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Officials Say Ukraine Likely Fired Missile That Landed In Poland; G20 Leaders Declaration Denounces "Russian Aggression" In Ukraine; Xi Jinping Scolds Justin Trudeau Over Media Leak At G20 Summit; Brazil's Lula Promises Zero Deforestation In The Amazon By 2030; North Korea Warns U.S. Of Fiercer Military Action, Tests Short- Range Missile. Aired 1-2a ET
Aired November 17, 2022 - 01:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
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[01:00:25]
JOHN VAUSE, CNN ANCHOR: Hello again all around the world. This is CNN Newsroom. Coming up this hour. Why the Kremlin is still on the hook for deadly strike in Poland. Even if the missile was not launched by Russian forces.
The humiliation of a Canadian Prime Minister in just 40 seconds, China's leader scold Justin Trudeau for media leaks.
And can Lulu save the world. If Brazil's President Elect can make good on promises to restore the Amazon, he might just save the rest of the planet long way.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Live in CNN Center. This is CNN Newsroom with John Vause.
VAUSE: What appears to be the first major rift between Ukraine and NATO, the president of Ukraine continues to insist a Russian launch missile was responsible for killing two people in neighboring Poland. Early assessments from NATO, Poland and the U.S. that the missile was most likely followed by Ukraine's air defense system amid a flurry of Russian missile attacks on Tuesday.
Ukraine's military confirmed around the same time and in the same area of the deadly strike in Poland. There was an attempt to intercepting Russian projectile. Western leaders have stressed this is Russia's war. The Russians, though are ultimately responsible.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LLOYD AUSTIN, U.S. DEFENSE SECRETARY: This explosion was most likely the result of a Ukrainian air defense.
VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): I don't doubt that it wasn't our missile. I don't have a reason to doubt that.
JULIANNE SMITH, U.S. PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE TO NATO: We all believe that Russia ultimately bears responsibility.
VASSILY NEBENZIA, RUSSIAN AMBASSADOR TO THE UN (through translator): We've long ago stopped being surprised by your attempts in any circumstances in spite of facts or common sense to blame Russia for everything.
LINDA THOMAS-GREENDFIELD, U.S. AMBASSADOR TO THE UN: This tragedy would never have happened. But for Russia's needless invasion of Ukraine.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: A joint U.S.-Poland investigation is now underway with Ukraine's UN Ambassador promising full cooperation for expressing condolences for the two people who were killed in Poland. He said Russia's barbaric attacks are creating a humanitarian disaster in Ukraine and beyond. Russia's UN envoy rejected any responsibility for the deadly strike. Senior U.S. military officials at the time Ukrainian forces work defending it's possibly the biggest barrage of Russian missiles since the war began.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP
GEN. MARK MILLEY, CHAIRMAN, U.S. JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF: The investigation is ongoing. There's professionals there to do the forensics, you know all the debris that's in and around the impact site and so on so forth. And very shortly we'll know all the facts.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: That flurry of Russian missiles to get another toll on Ukraine's already badly damaged power grid. 7 million left without electricity and now major internet outages as well. For more on that and the investigation into the missile strike in Poland here's CNN's Senior International Correspondent Sam Kiley.
(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)
SAM KILEY, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voiceover): Death in Poland. Two farmers killed in a missile strike a spillover from war in Ukraine. But Ukraine's President insisting that his country wasn't responsible. In any case, there's no blame on Kia from Poland.
ANDRZEJ DUDA, POLISH PRESIDENT (through translator): It was probably an accident. Russia attacked Ukraine and Ukraine air defenses shot quite a few Russian missiles to neutralize the attack. There is a high chance that maybe one of the missiles just fell on our territory.
KILEY: And it could have been much worse, a tragedy turned into global catastrophe. Because if Poland civilians had died in a deliberate Russian missile strike, Poland, a member of NATO could have demanded all-out war against the Kremlin.
Those fears are now over as it appears likely that a Ukrainian Air Defense Weapon fired a Russian missile hit this polish farm six kilometers in from the border. The West is blaming Russia. JENS STOLTENBERG, NATO SECRETARY GENERAL: Let me be clear, this is not Ukraine's fault. Russia bears ultimate responsibility, as it continues its illegal war against Ukraine.
KILEY: On Tuesday, Ukrainians injured close to 100 cruise missiles in a storm of attacks on cities and infrastructure. Many Russian missiles were shot down, but Ukraine's electrical network was still hit with 7 million facing power shortages. The internet was cut by a third and two people killed in Kyiv. Russia denied that it had launched against targets close to Poland. But the Ukrainian border town of Lviv local officials said had shot down 10 out of 13 Russian missiles on Tuesday.
[01:05:02]
YURIY SAK, UKRAINIAN DEFENSE MINISTRY ADVISER: We've been requesting to close our skies for a long time now, and we're talking to our international partners about this almost on a daily basis, we believe and we almost confident that, you know, the air defense capabilities of Ukraine will continue to be a top priority both for us and for our international partners.
KILEY: Ukraine wants to rely a lot less on these and more on these 21st century Western weapons, to help it hold off Russia's area of counter attack, while it's recapturing territory on the ground, heavy hints are coming, that the tragedy in Poland may accelerate that process.
AUSTIN: We're going to maintain our momentum throughout the winter so that Ukraine can continue to consolidate gains and seize the initiative on the battlefield. Our NASAMS air defense systems are now operational. And they have had 100 percent success rate in interrupting Russian missiles.
KILEY: Ukraine stated need for more modern weapons, now tragically proven in a Polish field. Sam Kiley, CNN, in Quiveri (ph).
(END VIDEO TAPE)
VAUSE: Matthew Schmidt is Director of International Affairs at the University of New Haven is with us this hour from Washington. Thanks for taking the time, Matt. Good to see you.
MATTHEW SCHMIDT, DIRCTOR, INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW HAVEN: My pleasure.
VAUSE: So overall, here's what most considered to be, I guess, good news from all of this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
STOLTENBERG: But we have no indication that this was the result of a deliberate attack. And we have no indication that Russia is preparing offensive military actions against NATO.
(END VIDEO CLIP) VAUSE: That seems to be stating the obvious in a way, because why would Russia consider expanding their frontlines of war which chain is already losing so badly?
SCHMIDT: Well, I think there would be a reason. I think that this is possible, at least to consider that this is a kind of deliberate neglect, on the part of Russian military planners to sort of, you know, launch a missile and expect that it's got a decent chance of crossing the border, in order to create a kind of probe, right to test NATO's political response. I don't think they -- I don't know if this happened, but I think we need to consider it. Especially given that Zelenskyy has come out and said, Hey, my military told me that they've got strong evidence this was in fact, a Russian missile, and not a straight Ukrainian one. And he's asked to be, you know, be part of the investigation. I think we have to pay attention to that.
VAUSE: But among the rest of NATO, there doesn't seem to be any disagreement over who is ultimately responsible, regardless of where, how and why the missile was fired. They say the Ukrainians are not the ones to blame. Here we go. Listen to this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KRZYSZTOF SZCZERSKI, POLISH AMBASSADOR TO THE UN: No matter what was the particular cause of the --course of the events in Przewodow, the fact that that is that that fight that afternoon, those innocent people would not have been killed if there had been no Russian war against Ukraine.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: So I guess the argument here seems to be sort of in the line, least with international law, if Russia hadn't started this conflict, then if it was a Ukrainian air defense missile, which was fired, it's not Ukraine's fault.
SCHMIDT: That's absolutely correct. Right. Russia launched 100 or so missiles to Ukraine, against the energy infrastructure, which was a war crime. And the fact that this happened accidentally or deliberately is their fault.
VAUSE: And yet, as you mentioned, from the Ukraine, from the President on down (ph), actually, there is this insistence it was a Russian fired missile that was launched by Russia. And on that a diplomat from one NATO country in Kyiv told the Financial Times this is getting ridiculous. The Ukrainians are destroying our confidence in them, nobody's blaming Ukraine, and they are openly lying. This is more destructive than the missile.
So, what are the chances that initially keep it (INAUDIBLE) an opening here to draw NATO more directly into the war, possibly for some kind of no fly zone? But with these new details, they're now struggling to walk everything back.
SCHMIDT: I think it's unlikely that Zelenskyy is logic is moving in that kind of direction, because it is extremely risky. If he pushes NATO in that direction, and then you know is called out and found to be wrong, he risked losing the entirety of the support that allows them to prosecute the war at all.
It's much more likely that Russia is probing NATO to see what kind of response they're going to have politically and if they might sort of break it apart in terms of policy to push Ukraine to negotiate sooner than they want to. I just don't think that Zelenskyy is dumb enough to risk everything he has with this kind of stuff.
VAUSE: I get that gets us to the former Russian president or Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, who tweeted this, the incident with the Ukrainian alleged missile strike on a Polish farm proves just one thing, waging a hybrid war against Russia, the West moves closer to the World War.
So far, the response from the West have been quite the opposite. It's been to try and de-escalate this. How quickly and how easily could this incident triggered a major escalation?
[01:10:00]
SCHMIDT: I don't think the risk of a major escalation is that great because Poland and NATO have an opportunity to decide how they're going to respond. Right. And in any case, this is the kind of an attack where they're going to step back, they're going to want to downplay it, even if they have evidence in their hands that it isn't Russian missile, right? They have no good reason to come out and show that, because they have no reason to escalate that plays into Putin's hand in terms of his propaganda. And it, you know, it hurts Ukraine. So they're going to hold their powder dry as long as possible.
VAUSE: Very quickly, what this all together, how does this play? How does this work out? How does this end?
SCHMIDT: I think the thing to keep your eye on right now is the larger missile attack, which was targeting, you know, infrastructure in Ukraine's civilian infrastructure, and that what Putin is doing is he's really using the Ukrainian population, the civilian population as a pressure point. He's trying to make the pain in that population so bad, especially in winter now, that Zelenskyy may step up to that negotiating table.
He's trying to create a refugee crisis in the rest of Europe that they may push Zelenskyy to that negotiating table. Right? That's Putin's entire strategy right now is to use the Ukrainian population as a weapon, really, and I think we need to keep our eye on that. Because, you know, that's the real context within which this is all taking place.
VAUSE: Matthew, thanks so much. Appreciate it.
SCHMIDT: My pleasure.
VAUSE: Leaders of the world's wealthiest economies have ended a summit in Bali, Indonesia with agreement on an official statement condemning the war in Ukraine. Recent part the G-20 deplores in the strongest terms, the aggression by the Russian Federation against Ukraine demands its completed unconditional withdrawal from the territory of Ukraine. Not all members agreed the statement notes some had different assessments of the situation as well as sanctions.
And on the sidelines of the G-20 visibly irritated Chinese President scolded The Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, what appears to be a cringeworthy hot mic moment, which was made for the world to see. In just 40 seconds, Xi Jinping gave Justin Trudeau dressing down, he likely won't forget anytime soon. She was apparently unhappy. Details of an earlier conversation with Trudeau had been leaked to the Canadian media.
XI JINPING, CHINESE LEADER (through translator): Everything we discussed has been leaked to the papers and that is not appropriate. And that is not the way the conversation was conducted.
JUSTIN TRUDEAU, CANADIAN PRIME MINISTER: We believe in free and open and frank dialogue, and that is what we will continue to have. We will continue to look to work constructively together, but there will be things we will disagree on.
JINPING: Let's create the condition first.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: And dismissed. Earlier this week, the two leaders held their first face to face conversation in more than three years, reportedly raised serious concerns over China's domestic interference including allegations China meddled in Canada's 2019 election.
For more on this, we're joined now live by CNN's Will Ripley who will replay in Bangkok, Thailand. You know, this is just one of those interesting moments that Xi Jinping clearly knew that this would be seen around the world. So what was the point?
WILL RIPLEY, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: John, this exchange with the Canadian Prime Minister certainly is showing us a side of Xi Jinping that we don't see in the carefully scripted and carefully controlled Chinese state media. You compare it if you would, to the incident where Hu Jintao, Xi Jiping's predecessor was hauled out of the party congress and Xi Jinping just kind of stared ahead, you know, very, very calmly.
But here you actually see him giving this as you put it a dressing down to, you know, one of the most important allies of the United States. The Canadian Prime Minister basically getting scolded because of the leaky nature of democracies, where often times discussions between leaders details are leaked out to the press, certainly something that Xi Jinping, in carefully a buttoned up, China would never allow. China is one of the least leaky governments.
But in terms of like, showcasing just how he has this new swagger about him now that after China's party congress, he essentially has been bestowed this unprecedented third term as China's leader, some are calling him a modern day emperor. And so he is showing that strength in this face to face diplomacy. And it's really rare look at something that we don't normally get to see. Here is what Justin Trudeau had to say shortly after that exchange in Bali at the G-20.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUDEAU (through translator): Listen, I think that people know that not all the conversations are going to be easy with the other leaders, especially when it comes to issues that are sources of disagreement.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
RIPLEY: On Monday, there of course, was that three-hour meeting between the U.S. President Joe Biden and Xi Jinping was hoping to be a diplomatic reset, if you will. Biden, you know, had a virtual summit with Xi. They've met a number of times over the last decade or so, but they haven't met in person until this week. And it was certainly striking that they sat down for three hours face to face and at the end emerged with some hope of being able to avoid a misunderstanding or miscalculation that could trigger a conflict.
[01:15:06]
One interesting thing was that Xi Jinping tried to reshape the narrative that Biden has presented to the world in recent years, that there is this, you know, emerging conflict, if you will, between democracy and autocracy. Xi Jinping calling the system in China Chinese style democracy, which some analysts say may be an attempt to signal to U.S. allies, that China is not going to have ideological differences via a major barrier in communication.
You know, he also met on Tuesday with four key U.S. allies Australia, France, the Netherlands, South Korea, South Africa, as well. The Australian Prime Minister meeting was very important given the tense relations between Australia and China over Australia is calling for an investigation into the origins of COVID-19. And he has another busy, busy schedule as he arrives here in Bangkok.
In the coming hours, he could be giving a speech later today, although that is still unconfirmed. We also know that there's a meeting set with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. The first and I believe six years and will also be meeting with the Prime Minister of New Zealand Jacinda Ardern.
So we may see more images of Xi Jinping showing a side of himself that the world hasn't gotten to see. Certainly since he's become this new, as some might call it leader for life, John.
VAUSE: Three years he seems to be sort of all pent up anger and frustration some energy he needs to get it laid out. Well, thank you. Will Ripley in Bangkok.
How they chanted how they cheered. Brazilian President-elect Lula da Silva back on the international stage, and that is a reason why so many happy cheering given a sort of rock star greeting at COP27 in Egypt Wednesday. Lula did not disappoint. He accused countries that ignoring the climate crisis or spending trillions of dollars on wall but most importantly of all, he vowed he would protect the Amazon. More details now from CNN to David McKenzie. (BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)
DAVID MCKENZIE, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (on camera: President elect Lula da Silva of Brazil received a hero's welcome of sorts at the cop meetings in Egypt. He will be coming in in January and has just won a bitter election against Jair Bolsonaro, who had a famously ambivalent attitude towards climate change.
Lula, as is universally known, said that more needs to be done to help poor countries combat the climate crisis. He also says that his administration will do more to monitor illegal logging in the critical Amazon rainforest and crackdown on Wildcat loggers and miners. But the main thrust was really equality when it comes to fighting climate change.
LUIZ INACIO LULA DA SILVA, BRAZILIAN PRESIDENT-ELECT (through translator): We need with urgency and with a lot of urgency, I should say, financial mechanisms or facilities to remedy the loss and damages caused due to climate change.
We cannot postpone this debate. We need to deal with the reality of countries that have their own fiscal integrity of their territories threatened and the survival conditions of its inhabitants seriously compromised, it's time to act. We can't waste time anymore. We cannot live with this rush towards the abyss.
MCKENZIE: But the European Union negotiator told CNN that it's unlikely the E.U., U.S. or the U.K. will come up or wants to push any kind of specific mechanism for loss and damage at these climate talks leading to fears by many activists that this will just be an issue that's pushed down the road without concrete action. David McKenzie, CNN Johannesburg.
(END VIDEO TAPE)
VAUSE: Later this hour how seven colleges in Brazil are working to restore a landscape devastated by deforestation. Also ahead, Republicans set to take control the U.S. House but with a (INAUDIBLE) thin majority. And now comes the Donald. The former president confirms a 2024 run the earliest launch of a presidential campaign in U.S. history. Also ahead this.
The man they wanted to hang talks to CNN about the day Trump supporters came for him as well as who he thinks should be president in 2024. And a whole lot more from CNN town hall.
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[01:21:27]
VAUSE: Welcome back. North Korea fired a short range ballistic missile a short time ago according to South Korea's military. Missile was fired into the eastern waters off the Korean Peninsula comes just hours after Pyongyang warned on a fierce response to U.S. efforts to boost its security presence in the region.
By CNN's count this is a 33rd day this year, which Pyongyang has carried out missile tests. There's been a lot.
More we're joined by CNN's Anna Coren live in Hong Kong. So I guess the other way of looking at if you look at the count here is that it's been eight days since they conducted a ballistic missile test. Good news, I suppose.
ANNA COREN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good news. Perhaps they've just been waiting for the right time. Obviously, North Korea has been the subject of much discussion this past week with all the international diplomacy that's been happening in Asia. You had the ASEAN Summit G- 20, now APEC. They weren't going to upstage President Xi, you know, obviously China very close to North Korea, on his charm offensive in Bali, but clearly they feel they've waited long enough.
So this morning, we heard from North Korea's a foreign minister chase on a he (ph) -- we haven't heard from her in quite a while but she promised fiercer military response to the U.S. and its allies. And then, you know, several hours later, this short range ballistic missile was fired.
But let me tell you a little bit more about that statement and why North Korea is so angry. It's in relation to talks that were held last Sunday in Cambodia was on the sidelines of the ASEAN summit between the United States, South Korea and Japan in response to North Korea's more aggressive, provocative behavior. And there they pledged a greater security cooperation.
Now, according to North Korea's foreign minister, this has now created an unpredictable phase on the Korean Peninsula. And let me read you more of that statement that was issued on it state media KCNA in North Korea. She said the U.S. bolstered offer of extended deference deterrence, I should say, and the daily increasing military activities of the allied forces around the Korean Peninsula are foolish acts that will bring more serious instability to the U.S. and its allies. She goes on to say, the U.S. will be well aware that it is gambling for which it is -- it will certainly regret.
As I say a few hours later, that short range ballistic missile was fired. According to the South Korean military it was a Mach 4, it traveled 240 kilometers at an altitude of 47 kilometers. This just adds to the flurry of activity we have seen from North Korea, particularly this month.
Earlier, it was very angry about those military drills happening between South Korea and the United States. But now it obviously takes offense to this these talks that were held the ASEAN summit on Sunday. And as we know, John, both the United States and South Korea believe that it's only a matter of time before North Korea conducts another nuclear test it would be its seventh nuclear test, but the first since 2017.
VAUSE: Anna, thank you. Anna Coren live for us in Hong Kong.
Republicans now set to take control of the U.S. House this January and President Joe Biden says he's willing to work with the incoming majority. [01:25:02]
But were they willing to work with him remains to be seen, chances are not a chance. As it sounds the Republicans have a paper thin hold on the lower House far from that red wave. Many Republicans have predicted. Republican infighting is put into question who will be the next Speaker of the House but in the Senate, Mitch McConnell remains Republican leader and essentially I'm the longest serving party leader in Senate history. Details are from CNN's Manu Raju.
(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)
MANU RAJU, CNN CHIEF CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voiceover): After trading blame for more than a week, amid the GOP failure to take back the Senate.
SEN. TED CRUZ (R-TX): The country is screwed for the next four years because of this.
RAJU: Mitch McConnell reelected for another two years as Republican leaders but for the first time in his 15 years as leader facing the challenger, Republican Rick Scott, the vote in the secret ballot election 37 for McConnell, 10 for Scott, one voting president.
What lesson did you learn from this? And will you change your approach at all?
SEN. MITCH MCCONNELL (R-KY) SENATE REPUBLICAN LEADER: At first, I don't own this job. Anybody who wants to have run for it can feel free to do so. As everyone has said, we had a good opportunity to discuss the various differences and I'm pretty proud of 37 to 10.
RAJU: Behind closed doors for more than three hours, Republicans engaged in an intense debate for the second straight day, some criticizing Scott's tenure running the Senate GOP campaign arm, others calling on McConnell to be more inclusive.
SEN. RICK SCOTT (R-FL): What is our plan? Why -- What are we running off?
RAJU: In some say blame for the midterm failure rests with McConnell, not with former President Donald Trump who pushed Senate candidates that ultimately lost critical races.
SEN. JOSH HAWLEY (R-MO): Senator McConnell's view is that Trump is largely to blame that Republicans have an image problem going to Trump upside. I don't agree with that.
RAJU: What is it about Mitch McConnell's leadership style that you don't like?
SEN. MIKE BRAUN (R-IN): I look for something that tries to get us in a better place and where we have been.
RAJU: McConnell has yet to publicly blame Trump, but told CNN that certain people in their party frighten moderate voters. MCCONNELL: Their impression of many of the people in our party and leadership roles is that they're gone and chaos, negativity, excessive attacks.
RAJU (on camera): Now, CNN has projected that the Republicans will retake control of the U.S. House meaning that they will have the power to set the agenda. They will have the power to drive the investigations on the committees, the power to issue subpoenas. And we expect on Thursday morning to committee chairman to begin to lay out their investigative priorities, namely investigating the president's son Hunter Biden, and overseas business dealings was really a big part of the agenda, but they will still have to legislate and legislating will be difficult given the divide between the republican conference between the moderate wing and the conservative wing and the likelihood that this will be a razor thin House majority, meaning Kevin McCarthy if he does become the next Speaker of the House will have a very difficult time navigating those two wings and ensuring there is few defections as possible to get his agenda through. Manu Raju, CNN, Capitol Hill.
(END VIDEO TAPE)
VAUSE: Donald Trump's new presidential bid is not getting the rave reviews he may have been expecting. It's been two years since he was voted out and New York Times Editorial Board has concluded America deserves someone better. The National Review reacted to the announcement with just one word. No.
Many Democratic lawmakers with vivid memories of the violence on January 6, Trump remains an existential threat to democracy, who should never again be close to the levers of government. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. CHRIS MURPHY (D-CT): I'm not excited about Donald Trump's decision to run for office. I think it'd be better for the country if Donald Trump vanished from the political landscape. This is the most dangerous political figure America has encountered at least in the last half a century and his attacks on democracy, his support for political violence, it threatens to undo the very fabric of the country.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: Even the Murdoch own once Trump very friend New York Post had this headline but on what page 27, Florida man makes announcement.
At a CNN town hall, the man who was Donald Trump's loyal vice president has refused to support Trump's 2024 campaign. Mike posts -- Mike Pence rather left the door open to seeking the Republican nomination himself. And while he does not plan to testify before the January 6 committee, it doesn't make the day of the Capitol insurrection was the most difficult day of his public life.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) JAKE TAPPER, CNN HOST: I do want to take you back to that day. Take a look at the video over here. That of course was the news hanging outside the Capitol that day and rioters were calling for your execution chanting Hang Mike Pence. Almost two years later, is it still tough to do some of the video of the hang Mike Pence? Two years later, is it's still tough to see that and hear that?
MIKE PENCE, FORMER U.S. VICE PRESIDENT: Jake, it saddens me but that day it angered me. I must tell you when --
[01:29:50]
JAKE TAPPER, CNN HOST: Almost two years later, is it still tough to -- there's some of the video of the "hang Mike Pence" -- two years later, is it still tough to see that and hear that?
MIKE PENCE, FORMER VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Jake, it saddens me. But that day, it angered me. I must tell you, when the Secret Service took us down to the dock, accompanied by my wife and my daughter charlotte, and our Secret Service detail I was determined to stay at my post. I told the Secret Service that I was not leaving the Capitol. I didn't want to give those people the site of a 16-car motorcade speeding away from the Capitol that day.
But frankly, when I saw those images, and when I read a tweet that President Trump issued, saying that I lacked courage in that moment, it angered me greatly.
But to be honest with you, I didn't have time for it. The president had decided in that moment to be a part of the problem. I decided and was determined to be part of the solution.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
JOHN VAUSE, CNN ANCHOR: Pence says during his first meeting with Trump after the riot, the former president was remorseful in that moment.
If it's Thursday, it must be time for the British government to announce another economic plan. Finance Minister Jeremy Hunt set to introduce a lot of new taxes and cuts to spending. While at the same time trying to move on from the economic chaos caused by the previous Prime Minister Liz Truss.
The new government needs to restore confidence in the British economy. Inflation just over 11 percent, a 41-year high drawing fears of a big recession on the horizon.
Still ahead, Qatar and controversy, they go together like peanut butter and jelly. The latest is over freedom of the press and it was all seen live on TV.
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VAUSE: The reigning World Cup champions have arrived in Qatar. France heading for a repeat of their victory from four years ago. If they do, they'll be the first nation to clinch back-to-back titles in decades. Not since Brazil's two consecutive wins in 1958 and 1962.
Just days before Qatar's World Cup gets underway, officials have apologized to a news group in Denmark for what may best be described as overzealous security.
The video posted on social media on Tuesday appears to show a confrontation between a reporter and security guards of Doha. The reporter was interrupted live on air, followed by a threat to smash his camera.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RASMUS TANTHOLDT, TV2: Mister, you invited the whole world to the -- you invited the whole world to come here. Why can't we film? It's a public place.
But listen. You can break the camera. You want to break it?
(CROSSTALK)
[01:34:58]
TANTHOLDT: Ok. So you're threatening us by smashing the camera?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: They didn't smash the camera.
World Cup organizers later issued a statement saying, "Upon inspection of the crew's valid tournament accreditation and filming permit, an apology was made to the broadcaster by on-site security before the crew resumed their activity."
On-site security. That's just the latest in a series of controversies concerning the host of this year's World Cup from human rights to LGBTQ rights, treatment of migrant workers. Then many are just asking the question why Qatar was chosen in the first place.
Isa Soares has our report.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The winner to organize the 2022 FIFA World Cup is Qatar.
ISA SOARES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The sports world was stunned when FIFA awarded the World Cup to Qatar. Controversy took center stage and football risked becoming a sideshow.
Why was Qatar a tiny desert state with no football pedigree, chosen to host FIFA's showpiece event? Even the disgraced former chief of football's governing body has since described the decision as a mistake.
SEPP BLATTER, FORMER FIFA PRESIDENT: I was right, as I said, in time, to say we should not go there. SOARES: That move 12 years ago provoked unprecedented anger.
Accusations of corruption and sports washing. Qatari officials strongly deny the allegation that bribery was involved in their bid. Before a ball is kicked at this year's tournament, attention has focused on Qatar's human rights records, its stance on same-sex relationships, and most damaging to its reputation, the treatment of overseas workers drafted in to build essential infrastructure.
Amnesty International claims authorities failed to properly investigate the deaths of thousands of migrant workers despite evidence linking premature deaths with unsafe working conditions in the searing heat.
Qatari officials say they investigate all reports of abuse and exploitation, and are now committed to holding unscrupulous employers to account.
DAVID BECKHAM, FORMER FOOTBALL PLAYER: How important is it to keep traditions like this?
SOARES: Ambassadors like David Beckham have been criticized for accepting roles said to be worth millions of dollars.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If you end your relationship with Qatar, I'll donate this ten grand of my own money --
SOARES: Comedian Joe Light (ph) had called out the former England captain, saying his status as a gay icon was under threat. Homosexual acts are illegal in Qatar, considered immoral under as law make law. Punishments includes prison sentences and even death.
Organizers told CNN, Qatar is a tolerant and welcoming country and claim no one will be discriminated against. Nonetheless, calls to boycott the tournament have gathered momentum.
When the final whistle goes at Qatar 2022, the legacy will be judged not only over 28 days of football, but in the years that lie ahead.
Isa Soares, CNN.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VAUSE: A glimmer of hope for parts of Uganda facing an outbreak of ebola. The World Health Organization says the first doses of three trial vaccines will arrive next week.
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DR. MICHAEL RYAN, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, WHO HEALTH EMERGENCY PROGRAMME: We hope -- I dearly hope -- that this epidemic goes away. But this epidemic is controllable without vaccines. It's clear that we can get to containment without vaccines. But it's also clear from the Congo experience that you can get to control much quicker using effective vaccines.
(END VIDEO CLIP) VAUSE: The initial doses will be given to about 3,000 people who have into contact with ebola patients.
When we come back here on CNN, protesters chant "death to Khamenei, death to the dictator" then setting fire to a seminary in Iran. Details of the demonstrations sweeping across the country. That's next.
[01:38:55]
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VAUSE: A brutal and deadly crackdown on anti-government protesters continue in Iran. State media say three more demonstrators have been sentenced to death on those charges, bringing the total number to five.
Demonstrations took place across the country on a third year anniversary of the deadly November 2019 protests. This video shared online by an actor's outlet -- you can see an Iranian authority pointing a weapon at protesters at a subway station in Tehran.
Protesters said Biden's seminary in Western Iran, around the same time, as five people were shot and killed in the region. State media says the shooting is a terror attack planning two people on motorcycles shot at security forces. It's unclear if the shootings and the fire are linked.
Meantime, tensions between Israel and Iran are high after a drone attack on an oil tanker off the coast of (INAUDIBLE) on Wednesday.
It's also as Iran launched the drone which it says it's the same kind being used by Russia and Ukraine. The operating company says no one was hurt, but an Israeli official is calling it a provocation in the gulf designed to disrupt stability ahead of the World Cup in Qatar.
The world's two big polluters are talking again about how to combat climate change. U.S. climate envoy John Kerry says American and Chinese representatives are talking on the sidelines of the COP 27 climate summit in Egypt. Since the freeze on climate corporations that have gone on for months comes after the country's presidents went face to face earlier during the summer.
Environmental activists across Brazil and the world are hoping the incoming president, Lula DaSilva, will follow through and put an end to illegal deforestation in the Amazon but many are not waiting.
CNN's Paula Newton discovered one place in Sao Paulo where ecologists are restoring a devastated landscape to its natural beauty.
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PAULA NEWTON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: To save the planet, Luis Pinto (ph) says you don't have to go to the arctic or even the Amazon. This sky- high perch will do. What was once degraded pasture is now, after 15 years, an eco
paradise. Two miles of forest restoration.
LUIS PINTO, SOS AMAZONIA: This project doesn't change a big landscape, but it shows it's possible to bring back life, to bring back water, to bring back biodiversity to the center of the city of Sao Paulo.
NEWTON: Pinto walks us through the effort to revive the Atlantic forest, home to more than 145 million Brazilians, and yet, about three quarters of it has already been wiped out.
This is an effort to bring some of it back. And it works like an eco lab by planting trees, the forest provides for clean air and water. Bringing back eco diversity for plants and animals.
PINTO: So we need a lot of technology and knowledge and research to know which species to plant and how.
NEWTON: Projects like these are now at a crossroads of climate and political history in Brazil, a country that is one of the planets most significant stores of biodiversity.
For four years, the government of President Jair Bolsonaro was accused of undoing the environmental progress of former president and now president-elect Lula Da Silva.
Brazil's National Institute for Space Research estimates that in the Amazon alone, deforestation nearly doubled since Bolsonaro came to office in 2018.
Ricardo Salles was Bolsonaro's environment minister.
You know, to many environmentalist, you're as good as the devil. You're a bad guy.
RICARDO SALLES, BOLSONARO'S ENVIRONMENT MINISTER: Yes. Now. People don't understand that what we did was to show that the solution for environmental challenges and Brazil include, as a main part got the solution, the economic equation.
[01:44:55]
NEWTON: Salles now speaks as a newly elected lawmaker in a majority conservative congress and Brazil. His policies are still clearly popular with many here.
TXAI SURUI, INDIGENOUS LEADER: And I was so scared, you know.
NEWTON: Indigenous leader Txai Surui (ph) says she and her people, the (INAUDIBLE) Surui tribe, have been threatened and harassed when trying to protect Brazil's fragile environment. She accuses the Bolsonaro government of dismantling key environmental protections.
TXAI SURUI, INDIGENOUS ACTIVIST: We don't need to destroy to develop. We can do that in harmony with nature and it's the indigenous people who teach that. NEWTON: It is that fundamental struggle on climate action that so threatens progress in Brazil.
PINTO: We need to understand we need to understand earth as a nation that is key part of this plant and that decisions we will make will be important for earth but also for others.
NEWTON: And so, watch this space. Brazil's future climate action and its debate over environmental policy will be consequential far beyond its borders.
Paula Newton, CNN -- in Sao Paulo state, Brazil.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VAUSE: For more now on the future of the Amazon and the leadership role of Brazil's president-elect, Leah Stokes is associate professor at the University of California in Santa Barbara. Thanks for taking the time to be with us. Good to see you.
LEAH STOKES, ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR, UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SANTA BARBARA: Thanks so much for having me on.
VAUSE: Ok. So Lula Da Silva seems to be an example writ large of this relationship between domestic politics and the fate of the planet. Here he is. Listen to this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LUIZ INACIO LULA DA SILVA, BRAZIL'S PRESIDENT-ELECT (through translator): On the outcome of the Brazilian election depended not only the peace and well-being of the Brazilian people, but also the survival of the Amazon, and therefore, the survival of our planet.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: That's a really nice declaration. This is the reason why he was greeted at COP 27 with this applause and the enthusiasm. If he makes good on his promise, then, you know, we're looking good.
STOKES: Absolutely. You know, the last few weeks and really the last year have been really hopeful when it comes to climate action.
We've seen fantastic elections in Brazil, this past week in the United States, and more recently, or earlier on in the year, in Australia as well. You know, climate champions are beating back governments that have no interest in protecting people or the planet. And that is really good news for the planet.
VAUSE: So Lula Da Silva was elected president after four years of this guy. Here we go.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JAIR BOLSONARO, FORMER BRAZILIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): It is a fallacy to say that the Amazon is the heritage of humankind, and a misconception as confirmed by scientists to say that our Amazon forests are the lungs of the world.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: Jair Bolsonaro, spectacularly wrong with that statement. That was made back in 2019. And for the record, data from Brazil's National Institute for Space Research shows the rate of deforestation under Bolsonaro's presidency climbed by more than 70 percent in 2018 to 2021.
Can the damage caused by four years of Bolsonaro be undone?
STOKES: Well, you know, the damage can never fully be undone. When you are cutting down forest. It can't magically be replanted. But we can stop the bleeding. That's why President Elect Lula is so exciting, really, on the international landscape because he's providing hope to so many people.
VAUSE: Is there a way to make it not only the harm which was done to the Amazon by Bolsonaro. What about the progress which was lost by not having Lula Da Silva there as, you know, as president. Because he at the time was making good strides, before he was voted out of office.
So can we work out what we've lost by having Bolsonaro there in terms of progress with his people?
STOKES: Yes. you know, President Lula, when he was previously in office, was really doing amazing things. He had cut deforestation by something like 80 percent, making huge progress internationally.
Unfortunately, Bolsonaro really rolled that back. But now, we have a chance to get the lungs of the earth really working at a level that we haven't been able to do with Bolsonaro.
We can say the same thing in the United States. These elections are really hopeful when it comes to having climate action.
VAUSE: Here's the thing though. It seems even if there's rare agreement among world leaders to take this action, it doesn't seem to be worth the recycled paper it's written on. President Trump withdrawing the U.S. from the Paris Accords or more recently COP27, this new (INAUDIBLE) of Costa Rica backing out of the coalition because we can't balance any simple oil or gas. We just don't seem to have the luxury of politics and stupidity to (INAUDIBLE) at the same time.
STOKES: We REALLY don't have the luxury. Time is not on our side. You know, scientists have said that we have to cut carbon pollution in half this decade. And we need leaders like President Elect Lula in Brazil to really be doing what's necessary, or President Biden to have the leadership in Congress to keep pushing or, you know, the kinds of elections that we've seen in Australia. We need that to be happening everywhere, all around the world.
[01:49:54]
STOKES: But I have to say, I'm more hopeful in the last few weeks than I've certainly been in many years, you know. They United States has passed a landmark climate legislation this year. We have a president elect in Brazil who's talking about restoring the lungs of the earth.
There's a lot to be hopeful when it comes to climate action globally.
VAUSE: Each step along the way. Leah, thanks so much for being with us. Really good to see you.
STOKES: Thanks for having me on.
VAUSE: Coming up here on CNN, from Musk to the few workers he is yet to fire at Twitter. Work hard core or be shown the door." Nice. Details straight ahead.
Plus, all she wanted for Christmas was to be queen on Christmas. Mariah Carey's hopes, dreams, desires all crushed. We'll tell you why.
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VAUSE: Welcome back.
Elon Musk took the stand Wednesday in a lawsuit over his salary package at Tesla, which in 2018 was $56 billion -- billion dollars, more than billion dollars a week.
It was brought by a shareholder who knows Musk was not even required to work full-time as CEO. Musk's lawyers say the stock incentive were (INAUDIBLE). The plaintiff's lawyers say it was unjust enrichment. They say the pay is almost equal to the GDP of the state of Delaware where the trial is taking place.
And this gets better. The billion dollar a week guy has sent an internal e-mail to all Twitter staff as an ultimatum. Either work extremely hard core or you'll be shown the door. And you have until Thursday to decide.
Here's CNN's Clare Sebastian.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ELON MUSK, TWITTER CEO: I mean, I'm really working at the absolute most amount that I can work from morning until night, seven days a week.
CLARE SEBASTIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Speaking from a room which he said had lost power, Elon Musk detailing the impact of his new power as Twitter's owner and CEO.
MUSK: I have too much work on my plate. That is for sure.
SEBASTIAN: Touting his personal work ethic then telling staff at Twitter in a memo shortly after they need to commit to, quote, "extremely hard core work, or leave", fits a pattern for Musk.
MUSK: Last time I was here, I actually stopped literally on the floor, because the path (ph) was too narrow. SEBASTIAN: In 2018, he told CBS News he'd been sleeping in his
California factory while trying to fix production problems.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It is pushing people to a limit beyond what most of us would consider fair. We looked back at Tesla and SpaceX. What he's asking people to accomplish under tight deadlines is something we don't even know is technically possible.
SEBASTIAN: To say Musk is a culture shock for Twitter staff, the half of them that he did not fire, would be an understatement. Having mandated 40 hours a week in the office for Tesla staff this June, he's now canceled much of Twitter's work from home policy, which just eight months ago allowed employees to work from home forever if they wanted.
MUSK: We went through the cyber truck.
SEBASTIAN: Musk seems to thrive on disruption promising to quote, "do a lot of dumb things at Twitter in the first few months". And some would argue, already delivering.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's mania mixed with chaos. It's just -- it's hard to imagine where it goes from here.
[01:55:00]
SEBASTIAN: Others argued Twitter, a company that took 12 years to turn an annual profit, might benefit from Musk's brand of experimentation.
ANDY WU, ASSISTANT PROFESSOR, BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION, HARVARD: We have to remember that Musk comes from a culture of SpaceX, where he built in the culture there. That is an -- it is acceptable for $100 million dollar rocket to explode and you can move on and build another one the next day.
If you come from that kind of environment, messing up a check mark on Twitter is honestly not as big a deal I think from their eyes.
MUSK: It's very important to accelerate the transition to sustainable transport.
SEBASTIAN: Beyond chaos, Musk is a leader known for his desire to change the world.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Lift off.
SEBASTIAN: And for having some success doing it.
MUSK: Well, I think it's very important for -- that will be an inclusive arena for free speech.
SEBASTIAN: His vision for Twitter, a company he tried to back out of buying, may prove his most divisive yet.
Clare Sebastian, CNN -- London.
(END VIDEOTAPE) VAUSE: Over so many years, pop princess Mariah Carey has had this one burning desire.
(MUSIC)
VAUSE: She may have gotten that but she's not getting her other wish -- to be queen of Christmas, at least according to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. They're refusing her request for a trademark on the phrase after her company applied for it last year.
But in August of this year, musician Elizabeth Chan filed to oppose Carey's request saying she was already using the phrase -- she's already queen of Christmas.
Carey released a Christmas album last year entitled "Queen of Christmas".
Many so-called queens have release holiday music. Talk show host David Letterman bestowed the moniker on the singer Darlene Love.
But the Patent office ruling says the phrase has no trademark holder. Anyone can be queen of Christmas. You can be queen of Christmas. You can be queen of Christmas.
Thank you for watching CNN NEWSROOM.
Our queen of Christmas, Rosemary Church will be next. CNN NEWSROOM continues.
See you right back here tomorrow.
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