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U.S. Condemns North Korea's Missile Launch; Haitian Gang Demands Ransom; Supreme Court Fast-Track on Texas Abortion Ban; Trump Answers Questions Under Oath; Shipping Containers Remain Gridlocked. Aired 9:30-10a

Aired October 19, 2021 - 09:30   ET

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

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[09:32:11]

ERICA HILL, CNN ANCHOR: This morning, the United States is condemning an overnight North Korean missile test, calling on the country to, quote, refrain from any further destabilizing acts.

JIM SCIUTTO, CNN ANCHOR: South Korean officials say the ballistic missile appears to have been launched from a submarine, that's key, fired from near the port city of Sinpo in the sea east of the Korean peninsula.

CNN international correspondent Will Ripley, he's in Taipei, Taiwan, this morning.

So, Will, key question here, whether the missile was fired from a submarine. That's an expansion of North Korean capabilities, greatly expands their ability to attack potentially around the world. What do we know?

WILL RIPLEY, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Absolutely, because, remember, Jim, it was 2019 when they sort of claimed that they had a submarine launched ballistic missile but it turns out it was launched from an underwater platform. This time around, we still haven't gotten any official confirmation in North Korean state media. That usually comes about 24 hours after the rest of the world finds out about the launch.

But, South Korea believes it was at least one missile. Japan is saying two ballistic missiles. And, yes, if they were fired from North Korea's submarines, albeit they're antiquated, they're loud, they're pretty easy to detect, they're not like the United States or the U.K. fleet or perhaps in the coming years the Australian nuclear submarines that they'll get under AUKUS. But, still, if North Korea can launch ballistic missiles from their submarines and, you know, creep up to enemy shores and fire, that really is a game changer. That's a bit of a cliche, but we've had a lot of game changers in terms of weapons tests in this region.

There was the hypersonic missile test that North Korea claimed just a matter of weeks ago. A missile that can travel at least five times the speed of sound, only China and Russia have deployed that technology so far that we know of. The U.S. is still trying to develop it.

You have Japan moving missiles to their islands close to Taiwan and the Japanese prime minister, within the last couple of hours, talking about enemy strike -- enemy-based strike capability for Japan. That's huge because Japan is a pacifist country, Jim. And if Japan's now talking about being able to strike enemy bases, that's a -- that is also a game changer. We're seeing militarization in this part of the world at a pretty, some would say alarming pace. And a lot of room for miscalculation.

SCIUTTO: No question. And potential flashpoints not just on the Korean peninsula, right, but with Taiwan and China, you know, worries about a Chinese invasion.

RIPLEY: Yes.

SCIUTTO: Will Ripley, good to have you there. Be safe. We look forward to hearing more.

Another story we're following this morning, the Haitian gang that kidnapped 17 American and Canadian missionaries is now demanding a ransom of $17 million, $1 million for each hostage, this in exchange for their safe release.

HILL: Now, Haitian officials say they are in contact with the kidnappers, that they know where the hostages are being held. Among those captives, five children, the youngest an eight-month-old baby.

CNN international correspondent Matt Rivers is in Port-au-Prince this morning.

[09:35:02]

So, Matt, what is the latest on this situation?

MATT RIVERS, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, that information coming from a conversation I had with the justice minister here in Haiti, just within the last hour or so, that ransom demand first coming in, according to the justice minister, from a phone call the kidnappers made to Christian Aid Ministries. Their representatives on the ground here. That's who the missionaries were working for. That phone call, the very first one, coming in at 4:53 p.m. on Saturday, just a few hours after those 17 missionaries were abducted. There have been several calls since then according to the justice minister back and forth between the ministry group as well as the kidnappers.

In terms of where these hostages are being held at this point, we're told they're being held in an -- outside of the neighborhood that the gang controls. It's a suburb called Pualaduquet (ph). It's east of Port-au-Prince. That's the neighborhood that the gang essentially runs. There basically is no police presence there. But we're told the hostages are actually being held outside of that neighborhood.

This is a gang that regularly is involved in kidnappings and the justice minister telling us that they have several places around the city where they usually keep their hostages. And it's believed that these hostages are also there.

And we're also told that the kidnappers have been warned by officials what will happen to them if any harm comes to the hostages. But so far they haven't been swayed by those demands. A source in Haiti's security force is telling us that the kidnap -- that the hostages are safe at this point and the kidnappers appear calm.

HILL: Safe and the kidnappers appear calm. All right, we'll continue to follow it.

Matt, really appreciate the updates. Thank you.

There's some new details this morning about a series of investigations launched to review the chaotic U.S. withdraw from Afghanistan. CNN has obtained a letter to lawmakers from the State Department's acting inspector general. That letter details specifically what the watchdog is looking into, including the Afghanistan Special Immigrant Visa Program, you've heard a lot about that recently, how Afghan refugees are processed and resettled in the U.S., and also, what the emergency plan was, what was in place in terms of evacuating Kabul's embassy.

SCIUTTO: Yes, a lot of this is the pace, right? It's just moving really slowly. Thousands of people left behind. I've talked to folks in that category.

The State Department also just announced its top envoy to Afghanistan is now stepping down. Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad, he led talks with the Taliban to reach the original May 2021 deadline for a U.S. withdrawal. That, of course, dating back to the Trump administration. He was expected to leave his post in May. He agreed to stay longer than originally planned. He said now was the right time to resign as the U.S. enters a new phase in its Afghan policy. His deputy, Tom West, who led Afghan policy for Biden's presidential transition team, he will take Khalilzad's place.

HILL: Just ahead, the Supreme Court agrees to review the Texas abortion ban for a third time. Could the high court make a move to block that law? We are live, next.

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[09:42:40]

SCIUTTO: The Supreme Court has now agreed to fast track a request from Texas abortion rights activists and providers to consider perhaps rule on that state's restrictive abortion law.

HILL: So that law, just remind you, effectively bans abortions after six weeks. There is no exception for rape or incest. And it also empowers private citizens to sue anyone who helps facilitate an abortion.

CNN's Supreme Court reporter Ariane de Vogue joining us now from Washington.

So, Ariane, when will they take this up and what can we realistically expect?

ARIANE DE VOGUE, CNN SUPREME COURT REPORTER: Well, keep in mind, the law right now is in effect and a federal appeals court is set to hear arguments in December. But the Department of Justice has come to the Supreme Court with two requests. First of all, it wants to block it now so abortion continue while these appeals play out. But in some ways it's asking a much bigger ask. It's also asking the Supreme Court to step in now, take the case now, decide the constitutionality of this law once and for all this term.

And it's hard to read the tea leaves about what the justices are going to do here. Keep in mind, the public opinion of the court is at an all-time low. And this law so bitterly divided the justices before. There were five conservatives who were -- who were willing to allow it to go into effect. They didn't rule on whether or not it was constitutional, but they said, we can entertain other sorts of requests here. But then you had the liberals, the four -- the three liberals, plus Chief Justice John Roberts, who said the law is flagrantly unconstitutional.

So now the Supreme Court is back in the spotlight at a time when its public opinion rating is at an all-time low. And less than a third of the country, fewer than a third of the country wants the court to overturn Roe v. Wade. They're going to have to decide in the next few days how to proceed here. On one hand, as early as Friday, maybe the Supreme Court would block the law, allow abortions to go into effect while the appeals process plays out. But it's hard to tell what their next step is going to be here.

And one more thing to keep in mind, the Department of Justice, when it went back to the Supreme Court this time, said, look, things have changed on the ground. This law has been allowed to go into effect and it has almost nullified Roe v. Wade in the state of Texas.

[09:45:03]

Those are all things the justices are going to take under consideration as they once again mull this law.

HILL: Interesting to see. Many people, obviously, watching intently.

Ariane, appreciate it, as always. Thank you.

SCIUTTO: Yes.

DE VOGUE: Thank you.

HILL: Former President Trump spent more than four hours under oath on Monday. The sworn deposition on video is part of a lawsuit brought by a group which claims they were assaulted by his security during a 2015 rally outside of Trump Tower.

SCIUTTO: CNN's Kara Scannell, she's been following the case. She joins us now from New York.

Kara, it sounds like it was something of a heated exchange at times during the deposition.

KARA SCANNELL, CNN REPORTER: Yes, Jim, that's right. I mean we -- we have heard from the lawyers who have questioned Trump during that four and a half hours yesterday at Trump Tower. And while they said they couldn't get into the specifics of any of his answers, one of the attorneys was on "NEW DAY" this morning, Thomas Lamadrid. Let's listen to what he said.

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THOMAS LAMADRID: He was very much like the Donald Trump we've seen in the press. You know, he was at times going on ad-libbing about things. But -- and many times being evasive and -- and being combative.

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SCANNELL: And he also went on to say that Trump complained at times about having to sit there and answer questions.

We will all get to see eventually what this back and forth was, and, you know, how combative it was because this testimony will be played before a jury. Then it will become part of the public record. It may also just be entered into the court filings as many of these other previous depositions have. So it will be a matter of time.

The next hearing in this case in the Bronx will be on Monday. And it's expected then that the judge my set a trial date.

Jim. Erica.

SCIUTTO: Interesting that it would be played before a jury. That's notable.

Kara Scannell, thanks so much.

Coming up next, America's largest port is experiencing a record backlog of goods. And it's expected to have a huge impact on your holiday shopping.

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[09:51:28]

SCIUTTO: A record 200,000 shipping containers remain gridlocked off the coast of Los Angeles this morning as pandemic disruptions plague the global supply chain. It's important. It's how stuff gets to you.

HILL: Absolutely, as we're all learning day by day just what is caught up in that. It all coincides, of course, with growing demand for things like toys just as the holiday shopping season begins and as we're all being told we need to start shopping earlier.

CNN business and politics correspondent Vanessa Yurkevich joins us now live.

So, this impact is massive and it has a ripple effect, Vanessa. VANESSA YURKEVICH, CNN BUSINESS AND POLITICS CORRESPONDENT:

Absolutely. And we're not just talking about shipping delays anymore, we're talking about cargo not even arriving in time for this holiday shopping season. So we visited with one toy maker who says that kids should not expect to get everything off their wish list this holiday season.

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YURKEVICH (voice over): In this small New Jersey office, a herculean attempt is underway. It's the unofficial logistics center for Carrera Revell, working desperately to get their toys into the U.S. in time for this holiday season.

FRANK TIESSEN, PRESIDENT, CARRERA REVELL OF AMERICAS: OK, just giving you an update on the container situation at the moment.

YURKEVICH: President Frank Tiessen is manning the operation.

YURKEVICH (on camera): Had you ever worked in logistics before?

TIESSEN: Only peripherally, not directly.

YURKEVICH: Why did you have to get directly involved into logistics?

TIESSEN: Because of the global supply chain challenges that we are facing.

YURKEVICH (voice over): Cargo vessels, order numbers, and arrival dates, all tracked with precision.

TIESSEN: Pretty much the first thing in the morning is really checking the backlog in the warehouse.

YURKEVICH: Boxes of toys at the well-known stock car maker are stuck in their warehouses in China waiting for a ride.

TIESSEN: We still have about 25, 30 containers which are just missing, which will not be here.

YURKEVICH: That's 30 percent of their holiday product. Just one of many companies dealing with a supply chain nightmare. With port congestion, containers shipped in May are just arriving to Carrera Revell's U.S. warehouse in Atlanta, five months behind schedule.

ANGELA HIGGS, PRESIDENT AND CEO, PBL GLOBAL LOGISTICS: We have seen such a surge in the last 90 days.

YURKEVICH: Angela Higgs runs the freight forwarding company for Carrera Revell, tasked with receiving the toys and getting them out to retailers as quickly as possible.

HIGGS: It's been one delay after another. And we, of course, have been pushing and pushing and pushing. But these delays are inevitable right now.

YURKEVICH: With nearly every U.S. port facing a backlog, the warehouse is using all of them, piecing together a working supply chain.

HIGGS: We're just going everywhere we can. Otherwise, these goods, they're not going to get to the stores, and I'm not going to have anyone missing out on their toys this season.

YURKEVICH: To try to help with that, President Biden announced two major ports in California will move to operate 24/7. But for Tiessen, the problem now moves from the sea to the land.

YURKEVICH (on camera): Does that help you guys?

TIESSEN: No, it doesn't help. It just doesn't alleviate the problem, which we then have once the containers are off board (ph). There are not enough trucks. There are not enough freight trains to move the containers in land.

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YURKEVICH: The truck driver and truck shortage is really the weakest link in this entire supply chain. If there aren't trucks to get the cargo from the port, then the ports get backed up.

And, Jim and Erica, there's a growing consensus amongst officials that this supply chain mess will go well into 2020.

[09:55:00]

So the advice still remains, buy early, don't expect to get everything you're looking for, and expect higher prices this holiday season.

Guys.

SCIUTTO: Yes, we were seeing it from European officials last week, I mean extending into next year.

Vanessa Yurkevich, thanks very much.

YURKEVICH: Thanks.

SCIUTTO: Well, the January 6th investigation is coming to a head. Congress cracking down on Trump allies who are defying subpoenas. And the Biden White House has rejected former President Trump's efforts to keep documents secret.

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[09:59:59]

HILL: Top of the hour here on a Tuesday morning. Good morning. I'm Erica Hill.

SCIUTTO: And I'm Jim Sciutto.

The House committee investigating the January 6th insurrection is preparing to officially hold Trump ally, Steve Bannon, in