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CNN Travels to Border Town Liberated Days Ago; Palace Unveils Details of Queen's State Funeral; Miles-Long Line Along Thames to View Queen's Coffin; Putin, Xi Meet in Person for First Time Since February; Canada's Past and Future Relationship with the Monarchy; Biden: Republicans Using Migrants as 'Props'; Typhoon Nanmadol to Strength Before Hitting Japan; Tentative U.S. Rail Agreement Averts Supply Chain Crisis; Roger Federer to Retire from Tennis. Aired 12-1a ET
Aired September 16, 2022 - 00:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
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JOHN VAUSE, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: All around the world, you're watching CNN NEWSROOM.
[00:00:37]
Coming up. First Bucha and Mariupol, now Izium. Where Ukrainian officials say hundreds of bodies showing signs of torture and violence have been found in mass graves.
Anger and hurt at the Kremlin that Putin was not on the guest list for the queen's funeral. And outrage in London that China's vice premier was.
And a blatantly cruel, nasty political stunt by Florida's governor over immigration might just be illegal, as well.
ANNOUNCER: Live from CNN Center, this is CNN NEWSROOM with John Vause.
VAUSE: Once again, as Russian troops are forced to withdraw from Ukrainian cities and towns, they're leaving behind what appears to be evidence of the suffering, pain and death endured by Ukrainians under their control.
This time, it's the Northeastern city of Izium. Earlier this week, as a surprise Ukrainian counter-offensive was closing in, Russian ships fled. Ukrainian fighters liberating a city left devastated by almost five months of Russian occupation.
That's just beginning. Ukrainian officials say they have found mass graves. One site had more than 400 unmarked graves. President Zelenskyy visited Izium earlier this week, and on Thursday, he said Russia must be held accountable.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): We want the world to know what is really happening and what the Russian occupation has led to in Bucha, Mariupol, and now unfortunately, Izium. Russia is leaving death behind everywhere and must be held responsible. The world must bring Russia to real responsibility for this war.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: This counter-offensive is now pushing deeper into Russian- controlled territory, with reports Russian forces are withdrawing from the Southern city of Melitopol (ph).
Critical to the Ukrainians' success has been the steady supply of high-tech weapons, mostly from the United States. Those shipments will continue, with the White House announcing another $600 million package of military assistance.
But longer-range tactical missiles are not included, despite being requested by Ukraine. We'll have more on that in a moment.
And on her third trip to Kyiv, the leader of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen delivered an unequivocal message of support for Ukraine.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
URSULA VON DER LEYEN, PRESIDENT, EUROPEAN COMMISSION: We will never be able to compensate what you do with your fight for democracy, for humanity. For the respect of the international rule of law. But what we can tell you, that you have your European friends by your side as long as it takes. And that we are friends forever.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: This Ukrainian counteroffensive has surpassed all expectations and has retaken territory from the Russians at a blistering pace. And as CNN's Nick Paton Walsh reports, Ukrainian troops are now just miles away from the Russian border.
And a warning: some of the images you're about to see are disturbing.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
NICK PATON WALSH, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Breaking quite suddenly up here. And the road to Russia's border with Ukraine, strewn with what it left behind, and it's panic, including its own.
Two Russian soldiers shot dead in fighting about five days ago. Yet another sign the Kremlin doesn't care what or who it leaves behind.
This is Vovchansk, the closest town to Russia that Ukraine has taken back, and whose vital railways began the supply chain for most of Moscow's war.
The Russians, everyone says, just packed up and vanished a few days ago. They've always been so close, so part of life here. Any joy is not universal. "They were not very good," says Andrei (ph). "They didn't shoot
anyone, though."
"The hardest was to see their checkpoints and their 'Z' signs and feel hatred growing in my heart," says Tatyana (ph). "They can drink their oil and have their golden diamonds for dessert, but just leave us alone here."
Nastya (ph) is sailing ships, she says. Ukraine has been at war all the eight years she's known. "I think it will be better without them," she says. "It was uncomfortable having them here." Her parents, nearby, say fear meant they slept in their clothes all the six months.
[00:05:05]
WALSH: It's kind of strange here to see how almost unaffected so much of this town has been and how life seems to have slipped comfortably back into normal when the Russians just picked up and left.
And it gives you a feeling of how normality must still reign. Just a matter of six kilometers away across the border in Russia.
WALSH (voice-over): But normal is never coming back, particularly to here, the borderline itself. Russia retreated back over it but must now live with the hatred it has stirred.
WALSH: The fact that Ukrainian forces are able to push right up to here, the beginning of the border buffer zone with Russia. Russia is just a matter of kilometers in that direction. It is another calamity Moscow has imposed upon itself.
Its opponents in this war its struggling so deeply to defeat, is now so close to Russia's own towns and cities.
WALSH (voice-over): A moment-long coming says local soldier Anton (ph).
WALSH: How do you feel walking along the Ukraine-Russia border?
"Some people have waited this for eight years," he says. "It is the start of our victory."
WALSH (voice-over): Across the once-sleepy fields here, lives and harvests stalled, wilting. Yet another year will come.
Nick Paton Walsh, CNN, Vovchansk, Ukraine.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VAUSE: More now, we're joined by Lieutenant General Mark Hertling, a CNN military analyst and the former commanding general of the U.S. Army, Europe and 7th Army.
Thanks for being with us.
LT. GEN. MARK HERTLING (RET.), CNN MILITARY ANALYST: Good to be with you again John.
VAUSE: OK, so the Ukrainians have made it clear they need a steady flow of weapons shipments from the U.S. and NATO and others to press on with this counteroffensive.
And while President Zelenskyy has asked for longer-range missiles in particular, CNN is reporting the Biden administration is unlikely to significantly change its approach to helping Ukraine fight Russia, sources tell CNN, and it's "rebuffing some Ukrainian weapon requests for now."
The latest arms package, which was announced a short time ago, has borne that out.
And we'll get to Moscow's warning in a moment about why the Ukrainians need these long-range missiles, or warning about supplying those missiles. But what are the consequences of not actually getting these long-range missiles for the Ukrainians? What do they lose by not having them?
HERTLING: Well, let's -- let's talk a little bit about the missile systems first, John. Because everyone is saying, give them ATACMS. Give them ATACMS.
And I would venture to say that anyone you ask, exactly what's the difference between an ATACMS, versus a HIMARS/GMLRS rocket system, they would say, Well, it shoots longer. That's true.
Let's talk some other details. A cost of a GMLRS, the kind of artillery round or rocket that a HIMARS shoots, is about $160,000 per round. It has a 200-pound warhead, and there are six rounds in each one of the pods that are on the back of the HIMARS vehicle.
Now, they shoot between 15 and 92 kilometers, or 9 to 57 miles.
Now, let's talk ATACMS. The ATACMS missile, one missile, costs $850,000 apiece. There is one missile per pod. It's a 500-pound warhead, and it does go further. But it's no longer produced in the U.S. inventory.
So the stockpiles that we have are what we have today. And some of them are being upgraded for our own stockpiles.
Then you have to go into, you know, answering the questions: is it that the Ukrainians want it, or do they need it during this phase of their operation? And I would suggest that's being weighed heavily by the secretary of defense.
VAUSE: Here's the warning from Russia's foreign ministry to the United States over supplying those long-range missiles to the Ukrainians. Listen to this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MARIA ZAKHAROVA, RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESPERSON (through translator): If Washington decides to supply long-range missiles to Kyiv, it will cross a red line and become a party to the conflict. We reserve the right to defend our territory by all means available to us.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: Why isn't the response to that, yes, so what are you going to do? I mean, the U.S. is already party to the conflict. You know, what message does this send to the Kremlin and to the rest of the world if, in fact, the White House does buckle under this threat?
HERTLING: Well, I wouldn't call it buckling. What I would say -- again, I go back to the comment I made, is this widening the conflict or is it ensuring that Russia does not have any excuse to blame either Europe, NATO or the United States for additional conflict?
Ukraine is doing a very good job in what they're doing now. The other questions I asked, do they want it, or do they need it right now? What would they use this for in terms of the cost and the return on the investment for the kinds of systems they're given?
So I can certainly understand where the uninitiated would say, give them everything they want. But truthfully, giving them everything they want will put them and the U.S. at a disadvantage.
VAUSE: We are getting that message of support coming from the E.U. leader, Ursula von der Leyen, which is direct. It is unambiguous. Here she is, explaining why.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
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VON DER LEYEN: It is important that we understand that, yes, this comes at a high cost. But our freedom, the international peace order, and democracy is priceless.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: Keep that in mind, because there is so much at stake here. And it seems the U.S. eventually comes around to Ukrainian requests for certain types of weapons, which sort of echoes of Abba Eban (ph), the former Israeli ambassador to Washington, who once said, "The U.S. can be counted on to do the right thing after every other option is well and truly exhausted."
HERTLING: Yes, it's certainly true. I'm not sure I agree with that policy. I think the U.S. has been behind stalwartly Ukraine from the very beginning.
But here's the point. It's -- it's pushing more onto the Ukrainian army when they have a really tough fight, a close-in fight going on right now.
Now, they will say, We want to hit long-range targets. And that's all very good. But again, as a military guy, I go back to targeting. What targets are
you going to hit? How will those weapons be used? Because they do have our label on them. And what kind of instigation could it cause for Mr. Putin? It's not necessarily him increasing combat, but could this give him additional rationale for a full mobilization of the Russian army? Which he has been hesitant to do so far.
So there's a lot of politics involved in this decision-making. And it's more than just, you know, whether or not Ukraine wants this.
I keep going back to the issue, is do they need it right now in the phase of the fight they're in? And I think the answer from our Defense Department is no, not right now.
VAUSE: Mark Hertling, a measured voice of reason and experience. Thank you for being with us, sir.
HERTLING: I tried. Thank you, John. Appreciate it.
VAUSE: Final details of the state funeral for Queen Elizabeth have been announced, for what will be the largest gathering in Britain of European royalty and heads of state in decades.
On Friday, King Charles will be joined by his only sister and two younger brothers for a silent vigil at the queen's coffin in Westminster Hall, where mourners have been streaming by in the thousands since late Wednesday. This is live images right there. It is 12 minutes past 5 in the morning, and they continue to come.
On Sunday, the king will host a royal reception at Buckingham Palace for heads of state and other dignitaries.
On Thursday, the Prince and Princess of Wales admired floral tributes and greeted well-wishers. The heir to the throne confessing the past few days have been difficult.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WILLIAM, PRINCE OF WALES: Doing the walk yesterday was challenging. It brought back a few memories. It's one of those moments where you kind of think to yourself, "I've prepared myself for this, but I'm not that prepared." It's this weird kind of thing, because we knew she was 96."
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: The queen's funeral will officially get underway Monday morning, with two minutes of silence, just before noon. Until the coffin is removed from Westminster Hall, the public will be allowed to see it, if they're willing to wait.
CNN's Nic Robertson has our report.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR (voice-over): Aside the tidal Thames, a human river, carrying emotions towards a much- loved monarch.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You realize that when you're there, because you know, you can see other people get emotional, too. You can't -- you can't not compare, not be emotional.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think it's right just to pay my respects. You know, because it's someone I've admired over my lifetime.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: She has been a constant the whole time, the whole of your life. I think we're just beginning to realize that that constant is gone.
ROBERTSON: For a second day, Queen Elizabeth II's royal standard- draped casket lying in state, serene, atop the flag.
Royal archers, yeomen, heads bowed, standing guard. One succumbing to the intense rigors of such prestigious duty, collapsing where he stood.
Among those paying respect, former British Prime Minister Theresa May.
Around the country, royals hearing condolences firsthand. The Prince and Princess of Wales, at the queen's Norfolk residents, Sandringham, meeting villagers.
PRINCE WILLIAM: The walk yesterday was challenging. I have to say, brought back a few memories.
ROBERTSON: The queen's daughter, the Princess Royal, was in Glasgow. And the queen's youngest son and wife, the Earl and Countess of Wessex and Forfar, went to Manchester.
After several days of intense public mourning, King Charles and the queen consort spent the day at his country residence, Highgrove, for moments of personal reflection.
[00:15:00]
And as they did in Scotland Monday, King Charles and his siblings will hold a vigil Friday night at the queen's coffin.
Sunday, he'll host visiting dignitaries, including President Joe Biden, at Buckingham Palace, the biggest such gathering in recent history, ahead of the funeral Monday.
ROBERTSON: The funeral service itself will begin 11 a.m. Monday. The queen, like her father, and grandfather before her, to be placed on the state gun carriage of the royal navy and pulled by 142 Royal Naval Ratings from Westminster Hall to Westminster Abbey.
Following an hour-long service and another procession through London, she'll be taken to Windsor Castle, where she'll be laid to rest next to her husband, Prince Philip.
Nic Robertson, CNN, London.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VAUSE: Even at this early hour, there is still an incredibly long wait for many who would like to pay their respects or simply be part of history.
CNN's Nada Bashir is there, and if we take a look at the crowd tracker, you're looking at, what, four miles long and about an 11-hour wait. I think that's double what it was this time yesterday.
NADA BASHIR, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes absolutely, John. It is significantly colder than it was yesterday and longer.
And this time, it's about 2.8, 2.9 miles long, or for many of the people that we have been speaking to, they'd already been waiting for about four or five hours before being able to cross the bridge over to Westminster Palace.
So it is a little bit colder, and we are seeing people wrapped up warm, trying to keep away from the cold, trying to make quick stops to get coffee.
And of course, you're not allowed to carry very large bags with you, either, as you can only really bring the essential items with you.
But I have to say, on the whole, many people have been quite upbeat about the whole experience, and are very much looking forward to being part of this historic moment, having the opportunity to directly pay their respects to the queen.
And we were speaking to someone. How long have you been in the queue so far?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We started in the queue at 10 o'clock. We left home about 8 o'clock. So --
BASHIR: It's been a long night.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It has. Yes, a bit longer than before.
BASHIR: How are you coping with the cold?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It wasn't too bad to begin with, but now it's quite chilly.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's quite chilly.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: As you can see, my wife has wrapped up a bit.
BASHIR: But we've been hearing from a lot of people saying that it's totally worth it. Is that how you feel?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, once we get there, that will be well worth it. Yes.
BASHIR: Why was it so important for you to be part of this moment?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Well, it's a moment in history, that we should all be very proud to take part in.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Absolutely. The lady's been there since before I was born, so all my life. We're seeing it through to the end.
BASHIR: Well, good luck with the rest of the queue, take care.
And it is a long wait for many people in this queue. We actually had the chance to speak to people yesterday who were leaving Westminster Hall after being able to pay their respects. And many said that it was well worth the wait to be part of this historical moment.
I have to say, a lot of people that we spoke to were very emotional, as well, about this moment.
And today, of course, this evening, we will expect to see the queen's children -- King Charles, Princess Ann, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward -- taking part in that vigil around the queen's coffin. So not only will this be a moment for some people later today to pay their respects to the queen, but it will also be a moment for them to see the new monarch, John.
VAUSE: What's the situation with world leaders who have been invited and some who have not been invited to the queen's funeral? Notably, Vladimir Putin was snubbed. So, too, the leaders of North Korea, Myanmar and Belarus. Well, that's how they're seeing it, at least, in the Kremlin.
But not China. And so there's some concern that, among conservative MPs, that the Chinese vice premier might be there.
BASHIR: Absolutely, John. We are expecting dignitaries from across the globe to come to London to take part in the queen's state funeral, on Monday. But there has been concern around the invitations.
We heard pretty much early on, after the announcement of the queen's death, from the Russian side that President Putin would not be attending the queen's funeral.
Now, of course, we are hearing concerns from some British lawmakers around the suggestion that there will be representatives from the Chinese government attending the queen's state funeral. Though other leaders, where relations are trickier between Britain, have not been invited.
Now, there is serious concern around that, of course, because of the reports of serious human rights abuses against Uyghur Muslims in China, as well as other issues across the country. And there is concern that their invitation should not have been extended.
That is the message we're hearing from some British lawmakers. And of course, the Chinese government saying that it is considering sending representatives to the state funeral. So that may certainly overshadow some of the events around Monday.
But of course, we are expecting world leaders from across the globe and other foreign monarchies to be attending that state funeral. It's set to be a large-scale event. Security operations already in preparation.
We are seeing around us already roads being closed and infrastructure being built to cope with the sheer number of people expected to be lining the streets on Monday, to pay their final respects to the queen.
[00:20:10]
She will, of course, be carried in procession, her coffin, from the hall of Westminster, the Palace of Westminster, just down the road to Westminster Abbey, where that funeral will be held, and then of course, later transported to Windsor, which will be her final resting place -- John.
VAUSE: Nada, thank you very much for that. We really appreciate your time and your reporting there at this early hour. Thank you.
Still ahead this hour, as strong (ph) as a mountain, says Vladimir Putin about his relationship with Xi Jinping, but when it comes to Ukraine, that mountain may be a little shaky.
Plus migrants flown to a Massachusetts island, dropped off with no warning. The political firestorm, reaction when we come back.
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VAUSE: Xi Jinping appears to be doing a delicate dance along the ancient Silk Road in Samarkand in Uzbekistan. The Chinese president met with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, pledging mutual support and cooperation on core interests.
But only Mr. Putin brought up the war in Ukraine. CNN's Ivan Watson has that report.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
IVAN WATSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Two leaders united by their dislike of the U.S. Xi Jinping making his first trip outside of COVID-lockdown China in more than two years, face to face with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, who quickly addresses the elephant in the room.
VLADIMIR PUTIN, RUSSIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): We highly appreciate the balanced position of our Chinese friends in connection with the Ukrainian crisis. We understand your questions and concerns in this regard.
WATSON (voice-over): Questions and concerns about Russia's deadly war in Ukraine. A shift in tone from the last time these two men met.
At the start of the Beijing Winter Olympics in February, Xi and Putin announced a friendship with no limits and called for a new world order not dominated by Washington.
But only weeks later, Putin launched his invasion of Ukraine, and it has not gone according to plan. Russia's military, battered, its economy increasingly isolated. Putin
now needs China more than ever. But in his public comments, the Chinese leader made no mention of Ukraine. The White House argues, when it comes to this war, Chinese friendship does have limits.
JOHN KIRBY, NSC COORDINATOR FOR STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS: We haven't seen the Chinese do anything, overtly, to support the effort by Mr. Putin, inside Ukraine. Clearly, they haven't publicly condemned it.
I think the Chinese, as they watch what's going on here, they recognize how isolated Moscow is from the rest of the international community. They recognize the economic costs and consequences that this war is having on the Russian economy.
[00:25:00]
WATSON (voice-over): Thanks in large part to the ongoing COVID lockdowns of entire Chinese cities, the Chinese economy is also taking a beating, something Xi can't afford to ignore, as he prepares to grant himself a third term in office.
The Chinese and Russian navies are conducting joint patrols in the Pacific Ocean, but these types of shows of force have been challenged by the fierce resistance displayed by a much smaller military, fighting on the battlefields of Ukraine.
Ivan Watson, CNN, Hong Kong.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VAUSE: Live now to CNN's Beijing bureau chief, Steven Jiang. So Steven, for Xi Jinping, it seems it's a case of don't mention the war. But what the Chinese president says internationally, what he says domestically, let alone what he says in private compared to public, well, they're often very different, aren't they?
STEVEN JIANG, CNN BEIJING BUREAU CHIEF: Yes, it does show some limits exist in this so-called no limits partnership, at least on this issue, at least right now.
And it also really shows the dynamic between the two powers, and it's increasingly obviously China is the greater of the two.
And you know, while Xi Jinping made no mention of Ukraine, at least publicly, Putin definitely mentioned Taiwan, which of course, is perhaps China's most important so-called core interests, and increasingly a source of its tensions with the West, especially with the U.S. after that controversial visit by Nancy Pelosi.
So Putin not only pledged Russia would stick to the one China principle, he also went out of his way to condemn the U.S. and its allies for their provocative actions against China on this issue.
So it's really interesting that, although the two men are very much still bounded by their grievances against the West and trying to shape a new world order, there are some divisions when it comes to this relationship, and also that imbalance in this relationship, if you will.
And if you read between the lines, Xi also said he's working -- he's willing to work with Putin to show the world the responsibilities of great powers, in terms of injecting stability in -- into a world of turbulence. And obviously, invading your neighbor is not doing that. So that is seen by many as a subtle, or not even not-so-subtle rebuke or reproach of Russia's war, which definitely has caused trouble for the Chinese economy, already struggling under Xi Jinping's zero-COVID policy.
And so that's why people think Xi Jinping is trying to strike a balance here. While he is going to, broadly speaking, continue to offer Putin and Russia support, and strengthening ties. But he's also continuing to going to straddle, in terms of not overtly violating any Western sanctions, and make itself a target. Because China obviously has a much bigger, broader trading relationship with the West and needs continued access to Western markets, and investments.
But another point to make, of course, from the Chinese perspective, this is -- this trip by Xi Jinping is not all about its relationship with Russia. They are really trying to emphasize their growing clout and interest in the central Asian regions. Many central Asian nations obviously have strong suspicions of Putin's intentions there.
So that's why, in the Chinese state media, you see that propaganda blitz being put out about Xi's other interactions and meetings with other leaders other than Putin. So as a multi-dimensional power, China definitely has other interests and relationships to take care of -- John.
VAUSE: Steven, thank you. Steven Jiang there with some good analysis. We appreciate that.
For decades, Queen Elizabeth considered Canada her second home. But with King Charles on the throne, some Canadians are politely starting to question a future without the monarchy. More on that in a moment.
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VAUSE: Welcome back, everyone. Thirty minutes past the hour. And right now, it's a nine-hour-long wait in a 3.6-mile-long queue outside Westminster Hall for those wanting to file past the queen's coffin as Her Majesty lies in state for a third day.
And this is the scene right now. A never-ending stream of mourners, who are silently and slowly paying their respects. This is the scene outside of Westminster. There you are. Inside, as well. It has not changed for days now. We can see similar scenes playing out as this -- thousands of people take a moment to say good-bye.
Later on Friday, the king and his younger brothers and only sister will hold a silent vigil by their mother's coffin.
Up to 2,000 foreign dignities are expected to attend the state funeral on Monday, which will be hosted by King Charles at a reception on Sunday.
Prime minister Justin Trudeau and other Canadian leaders travel to the U.K. in the coming hours to attend the queen's state funeral. During her long reign, Queen Elizabeth developed a close relationship to Canada and individual Canadians.
CNN's Paula Newton reports some other Canadians think the monarchy's time is over.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PAULA NEWTON, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Nicknamed the Queen's Cowboys, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, on their Musical Ride. Queen Elizabeth adored these horses. She herself rode Burmese, her favorite for years.
CONSTABLE JENNIFER DOWDEN, ROYAL CANADIAN MOUNTED POLICE: I think the fondness stems from her childhood, experiencing the Musical Ride at such a young age, and seeing all of the horses and the riders in red, and just having that connection to Canada.
NEWTON (voice-over): By the queen's own admission, that connection was profound. She considered Canada her second home, visited the country more than any other, was its queen for nearly half of Canada's existence.
CATHERINE CLARK, DAUGHTER OF FORMER CANADIAN PRIME MINISTER JOE CLARK: Many people felt they had some kind of personal connection to her.
NEWTON (voice-over): And it is that personal connection that so endeared the queen to Canadians.
Catherine Clark, the daughter of former prime minister Joe Clark, remembers a late-night royal event she attended as a young girl. The queen asked her, What are you still doing here?
CLARK: I said, "I'm still here, because I can't leave until you leave. So I'm waiting for you to leave."
And she said, Well, then let's leave together, shall we? And off we trotted together and trotted all the way to the elevator.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I wanted to write up the entire visit.
NEWTON (voice-over): It is a standout story among many.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This was their gift, all signed personally. So that's a pretty special photo.
NEWTON (voice-over): Brian and Doug Bailey were young men when the royal family visited their farm in the province of Manitoba.
BRIAN BAILEY, CANADIAN WHOSE FAMILY HOSTED QUEEN ELIZABETH: We had a wonderful visit with the queen. It was -- it was one of those things that when -- when we got word it was happening, we couldn't quite believe it was going to happen. But it did. And when it happened, it was just like visiting with our neighbors.
Prince Charles on this side, Princess Anne here.
NEWTON (voice-over): A young prince there and a glimpse of the affection and charm he must now live up to.
For King Charles, Canada will be a challenging testing ground. Even in this realm, a significant number of Canadians want an end to the monarchy.
Many indigenous leaders say the affection for the queen obscured a brutal colonial relationship with Canada's indigenous peoples. That anger flashed here in Winnipeg in 2021 with the toppling of royal statues.
COURTNEY SKYE, INDIGENOUS RESEARCH FELLOW: I think when he accepts all the privileges, he also accepts the responsibility, the moral responsibility of putting things right.
He could be an ally to indigenous people that he should be, as well as treaty (ph) agreements say we are to one another. But I'm not sure whether the status quo that relies on that oppression would be so willing to see that progress be made so rapidly.
[00:35:00]
NEWTON (voice-over): The queen's second home will surely test King Charles and his position as head of the Commonwealth. That position is not guaranteed by his title. If he cannot preserve the monarchy here, he may not stand a chance anywhere.
Paula Newton, CNN, Ottawa.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VAUSE: The U.S. president has weight in on what looks to be a political stunt by Republican governors. He's accused them of using human beings for political props.
This comes after the governors of Texas and Florida have been sending migrants by bus and by plane to Washington, as well as Massachusetts. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis sending about 50 migrants to Martha's Vineyard.
Details now from CNN's Priscilla Alvarez.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PRISCILLA ALVAREZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Dozens of migrants are set to spend the night on Martha's Vineyard, sent there by Florida's governor, Ron DeSantis, as part of his promise to send migrants to Democratic cities.
GOV. RON DESANTIS (R-FL): Our message to them is we are not a sanctuary state. And it's better to be able to go to a sanctuary jurisdiction. And yes, we will help facilitate that transport for you to be able to go to greener pastures.
ALVAREZ (voice-over): On Wednesday, the Republican governor sent 50 migrants, all from Venezuela, on two privately-chartered airplanes to Martha's Vineyard, a small island off the coast of Massachusetts.
DESANTIS: Every community in America should be sharing in the burdens.
ALVAREZ (voice-over): But municipal officials and lawmakers said they received no advanced notice of the migrants' arrival and scrambled to respond.
REP. BILL KEATING (D-MA): They were taking totally off-guard. A private chartered plane -- evidently, there were two -- not cheap.
ALVAREZ (voice-over): The flights are an affront to the Biden administration over its handling of the U.S.-Mexico border.
Over the last several weeks, Texas Governor Greg Abbott and Arizona Governor Doug Doocy have sent thousands of migrants out of state, an effort that's cost them millions of dollars.
Just this morning, 100 more migrants arrived by bus from Texas and were dropped off in front of Vice President Kamala Harris's home at the Naval Observatory.
In a tweet, Abbott criticized Harris's claim that the border is secure. Democrats, though, are calling the actions a political stunt.
KEATING: Two Republican governors, one who was using taxpayer money for chartered jets and reportedly his own video photographer to capture this for his own political benefit, taking advantage of women and children, men, who didn't know where they were going.
ALVAREZ (voice-over): Immigrant advocates in Florida are also condemning DeSantis's actions.
MARIA CORINA VEGA, AMERICAN BUSINESS IMMIGRATION COALITION: This shameless action foisted upon our defenseless people fleeing persecution and violence, is a mere political ploy in his quest for power and won't go unnoticed.
ALVAREZ (voice-over): And the people at the center of this all are seeking asylum in the United States, sharing stories about the treacherous journey to the border.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): Only the bus left us here, and now. They didn't tell us where we were, but they left us here. It's very difficult to bring a child here. It's eight days of jungle, through the Darien jungle. Something extremely difficult.
"There were three options," he says, "Washington, Utah, here in Massachusetts, whatever was available. The plane left and brought us year."
While DeSantis sees the fights as a solution --
DESANTIS: We've worked on innovative ways to be able to protect the state of Florida from the impact of Biden's border policies.
ALVAREZ (voice-over): -- others do not.
KARINE JEAN-PIERRE, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: The fact that FOX News and not the Department of Homeland Security, the city, or local NGOs were alerted about a plan to leave migrants, including children, on the side of a busy D.C. street, makes clear that this is just a cruel, premeditated political stunt.
ALVAREZ: We've also learned that the flights that arrived in Martha's Vineyard originated in Texas. And it's unclear whether anyone boarded in Florida.
The Biden ministration is condemning the Florida governor's actions. And in a statement, the Department of Homeland Security spokesperson said, quote, "Failure to coordinate is irresponsible and creates unsafe conditions for vulnerable migrants, as well as receiving jurisdictions."
Republican governors, however, are not standing down.
Priscilla Alvarez, CNN, Miami.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VAUSE: To Massachusetts now. Martha's Vineyard's elected representative in the state house, Democrat Dylan Fernandes.
Representative Fernandes, thanks for being with us.
REP. DYLAN FERNANDES (D), MASSACHUSETTS STATE REPRESENTATIVE: Good to be with you.
VAUSE: OK, so we'll get into the politics, and the legality of this, the cruelty, as well. But we did hear from a volunteer worker about what these people have actually gone through over the last day or so. Listen to this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CARLA BUSTILLOS, VOLUNTEER: They felt fooled, and they felt that their suffering was exploited. They were physically and mentally fatigued from the journey. And they were also very nervous and anxious about the drop-off.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: So you spent some time with these people: the mums, dads, their kids. What's being done right now to care for them?
FERNANDES: Yes, so our community sprang into action as soon as we found out that -- that they were here. We immediately stood up a shelter, put together beds for the 48 people who arrived, made sure that they were well-fed and had all the resources they needed, including medical care.
[00:40:18]
And then today, we've been working with a number of immigration attorneys. We set up a triage area to make sure all of these folks are getting the immigration help that they need through Spanish-speaking attorneys.
You know, obviously, there's just a lot of confusion amongst the people who were dropped off here. They were -- they were told to come here on a lie. They weren't told where they were going. A lot of them thought they were going to New York, going to other cities in the country. Some thought they were going to their immigration appointment when they got on the plane.
And so, you know, there's a lot of confusion amongst the people here. But we're trying to make them feel as comfortable and at-home as possible.
VAUSE: I want you to listen to the Florida governor and wannabe Republican presidential nominees, Ron DeSantis, as he explains why he decided this airlift was necessary. Here he is.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DESANTIS: We take what's happening at the Southern border very seriously, unlike some, and unlike the president of the United States, who has refused to lift a finger to secure that border.
Now what would be the best is for Biden to do his damn job and secure the border.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: On the question of legality here, why is the governor of Florida spending Florida tax dollars to fly immigrants from Texas to Martha's Vineyard? And why weren't these flights necessary in 2019, when Trump was president and the crisis was almost as bad?
FERNANDES: Well, this is just a political stunt. You have the governor of Florida, one of the largest states in the United States, spending his days, weeks, possibly months, not working for the people of Florida and working on the number of issues that that state has. And believe me, that state has issues.
And instead, hatching a -- a secret plot to use these immigrants -- who are, by the way, women, children, children as young as 4, families -- as -- as political pawns so that he can hop on FOX News -- and that's where he made this announcement, on Tucker Carlson's show -- and beat his chest about how he's tough on immigration.
He's an incredibly weak man. He is a coward.
VAUSE: New York City also seeing these unexpected arrivals by bus and by plane, carrying undocumented immigrants. Here's the mayor, Eric Adams. Listen to this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) MAYOR ERIC ADAMS (D), NEW YORK CITY: For the governor to send immigrants to Martha's Vineyard without any coordination is just creating real -- a real crisis. And that is the problem that we shared to our lawmakers in Washington, that this is a blueprint that you're going to see start unfolding.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: How many millions of dollars are being spent to essentially troll Democrat states and the U.S. president? And at a minimum, if this was anything beyond a stunt, surely, there would be at least some notice given from the Southern states about the arrival of these buses and these flights.
FERNANDES: Yes. Look, the governor is intentionally trying to create chaos. But the people here weren't met with chaos. They were met with compassion from a community that values immigrants and values the diversity that they bring to this country.
So, you know, this is just purely a political stunt, where he's just using this to get on FOX News. But -- but what is real, and what is important, is the fact that people from Massachusetts, Americans here, are here to support the people that -- that were shipped here.
VAUSE: Yes, and in the cruelest of fashions, too.
Representative Fernandes, thank you for being with us. Appreciate it.
FERNANDES: Thank you.
VAUSE: Well, a supply chain crisis averted. After three years of negotiations, and with just hours to spare, a tentative deal between rail unions and rail companies means a nationwide strike is on hold. It will not happen, at least for now. Details on that in a moment.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[00:46:33]
VAUSE: (AUDIO GAP) -- the U.S. economy has been avoided for now. That's after freight companies and unions reached a tentative agreement on Thursday.
Notably, it is still not a done deal. CNN's M.J. Lee has details.
We think. A few technical problems there. We'll get back to that story when we can.
We'll move on to Japan, bracing for a direct hit from a powerful typhoon this week, or this weekend. Let's bring in meteorologist Derek Van Dam? Let's hope Derek's there. Derek.
There here is.
DEREK VAN DAM, CNN METEOROLOGIST: yes.
VAUSE: What have you got?
VAN DAM: Hey, John, you know, so much going on with this storm. We just seem to be, you know, lining up these typhoons over the Western Pacific.
This one, though, is looking very formidable, very powerful. The potential to become a super typhoon within the next 24 hours.
And then also, we did a little calculation here. Look at this forecast protected path. It moves right across, basically parallel with Japan, mainland Japan. And that puts at least 125 million people, basically the population density of Japan, in its path.
So within the next five days, we feel that hundreds of millions of people will actually feel the impacts of this latest typhoon.
So here it is, Typhoon Nanmadol. We were talking about Muifa yesterday. That was along the East coast of China. That continues to race off to the Northeast, no longer a major threat.
But now you start to focus your attention on this large, monstrous storm developing over the Western Pacific.
Two-hundred-and-five-kilometer-per-hour sustained winds, according to the Joint Typhoon Warning Center. This is a very powerful storm, and it is forecast to strength quickly.
And you'll notice, if you see this Saffir Simpson scale, rates the strength and intensity of tropical storms and tropical cyclones, with winds in excess of 209 kilometers per hour, that puts it at a Category 4 equivalent. And that is the exact forecast from the Joint Typhoon Warning Center.
So this could become a super typhoon within the next 24 hours. And if you notice, its exact forecast path brings it into the Southern Ryukyu islands; Kyushu, the largest island on mainland Japan. Millions of people impacted by this as it runs parallel through this area through the course of the weekend.
The storm is large. We'll start to feel the impacts local time by Sunday morning near Kagoshima. And then we'll start to see the heavy rain and wind threat overspread many of the larger population densities. Osaka, Tokyo, northward.
So a big weekend ahead for Japan -- John.
VAUSE: Yes, Derek, we appreciate that update. Thank you for being there.
Let's go back now to that rail strike, which has now been avoided after a deal was announced by the U.S. president, Joe Biden.
Here's M.J. Lee reporting in from the White House.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I am very pleased to announce a tentative labor agreement between -- has been reached between the railway workers and the railway companies.
M.J. LEE, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Tonight, a major national economic crisis avoided.
BIDEN: This agreement is a big win for America.
LEE (voice-over): Representatives for freight rail companies and unions for thousands of rail workers reaching an 11th-hour deal, warding off a worker strike that was expected to begin at the stroke of midnight on Friday.
BIDEN: This is a win for tens of thousands of rail workers and for their dignity and the dignity of their work.
LEE (voice-over): Key negotiators descending on Washington, D.C., on Wednesday for talks hosted by Labor Secretary Marty Walsh. The final breakthrough announced after a marathon 20 hours of high-stakes negotiations that extended late into the night. Compromise reached on a number of major issues, like working conditions for engineers and conductors, wage increases, staffing shortages and scheduling rules.
[00:50:11]
BIDEN: Because of the labor agreement, those rail workers will get better pay, 24 percent wage increase over the next five years; improved working conditions; peace of mind around their health care by capping the cost that a worker will have to pay.
LEE (voice-over): The tentative deal marking a major victory for the Biden White House. President Biden himself had increasingly inserted himself into the talks in recent days, calling the negotiators directly to try to get them out of the impasse.
After spending the day at the Detroit Auto Show on Wednesday --
BIDEN: We all know I'm a car guy.
LEE (voice-over): -- Biden calling into the still ongoing meeting at the Labor Department after returning to the White House in the evening.
MICHAEL BALDWIN, PRESIDENT, BROTHERHOOD OFF RAILROAD SIGNALMEN: We knew that if this became a strike, that it would -- it would severely cripple the supply chain and the economy.
LEE (voice-over): The possibility of a rail strike had already canceled some long-distance trains and alarmed administration officials. A strike could have created crippling supply chain disruptions and wreaked havoc on an already fragile economy, as the White House continues to grapple with stubbornly high inflation.
BIDEN: This agreement allows us to continue to rebuild a better America, with an economy that truly works for working people and their families.
LEE: And there's just no overstating how important it was for this White House to avert this rail strike. A huge sigh of relief for this White House for dodging a situation that could have been really disastrously, both politically and economically.
This is, of course, a White House that continues to deal with economic issues like inflation that remains stubbornly high, and just generally a very fragile economy. So the last thing that they wanted were more obstacles that could have gotten in the way of the economic recovery.
M.J. Lee, CNN, the White House.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VAUSE: Another tennis great is calling it a day. When we come back, we'll look at back at Roger Federer's incredible career, the 20-time Grand Slam champion.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
VAUSE: Game, set, and match for the career of another tennis great. Roger Federer says he plans to retire after the Laver Cup next week. CNN's Patrick Snell looks back at an illustrious career of the 20-time Grand Slam champion.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PATRICK SNELL, CNN SPORT (voice-over): The iconic Roger Federer is rightly regarded as one of tennis's all-time greats. His announcement coming less than two weeks after another legend, Serena Williams' apparent farewell to the sport at the U.S. Open.
At the start of a glittering, inspiring career, the then 21-year-old Swiss making global headlines in 2003 when he won his first Grand Slam title at Wimbledon, the first of 20 majors.
ROGER FEDERER, PROFESSIONAL TENNIS PLAYER: Definitely, looking back, it was the most nicest day in my life, and as a tennis player, I will always keep this in memories, for sure.
SNELL: The last few years, though, have seen Federer's storied career marred by injuries. Two knee surgeries in 2020, and another after he was defeated by Poland's Hubert Hurkacz in the 2021 Wimbledon quarterfinal, his last competitive match to date.
FEDERER: I've worked hard to return to full competitive form, but I also know my body's capacities and limits, and its message to me lately has been clear.
[00:55:08]
I am 41 years old. I've played more than 1,500 matches over 24 years. Tennis has treated me more generously than I ever would've dreamt, and now I must recognize when it is time to end my competitive career. SNELL: On Thursday, this tribute from the sport's 22-time Grand Slam
champ, Rafael Nadal: "Dear Roger, my friend and rival, I wish this day would have never come. It's a sad day for me personally, and for sports around the world. It's been a pleasure, but also an honor and privilege to share all these years with you, living so many amazing moments on and off the court."
Federer's 20 Grand Slam titles is third on the all-time men's list: two behind Nadal, and one adrift of Serbian star Novak Djokovic.
A men's record eight Wimbledon singles crowns, the undisputed king of the all-England club. He also won 103 ATP titles, the second most in the open era, behind only American great Jimmy Connors.
Federer is simply adored by his fans; generous with his time, regularly open to the media, including our own team here a CNN Sports. There were the laughs.
(FEDERER LAUGHING)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's good.
FEDERER: It is tough, I tell you.
SNELL: And the tears, as he reflected on the memory of his late mentor and coach, Peter Carter.
FEDERER: I hope he would be proud.
I guess that he didn't want me to be a wasted talent. So I guess it was somewhat of a wake-up call for me when he passed away, and I really started to train hard.
SNELL: Roger Federer, a global icon who remains universally acclaimed and revered, and an enduring ambassador of the sport he loves so much.
Patrick Snell, CNN, Atlanta.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VAUSE: Thank you for watching CNN NEWSROOM. I'm John Vause. Please stay with us. The news continues with our friend and colleague Michael Holmes right after this.
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