Return to Transcripts main page

CNN NEWSROOM

North Korea-U.S. Tensions Escalating; Trump Does Not Rule Out Military Intervention on Venezuela; Protests After Kenyan Election Results. Aired 5-6a ET

Aired August 12, 2017 - 05:00   ET

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


[05:00:00]

(MUSIC PLAYING)

HANNAH VAUGHAN JONES, CNN ANCHOR (voice-over): The rhetoric between Washington and Pyongyang gets more heated as U.S. President Donald Trump warns North Korea's Kim Jong-un that he will regret any overt threat or attack on Guam.

GEORGE HOWELL, CNN ANCHOR (voice-over): Also, the U.S. President has refused to rule out the possibility of U.S. military intervention. In Venezuela, more than 120 people have died since April since pro- and anti-government groups continue to clash.

JONES: A trade war could materializes between the U.S. and China President Trump told Chinese president Xi Jinping a few hours ago that he's about to order an investigation into China's trade practices.

HOWELL (voice-over): 5:00 am on the U.S. East Coast. We want to welcome our viewers here in the United States all around the world. I'm George Howell at CNN World Headquarters.

JONES (voice-over): And Hannah Vaughan Jones. It's 10:00 am here in London. Welcome to CNN NEWSROOM.

(MUSIC PLAYING)

HOWELL: From North Korea to Venezuela a lot to talk about. The U.S. President putting the U.S. military front and center. We'll have more on Venezuela here shortly.

But first the president's latest threat to North Korea. The military is locked and loaded. The Chinese President Xi Jinping is urging restraint toward North Korea. In a phone call with President Trump, the call followed a stern new warning from Mr. Trump to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, whose regime has threatened to fire missiles toward the Pacific island of Guam.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: If anything happens to Guam, there's going to be big, big trouble in North Korea.

QUESTION: Have you ordered any change in our military readiness?

TRUMP: I don't want to say. That, I just -- I don't talk about that. You know that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOWELL: The president made the provocative remark after meeting with his national security team at his vacation spot in New Jersey and refused, however, to say the U.S. was prepared to go to war against Pyongyang. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: We think that lots of good things could happen and we could also have a bad solution. But we think lots of good things can happen.

QUESTION: What would be a bad solution, sir?

TRUMP: I think you know the answer to that.

QUESTION: When you say bad solution, are you talking about war?

Is the U.S. going to go to war?

TRUMP: I think you know the answer to that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOWELL: The U.S. military on Guam and elsewhere is on high alert in case North Korea follows through on its threats. We get the very latest from CNN Jim Sciutto.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JIM SCIUTTO, CNN CHIEF U.S. SECURITY CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): President Trump issuing an ominous warning. To North Korea's leader and the to the world.

TRUMP: If he utters one threat in the form of an overt threat which by the way he has been uttering for years and his family has been uttering for years or if he does anything with respect to Guam or any place else that's an American territory or an American ally, he will truly regret it and he will regret it fast.

SCIUTTO (voice-over): This after earlier in the day tweeting that he's willing to order military action against the North.

"Military solutions are now fully in place locked and loaded should North Korea act unwisely. Hopefully Kim Jong-un will find another path!"

Defense secretary James Mattis who yesterday insisted the U.S. is focused on a diplomatic solution declined to give details on what military options he's given the president.

GEN. JAMES MATTIS, U.S. SECRETARY OF DEFENSE: I don't tell the enemy in advance what im going to do. Our readiness, we are ready.

SCIUTTO (voice-over): North Korea is now accusing President Trump of escalating the crisis with his dire rhetoric.

Pyongyang's state-run Korean central news agency reporting, quote, "Trump is driving the situation on the Korean Peninsula to the brink of a nuclear war."

In Guam, the target of North Korea's latest threat, people woke up to a grim newspaper headline, "14 minutes, that's how long it would take a North Korean missile to reach the U.S. territory if it managed to get past U.S. missile defenses," Guam now warning its citizens.

The U.S. bombers on Guam were seen preparing for action. A constant state of alert. For forces whose motto is, "Ready to fight."

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Obviously I can't tell you what they're doing or where they're going but we are training every day all the time, just so we're ready. We're always prepared to prevail and to fight tonight.

SCIUTTO (voice-over): South Korea is calling on its military to maintain full readiness and Japan is deploying this U.S. missile defense system, the Patriot PAC3, to four different locations.

But the Patriot system is not designed to shoot down the intermediate- range ballistic missiles that Pyongyang is currently threatening to launch.

Following secretary of state Tillerson's trip to the region, a top Asia

[05:05:00]

SCIUTTO (voice-over): -- diplomat said the U.S. is open to talking with the North.

PATRICK MURPHY, DEPUTY ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF STATE: I don't have anything to comment about discussions or engagements with North Korea except to say this. The North Koreans know how to reach us.

SCIUTTO: Despite the rhetorical escalation, U.S. Defense officials tell CNN there are no plans to deploy additional forces to the Korean Peninsula and ships and aircraft in the region on regular deployment schedules.

There are upcoming exercises between South Korea and U.S. forces but those were planned as well, again, part of regular U.S. deployment in the region -- Jim Sciutto, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

JONES: Jim, thank you.

We are tracking this story all over the globe. Anna Coren joins us live now from Seoul, South Korea, as well as Kaori Enjoji in Tokyo. And also Robert Santos in Guam.

Anna, I want to come to you first. You're obviously geographically closest to North Korea from where you are.

What is the mood like in South Korea while its northern neighbor starts to prepare to do battle with the world?

ANNA COREN, CNN ANCHOR (voice-over): Well, it's interesting, Hannah. People here in South Korea are resilient and put up with this for decades not just from Kim Jong-un but his father and grandfather.

But we have seen a spike in the sale of gold in the last couple of days, also in the sale of gas masks and ready-made meals. So people taking precautions in case this escalates into something more than just a war of words.

But we should note, Hannah, the South Koreans are used to the bellicose rhetoric coming out of North Korea; they're not used to the inflammatory language from the U.S. President Donald Trump and people here just shaking their heads with confusion wondering what is his end game?

Because nobody wants a war. No one wants conflict. It would be catastrophic to put it mildly. For North Korea, it would be suicidal, self-annihilation.

So from the people I've spoken to here in South Korea, Hannah, they think President Trump's comments are highly irresponsible if not potentially dangerous.

JONES: Kaori is standing by for us in Tokyo.

Kaori, Donald Trump has already said that the U.S. allies are pleased with his rhetoric. Pleased with what he said about North Korea. The South Koreans have been decidedly quiet when asked about that.

What's Japan saying?

KAORI ENJOJI, JOURNALIST: Well, Japan is also very quiet and tip- toeing around some of the daily tit-for-tat that we've heard from President Trump and the North. But they are -- the public here is very aware the tensions are heightening, especially because, this morning and throughout the night, they are aware the latest defense missiles, the PAC-3 the land-to-air missiles have been deployed to areas like Hiroshima and the area around there where North Korea detailed the flight as the flyover zone for the missiles heading toward Guam.

Over the last 20 years two missiles from North Korea have actually flown over Japan and the Japanese are used to the provocations from North Korea. But it's very unusual for them to see this kind of heavy artillery being rolled out.

Now mind you, these PAC-3s are the last line of defense. They have a very short range of between 10 to 20 kilometers. So this is really the last line. What they're hoping is that the naval destroyers that are deployed in the seas around Japan, off the western coast of Japan, will be able to intercept these missiles, should they fly over Japan.

But as I say, it is very unusual for the public to be seeing this and on the -- close to the anniversary of the end of World War II, I can tell you here, as a nation, the only nation to have come under atomic attack, everyone will tell you here that they hope that experience is never repeated again -- Hannah.

JONES: We were hoping to also hear from Robert in Guam for us. We'll have plenty more later on in the program. In the meantime, my thanks to Anna Coren and Kaori Enjoji.

The U.S. may be using the threat of a trade war to force China to rein in North Korea. President Trump spoke on Friday to the Chinese President Xi Jinping and we're told he will launch an investigation into Beijing's trade practices. A U.S. official says the probe will examine alleged violations of U.S. intellectual property rights. It could also lay the groundwork for tariffs against Chinese imports, long threatened by Donald Trump.

HOWELL: Besides talking tough on North Korea, President Trump also opened up another possible area of U.S. intervention. Taking a jab now at the Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: I'm not going to rule out a military option. We have many options for Venezuela. This is our neighbor. This is, you know, we're all over the world and we have --

[05:10:00]

TRUMP: -- troops all over the world in places that are very, very far away. Venezuela is not very far away and the people are suffering and they're dying. We have many options for Venezuela, including a possible military option if necessary.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

JONES: President Trump's comments have sparked a swift reaction in Venezuela itself. The White House says Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro asked to speak with Mr. Trump by phone on Friday. He was told the U.S. president will, quote, "gladly talk with him when democracy is restored in Venezuela."

Well, the White House adds that Donald Trump has urged free and fair elections in Venezuela and the release of political prisoners but so far, quote, "Mr. Maduro has chosen the path of dictatorship," end quote.

HOWELL: Top Venezuelan officials are denouncing President Trump's comments; the head of Venezuela's new constituent assembly said that the body will support President Maduro against any threats from the U.S.

And she added this, quote, "We reject the cowardly, insolent and vile threats from the President of the United States against the sacred sovereignty of Venezuela."

JONES: Even though President Trump has now raised this possibility of some sort of military intervention in Venezuela, his top national security aide struck a far more cautious tone in recent weeks. We have more now from CNN's Rafael Romo.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RAFAEL ROMO, CNN SR. LATIN AFFAIRS EDITOR: When it comes to the relationship between Venezuela and the United States, it's important to say that what the president said this Friday about leaving the military option open when it comes to Venezuela, it is it is different from what the national security adviser, H.R. McMaster, said earlier this month on a cable news network, MSNBC.

He said, let me read it to you.

He said, "What's really required is for everyone to have one voice about the need to protect the rights and the safety of the Venezuelan people," meaning not the military option but trying to come up with a coalition of countries in the region that can tell Venezuela, this is the way it has to be.

So there's a bit of a difference regarding what the president said and what one of his cabinet members is saying.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

JONES: Rafael Romo reporting there.

The Trump administration slapped sanctions on Venezuela after a July vote that allowed President Maduro to create a new constituent assembly filled with his supporters.

HOWELL: What would happen if North Korea were to fire off a missile toward Guam or another U.S. target?

We explain what that would mean, what it would look like and for the U.S. to be locked and loaded. What does that mean?

Plus, from his father's favorite son to the man threatening nuclear war, a closer look now at North Korean leader, Kim Jong-un, is ahead. Stay with us.

(MUSIC PLAYING)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(MUSIC PLAYING)

[05:15:00]

JONES: Welcome back to NEWSROOM. I'm Hannah Vaughan Jones in London.

The United States has made clear it does not want a shooting war with North Korea. But if missiles do start flying, CNN's Tom Foreman explains what would likely happen next.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

TOM FOREMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: If North Korea were to launch one of these Hwasong missiles toward Guam, it should take between 14 to 18 minutes to arrive but the moment it lifts off the U.S. would initiate something called the THAAD tracking system.

This involves very sophisticated land-based radar as it passed out to sea, sea-based radar, there would be another radar system in Japan that would be triggered and even some monitoring from space that would be involved.

All aimed at determining how big this is, how fast it's moving and precisely what it is headed toward. If through all of that they determine that they needed to take it out in flight, then they would launch missiles from Guam, aimed in a countervailing way to come in and meet that threat. Theoretically to hit it in the sky and tear it apart.

If they don't successfully do it in this way, there are Patriot missiles on Guam which could also be use to try to stop the incoming threat if that were the case.

What happens afterward?

That is another big question. We don't really know. We're not saying the U.S. should respond or would respond. We're saying when they talk about being locked and loaded, that's because there are a lot of assets there if they wanted to respond.

Naval Base Guam and Andersen Air Force Base, this is the home, by the way, to some of the most advanced attack aircraft in the U.S. arsenal: F-22, F-35, B-2, these are all stealth aircraft which could be sent in very quickly to try to take out the radar systems in North Korea and their air defense systems, which are quite robust, and they could be followed by the B-1, which carries the heaviest bombs in the U.S. arsenal, aside from nuclear bombs.

And they would be capable of busting up four to five bunkers underground for the nuclear program and the missile program. And in addition to all of that, bear in mind, there are about a dozen destroyers and cruisers, which could launch Tomahawk-guided missiles at more than 500 miles an hour toward other targets in North Korea.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HOWELL: Tom Foreman, thank you there.

His latest threats have the world's attention focused on North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. He took a man of that country at a young age and has proven ruthless in his quest to stay in power. For more on a man promising nuclear war, Brian Todd has this report.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In the midst of what seems to be a daily battle of testosterone between two leaders with nuclear weapons...

TRUMP: And this man will not get away with what he's doing, believe me.

TODD (voice-over): -- analysts who study North Korea's Kim Jong-un are warning President Trump about setting off the volatile 30- something dictator with increasingly heated rhetoric.

SUE MI TERRY, FORMER CIA NORTH KOREA ANALYST: I think Mr. Trump should be very careful on pushing the buttons and double-daring Kim Jong-un because I think Kim Jong-un is going to have a very hard time backing down from the threats that he's making.

TODD (voice-over): Experts say to maintain his status with his people and the elites surrounding him, the man worshipped as a living god in North Korea may be propelled to keep escalating if President Trump does.

The heir to an almost 70-year-old dynasty, Kim Jong-un swept into power in his late 20s when his father, Kim Jung-il died. From that moment in late 2011, Kim has moved swiftly and ruthlessly to cement his power.

He is believed to have executed about 140 top officials, including his own uncle, sometimes with anti-aircraft guns.

JONATHAN POLLACK, THE BROOKINGS INSTITUTION: We know he's violent. We know he listens to no one, so far as we can tell. He certainly doesn't listen to the Chinese.

TODD (voice-over): Kim's ambition is dizzying. He's conducted three nuclear bomb tests and, in less than six years in power, he's overseen about 80 missile tests, more than twice as many as his father and grandfather combined.

U.S. officials tell CNN Kim Jong-un grew up with few limits. After studying at a private school in Switzerland and developing a passion for basketball and James Bond movies, he leap-frogged his two older brothers to be placed in line as supreme leader. Analysts say his erratic father, Kim Jung-il, liked something he saw in his youngest son.

TERRY: Kim Jung-il thought Kim Jong-un was most like him in terms of strength, in terms of having --

[05:20:00]

TERRY: -- leadership capability, being decisive and even brutal when need be.

TODD (voice-over): So brutal, in fact, South Korean intelligence believes Kim Jong-un ordered the assassination of his older brother, who was killed with a chemical nerve agent in the middle of Kuala Lumpur's airport earlier this year.

Kim's regime denied it but observers say it could be consistent with certain psychological traits his father and grandfather had.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Paranoia, narcissism and an abnormal attraction to violence and that was the assessment of Kim Il-sung and Kim Jung-il.

TODD (voice-over): It's his grandfather, North Korea's founder, Kim Il-sung, who the young tyrant is believed to most want to emulate, from the clothes he wears to his hairstyle.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Kim Jong-un wants to project the image of his grandfather. Kim Il-sung. Kim Il-sung was viewed and is viewed by the people of North Korea as a great revolutionary. He gave them independence. He fought against the colonials. He fought against Japan. He fought against the United States in the Korean War in South Korea.

TODD (voice-over): Key questions now: is Kim Jong-un under threat internal and, if so, could that cause him to flex his muscles against the U.S. in a show of strength?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Kim Jong-un's leadership appears to be fairly solid. He has insulated himself and protected himself from any threats to his leadership, whether those be physical or political threats.

TODD: Analysts say it's possible North Korea's elites may get nervous and move against Kim if he keeps taking his country from one crisis to another. But one expert points out Kim keeps his elites and generals under such close surveillance, it would be tough for them to gather forces against him -- Brian Todd, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

JONES: We're joined now by Martin Navias, he's a military expert at Kings College in London.

Thanks so much for joining us, Martin.

Leon Panetta saying Donald Trump is fueling the situation. When we look at the tactics behind this, this latest rhetoric, if you like, this idea of like calling each other's bluff, you hit me and I'll respond in the worst possible way, is there a rationale behind it or just off-the-cuff talk?

MARTIN NAVIAS, KINGS COLLEGE: Well, firstly, I don't agree that it's President Trump's rhetoric that's fueling the situation. OK.

JONES: You --

(CROSSTALK)

NAVIAS: I have a different view. If we draw down into what President Trump is saying, there is no difference between what was previously said by U.S. administrations. They have made absolutely clear to the North Koreans if they launch attacks against American territory -- and Guam is an American territory -- then there will be a significant response.

Now the North Koreans are not saying, from my understanding of the statements, that they would actually attack Guam. They say they're bracket it, which means they will try to land missiles to the northeast and west of the island.

But if they do, the Americans now are going to have to respond. Look, the key change here has not been President Trump's rhetoric; the key change has been the ability, which we now believe that the North Koreans have the capability to hit the United States with an nuclear armed missile.

That has changed everything fundamentally --

(CROSSTALK)

JONES: But then Donald Trump says that there has been another key change and that's his admission is different to past U.S. administrations and he says something has to be done. I've got to be the one to do it.

NAVIAS: People are quick to very criticize President Trump and sometimes they are correct. But if we look at the previous administrations, they did not take this rhetorically bombastic approach, bellicose approach, but we have ended up in a situation where, while they may not have appeased North Korea, we have a situation where they've allowed North Korea to acquire the capability to hit the United States with nuclear weapons.

And I don't believe that that is tolerable to the American administration.

JONES: What are the options on the table for both the North Koreans and the Americans at the moment?

If you think the Russians and Chinese are still trying to push forward with some sort of denuclearization, if that's completely unpalatable, unacceptable for Pyongyang, what can it do in light of this aggression and this defense from the U.S.?

NAVIAS: There are two issues here, one is the media crisis and one is the general crisis.

In respect of the media crisis, we don't know how Kim Jong-un will respond to the rise in American rhetoric. He may escalate. He may back down. If he escalates and brackets Guam with four Hwasong-12 missiles, the Americans will have to respond.

I suspect the way they will respond is to attempt to shoot it down. I will shoot it down either using Aegis systems deployed on destroyers in the region or using THAAD. If they miss those missiles, that will be an embarrassment and a serious problem but that will be their first response.

JONES: I want to ask you about the rhetoric. We talked about it just now and fire and fury, locked and loaded.

What does this sort of Hollywoodesque rhetoric language used by the U.S. president tell you about the mindset and the understanding of the commander in chief?

NAVIAS: I'm not interested in his mindset. I don't know what he's -- whether he has a strategic rationale. I do focus on North Korea.

[05:25:00]

NAVIAS: I know the North Koreans take this rhetoric very seriously. Its' the first time that the North Koreans are finding rhetorical pushback. I mean they've been allowed for decades to engage in this bellicose, aggressive behavior. And now it's the first time they are meeting fire -- being met with fire from fire.

JONES: And you applaud that?

NAVIAS: Beg your pardon:

JONES: You applaud that?

NAVIAS: I don't applaud that. I'm saying we don't know whether this will escalate the situation or will downplay the situation.

If I was Kim Jong-un, I would take a step back because Donald Trump is clearly unpredictable and if Kim Jong-un thinks he can carry on with the way that he's carrying on in terms of his deployment and now threatening American territory, the situation may escalate.

JONES: Fascinating to get your insight. Martin Navias, thanks for coming in.

NAVIAS: Thank you.

JONES: Still ahead on CNN NEWSROOM, as the U.S. president surveys trouble spots around the world, he has repeatedly invoked U.S. military power as a possess solution.

Plus a look at the tiny island facing most of the military threats from North Korea. We'll head to Guam next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[05:30:00]

HOWELL (voice-over): 5:29 am here. Welcome back to viewers here in the United States and around the world. This is CNN NEWSROOM. I'm George Howell in Atlanta.

JONES (voice-over): And I'm Hannah Vaughan Jones live for you in London. The headlines for you this hour.

(HEADLINES)

JONES: Back to our top story, the U.S. president is putting America's military might front and center as he addresses volatile situations from North Korea to Venezuela.

Donald Trump says the U.S. military is, quote, "locked and loaded" for any possible confrontation with North Korea and he has not ruled out forceful intervention to quell months of violent unrest in Venezuela. CNN's Barbara Starr has the latest.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: After a long week of rising tensions between the United States government and North Korea, the tensions kept rising.

President Trump on Friday continuing with his rhetoric that there would be big trouble, in his words, if North Korea was to attack Guam. U.S. intelligence now watching around the clock for any signs of Kim Jong-un living up to the threat of launching four intermediate-range ballistic missiles to land in the sea about 20 miles off of Guam.

The U.S. military prepared if needed to shoot those missiles down. U.S. officials making very clear that all of the U.S. military force they need is in place to deal with whatever North Korean scenario may arise.

But that wasn't all the president's rhetoric. At the end of the week at a press conference at his retreat in New Jersey, to the surprise of many, he started talking about possible military intervention in Venezuela. That was a first. We have not heard him talk about that.

There is considerable unrest in Venezuela, where the opposition is very much demonstrating against the government of President Maduro there. The Venezuelan military for now in support of President Maduro but there's some cracks in that military support.

So when the president started talking about a military option, no one was very sure what he meant. He didn't spell it out, he just put it on the table. Something to watch: just a few days ago, the national security adviser, H.R. McMaster, said he did not foresee any outside military intervention in Venezuela -- Barbara Starr, CNN, the Pentagon.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

JONES: Barbara, thank you.

As this standoff between the United States and North Korea continues to intensify, the American territory of Guam is at the center of everything. The so-called tip of the spear is the quickest option for any military action from the United States.

But it is also the first target, as Pyongyang has explicitly laid out. Robert Santos joins me live from the island of Guam.

Robert, we understand that the governor and the U.S. president have now spoken by phone.

What did the two talk about and what does this mean for islanders there?

ROBERT SANTOS, JOURNALIST: Well, it certainly was for some another reassurance for them. The president did call the capital this morning and they spoke for about 3.5 minutes; the president told the governor he had nothing to worry about, that he is behind the people of Guam 1,000 percent.

The governor told him that he's never been more confident than with Mr. Trump at the helm.

This has received various comments. You know, this was posted, this -- the phone call -- on Facebook, on the governor's Facebook page and more than 300 people commented and there were some that said, wait a minute here. Guam is not a pawn for war games.

Someone else commented, praising the governor for being an impressive leader and for trusting in Mr. Trump. It's now about 7:30. For the locals, they've heard that, but it's life as normal. Right now it is the weekend time, Saturday here in the evening. And there are locals and visitors alike down Hotel Row, which is filled with bars and restaurants, a lot of the people down there are military personnel as well.

Earlier in the day I was --

[05:35:00]

SANTOS: -- down at the beach, Ypao Beach, one of the popular beaches here. People were out and about. They were barbecuing, the usual celebrations for people's birthdays and such that people have all the time here over the weekend.

I also saw a Japanese couple that just got married and they were having a photo shoot there. So it hasn't stopped people from living their lives, both locals and visitors. More than a million visitors come here from Japan, from China, from South Korea, even Russia.

And they come here, many of them, to get married or just to vacation. And I was talking with the director of the Guam Visitors Bureau, Nate Denight. And he tells me they haven't seen a drop; August, in fact, is showing to be a record month compared to last year. So they haven't seen much impact at all, if any, for tourism.

Now it is a weekend and this island is predominantly Catholic. So many are going to church, both today and for tomorrow on Sunday. And the Archdiocese of Guam has asked all the parish priests to say a prayer of peace this weekend. So that is likely happening now at some masses going on at this time at 7:35.

JONES: Robert Santos, live for us on the Pacific island of Guam, Robert, thank you.

HOWELL: Russia and China are weighing in on the escalating tensions between the United States and North Korea. Our David McKenzie is following developments in Hong Kong and Phil Black live for us in Moscow. Good to have you gentlemen with us to talk about this.

Phil, first to you. Russia not only urging restraint but also suggesting a double freeze between the United States and North Korea.

What more can you tell us -- well, David, first, rather. We will start with you, David. My apology there.

Let's talk first of all about the phone call between President Xi and Donald Trump.

What do we know about that with regard to President Xi urging calm?

DAVID MCKENZIE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, George, according to the official readout from the Chinese, President Xi Jinping called for restraint from all sides. He really emphasized the common ground between China and the U.S. in that phone call, according to the Chinese.

That common ground, of course, is for the North Koreans to stop the development of their nuclear program, to halt the testing of missiles. Recently, of course, China signed up to hasher sanctions at the U.N. Security Council. Seen as a positive step by the U.S., by the Trump administration.

But Donald Trump has repeatedly said he wants to see more action from China and has said that China is the key to solving this issue.

Now it might not be quite so straightforward as that. China does have a huge trade relationship with North Korea. But they've been loath to really cripple the nation's economy because they don't want that regime to collapse.

But, again, the Chinese president saying that the rhetoric from all sides needs to calm down and there needs to be a move towards some kind of negotiated settlement.

HOWELL: On the topic of economy, the president also ordering an investigation into China's trade practices.

At a time where the U.S. is relying on China and China is urging restraint, how did this play out?

MCKENZIE: Well, certainly it is counterintuitive, you might think, that the trade representative for the U.S. to China on Monday, according to U.S. officials speaking to CNN, will announce this investigation, particularly on the issue of U.S. intellectual property rights, which has long been a bone of contention for American firms in China and for people dealing with China on economic fronts.

At the same time, President Trump wants China's help with North Korea. So there is this kind of disconnect there.

But President Trump has repeatedly said he might link potential punitive measures with diplomatic measures on a North Korean front. So we have to wait and see how forcefully they push those issues. On trade, of course, on the diplomatic sense, you can do two things at once, one on foreign policy and one on trade but it could complicate the Chinese calculation on how much they want to help the U.S.

HOWELL: David McKenzie for us in Hong Kong, thank you.

Now over to Phil Black.

Tell us about this double freeze, Russia urging restraint, saying that both sides, the U.S. and North Korea should pause. Tell us more about this.

PHIL BLACK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, it's an idea that the Russians say China supports as well as so-called double freeze, whereby you could create an atmosphere where dialogue could take place if North Korea suspends its weapons development and, at the same, the United States doesn't conduct any major drills with South Korea.

Because the Russian view is that these activities on both sides tend to feed in towards one another and both sides often use them as justification for what they're doing.

Now Russia has said that and specifically the Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov has been told by successive American secretaries of state that this whole idea won't fly --

[05:40:00]

BLACK: -- because the Americans argue that conducting drills and exercises with allies is perfectly reasonable, legal behavior; whereby North Korea's nuclear weapons program has been outlawed by the Security Council. So you're not comparing like with like.

The Russian view, Sergey Lavrov's view, in his own words, says when it gets to a point to be a fight, it comes down to the stronger and smarter person to step away from the dangerous line.

What he's implying very, very strongly is that he believes it's up to the United States in this case to do the sensible thing and back away because what Russia wants to see, first and foremost, is much greater restraint by all sides in this crisis, particularly compared to the sort of language and tensions that have been exacerbated over the last week or so -- George.

HOWELL: Phil Black, reporting for us in Moscow. Phil, thank you.

Still ahead, violence in several Nairobi neighborhoods after officials announce that Uhuru Kenyatta is once again Kenya's president.

(MUSIC PLAYING)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(MUSIC PLAYING)

JONES: Welcome back. In Kenya protests began shortly after electoral officials confirmed President Uhuru Kenyatta won a second term in the recent election. Demonstrators have set fires and damaged property on Friday in some Nairobi neighborhoods.

Police say one person was killed during protests in the town of Kisumu. That's in Western Kenya. The opposition candidate, Raila Odinga, also rejects the final tally, claiming that the overall vote was hacked.

Mr. Kenyatta will now serve a second term and he is urging peace --

[05:45:00]

JONES: -- and called on Kenyans to put their differences aside.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UHURU KENYATTA, PRESIDENT OF KENYA: (INAUDIBLE). We are all citizens in one republic.

(APPLAUSE).

KENYATTA: As with any competition, there shall always be winners and there shall be losers but we all belong to one great nation called Kenya and I extend a hand of friendship, I extend a hand of cooperation, I extend a hand of partnership, knowing fully well that this country needs all of us pulling together in order for us to succeed.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

JONES: Our Farai Sevenzo joins us now live from Nairobi.

Farai, we heard President Kenyatta extending the hand of friendship but nevertheless we've seen violent protests. These results are still disputed.

Ultimately, how is this resolved in more protests on the streets or in the courts?

FARAI SEVENZO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The court is a likely option, Hannah. But judging by what the opposition said last night when they walked away from the tallying center and refused to be part of the process of announcing Mr. Kenyatta as the winner, they say they've been to court before and that it is not an option for them.

But at the moment, on the ground, things are extremely tense and CNN confirmed four deaths since the current began and we are hearing from our sources in those areas, Kibera as well as Mathare, the suburbs of Nairobi. And, indeed, our sources in Kisumu, that there's still, as I talk to you, a great deal of tension in the streets.

JONES: Raila Odinga has long tried to become the president of Kenya and Kenyatta has been in power for some time already.

What did both men promise the Kenyan people going into this election?

SEVENZO: Well, as you say, they are long-term rivals. They promise -- Mr. Odinga was very determined that he wanted to root out the cancer of corruption from Kenyan politics and everyone acknowledges that Kenya's development has been severely thwarted by the amount of money that's siphoned out of public funds.

Mr. Kenyatta tried to promise them more jobs. But the situation is that three of Kenya's last four elections have ended up this way. We were kind of expecting the protests from Odinga supporters.

But to wake up today on a Saturday morning after the euphoria of voting and to hear some disturbing reports coming out of these areas, I think the day is going to bring out more as we try to uncover what is going on in these areas. The local media has not been covering it very much and the onus is on us to try to find out more -- and we will get you more -- Hannah.

JONES: Farai, we're obviously covering this because of the violent protests ongoing in the aftermath. But explain for our viewers Kenya's significance for the economic developments, security, stability of the entire continent of Africa.

SEVENZO: Kenya is a big player. It's a massive economy, Hannah. It's a wealthy country. I don't know if you saw some of our reports there, of choppers flying around. The politicians are wealthy. They have thick wallets.

But that money does not trickle down to normal people. What is significant in the region, if Kenya, if something slides in Kenya, then countries like Rwanda, DRC, Uganda, who are all landlocked and rely on Mombasa, Kenya's port, to bring in all their goods, the economies of those countries will also suffer.

So it is very, very important that peace be established here after this contentious election and we are waiting to hear what the politicians will say. One more thing, Hannah, the trending hashtag on Kenya's Twittersphere is #StopTheKisumuKillings. We're trying to find out what is going on in these far remote areas so far away from Nairobi.

JONES: We appreciate your reporting. Farai Sevenzo, live for us there in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, thank you.

HOWELL: Still ahead here on NEWSROOM, more wet weather and thunderstorms likely in parts of the eastern United States. Our meteorologist Karen Maginnis is here with details. Stay with us.

(MUSIC PLAYING)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[05:50:00]

(SPORTS)

(MUSIC PLAYING)

JONES: A judge has dismissed a deejay's lawsuit against singer Taylor Swift for lack of evidence. David Mueller says he was fired because the pop star falsely accused him of groping her at an event back in 2013.

His case will continue against Swift's mother and a radio promotions director. Taylor Swift countersued Mueller for assault and battery. She insisted in court the deejay touched her inappropriately but she has consistently denied the court case resumes on Monday.

(WEATHER REPORT)

[05:55:00]

JONES: Now the fastest man in history is one championship away from retirement. Usain Bolt will run his last race representing Jamaica of course, on Saturday in the 4x100 meter relay at the World Athletics Championships, the eight-time Olympic champion will be looking for a bit of revenge against American Justin Gatlin, who beat him in the 100-meter final just last week.

At 30 years old, Bolt has left his mark on the sport. He will be retiring as the world record holder in both the 100-meter and the 200- meter races, an incredible career.

HOWELL: Wow.

JONES: Thank you so much for watching CNN NEWSROOM with me, Hannah Vaughan Jones.

Great to be with you, George, as well.

HOWELL: Always a pleasure, Hannah.

I'm George Howell at CNN World Headquarters. For our viewers in the United States, "NEW DAY" is next. For other viewers around the world, "AMANPOUR" is up after the break. Thanks for watching CNN, the world's news leader.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)