Return to Transcripts main page

CNN NEWSROOM

Denmark Approves Controversial Refugee Law; Corruption of China's Economic Data; Trump to Skip Thursday's Fox News Debate; Remembering a Holocaust Hero; Kerry in Beijing to Discuss North Korea; FBI Arrests Oregon Occupiers; Crisis in Madaya; Apple's Sales Slowing; London's Stressful Commute. Aired 2-3a ET

Aired January 27, 2016 - 02:00   ET

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


[02:00:11] ERROL BARNETT, CNN ANCHOR: As Denmark approves a controversial new law targeting refugees, people in Norway intent to protest in support of migrants.

Plus the corruption proved in China, the top man behind the countries economic data is under investigation.

And later for you compensation in Oregon people -- police have killed one of the occupiers of the federal wildlife refuge and arrested several more.

A very big welcome to our viewers watching all around the world, it's great to have you with me. I'm Errol Barnett, with you for the next two hours. This is CNN NEWSROOM.

Now we begin this hour with Europe's still escalating migrant crisis. Anti-government protests are planned in cities across Norway. That country wants to deport more than 5,400 Middle East and migrants back to Russia, but Russia doesn't want to take them in.

In Denmark lawmakers pass controversial measure allowing the seizure of migrant's assets to pay for their stay and the delay of family reunification. We've been discussing this for days.

Meanwhile, E.U. members are taking a harder line after violent episodes like this sexual or these sexual assaults on women in Cologne Germany that took place on New Years Eve. More than 47,000 refugees entered Europe in just the first few weeks of 2016, more than a million entered last year.

Our Arwa Damon spoke with Denmark's liberal party spokesman after the parliament's controversial vote.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ARWA DAMON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: It comes as no surprise that this bill did pass very easily through Danish parliament highly controversial. Coming under a lot of intense scrutiny and criticism by groups like amnesty international, but those who dropped and supported it say, that it is really the only way to protect Denmark and provide for those who have already been seeking asylum here, to be able to properly integrate them into society.

Now we are joined by the government spokesman Jakob Ellemann-Jensen. Now at this stage a lot of criticism. A lot as you have said your self misunderstanding when it comes to this bill, especially in terms of how Denmark is going to be perceived, perhaps, in the international community. What is your initial message to those who are criticizing the government?

JAKOB ELLEMANN JENSEN, LIBERAL PARTY SPOKESMAN: I think that one needs to understand two things basically before answering this question that Denmark's, we are taking our part in the world regarding this refugee crisis. We are one of the five key contributors of develop mandates in the world. We provide an act of (inaudible) Danish.

We provide very much assistance in the areas affected by the war in Syria, if you compared states. The U.S. would have received 1 million refugees last year alone if they haven't received the same numbers Denmark through capital (ph).

Second of all, Denmark is a universal welfare state that means we provide education from preschool to university paid by the governments. We provide care for the elderly and we provide universal health care. The one demand that we do setup is that if you have the means to provide for yourself a shelter and food then you should do so. The supplies for Danish citizens, now, it also applies to refugees.

DAMON: Sure, except the key issues in this bill is not necessarily the confiscation of cash and valuables, one of the issues that organizations are calling specially cruel is the fact the you've extended an individuals ability to apply for family reunification from one year all the way up to three years, why do something that is that drastic to deter people from coming here?

JENSEN: This is not a measure that is got into to deter people from coming here. This is -- because we know that the number of people who comes to Denmark has an impact on our ability to integrated people who (inaudible) and it has an impact on our ability to continue having a welfare society in Denmark. Therefore if every one of the refugees coming to Denmark should have family unification at once or after on. Then we would receive three times as many people as we do today, this would have serious impacts. So, we need in order to treat people decent, we need to limit the number of people coming to Denmark.

DAMON: And of course, there is the debate as to how you're going about trying to limit this number. Now, what about the argument that some of the opposition members have put forward in that Denmark is basically bypassing this bill just trying to find a quick fix solution for itself as oppose to trying to wait for how be difficult to implement and combine solution that is going to be European because this isn't just a Danish problem.

[02:05:00] JENSEN: I barely not agree, but this is not a Danish problem. It's not something that we can solve in our cabinet and this is something that Europe and the world needs to stand together in order to solve this. The issue is that our government needs to take care of Denmark until we get European solution, until we get a worldwide solution and Denmark is more attractive than countries around us and we need to balance this so that we can accept the people who are in need of help fast, so that we also protect our country.

You need to understand us well these people, they'd fluff in from one minute to the other. These are not people that chosen from refugee camps and go through a long procedure as many other countries. These are people who stand on our doorstep and we need also to secure our country.

DAMON: Great, thank you very much. One of the other issues also within this bill has been the potential that it could perhaps, fewer tensions between the population and those who are already here, either way it has really brought Denmark into the international spotlight and also within the country itself stood up quite a debate as to what was Danish side entity, what is it today and what is it going to be in the future.

Arwa Damon, CNN, Copenhagen.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BARNETT: Now Sweden's Prime Minister is promising more resources for police. This comes after a refugee worker was stabbed to death in a home for underage migrants. The 22 year old woman was alone in the house with eight male migrants. A 15 year old is under arrest on suspicion of murder or manslaughter. Sweden ended its open door policy on immigration late last year and began boarded controls.

The harsh winters make the refugees lives even more difficult. Some hope to begin a better life in Europe, but others want to return home someday Jomana Karadsheh met with Syrian families facing another winter in one of Jordan's refugee camps.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOMANA KARADSHEH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It's cold, it's grim and it's unforgiving. This is winter in Jordan Zaatari refugee camp.I met a family who's lived through three winters here.

For them the season means time for traditions from home. They sing their song for Syria.

(FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

KARADSHEH: Syria, don't forget us, we will return. Hope is still alive they sing, but these are just words, (inaudible) don't think they'll ever Syria again.

18 year old Asya(ph) would like to go to Europe or Canada living here is not a life, it's an existence, she says.

Mustah (ph) and his wife say they won't risk their children's life to reach Europe. Instead, they will wait to be resettled by the United Nations. ANDREW HARPER, UNHCR REPRESENTATIVE, JORDAN: The Syrian necessary go to Europe, The Syrian want to return back to the villages, their towns, their home. But Europe is an alien concept for them, they're scared and for them to put their lives at risk, to put their children's. Children lives at risk to make this (inaudible) journey wouldn't be far better to provide the support for countries like Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey to help these countries do what they want to do which is provide the protection.

KARADSHEH: Around 80,000 Syrians live here in Zaatari, this refugee camp over the past three years have evolved into a city of sword with markets, restaurants and school, their waiting to take place here daily and 52 to 60 babies are born here every week.

This camp is the only home 9 months old Farah (ph) has ever known, when her father Abudio (ph) and his family fled they thought it would be for few months, that was in 2012.

KARADSHEH: Of course, we expect and hope to return, even if it doesn't happen until this baby turns 16 we will continue to hope, he says.

With no essence like to the conflict back home people old and young can only wonder how many more winters like this they'll have to endure, Jomana Karadsheh CNN Zaatari refugee camp, Jordan.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BARNETT: And we will speak with Jomana live next hour to talk about her experience there at the Zaatari refugee camp.

OurPedram Javaheri joins me now because there are various parts of the Middle East experiencing cold deeps in weather and as we discussed with Asia in the past few days, for places in the world that aren't use to it, it can be life threatening, it can be deadly.

PEDRAM JAVAHERI, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Yeah. It is and, you know, specially, so in this particular part of the world because they are of course, it's not just the temperature element. We know of the about 12 million people that are displaced. A lot of them living in urban environments in unfinished apartments where we have cardboard and a plastic and a papers kinds of trying to create blocks and holes that are supposed to be windows or doors, so you're really exposed to these elements so may be they're not minus five or minus 10 as they were in China, but three, four, five degrees is just a deadly when you're literally experiencing those temperatures 24/7 which is what's going on in this region now.

[02:15:01] So, here what we have as far as the conditions over a much of this region of course, you look at this and you've got to take in the numbers at a glands, you know, roughly 12 million people displaced internally about 8 million of them account for them across Syria, but over 1 million in Lebanon and Turkey 1.6 million, several hundred thousand from Jordan and now towards Iraq and Egypt as well as displaced and in fact at this hour very mild across parts of Europe, but what that's doing is forcing the jet stream or this steering occurrence in the atmosphere to really be shunted on over portions of Russia.

So were ushering in that hole there from Russia right into parts of Turkey and on into the Middle East as well. And look back into December the month of December about 70 percent of our planet actually experienced above average temperatures, you notice any areas indicated in pink, the deep red indicating the warmth in the extreme circumstances, but the few areas that were actually cold included parts of Africa, parts of the Middle East as cold as they got there, about minus 3 degrees compared to the season leverage.

And you look at Amman Jordan recent days, temperature shut up to by 15 degrees which was actually a anomalously warm for this time of year, that was Friday into Saturday.

Bottom drop out Monday and for Tuesday made it down to 4 degrees, that was the high temperature and we touched on this yesterday with Errol when it comes to the human body it really does a fantastic job coping with sudden changes and extreme heats, but when it comes to extreme cold takes several weeks for the human body to really adapt to the extreme cool temperatures and of course, these where the circumstances really make a difficult, course very windy conditions and with the winter affect the human skin roughly about an inch several millimeters in the surface of your skin above that, temperatures there instead about 90 degrees Fahrenheit, 32 Celsius, just a few inches beyond that, the temperatures cool off drastically, you bring in the wind that removes any sort of warmth that's sitting on your skin.

So this winter affect really becomes a deadly scenario when you're exposed to the elements life this child over here and you take a look of course, just to make shift shelter is the raining conditions and as your clothes get wet, to 25 times more heat is lost from body when you're body is wet versus when it's dry.

That's the air temperature, some good news at least coming out this. If you look at Beirut, Amman, Lepo (ph), temperatures will actually trend upwards still well below the normal and Beirut for 17 is what is considered normal, but well make it up at least up to 14 degrees. And again, Errol it comes down to these people being exposed for a long duration three, four, five days in temperatures that are very, very cold and drop off very sharply and that's what becomes deadly in this region.

BARNETT: Yeah, and that so we're still in Jomana's piece there for many of them they don't like their living, it's just an existence, so something like this is small as it is makes things just so much more difficult ...

JAVAHERI: Exactly.

BARNETT: Thankfully things well warm up eventually Pedram. Thanks a lot. I'll see next hour.

Now China's Chief statistician is under investigation and surprise probe is raising questions about the countries economic growth. We'll bring you details on that just ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(WORLD SPORTS)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BARNETT: Stocks are mixed in the Asia-Pacific region after a rough day of trading. Tuesday, this comes after oil prices climbed back above $30 a barrel.

Take a look here. Sydney, Tokyo, and Shanghai have finished trading for the day. Hong Kong is still moving. But as you see there, it is a mixed bag. It shows S&P/ASX 200 pulling back more than a percent.

The Shanghai composite, down half a percent. The Nikkei is up 2 and 3 quarters of percent. In Hong Kong, which is still open, is up 1 in quarter right now.

And the man in charge of China's economic -- is under investigation for possible corruption. These raising questions about the accuracy of Beijing's economic statistics which some analysts and economists have said are artificially inflated.

Amara Walker has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

AMARA WALKER, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: A surprise announcement from China's anti graft agency, Wang Baoan, the man in charge of the country's National Bureau of Statistics, the organization that sets China's GDP is under investigation for alleged corruption.

The news came just hours after Wang held a media briefing, giving an optimistic outlook on the state of China's economy. This is the latest announcement of a prominent Chinese figure suspected of graft.

Since President Xi Jinping took office three years ago, he may crackdown on corruption a priority. This latest investigation will likely raise more questions about the accuracy of Beijing's economic data.

One area specifically, the depreciation of China's currency, the renminbi, something Wang spoke about a week ago.

WANG BAOAN, DIRECTOR, NATIONAL BUREAU OF ECONOMIC STATISTICS, (Through Translation): The appreciation of the U.S. dollar brings about the depreciation of renminbi. I think the depreciation of renminbi and the reduction of foreign exchange reserves won't influence the Chinese economy much, or not that obviously, because its impact is quite small on China, a country that has more than $3 trillion foreign exchange reserves.

WALKER: At the start of the year, China let the yuan depreciate almost 2 percent against a dollar, sending currency markets into a tailspin.

CNN's Richard Quest spoke with another high ranking Chinese official at the world economic forum last week who said China is moving away from an export led economy to a more domestic consumption led economy.

And once that transition is complete, it will be good for the world. But until that happens, volatility is here to stay.

FANG XINGHAI, VICE CHAIRMAN, CHINA SECURITIES REGULATORY COMMISSION: I mean the Transit such a large economy. From (inaudible) led to a consumption led economy. It's difficult. So the rest of (inaudible) has to get used to volatilities coming out of China.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BARNETT: Amara Walker reporting there. Now, the last presidential debate before the Iowa caucuses is just days away. But the Republican front-runner is refusing to show up for it.

[02:19:27] We'll tell you why shortly here on CNN NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BARNETT: Welcome back. An American soldier captured by the Nazis during World War II is hailed as a hero of the holocaust. Master Sergeant Roddie Edmonds is credited with saving Jewish soldiers at a POW camp.

He will be posthumously recognized in his ceremony at the Israeli Embassy in Washington on Wednesday, which of course is Internation Holocaust Remembrance Day.

Oren Liebermann has Edmonds' amazing story of bravery.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

OREN LIEBERMANN, CNN. CORRESPONDENT: Master Sergeant Roddie Edmonds, the only been in Europe, a few days when he was captured by the Nazis. At a prisoner of war camp, he was tested in a confrontation with Nazi doctorate.

The German commander ordered Edmonds to separate out his Jewish soldiers. Edmonds, a Christian, refused.

In the next morning, his 1,200 American soldiers stood together. 70 years later, one of those Jewish soldiers, Lester Tanner recounts the defiance against the German commander.

LESTER TANNER, WORLD WAR II VETERAN: And he says to Edmonds, you can't all be Jewish. Someone said, we're all Jewish here.

And this German major, angry, takes out his Luger points it at Edmonds' head. And said, you will order the Jewish-American soldiers to step forward or I will you shoot you right now.

LIEBERMANN: Edmonds stood his ground. And the camp commander stormed off. He had saved his men.

Within months, the war was over, and Edmonds was home. He never shared the story where he passed away in 1985, not even with his son. CHRIS EDMUNDS, SON OF RODDIE EDMONDS: I've asked him from time to time as I got older, as a teenager and a college age kid. Dad, tell me about your army experience. Son, there's just thing -- some things I'd rather not talk about.

LIEBERMANN: Chris Edmonds discovered his father's story in a 2008 New York Times article.

EDMONDS: You look at your dad as a hero. And every day he had key (ph) companion in his closet, and he did.

LIEBERMANN: Master Sergeant Roddie Edmonds is the first American soldier honored as righteous among the nation's non-Jewish who saved Jews during the holocaust.

Edmonds, awarded the recognition he never sought. His war which started in defeat on the battlefield, ended in victory for his men.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[02:25:06] BARNETT: Oren Liebermann joins us now live from Jerusalem with more on this story. Oren, really, this is an incredible tale of a man, really, learning about his late father through his journal.

I know, Chris will be at today's ceremony in D.C, along with some soldiers who fought with his dad.

Is there more Chris wants to find out or is this how his search ends.

LIEBERMANN: Well, I think the one answer, Chris will unfortunately never be able to get is the one answer he would love to know, which is to ask his father, dad, why did you never share the story, why did you keep this to yourself. He's learned as much as he can in multiple conversations with survivors from that day at 1945.

Lester Tanner, who we spoke with him, the story will be there, as well as a number of others. But I think that Chris having spoken with them a number of times, the story has, for him, the perfect ending.

President Barrack Obama will also be in attendance at the commemoration ceremony. And will be the keynote speaker. So for Chris, the President giving a speech in honor of his father is the perfect ending to the story as he sees it. Errol.

BARNETT: That's pretty incredible. And I guess, a double lesson, both in bravery and humility. Great stuff, Oren Liebermann, live for us in Jerusalem. Thanks.

Now, the leader of the armed protesters who took over a federal wildlife refuge in Oregon has been in arrested along with several others. And one of their members was killed.

We'll look at how this incident unfolded, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[02:30:00]

BARNETT: Hello there and a big welcome to viewers joining us from the United States and a very warm welcome back to our international viewers. This is CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Errol Barnett, let's update you on our top stories right now.

Danish lawmakers have approved controversial measures authorizing the seizure of migrant's assets and delaying family reunification of three years. The rule of the liberal party says, the intent is to ensure the migrants contribute Denmark's welfare state.

Just moments ago in Beijing, U.S. secretary of state John Kerry said, North Korea is a threat to the world. Kerry's been meeting with Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi in Beijing and Pyongyang's nuclear ambitions were main topic of conversation. Kerry also said the U.S. will not accept North Korea as nuclear armed state and that China agrees.

Seattle police are looking for a gunman who opened fire at homeless encampment Tuesday night. Two people were killed and three others wounded in the shooting, police say they believe the victims were targeted.

Now to the U.S. Presidential race in the latest CNN ORC poll that shows Donald Trump is growing his lead. A 41 percent of likely Republican voters say, they will vote for Donald Trump. That's more than twice the vote's second place Ted Cruz is getting, you see that? Marco Rubio way behind at 8 percent. As for the others, Ben Carson is at 6 percent, Jeff Bush 5 and Chris Christie at 4 percent.

On the final debate before the Iowa Caucuses is set for Thursday. But the Republican frontrunner won't be there. Sara Murray tells us why.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SARA MURRAY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Donald Trump managed to trump himself on the campaign trail here in Iowa last night. He picked up a pair of big endorsements from Arizona Sherif Joe Arpaio as well as Jerry Falwell, Jr. the evangelical leader. But instead, the big news was Trump announcing he will skip the Fox news debate on Thursday. Here's what he had to say just before his event last night.

DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Fox is playing games. Fox is going to make a fortune. I told Fox you should money to the wounded warriors. I'm not a fan of Megyn Kelly, I think she's a third rate reporter. I think she frankly is not good at what she does and I think they could do a lot better than Megyn Kelly. And so, I'm going to be making a decision with Fox, but I probably won't bother doing the debate.

I see they picked me as number one. Not only number one, number by far, but probably I won't be doing the debate. I'm going to have something else Iowa. We'll do something where we raise money for the veterans and the wounded warriors. We're going to do something simultaneously with the debate, but most likely I'm not going to do the debate. MURRAY: Trump campaign manager Corey Lewandowski took those comments a step further saying Trump definitely would not be at the debate and saying the campaign might hold a competing event in Iowa complete with their own media partner. Now the Republican national committee said obviously they'd like to see all their candidates on stage, but each candidate has to do what's in their backs interest.

Meanwhile, Ted Cruz also might be revolting from the Fox News debate. He challenged Donald Trump in a one on one debate, no moderators.

SEN. TED CRUZ (R-TX), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: This race is a dead heat between Donald and me. We are effectively tied in the State of Iowa. If he's unwilling to stand on a debate stage with the other candidates then I would like to invite Donald right now to engage in a one on one debate with me anytime between now and the Iowa Caucuses.

MURRAY: So, with the two top candidates both threatening to defect it's still a big question who we'll see on that debate stage Thursday night.

Sara Murray, Marshall Town, Iowa

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BARNETT: So, things are definitely heating up. Join me now are two CNN political commentators, Jeffrey Lord on the far right of your screen as a former Reagan White House political director and a Trump supporter. He's in Harrisburg Pennsylvania. Along side, Peter Beinart who is also a contributor for the Atlantic joining us from New York. Welcome to you both.

Jeffrey, let's start with you. Donald Trump says he will not attend Thursday's GOP debate because Fox is unfair and host Megyn Kelly is biased. Do you agree and how is this not being thin skinned?

JEFFREY LORD, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: Well, you know, I have to say, I was really amazed that the Fox statement with the whole deal with food and then eye tolls (ph) or whatever it is they said. I mean, suddenly it seemed to be, you know, anti Trump if you will, taking a side. I just was sort of surprised that they would do that.

Number two, I think that this is going to appear to people as a the media, in the larger sense, Fox and the specific sense, going after Donald Trump and Donald Trump standing up to them.

[02:35:10]I mean this is a pretty bold thing to do. It reminded me I said earlier today when I learned of the when I learned of this to Ronald Regan firing the air traffic controllers for walking out of the Reykjavik summit with Gorbachev.

These are things that Presidents are not supposed to do or candidates are not supposed to do. And so, when they do them and sort of draw a line in the sand and say, "This far and no further" and they mean it, they get an enormous public reaction to what which is generally favorable. BARNETT: Peter, what do you think about that because even without

Trump at the debate if that happens, he'll still be the main focus. And I can't believe I'm saying this but might he gain support with this unconditional move because he has oppose.

PETER BEINART, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: I have to say, find that analogy between what Trump has just done and Reagan's decision at Reykjavik on the air traffic controllers just utterly absurd. I mean, they were issue the principal at stake. Whether you agreed with Reagan or not, having to do with nuclear disarm and having to do labor units. This is at pure personal peak.

Trump has had thing about Megyn Kelly ever since she asked him a hard question at that first debate and he's clearly not over it. And now he's angry that Fox kind of made fun of him. There's no larger issue here. it's pure ego. Now, it may well workout well for him. But to just suggest that there's any larger issue of principle here beyond the astronomical ego of this man. I think it's laughable.

BARNETT: Well, there's a bit of discord with the Republicans. There seems to be more unity with Democrats, Senator Sanders will be meeting privately with President Obama Wednesday. Apparently there's no agenda there, but Jeffrey why do you think this meeting is happening now?

LORD: Well, yeah, I find that very interesting. You know, there are all these stories afloat in the press about the FBI closing in on Hillary Clinton. I certainly have no idea whether they're accurate or not, but there's a lot of them and they're coming from reputable sources. So, you know, it's interesting to wonder what is -- I'd love to be on fly and roll on that conversation between the two of them because of course, whatever happens with the FBI and the justice department, ultimately the president is the President of the United States and they work for him. So, it would be very curious.

BARNET: And coming on the hills of the town hall where Hillary Clinton have such positive things to say about President Obama again even saying that they have a friendship. Peter, I wonder from you, why hasn't President Obama endorsed Hillary yet because he seems to have done everything but that at this point.

BEINART: Right, I mean, I think they decided early on. Remember when it was a possibility that Biden might run, that they were not going to official endorse but there have been a series of moments over the last year where Barack Obama had essentially made it pretty clear that he's with Hillary Clinton, many of his top As with Hillary Clinton. He gave her a big boost in that interview because he really -- he made it much easier for her to run as his heir by essentially anointing her that. And so I think you see basically a White House and a Clinton campaign that are working in great congruity right now.

BARNETT: But there is the bit of Discord among Democrats because the candidates have now essentially added a debate five days before the New Hampshire primary organized by the biggest news paper there. This was initially not sanctioned by the DNC. Jeffrey why has the DNC had so few debates in the first place? LORD: Well, in truth, I think that the DNC favored Hillary Clinton and they thought that she was their frontrunner. Not unlike the sort of Republican establishment view of Jeb Bush earlier on. And suddenly, there's turning out to be a fair amount of opposition for Hilary Clinton form the inside the Democratic Party. So, they need to pull back and be careful with that thing because if it does in fact lead to Bernie Sanders in Iowa or New Hampshire, they've got a problem on their hands.

BARNETT: And Peter, I saw you nodding there, are you agree with that? The DNC was kind of in it for Hillary?

BEINART: Right, and I think they haven't actually -- ironically they haven't done her any favors because she's been good in these debates. What you've seen is that these debates that have actually been opportunities for her to blunt Bernie Sanders momentum. She does well and she also can use the practice. So, I think that in an attempt I agree with Jeff. I think in attempt to actually insulate Hillary Clinton from the competition, they've actually ended up hurting her.

BARNETT: What do you know, we're going to end on a fight where you both agree. Thanks to you so much for speaking with me.

LORD: We're both very reasonable.

BARNETT: There you go, CNN commentators Peter Beinart and Jeffrey Lord thanks for you time.

BEINART: Thank you!

LORD: Thanks a lot.

BARNETT: Now, the FBI has arrested several protesters in the U.S. who've occupied the federal wildlife refuge in Oregon for weeks. Surely you know about this, Ammon Bundy and some of his followers are facing felony charges related to the occupation. Another protest LaVoy Finicum was killed as law enforcement confronted the group during a traffic stop on Tuesday.

Now, a law enforcer official says, shots were fired during the arrest, but it's not who fired first.

[02:40:00] An official says everyone obeyed the orders to surrender expect Finicum and Bundy's brother Ryan. But in a statement on Facebook ,the Bundy Ranch says this, "Levoy Finicum was shot and murdered in cold blood today in Burns Oregon by the FBI and state law enforcement. He and his -- he had his hands up and was shot three times." CNN cannot verify those claims. Earlier the Bundy brothers' father weighed in on Finicum's death.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CLIVEN BUNDY: He was a wonderful man. He has a wonderful wife and family. He was a, you know, a student of the constitution and he was interested in freedom and I think he gave his life probably where he felt like it was best. (END VIDEO CLIP)

BARNETT: The people occupying the wild life refuge are protesting at U.S. federal land policies.

Now U.S. federal officials say they thwarted a massacre at a temple in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The FBI has charged 23 year old Samy Mohamed Hamzeh with illegally possessing guns. He was arrested Monday after buying two automatic weapons and a silencer from under cover agents. A criminal complaint says, Hamzeh plans it a mass shooting at the Masonic Temple hoping to kill at least 30 people.

According to that complaint, he said, "If I got out after killing 30 people I'd be happy 100%, 100% happy because this 30 will terrify the world." He also allegedly said, "All the Mujahedeen will be talking and they will be proud of us and we are Muslims defending Muslim religion." The mayor of Milwaukee commended federal agents on the arrest.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TOM BARRETT, MILWAUKEE MAYOR: We should be incredibly thankful to the FBI and the U.S. Attorney's Office for acting do decisively and so quickly to apprehend this individual and thwart this treat.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BARNETT: Now, we should also add that the criminal complaint alleged Hamzeh had also been planning an attack on Israelis in the West Bank.

Now, the situation is desperate for people starving in Madaya, a rebel held Syrian town. An aid convoy delivered food and medicine more than 10 days ago. The activists say 10 people have died from malnutrition since then and others remained hungry.

CNN's Nick Paton Walsh brings us more and we have to warn you here. Some of what you're about to see is disturbing.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NICK PATON WALSH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: ISIS has now gripped the town of Madaya, adding to the siege and starvation gnawing (ph) away of what's left of life here. Aid came briefly along with global attention but now it's gone. In the week here are still said to be down --

WALSH: This is Doctor Mohamed (ph). He shows us his father Sayif Alden (ph) age 50. So malnourished, he can't cope with food, only drip feeds. Held here, almost a ghost edging towards death. But his grand daughter Namar (ph), just nine months old. She seems dazed. We were told two people died in Madaya Monday from hunger but can't confirm it independently. For more than seven months, we've not had electricity explains the doctor with many run out of wood. Now plastic is often burned. The weakest and mobile, activist Abdullah (ph) shows us.

ABDULLAH: This child here is very ill. He is at least three weeks and he gets sick until hurt in her stomach. His stomach is really, really hurting. He needs immediately, go to the hospital outside and Madaya.

WALSH: Well, the little food here probably won't save the acutely malnourished who need urgent medical health. But it is handed out slowly.

ABDULLAH: And actually after a war, they don't bring food for people. The people here will die because of starvation.

WALSH: Here in a makeshift hospital, struggling to keep the lights on is where they come hoping to find help. In the past 10 days since the arrival of relief supplies, the doctor says, there had been 10 deaths. Schools of people have arrived at the clinic unconscious. We have around 500 sick people in the town that need hospital treatment.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When I --

WALSH: Syrian rebels have said, they won't talk peace until sieges like these by the government are lifted. The rebels too have been sieging (ph)other towns in the north. Hunger a weapon of war leaving 400,000 Syrians without the food they need either truly alive nor dead.

Nick Paton Walsh, CNN, Beirut.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BARNETT: Now we have some new information into CNN just in these past few minutes. Denmark saying a hospital there is reporting Europe's first case of the Zika virus.

[02:45:00]This is according to the Reuters News Agency. Meanwhile the CDC has added the Dominican Republic and the U.S. Virgin Islands to it's travel alert list for pregnant women. There are now 25 countries on that list. This mosquito born virus is linked to a dangerous neurological birth disorder. Some countries are advising women to delay getting pregnant. U.S. President Barrack Obama met with his health and national security advisers on Tuesday to discuss the virus.

Joining me now from Dallas is CNN medical analyst, Dr. Seema Yasmin. Doctor, thanks for joining us and speaking with us about this today. You know, all of a sudden it seems this Zika virus just started spreading rapidly. The CDC now saying it causes microcephaly in newborns which for this type of virus is actually new. Explain why that is.

DR. SEEMA YASMIN, CNN MEDICAL ANALYST: Yeah, Errol, we have to be very clear that the link between Zika virus and this very serious thirst defect called microcephaly hasn't been proven by scientific studies. So, what Brazilian authorities has been doing is really good. They've been saying, "Look, there could be a link between this massive outbreak" that they've been seeing in Brazil since last May. And a very big increase in the number of babies born with abnormally small heads and brains. So, we still need to prove that connection right now if suspected. But it is concerning enough, the health of our seater (ph) and other

parts of the world to say that women should not travel to a list of 20 countries. And that list keeps growing where there is an outbreak of Zika virus because of the potential harm i t could do to the fetus.

BARNETT: And why is this relatively new virus spreading rapidly now?

YASMIN: Probably a few reasons, one if that we are probably bad with doing surveillance. So, it could've been causing sickness, just well, only weren't seeing it. Another reason that this might be the first time we're seeing it in such large numbers is because it can be really hard to control these types of mosquitoes and because we haven't seen this outbreak before.

It's kind of like a catch 22 situation where the general population doesn't have immunity. So, more people are becoming sick right now. So, it's a combination of these factors that's causing these really big outbreaks in a growing number of countries.

BARNETT: Well, Toronto researchers estimate that some 63 percent of Americans live in places where Zika may spread when the seasons change and things warm up. The scariest part seems to be the fact that 80 percent with the virus show no symptoms. So, what can we all do to make sure we don't get it?

YASMIN: It really comes down to avoiding getting bitten by a mosquito in the first place. Sadly, you know, we saw this with Ebola but we were 10 steps behind the virus and the situation is the same here, we don't have a Zika virus vaccine and development, we don't have medicines that can treat it. So, what you have to do is make sure you don't get infected in the first place. And that really comes down to basic mosquito control.

Sounds a lot more straightforward than it is because these bugs really get around and you have to make sure that your whole are outside the home doesn't have any standing water, doesn't have places where the mosquitos can breath. And it's really important to remember that these mosquitoes bite during the day time.

So, during daylight hours, even when it's hot outside, it's really important to cover up, wear long sleeves, wear insect repellant. And I have even more bad news about these Zika virus mosquitoes, they like to come indoors with us as well. So, if you can, crank up the air conditioning if you have it. Keep windows closed and make sure your window screens are intact and don't have any tears in them.

BARNETT: It's always good to have someone as calm as you, talk about things as frightening as this. Dr. Seema Yasmin, our CNN medical analyst. Thanks for your time, joining us from Dallas.

YASMIN: Thank you.

BARNETT: Now, rush hour in London may be one of the busiest in the world. Coming up next, see why authorities there are shutting down some of the city's famous tube stations during peak hours.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[02:50:00]

(WEATHER REPORT)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BARNETT: Apple has posted the biggest quarterly profit in U.S. history, reporting a 2 percent increase in sales of nearly $76 billion. But as CNN's Samuel Burke reports, investors aren't impressed.

SAMUEL BURKE, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: It's really a fascinating story because here, Apple has record breaking profit of $18.4 billion and the market is frowning. That's because Apple at the end of the day, it's the iPhone company. And even through they sold 75 million iPhones in the last quarter. That was actually the slowest rate of growth for the iPhone since they debuted in 2007.

So, imagine going to your boss and you say, "Well I sold four million this quarter, then the next quarter eight million." Will you go to your boss and then all of the sudden you only sell two million. Well, then investors aren't going to be happy because they're thinking about the long term. I know the reason that investors aren't quite so happy with this report.

Apple was saying, for the first time they're seeing economic softening, they called it in China. And Apple has invested so much money in China. Now Tim Cook, the CEO of Apple is sounding a beat and he says that things will look better as the year moves on. Analysts however are thinking that maybe Apple's days as a high flying growth stock, growth being the key word, are coming to an end. I'm Samuel Burke in New York. Back to you.

BARNETT: All right, now for many people in London, getting to and from work can be a very stressful experience. Everyone packs themselves into the overcrowded trains for long and quite expensive rides on the city's subway lines or the underground. Max Foster has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MAX FOSTER, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Oxford circus, the center of London's west end, the beating heart of this global city. Commuters, tourists, and the iconic double decker buses stream from dawn to dusk. And beneath this all, an intersection of multiple metro lines. And down they go, some of the nearly hundred million passengers that make their journey down to this tube station every year. It's now that much fun but these are the lucky ones.

For these days, even making it underground is a challenge.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Congestion, do not enter.

[02:50:00] Congestion, do not enter.

FOSTER: This is now a common sight for passengers. Gates pull shut, knocked out, frustration probable.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's not ideal of a scene especially when you just -- you've finished work and you just want to come home straight away.

FOSTER: Information obtained by CNN reveals that Oxford Circus had to close on 40 percent of weekdays in the 12 months to October 2015. Passengers had to wait an average of nearly nine minutes with some locked out for up to 20. Transport for London says it's to prevent dangerous overcrowding on the station platforms. "The safety of our customers is our top priority. Major upgrade work is well underway which will significantly increase capacity for the whole are." With nearly $13 billion spent in the area every year, local retailers have reason to be worried.

JACE TYRRELL, CEO NEW WEST END COMPANY: We need a plan for the next ten years to take the West End to the next level and, you know, Times Square, very successful in New York. They pedestrianized the area, they made it about the shopper and the pedestrians.

FOSTER: Experts say, having a major transport hub that regularly grinds through a halt is simply unsustainable.

TONY TRAVERS, PROFESSOR, LONDON SCHOOL OF ECONOMICS: London's population is expected to 9 then 10 million of it's current figure of 8 and a half million. And so, these problems can only get worse.

FOSTER: Max Foster, CNN London.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Do not enter. Do not enter.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BARNETT: At least everyone seemed polite while they were waiting. This is CNN NEWSROOM, I'm Errol Barnett. Next hour, live reports from South Africa and Jordan plus news as it breaks. Stay with me.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[02:55:00]