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U.S. And Russia Square Off At U.N.; Failure Of Leadership In U.K. Partygate Scandal; Three Days Until Winter Games Amid Rising Global Tensions; Taiwan, to Attend Beijing Winter Olympics Opening and Closing Ceremonies; Severe Winter Hits Syria in Decades; Freezing Conditions for Syrians; French Lawmakers to Debate Over Wearing Hijab in Sports. Aired 2-3a ET

Aired February 01, 2022 - 02:00   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[02:00:15]

ROSEMARY CHURCH, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: Hello and welcome to our viewers joining us from all around the world. You are watching CNN NEWSROOM and Rosemary Church.

Just ahead. Russia has sent a written response to the U.S. on Ukraine as the two countries spar at the U.N. over the deepening crisis.

Failure of leadership and judgment. A damning report or Number 10s Partygate scandal left Boris Johnson apologizing before Parliament with his political future in deep trouble.

Plus, counting down to the Beijing Olympics as China's COVID case count goes up. We're live in Beijing on what's being done to slow the spread.

ANNOUNCER: Live from CNN Center, this is CNN NEWSROOM with Rosemary Church.

CHURCH: Good to have you with us. Well, first this hour, a push for dialogue and diplomacy in the ongoing campaign to tamp down tensions along Ukraine's border and deter a potential Russian invasion. Moscow has now responded in writing to Washington just days after the U.S. issued its own response to Vladimir Putin's demands. Those responses expected to be on the agenda during a scheduled phone call between U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in the hours ahead.

Also Tuesday, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is traveling to Kiev in a show of support and for talks with a Ukrainian President. His office said he'll also announce more than $100 million in new aid for Ukraine. Russia's military buildup was the focus of a contentious meeting of the U.N. Security Council that saw the American and Russian ambassador's clash over Ukraine. The U.S. sounded the alarm about just how urgent and serious the situation is.

(BEGIN VIDEPO CLIP) LINDA THOMAS-GREENFIELD: If Russia further invades Ukraine, none of us will be able to say we didn't see it coming. And the consequences will be horrific. Which is why this meeting is so important today. What would it mean for the world if former empires had licensed to start reclaiming territory by force? This would set us down a dangerous path.

(END VIDEPO CLIP)

CHURCH: Russia's ambassador meantime accused the U.S. and others have heightening tensions, claiming they're the ones who want a conflict to take place.

(BEGIN VIDEPO CLIP)

VASILY NEBENZYA, PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF RUSSIA TO THE UNITED NATIONS: U.S. and colleagues are talking about the need for de- escalation. However, first and foremost, they themselves are whipping up tensions and rhetoric and a provoking escalation. The discussions about a threaten of -- threat of war is provocative in and of itself. You are almost calling for this, you want it to happen. You're waiting for it to happen, as if you want to make your words become a reality.

(END VIDEPO CLIP)

CHURCH: Joining us now from Kiev is CNN's Melissa Bell. Good to see you, Melissa. So, a very combative meeting at the U.N. Security Council. What's being said about what if anything was achieved?

MELISSA BELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, it was definitely one that ended in that standoff, of which you just heard parts, Rosemary. The point of it, though, was really from the point of view the United States to keep up the pressure on Moscow and to oblige Russia in the words of the American Ambassador to and to answer for itself. Now, in that respect, it did achieve something since we were able to hear more about what exactly the United States was accusing Russia of.

At one moment, the American ambassador to U.N. explaining that they believe that as far as Belarus for instance is concerned, it is 30 steps -- 30,000 Russian troops that are expected to be moved there. So more than the 5000 that have already been moved to that particular border. One of those new fronts in this long, long simmering war here in this region. It also obliged Russia really to give an idea of what it felt now.

Of course, as the American Ambassador to U.N. said, we didn't hear that much. But that -- even if it didn't end in particularly much insofar as it would have required unanimity to come up even with a statement it did oblige -- it did force both sides to come face to face, at least and give an idea of what it was they were doing. Now, what we don't know, Rosemary, is whether that Russian replied to the American proposals arrived before the meeting or after the meeting, but interesting that they arrived on the same day.

Of course, they will be discussed no doubt later on when Sergey Lavrov speaks with his American counterpart, the American Secretary of State Antony Blinken. For now the United States hasn't given an idea of what is inside at that response explaining that it's important not to carry out these negotiations in public.

[02:05:04]

BELL: But clearly there has been some kind of movement forwards insofar as at least now Moscow has responded. Something that we've been waiting for the last few days, and that the United States was keen to see. On the diplomatic front and beyond that phone call they will also, of course, as you say, be that meeting between the British prime minister and the Ukrainian President later today.

Again, as the West as the United States, as European allies continue to want to pile on the pressure, showing support with President Zelensky but also that tough attitude towards Moscow, not only in the shape of that U.N. meeting at the Security Council yesterday, but also in the shape of the sanctions that are being prepared. The United Kingdom yesterday introduced legislation that would allow it to cast a net far wider, Rosemary, in terms of sanctions than anything it's done before.

For instance, allowing it possibly to target Russians associated with companies that are of strategic interest to Russia, other close to the Kremlin, able really to go as far for instance, as seizing the London property, for instance of oligarchs. Something that has not been done before. We know the United States is also preparing these bipartisan and we understand fairly tough sanctions with some debate about whether they should some of them should be enacted preemptively or not.

So that pressure continues to build and everyone looks to what Sergey Lavrov will have to tell Antony Blinken later today, Rosemary.

CHURCH: Indeed. Melissa Bell joining us live from Kiev. Many thanks. Ashish Pradhan is a senior U.N. analyst with the International Crisis Group. He joins me now from New York. Good to have you with us.

ASHISH PRADHAN, SENIOR U.N. ANALYST, INTERNATIONAL CRISIS GROUP: Thank you.

CHURCH: So the world witnessed a diplomatic brawl Monday at the U.N. Security Council with sharp divisions between the U.S. and Russia on full display. Russia accusing the U.S. of whipping up hysteria with its talk of an imminent invasion of Ukraine, even as of course, more Russian troops mass at the border. So what exactly was achieved and what message was sent?

PRADHAN: Well, I think today was the first salvo in what is likely to be a series of similar confrontations and battles on the diplomatic front at the U.N. So today was a meeting that the U.S. specifically wanted to call to try to put a little bit more diplomatic pressure on Russia. The U.S. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield said that they've had hundreds of meetings over the last few weeks, with Russian officials, Ukrainian and European officials about the growing tensions on the border. And that today was the day to bring these issues to the public and to play some of this out in front of the whole world so that the world could see Russia's aggression, Russians rhetoric for what it was. But what we got in the end was beyond the rhetorical statements and symbolic efforts to draw pressure into the equation was very little in terms of actual practical impact. We saw China in some ways being forced into a position where it had to actually back the Russians maybe a little bit more than they would have otherwise done.

We saw a number of smaller states in Security Council will not try to play sides. So all in all, it was a bit of an underwhelming effort as far as these Security Council confrontations cope, but there certainly looks like there could be more, especially if the situation on the ground escalates.

CHURCH: That certainly is encouraged. And of course, in new developments, the U.S. received Russia's response to its Ukraine proposal, but hasn't made that public. And in the meantime, President Putin is adding 30,000 more troops at Ukraine's border, while the White House says it's developed sanction packages targeting Putin's inner circle. So what does that reveal about where diplomatic efforts stand right now?

PRADHAN: I think to see those efforts, you know, on one hand to try to bear pressure on to Moscow while on the same hand trying to also keep the diplomatic channels open. I think that seems to be where the sort of narrow balancing act seems to be. And that was the same message that not just the U.S. but the likes of the U.K. and France really hit on today was that they're certainly ready and willing to act firmly and decisively if Russia indeed decides to invade, but underscoring that they're still hoping that there's a diplomatic pathway out of this.

And I think that was a critical message to hear from the likes of the French in particular, who, as you know, through the Normandy format, calls from President Macron to President Putin in recent days, you are really trying to see if there is indeed another way out of this, where there is no military escalation.

CHURCH: And of course, the U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken will speak in the coming hours with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov. But what hope do you have that they can find a diplomatic path forward during those discussions?

PRADHAN: It's unclear if there will be a breakthrough immediately right. But I think as long as both parties are speaking to each other, that's a positive sign. So the fact that they've had a couple of rounds of sending letters and responses to each other, the fact that they've kept meeting, whether it's in Geneva, whether it's elsewhere, I think, you know, each of these opportunities is valuable in itself because it means that there's more talking and not, you know, taking up of arms on the ground.

[02:10:02]

PRADHAN: And I think that's why in a way, you know, the Security Council can continue to be a place where some of these diplomatic frustrations are aired out, that's a net positive. It means that there's, you know, no military escalation on the ground.

CHURCH: And Russia was asked at the U.N. Security Council why it had amassed so many troops at the border if it had no intention of invading Ukraine. Did Russia answer that question sufficiently?

PRADHAN: Well, they played it a few different ways. Firstly, they disagreed and disputed a -- the facts which other members like the U.S. and the other European members are presenting. They said, we've never confirmed that there's 130,000 odd troops that we've deployed, and mobilize. Secondly, that these mobilizations are all within Russian territory, so there's nothing for the outside world to, you know, comment on, to worry about.

And instead, they flip the script and tried to blame the U.S. and other European members for whipping up what they said was, "hysteria" trying to whip up the drums of war and trying to essentially incite a conflict where there isn't one. Now, it's worth noting that all of these talking points, you know, this sort of rhetoric again, we've seen before. In fact, the Albanian Ambassador today said that we've seen this Russian playbook before 2008.

Georgia 2014 in Crimea. So I think, you know, we have to take that with a really big pinch of salt, but at least, you know, again, you know, we're seeing Russia try to put its narrative out there. And to me, that was one of the big takeaways today was a battle of narratives between the U.S. and Russia today.

CHURCH: Yes. Ashish Pradhan, thank you so much for joining us. Appreciate it.

PRADHAN: Thank you.

CHURCH: Well, now to the Partygate scandal threatening the future of British Prime Minister Boris Johnson. London Police say they still have hundreds more documents and photographs to go through as they investigate parties held by his administration during COVID lockdowns. A preliminary report on Monday accused the Johnson government of failures of leadership and judgment and a culture of excessive drinking.

A new poll shows fewer than one in four British adults think Mr. Johnson has what it takes to be a good Prime Minister. 64 percent say he does not. Mr. Johnson says he's sorry for the things he didn't get right. And he promised lawmakers he would fix it.

(BEGIN VIDEPO CLIP)

BORIS JOHNSON, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: It isn't enough to say sorry. This is a moment when ? let's look at ourselves in the mirror and we must learn. And while the Metropolitan Police must yet complete their investigation, and that means there are no details of specific events in Sue Gray's report. I of course, accept Sue Gray's general findings in full. And above all her recommendation that we must learn from these events and act now. (END VIDEPO CLIP)

CHURCH: Mr. Johnson is facing harsh criticism even from some within his own party, including former Prime Minister Theresa May. Take a listen to opposition Labour Party leader Keir Starmer.

(BEGIN VIDEPO CLIP)

KEIR STARMER, LEADER OF THE LABOUR PARTY OF THE UNITED KINGDOM: Prime Minister, the British public aren't fools. They never believed a word of it. They think the Prime Minister should do the decent thing and resign. Of course he won't. Because he is a man without shame. And justice is done throughout his life. He's damaged everyone and everything around him along the way.

(END VIDEPO CLIP)

CHURCH: So let's go live now to London and CNN's Salma Abdelaziz. Good to see you, Salma. So what has been the reaction so far to this highly anticipated report? And can Boris Johnson survive its damning revelations?

SALMA ABDELAZIZ, CNN REPORTER: Rosemary, the important thing to remember with this report is that it's the soft blow. This is the summary of the report. Only 12 pages. We don't even have the full report yet. But it was absolutely scathing for Prime Minister Boris Johnson. Describing a failure of judgment, a failure of leadership. Describing the behaviors that went on inside 10 Downing Street as unjustifiable.

Going on to basically scold government remind them that excessive consumption of alcohol should not happen in a professional workplace as if people in 10 Downing Street need to be reminded of that. But Prime Minister Boris Johnson landing on his feet yesterday in Parliament apologizing yet again, but it was one of those real half apologies, Rosemary, the kind that is more like I'm sorry, I got caught because Johnson was back on the offensive very quickly.

Boasting about getting Brexit done and we got the big things right, that defense. We've heard many times for Johnson. But for the public this is absolutely not acceptable. Two-thirds of adults in this country according to snap polling, want Prime Minister Boris Johnson to resign. But again remember, it is all down to his own party as to whether or not he continues his leadership as to whether or not he continues his premiership. After Parliament yesterday, that's who he met with.

[02:15:02]

ABDELAZIZ: He met with conservative lawmakers, he tried to buy himself another day. He does appear to have done that. He's off to Ukraine today to deal with the crisis there. So, he might have a momentary break. But remember, all of this is going to get worse for the Prime Minister. We're still expecting the full Sue Gray report and the police right now looking into eight of these different gatherings.

They have hundreds of photographs and documents they're going to pour through this week, Rosemary

CHURCH: Incredible. Salma Abdelaziz joining us live from London. Many thanks.

Well, joining me now, Richard Johnson is a lecturer in U.S. politics at Queen Mary University of London. Good to have you with us.

RICHARD JOHNSON, LECTURER IN U.S. POLITICS AND POLICY, QUEEN MARY UNIVERSITY OF LONDON: Good morning.

CHURCH: So this damning summary of a report yet to be released, but certainly we really got a taste of it. Talks of Boris Johnson's failure of leadership and judgment in holding 16 parties during COVID lockdowns. Will his apology be enough to save him do you think?

JOHNSON: I think the report yesterday was a mix of good and bad news for the Prime Minister. It was good in the sense that it was scanned and there wasn't anything specific. A new story that we could learn about Prime Minister that could be pinned on him. But it was bad news in the sense that this is now carrying on with the police investigation. And I think what was even worse really was it -- was the Prime Minister reaction in the House of Commons.

I think he judged it wrong. He -- there was not enough contrition. If you were a director of an organization and even this thin report -- was covering report came out. It's already saying there are real serious failures of leadership in the organization you run. The Prime Minister wasn't really trying to learn the lessons from that. He came out swinging, he made some -- I think misjudged attacks on the -- on the -- on the Labour leader.

And what I think was most worrying for the Prime Minister was that there were -- there was -- there were very few Conservative M.P.s who have been vocal in their support. And there were new voices who have been vocal in their criticism, including the former prime minister, and also including M.P.s. from that 2019 intake. There was M.P.s who really owe their seats to the Prime Minister strategy in the 2019 election, now turning against him, and he has to start to worry about that.

CHURCH: And of course, ultimately, it's up to Johnson's Conservative Party to make that final decision and determine his futures. So how will lawmakers been weighing up this decision politically, as they also await to the police investigation? Of course, that full report?

JOHNSON: That's right, Rosemary. So there's a couple of key percentages here. 15 percent, one-five, that's the proportion of the Conservative M.P.s in the House of Commons, who can trigger a vote of no confidence in Boris Johnson's leadership. 50 percent, five-zero is the percentage who need to remove him. We've not yet got to that one- five -- 15 percentage point threshold yet, but word is we're getting closer to that.

The Conservative M.P.s who want to get rid of Boris Johnson are perhaps waiting holding back a little bit, because they want to judge the moment correctly. Because if the Prime Minister wins that vote of no confidence in his leadership, the Conservative Party rules say there cannot be another vote of no confidence in his leadership for 12 months. So then he's insulated. So they don't want to go too early.

And I think what they're probably doing right now is weighing up whether or not the Sue Gray shortened report was sufficient for them to find half of the Conservative M.P.s to vote to remove him. It's a secret ballot. So that's important. But maybe they think that they need to wait until the match report comes out before they make that move. Maybe that's where they think he'll be at his most politically vulnerable.

I have to say, based on his performance yesterday, based on some of the leadership polling that's come out this morning, things are not looking great for him.

CHURCH: And of course, today Boris Johnson travels to Ukraine for talks with the president there but under the shadow cast by this report or certainly the preliminary report. So, if the Tories decide to keep Johnson for now at least, what damage could that cause the party and of course, the country going forward?

JOHNSON: Well, this is a really important point, you know, since November, the Conservative Party has faced sleaze or corruption or rule-breaking accusations at varying levels. And it really has dominated the political discussion because there's been just kind of this constant stream of new stories coming out. And it's gotten to the point now where it's distracting from the business of government.

We learned yesterday, Prime Minister was meant to have a phone call with Vladimir Putin. That phone call had to be cancelled so that the Prime Minister could give his statement to the House of Commons about partying going on in number 10 Downing Street.

[02:20:11]

JOHNSON: You know, he's got, you know, the prime minister says the reason he should be kept his pitch to the Conservative M.P.s is he's getting the big calls, right. And he's showing leadership where leadership needs to be shown. But he can't do that, if he can't actually put this -- put this story to bed. And I'm afraid that that's -- in some ways out of his control now that the actions took place.

And now really, it's going to be the Met report. I think that that's going to be the deciding factor here. All the while the Conservative Party and Boris Johnson's personal standings in the polls are dropping. And Conservative M.P.s are going to be very wary that we don't have an election around the corner. But they, you know, they don't want this to carry on and to get worse and worse for them. So, I think that he's not in a great position right now.

CHURCH: Yes. The election is not until 2024. So I guess they feel they have some time. It'd be interesting to see the damage that's done. In the meantime, Richard Johnson. Many thanks for joining us. Appreciate it.

JOHNSON: Thank you. CHURCH: Well, COVID infections are rising as the countdown to the Beijing Winter Olympics begins. Now the city is taking drastic measures to keep cases low. We're live in Beijing next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CHURCH: Just three days until the start of the Beijing Winter Olympics. And as final preparations are being made China's hoping the world will focus on the spectacle and not its rocky journey to hosting the Winter Games. CNN's David Culver breaks down the global tension surrounding this year's Olympics.

(BEGIN VIDEPOTAPE)

DAVID CULVER, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Beijing counting down to the Winter Games, its second Olympics taking place amidst frigid geopolitical tensions and a raging pandemic.

CHRISTINE BRENAN, CNN SPORTS ANALYST: This is the largest regularly scheduled peacetime gathering of the world. And yet there can be no gathering.

CULVER (on camera): What's likely to be lost in these games is the fact that sporting events are taking place. That's because in the years leading up, China has faced growing outside pressures, and domestically, its zero COVID policy is proving increasingly difficult to stick to.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Beijing.

CULVER (voice over): Seven years ago, Beijing won the 2022 Olympic bid. The first city to host both a Summer and Winter Games. But the buildup came as China's relations with the West rapidly fell apart. Under an increasingly powerful supreme ruler Xi Jinping China is on a drastically different path than what the West had hoped. Cooperation replaced by confrontation.

On multiple fronts from a trade war to threats of an actual war in the South China Sea. In Hong Kong, Beijing quickly squashed pro-democracy protests, and it is now mounting pressure on Taiwan. Pushing for the self-governing democracy to fall under Beijing's control. Then there are the widespread allegations of human rights abuses. CNN has traveled to the far western region of Xinjiang.

It's here. The U.S. and other countries accused China of committing genocide against its ethnic Uyghur population. China has repeatedly denied that it's detained and tortured the Muslim minority and called the accusations politically motivated lies, but that has not silence to the west. The U.S., U.K., Australia and Canada. among the countries protesting through a diplomatic boycott of the Beijing Olympics,

JEN PSAKI, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: The Biden administration will not send any diplomatic or official representation to the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics.

CULVER: The diplomatic boycott coincided with the case of Chinese tennis star Peng Shuai. The former Olympian briefly disappeared in November after she accused a retired national leader of pressuring her into sex. It just so happens to be the same official who led Beijing's bid for the 2022 games. Amid a growing global outcry, Peng has since resurfaced and multiple state media reports denying she made the accusation.

Some have accused the International Olympic Committee of being complicit in China's control over Peng's story, as its President Thomas Bach tried to reassure the world of Peng's well being after two video calls with her. The IOC advocating for silent diplomacy to better handle the matter. Bach, now in Beijing is expected to meet with Peng soon.

(on camera): But that meeting happening behind closed doors inside the so-called closed loop at the Olympic bubble holding the athletes, the personnel, the incoming media, kept separate from the rest of China. This as the number of new COVID-19 cases continues to rise and spread across the mainland.

(voice over): China facing a renewed challenge to halt this latest surge. Snap lock downs, mass testing, contact tracing, all of its stepped up as the country works to show its superiority and containing the virus. State media continuing to label the virus as an important threat, even dating back to the initial outbreak in Wuhan. A consistent propaganda effort to deflect blame and refocus global attention on what is supposed to be a spectacular and unifying event.

And threatening to cast a darker shadow over these games, growing tensions between Russia and Ukraine with Russian President Vladimir Putin expected to meet President Xi on the sidelines of the opening ceremony. These Olympians plain out amidst an increasingly divided world. David Culver, CNN, Beijing.

CHURCH: And CNN's Steven Jiang joins me now live from Beijing. Good to see you. So, Steven, what is the latest on China trying to contain the spread of COVID cases there?

STEVEN JIANG, CNN BEIJING BUREAU CHIEF: Well, Rosemary first of all Happy Year of the tiger. And speaking of containing the virus here, obviously, in the city, their zero-COVID policy continues as the authorities actually seal off more neighborhoods not far from the stadium where the opening ceremony will be just in a few days because of a few fresh cases in the city. But inside this closed loop, obviously growing spotlight as -- on the situation as well.

As you know, there are more positive cases now with the latest figures showing 24 Olympic personnel testing positive on Monday, including 16 athletes and the team officials. Now the official line, of course, is despite how contagious Omicron is, this situation is actually under control because the number of positive cases accounting for a tiny percentage of the total number of people in the bubbles.

And also there's no community spread, they obviously want to keep it that way. Officials are also seeing the testing and quarantine procedures open and transparent for all those affected. But what we are starting to see of course is athletes, including high profile ones starting to announce online that they have tested positive upon arrival in Beijing. One -- among the first ones to do so is Audrey King. She's a 19-year-old skier from Hong Kong. And here's what she said on social media.

(BEGIN VIDEPO CLIP)

AUDREY KING, HONG KONG SKIER (through translator): This was really surprising as I caught it in early January but now I cut it again, which is a bit unfair, but I hope I can quickly test negative because I feel fine. My body feels healthy.

(END VIDEPO CLIP)

JIANG: And another (INAUDIBLE) announcement was just made online by American bobsledder Elana Meyers Taylor. And she is a two-time world champion and a three-time Olympic medalist in her sport. And she says she tested -- she tested positive in Beijing a few days ago. But she also has no symptoms and looking forward to the opportunity to compete. So Rosemary, all those cases are really highlighting the difficulties for these athletes as obviously this process adding a lot of complications and pressure, not to mention uncertainty for them and for their teams. Rosemary?

CHURCH: Yes, I totally understand. Steven Jiang joining us live in Beijing. Many thanks. Well, Taiwan's Olympic Committee has reversed an earlier decision and will now send a delegation to the opening and closing ceremonies of the Winter Games.

[02:30:05]

Diplomats originally signed a transportation and the pandemic is their reason for not attending. Ties with Beijing have also been especially strange lately as the mainland keeps flying warplanes near Taiwan.

Well, this winter is among the harshest to hit Syria in decades. Ahead on CNN, a look at how desperate the situation is for people living in camps in freezing temperatures.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CHURCH: For many Syrians displaced in their country's civil war, the camps they now call home offer little protection from brutal winter weather. Aid groups are pushing for more international support to help people struggling to survive in freezing temperatures. CNN's Arwa Damon joins us now with a look at the desperate measures some of these Syrians are taking to stay warm. So, Arwa, what are the limited options available for those living in these camps?

ARWA DAMON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Not very many, Rosemary. Despite those desperate measures that people are trying to take to stay warm, they're simply not able to. They're not able to get rid of the cold, to get rid of the damp. I mean, just take a look at how wretched the situation is.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) DAMON (voiceover): What do you do when your home cannot protect you from the whipping winds? When you can't warm the chill away from your children's cheeks or frozen hands, or when the snow collapses the only shelter, you have?

Look at all this, Fatim says. Can anyone have mercy? Don't bring us food or water. Just a home. Her son's clothing lies drenched on the flooded floor.

The children don't have proper shoes. The lucky ones, they run around in rubber boots, most are in flip-flops, and some, none at all. This winter is among the harshest to hit Syria in decades. And for those living in camps, it's unbearable.

Just help us to stay warm, Dalal pleads. The kids are crying from the cold. We've collected everything there is to burn. Even from the garbage. From plastic, to wood, to anything else but it is not safe.

Idris was burned when his parents used this paste that's leftover from pressing olives for oil.

I don't know what happened exactly but the stove exploded, his father says. Idris' skin melted as if you had poured acid on it.

Burn injuries brought on by unsafe living conditions are common throughout these camps, especially in winter. And the weather is not just aggravating already hazardous living conditions.

[02:35:00]

According to the World Health Organization, the inability to stay warm is causing an increase in severe respiratory illnesses among children, especially the little ones. Doctor Abdurahman Shufan (ph) tries to stifle this baby's cries. But when he finally comes down, you can hear just how labored his breath is.

This is what we were talking about, Dr. Shufan says. Children this young with bronchi allergies and bronchiolitis, it can be deadly.

Hospitals don't have the support or medicines they need. Aid agencies don't have the funding they need. And while there are local efforts on the ground to help, it is hardly enough. The international committee never stopped the mass killings of Syrian civilians. Will it now help them survive the winter?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

DAMON (on camera): Rosemary, when I was going through those images, especially seeing that one -- of that little child crossing the freezing ice water with no shoes on and crying, I mean, it was gutting. And as you heard there, the international community didn't stop the bombs or the war from happening in Syria. But what Syrians are suffering right now, this is something that is preventable. All it takes is the right amount of humanitarian assistance. Something can be done to alleviate these peoples' living conditions. To just ease the suffering that they are going through, right now, especially this winter.

CHURCH: Yes. It is so important. Let's hope something is done as you say it is achievable. Arwa Damon, joining us live from Istanbul. Many thanks.

Well, a proposed law barring the hijab at sporting events is stirring up fresh controversy in France. How a group of footballers is taking on politicians who say, the head covering should be banned. Back in just a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

It's world hijab day. But in France some rightwing lawmakers are calling for a ban on the head covering in all official sporting events. Opponents criticize the plan for discriminating against Muslim athletes. But backers argue sporting events need to be neutral spaces where no one displays religious symbols. French President, Emmanuel Macron, has not backed calls for tougher regulations around the hijab. But with a presidential election around the corner the divisive topic has become a key focus for debate. CNN's Nada Bashir has our report.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NADA BASHIR, CNN PRODUCER (voiceover): This isn't your average game of soccer. This is a protest. Staged in front of the French Senate, these young women are taking a stand against a proposed law which could prevent them from playing the game they love. All because they choose to wear their hijab.

[02:40:00]

Base in the suburbs of Paris, Les Hijabeuses has become a vital source of community and sisterhood. But with some French lawmakers pushing for a ban on the hijab in all official sports competitions, this community has now become the focal point, the campaign to tackle the exclusion of Muslim women from sports.

FOUNE DIAWARA, CO-PRESIDENT, LES HIJABEUSES (through translator): As Muslim women, we face many barriers whether it's in school, or sports or in finding a job.

MAMA DIAKITE, LES HIJABEUSES (through translator): It's the talent that should be recognized not what you wear on your head, the color of your skin or your religion. We're on the field to play soccer. So, it's our talent that should be recognized and nothing more.

BASHIR (voiceover): Under current French laws, wearing the hijab is prohibited for civil servants in their place of work and in schools. The French Football Federation has also banned the hijab in official soccer clubs despite FIFA lifting its own ban in 2014. And with two years to go until the Paris Olympics, the debate around the hijab has raised questions of the image France is presenting as it prepares to welcome Muslim athletes and supporters from around the world.

BASHIR (on camera): For so many women around the world who choose to wear the hijab, being able to cover your hair or dress modestly, isn't just a matter of religious commitment. It's also about freedom of expression and choice. But here in France, some supporters of the new law say the hijab goes against French values and could pose a threat to unity and cohesion in society.

BASHIR (voiceover): And with the French presidential election just ahead, government policy on the hijab continues to be a divisive topic.

VALERIE PECRESSE, LES REPUBLICAINS PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE (through translator): In top sports and national competition level, one cannot wear religious symbols. I'm against communitarianism in our country. I won't let to be spaces of mutuality in our country today when no one chose their religious side.

BASHIR (voiceover): The French government has long faced criticism for laws many feel marginalized and discriminate against the more than five million Muslims living in France. And in a country centered upon the values of liberty, equality, and fraternity, these young Muslim women want to know why this doesn't apply to them.

DIAWARA (through translator): We simply want to play soccer. We're not here to promote our religion, we're here because we love soccer and we love the values that soccer holds cohesion, solidarity, unity, and diversity.

BASHIR (voiceover): On Monday, the senate conceded that bitter disagreement amongst lawmakers over the proposed ban would prevent the law from being passed in its current state. Expressing regret over the government's lack of will to put a stop to what they described as the development of Islamism in sport. But while some lawmakers are still pushing for regulations around the hijab to be tightened, for the hijabers, their message remains clear, let us play. Nada Bashir, CNN, Paris.

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CHURCH: And thanks so much for joining us, I'm Rosemary Church. World Sport is up next. Then I'll be back with more news from all around the world in about 15 minutes. You're watching CNN. Do stick around.

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