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House Republicans Try To Pressure WH Into Debt Ceiling Talks; U.S. Warship Sails Through Taiwan Strait; U.S., Japan And South Korea To Conduct Missile Defense Exercise. Aired 4:30-5a ET

Aired April 17, 2023 - 04:30   ET

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

[04:30:00]

BIANCA NOBILO, HOST, "CNN NEWSROOM": I am Bianca Nobilo.

MAX FOSTER, HOST, "CNN NEWSROOM: I am Max Foster. If you are just joining us, let me bring you up to date with our top stories this hour. At least four people are dead and 28 injured in a mass shooting at a "Sweet 16" birthday party in Dadeville, Alabama. Officials are asking the public for help in finding out who opened fire inside the venue.

And the defamation trial between Fox News and Dominion Voting Systems is now delayed until Tuesday. The change comes as the Wall Street Journal is reporting that Fox made a late push to settle the dispute out of court. More details ahead on "Early Start".

NOBILO: The U.S. Congress is back in session later today after a two- week break. One of the first things that they'll have to address is a looming deadline on increasing the debt ceiling. But, it could prove difficult given the ongoing standoff between President Joe Biden and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy. CNN'S Alayna Treene has more now from Washington.

ALAYNA TREENE, CNN REPORTER: House Republicans have begun putting together a deal that would raise the debt limit for one year as well as include budget savings worth roughly $3 trillion to $4 trillion over the next 10 years, according to sources familiar with the proposal. Now, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy says that he wants to put this on the floor at some point in May, which is no easy feat, given that Republicans have largely been divided on how to approach these debt limit talks. And they have a very slim majority in the House. But, the broader strategy from Kevin McCarthy here is to try to get all Republicans on the same page and then use that to force the Biden administration back to the negotiating table, as well as argue that any sort of deal that they reach must include strings attached.

Another big problem, though, underlying all of this is that President Biden and Kevin McCarthy have not held negotiations on the debt limit for several weeks now. They last met in early February. And currently, there is not another meeting on the books. We'll see if that changes with this latest proposal. Alayna Treene, CNN, Washington.

NOBILO: The U.S. Navy says it conducted a routine transit through the Taiwan Strait on Sunday, officials say the warship kept to an area beyond any coastal states territory, keeping within international law.

FOSTER: It comes nearly a week after China wrapped up three days of military drills around Taiwan. China's military acknowledged the transit of the U.S. ship saying the U.S. "hyped up its operation". The ship was being monitored the entire time, according to Chinese officials.

The United States, South Korea, and Japan are set to conduct a missile defense exercise off the Korean Peninsula. The drill, which is scheduled for Monday, is in response to North Korea's nuclear and missile threats.

NOBILO: Meeting in Japan, the top diplomat of the G7 condemned North Korea's repeated ballistic missile launches. According to the Japanese foreign ministry, they also said that they oppose any unilateral attempts by China to change the status quo by force. For more now on these ongoing meetings in Japan and next month's G7 summit, we're joined by Marc Stewart, who is in Tokyo. Marc, climate is obviously a big focus here. But, what else is on the agenda?

MARC STEWART, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, climate is going to be a big focus in addition to everything you said, and we actually have some new information along those climate lines. We just received a communique from these talks, and expect to be -- expect a lot of discussion on the acceleration of moving into a green energy future. While no specific timetable has been established to get rid of coal, per se, there is a lot of emphasis now on alternative energies, such as increasing wind production by 2030, as well as eliminating plastic by 2014. That is a pretty lofty goal.

Now, well, this seems like the right thing to do from an environmental standpoint. There is also a big political side to all of this. One of the discussions that will be taking place, the broader G7, is the impact of the war on Ukraine, and one of the big impacts, and it's certainly been on the energy sector, especially with oil, the price of oil to supply the demand. The goal is for G7 nations to be energy independent. So, they feel that by having these discussions about going to these alternative fuel sources such as energy, such as wind, and such as solar, it will allow them to be more energy independent, despite what the political wins may be. So, these are some things, Bianca, that are being discussed now, in anticipation of the broader G7 coming up next month in Hiroshima, Japan.

NOBILO: And Marc, in light of the security scare involving the Japanese Prime Minister, how is security going to be overseen and handled? Will it be increased?

STEWART: Well, that is a question that a lot of people are asking, and it's something that the Prime Minister has been asked about, and he said that work will be done with all of the nations to ensure security. Not sure if you saw the video. There is some video of Prime Minister Kishida's, a security guard actually kicking away that cylinder like device that was thrown to him and basically shielding him. It is important to stress that what happened this weekend was at a local political event, much different than the G7, which is pretty much close to the public. In Japan, it is not uncommon for politicians and the public to have intimate gatherings like we saw here.

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So, it's important to make that distinction, but the G7, on a broader scale, certainly, security will be tight and there will be many more restrictions on interactions.

NOBILO: Marc Stewart live in Tokyo. Thank you so much. We look forward to checking back in with you as security and preparations ramp up.

FOSTER: And not even the Orthodox Easter could bring a halt to the fight in Ukraine. On Sunday, Ukrainian forces said Russia had unleashed almost 100 shells in the past 24 hours around that Bakhmut, with around 30 firefights taking place. Ukrainian and Russian fighters are battling street by street and house by house for control of also now a pretty decimated city.

NOBILO: And there was of course little joy on this Easter holiday, 130 Ukrainians are now free after a prisoner exchange with Russia. So, that at least is some good news.

FOSTER: But, there are many Ukrainians who may never come home. At the start of the war, they fled in the only direction that they could, and that was into Russia.

NOBILO: Now, they're living thousands of miles away in Russia's Far East. CNN's Scott McLean established contact with some of them who described their lives now and why Ukrainians may not want them back.

SCOTT MCLEAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: In the chaos of battle in Mariupol in eastern Ukraine, the civilians caught in the crossfire had few good options. They could either escape to Russia or take their chances as the war intensified. Many of those who fled toward Russia were encouraged to live and work in the Far East, from Rostov, a 4,000 mile train journey to the edge of Siberia, and a town just a stone's throw from North Korea. These are some of the first arrivals stepping off government chartered trains a year ago.

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MCLEAN: Why does Russia want those people there?

NATHANIEL RAYMOND, HUMANITARIAN RESEARCH LAB, YALE UNIVERSITY: That's a great question. One is a propaganda benefit, positioning these people as somehow willingly seeking citizenship in Russia. The second benefit is that Russia simply needs bodies. In many parts of the country, they don't have enough citizens to make those municipalities function.

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MCLEAN: This hotel in the coastal town of Vrangel (ph) was where new arrivals were put up at first. CNN reached several of them through a telegram group chat run by local volunteers, keeping a log of resident requests from baby food and toys to medicine. Anyone dissatisfied with their stay is told sarcastically to take their complaints to Moscow, the Kremlin, Putin.

The Russian government has long been eager to populate its resource rich Far East, and the state has tried several experiments to attract settlers, including those from ex-Soviet states. It now promises fleeing Ukrainians cash, housing assistance, citizenship, and even free land, though two people told CNN they were struggling to get the rent reimbursement, they say the government had promised. Natalia (ph) was struggling to find any housing at all, hardly enthused by her new reality.

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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (TRANSLATED): Nothing has changed except the place. But, I no longer have a job that I love and a home that I love.

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MCLEAN: New arrivals quickly had their Ukrainian passport swapped for Russian ones. Natalia figures she can't go back.

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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (TRANSLATED): Because we are criminals there, because those who left for Russia are immediately considered criminals by the Ukrainian authorities. So, I'm forbidden to go there.

RAYMOND: At this point, the absence of clarity is the biggest problem. There is understandably within Ukraine a absolute outrage against those who are perceived as collaborators. But, the fact of the matter is that we are dealing here with a civilian population that was seeking refuge in a time of war.

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MCLEAN: Under the terms of Russia's relocation program, the Ukrainians are required to stay for at least three years. One woman, Marina (ph), told CNN, that after that, we will see. It depends on the job and material well-being. So far, it's not very easy. Another, Valeria (ph), said plainly that her family will stay in Russia, and I don't even want to think about Ukraine.

In a statement, the Ukrainian Prosecutor General's office told CNN that safety and security of Ukrainian citizens is a major priority, and that for many the only safe passage was through Russia. Of course, they are not considered collaborators. They need to get to a third country and address a local Ukrainian consulate. It will issue them Ukrainian documents to return to Ukraine.

But, for those who remain in Russia long term, the future is less clear. By Ukrainian law, people who publicly deny occupation or who call for support for Russian actions, are considered collaborators. International law prohibits forcible transfers of people. Russia says more than five million Ukrainians have arrived in Russia since the full scale war began, and while Ukraine says many were forcibly deported, some like Oksana (ph) said they went willingly--

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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (TRANSLATED): We were saving our own lives.

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MCLEAN: --though they had few other options.

NOBILO: And Scott McLean joins us now. Scott, did any of the individuals that you and your teams spoke to, did they tell you that they'd been forcibly deported?

MCLEAN: Yes, and no one that we spoke to told us that they all insisted that they had gone by choice. But also, remember, they we're talking about a group of people that is by and large working class. They speak Russian. They have no ties to Europe. And so, going to Russia for most people was simply the path of least resistance. It is also very unlikely that anyone that we spoke to will be going back to Ukraine anytime soon. They are allowed to go. They're free to leave if they wanted to. But, if they stay for less than three years in Russia, they'll have to pay back the state benefits that they've gotten, which is out of reach for most people. So, now, the big question mark is, what happens after three years? And by then, will Ukraine even want them back?

It's also impossible to note just how freely people felt that they could speak with us. But, you got the impression from some of them that they were on the side of Russia. One woman told us that she -- it's the Ukrainians who were responsible for what happened in Mariupol. Another one said that she wanted to go back but only if it was firmly in the hands of the Russians by then. Other people had more nuanced views or didn't want to talk about the war. I should also say quickly that we did also reach out to the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs, but we didn't get any responses to our questions from them.

NOBILO: Scott, thanks so much for joining us.

MCLEAN: You bet.

FOSTER: A former lawmaker in India is shot dead whilst in police custody. What we know about the gunman and how the government is responding to the shocking attack, that's next in a live report from New Delhi.

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FOSTER: In India, opposition parties say the killing of a former lawmaker on live television raises serious concerns over state security. Atiq Ahmed, who was convicted of kidnapping, was shot dead along with his brother in a dramatic attack whilst in police custody.

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NOBILO: For more now, let's go to CNN's Vedika Sud who joins us now from New Delhi. Vedika, this is a sensational story. Tell us more.

VEDIKA SUD, CNN REPORTER: Very dramatic indeed, Bianca. Now, let me just take you through the sequence of events. This happen on Saturday in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, the most populous state in the country. It's governed by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's party, the Bharatiya Janata Party, and the chief minister of the state is Yogi Adityanath.

Now, here is the sequence of events. You had two men being brought out of the police jeep, one of them being Atiq Ahmed, who was a former lawmaker from India. He is also an infamous gangster as well, and he has been convicted in several -- he has been convicted in a kidnapping case and he also has a lot of criminal cases against him. So, these two men were walking down from the jeep towards a hospital where they were due for medical checkups, which according to the local police is routine ahead of another case hearing which they were to be presented in.

Now, within moments of walking, they had some journalists come over to question them, and this is in connection with a former lawmaker, Atiq Ahmed's son, who was killed in a police encounter in Uttar Pradesh last week. It was his funeral. The father wasn't allowed to go, and the questions to him were just about why he wasn't allowed to attend the funeral. Moments later, Bianca, you hear gunshots, not one, not two, but over a dozen gunshots. The next thing, Atiq Ahmed is on the floor. His turban falls off, and his brother is also targeted. And within moments, three men have been arrested by the police.

A lot of questions being raised over the so-called lawlessness in the state by opposition members as well, opposition party leaders. A lot of questions being asked over how could this incident take place in the presence of so many police officers. All of this was caught on live television. And then, the police has told the media that three of the accused were actually a part of the journalist group that we're posing those questions to Atiq Ahmed and his brother. There has been a lot of security tightened across the state of Uttar Pradesh. There was internet -- internet services, rather, were pulled down for a while. They were suspended. But now, they're back in some spots. But, the worry really is the safety, the security and the lawlessness that opposition leaders talk about in the state of Uttar Pradesh after this incident. Bianca.

NOBILO: Vedika Sud live for us in New Delhi. Thank you.

FOSTER: Any moment now, a Russian court expected to announce the legal fate of Kremlin critic Vladimir Kara-Murza. The 41-year-old opposition politician faces up to 25 years in prison after being charged with treason for allegedly discrediting the Russian military by criticizing Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine.

With me is Claire who has been looking at this. Obviously, everyone waiting to see what comes out of it. It could have been any minute.

CLARE SEBASTIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes. This is a pretty high profile trial. He is a very prominent Kremlin critic. Vladimir Kara-Murza, former journalist, documentary filmmaker, protege of Boris Nemtsov, who you'll remember was gunned down really right outside the Kremlin in 2015. He went back to Russia. He was living in Washington, just about a month after the war broke out last year, promptly arrested. He is now being tried on charges of treason, spreading fakes about the Russian Army, which was that new law that they brought in kind of the sort of intense crackdown that we saw on dissent in the first month of the war, and facilitating the activities and undesirable organization.

Prosecutors have asked for up to 25 years in prison, which is the maximum they could have asked for. So, we're still waiting to hear about that sentence. But, it will be emblematic of what we see in Russia, this hallmark of the war in Ukraine, which has been the increasingly intense, as I say, repression crackdown on dissent and any kind of opposition at home.

FOSTER: Yes, big sentences is being dished out. Thank you, Clare.

NOBILO: Italian Police say they've recovered a record amount of cocaine that was spotted during a routine surveillance flight. Officials found 70 watertight bags full of cocaine floating in the Mediterranean.

FOSTER: It was just east of Sicily on Sunday. The haul is worth nearly $440 million. Police say a passing ship probably left the bags in the water so they could be retrieved by drug runners.

The NBA playoffs are underway with four more opening games on Sunday. Ahead, how the top seeded team in the East fared without their superstar.

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FOSTER: This just into CNN, we've got an update on the story we were talking to Clare just before the break. Vladimir Kara-Murza, a prominent Russian human rights advocate, Kremlin critic, he has been sentenced to the maximum sentence of 25 years in prison, which was condemning the war in Ukraine effectively. Wasn't that?

NOBILO: it was. And Kara-Murza was initially detained one year ago, hours after an interview with CNN in which he criticized Russian President Vladimir Putin's regime of murderers.

And changing gears, the curtain has come down on the Phantom of the Opera for the last time.

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NOBILO: The longest running play in Broadway history ended its run on Sunday after nearly 14,000 performances in 35 years.

FOSTER: That's what I missed it. 20 million people saw Phantom, which grossed more than a billion dollars during its run, but the play cost nearly $1 million a week to produce. It finally succumbed to the effects of inflation and lowered tourism rates as well following the pandemic.

The NBA Playoffs continued on Sunday with the opening games of four more series. Less than 48 hours after qualifying for the playoffs, the number eight seeded Miami Heat beat the Milwaukee Bucks 130-117, Jimmy Butler led Miami with 35 points as they got the win on the road against the league's top team.

NOBILO: The Bucks were forced to play most of the game without superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo after he suffered a lower back contusion in first quarter.

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Clippers superstar Kawhi Leonard scored 38 points while Kevin Durant led the Suns with 27 in his first playoff game with the team.

FOSTER: Trending this hour, making equal pay at work doesn't mean husbands and wives are sharing the work equally at home. A new survey shows even when women earn as much money as their husbands, the women still spend more time on housework and taking care of the children.

NOBILO: And the study also found that husbands spend about three and a half hours more per week on leisure activities than their wives do. The only instance where men spend more time as caregivers than their wives is when the woman is the only one working outside the home.

FOSTER: U.S. researchers say an experimental mRNA vaccine taken with the immunotherapy drug Keytruda lowered risks for skin cancer compared with taking Keytruda alone. The experimental vaccine made by Moderna and Merck reportedly lowered the risk of recurrence or death by 44 percent when combined with Keytruda. The findings were presented at a meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research in Florida. Merck says the companies are discussing a late-stage trial with the U.S. regulators.

NOBILO: And we could soon be one step closer to exploring Mars, if everything goes to plan for Elon Musk and SpaceX. In southern Texas, there is a SpaceX vehicle called Starship, is scheduled for blast off in about four hours' time.

FOSTER: If successful, the test flights will make a partial lap of Earth's atmosphere and then splash down near Hawaii. This is the vehicle that Elon Musk hopes will take humans to Mars, and it's recyclable. You can use it again.

NOBILO: Is it really?

FOSTER: That's the plan when we find out.

NOBILO: How green.

FOSTER: Thanks for joining us here at CNN Newsroom. I'm Max Foster.

NOBILO: And I'm Bianca Nobilo. "Early Start" is up next right here on CNN.

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