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Ceasefire And Hostage Talks Expected To Resume On Saturday; University Of Florida Holds Graduation After Arrests This Week; Russia Tries To Seize Closing Window Of Opportunity In Ukraine; Former Trump Aide Hope Hicks Testifies In Day 11 Of Trial; U.S. Urges Georgia To Halt Legislation Amid Protests. Aired 3-4a ET
Aired May 04, 2024 - 03:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
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[03:00:29]
ANNA COREN, CNN ANCHOR: Hello and welcome to all our viewers watching from around the world. I'm Anna Coren in Hong Kong.
Ahead on CNN Newsroom. A stark statement from the U.S. Secretary of State on the war in Gaza. What he says is the one thing standing in the way of a ceasefire.
Just what happened to three tourists who disappeared in Mexico? Investigators look at new clues in the search for their whereabouts.
And one of Donald Trump's former close aides takes the stand in the hush money trial. What her testimony reveals.
All eyes are on Cairo right now for talks that could see hostages released and a ceasefire in Gaza if things go well.
American CIA Director William Burns is in Cairo and negotiators for Hamas expected to arrive there at some point today. Hamas said it's sending its delegation with what they describe as a positive spirit. An Israeli source tells CNN that mediators are speaking optimistically about the possibility of reaching a deal. But that same source says there's no sign that the group has changed its, quote, "extreme positions," end quote.
The U.S. Secretary of State says what happens next is up to Hamas.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANTONY BLINKEN, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: We wait to see whether, in effect, they can take yes for an answer on the ceasefire and release of hostages. And the reality in this moment is the only thing standing between the people of Gaza and a ceasefire is Hamas.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COREN: Well, that comment is just the latest pressure from U.S. on Hamas to accept the terms of the proposal. Our Jeremy Diamond has more from Jerusalem.
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JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, nearly a week after Egyptian mediators submitted their latest framework for a potential ceasefire and hostage deal to Hamas, we are still waiting for Hamas' official response to that proposal. Still hanging in the balance of all of this is whether or not this response will lead to the continuation of negotiations, more detailed negotiations to actually achieve a deal, or whether instead the Israeli military will move forward with a major ground offensive into Rafah, that southernmost city in Gaza where more than a million Palestinians are currently sheltering. But while we wait for that official response, we are hearing in a statement from Hamas that Hamas' political leader, Ismail Haniyeh, spoke on Thursday with the head of Egyptian intelligence as well as Qatar's Prime Minister.
And in this statement, they say that Haniyeh told the head of Egyptian intelligence that Hamas was studying this latest framework with a, quote, "positive spirit" and also saying that Hamas hoped to send a delegation to Egypt soon, as soon as possible to continue the ceasefire talks. But it's very unclear whether or not that means that Hamas is actually inching closer to a deal. Their official response is what will actually give us that indication.
In the meantime, Israeli officials are continuing to warn that if there is not a deal, that a major ground offensive in Rafah will indeed move forward. And U.S. officials, in the meantime, are still expressing concerns about the potential impact of that offensive on the civilian population. Here's the defense secretary, Lloyd Austin.
LLOYD AUSTIN, U.S. SECRETARY OF DEFENSE: What we've asked, what we've highlighted for the Israelis is that it's really important to make sure that the civilians that are in that battle space move out of the battle space before any activity is conducted. There's a good chance that, you know, without taking the right measures, that the civilians will be, you know, civilians -- we'll see a lot more civilian casualties going forward.
DIAMOND: And indeed, U.S. officials are indicating that despite multiple conversations with Israeli officials about a potential ground offensive in Rafah, that they have still yet to see a kind of full- fledged detailed plan that can actually be put in place to safely safeguard the civilian population in Rafah. And United Nations officials are also continuing to express concerns about the impact that this ground offensive would have on civilians in Rafah.
Jeremy Diamond, CNN, Jerusalem.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COREN: Well, U.S. officials are warning that Israel is not prepared for the humanitarian aftermath of a potential ground invasion of Rafah. A senior administration official says Israel is currently setting up a limited number of tents, but so far has nowhere near enough shelter and aid for a million and a half people. [03:05:12]
In a rare move, Israel briefed some humanitarian groups in recent days about evacuation plans for the people in Rafah. The Israeli government said, it plans to direct people using evacuation notices posted in the area. People will be directed toward an expanded potential safe zone in Al Mawasi, though presently the area does not have the infrastructure to support that many people.
The U.N. humanitarian office warns that a potential Israeli ground offensive in Rafah could lead to the, quote, "slaughter of civilians" and deal an incredible blows the humanitarian operations in the entire enclave because they are run primarily through Rafah.
Well, joining me now from Washington is Jon B. Alterman. He's the Director of the Middle East Program at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies. Jon, thank you so much for joining us.
Israel is determined to push ahead with its Rafah offensive, even though the U.N. warns this could cost hundreds of thousands of lives. They've talked about it now for months. Why hasn't it happened yet?
JON B. ALTERMAN, SENIOR VP, CSIS BRZEZINSKI CHAIR IN GLOBAL SECURITY AND GEOSTRATEGY: Partly because the United States has said, don't do it until we're confident that humanitarian precautions have been made. I think partly Israel wanted to get itself ready for what it was going to do.
I'm not sure Israel has completely decided what the Rafah offensive will look like. I think it's almost certain there will be a Rafah offensive at some point. But certainly right now, Israel is using the threat of a Rafah offensive to create some urgency behind the ceasefire talks and the efforts to get Israeli citizens home.
So I think a lot of things are going on at once. I think there will be a Rafah offensive, but exactly what it is and when it is, I don't think has been decided yet.
COREN: Jon, the U.S. says it's yet to determine if Israel has an executable and acceptable plan. But is there such a plan, in your opinion?
ALTERMAN: Well, as I said, I can imagine smaller efforts for which it is easier to come up with a plan. It's hard to imagine how you can do a plan that will accommodate instantly moving 1.3 million people from one place to another. It's hard. It's complicated. Hamas is moving militants in with civilians. It's -- I think it's hard for me to imagine what the humanitarian consequences of a massive offensive would be.
But again, I'm not confident there's going to be a massive offensive. I'm not sure when there will be an offensive. And I could imagine, with successful negotiations, something that's quite tailored, quite small, where the Israelis can say, we had -- we did what we needed to do in Rafah. Civilians in Rafah have security. And we are moving toward resolving this conflict instead of merely fighting another round of it.
COREN: Do you envisage the U.S. placing enough pressure on Israel to, I guess, indefinitely delay a Rafah offensive? Or do you believe that the Israelis, in their minds, need to finish the job?
ALTERMAN: I think there's actually some sympathy in the United States that there needs to be much more border security than there's been. There has been smuggling through the border, as you know, underground through tunnels for a very long time. The Egyptians tried to stop it. They've tried with different levels of effort. The Israelis have determined there really needs to be something deeper. The Americans, I think, share the Israeli concern with underground tunnels on the border.
So I think at least that is, I think, there's American sympathy for. I don't think you can delay it indefinitely. But as I said, I do think that the United States and the Israelis can come to an understanding that the diplomatic track is moving in a useful direction, that the situation in Gaza is moving in a more sustainable pace, and it is not necessary to have a huge, massive Israeli invasion to Rafah.
On the other hand, I could also see the Israelis saying, they're still fighting, these guys are embedded, and we're really going to have to go in. And depending on -- I think a lot does hinge on where these ceasefire negotiations end up.
[03:10:07]
And if Hamas looks like it is still continuing to fight and hold these Israeli hostage and everything else, I think the Israeli view will be increasingly strong. There needs to be a very serious, large-scale operation to Rafah.
COREN: Jon B. Alterman, we appreciate your time and perspective. Thanks so much for joining us.
ALTERMAN: Thank you very much.
COREN: Daily life for parents and some volunteers in Gaza is a constant effort to protect children from the cruel violence of this conflict. CNN's Paula Hancocks has our report. And a warning, it contains graphic images that may be disturbing for some viewers.
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PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A grandmother kisses her young grandchildren. Their small bodies share just one body bag, a four-year-old Kareem and his two-year-old sister Mona were killed on Tuesday by an Israeli airstrike.
Their aunt says they are innocent. The babies went to bed last night and never woke up. Our hearts are broken forever. The doctors tried to save Mona, but could not. The children's parents were seriously injured in the same strike.
But Rafah was not home for these children. The grandmother says the family was displaced multiple times by the Israeli military, ending up in a tent on the southern border alongside hundreds of thousands of others who have nowhere else to go.
Speaking of the Israeli military, she says this is all they want. This is their goal. The IDF referred to a previous statement when asked about this strike, saying they are operating to dismantle Hamas, adding quote, "remaining in an active combat zone has inherent risks."
But despite months of threatening and major ground offensive in Rafah, the military has not told civilians to evacuate. For many here, there is no other option. At the start of this week in Rafah, 22 people were killed and in Israeli airstrike including at least one infant and a toddler. A one-year-old killed is carried in the uncle's arms. He says this is who they are targeting. This is the safe Rafah they talk about.
It is the area the Israeli military has pushed civilians towards for months. An area well over 1 million Palestinians are barely surviving in.
Food, water, shelter, a scarce disease is rising. But amid such misery, some adults are trying to remind children of their previous life. Just seven months ago, where they could play and learn safely.
This volunteer teacher says the children's mental state is distressed. They have no stability. They're distracted and they lose focus. So we work twice as hard to try and grab their attention and help them learn. Muhammad says he's happy he can play and study here. He says we lost our schools. We lost everything.
A tent school may not see much. But even this pretense of normality for these children will be lost if they're forced to move yet again.
Paula Hancocks, CNN, Abu Dhabi.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COREN: After weeks of demonstrations and protests on campuses across the U.S., universities are now bracing for disruptions to their commencement ceremonies. Well, this video shows pro-Palestinian protesters interrupting a graduation at the University of Michigan on Friday. Protesters walked into the ceremony for the School of Music, Theatre and Dance with signs and flags.
A reporter with CNN affiliate, Richmond Times-Dispatch, took these videos and said the police arrived soon after the interruption.
In New York, police say dozens of protesters were arrested at the new school on Friday. The university says it asked police to get involved after protesters trespassed and set up an encampment. Students weren't able to get to their dorms or classrooms.
The University of Vermont's president says the U.S. ambassador to the U.N. will no longer deliver this year's commencement address. It comes after protesters called on the university to rescind its invitation. The school's president said he understands their frustration with
foreign policy decisions and hears their calls for peace. But he added that some protesters violated school policies. It's unclear what kind of consequences they will face, but CNN has reached out to the university for more information.
The University of Florida held its graduation ceremony on Friday after protesters were arrested on campus earlier this week. CNN's Rafael Romo is there.
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RAFAEL ROMO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It's been a very memorable day here at the University of Florida in Gainesville. Earlier today, the colleges of business and nursing had their recognition ceremonies. And now we are in the middle of the university-wide commencement ceremony.
[03:15:10]
This event together with others over the course of this weekend, are expected to be attended by as many as 50,000 people, according to a university spokesperson. At least 10,500 people from 86 countries, including, of course, the United States, will be graduating. But it's been a tense week here, although probably not as much as what we have seen in places like Columbia University and UCLA.
Nine pro-Palestine protesters were arrested Monday evening here on campus. A group that calls itself the UF Divestment Coalition published a list of very specific demands, including the disclosure of the university's investment portfolio for the last 10 years and divesting from what they called funding and partnering with weapons manufacturers implicated in the war in Gaza.
They are also demanding that UF President Ben Sasse publicly denounce what they call violence and discrimination against pro-Palestinian students, as well as a call for a ceasefire in Gaza.
In response to the students' actions, a university spokesperson published a statement earlier this week saying the following. This is not complicated: The University of Florida is not a daycare, and we do not treat protesters like children. They knew the rules, they broke the rules, and they will face the consequences.
The spokesperson also said that some of the protesters were outside agitators, but according to local media, at least seven of the nine protesters arrested Monday were current or recent UF students. This, of course, has become a political issue at the state level. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, a Republican, issued a warning Thursday to protesters.
Let's take a listen.
RON DESANTIS, (R) FLORIDA GOVERNOR: People try to pitch a tent at our universities. They're shown the door very quickly on that. We're not putting up with it. This is not New York. This is not California. You know, we're going to enforce appropriate standards of conduct, and simply commandeering along with a tent and harassing other people, that does not pass -- that does not fly in the State of Florida.
ROMO: Another U.S. spokesperson told CNN earlier that, first, the school will defend the protesters' right of free speech. But they also warned that if they break the university's time, place, and manner rules, students face suspension, and if there's any attempt to cause a disruption at commencement or any other event, campus police will address it accordingly.
Rafael Romo, CNN, Gainesville, Florida.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COREN: Well, protests are also happening outside the U.S. Students from several universities gathered in the center of Paris to let their voices be heard. CNN's Saskya Vandoorne has the latest.
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SASKYA VANDOORNE, CNN SENIOR FIELD PRODUCER: The campus protests here in France have been taking place for about two weeks now. And today, in front of the Pantheon in the center of Paris, you had students from many universities, from the Sorbonne, you had students also from Trade Unions, you had political parties, and you had students from Sciences Po. Now, Sciences Po is a very prestigious university. And just this morning, that university was evacuated by riot police after the students staged a sit-in late Thursday evening.
Now, the students were then removed from the hall this morning by police, and they then came here. Now, what did the students want? They have said that they want French universities to sever ties with universities in Israel. They have said that they want French universities to condemn Israel. And finally, they say that they want to be able to protest peacefully on campus.
Now, we've spoken to some of the protesters here, and they have said that they felt inspired by what's happening in the U.S. Take a listen.
LOELIA, PROTESTER: Yeah, we are very inspired by them, and we think that they have sent a very important message to the youth around the world to say that our generation will not be complicit with the genocide and the killing of thousands of people.
VANDOORNE: It's important to note that the protests here in France are nothing like what's been happening in the United States. We really are talking about small pockets of blockades that have been happening in universities across France. They've been largely peaceful, and we've hardly seen any arrests.
Now, the French Prime Minister's office did issue a statement today saying that they would continue to stand firm in the face of these protests.
Saskya Vandoorne, CNN, Paris.
(END VIDEOTAPE) COREN: The U.K. says if Ukraine wants to strike Russia with British weapons, it has a right. How the Kremlin is reacting to those words from the British Foreign Secretary.
And three bodies found in Mexico after a trio of surfers go missing. We'll get the latest on the investigation into their disappearance.
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COREN: The Kremlin is pushing back on the idea that it's fair game for Ukraine to conduct strikes inside Russia. The suggestion was made by British Foreign Secretary David Cameron, who visited the Ukrainian city of Lviv on Friday. Moscow is accusing him of escalating tensions around the war and creating a potential threat to the security of Europe.
Well, Cameron said Britain will funnel close to $4 billion in military aid to Kyiv every year for as long as needed. And he said it's up to Ukraine to decide if those weapons will be used for strikes inside Russia.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DAVID CAMERON, BRITISH FOREIGN SECRETARY: Three billion pounds, it's not just this year, it's next year, it's the year after. It's as many years as you need. So it's -- just as we were the first to do the weapons supply and the training, the first to do the security agreement, the first to do this multi-year package, because I think we can use that not only to help you, but to say to other countries, this is the future. Multi-year packages to show Putin that we will, you know, not be waited out here. We will back you for as long as it takes.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COREN: Russian troops have been on the move in recent weeks, capturing more territory than they have since July 2022. It's largely attributed to the absence of U.S. military aid, which was finally approved last week. As Clare Sebastian reports, Russia's window of opportunity is now closing, and Moscow is trying to seize it, while it still can.
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CLARE SEBASTIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, it's clear Russia is continuing to exploit the narrowing window before Ukraine gets fresh U.S. military aid. Most of the action taking place on the eastern front. This is a time-lapse of the year so far. The data comes from Ukrainian monitoring group, deep state. You can see over here Avdiivka swallowed up in February, but what's happened since then, even more concerning for Ukraine. Over the past 10 weeks, Russia has taken more land than in any advance since July of 2022, a CNN analysis shows.
Now, there are no major towns as of yet, but there are worrying signs. Up here in Ocheretyne, where Russia now appears to have a foothold, this is a larger village. It's on higher ground. And in the past week, Ukraine's commander-in-chief admitting his army has had to withdraw west of several more villages, including right here in Berdychi. Russia making it clear it's ramping up.
SERGEI SHOIGU, RUSSIAN DEFENSE MINISTER (through translator): To support the necessary pace of our offensives and build up our troop composition for our further actions, we need to increase the volumes and quality of the weapons and military technology supplied to our troops.
SEBASTIAN: Well, this is another key focus. Up here, the town of Chasiv Yar, just west of Bakhmut. Now, for context, it's taken Russia a whole year to advance from the western edge of Bakhmut to the outskirts of Chasiv Yar.
But here is why it matters. Chasiv Yar sits on higher ground. The red here indicates the highest elevation, giving it a direct fire line onto critical Ukrainian defensive strongholds.
[03:25:06]
Kostyantynivka down there, Druzhkivka up here. Just to the north is Kramatorsk, the regional capital and vital train link. So this small town potentially decisive for Russia in its quest to occupy all of the Donetsk region.
You can see in this video just how intense the bombardment has been. CNN has geolocated this to the eastern edge of the town. And as the camera pans around, you can see some of the geography here. If we pause there, the canal is just here. That's a natural barrier, and here are the fortifications.
Now, so far, Ukraine says it's holding on.
OLEG KALASHNIKOV, SPOKESPERSON, UKRAINE'S 26TH ARTILLERY BRIGADE: They're trying to find a weak spot where they can breach our defense. They can't do more. The occupiers will not be able to capture Chelyabinsk by May 9th.
SEBASTIAN: Well, May 9th is, of course, when Russia celebrates victory in World War II. And Ukraine is concerned Russia wants to make a strategic difference on the battlefield before that. And there are other pushes up here in the Kharkiv region and then down in the southeast where Ukraine was on the offensive last summer. Ukraine, though, now solely focused on defense and likely facing more perilous days ahead.
Clare Sebastian, CNN, London.
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COREN: We're turning now to Mexico, where police say a burned-out pickup truck has been found. It's the same vehicle two Australian brothers and an American man were driving before they disappeared. The truck was discovered 60 kilometers northeast of where three bodies were discovered on Friday on a cliff near Ensenada, Mexico. Any identifiable markings on the truck were burnt off. Journalist Stefano Pozzebon has more.
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STEFANO POZZEBON, JOURNALIST: Authorities in Baja California are still trying to put together the entire picture surrounding the three surfers who have gone missing for almost a week now.
On Friday, three sources told CNN that the Mexican police found three bodies on a cliff about 50 miles south of the city of Ensenada, where the three surfers had been staying. The bodies, however, were found in a remote location and authorities have not been able to identify them at this moment.
On Thursday, the investigation had already recovered a mobile phone and the rest of the vehicle consistent with a pickup truck that the two Australian surfers had rented to go to the beach, but again, without an ultimate clue about their whereabouts.
Australian authorities and U.S. consular officials are also across the search, as well as drone units, according to the Mexican police, drone units that are being used to scout over the coast and try to find some clue as this frantic search continues.
Every year, millions of tourists travel to Baja California for its beaches and seaside culture, despite growing concerns surrounding crime rates in northern Mexico.
For CNN, this is Stefano Pozzebon, Bogota.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COREN: Well, Canadian authorities have arrested and charged three men with last year's murder of a prominent Sikhs separatist. Hardeep Singh Nijjar was gunned down by mass men last June in British Columbia. He had supported a separate Sikh homeland in India.
The three suspects are Indian nationals with non-permanent residency in Canada. The killing fueled a diplomatic rift between Canada and India. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau previously linked the death to the Indian government, a charge New Delhi rejected. Authorities are investigating if the suspects have ties to the Indian government.
After the break, emotional testimony from a close former aide to Donald Trump who picks on the stand on day 11 of Trump's hush money trial.
And we'll see how some families in the U.S. are trying to make ends meet and needing a helping hand to get by.
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[03:31:36]
COREN: Hope Hicks, who used to be one of Donald Trump's closest aides, was the star witness on Friday in day 11 of Trump's hush money trial. Hicks was noticeably uncomfortable on the stand, avoided eye contact with her former boss and at one point began crying. CNN's Kara Scannell was in the courtroom.
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KARA SCANNELL, CNN REPORTER (voice-over): Hope Hicks, once one of Trump's closest aides, took the stand Friday. An emotional day of testimony, at one point even tearing up, on day 11 of Trump's criminal trial.
DONALD TRUMP, U.S. REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: So I'm not allowed to comment on any of that as you know, I'm under a gag order. I was very interested in what took place today.
SCANNELL: Hicks, who was Trump's campaign spokesperson in 2016 and later served as White House communications director, looked visibly uncomfortable before testifying, saying she was really nervous.
Prosecutors quickly brought up the Access Hollywood tape, which was released just one month before the 2016 election.
TRUMP: And when you're a star, they let you do it.
SCANNELL: Hicks recalled Trump being upset. She said there was a consensus among campaign leadership that the tape was damaging to the campaign and it was a crisis.
She said media coverage of the tape was so intense, it literally knocked a Category 4 hurricane out of the news cycle. Hope said it was all Trump all the time for the next 36 hours. Hicks testified that Trump was involved in the campaign's response.
Prosecutors played his video apology for the jury.
TRUMP: Anyone who knows me, knows these words, don't reflect who I am. I said it, I was wrong and I apologize.
SCANNELL: Prosecutors tried to show the catastrophic impact the Access Hollywood tape had on Trump's campaign, demonstrating the urgency to kill another bombshell story from being released just weeks before the election.
Hicks testified she was sitting on the plane when she learned that the Wall Street Journal planned to publish a piece about the National Enquirer's catch-and-kill deal involving Trump's alleged affair with an ex-Playboy model, Karen McDougal, and adult film star, Stormy Daniels. Trump denies the affairs.
Hicks said she spoke with Trump, who was concerned about the story, and he instructed her to deny it. She is quoted in the "Journal" saying Daniels' affair allegation is absolutely, unequivocally untrue. Hicks said Trump was concerned with how the article would be viewed by his wife, saying he wanted me to make sure that the newspapers weren't delivered to his residence that morning. Prosecutors asked Hicks about Trump's former lawyer, Michael Cohen's $130,000 payment to Daniels to buy and kill her story of an alleged affair with Trump. Cohen told the "New York Times" in 2018 that he made the payment from his own pocket. Hicks said she was skeptical about Cohen's motives, saying, I didn't know Michael to be an especially charitable person or selfless person.
Hicks described Trump's assessment of the story, saying, "It was Mr. Trump's opinion is that it was better to be dealing with it now and that it would have been bad to have that story come out before the election."
As Trump's attorney, Emil Bove, went to take over questioning, Hicks began to cry. After a break, Bove focused on Cohen, trying to show he had no role in the campaign and would act on his own.
Hicks testified Cohen was not supposed to be on the campaign in an official capacity, but would try to insert himself at certain moments. She said Cohen often did things that were unauthorized by the campaign and that he sometimes went rogue.
(On camera): A court official tells me that Donald Trump paid the $9,000 fine for violating the gag order.
[03:35:02]
Hope Hicks testimony completes the second week of witness testimony in this trial. The jury has heard a lot about the catch and kill deals at the center of this case. The next face is the alleged cover up.
Kara Scannell, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COREN: U.S. employers created 175,000 jobs in April, a much lower rate than in recent months. But the Biden administration considers the jobs report a win. Leading economists also believe it means enough jobs are being created to keep the labor market healthy. And the economy is slowing down enough to possibly push the Federal Reserve to begin cutting interest rates.
Well, that would lower the costs of borrowing money for major purchases, such as a house or car. Economic growth has fueled inflation, which is a major concern for voters. Many blame the Biden administration's economic policies.
Well, even though inflation numbers in the U.S. have eased over months, many Americans are having trouble making ends meet, and that's including basics such as food. CNN's Alisyn Camerota talks to folks forced to turn to food banks to survive.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: One from either or --
KARLA LEROUX, RELIES ON FOOD PANTRY FOR GROCERIES: OK, I have a family of four.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Family of four?
LEROUX: Yeah.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Then you get one large or two from --
LEROUX: That sounds great.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There you go.
LEROUX: Thank you so much.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You're very welcome.
ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): This is Karla's weekly trip. Grocery shopping for her family.
(On camera): So is there any limit on what you can get?
LEROUX: Yeah, right here, you get, it says right here --
CAMEROTA: Oh.
LEROUX: -- things you get one of each.
CAMEROTA: Karla has been coming to this food bank in Enfield, Connecticut, where everything is free since 2021.
LEROUX: Yes --
CAMEROTA (voice-over): That's the year she had a heart attack, lost her job and could no longer afford the basics.
(On camera): What was happening before you started coming here?
LEROUX: I was borrowing, getting money from family members. So I found out about this place and I'm like, oh, let's try it. And it was great. It saved me.
CAMEROTA: Every customer has a different story. Many once considered themselves middle class or even well off. Though inflation is subsiding, groceries now cost 33% more than they did at the start of the pandemic.
Today, more than 1 in 10 Americans live in a household where there was not enough to eat in the past week, according to the Census Bureau.
SKIP HERRING, RELIES ON FOOD PANTRY FOR GROCERIES: When I first came here, I was the higher class going down to the lower class.
CAMEROTA: And what's it like?
HERRING: I would actually get sick. I would feel a little.
CAMEROTA: You would feel physically sick that you had to rely on a food shelter.
HERRING: Yeah. Yeah, I did. I really did.
CAMEROTA: After working in maintenance at a group home for several decades, Skip Herring never expected to find himself teetering on the edge of hunger.
HERRING: I stopped working at 72. I had to. And we had a little nest egg. I mean, we didn't have a lot of nest egg, but we had a little one. Slowly, our funds have been dwindling down. We can't get food stamps. We were just a little bit higher.
CAMEROTA: I see. So you're too well off for food stamps.
HERRING: Yeah.
CAMEROTA: But you can't afford enough food for your family?
HERRING: Right.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What would you like in the food section?
KAMPAI (ph): I grew up very poor. I didn't want my kids to grow up like that, so I wanted to make sure that I worked two jobs and I would work seven days.
CAMEROTA: You worked seven days --
KAMPAI: Yeah, seven days.
CAMEROTA: -- to make ends meet for your five children.
KAMPAI: Yeah.
CAMEROTA: Kampai worked 80 hours a week. Then he was diagnosed with muscular dystrophy. As his health declined, so did his work hours and his income.
KAMPAI: I still do work. I kind of still work two jobs now.
CAMEROTA: Have you been surprised by any of the fellow customers that you've seen?
KAMPAI: I've seen some people here that have been financially well off, like myself. But, you know, the struggle's real. Everybody's trying to make ends meet.
JASON JAKUBOWSKI, CEO, CONNECTICUT FOODSHARE: The people that we're seeing in our lines, the super majority of them that are not senior citizens, are working. They have jobs. They sometimes have two jobs.
CAMEROTA (voice-over): Jason Jakubowski runs Connecticut Foodshare, a massive food bank that distributes free food to 600 food pantries across the state.
JAKUBOWSKI: One of the tough things that we have here in Connecticut is that we are the richest state in the country, but there's also a tremendous amount of poverty.
CAMEROTA: Jakubowski says the need for food here has never been greater, 10% of households in the state are on SNAP, the government program formerly known as food stamps.
JAKUBOWSKI: I've been here seven years, and this is definitely the most difficult time in that seven years.
CAMEROTA (on camera): So explain that. Why is this the most difficult time?
JAKUBOWSKI: Yeah, I think that during the pandemic, there was obviously a tremendous amount of need. You had pandemic-era free food coming from the federal government, unemployment benefits, moratorium on student loan payments, moratorium on housing payments. All of those things have gone away.
CAMEROTA: Those pandemic benefits, which Congress let expire, had pushed poverty to its lowest level on record. Since unemployment has gone down and things have improved, why is the need the same?
JAKUBOWSKI: What really is happening is that the cost of living in general has gone up, specifically the cost of groceries have gone up.
CAMEROTA: No one knows this better than Molly Devanney (ph). Her family has been in the grocery store business for 90 years.
MOLLY DEVANNEY (ph): It's more challenging to do business today than ever before.
[03:40:05]
CAMEROTA: Is that right?
DEVANNEY: It is.
CAMEROTA: Why?
DEVANNEY: It really is. The struggle of pricing, the cost of products, the cost of labor, everything is going through the roof.
CAMEROTA: And is this a more emotional time because of this?
DEVANNEY: Yeah, I think so, because people are struggling. You see them struggling, and you want to help. And when you can't lower the price, it's heartbreaking.
CAMEROTA: Devaney told us that grocery store owners have little control over costs. But she does try to educate her customers to shop more wisely.
(On camera): OK, I'm going to look.
DEVANNEY: What did you look?
CAMEROTA: $3.12 per quart. DEVANNEY: Yup.
CAMEROTA: And this is $8.69.
(Voice-over): Of course, being cost conscious will not solve the country's hunger problem.
JAKUBOWSKI: We absolutely have the ability here in the United States to solve hunger. I'll tell you two things that Congress can do tomorrow. They can increase the eligibility for SNAP, and they can pass a child tax credit. It worked during the pandemic to help keep people out of poverty, and it would work again.
CAMEROTA: For now, Kampai, Skip, and Karla plan to keep relying on the generosity of this food bank.
KAMPAI (ph): I think in the end, it's not about pride, it's about what you need.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Alrighty.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: All right, in there, we will help.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COREN: Alisyn Camerota reporting there.
A foreign agent bill has sparked massive protests in Georgia. After the break, why the controversial legislation is making waves outside the eastern European country.
Plus, after weeks of heavy rain, much of Kenya is underwater, and more rain is coming. Those details after the break.
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COREN: The U.S. is condemning Georgia's controversial foreign agent legislation. The measure has sparked widespread protests inside Georgia. It would require organizations that receive more than 20% of their funding from abroad to register as foreign agents or face large fines.
Critics say the bill is similar to legislation used in Russia to crack down on dissent and that it could jeopardize Georgia's bid to join the European Union.
Giorgi Revishvili is a political analyst and former Senior Advisor to the National Security Council of Georgia. He joins me now from College Station, Texas.
Giorgi, great to have you with us. Why is the Georgian government wanting to introduce the Foreign Agents Bill now?
GIORGI REVISHVILI, POLITICAL ANALYST: The government is now basically wants to stay in power at all costs and the government wants to put muzzle -- aims to muzzle vibrant civil society and independent media outlets to drastically curtail watchdog activities. Because in Georgia in October there's a critical and crucial parliamentary elections coming this fall.
And as I said, Georgian Dream's strategic goal is to remain in power. And this, in fact, this is a great purge of silencing all opposition voices in the country and to retain in power.
[03:45:09]
COREN: You talk about this trying to crush dissent, those affected NGOs, independent media organizations. If they were to register as quote, "foreign agents," what would happen to them?
REVISHVILI: They basically have to -- they will be required of onerous reporting and they have to register as a foreign agent to the Ministry of Justice. Government will have an excessive power to, you know, enter these organizations, track and monitor their -- go into these organizations, monitor and ask them to, you know, their financial accounts, which they already have because, you know, Ministry of Finance, Revenue Service, State Security Service of Georgia already have all this information.
This basically is a tool to silence critical voices inside the country, all opposition, all opponents to the government, civil society organizations, media outlets, and basically ensure that Georgian Dream in October can retain their power.
And basically it's diverting and galloping into the Russian orbit because the bill itself replicates the Kremlin style law that has been implemented in Russia since 2012 and this similar pattern is seen in Georgia. The Kremlin used this foreign agents bill to basically crack down and silence all the organizations and Georgians are increasingly concerned that this similar scenario will be repeated in Georgia.
COREN: Yes. Giorgi, recent polls showed more than 80% of Georgians support joining the European Union and, you know, NATO membership and yet as you say, the current government clearly wants to remain in Russia's sphere of influence. This bill has been dubbed the Russian law. I mean, it's this very clear divide between the people and the government.
REVISHVILI: Yes, because, you know, the government is galloping into the Russian orbit. The government is now clearly sabotaging the U.S.- Georgia partnership, jeopardizing European integration and making a geopolitical U-turn towards Russia and derailing the constitutional foreign policy goals of European and Euro-Atlantic integration.
And, you know, you're absolutely right, Anna. Overwhelming majority of Georgians support countries' European and Euro-Atlantic integration. That's why thousands, tens of thousands of Georgians took to the streets to protest the Russian -- the Russian-style -- Russia-inspired foreign agents bill to courageously defend Georgian democracy and prevent Georgia from becoming a Russian puppet state.
And basically Georgians are determined to fight against this bill and to guarantee that the constitutional foreign goals -- foreign policy goals are fulfilled. But there is another side, the U.S. and the European Union need to pay greater attention and develop more robust strategy for holding Georgian dream accountable for its illiberal actions. And the majority of Georgians are pleading for more pressure to be exerted on the Georgian dream government, including utilization of targeted sanctions.
COREN: Giorgi Revishvili, we certainly appreciate you joining us and giving us your perspective. Thank you so much.
REVISHVILI: Thanks for the privilege.
COREN: Severe flooding could get even worse in southern Brazil as heavy rain continues through Saturday before getting lighter the rest of the weekend. Authorities say at least 39 people have been killed in the flooding, at least 68 are missing and thousands have been displaced.
In Kenya, the death toll from the flooding there has risen to 210. And heavy rains have forced schools to remain closed indefinitely.
President William Ruto says the heavy rains are expected to become even more intense in the days ahead.
We get more details now from CNN meteorologist Chad Myers.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Well, it seems like we've been talking about this now for weeks. And in fact, we have because it's been raining in Kenya now for just weeks on end and for the whole past month of April, more than 400% of normal in parts of Kenya. Rainfall just coming down that just will not stop. And we even see some today, not as much today, but there certainly will be showers in the 50-to- 75-millimeter rainfall.
[03:50:01]
And when there's water already everywhere, there's no place for it to soak in. It's just going to run to the lowest spot. And then all those low spots will again start to rise.
Seems like we talk about a lot about flooding here, a little bit of drought as well, but there's more flooding in Brazil. Just the front that will not move. And it has been raining now just for a few days here. Even some spots over 205 millimeters, and it's still raining.
And if you want to do the math, that's eight inches of rain, depending on how you want to measure it. But this is what parts of Brazil look like. People are underwater, cities, towns underwater. The rainfall just will not stop.
Now it finally does on Sunday into Monday, but by that time this water is not going to be gone away just yet. So, yes, that rain shower effect, just that hose of rain coming in, even some spots here where it is already flooding, you pick up the red and then you find the key up on top there. That's between 100 and 150 more millimeters of rainfall still to come in the next few days.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COREN: Beijing launches its most ambitious moon mission ever. Coming up, China blasts into space. Another leap in its quest to put an astronaut on the moon. The lunar lowdown when we return.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COREN: A German space company has launched a test rocket fueled by candle wax. High Impulse says it successfully launched the 12-meter- long single stage rocket from an Australian base. It's fueled by a mix of liquid oxygen and paraffin, commonly known as candle wax.
The company says it's a cheaper and safer alternative than any other power sources. The rocket is capable of carrying small satellites to an altitude of 250 kilometers.
Some 6,200 kilometers to the north, China has launched its most ambitious lunar mission yet. It's headed for the moon's far side with the goal of bringing back samples. Marc Stewart was in southern China for the liftoff.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MARC STEWART, CNN CORRESPONDENT: This is China's latest leap in the global quest to put a human back on the moon. CNN was there, invited by the Chinese government for a behind the scenes look at the Wenchang launch site here on Hainan Island along the South China Sea.
The goal of this mission to bring back the first samples ever collected from the moon's far side, part of China's ambitious plan to send astronauts by 2030 and build a lunar research station.
YAN ZEHUA, SPACE PHOTOGRAPHER: It makes us feel we are the strong country because we have the power to launch the big rocket to the moon.
STEWART: What's happening here has critics. The Chinese government maintains space should be a peaceful place. Yet the head of NASA expressed concern China may be using its civilian program for military purposes, even suggesting a Chinese takeover of the moon.
Why does the journey to the moon matter so much?
LEROY CHIAO, FORMER NASA ASTRONAUT: I think it's symbolically important. It's, again, why does any country get into the spaceflight business, particularly human spaceflight? It's for national prestige. It's for -- to show the world their technological prowess.
STEWART: This isn't just about space and science. It's also about national pride and profit. Space tourism is big here. That includes these rocket-shaped water bottles.
[03:55:03]
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This is the first time, so we are very excited.
STEWART: The space presence here is palpable as families take pictures and shop for souvenirs.
(On camera): It's not just snacks at this hotel gift shop. It's backpacks, rockets, even a model of the Chinese space station. Even afternoon tea comes with a taste of space.
(Voice-over): Celebrations aside, this is a cosmic competition to make a mark on Earth and beyond.
Mark Stewart, CNN, Hainan Island, China.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COREN: Well, Caitlin Clark dazzled in her first professional women's basketball game on Friday night. The number one draft pick had a quick start for the Indiana Fever, drilling her first three-point attempt. She scored a game-high of 21 points in her pre-season debut. The Dallas Wings won 79-76.
With just three seconds left in the game, they knocked down a three- pointer that Clark couldn't match. Afterward, Clark said there were some things the team could have done better. But overall, it was a good start to the season.
Well, the Queen of Pop is getting ready to end her Celebration World Tour with a huge finale tonight in Rio de Janeiro. And people there are delirious.
As Madonna's roadies completed the final touches for the free show, fans watched and cheered from Rio's famous Copacabana Beach. The singer was seen during a late rehearsal on Thursday night wearing a cowboy hat and a mask.
Well, local businesses are cashing in on the event, selling all sorts of Madonna memorabilia, including shirts, hats, mugs and even cone- shaped bras.
It's estimated 1.5 million people will attend the spectacle. The city estimates it could pump more than $50 million into the economy.
The auction houses Christie's and Sotheby's have top pieces set for their big spring auctions. Interested? It could set you back a few million. At Sotheby's, Francis Bacon's portrait of George Dyer crouching could fetch as much as $50 million.
And their Andy Warhol and Jean-Michel Basquiat collaboration could bring in as much as $20 million. Meanwhile, Christie's will have David Hockney's A Lawn Being Sprinkled on the block. That is expected to get between $25 and $35 million.
Other highlights will be artwork by Van Gogh and Monet. The bidding starts May 13th. Get out your checkbooks.
Well, I'm Anna Coren in Hong Kong. Thanks so much for your company. Kim Brunhuber brings up -- picks up the coverage, I should say, next on CNN Newsroom.
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