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Biden to Discuss Migration at Regional Summit; Biden Visits U.S.-Mexico Border; Rioters Storm Brazil's Capital; Bills Win First Game After Hamlin Collapse; Extreme Weather, Parts of California Get Ready for "Parade of Cyclones". Aired 3-4a ET
Aired January 09, 2023 - 03:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
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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, under fire from both sides of the aisle over a surge of migrants U.S., President Biden makes his first visit to the southern border since taking office.
Echoes of January 6th in Brazil's capital. Hundreds of Bolsonaro's supporters stormed top government buildings in a violent protest against the election results.
Plus, they wanted for Damar, the Buffalo Bills make an emotional and triumphant return to the field.
UNKNOWN (voice-over): Live from CNN Center, this is "CNN Newsroom" with Rosemary Church.
CHURCH: Well, one of the most controversial issues President Joe Biden faces will be front and center when he attends a regional summit in the day ahead. Mr. Biden will meet with his Mexican and Canadian counterparts in Mexico City starting today to discuss among other topics the recent surge in migration. The President addressed the issue on Sunday when he visited the U.S. border in El Paso, Texas.
He inspected the iron fence between U.S. and Mexico and pledged more government support. He later spoke with workers at a migrant processing center, but notably, he did not appear to meet with migrants themselves. A senior administration official told CNN that was completely coincidental, and that the center did not have any that day. Mr. Biden's handling of the border crisis has widely been criticized by Republicans, including the Texas governor who outlined his concerns in a letter to the President.
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I urged him, in a letter, to see the real payoffs when everybody here may already know and that is there were thousands of migrants sleeping on the streets in El Paso that had been cleaned up in the past few days. And I asked him to go see the areas, where we have these mass migration process and go visit with the people who own property and live on the border whose lives have been totally constructed and I said you have -- Mr. President you have a job to do.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHURCH: CNN'S MJ Lee has more on the President's immigration policies.
MJ LEE, CNN Senior White House Correspondent: President Biden arriving in Mexico City, after a brief stop in El Paso, Texas. This, after a growing outcry, including from Republican lawmakers for the President to visit the southern border to see with his very own eyes, the number of migrants that having been tracking to the U.S. southern border.
The President spending the day with border patrol agents, and elected officials and also visiting a migrant respite center but notably, when he was at that center, he didn't appear to actually meet or see any migrants there. A senior administration official telling CNN that that was purely coincidental that at the time of his visit, there just didn't happened to be any migrants at the center.
It is worth noting that at the time of the President's visit to El Paso, there had been a drastic drop in the number of migrants at this border city. Now, what he told reporter after spending the afternoon El Paso was this, that the city needs a lot more resources.
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UNKNOWN: What have you heard at the border today?
BIDEN: That they need a lot of resources, and we're going to get it for them.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEE: President Biden, of course, is trying to strike a balance between appearing strong at the border, and taking the concerns of the situation at the border being out of control seriously. But, at the same time, taking a humane approach to how to handle and process these migrants, that are wanting to come across the border into the U.S.
Of course, the administration has been harshly criticized after this week's decision to essentially expand the controversial Title 42 Program and saying that people who are coming in from countries like Cuba, Nicaragua, and Haiti, if they do so without properly applying for asylum somewhere else first, that they can be turned away at the border.
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This has been described by advocate groups as being inhumane, and hypocritical and all of this is looming over the President's visit to Mexico City, and immigration is expected to be such a big issue when he meets with the Mexican leader and the leader of Canada as well. MJ Lee, CNN, Mexico City.
CHURCH: And earlier I spoke with CNN'S Legal Analyst and Civil Rights Attorney, Areva Martin and political commentator and radio show host Mo'Kelly about the border crisis looming over the Biden administration.
MO'KELLY, POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Showing up in the border is acknowledging the problem but without comprehensive immigration reform, it will not get better for him or the country more broadly. There's the issue of the migrants who are at the border right now. There's the issue of the undocumented people still within America from years past and an issue with the people who have yet to come to the border and the Democrats don't seemingly have any answers or options right now.
CHURCH: And Areva, President Biden's trip to the border came as this humanitarian crisis is worsening, migrants sleeping on the cold streets of El Paso. But did Mr. Biden see the real crisis given he didn't actually visit migrants, he didn't talk to migrants on the streets but instead saw a much more sanitized version of the situation at the border, didn't he?
AREVA MARTIN, CNN'S LEGAL ANALYST AND CIVIL RIGHTS ATTORNEY: Yeah, despite what may have happened on this one trip, no doubt, Joe Biden has a very clear understanding about the gravity of the migrant crisis that the U.S. is facing, but I don't think it's fair to try to place all the blame on Democrats with respect to the immigration issues that we currently face in the United States.
The Republicans like to complain a lot. They like to make theater and drama with the immigration crisis like sending immigrants to the vice President's house, sending them to Washington, sending them to New York, sending them to other states. But they do very little.
When they had control of the house, when they a Donald Trump in the White House, they took very little actions to actually do anything with respect to the immigration crisis. So, I don't think we should blame the Democrats without looking at the blame that should be placed on the Republicans as well.
And given how fractured the republican party is at this point we should not expect there to be any efforts on the part of the Republicans to address not only the immigration issues but other issues such as the economy, voting suppression.
There're so many issues that are important to the American people. If they cannot elect a leader without 15 attempts and without almost coming to blows on the floor of the U.S. Congress, I don't think we should expect anything from the Republican-led congress.
CHURCH: Our thanks to areva martin and mo kelly for their analysis.
Well, back in Washington, U.S. House Republicans face a new hurdle following last week's grueling fight to elect a new speaker. It's an important vote on the rules packages which establishes the rules and committees for the 118th congress and how congress will govern over the next two years under Republican control.
The rules package includes some of the concessions Kevin McCarthy made in order to win enough support from his fellow Republicans to secure the speakership. One major concession allows for any lawmaker to call for a vote to remove the speaker at any time. Some Republicans worry it will weaken McCarthy's hand.
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REP. ANDY BARR, U.S. REPRESENTATIVE: Certainly, it's going to be a challenge to have a conference full of independent thinkers with a thin majority.
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CHURCH: Meantime the new house democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries says he's ready to work with Republicans in the wake of McCarthy's chaotic scramble to the speakership.
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HAKEEM JEFFRIES, U.S. REPRESENTATIVE: We look forward to trying to find some reasonable Republicans who are willing to break from the extreme elements of their conference to do the business of the American people.
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CHURCH: CNN's Eva McKend has more on what's at stake as lawmakers gather on Capitol Hill today.
EVA MCKEND, CNN CORRESPONDENT: All eyes really now turn to the newly Republican-controlled house as Speaker Kevin McCarthy works to keep his party unified ahead of voting on a house rules package Monday.
House Republicans spent much of the weekend essentially in cleanup mode trying to reassure Americans that despite the chaotic episodes and frankly near brawl that we all saw play out last week and the brutal effort to rally behind a speaker that the next two years won't be defined by this type of infighting.
Ohio Republican, Jim Jordan, who slated to chair the House Judiciary Committee said democracy is messy and that is how the founders intended it. Steve Scalise, McCarthy's deputy, argued these type of open disputes are healthy. But McCarthy, he's on thin ice. It can take just one member to trigger a vote that can potentially lead to him being ousted from the job.
Freedom caucus members, they know they have that tool at their disposal, and they're being coy about what it would take for them to take such a dramatic step. Take a listen.
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(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) CHIP ROY, U.S. REPRESENTATIVE: I'm not going to play the what-if games how we're going to use the tools of the house to make sure we enforce the terms of the agreement, but we will use the tools of the house to enforce the terms of the agreement.
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MCKEND: Now, in addition to voting on a rules package Republicans will also have to select their remaining committee chairs. Eva McKend, CNN, Washington.
CHURCH: Brazil is facing the aftermath of protest, drawing comparisons to the January 6th insurrection in Washington. The violence broke out Sunday in Brasilia, when supporters of former President Jair Bolsonaro, breached security barriers, and broke into congress, the Presidential palace, and the supreme court.
At least 400 people have been arrested, one official says the situation is now under control, and the riots are over. The breach has come one week after the inauguration of President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. World leaders are condemning the violence and expressing their support for President Lula De Silva including U.S. President Joe Biden, who called the situation and assault on democracy and on the peaceful transfer of power in Brazil.
Brazil Supreme Court has now ordered the Armed Forces to dismantle all camps belonging to Bolsonaro's supporters across the country within 24 hours and is calling on police to arrest any protesters still left inside. CNN's Rafael Ramos is tracking developments and has more on the unrest in the capital.
RAFAEL RAMOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Brazil boiling over. Supporters of former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro storm key buildings in the country's capital Sunday breaching security barriers and temporarily occupying the country's congress, presidential palace and supreme court.
Masses of protesters flooded the country's seed of power. Many dressed in the colors of Brazil's flag fueled by anger and distrust over Bolsonaro's defeat in a runoff election last October where he lost by less than 2 percentage points to current President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.
Protesters threw objects and scaled the roofs of buildings while clashing with police who responded with tear gas. At least one protester was sitting at the desk of Brazil's congress president.
CNN Brazil reports the floor of the congress building was flooded after the sprinkler system activated when protesters attempted to set fire to the carpet.
By evening, police began dispersing the rioters from buildings and arrested hundreds of people who were detained in buses before being taken to the police station. President Lula Da Silva who was inaugurated just a week ago called described the events as barbaric and vowed to punish the people responsible. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNKNOWN (TRANSLATOR): Those people that we call fascist, we call them everything that's abominable in politics. They invaded the government headquarters and they invaded the congress like vandals destroying everything in their path.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
RAMOS: President Lula Da Silva also blamed his predecessor for the lack of security in the capital where Bolsonaro's supporters have been camped out for over a week.
Bolsonaro who is currently in Florida denounced what he called the depredations and invasions of public buildings in a tweet adding that peaceful and lawful demonstrations are part of democracy.
But critics say Bolsonaro may have stirred up the crowds by repeatedly saying without evidence that he questioned the integrity of the country's electronic system.
The intensity of Sunday's protest shows that last year's presidential election is still unfinished business for some Brazilians and a sign just how divided the country is. Rafael Ramos, CNN, Atlanta.
CHURCH: Well, leaders across South America are reacting to the unrest in Brazil. Chile's president called it a disgraceful attack and tweeted, "The Brazilian government has our full support in the face of this cowardly and vile attack on democracy."
In Columbia, President Gustavo Petro tweeted his solidarity with President Lula da Silva and the people of Brazil. He says, it's now an urgent time for meeting of the organization of American States.
And in Argentina, President Alberto Fernandez tweeted that he was repulsed by what was happening in Brasilia and pledged his unconditional support to the Brazilian president.
Buffalo Bills player Damar Hamlin continues to show progress in his recovery. And a source tells CNN, he should be released from the hospital in the coming days. Hamlin will immediately return to Buffalo after he's discharged.
Meanwhile, Hamlin watched his teammates defeat their division rival the New England Patriots 35-23 in Sunday's final game of the NFL regular season. Hamlin saw it all from his hospital bed in Cincinnati where he's been recovering from a cardiac arrest a week ago.
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Even though Hamlin wasn't playing on Sunday, he was there in spirit at every NFL game with fans and players across the country showing their support.
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CHURCH: But, of course, the biggest tributes came from buffalo as they closed out the regular season on a high note and will now prepare for the playoffs. And CNN's Omar Jimenez went to western New York where he heard from players and fans about what Hamlin means to them as the season continues.
OMAR JIMENEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I don't think it's an understatement to say it's been a roller coaster of a week here in Buffalo, especially so for the players but also for the fans. We're out with Bills Mafia as they're known over the course of the pregame and really, they talked about how the entire vibe changed when Damar Hamlin among his first words asked the question, did we win, earlier this week.
And for the fans they said that changed everything. And I think that was evident on the field as the bills went out there clearly motivated after a pregame ceremony honoring their teammate who is still gradually recovering in the hospital.
Quarterback Josh Allen spoke words of motivation beforehand and then on the first play of the game, they returned the football for a touchdown. It actually was the first time in three years and three months that the Bills have returned a kick for a touchdown. Of course, Damar Hamlin's number is 3. Take a listen to how quarterback Josh Allen reflected on that moment.
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JOSH ALLEN, BUFFALO BILLS QUARTERBACK: I was saying God's real like you can't -- you can't draw that one up, write that one up any better. And I was just told by Kevin Kerns it's been three careers and three months.
TREMAIN EDMUNDS; BUFFALO BILLS LINEBACKER: I'm extremely happy for him, extremely happy to see, you know, how he continues to progress through this thing, man and you know, I know he's happy. I can't wait to talk to him, man and this one for sure for 3.
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JIMENEZ: And then one thing we've heard consistently from fans is that they didn't just look at Hamlin as someone who was on the team they like. They consider him a part of their family. Take a listen to one fan who's literally been to over 400 consecutive games both home and away.
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KEN JOHNSON: And the whole lot to this game, you're going to see a lot of energy in the stadium is all based on just three words, did we win? I mean when I heard, did we win, it was like watching a second Rocky movie when Adrian wakes up and says, Rocky just win it for me and that changed the entire vibe of the mafia fan base.
(END VIDEO CLIP) JIMENEZ: And really this past week it's been clear, it's more than a game. The fans, players, coaches, no matter who you talk to they looked at it with a larger perspective, and many of the fans I talk to said that it united them even more.
You couldn't go anywhere in the Buffalo area without seeing Damar Hamlin's name on jerseys, on cookies like this all to show they're united as a fan base and as many fans have told me, united as a family. Omar Jimenez, CNN, Orchard Park, New York.
CHURCH: And earlier CNN's Sports Analyst Christine Brennan spoke to our Pamela Brown about how Damar Hamlin's health scare has affected other players as well as fans.
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CHRISTINE BRENNAN, CNN'S SPORTS ANALYST: It's the national game, and I think, you know, we've all grown up with it, right? And we've watched these incredibly powerful men and almost for our entertainment in some ways. You know, we're there -- you know, people are buying tickets or watching and these guys are there to entertain us.
And, no -- and mean, yes, they are, but it's more than that. It's -- it's -- They're human beings. And so, of course as professionals, the last week of the regular season, of course they're going to go back out there, but it wasn't easy for them.
And I'm hoping that the nation, Pamela, learned a little more about these young men we all cheer for or people yell -- you know, I mean it sounds terrible to say now kill the quarterback, get them, pound them. I hope the language of our nation, the sports language, that everyone might take a step back and say, "Yeah, we're out there and of course they went out there today. They're strong, they're tough and they're getting paid to do this. They're professional athletes."
But it wasn't easy for them and maybe we need to take a step back and say, you know, let's tone down the rhetoric. I think that's what the nation has had over these six days.
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CHURCH: Again, that was Cnn Sports Analyst Christine Brennan. And meanwhile, the toy drive started by Damar Hamlin continues to blow away expectations. It's now topped $8.5 million in donations. Keep in mind he was hoping to raise a mere $2,500 when he started that fund- raiser for kids in need just over two years ago. Amazing.
Well, more bad weather is heading toward parts of California as people are trying to recover from days of heavy rain, destructive winds and power outages. We'll have details on the other side of the break.
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CHURCH: Welcome back, everyone. Well, parts of California are gearing up for more bad weather with heavy rain and gusting winds again this week. Thousands of homes and businesses are without power after high winds knocked down trees and powerlines last week. At least seven people were killed in the storm. And officials in San Francisco are concerned more rain could impact underground phonelines.
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MARY ELLEN CARROLL: Many of the infrastructure for even communications that's our cell and internet is underground. And so, as we get more inundation from the rain we're seeing more failure around those what we call lifeline system.
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CHURCH: Weather forecasters are warning of a relentless parade of cyclones until midweek. And flood watches remain in effect for over 15 million people. Meantime, weather officials say the multiple storm systems have set the stage for what could become a high-impact event. CNN Meteorologist, Derek Van Dam, explains.
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DEREK VAN DAM, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Yeah, that's right. Anytime, you hear the national weather service office from San Francisco use terminology like high-impact event you know the storm means business.
Just look at this water vapor imagery. Here's the state of California. It looks like mother nature is about to throw a strike into the state of California, with a bowling ball right, there is a little pressure. It's literally directing a plume of moisture, into the central northern portions of the state. This will not be a 12-hour event, we're talking about 48 hours or more of relentless rain and snow.
Weather Prediction Center picking up on that, they have increased their area of coverage of a moderate risk, that's a level three of four to flash flooding, from San Francisco south toward into Los Angeles, and by the way, that extends into Tuesday for Southern California, in and around L.A.
About 30 million people impacted by this, with flood alerts stretching from the north all the way to the south, as this plume of moisture oscillates from the north to the south, from Monday into the day on Tuesday. And then another round of precipitation sets up behind it.
I'm showing you these rainfall totals for the past few weeks just to hammer it at home to you that it has been extremely wet for California lately. We're approaching and exceeding 10 inches of rainfall in the past two weeks for downtown San Francisco.
So cumulatively any additional rain will lead to, well, let's see excessive runoff, let's say high river flows, right. Well, that's in fact the forecast for these rain gauges. Anywhere you see that shading of purple, they're anticipating major flood stages for some of the rivers in and around Central California.
Rainfall totals here with this latest atmospheric river event 4 to 6 inches right along the coast and snowfall will be measured in feet. If you are traveling along Interstate 80 from Reno to Sacramento, for instance, find alternative plans because it'll be next to impossible. And by the way, those totals in Mammoth Mountain, those are not typos, over 90 inches, maybe 5 feet or more for locations. It's not only rain, not only snow.
The vulnerable areas, the high altitudes of the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range could see wind gusts in excess of 100 miles per hour that will make travel virtually impossible for these locations. Of course, this amount of rain has done quite a dent in our drought monitor. Last week we had 7% exceptional drought. That has all been erased. Back to you.
CHURCH: Thanks for that Derek. Brazil's most essential government buildings are now secure after security forces arrested hundreds of protesters who violently stormed those buildings. We will have an update in just a few moments.
Plus, dozens of captured Russian and Ukrainian soldiers are now headed home after a prisoner swap on Sunday. That story and the latest from the frontlines ahead in the live report.
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CHURCH: Welcome back, everyone. Well, more now on one of our biggest stories this hour. Brazil's president, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, has visited the presidential palace and the Supreme Court hours after supporters of former President Jair Bolsanaro breached security barriers and stormed into both of those buildings as well as Congress. Some smashed windows and used furniture as barricades against security forces.
Police used tear gas to get things under control and have arrested at least 400 people. Bolsanaro denounced what he called the invasions of public buildings. The country's Supreme Court has now ordered all Bolsonaro's supporters' camps to be demolished and protesters there arrested within 24 hours. President Lula da Silva called the unrest barbaric, and he's vowing to punish hundreds of protesters.
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LUIZ INACIO LULA DA SILVA, PRESIDENT OF BRAZIL (through translator): Those people that we call fascists, we call these people everything that is abominable in politics, invaded the government headquarters, invaded the Congress, invaded the Congress like vandals, destroying everything in their path. We think there was a lack of security, and I wanted to tell you that all those people who did this will be found and punished.
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CHURCH: And earlier, we heard from Anne Barbosa with CNN Brasil, who described the chaotic scenes that broke out in the capital.
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ANNE BARBOSA, CNN BRASIL REPORTER: It all starts about 3:00 p.m. here in Brazil. Supporters of Jair Bolsonaro, who refused to accept that he lost the elections last October, they broke through police barriers in the capital of Brazil, Brasilia, and they invade Congress, national Brazilian Congress, the Supreme Court, and the presidential palace.
For those who don't know the place, these buildings are located at the same square here in Brazil, actually in Brasilia. We call it "tres poderes" in Portuguese. In English, it means "three powers." They invaded this place about 3:00 p.m. here in Brazil palace. After that, actually, they used gas here trying to repel them, but they failed.
The images actually you may be seeing right now show people breaking windows, jumping into seats, all of this happening inside the national Congress and Brazilian Congress inside the presidential palace, inside the Supreme Court. Totally out of control scenes.
So, as you said, it's happening a week after President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva's inauguration. He's not at the capital right now. On the other hand, Jair Bolsonaro has left Brazil in end of last year. He's currently in the United States.
And supporters of Jair Bolsonaro were camping at the capital of Brazil after the election, since October, since last October. Actually, in another cities in Brazil, it is happening, the same situations. Justice Minister Flavio Dino, before all of this happened, has ordered army force to refuse these people. Actually, parliamentary ministers were not working there, but actually, there are a lot of people in this building, of course.
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CHURCH: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is praising the resistance of two eastern cities despite their new total destruction.
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CHURCH: In his nightly address Sunday, Mr. Zelenskyy said Bakhmut and Soledar were holding out against Russian attacks despite being among -- quote -- "the bloodiest places on the front line."
Also, on Sunday, Ukraine and Russia exchanged 100 prisoners of war, 50 from each side. This is the 36th swap. And Belarus announced joint air force exercises with Russia running January 16th through February 1st. Meantime, Ukraine is dismissing Moscow's claims that a Russian strike killed hundreds of Ukrainian soldiers in Kramatorsk. A CNN team saw no indication of massive casualties in the area.
And CNN correspondent Nina dos Santos joins us now live from London with more. Good morning to you, Nina. So, Ukraine says there's no evidence to back up Russia's claims that a large number of key soldiers were killed in this Russian attack. What more are you learning about this?
NINA DOS SANTOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: What we understand is that Russia originally claimed that 600 Ukrainian soldiers had been killed after they struck two buildings, that allegedly, Russia says, these Ukrainian soldiers would have been staying in a couple of barracks buildings.
But independent journalists from various organizations, including Reuters, la Repubblica, (INAUDIBLE), also CNN team as well that's been to Kramatorsk, have seen no evidence of either soldiers staying in these buildings. These buildings being hit because, as you can see from these images, this crater appears to have missed one of the buildings or indeed there being any news of loss of life.
And the people on the streets of Kramatorsk, those people who have managed to speak to international media organizations, also say that this claim essentially is rubbish. It's been rebuffed by the Ukrainian army as well.
Now, why would Russia do this? Well, it might be a sort of domestic political propaganda play largely because there has been significant ire inside Russia at the admission that 89 Russian troops, conscripts, were killed after they were hit in Ukrainian attack when they were staying inside a vocational school that appeared to been requisitioned by Russian-occupying forces.
And initially, the Russian government and defense ministry, defense had actually blamed those Russian conscripts themselves, saying that they'd been targeted because their mobile phone signals had been intercepted by the Ukrainian army and, therefore, their position had been revealed and they'd been struck. That is something that Ukraine says is not true.
And, of course, Russia had to roll back on those claims. But that was still drawn some indignation, including from usually pro-Kremlin critics from Russian television.
So, this is apparently, it seems, a disinformation game. But more broadly speaking, it doesn't change the fact that, as you were just saying before, there's fierce fighting that is taking place to the east of Kramatorsk and the city of Bakhmut, which is almost 60% destroyed now and continues to be the focus of that Russian defensive.
Further down the line, of course, Ukraine and Russia -- Ukraine and its western allies, I'm sorry, is still on tenterhooks waiting for some kind of Russian offensive to start mobilizing perhaps in February and March.
And it's for that reason that we're starting to see over the last few weeks more pledges of western hardware to try and help Ukraine push through in places like Kramatorsk and also in places like Bakhmut, but worrying enough over the course of the weekend after that ceasefire that Russia floated, one rebuffed by Ukraine, Rosemary.
What we saw was the mercenary group very much focused its attention on places like Bakhmut, saying that that was that group's ultimate target to try and recapture. So, all eyes are on that.
CHURCH: Indeed. All right, Nina dos Santos, many thanks, joining us live from London.
International outrage is growing over the Iranian government's bloody crackdown on dissent. We will look at Sunday's demonstration in London, coming up.
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CHURCH: Welcome back, everyone. In London, about 3,000 people braved heavy rains on Sunday to protest the Iranian government.
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CROWD: (INAUDIBLE).
CHURCH: This demonstration, one of several being held in Europe and United States. It comes as international outrage grows over Iran's brutal crackdown on protesters. And it was held a day after Iran reportedly executed two men linked to antigovernment protests. The United Nations and dozens of countries condemned the killings.
Widespread demonstrations in Iran began in September. They started in response to the death of Mahsa Amini after her arrest by Iran's morality police.
CNN's Jomana Karadsheh joins me now live from Istanbul. Good to see you, Jomana. So, what is the latest on the backlash following these recent executions in Iran?
JOMANA KARADSHEH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Rosemary, we are seeing reaction pouring in from across the world, from different governments and international organizations, condemning these latest executions. A total of four Iranians, so far, executed, linked to the ongoing protests in the country.
But unfortunately, Rosemary, this was unexpected scenario. We have heard the warnings from activists for weeks, saying that the world is going to see a wave of executions by the Iranian regime of people who have been arrested during these protests as the regime appears to be using the death penalty as a tool of political repression to try and spread fear and to try and cause dissent in the country.
We saw that happening on Saturday morning with these two young men, hanged by the regime, 21-year-old Mohammad Mehdi Karami, a Kurdish- Iranian karate champion, and Mohammad Hosseini, a young man who spent his time coaching children for free.
The regime accused them of being accused them of being involved in the killing of a member of the Basij paramilitary force during a protest back in November. But according to international human rights organizations, they did not receive a fair trial.
Amnesty International actually describing this as a fast-tracked unfair sham trial which bore no resemblance to judicial proceeding. We've heard from family members and lawyers of these two young men, saying that were tortured while in custody. The United Nations saying it was forced confessions that were used to convict them. And this is no surprise. This is something that the Iranian regime has been accused of doing for decades.
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KARADSHEH: I can tell you, Rosemary, right now, there is a lot of concern for many others who are now facing the threat of execution in Iran. We don't really know how many because of the lack of access to information and lack of transparency from the Iranian regime. But according to a CNN count last month, it was more than 40 protesters and people linked to the protests who have been sentenced to death. But the real number is believed to be higher, and we are continuing to see that number rise with more death sentences being handed down.
And I can tell you, in last 24 hours, a lot of concern and fear for two young men, 19- year-old Mohammad Boroughani and 22-year-old Mohammad Ghobadlou. Their death sentences were upheld last week and activists are very concerned that their execution may be imminent.
They are calling on the international community to do more than just condemn and issue these symbolic sanctions. They say that the international community can and must do more to put pressure on the Iranian regime, to try and stop these executions, and to save those who are on death row right now, Rosemary.
CHURCH: Yeah. It's so distressing. And we are seeing these global demonstrations in support of Iranian protesters. What is the situation on the ground in Iran in terms of ongoing protests?
KARADSHEH: Well, you know, Rosemary, it is very difficult for us still to get information from Iran because we don't have access to the country, because of the internet restrictions. But according to people that I have managed to speak to in the past couple of days, these restrictions have become even more severe, making it very hard for activists and protesters to get information and video out to the world.
But speaking to one source inside Iran, he said after those first executions, they did see these protests begin to subside because of the fear that have been instilled in people by the regime. But they say that protests are still continuing in different parts of the country, in the Kurdish region, in the Baluchistan region where the Baloch minority resides in Iran.
And, you know, last night, Rosemary, as reports spread that these two young men may be facing imminent execution, we saw a crowd gathered outside the prison where they're being held, along with family members of these two young men, chanting against the regime, just sheer bravery that we are continuing to see. And we also saw some video from different parts of the country of protesters still taking to the streets.
So, while the regime is really trying to use the death penalty to crush dissent, Iranians appear to be still determined to take to the streets and make their voices heard and call for an end to this repressive regime, Rosemary.
CHURCH: Jomana Karadsheh bringing us up to date on the situation in Iran, many thanks.
And still to come, Prince Harry's startling revelations have stunned royal watchers. We will talk to an expert about the bombshell memoir "Spare."
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[03:50:00]
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CHURCH: Prince Harry is revealing more about his rift with his family ahead of the release of his memoir "Spare." The duke of Sussex says he hasn't spoken to his brother, Prince William, and father, King Charles, for a while now, but he adds that nothing is written is intended to hurt his family.
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PRINCE HARRY, DUKE OF SUSSEX: None of anything that I have written or anything that I've included is ever intended to hurt my family, but it does give a full picture of the situation as we were growing up and also squashes this idea that somehow my wife was the one that that destroyed the relationship between these two brothers.
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CHURCH: Joining me now live from London is Kate Williams, CNN royal historian and professor of modern history at Reading University. Good to have you with us. Hopefully, you can hear us.
So, Prince Harry said during his ITV interview Saturday that he wants to see accountability first and then reconciliation, and that forgiveness is 100% a possibility because he wants to get back his father and brother.
But given what he has revealed in his memoir and previously in his Netflix documentary series, how likely is it that King Charles and Prince William will ever forgive him for his very private revelations?
KATE WILLIAMS, CNN ROYAL HISTORIAN, PROFESSOR OF MODERN HISTORY AT READING UNIVERSITY: Well, yes, Rosemary, it's been bombshell after bombshell really. There have been explosive allegations. They are rocking the monarchy. These are very damaging allegations.
We've got both the picture of a young boy with no help after his mother died, but also a dysfunctional family, one in which Harry is saying that helped to drive out Meghan, she was not received, and he's talking about Camilla who sacrificed him on her own PR desires.
So, there are criticisms of all members of the family, particularly Camilla, particularly William, also Charles, also Kate. And certainly, Harry felt he wants reconciliation, he wants the hand of friendship.
But that reconciliation, he just does not want a couple of pieces of cake and a cup of tea. What he wants is a big apology from William, from Charles, from everything he has been through. And that, I think, is very unlikely. The royal family is very much (INAUDIBLE) organization. And also, we understand from sources that the royal family are very angry about this, particularly William. He is fuming about this.
So, at the moment, I don't see any reconciliation. But certainly, Harry feels that the relationship is so damaged, nothing is going to damage it further. He is going out, he's telling his truth --
CHURCH: Right.
WILLIAMS: -- and if that means that they're not going to speak with him and they're not going to invite him to the coronation, well, I think he thinks that's part of the deal.
CHURCH: You're right. You mentioned that Prince William is fuming, but the strategy, of course, of the royal family has been to remain silent throughout all these revelations. And that appears to be working for them, doesn't it?
[03:54:56]
CHURCH: Would you expect them to continue doing this despite the revelation from Prince Harry that his brother, Prince William, apparently physically attacked him, according to his version of events?
WILLIAMS: Well, the palace always says they stay silent. They say never explain, never complain. But we have seen sources already say they're not happy, sources saying they disagree, sources saying they can disagree with every part of this. So, sources are speaking to the newspapers.
Prince Harry would say these sources are speaking with the assent of Buckingham Palace. We don't know that. But that is what Harry says in his interviews, that the two are connected.
But certainly, the royal family isn't going to come out and say explicitly anything about this. They are going to stay silent about the Netflix documentary. They're not going to say anything.
But I do expect more words from sources. And I think, perhaps in a few months or so, we are going to see some kind of way in which some members of the royal family talk about it, whether it is through a journalist on a walkabout or some kind of way in which they express, in which they say that they -- as was said about the Netflix, about the Oprah interview, recollections may vary.
They certainly feel very much that they want to deny what's been said here because Harry -- these are very, very damaging allegations and they do, I think, damaged the monarchy long term.
CHURCH: Yeah, indeed. We will watch and see what happens. Kate Williams, many thanks for joining us. Appreciate it.
And thank you for your company. I'm Rosemary Church. Have yourselves a wonderful day. "CNN Newsroom" continues with Bianca Nobilo, next.
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