NC Lawmakers Consider Repeal Of Controversial HB2 Law; Photographer Talks About Witnessing Assassination
CUOMO: Lawmakers in North Carolina are huddling right now in a special session to possibly repeal the state's controversial bathroom law. House Bill 2, as it's known, has been a lightning rod ever since its quick passage by the legislature in March. We've got CNN's Nick Valencia live in Raleigh with the latest -- Nick.</s>NICK VALENCIA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Chris. There has been no shortage of drama between the two major parties in this state over the course of the last year. It all started in February with the Charlotte City Council passing a nondiscrimination ordinance that gave added protective rights to members of the LGBT community here in the state. Conservatives were furious at the unexpected move in Charlotte and, as a result, called a special session here in Raleigh to pass House Bill 2, more commonly known as the "Bathroom Bill". And what it did, it not only stripped the rights given to those in Charlotte but also statewide. Made it illegal for transgender people to use the bathroom of their choice. Instead, under House Bill 2 they had to use the bathroom that corresponds with the gender on their birth certificate. What followed was a huge economic blow to the state of North Carolina. Tens of millions of dollars were lost as entertainers canceled performances and concerts here. The NBA also pulled out its All-Star game for Charlotte. And as result of his support for House Bill 2, Pat McCrory, the governor, in his reelection bid became the first incumbent governor in North Carolina history to lose his reelection. That brings us all to this week. On Monday, Charlotte City Council voted unanimously to rescind its original ordinance with the hope and expectation that House Bill 2 would be repealed sometime later. That brings us to this special session announced on Wednesday with the expectation that House Bill 2 will be repealed later this afternoon. And while there is hope, there is a ton of anxiety. The last time a special session was called was under the guise of Hurricane Matthew relief, but they also ended up stripping some of the powers of the incoming governor. A vote on House Bill 2 and its repeal is expected sometime later today -- Alisyn.</s>CAMEROTA: Nick, thank you for all of that background. I mean, who would have thought that that decision -- the ripple effect would have been tens of millions of dollars in the state's economy?</s>CUOMO: Oh, and who knows how many votes? You know, make no mistake. This is entirely a political issue. Remember, they could present no significant evidence that there was a predator risk. That's what it was. You could have a predator go into the girl's room under the guise of being transgender. They never proved that. There's no good research on it. But it did loom large and it's a burden for Democrats. This bathroom issue became a metaphor for the left. They don't get where we are culturally in America anymore.</s>CAMEROTA: Right.</s>CUOMO: And it's interesting to see how it plays out there and beyond.</s>CAMEROTA: All right. We have a couple of other headlines to tell you about, including this important one. The Taliban confirming that this new video shows a North American couple kidnapped in Afghanistan in 2012. American Caitlin Coleman and her Canadian husband Joshua Boyle had been in captivity for more than four years. Kidnappers took them during a backpacking trip. In the video, Coleman urges President Obama to secure her family's release. She also addresses President- elect Donald Trump, saying that the Taliban will not release them easily.</s>CUOMO: My, the little kid there doesn't even look four years old. Another kid in the news, Bana al-Abed, the 7-year-old. Remember her? Her tweets from inside Aleppo really painted the desperation of so many kids there in the middle of a war. Well, she's now safe and in the Turkish capital. Bana met today with PresidentErdogan, who she thanked for helping her out of that war zone. According to state media, 68 kids are among more than 170 Aleppo evacuees undergoing treatment at hospitals in Turkey. There are many, many more. All right. Now, we have a story of incredible composure. Many -- very often, what we understand from tragedies because somebody bravely stood by and took pictures, in this case, of a cold-blooded assassination. CNN's international diplomatic editor Nic Robertson spoke with the AP photographer who kept taking pictures just feet away from the gunman who assassinated Russia's ambassador to Turkey. Now, these images, they are not easy to look at but they tell the truth of a situation.</s>NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: New video shows an apparent stunning security lapse. Ambassador Andrei Karlov's killer standing behind him, unchallenged for several minutes before he pulls his gun.</s>BURHAN OZBILICI, ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTOGRAPHER: In the very first photo the gunman was standing behind ambassador like he was part of the ambassador's staff or somebody from the art gallery, but very calm.</s>ROBERTSON: That's Ozbilici moments before the attack, taking photos of the ambassador. Seconds later, this, Ambassador Karlov dying on the floor. The gunman shouting defiantly "God is greatest" and "do not forget Aleppo, do not forget Syria" but chose not to shoot anyone else.</s>OZBILICI: The people standing in front, they disappeared. They throw them on the floor, then they try -- they were trying to hide them, to take shelter.</s>ROBERTSON: Were you afraid?</s>OZBILICI: I was shocked but afraid, but not much, not panicked.</s>ROBERTSON: Were you not afraid taking his picture? You've got a camera and he's got a gun.</s>OZBILICI: Well, I'm very sensitive and in difficult situations I'm calm. I think I have a responsibility to record it, this event and the ambassador lying on the ground, not moving. And the guy was making some political motivated speech but I could not understand it. I thought maybe he was speaking Russian -- in Russian. Some people were screaming and crying so I could not hear well. Then he turned around to the body and from very close range he shot one more time.</s>ROBERTSON: On the ambassador?</s>OZBILICI: Yes.</s>ROBERTSON: Just to make sure he was dead.</s>OZBILICI: I think so. When I learned that the guy was killed I was very shocked. Why they kill him? He did nothing to take anybody hostage. He was alone. They had to capture him alive.</s>ROBERTSON: Nic Robertson, CNN, Ankara, Turkey.</s>CAMEROTA: Wow, that's a fascinating perspective. I mean, he says obviously in very tough situations he gets more calm. That is what you need to have that.</s>CUOMO: He's been interviewed by someone who is the exact same way. Nic Robertson knows what it's like to be very close to death.</s>CAMEROTA: It was an incredible story. We're following it all morning for you. Meanwhile, Donald Trump's potential conflicts of interest in the news again. His children now distancing themselves from a charity that was reportedly offering access to the president-elect for $1 million. We will speak live with the reporter who broke the story next.