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Taiwan: China Flew 27 Warplanes in Air Defense Zone; U.S., Allies to Resume Talks with Iran After 6-Month Break; Chega Party Shaking Up Portugal's Political Landscape; NBA Star Embiid Says He Thought He Would Die From COVID. Aired 4:30-5a ET
Aired November 29, 2021 - 04:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[04:30:00]
ISA SOARES, CNN ANCHOR: Now, Taiwan is accusing China of conducting so-called grey zone warfare. Beijing sent 27 warplanes into Taiwan's air defense identification zone, including 18 fighter jets, five nuclear capable H-6*5 and a Y-20 Aerial Refueling aircraft. CNN's Kristie Lu Stout is in Hong Kong with the latest. And Kristie, what more do we know about the incident? Because we have been here before, haven't we?
KRISTIE LU STOUT, CNN CORRESPONDENT: We have been here before. And Taiwan is in a position where yet again it had to scramble its jets to warn away China's air force. The incident took place on Sunday. According to Taiwan's defense ministry, some 27 Chinese military planes entered Taiwan's air defense zone. This is not the territorial airspace. This is a broader area that Taiwan also patrols and monitors.
And we also learned that just as this was happening on Sunday, the Chinese President and head of the Communist Party Xi Jinping was busy meeting with military leaders in Beijing. Since October, since National Day, in China, China's been carrying out these muscle-flexing event. These displays of military capability around Taiwan, especially in the form of these air incursions in October. Taiwan said that China had sent about 150 military aircraft into its air defense zone. On Sunday, 27, including five nuclear capable H-6 bombers, as well as a new aircraft. This according to China's Global Times, made its debut on Sunday. A new aerial refueling aircraft was also in the mix, as it were.
China has yet to give an official response to what happened, within the last half hour, and a question was raised at the daily ministry of foreign affairs briefing and the ministry of foreign affairs spokesperson declined to comment saying it wasn't a diplomatic issue. But in the past has said that these drills are done to protect China's sovereignty.
Now, the state media in China, they've been very busy reporting on this three-day military meeting between Xi Jinping and top military brass. Again, it ended on Sunday, and excerpts from that meeting directly from the Chinese President really give you a tone of the muscle flexing, the military flexing that took place at that moment. Let's bring up the statement for you from the Chinese President Xi Jinping. This is a quote in Xinhua.
He says: It is necessary to make great efforts to strengthen scientific and technological literacy and improve the actual ability to win modern wars. It goes on to say: It is necessary to strengthen practical experience and encouraging guide officers and soldiers to experience the wind and the rain. To see the world, to strengthen their muscles and bones, and develop their talents in fiery military practice, unquote.
Again, those words being uttered on Sunday, just as, according to Taiwan, 27 Chinese military aircraft flew into the air defense zone of Taiwan. A very strong statement accompanied by another strong display of Chinese military might -- Isa.
SOARES: Kristie Lu Stout for us there in Hong Kong. Thanks very much, Kristie.
Well, in a few hours the U.S. and its allies will resume talks on Iran's nuclear program. Tehran has been increasing is uranium enrichment since the U.S. withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear agreement. Now this meeting comes after nearly a six-month break in discussions and the election of a new president in Iran. Expectations are low and if diplomacy fails, the U.S. says it is prepared to use other options.
For more now we're joined now by Nic Robertson. And Nic, this is the seventh round of talks. I mean, I said expectations are low. Is that the reality that you're getting? What are the chances of something strong coming out of this?
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: You now, there was a sense back in June that there was a sequence of events that could work for Iran and potentially for the United States. You know that sequence would have be very carefully choreographed. It's not quite clear what it would involve, but Iran wants sanctions lifted. The United States was to get back into the JCPOA. So how do you sort of sequence those events?
And I think if you look at some of the steps that the United States has taken over the past few months, you can see they have dropped some sanctions against some entities inside Iran. This is sort of signaling potentially room for maneuver, but I think diplomatically, the language has been so tough, and remembering it took years and years and years to get the deal in the first place. And now Iran is so far out of compliance, the history around all of this is terribly tough.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ROBERTSON (voice-over): Iran's uranium enrichment, a possible path to making a nuclear bomb, is way beyond internationally agreed levels.
ANTONY BLINKEN, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: Iran has been using this time to advance its nuclear program.
ROBERTSON (voice-over): Talks to head this off stalled late June with the election of a new, hardline president in Iran. But will finally restart Monday. [04:35:00]
The outcome is uncertain, the stakes high, the U.S. insisting Iran must move forward.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This window of opportunity will not be open forever.
ROBERTSON (voice-over): The 2015 Iran Nuclear Deal called the JCPOA, Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, was a signature achievement of the Obama-Biden leadership.
BARACK OBAMA, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: Cut off every pathway that Iran could take to develop a nuclear weapon.
ROBERTSON (voice-over): Years of fraught negotiations cut Iran's pathway to a bomb by limiting uranium enrichment and committing them to international inspections. It wasn't perfect, but U.N. monitors confirmed it worked. Until 2018 when President Trump pulled the U.S. out of the JCPOA.
DONALD TRUMP, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: We will be instituting the highest level of economic sanction.
ROBERTSON (voice-over): Iran's response? Up its uranium enrichment, stymie some inspections. Tensions rose. The U.S. killed Iran's top general. Tehran strikes back at U.S. forces in Iraq. Iran's top nuclear scientist mysteriously shot dead. Tehran, blames Israel, confirmed by the U.S.
JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Diplomacy is the best way to prevent Iran from gaining a nuclear weapon.
ROBERTSON (voice-over): Since getting into office, Biden has been trying to get back into the agreement and limit Iran's missile program. Iran has been playing hardball. Six rounds of negotiations stalling, even as they ramp up enrichment.
ALI BAGHERI KANI, IRANIAN DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER (through translation): The main issue in upcoming negotiations is actually removing all the illegal sanctions against Iran.
ROBERTSON (voice-over): And since the last round of talks, an added uncertainty. Iran has a new U.S. skeptic government with new negotiators.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ROBERTSON (on camera): So, what we expect now is, you know, that these proximity talks are going to begin. And it's real clear indication of where this new Iranian leadership is. We know that President Biden has already sort of tried to sort of mitigate what may come out. Which is a lack of progress when he was in Rome recently at the G20 and met with the other European signatories of that deal. You know, U.K., France and Germany, to try to kind of align their position and planning about what they would do if Iran doesn't move forward. And I think the sense is for the United States, it is to get tough, but they want the others who are parties to that deal to get tough with them to send that clear message to Iran.
SOARES: I know you will stay on to that. Nic Robertson, thank you very much, Nic.
And still ahead right here on the show, why many folks are worried the one party's attempt to shake up the political landscape could completely change the face of their country. That is next.
[04:40:00]
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SOARES: Now, for years Portugal was the exception in Europe when it came to far-right politics. But a growing populist movement is on the verge of becoming one of the country's largest political forces. The Chega party has been accused of xenophobia and racism for its stance on immigration, as well as minorities. But as I found out many Portugal are buying into its "drain the swamp "rhetoric. And the group's leader tells me he sees some similarities between himself in Donald Trump.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SOARES (voice over): It's olive picking season in Povoa de So Miguel, Portugal. An arduous job that in a town facing an exodus of young people weighs heavily on the locals.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (onscreen translated text): This is how the poor get by.
SOARES (voice-over): I met 73-year-old farmer Jose Costa Agulha who today has 296 kilos of olives to process.
JOSE COSTA AGULHA, FARMER (onscreen translated text): If people have work and a quiet life, it's what people want here and everywhere. They want work and enough money.
SOARES (voice-over): This is a land ripe for political picking. And Portugal's rising populist party Chega whose name literally means enough is blocking away at their worries and anxieties. Despite this, Agulha tells meet the party leader, Andre Ventura, won't get his vote in the upcoming snap election in January.
AGULHA (onscreen translated text): Chega is an individual who says whatever comes to his mind. He opens his mouth and says whatever and people still haven't realized the danger behind it. SOARES (voice-over): While he turns his back on Portugal's largest far-right party since the end of the dictatorship in the local cafe in town --
MARIO CARRASCO, FARMER (onscreen translated text): So many people living off the state not wanting to do anything.
SOARES (voice-over): Mario Carrasco tells me he and entire family are for Chega. They've had enough of people receiving benefits.
CARRASCO (onscreen translated text): To keep winning, the other parties to these people, here is some money, here is some money. They support the corruption
SOARES (voice-over): Down the road, Jose Francisco Agostinho, a baker for 25 years, he says he hasn't made up his mind on whether he'll vote for the party.
JOSE FRANCISCO AGOSTINHO, UNDECIDED VOTER (onscreen translated text): Chega has been strong here, they could change things a bit.
SOARES (voice-over): The economy is struggling with very few jobs in this largely agricultural area. Agostinho says that the Roma community is taking advantage of the system.
GOSTINHO (onscreen translated text): There's more of them than there are of us. Then, they do whatever they want. They want to be in charge and that can't be.
SOARES: While he and others believe the Chega Party can improve their quality of life, many in Portugal are fearful about the growing support for a party they see as xenophobic for its stance on immigration and the Roma community. Maria, a local Roma tells me they have been exploited for votes by Ventura.
MARIA CARDAS, ROMA, RESIDENT OF POVOA DE SAO MIGUEL (onscreen translated text): He's very mean against the Roma, there's a lot of racism and he speaks very badly against us.
SOARES (voice-over): A Roma mother who does not want to appear on camera goes further.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (onscreen translated text): We want to work. We want to work, but who gives work to a Roma?
SOARES (voice-over): Away from the dusty and sleepy Povoa de So, these concerns are being echoed. Some silently in various corners of Portugal. All the way to Lisbon.
SOARES: The Chega Party is expected to shake up the political landscape of parliament here behind me. Potentially acting as king makers in the upcoming election.
SOARES (voice-over): Ventura tells me the party is here to stay. I press him about the accusations of racism.
SOARES: So, you don't consider it racist?
ANDRE VENTURA, PRESIDENT, CHEGA PARTY (onscreen translated text): I don't consider myself racist for wanting to solve a problem with a community which is in this pattern and we have to fix this issue.
SOARES (voice-over): Ventura's language during our interview is moderate. More conciliatory. But his policies aren't. So, I asked him whether he compares himself with other populist leaders around the world.
VENTURA (onscreen translated text): I am close, relatively, and we've had contacts with Bolsonaro in Brazil. But I don't feel close in terms of style or of substance. I don't feel close to Donald Trump's style but in terms of substance, some policies, in some ideas, we agree with them.
SOARES (voice-over): Whether some in Portugal like it or not, Chega's is joining a new normal across Europe. One of declining traditional party's complex coalitions and extremes.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SOARES (on camera): Now top European officials held emergency talks to address growing concerns over a migrant crisis. France called for the meeting after 27 migrants died trying to cross the English Channel in an inflatable boat last week. The majority of victims were Iraqi citizens. Officials at the meeting said airplane patrols will be stepped up along the European side of the English Channel. And although the U.K. was excluded from Sunday's meeting, here is what a top French official had to say. Have a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GERALD DARMANIN, FRENCH INTERIOR MINISTER (through translator): This meeting was not anti-British, it was pro-European. And we must work with our British friends and tell them certain things. First, to help us collectively to better fight against people smuggler. We've said it before, we are lacking some intelligence. The response is not always to the level of the French police's expectations.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SOARES: Well, in an op-ed Britain's Home Secretary said she and the Prime Minister are ready to discuss the crisis with their French counterparts at any time.
Well meantime, the migrant crisis was also on top of Pope Francis's mind. The Pope says he's pained by these recent deaths as well as other migrant deaths along the Poland/Belarus border as well as in the Mediterranean. Pope Francis is calling on civilian military leaders to use their power to resolve the crisis and to respect the humanity of the migrants, he says.
Now to a stunning story about an airplane stow-away. Authorities say a man hid inside the landing gear of a commercial flight from Guatemala City to Miami on Saturday and survived. Video posted on social media show the 26-year-old appearing dazed after he emerged from the plane. He was sent to a nearby hospital for medical evaluation. This is the area of the plane where he managed to hide for over two hours during the international flight. It's still unclear how he got into the plane undetected.
And still to come right here on the show, what to expect of the sex trafficking trial of Jeffrey Epstein's longtime companion begins.
Plus, an NBA all-star says he feared for his life when he got COVID- 19. And we'll hear from Joel Embiid ahead.
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[04:50:00]
SOARES: Now in the world of sports, Oklahoman Lincoln Riley is leaving and is soon to become the next head football coach at the University of Southern California. Riley spent five seasons at Oklahoma, where he notched a 55 and 10 record and let the school to four consecutive big 12 titles and three college football playoff appearances. At USC, Riley will replace Clay Helton who was fired as head coach.
An NBA star is detailing what he views as an almost deadly experience with COVID-19. Joel Embiid was back on the court Saturday delivering an outstanding 42 points, even as the 76ers lost its double overtime to Minnesota. But the center and powerful center, he's just glad to be alive, have a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOEL EMBIID, CENTER, PHILADELPHIA 76ERS: I really thought I wasn't going to make it. It was that bad. So, I'm just thankful to be, you know, sitting here.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SOARES: Well, Embiid also described the symptoms. He said he couldn't breathe and he had headaches worse than a migraine. CNN has reached out to the 76ers to confirm Embiid's vaccination status, but the team wouldn't comment.
And big changes are in store for Boston Celtics player Enes Cantor who plans to change his name to Enes Cantor Freedom later today. Cantor who was raised in Turkey will become a U.S. citizen in the coming hours choosing to change his name based on what teammates have called him. The NBA player has been an outspoken critic of China and the treatment of the Uyghur community. Cantor has also fought for a boycott of the Beijing Winter Olympics.
It's been one week since the Christmas parade in Wisconsin became the screen of a deadly crime. The city held a moment of silence Sunday to honor the victims as well as families. And residents were are asked to light a blue light outside their homes during the holidays. Six people were killed and several others injured when an SUV drove through the crowd at the Christmas parade. The suspected driver Darrell Brooks is charged with intentional homicide. In the coming hours, the sex trafficking trial of Jeffrey Epstein's
longtime companion will begin. Prosecutors alleged Ghislaine Maxwell created a network of underaged victims for Epstein to sexually exploit. Opening statements are expected after a jury is sworn in. CNN legal analyst Joey Jackson weighs in on what to expect inside the courtroom.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JOEY JACKSON, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: I think they'll use the victims that were allegedly violated when they were under the age of 18, one as young as 14, in demonstrating that she was really complicit and she was really an enabler. She will argue that she was very much manipulated by Epstein herself. And she had no knowledge or idea with regard to exactly what was occurring, what his intentions are, et cetera, and I think those narratives will be competing.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SOARES: Well, Maxwell faces up to 70 years in prison if convicted of all six charges. She denies any wrongdoing.
Another high-profile trial starting later today with jury selection. American actor Jussie Smollett is charged with making false reports to Chicago police in 2019 when he claimed he was a victim of a hate crime. The former Empire actor has pleaded not guilty to all charges and has repeatedly denied making up or orchestrating the attack. He faces up to three years in prison if convicted.
Well, as December approaches, people across the United States are scrambling to get what they might need to make their holidays bright. Everything from turkeys, to gifts, could be harder to find and more expensive to buy. And people who are looking to deck the halls with a real Christmas tree, will likely find themselves in the same situation.
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[04:55:00]
DEB CARL, CHRISTMAS TREE SHOPPER: They have, oh, my goodness, maybe a third of the supplies that we've seen in past years. And they're tiny, they're cute, but they're like Charlie Brown trees.
RODNEY RICHARDSON, OWNER, MT. ROGERS CHRISTMAS TREE FARM: We do wholesale, but we've cut our customers back a little, you know, about 10 percent, with each customer and we're not taking on any new customers because we just don't have the trees.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SOARES: And if you are thinking you'll wait for a bargain, well, think again. The Christmas Tree Association says shoppers should be ready to spend nearly $80 for a live tree.
Sunday marks the start of Hanukkah for Jews right around the world. And in the United States, Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff lit their first candle of the national menorah in Washington. The husband Vice President Kamala Harris is the first Jewish staff of the president or vice president. Earlier this month Emhoff announced that he and his wife has hung a mezuzah at the vice-presidential resident signifying the sanctity of a Jewish home.
A baby in northern China hasn't mastered walking yet, but she's already quite the snowboarder. Videos of the 11-month-old sliding down the slopes have gone viral with her little face peeking out -- as you can see there -- from under all that snow gear. Her parents say she had wanted to learn how to ski and was surprised that how quickly their little girl could stand on the snowboard all on her own. That's pretty impressive.
And that does it for me. Thanks very much for joining. I'm Isa Soares. "EARLY START" with Laura Jarrett and Christine Romans is up next. They'll have much more for us on our top story. The race against time to control the Omicron variant of the coronavirus. And I'll leave you now, with a quick look at stock markets really in Asia, Europe and futures in the United States, a mixed bag, as you can see. Dow futures looking slightly brighter compared to what we saw in the news on Friday. Let's see how the trading day goes. Have a wonderful day. And I shall see you tomorrow. Bye-bye.
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