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China's Financial Markets Suspend Trading for Second Time; Region Reacts to North Korea's Alleged H-Bomb Test; Alabama Judge Sidesteps Same-Sex Marriage Legalization; Charlie Hebdo Remembers; Donald Trump on China and North Korea; Texas Cop Faces Perjury Charge. Aired 3-4a ET

Aired January 07, 2016 - 03:00   ET

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

[03:00:01]

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ROSEMARY CHURCH, CNN HOST: Hello and welcome to our viewers here in the United States and all around the world. I am Rosemary Church.

ERROL BARNETT, CNN HOST: And I am Errol Barnett. Thanks for joining our second hour of CNN NEWSROOM.

CHURCH: And we begin with more troubling news in the global financial markets. The trading day in China ended almost as quickly as it began, after rapid sell-off triggered automatic circuit breakers.

BARNETT: The Shanghai Composite and the CSI300 both fell more than seven percent, as you see there. And the Shenzhen market was off more than eight percent. The big deal is this is the second time this week that trading has been halted.

CHURCH: It's been a rough day so far across the Asia pacific region. Stocks are finishing in negative territory, in Hong Kong, Tokyo, Sydney and Seoul, and we have a team of correspondents covering world markets. Matt Rivers is in Beijing and Nina Dos Santos is in London.

BARNETT: Let's go ahead and begin with Matt Rivers for more on what's behind China's plunge. And Matt, as we've been saying, twice this week that the emergency circuit breaker was needed, we know that North Korea's behavior creates a bit of uncertainty. There may be other issues that are a bigger factor into all of this. What's the latest on that?

MATT RIVERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right, North Korea certainly and the surrounding uncertainty about that latest test that we saw yesterday definitely not helping markets here. But most analysts have actually pointed to a devaluation of the Chinese currency, the Yuan, overnight. It actually lost value overnight, bringing it to the lowest level it's been since 2011. So that definitely spooked investors. You saw a rapid sell-off, as soon as the markets opened up around 9:30 local time. It was right after that, that you immediately saw the sell-off begin. And you mentioned the circuit breakers. The circuit breakers were

installed. They actually began functioning this week. It's the first time they've been installed. When stocks lower to the 5 percent mark, there's an automatic 15-minute halt to trading. That is supposed to -- according to Chinese regulators, give investors and traders time to breathe. What many observers are speculating is it's having the opposite effect. We spoke to one man who shared his view on the matter.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Almost helping the panic develops because what happens in that 15 minute break is that the traders in the market and the China market is dominated by retail investors. They get sell orders before the market closes. And they want to sell before everyone else does.

RIVERS: It could be exactly what we saw today. During the 15 minutes, people decide they want to get out of the market for the day. As soon as the market reopens after the 15-minute trading halt, what happens is they put in the entire sell orders. Within seconds, as soon as trading resumed, the figures actually went down to the seven percent barrier, the seven percent mark is where trading the automatically halted for the rest of the day, perhaps unintended consequences to the new policies.

BARNETT: And that's concerning, Matt, because earlier this week we saw that when China's market had to close, you saw the region in Asia, fall as far as stocks, as did Europe as well. You have China extending the ban on share sales. Should we expect another drop tomorrow, Friday?

RIVERS: Well, tomorrow is something that people have been really been worried about. You know the drop that we saw on Monday was due in part to fears this ban would prevent major shareholders in place. It was after this morning's tumult that regulators here in China actually announced new regulations that would, they say prevent a sell-off from occurring. The shareholders are limited to selling up to one percent of their stakes in the companies every three months.

[03:05:01]

They have to give around two weeks notice before they do that. Hopefully, the Chinese authorities say that will prevent a major sell- off happening tomorrow.

BARNETT: All right, everyone, brace yourselves. Matt Rivers, live for us in Beijing. Five minutes past 4:00 in the afternoon there, Matt thanks.

CHURCH: It's worth noting that U.S. markets are off to their worst start since 2008. The DOW shed 252 points on Wednesday, to close at 16,906. It is the first time the index has finished under 17,000 since mid-October. The NASDAQ and the S&P both lost more than one percent.

BARNETT: Now trading is just getting under way this hour in Europe's financial markets. We can anticipate what to expect. Let's take a look, and as you there red everywhere. London's FTSE is pulling back almost two percent. The Paris is pulling back. The DAX doing the same, and Zurich is pulling back two percent as well.

CHURCH: All right, so let's bring in the anchor of CNN Nina Dos Santos. She joins us now live from London. Nina, it is a sense of Deja vu, isn't it? We saw this play out on Monday. We saw China's markets plummet seven percent. We saw the Asia pacific region react, and Europe reacting kind. They lost ground. That's what we see at the start. How is this likely to play out?

NINA DOS SANTOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Who knows? For the moment the indications don't look good, as you see on the chart behind me. It is a sea of red here. Some markets haven't opened. And the Athens composite, looking slightly healthier, that market will take about 20 minutes or so to filter through. The heaviest losses in places like Germany, France, the United Kingdom, remember that these are the bastions of manufacturing particularly Germany, exposing a number of its goods and having a number of it made inside China. Just to put things into context. The European Union is actually China's biggest trading partner. But $150 billion worth of goods from this region from markets like these went over to China in last year alone.

So there are fears if China's economy is slowing so quickly, companies that are listed on these stock exchanges in this place in the world, where I am, will immediately start to suffer this year. The World Bank actually came out with a cut to its global forecast. They're not expecting a hard landing, they say, perhaps an ongoing soft landing. That very soft landing could be painful for these European markets and markets stateside. China is the most voracious consumer of commodities. If we look at crude, which is the European contract for oil, that one is trading about $32 on the barrel, which means that it is close to a 12-year low.

Some people say it could fall even further towards $30. If that's the case, that could be the lowest level for crude for 20 years.

CHURCH: Incredible numbers there. Nina Dos Santos keeping us up to date on European markets. You'll keep a close eye on that. And we'll be tuning into your program. Many thanks.

BARNETT: The big story we're following, more doubt is being cast on North Korea's claims that it detonated a hydrogen bomb on Wednesday in underground testing.

CHURCH: Japan has just announced it has detected no particular change in radiation levels in the air. It sent three planes to collect atmospheric dust after North Korea's test.

BARNETT: Meanwhile, the United Nations is poised now to take further action against the reclusive country for violating Security Council resolutions.

CHURCH: And Paula Hancocks is live in Seoul with more. Paula, of course, we're seeing a lot skepticism, a lot of doubt, as to whether this was a hydrogen bomb that North Korea claims was tested. If it wasn't that, what are people saying it possibly was? [03:10:01]

PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Rosemary, there is certainly skepticism. It's based on fact at this point. The vision agency is saying the productive force, the yield that we saw in the seismic activity suggests it's not much bigger, and could be smaller than the previous nuclear test. It's unlikely to be a hydrogen test. We're hearing from Japan and South Korea, they haven't found any levels of radiation in the air and atmosphere at this point. That's not necessarily unusual. We know that the Japanese planes have been in the air to capture these dust particles to try to gain any evidence they can of what was in that nuclear test. Back in 2013, they failed to find any radioed activity in the air.

They were unable to test to find out whether or not it was uranium, plutonium, exactly what the makeup of that test was. The reason for that is because North Korea is clearly getting better at shielding its nuclear tests. They're getting better at digging underground and casing the nuclear tests. Less is leaking out. There's a possibility that we will never know exactly what was in that nuclear test. Some analysts suggesting there should be a small hydrogen element to make a more destructive force. But of course, we simply don't know and may never know, Rosemary.

CHURCH: All right, many thanks to Paula Hancocks reporting live from Seoul in South Korea.

BARNETT: Joining me to talk about this is Bruce Klingner. He's a senior research fellow for the Heritage Association, a Washington- based conservative think tank. Thanks for your time today, Bruce. I am wondering, what different U.S. approach could be more effective than what Presidents Obama, Bush and Clinton tried in the past, framework agreement that failed in the 90s. And engagement has led to more tests. What's left to try?

BRUCE KLINGNER, SENIOR RESEARCH FELLOW, HERITAGE ASSOCIATION: Well, there are additional measures and sanctions that the U.S. has not yet applied. President Obama said North Korea is the most heavily sanctioned country in the world. That's simply not true. There were stronger sanctions against Iran. There are things that we could do to North Korea's financial system that the Obama administration has been hesitant to do.

BARNETT: And who or who specifically does North Korea do businesses with that the U.S. has influence overall ties to? Where could a new sanctions bite take hold?

KLINGNER: Right. One of the things -- when people think of sanctions, they think of trade sanctions. And the U.S. doesn't really trade with North Korea. But the vast majority of all international financial transactions are denominated in dollars, which means they have to go through a U.S. Treasury Department regulated bank. And North Korea still has its transitions are denominated in dollars. They go through U.S. banks, which give the U.S. great influence. We can even prevent North Korea from accessing the financial network of the U.S., which is the kiss of death for financial systems. We actually have a great deal of influence. We have exercised in the

past. But then, we refrain from doing so.

KLINGNER: But do you think is it the lack of pushing on the policies that has led North Korea to continue to try to develop nuclear weaponry? Now that we know they've had a fourth test and it may not have been an h-bomb. But does it change the international view of North Korea because it has been predictably unpredictable.

KLINGNER: Right. Well, there is no silver bullet. We've tried engagement. There were -- North Korea agreed to four international agreements. And another four to give up the weapons they promised not to pursue in the first place. We tried sanctions. And when we did measures against a bank in 2005, North Korea said you finally found a way to hurt us. And then, the Bush administration removed the sanctions in attempts to keep the six-party talks going. People say sanctions have failed. Diplomacy certainly has. And we actually haven't used all of the sanctions that we could try.

BARNETT: And we should also note that China holds quite a bit of leverage over North Korea as well. Bruce Klingner, with the Heritage Foundation, thanks for your time today.

KLINGNER: Thank you very much.

CHURCH: On the day the U.S. President made an emotional appeal to the country about gun violence, 12 people were shot in Chicago. Still to come, details on the city's violent start to the New Year.

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[03:18:30]

CHURCH: The satirical magazine, Charlie Hebdo is remembering the deadly attack on its offices one year ago. And we're looking at the previous offices of this magazine. And they are marking this anniversary with a special edition.

BARNETT: That's right. This anniversary release comes as France remembers the victims killed in this attack and others last year. CNN's Jim Bittermann has details.

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JIM BITTERMANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It was for France, a terrifying end to innocence. If the shots and shouts and bloody scenes had long been predicted, no one, not the police, nor government officials, nor the public could have anticipated the awful reality of homegrown terrorists striking at the heart of the French capital. It was an attack, not just of those that were killed, it was an attack on the very fundamental right of freedom of expression, which the edgy, satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo had always exercised to the fullest.

A year later, commemorative plaques have gone up, freedom of expression lives on. The newspaper lives on as well, albeit from a much more secure and secret location. In fact, financially Charlie Hebdo has never been stronger. Before the attacks, it's struggled to survive printing just 30,000 copies a week. But since, there has been a six fold inquiry since circulation, and an influx of millions of Euros in donations. The editor says he would not rule out publishing more caricatures of Mohammad. But he sees no need to do so at the moment. He admits the tone of the newspaper has changed.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Here we are, one year later, with a vision which might be even a little more pessimistic today than a year ago.

BITTERMANN: Is it more difficult to be funny now?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No. We always manage to find the urge to laugh because we have the will to live.

BITTERMANN: But in that respect perhaps, the newspaper is a reflection of the nation, which has been struggling to maintain its way of life. But the kind of attacks that killed and injured hundreds on November 13th, were entirely different.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think France has changed. I think the events of January last year were an enormous, symbolic shock beyond the actual physical violence of the events. I think it's raised a lot of questions about French identity, perhaps some of the causes of the attack.

BITTERMANN: Shortly after the newspaper was attacked, one observer said they thought they were going to kill Charlie Hebdo. But they've made it stronger. A year later, the words ring just as true. Not only for the newspaper, but perhaps even for France itself.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: And CNN -- all right, we were going to go to Jim Bittermann there but we're having problems. We will attempt to get him back.

Gun violence in Chicago has been rampant -- barely seven days into the New Year. On Tuesday, 12 people were shot and 4 of them died. That's the same day the U.S. President made an impassioned plea to put an end to gun violence. Rosa Flores reports.

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ROSA FLORES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Before President Obama started his emotional speech Tuesday against gun violence, two people had been shot in Chicago, say police.

BARACK OBAMA, U.S. PRESIDENT: We are the only advanced country on Earth that sees mass violence erupt with this kind of frequency.

FLORES: Soon after he finished speaker, that number would jump to three. By day's end, nine more would be shot, four fatally, two of them teenagers. Shot and killed in Chicago's south side.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: These are teenagers walking from a store and were practically ambushed.

FLORES: Police say the teens were on a corner when a gray Ford Explorer drove up and fired multiple gun shots.

What emotions do you have when you hear about the shootings?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I cry for that family. (Inaudible)

[03:23:30]

FLORES: A few blocks away, another teen shot in the thigh by an individual in a dark SUV say police. As night fell, the number of dead would continue to go up. Like this shooting scene on the south side, where a 25-year-old was shot in the abdomen. Overall, crime in Chicago has decreased for the past four years. Murders however, have increased by eight percent, according to Chicago police. If you look at the first days of the year, it's a different picture, 10 murders in the first 5 days. In fact, shootings in Chicago are up 176 percent.

With 47 shootings in the first 5 days of 2016, compared to last year's 17 shootings, say police. Illinois has some of the strictest gun laws in the country. But guns are still flooding the streets of Chicago. Police say the weapons flow in illegally from surrounding states with more lenient gun laws. These guns fuel organized crime and street gang violence. In the past year alone, Chicago Police confiscated nearly 7,000 illegal guns.

OBAMA: People are dying. And the constant excuses for inaction no longer do.

FLORES: The human toll is difficult to ignore. And it's weighing heavy on the President, 12 people shot, 4 dead in his hometown on the very day he made a national call to curb gun violence, Rosa Flores, CNN Chicago.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BARNETT: We'll be discussing all of this with a special look at guns in America with U.S. President Barack Obama. Anderson Cooper hosts an exclusive one hour live town hall event on Thursday at 8:00 p.m., for those of you watching on the U.S. East Coast. That's 1:00 a.m. Friday London, only here on CNN.

CHURCH: One U.S. Presidential candidate says that the country that should deal with North Korea is Pyongyang's largest economic ally.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Without China, they wouldn't be able to eat. China has to get involved and China should solve that problem.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: Coming up, what else Donald Trump has to say about protecting South Korea.

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[03:29:06]

BARNETT: Welcome back to our viewers in the U.S. and all around the world. It's your last half hour of the week with us on CNN NEWSROOM. I am Errol Barnett.

CHURCH: And I am Rosemary Church. Let's check the headlines for you this hour.

China's financial markets have suspended trading for the second day this week, after big losses early in the day. It's the latest setback in a dismal week for investors around the globe. U.S. stocks are off to their worst start to the year since 2008.

BARNETT: China, Japan and South Korea all say they haven't detected any change in radiation levels after North Korea's nuclear test on Wednesday. Pyongyang claims it successfully detonated a hydrogen bomb. Meanwhile, the United Nations is poised to implement what it calls significant punitive measures on North Korea.

CHURCH: Sunni majority Qatar is the latest country to recall its ambassador from Iran. A Qatari official says that decision follows the attack on a Saudi embassy in Tehran over the weekend. And tensions have been worsened by the Saudi execution of a prominent Shiite cleric.

BARNETT: All right, let's get more on the North Korean nuclear test. Specifically, I want to look at China's reaction because it wields so much influence over the hermit kingdom. Victor Gao is the Director of the China National Association of International Studies, and he joins us live from Beijing to talk about this. Victor thanks so much for your time today. We've heard already China says it won't tolerate what North Korea has done. However, it's previously shown resistance in the allowing crippling sanctions. What can we expect China to do?

VICTOR GAO, CHINA NATIONAL ASSN. OF INTERNATIONAL STUDIES: Well, first of all, the nuclear testing by DPRK yesterday in the form of allegedly hydrogen bomb is a serious violation of the resolutions adopted by the resolution. The Chinese government has strongly condemned the testing. And in substance, China is a victim of nuclear testing because the testing site is 100 kilometers away from the Chinese border. And the repeated testing of nuclear devices by DPRK may eventually cause huge damage to the environment, to underground recourses, air, soil, and other properties on the site, to say nothing of the loss of life.

And China's reaction is not only a matter of principle but coming out of very acute national consideration. And I think to prevent the further escalation of the program by DPRK, the major countries need to get united. Particular, countries like China, United States and Russia. DPRK has the tendency of playing against the United States and playing the United States against China, and more recently, playing Russia against China and vice versa. If the major countries can get united and commit to the same cause of action, I don't think DPRK can get anywhere in terms of the nuclear program.

And eventually we will be able to achieve the ultimate goal of denuclearization of the peninsula, what is the only viable option. The nuclear program will not help anyone on the Korean peninsula. And its consequences will go beyond. It gives great incentive to China as well as other major countries to get united and get on to the same course of action in ultimately achieving denuclearization on the Korean peninsula. This is the only right option.

BARNETT: The problem is despite all of that, historically, it's not worked. The six-party talks haven't worked. China had North Korea's back because it doesn't want South Korea, the U.S. military any closer to its borders than it already is. At the same time, as you mentioned, with the environmental impact, that China doesn't want a humanitarian catastrophe, either, this is a year when you have the worker's party, Kim Jong-Un seems emboldened by what he is doing. What's different this time around? And what can the six nations or five nations, plus North Korea try to get a different outcome because nothing has worked in the past.

[03:34:01]

GAO: Yes. On the one hand, the six-party framework is not a perfect framework. And so far, it has not achieved the desired goal of demilitarization. The longer this process is going on, the more nuclear testing DPRK seems to have conducted. Therefore, we need to fine tune the six-party talk. That remains the only viable workable framework to use diplomacy and dialogue to achieve the ultimate goal of demilitarization. It's not perfect, but we should not give up hope at this particular time.

We need to keep up with the work. As far as China is concerned, China has good relations with DPRK. It goes back for decades in the early 1950s. However, I think the good relations that China has with the DPRK people and the DPRK government, actually is why China should oppose the nuclear program by DPRK government, simply because the nuclearization on the Korean peninsula is not in DPRK's interest. It's against the peace and stability on the Korean peninsula. And it has dire, negative consequences for China which is just to the north of DPRK.

China doesn't want to be dragged into another war. I don't think the United States want to be dragged into another Korean war. We want to have peace and stability. That's the reason why major countries including particularly China, the United States and Russia, need to get on to the same page. If we commit to the same cause of action, DPRK will not get anywhere as far as its nuclear program is concerned. There will lay a solid groundwork for achieving denuclearization on the Korean peninsula.

BARNETT: It's a great point you make and the environmental impact that many locations that North Korea has been testing nuclear technology close to the Chinese border. There is an impact there. China wants to protect its interest, its people as well. Victor Gao, great to have you with us, appreciate your time today.

CHURCH: The U.S. Republican Presidential front-runner says China should take the lead in dealing with North Korea. BARNETT: That's right. In an interview with Wolf Blitzer, Donald

Trump says there should be consequences if Beijing doesn't address Pyongyang's nuclear testing.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

WOLF BLITZER, CNN HOST: Would you consider a preemptive strike to destroy North Korea's nuclear capabilities?

TRUMP: No, because China has total control of them. We have total control over China because of trade. They're sucking our money out of us. And China can come out and frankly, they will -- you know they say they don't have that much control over North Korea. They have total control because without China, they wouldn't be able to eat. China has to get involved. And China should solve that problem. And we should put pressure on China to solve the problem.

BLITZER: Because you know there are almost 1 million North Korean troops north of the demilitarized zone, almost 1 million South Korean troops, south of the demilitarized zone...

TRUMP: And we have 28,000 troops there in the middle -- we get paid nothing. We get paid peanuts.

BLITZER: Would you pull them out?

TRUMP: Well, I would want South Korea to pass a lot of money. We're doing a lot of -- I just ordered 4,000 television sets out of South Korea. They're a moneymaking machine. We're defending them. I have many friends in South Korea. They buy my apartments. But South Korea should pay us and pay us substantially for protecting them.

BLITZER: You want China basically to handle the North Koreans?

TRUMP: They can handle it so easily. They are taunting us. They're playing games with us. I do it all the time. They're playing games. China should solve that problem. And if they don't solve that problem, we should be very tough on them with trade. Meaning, start charging them tax or cut them off. You have China collapsed in two minutes. We have great power over China. We just don't know how to use it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: A state trooper in Texas who made a controversial arrest of an African-American woman is now facing a perjury charge.

[03:39:01]

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: As of about 3:30 today, has issued an indictment against State Trooper Brian Encinia for perjury.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Is that the only charge he is facing?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's the only charge that the grand jury issued the indictment on.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's a class A misdemeanor.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: Encinia claimed that Sandra Bland was combative during this traffic stop in July.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Why am I being apprehended?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Get out of the car. I will light you up.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Wow.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Get up now.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: For a failure to signal. You're doing all this for failure to signal. Yeah. Let's take this to court.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BARNETT: Bland was found dead in her jail cell three days after being arrested. Police say she hanged herself with a plastic bag. But Bland's family said she would never kill herself. And the grand jury did not indict anyone in her death. State officials say they plan to fire the police officer.

Within hours of an order by the chief justice in Alabama, the legal battle begins.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He's just a man on a soapbox. He's a crazy individual. We call him the ayatollah of Alabama.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BARNETT: Still to come on CNN NEWSROOM, a closer look at the legality of the justice's order on same-sex marriage. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CHURCH: Welcome back, everyone. This just in to CNN, according to South Korea's President, South Korea it will resume propaganda broadcasts into North Korea. This of course, in the wake of North Korea claiming it had successfully tested a hydrogen bomb. It tested something. We don't what exactly. And the west and others are in the midst of trying to confirm what it was. We are getting this in to CNN. South Korea to restart loud speaker propaganda broadcasts against North Korea at the border from Friday. So we'll continue to follow that story.

Alabama's chief justice is ordering probate judges to enforce the state's ban on same-sex marriage. [03:44:01]

BARNETT: Roy Moore says the U.S. Supreme Court decision legalizing same-sex marriage, targeted other state bans and not Alabama. However, a federal judge in Alabama has said the ruling was binding on all probate judges in all 50 states.

CHURCH: The Supreme Court issued its landmark ruling seven months ago. Moore has consistently (Inaudible) an attorney for the National Center for Lesbian Rights says any judge who follows Moore's order is at risk for legal sanctions. With me now is Richard Cohen. He is the President of the Southern Poverty Law Center, a civil rights and legal advocacy group. And Richard, a few hours ago, your group filed an ethics complaint against Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore. It is worth noting, this is not the first ethics complaint against the Chief Justice you've filed. What is the main thrust of your complaint?

RICHARD COHEN, PRESIDENT OF THE SOUTHERN POVERTY LAW CENTER: What we're saying is he has encouraged probate judges to defy federal court orders, requiring them or prohibiting them rather from discriminating against same-sex couples in the issuance of marriage licenses. It's completely, completely outrageous. Moore should be removed from office as a result.

CHURCH: This is the third ethics complaint you've filed, how much will you get traction with this? And what exactly are you hoping to achieve?

COHEN: Let me go back for a second. You know we filed ethics complaints against Roy Moore in 2003 that resulted in him being thrown out of office for defying a federal court order at that time. Unfortunately, the people of Alabama saw fit to re-elect him. Now he's up to the same shenanigans. It's not up to us whether he gets thrown out of office. We can just file our complaints. I think the Alabama officials hopefully have had enough of him. And will finally act and remove him once again.

CHURCH: All right. So Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore's administrative order says Alabama probate judges have a duty to enforce the same-sex marriage ban. What should the federal court be doing about this?

COHEN: You know I believe that most of the probate judges will ignore what Judge Moore said. If they don't, we'll take them to court and sanction them. And we may bring Roy Moore into court, as well. I hope it doesn't come to that. I hope the judges realize that Roy Moore is way out of bounds. And I hope the Alabama officials remove him from office.

CHURCH: And how has he responded to this?

COHEN: He's just a man on a soapbox. He's a crazy individual. You know we call him here the ayatollah of Alabama. He's a law unto himself. He's not going to stop until they remove him from office. He's proven that.

CHURCH: What sort of backing have you got?

COHEN: You know I think that most of the people in the legal community are rooting for us. They know this is outrageous. We live in a religious state. There's a lot of opposition to same-sex marriage. And Roy Moore is depending on that. So I think he has some popular support. Yet, I think the public is going to recoil from the spectacle of urging him to violate a court order. The attorney general in Alabama, the governor in Alabama said we have to follow the federal courts. It's only Roy Moore alone saying otherwise.

CHURCH: Richard Cohen thanks so much for talking with us. Appreciate it.

COHEN: Thank you.

BARNETT: Still to come here on CNN NEWSROOM, a big development for Netflix, that's the video and streaming television service. See why it's hailing the birth of a global TV network, more on that after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[03:47:01]

CHURCH: How about that? It was a promotional clip from Netflix, in fact. The video and streaming television service is now live in 130 more countries.

BARNETT: Productivity down the tube. All-told, Netflix is available nearly everywhere, except for China and a few other countries. CNN's Brian Stelter has more on the global expansion.

BRIAN STELTER, CNN SENIOR MEDIA CORRESPONDENT: Hey, Errol, hey, Rosemary. This was a big statement today by Netflix about its global ambitions. They described this as the launch of a global TV network. CNN is a global TV network. And there are many others like it. But Netflix is a new kind because it is on-demand and streaming to people with internet connections all around the world. The growth of Netflix has been phenomenal. In the United States, about half of U.S. households have a Netflix subscription.

And the service is now available in Europe and South America. But today, Netflix basically turned on the lights around the rest of the world, from 60 countries and territories to almost 200. That means pretty much everywhere in the world, you can sign up for Netflix, except for China, North Korea, Syria and Crimea. As for the other locales, Netflix says there are restrictions operating. Of course, there's not enough internet access to matter anyway. For the rest of the world, as connectivity improves Netflix will be available, shows that are distributed like House of Cards and Orange is the New Black, but Netflix is trying to reach people wherever they are.

They have to prove to Wall Street investors they can continue to sign up more and more and more subscribers. Today, a big milestone for that company, and of course, many competitors is chasing Netflix at this point, back to you. BARNETT: Thanks a lot, Brian. There's a joke going around that

Netflix going global means Netflix and Chile.

CHURCH: And the crowd roars.

BARNETT: All right, Star Wars, the force awakens is the highest grossing film in North American history.

[03:52:01]

CHURCH: Figures aren't expected to be released until Thursday, but the latest installment from a galaxy far, far away broke the $760 million mark set by Avatar back in 2009. This weekend, Star Wars opens in China, the second-biggest movie market in the world.

CHURCH: All right. Another story, this one about lots of money, lottery players in the United States will have to try again. Nobody won the jackpot in Wednesday's $500 million power ball drawing.

BARNETT: That's right. Take a look at the winning numbers that you did not have. The jackpot is now estimated at $675 million bucks. That would make it the largest ever in U.S. history.

CHURCH: You didn't have a ticket.

BARNETT: I don't usually get into those things. Money doesn't buy you happiness, just stress, relatives out of the woodwork.

All right, in the Czech Republic, a group of amateur swimmers found the weather favorable even though it was 1 degree Celsius or 33 degrees Fahrenheit. This is how they celebrated the Christian holiday of epiphany.

CHURCH: The swimmers say the cold water is good for their health. They can only manage to stay in it for 15 minutes or so. And tourists bundled up in coats and scarves, watched the brave souls take a dip.

BARNETT: That's crazy.

CHURCH: And thank you so much for watching CNN. I'm Rosemary Church.

BARNETT: And I'm Errol Barnett. Early Start is next for those of you here in the states.

CHURCH: And for our viewers elsewhere, do stay tuned for more CNN NEWSROOM. Have a great day. We'll see you next week.

BARNETT: Take care.

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