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NEWS STREAM

Oscar Pistorius Verdict; Reaction From Iraq On U.S. ISIS Strategy; U.S. Remembers 9/11; Massive Flooding In Kashmir Region

Aired September 11, 2014 - 08:00   ET

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

KRISTIE LU STOUT, HOST: I'm Kristie Lu Stout in Hong Kong. And welcome to News Stream.

Now we are waiting to hear the whole verdict in the Oscar Pistorius trial. He is now guilty of premeditated murder. But we will soon get a ruling on

the charge of culpable homicide.

Also ahead, the U.S. president as he lays out his plan to fight ISIS, we will get reaction from Iraq.

Now, first, our main story at this hour. Oscar Pistorius has been found not guilty of the murder of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

THOKOZILE MASIPA, JUDGE, HIGH COURT OF SOUTH AFRICA: The accused, therefore, cannot be found guilty of murder dolus eventualis (ph). That,

however, is not the end of the matter as culpable homicide is a competent verdict.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LU STOUT: Now the judge Tokozile Masipa made the announcement as part of her recap of the trial. She's been reading the verdict in Pretoria, South

Africa off an on for hours now.

Now at some point today, or perhaps tomorrow, the runner will learn whether he has been acquitted on other charges as well.

Now we can head to South Africa right now. CNN's Robyn Curnow is standing by. She's been following the case throughout. She joins us live from

Pretoria.

And Robyn, the judge has ruled out premeditated murder. Tell us, how did she get there and how did she reach that decision?

ROBYN CURNOW, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, as you heard, I mean, we were in court three hours of a long, quite detailed legal argument. And

she got to it quite slowly. She certainly wasn't in any rush. She first declared, ruled that Oscar Pistorius was not guilty of premeditated murder.

And then a little bit later she came to the issue of murder, basically saying that Oscar Pistorius could not have foreseen that Reeva Steenkamp

was in that bathroom, that he didn't intend to kill her. And in that way he cannot be found guilty of murder.

However, as you heard the judge say in that sound bite you've just played, she's going to come back and deal with another charge of culpable homicide,

manslaughter. And that, of course, also is a very serious charge. And it also has significant jail term associated with it.

So, even Oscar Pistorius has been found not guilty of murder, you know, he certainly not off Scott free at the moment. And it's going to be very

interesting to hear how the judge explains her reasoning over the lesser charge of culpable homicide.

LU STOUT: That's right, the focus now is on culpable homicide. We'll be tuning in finding out what she says to consider that charge next.

But when the courtroom heard that the judge ruled out that murder charge, what was the reaction? And what was the reaction on Oscar Pistorius's face?

CURNOW: Well, I was sitting about two meters behind him and it was difficult for me to see his face. I think our television viewers got a

better sense. He was crying at times, but his body was so tightly held together you could see the veins in his neck, clenching his jaw -- his jaw

clenching. He was most definitely trying to keep himself together, but he was clearly quite overwrought, quite traumatized.

Whether it was a sense of relief that it was not a murder conviction or whether it was still the steep fear that he's had, of course, of being sent

away to jail for a certain amount of years.

He really was struggling through all of it, but you could see that maybe he had been warned that all of that loud vomiting, that loud sobbing we heard

at some parts of the trial, he certainly didn't go that far. And maybe his lawyers have warned him, you've got to let the focus be on the judge.

She's going to have to go through this bit by bit, and your reactions, your emotions cannot interfere with that.

So I really got the sense of a man absolutely broken and physically trying to keep himself together.

LU STOUT: Pistorius trying to keep himself together as the verdict is being read out today.

And earlier toady, the judge called Oscar Pistorius, in her words, a very poor witness. Robyn, could you explain that?

CURNOW: Well, I mean, she was pretty brutal about it. We were -- you know, you kind of wanted to shuffle in your seat a bit, because she was a

bit like a very stern school master, school mistress, where she really felt like she was telling Oscar Pistorius not only was he a poor witness. She

called him evasive. She said that his conduct, particularly under cross examination was not good at all.

And if you look at that in the context of what she said throughout this more than three hour verdict and the context of what she checked out of the

state's case, she effectively threw out the state's witnesses testimony, she threw out their experts who talked -- suggested that there had been a

fight, that Reeva Steenkamp had been awake and maybe had something to eat. She threw out the content of the messages on their cellphones where Reeva

Steenkamp had suggested that she was scared of Oscar, all of that -- the state's attempt to show that Oscar Pistorius and Reeva Steenkamp were in

perhaps an abusive relationship and he intended to kill her, because they had had a fight. She threw that all out.

And what you saw was her basically picking apart Oscar Pistorius's conduct and a cross examination. And essentially saying to him that his behavior,

the fact that he was evasive, contradictory -- she named a few examples, that he had a plethora of defenses, that in a way is helping her to perhaps

convict him on maybe this culpable homicide charge. She really wasn't impressed with that.

LU STOUT: And as we wait for the reading of the verdict to resume and also to hear her thoughts on that culpable homicide charge.

Robyn, your thoughts on the overall delivery of the verdict. We know it's slow. It is very, very deliberate. Why is it this way? Why is this a

feature of the South African justice system?

CURNOW: Yes. I mean, it's not like the movies, is it? You know, there's not that dramatic kind of guilty or not guilty. And I think that's what's

so important. She really wants to stress that this is a South African legal matter, it is not here, she she's not playing to the cameras, she's

not playing to the international audience sitting there waiting to hear Oscar Pistorius's fate.

And there's a very important reason for that. And it's -- this is common, what you're seeing in the South African judicial legal system. The judge

is the only one who makes the decision. It's her verdict. That's it. She has to explain to the accused why she's come to her decision, how she's

come to her decision within the constructs of South African criminal law.

There's no jury, so she has to put it down. She has to make sure and she's determined to make sure that Oscar Pistorius knows why she decides what she

decides.

Also, remember, this is the first time this kind of trial has been broadcast on South African television. And the reason a judge actually

ruled that this could broadcast, that cameras could be in the courtroom, was because they said it was in the public interest. They wanted South

Africans to have a part of -- and an understanding of the court process. So there's also that.

She, you know, there's a sense of public duty to explain to people how the law works and why she's come to these decisions and the reasoning behind

it.

LU STOUT: And back to what led us up to this moment today, the trial, the strategy that's been taken by both teams, but a focus on the prosecution.

Your thoughts on that. As we listen to the verdict, we know that that murder charge has been ruled out. How do you think the prosecution has

performed in the case against Oscar Pistorius?

CURNOW: You know, it's so difficult to judge how each side performed, because, you know, we look at it through the eyes of a journalist. I mean,

you filter in and filter out different priorities. If you're a judge, you're looking at different things. You're analyzing the minutiae of laws,

legal -- you know, of legal arguments, of what kind of defense he's arguing.

So, you know, I think it's really difficult to give either side, you know, a mark out of 10.

What you did see, though, was this judge being equally tough on both sides, pointing out their weaknesses, pointing out where they made an issue of

things.

So I think it's definitely -- it's definitely the judge coming up there today -- this in a way is her report on their conduct. And she's been

equally, I suppose complimentary and not so complimentary by both sides arguments. And she's made a point of, I think, trying to be fair on that.

LU STOUT: All right, Robyn Curnow there with the very latest in the trial of Oscar Pistorius. Again, the judge has ruled out premeditated murder.

She is considering culpable homicide. And when proceedings resume in that courtroom in Pretoria, we'll take you back there live.

Now the White House is pledging a newly aggressive military campaign against the ISIS insurgency. Now in a televised address lasting less than

15 minutes, U.S. President Barack Obama told the country and the world that he has reversed his former stance on Syria and now plans on launching

airstrikes in a country that admired in that three year long civil war.

But the U.S. won't go it alone. Now Mr. Obama says the country is heading up a broad coalition against ISIS.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We will conduct a systematic campaign of airstrikes against these terrorists. Working with the Iraqi

government, we will expand our efforts beyond protecting our own people and humanitarian missions that we're hitting ISIL targets as Iraqi forces go on

offense.

Moreover, I've made it clear that we will hunt down terrorists who threaten our country wherever they are. That means I will not hesitate to take

action against ISIL in Syria as well as Iraq. This is a core principle of my presidency. If you threaten America, you will find no safe haven.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LU STOUT: Iraq's newly formed government is also a key part of this new strategy for defeating ISIS. Let's go now to Baghdad to get the Iraqi

perspective on the president's plan. CNN's Jomana Karadsheh is there. She joins us now.

And Jomana, we heard it just then, just an excerpt, the U.S. President Barack Obama laying out his strategy to fight ISIS. And that includes aid

and military support for Iraqi forces.

But the question for you, in the eyes of Iraq, is that enough?

JOMANA KARADSHEH, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Kristie, there's a sense of finally this is happening. Iraqis have said they want more

support. They cannot do this on their own.

From the United States, from the international community, there's this feeling here that they are fighting this war on behalf of the world and

they need more.

Over the past few weeks talking to Iraqi officials and experts here on extremist groups, asking what really is needed -- and that pretty much was

what we heard reflected yesterday in President Obama's speech. They said there needs to be a broadening of this airstrike campaign. They felt the

advances that the troops have made on that limited level, the limited scale where these airstrikes have taken place, so that is critical. They need

more help with intelligence sharing.

And of course, the Iraqi security forces who we pretty much saw crumble in the face of that ISIS advance in June, they need more help--

LU STOUT: OK, unfortunately we just lost that connection with Jomana Karasheh. We'll try to reestablish that for you.

You're watching CNN News Stream. And right now the court is in session, back in session in Pretoria in the murder trial of Oscar Pistorius. Let's

go there now and listen in.

(OSCAR PISTORIUS VERDICT LIVE COVERAGE)

LU STOUT: OK, live pictures there from Pretoria in the courtroom of the Oscar Pistorius murder trial. You just heard the judge, she was

considering that charge of culpable homicide, culpable homicide on the back of ruling out the murder charge earlier. She was seeming to suggest that

he was guilty of culpable homicide. We're still waiting for the court to resume, be back in session tomorrow.

Again, live pictures there from Pretoria. The judge has ruled out premeditated murder. We heard the judge consider the verdict in regards to

that additional charge of culpable homicide for which Pistorius could face a long jail term.

Just background for you, the athlete, he was charged with murder for the death of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp, that took place on Valentine's Day

February 14, 2013. We have been hearing about four or five months of testimony from almost 40 witnesses on this case and it comes to that as we

listen to the verdict, the lengthy verdict and the summary coming forward from the judge there in Pretoria.

Now CNN's Kelly Phelps, she's been following the proceedings, the case throughout. She joins us live from Pretoria. And Kelly, again, we know

that the judge has ruled out premeditated murder. She has been considering this charge of culpable homicide. She said that she used the test of the

reasonable man. And it seems that she was saying that Oscar Pistorius did not pass that test. Could you explain what we just heard?

KELLY PHELPS, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: Yes, absolutely. The court finding feature of culpable homicide is that there was a negligent killing. And in

order to determine negligence we have this legal test called the reasonable person test. And that's the reasonable person in the position of the

accused. And it essentially asks whether that reasonable person would have foreseen the potential consequence occurring, whether they therefore would

have taken steps to avoid the death occurring and then finally did the accused take those steps.

So, it's comparing the accused's conduct with the fictional reasonable person's conduct.

And on application of that three stage test, she has, in fact, found that he failed the test for negligence.

Now although she hasn't said in so many words, therefore he is guilty of culpable homicide, from a legal perspective there is no other outcome once

he has failed that test.

LU STOUT: So, he failed the reasonable man test. That means legally speaking that he is facing a conviction for culpable homicide. We're still

waiting for that to be formally announced when the court session resumes tomorrow.

But tell us, I mean, what, if there is indeed a conviction for culpable homicide, what kind of sentence could Oscar Pistorius be facing here?

PHELPS: Well, when we're dealing with culpable homicide, we're now in the realm of discretionary sentencing. So, it is not one of the crimes

governed by the mandatory minimum sentencing act. And that means that there is really a very large continuum of sentences that the judge can pick

and choose from.

So it could be as severe, for example, as say 15 years in prison, but equally it could be a wholly suspended sentence with no prison time served.

And the judge will need to draw on established sentencing principles and laws from other cases in order to decide how serious this version of

culpable homicide is in comparison with other cases of culpable homicide in order to decide where on that continuum of severity his case should be

placed.

LU STOUT: And I wanted to get your thoughts on the pace of the verdict. I mean, this is a lengthy process, but already today we've learned that the

judge has ruled out premeditated murder. It looks like Oscar Pistorius is on his way to perhaps facing this conviction for culpable homicide as you

point out with your legal analysis, because he failed that reasonable man test. Your thoughts on the pace of the legal proceedings here. Is the

verdict proceeding faster than originally thought?

PHELPS: I don't think so. I think it's actually followed the pace that most people expected it would take. We were always in doubt as to whether

it would finish today or go onto a second day. But it's not surprising that it has gone on to the second day, because this is, as she mentioned

herself earlier on today, this is an exceptionally long court transcript. And we've had 37 witnesses and all of that evidence has to be drawn into

the balance and issuing reasons for her judgment.

So I think it -- considering how big the transcript is, she's gone as fast as she possibly responsibly could have gone and has really proceeded just

as we expected her to proceed in terms of time.

LU STOUT: All right, Kelly Phelps, thank you very much indeed for your analysis all throughout. Joining us live from Pretoria.

Now it has been a very intriguing day in Pretoria, as the judge went through the prosecution and the defense cases just picking holes in both.

Now she discounted many of the witnesses and she criticized Pistorius's time on the stand as well.

Now we have put together some of the key moments of the verdict so far.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MASIPA: This council pointed to the fact that amongst other things, the deceased had a cellphone with her and had locked herself inside the toilet.

One of the possible reasons maybe that the deceased needed to use her cellphone for lighting purposes.

The state also led the evidence of WhatsApp messages. Neither the evidence of a loving relationship nor of a relationship turned sour can assist this

court to determine whether the accused had the requisite intention to kill the deceased.

That the experts agreed that gastric emptying was not an exact science, it would therefore be unwise for this court to even attempt to figure out what

the presence of partially digested food might mean.

The accused is not unique -- women, children, the elderly and all those will eat with limited mobility would fall under the same category. Would

it be reasonable if they armed themselves with a firearm when threatened with danger? I do not think so.

There are indeed a number of aspects in the case, which do not make sense. It makes no sense she did not hear him scream get out. These questions

shall unfortunately be remain a matter of conjecture.

The state clearly has not proved beyond a reasonable doubt that the accused is guilty of premeditated murder.

It follows that the accused erroneous belief that his life was in danger excludes dolis (ph). The accused, therefore, cannot be found guilty of

murder dolis eventualis (ph).

That, however, is not the end of the matter as culpable homicide is the competent verdict.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LU STOUT: All right. Scenes earlier today from Pretoria as the verdict is being read out in the murder trial of Oscar Pistorius. Again, the charge

of premeditated murder has been ruled out, but as we heard from Kelly Phelps, our CNN legal analyst whose been watching proceedings. Its seems

that Oscar Pistorius is on his way to facing a conviction for culpable homicide.

Now the court no longer in session today. It will resume tomorrow.

Now let's take a look at some of the other major stories this hour. Authorities in Pakistan, they're telling hundreds of thousands of people to

evacuate as flood waters spread from the northern mountains down across broad plains. Now severe flooding has killed more than 450 people across

northern India and Pakistan.

Campaigning ahead of Scotland's independence referendum is now in overdrive. It's just seven days before the vote.

Now the leaders of the three main parties in the British parliament have been in the region urging Scots to vote no. Now a new opinion poll shows a

widening edge for those who want to remain part of the UK.

Now U.S. President Barack Obama has laid out a strategy for taking down ISIS. And it includes air strikes on ISIS targets in Syria. He says the

country will lead a broad coalition with American air power support ground forces in Iraq and Syria.

Now Iraqi security forces and the Syrian opposition will be given arms and assistance under this new plane.

And for more on the U.S. strategy against ISIS, CNN's senior White House correspondent Jim Acosta, he joins us now live from Washington. And Jim,

an aggressive plane to fight ISIS from the U.S. President, that was delivered. But when will the airstrikes, the additional airstrikes begin?

JIM ACOSTA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, that's one thing that members of congress up on Capitol Hill are asking this morning. On this anniversary

of 9/11, Kristie, it is important to point out the president said last night there is no ISIS threat against the U.S. homeland. He did come out

talking tough last night, announcing his decision to order air strikes on ISIS in Syria.

But as for the airstrikes that you mentioned and when those will be expanded from Iraq and into Syria, we can tell you that a senior

administration official was asked this question prior to the president's speech last night by reporters and this official said that they're not

going to put a timeline on when those airstrikes would happen. They're saying at this point they don't want to telegraph their punches, but they

are indicating that those punches are coming.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)?

OBAMA: My fellow Americans.

ACOSTA (voice-over): It was a cautious commander in chief no more, rolling the dice with an ambitious plan to wipe out ISIS.

OBAMA: Our objective is clear, we will degrade and ultimately destroy ISIL through a comprehensive and sustained counterterrorism strategy.

ACOSTA: The president's biggest leap, ramping up U.S. airstrikes on ISIS targets in both Iraq and Syria.

OBAMA: I've made it clear that we will hunt down terrorists who threaten our country wherever they are. This is a core principle of my presidency.

If you threaten America, you will find no safe haven.

ACOSTA: To help expand those airstrikes, the president is sending 475 more U.S. service members to Iraq, raising the total there to 1,600. Add to that

a new mission to equip and train moderate Syrian rebels.

To make that happen, the president has been working the phones to build a global coalition, and officials say includes Saudi Arabia, which will host

a training program for anti-ISIS fighters. But the president also insisted the war on ISIS will be different.

OBAMA: I want the American people to understand how this effort will be different from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. It will not involve

American combat troops fighting on foreign soil.

ACOSTA: But Mr. Obama's decision reopened old wounds, as Republican Senator John McCain and the president's former press secretary, and now CNN

contributor, Jay Carney, clashed over whether the president is to blame.

SEN. JOHN MCCAIN (R), ARIZONA: The fact that they didn't leave a residual force in Iraq, overruling all of his military advisers, is the reason why

we are facing ISIS today.

JAY CARNEY, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: I think that, you know, the question of the residual force, you know, there was another player in that, which you was

the Iraqi government, A. B, it was the fulfillment of the previous administration's withdrawal plans.

MCCAIN: You are again saying facts that are patently false.

CARNEY: Senator, I -- I can -- I can posit with great respect for you that --

MCCAIN: You can't. You can't.

CARNEY: -- we disagree on that.

MCCAIN: No, you can't, because you don't have the facts.

ACOSTA: Looking forward, expect more debate over the Syrian rebels that will take the fight to ISIS, on behalf of the U.S. Senior administration

officials say they are being vetted, but Republicans were skeptical before the speech.

REP. PETER KING, (R) NEW YORK: It's hard to vet who's who in that area and to be relying on them as a major fighting force I have questions about.

ACOSTA: Still, there were some surprising voices in the GOP praising the president's remarks.

NEWT GINGRICH, FRM. SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE: It's probably the most explicitly pro-American speech he's ever made.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ACOSTA: Now, as for other questions that are being asked -- as for other questions that are being asked right now, one is what other countries will

be participating in these airstrikes against ISIS targets in Iraq and Syria along with the United States. Senior administration officials did not list

those countries in a conference call with reporters last night, they're still working on that. That's a work in progress, but lawmakers will be

asking that question and others when administration officials are up on Capitol Hill later today briefing those members of congress on what's next,

Kristie.

LU STOUT: So, building a coalition very much a work in progress. CNN's Jim Acosta joining us live from the White House, thank you.

Now one of the biggest concerns is the pace at which ISIS has expanded its regional grasp. Now let's show you a map showing the power that the

extremists now have in the region.

Now the reach of the militant group is alarming. And CNN's Deborah Feyerick, she takes a closer look.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DEBORAH FEYERICK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It seems to defy logic: the speed at which ISIS not only invaded parts of Iraq and Syria, but also how quickly

the terror group has penetrated the American psyche.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Barack Obama and I'm back because of your arrogant foreign policy towards Islamic State.

FEYERICK: After the savage beheading of two U.S. journalists, and its rabid, twisted propaganda.

ROBERT MCFADDEN, ANALYST: It wants to continue to sow fear into any of its foes to show how ruthless it is.

FEYERICK: But ISIS is not new. In fact, its roots go back more than two decades. In 1990, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi set up a jihadi training camp in

Afghanistan. All was relatively quiet until the fall of the towers and a 2003 U.S.-led invasion into Iraq.

Zarqawi and his followers under the banner of al Qaeda in Iraq gained notoriety for deadly strikes on U.S. and coalition forces.

When Saddam Hussein fell, his Iraqi military leaders were expelled by the U.S.-backed Shia government. They joined the terror group in startling

numbers.

So clearly the U.S. invasion affected who joined ISIS.

MCFADDEN: Certainly. Certainly.

FEYERICK: It wasn't until 2011, with Syria's civil war, that the terror group began to involve into what we see today -- extremists looking for a

cause and a battlefield.

MCFADDEN: Fighters start to come in from Saudi Arabia, some of the other countries in the regions. North Africa, Tunisia, Morocco, even Egyptians

and Libyans. And then Europeans start to come in and some trickle, if you will, from North America.

FEYERICK: All of a sudden, the group now known as ISIS had a global image. Roughly 10,000 fighters making sweeping gains this summer and taking more

territory than al Qaeda and its affiliates ever did.

What Robert McFadden, a former NCIS chief, calls a veritable blitzkrieg.

MCFADDEN: It's kind of a sweeping a bell movement of vast swaths of territory that it controls.

Now, controlling it and keeping it are two different things as well as governing that territory. That remains to be seen.

FEYERICK: ISIS's fanatical propaganda magnifies every win. Like this video in June showing what ISIS called the destruction of a border crossing

between Syria and Iraq. Yet it's losses are not even noted, like the fall of a city at the hands of Iraqi, Kurdish and Shia forces helped by U.S.

airstrikes.

Its propaganda perpetuating myths, that only it believes like the claim that ISIS leaves the world's 1.5 billion Muslims, when in fact it does not.

Still, they clearly pose a very real threat.

JEH JOHNSON, HOMELAND SECURITY SECRETARY: They've cost the world scores in human lives, innocent people, innocent Muslims, and this type of

organization, this type of terrorist threat simply has to be engaged. You can't avoid it.

FEYERICK: Deborah Feyerick, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LU STOUT: OK, now happening this day at the White House, President Barack Obama and the first lady Michelle Obama, they're remembering all that was

lost on this day at this moment some 13 years ago. It is the 13th anniversary of the September 11 attacks. And this anniversary, it comes

right after that address that we heard from the U.S. President.

President Obama's pledge to fight ISIS, this new militant threat.

As we heard from that report from CNN's Jim Acosta 13 years now after 9/11, a question is looming large, are people in America, are they ready for a

new fight against a new enemy?

Now we'll look at live pictures from New York City, a live video from across the nation. You say Rudy Giuliani there on your screen. As the

nation gathers to remember once again the 9/11 terror attacks that took place 13 years ago today.

You see the ceremony underway in New York. Earlier, we showed you video from Washington, D.C. We're waiting for the U.S. President and the first

lady to gather at the South Lawn to begin the ceremony, to remember and to pause for that moment of silence what happened 13 years ago today.

Now survivors and victims families, they have gathered in New York, they have gathered in the Pentagon as well. And also in the White House all

there in honor of the victims and to remember what was lost.

Commemorative ceremonies are underway. The U.S. American anthem is being sung, performed right now. And you're seeing dual images on your screen of

two ceremonies underway: one in Washington, one in New York.

Let's take this moment to listen in.

(9/11 REMEMBRANCE CEREMONIES)

LU STOUT: Stirring scenes there from both Washington, D.C., the White House and New York as Americans pay tribute to the victims lost 13 years

ago today as a result of the 9/11 terror attacks. You heard that stirring performance of the national anthem. You watched as people watched on hands

over hearts and you saw survivors, victims family members there holding up posters of the victims of those who died and perished in the terror attacks

13 years ago this morning.

Now survivors and victim's families, they have gathered in New York City again to mark the 13th anniversary of the September 11 terror attacks. And

CNN's Poppy Harlow is there. She joins us now live.

And Poppy, 13 years on now, tell us how is New York City remembering 9/11 - - unfortunately just heard Poppy Harlow is not available, she is indeed -- Poppy tell us, the mood there, how are people in New York City remembering

this day?

POPPY HARLOW, CNN CORRESPONDENT: You know I think it's different for everyone. I certainly lived here when this city was attacked. And we

couldn't be prouder of how we rebuilt. Behind me, you see One World Trade Center about to open later this year, a symbol of this country's resolve.

For some of the families, it's important for them to be at this beautiful memorial ceremony that is underway. We just spoke with a girl who is now

17-years-old. She was four when her father died. And she said it's important for her to be here to read and be part of the ceremony. It makes

her feel closer to her dad. And you can certainly understand that.

Also, I spoke last night on the phone with the parents of Peter Alderman, a 25-year-old man who was killed in the attacks. They said it's

unimaginable, they cannot believe that their son would have been 38 today this year, rather. But they said it's important for them, although they

can't come here, it's important for them to hear his name read, that someone who loves him, his mother said, hear his name read. That is just

how two people cope.

Nearly 3,000 lives lost. It is something that this city will always remember. They are honored with a beautiful memorial that, Kristie, for

the first time is open on 9/11. Tonight is 6:00 eastern, the public will be able to come to the memorial to spend time there. Also this morning

that 9/11 museum opened early, 7:30 in the morning for the family members to go in if they would like, for that to be part of the day for them.

And then of course you have a city that remains on high alert as it always is. A lot of police out down here in Lower Manhattan just out of

precaution there is no specific threat from ISIL to this city or to America at this point in time, but you can bet that all of those potential targets

-- bridges, tunnels, et cetera are in sharp focus of the police here.

Earlier this morning I spoke with NYPD commissioner Bill Bratton who talks about the increase in the technology that they're using to monitor all of

those potential targets in this city, how they've gotten 1,000 police officers just on their anti-terrorism squad. I also spoke with homeland

security secretary Jeh Johnson who made it very clear that although there is no specific threat from ISIL to this country at this time, there are

always threats to this country and they are hyper aware of them.

So, again, this city is prepared, cities across America are prepared in case of anything. But at this point in time, no specific threats.

But again, today is not about thinking about how this country was attacked so much as thinking about the strength and resolve and what these families

are having to go through still 13 years later.

LU STOUT: Poppy Harlow there, live from New York reporting on the mood and the memorial services underway on this day, the 13th anniversary of the

9/11 terror attacks. Thank you, Poppy.

Now you're watching News Stream. And still to come on the program, militaries on both sides of Kashmir's line of control are waging a war

against water. Now they have rescued thousands of people from floods, but this battle is far from over.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LU STOUT: Welcome back. You're watching New Stream.

Now, on both sides of Kashmir's line of control there is an epic battle against water. Let's get the very latest on the floods in south Asia with

Mari Ramos. She joins us from the World Weather Center -- Mari.

MARI RAMOS, CNN WEATHER CORRESPONDENT: Kristie, very serious situation. Like you said, the battle is far from over even now.

What we're having to deal with is that water continuing to drain down from the mountains now into the larger river systems. And because the way

everything flows, most of that water is draining into Pakistan.

Let's go ahead and start in Pakistan and then we're going to go ahead and head to India.

This is one of the images that we keep seeing over and over. These are the two major rivers right here. There's barrage right there. And there is

Biraj (ph) right there. And there's a lot of water that is coming up on that area. But that water will continue moving down and that crest

advancing through the rest of this week to areas farther south. So even areas that are not flooded right now will see some significant flooding as

we head through the next few days.

And when we talk about significance, we're talking about some more densely populated areas now across central Pakistan that could see their top three

all-time flood levels and inundation, in other words, the flooding could affect five different districts. That includes about 12 million people in

this flood warning, which is very significant. And now we're really talking, like I said, about larger population centers.

But there are small towns and big towns and all kinds of different places that are seeing this significant flooding.

This is a very small town. It's called Peer Kot in Pakistan. And it is in the confluence of those two rivers that we've seen over and over with the

flooding. This is what it looks like from the air, Kristie, but I want to show you something. You know, when we show you those images, those

satellite images, you know it's hard sometimes to compare one to the other. So you saw what the town looks like for real now right? This is a picture

from Google Earth. And Derek Van Damme (ph) our new CNN weather anchor is helping me with this.

And you can see right here there's one river system right there. Here is another river system right over here. There's that town of Biraj (ph) that

we keep talking about, and this is what it looks like now, completely under water this entire area.

There's more than 30 kilometers across of water into this region. And that water continuing to drain down and that is the concern as we head through

the next few days.

And this is only Pakistan.

Let's go ahead and roll the video from India, because India -- authorities yesterday were saying that they are overwhelmed with the amount of water

that is affecting this region. And you can see from the waters there it has begun to recede. And that's going to be the trend over the next few

days. We're not expecting rainfall across these areas, which is of course one of the most important things.

But they have evacuated over -- over 90,000 people from this region. And there's still thousands more that need help, that need rescue. And we're

really getting into a critical time period here because the flooding has been going on for so long. And even with images, brand new ones like you

see it right there was so much water left on the ground and still such a long way to go.

Back to you.

LU STOUT: Wow, dramatic and dangerously high water levels there in both India and Pakistan. Mari Ramos, thank you.

And that is News Stream. But the news continues at CNN. World Business Today is next.

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