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Drone Hit a Russian Territory; Russia Wants to See Ukrainians Suffer; Russian Fighters Fighting Their Own; Brazil's Team Eager to Reach the Finals; State Funeral Given to Jiang Zemin. Aired 3-4a ET
Aired December 06, 2022 - 03:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[03:00:00]
ROSEMARY CHURCH, CNN ANCHOR: -- sex outside of marriage faces jail time.
Plus, one of the most unique views of that erupting volcano in Hawaii, and CNN is along for the ride.
UNKNOWN: Live from CNN center, this is CNN Newsroom with Rosemary Church.
CHURCH: Thanks for joining us. Ukraine appears to be turning to a new tactic to counter Russia's brutal nine-month war. Moscow accuses Ukrainian forces of launching three drone strikes on military bases inside Russian territory in the past two days.
Surveillance video captured the early morning explosion at one base in the city of Engels, about 800 kilometers southeast of Moscow. Another video shows the same blast from another angle. The port city is home to a strategic Russian bomber base. Russia claims it intercepted a drone at another airfield. Satellite images show the damage.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
IGOR KONASHENKOV, SPOKESPERSON, RUSSIAN MINISTRY OF DEFENSE (through translator): As a result of the fallen explosion of the wreckage of jet drones at Russian airfields, the whole skin of two aircraft was slightly damaged. Three Russian technical servicemen who were at the airfield were fatally wounded.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHURCH: Meanwhile, Russia has launched another missile barrage cutting off water and electricity and cities across Ukraine. The capital Kyiv and the southern port city of Odessa are among the worst affected regions. Authorities report at least four people were killed. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says maximum efforts are underway to stabilize the country's power grid.
Ukraine's air force claims it intercepted more than 60 of the 70 Russian missiles launched on Monday.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, PRESIDENT OF UKRAINE (through translator): Every Russian missile shot 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)
CHURCH: Let's bring in CNN's Scott McLean following developments this hour from his vantage point in London. So, Scott, what more you learning about those drone strikes hitting deep inside Russia?
SCOTT MCLEAN, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Rosemary, first off, I should let you know that there has been another drone strike reported this just this morning, this one in the Kursk region in the early hours, according to the local governor an oil tanker was hit there. There were no casualties reported, and as usual, Ukraine has not acknowledged this and not claimed responsibility for this.
And this is pretty common and has been throughout the course of the war, these mysterious explosions usually near the border on Russian soil targeting oil depots or other military linked facilities. But what we've seen over the last few days, though, are two strikes that did not fit this pattern. One in the Rayzan region of Russia, the other one on the Saratov region.
You're seeing the video from one of those. The Russian state media, as you mentioned said that, look, the drones were struck down. But that there were still three soldiers who were killed and four who were injured and some damage to these planes that were targeted. And again, the Russians are blaming Ukraine.
But what is unusual about this is the distance that we're talking about, these two air bases are hundreds of kilometers from Ukrainian territory where a drone could be launched from, and this is well beyond the range of anything that Ukraine has publicly declared is actually within its fleet of drone capabilities.
For a bit of context here, the U.S. of course has supplied Ukraine with assuming the endless cache of weapons. But what he has not sent are drones with long range capabilities. And for two reasons. Number one, is that they don't want the Russians to steal the technology on board of those drones. And the second thing is they don't want them to be striking deep inside Russian territory, which Moscow may view as an escalation of this conflict.
But Ukraine may now have that technology on its own. Back in October, a state-owned weapons manufacturer posted on Facebook a picture of a drone that it said it was developing, with this post which read in part, range 1,000 kilometers, weight of the warhead, 75 kilograms. We are completing the development. We tell almost nothing to anyone.
It is necessary, believe me, but this nothing has been successfully deployed on the battlefield and this nothing is being successfully tested again and again. You may say it is not enough. We agree. That is why we prefer to work 24/7 rather than fill up the media space with boisterous statements. So, a bit of a cryptic message there. Just two weeks ago, less than two weeks ago, the company posted again saying that it had begun testing of these drones, and just on Saturday it posted on Facebook saying that it completed several stages of testing. But again, no public acknowledgement that these drones are at least officially ready to go.
[03:05:03]
Rosemary, Ukraine seemed to turn the tide of this war months ago when the U.S. supplied it with MLRS technology, longer range missiles that could fire deeper into enemy territory. That has been a game changer for Ukraine. This capability, if the Ukrainians do in fact have it, may also be another game changer, which could potentially change how exactly this war goes on from here.
CHURCH: Yes, indeed. Scott McLean joining us live from London. Many thanks.
Well, one of the bloodiest battles of the war right now is for the city of Bakhmut in eastern Donetsk. The city has been the target of nearly constant Russian shelling since May, but Moscow's assault has resulted in heavy losses for Russian forces.
And as Sam Kiley reports, some of the fighters defending Bakhmut are Russian.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SAM KILEY, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Caesar (Ph) is Russian. He's taking a break at a monastery from fighting Russians in nearby Bakhmut. It's a relief from scenes like this Bakhmut Ukrainian Field Hospital. He's been defending this Ukrainian town from Russia's most intense assault along an 800-mile front.
Artillery jewels and trench warfare have almost destroyed Bakhmut as Russia throws its army at a bid for victory after months of defeats to the north and south. Defending Bakhmut against his Russian motherland is a religious imperative for Caesar (Ph).
"The fighting is very brutal now, he says, there are very few prisoners." And when you see those Russians in your gun sites, what do you think and what do you feel?
"I believe that these people who've broken the law of man and the law of God. I have no pity for them. I take them prisoner if I can, but most often I just have to kill them." So, have you killed a lot of your countrymen? "A dozen and a half."
This is the remains of a Russian Orthodox monastery. Now for Vladimir Putin the Orthodox Church is absolutely central to his vision of the Russian world. For some Russians though, that's a world they don't want to live in. Indeed, they don't want it to survive.
Ukraine's Orthodox Church broke with Moscow three years ago. This is all that's left of a rebranded Ukrainian Orthodox St. George's monastery after nine months of war.
UNKNOWN: Putin says that his defense traditional values, yes, and that's the result of his defendant. Ruined old monastery.
KILEY: Vini (Ph) has been fighting in Bakhmut for weeks against mercenaries from Russia's Wagner company. Many of them convicted criminals. "It's obvious, he says, when private companies hire criminals and convicts, imagine a man kills once and they put him in jail, then he kills a second time, and he becomes a repeat offender under the law. Then he gets let out of jail and given a gun. That's not a person, that's a beast."
After a former Wagner deserter, Yevgeny Nuzhin was murdered in a video that was praised by Wagner's boss, Yevgeny Prigozhin Vini (Ph) is in no doubt how he would be treated if captured.
"It'll be the end 100 percent. But it'll just be more painful."
The Russian legion does claim to be in the hundreds, and it says many more back home are trying to join Ukraine's army. Alongside their Ukrainian allies the Russian Legion is focused on the battle for Bakhmut, the aim of the war after is more ambitious.
He says, "I'm doing my military and Christian duty. I defend the Ukrainian people, and when Ukraine is free, I will carry my sword to Russia to free it from tyranny."
Sam Kiley, CNN, Dolyna, Ukraine.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CHURCH: A Russian oligarch is warning the U.S. not to designate his private military contractor as a terrorist organization. Yevgeny Prigozhin we heard mention of him in Sam's story just then founded the Wagner Group which has been actively fighting for Russia in Ukraine. He says the U.S. should let sleeping dogs lie, or they could get a response that makes them tremble.
CNN reported last month the Biden administration is considering a terrorist label for the group, but no final decision has been made.
Western countries have launched their biggest assault yet on Russia's oil revenue. The European Union has now banned Russian oil imports shipped by sea. It's also working with the G7 and Australia to impose a price cap on Russian crude. The moves aim to cut off funding for Moscow's war machine. Russia meantime says it won't recognize any price caps.
[03:10:06]
Investors are keeping an eye on developments. Here's a look at global oil prices. And the price cap on Russian oil was set at $60 a barrel and it will be implemented by shipping and insurance companies. Under the new rules, they will be barred from handling the oil unless it's sold for price equal to or less than the price cap. Shipments that meet that test can still be delivered to countries outside the E.U. Since most of the important shipping and insurance firms are based in
G7 countries, it could be difficult for buyers like India and China to get around the price cap. However, Russia may try to use its own ships.
Well, after months of anti-government protests in Iran claims by an Iranian official that the government is abolishing its morality police and reviewing its hijab law are being met with skepticism by activists and the international community. The U.S. going a step further saying there's nothing to suggest Iran is improving its treatment of women or ending a deadly crackdown on protestors.
CNN's Melissa Bell has our report.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MELISSA BELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It was her death in the custody of Iran's morality police in September that led to the outpouring of grief and anger that has gripped an entire country. Demonstrations calling for justice for Mahsa Amini and for change that have now lasted for nearly three months.
Anti-government protests led by women around the rallying cry, woman, life, freedom and chancts of death to the supreme leader.
(CROWD CHANTING)
BELL: But now signs of a possible shift in the government's hard-line policy. Iran's attorney general saying that the mandatory hijab law is now under review by the judiciary and parliament. But Iranian state media have pushed back strongly on his comments, noting that the force is part of the interior ministry and not the judiciary.
The interior ministry has not responded to CNN's requests for comment.
NEGAR MORTAZAVI, IRANIAN AMERICAN JOURNALIST: What one lawyer was saying is that the morality release has become so notorious and so such a bad name that no official is willing to take responsibility for it. Essentially this official claiming that it has been disbanded. But what's important is that the law of the mandatory hijab, which goes back to early 1980s on paper has not changed.
BELL: Speaking to CNN, women in Tehran were skeptical about the possibility of change.
UNKNOWN: It's the regime propaganda. They just changed the name of their forces as they did before, so the media would announce that they have backed down, then they continue all the brutal stuff they were doing.
BELL: With Iran's hard-line President Ebrahim Raisi hinting on Saturday that any reform may be limited in its scope.
EBRAHIM RAISI, IRANIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): Iran's Republican and Islamic foundations are constitutionally entrenched, but there are methods of implementing the Constitution that can be flexible.
BELL: The stands taken by several Iranian celebrities and athletes in support of the protests suggest that crucial barriers of fear of the regime may have been broken with a widening also of the protestor demands from more rights for women to the end of the regime itself, and a sense that any reforms it undertakes now may prove too little too late.
Melissa Bell, CNN, Paris.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CHURCH: And just ahead, a dramatic finish to a round of 16 match and a blowout victory for a football superpower. We will have all the World Cup highlights. Back in just a moment.
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(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHURCH: Here's a preview of Tuesday's World Cup action. The final matches for the round of 16. First, group F champions Morocco face off against Spain and later Portugal take on Switzerland.
Croatia fans were ecstatic when their team won the penalty shootout three to one with Croatia's goalkeeper blocking three out of Japan's four penalty kicks. Meanwhile, the Japanese team and their fans were understandably disappointed. They beat former world champions Germany and Spain during the group stage, so they had high expectations heading into the match.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
YUKI WATANABE, JAPAN FAN: We were hoping that we going to win and go to the best A, because we never been to like best A, I think so. Like, so honestly be sad. I'm sad that like, that players didn't give up until the last penalty.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHURCH: Brazil fans showed why their second to none at celebrating football victories after their team routed South Korea four to one.
Don Riddell has all the highlights from Monday's World Cup drama.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DON RIDDELL, CNN SPORTS ANCHOR: The Brazilian football team arrived at this World Cup as the favors to win it, and after Monday night's complete demolition of South Korea who would dispute their claim to a sixth World title.
At one point, it seemed as though the number of goals they were scoring might match the name of the stadium, nine, seven, four.
(CROWD CHANTING) RIDDELL: Brazil were just magnificent, and their fans are in no doubt that another trophy is imminent.
UNKNOWN: Let's go Brazil. Woo.
UNKNOWN: Six, one. Six, one.
RIDDELL: We knew this team was good, but they were just irresistible and South Korea couldn't live with them. Returning from injury, Neymar made the first goal for Vinicius Junior scored after just seven minutes before Neymar himself outfoxed the goalie with a penalty six minutes.
Their next goal was a veritable work of art, Richarlison was juggling the ball. The passing was incisive and is finishing lethal. By now, they were dancing and Korean heads were spinning. When Vinicius Junior lifted the ball for Lucas Paqueta, it was four-nil in the second half.
Korea seemed to know they were beaten, but a stunning strike from Seung-ho Paik at least gave them a consolation prize. Brazil haven't won the World Cup since the 2002 tournament in Korea and Japan, and both these teams went out tonight.
The Japanese lost a penalty shootout to the 2018 finalist Croatia, who now have the unenviable task of playing Brazil next in the quarter finals.
UNKNOWN: I think we're adding another star who has five.
UNKNOWN: We're adding another star.
UNKNOWN: Amazing match.
UNKNOWN: Yes.
UNKNOWN: And now we are just so free. And feel like we can really win. And we have the best team in America for sure.
UNKNOWN: It's Brazilian football as its best. I love Neymar, I love Vinicius, all the Brazilian players. It's just entertaining to watch. They're playing football to have fun and we love to see it.
RIDDELL: Only eight different countries from two continents have won the World Cup trophy before, and so far, four of them are into the quarter finals and Spain could join them on Tuesday.
A tournament of upsets is starting to look rather predictable.
Back to you.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CHURCH: And for more on the World Cup, I'm joined by Kyle Bonagura. He's a staff writer for ESPN and joins us from Doha. Thank you so much for being with us.
KYLE BONAGURA, STAFF WRITER, ESPN: Thanks for having me.
CHURCH: So, Monday saw Croatia thrill fans with an impressive win against Japan. What were the highlights to you?
BONAGURA: Well, yes, I don't know how impressive that victory really what really was for Croatia. Japan is a team that has significantly less talented talent on the roster and took the -- took the early lead in that game.
[03:19:59]
So, it took a -- it took a come from behind effort for Croatia, just to send it to extra time. Japan was, clearly trying to play at that point to send the game to penalties where, you know, it's basically a coin flip to see who would get through. You know, Japan has been one of the great stories of this World Cup having beat Germany, having beaten Spain.
But I think it was pretty clear that some point that, that Cinderella run was come to an end and sure enough, once they got their penalties Japan just couldn't find the magic it needed to continue to keep playing.
CHURCH: Yes. And Brazil fans, they were thrilled with their teams four to one victory over South Korea. Brazil dedicating the win to Pele as he cheered from the hospital. What stood out to you in that match?
BONAGURA: Just the fun that they were having. I mean, Brazil is a team that is known for this exciting breathtaking style of football, right? And we didn't really see that in the group stage, with Neymar getting hurt in the first game. It kind of knocked the team down peg and kind of changed what the expectations for the tournament could be, you know, without your star player.
Did they have enough to make a run to the final? You know, maybe. There's still enough talent on that team where that was within the realm of possibility. But he did recover in time for the round of 16. Looked really good doing it. I mean, four goals in the first half had the stadium absolutely on fire.
I was there in attendance for that one and to see them working, the, working the ball, as well as they did dancing, and having fun and just expressing joy with the game. You know, I think it reminded a lot of people that, you know, this is still a game, right?
The World Cup is the highest stage in the sport. It's a serious competition. It means a lot to them. It means a lot to the -- their people and people around the world. But the fact that they were able to enjoy it in that moment I think sent a good message about what sport should be.
Their coach at the end of the game made sure to make it clear that, you know, there was no intent to be disrespectful with the dancing. He has a lot of respect for, you know, South Korea's Portuguese coach. This is just kind of a node to their style of play, and of course Pele at home in the hospital watching on the game it was an opportunity to bring him some joy as well.
CHURCH: Yes, that's good. Good points there. All right. Looking ahead to Tuesday's action and the final matches for the round of 16, what are you expecting when Morocco go up against Spain, and of course later Portugal up against Switzerland?
BONAGURA: Right? No, Morocco has been one of the more, like, I guess unexpected performances of the tournament this far. I don't think a lot of people had them getting through the group. And so, for them to not only get through but to win their group, and then draw Spain in this round is kind of a tough break for them.
Yes. I mean, I think, you know, I covered one of Spain's matches as well. A game they beat Costa Rica seven-zero. So, we saw the type of quality that their team has, of course, a former World Cup champion and a team that has been among the best teams in Europe for a very long time. Right.
So, I still think going into this game Spain has to be the favorite on paper, but we've seen enough times in this World Cup that doesn't necessarily mean anything. Of course, we've seen the kind of favorites show well in this round, but we'll see what happens.
And then in Portugal, Switzerland, you know, I think everyone likes Portugal to get through and Ronaldo to have a chance to make one final statement at a World Cup.
CHURCH: Yes, absolutely. And, before you go, are you willing to make any predictions for the final.
BONAGURA: You know, it's tough to -- it's tough to go against Brazil after seeing them last night. I, you know, ask me again next round and it might change, but I think certainly the display that they put on last night was as good as we've seen in this tournament, especially considering this round. So, I like Brazil, the pre-tournament favorite to kind of keep that -- keep that title headed into the next round.
CHURCH: All right. We'll see what happens. Kyle Bonagura, great to have you with us. Many thanks.
BONAGURA: Thank you.
CHURCH: And still to come here on CNN, Indonesians who have sex outside of marriage could soon be facing a year in jail. We will have a live report on the sweeping change to the criminal code.
And China bids a somber farewell to a flamboyant former president who sang opera and could recite the Gettysburg address in English. We're live in Beijing.
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(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHURCH: China is paying respect for a former president. A state memorial service was held today for Jiang Zemin who ushered in an era of economic prosperity. Jiang was in charge from 1989 to 2003. And during that time, he reengaged with the west which had largely shunned China after the Tiananmen Square massacre.
State media report Jiang died of leukemia and organ failure last week at the age of 96. Before he was cremated Chinese leaders visited his body at a military hospital.
So, let's bring in CNN's Steven Jiang. He joined us live from Beijing. So, Steven, what does the passing of Jiang Zemin mean for most people in China and how is he being remembered?
STEVEN JIANG, CNN BEIJING BUREAU CHIEF: Yes. Rosemary. Who can forget Jiang Zemin's inclination to burst into songs in multiple languages and also, to recite famous foreign leader speeches, including the Gettysburg address by Lincoln in English.
These episodes have become synonymous with a bygone era under his leadership that is now being perceived freer and more open to the outside world in sharp contrast to the current era under Xi Jinping, who did pull out all the stops to send off Jiang Zemin with the highest honors.
In addition to the eulogy he delivered, you mentioned, as you mentioned, he also attended two separate ceremonies held in Jiang's honor after his death here in Beijing, and even going to the airport to receive his casket and his family members from Shanghai last week.
And there were some rare moments of public display of emotions on Xi's part, including him tightly embracing Jiang's eldest son, appeared to be consoling him and at another point Xi was seen pulling up the blanket on Jiang's widow when they were all waiting outside in Beijing's bitter coat winter weather.
These moments were notable because usually Chinese leaders are so tightly scripted and very stoic in public. Remember, just not long time -- not long ago, at the end of the party Congress back in October, another former top leader, Hu Jintao was seen unceremoniously let out of the meeting room. And when that happened, almost none of the leaders seated on the stage displayed any reaction.
So, that episode obviously became an international mystery in terms of whose fate. But Ju Jintao did show up at one of these ceremonies as well, paying his final respect to Jiang Zemin, he was seen shaking hands with Jiang's widow.
Obviously, all of these events are highly choreographed. The display of emotion as reactions maybe genuine and spontaneous, but the fact they actually made it into state media's coverage was very much a message from the party to highlight its unity and its humanity.
All the more important after the recent wave of protests with some demonstrators calling for the ouster of the party and Xi Jinping. But also, it's worth remembering that despite all the talk about Xi Jinping eviscerating internal rivals within the party, including factions once headed by Hu and Jiang, at the end of the day, Jiang still played an instrumental role in putting Xi where he is right now as China's top leader. Rosemary?
CHURCH: All right. Our thanks to Steven Jiang.
After massive protests against the ruling communist party, zero COVID policies, testing measures are changing in China. Officials say Beijing's two major airports will no longer require to parting passengers to show a negative COVID test to get to their terminal.
[03:30:00]
Instead, travelers will scan their mobile health codes and have their body temperatures checked.
The move comes as multiple cities across China have either dropped or relaxed measures requiring COVID tests to enter public spaces.
CNN's Selina Wang takes us through what a regular day in Beijing has been like up until now.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SELINA WANG, CNN CORRESPONDENT: This is the kind of line Beijing were standing, outside in the cold to get their COVID tests. A 48-hour test is required to get into most places, but there aren't many places to go. Much of Beijing is still closed down. This is one of the most popular tourist places in the city, but the restaurants are largely closed and the malls are pretty empty.
So, this McDonald's is still open, but for takeaway only. But even to get takeaway, you've got to prove that you're clear of COVID. And here's how I do it. I open up the health app on my Smartphone. I scan the QR code. So, it says, I've got a green code and I've got a recent COVID test, so I'm good to go.
This code dictates all of our daily lives in China. Green means good to go. Red means I may have to isolate at home or go to a mass quarantine facility. This allows China to track the movements of virtually all 1.4 billion people. In the name of contact tracing, I've got to scan my code to get into a taxi, a public park, a mall, or a coffee shop, even a public bathroom.
I ran into a group of delivery people on the street. They've got to do COVID tests every single day to do their jobs. This woman tells me the pandemic has been hard on her. I ask her why. She says it's because she's scared of the virus.
Getting COVID in China is unlike anywhere else in the world. You and your close contacts all get sent to a quarantine center. This is a convention center in Beijing that's been turned into a massive quarantine facility with thousands of beds. But some of these facilities in the country, they are in very rundown and unsanitary condition.
And then, your whole building or community could go into lockdown. I spoke to a man who's been in and out of quarantine six times already just this year. He tells me his whole building of more than 200 families went to a quarantine facility last month because they were considered close contacts. He says he's not scared to get COVID because Omicron is less severe and his whole family has been vaccinated.
I approached a few people just released from this mass quarantine center here. I asked if they had tested positive for COVID. Yes, the man nods and says they have recovered. How many days did you spend in there? I asked, seven days, he said.
Unprecedented protests recently erupted across China. They're chanting that they don't want COVID tests. They want freedom. Authorities swiftly cracked down on the protesters, but they are finally softening their stance on zero COVID. Some cities are lifting lockdowns, changing COVID testing requirements under some conditions. People can now quarantine at home if they have COVID, which is a huge deal.
But this country has already built up a whole infrastructure around zero COVID spending all of its resources on quarantine facilities and COVID testing. So it's going to be a long and slow exit from Zero COVID.
Selina Wang, CNN, Beijing.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CHURCH: Indonesians could face one year in prison if found guilty of having sex outside of marriage. It's part of a sweeping change to the criminal code passed by parliament earlier today. The law will also apply to foreigners visiting the country.
In addition, cohabitation before marriage is an offense that can result in jail time and blasphemy already outlawed now carries a possible five-year prison term. Protesters and rights groups warn the new laws will disproportionately hurt women, LGBTQ people, and minority groups.
For more on this, we want to bring in Anna Coren. She joins us live from Hong Kong. Good to see you, Anna.
So how does Indonesia plan to enforce this new criminal code and what impact might it have on the country's tourism industry given foreigners can also be jailed for having sex outside marriage?
ANNA COREN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, tourism is a huge industry for Indonesia, Rosemary, as we know, and the tourism industry is very concerned about what this means. They say that this is, is very troublesome, that this is counterintuitive to what the tourism industry is all about, attracting westerners, whether they be Australians, Europeans, Americans to places like Bali.
And that those western couples, many of them, you know, are not married. So, this is highly problematic. And look, there is no guidance as yet from the government, from law enforcement about how this will be enforced, how this will work in practice.
[03:35:07]
Obviously, this was passed a bit earlier today by the Indonesian parliament. I mean, you mentioned sex outside of marriage. That is one of the offenses that now will, you know, if found guilty will Lead to jail time. But cohabitation, you know, amongst unmarried couples, that is also a criminal offense as is a promoting contraception, blasphemy, apostasy, criticizing the president, the vice president, the government, state institutions.
These are now all jailable offenses. And human rights groups, Rosemary, are extremely concerned that this is going to erode the hard fought, you know, democratic freedoms that Indonesians have enjoyed.
And obviously, that morality in Indonesia will now be policed. And you mention that it's not just for the people who live in Indonesia. It's also for Indonesian citizens but for foreigners as well, tourists visiting the country.
So real concerns about where Indonesia is heading. It's the third largest democracy in the world, Rosemary, and up until now has been a predominantly moderate Muslim country.
CHURCH: And why is this happening now Anna?
COREN: Yes, it's a very good question, Rosemary. This initial draft, they came up with this back in 1963. So, this has been at work for decades. It was reintroduced in 2019, and the President Joko Widodo, you know, he pushed it away, delayed it, obviously citing COVID as well as the need for more discussion because in 2019 there were huge protests right across the country as people were very concerned about what this would mean for their individual rights, their individual freedoms.
It has now been brought back on the table and that has come with the rise of ultra-conservatism within Indonesia. And human rights groups are saying that the laws that are now in place under this new criminal code that they are Sharia inspired laws. As you know, this movement, you know, very highly Islamic ultra-Orthodox movement has great influence. And that the president is playing ball, playing along trying to keep these politicians happy.
So, these laws causing, you know, huge concern, you mentioned for the minority groups, for women, the LGBT community. But obviously the devil will be in the detail, you know, and we also know that it'll be some three years before they're actually enforced, Rosemary.
CHURCH: Right. All right. Anna Coren bringing us the very latest there from Hong Kong. I appreciate it.
Well still to come, we will take you up close to Hawaii's Mauna Loa to watch the spectacular eruption of the volcano. Back with that in just a moment.
[03:40:00]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK) CHURCH: A search for survivors is underway in northwestern Columbia
up from massive landslide covered a bus. Officials say more than 30 people have been confirmed dead. And rescuers digging through the mud have found at least nine survivors. Officials say the landslide was caused by heavy rain in the region. Landslides are fairly common in Columbia. So far, rain related events have killed more than 200 Colombians this year.
Well, thousands of people were evacuated after an Indonesian volcano eruption on Sunday, blanketing roads, and homes in volcanic ash. So far, the volcano has not disrupted flights in the area, and there are no reports of any deaths or injuries, but the Indonesian government is handing out masks to mitigate the risks of volcanic ash. And neighboring Singapore is advising its citizens to defer non-essential travel to Indonesia.
And you are looking at live pictures from Hawaii where the Mauna Loa volcano continues to spew red hot larva. The state's National Guard has been activated as the lava inches closer to a major highway.
CNN's David Culver gets a rare bird's eye view of the volcano.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DAVID CULVER, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: We are on the road before sunrise. Quickly realizing we can already spot our destination some 30 miles out. There you see it, that red orange glow, Mauna Loa erupting.
To give you a better view though, we go up in the morning dark. Paradise Helicopters Darren Hamilton, our pilot and guide giving us
rare access.
I assume we'll know when we see the volcano.
DARREN HAMILTON, PILOT, PARADISE HELICOPTERS: Yes, it's just off, kind of, the eastern side there. At about the one o'clock position that is the plume there.
CULVER: Having flown in military hot zones, Darren even admits this is fire power like no other.
What was it like the first time you flew over lava?
HAMILTON: It was a blast.
CULVER: It could also be challenging, especially with heavy vog or volcanic smog. So, there you can see the gases from Fissure 3. Those acidic gases dangerous if the concentration levels are too high.
On the ground, officials closely watching the lava's potential impact on Saddle Road, the main highway that connects the east and west of the island. Erupting last Sunday for the first time in 38 years, Mauna Loa, the world's largest active volcano is one of five that make up Hawaii's Big Island, and it's not the only one currently erupting. Neighboring Kilauea also active, though no longer shooting lava to the service like it did in 2018.
DOROTHY THRALL, RESIDENT: We're on Cal Pele Street, which is where my house was at, and it's that way on the opposite side of the subdivision.
CULVER: Dorothy Thrall invited us to where her home now sits buried under 60 feet of lava. You can see a metal streetlight fused into the rock. Four years after Kilauea did this to her Leilani Estates community, she still walks it as though she's on her old street with her old neighbors.
When you have something like this, I assume you're all dispersed after that.
THRALL: Yes. We lost that sense of community and it's what we lost in addition to the homes.
CULVER: Mauna Loa's eruption an emotional trigger for Dorothy and others forcing the trauma from Kilauea back to the surface. The 2018 lava flow wiped out more than 600 homes here. Some untouched, but left lava locked an island within the island.
Dorothy showed us this video she captured a few weeks back, trekking over lava rock, helping friends gather the last of their belongings from their home. The reminders of devastation here are demiss.
THRALL: This was a home, they evacuated the second night, and I believe it went under the third night.
CULVER: And just took their home.
THRALL: Just took their home.
CULVER: And four years later, it's still steaming.
THRALL: It's still steaming. Yes.
CULVER: And how long will it steam like that?
THRALL: Probably 30 to 40 years.
CULVER: How is it that you can still see beauty after so much loss?
THRALL: Because lava is beautiful. It's Pele's creation. That's how the island was formed. That's how the island was built.
CULVER: An appreciation shared by native Hawaiians leaving offerings on Mauna Loa and thousands of tourists and locals arriving past sunset just to witness the lava glow. Nighttime traffic backs up for miles. To avoid the congestion, let's get back to the skies.
[03:44:59]
HAMILTON: That's 2 to 3,000 degrees Fahrenheit or about a 1,000 degree Celsius. That's molten rock flowing like water.
CULVER: Which has already crossed one volcano road, power lines and all, a searing slice right through it.
It's incredible the heat you feel as soon as you get close to it.
HAMILTON: And look at this. The rushing flow. The river. You see the current of lava.
CULVER: Darren estimates it's moving 30 to 40 miles per hour. But this, the source of it all. I mean, there's nothing like this just spewing from the top.
It really is just incredible to be up there. And officials are saying that while it's moving quickly up there, as it gets closer to where we are, it's hitting flatter ground, starting to spread out, and the lava moving at about 40 feet per hour.
Still though, inching closer to that highway. Officials saying at last check, it's about two miles away. Something they're watching very closely.
Back to you.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CHURCH: So, let's bring in Ken Rubin, a professor of volcanology at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. He joins us live from Honolulu.
Thank you so much for being with us.
KEN RUBIN, PROFESSOR OF VOLCANOLOGY, UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII: Thank you for having me, Rosemary.
CHURCH: Now you have been watching these two volcanic eruptions on opposite sides of the planet. So, let's start with the one in Hawaii where about 20 National Guard service members have been activated as lava from the Mauna Loa volcano continues its advanced slowly toward the highway.
What do you see as the major challenges and concerns there right now?
RUBIN: Primarily, the concern with the eruption as its current status is how long will it last? The eruption has stabilized to only being fed by one primary vent. It's producing a large lava flow that has reached relatively flat ground, and it's spreading as much as it's advancing much like pouring pancake batter into a frying pan.
And so, at this stage, based on what we know from past eruptions at Mauna Loa, it's a question of how long will the eruption continue That will determine how big the lava flow gets and whether it will eventually interrupt infrastructure or even potentially flow down slope into more populated areas.
CHURCH: And how unpredictable and dangerous is lava flow like this, even if it is moving slowly.
RUBIN: Well, it's completely destructive to everything in its path. And you know, I've seen images being shown on CNN and other networks recently of the Kilauea lava flow from 2018 that happened in Leilani Estate. They completely buried homes. They're unrecoverable.
And so, it, part of it depends on how thick the lava flow becomes. Right now, it's about 15 feet thick at the front of the lava flow. More like 30 feet thick or, you know, roughly 10 meters, further up near the vent. That isn't too terribly thick as its continuing to spread out. But it would very substantially cover anything that comes in its path. It's very hot.
When lava flows get into vegetated areas, they can cause explosions of methane gas, superheated water from the soil can also cause small explosions. So, there are a lot of potential hazards. We don't see them on the horizon right now for this eruption based on where it currently is, but it, there are always a possibility if, as I say, the eruption duration continues substantially longer.
CHURCH: And you and I spoke about this 24 hours ago, and you were concerned about sites here as getting too close to the lava and the dangers involved with that. What is your message to those people?
RUBIN: Well, the, you know, the state and the county have established a system whereby people can bring their vehicle into the area and they should basically stay with their vehicle.
There are the hazards associated with hot lava, as well as volcanic gas and ash, but there are also the hazards associated with the area. This is a training and, sort of firing range of the military that the lava flow is in the viewing area is encroaching upon. And just in the last day, an unexploded hand grenade was found off the area of the roadway.
So the, you know, the state is ticketing people if they venture too far from the road, simply because not every square foot of the landscape has been checked for unexploded ordinance.
CHURCH: And meantime, on the other side of the world, nearly 2,000 people have been evacuated in the east Java province of Indonesia after Mount Semeru erupted. How big a concern is that volcano?
RUBIN: Mount Semeru is a classic strato volcano. It has been continuously erupting since about 2010. So, this is a situation where people living in and around the volcano are aware of its activity.
[03:50:05]
It's one of the situations that occurs here as in many countries, is that people live very, very close to the volcano. And so, this puts them into the potential of a hazard zone. The type of activity that's happening at
Mount Semeru is quite different than Mauna Loa and you can see it from the types of materials being emitted, primarily volcanic ash, very, very fine particles. Something called pyroclastic flows, which are ground hugging clouds of ash that float on a sort of thin layer of super-heated air. There has been a lava flow as well.
The lava flow is advancing relatively slowly not like Mauna Loa, and the primary hazard here is ash inundation. The ash itself is also much finer in particle size than the type of particulate that comes from Mauna Loa.
And so, it can be much greater of a respiratory hazard. It can also distribute much farther and wider from the volcanic vent, and so people are rightly being recommended to wear dust protection over their face even if they are many, many tons of kilometers away from the volcano itself.
CHURCH: All right, Ken Rubin, thank you so much for joining us. I appreciate it.
RUBIN: Thank you for having me.
CHURCH: Along with the volcanoes in Hawaii and Indonesia, Italy's Mount Stromboli is also rumbling away. Seismologists say the volcanic island off the coast of Sicily erupted on Sunday spewing ash and lava and creating a small tsunami. Officials have raised the alert level and have warned residents to follow safety precautions.
And still to come, Italy is home to some of the most iconic landmarks in the world, but some of them are remnants of a dark chapter in the country's history. We'll take a look.
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CHURCH: Italy is filled with historic landmarks, the coliseum and St. Peter's Basilica in Rome, the Duomo in Florence, and St. Mark's Square in Venice, to name just a few. But historians are now chronicling one of the darkest chapters in the country's history. Local landmarks from the fascist rule of Benito Muselini.
Ben Wedeman has that story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BEN WEDEMAN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Benito Mussolini's fascist party are long gone. His favorite balcony overlooking Rome Piazza Venezia is now just another balcony. Yet the fascist era left 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 Lucia Ceci worked with others to catalog the sites.
"Our idea is even more important at a time like this, she tells me, because it raises awareness and helps the circulation of antifascist antibodies." Those antibodies have yet to kick in with a new far-right government in power here led by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who in her youth was a Mussolini admirer. She now insists fascism is history.
[03:55:01]
Rome certainly isn't short of landmarks that hark back to those days. WEDEMAN (on camera): After the fall of Italy's fascist regime and the
end of the Second World War busts and statues of Mussolini were removed. Other monuments from that era, however, have been left untouched. 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's Vittorio Sgarbi.
"Fascist architecture is the last recognizable style of Italian architecture, he says, there's no Christian, Democrat, no socialist, no communist architecture. There is only horrific architecture of speculation, of brutal capitalism that destroyed the landscape and the environment.
UNKNOWN: Destroy the Nazi party.
WEDEMAN: While post-war Germany went through a thorough process of de-Nazification, Italy emerged for 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 Lucia Ceci.
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.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CHURCH: NASA's Orion spacecraft is one step closer to heading home. The space agency says the uncrewed Artemis 1 mission is nearing its final stages after successfully completing an engine burn on Monday. That set it on a path to return to Earth. The maneuver brought the spacecraft 128 kilometers or about 80 miles from the lunar surface.
If all goes well, Orion will splash down in the Pacific Ocean on Sunday. And Artemis 2 will repeat the mission in 2024 but this time with astronauts on board.
And thanks so much for your company. I'm Rosemary Church. Have yourselves a wonderful day. CNN Newsroom continues with Max Foster and Bianca Nobilo, next.
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