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Ukraine Desperate for Air Defense Pledges; U.S. May Ramp Up Advanced Training of Ukrainian Soldiers; China Eases Some COVID Curbs; Tough Issues Face Biden and Macron; Royal Couple U.S. Trip Overshadowed by Racism Controversy. Aired 3-4a ET

Aired December 01, 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]

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ROSEMARY CHURCH, CNN ANCHOR: Hello and welcome to our viewers joining us from all around the world. I'm Rosemary Church.

Just ahead here on "CNN Newsroom," allies are pledging new air defense system for Ukraine, and the country says they can't come soon enough. We'll have a live report with the latest on the war.

Plus, French President Emmanuel Macron is in the U.S. while the White House is hoping to strengthen ties with America's oldest ally. We're live in Paris with more on what France is hoping to gain from this visit.

And --

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(SCREAMING)

CHURCH: Joyous wins, devastating losses, and some surprising celebrations. We'll bring you the latest World Cup drama.

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UNKNOWN (voice-over): Live from CNN Center, this is "CNN Newsroom" with Rosemary Church.

CHURCH: Thanks for being with us. Well, the city of Kherson in Southern Ukraine is without power right now after heavy Russian shelling. That is according to a local official. This as Russia claims its forces have captured another town in its war on Ukraine. The Russian defense ministry says the newly seized town is south of Bakhmut in the Donetsk region of Eastern Ukraine where some of the heaviest fighting has raged for months now.

Moscow has focused considerable effort on encircling the city. The Ukrainian government denies claims Bakhmut is surrounded and has not confirmed the loss of any territory as Russia ramped up its offensive in recent days. Meanwhile, Ukraine is calling on NATO to supply the country with everything needed to defeat Russia's invasion as fast as possible. The Ukrainian foreign minister delivered the message in person on Wednesday, on the second day of talks between NATO foreign ministers in Bucharest. NATO secretary general gave this update on the fighting.

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JENS STOLTENBERG, NATO SECRETARY GENERAL: Ukraine has made significant gains, but we must not underestimate Russia. Russian missiles and drones continue to strike Ukrainian cities, civilians, and critical infrastructure. This is causing enormous human suffering as winter sets in.

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CHURCH: Well, there's a new international effort to hold Russia accountable for its war on Ukraine. The president of the European Commission is proposing a new court to investigate and prosecute Russia for its aggression and cruelty. Ursula von der Leyen says Moscow and its oligarchs must cover the costs of rebuilding Ukraine estimated at more than $600 billion and compensate for the damage caused. Specifically, she referred to the horrors of Bucha where alleged evidence of Russian war crimes against civilians shocked the world in the early months of the war.

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URSULA VON DER LEYEN, PRESIDENT, EUROPEAN COMMISSION: Russia must pay for its horrific crimes, including for its crime of aggression against a sovereign state. And this is why, while continuing to support the international criminal court, we are proposing to set up a specialized court backed by the United Nations to investigate and prosecute Russia's crime of aggression.

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CHURCH: Ukraine has welcomed the EU's court proposal, calling it exactly what they've been wanting.

And for more on all of this, CNN's Salma Abdelaziz is with us from London. Good morning to you, Salma. So, Ukraine has been very frustrated by what it perceives as a delay in getting required weapons to their fighters. So, what are the NATO foreign ministers promising now?

SALMA ABDELAZIZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, I think Ukraine's foreign minister did arrive with three words, he said, for his counterparts, and it was faster, faster, faster. He had two major things on his wish list, the Ukrainian foreign minister, that is air defense systems, that's the first, and the second was transformers.

And let's just break those down. The first air defense system, specifically, the Ukrainian foreign minister was asking for the Patriot system. The United States says it is considering that. The second part of that is those transformers. [03:04:56]

ABDELAZIZ: That's because so much of the country civilian infrastructure, it's power grids, its water systems have been so heavily damage. Allies are pitching in. They are going to help on the ground with nonlethal aid to help rebuild the infrastructure of the country.

But I think there's one matter on the agenda, on the wish list for Ukraine, that really the Ukrainians walked away sort of empty-handed on, and that was the question of Ukraine joining NATO. Take a listen to what Ukraine's foreign minister said on that.

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DMYTRO KULEBA, UKRAINIAN FOREIGN MINISTER: We will win this war with the help of allies. We will become members of NATO. But it does not mean that nothing should be happening between now and the moment of us becoming a member of NATO. This does not happen in a day. So, that's why I'm talking about the need to launch a discussion on how the application of Ukraine will be handled.

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ABDELAZIZ: So, beyond, of course, the practical needs that Ukraine had, needs on the battlefield, of course, nonlethal aid as well across the country to rebuild infrastructure, this was one of the main topics of debate, right, the expansion of NATO. There's a very delicate balancing act there that has to be played.

NATO wants to fortify its position, show and display strength in the face of Russian aggression, but at the same time, it doesn't want to aggravate Moscow. So, Finland and Sweden now in the process of joining NATO. That could happen next year. But for now, for Ukraine, NATO says the door is open, but first the practical victory on the ground needs to be seen before any talks about joining NATO come to fruition. Rosemary?

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CHURCH: All right, Salma Abdelaziz, many thanks, joining us live from London.

Ukraine is stepping up security at its embassies worldwide after a letter bomb exploded Wednesday at its embassy in Madrid. Spanish officials say a Ukrainian employee was slightly injured. The letter was addressed to Ukraine's ambassador to Spain.

A separate letter bomb was also delivered to a company that reportedly made some of the weapons Spain has sent to Ukraine. That device was safely deactivated. Spanish officials say the second envelope apparently came from Ukraine and investigators believe that may be the case with the first one as well. She says both letters have the same return address.

As Ukraine pleads for more weapons, it's also critical, of course, that its soldiers know how to use them effectively. Up to now, U.S. training on those kinds of battlefield tactics has been very limited. But that could soon change. CNN's Oren Liebermann explains.

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OREN LIEBERMANN, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: The White House is considering a proposal that would see the U.S. dramatically expand the training of Ukrainian forces with as many as 2,500 soldiers per month trained. This, if approved, would be far greater than the training that's currently going on in terms of scope, scale, and the complexity of what the U.S. is trying to accomplish.

Since the start of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, U.S. training of Ukraine forces has been in small groups and focused on individual systems. So, for example, 60 U.S. so troops will be trained on how to use the HIMARS rocket launcher or the NASAM air defense system.

This, again, if approved, would see the dramatically expand, the hundreds or low thousands of soldiers at a time, and not just on an individual system but on how to fight as a cohesive unit. So, for example, how to make artillery work with infantry, work with tanks, and fight cohesively to achieve an advantage on the battlefield. And that is one of the big goals here.

If approved, this training would take place at Grafenwoehr where the U.S. conducts its own combined arms training of U.S. army forces in both Europe and Africa. This is according to multiple officials who have been briefed and are familiar to plans here. Now, an administration official says the White House is looking at how to ramp up the current training efforts and turn that into this larger scale effort.

Now, it's not the only country that is looking at doing this sort of training. The U.K. has since summer made its goal to train 10,000 Ukrainian soldiers. But there is a fundamental difference here. That's more basic training for soldiers who don't have much experience on the front lines. This goes well beyond that, trying to teach an army or large parts of an army at the battalion level how to fight as a cohesive unit to gain an advantage against Russia.

What about the timing? Well, this may be the perfect time for that. As winter sets in with a slowdown in fighting there, this potentially is an opportunity for Ukraine to pull some soldiers off of the frontline, out of combat, and to send them out of country to gain this training so they can go back in and achieve the success they're looking for off of those counteroffensives that we've seen taking place in eastern and southern Ukraine.

Oren Liebermann, CNN, in the Pentagon.

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CHURCH: The imprisoned Russian dissident, Alexei Navalny, has been partly cut off from his correspondence with his wife.

[03:10:01] CHURCH: According to her Instagram post, Yulia Navalny says it is vile that prison guards have been withholding her letters to the jailed Kremlin critic. But she says she is still able to write to him through his lawyers.

Navalny has been sentenced to more than 11 years in prison on charges he calls politically-motivated. He earlier survived the poisoning, which he also blamed on the Kremlin.

Meanwhile, an American citizen also behind bars in Russia has been unable to contact his family for a week. That is according to the brother of Paul Whelan, who is serving a 16-year sentence for alleged espionage. The family was told Paul was moved to a prison hospital on November 18th.

But his brother rejects that partly because Whelan didn't mention any hospital in the phone calls they had after that day. Whelan's brother also says it's unusual for Paul not to call his family for that long, especially around Thanksgiving. The State Department says the U.S. Embassy in Moscow is pressing for updates on Whelan.

Protests against strict COVID measures in cities across China appear to be having an impact on the government. Beijing is easing some lockdowns and testing requirements in what the top COVID official calls a new stage and mission in controlling the pandemic.

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UNKNOWN: (SPEAKING IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE).

CHURCH: The man who recorded this video is yelling, unseal, as workers remove orange barricades from the streets of Guangzhou. The city has now lifted lockdowns in several areas and called an end to district-wide mass testing. And some people who have been in close contact with COVID patients will now be allowed to isolate at home instead of in government quarantine facilities.

Now, there are reports of similar moves in Shanghai. Reuters obtained video from that city showing people pushing and shoving police in hazmat suits although it's not clear when that footage was recorded. CNN has been able to verify at least 20 protests in 15 different cities across China since the weekend.

So, let's bring in CNN's Anna Coren. She's tracking developments for us from Hong Kong. Good to see you, Anna. So, China is easing some COVID restrictions, at least, in response to these protests across the country. What's the latest on this? And, of course, is it possible that more of these relaxations may come?

ANNA COREN, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Look, that's the word, Rosemary, that we are hearing from mainland China, that we might see further restrictions being eased, which is music to the ears of people who have been living under these draconian laws now for almost three years.

You know, they've gone through these lockdowns, this mass quarantine where the residential complex building has been barricaded. People could not get out, and that is what they obviously blamed for the fire in Xinjiang last week where up to 10 people were killed. Locals say it was because firefighters could not get to them because of these COVID measures.

Hence, we have since seen mass protests across the country, something we haven't seen in China, really, this level and scale of dissent and angst for a generation. But we are now seeing that the government is relenting. We are seeing these easing of restrictions. You know, it's happening in Beijing, in Shanghai, and Chongqing, in Guangzhou where local government officials are saying that, perhaps, we don't have to be as strict as what we have been.

And I think people are also taking (INAUDIBLE) from what the vice premier of the pandemic containment said yesterday. She said that the government needs to have a more human-centered approach to dealing with this pandemic.

Let me read to you something in "The Global Times." This is a mouthpiece for the Chinese Communist Party. It is in editorial where it cited scientific data from the United States, from here in Hong Kong, and also from China.

It said, compared with the original strain of the new coronavirus, the pathogenicity and the virulence of the new coronavirus Omicron mutant strain have been greatly been reduced. This reminds us that we don't have to panic too much about Omicron. For the general population, under the protection of vaccines, the new coronavirus is not as harmful to the human body as before.

I mean, Rosemary, we have not heard this sort of language coming out of China ever, certainly not during the course of this pandemic.

[03:14:57]

COREN: If anything, it's been about scaremongering and creating fear and justifying these measures that have kept people locked up in their homes, sometimes months on end. So, people obviously are overjoyed that the government is finally listening. The government is obviously hoping that this may somehow quell the protests that have been raging across the country.

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CHURCH: All right, Anna Coren, joining us live from Hong Kong, many thanks.

Well, the Biden White House is pulling out all the stops for a state dinner with the president and first lady of France. But before that happens, the two leaders have many tough issues they will try to work through. Those details, just ahead.

And as the prince and princess of Wales began their trip in the U.S., a controversy back home threatens to overshadow the visit. We'll have that and more in just a moment.

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CHURCH: U.S. President Joe Biden and French President Emmanuel Macron have a full day of pressing issues to address before tonight's state dinner at the White House. It is the first date dinner for the Biden administration and signals the importance the president places on America's ties with France.

The Macrons and Bidens had some private time Wednesday night at a Washington restaurant. Today's packed agenda is expected to focus on a wide range of shared global interests, including Ukraine, China, climate change, and trade.

CNN's Jim Bittermann joins us now live from Paris. Good to see you, Jim. So, what were all the highlights of President Macron's first day and what all is he hoping to come out of his very busy second day leading up to the big state dinner?

JIM BITTERMANN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, quite a bit, Rosemary. In fact, yesterday, there were a number of highlights. Macron went out to NASA headquarters along with Vice President Kamala Harris. And then, as you pointed out, went to that private dinner last night at a restaurant in Washington.

But the most pointed and perhaps blunt comments came from Macron in a speech at the -- among the French community in Washington, at a luncheon, and there, he had quite a bit to say about the difficulties between Europe and the United States. Listen.

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EMMANUEL MACRON, PRESIDENT OF FRANCE (through translator): What has happened in recent months is a challenge for us because we're starting to have differences on energy issues, and the cost of the war is not the same in Europe and in the United States. But most importantly, the choices that have been made for which I share the goals, in particular, the Inflation Reduction Act or the CHIPS Act, are choices that will split the west.

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BITTERMANN: So, in some aspects, this was kind of performative politics on the part of Mr. Macron because, judging from the audience, in any case, it was the French community he was talking to.

[03:20:02]

BITTERMAN: But, of course, if you're a world leader and it's a public event, you can't help but think that some of those comments are going to get out. He outlined pretty well what is going to be on the agenda today. That is going to be the official state welcoming at the White House. It will be with 21-gun salute and all that sort of thing.

But then they get down to serious talks about the issues that you basically outlined, the Inflation Reduction Act, which the Europeans and especially the French belief is a bit of protectionism in terms of the kind of benefits that it gives to American companies over European companies.

And there's also the idea that the energy gas, which the U.S. is now supplying in a great deal of quantity, more than what was taking place earlier, the price of the gas is way too high. The U.S. says, of course, that's subject for negotiations. You have a task force to work on that. They also say that it's the private sector and the middleman that are taking the profits out of gas sector and applying them to the European.

So, there's a lot to talk about today, and then, of course, the big state dinner tonight with 350 people invited to the south lawn of the White House.

CHURCH: Yes, an action-packed day indeed. Jim Bittermann, reporting live from Paris, many thanks.

All right, let's bring in Martin Quencez now. He is deputy director of the German Marshall Fund, Paris office. Thank you so much for being with us.

MARTIN QUENCEZ, DEPUTY DIRECTOR, GERMAN MARSHALL FUND, PARIS OFFICE: Thank you for having me.

CHURCH: So, President Macron has a very busy second day ahead of him on his U.S. visit, and as we just heard, it could prove tense at times. Mr. Macron apparently intends to draw the line on U.S. protectionism, specifically Mr. Biden's Inflation Reduction Act. So, how can these differences be resolved?

QUENCEZ: Well, I think that the French understand that this is a legislation that is very popular in the U.S. and a legislation that is seen by the Biden administration as a great success. So, there's not much to expect in terms of exemptions in the coming days.

I think the main point is to convey the message of concern that is shared by many European capitalist, that if you truly care about the European allies, if you think that you need this alliance to tackle 21st century issues, you cannot have these decisions that harm the European economy, European industry, without any sort of coordination.

So, hopefully, after this visit, it could be some sort of a dialogue to see how we can go through these differences without having to rely on countermeasures being taken by the Europeans.

CHURCH: No doubt Mr. Macron would hope that that would happen. Of course, other potential areas of tension that we heard him raised there that perhaps he would raise with his U.S. counterpart Joe Biden include energy issues and the cost of the war in Ukraine. How will the two leaders navigate those two very complex issues?

QUENCEZ: Right. So, there is an issue that seems difficult to resolve, which is that the U.S. believe that the Europeans should increase their contribution to the Ukraine war efforts and to aid provided to Ukraine. And Macron is there also to show that Europeans have done a lot. In fact, if you look at the number of contributions and also the costs of the sanctions, European economies have already taken quite the burden of this war.

So, this is also simple messaging, trying to convince each other that an effort has been shared. We understand that in 2023, it might be more difficult for the U.S. Congress to boost (ph) the kind of aid that was decided in 2022, but the Europeans will not probably be able to compensate entirely for potential decrease in U.S. aid. So, this is truly something that needs to be to discussed.

On the energy level, again, the messages that if you care about European issues, you care about alliance, you need to show it by actually providing this energy at a fair price than what it is now.

CHURCH: So, let's talk now about Mr. Macron's elevated role as a European statesman. Now that Germany's Angela Merkel and, of course, Britain's Boris Johnson are both gone, President Macron has raised France's profile on the world stage, hasn't he, and particularly here in the United States. So, how successful has he been outside of France compared to perhaps what happens within France, how people feel about him because he's not quite as popular at home, is he?

QUENCEZ: Well, he's not quite as popular at home, and I'd say that it in Europe, in fact, many European countries would say that President Macron does not represent Europe or the European Union.

[03:25:00]

QUENCEZ: So, there is no confusion there. He doesn't talk on behalf of Europeans, but he does have a chance by coming to D.C. to share some ideas and some (INAUDIBLE) to other Europeans. I think that Macron now has a chance to appear as also the most experienced leader in Europe. If you look at chancellor of Germany or the new prime minister of U.K., there are no other leaders who have this sort of background of years of cooperation with the U.S. and understanding of what works and what doesn't work so well.

So, I think that in the coming months and years, we'll continue to see Paris as a primary interlocutor for the U.S. in Europe and obviously (INAUDIBLE) very much like this.

CHURCH: Martin Quencez, thanks so much for joining us. Appreciate it.

Well, the new prince and princess of Wales are on their first overseas trip to the United States since the death of Queen Elizabeth II. Their focus on Friday will be on awarding the Earthshot Prize, an environmental honor Prince William founded. On Thursday, they plan to visit to several climate tech start-ups.

But as Max Foster reports, their visit is being overshadowed by a racism controversy back in the United Kingdom.

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MAX FOSTER, CNN ROYAL CORRESPONDENT: A pretty wet welcome for the prince and princess of Wales here in Boston for a three-day visit, culminating in the Earthshot Prize giving, which is about finding solutions to the climate crisis and financing those solutions with some big prize money as well (INAUDIBLE) Prince William's Super Bowl moment really.

In the meantime, they are getting to know the city. They were here at city hall. It lit up green to start the celebrations. They went to a Boston Celtics game as well. You see them out and about in the city, trying to get to know it as much as possible. The emphasis really is on the climate and some of the other interests the couple have and want to express, really, while they're here.

The lovely conversation has been overshadowed by this race (INAUDIBLE) back in London. I guess the Buckingham Palace grilled about her heritage. She kept on repeating that she was from the U.K. But a senior royal aide asking where from Africa they were from, where the people are from. It was a very awkward interchange. That senior royal aide has had to step down and an investigation is underway. We'll wait to hear the results of that investigation.

Max Foster, CNN, Boston.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: Now, the event where this alleged incident took place was hosted by Camilla, the queen consort, on Tuesday evening. And the recipient of the interrogation was the CEO of a charity that helps domestic abuse victims. Here's what she said following the unpleasant encounter.

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NGOZI FULANI, CEO, SISTAH SPACE: When you got into Buckingham Palace, you're searched quite rightly to protect the people that are in there. But then I asked myself, what protection was there for me against this kind of racism?

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CHURCH: The British media have identified the palace member as Lady Susan Hussey. She is Prince William's godmother and served for decades as lady in waiting to the late Queen Elizabeth.

Well, from worst to first. Argentina survived the group stage, and hopes of Lionel Messi winning a World Cup are still alive. And politics on the pitch, how protests against the Iranian government could impact the country's players as they return from Qatar.

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CHURCH: Overjoyed fans celebrating Argentina's big win over Poland that secured their spot in the knockouts. That's despite Argentina's dismal start to the World Cup. And it means superstar Lionel Messi gets to keep seeking that elusive trophy. CNN's Don Riddell has all of the details from Doha. DON RIDDELL, CNN WORLD SPORT: Argentina arrived here in Qatar as one

the World Cup favorites. But for their fans, it has been a rollercoaster of emotions. They lost their opening match. They were stunned by Saudi Arabia. But since then, back-to-back wins, including a 2-0 victory against Poland here at Stadium 974, means they are surging into their round of 16.

RIDDELL (voice-over): This is Lionel Messi's 5th World Cup tournament and it's expected to be his last. But he's finding it difficult in Qatar. He was given a penalty against Poland, but was well saved by the keeper. Argentina deserves something from the game, though. They were by far the more positive team and they were rewarded very early in the second half when Alexis McAllister scored and then Julian Alvarez made the game safe for Argentina -- 2-0 the final score. Poland also managed to squeak through as the second-place team, but the night belonged to Argentina and their jubilant fans.

UNKNOWN: We started low. And after the victory last game and this one, we're really making a different. Now, the spirit, you can hear the spirit is back again. So, we are confident that Argentina came back to be a candidate.

UNKNOWN: Very excited. Very, very, excited. My god. Round of 16. Now, you know where Messi is Saudi. You know where Messi is.

UNKNOWN: It's a very nice game, very nice.

UNKNOWN: This is Argentina. This is Argentina. We're coming for you England. We're coming for you France. And at the final night, we go for you Brazil.

RIDDELL (on camera): Argentina's next game will be against Australia. The Socceroo's have only ever played one World Cup knockout game. That was back in 2006. A heartbreaking defeat to Italy. Now, the Azzurri went on to win the title that year. So, if Argentina can win their next game, it could be a really good omen for them. Back to you.

CHURCH: All, right here is what we can expect in the coming hours. The 2018 runner-up, Croatia, will take on world number 2 Belgium in a match the Belgians must win to avoid an early exit. Canada will face Morocco. We'll see Spain go up against Japan who triumphed over Germany in their opener. And Germany must beat Costa Rica in order to have even a chance of moving on in the tournament.

Well, Iran's national team is back in Tehran greeted at the airport by cheering crowds. They were eliminated from the World Cup after Tuesday's loss to the U.S. And there has been concern about whether their early exit might spark more unrest. A source tells CNN, player's families were threatened with imprisonment and torture if the team showed support for anti-government protests.

And CNN's Nada Bashir joins us now live from London with more on this. So, Nada, Iran's World Cup team back home just a short time ago, amid concerns of players and their families might face possible repercussions for their actions in Qatar. So, what is the latest on all this? What are you learning? NADA BASHIR, CNN REPORTER: Look, Rosemary, there will certainly be a

lot of attention on the team players to see how they will be received by the Iranian regime, what sort of reception awaits them upon their return. Of course, we did see crowds gathering at Tehran's international airport upon their return. This has been a state-aligned media, Tasnim News Agency has been quite clear to show crowds gathering, cheering in support of the team.

[03:34:58]

It is unfortunate, this is a state-aligned media, and there are still very clear concerns around the safety and security of the team members. Particularly of course because we did see the team refusing to sing the national anthem at their opening match against England. This of course changed in the following two games where we did see them singing the national anthem.

But this comes after reports of a source speaking to CNN, someone working closely on security of the games, the team and their family members back home had to face threats from the Iranian regime and the security forces, warning them not to take part in any sort of action that could show any sort of solidarity with the protest movement at home, any sign of protest against the regime. And of course, crucially, not to refuse to sing the national anthem ahead of that all-important match against the United States.

So, there is still some concern about their safety and how they will be treated over the coming days and weeks. And of course, there is still question and conversation around how they will be received by the Iranian people. We did see of course this remarkable images and videos appearing from Tehran and from other cities, particularly in the northwestern Kurdish region, which has really seen heaviest of the crackdown by the Iranian security forces.

People taking to the streets celebrating Iran's defeat against the United States. And this is of course is because some have said that they expected more from the players to show solidarity with a protest movement at home. Of course, this is a huge symbol of the Iranian state, a huge public facing symbol.

And many have called on them to have taken a much of a greater stand, much like other athletes we've seen. Elnaz Rekabi, you remember, rock climber competing overseas who chose to compete without her hijab. And she later said that she was -- this had happened accidentally. But of course, there is still concern now around the safety of the team players and also other athletes across Iran, Rosemary.

CHURCH: Yeah. All right, Nada Bashir, joining us live from London. Many thanks. And we have much more ahead this hour on the World Cup. Plus, a look at how the U.S. women's team is benefiting from the men's performance.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LINDSAY GIBBS, SPORTS REPORTER, POWER PLAYS NEWSLETTER: Women carry soccer in the United States. I love the men's team, but it's just the women who have put the sport on the map, who are the pride of the nation.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: Why many experts say there is still a lot of ground to make up.

At least two people are dead in southern Brazil after heavy rain triggered a landslide. It cut off access to two ports, one of which is the second largest in Brazil for sugar and grain shipments. Authorities believe several vehicles and trailers are buried in mud on a highway with as many as 50 people possibly missing. Flash flooding has also been reported in the region.

So, let's turn to our meteorologist, Derek Van Dam, who's been watching this very closely. Derek, what are you seeing?

DEREK VAN DAM, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Rosemary, look how vulnerable this particular steep slope slide is in southern Brazil. And of course, this landslide just taking out everything in its path, picking up all kinds of debris including trees, boulders, mud, you name it. And there is a truck just hanging by its edge, right off the edge of this particular highway that was impacted as the landslide continue down to the valley below.

Now, I did a bit of research and there was a study back in 2007 that highlighted the most vulnerable locations for landslides to occur. And what they noted was any sloped angle between 10 degrees and 30 degrees has the highest likelihood of a land failure or this landslide. So, 82 percent of landslides occur between sloped angles of about 10 to 30 degrees.

That slope side certainly falls within that angle. Very dangerous conditions, especially when you get a population density at the bottom of these valleys and the slope is like that. Flooding was likely. According to the Brazilian meteorological agency, with landslides possible across the extreme southern states, and that was the case. Unfortunately, the rain soaked into the soil, eventually the gravity won and we saw that slope failure take place.

And unfortunately, there was people and a highway in the way of this sliding mass of land, which, by the way, can travel as fast as 300 kilometers per hour, or as slow as 45 kilometers per hour. It all depends on the slope and the angle of the mountainside, as well as the debris that it picks up along the way.

One thing is for sure, there has been a lot of rain lately within the past 24 hours alone, over 150 millimeters. This is climatologically speaking, the wettest part of the year for this portion of Brazil.

[03:39:58]

Heading into December, January, and February, the three wettest months out of the year, were considered as rainy season. There is more scattered showers and thunderstorms in the forecast although not as heavy as what we've experienced the past few days. These locations expecting more wet weather means the potential for more landslides and only complicates further the search and recovery efforts for the ongoing landslide that took place, Rosemary.

CHURCH: All right, Derek Van Dam, thank you very much for keeping a close eye on that. Appreciate it.

And still to come, China eases lockdowns in some major cities including a major iPhone manufacturing hub. Why workers are pushing back against terrible working conditions and brutal COVID measures.

And later, why more women will be on the pitch today taking part in a men's World Cup match than ever before.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CHURCH: Beijing suggested on Wednesday it had a new stage and mission for controlling COVID-19, perhaps indicating some potential adjustment to its controversial zero COVID strategy. And perhaps not coincidental is several cities began easing their COVID lockdowns including Guangzhou.

It's home to the world's largest iPhone factory owned by Foxconn where employees revolted over the past few weeks over working conditions and COVID restrictions. CNN's Selina Wang reports.

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SELINA WANG, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Anger boils over into violent protests at the world's largest iPhone factory. Workers stream out of Foxconn's factory dorms in central China. Protesting unfair treatment, dirty living conditions, and chaotic COVID rules at the Apple supplier.

Videos obtained by CNN show a group of police in white hazmat suits beating workers with batons and metal rods. The police are hitting people, a worker shouts in the video. A Foxconn employee at the protest told CNN, the scene turned into a river of blood. Police hit the workers ruthlessly. Earlier, squadrons of riot police have rolled in. They're going to start beating us, protesters yelled in fear facing off rows of law enforcement with riot gear.

The protests escalated into the evening, workers tearing down COVID barriers, using metal beams against police. Masses of them hurling metal parts towards law enforcement. Even using a COVID a barrier as a shield against rows of authorities. They work together to push over a police car cheering and chanting.

Since October, the Foxconn plant has been sealed off from the outside world after a COVID outbreak that forced employees to live in work on site.

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And what videos obtained by CNN show are filthy conditions. Garbage piling up in the hallway. The factory plunged into chaos. Videos showed workers scrambling, fighting to get enough food and supplies. Then, came the exodus. Masses of workers walked miles along highways to escape the plant. Analysts estimate this factory produces more than half of Apples

iPhones. Apple already warned customers they'll need to wait even longer to get their new products because of China's COVID lockdowns. So, to attract workers, Foxconn promised higher pay and bonuses, new workers signed up. But, when they got to the factory, the pay package was worse than what Foxconn advertised.

A Foxconn employee said workers felt cheated, leading to thousands of people protesting. Foxconn later blamed the payment discrepancy on a, quote, "technical error" and sent text messages to workers offering to pay them $1,400 to quit and go.

Soon after, videos showed long lines of workers boarding buses to leave the factory. Their departure, possibly putting an end to another violent and dramatic scene. But increasing the pressure on Apple, it's just a latest victim of China's zero COVID policy. Selina Wang, CNN, Beijing.

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CHURCH: And we'll be right back.

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CHURCH: The U.S. women's national team won the last two World Cups, but they're actually making more money from the U.S. men's team reaching the knockout stages in Qatar. And that it because of the equal pay agreement forged earlier this year, which requires the women's and men's teams to split all World Cup earnings.

The American men will get at least $13 million for reaching the knockouts. So, half of that will now go to the women, their own World Cup championships only netted $6 million, $2 million in 2015 and $4 million in 2019. The equal pay deal also means the U.S. men's team will get half of the women's prize money in the future. Well, CNN's Brian Todd spoke to a former staff from the women's team about the new agreement.

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BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): With its stirring win over Iran and it's advanced into the knockout stage of the World Cup, the U.S. men's national soccer team gets a $13 million bonus as a team. And for the first time ever, they'll split that bonus equally with the U.S. women's team, $6.5 million for each squad. That's because of a new collective bargaining agreement that the women's team reached with the U.S. Soccer Federation back in May.

For Brian Scurry, a goalkeeper who played in four women's World Cups and made an iconic penalty kick save to help the U.S. win the 1999 cup, it's a sweet moment.

BRIANA SCURRY, FORMER U.S. NATIONAL WOMEN'S TEAM GOALKEEPER: For decades, it was very difficult to always be shouting at the rain, so it seemed. But now we have made this a reality and it took every single player who's ever played and worn the jersey for the women's national team to get it there.

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TODD (voice-over): In fact, the $6.5 million the U.S. women will make from the men's team advance is more than the women earned by winning the 2015 and 2019 women's World Cups combined. Their 2015 win paid out $2 million, doubling to $4 million in 2019.

SCURRY: You know, FIFA has been unfair with the women. We've always been an afterthought to them.

TODD (voice-over): For, decades the U.S. women's team had fought against the U.S. Soccer Federation demanding equal pay.

MEGAN RAPINOE, U.S. NATIONAL WOMEN'S TEAM: Every time a woman is not paid equally, sort of everyone is not and nobody's potential is able to be reached.

TODD (voice-over): It took a lawsuit settlement earlier this year to finally get the federation to pay the women fairly.

GIBBS: There had been so many lockouts, so many times skipping camp, so many moments of labor solidarity, and things really revved up after the women won the 2015 World Cup. Every step of the way, there has been -- it's been a fight.

TODD (voice-over): And every step of the way, there's been a different kind of disparity on the fields. In all of U.S. soccer history, the women's team has won four World Cups. The men have won exactly none.

GIBBS: I mean, women carry soccer in the United States. I love the men's team, but it's the women who have put the sport on the map, who are the pride of the nation.

TODD (voice-over): But while U.S. soccer has made progress on fair pay, world soccer remains far behind. This year, the total prize money for the men's World Cup is $440 million, more than 14 times as much as the prize money for the last women's World Cup.

GIBBS: They just felt proud of themselves for giving the women crumbs. It's just now that women's soccer has derived (ph) despite the lack of investment.

TODD (on camera): I asked Briana Scurry if she or any other former players will benefit from this fair play deal. She said she will only benefit if the players union for the women decides to give former national team player some money. Either way, she says, she's okay with it. She says she's just honored to have played a role in raising the visibility of the women's game and getting that deal done. Brian Todd, CNN, Washington.

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CHURCH: Today's Germany versus Costa Rica match will feature a first for the men's World Cup, which is an all women team of referees. The head ref will be France's Stephanie Frappart who was the first woman to officiate a UEFA men's champion league match two years ago. She will be joined by assistance from Brazil and Mexico. Frappart previously told CNN she doesn't think about breaking barriers or making history and is just focused on doing her job.

CNN sports analyst Christine Brennan joins me now from Washington, D.C. She's also a sports columnist for "USA Today." Always great to have you with us.

CHRISTINE BRENNAN, CNN SPORTS ANALYST: Great to be with you, too, Rosemary. Thank you.

CHURCH: So, at a time when women have been fighting to get recognized in the world of football, the all-women refereeing team is making history, at the men's World Cup. How significant is this?

CHRISTINE BRENNAN, CNN SPORTS ANALYST: I think it's very significant, and a little surprising because I wouldn't have necessarily pick FIFA, you know, the good old boy's network to end all good old boy's networks, to be the ones to breakthrough in this manner at this time, you know, a crucial final group match, and Germany and Costa Rica, and it's going to happen. And not one woman, not two, but three. I think it's, great I think is also very smart move, because to grow the game you want more woman to play it around the world.

It's a real message that women can have various roles in soccer, not just as players, of course. The women's World Cup is a perfect example of the success of women's soccer, women's football around the world. But also, you could, you know, you can coach, you can referee, you can have a long career in the sport.

And that's just a really smart move business-wise, to grow your game, and continue to encourage not only men but women, boys, and girls to be able to play the sport. I remember, a generation or so ago, when Sepp Blatter, then the president of FIFA said that the future of football is feminine.

And it's taken a long, time and there's a lot of misogyny, a lot of sexism to cut through, for sure. But a day like this with this refereeing team, I think, Rosemary, it does show us that change is possible, and that there are opportunities for women now that we would have never thought possible even say 10 or so years ago.

CHURCH: And speaking of change, it is worth mentioning that the U.S. men's national team, reaching the knockout round of 16 at the World Cup will actually result in the U.S. women's team getting paid half of their massive $13 million in winnings. What does that tell us, though, given the women have won four World Cup titles while the men have won none.

BRENNAN: Well, it tells you how much of a difference there is between what men get paid to play football, and women get paid.

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Of course, the men started the World Cup -- World Cup for men started in 1930. The women had their first World Cup in 1991. If my math is correct, that's a 61-year gap, a 61-year head start. But the U.S. women's national team has been fighting throughout for equal pay.

They were basically starting that conversation around the time of the '99 World Cup, that wildly popular success in the United States won by the U.S. team on July 10th, '99 when Brandi Chastain of course had the penalty and that won it, and then rip off her shirt and the most iconic picture of the first 50 years of Title IX, the law that, you know, opened the playing fields of America for girls as well as boys.

So, that -- this team, this is in their DNA. This is what they do, the U.S. Women's National Team, to fight for equal pay, to talk about it. To talk about not just in soccer and in sports but throughout the cultural landscape, that women deserve equal pay. They won that earlier this year, which was a great victory, helped in part, as the story obviously gets even better and better, helped in part by the U.S. Men's National Team, the team that's still playing in the World Cup.

Those young men, those Title IX males, very different -- raised differently than their fathers or their grandfathers, Rosemary. They actually also fought for the women to get equal pay, like giving up some of their winnings, which of course is now the storyline. Instead of getting $13 million only for the guys, it's $6.5 million for the man, and then $6.5 million for the women. And next year, by the way, the women will share their earnings with the men. So, it is equal in that sense.

CHURCH: Christine Brennan, always a pleasure to chat with. Many thanks

BRENNAN: Thank you, Rosemary.

CHURCH: And before we go, the music world is mourning a star. Christine McVie, singer and keyboard player for Fleetwood Mac has passed away at 79 after a brief illness. No cause of death was given. Born Christine and perfect, she wrote some of the group's biggest hits including "Don't Stop" and this one, "Little Lies."

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The band called McVie truly one-of-a-kind, special and talented beyond measure.

And thank you so much for spending part of your day with me. I'm Rosemary Church. "CNN Newsroom" continues with Bianca Nobilo, next.

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