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Russia Blaming Ukraine on Bridge Attack. Russia Attacks Zaporizhzhia; Biden's Nuclear Remarks Not Based on Intelligence; Kim Jong-un Oversaw Missile Test Training; GOP Supports Herschel Walker Despite Abortion Scandal; Protests in Iran Continues as Death Toll Rises. Aired 2-3a ET

Aired October 10, 2022 - 02:00   ET

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

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LAILA HARRAK, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome to all of you watching here in the United States and around the world. I'm Laila Harrak. Ahead on "CNN Newsroom" Russia blaming Ukraine for the Crimean bridge explosion as Russia's president prepares to meet with his national security team. We have the latest in a live report.

Plus, with less than 30 days away from the U.S. midterms in what could be a referendum on President Joe Biden's popularity. We look at what key issues will drive people to the polls.

And North Korea's propaganda machine is out with new details on the scope of its recent military drills, and what role Kim Jong-un played in them.

We begin in Ukraine where two explosions have been reported in the country's capital. The mayor of Kyiv says they happened in the city center and that all services are at the location. It comes after Russia suffered a humiliating blow this weekend when an explosion damaged its bridge to Crimea, a key supply line for his troops.

President Vladimir Putin has blamed Ukraine for the blast calling it a terror attack. While despite Moscow's fury, a Kremlin spokesman is playing down concerns that Russia might respond with a nuclear attack. Dimitri Peskov was asked about it, but he simply dismissed the question.

However, Russia has been intensifying its missile strikes on the Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhia hours ago. It reportedly destroyed an apartment block leading to several casualties. Before that attack, Ukraine's president said the strikes this week had killed 43 civilians including 14 at this building. Among the victims, a child as young as 10.

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UNKNOWN (through translation): I remember that when we woke up. I heard some sounds. I thought something was right next to my ear. I heard the air raid sirens and some person next to me screaming. There was no mobile connection. It was horrific. This Russian federation, the way it's doing all of this, the special operation, I don't think this is a special operation.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARRAK: Well, for more on all of this, I'm now joined by CNN's Salma Abdelaziz. Salma, Russia is ramping up attacks on civilian areas. What more can you tell us?

SALMA ABDELAZIZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Indeed. In fact, Leila, just within the last hour, our teams on the ground in Kyiv hearing at 8:15 local time and 8:20 local time, approximately two separate explosions hitting the capitol, hitting Kyiv, and this is extremely significant. It is very rare for the capitol to be struck by Russian missile attacks. It's hundreds of kilometers away, of course, from the front line. This would be I think the first strike in months on Kyiv.

I know we have crews trying to rush to the scene right now. So, we'll wait to find out more on that. But, again, that would be a significant escalation if indeed those missile strikes hit Kyiv this morning this morning. And you mentioned, of course, Zaporizhzhia, a city that's very much been in the crosshairs over the course of the last week. President Zelenskyy saying yesterday in his nightly address that more than 40 people have been killed in that city over the course of the last week in multiple missile attacks.

So, yes, this is a continuation of course of Russia's invasion, Russia's attacks on Ukrainian soil. But, if indeed the capital has been hit, if indeed we're seeing an increase in this barrage of attacks, it comes of course, just a couple of days after this explosion on the Kerch Bridge, this all-important supply route that connects Crimea to mainland Russia.

And now, Ukrainian officials have made no secret of their celebrations of this attack, but they have not claimed responsibility. But President Putin yesterday and his aides were steadfast. They were clear. They are blaming Ukraine. Take a listen to what they said.

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VLADIMIR PUTIN, PRESIDENT OF RUSSIA (through translation): Here, as reported, we have no doubts that this is a terrorist attack aimed at the destruction of the critical infrastructure of Russian Federation. And our first executors and masterminds are the secret services of Ukraine.

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ALEXANDER BASTRYKIN, INVESTIGATIVE COMMITTEE OF RUSSIA: The secret services of Ukraine and citizens of Russia from foreign countries are the ones who helped to execute these terrorist attack.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ABDELAZIZ: Now, parts of the bridge are back up and running, Laila, particularly the train section of the bridge. That seems to be functioning again. There is some resumption of traffic, ferries are being set up to transport large trucks and buses to mainland Russia. And in fact, so for practical reasons, logistical reasons, Russian officials do seem to have this under control.

But make no mistake about it, this is a personal affront to President Putin. It is his bridge. It is his project. It is his connection. And we are expecting him to hold a meeting with his own security council today. So, we'll see what response we can expect from the Kremlin on this.

HARRAK: Salma Abdelaziz reporting. Thank you so much. Well, earlier I spoke about the war in Ukraine with CNN analyst David Sanger. I asked him about Putin's setbacks and how all of this is playing out at home.

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DAVID SANGER, CNN POLITICAL AND NATIONAL SECURITY ANALYST: That Putin's intent had been first to have a very quick war. That didn't work out. And then, if it was going to drag on, have a war that basically wouldn't be noticed by most of the Russian people. That it would not affect their daily lives. That became harder and harder where sanctions began to bite particularly the export controls put in place by the United States.

But now that the war has gone very bad and now that Putin has ordered a call up of 300,000 essentially untrained or little trained troops just, you know, males from the Russian population who did not intend to be going to fight in Ukraine, suddenly the effects have been much greater. People have begun to understand the degree to which Putin miscalculated.

They're beginning to understand the size of the casualties, which the British estimate as 20,000 dead and another 60,000 or so injured. And they're beginning to question Putin. And then on the right of course, there are many saying he's prosecuted the war badly.

I think the bridge explosion just added to that because it left open the question how could you allow sabotage on what was a prized, you know, possession of Vladimir Putin. He was at the opening of this bridge.

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HARRAK: And that was David Sanger speaking with me earlier. In the next hour you can watch our full conversation where we discuss America's options if Mr. Putin resorts to nuclear weapons. Meantime, a top White House official is trying to downplay fears of nuclear attack from Russia. Just days ago, President Joe Biden warned of a potential nuclear Armageddon at a Democratic fund-raising event. But John Kirby says those remarks were not based on new intelligence. CNN's Arlette Saenz has more from Washington.

ARLETTE SAENZ, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: The White House continues to face questions about President Biden's recent comments on the prospects of nuclear Armageddon. In a fund-raiser earlier last week, the president said that the possibility of the use of nuclear weapons is at its highest point since the Cuban missile crisis 60 years ago.

National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby was asked once again about the president's comments on Sunday morning and he said that while there is no imminent threat, no new intelligence that suggests Russian President Vladimir Putin has decided to use nuclear weapons. The president's comments he argued simply speak to the reality and the gravity with which they are viewing the situation.

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JOHN KIRBY, NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL COORDINATOR FOR STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS: His comments were not based on new or fresh intelligence or new indications that Mr. Putin has made a decision to use nuclear weapons. And quite frankly, we don't have any indication that he has made that kind of decision. The president was reflecting was that the stakes are high right now, given what is going on, on the battlefield in Ukraine, and given the very irresponsible and reckless comments made by Vladimir Putin in just the last few days. Now, look, he's also said we're not going to be intimidated, neither we nor our allies are going to be intimidated by this. And we're going to continue to provide support and security assistance to Ukraine as is necessary.

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SAENZ: In the same Democratic fund-raiser earlier in the week, President Biden also publicly mused about whether there is an off ramp for Putin. Kirby was asked about those comments and did not outline any exact options that the U.S. is considering to try to defuse the situation, but argued that it is ultimately up to Putin to de-escalate and end this war.

Now, while Russia and Ukraine remain top of mind for President Biden, he is also preparing to travel out west this week. First, he'll be making a stop in Colorado on Wednesday where he is expected to announce a new national monument.

The president will designate Camp Hale, which was a World War II training ground high up in the rocky mountains as a national monument, which would essentially protect it from development.

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After Colorado, the president will also be making stops out in California and also in Oregon. Arlette Saenz, CNN, the White House.

HARRAK: North Korea claims the missile it launched over Japan last week was a new type of intermediate-range ballistic weapon. All this as Japan and South Korea say the hermit kingdom fired off a pair of ballistic missiles on Sunday, the latest in a spate of launches in the past two weeks.

We're joined now by our Kristie Lu Stout live in Hong Kong. Kristie, Pyongyang's propaganda machine pushing out new details about its recent missile tests with Kim Jong-un in full focus. What more can you tell us?

KRISTIE LU STOUT, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, Laila. According to KCNA, the North Korean state news agency, the North Korean leader, Kim Jong- un personally guided the recent military drills and tactical missile tests that we've seen in recent weeks, all apparently in response to this large-scale military drills conducted by the United States, its ally in the region, South Korea.

We want to show you these photographs that were released earlier today by the North Korean newspaper, the Rodong Sinmun. And in it you see the presence of Kim Jong-un. He is in charge, he is guiding these tests, he is pointing, offering field guidance. He is watching these tests from a distance.

According to KCNA, they say that North Korea is fully confident in its capability right now. In fact, according to KCNA quote, "The effectiveness and practical combat capability of our nuclear combat force were fully demonstrated as it stands completely ready to hit and destroy targets at any time from any location," unquote.

Now, KCNA also added a chilling detail, that on September the 28th, military drills were conducted to practice, quote, "neutralizing airports in South Korea." KCNA also quoted Kim Jong-un himself saying that he is in no mood for talks or dialogue. According to KCNA, this is what Kim said, quote, "Even though the enemy continues to talk about dialogue and negotiations, we do not have anything to talk about nor do we feel the need to do so," unquote.

North Korea has been carrying out a flurry of missile tests. In the last two weeks, it's carried out several different launches including one launch of two missiles early on Sunday. We also know the last Tuesday, North Korea fired a missile over Japan for the first time since 2017. In fact, this year, North Korea has fired the highest number of missiles since 2011. That was the year when Kim Jong-un took power.

Tensions are running high as the U.S. and its allies in this region, you know, respond to this uptick in military activity by North Korea. You have those recent drills by the U.S. and its allies in the region. You have the redeployment of the Ronald Reagan, the U.S. aircraft carrier in waters near the Korean Peninsula. The new sanctions sought by the U.S. against North Korea for its fuel procurement program.

Of course, concerns continue to rise about a possible nuclear test by North Korea. If that happens, it would be the first time North Korea would do so since 2017. Back to you.

HARRAK: Kristie Lu Stout, thank you so much.

STOUT: Thank you.

HARRAK: Still to come on CNN, Republicans are rallying behind U.S. Senate candidate Herschel Walker despite an abortion scandal. We hear why one Republican says Walker deserves support in Georgia.

Plus, police in New York are looking into whether two people were targeted by a gang when they were shot outside house republican Lee Zeldin's home. Details coming up in just a moment.

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HARRAK: Republican leaders standing behind U.S. Senate candidate Herschel Walker, while despite allegations he once paid for an ex- girlfriend to get an abortion and also urged her to terminate the second pregnancy. Mr. Walker, who supports a ban on abortions without exceptions denies the allegations.

While Florida Senator Rick Scott, the Chair of the National Republican Senatorial Committee will campaign with Mr. Walker on Tuesday in Georgia. And House Republican Don Bacon defended Walker on national television Sunday. Take a listen.

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REP. DON BACON (R-NE): Herschel needs to become clean and just be honest. We also know that we all make mistakes. It's just better if this actually didn't happen. Say I'm sorry and ask for forgiveness. But this is (inaudible) done about positions.

KRISTEN WELKER, NBC NEWS HOST: Is the GOP -- are you sending a message that Republicans are willing to win at all costs?

BACON: I think people make mistakes and if people acknowledge them and ask forgiveness, none of us are perfect.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARRAK: Well, meantime, U.S. President Joe Biden is dealing with a political setback of his own. Low approval ratings. In a CNN's polls, which tracks five major national polls, Mr. Biden's approval rating stands at 39 percent while 52 percent disapprove of the job he's doing as president. While with less than a month away from the midterm elections, this is not a strong position for the Democratic Party. That has some Democratic candidates distancing themselves from the president as they campaign.

Joining me now from Los Angeles is Jessica Levinson, a professor of law at Loyola Law School and host of the "Passing Judgment" podcast. Jessica, so good to have you with us. Looming over November's midterm is that all important question of popularity. How popular is President Joe Biden? Why does that even matter?

JESSICA LEVINSON, PROFESSOR OF LAW, LOYOLA LAW SCHOOL: Well, it matters because the conventional wisdom is when the president has really big coattails, then his party does better. And I say his, of course, because we've never had a female president. Now, when the president is popular, it also means that his policy proposals are popular, that people down ballots, senators, members of Congress can run on that administration's platforms and say we deliver. Look at all of our legislative achievements.

[02:20:02] It also matters because when we look at history, typically the party in power (inaudible) now is the Democrats, they don't fare particularly well in the midterms. So, we're kind of trying to overcome history where Democrats are to figure out can in fact Democrats retain the House. Can they retain a slim majority in the Senate?

HARRAK: On the other side, what role does public opinion about former President Donald Trump play for Republican candidates?

LEVINSON: Great question. I think a big one because this is Trump's party and when we look at what people think of him, we're largely asking what people think of the candidates that he has endorsed and or who have basically run to him to try and embrace him as publicly as possible.

So, he does still loom large over these midterm elections, his legal cases loom large, and again, whether or not he has any coattails and whether or not people are willing to vote for candidates that he has basically thrown his arms around.

HARRAK: I'd like to focus now on the race in Georgia. What does it say about the Republican Party, that accusations against Herschel Walker in Georgia are helping his fund raising, rather than the accusation hurting his campaign. Is it just about winning the Senate at the end of the day?

LEVINSON: So, I think for a lot of voters, it is. It's about making sure that Democrats don't win. The Democrats do not have power over the upper house. And so maybe they are not huge fans of Herschel Walker, maybe they are. But the bottom line is making sure that you can thwart President Biden's legislative agenda.

And they know that the way to do that, the pathway is largely through Georgia. And it's no coincidence that this is a toss-up state. People feel very strongly about voting for the candidate in their party even when they don't love the candidate, even as we've seen on the national level when there are accusations of sexual misconduct, of wrongdoing. Obviously, we had a president who on that "Access Hollywood" tape was recorded saying some really, I think disastrous things about women and he still won higher office.

HARRAK: Could the Georgia race end in a runoff and should that happen, would that help one candid more than the other?

LEVINSON: So, there could potentially be an automatic recount if it's very close. But I think that's a lot of we don't know. We don't know which voters would, if there is a recount potentially, you know, basically which voters would be recounted if there are problems, if it would change the outcome. I think it's too soon to know. We'll know based on how many vote by mail's ballots there are, how many people vote in-person, then you can kind of figure out who would benefit from which type of ballots.

HARRAK: The overturning of Roe v. Wade has been a motivating turnout factor among Democrats. What will (inaudible) turn out on the Republican side?

LEVINSON: So, I think the economy, and that will also, of course, drive Democrats as well. Democrats are very concerned about reproductive choice, but they are also very concerned about their pocketbooks like all Americans. Republicans tend to vote as thinking that the economy is or polling in the case, that the economy is their top priority.

And so, it's going to matter what it looks like at the gas pump, at the grocery store, at restaurants, what people's wages are. All of those things which, frankly, no political candidate can fully control, but all of those will weigh heavily on people's minds when they go into the ballot or they send in their vote by mail ballot.

HARRAK: Jessica Levinson, thank you so much.

LEVINSON: Thank you.

HARRAK: Police on Long Island in New York are investigating whether a shooting outside the home of a Republican national candidate may be gang related. A law enforcement source tells CNN, authorities are looking into background of two 17-year-old males who were injured when a car drove by and opened fire on them near U.S. Congressman Lee Zeldin's home in Suffolk County.

Mr. Zeldin was not home at the time of the shooting. He tweeted that his two teenage daughters were there and were able to hide and call police. Rising crime has been a central theme in Mr. Zeldin's campaign for governor of New York. He was attacked by a man holding a sharp object at a July campaign event.

Still ahead this hour.

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Anti-government protests continue in Iran despite a rising death toll. We'll have the latest on the fight for women's rights and an alleged hack of a state news broadcast.

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And as tensions grow between Taiwan and mainland China, Taiwan's president sends a strong message to Beijing as the island celebrates its national day. That is still ahead. You're watching "CNN Newsroom."

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HARRAK: Welcome back to our viewers around the world. I'm Laila Harrak and you're watching "CNN Newsroom."

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Protest in northern Iran on Sunday, one of many demonstrations across the country. Students are chanting freedom, freedom, demanding justice for the deaths of four young women over recent weeks, as well as other basic freedoms. This as human rights groups report multiple deaths over the weekend and an alarming toll since the demonstrations began.

CNN's Nada Bashir joins me now from London with the latest. Nada, Iran continues to be rocked by protests. The government simply cannot contain this.

NADA BASHIR, CNN REPORTER: Absolutely, Laila. We continue to see those brave (inaudible) of defiance from women across the country. Protests taking place up and down the country despite the violent crackdown that we have seen over the last few weeks by the Iranian authorities.

And we have now detailed of course around the impact of this violent crackdown, according to one human rights group based in Iran, (inaudible), due to the situation to Kurdish cities, Sanandaj and Saqqez. Over the weekend we did see a heavy crackdown by the Iranian security forces.

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At least four people now reported to have been killed after security forces reportedly opened fire on a peaceful protest there. And of course, we have seen a crackdown on demonstrations across the country. We've heard from human rights groups including Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International detailing the use of excessive and lethal force by the Iranian security forces.

We're talking about tear gas, metal pellets, beatings, even live fire, ammunition as we saw over the weekend. We've heard from one human rights group based in Norway focused on Iran, Iran Human Rights. And now they've been tallying the death toll since the beginning of this protest movement. And while it is difficult to independently verify deaths or claims, this one group has tallied it at least 185 deaths over the course of these protests, including 19 children.

So, we are seeing a significant impact there in terms of the police crowds. And we heard over the weekend, just on Sunday from Iran's deputy interior minister for security, and law enforcement saying that anybody arrested over the course of these protests or as the Iranian regime describes them as riots would be tried quickly and that their verdict would be decisive and deterrent.

So, we are seeing the Iranian regime taking a hard-line approach against these protests on all fronts. But this has really not dampened at the spirit of demonstrators. We have seen them up and down the country taking part in these protests. We have to say women at the forefront of this movement, of course and even young children, young school girls taking a defiant stand against the regime, against the restrictive measures placed on women by the Iranian regime.

We've seen those videos and images of women removing their mandatory hijabs, throwing their scarves into bonfires, cutting their hair and that symbolic show of defiance. We also saw Iran state broadcaster being hacked momentarily. So there is clearly a growing sense of momentum and a growing sense of disillusionment now in the Iranian regime. Laila?

HARRAK: Nada Bashir reporting from London, thank you so much.

Hundreds of provisions took to the streets on Sunday in solidarity with the protesters in Iran. It's the latest showing of support from the international community. Demonstrators chanted, women, life, freedom in Farsi and carry sign. Some saying down with the Islamic Republic. Others reading justice, freedom and the right to choose your outfit.

Taiwan is celebrating its national day with parades, performances and a determination to defend its democracy.

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HARRAK (voice over): Festive seen in Taipei earlier as crowds marked 111 years of a revolution that end at the last Chinese Imperial dynasty. Taiwan's president delivered a passionate speech on the values of freedom and address the tension with Mainland China. She says Beijing must respect the island sovereignty.

TSAI ING-WEN, PRESIDENT OF TAIWAN (through translator): The broadest consensus among the Taiwanese people and our various political parties is that we must defend our national sovereignty and our free and democratic way of life. On this point, we have no room for compromise.

HARRAK: Taiwan's president says she is willing to work with the mainland to find ways to maintain peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. So long as it's based on rationality, equality and mutual respect.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

Still ahead this hour. We're tracking a weekend of violence in the West Bank and Jerusalem. A live report from the region coming up.

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HARRAK: Authorities in Israel have been searching for a gunman who carried out a deadly attack in East Jerusalem. They say the suspect opened fire at a military checkpoint on Saturday and killed at least one Israeli soldier. It happened after Israeli forces killed at least four Palestinians over the weekend, including two during a military operation in the West Bank. On Saturday, mourners held funeral processions for some of the victims.

All right. Let's go to CNN's Hadas Gold live from Jerusalem. Hadas?

HADAS GOLD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Laila, this latest attack, being deemed a terrorist attack by the Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid. What happened was that a military checkpoint in North East Jerusalem near the Shuafat Refugee Camp. From surveillance video we can see on Saturday night, a man seemingly coming up straight up to a group of soldiers and opening fire at them point blank. Israeli officials say an 18-year-old soldier named Noah Lazar was killed and a 30-year-old -- 30 year old Israeli guard is now in critical condition in the hospital after being shot in the head. And a manhunt is still actually underway to catch the shooter. This is a bit of an unusual attack because not only where it happened in a place that we aren't used to necessarily seeing clashes or attacks of this sort.

But also because it was a shooting attack. We're seeing more and more of shooting attacks happening here in this region. And as you noted, this attack happened after four Palestinians were killed in the span of two days across the West Bank. Two of those were teenagers 17-year- old who were killed in the Jenin Refugee Camp while the Israeli military said that they were there to arrest and Islamic Jihad operative.

They said they came under attack and that they responded with live fire. Another two Palestinians were killed in separate incidences in the West Bank, the youngest of which was a 14-year-old Adel Ibrahim Daoud, who was shot along the separation wall between Israel and the West Bank. When we asked the Israeli military about that incident, they said that they -- that the 14-year-old threw a Molotov cocktail at their soldiers and the soldiers responded with live fire.

I want to give a bit of a context as to where this is all happening right now. It is incredibly volatile right now in this region. It feels as though everything is smoldering with dry kindling, and it will just take one match and this entire region will just completely blow up even more so than what we're seeing. There are daily Israeli military rates in the West Bank, daily clashes attacks, and we are increasingly seeing young Palestinian men especially in areas of Jenin and Nablus taking up arms by themselves.

Not necessarily aligned with any specific militant group and clashing with the Israeli military. Now, the Israeli military launched these nearly daily waves after a series of attacks earlier this year targeting Israelis. And so far this year, 21 civilians and Israeli soldiers have been killed, but Laila, more than 105 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces. So far this year, making it the deadliest year since 2015.

And it doesn't seem as though there's any sort of international force or really political force here that is working to stop this cycle of violence. Laila?

HARRAK: Hadas Gold reporting in Jerusalem. Thank you.

Nigeria says a boating accident over the weekend has claimed the lives of 76 people. According to officials to the vessel, capsized is in a south eastern state which has recently experienced heavy flooding.

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Well, authorities have been searching for any missing passengers and the president has ordered a review of safety protocols to prevent future tragedies. Now dramatic images to show you have a volcano erupting on the Italian island of Stromboli, near Sicily. Well the eruption started on Sunday. So far, luckily no injuries have been reported but local residents are being advised to stay away from doors and windows that could shatter from the explosions while the Stromboli volcano is set to be one of the most active volcanoes on Earth. It has been erupting almost continuously for decades.

Thanks for joining us. I'm Laila Harrack. For our international viewers, World Sports is up next. And if you're joining us from North America, I'll be back with more news after a short break.

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