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More Than 180 People Killed In Sudan Fighting; Vladimir Kara- Murza: Russian Opposition Figure Jailed For 25 Years; France's Macron Promises Government Action Plan In Next 100 Days; White Kansas City Man, 84, Charged For Shooting Black Teen Who Went To Wrong House. Four Killed, At Least 32 Injured in Birthday Party Attack; Ukraine Accuses Russia of Continuing Child Deportations; McCarthy Vows to Pass Bill Soon to Raise Debt Limit; China's GDP Up 4.5 percent in First Quarter of 2023; Northern Ireland Peace Brokers Reunited 25 Years On; Apple Opening its First Retail Store in India. Aired 1-2a ET
Aired April 18, 2023 - 01:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[01:00:23]
JOHN VAUSE, CNN ANCHOR: Hello again ahead here on CNN NEWSROOM. Power struggle for Sudan. Two rival military factions locked in urban warfare in the Capitol with hospitals now under fire. Many residents live for days without power and water.
Death Sentence the Russian dissident already in poor health after being poisoned twice, sentenced to 25 years in a penal colony to speaking out publicly against Putin's war of choice in Ukraine. And the black teenager who had the wrong address shot in the head by an 84-year-old white homeowner in Kansas City, Missouri.
ANNOUNCER: Live from CNN Center, this is CNN NEWSROOM with John Vause.
VAUSE: Violence continues to escalate in Sudan with hospitals now coming under fire. By forces loyal to two military leaders locked in a deadly power struggle. UN can confirm at least 180 dead after three days of fighting, at least 1,800 wounded, although the actual numbers will almost certainly be much higher.
According to residents in the densely populated Capitol, Monday saw the worst of the firing with heavy shelling late into the night while airstrikes and artillery fire have left many parts of Khartoum without power water and Internet services.
Witnesses report heavy clashes near the presidential palace as well as the Army Command building, block Khartoum's airport no longer in operation after airstrikes from fighter jets and attack helicopters, each side accusing the other of violating a temporary ceasefire, the violence forcing the U.N. and many humanitarian groups to shut down aid programs nationwide.
European Union's foreign policy chief says the group's ambassador to Sudan is doing well after he was assaulted in his home. U.S. Secretary of State and he bringing spoke with the leaders of both military factions urging ceasefire. But the U.N. Secretary General is calling on Egypt, Chad, Ethiopia and Libya to try and help stabilize the situation.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANTONIO GUTERESS, UN SECRETARY GENERAL: Situation has already led to horrendous loss of life, including many civilians, and the further escalation could be devastating for the country and the region. I urge all those with influence over the situation to use it in the cause of peace to support efforts to end the violence restore order and return to the paths of transition.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: CNN' Eleni Giokos explains how these two generals once allies and are locked in this deadly power struggle.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ELENI GIOKOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voiceover): A battle for power between Sudan's national army and a strong paramilitary group that operates without reprieve. At the heart of the conflict of these two men. Sudan's military leader Abdel Fattah Al Burhan, and the commander of the Rapid Support Forces or RSF Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, commonly known as Hemeti.
Until recently, the two were allies. They work together to topple Sudan's former dictator President Omar al-Bashir in 2019, and played a crucial role in orchestrating the country's military coup in 2021. But tensions have been rising in the uneasy alliance with both sides clashing over how to restore civilian rule. So how did the struggle for power and Sudan begin?
In 2013, the RSF evolved from the Janjaweed militia that had earlier fought a rebellion in the Darfur region, under the authority of then- President Bashir. It was led by Hemeti himself, who was implicated in human rights violations and atrocities.
In 2017, Sudan passed a law legitimizing the RSF as an independent security force. In late 2018, protests started in a northern city in part over the price of bread. And those protests spread rapidly to the capital Khartoum.
After months of protests in April 2019, Hemeti turned against Bashir and the army ousted him from office. A few months later, the main opposition coalition led by Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok and the ruling Military Council led by Hemeti signed a power sharing deal that paved the way for transitional government and eventually elections.
But a little over two years later, the military effectively took control, dissolving the power sharing government and temporarily detaining Hmadok. The next day protesters took to the streets to denounced the military coup and those protests have continued sporadically ever since.
[01:05:05] In December of last year, civilian and military leaders signed a deal to start the process of a new two-year political transition. But they have yet to agree on a political solution.
The fierce fighting across Sudan right now has dashed hopes for a peaceful transition to civilian and democratic law. And as forces loyal to the two rival leaders by for control, dozens of civilians are left caught in the middle. Eleni Giokos, CNN.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VAUSE: Sudan is no stranger to military conflict and bloodshed. But in the past, a tomb (ph) was mostly spared the worst of the violence but not now. urban warfare has come to the Capitol. Short time ago, I spoke with Will Carter, this Sudan Country Director for the Norwegian Refugee Council.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WILL CARTER, SUDAN COUNTRY DIRECTOR, NORWEGIAN REFUGEE COUNCIL: That's a terrible situation for many, you know, we've -- it's not just violence has been repression and other, you know, strong handed tactics for months, if not years. But we've seen heavy weaponry used. We've seen machine guns. We've seen airstrikes, anti-aircraft guns, explosive weapons used in densely populated areas.
So, extensive civilian casualties, hospitals, health clinics, other facilities all damaged. So it's really terrible and terrifying situation for millions of civilians, and hundreds of thousands of refugees who have to live there as well.
People are locked in their houses. They're terrified to go out many have been injured and killed. They can't get to the hospital, they can't get to food, they can't get to safety. So it's a huge impact on millions of civilians who, to be honest, have nothing, it's nothing -- no part of this they have this conflict between two warring generals.
VAUSE: Well, generally the faction known as the Rapid Support Forces accuses rival the current head of the military, General Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan of bombing civilians from the air in a tweet adding that his army is waging a brutal campaign against innocent people, bombing them with a Migs.
The Sudanese army claimed to be operating within the rules of conflict and international humanitarian law. You know, both sides here want to claim this high moral ground, it seems both sides are guilty of targeting civilians, especially in hospitals. Is it equal guilty to share or is one side more to blame than the other?
CARTER: Both sides have a responsibility to limit civilian casualties. I don't think the rank and file of either sides are under complete control, to be honest. It's true that one side has air power and is using it in an urban area. But this isn't the time for investigation. This is the time for action and these actions are that the generals have to instruct to pause, to stop because using explosive weapons in densely populated civilian areas causes widespread harm, which is completely avoidable.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: Thanks to Will Carter, the Sudan Country Director for the Norwegian Refugee Council.
A lawyer for Vladimir Kara-Murza says the prominent Russian human rights advocate plans to appeal a 25-year prison sentence for condemning the war in Ukraine. British-Russian citizen was on trial for crimes including treason and spreading fake news. The court said Kara-Murza would serve his sentence a strict regime correctional colony. Its wife praises courage after the sentencing.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
EVGENIA KARA-MURZA, VLADIMIR KARA-MURZA WIFE: This sentence shows that they're so afraid of him and they hate him so much for his consistency, for his courage, for his amazing bravery. They're so afraid of him and they hate him so much that they want to lock him up for a quarter of a century.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: Kara-Murza's lawyer says he's in poor health which is getting worse and he should not be imprisoned. Jailed Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny condemned the verdict as illegal, shapeless and simply fascist. Calling Kara-Murza's sentence revenge for the fact that he did not die, despite two previous poisonings and 25 years in the penal colonies via even by Russian standards, with U.K. now considering sanctions and all those involved in what many have already called a sham trial. Here's CNN's Clare Sebastian.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
VLADIMIR KARA-MURZA, PROMINENT RUSSIAN HUMAN RIGHTS ADVOCATE AND KREMLIN CRITIC: Today, the whole world sees what the Putin regime is doing to Ukraine, the cluster bombs on residential areas the bombings of maternity wards in hospitals and schools.
CLARE SEBASTIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voiceover): It was this speech before the Arizona State House that Russian prosecutors used as part of the case against Vladimir Kara-Murza with Russia's war in Ukraine just a few weeks old. He didn't hold back.
KARA-MURZA: The war crimes. These are war crimes
[01:10:00]
SEBASTIAN: Less than a month later, the prominent human rights activist was arrested in Moscow, charged with spreading false information about the Russian army and working with an undesirable organization. A charge of treason added later. In court Monday, Kara- Murza appeared calm and collected. Outside court, international alarm was immediate.
LYNNE TRACY, U.S. AMBASSADOR TO RUSSIA: Criminalization of criticism of government action is a sign of weakness, not strength. We support the right of Mr. Kara-Murza and every Russian citizen to have a voice in the direction of their country.
SEBASTIAN: In an international show of force more than 40 foreign diplomats were at the sentencing according to the Moscow court.
ALISON LECLAIRE, CANADIAN AMBASSADOR TO RUSSIA: Today's verdict, sad testament to the dark turn, the struggle has come to.
SEBASTIAN: The U.K. where Kara-Murza is a dual citizen also summoning the Russian ambassador over what it called a politically motivated conviction. Amnesty International calling the verdict reminiscent of Stalin era repression.
MARIA EISMONT, LAWYER (through translator): It is very unlikely that this maximum sentence could be appointed if the court followed the law. Vladimir is a father of three children. This is a mitigating circumstance.
SEBASTIAN: Kara-Murza's lawyers plan to appeal. His wife in a tweet saying his quarter-century sentence means he got an A plus his courage, consistency and honesty. And while the Kremlin declined to comment, the message is clear. The crime of criticizing Putin's regime and his war is bringing ever tougher punishment. Clare Sebastian, CNN, London.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VAUSE: CNN Russian affairs contributor Jill Dougherty is with us now and she was the former CNN Moscow bureau chief. She's also an adjunct professor at Georgetown University. It's good to see you.
JILL DOUGHERTY, CNN RUSSIAN AFFAIRS CONTRIBUTOR: Hey, John.
VAUSE: So this sentence 25 years in a penal colony, it's for savings like this one he made to CNN last yea. Here he is.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KARA-MURZA: There are absolutely no limits to what Vladimir Putin can do. I think the world is seeing this loud and clear. Now, as you know, as we're witnessing this large scale, land war, this large scale war crime happening right at the heart of Europe.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: So given Kara-Murza's poor health combined with, you know, the appalling conditions he'll be living in, this seems like a death sentence.
DOUGHERTY: Well, you know, his lawyers believe that that it could be and indeed, I mean, he actually was very damaged because of two alleged poisonings by the government. And you know, his health is not good. And this is -- was pointed out in court. This is really a strict sentence. And it can be very, very bad for his health. VAUSE: And this is the toughest sentence handed out since the war began in Ukraine. So clearly, there is a message here for everyone in Russia, don't speak out not just against the war, but just don't be critical of anything, keep your mouth shut.
DOUGHERTY: Yes, because, you know, if you look at what he's accused of, are actually found guilty of apparently, it would be a treason, discrediting the special military operation, the armed forces and belonging to an undesirable organization.
And any of these laws can be interpreted in various ways, so that almost no matter what you do, although he was very overt, it's definitely against the Putin government. But no matter what you do, it's very easy to go afoul of these laws, and then ended up being arrested.
VAUSE: And before the sentencing, he made a final address to the court last week, and he likened the current climate in Russia to the Stalin years. And these are incredibly defined words. He's been already said, I subscribe to every word that I've spoken, and every word of which I've been accused by this court. I blame myself only one thing. But over the years of my political activity, I have not managed to convince enough of my compatriots and enough politicians in the democratic countries of the danger that the current regime in the Kremlin poses for Russia and for the world. I also know that the day will come where the darkness over our country will dissipate. From this realization from this reflection, the long difficult but vital path towards the recovery and restoration of Russia, its return to the community of civilized countries will begin.
Those words that just incredibly defies it. How did that play into this sentencing here for 25 years?
DOUGHERTY: Well, I don't think that -- I think the problem here is that he went back. He went back like Navalny, because he believes if he has to be there in Russia, and unfortunately, in order to, as he said, convinced his fellow Russians, it's going to take something, you know, very brave like this, and that may not even do it.
So I think, you know, he's in the line of dissidents, and people who have really put their lives on the line. You know, his father was a very famous journalist who also was shut down in TV.
[01:15:03]
I was there, when that happened shut down by the government is very beginning of Putin's administration. So, you know, this is -- it goes back quite a while. He's a tough guy.
VAUSE: Just sort of a decade ago, he's part of the biggest gag, which was basically allowing U.S. sanctions we placed on Russian individuals, what for corruption for human rights abuses, and this judge, hearing this case had been sanctioned by the US. Is that right?
DOUGHERTY: Yes. Unbelievable, in a way. I mean, in most countries, I think the judge would have to recuse themselves, but themselves, but they didn't. So the judge actually, you know, having sanctions leveled against them, is in charge of the trial against Vladimir Kara-Murza. So it's -- you almost couldn't make this up. But it is a terrible irony.
And I think that that is the thing the fact that Kara-Murza really pushed for Magnitsky was probably one of the more serious things, the threat that the government really felt that Putin's regime really felt from him.
VAUSE: At the trial sentencing, you know, obviously there was a lot of foreign press that were not allowed into the courtroom. They said it was too full. But there are a lot of international diplomats who turned up as well. And what does that say about all this?
DOUGHERTY: Well, all of them believe that. It's a travesty. But, you know, what can they do at this point? This is the Russian justice system in quotes, which is going to do what is necessary to keep the government in power and to suppress any type of criticism. So, I think the rural community can talk about this. But right now, they're facing real difficulties in terms of changing anything domestically.
VAUSE: It does seem to be viewed as lying grip over everything right now (INAUDIBLE) that I was going to hopeful though.
DOUGHERTY: If you look at Vladimir Kara-Murza, his own life right now is on the line. And what he's hoping is that bravery will change the minds of his fellow citizens. And that's a big question mark.
VAUSE: Yes, absolutely. I mean, Alexei Navalny how that's working out, I guess for him. Jill, thank you so much for being with us.
DOUGHERTY: Thank you.
VAUSE: Jailed Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich will be appealing his detention in Russia in the coming hours. But the court is expected to uphold an earlier ruling which keeps him in custody until the end of next month.
On Monday, Gershkovich granted a consular visit for the first time since his detention two weeks ago on allegations of espionage.
The FBI has arrested two men in New York accused of operating an undeclared police station on behalf of the Chinese government. Prosecutors say the station in the Chinatown neighborhood was used to monitor and intimidate Chinese dissidents living in the United States.
One of the suspects told the FBI he opened the office as an overseas service center to help Chinese nationals for new government documents. 40 officers from China's National Police have now been charged by the U.S. Justice Department. All but one actually live in China. The U.S. does not have an extradition treaty with China so that means 39 remain at large.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BREON PEACE, U.S. ATTORNEY FOR EASTERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK: The Secret Police Station appears to have had a more sinister use when at least one occasion and official with the Chinese National Police directed one of the defendants, a U.S. citizen who worked at the secret police station to help locate a pro-democracy activists of Chinese descent living in California. In other words, the Chinese National Police appear to have been using the station to track a U.S. resident on U.S. soil.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: We'll save the story a bit longer. Here's CNN's Evan Perez reporting in from Washington.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
EVAN PEREZ, CNN SENIOR JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT (on camera): The FBI arrested two U.S. citizens for allegedly acting as Chinese government agents by operating an illegal Chinese police station in New York's Chinatown neighborhood. The arrests are part of a sweeping set of charges against more than 40 people that federal prosecutors say were part of a vast spy operation that targeted dissidents with physical threats and online harassment.
The two men arrested appeared before a judge Monday in Brooklyn and were released on bond in order to stay away from any contact with Chinese consulates. Also among those charged for a group of alleged Chinese security agents who ran an operation to disrupt Zoom calls held by dissidents. Among them was an employee of Zoom based in China, who the FBI alleges worked with other Chinese government agents to disrupt Zoom meetings where anyone said disparaging things about the Chinese government. That includes any mention of the 1989 Tiananmen Square democracy protests.
The police station in Chinatown was one of several that the Chinese operated in the U.S. and around it has now been shut down.
[01:20:03]
Chinese agents allegedly threatened dissidents to return to China. Charges were also filed against a group of Chinese agents who allegedly use social media accounts to promote the government propaganda. In some cases, they posed as Americans. The FBI says to criticize the U.S. government. Evan Perez, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VAUSE: Still to come here on CNN as the patient protests continue in Paris. How does the President plan to appease a displeased population? Also a white man charged in the shooting of a black teenager in Kansas City, Missouri, he's now telling the police.
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VAUSE: Protests in Paris Monday over the government overhaul of retirement benefits. At the same time President Emmanuel Macron delivered a nationally televised address calling for 100 days of healing, unity and action and (INAUDIBLE). He promised improvements to public services and said the prime minister would announce new policy initiatives from next week. But he did not say how those policies would actually work or how they would be funded.
Macron continues to justify the overhaul of nation national pension saying the changes are necessary. He also called for talks with unions over better pay and working conditions. CNN's Nada Bashir has more now reporting from Paris.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
NADA BASHIR, CNN REPORTER (on camera): Well, this was President Emmanuel Macron first address to the nation since he signed into law, his controversial and deeply unpopular pension reform plan early on Saturday morning. And during his address, he acknowledged the challenges that his government is facing when it comes to the economy, particularly in terms of improving wages and working conditions.
But he maintained his defense of the pension reform which will see the retirement age here in France being raised from 62 to 64, describing this as a necessary measure, although he did concede that he holds regrets for not being able to come to some sort of consensus with the union leaders.
EMMANUEL MACRON, FRENCH PRESIDENT (through translator): Clearly this has not been welcomed or accepted. And a consensus has not been able to be found, which I regret. And we have to draw all the lessons from that process. Faced by this anger, we have to act together over and above the divisions in society.
BASHIR: But in the same moment that President Macron is calling for unity, we also saw protesters taken to the streets across the country, including here in Paris where some protesters carried flares and set fire to bins in the center of the city in protest once again against President Macron's pension reform.
[01:25:00]
We've heard from the union heads calling for further demonstrations including on Thursday. This would mark the 13th week of protests against President Macron's pension reforms. And in fact, one of France's largest unions has called for historic protests to take place on May 1, which is Labor Day here in France.
And there has also been fierce criticism from President Macron's opposition far right leader Marine Le Pen describing President Emmanuel Macron as having turned his back on the French public. Meanwhile, far left leaders only men are shown describing the President as being out of touch from reality and there are certainly still a lot of anger, a lot of frustration be directed towards President Macron for the way in which this legislation was forced through bypassing.
The lower house of parliament with President Macron party crucially doesn't hold an outright majority for going that final vote and being forced in using executive power is typically reserved for budgetary legislation. So there is still certainly a lot of anger being directed towards President Macron early on in his second term, and that could threaten future reforms he plans to put in place. Nada Bashir, CNN in Paris.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VAUSE: In Kansas City, Missouri, a homeowner is facing two felony counts after allegedly shooting and wounding a 16-year-old. The teenager who's black went to the wrong address to collect his siblings. An arrest warrant has been issued for 84-year-old Andrew Lester, who is white and not in custody.
The prosecutor says there is a racial component here. Meantime Lester told the police that on the night of the shooting, he was scared for his life because of the teenagers size. Teenager Raphael has now been released from hospital and is recovering at home. CNN's Lucy Kafanov has details.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ZACHARY THOMPSON, CLAY COUNTY PROSECUTING ATTORNEY: The defendant Andrew D. Lester is charged with a Class A felony of assault in the first degree. The defendant is charged with armed criminal action.
LUCY KAFANOV, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voiceover): Two felony counts filed in the shooting of a black teenager in Kansas City, Missouri. 16-year- old Ralph Yarl was struck on the left side of his head and his right arm after he went to the wrong home to pick up his younger brothers Thursday evening.
He rang the doorbell at a residence just before 10:00 p.m. On 115 Street instead of 115 Terrace and according to prosecutors was shot through a glass door by Lester an 84-year-old white man.
THOMPSON: As the prosecutor of Clay County I can tell you there was a racial component to the case.
BENJAMIN CRUMP, FAMILY ATTORNEY: To have black people ring a doorbell and then have a white citizen shoot him in the head first and then shoot him a second time. I mean, there is no way you can justify this.
KAFANOV: A neighbor called 911 after Yarl showed up on her doorstep bleeding but alert. The suspect in the shooting was taken into custody just before midnight, placed on a 24 hour hold. Then released less than two hours later. Police initially saying they were working to get a victim statement and additional forensic evidence before making a decision about referring the case for prosecution.
Then today, they charged the gunman and issued a warrant for his arrest.
THOMPSON: In Missouri a charges have to be filed within 24 hours of arrest or the defendant or suspect is released. In this case it was clear that additional investigation needed to be done so that the case could be built upon a solid foundation.
KAFANOV: Yarl was hospitalized and released Sunday. FAITH SPOONMORE, RALPH YARL'S AUNT: My nephew is alive and he is healing. It is not the story that that individual intended for us to tell.
KAFANOV: Yarl's family says he's an honors student, a leader in the marching band at his high school and hopes to attend Texas A&M University to study chemical engineering when he graduates high school. While protesters pray March and demand justice, Yarl's family also asks for hope and healing.
SPOONMORE: We have a lot to be thankful for. That right there is a lot of hate. This right here is a lot of love.
KAFANOV (on camera): The prosecuting attorney said there was no evidence that Ralph Yarl ever crossed the threshold into the home behind me. He also said no words were apparently exchanged and that Andrew Lester shot the teenager through a glass door with a 32 caliber revolver. Although the teenager is lucky to have survived the shooting relative say that life is understandably going to look a lot different now. The physical recovery is just one aspect. There's also the emotional and mental trauma. Lucy Kafanov, CNN, Kansas City, Missouri.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VAUSE: In the state of Alabama the number of people injured at a teenager's birthday party over the weekend has been revised upward to 32. Four people were killed with gunfire erupted at the party on Saturday. Investigators have asked the public to help identify the suspect among the victims was Philstavious Dowdell his sister was the birthday girl. He was a former high school football player who was preparing to attend college later this year. His sister described their last moments together.
[01:30:00]
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ALEXIS DOWDELL, BROTHER KILLED IN PARY SHOOTING: All I remember is my brother grabbing me and pushing me down to the ground while they shooting, and I had picked my brother up and I tried and I turned him over and I was telling him I was like you fine. I was like you going to make it, you strong. I was like you're strong. Don't give up on me.
And the ambulance people had arrived and I asked them could they come check my brother pulse and they checked and they just said he was gone.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: Philstavious was a high school senior. Remembered as always smiling and looking forward to attending university. According to the gun violence archive the U.S. has already seen 164 mass shootings this year alone. It's April.
Russia accused of deporting thousands of Ukrainian children, but a few are coming home. We'll take you to the liberated Ukraine city of Kherson. 32 children have just come back and are talking about their ordeal.
Well first, some good news perhaps for the Chinese economy, live in Beijing to talk about the GDP numbers and as the country recovers from those harsh COVID lockdowns.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
VAUSE: The mass kidnapping and deportation of thousands of Ukrainian children to Russia and Crimea has already led to war crimes charges. The International Criminal Court has issued arrest warrants for the Russian president Vladimir Putin and his commissioner of children's rights, Maria Lvova-Belova.
Ukrainian authorities though accuse Russia of trying to deport even more children from around the Zaporizhzhia. But a few of them are coming home. There were 31 children being returned last week to their families in the Kherson and Kharkiv. That's according to a humanitarian organization.
CNN's Nick Paton Walsh went to Kherson to ask the children about their experiences.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
NICK PATON WALSH, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Kherson maybe free, but it's haunted by occupation. When Russian troops fled last year blowing the bridge. It was only just across the river from where their snipers and artillery now regularly fire.
Thursday shelling killing a local man here, and Saturday a mother and child.
Haunted too is the homecoming here of Bogdan, age 13. We first met him in Kyiv when he'd just been rescued from occupied Crimea. He was one of thousands of children Ukraine says were forcibly deported by Russia, a charge that's led to war crimes indictment against Putin.
But home is tough. And on this hard hit island off of Kherson, so dicey with Russian troops near this bank and shelling the water. The police won't let us over the bridge.
[01:34:59]
WALSH: This is Bogdan's first time outside since he got back when we got him ice cream and pizza.
Home isn't great. A violent row there the night before left glass broken and his hand cut up. The bangs outside make it harder still.
BOGDAN, CHILD RETURNED (translated): Explosions are heard day and night. I want to leave for Kyiv. I'm scared at night that because of these sounds the windows may shatter.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (translated): The windows yes but it's important it doesn't hit the house.
WALSH: The camp in Crimea had gentle indoctrination, daily Russian anthems, but it wasn't his thing.
BOGDAN (translated): They told us how it was a long time ago with Russia and Ukraine that once they were together.
WALSH: And how did you feel hearing that.
BOGDAN (translated): It wasn't cool. In the lessons, I put my head down and looked at my phone. I didn't want to listen. I wouldn't stay.
It firstly isn't a pretty town there. And there's trash everywhere. They don't clean anywhere or develop. Better to be in Kherson than there.
WALSH: The town has its troubles. Locals annually queuing here for cash handouts and Irena has endured animosity from neighbors ever since she let Bogdan go to what she thought would be a safer place for just two weeks.
IRENA, BOGDAN'S MOTHER (translated): On the island, there is contempt from people that I gave Bogdan up. Even at the humanitarian aid center, they despise me. One of them shouted, where is your Bogdan? Ira, where is your Bogdan?
Some of the women in the line were whispering about me and looking at me. But I don't pay any attention. It is what it is.
WALSH: Home here can be hard. Kira, 10, was also sent to Crimea. Her parents separated badly, and she came back straight to her father, Alexander.
But in the shop as they gather handout toys, clothes and food because her father has lost his job in the war, the background chatter is also that parents who let their kids go to the Russians should be treated with caution as sympathizers.
KIRA, CHILD RETURNED (translated): What's in the bag.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (translated): I don't know. Maybe more toys for you.
WALSH: I asked Kira how the Russian camp was where she stayed.
KIRA (translated): It was super at the camp. Super.
WALSH: I asked if it's better to be home.
Their world is still spinning between two sides of war, leaving them nothing but dizzy.
Nick Paton Walsh, CNN -- Kherson, Ukraine.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VAUSE: Defense ministers and senior military officials from NATO and dozens of other countries sit together in Germany this week to discuss the war in Ukraine. U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin will host the Ukraine defense contract group at Ramstein Air Base. In his nightly radio address, the Ukrainian president made public what
he plans to tell the group.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): It is very important to understand this. Every time we hear that the promised supply of weapons is delayed, every time there are doubts about the type of weapons for Ukraine, about the range or other quality characteristics, every time it means that Ukrainian soldiers are giving their lives so that we have this time.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: Meanwhile, the first Bradley infantry fighting vehicles have arrived from the United States to the Ukraine. The defense minister there in Kyiv tweeted. This photo of one repainted in Ukrainian camouflage.
Even as Russian forces target civilian areas, commit atrocious war crimes indiscriminately killing innocent men, women and children, the Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov says Moscow wants Putin's war on Ukraine to end as soon as possible.
He made that comment in Brasilia Monday while meeting with President Lula Da Silva as well as his foreign minister. Lavrov also said Brazil has a quote "excellent understanding" of the situation in Ukraine, and thanked Brazil for trying to help resolve the war.
Brazil's president though is proposing a council of independent countries to broker a peace deal. But it was this comment in Beijing over the weekend, which left both the U.S. and the E.U. infuriated.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LUIZ INACIO DA SILVA, BRAZILIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): The United States needs to stop encouraging war and start talking about peace. The Europe Union needs to start talking about peace so that we can convince Putin and Zelenskyy that peace is in the interest of everyone. And that war is only interesting for now to the two of them.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
[01:39:51]
VAUSE: Here's the response from the White House on Monday. "It's deeply problematic how Brazil has approached this issue by suggesting that the United States and Europe are somehow not interested in or that we are -- that we share responsibility for the war. Brazil was parroting Russian and Chinese propaganda without at all looking at the facts."
Russian news agency RIA reports inspections of ships carrying Ukrainian grain in the Black Sea have restarted after a brief pause. RIA cited the Russian foreign ministry, saying the interruption was caused by Ukraine's failure to observe agreed procedures and the issue has now been resolved.
According to the U.S. ambassador to Ukraine, there are more than 50 ships waiting approval to dock at Ukrainian ports to load up with grain.
Meanwhile Ukrainian truck drivers transporting grain was stuck at the Polish border in a mile long line after Poland and Hungary and Slovakia suspended grain imports from Ukraine, saying the extra supply pushed down prices for their local farmers.
Kyiv is hoping to reopen those transit lines as soon as possible, and talks began in Warsaw Monday.
U.S. House Speaker in name only Kevin McCarthy wants to pass a bill to raise the nation's debt ceiling for a year. He believes he can do it in just a few weeks. McCarthy spoke at the New York Stock Exchange on Monday outlining the proposed bill, which would help the federal government avoid defaulting on its debt for the first time ever.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. KEVIN MCCARTHY (R-CA), SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE: Here's our plan. In the coming weeks, the house will vote on a bill to lift the debt ceiling into the next year, save taxpayers trillions of dollars; make us less dependent upon China; curve our high inflation. All without touching social security and Medicare.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: McCarthy also criticized U.S. President Joe Biden, claiming he's unwilling to negotiate with House Republicans. The White House is adamant the debt limit should only be raised with no strings attached because it's spending which has already been authorized.
China's economic growth set off to a solid start for the first quarter of the year, an increase in GDP of 4.5 percent well above what was forecast, a sign that China's economy is actually rebounding, possibly after a slowdown caused by the world's harshest pandemic controls. Production now back to pre pandemic levels, but demand for goods actually remains quite weak.
CNN's Beijing bureau chief Steven Jiang with us now live. Ok, so we know the surface number. The headline number looks good. As always, with China, what's below the surface?
STEVEN JIANG, CNN BEIJING BUREAU CHIEF: Yes it's always worth dive a bit deeper beyond these healthy looking robust numbers released by the government.
But here's a few things one is, it's really as you alluded to, worth reminding people what kind of very low baselines these numbers were comparing against. That is in March, 2022 because the first two months of each year, even during the best of times, things slow down because of Lunar New Year holidays so March is what really matters.
What was happening in March 2022? Shanghai the biggest economic center, financial hub and biggest city of this country was headed into two- month lockdown. So it was that kind of abysmal economic picture from 2022 that we are seeing these very robust rebound now, stronger than some analysts had predicted. As you mentioned, but not surprising.
The other thing is this rebound is not being evenly distributed across different sectors and across different segments of the population. Officials obviously having -- highlighting, for example, consumer spending rebound very strongly, especially in the service sectors.
Even anecdotally, we have seen that flights, hotels, resorts have all now been refilled with people again after being empty for three years and airfares and hotel room rates shooting through the roof in some cases.
But that has not translated into big ticket item purchases. People are not buying new cars, not buying new homes, speaking of which housing sector used to be the biggest driver of this economic growth, but that sector is now in a slow motion crash with developers still strapped for cash or even running out of cash not only unable to start new construction projects, but even having difficulties finishing already pre-sold apartments.
And then, of course, unemployment -- always the biggest and most sensitive issue for the government. Officially urban unemployment only 5.5 percent nationwide. But when you dive deeper youth unemployment for people between the age of 16 - 24 shot up to 19.6 percent in March the second worst on the record.
So that is a very worrisome sign John, especially with hundreds of thousands of new college graduates flooding the market in the coming months, John.
VAUSE: Steven, thank you. Steven Jiang, live for us in Beijing.
We'll take a short break, when we come back 25 years from the landmark deal that brought peace to Northern Ireland. CNN's exclusive interview with leaders who brokered the Good Friday agreement.
[01:44:22]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
VAUSE: The leaders who brokered an historic peace agreement in Northern Ireland 25 years ago are urging regional leaders to restore the power sharing arrangements. Former U.K. prime minister Tony Blair and his Irish counterpart Bertie Ahern made the comments at a conference in Belfast, marking the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday deal.
They were joined by former U.S. president Bill Clinton, who helped mediate that agreement. Current U.S. President Joe Biden brought a similar message to Belfast when he visited last week.
The landmark peace deal ended 30 years of sectarian violence, which left 3,600 people dead. But the power sharing government in Belfast collapsed over a year ago in a dispute over post Brexit trade arrangements.
And now a CNN exclusive: chief international anchor Christiane Amanpour sat down with the three leaders who brokered the Good Friday deal. Here's part of their conversation.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BILL CLINTON, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I was a student at Oxford when the Troubles began. I remember what a big story it was when Bernadette Devlin was elected to parliament.
And I remembered and I went to Ireland a couple of times while I was a student. And I saw both the happiness and the sorrow. And I always felt when I started talking to Irish Americans when I was running for president that we can make a positive difference if we were fair to both sides.
And I knew that to do that we'd have to do something that the side that was then prevailing would think what's unfair which was to get involved because the whole diplomacy was built around our special relationship with the U.K. which included staying away from Ireland.
Even when President Kennedy came here, he didn't talk about Northern Ireland and no president ever spent the night in Northern Ireland until I did. Stayed in the Europa on purpose because it had been bombed so much. And so I give a lot of credit to the Irish Americans that urged me to do it. And to the people in my national security council especially Nancy Soderberg is here today and who worked this issue for me. Who said you know, you might not have a lot of experience in foreign policy, but your instincts are right on this stay.
And so we took the heat and even the British ambassador, then Admiral Crowe (ph) had been chairman of the joint chiefs of staff under President Reagan and stunned the world including me when he endorsed me for president and he called me and he said you gave me this great job, and now you're making it impossible for me to do.
I said no, Admiral, you're going to be more important than ever. This is a good thing.
CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: Your U.S. ambassador had his marching orders from you.
Prime Minister Blair, here you are. You have you have come in as a labor prime minister for the first time in a generation, and you have an overwhelming mandate. And you start by doing this.
I mean, it's -- you were elected in '97. The negotiations started in '97. Why? Why was it so important to you? To put that much political capital.
[01:49:45]
TONY BLAIR, FORMER BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: I mean, there was a personal reason actually to a degree rather like the president. I mean my family on my mother's side they come from Donegal. I'd grown up with a very clear understanding of The Troubles and you would wait literally every morning in the 1970s, 1980s, 1990s to use on the U.K. media acts of terrorism and destruction, death story, tragic stories of the families of the victims of The Troubles.
So it was all -- it was part of my own personal history. But I also thought, you know John Major, who would be my predecessor Prime minister had tried and got somewhere there was some stirring. You could see some possibility, even though the thing had broken down by the time we came to office.
And I thought I mean, I've often wondered whether it was just because you were straight into government and maybe the, you know, you had this feeling that everything was possible. And so you are prepared to give what most people thought was impossible a go. So what -- for all of those reasons, and that the first speech I made as prime minister was here in Northern Ireland.
And then you know, we once we decided to work on it, we put a lot into it.
AMANPOUR: And Prime Minister Ahern, you also became prime minister the same year of Prime Minister Blair and do you -- did you feel that there was fatigue? Did you feel that -- I mean, it said that the IRA were either persuaded or figured out that they could no longer kill, maim and terrorize their way to a united Ireland.
What? What do you think and made you put all your chips on the table as well.
BERTIE AHERN, FORMER IRISH PRIME MINISTER: I think the conflict would have went on and if we didn't put in the effort, the IRA were not going to be beaten, and we're not going to win and that but that had been clear for a long way back.
And I think the British army like at one stage, there was 80,000 security between army police reserves. So it was an enormous security operation, so everyone was just taken on.
But I think you know there did become an opportunity to new governments coming in support of the president of the parties begin to listen. I think when, when you know Tony Blair's prime minister, went to Balmoral to show and (ph) and set out his position, that gave us an opportunity to get the IRA to go back into ceasefire again.
And then I mean the big risk. I think we thought was to start the talks with the part of paramilitaries are those that represented them.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VAUSE: CNN's Christiane Amanpour there with the leaders who brokered the Good Friday agreement.
Still ahead here on CNN. Apple's big push into India. It's first retail store opening Tuesday in Mumbai, but wait the second opening in Delhi on Thursday more in a moment. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
VAUSE: Welcome back everyone.
Tech giant Apple is opening its first retail store in India. It will be in Mumbai's financial district, the opening happening in a couple of hours from now. Apple has employed a team of 100 people to design this store, which was inspired by the city's iconic black and yellow taxis.
Let's go live now to New Delhi with CNN's Vedika Sud who's with us now. Vedika, not just one store -- retail store being opened this week. There's two -- there's two -- there's another one in New Delhi as well on Thursday. It's a big push.
[01:54:52]
VEDIKA SUD, CNN REPORTER: Big, big push. Absolutely and you know what? It's really interesting to see the market share that Apple holds in India because it's the second biggest smartphone maker, but it only holds about 6 percent of the Indian market.
But it's hoping to expand that now, John, that's what they're looking at a retail push. This is the first physical store that has been launched in India in Mumbai today. The second will be in Delhi in about two days from now.
But it's not only a retail push that they're looking at. They're looking at making India a manufacturing powerhouse in the coming months and years.
And this has happened after India relaxed a few rules, after which they've gone ahead and expanded the exports from India in terms of iPhones, which has gone up believe it or not, by 65 percent year on.
And this is also because Apple essentially looking to diversify from its largest manufacturing hub, which is mainland China, but because of the supply snags that they have experienced recently, John, they're hoping that India could be a hub for its manufacturing and make it a place where they can talk of big supplies happening, big exports happening in the coming months.
I just want to take a moment to even read out of quote by CEO Tim Cook, who has said and has spoken of his ambitions in India. He said India has such a beautiful culture and an incredible energy. We're excited to build on a longstanding history supporting our customers, investing in local communities and working together to build a better future. And that's exactly what you're seeing today.
Tim Cook is in India. He's launching that first store in Mumbai, a historic moment, but it also talks of the ties between India and Apple and how they are only going to expand in the coming years given like I said, they're looking to diversify in terms of expansions with what's been happening in mainland China and the factories there, John.
Vedika, we appreciate the update and welcome to the world of $1,000 upgrade of phones every two years. Thanks Vedika.
Hollywood is facing its own real life drama. Members of the Writers Guild have voted overwhelmingly to strike when their contract expires next month.
They want big changes to pay and other benefits because of the shift to streaming services. The Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers says it's trying to work out a fair contract, but admits the two sides are far apart.
The last writers strike in 2007 lasted 100 days, shutting down many TV and film productions, the one before that led to reality TV, God help us.
McDonald's making some changes meant to improve its burgers. That includes softer buns, gooier cheese, onions added right from the grill. Soon your Big Mac will have more of that special sauce. The changes are already available in international markets, some U.S. cities including Los Angeles, Seattle, Phoenix and Las Vegas, and they will be rolled out across the United States by early next year.
Thank you for watching CNN NEWSROOM. I'm John Vause.
The news continues next here on CNN with my friend and colleague, Rosemary Church.
See you right back here tomorrow.
[01:57:50]
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