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CNN INTERNATIONAL: Kremlin Accuses Ukraine Of Drone Attacks In Russia; Ukraine & Russia Exchange 60 Soldiers Each In Prisoner Swap; Indonesia Bans Sex Outside Of Marriage; Xi Calls For Unity At Late Leader's Memorial Service; Some Businesses Close As Protesters Call For More Strikes; Round Of 16 Wrapping Up With Two Matches; Brazil Dominate South Korea 4-1; How Will The Georgia Senate Runoff Change America? Historians Document Italian Landmarks From Mussolini Era. Aired 8-8:30a ET

Aired December 06, 2022 - 08:00   ET

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


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[08:00:37]

MAX FOSTER, CNN ANCHOR: Hello, and welcome to CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Max Foster in London. Just ahead, Indonesia's parliament passes a law criminalizing sex outside marriage. We'll have a full report from the region ahead this hour.

Plus, polls are open in the U.S. state of Georgia in a crucial Senate runoff race between these two men. But why does today's vote matters so much? We'll explain. And it is the final day of the round of 16 at the Qatar World Cup with big names set to take to the pitch today.

We begin this hour though in Ukraine with new evidence that the country may be raising the stakes in Russia's nine-month war by demonstrating its ability to strike deep into enemy territory on Tuesday. A Russian officials said a drone attack took place at an airfield in the Kursk Region and set an oil storage tank on fire. It comes a day after the Kremlin accused Ukraine of drone strikes on to Russian military bases, one, more than 500 kilometers from the Ukrainian border. Kyiv has not claimed responsibility.

Shortly afterwards, Moscow sent a barrage of missiles across Ukraine on Monday, hitting energy targets in civilian homes. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says many of those missiles were intercepted.

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VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT (through translation): Every Russian missile shut down is concrete proof that terror can be defeated. But we still cannot give complete security to our sky. There were several hits. Unfortunately, there are victims.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FOSTER: Meanwhile, we are just learning about a prisoner swap between Ukraine and Russia involving dozens of soldiers on both sides. CNN's Will Ripley has the details.

WILL RIPLEY, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Right now, I'm in Sumy, Ukraine about 25 miles from the Russian border. And we've just received word that a prisoner exchange has taken place. 60 Ukrainians coming back from Russian prisons and 60 Russians headed back home at this hour. This is the result of negotiations between the Ukrainians and the Russians that have been going on for likely quite some time. We expect to learn more details as we head to speak with some of the people who've been involved in this.

These prisoner swaps have been one of the few bright spots for the families who have endured so much suffering in this unprovoked cruel war that is going on some nine months now. These family members who have been waiting desperately for worried about their missing loved ones, will be able to actually see them in the coming hours and days, and they'll be able to share their stories of what happened when they were captured and what their life was like as prisoners of war.

Meanwhile, there is new concern that the situation may actually be escalating with Ukraine launching apparent drone strikes far into Russian territory even though the Ukrainians are not claiming responsibility here. Russia is blaming Ukraine for these massive explosions caused by Soviet technology, jet drones that have flown in one case just 500 miles outside of Moscow to a strategic military base. That is a situation that we continue to monitor here in northeastern Ukraine.

Will Ripley, CNN, Sumy, Ukraine.

FOSTER: Lawmakers of the world's largest Muslim majority nation, Indonesia, just passed a sweeping new criminal code, it includes a ban on sex outside marriage. New code will also apply to foreign residents and tourists. Amnesty International calls it a significant blow to human rights progress in Indonesia.

CNN's Anna Coren has more.

ANNA COREN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The Indonesian parliament has made sweeping changes to its criminal code, which critics fear could harm democratic freedoms and police morality in the world's third largest democracy. Offenses that will now be criminalized in what has been a predominantly moderate Islamic country include sex outside of marriage.

The law will apply not only to Indonesian citizens, but also foreigners living in the country as well as tourists. Those found guilty could face a year in prison. Other jailable offenses under this new penal code, a cohabitation among unmarried and LGBTQ couples, blasphemy, apostasy, as well as criticizing the president, the government or other state institutions.

Human rights groups say they are very concerned about the direction that Indonesia is heading with the rise of ultraconservative Islam in the nation's politics as it adopts what they say a Sharia inspired laws fearing that minority groups will be targeted.

[08:05:12]

Critics are calling these new laws troublesome and counterproductive, and say they could impact tourism, especially for the island of Bali, which relies heavily on Western tourists for its economy.

While it's unknown how this new criminal code will be enforced, the Indonesian Justice Minister says there will be intensive outreach to police, prosecutors, lawyers and advocates and that the laws will come into place in three years' time.

Anna Coren, CNN, Hong Kong.

FOSTER: Chinese leader Xi Jinping called on his nation to unite during a memorial service for former Chinese leader Jiang Zemin. President Xi called Jian's death an incalculable loss for the country. Jiang, he was 96-year-old -- years old, rather, died last week at a precarious moment in China just after extraordinarily rare protests erupted across the country.

Some protesters angry over China's zero-COVID policy criticized President Xi's authoritarian rule and call for him to step down. He told mourners that the nation must unite more closely around the party's central leadership to rejuvenate the country.

Now in Iran, another tense day after some businesses across the country closed their doors on Monday, as protesters called for a new three-day nationwide strike. Iranian state media clean businesses have resumed normal operations and the head of Iran's judiciary is warning there'll be swift punishment for anyone who threatens or harms businesses to stay open.

All this comes as widespread to anti-government protests sweep the country, sparked by the death of a 22-year-old woman who died in police custody after she was apprehended for allegedly not wearing her hijab properly.

Melissa Bell is following the latest developments for us. She joins us now live. Melissa, thanks for joining us. What do you know about the closure of businesses, for example, and actually what's going on in the country today?

MELISSA BELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: While CNN has been able to geolocate some of the videos that have been popping up on social media to try and get an idea of how widely observed this three-day call for a strike on the part of protesters has been. Because if you'll watch Iranian state TV, as you say, you could be forgiven for thinking that has been entirely ignored.

In fact, what we've seen is through that geolocation that has been fairly widely observed and across the country, which must, of course, be of huge concern to authorities. This comes of course, Max, nearly three months into those protests that really haven't gone away at all. In fact, there's been an escalation over the course of the last few weeks, as there have been more protests or deaths.

In fact, only today the announcement by authorities that five people are to be sentenced to death for the killing of Basij, militiaman- backed, in early in September, rather. The protester died after being shot six times, that conflict led to the killing of a militiaman. Six, five people now to be sentenced.

A top reason number of those sentenced to death by the Iranian judiciary, Max, since these protests began to 11. So no sign there that the government is in any mood for conceding whether the judiciary is backing off or that the repression is anywhere near its and this. Of course, as Iranians in the world outside wait to hear any more about those possible concessions that were spoken about these last few days, whether or not the hijab rule would be under review, if anything.

What we've been hearing today from a spokesman of the judiciary is that there has been no announcement about whether the morality police, of course, at the start of all this would be disbanded. That would take a meeting of the judiciary, the parliament and the president's office. And only then would an announcement follow. So again, I think we have to treat very cautiously, any hint of any concessions on the part of the reigning government at all, Max.

FOSTER: OK, Melissa, thank you for watching that for us.

Now the World Cup, the round of 16 wrapping up today with two matches on top. Morocco and Spain kick off in less than two hours and it's Portugal and Switzerland, as they battle it out a bit later on. Morocco haven't made it this far into the tournament in 36 years. Spain is trying to bounce back after this shocking loss to Japan.

Later players on Portugal -- with Portugal and Switzerland are each looking at records. Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo needs two goals to set the record for World Cup goals scored four Portugal, by one player which stands at nine. Switzerland's Xherdan Shaqiri is one goal away from matching the most goals by a Swiss player, which is six.

Let's get straight to Doha. Amanda Davies is there. First of all, let's just talk about Brazil and that spectacular moment which really made them that like favorites.

AMANDA DAVIES, CNN SPORTS ANCHOR: Has somebody's been googling, Max? The facts are all out there were they, yes, I have to say it was a pretty ominous warning shot for the rest from Brazil last night, wasn't it?

[08:10:03]

If people were talking about them as tournament pre-favorites, then expectation has kind of gone through the roof after that thumping for one victory over South Korea, which at times really was a bit like watching PlayStation football. And it really be interesting to see whether the remaining four sides playing in the rounds of 16 today will have been sat out there training bases watching.

Because for all of the thrills and spills and shocks that we received in the group stage matches here, actually, these rounds of 16 games have gone to form and it's the traditional powerhouses who have booked their place in the quarterfinals. Morocco, though, and Switzerland today will very much be hoping to change that.

Morocco are the team whose fans have absolutely taken over this town over the course of this tournament, very much taking over the souk in the last few hours because Morocco, as you rightly said, into the knockout stage of World Cup for the first time since 1986. And the sole representative left in this tournament flying the flag for the Arab nations.

It's really been quite a turnaround for them over the last couple of months, really late installments of their coach Walid at Regragui, who then brought back into the fold Hakim Ziyech. And, of course, we saw them finish above Croatia and Belgium to finish top of their group. So their coach at the moment saying every single match here, they are treating like a final. But this is without doubt, the biggest match in their footballing history against Spain.

And the Spain coach for his part Luis Enrique taking no risks at all. When the team's last met at the World Cup. Spain needed a late late equalizer to earn a point. And so Enrique said after their penalty exit at the European Championships last year, he told his players to each practice 1,000 penalties each between now.

And then to make sure if it goes to the wire, they absolutely are schooled and well-rehearsed in the right way. Morocco, they will be hoping they managed to do it in the 90 minutes because I think actually that the strength of their squad might be tested more against Spain than we've seen in the past.

The other tie later on, as you rightly mentioned, is all about Cristiano Ronaldo in the build-up but that's something that's frustrated their coach Fernando Santos. He said, we are here to talk about winning this World Cup. We're not here to talk about Cristiano Ronaldo and his frustration being substituted off against South Korea. We're not here to talk about what Cristiano Ronaldo is doing next.

After this tournament, of course, the suggestions he may speculation he might signs a big money deal to move to Saudi Arabia. He needs his team and his squad focused on the job in hand that is against Switzerland. And Switzerland or a side you actually got the victory against Portugal, the last time they met just back in June in the nations league. Max?

FOSTER: Just briefly on Ronaldo, the big star player I'll see off today for, you know, of today for many people watching rather, I know he's a controversial figure. But in terms of -- you know, this could be his last World Cup and people talking about where he's going. What's the chatter?

DAVIES: Oh, are we going to go there? I mean, there's so much speculation, Max, none of it. We have anything confirmed or any facts that we're able to report.

He's 37 years of age. He doesn't have a contract for club football after the end of this tournament. This is his fifth World Cup, as we mentioned, unlike Lionel Messi, who has suggested, has said he's going to reassess his options at the end of this tournament, particularly on the international standpoint. Cristiano Ronaldo hasn't said that. He has always maintained and a lot of his frustration with Manchester United was that he wants to be playing football at the top level, at the Champions League level week in, week out. He says he believes he's good enough that he can still do that. And he shows it in sports.

So there's a lot of speculation about where he's going to next, when he put his hands up in the summer and said he wanted to leave Manchester United. You have to say there weren't a million clubs coming in offering the big bucks that he felt he deserves. But there is speculation potentially he signed a deal to Saudi Arabia but nothing at all we can confirm, Max.

FOSTER: Ever the accurate journalist. Amanda, thank you very much indeed for joining us from Doha.

Much more still to come this hour on the Qatar World Cup. Amanda back in about 15 minutes with CNN's World Sport.

Now this come on -- this program polls are open across the state of Georgia, it's voting day in that crucial U.S. Senate runoff race. So why does what happens in Georgia matter across America? We'll take a closer look you next.

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[08:17:18]

FOSTER: Welcome back. How will today's Georgia Senate runoff vote change America? Polls are now open across the state and huge numbers of people have already had their say in early voting. So why does it matter? Take a closer look. Here's one of the front pages says it pretty well.

Nation watching today's runoff. So the whole nation, and indeed the world, are watching to see what happens here. These are the two candidates. One, a reverend, a minister, a Democrat and one a former NFL player for the Republicans and it's very, very tight between Walker and Warnock.

Let's have a look at the latest polling numbers. Warnock at 52 percent, Walker at 48 percent. This is why many people saying we're not going to get the results straightaway because they're going to count every single one of those votes.

So why is America watching? Why does this one state race matters so much nationwide? Let's ask CNN's Chief U.S. National Affairs Correspondent Jeff Zeleny, he's live for us at a polling station in Atlanta, Georgia. And you're going to answer that question for us, Jeff, why is it so important in Washington?

JEFF ZELENY, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: Well, Max, it's important because it -- the control of the Senate does not necessarily hinge on this now. It's a 50-50 split. But if Democratic Senator Raphael Warnock were to win today, that does give Democrats an outright majority in the U.S. Senate. That means a variety of things. One, they no longer would be so dependent upon each individual senator like West Virginia's Joe Manchin, or Arizona's Kyrsten Sinema. Viewers will certainly remember that they are often front and center and, you know, are more moderate than other senators in some respects. So this would give Democrats some breathing room.

But the biggest importance is on committee assignments. This is a bit arcane in the weeds, but it's important, because it gives Democrats an outright majority on all of these committees. So they are no longer split 50-50. It gives them subpoena power if they would need. But the biggest thing of all, it's a security blanket, first and foremost, against the Republican controlled House.

So certainly, that is something that Democrats want going into the new year, the new Congress. President Biden, the White House, you know, simply once just a bit of a majority here because it gives them extra oomph on their agenda. And certainly, there are judicial nominees and other nominees going through the U.S. Senate.

FOSTER: It's not great weather there, but there has been a massive turnout, hasn't there, because there's been so much coverage of this crucial race?

ZELENY: Well, there absolutely has been and some $80 million has been spent just in the last month on television ads alone and Democrats have more than a two to one advantage over that. But there has been a steady stream of voters here at this polling station in Atlanta behind me.

[08:20:03]

But both candidates last night delivered closing messages, their closing arguments to voters and clearly both were talking about turnout. Let's take a listen to both Herschel Walker and Raphael Warnock.

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HERSCHEL WALKER, U.S. SENATE REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE: The best thing I've ever done, including the Heisman Trophy, the Horatio Alger were all the thing, the best thing I've ever done and rough off is right here. A vote for my opponent is a vote for Joe Biden and a vote for Chuck Schumer.

RAPHAEL WARNOCK, U.S. SENATE DEMOCRAT: Matter of fact, call your father and your mother, your sister, and your brother called Lottie, Dottie and everybody. Tell them it's time to vote. Tell them that a vote is a kind of prayer for the world we desire for ourselves and for our children.

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ZELENY: And Senator Warnock there clearly had more confidence in the final day of campaigning, but it's urging Democratic voters to not be complacent. They need to come out in his words one more time to vote. And Max, you may be wondering why this race is still in Georgia where Georgia is only one of two U.S. states that actually has a runoff election. That means neither one of these candidates got more than 50 percent in the November election, that means it went to a runoff. So that is why they are in this. So Georgia voters once again will have the last word in this midterm election campaigns.

FOSTER: It's a fascinating race. Jeff Zeleny in Atlanta, Georgia, thank you so much for joining us.

And make sure you do stay with CNN, Jeff will be part of it. Special coverage of the Senate run off in Georgia, set to start at 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time on Tuesday.

Now many traveled to Italy to behold its iconic landmarks, but some of the country's monuments and architecture are a reflection of Italy's fascist paths. A look back just ahead.

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FOSTER: Italians today are living under the most far-right governments since the fascist era of Benito Mussolini. But even before that, there were reminders of that dark chapter in Italy's history in the country's architecture, and in its local landmarks.

CNN's Ben Wedeman explains.

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BEN WEDEMAN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Benito Mussolini's fascist party are long gone. His favorite balcony overlooking Rome's Piazza Venezia is now just another balcony. Yet the fascist era left a lasting mark on Italy's landscape, now documented in a new online database listing more than 1,400 sites linked to Italy's fascist past.

Over the last four years, historian Luccia Chichi (ph) worked with others to catalogue these sites.

Our idea is even more important at a time like this, she tells me, because it raises awareness and helps the circulation of anti-fascist antibodies.

Those antibodies have yet to kick in with a new far-right government and power here led by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who in her youth, was a Mussolini admirer. She now insists, fascist in his history.

Rome certainly isn't short of landmarks that hark back to those days.

[08:25:04]

(on-camera): After the fall of Italy's fascist regime in the end of the Second World War, busts and statues of Mussolini were removed. Other monuments from that era, however, have been left untouched.

(voice-over): Many here don't hide their appreciation for what fascism left behind, if not fascism itself. There's no point in cleaning up history says the culture ministry, Vittorio Sgarbi.

Fascist architectures last recognizable style of Italian architecture, he says. There's no Christian Democrat, no socialist, no communist architecture. There is only a horrific architecture of speculation of brutal capitalism that destroyed the landscape and environment.

Well post-war Germany went through a thorough process of denazification. Italy emerged from World War II and didn't look back. And even now, a whiff of nostalgia lingers here for the days when the trains ran on time.

This idea that in the end fascism did some good things is something you often hear in Italy, says historian Luccia Chichi (ph).

At Rome's Foro Italico, previously known as the Foro Mussolini or Mussolini's Forum, statues the dictator commission still watch over athletes in training, the past blemishes and all is never far away.

Ben Wedeman, CNN, Rome.

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FOSTER: Thank you for joining us on CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Max Foster in London. World Sport with Alex Thomas and Amanda Davies is up next.

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