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Rep. Glenn Ivey (D-MD), Is Being Interviewed About House Speaker Mike Johnson and House Republicans' Plan To Avoid Government Shutdown; Doctors Without Borders Loses Contact With Staff At Al-Shifa Hospital; United Kingdom Police Crack Down On Counter-Protesters At Pro-Palestinian March; FBI Director Raises Concerns About Selection Of Maryland As Site For Bureau's New Headquarters; Red Cross: Health Care System In Gaza Passes "Point Of No Return"; SAG-AFTRA Board Votes To Move Tentative Deal Forward; Ukraine Says It "Sunk" 2 Russian Ships In Crimea; Putin Pushing To Get Wagner Fighters Back On Battlefield. Aired 1-2p ET

Aired November 11, 2023 - 13:00   ET

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

DR. ANKIT BHARAT, MEDICAL DIRECTOR, CANNING THORACIC INSTITUTE AT NORTHWESTERN MEDICINE: And in that, we were able to successfully take both the lungs out and temporarily support the patients.

[13:00:03]

And that then led to what we did most recently with this young individual.

So, it's interesting how COVID taught us something that led us to the transplant for cancer patient.

OMAR JIMENEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes.

BHARAT: That taught us something that led us to this.

JIMENEZ: Yes. And really quickly before we go here, how is the patient doing?

BHARAT: He is doing great, he is returned back to his apartment, and then he continues to have a full recovery.

JIMENEZ: Well, and we will see what the next steps are here. I think as a fellow Northwestern alum, I have to -- I'm required to say Go Cats.

But Dr. Ankit Bharat, thank you so much for being with us.

BHARAT: You know, thank you, Omar.

JIMENEZ: Hey, everyone. Thanks for joining me. I'm Omar Jimenez.

We begin this hour with the growing humanitarian crisis in Gaza, as calls for a ceasefire are mounting around the world. Right now, Israeli troops say they are engaged in ongoing intense fighting against Hamas, near one of Gaza's major medical centers.

Al Shifa Hospital has already been hit by artillery fire, according to medics there.

The IDF hasn't yet addressed those reports, but has denied the claim by one official of the Hamas controlled health ministry in Gaza that al-Shifa Hospital is under complete siege with staff and patients unable to evacuate.

Gaza's biggest hospital is now out of service. The situation on the ground growing more dire by the day for some civilians.

The Red Cross says that Gaza has health care system has passed the point of no return.

But Israel is pushing ahead with its attacks, and the IDF says their soldiers have now captured 11 Hamas military posts. But Israel is also opening new opportunities for Gaza civilians to flee.

Today, thousands were able to move south during a seven-hour evacuation window. It was the fourth straight day, Israel has opened evacuation corridors in northern Gaza.

At the same time, Arab and Islamic leaders met in an extraordinary summit in Saudi Arabia. In a joint statement, they are demanding a complete ceasefire, calling for an end to what they say -- what they call, I should say, Israeli war crimes and barbaric, brutal, and inhumane massacres in Gaza.

Opposition to the war is also being shared on streets around the globe. Hundreds of thousands attended a pro-Palestinian demonstration today in London.

You see some of those demonstrators there. Police there say they had to arrest more than 80 counter protesters for what they call a breach of the peace.

So, for more on all of this, let's begin on the ground in Israel. CNN's Ed Lavandera is in Tel Aviv.

Ed, look, there are growing concerns about the hospital situation in Gaza as the fighting has been intensifying on the streets. What are you hearing about the situation with Gaza's health care system?

ED LAVANDERA, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, it's been described as a catastrophic day, Omar, inside of Gaza for the hospital system and really all eyes on this al-Shifa Hospital, which is the largest in Gaza City.

And for years, it's been the focus of the Israeli military, which has said that much of the Hamas military operations are dug underground in the vicinity of that hospital.

Obviously, that has been one of the main points that Israeli army officials are saying that is the reason why this particular area is being targeted.

Officials from the hospital are saying that the hospital is completely surrounded. There have been some officials who have said it's been impossible for hospital staff and patients to evacuate the hospital as the fighting has intensified around there.

So, it has been a dire day as several medical organizations, Doctors Without Borders say they have lost contact with a number of medical teams. So, as you mentioned, there's really been a dire day as all signs indicate that the intense fighting the military offensive by Israeli forces continues on the ground inside of Gaza tonight.

JIMENEZ: Of course, the IDF continuing with their push into Gaza. We also got an update from the IDF this morning. What more are they saying about their ground operations in Gaza?

LAVANDERA: Yes, we're waiting another briefing from Israeli Defense Force officials here in just a little while. But so far, they've been very limited in what they have said about this particular situation around the al-Shifa Hospital, saying only that they're engaged in intense fighting in that area, and haven't really said much beyond that.

But as, you know, as we know, it's important to remind people that there are still 240 hostages inside of Gaza. And there is growing skepticism among many people here in Israel that this idea and the strategy that Israel is employing right now of trying to destroy Hamas military operations, and trying to save the hostages can both be done at the same time.

In fact, some family members of hostages put out a statement yesterday, Omar, saying that the victory should not be measured by whether or not Hamas military fighters and the masterminds of the October 7th attack or assassinated.

Victory should be measured by whether or not the hostages are saved and brought out alive.

JIMENEZ: Ed Lavandera, thank you so much for that. Obviously, we are keeping an eye on this for its regional implications as well.

[13:05:01]

Today, more fighting between Israeli forces and Hezbollah along the Israel-Lebanon border.

CNN's Ben Wedeman is in southern Lebanon. And Ben, we heard from Hezbollah's leader earlier today. What did he have to say on this front?

BEN WEDEMAN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, what the leader of Hezbollah said today in today's Hezbollah's Martyrs' Day, is that the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah along the border is getting more intense, and is reaching further into each other's territory.

He said that Hezbollah used, for the first time, attack drones inside Israel and that Hezbollah is using Iranian designed Burkan missiles. Those are short-range ballistic missiles with an explosive payload of 500 kilos, that's more than half a ton. And, in fact, Hezbollah, a few days ago, put out video of that strike, and it was a massive explosion. So big, in fact, at first, some of us thought it might have been an Israeli strike, simply by the size of it.

And he was -- he also referred to the dozens of attacks on U.S. forces by pro-Iranian militias in Syria and Iraq. And he said, if the Americans want those attacks, to stop on their forces in Syria and Iraq, they have to stop the war in Gaza.

If they don't want this to be a regional war, they have to stop Israel's war on Gaza. Omar.

JIMENEZ: And Ben, you know, we've been watching and monitoring some of the exchanges of the fire across the Israel-Lebanon border, but give us a sense for what it's like on the ground there. What have you been seeing over the course of these exchanges of fire?

WEDEMAN: Yes, we're about 13 miles north of the border. So, there isn't really much we can see. But we can hear a lot. Certainly, for several hours this morning, we heard pretty constant heavy thuds, which we believe to be Israeli artillery.

Now, by one count, as many as 40 exchanges of fire happened between the Israelis and Hezbollah today. And today, there was a significant threshold crossed, an Israeli drone struck a Lebanese truck near the town of Zaharani, which is 25 miles north of the border. Until now, the area around the border on both sides has been the scene of most of the action.

But this definitely was a change. And also, today we heard from the Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, referring perhaps, to Nasrallah speech or simply to this intensifying exchange of fire across the border. He said, what we're doing in Gaza can also be done in Beirut. Omar?

JIMENEZ: Ben Wedeman, all dynamics to keep an eye on. Thank you so much. Over in London today, a large protests and counter protests over the war in Gaza.

CNN's Clare Sebastian is there. So, Clare, what did you see over the course of today?

CLARE SEBASTIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Omar, it was -- it was a really big turnout. The Metropolitan Police here in London, saying that it was around 300,000, who took part in this rally, very organized. This was something that really struck me when I was part of this. There were a lot of stewards, who were working with the organizing groups, marshaling people along that route, peaceful.

There was some controversy around this because, of course, this is Armistice Day. This is the anniversary of the end of World War I. Veteran's Day in the U.S.

The British prime minister had wanted to stop the rally. But it seemed to go off without a hitch. People very upset over, of course, the impact on children in Gaza. Very upset over, you know, bombardment recently that we've seen of hospitals; we did see some banners among those participating in the rally on that.

But in particular, we saw anger directed not just to Israel, but at Western governments. And in particular, the U.S.

The march itself started in central London, and then, progressed to the U.S. embassy just south of the River Thames. And when we got there, we caught up with some of the protesters, here is what they had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SEBASTIAN: Why did you come out here today to this protest?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, to solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza. So, this is at least we can do. And we need to pressed our government just expire now.

SEBASTIAN: Why here at the U.S. embassy in London?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Because the U.S. embassy -- the USA, they are part of there.

If they can help, they will. If they want to, they can help right now.

And they can act if they can say six player, at least, they support people in hospitals. They are really suffering.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I just want to say I'm Jewish, and I fully support this March and everything that's going on today. And we absolutely have to stop the war.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SEBASTIAN (on camera): So, all kinds of different people turned out. And well, we saw a lot of families as well. There was a very heavy police presence. Some 2,000 police officers deployed to the capital, worried that these rallies might disrupt the Armistice Day commemorations.

[13:10:07]

And they did face some challenges. Several dozen protesters had to be counter-protesters rather had to be arrested. There were clashes with police.

In one incident, police said that missiles were thrown towards police. But this was mostly over in a slightly different area of London where the Armistice Day celebrations had been happening earlier in the day, separate from the main pro-Palestinian rally, which as I said, went off peacefully in London.

Not the only city in Europe, where we saw these pro-Palestinian rallies today. In Paris as well and in Brussels, thousands turned out. I think the scale of these events, certainly, I witnessed it today is a real measure of the sort of public sentiment that we're seeing that despite those horrific attacks on October 7th, many are coalescing around this idea that the response now might have gone too far. Omar?

JIMENEZ: Well, and there the types of protests we've been seeing in parts all across the world right now, especially in the past month, of course, and the latest being in London as you just expertly laid out for us. Clare Sebastian, thank you so much.

Still to come, as a government shutdown looms, newly minted House Speaker Mike Johnson and House Republicans are expected to release their plan to avoid it.

We'll discuss with Democratic Congressman Glenn Ivey next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[13:15:22]

JIMENEZ: A deeply divided Congress and new House Speaker Mike Johnson now has less than one-week left to prevent a government shutdown.

Federal funding expires on Friday, November 17th. And this afternoon, House Republicans will hold a call as they map out a strategy.

Johnson has to decide between a bill to appeal to his party's hardliners or a bill that would get Democratic support passed the Senate as well. And dare his right flank to vote against it.

So, joining me now to discuss this and more is Congressman Glenn Ivey. He is a Democrat from Maryland. Congressman, good to see you.

Look, this is a pivotal moment for the new Speaker. But obviously, Congress as a whole and the country.

Do you think he is going to introduce a bill that will pass or try to make some of the more hardliners in his party happy, a little similar to what we saw when Kevin McCarthy was Speaker?

REP. GLENN IVEY (D-MD): You know, I'm not sure at this point. You know, he had an appropriations bill that was on the floor earlier this week.

He had to pull it on -- before the vote for final passage. So, apparently, he didn't have the votes within his caucus to continue moving forward.

So, it looks like the honeymoon might be over for him already, even though he's only been in the position for, you know, I guess a couple of weeks at this point.

JIMENEZ: Bottom line, you're not expecting to go into your office on Monday with an easy road to Friday and a deal done.

IVEY: Yes, you know, it's not been an auspicious debut for this. I mean, the supplemental package that the administration set, you know, he decided to break out the Israel -- the Israeli supplemental piece, and then, link it to IRS funding, which has nothing to do with any of the emergency issues that we've got going.

It's instead it was sort of a bone, I guess, to his right flank there, even though everybody knew it was going to be dead on arrival when it got to the Senate.

So, I'm not sure -- I'm not exactly sure how he's going to play this, but he's not off to a great start.

JIMENEZ: Look, if you had gone into the days before a budget deadline, super optimistic, I would have wondered what was wrong with you? Because that's just not what D.C. does. But I do want to say that obviously, there are politics at play, there are budget items to figure out. But at the end of the day, a government shutdown, you know, if we get to that point is harmful to the American public and specifically to your Maryland district as well, which borders the D.C. area.

I mean, how damaging would a government shutdown be? What are the stakes that you were preparing as we head into this week?

IVEY: I mean, they'd be extremely impactful with respect to not just government workers, who would be at risk, you know, if they're deemed not essential, not getting paid for the work that they're doing. Essential personnel, even though they will get paid eventually, wouldn't get their checks right away. So, for people that have to pay rent right away, they'd be pressed into, you know, financial, dire straits, potentially.

The impact across the country could be significant for -- as well. For example, TSA, the Border Patrol, military, people getting veterans benefits. Ironically, today, Social Security benefits, even though most of the benefits are guaranteed to continue moving, not all services will be continued to be provided.

So, all of those, you know, could have a bad ripple effect. And the bigger piece too, I think from a macroeconomic standpoint is, you know, the economic world, Wall Street and the like, are already concerned that Washington's dysfunctional and putting the economy at risk.

This is a yet another bad sign. I think with respect to that issue.

JIMENEZ: And one of the hang ups last time around when at the end of September, when the bill was essentially punted to a week from today was around funding for Ukraine.

And now, obviously, we are at this point, how important is it that the bill, for you, includes funding for Israel, Ukraine, and the southern border?

IVEY: Well, we think all of the supplemental pieces should move forward that would include humanitarian aid as well. The issue is going to be for some reason, many Republicans have decided that they don't necessarily want to continue to provide support for Ukraine. And I think that's part of why the Speaker broke that out, you know, before the Israel supplemental vote that he took a few weeks ago. So, I'm not sure what he's going to do at this point. The challenge, though, is, there is a lot to get done in the next few days. They don't -- there doesn't seem to be a real sense of urgency. I mean, they sent us home two days early, basically where we could be working Friday, Saturday, and through the weekend, if necessarily. But they don't seem to be concerned enough to push us into service in that way.

JIMENEZ: Yes. Yes, well, we will see what happens there.

[13:20:00]

I want to shift gears a little bit and ask you about another major development that impacts your district. The Biden administration just selected Greenbelt, Maryland for the location for the new FBI headquarters.

It's a decision that's actually now being blasted by FBI director Christopher Wray, who called the process flawed. I want to read a little bit of his statement here. He said that, "In the course of our work with the GSA, the General Services Administration, we identified concerns about a potential conflict of interest involving the site selection authority and whether changes that individual made in the final stage of the process adhere to the site selection criteria, our concerns are not with the decision itself, but with the process."

So, one, I just want to get your take on the FBI director's statement there, but also, Virginia Democrats have vowed that this fight isn't over. That this selection isn't over. So, what's your response to some of them as well?

IVEY: Well, I was really disappointed with the FBI director's attack on that civil servant, even though I think he basically acknowledged there was no evidence of conflict of interest or any kind of misconduct.

So, you do want wrote wonder why he would raise that kind of red herring.

But at the end of the day on the merits, the site that was selected in Maryland, saves American taxpayers between $1 billion and $1.5 billion. Metro access, the subway was one of the factors. The Greenbelt site is in walking distance, the site in Virginia you would need a shuttle to get back and forth.

The Greenbelt site is shovel ready. We could get started on that almost immediately. The site in Virginia is encumbered with buildings that are already occupied. So, they they'd have to clear the buildings out of the workers, tear the buildings down, and then clear the sites could delay everything by a year or two.

So, it seems pretty clear to me that on the merits, the Greenbelt site was the right one to pick going away.

I understand that there are people who would rather have it be in Virginia, especially folks who are in Virginia. But I think from the taxpayer standpoint, and from the federal government standpoint, this was the right selection.

And one last point, the building in D.C. is currently, the chunks of it falling down, putting pedestrians at risk, putting employees at risk. I think it's dangerous for FBI employees to delay this unnecessarily, when the decision to put it in Greenbelt is right on the merits, and we should move forward immediately.

JIMENEZ: Well, we will see if your -- Virginia Democrats are right or as you will, in Maryland, I know alongside Governor Wes More there, in a sense celebrated, of course, the decision to it being in Greenbelt.

We will see what happens. Congressman Glenn Ivey, thank you so much.

IVEY: Thank you.

JIMENEZ: Up next, a United Nations agency says people of Gaza are being choked by bombardment and siege. We will show you how one hospital is dealing with the horror of war.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[13:27:01]

JIMENEZ: The Israeli military is denying it was behind a strike that hit Gaza's largest hospital on Friday.

The IDF claims the explosion at al-Shifa Hospital was caused by a misfire projectile launch from inside Gaza. Apparently, targeting nearby Israeli troops.

Shocking video obtained by CNN, shows the desperate plight of civilians who are sheltered in and around hospitals in Gaza. CNN's Jomana Karadsheh has our report. And I'm going to warn you, it's very graphic and disturbing.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JOMANA KARADSHEH, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Night 34 of this war brought hell to Gaza's hospitals. Death so close for these medics outside Al-Awda Hospital, they recited their final prayers.

The hospital says several were injured in these strikes, and two ambulances were completely damaged.

It was one of several hospital struck in what was a night of horror for those sheltering in medical facilities in northern Gaza.

And on Friday, more heartache came with these devastating scenes at al-Shifa Hospital complex. The haunting screams of those who survived this blast, dazed, confused, searching for loved ones amongst the dead and injured.

Images that infuriated humanitarians like Norwegian doctor, Mads Gilbert, who volunteered at al-Shifa in the past.

DR. MADS GILBERT, PHYSICIAN AND FORMER VOLUNTEER, AL-SHIFA HOSPITAL: President Biden, Mr. Blinken. Mr. Blinken, can you hear me?

Prime ministers and presidents of the European countries, can you hear me? Can you hear the screams from Shifa hospital, from Al-Awda Hospital?

Can you hear the screams from innocent people, refugees sheltering, trying to find a safe place, being bombed by the Israeli attack forces, hospitals that are the temples of humanity and protection?

KARADSHEH: But this is a war with no red lines and hospitals are no sanctuary for the tens of thousands crammed into these hospitals, desperate to be protected from a war like no other Gaza has ever seen.

For weeks, the Israeli military's been calling on civilians to move south to get out of harm's way, they say, but so many have been reluctant to heed these calls. Airstrikes and death have followed Gazans to the south. Nowhere is safe in this besieged territory.

But as Israeli military opened up a humanitarian corridor amid intense fighting in the north, tens of thousands had no choice but to run in scenes that evoke dark memories for Palestinians of an exodus from decades past, one from which there has been no return.

But not everyone can leave. The fighting has trapped some of the most vulnerable at two pediatric hospitals where hundreds are sheltering and doctors are calling on the ICRC to evacuate them.

[13:30:08]

Israeli troops are right outside Al-Nasr and Rantisi hospitals.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

KARADSHEH: "The hospital is surrounded by Israeli tanks from all directions," this young woman says. "We were asked to evacuate now."

She and others, with this cry for international protection and a safe passage out.

Back inside Al Shifa, there's no stopping, no pauses for those on a mission to save lives.

A father anxiously looks to doctors for good news, only to be told his little boy is gone.

(CRYING)

KARADSHEH: Never have Gazans felt so abandoned, alone in this land of death and despair.

Jomana Karadsheh, CNN, London.

(CRYING)

(END VIDEOTAPE)

OMAR JIMINEZ, CNN HOST: Jomana Karadsheh highlighting just the awful reality for so many of those trapped in Gaza.

Thank you so much for that report.

Up next for us, the actors union national board in the United States voted to move the tentative contract forward with major studios. We're going to tell you what's next and what we know about that historic deal, just ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[13:35:21]

JIMENEZ: The SAG-AFTRA national board voted to push forward a still tentative deal with studios. News of the deal came earlier this week after 118 days of grueling talks.

The agreement ends one of the most disruptive chapters in Hollywood's history. Now actors are relieved to get back to their productions soon.

CNN national correspondent, Camila Bernal, is live from Los Angeles.

Camila, good to see you.

But also, what else next here?

CAMILA BERNAL, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: First of all, you turn on the lights in Hollywood, everybody can go back to work as this deal is waiting to be ratified.

So in the next couple of weeks, actors and actresses will be able to ask questions to figure out what's in this deal and see whether or not they want to ratify this tentative contract.

The voting begins on Tuesday and goes until the first week of December.

But a lot of the leadership here saying this is a huge deal, that this is historic.

They talked about two things they negotiated all the way until the very end, two things they said they were not going to change their minds on.

The first being artificial intelligence and the protections there. Some of the things they say they got was consent.

Now, actors and actresses will be able to know exactly what's going on or what's being used when it comes to their work. And they will be able to get compensated for it.

That's a huge thing. And they're celebrating those protections when it comes to A.I.

The other thing they say they negotiated until the very last minute is a new pocket of money. That's how Fran Drescher is describing it. She's the president of the union. And it's money that's coming from streamers.

So what happens is there is a bonus program where it is success-based. That money is going to go to a fund and then it's going to be divided between some of the performers that are on these very high-performing shows and the rest is going to be distributed among union members.

But among other things they were able to accomplish is, of course, higher wages, in general a 7 percent increase and an 11 percent increase for some of the lowest paid in this industry.

Other things people were passionate about like sexual harassment provisions and even hair and makeup.

Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MICHELLE HURD, ACTOR & SAG-AFTRA NEGOTIATING COMMITTEE MEMBER: Every single actor of color you could talk to I'm sure, at this moment, will tell you there's not been one time they have not brought their own base, done their hair.

So this is empowering our artists. It's also empowering the hair and makeup trailer, because it gives them more skills.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BERNAL: As I was talking to actors and actresses, a lot of them telling me how difficult it's been over the last couple of months here in Hollywood and being out on the picket lines standing side by side while you're listening to stories of people saying they're struggling to pay bills.

Everyone is really relieved they'll be able to go back to work. And everybody is happy to know this is the light at the end of the tunnel before this contract is ratified -- Omar?

JIMENEZ: We'll see. We'll see how it goes. But obviously, welcome news for so many people and especially those on the actors' side that feel like their lives and careers will be in a much better place because of this.

Camila Bernal, thank you so much.

Still to come for us, two months after an earthquake ravaged parts of Morocco, it remains a region in ruins. We're going to take you live to Marrakesh where an aid group is working to provide temporary shelters and other essentials to those who have been displaced.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[13:43:11]

JIMENEZ: The war in Ukraine is escalating with more fighters from both sides joining the front lines. Russia says it recruited former members from the Wagner private military company after its leader, Yevgeny Prigozhin, was killed in a plane crash in August.

Ukrainian forces are also sending more than 30,000 recruits newly trained in the United Kingdom to the battlefield. It's the U.K.'s largest military training effort since World War II.

CNN senior international correspondent, Fred Pleitgen, has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

FRED PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice- over): Ukrainian naval drones near the coast of occupied Crimea. Kyiv says they hit two Russian landing ships, destroying the vessels, a key blow to Putin's navy, Ukraine's military intelligence tells CNN.

ANDRII YUSOV, REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DEFENSE INTELLIGENCE OF UKRAINE: (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

PLEITGEN: "According to updated information, they were sunk and can't be repaired," he says. "Armored equipment was also destroyed, in particular, a BMP onboard one of the landing craft."

CNN can't independently verify the incident, and so far, Moscow has not commented on it.

But Kyiv says they are continuing to pile pressure on Russia's forces. Ukraine saying its troops recently struck this corvette in the Port of Kerch with several cruise missiles.

And the military intelligence service is claiming responsibility for assassinating a former pro-Russian militia commander in the occupied city Luhansk.

On the ground, though, the going remains tough. The Ukrainians acknowledging they're barely making any progress, even as they release this drone footage purporting to show massive losses of Russian armor near the town of Avdiivka.

VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT: I am sure that we will have success. It's difficult.

[13:44:55]

PLEITGEN: While both sides continue to bleed manpower with little territory changing hands, the Russians seem eager to get former fighters of what was the Wagner private military company, once led by Yevgeny Prigozhin, who was killed in a plane crash in August, back on the battlefield.

Chechen strongman, Ramzan Kadyrov, posting this video, showing his forces training together with Russian mercenaries, some with Wagner patches on the uniforms.

The units practicing everything from infantry assaults to medical evacuations.

Russian President Vladimir Putin himself checking out military dune buggies at the Russian army southern command in Rostov-on-Don with his defense minister and his top general.

This is the very building Wagner fighters occupied during the group's short-lived mutiny in June.

Putin has long advocated for Wagner fighters to get back on the battlefield.

VLADIMIR PUTIN, RUSSIAN PRESIDENT: (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

PLEITGEN: "Today, you have the opportunity to continue your service to Russia by signing a contract with the Defense Ministry," he says, "or other law enforcement for security agencies or to return home."

(GUNFIRE)

PLEITGEN: The Russians claimed hundreds of thousands have already signed up to fight in Ukraine while Kyiv vows to stand its ground no matter how many soldiers Moscow sends.

(GUNFIRE)

PLEITGEN: Fred Pleitgen, CNN, Berlin.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

JIMENEZ: Elsewhere, it has now been more than two months since parts of Morocco were shaken by a devastating earthquake. Almost 3,000 people died and thousands more injured.

The earthquake hit Marrakesh in a remote part of the country making it difficult to get aid to the thousands of survivors who have been displaced and no longer have homes.

And it doesn't end there either. The United Nations says around 110 million people are currently displaced around the world. That is an all-time high.

So Kerri Murray is the president of ShelterBox, a relief group that provides temporary shelter and other essentials to those who have been displace. She joins us from Marrakesh.

So I want to ask, to start off, what are conditions like on the ground there now months removed from this earthquake?

KERRI MURRAY, PRESIDENT, SHELTERBOX: Well, we see there are hundreds of thousands of people displaced. High up in the Atlas Mountains, which was the epicenter of this earthquake, you see still so many villages where you have thousands of displaced families.

And so we know that it's not an easy area to get to. It is a hard road to traverse. It's one road in and out, hairpin turns. It takes hours to reach these villages. When you arrive in the villages, it is absolutely rubble. Some of

these communities are 90 to 95 percent destroyed. And these families are still living in these very remote villages.

JIMENEZ: To this point, as far as you being on the ground there and talking to people there, what are people telling you? Do any of them feel forgotten in a sense?

MURRAY: I'll tell you they're very relieved that ShelterBox is there distributing emergency shelter, high thermal blankets, solar lanterns, kitchen sets, the vital supplies these families need, especially as they prepare for winter.

In just a few weeks, they'll start to see snowfall in the Atlas Mountains. Our priority is moving families into emergency shelters where they will live for the winter and for the foreseeable future. It is going to be years before they can rebuild.

They're thrilled to see us. It has been really a privilege to work alongside these families. We've been going village to village. We're serving about 20 different villages. And 6,000 people that we're providing emergency shelter to.

We're doing everything alongside our partner, Grand Atlas, local community partners. And we're seeing this ground swell of support for local communities working alongside us.

JIMENEZ: How difficult is it, or how much more difficult is it to get some of this assistance when disaster hits in some of the more remote areas like in these cases?

MURRAY: It's very difficult. For ShelterBox, we preposition eight items all -- on supplies from Dubai.

But we had to work locally with our partners to work through the complexities of logistic supply chain, warehouse and trucks, volunteers to get all of this aid safely up to the families that so desperately need it.

So it is not an easy process. It takes time. We are still conducting distributions. And for now, it's a race against the fight to get aid in before the winter sets in.

JIMENEZ: I know you mentioned a little bit about it already. We do have some pictures of some of what your emergency kit provides. Can you tell us a little bit about what is included and any changes you're making to the gear you provide?

[13:50:02]

MURRAY: Sure. So the basic premise of ShelterBox is what are the basic things you need to sustain your life if you lose everything in an instant.

We focus on the basic need of shelter, so provision of emergency shelter. In this instance, it's standard relief tents. These are humanitarian tents.

But we also provide the essentials to set up a household, so high thermal blankets, solar blankets, cooking sets to prepare a hot meal, boil water. It could be basic things like mattresses, tools. It could be water purification.

We customize the aid and have custom aid packages for these families in Morocco based on meeting them in the moment they're in. And what they need is shelter. They need a place to sleep.

I'll tell you, from working in the Atlas Mountains, we're still experiencing tremors and aftershocks and we know most of the area is rubble. It's very scary to sleep in damaged buildings. They prefer to sleep in a tent.

For us, it's providing them tents, high thermal blankets, solar lanterns and kitchen sets.

JIMENEZ: Before we go, your group has also been operating in Ukraine. While there are needs in both settings, some of the needs in Ukraine are very different from the needs in Morocco. How different is it when you have to operate in a war zone?

MURRAY: Oh, very. So I was working in Kyiv earlier in the year and we were in the middle of winter. And in many instances, I found families could be 50 people sheltering in a basement with no power, no heat.

So in that instance, it was providing people with everything from high thermal sleeping bags to basic things like wood stoves.

Also, repair kits. You have a lot of people living in homes damaged by the bombing. So basic things like plastic sheeting for the windows. Tarps where you had impact from the bombing.

It's a very different type of solution in a war zone than in a disaster zone up in the Atlas Mountains here in Morocco.

JIMENEZ: Kerri Murray, I know there are so many that are appreciating the work you all are doing. Please keep us posted as your efforts continue.

For starters, thank you so much for being with us.

MURRAY: Thanks for having me. Thanks so much.

JIMENEZ: Now coming up, a Michigan judge opts not to rule on whether to block University of Michigan's football coach three-game suspension Friday by the Big Ten. We're going to bring you the latest, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[13:51:55]

JIMENEZ: Right now, the third-ranked University of Michigan football team is playing without its head coach. Jim Harbaugh was given a three-game suspension Friday by the Big Ten

as punishment for Michigan was found to have violated the sportsmanship policy by using advanced scouting to steal opponents' signs.

A judge chose not to rule on a temporary restraining order to allow Harbaugh to coach today's game against Penn State.

But to explain it all, CNN's Andy Scholes joins us now.

Andy, what is the University of Michigan's leadership saying about the suspension?

ANDY SCHOLES, CNN SPORTS ANCHOR: Omar, the University of Michigan is not happy that the Big Ten stepped in here instead of letting the NCAA investigation play itself all the way out. They're not happy they stepped in to make that three-game suspension go into effect immediately.

Their athletic director, Warde Manual, slammed the conference in a statement before today's game against Penn State. I'll read part of it to you.

He said, "Yesterday, under the guidance of the NCAA rule regarding head coach responsibility, the Big Ten decided to penalize Coach Harbaugh without knowing all the facts.

And I find that completely unethical, insulting to a well-established process to the NCAA, and an assault on the rights of everyone, especially in the Big Ten, to be judged by a fair and complete investigation."

Manuel went on to say the school looks forward to defending Coach Harbaugh in that hearing that's supposed to take place on Friday where they're trying to get that temporary restraining order to allow Harbaugh to coach on the sidelines for their final game.

Now on the schedule, they have the game at Penn State, which he's not on the field for. They play at Maryland then the big game against Ohio State.

If the school is able to get the restraining order, then Coach Harbaugh could get on the field for those games. As of right now, the hearing is scheduled for Friday. We won't get answers until then.

Now Michigan, they're undefeated. They've got Maryland, then the big game against Ohio State. They're ranked third in the college football playoff rankings. They are in position to make the playoffs.

But ESPN's Stephen A. Smith, he joins Abby Phillip last night and he said, with all these allegations hanging over the program, they don't belong in the playoffs.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

STEPHEN A. SMITH, HOST, "FIRST TAKE" ON ESPN: As long as there's an open investigation, the void of a conclusion by the NCAA and the Big Ten conference, Michigan should not be allowed to participate in the college football playoffs.

By the way, still coach players during the week. Just can't be on the sideline for the day of the game and he could come back for the college football playoff.

How in god's name is that a viable punishment? That is nonsense. I stated it then and I'm stating it now.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCHOLES: Omar, Michigan fans not happy to hear that kind of statement from Stephen A. Smith. But you've got the rest of the conference saying, hey, look, with all of this happening, we need a punishment right now.

We'll see how it all plays out. Harbaugh not on the sidelines today. His status for the Maryland and Ohio State game up in the air.

JIMENEZ: I'm not going to be able to say anything as eloquent as Stephen A. Smith.

So, I'm just going to say, Andy Scholes, thank you for being here.

SCHOLES: All right.

[13:59:59]

JIMENEZ: We've got more news coming up. Let's do it.

Hey, everyone. Thanks for joining me.