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USAID Now Under State Department; Israeli P.M. Meets Trump in Washington. Trump Pauses Tariffs to Canada and Mexico; Princess of Wales Releases New Photo for World Cancer Day. Aired 3-4a ET

Aired February 04, 2025 - 03:00   ET

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


[03:00:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CHRISTINA MACFARLANE, CNN CORRESPONDENT AND ANCHOR: Hello and a very warm welcome to our viewers joining us from all around the world and everyone streaming us on CNN Max. I'm Christina Macfarlane, in London.

Just ahead on the show, a brewing trade war between Washington and Beijing as China strikes back at U.S. tariffs by announcing new levies of its own.

Dismantling USAID. Trump's State Department says it's now in control of the humanitarian agency, why Democrats are calling this move unconstitutional and blaming Elon Musk.

And a Spanish football star takes the stand in the trial of Luis Rubiales, saying his unwanted kiss at the 2023 Women's World Cup tainted one of the happiest days of her life.

UNKNOWN (voice-over): Live from London, this is "CNN Newsroom" with Christina Macfarlane.

MACFARLANE: Let's get straight to our top story, the growing trade war between China and the U.S. Not long ago, Beijing slapped retaliatory tariffs on some American imports, including fuels.

Right after the U.S. president's broad-based 10 percent tariff on Chinese goods took effect, China has also levied a 10 percent tariff affecting U.S. crude oil and agricultural machinery, as well as large displacement cars and pickup trucks.

Certain types of American coal and liquefied natural gas will face a 15 percent tax. The new measures kick in next Tuesday.

China also imposed new export controls on several raw materials and confirmed it's filed a complaint with the World Trade Organization. President Trump said on Monday that he'd be speaking with Beijing soon.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, U.S. PRESIDENT: We'll have some good meetings with China. We have meetings planned and we'll see what happens. That was just an opening salvo. If we can't make a deal with China, then the tariffs will be very, very substantial.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MACFARLANE: This follows a major turnaround in Donald Trump's trade war with Mexico and Canada. He struck deals with both countries on Monday after the threat of imminent tariffs caused markets to tank and jitters in the business community.

Well for the next 30 days, the tariffs are on hold, even though President Trump had insisted last week that nothing would stop them from kicking in. However, the White House claimed on Monday that it was Canada and Mexico, quote, "bending the knee."

Included in this temporary agreement, plans for Mexico to station 10,000 troops at the U.S. border to keep migrants and drugs from getting in. And Canada will implement its previously announced border plan while installing a so-called fentanyl SAR, even though a mere 0.2 percent of drug seizures actually happen at the Canadian border.

Well, let's take a look now at how this has been affecting the markets in Asia, where it's been a rollercoaster morning, as you can appreciate. Japan's Nikkei, they're currently up, as is the Hang Seng and Seoul KOSPI.

Shanghai Composite, though, still down in the red by 2.03. And although shares in Asia have been rallying this morning, not quite back to where they were.

Let's bring in CNN's Marc Stewart joining us live from Beijing, where I'm sure it's been a very interesting morning, Marc. Just walk us through this latest round, this new round of retaliatory tariffs from China. It's interesting to see, I think, within those tariffs, Marc, as well, moves to target the tech industry.

MARC STEWART, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Right. This is a long list of items. But a lot of this appears, Christina, to be very symbolic. I mean, if you look at things like crude oil or liquid natural gas, China gets those items from other places in the world at a much higher level than the United States.

So this is perhaps more of a statement than actual substance. If we look at some of the other items like pickup trucks, for example, pickup trucks are just not a popular vehicle in China. So again, along those symbolic lines.

But if we look at all of this more broadly, this is very much in line with China's foreign policy, especially on these trade issues. Tit- for-tat. You harm us, we're going to harm you back.

And that's kind of the message that China is trying to send, not only to the United States, but also to the entire country. We have seen these tariffs levied against China.

Now, this is a very visual way for China to fight back, not only to the United States, but to send a message across the country that China is a strong force. And that's kind of reflective of some of the remarks that we've been seeing on social media.

[03:05:08]

The other big thing that we've been watching for today here in Beijing is this potential phone call between President Trump and President Xi yesterday afternoon in the U.S. He said that he hoped to talk to President Xi sometime in the next 24 hours.

If our calculations are right, that would be later this afternoon here in China, very early in the morning in the United States. These two men have talked before. It was just two weeks ago when we saw the TikTok ruling come down from the Supreme Court that these two leaders held a call.

The feeling that we got from Beijing is that it was very positive, very diplomatic, also a very similar message from the United States. But these trade issues can be tricky.

And these are trade issues that have been looming since the first Trump White House. In fact, at one point, President Trump and President Xi had a very cordial relationship. President Xi came to the United States, but things then broke down. And one of those big issues was trade.

So perhaps, Christina, this back and forth that we are seeing now, you could perhaps interpret it that it's a move to try to reset these trade talks.

President Trump did express interest coming to China to visit President Xi. But as one observer pointed out, it has to be a visit of substance. It wouldn't take place in this moment where we are seeing this back and forth.

It would have to be something substantial like a trade agreement, like a signing, something big to make this visit worth it for both of these two economic superpowers. Christina.

MACFARLANE: Yes, Marc, on that point, I mean, the turnaround with Mexico and Canada in the last 24 hours has been frankly quite head spinning. I'm sure China are watching on, viewing this with interest and hoping that that call that is in the offing, you know, and you say in the next couple of days will spell the same thing for China.

What is the expectation and how much, how ready do you think China are to concede anything as we have seen Mexico and Canada move to do in the last day?

STEWART: Well, there are a couple of things at play. First of all, let's just look at the calendar. Right now, it is the Chinese New Year. I know that celebrations don't stop the political cycle, but this is a very important time of year here in China.

So it's not unusual that we had this delayed response. The holiday wraps up in these days ahead. In fact, tomorrow is the first time that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will hold its daily press briefing.

But I think as far as expectations from China are concerned, I think that in many ways you could argue that this back and forth that we are seeing right now very much falls into a diplomatic script that is typical between these two nations.

This tit-for-tat, but eventually both sides will come to the table. I mean, all the messaging that we have heard from Beijing very early on, even before President Trump took office, was along the lines that this can be a mutually beneficial relationship. This can lead to win-wins on both sides.

I don't think that Beijing is retreating from that, but at this particular moment has to show some force, especially when it's being lobbed against it from the United States.

MACFARLANE: All right, we will watch this space, Marc Stewart in Beijing for now. Thanks, Marc.

Let's take a closer look now at the North American tariff turmoil, seen as Jeff Zeleny has our report.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEFF ZELENY, CNN CHIEF U.S. NATIONAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT (voice- over): President Trump backing off a trade war with Mexico and Canada, for now at least.

TRUMP: When you're the pot of gold, the tariffs are very good, they're very powerful.

ZELENY (voice-over): Trump reached a last-minute deal with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, agreeing to a month-long delay on 25 percent tariffs on all goods imported to the U.S.

Both Mexico and Canada agreed to bolster security at the U.S. border and increase resources to crack down on fentanyl. As he signed executive orders in the Oval Office, we asked Trump if he blinked in striking a deal with Mexico.

ZELENY: Did you blink this morning?

TRUMP: There was no blinking. No, she's a wonderful woman, but she did agree to 10,000 soldiers on the border. I would say that's a lot.

ZELENY (voice-over): Talks between Trump and Trudeau continued throughout the day.

Following an afternoon phone call, the Prime Minister announced a deal, saying "Canada is making new commitments to appoint a fentanyl czar, we will list cartels as terrorists, ensure 24-7 eyes on the border."

But Mexico accounts for the vast majority of fentanyl, with more than 21,000 pounds crossing the southern U.S. border last year, and only 43 pounds coming in from Canada.

While Trump vowed to press ahead with a long-term plan for tariffs in these countries and beyond, he said there could be short-term economic pain through higher prices or inflation.

[03:10:04]

TRUMP: Tariffs don't cause inflation, they cause success, cause big success, so we're going to have great success. There could be some temporary, short-term disruption, and people will understand that.

ZELENY (voice-over): Among Americans, that remains an open question.

Among Canadians, their resentment was clear as the Star-Spangled Banner was met with jeers at a weekend hockey game. Trump remained steadfast in his long standing belief in tariffs, which the conservative "Wall Street Journal" editorial page blasted as the dumbest trade war in history.

Rupert Murdoch, whose media empire includes the newspaper, visited the Oval Office and was on hand as Trump spoke with reporters.

TRUMP: I'm going to have to talk to him. Not only is it not dumb, you're going to see, you're going to see, every single one of those countries is dying to make a deal.

ZELENY: President Trump said he was very pleased with the deals reached with both Canada and Mexico. The White House press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, she put it a slightly different way, saying both countries were bending their knee to the U.S.

For the next month, though, as this trade war still looms and lingers, the question is, what is the risk for both countries? It certainly is. Which country blinked? We do know the market reaction watched very carefully here at the White House, and it was not a positive one.

Jeff Zeleny, CNN, the White House.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MACFARLANE: El Salvador has agreed to receive deportees from the U.S. of any nationality, U.S. Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, announced the unprecedented deal on Monday after meeting with the country's president.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MARCO RUBIO, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: He has agreed to accept for deportation any illegal alien in the United States who is a criminal from any nationality, be they MS-13 or Trinidad Agua, and house them in his jails.

And third, he has offered to house in his jails dangerous American criminals in custody in our country, including those of U.S. citizenship and legal residence. No country has ever made an offer of friendship such as this. (END VIDEO CLIP)

MACFARLANE: Well with more than 80,000 people in its jails, El Salvador is believed to have the highest incarceration rate in the world.

Meanwhile, in the U.S., protesters across Southern California participated on Monday in a Day Without Immigrants, a campaign aimed at underlining the importance of immigrants in the U.S.

The Trump administration says it is now in full control of USAID. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced he is the now acting director of the U.S. Agency for International Development and is looking to align its foreign aid activities with a quote, "America First agenda."

Up until Monday, USAID was an independent federal agency. It dispensed billions of dollars in famine aid, poverty and disaster relief and funded democracy-building programs around the world.

Donald Trump claims he has the power to scrap it, but the U.S. Congress is the only entity that can form and abolish federal agencies and offices, and lawmakers and legal experts alike say Mr. Trump's unilateral takeover is unconstitutional.

They also take issue with billionaire Elon Musk's role in dismantling federal agencies and accessing critical government information and systems. Democratic lawmakers say all of this is leading to a uniquely dangerous moment for the United States.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. CHRIS MURPHY (D-CT): This is a constitutional crisis that we are in.

REP. ILHAN OMAR (D-MN): That is how dictators are made.

SEN. BRIAN SCHATZ (D-HI): In the last 10 days, Donald Trump has done more to destabilize things across the planet than perhaps any other president in recent memory.

SEN. JAMIE RASKIN (D-MD): You don't control the money of the American people. The United States Congress does that. We don't have a fourth branch of government called Elon Musk.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MACFARLANE: Well, the U.S. Senate has voted to confirm Chris Wright as energy secretary. The vote was 59-38 in favor of the fossil fuel executive, former CEO of Denver-based Liberty Energy.

President Trump has used the phrase drill, baby, drill to sum up his energy policy. Wright echoed that sentiment and vowed to, quote, "unleash American energy," as he says the U.S. should increase production, including that of liquefied natural gas and commercial nuclear energy. When asked about the fires that have caused so much devastation in California, Wright says he stood by his past statement that the hype about wildfires is just hype.

And employees of the department that he will run have begun receiving the Deferred Resignation Agreement previously sent to other agencies. It's the same notice that employees of the Departments of Commerce and Health and Human Services have seen.

The email notice says if eligible employees resign by Thursday's deadline, they can keep their government pay and benefits through the end of September.

[03:15:05]

Well still to come, destruction in the West Bank. As an Israeli military operation turns deadly, CNN speaks to one family who is now demanding justice.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MACFARLANE: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is visiting Washington to meet U.S. President Donald Trump. White House and Israeli officials say the two leaders will hold a joint news conference this afternoon. Prime Minister Netanyahu will be the first world leader to have a formal meeting with President Trump since his inauguration.

[03:20:03]

This comes against the backdrop of the Gaza ceasefire and hostage release agreement. Israel says it will send a working level delegation to Doha this weekend to, quote, "discuss technical details related to the second phase of the deal." But on Monday, Mr. Trump said there are, quote, "no guarantees that the peace is going to hold."

Well dozens of Palestinians have been killed in Jenin since a major offensive began in the West Bank, including a two-year-old girl who was shot inside her home. As Jeremy Diamond reports, her family is now demanding justice.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN JERUSALEM CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Tayma Al- Khatib's world has been shattered, but she is trying to stay strong. After all, that's what Layla would want.

TAYMA AL-KHATIB, LAYLA'S MOTHER (through translator): Layla was always the source of my strength.

DIAMOND (voice-over): Layla was just two years old when she was killed by Israeli troops, one of at least 24 Palestinians killed by Israeli military operations in and around the West Bank city of Jenin in the last two weeks.

The little girl, whose laughter once delighted her family, now gone. The family were having dinner when Layla's grandfather heard a faint voice on a loudspeaker that sounded like the Israeli military.

BASSAM HAZA, LAYLA'S GRANDFATHER (through translator): The voice was distant, so we didn't pay attention to it. After a few moments, we heard gunfire very close by, closer than the usual. So I asked the girls to hide in their bedroom, and my wife and I hid in our bedroom that faces the street so we could try to see what was happening.

DIAMOND: And you lay down.

DIAMOND (voice-over): Inside that bedroom, Layla's mother, Tayma, grabbed her daughter and cradled her on the ground.

B. HAZA (through translator): In that moment, shots were fired toward us, so my wife and I ducked and fell to the ground. And then I heard my girl screaming from inside the bedroom.

DIAMOND (voice-over): The screams were Tayma's. Layla had been shot in the head.

AL-KHATIB (through translator): My blouse, this whole area was filled with blood. So I started screaming, saying, Layla, something hit her and she's bleeding.

They came quickly and grabbed her from me so they could take her outside to call the ambulance.

DIAMOND (voice-over): Bassam rushed outside with Layla in his arms, where he found dozens of soldiers. They had surrounded his house. Some had taken up positions on a neighboring roof.

B. HAZA (through translator): I looked at one of the soldiers and asked him --

B. HAZA: Why are you killing my daughter?

HAZA (through translator): He was a bit stunned and saw the girl bleeding, and then said --

B. HAZA: I am sorry.

DIAMOND: He said, I am sorry.

HAZA (through translator): I told him, my child is bleeding. She needs help. What do you mean, I'm sorry?

AL-KHATIB: I wanted to hold the soldier and scream out to the world and say that he killed a young child and he burnt the heart of a mother. Any mother like me who had to endure this and then have a soldier say, I'm sorry, it's as if nothing happened.

The man who fired at Layla for no reason has to be prosecuted and punished. And not just him, anyone who was involved, from the commanders, from the army who encircled the house.

DIAMOND (voice-over): The Israeli military said it opened fire on the house after receiving intelligence about quote "barricaded armed terrorists," and claimed they called on people to leave the building multiple times.

Immediately after they opened fire, the soldiers identified injuries among uninvolved civilians who were present in the structure, and coordinated the rapid arrival of the Red Crescent to evacuate them.

The IDF regrets any harm caused to uninvolved civilians, and takes various measures to prevent such incidents. The incident will be examined, and lessons will be learned accordingly.

Gunfire didn't just strike Layla Khatib's home.

DIAMOND: These are bullet holes.

DIAMOND (through translator): Bullets also tore through neighboring apartments, where Layla's extended family lives.

AZZAM HAZA, LAYLA'S UNCLE: All the kids were here, not just in this house. And up there, in my brother's house, their kids like this.

DIAMOND: They must have been really afraid.

A. HAZA: Yes, of course.

DIAMOND (voice-over): After the gunfire ended, multiple residents accused Israeli forces of trying to cover up what happened, destroying several security cameras in the area.

This video obtained by CNN shows a soldier trying to knock down a security camera on the same street with the butt of his rifle. The military did not respond to CNN's questions about the destruction of security cameras.

In a home riddled with bullets, all that is left now are the memories.

B. HAZA (through translator): She would hop on my shoulders, and she would say, Grandpa, I want to kiss your head. And she would hug me. I used to love this.

DIAMOND (voice-over): And a mother's duty to speak out for her daughter.

[03:25:04]

AL-KHATIB (through translator): I want everybody to know Layla and her story, and how they killed a young child who was so ambitious, so smart. This is my duty to her.

DIAMOND (voice-over): Jeremy Diamond, CNN, Jenin, the West Bank.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MACFARLANE: Now, in the Democratic Republic of Congo, rebel soldiers are calling for a ceasefire starting today amid a growing humanitarian crisis.

It comes after rebels captured the eastern city of Goma last week, clashing with foreign peacekeepers and the region's military. The U.N.'s humanitarian affairs office warns local health care facilities are overcrowded with a growing need for medicine and equipment. The agency says at least 900 bodies have been recovered from the streets of Goma and is reporting nearly 2,900 injuries since the end of January.

U.N. experts believe thousands of Rwandan soldiers are in the Democratic Republic of Congo supervising and supporting the rebels who took control of Goma a week ago.

But in an exclusive interview with CNN's Larry Madowo, Rwanda's president says he doesn't know if his country's troops are inside the DRC.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PAUL KAGAME, RWANDAN PRESIDENT: You cannot have FDR in the Congo being armed, being supported by government of DRC, supported by mercenaries, supported by Annami from Burundi, then business continues as usual.

LARRY MADOWO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The M23 when they took Goma and in their recent fighting have had very sophisticated equipment that as a militia group they possibly can't have access to. Did that come from Rwanda?

KAGAME: Some of it, a lot of it actually came from (inaudible) from the Congolese armed forces. Most of it they would attack M23, M23 would beat them, pursue them and capture a lot of equipment.

MADOWO: So Rwanda is not directly arming or supporting M23?

KAGAME: I think you seem to be interested in me admitting to you that Rwanda is anything.

MADOWO: I'm just making sure we have this on the record, Mr. President.

KAGAME: But we may go on until tomorrow. So you're asking me, I'm giving you the answer and it is not going to change by just insisting.

MADOWO: Have you spoken to President Shisa Kedi recently about this?

KAGAME: No, I haven't been speaking for quite some time.

MADOWO: He did not attend the most recent East African Community Leaders Summit. So does that make it harder to agree on something if you won't see eye-to-eye?

KAGAME: Well, again, that is the whole thing. When you have a problem, you must look for the cause. So the man has the problem and he doesn't even appear for discussion to find a solution.

MADOWO: What the Congolese are doing, Mr. President, is making a strong case internationally. They have said that --

KAGAME: I'm not sure about that. MADOWO: They've written to the European football team sponsored by

Rwanda, Arsenal, PSG and Bayern Munich and told them to end their sponsorship because of the blood-stained money from Rwanda.

KAGAME: The efforts they are using to go and appeal to Arsenal, to whichever group we are working with and so on and so forth, is a wasted effort. I think they should direct the effort towards managing their own problems, their own politics, properly.

MADOWO: The Southern African Development Community forces in Eastern DRC are supposed to help the Congolese army bring peace to the region. You don't consider them to be a peacekeeping force?

KAGAME: Who?

MADOWO: SADC.

KAGAME: I don't think they consider themselves a peacekeeping force either.

MADOWO: What do you mean?

KAGAME: Because what have they done to bring peace?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MACFARLANE: Now the global fallout from President Trump's tariffs. China has now retaliated. While the leaders of Canada and Mexico negotiated delays, we'll have more on the reaction on that coming up.

[03:30:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CHRISTINA MACFARLANE, CNN CORRESPONDENT AND ANCHOR: Hi everyone, welcome back to "CNN Newsroom." I'm Christina Macfarlane. Let's check in on some of the top stories making headlines today.

At least 20 people were killed in northern Syria after a vehicle exploded in the city of Manbij on Monday. Syria's newly formed transitional government says it will find those accountable for the terror attack and punish them with the most severe penalties. No one has claimed responsibility for the attack so far.

Some residents of Santorini are leaving the Greek island following dozens of tremors. More than 200 earthquakes have hit over the past four days. The strongest reached 4.9 in magnitude.

[03:35:00]

And U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance is expected to make his first international trip since taking office. He'll first head to the A.I. Action Summit in Paris, followed by the Munich Security Conference in Germany.

And China has slapped the U.S. with retaliatory tariffs less than an hour after President Trump's 10 percent tariffs on Chinese goods. China's tariffs apply to certain American products like crude oil, liquefied natural gas and agricultural machinery.

They come amid Monday's pause on tariffs on Canada and Mexico. After calls with Prime Minister Trudeau of Canada and President Scheinbaum of Mexico, President Trump agreed to delay tariffs for 30 days.

The U.S. President had previously vowed that nothing would stop the tariffs. Let's take a look at the reaction now from both countries. Paula Newton is on Ontario, Canada, but first, here's Patrick Oppmann with a view from Mexico.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PATRICK OPPMANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): : Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum says Mexico needs to keep a, quote, cool head when dealing with U.S. President Donald Trump and his threats of punishing tariffs on goods manufactured in her country.

Sheinbaum's dealings under pressure during a phone conversation with Trump Monday paid off, averting a tariff war at the last minute, at least for now.

CLAUDIA SHEINBAUM, MEXICAN PRESIDENT (through translator): I responded, let's pause them for a month. And I'm confident that in a month, we will deliver results for both his people and Mexico.

OPPMANN (voice-over): Trump had threatened 25 percent tariffs on Mexican goods starting Tuesday, as he accused Mexico of not doing enough to impede the flow of legal drugs, including fentanyl, and undocumented immigrants across the border into the U.S.

Tariffs he agreed to postpone after Sheinbaum offered to send 10,000 Mexican National Guard troops to the border to crack down on the drugs flowing north.

DONALD TRUMP, U.S. PRESIDENT: We had a great talk with Mexico.

OPPMANN (voice-over): However, Trump stressed the negotiations are not over.

TRUMP: We haven't agreed on tariffs yet. And maybe we will, maybe we won't. But we have a very good relationship.

OPPMANN (voice-over): A trade war, though, likely would have had devastating impacts on both countries and ultimately lead to an increase in the price of a wide range of items from beer to automobiles that are produced jointly by an increasingly interwoven economy. Mexican citizens living on the border say.

UNKNOWN (through translator): I consider it is mutual aggression to both the United States and Mexico, because it will be the consumer who ultimately pays for these decisions that are being made.

UNKNOWN (through translator): I think that Mexico doesn't have to yield. It has to do something, something different to not receive this kind of blackmail from the United States.

OPPMANN (voice-over): In return for deploying troops, the Mexican president called on Trump to help reduce the flood of guns originating from the U.S. that help arm Mexican drug cartels.

SHEINBAUM (through translator): These high powered weapons empower criminal groups and give them firepower. We also ask the US to help prevent arms trafficking from their country into ours. He agreed.

OPPMANN (voice-over): Sheinbaum said she is confident Mexico can deliver results over the next month while hammering out a new trade, migration and security deal with the Trump administration. In order for that to happen, though, and avoid a widening cross-border trade war, cooler heads will have to continue to prevail. Patrick Oppmann, CNN.

PAULA NEWTON, CNN ANCHOR AND CORRESPONDENT: A 30-day reprieve is certainly a relief here in Canada, but officials are already looking to those 30 days and understanding that it is a reminder that the threat of tariffs is still on the table.

In terms of what's happening on the border, many Canadians support a stronger border. There will be a so-called North American strike force to help with this, really zoning in on immigration and fentanyl smuggling.

But what the president wants, what he's talking about is opening up and having a new economic deal, and he wants more concessions from Canada. Canada already believes that the deal already on the table set to expire next year is a fair one.

They will, of course, negotiate, but they need to understand exactly what the demands of the president are and try and really continue to bolster their own defenses here when it comes to preserving manufacturing jobs, preserving the agricultural sector. So many things that Canada fought for in that first deal.

What also happened, though, is that Canadians remain very clear-eyed about the fact that President Donald Trump does remain a threat to the economy here, and they're looking for ways to get a win for both countries, something they thought had already been done with the last trade deal. Paul Newton, CNN, Oakville, Ontario.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MACFARLANE: Well, President Trump suggested Monday that TikTok could be acquired by a newly proposed sovereign wealth fund. The popular app, which is owned by a Chinese company, is under pressure to find a new owner by April to avoid being banned in the U.S. Trump floated the idea but provided few details as he signed an executive order directing officials to set up the fund in the U.S.

[03:40:01]

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) TRUMP: As an example, TikTok, we're going to be doing something perhaps with TikTok and perhaps not. If we make the right deal, we'll do it. Otherwise, we won't. But I have the right to do that. And we might put that in the sovereign wealth fund, whatever we make.

Or if we do a partnership with very wealthy people, a lot of options. But we could put that as an example in the fund. And we have a lot of other things that we could put in the fund.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MACFARLANE: Well, the U.S. sovereign wealth fund will be modeled after state-owned investment funds used in countries like Norway and Saudi Arabia, which direct their national budgets into assets like stocks, bonds and real estate.

The frontrunner to be Germany's next leader has denied that he's cooperating with the far-right AfD party. Last week, Friederich Merz's party sponsored an immigration bill with the AfD, earning criticism from members of his own party, including former Chancellor Angela Merkel.

Germany's biggest political parties have an unwritten agreement not to seek the support of the AfD. Merz told his party's convention that he will not work with the AfD.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

FRIEDRICH MERZ, LEADER, CHRISTIAN DEMOCRATIC UNION (through translator): We will not work with the party that calls itself the alternative for Germany. Not before, not after, never. This party stands against everything.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MACFARLANE: With Germany set to hold elections later this month, polls suggest Merz is likely to become the country's next chancellor. Our Fred Pleitgen spoke to him about his priorities.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MERZ: Immediately after the formation of a new government, we have to take some decisions on migration. My personal decision would be to control our borders and to return those who are coming without documents.

And the second thing is we have to do something on the economy. The economy in Germany is running pretty bad. And so we have to take decisions.

FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SR. INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: If you become chancellor, you will be dealing with U.S. President Donald Trump, who's already done a lot of wide-ranging decisions, but also threatened tariffs against European nations, of course, Mexico and Canada as well. How would you deal with Donald Trump as president? MERZ: I remind you what happened when he was in his first term. He put

in place tariffs against steel and aluminum in America. And the European answer was tariffs against motorcycles, against jeans and against American whiskey.

And the former president of the E.U. Commission went to Washington, had a deal with him. And after six weeks, they gave up all the tariffs. So the answer has to come from the European level.

PLEITGEN: Defense is obviously another big key issue for Donald Trump and the five percent goal that he's put forward now. How would you deal with that?

I was also very interested in your speech. You also spoke very strongly on the subject of Ukraine as well.

MERZ: I'm very strong in this position. We are on the Ukrainian side because the attack is against all of us.

And we have to achieve the NATO goals. This is two percent of our GDP minimum. This is the lowest level. We are behind that. We have to do that.

But my second answer is don't let us talk about money only. Standardization, simplification and economies of scale have to be put in place as well. So we have to get more for the money. And the best would be cooperating with the U.S. and with the U.S. government.

We do not yet know what they are really planning to do. I would like to see what they are planning to do.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MACFARLANE: That was our Fred Pleitgen speaking to Friedrich Merz ahead of the German elections in just a month's time.

We'll be back after this short break. Stay with us.

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[03:45:00]

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MACFARLANE: The founder of a pro-Russian paramilitary group has died following a bombing in central Moscow, according to Russia's state media. Despite medical assistance, Armin Sarkisyan was said to have died in hospital after sustaining critical injuries.

Ukraine's defense intelligence describes him as a well-known criminal mastermind responsible for recruiting soldiers to a private Russian militia operating as a counterbalance to the Wagner group in eastern territories of occupied Ukraine.

Permanent spokesperson Dmitry Peskov says it is impossible for us to comment as Russian Special Forces continue their investigation into the residential complex attack.

Well the U.S. is expressing alarm over a sharp rise in reported executions of Ukrainian soldiers captured by Russian armed forces. In the past six months, the Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine says it received reports of 79 executions in 24 separate incidents.

The U.N. body obtained and analyzed both video and photographic evidence showing executions of unarmed and injured soldiers in areas under Russian offenses. The U.N. also conducted detailed interviews with witnesses.

Ukraine's foreign minister says the Russian atrocities demand urgent international action. International humanitarian law prohibits the execution of prisoners of war and regards it as a war crime.

Meantime, U.S. President Donald Trump wants America to benefit from continuing to support Ukraine. On Monday, he told reporters there have been talks of exchanging lithium, titanium and other minerals for support. It's one of the first times he's mentioned specific plans about the war between Russia and Ukraine.

Mr. Trump once said he would end the conflict within 24 hours once he was back in office, but is yet to detail any plan. For now, he's focused on the rare earth minerals.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: We're looking to do a deal with Ukraine where they're going to secure what we're giving them with their rare earth and other things.

[03:50:06]

I want to have security of rare earth. We're putting in hundreds of billions of dollars. They have great rare earth and I want security of the rare earth.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MACFARLANE: Now, it's been nearly 18 months since Spain's former football chief kissed a player without her consent. Now he's on trial for sexual assault. The latest from Madrid after the break.

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MACFARLANE: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers says it's unclear how long the removal of wreckage will take after the deadly midair collision over Washington last week. Large pieces of the American Airlines jet were removed from the Potomac River on Monday, but officials say they will pause the process if additional passengers remains are found.

Fifty five of the 67 victims have been identified so far. There were no survivors from the collision of the American Airlines flight with an Army Blackhawk helicopter. The incident is the deadliest U.S. aviation disaster in more than 20 years.

Now French film director Christophe Ruggia was found guilty on Monday of sexually abusing actor Adele Haenel. The director, who has denied the allegations, will avoid jail time. But a Paris court sentenced him to a two year suspended term and two years with an electronic ankle bracelet.

Ruggia maintains his innocence and will appeal the ruling, his attorney said. Haenel, known for her role in the film "Portrait of a Lady on Fire," is a leading figure in France's Me Too movement. The actor was 12 years old at the time of the incident. Ruggia was 36.

Well, Spanish footballer Jenni Hermoso confronted her former boss at trial in Madrid on Monday. Luis Rubiales is accused of sexual assault and Hermoso says his unsolicited kiss during the team's celebrations in the 2023 World Cup tainted one of the happiest days of her life. CNN's Pau Mosquera reports.

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PAU MOSQUERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Spanish star striker Jennifer Hermoso has been the very first to testify in front of the judge on the trial that will be judging the controversial kiss that she received from the former president of Spain's soccer federation, Luis Rubiales, while they were celebrating the victory of Spain in the World Cup that took place in Australia and New Zealand on August 2023.

Hermoso actually has ratified most of the arguments that we have heard before. This is that the kiss was not consensual, that it generated rejection on her, but she couldn't do nothing about it as it was happening. In her own words, she felt disrespected by Rubiales.

[03:55:05]

JENNIFER HERMOSO, SPANISH FOOTBALLER (through translator): I think it was a moment that tainted one of the happiest days of my life. I knew I was being kissed by my boss and that should not happen in any social or work environment.

MOSQUERA: During the hearing, Hermoso has answered to all the questions made by the different parts. This means both from the complainant and defendant lawyers. She stated that she received a lot of pressure in countless occasions from former members of the federation as to cover up the scandal.

More specifically, she said that Rubiales, during the flight back to Spain, tried to persuade her as to tape a video together to justify the kiss. Also, that those that were responsible for the press department by then tried to make her sign a document justifying also this kiss, something that she also denied to do.

From now on and on the next 10 sessions of trial, the judge will receive other witnesses as, for example, men's national team coach Luis de la Fuente or other teammates as Misa Rodriguez and Alexia Putellas.

It's estimated that the judge will hear the four accused from the 12th of February and the 19th the trial will get to an end. But we're going to have to wait another week or two until the judge makes the verdict public.

Pau Mosquera, CNN, Madrid.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MACFARLANE: Now Kensington Palace has released a new photo of the Princess of Wales in honor of World Cancer Day. The image taken by her six-year-old son features Louis and Catherine in a woodland setting, smiling with her arms stretched wide. The caption reads, "don't forget to nurture all that which lies beyond the disease."

Catherine revealed last month that she is now in remission after completing chemotherapy treatment in September, and she has been returning to her royal duties and some public events.

Eleven endangered male frogs may have just travelled 11,000 kilometers around the globe, saved the species from the brink of extinction. They live in a remote island off the coast of Chile. The dwindling population of Darwin's frogs were rescued from the threat of a lethal fungus spreading there.

Carrying their tadpoles in their mouths, the frogs were transported halfway around the world, all the way here to London -- to London Zoo, and they have since delivered 33 healthy froglets. British Conservatives are calling the arrival a landmark moment in the survival of a rare species.

What incredible news to end the show on. And that wraps this up an hour of "CNN Newsroom." I'm Christina Macfarlane and I'll be back after this short break. Stay with us.

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