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Search for Man Suspected of Killing Neighbors; Clashes Unfold Despite Truce in Sudan; Biden's Message at Correspondents Dinner. Aired 3-4a ET

Aired April 30, 2023 - 03:00   ET

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

[03:00:00]

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And if you look at the best family sitcoms on T.V. right now, that's what they're doing.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: If anybody you all wants to know what's up, this Latin American family is headed to their American home.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: That is so cool. Anne Hathaway just totally stood up for those Mexicans.

LYNDA KINKADE, CNN ANCHOR: Hello and welcome to our viewers joining us here in the U.S. and around the world. Good to have you with us. I'm Lynda Kinkade and this is CNN Newsroom.

Coming up, a desperate manhunt underway after a gunman in Texas went on a rampage killing five people, the details ahead.

A broken truce, thousands rush to flee Sudan as violent clashes unfolding Khartoum.

And the White House Correspondents Dinner on a night filled with one- liners, President Biden calls for Russia to release the American journalist held at a prison in Moscow.

A horrific story developing in the United States, in the state of Texas, where a manhunt is now underway after a gunman allegedly opened fire on his neighbors killing five people, including an eight-year-old child. Police say the shooting occurred after a family asked the man next door, 38-year-old Francisco opposes to stop firing a rifle in his front yard because their baby was trying to sleep. Authorities were tracking Oropeza's phone but they say the trail went cold Saturday night.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GREG CAPERS, SAN JACINTO COUNTY, TEXAS SHERIFF: He could be anywhere now.

The tracking dogs from the Texas Department of Corrections picked up the scent and then they lost that scent in the water.

The area has went from five or six square miles. It could be as much as 10 or 20 depending on whether or not he crossed the highline wire.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KINKADE: Well, CNN's Ryan Young has more on the shooting.

RYAN YOUNG, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: The all-out manhunt continues in Texas. This city is about 45 miles outside of Houston, Texas.

Now, police and the FBI are looking for Francisco Oropeza. He is the man that sheriff's deputies say neighbors asked to stop shooting his gun from his front porch because they had a young child, they want to be able to go to sleep. And according to the sheriff's deputies, he then walked over at some point, shooting and killing five people in the home, including an eight-year-old, all execution-style, all shooting them above the neck and shoulders.

And so, right now, deputies are hoping to find this man. They were tracking a device at some point but that device has been found, the man has not. Listen to the FBI about this search.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JAMES SMITH, FBI SPECIAL AGENT IN CHARGE, HOUSTON FIELD OFFICE: We consider him armed and dangerous and we are not going to stop until we actually arrest him and bring him into custody. But he is out there and he is a threat to the community. So, I don't want anyone to think that that's something different than that. He is a threat to the community and we need the community's help to hopefully locate him soon and take him off the streets tonight.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

YOUNG: Special Agent James Smith was telling anyone who would listen that they believe this man could still be armed and could still be dangerous, obviously, as he knows he is on the run after shooting and killing these five people.

Two of the women who were found dead inside this home were found covering two smaller children who were not harmed in this shooting. But, obviously, there were ten people in their home. You can imagine the emotional impact as this entire community tries to figure out exactly what goes on. But when you put this picture up on the screen, that should help sheriff's deputies and the FBI get some more tips, some more calls, in hopes of catching this man.

Ryan Young, CNN, Atlanta Georgia.

KINKADE: Well, the five victims were all from Honduras and some had just recently arrived at that home from Houston. Honduras' foreign minister is calling for the justice in the killings, demanding on Twitter that the full weight of the law be applied to those responsible for the crime.

And as you heard earlier, the Federal Bureau of Investigation is assisting in this manhunt. CNN National Security Analyst Juliette Kayyem explains why the case might warrant FBI involvement. JULIETTE KAYYEM, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY ANALYST: They did not explain why the FBI would have jurisdiction unless there is something related to his immigration status. We know he's a Mexican national. And despite what people think, actually, nationals can lawfully purchase guns in this country. And so this may be a lawful purchase. But then if it involves another country, maybe that's the nexus with the FBI or it has something to do with capacity, whether this county can do it.

KINKADE: Well, this represents another mass shooting in the United States.

[03:05:01]

According to the Gun Violence Archive, there have been at least 174 mass shootings in the U.S. so far this year.

A third week of fighting has begun in Sudan where clashes between the country's army and the paramilitary Rapid Defense Force continue despite a truce signed by both sides. Witnesses tell CNN that gunfire could be heard near the presidential palace in Central Khartoum early Sunday, this after heavy fighting Saturday in an around the capital with airstrikes and heavy artillery in use.

More than 10,000 families have left Khartoum for a small town to the north where locals have organized food, housing and medical care. A convoy of American evacuees organized by the U.S. government reached the Port Sudan on Saturday after an overland journey from Khartoum. They are traveling on to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, where many foreign and Sudanese nationals have already fled.

CNN's Larry Madowo is aboard a Saudi navy vessel near Port Sudan. Saudi authorities are helping evacuated more people to bring them back to Jeddah, and he filed this report.

LARRY MADOWO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: We are off the coast of Port Sudan and the latest evacuees just got on this Saudi warship, there's 52 of them. To get here to Port Sudan, they had to make the arduous 500- mile-plus journey across from Khartoum and territory that essentially part of a war zone.

They are now on the ship. They are getting processed, having their passports checked before another 10, 12-hour journey to Jeddah in Saudi Arabia. Jeddah has become one of the main landing points for so many people who were evacuating from Sudan and Saudi Arabia as a key diplomatic player in Sudan but also one of the biggest countries that's helping people leave from Port Sudan across the Red Sea into Jeddah.

The reason so many people, thousands are leaving to border posts across Chad and Egypt and Ethiopia and South Sudan is because there is no sense that this conflict is about to come to a close. So far, all of the ceasefires between the Rapid Support Forces and the Sudanese Armed Forces have quickly fallen apart. And despite every international effort to try and get these two warring generals to agree to a cessation of hostilities, it does not look like it's about to happen. That is why so many people are leaving the country. Larry Madowo, CNN, Port Sudan.

KINKADE: Well, CNN International Correspondent David McKenzie joins us now from Johannesburg, South Africa, with more on all of this. Good to have you with us, David.

So, I want to get to more on the evacuations in a moment, but, first, I want to first focus on the fighting that is continuing, now in its third week, these clashes going on despite the fact that the ceasefire was extended.

DAVID MCKENZIE, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, that is right. And as you said, CNN journalists on the ground on Sunday morning local time said that there had been clashes ongoing, the sound of gunfire around the presidential palace.

On Saturday, there was significant reports of heavy fighting, including heavy weapons and artillery in the northeast of Khartoum, in a neighborhood east of the Nile, which indicates that this ceasefire, while important on some level, because it does appear to, at times, created some calm in pockets of the city, it is not holding certainly upright and is really a ceasefire on paper.

What it means is that those staying in the capital are facing horrific conditions, both in terms of danger from the fighting and also just the deterioration of humanitarian situations. There have been widespread reports over many days of significant looting of markets, of goods, of cash and people really just kind of hunkered down and trying to avoid all of this. You have also, as you said, people are streaming out of the capital, not just into other nations but within Sudan, north of Khartoum, to try and seek shelter, thousands of them taking shelter with well wishes who are helping them out. Lynda?

KINKADE: Yes. David, talk to us more about those evacuations. Because it is quite remarkable how many foreigners were in or are in Sudan trying to get out, but also certainly a lot of Sudanese that are headed to three different border crossings.

MCKENZIE: Well, it is not surprising that there are so many foreigners in Sudan. This country was seeing a potentially optimistic phase in its history with a civilian transfer that was due to happen of power that did not happen. So, you have engineers, diplomats, people with dual nationalities, many, many thousands of foreigners working in Sudan.

And now there has been this exodus of them and Sudanese out of the country, as we've been reporting on, thousands of them, the U.K. government saying more than 1,000 people taken on multiple flights out of the country from an airfield north of the capital. You've had South Africans in recent hours getting out of the country and expected to land here in Johannesburg in the coming hour or so.

[03:10:08]

There is a sense of disappointment by some Americans who had been stuck in the country but they have managed to get significant land crossing out to Port Sudan in recent hours, all of American citizens and their dependent.

But I want you to listen to one Sudanese evacuees speaking about the situations they face and their decision to live.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MARWAN GHANDOUR, SUDANESE EVACUEE IN ABU DHABI: The situation is very bad. We did not expect it. Friday, we were fine. Saturday, it all broke. And from that day, it was fire in the street, fire in the houses, in the cars. And after two to three days from that, the RSF, they started to have shortage of food, water and power. So, they start to invade homes.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MCKENZIE: Without any meaningful ceasefire between these two warring parties, you can imagine that many more people will try to leave. Lynda?

KINKADE: All right. David McKenzie for us in Johannesburg, good to have you on the story, thank you.

Cameron Hudson is a senior associate at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, African Center. He joins me now from Durham, North Carolina. Good to have you with us.

So, this ceasefire was extended Friday for another 72 hours. Is it holding? What is the status right now?

CAMERON HUDSON, SENIOR ASSOCIATE, CENTER FOR STRATEGIC AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES, AFRICA CENTER: Well, it is not holding. It has not held since it was first announced. There was incredible bombardment and fighting across Khartoum today. So, I think the ceasefire is not worth much more than the words on the page, frankly. When you look at the situation on the streets of Khartoum right now, people sheltering in place, people fleeing the city and reports of aerial bombardment not really stopping, it is hard to argue that there is any kind of ceasefire going on right now.

KINKADE: Of course, we have seen thousands of foreign nationals evacuate in recent days. Tens of thousands of Sudanese have fled, many to Chad, thousands are stuck at the Egyptian-Sudanese border. This is obviously a humanitarian disaster across the board. Just talk to us about the situation at the border.

HUDSON: Well, I think there are three essentially border crossings that we are focused on right now. Obviously, you mentioned the situation from Darfur into Chad. Roughly 30,000 to 40,000 people have crossed into Chad in the last few days. This is a desert environment where there is very few international humanitarian outposts pre- positioned. So, that's already causing some difficulty. Obviously, those areas of Chad have still, to this day, ten years later or more, Darfur refugees still there.

You've got the Egyptian border. The Egyptians, it sounds like, have been fairly uncooperative, frankly, on an administrative front, letting Sudanese pass into the country without visas, without papers. They've obviously fled for their lives. So, they're without many of these kinds of documents, and so the Egyptians not making it any easier to move into Egypt.

And, of course, the last place is Port Sudan, which is still on Sudan but it is on the Red Sea, people trying to get boats or other kind of exit from the country. They are relying largely on the Saudi Navy right now to help escort them out of the country. But there, too, we have seen reports of dual nationals not being able to leave, other nationals not being able to leave, so, really, a chaotic situation all around the country right now.

KINKADE: So, Cameron, what is going to take to end this bloodshed, because it does not seem at this point in time that either side is willing to negotiate?

HUDSON: Well, I think that is the big question right now. Obviously, Washington and Saudi Arabia and some other countries are pressing for a ceasefire. But until there is real tactical shift on the ground, I am skeptical that any kind of ceasefire will move into effect and that either side is really going to want to engage in political negotiations.

As long as they think that they can potentially secure a victory for themselves, for their institution, I think it's going to be unlikely that we see them sitting down to negotiate. And if they do, I think we really have to question the sincerity behind these negotiations. Once again, they have been promising us ceasefire after ceasefire for the last two weeks, none of them have ever held for more than a matter of minutes. So, the idea that they would now sit down and talk about a political settlement just seems really farfetched.

[03:15:00]

And I think we have to be really skeptical of any willingness to sit down at this point.

KINKADE: All right. Cameron Hudson, we will leave it there for now, but we really do appreciate your perspective. Thanks so much for your time.

HUDSON: Thank you.

KINKADE: Well, Ukraine's president talks about an upcoming counteroffensive. A speculation grows about the when and where. But some experts believe Ukraine could be in for a tougher fight before (ph). We'll explain.

And a little later, not a peep, that's what U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy says he's hearing from the White House in the Republican's debt ceiling bill. We will explain why the two sides are not talking.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KINKADE: Welcome back. Russian officials said that a massive fire allegedly caused by Ukrainian drone strike is now under control. The fire burned four fuel tanks at this storage facility in the occupied Crimea without causing any injuries. Ukraine's military intelligence is not confirming whether its drones did indeed cause that damage but it called the fire god's punishment pointing to Russia's deadly missile strike in the city of Uman.

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Searches have stopped looking for survivors in an apartment building that was hit in that attack.

President Zelenskyy says his troops are gearing up for a counteroffensive. But in an interview with Scandinavian journalists on Saturday, he declined to talk about a timeline. Mr. Zelenskyy said Ukraine still needs more weapons and ammunition. He has no doubt Ukraine will be able to regain lost territory.

But some analysts say the upcoming battle could be a far cry from the quick sweep that Ukraine carried out in the northeast last year. Russian troops have been digging in for months and building defensive lines.

Well, for more now, I want to welcome Salma Abdelaziz who joins us live from London. Good to see you, Salma.

So, in the presidential address, Mr. Zelenskyy spoke about preparations for more sanctions against Russians and companies involved in providing Russians with defense equipment. But he also alluded to this counteroffensive, saying we are nearing victory. What more can you tell us about this counteroffensive?

SALMA ABDELAZIZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Absolutely, Lynda. There have been indications, statements from Ukrainian officials that preparations for this counteroffensive or coming to a close. This has been building now for months. There was one point where we were calling it the spring counteroffensive. And as we head into May, there are serious questions as to when this will actually take place.

There has been this lightning speed process, if you will, to prepare Ukrainian forces to make this push on those eastern frontlines. Likely, that counteroffensive will start in the south of the country. NATO has been pouring weapons in, training up Ukrainian soldiers on these new weapons, including, of course, new imported tanks, the defensive vehicles. NATO is saying that some 98 percent of -- over 98 percent of what has been promised in terms of those tanks has already arrived in Ukraine, but that does not mean that the Ukrainian army is ready just yet. Take a listen to what President Zelenskyy said.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT: Let's be honest. First, there will be a counteroffensive. We are preparing for it. It will happen. I really believe that it will be successful and we will be able to de-occupy our territories. I am not ready to say in detail when it will happen and how, but I will say, yes, many things depend on this. But there are many nuances in the supply of certain weapons.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ABDELAZIZ: So, what are those nuances he references, what is the hang up in getting this counteroffensive underway? Well, just as Ukraine has been preparing for this, Russia has been preparing as well, Lynda.

We have satellite images to show you that CNN has reviewed that begin to show you, begin to give you an understanding of how Russia as well is building up its defenses along that southern frontline, in the area of Zaporizhzhia. That means digging in anti-tank trenches, putting in obstacles, minefields, all of these obstacles, again, that Ukrainian forces have to overcome. Eyewitnesses as well on the ground saying that Russia has been pouring troops into the region, more and more Russian forces seen on the ground taking homes in other areas. So, this is going to be a major challenge. And for Ukrainian forces, they have to get it right, Lynda.

KINKADE: Yes, absolutely, a lot of riding on this.

I also want to ask you about the latest attack, a Russian strike on this residential building in Central Ukraine, one of the deadliest attacks we've seen in months. And it was far from the frontlines, right? Tell us more.

ABDELAZIZ: Yes. Again, you heard Ukrainian officials yesterday after that horrific, heartbreaking attack on at least ten different apartment blocks across Ukraine, calling again Russia, accusing it of targeting innocents, of targeting families, of intentionally ramping up the cost of this conflict, very far from those frontlines.

And, of course, speaking about the attack on this apartment block in Uman, more than 40 apartments in that one apartment block. It was hit around 4:00 A.M. local time. So, you can expect families were sleeping, children were sleeping in their beds when a cruise missile launched by Russia from the Caspian Sea struck at that building. So far, we know over 20 people killed, many of them children. It is just a reminder again of the brutality of this conflict, Lynda.

KINKADE: Yes, really. Salma Abdelaziz for us, joining us from London, thanks very much.

Well, anger and emotions boiling over in Tel Aviv Saturday over a proposal that has caused a deep political and social divide in Israel. This is the 17th week of protests against the government's plan to overhaul the judicial system. Tens of thousands of people took to the streets yet again protesting legislation they say poses a threat to democracy and will weaken the Supreme Court.

[03:25:01]

And this comes just days after the largest right-wing demonstration in Jerusalem and two days ahead of the start of the summer session for the country's parliament, the Knesset, on Monday. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his supporters say the judicial overhaul is necessary to check activist judges. He is suspected to convene the weekly cabinet meeting in the coming hours. Still to come, a Biden versus Trump rematch, will that be the 2024 presidential election? Coming up, we'll hear why both candidates face skeptical voters and what each of them will face in their rerun to the White House.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KINKADE: Welcome back. U.S. House Speaker McCarthy says he has not heard a peep from the White House since the Republican-controlled House passed its debt ceiling bill last week. The clock is ticking on Congress and the president to raise America's borrowing limit and avoid a financial catastrophe. The House bill includes deep cuts to Mr. Biden's agenda and it has almost no chance of passing the Senate or getting the president's approval. While McCarthy says he won't cut a deal, he and a few Democrats think Mr. Biden needs to talk.

CNN's Alayna Treene has the details.

ALAYNA TREENE, CNN REPORTER: This is a very consequential week for House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and a huge test of his leadership capabilities. McCarthy has teed up a vote on his bill to raise the debt ceiling this week.

Now, this vote will not be easy, especially given Republicans' slim majority in the House and the divisions within the party. Kevin McCarthy talked about this on Sunday. Here is what he had to say. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

[03:30:00]

REP. KEVIN MCCARTHY (R-CA): We do have a very small majority, only five seats, one of the smallest we've ever had. But I cannot imagine someone in our conference that would want to go along with Biden's reckless spending.

We will hold a vote this week and we will pass it and we will send it to the Senate.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

TREENE: Now, despite McCarthy's confidence, the key question is whether he can convince enough conservatives to get on board with this plan. As of now, many conservatives, like Congressman Andy Biggs, tell us that they are just not there yet. As for the White House, they are insisting they will reject the measure outright. But going into next week, the president is facing pressure from some Democrats who think negotiations with Congress need to begin immediately.

And now to just quickly break down what's actually in this 320-page bill, it includes a series of cuts to domestic spending, including a plan to block Biden's student loan forgiveness program and rescind new funding for the Internal Revenue Service. But the bottom line to focus on here is that Congress is running out of time. Current estimates put the deadline for when a deal must be reached at some point this summer and that has many members on both sides of the aisle on edge.

Alayna Treene, CNN, Washington.

KINKADE: Well, U.S. President Joe Biden used the annual White House Correspondents Dinner to call for the release of Americans held abroad. He acknowledged the family of Wall Street Journal Reporter Evan Gershkovich, whom the U.S. says is wrongfully held in Russia on espionage charges. Another American reporter, Austin Tice, is imprisoned in Syria.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOE BIDEN, U.S. PRESIDENT: Free press is a pillar, maybe the pillar of a free society, not the enemy.

Our message is this, journalism is not a crime. Evan Gershkovich should be released immediately along with every other American held hostage or wrongfully detained abroad.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KINKADE: Ron Brownstein is a CNN Senior Political Analyst and a Senior Editor at The Atlantic and joins us from Los Angeles. Good to have you with us, Ron.

RON BROWNSTEIN, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYLST: Hey, thanks for having me.

KINKADE: So, Joe Biden, at the age of 80, has announced his run for another term. One of the biggest concerns among those polled is his age. We've got an opinion poll that shows that a majority of voters, 48 percent, say his age should not be a reason that -- should be a reason that he shouldn't run. And he joked about that tonight at the White House Correspondents Dinner. He said you call me old, I call it being seasoned. He also pointed out the general notion that we're seeing in newspapers the general headline, Biden's age is a concern, Trump is not, even though Trump is only three years younger. What do you make of that being a reason that concerns voters? BROWNSTEIN: Actually, I think the best line was when he said, I am a

big supporter of the First Amendment. I remember when Jimmy Madison wrote it. Look, it is a real issue for voters. But the view in the Biden campaign and I think view among most professionals in both parties is that we are living in such a polarized era where the lines between the parties are so intractable and so many voters are motivated less by the enthusiastic support of their side than the desire to keep the other side from gaining power and implementing their agenda.

Ultimately, that kind of concern falls away when you get to the actual choice. There are a lot of Democrats, a majority of Democrats at these polls say they do not want Biden to run again. But in the end, they will be facing a choice between Joe Biden and a Republican like Donald Trump or Ron DeSantis, in all likelihood. And in that scenario, the Biden people are pretty confident about how they are going to choose.

KINKADE: Yes, exactly. And, of course, on Thursday, Mike Pence, the former vice president, testified before the grand jury for about seven hours about his dealings with Trump following the 2020 election. But even that investigation, all the other investigations, the new charges about Trump paying hush money to a porn star does not seem to be hurting his chances to be the next Republican presidential contender. Republicans voters seem to really be rallying around him despite this.

BROWNSTEIN: Yes. There is something of a conundrum facing the Republican Party here. Because, clearly, Trump has benefited from a kind of a circling the wagons effect, and he has convinced a lot of Republican voters of this core argument that all of these forces, all of these deep state and liberal prosecutors are going after me because they really want to silence you.

But it's not clear at all that those arguments are having the same kind of effect on the broader electorate. In fact, there was a poll this week I thought it was extremely revealing, an NPR/PBS/Marist College poll, that found 63 percent of Republicans said they want a second Trump term even if he is convicted of a crime. That is really kind of a striking number.

On the other hand, three quarters of independents, three quarters of voters younger than 45, three quarters of people of color and over four fifths of white voters with a college degree said they did not want a second Trump presidency, especially if he is convicted.

[03:35:12]

And so you see kind of dilemma that Republicans are in. I mean, it was not long ago you and I and others were talking after the election about how many leaders in the Republican Party were saying now, finally, we are through with him, we ready to move on after so many of his candidates lost in November, and here they are six months later, the grassroots of the party again rallying around him, Ron DeSantis sputtering (ph), and yet clear warning signs on the horizon about his viability as a general election candidate.

KINKADE: Yes, you make some very, very good points there, Ron. He does seem to have a Teflon coating. Is there anything in your mind that would see him lose support to someone like Ron DeSantis?

BROWNSTEIN: Yes, Teflon coating within the Republican Party, right, but not beyond it. It's so important to understand. If you look at 2016, 2018 and 2020, the best analysis that was done is that over 90 million separate individuals came out in one of those three elections to vote against Trump. He inspires a lot of turnout on his side, among non-college, non-urban evangelical voters who don't usually vote.

But he has inspired massive turnout on the other side and the number of millennials and Gen Z that are going to be eligible to vote in '24 is going to be substantially larger than it was in '20. I mean, the electorate is kind of evolving toward the groups that are the most skeptical of Trump. That fundamentally is the argument against him in a Republican primary.

I mean, it is hard to make a case against him on policy grounds. He's a pretty good match of where the Republican coalition is now, motivated more by cultural and economic issues. Most Republican voters were satisfied with his administration. The strongest case, I think, that his rivals have against him is that whatever he is promising you, he is not going to be able to deliver it because he is not going to be able to win again. But they have been very cautious, as you know, kind of tiptoeing around making that case directly.

KINKADE: Yes, exactly. Ron Brownstein, you always provide such fascinating insight. We appreciate your time. Thank you.

BROWNSTEIN: Thanks for having me.

KINKADE: Well, still ahead, Paraguay gears up for a crucial presidential election in the coming hours. Some of the issues are in voters' minds, just ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[03:40:00]

KINKADE: Welcome back. American officials are bracing for a surge in migration at the U.S.-Mexico border. It comes as the federal government gets ready to lift pandemic-era health restrictions on U.S. entry. That means border authorities will no longer be able to quickly expel certain migrants. The New York mayor, Eric Adams, wants the federal government to start spending emergency relief money to cities whose leaders are busing migrants to his state.

CNN's Polo Sandoval reports.

POLO SANDOVAL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Officials here in New York City are preparing for the realities that may come in a post Title 42 world, that is the public health authority that's been in place since the pandemic that's restricting the ability for some migrants to actually cross into the United States, as it is set to expire in mid-May. The concern among city officials is the average daily rate of asylum seekers arriving here in New York, about 200, is likely to potentially increase, as we are beginning to see many of those migrants finally crossing into the U.S., and with that, concerns of that increasing price tag.

Over the last year, city officials are saying that the migrant crisis here in New York City has already cost them at least $817 million in order to care for and house for these migrants. The projections are that that number could potentially reach $1.4 billion by the end of June. And that is why what we've heard since last year, New York City Mayor Eric Adams really calling on his fellow Democrat in the White House to do more to assist New York City in managing the situation.

He is calling for any potential executive action on behalf of President Joe Biden to expedite the application process for many of these asylum-seekers that time and time again have shared with us that they simply want to work legally in order to pay their way into housing versus relying on the strained homeless shelter system here in New York City, but the mayor also calling for more government workers to be able to expedite those applications. CNN has reached out to the White House for further comments, as we continue to monitor the potential increase in asylum seeker arrivals here in New York City.

Polo Sandoval, CNN, New York.

KINKADE: Well, millions will head to the polls in the coming hours to vote in Paraguay's presidential election. The economy and corruption are key issues. It is expected to be a tight race between the ruling conservative Colorado Party, which has been in power for more than seven decades and a center-left coalition banking on anti-incumbency and pledging to shake up foreign policy.

This all comes as the country faces a rising deficit, increasing levels of poverty and a slowing economy. But many voters say they're still uncertain about both candidates.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It would be nice to have a change, but what happens is that the change comes with the same people. In other words, within the parties, there is no change. So, there is no sign of a real change since they are the same people who have been in both parties for a long time.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KINKADE: Voters will also elect dozens of senators and 17 governors.

Future ties with Taiwan is also important issue in Paraguay's presidential election. The leading opposition candidate has vowed to cut diplomatic relations with island democracy in favor of China, if he wins. It comes as Beijing's influence across Latin America continues to grow.

CNN's Rafael Romo reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RAFAEL ROMO, CNN SENIOR LATIN AMERICAN AFFAIRS EDITOR (voice over): China has launched a diplomatic offensive with Latin America in recent months. In September, then-Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with his Argentine counterpart at the U.N. General Assembly. Two months later, he sat down with Mexico's foreign minister at the G-20 Leaders' Summit. And in January, President Xi himself delivered a video address at a Latin American and Caribbean forum.

China's influence in the region has grown so much and so fast that Taiwan's president, Tsai Ing-wen, felt compelled to visit Guatemala and Belize a week after Honduras severed ties with Taipei, a move Taiwan called very regrettable, as the Honduran foreign minister traveled to Beijing to establish formal diplomatic ties.

Now, only 13 countries in the world diplomatically recognize Taipei over Beijing, which considers Taiwan part of its territory despite never having ruled it. Beijing refuses to maintain diplomatic ties with any country that recognizes Taiwan, among them, Guatemala and Belize, and in South America, Paraguay.

[03:45:08] And it is holding presidential elections this Sunday and the leading opposition candidate has signaled he may rethink his country's ties with Taiwan if he wins victorious.

Efrain Alegre says national interests and foreign policy goals would influence his decision, adding that he is not happy with the current relationship.

PARSIFAL D'SOLA, FOUNDER AND DIRECTOR, ABF CHINA-LATIN AMERICA RESEARCH CENTER: It has worked for decades to maintain Taiwan's presence.

ROMO: An expert on relations between China and Latin America says Beijing has been filling the void left by the U.S. across the region.

D'SOLA: Absent the U.S., what happens, China's participation in the region has been growing for the last two, three decades and this is its latest manifestation. It's the U.S. pulling back in China gaining ground.

ROMO: The only Latin American leader who seems to remain a staunch ally of Taiwan is the Guatemalan president.

Alejandro Giammattei gave Tsai the red carpet treatment when she arrived last month, saying Guatemala recognizes Taiwan as an independent nation and the only and true China. Tsai and her host toured a hospital built thanks to $20 million donation from Taiwan. Her government also donated $1.5 million to equip Guatemala City's airport with air conditioning.

On Monday, he returned the favor by starting a three-day visit to Taipei, where he called for a free, sovereign and independent Taiwan.

Before departing, the Guatemalan president said he hoped Taiwan would now buy as much sugar and coffee from his country as it used to get from Honduras, hoping the unwavering loyalty Guatemala has shown will pay off in the long-term.

Rafael Romo, CNN, Atlanta.

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KINKADE: San Francisco Bay's First Republic Bank is facing a financial earthquake. The federal regulators are hoping to resolve it this weekend. First Republic stock has fallen 97 percent since March 1st, on Friday, hitting $3 a share after it revealed depositors withdrew $100 billion during the first quarter.

A $30 billion lifeline from some of the largest banks clearly was not enough to stop the freefall. Reports say JPMorgan Chase and PNC Financial are in the process of bidding to buy First Republic. University of Michigan Economics Professor Justin Wolfers says the deal could benefit both parties.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) JUSTIN WOLFERS, PROFESSOR OF ECONOMICS, UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN: There's a real problem that arises for a very small number of banks. Silicon Valley Bank was among them and, of course, First Republic was as well. These are banks where they are mostly catering to very wealthy depositors. Deposit insurance only covers the first $250,000 of your deposit.

So, these are banks that are not covered by our usual deposit insurance. And that means if people get a little bit nervous, they start to pull money out and that means they could be caught without enough cash in the vault. And that's really their problem.

It is not that this is a completely unprofitable bank, it's not that it doesn't it does not have assets, it's that it does not have enough cash in the vault. And one of the best ways of resolving that, the worst way would be a bank run, the best way would be if another bank just came and took it over and said, hey, we've got an even bigger vault, plus, we like owning profitable businesses.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KINKADE: Well, saving New Zealand's iconic flightless bird, we'll tell you about the efforts underway to preserve the kiwi as the population slowly disappears.

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KINKADE: Welcome back. Well, in a nation that celebrates the kiwi, the population of the flightless bird has plummeted from more than 10 million to about 70,000 today. But there are efforts to keep the species alive in New Zealand. Our Michael Holmes reports.

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MICHAEL HOLMES, CNN ANCHOR (voice over): The fight to save the Kiwi, the iconic flightless bird, is taking off in New Zealand. Conservationists say most people have never seen a kiwi in the wild and estimate there are only 70,000 of them left in the country. But those numbers could soon be on the rise.

PAUL WARD, CAPITAL KIWI PROJECT TEAM LEADER: Ever since people came here, we have had a special connection with the animal, and that is the kiwi. It's central to (INAUDIBLE), our sports teams, our Rugby League team, our defense force, even overseas, we are known as kiwis. So, it is our duty really to look after the animal that's gifted us its name.

HOLMES: There are about 90 initiatives to save the Kiwis in New Zealand, many of them focusing on removing threats which have reduced the population, by educating the dog owners and culling predator species, like stoats.

WARD: Kiwis are surprisingly tough and resilient. They've got these big fighting claws. So, an adult kiwi can fight off a whole (INAUDIBLE), from possums and stoats. The real issue for an adult kiwi is roaming dogs. Where they get hammered are stoats eating the chicks before they get up to their fighting weight.

HOLMES: A group of kiwis raised in a breeding program was released in Wellington last November. Experts say that could be the first time while kiwis lived in the area in about a century. And so far, they seem to be thriving.

WARD: We did the first health check a couple of months later. And we are expecting them to kind of -- whole weight, will lose a bit of weight. But the really pleasing result was that half of those birds have put on weight, including one bird put on whopping 400 grams. So, it's like there's -- he had plenty food in the latter out on these hills.

HOLMES: That is hopefully room to grow for New Zealand's national treasure and the national effort to save it.

Michael Holmes, CNN.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KINKADE: Well, the coronation of the new British monarch has been televised only once before when Queen Elizabeth II was crowned some 70 years ago.

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Well, now, as final preparations are underway for the crowning of King Charles III, many are asking questions about what this moment and this man mean in a modern world.

This week, on The Whole Story, CNN's Erica Hill travels to London in search of those answers, meeting with leading British scholars, journalists and some of those closest to Queen Elizabeth and King Charles himself. Here is a preview.

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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The king is acutely aware, like his late mother was, that they are only there for as long as the public wants him to be there.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: In Britain, among 18 to 24-year-olds, specifically, where now, more than 80 percent would support abolishing the monarchy.

ERICA HILL, CNN ANCHOR: The way I understand it, there is no real rule about how the U.K. would go about relishing the monarchy.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We have no constitution. This is one of our questions. Unlike so many of the countries that have their monarchies head of state, they all have constitutions. So, the political will has to be there to abolish the monarchy. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The monarchy does depend on taxpayers' money. It receives 80 to 80 million pounds of taxpayers' money every year. Every year, that goes through the parliamentary process.

HILL: Last year, the royal family cost each U.K. taxpayer roughly $1.60. And while that number is admittedly low, amid rising inflation, it is the optics that really add up.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The current generation, our (INAUDIBLE) for a cost of living crisis. It's his problem right now. In the future, it might actually be William's problem.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KINKADE: Well, be sure to tune to The Reign Begins, Charles and Camilla, The Whole Story, one whole hour. That this Sunday night in the U.S., morning in Asia. And the coronation of King Charles III will also be televised with all its pomp and pageantry next Saturday right here on CNN.

Well, thanks so much for joining us. Lynda Kinkade. Great to have you with us.

Stay with CNN. CNN Newsroom continues with Kim Brunhuber after just a short break. Do not go anywhere.

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