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CNN This Morning

Universities Rocked By Protests Set To Hold Graduations; Emory Faculty Group Votes No Confidence In University President; Former Trump Aide Hope Hicks Testifies In Hush Money Trial; Henry Cuellar Indicted Over Bribery Scheme; Biden Awards Nation's Highest Civilian Honor to 19 Recipients; CIA Director Bill Burns in Cairo As Gaza Ceasefire Deal Reaches Critical Point; Russian Drone Attack Causes Fires Across Ukrainian City of Kharkiv. Aired 6-7a ET

Aired May 04, 2024 - 06:00   ET

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

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[06:00:35]

AMARA WALKER, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning, everyone. Welcome to CNN This Morning. It is Saturday, May 4. I'm Amara Walker.

VICTOR BLACKWELL, CNN ANCHOR: I'm Victor Blackwell. It is good to be with you. Thank you for joining us.

Here's what we're watching for you this morning. Commencement ceremonies, they are now the latest targets of protesters that have gripped the college campuses across this country. How schools plan to deal with those and the agreements they're making to put a stop to the demonstration.

WALKER: Longtime Donald Trump aide Hope Hicks took the stand Friday and Trump's hush money criminal trial where she told the court about what was happening inside the campaign after the release of that Access Hollywood tape.

BLACKWELL: After nine consecutive days of tornadoes, we're tracking the threat for more severe weather today, the biggest threats today and the city's at risk through early next week.

WALKER: Plus the FAA is expanding the list of acceptable antidepressants for pilots and air traffic controllers. While why many in the industry say it is a major step in the right direction.

BLACKWELL: Universities across the U.S. are now raising security concerns at their campuses as they prepare for graduation ceremonies. Of course, this comes after weeks of pro-Palestinian protests.

These are protesters who interrupted commencement ceremonies at the University of Michigan of Music, Theater and Dance and the demonstration lasted for a few minutes before police arrived and took those protesters away.

WALKER: At the University of Southern California says it will hold a small family graduate celebration. Last week the school canceled the main graduation ceremony that would have brought in as many as 65,000 attendees. The school has also started the disciplinary process for student protesters.

UCLA says campus operations will resume and full Monday with increased security. More than 200 people were arrested Thursday after refusing to leave and encampment on campus.

We're also getting new details about the major protests this week at Columbia University in New York, a total of 44 people there were arrested for storming and barricading themselves in Hamilton Hall. And that number includes 23 Columbia students, two Columbia employees and 13 adults with no affiliation with the school.

BLACKWELL: At Emory University here in Atlanta, some faculty members approved a vote of no confidence against the university's president. And the body that voted is made of a faculty in the Emory College of Arts and Sciences. CNN's Nick Valencia explains what that means for the school.

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NICK VALENCIA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Faculty Senate members at Emory University voted overwhelmingly no confidence on Emory's President Greg Fenves. The vote comes just over a week after 28 people were arrested during pro-Palestinian demonstrations on campus.

Of those 28 who were arrested, 20 of them had connections to the school. In his initial statement, Emory President Greg Fenves, had said that the group was outside agitators which was inaccurate. His statement was criticized as was his decision to call in police officers with the Atlanta Police Department and troopers from Georgia State Patrol.

Now this vote of no confidence is not legally binding, but the results will make their way to the Board of Trustees and they have the discretion to remove Fenves if they wish. We reached out to Emory University and this is what they're telling us in a statement saying, quote, while we take any concerns expressed by members of our community seriously, there are a wide range of perspectives being shared within the Emory community. Those pro-Palestinian demonstrations continue on Emory's campus, Nick Valencia, CNN, Atlanta.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLACKWELL: Nick, thank you very much. Hope Hicks, once one of Donald Trump's closest aides was the star witness and day 11 of his hush money tried.

WALKER: Noticeably uncomfortable Hicks avoided eye contact with her former boss while she was on the stand and at one point began crying. CNN Kara Scannell was in the courtroom.

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KARA SCANNELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Hope Hicks once one of Trump's closest aides took the stand Friday and emotional day of testimony at one point even tearing up on day 11 of Trump's criminal trial.

DONALD TRUMP, FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT: So I'm not allowed to comment on any of that, as you know under a gag order. I was very interested in what took place today.

SCANNELL (voice-over): Hicks who was trying his campaign spokesperson in 2016 and later served as White House Communications Director looked visibly uncomfortable before testifying, saying she was really nervous.

[06:05:10]

Prosecutors quickly brought up the Access Hollywood tape which was released just one month before the 2016 election.

TRUMP: Hey, when your star they let you do it.

SCANNELL (voice-over): Hicks her called 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 the category four 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 (voice-over): 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 plans to publish a piece about the National Enquirer's catching killed 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's 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 as text 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 describe 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.

SCANNELL: A court official tells me that Donald Trump paid the $9,000 fine for violating the gag order. Hope Hick's testimony completes the second week of witness testimony in this trial. The jury has heard a lot about the catch and killed deals at the center of this case. The next phase is the alleged cover up. Kara Scannell, CNN, New York.

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WALKER: All right. Kara Scannell, thanks so much. Joining me now is Joey Jackson, CNN legal analyst and criminal defense attorney. Joey, it's always good to see you. So regarding Hope Hicks testimony this week, what -- it seemed like she helped both the prosecution and the defense, right, because on one side, she was painting Trump as his family man who, you know, was most concerned about protecting his family when these allegations were about to come out.

But of course, on the other side, you know, she talked about him being such a micromanager. And, you know, that didn't seem he wouldn't know about these hush money payments. What's your take?

JOEY JACKSON, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: Yes, absolutely. Spot on, Amara. Good morning to you. And I think that based upon that she certainly gives both parties things to argue ultimately the prosecution and the defense when it comes to closing arguments, but look at the critical things a prosecution can use and Fembot (ph) pivot briefly to the defense.

The bottom line is from prosecution's perspective, they point out this whole Access Hollywood tape. Why is it so relevant, Amara? It's relevant because you have a campaign based upon the statements made in crisis as a result of that, would it not be appropriate? Would it not be comporting with common sense for Donald Trump to direct Michael Cohen, when another potentially damaging story is going to come out to take care of it handle it.

And what in the handle it has to do with him saying, hey, that 130,000 payment is fine by me. That's authorization. So that's what they'll argue. On the other hand, from a defense perspective, you get the issue of listen, you heard her say he was concerned about his family. You heard her say the issues relating to, you know, Trump's concern about that that would be a motivating factor.

Also, very briefly, in terms of you mentioning the micromanagement, that's important because again, if he's a micromanager and it's run his business is run like a family business. He would be that is probably responsible for authorizing Cohen to make that payment.

[06:10:00]

But again, last thing from a defense perspective doesn't Michael Cohen go rogue? Doesn't he do things on his own? So yes, both of those arguments will be made both, as you mentioned, Amara, things certainly can help some things can help the prosecution, some things to help can help the defense. That's why you have a jury that has to grapple with these factual decisions and make a determination as to whether there's criminality that Amara witch trials are all about.

WALKER: So of course, you know, we are waiting to see when Michael Cohen will take the stand as a key witness for the prosecution. What do you think the prosecution strategy is, and calling him to the stand? Because so far we've heard you know, so many people trash him, especially his character? Is there a strategy here? Well, you know, as one of the main witnesses for the prosecution?

JACKSON: Without question, but look at what the strategy has been. The strategy from a prosecutor's perspective is to make Michael Cohen as irrelevant as possible. OK. What do I mean by that? What I mean is that every witness they've had so far from the National Enquirer that is Mr. Packer talking about the whole catch and kill deal, and his interactions with Michael Cohen, right talk -- Davidson and the who -- he's the attorney Davidson for Stormy Daniels. And of course, Karen McDougal and his interactions with Cohen.

All of these witnesses preceding Michael Cohen are talking about things relating to Michael Cohen, Michael Cohen's actions, their interactions with him. And that eliminates what Michael Cohen has to do. It eliminates Michael Cohen having to be believed. It eliminates Michael Cohen having to be the core witness.

So the prosecution and answer to your question amorous focusing on making Michael Cohen lift as little as he possibly can, and having all these preceding witnesses corroborate him. So it's not about whether you believe Michael Cohen, he then is an important piece of the puzzle. Of course he is.

But if everybody else talks about what he did, what his role was, what the nature and purpose of his activities were, then how could you not believe Michael Cohen? And that I think is going to be the prosecution strategy and motive, because he is going to be savaged by the defense in terms of his you mention, you know, just his unsavory nature, the things that he's done, and certainly his lies, misrepresentations, his convictions, and so yes, I think that's the prosecution's role.

WALKER: I mean, before he's even testified, right, I mean, Judge Juan Merchan already seems fed up with him and some of the public comments that Michael Cohen has made about Trump and the trial. On that note, the gag order, you know, on Friday, Juan Merchan, the judge, did clarify to Trump that this gag order would not prevent him from testifying if he were to choose to do so. But we're still waiting on the judge to rule on these four other

alleged violations of the gag order. Trump did pay that $9,000 fine by the deadline Friday, according to Kara Scannell's reporting there. Would you be surprised if Merchan moved to, you know, order some jail time for Trump if he continues to violate this?

JACKSON: So here's my view of it in terms of not being able to ask Trump if he testifies about the underlying gag order connected to this case as the absolute right call. It's too prejudicial. It would have the jury certainly take a view of it not that they may not have heard about it outside the courtroom, but they cannot impose whatever they heard to evidence inside the court.

So on that issue, I think the judge is right on that's a fair ruling. Right. With respect to the actual what the judge will do now, I think there'll be additional fines that will be imposed. It's still early on, remember the nature of what Mr. Trump said, right? Really preceded the whole $9,000 payment issue.

I think now though, Amara, that Trump is on notice. Right? I think that what it'll do is if he put imposes additional, that is if Trump violates the gag order again, I think you could see jail at that point, but I don't think this ruling would include jail at all.

WALKER: Joey Jackson, it's always good to talk to you. Thanks so much.

BLACKWELL: Parts of Texas are facing the threat of more storms today. Heavy rains have already flooded hundreds of homes. Look at this video. This is Livingston about an hour north of Houston. Official say at least 700 homes in Polk County where Livingston is located are flooded.

Rescue is used boats to reach some people who are trapped on their rooftops because of the high water. CNN's Allison Chinchar is here now. Clearly they've had enough Moore's on the way

ALLISON CHINCHAR, CNN METEORLOGIST: Yes, some of those places have had over 20 inches of rain. 20 inches, and now we're going to be adding more on top of it. At that point, it doesn't even matter if you only even get, say a quarter of an inch. The damage is already done. Now you're just prolonging it.

So yes, you look at videos like this from Livingston, but there was also other areas that ended up picking up significant amounts of rain. That's why you have so many of these rivers, creeks and streams in the area that are either at minor, moderate or even major flood stage.

[06:15:00]

And those things take time. So what it means is it's going to be days, if not even weeks before those get back down to normal levels and it's because of the intense amount of rain. The widespread areas, you're talking here about six to 10 inches of rain. But these pink spots, that's where we were talking 15 even 20 inches of rain.

You still have flood warnings and flash flood warnings in effect because there is still some rain in the area. We also have some stronger thunderstorms farther off to the north places like Omaha stretching down into areas of Kansas and Oklahoma. And that sets the overall tone for the rest of the day because we also anticipate some more strong to severe thunderstorms, especially this afternoon and evening.

Now the target point is really going to be focused across Texas. But really the potential for any of those storms exists all the way up through Chicago. You're talking very large hail damaging wind gusts and yes, even some tornadoes.

Yesterday mark the ninth straight day in a row of a confirmed tornado today could end up being the tent. We've had 224 total tornado reports since April 24. It has been a very busy last few weeks today is likely to continue that especially around the Midland Abilene and Del Rio Texas area.

WALKER: Lots going on. All right, Allison Chinchar, thanks so much.

BLACKWELL: All right. Taking bribes, laundering money unlawful, foreign influence. Democrat Henry Cuellar is accused of doing all that over about a seven-year period. Details of those allegations in a new indictment. Next.

WALKER: Last April got a Goldilocks jobs report not to hold cold hot, not too cold how to slightly slower jobs growth could be good news for the economy.

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WALKER: A democratic congressman and his wife were charged with taking nearly $600,000 in bribes during a years long scheme involving Azerbaijan and a Mexican bank. On Friday, federal authorities indicted Congressman Henry Cuellar along with his wife Imelda.

BLACKWELL: Authorities say the couple took bribes from a foreign oil and gas company in exchange for representative Cuellar agreed to perform official congressional acts in favor of Azerbaijan and the Mexican bank as well. CNN's Melanie Zanona has more.

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MELANIE ZANONA, CNN CAPITOL HILL REPORTER: Good morning Victor and Amara. We are learning new details about this indictment that follows a years long criminal probe in to the Congressman. The DOJ has charged with Congressman Cuellar and his wife on charges of bribery, unlawful foreign influence and money laundering.

Both of them appeared in court in Houston yesterday and specifically, the DOJ has accused the Congressman of accepting nearly $600,000 in bribes from two foreign entities. One of those is a bank headquartered in Mexico City, and the other one is an oil company owned by the government of Azerbaijan. And according to this indictment, Cuellar agreed to accept these

bribes in exchange for taking official acts as a member of Congress and agreeing to trying to influence U.S. policy by doing things like inserting favorable language into certain bills and committee reports and also delivering certain speeches on the House floor.

Now this development comes over two years after the FBI raided both the Congressman's home and his campaign office back in January of 2022. But the Congressman maintains his innocence and says he will run for reelection in November.

Let me read you part of his statement. He said, I want to be clear that both my wife and I are innocent of these allegations. Everything I've done in Congress has been to serve the people of South Texas.

Now, we are also getting some reaction from the top Democrat in the House that's House minority leader Hakeem Jeffries. He did announce yesterday that the Congressman would temporarily stepped down from his top post on a House Appropriations Subcommittee. We should note that Cuellar is a senior member of that very powerful panel, which has jurisdiction over some key spending and policy decisions. He also at one point was the co-chair of the congressional Azerbaijan caucus, but Jeffries also said that congressmen Cuellar should be innocent until proven guilty, guys.

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BLACKWELL: All right, Melanie Zanona, thanks so much. Joining me now is Sophia Cai, National Politics Reporter for Axios. Good morning to you. All right. So, Melanie walked us through what this means for the congressman. But now you've got a democratic congressman, and why facing these charges.

Remember, there's still a Democratic Senator Bob Menendez and his wife, they're facing charges as well. Beyond the two individuals, is there some residual impact on the larger party on the President as we get closer to November?

SOPHIA CAI, NATIONAL POLITICS REPORTER, AXIOS: Well, I think first of all, there's been a lot of allegations from Republicans, including former President Trump, as well as his allies in Congress that DOJ is weaponized, and that it's, you know, skewed against Republicans out to get them.

I think, you know, a lot of the Democrats who are facing charges and indictments is a sign that you know, the law applies equally. I think Cuellar and his wife engaged in elaborate scheme that was outlined in this 54-page indictment.

And you know, that's just one of three more recent lawmakers. We had Cuellar we had Senator Menendez indicted for bribery, we had, famously George Santos who was indicted for fraud charges.

[06:25:00]

I mean, those are all very significant developments in it. And it really shows, you know, there may there may be some issues here where, you know, what the allegations are for doing favors for a foreign government in exchange for official acts, including adding clauses and appropriations bills, adding clauses in the NDAA, helping with an Azerbaijan citizen, and immigration issues. I mean, those are all specific allegations against the Democratic congressman.

BLACKWELL: Yes. And again, as Melanie said, innocent until proven guilty, and we'll remind everyone while there are some on the right, who are trying to spread this beyond just these individuals, it is the presumptive nominee for the Republican nomination who was literally on trial right now and facing dozens of felony charges.

Let me go now to another topic. And these protests. We heard from the President after two weeks or so of the White House saying this is a university issue that is up to these individual presidents and their boards of trustees.

The president came out gave about four or five minutes of comments after the urging, even if some members of his own party. Are they satisfied by what the President has said thus far about what we've seen across college campuses?

CAI: You know, I'm not sure if anyone is satisfied. I think the President had three options. He could have either condemned the protesters, he could have, you know, either said they have a right to free speech and not condemned them, or he could have let his surrogates or he could have let his administration officials speak for him. And he did much of all three, I mean, he waited quite a while to make a speech about it. I think here you have Secretary Cardona writing to university presidents taking a more forceful stance.

But I think, you know, he really risked alienating both wings of his party. And you know, what's pretty significant is that I saw some videos of protesters on both sides shouting at Biden, which suggests how fraught this has been, and also that President Biden knows how fraught it has been in so that may be why you waited so long to say something.

BLACKWELL: Yes, the protest one of the two big stories dominating the news this week. The other of course, former President Trump on trial in that hush money trial. Your latest piece is about how the campaign and the courthouse how the Trump side is trying to maneuver this Tetris, as you call it a pieces.

In New York, we've seen a gripping grin with some construction workers, the former president heading up to Harlem. Are there indications that they'll go big with the rallies that we've seen in other parts of the country in the swing states? I don't know if he'll win New York or New Jersey, but are they going to do it anyway?

CAI: Well, he's certainly campaigning in New York and New Jersey, for President Trump was pretty upset the first week during opening statements that he didn't see crowds as he expected. He told his advisers as much and you know, later that week, they set up that construction site and meet and greet. And he's done so again this week with firefighters and his campaign tells me that they're looking at suitable locations in New York for those bigger rallies that he's looking to do, but we haven't seen specific plans yet.

And then, next weekend, he's going to be in New Jersey campaigning. So you know, due to the trial schedule, he's been forced to choose more local locations. And he's also been forced to do the swing state rallies in just one day. I mean, the campaign has also been forced to move three of their daily morning meetings.

Due to the trial schedule, they've also had to really just accommodate a candidate, you know, who has certain wishes as he's on trial. And the most significant piece of this, I have to say is the gag order. The campaign has really looked to his lawyers to help them determine how and when he messages on this case, and I think that's very uncomfortable for President Trump.

BLACKWELL: All right, Sophia Cai. Thanks so much.

WALKER: President Biden honored 19 people with the nation's highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom. The list of honorees include key political allies for Biden, such as former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and South Carolina Representative Jim Clyburn.

Biden also awarded the Medal to several civil rights leaders like Clarence B. Jones, who helped draft Martin Luther King Junior's I Have a Dream Speech and Opal Lee, an educator who helped push to make Juneteenth a national holiday.

[06:30:05]

Celebrities like Oscar-winning actress Michelle Yeoh also received the medal of freedom as well seven-time Olympic gold medalist Katie Ledecky.

Biden even quipped that his criticism -- criticism of his own age, telling Ledecky who is 27 that age is just a number.

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JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: That she continues to compete this Summer at the Paralympics at age 27, which some say is old for swimming. I've seen --

(LAUGHTER)

Twenty seven, don't let age get in your way. I mean, you know me -- Katie, age is just a number, kid.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WALKER: And this is the second time Biden has awarded presidential medals of freedom. Back in 2022, he honored 17 recipients. All right, still to come, April's jobs report shows hiring was slower and well below the games economists had predicted. Why the Federal Reserve may welcome the slight slowdown.

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[06:35:00]

WALKER: And your headlines this morning. A source tells CNN that CIA Director Bill Burns is in Cairo. He is joining Egyptian mediators in efforts to reach a ceasefire and hostage deal in the Israel-Hamas war.

And now, his trip comes at a critical point in the negotiations. An Israeli source says the latest proposal calls for Hamas to release as many as 33 hostages kidnapped from Israel in exchange for a temporary ceasefire. U.S. officials believe this proposal has the best chance at ending the violence in Gaza.

BLACKWELL: Overnight, Russian drones attacked in Ukraine, setting fire to multiple apartment buildings in Kharkiv. Ukrainian officials say at least four people, including a child, were hurt. And Ukraine's Air Force Commander says Russia launched over a dozen drone attacks overnight.

WALKER: The White House and Wall Street are both celebrating a jobs report coming in lower-than-expected. A hundred and seventy five thousand jobs were added in April, which is far below what economists were expecting, and the unemployment rate ticked up to 3.9 percent.

BLACKWELL: That jobs -- that slowdown in job growth though could help ease inflation and lead to an interest rates cut later this year. CNN's Matt Egan has more.

MATT EGAN, CNN REPORTER: Victor and Amara, the runaway train jobs market may finally be slowing down. And that, that may not be such a terrible thing, because look, the blockbuster gains of recent months, that was not sustainable. And those rapid gains in the jobs market, they were actually fueling fears about inflation and interest rates.

Now, the new numbers, they show that the U.S. added 175,000 jobs in April. At any other time, that would qualify as strong. But this jobs market has been so hot that this is actually a cool-down. It's roughly half the pace of the prior month. When we look at wages, we can see that paychecks are still growing faster than prices.

That's good news for main street, but also good news for Wall Street is annual wage growth is below 4 percent for the first time in nearly three years. That is what the Fed wants to see. Is they search for science at the jobs market, is coming into better balance between supply and demand.

Now, this is just one month. It's too early to call a trend. Still for this one month, this does look like the goldilocks jobs report that many were rooting for, Wall Street, the Fed, and even the White House. They don't want to see a report that was so hot that it would add to those inflation concerns.

Of course, they don't want to see something too. So cold, that it would raise concerns about trouble in the economy. And so, this does keep alive hopes for an interest rate cut from the Fed. Not in June, but maybe later in the Summer or the Fall, borrowers can get a break from these really high rates for mortgages, credit cards and car loans. One other point here, even though the unemployment rate did tick up

unexpectedly in April to 3.9 percent, this is still low, historically low. In fact, the unemployment rate is now below 4 percent, 27 months in a row. We haven't seen anything like that since the late 1960s, one more month below 4 percent, and this will be the longest such streak in American history. Victor and Amara?

BLACKWELL: All right, Matt, thanks so much. Coming up, how the FAA says it's trying to reduce the stigma of reporting mental health in aviation ranks as it approves three additional anti-depressants for pilots.

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[06:40:00]

BLACKWELL: The FAA has now added additional antidepressants to the list of acceptable medications for pilots. The agency says the move is an important step to allow pilots and air traffic controllers to treat mental health conditions while still being qualified to work. CNN's Pete Muntean has more.

PETE MUNTEAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Victor, Amara, this is huge for pilots who are stuck in this backward system. An outspoken aviation doctor put it to me like this. Would you rather have a pilot who is depressed and getting treatment? Or a pilot who is depressed and not getting treatment and lying to keep flying? That's the reality of these very rigid FAA rules.

Pilots who disclosed mental health issues to the FAA risk losing their ability to fly. Plain and simple. That problem was thrust into the limelight after the case of Joseph Emerson; the off-duty Alaska Airlines pilot who had a mental breakdown on board a full flight last October. He admitted to trying to shut off the plane's engines as he was riding in the cockpit jump seat.

Now, most of the charges against him had been dropped, but the new changes from that case keep coming. This latest announcement from the FAA expands the lists of approved antidepressants that pilots and air traffic controllers can take, Cymbalta, Effexor, Pristiq. Those three had been added to the list.

[06:45:00]

They joined Celexa, Lexapro, Prozac, Sarafem, and some forms of Wellbutrin and Zoloft. Now, I spoke to FAA administrator Mike Whitaker about this after the Alaska Airlines incident, and he told me he wanted to see big changes to the FAA's mental health rules.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MIKE WHITAKER, ADMINISTRATOR, FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION: We really want to make sure we can accommodate common medications that aren't going to interfere with flying common conditions, situational conditions, but at the same time understand when there are more serious issues that need to be addressed. So, it's not going to be an easy thing, but we really want to have a

much more modern approach to how we're dealing with this issue.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MUNTEAN: Here is the new statement from the FAA, quote, "this is an important step, as it provides a path for more pilots and air traffic controllers to receive treatment for their mental health condition and still be medically qualified to work."

I'm a pilot and flight instructor, I've been talking to so many pilots who say this is a really important incremental change, not only for existing pilots, but people who want to be pilots worried they would get disqualified from the jump by taking one of these previously unapproved medications. Victor, Amara?

WALKER: All right, Pete Muntean, thanks so much. The space race is heating up. For the first time, China launches an unscrewed, un-crewed lunar mission to bring back samples from the far side of the moon. We will have details next.

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[06:50:00]

WALKER: China has launched its most ambitious lunar mission yet. It is headed for the moon's far side with the goal of bringing back some samples. But some are concerned that the mission may be about more than just exploring the moon. Here is CNN's Marc Stewart.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MARC STEWART, CNN REPORTER (voice-over): 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.

(on camera): 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 space flight business particularly human space flight? It's for national prestige, is for -- to show the world their technological prowess. STEWART (voice-over): 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.

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. Marc Stewart, CNN, Hainan Island, China.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLACKWELL: Thank you, Marc. The threat of biological weapons attacks has evolved with the onset of new technologies like AI. Well, next, we're looking at how the Pentagon is changing the way it combats these threats.

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BLACKWELL: Well, decades after the U.S. faced the spate of deadly Anthrax attacks in 2001, the Pentagon is adjusting its strategy to combat new biological threats which could be made worse with the help from AI.

WALKER: CNN's Nick Watt has a look at the evolving threats of chemical and biological weapons, and what the U.S. is doing to counter it.

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NICK WATT, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The last deadly biological weapon attack on American soil was that spate of Anthrax-laced letters and soon after 9/11, five people died. Since then --

GREGORY KOBLENTZ, DIRECTOR, BIO DEFENSE GRADUATE PROGRAM, GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY: Overall, the first place is just much bigger, much more complex, much more dynamic.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We should be concerned.

WATT: We should be very concerned in part because in the past --

KOBLENTZ: The perpetrator had to actually have physical access to the pathogen. Now, it's possible to synthesize certain pathogens.

WATT: The government's eyes were open to another new issue by -- from little experiment to the small biotech company in Raleigh, North Carolina.

SEAN EKINS, CEO, COLLABORATIONS PHARMACEUTICALS: Something that they hadn't imagined doing, which was a breathtaking admission, you know, within a couple of weeks, we were talking to folks in the White House.

WATT: They tasked an AI algorithm that usually designed to helpful molecules to design harmful molecules. Similar to VX, the poison gas infamously used by Saddam Hussein to massacre thousands of his own people in 1988.

EKINS: We just flipped the directionality in space of probably about six hours. It came up with a roughly 40,000 molecules. We never actually made any of them. So, just to be clear, and we never tested any of them because that would be against the law.

KOBLENTZ: The good news is that this is harder than it sounds like developing these kinds of weapons and applying advanced technologies to them is still a very difficult, complex process. So, at this point, the throes(ph) is primarily from states.

WATT: China, North Korea and Russia, which has used chemicals in assassinations. Remember, they tried to kill Alexei Navalny with a nerve agent called Novichok. In a post on Instagram, you can hear him scream.

(ALEXEI NAVALNY SCREAMING)

Kremlin denies it. And --

KOBLENTZ: It's worth noting that the Islamic State that had a very active chemical weapons program about ten years ago, some of their experts are still at large.

WATT: Those bad actors plus computers spitting out recipes for novel pathogens and synthetic manufacturer of pathogens have forced the U.S. government into a complete change of approach.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Pivots been to not focus on what they traditionally call one drug, one bug.

WATT: Days gone by, the government could keep a list of potential agents, Anthrax, Sarin, VX, and a list of the treatments and countermeasures for each one, not anymore. And they're now spending a lot of money on that pivot.