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CNN NEWSROOM

Applause From Kim Jong-un; Migrants on a March; Chinese Space Lab "Returns"; March of Return; Israel Rejects Calls for Inquiry in Gaza Deaths; Erdogan and Netanyahu Trade Barbs over Clashes; Dramatic Mission to Save Antarctic Waters. Aired 12-1a ET

Aired April 2, 2018 - 00:00   ET

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


[00:00:10] NATALIE ALLEN, CNN ANCHOR: Miles from Kim Jong-un as a new kind of diplomacy is applauded on the Korean Peninsula. We'll have a live report for you.

Also an organized march for migrants that outrages the American president.

And a space station returns to earth, sort of -- we'll explore what happened to it this hour.

This is CNN NEWSROOM. We are live from Atlanta.

I'm Natalie Allen. Thank you so much for joining us.

And we begin with musical diplomacy on the Korean Peninsula. A group of South Korean artists gave a landmark concert in North Korea on Sunday. It is the first time artists from the South have played in the North in more than a decade.

K Pop may not be for everyone but North Korean leader Kim Jong-un seems to be a fan. He clapped for the concert and reportedly took picture with the singers. The performance is a sign of better ties for the Koreas.

But it also comes as the U.S. and the South kick off their annual war games -- the big "what if" something were to happen so they would be prepared. The games will be shorter this year but are set to be similar in scale to past drills like the ones you're seeing here from 2017. The military drills and concert come ahead of a North and South Korean summit set for later this month.

CNN's Alexandra Field joins me live now from Seoul. And the big question is how might this opening, this concert, Alex, contribute to Korean diplomacy?

ALEXANDRA FIELD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, it's certainly amazing Natalie -- to just step back and take a look at these images that are being projected from the Peninsula at this time. Kim Jong-un the North Korean leader sitting in a packed house watching South Korean performers on stage applauding that performance greeting the performers afterwards and even say according to North Korean state news that he hopes to see a similar concert take place in Seoul. And while the diplomacy isn't over yet because we know there is still

another concert scheduled later this week in Pyongyang where North Korean and South Korean performers will share the stage together.

The fact that Kim Jong-un even attended this performance, the fact that it's going on, something that we haven't seen in more than 10 years in Pyongyang is something that is representative, according to the South Korean Unification Ministry of a more amicable relationship between the North and the South and just reflect on how quickly that has happened, also reflect on how significant it is that we are seeing these images this weekend.

We are seeing them in lieu of images of the South Korean and U.S. war games that have now kicked off. These are annual drills. They enrage Pyongyang every year. What we are used to seeing around this time of year are objections from Pyongyang, strong and aggressive language as well as provocative measures oftentimes.

But in advance of these drills, Kim Jong-un told South Korean envoys that he understood that the drills would go on this year and they don't seem to have derailed these efforts to show that there are warming relations on the Peninsula, exemplified of course by that concert that you're looking at on your screen, further exemplified, of course by the fact that we're going to see a sit-down between the North Korean and south Korean leaders later this month.

It's a true change and something to really step back and look. U.S. officials have said that they need to maintain these drills. They need to keep it up, that it's critical for the defensive posture of the U.S. and their ally South Korea out here in the region.

But Natalie -- it is interesting because you have seen them making efforts to keep this sort of momentum in place when you talk about diplomacy. To that end they delayed the start of these drills. These are drills that would have typically started in March. That's when the so-called Peace Olympics were happening.

So they pushed back the start, they condensed the timeframe. The drills were wrapped up by the end of the month. The U.S. contends that they're still doing everything they need to do. Again the scope and scale as they say are the same but it is happening over a shorter period of time.

And this does mean that the drills would conclude before any potential sit-down with Kim Jong-un and President Trump which could still happen as soon as May -- Natalie.

ALLEN: Really interesting times, isn't it; and bizarre as we went from the Olympic Games to war games to what's next. It's all very fascinating though; hopefully some significant door opening.

Alexandra Field for us. Thanks so much -- Alexandra.

More than one thousand people fleeing violence and poverty in Central America are making their way right now through Mexico. They're walking, catching rides and jumping on to freight trains -- all for a safer and better future. Some of them want to apply for asylum in the U.S.; others plan to stay in Mexico.

Activists have organized this so-called caravan in previous years. It is safer for migrants to make the journey in a group and they estimate it will take them about one month to reach the border with the U.S.

That march caught the attention of U.S. President Trump. Shortly after wishing people a happy Easter Sunday, he tweeted he no longer supports a compromise to protect undocumented immigrants brought to the U.S. as children.

[00:05:00] Our Boris Sanchez is traveling with the President. He has more from West Palm Beach, Florida.

BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: No confirmation yet from the White House on why the President chose Easter Sunday to send this message about immigration but we can kind of surmise what was going on around the time that he sent these tweets and made this statement.

Shortly before the President tweeted there was a report on a cable news outlet about this caravan of immigrants that's moving through Central America and into Mexico, some of them with the intent of asking the United States for asylum to thereby enter the country.

The President angered by this report and so he fired off these tweets demanding that Mexico do more to stop the flow of immigrants and also, in his words, to stop the flow of drugs from entering the United States. The President threatening to end the North American Free Trade agreement if Mexico doesn't act.

The President was met by cameras shortly before entering a church for Easter service on Sunday morning in West Palm Beach. Here's more of what he said. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Mexico has got to help us at the border. If they're not going to help us at the border, it's a very sad thing. I mean you've got -- Mexico has got to help us at the border.

And a lot of people are coming in because they want to take advantage of DACA and we're going to have to really see. They had a great chance. The Democrats blew it. They had a great, great chance but we'll have to take a look.

But Mexico has got to help us at the border. They flow right through Mexico. They said they're going to the United States. It can't happen that way anymore.

Thank you.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANCHEZ: One notable piece of what the President said there that more immigrants are rushing to try to get in on the action on DACA. That doesn't exactly coincide with what the DACA program actually entails. Individual eligibility aside, President Trump ended this program back in September essentially making it impossible for any new arrivals to the United States to apply for DACA. Of course, courts have ultimately ruled that the dreamers within the United States staying here with DACA eligibility would be able to remain. That is, they would be able to renew their legal status through the courts as this process plays out.

But for the President to say that a DACA deal is dead is a bit surprising considering that weeks ago several iterations of a deal for these dreamers fell apart in Congress so it appears that the President is taking a bargaining chip off the table that was already gone.

Boris Sanchez, CNN -- traveling with the President in West Palm Beach, Florida.

ALLEN: Let's explore this with our political commentators and get both sides on this issue here -- Democratic strategist Dave Jacobson and Republican consultant John Thomas joining us from Los Angeles. Thanks guys for being with us.

Well, apparently a caravan of asylum seekers set the President off calling his angry tweets. He's ready, as a result to end DACA, threatened to do the same to NAFTA. Is this rhetoric? O is this real? Let's start with you -- Dave.

DAVE JACOBSON, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Look, I think the President's being reckless and frankly heartless on the day of Easter. The reality is over 90 percent of Americans poll after poll support a DACA deal. They believe that these folks should either be able to continue the DACA system or perhaps have a pathway to citizenship moving forward.

That's why Republicans in Congress like Lindsey Graham had worked with Dick Durbin, a Democrat in the Senate to put forward a plan and cut a deal with the President. At the end of the day it's the President who has refused time and again to cut a deal and move forward. He looks reckless and he looks like he's irresponsible.

ALLEN: John -- let's get your feedback. But first I want to read a tweet from former presidential candidate and Republican governor John Kasich who kind of mirrors what you just said -- Dave.

"A true leader preserves and offers hope, doesn't take hope from innocent children who call America home. Remember today is Easter Sunday."

John -- your take on this.

JOHN THOMAS, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Today isn't a matter of compassion. It's a matter of law. It's a matter of border security. And what we're seeing with these over a thousand migrants just literally breaking American immigration law. And they know that if they can come in and get through our borders they can get through perhaps the catch and release program. And the President was right in that they think that they can be part of this DACA deal. And what that means and what they're hoping is number one in the catch and release program they won't show up to the -- in front of the judge to be deported. So that happens I think over 90 percent of the time. They just illegally stay in the U.S.

And the other is, you know, in part of a DACA deal could have been chain migration meaning if some of these thousands of migrants had existing DACA recipient family members in the U.S. that they could by extension benefit from their status as DACA members to become citizens.

[001007] The -- Mexico and its citizenry is making a mockery of our American laws. And I'm proud of President Trump for standing up. And quite frankly it reiterates the need for some kind of border security on our southern border.

ALLEN: Dave -- is this an opportunity that the President deserves to take to kind of shake down Congress on new immigration policy?

JACOBSON: Look, I think the President is emblematic of a racist that we saw (INAUDIBLE) -- you don't need to laugh -- John. I mean this is a guy, let's not forget at his New York tower, first announcement of his presidential campaign said Mexico's bringing rapists, they're bringing drugs, they're bringing weapons.

THOMAS: That's wrong.

JACOBSON: That is Donald Trump. Look the fact of the matter is 20,000 of the DACA recipients are classroom teachers; 900 of these individuals are risking their lives, these DACA recipients, risking their lives to serve in the United States military.

The fact of the matter is Donald Trump's -- he looks like a cold- hearted, you know, mean-spirited President who is doing anything he can to not bring this country together. He's divisive. And he has no place in the White House.

ALLEN: John -- I'll let you respond to that. Certainly this President has gone back and forth and back and forth on DACA and has had some racist undertones about to things he's said about the people coming into this country.

THOMAS: The President went far and above beyond just standard DACA recipients in offering a deal prior this. He extended it to even the dreamers but he wanted some consolations like ending chain migration. He wanted a merit-based lottery system but Congress particularly the Democrats were unwilling to deal.

And now you've got thousands of illegal migrants that are just thumbing their nose at us crossing our borders illegally trying to take advantage of the system. And I think President Trumps is just going enough is enough.

He's taking away that bargaining chip and I think he's going to get even tougher because we saw in those tweets, Natalie, that he's talking if Mexico doesn't participate in securing its borders on our southern side, that he'll repeal NAFTA because there has to be penalties.

We're a nation of laws and right now in places like California and others you see this attitude in a way that it's rewarding people for breaking our laws not punishing them.

ALLEN: Is he though John, walking into dangerous territory here? This as Dave points out, most Americans support the dreamers, the DACA program. And we have mid-term elections coming up.

THOMAS: Well I just I think -- I think he will probably come back to DACA. I think he's sympathetic on that issue but he needs leverage. He made an offer. It wasn't accepted. And I think if the conversation going into the midterms is that President Trump is standing up for Americans and trying to secure our border I think that's a pretty good conversation he wants to have.

ALLEN: Dave -- your response.

JACOBSON: I just think this scorched earth acting isn't going to play well in Congress. The fact of the matter is Donald Trump wants to limit legal migration. That's out of the mainstream. It's extraordinarily extreme. And I think that's why you see moderate, level-headed Republicans in Congress saying hold up President Trump we're not going to minimize or restrict legal migration. We want a comprehensive immigration plan.

And frankly that's why you saw the U.S. senate just a couple of years ago on a bipartisan level put forward a common-sense comprehensive immigration reform with a pathway to citizenship.

It didn't get through the House but the fact is Jeff Flake's tweet is accurate. There are Republicans who want to work with Democrats who want to get not just a DACA deal done but a broader comprehensive immigration reform plan done.

And the challenge is Donald Trump refuses to act. He's got this scorched earth mentality. He's digging his heels in. Why? Because all he cares about is delivering that darn border wall. And frankly Congress isn't going to fund it so he's threatening our allies like Mexico which is just flat-out irresponsible.

ALLEN: Yes. How much of this, John, do you think is his frustration with the border wall?

THOMAS: I do think there is a lot of frustration there. But remember President Trump was the one that went even further than what the Democrats asked for on DACA. Instead of 600,000 or 800,000 recipients he went over a million people, the immigrants illegally that could have a pathway to citizenship.

So Donald Trump understands that in a negotiation, deals can's last forever, ok. They can only -- if you want leverage it has to expire at a certain point. I think Trump is right. He's frustrated especially as we see Mexico is aiding illegal migration across our border.

[00:15:06] ALLEN: I want to thank you both. We always appreciate your spirited comments and debate. John Thomas --

THOMAS: Thanks -- Natalie.

ALLEN: -- Dave Jacobson. Thanks for your time.

JACOBSON: Thanks.

ALLEN: You can head (ph) out tonight -- holiday weekend.

JACOBSON: Thanks. You, too.

ALLEN: All right. Let's look at some other news we're following. China is raising tariffs on more than 100 imports from the United States. The Chinese finance ministry says it's because new U.S. tariffs on steel and aluminum imports have quote, "seriously damaged Chinese interests". In order to balance their losses they say there levying a new 15 percent tariff on 120 fruit products and a 25 percent tariff on eight pork products.

British authorities believe they have a clue that points the nerve agent attack against a former Russian spy straight to the Kremlin. Last week officials revealed that whoever poisoned Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia put the nerve agent on the front door of Skripal's home.

Now a source briefed on the investigation tells CNN they believe a move like that was too sophisticated for a rogue agent and likely needed Kremlin approval.

Doctors meantime say Yulia Skripal is improving rapidly now. Her father remains in critical condition.

From Tiangong to Tian-gone, a Chinese space lab's fiery end as it falls from space. We'll have a live report on how it came down and where it landed.

[00:16:31] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ALLEN: Well, there it is or there it was. China's out of control space lab has met its fiery end. China's space agency says Tiangong 1 or "heavenly palace" has plummeted back to earth right into the middle of the Pacific Ocean; most of the spacecraft burning out during re- entry. It has been slowly falling out of orbit since it lost contact with earth two years ago.

Ivan Watson following this one for us, he's live in Beijing. And Ivan -- all indications are it came down as expected. No one got hurt except perhaps China's space program.

IVAN WATSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, that's right. I mean there's nobody -- all the experts have been predicting that there was very little risk that somebody could be hurt by a piece of debris from this space lab which according to the Chinese space agency it came down about four hours ago over South Pacific.

Now the Tiangong-1 was first launched into space in 2011. It was China's first space lab. And it operated for several years but in 2017, China informed the United Nations that it had ceased functioning or as it put it, it had completed its historic mission.

What was not expressly explained was that China had essentially lost contact with the space lab in 2016 and had waited 14 months to explain this to the rest of the world and didn't explain really how it had lost contact with the space lab.

Many people, many my kind of space aficionados as well as organizations like the European Space Agency had been following its -- the deterioration of its orbit. It had been losing altitude several kilometers a day over the course of recent weeks. And there was a lot of predictions about where exactly it might come down. In the end it came down over the South Pacific; again nobody injured -- Natalie.

ALLEN: Right. No one was expected to be but always interesting to watch when you have something that is out of control hurtling toward earth. Ivan -- thanks so much. Ivan Watson for us in Beijing.

In a few hours Egyptians will hear the official results of last week's presidential elections but they'll come as no surprise. Soon after the election state media reported that the current president Abdel Fattah el-Sisi swept roughly 90 percent of the vote. But that is not as much of a landslide as it seems. Preliminary results reported only 40 percent of eligible voters cast their ballots. >

Tensions remain high after a deadly weekend at Gaza's border with Israel. This is video of a funeral on Saturday. The Palestinian ministry of health says 17 Palestinians were killed, more than 1,400 others injured in clashes with Israeli security forces on Friday. Israel is rejecting calls for an inquiry into the violence.

Confrontations in Gaza have subsided but protesters tell CNN their march of return isn't over. CNN's Ian Lee has more on their demonstrations.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

IAN LEE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: We've witnessed the numbers of marchers dwindle but the violence continues. The march of return called for Gazans to cross the border fence and to return to lands that were lost in the 1948 war which are now in Israel. And this comes as the international community has called for inquiries into the recent violence.

The European Union has called for an independent probe and the U.S. blocked a statement on the violence at the U.N. Security Council. Israel's defense minister Avigdor Lieberman said flat out that no investigation will happen.

Despite the violence organizers say the march of return is far from over. They've called for a continuation of the pressure for the next six weeks. Moving forward we'll be watching for a repeat of Friday's violence. Israel says it reserves the right to use whatever force is necessary to protect their sovereignty and prevent any breaches of the border.

But when we talked to a number of Gazans they say that's exactly what they plan to do. One Palestinian told me they've crossed over before and they'll do it again. And that will increase the likelihood of more violence to come.

Ian Lee, CNN -- Jerusalem.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ALLEN: Meantime the leaders of Turkey and Israel are exchanging insults. On Sunday Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan traded barbs after Mr. Erdogan criticized Israel's response to the Gaza protest.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

[00:25:08] RECAP TAYYIP ERDOGAN, TURKISH PRESIDENT (through translator): Hey, Netanyahu -- we don't have the shame of invading. You are an invader. You are occupying those lands as an invader. At the same time you are a terrorist.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ALLEN: Mr. Netanyahu responded on Twitter saying this. "The most ethical army in the world will not be lectured to by those who have been indiscriminately bombing civilian populations for years." He added "I suppose that's how you mark April Fool's Day in Ankara."

The Syrian regime is moving closer to fully retaking the rebel enclave of eastern Ghouta. Members of one armed rebel group have evacuated Douma, the last rebel-held town in Eastern Ghouta. They reached an agreement with Syria and Russia for safe passage.

Eleven hundred civilians and rebel fighters left Sunday heading toward Idlib. Tens of thousands of people had already Eastern Ghouta after weeks of heavy aerial bombardments that caused more than 1,500 deaths.

CNN is in the waters off Antarctica and we're witnessing a green peace protest that involves the world's food chain (ph), climate and controversy. That's ahead here.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ALLEN: Welcome back. You are watching CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Natalie Allen. Here are our top stories.

[00:30:02]

(HEADLINES)

ALLEN: South Korean performances in the North would have been unthinkable just a few months ago. For a look at what the concerts and these war games mean for diplomacy, I am joined now from California by Stephan Haggard. He's the director of the Korea Pacific program at the University of California at San Diego.

Stephan, thank you so much for talking with us.

As we just said, this would have been unheard of.

How did we get here so quickly?

STEPHAN HAGGARD, USC SAN DIEGO: It started with the Kim Jong-un's New Year's speech, where he made this unbelievable initiative to come to the Olympics and ultimately to have a summit with President Moon Jae- in. And then that subsequently led to the summit with the Chinese and now one that's scheduled with President Trump.

ALLEN: Is Kim Jong-un a new man?

HAGGARD: Good question. He certainly seems quite confident but I think he is playing a weak hand relatively well. One of the reasons I think he has come to this summit or proposed the summit is because he is facing quite significant sanctions, not only from United States but also from China.

ALLEN: Is there any chance that thaw, this opening that he -- the world is being played by Kim Jong-un?

HAGGARD: Well, of course that is possible and we're worried about the U.S. summit in particular because the level of preparation just doesn't seem to be there. But I think that both Presidents Moon and Trump at the current juncture have a pretty good bargaining hand because he seems very, very intent on coming to the summit.

For example, he has tolerated the current military exercises which have just resumed. And in the past, the North Koreans have typically made a big deal out of those exercises and condemned them.

ALLEN: So how should the world proceed now with what is going on?

We had these upcoming talks between the North and the South as you mentioned, talks underway for meeting with the United States.

What do you hope will be on the table when it really comes down to what is Kim Jong-un going to do about his nuclear program?

HAGGARD: Exactly, so I think that the best that we can hope from the summit is something like a declaration of intent or a statement of principles about how the United States and North Korea are going to move forward on negotiating the denuclearization of the peninsula.

And that is going to have to involve some concessions from the United States, perhaps the end lifting some sanctions. But I think in the short run, there is no reason for the U.S. to do that. It is really going to be up to Kim Jong-un to put some offers on the table that can be studied by the U.S. and South Korea and the other allies in the region.

ALLEN: So the door is definitely opening.

What, in your opinion, could shut it?

HAGGARD: I think one of the things we really have to watch for is the John Bolton appointment raises concerns with me shutting down the negotiating channel. The Chinese have maintained sanctions pressure on North Korea and, in fact, have been crucial in that regard.

But, in part because they wanted United States to cooperate by actually opening the channel. So if we take a hard line stance and basically shut out the possibility of negotiations, there is a possibility that the Chinese will look at the situation and say the United States is not interested in a diplomatic settlement. And then we're back to where we were.

ALLEN: What are your hopes for President Trump?

He doesn't always do what his advisors tell him to do when he talked with Vladimir Putin after his victory there in Russia. They said do not congratulate him. He did.

Do you have concerns how Donald Trump will handle this meeting, the situation?

HAGGARD: Will of course. Optics on the summit will not be good. Here's Donald Trump meeting with --

[00:35:00]

HAGGARD: -- the leader of North Korea. It is just absolutely unthinkable. But as I said, I think that the United States with the cooperation of China, Japan, South Korea, even the Russians on this issue are in a pretty good bargaining position.

And the main point is to try to communicate to Kim Jong-un that the only path forward for North Korea is to begin denuclearization. And I think if that's the (INAUDIBLE) the thing that comes out of the summit, even if the details are not there, we will have made some progress.

ALLEN: Progress sounds good in a situation, doesn't it?

Stephan Haggard, thank you so much.

(CROSSTALK)

ALLEN: Thanks so much.

All right. Some call them activists; other call them extremists. Either way, this environmental group is using the controversy to spread their method of conservation in the Antarctic. We'll tell you what they're doing coming up.

(MUSIC PLAYING)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(MUSIC PLAYING) ALLEN: We want to take you now to Antarctica. CNN is there, following Greenpeace activists at one of the world's harshest and most beautiful regions. But this is no travelogue. The Greenpeace members say they want to protect the fragile ecosystem at the bottom of our planet.

Arwa Damon reports on their dramatic, controversial and dangerous protests.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ARWA DAMON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Every day brings with it even more beauty and every adventure is magical in its own unique way. Zoe Buckley Lennox, is one of the Greenpeace activists on board and she was already determined to protect the Antarctic even before she came.

ZOE BUCKLEY LENNOX, GREENPEACE ACTIVISTS: Yes, to see it feels more intimate and it feels more personal. We could lose a lot of this area, the climate change and this species and those sorts of things.

DAMON: Perhaps just ask if not more crucial, the Antarctic's waters and its wildlife, especially krill which is a key to our species here, played a vital role moving carbon dioxide from the atmosphere to the depths of the ocean.

Zoe is part of the team that has been tracking the movements of a Ukrainian krill fishing vessel. A lot of the krill fishing happens off the Antarctic Peninsula. And because this area is also the main feeding grounds for the wildlife, Greenpeace and others have proposed this as an ocean sanctuary.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Swing around and keep up with them, Marty. Probably abreast like this please.

DAMON: Frank Hewitson (ph) is a Greenpeace veteran.

(on camera): The Greenpeace rift has just placed themselves in between the Ukrainian vessel and the reefer hoping to be able to block the shipment from taking place.

(voice-over): There is already a Chinese vessel offloading on the other side. Greenpeace makes radio contact with the Ukrainians.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We have no intention of taking control of your vessel. Our protest is peaceful.

DAMON (voice-over): But the Greenpeace inflatables --

[00:40:00]

DAMON (voice-over): -- are no match. The team speeds out again.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Get down, get down, get down.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Do not touch that rope. Do not touch that rope. DAMON: Greenpeace believes that protecting the krill now in this vital region may help save the planet later. It's about preserving the balance of an eco-system that we are all reliant on for our survival. The Greenpeace team's new goal is to prevent the Ukrainian vessel from heading back out to the fishing grounds.

Zoe jumps on the rope. The Ukrainian fisherman cut her down. In to the Antarctic's freezing waters. The team needs to find a better location. And they aim for the anchor.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Bridge, bridge, Francoise is out. We have Ronnie on the starboard side of the anchor. We must inform the vessel immediately.

Ronnie, well done.

DAMON: Krill fishing is not illegal, but the Greenpeace team hopes that their disruptive and controversial actions will generate a reaction and bring international attention to protect these waters and wildlife.

Zoe is now on top of the signature Greenpeace pod. Activists can actually live in it and this is how Greenpeace occupies its targets in extreme conditions. But now the Ukrainians are moving. And they are threatening to head out to the fishing grounds full steam.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You have 10 minutes. After that I make my speed full ahead, full ahead.

DAMON: It is becoming too risky. Frank needs to get the climbers and if possible the pod down.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Calling on you to slow down and gives a chance to remove our people.

DAMON: The Ukrainian vessel does.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It felt all right. It felt all right. I did this if you just jump on water, which I did twice.

DAMON (on camera): You seem to be kind of fearless.

ZOE BUCKLEY LENNOX, AUSTRALIAN GREENPEACE ACTIVIST: I think I've internalized my fear.

Like the truth is I am more scared of environmental destruction than I am of a lot of these things.

DAMON (voice-over): And in this remote and vital region, the Greenpeace message is, we can do something before we reach a crisis point -- Arwa Damon, CNN, the Antarctic.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ALLEN: Some very bold protesters there. Thank you for watching CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Natalie Allen. "WORLD SPORT" is coming next. I'll be back at the top of the hour with more news from around the world. Hope to see you.