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U.S. Evaluating Effects of Classified Data Leak; Prior to Wednesday Court Appearance, Jack Teixeira in Custody; Supreme Court Being Urged by Protesters to Protect Medications; Governor of Colorado Signs Laws Establishing the Right to Abortion; Abortion Prohibited After Six Weeks Under Florida's New Law; Fighting in Sudan Resulted in 56 Deaths; Fierce Fighting Continues in Sudan for a Second Day; Russia's War on Ukraine; China and Russia Strengthen Relations; Protesting Russia's Invasion; Two More Bakhmut Regions Claimed by Wagner Mercenaries; Security Talks Will Be Held in Moscow by Chinese Defense Minister; Russian Occupation Resisted by "Yellow Ribbon" Activists; Unsanitary Conditions in Georgia Jail; Filthy Conditions in Fulton County Jail Led to LaShawn Thompson's Death; Dominion V. Fox News; Israeli Protest Enters Its 15th Week With Outrage Over Proposed Judicial Reform; Continued Anti-Pension Demonstrations in France; Interview with Crisis Group Horn of Africa Director Alan Boswell; NCAA Championships: Oklahoma Women's Gymnastics Team Won National Title; Animal Rights Protesters Interfere with Grand National Race. Aired 4- 5a ET

Aired April 16, 2023 - 04:00   ET

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

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[04:00:00]

KIM BRUNHUBER, CNN ANCHOR AND CORRESPONDENT: 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", damage control efforts are far from over following one of the most egregious intelligence breaches in U.S. history. We'll have details supposed to look at where the case against the one person arrested, so far, stands. As access to abortion pills remains in limbo, another state is offering a safe haven for women. And chaos in Sudan, dozens left dead amid violent clashes between the Sudanese army and a rival paramilitary group.

ANNOUNCER: Live from CNN center. This is "CNN Newsroom with Kim Brunhuber".

BRUNHUBER: Officials are engaging in damage control and grappling with fallout both at home and abroad after a huge leak of U.S. intelligence information. 21-year-old Massachusetts National Guardsman, Jack Teixeira, is in custody ahead of a court appearance this week. Investigators say, he began posting classified materials online last December. There's information on U.S. friends and foes, including some blunt appraisals of key allies.

According to "The Washington Post", Pentagon assessments found in the documents questioned Taiwan's ability to defend itself against China in a direct conflict. Other allies like Israel and Ukraine are also mentioned. The U.S. secretary of state says, the leak hasn't impacted global cooperation. U.S. House Democrat Zoe Lofgren says, new safeguards have to be balanced with respect for individual rights.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ZOE LOFGREN, U.S. HOUSE DEMOCRAT: That he was posting some of this material online and it was not promptly discovered is of concern. On the other hand, the world wide web is a big place and this was an obscure part of the web. So, we do need to take a look at how we might better become alert to such items while maintaining a free society.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: CNN Senior National Security Correspondent Alex Marquardt has more now on the suspect and the case against him.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ALEX MARQUARDT, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Airman first class, Jack Teixeira is just 21 years old. He's been in the Air National Guard since in listening back in 2019, and for the past two years, has held a top-secret security clearance.

Now, according to the unsealed affidavit, he began violating the terms of that security clearance back in December, starting to post classified information as just paragraphs of text. Then in January, he started posting photos of classified documents on the social media site Discord, which is popular with video gamers.

So, these documents and we understand there were hundreds of them were online for months before they really came to light on April 6th. That is the day that the Secretary of Defense, Lloyd Austin, got his first briefing, and that was just one week before Teixeira was arrested at his parents' house just south of Boston.

So, why did Teixeira have access with such a low rank in the military? Well, he worked for the 102nd Intelligence Operations wing out of Massachusetts, and that produces intelligence for senior commanders around the world. And to share his job was called a cyber defense operations journeyman, essentially, I.T. support for this highly classified network that he worked on. And you can't be a normal I.T. guy and service that network so you have to have a high-level clearance.

Now, federal agents are certainly looking into what Teixeira accessed, how he accessed it, whether he printed the documents out himself and how he got them out. And there will be much bigger questions now about who can access what kind of intelligence going forward. Alex Marquardt, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: And more details now on Teixeira at this hour. The 21- year-old Massachusetts Air National Guardsman remains in custody. He's charged under the Espionage Act with unauthorized retention and transmission of national defense information and unauthorized removal of classified information and defense materials. He will remain jailed at least until Wednesday when a detention hearing is set.

Protesters are rallying again outside the U.S. Supreme Court over abortion. Demonstrators gathered, Saturday, in front of the court building in Washington, D.C. to urge the justices to overturn recent lower court rulings on abortion medication. The court has temporarily put on hold a lower court ruling that restricts the availability of the drug mifepristone but that could change within days.

[04:05:00]

The case is about more than just abortion, it could open the floodgates for critics to challenge FDA approval of any drug. So, the stakes here are extraordinarily high and experts say, just because the Supreme Court put a temporary hold on restrictions doesn't indicate how the justices will ultimately rule. As Jeremy Diamond reports from the White House, President Biden had a blunt description of the lower court ruling that started all this, outrageous.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, the future of a commonly used abortion drug continues to hang in the balance. But for now, at least, that abortion drug, mifepristone, remains available and on the market. That's after Justice Samuel Alito on Friday, he extended a freeze on a lower court's ruling that would have restricted access to the drug. That will be until late on Wednesday, just to give the justices more time to consider an emergency appeal filed by the Justice Department.

That Justice Department appeal is looking to try and extend a freeze on that ruling, while the appeals process plays out a case that could, of course, go all the way to the Supreme Court. President Biden returning from his trip to Ireland on Saturday, he spoke about that original ruling and why, he says it's outrageous.

JOE BIDEN, U.S. PRESIDENT: I think it's outrageous what the court has done relatively including that they're going to overrule the FDA, whether it's probably (ph) safe or not. I think out of their main. And -- but we'll see what happens.

DIAMOND: And the White House press secretary also put out a statement saying that the stakes of this fight could not be higher. She says, "The president and his administration continue to stand by FDA's evidence-based approval of mifepristone. And we will continue to support the FDA's independent expert authority to review, approved and regulate a wide range of prescription drugs." And now, this is a case that, of course, hinges on that all important issue of abortion access, but it also brings into question the broader independence of the FDA's approval process for drugs.

And that's why amicus brief -- briefs, known as friends of the court briefs, have been flooding into the Supreme Court since Justice Alito extended that freeze. They've been coming from Democratic led states and Democratic members of Congress. But also, crucially, from pharmaceutical companies and medical organizations all looking to get the Supreme Court to approve a broader stay of this ruling. And ultimately, many of those groups would also like to see that original ruling overturned. Jeremy Diamond, CNN, The White House.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: Meanwhile, Colorado's governor signed a trio of bills that further protect the rights to abortion and gender affirming services. One of the bills that's Colorado up to be a haven for people from states with more restrictive laws who are seeking access to abortion and transgender treatment. It comes as reaction is setting into the new law that Florida governor Ron DeSantis signed this week, it's one of the most restrictive in the country. The legislation bans almost all abortion after six weeks. Many lawmakers are alarmed by the move. Listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANNA ESKAMAN, FLORIDA STATE HOUSE DEMOCRAT: Not only is this going to force individuals into birth, but you're going to have to leave the state of Florida to access care. And right now, our closest state is North Carolina. But finding an appointment in North Carolina has also been a struggle, as so many other states have banned abortion are doing the same. And so, we're leveraging our abortion funds. We're doing what we can to communicate to patients what this means.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: To Sudan now where heavy fighting is raging for a second day between the army and the paramilitary force. The central committee of Sudan doctor says, at least 56 people have been killed since the clashes erupted on Saturday. In the capital, Khartoum, explosions were heard throughout the night, and witnesses say fighting intensified after Sunday morning prayers.

Both sides are claiming control over strategic sites from military basis to the national television headquarters, but CNN can't confirm those claims. The army says, it deployed warplanes to search for paramilitary fighters, accusing them of starting the conflict.

CNN's Larry Madowo joins us now with more. So, Larry, a fast-moving story. What is the latest?

LARRY MADOWO, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: The latest is that number of the 56th dead, which is a tragic situation, but unlikely that those casualty numbers will increase because this fighting appears to be continuing. We're well into day two of this conflict, this power struggle between the two generals who run Sudan.

And we're also battling an information warfare here because the military says one thing, the RSF, the Rapid Support Forces say, another thing, and we can't tell who's telling the truth or who's lying? What we do know for sure, because we've been speaking to people in Sudan, even while we're on the phone with them, we can hear gunfire and shelling and artillery. I want to show you two fronts in this right now. One is a video posted by the Rapid Support Forces and their supporters where they are appearing to target aircraft, because even though the Rapid Support Forces have previously been armed and trained by Russia, they are not at the same level, in terms, of air power compared to the military. And the military, as you mentioned, is deploying some aircraft in the sky right now, just to make sure that they have this upper hand. And the RSF appears to be targeting those aircraft.

[04:10:00]

The second is this battlefront with the state television and radio authority, where initially the Rapid Support Forces claimed to have taken control of it. But overnight, we saw the military posting this video claiming to be its own soldiers celebrating, taking over that state television and radio broadcast facilities, which is an important front in this battle, because whoever has control of that can talk to the nation.

And so, we are -- we are in a situation where this is just escalating instead of de-escalating. How did we get here? Here's a good primer.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MADOWO (voiceover): Sudan's hopes for democracy once again shattered by the sounds of gunfire in Khartoum. Civilians have been told to take cover, while two of the country's main military factions, the army and a powerful paramilitary group called the Rapid Support Forces, or RSF, fight for supremacy.

Fighter jets launched by the army led by General Abdel Fattah al- Burhan, fly low over the Sudanese capital. With fighting reported in key sites like the presidential palace and Khartoum International Airport. This video shows the chaos inside the terminal, with some people fearing for their lives as the battles flared outside.

The gunshot in some parts of Khartoum is so loud they could be heard during a live television broadcast. Clashes also erupting in other parts of the country with RSF fighters in the northern city of Merowe claiming to control a military airbase there. It's unclear which side started the fighting.

General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, better known as Hemetti, heads the RSF, which analysts say is 100,000 strong and grew out of the country's bloody conflict in Darfur. Hemetti says, the army instigated the battle, al-Burhan a criminal. The army accused the RSF of traitorous plotting and says, there will be no dialogue until the group is dissolved.

Tensions between the two factions have been festering since negotiations restarted to return Sudan's civilian rule. Part of the deal requires the RSF to merge with the army, but there were strong disagreements over how long that should take and who would ultimately have more power.

Both al-Burhan and Hemetti have worked together in the past when their interests aligned. The army and the RSF taking part in a coup four years ago to overthrow a longtime Sudanese leader, Omar al-Bashir. And both were involved in another coup two years later, when the military seized control over transitional power sharing government which was meant to lead to civilian rule. The country's former prime minister, now appealing for both sides to stop the fighting.

ABDALLA HAMDOK, FORMER SUDANESE PRIME MINISTER (through translator): The exchange of fire must stop immediately, and the voice of reason must rule. Everyone will lose and there is no victory when it is atop the bodies of our people.

MADOWO (voiceover): There have been widespread calls for calm by the United Nations, the African Union and the United States. But it's the infighting once again in Sudan that is threatening its chances of a democratic future.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MADOWO (voiceover): This breakdown between the Rapid Support Forces, that's the paramilitary group, and the Sudanese army was always going to happen. But this timing is important. This is happening during the last 10 days of Ramadan. This is supposed to be the holiest time in the Muslim calendar. A time of family and prayer and reflection. And yet it seems that the two men at the center of this, generals Hemetti and Burhan, will not even see eye to eye.

They've taken very hardline positions even though the entire international community, regional players are all asking them to have a ceasefire and go back to the negotiating table. We're hearing fighting words from both sides. Kim.

BRUNHUBER: Tragic. All right. Thanks so much, Larry Madowo in Nairobi.

Well, the flames are out at a plastic resin plant in Brunswick, Georgia. The fire, which started yesterday morning triggered a shelter in place order in the South Georgia City, but it's since been lifted. All evacuation orders have also been lifted, although the city has set up a shelter for residents who fled their homes. It's not clear what caused the fire. There are no reports of injuries.

Meanwhile, in Indiana, fire crews have contained nearly all of the fire at a plastics recycling plant. The fire chief says, 99 percent of the blaze has now been extinguished, but his team is planning to remain on site throughout the weekend to assess the situation. Here he is.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TIM BROWN, FIRE CHIEF, RICHMOND, INDIANA: You still have a few hot spots here and there. Right now, there is no plume. There is no product being off gas from the fire itself. EPA and IDM are both here. They are meeting with our city officials and our health department officials, determining the results of some of the air sampling that has returned.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: He also says that, additional meetings and data analysis have to take place before the evacuation order can be lifted. Around 2,000 residents have been under mandatory evacuation orders since the fire broke out on Tuesday night.

[04:15:00]

The Chinese and Russian defense ministers meet in Moscow. We'll have details on what they'll be talking about right after the break. And protesting Russia's invasion, we meet the Ukrainian activists leading a nonviolent resistance in areas occupied by Moscow. Stay with us.

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BRUNHUBER: In Ukraine, Moscow says, mercenary fighters of Russia's Wagner group captured two more areas of Bakhmut on Saturday. The Institute for the Study of War, think tank, in Washington appeared to back up the Russian claims based on geo located video. Ukraine is yet to comment on that claim.

On Slovyansk, at least 11 people were killed, including a two-year-old boy in Russian strikes on residential buildings, Friday. Authorities say, at least 22 people were injured, and they're still searching for more who may be trapped under the rubble.

Ukraine's President Zelenskyy says, he spoke at length with Emmanuel Macron on Saturday about the French president's recent visit to China. Zelenskyy says, he thanked Macron for his clear support of principles that unite the entire antiwar coalition.

[04:20:00]

Meanwhile, China's defense minister is expected in Moscow, Sunday, for talks with his Russian counterpart about global and regional security. Russia and China have been strengthening their economic, political and military partnership since Russian President Vladimir Putin invaded Ukraine last year.

So, I want to get more details from CNN's Clare Sebastian joining us live from London. So, Clare, let's go through both of those diplomatic forays. First, China and Russia, take us through the importance of that visit.

CLARE SEBASTIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, very important, Kim, coming just a few weeks after President Xi Jinping was in Moscow in that very closely watched meeting, this likely to be a follow up to that. It's also, according to the Russian defense minister, the Chinese defense minister's first foreign trip since he was named to that role just over a month ago. So, it does underscore the importance of that relationship both to China and Russia as they tried to counter U.S. influence and provide a counterpoint to the U.S. and alliance on Ukraine.

This will be closely watched from the point of view of defense. This is, of course, the defense minister coming to Moscow. The U.S. has had concerns in recent months that China might be preparing to provide military aid to Russia for its war in Ukraine, even as efforts to get China to help provide a solution to Ukraine and convince Russia to step back.

Continued globally, Russia is also conducting at the same time snap drills of its pacific fleet. Just this morning, a video emerging from the defense ministry of nuclear-capable bombers carrying out patrols and air support as part of those drills. So, this will be increasingly scrutinized, this trip, particularly as China's relations with the U.S, continued to deteriorate. Kim.

BRUNHUBER: Yes, and then Clare, separate but perhaps related in a way, Zelenskyy speaking to Macron, again, China top of mind in there.

SEBASTIAN: Yes, this comes after Macron's much criticized trip to China, where he made comments afterwards. Talking about the importance of Europe's strategic autonomy on Taiwan and how he -- how Europeans must not just become followers of the U.S. agenda. That, of course, raising some pretty significant fears of undermining NATO unity just to determine, of course, it is needed most.

He spoke to, as you say, President Zelenskyy, on Saturday. Clearly, Zelenskyy in his comments after that called choosing his words pretty carefully, saying that they -- as you say, they -- he was thankful for the clear support of those principles that unite our entire antiwar coalition and wasted little time getting to the topic of NATO as well. Saying, they discussed preparations for the upcoming NATO summit in Vilnius.

And that he believed effective security guarantees for Ukraine and, in fact for the rules based international order, we needed even before Ukraine joined the alliance. I think on the French side, some effort to reassure Ukraine that France is committed to continuing to support it.

BRUNHUBER: All right. Thanks so much. Clare Sebastian in London.

All right. I want to take you to part of the war that's playing out behind the front lines. At the forefront are Ukrainian activists who lead a nonviolent resistance in the areas occupied by Russia. As they told CNN's Ben Wedeman in a push back against Moscow is risky.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BEN WEDEMAN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Braving gunfire, a year ago, residents of the city of Kherson came out to protest to the Russian occupation. It was there that a nonviolent resistance movement began. Zhovta strichka, Ukrainian for Yellow Ribbon.

The Yellow Ribbons sprayed on walls, tied to railings has spread with the movement throughout the areas under Russian control with a particularly large and growing number of activists in Crimea. We spoke with some of the movements activists who requested we conceal their identities due to security concerns.

Every day 30 or 40 new people are joining, says Tara's (ph), not his real name. These acts are small and symbolic, but under occupation, any act of defiance comes with a huge risk. Says Tara's, all this resistance is very difficult because the price of putting up one poster could be the loss of your freedom or your life.

Katya (ph), not her real name, knows those risks. Twice Russian police searched her home in the Kherson region.

The invaders, she says, expected to be met with flowers.

Last November, Russian forces retreated from much of the Kherson region. According to Katya, women make up the majority of Yellow Ribbon members.

Women have the power to fight, she says. They want to contribute to the victory.

Small and symbolic, though these acts maybe, they've caught someone's attention.

[04:25:00]

In a recent televised meeting, Russian President, Vladimir Putin, ordered officials to crack down on resistance, violent and nonviolent in the occupied territories.

You need to act in a strong and efficient manner, said Putin. Control over this situation must be reliably ensured.

Ivan (ph), also not his real name, is the operations tech brains. From occupied territory, he set up a chatbot which allows Yellow Ribbon members to stay in touch and share material. Russian operatives tried to infiltrate Yellow Ribbon via the chatbot, their lack of subtlety is often a dead giveaway.

IVAN (PH), YELLOW RIBBON MEMBER: If you talk about with Russians, they're really just, hello. Let's meet.

WEDEMAN (voiceover): Ivan (ph) shows us what one real activist has posted.

IVAN (PH): He sent us conformation about his work. For example, he paint, glory to Ukraine, glory to the armed forces on one of the building in Luhansk.

WEDEMAN (voiceover): Simple acts of defiance by a nebulous network of anonymous activists are driving home a blunt message to the Russian occupiers. You're not welcome here. Ben Wedeman, CNN, Eastern Ukraine.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: Japanese Prime Minister, Fumio Kishida, has denounced the attack that took place on Saturday as he was speaking at a campaign event. The prime minister told reporters on Sunday that violence during elections can never be tolerated. He said, Japan must strive to provide maximum security during the G7 Summit scheduled for next month in Hiroshima. And he apologized for the disruption caused by the attack. Here he is.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

FUMIO KISHIDA, JAPANESE PRIME MINISTER (through translator): Before I came here, there was a loud explosion at the speech venue in (INAUDIBLE). Police are currently investigating the details, but in any case, I want to apologize for causing many people to be concerned and the trouble caused. But we are in the middle of a very important election for our country and we need to carry this on together until the end.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: Hundreds of inmates are being moved from a jail in Georgia amid claims an incarcerated man died there because of unsanitary conditions and complications from insect bites. We'll have that story straight ahead.

And Israel enters its 15th consecutive week of protests over Benjamin Netanyahu's controversial judicial overhaul of proposal. We'll get to the streets of Tel Aviv coming up. Stay with us.

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[04:30:00]

BRUNHUBER: Welcome back to all of you watching us here in the United States, Canada and all around the world. I'm Kim Brunhuber. This is "CNN Newsroom".

Officials in Fulton County, Georgia, say some 600 inmates will be transferred from a facility where an incarcerated man died last year. The move is intended to address an outbreak of what officials call infectious illness and vermin. Now, this after the family of LaShawn Thompson said he died because of unsanitary conditions and complications from insect bites. Isabel Rosales has details.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ISABEL ROSALES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: And we did over the past week here a little bit more from the family of LaShawn Thompson and from their family attorney, Michael Harper, who says that Thompson was in jail, in custody for just three months before his death. Held there in custody on misdemeanor assault charges. They are blaming -- the family is blaming unsanitary conditions at the jail, and also complications from insect bites for Thompson's death.

Now, they are demanding three things at large, and those things are for a criminal investigation to be placed and done into Thompson's death. Also, for the current jail, Fulton County Jail, Atlanta is in Fulton County, for that jail to be closed and for a new one to be built in its place. Hear what the family had to say.

MICHAEL HARPER, ATTORNEY FOR LASHAWN THOMPSON'S FAMILY: It's an inexcusable death. It is an outrage. And we call on all the citizens of Fulton County to demand better and to demand a new jail. BRAD MCCRAE, LASHAWN THOMPSON'S BROTHER: It was heartbreaking because nobody should be seen like that, nobody should see that. But the first thing that entered my mind was Emmett Till. I thought about Emmett Till. Comparing those photos, it was heartbreaking.

ROSALES: And without making any explicit statements about Mr. Thompson's health, it is fair to say that this is one of many cases that illustrate the desperate need for expanded and better mental health services. This is precisely why Sheriff Labat continues to call building -- for building a new Fulton County Jail and criminal justice complex.

Now, it is also important to note that we did review documents from the Fulton County medical examiner's office that listed Thompson's cause and manner of death as undetermined. Isabel Rosales, CNN, Atlanta.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: Authorities in New Mexico released new footage showing police shooting an innocent man dead after responding to the wrong address. The body cam video shows the officers knocking on the wrong door during a domestic violence call. They then opened fire when the man who lived at the home answered carrying a handgun. Now, we want to warn you, what you're about to see is disturbing.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hey. Hands up. Shots fired. Shots fired.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: So, here is how the police chief is describing the incident.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

STEVE HEBBE, FARMINGTON, NEW MEXICO POLICE CHIEF: When you show the slowdown version, you see him opening the door with his left hand, and his right hand is the gun. And as he pushes the door open, then he comes together and both hands appear to grip the weapon and are pointed at one of the officers.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: The police chief has called the incident unbelievably tragic. All three officers were placed on paid administrative leave. The shooting is currently being investigated by the New Mexico State Police.

Fox News is apologizing to the judge overseeing the defamation case against it. Saying, Fox never meant to mislead about Rupert Murdoch's role at the network. Fox repeatedly denied that Murdoch has an official role, until last week when it admitted that actually he is an executive officer. In a letter, a Fox attorney said the network never intended to mislead the court, "We should have provided to the court a complete and prompt response to the court's questions concerning the identities of all of Fox News' officers. We apologize and never intended to avoid responding to a question from the court."

Now, the admission that Murdoch is a Fox officer made the judge so livid, he has launched an independent investigation. It also angered Dominion Voting Systems, which makes voting machines. Dominion says, it might have requested more documents about Murdoch in preparing its case. The company is suing Fox for $1.6 billion for falsely claiming its software flipped votes in the 2020 election away from Donald Trump. Opening statements in the trial are expected Monday.

[04:35:00]

Many Israelis are making clear they haven't forgotten about the government's proposed overhaul of the country's judiciary. CNN's Salma Abdelaziz has details.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SALMA ABDELAZIZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: This is the 15th straight weeks of demonstrations against Prime Minister Netanyahu's proposed judicial overhaul, and people are out here to make their voices loud. Just listen to the anger from this crowd. This proposal, if it went ahead, would give the government the power over the appointment of judges, that would give parliament power to override Supreme Court decisions.

And for these protesters, that means a threat to democracy. That means checks and balances are being eroded. That means Prime Minister Netanyahu gets greater power and control. It is extraordinary to see this crowd at a time of heightened tensions, at a time of external security threats, but still, they continue coming out against Prime Minister Netanyahu and his government.

That proposal, right now, is delayed but expected to be back on the table any day. And they, these protesters, want to keep the pressure on. Salma Abdelaziz, CNN, Tel Aviv.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: France's prime minister is vowing more reforms in the coming months, just hours after President Emmanuel Macron signed the extremely unpopular pension reform plan into law to push the age for drawing a pension to 64. And as promised by union leaders and others, the anti-pension reform demonstrations continued on Saturday with police detaining some of the protesters. CNN's Nada Bashir has more now from Paris.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NADA BASHIR, CNN REPORTER: Well, despite the fierce backlash, this new legislation has received, President Emmanuel Macron wasted no time in signing it into law. This comes after weeks of deliberation by France's constitutional council and weeks of protests by union members and other demonstrators against the proposal by the government to raise the retirement age from 62 to 64.

Now, of course, the constitutional council has given the green light to the core of this new legislation. They're striking down six minor measures included in the proposal. President Emmanuel Macron has now extended an invitation to union heads to meet with him at the Elysee next Tuesday. Though the head of one of France's largest unions has already rejected this invitation and is calling for more protests, particularly on May 1st, which is traditionally Labor Day here in France. The head of the CGT Union calling for historic protests to take place against this new law.

And of course, we have seen mass protests in Paris and across France, in fact, over the last 12 weeks. On Thursday, 380,000 people taking to the streets across the country, some 42,000 here in Paris alone. And of course, while these protests have been largely peaceful, there were pockets of violence. Some scuffles reported between the police and protesters. Police later having to use tear gas to disperse the crowds at the end of Thursday's protest. And in fact, there were small demonstrations on Friday in response to the constitutional council's decision.

Now, this has been a deeply controversial and deeply unpopular legislation. It has drawn fierce backlash, not only from protesters but also from opposition leaders. And President Emmanuel Macron himself has faced fierce criticism over his decision to push this legislation through bypassing the lower house of parliament, where Macron's party crucially doesn't hold an outright majority and foregoing a final vote.

Many of the protesters that we've spoken to over the last week, telling us they believe this undermines the fundamental principles of democracy here in France. So, while this bill is going ahead, it has had a significant impact on President Macron's popularity. And according to the unions, they expect to see further protests over the coming weeks. Nada Bashir, CNN, Paris.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: All right. Still to come, much more on the deadly fighting in Sudan. We'll speak with an expert about possible outcomes and the chances of a diplomatic solution. Please stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[04:40:00]

BRUNHUBER: All right. Let's get back to one of our top stories this hour. Fighting has intensified in parts of Sudan between the military and the paramilitary force. Witnesses are reporting heavy clashes in the country's main seaport more than 800 kilometers or 500 miles northeast of Khartoum.

The army says it has gained control of a key base in the area, while paramilitary fighters say they've been attacked by, "Foreign air forces." The central committee of Sudan doctor says, at least 56 people have been killed since the clashes erupted on Saturday. Now, I want to bring in Alan Boswell, he's the project director for the Horn of Africa, the International Crisis Group. Thanks so much for being here with us. So, obviously, tensions have been building recently, but was this armed clash inevitable?

ALAN BOSWELL, HORN OF AFRICA DIRECTOR, CRISIS GROUP: I'd hate to say it was inevitable, but it has been something that we and, you know, Sudanese and diplomats have been very concerned about for a number of years. These are essentially the two most powerful armed groupings within the country.

Omar al-Bashir ruled Sudan for three decades. I mean, he was overthrown in 2019 in the Sudanese revolution, but essentially near the end of his rule, he didn't really trust the army so he allowed other security forces and the biggest being this Rapid Support Forces, this paramilitary to grow quite large. Partly so that no one could really challenge him for rule.

And basically, what we've seen since he was overthrown that this a military rule by committee could never really get on the same page. There have been dangerous tensions. Both want to be the top dog. And there is a lot of concerns leading into this that if fighting did occur and clashes started, it would essentially be an unwinnable civil war because it's not really clear who is the strongest in the -- inside the country.

BRUNHUBER: Well, it's a -- you describe them as a double headed monster. And now the two heads are fighting each other. I mean, the animus between the two is so high with insults flying back and forth. I mean, do you see any path for diplomacy here or will this just have to play out on the battlefield?

BOSWELL: Well, unfortunately, we haven't seen signs of de-escalation yet. One positive thing is that, for the most part, it seems most Sudanese, other parties and there are many other political and armed groups, they've so far opposed this and have called for the two sides to back down. The major, sort of, outside diplomatic players, the most prominent who have been the -- what's called the quad --

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-- which is the U.S., the U.K., Saudi Arabia, and the UAE they, so far, have been on the same page calling for a de-escalation and ceasefire. We've seen the same call from U.N. Security Council, the African Union, et cetera.

So, a positive dynamic thus far is, at least, external actors and pretty much all Sudanese who are not these two sides want them to back down. However, like you said, the two main actors themselves, antagonists, have not yet shown any sign. The tension obviously been building for a while, and they've been prepositioning and rating themselves for if this conflict happened.

If there's any silver lining, it's the hope that they realize this is an unwinnable war once a bit more of the dust settles and the smoke clears, and that they'll listen to some calls for a reason to stop this from slipping further out of control.

BRUNHUBER: Yes, absolutely. Let's hope so. I want to go back to what you're saying about the diplomatic efforts. I mean, the U.S. has been the lead in many of those. They spent so much money, millions, billions of dollars in terms of pressure they exert. So far, they have sort of relied more on incentives. Is it time to get more aggressive sanctions, for instance?

BOSWELL: Well, I don't think at the moment the actors would respond all that much one way or another to sanctions. This is basically a very existential fight right now for power in Sudan and who controls Sudan. So, I think the main focus needs to be to get, especially some of the Arab countries who have the most influence over these military actors, especially Saudi Arabia, UAE, and Egypt and really get them to really burn up the phone lines at very senior levels to try to get a de-escalation. And then from there try to get, hopefully, back on track towards what was a political path back to civilian rule

But that political path looks very uncertain right now given this outbreak. There's a real risk right now. A very prolonged, very nasty, destabilizing civil war, unfortunately.

BRUNHUBER: Well, what about -- I mean, you listed a bunch of countries there. What about Russia? I mean, the RSF and its leader are supported by Russia. Do they have any incentive to help bring about a peaceful solution here?

BOSWELL: We haven't seen really much diplomatic activity from Russia yet. They haven't been main actors in this -- in the kind of national politics. Like you said, they have been connected to General Hemetti and this paramilitary force. But they haven't been main actors in sort of helping broker between the military and the paramilitary leading up to this. So, I think, they're country to watch to see if they weighed in. But we haven't seen any of that yet.

BRUNHUBER: All right. Well, we'll have to leave it there. We really appreciate your analysis on this. Alan Boswell, thanks so much.

BOSWELL: Thank you.

BRUNHUBER: All right. We want to introduce you to a new program that will make you see immigration issues in a whole new light. CNN's Nick Paton Walsh travels with a group of migrants headed to the United States as they make the arduous trek on foot through the Darien Gap from Colombia to Panama. Have a look.

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NICK PATON WALSH, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT (voiceover): The football shirts are supporters, each numbered, charging to carry bags, even children uphill.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): hey my kings, my queens, whoever feels tired, I'm here.

WALSH (voiceover): But it doesn't always work out. WILSON, IMMIGRANT CROSSING THE DARIEN GAP: Mama. Mama. Mama.

WALSH (voiceover): Wilson is separated from his parents. Their porter raced off ahead.

WALSH (on camera): My name is Nick. Nice to meet you. You are here by yourself?

WILSON (through translator): Yes.

WALSH: Oui. You're waiting for your parents?

WILSON: Uh-huh.

WALSH: Where are they?

WILSON (through translator): They are behind.

WALSH: Are you going to America? Where are you going?

WILSON (through translator): Miami.

WALSH: Miami. What do you like about Miami?

WILSON (through translator): Daddy is going to build a swimming pool.

WALSH: He will a build for you? What do you want to be when you grow up?

WILSON (through translator): To work.

WALSH: What work?

WILSON (through translator): School work.

WALSH: (Speaking in a foreign language).

WILSON (through translator): And my sister has chosen nurse.

WALSH (voiceover): Nearly 1,000 unaccompanied children were found on the route last year, the U.N. have said.

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BRUNHUBER: You can tune in to see the full report from Nick Paton Walsh on "The Trek: A Migrant Trail to America". It will be featured on the premiere episode of "The Whole Story with Anderson Cooper," it premieres first on Sunday night at 8:00 p.m. eastern. You can also see it on Monday at 4:00 p.m. eastern, that's 9:00 in the evening in London. We'll be right back.

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BRUNHUBER: For the sixth time in nine years, the Oklahoma Women's Gymnastics Team has won the national title at the NCAA championships. The team dominated from start to finish with several gymnasts executing near flawless routines, some of them even finished the meet with career tying performances. The team as a whole also made history by posting its highest score ever at the championships. The victory is the second in a row for Oklahoma.

It was one of the highest profile sporting events in Britain, but the start of the Annual Grand National Horse Race was delayed on Saturday by animal rights activists. But the race did go on. Patrick Snell has details.

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PATRICK SNELL, CNN WORLD SPORT: Well, the Grand National at the famed entry racecourse, just outside of Liverpool, is often referred to as the world's greatest steeplechase, a national sporting institution in the U.K., albeit one that always proves to be a grueling, daunting challenge for horses and jockeys alike. And a race not without incident and controversy either.

On Saturday, the start of a race that dates back to 1839 delayed after animal rights protesters forced their way onto the course causing widespread disruption. Officers seen detaining some protesters and preventing others from scaling the perimeter fence, while some also managed to run onto the more than two-mile course to cling on to one of the fences.

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Police making over 100 arrests. The race eventually starting around 15 minutes late after the jockeys returned to the paddock. Well, the Grand Nationals 175th running, seeing a famous victory for the pre- race favorite Corach Rambler, the horse soaring over the last of the 30 jumps and bounding clear down the home stretch for the winning jockey from Ireland, Derek Fox, who overcome injury to ride in this race. It was a second career victory at this iconic steeplechase.

DEREK FOX, WINNING JOCKEY: I can't believe it to be honest. It's a -- Joseph's a phenomenal horse. He's been so lucky for me. I was blessed today. I ever got the leg opening the first day. And I can't believe it.

PETER SCUDAMORE, CORACH RAMBLER ASSISTANT TRAINER: Obviously, people criticize running horses and do this. But I've got to give him his great chance of greatness. You know, he's -- he will be looked after for the rest of his life.

SNELL: While the Grand National is watched by more than 500 million people from 140 different countries. But this weekend, we once again seen why it remains one of the most controversial horse races in the world. With that, right back to you.

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BRUNHUBER: Well, there are escape parks and then there's this. Have a look at this. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

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BRUNHUBER: British BMXer Kriss Kyle took his skills to the sky in a death-defying feat riding in the world's first floating skatepark. Now, have a look at this, this is just absolutely terrifying. Kyle worked with oracle Red Bull racing and their Red Bull advanced technologies division, along with Cameron Balloons to create his lofty vision.

It took almost three years with the final product. It was a carbon fiber BMX bowl suspended 2,000 ft in the air by one of the world's largest operating hot air balloons. Kyle had a heavy parachute, fought against bouncing rocking balloon and was cheered on by his close friends in the basket.

Well, that wraps this hour of "CNN Newsroom". I'm Kim Brunhuber. I'll be back with more news in just a moment. Please, do stay with us.

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