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First Move with Julia Chatterley
Trump On Trial; Hush Money Trial; Hope Hicks Testifies In Trump's Hush Money Trial; Universities Ramping Up Security; Campus Unrest; Over 2,000 Protesters Arrested; Two Australian Brother Missing In Mexico; Missing Tourists In Mexico; Jobs Market Slows; Three Men Arrested Over Sikh Murder; Arrests In Killing Of Sikh Activists; David Cameron Visits Ukraine; Russia's War On Ukraine; China's Moon Shot; China's Lunar Leap; Kentucky Derby Preview. Aired 6-7p ET
Aired May 03, 2024 - 18:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[18:00:00]
WORLD BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: For the next hour, we'll take you inside the courtroom from gavel to gavel, break down all of today's most important
developments and look ahead to what's next.
Welcome to our viewers here in the United States and around the world. I'm Wolf Blitzer with a special report in "THE SITUATION ROOM," the Trump trial
today.
Hope Hicks' once very close relationship with Donald Trump taking a pivotal and emotional turn today as she appeared on the witness stand in this
criminal --
PAULA NEWTON, CNN ANCHOR: 6:00 a.m. in Beijing 8:00 a.m. in Sydney, and 6:00 p.m. right here in New York. I'm Paula Newton in for Julia Chatterley.
And wherever you are in the world, this is your FIRST MOVE.
A very warm welcome to FIRST MOVE. Here's your need to know. Donald Trump's former aide Hope Hicks takes the stand in his hush money trial. What she
says the former president told her to say about his alleged affair with Stormy Daniels.
Concerns growing for two Australian brothers and their American friend who went missing in Mexico. Canadian police charged three men over the murder
of a prominent Sikh separatist.
And --
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: China's Chang'e-6 mission blasts off into the sky.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NEWTON: -- moonshot. China launches a probe to the far side of the moon, as the space race with the United States heats up. All that and more coming
up.
But first the latest on former U.S. President Donald Trump's hush money trial. Now, Hope Hicks, Trump's press secretary during the 2016 campaign,
testified that he told her to deny he had an affair with the adult film star Stormy Daniels. She also said Trump didn't want his family to be hurt
or embarrassed by anything happening in the campaign.
That statement could in fact bolster the defense team's argument that the hush money payment was kept from hearing -- that kept them from hearing
lurid allegations not, in fact, to help his election chances. Hicks also said that Trump's former attorney, Michael Cohen, who made the payment to
Daniels, sometimes went rogue. Our Kara Scannell has more.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KARA SCANNELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Hope Hicks, once one of Trump's closest aides took the stand Friday, an emotional day of testimony
at one point, even tearing up on day 11 of Trump's criminal trial.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What's it's like being (INAUDIBLE) again?
DONALD TRUMP, FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT AND REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: So, I'm not allowed to comment on any of that. As you know, I'm under a gag
order. I was very interested in what took place today.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCANNELL (voice-over): Hicks, who was Trump's campaign spokesperson in 2016 and later served as White House communications director, looked
visibly uncomfortable before testifying, saying she was really nervous.
Prosecutors quickly brought up the Access Hollywood tape, which was released just one month before the 2016 election.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And when you're a star, they let you do it.
SCANNELL (voice-over): Hicks recalled Trump being upset. She said there was a consensus among campaign leadership that the tape was damaging to the
campaign and it was a crisis. She said media coverage of the tape was so intense, it literally knocked a Category 4 hurricane out of the news cycle.
Hope said it was all Trump all the time for the next 36 hours.
Hicks testified that Trump was involved in the campaign's response. Prosecutors played his video apology for the jury.
TRUMP: Anyone who knows me knows these words, don't reflect who I am. I said it. I was wrong, and I apologize.
SCANNELL (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" catch and kill deal involving Trump's alleged affair with an ex-Playboy model, Karen McDougal, and adult film star, Stormy Daniels.
Trump denies the affairs.
Hicks said she spoke with Trump, who was concerned about the story, and he instructed her to deny it. She is quoted in the "Journal" saying Daniel's
affair allegation is absolutely, unequivocally, untrue. Hicks said Trump was concerned with how the article would be viewed by his wife, saying, he
wanted me to make sure that the newspapers weren't delivered to his residence that morning.
Prosecutors asked Hicks about Trump's former lawyer Michael Cohen's $130,000 payment to Daniels to buy and kill her story of an alleged affair
with Trump. Cohen told "The New York Times" in 2018 that he made the payment from his own pocket. Hicks said she was skeptical about Cohen's
motives, saying, I didn't know Michael to be an especially charitable person or selfless person.
[18:05:00]
Hicks described Trump's assessment of the story, saying, it was Mr. Trump's opinion is that it was better to be dealing with it now and that it would
have been bad to have that story come out before the election. As Trump's attorney, Emil Bove, went to take over questioning, Hicks began to cry.
After a break, Bove focused on Cohen, trying to show he had no role in the campaign and would act on his own. Hicks testified Cohen was not supposed
to be on the campaign in an official capacity, but would try to insert himself at certain moments. She said Cohen often did things that were
unauthorized by the campaign and that he sometimes went rogue.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NEWTON: Our thanks to Kara Scannell there. For more on this criminal defense attorney and former prosecutor Michael Farkas joins us now. Good to
have you.
MICHAEL FARKAS, CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY AND FORMER NEW YORK CITY PROSECUTOR: Thank you.
NEWTON: This testimony, even though not televised, was just so riveting. Hope Hicks clearly shaken there by having to give evidence. Was she in the
end a good witness for the prosecution?
FARKAS: I believe she was. Now, I'm not denying that Emil Bove made some strong points, you know, consistent with their defense tactics. But
overall, you know, this is a witness who clearly has an affinity from President Trump, really didn't want to be there, and really wanted to try
to do her best to show that she still held him in high regard. And yet, what she said overall, not to me, helped the prosecution.
I mean, on the one hand, the defense wants to say that Michael Cohen went rogue, and that he did things that were unauthorized. But on the other
hand, she said very clearly that it's just not realistic to think that he would have paid this money without Mr. Trump's authorization and direction.
She thought it was -- you know, to me laughable, that he asserted that Cohen paid it out of the goodness of his heart because that's the point
where she said that he's not an especially charitable person or selfless person, right? So, I think, overall, she was better for the prosecution.
NEWTON: Better for the prosecution. And yet, in cross-examination, what do you think the defense was able to achieve? I mean, what I noted was that
the jury heard how Donald Trump was concerned about his wife's reaction.
FARKAS: Yes. So, I don't know why no one is saying that this doesn't have to be mutually exclusive. Isn't it sensible to think that someone who's
running for president, certainly Mr. Trump, who is the most obsessed with the media, including tabloid media, of any presidential candidate ever,
right? Does it make sense that he would not only be concerned about his election chances if this terrible information came out, but he's also
concerned about, you know, maybe embarrassing himself in front of his wife? Why can't the two coexist?
Of course, they can. And I think you're going to hear the D.A. argue that. I think the D.A. is hoping that the defense is going to try to make this
more of a point.
NEWTON: Yes, you have probably just paraphrased what they may say, in fact, in their concluding remarks. You know, we've heard a lot of
scandalous testimony this week. The details may be riveting, but the narratives surrounding Donald Trump for this jury is likely nothing new,
right?
Do you think that this could actually dilute the case for the prosecution? Because remember, what they have to prove is business fraud, not infidelity
and not buying silence for that infidelity.
FARKAS: Well, the buying silence portion of it is key. You know, he has to be proven to have been involved in the hush money payments, proven to be
involved in such a way that he was hiding the true nature of them, right? Paying back, you know, the circuitous route, so to speak, in Mr. Cohen,
who, by the way, is obviously, you know, the little spoiled boy that nobody wants around, and he's desperate to be involved, desperate to -- like,
wiggle his way in, and he never quite did.
But, you know, the truth is that -- and I mean, I think the evidence is establishing the truth is, is that he acted in Mr. Trump's direction,
right?
NEWTON: It has been interesting for many people to watch this, especially when you have the specter of a former president there on the stand. In
terms of how you view it, though, has this been textbook so far or would you say there have been some surprises, whether it was from the defense or
from the prosecution?
FARKAS: No, I am not surprised by much as of yet. I -- that this is what you expect from a Manhattan prosecutor. They're extremely well prepared.
They've charted this out for many, many months. I am -- I believe that the calling of David Pecker as the first witness was a brilliant move. I
thought he set the tone without having to (INAUDIBLE) the defense's points.
So, so far, no, I'm not surprised.
NEWTON: Michael, we will leave it there for now, but I really do appreciate your -- you know, your pointed analysis of this, especially for
those of us who are just looking at this right now and trying to take it in, you know, as if we were a member of the jury, because that is what
counts. Have a great weekend and we'll check in with you again. Thanks so much.
[18:10:00]
FARKAS: Thank you. Thank you very much.
NEWTON: Now, meantime, across the United States, universities are promising enhanced security measures as they prepare for commencement
ceremonies, and it follows, of course, the week of highly charged and volatile situations on U.S. campuses.
Dozens were arrested in New York as police moved into clear encampments around New York University and the New School. In total, more than 2,000
people have now been arrested since the middle of last month.
Now, the U.S. education secretary has now sent a letter to college presidents condemning what the Biden administration calls abhorrent
incidents of antisemitism. Polo Sandoval explains where things stand now.
POLO SANDOVAL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hey, Paula. Two additional police operations at Manhattan campuses, one of them at New York University, the
other at the New School, bringing a total of roughly 57 arrests there. That will be added to the well over 2,000 people who have been detained on
campuses throughout the country in the last couple of weeks.
At New York University, administration officials, they are clearing an encampment that had been present, they say, for nearly a week that took no
more than 20 minutes to do so, according to police. 30 chose to leave when asked by police, about a dozen did not and were arrested.
And then you look at the pictures from overhead at the New School also in Manhattan, overhead pictures there showing some of the over 40 people who
were detained in a similar incident. It is still unclear exactly how many of them had direct ties to the university.
But we should add we have learned a little bit more about an incident from earlier this week when New York police officers were asked to make their
way onto the Columbia University campus to help clear out an encampment and also detain several individuals in a building that had been occupied by
demonstrators. We have learned, according to Columbia, that 13 of the people who were occupying that administration building did not have ties to
the school.
There has, however, been some positive outcomes here, including at Rutgers, where you could see students seen taking down an encampment after they say
that they reached an agreement with the university leadership, leaving the door open to ongoing dialogue in exchange for dismantling this encampment.
The university will, among other things, taken at least 10 displaced Palestinian students.
And at Brown University, officials there agreeing to a vote on a student divestment proposition that happens in the fall. So, long as there are no
future encampments that are built up on campus. So, really as we begin to see commencement season right around the corner with some schools
scheduling those ceremonies starting this weekend, it gives you a sense of how universities are responding to that growing wave of demonstrations on
campuses throughout the country. Paula.
NEWTON: Polo, thanks so much for that update. And now, to Mexico, where a search is underway for three missing tourists. Two Australian brothers and
their American friend were reported missing on Monday when they didn't show up to their rental property.
Now, authorities in Mexico say they have been questioning three people. The tourists were on a surfing trip south of Tijuana. Stefano Pozzebon is on
this story for us. I know, Stefano, you have been following this. In terms of the latest updates, have they had any sign of what may have happened to
them?
STEFANO POZZEBON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: No. Exactly, Paula. Unfortunately, the latest update that we had today is almost the same as we had yesterday,
that the police and the authorities in Mexico who are receiving the assistance of American and Australian authorities as well who are across
the search, they're scrambling to put together some evidence and looking at every clue to find the exact whereabouts of these three surfers who are
still remaining missing and at the same time trying to figure out what happened. But this is the latest from the police.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JORGE ARGOUD, OPERATIONAL DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF SECURITY FOR ENSENADA, MEXICO (through translator): Until now, we are still searching. As the commander
said, it's not just us, but other authorities have joined the search, flying drones over the coast. It's very important for us to find these
people, but for now we have nothing.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
POZZEBON: Unfortunately, that statement, Paula, is not from today, it's from yesterday, from Thursday, because today, we have contacted the police
time and again and the attorney general's office up in Mexico City, and both authorities told us that they're still unsure. They're still
scrambling to put together the evidence.
They have put -- brought three people into questioning at the police station that -- who might have heard or might be across the disappearance
of these three surfers and they have retrieved a mobile phone, they've retrieved a tent where they believe the surfers had been staying before
going missing, and they've retrieved a vehicle whose brand, color, and model is consistent with the one that the two Australian surfers hired for
to go to Baja California in Mexico.
[18:15:00]
Now, Baja California remains mostly a safe place to visit. Last year, over 50 million people traveled to the state, which is known for its pristine
beaches and of course, food, seafood, and the surf scene. However, the reason security crisis going on in Mexico, and you can only imagine how
this situation, as long as we don't hear from the police, a positive (ph) outcome in this frantic search up in Northwestern Mexico, we can only
imagine how the families are going through these moments.
We really hope, Paula, to be able to send you an update as soon as we hear back from Mexican authorities. Paula.
NEWTON: Yes, Stefano, and I really do appreciate you keeping track of this story for us. And you'll be able to bring us updates in the next hours or
days as you get them. Appreciate it.
Straight ahead for us, rough news on Main Street. We've heard this story before, right? Sometimes it appears to be good news on Wall Street. The
U.S. jobs market shows signs of cooling off. And, yes, investors loving it. What all this means for interest rates and job seekers after the break.
And Canadian police make arrests in a case that triggered a diplomatic crisis between Canada and India. The latest on the investigation into the
killing of a prominent Sikh activist.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NEWTON: And welcome back to FIRST MOVE. Now, an end of the week Wall Street rally tops today's "Money Move." All the major averages finishing
the session up well over 1 percent on news that the U.S. jobs growth slowed substantially in April. In fact, tech stocks were the big winners. Look at
that. The Nasdaq up almost 2 percent. And that was, of course, as treasury yields also fell.
The U.S. reporting 175,000 new jobs were added to the economy last month. And that number was well below expectations and far below the more than
300,000 jobs added in March. Now, the U.S. unemployment rate ticked up to 3.9 percent and wage growth came in less than expected.
Now, investors hope all of this will take some pressure off U.S. prices and inflation, allowing the Fed to cut interest rates, maybe even later this
year. Diane Swonk joins me. She is, in fact, the chief economist at KPMG US.
[18:20:00]
And I can only imagine what you thought when you saw these numbers this morning, one week-ish jobs report and the markets lose their minds, already
pricing in a summer rate cut. I mean, what did you read about, I will say, this one data point?
DIANE SWONK, CHIEF ECONOMIST, KPMG US: Well, it is only one data point. The good news is that we still saw solid job gains and they are more broad
based. The biggest shortfall really came from a shortfall on state and local hiring, which has been driving job gains really since mid-2023.
We know that job openings at the end of March for state and local governments were still among the most elevated of all job openings out
there. So, there's still more room to run on that, and I wouldn't take too much out of this one number.
That said, the irony is that the more that financial markets rally and bring rates back down again and equity prices up, the more that can
stimulate the economy and work against the Fed's efforts to just hold rates higher for longer and slowly cool inflation without causing the economy to
go into a deep freeze. They want to avoid a full-blown recession.
But, you know, this idea that the financial markets keep running the Fed and getting ahead of them on rate cuts, that's a problem. And it's one of
the reasons why we saw the acceleration in inflation in the first quarter, it really revealed how much dry tinder there is still in this economy.
NEWTON: Yes, absolutely. I want to talk to you, though, about the fact that we do have a bit of a weaker labor market. Now, in order to rein in
inflation, and again, I'm going to come back to that 2 percent target, do you think this signals that the U.S. economy has a better chance of getting
to 2 percent? Because some had questioned that.
SWONK: I still have my doubts that we can get to 2 percent and stay there, because we've got a lot of things that are what we call structural
inflation now, supply shocks that just aren't going away, everywhere from the Panama to the Suez Canal right now, hot wars, droughts in the Panama
Canal, those things are slowing down shipping and boosting shipping costs and causing these kind of supply shocks we didn't have before, a more
fragmented world with more protectionism.
But also, we've had a lot of climate damages. And that's one of the reasons insurance costs are going up so much. And they haven't stopped the -- over
a billion-dollar climate damage events have actually accelerated quite sharply over the last five years, and that's why you can't even get
insurance in some parts of the country on your home.
So, these things are much harder for something that's beyond the Fed's control and it makes us (INAUDIBLE) how low can the Fed actually get
inflation? I do think they'll keep their 2 percent target. But let's face it, we only got there for a few months, right, prior to the pandemic. And
that was on the downside, trying to get it up to 2 percent.
If we get down to two and a quarter, 2.2 percent, a little above that, I think that's close enough.
NEWTON: Yes, we should take it likely. Absolutely. And before I let you go --
SWONK: Take the win.
NEWTON: Yes, take the win. I want to ask you about the U.S. dollar. It was down today. In terms of international markets, you know, we get a sustained
period of a lower dollar. What do you say that would be stimulative to economies? Because what we hear all the time is that it hurts, obviously,
U.S. exports, but also disproportionately hurts other economies out there.
SWONK: Yes, this is sort of the role that the Fed is maybe no longer the 800-pound gorilla in global financial markets, but it is still got a lot of
weight. And I think that's important. What we saw was the dollar's appreciation and depreciation of other currencies was starting to force
many to be worried that the depreciation in their currency meant they're going to have higher import prices, they're going to have higher costs and
higher inflation, and that could delay the rate cuts that other central banks had planned.
So, as the Fed was talking about delaying rate cuts, that has spillover effects, although it's not as bad as it once was because many emerging
markets have sort of -- have foreign reserves and they can defend their currencies when they move really dramatically. They said, we saw this on
all currencies. Even the Japanese yen depreciated sharply against the dollar. And those are things complicating the decisions by other central
banks to cut rates.
And I have to say, I have not had more calls from foreign journalists about the Fed's May meeting in -- and any meeting the Fed has had in a very long
time until this meeting. And I think that's because of the concerns that everyone has abroad about how rapidly they'll be able to stimulate their
economies.
NEWTON: So interesting. It's such a good perspective to hear, especially when we're worried about not just the U.S. economy, but obviously the
global economy at that. Diane, always so good to talk to you. Have a great weekend. Appreciate it.
SWONK: Thank you.
NEWTON: Now, intense storms in Texas, bringing floods just north of Houston. And a tornado watch has now been issued for the western part of
the state. Now, storms have showered the Central U.S. with heavy rainfall in recent weeks.
[18:25:00]
Meantime, Kenya and Brazil also dealing with heavy rains and flooding. Chad Myers joins me now. And Chad, you know, again, just looking at that video
from Texas, it is hard for me to take that in. It's astounding.
CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: You know, when you get 27 inches of rainfall in a month, I think anywhere in the world could actually get some
flooding, and that's what they've had here. And it just continues to rain here across the area with 12 major flood gauges now above the major
category, which means everywhere along that river is flooding. Over the last five days, some spots between 10 and 15 inches of rain.
And if you want to do this, Woodville, Texas at 27 inches of rain, it's about 700 millimeters of rainfall. In some spots -- many spots across the
world don't get that much rainfall in an entire year, and they had it in 30 days.
More rain coming in mainly in the hill country of Texas, which is kind of the western part of Texas. This too, the western part of Texas yesterday.
Wow. This was a major, major tornado on the ground, and there were injuries from this. And we have tornadoes on the ground right now in West Texas, not
as photogenic as that one because they're wrapped in rain. When that happens, you can't see the tornado.
With 216 tornadoes just in the past five days alone, more tornadoes today, likely another outbreak Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday for the U.S.
Now, let's shift our attention here to Nairobi, Kenya, seeing an awful lot of rain, even more rain right now in places that don't need any. Kenya has
picked up, in some spots, 400 percent of normal just in the past 33 days. So, an amazing amount of water. And yes, we've had flooding certainly. And
we've had lost lives.
Same story here in Brazil. A storm system that's been stuck over the same area for many, many days and it's not moving today and it won't move
tomorrow. More rain coming down on top of this. And where's that rain going to go? Back into the lowest elevations. And all of a sudden, that water is
going to continue to rise some really dangerous conditions here. And yes, dozens of people either missing or we've lost them.
NEWTON: Yes. And Brazilian authorities have warned that the worst isn't over. Yes, Chad Myers for us. Thanks so much. Really appreciate it.
MYERS: Yes.
NEWTON: And stay with us. We will be right back with more news in a moment.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[18:30:00]
NEWTON: Two of a developing story now in Canada where police have charged three Indian nationals with the assassination of a prominent Sikh activist.
Hardeep Singh Nijjar was shot dead in June last year in British Columbia. It was a killing that sparked outrage with Canada's prime minister linking
his death to India, something India denies.
Nijjar, who was a Canadian citizen, had campaigned for a separate Sikh homeland in South Asia. Now, police gave an update just in the last few
hours. Listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MANDEEP MOOKER, SUPERINTENDENT, ROYAL CANADIAN MOUNTED POLICE: I am here today to announce that we arrested and charged three individuals for first
degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder in relation to Hardeep Nijjar's homicide.
IA (ph) investigators along with Edmonton Services -- Edmonton Police Services, and numerous other RCMP resources, took custody of all three of
these individuals in Edmonton, Alberta.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NEWTON: We want to get more on the significance of this case, particularly when it comes to relations between Canada and India. Xavier Delgado is an
associate at the Wilson Center's Canada Institute, and he joins me now. Good for you to be with us when we've had this news in the last few hours.
You know, Police were blunt. Indian authorities were tough to work with. Of course, they say they are still investigating whether or not India was
involved at all. They, of course, deny that. Why do you believe India is just really refusing to cooperate if they're innocent?
XAVIER DELGADO, ASSOCIATE, CANADA INSTITUTE, WILSON CENTER: Well, first of all, thank you for having me. We know from the beginning that the Indian
government has been difficult to work with from the time that Justin Trudeau made the allegations on the floor of Parliament. The new government
in New Delhi has called the allegations absurd and motivated. They vowed not to cooperate, which is a sharp contrast from some of the allegations
that have come out of the United States and their cooperation with those investigations for an alleged conspiracy to commit murder of a Sikh
activist in New York City.
The difference is stark and notable. There could be a variety of motivations for it, including the Indian government's history of
frustration with Canada for not detaining alleged Sikh activists who have alleged ties to terrorism and terrorist activities in India, which the
Canadian government, of course, denies. So, there's a history there.
It's unfortunate for Canada, which had hoped to use India as a bulwark in the Indo-Pacific against China. India, of course, playing a notable role in
Canada's Indo-Pacific strategy, which was released in 2022, which is in line with the U.S. policy for India as well for the region.
NEWTON: Yes, and as you point out, this obviously was a point of contention. India accuses Canada, in fact, of harboring terrorists. Now, I
will say that the Khalistan movement has a specific cause. They want to create an independent Sikh state. And that, of course, is what India
objects to. And they object to their activities, though, on Canadian, or for that matter, American soil.
You know, Modi was ferocious in his pushback of this. Was that really a good thing for him to do, given it seemed to cause many more problems,
maybe not necessarily with Canada so much, but also with the United States?
DELGADO: Well, it seemed to be -- again, I'm not an expert on Narendra Modi, but it seemed to be in his calculus that he could get away with a
pushback against Canada that he perhaps could not against the United States. Of course, the U.S.-India partnership in the region is critical to
the success of both countries in advancing their interests in the Indo- Pacific.
With Canada, I think he felt that he could get away. I don't know if he knew at the time that the United States was also investigating ties between
his government and the alleged plot to kill somebody, an activist in New York City. If he had known that information and that the Canadian and U.S.
authorities were collaborating and investigating individuals tied to both killings, perhaps he would have taken the Canadian allegations more
seriously.
Of course, now that we have all the information, we know that both of these killings were connected by an individual who believed he was contacting a
contracted killer in the States, but was actually talking to undercover police officers in the U.S.
NEWTON: In terms of the community itself in Canada, how are they reacting to this? I mean, at the end of the day, the accusation -- although, you
know, India denies it, the accusation is that India sent a hit squad to Canadian soil in order to take out an activist they did not like.
[18:35:00]
DELGADO: It's a notable allegation. It was shocking news at the time. I don't think anybody outside of the intelligence community or highest levels
of Canadian government. I mean, even the leaders of the opposition parties in Canada were only told shortly before the announcement was made that the
prime minister planned to make this allegation on the floor of Parliament.
I think it's notable that Canada has a very large Sikh population. It is the largest Sikh population outside of India. It's also home to a notable
population of Indian migrants. It's actually one in five migrants coming into Canada are -- originate from India. And Canada is pushing to have 1.5
million immigrants by the end of 2026.
So, India makes up a notable part of that immigration strategy as well. It's been a big factor in the freezing of relations between the two
countries.
NEWTON: Yes, and it's extraordinary that we are talking about freezing of relations. As you said, one in five, a large population there already, one
in four students, in fact, going to Canada are from India. Xavier Delgado, we'll have to leave it there for now, but the story will continue to
follow. Thanks so much.
DELGADO: Thank you very much.
NEWTON: Now, British Foreign Minister David Cameron wrapped up a two-day visit to Ukraine. He's been meeting there with top officials. On Thursday,
he told reporters Ukrainians could decide for themselves how to use weapons provided by the U.K. and have the right to strike targets inside Russia.
Ukraine is still waiting to receive the $61 billion worth of military aid that the U.S. Congress recently approved as Moscow pushes ahead. Claire
Sebastian has our story.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CLARE SEBASTIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, it's clear Russia is continuing to exploit the narrowing window before Ukraine gets fresh U.S. military
aid. Most of the action taking place on the Eastern Front.
This is a time lapse of the year so far. The data comes from Ukrainian monitoring group, DeepState. You can see over here, Avdiivka swallowed up
in February. But what's happened since then, even more concerning for Ukraine. Over the past 10 weeks, Russia has taken more land than in any
advance since July of 2022, a CNN analysis shows.
Now, there are no major towns as of yet, but there are worrying signs up here in Ocheretyne, where Russia now appears to have a foothold. This is a
larger village, it's on higher ground. And in the past week, Ukraine's commander in chief admitting his army has had to withdraw west of several
more villages, including right here in Berdychi, Russia, making it clear it's ramping up.
SERGEI SHOIGU, RUSSIAN DEFENSE MINISTER (through translator): To support the necessary pace of our offensives and build up our troop composition for
our further actions, we need to increase the volumes and quality of the weapons and military technology supplied to our troops.
SEBASTIAN: Well, this is another key focus. Up here, the town of Chasiv Yar, west of Bakhmut. Now, for context, it's taken Russia a whole year to
advance from the western edge of Bakhmut to the outskirts of Chasiv Yar.
But here is why it matters. Chasiv Yar sits on higher ground. The red here indicates the highest elevation, giving it a direct fire line onto critical
Ukrainian defensive strongholds. Kostyantynivka down there, Druzhkivka up here. Just to the north is Kramatorsk, the regional capital and vital train
link. So, this small town, potentially decisive for Russia in its quest to occupy all of the Donetsk region.
You can see in this video just how intense the bombardment has been. CNN has geolocated this to the eastern edge of the town. And as the camera pans
around, you can see some of the geography here. If we pause there, the canal is just here. That's a natural barrier and here are the
fortifications.
Now, so far, Ukraine says it's holding on.
OLEG KALASHNIKOV, SPOKESMAN, UKRAINIAN 26TH ARTILLERY BRIGADE (through translator): They are trying to find a weak spot where they can breach our
defense. They can't do more. The occupiers will not be able to capture Chasiv Yar by May 9th.
SEBASTIAN: Well, May the 9th is, of course, when Russia celebrates victory in World War II, and Ukraine is concerned Russia wants to make a strategic
difference on the battlefield before that.
And there are other pushes, up here in the Kharkiv region, and then down in the southeast, where Ukraine was on the offensive last summer. Ukraine,
though, now solely focused on defense. And likely facing more perilous days ahead.
Claire Sebastian, CNN, London.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NEWTON: Coming up for us, Chinese space enthusiasts were treated to quite a spectacle on Friday as Beijing launched its most ambitious moon mission
ever. The goal, to one day put Chinese astronauts on the moon. The latest lunar lowdown. Just ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[18:40:00]
NEWTON: And welcome back to FIRST MOVE. We'll call it a fiery Friday for the Chinese Space Program.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: From Wenchang Satellite Launch Center.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NEWTON: China launching its most ambitious lunar mission yet as the global space race heats up. The destination, brace yourself, classic rock fans,
will be the dark side of the moon. Marc Stewart was in southern China for the big launch.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MARC STEWART, CNN CORRESPONDENT (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 (voice-over): 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.
STEWART: Why does the journey to the moon matter so much?
LEROY CHIAO, FORMER NASA ASTRONAUT: I think it's symbolically important. It's, again, why does any country get into the spaceflight business,
particularly human spaceflight? It's for national prestige, it's for -- to show the world their technological prowess.
STEWART: This isn't just about space and science, it's also about national pride and profit. Space tourism is big here. That includes these rocket
shaped water bottles.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This is the first time. So, we are very excited.
STEWART (voice-over): The space presence here is palpable as families take pictures and shop for souvenirs.
STEWART: 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.
STEWART (voice-over): Celebrations aside, this is a cosmic competition to make a mark on Earth and beyond.
Marc Stewart, CNN, Hainan Island, China.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NEWTON: Tariq Malik joins me now. He's the editor-in-chief of space.com. I'm glad to have you here on a Friday when we are evaluating this kind of a
launch. Now, how impressive is this in terms of the technical, the science component of this?
[18:45:00]
TARIQ MALIK, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, SPACE.COM: Well, this is a really ambitious mission that China has just launched. You know, we were talking it as like
one mission, but it's really four different spacecraft all wrapped up in one. They have an orbiter that they're going to send to the moon on this
53-day mission. It'll have a lander. It'll have all of the machinery it needs to collect samples on the far side of the moon. Something that's
never been done before.
Then it has an ascent vehicle, a rocket that it will launch those samples back up into lunar orbit, dock with that orbiter again, bring it back and
then have it -- transfer those samples into a capsule. And then, that's what comes back to Earth. And all of that has to work perfectly to get
these unprecedented samples back.
So, it is extremely ambitious. But they have done a similar mission from the near side of the moon in the past. So, they seem to be very confident
they can get -- they can pull this off,
NEWTON: And I'm going to assume that you'll be one of those applauding if they do pull it off. I mean, the moon shot right now, for lack of a better
term, is so competitive on balances. This new space race, is it good globally, no matter who gets these achievements done?
MALIK: That's right. You know, this is, again, just kind of another achievement that China is looking to notch as they pursue what they hope to
be crude -- a human exploration of the moon. They hope to have astronauts on the moon by about the 2030s.
And one thing that is very interesting on this mission is that they're not alone on this flight. They launched a Pakistani CubeSat. They have
experiments from Sweden and France and others on board. They are kind of embracing this cooperation, at the same time as NASA is doing the same with
other countries, too.
So, there is a bit of a competition to see who can get the most partners, who can build the first moon base there first, and it does seem that
they're really gaining steam with this mission here.
NEWTON: But do you think the concerns about militarizing space are overblown when we see all of this heightened interest in the moon right
now?
MALIK: You know, I think it remains to be seen exactly how serious the military applications all of these countries, the United States, NASA,
Russia, as well as China, all have when they're really looking at the moon. You know, it is a science kind of bastion right now. It is a demonstration
of technological prowess as well. But how feasible as a military installation it could be, you know, it's just -- it's hard to fathom right
now.
However, the proof technological achievement of just the feat of being able -- not only to get these apples back, but to build the systems you would
need to have a sustained human presence on the moon, that is pretty key. And there is, I guess, a concern over the resources on the moon.
China has said that they intend to land their next missions at the Lunar South Pole to not only get samples from there, but also to drill into the
water ice that has been detected there and try to use it as a demonstration to show that you can turn that water into air, oxygen, maybe even rocket
fuel. That is a very vital resource that NASA also wants to use at their same -- at the same location at that South Pole, and that could be a bit of
a proving ground for competition over those resources.
NEWTON: Now, before I let you go, I don't have a lot of time left, but I do want to give viewers some insight into Boeing's Starliner. It's finally
ready for its debut, set to carry two astronauts to the International Space Station. I bet you're saying right now, finally, hallelujah.
MALIK: That's right. That's right. It's been a long road for Boeing's Starliner spacecraft. Boeing is one of two companies NASA picked to fly
astronauts to the moon, but their spacecraft has been delayed by malfunctions and issues over time. They had to launch an extra uncrewed
test flight just to prove that it was ready and then make more repairs on top of that.
But they did get the green light today, the final go from NASA, from Boeing, from their launch provider, United Launch Alliance, to lift off in
just a few days. They seem like they've got all of their issues solved. And in fact, they have a pristine weather forecast too, 95 percent go for that.
So, they seem very ready to go and that they're really looking forward to a successful test flight.
NEWTON: Yes, we'll see if those competitors, including Elon Musk, will be cheering from the sidelines for that when that happens. Tariq Malik, we'll
leave it there for now. Thanks so much.
MALIK: Thank you. Thank you for having us.
NEWTON: Now, coming up for us on FIRST MOVE, who is the favorite to win at Churchill Downs? We'll have a preview of this year's Kentucky Derby. That's
next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[18:50:00]
NEWTON: So, a couple of teams are facing elimination in games tonight in the NBA playoffs. In the East, the Cleveland Cavaliers take on the Orlando
Magic, that's about 10 minutes from now. If the Cavs win game six of their series, they will advance to play the Boston Celtics. And in the Western
Conference, the Dallas Mavericks face off against the L.A. Clippers in just a few hours from now. If the Mavericks win, they'll go on to play the
Oklahoma City Thunder.
Meantime, women's basketball sensation Caitlin Clark will make her WNBA preseason debut with the Indiana Fever about an hour from now.
And about this time tomorrow, horses will be getting set to run the 150th Kentucky Derby, often called the most exciting two weeks -- pardon me, two
weeks, two minutes, two minutes in sports. Favorite to win, Florida Derby winner Fierceness.
Patrick Snell joins us now. Can you imagine two weeks? No, it's two minutes. It is 150 years though, Patrick. They must be so excited.
PATRICK SNELL, CNN WORLD SPORT: Oh, Paula. Yes, this is already one of the most prestigious occasions there is on the sporting calendar over here in
America. The famed Kentucky Derby. But you're absolutely right, so much history at stake this time around. More than ever.
The race, of course, staged at the iconic Churchill Downs in Louisville. The Derby is the first leg. Just to remind our viewers, this is really
important because it kind of sets the scene, sets the tone, doesn't it? The first leg of the Triple Crown, which also includes other really famous
races, the Preakness Stakes and the Belmont Stakes as well. But this is the big one, the 150th anniversary.
And, Paula, you mentioned Fierceness. If, and it's still an if, Fierceness does win, it will be the first time we've had a favorite winning the Derby
since 2018. Keep an eye though, as well on Sierra Leone during this latest run for the roses.
But as I think we all know, right, you can't ever be sure a favorite is going to win. Let me take you back to two years ago. We had that absolutely
epic finish when Rich Strike caused a massive shock by sealing victory and odds of 80 to one, the second biggest underdog in history.
So, what's it like to actually win the famed Kentucky Derby? Of course, I will never know that. But let's hear from someone who knows that just that
winning feeling, two-time Kentucky Derby champion Hall of Famer Mike Smith, who triumphed in 2005, then again, in 2018. He says it's a truly life-
changing experience.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MIKE SMITH, TWO-TIME KENTUCKY DERBY WINNING JOCKEY: This is our Super Bowl, man. This is what everybody in our sport strives for. And you know,
it's just when you're blessed enough to make it there, it's special, man. And it's just so open. It's a great sporting event, man. If you've never
been to the Derby, you're missing out on a great event. If it's on your bucket list, you got to make it out.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SNELL: Smith talking there to TNT Sports tonight. Paula, I just can't tell you, it's just such a big deal over here. Last year, 15 million people
watched the TV broadcast. You know, think Super Bowl in terms of party, not to that scale, of course, but you get friends and you get family gathering
for, among the festivities, of course, the famed Mint Julep. That's a bourbon-based cocktail. Not that I know anything about those.
And of course, you're going to have over 150,000 people right there for it all in Louisville. It's a wonderful occasion and we're all looking forward
to it. We'll have regular updates, of course, through the weekend across the networks of CNN.
[18:55:00]
NEWTON: Absolutely, Patrick. And for our British friends, I will remind you, it is a derby, not a Darby. If we have to call if a Darby in Britain,
you have to call it a derby when you're in the United States.
SNELL: Absolutely. Yes.
NEWTON: Just saying. Patrick, we'll be watching. Thanks so much.
SNELL: Thanks, Paula.
NEWTON: I appreciate it. And finally, on FIRST MOVE, President Joe Biden on Friday awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom to 19 personalities. It
is, in fact, the highest honor given to civilians in the United States.
Well-known names from the world of politics, business, entertainment, and sport were honored, including Former U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi,
Former U.S. Vice President Al Gore, American swimmer and seven-time Olympic gold medal winner Kathleen Ledecky and Michelle Yeoh, the first Asian women
to win an Academy Award for Best Actress for her work in the film "Everything, Everywhere, All at Once." And then, of course, there is
Clarence Jones, a renowned civil rights activist and lawyer who helped draft Dr. Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream" speech.
It has been quite a week with so many students actually citing that as their purpose for protesting around the United States this week.
That does it for this show. Thanks for joining us. I'm Paula Newton. I will see you right here next week.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[19:00:00]
END
