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Palestinian Security Forces Could Lose U.S. Support; Life- Threatening Cold Threatens Parts of the U.S.; "Black Panther" Cast Wins Top Screen Actors Guild Honor; "Baby Shark" Takes over YouTube, Music Charts, the World. Aired 1-2a ET

Aired January 28, 2019 - 01:00   ET

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


(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[01:00:00] NATALIE ALLEN, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: The fight for power rages on in Venezuela as opposition leader Juan Guaido calls for nationwide protests this week.

CYRIL VANIER, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: Plus, we're starting to see just how much the government shutdown cost the U.S. economy even as President Trump says another shutdown isn't off the table.

ALLEN: And the awards goes to -- what the SAG award winners could tell us about the Oscars.

VANIER: We want to welcome our viewers here in the United States and around the world. We are alive from the CNN center in Atlanta. I'm Cyril Vanier.

ALLEN: And I'm Natalie Allen. CNN NEWSROOM starts right now.

VANIER: After 35 days the U.S. government shutdown finally ended Friday but the U.S. President says another one is certainly an option.

ALLEN: In an interview with The Wall Street Journal, Donald Trump's that he is skeptical congressional negotiators can agree on funding a border wall before the next government funding deadline February 15th. Mr. Trump also said he doubted he would accept less than $5.7 billion for it and would use emergency powers to fund the wall if necessary.

VANIER: So the President's position is unchanged. Boris Sanchez reports it's unclear how the outcome of another standoff would be different.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: The White House is effectively threatening a second government shutdown if President Trump and his team do not get what they want from Democrats during the ongoing negotiations over border security. Keep in mind the continuing resolution that was passed on Friday goes through 21 days so we may be facing a second government shutdown in three weeks if the President does not get border wall funding.

His acting chief of staff Mick Mulvaney made the case on one of the Sunday morning talk shows. Listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MICK MULVANEY, ACTING CHIEF OF STAFF, WHITE HOUSE: We've been working on this for months. We have been hoping for months to do it through legislation with Democrats because that's the right way for the government to function. But at the end of the day, the President's commitment is to defend the nation and he'll do it either with or without Congress.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANCHEZ: Now it's unclear exactly how the White House believes it'll be different a second time around. They don't really have the numbers when it comes to Congress. Remember that only one Democrat in the Senate voted for the White House's plan to reopen the federal government. That was Joe Manchin of West Virginia.

We don't know exactly where the President thinks he's going to get support. And if he has to bypass Congress, it'll likely be through declaring a national emergency on the issue of immigration. That's an option that's been on the table for some time. The President has not moved in that direction in part because there's no guarantee that it would actually work.

Democrats have already vowed to challenge it so it would wind up in the court system and ultimately not give the President that immediate funding that he wants for his long-promised border wall. Boris Sanchez, CNN at the White House.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ALLEN: Roger Stone, a longtime friend and political adviser heads back to court Tuesday just days after being arrested by federal agents.

VANIER: He was indicted on charges that include lying to Congress about his efforts to get dirt on Hillary Clinton from Russia linked WikiLeaks. Stone repeatedly pledged his loyalty to Trump but earlier on Sunday Stone warned that if called to testify, he will do so truthfully.

ALLEN: President Trump, meantime, is trying to distance himself tweeting that "Roger Stone didn't even work for me anywhere near the election." For more on all of this here's Jessica Schneider.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JESSICA SCHNEIDER, CNN JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT: Roger Stone has been making the media rounds all before he gets to the D.C. Court House on Tuesday and before he appears before that same judge who's overseeing both Paul Manafort and Rick Gate's cases and she is definitely tough. So perhaps Roger Stone is trying to get the last word in before any possible gag order.

Stone though leaving the door open to cooperation with the special counsel and also saying he would tell the truth about his communications with Donald Trump which he says never involved Russia. Now, of course, Roger Stone was indicted on Thursday and arrested in that early morning FBI raid Friday at his home in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. And he now faces seven counts including obstruction, witness tampering, and false statements to Congress.

Here's what he said about the possibility of testifying for the Special Counsel's investigation.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Any chance you'll cooperate with Special Counsel Robert Mueller if he asks?

ROGER STONE, ASSOCIATE OF DONALD TRUMP: You know, that's a question I would have to -- I'd have to determine after my attorneys have some discussion. If there's wrongdoing by other people in the campaign that I know about which I know of none, but if there is I would certainly testify honestly. I'd also testify honestly about any other matter including any communications with the President. It's true that we spoke on the phone but those communications are political in nature they're benign and there's certainly no conspiracy with Russia.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[01:05:06] SCHNEIDER: Roger Stone has repeatedly said he would not testify against the President. And also Stone has said he has never discussed the possibility of a pardon with the President. And of course, he continues to maintain that he is innocent despite those text messages and e-mails the Special Counsel has. And Stone stands by his contention that there was never any collusion with Russia.

Now, in the meantime, Jerome Corsi who's described as person one in the indictment who Stone directed to get in touch with WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange to get more e-mails, Corsi though saying he never talked to Assange. Corsi says that all of the information in the indictment is accurate and he's willing to testify to that in court.

Now, interestingly, Corsi has also said previously that Mueller has everything and knows everything. Jessica Schneider, CNN Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

VANIER: Joining me now is Matthew Bevan, Host of the podcast Russia If You're Listening. It's about the Russia investigation and its colorful cast of characters. Matthew, a lot of material, a lot of thought are for you over the weekend. I picture you pouring over the indictment of Roger Stone and look, tell me what -- there were serious parts that obviously we learned a lot and also a lot of very colorful quotes. I want to preface the interview by quoting perhaps my favorite part of all the court documents in the Russian investigation.

This is from Roger Stone to Randy Credico known as Person Two in the document. He says, when it becomes clear Credico is not going to back up his alleged lies to Congress. Stone says, you're a rat stoolie. You backstab your friends, run your mouth. My lawyers are dying to rip you to shreds. I'm so ready. Let's get it on. Prepare to die, expletive.

OK, I've done comfort part --

MATTHEW BEVAN, HOST, RUSSIA IF YOU'RE LISTENING: And then he threatens his dog.

VANIER: And he threatens his dog, yes. You do the serious part. Go ahead.

Well, that's the -- that is a very interesting part of this whole indictment. And the indictment is like many of the charges that are involved with this not about what he did or what Roger Stone did during the 2016 election campaign but what he has been doing to cover that up. It is -- he was indicted for lying to Congress about his contacts with Julian Assange, the resident of the London Ecuadorian Embassy and founder of WikiLeaks.

And what he did -- you know, what contact he had with Assange during the campaign and also for intimidating this fellow named Randy Credico in order to try and get Credico to back him up when he spoke to investigators about this whole saga.

And the interesting thing here is that you know, we don't really understand why he did this. Roger Stone was allegedly lying to investigators saying it he contacted Julian Assange via Randy Credico rather than via a guy named Jerome Corsi. And the indictment doesn't actually explain why it matters who he spoke to, it just says that he lied and that they were concerned that he would flee or that he would destroy evidence.

All -- the things that we find out in these indictments to me it feels like a big puzzle, you know, 5,000 page puzzle that is being put together in front of us and Robert Mueller is filling in the edges first. And we're getting some idea of what the thing in the middle of the puzzle might be. It almost certainly has something to do with obstruction of justice. That's what we get from the indictment of Michael Flynn.

It almost certainly has something to do with contacts with Russia during the campaign. That's what we get from a Paul Manafort and from Roger Stone, and potentially has something to do with what -- you know what potential leverage Russia had over Donald Trump and his campaign. That's what we got from the New York Times report a few weeks ago which was about an investigation being opened up in the middle of 2017 into whether Donald Trump was acting as an agent of Russia when he fired James Comey.

Although as I say, we don't quite know what it is in the middle of the puzzle but with every indictment, with every new piece of information, we get sort of a shape of something forming in the middle there, you know, at some point we assume that we'll find out you know, what it is that all this is leading towards but it's still not entirely clear.

And that's Matthew Bevan, Host of the Russia If You're Listening podcast. Now I want to take you back to the government shutdown. It cost the U.S. economy more than the money that Mr. Trump wanted for the border wall. According to Standard and Poor's the economy lost at least $6 billion because of lost productivity and lost economic activity to outside businesses.

[01:10:04] ALLEN: Meanwhile, Americans are not happy with the way the government is running. A new NBC News-Wall Street Journal poll show 63 percent say the country is on the wrong track, just 28 percent think things are going in the right direction. Those negative numbers are up seven points from last month.

Last hour, I spoke with Jessica Levinson, a Professor at Loyola University about the political impact of the shutdown.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JESSICA LEVINSON, PROFESSOR, LOYOLA LAW SCHOOL: My assessment is that the country just went through something really quite terrible. If you think of the 800,000 people who are dependent on the federal government or their jobs and for some sort of consistency in a paycheck and for whom frankly we have now learned to the extent we didn't already know, cannot afford to miss a paycheck, I think it was terribly hurtful.

And let's also not forget all the people who are for instance federal contractors who work and serve federal workers, who drive them around who give them food, who are kind of downstream in the economy. These people are people who are never going to recoup their revenue.

I think -- so that's kind of the real-world like at the kitchen table impact for many, many people, and then I think politically this has just been you know however you want to spin it and I know that's all we do in America in 2019, but Nancy Pelosi won and President Trump lost. He said I will not reopen the government without funding for a wall. There is $0.00 in funding for a wall right now.

ALLEN: Right. So I want to ask you about that and now we have this acting chief of staff, we've heard it from the President who's saying I may shut it down again because we don't have that much time to negotiate the border wall. He already as you just mentioned caved the first time. What in the world would have him do that again, shut it down, I mean, because the pressure would be on that he couldn't cave a second time right?

LEVINSON: Well, I think that two things essentially. I think, one is his personal desire and head election to not lose even though we frankly have seen him lose in this case but he make the battle that -- or he could make the argument that I lost the battle but I'm going to win the war and therefore we are shutting down the government again, really to see how far Nancy Pelosi will go and to see if she'll blink.

I think the other reason is this is popular with his base and that is a narrow base that is kind of a ceiling of 36 percent of the American public. But if you look at Donald Trump and I think what is important to him, the policies that has proposed, he really is largely praying to that base. So I think it's in some ways ego. I think he ran on being a master deal maker and there's no deal. And I think it's in some ways the politics of him really deciding that that's his constituency, it's the 36 percent who will not leave him.

ALLEN: Now, what the question is to -- in this three-week period, is the onus on the Democrats to give him a little more vis a vis immigration?

LEVINSON: So, I think that there's some responsibility on behalf of Democrats to talk about immigration reform. I do not think there's a responsibility on behalf of Democrats to talk about funding for this wall. I think that what both parties are responsible for doing is to promoting policy that actually works for the American public.

There are plenty of problems when it comes to immigration, when it comes to drug trafficking, when it comes to both illegal immigration, asylum seekers, but building a wall is not going to solve the problems. It is frankly a solution in search of a problem. And we know there are better ways to prevent drug trafficking for instance to close and protect ports of entry.

We know talking to the experts this is not actually what they want. So the burden is on both parties to get something real done.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ALLEN: Jessica Levinson there for us.

VANISER: And another candidate has joined the crowded field seeking the Democratic nomination in the 2020 presidential election. Senator Kamala Harris officially launched her bid in her hometown of Oakland, California. She avoided mentioning President Trump by name but there was no doubt who she was targeting for criticism when she talked about America's standing in the world and its deep internal divisions.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. KAMALA HARRIS (D), CALIFORNIA: Under this administration, America's position in the world has never been weaker. When democratic values are under attack around the globe, when authoritarianism is on the march, when nuclear proliferation is on the rise, when we have foreign powers infecting the White House like malware --

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[01:14:56] VANIER: Harris is among four Democrats running with three others currently exploring a run.

ALLEN: Venezuela's opposition leader turns up the heat on the country sitting president trying to force him out. Next here, Juan Guaido's latest efforts to win over the military.

VANIER: Plus, Palestinian security forces could lose U.S. support. We'll have an exclusive report from the West Bank, coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) PATRICK SNELL, CNN INTERNATIONAL SPORTS ANCHOR AND CORRESPONDENT: Hi there, I'm Patrick Snell with your CNN "WORLD SPORT" Headlines. The Australian Open, the year's first tennis major in the books now. And after Naomi Osaka took her second straight women's grand slam and Melbourne, Novak Djokovic winning his third in a row for the men.

An amazing run of form now for the Serbian who lives the Aussie Open for a record seventh time. The 31-year-old earning his 15th career slam singles title and in straight sets too against Rafa Nadal, no less himself the winner of 17 majors.

To the English FA Cup where the fourth round had already produced some big upsets with Premier League teams, Everton and West Ham falling to lower-tier opponents on Sunday. The shock didn't quite reach that level but title contenders Tottenham out of the tournament after a 2-0 loss at Crystal Palace, this after Spurs just four days ago were knock out to the League Cup semis by Chelsea.

And onto motorsport were just the second time of trying, a former Formula One legend Fernando Alonzo has won the Rolex 24 hours at Daytona endurance race. A heavy rain plaguing the 57th running of the event. Meaning, the race had to be deemed official after just 23 hours and 50 minutes.

Alonzo had taken the lead shortly before the last stoppage which lasted about an hour before the decision to halt the race was finally made. A wonderful career accomplishment for him again. That's a look at your CNN "WORLD SPORT" Headlines. I'm Patrick Snell.

ALLEN: Welcome back. Venezuela's sitting president, Nicolas Maduro, faces mounting pressure from his opposition to give up power.

VANIER: Yes, his rival, Juan Guaido tells The Washington Post that the opposition is in secret talks with military and government officials about ousting Mr. Maduro. On Sunday, Guaido also called for new protests against the government.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JUAN GUAIDO, PRESIDENT, NATIONAL ASSEMBLY OF VENEZUELA (through translator): We have events this week on Wednesday and on Saturday. We have been asked why not every day. We are in the process in Venezuela where we also have to fight to eat. We have to fight to survive and we are aware that we can't do this without freedom.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ALLEN: Earlier in a wide-ranging interview with CNN Turk, President Maduro accused Guaido of violating the law and the Constitution. And said the United States is behind a coup to drive them out.

[01:20:06] VANIER: Meanwhile, the U.S. continues to show support for Guaido. U.S. National Security Advisor John Bolton tweeted that "Any violence on American staff or the opposition would be met with a significant response. ALLEN: Venezuela's dueling leaders are vying for the support of the military. Both men made public appeals to combat forces urging them to support their side. Stefano Pozzebon has more from Venezuela.

STEFANO POZZEBON, CNN JOURNALIST: Yes, tension remains high herein Caracas on Sunday. Both Nicolas Maduro, the embattled Venezuelan president and Juan Guaido, the president of the Venezuelan Parliament who swore himself in as acting president of Venezuela, in order to call for fresh free and fair elections.

They both pitch it to the same audience, to the military who increasingly looks like the sole arbiter of the power tussle that is happening here in Caracas. And while Nicolas Maduro demanded loyalty from his troops, one Guido promised the amnesty and pardon for those troops who would defect effectively Nicolas Maduro's rule and switch side to the opposition.

And Guaido also called for new street protests next week -- next Wednesday. And the following Saturday, given a sign that the pressure on the Maduro government to join the negotiating table he's only going to increase. For CNN, this is Stefano Pozzebon, Caracas.

VANIER: U.S. Senator Marco Rubio, downplayed the idea that the U.S. military would take part in a coup to oust Nicolas Maduro. But he says the U.S. has the right to defend its national security.

ALLEN: Rubio, a vocal critic of President Maduro, says the unrest reflects the demands of the Venezuelan people, not Washington.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. MARCO RUBIO (R-FL), SENATE FOREIGN RELATIONS COMMITTEE: This is not a U.S. back to anything. This is -- I didn't see any Americans in the street in Venezuela when hundreds of thousands if not millions Venezuelans took to the streets on the 23rd.

This is Juan Guaido and the National Assembly, which was lawfully elected under the Constitution of Venezuela. By the way, a constitution put in place by Hugo Chavez.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ALLEN: Joining me now is Brian Winter, he is the editor-in-chief of America's Quarterly. We want to talk about the situation in Venezuela. Thanks for joining us, Brian.

BRIAN WINTER, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, AMERICAS QUARTERLY: Happy to be here.

ALLEN: All right, let's talk about recent developments. Both leaders in Venezuela appealed Sunday to the military, which is seen as the only institution that could press for elections, which could force, of course, Maduro out. Do you think elections will happen?

WINTER: I don't know that they're going to happen anytime soon because the truth is there was all this momentum on Thursday when -- you know, so many governments around the world mostly in Europe, but also United States declared support for Juan Guaido, and called him the new interim president of Venezuela.

The truth is that with every passing day that Maduro stays where he is, the chances of some sort of resolution that results in Maduro's departure, the chances of that decrease.

They're both right to be talking to the army. They are likely to be the ones who ultimately make the decision on this. But, everything right now indicates that at least, the generals are still with Maduro.

ALLEN: And you don't see any cracks there?

WINTER: I mean, there are probably cracks. But I noticed that Guaido said to the rank-and-file and his address on Sunday, he said -- you know, "Now is not the time to be scared." If I was in the Venezuelan military and I was contemplating some sort of move against Maduro, I would be terrified. And that's just the truth because Maduro's government has shown itself willing to commit any barbarity in order to stay in power.

Ranging from starving his own people, to completely losing control of an economy that will have 10 million percent inflation this year to torturing and imprisoning family members -- of members of the Armed Forces who they believe are a risk to them staying in power.

So, you know what we hear is that there are people within the Venezuelan Armed Forces who are horrified by the situation in Venezuela, who are sympathetic to Guaido, who are angry at Maduro. But who's going to be the first one among them to move, that's the question right now.

ALLEN: Right. So, you're indicating that the momentum for Guaido may be waning. Although, we hear that the two sides are talking. Is that a ploy by Maduro or could there be something constructive from this?

WINTER: Dialogue, any offer of dialogue from Maduro is just a cynical ploy. I mean, that's a guy who has been saying for five years or longer that he will negotiate, and he talks, and he goes to the table, and the Vatican's been involved, and Spanish officials have been involved. And it never leads anywhere because he has no intent of going anywhere.

One of the reasons Maduro doesn't want to go anywhere is because he knows that if he leaves power, he'll most likely end up either dead or in a jail cell in the United States. Because Venezuela is a country that not only exports oil, it exports tons of cocaine. It's a narco- state.

And so, you know, again what this points to in this -- in this current standoff is that Maduro and his -- you know, his gang of people around him have every incentive to try to hold onto power and none or very little, at least, to give it up peacefully.

[01:25:30] ALLEN: Right. Speaking of the United States, they have kept the heat on, they have asked other countries to join in with them. Does that matter at this point is the Trump administration and doing all that they can do? WINTER: Well, I think it matters some and I think that -- you know, I mean look, the events of the last week or so. I didn't see them coming, most people who follow Venezuela did not see them coming. The emergence of this fresh face, the resolute nature of the Trump administration. As well as -- you know, other governments like Canada, which is -- you know, hardly part of a -- you know, global right-wing conspiracy against Maduro.

And we'll see. I mean, they're still levers that they can try. I mean, there's talk in Washington about trying to take the -- essentially, the revenues that come from oil. So, Venezuelan oil sold to the United States and trying to get some of those revenues to Guaido instead of to Maduro.

That's the sort of thing that could -- you know, could move this along and be another chink in Maduro's armor. But we'll see. I mean, again, as long as Maduro has control of the Armed Forces, he is likely to stay in power.

ALLEN: And you got a feel for the Venezuelan people, they are still in the streets of fighting for their dignity and their rights. We appreciate it, Brian Winter, joining us. We appreciate your insights, Brian. Thank you.

WINTER: Thank you. CNN has an exclusive look at a Palestinian security raid in the West Bank. Why even some Israeli officials say U.S. support for these missions is crucial? That stories coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[01:30:28] CYRIL VANIER, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome back to the CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Cyril Vanier.

NATALIE ALLEN, CNN ANCHOR: I'm Natalie Allen.

Here are our top stories this hour.

VANIER: Venezuela's opposition leaders calling for new protests against President Nicolas Maduro next week. Juan Guaido also telling the "Washington Post" that the opposition is in secret talks with military and government officials to oust Mr. Maduro. Both leaders are fighting for the military's support.

ALLEN: At least 20 people are confirmed dead after Sunday's bombings at a Philippine cathedra. Dozens more are wounded. ISIS has claimed responsibility through its media wing. It didn't provide evidence and CNN has not independently verified its claim.

VANIER: Civil defense authorities in Brazil say the death toll from Friday's dam collapse has jumped now to 58. It warned the number will likely rise further. Rescue workers are searching for hundreds of missing people. Heavy rain complicated those efforts overnight and with each passing hour the chance of finding survivors shrinks.

Over the course of the last 12 months the White House has announced a series of funding cuts to Palestinians. The administration says it wants to pressure the Palestinian Authority to return to peace talks with Israel.

ALLEN: All that's left of U.S. funding is the money that goes to support the Palestinian Security Forces. Now a new U.S. anti-terror law is putting even those funds in jeopardy.

CNN's Ian Lee is on the West Bank.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

IAN LEE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Palestinian Security Forces locked and loaded for a raid in the West Bank city of Nablus.

(on camera): Intelligence just informed the police that a known drug dealer who will be heavily armed is on the move. This is a man they have wanted for quite some time.

(voice over): We arrive at an empty apartment building. The police form a perimeter, stack up, and move in. If the tactics appear straight out of an American playbook, that's because they are.

"The Americans play an important role in security issues, facilities and improving our skills," the major general tells me. "We can't play down their importance."

At this training base in Jericho, soldiers and police train for months, honing their skills from basic drills to shooting with an AK- 47.

Here elite units practice rescuing soldiers injured during an ambush and engaging the terrorists. What you're seeing is part of the more than $60 million a year the U.S. taxpayers have contributed toward Palestinian security.

Another winner of this partnership -- Israel. It's no secret the Palestinian Security Forces carry a large burden for the Israeli army.

BRIG. GEN. EFRAM SNEH, ISRAELI DEFENSE FORCES: If the Palestinian Authority will be obliged to act less our soldiers will have to act more. It will put on them a bigger burden of counterterrorist activity.

DAN SHAPIRO, FORMER U.S. AMBASSADOR TO ISRAEL: The security cooperation between the Israeli Security Forces and the Palestinian Authority's Security Forces has been exceptional, highly professional, highly effective, highly appreciated by both sites.

If we lose that, it could really be a blow to the stability -- relative stability that has prevailed in the West Bank for the last number of years.

LEE: Some Palestinians say that cooperation aids Israel's occupation. Palestinian officials say they are building the foundation of a future Palestinian state.

"Palestinian Security Services are part of the regional security system," the governor tells me. "We are playing a significant role in fighting drugs, extremism and money laundering."

One previously raid in Nablus shows what security forces contend with on a daily basis.

(on camera): This is what they recovered -- three-kilograms of various drugs. Over here we have an Israeli army automatic rifle as well as a pistol, four grenades, and finally 900 rounds of ammunition.

(voice over): This kind of fire power is common and would likely fill the vacuum in the absence of Palestinian security.

[01:39:59] Back on the raid, police navigate the stairwell. It's tense. But the forces move quickly to arrest the suspect and haul him away. The whole raid taking less than four minutes. That's good bang for the buck both Israeli and Palestinian officials will tell you.

Ian Lee, CNN -- in the West Bank.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

VANIER: The U.S. State Department tells CNN it is continuing to work through the potential impact of the new anti-terror law.

ALLEN: Yes. In a statement it says "In consultation with partners we have taken steps to wind down certain projects and programs in the West Bank and Gaza." The statement did not go into further detail.

Well, this weekend saw signs of progress from both sides in U.S. talks with the Taliban. The U.S. envoy Zalmay Khalilzad tweeted Saturday there has been significant headway on vital issues. The Taliban official echoed that statement but said more talks are needed.

A source tells CNN the two sides are discussing a ceasefire. Here is how people were reacting in Kabul on Sunday.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): It is very good news and I hope that they agree on a peace deal. We hope for lasting peace in the country so that our people can live in a peaceful situation.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): Everyone is tired of war and conflicts in this country. And we support any peace agreement between Afghans, Americans, and the Taliban for the prosperity of our country.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VANIER: U.N. Human rights experts are set to arrive in Turkey Monday to investigate the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. He was killed inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in October. U.S. intelligence has concluded that the Saudi Crown Prince directed that murder, however Saudi officials deny that.

ALLEN: After a weak of brutal cold in parts of the United States, it seems more extreme temperatures are on the way. Pedram joins us to tell us more about that coming up. VANIER: Plus actors saluting fellow actors as the Hollywood awards season picks up steam. Is this a preview of what's to come at the Oscars? Stay with us.

[01:37:04] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

VANIER: Ok. We've got some dangerous winter weather headed for the U.S. More than 50 million people in the Midwest and the South are facing heavy snowfall, freezing storms and blizzards. The National Weather Service says several states may see the coldest air in a generation. Forecasters warn that the cold could be life threatening even in some states.

ALLEN: Pedram joins us now to look closer at this. I can barely watch those people walk in Chicago. And we know it's going to get worse. Those are hardy people.

PEDRAM JAVAHERI, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Yes. You know, one of the meteorologists out there in Chicago, guys, a couple of year ago took Shy Town and gave it the nickname Shy-Beria because of the Siberian cold air.

I think it's going to be pretty appropriate here across portions of the Midwest the next couple of days -- incredible cold. And we're talking about not 20 below, not 30 below, not even 40 below. Winds chills will be as cold as 55 below zero across portions of the Midwest. In fact the ambient air temperature without the wind chills yesterday morning in International Falls, Minnesota was minus 46 degrees. You notice the wind chill right now at minus 25. So it's warmed up quite a bit.

But just multiple shots of cold air what we're expecting here the next couple of days. But we do have blizzard watches, blizzard and warnings in place across the eastern Dakotas, portions of the upper Midwest, winter storm warnings in place in advance of the storm system currently in place across this region that will bring in a quick shot of snow showers.

And temps just around the freezing mark by this afternoon around places like Chicago. By later on into Monday night eventually into Tuesday morning, temps drop to right around zero degrees and don't get above zero for quite some time.

In fact accumulations expected across not only portions of the north but even down around the south where we now have winter weather advisories in place across portions of the Gulf Coast states from Nashville, towards Atlanta -- snow a probability across some of these areas going into Tuesday morning. So certainly going to see some winter weather work its way even down towards parts of the South here going into Tuesday.

But really the impressive nature of this cold air among the coldest we have seen in quite some time, we get a shot that really sets up here come Wednesday and then reinforcing shot of colder air going in to Thursday. But as much as 20 possible records going in from Wednesday into Thursday morning across portions of the Midwest. And to kind of compare it to how it feels in say Alaska, here is the forecast. High temperature on Wednesday, which by the way would be the coldest afternoon temperature ever observed in Chicago about 40 degrees below average in the heart of winter in what is climatologically the coldest time of year. And notice in Fairbanks, Alaska the disparity there -- 16 degrees above zero Fahrenheit.

And again, when you talk about the last week of January, the first couple of weeks of February -- that is when you typically expect to see the coldest air of the season. So everything is in line with that. But, of course, this is unlike anything we have seen in recent memory. And coming down to minus 14, the last time and only two other times really in the past two decades, Chicago has failed to get above zero for an afternoon high has happened in the 1990s But the wind chill really going to be a big story here.

And certainly I would not be surprised if there is widespread school cancellations because of these dangerous temperatures. Minus 30 degrees easily in the forecast with the wind chill; Minus 50 even in the forecast.

Such temperatures checking your mail really anything as limited as say one, two, three minutes could really cause permanent damage to your skin, get above five minutes, it is threatening to, of course, to your life there because of how dangerous these temperatures are going to be for an extended period.

And here is how the forecast shapes up in Chicago. Going in from 33 down to struggling anywhere near even zero, minus 20 to minus 14 for an afternoon high on Wednesday. But you notice more normality back in to the forecast there which is about seasonal which is about freezing there going in towards the weekend at least. So short-lived but going to be a brutal one here in the middle of the week.

ALLEN: Sure is. That 35 will feel balmy to them.

(CROSSTALKING)

JAVAHERI: Well, absolutely. Yes.

ALLEN: All right. Pedram -- thanks for being on it.

JAVAHERI: Thank you.

ALLEN: See you later.

VANIER: The cast of "Black Panther" was rewarded with a big prize in Hollywood on Sunday.

ALLEN: It was the top honor from actors as they recognize their peers at the Screen Actors Guild awards in Los Angeles. Chadwick Boseman spoke for the cast.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) CHADWICK BOSEMAN, ACTOR: We all know what it's like to be told that there is not a place for you to be featured yet you are young, gifted and black. We knew not that we would be around during award season and that it would make a billion dollars, but we knew that we had something special.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ALLEN: Joining us is one of our favorite guests, and the pertinent and important question --

(CROSSTALKING)

VANIER: Pertinent -- high praise. High praise.

ALLEN: Sandro Monetti -- look at him -- editor-in-chief, "Hollywood International Filmmaker Magazine". Sandro -- hello.

SANDRO MONETTI, EDITOR IN CHIEF, "HOLLYWOOD INTERNATIONAL FILMMAKER MAGAZINE": Wakanda forever.

ALLEN: Exactly. Keep going.

[01:45:00] VANIER: We want to talk about "Black Panther". Let's start there.

MONETTI: In this award season of surprises, we have learned to expect the unexpected. And "Black Panther" has been in the conversation but has never won one of the big awards. Now it has.

And as the Oscars approach on February 24th, could "Black Panther" actually take Best Picture? It is the first Marvel film nominated for that. It has all the momentum now with this win.

And you know, I was thinking, you know, whatever wins, in a few years' time, the only 2018 movie anyone is going to remember is "Black Panther". It's changed the industry in many ways. Could the Oscars be a coronation for this film? Well, the table has been set by the SAGs.

ALLEN: Yes. I want to ask you also two repeat winners already this season, Rami Malik for "Bohemian Rhapsody", Glenn Close for "The Wife". Are they locked in for an Oscar?

MONETTI: Nothing is locked in in this crazy unpredictable award season. But there is close to a favorite as you can get. Christian Bale for "Vice" and Rami Malik have been fighting it out for the Best Actor prizes and now Rami Malik for "Bohemian Rhapsody" has the edge.

And the same too with Glenn Close over Olivia Colman who I expect will probably win the BAFTA for "The Favourite". Glenn Close never won the Oscar, beloved at the SAGs and she wins.

And let me tell you why they are likely to win the Oscars. It's because more than any other awards show, the SAGs have a huge influence on the Academy Awards. They are voted for by actors and actors make up by far the largest voting bloc at the Academy.

So history shows us that if you win a SAG, chances are very likely you're going to win an Oscar. So for Rami Malik and for Glenn Close it's looking good.

VANIER: What about -- were there any snubs, any actors or movies that you thought were forgotten or unfairly treated?

MONETTI: Oh, are you telling me. "A Star is Born" -- four nominations, no wins.

ALLEN: Bradley Cooper is just sitting there. What a waste.

VANIER: Natalie is disappointed.

MONETTI: What a waste. What a miscarriage of justice. I was thinking months ago "A Star is Born" would get 15 Oscar nominations. It would sweep the board and it seems to have lost all the momentum.

"The Favourite", that's 10 Oscar nominations -- that was shutout here. "Black Klansman" as well -- everyone is getting their turn. No one could agree on what the Best Picture is. And to a large extend what the best performances are.

And I love it. As someone who covers Hollywood it makes the awards race interesting for once. No one likes a predictable ceremony.

ALLEN: Absolutely. Absolutely. What about "Green Book". We saw Mahershala Ali again take the stage.

MONETTI: Oh yes. Now he's won three SAG awards now in the course of his career. And, yes, he seems probably the hottest favorite I think of all in -- now I think "Green Book" will probably win Best Picture at the Oscars. That's the buzz I am hearing, but who knows, really. It wasn't even nominated for Best Ensemble at the SAGs.

And talking of people not being nominated -- Emily Blunt won Best Supporting Actress tonight for "A Quiet Place". She won't be repeating it at the Oscars because she's not nominated.

Like I say, no one can agree on best performances this year.

VANIER: Miscarriage of cinema justice. I love it. Ok, maybe just give us your personal favorites.

MONETTI: Well, I would say, you know, being a Brit, "The Favourite", you know, all that set up of royalty is great but I actually think it's been a fantastic year for movies. We talk a lot about how all the best scripts are in television now. But I think the fact that no one can agree on which is the best movie -- there was a real good quality of crop of film this year.

And, yes, just go and see all of them if you possibly can because everything nominated is really, really good.

ALLEN: That's a good -- VANIER: That's called not committing. That's called not committing.

He's waiting for the Oscars, that's why. He doesn't want to get it wrong before the Oscars.

ALLEN: Sandro Monetti.

MONETTI: Wakanda.

ALLEN: Thank you so much. Always good to see you.

VANIER: If you are a parent of very young children, you probably know this song. And you probably desperately wish you could escape it.

(MUSIC)

ALLEN: But you can't.

Next here -- how "Baby Shark" is taking over the world.

(MUSIC)

[01:49:42] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

JAVAHERI: For the week just under way across North America, I'm meteorologist Pedram Javaheri with you for CNN Weather Watch.

And tell you what, this could be one of the coldest weeks on record across portions of the upper Midwestern United States and that is saying a lot. We're talking about the coldest time of the year climatologically speaking and, of course, we are talking about the Midwestern United States which is plenty cold in the coldest time of year but it could even get colder than what they are used to.

And here we go. Blizzard threats in place. Winter storm watches, winter weather advisories all in place across portions of the Great Lakes in the upper Midwest. But that's just associated with the quick moving systems here that bring in, not only with it very cold air. In fact 43 degrees below zero, the low temperature and the ice box of the United States on Sunday. That was International Falls -- that was a record.

But toward the South the cold air also going to be prevalent and winter weather advisories and winter storm watches beginning to pop up across the region well.

One system departing next one coming in Monday night into Tuesday to set the stage here for some major travel disruptions across portions of the Tennessee Valley and certainly even into portions of the Gulf Coast states and the southern states as well.

But notice snow showers to the north, big-time chill to the north as well. High temperatures have only won easily the warmest weather we'll see in quite sometimes here as the arctic air drops in highs as cold as 20 below for afternoon highs going into the middle of the week. And all of that eventually makes its way towards the northeastern United States. (MUSIC)

VANIER: All right. A little tune there from South Korea, which is already well known for its pop culture exports -- K-pop, K-dramas, K- beauty -- it's not called that but it should be. Korean beauty products popular around the globe.

ALLEN: But this time it is a children's songs recorded by a Korean company that's dominating the music charts, YouTube and the entire world really. You just heard a sample and love it or hate it "Baby Shark" is here to stay.

Paula Hancocks explains.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): If you have young children this probably isn't the first time you are hearing this song.

(MUSIC)

HANCOCKS: "Baby Shark" -- the latest musical phenomenon to come out of South Korea and one of the few children's songs to hit the top 40 on both the U.S. and U.K.

(MUSIC)

HANCOCKS: with more than 2.2 billion views on YouTube so far, this song is insanely popular.

SmartStudy, the company behind the mania, says it has since created 100 different versions of the song in 11 languages, "Baby Shark" has conquered the globe.

No one really knows where it started. A hook song that was always around, I am told. This version was created in 2015.

[01:55:01] I asked the man behind the latest craze if he knew it was gold when he first made it.

RYAN LEE, CFO/CO-FOUNDER, SMARTSTUDY: At that time I think, oh it's good, quite good. But we -- almost no one ever expected it make such a huge boom all over the world.

HANCOCKS: Helping the craze the countless parodies popping up online.

(MUSIC),

HANCOCKS: This R&B version by singer Desmond Dennis.

A dance version by remix producer Frenz Vargas (ph), and deviating slightly from the original, a heavy metal version by Norwegian musician Leo Moracchioli.

It has sparked live shows in Singapore and Malaysia, this one in Seoul is now in its fourth season. So what is it about a family of sharks trying to eat two small children that small children love so much?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I like it because it's cute?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Who's the cutest.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Baby. I like blue Baby Shark the best.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: How was it to listen to the song.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hold on. Put it down here.

HANCOCKS: You know it's big when U.S. talk show host Ellen DeGeneres does her own version of "Baby Shark" or when James Corden sings his interpretation on "The Late, Late Show".

No one really knows why this is one of the most watched videos in YouTube history. What we do know is you'll probably be humming it for the rest of the day.

Paula Hancocks, CNN -- Seoul.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ALLEN: We will be.

VANIER: You can't help it.

ALLEN: Adorable.

Thanks for watching CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Natalie Allen.

VANIER: The news continues next with George Howell.

Stay tuned. Have a great day.

[01:56:51] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)