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Chinese People Fed up of Strict COVID Rules; President POTUS' Schedule is Fully Booked After Thanksgiving; Passing Gun Laws is a Gamble; Donald Trump Did Not Vet His Visitors; Bad Weather in U.S. Expected on Tuesday; Plane Crashed in D.C.; Rescue Efforts Still Ongoing in Ischia. Aired 3-4a ET

Aired November 28, 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)

ROSEMARY CHURCH, CNN ANCHOR: Hello, and welcome to our viewers joining us here in the United States and all around the world, you are watching "CNN Newsroom." And I'm Rosemary Church.

Just ahead. Protesters take to the streets in China, rising up in anger and defiance in an unprecedented challenge to Xi Jinping's zero COVID policies.

Recent mass shootings in the U.S. prompted president Biden vowed to push ahead on an assault weapons ban. We will look at what some lawmakers are saying about it.

An extreme weather is ramping up in the U.S., we are tracking a severe storm system that could affect more than 25 million people on Tuesday.

UNKNOWN: Live from CNN center, this is CNN Newsroom with Rosemary Church.

CHURCH: Thanks for being with us. And we began with incredible new images out of China, as protesters gather across the country in defiance of Beijing's unrelenting COVID-19 policies.

Some protests, like this one in Shanghai, were peaceful, crowd singing the Chinese national anthem. But elsewhere, groups called for President Xi Jinping's resignation. The government was quick to deploy police to control the growing crowds. Sunday night took a violent turn in Shanghai, with police dragging people away and loading them into vans.

A BBC journalist was among those arrested in Shanghai on Sunday. It's unclear what caused his arrest, but this video obtained by Reuters shows him being dragged to the ground by multiple officers. The journalist has since been released, but the BBC says he was beaten. Authorities have not made any public statements on the matter so far.

Well, anger against Beijing spread after a deadly fire killed ten people in Xinjiang province on Thursday. Some believe that zero COVID measures or the reason that firefighters alive too late to save the victims.

In a rare concession the city of Beijing has changed part of its COVID containment measures making it illegal to block the entrance to residential compounds. Those passages must remain clear for emergency vehicles affected immediately.

CNN's Selina Wang attended a rally in Beijing and has this report.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SELINA WANG, CNN CORRESPONDENT: So, I'm in the middle of the protest that's happening in Beijing, it is just past 1 am. There is a crowd of mostly young people that have gathered here to protest the COVID measures in China. They have been chanting no to COVID tests, yes to freedom.

And this is happening in the (Inaudible) district. This is where the center of the COVID outbreak is in Beijing, where they encourage all residents to stay at home, so it's really unprecedented that we are seeing such a large crowd of people here.

A lot of the folks as well, you can see they're holding these white pieces of paper. This is a symbol of anti-censorship and we also saw a protest in Shanghai. We saw protesters also hold those white pieces of paper. Now in this district as well, around here, there are many foreign embassies including the American embassy over there. So notable that they chose this site for this protest.

Now this protest has been going on already for several hours, it's very late, you can see the policeman right now is telling me to move back a little bit but there is a large police presence. They are actually on this whole row, a whole row of policemen. But it is a peaceful protest so far, you can hear the cheering, the chanting, cars are also driving by frequently. They're honking in solidarity. The folks here don't look like they are going anywhere anytime soon.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: As we just saw in Beijing the blank white paper has become a staple of these rallies, protesters hope the wide known symbol makes the government reconsider its COVID policy.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNKNOWN (through translator): I think in a just society no one should be criminalized for their speech. There should not be one voice in our society, we need a variety of voices. We hope this piece of white paper can bring about positive effects and let others know that what we are going through is wrong. We should speak for ourselves.

I hope in the future, I will no longer be holding a piece of white paper, but what I really want to express so that more and more people know directly.

[03:05:01] UNKNOWN (through translator): I think we just need to identify the close contacts, or semi close contacts. Those people who might be infected. This is just enough, we don't need this huge screening of the compound, it's not necessary to be so meticulous.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: And, it does seem Beijing's strict COVID restrictions are not accomplishing what the government wants them to. Just hours ago, China reported a sixth straight day of record COVID infections, more than 40,000 new cases, and that's without counting those in Wuhan.

Well, the public protests and news of rising cases have rattled the financial markets. In Monday's early trading, both the Shanghai composite and the Hang Seng took major blows, and the Chinese yuan also plunged against the U.S. dollar.

Meantime, Chinese citizens living abroad show their support for protesters back home. In France, a large crowd gathered in Paris Sunday holding their own sheet of blank white paper. Many of them have been stuck abroad since the start of the pandemic. Unable to return home because of COVID rules. Crowds shouted for the Chinese government to unlock China and grant freedom to major cities under lockdown.

And in London, crowds surrounded the Chinese embassy on Sunday, with signs and banners. They called for the release of detainees from the protests in Shanghai. Protesters also chanted for President Xi Jinping to step down from office.

In the United States, thousands of people in Georgia turned out to vote early in the Senate runoff ahead of election day a December 6th. Officials say that nearly 80,000 voters cast ballots Saturday. Democrats have to go to court to secure early voting access on the Saturday after Thanksgiving in nearly 2,000 counties.

On Sunday, Democratic incumbent, Senator Raphael Warnock, cast his ballot in Atlanta. Federal data shows that he is significantly outracing his opponent, Republican Herschel Walker. According to Federal Election Commission filings, Warnock had three times Walker's cash reserves at the end of the most recent period.

Well, U.S. President Joe Biden has a packed schedule this week, including playing host for French President Emmanuel Macron's state visit. An uphill fight to ban assault weapons, and a battle over the federal budget.

CNN's Jeremy Diamond has the story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: President Biden returning to Washington on Sunday evening after spending the Thanksgiving holiday in Nantucket, Massachusetts. The president returning to a Washington that is going to be very busy for him over the next week. The president is expected to host French President Emmanuel Macron for

the first official state of Biden's presidency. It's going to be a visit full of pomp and circumstance, and also, an honor for the French president to give him the first state visit. A symbol of the closeness between those two countries, an alliance that has been forged for hundreds of years.

But also, of course become stronger through the crisis in Ukraine. France playing a key leadership role in Europe, and the United States of course, President Biden working to keep that global alliance together.

The president also has a lot of work to do on Capitol Hill. Recently he floated the idea of trying to get an assault weapons ban through in the lame duck session of Congress. That is unlikely to happen, but a slew of other items still on the agenda. The president needs to get the government funded over the next several weeks, and that is going to be priority number one as the president prepares for a Republican takeover of the House next year. He needs to get that funding bill through before that happens.

Jeremy Diamond, CNN, the White House.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: As we just heard, President Biden has vowed to get support to pass an assault weapons ban through Congress. This after a spate of recent deadly shooting across the U.S. In Virginia, where a Walmart employee shot and killed six coworkers before killing himself last Tuesday.

The Chesapeake City Council will hold a special meeting on Monday to confirm an emergency declaration to help fund recovery efforts. The mayor will lead a candlelight vigil for the victims after the meeting. And despite the recent shootings, one Democratic senator says that his party does not have enough votes to pass an assault weapons ban. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. CHRIS MURPHY (D-CT): I'm glad that Biden is going to push us to take a vote on an assault weapons ban, the House has already passed, it's sitting in front of the Senate. Does it have 60 votes in the Senate right now? Probably not.

[03:09:59]

If we passed an assault weapons ban, we would see less mass shootings in this country. Yes, there are already tens of thousands of assault weapons on the state. Nobody is talking about taking those weapons away from individuals, we are just talking about stopping new sales.

But if you look at some of the most high-profile mass shootings in the last couple of years, many of those mass shooters bought the weapon just days before carrying out the crime. And so, if those weapons were no longer commercially available, only

-- only in possession of those who had bought them previously, I think that a lot of mass shootings would have been prevented.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: Meantime, in Colorado Springs, Colorado, people are still struggling to cope after the mass shooting at an LGBTQ club where a gunman opened fire with a rifle and killed five people. Here is what the governor, who is gay, had to say about his stance on a total ban on assault style weapons.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GOV. JARED POLIS (D-CO): We learn from each instance, but you also have to look at all the causes. So, is there a way to improve gun safety out of this, to make sure that red flag laws are used not only if you have a pistol and a semiautomatic weapon. Do we need better laws on ghost guns, do we need to make sure that we have a better process around semiautomatic weapons. Open to all of those.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: And earlier, I spoke with CNN senior political analyst and Atlantic senior editor, Ron Brownstein. I asked him if he thought Mr. Biden would be able to achieve real action on gun control, given the political gridlock in Washington and the shifts that will come with a new Congress in January. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RON BROWNSTEIN, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: He still does have the House, of course, until January of 2023. So, in the lame duck, they still have unified control. The problem is not the House. I mean, the House has already passed a, you know, renewal of the assault weapon ban that Biden was, perhaps his greatest legislative achievement when he helped to shepherd that into law in 1994 as part of a broader crime bill.

The problem is that there a, you know, the filibuster in the Senate eliminates the possibility of action there. I mean, one of the things, you know, I have noted is if you look at the 20 states, Rosemary, that have the higher cost gun ownership per capita, those 20 states and 32 Republicans to the Senate.

If you look at the 20 states that have the lowest gun ownership for capita, those 20 states and 32 Democrats to the Senate. Same number of senators from each of the states that oppose of gun ownership. The differences is that the states with the lowest gun ownership have about 120 more million people in them than the states with gun ownership is more prevalent.

But because of the structure of the Senate and the filibuster, those small predominantly rural, predominantly white state dominated by Republicans have a veto over national gun policy. And so long as the filibuster is in place, I don't think it is realistic to believe that we are ever going to see much more action on ideas that have broad support in the public.

Assault weapon ban, ban on high-capacity magazines, tougher red flag laws, universal background checks, all of those ideas have majority support. Even a majority support from Republicans who don't own guns. But they are not plausible politically, so long as the filibuster is in place in effect giving a veto to those states where gun ownership is more prevalent than national.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: Our thanks to Ron Brownstein for his analysis there. Well, some Republicans are criticizing former President Donald Trump for hosting a white supremacist out his Florida home as well as rapper Yes, formerly Kanye West, who has been under fire himself for embracing anti-Semitic conspiracy theories.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GOV. ASA HUTCHINSON (R-AR): No, I don't think it's a good idea for a leader that is setting an example for the country or the party to meet with devout racist or anti-Semite. And so, it's very troubling and it shouldn't happen and we need to avoid those kinds of empowering the extremes. When you meet with people you empower.

REP. JAMES COMER (R-KY): He certainly needs better judgment in who he dines with. I know that he has issued a statement that he didn't know who those people were, I would not take a meeting with that person, though. I would not take a meeting with Kanye West, either.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: Last week, Trump hosted Ye and Nick Fuentes a white supremacist and Holocaust denier at his Mar-a-Lago estate. The men had dinner together with trump a week after Trump announced his 2024 presidential run.

A 12-year-old is dead and five teenagers are injured after a shooting near a popular shop -- shopping district here in Atlanta. Police say a group of juveniles were escorted away from the Atlantic station retail shops for unruly behavior, and violating the properties of curfew for those under 18.

[03:15:01]

They say that the gunfire broke out a short distance away, between individuals who knew each other, and had a previous conflict with one another. Authorities say three guns were recovered from the scene.

Just ahead, here on CNN, a powerful new storm system in the U.S. has the potential to produce tornadoes and damaging winds. We will have the forecast.

Plus, a look at how severe weather impacted one of the busiest travel days of the year, here in the U.S. as millions were headed home from the Thanksgiving holiday. Back in just a moment.

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CHURCH: Well, a new storm system has the potential to wreak havoc in the U.S. on Tuesday, affecting more than 25 million people. Forecasters say it could produce heavy rain, tornadoes, and damaging winds from eastern Texas, to Southern Indiana.

So, let's bring in meteorologist Pedram Javaheri. Good to see you again, Pedram. So, what are you learning about this dangerous mix of weather conditions impacted millions of Americans?

[03:20:02]

PEDRAM JAVAHERI, CNN METEOROLOGIST: That's right. You know, it's beginning to impact portions of the western U.S. Let's check I'm having some mix plus in my ear there. But what is happening here across the western U.S., certainly going to be impacting a lot of people over the next 24 or so hours, and then by the time we get to Tuesday afternoon, Tuesday night the impact is going to be felt across the U.S. as well.

But we are talking about portions of the western U.S., or parts of nine states dealing with this, and some of those snowfall totals here could exceed 15 inches, some areas up to 16 inches. So, the impacts, again, are going to be significant here from Monday into Tuesday and beyond that for other areas, even some lower lying city such as Seattle where winter weather is expected as early as Tuesday.

But as the energy shifts a little farther towards the east that's what we're watching here for severe weather, and not something we see very often when it comes to the month of November, it typically severe weather of course begins to wind down in the cool season. But the elements will be in place here when it comes to the cool dry air associated with this frontal boundary coming in from the north and west, and the warm moist air coming off the Gulf of Mexico.

So, put it in place there across portions of Arkansas, portions of Mississippi, western Tennessee. Tuesday afternoon and Tuesday night the storm prediction center now increasing the risk to a level four, that is a moderate risk indicated here in red, not when you see very often. And on the scale of one to five, pretty impressive severe weather threat that includes damaging winds, some large hail, and even some strong tornadoes possible.

Tuesday afternoon and notice some large cities, Memphis, Tennessee, Little Rock. Points to the south near Jackson, Mississippi, certainly in line here to see some active weather on Tuesday and an elevated risk here for even a tornado threat, about a 15 percent chance, within 25 miles of a point in the areas that are hatcher to see tornadoes on Tuesday afternoon.

So, the risk certainly going to be in place there for Tuesday. And Rosemary, notice these temperatures. When you go from the 70s down to the 40s, you know you have a potent storm system in place there. And again, Tuesday looks to be the day here for severe weather across parts of the U.S.

CHURCH: I appreciate the heads up. Pedram Javaheri, many thanks as always.

JAVAHERI: Thank you.

CHURCH: Well, severe weather also caused headaches for many Americans traveling home after the Thanksgiving holiday. Over 6,000 flights were delayed on Sunday, and more than 170 were canceled according to FlightAware.

CNN's Gloria Pazmino is monitoring the situation from New York and has this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GLORIA PAZMINO, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: And it's been controlled travel chaos here at LaGuardia Airport terminal B, people have been flowing through this terminal all day long and they have come prepared for the possibility of delays. I've been speaking with travelers all day, they are traveling on what is expected to be the busiest travel day of the year.

AAA estimates more than 54 million Americans traveled at least 50 miles from their home over the Thanksgiving holiday, many of those people making their way back today. So many of those travelers I spoke with said they were looking ahead to the possibility of being delayed today, not only that but there's also the possibility of bad weather on the horizon.

So, they came prepared with a plan, they came early and were expected to perhaps have to wait a little bit more. Then there's also the fact that travel is significantly increasing compared to the previous two years. In fact, one and a half percent increase over the last year and 98 percent of pre pandemic volumes.

People here said they are happy to be traveling again, and they are a little bit more than willing to just contend with the possibility of delays.

UNKNOWN: We got here too early just in case anything would happen.

UNKNOWN: I have been traveling a lot on Thanksgiving, so, you know, and plus the weather is supposed to get bad. So, I figured the earlier the better.

UNKNOWN: That's why we are early.

PAZMINO: You're early.

UNKNOWN: Yes.

PAZMINO: How early?

UNKNOWN: Like four or five hours early.

PAZMINO: Now more than 1,000 flights have already been canceled across other parts of the country, here in the New York City area, the three airports that service the New York metropolitan area, John F. Kennedy airport, LaGuardia Airport, and Newark Airport have all asked passengers to allow additional travel time to show up to the airport earlier than they normally would.

And they are also recommending that people book a parking spot ahead of time if they are going to need to drive in and park their car, so that travel process can be a little bit smoother so you are not having to come into the airport, and spent time looking for parking. They are asking folks to do that ahead of time so that people here can continue to move along.

In New York, Gloria Pazmino, CNN.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: In the U.S. state of Maryland, a passenger and pilot have been rescued after their plane crashed and caused a blackout near Washington, D.C. A local fire and rescue official says they were both taken to the hospital with serious injuries, the rescue operation took hours.

[03:24:56]

And here is why. The plane was snarled in power lines about 100 feet in the air. And that meant rescue crews could not go straight to work, they had to make sure the powerlines were grounded and bonded first so they would not be electrocuted trying to save people in the plane. The local utility company said late Sunday, nearly 90,000 customers lost power.

The death toll from a landslide on the Italian island of Ischia now stands at seven. A newborn is among the dead. Italy's prime minister has declared a state of emergency, and the arduous task of cleaning out the damage has begun.

Michael Holmes has the story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MICHAEL HOLMES, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Rescue teams search for missing people after disaster struck an island off the coast of Italy. Heavy rain resulted in a wave of mud and debris crashing through a small town on the island of Ischia, known as a popular tourist destination.

Local authorities confirm the landslide caused the deaths of several residents, including a newborn. The disaster leaving buildings destroyed, cars overturned, and streets covered in mud.

LUCA CARI, FIREFIGHTER (through translator): Some houses have been swept away by mud and you can see it here on the sea front there are huge rocks and they have been transported by the landslide from the hill.

HOLMES: Volunteers joined forces with emergency services in the search and rescue efforts for those thought to be missing in wreckage. The operations are being challenged by difficult weather conditions as strong winds persist.

In a Sunday prayer, Pope Francis expressed his concern for those affected by the disaster.

POPE FRANCIS, HEAD OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH (through translator): I'm close to the population of the island of Ischia hit by flooding, I pray for the victims. For those who are suffering and for all those who have come to the rescue.

HOLMES: The national government has declared a state of emergency, and released more than $2 million of aid and assistance to the island. More than 200 people have already been evacuated from the area, and crews are working to help clean leftover debris. The true magnitude of the damage still being assessed as locals try to pick up what remains and carry on.

Michael Holmes, CNN.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: Just ahead. It has been another day of action and drama in football's biggest stage, we will have the highlights of Sunday's World Cup games.

Plus, a defiant speech by Iran's supreme leader as the U.N. is expressing concern about the ongoing situation in the country. The details next.

[03:30:00]

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CHURCH: It has been another day of action and drama at the World Cup in Qatar.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: Morocco fans were ecstatic after the Atlas Lions defeated the number two-ranked team Belgium. Moroccan defender Achraf Hakimi celebrated in the stands with his mother giving her a hug and a kiss.

Meanwhile, Germany tried to avoid elimination against Spain after that shocking loss to Japan. The two (INAUDIBLE) teams finished with a 1 to 1 draw, an outcome that one Spanish fan was happy with.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNKNOWN (through translator): The truth is that it was a very complete game in general terms. The other day, we scored seven goals against Costa Rica. They (INAUDIBLE) as today. So, it is a very serious match with 1 to 1. We had a great performance and move on to the round of 16. And now, we just depend on ourselves. We are quite happy.

(END VIDEO CLIP) CHURCH: Meanwhile, Canada made history by scoring their first ever World Cup gold during their match against Croatia. Unfortunately for them, Croatia came roaring back to beat them 4 to 1. Despite the loss and elimination from the tournament, Canadian fans were happy about the milestone.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNKNOWN: It was the first best five minutes of Canadian football history. Scoring (INAUDIBLE), two minutes in. It was amazing. We stopped watching after that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: The World Cup will resume in about 90 minutes with four matches scheduled for groups G and H. Cameroon and Serbia kick things off on Monday, and they both need to win after losing their opening matches. South Korea and Ghana are next with both teams looking for their first win of the tournament.

World number one Brazil will take on Switzerland, but they will do it without Neymar, who is out with an ankle injury. And Cristiano Ronaldo will suit up against Uruguay as Portugal looks to advance to the knockout round.

For more, I want to bring in Keir Radnedge. He is football analyst who has reported at every World Cup since 1966. He joins us now from Doha, Qatar. That is very impressive. Great to see you.

KEIR RADNEDGE, COLUMNIST, WORLD SOCCER MAGAZINE: A pleasure to be with you.

CHURCH: So, this World Cup has certainly dealt out a number of upsets for football fans. Morocco's win over Belgium, the number two team in the world, then Costa Rica beating Japan, are the underdogs leading this World Cup? What do you make of all of this?

RADNEDGE: Well, the underdogs are making the biggest headlines, which is good, because in a World Cup, you need momentum, particularly in the group stages. You need to start building the excitement towards the knockout rounds. And Saudi beating Argentina early on, Japan upsetting Germany and Morocco yesterday, these all contribute to building the ambience of an exciting entertaining tournament.

CHURCH: And what do you about the top teams falling by the wayside? Is it a pressure? What do you think is happening here?

RADNEDGE: I'm sorry. I miss that.

CHURCH: What do you think is happening with these top teams that are not quite getting there and getting beaten by these other teams?

RADNEDGE: Not complacency, but they're not expecting the energy, the intensity, the -- I think the physical inspiration that some of the underdog teams gain from actually being at the World Cup, teams (INAUDIBLE) but to be here is a great experience for them at every match.

[03:35:01]

RADNEDGE: Every match for them is a final. So, that's what driving them.

CHURCH: And just very quickly, what will you be looking out for in today's games?

RADNEDGE: Well, I think the fascinating thing for me is how Brazil play without Neymar. I think Switzerland will make it difficult. I think, in some ways, you could say that this is the test of Brazil's team ethic and spirit and the way the team plays. Sometimes, you think that Neymar can be a bit of a distraction with all his cleverness and his tricks and the focus that goes on him. so, I'm looking forward to see the real Brazil, if you like, coming out from under the shadow of Neymar.

CHURCH: Oh, interesting. All right, Keir Radnedge, thank you so much for joining us. We had a few little visual problems and disconnections there, but we got to the end. Thank you for being with us. We appreciate it.

RADNEDGE: My pleasure.

CHURCH: The U.S. State Department says it was not involved in U.S. Soccer's decision to alter the Iranian flag on its social media accounts. The team posted images of the flag without its emblem as a sign of solidarity with protesters in that country.

U.S. Soccer told CNN the change was -- I quote -- "one-time graphic" and that the Iranian flag remained intact on the team's main website. Iranian state media say the U.S. Men's team should be kicked out of the World Cup for posting the image. The United States and Iran will play each other in their final group stage match on Tuesday.

Iran's supreme leader is praising paramilitary forces for their role in the deadly crackdown on protests. In a nationwide address, he called the protesters -- quote -- "rioters and thugs." CNN's Jomana Karadsheh has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JOMANA KARADSHEH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Iran's supreme leader making these comments during a meeting with members of the Basij, the volunteer paramilitary force that is affiliated with the revolutionary guard corps. The Basij has been at the forefront of the regime's crackdown on the protest movement.

Khamenei praising the Barij for confronting of the thugs and rioters, the agents of foreign enemies as he described them. Many seeing this as the supreme leader giving the green light for this brutal crackdown to continue.

This has been the regimes narrative from the start, dismissing the grievances of their people, these protests, as a foreign plot by countries like the United States, Israel, the U.K., and others to try and the destabilize the Islamic republic. And they have used this as a pretext to crack down on the protest.

We heard from the United Nations human rights chief on Thursday, urging the Iranian regime to listen to its people, to address their grievances, saying that this narrative is a convenient one, a typical narrative of tyranny as he described it, saying that these old methods and the fortress mentality don't work anymore, that they need to listen to their people because this narrative is only aggravating the situation.

And this is exactly what we have been seeing happening over the past more than two months of these protests. The more they crack down, more people are killed, people arrested. This is only making people angrier, more defiant, more determined to continue protesting, risking everything for regime change.

Jomana Karadsheh, CNN, Istanbul.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: And now to Mogadishu, Somalia where a hotel frequented by Somalian lawmakers came under attack. Police say al-Shabab fighters stormed the Villa Rosa after a suicide bombing at the gate. The hotel is near the presidential palace, and the al-Qaeda-linked al-Shabab has claimed responsibility for the attack. Police have not released details on casualties just yet.

Well, still to come, Ukraine says it is making progress in getting the country's energy system up and running again. We will have an update on where things stand right now. Back in just a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[03:40:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CHURCH: Ukrainian officials are reporting more Russian shelling overnight south of the city of Dnipro. Now, this comes after officials on Sunday said at least seven people were killed and 19 injured in attacks, mostly in the south and the east where Russia is ramping up its strikes.

In recent weeks, Russia has launched attacks aimed at crippling Ukraine's power infrastructure. Now, Ukraine's prime minister says the energy system has been stabilized at 80% of its normal capacity with more than a thousand experts working every day to repair the network.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, PRESIDENT OF UKRAINE (through translator): After the massive terrorist attack last Wednesday, we have been restoring electricity generation and supply day after day. As of today, in most regions of the country, only stabilization schedules of shutdowns are in effect. The situation is under control by the energy workers. (END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: CNN's Clare Sebastian joins us live from London with more. So, Clare, Russian mothers are launching an anti-war petition on Russia's Mother's Day. What can you tell us about this?

CLARE SEBASTIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, Rosemary, signs of opposition to the war in Russia still breaking through. I can tell you, it is significant, because President Putin met with mothers over the weekend, also on the occasion of Mother's Day. This was a staged meeting. He was said to be sort of listening to their grievances and concerns around the war.

But this petition much stronger warded than any comments we got in that meeting. It is put out by a group called the Feminist Anti-War Resistance. They are calling very clearly for a withdrawal of forces from Ukraine.

The petition, so far, not exactly a critical mass. It has about 4,500 signatures. But that number is growing. They talk about the fact that there is not enough money to provide equipment for the soldiers who are being mobilized in some regions. People are having to pay themselves for things like flak jackets to send their sons and brothers and husbands essentially to their deaths.

They also talk interestingly about what life is like during this war, how conditions in Russia are also worsening, how people are sort of experiencing poverty. Inflation is devaluing state aid. They talk about a rise as well in the domestic violence.

This is something that has been getting worse even before this war under Putin. He signed a law five years ago decriminalizing some forms of domestic violence. They say because of the rise in poverty, because of men coming back traumatized from the front, this is also increasing as well. So, I think significantly you are seeing this breakthrough.

[03:44:59]

SEBASTIAN: Women, as I said, a formidable force and it is clearly something that the Kremlin is having to reckon with.

CHURCH: And Clare, there are signs that Russians may leave Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. What more are you learning about that?

SEBASTIAN: So, this was flagged by the head of Ukraine's nuclear energy company. He said over the weekend that he had received reports, in his words, that Russia could be preparing to leave the nuclear plant. He cited reports from Russian media, which we have not been able to find. It is not clear where he got his information from, but he said that he sees signs that they could be preparing.

That would be extremely significant. Russia has occupied this nuclear plant since the very beginning of the war. It is Europe's biggest nuclear power plant. It has six reactors. There has been shelling around the nuclear power plant, raising serious international concern about a nuclear accident. Russia also signed a decree to bring the nuclear plant under Russian law. So, withdrawal would be significant.

For now, the Russian-backed authorities in the adjacent city of (INAUDIBLE) say that these reports are fake. They are denying this for the time being, Rosemary.

CHURCH: All right. Our thanks to Clare Sebastian joining us live from London.

The top American diplomat on sanctions policy says U.S. sanctions on Russia have made a real difference on Moscow's war on Ukraine. Those comments come from Ambassador Jim O'Brien, who visited Odesa's main port this weekend to highlight President Zelenskyy's grain from Ukraine initiative. O'Brien spoke exclusively with CNN's Matthew Chance.

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JIM O'BRIEN, HEAD OF U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT'S OFFICE OF SANCTIONS COORDINATION: Before I arrived, the main sanctions program was put in place, and I think it has been very effective at what it is designed to do. It is intended to keep Russia and to deny Russia the resources it needs to carry out the war that it wanted. So, this imperial project is quickly taking over Ukraine and then being able to assert itself more broadly.

MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: But is hasn't forced the Kremlin, has it, to change its policies, to change its behavior?

O'BRIEN: Well, I think that you do see a real difference. And most of the credit goes to the Ukrainians. Their courage and ingenuity on the battlefield have been remarkable. But you've seen the Kremlin keep changing what it said its stated aims are. It began with a full-scale invasion of Ukraine and efforts to take the capital. It shifted to sort of incremental improvement on the land that it had taken before the war. And now, it is giving that territory back.

And so, these are real changes in Russia's behavior. It is related partly to the sanctions, partly to export controls. They can't buy the kinds of inputs they need for their military to function.

CHANCE: Do you, ultimately, think that the sanctions regime that the United States is imposing on Russia and other countries are as well will force the Kremlin to capitulate, will force it to back down?

O'BRIEN: I think, well, the most important thing is the courage of Ukrainians and the commitment they are showing on the battlefield. What we have said as a government is that we are with Ukraine from now until the end of this war, until Ukraine succeeds.

That means support for the economy, which is also a part of what we are doing here to make sure that Ukraine is able to export, the currency. That means support for humanitarian initiatives and for the military. And sanctions are a piece of that, but they are only one piece of it.

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CHURCH: That was Ambassador Jim O'Brien speaking exclusively with CNN's Matthew Chance.

Retired U.S. Astronaut Scott Kelly traveled to Ukraine to visit one hard-hit city amid with those affected by the ongoing war. Kelly, who is an ambassador for Ukraine's United 24 fundraising platform, visited the country's largest pediatric hospital in Kyiv where he met with children and their parents. He spoke later about the young Ukrainians he met.

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SCOTT KELLY, RETIRED U.S. ASTRONAUT: On one hand, it was really sad to see the horrific injuries that these children have as a result of Russian airstrikes. But, you know, somewhat -- you know, it was also heartwarming to see their resilience and, you know, like the resilience, I think, that all the Ukrainian people are demonstrating in this, you know, horrific war.

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CHURCH: Kelly also visited Irpin in the Kyiv region, a city devastated by heavy shelling earlier this year.

Well, they say the show must go on, and comedian Jay Leno apparently agrees as he was back on stage just days after being treated for severe burns. We will have the latest on his recovery when "CNN Newsroom" continues.

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CHURCH: NFL wide receiver Odell Beckham, Jr. was removed from a Los Angeles-bound flight on Sunday morning for refusing to comply with safety protocol. According to a statement obtained by CNN affiliate WVSN, Miami-Dade Police officers were dispatched when the flight crew expressed concern for Beckham's well-being after he would not comply with request to fasten his seatbelt. Beckham's attorney said that the football star did not respond because he was asleep. He called the incident -- quote -- "completely unnecessary."

If you are an Inter Miami fan, you probably felt excited for a few hours on Sunday. Unfortunately, the report that Argentine soccer legend Lionel Messi was going to sign with the team was denied by Messi's representative. He called it false and fake news, adding that there was no negotiating for -- no negotiation for Messi to join the team next season.

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CHURCH: This Sunday, "Times" newspaper reported that the Paris Saint- Germain star was close to an agreement with Inter Miami and would sign the deal after the World Cup.

Well, the man who personified Zorro in the 90s thinks that Tom Holland should be the next to wear the mask. Antonio Banderas, who starred in "The Mask of Zorro" and its sequel, "The Legend of Zorro," thinks his co-star in his latest movie, "Unchartered," should pick up the mask. Banderas says if he were called to do another Zorro movie, he would pass the torch to Holland.

Well, comedian Jay Leno has returned to the stage just two weeks after he was severely burned. The former "Tonight Show" host arrived at Comedy Club near L.A. Sunday night where he performed for a sold-out crowd.

Leno, who is an avid car collector, was burned on his face and hands while working on one of his classic cars earlier this month. He needed two surgeries to treat the injuries. Leno has three more shows scheduled at the club next month.

The Artemis 1 moon mission is re-writing the record books. NASA says the Orion spacecraft has surpassed the record set by the Apollo 13 mission when it comes to the distance traveled in a spacecraft designed to carry humans.

On Monday, Orion will be more than 270,000 miles away from earth. It also continues to send back stunning images, including these close ups of the moon's surface. The Artemis program is laying the groundwork for humans to return to the moon in the next few years and someday perhaps Mars.

Thank you so much for your company. I am Rosemary Church. Have yourselves a wonderful day. "CNN Newsroom" continues with Bianca Nobilo next.

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