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Fifth Wave of Russian Strikes Leave Odessa Reeling; Sweden Commits $518M to Help Ukraine Recover; Governor of Georgia Contacted by Special Counsel; Wildfire Forces Evacuations; Sixth Day in a Row, Wildfires Rage in Greece; Trump Dominates Crowded GOP Primary Field; Women's World Cup Highlights. Aired 4-5a ET

Aired July 23, 2023 - 04:00   ET

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

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[04:00:00]

ANNOUNCER: This is CNN. The world's news network.

PAULA NEWTON, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: And a warm welcome to our viewers watching us from all around the world. I'm Paula Newton.

Ahead right here on "CNN Newsroom", a fifth night of strikes in Odessa. The latest attack on the Ukrainian city wounding dozens and destroying sacred monuments.

Protestors converge on Jerusalem as debate begins on controversial judicial reform. This, as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recovers after getting a pacemaker. We are live in Tel Aviv with the latest.

And little relief from the heat. Extreme temperatures brutalizing the southwest and United States. We'll look at whether any relief is in sight.

ANNOUNCER: Live from CNN center, this is "CNN Newsroom with Paula Newton."

NEWTON: In the Ukrainian City of Odessa, now again reeling from a fifth wave of Russian strikes this week. The city took heavy fire again overnight which left one person dead and 19 others wounded. Now, some residential areas and the Ukrainian orthodox church, this one that you see there, took a beating in this attack.

In previous strikes, Russia targeted grain infrastructure after pulling out of the Black Sea grain deal which allowed wheat exports from places like Odessa. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called the latest attack evil, and said there would be a price to pay for Russia.

Nada Bashir has been keeping an eye on all of the developments for us and she joins us now from London. You know, this week has proven the stark of vulnerability bluntly of Odessa. What more are you learning about these most recent attacks overnight?

NADA BASHIR, CNN REPORTER: Yes. Absolutely, Paul. This is really sending a clear message from Russia after its effective withdrawal from the grain deal. We're seeing the clear targeting of Ukraine's Southern Black Sea Port City of Odessa. As you mentioned, at least one person killed, 19 injured, including four children, according to regional military officials.

They say, they believe 19 missiles were launched in the early hours of Sunday morning. And this has caused significant damage to civilian infrastructure, this has caused damage to residential buildings, to local monuments. A church has been heavily damaged. We've heard from local residents who live near that orthodox church, who'd described hearing the explosions in the early hours of this morning.

And there has, of course, been damage to the port infrastructure at the Port of Odessa, and this has really raised concern around the security of Ukraine's port infrastructure and the wide-reaching impact this will have. We've heard from the Kremlin saying that now as it has affectively out of the grain deal, any ships, any vessels leaving the Ukraine's port, in their eyes, could well be carrying weapons and therefore an open target in the eyes of the Russian Armed Forces.

So, this is a huge concern. And we have seen stepping up of attacks overnight in other regions as well. At least two killed in Kharkiv following strikes there by the Russian Armed Forces. And in Zaporizhzhia, we've heard from Ukrainian regional military officials, they say 20 civilian settlements were targeted 69 times just overnight. So, this is a huge concern. More civilian infrastructure damaged there. And as you mentioned, President Zelenskyy sending a firm message. He sent a message on Telegram earlier this morning saying that there will be retaliation accusing Russia of terrorist acts.

NEWTON: Yes, 69 in that one area. Again, such a terrifying night for so many in Ukraine. You know, given the destruction that we just saw, what we've been seeing for a year and a half now, Sweden now pledging more than half a billion dollars, in fact, to Ukraine's recovery efforts. I mean, that's just the latest pledge. Given the fact that we are not at the peace table yet, how important is it for the Zelenskyy government to make sure that they have these pledges and the fact that they want to get on with rebuilding?

BASHIR: Well, President Zelenskyy has been looking for concrete commitments on various fronts from Ukraine's international partners and allies. This is the latest aid package focused primarily on the recovery effort on the reconstruction of Ukraine in the hopes that there will be peace soon. But of course, as you know, the war is still very much continuing.

We've heard those calls for aid when it comes to the military front, but this specific aid package, around $581 million pledged by Sweden, the largest in those bilateral aid package between Sweden and Ukraine, is really going to be focused on the restructuring of Ukraine, on developing trade between Ukraine and Sweden, as well as other projects including demining.

[04:05:00] Now, this is a huge priority for Ukraine. They have been looking for those concrete commitments from their international partners in the hopes of securing some concrete plans for the future of Ukraine's restructuring. Of course, this is a huge concern for President Zelenskyy, but there continues to be push for support on the military front as well.

NEWTON: Yes, absolutely. As you were speaking, of course, we were showing some of the devastation. And again, Sweden must be noted likely to become a permanent member of NATO in just a matter of weeks if not months. Nada Bashir for us, thanks for that update in London.

Meantime now, we go to Israel where Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu just had an operation for what's called a transient heart block. A doctor says, the prime minister was admitted urgently though Sunday morning, an operation was carried out and he received a pacemaker. His health scare comes as protestors converge on Jerusalem, timing their arrival for the start of debate in parliament for a controversial judicial overhaul piece of legislation.

For more, we want to go to journalist Elliott Gotkine. He is live for us from Tel Aviv. Truly dramatic events in the last few hours in Israel. I want to go first to the prime minister, his condition, and is a full recovery expected at this point?

ELLIOTT GOTKINE, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: Paula, as you say, just nonstop drama. His pace three main a reason -- arena is the first one being at Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's health. As you say, he had that pacemaker inserted in the early hours of this morning. He is expected to be discharged later today, it's a relatively common procedure. Although, I think the first that anyone is really hearing that actually Netanyahu has been suffering from this condition over the transient heart block for many years, I don't think that that was something that we all new beforehand.

And what this condition actually means is that the electric signals that control his heartbeat were either partially or completely blocked. And by inserting a pacemaker, they can ensure that it works as it should, and therefore there's no risk to, kind of, his heart not pumping enough blood and that could lead to, kind of, dizziness and indeed fainting, which is something that happened to Netanyahu just last week.

So, Netanyahu says that he will be back in the Knesset or the parliament for the reading for the votes on this first part of his judicial overhaul. And this judicial overhaul, this bit of it that we're focused on right now is a so-called reasonable (INAUDIBLE). What this government wants to do is to effectively strip the Supreme Court of its ability to strike down laws or decisions by the government of the day on the grounds of reasonableness.

And the most recent example of it being that to Netanyahu, one of his allies, Aryeh Deri from the Shas Party which is in the governing coalition, Netanyahu wanted to make him a minister, ultimately becoming minister of finance. He, though, has been convicted three times of crimes, the most recent one being tax fraud and that Supreme Court ruled that that was an unreasonable decision. In the future, the Supreme Court wouldn't be able to do such a thing. So, this is the readings. The debate has begun. And so many members of the Knesset have requested time to speak on this legislation, that it is expected to last some 26 hours, so no voting expected until Monday or Tuesday.

And while all of that is going on inside the Knesset, out on the street is, I think you're seeing, there is also drama, which is that for the past few days, thousands upon thousands have been growing every day of protestors have been marching on Jerusalem. They're trying to form a human chain for the one and a half kilometers or so, about a mile or so of distance between the Knesset and the Supreme Court. They are descending on Jerusalem to coincide with this debate for this beginning, this bit of the judicial overhaul that Netanyahu's government is trying to push through. Paula.

NEWTON: Yes, we'll certainly wish the prime minister a full recovery. But, again, the fact that he believes is going to be back to work, really, in a matter of hours, perhaps back to work right now. Truly extraordinary events there in Israel. We will continue to follow them. Elliott Gotkine for us, thanks so much. Appreciate it.

And now to here in the United States, the special counsel investigating Donald Trump's alleged attempts to interfere in the 2020 election has now contacted another top state official. This is Georgia Governor Brian Kemp. Trump unsuccessfully pushed Kemp to overturn Joe Biden's narrow win in Georgia and then tried to sink Kemp's re- election bid in 2022. CNN's Marshall Cohen has those details for us from Washington now.

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MARSHALL COHEN, CNN REPORTER: New reporting that Special Counsel Jack Smith has contacted Georgia Governor Brian Kemp as part of his investigation into the 2020 election aftermath. CNN's Kaitlan Collins confirms that Jack Smith's team was in touch with Kemp this week. Now, Kemp's office is not saying much and the timing of a possible FBI interview or grand jury appearance for the governor is unclear.

[04:10:00]

But Kemp is a key figure in this investigation, that's because back in 2020, Donald Trump, both privately and publicly, pressured Kemp to overturn the result of the election in Georgia. Trump wanted Kemp to interfere with the vote counting, to block certification of the results, and to convene a special session of the legislature to appoint fake electors.

Going beyond Kemp, the special counsel is also still in the process of scheduling interviews with additional witnesses. That includes an interview with a Former Trump lawyer and an interview with a long-time ally of Rudy Giuliani.

All of this comes as potential indictments are looming in the investigation. Smith sent a target letter to Trump last weekend, signaling that Trump might be charged with crimes for trying to overturn the 2020 election. The grand jury sitting here in Washington is expected to meet in the coming days.

Then there is also the Mar-a-Lago case where Trump is already facing 37 felony charges for allegedly mishandling classified documents and obstructing the investigation. He has denied any wrongdoing and pleaded not guilty. Just earlier in the past few days, a federal judge in Florida set a new trial date for this case, that's May 2024. Now, that is pretty late in the Republican primary schedule. By that point, Trump already might be the presumptive nominee.

Special Counsel, Jack Smith, wanted this trial to take place this December with a verdict presumably coming before the Iowa caucuses in January, but that's not going to happen. The trial is now set for May 2024, though, of course, further delays are possible and Trump's team is helping that they can kick this past the 2024 election. Marshal Cohen, CNN, Washington.

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NEWTON: OK. Coming up for us, thousands of tourists forced to evacuate their hotels as a massive wildfire rips through the Greek Island of Rhodes. Details plus a look at the U.S. forecast

And Nigerians were shocked when the new president eliminated the long- standing fuel subsidy, sending prices skyrocketing. Now, people are struggling to keep wheels turning and lights burning. We'll have those details next.

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NEWTON: This upcoming week will bring also relief from that extreme heat in the United States. Right now, more than 40 million people are under heat alerts, with dangerous temperatures expected in the desert southwest and Southern Texas, and you can see there also along the Gulf Coast.

Now, Arizona's capital, in particular, has been sweltering for weeks now. On Sunday, Phoenix is expected to hit a high of at least 110 degrees Fahrenheit, that would make it the 24th day in a row. And a reminder, that is more than 43 degrees Celsius.

And to the north now, Canadian officials have declared a state of emergency in parts of Nova Scotia. Storms dumped three months of rain on the province in just 24 hours, causing extensive flooding and at least four people are missing at this hour. Canada's prime minister is urging people in the region to be careful.

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JUSTIN TRUDEAU, CANADIAN PRIME MINISTER: People have seen their homes damaged, people have seen, you know, their safety at risk, and thousands of people without power. This is a time for, particularly with rainfall, I expected to continue for people to listen to local authorities on how to stay safe, how to make sure we're all being there for each other in this very difficult time. (END VIDEO CLIP)

NEWTON: Now at Greece, the country is suffering through extreme temperatures, which could bring the longest heatwave, get this, in the country's history. And wildfires are raging for the sixth straight day. The largest fires are on the Island of Rhodes, a tourist destination known for its beach resorts and ancient ruins. Thousands of visitors and residents are having to evacuate. And fire crews are racing to put out the flames before they damage more buildings in the area.

Barbie Nadeau joins me now from Rome. And Barbie, you've been following all of this right across Europe. I know a bit of relief, if you call it that in Rome. And yet, Greece no relief in sight. I mean, the view from Rhodes, as you see, people having to evacuate, very dramatic.

BARBIE NADEAU, CNN REPORTER: Yes, you know, it just must be terrifying for those tourists who had just to find the -- you know, go to the beach and then be evacuated that way. Even worse probably for those tourist industry. Those in the tourist industry, those hotels who now lost the season. You know, it's very, very devastating. We took a closer look at the situation, Paula.

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NADEAU (voiceover): Smoke fills the sky above a pool on the Greek Island of Rhodes, not the sight many tourists came to see. Wildfires are scorching the island, cutting short the dream vacations of many visitors. The Greek fire service, ordering tourists and residents alike to leave parts of the southern end of the island. Officials say, thousands of people have been evacuated to safer areas. Some picked up by Greek army and coast guard along with private boats after gathering on the beaches. Others leaving by bus, lorry, or on foot.

The fires already reaching and damaging some hotels in the area. With Greece set to endure its hottest July weekend in 50 years, firefighters on the island are getting help from places like Slovakia to help battle blazes that are quickly changing direction. The hot dry conditions and high winds energizing the flames.

But in Athens, the heat doing just the opposite, causing many tourists to slow down and look for ways to muddle on with their holiday without melting. The intrepid ignoring advice from Greek authorities to stay indoors, unwilling to miss out on the opportunity to see the famed acropolis. The site once again closed during the hottest part of the day. But even at other times, it's not for the faint of heart.

[04:20:00]

ROBERT SOLANIO, TOURIST: How am I dealing with it?

KATARINA SOLANIA, TOURIST: Seeking shade.

R. SOLANIA: Shade, trying to find seating, taking care of my wife and my friends. Getting enough water where we can survive. K. SOLANIA: I just threw up. And I'm trying to collect myself again and waiting to see this. I've wanted to see this my entire life. I hope I can make it.

NADEAU (voiceover): And for those struggling now, meteorologists say there is more to come. The temperature continuing to broil over Greece in the next few days, possibly making this the longest heatwave the country has ever faced.

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NADEAU (on camera): You know, Paula, that is just grueling for those tourists. But again, it's super disappointing for those who work in the tourist industry. This is the busiest time of the year now on the Island of Rhodes. The season who's going to go, you know, you've got people, those hotels that had damage. You know, people have -- really, really going to be suffering in the long term not just, you know, after the heatwave subsides, hoping that it does sometime soon, Paula.

NEWTON: Yes, it does remain though a serious situation in so many places in Europe, as you pointed out, especially Greece. Barbie Nadeau for us in Rome, thanks so much.

Now, it's been weeks since Nigeria's new president announced an end to a long-standing fuel subsidy that had kept gas prices low for decades. Since then, Nigerians have been forced to make drastic changes to survive amid rising costs. CNN's Stephanie Busari has more now on Lagos.

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BOLA TINUBU, NIGERIAN PRESIDENT: Those price subsidy is gone.

STEPHANIE BUSARI, CNN SENIOR EDITOR, AFRICA (voiceover): It was a moment that caught many off guard. Nigeria's president, Bola Tinubu, accelerating ahead, announcing his first major policy at his inauguration in May. Triggering panic buying at petrol stations with fuel prices tripling immediately and soaring to record highs.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (Speaking in a foreign language).

BUSARI (voiceover): The shift in gears angered Nigerians, who in the past have protested previous attempts to remove the fuel price caps. Nearly two months on and people are feeling the pinch.

REJOICE CHUKWUNEKE, MARKETER: At the end of the month, I'll have to borrow money and food since 80 percent of my salary goes into transportation.

BUSARI (voiceover): The rise in petrol prices poured fuel on economic fire, with inflation now hitting nearly 23 percent.

BISMARCK REWANE, ECONOMIST: The first impact is on inflation, the second impact on income, and the third impact is when will relief come.

BUSARI (voiceover): That relief, however, is not in sight yet. With Tinubu pleading for patience.

BUSARI: It's rush hour on this busy street in the heart of Lagos Island. And typically, this street will be gridlocked with cars, stuck in Lagos' legendary go-slow traffic. It seems an unintended consequence of the fuel subsidy removal is that people simply aren't getting in to their cars.

BUSARI (voiceover): Increased operating costs, including fuel powered generators to combat the country's erratic electricity supply, are also forcing some businesses to press the brakes. While others, such as this clothing store in Lagos, are finding creative solutions to stay afloat.

EJIRO AMOS TAFIRI, DESIGNER: We're flexible with our eyes to make sure that we are maximizing on the resources that we have. So once the generator is on, we're maximizing production and when we're parring (ph) down, we know we are parring (ph) down.

BUSARI (voiceover): Meanwhile, offices are also turning off their lights with work from home policies being introduced to combat soaring costs.

STEVE BABAEKO, ADVERTISING AGENCY OWNER: Post-pandemic will reduce working to, like, maybe four days a week. But now with the removal of subsidy, we've reduced to three days a week. So, people work from home on Mondays. Everybody hates Mondays anyway, so we just took Mondays off.

BUSARI (voiceover): While the road ahead remains bumpy for miles to come, Nigerians who have shouldered many hardships in recent years are continuing to display their usual resilience and determination in the face of difficulty. Stephanie Busari, CNN, Lagos.

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NEWTON: Donald Trump's growing legal problems, they don't seem to matter much, in fact, his supporters. Coming up, we'll speak with a veteran Iowa political reporter about Trump's enduring popularity there ahead of the all-important Iowa caucuses. Stay with us.

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[04:25:00]

NEWTON: Donald Trump's legal problems escalated significantly over the past week. First came the target letter from Special Counsel Jack Smith, essentially informing Trump that he could face charges for trying to overturn his 2020 election loss. Then CNN confirmed the special counsel recently contacted Georgia Governor Brian Kemp who was pressured by Trump to toss out the state's results. But none of that appears to have hurt Trump politically, in fact it's actually helped as he tries to seek the Republican nomination. With his frontrunner status, apparently secured for now, Trump might even skip the upcoming Republican debate.

Now, he was conspicuously absent from the Family Leadership Summit in Iowa, a form aimed at impressing evangelical voters, that group was instrumental to Trump's success in 2016. He also missed the annual Roast and Ride, as it's called, of Iowa Senator Joni Ernst. And he even managed to pick a fight with the state's popular Republican governor after she refused to endorse a candidate ahead of the all- important January 15th caucuses there. But as we've been telling you, for now Trump is on top. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and the other GOP candidates will need to catch fire in the months ahead if they hope to ever catch up.

Joining me now from Des Moines, Iowa is Aaron Murphy, he is the Des Moines Bureau chief for "The Gazette" and covers state politics and government, as well as the first in the nation Iowa caucuses. And indeed, you guys go first, you have that privilege.

And so, we really are trying to get the ear to the ground in Iowa so you can just fill us in on what, perhaps, we've been missing. From what you have been hearing from those caucus voters in Iowa, they hear the way we do about Donald Trump's legal challenges. And yet, and yet, his support in your state remains so solid. Why?

AARON MURPHY, DES MOINES BUREAU CHIEF, THE GAZETTE: Yes, and that has remained pretty consistent throughout the last -- how many have we -- what are we up to, eight years now going all the way back to the 2015 caucuses.

[04:30:00]

The people who ultimately gravitate towards Former President Trump don't see all these issues that arise as cause for concern. And if anything, they see them as just evidence of his political enemies trying to take him out. So, there really isn't a whole lot that we've seen, not just in this caucus cycle, but over time, that erodes that support from the base group of supporters for Former President Trump.

And when you have a -- such an expansive field of candidates right now, sure, maybe a base is only 35 percent, but that's enough to win the caucuses when there is a dozen other candidates also running and, kind of, divvying up, dividing up, splitting up that other section of the vote.

NEWTON: I want to get to some of the other candidates. Now, you still believe that this race in Iowa isn't over yet, despite the lead that Trump has. Can you game out some of the chances for us for both Ron DeSantis and Senator Tim Scott, because he seems to have come a long way with caucus voters.

MURPHY: Yes, it is still early. You know, caucuses aren't until January, and historically many caucus goers here in Iowa don't make up in their mind -- make up their minds until very late in the process. So, there's still plenty of time for movement to happen.

Now, this is a unique year, a unique cycle in which Former President Trump is a de facto incumbent. So, for the rest of the field there are some significant challenges to catch up to him. Governor Ron DeSantis had a decent start here, but it -- he hasn't been able to build on that. His support has, sort of, leveled off. When anyone who's going to catch Former President Trump needs to take a huge step forward. He hasn't been able to do that.

You mentioned Senator Tim Scott, he's a name that I hear often when I go to Republican events here. But it does also, kind of, feel like he is the candidate that a lot of Republicans like but he's now Republicans -- very few Republicans' first choice. So, you know, I think there's something pretty significant going to have to happen there for him to take a steep jump forward and for Former President Trump maybe to come back to the pack. And as said at the start, we haven't seen any sign of that happening yet.

NEWTON: Now, Aaron, if they are though vying for that number two slot in Iowa, what do you think that is going to tell us about the race to come? And a reminder, the Iowa caucuses are January 15th. What do you think that will tell us?

MURPHY: Yes, as the people who-- the experts who follows even more closely than I do often remind me, I was about performance versus expectations. So, you do well in Iowa if you come in with high expectations and you meet them, or you come in with low expectations and you exceed them. So, that's maybe where the opportunity is for someone like Senator Tim Scott. He can finish second or even third in Iowa, but if he makes a big climb in the polls, in the meantime, that gives him momentum going forward.

So, that's what Iowa can do as the process moves forward, and it -- it's not just about picking a winner here, it's about what the rest of the field does and the progress they either make or don't make over their time here.

NEWTON: Yes, which, Aaron, probably means we will continue to be talking to you over the next few months. A lot to do there. I know you mentioned that the state fair is coming up in August, I know a big political event, so enjoy and we'll check in with you again. Appreciate it.

MURPHY: Thank you for having me.

NEWTON: Spanish voters are heading to the polls at this hour for a snap election that could move the country farther to the right. Now, the vote comes after the governing socialist party suffered a surprise defeat in May's regional elections. The center-right popular party is in fact forecast to win, but no one is expected to secure enough seats to form a majority government without a coalition partner.

And so, much attention is on the far-right Vox Party which could become a kingmaker in this election. Securing a place for the far right in the Spanish government for the first time since the Franco dictatorship ended.

Journalist Al Goodman is at a polling station in Madrid, and he's with us now. Al, good to see you there. What are you learning about turnout, especially given everything that is at stake there?

AL GOODMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Paula. Well, at this polling station in central Madrid, there has been a brisk amount of voting. A long line to start when it started at 9:00 a.m. local time, and there has been a steady stream of voters behind me, picking up their ballots and going into various polling stations at this place. The nationwide initial turnout figures have not yet been released.

The Prime Minister, Pedro Sanchez, the socialist prime minister has voted at his polling station in a different part of Madrid.

[04:35:00]

He came out and said he had a good feeling about this election even though, as you say, the polls are predicting that his opponent, the conservative leader, would win. Although short of a majority and would need the far-right party Vox.

I've talked to several voters here too, said they voted for the socialist. One was a -- is a government worker who said he's quite concerned that Vox could push the country backward. I talked to another civil servant, a woman who did not want to say how she voted, but she said she was -- she thinks there needs to be a change in the country. I said, so you mean, you voted for the main conservative party? She nodded, yes. And the first voter in line here, Paula, was a 94-year-old man who says he always votes. I asked him how he's going to vote. He says, I'll keep that to myself.

So, much is riding on this this day. And here at this polling station, there are fans and bottles of water. It's going to go into the 90s Fahrenheit, a 35-centigrade here. But in the south of Spain, it will be at 40 Celsius, 104 degrees Fahrenheit.

So, the election officials, the parties themselves are watching to see how this first ever election in the peak of the summer tourist season is going to affect turnout in terms of did people vote or not, or did they go on vacation? There's a record number of absentee ballots, almost twice as many as the previous high. And most of those, more than 2.4 million of them were submitted. Those will be counted along with the regular ballots later this day. Paula.

NEWTON: Certainly, it just adds to the complexity of this vote. And I'm glad that you mentioned the weather, because if you are standing in line sometimes outside, it can be uncomfortable. Al Goodman for us, we'll continue to check in with you. Thanks so much.

Now, vote counting meantime is underway after elections in Cambodia, but there's little doubt about the outcome. Prime Minister Hun Sen cast his ballot on Sunday morning. He has ruled since 1985. And he is considered certain to win this election. Millions have voted but the prime minister's Cambodian Peoples Party faces no viable opponents. Western observers are concerned the election is part of a plan to pass power onto his eldest son.

Migrant workers who do essential labor are at risk during a brutal heatwave. Coming up for us, a report from California's agricultural heartland about how they try and stay safe as they struggle to get by.

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[04:40:00] NEWTON: Misery by degrees. At least 40 million Americans are under heat alerts, stretching from the west coast, all the way to the Florida's east coast. As you can see, there will be little relief in these cities over the next few days. All will see temps well above normal. Now, about 30 cities could see record high temperatures this weekend, and the misery is expected to spread east during the week.

Now, for many people, the heat is not merely a discomfort, it can be life-threatening. One group that is at risk are migrant workers who help feed the nation. CNN's Camila Bernal looks at how workers in Southern California are trying to stay safe in this extreme weather.

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CAMILA BERNAL, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: It's a constant reminder to wear the right clothes, to take breaks, to drink water, to stop working if you feel dizzy. And look, temperatures here in Coachella are normally high every single year, but the heatwaves do make it extreme, and there are hundreds of agricultural workers that are out picking and packing fruits and vegetables that will get distributed all over the country and eventually end up on your table.

BERNAL (voiceover): The shade under the grapevines is deceiving.

Not enough air and a feeling of suffocation says 22-year-old Alexandra Corona (ph).

She's been working in the fields in the Coachella Valley since she was a teenager and is one of the more than 2 million agricultural workers in the U.S. But it's impossible to get used to temperatures close to 115 degrees.

LUZ GALLEGOS, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, TODEC: We understand that's because of the environmental impact and change, but also what that translates to community is not only working with heat in these high heat conditions, but also in their pocket (ph). That they have -- many of them have shorter working hours because of the heat conditions.

BERNAL (voiceover): Already, more than 2,300 heat records have been set in the U.S. in the recent heatwaves, causing dozens of deaths and filling some hospitals to pandemic levels. Something Luz Gallegos is trying to prevent.

GALLEGOS: (Speaking in a foreign language).

BERNAL (voiceover): Through the nonprofit she leads, agricultural workers are reminded to drink water, take breaks, and speak up, because no matter how high the temperatures are, the work here continues. Agricultural is one of the largest industry sectors in California and the state says its performance is vital to its economic health.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (Speaking in a foreign language).

BERNAL (voiceover): And in turn, provides produce for tables all over the country. GALLEGOS: They are still working, you know. They're still working because they know that they need to make their end goal to make the -- their money to bring home, to pay their rent, to bring -- to make sure their kids are taken care of.

BERNAL (voiceover): Alexandra agrees. She says, there are days when even walking is hard. But she takes the necessary precautions because it is a job she depends on.

BERNAL (on camera): And a lot of farmers schedule their workers either overnight or very early morning. The problem here is that here in Coachella, the temperatures don't drop that much overnight. And so, a lot of the people that I talked to told me they're worried about next week, about the summer, but in particular, about what those temperatures are going to look like in August. Camila Bernal, CNN, Coachella, California.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NEWTON: The shipping company, UPS delivers seven percent of the United States' gross national product, that's according to labor leaders, and that's a big bargaining point for the union as it tries to show how valuable its members are with a possible strike looming in about a week. CNN's Isabel Rosales spoke to the Teamsters' president about what's holding up this deal.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ISABEL ROSALES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The Teamsters, that is the union for UPS. They insist that they are ready to go on strike if it comes to that. And their biggest leverage point is 340,000, that is the number of members that they have that work at UPS. They insist that they are ready to get this started day one if UPS cannot concede to their terms.

And if it does come to a strike, it would be the costliest work stoppage ever in U.S. history, that's according to the Anderson Economic Group, that's a research firm who estimates that a 10-day UPS strike would cost the U.S. economy over $7 billion.

One of the biggest sticking points in these contract negotiations, which by the way both sides have agreed to about 95 percent of the contract, one of the biggest sticking points is part-time workers.

[04:45:00]

They make $16.20 starting wage. And we've heard from leadership here that that is not a livable wage. That number needs to go to above $20 to start. The average part-timer making 20 bucks. Meanwhile, full-time workers making roughly $95,000 a year.

Here's what else the general president of the union had to say about negotiations.

SEAN O'BRIEN, PRESIDENT, TEAMSTERS UNION: We did not get a deal. UPS has chosen to strike themselves, and we will not -- we will withhold our labor, July 31st at 12:01 a.m. But if we get a tentative agreement, subtle (ph) to ratification, and we're going to recommend it, then we will not withhold our labor.

ROSALES: We did also here from UPS here in the past week that put out a statement also saying that part-timers, they make the same benefits as full-time workers, including health care pension and help with school tuition, but the company did acknowledge that they make less money.

Also, calling this -- the deal that they've -- the factors that they've agreed to so far, a historic -- "Historic economic package" and urging quick action to finalize a deal. Here's their statement right here, we are pleased to be back at the negotiating table next week to resolve the few remaining open issues. We are prepared to increase our industry-leading pay and benefits, but need to work quickly to finalize a fair deal that provides certainty for our customers, our employees and businesses across the country.

I do also want to mention what UPS has agreed to so far in these negotiations, and that is to put A.C. systems in new vehicles, also, to retrofit older vehicles with fans, and also do away with two-tiered wage system where individuals who worked on the weekends made less money. In Atlanta, Isabel Rosales, CNN.

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NEWTON: OK. So, one of the most recognizable logos in the world could soon be changing. But first, indulge me for a moment as we try and prove our point. See how long it takes you to connect this image to the company. See what I mean? I'm sure you got it. This is, of course, the famed Twitter bird. But owner Elon Musk, on his official account, now says the social media platform will be changing its logo to an X. And that all these birds will disappear.

He is asking for ideas for a new design. Now, in the way of inspiration, he offered like this but X. Yes, the bird again but instead X. He promised, "If a good enough X logo is posted tonight, we'll make it go live worldwide tomorrow." As I'm sure all of you are very busy on that one.

Coming up for us, the world's World Cup is in full swing. A recap of Saturday's group stage matches as veterans and newcomers begin the long climb to the top. Stay with us.

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NEWTON: OK. Time to bring you right up to speed on all of the action at the Women's World Cup. Right now, the Netherlands and Portugal are in the second half of their opening match. Now, the Dutch leading at this point, one-nil. You'll recall they almost won the championship four years ago but lost to the United States. Now, those two teams will have that epic rematch on Wednesday.

Earlier in Wellington, New Zealand, heavenly favored Sweden narrowly avoided a draw against South Africa with a goal in the 90th minute ending the match, two-one. France and Jamaica are set to kick off their opener in just about an hour from now. CNN's Patrick Snell has all the highlights from Saturday's matches.

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PATRICK SNELL, CNN WORLD SPORT: As we saw on Saturday, a winning start for the United States, but I wonder who, if anyone, is best equipped to try and stop them winning a third straight title and a fifth overall. Maybe the 2019 finalists from Holland, or perhaps even the reigning European champions England.

The lionesses though struggling, I will say, to beat tournament debutant's Haiti on Saturday in Brisbane, they had to rely on a retake and penalty before they could claim all three points. Now, no question. It was a clear penalty for sure. And Georgia Stanway's initial spot kick appearing to be really well saved by the Haiti goalie, Kerly Theus.

England, though, get the retake. The keeper was well off her line when she makes that save, no question. Stanway, the band nearly midfielder making no mistake this time around, one-nil the final score. The English happy to get that first game out of the way with three points in hand.

GEOGIA STANWAY, SCORED GOAL FOR ENGLAND FROM PENALTY SPOT: Yes, definitely. I think you have a really long buildup. And we've been on camp for, I think, it's five, six weeks now. We've been here alone for two weeks. So, yes, I think the first game is just to settle the nerves. You can, kind of, build momentum. And, yes, it's just, kind of, nice to get that World Cup feel after watching two days.

SNELL: Well, China were World Cup runners-up back in 1999. They opened up their campaign against Denmark. The Danes back in the World Cup for the first time since 2007. And it would be the European nation who escaped with three points right at the end of this game. It was scored until a minute from time, the corner kick from the skipper opponent harder and it's the sub, Amalie Vangsgaard, who only just come onto the field to play looping header from her, finds the back of the net for the all-important winner. That result moving Denmark to the top of group D, level on points and goal difference with the English.

Now, the 2011 world champ is Japan are currently ranked 11th in the world and they got their campaign off to a good start against World Cup debutant Zambia. Goalless until just before halftime, and that's when Hinata Miyazawa breaking the deadlock with a very nicely taken goal indeed, really good finish. Japan's lead was doubled as well, 10 minutes after the break thanks to another superb team effort as Nina Tanaka sliding home the cross for two-nil there. Miyazawa adding one more to complete her brace. Tanaka playing her part in the goal with the assist. Five-nil, the final score in favor of Japan. Emphatic victory indeed.

[04:55:00] Now, over the years, Japanese fans have become well known for their efforts to clean up the sitting areas in the stands after the matches. We saw it at the men's 2022 and the 2018 World Cups. And now, we're seeing it, look at this, at the Women's World Cup following that big win over Zambia. And Japan's players also thanked by FIFA on Twitter for leaving their dressing room spotless, complete with a thank you note written in both Japanese and English. Wonderful to see each and every time.

Such a wonderful, fine tradition. We've become so accustomed to at each and every World Cup, whether it be women's or men. Three more matches taking place on Sunday in Australia and New Zealand. We'll be happy to bring you highlights of those right here on CNN. Right back to you.

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NEWTON: Our thanks to Patrick there.

Now, the stage is set for Denmark's Jonas Vingegaard to repeat as Tour de France champion when the race heads into Sunday's grand finale. He is well ahead of his main rival by more than seven minutes. And he's on his way to winning another yellow jersey as the overall champion once the tour ends, of course, at the famed carte tour de nof (ph). He essentially needs only to ride into Paris at this point, that is the last portion of the race.

Formula one's Lewis Hamilton will start the Hungarian grand prix at the pole position after narrowly winning the qualifying race. That's a good sign for the British driver who has earned five of his eight- career wins there after taking the pole position. It's Hamilton's first pole position, in fact, since 2021 in Saudi Arabia, and it ends his run of 33 races without starting from the top slot. The Hungarian grand prix is scheduled to start in the day ahead.

OK. I'm Paula Newton. I want to thank you for your company. I will be back though in just a moment with more news. Stay with us.

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