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Biden Expected to Announce Re-election Campaign Next Week; Paramilitary leader announces three-day ceasefire; Storms hit Texas to Michigan; Kyiv Continues Its Appeal for NATO Membership; Uganda's Harsh Bill Close to Ratification; America Awaits Supreme Court Decision on Abortion Medication. Shadow Gov't: Myanmar Troops Return To Village For "Clean-Up" Days After Airstrike Massacres; Prosecutors Dismissing Charges Against Alec Baldwin; GOP House Speaker Deep Cuts, Vote Next Week. Aired 2-3a ET

Aired April 21, 2023 - 02:00   ET

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

[02:00:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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

Ahead on CNN NEWSROOM, President Joe Biden is expected to announce he's officially running for a second term next week and we'll look at what led to his decision.

Plus, is Sudan on the brink of all out civil war? One side announces yet another ceasefire to coincide with the end of Ramadan, but there's no guarantee the fighting will stop.

And as NATO's top leader visits Kyiv, President Zelenskyy says it's time for Ukraine to join the alliance.

ANNOUNCER: Live from CNN Center, this is CNN NEWSROOM with Kim Brunhuber.

BRUNHUBER: Well, what has long been an open secret will soon become official. U.S. President Joe Biden is planning to seek a second term. His advisers say the campaign launch is expected to happen as early as next week, likely on Tuesday. Biden is already the oldest person to serve as president and would be just weeks away from his 82nd birthday, should he win a second term. The question is, do voters want him in charge for another four years?

Senior Political Analyst Ron Brownstein weighed in with some of the obstacles President Biden will face. Here he is.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RON BROWNSTEIN, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: What we saw in 2022 was unprecedented in the history of exit polling. There was historically large number of voters who said they were unhappy with the way the economy was going and also a historically large number of voters who said they disapproved of Biden's performance, who voted for Democrats anyway because they viewed the Republican alternative at that point is too extreme. And that is a dynamic that kind of keeps them in the game, even though his approval rating is at a level that historically you would say would be -- would be difficult for an incumbent president.

I mean, they believe that they have a formula that will allow them to improve a few points among those swing voters, working class swing voters in those key rust belt, you know, Midwestern states, and that Trump or DeSantis, or almost anyone that Republicans nominate will solve the problem of generating a lot of enthusiasm among younger voters, in particular, who have never been, you know, entirely wowed by Joe Biden.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: And that malaise felt by some Democrats is a factor in why the announcement is likely coming soon. The Biden camp says it'll take work to energize voters about the president's policies and the prospect of a second term.

CNN's Phil Mattingly reports from the White House.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PHIL MATTINGLY, CNN CHIEF WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT (on-camera): For months, President Biden's top advisers have privately made clear he is going to run for re-election in 2024. What they wouldn't make clear is when exactly he was going to announce it. The president repeatedly saying, he intended to run. In Ireland, last week, saying that he had made the decision and announcement would be forthcoming soon. But when, is very much something that people couldn't figure out.

There's a small group of advisers in control of that timeline, of that process of building a re-election campaign. That campaign, officials now say, is likely to be announced next week -- next week marking the four- year anniversary from when President Biden launched his first campaign for presidency to defeat Donald Trump.

He was successful in that endeavor, and in the years since, he has these, based on the view of White House officials, based on the president's political advisors, built a very real, very substantive agenda, legislative accomplishments, accomplishments that are now being implemented across the country.

And that, more than anything else, so they say the president is going to be focusing on in the months ahead. The model is kind of out in the open. The president has been making very clear those priorities, his accomplishments and also a very clear contrast between Republicans that he knows he will certainly be running against. Whether or not that's Donald Trump or somebody else, advisers don't necessarily want to weigh in.

But they feel confident that based on that agenda, and based on those contrasts, they have a winning formula. But it's a formula that will certainly take developing over time. And they also underscore, when you talk to White House officials and the president's political team, that this will be a year of building. Building up on their campaign, whether or not that's the president's travel, how they try and focus things but also building behind the scenes.

The infrastructure of the campaign has largely been put together behind the scenes over the course of the last couple of months, but they will spend 2023 testing digital strategies, testing data strategies, testing voter messages and watching the Republican primary play out.

[02:04:52]

And that last point is a critical one because it was one of the drivers behind the president's decision to wait until next week to launch that campaign, recognizing that there's no real pressure on the democratic side from any potential primary opponent, there's a recognition that the president was likely to run again. And certainly, there was plenty of fighting that they were happy to watch from the sidelines on the Republican side of things.

But now, the president ready to engage, major donors are expected in Washington at the end of next week to meet with the president's senior team. This is all building towards what people knew was coming. They just didn't know when. The when appears to be next week.

Phil Mattingly, CNN, the White House.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BRUNHUBER: Meanwhile, Conservative Talk Radio Host Larry Elder is the latest candidate to enter the Republican race for president. He said his top issues include securing the border and pushing back against the concept of systemic racism in the U.S. He also criticized the lack of fathers and families. Elder will speak at the Iowa Faith and Freedom Coalition this weekend. His last foray into politics was his unsuccessful attempt to unseat California Governor Gavin Newsom during the recall effort two years ago.

We're keeping a close eye on the situation in Sudan, where the paramilitary rapid support forces has announced a 72-hour pause in fighting to coincide with the Eid al-Fitr holiday. No word from the head of Sudan's army on whether his forces have agreed to the temporary truce.

Two previous ceasefires have collapsed within hours and non-little (ph) to stop the clashes between rival military factions. The World Health Organization reports more than 330 people have been killed. Many residents of the Khartoum have been struck in their homes for days without electricity. Medicine, food and water are running low and it's getting more difficult for people in the besieged capital to flee.

The international airport has been closed for days and bus tickets out of Khartoum are five times more expensive than usual. U.N. Secretary General Antonio Gutierres is urging both sides to stop the fighting. Here he is.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANTONIO GUTIERRES, U.N. SECRETARY-GENERAL: All parties to the conflict are Muslim. You are living a very important moment in the Muslim calendar. I think this is the right moment for the ceasefire to hold. And this ceasefire is absolutely crucial at the present moment.

(END SVIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken says he's speaking with both military leaders in Sudan, urging them to uphold a ceasefire, but the U.S. military is making plans to get Americans out, just in case.

CNN's Oren Liebermann reports from the Pentagon.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

OREN LIEBERMANN, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: The Defense Department has positioned a number of additional forces near Sudan and a number of additional capabilities in the event of an emergency situation and in preparation for different contingencies. According to DOD, some of those contingencies include the need to secure the embassy and perhaps the need to evacuate the embassy.

Now, the Defense Department won't say what additional forces or where. But we've learned from the U.S. Defense official that there are now several hundred marines in Djibouti at Camp Lemonnier. Those marines have an aviation combat element with them, essentially aircraft that can move marines and other ground forces in, if necessary, and those forces could be used again. Both to secure the embassy and to evacuate if needed, given the situation.

The U.S., and that includes the State Department, the Defense Department and the White House are watching the situation in Sudan and in Khartoum very closely. According to DOD records, there are only about 14 troops based there, including 13 marines, and those would largely be embassy security in Khartoum, in the capital of Sudan.

To move those out to secure them, it will take many more forces and this is why we're seeing that build up in Djibouti. In terms of when an evacuation might happen, a senior U.S. official says it's not imminent. And that's because they're looking for an open window, an active ceasefire that holds between the two warring factions here.

The best chance for that, the senior U.S. official says, might be the upcoming Eid al-Fitr holiday in the coming days. And that's what they're looking at. Again, that's not a guarantee. It is simply the best window. It looks like the evac might be possible.

Oren Liebermann, CNN, at the Pentagon.

(END OF VIDEOTAPE)

BRUNHUBER: A stormy Thursday across the middle of the country. There have been more than 120 storm reports stretching from Texas to Michigan. Most of those reports were hail and high winds. One tornado was reported in Tyler, Texas.

The threat moves a bit east on Friday. Severe thunderstorm watches remain across parts of Texas and Louisiana. Flash flood warnings are up in parts of Texas. Flooding around Austin prompted a number of water rescues Thursday night. Flights bound for Austin were halted for a time because of severe storms.

All right. We have some updates this hour on some of the recent shootings to make headlines here in the U.S. Police in Alabama have arrested a sixth person in the killings of four people at a sweet-16 birthday this weekend in the town of Dadeville. An unnamed 15-year old has been formally charged with four counts of reckless murder. At least 32 other people were injured.

And in North Carolina, the man, police say shot a six-year old neighbor and her parents after a basketball rolled into his yard. He's been taken into custody in Florida. Police say 24-year old Robert Louis Singleton turned himself into authorities.

[02:10:05]

Ukraine makes a diplomatic move on an issue that Russia has done its utmost to prevent. Still ahead, Kyiv beats the drum for joining NATO as its top leader comes to visit. Then, why homophobic legislation in Uganda is on the cusp of becoming law. Stay with us.

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BRUNHUBER: Ukraine is making a new push to do one of the things that Russia tried to prevent with its invasion to join NATO. The alliance's Secretary General paid a visit to Kyiv on Thursday and met with President Vladimir Zelenskyy who made a new pitch for joining NATO, which could put it on a path to a military conflict with Moscow. The NATO leader didn't offer any timelines to Kyiv, but he did say this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JENS STOLTENBERG, NATO SECRETARY GENERAL: Ukraine's future is in the Euro-Atlantic family. Ukraine's future is in NATO.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: Moscow responded to Stoltenberg's visit, saying, that keeping Ukraine out of NATO remains one of its military goals.

While CNN's Ben Wedeman reports, Ukraine is closing ranks with NATO even without a membership.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BEN WEDEMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A blunt message to Moscow. The head of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization in Kyiv, demonstrating the military alliance's firm support for Ukraine, even though it's not yet a member.

[02:15:03] STOLTENBERG: NATO stands with you today, tomorrow and for as long as it takes.

WEDEMAN (voice-over): Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg is the first NATO representative to officially visit Ukraine since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion.

STOLTENBERG: Great to see you. I am so impressed.

VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, PRESIDENT OF UKRAINE: Great to see you.

WEDEMAN (voice-over): An act, once thought of as too provocative given President Vladimir Putin's warnings against the block creeping ever closer to Russia.

STOLTENBERG: And let me once again express my strong support.

WEDEMAN: But Kyiv says it's looking for even more than this type of close cooperation with NATO.

ZELENSKYY (through translator): We value support from NATO allies and support with weapons, but we want to know when Ukraine will be in NATO.

WEDEMAN: Stoltenberg promised that the topic will be, quote, "high on the agenda" in July's NATO summit in Lithuania and emphasized the more than $160 billion of support already delivered to Ukraine. Allies are sending more jets, tanks and armored vehicles, but Ukraine says it needs security guarantees.

ZELENSKYY (through translator): We need something more than the kind of relationship we are having now.

WEDEMAN (voice-over): Even still, that relationship in NATO's broader alliance are undoubtedly stronger since Russia's war began representing a major blow to Putin.

(on camera): Stoltenberg's visit comes just a few days after Putin visited Russian troops in occupied areas of southern and eastern Ukraine, his own attempt to display strength at a time when the conflict enters a critical stage.

Ben Wedeman, CNN, Kyiv.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BRUNHUBER: More western tanks will be headed to Ukraine, but not in time for its expected counter offensive this year. Denmark and the Netherlands say they will jointly donate 14 Leopard tanks to Kyiv, but they won't arrive to Ukraine before early next year, so they can't take part in the expected Ukrainian counterstrike.

Uganda is closer than ever to adopting Anti-LGBTQ Plus legislation that's among the harshest in the world. The Ugandan ruling party says the president congratulated lawmakers on Thursday over the bill's passage, but then sent it back to parliament for amendments. It's expected to be finalized next week.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DENIS HAMPSON OBUA, UGANDA'S RULING PARTY CHIEF WHIP: The president in principle congratulated the members of parliament on two fronts; one, for the strong stand on the Anti-Homosexuality Bill; and two, for rejecting pressure from the imperialists.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: The Draconian legislation has triggered worldwide outrage with some of the loudest condemnation coming from the European Union, which voted on Thursday to condemn the bill.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MALIN BJORK, EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT MEMBER, SWEDEN: The proposed Ugandan bill imposing death penalty for consensual same sex relations is simply horrific. Death, for being who we are, death for loving another person that the majority doesn't think you should have the right to love.

KARSTEN LUCKE, EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT MEMBER, GERMANY: And this law doesn't take one step, doesn't take 10 steps, but countless steps back into what feels really like middle ages. The proposed criminalization of human -- of homosexual people tramples human rights in such a way that it's really unbearable.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: Major corporations have also spoken out against the bill, which would impose the death penalty for those deemed guilty of so- called "aggravated homosexuality."

CNN's Stephanie Busari looks at the anti-gay legal action in Uganda and across the region.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

STEPHANIE BUSARI, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In much of Africa, the LGBTQ community is living in fear. Following their heart could cost them their lives.

UNKNOWN: I cannot control myself. I cannot pretend what I'm not. I don't even know if I'm really safe.

BUSARI (voice-over): In recent months, East Africa's LGBTQ laws have been a topic of global conversation. In March, Uganda passed a harsh anti-LGBTQ bill within the text of severe punishments for those who engage in, quote, "aggravated homosexuality." If found guilty, individuals would be sentenced to death.

While supporters in parliament celebrated, many around the world mourned the decision.

KARINE JEAN-PIERRE, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: Human rights are universal. No one should be attacked, imprisoned or killed simply because of who they are or whom they love.

BUSARI (voice-over): Western leaders condemned the bill, a coalition of businesses amongst them. Microsoft and Google warned that the move could damage the regional economy.

Uganda isn't alone. A group of Tanzanian MPs are also calling for tougher laws on LGBTQ citizens. At the same time, Kenya has made one step towards equality.

[02:20:00]

The Supreme Court moved to allow the registration of groups that represent LGBTQ interest. Still, some lawmakers say they will work to overturn the decision.

UNKNOWN: This judgment, this ruling, should actually be re-examined through a review. And if the review is denied, rests assured as a House, we will move to outlaw everything they have done, because we have power to do so.

ICHUNG WAH, KENYAN PARLIAMENT MAJORITY LEADER: Our laws are quite clear. Our penal code still has outlawed issues to do with homosexuality.

BUSARI (voice-over): While the Supreme Court ruling is victory for the LGBTQ community, it hasn't been without consequences. The activist group at the center of the ruling says it has received a spike in calls related to assaults, threats and discrimination. According to the group, numbers rose from 78 in January to 367 in March of this year.

But despite some acts of violence, Kenya is generally viewed as a safer space for members of the LGBTQ community. Same-sex relations and marriages are illegal, but the law isn't regularly enforced, a rare reprieve for community, fighting for justice and equality.

Stephanie Busari, CNN.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BRUNHUBER: Women in the U.S. are waiting to hear from the Supreme Court as it decides the fate of an abortion drug in the case that could affect reproductive rights. We'll have details on what's at stake right after the break. Please stay with us.

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[02:25:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BRUNHUBER: And 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.

The U.S. Supreme Court is expected to decide in the coming hours whether to take up the case of the abortion drug, mifepristone, or to uphold a lower court ruling, which placed restrictions on the drug and rolled back Food and Drug Administration approval, which was granted more than 20 years ago.

Mifepristone is used in a majority of abortions in states that still provide access in the U.S. As we wait the Supreme Court decision, it's important to note that the drug is approved in more than 90 countries worldwide. But with last year's Supreme Court ruling that overturned Roe v. Wade and now with the abortion drug on the chopping block, United States seems to be out of step with the rest of the world on this issue.

So, joining me now to discuss this from Lisbon, Portugal is Kelly Blanchard, President of the non-profit research group, IBIS Reproductive Health. Thanks so much for being here with us. So, no other country that's approved the drug has ever rescinded it. When it comes to reproductive rights, many countries, you know, might have looked to the U.S. as a role model. All of that now seems to be in question.

KELLY BLANCHARD, PRESIDENT, IBIS REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH: Thanks so much for having me. And yeah -- yes, the U.S. is completely out of step with its recent restrictions, both on abortion broadly and now this attack on mifepristone. And mifepristone, as you mentioned, is approved in over 90 countries.

Medication abortion is safe and effective. We have decades of data proving its safety. Millions of people have used it and it's endorsed by the World Health Organization. It really, all of us, should have the right to access the abortion care that we need and want.

BRUNHUBER: So I mean, if it is banned, the effects of that, would more people here in the U.S. possibly turn to other countries for these drugs, like India or Mexico, for instance?

BLANCHARD: Well, I think we're seeing, since the Dobbs ruling and the increase in restrictions across the U.S., a number of ways that people are trying to access care, either by traveling to a different state, by accessing pills through different online outlets, vehicles and -- but we also knew that since the Dobbs ruling, tens of thousands of people have not been able to access the care that they have wanted. So this would be just a further non-evidence based restriction on people's access to safe and effective abortion care.

BRUNHUBER: Yeah, I know that in some countries, even though mifepristone is approved, you know, access can be very difficult for a variety of reasons. So, they just use misoprostol, a different drug. In fact, that's the norm in some countries. So medical abortion here in the U.S., even if mifepristone was banned would still be possible. But what are the disadvantages of using the other drug?

BLANCHARD: The World Health Organization endorses both approaches to medication abortion. So, as you mentioned either mifepristone or misoprostol alone, both are safe and effective. But again, the safety record of Mifepristone is so strong. We have so much evidence on its safety and effectiveness. There is absolutely no reason that it shouldn't be available.

As you said, in some places, there are some countries mifepristone is not registered or costs can be a barrier. And misoprostol only is a very good option for medication abortion. But there's again, that's no reason to take mifepristone off the market. In the United States, it's this is just a completely non-evidence-based attack and another attempt to roll back access to abortion in the United States.

BRUNHUBER: Yeah, looking at the wider situation, I mean, in many other countries, statistics suggest restrictive abortion laws don't lead to fewer abortions, they just lead to more unsafe abortions in the U.S. You know, it's done a lot of work in developing countries to try to prevent women from self-managing their abortions outside of a formal healthcare setting. So -- but many American women now may feel they have no other choice.

BLANCHARD: Well, women themselves can manage abortion on their own with medications, with mifepristone and misoprostol or misoprostol alone that is safe and effective. But again, everyone should have access to high quality care and the choice of evidence-based care. And so, whether that means medication abortion from a clinical setting or procedure abortion in a clinic, or self-managing your abortion at home, all of those are safe and effective options and all of them should be available to people everywhere. Anyone who's seeking needs or wants abortion care.

KIM BRUNHUBER, CNN ANCHOR: Yes, I guess. But if those drugs aren't necessarily available, then they might take other more dangerous means is my point.

BLANCHARD: That's absolutely right. There's -- these drugs are safe and effective and should be available to people so that they can use the evidence-based options to self-manage their abortions. Exactly.

BRUNHUBER: Yes. All right. We'll be watching for that Supreme Court decision coming later today. Appreciate your expertise on this issue. Kelly Blanchard, thanks so much for joining us.

BLANCHARD: Thank you so much for having me.

BRUNHUBER: Myanmar's military junta launches horrifying airstrikes on a village claiming to be targeting terrorists. From among the dead, dozens of women and children. We'll have the grim details ahead on CNN NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[02:35:23]

BRUNHUBER: A shocking story out of Myanmar. Troops from the country's military junta returned to a small village Thursday for what's being described as a cleanup operation. That's according to Myanmar's ousted shadow government. They say the military carried out new airstrikes and sent troops to the area to kill anyone who stayed.

Now, CNN has been unable to independently verify the report. But it comes after the junta forces said it was targeting terrorists when its helicopter, gunships, and fighter jets rained fire on the same village last week.

Anna Coren has a story. And we just want to warn you, this report contains details and images many viewers may find disturbing.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ANNA COREN, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voiceover): On this dusty mound near a grove of banana trees, villagers don't know where to walk. Everywhere they turn is another dismembered body. Legs, arms severed heads, human flesh littering the earth.

We can't recognize who they are, says the man filming this video. There are so many. Hundreds of people had gathered for a community celebration last Tuesday in Pazigyi, part of a self-governed district in Sagaing State northern, Myanmar. They come for breakfast on the eve of Thingyan, a Buddhist New Year festival. Families, the elderly, and dozens and dozens of children. (INAUDIBLE) this, man. What did these kids do wrong? At 7:45 a.m., a military jet dropped a bomb on the building where they gathered according to witnesses. Minutes later, a Mi-35 attack Helicopter mowed down survivors and continued to circle for the next 15 minutes firing at anyone who moved.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): We heard a boom. I hit the ground and there was a huge cloud of smoke. I got up and realize my daughter was missing.

COREN: As the wounded scream for help, this man searched among the dead and injured for his three-year-old daughter and his parents.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): It was a killing field where people scattered everywhere. A woman with burst intestines died in front of me. I was shaking. Why would they kill their own civilians?

COREN: And then after several hours, he found them.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): My father was cut in half from the waist. My mother's body was unrecognizable. My daughter was headless.

COREN: He says he lost seven family members. Others lost their entire family. For those who miraculously survived, the injured were taken to makeshift medical clinics as staff treated their catastrophic wounds. Others fled to the safety of the forest coming to terms with the horror they just witnessed.

I cannot comfort myself, cries this woman. Everyone is suffering. With fears of more aerial attacks, villagers quickly gathered the bodies and place the countless remains in piles for cremation. Burn, burn, burn. The wood is not enough. Please add the tires, pleads this man. We are trying to burn the flesh of the dead. Sure enough, a military helicopter did return just before sunset, firing more missiles at those who'd come to cremate the dead. The day's final death toll according to the national unity government, 186 people killed. The deadliest attack since the junta's power in a coup more than two years ago.

The military confirmed the bombings saying they were targeting rebel forces who've been fighting Myanmar's military government. But CNN has interviewed over half a dozen eyewitnesses of last week's attack, who say the target was civilians. This man lost 30 relatives, including young nieces and nephews.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don't know why they targeted a place full of pregnant women, children, and the elderly. The military are not human. They are more savage than animals.

COREN: During our interview, a jet flies over.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They said a jet fighter is coming.

COREN (on camera): A jet fighter is coming?

(voiceover) The threat ever present. The day before the Sagaing attack, the military bombed a school and church in neighboring Chin State, according to Myanmar's national unity government. Nine people were killed including the principal, his wife, and their son.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, OK.

[02:40:11]

COREN: And last month in Chin State, 22 people were executed outside of a monastery including three monks, a resistance group said. CNN obtained this footage from the opposition defense forces and spoke to the coroner who carried out the post-mortems. He confirmed all victims were tortured and had been shot in the head.

While the latest massacre sparked international condemnation of the junta, and the countries that support them, such as China and Russia, the families of the victims say it's just more empty words. How many more children have to die before the world's leaders take action? Pleads this man, grieving the loss of his baby nice. He says this is genocide.

Anna Coren, CNN.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BRUNHUBER: I'm Kim Brunhuber. For those of you watching us here in the U.S. and Canada, we'll be back with more of today's top stories after a short break. For our international viewers, "WORLD SPORT" is up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[02:45:35]

BRUNHUBER: A legal victory at least for now for actor Alec Baldwin. Prosecutors in New Mexico say they're dropping charges against him in connection with the deadly shooting on the set of the movie Rust. This after new facts emerged in the case. CNN's Chloe Melas has the latest. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ALEC BALDWIN, ACTOR: So, my only question is am I being charged with something?

CHLOE MELAS, CNN ENTERTAINMENT REPORTER (voiceover): Alec Baldwin soon will no longer be accused after New Mexico Prosecutors plan to file a motion dismissing involuntary manslaughter charges against the actor. A move they call "temporary" pending further investigation. Baldwin reacted on Instagram, posting a photo of his wife saying "I owe everything I have to this woman. And to you, Luke." His attorney.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You were in the room when that lady (INAUDIBLE) some of the shot?

BALDWIN: I am the one holding the gun. Yes.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK.

MELAS: Baldwin admitted to holding the gun that fired a bullet killing Halyna Hutchins, the cinematographer on Baldwin's film Rust, but told police he did not know he was handed an unloaded gun. Baldwin resumes filming on Rust this week with production move to Montana. This was Baldwin last year.

BALDWIN: Someone is responsible for what happened, and I can't say who that is. But I know it's not me.

MELAS: The dismissal is a win for Baldwin's legal team, which challenged the motives and politics of one of the original prosecutors.

ANDREA REEB, FORMER NEW MEXICO SPECIAL PROSECUTOR: It doesn't matter if he's a liberal Democrat and I'm a conservative Republican. My job has always been to prosecute crimes.

MELAS: In February, Baldwin's lawyers filed a motion to remove special prosecutor Andrea Reed, who at the time of the investigation, was running for state representative in New Mexico. In an e-mail later revealed in The New York Times, Reeb suggested being involved in the case, "might help in my campaign."

Both Reeb and the district attorney who hired her ultimately recused themselves. Their replacements dropped the charges against Baldwin. His attorneys are saying they "encourage a proper investigation into the facts and circumstances of this tragic accident."

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Is there live ammo that has come to the set?

HANNA GUTIERREZ-REED, RUST WEAPON HANDLER: No, never.

MELAS: The film's weapons handler, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed is now the sole defendant in the case facing 18 months for involuntary manslaughter. Her attorney says she will plead not guilty. And that Gutierrez-Reed "has been emotional about the tragedy that has committed no crime." MATTHEW HUTCHINS, HALYNA HUTCHINS' HUSBAND: Are we really supposed to feel bad about you, Mr. Baldwin?

MELAS: Halyna Hutchins's husband has been a vocal critic of Baldwin saying he should face charges.

HUTCHINS: The idea that the person holding the gun and causing it to discharge is not responsible is absurd to me.

MELAS: But now, justice for Halyna Hutchins moves forward without a star defendant.

BALDWIN: And she was great at her job and she died -- and she died. And that's -- that hurts me every day.

MELAS (on camera): Prosecutors released a lengthier statement Thursday evening, revealing that this move to dismiss the charges is only temporary pending a further investigation, so CNN has reached out to Alec Baldwin's legal team for further comment. The attorney for Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, the armorer on Rust has spoken out saying in a statement to CNN that they believe that she too will have her charges dismissed and be fully exonerated.

Now, a preliminary hearing is set for May third and the trial is expected to begin this summer. And we will just have to see what the DA ultimately decides. Back to you.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BRUNHUBER: Now, some legal experts aren't surprised the charges against Alec Baldwin were dismissed. CNN's Senior Legal Analyst Elie Honig says the actor isn't getting any special treatment because of his celebrity status. Here he is.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ELIE HONIG, CNN SENIOR LEGAL ANALYST: This case was wildly overcharged, that the most serious charge they brought against Alec Baldwin initially was a firearms charge that was not on the books at the time of this incident. You cannot do that. They had to dismiss that charge.

So, it's no surprise given the pattern of prosecutorial incompetence we've seen throughout, I do not think Alec Baldwin is getting any kind of special preferential treatment here. If anything, it could be that he was singled out because he's a high-profile name. Sometimes prosecutors trying to advance their own names and their own political futures will do that.

But I think if you just substitute out Alec Baldwin and make this an anonymous person on a movie set, someone who was unknown, I do not think that the charges would have ever justified involuntary manslaughter charges like Alec Baldwin faced.

(END VIDEO CLIP) BRUNHUBER: The race is on to keep the U.S. government from defaulting on its debt and the Republican House Speaker is proposing a $1.5 trillion increase in the debt limit in exchange for deep cuts in domestic spending. CNN's Chief Congressional Correspondent Manu Raju has details.

[02:50:05]

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MANU RAJU, CNN CHIEF CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Kevin McCarthy is reaching a critical moment after months of internal negotiations to put together a debt ceiling plan that can win the support of 218 votes in the U.S. House. That means he can't lose more than four Republican votes. At the moment, more than four Republicans are raising concerns. They will still be reviewing the details. But McCarthy and his team believe that they can ultimately get there even as they have added a slew of conservative priorities and spending cuts in order to win over Republicans.

As part of this $1.5 trillion increase of the $31.4 trillion national borrowing limit, McCarthy is proposing a slew of cuts across the board and federal program, including an ending President Biden's student loan forgiveness program, pulling back funding for the IRS, that was enacted as part of the Democrats' Inflation Reduction Act, also to impose new work requirements on Medicaid, and also -- so their social safety net programs, all part of an effort Republicans argue will help save money.

But Democrats say that this is a recipe for economic disaster. They are pushing back on this issue. And the White House at the moment holding firm, saying that there will be no talks whatsoever with Speaker McCarthy, and demanding he simply raised the debt ceiling without any conditions attached. But in talking to members of both parties, both parties are concerned with their leadership's approach to this issue.

REP. TIM BURCHETT (R-TN): I'm still --

RAJU: Are you still struggling with it?

BURCHETT: Yes, I'm still struggling with the fact that we're $32 trillion in debt.

RAJU: (INAUDIBLE)

BURCHETT: If it was right now, it'd be a no.

REP. JARED MOSKOWITZ (D-FL): Yes, I think the Speaker of the House and the President United States should always talk, right? And so should the leader of the Senate. They should always be talking.

So, I think -- I think Joe Biden should be talking to Kevin McCarthy, even if those conversations right now prove nothing productive. But I do think they should be talking.

RAJU: You know, what is your fear if there are these talks don't happen?

MOSKOWITZ: Well, my fear is that this gets pushed all the way to the last moment. And then if we're at the last moment, and things fall apart, we go off -- we go off the cliff for the first time in default, which will be absolutely catastrophic.

RAJU: But despite the pressure among some Democrats, like Congressman Moskowitz right there, the Democratic leaders are still holding firm. Including Chuck Schumer, the Senate majority leader who told me this afternoon that even if House Republicans passed their bill next week, they will not change their posture going forward. And that any bill, he said, that must be ultimately enacted must be clean, meaning no conditions whatsoever.

So, we are heading into a critical moment here. Few weeks, potentially a couple of months until the country could face its first-ever U.S. debt default, and still the two sides in a high-stakes game of chicken with the -- with the U.S. economy in the potential of the world economy hanging in the balance.

Manu Raju, CNN, Capitol Hill.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BRUNHUBER: President Biden is pledging half a billion dollars to protect the Amazon rainforest. It comes as he met at the White House on Thursday with Colombia's President. Gustavo Petro urged Biden to build a progressive alliance in the Americas focused on democracy and clean energy. The Colombian President asked for international sanctions against Venezuela to be lifted. He rejected calls to send Colombia's Russian-made helicopters to Ukraine.

The maker of Narcan nasal spray is aiming for the life-saving product to be more affordable now that it can be sold over the counter here in the U.S. The pharmaceutical company, Emergent, plans for the antidote's out-of-the-pocket price to be less than $50.00. That's how much nonprofits and first responders pay on average.

Narcan can usually reverse opioid overdoses with a single treatment. Although its wholesale price is $125, retails can set their own prices. Emergent hopes to have Narcan available online and in stores by late summer.

BRUNHUBER: Oh, everything started off OK for the inaugural test flight of SpaceX's giant super-heavy rocket and starship spacecraft. It was a powerful rocket ever built and successfully took off from the launch pad in South Texas on Thursday. But then --

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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Everything after clearing the tower, was icing on the cake.

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BRUNHUBER: Oh. And about four minutes into the flight, several engines went out, the Starship tumbled, and then as you can see exploded, or as SpaceX creatively put it, a rapid unscheduled disassembly. The company still called it a success because they still learn a lot and they're planning another test in a few months.

And there was another vehicle damage during the launch. Have a look at this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

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BRUNHUBER: Yes, not the best place to park there. Someone parked too close to the launch site. The force of the launch blew out the car's windows as debris and smoke swept in. The camera that caught the scene was about 1100 feet or 335 meters from the launch area.

[02:55:00]

Well, the hillsides of California are awash with wildflowers because of epic rainfall this past winter. Have a look here. The super bloom of beautiful yellow, orange, blue, and purple flowers, it's a huge tourist destination. And parks officials want people to enjoy it but they're asking tourists not to stray off the trails and trample the flowers to capture the best pictures as they have in the past.

The extraordinary bloom you can see - you can see it there in space satellite images show bright orange and yellow across canyons and hilltops that have been brown and barren for years. And this year's super bloom will likely last until early next month. Beautiful.

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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