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CNN International: U.S. Border States Bracing for End to Title 42; Ukraine Signals Counteroffensive is Nearing; New Protests Against Pension Reform Expected in France; Travel in China Projected to Surpass Pre-Pandemic Levels; Ceremony for Britain's King Charles Steeped in Tradition. Aired 4:30-5a ET

Aired May 01, 2023 - 04:30   ET

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

[04:30:00]

MAX FOSTER, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome back to CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Max Foster. If you're just joining us, let me bring you up to date with the top stories at this hour.

First Republic Bank has been the third U.S. bank to fail since March. Most of the bank's assets are being purchased by JPMorgan Chase. The move represents a further attempt to prop up consumer confidence in the U.S. banking system.

More than 200 officers from multiple law enforcement agencies have joined the search for a man accused of killing five people in Texas. Investigators say right now they have no idea where he might be.

The U.S. states that border Mexico are braising for a new potential super surge of migrants. That's because the federal government's Title 42 is expiring just 10 days from now. It enabled the U.S. to quickly expel migrants due to the COVID pandemic. But now that the Biden administration has officially declared the health emergency is over, cities on the border are anticipating a huge influx of migrants.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

OSCAR LEESER, EL PASO, TEXAS MAYOR: We're getting prepared now for what we call the unknown. And the unknown is what will happen after May 11th. Title 42 will be lifted after May 11th. And there's a lot of, as you've seen, we're starting to see pick up some momentum as asylum seekers who are on the streets of downtown El Paso and other areas of our community.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FOSTER: The mayor of El Paso, Texas, says he plans to declare a state of emergency on Monday, largely to prepare for public housing needs if there is a migrant surge. Meanwhile, the Biden administration is making clear that the border will not be wide open. And regular border rules will be enforced.

Meanwhile, Chicago's mayor is urging Texas Governor Greg Abbott to stop what she calls the inhuman main and dangerous action of bussing migrants to her city. Lori Lightfoot sent Abbott a letter stating in part: Your lack of

confederation or coordination in an attempt to cause chaos and score political points has resulted in a critical tipping point in our ability to receive individuals and families in a safe, orderly and dignified way. We simply have no more shelters, spaces or resources to accommodate an increase of individuals at this level, with little coordination or care does not pose a risk to them or others.

CNN has reached out to Governor Abbott's office for a response.

Turning now to Ukraine where officials say Russia has launched a new round of missile and drone attacks against several regions in the east. More than 30 people have been injured including five children. A top Ukrainian commander says 15 of 18 cruise missiles fired by Russia were intercepted and a Ukrainian official in Kyiv says the country's air defense forces destroyed Russian missiles in the airspace above the capital.

Underground, Ukrainians in Kyiv took shelter in the city's metro. Images show some people sleeping and others sitting on the platform while they wait the danger to pass.

CNN's Clare Sebastian following developments joins me now. A frightening time for everybody involved, particularly when there's a counteroffensive coming.

CLARE SEBASTIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, I think this shows, certainly on the Russian side, that while they're not making much progress on the front lines as of now, they are still able to inflict damage, significant damage from the air. Ukrainian's air defenses, you saw there, could trace the fire over Kyiv are in action and obviously they have been significantly fortified by the Western aid that Ukraine has been receiving. But still not enough to stop all of those missiles from getting through.

I think we're at a point where we're seeing intensified activity really on both sides. These predawn barrage from Russia on Monday comes of after a huge attack on Friday, one of the deadliest of civilians in months. We're also seeing explosions in the last week deep behind Russian lines, (INAUDIBLE) the occupied city there. There was a fuel depot get in Sevastopol in Crimea, which Ukrainian defense intelligence described as God's punishment.

So, that could be the sort of the beginning of a counteroffensive. Ukraine is saying that they are completing the preparations for their counteroffensive. We know from satellite imagery that CNN has reviewed that Russian defenses particularly along the southern front lines have been significantly increased hundreds of miles of trenches and ditches and mine fields and things like that. So, it seems that momentum is stepping up towards this Ukrainian counteroffensive. We don't know when. We don't know where. It looks like, you know, it could be in the south. But this seems to be a pivotal moment in this conflict -- Max.

FOSTER: OK, Clare, thank you very much.

Republican Congressman Kevin McCarthy is in Jerusalem on his first trip overseas as Speaker of the U.S. House. In a few hours he's scheduled to deliver a speech to the Israeli parliament or Knesset. The first House Speaker to do so since 1998. McCarthy's visit comes at Israel's Prime Minister is facing angry backlash over his judicial overhaul plans. But Benjamin Netanyahu insists his plan will not weaken Israel's democracy.

Tens of thousands of people have been protesting against the proposed judicial overhaul since January.

[04:35:00]

They say it would weaken the Supreme Court by giving parliament the right to override court decisions with a simple majority. But in an interview with CNN's Fareed Zakaria on Sunday, Netanyahu indicates they may be backing away from that controversial aspect. Here's more of what he had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER: One thing I can guarantee you at the end of this process, Israel that was a democracy, is a democracy, will be -- will remain as a robust a democracy. And you see that by the fact that hundreds of thousands of people are demonstrating for or against this -- and against this judicial reform in peaceful demonstrations in ways that are not possible within an enormous radius.

And when you have that, as you have in France or protests in France, or protests in the United States, it's not a sign of the collapse of democracy. It's a sign of the robustness of the public debate which I'm sure, and I hope and I'm working to resolve, by as broad a consensus as I can.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FOSTER: Workers across France are expected to mark this May Day with protests against the pension reforms. Labor unions are calling for mass demonstrations against the new law that raises the retirement age to 64. CNN's Paris correspondent Melissa Bell reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MELISSA BELL, CNN PARIS CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A winter of discontent in France. What began on January 19 with more than a million people in the streets, public and private sectors brought to a standstill, has dragged on.

One poll suggesting that, after months of marches, 62 percent of the French are still opposed to raising the retirement age from 62 to 64. It was the government's decision to force the reform through Parliament, bypassing a second vote that sparked fury in the streets, with hundreds of police officers injured and hundreds of protesters detained in one single bloody day and night. Amid accusations the government was ignoring the will of the people, weekly clashes between police and pockets of protesters became the norm. With the unions dominating the streets, marches have been mostly peaceful, although comparisons have been drawn with the Yellow Vest movement, whose anger consumed France for more than a year.

Marcel, a volunteer medic, has tended to protestors through years of protests, dealing with blunt-force trauma, burn wounds, and the consequences of tear gas. He spoke to CNN under an assumed name for fear of professional retribution.

"MARCEL", STREET MEDIC: Think back to the Yellow Vest movement, maybe a little bit less grenade, a bit less tear gas, because the police and government know that they don't have the support of the majority of the population. So, the -- it's still very violent.

BELL (voice-over): That anger in the streets goes beyond just pension reform, as the French vent their fury at President Emmanuel Macron's bullish approach to governing.

DAVID DUFRESNE, WRITER AND FILMMAKER: We live a very -- a very French moment. Democracy is not only OK, each five years, or each four years, I vote and that's it. No, democracy by the street is back again in the -- in the debate.

BELL (voice-over): The pension reform is finally law, but protesters, turning to the Council, are still making themselves heard.

EMMANUEL MACRON, PRESIDENT OF FRANCE (through translator): It is not the pots and pans that will move France forward.

BELL (voice-over): As they haunt Macron and his ministers around the country.

MACRON (through translator): Your generation today if we don't do this reform, it won't have a pension.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): we completely disagree with that.

BELL (voice-over): And while protests numbers in recent weeks have dropped, May the 1st, a traditional day of labor marches in France, will be a good barometer of the anger and resentment that still burn in France.

Melissa Bell, CNN, Paris.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FOSTER: Now tonight is the deadline for negotiations between the Writers Guild of America and Alliance of Motion Pictures and Television Producers. If they can't agree, writers of TV and movie scripts could walk out on Tuesday. The Guild wants to factor in the growth of streaming. The alliance represents the interests of studios of giving Amazon, Disney, Netflix and CNN's parent company Warner Brothers Discovery, the studios maintain there are more projects for writers today than ever before. The last strike was in 2007. It lasted 100 days. Britain is just days away from the coronation of King Charles. We'll

have a preview of the preparations, the traditions and notably some of the differences to expect compared to his mother's coronation.

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(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

FOSTER: the start of the May Day holiday in China and travel this year is expected to surpass pre-pandemic levels. State media reports more than 240 million people expected to travel during the holiday. That's more than the number in 2019. For more, let's go to CNN's Kristie Lu Stout from Hong Kong. Why do you think that is -- Kristie?

KRISTIE LU STOUT, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, look, happening right now is China's first May Day golden week holiday after the COVID-19 pandemic, tourism is surging. In shanghai, authorities there say that the city received over 3 million visits from tourists on Saturday. And That marked the first day of this five-day long holiday.

And meanwhile, in Beijing, let's bring up the footage for you. Massive crowds have descended upon the Great Wall of China. In fact, on Sunday more than 14,000 people visited a section of the wall called Mutianyu. The Great Wall located in north China. And you can see throngs of visitors walking from tower to tower, you know, climbing the wall, queuing the cable cars there at the site. And if you want tickets for the popular Badaling section of the Great Wall, you're out of luck, because they're completely sold-out May 1 and May 2.

And meanwhile, in Macao -- let's show you this footage -- hundreds of thousands of Chinese tourists have been crowding into there. This is an area that's known, of course, for its glitzy casinos but also for its historic districts where there's plenty of shopping and local delicacies to be purchased as well.

This tourist surge comes after the pandemic restrictions were finally lifted in January, in effect, opening the door wide for visitors for the first time in more than three years. And according to people on the streets, whether they're tourists or they're business owners, they're saying the buzz is back. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BECKY ZHANG, SHOP OWNER (through translator): Now the customers' flow has recovered to 60 percent to 70 percent of pre-pandemic levels so we're very busy. Compared to during the pandemic, it's much more fulfilling and there is less worry.

ALA ZHANG, Tourist (through translator): To be honest, I feel that the vitality of the pre-pandemic period has really been restored with the crowds of people and bustling atmosphere. I haven't seen this for a long time.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[04:45:00] STOUT: You know, and it's not just Macao and Beijing, many places across China are seeing a record number of passenger trips by air and by rail as well. And we'll show you footage of what railway stations look like across China, just crammed with domestic travelers. You know, according to state media, you know, over 240 million people will be traveling, again, during this golden week, five-day holiday period. This is a huge number that surpasses pre-pandemic levels. Back to you, Max.

FOSTER: OK, Kristie in Hong Kong, thank you.

We're just six days away from the coronation of King Charles III. The ceremony de facto will be Britain's first in seven decades. Of course, it will have all the pomp and pageantry you'd expect, as well as rituals dating back hundreds of years. But there will also be some notable differences compared to the coronation of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

FOSTER (voice-over): Not since 1953 have we had a glimpse of this sacred moment. The crowning of a monarch.

Queen Elizabeth, then just 27, thrust to the throne after her father's untimely death. Her coronation designed to introduce the young queen to the world and give a morale boost to post-war Britain.

Seventy years on, and amidst a cost-of-living crisis, King Charles's coronation will have many of the same traditions incorporated, albeit, slightly toned down. Up to 2,800 guests in Westminster Abbey, CNN understands, versus the 8,000 who gathered for the late queen's.

ELIZABETH NORTON, ROYAL HISTORIAN: The king has actually ruffled some feathers by not inviting many members of the ancient nobility, including some of the dukes, in fact. But instead, actually, the king has invited members of the community, so charitable workers, for example.

FOSTER (voice-over): A sign, perhaps, that Charles wants to make the monarchy more accessible, though much of the pomp and ceremony will, of course, remain.

He'll sit on the coronation chair, used by monarchs for more than 700 years. And he'll be crowned with the St. Edward's Crown, a gold, velvet and jewel-encrusted piece weighing more than two kilograms.

The coronation is, first and foremost, a religious ceremony. It culminates in the king's anointing with holy oil, which has been consecrated in Jerusalem.

NORTON: It's seen as symbolizing the king's commitment to God, because of course, he's a very religious man himself. He's now the head of the church. And it's a sacred moment.

FOSTER (voice-over): His wife, Camilla, will also be anointed and crowned. Charles's sons, William and Harry, will be there, although Harry's wife, Meghan, will remain at home in California with their two young children.

It remains to be seen what role Harry will play in proceedings now that he's stepped back from his senior-role duties.

FOSTER: For many in Britain, the coronation is about more than just another public holiday. There will be street parties up and down the U.K., and thousands will come here to Buckingham Palace to witness the famous balcony moment, to see for the first time the newly crowned king and queen.

FOSTER (voice-over): Many more will line the street for the coronation procession, just as they did for Queen Elizabeth seven decades ago.

The king and queen will travel in this gilded carriage, accompanied by a huge military procession. Nighttime rehearsals, spotted in the streets of London, as the capital gears up for a moment in history.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FOSTER (on camera): CNN will air special live coverage of the coronation of King Charles III this Saturday May 6th. CNN's Alison Kiefer will be live outside Buckingham Palace with Christiane and myself. It all starts at 10:00 a.m. in London at 5:00 a.m. in New York.

Now still to come, a record-breaking game seven performance in the NBA playoffs. Details ahead on the high-scoring night from Golden State star Steph Curry. And he who faces, next.

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(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

FOSTER: In the NBA playoffs the defending champion Golden State Warriors are staying alive thanks to a record-breaking performance by their star Steph Curry. He scored 50 points in Sunday's game 7 matchup against the Sacramento Kings. The most points ever in a game, seventh in NBA history. The Warriors cruise to a 20-point win to advance to the second round. They take on LeBron James and the LA Lakers next with game one Tuesday in San Francisco.

And in the eastern conference semifinals, the Miami Heat rallied for a 108 to 101 victory over the Knicks in New York. They'll play game two on Tuesday.

The NFL draft is a time when dreams become a reality. That was certainly the case when Kansas State running back Deuce Vaughn was picked. He was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys on Saturday which happens to be where his father works as a scout. When the team decided to take him, dad got to make the call.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHRIS VAUGHN, DALLAS COWBOYS SCOUT: You want to come to work with me next week?

DEUCE VAUGHN, DALLAS COWBOYS DRAFT PICK: I wouldn't mind that at all.

JERRY JONES, DALLAS COWBOYS OWNER: There's something magical about this moment that may be bigger than we even realize here, talking to you on the phone. Now a Dallas Cowboy, your daddy just handed the card in, right here. Congratulations!

MIKE MCCARTHY, DALLAS COWBOYS HEAD COACH: Hey Deuce, Mike McCarthy, Congratulations.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FOSTER: So how do you celebrate if you're a musical legend turning 90. For Willie Nelson, you just saw the answer, that was the duet with Snoop Dogg. They performed at the Hollywood bowl over the weekend. It was part of a two-day festival with an all-star group of friends and musicians to honor the country music legend. Obviously, stars like Maranda Lambert, Neil Young, Dame Helen Mirren also joined the birthday party. Truly star-studded.

[04:55:05]

Now after 14 games and a tiebreaker, a new world chess champion has been crowned. The final games was played Sunday in Kazakhstan. And China's Ding Liren won after the fourth and final tiebreaker. The 30- year-old is how the highest rated Chinese player in history. And the men's and women's chest champions are now both from China. Ding's victory ends the reign of five-time champion Magnus Carlsen who chose not to defend his title.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Six, five, four, three, two, one. Engines full power and liftoff of ViaSat-3, go ViaSat ...

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FOSTER: After several delays due to weather and technical issues, SpaceX was finally able to launch its Falcon heavy rocket from Florida's Kennedy Center on Sunday. It's the sixth launch ever. It's carrying three satellites into orbit. The main payload is Viasat-3 Americas weighing 14,000 pounds, SpaceX says is the world's highest capacity satellite and largest all electric satellite ever launched.

Finally this hour, if you're an animal lover and comfortable in costume, the Blackpool Zoo it may be the perfect job for you. The Animal Sanctuary in Lancashire, England, needs a seagull deterrent to keep the birds away from food, visitors and other animals. So, how are they going to do it, you ask? Well, by dressing up as a giant bird to chase the pesky seagulls away. The zoo wants to hire up to five people for this job. They even sent out a tweet to James Corden. He hosted his final episode of "The Late Late Show" on Thursday. So, the zoo saying the new job will really suit him.

Thanks for joining me here on CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Max Foster. "EARLY START" with Christine is next here on CNN.

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