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New Day

Iran Protests Spread; Rihanna to Headline Super Bowl; Colorful Fentanyl Raises Alarms; Bucs Fall Against Packers. Aired 6:30-7a ET

Aired September 26, 2022 - 06:30   ET

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

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[06:33:49]

ERICA HILL, CNN ANCHOR: The CIA unveiling a model of al Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri's safe house in Afghanistan. The model, which was actually used to brief President Biden before al-Zawahiri was killed in a drone strike. So, shortly after his death, you may recall the White House released a photo. In it you see the president speaking with CIA Director William Burns and a closed wooden box on the table in front of them. Well, now, the contents of that box, including the model, depicting a white-walled home with at least five stories, you see it here, and three partially obscured balconies, on display at the CIA museum inside the agency's Langley, Virginia, headquarters.

BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN ANCHOR: A CIA physician says he was in disbelief when he fell victim to the same mysterious health injuries that he was investigating in Cuba. It stems back to 2016 when a cluster of debilitating concussion-like injuries were reported among American officials and covert personnel serving in Havana. The following year Dr. Paul Andrews, who was using a pseudonym, was sent to investigate the mysterious symptoms when he developed them himself. The unexplained health incidents came to be known as Havana syndrome.

Here's what Andrews told our own Dr. Sanjay Gupta in a new CNN special report.

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DR. PAUL ANDREWS: I think I went to bed probably around 11:30.

[06:35:03]

I slept in my jeans and a t-shirt in case I had to evacuate quickly. At about 4:56, 4:57, I was awakened with severe pain in my right ear.

I had a lot of nausea and a terrible headache. And I never suffered from headaches before. The amount of ringing in my ears was just astounding. And things were getting worse and worse and worse. I started to hear the noise. And I'm really in disbelief.

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: And you believe that that night there was some sort of injury or damage to either your inner ear, the nerves around your inner ear, or your brain?

ANDREWS: Correct. Absolutely.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KEILAR: To this day, Andrews says he suffers from balance and vision problems that have made it difficult to return to normal life. And after years of investigations, the intelligence community still cannot definitively say who or what is causing Havana Syndrome.

HILL: Anti-government protests continuing in Iran overnight. Those protests continuing despite a crackdown. At least 1,200 people have been arrested and there are reports that dozens have been killed. Support for the protests sparked by the death of a young woman in police custody has spread to cities now around the world.

Let's go live to CNN's Jomana Karadsheh, who has more for us this morning.

Jomana, good morning.

JOMANA KARADSHEH, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Erica.

As you mentioned, over the weekend, we're seeing all this solidarity in different cities around the world with the protesters inside Iran. But there's a lot of concern that we are now starting to see the signs of perhaps a crackdown that is only going to intensify. The ominous warnings coming from the Iranian president on Saturday, saying that these protesters must be dealt with decisively. Indications that the army and the powerful Revolutionary Guard Corp preparing to intervene to try and crush these protests.

And on Sunday, we saw the government mobilizing these crowds, estimated in the hundreds of thousands in Tehran and in other cities, according to state media. These organized pro-government rallies, a show of unity and outrage against those who they describe as the rioters and their acts of sabotage.

The government is really dismissing the grievances of the thousands of young Iranians we have seen on the streets in recent days. They are trying to paint this picture that this is a foreign conspiracy aimed to target the stability of the Islamic Republic. And they are really trying to do everything they can to suppress these protests.

As you mentioned, more than a thousand people have so far been detained. They are throttling (Ph) the Internet and blocking social media platforms. And also we are -- there's a lot of concern about a rising death toll. It is very difficult for us to confirm and verify the number of people who so far have been killed. But according to estimates from Amnesty International and other organizations, they say that dozens so far have lost their lives.

But, as you mentioned earlier, this is not stopping these protesters. It's not deterring them. On Sunday night, with nightfall, we saw hundreds taking to the streets of Tehran and other cities still defiant with their now familiar slogans of death to the dictator, and, we must not be afraid, we are all together. Erica.

HILL: Jomana Karadsheh with the latest for us. Jomana, thank you.

KEILAR: Vice President Kamala Harris arrived in Japan this morning to attend the state funeral of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. Abe was assassinated at a campaign speech back in July. And Harris' visit to Japan comes amid multiple controversies in the region, including over the funeral itself.

CNN's Blake Essig is joining with us more from Tokyo.

Blake, tell us what's going on here.

BLAKE ESSIG, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Brianna, look, when it comes to U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris being here, the alliance between Japan and the U.S. is arguably Japan's most important alliance. So having the vice president here is a big deal. And she's been busy since arriving, having already taken part in the bilateral meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. During their meeting, Harris reaffirmed the United States' iron clad commitment to Japan and said the two countries will continue to work together to ensure a free and open Indo Pacific, originally put forward by former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. And while globally Abe was known as this charismatic international statesman, here in Japan he's both equally revered and criticized for his domestic policies.

And so when it was announced that a government funded state funeral would be held to honor his legacy without consulting Japan's parliament, there were a lot of people who weren't happy about it. In fact, one man even set himself on fire outside of Prime Minister Kishida's residence in protest just last week.

[06:40:06]

And while not as extreme, other protests, including one that was held here tonight, have taken place on a regular basis. And according to a latest poll from Umori Shimbon (ph), 56 percent of the public now stand in opposition. An opposition that is growing larger as a result of Abe's connections to the controversial Unification Church and after learning that hosting this event will cost taxpayers an estimated $12 million.

That being said, there's still a lot of people here who credit Abe with shaping the Japan that exists today and feel that a state funeral is appropriate. So, when a state funeral - when the state funeral is held tomorrow, a divided nation will once again be on display with areas set up for mourners to gather and lay flower, while at the same time, Brianna, multiple protests are expected to be held.

KEILAR: Yes, those are the dynamics of the vice president's visit there.

Blake, thank you so much.

Many Democratic Party leaders are warming up to the idea of President Biden running for re-election. They are just not sure that he actually will. We have some new CNN reporting ahead.

Plus, a Nascar brawl. Why this driver unloaded on this other driver on the track.

And this.

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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (singing): (INAUDIBLE) this is what you came for.

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HILL: Rihanna once said she couldn't be a sellout by doing the Super Bowl half-time show, but now she's headlining. So, what changed? That's next.

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[06:45:35]

KEILAR: All right, pop superstar Rihanna set to shine bright like a diamond at the Super Bowl half-time show. The nine-time Grammy-award winning singer made this announcement posting this image of her hand holding an NFL football. Oh, what could it mean? Hmmm.

HLN entertainment correspondent Melissa Knowles with us now.

This is huge.

MELISSA KNOWLES, HLN ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT: I mean it's a global entertainment moment because Rihanna -- good morning to you, ladies, Erica and Brianna, Rihanna hasn't released an album since 2016. Fans are rabid for more performances, more music. And now they're going to get it.

So, a lot of people are surprised that Rihanna has agreed to do the Super Bowl because in 2019 she told "Vogue" magazine, as you mentioned before the break, that she didn't want to be seen as a sellout, as an enabler, that she didn't agree with a lot of what the NFL was doing and some of their practices.

But what changed? Well, she's a member of Jay-z's Rock Nation. And Rock Nation is one of the executive producers of this halftime show, as they were last year when, you know, you had Dr. Dre, you had Snoop Dogg, Mary J. Blige, Kendrick Lamar performing. Rock Nation co- executive produced that halftime performance as well. So, that is the pivotal change here.

Now, people are so excited because February 12th, next year, 2023, for Super Bowl LVII, you will be glued to your screen to watch whatever magic Rihanna is going to bring. You said she's going to be a diamond. You better bring your umbrella, ella, ella, because it's about to rain Rihanna at the Super Bowl.

HILL: I love - I love all of these references. You know, maybe, too, with, you know, with the working with Jay-z she found love in a hopeless place and now she's ready go to the Super Bowl.

KNOWLES: Oh. Oh, I see what you did there. I like that.

HILL: You did. It was a little cheesy, but I appreciate you letting me do it.

KNOWLES: Yes.

HILL: So, I'm super excited, I have to say.

KNOWLES: Me too.

HILL: My 12-year-old told me about this yesterday. He said, mom, mom, Rihanna's going to do the Super Bowl.

As you mentioned, there hasn't been a new album. There has been a new baby.

KNOWLES: There's that.

HILL: Could we get anything new in this Super Bowl performance?

KNOWLES: I think fans are rabid for more music from Rihanna because, as I mentioned, Anti (ph) from 2016, that was the last album that she put out. She's been focusing on her beauty line, her apparel line. So now fans are like, OK, you did that, you've been promising more music for so long. With this performance, can you give us a little tease. Can you give us something to sample here because we want it. We need it.

More than 5 million people so far have already liked just that image alone of Rihanna holding the football saying, hey, I'm going to be your halftime performer for the Super Bowl.

KEILAR: I'm such a huge fan. I'm just kind of like rocking to the clips we're playing.

HILL: Same.

KNOWLES: Me too.

KEILAR: This is going to be great. I can't wait.

KNOWLES: It is.

KEILAR: I can't wait for it.

Melissa, it's great to have you here. Thank you so much.

KNOWLES: Thank you. You're welcome.

HILL: Well, the deadliest drug in the U.S. now in rainbow colors, and it's sparking new concern. We're going to take a look at what you need to know, next.

Plus - (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Will you remain a Republican regardless of what happens in the next election?

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KEILAR: What Congressman Liz Cheney says will happen if former President Trump wins the Republican nomination, ahead.

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[06:52:55]

KEILAR: This morning, federal authorities are warning about an emerging trend in the opioid epidemic, and that is rainbow fentanyl. Just last month in 18 states, the DEA seized brightly colored pills, as you see here, and powders containing the deadliest drug in the country.

CNN's Jacqueline Howard is live in Atlanta with more.

Tell us about this, Jacqueline.

JACQUELINE HOWARD, CNN HEALTH REPORTER: Brianna, I can tell you the concern here with rainbow fentanyl, drug authorities are worried about accidental exposures. And that's because the colorful pills could be mistaken for candy, and the colorful blocked powder form of fentanyl looks similar to sidewalk chalk. So that's why drug authorities are leaning into the public awareness campaigns already in place for the opioid epidemic to really raise awareness around this. And they themselves are monitoring this trend.

Now, I will say, colored fentanyl is not something new. We have seen this for a few years. Now we have seen fentanyl pills in blue colors, for instance. But the rainbow colors, authorities say, could be a way to differentiate between batches of the substance. So that's why we could see this emerging in popularity. And when it comes to fentanyl itself, we know that it's a synthetic opioid. It's driven the opioid epidemic in recent years. It's 50 times more potent than heroin, 100 times more potent than morphine. And just 2 milligrams of the substance is considered to be a lethal dose.

And, sadly, Brianna, here in the U.S., deaths involving synthetic opioids have increased 80 percent in the past two years. You see the figure there on the screen. Yes, and, as we know, covering the opioid epidemic, we've seen really the lives lost and families impacted by this.

Brianna.

KEILAR: Yes, as you mentioned, they're colorful. You can see this as a disaster just the waiting to happen if there are kids around.

HOWARD: Yes.

KEILAR: So, we'll keep an eye on this.

HOWARD: Exactly.

KEILAR: Thank you so much.

A temper tantrum caught on camera the moment an offensive coordinator for the Bills just loses it at the end of Sunday's game.

[06:55:02]

HILL: That's not the only temper tantrum. We'll get to those.

Plus, the race is on in Florida. Officials urging residents to prepare as Hurricane Ian intensifies.

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KEILAR: Tom Brady and the Buccaneers come up just short in their comeback attempt against their Packers.

Coy Wire has this morning's "Bleacher Report."

Hey, Coy.

COY WIRE, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: Top of the morning to you, Brianna. This was billed as a dual between two of the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history. Seven-time Super Bowl champ Tom Brady versus four-time league MVP Aaron Rodgers going against each other for perhaps the final time. Green Bay traveling to Tampa and they come out swinging. Rodgers for throwing for touchdowns on each of the Pac's first two possession.

[07:00:00]

And they held a 14-6 lead in the final minutes.

But Brady does Brady things.