>> hello, and welcome to our viewers joining us here in the united states and all around the world. i'm rosemary church. just ahead, on cnn newsroom -- as california prepares for the

pineapple express, a story of survival. an 81-year-old man trapped for nearly a week in a snowdrift with just croissants and candy has now been rescued. i will speak with his grandson. 30 rounds of russian shelling targets energy facilities and at least seven regions across ukraine, cutting power and killing at least six people. we will have a live report. plus, the skies are getting even more unfriendly -- why punches flew on this southwest flight. >> live from cnn center, this is cnn newsroom we rosemary church. >> thanks for being with us. we begin in california, where the governor just declared a state of emergency in 21 more counties. that's 34 in total, as a new round of storms move in. authorities urge residents to get ready and be prepared for heavy rain and possible

flooding over the coming hours. there are currently more than 17 million people under flood alerts across much of central and northern california, as well as parts of nevada. along with the heavy rain, the higher elevations are expected to be hit with even more heavy snow, just as they are still trying to dig out from earlier storms. officials warn residents the rain, combined with snow, could overwhelm some communities, and they are warning of possible roof collapses. cnn meteorologist derek van damme explains why. >> if you're anything like me you maybe find fawn childhood memories of playing outdoors during a winter storm with that light, fluffy snow. we know that sometimes those storms come in on the mild side and we get a denser snow pack. so, it's easier to make a snowball or a snowman, for instance. but sometimes, there's so much moisture associated with these winter storms that they actually pose a threat to structures and homes. i bring that up because that's exactly with the national

weather service out of california is warning some of its residents for the upcoming weekend of, with this latest atmospheric river event that's about to take place. as you know, 12 inches of snow in -- wet snow, we are talking, about is equivalent to having three pickup trucks on top of your roof. let's say you double that snow pack. we are talking 24 inches of heavy, wet snowfall. and you are talking about nearly 40,000 pounds of pressure on top of your house. no wonder there is the risk of structural collapse with this heavy, wet snowfall. we just have to investigate the origins of where this moisture is coming from. we call it the pineapple express because it originates near hawaii. it's pulling a lot of deep, tropical moisture. and that means that this will be a mild storm as it unleashes this kind of fire hose of water and heavy, wet snowfall on higher elevations. the prediction center picking up on that -- level three or four, you see that shading of red -- sacramento and san francisco. notice that, like, a very small southerly shift in the moderate risk of flash flooding for the

day on friday. so, keep in mind. malibu northward -- this is how much rain we anticipate. 3 to 6 inches -- for the most part, there will be the heavy, wet snowfall that will be measured in feet, especially across the sierra nevada crossed. but you have heavy, wet snow on top of what is already fallen. and that is why we have the potential for rapid snow melt, flash flooding, landslides and mudslides. can't forget about the potential of 70 mile an hour wind gusts on top of that for the highest elevations. here's a quick look at the latest winter weather alerts blanketing the western u.s.. back to you. >> there's some good news out of california. an 81-year-old man survived nearly a week trapped inside his car with only a handful of supplies to keep him alive amid the snow storms. jerry duryea was trying to make the journey from his mountain home in california to the family residence in nevada but did not beat the winter weather. after his car got stuck in the snowbank, he lived off snacks and snow until police found

him. his car battery died halfway through the week, leaving only a -- and hotel battle to keep him warm. joining me now is jerry grandson -- jouret's >> thank you for having me on. >> when extraordinary survival of -- living on croissants and candy. for nearly a week while stuck in the snow. how is he doing right now? >> he's better than anybody could have expected. he's doing, actually, really, really well. i called him in the hospital the day he was rescued. and he was released within a few hours to go back home. he was in incredible health and the vitals were looking great. i think he was just mildly dehydrated. that was it. other than that, i spoke to him on the phone -- i think it was yesterday. and he is back with my grandma and he's doing great.

86 years and i'm glad they're back together. >> what a medical miracle he is. so, what happened? how did he end up being stuck in the snow in his car? >> from what i heard is, he did not think this storm was going to be as bad as he was. and he had checked the cal trans website to see if the roads were clear. and it gave him the green light. as he left, about 30 minutes from the house, i believe he slid off the road and got stuck on the side. and that's when the blizzard hit. and that's pretty much how it happened. >> wow. and so he was there for just under a weekend he survived on the candy, the croissants and, i think, biscotti biscuits, right? so how was he eventually rescued? >> well, the search team was supposed to go out days prior. but the weather was so awful

they could not get a helicopter in their. and days were going by when they could not get to him. and finally, i prayed about it hard. and i pray that the weather would change. and the next day was the most beautiful day. we found weeks and we were able to get the helicopter out there and rescue him. and it was too bad they could not land the helicopter, so they had to hoist him up in the air. >> that's amazing. and what is he saying about that experience? and the whole experience? >> you know, he is an air force veteran. he has worked on an air force base for many, many years, including nasa and a lot of things. but he had never rig in a helicopter before. and he was quite -- to it and i think the pilots had said he was smiling the whole way to the hospital. >> [laughter] when extraordinary week it has been for him. christian jouret, thank you so much for talking with us about your grandfather's experience. and we are so happy that he is

well now and doing incredibly well after this. >> absolutely. >> u.s. senate republican leader mitch mcconnell is in the house brutal. a spokesman says the 81-year-old tripped and fell at a private dinner in a washington hotel on wednesday night. mcconnell has represented kentucky in the senate since 1985. california governor gavin newsom has tested positive for covid-19. he's a deputy communication director says newsom is experiencing mild symptoms. the democrats will work remotely and self isolate. we are following developments in ukraine, where officials say, new russian attacks have targeted energy facilities in at least seven regions. in kyiv, at least two people have been killed and power has been knocked out to around 15% of the city after two missile

strikes there. new images shows smoke rising from the aftermath of one strike on the capital. meantime, in the east, in the battered city of bakhmut, the head of the russian mercenary group says wagner has now taken all of eastern bakhmut as the ukrainian military acknowledges russian forces are still advancing. this as nato secretary general says he cannot rule out that a buck moot may eventually fall in the coming days. and cnn's salma abdelaziz is following developments for us. she joins us live from london. good morning to, salma abdulaziz. what more you learn about the russian missile strikes on -- ukraine? >> people across ukraine are waking up today to yet another barrage of russian missile, striking several seven different regions, rosemary church, officials there in ukraine telling us that they are attacking energy facilities, that energy facilities have been struck, leaving, kyiv the

capital, 50% of it without electricity, without power, but also residential areas are being struck as well and we understand kyiv alone, there's been several deaths. and i have to point out that one of the areas that has been shock is lviv. that's very significant, rosemary church. that's all the way in the west near the border with poland, a place that is absolutely considered a safe haven, a safe space, it's a place, actually, we're displaced families have been sheltering, have been saying, thinking that that's an area where they are safe -- we are hearing now from ukrainian officials that at least four people have been killed this morning after a residential area in that city of lviv, all the way in the rest of the country, again, it was struck. again, this just happened in the early hours of this morning. this barrage of missiles around 6:30 this morning, local time. so, we are still gathering information on what's taking place. but we already have this images that you are playing out for a viewers, to see, of the plumes of smoke looming over the capital kyiv. the other sounds that you hear there of explosions -- so, a really terrifying morning

for residents. and we have had some relative quiet, if you will, particularly when it comes to the capital, kyiv, and of course lviv, although in the west of the country in the last days and weeks. so, this is significant. but it also is a continuation of a tragedy strategy we have seen from the kremlin, which is first, of course, to target energy facilities. that has happened time and time again, trying to leave people in cities and towns across the country far from the front lines, without electricity, without running water, without power, essentially increasing the cost of this conflict. but we are going to stay tuned and continue to try to provide you with more updates as this plays out on the ground, rosemary. >> salma abdelaziz, joining us live from london. many thanks. breaking news now -- lawmakers in tbilisi, georgia are withdrawing a controversial foreign agents bill that sparked days of protests. that is according to a tweet from the european union welcoming the decision. the measure would have forced groups like charities and news

organizations to register with the government if more than 20% of their funding came from overseas. protesters compared it to the law russia uses to stifle the freedom of press and expression. police used water cannon and tear gas to try to clear the tens of thousands of protesters. dozens of people have been arrested. a top u.s. aviation official faces a grilling over a string of safety incidents. you will see the latest incident of flying not so friendly skies and hear his response to it. that's ahead. plus, a final homecoming for two americans killed after being kidnapped in mexico. we will have the latest on the investigation into their deaths and how the survivors are firing.

i have sleep apnea. couldn't use cpap. now i have this. this is inspire. it's simple... it's just a button. sometimes i press his button. inspire is a sleep apnea treatment that works inside my body with the click of this remote. no mask, no hose, just sleep. we go night-night now. inspire. sleep apnea innovation. learn more and view important safety information at inspiresleep.com. power e*trade's easy-to-use tools make complex trading less complicated custom scans help you find new trading opportunities while an earnings tool helps you plan your trades and stay on top of the market hi, my name's steve.

i lost 138 pounds on golo and i kept it off. so with other diets, you just feel like you're muscling your way through it. the reason why i like golo is plain and simple, it was easy. i didn't have to grit my teeth and do a diet. golo's a lifestyle change and you make the change and it stays off. golo's changed my life in so many ways. i sleep better, i eat better. took my shirt off for the first time in 25 years. it's golo. it's all golo. it's smarter, it's better, it will change your life forever.

we must finally hold social media companies accountable. it's time to pass bipartisan legislation to stop big tech from collecting personal data on our kids and teenagers online. ban targeted advertising to children.

>> welcome back, everyone. another incident of violence on a u.s. airline flight has been caught on camera. >> you bleep, you [bleep] -- >> get off of -- >> -- trying to separate two men who got into a fistfight on a southwest airlines plane in dallas. it happened while they were boarding a flight for phoenix on monday. witnesses say both men left the plane before takeoff. police responded to the incident but no one was arrested.

the footage also shows the man who threw the first punch telling other passengers why he did it. >> i'll tell you what happened. i'll tell everybody what happened. he approached me aggressively with my family. i don't play with my family. tell them what happened. tell them what you did. -- >> no need for that right now -- >> i will sit down in jail for you approaching my family. i would die for my family. so that's why i beat your bleep. >> the acting federal aviation chief faced a grilling on capitol hill on wednesday over and counters like that and other safety concerns. the faa received reports of more than 2300 incidents involving unruly passengers last year. on top of that, there have been six near collisions between passenger planes on the nations runway so far this year. acting administrator billy nolin billy nolen -- told -- use every means at its disposal to crack down on unruly

passengers. he says agencies looking into the runway close calls but he says safety is always a work in progress. >> safety is always a journey. we are never going to declare victory. and if there is something to learn, we have got to look for ways and opportunities to learn. >> billy nolen also says the faa will ask hard questions about the runway near collisions at a meeting next week. >> the ceo of the embattled railway norfolk southern will be grilled by u.s. senators on thursday. his testimony will follow the companies to freight train derailment in ohio that took place in the span of little over a month. that includes this incident in east palestine in early february, where chemicals were released and residents fear the long term toxic contamination. ceo alan shaw wrote in the washington post on wednesday that norfolk southern is firmly committed to helping the affected communities.

another railway company says there is no danger to the public after a separate derailment in west virginia on wednesday. a freight train owned by csx in a rockslide before jumping the tracks. three crew members were injured. at least one locomotive caught fire and fell into a nearby river, spilling fuel and oil. csx says it will deploy containment measures. the company also says the train did not carry hazardous materials. in the coming hours, the bodies of two americans killed in mexico will arrive in texas for a second autopsy. shaeed woodard and zindell brown we're half of a group kidnapped at gunpoint in northeastern mexico last week while traveling with a friend to get a medical procedure. cnn's rosa flores breaks down what happened next. >> 20 for americans kidnapped in mexico seen in this disturbing video are now in the

u.s. and preparing to return home. latavia washington mcgee, a mother of six, heading to south carolina today, according to her family, who spoke to her by phone. >> all i did was say, hey, it's -- >> -- remains in brownsville, texas, under treatment for three gunshot wounds to his legs. for now, one person has been detained link to the kidnappings, a 24-year-old male who mechanist already said was watching the victims. mexican officials will not confirm whether he is going to a criminal organization. the u.s. is now working to bring home the remains of zindell brown and shaeed woodard, the two people found dead after the kidnapping and the mexico border city of matamoros. the autopsies were completed today. mexican authorities say they are still investigating what happened after the four americans cross the border from brownsville, texas. we do know the group was driving a rented mini van and got lost on route to a clinic,

where mcgee had a medical appointment, according to a close friend. we just left the hotel with the american stayed. and it's about an 11-minute drive to the international bridge, where mexican authorities say that the americans crossed into matamoros at about 9:18 a.m. on friday. mcgee's mother say she spoke to her daughter about the kidnapping. >> a van came up and hit them. and that then met the car. -- and it got shot at the same time. she watched them die. >> the four americans were ultimately found by mexican authorities here on tuesday. officials here say that americans routinely go into mexico for medical here, using ports of entry like the one that you see behind me. but officials urge them to go directly to their destination. according to patients beyond borders, mexico is the second most popular destination for medical tourism globally. and millions of people travel there each year, expecting to save anywhere from 40 to 60% on major medical procedures,

including cosmetic surgery. >> it's risky having any kind of medical procedure outside of the united states. you run the risk of going to a doctor or a facility that is not a credited. you run the risk, if there are any disputes over the money that you have been charged. or if the procedure does not go well. >> and there are concerns beyond the medical and legal risks. officials urge caution when traveling. the u.s. state department has issued its highest warning, do not travel, to several regions in mexico, including tamaulipas state, where the group traveled. >> you are not only risking your life. you are also risking the possibility that you may not make it home. >> according to a source inside mexico's attorney generals office, telling cnn that the americans who died will be repatriated on thursday, they will be crossing over here to brownsville, texas, where i am. once on u.s. soil, a second autopsy is expected to be

performed. rosa flores, cnn, brownsville, texas. >> three los angeles police officer shot during during an investigation aren't able condition. authorities say they were pursuing a parolee at large who refused to comply with their commands. the suspect shot at the officers, who returned fire. the suspect was killed, although police did not say how they died. all three officers were part of the lapd canine unit. the u.s. senate has passed a resolution that would block a controversial washington d.c. crime bill that republicans called dangerous and irresponsible. and the u.s. president has said he will not veto the republican-led legislation. the issue divided senate democrats and put some who are considered vulnerable on the spot. the crime bill was initially vetoed by washington's mayor, who said reducing penalties for robberies, carjackings and home invasion burglaries does not

make the district safer. but the city council overrode her veto. the u.s. justice department has issued a damning rebuke of the louisville metro police department after a long review stemming from the botched raid that killed breonna taylor. the u.s. attorney general says louisville police routinely discriminated against black people and used racial slurs. the report also found officers used a selectively aggressive style of policing and conducted illegal searches. taylor was killed by police, who burst into her apartment with a no knock warrant in 2020. the city agreed to pay $12 million and institute sweeping reforms to settle the wrongful death lawsuit. the family's attorney says the justice department's new report is not enough and that officer should be retroactively held accountable. >> it's heartbreaking to know

that everything you have been saying from day one has to be said again through this manner. and that it took this to even have somebody look into this department -- >> for officers are facing federal civil rights charges. and the justice department has fortune agreement with the city of louisville on police reforms. and we have a new court filing to tell you about in dominion voting systems 1.6 billion dollar lawsuit against fox news. the company says the right-wing news channel is seeking a first amendment license to knowingly spread lies. dominion claims fox has already conceded its on air statements about dominion rigging the 2020 election were false. the court filing goes on to say, and i quote, if fox cared about the truth, that it now acknowledges, fox would have its top personalities reporting

the truth -- that truth -- to its audience today. if not for dominion's sake, then for the sake of the significant percentage of americans who still wrongly believe the 2020 election was stolen, including so many of fox's own loyal viewers, who heard it over and over again on foxes airwaves. still to come, on international women's day, russia's president pays tribute to women in the military, as he claims his country is facing direct threats. (vo) at viking, we are proud to have been named the world's number

one for both rivers and oceans by travel and leisure, as well as condé nast traveler. but it is now time for us to workven harder, searching for meaningful experiences and new adventures for you to embark upon. they say when you reach the top, there's only one way to go. we say, that way is onwards. viking. exploring the world in comfort. my a1c stayed here, it needed to be here. ray's a1c is down with rybelsus®. i'm down with rybelsus®. my a1c is down with rybelsus®. in a clinical study, once-daily rybelsus® significantly lowered a1c better than a leading branded pill. in the same study, people taking rybelsus® lost more weight. rybelsus® isn't for people with type 1 diabetes. don't take rybelsus® if you or your family ever had medullary thyroid cancer, or have multiple endocrine neoplasia syndrome type 2, or if allergic to it. stop rybelsus® and get medical help right away

if you get a lump or swelling in your neck, severe stomach pain, or an allergic reaction. serious side effects may include pancreatitis. gallbladder problems may occur. tell your provider about vision problems or changes. taking rybelsus® with a sulfonylurea or insulin increases low blood sugar risk. side effects like nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea may lead to dehydration, which may worsen kidney problems. need to get your a1c down? you may pay as little as $10 per prescription. scout is protected by simparica trio, and he's in it to win it. simparica trio is the first and only chew with triple protection. oh, fleas and ticks ♪ intestinal worms... wow heartworm disease, no problem with simarica trio. this drug class has been associated with neurologic adverse reactions including seizures. use with caution in dogs with a history of these disorders. for winning protection. go with simparica trio.

everything's changing so quickly. before the xfinity 10g network, we didn't have internet that let us play all at once. every device? in every room? why are you up here? when i was your age, we couldn't stream a movie when the power went out. you're only a year older than me. you have no idea how good you've got it. huh? what a time to be alive. introducing the next generation 10g network. only from xfinity. the future starts now.

>> officials in ukraine are reporting a new wave of russian strikes in at least seven regions across the country. the target, ukrainian energy facilities. in kyiv, at least two people have been killed. and power has been knocked out to around 15% of the city after two missile strikes there. and we are now learning at least four people have been killed after a strike on the western ukrainian city of lviv.

countries around the world paused on wednesday to mark international women's day, including russia, where president vladimir putin paid tribute to women in the military. that praise is coming as he claims russia faces direct threats to its security, and as russian forces face a fierce battle on the front lines in eastern ukraine. cnn's fred pleitgen has that report. [sound of artillery] >> while the russian army continues its devastating assault on ukraine, with losses on both sides mounting, it's all hearts and flowers in moscow. russia is celebrating international women's day. many of the women willing to speak to us, saying they would make the ultimate sacrifice, sending their boys to fight. >> translator: if there's no other way, yes, i would send my son and go myself if declared fit. >> we collect money for drones, do what we can, and we want our

boys to win. >> translator: i support president putin. he does everything right. good man. we love him. >> and the russian president is publicly trying to show his love for rushes women, handing out medals and warning more sacrifices will be necessary. >> translator: now that russia is again facing direct threats to its security and sovereignty, we see many examples of bravery and determination. there's courage, a willingness to defend the truth, protect people, and the very future of our state itself, the future that we ourselves need. >> on the front lines, the going remains tough. the ukrainians say they have killed scores of russians in the past day alone around the embattled city bakhmut. >> [speaking non-english] >> that's where the wagner private military company is unleashing its cannons on ukraine's defenses.

wagner -- yevgeny prigozhin talking to hit is mercenaries about what he says is a lack of ammo hindering for their advances. >> translator: how are you managing that when you receive almost more ammunition than you receive? >> translator: the guys from another regiment helped us out. they brought a day worth of ammunition. only that saved the day. when we have more, we help them out. >> for goshen pass wagner is now in control of all of eastern back moods and claims rushes true power will soon be unleashed. >> the world is yet to face a fully prepared russian army, with units not yet engaged in combat with all the possible state-of-the-art weapons and reconnaissance tools. perfectly trained, they are biding their time until wagner opens the operation space for them after bakhmut. >> but the ukrainians say they will stand and fight in bakhmut

and many more russian women might find their husbands and sons going to battle as the war drags on. >> and indonesian court hands down a verdict after one of the deadliest incidents at a football stadium -- who has been found responsible for the stampede that let dozens of people dead? we will have a live report. of t the performance line at the invitation to lexus saleles event. hi, i'm michael, i've lost 70 pounds s on golo. i spent thousands on other diets that didn't work. on golo, i spent a couple hundred bucks and got back down to my highchool weight. you'reot gonna believe this thing is possible but it is. my name is brian delallo. i teach ap and honoreconomics in pittsburgh, pennsylvania. financial ll-being to me is knowing that i can be free to do the things that i love to do. i hope when i retire someday, they say,

that guy made this place a special place to come to school and gave as much as he could to help the community. when it comes to reducing sugar in your family's diet, the more choices, the better. that's why america's beverage companies are working together to deliver more great tasting options with less sugar or no sugar at all. in fact, today, nearly 60% of beverages sold contain zero sugar. different sizes? check. clear calorie labels? just check. with so many options, it's easier than ever to find the balance that's right for you. more choices. less sugar. balanceus.org

i used to be pretty clueless about shopping. like when i heard i could save by getting cash back with rakuten... i was like as if... then i was like... why didn't i do this sooner? you can get cash back on all the fashion... ...at your fav beauty stores... what the... ...and on pretty much, whatever. who put that there? in conclusion, you'd have to be butt crazy to shop without rakuten. [applause] whatever. aren't you a little old for high school? what?

as a business owner, your bottom line is always top of mind. so start saving by switching to the mobile service designed for small business: comcast business mobile. flexible data plans mean you can get unlimited data or pay by the gig. all on the most reliable 5g network. with no line activation fees or term contracts. saving you up to 60% a year. and it's only available to comcast business internet customers. so boost your bottom line by switching today. comcast business. powering possibilities. i screwed up. mhm. i got us t-mobile home internet. now cell phone users have priority over us. and your marriage survived that? you can almost feel the drag when people walk by with their phones. oh i can't hear you... you're froze-- ladies, please!

you put it on airplane mode when you pass our house. i was trying to work. we're workin' it too. yeah! work it girl! woo! i want to hear you say it out loud. well, i could switch us to xfinity. those smiles. that's why i do what i do. that and the paycheck. >> an indonesian football club official has been sentenced to jail time over last year's deadly stampede by fans at the stadium. more than 130 people were killed in the crush after police sprayed tear gas during this match last october. the chairman of the organizing committee of the arena football club and other officials were put on trial for negligence. anna coren is monitoring the trial. she joins us now live from hong

kong. good to see, you ana. so, what is the latest on? this >> rosemary, we have just learned the verdict for the 2nd civilian of this trial, that being the head of the security of arema fc. he has been sentenced to just one year. that is an even lighter sentence than the chairman of arena football, who is since the few hours ago, to one year and 6 months. the prosecutor -- he was after more th 6 years for both of these men. but the judge, in handing down the sentences to, certainly, to the chairman, he said that he helped ease the burden of the victims families and we understand that he has made a sizable donation. as far as the community is concerned, their anger is very much directed at the police. and we will learn about their verdicts, rosemary, in the coming weeks. looking at that footage from october 1st, last year, he is a scene that got completely out

of control when police started firing tear gas to dispel this crowd. thousands of people -- and they were women, children, families, who had come to watch their football side, arema fc, play a neighboring team -- they then raced for the exits. and, we understand, rosemary, that these exits were locked. this is the worst football disaster in history. 135 people were killed, more than 300 injured. but like i said, the anger is very much directed at the police. there is a sense that there was a complete overreaction by police. the opposing team's fans, who live 100 kilometers away, they were not even allowed to attend this football match because of the fanaticism, because of football violence. so, it was only the fans of the home team, arema fc, that were

on the football grounds. but still, this violence unleashed and 135 people died. , rosemary. >> yeah, it's shocking, the number of deaths there. anna coren, join us live from hong kong, many thanks. i'm rosemary church. -- for those of you here in north america, i'll be back with more cnn newsroom in just a moment. do stay with us. (vo) when you love the environment, you work to protect it. the subaru sololterra electric suv. subaru's firsrst all-electric, zero-emissions suv. (man) we've got some catching up to do. (woman) sure do. (vo) built to help you protect the environment as you explore it. love. it's what makes subaru, subaru. ♪ this feels so right... ♪ adt systems now feature google products like the nest cam with floodlight,

with intelligent alerts when a person or familiaface is detected. so you can lisn in... sam. and even speak up. sophie's notere tonight. i can show her the video tomorrow, and you can keep playing. thank you. that would be great. ♪ this feels so right... ♪ when the most trusted name in home security adds the intelligence of google, you have a home with no worries. brought to you by adt.

>> woman: why did i choose safelite? i love my electric car, so when my windshield got cracked, i trusted the experts at safelite. with their state-of-the-art technology, they replaced the windshield, recalibrated the car's camera, and then recycled my old glass. i found out safelite recycles over three million windshields a year. great job! >> tech: thank you! >> woman: replace, recalibrate, recycle. i count on safelite. ♪ rock music ♪ >> singers: ♪ safelite repair, safelite replace. ♪ >> the state of california is pushing back against doug retailer walgreens after the company said it would no longer provide abortion medications in more than 20 republican led

states. even ones where abortion is still legal. the announcement prompted california governor gavin newsom to declare his state was ending all of business with walgreens and pulling back on renewing a contract valued at $54 million. walgreens says it was deeply disappointed by the decision. the contract with walgreens was primarily to supply specialty prescription drugs to california's prison system. the state senate in michigan has voted to repeal an abortion ban dating back to 1931 as well as its sentencing guidelines. the bills were passed narrowly by the democrat-controlled senate and have gone to governor gretchen whitmer for her signature. the law was invalidated decades ago when roe v. wade took effect. but it has remained on the states books and would have prohibited abortions even in cases of rape or incest, except

to save a woman's life. five women are suing the state of texas to change its ridge tricked of abortion law. they want abortions allowed if a physician makes a good-faith judgment that the pregnant person faces serious risk of death or a risk to their health. one of the plaintiffs developed consultations complications during her pregnancy. she says she ended up getting septicemia and needing a blood transfusion before she could receive abortion care. >> i cannot adequately put in towards the trauma and despair that comes with waiting to either lose your own life, your child's life, or both. >> lindsey lee is the women's co-chair and regional chair of the democratic national committee. and she joins me now from philadelphia. i appreciate you being with us. >> thank you so much for having me, rosemary, especially on

international women's day. >> absolutely. it is an absolute treasure for us. so this texas abortion lawsuit involves five women who were denied abortions despite facing severe risks to their lives, they are twin fetuses and their future fertility. so, now they are suing the state. how significant is this case? >> oh, this is tremendous. and i am so proud of them. this is no easy feat. texas is on the forefront of enacting abortion bans. they were the first one out of the gate to impose a six-week abortion ban on women and imposing 10,000 dollar bounties on anyone who -- or -- a woman getting an abortion. and since then, the supreme court has overturned roe. and we have seen a wave -- a tidal wave -- of restrictive abortion bans across the country. in florida, in ron desantis's florida, they are forcing a woman to give birth to a baby

who will suffocate to a death -- two hours, another two hours -- after birth. in what world is this pro-life? republicans denied an abortion to a ten year old double rape victim and forced her to travel all the way to indiana. and again, i ask, how in the world is this pro-life? and in just this week, south carolina republicans are pushing a bill that would execute women who get an abortion and the language is flexible enough to include those who suffer miscarriages. >> and lindy li, as you mentioned, access to most abortion procedures were shut down when the supreme court overturned roe v. wade last year, dismantling legal protection. now about 13 states ban abortions, -- substantial risk of harm to the pregnant woman, which means the law should have been or should have allowed these five women,

at least, to have had abortions. why didn't that happen, even two of the women's fetuses had no skulls? and two other fetuses were threatening the life of the twin that the mothers were carrying? >> rosemary, that such an excellent point. one reason why these exceptions are often not implemented is that doctors are terrified. they are scared out of their minds of accidentally breaking the law. they don't want to accidentally lend themselves in jail. and in texas, doctors face up to 99 years in jail, $100, 000, in fines. and the loss of their medical license. so, this is no joke. they are -- doctors are understandably not willing to risk breaking the law. >> so, how likely is it that these five women will get the court clarification they are asking for to ensure that other high-risk pregnant women don't go through what they have had to endure?

>> it's hard. you have the attorney general, ken paxton, who has become a cultural warrior on this issue. and then you have greg abbott, who spends -- it seems like he is spending all his time policing our uteruses. so, i'm not hopeful, just because texas is so, so obstinately conservative and right-wing. but i am so glad that these women are putting up a fight. we need to put up a fight everywhere. the midterms that we just had demonstrate the power of women. and the anxious and the fury that they incited. and it shows that women are not just going to stand by and allow for government officials, priests and pastors and religious figures to tell us what we can't or cannot do with our bodies. this is our country. this is not anyone's church. >> and lindy li, in the midst of these abortion bans, why isn't there already a system in place to confirm that doctors

can proceed with an abortion whenever a woman's life or that of her fetus is at risk? >> i think these exceptions for rape or incest which, by the way, texas does not have -- their kind of lip service. republicans tout these exceptions but they are not implemented because their doctors are terrified. and i am not here to blame doctors. i completely understand where they are coming from. people should not be terrified of breaking the law or committing a crime simply for doing their job. abortion's health care. it's as simple as that. van >> lindy li, thank you so much for joining us. we appreciate it. >> thank you so much, rosemary. he >> senior u.s. intelligence officials testified before senators on the united states annual report of global threats. while the war in ukraine commanded a lot of attention at wednesdays hearing, the u.s. directory of national

intelligence said china remains the top concern. cnn's oren liebermann has that report. >> thank you all -- >> a look at worldwide threats that keep coming back to china. the heads of u.s. intelligence agencies telling senators that beijing is modernizing its military, expanding its influence, and working to control supply chains as it tries to replace the u.s. as the global leader. >> chinese communist party or ccp under president xi jinping will continue efforts to a changing things vision of making china the preeminent power in east asia. the ccp is increasingly convinced that it can only do so at the expense of u.s. power and influence. >> china is using its economic force and its tech to spy on adversaries. >> could they use tiktok to control data on millions of users? >> yes. >> today's to control the software unknowns of devices given the opportunity to do so? >> yes. >> senators pushed for a consensus on the origins of covid-19. the fbi believes it leaked from a lab in wuhan. but there is no smoking gun and

no definitive answer. >> the department of energy has changed its view slightly with low confidence. it says that a lab leak is most likely. but they do so for different reasons than the fbi does. and their assessments are not identical. >> relations between beijing and moscow came under scrutiny, with u.s. watching closely for any signs that china is considering providing weapons to russia. >> we do see them providing assistance to russia in the context of the conflict and we see them in a situation in which they have become increasingly uncomfortable about the level of assistance and not looking to do it as publicly as might otherwise occur and given the reputation will cost associated with it. >> one year into the war in ukraine, russia's man power is spread thin, its military resources strained. but president vladimir putin is playing for time, not for short term victory. >> we do not see the russian military recovering enough this year to make major territorial

gains. but putin most likely calculates that time works in his favor, even if it takes years. >> there was bipartisan outrage on the investigations of classified documents found at former president donald trump's home at mar-a-lago and the office of president joe biden and former vice president mike pence. >> we still have unfinished business regarding the classified documents that we need to see in order for this intelligence committee to effectively oversee its job on intelligence oversights. >> members of the committee pressing the intelligence leaders to provide the documents or even just to characterize what is in them. >> our patience is starting to run out. and at least some of us are prepared to start putting our foot down if we don't get better answers and the stone wall doesn't stop. >> one of the other issues that kept coming up in this hearing was the drug fentanyl responsible for many of the more than 100,000 drug overdose drug overdose deaths in the

united states. and although the finished product, the drug itself, often comes from mexican cartels, the intelligence chiefs said the raw material -- the chemicals used to make fentanyl -- often comes from china. oren liebermann, cnn, at the pentagon. >> thanks for your company. i'm rosemary church. i will be back with more cnn newsroom in just a moment. stay with us. ctively cools, warms and effortlessly responds to both of you. our smart sleepers get 28 minutes more restful sleep per night. proven quality sleep. only from sleep number. i'm lindsey vonn, and ever since i retired d from skiing, i've had trouble falling asleep and staying asleep— you know, insomnia. before i found quviviq, fda-approved insomnia medication for adults, yowould not believe the things i used to think about when i couldn't sleep. hey, linds. i need you t sign this business contract. all 114 pages. lindsey! lindsey! hey, lindsey! it's workout time. hey, big man, we're in the middle of something here. yeah, it's called physical fitness.

just a couple dozen more questions, lindsey. don't forget to pack your phone charger for tomorrow morning's flight. it's plugged in right over there. lindsey? quviviq helps you get more sleep. and when taken every night, sleep continued to improve over time. that's why i take quviviq nightly. quviviq works differently than medication you may have taken in the past. quviviq is thought to target one of the biological causes of insomnia: overactive wake signals. do not take quviviq if you have narcolepsy. don't drink alcohol while taking quviviq or drive or operate heavy machinery until you feel fully alert. quviviq may cause temporary inability to move or talk or hallucinations while falling asleep or waking up. quviviq may cause sleepiness during the day. quviviq may lead to doing activities while not fully awake that you don't remember the next day, like walking, driving and making or eating food. worsening depression, including suicidal thoughts, may occur. most common side effects are headaches and sleepiness. it's quviviq. ask your doctor if it's right for you. ♪ ♪

hello and welcome to our viewers joining us here in the u.s. and all around the world.

just a