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White House: Russia Could Attack Ukraine "At Any Point;" Tonga Declares State of Emergency Following Tsunami; Hong Kong to Cull About 2,000 Animals Over COVID Fears. Aired 1-2a ET
Aired January 19, 2022 - 01:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
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LYNDA KINDADE, CNN ANCHOR: Hello, and welcome to our us all around the world. I'm Linda Kinkade, and this is CNN Newsroom. Good to have you with us.
Just ahead.
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JEN PSAKI, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: This is an extremely dangerous situation. Russia could at any point want an attack.
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KINKADE: Harsh warnings from the White House as almost 150,000 Russian troops amass on the Ukrainian border. Plus, new heartbreaking images from Tonga entire islands covered in ash as international rescue teams struggle to make contact. And dozens of international flights canceled a multimillion-dollar plan postponed. So, what's all the fuss about and what does it have to do with your cell phone? We'll discuss.
ANNOUNCER: Live from CNN Center, this is CNN Newsroom with Linda Kinkade.
KINKADE: Well, the White House says the crisis between Russia and Ukraine has reached a dangerous new level where Russia could launch an attack at any point. But Washington is giving diplomacy another chance. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has just arrived in Ukraine and will meet soon with the president before traveling to Geneva for talks with his Russian counterpart. Ukrainian intelligence assessment shared exclusively with CNN once has Russia has almost completed its military buildup in the region to play more than 127,000 troops. And it's not just in Russian territory. These troops in Russia's Far East heading to Belarus where joint military drills are planned in the coming weeks. Ukraine's foreign former Prime Minister, sorry former president says the world should be united against Russia's actions.
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PETRO POROSHENKO, FORMER UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT: Point number one, don't trust Putin because it was never happened that Putin keep his word. Point number two, don't be afraid of Putin.
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KINKADE: Well, a shipment of anti-tank weapons from the U.K. has arrived in Ukraine. And sources tell CNN that the U.S. is considering more military aid to resist a potential Russian occupation.
More news now from CNN's Senior International Correspondent Matthew Chance.
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MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): This is the actual video complete with soundtrack put out by the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense. Being fire to the beat Javelin anti- tank missiles supplied by the U.S. as part of its growing military support is these kinds of weapons Ukraine hopes will help stop another Russian invasion and it wants more. Cue a flurry of diplomatic fist bumps and grand promises of U.S. support.
On Wednesday, Secretary of State Blinken visits Kyiv. But earlier this week, the congressional delegation was here.
RICHARD BLUMENTHAL, U.S. STATE DEMOCRAT: I think Vladimir Putin has made the biggest mistake of his career.
CHANCE: Following more tough action in Washington against Russian aggression.
BLUMENTHAL: We will impose crippling economic sanctions but more important we will give the people of Ukraine, the arms, lethal arms they need to defend their lives and livelihoods.
CHANCE: It's unclear if what Ukrainian officials call this strong show of bipartisan support will deter Russia or provoke it. It certainly doesn't look deter. These are the latest images of Russia's live fire military exercises near its border with the latest Ukrainian defense intelligence assessment, obtained exclusively by CNN, says Russia has almost completed its military buildup.
The assessment says there are now more than 127,000 Russian troops poised to invade including Russian infantry units seen here practicing urban warfare the kind that may play a major role if any potentially messy incursion into Ukraine is ever all.
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Sources in rebel controlled eastern areas of the country tell CNN training has also been ramped up there, with a significant increase of rebel fighters and heavy weaponry on the frontlines. The new Ukrainian intelligence assessment says Russia supports more than 35,000 rebels and has about 3000 of its own military based in rebel territory. Most Moscow denies having any forces there and continues to insist it has no plans either to invade.
SERGEY LAVROV, RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTER (through translation): We do not threaten anyone, but we hear threats against us. I hope all of this only reflects emotions within the camp of Western countries will be guided by concrete steps and deeds.
CHANCE: But those deeds and steps seem to point to escalation. These are new images showing troops from Russia and its ally Belarus preparing for joint exercises near Ukraine's northern border. It may be just a distraction. But as Russia continues to mass forces, Ukrainian intelligence says it now sees this region as a full-fledged Russian theater of operation. In other words, another dangerous potential front line. Matthew Chance, CNN, Kyiv.
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KINKADE: John Herbst was the U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine from 2003 to 2006. He's also the Director of the Atlantic Council's Eurasia Center. He joins me now from Fairfax, Virginia. Good to have you with us, Ambassador.
JOHN HERBST, FORMER U.S. AMBASSADOR TO UKRAINE: My pleasure.
KINKADE: So multiple sources tell CNN that the U.S. is considering options, including providing more weapons to Ukraine, in order to resist a Russian occupation. Should it come to that? What does that tell you about how pessimistic the United States is after a week of diplomatic talks?
HERBST: Well, it's clear that Moscow is threatening a much larger invasion of Ukraine. And so, the administration has said that if they do that, there'll be major sanctions. There'll be weapons to Ukraine. And there'll be a change in NATO's force posture. This question has been going on now since the end of October.
KINKADE: So, we heard from the U.S. Press Secretary today, Jen Psaki, who warned it would seem to be an imminent attack, I just want to play some of that sound for our viewers.
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PSAKI: So, let's be clear, our view is this is an extremely dangerous situation. We're now at a stage where Russia could at any point launch an attack in Ukraine.
(END VIDEO CLIP) KINKADE: Ambassador, does that suggest to you that diplomacy is failing?
HERBST: Oh, no. I think that Putin is actually concerned about attacking, because he does not want those punishing sanctions. He's trying to see if he could intimidate the United States, NATO, the E.U. or Ukraine into making concessions. But that failed last week. And we'll see if he tries it again with Lavrov and Blinken on Friday.
KINKADE: Right now, Russia has been withdrawing diplomats and their families from the Ukraine, literally asking them to get on a bus for the 18-hour drive back to Russia. What does that signal?
HERBST: Well, this is all part of Putin's effort to intimidate the worst. This suggested military action is going to happen very soon. With actually conduct that up, that operation is dangerous to him, so he has to think twice before doing it.
KINKADE: As you mentioned to Antony Blinken is set to meet Russian Foreign Minister, Sergey Lavrov, on Friday. Given that there has already been a week of diplomatic talks and no major breakthroughs, what should the strategy be for the U.S. this Friday? What could yield results?
HERBST: I think determination is the most important thing. As long as, Moscow understands that the United States, the E.U. will respond together with strong sanctions and additional military support for the United States Ukraine and a strengthening of NATO, I think Mr. Putin has to think twice about actually launching those troops.
KINKADE: U.S. President Biden and NATO have indicated they won't go into battle for Ukraine. They won't put troops on the ground, just how far do you think they will go? What support could they offer apart from more weapons?
HERBST: Well, more weapons to Ukraine, big sanctions on Moscow and strengthening NATO's force posture in the Baltic States, and Poland and Romania, which all demonstrates that Moscow's geopolitical position will deteriorate if it invades Ukraine with this large force.
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KINKADE: So, what could Russia face in terms of sanctions, like what would be the biggest deterrent?
HERBST: Well, I think the biggest likely sanction would be forbidding activity on Russian secondary debt market. But there's also talk about sanctioning major Russian banks. And if they were sanction two or three Russian banks that would also have an enormous impact.
KINKADE: So, what is the feeling right now in Ukraine, towards Russia, towards Vladimir Putin compared to all these years ago, during the annexation of Crimea, how have things changed?
HERBST: It's pretty simple, Mr. Putin was the most popular politician in Ukraine when I arrived there in 2003, so 18, 19 years ago, but as a result of his aggression against Ukraine, he's a deeply unpopular figure. And as a result of his aggression against Ukraine, people in Ukraine have very negative feelings about Russia, which is historically unusual.
KINKADE: All right, we'll leave it there for now. Great to get your perspective former Ambassador to Ukraine, John Herbst, thanks so much.
Well, Tonga's government says they're facing an unprecedented disaster following Saturday's massive volcanic eruption and tsunami. It says tsunami waves reached 15 meters high, destroying nearly all homes and businesses in some places. Evacuation and recovery efforts are ongoing, but many people lost everything. CNN's Hala Gorani reports.
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HALA GORANI, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A vibrant green town in Tonga now smothered in a thick layer of ash. A port on the South Pacific Island suffering the same fate. These are just some of the images giving a first look at the damage after an underwater volcano erupted Saturday, triggering tsunami warnings throughout the Pacific, with waves crashing into land as far away as Peru and the United States. Assistance from New Zealand and Australia is already on the way, defense forces on route from Sydney and from Auckland to provide humanitarian aid and supplies. But their task is not an easy one.
FATAFEHI FAKAFANUA, SPEAKER OF THE TONGAN LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY: The ash is proving quite problematic, not just for water and sanitation because Tonga collects its water from the roofs of households. But in terms of access for the aid from Australia, New Zealand, and other flights.
GORANI: The scale of the devastation is still unknown, but surveillance planes photographed shorelines blanketed and ash with vegetation decimated. Scientists say Saturday's eruption could be the biggest on the planet in more than 30 years.
Just hours before the volcano belted out an ominous warning of what was to come shooting ash and smoke up to 20 kilometers in the air. Now, the country is still largely cut off from the outside world. The government says some domestic phone networks are working again. But the internet is down, and international communication is limited because of damage to a key undersea cable, which could take weeks to repair. For those waiting to hear from loved ones, it is agonizing.
SEINI TAUMOEPEAU, TONGAN LIVING IN AUSTRALIA: The worst fear is always that you're not going to save the people that you love again. Yeah, that's the worst fear. The worst fear is the suffering of other people. That's hard to cope with.
GORANI: Hala Gorani, CNN.
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KINKADE: CNN's Phil Black joins me now live from Melbourne for more on this and obviously, Phil, just looking there at some of the devastation in those images coming into us now from the surveillance flights, from the satellite images. Just how challenging is it right now to get aid into the country?
PHIL BLACK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Lynda, looks like it's going to be really challenging. In the next few days in particular, going to be particularly difficult. The number one -- there's a series of big challenges and the one that touches over all of them is the communication problem. This is a country of 100,000 or so people that are essentially blacked out all at once in terms of international and domestic communication. As you heard there, the one undersea cable connecting Tonga to the world is damaged. Mobile phone communications, the internet effectively down although on the main island, they've been able to restore some basic 2G coverage, cobbling together something with an old satellite dish. As I say still no internet satellite phones are also struggling with all the ash in the air, we're told. So, it's still very difficult to get a sense of precisely what their needs are but eight agencies from what they're hearing believe the acute need will undoubtedly initially be water because the reserves have been contaminated to such a degree, not just from the ash from the volcano but also in some cases from seawater, from the tidal wave. Getting drinking water to people is going to be really important in the next few days.
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And so, groups are responding. We are told that the local Red Cross group is already trying to get out to outer islands and ensure that they have some water supply. New Zealand Navy ships are inbound due on Friday with large stores of water aboard as well as desalination equipment at to make more. This also points to what is going to be a slightly different challenge in the coming days. Keep in mind that no doubt, Tonga is going to want all the external resources it can possibly get. But it may not want the people delivering it to come ashore or stick around. And that's because of the country's COVID rules. The World Health Organization says that this is a country with really strict COVID measures, three weeks quarantine for anyone who arrives. What that means is the country is COVID free right now, has been for some time, and you would have to think that Tonga would want to stay that way while it is dealing with this latest crisis. Lynda.
KINKADE: Where it doesn't want any other things and problems and issues to contend with right now. Phil Black joining us from Melbourne, thanks so much.
Well, still come tonight, Japan prepares to tighten COVID restrictions after putting a record increase in new infections. We're going to go live to Tokyo for the latest. And what people in Hong Kong are saying after the government gathered small animals to be killed over coronavirus infection fears. Plus, accusations of telling untruth are piling up against British Prime Minister Boris Johnson. What this could mean for his future?
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KINKADE: Welcome back, well, positive Asia are tightening their COVID safety measures amid fears of new outbreaks and surging cases. Japan's Prime Minister will announce stricter restrictions in 13 regions after a record rise in infections. Health experts fear another wave of the Omicron variant could overwhelm the healthcare system. Well, in Hong Kong 1000s of people have signed a petition to stop the government's ordered culling of small animals. Officials fear they could spread the coronavirus.
Well, CNN's Ivan Watson is following developments for us in Hong Kong. But first I want to bring in Blake Essig in Tokyo with the latest on Japan's restriction. So, Blake just takes us through what these measures will entail?
BLAKE ESSIG, CNN CORRESPONDENT: You know, Lynda, once a quasi-state of emergency order is authorized by the national government, local governors can ask their residents to have avoid traveling across prefectural borders. They can also request that bars and restaurants limit their operating hours and ask them to stop serving if a business doesn't comply, because these are, of course asks, not demands, fines could be imposed.
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Now, here's a look at a map showing the prefecture is across the country that would be impacted by those stricter measures that includes three prefectures, where quasi state of emergency orders are already in place. In just for context, Lynda, the main difference between a quasi and a full state of emergency order here in Japan is that under a full state of emergency, the fines are larger in the restrictions applied to the entire prefecture versus specific cities.
KINKADE: And so, Blake, what is the vaccination rate right now where you are and what else is Japan doing to limit the spread of the virus?
ESSIG: Yeah, you know, Lynda, at this point, this is the good news here in Japan. The cases are, excuse me, that the vaccination rate is about 80%, 80% of the population has been fully vaccinated. Again, that is great news. Perhaps it's one of the reasons why the number of COVID patients with severe symptoms is so low. Of course, the numbers could jump as cases continue to surge. More than 30,000 cases reported just yesterday as the highest number of cases reported, since this pandemic began here. But as of Monday, only about 250 people were in serious condition nationwide due to COVID.
So, in terms of what the government is doing to stop the spread beyond authorizing quasi state of emergency orders of the government is suspending a program that would allow people who are fully vaccinated or whoever a negative test result to be exempt from COVID-19 restrictions even if a state of emergency order was in place.
In just last week, Japan's Prime Minister announced that the government would extend the country's current border restrictions banning almost all non-residents until at least the end of February. The only exception, Lynda, 87 students that will be allowed to enter at some point this month.
KINKADE: Thanks to you, Blake, in Tokyo. I want to go to Ivan where this is a pretty tough story in Hong Kong for any pet lover. Despite a petition, Hong Kong authorities are planning to euthanize some 2000 Hamsters and other small animals after 11 tested positive for COVID-19?
IVAN WATSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: That's right. The headline here, Lynda, is that the Hong Kong government is telling residents of this city, anyone who bought a hamster on or after December 22 to surrender their pet so that it can be killed. Lest any viewer think that this is a joke. This is front page story here in Hong Kong, the culling of an estimated 2000 hamsters.
Let me unpack how the health authorities here came to this conclusion. They say that on January 17, somebody worked at the little boss pet store in Causeway Bay tested positive for COVID. They then tested some 78 hamsters, chinchillas and rabbits in the pet store. And 11 hamsters, then tested positive for COVID. So, now the authorities have ordered the closure of that pet store and its warehouse. They have tested 511 chinchillas, guinea pigs, hamsters and rabbits from the warehouse. They have also ordered some 34 other pet shops around the city that sell hamsters to close temporarily, and to begin sterilizing their premises. And they're going to be conducting testing of the animals in those premises as well. And they are now concerned about the possibility that hamsters that were imported from Europe may have given COVID to this one employee of the pet shop. Take a listen to the head of the Center for Health Protection of the Department of Health of Hong Kong.
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DR. EDWIN TSUI, CONTROLLER OF THE CENTER FOR HEALTH PROTECTION: Quite large amount of animals, the hamsters are tested with positive results. And with their shopkeepers, which has a more frequent exposure to the hamster in the environment. We can explore the possibility that the shopkeepers was, in fact, was actually infected from the hamsters.
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WATSON: Hong Kong like Mainland China is trying to maintain a zero COVID policy, however, there were 17 New COVID cases reported yesterday. There has been an outbreak that the authorities are trying to struggle with since the middle of December. And now apparently the authorities are on the lookout for the possibility that the disease could be spreading via small animals. Animal rights activists have launched a petition to try to stop the culling of hamsters and other small animals.
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And I might refer to the U.S. Center for Disease Control that says, "The risk of animals spreading COVID-19 to people is low." Lynda?
KINKADE: Yes, that's such a sad story for anyone that happened to get a hamster, a rabbit, et cetera over the last few weeks in Hong Kong. We will continue to stay on that story. Ivan Watson in Hong Kong, Blake Essig in Tokyo, thank you both.
Well, I want to go now to Europe, where the Omicron variant is fueling a record rise in COVID cases. Italy reported its highest record of daily COVID infections since the start of the pandemic in just the past day. And it was a similar situation in France, which reported a record daily high of more than 464,000 new COVID cases. But even as cases climb, a new study published by the French Council of Economic Analysis shows that the health pass used in Europe has saved lives. Since it was introduced last year, the past prevented nearly 4000 deaths in France, and more than 1000 in both Germany and Italy.
We're now to the U.K. where the Omicron variant continues to pose a significant threat. But a government spokesman says cases are beginning to fall and in the coming hours, Prime Minister Boris Johnson is expected to review at COVID restrictions with his cabinet before making a statement. Well, his remarks will come as the fallout continues over the parties held at 10 Downing Street define COVID restrictions last year. Here's Mr. Johnson's latest response.
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BORIS JOHNSON, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: Categorically, nobody told me, and nobody said that this was something that was against the rules. It was a breach of the COVID rules what we were doing, something that wasn't a work event because frankly, I don't think I can't, imagine why on earth it would have gone ahead or why it would have been allowed to go ahead.
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KINKADE: Well, the British Prime Minister is battling calls for his resignation over the so-called party gate scandal. CNN's Bianca Nobilo has the details.
BIANCA NOBILO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Boris Johnson's former Chief Adviser, Dominic Cummings, has said that he would swear under oath that he warned the Prime Minister, the party in the number 10 Garden during lockdown would be breaking the rules. Johnson denies this. But if true, it would mean that Johnson had misled Parliament, and that could end his Premiership.
Now, keep in mind, of course, that there's no love loss between Cummings and Johnson since the former left government but has Johnson ever been fired for lying before? The answer is yes. In 2004, Johnson was sacked for appearing to lie over allegations of an affair when he was an opposition minister. And back in 1988, he was fired from the Times Newspaper for fabricating a quote, and it's a criticism that's followed him throughout his public life.
Last year, the leaders of no less than six opposition parties in the House of Commons wrote a letter accusing Johnson of a consistent failure to be honest with the facts, but accusations of lying and cause for him to resign have never been louder than they are right now.
So, why could misleading Parliament be the career ender for Johnson. If a minister is shown to have lied to Parliament, they're expected to resign or be sacked. Now, the Prime Minister can't sack himself so he be expected to resign with the full force of Parliament pressuring him to do so.
The ministerial code also says that ministers should be truthful, but it's ultimately up to the Prime Minister to order an investigation or to enforce the code. So, it's fair to assume that the Prime Minister isn't in a hurry to investigate himself.
Also, you might know that British MP's can't accuse each other of lying in the House of Commons either. Labor MP Dawn Butler was briefly kicked out of the House of Commons for saying that the Prime Minister had lied to the house and the country over and over again. So, it said that it's easier to punish someone who calls an MP a liar than an MP who might have lied because that is harder to prove.
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KINKADE: Now, thanks to Bianca there. Well, the move to improve cell phone service in the U.S. has hit a snag. We're going to look at the problems with 5G in aviation when we come back.
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LYNDA KINKADE, CNN ANCHOR: Well, Israel says it successfully tested a new missile shield. The Arrow Weapons System was designed to intercept incoming ballistic missiles as far away as space.
It was developed with the U.S. Missile Defense Agency to protect Israel from any future threats or future conflicts with Iran and its proxies or Hamas.
Well, some international airlines are canceling flights to the U.S. over concerns about potential 5G interference with critical airplane technology. Emirates, Air India, or Nippon Airways and Japan Airways have announced service cuts at certain airports.
This follows urgent warnings from Tokyo's airline executives about the impact of flight restrictions because of the 5G rollout.
Pete Muntean has the details.
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PETE MUNTEAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Airlines call it the latest issue affecting your safety in the sky. They say new, high- speed 5G cell service could cause errors in crucial information that pilots need to land.
In a new letter to the Biden administration, ten airlines, including Delta, American and United insist that that could lead to as many as a thousand flights diverted, delayed or canceled each day -- a situation they call economic calamity. Airlines say 5G signals can disrupt radar altimeters, instruments that bounce a radio beam at the ground to give a hyper accurate reading of height.
Pilots like Captain Dennis Tajer of the Allied Pilots Association called the system essential when they need it most, in poor weather when it is hard to see the runway.
CAPTAIN DENNIS TAJER, ALLIED PILOTS ASSOCIATION: This one instrument, if it gets bad data, sends it to a collection of other systems -- flight controls, auto throttles, wind sheer protection, stick shake. I could go on and on -- there's 17 items. Each of those, if they get bad information in, they're going to do bad things.
MUNTEAN: In this simulator of a regional airliner I saw what happened when a radar altimeter failed. Automatic warnings could stop and flight displays give confusing, mismatched readings.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We could go around --
MUNTEAN (on camera): Right.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That would --
MUNTEAN: And figure it out.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: -- cause a big bottleneck.
MUNTEAN (voice over): Verizon and AT&T have now agreed to delay their rollout near certain airports. AT&T which owns CNN's parent company, says airlines and the FAA have not utilized the two years they've had to responsibly plan for this deployment. Verizon says officials figured out how to make 5G safe and fully operational in more than 40 other countries.
Even still, United Airlines fears interference would impact operations at some of its busiest destinations -- Houston, Newark, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Chicago.
EDUARDO ROJAS, PROFESSOR, EMBRY RIDDLE AERONAUTICAL UNIVERSITY: It is critical, especially to make sure that the airplane doesn't crash to the ground.
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MUNTEAN: Professor Eduardo Rojas is researching 5G interference with radar altimeters at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Florida.
ROJAS: It's one of the most crucial systems in the aircraft and helicopters especially because it helps to land.
MUNTEAN: Low visibility and a malfunctioning radar altimeter led to a fatal 2009 Turkish Airlines crash just short of an Amsterdam runway.
The flight's autopilot acted like it was landing, but in reality, it was more than 2,000 feet up. Captain Tajer says there must be more time to review the data on 5G because when it comes to paying passengers, there's no deadline on safety.
TAJER: So get this right. Test it. Get it done. We want 5G to come. But we're not going to do it while jeopardizing the margin of safety.
MUNTEAN: Even after AT&T and Verizon agreed to delay this roll out, the FAA says there could still be flight cancellations on Wednesday just not as many as they must once thought.
Airlines say they've still not yet seen the details of this new delay and that means in some cases, airlines are already canceling flights. International carriers like Emirates, Japan Airlines, ANA and Air India have canceled at least some of their flights coming to the U.S. on Wednesday. They are all citing their concerns over the 5G rollout.
Pete Muntean, CNN -- Washington.
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KINKADE: Miles O'Brien is a CNN aviation analyst. He joins me now from Vero Beach, Florida. Good to have you with us, Miles.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN AVIATION ANALYST: Pleasure, Lynda.
KINKADE: So 10 major airlines warned of catastrophic disruption if the 5G mobile technology was rolled out today, as planned, in the U.S. What does that mean? What's their concern?
O'BRIEN: Well, their concern is that this 5G C-band technology, which they want to deploy all over the continent of the United States, is in a part of a spectrum which is right next door to the piece of the spectrum used by an extremely crucial device on a modern airliner called a radar altimeter.
It is used to determine the aircraft height above the ground with great precision, once it gets very close to an airport. It's used on final approach and crucially, it is absolutely essential on that proverbial dark and stormy night, with a low visibility or zero visibility approach in so-called auto land. You need two of these radar altimeters working perfectly. And if they don't, you run the risk of something very catastrophic. So it's not inconceivable that interference from that other part of the spectrum nearby, could cause difficulty with these devices.
KINKADE: Right. So it would make it particularly risky in poor weather.
O'BRIEN: Exactly.
KINKADE: So we've heard from the major telcos like AT&T, our parent company, and Verizon, both of which have decided to suspend rolling out the 5G networks around certain airport runways.
In the short term, what can be done to mitigate any risk? Any concern? Because this is the second time they've delay this rollout.
O'BRIEN: Yes and it's a $65 billion investment that AT&T and Verizon have put into this part of the spectrum. So much is at stake here.
And everybody ne in the U.S. who uses a cell phone would appreciate being able to use 5G, which has rolled out in many other countries all over the world.
But what has happened in other places is either the transmission towers have been -- had reduced power. The antennas have been aimed toward the ground, as opposed to upward or there have been big buffer zones around airports. None of these things have been done in a way that has made the FAA comfortable yet in the United States.
So it is possible to put all of that in place. But the FCC didn't really do that and now the FAA is crying foul and raising this concern. So you have this strange spectacle of two federal agencies kind of dueling over the constituencies that they are supposed to police but sound like they are kind of advocating for it. It's rather odd.
KINKADE: Yes. It really is. As you point out, other countries -- more than 40, I understand -- around the world have been able to keep planes in operation and rollout of 5G network. So what else can the U.S. learn from other countries like Australia and the U.K.? Why is it different here?
O'BRIEN: Well, I think there is a fundamental failure of government and leadership here. The fact that each of these two agencies couldn't be working in a more coordinated fashion to come up with rules that everybody could agree on.
This has been this kind of slow motion plane crash that we've all watched unfold. And the fact that it has come to this point is -- it's kind of mind-boggling to me that we are at this point.
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O'BRIEN: So yes, there's lessons to be learned here, about good government and bad government. And there's lessons to be learned about listening to technology and taking in good advice from all corners and not getting into kind of a war of well, my experts say this is ok and my experts don't.
Eventually, somebody's got to arbitrate this in a way. And I think these 40 other countries that you mentioned have found reasonable ways to deploy the systems. So it clearly can be done.
KINKADE: Right. Absolutely. It seems to be the case.
Yet despite the fact that these telcos have agreed to suspend the deployment of 5G networks around airports here in the U.S., we have already heard from international airlines, including Emirates, who have suspended flights and others like Japan Airlines and Indian airlines making changes. So already, we are seeing a disruption. O'BRIEN: Yes, and you know, the airlines certainly don't want to be on
the wrong side of this because if, God forbid, something did happen, that would be a very difficult thing to explain to the world, wouldn't it?
So they are airing very much on the side of safety, on a situation which is probably the odds of it happening, are very remote. I should say this that, you know, the 5G apparatus that are in place at several airports in the U.S. have already been cleared. And many of the aircraft with the latest and greatest radar altimeters are just fine.
We are talking about certain situations and certain older radio altimeters which may not be the latest version and may not have some kind of situation where a stray signal could cause interference.
So it's a remote scenario. But you have to remember, this is that dark and stormy night, close to the runway, the pilots can't see anything. If something goes wrong, people will get hurt or die.
KINKADE: Yes, yes. Exactly. Miles O'Brien, good to have you with us to break that down for us. Appreciate your time and perspective. Thank you.
O'BRIEN: You are welcome, Lynda.
KINKADE: Well, tech giant Microsoft is looking (ph) up in the gaming world, announcing plans to buy publisher and developer Activision Blizzard. Now, the deal is worth almost $69 billion. And Activation Blizzard is known for its "Call of Duty" franchise, as well as titles like "Overwatch" and "Warcraft".
Microsoft also scooped up game company Bethesda last year. And their latest move will bring some of the industry's most popular games to Microsoft. And its subscription service can possibly mean more exclusive games for the Xbox.
The news prompted a rise of nearly 26 percent in Activision Blizzard's stock on Tuesday. Microsoft's stock fell by a few points by closing.
Well, still ahead, an American basketball player becomes the target of racist insults in China. Why the incident could cast a shadow over the upcoming Winter Olympics.
Plus a part owner of the NBA's Golden State Warriors is in hot water after making inflammatory comments about China's Uyghur minority.
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KINKADE: Well, the NBA's Golden State Warriors are distancing themselves from a part owner's derogatory comments about China's Uyghur minority, saying he does not speak for the franchise. Chamath Palihapitiya, a limited investor, recently told the All-In podcast that no one cares about the Uyghurs and that America should focus on fixing itself. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CHAMATH PALIHAPITIYA, PART OWNER OF GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS: Nobody one cares about what is happening to the Uyghurs, ok. You bring it up because you really care --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What?
PALIHAPITIYA: -- and I think that's nice that you care.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What do you mean nobody cares.
PALIHAPITIYA: The rest of us don't care. I'm telling you a very hard ugly truth, ok. Of all the things that I care about, yes it is below my line.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KINKADE: Well, the billionaire added that he cares about climate change and the crippling U.S. health care system but argued that sustaining (ph) human rights globally is a luxury belief.
After his remarks sparked outrage, he tweeted, "In re-listening to this week's podcast, I recognize that I came across as lacking empathy. To be clear, my belief is that human rights matter whether in China, the United States or elsewhere. Full stop."
A U.S. basketball player became the target of racial abuse in China. In a video posted to social media, Chinese fans are heard yelling racist insults at Sonny Weems, an American player who plays for a Chinese team.
CNN's David Culver reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DAVID CULVER, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): In a disturbing video circulating on social media -- you can hear basketball fans in China repeatedly shouting racist slurs including the N word at American basketball player Sonny Weems.
Telling the 35-year-old to --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Get out of China.
CULVER: Weems, who briefly played in the NBA, now plays for the Guangdong Southern Tigers, part of the Chinese Basketball Association. The incident happened after a game last Thursday in Changchun, China. On the court, a fight broke out between Weems and Chinese player Han Dejun. Both were expelled from the game.
As Weems exited his bus post-game, some fans wearing the opposing team's jersey shouted the racially-charged words. In a statement released Friday, the CBA condemned the incident writing, "The CBA has a zero tolerance attitude towards any discriminatory words or deeds." And in an open letter to fans, asked them to, quote, "resist uncivilized behavior". Both teams likewise condemning the fans' behaviors.
The Liaoning team writing "What a fan should do is to cheer for players on the field rather than insult, disrespect, or even abuse opponents off the court."
Taiwanese American player Jeremy Lin immediately jumped to Weems' defense. Posting on his Chinese social media Weibo account, "The abuse Weems received really was disrespectful. That word carried so much hurt, unfairness, and hatred that I couldn't put into words."
CNN reached out to Weems, but did not immediately hear back. His last post on his official Weibo page, hearts.
A surge of supportive comments from Chinese fans followed.
"Peace and love. We will always be behind you," one fan wrote.
Another apologizing, "I'm sorry. Are you all right now? We always support you and stay here with you."
The incident follows what's been a tumultuous few years in which U.S.- China sports and politics have repeatedly clashed. In 2019, comments made by the then Houston Rockets GM in support of Hong Kong pro- democracy protests nearly severed a multibillion dollar deal between the NBA and China, by far its largest market outside of the U.S.
In less than three weeks, Beijing will host the winter Olympics. Publicly, China has worked to portray a welcoming atmosphere ahead of the games.
Speaking to the media on Monday in Beijing, former NBA star and Rockets center Yao Ming now president of the government affiliated CBA, highlighted the role of sports in building bridges between countries.
YAO MING, PRESIDENT, CHINESE BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION (through translator): There is bound to be traffic on bridges, so sometimes we see collisions. It may take some time to resolve some issues, but we want to keep the bridges intact.
CULVER: But a rising nationalism coupled with state media fan claims that COVID-19 was originally imported into China, have added to tensions between Chinese nationals and foreigners living in the country.
And videos like this one, fueling what is already a fiery relationship between China and the west.
David Culver, CNN -- Beijing.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
[01:49:44] KINKADE: Well, Rwandan referee has made history for becoming the first woman to officiate an Africa Cup of Nations match. Salima Mukansanga was one of four match officials overseeing the Zimbabwe versus Guinea showdown. She carried the ball at the start of the match, issued yellow cards, and separated players who were arguing. Zimbabwe wound up winning 2 to 1.
As U.S. President Joe Biden prepares for his second year in office, we're going to take a look back at the challenges he has faced since his inauguration. That is when we come back.
Stay with us. You're watching CNN.
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KINKADE: U.S. President Joe Biden is set to hold a news conference in the coming hours at the White House, his first in months and nearly one year since he took office.
CNN's Jeff Zeleny takes a look at the successes and the challenges the Biden administration has faced for the past 12 months.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: This is our historic moment of crisis and challenge. And unity is the path forward.
JEFF ZELENY, CNN CHIEF U.S. NATIONAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT (voice over): As President Biden enters his second year in office, that unity is elusive. With the very same crisis and challenge still burning red- hot and complicating path forward.
The optimism from Biden's inaugural address --
BIDEN: Bringing America together.
ZELENY: -- tempered by the bitter reality of a capital and nation even more divided and a president scrambling to find his footing. From an unrelenting pandemic to stubborn inflation to dangerous threats to democracy at home and across the globe, the White House is trying to reset and restore a floundering presidency.
Election reform on the cusp of failing in the senate, the latest example of the limits of presidential power in today's Washington where Republicans are loath to cooperate and Democrats with a razor thin majority struggle to compromise.
JEN PSAKI, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: There has been a lot of progress made. We need to build on. The work is not done. The job is not done. And we are certainly not conveying it is.
ZELENY: Still in March, Biden signed a $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan to ease the economic fallout from COVID-19. And months later, a $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure plan, a landmark accomplishment that has eluded presidents of both parties.
BIDEN: Despite the cynics, Democrats and Republicans can come together and deliver results.
ZELENY: But that bipartisan bridge did not extend to the second part of his economic agenda, the Build Back Better plan. Stalled in the Senate, and facing an uphill road in this midterm election year.
But above all, top White House officials concede the first year of the Biden presidency has been complicated and consumed by coronavirus. Remarkable gains were made on vaccines, but the president's summertime declaration of success proved utterly premature.
BIDEN: It no longer controls our lives. It no longer paralyzes our nation. And it is within our power to make sure it never does again.
ZELENY: A fall wave of the delta variant, followed by a winter surge of omicron laid bare the failures in COVID testing and eroded confidence once again in the administration's grasp of the crisis.
BIDEN: It's clearly not enough. If I had known we would have gone harder, quicker if we could have.
[01:54:52]
ZELENY: On the world stage, Biden reassured allies after the whiplash of the Trump era.
BIDEN: America is back.
ZELENY: Yet the prospect of a new Cold War is now an urgent fear. That was not apparent during Biden's summit with Vladimir Putin in June which focused on cyberattacks, a threat overshadowed by Russia's aggression towards Ukraine.
BIDEN: If we look ahead, in three to six months and say did the things we agreed to sit down and try to work out, did it work?
ZELENY: Biden sought to reset the Russian relationship. Now Putin is testing Biden and western allies.
For all the challenges outside any president's control, one of the most devastating periods of Biden's first year was a decision that he made and stands behind.
BIDEN: I was not going to extend this forever war. And I was not extending a forever exit.
ZELENY: The swift fall out of the Afghanistan government and the chaotic evacuation that followed including 13 Americans killed in a suicide bombing raised critical questions about competence that Biden and his team still struggle to shake six months later.
BIDEN: I take responsibility for the decision --
ZELENY: Yet taking responsibility marks a noted change between Biden and his predecessor, who looms even larger one year out of office.
That point was clear on the anniversary of the Capitol attack. BIDEN: He is not just the former president, he is a defeated former
president.
ZELENY: And that advisers say, is a glimpse into Biden's current mindset. He's no longer ignoring Trump and his assault on democracy. The outcome of his second year will help shape how Biden answers the biggest question of all, likely by this time next year. Will he run again?
(on camera): Now there has been no president who has taken office with as much experience as Biden. Accomplishments yes, but the string of recent setbacks at home and abroad have eroded a sense of confidence that once was Biden's calling card.
But at the news conference on Wednesday here at the White House, look for the president to tout that progress as well as advisors say, acknowledge some shortcomings as he tries to turn the page and begin a second year of his presidency with so many challenges before him.
Jeff Zeleny, CNN -- the White House.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KINKADE: Well Madame Tussauds in New York is now home to the president and vice president, or at least their wax figures. The pair are part of the museum's interactive Oval office display dressed in recreations of the outfits they wore at their inauguration last year.
It is the first time a vice president has been featured at the attraction. The figures took team of artists nearly six months to complete.
They look pretty real.
Well, thanks so much for watching CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Lynda Kinkade.
Stick around, CNN NEWSROOM continues with my colleague and fellow Aussie, Rosemary Church.
Stay with us. I will see you here back same time tomorrow.
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