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Australia Fires; Trump Says Impeachment Is Unconstitutional; American Diplomat's Wife Charged in Death of British Teen; Lebanon Protests; East African Floods Benefit Fragile Ecosystems. Aired 3- 3:30a ET

Aired December 22, 2019 - 03:00   ET

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

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MICHAEL HOLMES, CNN ANCHOR (voice-over): Hello everybody and welcome to our viewers joining us from all around the world. I'm Michael Holmes and ahead here on CNN NEWSROOM, crews battle deadly wildfires across Australia. What the prime minister is saying about the country's response.

Satellite images of North Korea reveal new work being done at a military site with links to the production of long-range missile launches.

Plus, a balancing act in Lebanon as a man set to become the next prime minister tries to balance old political alliances with new demands from protesters.

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HOLMES: Firefighters in Australia battling massive bush fires across the country as the death toll continues to rise. The prime minister says another person died on Saturday. That means nine people have now been killed since the fires began in September.

For days, a record breaking heat wave has fueled more than 100 wildfires just across the state of New South Wales, igniting a call for action on climate change. CNN reporter Simon Cullen joins us now from Australia.

The number of fires and the lost homes and now lost lives, tell us the latest on these conditions.

SIMON CULLEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Michael, as you, say the death toll tragically to, nine that includes those firefighters who died just a few days ago battling these blazes. New South Wales is the worst here but by no means is it alone. Each state is battling its own bushfire emergency.

Nationally, the figure is about 800 homes destroyed and the situation, even though we are entering slightly cooler temperatures, the situation far from over because, the draft which is one of the big factors, here and the hot, dry weather, is likely to continue into the foreseeable future.

Now part of the criticism we have seen in all of this has been directed towards the Australian government, specifically when it comes to supporting the thousands of firefighters, who are volunteers, giving up their time. And, of course, this has been going on for months.

It emerged last week the Australian prime minister has actually been on a holiday in Hawaii with his family for the past week. So he canceled that trip and flew back into Australia later on Saturday. On Sunday morning, this is what he had to say.

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SCOTT MORRISON, AUSTRALIAN PRIME MINISTER: I've obviously returned from leave and I know that has caused some great anxiety in Australia and Jenny and I acknowledge that.

You had your time over again and you had the benefit of hindsight, then we would have made different decisions. I'm sure Australians are fair minded and understand that when you make a promise to your kids you try and keep it.

But as prime minister you have other responsibilities and I accept that and I accept the criticism and that is why Jenny and I agreed that it was important that I return, particularly after the terrible tragedies that we saw late this week.

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CULLEN: A bit of a mea culpa there from the prime minister, Scott Morrison, who is also facing criticism about the Australian government's perceived lack of leadership when it comes to dealing with climate change.

He says the policy is working and it does not need to be changed, Michael. But as I say, of, course these conditions are unlikely to change any time in the near future.

HOLMES: A lot of criticism on the climate change front, absolutely, Simon, good to have you on the ground there. Simon Cullen there.

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HOLMES: Let's turn to North Korea and recent threats might be more than just bluster. Satellite images show fresh activity at a military site that produces trucks used in the country's long range missile program. It could indicate that North Korea is expanding its program.

This coming as the U.S. braces for Pyongyang to potentially test a missile as part of what it said would be a Christmas gift the U.S. Senior U.S. military commanders have said that they are ready for whatever North Korea might do. Now President Trump's impeachment trial in the Senate faces an

uncertain delay. He is now falsely claiming his impeachment was unconstitutional. We will have details on that when we come back.

And also the tragic death of a British teen leads to charges against an American diplomat's wife. Now officials at the highest levels of both governments are getting involved. I will have those stories and more when we come back.

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HOLMES: Welcome back.

The U.S. president Donald Trump is falsely telling his supporters that Democrats violated the U.S. Constitution when they impeached him last week. He offered no explanation for what is a bizarre claim, one of dozens of false or misleading statements CNN found he recently made.

Also not true: Mr. Trump suggesting the U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has abandoned his impeachment.

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TRUMP: Crazy Nancy. She is crazy. No, no. So now she says, you know she has no case, she has no case.

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TRUMP: So let's not submit it. That's good, right?

That is good, right?

But you, know so unfair, it is so unfair. She has no case, did they look, bad they got up the same, thing in the Constitution, they are violating the Constitution. They are violating the Constitution.

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HOLMES: Yes, well, that is not true. You, see the truth as Mr. Trump well knows is that Pelosi delayed sending articles of impeachment to the Senate while Republicans and Democrats work out the rules for the president's trial there and it was certainly not unconstitutional.

The case of the U.S. diplomat's wife killing a British teenager in a motor crash has reached the highest levels of both the U.S. and U.K. government. A U.K. official telling CNN that U.S. secretary of state Mike Pompeo and the British foreign secretary, Dominic Raab, discussed the matter by phone on Saturday.

The official added that, quote, "Nothing new came out of the conversation."

Britain's prime minister says the case is a high priority for his government.

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BORIS JOHNSON, U.K. PRIME MINISTER: The best thing I can say is that the law should take its course and we will be able to see that following this case with keen interest in continuing to make representations on behalf of Harry Dunn's family in the U.S.

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HOLMES: Harry Dunn died in August when his motorcycle was struck by a car going on the wrong side of the road. The driver was Anne Sacoolas, who now faces charges in the U.K. of causing death by dangerous driving. Her attorney said she is contrite about the accident but will not return to the U.K. voluntarily.

Mark Bolton is covering the story in London.

Where does the story go from there?

She did basically flee the country as well, it should be pointed out.

What happens now?

MARK BOLTON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, the family of Harry Dunn will meet with the home secretary, Priti Patel, here this morning in London, as they look to push the political side of this case.

The family -- mother, father, et cetera, were in tears at the news of the crown prosecution, service the state prosecutor here, have made this a criminal conviction. It is potentially, of, course falling under the guise of death by dangerous driving, which could potentially have a jail sentence of 14 years in the U.K.

Harry Dunn's mother said this was a huge step forward in achieving the promise she made to her son after his death that justice would be done. Of course, the U.S. State Department has responded to Boris Johnson's claims that he will push the U.S. at every level for resolution here and the extradition proceedings now that will come forward after the charge.

They say it is not helpful at all to finally get a happy resolution to this situation, even more concerning for Harry Dunn's family scenario is that Sacoolas' legal team have said that Sacoolas will not return to the U.K. to face a potential jail sentence for what they said was a tragic but unintentional accident.

And they, of course, stress that Sacoolas was devastated by this. Why this is important is that it is a three-step process for an extradition proceeding to take place. The first is that the crown prosecution service, push for a charge, which they have done. This will now be reviewed by a judge, that is the judicial part.

But then, of course, it now goes to the home office here in England, Priti Patel's department and ultimately it is they who decide if they do formally look for extradition to bring Sacoolas from the U.S. to the U.K.

So that is a political decision, hence the reason the family will see the home secretary today. But of course, the U.S. will retain the right, potentially, and some feel they may stick to it, to continue their diplomatic immunity for the wife of a U.S. employee working for the intelligence service at the RAF base in Northamptonshire, where this occurred in the summer.

HOLMES: It is interesting, post Brexit, not to talk politics, when there is a tragedy in play here. But Boris Johnson has a lot of trade and other issues where he wants to keep the U.S. and others on side.

Is the family confident that the U.K. government will indeed do everything it can?

CULLEN: It is very good question, a very good point, it may be pushed to the deeper point in terms, of what do they see that would be sufficient to satisfy their own situation emotionally, psychologically, the loss of a child?

What constitutes justice in their minds?

Would it be the charges have been put forward?

Is that sufficient with Sacoolas coming back to the U.K. and at least facing the process, maybe even with that not facing a jail sentence, ultimately being able to go back to the U.S.?

Or would they look for the strong arm of the law to come in completely and see a jail sentence imposed, which could happen?

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BOLTON: It is unlikely, given the facts of the case, that we, know. But it is possible. Yes, it is difficult for Boris Johnson. The backdrop to this, when he was foreign secretary in a previous BROSNAHAN: government, he was criticized heavily for not supporting British citizens with foreign affairs.

So that is his personal story here. But of course, overriding all of this is potential trade, talks as you, say and that will take precedence over everything you suspect.

HOLMES: Indeed. Mark Bolton, thank you very much for that for us in London there.

We will take a short break here on the program. When we come back Lebanon getting a new prime minister. It does not seem to be appeasing the demonstrators. They want a complete overhaul of the system. The latest on the unrest in Lebanon coming up.

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(MUSIC PLAYING) HOLMES: Welcome back.

Protests in India over a controversial citizenship law growing more deadly; 22 people have been killed across the country since the demonstrations erupted last week.

That is when a law was adopted that fast-tracks citizenship for non Muslim religious minorities from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan, who arrived in India before 2015. Ravi Agrawal has a look at what is at stake.

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RAVI AGRAWAL, CNN NEW DELHI BUREAU CHIEF: These are protests that are widespread across the country, immense unrest in the west and east and north and south and some of the most violent clashes have taken place in India's biggest state with a population of more than 200 million people.

And a state that, as you said, has had such clashes in the past. At stake here is the very nature of Indian democracy, because critics of Narendra Modi, the prime minister, the new law of the citizenship amendment act say that this new law, if fully enacted, would mean that India would decide who gets to be a citizen on the basis of religion.

And that, of course, would go against the constitutional protections for secularism in India and would make India be more akin to a country like Pakistan, which was founded on the basis of Islam.

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HOLMES: The man set to become Lebanon's next prime minister is pledging to form a government that will take the country out of crisis but Hassan Diab's designation as premier is also sparking its own protests. Hundreds took the streets of Beirut Friday clashing with police.

Diab has enjoyed the backing of Hezbollah and other supporters but says he is not affiliated with anyone.

And joining me now is Rami Khouri, journalist in residence and adjunct professor of journalism at the American University of Beirut, also a non-resident senior fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School and the perfect person to talk about all of this.

Good to see, you my friend. I want to tap your knowledge to talk broader issues in a moment but let's start with a narrower focus.

Who is Hassan Diab and what are the chances he can defuse the street?

RAMI KHOURI, AMERICAN UNIVERSITY OF BEIRUT: Hassan Diab is a real gentleman, somewhat of a scholar, a professor, academic researcher, he's at the American University of Beirut, electrical -- computer, electrical engineering, he runs the consultancy arm of the university that does contracts all over, setting up schools and hospitals doing studies. [03:20:00]

KHOURI: And he was a minister of education for about four years. His problem is that most people demonstrating in the streets, who make up a lot of Lebanese, see him not so much as a bad guy in himself but they see the way he was chosen as representing the old patriarchal contritional (ph) oligarchic elite, deciding behind closed doors.

And that is exactly what people are protesting about. So they see him as a consequence of what they do not want to live with anymore and they are opposing him very strongly.

HOLMES: I read a comment from a very Beirut protester, essentially saying that, when it comes to Diab, so what?

Same old, same old. We want an outsider, you give us a former government minister and that is the key. The main demand is not the sorts of changes of the political head figures, if you, like. It is an overhaul of the system, not just changing a prime minister.

Is that your sense?

KHOURI: That is absolutely correct. They want a complete overhaul of the system and the presentation of Hassan Diab is seen to be something of a compromise. He is not a heavy political partisan like Hariri and others would be.

And he's going to be judged by his actions, I think. This is really a critical element now, what kind of government does he put together, do they implement policies that respond to the needs of the protesters and the needs of all Lebanese?

So he has a lot of pressure on him now and there are many doubters in the country and some of them are out in the street.

HOLMES: I wonder, tap you on the broader, issue more regionally, there are several countries in the region and nearby going through similar things to what we are seeing in Lebanon.

The commonality seems to be that people are fed up with the system. They want corruption done with. They want accountability and these are countries where calls for accountability are unheard of or not tolerated very, much.

Is there momentum in this regionally?

KHOURI: It very much is regional and this is striking. Now you see, Algeria and, Sudan, Lebanon and Iraq with major daily demonstrations and protests, peaceful and demanding the same thing. They want civilian led governments. They do not want governments that are run by military officers like they have been in Algeria and Sudan for 30 or 40 years.

They do not want governments appointed by foreign countries, whether Saudi Arabia or Iran or whoever it may be. They want --

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HOLMES: Or sectarian, either.

KHOURI: Pardon?

HOLMES: Or sectarian, either.

KHOURI: Or sectarian, exactly, so they realize that the problem is the nature of the old sectarian power sharing oligarchy that has become very corrupt and very inefficient and the problem is that the average Lebanese and most of the other countries mentioned, like Jordan or Iraq that have difficult times but not such big protests.

The problem is that ordinary people have no future. They cannot really get jobs for their kids, they do not have enough money for food; 66 percent, two-thirds of all Arab people, are either poor or vulnerable, right on the poverty line.

And this is a massive problem that is getting worse, not better. So the real problem is the suffering that people feel because of the incompetence, corruption and the disdain of their governments towards them over the last 30 or 40 years.

And they have identified, in some countries that have sectarian systems, like Lebanon and Iraq, they have identified the sectarian system as the problem. In other countries, it is the military rule and inefficiency and corruption as in Sudan and Algeria and other places.

HOLMES: It remains to be seen whether the leaders, the power brokers truly understand that or whether they decide they are going to again wait it out and get back to business as usual.

Interesting, times, great to have your insights, Rami.

OK, we will take a quick break. Heavy rains and floods have been devastating for people in East Africa but a different story for animals in Kenya. Coming up, how the wet weather has been affecting the region's delicate ecosystem. We will be right back.

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HOLMES: Welcome back.

East Africa has had a turbulent year of dangerous wet weather but what was a disaster for humans was quite the opposite for animals. Our Farai Sevenzo shows us how animals in a national park in Kenya are thriving.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) FARAI SEVENZO, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): For months now, East Africa has had heavy rainfall. Hundreds died across the region in landslides and flash floods. But what did the heavy rains do to the region's animals?

This park, we're talking about the rangers, had 1,930 elephants at last count. The heavy rains fell here, too, sending water down from the mountains. This park is looked after by Kenya's Wildlife Services.

SEVENZO: The rains which had been falling so heavily all through Kenya and East Africa have affected this area, too, Amboseli National Park, up near the border with Tanzania. These rains have been a huge blessing. You can see the animals wading, the flamingos are back and, of course, the tribesmen and villagers who live around this area are coexisting with the animals.

SEVENZO (voice-over): The rains have led to new grass and fresh foraging for the beasts here.

SEVENZO: Were the animals adversely affected by this?

JOSEPH KABERERE, KENYA WILDLIFE SERVICES: Not at all. Not at all. As you can see, we have seen a lot of elephants and hippos. Physically, because of the range that we had, you can see the area is green.

SEVENZO: When the East Africa rains first came cascading down mountains like Mount Kilimanjaro, they caused a lot of flash floods and there were rumors that animals were being swept away.

But of course, they are very instinctive creatures, these beasts. They know when to move away from earthquakes, from volcanoes and, indeed, from flash floods.

What was a dry region an area is now lush with green vegetation just before Christmas. It is a wonderful sight, which is, of course, completely the opposite of what happened to people in East Africa.

SEVENZO (voice-over): In this age of climate change debates, the rains are seen as another standoff between people and nature. But here, in Kenya's Amboseli National Park, a delicate balance between man and beast seems to have been struck for now -- Farai Sevenzo, CNN, Amboseli, Kenya.

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HOLMES: Some good news there.

Thank you for watching CNN NEWSROOM, everyone. I appreciate your company. I am Michael Holmes. I will have the headlines just a moment.