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Bola Ahmed Tinubu Wins Nigeria Presidential Election; Russian Fighters Continue Push Toward Bakhmut; House Panel To Vote On Bill Allowing Nationwide Ban On TikTok; Fruit And Vegetable Rationing Could Last Until May. Aired 12-1a ET
Aired March 01, 2023 - 00:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
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JOHN VAUSE, CNN ANCHOR: Coming up here on CNN NEWSROOM. He's known as the godfather of Lagos. But now it's Mr. President, Nigeria's new leader after winning a presidential election which observers say was rigged.
Pounded into molecules. Russian artillery and airstrikes have intensified around Bakhmut and eastern Ukraine. Raising fears there may be nothing left to the city if and when the fighting ever stops.
And is the clock running down for TikTok in the U.S. and beyond?
ANNOUNCER: Live from CNN Center, this is CNN NEWSROOM with John Vause.
VAUSE: While the vote may have been rigged, and there's growing outrage from opposition parties, Nigeria has a new president, with the country's Independent Electoral Commission declaring Bola Ahmed Tinubu, winner of the very controversial vote.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MAHMOOD YAKUBU, CHAIRMAN, INDEPENDENT NATIONAL ELECTORAL COMMISSION: Tinubu, Bola Ahmed of the APC. Having satisfied the requirements of the law is hereby declared the winner and is returned elected. Thank you.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: There were celebrations for Tinubu's supporters at Party headquarters in Abuja. Nigeria's Electoral Commission says he received almost 8.8 million votes, nearly two million more than his main opposition rival.
Tinubu Bola is 70 years old. A member of Nigeria's ruling all progressive Congress Party.
CNN's Stephanie Busari joining us live from Lagos with more on this. So, what happens now especially given all the allegations and the outrage of a vote rigging? STEPHANIE BUSARI, CNN SENIOR EDITOR, AFRICA (on camera): Good morning, John. Nigerians are waking up to a new president elect. And Bola Ahmed Tinubu has harbored a lifelong ambition to become president, and this morning, he's been declared.
Now, as you say, the opposition parties have said that they do not accept this mandate, they do not accept the results. But the only recourse available to them is the cause as mandated by Nigeria's constitution.
So, they -- a lot of lawyers will be very happy in their selections, they will be gearing up to stage a legal battle against these results.
But for now, Bola Ahmed Tinubu remains the president elect of this country. Let me read you a little bit of what he has been saying in his acceptance speech this morning, John.
This is a serious mandate. I hereby accept it. I'll be your servant and not be your leader to work with you to make Nigeria a great country. I take this opportunity to appeal to my fellow contestants, let us team up together. It is the only nation we have, it is one country, and we must build together. Let's work together to put broken pieces together.
Now, he faces an uphill battle. There are a lot of broken pieces. He has to bring the economy back to life. It's on life support right now. He has to tackle huge public debt. He also has to unite a country that's very divided along religious lines, ethnic lines, and now generational lines. Many of the young people voted for his opponent, Peter Obi, who was known as a kind of third horse candidate. The first time a third candidate has tried to break the two party domination of this country but unfortunately, has failed to do so, John.
VAUSE: Stephanie Busari thank you so much for getting up early, 6:03 there or 6:04 now here in Lagos. So, thank you for your time, checking in with you throughout the day.
Two trains have collided in Northern Greece killing at least 32 people with dozens more badly hurt, more than 50 of them now in hospital.
Rescue operations have been ongoing for hours. At one point flames can be seen around some of the derailed carriages. This is the scene there right now. Authorities fear the number of dead will almost certainly rise.
Around 350 people were aboard a passenger train when it collided with a freight train around midnight local time. Not far from the city of Larissa, about 250 miles north of Athens.
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For now, no word on the cause of one of the deadliest train accidents in Greece's -- in Greece in decades.
The month long battlefield Bakhmut appears to be reaching a crescendo. Russian forces intensify their assault and Ukraine's military holds on despite being outnumbered.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says in his nightly message that the biggest challenge, the most difficult situation across the long frontlines is in Bakhmut.
One of the president's advisors tell CNN, Ukraine's military will weigh all options, including strategically pulling back if needed.
Ukraine says the city is not surrounded. One commander says Russian constant shelling and bombardment though are breaking the city into molecules, several thousand civilians are believe to be still trapped amid the fighting, mostly cut off from any humanitarian assistance.
Ukrainian soldiers say the situation in Bakhmut is hellish, and much worse than officially reported, but they are vowing to defend the city until the end, no matter what.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UKRAINIAN SOLDIER (through translator): February 28th, Bakhmut City is on fire, the enemy pushes on. Ukraine will live. Putin is a -- kid.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: Authorities in Russia say Ukrainian drone has crashed in the Moscow region. The region's governor says he believes the target was probably a civilian infrastructure facility which was not damaged. It's one of at least two alleged drone incidents reported Tuesday.
Russia's Ministry of Defense also accused Ukraine of attempting a drone attack in southwestern Russia. Video posted on social media showed a fire in oil depot on Russia's Black Sea coast. It's unclear if the facility was the intended target. But Ukraine has previously targeted oil depots within Russia. CNN though unable to independently verify those claims.
-- admission, Russian President Vladimir Putin has acknowledged losses among the ranks of Russian intelligence officers on the ground operating in Ukraine.
In a speech, members of Russia's intelligence agency, the FSB on Tuesday, he called on the agency's leadership to support the families of fallen agents. He also signed a law suspending Moscow's participation in the new Strategic Arms Reduction treaty with the United States. But his foreign ministry says this potentially could go be reversed someday.
Putin also made another threat to the west implying Russia might use nuclear weapons if threaten.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
VLADIMIR PUTIN, RUSSIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): In the event of a threat to the territorial integrity of our country and to defend Russia and our people, we will certainly make use of all weapon systems available to us. This is not a bluff. (END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: We get more now on Russia's push towards Bakhmut and Vladimir Putin's FSB speech from CNN's Fred Pleitgen reporting in from Moscow.
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FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Russian warplanes bombing Bakhmut, this video posted on state media trying to show the advances the Kremlin's forces are making.
On the ground, mercenaries of the Wagner private military company are leading the assault, the Ukrainian say. These Wagner foot soldiers saying they're close to Bakhmut's city limits.
We're approaching Yahidne (PH) he says and Yahidne is the entrance into town. This district our platoon has taken without a single loss.
Ukraine says the situation is tough for their troops in Bakhmut but that they are clinging on.
While Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin is recruiting even more people in an ad with a top Russian propagandist. Sign up for PMC Wagner, he says, you'll learn a man's work and we'll be in good shape for the upcoming World War III.
While progression claims he's gearing up for World War III, he's also involved in a social media standoff with the son-in-law of Russia's defense minister Sergei Shoigu. After his son-in-law, Alexei Stolyarov allegedly liked an antiwar bloggers comment on social media which Stolyarov later denied doing, Prigozhin taking aim. We need to catch Stolyarov and bring him to me, he says. I will train him for six weeks since I am a Z-redneck myself, I will help him improve by sending him to combat operations.
As the fighting in Ukraine rages on, Russia's president now acknowledges that operatives for the intelligence service the FSB are both on the front lines and allegedly behind Ukrainian lines.
PUTIN (through translator): Unfortunately, there are losses in our ranks, the leadership of the FSB must do everything to provide additional support to the families of our fallen comrades.
PLEITGEN: With FSB Boss Alexander Bortnikov on the stage, Putin also said Russian intelligence needs to up its game.
PUTIN (through translator): We need to beef up our counter intelligence in general, because Western special services have traditionally been very active in relation to Russia. And now, they have put in additional personnel, technical and other resources against us. We need to respond accordingly.
PLEITGEN: The Russian leader yet again casting this conflict as an existential battle for Russia against those allegedly plotting to destroy it.
Fred Pleitgen, CNN, Moscow.
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VAUSE: To Mark Hertling now, CNN Military Analyst and former Commanding General of the United States Army here. Good to see you, General.
LT. GEN. MARK HERTLING, CNN MILITARY ANALYST (on camera): Good to see you, John. Good to be with you.
VAUSE: Thank you. Now, more than a year into the war now and the question which is sort of increasingly being asked now is how does this end? I want you to listen to the NATO Secretary General.
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JENS STOLTENBERG, SECRETARY GENERAL, NATO: No one can tell exactly when this war ends. But when it ends, we need to ensure that history doesn't repeat itself, that President Putin cannot continue to attack the neighbors. And therefore, we need to strengthen the military capabilities of Ukraine, but also look for frameworks that can ensure that President Putin, Russia doesn't invade Ukraine yet another time.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: What he's talking about, is that essentially what a senior U.S. defense official means when he says the war must end with strategic failure for Russia. So specifically, what does that look like if they say an overwhelming crushing victory which allowed Ukraine to dictate terms?
HERTLING: When you take a look at the strategic objectives of Mr. Putin from the very beginning of this war, John, which he has not changed, by the way, it consists of overwhelming the Ukrainian government and replacing them, subjugating the Ukrainian army, subjugating the civilian population of Ukraine, trying to further divide NATO. There's several other sub strategic objectives, but those were the big ones.
So, what you're talking about, and I think what the Secretary General is mentioning, is that any imperialistic country like Russia, who is attempting to gain the sovereignty or the sovereign terrain of another country should be stopped from doing that.
And it's not only a requirement of the nation that has been invaded to prevent that, but it's also in this case, the security alliance of NATO.
VAUSE: There's also now this question of can Ukraine, you know, win the war but lose the peace, with overstretching in their demands for an end to the war?
HERTLING: Yes, and that's been the debate that's occurred recently. But I think what we're talking about if you've shift the size, shift the direction to the Ukrainian side, their strategic objectives have always been regain the sovereign territory of Ukraine. There's much debate about whether that's just the Donbas or does it also include the Crimea autonomous region. And I would suggest it's both, because both of those areas were considered part of sovereign Ukraine back in 2014, when Russia illegally invaded the country for the first time.
VAUSE: For now though, it seems that Russian firepower is focused on the city of Bakhmut in the east, which has been under near constant Russian attack.
The Russians have made some small advances into the city, but the Ukrainians say hundreds of Russian soldiers are dying every day.
So, those gains are coming at an incredibly high price. It's been -- you know, being brutally cold blooded here about just a cost benefit analysis. It's hard to see the value in it for the Russians.
HERTLING: It is. It's hard to see value in it for either side, John, because both sides are unfortunately losing a lot of men in this fight.
I've been watching the Bakhmut fight for several months now. It's an interesting battle. Ukraine is certainly draining more of the Russian troops than the Russians are draining of Ukrainian troops. It's almost a little bit was at the beginning of the war.
Russia is paying a significantly high cost to gain this very small piece of ground as a city that at the beginning of the war had about 70,000 people.
Interesting today, John, Colonel General Oleksandr Syrsky, who is the commander of Ukraine's land forces in the eastern operation command was ordered more troops, more Ukrainian troops to Bakhmut. So, it isn't going to let up.
VAUSE: Well, the Ukrainian president referenced the situation in Bakhmut as one of the reasons why Ukraine needs F-16 fighter jets. But the undersecretary for defense told the U.S. Congress that jets are not a priority for Ukraine right now. And besides that, here's the timeline for delivery, listen to this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
COLIN KAHL, U.S. UNDER SECRETARY OF DEFENSE FOR POLICY: We've looked at this very carefully about what it would take to get Ukraine F-16s. So, if we were to do new production, it would take three to six years to get them F-16s. We could look at older block F-16s that could potentially deliver on a faster timeline, let's call it 18 to 24 months, maybe you can even shave a few months off of that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: Five to six years when you F-16s, OK, but it seems understandable, but two years to handover the planes which are already going. Why so long? HERTLING: You know, you have to say what do you want these airplanes to do? Just be up in the sky and doing things or do you want them to have combat air patrols overlooking the ground, you want to have them close air support, intermingling with troops on the ground where you have to have people calling in the fire, you have to have electronic warfare capability to suppress Russian air defense equipment, you have to have overweigh -- overhead command and control like an AWACS plane to direct them where to go.
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So, there's a whole lot more to giving a new generation, a fourth generation fighter to the Ukrainians then just say, give them the airplanes and let them have at it. There's a whole lot more that goes on and I think common cause address I think it was the Congress was saying basically, it takes a while to train the pilots. But it also trains -- requires a long time to train the trainers, the equipment, the support mechanism and all else that goes along with it.
So, I'm convinced that I think we're making the right deal. If we could get more MiG-29s to Ukraine very quickly from some of the former Soviet Bloc countries, that would be great, but F-16, as was pointed out is a much longer haul.
VAUSE: Good point to end on. General Hertling, thank you so much, Sir.
HERTLING: Pleasure. Thanks, John.
VAUSE: U.S. officials say China has been supporting Russia's war in Ukraine from the beginning. And concerns are growing that assistance will soon extend to providing lethal aid.
13 Chinese companies have already been blacklisted to helping Moscow, including one which the USS was supplying parts to the Iranian drone program.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken has warned that there will be consequences for helping Russia.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANTONY BLINKEN, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: We will not hesitate, for example, to target Chinese companies or individuals that violate our sanctions or otherwise engaged in supporting the Russian war effort.
China can't have it both ways when it comes to -- when it comes to the Russian aggression Ukraine.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: Meantime, a bipartisan hearing focusing on threats U.S. lawmakers believe opposed by the Chinese government wrapped up just a few hours ago at the U.S. Capitol.
Featured firsthand testimony from Chinese human rights activists, several high profile witnesses, including former Deputy National Security Adviser Matthew Pottinger. And former President Donald Trump's National Security Adviser, H.R. McMaster, who had this to say about the competition between Washington and Beijing.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
H.R. MCMASTER, FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP'S NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER: We have to catch up mainly because of the complacency that you hear reflected maybe an extreme way in these two outbursts. But we have to catch up in the competition with the CCP.
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VAUSE: A global backlash is gaining steam against TikTok with the possibility the app may be banned altogether in the U.S. with the House Foreign Affairs Committee about to vote on a bill that would allow the Biden administration to impose a total ban on the Chinese owned app nationwide.
The White House has told federal employees they have 30 days to remove the app from all government issued devices.
For more on all of this, we head to San Francisco and Mike Isaac, the Technology Correspondent for The New York Times. Thanks for being with us.
MIKE ISAAC, TECHNOLOGY CORRESPONDENT, THE NEW YORK TIMES (on camera): Hi, John, thanks for having me.
VAUSE: OK, so the big picture security concern isn't so much that TikTok is some kind of state created spying app which is always listening, can collect biometric data, including face prints and voiceprints of users as well as their current location based on sim cards and I.P. addresses, even though their privacy policy updated in January gave itself the right to collect biometric data. And also, to monitor your location, even when you're not actually using the app.
The concern is under a 2017 law, which requires tech companies in China to hand over personal user data to the Chinese government that may actually hand over personal user data to the Chinese government. What's the problem? What's the problem here? What's the -- what's the worry about?
ISAAC: Well, the first half of what you said freaked me out enough, but no, I think you're -- I think you're exactly right. I think the -- you know, the U.S. has not pointed out any sort of public sort of information on this as the evidence we have that you know, ByteDance, which is the parent company of TikTok, is cooperating with the Chinese government and handing over that information.
But that said, I think that, you know, officials in the U.S. are concerned that, to your point, that lock sort of gives them the ability to do that at some point. And does that mean that they're going to use that to spy on government officials in the U.S. or you know, U.S. just sort of regulate users or whatever. That's the concern. I think what we're waiting on just in the press, and then you know,
folks who watch these companies is like real, key, unclassified evidence that this is occurring. But even if that doesn't exist, or they haven't pointed out yet, that just the threat of that is enough for at least a number of lawmakers to pull back tight on it.
VAUSE: I want you to listen to the reaction from Beijing to TikTok's ban on federal devices, here he is.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MAO NING, CHINES FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESPERSON (through translator): I can't believe that the United States as the world's number one superpower is so afraid of a mobile phone app popular amongst young people. This shows a lack of confidence.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: Says the country which blocks Google, YouTube, Pornhub, WhatsApp, Twitter, New York Times, The Washington Post, Voice of America, Radio Free Asia, I can keep going over a long list here. But you know, seriously, that's the best response they have?
ISAAC: I think that's pretty funny. I think the -- I mean, look, there's -- the thing that I find really interesting is if this does happen, which I'm still very wary of whether a Biden administration would do that, just because to the Chinese government's point, it's very popular with young people across the world, and especially young people in the U.S. And that's a voting bloc that he wants to hold on to and that Democrats want to hold on to. So, like, it would be very unpopular among young people who don't care necessarily about security concerns.
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But I think it's -- it is also a big deal for domestic tech companies. So, like Facebook would love nothing more than the total blanket ban on TikTok, basically. But yes, it's wild. I'm curious to see what they actually do.
VAUSE: Well, Denmark's parliament is also asking government workers to remove TikTok from government devices. Canada has gone down that road already. Here's the Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, listen to this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JUSTIN TRUDEAU, CANADIAN PRIME MINISTER: Certainly, I suspect that as government takes the significant step of telling all federal employees that they can no longer use TikTok on their -- on their work phones, many Canadians from businesses to private individuals will reflect on the security of their own data and perhaps make choices and consequences.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: You know, that goody two shoe may work in Canada, where people, you know, sort of give up TikTok for the greater good of the country.
But is there any evidence that it's actually having -- government bans are having an impact on users? Are they giving it up in light of these bans?
ISAAC: I'm watching the TikTok right now as we're doing this interview. So, I don't think so.
No, I think it's -- I think it's one of those things where it's hard to really -- I mean, just think about how much data, even normal regular apps that you might use, like Facebook, or Instagram or whatever, how much that takes from us on a daily basis, right?
Now, try to convince a normal person who isn't frankly addicted to how entertaining to TikTok is and how the videos are, that they need to worry about spy craft from a foreign government.
I think that's a really hard ask just for the average person. And I think that making that case politically, is difficult, and it's hard to sort of position yourself on that.
I still think that Republicans like Josh Hawley, who's a super security hawkish on China is going to continue sort of flogging this bill in the U.S., but I don't know it's very hard for me to see it like getting real wide purchase from regular U.S. users of the app.
VAUSE: The U.S. President Joe Biden was actually asked about a ban on TikTok. Here he is, it's quick.
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JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I'm not sure. I know I don't have it on my phone.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: I'm not sure, I know I don't have it on my phone. That's because 70 percent of TikTok users are half his age or younger.
You know, at the end of the day, you mentioned this voting bloc that may actually be you know, voted against. But I don't know if there is a ban on TikTok, this is a -- this is a lot of young people out there. You know, these are the -- this is a demographic which doesn't respond I guess to bans, there is always a way around a ban, isn't there?
ISAAC: 100 percent, yes, there's VPNs that you -- I mean, this is what they use in China to use American services that are blocked by the government.
So, like virtual private networks are basically ways to spoof your location, pretend you're in a different location, and get around things.
So there's, I would say most, if not many bands across the world, technologically are porous. And there are definitely ways to get to what you want eventually overtime. VAUSE: Mike Isaac, as always, it's great to have you with us. Appreciate it.
ISAAC: Thank you. Thanks for having me.
VAUSE: Well, Wall Street takes a hit in February despite some strong economic data. We'll hit what's dragging the markets down in a moment.
Also ahead, parts of California already buried under snow with more on the way, details on that when we return.
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VAUSE: And so, a volatile month from Wall Street comes to an end. Markets that were riding high in January shut down in February. Strong economic data and persistent inflation are fueling fears. The Federal Reserve will keep hiking interest rates, keep them higher for longer.
The Dow fell more than four percent for the month. It's down 1-1/2 percent for the year. The S&P 500 dropped 2.6 percent. Meantime, the NASDAQ down just over one percent.
Rishi Sunak was in Northern Ireland Tuesday rather to broker his new trade deal with the E.U. The British Prime Minister needs broad support in Northern Ireland for all of this to work, names to resolve post Brexit questions about how to handle customs. It's a political gamble for Sunak who has been in office for just four months, he put a positive spin on Northern Ireland's predicament.
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RISHI SUNAK, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: Northern Ireland is in the unbelievably special position, unique position in the entire world, European continent in having privileged access not just to the U.K. home market, which is enormous, fifth biggest in the world, but also the European Union single market. Nobody else has that. No one.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: Meantime, in Britain though, critical shortages of certain grocery store supply at Staples which has led to rationing that could last until May according to major food producers.
CNN's Isa Soares has the story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ISA SOARES, CNN ANCHOR AND CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Row upon row of empty baskets, empty shelves. A supply gap in fruit and veg has hit U.K. supermarkets. The shortages affecting shoppers nationwide.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I went for lunch and I could not find, like, tomatoes, cucumber or lettuce.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It was quite annoying when you want to have a day in (PH) and you can't actually get it.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The fruits are (INAUDIBLE) they are gone. Nothing there.
SOARES: To deal with the shortages, major British supermarkets are imposing limits on items like tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers. The U.K.'s minister for the environment, food and rural affairs said the disruption should only last a few weeks and meanwhile, encouraged people to eat more seasonally.
Let them eat turnips, she said.
THERESE COLLEY, BRITISH MINISTER FOR ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS: I'm conscious that consumers want year-round choice and that is what our supermarkets and food and growers -- food producers and growers around the world are trying to satisfy.
SOARES: Supermarkets are blaming the recent shortages on poor weather conditions in key growing regions. Britain produces a fraction of the food it consumes, relying instead on overseas imports.
And key suppliers in southern Europe and North Africa, in particular Spain and Morocco, have seen harvests hit by extreme weather conditions.
While climate change plays a significant role in warmer than average temperatures, the government faces another inconvenient truth: Brexit, the cause of widespread supply chain disruption.
LIZ WEBSTER, CHAIR, SAVE BRITISH FARMING: Because of the interruption with trade in Europe that underpin our food supply, it means that there's less food coming in from Europe; we're producing less food. So basically, our food security is in real trouble.
SOARES: Labor shortages due to a lack of migrant workers and soaring energy prices following Russia's invasion of Ukraine have pushed the gap even wider as farmers struggle with front end costs.
And those costs are passed on to the consumer. Consumers are already grappling with record high grocery prices and the worst cost of living crisis in decades.
Isa Soares, CNN, London.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VAUSE: About 23 million Americans under winter weather alerts on Tuesday including parts of California, which have already seen snow and even blizzard conditions.
Cities in the San Bernardino Mountains are facing food and fuel shortages because of dangerous conditions on the roads from ice and snow. More heavy snow expected in the Sierra Nevada and Northern California region over the next few days. Still to come here on CNN, a key ally of Vladimir Putin heads to
China. Belarusian president is in Beijing and what the West fears his visit could signal for Moscow's war effort.
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VAUSE: Welcome back, everyone. I'm John Vause. You're watching CNN NEWSROOM.
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko is in Beijing for meetings with Chinese leaders in the coming days, and that includes President Xi Jinping. Over the weekend, Lukashenko was in Moscow for talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
There's growing concern China is considering sending lethal aid to Moscow for its war effort. The U.S. State Department says China's engagement with Belarus is just another sign of Beijing's growing relationship with Moscow.
Live to Hong Kong with CNN's Kristie Lu Stout, monitoring all this for us. So you know, this is red-carpet treatment for Lukashenko. Why?
KRISTIE LU STOUT, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR/CORRESPONDENT: Yes, because Lukashenko, Belarus, a key Putin ally, as well. Don't forget: a year ago, Belarus allowed Russia to use its territory as a launching pad to launch the invasion of Ukraine.
And so, we have this state visit underway. Lukashenko is expected to meet with the Chinese leader, Xi Jinping, and they will discuss a host of issues, according to state media from Belarus, such as trade, economic issues, investment, humanitarian corporation, as well as the interestingly-worded "acute international challenges," perhaps code for Ukraine there.
And the meeting will wrap up tomorrow, March the 2nd. And this state visit comes at a time of deepening tension, of course, between China and the United States.
The U.S. is saying that China is considering sending lethal aid to Russia. China continues to push back on that notion, while counter accusing Washington, D.C., of pouring weapons into Ukraine.
And then we have this from the state-run tabloid in China, "The Global Times," which, according to "The Global Times," when Lukashenko meets with his Chinese officials and counterparts, he will be discussing the situation in Ukraine.
And "The Global Times" also cited an analyst, saying this, quote, "China always opposes tying the Ukraine crisis to all bilateral relations. It is ridiculous to stipulate that China should not develop bilateral relations with Russia, Ukraine and Belarus, because of the Ukraine crisis," unquote. Look, China claims to be a neutral party to the ongoing war and conflict in Ukraine. But China has this no-limits partnership with Russia, and China has also refused to condemn the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
On Friday, yes, China did release that so-called peace plan, that peace position paper with 12 points on it, in which it called for the end of hostilities; the end of unilateral sanctions; and the resumption of talks, China playing a constructive role.
But Western officials criticize that plan, pointing out that China has already on the side of Russia. And with this state visit underway, the rolling out of the red carpet for Alexander Lukashenko, that will only likely serve to reinforce that notion.
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Back to you.
VAUSE: Yes, there's been a long relationship, though, between China and the last dictator of Europe, as he's known, Lukashenko. But when was the last time that he actually met, you know, one-on-one with Xi Jinping? And what's the status of their relationship?
STOUT: Yes. They didn't -- not that long ago, John. They met in September of 2022, and that was during a time when they upgraded their relationship to a status known as, quote, "all-weather, comprehensive strategic partnership," unquote.
Well, Belarus has invested a lot of time and effort to deepen its relationship with China, so much so that it was one of the early partners of China's Belt and Road initiative, when it launched just over a decade ago.
It's been reported that trade between Belarus and China has increased some 33 percent over the last year to surpass, what, $5 billion. And a lot of analysts are looking out for during this state visit whether Lukashenko will endorse this peace plan, this peace position paper that China released on Friday, because that would give it the international credibility -- that China would perceive it as such, and China so craves right now.
Back to you, John.
VAUSE: Kristie Lu Stout for us in Hong Kong, live for us this hour. We appreciate it. Thank you.
STOUT: Thank you.
VAUSE: Well, Finland has broken ground on a new barrier on its Eastern border with Russia. The project was announced last year.
A fence stretching some -- the border, actually, rather, stretches some 1,300 kilometers. But Finland says this fence will only cover about 260 kilometers, focused mainly on border crossings and other high-risk areas.
The U.S. Supreme Court heard argument Tuesday in two challenges to President Joe Biden's student loan debt relief plan. Demonstrators gathered in Washington to back the president's plan. It could potentially forgive federal debt of up to $10,000 for
individuals making less than $125,000 a year, canceling up to $20,000 on debt for individuals on Pell grants.
Some of the more conservative justices on the court appear skeptical, but an Obama appointee signaled Mr. Biden has the right of way from Congress. Take a listen.
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JUSTICE NEIL GORSUCH, SUPREME COURT: What I think they argue that is missing is cost to other person in terms of fairness, for example, people who've paid their loans, people who don't -- have planned their lives around not seeking loans, and people who are not eligible for loans.
JUSTICE ELENA KAGAN, SUPREME COURT: You know, this is an emergency provision. There's an emergency. It's an earthquake. Congress used its voice. Congress used its voice in enacting this piece of legislation.
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VAUSE: If the plan goes through, more than 40 million federal student loan borrowers would be eligible for some kind of debt cancellation or forgiveness.
The Congressional Budget Office reported in September this plan would cost U.S. taxpayers around $400 billion over about 30 years.
There is a pause on payment requirements until the Supreme Court, though, reaches a decision.
Just ahead, Iran shows off its military might in a series of defense drills, amid reports the country has developed a new cruise missile.
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VAUSE: And that was an Iranian missile launched during defense drills Tuesday. The Revolutionary Guard commander says it's a cruise missile which has a range of more than 1,600 kilometers.
Tehran continues to expand and enhance its illicit missile program in defiance of the United States, Europe and the United Nations.
A senior Pentagon official told U.S. lawmakers Iran could produce a bomb's worth of fissile material in about 12 days.
Iran has continued enriching uranium to near weapons-grade level, in violation of the nuclear agreement reached during the Obama administration.
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COLIN KAHL, U.S. UNDERSECRETARY OF DEFENSE FOR POLICY: Iran's nuclear progress since we left the JCPOA has been remarkable. Back in 2018, when the previous administration decided to leave the JCPOA, it would have taken Iran about 12 months to produce one fissile -- one bomb's worth of fissile material.
Now it would take about 12 days. And so, I think there is still the view that, if you can resolve this issue diplomatically and put constraints back on their nuclear program, it is better than the other options.
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VAUSE: In an exclusive interview with CNN's Christiane Amanpour, Iran's foreign minister spoke on a range of topics, including the alleged sexual abuse of anti-government protesters in custody of Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps.
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CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR/CORRESPONDENT: When you say the Islamic Republic of Iran respects human rights, one female protester says that she was detained inside a Revolutionary Guard vicinity for more than a month and raped by three different men. She went to a cleric, a mullah, afterwards, because she was having suicide thoughts, she was so upset.
CNN spoke with that cleric.
Is that acceptable? Is it acceptable for a woman, whatever she's done, to be arrested and raped? And there are many, many, many reports of sexual abuse in this situation against women and men.
HOSSEIN AMIR-ABDOLLAHIAN, IRANIAN FOREIGN MINISTER (through translator): Firstly, in the peaceful demonstrations in the fall, no one was arrested.
AMANPOUR: So you're just denying that?
AMIR-ABDOLLAHIAN (through translator): However, in this part is to have become violent, some individuals, some of whom had entered Iran from the outside and were using firearms and killing the police, were arrested.
You do know that the supreme leader actually issued an amnesty, and all those who were imprisoned were released, with the exception at those who had killed someone or were being sued.
Regarding the Iranian women that you mentioned, I cannot confirm it. There have been so many such baseless claims made on social media and in media.
AMANPOUR: OK, these -- these are not baseless, and they weren't on the Internet, as CNN spoke to a cleric, a religious person, inside your country and got this confirmed (ph).
AMIR-ABDOLLAHIAN (through translator): We have seen some of CNN's reports that are targeted and false. AMANPOUR: That's not true. We report the facts, and we report the
truth. And that's why you're sitting here with me, Mr. Foreign Minister.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VAUSE: Must-see TV. Tune in for Christiane Amanpour's exclusive interview with the Iranian foreign minister, covering topics including the crackdown protesters, supplying Russia with drones, and Iran's uranium enrichment.
Wednesday 7 p.m. in Geneva, 6 p.m. in London, you'll see it only here on CNN.
Thank you for watching CNN NEWSROOM. I'm John Vause. We'll be back with more news at the top of the hour. In the meantime, WORLD SPORT is up next. See you in 16 minutes.
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