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NATO Allies Pledge To Bolster Ukraine's Air Defense; U.N. Votes To Condemn Russian Annexations In Ukraine; Anti-Government Protests Persist Amid Violent Crackdown In Iran; Jury Awards Sandy Hook Families And First Responder Nearly $1 Billion; Kim Jong-un Touts Capabilities Of Nuclear Combat Forces; Germany Moves To Wean Itself Off Russian Energy Imports. Aired 12-1a ET

Aired October 13, 2022 - 00:00   ET

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

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[23:59:49]

JOHN VAUSE, CNN ANCHOR: Coming up this hour here on CNN NEWSROOM.

Over the company you keep, at the U.N. only North Korea, Syria, Belarus and Nicaragua vote with Russia supporting for sham referendums over parts of Ukraine.

[00:00:01]

Russia may be a clear and present danger but China is the sum of all fears as the U.S. president lays out his first national security strategy.

And after a decade of hateful lies about the Sandy Hook school shooting, a jury has ordered Alex Jones of InfoWars to pay almost a billion dollars in damages.

ANNOUNCER: Live from CNN Center, this is CNN NEWSROOM with John Vause.

VAUSE: At the U.N. General Assembly, an overwhelming vote in favor of demanding Vladimir Putin reverse course on his illegal annexation of Ukrainian territory. It's a sign that global opposition to Russia is not only steadfast but possibly growing.

Of the four resolutions passed by the U.N. since the invasion, this one received the most support. 143 countries voting in favor and that brought a round of applause to the chamber.

Only Russia, North Korea, Syria, Belarus and Nicaragua voted no, what Washington described as a rogue's gallery.

The sham referendums were staged last month, with the unverified results claiming four occupied regions had voted to become part of Russia. The U.N. resolution calls for all countries not to recognize the four Ukrainian regions claimed by Russia.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) LINDA THOMAS-GREENFIELD, U.S. AMBASSADOR TO U.N.: Colleagues, the facts are clear, a U.N. member state one with a permanent seat on the Security Council has attempted to annex territory from its neighbor by force.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VAUSE: Russia's U.N. ambassador said many countries had been blackmailed by Western leaders to support the resolution. And he goes who live in those illegally annexed regions wants to remain as part of Russia.

Meanwhile, NATO and its allies are promising to help Ukraine improve its defense capability against Russian aerial attacks.

In a meeting in Brussels on Wednesday, the U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin promised to get advanced systems to Ukraine "as fast as we can physically get them there."

Already France, the U.K., the Netherlands have pledged missile weapons, radar systems and other air defense systems.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GEN. MARK MILLEY, CHAIRMAN, JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF: What needs to be done here by all of the various countries that were at the conference today is chip in and help them rebuild and sustain an integrated air and missile defense system.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VAUSE: NATO defense ministers are set to meet again in the coming hours to discuss the response to Russia's recent bombardments and cities across Ukraine. At least 19 people have been killed, more than a hundred wounded in the last three days.

On the battlefield, Ukraine says five more settlements have been liberated from Russian control in the Kherson region. But Russia is continuing with missile attacks and shelling in other parts. And a warning, our report from CNN's Fred Pleitgen contains some graphic images.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Another mass casualty attack in Vladimir Putin's war in Ukraine, bodies strewn across a market in the eastern town Avdiivka. Just one reason why the Ukrainians disagree with President Joe Biden's remark from the interview with CNN's Jake Tapper that Putin is a rational actor.

The adviser to Ukraine's presidential administration tells me he believes the opposite is true.

MIKHAIL PODOLYAK, ADVISER TO UKRAINE'S PRESIDENTIAL OFFICE (through translator): He is not rational. He is emotional. He takes a lot of decisions from an emotional position and without a deep understanding of what is going on. Every decision that President Putin makes is a mistake.

PLEITGEN: As jets patrol the sky over Ukraine's capital, Russia continued its blitz of missile attacks on Ukrainian cities, hitting the town of Zaporizhzhia and targeting critical infrastructure, especially power plants.

The adviser telling me Ukraine is working hard to repair the damage and appreciate support from the U.S. and its allies.

PODOLYAK (through translator): Our partners all reacted very quickly to what happened on Monday the 10th. All our official partners, including the United States announced that the types of strikes were inhumane because they consciously targeted civilian infrastructure.

PLEITGEN: Ukraine's military says it's able to shoot down many of the missiles and drones Russia fires at its territory, but only has old Soviet era surface to air systems and not enough of them.

At a meeting in Brussels, NATO made clear providing Ukraine with modern anti-aircraft missiles is a top priority.

GEN. LLOYD AUSTIN, DEFENSE SECRETARY: This contact group stands united and determined. We will continue to boost Ukraine's defensive capabilities for today's urgent needs and for the long haul.

PLEITGEN: The Ukrainians say they continue to make headway against Russia's forces on the battlefield. Kyiv saying its forces took back several key villages in the south of the country, and the presidential adviser telling me, despite Vladimir Putin's nuclear threat, Ukraine must prevail.

[00:05:08]

PODOLYAK (through translator): Look, the threat of the use of nuclear weapons is not the problem of Ukraine. In any case, we cannot stop our counter offensive. In any case, we cannot give up our territory to Russian control, because it will mean an endless war for us. It will be impossible to rebuild the country.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PLEITGEN (on camera): But one of the things that Ukrainians say they have managed to do is stabilize the power system here in Kyiv and also in the surrounding areas as well.

They say as a result of that, they're not going to have to force people to use less energy, but they are calling on people to conserve as much energy as possible and use as little as possible as of course, the threat of further Russian missile attacks on critical infrastructure remains.

Fred Pleitgen, CNN, Kyiv.

VAUSE: To Los Angeles now, Daniel Treisman professor of political science at UCLA and author of The Return: Russia's Journey from Gorbachev to Medvedev. Thank you for being with us, Daniel, it's good to see you.

DANIEL TREISMAN, PROFESSOR OF POLITICAL SCIENCE, UCLA (on camera): Sure.

VAUSE: So, we'll start at the U.N., the vote condemning Russia's sham referendum on -- and the illegal annexation. Here's Moscow's ban at the U.N., let's hear what he had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VASILY NEBENZYA, RUSSIAN AMBASSADOR TO U.N. (through translator): The results of their votes speak for themselves. The populations of these regions do not want to return to Ukraine and have made an informed and free choice in favor of our country.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VAUSE: That's not entirely true, but the results do speak for themselves in this vote. Back in March, the UNGA voted to condemn the invasion. 141 in favor, this time 143 in favor. Last time, four countries plus Russia opposed, saying this time around.

I guess in one respect, it indicates that opposition to Russia has remained steady, maybe grown a little bit. But after all the atrocities have been committed and after seven months of war, you would expect that number to be a little bit higher, right? At least I would.

TREISMAN: Well, it is of course disappointing that India and South Africa (INAUDIBLE) abstain from vote rather than condemning the illegal annexation of these territories.

But I think that 143 states, that very clearly condemned what Russia is doing. That's a very strong statement. And maybe the others will come around to that eventually.

Clearly, there were very few countries and only the countries were already know are solidly on Russia's side that would actually vote no on this resolution.

VAUSE: Yes, there's some initial hesitation though. But now the U.S. and NATO, they seem all in on getting air defenses to Ukraine, I'd like you to listen to the U.S. Defense Secretary.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

AUSTIN: The systems will be provided as fast as we can physically to get them there. And this is something as I said at the top that we remain focused on, and we're going to provide systems that we have available that countries like Germany has available, we're also going to try to provide additional munitions to the existing systems that the -- that the Ukrainian forces are using.

(END VIDEO CLIP) VAUSE: And you know, that sounds there's a great deal of urgency about this right now. But in some places like France, they're talking weeks in the coming weeks before these air defense systems are actually delivered. That is a long time to be a sitting duck waiting for a missile to, you know, come in from the skies above.

TREISMAN: Right, President Macron mentioned two weeks as a possible timeframe for getting anti-aircraft weapons to Ukraine.

The pledges have been made by the Western countries by the U.S., U.K., France, Germany. Germany has already provided one system as I understand, but the key question is how fast can these systems get to Ukraine, because every day, more people are being killed not just soldiers, but civilians, women and children.

And so -- and there's a lot of cities in Ukraine that needs to be defended. So, it's absolutely crucial now that all states do everything they can to actually deliver these systems not just pledged and deliver these systems to Ukraine, which needs them so badly right away.

VAUSE: And there's also been a lot of reporting on Russia's stockpiles of long range precision guided missiles, they may be running loads and it appears that way, by the use of the sort of dumb bombs, if you like the Soviet era technology.

But what about the current status of weapons stockpiles of NATO countries? Much of it has been sent to Ukraine. And it seems that Europe's defense industry is not really set up for mass production for a war like this.

TREISMAN: Yes, of course, this war was quite unexpected to many people. And now that whole military industrial complex needs to be cranked up, we need to start producing these weapons much faster. That requires state investment in a number of countries. A lot of countries again, have made pledges have started moving down that path. But we really need the investment to be made fast. The money to go to those companies so that they really can expand production quickly.

[00:10:07]

VAUSE: Is there a timeframe on investing that money and getting production up to the required amounts that the Ukrainians need? And also NATO needs?

TREISMAN: Well, so there are two parts to that, right? First of all, getting the weapons to Ukraine, there is still some weapons in stockpiles, obviously. And those need to be turned over and delivered to Ukraine, committed to Ukraine and delivered.

But the longer-term problem is to replenish those NATO stocks for defensive NATO countries. And that, of course, can't be done overnight, it will take some months. But it needs to start right away.

Daniel Treisman, thanks so much for being with us. Appreciate it.

TREISMAN: My pleasure.

VAUSE: Well, students across Iran continues to join the nationwide antigovernment protests and they now face the threat of being detained and sent to cycle -- so called psychological centers, where they can be reformed according to the country's education minister.

CNN's Jomana Karadsheh has details.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOMANA KARADSHEH, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Calls for nationwide protests on Wednesday brought Iranians back onto the streets of cities across the country. Protesters undeterred by a ruthless regime's crackdown on peaceful demonstrations, and they were met with utter brutality.

Baton swinging policeman beating up those who tried to get away. And this disturbing scene caught on camera. Plain clothed security forces opening fire on the streets of Tehran after a small group gathered chanting, Mullahs, get lost.

But perhaps the most terrifying response to protest this week is the government's decision to detain schoolchildren protesting and send them to psychological institutions to be, "Reformed and reeducated". A chilling message from a regime that now adheres to feel threatened by fearless young schoolgirls.

A regime clearly under pressure, not only struggling to continue protesters that are spreading like a wildfire, now facing strikes that could hit an economy already on its knees.

Some oil workers now striking, blocking roads and burning tires. Their strike is so far-limited and not unusual but some are now joining in the anti-regime chants. This could be a sign of trouble the government literally can't afford.

ROHAM ALVENDI, IRAN HISTORIAN: Strikes have historically played a very important role in Iranian revolts. The oil and gas industry, of course, are particularly sensitive because that is where much of the states' hard currency earnings are derived from.

KARADSHEH: Many businesses in the mostly Kurdish region have been shuttered for days as calls grow for a national general strike.

ALVENDI: If there is a general strike, if there is a nationwide general strike, I mean, what can the government do, really? I mean, you can't send troops into people's homes to drag them out and force them to go to work. So, you know, that would actually paralyze the state. And would show the powerlessness of the state in the face of this movement.

KARADSHEH: A movement of nationwide protest that's morphed into an uprising, growing stronger by the day. Proving harder and harder for the oppressive republican control.

Jomana Karadsheh, CNN, Istanbul. (END VIDEO CLIP)

VAUSE: A big win in the fight against disinformation and conspiracy theories. A jury in the U.S. state of Connecticut has awarded nearly $1 billion in damages to families of victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, as well as a first responder. They sued radio host Alex Jones for spewing lies about the 2012 massacre. He called it a hoax which was staged by anti-gun activists. After mocking the verdict, Jones then appealed to his audience for money.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ALEX JONES, RADIO HOST: 57 million, 20 million or 50 million, 80 million, 100 million blah blah blah. You get a million, you get 100 million, you got a 50 million, these people actually think they will get any money?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VAUSE: Jones's claims his company's Free Speech Systems is nearly bankrupt but his legal and financial troubles are far from over.

CNN's Alexandra Field picks up the story.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ALEXANDRA FIELD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): After nearly a decade of profound and excruciating suffering, a jury awarding nearly $1 billion to the families of eight victims killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School, and an FBI agent who responded to the scene of the massacre.

CHRISTOPHER MATTEI, ATTORNEY FOR FAMILIES OF SANDY HOOK VICTIMS: Today, a jury representing our community and our nation rendered a historic verdict. A verdict against Alex Jones's lies and their poisonous spread and a verdict for truth and for our common humanity.

FIELD: The money compensatory damages, not for the brutal loss of their loved ones but for the lies that followed, spread by InfoWars host Alex Jones who called the massacre a hoax, its victims crisis actors.

[00:15:10]

ERICA LAFFERTY, DAUGHTER OF SANDY HOOK PRINCIPAL DAWN HOCHSPRUNG: I know that this is not the end of Alex Jones in my life. I know that his hate -- his hate lies and conspiracy theories will follow both me and my family through the rest of our days.

But I'm also hopeful for what happened here today, that it may save other families from high profile tragedies from the cycle of abuse and retraumatization.

FIELD: The plaintiffs holding hands, comforting one another and weeping while the judge read the jury's decisions. Each of them rewarded tens of millions of dollars, the largest award of 120 million to Robbie Parker, the father of a 6-year-old girl Emily killed at Sandy Hook. He had testified to the pain he and others endured from lies believed by so many.

ROBBIE PARKER, FATHER OF 6-YEAR-OLD GIRL EMILY PARKER KILLED DURING SANDY HOOK SHOOTING: And I was especially starting to feel like I was failing her in her death because of what people were saying about her. And what they were saying about me trying to remember her.

FIELD: The jury's award as close to a win as any of these families could have.

PARKER: All I can really say is that I'm just proud that what we were able to accomplish was just to simply tell the truth. And it shouldn't be this hard, and it shouldn't be this scary.

FIELD: Jones was not present in the courtroom for the reading of the verdict. He never testified in his own defense during the course of the nearly month long trial. But he made fiery statements during a cross examination.

JONES: I of don't apologize for it.

FIELD: His attorneys says Jones and his company Free Speech Systems will appeal the jury's decision. Jones who has derided much of the legal process calling the trial a kangaroo court was back on the airwaves where he mocked the decision and used it to fundraise.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FIELD (on camera): Jones has already saying he won't have the money to pay the families with his company in bankruptcy. He says the company is nearly entirely out of funds.

Still, he is expected to be on the hook for even greater damages next month following some hearings. The judge will determine what the punitive damages are in this case.

In New York, Alexandra Field, CNN.

VAUSE: Still to come here on CNN, long lines to fill up in France, with no end in sight to a strike by oil refinery workers. Now, the government set to take some decisive action.

Also ahead, North Korea calling this a clear warning to the enemies. We're live in Seoul with details on another missile launched by Pyongyang.

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VAUSE: Welcome back. The French government may soon enforce (PH) some striking oil refinery workers to return to their jobs. But the union representing the workers plans to challenge that in court.

Meantime, long lines for fuel have become a common sight. The French Energy Minister says nearly one in three gasoline stations nationally are facing shortages and French President Emmanuel Macron told broadcaster France 2, that the government will order essential stuff to return if workers and energy companies fail to reach an agreement in the coming hours.

[00:20:12]

VAUSE: Saudi Arabia claims its move to slash oil production was not politically motivated against the United States. But U.S. President Joe Biden says he was deeply disappointed by the decision. And his national security adviser says all aspects of U.S.-Saudi relations will now be reviewed, including potential arm sales.

U.S. officials and lawmakers view the two billion barrels a day cut as only benefiting Moscow and its war in Ukraine. Senior Saudi official are pushing back on that claim.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ADEL AL-JUBEIR, SAUDI MINISTER OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS: Saudi Arabia is not siding with Russia. Saudi Arabia is taking the side of trying to ensure the stability of the oil market. Saudi Arabia does not politicize oil. We don't see oil as a weapon, we don't -- we see oil as a commodity.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VAUSE: The cut in oil production threatens to worsen global inflation at a time of soaring energy prices. President Biden says he'll be consulting with members of Congress on possible consequences the U.S. might impose on the kingdom.

On North Korea, celebrating yet another missile test, this time firing of cruise missiles, which are not banned under U.N. sanctions, but it's still capable of carrying nuclear weapons.

State media reports leader Kim Jong-un guided the launch and was very satisfied with the results.

CNN's Paula Hancocks tracking all of this live from Seoul. It just keeps going.

PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (on camera): It does, John. Now, these particular cruise missiles are not the ones that really do concern those in the region and Washington. As you say, they're not technically breaking any rules by carrying out these cruise missiles. It's the ballistic technology that's banned by the U.N. Security Council resolutions.

But it is just a continuation of this uptick in missile launchers that we've seen from North Korea recently.

Once again, this was through state run media that we learned of it Kim Jong-un was present as well. As you say, he did seem very pleased with what had happened. And according to KCNA state run media, he's quoted as saying that this is another clear warning to the enemy.

So clearly, this one was meant for international consumption. Now, we also heard from the Ministry of Defense here in South Korea,

they said that they did know this had happened. It was 2:00 a.m. on Wednesday morning, so a while ago, but they hadn't actually publicized it. They're analyzing the cruise missile itself.

So, when you look at the bigger picture now, John, this is the 26th missile launch this year, cruise and ballistic missiles. It just shows the continuation of what has been a record year for Kim Jong-un and also this week in particular being interesting because North Korea has broken its silence when it comes to these missile launches that we've seen.

They hadn't publicly acknowledged any of them for six months. That changed on Monday. And now you can see this continuation into Thursday with this state-run media report showing Kim Jong-un at the launch itself, John.

VAUSE: Paula, thank you. We appreciate the update and the insight. Paula Hancocks live for us in Seoul.

Well, Russia has a new plan to send natural gas to Europe. But the offer comes with a lecture from President Putin about who's to blame for the energy crisis. That's still to come.

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[00:25:51]

VAUSE: Welcome back, you're watching CNN NEWSROOM. I'm John Vause. The European Union is moving to dodge one of its top officials calls an energetic missile fired at its economy by Moscow.

On Wednesday, E.U. officials agreed on the need to bid collectively for natural gas and eliminate bidding wars among member countries. But it's still unclear if there's enough support for a proposed price cap on natural gas use for producing electricity.

Europe is facing a massive energy crisis and a possible recession as Russian gas supplies have all but stopped.

Russian President Vladimir Putin though is holding out a new carrot. He's offering to start natural gas exports to Europe through a link of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline that was not damaged by last month's explosions.

He also says Europe can only blame itself for the energy crisis.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VLADIMIR PUTIN, RUSSIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): Why is Russia to blame? They want to blame someone else for it in this case, unfortunately, they are to blame themselves. It's not the result of any actions under the special military operation in Ukraine in Donbas. Russia is ready to start such supplies. The ball is in the court of the E.U. If they want, they can just open the tab. (END VIDEO CLIP)

VAUSE: Germany has long relied on Russia for much of its energy needs. But as CNN's Clare Sebastian reports, Germans are now moving to wean themselves off that dependency.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CLARE SEBASTIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Through the early autumn drizzle, Germany is racing against time. Construction started on this liquefied natural gas terminal on its North Sea coast in May.

HOLGER KREETZ, COO ASSET MANAGEMENT, UNIPER: Normally it takes four to five years to realize such a project, sometimes even six years.

SEBASTIAN: This one will be up and running by early next year. It's operator says capable of providing up to eight percent of all the gas Germany needs. Gas that used to come from Russia.

Until the war in Ukraine, Russia provided more than half of Germany's gas. Now, because of Germany's own efforts to reduce its reliance and Russia cutting supplies, no Russian gas is currently flowing.

KREETZ: Obviously we had to bring coal fired power plants back into operations. We had to invest into bringing for a certain period of time new gas into Germany.

It was not a question of whether we like it or whether we not like it, but it really it's a must for the society.

SEBASTIAN: Skyrocketing gas prices have already forced some German companies to curb production. Inflation mostly due to rising energy prices hit 10 percent in September.

And amid fears of shortages, the E.U. agreed on voluntary cuts to energy usage this winter.

But at the same time, the German government says it will borrow almost $200 billion to shield consumers soaring costs. A policy that for Claudia Kemfert a longtime adviser to the German government doesn't make sense.

CLAUDIA KEMFERT, GERMAN INSTITUTE OF ECONOMIC RESEARCH: Actually, the households are not saving enough gas but also the government is doing the next mistake in announcing that we might get a gas price cap. And that brings a signal to the private household, oh, everything's fine. We can continue in consuming gas as we did in the past.

SEBASTIAN: Are you worried about the winter?

KEMFERT: If the winter gets very cold, and we do not get any Russian gas anymore, it might come to scarcities.

SEBASTIAN: Some Germans are not waiting around to find out. Domestic solar panel sales were up 22 percent in the first half of the year.

Marika Schmidtman have come to this Berlin workshop to learn how to operate one for their balcony

MARIKA SCHMIDTMAN, BERLIN RESIDENT (through translator): Because energy costs have skyrocketed so much that we are simply saying we can somehow throttle to them.

SEBASTIAN: They are also hoping to be part of a renewable energy transition. One that is now happening alongside an energy emergency.

Clare Sebastian, CNN.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VAUSE: The Biden administration has singled out Russia and the invasion of Ukraine as the most immediate threat to global stability, but says China remains America's most consequential geopolitical challenge.

The White House has now formally put that assessment in writing with its first national security strategy, a document required by Congress.

[00:30:05]

The administration makes a case that, unlike Russia, Chinese President Xi Jinping appears to have developed the most long-range abilities to further its global ambition at the expense of the United States.

National security adviser Jake Sullivan says the U.S. will need to act quickly to counter China's growing influence.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JAKE SULLIVAN, U.S. NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR: The stakes could not be higher. The actions we take now will shape whether this decisive decade is an age of conflict and discord, or the beginning of a more prosperous and stable future.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VAUSE: David Sanger is a CNN political and national security analyst, as well as White House and national security correspondent for "The New York Times." He's also the author of "The Perfect Weapon."

David, good to see you again.

DAVID SANGER, CNN POLITICAL AND NATIONAL SECURITY ANALYST: Great to be back with, you, John.

VAUSE: Thank you. Now, in your reporting today for "The New York Times," you write that the president's security strategy -- you wrote this: "What leaps from the pages of Mr. Biden's strategy is a relentless focus on China. Much of the military planning described in the administration's document is meant to counter China in space, cyberspace, and at sea."

So you have this focus on China, and for years, the U.S. has been the world's only superpower. China has been the world's only emerging superpower. And it seems we've been heading towards this moment for quite some time.

But what seems to be a relatively new dynamic from this in all of this is the rise of a global autocracy. And it seems China, for the most part, will likely be the leader of the autocratic world, and the U.S. will be the leader of the free world. Are all the pieces in place now for a new kind of cold war? A different cold war, but a cold war nonetheless?

SANGER: Well, very different. And Jake Sullivan, the president's national security adviser, who drafted much of this fascinating document, went out of his way in talking to reporters today, to say, this is not a new cold war.

But certainly, there are some similarities, at least some echoes. In some ways, he's right. In some ways, I would disagree with him.

The disagreement comes, really, over Russia's role. When you read about what the security strategy says about Russia, it refers to, essentially, a policy similar to containment from the -- from the cold war. In other words, that Russia is a declining power, a power that's having a hard time executing its own military strategies, but essentially one whose ambitions need to be confined, constrained, restricted.

That wouldn't work for China. And China is where the differences with the cold war are the -- are the most stark. Because it's a technological competitor. That was never the case with the Soviet Union during the cold war. It's a military competitor. That was the case during the cold war. And, of course, it's a cultural competitor, as well.

VAUSE: When we look at the coming battle for global domination, it's not all doom and gloom, apparently. National security adviser Jake Sullivan, he talked about sort of a carpe diem moment for the U.S. Here he is.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SULLIVAN: The post-cold war era is over. And a competition is underway between the major powers to shape what comes next. The United States, we believe, is better positioned than any other nation in the world to seize this moment.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VAUSE: There's a reality, there's perception, and at times, perception shapes reality. Perception, right now, though, seems to be that China may be in the best position to determine what comes next, not the U.S.

SANGER: Well, there are many who would argue that. And I think that it would have been an easier case to make a year ago than it is today, with China's low growth rates and with its lockdowns because of COVID.

So, the big question is, what is the appeal of the Chinese state and ideology, when Xi Jinping has gone out of his way to use technology, use the power of the state, to make sure that they had full control, in many cases, full surveillance, in many cases, the ability to identify any individual that who might be at the center. Whether or not that's an appealing model of, inside, and outside of China, mostly outside.

And so I think what Mr. Sullivan was saying was the American democratic model, the freedom model, works better. The problem is, our democratic model isn't looking so hot these days. And even the national security strategy acknowledges that a country that is questioning whether or not the one who wins the most votes in an election should actually be declared the winner, has a lot of work to do at home.

VAUSE: Well, the president did not mince words about China and the challenge it will present. He writes, "China is the only country with both the intent to reshape the international order, and, increasingly, the economic diplomatic military and technological power to advance that objective." And in that, China stands alone. So how does Russia play into all of this, for sort of both pre-Ukraine invasion, and post-Ukraine invasion?

[00:35:02]

SANGER: Well, pre-Ukraine, we saw Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin meet at the beginning of the Chinese Olympics and announce a partnership without limits. Not an alliance, but a partnership.

And then, we quickly found the limits, because you have not seen the Chinese government come to the full-throated defense of Russia. I think that Xi probably felt that he was deceived by Putin, when Putin said he wouldn't invade. I think he then felt disappointed in Russia's capabilities, when he saw how badly they performed.

And, so now, the question is, what's the nature of that alliance? Or what's the nature of that partnership?

The only thing that really binds them together, John, is a mutual desire to knock down the United States and make sure it's not the U.S. and its Western allies that set the rules. But I'm not sure there's much mutual affinity, or even mutual respect between those two.

VAUSE: Yes, absolutely. It is an unusual relationship to say the least, David. So thanks for being with us. David Sanger there. Appreciate it.

SANGER: Thank you.

VAUSE: And still to come, details of new testimony and evidence expected when the January 6th Committee investigating the uprising on Capitol Hill holds its first public hearing in months.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

VAUSE: Europe is seeing an increase in COVID infections, bringing fears of another wave as the Northern Hemisphere heads into winter.

Last week, the E.U. recorded one and a half million cases, up 8 percent from the week before. Hospital admissions are also on the rise.

Globally, the WHO reports more than 3 million cases, this week, bringing a warning from the director general.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TEDROS ADHANOM GHEBREYESUS, DIRECTOR GENERAL, WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION: The pandemic is not over, and there is much more work to be done, with large vaccination gaps, reduced surveillance, low rates of testing and sequencing, and uncertainties about the potential impact of current and future variants.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VAUSE: Boosters designed for COVID variants are being rolled out across Europe and the U.K., but only for select groups, including the elderly and those with compromised immune systems.

In the coming hours, the U.S. House Committee investigating the January 6th attack on the Capitol is set to hold its first public hearing in months. It comes just weeks before midterm elections.

CNN's Sara Murray is in Washington with more on what we can expect.

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SARA MURRAY, CNN POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The January 6th Committee making its closing argument ahead of the November midterms.

REP. ZOE LOFGREN (D-CA): There's some new material that, you know, I found, as we got into it, pretty surprising.

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MURRAY (voice-over): Sources say they're aiming to drive home that former President Donald Trump still poses a danger to democracy, using a mix of new evidence and reminders of their prior work.

REP. LIZ CHENEY (R-WY): It's really demonstrated the breadth and the depth of the effort to overturn the election and to stop the peaceful transfer of power. And it was an effort that, at every step of the way, the former president was deeply involved in, personally engaged in.

MURRAY (voice-over): While live witnesses are not expected, members are preparing to showcase previously unseen emails from Secret Service, which recently turned over more than a million communications, as well as new video. Since the last hearing in July --

CHENEY: The president's stolen election lies provoked that mob to attack the Capitol.

MURRAY (voice-over): The committee interviewed Trump cabinet members, including former treasury secretary, Steve Mnuchin; former secretary of state, Mike Pompeo; and former transportation secretary, Elaine Chao. And they interviewed Ginni Thomas, wife of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas.

REP. BENNIE THOMPSON (D-MI): We still have significant information that we've not shown to the public that's available to us.

MURRAY (voice-over): Members hinting the hearing could also highlight the role of longtime Trump ally, Roger Stone.

ROGER STONE, TRUMP ALLY: What they're assuming is the election will be normal. The election will not be normal.

MURRAY (voice-over): And ties between Trump's circle and violent extremist groups.

LOFGREN: The mob was led by some extremist groups. They plotted in advance what they were going to do, and those individuals were known to people in the Trump orbit.

MURRAY (voice-over): The committee reconvening in public for the first time since the FBI searched Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate and sent a DOJ probe into efforts to subvert the 2020 election has intensified. With midterms less than a month away, a key focus is Trump's continued efforts --

DONALD TRUMP, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I ran twice. I won twice.

MURRAY (voice-over): -- to spread the falsehood that the 2020 election was stolen and ensure election deniers take office.

REP. JAMIE RASKIN (D-MD): We've gotten a better handling on the continuing clear and present danger that confronts the people of America.

MURRAY: Now, even after Thursday's hearing, the committee is going to have unfinished business. It still has to complete its final report, and it has to make decisions about whether it's going to send any criminal referrals to the Justice Department.

Sara Murray, CNN, Washington.

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VAUSE: A programming note now: "Attack On Democracy, The January 6th Hearings," live with Anderson Cooper and Jake Tapper. That's Thursday, starting 1 p.m. in Washington, 6 p.m. in London, right here, on CNN.

Tom Cruise can do a lot of things. Jump from the tallest building in the world, cling to the side of a cargo plane as it takes off. And for years, Hollywood trade papers have reported he's working on a film that would be shot in outer space.

It appears that plan is still in motion. Speaking with the head of BBC, the head of Universal Film Entertainment Group, says the project is still in development, aiming to film scenes on the International Space Station. She says, quote, "Tom Cruise is taking us to space. He's taking the

world to space. We have a great project in development with Tom, taking a rocket up to the space station."

She went on to say that he'll hopefully be doing the first civilian spacewalk. How about that?

I'm John Vause. I'll be back at the top of the hour with another hour of CNN NEWSROOM. But first, WORLD SPORT starts after the break.

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