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Bahraini Footballer and Refugee Fights Extradition; Pope Francis Arrives in UAE on Historic Trip; Record Setting Rain in Australia; What People Eat Could Save Themselves and Earth; Trump Weighs in on Football. Aired 1-2a ET

Aired February 4, 2019 - 01:00   ET

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


[01:00:15] CYRIL VANIER, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: Rejecting the ultimatum, Venezuela's Maduro says no to the E.U.'s call for early elections.

NATALIE ALLEN, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: A Bahraini refugee football player at the center of an extradition battle in Thailand, we speak with Australia's former captain who's campaigning for FIFA to step in.

VANIER: And it's the biggest sporting event of the year in the U.S., the New England Patriots are this year's Super Bowl champions for the sixth time.

Thank you so much for joining us. I'm Cyril Vanier.

ALLEN: I'm Natalie Allen. We're coming to you live from the Super Bowl City in Atlanta. CNN NEWSROOM starts right now.

Our top story, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has a message for the international community, his government does not accept ultimatums.

VANIER: In an interview with Spanish channel, laSexta, he rejected demands to call early Presidential elections. Some European nations have threatened to support the opposition if he didn't do so by Sunday. Well, ours before the deadline, Maduro said he wouldn't give in to pressure.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NICOLAS MADURO, PRESIDENT OF VENEZUELA (through translator): We don't accept ultimatums from anyone. It's like if I told the European Union, I give you seven days to recognize the Republic of Catalonia, and if you don't, we are going to take measures. No, international politics can't be based on ultimatums.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ALLEN: Mr. Maduro also had a message for Donald Trump who has called for the Venezuelan leader's ouster. He said the U.S. President risk making mistakes that could, quote, stain his hands with blood. Earlier, Mr. Trump told CBS News that sending troops to Venezuela is still an option. VANIER: The international pressure is mounting for Mr. Maduro to step aside yet he continues to defend his legitimacy. Meantime, his rival has announced plans to bring in humanitarian aid from abroad. We get more from correspondent Stefano Pozzebon in Caracas.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

STEFANO POZZEBON, JOURNALIST: Yes, increasing pressure on Nicolas Maduro's shoulders not only by those remarkable comments by U.S. President Donald Trump, but also by other European countries, many European countries such as Spain, France, Germany, and the U.K. all coming on Juan Guaido's side, demanding fresh, free, and fair elections as soon as possible. But at the same time, Nicolas Maduro isn't giving no sign that he's bulking against that pressure that he's given an inch to his opponents' demands.

For a fourth time in 10 days on Sunday, Maduro was seen rallying his troops surrounded by military officials and denouncing a plot to -- for a coup attempt against his rule, and really portraying himself as a leader who's not ready to leave without a fight. On the other side, Juan Guaido, again, detailing on Sunday the logistics of the humanitarian aid plan that is meant to bring an end to the deep economic and humanitarian crisis here in Caracas saying that the opposition, the Venezuelan opposition will gather humanitarian aid from abroad in three different points around the Venezuelan border.

One is Cucuta, the other is in Brazil, and one on an unspecified Caribbean Island, and that it will demand to the armed forces that the aid will be let into the country. But, again, increasing pressure both aboard and here at home in Caracas. And the end of this dramatic power tussle is still nowhere to be seen. For CNN, this is Stefano Pozzebon, Caracas.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ALLEN: Well, President Trump says he wants to keep U.S. troops in Iraq to keep an eye on Iran.

VANIER: He made his comments in an interview with CBS Sunday where he added that he's not convinced Iran is abiding by the 2015 nuclear deal despite what his intelligence chiefs say.

ALLEN: They just said that this past week, but Mr. Trump also acknowledge that pulling U.S. troops from Syria may cause a power vacuum there. However, he says if ISIS makes a comeback, so will the U.S.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We are going to get out of these endless wars and bring our folks back home. Now, that doesn't mean we're not going to be watching with intelligence, we're going to be watching and watching closely. North Korea --

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Isn't that harder when you don't have troops on the ground? TRUMP: Well, everything is harder. But, you know, you pay a big price for troops on the ground. We're spending hundreds of billions of dollars on military. We're the policemen of the world, and we don't have to be.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Because the concern here by your intelligence chiefs though is that, you could, in that vacuum, see a resurgence of ISIS.

TRUMP: Sure. And you know what we'll do?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: See a resurgence of terror groups like Al Qaeda.

TRUMP: Well, come back if we have to. We have very fast airplanes, we have very good cargo planes. We can come back very quickly.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[01:05:01] ALLEN: All of this comes as President Trump gears up for Tuesday's State of the Union Address. The theme? Choosing Greatness.

VANIER: Mr. Trump is expected to address a variety of issues facing the U.S. including the situation at the southern U.S. border, a situation the President may decide to declare a national emergency. Boris Sanchez has the details.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: On Sunday afternoon, the Pentagon confirmed something CNN had previously reported out last week. Sources at the Pentagon telling CNN that the White House was prepared to deploy some 3500 troops to the U.S. border with Mexico to help Customs and Border Protection agents that were stationed there. The Pentagon on Sunday made the official number closer to 3,750. That would lead to a total of some 4300 U.S. troops on the border with Mexico.

Democrats have said that the move is essentially a propaganda move by the President, using American troops as tools to sell his message of border security. It does lead to more questions about what else President Trump might do to bypass Congress and install his vision of border security along the U.S. border with Mexico. The President has been frustrated by negotiations with Democrats. During an interview with CBS over the weekend, he has effectively said that negotiating with Democrats was a waste of time. And he called out House Speaker Nancy Pelosi saying that she was bad for the country. Listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: Well, I think that she was very rigid, which I would expect, but I think she is very bad for our country. She knows that you need a barrier, she knows that we need border security, she wanted to win a political point. I happen to think it's very bad politics because basically she wants open borders. She doesn't mind human trafficking or she wouldn't do this because, you know, the traffickers --

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: She offered you over a billion dollars for border security.

TRUMP: Excuse me?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: She offered you over a billion dollars for border security. She doesn't want the wall.

TRUMP: She's costing the country hundreds of billions of dollars because what's happening is when you have a porous border and when you have drugs pouring in, and when you have people dying all over the country because of people like Nancy Pelosi who don't want to give proper border security for political reasons. She's doing a terrible disservice to our country.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANCHEZ: A spokesperson for the House Speaker shot back at President Trump, saying that he was reckless during the first government shutdown, and suggesting that he had been dishonest in misrepresenting, mischaracterizing where Democrats stand on the issue of border security and immigration. We should point out, CNN did see a preview of what the President would be saying Tuesday night during his State of the Union Address, there was no indication that he would be declaring a national emergency during his speech. Instead, a White House official suggested that the President would try to have some unifying words for the country, using the occasion to provide a path forward for the nation following that record-breaking device of government shutdown. Boris Sanchez, CNN, traveling with the President in West Palm Beach, Florida.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

VANIER: Joining us is CNN Political Commentator and Republican strategist Alice Stewart. Alice, are you hearing anything from your sources about what the President might or might not say at the State of the Union?

ALICE STEWART, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Well, sure, Cyril. This is a great opportunity for the President, really, to make his case directly again to the American people about the success of this administration to date. And I expect him to talk about the economy and the economy is doing well. The unemployment rate is at a strong level. And he can remind folks of some of the key reasons he was nominated for President, and that number one is for many people, including myself, the Supreme Court nominees, that he's been able to get through. Reducing federal government regulations, but more than anything, what he really wants to do is take this time to reinforce his commitment to securing the border and how national security is so important. And as we are going through potential --

(CROSSTALK)

VARNIER: -- specifically about that?

STEWART: A potential -- we're running up on the potential for another possible government shutdown. You know, we have the deadline for House and Senate members to make another deal February 15th. And if they're not able to, the President has indicated that he's not afraid to -- if need be, take some type of emergency action potentially declare a national security issue along the border. And go the extraordinary measures and redirect funds in order to build this wall and secure the border. So, this is the time for him to make that case and stress what he sees as a crisis along our nation's border and convince Americans and certainly members of the House and Senate that the time to act is now on securing our border.

VANIER: So, Alice, to be clear, on the possibility of declaring a national emergency, are you hearing that he's leaning toward that or not?

STEWART: He has said that's still an option. It's on the table. Everything is on the table when it comes to this area. And he is no doubt frustrated with the fact that Republicans and Democrats have not come together and united behind what he saw as a good faith effort to try and secure the border when he pitched his proposal to allocate $5.7 billion for the wall --

[01:10:09] VANIER: OK, but let me -- let me stop you there for a second. You say he's frustrated. There are negotiations going on right now. Bipartisan negotiations, Democrats talking to Republicans in Congress, they say they could actually find a deal, but they just don't know that they can find a deal that got the -- I beg your pardon -- the President would approve. He's been saying that's a waste of time. Are those negotiations irrelevant?

STEWART: If they don't come together and find an agreement that provides some funding for the wall, it appears they will be irrelevant. He's been very clear that he wants money for a wall. And nancy pelosi and the Democrats have been quite clear they do not. But, look, we can all agree Republicans and Democrats, House and Senate members agree that national security is an important issue. We have 70 percent of Americans want to provide some type of protections for DREAMers and certainly TPS as well, and that's part of the deal. So, in order for them to get that, which is something that their constituents would want, they need to be able to be a little bit more flexible with regard to what they need to give up in exchange for these important protections. So, I think -- I think a lot is on the table, for sure.

VANIER: So, I want to -- I want to play something for you. There's something -- an interview that my colleague, Jake Tapper, did earlier on CNN that really caught my attention. He spoke to one of the Republicans on this committee. Republican Senator Richard Shelby, and he says that the committee will be calling in the experts, border experts to find out what they really need. Listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. RICHARD SHELBY (R), ALABAMA: We've asked the professionals, the people who do the work that know something about the border, know what they need. Do they need a wall, they need a fence, they need more technology, do they need it all? We're going to find out what they want. I think it's not what I need, or what the Speaker needs, or even the President needs, it's what we need to secure our borders. (END VIDEO CLIP)

VANIER: Honestly, it's stunning to me that this is where we are. The government was shut down for almost five weeks. It could be shut down again in two weeks. And now they say they're going to talk to the experts. It seems like that's the first thing you do before you set border policy.

STEWART: Well, certainly. And I agree 100 percent with you and with the senator, this is something these conversations should have been had with -- in my view, the President was running for President and making these campaign promises. Look, I voted for this President, but I never thought that Mexico was going to pay for this wall. And that being off the table, then he needed to be a lot more willing to negotiate with members of Congress in order to make that happen. Senator Shelby agrees with many other people, Congressman Will Herd who has 800 miles along our southern border agrees we don't need a wall from sea to shining sea.

We need boots on the ground, we need drones in the air, we need technology. I think these are important components. We have heard the President be a little bit more willing to negotiate on some of these areas, but he is really hell bent on some type of wall in some areas along our border. I think if we can come to an agreement on a partial wall in order to satisfy this President, and also the other aspects, we need drug detection equipment along the southern border as well. We also need additional judges to help adjudicate folks coming in to this country. So, there's a lot more than just bricks and mortar along the southern border, we also need humanitarian assistance and other ways to secure the border to make it happen.

VANIER: Alice, yes, I mean, you're making it sound like the devil is in the details, which it absolutely is and often is for policy, but this just isn't a very detail-oriented President. We'll have to leave it at that for this week. Alice, always a pleasure speaking to you, thank you so much.

STEWART: Bye, Cyril. Thank you.

ALLEN: And we'll talk more about the President's State of the Union in our next hour with the guest as well.

VANIER: Absolutely. We want to talk to you about sports now. Of course, the New England Patriots, who else are this year's Super Bowl Champions. Everybody is doing that. Having beaten the L.A. Rams 13-3 a short time ago, right here in Atlanta. It is the sixth championship for the team and Patriots' quarterback Tom Brady.

ALLEN: CNN's Andy Scholes joins us live from outside Mercedes-Benz Stadium where all the action was or should we say no so much action as some people might have wanted to see, Andy.

ANDY SCHOLES, CNN SPORTS ANCHOR: Yes, as you know, if you're a fan of seeing offense out there on the field, then this was definitely not the Super Bowl for you. You know, fans on social media were joking, calling this the Boredom Bowl, the Snooze Bowl, or just the Punt Bowl because neither team could get any offense going. It was just punt after punt after punt. And it's rather ironic because we just saw the second-highest scoring season in NFL history. And then we get the lowest scoring Super Bowl in NFL history.

I mean, the game was tied 3-3 all the way into the fourth quarter when we finally got an exciting play, Tom Brady finding his top target Rob Gronkowski inside the five-yard line. One of the only times either team was in the red zone this entire game. The Patriots running guy Sony Michel punches it in for the first touchdown of the game. We didn't see that until there was seven minutes left to go, Patriots take a 10-3 lead.

The Rams had a great chance to tie this one up to Jared Goff Brandin Cooks and he can't haul it in. And that would be a huge play in this game because moments later, Goff intercepted by Stephon Gilmore. And that seal the deal for the Patriots. They win 13-3.

Julian Edelman, the game's MVP, he had 10 catches for 141 yards. Shares a big embrace with Tom Brady after the game. And Brady, a champion now for the 6th time, and our own Hines Ward spoke to him on the field right afterwards.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

[01:15:50] HINES WARD, CNN SPORTS CONTRIBUTOR: What does it mean to win a six, man? You're the greatest of all time --

(CROSSTALK)

TOM BRADY, QUARTERBACK, NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS: You know, I don't believe that. I don't believe that. I don't think about that. I just think I play with so many great guys on so many great teams, and I still get to do it. 41 years old, playing a sport I grew up loving. And proud of my team tonight.

WARD: What about Jewels man?

BRADY: He was like a little Hines Ward tonight, wasn't he?

WARD: He bald up, man.

BRADY: Yes, he played his butt off and I knew he was going to play his butt off. He was so focused and we needed him big-time and he came through.

WARD: Congrats, my bro.

BRADY: Thanks, babe. Appreciate it.

WARD: What is it about the Super Bowl that you just keep making plays man like I get so kicked up when I see you run arouse and make it play out to play, out to play for Tom Brady?

JULIAN EDELMAN, WIDE RECEIVER AND PUNT RETURNER, NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS: I don't know. I just try to go out and have a good week of practice. And you know, try to make the play with my numbers called. WARD: MVP of the Super Bowl. What does that mean?

EDELMAN: It's pretty crazy.

WARD: It's surreal?

EDELMAN: It's pretty surreal. I'm so -- you know --

WARD: You're not going to sleep tonight. I guarantee you that.

EDELMAN: I don't know yet. I just want to say, hello to my little baby girl, Lily. I love you. I miss you and I can't wait to see you.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SCHOLES: Now this outcome was so surprising because Los Angeles Rams were one of the highest scoring teams in the NFL this season. And this was the first time ever that they had been held without a touchdown under head coach Sean McVay. It's only the second time in Super Bowl history, a team went the entire game without a touchdown.

And you know McVay is 33 years old. Youngest coach to ever lead a team to the Super Bowl and he took all the blame for this loss after the game.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEAN MCVAY, HEAD COACH, LOS ANGELES RAMS: Definitely, I got outcoached and I didn't do nearly good enough for a football team. I'm still kind of numb right now. But, I have so much love for these players and these coaches. And that's where -- you know, it really -- you know it eats at you because you feel like you didn't do your part to help them -- you know, achieve success.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCHOLES: Just 33 years old. Good chance. Sean McVay will be back in the Super Bowl one day. One guy that might not be back in the Super Bowl though, is Patriots tied in Rob Gronkowski. And the rumors swirling all week that this may be his final game and I watched him walk off the field for what I think is the last time. He was blowing kisses, waving to everyone goodbye.

And our own Coy Wire caught up with him on the field after the game and it sure seems like this is going to be it for Gronk.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

COY WIRE, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: How does it feel as it goes by?

ROB GRONKOWSKI, TIGHT END, NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS: Unreal man, this is surreal.

WIRE: Your third time.

GRONKOWSKI: Once again, third time. This is crazy, man. Crazy. Just the hard work we put in this year was just paid off for sure.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCHOLES: Yes, and Gronk was asked, is he going to retire, by all the media after the game, guys. And he said, "Well, yes, maybe, I don't know. I'm going to give it a week or two before making the final announcement." But like I said I saw him walk off the field. He was given the waves, he was blowing kisses, it sure seemed like that was his swan song. And this is going to be it for him.

VANIER: Yes, look, but -- you know, winning, winning though, that makes you rethink things, right? That makes you reassess things.

ALLEN: Doesn't it?

(CROSSTALK)

SCHOLES: Or you can leave a champion, yes.

VANIER: And the crazy thing, any about this Super Bowl, everybody was saying the Patriots were running out of steam.

SCHOLES: That's right. You know like week 13, 14 of the season, they weren't -- they were maybe not even getting going to buy. They were going to be a three or four seed, and then, something just clicked. Then, once they got that buy and then it came to playoff time -- when it's playoff time, there's no one better than Brady and Belichick to do it, you know. And it's been unbelievable to watch them do it for so long.

Brady, 41 years old, oldest quarterback to ever win a Super Bowl. Belichick, 66, he's the oldest coach now to everyone to Super Bowl. And you know what guys, who knows how much longer they're going to be able to keep this up. You know at this point, you just can't doubt them because like you said, we were all doing it late in the season and look what we're saying now.

[01:19:36] ALLEN: He's amazing. And Tom Brady remains just a humble, humble man about all of it. Pretty impressive. All right, Andy Scholes, we appreciate it. Thanks so much Andy.

Well, Virginia's governor is rapidly losing support even from his own administration that midst to that major controversy over a racist photo. More about it ahead here. Also, new details in the search for football star, Emiliano Sala, two weeks after his plane went missing. His family and fans may be closer to finding closure.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PATRICK SNELL, CNN INTERNATIONAL SPORTS ANCHOR: Hi there, I'm Patrick Snell with your CNN "WORLD SPORT HEADLINES" as the New England Patriots celebrate a record-equaling six Super Bowl on Sunday night in Atlanta after sealing a hard-fought victory over the L.A. Rams by 13 points to three.

The low-scoring game featuring just one touchdown, and it came with just over seven minutes left in the fourth quarter after legendary New England quarterback Tom Brady had thrown an outstanding pass to Rob Gronkowski, setting up 23 or rookies. Sony Michel to go over from a couple of yards out, Brady, now the only man ever to win six Super Bowls.

Now over to England for a different kind of football has left the city played host to Manchester United on Sunday. And how about new head coach, Ole Gonnar Solskjaer of the United. Just the one goal in this one, Marcus Rashford, scoring nine minutes in with Solskjaer at the helm. The Red Devils have now won nine and drawn once. As a result, they're just two points behind, fourth place, Chelsea.

And we can now report that the plane carrying the missing Argentine football Emiliano Sala and pilot Dave Ibbotson has been found. It's been reported that a search boat located the wreckage on the seabed of the English Channel on Sunday. Following a search led by a marine explorer on behalf of the Sala family.

Now teams from the Air Accidents Investigation Branch have moved into the location to recover the aircraft. That is a look at your "WORLD SPORT HEADLINES". I'm Patrick Snell.

VANIER: Search teams have found the wreckage of the plane that was carrying Argentine football star, Emiliano Sala.

ALLEN: He and the plane's pilot were flying over the English Channel on their way to Wales when the aircraft dropped out of sight. For the latest, here's Patrick Snell.

SNELL: Well, it was two weeks ago on Monday that the plane carrying Argentine football Emiliano Sala and pilot Dave Ibbotson disappeared from radar as it flew from Western France to the Welsh capital city, Cardiff.

The 28-year-old South American who just become the English Premier League clubs record signing was returning to Cardiff after saying his goodbyes to his former F.C. Nantes teammates.

Now, on Sunday, authorities in the U.K. confirming wreckage has now been found on the first day of a privately funded search of the Island of Guernsey, carried out on behalf of the Sala family. It followed pleas from high-profile stars from the world of football including Argentine greats, Lionel Messi and Diego Maradona to resume the search after the initial one had been called off after three days. Among those helping to finance it through a crowdfunding campaign, French World Cup winning star Kylian Mbappe.

It comes after a highly emotional weekend in Cardiff, which saw the Welsh Club and its players pay a poignant tribute to Sala at its first home match since his disappearance. As manager Neil Warnock, who'd signed the striker from Nantes, visible fought back tears. It's expected more details on the recovery operation that be released later on Monday. Patrick Snell, CNN.

[01:25:30] VANIER: And a Grammy-nominated rapper has been taken into custody herein Atlanta by U.S. immigration officials. They say that 21 Savage, whose real name is Shayaa Bin Abraham-Joseph, is a U.K. national who came to the U.S. in 2005. But then, overstayed his visa.

ALLEN: He was also convicted on felony drug charges in 2014. His attorney says efforts are underway to get him out of the tension and clear up any misunderstandings. He is nominated for record of the year and best rap performance at next week's Grammy Awards.

Virginia's Democratic governor bombarded by calls to resign is losing support from his own team. On Sunday, Ralph Northam held a meeting with top administration officials of color. Sources say none of them told him to stay in office and fight.

VANIER: Northarn is facing pressure from Democrats nationwide after this racist photo in his medical school yearbook went public. Jessica Dean has more details.

JESSICA DEAN, CNN WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT: New reporting here in Richmond, Virginia were a source with direct knowledge of the governor's thinking on all of this is telling CNN that as of right now, the governor's thinking has not changed that Governor Northam has no plans to resign.

In fact, that press conference was scheduled -- that was scheduled and held over the weekend was there as a platform for the governor to explain the photo, and that it was supposed to be a forum for people to begin to understand the governor.

And hopefully, the governor was thinking that it would give him time to kind of think through what his next steps might be. We're told the governor is evaluating things minute by minute, day by day, but right now, the only reason that the governor would resign as if he was not able to govern effectively. And currently, he doesn't believe that is the case.

Now, the legislature is scheduled to meet on Monday here in Richmond. And it will be interesting to see if anyone brings this up right now. No talk from anyone officially publicly about any sort of removal from office. But again, we'll see what the days bring. In Richmond, Jessica Dean, CNN.

VANIER: The football hero in Australia jailed in Thailand and wanted in Bahrain.

ALLEN: We speak with the former Australia captain about efforts to free Hakim al-Araibi, coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[01:31:13] VANIER: All right. Welcome back to the CNN newsroom. I'm Cyril Vanier.

ALLEN: I'm Natalie Allen.

Here are our top stories.

VANIER: Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro is ignoring demands for early presidential elections. Several E.U. nations had threatened to support the opposition if he failed to call the elections by Sunday. Mr. Maduro also told Spanish Channel La Sexta (ph) that U.S. President Trump risks staining his hands with blood for trying to force Maduro out.

VANIER: Search teams have found the wreckage of the plane that was carrying Argentine football star Emiliano Sala. U.K. Aviation investigators confirm that a privately funded marine search team located the plane in the English Channel. Sala and the plane's pilot went missing nearly two weeks ago.

ALLEN: U.S. President Trump tells CBS News even though he wants troops out Iraq he's going to keep some there to keep an eye on Iran. Mr. Trump also says a troop withdrawal from Syria may cause a power vacuum but the U.S. military can respond and return if necessary.

VANIER: The New England Patriots are Super Bowl champions yet again. They beat the Los Angeles Rams 13-3 in what was a defensive showdown right here in at Atlanta. It's the sixth Super Bowl win for the Patriots and for their quarterback Tom Brady. The game's only touchdown came in the fourth quarter.

ALLEN: Some folks called it a snoozer. But hey, it's the Super Bowl.

VANIER: A win is a win is a win.

ALLEN: A win is a win.

All right. The fate of a refugee from Bahrain, and he's a footballer, rests in the hands of authorities in Thailand. Hakeem al-Araibi appeared at a Bangkok court hours ago. He will remain in jail for 60 more days as he prepares to fight an extradition back to Bahrain.

He has refugee status in Australia and plays for a Melbourne club. He is also a critic of the Bahraini government and says he was tortured in his homeland. He was arrested at a Bangkok airport in November while on his honeymoon. Bahrain alleges he helped protesters vandalize a police station and it wants him back.

Let's talk more about this story. Joining us now is Craig Foster, live in Bangkok. He's a former captain for the Australian National Football team and he's part of a campaign calling for al-Araibi's release. Craig -- thanks so much for being with us.

So what do you make of these allegations from Bahrain and their push to try to bring him back in?

CRAIG FOSTER, FORMER AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL FOOTBALL TEAM CAPTAIN: It's horrific. Horrific according to international law and it's even more horrific according to the values, principles and the regulations of the sport.

So Bahrain has very strong positions of officialdom and governance within FIFA. One of the members of the royal family and it was particularly the royals as well not just the government that Hakeem was involved in a pro-democracy demonstration back in '11, '12. But then in 2016, he was very critical of Sheik Salman, a member who was the AFC president running for the FIFA presidency at that time.

This is why we feel that this is nothing more than a politically motivated case and it's a retributive from Bahrain. So the case itself is -- he's simply a political prisoner. It shouldn't be going on.

There was an Interpol red notice placed on him by Bahrain contrary to the regulations of Interpol itself because Bahrain is a country from which he fled persecution and torture as you previously said. And he was granted asylum by Australia.

He came here and he was detained and then the red notice was lifted. Nevertheless it's clear that Thailand were already colluding with Bahrain and what this relationship is between them we are not entirely clear. But it's certainly much stronger than international legal norms that the Thai government has said they will abide by.

They haven't today. He's a torture survivor and under the convention against torture that was acceded to by the Thai in (INAUDIBLE) they should simply return him home. Nevertheless they have expedited into their court system and at least today Natalie -- Hakeem's local lawyer has been given another 60 days to prepare the case.

We hope it doesn't get there. I'm not to let it get to that 60 days. This is already in excess of two months of improper incarceration of a torture survivor, Natalie. And we just think that it's an absolutely horrific example of Bahrain's tentacles reaching around the world and saying anyone who is critical of us, we can use acquiescent third party countries to make sure that we can get you back to punish you.

ALLEN: All right. So he does have a lawyer. And you've got a campaign to try to free him. What kind of pressure are you putting on? What should international football's role also be in this case?

FOSTER: Yes -- good questions.

So football hasn't stepped early or well enough. And one of the reasons is because of the deep political motivations and ties here are overriding this case and certainly Hakeem's hopes at freedom. So the AFC president is a member of this royal family of Bahrain, who are working with the government to have him refiled as a refugee.

So clearly the support of the Asian Football Confederation was never going to be what it should. We have asked for him to stand down immediately and we continue to do that. He subsequently recused himself but that's ridiculous. It's nowhere near enough.

FIFA last week after coming here for a week and speaking to the Australian ambassador designate and other embassies. The case became of such concern to us that we rushed last week to FIFA to see Fatma Samoura, the Secretary General and appraised her in confidence of some of the key aspects of the case which are really worrying.

And that led to Fatma escalating FIFA's explanation of the case to emergency status and they wanted to see some progress last week. We haven't seen it. I think probably FIFA are even surprised. The Thai Prime Minister has not responded to Fatma Samoura. He has not responded to a letter from the Australian prime minister and continues to take this path that Bahrain are leading him down.

So we are asking for people to support this campaign, and we are going to really urge and impress very strongly on FIFA now that we believe sporting sanctions are necessary.

If a refugee or any other type of player is not safe and Thailand or Bahrain cannot guarantee their safety transiting through this country to play football games then clearly they shouldn't be able to host either tournaments or matches. And we expect to see that in the very near term.

ALLEN: Well, I can tell that you are optimistic. And we hope this has an ending that you are looking for.

We appreciate your passion. You're certainly immersed in the story. And we thank you -- Craig Foster. We'll talk with you again if there are developments. Thank you -- Craig.

FOSTER: Thank you -- Natalie. Ok.

ALLEN: Pope Francis is making history in the U.A.E. He arrived on Sunday, becoming the first Roman Catholic pope to ever visit the Arabian Peninsula.

VANIER: The region is the birthplace of Islam but it's also home to millions of Christians.

CNN's Becky Anderson has more from Abu Dhabi.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BECKY ANDERSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): It's the kind of visit that comes once in a lifetime.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I don't think exciting is the, you know, the correct word to describe the feeling. I visited Rome but here, it's a completely different atmosphere.

ANDERSON: This visit is history in the making for the million-strong Catholic community in a country with 200 different nationalities, practicing a variety of faiths.

Francis will become the first pontiff to say mass on the Arabian Peninsula -- a region overwhelmingly Muslim. Bishop Paul Hinder who has lived in the Middle East for over a decade says the diversity of the Catholic community here is what makes it so special.

PAUL HINDER, BISHOP, U.A.E., OMAN AND YEMEN: The majority surely Indians and Filipinos. But we have Christians from the Arabic- speaking countries.

ANDERSON: Tickets to the papal mass were assigned through a lottery system with ticket holders officially given the day off work. And the excitement is palpable when you speak to churchgoers here in Abu Dhabi.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Everybody wants their ticket, asking me where is the ticket? We want to come. Even those who are working they told me we will be absent for our job just to be here and be with the Pope.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's a dream that the Pope is coming here and it's amazing how the dream is coming true.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The Pope coming is the peak of every Christianity's joy. Don't they know the Muslim country that can do any better than this?

[01:39:59] ANDERSON: The public mass is expected to attract 135,000 faithful, according to the organizers. American deacon Donald Fox will be among those assisting Pope Francis on the day.

DONALD FOX, DEACON, SAINT JOSEPH'S PARISH: I definitely will have to try to insure that I don't show my nervousness. It will be the largest type of celebration that I have ever done.

ANDERSON: There is a feeling of real impact in a country that very consciously promotes an image of tolerance. Pakistani Faisal Kiran (ph) who has lived in U.A.E. for nearly a decade and has previously seen the Pope in person, describes what this visits means to him.

FAISAL: He's coming to my home. It's as if Jesus is coming to my home.

ANDERSON: A sentiment shared by many members of what is this tight- knit community.

Becky Anderson, CNN -- Abu Dhabi.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

VANIER: Coming up Tuesday on CNN. Nema Elbagir is in Yemen where weaponry made in America is sold, stolen and abandoned and making it's way into the wrong hands.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NEMA ELBAGIR, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (on camera): It is absolutely incredible. We are driving past and it's like a graveyard of American military hardware.

And this is not under the control of coalition forces. This is in the command of militias.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ALLEN: Tune in for Nema's exclusive report "MADE IN AMERICA, LOST IN YEMEN" -- straight from the front lines of that country's war. All day Tuesday, right here on CNN.

Well, epic rains have forced thousands from their homes in Australia and forecasters warn some residents to brace for even more water. We'll have that story coming next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ALLEN: Record rains continues to hammer Queensland State in Australia with forecasters warning intense storms could continue through Thursday.

[01:44:58] What's been called once-in-a-century floods have forced thousands of people in coastal Townsville to abandon their homes -- you can certainly see why from here -- as streets have been turned into rivers.

VANIER: Spillway gates at the Ross River Damn had to be fully opened which will only add to the water's rise. The weather office says lives and property in the area are at stake.

Karen Maginiss joins us from the CNN Weather Center. She's been following this for a few days now -- Karen.

KAREN MAGINISS, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Yes.

ALLEN: Not looking good.

MAGINISS: It isn't. And this time of year we normally see that monsoon pattern set up and that's what we are seeing now. Typically January, February, and March -- the months where we see kind of the highest rainfall totals at least across this region as well.

This area of low pressure now doesn't move back and forth but I just want to show you the depiction of this area of low pressure actually several of them and it continues to draw this moisture in from the Coral Sea and that's what produces this pattern that develops all the way from Cairns, all the down to Mekhi (ph).

Well, this is also a heavily-touristed area. We typically see the heavy rainfall set up. Our pattern is in place but to see the staggering rainfall totals that we have seen, is remarkable.

And the catastrophic flooding is so widespread. I'll show you the video that we've got. And we take a look at these images. It's heartbreaking to see people carry their possessions, whatever they have.

This gentlemen is putting in to place sand bags. I am not sure what good that's going to do. Considering that this is days' worth of rainfall that has been so heavy. And this woman, her dog is riding on a floating tire. She is standing in these muddy waters which they say are dangerous because if the alligators and the snakes that have been reported. I don't know how this vehicle manages to get through this water but it does.

But yesterday we were showing you drone video and it is so widespread. Not just around the Ross River But in a lot of these areas, that have seen the rainfall totals like this.

Townsville -- already in the past seven days over 1,000 millimeters just about 42-inches of rainfall has been seen here but not just there. Also in Cairns -- you have to remember the Great Barrier Reef is here. And scientists are saying that maybe some of the debris. Some of the contaminants running off from the land will make its way to the ocean and perhaps damage some of the coral reef.

We know the coral reef is very fragile and they are doing all these efforts to protect it. But then Mother Nature manages to intervene and interrupt what may have been some progress that was taking place. But it does look like that rainfall -- Natalie and Cyril -- is going to continue as we go into the middle and latter part of the work week.

ALLEN: All right. Gosh -- they are having an intense summer in so many ways, aren't they?

VANIER: That's impressive and scary.

(CROSSTALKING)

ALLEN: Karen -- thank you.

A new study says it is time to change the way we eat, Cyril. Not just for ourselves but to help the planet.

VANIER: Absolutely and we'll be looking at what their planetary health diet recommends and whether that's realistic.

Stay with us.

[01:48:12] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MAGINISS: Hello, everyone. I am CNN meteorologist Karen Maginnis. This is your Weather Watch for the western coast of the United States.

Two back-to-back systems have ushered in not just rainfall but lowering the snow levels there as well. So millions of people under winter weather advisory, winter storm warnings. Also into the northern tier, very cold temperatures returning there.

While along the Eastern Seaboard of the United States, some cloud cover here and there. Gradually the rain by Tuesday -- late in the day on Tuesday and then Wednesday will pick up some of that moisture into places like New York City and Boston and Washington, D.C.

Look at this. Winter weather warnings as I'd mentioned from the Cascades into (INAUDIBLE) and the northern tier along the Canada and U.S. boarder. Buckle up because it is going to be dangerously cold.

Here is a west coast rainfall right around Sacramento, also for San Francisco, down to Los Angeles. In the previous 24 hours there were some record-setting rainfall amounts.

Take a look at this. Forecast high today in Denver with partly cloudy skies, it will be 13. Look at Winnipeg -- snow showers, minus 21 degrees. Look a little further to the south -- Nassau Bahamas mostly sunny, 24 -- that sounds pretty nice. And if you are traveling to Mexico City, 26 plenty of sunshine. ALLEN: Ok, eating the right kind of food could not only help save your health, it could help save earth. That is the finding of a new study published in the medical journal "The Lancet".

VANIER: Not too bad. The planetary health diet recommends -- wait for it -- not this. A lot more fruits, nuts, vegetables, whole grain, no sugar and very little meat -- only one steak a week.

Dr. Walter Willett is a professor of epidemiology and nutrition at Harvard School of Public Health. He is a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School. He co-wrote the study. I asked him if this was realistic.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DR. WALTER WILLETT, HARVARD SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH: Whether it's radical or not depends from where you are sitting. It maybe from the standpoint of someone living in the U.S. at this point in time. But this is very consistent with what the Mediterranean diet was 40 or 50 years ago when people were consuming that and they were the healthiest people in the world at that time.

For some parts of the world, this could actually mean an increase in dairy products and meat, a little bit of increase. So the picture looks very different depending on where you're starting from.

VANIER: And the study draws that connection. You told us about that -- about human health and the health of the planet. What is that connection?

WILLETT: First of all, that this isn't just about eating less red meat and moderate amounts of dairy. It's eating a lot more of healthy plant-based protein sources such as nuts, legumes, soy products. And more fruits and vegetables and consuming our grains mostly in the whole grain form. That has big impacts on health.

But also bringing a pound of beef to the table has a huge environmental impact partly because there is an extremely inefficient conversion we have to feed somewhere between 20 and 40 calories to a beef cattle to bring one calorie to the table as beef.

And all that time that that cattle is alive it's pumping out large amounts of carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxides which is all greenhouse gases. Moreover there's lots of pollution from fertilizers that go to make those crops.

There's lands degradation, species extinction because we are cutting down forests, plowing up prairies so the environmental impacts of this form of agriculture that we use in the United States is serious. It will mean a really degraded world that we're going to pass onto our children if we don't change course.

VANIER: Yes. The overall numbers I got from the study are really startling. I actually didn't suspect it was that much. The study teaches us that the food industry, the agribusiness is the main way that we harm the planet globally. It represents almost a third of carbon dioxide emissions -- 40 percent of the land -- available land on the planet is used to make, grow food; 70 percent of our freshwater goes to that as well.

The study makes some really, really fundamental points and I thank you for -- something tells me we're going to be talking about this again in the years to come.

I thank you for coming on the show today.

[01:55:04] WILLETT: Really good to be with you. We have to have more conversations. Thank you.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ALLEN: Fruits and vegetables. Fruits and vegetables.

VANIER: No meat, no sugar. Grains.

All right, with another Super Bowl in the books, President Trump weighed in about the sport that America loves and its violent nature.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MARGARET BRENNAN, CBS NEWS: Would you let your son, Barron, play football?

Donald Trump, President of the United States: It's very -- it's a very tough question. That's a very good question. If he wanted to, yes. Would I steer him that way? No, I wouldn't.

I just don't like the reports that I see coming out having to do with football. I mean it's a dangerous sport. And I think it's -- I -- it's really tough. I thought the equipment would get better and it has. The helmets have gotten far better, but it hasn't solved the problem.

So, you know, I hate to say it because I love to watch football. I think the NFL is a great product. But I really think that as far as -- Well, I have heard NFL players saying they wouldn't let their sons play football.

So it's not totally unique but I would have a hard time with it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VANIER: Tough to the sport.

ALLEN: Yes. He really is.

VANIER: You've got to understand the health concerns. But you know, there's less talents being funneled toward the NFL.

ALLEN: Right. Right.

Ok. We are not going anywhere. We have two more hours. Please don't go anywhere. Thanks for watching this hour. I'm Natalie Allen.

VANIER: I am Cyril Vanier. So the news does continue right after this break.

Stay with us.

[01:56:34] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)