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Japan Hit by Floods; Greek Island of Lesbos Overwhelmed by Migrants; Some in Italy Help Migrants; Congress Unable to Block Iran Nuclear Deal; New Presidential Poll Numbers Ahead of CNN Debate; Historic Election in Singapore; James Blake Receives Apology from NYPD Commissioner; Father Speaks of Tough Training for Venus, Serena Williams; Battle Brewing Around Area 51; REM Upset Over Song Use. Aired 2-3a ET

Aired September 11, 2015 - 02:00   ET

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


[02:00:15] NATALIE ALLEN, CNN ANCHOR: People in Japan are in recovery mode after the raging floodwaters sent hundreds of thousand running, literally, from their homes.

Also, a sign of hope among the grim pictures of migrants. The moment this family was reunited.

Also, 17 candidates from the U.S., Republican Party. CNN announces which of them will take the main stage for its debate.

That debate takes place one week from now.

And welcome to our viewers here in the United States and around the world. I'm Natalie Allen. This is CNN NEWSROOM.

We want to begin this hour in Japan where the water is receding in the worst hit areas after raging floods forced more than 400,000 people to run from their homes. The pictures, this video has been astonishing. Fast-rising waters, spawned by Tropical Storm Etau, swept away houses and structures. Helicopters plucked some from rooftops where they had been stranded for many hours. Look at them. My goodness. At least three people are dead, 22 are missing. Some areas got as much as 60 centimeters or two feet of rain since Monday.

CNN's Will Ripley has been covering the story for us. He joins me now live from a city north of the capital, Tokyo.

Will, when I first saw the footage, I thought it was file footage from the tsunami a few years ago. I couldn't believe this was actually happening to Japan again.

WILL RIPLEY: The waters are receding. The supermarket behind me -- (INAUDIBLE).

ALLEN: Will, stand by there. We are having trouble with your audio. We will try to re-establish with Will.

This is the story he filed a short time ago. Here he is.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) RIPLEY (voice-over): A wall of water in eastern Japan leaving many stranded on rooftops, balconies anywhere above water. Japan activating its military, bringing in helicopters. Rescue teams, pulling people to safety. Searching flooded buildings for anyone trapped inside.

Japan prone to all kinds of natural disasters, but the rapidly rising river took many by surprise Thursday.

"This is the first time this happened," says one long-time resident.

Tens of thousands got evacuation orders. Many had just minutes, carrying what belongings they could, unsure of what to do next.

"I haven't seen anything like this in decades," says this woman.

She is one of thousands spending the night at evacuation centers. 100 of them providing food, water and medicine.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe warning the region could see more unprecedented heavy rain, meaning potentially more flooding at already waterlogged Fukushima Nuclear Plant. Heavy rains from the Tropical Storm Etau overwhelming the drainage systems causing radioactive water to leak into the ocean several hours Wednesday. Power company, Tepco, says the situation is contained. Outside radiation levels normal for now.

The full-scale of this disaster unknown. Also unknown, how many people may still be waiting for rescue, surrounded by floodwaters, hoping their house won't be the next one dragged away.

Will Ripley, CNN, Tokyo.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ALLEN: OK. Back live now with Will. We have got better audio from him, there in the city.

That story is just unreal, Will. What were you saying? Please continue.

RIPLEY: I wanted to show you that those people, many of whom were stranded now are not able, are now are able to get back to their homes. I am going to stay put so, if you move around. Show the two guys behind you. Actually at one point they were kept out of their homes, had to spend the night at an emergency shelter. They are able to get a look at all of the damage. There is still considerable damage. You see the sheer power of all the water, Natalie. The way it pushed the fence, flipped over the cars that were floating through these neighborhoods, and then just kind of landed as the water has now receded. So there is going to be a whole lot of damage. The sun is out. That is good news. The fear is that if there is more rainfall in the waterlogged areas, the flooding could start back up all over again.

[02:05:17] ALLEN: That unfortunately is the forecast in the next 48 hours. I'm curious. In your story, many people did not realize that floodwaters were headed their way. Didn't have much time. How much time did they have? A lot of people did get out.

(AUDIO PROBLEM)

ALLEN: I'm Sorry about that. Shouldn't have pushed my luck and asked Will a question. Tried there.

We appreciate it. Will Ripley live, standing in the water just north of Tokyo. We will, of course, stay on top of the story for you.

And we do turn to the migrant crisis now. The United Nations will take an additional 10,000 Syrian refugees over the coming year.

Hundreds of thousand are streaming into Europe, fleeing the war in Syria, many of them, and many from poverty in North Africa. Riot police in Macedonia beat migrants, as you see here, with batons as they tried to enter the country from Greece.

Jordan's Queen Rania spoke with CNN's Becky Anderson about the situation.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

QUEEN RANIA OF JORDAN: These people are not coming to your country by choice. And actually, I hear that this crisis is referred as a migrant crisis. They're not migrants. A migrant is somebody who chooses to go to another country because they're looking for a better job, education, or to unite their family. They can choose back to go to their country and know they have the protection of their government, whereas, refugees are literally running for their lives.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ALLEN: Syrian refugees have been making their way across Turkey and into Europe. They're traveling through Macedonia, Serbia and Hungary, often times, on foot, trying to reach Germany and Sweden, which have more favorable asylum rules. The U.N. says about 50 boats a day carrying migrants and/or refugees land on the Greek island of Lesbos.

Senior international correspondent, Ivan Watson, is on a boat nearby in the Aegean Sea and joins me more by phone.

IVAN WATSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Hi, Natalie. I'm actually on dry land here in the Greek island of Lesbos. Moments ago, we witnessed four boats, inflatable rafts loaded with scores of migrants, refugees, landing in a half-hour of time on the coast of Lesbos. As the migrants and refugees spilled off of the boat into the water and onto the beaches, they were cheering, they were embracing each other, they were waving thumbs up. One man actually kissed me on the cheek. Moments after, he got on to dry land. And that is the scene that is repeating itself hour after hour day after day on this Greek island. As the stream of humanity, across the Aegean Sea, turning this Greek island of Lesbos as an unofficial back door into Europe. ALLEN: Like a staging ground. Looking at a photo you took. It seems

like everyone getting off this bet they have life jackets. That has been an issue with what we have seen from the people that get in these very unsafe dinghies to make this crossing. That some of them don't have life jackets. But the situation basically is, Ivan, no matter the steps that people are trying to take to stop so many from coming and endangering their lives they're still coming from where you are?

WATSON: Absolutely. And, yes, everybody has the orange life jackets. They call them the unofficial uniform of the migrants trying to get to Europe, carrying inner tubes in case there is an accident at sea.

What's remarkable, how organized many of these migrants and refugees are, they're carrying waterproof pouches that are holding their Smartphones, their identity card. They have told me, they have the phone numbers, programmed in their phones of the Greek Coast Guard should their boats get into trouble while making the hour-long journey across the Aegean from Turkey. And they even posted distress GPS on Facebook to alert Greek authorities. These are coordinated, organized migrants coming into Greece every day.

[02:10:24] ALLEN: Well, they need something going for them. We're looking at this video now of the people that just came ashore. That is one crowded boat. So we are glad they made it safely. And we hope that the trip onward will be a safe one as well. That man certainly is relieved.

Ivan Watson talking with us. Thank you.

In Italy, most immigrants are coming from African countries ravaged by war or some by poverty. Of course, they do hope to find a better life. Not everyone, though, has welcomed these migrants, but some people are devoting their time to make the transition easier.

Senior international correspondent, Ben Wedeman has that for us from Italy.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

(LAUGHTER)

BEN WEDEMAN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The jokes come easy when Father Luca is around. Humor perhaps the best medicine for the uncertainty gripping those who have washed up on Italy's shores.

(CROSSTALK)

WEDEMAN: Father Luca helps run the villa in northeastern Italy, a temporary home for Nigerians, Gambians, and others after they apply for asylum.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: If you come back, you risk to be killed.

WEDEMAN: The woman briefs them on how to navigate the notorious Italian bureaucracy. (on camera): At a time when some countries in Europe like Germany are

opening their doors wide to migrants and refugees, others like Italy are starting to close those doors.

Recently, more than 30 mayors from towns and cities in this province went to Rome to demand that the number of refugees being sent here be reduced.

(voice-over): So far this year, more than 120,000 migrants and refugees have arrived in Italy. Sparking demands from some, more in the wealthy north than the poorer south, for a crackdown.

Their welcome, says 22-year-old Victor from Nigeria, is wearing thin.

UNIDENTIFIED MIGRANT: Maybe you like to play futbol with them. No, no, no. We don't want.

WEDEMAN: He fled Nigeria after his brother was killed.

This woman from Nigeria asked we not show her face. She said she fled after her husband and children were killed.

UNIDENTIFIED MIGRANT: They came and killed him with two daughters.

WEDEMAN: They hope for a better life here but sometimes feel like strangers in a very strange land.

Ina, also from Nigeria, requested we not show her face.

UNIDENTIFIED MIGRANT: (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

WEDEMAN: Father Luca senses a rising tide of intolerance toward newcomers in this prosperous town.

"We have people who pray to Jesus in church. They pray to God, the Father, of us all," he says. Then outside church, they say, let's kill them. Send them home. Sink their boats."

Hardly a welcoming attitude for those desperately in need of the kindness of strangers.

Ben Wedeman, CNN, northern Italy.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ALLEN: In Germany, a heart-warming scene amid all of the sadness and chaos there.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(CROSSTALK)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ALLEN: A father reunited with his child. Video, sent in by CNNI reporter, Garrett McMahon, captured the moment when a family was reunited. Two family members arrived first in Munich, they waited hopeful their relatives would make it as well. It's not clear which country they came from or why they were separated. But the family, headed to a refugee camp now together.

CNN senior international correspondent, Arwa Damon, has been covering the story often traveling with the migrants. Check out her account on our website at CNN.com. She has been walking along with them and has really been with them for days on end. That's on our website.

U.S. President Barack Obama calls the Iran nuclear agreement a victory for diplomacy. U.S. Senators narrowly voted down a measure that would have set up a yes/no vote. That means now there will be no chance for Senators who oppose it to kill it.

We learn more from Michelle Kosinski.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

[02:15:16] MICHELLE KOSINSKI, CNN WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT (voice- over): After all this time, debate, and emotion, the White House gets that vote they have been waiting for, getting enough support among Democrats in the Senate, just enough support, in fact, for them to filibuster and block the vote of disapproval that Republicans had been pushing so hard for. This means now that the deal can begin to be implemented. Almost immediately, the president put out a statement calling it a victory for diplomacy, for national security, and for the safety and security of the world.

Not everybody in Congress is willing to give up so quickly. There are some in the Senate. Republicans talking about possibly doing a revote on this next week in the hopes of getting a few Democrat to change their mind. Republicans in the House passed a resolution shortly afterwards saying they believe the president violated the law by not providing enough information about what they call secret side deals between Iran and the international atomic energy agency. Now that could potentially, down the road, be used as a basis for a legal challenge to the deal.

What does the White House say, and the fact that they'll get their deal implemented, a majority of the U.S. Congress is still opposed to it? The White House called these attempts a gambit and said Republicans in Congress had set themselves up to be a spoiler to a deal that the world supports.

Michelle Kosinski, CNN, the White House.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ALLEN: Well, we'll see if the deal comes up at the next Republican debate, brought to you by CNN.

Ahead here, we'll tell you who will take the stage and we'll break down some new poll numbers leading up to this debate one week from tonight. That's next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DEREK VAN DAM, AMS METEROLOGIST: Good day. CNN Meteorologist Derek Van Dam with a quick look at your Friday forecast.

(WEATHER FORECAST)

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[02:20:57] ALLEN: Welcome back to CNN NEWSROOM. We want to bring you the latest on the U.S. presidential race now. Poll numbers show Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton's lead is shrinking over her competitors. The new CNN/ORC poll shows former secretary of state with 37 percent support. That's down 10 percent since August. Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders follows with 27 percent. And Vice President Joe Biden, who is not said whether he will run, sits at 20 percent.

The CNN Republican debate will be next Wednesday night. And we now know who will take the stage. Since so many Republicans are running to be the party's nominee. 17 in total. There will be two debates. 11 candidates in the primetime Trump, Carly Fiorina, Marco Rubio, Ted Cruz, and Scott Walker.

For more on the debate here is our chief U.S. correspondent, John King.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JOHN KING, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: There will be 11 Republicans on the stage for primetime debate Wednesday night. 11, because of amended rules.

Carly Fiorina the new face, business woman, joining 10 men, part of the first debate couple weeks ago.

Donald Trump the billionaire businessman in the middle. Why? Look at new poll numbers from CNN. He continues to lead and dominate the race, 32 percent. Dr. Ben Carson, 19. Jeb Bush, sliding at 9 percent. Scott Walker, governor of Wisconsin; Carly Fiorina, business woman; John Kasich, Chris Christie, of New Jersey, out here. On the other side, Senator Ted Cruz, moved up a little bit. Senator Marco Rubio, Governor Huckabee and Rand Paul, 11, part of the primetime debate.

Earlier debate with five candidates, Rick Perry, Bobby Jindal, George Pataki, Lindsey Graham. Why are they in the early debate? They're barely register in the polls at the moment. Perhaps one will slingshot out of this into a later debate. The five struggling the most at the moment.

Go back to the front-runner. Take a look at this. Why is Donald Trump dominating the race? He is looking great at the moment. Look at the numbers. 32 percent now. Was 12 percent a couple of months ago. 24 percent, last month. Growing. That's the way you want to be in politic. 8 percent, 9 percent, 19 percent, front-runner in the spring. Jeb Bush, 17 percent, down to 9 percent. Struggling quite a bit against Senator Cruz, up a little bit.

Why Republicans like Donald Trump? 71 percent of supporters say positions on the issues. He frustrates opponents. They say he is no Republican. That's what supporters say. 21 percent, say it is his job experience. And his support is not only growing. It's getting deeper, 31 percent of Republican men, 33 percent of Republican women. Four in 10, Tea Party voters. One-third are neutral when it comes to the Tea Party. And his numbers and support in the 30s the first time, deeper, across the Republican party as we head into the big debate.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ALLEN: There are the numbers. So what are they talking about? In two days, eight presidential candidates have appeared on CNN to talk about key issues, defend themselves and jab their rivals. Here's a look.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: Joining us right now here with me to talk --

UNIDENTIFIED CNN ANCHOR: And joining me now is Republican presidential candidate --

BLITZER: Bobby Jindal with me here.

And Republican presidential candidate, Rand Paul.

CHRIS CUOMO, CNN ANCHOR, NEW DAY: I'm any just reading the quote for what it is, "Look at that face. Why would anyone vote for that? Can you imagine that's the face of our next president? She is a woman. I'm not supposed to say bad things, but really, folks, come on. Are we serious?" That's not about persona.

(CROSSTALK)

DONALD TRUMP, (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE & CEO, TRUMP ORGANIZATION (voice-over): I'm talking persona. She is not going to be president.

(CROSSTALK)

CUOMO: I don't know about that.

Do you believe him? What is your view of that comment?

JEB BUSH, (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE & FORMER FLORIDA GOVERNOR: Look, I don't get it. I don't see how over the long haul that you can insult your way off to the nomination or the presidency? Certainly not the presidency.

TRUMP: I've known Ben Carson of him for a long time. I never heard faith was a big thing until recently. (CROSSTALK)

CUOMO: He's a Seventh Day Adventist.

(CROSSTALK)

CUOMO: It's something he talks about a lot.

TRUMP: All of a sudden he becomes a great religious figure.

[02:25:11] BOBBY JINDAL, (R), LOUISIANA GOVERNOR & PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I enjoy the Trump show. It was entertaining. I love to see him be politically incorrect. Go after the D.C. insiders. But he is full of nonsense.

UNIDENTIFIED CNN ANCHOR: She took her oath to uphold the Constitution, the law changed. And that happens from time to time. The law --

MIKE HUCKABEE, (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE & FORMER ARKANSAS GOVERNOR: Where in the Constitution did it change? When people say that --

(CROSSTALK)

HUCKABEE: -- this law has changed, what statute can you quote for me?

UNIDENTIFIED CNN ANCHOR: When the Supreme Court decided gay marriage could be the law of the land and it was discriminatory not to allow it that's what changed?

HUCKABEE: Well, the Supreme Court can't make law. They interpreted law.

JAKE TAPPER, CNN ANCHOR, THE LEAD: Do you agree with Huckabee that, that, telling her to do this, is judicial tyranny?

CHRIS CHRISTIE, (R), NEW JERSEY GOVERNOR & PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Listen, I don't use the same word that Mike Huckabee does. We have to stand up for people's constitutional rights. The free exercise of religion is First Amendment right.

SEN. RAND PAUL, (R), KENTUCKY & PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: But the Religious Freedom Act says an elected official doesn't have to do something that is contrary to religious beliefs if there can be found an accommodation around that.

SEN. BERNIE SANDERS, (I), VERMONT & DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Look, we have a message that I believe, I believe, from day one, was going to resonate with the American people.

CUOMO: How do you get the momentum that they have? How do you get the voters to say, all right, I am willing to stop looking at them? I will look at you, governor, or anybody else?

GEORGE PATAKI, (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE & FORMER NEW YORK GOVERNOR: Chris, by offering solutions. I'm an optimist. (END VIDEOTAPE)

ALLEN: All right. Well, what will they say next week? Because Wednesday, you can watch the Republican presidential candidates face off in back-to-back debates. That is September 16th, at 11:00 p.m. in London, only right here on CNN.

Today marks the 14th anniversary of one of the most tragic events in U.S. history. It is 9/11. Nearly 3,000 innocent people lost their lives in what many consider the most brazen attack on American soil. A series of events to mark September 11th throughout the coming hours. The first at 8:46 a.m. eastern time when a moment of silence will be held in New York City. That was the time American Airlines flight 11 hit the North Tower of the World Trade Center.

You are watching CNN NEWSROOM. Ahead here, people in Singapore head to the polls in an historic election. The ruling party expected to retain power. But it is facing unprecedented opposition. We'll tell you why.

Plus the father of tennis superstars, Venus and Serena Williams, tells CNN what it is look to raise champions and how he got them this far.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[02:31:25] NATALIE ALLEN, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome back to viewers here in the United States and around the word. You're watching CNN live coverage. I'm Natalie Allen. Here are our top stories.

A major victory for U.S. Senate Democrats blocking a Republican-backed measure to derail the Iran nuclear deal. Opponents fell just two votes shy of the number they needed to advance the resolution to a final vote. That means without a legal challenge Congress won't be able to kill it.

Jailed Venezuela opposition leader, Leopoldo Lopez, sentenced to 13 years in prison. Lopez is accused of inciting violence in protests that shook the country last year. Outraged supporters cried in the country's capital when they heard the news. Some hail Lopez as a Venezuelan Nelson Mandela.

Japanese prosecutors have charged the head of a collapsed Bitcoin exchange with corporate embezzlement. The accusations against Mark Karpolis (ph) come amid fraud allegations after the disappearance of a large amount of the virtual currency. Karpolis (ph) has been in custody in Japan for a month and a half.

Rescue operations continue in northeastern Japan even as the floodwaters start to recede. Torrential rains, landslide and flooding killed at least three people and forced more than 400,000 people to leave their homes. Helicopters plucked some people from rooftops. You can see there they had been stranded, holding on literally for hours. The record-breaking rainfall breached a levee in eastern Japan.

Derek Van Dam is here with more about it. It is just amazing that this is mainly just due to a lot of rain.

(CROSSTALK)

DEREK VAN DAM, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Japan has their fair share of catastrophes. This one was quite a doozie. And at its worst, the floodwater covered 37 square kilometers of area just from that breached levee. We are going to talk about that in detail. Take, again, a look, Natalie and for you at home of visuals of dramatic rescues that went, they were under way just about 24 hours ago. There was a breach in the levee. Originally that breach was 20 meters wide. That quickly expanded to roughly 80 meters wide you can see the aerial footage now on your TV screen. That led to the inundation of this large area, 37 square kilometers.

Come to the graphics. You can see what a difference a day makes. Tokyo sky cam looking downtown. Breaks of cloud in the sunshine in there from time to time. This is live downtown Tokyo. Conditions are improving at least temporarily, which is good news. And, we'll talk about that in just one moment. Here is the 37 square kilometers of floodwater, impacting this area, the river in northeastern Japan. There are several different ways that water can breach a levee. Remember, a levee is a barrier of land that separates dry land from water. This particular situation was known as overtopping, where water spilled over the top of that barrier or that levee, inundating those homes and rushing away some of the water. You can see that levee breach right there, expanding from 20 meters to 80 meters, resulting in that very scary situation.

By the way, we also broke several records. In fact, the rainiest Wednesday of all time, in Nikko, Japan, 365 millimeters. Several records broken. Showers returning late Sunday night into Monday. Tropical Storm Kilo to the northeast, near Haikoto.

Going to end with this. You have seen the images across the Middle East of the ongoing sandstorm. Take a look at graphics from NASA, posted on their website. You can see the progression of the sand storm, Natalie. Northeasterly wind from Syria, Turkey, northern Iraq brought in that very thick layer of dust bringing down visibilities to roughly in Jerusalem and other parts of Israel. Unbelievable stuff. The good news is that it is starting to dissipate. Something you don't want to be stuck in.

[02:36:00] ALLEN: I've never been in one. No, I wouldn't want --

VAN DAM: I have no interest.

(LAUGHTER)

ALLEN: Derek, thank you.

Other news we are following, a court in Seoul, South Korea, sentenced a Kim Chi Jong (ph) to 12 years in jail for attacking the U.S. ambassador to South Korea last March. Kim was charged with attempted murder and assaulting a foreign envoy. Police say he was angry about joint military drills between the U.S. and South Korea. That's Kim there in the wheelchair. This is the ambassador, Mark Lippert. He needed 80 stitches to close the stab wound on his lower jaw.

The polls are open in the most competitive election in Singapore's history. For the first time since independence in 1965, the city state's main parties are contesting all 89 seats. Singapore's current Prime Minister Lee Hsein Loong has been in power since 2004 and his incumbent People's Action Party is expected to win. But there has been growing discontent over a weakening economy, high cost of living, and immigration levels.

CNN correspondent, David Malko, has more background on today's hotly contested elections.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DAVID MALKO, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Singapore set to vote in its first election since 2011. But you can't talk politics here without mentioning Lee Kuan Yew, first prime minister, largely credited with transforming the tiny island to one of the wealthiest places on the planet.

Lee Kuan Yew was a pragmatic leader, pro business and anti corruption. But he also did not tolerate dissent. He held the top job for 30 years. The party he founded, PAP, People's Action Party, was for a decade really the only game in town. Lee was succeeded by Goh Chok Tong in 1990. And Lee's son, Lee Hsein Loong, third prime minister in 2004.

But in 2011, the earth shook. Voters cast their mandatory ballots and the PAP only received about 60 percent of vote, the smallest percentage to date. And it was time to do some soul searching.

Fast forward to current election, and it's a similar story with slightly different issues, slowing economic growth, the gap between rich and poor, concerns over immigration.

The government says it has been working to address these, while keeping, civil rights critics say, strictly in check. Singapore's leaders though have always been unapologetic, saying these limits are necessary to maintain stability and harmony.

Meanwhile, the typically fragmented opposition is back with the Workers Party dominating and some half a dozen others leveraging social networks to build support.

2015 has already been a year of transition for Singapore with the death of founding father, Lee Kuan Yew, in March, and the celebration of the nation's golden jubilee, raising the question of whether the ruling party is perhaps banking on the emotion of the people to vote in their favor. All of this making it hard to say if the opposition can repeat 2011's gains. But at the very least, that uncertainty, some Singaporeans say, will keep the PAP accountable and on its toes.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ALLEN: David Malko for us covering the story from Singapore. Coming up here, the father of champions. Find out how Richard

Williams trained daughters, Venus and Serena, to be "rough and tough" -- his words there -- in the world of tennis.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[02:43:05] ALLEN: Welcome back. New York's police chief says he apologized to former tennis star, James Blake, over an apparent case of mistaken identity. Blake was tackled by plain clothes officers outside of his Manhattan hotel Wednesday. He was released after about 10 minutes when police say they realized they had the wrong guy.

Blake, who is biracial, told "The New York Daily News" it is possible race was a factor. The police commissioner denies that, but says the incident should not have happened.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BILL BRATTON, COMMISSIONER, NEW YORK POLICE DEPARTMENT: Was the force used appropriate, and in the initial review, we believe it may not have been. And that, secondly, that what transpired after the release of Mr. Blake relative to reporting of the incident, which was not done.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ALLEN: Police say they went to the hotel to arrest people who were buying high-end shoes with fraudulent credit card.

The father of tennis stars, Venus and Serena Williams, says he wasn't surprised by what happened to James Blake. Richard Williams sat down for a rare interview and he spoke with our Don Riddel, and spoke about the tough training his daughters want through growing up, and how it prepared them for their future in such a competitive sport.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DON RIDDEL, CNN WORLD SPORTS ANCHOR: People might be surprised to learn that you were quite financially successful. You didn't have to raise the girls and train them in Compton, so why did you?

RICHARD WILLIAMS, FATHER OF VENUS AND SERENA WILLIAMS: I really felt it would be the best place for them. The ghetto will make you rough, tough. It will make you strong.

RIDDEL: There was one point you bused in kids and had them stand around the courts and hurl abuse and insults at the girls. Why did you do that?

RICHARD: Because in order to be successful, you must prepare for the unexpected. Serena Williams played at Indian Wells. Good I did the things I did. The whole crowd turned against her. All she had to do was remember the training that she had been through.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[02:45:15] ALLEN: A little bit of our interview there with Richard Williams.

Serena Williams is having to wait a little longer for a chance to secure the calendar grand slam she hopes for. Women City Finals at the U.S. Open in New York were postponed until later today due to rain. A lot of folks watching that one.

A battle is brewing over one of the most mysterious military sites in the U.S. A family in Nevada lived near the testing ground known as Area 51 for decades. Now the government wants them to move.

But as Dan Simon reports, the family wants to stay.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DAN SIMON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Area 51, along with alleged aliens and UFOs, may be fictionalized in Hollywood --

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: Welcome to earth.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SIMON: -- but the top-secret U.S. military site, two hours north of Las Vegas, is now part of a real-live drama.

JOE SHEEHAN, IN FIGHT WITH GOVERNMENT OVER LAND NEAR AREA 51: This place means everything to us.

SIMON: Joe Sheehan and his family have owned land near the site almost 130 years, decades before the federal government made it a testing spot for nuclear weapons --

(EXPLOSION)

SIMON: -- and training area for fighter pilots that surrounds the property.

The Sheehans and their relatives are not allowed on the property without a military escort. And now the Air Force wants the family gone, saying it can't guarantee their safety. It is preparing to seize their 400 acres through imminent domain if the family does not accept what the Air Force says is a very generous buyout, $5.2 million.

(on camera): Why not take the $5 million?

SHEEHAN: Because we believe it is worth more than that. And we believe it is worth fighting for.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No part of me says to settle. I won't.

SIMON (voice-over): Won't settle because the family, which wants people to know they're not wealthy, nor crazy, says the government owes them far more for decades of alleged atrocities and abuse. This is home video of their property where they say have come

dangerously close to military exercises. The family has collected numerous bullet casings over the years.

The fight dates back to the 1950s when the family alleged a military jet destroyed an ore-processing mining mill, the remnants which can still be seen.

SHEEHAN: It was either a missile or bomb or something of that nature.

SIMON: And nuclear weapons testing back then, he says, exposed their property to dangerous radiation.

SHEEHAN: What they have done is nothing short of criminal.

SIMON (on camera): The family is basically saying you guys are a bunch of bullies.

COLONEL THOMAS DEMPSEY, U.S. AIR FORCE: Our intent is, was never of to be that bully.

SIMON: Colonel Thompson Dempsey oversees the 2.9 million acres that surround the family property. He says none of their allegations can be substantiated. And the Air Force has negotiated in good faith. But the situation has become untenable.

DEMPSEY: We've tried every way we can, including canceling missions when they come out on the range, at that's at tremendous expense to taxpayers.

SIMON: Do you acknowledge at any point that you have interfered with their operations?

SHEEHAN: No. No. I didn't create this mess. They did. They surrounded us. They built that facility there. We were there.

SIMON: Dan Simon, CNN, Rachel, Nevada.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ALLEN: We'll continue to follow that one.

The man once known for singing about shiny, happy people is blazing mad over the music played at a Republican rally. Ahead, REM's front man calls Donald Trump's presidential campaign "a moronic charade." And that's not all he had to say.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[02:50:10] PATRICK SNELL, CNN WORLD SPORTS ANCHOR: Hi, there. I'm Patrick Snell, with CNN World Sport headlines.

Starting with the U.S. Open, where only the weather it seems can stop Serena Williams quest to secure not one but two of the sport's greatest accomplishments. The women's semis postponed until mid morning local time Friday due to rain with the Italian player lost all four previous meetings with Serena lying in wait.

Meantime, CNN has learned New York City's police commissioner has personally apologized to James Blake after a group of plain clothes officers wrongly detained retired world number four and tackled him off to the pavement Wednesday while en route to the season's final major. A source telling CNN that the exchange lasted several minutes. Blake accepted the commissioner's apology. The department launched an investigation into whether excessive force was used in which police mistook Blake for a suspect in an identity theft case.

After month upon month of the Deflategate saga in the U.S., it's finally time to let the football do the talking. Tom Brady and defending Super Bowl champion, New England Patriots have kicked off the NFL season against the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Patriots are trying to be the first back-to-back champions since they accomplished the feat back in 2004 and 2085.

Thank you for joining us. You're bang up to date. That's a look at your sports headlines. I'm Patrick Snell.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ALLEN: Well, we all know Donald Trump jabs his opponents, jabs anyone who takes him on or speaks up to him. But Republican presidential candidate, Jeb Bush, got a few laughs poking fun at Donald Trump during a campaign event Thursday.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JEB BUSH, (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE & FORMER FLORIDA GOVERNOR: The loud voices that don't have a plan -- I mean, let's talk about Donald Trump as Stephen Colbert said, let's talk about the big orange elephant in the room.

(LAUGHTER)

That's a joke. That's humor, Donald. Don't tweet.

(LAUGHTER)

Please, please.

(LAUGHTER)

Go to sleep. Take some rest.

(LAUGHTER)

(APPLAUSE)

BUSH: You know --

(APPLAUSE) BUSH: -- he sits up at night to do this stuff. So I am sure I will get one in the back, get a hit and my little buzzer will go off on my iPhone.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ALLEN: Probably will.

Well, it seems no campaign stop is complete without a theme song. The Tea Party's rally against the Iran deal featured Donald Trump and Ted Cruz. And blaring from the speakers was REM's "The End of the World as We Know It." And for the rock band, that felt like the end of the world.

Here's Jeanne Moos with that.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEANNE MOOS, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It ain't the end of the world, but you would think it was after Donald Trump helped resurrect a 28-year-old song.

(SINGING)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's the end of the world -- good morning, everybody.

MOOS: This is what the band REM is losing sleep over.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Businessman Donald Trump.

(SINGING)

STARR: It played for only 10 seconds.

(SINGING)

MOOS: Oh, no, they don't. REM bassist, Mike Mills, called Trump the orange clown. The front man, Michael Stipe, went nuclear. "Go bleep yourselves, the lot of you, you sad, attention-grabbing power-hungry little man. Do not use our music or my voice for your moronic charade of a campaign."

(SINGING)

MOOS: The group's official statement on Facebook was less apocalyptic, asking that these candidates cease and desist.

It's unlikely Trump himself was picking the music. After all, the anti-Iran rally was organized by Tea Party Patriots.

"Memo to all Republicans," wrote one commenter, "unless you are using a song by Toby Keith, Lee Greenwood, Kid Rock, Ted Nugent, just assume the artist will stage a public hissy fit about you using it."

[02:55:21] UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If I was a musician and, all of a sudden, Donald Trump, who is red-hot right now, is playing "It's the End of the World," I would think it is good for sales.

MOOS (on camera): Legal experts tell us it is a really gray area of law.

(voice-over): It pits the candidates' freedom of speech rights against the musician's copywrite rights. A lot depends on whether rally organizers paid licensing fees, which we couldn't find out.

It may be REM's song, but it is not music to their ears when they hear it over the Donald's face.

Jeanne Moos, CNN --

(SINGING)

MOOS: -- New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ALLEN: Well, it's not the end of the world, but the end of this hour. I will be back with more in just a moment. Please stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[03:00:03] GEORGE HOWELL, CNN ANCHOR: The rescue effort and cleanup continues in northeastern Japan, following deadly floods that forced thousands out of their homes. A live report from the scene just minutes from now.