Evacuations Halted in Eastern Aleppo Philippines President Defends Comments in Singapore
KRISTIE LU STOUT, HOST: I'm Kristie Lu Stout in Hong Kong, and welcome to News Stream. Now, Russian President Vladimir Putin spokesman hits back at the U.S. saying that they should provide proof that Russia was involved in hacking attacks to influence the U.S. election. The evacuation of civilians from Aleppo has halted, but Russia state media claim only militants remain in the eastern part of the city. And a new chapter for the Galaxy far, far away. We'll get the verdict on the first Star Wars spinoff movie Rogue One. Moscow and Washington are facing off over allegations that Russia meddled in U.S. elections. Now, the Kremlin today said the U.S. should offer some proof or stop talking about it. Now, meanwhile, President Obama now pledges Russia will face consequences. And an official familiar with the investigation tells CNN that tools used in the cyber attacks against the Democratic National Committee and the Clinton campaign have, quote, unique signatures, and that only the top levels of Russia's government could have approved the hacks. Now, President-elect Donald Trump has called the Russia link ridiculous. And that has prompted harsh criticism from White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest. Sara Murray has that.</s>SARA MURRAY, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A week of Russia revelations and Donald Trump's denials creating a rift between incoming and outgoing administrations.</s>DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENT-ELECT OF THE UNITED STATES: This foolish guy, Josh Earnest.</s>MURRAY: The president-elect taking shots at President Obama's press secretary.</s>TRUMP: He is so bad the way he delivers their message. He can deliver a positive message, and it sounds bad. He could say, "Ladies and gentlemen, today we have totally defeated ISIS," and it wouldn't sound good.</s>MURRAY: Lashing out after the White House sharply criticized Trump's continued dismissal of intelligence about Moscow's election meddling.</s>JOSH EARNEST, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: Mr. Trump obviously knew that Russia was engaged in malicious cyber-activity that was helping him and hurting Secretary Clinton's campaign.</s>TRUMP: The president is very positive, but he's not positive. And I mean, maybe he's getting his orders from somebody else.</s>MURRAY: Russia putting a strain on the roller-coaster relationship between Trump and Obama. The two attempting a show of unity for a smooth transition after a bitter campaign. Now, tensions rising between the camps, fueled in part by Trump's tweet accusing the White House of only complaining about the hacking after Hillary Clinton lost. But, in fact, in early October, the intelligence community was saying they were, quote, "confident Russia was behind the DNC hack." Clinton herself addressing the hacking for the first time since the election, telling donors that Russian President Vladimir Putin's grudge against her prompted the attack against the DNC. This as Clinton's former campaign chair, John Podesta, penned a scathing rebuke of the FBI's handling of the hack, writing in "The Washington Post," "When the FBI discovered the Russian attack in September 2015, it failed to send even a single agent to warn senior Democratic National Committee officials," adding, "Something is deeply broken at the bureau." Podesta's criticism echoed by outgoing Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid.</s>SEN. HARRY REID (D-NV), MINORITY LEADER: I think that it's about time that Comey acknowledged publicly what a disservice he's rendered to our country by doing nothing -- nothing except interfering with the election. He became such a partisan that he should become the new chair of the RNC.</s>LU STOUT: And that was our Sara Murray reporting there. Now, let's dig deeper into the latest findings with Sean Sullivan. He is the security adviser for F-Secure. He joins us live from Helsinki. And Sean, welcome back to the program. The Kremlin has responded saying basically produce some proof. So, what is the most definitive proof that can be given to the Kremlin to say, yep, you're behind the hack?</s>SEAN SULLIVAN, F-SECURE: Well, definitive proof would be an email chain, I suppose, saying do it. I don't think that sort of proof is going to come forward, though. What we do have is more -- sorry.</s>LU STOUT: Go ahead, what do we have?</s>SULLIVAN: What we do have are forensic evidence, binaries that are typical of the tools used by agencies, or tools that are used by what we believe are agencies because of the way they operate in and out of Russia. So, that's the best evidence that we're going to get. It's not beyond a reasonable doubt, but it is preponderance of evidence. It is does clear that bar.</s>LU STOUT: But how about the evidence that it was directed all the way from the top by Vladimir Putin. How do you determine if a hack was state sponsored, that it was sponsored or directed by the president himself?</s>SULLIVAN: That would be something I think that the NSA and the CIA might have resources, either of a human or they do have technical access to get into the communication streams. I don't think that sort of information is the sort of thing that the Obama administration is going to make public. I don't think we need that to know that the Russians are involved. But Russian hacking is very fuzzy in the sense that whether it's an agency or if it's a privateer, because a lot of Russian hackers involved in criminal activities also do work for the government. So, you can't definitively say this is this Russian agency, you only have your best leads and you have a preponderance of evidence to suggest it's not anybody else, so therefore Russia. The only way that they could definitively prove that this was ordered by Putin, I would think, would be to have something on a communications chain. But that is what the NSA does, and so perhaps they do actually have that information.</s>LU STOUT: What do you know about the Dukes. This is the cyber criminal team believed to be linked to the Russian government and believed to be behind this hack attack on the DNC?</s>SULLIVAN: Yes, well, of my colleagues here at F-Secure has done an extensive analysis of The Dukes. He took a look at the toolset from years ago until more recently and he found something that was in between from our sample base. He went through and figured out that this has been evolving over time and therefore I should be able to find something between versions 2 and 4. I can go hunt and look for version 3. And indeed he did, and he found it by using the sort of forensic tools and he looked for the signatures involved, sort of fingerprints, if you will, of the toolsets from one year to the next. And he found samples. This is a tool that's been evolving over time. It's a tool that's used by an agency, we believe, because in the way in which it's used outside of Russia and which it's used inside of Russia. And we don't think it would be used inside of Russia unless it was being used by an official agency, because they wouldn't dare risk coming on, you know, the wrong side of the law. So, therefore, it provides very good evidence that it is something that is authorized by higher ups.</s>LU STOUT: And you can identify that something has been authorized higher up. You can identify a cyber criminal gang, but how do you bring them to justice? I mean, we know that Russia, they don't extradite citizens, but how difficult is it to even track down and find a cyber criminal?</s>SULLIVAN: Well, cyber criminal is very different story. I think this is - - this is a matter of nation states and it's not a criminal court of law. So, there's a lot of discussion about, you know, is thee a definitive amount of evidence beyond a reasonable doubt. That's for a criminal court of law. In a civil court of law, you've got preponderance of evidence. And I think nation states probably will operate somewhere in between that they've got preponderance of evidence that indicates to them that this is beyond, you know, what they need to -- you know, it's not somebody else, therefore it is the most likely candidate. There's more than enough evidence to suggest that this is Russia. If you want to try to prove it, you know, in a criminal court of law, I don't think there's an International Criminal Court, so I think that's kind of a moot point.</s>LU STOUT: Right, but looking at -- and just a final question for you, I mean, looking at what Russia in the end was able to achieve, and it was able to do so undetected at the time, is cyber power the perfect weapon here to achieve a specific effect?</s>SULILVAN: I think absolutely, particularly in terms of the sort state craft that the Russian government would like to practice. It's -- a good level of plausible deniability. It, again, it's not something that can be proven beyond a shadow of a doubt. so, in order to make really hard sanctions and apply them to a country, you have to have something that you can physically point to as a cause for action. Cyber provides sort of a web of possibilities that -- you know, it looks like it's most likely Russia, but it cannot be proven in a way that we would like to have in the real world for like the UN to apply sanctions against a nation state. So, for nation states that have soft power goals that they want to achieve, cyber provides a very good avenue.</s>LU STOUT: All right, Sean Sullivan of F-Secure joining us live from Helsinki, thank you so much for joining me. Take care.</s>SULLIVAN: Thank you.</s>LU STOUT: Now, as Moscow responds to those hacking allegations, the Russian president is on a state visit to Japan. Now, let's bring in Andrew Stevens from Tokyo. And Andrew, Vladimir Putin is there to shore up ties with Tokyo, but has he addressed these serious U.S. charges of Russian hacking?</s>ANDREW STEVENS, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, in short he hasn't at all, Kristie. He's been in Japan for two days and he has not spoken publicly at least on anything to do with the growing hacking scandal. There was a press conference today at which several international media, including myself, armed with questions on this very topic. But the Japanese hosts said there would be only four questions taken for Mr. Putin and Mr. Abe and only Russian media or Japanese media could ask those questions. So, the questions were asked and it did not include the hacking. It did include Aleppo, so Putin spoke about Aleppo. But as far as addressing the issue, almost the elephant in the room, it just didn't happen. I mean, the Russians have said, as we know in the past they've continually denied that they are involved, and as you pointed out, they've continually said if we are involved, well show us the evidence. So, Vladmir Putin was in no hurry whatsoever. I mean, he could have turned the topic to that if he wanted to, but he decided against it.</s>LU STOUT: Interesting. I mean, Japan has really been rolling up the red carpet for Vladimir Putin from that, as you described it, pretty much controlled press conference with safe questions being asked, arranging talks at a hot springs resort. There was a visit to a judo center. We know Putin enjoys Judo. I mean, why is Shinzo Abe so eager to shore up this friendship and this alliance with Putin.</s>STEVENS: Well, there are two key reasons at play here, two key currents. The first, very much is something Abe is very, very passionate about, and that is trying to regain ownership of four islands, the Kurile Islands, north of Japan, which were seized by Russia in 1945 just after the end of the war. Now, Mr. Abe realizes that Russia is not just going to turn around to hand them back to Japan, but he wants to start a dialogue with Vladimir Putin which could eventually lead if not to ownership, maybe shared ownership or maybe some compromise. But this is something that Abe's father was involved with when he was the foreign minister and Abe has picked up the baton on that. And to help ease the process of that, he has laid out some economic plans for Russia, which Russia is badly in need of economic aid, particularly in the east. The other side of this, too, is that closer ties with Russia in Japan's sort of strategic outlook means that it could help offset the growing weight and the growing might of China. So, getting closer to Russia is important for Japan to get a little bit more balance in this region, Kristie. The interesting thing is, of course, is that if Japan goes ahead with these economic packages, the question becomes would they bust sanctions, which Japan is a party to, these sanctions against Russia. The U.S. is watching that very closely. And the last thing Japan wants is to be a sanctions buster, particularly with the U.S. And given the fact that those two remain a very, very close alliance, it's difficult to see that Japan would go that far, but certainly they're very keen to bring Russia on board.</s>LU STOUT: Absolutely. Andrew Stevens reporting live from Tokyo for us, thank you. Now, in Aleppo, Syria, the evacuation of rebel-held Aleppo could be over just a day after it began. Now, Russia says the operation is complete with only militants left in rebel-held neighborhoods. And the REd Cross says taht Syria has told it to leave areas of Aleppo held by the rebels. Now, meanwhile, in Japan as reported just then, Russian president Vladimir Putin, who backs the Syrian president, well, while there he has proposed peace talks in Syria's civil war. Now, let's bring in our Fred Pleitgen who has of course reported extensively from Aleppo and about Aleppo for CNN. He joins us now live from Beirut. And Fred, first these conflicting reports about what's happening on the ground in Aleppo are the evacuations from the city suspended or complete?</s>FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, it looks as though at this point in time they are suspended, Kristie, but it really is a very confusing situation on the ground there, and certainly one at this point in time looks like it does have the potential to escalate and possibly end quiet tragically. Now, what the opposition is saying is that the convoys were actually running quite smoothly yesterday and then throughout the night, apparently between 8,000 and 9,000 people were evacuated, most of them women and children and people who were wounded, who needed immediate medical attention, some rebel fighters apparently also among those who were evacuated as well. But then at some point this morning, one of the convoys was shot at, or at least the route it was suppose to travel down was shot up. The convoy was stopped and then was turned around back into those rebel-controlled areas. And at that point in time, the whole evacuation agreement apparently stalled, both sides blaming each other. Now, the Syrian government saying that the rebels were trying to smuggle out heavy weapons whereas the opposition is saying they believe that Shiite fighters who were unhappy with this deal in general were the ones who stopped it. Now, you're absolutely right, the Russians came out with a statement saying they believe that the evacuation is complete. The Turks deny that. They say there's still tens of thousands of people in eastern Aleppo who want to get out. So, certainly at this point in time with the volatility of the situation on the ground with the fact that you have people who are very trigger happy on the ground there as well, this does have the potential to escalate. And we have to keep in mind that the folks would still be in there would be people who are very weak, who haven't eaten anything real in days, who are cold and who tried to get out and are still looking to try and leave that enclave. So, certainly something that we're keeping an eye on, it's something that really has the potential to end very badly, Kristie.</s>LU STOUT: Fred Pleitgen, keeping an eye on the situation in Aleppo from Beirut for us. Thank you, Fred. Take care. Now, inside Aleppo, I mean the news, as you heard just then, it's so fluid. It changes on a dime. Just 24 hours ago, the evacuations were beginning, now they could be over. ITN's Dan Rivers provides some perspective with a look back at what happened only 24 hours ago.</s>DAN RIVERS, ITV NEWS REPORTER: Even on the last day of besiege of Aleppo the despicable violence against civilians didn't stop. The sun had barely risen when this ambulance was attacked. In the front, a man was being hit in the head. In the back, children who thought they were about to escape. The gunman had other ideas. The ambulance abandoned its rescue and still the sniper tries to kick them off. We don't know who was shooting but you can see the effect. A searing portray of the last hours of besiege images which should haunt those responsible. Later, thousands gathered as words spread that the ceasefire was holding and mass evacuation was being organized. They are being targeted for four and a half years, but finally these people were preparing to leave. And these pictures show while fighters were among them most appeared to be civilians, women, children, the injured, and the vulnerable all caught up in the catastrophe of this conflict. Outside, the regime buses were lined up and ready. A solitary vehicle carrying a Red Crescent flag emerge from rebel lines terms agreed it was time to end the suffering. The buses threaded their through the debris to stop the evacuation. For two and a half hours we waited and watched as did the world hoping this would not collapse into more fighting as it did yesterday. That smoke blowing from fires set by rebels hinted at a scorched earth policy to deny the regime the use of anything they were leaving behind. It's hard to imagine there was much left to burn. The call to prayer kept through the silence as a tenth city held its breath and hope for peace. Then the first sign of flashing lights, a convoy of ambulances and buses emerging onto Aleppo's ring road. Well, this is the moment the world has been waiting for. The civilians are leaving their enclave and ignominious defeat for the rebels. But finally, the battle for Aleppo is over. The occupants of the buses came almost face to face with the men who sought to kill them, but they were allowed to leave unhinged. And it didn't take long for President Assad supporters to stop their celebrations.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I feel very happy. I feel -- I feel that this victory will continue to all Syria.</s>UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): It is of great joy, we were waiting for this day minute by minute. We couldn't just believe this day would come. I congratulate all the Syrians.</s>RIVERS: But after so much bloodshed this shouldn't have been a day of celebration rather a time to reflect on why this took so long. Dan Rivers, ITV News, Aleppo.</s>LU STOUT: And that was ITN's Dan Rivers reporting from Aleppo while the evacuations were underway. And again those evacuations appear to have been halted. Now, the president of the Philippines is not backing down despite criticism of his violent approach to fighting drug crime. And after the break, more tough words from Rodrigo Duterte.