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Tensions Rise with Iran Over Nuclear Deal Agreement; Stock Markets Not Happy with President Trump's Threats to China; House Democrats Push to Get the Unredacted Mueller Report; Asia Bibi Flies to Canada; Voters in South Africa Still Hope for a Change in Leadership; New York Times Revealed President Trump's Taxes. U.S.- China Trade Talks Set For Thursday In Washington; Global Stocks Tanking Since President Trump Threatened Further Tariffs On Chinese Imports; Uber And Lyft Drivers To Strike In Major Cities; Iran Set To Reduce Nuke Deal Commitments In 60 Days; A Rare Glimpse On China's Detention Camps; CNN Travels Inside China's Xinjiang Province; A New Threat For Mozambique; Turkey To Redo Istanbul Mayor's Race; Protest Projectiles. Aired 3-4a ET

Aired May 08, 2019 - 03:00   ET

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


[03:00:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ROSEMARY CHURCH, CNN ANCHOR: The U.S. and Iran trade warnings as Washington sends bombers to the region. Tehran says it won't comply with parts of that historic nuclear deal that President Trump abandoned two years ago.

And South Africans head to the polls. The party of Nelson Mandela tries to stay in power after years of corruption scandal.

Plus, CNN gets rare access to the violent crackdown on Muslims in China. Our team investigates camps where the U.S. says millions of Muslims may be held captive.

Hello and welcome to our viewers joining us from all around the world. I'm Rosemary Church. And this is CNN Newsroom.

We are tracking new developments out of Iran. The country's President, Hassan Rouhani says that it could abandon parts of the 2015 nuclear deal within 60 days. He made the announcement in a national address exactly one year after the U.S. lift the treaty. Iran says other countries have two months to implement their commitments to the deal or Iran will, quote, "reduce its own."

Well, for more, CNN international diplomatic editor Nic Robertson is live in London, he joins us now. So, Nic, there's much concern with the increased tension between Iran and the United States, and of course, this military buildup that we are witnessing. Where is all of this going?

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Well, I think we've also had one more detail to add just in the last few minutes to all of that, Rosemary. The verified Twitter account of Hassan Rouhani, the Iranian president has just sort of given detail on how they plan to within their -- within their minds and within the Iran nuclear deal not keep to parts of it which is what they said.

And what they've indicated that they would not be complying with some facets of it, who as the Iranian president literally in this tweet just given some detail.

I read it to you. "Starting today, Iran does not keep its enriched uranium and produce heavy water limited." Now their enrich uranium, their lightly enrich uranium of 3.75 -- 3.7 percent likely enrich uranium is currently cut to 3,000 kilograms. Before the nuclear deal it was at 10 -- they had 10,000 kilograms. They were forced to get rid of it.

The more light enriched uranium you have the shorter the pathway you have to making a nuclear weapon. The heavy water component to that was also limited. Again, if you have more than the limit there that shortens the pathway to making a bomb.

So the Iranian president is putting more specifics on the threat here they're likely to use part of the JCPOA, this agreement, tis multinational nuclear moment with Iran that the United States unilaterally pulled over a year ago to say that if the United States is not in compliance with its parts of this then there is no need for Iran to be in compliance with its part of it.

How does that progress from there? Well, there is an arbitration mechanism article 36 within that agreement. It goes to a period of two weeks arbitration with an arbitration body and it would go to the foreign ministry level and then after a few days, after another 15 days there a decision would have to be made.

So, this is absolutely an escalation of the tensions that you're talking about here that we're seeing at the moment than a military. But this is Iran making these -- making these moves now on the joint nuclear agreement.

However, how the United States response and how the European countries respond, remembering they are divided at the moment on this, how China and Russia respond as well it's going to be key. Do the European sanctions on Iran that doesn't seem likely in the short term but ultimately that's where we could get to.

Ultimately, the tensions from today could get higher.

CHURCH: And Nic, what response is Iran trying to get from this? What does it signal?

ROBERTSON: What they've been saying all along is that since the United States pulled out of the JCPOA, the nuclear deal, that they want the Europeans to do more to facilitate their remaining parts of the deal.

That would be to allow Iran because it's compliant within the terms of the JCPOA that the International Atomic Energy Agency has verified that it's compliant within the terms of the agreement. They would want to be able to export their oil, that they want to do business with the rest of the world. [03:04:59] And they want the European countries to sign up to the

agreement, Germany, Britain, France to do more to look after their interest there, that it's up to these countries to help deliver on the economic benefits of signing at the Iran nuclear deal which was always the leverage over Iran.

Remembering it came to the table for talks because the economy was in a terrible state. So, what they are trying to do now is increase the pressure on the European countries to do more.

However, if they go into noncompliance this is going to become a subject a very technical discussion as very quickly, I imagine the European countries would be force to go back also to sanctions. There's a pathway to that. We're not there yet but that's potentially what could happen.

CHURCH: International diplomatic editor Nic Robertson joining us there at the front of 10 Downing Street. We'll watch to see what happens next, a lot of concern around the globe. Many thanks to you.

Well, global markets have been tanking since President Trump threatened new tariffs against China and investors are not happy about it.

On Tuesday, the Dow had its worst day since January 3rd, tumbling 473 points. The NASDAQ dropped nearly 2 percent falling below 8,000 points for the first time since April 18th.

The Asian markets are now closed and all three ended the trading day down more than 1 percent. You can see there. But traders are hopeful China and U.S. can make progress later this week when both sides return to the negotiating table in Washington with Chinese Vice Premier Liu He, part of that mix.

And our Steven Jiang joins us from Beijing with more on all this. And it is a good sign, isn't it, that China is sending its vice premier to continue with these talks. The big question of course is whether they can avert a trade war?

STEVEN JIANG, CNN PRODUCER: That's right, Rosemary. It's a good sign and also a surprising sign. Because remember, as recently as Monday there is a lot of doubt that whether premier -- Vice Premier Lie He would ahead with this trip after President Trump fired off that pair of tweets threatening new tariffs on Chinese imports.

I think the decision that Chinese leadership had made to send him to D.C. as planned really shows how they feel at this juncture they cannot afford a complete breakdown in these trade talks as they are experiencing remarkedly slowing economy here at home.

But you know, that is also a rare instance where the leadership actually broke their long-held public stance of not negotiating under threats.

But even with Mr. Liu in Washington in attending these talks it is very hard to imagine at this juncture how the two sides can bridge their increasingly wide gap on a number of key areas including enforcement mechanisms in any trade deal they eventually reach, as well as how they present this trade deal to the public.

So, these things are going to be difficult to read to really -- this gap is difficult to bridge in just two days. And the Americans have said if there is no major breakthrough they are going to ahead with these new tariffs, which, of course, would then prompt the Chinese to retaliate with counter tariffs.

So, at the moment, it is very likely we're going to see an exhalation in this yearlong trade war between the two of the -- the world's two largest economies. Rosemary?

CHURCH: Yes. A lot of people all around the world will be watching to see the outcome of these talks. Steven Jiang, many thanks to you for bringing us the very latest. I appreciate it.

Well, at least six people are dead after suicide bombing near Sufi shrine in Lahore, Pakistan. Police say the attack had targeted officers who are posted outside the shrine.

Pakistan's prime minister condemn the attack happening on the second day of Ramadan.

And breaking news just in to CNN. Asia Bibi the Pakistani woman who was freed from death row is now in Canada. That is according to her lawyer. Last year she won an appeal on her 2010 conviction for blasphemy.

Well, CNN producer Sophia Saifi joins us now from Islamabad, Pakistan with more on all of this. And of course, Sophia, we were talking last hour about the fact that it has been confirmed that Asia is Canada. But what are the details do we know regarding her family as to whether they are with her and the reaction there in Pakistan to this news?

SOPHIA SAIFI, CNN PRODUCER: Well, Rosemary, as you said this is information that we've just gotten in the fact that she's finally left Pakistan. This is an ordeal that she's gone through since 2009, since the summer of 2009. So, it has, in fact, been a decade.

And according to her lawyer Saif Ul Malook she has left for Canada. She's been out of the country for more than 24 hours. So, she has been, you know, it takes a while to get from Pakistan to Canada. It's about a 16-hour flight. So, she left the country almost two days ago or maybe more.

[03:09:58] We had been told, the media had been told last month in April by Prime Minister Imran Khan that Asia Bibi was still in Pakistan. So, this is very much a recent development, it's happened over the past couple of days.

Blasphemy accusations are taken quite seriously here in Pakistan. You are liable to be killed if you are accused of blasphemy. And so, the fact that Asia, not only Asia was obviously under this threat. She was obviously, you know, handed a death sentence by the courts before she was acquitted. Her family has been living under the shadow of dear, her extended

family, her two daughters, her husband. Now her lawyer did tell me that her husband did accompany Asia to Canada. We're not too sure. We haven't been able to confirm independently where her daughters are, but there is an understanding that they too are in Canada.

There were lots of precautions taken before we could report this information because there had been -- you know, Asia's while -- after she was acquitted last October, there were massive riots across the country causing her to stay within Pakistan, causing the Pakistani government to reach an understanding with Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan, the organization that had been protesting for her against her release that they will wait till January for the entire acquittal to be reassessed.

And that did happen at the end of January. Now, you know, during that time, she was moved from one safe house to the next, so it has taken a while for these confirmations to come through. And now we know for a fact that Asia, her husband are now in Canada and have been in Canada for more than 24 hours. Rosemary?

CHURCH: Our Sophia Saifi bringing us up to date with that breaking news, Asia Bibi now in Canada with her husband. Many thanks.

Well, the polls are open in South Africa as the country's ruling party battle scandal and voter apathy in national election. We'll have a live report for you, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CHURCH: A night of high drama at Anfield where Liverpool beat Barcelona in a stunning victory. The English club is now headed to the UEFA Champions League final after scoring four goals on Tuesday, overturning a three-goal deficit after the first leg last week. And Liverpool did that without their two stars strikers. How about that?

Well, the polls are open in South Africa in a key test for the ruling African National Congress once led by Nelson Mandela.

[03:15:01] Voters are casting their ballots in parliamentary and provincial elections. The ANC has governed South Africa since the end of white minority rule in 1994. But years of corruption and scandal and a sluggish economy are threatening their majority.

CNN's David McKenzie joins us now live from Johannesburg with more on the election. So, what are you seeing in terms of voter enthusiasm and voter turnout?

DAVID MCKENZIE, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Rosemary, if you look here, I mean, there is a long line stretching behind me. We've not moved to the Joburg CBD, the center of what is one of the closely contested races here in the provincial election.

And as we walk along here this is both the national and provincial election, millions of people coming out. But this long line, Rosemary, is somewhat deceiving because there is a sense of voter apathy, especially amongst the youth here in South Africa.

Twenty-five years after the end of apartheid. Then this, this affection from many that I've spoken to with the conditions in this country.

We were in Soweto earlier, people calmly going to vote and cast their ballots. The ANC is facing a stiff challenge from two major opposition parties. The thing I hear time again and time again, Rosemary, is that change happened -- hasn't happen fast enough. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're waiting for change. We're voting for a better future for our kids and for ourselves. This is what people are worried about is corruption, crime. And the poorest thing --

(CROSSTALK)

MCKENZIE: What do you think will spark the change? What will make things accelerate?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I can't see it.

MCKENZIE: You've been waiting too long?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, yes. It's just that we just can't change anything. We must just go on 14 until God comes back.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MCKENZIE: Characteristic humor there from a South African. The sense that change must come but they are taking it in her stride.

And the ANC, the ruling party, the party of Nelson Mandela the key question is here, will they keep their more than 50 percent majority in the parliamentary vote. If they slip below that, or if even they have lose significant support we'll see -- be seeing, Rosemary, as a real punishment for the years of alleged corruption under former President Jacob Zuma.

Cyril Ramaphosa, the current president is saying he wants a new break, a new dawn, a different kind of leadership but South Africans I've spoken to have been skeptical about those promises and just promises in general here in South Africa as they deal with the daily struggle in a country which has become the most unequal and unearth even with all the promises of a new democracy. Rosemary?

CHURCH: And we will be watching to see what the outcome is of these elections. David McKenzie joining us there live from Johannesburg. Many thanks to you.

Well, the New York Times is out with a blockbuster investigative report on Donald Trump's taxes from the mid-80s through to the early 90s. Documents show Mr. Trump's businesses lost nearly $1.2 billion over that period. And the future president paid income taxes only twice in 10 years. In 1990 and '91 his core business losses were more than double the next closest taxpayers.

A lawyer for the president says the Times information is demonstrably false but he failed to provide any specifics on that.

Well, House Democrats are getting ready to take their fight with the White House to the next level. They are set to vote in the coming hours to hold Attorney General William Barr in contempt for not turning over the full unredacted Mueller report. The White House is showing no signs of changing its strategy of stonewalling.

CNN's Abby Phillip reports.

ABBY PHILLIP, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Today, the White House is sticking a thumb in the eye of congressional Democrats ordering former White House counsel Don McGahn not to turn over documents in response to a House Judiciary Committee subpoena.

White House lawyer Pat Cipollone telling Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler in a letter, "The records belong to the White House and are protected from disclosure to Congress because they implicate significant executive branch confidentiality, interests, and executive privilege."

But the White House is not going so far as to exert executive privilege outright. This, coming as Senate Majority Mitch McConnell moves to play defense for President Trump, calling on Democrats to drop their efforts to follow up on Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. MITCH MCCONNELL (R-KY), MAJORITY LEADER: Baseless accusations of perjury? Laughable threats of impeachment? Look, we all know what's going on here. This whole angry barrage the Democrats have prepared to unleash on President Trump, except the facts, let them down.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[03:20:07] PHILLIP: McConnell signaling to Republicans that they should push back on efforts to force Mueller to testify.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MCCONNELL: The special counsel's finding is clear. Case closed. Case closed.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIP: House Speaker Nancy Pelosi firing back, not so fast.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NANCY PELOSI, UNITED STATES SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE: The case is not closed.

(END VIDEO CLIP) PHILLIP: As Trump pushes back on probes into his taxes and possible obstruction of justice, Pelosi also accusing the Trump administration of stonewalling Congress of push Democrats toward impeachment.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PELOSI: Trump is goading us to impeach him, that's what he's doing. Every single day he's just like taunting, taunting, taunting because he knows that it would be very divisive in the country.

We can't impeach him for political reasons, and we cannot impeach him for political reasons. We have to see where the facts take us.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIP: The White House has now made their position on document production clear, but remember, Democrats still want to talk to Don McGahn about potential obstruction of justice, and while President Trump has made it clear he doesn't think McGahn ought to testify. A source familiar with the matter says the White House has not officially conveyed that position to McGahn.

Abby Phillip, CNN, the White House.

CHURCH: Scott Lucas is a professor of international politics at the University of Birmingham in England and he joins me now via Skype. Good to have you with us.

SCOTT LUCAS, POLITICS PROFESSOR, UNIVERSITY OF BIRMINGHAM: Good morning, Rosemary.

CHURCH: All right, a lot to cover. Let's start with taxes and according to the New York Times tax records from 1985 to 1994 show that Donald Trump's businesses lost more than $1.1 billion and he paid no income tax for eight of those years. Could this possibly be the reason why Mr. Trump refuses to release his tax records?

LUCAS: Well, I remember during the campaign Donald Trump bragged that he didn't have to pay taxes to the government and that prove how clever he was. Well, now we know the real reason.

The story is not entirely new. We have known in general that Trump has exaggerated his wealth. In 2011, he dropped the lawsuit against an author Timothy O'Brien who made that claim when O'Brien called for the disclosure of Trump's records.

But the scale of the losses more than a billion dollars, that's pretty significant. The bottom line is, Rosemary, that in many ways Donald Trump was saved after six bankruptcies not because he was skilled a businessman but because he became a reality TV star through "The Apprentice" and then through the World Wrestling Federation.

That's certainly is an interesting way to regain one's public position. But the idea of "The Art of the Deal" you know, it already was an illusion. Does it affect his political standing? That I doubt. CHURCH: Right. Well, no doubt there will be more information on this.

So, I want to move to the Democrats that they want to vote to hold Attorney General Bill Barr in contempt of Congress if he resists calls to provide them with unredacted Mueller report. And that's certainly what is happening here.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell we heard he says, move on, case is closed. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer says moving on would be tantamount to a cover-up. How big though, is the risk to Democrats that they'll look like they're overreaching here and getting too political if they push this too hard? It's been two years this the Mueller report a lot of the public are sort of going let's just move on from here.

LUCAS: I don't want to go down that line, Rosemary, because if you talk about risk to Democrats, you're playing the White House game. They are the ones that are saying look, we won't be damaged. It's the Democrats if they continue to call for the information and testimony about the scale of the Russian interference in the 2016 election and about Donald Trump's financial matters.

And that's the bottom line. Look, imagine what the threat is now. That the question today was going to be could there be a contempt of court -- Congress charge largely against the Attorney General William Barr for not providing unredacted copies of the Mueller report to Congress.

And how does the White House respond? If you pursue this contempt to Congress charge against William Barr to get unredacted copies of the Mueller report we won't give you the unredacted copies of the Mueller report.

CHURCH: Yes. I mean, they're saying they'll invoke executive privilege over the whole of the Mueller report. What would that mean?

LUCAS: Look, you know, executive privilege is just basically where they are saying, everybody go away. Now what it means practically is, is that despite the fact that executive privilege probably does not apply to much of the Mueller report because it doesn't concern direct conversations between the president and his officials. This would involve a legal fight.

[03:24:58] In other words, what the White House is saying is whether it's contempt for William Barr, whether it's demands for the unredacted report, whether it's subpoenas for other witnesses, whether it's the demand for Donald Trump's financial records.

We're going to take all of this into the courts because we'll gamble it will take so long to get this through the courts. By the time we get any decision, it will be the 2020 reelection. And we'll take our chances at the polls rather than actually being transparent.

CHURCH: Right. OK. So here is how Speaker Nancy Pelosi on what she thinks President Trump is trying to do right now.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) PELOSI: Trump is goading us to impeach him. Taunting, taunting,

taunting because he knows that it would be very divisive in the country but he doesn't really care. He just wants to solidify his base.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: So essentially Pelosi warning Democrats here not to take Trump's impeachment bait. And the big question is will that work as calls grow louder within her own party to do exactly that, to go down that road.

LUCAS: Well, we know that the Democrats have debated how quickly to pursue this and that carries on. But the reality is that, we're now in the mode of will there be full hearings, especially through the House committee about the financial matters and about the extent of the Trump Russia links.

If those hearings are blocked at every turn by the White House then you can take the next step to say whether in fact the Mueller report has enough in it especially over obstruction of justice to pursue an impeachment.

But first, you try to have the hearings. And that's where we are. And practically speaking, this debate between Democrats will go on. But we are looking at the next two or three months to keep your focus on those hearings, if they're held are there enough grounds to impeach Donald Trump? If they are blocked are there enough grounds to impeach Trump anyway. And will probably be at that position during the summer to make a decision.

CHURCH: Political gamesmanship on show from both sides. We'll keep an eye on what happens here. Scott Lucas bringing us some analysis on the topic. I appreciate it.

LUCAS: Thank you, Rosemary.

CHURCH: And coming up, human rights groups say China is assimilating its Muslim minority forcefully by putting millions in detention camps. CNN went in search of answers.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MATT RIVERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: We're here to film what we believe is a camp for Uyghurs and for Kazakhs and for Kyrgyz and for all ethnic Muslim minorities.

(CROSSTALK)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Who told you that? Who told you that?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CHURCH: Welcome back, everyone to CNN Newsroom. I'm Rosemary Church. I want to update you on the main stories we've been following.

[03:29:58] Hopes for a trade truce between China and the U.S. remain uncertain ahead of this week's talks in Washington. Global markets have been tanking since President Trump threatened new tariffs against China on Sunday. China has said, that raising tariffs won't resolve any issues.

Uber and Lyft drivers in more than a dozen cities around the world are going on strike Wednesday ahead of Uber's Wall Street debut on Friday. Local drivers and Labour groups have organized the strikes to send a message to drivers want a minimum wage, job security and regulated fares.

Iran says it is partially withdrawing from the landmark nuclear deal signed two years ago. President Hassan Rouhani threatened further action from Iran if the other countries in the deal don't as he puts it fulfill their obligations in 60 days. Mr. Rouhani's statement comes as a standoff with the U.S. escalates. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo made a surprise visit to Iraq on Tuesday. The U.S. is sending more warships and bombers to the region citing what it says are credible threats from Iran.

CNN military analyst Cedric Leighton, joins me now to talk more about all of this. Thank you so much for being with us.

COL. CEDRIC LEIGHTON(RET), CNN MILITARY ANALYST: You bet, Rosemary, it's always a pleasure.

CHURCH: So, in the midst of rising U.S. Iranian tensions, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, blew up a scheduled meeting with Germany's Angela Merkel and instead made a surprise visit to Iraq to warn a possible attacks from Iran. What did you make of the timing of this? And what might it signal?

LEIGHTON: Well, there's several thinks that it could signal, Rosemary, what you were looking at here is a lot of Iranian movement that in some cases, I think, has surprise some of the Trump administration and those of us who watched Iran for a while knew that these kinds of activities have been going on for years and this seems to be at least the standard procedure that the Iranians used in order to signal their displeasure with certain things.

And in this case, I think what the Iranians are most concerned about is the fact that the Iranian revolutionary guards had been declared a terrorist organization and, of course they have other issues that they are dealing with. But that is something that has an effect on them economically, because of the sanctions that can be imposed.

So, the fact that the Secretary of State came -- instead of going to Germany, came directly to Iraq to warn the Iraqis about this is perhaps for the Iraqis not very much news, because they know about Iranian activity. In some cases, they work with the Iranians and they understand them a lot better than the United States does.

CHURCH: Right and of course, Iran is apparently moving missiles around in boats, and additionally Secretary Pompeo told Iraqi officials more about the increase in possibly eminent threat from Iran to U.S. forces inside Iraq and that is apparently why a carrier strike group was sent to the region. What's your reaction to all of that?

LEIGHTON: Well, the carrier strike group, you know, you can read that in two ways. I think, it's being deployed a little bit earlier than its normal rotational schedule would indicate, but it's also true that the United States puts its carrier battle groups into positions in the Middle East on a fairly standard and fairly routine basis.

The main reason for that is to send the Iranians a message that we are here to not only protect our allies and our forces, but also to keep sea lanes like this, Strait of Hormuz and the rest of the Persian Gulf open to international shipping. And of course, in this case it means also open to the flow of oil.

And so, what we are seeing here is a reaction perhaps a bit of an overreaction to what the Iranians would do normally. The Iranians are looking at this though was a potential provocations and we have to be very careful that this doesn't get out of hand.

CHURCH: That is the big concern when you see this sort of buildup on both sides. And Secretary Pompeo's trip to Iraq, of course, came as we learned that Iran plans to announce, it will reduce its commitment to joint comprehensive plan of action. A year after the U.S. announced its departure from the nuclear deal. How significant is that?

LEIGHTON: It is very significant, because, of course, the Europeans such as Germany and the other members of the E.U. are very interested in keeping the Iran nuclear agreement enforce. And they want to make sure that the Iranians comply with it. Up until this point, all communications, even from U.S. Intelligence had been that the Iranians have in fact complied with the agreement.

If the Iranians don't comply with this agreement or start not complying with it, then what we'll see is the inevitable escalation and tensions and it's going to be much harder to put the Iranians nuclear genie back in the bottle. This is going to be a very difficult diplomatic issue and perhaps a military issue that is going to affect the security of our forces in all parts of the Middle East, not just in parts that are directly across from Iran and across the Persian Gulf from Iran, but also the forces that are in Iraq and in Syria. And it's going to have, I think, some significant consequences, some of which we can't directly foresee at this point.

[03:35:22] CHURCH: All right. Always great to get your military analysis on matters a sensitive as this, thank you so much, sir.

LEIGHTON: You bet Rosemary, anytime.

CHURCH: Well, China says, it has nothing to hide, but Muslim families claim that they are being torn apart in crackdown by Chinese authorities. The U.S. says, millions are being held in the northwest of the country. It says that is where Muslims have been placed in detention camps, something China calls vocational training center. Let's turn to CNN's Matt Rivers and his team traveled to some of the

most remote parts of China for a rare look at these camps. And Matt, what all did you find?

MATT RIVERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, we found that what China would call vocational training center, certainly don't look like any type of boarding school were training centers that we've ever seen before. In fact, we saw places that look a lot like prisons, barbed wires, guard towers, you can't speak to the people who are inside. We are harassed by the police for even filming them, so, even though China says they have nothing to hide, it's pretty clear that they do, but the human toll of what's going on in Xinjiang is massive.

The scale is almost too hard to comprehend and so we tried to focus on one family that has been completely ripped apart as a result of what China is doing in the western province of Xinjiang. Here's our story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RIVERS: The bedroom hasn't changed since they left, stuffed animals on the bed, their clothes in the closet, their grandmother won't change it, she says, it still smells like them. Unsila and Newsila, ages eight and seven left their home in Kazakhstan to go to China with their mother Adiva in 2017. Adiva grew up in China, so she went back for a short visit, to see some families and take a few classes in Xinjiang in northwest China.

Her husband Esten and young son, Normakens stayed home. But shortly after they arrived, Adiva and her daughters disappeared, because they went back at the wrong time.

Xinjiang is the region where the U.S. says China has put up to two million people, nearly all Muslims in detention camps over the last few years. Activist say, Beijing has done that to try to eliminate Islam within its borders. And ex-detainees have told CNN, they were tortured inside while undergoing political indoctrination. Adiva and her family are Muslim, her husband Esten says, a relative told him his wife was put in such a camp while his daughters were sent to live with distant relatives. He hasn't heard from any of them in nearly two years.

When he sees young women in the neighborhood, he calls them momma, Esten says, he doesn't even know what his own mother looks like.

China says these camps aren't prisons, but voluntary vocational training centers, that are being used to not eliminate Islam generally only Islamic extremism, but the government has linked to past terror attacks in the region. So authorities played propaganda videos like this one on state run TV, to show happy Muslims, cheerfully learning. They interview some who have supposedly been quote, reformed. Steered away from a life of terrorism, but even if that is true, Esten says that still does not explain why his wife was locked up.

My wife is not a terrorist, he says, she has nothing to do with it. I can't express with words how much pain I feel when I think of her there. We asked Chinese authorities what happened to Adiva, they did not

replied to our question, so we went to Xinjiang ourselves, to some of the most remote parts of China, traveling thousands of miles in all. We went to six places, both to see what is happening here, and in one town, to try and find Adiva.

Ethnic Muslim minorities have lived here for centuries, Uyghur, Kazaks and others culturally distinct from the Han Chinese who dominate the rest of the country, but now, every day, there forced to prove that they are not a threat to the state. Cameras watch their every move, in some place position every 50 meters, while Han Chinese regularly briefs through the (inaudible) and police roadblocks, anyone we saw who appeared to be a minority got stopped.

Racial profiling appears rampant. But all that, it's likely still better that life for those that end up in places like this, detention camps designed for Muslim ethnic minorities, like this one outside the city of Kashgar.

What China calls a job training cite to us, looked a lot more like a prison. High walls, barbed wire, guard towers, things multiple experts told CNN are telltale signs of detention centers.

[03:40:10] Images like this are rare. Few people have seen camps like this up close, because China's government tries to prevent reporters like us from seeing them. A police officer, soon reminded us of that fact.

What's happening here is that this police officer does not want us to film, but what we believe is that that is a camp right there. This is as close as we were able to get. And right over there, we believe our family members presumably who could have family members inside that camp and they're waiting to see them.

China says it has nothing to hide here, but not only do they obstruct attempts to film or go inside the camps, they also prevent us from speaking to those who know anything about them. We tried to talk to this man who just brought food to his brother who he says is being held in the camp, but before we could ask about life inside, plain clothes security surrounded us and told the man to be quiet.

There are camps like these all across Xinjiang, nearly 1,000 miles away, we took a train to the city of Turpan to see another same type of prison like walls, same kind of secrecy and the minute after we arrived, the same kind of police harassment.

Mam, can you tell me what that is? Is this something that you don't want us to see?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Why are you here? You tell me, why are you here? Why are you here?

RIVERS: We are here to film what we believe is a camp for Uyghur, and for Kazaks and for (inaudible) and for all ethnic Muslim minorities.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Who told you that? Who told you that? RIVERS: She threatened to arrest us, and demanded we delete our

footage, so we had to leave. Our last stop is the town of Toili -- where Adiva's families says she was detained. Her husband Esten believe she has since been left out of the camp, and is back living with her daughters, Esten was told they can't leave China, because officials took away Adiva's passport. He has no way to contact her, and fears he could end up in a camp himself if he went to find her, so we try to find Adiva ourselves.

But as soon as we arrive in town, traffic police block our way and officials who'd been following us, insist on a group dinner. We declined strongly, saying no, no, no. But, in the end, we have got no choice. As Muslim minorities languish in camps not far away, government officials drink liquor and dance to folk music.

It is an absurd scene, but we can't leave. And so, we were unable to find Adiva and we couldn't deliver this message, what Esten wanted us to share if we found her. Quote, our son and I have been waiting and will always wait for you. You are the love of my life.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

RIVERS: And so not only does China not want as to see those camps to fil anyone in Xinjiang, to speak to anyone in Xinjiang, they also don't want us to broadcast any of those images to the world. So what you're seeing on your screen right now is a live image of what the CNN signal in mainland China looks like.

Now, the Chinese government has control over whether the CNN's signal can be broadcast within its borders here in China. So viewers sitting in a hotel for example and you are watching CNN all you would be seeing right now is a black screen, because China is censoring that actively right now. When this story is over, the signal would come back up and that's just further proof that China says it has nothing to hide, but by their repeated actions both in Xinjiang and right now as we try and show this story, it shows you that they do in fact want to hide a lot, Rosemary.

CHURCH: Exactly right. Many thanks to you, Matt Rivers for bringing us that incredible report. And tomorrow we will have more of Matt's travels to China's northwest. He and his crew will meet with round the clock government's surveillance that made it all too difficult for them.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RIVERS: He and at least a dozen others followed us every single hour of are six-day trip. Never more than 20 feet away. In the car, in the train station, in the hotel, in the room next to mine.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's a bit of an odd feeling to be in your hotel room at one in the morning and knowing that on the other side of this connecting door which leads to the room next door to mine, there is police, three to four guys, who have been following us around over the past couple of days.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: And be sure to watch his reporter's notebook from Xinjiang, that's Wednesday at 6:00 p.m. in New York, 6:00 a.m. Thursday in Hong Kong only here on CNN.

And coming up --

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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The computers in the hospital are all broken, a lot of our medical equipment has been soak in water.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: Devastation in Mozambique after two cyclone hit and now a new threat. And many are crying foul after Turkey's electoral commission orders a redo of Istanbul's race for mayor.

[03:45:05] We'll have the details for you next.

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CHURCH: Turkey's electoral commission has ordered a redo of the Istanbul mayor's race, due to possible voter fraud. It's a victory for President Recep Tayyip Erdogan since his AKP Party lost that critical race. Our Jomana Karadsheh has more.

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JOMANA KARADSHEH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: On March the 31st, Turkey held local elections, those were seen as significant it was seen as a referendum on President Erdogan and his rule. And while his alliance won more than half the votes across the country, they still lost the two main seats. Ankara, the capital, and Istanbul, the country's largest city, also its commercial and financial capital. And this was seen as a significant blow to President Erdogan and his party.

This was the first time that the opposition won those two cities in more than two decades, and Istanbul has always been very significant for the president. He was once the mayor of Istanbul, and he was the face of the campaign here until the final hours before that vote, he was out holding rallies here in Istanbul.

Now, the CHP, that's the main opposition party, their charismatic and popular candidates, Ekrem Imamoglu won the mayor-ship here in Istanbul by a very narrow margin, a few thousands votes out of millions. And the AKP, the president's party appealed those results, they objected to this, there was a recount, but it confirmed Imamoglu's win. And he was -- he took office in April. The AKP went ahead with more appeals, this time to the supreme electoral board, that took weeks in previewing those allege irregularities, those claims that were made by the AKP and they ruled to annul the Istanbul election, and called an ordered a new vote on June the 23rd. No surprise President Erdogan praising that decision.

RECEP TAYYIP ERDOGAN, TURKISH PRESIDENT (through translator): I hope the decision will be good for Istanbul, as well as our country. As politicians, we see this decision as the right step to strengthen our will to solve our problems within the law and democracy. And to leave the duty of the referee to the people.

[03:50:14] KARADSHEH: Imamoglu condemning that decision, calling it treacherous, but vowing to win again.

EKREM IMAMOGLU, CHP MAYOR: They might have pressed and obtain a decision to win 40 to 45 days to cover their dirt, but let me tell you, we will rip back our rights with a smile on our face as well as hope, love and respect.

KARADSHEH: For many in Turkey and beyond, this is not just about local elections, this is about Turkish democracy. And many here are questioning why the AKP objected to the results of one of several votes that took place on that day in Istanbul, and that is the one that was their major loss here in the city. Votes that took place in the same city under the same circumstances, but now, everyone is preparing for that vote on June the 23rd. What is expected to be one of the most significant votes in this country's history, and in the meantime, all eyes are on that fragile Turkish economy. Jomana Karadsheh, CNN, Istanbul.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: Well, desperation in Mozambique. Recent cyclones have ravaged the country, and now residents are facing a new danger. Our CNN's Amara Walker reports, the current humanitarian crisis could get even worse.

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AMARA WALKER, CNN NTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: First, there was Idai, then came Kenneth. Dealing with two cyclones in five weeks has had a devastating effect on Mozambique. Hundreds were killed and both storms, many more have lost a little they had and thousands are homeless or living in tents. In desperate need of food and medicine.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): I have not much left. The cyclone destroyed everything and we have seven children. Life is simply is struggling. If anyone can help, I will be grateful.

WALKER: Cyclone Kenneth also damaged hospitals and destroyed medical equipment, and it's a struggle to get supplies to the many in need due to blocked roads, fallen power lines, and poor communication.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): The computers in the hospital are all broken. A lot of our medical equipment has been soaked in water. The medicine is also wet and only a small amount is still usable.

WALKER: The immediate danger right now is disease. Health officially have already confirmed one outbreak of cholera in the northern part of the country, and they warned that many others remain at risk.

STEPHANE DUJARRIC, SPOKESMAN FOR U.N. SECRETARY GENERAL: The World Health Organization tells us today that nearly 190,000 people are in need of health assistance or are at risk of diseases in Mozambique, due to the lack of accessibility, the full extent of the damage to the health system is not known, at least 17 health facilities have been damaged, but this number is expected to rise.

WALKER: For eight officially, it's a race against time to access isolated communities before disease sends a death toll even higher. Amara Walker, CNN, Atlanta.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: And to find out how you can help with emergency relief efforts in Mozambique, just go to CNN.com/impact. And we will be back right after this short break.

[03:55:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CHURCH: Well, politicians have to expect the unexpected these days as our Jeanne Moss shows us they are increasingly in the middle of food fight.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: When a protestor throw an egg at Australia's Prime Minister. The Prime Minister exhibited a hard- boiled head. And it just grazed him, though he did have to help up a woman who got knocked to the ground and the egg thrower go knock verbally as she was led out. It's the second egging in as many months in Australia.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When people are getting attacked in their own --

MOOS: Right wing senator, egg by a teen fought back. The preferred reaction in the U.S. is playing it cool.

Like George W. Bush did. Ducking a pair of shoes.

GEORGE W. BUSH, FORMER UNITED STATES PRESIDENT: So one of the guy threw a shoe at me.

MOOS: The same thing happened to Hillary.

HILLARY CLINTON, FORMER SECRETARY OF STATE: -- cycling about --what was that about? Thank goodness, you didn't play softball like I did.

MOOS: Someone was similarly bad aim.

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I mean, you have Hillary who is a disaster.

MOOS: Thrown a tomato at then candidate Trump, who waive and smiled. But it's hard to smile through a pie in the face. Anita Bryan campaign against gays and then got pied by one.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Well, at least it's a fruit pie. MOOS: While right-wing commentator Anne Coulter got pied by two.

When a protester hit Rupert Murdock with a foam filled pie. Murdock's then wife Wendy in pink whack the attacker. And when Ralph Nader was pied, he serve it right back. The shoe was on the other foot. This minor league manager took care not to throw his shoe at the amp. Instead he raised an armpit in protest, you stink. Jeanne Moos, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: That's a new one, isn't it? All right. A very uplifting story now. A little boy who lost his leg in a landmine explosion when he was eight months old, he is showing the world how to deal with a setback. Here he is, this is the moment (Inaudible) got a prosthetic leg at the International Red Cross Center in Afghanistan recently. Look at him go, he's dance delighted to himself, and others who clapped and cheered him on. What a magnificent young man and the video went viral as you might very well imagine. And he moves so well. And thanks to your company. I'm Rosemary Church, the news continues next with Isa Soares in London. You are watching CNN, have yourself a great day.

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