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Inspectors Will Have Permanent Role at Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Plant; "No Ordinary Life" Five Trail Blazing Combat Camera Women; Serena William to Compete in Third Round at U.S. Open. Aired 3:30-4p

Aired September 02, 2022 - 15:30   ET

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

[15:30:00]

ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN HOST: In the last hour, the U.N.'s nuclear watchdog said he's learned much more about the dangers that exist at Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant now that inspectors are inside. And because of the dangerous possibilities caused by mortar shelling in the region, the International Atomic Energy Agency says they will now have a permanent presence at the facility.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RAFAEL GROSSI, DIRECTOR GENERAL, INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY: We believe and I continue to believe that is situation is extremely complex, extremely challenging, and it will continue to require the permanent support and the monitoring that we are trying to provide now that we are there.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CAMEROTA: CNN's senior international correspondent Sam Kiley joins me live from Zaporizhzhia. So, Sam, having a permanent presence there by the IAEA, will that make it safer?

SAM KILEY, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: It might not make it safer, but it will make it harder for both sides or either side, both the Ukrainians and Russians to accuse each other with falsehoods. Now, we know that the Russians have been using that nuclear power station or its environment as a fire base to shoot at civilian areas. We don't know for sure who's been firing the shells or the mortar round back in. Although mortar rounds only have the range that would mean that it's the Russians shooting effectively on their own positions. It's that kind of issues that those monitors will be able to solve.

Also, very, very important technical and maintenance issues that have confronted this nuclear power station that's being run jointly by the Ukrainians, effectively under duress, alongside Russian technicians who have been brought in, many of them perhaps reluctantly and under military occupation.

And Mr. Grossi also pointed out one of the really important aspects of this is that somebody out there in his view, militarily knows what he's doing, and knows if you want to make the nuclear power station vulnerable, you cut the supply line of electricity into it, that is for the cooling systems of the reactors. That has happened twice in the last week, the most recent time actually yesterday during Grossi and other inspectors from the UN's visit. And that means that the diesel generators have to kick in order to keep the reactor cool. If they fail, it melts down. And in fact, I think that he drew most attention to while saying at the same time he really hopes he'll be able to keep those inspectors there permanently.

What he didn't do, and what has annoyed the Ukrainians is called for a demilitarization of the nuclear power station. That's something that's had international endorsement, been led of course by the Ukrainians who want to see the Russians out of there all together. But he hasn't yet said so, and that has certainly annoyed the Ukrainian President Zelenskyy after Grossi reported to him following his visit.

CAMEROTA: OK, Sam Kiley, thank you so much for being on the ground there for us.

So, there's a group of extraordinary women who risked their lives to cover global events for CNN. We're going to take you behind their camera lenses and share their stories, next.

[15:35:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CAMEROTA: grab The journalists here at CNN are dedicated to bringing you the latest news and events happening around the world. The new CNN film, "NO ORDINARY LIFE" takes a behind the scenes look at five trail blazing combat camera women who have risked their lives to get the most compelling images and important stories of our time. Here's a preview.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You guys. Wait.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The driver starts to take off, and all I was thinking was, this has happened to me, I've had a driver kiss off during an ambush.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There's gunfire all around us.

MARY ROGERS, CNN CAMERAWOMAN: I was afraid. (EXPLETIVE DELETED) you know. I'm not an adrenaline junky, it's not all about the front lines and bang, bang with me. In war zones, what I care about the most are the civilians, the human beings through no choice of their own are forced to live in these places.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

[15:40:03]

CAMEROTA: Joining us now is the director of "NO ORDINARY LIFE," Heather O'Neill. We also have CNN photo journalist and producer Mary Rogers and former CNN photo journalist Cindy Strand. She's also a former executive director of our international news gathering. Mary, I want to start with you, it's great to see all of you ladies, by the way. But Mary, I want to start with you. Because that footage, my heart is racing right now. Just watching the footage and of course you're still with CNN today. So, just tell us what does drive you to keep putting yourself in dangerous situations like that for your job.

ROGERS: Well, I still have energy, Alisyn, and I care, you know, about events going on in the world. Now, having said that, I have not covered the war in Ukraine this year because I broke my knee in Kyiv, you know, in late January before the war started. I've been -- and, you know, I had surgery, and it's taken months of rehab and I'm not 100 percent yet. I have to be ready to run if I needed to, and I'm not there yet. So, I'm doing more mellower assignments for the time being. But I still enjoy what I do and want to do my part to contribute to CNN's coverage still.

CAMEROTA: Oh, my gosh, Mary, I had no idea. That sounds painful and like, yes, you do need to take some time to recover.

Cindy, we also have some footage that you shot during the Tiananmen Square massacre. So, let's just watch that.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CINDY STRAND, FORMER CNN PHOTOJOURNALIST: That particular night, I knew that was the night. I just felt it in my bones that the government was going to shut this down.

You're it. You're the one that's going to see it. And you're the one that's going to record it. That's why you're a journalist. So, we stayed. We started to get to reports that the tanks were coming.

There's flames in the distance, and we're starting to hear bullets cracking down the street, and not just zing, zing, but pretty heavy fire, and bodies coming into the square. We snuck around the back and started talking to the kids. They left.

STRAND: Do you think anybody got killed?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Of course. I'm sure. Very sure. Many students were killed.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CAMEROTA: Oh, my gosh. Cindy, tell us what it's like to be on the front lines like that of conflicts like that?

STRAND: Well, Alisyn, I will say, you know, when you're on the very front lines in the thick of it, gender doesn't really matter. What matters is staying calm, taking the chaos out of a situation, getting your pictures and knowing when to get out of the situation. You know, I will say, when I first became a cameraman and that's what we were called during those days, and that's what we called ourselves, you know, I tried to be such the tough guy, and tried to mimic what I thought was the right behavior.

And it took me a long time to realize the real strength in being a journalist or later being a leader at CNN is to be yourself. And you know, we all have different finger prints, and if my finger prints and the way I touch a story it that, you know, make a difference because I'm a woman or say I was born in Mexico City or say I was born in Cairo, or was part of the LBGTQ community, you know, whatever we touch a story with and importantly story choice, it's so important.

CAMEROTA: Absolutely. I mean, I appreciate you saying all of that about gender, but you are looking out at a sea of men there. Particularly that Tiananmen Square thing. Just all of those soldiers and most of the students, just all men. I mean, it's just astounding on every level.

So Heather, you're also of course a CNN veteran. You've worked with these women over the years, why did you think it was so important to tell their stories now?

HEATHER O'NEILL, CNN PHOTOJOURNALIST AND PRODUCER: Well, Alisyn, I first met Mary Rogers in Baghdad in 2009. And I had never met a camera woman before. And I was really struck by her fierceness and she was just incredible and dedicated and it kind of planted a seed way back then. And then I obviously as I grew in my career at CNN got to know Cindy, and you know, the other camera women, and it just always struck me as a really great story. And Margaret Moth, of course, who's also a legend, and you know, we've seen all of their work over the decades, but I just didn't think that people knew that it was these really incredibly brave women behind the camera. So, I'm very lucky to have been able to tell their story.

CAMEROTA: Yes, I mean, Mary, I think that your injury also just touches upon the incredible athleticism of your jobs.

[15:45:00]

You know, you guys are lugging heavy equipment with you, you're running and gunning. I mean, look, we have all of these pictures, there's just -- it takes a lot, it's a physical job. And so, what advice do you give to young women who say that's really cool, and I want to do the kind of reporting and photography that you do.

ROGERS: Well, first of all, I would say most importantly, have compassion, and empathy for the people you will be filming if you go into a war zone. People are suffering. Anytime you're on assignment where people are suffering and there are tragic circumstances.

Secondly developmental and physical stamina. Because when we go on assignment, you know, it's seven days a week, there are no days off and hours and hours and hours. And, you know, have perseverance. If you really want to do this, don't let obstacles standing in your way. I'm a big believer in being persistent, and you will find a way to do this. Also, the cameras are a lot smaller. You have smaller camera options now. You know, than when I started out and Cindy and Marie, you know, back when we all started out. There was one option, the great big bertha cam. Now, they're smaller cameras. So, you know, which maybe will encourage more women to become camera women.

I see a lot of female still photographers out, you know, on assignments I go to. But very, very few camera women. And at CNN internationally, now, there's myself and also one other Claudia Otto who's based out of Berlin. And you know, I don't know how many we have on the domestic side, but there can always be more. Don't be intimidated by the gear.

CAMEROTA: That's good to know, that is a blessing that the cameras have gotten lighter and smaller. But I think to all of your points, I mean, the stamina and perseverance, it's uncommon. It's uncommon in human beings, much less women on the front lines there. My hat's off to all of you, thanks so much for all you do for us and the viewers. Mary Rogers, Cindy Strand and Heather O'Neill, you're inspirations and everybody should watch, "NO ORDINARY LIFE," it airs this Monday at 10:00 p.m. right here on CNN.

All right, all eyes on Serena Williams who will be back on the court tonight for the third round of singles matches, we're live from Arthur Ashe Stadium, next.

[15:50:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CAMEROTA: It appears Serena Williams' doubles career has come to an end after she and her sister Venus lost last night in the first round of the U.S. Open. But Serena has at least one more shot to advance her legendary career. Tonight the 23-time Grand Slam singles winner will compete in the third round of the singles tournament. CNN's Don Riddell is at Arthur Ashe Stadium in Flushing, New York. So, Don, what's the mood there?

DON RIDDELL, CNN HOST, WORLD SPORT: Well, the mood, Alisyn, as you would expect, is building. It's still a few hours before the match is played, but the energy at this U.S. Open tournament in this week already has just been going through the roof.

I can't tell you who's going to win tonight, but I can describe the scene, and it is going to be a scene. The demand for Serena Williams tickets has been absolutely through the roof.

Nobody was necessarily sure that she was going to get this far in the tournament. But now that she has and now that so many of the top seeds are dropping out, I think people are starting to dream this fairy tale might actually pan out. Could she possibly on her final tournament win a 24th Grand Slam singles title? We'll see. She has to get through the world number 46, Ajla Tomjanovich tonight. She's a player that's been playing grand slam tournaments for the last decade, but usually she only really features in the first week. She did make the quarterfinal of Wimbledon this year. So, she knows what it's like to kind of play on a big occasion at a Grand Slam Tournament, but I don't think Tomjanovich has any idea what really awaits her inside Arthur Ashe Stadium tonight.

I think it's going to be more like a coliseum or a lion's den because the crowd is so massively in Serena Williams' favor. It's a Friday night in New York. I imagine the beers will be flowing as well. The opponents that Serena has beaten this week have been brought out

on to the court. They've had to then watch a montage of everything that Serena Williams has done, which must be incredibly difficult to navigate while you're trying to focus on what for these guys is the biggest match of their careers. Tomjanovich has never played Serena Williams before. She's never been in an environment like this.

Somebody on social media joked, are they going to make her watch the whole King Richard film before she plays the match against Serena Williams. Obviously, that's not going to happen, but it gives you an idea of what Serena's opponents are up against and it's going to be no different tonight.

CAMEROTA: That is great movie, number one. And number two, I hope it's not as bloody as the coliseum. But your point is, you know, nobody should put anything past Serena, so we'll all be watching. Don Riddell, thank you very much for the report.

All right, a federal judge unsealed the inventory list for each of the boxes seized at Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago. What we learned about the contents and these items and what it could all mean for Donald Trump legally.

[15:55:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CAMEROTA: The COVID pandemic forced many restaurants to close, but this CNN hero refused to let her community go hungry.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KIM CALICHIO, FORMER RESTAURANT CHEF: I had a choice to either sit here in my house and be overwhelmed or I can do whatever it is that I could possibly do without thinking about whether it's going to work or not.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We're going to do two Apples, a bunch of bananas, two tomatoes.

[16:00:00]

CALICHIO: We started a GoFundMe to direct deliver groceries to families across Queens. And within a week, we raised $10,000. We thought the pandemic was going to be over in two weeks. So, we were like, we'll spend this $10,000 and then we'll go back to work, and that never happened.

The first week, we delivered 25 grocery packages to 25 families. And within a month's time, we were delivering 400 to 500 groceries to families every single week.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CAMEROTA: What an incredible story. And "THE LEAD" with Jake Tapper starts now.