Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Newsroom

Mass Shootings In America; Pence Looks For Votes In America's Heartland; DeSantis Critics Blast Candidate's Anti-LGBT Ad; Putin Thanks Allies For Support During Insurrection; Atomic Regulators OK Fukushima Water Release; Stunning Fireworks Shows Celebrate 4th Of July. Aired 2-3a ET

Aired July 05, 2023 - 02:00   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[02:00:37]

ROSEMARY CHURCH, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: Hello and welcome to our viewers joining us here in the United States and all around the world. I'm Rosemary Church. And this is CNN NEWSROOM.

Just ahead. Mass shootings in America. Independence Day celebrations in the U.S. marred by gun violence leaving multiple people dead.

From the campaign trails to the parade routes, Republican presidential hopefuls look for votes and show their patriotic pride on Independence Day.

And after a deadly military operation, Israel pulls its troops out of Jenin while the violence spreads beyond the West Bank.

ANNOUNCER: Live from CNN Center. This is CNN NEWSROOM with Rosemary Church.

CHURCH: And thanks for joining us. We begin here in the United States where cities across the country are dealing with the fallout from mass shootings over the holiday weekend. Indianapolis Police are investigating the death of a 16-year-old girl who was killed in a shooting during a block party late Monday evening.

Further south in Texas, three people are dead after gunfire erupted at an annual neighborhood gathering in Fort Worth. Police there are still unsure what motivated the violence.

And in Philadelphia authorities say a shooter killed five people at random on Monday. The city's mayor expressed his anger over the gun violence.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JIM KENNEY, PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA MAYOR: I'm frustrated and outraged that mass shootings like this continue to happen in communities across the United States. This country needs to reexamine its conscience and find out how to get guns out of dangerous people's hands.

We are begging Congress to protect lives and do something about America's gun problem.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: U.S. President Joe Biden addressed the weekend's violence in a statement on Tuesday saying and I'm quoting today, "Jill and I agree for those who have lost their lives and as our nation celebrates Independence Day, we pray for the day when our communities will be free from gun violence. It is within our power to once again ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines to require safe storage of guns to end gun manufacturers immunity from liability and to enact universal background checks."

Well, the Fourth of July was no holiday for some of the Republican presidential candidates. Former Vice President Mike Pence walked two miles and a fourth of July parade in the state of Iowa. And Florida Governor Ron DeSantis marched through the rain and two events in New Hampshire. The first Republican caucuses will take place in Iowa where Pence made a big push this Independence Day.

But notably missing from any campaign appearance was his former boss GOP front runner, Donald Trump. CNN's Kyung Lah is with Pence on the campaign trail in the Hawkeye State.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KYUNG LAH, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: It is all in on Iowa and that is abundantly clear as we are watching former Vice President Mike Pence campaign through Iowa. His campaign says that it is this all 99- county visiting each one, shaking as many hands as possible, hitting the coffee shops, hitting the pizza cafes. This is where they believe that the former vice president shines.

And you certainly saw it as he was walking a Fourth of July parade in Urbandale, Iowa. It was a two-mile parade route that at many points, the former vice president burst into a jog, shaking hands with as many people as possible trying to sell this idea of a conservative future that he sees as a blueprint for America. And then he came up here to rural Boone, Iowa where he talked about energy.

A conservative Supreme Court and a future that he believes will work in a general election as well as this first in the nation caucus state. Notably not here is his former running mate and President Donald Trump, who chose to not be in Iowa, something that Mr. Pence pointed out in talking with reporters.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MIKE PENCE, FORMER VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I can't account for what other campaigns decided but for me, it was vitally important to be here where the journey to the White House always begins. And to spend two miles, at times jogging up hill to take our case to the people of Iowa and I promise you we're going to keep running that hard all the way to the finish line. (END VIDEO CLIP)

[02:05:08]

LAH: It's a strategy that campaign says that for now, they will absolutely not deviate from. Meanwhile, the other candidates like Ron DeSantis chose to spend their Fourth of July in New Hampshire.

Kyung Lah, CNN, Boone, Iowa.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

OMAR JIMENEZ, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: The weather rained on the parade for Fourth of July festivities here in New Hampshire, but it didn't dampen the spirits of everyone who came out to support not just the country in general patriotism, but also some of the GOP candidates who were here very much on the campaign trail. Among them, Florida governor Ron DeSantis, who his super PAC or I should say, the pro- DeSantis super PAC never backed down.

Their spokesperson even acknowledged that they feel they are way behind in the polling. This is an uphill battle, though not one they say is unwinnable. And that's part of why he hit this trail hard meeting. A lot of people along what was to parade routes across New Hampshire over Fourth of July shaking hands doing some of that on the ground presence that again, could help make some inroads into what has been a shadow over the GOP field.

And what I mean by that is that the significant lead that polling has shown former President Trump to have over the rest of the field. Recent CNN polling has shown that among Republican and Republican leaning voters 47 percent would support the former president and the next closest, which is DeSantis is double digits away. And that's also why we saw not just DeSantis but South Carolina Senator Tim Scott, North Dakota Governor Burgum, former Texas Congressman Will Hurd out and about to try and close some of that gap as we of course, approach the first debates in August.

But the more significant date that as we approach the first primary dates and at the end of the day, what's more American than campaigning for president on the Fourth of July.

Omar Jimenez, CNN, Merrimack New Hampshire.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: Joining me now is Michael Genovese. A professor of political science at Loyola Marymount University. He is also the author of numerous books including The Modern Presidency. Six Debates That Define the Institution. Good to have you with us, as always.

MICHAEL GENOVESE, PROFESSOR OF POLITICAL SCIENCE, MARYMOUNT UNIVERSITY: Thank you, Rosemary. CHURCH: So, GOP candidates took advantage of the Fourth of July holiday participating in parades and pressing the flesh with Americans out celebrating the day, but no sign of Donald Trump as we count down to the GOP primaries. Is that a sign he thinks he has this all sewn up?

GENOVESE: Well, you know, you're right. He was conspicuous for his absence. You expect the candidate to be up there on the Fourth of July, pressing the flesh. And people in Iowa and New Hampshire, expect to meet and talk with each of the candidates. And so that was unusual. I think you have to remember, though, that this is not 2016. It's not 2020. And Donald Trump is older, he's more tired. He doesn't have his mojo. I think he lost his mojo.

And so, I think it's a function of two major factors. One, the indictments, the ones that have already taken place, and the ones that look like they're in the pipeline must have taken a great toll on him. The second thing is we have to remember, he's 77. And like, Joe Biden, senior citizens like myself, we get more tired, we don't have the energy, we don't have the pepper and vinegar.

And so, I think those two factors are making Donald Trump look like he's lost a little bit of his mojo.

CHURCH: Interesting. And Florida governor and presidential hopeful, Ron DeSantis, of course, represents the biggest threat to Trump. So, he was out and about in New Hampshire for the July 4th holiday trying to convince Republican voters to pick him over the former president a day after his campaign released that ad targeting Trump's previous support of the LGBTQ community.

Many critics, even those within the Republican Party called that ad homophobic and unacceptable. How might this impact DeSantis' chances going forward do you think? And what was his strategy here?

GENOVESE: Well, you know, the problem for DeSantis is that he's trying to outtrump Trump. And you just don't outtrump Trump. Donald Trump is an attack dog. He's great at it. He's experienced at it. And you're asking DeSantis to play on the same playing field and he just can't do it. He ought to choose a different strategy. He can't be Trump 2.0. It just not working for him. And so, for DeSantis, his strategy to outcome Trump is backfire.

For all the other candidates and there are a dozen candidates in the Republican primaries. Their problem is that all the single-digit candidates are waiting to see what happens to Trump. Will his implode, will he get more indictments, will his campaign collapse, will his face turn on him? If that doesn't happen, they'll continue to be single-digit candidates.

[02:10:09]

But the thing to remember is that since 1980, in the Republican primaries and caucuses in Iowa and New Hampshire, the front runner is always the last one of those two races. And so that gives all of the other would-be presidents an opening. A hope. A sense in which, you know, if Trump crumbles, maybe I'll be in the top two or three. And so, there's hope. But boy, time is fading fast for the single-digit candidates.

CHURCH: Yes. I did want to talk to you about that because of course, Mike Pence, Tim Scott, and some of the other GOP presidential hopefuls were also taking advantage of the July 4th crowds trying to convince American voters to back them over Trump. But some of these candidates won't even make it to the debate stage next month. We'll lay some, as you point out, garnering just single digit support.

So, what is their endgame here apart from sort of waiting to see what happens with Trump? Are they after the V.P. spot?

GENOVESE: There are a variety of reasons why people run for the presidency. One of which is to actually hope to be president. But there are other problems and other opportunities that you have to remember. One is to be -- to run for vice president, but another is to gain name recognition for the next race. 2024 leads to 2028. And also, to develop a cadre of donors that are national, you know, governor may have a lot of strength in his or her state, but you want a national campaign if you're going to be one of the big players in the fishbowl.

And so, you develop a big campaign staff. You develop a Rolodex, we used to call it of donors, and you get a little bit of name recognition, not necessarily for 2024 but maybe for beyond.

CHURCH: We'll be watching, of course. Michael Genovese, thanks so much for joining us. Appreciate it.

GENOVESE: Thank you, Rosemary.

CHURCH: And still ahead. Israel ends its intense military operation in Jenin, but the cycle of violence has not ended. We will have the latest from the region.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[02:15:51]

CHURCH: Welcome back, everyone. Israel says all of its forces have now withdrawn from Jenin in the West Bank and that its military operation there is over. But the violence in the region has still spread beyond Jenin to Gaza and Tel Aviv. Israeli forces say they have been conducting strikes in the Gaza Strip. The past few hours after rockets were fired toward Israeli territory. They say all five of those rockets were intercepted.

The IDF says it strikes targeted weapon production sites for the Palestinian militant group Hamas. Israel's military operation in Jenin began two days ago and it was its largest in that city in more than two decades. Meantime, Hamas says it's responded to that operation claiming responsibility for a car ramming and stabbing attack in Tel Aviv Tuesday, which left at least eight people injured.

But Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says the attack cannot break Israel's resolve to fight terrorism. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, PRIME MINISTER OF ISRAEL (through translator): Never thinks that such an attack will deter us from continuing our fight against terrorism is wrong. He simply do not know the spirit of the State of Israel.

We will continue as long as necessary to root out terrorism. We will not allow Jenin to return to being a city of refuge for terror.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: CNN's Hadas Gold has been following the developments and has more now from Tel Aviv.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

HADAS GOLD, CNN JERUSALEM CORRESPONDENT (voiceover): A car ramming attack on the streets of Tel Aviv, the attacker shot by an armed civilian. Militant group Hamas taking credit for the attack, calling it a response to Israel's ongoing military raid in the occupied West Bank City of Jenin.

The largest incursion into the West Bank since the days of the Second Intifada more than 20 years ago.

Israel says its aim is to dismantle the Hornet's Nest, Jenin has become for militants. Targeting underground tunnels used to store explosive devices in the camp.

RICHARD HECHT, ISRAELI ARMY INTERNATIONAL SPOKESPERSON: They were focused mainly on dismantling terrorist infrastructure and handling and seizing guns there in this camp.

GOLD (voiceover): Scenes of destruction as bulldozers ripped up rows to disable IEDs. Damaged cars and homes, inside the camp streets are empty, thousands of residents evacuating their homes overnight. International aid groups accused Israeli forces of blocking access to medical care in Jenin.

And firing tear gas in your hospitals the IDF refuting those claims saying ambulances have a free pass.

Palestinian officials condemning the raid calling it a new war crime and saying they will suspend contact with Israel.

A general strike in solidarity with Jenin has been called in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. Meanwhile, Palestinian militant groups calling for action to strike Israel by all available means as the cycle of violence goes on.

Hadas Gold, CNN, Tel Aviv.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: And CNN's Nada Bashir is tracking developments for us. She joins us live from London. Good morning to you, Nada. So, Israel's operation in Jenin has ended but the violence continues. What's the latest?

NADA BASHIR, CNN INTERNATIONAL REPORTER: Well, look, Rosemary, as we've seen in the past time and time again, the situation can change very, very quickly. You know, we've heard from the Israel Defense Forces statement that operation is now over. They say they have achieved -- succeeded in achieving all of their goals, namely to target terrorist infrastructure, according to the Israel Defense Forces.

But of course, we've also heard that they reserve the right to return. Should they receive any intelligence which would warrant yet another incursion. Of course, as you mentioned earlier, we've also seen that exchange of rocket fire. The IDF continuing to conduct strikes in the Gaza Strip. This according to the IDF in response two rocket fire from Gaza targeting Israeli territory. The -- all those rockets were intercepted but as you saw that in Hadas' reporting, this is some of the worst violence, this is the largest incursion that the Jenin refugee camp has seen in almost two decades, as the Second Intifada in the early 2000.

[02:20:10]

We're talking about a refugee camp that houses some 17,000 Palestinian refugees in a deeply impoverished area less than a quarter of a square kilometer in size. And we have seen real violence over the last few days. Alarm bells being rung by the U.N. and other aid groups over the scale and severity, in the words of the U.N. of the injuries that have been sustained by Palestinian civilians, as well as of course, the civilian deaths, or at least a dozen people killed, including three children, according to UNICEF.

And there is still a real concern over the situation on the ground. Of course, we saw thousands according to local officials of Palestinian refugees fleeing their homes, amid the crossfire that we saw in Jenin over the last two days. They will potentially be returning as they attempt to go home after the operation, but of course, what are they returning to? We've heard from the authorities there, we've heard from aid groups reporting limited access to water, to electricity, to internet services.

We've seen infrastructural damage on a significant scale. Of course, the threat of a further escalation of violence continues to loom over the Jenin refugee camp. Rosemary?

CHURCH: All right. CNN's Nada Bashir joining us live from London with that report. Appreciate it.

And coming up. Russian President Vladimir Putin wants the world to see him as strong and in control. We will take a look at how effective his messages. Back in just a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[02:25:39] CHURCH: Welcome back, everyone. Vladimir Putin is putting on a show of power and strength telling his allies he is fully in charge of the situation in Russia and in Ukraine. The Russian president addressing a virtual Summit hosted by India's Prime Minister in Putin's first appearance on the world stage since the rebellion by the Wagner Mercenary Group. He thanked the nations like Belarus, Iran and China for offering solidarity during the crisis.

All that as Russian forces targets civilian infrastructure in Ukraine. An assault in the Kharkiv region left dozens of people wounded on Tuesday. And a shelling attack on the city of Kherson song killed two people.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian officials say Russia is using all its forces to stop Ukraine's progress around the city of Bakhmut. The fighting along the eastern and southern front lines is fierce and slow going. But Ukraine insists it has the upper hand.

So, let's turn to CNN's Scott McLean now. He joins us live from London. Good morning to you, Scott. So, what more are you learning about the fighting on the front lines and of course, attacks on Ukraine?

SCOTT MCLEAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Rosemary. Getting more information on that missile strike in the town of Pervomayskiy. This is about 60 kilometers or so from the city of Kharkiv. 60 kilometers south and frankly nowhere near the front lines. This is a town that has been hit before since the war began. But the Ukrainian say that there are no military facilities here. They insist it is only civilian.

We are also learning according to the chief of a Ukrainian special forces unit that when that missile came down yesterday, people were gathering for a funeral service for a fallen Ukrainian soldier It hit a house about 800 meters away. And so that is why we are seeing no one killed but a large number of people injured. 43 people injured at last count. According to the Ukrainian prosecutor general's office, the youngest among them, just three months old.

There was also a 10-month-old baby that was injured by shrapnel, taken to the hospital right into intensive care. Their condition has stabilized. There were obviously apartment buildings that were damaged. That obviously is the least of their worries at this stage of the game. On the Russian-occupied side of the front lines. Authorities in Donetsk City say that there was sustained Ukrainian shelling on the city yesterday.

Twenty-four Ukrainian shells actually landed killing two people, some 25 people injured. Among them, according to authorities, a two-year old little girl and a seven-year-old boy. Now, this is not the first time the Donetsk City has been hit recently. In fact, it's been a regular target throughout the course of the war. But what is worth noting is that the intensity of those strikes seems to have picked up and in the last few weeks or months as the so-called counter offensive has begun. Obviously, this is a city that is very well-fortified. It has been firmly under Russian occupation since 2014. And more broadly speaking across the frontlines, Rosemary, the Ukrainian say that look, they are making bits and pieces of progress, especially on the outer bits of Bakhmut. That highly contested city. But beyond that, they say that the Russians are really dug in and frankly, they are struggling to actually move the frontlines forward.

CHURCH: All right. Our thanks to Scott McLean joining us live from London.

Joining me now is Daniel Triesman. A professor of political science at UCLA. He's also the author of The Return Russia's journey from Gorbachev to Medvedev. Thank you so much for being with us.

DANIEL TRIESMAN, PROFESSOR OF POLITICAL SCIENCE, UCLA: Thank you.

CHURCH: So, during Vladimir Putin's first international appearance since his authority was severely tested by the short-lived Wagner mutiny, the Russian President addressed the virtual summit meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization hosted by India. And Putin's main goal was to convince all participants that Russia is stable now and that he is fully in control of the country. Did he achieve that?

TRIESMAN: Well, I think he did what he could. He gave a speech which very clearly signaled that things were back to normal. Yes, there was a little turbulence in the last week with the Wagner mutiny but now things are back to normal.

[02:30:00]

He's in charge and I think at the same time he was trying to signal to people in Russia, that Russia was far from being isolated, it was respected by some of the leading world powers like China and India. And that his reputation in the world remains extremely high. Although, of course, Russia is under attack from the West in his -- in his version of events.

CHURCH: And Professor because this event was virtual and not in person. Putin missed out on the added bonus, of course, of photo opportunity. So, it is hard to measure his relationship with the other leaders specifically with China's President Xi Jinping. But what were the overall optics in terms of signs of perhaps a greater or even less unity with leaders of China, Russia and India?

TRIESMAN: Well, of course, each leader has his own agenda, and they differ slightly. China and Russia, Xi and Putin, both are committed to showing themselves as leaders who can resist the U.S. And who are working towards a multipolar world in which the U.S. will not be as dominant. And so, Xi and Putin were very much aligned on that. Still, of course, Putin has his own agenda, which is very focused on the war in Ukraine, making that go as well as possible and dealing with the recent events that have cost the Russian war effort into some question.

But I think the main achievement for Putin here was that the relationship with Xi was not visibly very different. China, he can say to Russian viewers, China continues to back Russia, in its battle against Ukraine, although with a, it's an unlimited partnership, as Xi has said. But there are some limits to what China is willing to do with regard to Ukraine.

CHURCH: And behind the scenes, how concerned would China be at this juncture, with its current relationship with Russia's President, not only because of the attempted mutiny, but also Putin's long protracted war in Ukraine, that appears to be achieving very little for something that was only supposed to take just a few days?

TRIESMAN: I think Xi is very concerned that Russia not lose. I think he feels it's very important to maintain this multipolarity, a big defeat for Russia would enhance the unity and the confidence of the West and could make difficulties for China. So, I think he is very eager to see Putin survive this. Putin, if not score a dramatic victory in Ukraine at least maintain his position and come out of it reasonably secure.

But there isn't very much that China can do given that it's not ready, at this point, at least to provide serious weapons to Russia. And even if it did, it's not just a matter of weapons. It's also a matter of military servicemen troops on the ground. And it's a very difficult war for Russia to win at this point.

CHURCH: Professor Daniel Triesman, thank you so much for joining us. Appreciate it.

TRIESMAN: My pleasure.

CHURCH: And we'll be right back.

[02:35:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CHURCH: More than a million metric tons of treated radioactive wastewater. That's what Japan wants to dump into the sea from its decimated Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant. And on Tuesday, international nuclear regulators said they think it's OK, but not everyone agrees. CNN's Marc Stewart is in Tokyo for us. He joins us now live. So, Marc, what are some of those critics saying about Japan's plans to release this wastewater into the ocean?

MARC STEWART, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi there, Rosemary. So, the sceptics this criticism is coming from within Japan. It's coming from some of our neighbors here in the Asia Pacific region. And then also, on a much larger global scale. And the real question is, is this wastewater that has been treated, is it safe to be released? The Government of Japan certainly think so. Tokyo Power that is the owner of the plant certainly think so. As well as the International Atomic Energy Agency.

And that is why we are seeing the Chief of the International Atomic Energy Agency here in Japan, taking a tour of the facility to provide some global reassurance about the safety of all of this. I was in the plant back in April, we went on a tour and basically this is more of a water treatment facility than a former nuclear plant. This water has been diluted, it has been filtered, even though there are some remnants of a radioactive isotope known as Tritium still in the water.

If you look at the global safety levels for it, it's in compliance. In fact, other nuclear plants around the world discharge water of similar levels of Tritium. So, there is this international agreement that this is safe, that it's the prudent thing to do. But still, there are critics, this includes the Chinese government, and it's a topic that came up at a discussion at a recent briefing by its Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Beijing. Take a listen.

[02:40:20]

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MAO NING, CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESPERSON (through translator): The report cannot greenlight the discharge as it cannot prove that ocean discharge is the only option or the safest and most reliable option. China once again urges Japan to in a responsible attitude for the whole humanity and our future generations. Stop pushing through the discharge plan.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

STEWART: Because this is so prof -- high profile because there are so many concerns. Rosemary, the International Atomic Energy Agency is going to be setting up a monitoring office in Fukushima to monitor this release of the water which is supposed to take place sometime this summer.

CHURCH: They better be a hundred percent sure. Marc Stewart, joining us live from Tokyo, many thanks. And thank you for joining us, I'm Rosemary Church. For our international viewers, "WORLD SPORT" is next. And for our viewers here in the United States and in Canada. I'll be back with more CNN NEWSROOM in just a moment. Do stick around.

[02:45:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CHURCH: A warm welcome back to our viewers here in North America, I'm Rosemary Church. The United States celebrated its 247th birthday on Tuesday with spectacular fireworks across the country on Independence Day.

CHURCH (voiceover): This was the annual gathering on the National Mall in Washington where tens of thousands turned out for the stunning display and live music. In New York, fireworks lit up the East River with a 25-minute show that used more than 60,000 shells. There was also a brief tribute to singer Tina Turner who passed away in May. And in Jacksonville, Florida, people watch the festivities from the land and sea. The shows were divided among five different locations across the city to reduce congestion.

CHURCH: Well, it's not unusual to take a wrong turn on Peachtree Street here in Atlanta. But this wrong turn in the Annual July 4th Peachtree Road Race was costly. The front runner in the women's elite division went off course near the finish line. Realizing her mistake she quickly corrects course but it was too late, and she finished third.

Take another look in slow motion, you can see the Ethiopian runner follow a police motorcycle that had been pacing the course it veered off ahead of the finish line and so did she. The mistake cost her in prize money first place earns $10,000, third place gets 3,000. Well hot dogs are a food often associated with Fourth of July barbecues, but they're also the focus of Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest. Joey Chestnut was the heavy favorite in the men's competition which he has dominated, and on Tuesday he won the title for a record 16th time.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He's a Supreme court level, right?

GEORGE SHEA, MASTER OF CEREMONIES: With 62 hot dogs and buns in 10 minutes for his 16th win. I give you the number one ranked eater in the world, Joey Chestnut.

CHURCH (voiceover): And in the women's competition, Miki Sudo, ate 39 in a hot dogs to win the contest or the ninth straight time. The top eater in each category takes home $10,000. Can't imagine the practice for that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: Well, a number of U.S. cities have tied or broke their daily high temperature records including many across the Pacific Northwest. And that trend is expected to continue over the next 48 hours. CNN Meteorologist Chad Myers has the forecast.

CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Fairly typical day across the United States for your Wednesday. Storms along the East Coast of the less across the Northeast Boston, New York Philadelphia less for you than you had yesterday for sure. And then, the middle part of the country that's where the severe weather is going to set up, all the way from Chicago, all the way back even toward Oklahoma City. Some of the storms could contain hail and also gusty winds.

So, as we take you to 6:00 a.m., storms are moving through Omaha down to about Kansas City. Later on in the afternoon, things get a little bit bumpy and by eight o'clock, we see the storms firing even across parts of the Southeast. Every little red spot there will be one thunderstorm and there will be a few that cause significant lightning as well. So, if you're out again, on Wednesday, maybe like you were today you will have to watch out for that lightning in your forecast. Not a lot of rainfall coming down though in any one spot, so, you don't have that concentrated flood risk for your Wednesday. Things look pretty good across most of the country.

Down across the Southwest still going to be very warm, although cooling down over the next few days. Phoenix you're still going to be over 110. But across parts of the Northwest, you have a couple of hot days, then it begins to cool down. Las Vegas 104 and I know that sounds hot, but that's your normal high for your Friday. So, that's how we're from 115 in some spots now down to about 104. Still hot in the Pacific Northwest for a couple more days. And yes, hot and sticky across the Southeast. Although, the numbers in the shade say 90s, you're going to feel like 100 with that heat index.

CHURCH: Well, some Twitter users have not been happy with the platform since Elon Musk took control of the social media giant last October. Now, Instagram's owner META is about to launch a new social media app called Threads and they're hoping to poach some Twitter users when it goes live on Thursday. CNN's Anna Stewart explains.

ANNA STEWART, CNN REPORTER: A battle between Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg and no, it's not in the ring, at least not yet. This time, Meta is taking on Twitter by launching Threads. It's an app that has more than a passing resemblance to Twitter. From the interface with Threads of messages to the functionality with options on the messages much like Twitter's, like reply, repost and share buttons.

Multiple social media apps have been launched in competition to Twitter, true social and more recently blue sky. But a major difference is Threads can lean on Instagrams huge existing user base. It has more than 2 billion monthly active users. Plus, the timing could work in its favor. Twitter under Elon Musk is undergoing a major transformation. And not everyone thinks it's going all that well.

Whether it was the removal of blue verification ticks for those who refuse to pay, or the reappearance of users who had been previously banned from the platform for hate speech, and misinformation, or even operationally their outages over the weekend. And now, Twitter has temporarily limited, how many tweets users can see. The fact is some of Twitter's users could be ripe for the picking.

So, in this fight, perhaps the odds are looking favorable in Mark Zuckerberg corner. But judging by this tweet from Elon Musk, appearing to question the sanity of META's leadership team, he's not tapping out. Meanwhile, the actual fight that you have said they're ready for, no news on that yet. But from Thursday, we can look to both Twitter and Threads for any updates from Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg. Anna Stewart, CNN, London.

CHURCH: Climate activists in Spain are making their voices heard by going after golf courses of the group extinction rebellion plugged up holes on 10 courses around the country. They're protesting the amount of water used to maintain the Greens while Europe is experiencing a severe drought. The group posted a video of their actions on Twitter.

Some filled the holes with cement while others planted seedlings. The group called golf and elitist sport and left signs reading golf closed for climate justice. Roger Federer ended his legendary tennis career in September of last year after 24 years. CNN's Christina Macfarlane got an exclusive interview, where they discussed how and what he's doing in retirement.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ROGER FEDERER, 20-TIME GRAND SLAM WINNER: I think, because I show up in completely different random places nowadays. You know that some people are really surprised and very happy then, to all of a sudden see me. I mean, I've had a moment when I did Orient Express, I was in Venice and a guy chased me down. He was like, can I please take a picture? I'm like, yes, are you -- who I think you are? I'm like, no, I don't know who you think I am. He was like, are you Nadal? I'm like, I'm so sorry, I'm not, you know.

So, I kept on walking and the guy looked at me he goes, it's such a pity he's not Nadal. But he kept on looking back at it. I thought he was going to maybe figure it out, but he didn't get it. So, that was a quiet the --

CHRISTINA MACFARLANE, CNN SENIOR SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: He missed his moment.

FEDERER: He missed his moment. But he clearly didn't want a picture with me, he wanted the pictures with Rafa. But anyway, so, I have obviously moments like these.

MACFARLANE: Yes.

FEDERER: More than like, yesterday, when I went to the Coldplay concert, you know.

MACFARLANE: Just kind of came out of nowhere and suddenly you're up on stage. The full main with the bands.

FEDERER: I'm up on stage. Yes.

MACFARLANE: How did that come about?

CHRIS MARTIN, COLDPLAY BAND MEMBER: The greatest tennis player of all time. Mr. Roger Federer.

FEDERER: On Saturday night, Chris Martin writes to me, and he goes like, do you want to come and help us with one of the songs, you know, I'm like, really? I don't know and I was sitting at dinner. And I read the message to my wife, my two daughters and some friends. And they're like, oh my god, you got to do it. And Mirka and Milan, my daughter looks at me goes like, papa go, you only live once.

And I'm like, really? Like, I should be -- 50,000 people. And I don't even know what I'm going to do. And then, I'm like, you know what, Chris, I'll do it. What do you want me to do? He's like, all you got to do is do the shaker, you know, give a beat to the song. So, I finished my music career on top because I just retired from music as well, the last night.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: Great interview there. Well, Harvard University is facing a discrimination lawsuit. Just days, after the U.S. Supreme Court ruling that essentially ended affirmative action in higher education. Three civil rights groups are challenging legacy admissions, that is the practice of giving preferential treatment to children of donors and alumni. The new complaint says the students granted legacy admission are overwhelmingly white and make up as much as 15 percent of the student body. A spokesperson for the university refused to comment on the lawsuit.

[02:55:03]

And finally, E.T. phone home more like paging Mars after two months of radio silence. NASA's Ingenuity Helicopter is talking again. That chopper has been on Mars for two years and made more than 50 flights to survey the rugged Martian landscape. But it lost contact in the middle of its latest mission in April. Ingenuity finally phoned home last week, easing concerns about its fate. And thanks for your company this hour. I'm Rosemary Church, I will be back with more CNN NEWSROOM in just a short time. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[03:00:00]