North Korea Test Fires Four Ballistic Missiles; Trump Administration Set to Unveil New Travel Ban; Philippines President Accused of Directly Death Squads As Mayor of Davao.
IVAN WATSON, HOST: I'm Ivan Watson in Hong Kong. Welcome to News Stream. North Korea test fires four ballistic missiles drawing condemnation from the U.S., Japan and South Korea. The Trump administration is set to unveil a new travel ban, but the White House is still on the defensive over the president's shock accusation that his predecessor ordered his phones tapped. And we go to the birthplace of Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte's war on drugs. His hometown where the controversial leader is hailed as a hero. Years of economic sanctions and repeated international condemnation, they have done little to deter North Korea. Pyongyang once again has defied the world community. Early Monday it test fired four ballistic missiles. They were launched from a site northwest of Pyongyang, not far from the Chinese border. They traveled eastward for nearly 1,000 kilometers before splashing down into the sea. Japan says three landed within 200 nautical miles of its coastline. The launch has drawn sharp reactions from Tokyo and Washington as well as Seoul where Paula Hancocks is following developments right now. Paula, let's bring some important context to this salvo of missiles that were launched because the launch coincides with annual military exercises. So is it unusual for Pyongyang to conduct these launches at the same time as these joint U.S.-South Korean exercises?</s>PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, I don't think anyone is surprised at the timing. As you see, these drills are -- they are annual. The U.s and South Korea say that they are routine, they are defensive in nature. But that is not how North Korea sees them. North Korea believes that they are effectively a dress rehearsal to invade their country. And so every year we see this kind of reaction. We always see some kind of show of anger from North Korea. We've had some bellicose rhetoric from them, from state-run medial recently about these military drills, and now you see these ballistic missiles. Just a few years ago there were several dozen ballistic missiles, short range and medium range during the two months that these massive annual drills go on. So I think we can expect for a few more ballistic missiles going forward as well. I don't think anyone is surprised at the timing here - Ivan.</s>WATSON: What about the nature of the launches here? Have the experts, have they learned anything new about North Korea's missile programs with these latest launches?</s>HANCOCKS: Well, we did have one U.S. official say to us that initial reports suggested it was an intermediate range missile or four of them were intermediate range missiles. We have seen these missiles before. We're not completely clear here's anything knew we're going to learn from these missiles themselves. The fact, though, that they did fly 1,000 kilometers and also the height. They flew up to a height of 260 kilometers, according to the joint chiefs of staff here, meaning it's a fairly steep trajectory, which means the actual range could be further again. So certainly it is significant just the fact that -- that North Korea is carrying this out now. Remember, this is only the second time that they have carried out a ballistic missile test since the new U.S. president took over, so that relative restraint we saw from North Korea just before the election and shortly after the election, it appears now as though that's gone and it's business as usual here.</s>WATSON: Paula, in their criticism of the North Korean neighbors, South Korean officials seem to be almost linking the missile launches to the assassination of the half brother of the North Korean leader, Kim Jong-nam, which, of course, took place in the airport in Malaysia several weeks ago. I -- I would like you to kind of explore some of the consequences of that murder, because now it seems that North Korea and Malaysia are engaged in some kind of a tit for tat diplomatic war, and these two countries used to be on fairly cordial terms, right?</s>HANCOCKS: That's right. Well, South Korea for its point of view in the national security council meeting this morning is trying to link the two, that the acting President sHwang Kyo-ahn aid that because of the brutality and recklessness he said of what North Korea did in that airport, the consequences of a nuclear-armed North Korean regime would be appalling beyond imagination. Now, North Korea denies any involvement in this. But we know that two days ago the -- the North Korean ambassador to Malaysia was told they had 48 hours to leave. They have now left the country. And just in the last hour and a half or so, KCNA, the state-run media in North Korea has said they've also told the Malaysian ambassador to North Korea that they are persona non grata and they, too, have to leave within 48 hours. So this tit-for-tat is really increasing between these two country, as you say, that were once fairly close.</s>WATSON: All right. Paula Hancocks live in Seoul. thank you very much for that update and that very valuable context there. So, now repeated missile tests by North Korea are raising the question can anything be done to stop them? Some experts believe China could hold the key. Matt Rivers looks at the options Beijing has when it comes to its reclusive neighbor.</s>MATT RIVERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: How do you solve a problem like Kim Jong-un and North Korea? President Donald Trump's answer always looks west.</s>DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: China has to get involved. And China should solve that problem. And we should put pressure on China to solve the problem.</s>RIVERS: Before talking about what more China could let's talk about what they've done already. February 2017, China says they're done importing North Korean coal for the year. Some estimates say that could lower North Korea's GDP by a full 5 percent. March and November 2016, two new sets of U.N. Security Council sanctions levied against North Korea the toughest yet. China helps draft and approves both. Beijing also regularly condemns North Korea's weapons program and in perhaps the most telling sign of a frosty relationship. Chinese President Xi Jinping has yet to meet Kim Jong-un despite years of opportunity. So, what else could they be doing? Well, a lot. Trade flows constantly across this bridge in Dandong, China on the North Korean border. China accounts for at least 70 percent of North Korean trade, not to mention vast amounts of food and fuel aid. Critics also argue Beijing doesn't really enforce those U.N. sanctions. China could triple the Kim Jong-un regime almost immediately if it totally stopped this flow of trucks loaded down with goods. But in all likelihood the show will go on. Because of the regime collapses two things might happen. One, Korea unifies under a pro- U.S./South Korean government. Subsequently putting U.S. troops right on the Chinese border. Two, a potential refugee crisis on China's doorstep. Neither options suits Beijing. For China, North Korea is like working at a job they don't like but still needing that paycheck. So, for now, China will play ball with sanctions at U.N. Security Council while hoping the Trump administration chooses to negotiate directly with North Korea. But many experts think that no matter how much foot and fuel China sends cross that bridge right there to North Korea, Kim Jong-un is not going to give up his nuclear weapons program. Because in reality, it is the only real card to play on the world stage. For North Korea, nuclear weapons, equal survival, not even China can change that fact. Matt Rivers, CNN, Beijing.</s>WATSON: All right. Let's turn now to the U.S. where we could soon see President Donald Trump's new travel ban. An administration official sailed he would reveal it early this week and that could happen in just hours. You may remember that the first travel ban was blocked in court. The administration plans to reveal revised restrictions on travel from countries the U.S. administration considers a security risk. Another controversy involving the White House after President Trump accused the previous U.S. administration of ordering his phones could be wire- tapped during the election. Sources tell us the FBI has asked the Justice Department to publicly reject Mr. Trump's claim. He made the charge without offering any evidence and is now asking congress to investigate. But critics say this is a tactic to divert attention away from any ties the Trump campaign might have had with Russia. A new CNN/ORC poll shows 55 percent of Americans are concerned about any possible links, 37 percent are very concerned, 18 percent somewhat concerned. For more on this Joe Johns is with us now from the White House. Good to see you, Joe. Now, since the U.S. president made these pretty shocking allegations in that tweet storm on Saturday, has the White Houseor any other government department any evidence to support these accusations?</s>JOE JOHNS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: No evidence so far, Ivan. And quite frankly the White House is not backing away from that wiretapping claim made by the president. The takeaway from the White House this morning here in Washington is that the president firmly believes it happened and that the assertion needs to be tested and investigated despite the fact that it's been contradicted by a former director of national intelligence here as well as the FBI.</s>JOHNS (voice-over): President Trump's unfounded claim that former President Obama ordered his phones to be wiretapped in the midst of last year's election coming under fire. Sources say the FBI is now asking the Justice Department to publicly refute the allegations, but so far, the Justice Department has remained silent. Such wiretapping of a U.S. citizen's phones would be illegal or require a court order under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. Former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, who spearheaded the investigation into Russia's meddling in the election, giving a firm "no" to any such claim of wiretapping.</s>JAMES CLAPPER, FORMER DIRECTOR OF NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE: For the part of the national security apparatus that I oversaw as DNI, there was no such wiretap activity mounted against the president-elect at the time, or as a candidate, or against his campaign.</s>JOHNS: Multiple former senior U.S. officials dismissing President Trump's allegation, calling it nonsense. And a spokesman for Mr. Obama says it's "simply false." But without providing any evidence, the White House is doubling down, calling for a congressional investigation to determine whether executive branch investigative powers were abused.</s>SANDERS: I think he's made very clear what he believes. I think the bigger story isn't who reported it but is it true?</s>JOHNS: White House officials say the president's sources on the incendiary claim come from conservative media, not from government sources. In fact, there are zero publicly-known credible reports to back up Mr. Trump's claim. His allegations coming in a familiar form: a series of furious tweets early Saturday morning from his home in Florida, in which he called former President Obama a "bad or sick guy." His top advisers far away in Washington. This is not the president's first time repeating unsubstantiated allegations. Just after his own inauguration, Mr. Trump alleged that millions of fraudulent votes were cast during the election without proof.</s>DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: When you look at the people that are registered dead, illegal in two states.</s>JOHNS: The president called for an investigation, but one has yet to be conducted.</s>SEN. MARCO RUBIO (R), FLORIDA: I have no -- I'm not sure what it is he is talking about.</s>JOHNS: This latest allegation of wiretapping leaving some Republicans confused as top Democrats call the Twitter outburst a complete distraction.</s>PELOSI: The president, you know, is the deflector in chief.</s>JOHNS: An intentional move to stir focus away from the deepening concerns over connections between a handful of the president's advisers and Russians.</s>FRANKEN: I think this is just a distraction to distract from this very, very serious interference by a foreign power on our democracy. The question of whether Trump world, his campaign, his business associates, had anything to do with it.</s>JOHNS: The president flew back here to Washington, D.C. and the White House after spending the weekend at his estate in Florida. He's expected to hold meetings today with several of his cabinet members. Ivan, back to you.</s>WATSON: Joe, the implications would be simply astounding if there was anything to support these accusations, the implications of what that would mean for the U.S. democracy. Pretty remarkable that 48 hours since they were made still no evidence to back them up. Thank you very much. Joe Johns live from the White House. So now let's get more on the revised travel ban that President Trump plans to unveil and justice reporter Laura Jarrett, she joins us now from CNN Washington. Good to see you. Is this new draft that's coming together, is it essentially travel ban 2.0 after the courts blocked implementation of several key sections of the first travel ban?</s>LAURA JARRETT, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, that's right, Ivan. And this one is going to be different. Sources tell us that there will be some major changes. For instance, green card holders living in the U.S., legal permanent residents as they are known more formally, will be excluded from the travel ban as will existing visa holders. So they will be able to travel just as they did before. Now, the question is what happens to those who haven't yet applied for the visa? We'll have to wait and see what happens to those, Ivan.</s>WATSON: Laura, do you have any details about which countries and travelers from which countries will be affected? Is it the same predominantly Muslim countries that were singled out in the first attempted travel ban?</s>JARRETT: Well, it appears as though those countries, those Muslim maority countries will be altered in one respect, which is Iraq will likely be removed from the list. We heard last week that Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, among others in Trump's cabinet, had advocated for Iraq's removal for diplomatic reasons, given its role in helping to fight ISIS. So we can expect to see a modification there, at least on one country.</s>WATSON: And that would probably be very relevant since there are thousands of U.S. troops currently involved in the conflict against ISIS in Iraq. Now let's go to possible delays. I mean last week this new version was supposed to be released and it was delayed. Could that happen again?</s>JARRETT: Well, we've been full before. We'll have to wait and see. Last week, as you said, it was supposed to come out on Wednesday and then the president gave his speech. And we were told at least the White House wanted to have the speech have its own moment, so to speak. But now that we believe that we should see a new executive order early this week as soon as today. So soon to come, Ivan.</s>WATSON: And you'll be watching it very closely, I'm sure. That's our justice reporter Laura Jarrett live from Washington. Now, police in Kent, Washington are investigating the shooting of a Sikh man as a possible hate crime. The victim is a U.S. citizen originally from India's Punjab province. According to witnesses and other reports, the gunman approached victim in his driveway on Friday. We're told their conversation became heated and the gunman told him to, quote, go back to your country and then pushed him to the ground and shot him in the arm. The victim is expected to make a full recovery. The gunman is still at large. Now, this follows a similar shooting last month when two Indian immigrants were shot in Kansas and one of them died. In the Philippines, the Philippine Senate is probing allegations that the president ran a death squad while he was mayor of Davao. Coming up, what a retired police officer told lawmakers about his role in the killings and the group's alleged connection to President Duterte. And China looks on the bright side in the face of what to Beijing are some gloomy economic numbers. We'll have a live report from Beijing just ahead.