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North Korea Says Its Main Nuclear Facility Is In Full Operation; Refugee Crisis. Aired 8-9a ET.

Aired September 15, 2015 - 08:00   ET

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

[08:00:13] KRISTIE LU STOUT, HOST: I'm Kristie Lu Stout in Hong Kong, and welcome to News Stream.

North Korea says its main nuclear facility is in full operation and ready to cope with U.S. hostility. Plus, thousands of migrants rush to

through Hungary but tough new restrictions are in effect. We are there at the border. And dramatic rescues in the southwest United States where the

deadly floodwater claims at least eight lives.

And we begin with fresh concern over North Korea's nuclear program. After it warned the U.S. its nuclear arsenal has improved, its main nuclear

reactor is now fully operational and it is prepared to use nuclear weapons at any time. Now the Yongbyon nuclear complex is a key facility for

Pyongyang. It was dismantled in 2008 after North Korea claimed they use it for building nuclear weapons.

Now the announcement, it came alongside some fiery rhetoric against the U.S. Let's go to straight to Kathy Novak in Seoul, and Kathy, more

alarming and more attention grabbing threats from North Korea. What exactly did it say and how is the U.S. and South Korea reacting?

KATHY NOVAK, CNN: Well, this nuclear facility that you're referring to, a Yongbyon, Kristi, includes a uranium enrichment plant, it includes a

plutonium production reactor. This is where North Korea says it is developing the nuclear weapons that it says are used as a deterrent, that

it says it is allowed to develop because it says that the United States is conducting a hostile policy against it. The threat that it was giving in

North Korea's news agency KCNA was that if the United States continues what it calls a hostile policy and continues to what it says act mischievously

that North Korea is prepared to respond with nuclear weapons at any time.

Now analyst have been studying satellite imagery of this facility ever since two years ago when North Korea was promising to restart operations.

The jury is out on whether or not North Korea really does have the capacity it says it does, but the head of U.S. national intelligence did say earlier

this year that North Korea was following through on this threat to restart operations at Yongbyon. And all of this is happening after North Korea was

already saying that it was in the final stages of lunching a new satellite, and that is being interpreted as basically a veiled threat of another

rocket launch, the testing of ballistic missile technology that would be in violation of United Nations security council sanctions it.

I spoke to the U.S. ambassador of South Korea, Mark Lippert, and here's a little bit about what he had to say about that.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MARK LIPPERT, U.S. AMBASSADOR OF SOUTH KOREA: We will remain vigilant. We are always working with the government of South Korea to

provide a robust deterrent to remain vigilant on threats, and to ensure that other alleys in the region, as well as the U.S. homeland, are

protected from threats posed by North Korea.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NOVAK: Now for its part, South Korea is also saying that it is watching developments closely, also saying that it is working closely with

the United States as North Korea continues to issue these threats Kristie.

LU STOUT: So, South Korea and the United States both watching the situation very closely, but does North Korea really have the technology to

target the United States? I mean how much of a threat does North Korea really pose here?

NOVAK: Well that seems to be the open question, Kristie. Some say that North Korea does not have the technology to launch a ballistic missile

that could reach the United States, but what it is saying here is that it is openly continuing to develop the technology, that that is the ability

that it wants. And these are two parts of the whole, if you will. So on one hand it is saying that it is developing the nuclear weapons that it would

then need to load basically onto a ballistic missile that would be used to launch the nuclear weapons that North Korea says it has.

And, part of the reason this is causing so much concern is because of the timing. This is all coming ahead of a key anniversary. On October the

tenth, North Korea will be marking the 70th anniversary of the founding of the workers party of Korea, and there has been speculation that the regime

of Kim Jong Un is planning some kind of provocative act. Maybe a missile launch, maybe a nuclear test, to mark that anniversary.

So it is likely to continue to be a tense time here on the peninsula as we work towards that anniversary coming up just in a few weeks, Kristie.

[08:05:10] LU STOUT: Yeah, a tense time. Those growing threats do pose a growing challenge.

Kathy Novak joining us live from Seoul. Thank you Kathy.

The Turkish coastguards says at least 22 people have died and some 250 of them have been rescued after a boat capsized carrying hundreds of

migrants. It was believed to be traveling from Turkey to the Greek island of Kos, and although almost all people make the journey safely, the migrant

group tells us that dozens of migrants have died recently trying to make that crossing.

Now Hungary has made its first arrests under new migrant laws. Now it comes a day after Hungarian police said that they intercepted more than

nine thousand people entering from Serbia, and under the new rules, anyone caught crossing illegally faces up to three years in prison. But people are

still arriving. Even as Europe still struggles to find a solution.

European ministers have so far failed to agree on how to resettle tens of thousands of needy people. Now earlier, the German Vice Chancellor spoke

about the crisis.

(BEGIN VIDEOCLIP)

SIGMAR GABRIEL, GERMAN VICE CHANCELLOR (through translator): Our country cannot on its own solve the issues of the refugee crisis of the

world, and that means that we need European solidarity above all. Yesterday, Europe once again showed how to fail.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LU STOUT: Now, the leaders of Germany and Austria, they're currently discussing the crisis at this moment and we expect them to speak shortly.

When they do, we will bring that to you live.

Now meanwhile, thousands more people are arriving to Europe everyday, and Macedonia is now appealing for help at this massive influx.

Our Senior International Correspondent, Ivan Watson, reports from the southern border.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

IVAN WATSON, SENIOR INTERNAIOTNAL CORESPONDENT: This is the border between Greece and Macedonia, an informal crossing point through which

refugees and migrants have been streaming through by the thousands. More than 8,600 people in the single 24 hour period.

Hi. Where are you from? Syria? Where are you going? Finland? Okay.

So you hear these people identifying themselves as Syrian refugees, saying that they're either going to Finland or Germany. We've heard many

people say that they want to go to Sweden as well.

This is an improvised journey that people are on. This is not a formal route, it's been kind of cobbled together, and the Greek and the Macedonia

authorities, for example, have been allowing it to take place, allowing these people to move through as swiftly as possible to move them on to

their next destination.

Most of the people we've spoken with began their international journey by boat, by small, unsafe, overcrowded smuggler's dingies, traveling from

the Turkish coast to Greek islands. And that's where tragedy struck before dawn on Sunday when one of these vessels overturned. At least 34 people

drowned, among the victims, 15 children, four of them were infants.

Now, for those who have made it here to Macedonia, the next leg of the journey will likely be aboard a train that will travel the length of

Macedonia to the next country on the migrant trail, and that is Serbia.

A challenge will now be posed as Southern European countries have announced that they're going to tighten restrictions on their borders and

we're getting warnings that as those policies get put into place, we could start to see bottlenecks at border crossings like this one where people

once moved quite smoothly by the thousands, we could start to see buildup of migrants and refugees.

Ivan Watson, CNN, at the Macedonian border of Greece.

LU STOUT: You're watching News Stream and still ahead on the program, in Australia, a new prime minister is sworn in, we'll hear what

the old one had to say on his way out.

Plus, one man says it took just minutes for a torrential downpour to cause raging flood waters in the western United States. We'll look at

conditions there.

Also ahead, one of the rivals of Donald Trump says, in your face, after he insulted her looks. Carly Fiorina is now turning the tables ahead

of Wednesday's big Republican debate in the U.S.

(COMMMERCIAL BREAK)

[08:11:16] LU STOUT: Welcome back. Now, one day down. Malcolm Turnbull has racked up his first day in office after being sworn in as

Australia's new Prime Minister this morning. He successfully challenged Tony Abbott for the top job on Monday, and law makers in the liberal party

voted 54 to 44 to replace Abbott with Turnbull.

Abbott says that he will help make the transition a smooth one, and he thanked the Australian people for the past two years.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TONY ABBOTT, AUSTRALIAN POLITICIAN: The great privilege that I have had is to see the wonder of this country like few others. And, I want to

thank the Australian people for giving me the honor to serve.

And yet, this is a tough day, for when you join the game, you accept the rules. I've held true to what I believe and I'm proud of what we've

achieved over the past two years.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LU STOUT: Now Tony Abbott's ousting means Australia will see its fifth Prime Minister in the span of just eight years. Abbott blamed the

revolving door of leadership on the media and quote, "poll driven panic."

We turn now to the western United States where at least eight people were killed in a flash flood that swept through an area along the Utah

Arizona border. An official says seven of the victims were in two vehicles that got washed away. It also says they were all women and small children.

Five people are missing. According to witnesses, it took just minutes for the flood water to swamp the town in Utah where all of this happened.

Now, let's get the very latest on conditions there. Chad Myers joins us now with the full forecast -- Chad.

CHAD MYERS, CNN WEATHER: Kristie Lu, there could be more showers in the area today, but there won't be, I don't believe, that torrential

rainfall that fell within about 45 minutes. Let me zoom you into what happened yesterday.

This is the area that saw the rainfall and it continues to see a couple of showers here. I'm going to zoom you in here, right here to

Hillvale and Colorado city. We had one shower around one o'clock and another one around three thirty, it was the one at three thirty that was

the heavy rainfall.

I'm going to take you right here to a google earth and show you the topography. This flood was completely a topographic flood. There is rain in

the mountains up here to the north and to the northeast of the city. All of the sudden that rain here piled up in a big puddle and had a rush downhill,

and as it rushed down through the town -- there were people actually watching the flood, the early flood. They didn't realize how bad it was

going to be, and then it got very difficult to get out of the way, and this is what the problem was yesterday as we saw so many people in the way of

those flood waters.

And the floods could continue today. There could be more in the way of flooding, at least in parts of the west. This is kind of part of a dying

tropical system off the west coast. I suspect, though, that most of the heavy rainfall today will be actually closer to Los Angeles.

So, this could continue for awhile. This happens in the west. This is a mountain driven rainfall event and all of the sudden, what goes up on top

of the mountain has to rush back down to the bottom -- Kristie Lu.

LU STOUT: So, we have these deadly flash floods in Utah, more flooding on the way in that part of the country.

Meanwhile, wild fires in California continue to threaten lives. What can you tell us?

MYERS: You know, not that far away, probably less than a thousand kilometers away, we're talking about significant fires here, and I'm

talking major hectors. I mean, lots of square miles here, lots of square kilometers. 25,000 hectors burned already, only 10% contained and 10,000,

10,000 structures already burned. Some towns completely wiped out here, because the winds have been so bad. I mean, that's almost what we would

call our wine country, Napa, Sonoma. But then, Lake County, the one next to that, very dry. Hasn't rained in California, really, for years -- light

rain but we have been in a significant drought here. Same significant drought here. This is the Amador and Calaveras county at 28,000 hectors

burned and very little containment with any of these fires and we don't see any significant containment at all.

There could be some showers, there could be some light rain, but the problem, Kristie Lu, when the light rain comes in there will be significant

wind with it. We could see 40 kilometers per hour of wind. And, you get a spark on top of a pine tree -- these are like, these are like (INAUDIBLE)

pines, these are big pine trees out in the western part of the United States, those big pine trees send sparks miles. Again, there still burning,

and they advance those fires so very, very quickly.

So yes, there will be some light rain, but if I zoom you in to where the fires are, there and here, the rain really does miss those fire areas,

but the winds will not miss them at all -- Kristie Lu.

[08:16:00] LU STOUT: So the rain, not going to bring relief? I mean, this is an escalating crisis there.

Chad Myers reporting. Thank you Chad. You're watching News Stream. Still to come of the program, new satellite images over the South Chine Sea raising new questions about

China's intentions there. We got the details straight ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LU STOUT: Okay, to the German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, has been meeting with her Austrian counterpart, Werner Faymann. The pair have been

tackling the big issue of how to respond to the spiraling influx of migrants and refugees.

(ANGELA MERKEL, WERNER FAYMANN PRESS CONFERENCE)

LU STOUT: Live from Berlin, words there from the German Chancellor and her Austrian counterpart.

Earlier we heard the lines, this is about people and their right to asylum and if we have to say sorry during emergency than this is not my

country.

Again, live from Berlin that was the German chancellor, Angela Merkel speaking with her Austrian counterpart, Werner Faymann. They were

addressing the sweeping migrant and refugee crisis in Europe. Both Germany and Austria are both major destinations for migrants and refugees.

And there, at the podium, next to Angela Merkel, the Austrian chancellor said this, quote, "it's only three countries, including Sweden,

who are actively trying to do something and three countries alone can't do it."

Mrs. Merkel -- earlier in this press conference she said that we need a common solution for the entire European Union, and she added that this is

a matter of urgency. We can't wait.

Live coverage here on News Stream. We'll be back right after this short break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[08:41:27] LU STOUT: Welcome back. Now, the U.S. Presidential candidates, they are getting set for their second big showdown of the

primary campaign season.

The debate on Wednesday will take place in California and will be moderated by CNN's Jake Tapper. And Donald Trump will still be front and

center, but also on the stage this time will be Carly Fiorina. A Ryan Noble shows us how she is trying to use one of Trumps insults to her advantage.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RYAN NOBLE, CNN REPORTER: One person to watch here in California on Wednesday night will be the former Hewlett Packard CEO, Carly Fiorina. Now,

she had steadily whooped up the polls after an impressive performance in the Undercard debate in Cleveland last month. Now, she's also received some

attention from Donald Trump that she's attempting to use to her benefit.

Now, in Rolling Stone magazine, a profile on Trump describes a moment where he sees Fiorina on television and criticizes her looks. He says, look

at that face.

Now Trump says it was her persona, not her face or her physical looks that he was commenting on, but the billionaire is still catching heat from

women groups and other people, and Fiorina is trying to take advantage of it.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CARLY FIORINA, REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Ladies, look at this face. This is the face of the 61 year old woman. I am proud of every

year and every wrinkle.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NOBLE: Of course, Fiorina is the only woman in the crowded GOP field, and she is starting to show a willingness to take on Trump. She could be

one person to watch closely on the debate stage Wednesday night.

In Simi Valley, California, I'm Ryan Noble reporting.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LU STOUT: And you can watch the Republican Presidential candidates face off in back-to-back debates this Thursday, Hong Kong time. You can

watch live, September the 17 starting at six am in Hong Kong. That's seven am in Tokyo. And, if that's a little bit too early for you, you can watch

the whole broadcast again at six pm Hong Kong time. That's seven pm in the evening in Tokyo. Only on CNN.

Now, new satellite images appear to show China building a third airstrip in disputed waters in the South China Sea. They indicate that

China has reclaimed a rectangle of land about 3,000 meters in length. The Philippines say there is no truth to China's claim that it had stopped

construction. Several countries claim territorial rights on island in these waters, and this is expected to be an issue in talks between the U.S. and

Chinese Presidents next week.

And that is News Stream. I'm Kristie Lu Stout. World Sports with Amanda Davies is next.

END