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First Victim Pulled From Wreckage in South China; Ramadi Residents Warned to Leave in Anticipation of Heavy Fighting; SpaceX Launches Unmanned Spacecraft From Cape Canaveral. Aired 00:00-01:00a ET

Aired December 22, 2015 - 00:00   ET

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

[00:00:00] ISHA SESAY, CNN ANCHOR: This is "CNN Newsroom" live from Los Angeles. (HEADLINES) Hello and welcome to our viewers all around the world. I'm Isha Sesay. "Newsroom L.A." starts right now.

The first victim has been pulled from the wreckage in South China after a massive landslide in Shenzhen City. Nearly 3,000 people are involved in rescue efforts. State media reports that a pile of construction waste grew so steep it collapsed. The debris hit an

industrial park, burying or toppling dozens of buildings. More than 80 people are still missing. Well, armed forces, search dogs, and doctors are all dispatched to the area hoping to help find and save survivors.

For more I'm joined by CNN's Matt Rivers who is live in Shenzhen. There is a delay on the line, so do bear with us. There will be something of a delay in the conversation but Matt, if i could turn to you, how are search and rescue efforts going?

MATT RIVERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT, via telephone: Isha, they are very much active and have been ongoing here in a major way since Sunday, 11:00 a.m. local time, when this landslide first happened. We're about a kilometer or so away from the actual scene. Take a look behind me. You can see how large this scene is here.

We're told that the total area affected by this landslide is roughly 380,000 square meters. There are dozens of excavators on site there, and you can see one of those buildings there, that's a major size building. That's probably an eight-story building there just toppled over onto its side like that. We're told that things are now safe in that area, that there's no risk of that building coming down but just looking at it you can tell how treacherous this rescue operation is for the thousands of people that have been working here.

Only a handful of people have been rescued so far. So even though there are 80 people still missing we do expect those numbers to perhaps get a little worse as time goes on. Isha?

SESAY: They really are shocking pictures, especially when you see that building toppled over on its side. What's been the official government reaction to all of this?

RIVERS: Well the government reaction has been to say that they are doing everything they can to try and help the people inside this affected area. They've evacuated roughly 900 people. These were factories, and also dorms for migrant workers, for the most part, that came here to work in these different factories. So we actually came, not long ago, from an evacuation shelter where we spoke to some people. That's where family members have gathered. That's where some of these workers, who can no longer go to work, have gathered. In the meantime they have no place to live.

So the government is trying to provide them services. That said, many people here are very frustrated with the government response. They're saying that they believe that there hasn't been that great of a response; there hasn't been enough information shared with the victims of this accident. So very much an ongoing situation here.

SESAY: A steep pile of debris basically collapses and cause this kind of chaos. Had there been any warning signs something like this could happen, or was this an accident that happened completely out of the blue? What are we hearing from people on the ground?

RIVERS: Well there is a bit of a blame game going on. We've seen conflicting reports in state media: some reports tending to put the blame more on the company that owned this high pile of debris, saying that they were actually inspected by government officials not long ago and actually told that their work site was unsafe and they didn't do anything about it. That said, we saw another state media report, from another outlet here in China, saying it was the company that alerted the government that they didn't feel that their work site was very safe and nothing was done.

One thing we do know is that people who do live in this area of Shenzhen were very much aware of that pile. We know that local people here have filed complaints with the local government saying they were nervous about this pile; nervous about the [00:05:00] amount of trucks that were bringing in debris and dumping it, day after day, making that pile grow higher and higher; and, really, the investigation is in its very early stages, in terms of who is at fault here. But for the meantime the focus definitely remains on trying to save anyone that could still be trapped alive in this rubble behind me.

SESAY: Matt Rivers joining us there from Shenzhen, China. Matt, we appreciate it; thank you so much for the reporting.

Now, a suicide bomber on a motor bike has killed six U.S. service members in Afghanistan. The attacker targeted a joint Afghan-NATO patrol near the U.S. base at Bagram Air Field. Three other Americans, two service members and a civilian contractor, were wounded. This year 25 Americans have died in Afghanistan. The U.S. death toll has steadily gone down each year since its peak of more than 700 back in 2010.

Well, to Iraq now and the western city of Ramadi. A ranking Iraqi general has announced an offensive to kick ISIS out of the city. Since May Ramadi has been firmly under the control of ISIS. It's an ongoing source of frustration for Iraq's government.

Well the ISIS hold on Ramadi has also prompted questions about the United States' role in the region and the resolve of the U.S. President. CNN's Barbara Starr has more on that.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARBARA STARR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: All eyes are now on Ramadi. Iraqi officials say their troops are launching a major offensive to retake the city center. Residents have been warned to leave in advance of expected heavy fighting. 10,000 Iraqi troops surround the city and are already fighting in outer neighborhoods; but now they're moving toward the center, where officials believe up to 500 ISIS fighters are dug in.

LT. GENERAL MARK HERTLING, CNN MILITARY ANALYST: It's going to be very difficult because ISIS has defended that city, placed roadside bombs, house-borne explosives. So it's going to be booby-trapped.

STARR: Defense Secretary, Ash Carter, questioned the Iraqi military's will to fight in an exclusive CNN interview after Ramadi fell. This time he's offering Iraq Apache helicopters and U.S. advisers.

ASH CARTER, U.S DEFENSE SECRETARY: We do want to help you build on your success at Ramadi.

STARR: But so far Prime Minister Abadi has turned him down. There is real doubt Iraqi forces will be able to hold on to Ramadi, even if they get it back.

COL. CEDRIC LEIGHTON, CNN MILITARY ANALYST: The military person in me says that their ability to take and hold Ramadi is questionable at best.

STARR: Ramadi is a badly need success for the U.S. effort. A senior military official tells CNN the Pentagon has been told by the White House to better communicate to the public about the war

against ISIS. The President hinting in an interview with NPR:

PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA: We haven't, you know, on a regular basis, i think, described all the work we've been doing for more than a year to defeat ISIL.

STARR: But also taking a swipe.

OBAMA: If you've been watching television for the last month, all you've been seeing, all you've been hearing about is these guys with masks or black-flags who are potentially coming to get you.

STARR: So has the ISIS war not been reported accurately?

OBAMA: Look, the media is pursuing ratings.

STARR: Or, does there need to be more success?

HERTLING: The White House always touts the amount of territory that has been retaken by anti-ISIS forces. That's good, but it needs to be even better.

STARR: So what are we talking about? Some U.S. officials say there has to be a better message being offered by the Administration about the war against ISIS; but others will tell you, very adamantly, if you want a better message you have to have better substance, and that means more success in the war is need.

Barbara Starr, CNN, the Pentagon.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SESAY: Lieutenant General Mark Hertling joins us now. General Hertling, thank you so much for being with us. I want to pick up on Barbara Starr's report, about this big offensive to retake Ramadi in Anbar Province, Iraq. Talk to me about the challenges, as you see it, to pull this off successfully. I mean, does the Iraqi Army have what it takes for a successful mission here?

HERTLING: Well this is the first offensive they've conducted with a new group of forces, Isha, and that's what's been very interesting about this. These are the brigades. The Iraqi security force that is fighting now are the brigades that have been training for the last several months to actually take on ISIS in Ramadi. So it will be very interesting to watch. They are under new leadership. This is somewhat of a green organization, but they don't have much to push out, too.

[00:10:15] You're talking about a significant force ratio, about 10-1 in terms of the Iraqi security forces versus the ISIS forces that are remaining in Ramadi. They have attempted to encircle the city for the last several weeks. They are increasingly pushing toward the city, conquering the small lands and the small village around Ramadi. Remember, Ramadi's a city about the size of Tucson, Arizona. It's about 400,000 people normally live there. So this is going to be a very difficult assault because ISIS has been there for over a year and they certainly have put up some harsh defenses: house-borne IED; roadside IED's; probably some tunnel system and sniper positions. So even though they are smaller in number ISIS is going to put up quite a fight and fighting to the death, as the security forces head into Ramadi.

SESAY: A situation we'll watch very, very closely. Turning our attention to Afghanistan now. Six U.S. service members killed, a number of other individuals wounded after a suicide bomber on a motorcycle launched an attack. Talk to me about what played out on this Monday and really what it says about the threat still posed to U.S. forces, NATO forces in Afghanistan by the Taliban.

HERTLING: This attack was in Bagram, which is in the northeast. Bagram and the area around Kabul have been relatively secure, and they have been increasing in their security based on the Afghan Army and police forces. But what you're also seeing is what's going on in southern Afghanistan and Helmand Province and the areas around there continuing Taliban increases in attacks. What you're seeing recently is one of the political forces in Helmand Province has basically put a notice on his Facebook page saying they were under dire circumstances against the Taliban, which has not been defeated in the southern provinces, and part of that is because it is in such a rural area and the Taliban have more capability to influence the tribes and the sub- tribes in Helmand Province.

So you're seeing several different kinds of fights in Afghanistan right now: in the north, security is improving. In the south it's always been problematic, even when the coalition was fighting there. There was always challenges in Helmand Province. You remember first the British were fighting there and then certain Marine counter- offenses. So that has always been somewhat of a restive problem.

SESAY: Do you fear, as we talk about the Taliban launching attacks on multiple fronts, do you fear a full-scale Taliban takeover?

HERTLING: I do not. I think you're going to see increasing support of the Taliban in some areas because they are reaching out to the tribes and the sub-tribes but you also have to consider in the south, in Helmand Province, that has been notorious for Taliban activity. That's where Mullah Omar was. It's considered the capital of the Taliban. They have extensive networks of corruption, based on the selling of opium and the growing of poppies. They have strong rat lines between Helmand Province and the areas in Pakistan which are considered "The Badlands." It's going to be very difficult to secure some of those provinces, but i think Mr. Agani has a very good security plan. He just has to reach out more to the far reaches of his country.

SESAY: Lieutenant General Mark Hertling, it's always good to have you on the program. Thank you so much for the perspective and

for the insight. Thank you.

HERTLING: Thank you, Isha.

[00:15:30] SESAY: (HEADLINES) All right, time for a quick break. Hezbollah is threatening to retaliate against Israel. We'll look at the tensions on both sides after a notorious Lebanese militant was laid to rest. Do stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) (WEATHER HEADLINES)

SESAY: Well, welcome back, everyone. In Lebanon Hezbollah's leader says it will retaliate against Israel for what it calls the assassination of a notorious Lebanese militant. Samir Kuntar was laid to rest in a Beirut suburb Monday. He was killed in an apparent air strike in Syria, which Hezbollah blames on the Israel. The Israeli military would not confirm or deny the accusations. On Monday Hezbollah's leader vowed to avenge Kuntar's death.

HASSAN NASRALLAH, HEZBOLLAH LEADER, via translator: It is our right to revenge Samir Kantar's assassination and we will pick the time, manner and place to do so as we deem appropriate. This is our right.

SESAY: Aaron David Miller joins us now from Washington. It's always good to have you on the program. While Israel has not claimed responsibility for the killing of Samir Kantar, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah is threatening Israel with revenge for his death. Is this event to be taken seriously?

AARON DAVID MILLER, VP for NEW INITIATIVE, WOODROW WILSON INTERNATIONAL CENTER for SCHOLARS: I think, if you were the Israelis, the answer is absolutely. The question is not whether Hezbollah will respond but when and how. There's some precedent for this. Last January the Israelis, you remember, preemptively struck on the Golan, killing the son of Modniya, who is a key serious commander, going back almost 30 years now, in Hezbollah, in addition to five Iranian generals on the assumption they were

planning or at least preparing attacks from the Golan. Within ten days Hezbollah responded with a fairly precise pinpoint attack, killing a senior Israeli officer and a soldier.

So i think the reality is the Israelis would be wrongheaded not to take Nasrallah's threat seriously. The real question we try is this, the question really is whether or not Hezbollah is its own actor, and the Iranians have basically run Kuntar as one of their own. i think he's important to Hezbollah because they scored tremendous points in 2008 by doing this swap for Kuntar and others in exchange for the bodies of two Israeli soldiers. So they claim him on one hand but on the other they distance themselves from him.

But i suspect now that Nasrallah has made this threat, at some point he's going to have to make good on it. Again, the key issue is the degree to which Hezbollah's going to respond in a major or minor way; and i think that will be controlled almost certainly by the Iranians, who will make a calculation as to what kind of response serves their interest right now.

SESAY: And Israel certainly must have made a calculation. They have not claimed responsibility, but the assumption is that they were behind the killing, at least the assumption by many. There must have been a calculation as to the fallout from all of this, correct?

MILLER: I think so. You know, the Israelis have to demonstrate for their own capacity to deterrence -- for deterrence that in fact their reach is long. And you know, like the killing of Jihad Mukhniya, they took a risk and they're taking a risk here now as well. I suspect though that they've factored in the reality that both Hezbollah and the Iranians are now involved in a major effort to support Assad. Even with Russian assistance, which has buoyed the regime, or what's left of it, they're not looking to overextend their commitments by opening up the northern front between Hezbollah and Israel and that would involve a major escalation.

[00:25:36] I don't think at this point the Israelis, Hezbollah, or Iranians want that. Remember, Iran is also a part of this U.N.- sanctioned Vienna Process on Syria. They're implementing the Iran Nuclear Deal. Sanctions relief is coming. I'm not sure they're looking to trip into a major escalation with the Israelis right now.

So i think Hezbollah will respond, but it's likely to be -- and again, there's no real precision in these sorts of analyses; the response is likely to be limited but probably very effective.

SESAY: Aaron David Miller speaking to us a short time ago. All right, turning now to some more weather issues: Christmas week is shaping up to be an unseasonably warm one in a lot of places. The U.S. can expect recorded highs through the week and Europe is said to be especially warm as well. The Russian capital in Moscow already set a new record today. Let's get the very latest on all of this.

Meteorologist Pedram Javaheri joins us now. Pedram, i know i should be sad about this obviously but i don't like the cold. So I'm pretty good with the warm.

PEDRAM JAVAHERI, CNN METEOROLOGIST: I know; some people are enjoying, it Isha. That's a very good point. Some people are enjoying it, and in places like Moscow perhaps they're enjoying it. 9 degrees is where they sat at Monday afternoon. -4, that is what's considered normal in Moscow this time of year. 13 degrees Celsius or 24 degrees Fahrenheit above what is normal. In fact across the city of Moscow i know they have ice skating rinks that are very prominent this time of year. Officials say they opened about four days ago and it's already slushy at the surface; so the ice skating rinks to get a little slushy because of the mild temperatures.

Look at London. These were scenes across London on Monday into Tuesday as the temperature's incredibly mild over this region. You work your way on into France. The coastal regions, we're talking about 15 to 20 degrees in some spots by later this week. Certainly beach weather, believe it or not. The fourth warmest temperatures for the month of December, to start for the U.K., in

recorded history with these mild readings.

And, of course, you might know in the last 30 or so minutes official changing of the seasons happened across the Northern Hemisphere. The Winter Solstice upon us, meaning the shortest day of the year is upon us; now Winter begins. In the Southern Hemisphere it's the longest date of the year. Summer officially has begun as well, when you talk about parts of Australia and South America.

Look at the eastern United States. The Jet Stream gets pushed well into Canada. What we're talking about here, temperatures you would see potentially in June or July are occurring on Christmas week. Over 6,000 record temperatures, Isha, have been set so far this month, and look at these observations. New York City on Christmas Day could be around 70 Fahrenheit, 22 Celsius. That is warmer than Los Angeles, in New York City, on Christmas Day. Incredible heat across this region.

SESAY: As luck would have it, I'm in the wrong place again. Pedram Javaheri joining us there from the CNN Weather Center. Thank you, Pedram.

JAVAHERI: Thanks, Isha.

SESAY: Now, it could play a key role in the dispute over Turkey's shoot-down of a Russian warplane; what Russian experts are saying about the flight recorder.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[00:31:31] SESAY: You are watching "CNN Newsroom" live from Los Angeles. I am Isha Sesay. the headlines this hour: (HEADLINES)

Russia says the flight data recorder from the warplane Turkey shot down last month is so damaged it's impossible to read right now. The state-run Sputnik News Agency says the damage may make it difficult to support Russia's claim that the jet was flying in

Syrian airspace. Turkey claims the jet was violating its air space and ignored repeated warnings. The incident has strained relations with Turkey refusing to apologize and Russia imposing

economic sanctions.

Russia's intervention in Syria is one example of Moscow acting unilaterally in the international community. Our CNN Correspondents sat down and reviewed the role of Russia over the past year.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ARWA DAMON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Russia literally acts with impunity on a global stage and gets people wagging their fingers at them. I mean, there is nothing that's stopping any of it, and either, you know, the West, the U.S. actually needs to step it up or say you know what, we're getting out.

CLARISSA WARD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: We're done.

IVAN WATSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: There are a lot of potential challenges that could come with not only Russia intervening in Syria right now and continuing to -

NIMA ELBAGIR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Flex its muscles.

WATSON: -- flex its muscles but also repeat the sort of anti-NATO, anti-American rhetoric.

ELBAGIR: The rise of Russian nationally -

WATSON: But the Ukraine conflict could flare up at any moment.

NICK PATON WALSH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: But it's sort of also the response of an extraordinarily weak, aging regime. It's sad because you are seeing a population's demographics aren't doing particularly well, whose economy isn't doing particularly well, who's reaching out into foreign military adventures to try to maintain a sense of relevance that we're going to be given anyway just by being so -

WARD: But it's worked. But look at them; I mean, it's really worked. Putin has, for better or for worse, you can make that argument, but he has certainly commanded the world's attention. There's no question -

WALSH: He does have it easy.

WARD: -- that he has kind of filled a void that America has pulled back from and with a pretty negative impact, I think, from what we've seen in Ukraine and now in Syria and elsewhere.

WALSH: Putin operates without transparency. He doesn't have congress to worry about. He doesn't have the media asking him uncomfortable questions every time he steps up to the podium.

ELBAGIR: So no checks and balances. WALSH: He just does what he wants the next day; which is when you look at Obama with the problems he faces. They can't operate in the similar spheres.

WARD: No.

WALSH: There's just a different set of casts.

ELBAGIR: There's no shared language almost, in a way.

WALSH: I mean, you know, one day he will no longer be the President of Russia.

WATSON: But for the time being there's a guy with apparently limitless power who likes to throw a spanner in the works for short- term political gain.

[00:35:29] WARD: But it's worked. It has worked; they make themselves relevant again.

WATSON: Again, unexpected consequences.

DAMON: There is nothing that's stopping any of it and either, you know, the West, the U.S., actually needs to step it up or say you know what, we're getting out.

WARD: We're done.

DAMON: You can't do this in between thing anymore.

ELBAGIR: But then, as someone from a former colony, I always find that kind of narrative very worrying because the expectation that a superpower should be the police officer of the world comes with a lot of exploitation, a lot of expectation of what the return is going to be.

DAMON: Sure.

ELBAGIR: I mean, the reality is -

DAMON: But the, if America's not going to be the police of the world, then don't be the police of the world. Stop promising or inadvertently promising people -

ELBAGIR: I think President Obama's made very clear he doesn't want to be the police officer of the world. I don't think -

WARD: But then you can't set red lines.

DAMON: They you've just got to sit back and watch what happens -

ELBAGIR: Exactly.

WARD: -- and you're not longer able to wag your finger about it.

WALSH: It's a different matter to me, the middle eastern dream of non-American intervention in the region has finally happened and they're really not particularly happy about it frankly.

[LAUGHTER]

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SESAY: A great conversation there with some of CNN's best correspondents. Now, a major accomplishment in space technology. We'll tell you what the landing of this SpaceX rocket booster means for the future of space travel.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SESAY: A double mission accomplished with SpaceX. The rocket company launched an unmanned spacecraft from Cape Canaveral, Florida Monday evening. 11 small communications satellites were successfully deployed into orbit but what came back down was even more significant. Watch closely now.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SESAY, off camera: The rocket booster, which detaches from the [00:40:08] payload after lift-off, was safely guided back to land. The rocket can be now reused for a future launch, marking a major step toward making space travel a whole lot cheaper.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SESAY: A big, big day for SpaceX.

Now, online grocery shopping and delivery is a service that's still looking for ways to drive costs down. One entrepreneur is experimenting with the possibility of ditching delivery trucks for robots. Here's CNN's business correspondent, Samuel Burke.

SAMUEL BURKE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The last mile of delivery is the most expensive. So companies around the world are working to make that final stretch more efficient and faster. They're experimenting with drones, drivers, and now, pardon me, self-driving robots.

AHTI HEINLA, CO-FOUNDER & CEO, STARSHIP TECHNOLOGIES: it's the most expensive because there's this huge van that is starting and stopping and the driver is getting on and off and knocking on doors. That takes time, and that's something that the driver needs to do for every parcel.

BURKE: Home grocery delivery services, like Fresh Direct and amazonfresh are convenient but they're not always cheap. amazon's membership costs $300 a year. Now one of Skype's founders believes he can bring those costs down with self-driving robots.

What does it have in it different than the cart I use to get my groceries?

HEINLA: Well the cart doesn't have nine cameras, but our robot does and it's six-wheel drive. So it has motors, electric motors, and various other sensors. The robot is observing pedestrians. The robot is navigating on the sidewalk and it needs to be aware of its surroundings.

BURKE: And how does it get from the warehouse to the person's house? Using Google Maps?

HEINLA: We are doing our own mapping actually because the maps that our robot needs are quite special. They more sidewalk maps than the road maps.

BURKE: Yes, there aren't cars on the sidewalk.

HEINLA: Exactly. Exactly.

BURKE: Excuse my, sir. can you help me? I'm trying to steal a robot. Theft determinates include on-board cameras and GPS tracking and worst case scenario he says each unit just isn't that valuable.

HEINLA: The most expensive part in the robot is about $40 and that's actually the whole point of it. it has to be a low-cost machine, otherwise, the economics doesn't work.

BURKE: And he says your groceries are safe as well.

HEINLA: You get a notification in your Smartphone when the robot arrives and then you push a button on your Smartphone and the lock opens.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SESAY: Fascinating, yet also a little frightening. Thank you for watching "CNN Newsroom" live from Los Angeles; I'm Isha Sesay. "World Sport" is up next. I'll be back at the top of the hour. You're watching CNN.

("CNN WORLD SPORTS" AIRED)