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Rockets Rain in Zaporizhzhia Region; Vladimir Putin Wants to Choke Europe's Oil Supply; Russia Uses Kamikaze Drones Against Ukraine; Never-before-seen Video Released by January 6 Committee; IMF Looking to Have a United Action from World Leaders; Surging Inflation Hurts Brits; Ukraine Want More Air Power from the West; Iranian Regime Continue its Brutal Crackdown; Heavy Flooding Left Nigerians with Nothing; Families Deprived of True Justice; Animals Becoming Extinct. Aired 3-4a ET
Aired October 14, 2022 - 03:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[03:00:00]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KIM BRUNHUBER, CNN ANCHOR: Rockets fall on Zaporizhzhia in southern Ukraine overnight, and now the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency says the city's nuclear power plant situation is untenable.
Many of the world's top financial leaders are concerned that the U.K.'s economy is moving in the wrong direction. We're live in London with a look at what that might take to turn it around.
And while the startling news about the extinction rates prompting a warning from conservatist.
Welcome to all of you watching us here in the United States, Canada, and around the world. I'm Kim Brunhuber. This is CNN Newsroom.
UNKNOWN: Live from CNN center. This is CNN Newsroom with Kim Brunhuber.
BRUNHUBER: We begin in Ukraine where the southern city of Zaporizhzhia is taking Russian rocket fire once again. Ukrainian officials say a rocket damaged the city Friday morning on the heels of similar strikes that have left dozens of people killed or wounded. And that's happening as Russia says it'll evacuate civilians from the Kherson region as Ukrainian forces gain ground there. It's one of the occupied areas Moscow declared annex last.
And for the west, an 11-year-old boy who was pulled from a collapsed building in the city of Mykolaiv has died. Officials say the boy named Artem spent six hours trapped in the rubble after the Russian missile attack Thursday. He was alive when rescuers finally reached him, but he later died of cardiac arrest at the hospital.
Meanwhile, Ukraine is pressing the Red Cross to send a delegation to a Russian prisoner of war camp in the occupied east. Now back in July, 50 Ukrainian soldiers being held at the Olenivka prison was -- were killed in shelling that Moscow and Kyiv blamed each other for setting off protests by families of the Ukrainian POWs.
Now CNN investigation concluded the Russian version of events was likely a fabrication. Russia initially said it was OK with the Red Cross visiting the camp but that never happened.
Ukraine's fight against Russian forces could soon get a bit more difficult. CNN has obtained exclusive documents showing SpaceX, the company that makes Starlink satellite internet terminals is running out of funding for the project. Ukraine's military says the devices are critical for communication, flying drones, and targeting artillery.
The company owned by Elon Musk says it has spent almost $100 million on the terminals, but now it wants the Pentagon to pick up the tab close to 400 million for the next year.
Salma Abdelaziz is monitoring developments in Ukraine, and she joins us now from London. So first, Salma, what more can you tell us on the latest attacks? .
SALMA ABDELAZIZ, CNN REPORTER: Absolutely. So Zaporizhzhia again, the city right along the frontlines, Kim, waking up this morning to yet another strike by Russian forces. This one hitting infrastructure in Zaporizhzhia. We're waiting to find out more from officials, but that's a city that's absolutely been in the crosshairs.
It's also home to Europe's largest nuclear power plant, a place, a site that's been a flashpoint since the beginning of the conflict that's Russian occupied. And this week we saw the U.N. nuclear watchdog, the IAEA, really scrambling to try to find a solution for that nuclear power plant trying to create a security corridor, a barrier around that power plant to keep from the possibility of nuclear disaster.
He shuffled back and forth between Russia and Ukraine just departed Ukraine this morning, I believe. He says there is progress on trying to secure that nuclear power plant site, but we have yet to have a deal.
We've also heard from NATO defense ministers yesterday pledging that support that President Zelenskyy is so desperate for. They'll be providing air defense systems, artillery, more weapons, but they're also going to be providing counter drone equipment, Kim.
That's really important because we've seen Russia step up its drone attacks in Ukraine, including just yesterday using a kamikaze drone in the Kyiv region. So, NATO defense ministers hoping that by providing hundreds of jammers and providing this anti-drone equipment, they can alleviate some of that pressure in Ukraine.
So, you're really coming off a back of an extraordinary week in Ukraine. We've seen these retaliatory attacks, dozens of missiles and rockets fired by the Kremlin across Ukrainian towns and cities. But President Zelensky still at the -- at the end of this week coming out with more support, more weapons, greater resolution in solidarity from his western partners, and still of course, gains on the ground. [03:05:00]
That counter offensive that Ukraine has been leading for weeks now continues to be successful. They've been able to reclaim territory in the Kherson region. That southern front has been very important. We're even hearing from Moscow now that they're planning to potentially evacuate residents in parts of occupied Kherson. I think an indication of just how much pressure Kyiv troops have been able to put right on that frontline. Kim?
BRUNHUBER: All right. Now, Salma, I want to turn to the -- the so- called energy war that Russia is waging. Vladimir Putin talked about creating a so-called gas hub. What did he mean by that?
ABDELAZIZ: Yes. This was a very curious proposal that we've heard this week from President Putin a couple of times now. What's important to remember here is that the west is accusing President Putin of trying to weaponize energy supplies, basically trying to push on the Achilles heel that Europe has, which is the gas and oil dependency that they've had on Moscow for years now, which of course has halted since in September.
The Nord Stream pipelines, those pipelines that provide much of that natural gas was first switched off by Moscow, and then later these very mysterious underwater attacks sabotaged most of this pipeline making it inoperable.
But President Putin providing this proposal about making Turkey a gas hub during a meeting in Estonia yesterday. Take a listen to what he said.
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VLADIMIR PUTIN, RUSSIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): We might consider the perspective of building yet another gas pipeline system and creating a gas hub in Turkey for sales to other countries. First of all, of course, European countries, only of course if they are interested.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ABDELAZIZ: You heard there that the main consumer are European countries. Of course, the first question that comes to mind, Kim, is, well, how is that going to work? Europe is trying to wean itself off Russian oil in gas, so maybe a bit of rhetoric there.
President Putin reminding everyone he has this calling card, he has that oil and gas, especially as European leaders are scrambling as they head into the winter. So, he's really trying to break Western Resolve here. Kim?
BRUNHUBER: All right. Thanks so much. Salma Abdelaziz live in London for us. And Salma just mentioned NATO is promising more fire power to bolster Ukraine's air defenses. The alliance says it'll def -- it'll deliver electronic jammers and other equipment that can put military drones out of commission. Russia has been stepping up the use of Iranian made kamikaze drones
like the ones you see here. During a NATO defense minister's meeting on Thursday, Spain also promised to send Ukraine it's Hawk air defense systems.
Now the Iranian drones have become a common feature of Russian aerial attacks in Ukraine. And as Fred Pleitgen reports, the anti-drone systems can come to Ukraine soon enough.
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FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice- over): Early Thursday morning an attack on a town west of the Ukrainian capital. Russia continues its bombardment of Ukraine's key infrastructure. Across the country scenes like this one in central Ukraine are a common site wreckages of power plants. The tactic is familiar. The weapon until recently was not.
A kamikaze drone seen here after an attack on the other side of the country in Kharkiv, cheap self-detonating and unmanned. They are a new weapon in Russia's war on Ukraine. The markings say Geran-2, but this is no Russian made weapon.
Its name is Shahed, designed and manufactured in Iran. Known as a loitering munition, it could circle a target, and the lightweight airframe can travel long distances.
The U.S. government says a Russian delegation travel to Iran in June to inspect the drones seen here in satellite imagery obtained exclusively by CNN. In recent weeks, Russia has massively stepped up its use of the drones, evidence posted on Ukrainian social media on a near daily basis.
SERHIY BRATCHUK, SPOKESPERSON, ODESA REGIONAL ADMINISTRATION (through translator): The enemy is trying to save up on cruise missiles, various caliber types. These Shaheds are firstly much cheaper. They can be used much more frequently, and they work in pairs.
PLEITGEN: Ukraine, too uses Kamikaze drones like the much smaller U.S. manufactured switch blade. Though there is no evidence to suggest Ukraine has used the weapon against anything but military target.
Ukraine's air defense has been fairly successful in downing Russia's drones, but the fact that they are so cheap has the Ukrainians worried and plays a big part in their push this week for more western help with air defense.
Ukraine's President Zelenskyy says Russia has ordered 2,400 kamikaze drones from Iran. Officials here fear that as Russia increasingly targets population centers, kamikaze drones are a growing part of the arsenal.
Fred Pleitgen, CNN, Kyiv.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
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BRUNHUBER: The U.S. House committee investigating the January 6th capitol riot says it's time to hear from Donald. The panel voted unanimously to subpoena the former president for testimony and documents, but that wasn't the only major development from their latest public hearing.
CNN's justice correspondent Jessica Schneider reports.
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REP. LIZ CHENEY (R-WY): We are obligated to seek answers directly from the man who set this all in motion.
JESSICA SCHNEIDER, CNN JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): An extraordinary move from the January 6th select committee.
UNKNOWN: Those in favor will say aye.
UNKNOWN: Aye.
UNKNOWN: Aye.
UNKNOWN: Aye.
SCHNEIDER: Unanimously voting to subpoena former President Donald Trump for testimony and documents in their ongoing probe after a hearing where members continued to make their case that Trump is a clear and present danger to democracy.
CHENEY: The central cause of January 6th was one man, Donald Trump, whom many others followed. None of this would've happened without him.
SCHNEIDER: The committee unveiled never-before-seen footage of house Speaker Nancy Pelosi scrambling to safety as protestors breached the capitol.
REP. NANCY PELOSI (D), UNITED STATES SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE: We have got to get finish the proceedings, or else they will have a complete victory.
SCHNEIDER: In the hours that followed, anger and disbelief from Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer.
PELOSI: They're putting on their tear gas masks.
SEN. CHUCK SCHUMER (D-NY), SENATE MAJORITY LEADER: I'm going to call up the effing secretary of DOD.
PELOSI: My gosh. They're just breaking windows. They're doing all -- all kinds of -- it's really that somebody -- they said somebody was shot. It's just -- it just horrendous. And all at the instigation of the President of the United States.
SCHUMER: Why don't you get the president to tell them to leave the capitol, Mr. Attorney General and your law enforcement responsibility, a public statement, they should all leave.
SCHNEIDER: The committee also disclosed snippets from the nearly one million records they've received from Secret Service detailing how officials knew days before January 6 the violence that could unfold.
In a December 26th e-mail, a Secret Service field office relayed a tip that the Proud Boys plan to march into Washington, saying they will outnumber the police so they can't be stopped. Their plan is to literally kill people. Please, please, take this tip seriously and investigate further.
In the days after the election leading up to January 6th Trump's own officials repeatedly tried to dispel the false claims of election fraud that Trump continued to repeat.
DONALD TRUMP, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: Suitcases of ballots out from under a table. You all saw it on television, totally fraudulent.
RICHARD DONOGHUE, FORMER ACTING DEPUTY ATTORNEY GENERAL: There is no suitcase. The president kept fixating on the suitcase that supposedly had fraudulent ballots and that the suitcase was rolled out from under the table. And I said, no, sir, there's no suitcase.
WILLIAM BARR, FORMER UNITED STATES ATTORNEY GENERAL: I told them that it was -- that it was crazy stuff and they were wasting their time on that. And was doing great grave disservice to the country. There was never an indication of interest in what the actual facts were.
SCHNEIDER: The committee also released new testimony from Trump's former chief of staff and former transportation secretary, both of whom resigned in the wake of January 6th.
MICK MULVANEY, FORMER WHITE HOUSE CHIEF OF STAFF: I was stunned by violence and I was stunned by the president's apparent indifference to the violence.
ELAINE CHAO, FORMER UNITED STATES SECRETARY OF TRANSPORTATION: And at a particular point, the events were such that it was impossible for me to continue given my personal values and my philosophy. I came as an immigrant to this country. I believe in this country. I believe in a peaceful transfer of power.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SCHNEIDER (on camera): Immediately after the hearing, the former president quickly fired off criticism of the select committee's subpoena for his testimony and documents asking on his Truth Social platform, why they didn't ask him to testify months ago, and wondering why they waited until the very end since the committee will likely be disbanded at the end of the year for Republicans win the House.
The committee though, is saying it finally moved forward to subpoena Trump since he has prevented many aides from testifying fully, urging them to invoke privilege.
Jessica Schneider, CNN, Washington.
BRUNHUBER: CNN has obtained access to more exclusive behind the scenes footage of congressional leaders on January 6th. It comes from filmmaker Alexandra Pelosi, the daughter of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. She was in Washington shooting a documentary when the riot broke out. Have a look here.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TERRI MCCULLOUGH, CHIEF OF STAFF, SPEAKER NANCY PELOSI: The Secret Service said they have dissuaded him from coming to Capitol Hill. They told him they don't have the resources to protect him. So, at the moment he is not coming, but that could --
UNKNOWN: Change.
MCCULLOUGH: -- change.
PELOSI: He comes I'm going to punch him out.
UNKNOWN: This is how I would pay to see that.
PELOSI: I am waiting for this for trespassing on the capitol ground. I'm going to punch him out, and I'm going to go to jail and I'm going to be happy.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BRUNHUBER: All right. Now another clip shows members of Congress at a nearby military base frantically coordinating with Vice President Mike Pence and Trump cabinet members to finish certification of the 2020 election and to stop pro-Trump supporters as they storm the capitol.
And we just want to warn you this clip here does contain profanity.
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SCHUMER: They have, OK, well, D.C. has requested the National Guard and it's been denied by DOD. I'd like to know a good God damn reason why it's been denied. This cannot be just - we're waiting for so and so. We need them there now, whoever you got, you have, OK?
REP. STENY HOYER (D-MD): You also have troops, this is Steny Hoyer, --
(CROSSTALK)
UNKNOWN: OK? So, we have a little bit of time to make that decision.
HOYER: -- troops at Fort McNair.
UNKNOWN: All right.
HOYER: Andrews Air Force Base, other military bases. We need active duty, National Guard.
UNKNOWN: Thank you. Thank you for --
HOYER: All the people who are do it sworn to protect and defend the Constitution.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BRUNHUBER: I spoke last hour with Loyola Law School professor Jessica Levinson. I asked her what impact the January 6th hearings might have on next month's midterm elections and even into the 2024 presidential race. Here she is.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JESSICA LEVINSON, PROFESSOR OF LAW, LOYOLA LAW SCHOOL: If you really watch these hearings with an open mind, it shouldn't be a question of what your policy views are. It should be a question about whether or not you believe in the Constitution, the rule of law, and the continuation of our democracy.
But it really has not moved the needle, I think the way it frankly should have. Again, this shouldn't have anything to do with your view of tax policy or immigration policy or environmental policy. It should be about should we allow the leader of the free world to engage in this type of behavior? But it seems like this is a, just such a different place than it was, for instance, during the Watergate hearings.
And we're not all reading from the same script. Most or many people who I think would be the target audience are simply not watching.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BRUNHUBER: The U.S. Supreme Court has dealt another legal setback to Donald Trump. The justices have rejected the former president's request to intervene in the Mar-a-Lago documents case. Trump wanted the special master to be able to review about a hundred documents marked classified, well that could have opened the door for his lawyers to review the records and argue -- argue they should be off limits to prosecutors.
Analysts say it was part of Trump's strategy to drag out the process.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SHAN WU, FORMER U.S. FEDERAL PROSECUTOR: Well, I think this pretty much ends Trump's ability to go to the court on this. He may come up with other issues to try them again, but the court has made the very right decision not to validate this unprecedented interference with the criminal investigation by the judiciary.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BRUNHUBER: And the justices' decision came in the form of a court order. There were no noted dissents. Britain's economy takes a surprise hit that has some fearing recession
is just around the corner or already here, and critics say the P.M.'s plans to rebound would benefit the rich, but devastate working Britons. We'll go live to London, next.
Plus, Iran's brutal crackdown of anti-government protestors has led to dozens and dozens of deaths, including numerous children.
We'll have a live report from London just ahead. Please stay with us.
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[03:19:59]
BRUNHUBER: Global inflation is and its highest levels in decades, and getting it back under control will take international cooperation. Financial leaders from around the world are now in Washington to try to chart a path forward.
CNN's Richard Quest is at the annual meeting of the International Monetary Fund and has our report.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
RICHARD QUEST, CNN BUSINESS EDITOR AT LARGE: From all corners of the world the message has been the same, things are bad and they're going to get worse. And so, finance ministers and central bankers, along with the managing director of the IMF really have to come up with a way to navigate these choppy, difficult waters.
So far, coordination and collaboration seem to be the answer, but getting these disparate economies to all agree on a way forward is not easy. The example, for instance, of the United Kingdom has been raised again and again, the managing director of the IMF is called for cohesive policies. In other words, where monetary and fiscal central Bank and government aren't going in the opposite direction.
The managing director told me you shouldn't be putting your foot on the brake and then putting your foot on the accelerator at the same time.
KRISTALINA GEORGIEVA, MANAGING DIRECTOR, INTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUND: What we would like to see is that the policies that are put in place are clear, credible, and that the British institutions are satisfied that the office for budget responsibility is brought early in the process. And that there is confidence among the British public that we are on the right track.
QUEST: We meet several times a year. We're meeting at a particularly dark time, of course, with Ukraine and the war. The balance of risk at the moment is very much still on the downside. How confident are you?
GEORGIEVA: The biggest risk is that we are moving from a period of time of more stability, low inflation, low interest rates to a completely different status of the world economy, more volatility, less predictability, high interest rates. And this transition we are doing at the time when the world is less together.
So, what, what I worry about, can we muster the wheel to have this pragmatic multilateralism that acts in the benefit of everybody by solving problems that we can only solve together.
QUEST: And so, now comes the really tricky point. Getting some form of agreement that allows them all to move forward rather than just telling us all it's really going to be bad.
Richard Quest, CNN, at the IMF in Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BRUNHUBER: The U.K. could soon see the start of its own recession with new figures showing the country's economy shrink unexpectedly in August. It was the first decline since early 2021 when Britain and the rest of the world were in the throes of the COVID crisis.
Surging inflation is taking a heavy toll on many British households, and the nation's currency is losing its luster. So right now, the pound is worth $1.13, slight rebound from its all-time low last month of $1.3.
So, I want to bring in our Bianca Nobilo from London to talk more about this. And Bianca, the British Central Bank will end its emergency support for the country's fragile bond market by the end of the week. So what happens next?
BIANCA NOBILO, CNN ANCHOR AND CORRESPONDENT: Well, all eyes will be on what happens to the markets. They'll be open for about 45 minutes after that Bank of England bailout stops today. And the key problem that's facing the economy and the political system here is complete uncertainty and instability.
For all over the British media and newspapers this morning a splashed for the question of whether or not Liz Truss is going to last as prime minister. Who might replace her? Who could be coronated in order to ease the transition?
I mean, this is truly remarkable, Kim. We're talking about less than six weeks since the new prime minister assumed her role, and she hedged her leadership campaign on these principles of economic libertarianism, low taxes, high growth, small state intervention. Little redistribution.
And she's had to make a series of U-turns. And the big speculation today is whether or not the prime minister is yet again going to U- turn on her so-called mini budget and abandon her commitment to not rise corporation tax any further.
Now the problem with that, Kim, is that the prime minister already an incredibly small mandate. So, she was ushered into her role on just 0.2 percent of the British electorate, but she promised them that she wouldn't rise corporation tax. So, this is a central tenant of her promises in the campaign. So, if she does U-turn on that, she'll be on very shaky ground in terms of credibility and mandate. But if she doesn't make further U-turns on this mini budget that sent markets spiraling, it's likely that the markets will get into more turmoil. And also, she might not be able to pass it through Parliament.
[03:25:02]
So, this Kim, is the very definition of the prime minister having no good move forward.
BRUNHUBER: Yes. You know, sort of pivoting from the economy and talking just politically here, how much support does Liz Truss have within her own party now?
NOBILO: It's really slim. So, she had a meeting with conservative back benches a couple of evenings ago, and I've heard mixed reports, but it was -- it was quite brutal. And she can do quite well in environments like that when she has to defend herself and her policies. But there's a lot of existential concerns now within the conservative party.
This is a party that had a stomping majority at the last election. They thought that their seats would be safe going forward, but now you have M.P.s wandering how they're going to be able to pay their bills and school fees and mortgages in two years' time because they don't think they'll still be there.
They think that Liz Truss will probably at the moment, if polls are to be believed, lead them into electoral disarray. So, the prime minister in a very weak position this morning, Kim.
BRUNHUBER: All right, we'll keep watching. Bianca Nobilo, thanks so much. I appreciate it.
And here in the U.S. the White House is trying to put a positive spin on some grim new economic figures that show inflation is still rising. President Biden acknowledged the economic pain Americans are feeling but pointed out that inflation has dropped significantly from the start of the year.
As Rahel Solomon details that's small comfort to many people who aren't struggling.
RAHEL SOLOMON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Thursday's CPI report delivering a tough but unmistakable message. The Fed has a long road ahead in its inflation fight. Consumer prices rose 0.4 percent in the month of September twice what many economists were expecting.
Inflation also higher by 8.2 percent over the last year. Costs continue to rise in key essential categories like shelter or accommodations, medical care, and food. In fact, grocery prices rose in all six major food categories that the report tracks, including fruits and vegetables, meat, poultry, fish.
Now on the other hand, prices for gasoline fell in September 4.9 percent, although we know they've been creeping up more recently. Thursday's CPI report also illustrating that inflation has spread beyond volatile categories like food and energy. Core inflation which strips away those two categories rose 0.6 percent in September, or 6.6 percent annually. That is a fresh 40-year high.
The report comes after months of inflation readings that suggested perhaps inflation was moderating.
Mark Zandi, the chief economist of Moody's tweeting in response, no amount of hand waving can make today's CPI less ugly. The hotter than expected inflation report increasingly odds that the Federal Reserve will hike its benchmark interest rate by another three quarter of 1 percent at its November meeting. If so, that would be four consecutive rate hikes of that size. Something we have not seen in modern history.
When the Fed raises rates the cost of borrow goes up, making things like a home loan and practically anything with an interest rate more expensive, which is the point the Fed is trying to cool spending just enough that prices start to cool. But if spending cools too much, we could experience a recession.
Now, one part of the economy is still working in American's favor, is the jobs market, which remains very strong with unemployment at historic lows.
Rahel Solomon, CNN, New York.
BRUNHUBER: Russia is already facing sanctions upon sanctions, but as the carnage grows in Ukraine, there's a growing push for the U.S. to take even more drastic measures. Could Russia be designated a state sponsor of terror? I'll speak with a Ukrainian lawmaker who says that label is overdue.
Stay with us.
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[03:30:00]
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KIM BRUNHUBER, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome back to all of you watching us here in the United States, Canada, and around the world. I'm Kim Brunhuber. This is CNN Newsroom.
In Ukraine we're getting reports of the southern city of Zaporizhzhia has once again come under Russian rocket fire. Ukrainian officials say a rocket damage the city Friday morning on the heels of similar strikes of left dozens of people killed or wounded.
And that's happening as Russia says it will evacuate civilians from the Kherson region as Ukrainian forces gain ground. It's one of the occupied areas Moscow declared annex last month.
And in Brussels, NATO is pledging more firepower to bolster Ukraine's air defenses, including anti-drone equipment, which can take out the so-called Iranian kamikaze drones that Russia is increasingly using.
Meanwhile, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin is set to meet members of the so-called Bucharest Nine group. It comprises nine East European countries, including Romania and Poland. And their talks in Brussels come after yesterday's meeting of NATO's defense ministers. That's when Austin said the alliance is working to strengthen its own ranks. Here he is.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LLOYD AUSTIN, U.S. DEFENSE SECRETARY: NATO continues to make clear that we will not be dragged into Russia's war of choice, but we will stand by Ukraine as it fights to defend itself, and we will continue to strengthen NATO's collective defense.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BRUNHUBER: And outside the NATO meetings protestors gathered in support of Ukraine. Hundreds of people demonstrated in front of NATO headquarters calling from members of the alliance to come together to help Ukraine defeat Russia. Listen to this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANDRIY CENYZAK, PROTESTER SUPPORTING UKRAINE: We came all here together to let the people inside behind the fence to let them know that we need some weapons, because that's the only way we can stop the war.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BRUNHUBER: The latest strikes against civilian targets are increasing calls for the U.S. to designate Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism. Now the U.S. State Department would be responsible for that.
It defines the designation as a country that has repeatedly provided support for acts of international terrorism. Now being on the list paves the way for a series of sanctions that in the eyes of Washington would leave the country in question, a pariah.
So far, only four countries are on that list. Cuba, Iran, North Korea, and Syria. Critics warn against adding Russia to it. They note that in the case of the other four countries, the U.S. has already severed direct diplomatic and commercial ties with them.
Now non-American firms would also have to worry about facing potential legal action in the U.S. if they engage with Russia, especially if they have U.S.-based operations and staff. And designating Russia. A state sponsor of terror could make interim agreements like the deal struck to export grain more difficult.
Now even more so when it comes to any future peace talks, especially if Russia insists that some of the existing sanctions be first rolled back. And ultimately critics say there's little to suggest that designating Russia, a state sponsor of terrorism will change anything on the ground.
Well, our next guest says, despite those concerns, the U.S. should slap that label on Russia, and she's taken her argument directly to Washington.
Oleksandra Ustinova is a member of the Ukrainian Parliament and she's with us now from Strasbourg, France.
Thank you so much for being here with us.
So, before we get to that terrorism question, I want to start with the latest news, which is the change in Ukraine's weapons wish list. And now defensive weapons seem to be the priority. NATO countries have promised anti-aircraft equipment, systems and missiles. Are you getting what you need?
OLEKSANDRA USTINOVA, MEMBER, UKRAINIAN PARLIAMENT: Well, unfortunately, so far, we had not gotten any of those. To be honest, it was always on the priority of the Ukrainian so-called wish list for weapons.
[03:34:56]
I remember myself in May in Washington, D.C. asking for NASAMS, which is the air defense system that was developed by the United States and the Norway, and is they're available in Europe. Unfortunately, we have promises of those to be delivered at the end of October, and there are a few more batteries, and I'm not saying it's tons of weapons coming next year.
Thanks God, the White House came out with the statements that they're going to speed up this process and hopefully this will happen. But again, two batteries is not enough to protect the Ukrainian territory, and we keep asking for the smaller air defense systems, which are the C-RAM that the United States use in Afghanistan to protect the infrastructural objects, which is critical for us.
Because in this case, these small air defense systems can protect the infrastructure objects like the power stations and the heat stations for us, the electricity stations, because Russian, as terrorists are targeting exactly those to basically leave Ukraine with no water, with no hot water, electricity or heat in the upcoming winter. So, people would leave the country.
BRUNHUBER: Now we're seeing more Russian drone attacks as well, I believe your hometown of Vinnytsia was recently targeted by two kamikaze drones. So how are people where you're from coping with these attacks, which -- which could come at any time seemingly from anywhere?
USTINOVA: Well, it might sound very strange for people watching me, but even a child in Ukraine can recognize by ear the difference between the drone and the missile coming, for example. To be honest, one of the -- one of the key arguments for us why we were asking for more weapons and for more sanctions was that Russia could not get any drones. Unfortunately, Russia has already purchased up to 2,400 drones from
Iran and to compare, we are getting a few hundred together combined from all over the world. So, we are getting 10 times more than the Russians can get it from Iran. And that's why we keep pushing for Russia to be designated as a state sponsor of terrorism because in this case, none of the countries providing even a small chip for a drone would be able to do it with Russia.
And the drone is becoming a huge problem for us because they started sending those from Crimea and that was the second that we started asking for the long-range missiles like attacks because we knew where the drones are and we could have hit them. Unfortunately, the U.S. did not want to provide those.
Now we have these drones relocated to Belarus. And they're targeting Kyiv, they're targeting major cities, targeting Vinnytsia, my home city. And unfortunately, to put those -- to put down those drones we have to bring the aircrafts up our air jets, which are -- which we don't have enough because they -- sometimes they're flying really low so that the air defense system cannot not see there.
That's why we keep asking, besides the air defense system, is to give us the jets and start training Ukrainian pilots on how to fly the American jets. Because the jet is basically the pure defensive weapon for us at the moment that can shut down the drones.
BRUNHUBER: Well, let's talk about your ongoing campaign to have Russia declared a state sponsor of terrorism. You were here in the U.S. advocating for that. There's been plenty of support for that in Congress. And I just saw a note passing by that the parliamentary assembly of the Council of Europe voted to declare the current Russian regime as a terrorist one.
Before you came on, I outlined some of the things critics are saying that it'll basically cut Russia off diplomatically, make it harder moving deals like the grain export deal, for instance. It could make it even impossible for you Ukrainian victims to get future compensation.
So, basically, the argument is that the benefits are kind of symbolic and the costs could be huge. You obviously disagree with that.
USTINOVA: To be honest, I would not call that argument. I would call that excuses. Because I understand one of the biggest reasons for the United States not wanting to declare Russia, to designate Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism is because they don't want Russians to step out of the Iran nuclear deal.
And for you to understand, and I would like everybody who's watching us to know that. You are still holding -- the United States is still holding negotiations with Russia that has to ensure security for the nuclear deal with Iran.
I can hardly imagine how Russians that had broken every word they have given can do that. So, this is one of the main reasons why the United States do not want to do that. It has nothing to do with the grain transportation because so far it has been done through Turkey, and Turkey was doing that.
Besides, we can also hold negotiations on all our prisoners of war exchanges. There is no problem with that. But basically, more of the economic reasons.
[03:40:01]
Because first of all, the European countries are afraid they will not be able to buy the gas and oil that they're buying from Russia still. And for the United States, this is the biggest threat with the Iran nuclear deal that they will have to step out.
But honestly, I know that there is a new legislation that is being prepared in the State Department and is supposed to be in Congress soon. Trying to call Russia the state sponsor of terrorism but the state, the state of terrorist or the terrorist state.
I think this is not exactly what Ukrainians are looking into because you already have a new legislation, the state sponsor of terrorist, which basically calls for stronger actions and implies these actions on the country automatically.
So, it is very difficult again, to even ship a little chip to Russia and not --
BRUNHUBER: I think we've lost our signal with her, but we'd like to thank her, Alexandra Ustinova in Strasbourg, France. Thank you so much.
Well, there's no way to know for certain how many people have died in weeks of violent anti-government protests in Iran. But Amnesty International says at least 23 of the victims are children, ages 11 to 17. And those were just during the last days of September when the government unleashed a ruthless crackdown on demonstrators.
Well, since the protest first erupted, Amnesty reports at least 144 men, women, and children have been killed. Now, CNN isn't able to verify that figure, and many believe the actual death toll is much higher.
CNN's Nada Bashir is following these developments for us from London. And Nada, you know, that growing death toll the number of children, especially underscores how brutal this crackdown has been. What's the latest.
NADA BASHIR, CNN REPORTER: Yes, absolutely. This is a troubling report from Amnesty International, as you laid out there, detailing the names and photographs of 23 children who've been killed. As you said, that just in the last 10 days of September following the outbreak of these protests across Iran. And we already know from human rights organizations in Iran that we have seen further deaths in October.
Just over the weekend in the northwestern Kurdish city of Sanandaj at least five people were killed according to Hengaw, an Iranian human rights organization focusing on that Kurdish region, including a seven-year-old child. But of course, as you said that the death toll overall remains somewhat difficult to verify.
We are getting different numbers from human rights organizations, from local journalists, and of course from the Iranian authorities. But what is clear from the videos that we're seeing, from the evidence that is being collected by these human rights organizations is that this crackdown by the Iranian regime has been brutal, indiscriminate often and deadly.
We've seen it in numerous incidences, numerous videos emerging of the Iranian security forces using live fire ammunition, tear gas, metal pellets, fatal beatings, indiscriminately against often protestors across the country, many of whom are of course students.
We've seen demonstrations appearing at universities across the country. We've even seen young school children and in particular, school girls showing a defiant stand against the regime's severe restrictions against women's rights, in particular the way women choose to dress in Iran.
We've seen school girls and women across the country removing their mandatory hijabs, their head scarves in a show of defiance against the regime. But that crackdown continues to be brutal and appears to be intensifying, particularly in that northwestern Kurdish region.
Of course, earlier in the week, we also heard from Iran's education minister, Yousef Nouri, now confirming that while students have been detained, he told the reformist Sharq newspaper that some of them are being sent to so-called psychological institutions for what he described as reform and reeducation after they reportedly showed antisocial behavior.
In other words, we are seeing students now taking part in these protests being sent to these so-called reeducation centers. And we've heard from Iran Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, we've heard from Iran president and most recently, Ebraham Raisi blaming these protestors as they've described them as riots on people working for foreign agents. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
EBRAHIM RAISI, IRANIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): The Iranian nation has invalidated the American military option, and by their own admission, dealt a humiliating defeat to the policy of sanctions and maximum pressure.
Now, following the failure of American militarization and sanctions, Washington and its allies have resorted to the failed policy of destabilization.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BASHIR: Now look, Kim, the U.S. government has taken a somewhat more cautious approach to responding to these protests, and perhaps comparison to 2009 under the Obama administration when we saw protests previously sweeping across Iran.
[03:45:02]
But they have put in place sanctions against Iranian officials and of course the morality police, and they are also now working on supporting the outreach of greater internet access in the face of an internet blackout being used by the Iranian regime and parts of the country to stop the spread of information. Kim?
BRUNHUBER: All right. Thanks so much. Nada Bashir in London.
A jury in Florida has decided the mass murderer of 17 people at a high school in 2018 should spend the rest of his life in prison instead of facing the death penalty. Fourteen students and three teachers were killed on Valentine's Day at Marjorie Stoneman Douglas High School in the town of Parkland.
Many parents were incredulous the killer didn't get a death sentencing. They don't understand the jury's decision.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
FRED GUTTENBERG, JAIME GUTTENBERG'S FATHER: Not only is he evil and a murderer. He is still sitting in his cell thinking of people he wants to kill. And so, knowing all of that, knowing that if ever in this country there was a death penalty case that was justified, it was this one.
But I did want to hear that the death sentence was going to be a part of his reality going forward. And I'm just devastated that it wasn't. There are lots of people in this country with mental health issues that don't turn into mass murderers, that don't plan methodically the way this person planned.
DEBRA HIXON, WIDOW OF CHRIS HIXON: It's time in our country that we, we may -- we put a stop to what's going on. We cannot just let people, anybody own firearms. There are people that are, and I'm not going to argue that this person is mentally ill. He clearly, we all agree that something is wrong with him. He should have never had the opportunity to purchase a weapon.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BRUNHUBER: Formal sentencing is set for November 1st when victims' families be allowed to address the court. But under Florida law, the judge can't change the jury's recommendation of life in prison.
Well, people are being warned don't take nature for granted. That's what the World Wildlife Fund for Nature as new report details major losses in animal populations. What's causing the trend and what can be done to stop it ahead. Stay with us.
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BRUNHUBER: Some shocking statistics coming out of East Africa, about 1.4 million children under the age of five are suffering from malnutrition in East Africa. British charity Save the Children says the region is still reeling from its worst hunger crisis since South Sudan's independence in 2011. The U.N.'s World Food Programme issued its own warning in March saying more than 70 percent of the country's 11 million people would face extreme hunger this year because of natural disasters and violence.
And in West Africa, Nigeria is the midst of one of its deadliest rainy seasons in decades. Massive floods are wreaking havoc across the region, tearing homes apart and destroying lives.
[03:50:03]
CNN Larry Madowo has the latest.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
LARRY MADOWO, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It's the worst flooding Nigeria has had in a decade, and the impact is clear to see. Authorities say as many as 500 people have died and more than 1.4 million people have been displaced since the start of the rainy season in the country.
Last month, the number displaced stood at 100,000. People are posting on social media how the floods are affecting them. This video taken late last month in Kogi State, one of the worst affected areas. But the toll isn't just in human life.
For Abraham Han (Ph), the floods have decimated his livelihood and food security.
UNKNOWN: Yes, all this is my farm. Right up to where we have the electric air poles down south combined hectares, 50 hectares of land. All cultivated rice has gone down the drain.
MADOWO: To get a better sense of scale though, take a look at this. NASA imagery taken around four months apart showing an area near a number of states. Just a few days ago, authorities say 76 people drowned there trying to escape flood waters when their boat capsized.
The country's emergency management agency says the heavy rain is the main cause of the flooding, as well as a dam releasing excess water in neighboring Cameroon.
UNKNOWN: Testing to show to the public --
MADOWO: Authorities are keen to tout their response. Here, they're demonstrating the clean water in one flood hit region. They're also posting photos on social media of the response and going on national TV.
UNKNOWN: As we have dispatched water purifiers, we've dispatched our boats also to support the (Inaudible) states in times of rescue.
MADOWO: And as the floods continue to wreak havoc, many are flagging the impacts climate change is having on the country. This clip where they use to show the journey that should be five hours, instead taking two nights. Calling it a firsthand view of the climate crisis.
The rainy season in this region is expected to end this month, but the impact would like to be felt for much longer.
Larry Madowo, CNN.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BRUNHUBER: The U.S. Geological Survey is tracking a shake up on the world's largest active volcano. It said on Thursday, Mount Loa (Ph), Mauna Loa in Hawaii was in a state of what they called heightened unrest, and it's tracked more than 100 small earthquakes in the last two days. More than half of them in the last 24 hours.
Volcano's national park closed the area around the Mauna Loa summit in that country last week. The USGS says there are no signs of an imminent eruption.
The World Wildlife Fund for Nature is calling for immediate action as animal populations around the globe are dying off at a shocking rate. The group's planet report says this year, animal populations on average have plummeted by 69 percent between 1970 and 2018. WWF says the evidence is unequivocal. We're living through the dual crises of biodiversity loss and climate change driven by the unsustainable use of resources.
The group says, one million plants and animals face extinction right now. It says Latin America and the Caribbean show the greatest regional decline with the Amazon rainforest nearing the point of being, quote, "nonfunctional."
Well, can you still Netflix and chill with ads? Well, soon you may have to if you want to a cheaper plan. We get the details straight ahead. Stay with us.
[03:55:00]
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BRUNHUBER: Well, it's the moment millions have been dreading. Netflix with ads is here. The streaming giant unveiled basic with ads. Its much-anticipated ads supported subscription plan. Now the new tier will cost $6.99 a month in the U.S. and will be available November 3rd for most of the world.
The company said that current plans and members will not be impacted. Netflix once the king of streaming services are now facing stiff competition from the likes of Hulu, Disney Plus, and CNN sister network HBO. In April, the company disclosed that it lost subscribers for the first time in more than a decade.
Smash hit White Rabbit by Jefferson Airplane, one of the most recognizable rock bands of 1960s has now been immortalized with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The honor was unveiled in a ceremony with singer Grace Slick, and other surviving band members in attendance. The group eventually changed their name to Jefferson Starship and put out a string of mainstream its.
But it was their earlier work, such as Somebody to Love that garnered the Hollywood star. Slick now in her 80s admitted she had mixed emotions about the recognition. Here she is.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GRACE SLICK, FOUNDING MEMBER, JEFFERSON AIRPLANE: I'm kind of occasionally ambivalent and then on other occasions excited about it, and on other occasions I think there's too much going on in the world for this to be important in any way at all. So, I'm all over the map.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BRUNHUBER: And before we go, Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer XPeng has successfully launched a flying car in Dubai. The two-seater features zero carbon dioxide emissions and can apparently fly autonomously. Guests and reporters lined up to check out the new vehicle and watch the historic 92nd test flight.
XPeng described it as an important base for the next generation flying cars.
All right, that wraps this hour of CNN Newsroom. I'm Kim Brunhuber. CNN Newsroom continues with Max Foster, next. Please do stay with us.
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