Return to Transcripts main page
CNN Newsroom
Afghan Govt Launches Counteroffensive After Losing Key City to Taliban; Presidents Obama, Putin Disagree on Syria at the U.N.; Dow Loses 313 Points; Nasdaq Closes Down 3 Percent. Aired 3-4a ET.
Aired September 29, 2015 - 03:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[00:03:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ROSEMARY CHURCH, CNN NEWSROOM INTERNATIONAL HOST: The Afghan government launches a counteroffensive, after losing a key city to the Taliban.
ERROL BARNETT, CNN NEWSROOM INTERNATIONAL HOST: A start divide, President Barack Obama and Vladimir Putin, pointedly disagree on Syria at the United Nations.
CHURCH: And excitement global breakthrough on Mars, evidence of flowing water and that means life might be possible there, perhaps.
CHURCH: Hello and welcome to our viewers here in the United States and all around the world. I'm Rosemary Church.
BARNETT: And I'm Errol Barnett. Thanks for joining us on this second hour of CNN Newsroom.
CHURCH: And we begin with breaking news, we've been following out of Afghanistan where the government says it has started to retake the city of Kunduz. The provincial capital fell to the Taliban on Monday, after a stunning firefight.
BARNETT: And now government spokesman tells us its forces have already secured the prison, a police compound, and at least one neighborhood. Coalition spokesperson also says a U.S. air strike has hit the Taliban on the city's outskirts. This was the first time the Taliban have been able to take a provincial capital, since they were driven from power back in 2001. This is all quite significant.
Let's get to our Nic Robertson, our international diplomatic editor, for more on this. He joined us now live from London. So Nic, just tell us, because all been unfolding this past few hours, what's the status is of Kunduz right now, and how much progress the government has made in trying retake it?
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Well, the government says that it has rushed reinforcements, additional troops into the area. They say that they're beginning to take parts of it. A new police chief headquarters, the prison that was overrun yesterday by the Taliban, about 500 prisoners were freed by the Taliban when they overran the prison. What we know is the fight for Kunduz has been shaping up for some time.
The Taliban had been moving into surrounding area, since April this year, getting stronger, essentially threatening the town. It is significant for them to take a whole town. They haven't able to do this since 2001. It is a relatively rich agricultural province. The town itself, since the strike, a significant highway that links the country Afghanistan to Tajikistan towards the north. For the Taliban, this is a prize, their leader, Mulla Mansoor, has already been telling his fighters to spare the civilian lives. Telling civilian they should carry on with their normal jobs. That they were being extrajudicial killings and that life should carry on as normal.
That tends to paint the picture that the Taliban would like to hold this town. But yesterday, some residence was saying that they saw the Taliban coming in. They went into the hospital first. They were going through the walls looking for Afghan troops who might have been in there injured. Taking photographs to themselves and then leaving, you know given the impression they weren't there to stay.
But the government push today is significant, because this is a blow to them, to their esteem. But also potentially, you know, it damages morale of other Afghan troops around the country. What NATO was able to do so well over the past decade or so was help support Afghan troops in the field, rushing reinforcement, make sure that there was food and water where you had a big military push, and make sure there was enough ammunition, all that sort of thing. That's gone. The government is more left on this. We see the air strikes today outside of Kunduz by the U.S. military. So it would be significant for the government to retake control of this, retake it quickly, and not cause too much civilian casualties and damages.
BARNETT: Key to retaking this town for the Afghan government, will be convincing locals that the governments are the rightful kind of leaders of this city, why do locals there support the Taliban? You were telling me just last hour that the Taliban does enjoy some support in this area.
[03:04:01] ROBERTSON: Typically, people feel that there's either corruption in the government forces, one of the reasons it's believed or understood that was said yesterday, where the government forces pulled back so quickly and this would be the police as well, was because they felt there wasn't an adequate leader, that does speak to some sort of corruption in the military forces -- or the security forces rather, that the soldiers on the ground don't trust their leadership. Then you have this sort of tribal affiliations, if you will, in the area and local people. We've seen this in the past history of the Taliban, when Taliban have been able to take control of cities quickly; it's because they have already run over hearts and minds of some of the population there. These are significant factors and will be significant factors for the government going forward.
BARNETT: All right, we'll continue to track this breaking story. Nic Robertson live for us in London this morning. Nic thanks.
CHURCH: U.S. President Barack Obama and Russian leader Vladimir Putin agree they can work together to fight terrorism in Syria, but they do not agree on the future of Syrian President Bashir al-Assad. The leaders shared a few awkward moments at the United Nations on Monday, before sitting down for a 90-minute meeting on Syria and Ukraine.
BARNETT: Mr. Putin once again affirmed his support for the Syrian leader. But said he would not send Russian troops into Syria to fights ISIS. Mr. Obama called al-Assad a tyrant to his -- fanning the flames of war on his own country.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The United States is prepared to work with any nation, including Russia and Iran to resolve the conflict. But we must recognize that there cannot be after so much bloodshed, so much carnage, a return to the pre-war status quo.
TRANSLATOR: We think it's an enormous mistake, to refuse to cooperate with the Syrian government and their armed forces, fighting terrorism face to face. We should finally acknowledge that no one but President Assad armed forces and Kurds militia are truly fighting the Islamic state.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHURCH: So, let's bring in our CNN international correspondent Matthew Chance. He joins us live from Moscow. So, Matthew, the Russian president addressed reporters after his meeting with Mr. Obama and described his 90-minute chat with the U.S. President as constructive, businesslike and frank. That appears to signal good news for progress, is that the big take-away?
MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: I think to some extent yes. I mean look Vladimir Putin went to the U.N. with the intention of ending this sense of isolation that he's been involved with the United States and the west in general, over his activities in Ukraine. And to a very large extent, he has succeeded in that aim. Now, Vladimir Putin was once again, front and center for of the diplomatic activity at the U.N. General Assembly. He is at the front and center of any possible solution to the Syrian civil war. And you know, the United States, however, reluctantly, has agreed to work with Russia and already they're cooperating and coordinating in terms of to making sure their militaries don't run into each other in some kind of unwanted confrontation. So, it's something that's already happening. It's something that the Kremlin has forced and it's been something of a success for them tactically. There are still areas of disagreements of course, not lease to wonder, we're just emphasizing about what should happen to President Assad in some sort of post-war Syria. But you know, that's something obviously that's got to be worked out.
CHURCH: Matthew Chance bringing us up to date live from Moscow. Thank you.
BARNETT: A Houti-controlled news agency said, Saudi-led air strikes killed at least 131 people at a wedding in Yemen on Monday. CHURCH: The group said the air strikes were in the Taiz province, in
the south western part of the country. Saudi Arabia has said it doesn't have any operations in that area.
BARNETT: Taiz is Yemen's third largest city and has seen fighting between Houthis rebels and government forces in recent months. The Houthis said the six-month war has killed at least 4,000 civilians.
CHURCH: Iran President's underscored criticism of Saudi Arabia in his speech to the U.N. General Assembly on Monday. Hassan Rouhani called for a full investigation of last week's hajj stampede. He blamed Riyadh's quote, incompetence and mismanagement, over the Muslim pilgrimage. BARNETT: The stampede killed nearly 800 people, more than 200 of whom
were Iranians. Mr. Rouhani cut short his New York visit for return ceremony for the Iranian victims. Now, officials say that at least 2 people are dead, and more than 300 injured after typhoon Dujuan hit the island nation of Taiwan on Monday. Dujuan dump over half a meter, or nearly two feet of rain on parts of the country. More than half a million people are without power, and the heavy rains is expected to cause flooding and landslides.
CHURCH: Dujuan has made land fall on Mainland China. The storm has weakened. But Chinese officials are not taking any chances, and have taken steps to prepare for the worst.
[03:10:01] BARNETT: The storm dumped an incredible amount of rain over Taiwan. Let's get the latest information now through our meteorologist Pedram Javaheri. Pedram.
PEDRAN JAVAHERI, CNN WEATHER WATCH: Alright guys, good to see you. The storm system absolutely, just to put everything in perspective when you think about the time folks went to bed in Taiwan Monday night, by the time they went to bed and the time they woke up, the rainfall totals across that region in over nine hours, were more than you would see in London in an entire year. In fact for Los Angeles, they see about 12.5 inches of rain all over, it's about three hundred or so millimeters per year. So two years of what occurred across portions of Taiwan. Seven hundred plus millimeters came down in about 28 inches. Other observations said 600 millimeters coming down. So certainly a big story when it comes to this-the amount of rain cause severe flash flooding, potential that was in place over this region. But let's bring down the mountains across this region of the central Taiwan Mountains. The highest density of tall mountains in the island in the world would provide, would be right here. We're talking about nearly 300 mountains that rise up out of the sea to about 3,000 meters in height or roughly 9800 feet in height. Any sort of a terrain like this certainly as it interacts with a tropical cyclone. It would be the death of a tropical cyclone, you're talking about winds that were in access of 200 kilometers per hour, category four equivalent. Made land fall across this region on Monday evening, as if did re-emerge on the other side of the island as a category one. So the storm certainly ripped apart. But it's that northeast quadrant or in this case, it is the right front quadrant of this storm system. I just want to break it down for you. Bring the quadrant in place, because as the storm came ashore in this part of the world when this factor and the counter clockwise rotation, the forward progression of this storm system, this is area that I'm standing right here would be home to the strongest winds. In fact, in an island just sitting just east of Taiwan, Yonaguni island, they picked up a wind gusts of 292 kilometers per hour, it's about 181 miles per hour. If there was a category six this wind gust could be hypothetical category six. That's how remarkable the speed it is. In fact, theirs a strongest wind speed we seen in Japan since 1966. Last time winds were this strong in Japan, was the summit of Mt. Fuji back in the 1960's, when we have a gust similar to this in the yen. 181 miles per hour, you're taking about a wind speed that would be equivalent to what a commercial jet airline would be at takeoff. Here we go across this region satellite imagery shows you the mess
that is left in place, plenty of clouds, plenty of thunderstorms across eastern portions of China. As this storm system move ashore over that region, reaching on again, the concern with this is plenty of rainfall, and the forecast still as this storm begins to fall apart. 140kph winds so roughly into the 80 mile per hour range. Category 1 system. It will quickly weaken and loses its tropical characteristics as it moves over the harsh terrain of Fujian province, inside the next several hours. The model still bring down plenty of rainfall, guys, when you think about the population, you're sitting at about 8 million to 7 million people. Rainfall quota a totals could exceed 200 to 300 millimeters over this region. So still something that are very densely populated area in China, it's on alert for as this string starts moving in right now, guys.
BARNETT: Such a downpour they have to be ready for.
CHURCH: Keep an eye on it. Thanks so much, Pedram.
(CROSSTALK)
BARNETT: We'll take a very short break. When we come back, water flowing on Mars. And with that the possibility that maybe we're not alone.
CHURCH: That's possible.
Donald Trump is sharing details for his tax plan. We'll tell you who it could exempt from paying taxes. That's after the break.
(COMMERICAL BREAK)
[03:15:01] RICHARD QUEST, CNN INTERNATIONAL REPORTER: I'm Richard Quest and these top business headlines. The NASDAQ closed down 3 percent, its worst day in more than a month. The DOW lost 313 points and the S&P 500 fell 2.6 percent. The stocks of the biotech sector were the worst performers.
German persecutors said they opened a probe into the former Volkswagen Chief Executive Martin Winterkorn who resigned because of a scandal. He's being investigated for allegation of possible fraud.
TRANSLATOR: Based on public complaints which have been filed, we have started an investigation into fraud allegations in relations with the VW emission scandal, the complaints against Martin Winterkorn. The investigation will see to determine whether reasonable suspicion exists against him or other employees with position of responsibility at V.W.
QUEST: It all comes as the German newspaper (inaudible) is alleging top Volkswagen managers knew about the diesel emission manipulation as early as 2007.
Shell said it will stop offshore drilling in Alaska. Cheap oil prices are squeezing profit. A key exploration wealth did not uncover as much oil or gas as hoped.
Glencore's stocks fallen nearly 30 percent to a record low. I mean the firm been hit by persisting concern over low prices of industrial metals. Those are the headlines. I'm Richard Quest in New York.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHURCH: Now, to a very exciting story, to a potential breakthrough in fact in the search for life beyond Earth. NASA scientists have confirmed that liquid water exists on Mars and still flows from time to time.
BARNETT: Now, they're working to find out where that water comes from. CNN Amara Walker has more on the discovery.
AMARA WALKER, CNN INTERNATIONAL REPORTER: NASA teased the world last week, with the headline, Mars Mystery Solved. Monday it announced the big breakthrough.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNINDEDIFIED MALE: Under certain circumstances, liquid water has been found on Mars.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WALKER: For years, the scientists have speculated there could be water on the red planet, but couldn't prove it. Years of research and exploration later, that proof has come by way of seasonal dark streaks seen on ridges, craters and mountains.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNINDEDIFIED MALE: These are dark streaks that form in late spring, grows in the summer and then disappear by fall.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WALKER: Scientist believes the streaks are caused by grimy or salty water that flows periodically across the surface. The salt content keeps the water from freezing on the frigid Martian surface. So, what does this mean exactly? Well, NASA stopped short of saying there's life on Mars.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) UNINDETIFIED MALE: We haven't been able to answer the question, does life exists beyond Earth? But following the water is a critical of that.
UNINDEFIED MALE: If there's life on Mars, we have a way to describe how it may survive.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WALKER: They certainly leave the door open to the possibility. Amara Walker, CNN Atlanta.
BARNETT: Robert Zubrin is the President of the Mars Society and he joins us from Boulder, Colorado, to talk about this announcement. Robert, this is an exciting day, but we've known that water existed on Mars for quite some time; we still don't know exactly where it all is, and where it all went. But in your view, what's the major announcement NASA made?
ROBERT ZUBRIN, PRESIDENT OF THE MARS SOCIETY: Well, what's really new here, first of all they confirmed earlier insights of this kind. We had one as early 2001 and 2011, but now this is really confirmed. And was more to the point, these phenomena of the salt water streams it's not just found in one place or another, but they're found all over the planet. It a general phenomenon, it means the planet has a water table. And you know in underground water on Earth there is life; there could be life in underground water on Mars.
[03:20:01] BARNETT: So it's possible then that the reason you're seeing this behavior from season to season, is because the water is mixed up and the surface terrain and with those changing temperatures it gets released, but we don't know exactly where the water is coming from, though, that still needs to be explored right?
ZUBRIN: Sure, but here's the point, the water's coming from underground that's pretty clear. It doesn't rain on Mars. There's very little precipitation, there's an underground water reservoir on Mars. We have a really good hint to this. A few years ago when the Mars global surveyor took a photograph of a crater in 2000 and then again in 2005, and in between those two shots water erosion features appeared on the side of the crater. So, right in our own time, a water erosion feature happened, and that because water burst out of the side of the crater and dribbled down. And it's now apparent how there could be liquid water on Mars, because there's these salts, like you throw salt on an icy road and it melts it even though it's below freezing. Salt water has a lower freezing point than fresh water, that you could have salt water, liquid salt water to temperatures that we find on Mars.
BARNETT: This is all fascinating. The Mars curiosity rover detected methane on Mars, and that allows for the possibility of life, so when you combine that finding with salt deposits, the flowing water here, varying temperatures, you wonder how could this planet not had supported even small form of life at some point.
ZUBRIN: Well it's clearly capable of supporting life. I mean look the methane discovery, that methane is either created by life or to the high of thermal system which is one that can support life. So we now know that Mars is in a microbial sense habitable. The question is, is there life there? And what that is, is that put to the test the theory, that life is a normal development from chemistry whenever you have appropriate physical and chemical conditions, if that theory is true, then there will be life on Mars, but not only on Mars but planets all over the universe. You now know there are planets around most stars; every star has the right distance for liquid water, even you're hard depending on the brightness of the star. If we find life on Mars, it means we're not alone. That's what it means.
BARNETT: Robert Zubrin, the President of the Mars society. Thank you so much for your time today.
ZUBRIN: Thank you.
BARNETT: This announcement does pique the imagination about those who want to colonize Mars. But at the same time, this would be very expensive to do, to get up there and to have humans, this is the age where we have millions of refuge around the world, some would say this is exciting, but let spend money on each other, rather that throw it out in space.
CHURCH: Although, I mean when you're doing this sort of work, it's very important. The human race likes to be able to advance in these sorts of areas; to me it's worth the investment. Of course if there are people out there and we're not alone, it's a matter of -- what sort of life form, right?
BARNETT: Are they friendly?
CHURCH: Will they like us? Alright, for more on the discovery on Mars, and whether it means we're closer to finding life there, just head to our website cnn.com.
U.S. Republican Presidential candidate Donald Trump admits he may come across as childish, but brushes it off as campaign rhetoric. Now, the businessman is focusing on his plan to revamp the country's tax codes.
BARNETT: Trump sat down with CNN's Erin Burnett to discuss the details of his proposal, which includes drastic tax cuts for the poor and the wealthy. Trump says his own money may take a hit under his plan. Listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ERIN BURNETT, CNN INTERNATIONAL REPORTER: One final question, Donald Trump tax plan. You! Will you pay more money? Will it be millions and millions, hundreds of millions, how much more will you pay?
DONALD TRUMP, PRESDIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I will probably end up paying more money. But at the same time, I think the economy will do better. So I'll make it up that way. But I'll probably end up paying more money. I believe in the end, I might do better, because I really believe the economy
(CROSSTALK)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHURCH: OK, so Trump is promising economic growth. But how does his plan measure up against those of his rivals? CNN's Sara Murray, takes a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: These numbers are really spectacular.
SARA MURRAY, CNN INTERNATIONAL REPORTER: Tonight, Donald Trump delivering more policy proposals, unveiling a plan that slashes taxes for the wealthy. But this still looks like a pretty big tax cut, even to top of the sector.
TRUMP: This is actually a tax reduction. I actually -- a big tax reduction including for the upper income.
MURRAY: Under the Trumps plan, individuals earning less than $25,000 dollars and married couples earning less than $50,000 dollars would pay nothing. But Trump also gives the wealthiest Americans, like himself a huge tax break, cutting the rate from nearly 40 percent to just 25 percent. The billionaire real estate mogul refusing to share his current tax rate, but saying he strives to keep his cap down.
TRUMP: I fight like hell to pay as little as possible. Can they say that? I'm not a politician. I'll fight like hell always, because it's an expense.
[03:25:01] MURRAY: Trump's plan most closely resembles one of his fiercest GOP rivals, Jeb Bush. Bush also calls for sweeping cuts, and a top rate of 28 percent. Marco Rubio's plan brings it to 35 percent, and offers broader tax credit for the nation's poorest Americans.
TRUMP: If I win, if I become President, we'll be able to cut so much money.
MURRAY: Others say this is Trump's attempt at striking a populous tone, as critics plan his interview with CBS saying Trump is advocating for universal healthcare, even as he calls for repealing Obamacare.
TRUMP: I'm going to take care of everybody. I don't care if it cost me votes or not. Everybody is going to be taken care of, much better than being taken care of now.
MURRAY: As Trump shows how America will look under his leadership, Ben Carson is climbing in the polls, essentially tied with Trump in the latest NBC News-Wall Street Journal survey. Carson's surge comes even if he continues to face questions about his comments last week, that a Muslim shouldn't be president.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So you are saying there's something specific about being a Muslim, that you have to reject Islam in order to be a president. BEN CARSON, PRESDIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: You have to reject the tenets of
Islam. Yes, you have to.
MURRAY: Sara Murray, CNN New York.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHURCH: And on the other side of politics, U.S. Vice President Joe Biden has a spot waiting for him at the Democratic Presidential debate if he decides to run. CNN is hosting the first debate, the democratic contenders in Las Vegas on October 13.
BARNETT: As new criteria will allow Biden to participate, even if he'll declare his bid on the day of the debate. He'll only need to file the necessary paperwork or pledge to do so. Biden has publicly struggled with his decision to join the primary after the death of his son, Beau.
CHURCH: Syria and Ukraine, top the agenda of the United Nations. Just ahead, the U.S. and Russia Presidents meet for the first time in two years. And we'll have more on what they talked about.
BURNETT: And stepping into some very big shoes, Trevor Noah debuts on the Daily Show.
[03:30:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ERROL BARNETT, CNN INTERNATIONAL NEWSROOM ANCHOR: Welcome back to our viewers here in the United States and those of you watching around the world, I'm Errol Barnett.
ROSEMARY CHURCH, CNN INTERNATIONAL NEWSROOM ANCHOR: And I'm Rosemary Church. It's that time of the morning to check the main stories we have been following this hour. Afghan security forces are now in the process of taking back the key northern city of Kunduz from the Taliban. They took control of it after a firefight on Monday. U.S. forces also conducted an air strike in the province against the insurgence. Now, this is the first time the Taliban overran a provincial city since they were driven from power back in 2001.
BARNETT: New video coming in from China here, as the deadly typhoon Dujuan has made its way on to the mainland in the last few hours. Meanwhile, officials in Taiwan say at least two people were killed and 300 injured after Duhuan hit the island nation on Monday. More than half a million people are said to be without power and the heavy rain is expected to cause flooding and landslides.
CHURCH: Vladimir Putin says only the Syrian people should decide the fate of their President Bashar al-Assad, not the U.S. or France. The Russian leader met with U.S. President Barack Obama at the United Nations on Monday. President Obama says the Syrian leader is fanning the flames of war in his country and must go (ph).
BARNETT: Now if you watched the clips online or you saw it live on television, you'll know that the divisions between President Obama and Putin were obvious as they traded barbs during their speeches at the U.N. General Assembly.
CHURCH: You know the Chief of the U.S. Security Correspondent Jim Sciutto has our report from the sideline of the summit.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JIM SCIUTTO, CHIEF OF THE U.S. SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: A tense meeting between the U.S. and Russian presidents with Syria at the top of the agenda. Earlier, President Obama took to the U.N. stage to make an impassioned defense of diplomacy, hailing progress with Iran and Cuba.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARACK OBAMA, U.S. PRESIDENT: We, the nations of the world cannot return to the old ways of conflict and coercion.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCIUTTO: And making clear, he's now opened to negotiations to end the relentless war in Syria.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
OBAMA: The United States is prepared to work with any nation, including Russia and Iran to resolve the conflict.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCIUTTO: Still, Presidents Obama and Putin, sharing a toast at the U.N. luncheon sounding unlikely partners in peace, Obama calling Bashar al-Assad a tyrant.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
OBAMA: When a dictator slaughters tens of thousands of his own people that is not just a matter of one nation's internal affairs.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCIUTTO: President Putin, a bull war against terrorism.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
VLADIMIR PUTIN, RUSSIAN PRESIDENT (THROUGH TRANSLATOR): We think it is an enormous mistake to refuse to cooperate with the Syrian government and its armed forces that are vehemently fighting terrorism face to face.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCIUTTO: A missing from either speech specifics on bridging those differences to end the fighting and the flood of refugees. The two leaders were equally apart on Ukraine. President Obama called Russia's continuing occupation there a challenge to peace worldwide.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
OBAMA: We cannot stand by when the sovereignty and territorial integrity of a nation is frequently violated. If that happens without consequence in Ukraine, it could happen to any nation gather here today.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCIUTTO: President Putin blamed the U.S. for stirring democratic revolutions in the Middle East and beyond with grave consequences.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PUTIN (THROUGH TRANSLATOR): Do you realize now what you have done?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCIUTTO: Presidents Obama and Putin met at the U.N. 90 minutes, they discussed both Ukraine and Syria, but the White House saying that they left there with a fundamental disagreement on the role that Bashar al- Assad can play any political solution. They did agree, however, that a political solution to the fighting there is the goal. Jim Sciutto, CNN, at the U.N.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BARNETT: Now a key adviser to Bashar al-Assad says Syria welcomes cooperation from the U.S. and Russia to stop the fighting there. She spoke exclusively with CNN's Hala Gorani.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BOUTHAINA SHAABAN, ADVISER TO SYRIAN PRESIDENT BASHAR AL-ASSAD: The last call is trying to support the Syrian people, not the government of Syria. Right from the very beginning, we shouldn't forget that Russia and China took forward the vetoes at the security council in order to stop the bloodshed and to convince the west that the road, that the west is taking in Syria is only increasing bloodshed and only making terrorism a danger, not only for Syria, but for the region and the world.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
[03:35:08] CHURCH: Anton Fedyashin joins me now, professor for Russian history at American University in Washington D.C. Thank you, sir to talking with us. Now, people are using the term, a new cold war over Syria and Ukraine to describe the relationship on display at the UNGA between Mr. Obama and Mr. Putin. Is that what we saw on Monday?
ANTON FEDYASHIN, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, INITIATIVE FOR RUSSIAN CULTURE: Well, that is actually use from this which makes people a lot of people feel good because it reminds them of more predictable time. I think that the truth about Syria and Ukraine is that the conflicts are so much more complex. And so are the sizes that are involved in them that cold war is actually an oversimplification of what increasingly difficult situation. CHURCH: And we saw President Putin seize the agenda on the subject of Syria and throw the United States off balance there, but at least the two sides are talking, that is what some people are saying, how likely is it that they'll work together to fight ISIS or is this is simply a game of one-upmanship?
FEDYASHIN: Well, there's no alternative to working together against ISIS. Look, the west in the United States has tried -- have tried everything they could, nothing has worked so far. As a matter of fact, we have high-place -- high ranking American officials, admitting that the -- of the 60 or so trainees, only about four or five are actually fighting in the field. I mean, this is a disaster, what's going on across the Middle East. So the Russians have now inserted themselves directly into this conflict, but the remarkable thing is that they are calling for a coalition. They are not trying to do anything by themselves. And it looks like the Europeans are now beginning to realize that this maybe the best way to go forward. If they think that they have a bad crisis with refugees now, if Assad's government implodes and ISIS takes over Syria, well, it's going to be a catastrophe of biblical proportions.
CHURCH: The challenge here does seem to be that each side seems to have a very different end. Russia and Iran wanting to fight ISIS, while the U.S. and its allies wanting to see the removal of Assad. The divide does seem pretty stuck and we saw that Monday. Are the two sides too far apart to find a compromise here, do you think?
FEDYASHIN: They're too apart on the tactics and how they want to get to the end point which is to defeat ISIS. And as long as that is the main goal, whether Assad stays for two or three years, or a transition is more immediate or a little bit longer term, it's something that the diplomats would have to work out. I'll be lying if I told you that there is a clear and simple answer to this. But this is where speaking to each other and posing for the cameras becomes important because it begins to break the ice. And now the dirty work of diplomacy begins. And I think the given that there still alternatives, something will have to be done over the next several weeks.
CHURCH: It was still very icy, though, wasn't it? You feel that the sides might be moving closer to some sort of resolution?
FEDYASHIN: I think it's inevitable. And given that notes of -- a common attitude to Assad's potentially staying in power, were sounded by other world leaders including the French president already suggests that the Europeans are considering other alternatives to the immediate removal of Assad from power and this very much still along with the Russian approach the problem. Once the Russians feel like they are being compromise with, they will be more willing to compromise back.
CHURCH: Anton Fedyashin, thank you so much for talking with us. Appreciate it.
FEDYASHIN: Thank you for having me.
BARNETT: And there are more important bilateral meetings to come. Cuban President Raul Castro will meet with U.S. President Barack Obama on Tuesday. This will be their second face to face meeting since announcing diplomatic relations of being renewed.
CHURCH: On Monday, President Castro loaded the Cuba's new relationship with the U.S., but he also called for an end to the U.S. embargo against his country. Mr. Castro has said, "The Cuban people should be compensated for the economic hardships they are enduring."
BARNETT: Still to come, it's a high-profile debut for relative unknown, coming up next, a closer look at the new Daily Show and Trevor Noah's plans to change it.
[03:39:36] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHURCH: It's a new era for The Daily Show, 31-year-old Trevor Noah premiered as the new host of the satirical new show, Monday night. Brian Stelter looks at the challenges Noah faces.
BRIAN STELTER, CNN SENIOR MEDIA CORRESPONDENT: Hey there, this might be the toughest gig in television right now. Trevor Noah, a 31-year- old, a native of South Africa, taking over for one of the best known figures in television, Jon Stewart. Of course, Stewart signed off almost two months ago. The Daily Show has been -- well, it has been off the air ever since. And today, Trevor Noah taking the show over, and revealing that it is really going to be a very different kind of Daily Show with him at the anchor desk. And to the brand new anchor desk, by the way, a fully renovated studio, but it is still is out of (inaudible) a news satire. And making and making light of all of the ridiculousness the world has to offer. When I spoke to Trevor Noah before he premiere and he said, "Ease like you are sitting, entertainment and sports as he is in political news, and he said he'll be making fun of social networking scandals in new media, just as much as -- Jon Stewart (inaudible) about cable news like CNN and Fox News. And here's one of the best moments from Trevor's premier.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TREVOR NOAH, NEW HOST OF THE DAILY SHOW: The truth is, now I'm in the chair. I can only assume that this is a strange for you as it is for me. Jon Stewart was more than just a late-night host. He was often our voice, our refuge. And in many ways, our political dad, and it's weird because, dad has left.
(LAUGHTER)
NOAH: And now...
(LAUGHTER)
NOAH: And now it feels like the family has a new stepdad.
(LAUGHTER)
NOAH: And he's black.
(LAUGHTER)
(END VIDEO CLIP) [03:44:25] STELTER: Now, it's really hard to evaluate a new show after just one night. Comedy Central, the channel that of course, broadcasts the Daily Show, says it's going to be looking at weeks and months of the ratings before determine how well Trevor Noah is doing. As they view this as a generational shift from Jon Stewart, who is at his '50s, to Trevor Noah, who's 31. They believe Noah is gonna appeal to a younger viewers all around the world with his style, with his charm, with his personality. You'll see more correspondents on Trevor Noah's version of the Daily Show. He also sees more musical performances. He is Ryan Adams book later this week, but it will still include a lot of politics. He also has New Jersey Governor and republican presidential candidate Chris Christie booked for Wednesday night. Now I guess that weeks and months ahead, before it's really stare to a evaluate Trevor Noah, but I'm sure a lots of viewers are already tuning in. See, it does gonna be a very kind of Daily Show, now that Jon Stewart has step down, back to you.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHURCH: All right, many thanks. Friends told (inaudible) and Noah grew up in South Africa, a mixed race child in a (inaudible) era, South Africa.
BARNETT: David McKenzie now joins us from Johannesburg with more on Trevor Noah's background. David, you've met Trevor Noah's grandmother, but you might also be happy to know American said they liked his South African accent. David, as a South African, surely happy to hear that too.
DAVID MCKENZIE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Oh, that is good to hear, you know. There might be a future for me yet. And certainly, it looks like you know it's a future for Trevor Noah, the steps that the early read. I mean the stakes couldn't have been higher as Brian said that, but certainly, here in South Africa, other than the U.S., this is where this is watch the most closely. And it's quite extraordinary given, (inaudible) humble beginnings.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MCKENZIE: Perhaps the relaunch of the year into the hot seat of The Daily Show. South African comedian Trevor Noah, replacing Jon Stewart after 16 seasons. The (inaudible) is most unknown in America.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MCKENZIE: And you can see here, he looks like a naughty boy.
NOMALIZO FRANCES NOAH, GRANDMOTHER: He is naughty.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MCKENZIE: The not so, here in Soweto, where his grandmother still lives in the house where she raised Noah as a child.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
N.F. NOAH: She wants way he is. There must be laughter not tears.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MCKENZIE: He was always her favorite.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MCKENZIE: Was he always making jokes?
N.F. NOAH: Always laughing, always laughing.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MCKENZIE: But she said it was tough for him, sleeping on the couch with his cousins, she had to hide him from authorities.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
T. NOAH: I was born a crime...
(LAUGHTER)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MCKENZIE: Born to a white father and black mother, illegal during apartheid, Noah likes to say he was born a crime.
Some people are asked being how your comedian from here in South Africa could appeal to American Market. Well, Trevor Noah succeeded here in South Africa, a deeply divided nation.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
T. NOAH: Trevor was -- is possible still. For me, the hardest working comedian, person, I know.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MCKENZIE: Friends and competitors alike say Noah is a role model here. They say he grew from a vanilla comedian to an edgy crossover hit.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
T. NOAH: People trust enough. And you wouldn't hear what he has to say. That's an obvious thing about being a communist. Gaining the trust immediately, when you walk on stage people must listen to you.
T. NOAH: Welcome to the Daily Show.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MCKENZIE: Something Noah will have to do all over again if he wants to conquer the biggest of stages.
Well, certainly, it's going to be a progression and much heresy that it's one set games. And if he gains the trust of the American audience, you could see a much edgier comic filtering into American TV sets over the next few months. Rosemary and Errol?
BARNETT: All right.
CHURCH: Yeah, certainly, I think we'll gonna see him grow and develop, but talk to us about how South Africa reacted to his debut?
MCKENZIE: Well certainly, all of yesterday, that's really all people could talk about on social media or in South Africa, wondering how it would go, expressing pride, obviously, even the ministers and the governments were weighing in Twitter saying good luck or break a leg. And then when it was the seeming success, you know mixed reviews but a relatively well done. There's a huge breathing sigh of relief as I said, and South Africans won't be able to watch the entire show, in fact, until this evening here in South Africa, so there's also a lot of anticipation about just seeing what all the buzzes is about, Rosemary and Errol?
BARNETT: All right.
CHURCH: And we'll be watching closely to see how he has been received. Here in the United States. But of course, this is almost -- it's an experiment not just for the U.S., but internationally as well.
BARNETT: Yeah.
CHURCH: We were watching to see.
BARNETT: So they're watching this all over. David McKenzie, our favorite South African. Thanks very much for your time today you. Well, I see you soon.
BARNETT: Now the Waldorf Astoria has long been a hotel for U.S. president staying in New York, but not anymore. We'll tell you why President Obama is checking out, next.
[03:49:22] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PEDRAM JAVAHERI, METEOROLOGIST: Good day to you, Pedram Javaheri and this is CNN Weather watch. We'll breakdown what's happening cross the Americas for you and the slice the U.S. in half right now. The western side of the U.S. staying on the dry thought it was the next couple of day. The eastern side of the U.S. is getting some impressive rainfall from what a tropical disturbance trying to develop across the gulf coast of the U.S., that moisture all spreads off to the east, about 20 percent probability, the national Hurricane Center give this to becoming a named storm. But at this point, it was really -- not a concern because we know the rainfall going to be there the next couple of days. So upward to say, 50 to 100 millimeters in the southern U.S. as you work your way to the north, the moisture gets a train in a -- of incoming cold front. We could pick up upwards of 150 millimeters around say portions of eastern Massachusetts, New York State as well. Southern New York as well, an area that we know moderate to severe droughts in place, so good news around the northeastern U.S. with the temperatures cooling off a little bit across the region, 24 in Atlanta, 18 with showers around Chicago. San Francisco, the morning clouds, afternoon sunshine should be into the upper teams, well, around the Caribbean we go, the least city will be in the lowest '30s, Havana, Cuba. Some thunderstorms returning there about 31 degrees and down towards South America. We go over Lima gets in, 20s there and El Salvador at 29 degrees with partly cloudy skies and push him on, to make it 13, single digits, though, Pedram Javaheri, Gallegos.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHURCH: Well, there's still another week left in Major League Baseball's regular season, but north for Washington Nationals pitcher Jonathan Papelbon, he's been suspended by the team for this incident on Sunday night, and you see him there arguing with his teammate, outfielder Bryce Harper about not running out of fly balls.
BARNETT: And then Papelbon charged and half had thrown him against the dug-out wall choking him. Of a south -- on the bench from Monday night's game, it's not nice.
CHURCH: Well the famed Waldorf Astoria Hotel has been home to decades of U.S. president, when they spend the night in New York, but not anymore.
BARNETT: As Richard reports the secret service, want plead President Obama stay there. The reason, bugs.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: New York's one of Astoria, has the history making policy of the big four, foreign ministry. The Waldorf Astoria Hotel, New York Institution, for a decade, U.S. presidents have stayed the night here when they come to town, but no more.
For President Obama, it's time to move out of the Waldorf, the fear security concierge. China now has business interests that all of the (inaudible). You know what when someone takes over a hotel, there are renovations. White House officials are very worried that a lot of that renovation work that could lead to spying, bugging, in the movies, which always seems to highlight security bugging. James Bond had to deal with the threat from Russia.
HAROLD HOUCK, CNN LAW ENFORCEMENT ANALYST: One of the things will be hear the phone.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK.
Not only checking this phone for a device that's bugging your call, also, whether or not inside here there's another device.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: In your decades of police and detective work, how common was bugging in hotel rooms?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Very common. When someone knows you're going to be and they want to find out your secret, someone can go in there and place a bugging tool. (END VIDEO CLIP)
[03:55:09] RICHARD ROTH, CNNN, NEW YORK: There are thousands of hotels in Manhattan and elsewhere for U.S. president to stay. So where should he or she in the future?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I used to Airbnb, the dream hotel, (inaudible) packing this trip.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, he's welcomed to come and stay with me in my house in Queens.
ROTH: One presidential candidate won't have to face the weirdness stay in Manhattan issues. He already lives here, plus the name on the building.
The president stayed at the Millennium Hotel across the streets from U.N. and here as the New York Palace, a permanent home for White House visitors is unknown.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The management of this website hotel claims many U.S. presidents have stayed here, from Clinton to Garfield. They were guests who signed under those names to provide an amenity.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I like a room. Well, it's definitely cozy. Of course, there is something on the wall and on the pillow where that will be a little different than the average hotel room. Of course, in diplomacy, loose lips are not something you want to be known for.
ROTH: The (inaudible) and could be a solution world when word leaders have such a problem finding rooms. In a hurry, to me, face to face. Here the rooms go by the hour.
The Warldof is a story won't comment specifically on President Obama's departure, but did say in effect the welcome mat is always opened for an opportunity to return.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHURCH: Trouble with bugs and the -- always check your hotel room for anything unusual as well...
CHURCH: Can you do that? Just in case?
BARNET: There are widows out there.
(CROSSTALK)
CHURCH: OK. Always check your hotel room for anything unusual.
BARNETT: On that note, I'm Errol.
CHURCH: Thanks for watching the CNN, I'm Rosemary Church and I'm Errol Barnett. (Inaudible) is next. For those of you in the states, everyone else, there's another edition of CNN Newsroom.
[03:56:53] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
