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Texas community mourns eight shooting victims; Car plows through crowd in Brownsville, Texas, Kills Eight; Ukraine reports 35 Russia-Launched Intercepted Over Kyiv; Russia turns to old tanks to replenish forces; Migrant Surge Expected as Title 42 Expires; Floods and Landslides Became Worse in the DRC, Death Toll Continues to Rise; Max Verstappen Dominates Miami Grand Prix. Aired 3-4a ET

Aired May 08, 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]

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ROSEMARY CHURCH, CNN ANCHOR: Hello and welcome to our viewers joining us here in the United States and all around the world. You are watching CNN Newsroom and I'm Rosemary Church. Just ahead, we are following two tragedies out of Texas. New details on the man who opened fire at an outdoor mall in the city of Allen, killing eight people, his possible ties to right-wing extremism.

In Brownsville, investigators are trying to determine why the driver of a car crashed into a group of people outside a migrant shelter killing at least eight. And a COVID era immigration rule expires this week. We will talk to a priest in El Paso, Texas, whose church shelters dozens of migrants on the immigration crisis.

UNKNOWN (voice-over): Live from CNN Center, this is CNN Newsroom with Rosemary Church.

CHURCH: Thanks for joining us. Residents of Allen, Texas have been mourning the eight people killed in Saturday's mass shooting. Officials, first responders and other members of the community gathered at this vigil on Sunday to remember the victims. The mayor- elect delivered an emotional speech calling for prayers to help heal the city.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BAINE BROOKS, ALLEN, TEXAS MAYOR-ELECT: We're going to need prayer. So please, think about our families here in this community. Think about all the people that are involved. And just, let's pray. Jesus, take the wheel.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: Mourners have also honored the victims by placing flowers on this makeshift memorial. It was set up at the outlet mall where the gunman carried out the attack. 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 CORRESPONDENT (on-camera): 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 to the moment where he was shot and killed by an Allen police officer, that the gunman had moved several hundred yards around a building inside that parking lot area. 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 lived, and we were 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: No, I never really saw anything that seemed a little suspicious or out of, you know, I don't walk with the guy. I mean, he would get in, he would park his car and just walk in like anybody else. So nothing, you know, nothing red-flag. I think he was a real loner. A lot of times he would walk up and down the block, you know, and always with those Converse, you know, he liked those, I guess those were his favorite man with those Converse, so I think, you know, he would just like to walk up and down the block with his little hoodie on and just, you know, just didn't really say anything.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LAVANDERA (on-camera): 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 there 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 that we are hearing from investigators. This, as we have now gone more than 24 hours since this shooting happened, that officials and law enforcement officers have not briefed reporters on the latest on this investigation. [03:05:00]

Ed Lavandera, CNN, Allen, Texas.

CHURCH: Meantime, a man who witnessed the shooting tells CNN he saw the gunman shooting at a police officer in pursuit of him.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BILL MCLEAN, SHOOTING WITNESS: We basically turned and watched and as we were watching the shooter goes right across, he's not running, but he's kind of in a deliberate assault type move. And he either had an M16 or an M4 carbine, and he was firing. He shot about four or five shots as he proceeded toward the hamburger place. So, I don't know who he shot. And a few moments later we saw a police officer come across in front of us like he was in pursuit of the individual.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: CNN has learned the name of one of the eight people killed in that attack. This is Christian LaCour. His sister tells CNN that he was a sweet, caring young man who was loved greatly by his family. A survivor of the shooting also says he was a kind and dedicated mall security guard who could light up a room just by being there.

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. He's now calling on U.S. lawmakers to take action on gun control. CNN's Jeremy Diamond has more from the White House.

JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT (on-camera): The flag above the White House is once again flying at half-staff as we watch this all-too-familiar ritual in the wake of yet another deadly mass shooting play out. President Biden putting out a statement offering his prayers to the victims and their families and also thanking first responders for acting quickly and courageously.

He says that federal law enforcement officials are offering assistance to state and local authorities. But what we're also hearing from President Biden is once again a call to action, a call to enact the kind of common sense gun reforms that President Biden believes are necessary.

And he's also making clear who he believes is responsible for the inaction on those efforts in Washington, saying in a statement, quote, too many families have empty chairs at their dinner tables. Republican members of Congress cannot continue to meet this epidemic with a shrug. Tweeted thoughts and prayers are not enough. Once again, I ask Congress to send me a bill banning assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, enacting universal background checks requiring safe storage, ending immunity for gun manufacturers. I will sign it immediately. We need nothing less to keep our streets safe.

And President Biden in this statement also says that he believes the country has made some progress in addressing this issue, pointing to his signing of that bipartisan Safer Communities Act that sought to incentivize more red flag laws in the country and address mental health resources. But he also makes clear that he believes that despite the nearly two dozen executive actions he has signed on this issue, he believes he's now reached the limit of his executive authorities and he says that the burden now rests with Congress. Jeremy Diamond, CNN, The White House.

CHURCH: Further south in Brownsville, Texas, eight people were killed after a car crashed into a crowd near a migrant shelter on Sunday. This video shows the corner where it happened. Police say they will have more details on the crash in the coming hours, but for now it's unknown whether the incident was intentional or not. CNN's Rosa Flores has more from Texas.

ROSA FLORES, CNN CORRESPONDENT (on-camera): 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 his 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 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 says 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.

[03:10:00]

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 they're being held on charges of reckless driving.

Now, I'm here in El Paso, Texas, because we're covering the migrant surge that's happening leading up to the lifting of Title 42. And if you could see, there are barricades here in front of me on this street because what you see behind me is a church shelter. And so, there's 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 in the shelter in El Paso. Rosa Flores, CNN, El Paso.

CHURCH: And CNN spoke with a Texas lawmaker about the car crash. Here are the details he shared.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. HENRY CUELLAR (D-TX), U.S. CONGRESS: They are doing the drug, alcohol test. He's not being very cooperative and we don't know, and we got that video. There's other videos that I did not want to send over to you. There are a lot more graphic but I think law enforcement will have a better idea tomorrow. I think they're having a press conference.

That vehicle was traveling at a very, very fast pace. Now, whether he did it intentionally or lost control, we don't know at this time. But we do know that, any time, if you're driving that fast and there's people around there, there will be some sort of reckless, maybe criminal action against that individual. But we will leave that up to the local law enforcement.

But, again, you know, I just feel bad for those migrants who were just standing there waiting for the bus and many of them did not make it. Some of them are of course in the hospital with very, very serious injuries.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: A flashpoint in the U.S. border crisis is happening this week. The pandemic era deportation rule, known as Title 42, comes to an end and could spur a new surge in migrants at the southern border. Later this hour, I will talk with someone on the front line of the migrant crisis here in the U.S. But first, Russia launches new attacks across Ukraine, including toward the capital, the latest from Kyiv, next.

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[03:15:00]

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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 you can see the damage left behind. 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 front lines in the East, top commanders say Russian forces are increasing their attacks on Bakhmut. The Ukrainian military remains determined to keep Russia from capturing the city by Tuesday, when Moscow holds its World War II Victory Day parade. Ukraine says Russia is doing everything possible to take Bakhmut, including sending in more forces.

Meantime, preparations are underway in Moscow for Russia's annual Victory Day parade to mark the defeat of Nazi Germany. Tuesday's event is typically used by President Vladimir Putin to show off his country's military might. But this year, events are reportedly being scaled back and security heightened just days after Russia alleged a drone attack on the Kremlin. In comments made just a short time ago, Ukrainian President Volodymyr

Zelenskyy compared Vladimir Putin's Russia to Hitler's Nazi Germany. He said he is submitting a bill to his parliament to change Ukraine's official Victory Day celebration to May 8th.

And 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?

CLARE SEBASTIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (on-camera): Yeah, Rosemary, very significant to hear that some regions are scaling back their efforts to celebrate Victory Day. This is a huge holiday in Russia. Russia lost, of course, an order of magnitude, more people, but soldiers and civilians, tens of millions in the Second World War. It's a huge part of their national identity.

And we're hearing quite a few regions saying that they are scaling back their celebrations. Most of them, it should be noted, near the Russian border with Ukraine. Some citing security concerns. One saying that they don't have military equipment or military units. Various things there to prompt them to scale back, but very significant.

And, you know, this used to be a day that Russia marked in conjunction with the West. This was a shared victory. You know, in the past, we've seen Western dignitaries attend the celebrations. In 2010, we even saw Western troops march alongside Russian troops in Red Square.

So, this is a big turnaround. Now, we see no Western dignitaries there scaling back the celebrations. And as you noted, President Zelenskyy even distancing Ukraine from celebrating Victory Day on May the 9th, saying they were going forward from this year, celebrate it on May the 8th and May 9th going forward, he said will be a day of Europe and Ukraine to commemorate their alliance and the support of Europe in this war against Russia. So, that is an important development and it really just shows the landscape around Victory Day has changed in Russia.

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

[03:20:00]

SEBASTIAN: Yeah, so we're seeing evidence, certainly on the Ukrainian side. We know that they're getting a lot of Western, modern weapons. They say they've received 98 percent of the armored vehicles and tanks that they've requested and been promised by their Western allies.

We also know that Ukraine has now claimed that a Patriot battery that it has been supplied with by the West has shot down a Russian hypersonic missile. It seems to be the first time that that has happened, if that's true. And meanwhile, on the Russian side, we're seeing evidence that the arsenal is getting older, that they are dipping back so far into their historical stockpiles that they're now using equipment that was built just after the Second World War.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JOHN DELANY, SENIOR CURATOR, IMPERIAL WAR MUSEUM: What a missile will do is it will fly over the tank, then down and at 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.

SEBASTIAN (voice-over): Now, Western officials say Russia's dusting off much older models to replace them.

UNKNOWN: 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 from a storage facility in Russia's Far East showing dozens of tanks have been removed in the last year. This image showing the T-55 at that same facility.

Video that first surfaced in March also showing a train load 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-55s in Russian occupied territory in Ukraine.

UNKNOWN: There's so many of these were manufactured over 100,000 altogether. And the parts, the basic mechanical parts are all interchangeable. So, there will be vast stockpiles of these.

SEBASTIAN (voice-over): The T-55 was a central piece of the Soviet Union's Cold War arsenal, 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 90s -- UNKNOWN: We took out all-toll 14. T-55 tanks.

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

TREVOR TAYLOR, PROFESSIONAL FELLOW IN DEFENSE, 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.

SEBASTIAN: 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?

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

SEBASTIAN: It's also simpler to maintain and train on the newer systems, an advantage for Russia's mobilized troops.

UNKNOWN: Dig a pit, sit it -- sit in the tank in the pit so you can only see the turrets, and then that can be used to defend the front line against a counter-attack.

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

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SEBASTIAN (on-camera): Well, so clearly Ukraine may have the quality edge when it comes to all the Western weapons it's receiving, but Russia may be able to bring the quantity to bear with these newer, older pieces of equipment, and that could, you know, could be meaningful on the battlefield. Also demonstrates, Rosemary, its commitment to using everything it can possibly get its hands on to keep this war going.

CHURCH: All right, Clare Sebastian, many thanks for that report, appreciate it.

Well, fighting rages on in Sudan as envoys from the two warring sides gather for peace talks. Plumes of smoke and sounds of explosions could be heard in the south of the capital Khartoum, Sunday. The violence comes as representatives of the Sudanese army and the paramilitary rapid support forces are in Jeddah for talks led by the U.S. and Saudi Arabia.

Meanwhile, the league of Arab states says a committee will be formed to communicate with Sudan's warring parties on reaching a ceasefire agreement. The conflict has killed hundreds, triggered a mass exodus and created a humanitarian crisis.

[03:25:00]

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. Clashes began after a rally to protest the potential inclusion of the state's majority ethnic group, as a, quote, schedule tribe, which offers wide access to health benefits, education and government jobs. The Indian Army has been deployed and a five-day mobile internet blackout is in force to try and contain the violence.

The pandemic era deportation rule known as Title 42 ends this week, but is the Biden administration prepared to handle an expected surge of migrants at the southern border? We will take a closer look after the break. Plus, how New York City is preparing for its own expected influx of migrants when Title 42 expires.

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CHURCH:

CHURCH: U.S. House Republicans are set to vote on a wide-ranging border security package on Thursday, which is also the expiration date for Title 42. That is the U.S. government rule that allowed border officers to swiftly expel migrants during the COVID pandemic. Both Republicans and Democrats have been critical of President Joe Biden's planning and communication about the border crisis. But the Homeland Security Secretary is pushing back, saying the U.S. is prepared to handle any expected migrant surge.

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ALEJANDRO MAYORKAS, U.S. HOMELAND SECURITY SECRETARY: It's going to take our plan a while to really take hold for people to understand that they can access lawful, safe, orderly pathways before they reach the border. And quite frankly, if they come to the border, they will receive a consequence under our enforcement authorities.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: And people are already gathering near the southern border, anticipating the end of Title 42.

CNN's Gustavo Valdez is in the region with more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

GUSTAVO VALDEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: We are about 15 miles from downtown Ciudad Juarez. And this is the point where many migrants are now waiting for the end of Title 42. The end of Title 42 is May 11.

Nonetheless, these people think that it is safer for them to be here already in U.S. territory behind that barbed wire than being on the streets of Ciudad Juarez, where they believe they could be victims of crime. We have seen this afternoon about 200 people that are waiting here, many of them are children. And we hear the cry -- the cry for help from many of them who are requesting water or food from us. They say they've been here about five days and they are have limited resources.

We've seen some people come with food, water, sodas, but it seems like they are selling. So only those who still have some money can benefit from this. We've also seen medical emergencies like the one on that side where we are told there are three women who collapsed. And they're waiting for some kind of assistance.

There are -- There's nobody on the U.S. side, nobody from the border patrol, the National Guard. There are two Porta parties, but there are no officials here to see what's happening. They were telling us they were trying to get these women back into Mexico to see if they can get any medical help on this side. We haven't seen that happening yet.

Gustavo Valdez, CNN, Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: Father Rafael Garcia is pastor of Sacred Heart Church in El Paso, Texas. His church runs a shelter that houses between 120 and 130 people. Thank you, Father, for speaking with us.

FATHER RAFAEL GARCIA, SACRED HEART CHURCH PASTOR: Thank you, great, glad that you invited me. We really appreciate it.

CHURCH: So you are on the front line of the migrant crisis. You see what's actually happening there on the ground. How prepared do you think the United States is for the end of Title 42 on May 11th?

GARCIA: Okay, I guess how I see it just by being here on the border, we're just about four blocks away from the Mexico -- U.S.-Mexico border is that I think the United States is very capable of taking in the asylum seekers. I think the issue is these bottleneck situations or these funnel situations, however you're gonna call it at the entry points where everything ends up becomes very critical for the communities that receive the people immediately, which is the case of El Paso, or Brownsville, or other border towns.

So it's more the issue of how can it be resolved or how can help be offered to the places where people come in? Because I think the United States has capacity to and it needs a lot of workers, a lot of people.

CHURCH: And President Biden has approved sending 1500 active duty troops for deployment at the U.S.-Mexico border in preparation for the end of Title 42 on Thursday. What's your response to that move?

GARCIA: Well, what I heard is that they were coming to free up border patrol from their jobs so they could be processing people. It sounds like it's that's the operation. What can I say? I just hope that people can be processed in an expedient way and not have to be, you know, detained or be in situations that are not particularly helpful after they've gone through this very traumatic journey.

CHURCH: So what will the end of Title 42 mean for so many migrants who are desperate to enter this country?

GARCIA: Well, I think finally they will have a chance to present their case, you know, presenting an asylum case is complicated, but at least they'll have a chance to do that, which is a human right.

People have been waiting in Mexico for a long time under very harsh conditions with all sorts of problems happening on the border towns.

[03:34:57]

So it'll give them some relief, I hope. And hopefully they can find a path to be able to -- to, you know, ask for asylum and find a regularized situation.

CHURCH: And Father, what are some of the stories that you would like to share with us about the situation for some of the migrants sheltering at your church in El Paso? GARCIA: Yeah, we handle about 120 to 130. There's about today, this

morning, we're about 1200 people on the streets all around us. So we're just handling what we can. People come, it's a really -- they're very brave. They're very determined. These are people who wanna work. They're fleeing horrible situations in their home country, in particular Venezuela. And they've gone through a very dangerous journey and traumatic.

So, I mean, we see people that are injured. We had a woman with us who was three months pregnant, and she said she had to run from the cartels that were going to take their money in Mexico. And they were able to escape. She had an injury and she came to us and we were able to take her to the hospital. And there's all sorts of stories of people who really risked everything. And people still keep their composure, they keep their peace, they want to, you know, start a new life, be able to work and have a dignified life like any of us. So it's very edifying to deal with them because these are people that are just wanting to survive and wanting to start a life with dignity and work.

CHURCH: Father Rafael Garcia, thank you so much for talking with us and for the incredible work you're doing right now. Appreciate it.

GARCIA: Thank you very much. God bless you. Bye-bye.

CHURCH: Meantime, New York City is gearing up for its own expected migrant surge as Title 42 expires. Mayor Eric Adams says the city will transport willing migrants to neighboring counties outside the city for temporary housing. But that plan is not sitting well with everyone in those counties.

CNN's Gloria Pazmino has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

GLORIA PAZMINO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: And officials in Rockland County are not happy about this plan by Mayor Eric Adams to send some migrants there. They issued a statement last night calling the plan absurd and saying that their county does not have the infrastructure to support the arrival of these migrants.

However, the city of New York is countering that by reminding them that they're only trying to send up to 300 people who will go there on a voluntary basis. And that the city will be paying for the cost of sending them there and whatever they might need while they're in Rockland County.

But this just gives you an idea of the many difficulties and obstacles that the City of New York is facing as it prepares for arrivals to start increasing significantly after Title 42 expires. Now, I've been speaking with sources inside the Adams administration all week who tell me that they're looking at this as an all-hands-on-deck moment. They are estimating that we might see up to 800 arrivals per day here in the city following the expiration of Title 42.

And the city has a unique challenge when it comes to shelter because they are legally obligated to provide shelter to anyone who might need it. And now, the city is at a place where they are simply running out of space. They have been looking at a range of different ideas including everything from putting up tents in Central Park, to leasing out college dorms, using unused airplane hangars at J.F. Kennedy Airport. All of this, part of a long list of possible ideas that the city has been looking at as sheltering options as migrants begin to arrive here over the next couple of days. I should say that already more than 60,000 migrants have come through New York City and over 35,000 of them are currently in the care of the city.

Mayor Eric Adams has made a big show asking the federal government for funding. And the federal government has only responded by giving just a fraction of the funding that the city has requested so far. So Mayor Eric Adams is certainly under pressure, not just to provide for those who will be arriving, but also to find the money and the funds to meet the need that will likely be here over the next several months as migrants continue to arrive.

In New York, Gloria Pazmino, CNN.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: Closing arguments are set to get underway today in the civil battery and defamation trial against Donald Trump. The Former President will not testify in the case brought by E. Jean Carroll, who has accused Trump of raping her in the mid-1990s. The judge had given Trump's legal team until 5 pm Sunday, to confirm if he was testifying, but Trump's attorneys did not make any filing with the court. The jury will likely be deliberating on Tuesday.

[03:40:03]

And still to come, the death toll climbs after floods and landslides hit the Democratic Republic of Congo. We hear from survivors who have lost everything.

Plus, tens of thousands of Canadians are fleeing wildfires in Alberta. We will have the latest on the damage done so far.

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CHURCH: At least 394 people have died after floods and landslides hit villages in the Democratic Republic of Congo last week. Heavy rainfall caused rivers to overflow and triggered mudslides that devastated communities.

CNN's Paula Newton reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PAULA NEWTON, CNN ANCHOR AND CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Mud and misery everywhere in this village in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Houses with corrugated roofs, no match for the flash floods and landslides that swept through this area last week.

The rush of water and debris in the South Kivu province, claiming hundreds of lives as well as property. An official in one territory affected by the floods says nearly 400 people have been killed. The searchers dig through the soggy ground to try and find others. The grief is unbearable for some.

GENTILLE NDAGIJIMANA, SURVIVOR (through translator): Now, I don't have any more family. And I don't have any more fields. Now I must look for a place to sleep. I know that my husband is alive, but all the children are dead.

NEWTON (voice-over): Aid workers say it's grim work recovering the bodies with many burials already taking place. But one local official says there are growing concerns for the survivors left homeless and sleeping outside. Schools have been destroyed, hospitals washed away, the facilities that weren't damaged now stretched to their limits and running low on medicines and supplies for the wounded like gloves, syringes and compresses.

[03:45:05]

BAUMA NGOLA, HOSPITAL MEDICINE DIRECTOR (through translator): The influx of cases shows clearly that we are overwhelmed because we have already exceeded our capacity. As for the beds, you can see some people sleeping on the floor.

NEWTON (voice-over): The government says Monday will be a national day of mourning, something the people of these hard-hit villages already know all too well.

Paula Newton, CNN.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: At least 27 people are dead after a fire broke out in a gold mine in Southern Peru on Saturday. Local officials said on Sunday that a short circuit sparked the fire. Images on local and social media show dark plumes of smoke pouring out of the site. The incident is the country's single deadliest mining accident in more than two decades.

Wildfires have forced the evacuation of more than 29,000 people from their homes in the Canadian province of Alberta. This is what it looked like in Valley View and you can see the flames turning the horizon orange. Emergency officials say at least 16 new fires have started in the past 24-hours. There are more than a hundred active wildfires right now, 31 of them are out of control. More than 150,000 hectares or about 375,000 acres have burned so far this year. Scattered showers gave firefighters some assistance on Sunday.

In Miami, there was no stopping Verstappen. We will hear from the two- time world champion on how he won the Formula 1 Grand Prix with a come from behind performance. Back with that and more in just a moment.

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[03:50:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) (VIDEO PLAYING)

CHURCH: Lionel Richie, Katy Perry, and others performed in the concert to mark the coronation of King Charles III Sunday night at Windsor Castle. And Prince William paid a touching tribute to his father.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

WILLIAM, PRINCE OF WALES: My father's first words on entering Westminster Abbey yesterday were a pledge of service. It was a pledge to continue to serve, because for over 50 years, in every corner of the U.K., across the Commonwealth and around the world, he has dedicated himself to serve others. Pa, we are all so proud of you.

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CHURCH: Much of the United Kingdom is enjoying a day off from work and school this Monday to mark the coronation and the celebrations continue in the hours ahead with what's being called the Big Helpout with members of the Royal Family joining volunteers at local charities.

Well, part of Sunday's festivities included the Big Lunch Street Party as a time for people to kick back and hang out with family, friends and neighbors.

CNN's Anna Stewart has more from London.

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ANNA STEWART, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Tea scones a right royal knees up. On Sunday, tens of thousands came together at street parties across the U.K. What better way to celebrate the glittering coronation of King Charles, braving the British weather in honor of a new monarch?

The Prince and Princess of Wales mingled among the crowds outside Windsor Castle. Street parties have become a mainstay of royal events, particularly during the reign of Elizabeth II. According to the new King and Queen, Sunday's so-called Big Lunch is an attempt to keep that spirit alive, an opportunity to spend time and celebrate with friends, families, and communities.

CATHERINE, PRINCESS OF WALES: I hope you have fun time. Yeah, enjoy your afternoon.

UNKNOWN: People just want to come together as a community and celebrate.

UNKNOWN: Came to celebrate. I thought it was -- I saw a nice picnic and thought come with my friends, meet some new people.

STEWART (voice-over): With Monday declared a public holiday, partygoers can let loose without worrying about the hangover.

No stranger to parties, Downing Street held a street party of its own, hosted by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. The guest list included community volunteers, Ukrainian refugees, and First Lady Jill Biden.

Anna Stewart, CNN, London.

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CHURCH: The writer's 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 details.

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CHLOE MELAS, CNN ENTERTAINMENT REPORTER: The MTV Movie and TV Awards that I look forward to watching every year, they have canceled a live show. It's gonna be pre-taped. Drew Barrymore, the host, she pulled out in solidarity with the writers and then you saw other hosts and presenters like Jamie 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 TV Show, went to "The Last of Us," Best Performance in a Movie, went to Tom Cruise for "Top Gun Maverick," and Jenna Ortega won for Best Performance in a TV Show for "Wednesday."

At the Formula 1 Grand Prix in Miami, there was no stopping Verstappen. The two-time world champion roared from a weak starting position to take the race away from the driver who led most of the way.

Here's World Sports' Don Riddell.

[03:54:58]

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DON RIDDELL, CNN WORLD SPORT ANCHOR AND CORRESPONDENT: There is no doubt that Red Bull are the team to beat in Formula 1 this season. And the two-time defending champion Max Verstappen is proving very, very difficult to beat.

At 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 teammate Sergio Perez started from pole position and would have been hoping to hold Verstappen off, 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 won them both.

MAX VERSTAPPEN, FORMULA 1 DEFENDING CHAMPION: Yesterday was of course a bit of a setback, but today we just kept it calm, kept it clean, and for sure winning a race from P9 is always very satisfying.

SERGIO PEREZ, FINISHED SECOND AT THE MIAMI GRAND PRIX: I gave it all, you know. I think the first thing was really poor with the training that we had on that initial pace. And that compromised quite a lot our race because we didn't have too much of a difference on tire, and Max was particularly from today so, well-deserved win for him.

FERNANDO ALONSO, FINISHED FOURTH AT THE MIAMI GRAND PRIX: beginning of the year that podium was amazing now after four podiums we want obviously 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.

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 he puts Verstappen 14 points clear at the top of the driver standings and for the American race fans this is the beginning. There are three Grand Prix in the U.S. this season. Austin and Las Vegas are still to come.

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CHURCH: All right. Thanks for that. And thanks for your company. I'm Rosemary Church. Have yourselves a wonderful day. "CNN Newsroom" continues with Max Foster and Bianca Nobile next.