking out after she and other black teammates were called racist slurs and threatened during a match against Brigham Young University on Friday. Rachel Richardson wrote in a statement in part, "Friday night in our match against Brigham Young University my fellow African American teammates and I were targeted and racially heckled throughout the entirety of the match.

The slurs and comments grew into threats which caused us to feel unsafe. Both the officials and BYU coaching staff were made aware of the incident during the game, but failed to take the necessary steps to stop the unacceptable behavior and create a safe environment. They also failed to adequately address the situation immediately following the game when it was brought to their attention again. No athlete regardless of their race should ever be subject to such hostile conditions."

Richardson's godmother tweeted that her goddaughter was called the N word every time she served and that a white man told her to watch her back as she went back to the team bus. Just terrible behavior. Brigham Young Athletics apologized for the incident saying the fan has now been banned from all BYU athletic venues.

And with me now to talk about this is former President and CEO of the NAACP, Cornell William Brooks. Cornell, thank you so much for talking about this. I know we scrambled to get you last second, but this is so critically important to talk about. We are 75 years after Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in baseball. Why are athletes still having to deal with this and I guess what is your reaction to what happened?

CORNELL WILLIAM BROOKS, FORMER PRESIDENT AND CEO, NAACP: This is a good and hard question that you've asked because when we think about a black woman and black women during this time of treatment decades after Jesse Owens endured racial taunts in the era of Nazi Germany, this is disturbing.

So, my reaction to this is first, take note of the grace, the courage, the dignity of Rachel Richardson and her teammates, juxtapose that to the ugliness of the fan and the, I would argue, the moral incompetence and the inaction of the BYU officials, coach, and their leadership. It is a stark contrast.

The fact that these women endured this racial trauma does not suggest the non-existence of racial trauma. In other words, the fact that they conducted themselves with such dignity that they completed the game does not mean a belabored and late apology is either -- I should say, is either sufficient while certainly necessary.

What has to be done here, and we need to be clear about this, Jim, whenever a player is subjected to verbal violence, mind violence, soul violence, psychological violence, the game should stop. It should be suspended until the violence stop.

If someone came out of the stands on to the court and began to beat, kick or hit a player, the game would be suspended, the violence would be disrupted and then the game might continue.

[17:30:02]

That did not happen here. And so, we need to be very clear about this. The players conducted themselves in a way that is commendable. BYU conducted itself in a way that is, frankly, deplorable.

ACOSTA: And what should the NCAA do about this? I mean, should there be some action that's taken?

BROOKS: Oh, absolutely. The fact of the matter is we should not depend on brave, young people to set the moral standard for college athletics. There should be a policy such that literally our players are protected. We have to think about their psychological security in the same way that we think about their physical security. No fan should be allowed to call any human being the N word repeatedly and then to threaten them as the game continues.

ACOSTA: No question about it. And Lebron James tweeted to Richardson's godmother, "tell your goddaughter to stand tall, be proud, and continue to be black. We are a brotherhood and sisterhood. We have her back. This is not sports." So many like Lebron James have rallied in the wake of the attention that this sickening incident has gotten. What do you think? Are we rallying enough around these young ladies enough in this moment? What more needs to be done?

BROOKS: I think we have to send a signal as a society that we stand with these athletes and stand against anyone who stands against racism. So, in the moment we need to provide the emotional support, the psychological support, the solidarity in moments like this, but we have to go beyond to look at policies. So, that means BYU needs to step up and step forward with the policy.

Note what these women said. We're not calling you out. We're calling you up. So, BYU has to be called up in terms of articulating a policy, in terms of articulating what they're going to do to train their team, to train officials, to train those who are in leadership to respond to this moment.

The fact of the matter is, this happens and the players note this, this is not aberrational. This happens on, if not, an everyday basis. It certainly happened many times before. And it's happened not only at the college level but even in our high schools. And so, policy is the appropriate response in the long term. Certainly, emotional support in the short term.

ACOSTA: Alright, Cornell William Brooks, thank so much for coming on to discuss this very important issue. We appreciate it. Good to see you.

BROOKS: Thank you.

ACOSTA: Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has suspended four Broward County school board members after a grand jury report into the Parkland School shooting. The governor's office says the four school board members were suspended because of incompetence, neglect of duty and misuse of authority.

DeSantis sites a grand jury report that says a safety alarm could have saved lives in the school shooting, but still remains uninstalled in multiple schools today. One of the suspended board members called it political retribution and pointed out that all four members has been elected to office multiple times including after the tragedy at Parkland.

In Texas, parents and family members who have who've lost loved ones in the Uvalde School shooting are demanding change from the state's politicians. They joined a "March for our Lives" rally outside the state capitol in Austin yesterday urging the legislature and governor to raise the minimum wage to buy assault style weapons from 18 to 21.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) VERONICA MATA, MOTHE OF UVALDE VICTIM: When we had a conversation with Governor Abbott, when he came -- when he finally came to Uvalde to speak to us, he asked us, what can I do to help you guys? And I immediately asked change the laws. We need stricter gun laws. We need the age to be raised to 21.

And he replied back telling us that mental illness was the big cause of it all, not that he was going to change the laws, but that mental illness was the cause of it. I told him -- I immediately told him, I understand there's mental illness, but you are making it accessible and easy for these people to purchase guns under 18, at 18 years old, to kill our kids.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ACOSTA: This comes days after the Uvalde school board voted unanimously to fire the school district Police Chief Peter Arredondo. He faced intense scrutiny for the law enforcement response to the mass shooting at Robb Elementary. Officers waited more than an hour before confronting the 18-year-old gunman inside a classroom -- 19 children and two teachers were killed.

My next guest is a pediatrician who is one of more than a dozen residents who formed a group called Uvalde Strong for Gun Safety. It advocates for stronger gun safety measures and safer schools. He treated victims from the Uvalde school shooting and told Congress what he saw that day.

[17:34:53]

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ROY GUERRERO, PEDIATRICIAN WHO TREATED UVALDE SCHOOL SHOOTING VICTIMS: -- children whose bodies had been pulverized by bullets fired at them, decapitated, whose flesh had been ripped apart, that the only clue at their identities was a blood splattered cartoon clothes still clinging to them. Clinging for life and finding none.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ACOSTA: And Dr. Roy Guerrero joins me live. Doctor, great to see you. We, of course, all remember your testimony from that day. It was very powerful. And of course, everything you went through it's just unbelievable. Still, can't get your head around it today. You went to the protest in Austin yesterday. Why did you feel it was necessary to go?

GUERRERO: Basically, because these family members need everyone's support. I've said from the beginning, we're going to try to make this as visible as possible for as long as possible and not become one of the forgotten school shootings, you know. I mean, we have a habit in the U.S. to go through these circumstances and have a tendency to forget a few weeks later that it ever happened. So, these families need our support, from the physicians, from the leadership of our small town, to anybody possible that can stand behind them at this point in time. ACOSTA: And is the state of Texas listening, do you think? Dr.

Guerrero, what would you say to Governor Greg Abbott if he were listening right now?

GUERRERO: It's difficult. So, what I would tell Greg Abbott is, you know, first of all, shame on you for not attending one of the funerals of any of these kids or teachers that were brutally massacred in a Texas school. I feel that they are listening but passively listening knowing that the issue is still there. Nothing has been really done to change it. And these parents are angry. You know, our community is angry. And we're fighting for the change that we know we will achieve eventually, but the bigger message is our voices aren't going to be silenced anytime soon.

ACOSTA: And Peter Arredondo, his lawyer released a statement writing, "Chief Arredondo will not participate in his own illegal and unconstitutional public lynching and respectfully requests the Board immediately reinstate him with all back pay and benefits and close the complaint as unfounded." Some of the language there I'm a little surprised they would use that kind of language in that statement. But some in Uvalde are calling for the school board, the superintendent, the entire school police force to be fired. Where do you stand on all of this?

GUERRERO: I think that, of course, the transparency in all these has been blurred if not clouded throughout the whole process and I think, you know, definitely if the clarity isn't brought to light soon and more facts aren't presented to these family members and our committee members, then yes, definitely. I think there should be like a total thing over the House with a new start with a totally brand-new police force as of this per the school district. But yeah, definitely, we need more answers to make that definite decision.

ACOSTA: And students in Uvalde will be returning to school on September 6th to a new school building. You've told parents that they are within their rights to keep their kids home as long as they see fit, telling them do not send them and we'll see what happens. What do you hope will be done if kids don't return and what's your, I guess, assessment of the community right now as some kids are going back to school? I can't imagine -- it's just going to be a tremendously difficult time for everybody.

GUERRERO: Yes. You know, being the only pediatrician in town, but there are family practice doctors in town that see another part of the population. But being as a -- the kids as I see here, you know, the vast majority is either going to other private schools or not returning to school at all and seeking other online avenues for their kids' education.

So, it's tough. The majority of these families, these kids, these parents don't feel safe going back to the school district the way that it is now. And as you well know, there have been some measures made as new fences, new security measures, cameras, things of that nature, and also a call for a newly expanded police presence at all of the schools. But whether or not this will actually bring back the confidence of

these parents to send these children to Uvalde ISD is a very -- is a question that won't be answered anytime soon. And I guess we'll find out as a generality on come September 6th if these people are actually going to send their kids back to schools in their current state.

ACOSTA: And Dr. Guerrero, I mean, I know you know this, but ever -- even since the Uvalde shooting there have been numerous other mass shootings. In 2022, there have been more than 400 mass shootings according to the Gun Violence Archive, and we're not even to September yet. What's it going to take to stop this?

GUERRERO: I think it takes -- I'll list again, like I started off with this interview. It also takes everyone not being complacent, being quiet, sitting back and waiting to see what's going to happen next. My biggest concern with this march on the Capitol yesterday is that we are calling for us to raise the age to 20 to buy assault weapons.

[17:40:00]

But in reality, does that truly help the problem? Is a 21-year-old mind developed enough and matured enough to make the same decision that they would have made at 18-years-old and what that's going to make a difference or not. I'm not so sure about that. And the other fear that I have is that the Texas Republican government or the government in general will agree to raise the age to 21 to make it seem like they actually did something when nothing has happened yet up to this point, in efforts of trying to re-elect themselves and then not really up for the good of the general public.

ACOSTA: Alright, Dr. Roy Guerrero, it's still hard to this day to think about what these kids have gone through, what these families have gone through. I can see that picture behind you with the doctor and the cape there. Thanks for everything you've done in that community there. I'm sure they've given that to you because of all the wonderful things you've done in that community. Thanks again for your time. We appreciate it. Hang in there.

GUERRERO: Thank you so much and have a good day.

ACOSTA: Alright, we'll be right back.

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[17:45:00]

ACOSTA: We are counting down to the first mission to the moon in 50 years. "Artemis 1" tomorrow morning, weather permitting, NASA's most powerful rocket ever will lift off from Kennedy Space Center. No crew members aboard, but it's hoped the space flight is the first step to eventually land humans on Mars. More now from CNN's Kristen Fisher

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KRISTEN FISHER, CNN SPACE AND DEFENSE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It's been a long time since NASA's had its own candle to light. UNKNOWN: Liftoff.

FISHER (voice-over): Eleven years since the last Space Shuttle launch, 50 years since the last launch of the "Apollo" program.

UNKNOWN: The Challenger has landed.

FISHER (voice-over): But now, "Apollo's" mythological twin sister "Artemis" is on the launch pad and ready to fly.

BILL NELSON, NASA ADMINISTRATOR: To all of us that gaze up at the moon dreaming of the day humankind returns to the lunar surface, folks, we're here.

FISHER (voice-over): The "Artemis" rocket or SLS is years behind schedule, billions over budget. But it's also the most powerful rocket ever built and it's designed to launch people even deeper into space than the moon.

REID WISEMAN, CHIEF NASA ASTRONAUT: Our sights are not set on the moon. Our sights are set clearly on Mars.

FISHER (voice-over): But first, it has to pass this uncrewed test flight with only mannequins onboard. "Artemis 1" will launch from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, but mission control is at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas.

UNKNOWN: This is "Apollo" control Houston.

FISHER (voice-over): The same place that controlled every "Apollo" and Shuttle mission.

RICK LABRODE, LEAD FLIGHT DIRECTOR, NASA JOHNSON SPACE CENTER: This is where it all happens as far as human space flight.

FISHER (voice-over): Rick LaBrode is in charge of it all as lead flight director. LaBrode and his team have been training in this room for this moment for over three years.

LABRODE: When flight day comes, it's a whole different ball game. It's when it really gets real.

FISHER (voice-over): After launch, the SLS rocket will separate from the "Orion" crew capsule on top. "Orion" will then fly a quarter of a million miles to the moon and then go 40,000 miles beyond it, farther than any spacecraft designed to carry humans has ever flown.

LABRODE: We're going to swing by the moon. And when we swing by it on the way there, we're going to be 60 miles off the surface. It's going to be incredible. The pictures we get as we go by are going to be really impressive.

FISHER (voice-over): After orbiting the moon for more than two weeks, "Orion" will head back to Earth hitting speeds of around 25,000 miles per hour and temperatures half the surface of the sun, something engineers can't replicate here on Earth. LABRODE: The number one highest priority for our mission is actually

to test the heat shield.

UNKNOWN: Liftoff of Space Shuttle "Columbia" --

FISHER (voice-over): It was a damaged heat shield that caused Space Shuttle "Columbia" to burn up on re-entry killing seven astronauts. So, testing it before astronauts fly on "Artemis 2" is crucial.

VICTOR GLOVER, NASA ASTRONAUT: For me, "Artemis 1" is exciting, but it's really a stepping stone, a milestone to get humans back in the vicinity of the moon. And that, that is awesome.

FISHER (voice-over): Victor Glover is one of more than 40 astronauts in the running to fly on "Artemis 2" and "Artemis 3" which will land the first woman and the first person of color on the moon.

GLVOER: We explore for all people, but now we can actually say we explore with all people.

FISHER (voice-over): Kristen Fisher, CNN, Washington.

(EDN VIDEOTAPE)

ACOSTA: Coming up, an incredible rescue of a man who fell 100 feet and lived to tell the tale. But first, here is CNN's Christine Romans with your "Before the Bell Report."

CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN CHIEF BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Jim, what is usually a quiet late summer has been anything but for investors. Once minor economic reports are now scrutinized for any clues to how well the Federal Reserve is battling red-hot inflation. The Fed Chief Jerome Powell exactly one year ago acknowledged inflation only in narrow categories and then he called it transitory. Remember? A year later, a commitment to see the inflation fight through.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JEROME POWELL, CHAIRMAN, FEDERAL RESERVE: We are taking forceful and rapid steps to moderate demand so that it comes into better alignment with supply and to keep inflation expectations anchored.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROMANS: This week, there are only a few days left in August along with a data-palooza for the recession guessing game. News on housing, consumer confidence, and manufacturing, and then that critical jobs report for August set to be released later this week.

The jobs market has remained incredibly firm in the face of recession fears and rising interest rates. The Fed meets in September and is certain to raise interest rates again in its fight against high prices. The cure for inflation, of course, has its own side effect, it makes consumer borrowing more expensive for cars, homes, student loans, credit cards.

The 30-year fixed rate mortgage starts this week at 5.55 percent, double what it was last year. In New York, I'm Christine Romans.

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[17:50:00]

ACOSTA: If you haven't ordered your third set of free at home COVID tests or even your first for that matter, time is running out. The federal government is ending the program this Friday. If you go to order @COVID.gov/test, you'll see at the top of the page a statement says the program will be suspended Friday because Congress has not provided additional funding to replenish the nation's stockpile of tests.

[17:54:57]

A White House official tells CNN the administration will resume the distribution of free rapid test, quote, "If and when Congress allocates additional funding."

And an incredible true story, this rescue story here from northern California where a man fell 100 feet off a cliff and survived. Rescuers say the man was taking a stroll around dawn when the cliff side crumbled beneath him. He yelled for help. Fortunately, a woman was nearby and heard him and he was rescued in less than 25 minutes. Talk about a cliff hanger. But another reminder. Do not hang around cliffs. That could happen to you.

That's the news. Reporting from Washington, I'm Jim Acosta. I'll hang around until I see you back here next Saturday at 3:30 p.m. eastern. Hang in there though because Pamela Brown takes over the CNN NEWSROOM live after a quick break. Good night.

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