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CNN International: 7.5 Magnitude Earthquake Hits Japan; Interview With Georgia Institute Of Technology Professor Of Geophysics Dr. Zhigang Peng; New Phase Of Israel-Hamas War; Israel Withdrawing Some Troops From Gaza; Israeli Supreme Court Strikes Down Constitutional Law; Interview With Interview With Journalist Elliott Gotkine; Maersk Pauses Shipping In Red Sea; Russia Launched Attacks Across Several Frontlines In Ukraine; Ukrainian Death Toll Grows From Friday's Russian Strikes; Putin And Zelenskyy Addressing Their Own Nations; Russia Will Increase Strikes On Ukraine; Earthquake Rocks Japan; Some States Keeps Trump Off The Ballot; Denmark's Queen Margrethe Says She Will Step Down Jan. 14. Aired 12-1p ET

Aired January 01, 2024 - 12:00   ET

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

[12:01:20]

ANNOUNCER: This is CNN Breaking News.

ZAIN ASHER, CNN INTERNATIONAL HOST: Hello, everyone. I'm Zain Asher in New York.

I want to begin this hour with breaking news coverage in Western Japan, where a powerful 7.5 magnitude earthquake has rocked and tsunami advisories are in effect. Residents are urged to evacuate affected coastal areas as soon as possible.

Officials are still assessing the scope of the damage. I want you to look at how one office looked in Toyama as it was hit by this quake.

Japan's weather agency is warning that aftershocks could continue for up to a week. Officials say there are already reports of injuries. Some people trapped inside buildings and under the rubble as well. This massive fire started in Wajima City after the quake hit as well. There are reports of many other damaged buildings, power outages and closed roads in the wake of the storm as well -- in the wake of the earthquake rather as well.

I want to bring in Dr. Zegang Pen who is in Atlanta. He's a professor of geophysics at the Georgia Institute of Technology. Professor, thank you so much for being with us.

What is your biggest concern just in terms of the major threats affecting the country right now? What is the biggest fear here?

DR. ZHIGANG PENG, PROFESSOR OF GEOPHYSICS, GEORGIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY: Yes. I think the biggest fear or the concern would be whether or not there may be continuing activities. You already mentioned that the aftershock would continue for up to a week. But my understanding is that for event like this aftershock can last much longer. And in this particular case, the event actually happened in a region where there is ongoing activity. So, if you look at what happened before the main event, there was actually a foreshock. But if you look further in time, there were at least a few years of activities. So, this region has already been active for quite a while. And obviously, the 7.5 is the largest.

But one of the concerns that, you know, I may look into in the next few weeks or days would be whether or not there may be some larger aftershocks, and sometimes it could be even larger than the may even could happen in the same region as well.

ASHER: Right. So, do you anticipate? I mean, should people be concerned that perhaps these aftershocks could cause significant structural damage?

DR. PENG: Yes. So, as you probably know that most times aftershocks smaller than the main event. So, even though they are smaller, but sometimes they could be of, you know, a significant size. So, the issue is that the region has early experienced damage from the event.

So, even though, in most cases, a smaller event happened, it can still produce significant damages and -- you know, and potentially to both building and also infrastructure as well.

ASHER: I mean, obviously, we -- you know, we've talked about on this program that, you know, Japan, as we know, is prone to earthquakes, so much so that they've developed an early warning system in case there is an earthquake. But how prone is this particular part of the country, this particular part of Western Japan, how prone is this area to earthquakes?

DR. PENG: Right. So, obviously, you -- as you probably know that most of the earthquakes in Japan occur on the east and most of them are offshore, right. But in this region, like I already mentioned, that at least a few years ago the region has become active. And there was actually a magnitude 6.5 or so happened last year.

[12:05:00]

So, the reason is early active, and I believe that people are used to earthquakes and in this particular part of the region. And like -- or you mentioned that the buildings in Japan, the mostly ready to be strong (ph). However, with size -- event size like this, I expect, as you probably can tell, that there are already some damages in the buildings.

So, even though the activities in this region is not as, let's say, active as on the East Coast of Japan, but people are used to earthquakes, but probably not the event of this size.

ASHER: Right. Dr. Peng, live for us there. Thank you so much. We appreciate it.

I want to bring in CNN's Hanako Montgomery joining us live now from Tokyo. So, we know that it's been downgraded. I'm talking about the tsunami warnings have now been downgraded to tsunami advisories. Just explain to our audience the difference between the two just in terms of the expected threat of a potential tsunami.

HANAKO MONTGOMERY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Of course. And so, when the tsunami advisory has been downgraded, this means that the tsunami warnings, you know, are not as threatening. We might see smaller waves.

CNN has been able to confirm that we have seen waves higher than 1.2 meters hitting parts of Japan. But of course, as the night goes on, as more and more time passes from that initial tsunami 7.5 magnitude earthquake the risk of the tsunami does decrease slightly. But of course, if there is another powerful aftershock, which Japan has warned could happen over the next three days, we might be searing very different things about tsunamis.

And just in terms of overall devastation, overall effects from this earthquake from the tsunami, we know that 33,000 homes are without power. We know, according to the national police in Japan, that four people are in cardiac arrest. This is recent news. We also know that roads have been cracked, and we're just unable to cross them. Medical emergency personnel are unable to get to people that need rescuing and safety.

We also know that, of course, this moment is very, very frightening for many people in Japan. This comes on New Year's Day, a time when many people are celebrating with their families, with their loved ones. And it reminds them of the 2011 earthquake and tsunami, which of course killed 22,000 people.

ASHER: As you're speaking, we were looking at social media images of the impact of the earthquake in Wajima in Japan, obviously as well. And you can actually see really damaged buildings. Do we, at this point, have a clear picture? It hasn't even been 12 hours yet since this earthquake. hit. Do we have a clear understanding of the extent of the structural damage?

MONTGOMERY: Yes. You know, Zain, as I mentioned, it is New Year's Day here in Japan when a lot of government offices are closed. Of course, the Japanese prime minister has launched an emergency task force in order to help people evacuate and get them to safety.

But in terms of the scope, the scale of damage, I think this is information that we're going to start Seeing in the coming hours. It is nighttime here, just after 2:00 a.m., which means that many people are asleep or, you know, are, of course, watching the news as it develops.

But we are seeing footage of fires breaking out in Ishikawa prefecture, which, you know, is very frightening for many people in the area who are, of course, worried about their friends and their families.

ASHER: All right. CNN's Hanako Montgomery in Tokyo, live for us. Thank you so much. We appreciate it. All right. Still to come here, Israel is withdrawing some troops from Gaza in its first major drawdown since the war began. We'll discuss what's behind the move after the break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[12:11:07]

ASHER: All right. We continue to follow breaking news out of Japan where a major earthquake has hit the western part of the country. Why don't we take a look at this office building in Toyama City where the shelves there are shaking as are the monitors, the computers, the screens and the clock there. The 7.5 magnitude quake struck on Monday at around 4:10 in the afternoon local time. This is, of course, a New Year's Day.

Tsunami warnings remain in effect, but a major tsunami warning has been downgraded. People living in the coastal areas have been urged to leave their homes. They've been urged to evacuate. Japan's defense ministry says it's dispatching 1,000 defense force personnel to help with the earthquake. More than a dozen aftershocks have been reported. Officials warn that these could continue for several days.

Israel is beginning to withdraw some of its troops from Gaza. A statement from the Israeli military says that the move should alleviate economic burdens and enable troops to gather strength for upcoming activities in the next year. The IDF has warned that they expect the war to continue throughout 2024.

Nada Bashir is joining us live now from Beirut, Lebanon. So, Israel is withdrawing several thousand service members from Gaza. They're not characterizing it as a significant downgrade just in terms of their activities in the enclave. But just walk us through what this means for the people of Gaza, Nada.

NADA BASHIR, CNN REPORTER: Well, we certainly will be seeing some troops withdrawing. Of course, we have seen thousands of reservists being called up. And as you mentioned there, there has been concern around the economic pressure this has placed on the Israeli industries across the board of reservists now taking part in the war.

But as you mentioned, this is not being characterized as a significant downgrade in Israel's military operation. In fact, in the last few days and weeks, we have heard those repeated statements from Israeli military and government officials, from Prime Minister Netanyahu himself, who have vowed this will be a long fight ahead.

And in fact, what we are seeing on the ground is the Israeli military expanding its operations both on the ground and in the air, expanding into new areas, according to the Israeli military. And we've certainly seen that in the south.

Prime Minister Netanyahu himself saying there is a long way ahead before this war can end in the eyes of the Israeli government. Prime Minister Netanyahu saying they still are seeking to achieve all of their military goals, namely bringing back all the hostages held in Gaza, but also diminishing Hamas' military capabilities in the Gaza Strip. Take a listen to his statement over the weekend.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER (through translator): The war is at its height. We are fighting on all of the fronts. We have huge success, but we also have painful cases. Achieving victory will require time. As the chief of staff has said, the war will continue for many more months.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BASHIR: Now, of course, this has seriously raised the alarm bell. We are nearly three months into the war and the death toll continues to climb in the thousands. And we are now beginning to see, as I mentioned, those airstrikes and ground operations expanding further south, and that has raised concern because, of course, the south is the region where thousands of civilians were told to evacuate to for their own protection.

What we're beginning to see now on the ground is those areas that were deemed safe zones for Palestinian civilians now facing repeated bombardment, including in the area surrounding the Rafah Border Crossing, which is, of course, a crucial gateway to allow aid into the Gaza Strip. Although, the aid that we are seeing getting into Gaza is, it has to be said, just a drop in the bucket in comparison to what is actually needed.

[12:15:00]

Now, of course, the Israeli military has said it is doubling down on its efforts, that its emphasis right now is on the south. We know, of course, that the vast majority of Gaza's population is now displaced, and there is mounting pressure on the Israeli military and Israeli government given that soaring death toll.

The Biden administration has been in talks with the Israeli government continuously throughout this war, we know that there's been pressure mounting for the Israeli military to move towards what's being described as a lower intensity phase of the war. And while this slight withdrawal of troops, ground troops from Gaza, may signal a new phase in the war, it remains to be seen whether that actually entails a lower intensity phase at this stage.

And of course, there is mounting pressure over the potential for this war to spill over into the region. That is a huge point of concern, not least, for the Biden administration. We continue to see tension tonight, Zain, here on the border between Lebanon and Israel, of course, further out in the Middle East.

ASHER: Nada Bashir, live for us there. Thank you so much.

Right. Some breaking news right now. Out of Israel, the Supreme Court has struck down a controversial change to the judiciary. I want to bring in CNN's Elliott Gotkine in Tel Aviv on this. So, the court has ruled the government amendment to the so-called reasonableness law should not stand. Obviously, prior to October 7th, I mean, this ignited just so much. anger and animosity and division really within the State of Israel. But then when you had October 7th, the country really did seem to sort of come together. What's likely to be the reaction to this, Elliott?

ELLIOTT GOTKINE, CNN JOURNALIST: Gosh, it's all in the timing, isn't it? I mean, as you say, before October the 7th, this was all anyone was talking about all the time in Israel. Every Saturday night, hundreds of thousands of people on the streets protesting this government's plans at this judicial overhaul.

Now, what the Supreme Court has done today is it has struck down the one part of this judicial overhaul that the government passed. This ruling that it passed, it passed an amendment to this -- it's quasi constitutional law called a basic law, which would strip the Supreme Court -- which did strip the Supreme Court of its powers to strike down government decisions on the grounds of reasonableness.

And I'll give you an example. The government wanted a person called Arie Derry, who heads the Shas Party, which is part of the government's coalition. The government wanted him to be a minister, but he's been convicted three times, most recently of tax fraud, and the Supreme Court said, no, government, this is unreasonable for you to try to make this man a minister. And as a result, he didn't become a minister.

So, in passing this amendment to a basic law, the government hoped that in future it wouldn't have to worry about making these kinds of decisions because the Supreme Court would no longer have the power to strike them down.

What the Supreme Court has done today is said, actually, it is going to retain this power. The government's ruling, the government's amendment to this law to strip the Supreme Court of this power is not going to stand. And it's said that this was because of the severe and unprecedented blow to the character of Israel as a democratic state that this amendment to this basic law contained.

So, it's a very controversial ruling. And we've already heard from Justice Minister Yariv Levin, and he was one of the architects of this judicial overhaul, and he's come out and said that the timing effectively of this ruling is the opposite of the unity that is required while Israel is at war, but that the government will continue to act with a responsibility and restraint.

But it is actually worth noting that the Supreme Court had no choice but to issue its ruling now because two of its justices were due to resign, or effectively did resign, three months ago. They were allowed a three-month extension. So, they had to rule before they had to step down from the Supreme Court. And something tells me Yariv Levin probably knows that. So, the timing is not the Supreme Court's fault.

It may seem a bit bizarre that when Israel is at war, and when the country is seemingly putting those divisions of the past 12 months behind it and all united in this war against Hamas, which carried out the most devastating terrorist attack on October the 7th, the worst day in Israel's history, it seems a bit strange, really, that this ruling is happening now. But as I say, the Supreme Court didn't have any choice to have delayed it. The government would have had to have passed additional legislation, something that it either didn't think about doing or didn't want to do. So, that's why we're getting the ruling today.

It is controversial. We've yet to hear from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. We assume his response will be along the lines of what we're hearing from the justice minister. Of course, in the past, before this war, there were hundreds of thousands of protesters on the streets, week in week out. It's unclear as to whether we are going to see either supporters of the Supreme Court coming out onto the street or opponents of the Supreme Court's ruling.

[12:20:00]

But make no mistake, this is an incredibly significant and controversial ruling by the Supreme Court, and it was very, very narrow as well. Eight to seven to striking down this amendment to a basic law. The first time the Supreme Court has ever struck down a basic law or an amendment to one. These laws are the equivalent of Israel's constitution. Back to you.

ASHER: Yes. As you point out, extremely narrow, it's extremely controversial and it will be interesting to see what this means for Netanyahu politically. As you point out, we're yet to hear from Netanyahu about this. Elliott Gotkine, we have to leave it there. Thank you so much. Appreciate it.

All right. Danish shipping giant Maersk says it's pausing traffic in the Red Sea after one of its vessels came under attack. The U.S. military says its helicopters intervened over the weekend and sank three boats belonging to Houthi militants from Yemen. All of those aboard were killed and a fourth boat actually managed to get away.

Maersk says the boats were trying to board one of its vessels before being fought off. Attacks by the Iranian-backed Houthis have spiked since the start of the Israel Hamas war.

I want to bring in Oren Liebermann, joining us live now from the Pentagon. So, Oren, this is the first time since October 7th, since the start of the Israel Hamas war, that we've actually seen the U.S. actually attack Houthi militants, Houthi rebels, directly. Just walk us through how significant this is.

OREN LIEBERMANN, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: So, we have seen more than a hundred projectiles, that is drones and missiles fired at commercial shipping vessels from Houthi militants in Yemen, Iranian- backed rebels in Yemen.

That part is not uncommon, at least not over the course of the past month, but how this played out is a major deviation from what we've seen so far. That's because the ship that came under attack, the Maersk Hangzhou, which was right in the Bab el Mandeb Strait, so in the Southern Red Sea there, first it says it was attacked by an unidentified object and then, four vessels from the Houthis approached it, issued a distress call. That's when U.S. helicopters from U.S. Navy vessels in the area approached the Maersk Hangzhou as it was being attacked in an attempt to board it.

Those -- the Houthi militants on their ships got within 20 meters, so about 60 feet of the vessel itself. U.S. Central Command says -- and the video you're seeing here, by the way, is of another attempted boarding of a ship, but U.S. Central Command says that those ships opened fire on U.S. forces. U.S. forces, they say, responded in self- defense, sinking three of the four ships, killing the crew, and the fourth vessel fled.

Now, the White House has said they are not looking for a wider conflict or confrontation here, but obviously this is an escalation in terms of what we're seeing and the first time we have seen the U.S. fire upon, take kinetic action upon, and kill Houthi militants. So far, they have avoided striking Yemen itself. But we'll have to watch very closely how this develops.

A few other points worth noting here, major shipping companies, including Maersk, had for a time avoided the Red Sea. Maersk was one of the companies that said it would continue once again going through the Red Sea after the U.S. launched a multinational coalition to protect shipping there. And that was a major vote of confidence in that multinational coalition called Operation Prosperity Guardian.

But following this attack, they now say they will once again pause shipping through the Red Sea, and that means going a long way around Africa or finding some other means, that's a major blow to shipping. A major cost factor effectively and it will affect supply chain. So, we'll see how long they avoid the Red Sea and whether others do as well, how long it'll take them to feel confident going through the Red Sea again.

Zain, it's also worth noting this was not the only Houthi attack. The U.S. says in a separate incident on Saturday, they shot down two anti- ship ballistic missiles. So, this hasn't led to any more calm. The question is how much worse and how much more tense will it get there? And do we see direct conflict, more direct conflict, between the U.S. and Iran-backed Houthis?

ASHER: All right. Oren Liebermann, live for us there. so much.

And just hours into 2024, Russia launched attacks across several frontlines in Ukraine, according to officials there. In Northeastern Ukraine, local officials say that people are trapped under rubble after a drone struck a residential building on Monday.

It comes as the country's capital observes a day of mourning as the death toll across Ukraine from Friday's massive aerial assault by Russia rises to at least 53. Ukraine's Air Force Command says that Russia also launched a record 90 drone attacks on New Year's Eve.

And in both of their New Year's speeches, leaders of both countries had very different messages to their nations. CNN's Clare Sebastian has more.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) CLARE SEBASTIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): One gave a detailed account of the war, the other never directly mentioned it. In very different ways, this was two leaders calling on their conflict weary populations to stay the course.

VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): And just like that, December 31st, today we say, we do not know for certain what the new year will bring us. But this year we can add whatever it brings, we will be stronger.

[12:25:00]

VLADIMIR PUTIN, RUSSIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): We have proven more than once that we can solve the most difficult problems and we'll never back down.

SEBASTIAN (voice-over): Vladimir Putin's speech was pared back, less than half the length of the previous year, and this time no assembled company of military servicemen. Still, it was an opportunity to project strength and confidence as he positions himself for a fifth term as Russian president.

PUTIN (through translator): We were proud of our common achievements, rejoiced at our successes, and were firm in defending national interests. Our freedom and security, our values, which have been and remain an unshakable support for us.

SEBASTIAN (voice-over): And yet, Russia's security has been shaken. Increasingly brazen attacks on Russian territory have brought the war closer to home.

The year closing with one of the deadliest attacks for Russian civilians yet in the border region of Belgorod. And Putin faced one of the most direct threats to his rule yet, Wagner Chief Yevgeny Prigozhin's aborted march on Moscow in June. A plane crashed two months later, closing that chapter for good.

ZELENSKYY (through translator): We defeated the darkness.

SEBASTIAN (voice-over): Amidst a stepped up Russian aerial campaign and waning western weapons supplies, President Zelenskyy stuck to his well-known tactic of accentuating the positive, including Ukraine taking one small step closer to E.U. membership.

ZELENSKYY (through translator): This process will definitely have a logical conclusion, full-fledged membership in strong Europe. A powerful one, from Lisbon to Luhansk.

SEBASTIAN (voice-over): And yet, this past week has shown Ukraine enters 2024 increasingly vulnerable. That message even spelled out by Putin in his first appearance of the new year, promising a group of wounded Russian soldiers the strikes would intensify.

Clare Sebastian, CNN, London.

(END VIDEO CLIP) ASHER: All right. Coming up next, we'll have much more on the breaking news out of Japan. Here's video of a building, an office building, basically shaking violently after being hit by a powerful earthquake. We'll have much more on that ahead as we go Tokyo for a live report with our correspondent there.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[12:30:08]

ANNOUNCER: This is CNN Breaking News.

ASHER: All right. An update for you on our breaking news out of Western Japan, where a powerful 7.5 magnitude earthquake struck on New Year's Day, initially triggering major tsunami warnings. Those have now been downgraded to tsunami advisories, meaning that the threat of larger waves has indeed passed. Japan is still bracing for aftershocks, though.

And you've seen a lot of videos of the moment that the earthquake struck. Here's one of them. You see cars shaking back and forth, essentially rattling. And you also hear car alarms going off as well. Take a look at this.

Another video here just showing the severity of this earthquake building shaking violently. Officials are reporting power outages, damaged roads and buildings and some flight cancellations as well. Last hour, I spoke with Dr. Ellen Prager. She's a chief scientist at StormCenter Communications. That's a company based here in the U.S. I asked her to explain the impact of the tsunami threat with the quake hitting on the western side of Japan and how that differs from quakes that hit the eastern side. I want you to listen to what she had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DR. ELLEN PRAGER, CHIEF SCIENTIST, STORMCENTER COMMUNICATION: So, the dynamics of the earthquake are different in those two places because of how the plates move. On the other side of the country, you've got what's called a subduction zone, and there's one plate going underneath another, and you tend to get very large-scale vertical movements. And that's what causes the most destructive tsunamis.

On the west coast, it is deformation. The -- you can think of the plates of the ground as being compressed. And so, these faults accommodate that compression and deformation. And so, you can still get vertical movement, but it tends not to be as violent and destructive as on the east coast of Japan.

ASHER: And how long do you expect the tsunami warnings to remain ineffectful, do you think?

DR. PRAGER: Yes. that's a good question, Zain. I'm not sure because the thing with tsunamis is they can also be triggered by underwater landslides and also an aftershock could cause one. So, they might -- even though the current threat might be reduced, they might keep the warnings in effect for a while longer because of those aftershocks. So, my guess is 24, 48 hours, they may keep that warning up. It could be shorter. It's really hard to say.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ASHER: And let's bring in CNN Meteorologist Allison Chinchar. She joins us live now from the World Weather Center in Atlanta.

So, the tsunami warnings, Allison, has been downgraded to advisories, but the threat at this point still remains.

ALLISON CHINCHAR, CNN METEOROLOGIST: That's right. And it's just like Ellen said earlier too, you have to factor in a lot of these aftershocks. And we've had several aftershocks, some even large ones in the last few hours. And so, that's going to factor into this as well.

You still have that tsunami advisory pretty much up and down the entire West Coast where you see that yellow color there. The X indicating where the actual quake itself took place. And those advisories may linger for many more hours.

Here, you can see that water kind of splashing over that break wall there, kind of flowing in. And that's been ongoing throughout much of the day as that -- as those waves continue to go back and forth. Part of it is the topography in this particular area.

So, Suzu right here again, you can see this little inlet that kind of sticks out on the northwestern side here. But even some of those waves coming in this little bay area right here. And the reason for that is if you think about dropping say a toy or a throw a stone inside of your bathtub or in a hot tub, for example, those waves are going to go all the way to the wall, and then they're going to come back again into the center. So, you're going to have those going back and forth throughout much of the day.

You've had pretty significant waves in some of these areas, as high as 1.2 meters. Other areas just under one meter total. Now, again, if we factor in the fact that we could end up having some more aftershocks that could also play an impact.

How a tsunami is formed also depends on the topography of the coastline, too. But essentially, you have that quake that takes place underwater. That plate is thrust upward, and it displaces all of that water. Well, the water has to go somewhere, and it continues to make its way across the water until it comes inland and then, all of that water in a series of waves continues to move inland.

And the topography in Japan plays a role, too, because sometimes it can get funneled into some of those bays or some of those tighter areas a little bit more intensely than maybe some of the flatter coastline areas.

Here's a look at the magnitude again. This was a 7.5 quake that took place very shallow, talking a depth of about 10 kilometers. I know that may seem pretty deep, but in geological standards that is considered very shallow.

The population that felt the quake was pretty significant. You're talking thousands and thousands of people, even millions. When you start talking about to a lesser extent.

[12:35:00]

We've already had 26 aftershocks of at least a magnitude 2.5 or higher. There's a double concern here, not only because of what we talked about with the tsunami, but also damage as well, because from the initial quake of the 7.5, you already have now buildings and homes that are structurally compromised, so it may not take as strong of an aftershock to cause subsequent damage.

So, even a quake that, say, a five or a six point something can still end up causing more damage, even though it's not as strong as the initial quake.

Typically speaking, with a main quake of around 7.5, you're going to have at least one aftershock. That's a 6.5 or higher, likely to have at least 10 that average about 5.5 or higher. So, again, we're going to continue to see more of that activity as we go through the rest of the day, Zain. So, kind of that double feature there.

We will still have to keep an eye on the tsunami advisory throughout the rest of the day, but also any subsequent aftershocks and any further damage they may cause as well.

ASHER: All right, Allison Chinchar, live for us there. Thank you so much.

Donald Trump is facing a new challenge in his race to the White House. Why some states, at least for now, are keeping him off the ballot.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ASHER: All right. Back to our breaking news out of Japan, where a major 7.5 magnitude earthquake shook the western coast just a few hours ago.

Japan issued a tsunami warning, ordering coastal residents to evacuate immediately. The quake triggered waves of about one meter tall. Officials are saying that larger waves could indeed follow. The quake rattled buildings and knocked out power to tens of thousands of homes. Japan's weather agency warns that aftershocks could continue for up to a week.

The government says it is still at this point, though, assessing the extent of the damage. We're keeping a close eye on this story for you.

[12:40:00]

Former President. Donald Trump has two new legal fights on his hands, and those battles could throw the 2024 presidential election into deeper chaos. Trump plans to file appeals tomorrow to keep his name on the Republican primary ballot in both Colorado and in Maine as well.

Both states ruled him ineligible to seek a second term in the White House. They say his actions during the January 6th Capitol Hill riots -- Capitol riots rather, violated the 14th Amendment ban on insurrectionists holding federal office.

CNN's National Security Reporter Zach Cohen joins us live now from Washington. And, Zach, just walk us through on what grounds Donald Trump's appeal will likely be valid on. Give us your take.

ZACHARY COHEN, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY REPORTER: Yes. Zain, this is really an unprecedented constitutional question that we are facing now, and we don't know exactly what issues the former president's going to raise in his appeals, but we do get a window into it based on what the Republican Party in Colorado they listed in their appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court, and the first question that they raise is, is this section of the 14th Amendment, does it even apply to presidents? So, that's one sort of question that they want the U.S. Supreme Court to grapple with.

And the other is, you know, whether or not it can be enforced by the states. And we obviously have Colorado and Maine, both places have said Donald Trump should not be on the primary ballots there. Those decisions are making their way in Maine through the levels of the state court where Trump is going to submit his own appeal. But ultimately, they want the U.S. Supreme Court to say, can states even enforce this section of the constitution?

And lastly, whether or not Donald Trump and Republicans, there's a First Amendment right to select who you want to be your candidate for president. So, those are just sort of a few examples of the broader topics that we know Republicans in Colorado are already asking the U.S. Supreme Court to grapple with. And we could see Trump's lawyers try to assert in their appeals in the -- at the state level as well.

ASHER: Yes. I mean, this is really a thorny issue for the Supreme Court because you had Democratic lawmakers like Jamie Raskin coming out and saying that someone like Clarence Thomas -- a justice like Clarence Thomas, should actually recuse himself from this case, and that's because his wife, Ginni Thomas, has been a vocal proponent of Donald Trump's big election lie. Give us your take on that.

COHEN: Yes, absolutely. And Raskin's comments really underscoring the expectation that the U.S. Supreme Court will ultimately have to weigh in on this in some ways. And Raskin says, look Clarence Thomas, a conservative justice, should not have a say in the -- if the decision does reach the U.S. Supreme Court and they have to weigh in on it because of what his wife did in the lead up to January 6th.

We've reported extensively on Ginni Thomas, Clarence Thomas' wife, her efforts to encourage White House officials at the time to continue to pursue efforts to overturn the 2020 election despite no evidence to support the claim that it was stolen.

Take a listen to what Jamie Raskin, a Democrat, said about the reason Clarence Thomas needs to recuse himself. So, sorry, no sound there. But Raskin does go on to say, essentially, look, she pushed the big lie, the big lie that the election was stolen, that led to the violence on January 6th. And because of her support for that lie, she and her husband should not be anywhere near the question of whether this 14th Amendment can keep Donald Trump off the ballot.

ASHER: Yes. Jamie Raskin goes on to say, listen, whether or not Clarence Thomas actually ends up recusing himself is a whole different story, and Democrats will have to figure out what to do if that ends up not being the case. Zach Cohen live for us there. Thank you so much. We appreciate it.

All right. Still to come after the break, Europe's longest serving monarch is stepping down. We'll have much more on the new line of succession, next.

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[12:46:20]

ASHER: The Queen of Denmark says that she's going to be stepping down on January 14th after 52 years on the throne. Queen Margrethe II is Europe's longest serving monarch. She succeeded her father, King Frederick IX, back in 1972. She's decided that now is the right time to pass this responsibility and to the next generation.

Queen Margrethe's son, Crown Prince Frederik, will be proclaimed king, and his wife, Crown Princess Mary, will become queen.

CNN's Max Foster takes a closer look at the new line of succession.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MAX FOSTER, CNN ANCHOR (voice-over): A new year, a new era for Denmark and for one of the world's oldest monarchies. Queen Margrethe II will end her reign at more than half a century, a shock decision delivered in a live address to the Danish people on New Year's Eve.

QUEEN MARGRETHE II (through translator): I have decided that now is the right time. On the 14th of January 2024, 52 years after I succeeded my beloved father, I will step down as Queen of Denmark.

FOSTER (voice-over): Denmark's ruler became Europe's longest reigning monarch after the death of Britain's Queen Elizabeth in 2022. Queen Margrethe put the decision down to her fragile health. Recent surgeries on her back have limited her royal duties.

QUEEN MARGRETHE II (through translator): The time takes its toll, and the number of ailments increases. One cannot undertake as much as one managed in the past.

FOSTER (voice-over): That sense of duty won the hearts of the Danish people, and drew comparisons to Queen Elizabeth, to whom Margrethe looked to for some inspiration.

Danish Prime Minister, Mette Frederiksen, was quick to praise the only monarch that many Danes will ever have known.

On behalf of the entire population, I would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to Her Majesty the Queen for her lifelong dedication and tireless efforts for the Kingdom, Frederiksen wrote in a statement.

Like other constitutional monarchies, the Danish Sovereign stays above politics, but feathers can be ruffled. In 2022, the queen removed the titles of prince and princess from the children of her second son, Prince Joachim. It was an effort to reduce the royal establishment and allow her grandkids more privacy. But Prince Joachim went public with his four children's hurt feelings, and Queen Margrethe later apologized, but did not change her decision.

QUEEN MARGRETHE II: There is more pressure on the young people of today than there was when I was a child.

FOSTER (voice-over): Margrethe's decision to abdicate places the weight of the crown upon her eldest son's head, Prince Frederik. A man equally faithful to the crown, but with a slightly more reserved public persona. Frederik will rule alongside his Australian born wife, Princess Mary.

The royal couple met at a bar in Sydney during the 2000 Olympics. Mary Donaldson, a marketing executive from Tasmania, swept into a fairy tale.

QUEEN MARGRETHE II: I really like her very much indeed, and she, I hope, knows that and feels that.

FOSTER (voice-over): The new queen won't have far to look for a role model.

Max Foster, CNN.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ASHER: All right. Celebrations all around the world to say goodbye to 2023 and welcome 2024. From firework celebrations to, of course, the famous ball drop here in New York City, here's a look at some of the best moments from New Year's Eve.

[12:50:00]

CROWD: Three, two, one.

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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's 2024 already in New Zealand. Fireworks there at the Sky Tower lighting up Auckland.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We are right almost underneath the Sydney Harbour Bridge. It really fills your heart to be here, to see the sky exploding in color. 2024 is off to a very, very good start.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So, what I saw tonight here in Seoul, over the top. I'm almost speechless. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: So, it's not quite midnight here in Tokyo yet, but on these red lanterns, they have all these different New Year's resolutions that they have written. Things like good health hope and happiness for the New Year.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Thank you, cruise liner. Happy New Year to you. Not only the biggest fireworks countdown show in Hong Kong, but the first such show to take place here in Hong Kong in five years.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Everybody's together and everybody's got a smile on their face, and what a great way to start the year.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Happy New Year.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think I could feel the heat from the fireworks. They were like right on top of us. It was so unbelievably awesome and cool.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Because this is absolutely spectacular. That is the night sky over the United Arab Emirates.

This is Dubai at two minutes past midnight. The Burj Khalifa.

Fireworks there at the Sheikh Zayed Festival. Hoping to break four world records. There's no point in me competing with that.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is the Times Square of Tbilisi.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Happy New Year. (INAUDIBLE), everyone.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Pretty impressive fireworks display going on just behind me there above the Arc de Triomphe. Tonight's fireworks display, they're of course about the Olympics that the French have been preparing for Paris. This was really about giving the world a little taste of the show that the French can put on.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: But we will hear Big Ben bong in just a moment and that's going to set everything off. Here in London.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Let's take a look back at 2023.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The last few minutes of 2024, at least in this part of the world, anything can go by. It's going to be a good year.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's about to be 2024 in Rio de Janeiro. Right now, there are fireworks on the bay in Copacabana. A stunning show of fireworks here in Rio. 40 tons of fireworks of 10 different (INAUDIBLE) on the water. A synchronized show with a live orchestra right behind me. And people are just so happy to be here. Honestly, there's nowhere else I would want to be than in Rio de Janeiro.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Happy New Year. Happy 2024 from New York City, right here in the middle of Times Square, the greatest place in the world, the greatest city in the world. There's no place like New York City on New Year's Eve.

(MUSIC PLAYING)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ASHER: Just beautiful. New York City really is the greatest city. I couldn't agree more.

And some swimmers around the world are trying to clean the slate for the New Year by taking a cold dip in some icy waters.

[12:55:00]

In Portugal, revelers rushed into the Atlantic Ocean for a plunge in the chilly waves. The bathers say it's a shock to the system, I'm sure it is, that will hopefully bring them good health in the upcoming year. Similar tradition takes place in Croatia with swimmers dressed in Santa hats and striped suits jumping into the Adriatic to begin their fresh start to the new year as well.

The participants say they enjoy the shivering rush. With some wishing, get this, that it could actually be even colder.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MARIO SUSAN, KUKALI SWIM ASSOCIATION (through translator): We have wonderful weather. The sea is getting warmer and warmer every year. It's about 14 degrees and we would like it to be a little colder. Once we even had to throw ice cubes to cool it down.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ASHER: No, thank you. And in Rome, divers mark the new year by jumping into the Tiber River. The dive has been taking place in Rome for more than 50 years.

Thank you so much for joining us here on "CNN Newsroom." Stay with us for continuing coverage of that earthquake in Japan. You're watching CNN.

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