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Coronavirus Pandemic: COVID-19 Omicron Variant; Blinken and Lavrov Meet as Russian Troops Mass Near Ukraine; Girl Sold Into Marriage Rescued; China Moving Forward with Games Despite Controversies; China Moving Forward With Games Despite Controversies; Sources: Meadows Perpetually Enabled Insane Election Claims And Was Too Scared To Stand Up To Trump; Biden On Wheels Winter Covid Plan As Omicron Cases Confirmed In U.S. Aired 2-3a ET
Aired December 03, 2021 - 02:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[02:00:00]
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KIM BRUNHUBER, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome to all of you watching us around the world. I'm Kim Brunhuber. Ahead on "CNN Newsroom," Germany takes drastic measures to control the spread of COVID as cases surge across parts of Europe. Its target? The unvaccinated.
The pandemic is just one challenge China faces with the Winter Olympics just two months away. We will have details and a live report from Beijing.
And an Afghan girl, just nine years old, sold into marriage, now rescued. We will have an exclusive update to a story you first saw here.
UNKNOWN (voice-over): Live from CNN Center, this is "CNN Newsroom" with Kim Brunhuber.
BRUNHUBER (on camera): Finland, Greece, India, Malaysia, and Zimbabwe are the latest countries to report cases of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus. Germany is taking a major step to fight a surge in COVID infections. Unvaccinated people there are now on lockdown, banned from all but the most essential of the businesses.
European health officials say the Omicron variant could account for more than half the cases on the continent within the next few months. That is prompting calls for mandatory vaccinations.
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ANGELA MERKEL, GERMAN CHANCELLOR (through translator): Mandatory vaccinations will be discussed and voted on in (INAUDIBLE), and the government in the state will ask the Ethics Council to work out a recommendation (INAUDIBLE). Mandatory vaccinations could then, if approved in Parliament, become effective around February 2022.
(END VIDEO CLIP) BRUNHUBER (on camera): All travelers coming into the United States will face tighter testing requirements starting Monday. Even U.S. citizens will now have to show a negative COVID test from one day before their departure. Foreign nationals must be fully vaccinated. And the White House says a vaccine mandate for domestic travel is still on the table.
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JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: This tighter testing timetable provides an added degree of protection as scientists continue to study the Omicron variant. And we are extending the requirement, both internationally and domestically, to wear masks for travel on aircraft, trains, public transportation through the winter months.
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BRUNHUBER: We are covering this developing story with our resources around the world. Cyril Vanier is in Paris, David McKenzie is in Johannesburg, and Blake Essig is in Tokyo.
Cyril, first to you. European officials, as we heard there, making some startling predictions about how soon Omicron could be the dominant variant on the continent. So, what is the latest on the situation there?
CYRIL VANIER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, you know, we have been seeing the rise of the Omicron variant since it first appeared, the first confirmed cases in Europe just last week, and there was one, maybe two cases in a handful of countries. And now, a week later, we are seeing it in many countries across Europe. And then, within countries, we are seeing it in multiple regions across those countries.
So, it is undeniable that the Omicron is spreading. It has, perhaps, already spreading more than countries have been able to detect and sequence. With that said, countries are simultaneously trying to contain the spread of the Omicron variant. The main thing they can do and the main thing they have done at the moment is impose travel bans.
Of course, the World Health Organization has said that these are not useful but that is still what European countries are doing. And they are also trying to very tightly contact trace anybody who may have come across with a patient who has had the Omicron variant.
The other thing countries are doing, and we can't lose track of this, is they are fighting a surge in the Delta variant, which still accounts for 99.9 percent of cases in Europe. That is why we saw Germany significantly tightened measures yesterday. And the brunt of those measures is going to fall on the unvaccinated, Kim.
So, Germany has extended its 2G rule nationally. That means that to go pretty much anywhere, except for essential businesses like pharmacies and supermarkets, you have to show proof of either vaccination or recovery from COVID. So, if you are unvaccinated, there are very, very few parts of Germany that you can access outside of your home. [02:04:59]
VANIER: Adding to that, Kim, the outgoing and the incoming German chancellors are both in favor of vaccine mandates. Angela Merkel hopes and believes this will be voted on by Parliament before the end of the year and enacted by February or March of next year. Kim?
BRUNHUBER: We'll be watching that for sure. Cyril Vanier in Paris, thank you so much.
Let's head now to Johannesburg, South Africa and CNN's David Mckenzie. David, scientists there, they are learning more about the variant first discovered there even as cases are surging. So, bring us up to speed.
DAVID MCKENZIE, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Kim. Briefing was happening a short time ago, and I think one headline that they said is there is an unprecedented rise in cases, particularly in the province where I'm sitting right now. They say it is faster than in other waves associated with other variants.
I think there are three points that are important to note here. One is that they do believe, based on the evidence thus far, that this is a more transmissible variant and more studies need to be done. They also say that there is some evidence of more pronounced reinfection than the previous variants, which means if you have had COVID, you can get it again more likely with this variant. They do stress that it will likely be a much less severe infection.
And finally, the early indications are that vaccines are working, which is obviously crucially important, Kim. They say that although there are cases of people with vaccinations who are getting this variant, the vast majority of people in hospitals are the unvaccinated. The demographics are skewing younger at this point, but again, it is unclear whether this is because those are unvaccinated populations.
And while there has been a lot of talk from clinicians in the last few days, saying the early indication was that this was less severe, the experts are saying it is too early to tell. The next two to three weeks will be key as you see what the hospitalization rates are like in South Africa, particularly in (INAUDIBLE) province. Then, they will get an indication whether this is less severe.
But right now, hospitalizations are also rising fast from a pretty low base and there are still lots of room in the hospitals. Kim?
BRUNHUBER (on camera): David McKenzie in Johannesburg, thank you so much.
And as David just explained, Africa has seen a dramatic uptick in new cases largely driven by the Omicron variant in the south. CNN's Dr. Sanjay Gupta tells us how the new variant was able to become the dominant variant on the continent. Here he is.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: If you look at what's happening in South Africa, it's a really interesting picture. You know, you've seen these different waves overtime. You know, the original variant, you see Beta, Delta.
I think what is really important here, the context of where we start. South Africa, in particular, which is driving most of the surge, they were having sort of a lull. This is late spring. It was kind of quiet there. So, when you say that they've had a significant increase, it started from a relatively small number.
And I think really important for us here in the United States, there wasn't a lot of Delta circulating over there. Omicron became the dominant variant, but it wasn't really competing against anything.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BRUNHUBER (on camera): The director of the WHO in the Western Pacific says the Omicron variant will come to most countries in the region and they're urging governments to prepare.
So, for more on that, I'm joined by Blake Essig live in Tokyo. So, Blake, there are concerns about the variant, growing in Asia as more cases are being discovered there, leading to more border closings, including where you are in Japan.
BLAKE ESSIG, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, Kim, look, I know it is disappointing to hear, but WHO officials made it clear earlier today that this pandemic is far from over and that we must adapt to the way we manage the virus to better cope with future surges. And so far, in this region, Omicron cases have been identified and several countries, including two here in Japan, seven in Australia, four in Hong Kong, five in South Korea, two in India.
And Malaysia just today reported its first case. This case involves a student studying at a local university who had arrived in Malaysia from South Africa before the first case was reported to the WHO. He arrived in Malaysia on November 19.
That being said, WHO officials are saying that this variant is likely already circulating in many more countries than has already been reported. Now, with the Omicron variant starting to spread, officials point to our experience throughout years, the last two years, as a guide for what needs to be done now.
They say that it is important for countries to aim for higher vaccination coverage, continue to promote public health and social measures like wearing a mask or social distancing, ensuring a strong health care capacity, strengthening active surveillance, and taking a risk-based approach to border control. As we mentioned, here in Japan, closing its borders or tightening the restrictions to its borders. Tourists haven't been allowed here really since the pandemic began nearly two years ago.
[02:10:00] ESSIG: And although there is still a lot that we don't know about this new variant, health experts say that the information we do have suggests that it is more transmissible than even the Delta variant. As a result, many governments across the region have tightened entry requirements and quarantine rules while others have outright ban entry of travelers from certain countries like Cambodia did just today.
But Kim, according to WHO officials, travel bans won't keep cases out of the countries but will buy more time for countries to prepare for what is coming if it is not already there. Kim?
BRUNHUBER: Yeah, absolutely. That's what Dr. Anthony Fauci said about the situation here in the U.S. Blake Essig in Tokyo, thank you so much.
As Russian forces buildup strength near Ukraine, America's top diplomat met with his Russian counterpart on Thursday to discuss the border crisis. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said it is up to Moscow to defuse the tensions while Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that the west is to blame.
CNN's Alex Marquardt has the latest from Stockholm.
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ALEX MARQUARDT, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (on camera): This highly anticipated sit-down between the U.S. secretary of state and his Russian counterpart was serious and sober, according to the Secretary of State Antony Blinken. It did not, however, result in any sort of concrete agreement that would lead to the immediate de- escalation of this crisis between Russia and Ukraine. Nor did Secretary Blinken lay out explicitly what the serious consequences would be for Russia should they decide to invade Ukraine.
Blinken did tell the Russians both before this meeting and in it that there would be serious cost from the U.S. and its allies if Russia does decide to go ahead with military action. So, the goal for now is to keep these diplomatic discussions going in the coming days, and Blinken said today that there could be a call soon between President Biden and Putin. Take a listen.
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ANTONY BLINKEN, UNITED STATES SECRETARY OF STATE: Foreign Minister Lavrov and I had candid exchanges on our different perspectives. We agreed to report those back to our president, who may have the opportunity to speak directly in the near future. It is now on Russia to de-escalate the current tensions by reversing the recent troop buildup, returning forces to normal, peacetime positions, and refraining from further intimidation and attempts to destabilize Ukraine.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MARQUARDT (on camera): So, the two sides will continue to talk. A senior State Department official today told reporters that there would be intense diplomacy in the coming days with the hope that eventually Russia would pull back its forces and agree to a ceasefire in Eastern Ukraine.
For its part, Russia said that it is acting in self-defense and that its security is threatened as NATO moves eastwards towards its border. Now, Blinken has said that it is not clear whether Russia has made up its mind whether to invade Ukraine or not, but that it has the capacity to do so in short order.
What the U.S. and NATO are seeing right now as far as Russian movements and troop buildup is very similar to what they saw back in 2014, when Russia also put troops along Ukrainian border and then invading Ukraine, annexing Crimea.
Alex Marquardt, CNN, Stockholm.
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BRUNHUBER (on camera): And earlier, we spoke with CNN political analyst Josh Rogin about whether anything of substance came out of the Stockholm meeting. Here he is.
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JOSH ROGIN, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: I think it's important to say, first of all, that this escalation was caused by actions on the Russian side, a buildup of 92,000 troops and tanks, et cetera. So, Lavrov's assertion that the United States is making the situation more dangerous seems a little out of whack (ph) with events.
But regardless, I do think that we learned a lot about the respective positions of both countries in this after this meeting today. Lavrov said what he wanted. He wants a separate dialogue on Ukraine with the United States.
Tony Blinken, the secretary of state, did not comment on that really. And tony Blinken told Lavrov in the press what the United States wants, which is for Russia to unilaterally draw back their escalation on their side of the Russian-Ukraine border.
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BRUNHUBER: A nine-year-old girl speaks out after being rescued from child marriage in Afghanistan. CNN's exclusive story about Parwana led to international outcry. Still ahead, you will hear from her how she feels about her newly-gained freedom. Stay with us.
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[02:15:00]
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BRUNHUBER (on camera): Last month, we brought you a distressing story about a child marriage in Afghanistan. We are particularly disturbed by the case of nine-year-old Parwana, who was sold into marriage to a 55-year-old man for around $2,000. Her father said it was his only option to feed his family.
CNN was granted rare permission to document the disturbing sale and hand over. Well, after an international outcry following our story, the U.S.- based nonprofit "Too Young to Wed" got involved and rescued Parwana.
CNN was there to document it, and Anna Coren brings us this exclusive report.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(MUSIC PLAYING)
ANNA COREN, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: An Iranian love song plays from a cassette as the driver navigates his way through the snow-dusted (INAUDIBLE) Valley in Northwestern Afghanistan.
Crammed in the back of the station wagon is a mother and her six children. "We have just left behind a life of constant struggle and hardship." All they have ever known. Among them, nine-year-old Parwana. Our cameraman, Sadiki (ph), asked her how she is feeling.
"I am so happy," she says, with a beaming smile.
CNN met Parwana, dressed in pink, in an internally-displaced camp in (INAUDIBLE) Province back in October. Her father claimed he was selling her to feed the rest of the family, as a humanitarian crisis grips the country. He had already sold his 12-year-old into marriage and told CNN that unless the situation improved, he would have to sell his four remaining daughters as well, including the youngest, just two.
"If I didn't have these daughters to sell," he asks, "what should I do?"
Parwana's buyer, who lived in a nearby village, confirmed he was taking the nine-year-old as his second wife.
UNKNOWN (through translator): I am 55 years old. I have a wife with four daughters and a son. I bought her for myself. I will wait until she becomes older.
COREN (voice-over): CNN was granted rare access to film the final payment and hand over. The buyer asked for it to take place at a house in his village and not the camp for security reasons. He paid a total of 200,000 Afghanis, just over $2,000, for Parwana (INAUDIBLE) and cash.
"This is your bride. Please, take care of her," says Parwana's father. "Of course, I will take care of her," replies the man. As he drags her away, she whimpers. Moments later, she digs her heels into the dirt, refusing to go, but it's hopeless.
CNN's story caused an outcry.
JAKE TAPPER, CNN CHIEF WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT: Now, a distressing story out of Afghanistan showing the --
COREN (voice-over): The network was inundated with offers of help from the public, aid organizations, and NGOs wanting to assist Parwana and the other girls featured in our story.
The U.S.-based charity, "Too Young to Wed," took the lead. Its founding executive director, Stephanie Sinclair, has been working to end child marriage and help vulnerable girls around the world for almost 20 years. She says the perfect storm is brewing in Afghanistan and it is the girls that are suffering.
STEPHANIE SINCLAIR, FOUNDING EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, TOO YOUNG TO WED: I know these stories are difficult to watch and they are difficult to do and they bring around a lot of concern, but at the same time, we need to keep people understanding that this is happening. We need to keep ringing the alarm bell. Understand these are real girls and real lives, and they can be changed.
COREN (voice-over): Within (INAUDIBLE) Province, there was widespread backlash towards Parwana's father and the buyer after our story went to air, with claims they brought shame on the community. Even the Taliban told CNN, the practice is forbidden.
MAWLAWI BAZ MOHAMMAD SARWARY, BADGHIS INFORMATION AND CULTURE DIRECTORATE (through translator): I request everyone not to sell their children. Child marriage is not a good thing, and we condemn it.
[02:19:58]
COREN (voice-over): Women's rights activist and U.S. citizen Mahbouba Seraj, who chose to stay in Kabul after the Taliban swept to power in August to run her women's shelter, says Parwana's case is just the tip of the iceberg.
MAHBOUBA SERAJ, AFGHAN WOMEN'S RIGHTS ACTIVIST: There is a lot of misery, there is a lot of mistreatment, there is a lot of abuse involved in these things. And it will keep on happening with the hunger, with the winter, with poverty.
COREN (voice-over): As a result of the controversy caused by the story and intervention from the charity, Parwana was allowed to return home after almost two weeks with the buyer's family.
"Since Parwana has been rescued, I am very happy for that," says Parwana's father. He admitted to CNN that under duress from the community and some local media outlets, he changed his story out of embarrassment for what he had done and apologized. The buyer is unreachable for comment, but the debt is still outstanding.
"Too Young to Wed" then organized to have Parwana, her mother and siblings removed from the camp with the father's permission.
The four-hour journey to neighboring (INAUDIBLE) province was broken up with some childhood fun. Before arriving at the motel, the children, who have only ever lived in a tent, the novelty of being warmed, fed, and safe wasn't wearing off.
"They rescued me. They have given me a new life," says Parwana. "I thank the charity for helping me."
A few days later, they moved into the safe house. Parwana's mother, 27-year-old (INAUDIBLE), has never lived in a house. She was sold into marriage at 13 and since had seven children, six of whom were girls. Most days in the camp, she would beg for food. And often, her family would go to sleep hungry. Now, all she wants is to give her children a better life.
"I have a dream, a wish, they go to school and start an education," she says. "I have a lot of wishes for them."
"Too Young to Wed" has already began distributing aid to Parwana's impoverished camp, among others. While this small charity is prepared to bridge the gap, they are calling on the large aid organizations to step up.
SINCLAIR: These are communities that have relied on international aid for the last 20 years. And so, with a lot of the aid stopping, these people didn't stop needing support. We can't let them pay the price because ultimately, girls always pay the biggest price.
COREN (voice-over): I speak to Parwana on Zoom through my colleague.
(On camera): Hello, Parwana. I am Anna!
PARWANA, AFGHAN GIRL SOLD FOR MARRIAGE (through translator): How are you? How are you feeling?
COREN (on camera): I'm very good, thank you, how are you?
PARWANA (through translator): I'm fine. I am so happy. I am safe. I am rescued.
COREN (voice-over): Then she asks, "when are you sending me to school?" She wants to study and become a doctor or a teacher. But fairytale endings are few and far between for girls in Afghanistan, even more so now than ever.
Anna Coren, CNN.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BRUNHUBER (on camera): What a great story. And if you'd like to help girls like Parwana, please visit tooyoungtowed.org, and you can learn more about their work in Afghanistan and how you can be part of the solution.
As the Beijing Winter Olympics near, there are growing concerns the Omicron variant could impact the games. Coming up, the measures China is imposing to reassure the world it can host a safe event.
And COVID isn't the only challenge China is facing. Beijing is lashing out at the Women's Tennis Association for pulling its events in China as the conversely around Peng Shuai intensifies. A lot of details ahead. Stay with us.
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[02:25:00]
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BRUNHUBER: Finland, Greece, India, and now Malaysia are the latest countries to report cases of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus. And Germany is taking a major step to fight a surge in COVID infections. Unvaccinated people there are now on lockdown ban from all but the most essential businesses. European health officials say the Omicron variant could account for more than half the cases on the continent within the next few months.
Mainland China has yet to report a case of Omicron variant, but there are growing concerns with the Beijing Olympics fast approaching. We're now just a little over two months away from the Winter Games and China is doubling down on its strict zero COVID strategy.
CNN's David Culver joins me now live from Beijing. David, organizers say the new variant will present -- quote -- "some challenges." I think that is putting it mildly. So, how are they are planning to navigate this latest challenge?
DAVID CULVER, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (on camera): Yeah, there will be challenges, Kim, but they're eager here to show the rest of the world that they can pull this off smoothly, successfully. It is, of course, the second Olympic Games to happen within the pandemic. And so, it remains to be seen if they'll be able to do just that.
But they have these very strict containment measures still in place. Some have described them at times as being brutal, especially at some of the targeted lockdowns. Nonetheless, they're moving forward with, as you mentioned, that zero COVID policy. They want no cases here in the mainland, whatsoever. One is one too many.
That said, they are also making sure that there are several other issues that they can kind of push aside, perhaps, and keep the focus on the games themselves.
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CULVER (voice-over): Two months before the start of the Winter Olympic Games, a new COVID variant is surfacing globally, but Beijing is hoping its strict COVID defenses will keep Omicron away. It won't be easy.
UNKNOWN: I do think it is cause for concern. This is the last thing that organizers would want. This is just not the big question mark that anyone would want at this moment.
CULVER (voice-over): While the new variant has not yet been reported within mainland China, there are several confirmed cases in neighboring Hong Kong.
A foreign ministry spokesperson saying that the Omicron variant will pose some challenges, but they're confident the Winter Olympics will be held smoothly and successfully as scheduled.
China already has some of the toughest containment measures in place: Mass testing by the tens of millions, strict digital contact tracing, and targeted community lockdowns, all part of our daily lives here.
(On camera): This is as close as we can get to some of the iconic Olympic structures from 2008, repurpose for the Winter Olympics. But now, sealed off in a COVID bubble of sorts.
(Voice-over): On top of the health concerns, growing calls for Olympic boycotts, as Beijing continues to deny widespread allegations of human rights abuses. The Women's Tennis Association suspending tournaments within China, as it reiterates calls for Chinese tennis star, Peng Shuai, to be able to speak freely and openly. Peng briefly disappeared last month after she accused a top communist party official of forcing her into sex.
UNKNOWN: What we now in the early stage is that what I think is a full-scale ideological battle that ultimately could culminate in the United States under the western nations engaging in a full boycott of the Beijing Winter Games in 2022.
CULVER (on camera): But it seems here within China, most folks are unaware of the controversy surrounding these Olympic Games. Instead, you will get stories like this, filled with Olympic merchandise.
(Voice-over): And folks here shopping, seemingly filled with a lot of excitement and joy, even national pride.
[02:30:05]
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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): We are very excited. Beijing just hosted the 2008 Olympic Games and now it's the Winter Games again. This is truly exhilarating.
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DAVID CULVER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Even with mounting uncertainties, much like 2008, China is expected to put on a spectacular show. Question is, will folks watching from the outside be wowed or see it all as a fancy facade, covering up an increasingly authoritarian state? Seems a bit strange to think that the pandemic, this COVID-19 outbreak may be the least of the worries for organizers here, Kim.
But as we laid out there, there are several messy situations geopolitically that are playing out alongside these Olympic Games. The question is going to be, is it going to be overshadowed the competition themselves and the athletes by all this geopolitical noise? And that's something that obviously Beijing wants to prevent. They want the focus to be on the games themselves. And I'm sure the athletes do as well. But it's just so much going on that really, it's difficult to see this going off without some sort of controversy surfacing throughout the games.
KIM BRUNHUBER, CNN HOST: Yes, absolutely. Not that much time to go. David Culver in Beijing. Thanks so much. And David just mentioned the growing controversy surrounding Peng Shuai. International Olympic Committee says it held another call with the tennis star on Wednesday, but the head of the Women's Tennis Association called these exchanges, 'very much orchestrated.'
And despite receiving a third email from Peng, they're standing by their decision to pull all events from China. CNN's Brian Todd has the details.
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BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Concerns about the safety of Chinese tennis star Peng Shuai are ramping up despite a second call she had with the International Olympic Committee. The IOC said after its call with her on Wednesday, that Peng 'reconfirmed that she was safe and well' but the IOC didn't provide any audio or visual images of the call.
And the Women's Tennis Association Chairman told CNN, he believes the IOC is allowing itself to get played by the Chinese government.
STEVE SIMON, CHAIRMAN, WOMEN'S TENNIS ASSOCIATION: We just feel very strongly that this is certainly been orchestrated.
TODD: The WTA has taken the strongest stance yet in standing up to China over its treatment of Peng. The organization suspending all of its tournament's in China, potentially costing it hundreds of billions of dollars.
CHRISTINE BRENNAN, CNN SPORTS ANALYST: The IOC is now being given a masterclass frankly, by the WTA on how to basically punch a bully in the nose.
TODD: The world's number one ranked men's player is backing the WTA's move.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC, WORLDS TOP RANKED MEN'S TENNIS PLAYER: I think it's a very bold, very courageous stance from WTA.
TODD: In a since deleted social media posts in early November, Peng publicly accused a top Chinese Communist Party official, former Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli of coercing her into sex at his home three years ago. She was censored by the Chinese regime disappeared from public view for more than two weeks. After an international outcry, Chinese state controlled media released so called Proof of Life photos and videos of Peng. But analysts are concerned about her actual condition.
DEAN CHENG, SENIOR RESEARCH FELLOW, THE HERITAGE FOUNDATION: If you don't think that she is under an enormous amount of psychological pressure from the CCP, from the authorities, given that she has posed very embarrassing charges against a senior Chinese official, you're crazy. I think it is safe to say that she is under very tightly controlled circumstances, that she does not have the ability to communicate freely with the outside world.
TODD: Experts say one potential nightmare scenario for Beijing has to do with the Winter Olympics, it's hosting in a couple of months.
CHENG: I think this is absolutely going to increase the pressure to at least not have diplomatic presence at the Winter Olympics and Beijing is unhappy about that.
Chinese authorities have not formally acknowledged Peng Shuai's accusations against the former Vice Premier, and there's no indication that an investigation is underway. But Chinese officials and state media have spoken out loudly against international criticism over their handling of this, saying the Women's Tennis Association is putting on an exaggerated show with its boycott and that China firmly opposes any act that politicize the sports. Brian Todd, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BRUNHUBER: A legal victory for Meghan Markle in the latest round her privacy battle at the publisher of The Mail on Sunday. The Duchess of Sussex previously won a judgment against the publisher associated newspapers limited for reproducing parts of a letter she sent to her father. They appealed but on Thursday the court ruled the Duchess had a reasonable expectation of privacy in the contents of her letter.
Markle celebrated the judgment saying 'while this win is precedent setting, what matters most is that they're now collectively brave enough to reshape a tabloid industry that conditions people to be cruel and profits from the lies and pain they create. Associated newspapers Ltd said they are considering an appeal to the British Supreme Court.
[02:35:00]
All right, coming up after the break, some creepy crawly travelers were detained at a Colombian airport. We'll explain. Stay with us
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BRUNHUBER: Dressed in full regalia Germany's Armed Forces bid farewell to their chancellor of 16 years on Thursday. Ahead of her departure next week, a procession of soldiers carrying flaming torches honored Angela Merkel with the highest military ceremony for a civilian called the Grand Tattoo. Merkel thanked the pandemic workers and wished the incoming Chancellor and the country's future success.
ANGELA MERKEL, GERMAN CHANCELLOR (through translator): It is now up to the next government to find answers to the challenges that lie ahead of us and to shape our future. For that, dear Olaf Schultz, I wish you and the German government led by you all the very best good fortune and best of success.
I'm convinced that we can continue to shape the future well, if we don't succumb to discontent, envy and pessimism, but like I said elsewhere three years ago, get to work with joy in our heart. At least that's what I always did in my life in East Germany and all the more so once in freedom.
It's this joy in the heart which I wish on all of us and in a figurative way for our country. Also in the future. I thank you from the bottom of my heart.
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BRUNHUBER: In keeping with tradition, the Chancellor pick three songs for a ceremony one of which caught many listeners by surprise. Listen to this.
I'm not sure if you recognize it there, but Merkel requests the military marching band played German Punk Singer Nina Hagen's 1974 hit You Forgot The Color Film. Merkel earlier explained that she considers the song a nod to her past.
MERKEL (through translator): The song was a highlight of my youth. The song also came from East Germany, and coincidentally it is still played in a region that used to be my constituency, so everything fits.
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BRUNHUBER: The German parliament is expected to officially elect Olaf Schultz as the new chancellor next week. Pope Francis begins day two of his first ever trip to Cyprus. The pontiff has been calling for reconciliation during his visit to the divided Island, which is also struggling with a large influx of migrants. More now from CNN Vatican Correspondent Delia Gallagher.
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DELIA GALLAGHER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It's Pope Francis's first time in Cyprus and he told journalists coming over on the papal plane from Rome, that his visit would quote, touch some wounds. That's an apparent reference to both the problem of migration on this Mediterranean island. Cyprus is a member of the European Union, but it is close to the Middle East.
And so it is a gateway for migrants trying to reach Europe. But the Pope was also referencing the internal divisions in Cyprus, which since 1974, has been divided between a Turkish controlled north and a Greek south and Francis on Thursday met with the President of Cyprus and other government representatives, and he encouraged them in patience and dialogue.
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He said in the search for peace and unity, a unity not only for Cyprus, the Pope said but for Europe as a whole. On Friday, the pope will visit with some refugees in the center, the capital city of Nicosia before moving on to Athens, Greece on Saturday. Delia Gallagher, CNN Nicosia.
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BRUNHUBER: Migrants hoping to cross the U.S. border have a new hurdle. Remain in Mexico, a Trump era program is now under a court order to resume. Journalist Stefano Pozzebon has the latest on what this means for migrants awaiting immigration hearings.
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STEFANO POZZEBON, JOURNALIST: Mexico has agreed to restart a program in which U.S. bound non Mexican migrants will stay in Mexico while they wait for a U.S. immigration court hearing, the Biden administration announced on Thursday. The program which is largely known as Remain in Mexico, was launched in 2019 under the Trump presidency, and was suspended once President Joe Biden took office in January 2021.
But in August, a Texas federal court ruled that the Biden administration violated federal law in how it had gone about unwinding the program and ordered it to be restored. Officials from the Biden administration have declared that they were restarting the program only because of the court order, and that the administration will continue to appeal against that decision.
In a statement, the Mexican government announced that the program would only be temporary, although it not state when it may end. And following the agreement, the program was set to restart on Monday. Stefano Pozzebon, CNN, Caracas.
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BRUNHUBER: All right, if spiders and bugs make you squirm, well, you might not like this next segment here. Colombian authorities stopped hundreds of creepy crawlies from being smuggled out of the country to Europe on Thursday. Among the creatures that were seized, 232 tarantulas, 67 cockroaches, why? I don't know nine spider eggs and a scorpion with seven of its young.
Two German citizens who were detained and they claim they were transporting them for academic purposes but Colombian officials say they lacked the required permits and will be prosecuted.
A high profile fashion magazine is banning fur from its international publications. Elle magazine says it's making the move to support animal welfare and reflect changing tastes. It joins a number of fashion houses and retailers ditching animal fur over the past few years. Elle executives say they hope the move fosters a more humane fashion industry. All right, I'm Kim Brunhuber. I'll be back in about 15 minutes with more CNN Newsroom. World Sport is next.
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[02:45:00] DON LEMON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Too much to discuss tonight with a member of the committee, Democratic Congressman, Adam Schiff of California. He is also chair of the House Intelligence Committee. We're so glad to have you here. Thank you Sir for joining us. So Congressman, Jeffrey Clark is intending to take the fifth when he meets with your committee on Saturday. So when he does that, OK, apparently we don't have the Congressman. Let's make sure if we have him.
A little technical glitch. I think he is filming this from home tonight. OK, so we're going to get it fixed. He's filming from home tonight through via computer. We'll take a break. We'll have Congressman Adam Schiff on the other side of this break. We'll be right back.
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LEMON: All right, so we worked it out and we have the Congressman back. Congressman, are you there?
REP. ADAM SCHIFF (D-CA): Yes, sure.
LEMON: OK, good. All right, first question again. So Jeffrey Clark is intending to take the fifth when he meets with your committee on Saturday. When he does that, will the full House still vote to hold him in contempt or not? He is, you know, a justice official. I mean, it's remarkable really.
SCHIFF: It is remarkable. This was a senior Justice Department official who's now telling us that if he were to testify and answer our questions, that it might implicate him in criminal activity. And, but honestly, we don't know what will happen on Saturday, because the correspondence we received from Mr. Clark's lawyer, has been a confusing hodgepodge of legal theories.
When he last appeared before our committee and refused to answer questions. He didn't do so on the basis of any Fifth Amendment concern about self-incrimination. He had a whole range of theories. And then in more recent correspondence, he added to those and complained about the composition of our committee. And now most recently, he said that he has a fifth amendment concern. So we'll ask him the range of questions that are pertinent to investigation.
With some, he may take the fifth with others, he may, you know, use these other, you know, assertions of privilege, which we think have no merit. And on the basis itself, what does happen, we'll make a decision about next steps.
LEMON: So this deposition, in person, remote?
SCHIFF: It's in person, and there'll be an opportunity for members to participate remotely as well, but it will be in person.
LEMON: OK. Congressman you've already met with, with his with Clark's former boss, Jeffrey Rosen, and Richard Donahue and they didn't take the fifth. Do you already have information, you believe implicates Clark in things like election interference or fraud possibly?
SCHIFF: Well, I don't want to comment on that, Don, for the reason that I don't want to give Mr. Clark any, you know, any false reason on his part to claim the fifth? And, and so I don't want to speculate about that. But, you know, I will say that the witnesses you mentioned, who were his seniors at the Justice Department have testified openly before the Senate.
We're not confirming I think witnesses before our committee, but they did both testify. Neither claimed any kind of executive privilege. So the idea that a more junior person in the Justice Department would have an executive privilege claim where the more seniors did not, is I think, pretty ludicrous. But we will have to see what assertions he makes with respect to what questions.
One thing I can tell you is that the Fifth Amendment does not permit him to refuse to answer questions, merely because he wants to cover up for Donald Trump. He has to feel that his own activities and answer your questions about them, would expose him to potential prosecution.
LEMON: Yes. Look, there's so many names in here, there's Donohue, Rosen, Bannon, Clark, but to look as a way to name who am I talking about Mark Meadows, expected to appear for a deposition next week? He says that he's going to honor Trump's executive privilege claims.
Will you accept any effort that he makes a claim of executive privilege if he does that?
SCHIFF: Well, we have reserved judgment, we have essentially not acknowledged any claim of privilege because the privilege is - the holder of that privilege is predominantly Joe Biden, who has said he's not asserting privilege. And what's more, even if there were a privilege that could be asserted by a former president, to be preferred over the current president, which I think will never be the case.
But even if it were, that privilege gives away when there is a compelling public need, as indeed it did during Watergate. And here, what could be more compelling than the need to get to information about an attack on our democracy in which people died, and the need to protect the country going forward. But we'll see, you know, whether Mr. Meadows is acting in good faith, or whether he in fact, is using just another strategy to avoid having to provide incriminating evidence against his former boss.
LEMON: But I'm not sure if I've ever seen anyone downplaying information or in some way refuting information that's in their own book. As you know, Mark Meadows has written this book about his time at the White House. I mean, does that undermine his claim, that his experience there is protected by executive privilege?
I was talking about, you know, when I said that, I was talking about the COVID. You know, the president getting COVID. But what - does that undermine his claim that he - he's protected by executive privilege when he is written a book about his time working in the White House?
SCHIFF: Oh, absolutely. And in particular, if he's written anything about January 6, and it's hard to imagine him writing a book and not writing about January 6, then he clearly is waiving any claim he has to keep confidential his communications with the former president on what happened the White House. After all, if he can say in the book, why can't he say it before Congress investigation but Don, he's not the first to potentially try.
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You might remember John Bolton refused to testify in the House because he wanted to save his first book. And only after he realized that he might never - his book might not see the light of day because the Trump White House was trying to refuse to certify that it wasn't classified, did he offer to testify before the Senate, I think in the hopes that that would pierce the executive branch's ability to suppress his book.
LEMON: Yes. Congressman, CNN is reporting that Meadows was trying to get government officials to pursue baseless election plot - fraud conspiracies. I mean, according to one source, he reached out to the FBI, to the Pentagon, the National Security Council, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence. I mean, he also pressured the Justice Department.
Those are not conversations with Trump. Should he be able to answer questions about contacts with those officials because I don't think those would be considered executive privilege. He was reaching out on behalf of the President or at least trying to help the President not - this wasn't some conversation he was having with just the president.
SCHIFF: You're absolutely right. Those conversations would not be protected. And you know, he may very well try to assert some form of privilege. You know, certainly if the last four years is any guide, in both the Russia and Ukraine investigations, the Trump administration asserted all kinds of privileges. In fact, they asserted the right not to answer questions, because at some future point, they might want to claim a privilege.
So you had people like Corey Lewandowski trying to assert a privilege when he wasn't even working in the White House about periods of time when, when the President wasn't even the president, and so they are no strangers to making completely baseless campaigns of privilege. We will evaluate what Meadows does, is he really cooperating or is he merely trying a new strategy to avoid having to answer questions, and then we'll make a decision about what should follow.
LEMON: Second time's a charm. We got it all in. Thank you, Congressman, I appreciate it.
SCHIFF: Thank you. You take care.
LEMON: You be well as well. President Biden announcing new steps to combat COVID through the winter months as new Omicron cases emerge. A big key to slowing any potential surge, vaccinations. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
