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Mall Shooting in Allen, Texas; Calls for Gun Control after Texas Shooting; Misinformation at the Southern Border; Russia Using World War II Tanks; 50+ Dead, 23,000+ Displaced Amid Ethnic Violence In Manipur; Royals Paying Homage To Newly Crowned King; Large Mass Of Sargassum Algae Piles Up On Florida Beaches. Aired 2-3a ET

Aired May 08, 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)

ROSEMARY CHURCH, CNN HOST: On "CNN Newsroom," we are learning more about the victims and the gunman in a mass shooting in Allen, Texas, including possible ties he may have had to the far-right.

A tragedy as well in Brownsville. What we know about a car crash that killed eight outside a migrant center near the Mexican border.

Plus, deadly ethnic clashes in northeastern India. We're live in New Delhi with a look at what's fueling the riots.

Thanks for joining us. And we begin in Allen, Texas where residents are mourning the eight people killed in a mass shooting on Saturday. Many have been honoring the victims by placing flowers on this makeshift memorial. It was set up at the outlet mall where the gunman fired on crowds of shoppers.

The victims were also remembered at this church vigil on Sunday. Several people there delivered remarks, including the mayor-elect who called for prayers and expressed condolences for everyone affected. One of the victims in the shooting has been identified as Christian LaCour. His sister says he was a sweet, caring young man who was loved greatly by his family.

Authorities are still piecing together details about the shooting and are trying to determine if the gunman had ties to right-wing extremism. CNN's Ed Lavandera is in Texas with more on the investigation.

ED LAVANDERA, CNN U.S. SENIOR NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: The parking lot of the outlet mall here in Allen, Texas where a gunman killed eight people Saturday afternoon is still cordoned off. Hundreds of cars still in the parking lot as investigators continue to work through the scene. We have learned from various witnesses who were there at the time of the shooting that the gunman, from the moment he started firing, into the moment where he was shot and killed by an Allen police officer, that the gunman had moved Several witnesses described the gunman moving deliberately and

shooting at victims as he was continuing to move through the parking lot. We have now identified, according to a senior law enforcement source, the suspect as 33-year-old Mauricio Garcia. He lives in Dallas. We were in the neighborhood where his parents live and we are told that up until several months ago, he was living there.

We tried to speak with Garcia's family, but they refused to answer the door when we knocked on it. But we did speak with about a half dozen neighbors who described Garcia as someone who kept to himself.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNKNOWN: Why, I never really saw anything that looks suspicious or out of, you know. I don't (inaudible) at the guy. I mean, he would get in, park his car, and then just walking like anybody else. So, nothing, you know, nothing that's red flag. I think he was a real loner. A lot of times, he would walk up and down the block. And always with those Converse, you know. He like those, I guess those were his favorite brand, those Converse. So, I think, you know, it's like walking up and down the block with his hoodie on and just, you know, just didn't really say anything.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LAVANDERA: A senior law enforcement official also says that they have discovered that Mauricio Garcia has connections to right-wing extremism. On his body, they found an insignia with the letters that say RWDS, which stands for Right-Wing Death Squad. That senior law enforcement official also says that her has been a long list of social media posts with white supremacists and right-wing extremism themes as well.

Exactly how all of that plays into the motivation for carrying out this attack here at this outlet mall in Allen, that part is not exactly clear. But that is some of the initial details the we are hearing from investigators. This, as we have now gone more than 24 hours since the shooting happened, that officials and law enforcement officers have not briefed reporters on the latest on this investigation. Ed Lavandera, CNN, Allen, Texas.

CHURCH: U.S. President Joe Biden has ordered flags to be lowered to half-staff through Thursday for the, quote, "senseless acts of violence in Texas."

[02:05:00]

And State Governor Greg Abbott says he will visit the scene of the shooting to support the community as they try to heal. He had this to say to Fox News.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GREG ABBOTT, GOVERNOR OF TEXAS: We need to recognize a reality. What we've seen across the United States over the past year or two, and that is an increased number of shootings in both red states and blue states. People want a quick solution. The long-term solution here is to address the mental health issue.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: But one Texas Democrat is putting the blame for gun violence squarely on the Republican Party and the NRA. Here is what Texas State Senator Roland Gutierrez told CNN on Sunday.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ROLAND GUTIERREZ, TEXAS STATE SENATE DEMOCRAT: I just don't understand these Republicans that want to just pray and do absolutely nothing. Our country and our state are burning down because we have these guns in the hands of people that shouldn't have them. It's a chaos that is wholly created by the Republican Party and the NRA. We can stop it and we can stop it now, but we don't have anybody with the political will to do it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: Matthew Littman is executive director of the gun safety organization 97Percent, and he joins me now from Los Angeles. So, here we are again tragically discussing yet another mass shooting in America.

MATTHEW LITTMAN, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, 97PERCENT: You know, I was on Capitol Hill this week, Rosemary, and then spoke to a church in Maryland today about what we can do on gun issues. And I feel as though every day that we don't get something done, there is another mass shooting. And I don't -- it's not that I feel that way, it's what happens. Every day, no matter what we're trying to do to -- for reform on guns, there seems to be mass shooting every day. There are more mass shootings this year already than days in the year.

CHURCH: Yeah, exactly, you mentioned that. I mean, 202 mass shootings so far this year. And like so many others, this one involved an AR-15 style rifle, killing eight and wounding seven when the gunman targeted shoppers at a Texas outlet mall. The gunman was fatally shot. And we understand he may have had links to white supremacy ideology, although we don't yet know the motive. That is according to authorities. So, what more are you learning of this alleged gunman and the circumstances leading up to this tragedy?

LITTMAN: Well, Rosemary, there are tragedies as we're talking about every single day. So, this one was influenced by these right-wing neo- Nazi aid organizations. Every day, somebody has a different reason. The problem is that it's this combination of hate and hopelessness and easy access to guns, right.

So, there are a lot of people this country, there are more guns than people. So, for every hundred or so people, they're about 120 guns. That is by far the most in the world, right. So, not everybody should have a gun. That's where our focus is. Our focus is on the fact that most people in this country agree, gun owners and non-gun owners really do agree that before you get a gun you should pass a background check. You should have a red flag law if you're endangering yourselves or

others. There are things we can do to prevent many of these, not all of them, but many of these from happening, and we're not doing them.

CHURCH: Well, let's look at that. What common sense gun controls and legislation could've stopped this mass shooting? And what more needs to be done to prevent more of these horrific mass shootings? Because when we look at it, there doesn't appear to be the political will to take any action here.

LITTMAN: So, I can't tell -- I'm not going to speak to the one that just happened because I don't know all the circumstances yet. But generally speaking, as an example, so folks around the world know, in the United States, if you commit a felony, no matter what that is, you can't get a gun, right. So, it could be tax fraud, wire fraud, whatever it might be, you can't get a gun.

But the number one way to figure out if someone is going to commit a crime with a gun is if they've already committed a violent crime. So, if you, for example, commit a violent misdemeanor, 80 percent of gun owners feel you shouldn't have a gun, right. And if you do that by itself, you would eliminate homicides with a gun by 19 percent. That's the single biggest thing that people can do, that states can do, that the government can do.

They have not done it yet. That is the biggest thing that we can do. There are answers that gun owners and non-gun owners agree upon. Like you said, Rosemary, I mean, unfortunately for, you've become an expert on this issue. There are too many people who do not have the political will to take the action.

CHURCH: And let's look at that because Americans have decided enough is enough. But some politicians have not come to that conclusion. Why?

LITTMAN: Well, you are exactly right. And we go around to Democratic offices and Republican offices all over Capitol Hill. We'll talk to anybody who will talk to us on this issue and a lot of people will.

[02:09:59]

And sometimes, this is terrible, but on the Republican side, sometimes we hear either I agree with you, but I don't want to take the lead on the issue. You know, they're afraid. I think you, Rosemary, probably talked about the NRA, the National Rifle Association, but so folks know, the NRA is not that powerful anymore. And what's even worse -- what's worse about it is that there are organizations to the right of the NRA.

The NRA is to the leftist of some these organizations that are calling Capitol Hill all the time and influencing members of Congress. And it's really surprising that members of Congress listen to some of these people, but they do. And so, we have to counteract that. Gun owners who believe in reform, which is over 80 percent of them, have to counteract that. We need more of that.

CHURCH: So, in actual fact, some of these politicians are scared to take action is what you're saying, right?

LITTMAN: Absolutely, Rosemary, 100 percent yes. Some of these politicians are scared. They're scared for their political lives. I know this sounds ridiculous to people listening. Sometimes it sounds ridiculous to me when I'm at these meetings. But people are scared for their political lives.

And on the Democratic side, the Democrats are realistic. They know, for example, Rosemary, I know you've talked about assault weapons ban, but that's not happening. We're not going to have an assault weapon ban in Congress. And many Democrats understand that and are trying to figure out what else we could do about this issue that will make a difference.

So, for example, a congresswoman from South Carolina is putting forth an amber alert when there are shootings so folks know. We get now an amber alert in the United States, meaning when a child is missing in your area, you get a notice, a beeping comes up on your phone. People are trying to do that now. It's horrible but that this has to be done. But for shootings, a Republican is doing that now. That's an area where people could agree. It's not going to stop shootings. But it's an area where Democrats and Republicans can work together.

CHURCH: Yeah, people get a measure of how often these are taking place. Let's hope that these politicians find some courage in the next few weeks and months. Matthew Littman, thank you so much for joining us. Appreciate it.

LITMAN: Thank you, Rosemary.

CHURCH: Further south, in Brownsville, Texas, eight people were killed after a car crashed into a crowd near a migrant shelter on Sunday. Police are still trying to find out whether the incident was intentional or not. CNN's Rosa Flores has details.

ROSA FLORES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Now, this happened in Brownsville, Texas, which is across the border from Matamoros, Mexico. According to the director of the shelter where all of this unfolded, he said that this happened across the street from a shelter on Sunday morning at about 8:30 in the morning. He says that between 20 and 25 migrants from Venezuela were sitting on the curb waiting for a bus, and then the rest was captured on surveillance video, according to this director.

He says that he watched this video and what he saw unfold was the following. He said that there was a 2007 Range Rover vehicle that was driving at a very high speed. The driver ran a red light then hit the curb about 30 feet from where the migrants were, and then that that vehicle went out of control.

Now, according to this director, he said that he talked to some of the witnesses and that according to some of the witnesses, that this act was intentional. But I asked the director if based on his witnessing of this video, watching this video, if to him, it actually looked like an intentional act. And he said no. He reiterated that what this video showed was that there was a vehicle

that was driving at a very high rate of speed that ran a red light, hit a curb, and then drove out of control(inaudible). About the driver of this vehicle, according to Brownsville police, they have not identified this individual. This individual is not cooperating with authorities. This individual is under arrest and are being held on charges of reckless driving.

Now, I'm here in El Paso, Texas because we're covering the migrant surge that is happening leading up to the lifting of Title 42. And if you could see there are barricades here in front of me on the street because what you see behind me is a church shelter. And so, there is a lot of concern by city officials here in the city of El Paso and in other border cities for their own public safety and the public safety of their residents.

That's why the city of El Paso issued a statement on Sunday saying that the incident in Brownsville reinforces their decision to close out the street here at the shelter in El Paso. Rosa flores, CNN, El Paso.

[02:14:58]

CHURCH: And Rosa mentioned that cities like Brownsville and El Paso are bracing for a surge in migrants once Title 42 expires on Thursday. That's the U.S. government's rule that allows border officers to swiftly expel migrants during the COVID pandemic. Pushing back against criticism, the Biden administration insists it's prepared for any influx. But as Rafael Romo reports, misinformation may be providing many migrants with a false sense of hope regarding what they can expect once they reach the border.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNKNOWN: (Speaking in foreign language)

RAFAEL ROMO, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Jeffrey Perez (ph) says his plan is to press on all the way to the border and beyond. He wants his own American dream. The Venezuelan migrant has already made it as far as Mexico and returning home he says is not an option

UNKNOWN: (Speaking in foreign language)

ROMO (voice-over): We're already here and we can't go back, Perez says. We have to press on as far as we can get, as far as they let us get. As many other migrants waiting in Mexico for an opportunity to cross into the United States legally or illegally, Perez is driven by hope and determination, but confused by the rampant misinformation about what's happening at the southern U.S. border.

(On camera): Migrants like Perez are part of unexpected surge prompted by the fact that Title 42, the Trump-era policy that allowed border authorities to quickly turn away certain migrants during the COVID-19 pandemic, is expiring on May 11th.

(Voice-over): Migrants like Linda Sarmiento (ph) who comes from Honduras say there are many doubts in the migrant community because she's heard that the end of Title 42 means that she will be able to enter the country while other people have told her that it will make it even more difficult to seek asylum. U.S. officials, especially Homeland Security Secretary Mayorkas have been clear about the fact that the border will remain sealed.

ALEJANDRO MAYORKAS, U.S. HOMELAND SECURITY SECRETARY: The border is not open. It has not been opened, and it will not be opened subsequent to May 11th. And the smugglers who exploit vulnerable migrants are spreading misinformation, they are spreading false information, lies, in a way to lure vulnerable people to the southern border. And those individuals will only be returned.

ROMO (voice-over): Encounters between U.S. Border Agents and undocumented immigrants had fallen earlier this year, but have recently increased to the current level of about 7,000 per day.

UNKNOWN: (Speaking in foreign language)

ROMO (voice-over): Migrants like Elton Rojas (ph) from Venezuela say they don't care if Title 42 comes to an end or not. Rojas (ph) says he's determined not to live in what he considers a dictatorship and is willing to take as many risks as necessary for a taste of freedom. Rafael Romo, CNN, Atlanta.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: Russia is rolling out cold war tanks but it's not for nostalgic reasons. Coming up, we will show you why a combination of western sanctions and Ukrainian fire power maybe forcing Moscow to dust off some old military relics. Back in just a moment with that and more.

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[02:20:00]

CHURCH: A Ukrainian official says forces have intercepted and destroyed 35 Shahed drones in the skies over Kyiv after Russia launched an attack overnight. Falling debris caused damage in two districts in the capital, and five people were injured. And to the south, Ukraine says Russia fired eight missiles at the port city of Odessa. So far, there are no reports of casualties.

Meantime, on the frontlines in the east, top commanders say Russian forces are increasing their attacks on Bakhmut as the Ukrainian military remains determined to keep Russia from capturing the city by Tuesday when Moscow holds its World War II Victory Day parade. CNN's Clare Sebastian is following developments for us. She joins us live from London. Good morning to you Clare. So, what more can you tell us about Russia's Victory Day preparations and what is the latest on the situation in Bakhmut?

CLARE SEBASTIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, Rosemary. So, of course, we heard on Friday from Yevgeny Prigozhin, the head of Wagner, that private military company that has played such a key role in Russia's efforts in Bakhmut and his expletive ladened rant that he was going to pull out of the city by Wednesday if he didn't get the needed ammunition from Russia. He then backtracked on that promise on Sunday. And it seems that even before that U-turn, Russian efforts in Bakhmut, according to Ukrainian accounts there, have been intensifying.

A Ukrainian commander saying that they are seeing new units being moved in including from Wagner that more ammunition is being used and a variety of ammunition. We know that Ukraine has accused Russia of using incendiary ammunitions in Bakhmut. So, it seems that Russian efforts to try to take the remaining parts of that city that it doesn't yet occupy are intensifying.

And of course, on the flip side, Ukraine is doing everything it can to prevent Russia from bringing home a victory ahead of May the 9th, which is of course, tomorrow, Tuesday. And I cannot overstate the importance of this day in Russia. It's a huge part of their national identity. Tens of millions of people were killed. But we know that it has in multiple regions, particularly those closer to Ukraine, been scaling back some of the celebrations.

Some regions citing security concerns, others saying there's a lack of available weapons to show off. So, I think that is a notable context given that we are now almost 15 months into this war. Even so, I think we can expect to see a lot of this as a rehearsal from St. Petersburg, a lot of the kind of ceremony that we've seen in recent years.

CHURCH: And Clare, we know that Ukraine continues to ask for weapons from its western allies as it prepares for this counteroffensive. What do we know about Russia's weapon supplies?

SEBASTIAN: Yeah. So, we know of course that Ukraine now says that it's received most of the armored vehicles and tanks that it had requested and been promised by its NATO allies. We also heard from Ukraine that it used a PATRIOT battery to shoot down a Russian hypersonic missile, which previously even the Pentagon hadn't been aware that the PATRIOTS were capable of doing.

[02:25:02

So, we know on the Ukrainian side, their weapons seem to be getting more modern and more advanced. So, they have the quality, but it does seem that Russia might be able to break the quantity to bear even if that means dipping so far back into it stockpiles that it's calling on weapons that were built just after the Second World War, Rosemary.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOHN DELANEY, SENIOR CURATOR, IMPERIAL WAR MUSEUM: What a missile will do is it will fly over the tank then down 90 degrees, straight into the top of the turret which is less well defended.

SEBASTIAN (voice-over): This scenario has played out hundreds of times over the past 14 months. Ukraine using western weapons to devastating effect. Russia, according to one recent estimate, has lost up to half its operational tank fleet in this war. Now, western officials say Russia is dusting off much older models to replace them. DELANEY: This gun was used on the SU-100 tank destroyer in 1944, so

it's a Second World War gun.

SEBASTIAN (voice-over): Including the T-55, first built in the 1940s, this one now housed at the Imperial War Museum outside Cambridge. Satellite imagery for a storage facility in Russia's far east showing dozens of tanks have been moved in the last year. This image showing the T-55 at that same facility.

Video that first surfaced in March also showing a trainload on the move reportedly somewhere in Russia. The Russian Ministry of Defense hasn't confirmed their deployment, but in recent weeks, well connected Russian bloggers have begun showing T-55 in Russian occupied territory in Ukraine.

DELANEY: So many of these were manufactured, over 100,000 altogether. And the parts, the basic mechanical parts, are all interchangeable. So, there would be vast stockpiles of these.

SEBASTIAN (voice-over): The T-55 was a central piece of the Soviet Union's Cold War arsenals, helping crush democratic uprisings in eastern Europe, Hungary in 1956, the Prague spring 12 years later. But by the time Iraq used them in the Gulf War in the early 90's --

UNKNOWN: We took out, all told, 14 T-55 tanks.

SEBASTIAN (voice-over): They were already outclassed by U.S. M1 Abrams and British Challenger. Earlier versions of the tanks, NATO countries are now supplying to Ukraine.

TREVOR TAYLOR, PREOFESSIONAL FELLOW IN DEFERENCE, RUSI: I think faced with western weapons, the Russians must expect very heavy casualties if they expect to move forward using that type of system.

SEBASTIAN (voice-over): Experts say behind the official propaganda, Russia cannot build new weapons quick enough.

(On camera): The western sanctions primarily targeting Russia's access to higher tech parts for weapons have made it much harder for them to manufacture more modern equipment. Older, simpler tanks like this, thousands of them just sitting in storage, provide an alternative. But this against, say, a Leopard 2 or a Challenger, what happens?

DELANEY: If it's a one-on-one tank engagement over a reasonable distance, this will lose every time. But in -- or closer built environments, this is adequate.

SEBASTIAN (voice-over): It's also simpler to maintain and train on the newer systems, an advantage for Russians mobilized troops.

DELANEY: Dig a pit, sit the tank in the pits so you can only see the turrets, and then that can be used to defend the frontline against the counter surge.

SEBASTIAN (voice-over): Russia is now digging in with everything it has. As Ukraine gets ready for what may be its biggest counteroffensive yet.

(On camera): So, on the one hand, you could see it as potentially good news for Ukraine that Russia is bring in these older, more vulnerable weapons that would lose out, experts have told us, in a one-on-one battle with the new western weapons that Ukraine is getting. But it also shows Russia's commitment to continuing this war, to keeping up this attrition style battle, it's willing to throw literally everything it can get its hands on into this conflict, Rosemary.

CHURCH: All right, Clare Sebastian, many thanks for that report. And still to come, thousands of people are fleeing their homes in the Indian state of Manipur amid ethnic violence. We will have a live report from the region. That's next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[02:32:31]

ROSEMARY CHURCH, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: At least 55 people have been killed and more than 200 hospitalized amid ethnic violence in the Indian state of Manipur.

Authorities say as many as 23,000 people have fled their homes since violence broke out in the past few days. The Indian Army has been deployed and a five-day mobile internet blackout is enforced to try to contain the violence.

CNN's Vedika Sud is following the developments for us. She joins us live from New Delhi. So, Vedika, what more are you learning about this and what is fueling the violence?

VEDIKA SUD, CNN REPORTER: Rosemary, for now, we do know that more than 55 people or rather at least 55 people are dead. 23,000 displaced as you mentioned and more than 200 injured. But what's surprising, Rosemary, is that these numbers are not coming from the state government. These numbers are not coming from the chief minister's office of Manipur, which is the north east -- which is a northeast state in India, neighboring Myanmar.

But these numbers are coming either from the Indian army that's been positioned there. You have a lot of boots on the ground to take care of the volatile situation in the state. And these numbers, the death toll essentially is coming from hospital authorities. CNN has tried to reach out to the chief minister's office repeatedly to get some answers on the number of people who have died due to these clashes between ethnic communities in Manipur, but we haven't got an answer yet.

Now a quick update on the situation on the ground. Some areas are still tense, there is a curfew that has been imposed. There's been a partial uplifting of this curfew as well for a few hours so that people can move about and get the basic essentials. But tension prevails. Locals are so worried at this point, Rosemary. They worry that any incident anywhere could flare up tensions all over again and lead to communal clashes -- to ethnic clashes between these groups. What we also do know at this point is that the internet connection remains down and out because the biggest fear right now is that people could send messages to others on social media and that could lead to further tensions. People have been moved out of homes after they were torched. Cars were vandalized last week during the protests between the two ethnic communities after which they've been moved to areas that have been well guarded by Central Security Forces.

Let's listen to one of the victims of the clashes and what she had to say about what she witnessed near her house.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

[02:35:02]

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): The Kuki militants attacked after surrounding our village in Pokaw (ph). They began firing at us with their guns. We panicked and abandoned all our belongings and fled for our lives.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SUD: This violence has opened new fault lines in a state that has already seen tensions between these communities in the past, Rosemary. And now we just have to wait and watch and see if there's going to be a press conference of any sort by the head of state the Chief Minister of Manipur where he can reach out to his people and tell them that things are under control. We're still waiting for that to happen, Rosemary.

CHURCH: All right. Vedika Sud joining us live from New Delhi. Many thanks. Well, the coronation celebration for King Charles III is not over yet. Just ahead. A tribute from Prince William at the coronation concert and the King's favorite breed of dogs is on parade. Back with that in just a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CHURCH: Much of the United Kingdom is enjoying a day off from work and school this Monday to mark the coronation of King Charles III. On Sunday, Prince William paid tribute to his father at a concert at Windsor Castle.

Concert included performances by Lionel Richie, Katy Perry and others and the celebrations continue in the hours ahead with what's been called the big help out with members of the royal family joining volunteers at local charities.

Celebrations went to the dog's sort of with a bevy of beautiful Cavalier King Charles Spaniels. CNN's Anna Stewart has more from the puppy parade on Kings Road.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ANNA STEWART, CNN REPORTER: It's usually like royal events for people to celebrate on the streets even in the rain. [02:40:00]

And in decades past, you'd see a lot of corgis at something like this. That was the late Queen's chosen breed. But here I think you'll find that a new hound been crowned.

STEWART (voice-over): The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. A dog so loved by King Charles II, it was later named after him. Now these pups are on poor age to celebrate King Charles III.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This is Lady Peanut Butter and this is Duke von Lego. They have titles because as Americans, we don't get them.

STEWART (on camera): So, you must be thrilled that it's finally time for the Cavalier King Charles to shine.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They're lovely dog and they get in their day, which is really great.

STEWART: How are you feeling about this special day?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's amazing. It's so wonderful to be out with all the marvelous community and the Cavaliers in London and celebrating the King's coronation in the rain in London.

STEWART: In the rain.

(CROSSTALK)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: -- dogs.

STEWART (voice-over): Sadly, the rain didn't do much for these dogs' crowns. But with or without, the royal rain of the King Charles Cavalier is here.

Anna Stewart, CNN, London.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: Gorgeous, doggies. I'm Rosemary Church. For our international viewers, World Sport is next. And for those of you here in North America, I'll be back with more CNN NEWSROOM in just a moment. Do stick around.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[02:45:32]

CHURCH: A record-breaking amount of smelly seaweed is washing up on Florida's beaches and some tourists are not very happy about it. The giant blob spans more than 5000 miles and forms yearly from the shores of Africa to the Gulf of Mexico. Scientists say the amount of sargassum seaweed continues to increase over previous months in most regions. Its presence may not be good for tourism, but my next guest says it is good for wildlife.

So, joining me now is David Die. A research associate professor at the University of Miami. Appreciate you being with us.

DAVID DIE, RESEARCH ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR, UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI: Good morning. And thanks for inviting me.

CHURCH: So, this giant mass of seaweed now hitting Florida beaches and you say this is great for wildlife, even though it's bad for tourism. How does it help wildlife?

DIE: Well, the sargassum is actually a natural process. It's a natural component of the marine system. It has always been there in the open ocean. And actually, is provide structure and hiding places and food for a lot of organisms in the open ocean. So, it's a natural process to have sargassum come to our shores. The issue is that lately, it's been coming in much larger quantities than in previous years, especially over the last decade.

CHURCH: So, it preserves global food security, you're saying?

DIE: It provides, as I said shelter for a lot of organisms that are part of the food chain in the open ocean, including some of the organisms we care a lot about. Some of this poor fish such as Mahi, what we call dolphin fish also in the Caribbean, actually spawn and their larvae and juveniles actually grow in in the sargassum. And therefore, it provides, you know, it provides substance for a lot of -- for a lot of the organisms we care about. But it's part of the -- of the ecosystem actually.

CHURCH: Right, That's very positive news. So, what are the possible ways could this massive amount of seaweed be put to good use do you think?

DIE: Well, you know, there's a number of people and entrepreneurs and engineers that are trying to find ways we can use this seaweed when it comes to the shore. But I think one of the things that have proven to be similar to what happens in nature is to incorporate into the sand dunes, you know, the sargassum actually traps sand and we think that also provides nutrients to the plants that live in sand dunes.

So, we can actually help the growth of the sand dunes which protect our shores and that are part of the coastal protection that that we need in the coastline.

CHURCH: So rather than moving this, it could just be scooped more inland and on those sand dunes. Is that we're saying?

DIE: I mean, that's been done for decades that we've incorporated into the sand dunes because that's the natural process. You know, normally the sargassum will get washed on the beach and the wind will push it up the dome and it will mix with the sand. I think that now that we have these large quantities, we are just doing the same thing that nature does by helping it. But I know that there are a lot of other uses that are being proposed and that -- from fertilizer to actually using it for building materials. And all those things are ideas and help us mitigate the impacts. I don't want to minimize the impacts that sargassum has in the coastal zone. I understand that.

CHURCH: Yes.

DIE: That --

CHURCH: Yes. I mean, that's the thing, isn't it? As far as tourism goes, that's a negative for the tourist industry for sure. And it's pretty smelly. But why are we starting to see these record levels of the seaweed and does the cause offer any hints on how its growth can be perhaps controlled a little bit?

DIE: Well, there's some hypotheses about the fact that it could be either these, you know, large quantities that are now we're going to be serving over the last decade are associated with climate change, with increasing the water temperature, in the tropics and in the equatorial area.

[02:50:13]

There's also some ideas that suggest that potentially nutrients are playing a part some of the nutrients that are coming from the large rivers in the tropics, but you have to remember that the, you know, seaweed likes sargassum is limited by the amount of nutrients. And that as they approach the coasts, these masses of sargassum approach waters that are more -- that are richer in nutrients and therefore that promote their growth.

So, it is possible that part of the reason why we seen these large masses you said they're getting close to the coast where the growth is enhanced.

CHURCH: Dr. David Die, thank you so much for joining us and explaining some of these positives in relation to the seaweed. We appreciate it.

DIE: Thank you. Thank you.

CHURCH: Well, senior U.S. Treasury officials are reiterating dire warnings of economic chaos and catastrophe if the country does not raise its debt ceiling as it barrels towards a default in early June. Now it comes at ahead of a highly anticipated meeting between President Joe Biden and top -- the top four congressional officials on Tuesday. Meantime, Arizona Senator Kyrsten Sinema is urging both sides to find a common ground.

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SEN. KYRSTEN SINEMA (I-AZ): The reality is the bill that Kevin and his colleagues passed to the House is not going to be the solution. The votes do not exist the United States Senate to pass that. But what the President is offering is not a realistic solution either. There's not going to be just a simple clean debt limit. The votes don't exist for that. So, the sooner these two guys get in the room and listen to what the other one needs, the more likely they are to solve this challenge and protect the full faith and credit the United States of America. We're in really shaky ground right now.

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CHURCH: Treasury data indicates that the U.S. could default as soon as June 1st. That's when it will run out of money to pay its bills and this Congress raises the debt ceiling as it has done dozens of times before.

Well, the Writers' strike is entering its second week. It is the first such strike in about 15 years, and there's really no telling how long it could go on for. The wide gulf between the writers and major studios was laid out in stark relief last week. CNN's Chloe Melas has the details.

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CHLOE MELAS, CNN ENTERTAINMENT REPORTER: The MTV Movie and T.V. awards that I look forward to watching every year, they have canceled a live show. It's going to be pre-taped. Drew Barrymore, the host, she pulled out in solidarity with the writers and then you saw other hosts and presenters like Jimmy Lee Curtis do the same. And you're seeing this impact late night shows, Saturday Night Live is now replaying old episodes.

But everything from ABC's Jimmy Kimmel to the Late Show with Stephen Colbert, and there are movies and shows on Netflix and all over the place, even Marvel is being affected. So, who knows how long this is going to go on for.

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CHURCH: And here are some of the winners of the MTV awards. Scream VI got the award for Best Movie. Best T.V. show went to The Last of Us. Best Performance in a movie went to Tom Cruise. Top Gun: Maverick. And Jenna Ortega won for Best Performance in a TV show for Wednesday.

This year's Eurovision kicked off on Sunday with contenders walking the turquoise carpet in Liverpool. The English city is hosting the song contest on behalf of Ukraine that won last year. The winning country usually hosts the competition the following year, but Ukraine is unable to do so, of course, because of Russia's invasion. Contenders will compete in the semi-finals this week for a place in the final.

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JEFFRET KENNY, TVORCHI, UKRAINE'S EUROVISION CONTESTANT: It's just been a surreal experience. We appreciate everything the U.K. has done together with the Ukraine. Just putting all of this together. It's been amazing. It's hard to put into words, but everything has just been awesome.

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CHURCH: Ukraine's Kalush Orchestra, a folk rap group won last year's contest in Italy with its entry Stefania. Well, at the Formula One Grand Prix in Miami, there was no stopping Verstappen. The two-time world champion roar from a weak starting position to take the race away from the driver who led most of the way. Here's "WORLD SPORT's" Don Riddell.

DON RIDDELL, CNN INTERNATIONAL SPORTS ANCHOR: There is no doubt that Red Bull other teams beat in Formula One the season and the two-time defending champion Max Verstappen is proving very, very difficult to beat. The Miami Grand Prix this weekend, he was forced to begin from ninth place on the grid because of a qualifying setback on Saturday, but it didn't seem to matter at all. Verstappen's Red Bull teammates Sergio Perez started from pole position and would have been hoping to hold Verstappen off.

[02:55:06]

But once Verstappen got a bit of momentum going just nobody could stop him. By the 48th lap, Verstappen caught Perez and passed him, and he was soon celebrating his third win of the season. This is only the second running of the Miami Grand Prix and Verstappen now has one them both.

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MAX VERSTAPPEN, 2021 AND 2022 FORMULA ONE WORLD CHAMPION: I mean, yesterday was of course a bit of a setback. But today we just kept it calm kept it clean. And yes, for sure winning a race from benign is always very satisfying.

SERGIO PEREZ, MEXICAN RACING DRIVER: I gave it all, you know, I think the first thing was really poor with a -- with a grain that we had on that -- on that initial pace and that compromised quite a lot arrays because we didn't have too much of a difference on tire. So -- and Max was particularly from today, so well-deserved win for him.

FERNANDO ALONSO, SPANISH RACING DRIVER: The beginning of the year. That podium was amazing. Now after four podiums we went over three more and at least a second place but, you know, the two Red Bulls, they are always unbreakable and they are always, you know, super fast. But as I said maybe Monaco, maybe Barcelona we have a possibility.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

RIDDELL: Fernando Alonso is having a brilliant season. That by the way is the fourth one to finish for the Red Bull team this season and it puts Verstappen 14 points clear at the top of the driver standings. And for the American race fans, this is just the beginning. There are three Grand Prix in the U.S. this season. Austin and Las Vegas are still to come.

CHURCH: A three-time world champion, American League MVP Cy Young Award winner, Oakland A's Hall of Famer, one of the greatest arms in baseball Vida Blue has died. In nine seasons pitching for the Oakland Athletics, Blue's rocket delivery carried the team to three World Series titles. Blue pitched a total of 17 seasons with the athletic San Francisco Giants and the Kansas City Royals. And in 2019 he was inducted into the A's Hall of Fame. Vida Blue was 73.

And that wraps up this hour of CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Rosemary Church. Do stay with us. I'll be back with more news in just a moment.

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