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Israel Halts Humanitarian Aid to Gaza; Zelenskyy to Meet With European Leaders in the Coming Hours; Pope Francis Stable a Day After Respiratory Episode; Measles Cases in West Texas Climb to 146, 20 Hospitalized; NOAA Fires Hundreds Ahead of Peak Severe Weather Season. Aired 5-6a ET

Aired March 02, 2025 - 05:00   ET

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

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[05:00:36]

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

An explosive meeting at the White House is raising questions about America's alliances, what the path to peace in Ukraine looks like now.

Israel has once again cut off humanitarian aid to Gaza as Phase One of the cease-fire ends. We will take a look at the sticking points in negotiations over Phase Two.

Plus, a deadly measles outbreak is spreading across the United States. We will look at what we know about the confirmed cases in Texas.

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

BRUNHUBER: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is expected to receive a massive show of support today from more than a dozen European leaders. They're scheduled to attend a Ukraine summit in London. President Zelenskyy met Saturday with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer in London.

The pair have finalized loans from the U.K. for more than $2 billion. And Zelenskyy received a reception that was quite different from his experience in Washington on Friday. He said the meeting in London was significant and warm, and the Prime Minister's comments were a big change from President Trump's.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KEIR STARMER, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: That you're very, very welcome here in Downing Street. And as you heard from the cheers on the street outside, you have full backing across the United Kingdom.

(END VIDEO CLIP) BRUNHUBER: Pair that to this chaotic scene from Friday, with President Trump shouting at President Zelenskyy. That meeting ended with White House officials asking the Ukrainian president to leave. CNN's Clare Sebastian joins us now from London with more.

So, Clare, as we said there, for President Zelenskyy, those two meetings, Washington and London, a study in contrast. So for Ukraine, huge stakes today.

CLARE SEBASTIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, absolutely, Kim. And I think, look, the optics do matter, obviously. We saw on Saturday Keir Starmer come out of number 10 Downing Street behind me, greet President Zelenskyy in person.

We know that President Zelenskyy will also be meeting with the king later today ahead of that European summit, which I think matters, especially since we saw Prime Minister Keir Starmer offer a letter to President Trump on Thursday in the White House inviting him to a second state visit. I think the fact that the same audience is now being afforded to President Zelenskyy, and, of course, meetings with the king usually only happen after advice from the government, I think that sort of, you know, really reinforces this message of solidarity we're getting here. But we're getting a little bit more information, because, clearly, this is not just a moment about optics.

The Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, along with his European counterparts, really need to start focusing on action here. And he just said on the BBC this morning in an interview that he's going to be working on a peace deal with France and Ukraine, which they'll then present to the U.S. And that is clearly going to be one of their key tasks today.

I think there are risks here. Europeans have to group together. They have to show unity. They have to show solidarity with Ukraine. But they don't want to be seen on the flip side to be ganging up on the United States, because we know that they are still looking to salvage that relationship.

For example, Prime Minister of Italy, Giorgia Meloni, will be heading to Downing Street this morning to meet with Keir Starmer. She will potentially be a key figure when it comes to rebuilding that bridge to the U.S. She is a key ally. We know of Donald Trump. She was the only European leader invited to the inauguration. So that will be an interesting meeting there.

But, overall, this is a really critical moment for Europe to show unity and, crucially, to step up and try to figure out how it can support Ukraine when we see this significant drop in relations between not only Ukraine and the U.S., but also the fragility of this moment for Europe, as the Prime Minister put it this morning.

BRUNHUBER: Yeah, that's right, because, Clare, Ukraine, of course, the item on the agenda. But in the end, for these European leaders, it is ultimately about more than just Ukraine, right?

SEBASTIAN: Well, I think when you see the U.S. president in the Oval Office say things like, I am not aligned with anyone, European leaders have to step up. And I think, look, clearly, they knew that this was on the agenda when President Trump took office. I was speaking to European leaders, for example, last summer.

And they said, we know we're facing a more isolationist U.S., but this is now happening at such a pace that we're in a position where they really haven't got a choice but to step up. And I think you're going to be hearing that message from the U.K. in particular, a country which came out last week, just two days before Keir Starmer went to the White House and pledged to raise defense spending to 2.5% by 2027.

[05:05:07]

There are still one-third of NATO countries that don't spend that 2% target on defense. So you're going to be hearing from the NATO Secretary General today, who will clearly be pushing that line, pushing for more action from European countries, as they really look to step up and take more responsibility for their own security in the face of this new stance, this new set of policies from the United States.

BRUNHUBER: All right. Appreciate that. Clare Sebastian, live in London. And CNN's Matthew Chance is in Moscow with a look at how Russian officials are reacting.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN CHIEF GLOBAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: Well, the Kremlin has been tight-lipped about the spectacle that unfolded in the Oval Office. But reactions from other Russian officials are essentially supportive of Trump and his vice president, that President Zelenskyy alone was disrespectful. The Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman said she was surprised that Trump and Vance didn't slap him. A senior Russian official said it was brilliant that Zelenskyy has kicked out the White House. And a key Russian envoy called the spat historic, a belief that very public fallout between the U.S. and Ukraine represents a sea change in U.S. relations with its allies and with Russia.

The big question now is how this episode may affect talks between U.S. and Russian officials aimed at rebuilding the relationship between two countries. Will it hold them back or maybe even bring them forward, a much-touted summit between President Trump and Vladimir Putin?

Matthew Chance, CNN Moscow.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BRUNHUBER: Well, we're getting another view of what happened during that disastrous Friday meeting in the Oval Office. The U.S. National Security Advisor appears to be blaming the situation on President Zelenskyy. Listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MIKE WALTZ, NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER: They were stunned. I don't know how they thought that could move forward after that kind of very public episode with the -- you know, the entire world watching. But it was really his team. And as you saw from his ambassador, she just put her head in her hand in the middle of the Oval Office that knew the gravity of what had just happened, that the American patience had run out, that this president's patience had run out, that he was personally insulted. We made it clear that the negotiation, which could have been a fantastic day for them and the country, was over and that it was time to go.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: The Ukrainian President is still looking for U.S. support. He posted this on social media, quote, "It's crucial for us to have President Trump's support. He wants to end the war, but no one wants peace more than we do. We are the ones living this war in Ukraine. It's a fight for our freedom, for our very survival."

All right. I want to bring in Steven Erlanger, who's the New York Times Chief Diplomatic Correspondent, and he joins us now from Berlin.

Thank you so much for being here with us. So, in the wake of that disaster in D.C., most of the president's Republican allies have said the meeting was a win for the White House, and the recurring phrase they used sort of echoed what we heard from House Speaker Mike Johnson, that it was an American president putting America first. So, are America's allies getting a new appreciation for exactly what that phrase means now?

STEVEN ERLANGER, CHIEF DIPLOMATIC CORRESPONDENT, THE NEW YORK TIMES: It's a very good question. I mean, there was a lot of childish behavior in the Oval Office, and that's true of both sides. Both sides lost their cool. I think the Trump people saw it as great television. I think they saw it as a gesture to their base, to MAGA, President getting upset, Vance, who has not been very important to this, making a big splash. The allies have already been very nervous.

I think there's a big difference here, which one wants to be clear about. Trump wants a ceasefire right away. That's what he wants. Zelenskyy wants assurances, security assurances, that if there is a ceasefire, Russia will not violate that ceasefire, as it's done in the past. That was really the source of the huge argument. And what the Europeans are trying to do, with Keir Starmer's help, of course, is to create some sort of plan that brings Zelenskyy and Trump back together again, and provide some kind of security assurances that Zelenskyy needs to reassure his own country, which has been at war, that a ceasefire would not simply be to the advantage of Vladimir Putin.

BRUNHUBER: Beyond just Ukraine, I mean, it seems as if European leaders are trying to do both things at once. They're saying the days of counting on the U.S. are over, while at the same time trying desperately to repair that relationship. Is that possible, do you think, under the Trump administration? Because you've written about how President Trump seems to see Europe more as an enemy than an ally. So, is there anything that European leaders can actually do to appease Trump? ERLANGER: Well, there are a lot of people who -- there's a kind of European schizophrenia, which I think you've -- you've described very, very well. On the one hand, they need the United States. I mean, they need the nuclear umbrella.

[05:10:11]

Now, the Trump people have never suggested getting rid of the American nuclear umbrella over Europe. At the same time, Article 5, NATO's commitment to collective defense, is about credibility. It's about belief that the United States would act should something terrible happen in Europe, i.e. from Russia.

Now, if that credibility is torn away, and I believe the Trump people are tearing it away, that has the Europeans running around in a great swivet. One, because, sure, they have money. They can spend more on defense. But if they perceive the Trump people really are not interested in Europe and see Europe, and particularly the European Union, with its regulations and its climate restrictions and its restrictions on hate speech, as an adversary of the United States, which Trump seems to believe, then it doesn't matter how much American liquid natural gas you buy or how many American weapons. That's not going to satisfy the Trump people.

BRUNHUBER: Well, OK. So, you spoke of NATO there. The head of NATO called that meeting between Zelenskyy and Trump very unfortunate. But hear what the former Supreme Allied Commander of NATO told CNN on Friday. Listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ADM. JAMES STAVRIDIS, U.S. NAVY (Retired): I don't want to be overly dramatic, but we could be looking at the last days of NATO. And this is a gut issue about who are you going to support? A democracy that's under attack? Or are you going to support a dictator in Moscow? This is going to drive a wedge deep into the heart of the alliance. And it's going to bleed over beyond Ukraine.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: So what do you think? I mean, is that overly dramatic? Are NATO's days numbered?

ERLANGER: I think it is overly dramatic, to be honest. I mean, NATO is something I don't think Vladimir Putin wants to test. He's pretty busy in Ukraine. And there's talk about America pulling out some of its troops. There's talk about lots of things. But let's look at what's actually happened.

Right now, you have a hissy fit fight between Ukraine, which feels its war is at risk, and Donald Trump, who feels that he's not getting enough gratitude from Ukraine, and who wants to end the fighting very quickly. And doesn't seem to be very interested in security assurances, though he says that's for the Europeans to do. And that's exactly what the Europeans are doing in the last few days and again today. So let's see what happens. I don't think this is the end of NATO. No, I don't.

BRUNHUBER: Listen, always great to get your analysis on all of this. Steven Erlanger in Berlin. Thank you so much.

ERLANGER: Thank you.

BRUNHUBER: Israel says it's stopping all humanitarian aid from going into Gaza. Now, this comes as Phase One of the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas has expired.

CNN's Larry Madowo has more now from Paris. So, Larry, take us through Israel's decision, the reaction and the impact it could have on so many civilians.

LARRY MADOWO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Kim, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has decided with immediate effect that no more aid or supplies will be getting into Gaza. As of this morning, trucks are not being allowed to get into the enclave. And this is because Israel says there will be no ceasefire without the release of hostages. There are still believed to be about 24 Israeli hostages still living that are in Gaza. Hamas has rejected a U.S. proposal to extend the current first phase of the ceasefire deal. That expired yesterday, on Saturday.

Under this U.S. proposal by Steve Witkoff, the U.S. Special Envoy, Hamas would release half of the current hostages still in Gaza, and then at the end of the negotiation period, the other half, living and dead, that remain. In exchange for that, more aid would be allowed to get into Gaza. The period is supposed to cover until the end of the Jewish holiday of Passover. That's on April 20th. It would also cover all of the holy month of Ramadan until the end of March.

However, Hamas is rejecting this as a war crime, calling it manipulation, that Israel is trying to sabotage the deal, and saying they will not agree to it. They want the second phase of this to go into effect, which would be for Israel to withdraw any troops that are still in parts of Gaza and to discuss the end of the war. They are not happy that this extension go on, where Israel gets more of its hostages, but does not commit to an end to the war. That is a big leverage they have here.

[05:15:09]

Hostages on the side of Hamas and the surge of aid into Gaza that is desperately needed. Most of this enclave right now is in ruins after 15 months of this war. And hear from this one person who is in Gaza, who desperately needs for this truce to hold.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

AHMED MUSTATA AQEL, GAZA RESIDENT (through translator): We hope the ceasefire continues, is renewed, and becomes permanent between all parties. Mediators, especially the United States as a primary broker, must exert strong pressure on all sides, along with Egyptian and Qatari mediators, given their longstanding experience in this matter. All issues must be resolved. Both Palestinians and Israelis long for peace and coexistence. The two-state solution is the most suitable option.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MADOWO: The Israeli Foreign Minister has said a short while ago that they will not do this for free, essentially saying the only way for this to keep going is for the continued release of hostages, which Hamas is rejecting. This throws the entire ceasefire into lots of questions. Egypt and Qatar have been mediating in this. We have not heard their reactions to this essentially stalemate between Israel and Hamas. And what happens now is a big question mark. If the war does continue, that leads to even more suffering for the people of Gaza, Kim.

BRUNHUBER: Yeah, just like that man we spoke to there. Larry Madowo, thanks so much for that update. Appreciate it.

We are monitoring Pope Francis' health after a worrying respiratory episode. We'll have the latest from Rome on how the pontiff is doing. Plus, there are now more reported cases of measles in western Texas. Most cases are in children ages 5 to 17. We'll bring an update just ahead.

And more on the global fallout from the disastrous White House meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and U.S. President Donald Trump. Stay with us.

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BRUNHUBER: Pope Francis had a peaceful night, according to the Vatican, and is resting at Rome's Gemelli Hospital on Friday. The pontiff suffered what was called an episode of respiratory difficulty. He required high-flow oxygen therapy using non-invasive mechanical ventilation to treat his double pneumonia.

On Saturday, people gathered at the Vatican to pray for the pontiff's continued recovery. His mood and mobility brought encouragement for many.

Joining us live now from Rome is CNN's Vatican Correspondent Christopher Lamb. So, Christopher, we got our usual update from the Vatican. So bring us the latest.

CHRISTOPHER LAMB, CNN VATICAN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Kim, the news from the Vatican about the pope's condition in recent hours has been encouraging. We were told, as usual, that the pope had a quiet or peaceful night, that he's resting this morning.

But yesterday, on Saturday, we were told the pope's in a stable condition. He didn't have any more respiratory crises, as we were told about on Friday. However, he is still on high-flow oxygen through nasal cannulas, nasal tubes and a venti mask. He's also on oxygen through a machine ventilator, again through a mask, a non-invasive form of treatment. And the prognosis for the pope remains guarded or reserved. It's still too soon to tell. Of course, the pope has been in the Gemelli Hospital behind me since February 14, the longest hospital stay of his pontificate. He has pneumonia in both of his lungs. He's 88 years old and has a history of respiratory infections. The Vatican's saying he will not lead the Sunday Angelus prayer from the Gemelli. It's the third Sunday in a row where he won't lead that Sunday prayer.

And, of course, there are many people who are praying for Pope Francis at this time. It's concerning to hear of the pope's condition. And, of course, today is Sunday. Catholics across the world and in Rome will be going to mass and praying for Francis. But it's not just Catholics who are showing their support for the pope.

The imam of the Grand Mosque of Rome has sent a message to the pope. On the eve of Ramadan, he said that he was praying for Francis' health, describing the pope as a figure not just for Catholics, but for all believers, a figure, he said, for humanity, a voice for peace and fraternity. So it's not just those in the Catholic Church concerned about Francis, but people across the world, it seems.

Now, we are expecting a further update from the Vatican on the pope's health this evening, where we will know more about how his condition is faring. Kim?

BRUNHUBER: All right, so many across the world will be following that update with bated breath. Christopher Lamb in Rome, thanks so much.

Well, next month, U.S. President Donald Trump will have his annual physical exam, the first of his second term. The president's doctors say he will be examined at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. Trump is 78 years old. He's the second oldest to serve in office after former President Joe Biden, and by the time his term is over, he'll be the oldest president in U.S. history.

Health officials say there are now 146 cases of measles in western Texas, and for the first time in a decade, one person has died from the measles. CNN's Jen Sullivan reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JENN SULLIVAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: As the measles outbreak worsens in Texas, there's growing concerns over public safety.

DR. JENNIFER SHUFORD, COMMISSIONER, TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF STATE HEALTH SERVICES: We are seeing a worrying, expanding outbreak of measles.

SULLIVAN: In western Texas, at least 146 cases of measles have been reported this year, but Dr. Jennifer Shuford says those numbers could be much higher.

SHUFORD: This is actually larger than our confirmed count case, and it continues to grow.

SULLIVAN: The latest update from state health officials comes just days after the outbreak's first death. A school-aged child who was not vaccinated and had been hospitalized in Lubbock. Measles is a highly contagious disease that can cause a rash of red spots, fever, cough, and red watery eyes. Health officials say the best protection is to get the MMR vaccine, which protects against measles, mumps, and rubella.

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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's really only the unvaccinated that are at risk.

SULLIVAN: The first dose of the vaccine is typically given to children ages 12 to 15 months and is 93% effective. The second dose given to kids between four and six years old is about 97% effective, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Health officials warn that infants who are not yet eligible for the vaccine are at a high risk during an outbreak.

SHUFORD: We know they can have really serious outcomes, and so it is something that we're concerned about, that we're following closely and trying to intervene on.

SULLIVAN: While the majority of cases are emerging in Texas, at least eight other states have reported a total of 18 measles cases this year, according to the CDC.

I'm Jenn Sullivan reporting.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BRUNHUBER: And the CDC says that last year, a total of 285 cases were reported in the U.S. This year, as of today, there are 146 just in West Texas.

All right, just ahead, we have new details about the state of a ceasefire in Gaza as Israel halts all humanitarian aid to the enclave. Stay with us.

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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.

In the coming hours many European leaders plan to show their support for Ukraine. They're set to attend a Ukraine summit in London with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer tells the "BBC" that he's going to work with Ukraine, France, and possibly one or two others on a plan to stop the fighting. He says they'll present that plan to the United States.

[05:30:02]

On Saturday the Ukrainian president met with the Prime Minister. Zelenskyy said the meeting was significant and warm. Things were dramatically different at the White House on Friday with President Trump shouting at President Zelenskyy. The meeting ended abruptly as White House officials asked the Ukrainian leader to leave. All right, an update on another one of our top stories. Israel says

it's stopping the entry of all humanitarian aid into Gaza. And now Hamas is calling that move cheap blackmail and a war crime.

The first phase of their ceasefire hit its official expiration date on Saturday. Hamas is refusing a U.S.-backed extension and is insisting on advancing to the next stage. Now this proposal that Israel supports would carry the first phase of ceasefire through the Islamic holy month of Ramadan and the Jewish Passover.

All right, for more on the impact on Gaza we're joined by Caroline Seguin. She's the Project Coordinator for Medecins Sans

Frontieres or Doctors Without Borders and Caroline joins us from Al Mawasi, Gaza.

Thank you so much for being here with us. This must come as a shock, this sudden stopping of aid. Did you get any warning that this might happen?

CAROLINE SEGUIN, MSF PROJECT COORDINATOR: No, it has been very shocking. We received the information this morning through the media that all the trucks that were supposed to enter in Gaza will not enter anymore. So we are extremely shocked and shocked that it was not planned, shocked by the fact that we were planning to receive medicines and essential items to continue to operate inside Gaza.

BRUNHUBER: Yeah, so you speak of medicines and essential supplies. I mean just tell me exactly from the medical side, how will this impact on what you do there on the ground?

SEGUIN: We are very -- again, we are still under shock. So we will need of course to have medication to continue to treat the patient. Like for example we still have patients with chronic diseases that cannot stop their treatment. We will need fuel as well to continue to operate in a hospital. We will need to have medical equipment as well to continue to treat the patient inside Gaza. And so we were able in the past weeks to increase our stock, but our stock is not that huge and we will need to refill it very quickly.

BRUNHUBER: Yeah, I mean already so many medical facilities in Gaza, practically all the hospitals and other medical facilities had been destroyed during the war. The ceasefire allowed sort of a buildup of capacity again. Now, with this happening, with no access to medicines and so on, I mean is this literally cutting off a lifeline for many in Gaza? Will people die as a result of this?

SEGUIN: Oh yes. Yes, yes, people will die because of that. That's for sure. Remember that this week there is even children that died because of the cold winter. And so it's not only medical supplies that should enter, but as well proper shelter, again supply to increase the water system that has been largely broken. And again, as you mentioned, many hospitals have been totally destroyed or partially destroyed and they need to be rehabilitated.

For example, there is some hospitals where the generator has been deliberately broken by Israeli forces. There is a lot of medical equipment that are now needed because it has been broken during the past war.

BRUNHUBER: Yeah, and we've spoken of many things, specifically in terms of food. I mean there already wasn't enough getting into Gaza because of not just the volume of trucks, but all the challenges of delivering it with so much infrastructure like roads and supply buildings destroyed. And then you have the longer-term effects here, you know, people in Gaza only getting largely packaged goods, flour, cans and so on. Everything is either not available or so expensive. So this will obviously make all of that worse from the short term in terms of starvation and the longer term. Speak to me about the health effects that this will have on so many.

SEGUIN: This is very devastating. You know, since this morning my team, the Palestinian team that is working with us is very worried, mainly because of food, because they suffered a lot in the past month with the restriction on food entering in Gaza. So we saw as well that we had many cases of malnutrition as well that was increasing as well.

And so with the news of this morning, everybody is very worried. We see very quickly the impact on the price in the market. So in Gaza City, the bag of flour, the price for the bag of flour has doubled since this morning. It has been very fast.

[05:35:07]

For example, eggs in Gaza City has been multiplied by 150% of the price. So, of course, the price will increase a lot and the availability of food will decrease. So we are expecting to have more cases of malnutrition and probably more children that will die due to this malnutrition. And some of them were still not cured since the last month. So we are very, very, very worried of the huge impact related to food as well.

BRUNHUBER: Yeah, such a huge impact, as you say. Let's hope aid is restored as soon as possible. Caroline Seguin, thank you so much. Appreciate it.

SEGUIN: Thank you. Thank you.

BRUNHUBER: All right. After the break, the United States Weather Agency grapples with terminations amid a worsening climate crisis with peak severe weather season approaching.

Plus, opponents of Elon Musk send a message from Tesla showrooms. More on that and more coming up. Stay with us.

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ANDREW CUOMO, FORMER NEW YORK GOVERNOR: It won't be easy, but I know we can turn the city around and I believe I can help. And that is why I announced my candidacy today for mayor of New York City.

(END VIDEO CLIP) BRUNHUBER: Well, you have a New York's former Governor, Andrew Cuomo, staging a political comeback bid, this time for mayor of New York. Cuomo announced his new campaign Saturday, nearly four years after he resigned from office. Eleven women accused him of sexual misconduct. Allegations he still denies Cuomo appears to be hoping the controversy surrounding current mayor, Eric Adams, could give him the opening he needs to unseat the incumbent.

A U.S. federal judge has ruled that President Donald Trump can't fire the head of a government watchdog agency. The White House attempted to fire Special Counsel Hampton Dellinger without cause. Dellinger's office protects whistleblowers from retaliation.

[05:40:10]

On Saturday, Judge Amy Berman Jackson declared that he is entitled to stay in his job. She says ruling otherwise would offer the President a constitutional license to bully officials in the executive branch into doing his will. The Trump administration is expected to appeal.

Some 800 people working at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration are out of their jobs after another round of federal terminations. Last week, the Trump administration fired probationary employees, generally those who have been in their positions for a year or less, including scientists and specialists who study weather patterns and climate systems. At least 100 of the laid off employees worked for the National Weather Service and some worked in the Hurricane Research Division, which focuses on improving forecast data and accuracy.

Well, now concerns are being raised about the already understaffed agency's capabilities as extreme weather season approaches here in the U.S. On Friday, Democratic Senator Chris Van Hollen said, quote, "Without the warnings of severe weather events, people will die and others will suffer greatly, including huge property loss."

All right, for more on this, I want to go to Juan Declet-Barreto in Washington, D.C. He's a Senior Social Scientist for Climate Vulnerability with the Union of Concerned Scientists Climate and Energy Program.

Good to have you with us. Oh, we seem to have lost him. We'll hope -- OK, we do have him. OK, well, I'll start here then, I guess. Hurricanes and extreme weather are generally becoming more frequent and more destructive with -- with climate change. So cutting NOAA, in terms of its weather forecasting, what effect could this have?

JUAN DECLET-BARRETO, UNION OF CONCERNED SCIENTISTS: Yeah, thank you for having me. I mean, these firing signal an attack on the scientific enterprise and the scientific expert that creates the data and information that keep people safe during extreme weather. And as you said, the hurricane season that is coming up in June is going to catch us unaware and without the information that we need to win. The policymakers and first responders and people who mandate evacuations need to have to keep people safe. BRUNHUBER: Yeah, specifically, I mean, you talked about first responders there. It might mean people on the ground have sort of less time to prepare for these emergencies because NOAA helped with that coordination, right, between state agencies and emergency responders?

DECLET-BARRETO: Well, NOAA provide the scientific data that is the basis for the information and for first responders and others to evacuate. But not only that, I mean, we're talking about also information that's critical for aviation, for land, maritime transport of people and goods to keep that safe. I mean, what happens when you don't have the information for a major airport like Los Angeles or New York City or Chicago to have the forecast that they used to have with storms in advance? How do traffic controllers know how they're going to reroute or ground planes?

BRUNHUBER: Yeah. And when we're talking about weather, I mean, certainly some of the people who are most affected by that are farmers. So what effect might that have on food production, for instance?

DECLET-BARRETO: Well, farmers may not know when the drought conditions or flood conditions, you know, too much water, too little rain, are going to impact their crops. And so it may have some downstream economic and cultural impacts.

BRUNHUBER: Yeah. And then there are things like, you know, ocean monitoring, the longer-term sort of climate monitoring, which will have an effect on the response to climate change, which I guess was part of the point from the Trump administration's point of view of making these cuts. But all of that could have a real impact on things like economic planning, on military operations and infrastructure.

DECLET-BARRETO: Yes, as you said, you know, climate change is a big area and responsibility for NOAA and an agency that is recognized globally as a powerhouse in extreme weather monitoring, in ocean conditions monitoring, in climate change studies and research. And so without that information, we are flying blind into a hurricane season that has been made demonstrably worse by climate change.

BRUNHUBER: Yeah. And there are so many more impacts as well that we didn't have a time to get into, but certainly it can't be overstated. Really appreciate you're talking us through it. Juan Declet-Barreto, thank you so much.

DECLET-BARRETO: Thank you for your time.

BRUNHUBER: Well, demonstrators gathered at more than 50 Tesla showrooms around the U.S. on Saturday to protest Elon Musk's efforts as head of the so-called Department of Government Efficiency. He's been working under Donald Trump to improve performance by cutting costs and by firing employees. But the so-called Tesla takedown is meant to encourage company stockholders to, quote, "sell your Teslas, dump your stock and join the picket lines." The movement is gaining traction internationally as well.

[05:45:15] A protest was held in Barcelona on Friday and three are taking place over the weekend in London, Lisbon and Reykjavik.

All right. Coming up next, we'll look at the Oscars, the films and stars who are vying for those precious trophies that the 97th Academy Awards just had. We'll have a preview of Tinseltown's Biggest Night. Stay with us.

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BRUNHUBER: The punk music world is a little quieter this weekend. David Johansen, the last surviving member of the flamboyant glam band, the New York Dolls, has died at the age of 75.

Johansen's alter ego Buster Poindexter scored a huge hit in 1988 with that song Hot, Hot, Hot. His New York Dolls never found huge commercial success, but they were acclaimed for their sound and androgynous style that attracted a cult following. Johansen died Friday at his home in New York City. It was revealed earlier this year he had stage four cancer and a brain tumor.

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We're still waiting for investigators to tell us exactly why legendary actor Gene Hackman and his wife died. But new details are emerging. CNN's Julia Vargas Jones has more from New Mexico.

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JULIA VARGAS JONES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: New Mexico authorities releasing two new crucial pieces of information that are pushing this investigation forward. One of them is that Gene Hackman was likely dead for nine days before he and his wife were found in their Santa Fe home. And that's according to data from his pacemaker analyzed by forensic pathologists working with authorities here on this case. The last activity recorded on that pacemaker was on February 17th.

The other piece of information is that both Gene Hackman and Ms. Arakawa tested negative for carbon monoxide poisoning. That's notable because neither of them had any physical external signs of trauma on their bodies when they were found. And no foul play is suspected at this point, although the sheriff here did say that he hasn't been completely rolled out. It is an ongoing investigation that they are still carrying out.

In a search warrant released on Friday, we got some more details about the deputies that responded to this call, what they saw as they entered the home. One of the things that is noted is that the deputy believed that they might have both fallen in separate rooms of the house. Ms. Arakawa in a bathroom where she was on the floor next to a space heater and with pills scattered on the counter near her. And Mr. Hackman was near the kitchen in a sort of mudroom of the house with a cane and sunglasses next to him. Some medication was recovered from the house, according to this warrant, some medication for thyroid issues, medication for blood pressure, as well as Tylenol and some medical records as well. The sheriff did say that in this investigation, timing has been a

challenge. Piecing together a timeline has been really difficult because this was a couple that lived a very private life and lived in a secluded home here in Santa Fe with no recording devices in the home. They did recover both of their cell phones, which they will be analyzing for further clues. But he said that they're trying to piece together a reverse timeline from the time of their deaths into the days and hours up until they died. This, of course, pointing to the toxicology report and the autopsy as the main sources of information. They should come in the next three to six weeks, although they did warn that it could take even longer.

Julia Vargas Jones, CNN, Santa Fe, New Mexico.

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BRUNHUBER: And Gene Hackman is one of many actors set to be honored and recognized for their work at the Academy Awards tonight.

Netflix's drug cartel musical "Emilia Perez" leads the pack with 13 nominations, including the most coveted Best Picture category. But its chances of walking away with Oscar gold may have tanked. Offensive social media comments by the film's star and best actress nominee, Karla Sofia Gascon, have cast a shadow on the film, trailing behind with 10 nominations each is the "Brutalist," which won big at the Golden Globes, and "Wicked," the long-awaited adaptation of the Broadway musical.

Now, despite blockbuster numbers at the Box Office, the film has had problems converting nominations for various awards into red carpet wins. And there is one performance everyone will watch, comedian and longtime talk show host Conan O'Brien, who will make his debut as host of the Oscars spectacle.

Now, earlier, I spoke with entertainment journalist Andrew Freund about his predictions, and we were both surprised to learn that comedian Conan O'Brien will be the Oscars host for his very first time. Here he is.

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ANDREW FREUND, ENTERTAINMENT JOURNALIST: I thought Conan had hosted before, but this is, in fact, his first time hosting the Academy Awards. He is so excited. He's already making jokes. He said that he hasn't been attending the rehearsals, but he's been hanging out at the Cheesecake Factory instead.

So I think that Hollywood is ready for Conan. He knows most of the people in the room. He's interviewed them before, and I think he is going to make a hilarious host and, you know, bring some lighthearted laughing to the city right now, Kim, because, you know, we need we need to laugh. We need to laugh a little bit.

BRUNHUBER: Yeah. And you said the key word there, lighthearted. I mean, he's not the edgiest choice. And that's one of the reasons I imagine they chose him. According to the CEO of the Academy, Conan is fairly apolitical. And that's what they said they're hoping for. And that's been the message as well to the artists. But at the end of the day, you know, some of them -- some of the some of the movies themselves are political and then there's the wild card, the actors, you never know what they're going to say when they actually get up there on stage. So we're living in such polarizing times, keeping it apolitical. Easier said than done, right?

FREUND: Yeah. You know, Kim, I think that all went out the window on Friday with what we saw at the White House. I think you're going to see that carry over at the awards. And we are going to see a lot of the actors stand with Ukraine.

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I think that they're going to talk about it. I think they're going to be loud and really, you know, talk about how, you know, the millions of Americans that stand with Ukraine and especially here in Hollywood, that tends to be a little bit more left leaning. I think this might be the most politically -- political Oscars ever, in fact.

BRUNHUBER: Interesting. All right. Well, that's certainly something to watch for. But of course, what we are really watching for is the movies themselves. So let's get to that. Maybe the hottest contests are Best Picture and Best Lead Actor. What are your picks? And will the voters in the Academy see it the same way?

FREUND: So I think that for Best Picture, "Anora" is going to take it. Now, I will say it was not my personal favorite film of the year. My personal favorite film of the year was "The Substance." However, "Anora" has won the Palme d'Or at Cannes. It won Best Director at the DGA, won the PGA, won the Critics' Choice Award. So I do think that "Anora" is going to take Best Picture.

Now, in terms of Best Actor, I think that Adrien Brody will take it for "The Brutalist." However, we saw last week Timothee Chalamet won the SAG Award for his film. So it could be a toss-up between Timothee Chalamet for "A Complete Unknown" and Adrien Brody for "The Brutalist."

BRUNHUBER: All right, we shall see. That wraps this hour of CNN Newsroom. I'm Kim Brunhuber. For viewers in North America, CNN This Morning is next. For the rest of the world, it's Connecting Africa.

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