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Death of Japan's Former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe; House Select Committee to Hold Hearings in Tuesday; Uvalde Officials Considering Raising Age Minimum to Purchase Rifles; Kharkiv Hit by Russian Bombardment; Boris Johnson Resigns, Multiple Members of Parliament Seeking His Spot. Aired 2-3a ET

Aired July 11, 2022 - 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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ROSEMARY CHURCH, CNN HOST: Hello and welcome to our viewers joining us here in the United States and all around the world. You are watching "CNN Newsroom" and I'm Rosemary Church.

Just ahead, Japan prepares to lay to rest its longest serving leader as new details emerge about his shocking assassination. We are live in Tokyo with the latest.

The role of extremist groups is at the center of the next hearing into the January 6thth U.S. capitol insurrection. And after months of refusals, one of Donald Trump's top allies now says he is ready to testify.

Plus, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's message to Russia after a deadly strike on an apartment building in Ukraine.

Thanks for joining us. Well, Japan is preparing to bid farewell to former leader Shinzo Abe just hours after his party won big in parliamentary elections. A private wake for Abe will be held about three hours from now followed by a funeral service Tuesday afternoon. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken made an unscheduled trip to Tokyo to pay his respects.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANTONY BLINKEN, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATES: During his time in office, Prime Minister Abe really took the relationship between our countries to new heights. And as I shared with our colleagues, we saw in him something rare. A man of vision who's had the ability to realize that vision. But mostly, I came at the president's behest because more than allies, we're friends. And when a friend is hurting, other friends show up.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: Well, meantime, we are learning new details about the suspect and his anger over so-called or so far unnamed group he thought Abe was connected to. Police are also revealing more information about the weapons he used and how he made them. All of this of course against the backdrop of Sunday's election.

Japanese broadcaster NHK says that the ruling liberal Democratic Party of which Abe was a member, has scored a sweeping victory, winning at least 63 seats, more than half of the seats at stake in the upper house. And CNN's Blake Essig joins us now live from Tokyo. So, Blake, such a difficult time for the country as Japan prepares to bid farewell to a beloved former leader as more details emerge about the suspect. What is the latest on all of this?

BLAKE ESSIG, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, you know, Rosemary, before we get there, we are moments away from Shinzo Abe's hearse carrying his body from arriving right behind me. Keep an eye on that for either hundreds of journalists, dozens of cameras fixated, pointing down the street that way.

There is a helicopter overhead, you know, which is signaling to us that his arrival could be imminent. But as you were mentioning, we are learning a lot of details, a lot more details, you know, by the hour, by the day. NHK, Japan's public broadcaster reports that the suspect targeted Abe because he held a grudge against a group that he believed Abe had ties to and it was linked to his mother.

CNN has contacted local people, excuse me, police but they wouldn't name or provide any information on the group. As for the homemade weapon used to kill the former prime minister, police say that the alleged gunman may have tested it at a certain group's facility.

Police refused to name that group, but did say that they believe the suspect's car was caught on a security camera close to where the weapon was tested. Now, NHK citing investigators as also reporting that the suspect watched YouTube videos to help make the guns and that he practiced with them in the mountains just days before he carried out the assassination.

NHK says that police found explosives and several homemade guns at the 41-year-old suspect's home. Those guns were made with iron pipe barrels and wrapped with duct tape.

[02:05:03]

Now, Rosemary, again, as I mentioned earlier, I'm standing outside Zojoji Temple in central Tokyo where later on tonight, around 6:00 p.m. local time, a closed-door vigil is set to take place in preparation, the hearse carrying Abe's body, is expected to arrive really at any moment. This is also where the funeral service will be held tomorrow afternoon for assassinated former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

A few details have emerged about the memorial services for Abe, other than that it is expected to only involve close friends and family. Now, for now, the guest list does not include the emperor or any member of the royal family who according to the Imperial Household Agency have no plans to attend. Despite these proceedings being closed off to the public, we had

expected to see a lot of people start to gather as the day goes on, to pay their respects, but that actually might not be the case. We've been outside for several hours now and really there are only journalists here and a handful of people that have come by, have asked us why all the cameras are set up.

It's clear that a lot of people don't know what's going on, which highlights the intimacy of the proceedings. And actually, just behind me right now, it looks like --

CHURCH: Yes, but Blake, I wanted to -- I wanted to say because we --

ESSIG: -- it looks like the hearse.

CHURCH: Yes, we actually do have video of the hearse arriving. If we can just bring that up and show our viewers as you mentioned. It's interesting that so few people really know any details in relation to the farewell of this beloved leader or former leader of Japan. Why would that be?

ESSIG: Yes, I mean, again, I mean, I think it speaks to, you know, obviously how quickly this all happened, you know, this assassination. Nothing about this was expected. And so, of course, this could change. You know, people could start showing up, especially as the word gets out. Tomorrow when the funeral service is supposed to be held right here, I would imagine you're going to see a lot more people especially as more people become aware of what's happening.

But what we saw over the weekend, it's quite a different scene than when we saw Abe's body return to Tokyo from Nara. As the car was carrying his body got closer to his home, hundreds of people started lining the streets of his quiet residential neighborhood to catch a glimpse of the former prime minister's motorcade.

While Abe was most certainly a controversial figure here in Japan at times, he was also hugely popular. Japan's longest serving prime minister, who experts say did what he felt was necessary to secure Japan's future and its prosperity. Today and tomorrow, Rosemary, are the people's chance to say thank you and say goodbye to Japan's longest serving prime minister, gunned down at age 67.

CHURCH: It is an assassination that shocked Japan and indeed the world. Blake Essig joining us live from Tokyo, many thanks.

The U.S. House Select Committee investigating the January 6th insurrection will hold its next hearing on Tuesday. The committee plans to focus on the role extremist groups played in the capitol riot. And a former spokesperson for the far-right anti-government group, The Oath Keepers, is expected to testify.

Now, this comes as Trump ally Steve Bannon, who defied a congressional subpoena, now says he is willing to testify before the committee. CNN's Marshall Cohen has the details.

MARSHALL COHEN, CNN REPORTER: Steve Bannon who is one of former President Donald Trump's staunchest and most controversial allies, he now says he is willing to testify to the January 6th Select Committee. Bannon made the announcement in a letter to the panel this weekend after months of stonewalling.

He was subpoenaed last year but refused to sit for a deposition and refused to turn over any documents. He claimed he couldn't do that because of executive privilege. But the Justice Department was not buying it, probably because executive privilege only applies to people who are actually serving in the executive branch unlike Bannon who left the White House in 2017.

So, the Justice Department charged him in November with contempt of Congress and his criminal trial is supposed to begin next week. His new offer to the January 6th Committee about potentially testifying, it could be an attempt to try to undermine the prosecutor's case. Bannon says he'd like to testify in a public hearing. Some committee members have already indicated that they want him to do a private deposition just like all of the other witnesses have done.

So, there is no guarantee that this is actually going to happen. Some legal experts are very skeptical of Bannon's motivations with his trial fast approaching.

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We really should find out more about this in the next few days. The two sides should come together and negotiate, we should find out how everything shakes out. Meanwhile, the committee, the January 6th committee is moving ahead with its next major public hearing. That is scheduled for Tuesday. And that session will focus on the role of right-wing extremist groups, how they embraced Donald Trump's lies about the 2020 election and how they plan to violently disrupt the peaceful transfer of power to President Joe Biden.

The committee will highlight The Oath Keepers and The Proud Boys among other groups. Dozens of their members stormed the capitol on January 6th including some who are now facing sedition charges. Now, members of the committee have said that they are going to use Tuesday's hearing to connect the dots between these militants and Donald Trump's inner circle. Marshall Cohen, CNN, Washington.

CHURCH: And we are following a new push for gun reform in the U.S. state of Texas. County commissioners in Uvalde where a deadly school shooting took place in May, a meeting in the coming hours and they are set to consider a resolution asking the governor to call a special session of the state legislature to raise the minimum purchase age for semi-automatic and assault style rifles from 18 to 21.

Now, this comes as families and residents there continue to mourn the loss of the 19 students and two teachers killed at Robb Elementary. Some of those people marched in a rally on Sunday, part of a renewed push for answers surrounding the police response to the shooting. Emotions were running high.

(BGIN VIDEO CLIP) UNKNOWN: I lost my granddaughter and like I said before, those of you who has a granddaughter and are next to your daughters, please give them a hug for me because I can't hug my granddaughter, not ever again.

UNKNOWN: Never would I ever in my wildest dreams believe that I would have lost my 10-year-old daughter who had a dream to go to university to gun violence.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: Well, meanwhile, Texas state lawmakers investigating the police response to the school shooting may release their preliminary report within the next 10 days.

We turn now to Ukraine where officials are reporting at least three missile strikes on the city of Kharkiv this morning. Ukrainian emergency services say that no casualties have been reported so far. This as the death toll keeps rising after a Russian strike on an apartment building in the eastern Donetsk region.

Ukrainian officials say at least 15 people were killed in that attack. Six others have been rescued, but crews fear that more than 20 people could be trapped underneath the rubble. In his nightly address, Ukraine's president said those who carried out the attack will be brought to justice no matter how long it takes.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VOLODYMYR ZELENSKKY, PRESIDENT OF UKRAINE (through translation): You know, Nazi murderers are found and brought to justice even when they are 90 or 100 years old. They are caught all over the world. Of course, we don't want to wait that long. But I give this example to show that punishment is inevitable for every Russian murderer, absolutely everyone.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: Ukraine appears to be stepping up counterattacks in the south claiming a precise hit on a Russian military target in the occupied region of Kherson on Sunday. Russian state media reported explosions in the sky that it says were caused by air defense systems.

Meanwhile, Ukraine is condemning Canada's decision to return a repaired turbine for the North Stream I gas pipeline between Russia and Europe. Ukraine says the decision sets a dangerous precedent that will allow Russia to continue weaponizing energy supplies.

Much of the fighting is still focused on eastern Ukraine's Donbas region, but there are signs Russia could be setting its sights on another target as it ramps up attacks on Ukraine's second largest city. CNN's Alex Marquardt reports from Kharkiv.

ALEX MARQUARDT, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Russian forces certainly not letting up in their targeting of Kharkiv overnight. There were two strikes, not far from the city center where I am standing now, both resulting in extraordinary damage. We went to visit both the sites. One, where a school was struck and the other a residential area.

In that residential area, we saw a number of homes that were either destroyed or damaged. A huge crater in the ground where the impact was that was full of water. Rescue workers trying to get that water out of the crater.

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We spoke to a man who lived on the street. He said that when the air raid sirens went off at 3:00 in the morning, he grabbed his wife and his daughter and went into the kitchen, which he said was the safest room in their house. Luckily, no one was killed in either of those strikes.

But this does come as there is an expectation that Russia will once again try to advance on Kharkiv, not just because it is the second biggest city in Ukraine, but it is also one of the biggest cities closest to the Russian border.

And then further south in the Donetsk region, Russia has been striking more areas in Donetsk, escalating their attacks on Saturday night. There was a brutal missile strike on an apartment building that left at least 15 people dead and some two-dozen people trapped under the rubble, including one child.

Rescue workers have been working feverishly at the site and have managed to pull out at least six people from underneath that rubble. There is an expectation that Russia will also step up their offensive there to try to consolidate their gains in the Donbas region, which has been seen as another major target for President Vladimir Putin.

And then further south along the coast of the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov where Russia has occupied many towns, cities, and villages, in particular, the city of Kherson. We saw what the Ukrainians are claiming as a military victory on Sunday after a long-range strike on a Russian military unit.

Kherson and its surrounding areas have been targeted recently by the Ukrainians that have been trying to hit weapons stockpiles, ammunition depots, and other logistical hubs of the Russians in that southern city. Alex Marquardt, CNN in Kharkiv.

CHURCH: British conservatives are gearing up for a leadership race that will choose the man or woman to replace Boris Johnson. The latest on who is in the running straight ahead.

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CHURCH: In the coming hours, the British conservative party's 1922 Committee will meet to elect new members. Those members will set out the timetable for the leadership race that will determine the country's next prime minister. A raft of conservative MP's have launched bids for the top spot

including Foreign Secretary Liz Truss and former Health Secretary Sajid Javid. Boris Johnson resigned as party chief last week, but remains as caretaker prime minister.

The opposition Labor Party has said they will bring a vote of no confidence as soon as Monday if he is not removed. So, we are joined now by CNN European affairs commentator Dominic Thomas. Great to have you with us.

DOMINIC THOMAS, CNN EUROPEAN AFFAIRS COMMENTATOR: Thank you, Rosemary. Great to be back with you.

CHURCH: So, a fierce search is underway for a new British prime minister and leader of the Conservative Party, with a very long list of possibilities. Many names probably are known to most Brits. So, which ones stand out as having the best chance to eventually replace Boris Johnson?

THOMAS: Yes. Well, it's going to be quite a race as you just pointed out, Rosemary. I mean, let's not forget that they had one in 2016 and 2019, and here we go again in 2022. And in many ways, I would say there are a couple of races going on.

There's the race for the new leader who of course will end up being prime minister, but there is also in this very large field whom we'll know by early next week when the race gets underway probably on Tuesday whether how far we get into 10, 11, 12, and potentially even higher.

And also, those that are running and ultimately as sort of positioning themselves hoping that their ultimate endorsements as they are illuminated with each round of voting will perhaps position themselves for a future cabinet jobs. And we certainly have seen that play out in these elections and before.

Having said that, it's also interesting to look at the candidates that are not running. And I think that raises serious questions and then to that extent the current deputy prime minister for example, Dominic Raab, is not in the race. And defense secretary, Ben Wallace, that was considered a front-runner in the early days of last week.

And I think that tells us a lot about whether the party are genuinely interested in finding a new leader that would potentially reunite the party and take them into that 2024, 2025 election, or whether this is really aimed at mitigating that damage. And so, to that extent, I think the most likely candidates to emerge as we go through those rounds are these major players that are currently in the cabinet.

You've mentioned some of them already, but also the trade secretary for example, Penny Mordaunt, Rishi Sunak, the former chancellor of the Exchequer. So, these are the high-profile figures, but there are also some backbenchers there and it's going to be interesting to see because in the early rounds of course it's the MP's that vote, and their job is to reduce the pile to two. And I think that there is a discrepancy between the membership of the Conservative Party that will ultimately vote on those, and the role of the MP's in selecting these candidates. So, it's going to be interesting to see as they are gradually whittled down, Rosemary.

CHURCH: And of course, many now consider the prime minister of somewhat of a poisoned chalice, but that hasn't of course stopped them fighting over it. What will the Tories be looking for in a new leader specifically when it comes to issues like Brexit, the economy, Ukraine, and of course, leadership qualities because that's what Boris Johnson lacked?

THOMAS: Yes. Well, that's the big question, is ultimately, you're absolutely right. That, you know, Boris Johnson and I've keep saying this, was not removed because of his policies. He was removed because of his flaws as a human being and as a leader who was doing increasing damage to the Conservative Party brand.

And we saw that playing out in favorability ratings for him and also for the party. So, ultimately, I think that the question of policy is a secondary. Of course, candidates are talking about their various positions on taxation, on education, and so on and so forth, but ultimately the Brexit question continue to shape the way much the Conservative Party is approaching these matters.

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And the Brexiteers that represent this very powerful fringe on the right of the Conservative Party are still shaping the way that this process is working out. There's going to be a lot of strategizing going into the particular votes and of course all the candidates are pro Brexit today.

But Liz Truss and Sajid Javid, who is the former health secretary and Chancellor of the Exchequer were initially Remainers. And so, that has led to some -- there is some skepticism around these particular candidates. And so, it's going to be interesting to see how that plays out as we go through these rounds.

CHURCH: And as you mentioned, it is the MP's that figure out who will replace Boris Johnson, but what are the issues are likely to resonate with British voters who have certainly not been impressed with what they have seen in Boris Johnson, and of course it makes them question what the Tory stand for?

THOMAS: Yes. It really does, but this is an internal party vote that only involves Conservative Party MPs, and then the Conservative Party membership. So, it's not really a sort of a test of the pulse of where the country stands, especially on these issues and at the moment.

Having said that, the question of moving the Brexit agenda forward is clearly going to be important and all the other questions that defined the Boris Johnson administration when people were able to even focus on those issues, the response to COVID, the question of the economy, the conflict unfolding in Ukraine, are of course going to be important issues. But I still come back to my original statement, that the number one

question is getting rid of Boris Johnson. The question is whether those high-profile figures in his cabinet are ultimately going to see him to being tainted because of their associations with them, with Boris Johnson and whether the membership ultimately will pick a candidate that will perhaps create some kind of distance between the administration.

And in that case, we're looking at some of those back benchers and lesser-known candidates or even a candidate like Jeremy Hunt who is the former foreign secretary, who's also put his hat back in the race again and in the last race was ended up in the runoff with Boris Johnson.

CHURCH: Yes, and ultimately whoever that person is, they better appeal to the British public because they will be voting in the end, of course, ultimately. Dominic Thomas, many thanks for joining us. Appreciate it.

THOMAS: Thank you, Rosemary.

CHURCH: Well, Russia's war on Ukraine is being felt far beyond Europe. Coming up, a live report from Tunisia on why the invasion is fueling fears of unrest in North Africa. We're back with that and more in just a moment.

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CHURCH: Welcome back, everyone. Well, Russia's invasion is having an impact on the cost of food around the world. And that is especially true in North Africa where many countries depend on grain imports, and in a region rocked by last decades Arab Spring. There are fears soaring prices could fuel more unrest. So for more on this story, CNN's David McKenzie joins us now live from Tunisia.

So, David, what impact is Russia's war on Ukraine having on the food crisis in North Africa?

DAVID MCKENZIE, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Rosemary, we've talked to -- for some time about the possible impacts of this embargo of millions of tons of rain -- grain, this blockade by the Russians during this war. But that impact is being felt right now, right here where I'm standing in Tunisia and much of North Africa where it could lead to a major crisis for an economy that's already incredibly shaky.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MCKENZIE: Racing to feed the nation in the closing days of Tunisia's summer harvest. Russia's cynical ploy to hold hostage more than 20 million tons of

Ukrainian grain is leading to a food crisis here in Tunisia and much of North Africa.

MCKENZIE (on camera): Are you worried it will have a long-term impact on Tunisia?

HABIB MRABET, REGIONAL DELEGATE, TUNISIAN AGRICULTURE MINISTRY (through translator): The war has really impacted both the consumer and our agricultural productions. Right now, every country must become self reliant. If that's not possible, things are going to get very difficult.

MCKENZIE (voice over): They're scrambling to increase that production and change consumer habits. In sun-baked Tunisia farmers grow hard wheat to make pasta and couscous.

MCKENZIE (on camera): But for soft wheat, the wheat that makes bread Tunisia gets around 60 percent of it from Ukraine and Russia. An official told me that they will never be able to make up that number here. Not in five years, not even in 10.

MCKENZIE (voice over): That spells trouble said Shukria Moody (ph).

We can only sell what the government gives us he says. The baguettes are subsidized by our government heavily in debt. Tunisia can barely afford imported flour from outside of Ukraine.

It's about daily survival. When the people are hungry they rebel he says.

Here they are just recovering from a crushing COVID pandemic and a decade of political uncertainty. The impact of the war in Ukraine could not have come at a worst time. Even retired professionals like Huria Bousad and her husband can only afford a few luxuries.

HURIA BOUSAD, RETIRED TEACHER: The price is -- all the price are going up.

MCKENZIE: And what does that mean for you and your family?

BOUSAD: Young people they cannot marry now. They don't have enough money to live. They cannot have a family.

MCKENZIE: I've sold nothing today says Nasir Tamomi (ph). Absolutely nothing. This place should be jam packed before the Eid holiday he says but nobody can afford meat.

On the road side, farmers like Walid (ph) are struggling to sell their sheep for Eid celebrations. The sheep don't seem to mind.

Animal feed prices are doubled because of Ukraine. It's a chain reaction. That's bad enough now he says. But the effect of the war is rarely going to be felt next year.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MCKENZIE: And you can really feel people here that squeeze on their middle class, people like that woman we spoke to potentially slipping into low class and poverty and this is an incredibly important part -- time of the year in Tunisia, the whole of the Muslim world and people aren't able to afford those things that make the Eid celebrations special.

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Including charity for the poor and the government is trying to increase the amount of production of that hard wheat, expand the amount of fields planting of that wheat. But you can't just switch a switch. And this Ukrainian war will have an impact here for many months and into next year as that farmer was saying the political impact is unclear at this point in the coming weeks.

The president is presiding over a referendum to try and tighten his control over the country. That could lead also to more instability in Tunisia. Rosemary?

CHURCH: Yes. It is a critical story. David McKenzie joining us live from the Tunisian capital. Many thanks.

A protest over frozen bank deposits turned violent in China. Just ahead. How a local banking scandals sparked a nationwide outcry. We will have a live report from Beijing. We're back in just a moment.

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CHURCH: You are looking at video from inside Sri Lanka's presidential palace. Crowds of protesters stormed their way in over the weekend and some clearly made themselves at home even working out in the gym there. Others were seen singing and playing instruments inside the residence.

It's an extraordinary turn of events in Sri Lanka fueled by months of simmering anger at the government over an economy in freefall. With brazen protesters now occupying the official residences of both the president and prime minister. Both men have agreed to resign. But how that transition of power will eventually play out is still uncertain.

Well, a massive protest over frozen bank deposits turned violent in Zhengzhou in China. Police clashed with demonstrators on Sunday who were angry that some rural banks have kept millions of dollars frozen since April. For more on this, we're joined now by CNN's Steven Jiang who's there in Beijing.

[02:40:08]

Good to see you, Steven. So, this local bank banking scandal has sparked a nationwide outcry. What is going on here exactly?

STEVEN JIANG, CNN BEIJING BUREAU CHIEF: Rosemary, this is just such an extraordinary sight to see more than 1000 people show up on Sunday morning in front of this government building. Two stages were protest and that's of course, exactly what the provincial authorities are trying to prevent it from happening. That's why you mentioned the great lengths they had to go trying to tamper with their health Q.R. code.

Now, this protest, of course with the protesters really training their fire at the local authorities unfurling national flags, chanting slogans with some banners accusing the local police of using violence against them even calling for human rights and the rule of law. But there are peaceful tactics that really didn't make their protests last that long. After a few hours of stand up, you see hundreds of personnel -- security personnel, including manning plainclothes agents charging towards the crowd, forcibly removing everyone including the elderly and children.

Anyone who resisted, got kicked and punched. Some sustaining injuries, according to the protesters and most got taken to nearby makeshift detention centers. This of course, has struck a court with many people around the world because they were mostly low-income workers who put their life savings -- life savings into these banks and the banks said they lost everything. Rosemary?

CHURCH: Unbelievable. We will of course continue to watch that story. Steven Jiang joining us live from Beijing, many thanks.

And thank you for joining us. I'm Rosemary Church. For our international viewers World Sport is coming up next. And for everyone here in the United States, I'll be back with more news in just a moment.

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