Return to Transcripts main page

CNN NEWSROOM

Barack Obama Urges Trump to Reach Out to Minorities; People in Aleppo Being Warned; Pranking Trump with an Internet Meme; Barack Obama's View on the President-elect; Journalists Targeted; Russian President Vladimir Putin to Work with Trump on Issues; Backlash is Brewing for Donald Trump; Quake Rattled New Zealand. Aired 3-4a ET

Aired November 15, 2016 - 03:00   ET

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


(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[03:00:00] ZAIN ASHER, CNN ANCHOR: Taking the high road. In his first post-election news conference Barack Obama urges his successor to reach out to minorities and critics who have put off by his campaign.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA PRESIDENT: It is really important to try to send some signals of unity.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ASHER: And get out or die. The warning that has people in Aleppo fearing the worst.

Hello, everyone. And I'm Zain Asher at CNN headquarters in Atlanta.

Also ahead this hour, pranking Trump the internet meme are giving some democrats a reason to smile.

This is CNN NEWSROOM.

So, what does President Obama really think of Donald Trump? He addressed that very question at a news conference earlier. Here's our Jeff Zeleny with more.

JEFF ZELENY, CNN SENIOR WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT: President Obama tonight walking a tight rope, speaking out about the candidate he lambasted and the president-elect to he must now pass the baton.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

OBAMA: The people have spoken, Donald Trump will be the next president, the 45th president of the United States.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ZELENY: In his first news conference since the election, Mr. Obama talked about his 90-minute meeting with Donald Trump saying he spoke to the president-elect about the weight of the job.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

OBAMA: This office has a way of waking you up. And those aspects of his positions or predispositions that don't match up with reality, he will find shaken up pretty quick.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ZELENY: The president said he would work with Mr. Trump to make the hand off as smooth as possible. Suggesting some of the biting language during the campaign was done for effect.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: I don't think he is ideological. I think ultimately he is pragmatic in that way.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ZELENY: But the president was candid about some of the weaknesses he sees in Trump, including his temperament.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: I think what will happen with the president-elect is there is going to be certain elements of his temperament that will not serve him well unless he recognizes them and corrects them.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ZELENY: The president pointing out that Mr. Trump often made false statements and relied on misleading headlines on the campaign trail.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

OBAMA: When you are a candidate and you say something that is inaccurate or controversial it has less impact than when it does when you are the president of the United States.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ZELENY: The president has seen defeat before after the 2010 and 2014 mid-term elections.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

OBAMA: I'm not recommending for every future president that they take a shellacking like I did last night. You know, I'm sure there are easier ways to learn these lessons.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ZELENY: But no laughter today as the cornerstones of his legacy through Obamacare to climate change policy are at risk in a Trump administration. Asked about those questioning Trump's right to rule, the president said simply, Trump won.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

OBAMA: Hopefully it's a reminder that elections matter. And voting counts. And so, I don't know how many times we have to relearn this lesson because we ended up having 43 percent of the country not voting who were eligible to vote but it makes a difference.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ZELENY: A week after Election Day, the condemnations toward Donald Trump have turned into a far more measured assessment by President Obama as he heads out on the final foreign trip of his presidency he wants to urge foreign leaders too to have an open mind about the man who will be the 45th president of the United States.

Jeff Zeleny, CNN, New York.

ASHER: And it's been seven days since Election Day and protests are continuing around the country. Thousands of students in fact, across the United States walked out of their classes on Monday, and that includes about 5,000 middle and high school students in Seattle.

Now most of the protests were peaceful but there have been a few cases of violence in certain areas.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hey, you don't look to compromise.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Idiot.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hey, boy. Hey, hey, hey.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ASHER: And that is one case of violence that happened at Ohio State University. Now a student were actually tackled the other person down the staircase. That was a Trump protester. That student who did the tackling was arrested very quickly. And demonstrators shouted "shame" as he was led away. He faces an assault charge.

The backlash is growing over one of Trump's first major appointments. Former executive chairman of Breitbart News which was a right wing news agency here in the United States, Steve Bannon will be one of Trump's top advisers in the White House, and now democrats are asking Trump to rethink that.

[03:05:02] Here's our Jim Acosta with more.

JIM ACOSTA, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Since electing Stephen Bannon, as his chief strategist, Donald Trump has invited into the Oval Office one of the leaders of the so-called alt-right movement. A combination of conservatives, populist, white supremacist and anti-Semites.

Trump's campaign says Bannon will act as, quote, Equal partners with RNC chair Reince Priebus who will serve as White House chief of staff." And While top Trump advisers are praising the Bannon pick.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KELLYANNE CONWAY, FORMER TRUMP CAMPAIGN MANAGER: And I was grateful that Mr. Steve Bannon stood the general in this campaign.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ACOSTA: Bannon has already coming under fire over his time as chairman of Breitbart News which at times has featured anti-Semitic and white supremacist material.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REINCE PRIEBUS, REPUBLICAN NATIONAL COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN: The guy I know is a guy that isn't any of those things. He is a guy who is pretty -- he's very, very smart. Very temperate.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ACOSTA: The Bannon pick had enflamed an anti-Trump protestors and rattle a nation that's witnessing a rise in hateful rhetoric like the reports of churches vandalized with neo-Nazi messaging and attacks on minorities which Trump told 60 Minutes must come to an end.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT-ELECT OF THE UNITED STATES: I am so saddened to hear that and I say stop it. If it -- if it helps, I will say this, and I'll say it to the camera, stop it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ACOSTA: On the issue, Trump so far is signaling a potential softening on sensitive topics suggesting he won't work to outlaw same-sex marriage.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: These cases have gone to the Supreme Court and they've been settled and I'm fine with that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ACOSTA: But on another front Roe versus Wade, Trump said he would appoint anti-abortion judges. And if it's overturned it would be up to the states to decide.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: Well, they probably have to go to another...

(CROSSTALK)

LESLEY STAHL, CBS 60 MINUTES CORRESPONDENT: Do you want...

TRUMP: ... they'll have to go to another state.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ACOSTA: As for Trump signature campaign issue.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: Don't worry about it, we're going to build a wall, folks. I will.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ACOSTA: The President-elect sounds open to something less than a wall along the Mexican border.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

STAHL: So, part wall, part fence.

TRUMP: The fence would be -- yes, it could be -- it could be some fencing.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ACOSTA: But the Trump transition team is far from unified on Bannon. As one key transition source put it he is simply being given too much power.

Jim Acosta, CNN, New York.

ASHER: Now a source within the Trump transition team is telling CNN that Donald Trump is actually asking for his children and his son-in- law to get top security clearances. But in the meantime, another source says that Trump has not made any such request.

What's not secret tough, is how three of Trump's grown children and his son-in-law are among his closest and most trusted confidants. Now if they are given a security clearance it would mark yet another unprecedented turn in an election season in which all of the rules of U.S. politics have been rewritten.

Let's get more now on all of this. We are joined now Ryan Lizza, CNN political commentator and Washington correspondent for the New Yorker. So, Ryan, thank you so much for being with us.

RYAN LIZZA, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: My pleasure.

So, nepotism rules prevent Trump from actually hiring his kids in the White House but he can still give them security clearances. So just explain to our international audience the sort of myriad of conflicts of interest here.

LIZZA: I think it's a little unclear, as far as I know, about whether this is OK or not. We have rules, obviously, to give security clearances to federal employees, and we even have rules to give security clearances to federal contractors, for instance, Edward Snowden was a federal contractor.

The idea that friends or family who you want to advise you on foreign policy or for whatever reason this would be given can be cleared for the nation's most sensitive secrets is completely new, at least to me, a little bit troubling. Because these are the same three children that Donald Trump has said will be running his allegedly $10 billion business empire.

So imagine the competitive advantage. Imagine the -- what you could do if you knew what the U.S. government's spy services knew.

ASHER: But could that be some kind of rule in place whereby say, well, you know, if you give your kids security clearance, then they can't run your business at the same time?

LIZZA: Well, this is like -- this a big issue that has not been sorted out in America yet is what happens to this business? We have never had this. We've never had a president who was worth as much as Trump and had as many potential conflict of interests.

Remember, he's got properties and licensing deals all around the world. So, our diplomats and our foreign policy community is going to be interacting with governments all over the world who are overseeing, or at least have some effect on his business interests.

Now you combine that with his kids then having national security service and that is a massive conflict of interest. So, I think you are absolutely right. The thing -- I mean, look, the best thing to just clear this up would be for the Trump's to divest of all of these properties.

[03:10:00] That has not been offered as a solution from them yet. They have talked about a blind trust, but you can't run a $10 billion global business with the Trump brand as a blind thing, right? It will be seen.

ASHER: So let's talk about who actually will be working at the White House.

LIZZA: Yes.

ASHER: Because Donald Trump has said that his goal right now is unity. He wants to bring the country together, especially after such a divisive presidential campaign. So if your goal is unity, why hire someone as controversial as Steve Bannon, who has been labeled by some as a racist?

LIZZA: Yes. Look, I know we in America always talk about unity after the elections, but our politics is extremely polarized. And I don't think Bannon's view of American politics is to come together in the middle and bring democrats into a grand coalition to get stuff done.

ASHER: I'm trying to understand Donald Trump's actual motive for hiring someone like Bannon.

LIZZA: Yes. ASHER: Was is it just more about going against the grain, going against the establishment and hiring an outsider or was it more about loyalty, you know, this person was loyal to me during my campaign and now I'm going to reward him for that. What was it more about do you think?

LIZZA: You have to remember when Bannon came in. Bannon came into that campaign in mid-august of this year when Donald Trump was down by double-digits and when everyone said he was on his way to an historic landslide loss.

And Bannon and that new team, whether it was them or something else, you know, they get the credit, they won the election. And I think that if you are Donald Trump, you are going to listen to the person who helped you win the election.

ASHER: And we are in a new world. Ryan Lizza, thank you so much for being with us. I appreciate that.

LIZZA: My pleasure.

ASHER: And Barack Obama is expected to arrive in Greece within the next hour on his final, his very last overseas trip as U.S. president. The focus will be on debt relief. But certainly the election will no doubt cast a shadow over this visit.

Let's go straight now to our Nic Robertson who is joining us live now. So, Nic, President Obama is going to make a speech on globalization. But certainly given the U.S. election that is no doubt -- the speech is no doubt going to take on new meaning.

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Yes, sure. When he arrives here today he will meet with the President, he'll meet with the Prime Minister, he'll make that speech. Tomorrow he goes to Germany, he'll meet with the German Chancellor Angela Merkel, the British Prime Minister Theresa May will be there, French President Francois Hollande, Italy's Prime Minister, Matteo Renzi, the Spanish Prime Minister will also be there.

They will be very keen to hear what President Obama has to say about Donald Trump, and perhaps particularly keen to hear what he said in the last 24 hours about Donald Trump supporting NATO. That is a key concern for Europe.

But here in Athens, of course, debt and the economy of this country is a big issue. So you can bet that the Greeks tomorrow, when President Obama gives that speech, will be listening for anything that he says about debt relief and hoping that the next administration will pick it up and run with it.

This, Greece is the sort of, if you will, the root of democracy, Western-style democracy across the world. We can expect President Obama on this his last presidential trip to reference that and certainly sort of hinting towards his legacy and the need to continue with this type of democracy worldwide. But he will talk about the need to continue to help Greece stabilize

its economy. And certainly get Greece to a better economic place. And he will also mention of course, refugees. That Greece, Italy, Germany, can't be left alone in the world to handle the refugee crisis.

And that will be something that will resonate wider in Europe and perhaps back home in the United States, as well. Zain?

ASHER: So, Nic, if President Obama is going to focus on debt relief for Greece just to sort of give the people of Greece some hope going forward, do his words really carry weight, especially given the fact that he is a lame duck president at this point?

ROBERTSON: He's on the way out. What they would hope is that whatever he says here, and it's a late -- you tell lay down new policy -- whatever he says here is something that will be picked upon by the incoming administration.

But when you listen to what President-elect Donald Trump has said to say in the past about the Greek economy what it was going to be the really renegotiating its debt with the European union, Donald Trump at that time in interviews gave the impression that Germany should really handle this matter.

That perhaps if not Germany then Russia could pick up and help Greece out with its debt. So, you know, there's a sense here that there's an unexpected with Donald Trump.

But people we talked to here today say that yes, there's an uncertainty but he is coming in new. Let's give him a chance, let's see what he'll do.

[03:14:58] And certainly they are looking to the United States, though, to lead the way for any sort of moral, global, if you will, help, at least rhetorically and perhaps more that the Greece -- that Greece does need help managing its way out of its difficult economic position at the moment.

Think about it, you know, it was quarter of a million, a quart -- yes, almost a quarter of the eligible Greek workforce at the moment is out of work. That's a tough place to be in with the debt stacking up for this country.

ASHER: They will be hanging on to his words especially concerning debt relief. All right. Nic Robertson, live for us there. Thank you so much. I appreciate that.

Now in her first major foreign policy address since becoming Britain's Prime Minister, Theresa May pointed to Donald Trump's election as the latest rejection of liberalism and globalization. Take a listen to what she had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

THERESA MAY, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: A year ago, few of us would have predicted the events ahead. A clear, determined decision to leave the European Union, and forge a bold new confident future for ourselves in the world.

And of course, a new president-elect in the United States, who defied the polls and the pundits all the way up to Election Day itself. Change is in the air.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ASHER: You can say that again. Well, Prime Minister May also said she wants Britain to be a global champion of free trade but she wants all Britons to profit from it.

Well, civilians in eastern Aleppo are preparing for the worst after they were warned to leave or die. That was the warning they were given. We'll have more on the threat intending assault on the city, coming up next.

And relations between the U.S. and Russia have been strained, but that could be changing. What Russia's president and Donald Trump talked about on Monday. That story is next, as well.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(WORLD SPORTS)

ASHER: Well, people in rebel-held Aleppo, Syria are on edge are very nervous and worried right now as the regime apparently is about to unleash a heavy assault on the city.

Text messages sent on Sunday warned civilians to leave within 24 hours. Either to leave or die. That is what they are facing right now.

Let's go straight right now to our Jomana Karadsheh. So, Jomana, are people actually heeding to those warnings, and if so, how on earth do they get to safety?

JOMANA KARADSHEH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Zain, they are absolutely terrified, they're on edge as you mentioned. And people that we've spoken to in eastern Aleppo either you get different opinions. Some people who say, well, this is part of the psychological warfare, they've received similar messages in the past, you know, leaflets that have dropped on their cities or broadcast through state media.

And some people say that they have really thought about leaving. These are people who endured some of the worst violence that has struck Aleppo. And in the past say they would never leave their city. And now they says that they have been considering it.

But the problem is they really do not trust the regime. They do not trust the regime's Russian allies when it comes to these routes that were announced in the past as safe passage for them that they can use to exit and evacuate the city.

They are concerned that they will be targeted or they will be arrested by the regime. There are really no guarantees for their safety, they say. Other people, Zain, that we've spoken to say they have absolutely nowhere to go. They say that this is their city. This is their homeland and they will never leave eastern Aleppo.

ASHER: And in the middle of all of this, Russia is actually bolstering, sort of boosting up its presence in Syria. Just explain to us how that factors into all of this.

KARADSHEH: Well, this is really adding to that concern. When you talk to people they are so terrified, Zain. When they are seeing this news you are seeing this Russian aircraft carrier arriving off the coast of Syria, there sort of military buildup they're saying.

And people in eastern Aleppo that we've spoken to, activists and also just ordinary citizens there, when they are hearing this news they feel that this is all these indications they are seeing that there will be this sort of imminent large-scale assault on eastern Aleppo. Something they have been feeling it could be happening any minute, any day right now.

But this is not the only concern, Zain. They are absolutely terrified. They are also struggling to survive. You know, we heard from the United Nations last week saying that we could be facing a scenario of mass starvation in eastern Aleppo.

Because the last time any sort of significant aid reached the besieged parts of eastern Aleppo was back in July. And they said that right now the last of the ration that they have are being distributed to the population.

And this is something, Zain, we also heard from the residents in eastern Aleppo. People who in the past have been telling us they are facing serious shortages, severe shortages when it comes to things like fuel that they use for cooking, but also now with the winter coming up for heating, food shortages and medicine.

Now when we spoke to them over the last couple of days, they say they are running out of almost everything. People are talking about the little that they have, that they are surviving on. We're talking about a bit of rice, a little bit of pasta.

One man that we spoke to said, you know, on good days he has two meals. But on most days he says like the majority of the people in Aleppo he has one meal.

They are really, really terrified of the military assault that could happen at any point, but they also fear that the worst is yet to come, especially with this humanitarian situation and running out of food at this point.

ASHER: And especially when you consider those text messages that were just sent. All right. Jomana Karadsheh, please do keep an eye on that for us. We appreciate that. Thank you so much.

And you just heard Jomana talking about the fact that people there are running out of everything. And one of the main problems there is health care, there are just a few dozen doctors remain in eastern Aleppo right now and that is for a population of more than 250,000 people. Every single day, hospitals are overwhelmed with patients and when the

bombing intensifies it is certainly impossible for doctors to keep up.

[03:25:01] Here's our Will Ripley with more.

WILL RIPLEY, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Doctors in rebel-held eastern Aleppo risk their lives just by going to work. Their city, under siege for nearly five years. Eight hospitals still stand. The ninth hospital destroyed in a bombing earlier this year.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HAMZA AL-KHATIB, SYRIAN DOCTOR: When we are at home then it will be around on rockets that will hit our home. But at the hospital, we know that we might be attacked at any moment.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

RIPLEY: Dr. Hamza al-Khatib says he is one of 31 doctors in the battle-scarred city. Thirteen for more than a quarter million people.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

AL-KHATIB: I guess each doctor at the moment in Aleppo see between 100 to 150 patients each day.

RIPLEY: A day?

AL-KHATIB: Yes.

RIPLEY: On normal days he treats the sick. But when the bombs fall the sick must be turned away as trauma patients often children flood the emergency room.

AL-KHATIB: A young girl 12 years old lost her right leg. So that was a shock.

RIPLEY: He treated a 4-month-old baby for a small cut, shrapnel from a rocket attack. They sent her home.

AL-KHATIB: We were told later that her home was also attacked again. The same night. And she lost her life.

RIPEY: During the most recent month of heavy bombardment some 500 people died in eastern Aleppo, including one week when 96 children were killed. Which makes him hug his own baby a little tighter.

She's beautiful.

Dr. Hamza lives at the hospital with his wife and 11-month-old daughter. Have you ever thought that you should leave, that you should try to leave Aleppo?

AL-KHATIB: Being with her in a safer place is very selfish. So, I'd rather to be here with my family to treating patients.

RIPLEY: When you tuck her in at night, what do you pray for?

AL-KHATIB: I pray for everything to end. I hope for the siege to be break. I hope for hearing a good news in the morning.

RIPLEY: But each morning seems to bring more bad news. Winter is coming, food and medicine is running low and in the battle for eastern Aleppo, the worst may be yet to come.

Will Ripley, CNN, Istanbul.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ASHER: All right. Still to come here on CNN NEWSROOM, trapped for hours in Mosul.

ARWA DAMON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: The vehicle in front of us exploded. The vehicle behind us had been targeted. We were actually physically pinned.

ASHER: CNN's Arwa Damon recalls the harrowing moment after an ISIS attack on the convoy she was traveling in.

Also ahead, the future of U.S.-Russia relations could be shifting. What Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump talked about in a phone call on Monday. That's next.

[03:30:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ASHER: A warm welcome back to our viewers all around the world. I'm Zain Asher.

Let's get you caught up on the top stories happening internationally.

German police are carrying out coordinating -- coordinated anti-terror aids throughout the country. They are targeting organizations that follow Salafism, a fundamental Islamic ideology that arise in Europe. In Berlin alone 200 officers took part in 20 raids on people connected to a group called a True movement led by prominent Salafist preacher.

And Barack Obama is asking Americans to give President-elect Donald Trump a chance as he takes on his new role.

On Monday, he spoke to reporters for the first time since the first time since election. Mr. Obama said he is committed for the smooth transition for Mr. Trump.

A power for backlash is brewing for Donald Trump's appointment of Steve Bannon as a top adviser. A prominent democrat and civil rights group are calling on the U.S. president-elect to rescind the appointment. As they allege that Bannon is unsuitable due to his long association with anti-Semitism and white nationalism.

In the meantime, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Trump are promising to work towards improving relations between their two countries. Mr. Putin is actually one of the first world leaders to congratulate Trump on his victory. They spoke by phone on Monday. So, what exactly was discussed?

Our Matthew Chance joins us live now from Moscow. So, Matthew, do we know what was said on that phone call?

MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, I mean, we kind of do. Because there was a Kremlin readout of the topics covered in that conversation. The first, as far as we know, the first conversation between Putin and Donald Trump.

Certainly, the first since he was -- he became president-elect. I mean, look, they spoke about working towards normalizing relations between the two countries. Of course the situation, the relationship between Washington and Moscow over the past couple of years in particular has been pretty bad.

I mean, we've been speaking about a new Cold War emerging. And so one of the issues that was discussed is, you know, how to -- how to address that and a desire on both sides to address that.

The Kremlin said they also talked about improving economic ties. And that's important, as well, because Russia is in an economic crisis. The United States has economic sanctions against Russia. That is again talking to that possibility.

That under Trump, the United States could ease off on its economic pressure on Russia, which of course, their sanctions were imposed over Russia's interference in the Ukraine.

And crucially they also spoke about joint efforts in the fight against what the Kremlin called common enemy number one international terrorism and extremism. And of course that is a bleak reference potentially to the situation in Syria.

The Syria was, of course, discussed as well. But, you know, there's long been, you know, talks between the United States and Russia about the possibility of them joining forces in Syria to combat Islamic state, for instance.

But that -- that's something that Donald Trump spoke about a lot in his campaign, as well, to president of the United States. And so that has emerged now as a real possibility. And again, it's something that the Kremlin said was discussed with Donald Trump during that first conversation with Vladimir Putin.

[03:34:59] ASHER: And Matthew, do we know what the sort of warming of relations between Russia and the United States or rather Putin and Trump will mean, I guess for NATO? Especially given some of Trump's remarks a few months ago that NATO might be obsolete?

CHANCE: Yes, I mean, Trump has been a long-time critic of course, of the military alliance in its present form. And he made some comments, as well, during the campaign, not just that it was obsolete but saying, for instance, that the United States under him wouldn't necessarily support the Baltic States if they were came -- if they come under attack. Of course, they live under the threat of Russian military pressure.

And that's to do with the fact that Baltic states for the most part, although not all of them don't pay the recommended 2 percent of their national budget towards military expenditure.

Look, I mean, NATO is of course the biggest thorn in the side of relations between Russia and the United States. NATO's expansion since the end of the Soviet Union has been something that has been very offensive I think is fair to say for many Russians.

Its expanded into territories that were once part of the Soviet's sphere of influence. And Russians see the expansion about Western military lives as very much an expansion against them. So they got a president of the United States who will hold back that expansion and even call it back that's something that is a very positive for Russia.

ASHER: All right. Matthew Chance, I appreciate you joining us. Thank you so much.

Well, for the first time in six years, Julian Assange is answering questions from Swedish prosecutors about an alleged rape. They questioned the WikiLeaks founder for the second day on Tuesday at the Ecuadorian embassy in London.

He's been hold up there since 2012 to avoid extradition to Sweden where he is accused of raping a WikiLeaks volunteer in 2010. Assange denies the allegation. He says he also that Sweden will try sending him back to the U.S. or rather to the U.S. where he's accused of publishing state secrets.

And thousands of people are stranded in New Zealand's cut off from the world after a 7.8 quake rattled the nation's south island on Monday killing two people. Rescuers are using helicopters to evacuate tourists and locals.

The officials estimate that rebuilding will take months and cost billions. State radio reports more than 800 aftershocks. Rainy and windy conditions are complicating matters in the quake zone.

Meteorologist Pedram Javaheri joins us live now. So I am also wondering how these aftershocks that 800 aftershocks are also...

(CROSSTALK)

PEDRAM JAVAHERI, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Correct.

ASHER: ... going to be compliment -- complicated. I can't get the word out - these rescue efforts as well.

JAVAHERI: Yes. Well, we know the structures are already compromising this region as they in. So, when we have any sort of aftershocks, some of these have been on the order of 60 have been greater than 4.0. So, pretty strong shaking.

I just want to show you the map of what's going on here. You notice the initial shock, the 7.8, the 60-plus aftershocks that have been 4.0 or greater all of them just north of this particular region. And when you think about what occurred here, of course, happening in the early morning hours really put a lot of people at risk here.

And you take a look the officials there at Geo Net, which is actually a hazard monitoring organization in New Zealand estimating 80,000 to 100,000 landslides scatter about the region. They said they analyzed the area, the other reconnaissance aircraft and are seeing some of these remote isolated regions near Kaipara to the north where we've seen significant damage and landslides in place.

But notice, the initial quake, the aftershocks the number of aftershocks still expected to remain very high but it's the intensity of them that are going to drop below four we think about over the next couple of days and be generally three, magnitude three or weaker.

But here is what, Zain is talking about. Storm system in place around the western portion of the south island of New Zealand. Some high elevation snow certainly possible. But as I zoom in for you just north of Christchurch around Kaikorai there, you'll notice that area of interest there remaining quiet, that's the good news.

It will be notably blustery certainly going to be cold outside over the next couple of days. Our most accurate observation site will be around Christchurch. It shows you the temperatures there at around 12 or so degrees.

But again, it is the extreme temperatures there with a lot of people now trying to -- in the recovery efforts trying to get things underway.

And you take a look, the USGS estimating potentially over a billion dollars maybe up to $5 billion of losses expected over this region. We know infrastructure damage certainly in place.

I want to show you some footage right now coming out of areas of New Zealand of this region where we had of course the damage on the roads. But I have a video to share with you we can -- there it is right there. You can see what's going on when it comes to three cows literally stranded on a grass island.

This occurred in a process that's actually known as liquefaction. Now the liquefaction here essentially what you're seeing is the violent shaking that has taken place near the surface, Zain, is actually displaced the soil, brought the water table up toward the surface. As this occurs you are now creating essentially what is like quick sand.

[03:40:00] So, you have a lot of landslides takes place. Again, 100,000 estimated. We know those cows, though, were able to be rescued and then taken off. But can you imagine?

ASHER: Right.

JAVAHERI: How scary that cows might have been.

ASHER: Yes, frightening stuff. OK, Pedram live for us there. Thank you. I appreciate that. JAVAHERI: Thank you.

ASHER: All right. We want to take you now to Athens where it's just gone 10.30 in the morning. Air Force One has just touched down. This is by the way, President Obama's last, his final overseas visit as President. He is going to be in Athens for two days and he's going to be talking primarily about debt relief for that country.

But no doubt the election that took place six days ago, Donald Trump's election as president in the United States will be casting a shadow over that visit.

But once again, President Obama touching down in Athens for a two-day visit. He wants to promote debt relief in that country.

All right. Still to come here in CNN NEWSROOM, Iraqi families who fled ISIS two years ago are finally returning home. But they are facing a deadly reminder of the terror group. Plus.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I was hearing explosions from that direction, other direction, gun fire never stopped.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ASHER: CNN journalist get caught in an intense gun battle between Iraqi forces and ISIS in Mosul. Frightening moments. That's next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ASHER: Iraqi forces are facing fierce resistance from ISIS in their push towards the center of Mosul. ISIS has send wave as suicide bombers, snipers and ambushes against some of the forces. More than 54,000 people have been displaced since the offensive to retake the city begun nearly one month ago.

Witnesses say ISIS has been hiding explosives in residential areas and the civilians returning homes the bombs pretty much could be anywhere.

Our Michael Holmes reports on the teams that are trying to diffuse them.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And this is an example of an item in the ground.

[03:45:00] MICHAEL HOLMES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Right here? The spike is there.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.

HOLMES: This one has been defused?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, not yet, no.

HOLMES: It's a village tour like no other.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is when one of their villagers got killed, the fourth one.

HOLMES: Our guide, Salah Muhammad (Ph) is with the Mines Advisory Group or MAG, for 29 years his life has been clearing mines and booby traps around the world, but he's never seen more than in his home region in northern Iraq.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Then in the last three or four days we found 30 mines.

HOLMES: In this area.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: In this area.

HOLMES: We're in the village of Tal al-aban when ISIS fled, the group's ability to kill remained.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There were about like 11 deaths -- and death -- people died in this village, five injured. And then in the neighboring villages since we arrive in the last three weeks. Six people have died, and four injured.

HOLMES: So this is urgent work.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It is, it is.

HOLMES: Yes. Most in the villages around here fled two years ago when ISIS arrived. Salam (Ph) and his team wants them to wait, but many can no longer afford to pay rent elsewhere, and so they're coming home.

Sixty five families so far. "We have to choice but to come back," Hamid Mousa (Ph) tell us, but doing so cost his son, Muzli (Ph) his life killed when he triggered a booby trap at a village mosque.

Elsewhere in the safer part of the village, potentially life-saving lessons for children. What to look out for, what not to touch, not even toys on the ground, sometimes booby-trapped by an enemy without conscience.

It's all of the Mines Advisory Group humanitarian mission. Here, Salam wears a camera to show us a house that he knows is booby-trapped. He won't let us come but wanted to show us one of these grotesque weapons, a shell hidden under a sink.

(FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

HOLMES: Later our tour interrupted, a villager found something near a house that needs checking. This happens daily, sometimes several times. Salam tell him he'll come by and have a look.

All of it came down in one goal.

At this house three people died simply going home. ISIS had rigged it with explosives, and it collapsed on top of them. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When they went it on the hole.

HOLMES: And it was booby trap. And what we are looking at down there is the roof.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, it's the roof.

HOLMES: Making this village safe and the farm land that supports its people will take months of painstaking, sometimes centimeter by centimeter work, and then it's on to the next area.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Because at the end of the day, 100 percent should be clear and then we'll hand it back to the communities. So, yes, 100 percent, that's why we are responsible for that.

HOLMES: You can't miss anything?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, we can't. There are no room for that.

HOLMES: Here a village of people grateful for that promise.

Michael Holmes, CNN, Tal-alaban near Mosul, Iraq.

ASHER: And last week, two CNN journalists were actually traveling with Iraqi forces in Mosul when their convoy ended up coming under heavy fire. Now reinforcements couldn't reach the team for more than 24 hours and communications in the area was very spotty.

It is just one example of the daily challenges facing those troops and civilians, as well.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DAMON: The vehicle in front of us exploded. The vehicle behind us had already been targeted. We were actually physically pinned.

The story is recapturing Mosul from ISIS. Going in and trying to depict that as best as we can is how we do our job.

There are snipers on rooftops and they are receiving incoming mortar fire that ISIS is shooting. Having a focus, having a reason for being there, being in that situation mentally allows you to cope with it.

If you allow your thoughts, the worst of your thoughts to run away, if you can't control that panic, you could potentially put yourself in even more danger.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I was hearing explosions from that direction, the other directions, gunfire, never stop.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK. What are they doing?

DAMON: I don't know. Honestly, I don't know.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: At 3.15, I heard a massive explosion from her direction. Live, it was black in front of me, sent her a text message, just tell me you're OK. It was 45 minutes until I get the answer back. She said, yes, but the situation is bad. That 45 minutes, it was like two years to me.

[03:50:05] DAMON: I was actually curled up with the family who I had met. Then yes, the fighting was happening outside, but you kind of crave and cling to these moments to allow your mind to escape from it.

They've been coming across quite a bit of sniper fire, gunfire, mortar rounds, rocket-propelled grenades and of course the car bombs.

The frontline was the house we are in's wall. Each time we went to the door, the bullets would star pinging at it. Because that's how close the ISIS fighters were.

It's terrifying. You run without knowing if you're going to make it.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Nothing anybody imagined -- the things that I was thinking about, what if and what if and what's going to happen. Suddenly, she picked up the phone. And she said "I'm in the Humvee, I'm in the Humvee, I'm coming to you." And I said, that's impossible. She's coming up.

(CROSSTALK)

DAMON: He was like, where are you? Where are you? Oh, my God, I can see you.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: She's with me. She's with me.

DAMON: There's a lot of relief. There's also a great sense of appreciation for the fact that we have the luxury to leave. The soldiers they have to go back. The civilians are still back there living this hell, living that fear we experienced for 28 hours, that right now is their daily reality.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ASHER: An unimaginable harrowing story. We are so thankful that they made it out safely. We'll have much more news after the break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ASHER: Wow, take a look at that. It is not a bird. It's not a plane. It is a supermoon. Right of an any time in the past 68 years the moon is not only full, it is actually at its closest point to the earth in its orbit.

And by the way, you have to catch this one because you won't see another supermoon like this until the year 2034. The full moon in November are by the way, so-called beaver moons because they arrive at a time of the year when fur trappers would hunt the animals.

So, what mischievous thought lurked in the mind of United States Vice President Joe Biden? What does he really think about President-elect Trump? Some people got pretty creative in answering that question. Take a listen. JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It was as if President Obama was

trying to wrap his lips around the name.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

OBAMA: The president -- President-elect Trump. Mr. President-elect. With President-elect trump.

[03:55:02] MOOS: Some on Twitter elected to imagine pranks at the mischievous Joe Biden mind play on the incoming Trump, but Trump go form a meme of imaginary conversations between Joe and President Obama.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I ordered yuge replacement doors knobs, yuge.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Joe, we can't.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: President tiny hands.

MOOS: From the size of Trump's hands to President Obama's birth certificate.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Come on, you got to put a fake birth certificate, put it in an envelope labeled secret and leave it in the Oval Office desk.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Joe.

MOOS: Obama's birthplace gave birth to a lot of jokes.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I left the Kenyan passport in your desk, just to (muted) with him.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Joe.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And a prayer rug in your bedroom he's going to lose it.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Damn it, Joe.

MOOS: That tweet was written by left leaning Josh Billinson.

JOSH BILLINSON, JOE BIDEN'S MEME TWITTER AUTHOR: Just trying to be funny at a time when it's really hard to know if it's OK to be funny.

MOOS: Josh loves Joe Biden and he's authored at least 10 of these memes. And then there is one based on a dirty trick that was actually played in real life when the White House transitioned from Bill Clinton to George W. Bush. An investigation confirmed, missing W's in the White House.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hillary was saying they took the W's off the keyboards when Bush won.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Joe, put.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I took the T's. They can only type wrong.

MOOS: Josh, who wrote the tease tweet got an inquiry from an agent. They want to know if you are interested in a book deal.

BILLINSON: I told them I'm interested in anything at this point.

MOOS: If the election has been pushing your buttons, maybe a tweet will provide relief.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I took a staples red button and wrote nukes on it.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Joe.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It tweets too in Russia when press.

MOOS: Jeanne Moos, CNN.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That was easy.

MOOS: New York.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ASHER: All right. That does it for us here. I'm Zain Asher. Stick around there. We have much more news with our Kristi Lou Stout after this quick break.

[04:00:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)