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Lviv Hit By Deadly Russian Strikes; Russia Strikes Across Ukraine As East Comes Under Attack; Ukrainians Mark Orthodox Palm Sunday In Shadow Of War. Aired 10-11a ET

Aired April 18, 2022 - 10:00:00   ET

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

[10:00:25]

BECKY ANDERSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR (voice over): Ukraine's safe haven now reeling after days of deadly Russian strikes is anywhere safe anymore.

We're live in Lviv for you up next. Plus.

CLARISSA WARD, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: The air raid siren is an unrelenting whale.

You can't hear it because the sirens are so loud. Well, we've heard a steady stream of booms coming from that way in the distance. But as you can

see, people here are just used to it.

ANDERSON: Air raid sirens a familiar wake-up call in Ukraine, especially in the east of the country, where Ukrainian control is slowly dwindling.

Clarissa Ward's report is just ahead. And riots break out in Sweden over the burning of the Quran. It was all part of an anti-immigration protests.

We'll hear from a member of Parliament who's experienced racist remarks herself.

Well, hello and welcome to CONNECT WORLD. I'm Becky Anderson coming to you live from London. Fighting ramping up in eastern Ukraine while cities

across the country are being pounded with Russian missile strikes. Attacks have been reported in Lviv and Dnipro. Lviv's military governor says seven

people were killed and 11 wounded when four missiles hit the area this morning.

Three were directed at military infrastructure, the fourth destroyed this tire repair shop which has no apparent military affiliation.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy tells CNN his military is prepared for the upcoming fight against Russia in the east. And he will

not consider giving up territory in the Donbas region to end the war. This comes of course as Ukrainian troops in besieged Mariupol reject a Russian

ultimatum to surrender. CNN's affiliate France 2 -- France 2 share this video showing the massive devastation inside the port city.

According to Mariupol, official Russian forces announced they will close all entries and exits today and warned all the men there will be "filtered

out."

And another city. Russia has targeted Dnipro in East Central Ukraine. The region's military governor there saying two missiles hit the city on

Monday. Clarissa Ward is there. Frightening developments overnight, not least where you are. Describe what is going on.

WARD: Well, the city of Dnipro is in a state of relative calm again, despite those missile attacks overnight too as you mentioned on the

outskirts of town, local authorities saying they targeted some kind of infrastructure installation. We're not exactly clear on what that is, but

there were no people killed. Fortunately, a couple of people injured. It was just about nine days ago that the Dnipro airport was also targeted.

But really this place has become a sort of fallback position for the thousands of people who are now streaming out of eastern Ukraine and

particularly the Donbas region, where Russia is preparing for a major sort of new offensive. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy saying he thinks it will

start any minute now. But others in the region military local leaders saying that they think in essence, it is already underway.

We heard today that Russian forces have pushed into a frontline town called Kreminna. They are reportedly have targeted cars trying to evacuate

civilians from that area. There's heavy street to street fighting. But Ukrainian forces have also been hitting back just as hard Becky trying to

cut off Russian supply lines to stop this offensive before it has even really started, Becky.

ANDERSON: Some finding, some solace one assumes in Orthodox palms Sunday for those who observe those celebrations coming as this war rages

on,Clarissa.

WARD: Yes. This is a deeply religious part of the country, Becky. And indeed, it's a deeply religious country. Orthodox people celebrate palms

Sunday so it was Easter yesterday for most people in the sort of Catholic Christian world but here it was Palm Sunday.

[10:05:08]

And it was extraordinary to see lot of people gathering at a cathedral. About 100 or so people in this city of Sloviansk which is very much in the

crosshairs is expected to be a major battleground going forward. And yet people still gathered to observe the holiday. Take a look.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

WARD (voice over): At the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral in Sloviansk, an art and prayer from worshipers under the shadow of Russia's war. We ask for

your mercy, Lord. Please hear us. They have gathered here for Orthodox Palm Sunday, carrying willows instead of palms for the Orthodox tradition. It's

supposed to be a celebration of Jesus's return to Jerusalem. But there is little joy in this congregation.

Ukrainian officials say this city will be a decisive battleground in Russia's imminent offensive in the Donbas region. The streets are getting

emptier as the fighting gets closer. Those still here are being urged to leave. The air raid siren is an unrelenting whale.

(on camera): You can't hear it because the sirens are so loud but we've heard a steady stream of booms coming from that way and the distance. But

as you can see, people here are just used to it.

(voice over): The children continue to play. The adults try to stay strong. This group is awaiting an evacuation bus to the safety of Western Ukraine.

Raisa (ph) tells us she's taking her grandchildren to Lviv, their mother died three years ago.

You hear what's happening here, she says. My husband still at home. His health isn't good enough to make the journey. Her granddaughter offers some

support. Oh, grandma, she says. I love you.

Anna Stapanavna (ph) is full of anguish that the international community has failed to rein in Putin.

When they show the children killed, I can't. I cry, she says. Why can't be stopped this one idiot? If they will send me, I will shoot him.

Seven weeks into this ugly war there is no end in sight. Haval (ph) is saying goodbye to his wife, Olga (ph). She doesn't want to let go of him.

Scenes of separation that have become all too familiar. Everything will be OK, the organizer tells her. Comforting words, that masks a grim reality.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WARD: Now, authorities are telling people in Sloviansk that they must leave the town. But we saw so many people Becky, who just refused to do that.

They're so afraid having seen what happened in Chernihiv and areas to the north of Kyiv and those suburbs that were so ravaged by Russian forces.

They're afraid to leave their homes, they're afraid that looters will destroy them. And then they're afraid that they won't have any way to get

back, Becky.

ANDERSON: Seven weeks in, as you say. And the threat of an all-out assault now for the east. Just how surprised are you when you speak to people? I

know they're frightened. I know they don't want to leave their homes. It must be absolutely devastating. But there's still this sense of resilience,

Clarissa.

WARD: It's pretty extraordinary, Becky. I mean, a lot of these people in the east have been living with the war that has been grinding on between

Russian-backed separatists in the Ukrainian army for eight years. So, they're used to a certain level of hostilities. But what we've seen moving

around some of these areas, particularly the town of Avdiivka that we visited at the end of last week is relentless bombardment, nonstop

shelling.

This is something that people in these areas have not experienced before. We spend time with people who are trapped, alone have no way of getting

out. Their windows have been blown in, the elderly, the vulnerable and still, many decide to stay. Sometimes out of an abundance of bravery and

courage and strength and also sometimes out of fear that they have nowhere to go, that they don't have the money to sustain themselves.

[10:10:00]

And what I would say is that you don't see the same level of logistical support here in the east that we saw for example in the Kyiv suburbs in

terms of trying to get people out of these areas and coming up with places in cities like Dnipro where they could potentially seek shelter for the

months ahead. And then the final thing I would just add is that the situation in Mariupol, that city poised to fall any day now.

That is certainly going to have a really damning effect on the morale of people here, as we will start to see the full scale of destruction, and

just begin to potentially peel back the surface of the atrocities there because, of course, Russian forces unlikely to allow many impartial

journalists to see what truly has gone on there, Becky.

ANDERSON: Yes. A city of what, 400,000 down as we understand it to over 100,000. We have no idea at this point, really, how those people are

surviving. The truth will tell sadly. Clarissa, Thank you. And Clarissa's reporting is of course, also online. You can find it a cnn.com.

CNN's Matt Rivers is on the ground. He's in Lviv for you. Again, a city overnight shelled. What's the atmosphere where you are?

MATT RIVERS, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Becky, it's fair to say that Lviv throughout the course of this war has been spared in a major way

from the kind of violence and suffering that we have seen just at horrific levels in many other places around the country. And yet, this morning, that

kind of relative lull here that we've seen in terms of any sort of action was shattered with four different missile strikes by Russian forces,

according to the Ukrainian officials that landed across the city of Lviv.

So, three of those strikes hit military infrastructure targets, according to officials. The fourth hit an auto repair shop. And that is the one that

we managed to make our way to, as soon as we heard the explosions, we went in search of where those missiles fell. And the plume of black smoke that

we ended up at was this auto repair shop. And we knew that as soon as we pulled up. Because there was a big sign on the -- on the buildings.

There were two buildings on fire. They're both part of the same repair shop. And they were shattered. We saw the impact crater at least five

meters across and that explosion, just decimated those two buildings. The owner of that auto repair shop told us that multiple of his employees who

were there just starting their day at work. They were getting ready to open the shop at 9:00 a.m. and the missile struck about a half an hour before

that.

Multiple of his employees were killed. Several others were injured. And it's just more emblematic of just needless killing that we see. This was

not a military target. This was an auto repair shop right across the street. We spoke to another woman who was washing her face when the windows

blew in on her. She's terrified, Becky. And now like so many other Ukrainian, she's deciding whether or not to move to Poland, the impact of

yet another airstrike by Russian forces.

ANDERSON: Matt Rivers is on the ground in Lviv, Matt, thank you. Well, each day, we are seeing new damage in civilian areas, on civilian infrastructure

from Russian missiles. But there are still very real fears that Russia could move to using tactical nuclear weapons. That is something the

Ukrainian president says everyone should prepare for.

CNN's Jake Tapper asked Mr. Zelenskyy about that, in Friday's exclusive wide-ranging interview. It's worth just rerunning part of that conversation

for you. Here it is.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JAKE TAPPER, CNN ANCHOR: The director of the CIA warned that he's worried Putin might use a tactical nuclear weapon in this fight.

Are you worried?

VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, PRESIDENT OF UKRAINE: Not only me. I think, all over the world, all the countries have to be worried because you know that it

can be not real information, but it can be the truth, true, because when they began to speak about one or another battles or involve enemies or

nuclear weapons or chemical, some chemical, you know, issues, chemical weapons, they should do it -- they could it. I mean, they can.

For them, life of the people is nothing. That's why we should think, not be afraid, I mean, that not be afraid. Be ready. But that is not a question

for -- to Ukraine, and not only for the Ukraine, for all the -- for all the world. I think so.

ZELENSKYY (through translator): There is a possibility of them using these weapons. Nobody expected there to be a full-scale invasion of Ukraine from

the Russian Federation. No one expected there to be a war in 2014.

[10:15:09]

And now that there will be a full-scale invasion and killing of civilians, nobody expected them to invade the areas where there's no military

equipment and just kill and shoot dead a civilian population.

Nobody expected that. But this is a fact, and it happened. And that is when Russian gives information and says, if something goes not according to

plan, they can use chemical weapons and their nuclear potential. And that is why I believe these are dangerous claims of untrustworthy people.

And if we believe some of them are already untrustworthy, then they can use nuclear weapons.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: That's President Zelenskyy Speaking to my colleague Jake Tapper. Well, you are with CONNECT WORLD with me Becky Anderson live from London

for you today. Still ahead, we'll hear from a Ukrainian swim team stranded in Turkey on a road trip none of them could ever have envisioned.

Plus, China has an upbeat report on its economy but COVID lockdowns could spell trouble and impact people around the world. You're watching CNN. Stay

with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ANDERSON: You're watching CONNECT THE WORLD. I'm Becky Anderson. Before we get back to our continuing coverage of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, I want

to get you up to speed on some of the other stories around the world that are on our radar today. And these are what's going on. The South Korean

president's office as it is stepping up surveillance of North Korea's movements of Pyongyang's recent missile launches.

A North Korean state media published images this weekend of a new weapons test which comes as the U.S. and South Korea whole joint virtual military

exercises.

Chinese authorities say three people who were elderly and unvaccinated have died of COVID in Shanghai. These are the first official COVID deaths in

Shanghai's latest outbreak of more than 370,000 cases. Officials are calling for more daily PCR testing for residents in buildings that have

positive cases.

Well, China's economy did better than expected in the first three months of the year. The government said its gross domestic product grew 4.8 percent.

However, with some manufacturers now suspending work due to the COVID surge there, officials warn of significant challenges ahead.

Well, China's central bank says it will do more to help industries hit by this pandemic. Steven Jiang has more on what those challenges are that are

now facing the world's second largest economy.

STEVEN JIANG, CNN BEIJING BUREAU CHIEF: The first officially confirmed COVID deaths in Shanghai involves three unvaccinated senior citizens aged

around 90 with underlying medical conditions.

[10:20:05]

Now this kind of amazingly low rate of death three out of over three 370,000 infections, just has raised a lot of questions about independent

experts saying is simply doesn't add up compared to well, what they have seen in other regions and countries dealing with Omicron infections. It's

also in a way putting the authorities, the Chinese authorities in a bind because while they are pointing to this kind of low death rate to showcase

their success and the effectiveness of their zero COVID policy, it's also making it very difficult for them to justify their continued lockdown of

more than 25 million residents of Shanghai, the country's biggest city and its financial and business hub.

And already this continued and increasingly draconian lockdown is starting to dampen the prospect of the country's economic growth for 2022

(INAUDIBLE) the seemingly sanguine figure of 4.8 percent growth for first quarter GDP belies the fact the economy is in distress because remember,

Shanghai went into lockdown only late in March. So, what the impact is not yet reflected in economic data from this country.

And already, they are seeing some worrisome trend even in March with some figures in areas that government has tried to depend on to transform its

economic growth model from being dependent on manufacturing to being driven by services and consumer spending. There are some very worrisome trend

there including retail sales dropping 3-1/2 percent in march and unemployment figures rising for that same period.

So, all of this is probably why the central government now has announced a so-called white list of over 600 companies in Shanghai key industries,

authorizing them to presume -- to resume production under a so-called closed loop management system. Now remember, that was used during the

Beijing Winter Olympics, but as if now it seems local officials in Shanghai and company executive see very little incentive to adapt the system because

of the much greater risks of them being held responsible if new COVID cases emerge under their management.

Not to mention the logistical nightmare of trying to transporting -- trying to transport workers from locked-down residences to their factories. And

all of this and of course, given Shanghai's prominence in global trade really means the worst is yet to come not just for China's economy, but

also for the international supply chain. Steven Jiang, CNN, Beijing.

ANDERSON: Another big world event could also be shaping. Chinese policy. Some fear that the war in Ukraine could embolden Beijing to make a play for

Taiwan. My colleague Blake Essig tells us in this exclusive report how nearby islands are preparing.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BLAKE ESSIG, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Surrounded by nature, a dramatic coastline in seemingly endless beauty. Life here in

Japan's westernmost island is simple. But with each new day, the future of this quiet island paradise where fishing as life becomes more uncertain.

ESSIG (on camera): From where I'm walking on the shores of Japan's Yonaguni Island, the East Coast of Taiwan is only 110 kilometers away. It's so close

that on a clear day, you can actually see it. It's this stretch of water. It's been viewed as a potential battleground if China invades Taiwan.

ESSIG (voice over): For the past 25 years, Kazushi Kinjo has made a living fishing the waters surrounding Japan's Nansei islands. It includes the

uninhabited group of islands known as the Senkaku in Japan and Diaoyu in China. We started, Kinjo says, he never saw Chinese ships. But in the last

few years, dangerous encounters specifically around the Senkaku Islands are guaranteed.

KAZUSHI KINJO, FISHERMAN, JAPAN(through translator): You can see it in the video. The bow of one of their ships was pointed straight at us. And they

were chasing us.

ESSIG: This video, he says, is from his first confrontation with the Chinese coast guard back in 2018.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don't know for sure. But I also saw what looked like cannons. Looking back, they definitely could have shot at us if they'd

wanted to. I felt that fear.

ESSIG: In response to CNN, China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs says it's carrying out law enforcement duties in its territory. But it's not just the

Chinese Coast Guard trolling these contested waters.

(on camera): There are about 160 troops based at this coastal surveillance station inside camp Yonaguni within eyesight of Taiwan. And since last

summer, what they've likely see.

(voice over): Are Chinese warships routinely patrolling Japanese territorial waters in the waters north and east of Taiwan. That's according

to Japanese and senior U.S. defense officials.

It's a presence that the Japanese government says has steadily increased every year for more than two decades.

[02:25:01]

And it's not just at sea. In roughly the past two years, the number of times Japan has been forced to scrambled fighter jets because of China

threatening its airspace has nearly doubled. An escalation in the air and its sea. That one of the men in charge with defending Japan says is

increasing tensions.

GEN. YOSHIHIDE YOSHIDA, CHIEF OF STAFF, JAPANESE GROUND SELF-DEFENSE FORCE (through translator): We cannot easily speculate over their intentions, but

we are concerned about it as it is a very provocative act.

ESSIG: Well, China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs responded to CNN saying those comments are wholly fabricated and malicious hype. General Yoshihide

Yoshida says, it's that increased activity. The ongoing nuclear threat posed by North Korea and a growing fear that China may try to take control

of land that the Japanese government claims is inherently theirs. That makes defending the strategically important Nansei islands a top priority.

YOSHIDA: Japan's territorial sovereignty extends to the Nansei islands. And I'm afraid that may be infringed in the future.

ESSIG: The Nansei islands consist of these 198 islands stretching about 1200 kilometers. Since 2016, in a clear departure from Japan's post World

War II pacifism, Japan's self defense force has increased its footprint. Building bases on Amami Oshima, Miyako-jima and Yonaguni. Ishigaki is next.

(on camera): Around this time next year, hundreds of troops and several missile defense systems will be deployed here on Ishigaki. And when that

happens, this will become Japan's fourth missile armed island located in the East China Sea.

(voice over): Despite Japan's increased spending on defense and continued militarization of the Nansei islands, some security experts say Japan

remains vulnerable in part because it currently has no long-range strike capability.

(on camera): How confident are you in Japan's ability to defend itself?

YOSHIDA: We are enhancing our capabilities, but our competitors are all also enhancing their capabilities at an extremely fast pace.

It will be very difficult to maintain our deterrence and response capabilities unless we further increase our military capacity.

ESSIG: Through drills like this, Japan's self-defense forces are constantly preparing to respond to hostile forces whether it's during the day or at

night. That includes threats from China, North Korea and Russia that military officials say has created one of the most alarming security

environments surrounding Japan since shortly after the end of World War II.

Back on Yonaguni, the Russian invasion of Ukraine sparking fears that China could be emboldened to act off Japan's shores.

KINJO: The people are terrified of the situation that's happening. I think that the Senkaku issue and the Taiwan contingency are similar to the

Ukranian issue. I have a strong sense of crisis that this island will eventually cease to be Japan.

ESSIG (voice over): But in the face of geopolitical concerns well out of his control, Kinjo and his crew do what they know. They prepare for another

day at sea.

(on camera): Conflict here in Yonaguni isn't necessarily imminent, but China's constant presence off the coast and the possibility of war has many

people living here worried. Wondering about their future. Blake Essig, CNN, Yonaguni, Japan

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ANDERSON: Coming up. Rising tensions over new clashes at Jerusalem's most sensitive holy sites. We are live in Jerusalem for you up next. This is

CONNECT THE WORLD. I'm Becky Anderson.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ANDERSON: Russian forces once again attacking Western Ukraine. The Lviv regional military governor reporting seven deaths and 11 injuries after

Russian strikes hit four targets in the city. He describes the targets as three non-military warehouses and a tire repair shop with. Well, an advisor

to the Mariupol mayor says Russia has been bombarding a giant steel plant in that southern port city.

The last large base of operations for Ukrainian forces there. Fighting going on past Russia's Sunday deadline for Ukraine to surrender to

Mariupol. This video coming from France 2. CNN is not on the ground in Mariupol. One important aspects of this war, Ukrainians stranded outside

their homeland when the war started and now unable to return home. Such as the case for this team, a team of young disabled swimmers from Ukraine.

They've been living in Turkey since February away from their families. The team they coach, now relying on charity to survive. Well, my colleague

Jomana Karadsheh connecting us now from Istanbul. Jomana.

JOMANA KARADSHEH, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Becky, this team of young disabled Ukrainian swimmers arrived here on February 17th. They were

taking part in a two-week training camp in the city of (INAUDIBLE) just outside. And of course, a week later, the invasion happened and the team

members, their coaches, their families back home in eastern Ukraine were all in the state of shock not knowing what to do.

The team was running out of money, they couldn't pay for their hotels, pay for their meals. And, you know, talking to the coaches, they say that they

had this added responsibility where they turned from being just coaches to all of a sudden feeling like they were parents to this team. And we're

talking about a group of people. The majority of them are young teenagers. There was also an eight-year-old boy amongst them and for him it was very

hard being separated from his family.

And thankfully his mother was able to travel to Istanbul, pick him up and take him to Poland. But for the rest of them, Becky, they're still stranded

here separated from their family, stuck in this state of limbo with no end in sight.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KARADSHEH: Just days after these young disabled Ukrainian swimmers arrived in Turkey, war erupted back home. And what was supposed to be a two-week

training camp has now turned into two months of being stranded here separated from their families during the most difficult of times. At this

public pool in Istanbul, they continue their training. It's also a distraction from the one thing that's on everyone's minds.

KYRYLO GARASHCHENKO, UKRAINIAN PARALYMPIC SWIMMER: I just tried to think about because it's a lot of information about war. Just try it a little

bit. Don't think and marching.

KARADSHEH: Twenty-four-year-old Kyrylo Garashchenko, a paralympic silver and bronze medalist is the oldest member of this group of six disabled

athletes from the eastern Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhia. Ilya Shonkoff (ph), who's just 15 years old dreams of becoming a paralympic champion but

all he wants right now is to be with his parents who live in the Russian occupied city of Melitopol. To call and see their son, they have to buy 50

kilometers from their home for Internet access. Ilya wants us to send him a message.

[10:35:05]

My dearest father and mother, I love you so much, he says. I wish you happiness and health. Say hello to my grandparents and my aunt.

16-year-olds Victoria (ph) and Camila (ph) speak with their families every day.

They're happy that we're in a safe place and not in Ukraine now that we don't need to stay in the air raid shelters and do not hide, Victoria tells

us. Camila struggles to express how much she misses her family. 12-year-old Vitaly (ph) is used to traveling, but he's never been away from his parents

for this long. Some nights the coaches find the children especially the girls crying because they missed their mothers.

They lack affections, coach Iryna (ph) tells us. We give them affection, warmth, and they give it to us probably even more. In the evening, they

don't let us go and ask to hug and kiss us.

This single mother doesn't want to talk about missing her own family. Her six-year-old daughter who lives with her elderly grandparents. It's too

upsetting, she says. Iryna can't abandon her team and traveling across a warzone with disabled young people is just too risky.

Every day my heart is torn two ways between my home and these children, she says. Istanbul's Kasimpasa Sports Club has opened its doors to these

Ukrainians. Giving them a free place to stay and hot meals every day. The group which is also run out of money has had to rely on the kindness of

strangers who send them things like clothes and fresh fruit. The best and toughest part of the day for Makita (ph) is talking to his mom.

Are you sleeping well? Are you eating? You've lost weight, my son, she tells him. I worry about you. We hope that Ukrainian armed forces will

throw the enemy out soon and you'll come back and we will hug you. I want to go home so much, he tells her. No one knows when they'll be able to go

home. But they say this ordeal has turned their team into a family that will get through this together.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KARADSHEH: And, you know Becky, we've heard from some of the families of the team members and they are so grateful to these three coaches. Iryna

Natalia and Ilya who they feel could have abandoned the children but they did not, that they're staying with them, that they're taking care of them.

But at times, it is too much for these coaches that they've had to bring in child psychologists to help them deal with these emotions, with the

situation they're going through.

But that costs money, Becky. And they really are can't afford this. They can't afford some of the most basic of necessities right now and are really

relying on the kindness of strangers here in Turkey and also members of the Ukrainian community here who are trying to help them out.

ANDERSON: Jomana, thank you. Jomana Karadsheh reporting for you.

Well, a holy city, three religions and a special weekend meant for sacred rituals as Jews. Mark Passover, Christians celebrated Easter and Muslims

have special prayers during the holy month of Ramadan. But this rare overlapping of religious holidays saw new clashes between Israeli security

forces and Palestinians in and around Jerusalem's most sensitive holy site, the Al Aqsa Mosque compound.

Sunday's violence follows fierce clashes Friday at the site part of a recent upsurge in violence. CNN's Hadas Gold joining me now from Jerusalem.

And while it's difficult to establish what -- let's call it the guiding hand, as it were, is of this most recent uptick in violence. It is clear

that the sparks are there and this continues. How concerned are authorities on both sides that this could escalate significantly at this point?

HADAS GOLD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, the tensions are definitely still simmering after this past weekend. It was a uniquely Holy Week, and you

could call it that overlap you talked about, that hasn't happened since -- I believe 1991. But it was marred by violence. As you noted, we saw clashes

once again at the Al Aqsa compound, which is also known as Temple Mount to Jews.

The Israeli police say they once again enter the compound because they said they needed to clear it out of what they said were young Palestinians who

they said were collecting stones in order to throw them at groups of Jewish people who were supposed to come visit the area. Those confrontations

according to the Palestinian Red Crescent led to 19 people injured and the violence sort of seeped out of the Al Aqsa compound because near the old

city there were reports of public city buses that are often used by Jews to get to the holy sites that were attacked by people who were throwing stones

at them.

[10:40:07]

There's images of these buses with broken windows. And according to the emergency services, seven people were treated in hospital for light

injuries. There were also some videos of other Jewish people in the Old City being attacked. But so far since Sunday, things have been calm.

However, there have been political ramifications, the United Arab list, the only Arab party to sit in the Israeli coalition -- the Israeli government

coalition has announced it's freezing its participation for now in protest to the violence at Al Aqsa compound. Becky?

ANDERSON: Hadas Gold on the ground for you in Jerusalem Thank you. We are taking a very short break. Back after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ANDERSON: Tennis players from Ukraine showing incredible fighting spirit. Pulling off major upsets on Sunday at the Billie Jean King Cup qualifying

round in North Carolina. But it all came down to the doubles match where in the end, the U.S. edge them out. It didn't really matter what the result

was at the end of the day. Amanda Davies from World Sport is with us because it's that sort of spirit, isn't it?

And you've been talking to some of these Ukrainian tennis players throughout this war, haven't you? It's been remarkable.

AMANDA DAVIES, CNN SPORTS ANCHOR: Yes. And that they're fighting for so much more than the win. And so many of these sports people from Ukraine

that we are now seeing were in Ukraine when the war started, Dayana Yastremska and her sister hid in an underground carpark for 72 hours before

they then left and they're fighting for the bigger cause here and the support they're receiving around the world is just incredible.

And yes, we've got more and more of the stories that are emerging. We'll continue to tell.

ANDERSON: Fantastic. Good competition as well. It's good to see. Thank you, Amanda. Amanda is with you after the break. We are back after that. Stay

with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(WORLD SPORT)

END