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Two Americans returned home after a kidnapping incident in Mexico, two others dead; Republicans outraged by Fox's use of Jan. 6th footage; China's Two Sessions Congress Underway; New Senate bill gives President Biden the authority to ban Tiktok. Aired 3-4a ET

Aired March 08, 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 the United States and all around the world. You are watching "CNN Newsroom" and I am Rosemary Church.

Just ahead, two Americans kidnapped in Mexico are now back in the U.S. for treatment. The other two are dead as the search for the killers wraps up.

Why Ukrainian forces refused to retreat from the bloody battles in Bakhmut. President Zelennskyy's warning about the consequences if Russia seizes the embattled city.

Plus, a new U.S. Senate bill aims to give the Biden administration the authority to ban TikTok. We will discuss what data the app collects and whether it should really be considered a threat to national security.

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

CHURCH: Thanks for being with us. The two Americans who survived a deadly kidnapping in Mexico on Friday are back in the United States. According to Mexican officials, LaTavia Washington-McGee and Eric Williams were found in a wooden house in Matamoros on Tuesday. Williams' wife tells CNN that he was shot in both legs. Washington McGee was not injured. Her mother told our affiliate, WPDE, she's spoken with her daughter and that she's doing okay but struggling with the fact that she had to watch her friends die.

The two other victims, Shaeed Woodard and Zindell Brown, were found dead inside that house. One man is in custody, accused of doing surveillance on the victims, but officials have not said if he is tied to a criminal group.

We get more now from CNN's Josh Campbell.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NED PRICE, U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT SPOKESPERSON: We extend our deepest condolences to the family and loved ones of deceased.

JOSH CAMPBELL, CNN SECURITY CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The search for four Americans kidnapped in Mexico ending in tragedy. All four have been located, but only two of them alive.

PRICE: The two survivors have since been repatriated back to United States that occurred with the assistance of our Mexican partners, with the assistance of our officials in Mexico. We are in the process of working to repatriate the remains of the two Americans who were killed and (INAUDIBLE).

CAMPBELL: They've been identified as LaTavia Washington-McGee, Eric Williams, Zindell Brown, and Shaeed Woodard. Washington-McGee and Williams have survived the incident, while Woodard and Brown did not. Washington-McGee was found uninjured and Williams reportedly shot in the leg. They two survivors are now back in U.S. receiving medical care.

UNKNOWN (through translation): We condemn what happened and feel sorry for the loss.

CAMPBELL: Today the Mexican government speaking about the tragedy.

UNKNOWN (through translation): The victims were found in a wooden house three days after the crime. The four persons who were kidnapped were taken to different places, one of them to a clinic, in an effort to make this more confusing and avoid rescue.

UNKNOWN (through translation): The investigation is ongoing to find who is responsible.

CAMPBELL: Mexican authorities will process the bodies of the two dead victims before returning them to the United States. Family members tell CNN the group of friends traveled by car from South Carolina, so that one of them, a mother of six, could undergo a medical procedure. Investigators believe that after they crossed the border from Texas and entered the city of Matamoros, they came under gunfire and crashed their mini van, according to a U.S. official familiar with the investigation.

Terrifying video appears to show one of those Americans being shot into the bed of a pick up truck in gunpoint in broad daylight and taken from the scene.

UNKNOWN (through translation): One person has been detained.

UNKNOWN (through translation): It seems to be that there was a confusion of mistaken identity, but the investigation is still ongoing.

CAMPBELL (on-camera): Now, sources familiar tell me that the two surviving American victims are now in the care of the FBI. They were taken back onto U.S. soil on Tuesday for medical treatment as well as observation. Although the recovery phase of this terrible episode is now over, the investigation continues and sources tell me that those surviving victims will likely be key witnesses for the group of FBI agents and Mexican law enforcement officers that continue to search for the captors responsible for this heinous attack.

Josh Campbell, CNN, Los Angeles.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: The hits just keep coming for Fox News. Embarrassing new revelations are emerging in court filings tied to a massive lawsuit against the right-wing network for promoting lies about the 2020 U.S. presidential election being stolen.

[03:05:02]

In an email released Tuesday, FOX Corporation Chairman Rupert Murdoch admitted in January of 2021 that maybe top host Sean Hannity and Laura Ingraham, quote, "went too far".

This past January, Murdoch rejected conspiracy theories about Dominion Voting Systems, admitting he does not believe that Dominion in any way stole the election from Donald Trump.

And newly released text messages from host, Tucker Carlson, reveal him saying 2 years ago that he hates Donald Trump passionately. Fox has defended the private communications between executives and hosts saying that they were taken out of context.

Well, Tucker Carlson is also facing a barrage of criticism from Republicans and Democrats alike for cherry-picking video from January 6th and downplaying the violence. Carlson says that it was neither in insurrection nor deadly.

CNN's Jessica Dean has our report.

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JESSICA DEAN, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Tucker Carlson, showing that some 40,000 hours of video that House Speaker Kevin McCarthy granted him access to really trying to downplay the truth of what happened here on Capitol Hill on January 6th during that violent insurrection. And on Tuesday, after this had aired Monday night, a number of Republicans, especially Senate Republicans, pushing back very hard against what Tucker Carlson is trying to portray as truth. Here's a few of them, including house minority leader, Mitch McConnell.

REP. MITCH MCCONNEL, (R-KY), U.S. SENATE REPUBLICAN LEADER: It was a mistake, in my view, for Fox News to depict this in a way that is completely at variance with what our chief law enforcement official here at the Capitol thinks.

REP. MIKE ROUNDS, (R-SD): I was there on January 6th. I saw what happened. I saw the aftermath. But there was violence on January 6th, I think the footage that is available to be made available to all networks and everybody should be able to see for themselves just what kind of chaos we had on that day.

REP. THOM TILLIS, (R-NC): I get's a (BLEEP). I was here. I was down there, and I saw maybe a few tourists, a few people who got caught up on things. But when you see police barricades breached, when you see police officers assaulted, I just do not think it is helpful.

DEAN: Again, Carlson using various parts of the video and doing what the Capitol Police chief said really cherry-picking video to prove his point, even showing some video of the well-known shaman walking through at a more quiet moment. And to that point, the Capitol Police chief putting out a statement very much aggressively pushing back on this betrayal of what happened on January 6th. I will read you what he wrote, he said:

"Last night an opinion program aired commentary that was filled with offensive and misleading conclusions about the January 6th attack. The program conveniently cherry-picked from the calmer moments of our 41,000 hours of video. The commentary fails to provide context about the chaos and violence that happened before or during those less tense moments."

Again, that is from the Capitol Police chief. We expect to hear more pushback as even more video is released.

Jessica Dean, CNN, Capitol Hill.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: The chairman of the U.S. Federal Reserve will be back on Capitol Hill today, testifying before the House Financial Services Committee. Jerome Powell says the economy is strong and that likely means a higher than expected interest rate hike. He told senators on Tuesday there are signs to this inflation is easing somewhat, but the Core Services sector is stubbornly high.

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JEROME POWELL, U.S. FEDERAL RESERVE CHAIRMAN: The latest economic data have come in stronger than expected, which suggests that the ultimate level of interest rates is likely to be higher than previously anticipated. If the totality of the data were to indicate that faster tightening is warranted, we'd be prepared to increase the pace of rate hikes.

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CHURCH: According to the CME FedWatch, there's 35 percent chance of a quarter point rate hike when the fed meets later this month, much more likely a 65% chance of a half-point increase.

And Powell's testimony sent U.S. financial markets plunging, the Dow fell 575 points on Tuesday, the S&P 500 lost 1.5 percent, and the NASDAQ dropped one and a 3rd percent. Investors are hoping, of course, to recoup some of those losses. So, let's take a look at those futures and the Dow is up, only slightly. I mean, really it is in positive territory, but only just what we will keep a close eye on that.

Let's cross over to the Asia-Pacific region. You can see a mixed bag there. The Nikkei in Japan is up nearly half a percent, everything else there in Asia in the negative territory. Hong Kong Hang Seng down more than 2 percent.

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And trading just got underway in Europe. So, let's bring those numbers up. All in negative territory and you can see Zurich SMI down nearly half a percent.

Well, a carefully choreographed event is underway in Beijing where journalists are supposed to be able to openly operate and yet it is still full of state controls. We'll have a look inside.

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CHURCH: Welcome back, everyone. Well, right now, China is holding its National People's Congress, a huge political event that welcomes global media but doesn't give journalist much leeway.

CNN's Selina Wang takes us inside the tightly-controlled conference.

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SELINA WANG, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Thousands of governmentdelegates across China are gathering for the biggest annual political meeting, known as the "Two Sessions". It's the first since China abandoned its Zero-COVID policy.

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But reporters covering the event are still stuck in a COVID bubble, required to stay overnight at a quarantine hotel and get an on-site PCR test.

(on-camera): We just left the quarantine hotel. We're now headed to the venue. Everything is highly controlled.

(voice-over): The Foreign Media bus gets dropped off at Tiananmen Square.

(on-camera): It is very rare for journalists get access to this. As you can see, there's heavy security, there are guards everywhere. Normally, the Two Sessions is the rare chance for media to get up and close to China's top leadership. Right here on the steps of the Great Hall of the People, this is normally where you will see media trying to doorstop the top leadership. But as you can see, this year, we, the media, were completely separate from the rest of the leaders.

(voice-over): The Two Sessions is a carefully choreographed event. The new government shakeups that the rubber-stamp parliament will vote on have one unifying goal, to strengthen Xi Jinping and the ruling Communist Party's power. And the COVID restrictions are the perfect tool for Beijing to control the message.

(on-camera): So, media has to apply to get access to specific events, were not granted approval to all of them. And this is the media area inside the Great Hall of the People. As you can see, it's pretty empty, so it's clearly not an issue of capacity. (voice-over): Some of the events during the week-long meeting allow

select reporter questions, including Qin Gang's first press conference as China's new Foreign Minister.

He said that conflict with the U.S. is inevitable if Washington does not change course. Qin Gang called Washington's approach a "reckless gamble", accused the U.S. of creating a crisis over Taiwan, defended China's partnership with Russia as imperative, and said, it has not supplied weapons to Russia or Ukraine.

UNKNOWN: See you at the Two Sessions.

WANG (voice-over): Meanwhile, Chinese state media is portraying the legislative meeting as an open event where journalists can freely operate.

UNKNOWN: Sri lanka. I'm from Luke News. It's an amazing country.

UNKNOWN: The assemblies also offer journalists an opportunity to put questions to the Chinese premier and ministers.

WANG (voice-over): But under these controls, spontaneous run-ins with top leaders, like the premier and ministers, are out of reach. But after today's meeting ended, we had a few minutes to approach some delegates, which are a curated group of local representatives.

This delegate is part of the Zhuang ethnic minority from the southwestern Guangxi province. She says, this is her first time attending the congress and she feels happy to see her motherland becoming stronger. The rest of the delegates quickly rush out before we have a chance to approach them.

The question is how much of these COVID controls will remain in post pandemic China. It limits access, even more, to China's already extremely opaque political machine. This much is clear. The communist leadership only wants the world to see one narrative from China that is the image of unity, strength, and victory.

Selina Wang, CNN, Beijing.

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CHURCH: The Biden administration has been leaning heavily on staunch ally Japan to help tackle the growing number of challenges in Asia. During an exclusive interview with CNN, the U.S. Ambassador to Japan and former White House Chief-of-Staff Rahm Emanuel, spoke about President Biden's diplomatic strategy in the region.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RAHM EMANNUEL, U.S. AMBASSADOR TO JAPAN: He has brought a level of energy to alliances and to allies. That was absent, that has given our allies confidence, like Japan, to increase the defense budget, to be more active on the diplomatic arena and stage. You know, when it came to the vote in March 3rd, condemning Russia, Japan got on the phone with all the Asian countries and produced eight out of 10 countries. So, they've been active diplomatically.

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CHURCH: The white house is applauding a new U.S. Senate bill that will give the Biden administration new authority to ban the Chinese-owned video app TikTok, used by tens of millions of Americans. The so-called Restrict Act does not target TikTok specifically but aims to rein in foreign technologies that could pose national security risks. The bipartisan legislation would also cover A.I., Quantum Computing, and E-Commerce. But the fear is that China could force TikTok's parent company to hand over America's user data.

Shelly Palmer is the CEO of the Palmer Group, and he's a Professor of Advanced Media in Residence at Syracuse University. He joins me now from New York. Thank you for being with us.

SHELLY PALMER, CEO, THE PALMER GROUP: My pleasure. How are you tonight?

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CHURCH: Very well, thank you. So, the White House is urging Congress to quickly pass a new bipartisan Senate bill that would give the Biden administration the power to ban TikTok nationwide, calling the app a threat to national security. What threat does TikTok pose, do you think?

PALMER: Well, I mean, it's very addictive, probably the most addictive algorithm of all. So, if you're afraid of having your children addicted to social media, I guess that's a big issue. That's not what the Biden administration is concerned about. They're fully politicizing this. And look, China and the United States have a, let's just say, complicated relationship. And there's a lot of politics involved here.

But if the Biden administration is really concerned about what TikTok is doing what data, they have to be equally concerned about Facebook and Google and Snapchat and Twitter, and every other social media site. Because realistically, the data that is taken from us every day far and from other sites far exceeds what TikTok is taking.

CHURCH: Interesting, and of course, the goal of this bill, once it becomes legislation, is to prevent companies with ties to China, as you mentioned, from being pressured into handing over the information or communication records of American users. So, what information does TikTok actually have access to, and what data is it collecting from these users?

PALMER: So, your phone collects immense amount of data, and TikTok get's a fair amount. What used -- TikTok is a single news feed or a single feed. So, it understands precisely what you like, you teach it in a very well-reinforced environment, what it is that you like the most. So, it kind of knows your preferences.

If you logged in to TikTok, then it has got your login information. And that's about it. And then you'll have your TikTok password. So, it knows what you like it knows your preferences, and it understands who you are. That is pretty much it.

Your phone knows your location, your time a day, and everything else there is that a phone can possibly collect. So, the phone itself knows an awful lot. TikTok may have access to some of that information. But again, so does every other social media site and every other site you go to any United States, almost everybody drops a cookie and follows you around everywhere. So, this cannot just be about the data. This has to be about the politics.

CHURCH: And TikTok CEO says the company has never received a request from China for information about American users, and would never comply even if it were asked. Do you believe that?

PALMER: You know what? It's not for me to say honestly that -- whether that's true or not, that's between the Chinese government and the local TikTok guys. Again, this is been highly-politicized.

I want everybody to understand, so much data is collected from each and every one of us every day that we have absolutely no visibility into -- if the government is really concerned about protecting us, then they need to protect us from all data gathering, not just data gathering that might end up in the hands of foreign governments.

Because really, most of the data that people are politicizing right now is simply there to put the right message in front the right person at the right place at the right time. This is like, really? Okay, the kind of know that you like to watch woodworking and you like to watch baseball. That's what they're going to know.

Are they going to use that? If people want to mount a campaign of propaganda, there are many, many other ways that TikTok, for the Chinese government to come in here without any restrictions whatsoever, and really have their way with us. We're in an active cyber war and enduring cyber war with China right now. That is something of concern. TikTok, not so much.

CHURCH: And TikTok is apparently negotiating a possible agreement with the Biden administration that could allow the app to continue operating in the U.S. How likely is it that this will happen? And is this a better option then this blanket ban?

PALMER: TikTok is an incredibly popular app, probably one of most popular social media apps. And to be fair and frank, this should reach an agreement. But again, this is a real problem that is being politicized. And I would really like it if the Biden administration would take data privacy and cybersecurity as seriously as they're taking this supposed threat.

I'm not saying that if TikTok were to give all these data to the Chinese government that would be good, better, and different. And I'm not trying to be political or apolitical about it. Just as someone who is really deeply into data science, there are very, very dangerous aspects of this that are not being addressed.

So, I'd like to see TikTok reach an agreement. If they don't, they don't. It's a business. They'll have to just deal with it however the government deals with it. But everybody who's listening should be thinking very seriously about what data is available, and that, you know, should be private, and what information and knowledge you have about it. And if you are concerned, you should contact your elected officials and make your feelings known.

[03:25:04]

CHURCH: Shelly Palmer, some good advice there. Appreciate you talking with us. Thank you.

PALMER: All right, you have a good -- you have a good night.

CHURCH: And still to come, Ukraine says its forces are repelling nonstop Russian attacks in Bakhmut. The latest on the fierce battle in a live report, after the break.

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CHURCH: The Ukrainian military says its forces have been fighting off dozens of Russian attacks in around the battered city of Bakhmut in just the last day. Russia says its forces are making gains and now the head of the Wagner mercenary group claims the entire eastern part of Bakhmut is under its control, though CNN can't independently verify that claim.

[03:30:00]

Russia's defense minister says a victory in the city will lead to further advances, and that is a concern for Ukraine and for Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who spoke with CNN about the decision to continue defending Bakhmut.

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WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: I want to start with the battle for Bakhmut. Ukraine has put up a tremendous fight and inflicted massive losses on the Russian side. But in recent days, Russian forces have made some critical gains there. Why have you decided not to withdraw from Bakhmut?

VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, PRESIDENT OF UKRAINE (through translator): We understand what Russia wants to achieve there. Russia needs at least some victory, a small victory, even -- even by ruining everything in Bakhmut, just killing every civilian there. They need to put their little flag on top of that to show their society.

It's not a victory for them. It's more like, you know, like to support, to mobilize their society in order to create this idea of their such powerful army.

For us, it's different. This is tactical for us. We understand that after Bakhmut, they could go further. They could go to Kramatorsk, to Sloviansk. It would be an open road for the Russians after Bakhmut to other towns in Ukraine, in the Donetsk direction, in the east of Ukraine. That's why our guys are standing there.

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CHURCH: And CNN's Salma Abdelaziz is following all the developments for us. She joins us live from London. Good morning to you, Selma. So, what is the latest on the fierce fight for Bakhmut?

SALMA ABDELAZIZ, CNN REPORTER: Absolutely epic and devastating battle, Rosemary, for this one small city that you heard there. President Zelenskyy described it is not particularly strategically that important for Russia. He explains to our Wolf Blitzer that it's really about the symbolic victory for President Putin, who has for nearly eight months now seen nothing but losses on the ground.

But when you really think about the extraordinary cost of this one battle for Bakhmut, it's really truly mind-boggling. Thousands of soldiers killed on both sides. According to NATO officials, for every one Ukrainian soldier killed, there has been five Russian troops killed in this fight.

The city of Bakhmut itself largely destroyed. By some estimates, 90% leveled. That means homes, businesses, life itself absolutely decimated by this near constant artillery and shelling. The people of Bakhmut displaced. Now, that city only has about 10% -- less than 10% of its prewar population. Just a few thousand people left behind. Very little life there again in that city of Bakhmut.

And when you look at the military cost of this, the amounts of weapons depleted, the artillery, and the ammunition used up again in this fight for a very small city, one that, again, holds very little strategic value, what we are hearing this morning about that battle, that has really seemed to be on the brink of going Russia's way for a few weeks now.

We've heard this new audio message from Prigozhin, of course, the head of the Wagner mercenary group, released this morning, that Wagner mercenary group is really leading the fight on the ground. He says that the group has been able to take control of the eastern part of Bakhmut, east of the river.

Now, we are reaching out to Ukrainian officials to find out their status on the ground. But they say they continue to hold the line of resistance on the other side of the river, repelling Russian attacks. They say they're not going to back down. President Zelenskyy recently sent reinforcements to the fight.

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

And be sure to tune in to Wolf Blitzer's exclusive interview with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. It will air Wednesday at 9:00 p.m. Eastern, 10:00 a.m. Thursday in Hong Kong, only here on CNN.

And still to come, protesting for their pensions. How workers across France are pushing back against the Macron government and plans to raise the retirement age. We'll explain.

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CHURCH: Unions in France are calling for at least two more days of protests over the coming week. This following nationwide demonstrations on Tuesday over the government's proposed pension reforms and the raising of the retirement age.

CNN's Jim Bittermann was at the protests in Paris.

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JIM BITTERMANN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: This is the sixth in a series of demonstrations against the government's plan to reform the pension program, basically raising the retirement age from 62 to 64.

And we've seen a lot of people, including some very young people, out here in the crowd today protesting because, in fact, this is what the French like to call as (INAUDIBLE), which is to say acquired right (ph). And once you acquired a right (ph), of course, you don't want to give it back up again. And so, a lot of people have been turning out at these demonstrations.

[03:40:00]

The real question here is, what happens after this? Are these demonstrations going to continue? Are the strikes behind these demonstrations going to continue? Today, about a quarter of the public sector workers, government employees, stayed off their jobs, about a quarter of school teachers. Four out of five of high-speed trains were cancelled today.

So, there is a lot of support for what's going on here, but almost certainly, the government is going to get its way with this because they're going to present the bill that enables the pension program, they will present it to the Parliament in about eight or 10 days. After that, if it doesn't pass, they still have a mechanism by which they can by decree enact the legislation that will reform the pension program.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: And thanks for your company. I'm Rosemary Church. For our international viewers, "Marketplace Middle East" is coming up next. And for our viewers here in North America, I'll be back with more news after a short break. Do stay with us.

[03:45:00]

CHURCH: Embattled railroad company Norfolk Southern will be the focus of at least two government investigations in the aftermath of two train derailments in the U.S. State of Ohio.

The Federal Railroad Administration is conducting a 60-day safety review of Norfolk Southern, and the National Transportation Safety Board is also opening an investigation into the company's safety culture. That probe will encompass multiple incidents and three deaths since December of 2021.

Norfolk Southern CEO is scheduled to testify at a U.S. Senate hearing on Thursday.

The republican-controlled state Senate in Mississippi has passed a bill that supporters claim will help fight crime in the capital city, Jackson. The plan would put the selection of judges and prosecutors in the hands of the majority white legislature rather than the residents of a city that's more than 80% Black. It would also expand the jurisdiction of the capital police force citywide. Here's the bill's sponsor.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOHN THOMAS "TREY' LAMAR, MISSISSIPPI STATE HOUSE REPUBLICAN: Whether you call the judges inferior court judges or special court judges, it's the same thing. It's additional judicial resources in our capitol city. I'm not married to any terminology or anything like that. I mean, what the goal truly mean is to help Jackson, save the capital city fully.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: Legal experts in Jackson say there are better ways to address the concerns, and Democrats oppose the bill, calling it an attempt to overrule the elected leadership in the city.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ROBERT L. JOHNSON, MISSISSIPPI STATE HOUSE DEMOCRATIC LEADER: The reason it's wrong is because the Constitution of the state of Mississippi, Article 6, Section 153, expressly says that judges shall be appointed. And furthermore, we have a provisional way if you want to have more judges to handle this backlog. We do it every year. We have people come and request additional judges.

This county, this district has requested additional judges to be elected, and they've been turned down and denied at every turn. And so, this is just a racist unconstitutional power grab.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: The bill now moves back to the state house. Its sponsor says Mississippi's Republican governor is in lockstep to make the city safer.

The state of Texas is facing a new lawsuit over its strict bans on abortion. Five women claimed the laws are putting their fertility and their lives at risk if there's a medical emergency.

CNN's Sunlen Serfaty has our report.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) SUNLEN SERFATY, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Amanda and Josh Zurawski were thrilled last year to tell family and friends that after years of trying, Amanda was finally pregnant. Then, four months into her pregnancy, her water broke.

AMANDA ZURAWSKI, TREATMENT DELAYED DUE TO TEXAS LAW: You're 100% for sure going to lose your baby. We just kept asking, is there anything we can do, is there anything we can do? And the answer was no.

SERFATY (voice-over): But doctors in Texas said they couldn't do an abortion. Amanda became septic, needed a blood transfusion. Her family flew in because they feared she would die. Amanda lost her baby, but survived, and is now the lead plaintiff in a lawsuit filed Monday in a Texas court against the state and the Texas Medical Board.

NANCY NORTHUP, PRESIDENT AND CEO, CENTER FOR REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS: Because abortion is a crime in Texas, punishable by up to 99 years in prison. What the law is forcing physicians to do is weigh these very real threats of criminal prosecution against the health and well-being of their patients.

SERFATY (voice-over): Amanda and four other Texas women and two doctors are asking the court to clarify that abortion can be performed when a physician makes a good faith judgment and that the pregnant person has a physical emergent medical condition that poses a risk of death or a risk to their health, including their fertility.

JESSIE HILL, PROFESSOR OF LAW, CASE WESTERN RESERVE UNIVERSITY: It's particularly unusual for people to be willing to bring these lawsuits in their own names and not to use a pseudonym and to really share these personal details about their lives.

SERFATY (voice-over): Another new front, a battle between Walgreens and California Governor Gavin Newsom. Last month, attorneys general from 21 states that have passed anti-abortion laws wrote to Walgreens about sending abortion pills through the mail.

[03:50:00]

Walgreens says they won't distribute abortion medication in those states, saying in this letter to the Kansas attorney general that Walgreens does not intend to ship mifepristone it into your state.

Newsom countered with a tweet, California won't be doing business with Walgreens or any company that cowers to the extremists and puts women's lives at risk. He didn't specify what business his state has with the drug store chain. Mifepristone is also used in miscarriages.

HILL: Not to stock this medication in particular states really is most likely to harm those patients who would benefit from being able to use the medication for miscarriage where it's perfectly legal.

SERFATT (voice-over): Back in in Texas, Zurawski mourns the loss of her daughter, her ashes in this necklace.

ZURAWSKI: I needed an abortion to protect my life and to protect the lives of my future babies that I dream and hope I can still have someday.

SERFATY (voice-over): Because of the scarring in her uterus from the infection, she may not be able to have more children. She's starting fertility treatments in the hope of one day having a baby she and her husband have dreamed of.

(On camera) CNN reached out to all the defendants in this Texas case. A spokesperson for Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said he is -- quote -- "committed to doing everything in his power to protect mothers, families, and unborn children, and he will continue to defend and enforce the laws duly enacted by the Texas legislature."

Now, we have not heard back from the other defendants, the Texas Medical Board and its executive director. In addition, CNN has also reached out to the Texas governor, Greg Abbott, and has not yet heard back.

Sunlen Serfaty, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: New U.S. Congresswoman Jennifer McClellan is making history. She was sworn into the House of Representatives Tuesday, becoming the first Black woman to represent the state of Virginia in Congress.

Last month, McClellan won Virginia's special election to replace the late Donald McEachin. While campaigning, McClellan told CNN the opportunity was a tremendous honor but also a big responsibility. Virginia was once the capital of the confederacy and a former slave trading center.

Well, today is International Women's Day, an annual event to celebrate the achievements of women while addressing inequalities. All around the world, people are participating in acts of solidarity.

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CHURCH: In Morocco, Tuesday, dozens of people form a human chain ahead of a world women's forum for peace supported by the United Nations. This year's theme is digital innovation and technology for gender equality. It is meant to highlight the growing digital gender gap.

And in Cuba, this Women's Day is special for female boxers. They were recently allowed to compete in tournaments after decades of restrictions. Now, many are making history by getting in the ring.

CNN's Patrick Oppmann reports from Havana.

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PATRICK OPPMANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): For years, this is how women in Cuba have boxed. Sparring in rudimentary gyms with whatever equipment they could (INAUDIBLE).

While men's boxing is a sport the island has long dominated, women's boxing did not bear the government's stamp of approval, meaning women boxers had to train on their own and were unable to compete in tournaments at home or abroad.

It was a missed opportunity to show how formidable Cuban women can be in the ring, says trainer.

From the time we were in our mother's wombs, we are fighters, she says. We are always fighting for something to raise our kids, to help our families, to be independent.

Whether it was sexism or simply the slow pace of progress, they were up against. And long last, Cuba's female boxers are getting their title shot.

In December, Cuban boxing officials said a new league for women would be created and that they hoped female boxers could represent the island in the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.

We took this step when we were sure, really convinced, he says, that it was the moment, and we didn't have any concerns because our women would be protected.

Weeks later, 12 women made history as they competed for a spot on the team.

(On camera): Cuba has long produced some of the world's best male boxers, but women were prevented from taking part in the sport here. Now that that glass ceiling has finally been broken, at last, the moment for Cuba's women boxers has arrived for them to shine.

(Voice-over): Any doubts about the women's fighting abilities were quickly put to rest as they came out swinging.

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These athletes know they will still need to change their minds about whether they belong in the ring, but say at long last, attitudes are shifting.

In my case, all the comments I have received have been positive, she says, that if I make effort, I can achieve it. The Cuban women had the potential for this.

It took years for this moment to arrive. And while Cuba's women boxers are only just beginning to fight, simply being in the ring means they've already won their first round.

Parick Oppmann, CNN, Havana.

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CHURCH: And thanks for spending part of your day with me. I'm Rosemary Church. "CNN Newsroom" continues with Max Foster and Bianca Nobilo, next.

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