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Former Attorney Alex Murdaugh Found Guilty of Murder; Severe Storms Rip Through U.S.; Biden Met with German Chancellor; Pennsylvania Man Arrested for Bringing Explosives in Luggage; House Ethics Committee Probe Rep. George Santos; Blinken Met with Lavrov for the First Time Since Ukraine War; Severe Turbulence Hit Lufthansa Flight Aired 3-4a ET

Aired March 03, 2023 - 03:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

[03:00:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KIM BRUNHUBER, CNN ANCHOR: Hello and welcome to all of you watching us here in the United States, Canada, and around the world. I'm Kim Brunhuber. Ahead on CNN Newsroom.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNKNOWN: Guilty verdict, verdict guilty, verdict guilty, verdict guilty.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: Disgraced former attorney Alex Murdaugh will be sentenced after being found guilty of murder. We'll break down the verdict just ahead. And --

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNKNOWN: It sounded like a freight train, just like, krooo (ph), going by the house.

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BRUNHUBER: A powerful storm system is moving through the southern U.S., bringing the threat of tornadoes and damaging winds. We're tracking the severe weather.

Plus, the FBI says that a Michigan man threatened to kill Jewish members of the state government, including the attorney general.

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

BRUNHUBER: Disgraced former South Carolina attorney Alex Murdaugh will be sentenced in the coming hours after being convicted of killing his wife and son. The jury deliberated less than three hours Thursday before returning the decision, one welcomed by the lead prosecutor, here he is.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CREIGHTON WATERS, LEAD PROSECUTOR: Justice was done today. It doesn't matter who your family is. It doesn't matter how much money you have or people think you have. It doesn't matter what you think how prominent you are. If you do wrong, if you break the law, if you murder, then justice will be done in South Carolina.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: Murdaugh won't face the death penalty. Prosecutors have indicated they will seek life in prison without the possibility of parole.

In a separate case, Murdaugh faces dozens of financial crimes for defrauding clients, his former law, firm and the government.

CNN's Randi Kaye was there in Walterboro, South Carolina when the verdict came down and has this report.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RANDI KAYE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Almost six weeks of a trial and 61 witnesses for the state in their main case and then 14 witnesses for the defense, it was certainly quite a trial here in Walterboro, South Carolina. So much testimony, but certainly a couple things to doubt and both of them coming from Paul Murdaugh's cell phone.

One was the kennel video, which put his father, Alex Murdaugh, at the time of the murders at those dog kennels on the property known as Moselle. For many, many months, Alex Murdaugh said that he was not there earlier in the night with his family and only found them there dead at the kennels, and that's when he called 9-1-1. But at least 10 witnesses say they heard his voice on that video. And finally, he took to the stand and admit that he being there.

There was also the video, the Snapchat video, that Paul Murdaugh said to friends on Snapchat at 7:56 p.m. and that showed him wearing -- showed Alex Murdaugh wearing long pants and a blue shirt. Later, when he saw investigators, he was wearing shorts and a white t-shirt. So, of course, the state said that he had washed up and changed clothes after allegedly killing his family at the time. Now, we know that the jury has found him guilty of both of those murders.

Randi Kaye, CNN, Walterboro, South Carolina.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BRUNHUBER: Now, earlier I spoke with civil rights attorney and legal affairs commentator, Areva Martin, and we talkd about the defense's decision to put Murdaugh himself on the stand. Here's what she had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) AREVA MARTIN, CIVIL RIGHTS LAWYER AND LEGAL AFFAIRS COMMENTATOR: I think that the defense didn't have a choice. When the prosecution put on almost 10 or so witnesses that testified that they could identify Alex Murdaugh's voice in that video, that was taken or, you know, produced just moments before the cellphone of his son, Paul, went dead, that was a big problem for Alex, because he had told the police for months that he was not at that kennel before his wife and son were killed.

And now, you have 10 witnesses coming forward for the prosecution, saying, yes, that's his voice. He was there just moments before the murders occurred. So, he had to -- I believe, he felt that he had to get on the witness stand and try to explain why he had lied to police.

BRUNHUBER: So, you think that -- I mean, the video you're talking about from his son on his cellphone, you know, proving that he was there within five minutes of the murder and lied about it, essentially, I mean, the son helped to solve his own murder?

[03:34:56]

MARTIN: Oh, in so many ways, Kim. He was painted -- really pinned into the corner. He had to explain how it is that his voice could be on video, as you said, five minutes before the murders occurred. Yet, he consistently told police that he was not there.

So, jurors were, I think, had he not taken the witness stand, maybe they would have come back in 30 minutes or less. So, it was a calculated risk on his part. When defendants take the witness stand, on their own behalf, oftentimes it doesn't go well and this is one of those cases.

He was drilled by that, you know, prosecutor and the prosecutor over and over and over again, during the cross-examination, said you lied, you know, when you said you didn't take money. In this case, he put through just a litany of lies that Alex Murdaugh had told to others and basically got to the conclusion that if you lied in those situations, then, how is it that you expect a jury to believe you in this situation? Basically saying that you lied then and you are lying now.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: Parts of the southern U.S. are getting pummeled by strong storms. More than 60 million people across the region are facing the threat of severe weather. There have been at least 90 storm reports so far, like this apparent tornado in Louisiana. And then you can see here some of the damage it caused, buildings torn apart, cars getting crashed, two children, believe it or not, were in that car when the wind started to get stronger. Listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DAVID LINGSTON, WITNESSED TORNADO: That's when the wind start picking up, and this lady said, my babies are in the car. And she wanted me to help her, and I said, let's go. But then all of a sudden, the wind got so bad, and I said, no ma'am, don't go out. That's her car beneath that sign. If we hadn't gone -- if we've gone after that, they'd be -- I mean, we would've been hit by that sign.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: Now, thank goodness, once the wind died down, the people inside the car were rescued and they were unharmed. And this here is the damage from another storm in Alabama. But some of those strongest winds hit Texas with gusts up to 80 miles an hour in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

The FAA ordered a ground stop for flights heading to Dallas and also to Austin and San Antonio. More than 180 flights departing Texas were canceled on Thursday. And those storms sent parts of the buildings flying and knocked out power to more than 260,000 homes ad businesses across the state. The last check, that number is now down to 158,000.

So, that storm system is now moving eastward with this main threat being damaging wind gusts and isolated tornadoes.

CNN Meteorologist Allison Chinchar has the latest.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ALLISON CHINCHAR, CNN METEREOLOGIST: Yes, it has been a very busy past 24 hours, again, a significant amount of preliminary storm reports so far. The vast majority of them in states like Oklahoma, as well as Texas, and that includes tornadoes damaging, winds and the potential for large hail. And that threat is going to continue as we push through the remainder of the day, Friday.

But we just noticed that the threat area begins to shift further to the east. Now, you're talking about focal points like Cincinnati, Nashville, even down towards Atlanta, Georgia, and Mobile, Alabama. But the threats themselves remain the same.

So, here's a look at the focus for the storm into the early portion of the day, Friday. The system will gradually make its way off to the northeast. As it pushes into the Great Lakes and northeastern portion of the country, you have a lot of colder air in place. So a lot of that rain is going to transition back over into a rain, snow mix. And in some cases, even some ice and snow filtering back in.

Overall, the heaviest rain is going to be along the Mississippi River valley, not out of the question to have a two, three, even four inches total, and the heaviest snow is really going to be across portions of New England where even in excess of a foot is likely across some of those areas.

Widespread flash flooding, however, is still possible, states like Arkansas, areas of southeast Missouri, and along the Ohio River valley as well. You're talking a very tremendous amount of rain in a short period of time. Another very widespread concern is actually going to be the wind. And the key thing here is that it's not just while the storms are occurring. Even after that line of storms moves through, a lot of the states are going to continue with some pretty significant wind gusts up around 50, maybe even high as 60 miles per hour.

Yes, even after the storms exit the region. For a state like Georgia, for example, the wind advisories will linger all the way into 7.00 p.m. in the evening on Friday. But the main focus again for Friday is still going to be that lingering low pressure system.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BRUNHUBER: We also heard a lengthy winter storm already has created chaos in the West. Across California, several days of heavy snow knocked out power to thousands, made roads impassable, and trapped residents in their homes.

Ingrid Bruan, the Sheriff-Coroner for Mono County, California, spoke to me earlier about the trouble facing our community. Here she is.

[03:09:58]

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INGRID BRAUN, SHERIFF-CORONER, MONO COUNTY SHERRIFF'S OFFICE: We've had over 500 inches of snow here. The top of (inaudible) Mountain, which is our ski area, has over 600 inches of snow. And it is the snow that has just become too much. It has caused traffic jams, caused the roads to be closed, and when roads are closed and people want to ski, they're going to find a way to get around it or they're going to try to find a way to get around it.

So, people then have been stuck in their cars on roads that sometimes you can get through, but not when there is five-feet of snow on them and the wind is blowing sideways. It's -- 17 people spent the night on one stretch of road that we couldn't get to them because the roads were so impossible and it took us another day to get them out. Fortunately, everybody survived.

But it's been a lot and we have had avalanches, take out big sections of our north-south highways, which has isolated several communities. And one of the avalanches took out the power source for our residents in Mono City and Bridgeport, and they are isolated and they are still without power, and they do have roads that are opening up. So, it's been quite an ordeal.

BRUNHUBER: You talked about people being trapped out on the roads there. You tried to warn people. I mean, you put out a particularly blunt message on Facebook. So, I want to read parts of it here. "It is a blizzard, people. You cannot see your hand in front of your face, let alone the snow stake to guide your way. Stay home." And you went on your way to say, "We told you to make good choices."

I mean, what -- was there a sense -- that was a pretty spicy message out there for the folks. Was there a sense that people aren't taking those dangers seriously?

BRAUN: It' not our locals. So, people who live here, they get it, they know, they've chosen to live here and they understand the dangers of living here. But its our travelers, people trying to come here they just don't understand, maybe don't check the weather forecast, don't check the roads, and just start driving. They are not paying attention.

And the apps don't help. Today I was driving on a closed section of road. It was -- because as an emergency responder I could be on that road. And that process (ph) gave me a two-hour detour through roads that have been clogged with snow for months.

BRUNHUBER: Yeah.

BRAUN: So, it doesn't help.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: U.S. Authorities are urging major freight rail companies to move quickly to ensure the safety of their train cars after investigators are looking at the derailment of East Palestine, Ohio found melted equipment may have led to the release of toxic chemicals.

Officials say defective aluminum parts on three-tank cars may have caused the pressure relief valves to fail. Since the derailment in early February, some residents have reported rashes, nausea, and breathing difficulties. Thursday night people lashed out at Norfolk Southern representatives at a town hall meeting. Listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DARREL WILSON, NORFOLK SOUTHERN: We're going to do (inaudible)

UNKNOWN: (Inaudible).

(CROWD SHOUTING)

WILSON: We're going to clean up the site. We're going to clean up the site.

UNKNOWN: No, you're not.

UNKNOWN: You should have done that the first time.

WILSON: And like I said, (inaudible).

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: All right. Still ahead, President Biden will host the German chancellor in the coming hours. Both leaders are under part pressure to send more weapons of military aid to Ukraine. We'll have a live report on the meeting next.

Plus, embattled U.S. Congressman George Santos about to be scrutinized by fellow House members over his ethics. It's all coming up, please stay with us

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[03:15:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BRUNHUBER: President Biden will host the German chancellor at the White House in the coming hours and the war in Ukraine is expected to dominate the agenda. The two leaders are under pressure from Ukraine's president to provide more powerful weapons.

The meeting comes as Ukraine's military considers whether to pull back from the eastern city of Bakhmut. Russian forces are advancing there. And local authorities say that a critical bridge was blown up overnight. The U.S. is expected to announce new military aid to Ukraine today.

So for more on this, CNN's Scott McLean joins us from London. So, Scott, take us through what Ukraine will be getting and what they say they still need.

SCOTT MCLEAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes. So, we don't have precise details, Kim, about what this military aid package will actually include. We don't even have $1 figure on it just yet. But the reality is that this will be welcome news for the Ukrainians who are in very tough in the eastern part of the country, specifically in Bakhmut, this town that has really been really a Ukrainian stronghold for months and months, extremely well-fortified. They have been very effective in repelling the Russians.

But now, it appears that the Russians, at the very least, have a very small toehold inside the city. You mentioned that the bridge that they've lost, the supply route they lost overnight. And now, we've gotten confirmation from a Ukrainian drone reconnaissance unit that they've been ordered to pull back from the city.

Now, Ukrainians, overall, have said that they will continue to fight in Bakhmut but not at any cost, suggesting that if the human toll was too high, that they would consider actually withdrawing.

And so, while the Ukrainian will be getting tanks, which will surely help them in places like Bakhmut and all along the front lines, they've asked for fighter jets. But this aid package is unlikely to include either of those things. In fact, is much more basic to the Ukrainian needs. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOHN KIRBY, NSC COORDINATOR FOR STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS: The focus on munitions -- on ammunition, you know, the kinds of things that they need for this long-range artillery, the HIMARS, and for additional systems they are using.

Right now, they are in a vicious fight in Bakhmut. Standoff range is important to them, you know, being able to -- for long range fires is important. But it's also part and parcel of our effort this package coming tomorrow of making sure that they are ready when the fighting even gets more intense in the weeks and months ahead, particularly in spring when the weather will improve and we think the Russians are going to -- want to go on the offense potentially in multiple places at once.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MCLEAN: And one of the serious concerns for the Ukrainians And also for the west is that the Ukrainian are burning through ammunition and shells according to the NATO Secretary General at a rate that is many times higher than the actual rate of production.

(03:20:02)

This is raising all kinds of uncomfortable questions for western allies and the U.S. and their ability to maintain their own stockpiles, something that John Kirby downplayed yesterday but also considered that the last U.S. aid package to Ukraine announced on the anniversary of a full scale invasion on February 24th didn't actually commit anything from U.S. stockpiles. Instead, it was a commitment for the U.S. to go out and broker new contracts to have ammunition produced on behalf of the Ukrainians and then shipped at a much longer time scale that we're talking about.

The German chancellor, Olaf Scholz, suggested last month that, look, the West needs to reconsider how it produces ammunition and that this should be an ongoing process, whether there is war or not.

Scholz will be in Washington today, his very first trip to the U.S. to meet with President Biden since the invasion actually began. And so, so much has changed for Germany in the course of the year.

You'll remember that Germany was ridiculed in some corners for its initial response to the war and its commitments -- some pretty modest commitments at first to actually help in Ukraine on the battlefield in terms of weapons and equipment. They have since come around, committing tanks to Ukraine, a deal that they brokered impart with the U.S.

But Scholz and Biden have also some common ground and that it seems there are limits and what they're able to send and that limit appears to be a reached for the time being when it comes to fighter jets. Both men have said that, look, now is not the time. Kim?

BRUNHUBER: All right. I appreciate that. Scott McLean in London.

As we've heard, Ukrainian troops are now building new defensive lines west of Bakhmut.

The CNN team reporting from a neighboring town heard a constant sound of artillery fire throughout the day. Our Alex Marquardt has more from eastern Ukraine.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ALEX MARQUADT, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT (voice- over): In the fierce defense of Bakhmut, the neighboring town of Chasiv Yar has become a busy thorough fare, the main supply route for Ukrainian troops desperately hanging on to the eastern city. (On camera): Cars, military vehicles, bombing up and down this road going to and from the front, you see this armored vehicle right here, the V sign for victory. We are so close to the front that as one resident, who is still here, said, you can walk to the Russian positions.

(Voice-over): In the town center, we meet in artillery unit. They've been fighting for two months. Loud booms echoing every few seconds further Ukrainian colleagues firing on Russian positions.

The problem is not just Russia taking Bakhmut, Batoche (ph) says. They will not stop, and we'll keep destroying the next cities. We need to wait for reinforcements to come. And then kick them out.

Whether Ukrainian reinforcements are indeed coming to save Bakhmut remains to be seen. But so far, there is no Ukrainian retreat. Ukraine's military admits they're being battered by Wagner mercenaries that have made gains as they press ahead in and around the city.

Ferocious street-to-street fighting has left many dead on both sides as the Wagner troops along with Russian soldiers trying to encircle Bakhmut. Chasiv Yar has been regularly hit in recent days as well. Now, fresh trenches are being dug, a fighting positions that Ukraine may soon have to use.

Amid all the blasts, some pile into a van to evacuate, while others who feel they can't or simply won't leave gather in a center, waiting at a bus stop for a water delivery, which never comes.

Rockets are flying overhead from both sides, Valentina quietly tells us. Everywhere is covered with grad rockets. The house we wanted to move into got bombed. They walked away with piles of white tarp to protect their homes. They know the war is getting closer. But right now, it is anyone's guess who will prevail in Bakhmut.

Nobody knows that, Nikola (ph) says. We will stand our ground, defend every meter of our land.

Alex Marquardt, CNN, Chasiv Yar, in Eastern Ukraine.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BRUNHBER: A suspect didn't get far when he reportedly tried to bring an explosive device onto U.S. flight. Still ahead, how he reportedly tried to sneak this on to a plane and how airport agents caught it. Stay with us.

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[03:25:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BRUNHUBER: Welcome back to all of you watching us here in the United States, Canada, and around the world, I am Kim Brunhuber. This is "CNN Newsroom." The Pennsylvania man suspected of trying to bring an explosive device onto a plane will stay behind bars for now. The suspect, Marc Muffley, is facing two federal charges, including attempting to bring explosives onto an aircraft.

CNN's Danny Freeman has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DANNY FREEMAN, CNN correspondent: A judge ordered Marc Muffley to be detained pending trial saying he posted danger to the community and was a flight risk. Muffley was accused of bringing explosives in a suitcase onto a plane, Monday, although his attorney argued that device was merely the innards of a firework and had no way of being remotely detonated.

[03:30:00]

According to court documents, the 40-year-old checked his bag at Pennsylvania's Lehigh Valley International Airport just after 10:45 a.m. He was heading to Orlando Sanford Airport Florida. But during a TSA screening of the luggage before being loaded on the plane, agents discovered a circular compound, approximately 3 inches in diameter, wrapped in a wax-like paper and clear plastic wrap hidden in the lining of the baggage.

JOHN MILLER, CNN CHIEF LAW ENFORCEMENT AND INTELLIGENCE ANALYST: It was hidden. It's an indicator Mr. Muffley allegedly knew that he wasn't supposed to be bringing that on an airplane.

FREEMAN (voice-over): The criminal complaint said an FBI safety bomb technician x-rayed the bag and deemed it an explosive device. The technician found the compound contained a powder consistent with commercial-grade fireworks. Two fuses were attached to the circular compound.

ANDREW MCCABE, CNN SENIOR LAW ENFORCEMENT ANALYST: The first use of the commercial fire interior essentially elements the power from a commercial-grade fireworks reminds me immediately of the Boston Marathon bombing. You know, it's not a high explosive like TATP or something that we see foreign terrorist use, but it can be a very effective and very lethal weapon if used in the right way.

FREEMAN (voice-over): According to the affidavit, the baggage also contained a can of butane, a lighter, a pipe with white powder residue, a wireless drill with cordless batteries, and two GFCI outlets taped together with black tape.

MARY SCHIAVO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, if the items have ignited, it could do great damage to the plane, fire in the cargo hold could bring down the plane. It could put a hole in the wall of the plane.

FREEMAN (voice-over): According to court documents, TSA agents paged Muffley over the airport intercom system, asking him to report to the security desk. Soon after, he was seen on security cameras leaving the airport. He was arrested at his home late Monday night MILLER: It does not appear that it was set to go off on the airplane.

But let's put that aside, the system worked, the machinery sniffed it out.

FREEMAN (on-camera): Now, court records show that Muffley has been charged with several other crimes in Pennsylvania in the past, but they have been lesser charges likes possession of a controlled assistance, harassment and minor theft. If convicted of these federal charges though, Muffley faces up to 15 years in prison. He has not yet entered a plea.

Danny Freeman, CNN, Allentown, Pennsylvania.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KIM BRUHUBER, CNN ANCHOR: The FBI has uncovered a disturbing plot out of Michigan where they say man threatened to kill Jewish members of the state's government. Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel confirms she was one of the people targeted.

Court documents revealed a man with a Twitter handle temperedreason posted that he was heading to Michigan with the intention to, quote, "carry out the punishment of death of anyone Jewish in the government." Authorities traced the tweet to a man named Jack Eugene Carpenter III and say he claimed he was starting a sovereign country named, New Israel, at his Michigan home, where U.S. laws wouldn't apply.

Carpenter was arrested a couple of weeks ago in Texas with multiple guns in his vehicle. Carpenter is being represented by a public defender and CNN reached out to his attorney for comment.

U.S. House lawmakers are moving forward with an ethics investigation against embattled Congressman George Santos. He's facing a litany of problems after lying about much of his life history during his campaign last year.

Melanie Zanona has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MELANIE ZANONA, CNN CAPITOL HILL REPORTER: The problems are only getting worse for embattled Congressman George Santos. He was already facing investigations at local level, state level, federal level. He was also facing calls to resign. And now, we have learned that the House Ethic Committee, a panel made up of equal Republican and Democratic lawmakers, is officially moving forward with an investigation.

And I want to read for you everything that they are looking into because it is quite a long list. Here's what they're investigating. They're looking into whether George Santos engaged in unlawful activity with respect to his 2022 congressional campaign, whether he failed to properly disclose required information and statements that he filed with the House, whether he violated federal conflict of interest law in connection with his role in a firm providing fiduciary services, and finally, looking whether he potentially engaged in sexual misconduct towards an individual seeking employment in his congressional office.

Now, for his part, George Santos says he's fully cooperating and that he is not going to comment further. So, where does this all lead? Well, the House Ethics Committee has the power to levy fines. Tthey can make recommendations about disciplinary action from censor to expulsion. But ultimately, it is up to the House to act on any potential recommendations. And so far, GOP leaders say they want to let all of these investigations play out before deciding how to move forward.

Melanie Zanona, CNN, Capitol Hill.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BRUNHUBER: U.S. Secretary of state Antony Blinken said he raised the issue of detained American Paul Whelan with Russia's foreign minister on Thursday. But Moscow said, that's a lie and claims Whelan's name never came up during the brief meeting. We have live reports from New Delhi and Hong Kong just ahead. Please, stay with us.

[03:35:00]

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BRUNHUBER: Russia's foreign ministry said U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken never raised the issue of detained American Paul Whelan when he met Thursday with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. Blinken shook up the G20 foreign minister's conference on Thursday by meeting briefly with Lavrov in the sidelines, their first face-to-face meeting in more than a year.

After that short meeting, Blinken said Whelan's release was one of the issues he raised with Lavrov. He also called for Russia to end this war in Ukraine and said Russia should return to the New START Nuclear Treaty with the U.S.

[03:40:02]

We have CNN's Kristie Lu Stout standing by in Hong Kong. Let's begin with Vedika Sud in New Delhi. So, Vedika, take us through the highlights and what, if anything, was accomplished.

VEDIKA SUD, CNN REPORTER: Well, not really. From what I could see as of Thursday and Friday morning, the anti-U.S. rhetoric by Lavrov and the anti-Russia rhetoric by Blinken actually hijacked, Kim, the G20 talk that is India was hosting in New Delhi on Thursday where it promised and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi appealed to these foreign ministers to keep that aside differences and welcome what they could gain consensus on. And India was unsuccessful to bring the West and Russia closer in any way.

You've spoken about the three three points that Blinken raised with Lavrov according to him. He made the points in a press conference on Thursday evening, local time, but Lavrov and Moscow have -- in fact, Moscow come out and denied there was any talk on the U.S. citizen, Paul Whelan. They called it a lie, strong words being used out there.

But according to the U.S., there was a 10-minute and meeting on the sidelines of the G20 talks on Thursday and that became the talking point, the top headline really across the globe because it was the first time that the two ministers were meeting ever since Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

But like I said, there were words between Blinken and Lavrov hijacked the talks of the G20. This was the second high ministerial meeting taking place in India ahead of the big summit in September and here's an example of the rhetoric really between the two sides have been talking about.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SERGEY LAVROV, RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTER: Nobody was giving at them about anything except finances and macroeconomic policies, which G20 was formed for. These days, when it is not -- when it is not something which the West is doing, believing this -- that it is right when Russia has, after many years of warnings, stepped up to defend itself, there is nothing, except Ukraine, which is of interest for G20. It's a shame.

SUD: It's a shame is what Lavrov had to say. He says that the West is making sure that the talks on Ukraine overshadows G20 discussions. But Blinken this morning in New Delhi was speaking at the Raisina Dialogue in the capitol went on to say that the world is focusing on Ukraine because of the message to would be aggressors everywhere. Very little really achieved in last 24 hours here in New Delhi, despite India wanting to be leader when it comes to the global south and bring some consensus on issues that have been impacted by Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Kim?

BRUNHUBER: Interesting. All right. Thanks so much, Vedika Sud, in New Delhi. Now, Secretary of State also raised the issue of China potentially supplying Russia with legal -- with lethal aid, which the U.S. believes it's considering.

CNN Kristie Lu Stout has more on that from Hong Kong. So, Kristie, obviously, this is a huge issue for the U.S. So, take us through what was said and if we know how it was received.

KRISTIE LU STOUT, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yeah. Well, we have heard a reaction from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Beijing, a spokesperson saying just within last hour that China acknowledges different views at the G20 summit in India, but we heard much stronger comments from Qin Gang, the Chinese foreign minister.

He says that China opposes pressuring tactics and double standards, this after the U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken once again warned China of consequences if it provides lethal aid to Russia. This was an issue he brought up last week during a meeting with Wang Yi in Munich at the Security Conference. And in New Delhi, he raised the warning again. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) ANTONY BLINKEN, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: Where China to engage in material lethal support for Russia's aggression, we're to engage in the system evasion of sanctions to help Russia, that would be a serious problem for our countries.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LU STOUT: Now, Blinken did not meet with China's foreign minister at the G20 in India. And he also warned of consequences, but he did not say what they would be. China's foreign minister, Qin Gang, in India responded during his with his talks with his Russian counterpart at the G20.

He said this. Let's bring up the statement for you, quote, "Beijing supports a political resolution to the crisis in Ukraine and opposes any action that amount to adding fuel to the fire, obstructing peace talks, double standards, as well as standards and pressuring tactics," unquote.

This diplomatic rift is deepening between China and the U.S. with the U.S. continuing to say that China is considering sending lethal aid to Russia. Beijing has denied those claims.

[03:45:01]

It has counter accused the U.S. Of pouring weapons into the Ukraine. It also claims to be neutral despite that no limits alliance with Russia. On Friday, China released that position paper calling for peace, which had no mention of Crimea or the Donbas, the fate of that occupied territory. He put ally, Alexander Lukashenko, he praised that plan earlier this week, but the plan was also criticized by western leaders who accused China of already aligning itself with Russia.

So, little wonder came at the end of the day, at the end of the G20 meeting in Delhi. No consensus statement was issued because Russia and China refused to condemn Russia's invasion. Back to you, Kim.

BRUNHUBER: Yeah. Not surprising. All right. Thanks for that breakdown. Kristie Lu Stout in Hong Kong. I appreciate it.

And fire at a skyscraper lit up the night sky in Hong Kong, Thursday. The blaze broke out shortly of the midnight on the roof of 18-storey story hotel, which is still under construction. Flames quickly spread to other floors. You can see the fire for miles. Falling debris and embers started fire of nearby buildings. At least two people were injured and it's not sure what caused the blaze.

Finally, they have arrived. A capsule carrying astronauts and a cosmonaut has docked at the International Space Station, ahead. We'll take you through the next steps in the mission. Please stay with us.

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(COMMERCIAL BREAK) BRUNHUBER: I want to take you live now to the International Space Station. I was just watching this in the last couple of minutes while we are on break, those astronauts giving each other hugs and high fives as they met for the first time.

To be some context and explain what is going on here. Earlier, we brought you images of a NASA-SpaceX capsule docking there high above the Earth. Well, now, we're seeing that crew aboard the ISS and being the folks who are already on there. Two Americans, a Russian, and an astronaut from the UAE blasted off from the Kennedy Space Center just over a day ago. This is a six-man trip to the ISS for NASA's commercial crew program.

And while they are there, they'll carry out science experiments and also do some maintenance on the 20-year-old space station over the next six months. So, a really happy meeting there of the astronauts and cosmonauts there on the ISS.

A Lufthansa flight on its way from Texas to Germany was diverted Wednesday after hitting severe turbulence. At least seven people were sent to the hospital. Camila Alves McConaughey, model and wife of actor, Matthew McConaughey, was on the flight, and posted this video on Instagram to share her experience.

CNN's Pete Muntean reports on the dramatic scare in the sky.

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PETE MUNTEAN, CNN AVIATION CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The in-flight thrashing came without warning. Wednesday night, German airline, Lufthansa Flight 469 was en route to Frankfurt from Austin, Texas. Federal investigators say that as the flight flew over Tennessee at an altitude of 37,000 feet, the crew reported encountering severe turbulence. The result, according to passengers, like unexpectedly free falling for five seconds off the top of a rollercoaster. Plates and glassware were up at the ceiling.

UNKNOWN: An Airbus 330 15 miles east of Memphis reported severe turbulence Flight Level 370 plus or minus 400 feet.

MUNTEAN (voice-over): The flight diverted to Washington Dallas International Airport outside D.C. where first responders met the flight at the gate. The airport says that, in all, seven people were taken to the nearby hospitals.

JENNIFER HOMENDY, CHAIRMAN, NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD: It is a significant concern.

National Transportation Safety Board Chair, Jennifer Homendy, says this is the latest incident of severe turbulence on board a commercial airliner. In December, 25 people were injured when this Hawaiian airlines flight encountered turbulence on descent into Honolulu.

HOMENDY: It's the most common issue experienced on airliners and it can be very dangerous, especially if you are not belted in. MUNTEAN (voice-over): Lufthansa attributes the incident to clear air

turbulence. The FAA says it occurs without visual cues to warn pilots of the hazard. In a 115-page study of turbulence incidents on commercial airliners, NTSB findings were simple, wearing a seatbelt reduces the risk of serious injury.

HOMENDY: I wouldn't be afraid. But at the same time, you do have to be prepared for any type of injury and make sure that you buckle up.

MUNTEAN (on-camera): Like in this latest case, turbulence often comes with little or no warning. The NTSB says that between 2009 and 2018, the flight crew was taken by surprise 28 percent of the time. This is an especially big problem for flight attendants. The head of the NTSB says that they are often the most at risk of getting hurt.

Pete Muntean, CNN, Washington.

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BRUNHUBER: U.S. Senator Diane Feinstein has been hospitalized in California with shingles. According to a spokesperson, the 89-year-old Democrat was diagnosed with the virus late last month and expects to make a full recovery. Feinstein's absence could influence Democratic senate strategy in the Senate. With Senator John Fetterman also hospitalized, there are now 49 Democrats and 49 Republicans working in the chamber.

Soccer stars from around the world have raised millions of dollars to help victims of last month's devastating earthquake. Players and managers including Kylian Mbappe, Jurgen Klopp, and Mikel Arteta participated in a Turkish telethon. In a single day, they raised $44 million U.S. Around 50,000 people were killed in Turkey and Syria after the massive February 6 earthquake.

I'm Kim Brunhuber. Thanks so much for watching. "CNN Newsroom" continues with Max Foster after a quick break.

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