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South Carolina Republican Primary Won by Donald Trump; Haley Will Remain in the Campaign; As Third Year of Conflict Begins, Ukraine Observes Somber Occasion; European Leaders Say Extra Funding for Ukraine; $50 Billion Funding Authorized by EU; Congress Holds Up U.S. Military Assistance; Russian Authorities Finally Handed the Body of Alexei Navalny to His Family; Protests in Israel; New Strikes on Houthi Targets; Israel-Hamas War; Netanyahu: Anticipating Update from Israel Talks; Netanyahu Thinking About Evacuating Civilians from Rafah; Fatal Helicopter Crash Involved Two National Guard Members; Lack of Financing Causes Migrant Welcoming Center Closure; Truck Driver Overtime Hours Will Be Restricted by Japanese Government; French Agriculture Fair: Farmers Demonstrate Against E.U. Farming Regulations. Aired 4-5a ET

Aired February 25, 2024 - 04:00   ET

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

[04:00:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KIM BRUNHUBER, CNN ANCHOR AND CORRESPONDENT: And welcome to all of you watching us here in the United States, Canada, and around the world. I'm Kim Brunhuber. Ahead on "CNN Newsroom".

Nikki Haley refuses to bow out after coming up short in her home state primary. This, as Donald Trump's team considers the nomination a foregone conclusion and turns their focus to the November election.

And Russia cracks down on public tribute to Alexei Navalny, while his family rejects the Kremlin's demand that he must be buried in private.

ANNOUNCER: Live from Atlanta, this is "CNN Newsroom with Kim Brunhuber".

BRUNHUBER: South Carolina voters spoke with a resounding voice in the state's Republican presidential primary Saturday. They want Donald Trump. In Columbia, the former president celebrated his victory. Here he is.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT AND U.S. REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Now there's a spirit that I have never seen. We ran two great races. But there's never been, ever, there's never been a spirit like this. And I just want to say that I have never seen the Republican Party so unified as it is right now.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: With an estimated 99 percent of results in, Trump has just under 60 percent of the vote. Rival Nikki Haley has more than 39 percent. It's a larger margin than recent polls had given her, but not enough to defeat Trump in her home state. Still, Haley says she's not going anywhere. Here she is.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NIKKI HALEY, U.S. REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: We're headed to Michigan tomorrow, and we're headed to the Super Tuesday states throughout all of next week. We'll keep fighting for America and we won't rest until America wins.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: CNN's Kristen Holmes is with the Trump campaign in South Carolina. She has more on what's next as the likely Republican nominee looks forward.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KRISTEN HOLMES, CNN U.S. NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Advisors to former President Trump tell me to expect the campaign to pivot to a general election after the South Carolina primary, despite the fact that Nikki Haley is going to remain in the race. They had hoped that a resounding win in South Carolina, following three other resounding wins, would help bring Republicans off the fence, would help bring in some of those holdout donors, and would also potentially put pressure on Haley to drop out.

But as that isn't the case, I am told that they're going to start having conversations about how to expand their campaign staff, and particularly in these critical swing states. And we're talking about states like Michigan, Georgia, Arizona.

I'm also told that there has been a number of efforts to try to get Donald Trump, who is still completely annoyed that Nikki Haley is staying in the race to focus his ire on President Joe Biden. Now, a senior advisor did tell me they believe that that could be difficult since they themselves had had to tell Donald Trump multiple times to just ignore her.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: Well, regardless of whether Trump ignores Haley or not, the former South Carolina governor doesn't appear to be going anywhere even after losing in the state she once led. CNN's Kylie Atwood has more.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KYLIE ATWOOD, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Nikki Haley telling her supporters on Saturday night that she is a woman of her word. That she's going to keep her campaign alive despite losing in South Carolina, her home state. She said her expectation is that she'll get about 40 percent of the vote in the state she knows that's not 50 percent, but she said it's not a tiny amount. That there were voters that were with her. And she also had a bit of a somber tone saying that South Carolinians are frustrated about the direction that the country is headed in. She said that she also has those frustrations. But she said that America will come apart if we make the wrong choices. And she committed to giving the voters on Super Tuesday States the ability to have an option in front of them.

We also know, according to a campaign e-mail that was sent to donors that she'll be having donor events in every single state that she is visiting as she tries to raise money while she prepares for Super Tuesday.

Kylie Atwood, CNN, South Carolina.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: Now, CNN exit polling indicates that South Carolina's Republican electorate is more similar to conservative Iowa than moderate New Hampshire.

[04:05:00]

Roughly 80 percent describe themselves as conservative, as more than 40 percent say they're affiliated with Trump's MAGA movement. Only a third acknowledge that Joe Biden won the 2020 election. One Haley voter said she believes the former South Carolina governor can hold politicians in Washington accountable.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I wanted to make sure that the candidate from my state was represented. I wanted to make sure that my voice was heard. And I wanted to see a change in the White House and our Congress, and to hold them accountable. And Nikki Haley, I believe, is the one who's going to hold our government accountable this next presidential election.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: Meanwhile, a Trump voter told CNN, she supports the former president because of his strength.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He's a strong leader. He's someone who will defend and protect, I believe, our country as far as that goes. He doesn't back down. He's not afraid to speak what's on his mind. Say what he needs to say.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: And Thomas Gift joins us now from London. He's the director of the Centre on U.S. Politics at University College London. Good to see you again. So, the question was, could Trump deliver the knockout blow and he seems to have done that. THOMAS GIFT, DIRECTOR, CENTRE ON U.S. POLITICS, UNIVERSITY COLLEGE LONDON: Absolutely, Kim. Thanks so much for having me. I mean, for me, the most notable aspect of South Carolina is just how big of a victory it was for Trump, despite him hardly even campaigning there.

A few months ago, if you told Nikki Haley's team it would have a one on one against Trump going into South Carolina, that would really have been the ideal scenario. We have expected a slugfest with Haley, maybe even tipping the scales in a state where she once had an 80 plus percent approval rating as governor. Instead, what we got was a total knockout punch by Trump, as you suggested.

And we have to remember, in many ways, these early primary states were juiced for Haley. New Hampshire has a very strong independent streak. South Carolina is Haley's home state. Haley couldn't make it happen in either of those primaries. She's not going to make it happen elsewhere, which is to say, I think we've already seen peak Haley, and peak Haley is her losing to Trump 20 to 30 percentage points, and I think that only gets more lopsided headed into Super Tuesday.

BRUNHUBER: I mean, over the last month or recently, Haley really, sort of, sharpened her criticism against Trump, but did she wait too long to really, you know, take the gloves off?

GIFT: Yes, I think she did. I mean, she was treating Donald Trump with velvet gloves just for months and months and months. And even just recently, she said that she would pardon Donald Trump if she were elected. So, it's not like she's gone full on Chris Christie in the last several weeks either. She has been more critical, but at the same time, I think she's, sort of, reading the tea leaves.

She does understand that you can't go against Trump too hard because it does alienate the Republican electorate. But at the same time, if you don't go against him at all, then there's no way that you can differentiate yourself. I think she's in the same catch 22, that all the candidates have been in from the outset, which is to say, I really think Trump just had this locked up. You know, there's basically no strategy that a Republican contender could take that would have knocked him off of his game. So, you know, I really saw this as a fait accompli from the very outset.

BRUNHUBER: All right. So, as you suggested, there doesn't seem to be a practical path to the nomination for Haley. Why is she staying in the race? I mean, from her comments, do you think that she is seriously, you know, maybe contemplating a third-party bid?

GIFT: Yes, I mean, that's a really interesting question, Kim. I have heard some rumors that maybe she could go no labels. I think the most cynical assessment is that Haley is just being used as a pawn of Never Trump donors who think that keeping Haley in the race will ding up Trump going into the general election.

But I don't think that's especially convincing because Trump's just gaining momentum with these massive blowout wins. And it's not like Haley, as we just talked about, there's been this strong voice of moral clarity against MAGA. She's taking the velvet gloves off and attacking Trump to an extent, but, you know, it's just not been enough.

I think another rationale is that Haley's staying in the race because she's hoping for a spring surprise, which is that Trump's legal difficulties finally catch up to him and she'd win by forfeit. But I think that there are problems with that, too. The New York hush money trial won't start for another month, it will probably run until May. Vast majority of primary delegates will already be allocated by then.

Plus, polls show that upwards of 60 percent of Republicans would still favor Trump as a nominee even if he's convicted. So, I think it's really hard to justify Haley's continued candidacy at this point, at least with an R next to her name.

BRUNHUBER: Yes, especially since most Republicans favor Trump, if he were to drop out, they would probably want to go for a Trump alternative rather than somebody who, sort of -- seemed to be in opposition to him. Now, turning to Trump himself, the numbers aren't all in yet, but do any of the results that you've seen, particularly among independents and in the less conservative counties, tell us anything about how Trump might do in the general election?

[04:10:00]

GIFT: Yes, I think that there are some bellwethers here. And there are some numbers from South Carolina that Trump has to worry about. I saw exit polling that showed about one in 10 primary voters cast their ballot for Haley, not as an affirmative vote for her, but as a negative vote against Trump. And even more about three in 10, said that they would not be satisfied with Trump as their nominee. That's a nontrivial fraction. And you'd have to imagine that a significant portion of those are either not going to show up in November or could actually vote for Joe Biden or maybe a third party.

So, this is why Trump's eager to sew up this nomination. He knows the basis behind him. I think he does want to pivot a little bit more toward the center. He has more work to do with, particularly, college educated Republicans, with these upscale suburban voters who lean right, and of course with women. So that's the big challenge going forward.

BRUNHUBER: All right, we might get more answers on Super Tuesday, March 5th. Really appreciate it. Thomas Gift, thank you so much for joining us.

GIFT: Thanks Kim.

BRUNHUBER: Ukraine is now entering the third year of a brutal war with Russia, and it does so dangerously short on ammunition and equipment. A number of Western leaders went to Kyiv, Saturday, to show their support and to mark the second anniversary of Russia's full- scale invasion. Together, in a united front, laying flowers that the wall of memory at St. Michael's Square in Kyiv, but beyond the rhetorical support Ukraine desperately needs military aid.

President Zelenskyy addressed a virtual meeting of the G7, Saturday, reminding them that Ukraine counts on their country's continued support. G7 leaders ensured him that they will support Ukraine for as long as it takes.

CNN's Sebastian Shukla is in Berlin. And Seb, so President Zelenskyy, talking about Ukraine's need for support from Western partners, more than just words, are they delivering?

SEBASTIAN SHUKLA, CNN PRODUCER: Yes, good morning, Kim. Ukrainians are waking up this morning with their country looking like this war will go deep into its third year, but the issues on President Zelenskyy's desk are continuing to mount.

There is a situation with the Ukrainian army where troops are tired, they need replacing and they need bolstering. Russians, have taken the opportunity since the failed counteroffensive last summer to bolster their own supplies, both in terms of troops and ammunition. But the ammunition thing on the Ukrainian side is the crucial thing which they are lacking severely at the moment. And it's something which Ukrainian leadership, Zelenskyy and his team, are going out of their way to mention and say, take a look to what Dmytro Kuleba, the Ukrainian foreign minister, told Christiane Amanpour.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DMYTRO KULEBA, UKRAINIAN FOREIGN MINISTER: Now there is a war, and the Europeans have to accept the fact that the era of peace in Europe is over. Whether someone likes it or not, it's over. And you have to invest long-term in the production of weapons. And I'm making the point, when I speak to my European colleagues that every piece of weapon, every round of ammunition produced in Europe should serve the purpose of defending Europe, and the place where Europe is being defended is Ukraine.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SHUKLA: Now, European leaders in the E.U., including in places like Germany, have already pledged $50 billion worth of aid, but that is the -- that is only coming from Europe. The key tranche is still stuck with Congress for almost $60 billion worth of aid is still to be passed and is being held up largely by Republicans. And, Kim, unless that is passed, no weapons will flow from the United States to Ukraine, which we will see will continue to be a problem. Kim.

BRUNHUBER: A huge problem on the battlefield, Ukraine's lack of resources has meant a change of tactics. I mean, this is something that you've been looking into. What more can you tell us?

SHUKLA: Yes, I think since the end of 2023, where those munitions really started to dwindle, the Ukrainians took a step back and they looked at what their other options may be. And the way that they have decided to counteract Russian aggression, as that line has become more entrenched, is to take the war to Russia itself, the mainland.

And they have used various different ways to try to counter that, that more recently we have seen drone attacks going as far as Moscow and St. Petersburg targeting key infrastructure targets, such as oil depots and refineries, but also not excluding places like steel plants where the chunk of Russia's military industrial complex is supported by. And the aim is really to disrupt those supply lines going from those centers towards the front.

But away from the battlefield and on sea is where Ukraine has had some really major successes.

[04:15:00]

It has managed to push back the Russian fleet away from its coast and has even managed to sink major Russian warships using these -- using sea drones. We saw the -- in the middle of February that these Magura sea drones managed to sink a Russian battleship off of the coast, too. And they haven't been able to just do it at sea, they have been able to do it in port, too. Hitting the Ukrainian -- the Russian Navy, rather, and port in Crimea. Kim.

BRUNHUBER: All right. Thanks so much, Sebastian Shukla in Berlin.

The independent Russian news outlet SOTA says, its journalists were detained at a rally in Moscow Saturday. It said its journalists were reporting on a protest by an organization calling for the return of Russian troops fighting in Ukraine. Now, the same day, police arrested at least 49 demonstrators across the country, according to a human rights group. They were protesting the war in Ukraine and the death of anti-Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny.

Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Navalny says, Russian authorities handed his body to his mother. Now, the release comes more than a week after a sudden death in an Arctic prison colony. CNN's Matthew Chance has more.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, the Russian authorities have finally handed the body of Alexei Navalny to his family, but no plans for a funeral have yet been announced. Navalny's mother, who received the remains of her son at the weekend in the Arctic north of Russia, near the penal colony where he died, says she was told the funeral must be private before her son -- son's body would be handed over. Well, the family have made it clear they would prefer a public funeral in Moscow for the late opposition leader.

But clearly that would potentially be a highly charged political event, particularly as it's just a few weeks now before the presidential election in Russia. Navalny was a figure, who in life, was able to draw tens of thousands of Russians onto the street. And the Kremlin, which has denied responsibility for Navalny's death, could well be concerned that that funeral becoming a rallying point for anti-government protests.

Meanwhile, across Russia, tributes continue to be laid at makeshift memorials across the country for Alexei Navalny. Russian authorities detaining hundreds of mourners, including at least 49 people on Saturday alone.

Matthew Chance, CNN Moscow.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: Israeli police are cracking down on anti-Netanyahu protests in Israel. Ahead, the tactics they use as thousands of demonstrators pack the streets of Tel Aviv.

Plus, the U.S. and U.K. carry out new strikes against Houthis in Yemen. We'll have the latest from the Pentagon just ahead here on "CNN Newsroom". Please stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[04:20:00]

BRUNHUBER: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Saturday he was expecting an update on negotiations for hostage releases and a ceasefire in Gaza. A group representing families of most of the hostages says, there are credible reports that a deal is being hammered out and the government needs to act without delay. Now, CNN hasn't independently verified the reports of a deal.

In a social media post, Netanyahu said he'll discuss operational plans for Rafah at the beginning of next week. He said that will include evacuating citizens from the city in the far south of Gaza.

Now in the West Bank, the Palestinian Ministry of Health says 405 Palestinians have been killed there since the October 7th attacks. The ministry says, that includes 92 killed in the past 24 hours.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: And pressure is mounting on the Israeli Prime Minister and his government to secure the freedom of the hostages. Our Nic Robertson has more from Tel Aviv.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Well, these were anti-government protests calling for the overthrow of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government. Organizers say, there were tens of thousands of supporters out on the streets, but we have seen some of the toughest police measures used in these protests so far.

They've been occurring almost every Saturday for a number of months now, and growing in scale each time. The protests focused around the main security administration center in the center of Tel Aviv. And the police saying that the protesters were blocking some of the thoroughfares in the center of Tel Aviv and that's why they bought in water cannon and horses to clear the protesters off the road.

At the same time, Prime Minister Netanyahu indicating that he'll discuss the progress made in the Paris talks to get the hostages released. His head of intelligence was there along with the head of the CIA, Egyptian intelligence, Qatari officials there as well. The Prime Minister not really saying much about the content of those discussions in Paris.

Tzachi Hanegbi, the head of national security here, indicating that there might be some progress to be made. Prime Minister Netanyahu also saying that he'll meet at the beginning of the week with his full cabinet to discuss the military operations that could happen in Rafah, saying that there will be a civilian evacuation if those operations go ahead.

The pressure that he is trying to put on Hamas here, very clear. The prime minister saying that the way to negotiate with Hamas to get the hostages released is not only to put this negotiating pressure on them, but to put military pressure on them as well. And that clearly is where his, sort of, directing Israel's stance on this at the moment.

Nic Robertson, CNN, Tel Aviv, Israel.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: A group of United Nations experts are calling for an immediate arms embargo on Israel. In a statement Friday, the group said, "Any transfer of weapons or ammunition to Israel that would be used in Gaza is likely to violate international humanitarian law and must cease immediately."

The experts cite the Geneva Conventions and last month's ruling by the International Court of Justice stating that there is a plausible risk of genocide in Gaza. Israel's foreign minister shot back accusing the U.N. of cooperating with Hamas and ignoring Hamas war crimes.

[04:25:00]

The U.S. and the U.K. have carried out a fourth round of strikes against Houthi targets in Yemen. U.S. officials tell CNN the strikes hammered dozens of targets in multiple locations.

CNN Pentagon Correspondent Oren Liebermann has more.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

OREN LIEBERMANN, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: The U.S. and the U.K. carried out another round of strikes -- coalition strikes, against Houthi targets in Yemen on Saturday night, Yemen time, after a number of recent attacks from the Houthis have hit ships associated with the U.S. and the U.K.

In this case, the U.S. and the U.K. struck 18 different targets across eight different locations. Those targets included weaponry used by the Houthis, underground storage facility for that weaponry, radar sites, and more. The goal here, as it has been now for several months, is to try to degrade and disrupt the ability of the Houthis to attack commercial vessels. These attacks carried out by aircraft and perhaps other assets as well.

In this statement, we saw from the coalition that took part in this, that includes the U.S., the U.K., Canada, the Netherlands, Bahrain, and others, it specifically lists some of the ships that were hit recently, including the Rubymar. That's a ship associated with the U.K. that's now anchored in the Red Sea.

It is apparently the first ship whose crew had to be rescued an abandoned ship because it was struck by a Houthi attack. It has now left an 18-mile oil slick as it poses an environmental hazard and sits there because U.S. officials say it's not safe enough to go rescue it because of the threat of more attacks from the Iran-backed rebel group.

Part of the challenge here is that U.S. officials have acknowledged the ongoing strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen. The attempts to degrade their weaponry and take some of that away have been unsuccessful and haven't changed the Houthis direction here. They continue to launch these attacks.

And what makes it difficult is that the U.S. doesn't have a great sense of how much more weaponry and equipment the Houthis have. That's because Iran continues to try to resupply them. Still, the Biden administration has made clear, as has the Pentagon, that if the attacks on commercial vessels in one of the world's most critical waterways continue, so too will the U.S. strikes and the U.K., as we now here see this fourth round of coalition strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen.

Oren Liebermann, CNN, at the Pentagon.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: Both Donald Trump and Nikki Haley have their sights set square on November's presidential election.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HALEY: We need to beat Joe Biden in November.

CROWD: Yes.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: But who is best equipped to take on Biden? We'll find out what the candidates think just after the break, stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[04:30:00]

BRUNHUBER: Welcome back to all of you watching us here in the United States, Canada and around the world. I'm Kim Brunhuber. This is "CNN Newsroom".

Donald Trump's march to the 2024 Republican presidential nomination continues following a big win in South Carolina's GOP primary. With an estimated 99 percent of results in, Trump has nearly 60 percent of the vote, while Nikki Haley has 39.5 percent. Sources say, Trump is ready to focus on the general election campaign, and it showed in his victory speech. Here he is.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: We have a country that is a failing nation, but we're not going to have a failing nation very long. We are not going to allow this to happen. We love our country. We love it dearly. We're going to fight for our country. We're going to fight for our rights. We're not going to let this go on because it is not sustainable by any country.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: Now, while Haley lost her home state, she did pull in a larger margin than the 30 percent the recent polls had suggested and she insists she's staying in the race through Super Tuesday next month. Here she is.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HALEY: Now, I'm grateful that today is not the end of our story. We're headed to Michigan tomorrow. And we're headed to the Super Tuesday state throughout all of next week. We'll keep fighting for America and we won't rest until America wins.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: Now, of course, each candidate thinks that they're the one to take on President Biden. Haley says, Trump is the wrong candidate because he's alienating voters. Here she is.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HALEY: We need to beat Joe Biden in November.

CROWD: Yes.

HALEY: I don't believe Donald Trump can beat Joe Biden. Nearly every day, Trump drives people away.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: But the former president had his own opinion on why he was the one to take on Biden that hearkened back to his days on "The Apprentice". Here he is.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: We're going to be up here on November 5th, and we're going to look at Joe Biden and we're going to look him right in the eye. He's destroying our country. And we're going to say, Joe, you're fired. Get out. Get out, Joe. You're fired.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: But for his part, Biden is already using the results in South Carolina to raise money in a fundraising e-mail sent after the results came in. The Biden campaign warned that Trump will be the likely Republican nominee.

CNN White House Reporter Priscilla Alvarez has details.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PRISCILLA ALVAREZ, CNN WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: The resounding message here is still about the threat that they say Former President Donald Trump poses If he were to win a second term. I'm going to read you part of the statement here, it says, every day we are reminded of the threat Donald Trump poses to our future as Americans grapple with the damage he left behind. The campaign here goes on to know Roe versus Wade, the economy. And later goes on to say, we all have more to do to push towards a more perfect union, but Trump wants to take us backwards.

And soon after Former President Donald Trump was projected the winner in the South Carolina primary, the Biden campaign was already fundraising and saying that he was positioned to be the GOP nominee. And the campaign looking for contributions to shore up support for President Biden. And that was really the thought going into this evening and talking to campaign officials.

This was just another moment, they said, that confirmed what they already knew. That former President Donald Trump is going to be the GOP nominee, and that is exactly what they are preparing for.

[04:35:00]

In fact, sources tell CNN that President Biden has directed his senior campaign aides to focus more. More aggressively on the former president's inflammatory rhetoric. And we're already seeing that come to life with the statements they're putting out about the former president's remarks about NATO, as well as on reproductive freedoms.

We did see the president earlier this evening. He gave remarks to governors who are here for a Black Tie Dinner. He said that politics has gotten too bitter. Now, he didn't talk about the South Carolina primary, but it is a bitter and tight race that his campaign is preparing for come November.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: The governor of Mississippi has identified the two national guardsmen who died in a helicopter craft -- crash. Chief Warrant Officer Derek Abbott and Brian Zemek were killed after their helicopter went down during a routine training flight on Friday. The accident is under investigation, according to the Mississippi National Guard. President Biden on Saturday expressed his condolences to the family.

Now, the crash is the latest in a recent string of fatal U.S. military aviation incidents. Earlier this month, five Marines died when their helicopters went down in Southern California. And in December, eight airmen died after their helicopter crashed off the coast of Japan.

The suspect in the death of a nursing student in Athens, here in Georgia, has been denied bond according to jail records. Authorities say, Jose Antonio Ibarra didn't know the victim and didn't go to the same school. The 26-year-old Ibarra was taken into custody on Friday, a day after nursing student Laken Riley was found dead.

Riley was a junior at the Augusta College of Nursing, who had gone jogging on Thursday before she disappeared. Police say, it appears to have been a crime of opportunity. An examination revealed she died from blunt force trauma.

A Migrant welcome center in San Diego, California is closed due to a lack of funding. The nonprofit operating center says, the center assisted some 81,000 adult migrants who were processed and released by U.S. Customs and Border Protection. The county, which has allocated $6 million to open and operate the center said, it could no longer provide the resources to keep it running. San Diego County and the County Supervisor released statements calling on Congress to address the crisis.

As Ukraine enters its third year of the war, we'll speak with a Ukrainian writer turned soldier and get his thoughts on the past two years of brutality, bloodshed and defiance. That's coming up. Please, stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[04:40:00]

BRUNHUBER: Many people around the world are showing solidarity with Ukraine as it enters a third year of war following Russia's full-scale invasion of the country. In New York, the Empire State Building was lit up with Ukraine's national colors. You see them there, blue and yellow, against the backdrop of a brilliant blue and yellow sunset.

Hundreds of people marched in Athens on Saturday, holding signs and waving Ukrainian flags. Several thousand people gathered in Berlin, promising to help Ukraine resist Russia's attempts to destroy its culture and language.

And few people know the importance of that, as well as Artem Chapeye. He's a writer who became a soldier when his country was invaded. And he's just published a collection of stories, both fiction and nonfiction, all written prior to the war. It's called, simply, "The Ukraine."

And Artem Chapeye joins me now from Central Ukraine. Thank you so much for being here with us. So just to start off, I just want to get your thoughts as your country marks two years since the full invasion. I mean, you say in your introduction to your book that the war prompted love towards everyone around you. Explain what you mean, and is that still the case now, two years in?

ARTEM CHAPEYE, UKRAINIAN WRITER AND SOLDIER, AUTHOR, "THE UKRAINE": Thank you for the invitation. Yes, it is still the case. I think, as we are starting to feel that we can lose something, we tend to love it even more. And what helped was the show of solidarity among Ukrainians themselves, especially in the first months. Like, everybody was helping everybody. Everybody felt a common threat. And for that reason, it felt like everybody around you is something like a brother or a sister.

BRUNHUBER: You talk about losing something, like, so many Ukrainians. You've lost people close to you. Your best friend, in fact. Tell us what happened.

CHAPEYE: We were in the east of the country, very close to the front lines and -- well, what I remember, I heard the first explosion. I ran away to the shelter. And then I heard the second explosion, at the moment I didn't know it. But my friend who was a mission was killed by that by that explosion. His name was Ihor (ph), and I want to say he was one of these Ukrainians who have been living in immigration for a very long time. But as Russia attacked, I think tens of thousands of Ukrainians returned in order to fight and protect their home, and Ihor (ph) was one of them.

BRUNHUBER: Yes, it's just heartbreaking, and there are so many stories like that, unfortunately. You serve near Avdiivka, which recently fell to Russia. What was your reaction when you heard that news? And do you, like many, you know, in the Biden administration, including the President himself, link that to the loss of financial support from the U.S. Congress?

CHAPEYE: I think many Ukrainians think that it is caused by the delays in support, not only by the Americans, of course, because we are being helped by many different countries. And first of all, I want to thank the American people or most of the American people for supporting Ukraine so much.

I have friends in the United States. I know they have been like flying flags of Ukraine on their own homes. Helping, like, get some money, like, just to common soldiers. Like I, for example, got most of my ammunition -- I mean, the bulletproof vests, the helmet at first from volunteers, including foreign volunteers.

Of course, we are following the news very closely because we have been very much, I must say, dependent on foreign help. As I was serving there, I left in November 2023, and already at the time I was actually surprised how long our soldiers have been able to hold the city despite all the circumstances. I think what we have been doing is great and it's kind of a miracle caused by people that we have been able to hold on for so long, especially in that place.

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BRUNHUBER: Yes, as I understand it, you've been patrolling, not fighting on the front lines, but still trying to find the time and the mental space to write. I mean, it must be an incredible challenge. How has your experience in this war changed you as a writer?

CHAPEYE: I must say being a writer helped psychologically a little bit because sometimes you can feel like what's happening to you is not only happening to you. You are observing other people. As for writing itself, it's been very difficult. Even now, I'm back since November. I have been back to the rear a little bit. By the way, the difference is startling. Like, sometimes the war is not really felt, at least that's what soldiers think.

BRUNHUBER: Yes.

CHAPEYE: Sometimes the war is not really felt in the rear. But even here, writing itself has been very different. Like for example, even now in the rear, I have so many duties. I'm sometimes don't keep up with just reading my messages on the phone, not to say anything about writing.

BRUNHUBER: So, now to finish up here as your country now enters this third year of the full war, what do you think? Can Ukraine still win?

CHAPEYE: I'm pretty sure Ukraine will win in the end, but the matter is how many years it will last and how many deaths Putin will have caused by the time. I am -- I have a historical and philosophical background in civilian life. And so, as I was thinking most of the empires, or as far as I remember, all of the empires, after they have lost their policies, they have not been able to gain them back.

Because when an empire like Russia is on decline, it will be continued to be declining. That tragedy is that usually the decline of empires causes a lot of anguish, including to the people, in this case into Ukrainians, Russia's ex-colony, and including to Russians. I was counting, like, I don't have the exact numbers, that five Russian soldiers are being killed for one Ukrainian soldier. So, Putin is even destroying his own nation, not only us.

BRUNHUBER: We'll have to leave it there, but really appreciate hearing from you. And as I always say, do please stay safe. Artem Chapeye, thank you so much for speaking with us.

CHAPEYE: Thank you again.

BRUNHUBER: And we'll be right back.

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BRUNHUBER: The Japanese government is going to limit overtime for truck drivers. That change is designed to improve working conditions and create more jobs. But as we hear from CNN's Hanako Montgomery, the new law may have unintended consequences on an economy that's already in recession.

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HANAKO MONTGOMERY, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): 24- hour convenience stores, fresh seafood, same day deliveries. In the world's fourth largest economy, convenience reigns king. But starting April 1st, this way of life many Japanese are used to threatens to be upended because truck drivers in Japan will finally get a cap on overtime. TAKETO NAKAJIMA, CEO, CHIKUMA TRANSPORT CO. (through translator): Truckers have been supporting Japan's economy for a very long time. So, when the cap is implemented, it will certainly mean all goods won't be delivered, that's what I'm most worried about.

MONTGOMERY (voice-over): Truckers, the lifeline of Japan's economy, deliver 90 percent of Japan's cargo. But the hours, long and punishing, have at times been fatal with dozens dying from overwork each year. The government cap from April, which limits overtime hours to 80 a month for truckers is a welcomed change. But for the trucking industry, it means fewer drivers and smaller wages.

RYUJI SHIOKAWA, TRUCK DRIVER (through translator): I think the biggest concern is the salary. Even if I get to spend more time with my children, if my salary drops, it will make life difficult for us.

MONTGOMERY (voice-over): Once the cap is implemented, the government fears that some goods won't be delivered on time or ever transported. Without intervention, Japan could see a 14.2 percent decrease in delivery capacity this year, or a 34.1 percent drop by 2030. Leading to economic losses of up to $67 billion U.S. dollars that year alone.

The 2024 problem, compounded by a shrinking population and an aging workforce as the trucking industry loses over 15,000 drivers annually.

HIRONORI TSUBOI, MINISTRY OF HEALTH, LABOR AND WELFARE (through translator): I think that many people are concerned about the decrease in the supply of services. But if it's a difficult work environment, fewer and fewer people will want to work. So, I believe that creating a workplace that is easy to work in is the key to attracting people to the industry.

MONTGOMERY (voice-over): Japan's trucking industry, poised to change drastically, but Japan's reliance on truckers, the heart of the country's supply chain, steadfast.

Hanako Montgomery, CNN, Tokyo.

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BRUNHUBER: In Paris, farmers stormed a French agriculture fair Saturday as President Emmanuel Macron met inside with the industry's key union leaders.

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BRUNHUBER: According to organizers, the international fair was set to begin Saturday with a speech by Macron but this demonstration forced a delay to the opening. The protest marks the latest by European farmers against increasing E.U. environmental rules, that includes a plan by the French government to phase out a tax break for farmers on diesel fuel.

The head coach of Duke University's basketball team is calling for a ban on students storming the court at the end of the games. Duke Sophomore Kyle Filipowski was injured when fans ran onto the court, as you can see there, at the end of Wake Forest's upset win over Duke Saturday.

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Duke coach Jon Scheyer says, Filipowski suffered a sprained ankle. Wake Forest University released a statement saying they sincerely regret the unfortunate on court incident.

In the U.S., it's that time for the celebrated awards show where only actors vote for their peers to be recognized. The 30th annual Screen Actors Guild Awards got underway in Los Angeles Saturday. The stars to the ceremony shined a spotlight just ahead of the Oscars, and, well, you'll see here, no surprise which film won Best Picture.

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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Last award tonight, too.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It is, and we're milking it.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, not -- no, no, no. I wouldn't say that.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oppenheimer.

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BRUNHUBER: Well, there you have it, "Oppenheimer". The best surprise, maybe, Pedro Pascal won for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a drama series for "The Last of Us". Have a look.

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PEDRO PASCAL, ACTOR: Jeez, Louise. I'm making a fool of myself, but thank you so much for this.

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BRUNHUBER: This year's SAG Awards also managed to bring together presenters who have shared the big screen before, including "The Devil Wears" protest stars Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, and Emily Blunt.

Great call. All right. That wraps this hour of "CNN Newsroom". I'm Kim Brunhuber. I'll back with more news in just a moment. Please do stay with us.

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