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CNN This Morning

U.S. Journalist Dies While Covering World Cup; Clock Ticking For Congress On Defense, Government Spending Bills; Back To Masks As Viruses Circulate. Aired 7-8a ET

Aired December 10, 2022 - 07:00   ET

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

[07:00:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

AMARA WALKER, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning and welcome to CNN THIS MORNING. I'm Amara Walker.

BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning, Amara. I'm Boris Sanchez. We've seen an outpouring of grief overnight in Qatar, as the world learns of the sudden death of sportswriter, Grant Wahl, who collapsed while covering the World Cup.

WALKER: Plus, some cities are recommending masks again as flu, RSV, and COVID combined, pushed hospitals to near capacity.

SANCHEZ: And a rare bipartisan law gets through Congress protecting interracial and same sex marriage. We're going to speak to an LGBTQ congresswoman about its importance and what she's anticipating about how Republicans might take control of the House.

WALKER: Good morning, everyone. Welcome to CNN this morning. It is Saturday, December 10. If you haven't done your Christmas shopping like I have not, it's time to get it underway. Hi, Boris. How about you?

SANCHEZ: The clock is ticking. I feel a little bit under pressure. Some stuff has not been purchased. But we're going to get online in just a few moments, when we have that hour break when Smerconish comes on.

WALKER: Good idea.

SANCHEZ: And crank out some shopping. So, we start this morning on a more serious note with shocking news from the World Cup: prominent journalist, Grant Wahl, a beloved ambassador for soccer has passed away while covering the tournament. Witnesses say that Wahl collapsed during the match yesterday between Argentina and the Netherlands, and Qatari officials are saying he fell ill in the press area and received immediate medical treatment which continued as he was rushed to hospital.

WALKER: So, at this time, we still don't know the exact cause of his death. Just a few weeks ago, though, Wahl made headlines after being detained and briefly refused entry to a World Cup match because he was wearing a rainbow t-shirt in support of LGBTQ rights. And he spoke to CNN after the U.S.-Iran match about how exciting the atmosphere was in Qatar.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GRANT WAHL, SPORTS JOURNALIST: And you really felt like this was a classic World Cup atmosphere, which is why I always tell everybody, at some point in your life, go to a World Cup even if you're not a huge soccer fan. It's just an amazing feeling -- feels like you're at the center of the universe.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WALKER: And Wahl's wife is Dr. Celine Gounder. She may look familiar to you. She's a former CNN contributor who served on the Biden-Harris transition COVID-19 Advisory Board and she posted this on Twitter: "I am so thankful for the support of my husband, Grant Wahl's soccer family, and of so many friends who have reached out tonight. I am in complete shock." CNN Sports Anchor Amanda Davis joining us now from Doha. Amanda, please do tell us more about what we know regarding Wahl's death. And obviously, I feel like that word shock is the word that really kind of in captures how people in the sports world is feeling.

AMANDA DAVIS, CNN SPORTS ANCHOR: Yes, good morning, Amara. Shock, devastation, still a lot of people here on the ground in Doha, really trying to comprehend what has happened. I was one of the members of the press in that media tribune, a very, very large media tribune at that game as Argentina took on the Netherlands last night. And I have to say completely, unaware of what was happening. Grant was there. We saw him tweeting about the game as it played out his final tweet as it turns out, a very grant-esque message after that incredible, late, late Dutch equalizer that took the game into extra time.

We knew he had been unwell, really since arriving here in Doha three or so weeks ago. He had been talking of suffering with tightness in his chest, chest pains. He'd gone to the medical center. He believed suffering from bronchitis and had received some antibiotics for that, but then we understand that midway through extra time last night, he fell ill, he collapsed. And a fellow member of the journalist press pack and long-standing World Cup veteran, Keir Radnedge, was somewhat closer than I was and this is his take on how he saw it play out.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

[07:05:05]

KEIR RADNEDGE, COLUMNIST, WORLD SOCCER MAGAZINE: I was sitting near across the gangway from where Grant Wahl is. This was towards the end of extra time in the match. Suddenly, colleagues to up to my left started shouting for medical assistance. Obviously, someone had collapsed. Because the chairs are free standing, people were able to move the chairs, so it was possible to create a little bit of space around, around him. And I have to say the medical team, you know, this is an 80,000-capacity stadium. The medical team were there pretty quickly. And, you know, we're able to, as best they could give, treatment. And it was, I suppose, they were there working with him for about 20-25 minutes before he was removed to hospital.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

DAVIS: Grant was accompanied to hospital by a couple of other long- standing members of the press community. And sadly, the news emerged overnight that he didn't make it. You only have to look at the tributes being paid, the words being used about Grant Wahl, a giant of the press community, fearless, fierce, he is somebody who fought the good fight for football, for women's soccer, for members of the LGBTQ community. Long before perhaps football was sexy in the United States. The growth, the attention on the game today is in large part down to here, man. There's a lot of people who will miss that flat cap in the press box around the world.

SANCHEZ: Champion for the game and for human rights as well. Amanda Davis from Doha, thank you so much.

Shifting our focus to politics in the nation's capital right now. It is crunch time for Congress. Lawmakers are scrambling to pass government funding legislation and a massive defense spending bill. The house has approved the $858 billion defense bill and it's heading to the Senate next, but government funding runs out on Friday, and lawmakers say they may have to pass a temporary continuing resolution, a C.R., to avoid a government shutdown.

WALKER: CNN White House Reporter Jasmine Wright joining us this morning. Hi, Jasmine. So, what is the President saying to Congress?

JASMINE WRIGHT, CNN WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: Let's get this done. That is the President's message because the President and the folks that work in the building behind me know very well that this could be the last time that the government is fully funded in the President's first term, as the house is set to flip to Republicans come January, making these types of discussions even harder for the White House. So, the President wants to see this get done. He wants to see COVID funding, Ukraine funding, disaster relief, all things that are embedded within this probable gun government funding bill.

Now, of course, the official line here from the White House is that there is still time, as you can see on the calendar from the screen, they have until Friday to get this done. And Boris, as you know, covering Washington, D.C. for a long time these kinds of deals happen in the last minutes. But of course, they want to see this happening, which is why the White House has privately tried to pressure Congress to move along, hurry this process up so they can get something here on the books before the year is done. Karine Jean-Pierre, White House Press Secretary, yesterday, here at the White House kind of previewed a bit of what the White House is doing here. Take a listen.

WALKER: Yes, and the White House passed the $858 billion defense spending bill and now goes to the Senate, right. So, is the President prepared to sign the bill, Jasmine?

WRIGHT: Well, we don't exactly know yet. The White House would not say whether or not the President would sign the bill because it includes a provision that he opposes, which is basically to rescind the COVID mandate for active military service members. And the President and Secretary of Defense, Lloyd Austin, do not agree with it. Of course, now it's seen as something of a Republican win, as they said that, basically, they wouldn't go along with it without including this provision. But it is something that the White House says could be harmful and is not in line with what they want.

Of course, though, it is a must pass. So, there are other things in this bill. On the screen you see the defense spending number, it eliminates the military COVID vaccine mandate. We were just talking about strips special immigration visa provisions authorizes up to 10 billion to boost Taiwan military. So, this is a must pass bill that needs to get made into law by the end of the year. So, it made it past the House. If it passes the Senate, of course, it would go to the President's desk where he has a decision to make here. But of course, like I said, this is a must pass bill that needs to make it into law. Boris and Amara.

WALKER: Jasmine Wright, great to see you. Thank you so much.

SANCHEZ: And as we consider what Congress is looking forward to in the coming weeks, we should note that lawmakers made history this week as the House passed the landmark respect for Marriage Act. The bipartisan bill requires federal recognition of same sex and interracial marriages. Congressional leaders sent this message as they forwarded the bill to President Biden to be signed into law.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

[07:10:14]

REP. NANCY PELOSI (D-CA): At last, we have history in the making. But not only are we on the right side of history, we're on the right side of the future, expanding freedom in America.

SEN. CHUCK SCHUMER (D-NY): Today, the long been (INAUDIBLE) march towards greater equality takes a very important step forward.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANCHEZ: With us this morning, Democratic Congresswoman Sharice Davids of Kansas, she's the first openly LGBTQ-Plus Native American elected to Congress. Congresswoman, we're grateful to have you share part of your Saturday morning with us. How does it feel knowing that marriage equality is soon going to be enshrined in the Constitution?

REP. SHARICE DAVIDS (D-KS): I think the best word right now describe it is relief. I think that, you know, when it when it comes to having your family recognized and treated equally under the law, you know, when we saw a Supreme Court justice call a decision like (INAUDIBLE) fell into question, it immediately became not a hypothetical, but a very real possibility. And I think that getting this piece of legislation across the finish line, and in a bipartisan way is it's a relief. And then, of course, I was proud to be part of the, you know, part of the house legislative team that introduced the bill to, to make sure that, that LGBTQ-Plus families feel, respected and are and are treated equally.

SANCHEZ: Congresswoman, you noted the bipartisan nature of this bill passing but you were the only member of your state's congressional delegation to support the bill. One of your Kansas colleagues, actually, Representative Jake la Turner says that this bill "raises serious concerns for religious liberty." He thinks it paves the way for religious organizations to lose their tax-exempt status for them to potentially be sued for their beliefs. I'm wondering what your response is to that.

DAVIDS: Well, I think that, you know, when it comes to specifically this piece of legislation, or protections for LGBTQ-Plus, folks -- I, you know, I think that it's really important for people to keep in mind that our communities, the LGBTQ-Plus communities want to be treated, treated with respect, dignity, and equally, just like everybody else. And that is, that is not counter to or mutually exclusive to folks practicing their, their faith.

And I think that, I do think that we addressed some of those -- or those issues have been addressed, particularly the work that Senator Baldwin, and I know Susan Collins made sure to, to really get the support necessary on the Senate side, because that's where the true holdup was originally. And, you know, I think that those address, I think those concerns were addressed in the legislation. But, you know, I think that I, I do think that as we continue to make progress on these issues, my hope is that my, my colleagues who can vote in favor of this bill will, will start to come on board.

SANCHEZ: Congressman, as you know well, the LGBTQ-Plus community is often the target of violence and hate. What other steps do you think Congress needs to take to protect the rights of that community?

DAVIDS: Yes, I think that, you know, the, one of the most important things that we can do is, of course, continue to, continue to pass pieces of legislation, like the Respect for Marriage Act, the Equality Act is probably the single most important piece of legislation that we would be able to, I hope that we can pass, especially knowing that the House has passed that bill a couple of times. I've had the chance to vote on it a couple of times.

And that at the end of the day, we still live, LGBTQ-Plus folks live in a situation where, you know, you could be turned away from housing or health care education, simply because you're part of this community. And it's really, really important, not just for folks right now, but also for our young people to see that, that you should be treated with dignity and respect.

SANCHEZ: While we have you, Congresswoman, I want to ask you about funding the government. Less than a week to go to avoid a partial shutdown, Democrats are reportedly releasing their funding plan on Monday. No Republican buy in thus far, do you think this is the right move?

[07:15:09]

DAVIDS: Well, I mean, I got the chance to hear you, you all earlier. This is a mess -- I mean, in addition to some of the other must pass pieces of legislation, keeping the government open, keeping it funded is absolutely something we need to do. And my hope is that my Republican colleagues will, will recognize that this is not about partisan politics, this is about making sure that the American people have the government that, that we all deserve. And, you know, I got sworn in -- in 2018, got sworn in, in January 2019, to the longest government shutdown in history, and I absolutely do not want to see that happen again. And I just, I hope that all of us can come together and make sure that that that doesn't happen, because it is really not good for our country. And I'm going to, I'm going to do everything I can to make sure that that doesn't happen.

SANCHEZ: And quickly, Congresswoman, I want to bring attention to something that's happening just outside of your district. There's an oil spill there, an estimated 14,000 barrels from the Keystone Pipeline have spilled into a creek in Washington County, Kansas, it's causing a shutdown of the entire system. How is this impacting people in your state?

DAVIDS: Well, of course, I'm going to continue to monitor what's going on. And I know that our team is -- we're working on, on making sure to stay in contact with, with folks who are impacted. And, you know, I've always said that we, we have to make sure, and this is something on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee that I have, that I have, like, thought about, focused on talk to my colleagues about is making sure that when it comes to, to these kinds of pipelines that we need to make sure that, that they're kept up to date that we don't see incidences like this happening, and so I'm going to continue to monitor the situation and stay in contact with the folks that are being impacted right now.

SANCHEZ: Congresswoman Sharice Davids, thank you so much for the time and congratulations on the bill passing.

DAVIDS: Thank you so much. Have a good day.

WALKER: Interest rates are headed higher as the Federal Reserve keeps up its effort to tame inflation. The Fed meets this coming week, its last meeting of the year. And CNN Chief Business Correspondent Christine Romans has a preview.

CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN CHIEF BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Amara and Boris, a big week is in store for the U.S. economy. The final Federal Reserve Board meeting of the year, the Central Bank is expected to raise rates one more time before the new year. So far, the Fed has raised its benchmark interest rates six times this year in its fight to control inflation, inflation running at a 40-year-high. Inflation is still issue number one for the Fed and for consumers gas prices are down almost $0.50 over the past month. It's about 10 bucks less to fill up an SUV for example.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ROMANS (voiceover): And Adobe Analytics reports online prices actually fell in November, huge price cutting for Black Friday and Cyber week sales. But it is too early to declare victory over inflation. Wholesale prices in November rose 7.4 percent compared to a year earlier. That's down from the revised 8.1 percent in October.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROMANS: Fed Chief Jerome Powell has indicated that smaller interest rate increases may be on the horizon. The Fed is committed to raising interest rates and keeping them there until inflation is under control. Boris and Amara.

WALKER: Christine, thank you. Up next, intriguing new details about how Brittney Griner was treated inside a Russian prison. We're going to discuss the risks of cutting these deals to free Americans detained abroad.

SANCHEZ: Plus speaking of Russia, the President there, Vladimir Putin, says he may formally change his policy of not being the first country to use nuclear weapons in a conflict. We're live in Ukraine with reaction and CNN visiting a hospital there, treating Ukrainian soldiers coming back wounded from the frontlines.

[07:19:12]

We'll take you there when we come back.

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WALKER: For the first time in almost 300 days, WNBA Superstar, Brittney Griner, wakes up in the United States after the nightmare of being held in a Russian prisoner, prison, I should say. Griner was freed in a prisoner swap involving a notorious arms dealer. She's now undergoing a routine medical evaluation in Texas. And in a new CNN op- ed, my next guest, warns that Griner's exchange "underlines an emerging trend of hostile states holding Americans to gain leverage over the U.S. government." Peter Bergen is a CNN National Security Analyst -- he joins me now. Good morning to you, Peter, thanks so much for getting up so early. So, first of all, tell us about this trend. How concerning is it? And is there anything the U.S. can do about it?

PETER BERGEN, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY ANALYST: Well, one thing is, you know, the Brittney Griner case -- and thank you for having me on -- is you know, bringing this issue to a lot of Americans. And you know, if you travel to Russia, to China, to Iran, to Venezuela, this is a possibility you may have picked up. You know, we used to think of American hostages as being taken by groups like ISIS or Al Qaeda. And certainly, that continues to be an issue. But what's really emerging as a, as a real issue is what the U.S. government refers to as wrong, wrongfully detained Americans.

[07:24:46]

People like Brittney Griner, who was in a penal colony for a very minor drug charge for nine years. But there are other examples in the way that, you know, these cases tend to be resolved as with prisoner swap, we saw with Viktor Bout. But it's one of several cases the Biden administration has had quite a lot of success in getting people back, but it comes at a cost. It's the Russian government doesn't wake up and have a good day and say, hey, we're just going to release somebody. They're going to want something in exchange, and they're going to drive a hard bargain.

WALKER: Yes, and that was a steep price for the U.S. to pay. Because as you say, Vikto Bout was, is an infamous arms dealer who's going to be very valuable to the Russians, as you write. But you believe that this price is worth paying, even though, you know, there's been a lot of criticism around this swap, you know, saying that this just increases the bounty on Americans heads?

BERGEN: Well, there is that risk, but I mean, you know, we -- I think that the issue is now. If you're going to hold on vacation in Russia, you need to be cognizant that, you know, this is an issue, and I think that but the fact is, you know, the duty of the American government is to protect Americans. And we've seen a number -- Trevor Reed, a former U.S. Marine was swapped for Russian drug dealer earlier this year. Mark Erickson, American contractor held by the Taliban was swapped for an Afghan drug dealer earlier this year.

We had seven Americans held in Venezuela for many years. They were swapped for two Venezuelan drug dealers who happened to be related to Venezuela's First Lady. So, I mean, this is the price unfortunately, of it's a tough decision. But what are you going to do? I mean, at the end of the day, allow somebody to rot in the Russian penal colony for up to a decade? No. So, in my personal view, I think that these deals while they are difficult, are necessary.

WALKER: And you know, Paul Whelan, obviously, there's been a lot of talk about him as he's been in a Russian labor camp, but he's been detained by the Russians since December of 2018. You know, his family also spoke out saying that they're obviously happy to hear Griner was released, but they're devastated that Paul Whelan was left behind. And he also spoke exclusively with CNN this week. Here's what he had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PAUL WHELAN, U.S. MARINE DETAINED IN RUSSIA: I don't understand why I'm still sitting here. I'm greatly disappointed that more has not been done to secure my release, especially as the four-year anniversary of my arrest is coming up, I was arrested for a crime that never occurred. They've always considered me to be at a higher level than other criminals of my sort. And for whatever reason, I'm treated differently than another individual here from a Western country that's also on a charge of espionage.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WALKER: So, it does seem like he is being treated differently, right. I mean, and we did learn that Russia wanted a Russian spy who has been serving a life sentence for murder in Germany in exchange for, for Paul Whelan. Is his case, different? Is there a steeper price to get him back? How difficult is it going to be to bring him back home?

BERGEN: Well, yes, the fact about Putin is not in the business of, you know, cutting some kind of easy deal. I mean, as you pointed out, CNN is reporting they wanted this Russian spy back who, you know, committed a murder in broad daylight in Berlin in 2019. So, the German government was not going to release him. That said, you know, the, the Griner, the fact that these negotiations were successful, I think does suggest that there will be other negotiations despite the war in Ukraine or the other issues that Russia and the United States are now embroiled in.

There's clearly an open channel, there's also a very, there's a team at the State Department and that the White House works on these issues 24/7, takes them very seriously. And so, I think there's hope, I mean, what exactly the deal will be? I don't know. But I mean, clearly, the Russians just made a deal. They have made other deals for another former U.S. Marine, Trevor Reed, so not dissimilar also charged with spurious charges of espionage. So, it's not impossible, in my view, I mean, I'm hopeful for Paul Whelan and his family that, you know, this will be resolved soon.

WALK: And the Biden administration has repeatedly said that they have not forgotten about Paul Whelan, and they do continue to talk to negotiate his release. Lastly, before we let you go, Peter, we know that Saudi Arabia along with UAE, was reportedly a part of this high- profile prisoners change in terms of mediating it. The fact that the Saudis, the NBS was involved. I mean, that obviously just solidifies what we've been seeing is this, this, this, this rehabilitation of Saudi Arabia, as you know, part of the world stage, even though he was a pariah, considered a pariah for the killing of Jamal Khashoggi.

BERGEN: Yes, Biden called Saudi Arabia a pariah state when he was a candidate. Well, so yes, this week has been a very good week. He's, you know, he got he was involved in this Griner release. Reportedly, he posted this huge event in Saudi Arabia with leaders from all around the world, including Xi, the Chinese leader who was very dependent on Saudi oil needs it for his economy. You know, he was a -- U.S. court dismissed the case against him, you mentioned Jamal Khashoggi, who was murdered by Saudi officials in Istanbul.

[07:30:04]

The sovereign immunity was invoked, he's made himself a Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia. So, he no longer faces charges in that case for his alleged role in Khashoggi's murder. So, you know, it's been a very good week for Mohammed bin Salman.

WALKER: It sure has. Peter Bergen, we'll leave it there. Appreciate your time. Take care. Have a good one.

BERGEN: Thank you.

SANCHEZ: The United States is seeing a surge in flu cases after Thanksgiving. We'll tell you what this could mean for the rest of the holiday season. We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WALKER: New data from the CDC says that more than a third of hospitalizations are -- and deaths due to flu this season were reported just last week in the wake of Thanksgiving travel.

[07:35:00]

SANCHEZ: CNN health reporter Jacqueline Howard brings us up to speed on the very latest.

JACQUELINE HOWARD, CNN HEALTH REPORTER: Flu activity remains high across the country right now. And here are the latest numbers.

So far, due to the flu, at least 13 million people have been sick, 120,000 hospitalized, more than 7,000 deaths from flu have been reported, and 21 of those reported deaths have been in children.

According to the CDC, all but seven states are experiencing high or very high levels of respiratory virus activity right now. And in New York City, health officials have issued an advisory saying that everyone should wear masks when indoors in public, even if you've gotten your flu shot or had flu before.

The advisory also lists other prevention measures, like washing your hands frequently, staying home when sick, and of course, getting up to date on your vaccinations. Back to you.

SANCHEZ: Jacqueline Howard, thank you so much for that. Hospitals in the United States are also the fullest they have been, since tracking began at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.

About 80 percent of beds are in use nationwide. This week, CNN's Chris Wallace sat down with Dr. Anthony Fauci and asked him if the pandemic lockdowns actually worked.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHRIS WALLACE, CNN HOST: Could we have been less restrictive about schools and less restrictive about closing down the economy, and focused, if not from the very start earlier on, on the elderly?

DR. ANTHONY FAUCI, CHIEF MEDICAL ADVISOR TO PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN: You know, in the absence of vaccination, that would have been very difficult to do. But right now, that you have the ability to vaccinate people, you can actually clearly be much more liberal and open and what we're doing, which is where we are really right now.

But in the very beginning, when essentially everyone was at risk of infection, you can pass it on to someone else, inadvertently innocently and have that person suffer a dire consequence.

So, when you're dealing in the beginning, it was like a tsunami that you needed to shut off quickly, and then open up as quickly as you possibly can.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANCHEZ (voice over): You can watch this full interview on this week's episode of "WHO'S TALKING TO CHRIS WALLACE". It's streaming right now on HBO Max, and it airs tomorrow night at 7:00 p.m. right here on CNN.

And next, another warning from Russian President Vladimir Putin. He's floating the possibility of changing strategies when it comes to using nukes. We'll explain in just moments.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[07:42:05]

WALKER: for the second time this week, Russian President Vladimir Putin floated the possibility that Russia may formally change its stance on using nuclear weapons.

WALKER: Currently, Russia's military doctrine prevents the country from being the first to use nuclear weapons during conflict.

VLADIMIR PUTIN, PRESIDENT OF RUSSIA (through translator): In the U.S., there is a theory, even the practice and their strategy of a preventative strike. We don't. In our strategy, there is a response to a strike. There are no secrets here. What is the response to a strike? Its response to a strike aimed at us, a response.

So, if we talk about this preemptive disarming strike, maybe we should adopt that practice of our American partners, their ideas of keeping themselves safe. We are thinking about it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANCHEZ: All of this comes just days after Putin warned about the increasing threat of nuclear war. President Biden and his administration have noted that Moscow has been warned of the consequences for using a nuclear weapon.

WALKER: Joining us now is CNN senior international correspondent Sam Kiley in Kyiv.

Sam, you've had an up-close look at the aftermath of the fighting for these Ukrainian soldiers.

SAM KILEY, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, it's very interesting seeing Vladimir Putin talk about doctrinal changes in terms of the use, preemptively, perhaps, for Russia of a nuclear weapon, the kind of doomsday scenario.

But on the ground, there is something kind of much more second world war, if you like. In a pre-nuclear age, a kind of Battle for Stalingrad on a small scale in the town of Bakhmut, a town that the Ukrainians have baffled as to why the Russians are throwing so many people into this fight, and they are, as a consequence, this is the Ukrainians losing men and suffering very catastrophic injuries.

And we visited one of the hospitals very close to the frontline coping with those injuries.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KILEY (voice over): Wartime brain surgery in tandem, wounded in battle on the same day on the same front, two young men, the focus of these over practice neurosurgeons. Kramatorsk is often bombed. The windows even in here are taped to slow flying glass. The effort is intense to repair brains, to save lives, memories, loves, and future dreams.

They would have little idea where to start their delicate work. If they didn't have use of this, CT scanner. It can pinpoint damage, find what it's done, and it gives surgeons a plan of action.

He says, yes, and unfortunately, there is no left eye; there's a suspicion of damage to the right eye as well, but definitely no left eye.

This is the fourth patient we've seen in the space of about an hour come in for a CT scan. It's supposed to be doing 15 or 20 a day.

[07:45:00]

They're actually doing 70 or 80. In short, it's wearing out.

This equipment is vital. The hospital can't afford a new one. But a used one is for sale in the west of Ukraine, cost about $120,000; price of losing this one, incalculable.

He says he show signs of severe cranial cerebral injury with acute subdural hematoma, and severe brain contusion. He needs urgent surgery.

The administrators here have raised about $60,000. They need help with the rest. This is the only CT scanner in a vast region.

Critical, this machine is critical. CT is critical to provide appropriate care for patients with both head wounds and acute brain injuries. Is it saving lives? Definitely, absolutely 100 percent.

There's been a steady flow of soldiers injured in a near Bakhmut. That is the scene of the heaviest fighting. This is a hospital that is trying to deal really with an area they say about 300 square kilometers, and a lot of that is at war.

Some soldiers are relatively lucky. Duck was shooting mortars at the Russians, who shot mortars back.

My commander was lucky. He sat in front of me and I sat behind him, and he was unhurt, and I got hit in the leg. But, yes, we've seen wounded and dead before. If I'm sitting here, I am lucky.

Ukrainians on this eastern front call it the meat grinder. Czech was alongside Duck when they were hit.

How would you describe the battle for Bakhmut?

He says, World War I trenches, mud, blood trenches, mud again artillery trench warfare, that's it. World War I and World War II, something like that. Verdun, the some (PH), something like that.

The difference is that modern weapons are now more powerful. Modern surgery often the only route to survival -- that an old-fashioned grit.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KILEY: Now Boris and Amara, the fighting around Bakhmut and it's on front that is about 800 miles, about 1,200 kilometers long is intense. It's the most intense battle front on the entire front line.

But it's not the only one, and the key is where will the Russians strike next, particularly, with the winter freeze means that armor can move more easily.

WALKER: A Remarkable reporting, as always. Sam Kiley, thank you.

And in just a few days, the world will get the second instalment of the Harry and Meghan series on Netflix.

But millions have already tuned in to the first episodes and there is no shortage of opinions.

A look at the wide-ranging reactions is next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[07:52:23]

WALKER: Who has been watching? Have you, Boris?

SANCHEZ: No.

WALKER: I haven't tuned in just yet, but I will. Harry and Meghan take on Britain's tabloid media on the first three episodes of their new Netflix docuseries.

SANCHEZ: And then, Harry specifically compared Meghan's experience to that of his mother, Diana.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PRINCE HARRY, DUKE OF SUSSEX: As far as a lot of the family were concerned, everything that she was being put through, they've been put through as well.

So, it was almost like a rite of passage. And some of the members of families like, right but my wife had to go through that. So, why should your girlfriend be treated any differently? Why should you get special treatment? Why should she be protected?

And I said the difference here is the race element.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANCHEZ: The second instalment comes next week. But as CNN's Anna Stewart reports, the response from Britain has been mixed.

ANNA STEWART, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, the first instalment of Harry and Meghan's documentary series didn't necessarily cause the shock or the drama that was expected.

Prince Harry accused the royal family of unconscious bias when it comes to race. He said they didn't do enough to support Meghan, but frankly, that was nothing new.

So, it came as little surprise, this on an official visit to the newly titled city of Wrexham in Wales. The king gave no comment on the Netflix series.

He went about as engagements as planned, meeting Hollywood stars, and to new owners of Wrexham Football Club Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney.

Of course, it's possible the palace will break that no comment tradition next week if new and serious allegations are made or specific family members are mentioned.

The other target of Harry and Meghan's anger was the media. And not just the tabloids, all the paparazzi, but actually accredited members of the palaces Royal Rota, the traveling press pool that covers royal engagements.

Prince Harry called the press pack of correspondence "an extended P.R. arm of the Royal Family.

However, newspaper headlines Friday focus more on what was perceived as, and I think we've got it in The Telegraph here, a direct hit on the late queen's legacy.

And the Daily Mail went for something similar, saying, "Palace anger at assault on the queen's legacy."

And much attention to this given to the treatment of the Commonwealth in this series, which one guest described as a privileged club or formerly colonized nations.

Now, from speaking to people about the series, it appears minds haven't really been changed. Those supportive of Team Sussex still are. Those horrified by their actions are frankly more horrified. And there actually may be a growing camp of people just fed up with a coverage altogether.

That was actually well exemplified by the front page of the Mirror, "Stop the royal circus," which talks about how there's also a cost-of- living crisis that people perhaps are more focused on.

[07:55:03]

Well, it's not ending anytime soon. There are three more episodes to come next week. And Prince Harry's memoirs, titled, Spare, early next year.

Anna Stewart, CNN, London.

WALKER: And this week's new episode of CNN, "THIS IS LIFE WITH LISA LING", she explores how serious mental illness is affecting her home city of Los Angeles.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: People get back to you with an ETA.

LISA LING, CNN HOST: Lieutenant, what's this call that's just come in?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: A female was acting irate, she is screaming and ally. Families concerned that she is going to jump out of the window.

LING: One of the Met teams is already en route to the incident. Lieutenant Breeze (PH) and I follow close behind. Is there kind of a formula for what happens when you arrive on scene?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: So, usually the Met team will talk to family and everybody involved. Do the assessment on this female, trying to figure out what's going on. And then, just take it from there.

LING: Rolling onto the scene, it's immediately clear we're in the right place.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WALKER (voice over): Wow. Catch an all-new episode of "THIS IS LIFE" tomorrow at 10:00 p.m. right here on CNN.

Back after this.

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