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North Korea Holds Party Congress; Russian Orchestra Performs in Palmyra, Syria; London Mayoral Election Examined; Former Texas Governor Perry Endorses Trump; House Speaker Ryan Not Supporting Trump Yet; Canada Evacuating Thousands Ahead of Wildfire; All Tobacco Products to Be Regulated. Aired 3-4a ET
Aired May 06, 2016 - 03:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[03:00:00] NATALIE ALLEN, CNN NEWSROOM SHOW HOST: In 36 years, North Korea holding its Workers Party Congress and CNN is live for you in the capital, Pyongyang.
GEORGE HOWELL, CNN NEWSROOM SHOW HOST: Plus, CNN goes to the Palmyra ruins in Syria, where an acclaimed Russian orchestra performs.
ALLEN: Also ahead this hour, a look at the election in London, and the man who could become the city's first Muslim mayor.
HOWELL: Live from CNN world headquarters in Atlanta, welcome to our viewers around the world. I'm George Howell.
ALLEN: And I'm Natalie Allen. Thank you for joining us. This is CNN Newsroom.
And we begin in North Korea, the country perhaps holding its most important political event since 1980. Leader Kim Jong-un told state- run media the seventh party Congress meeting right now in Pyongyang is outlining the country's goals for the coming years.
HOWELL: He's also expected to use the gathering with thousands of members in attendance to unveil new party leadership and consolidate his own grip on power.
CNN is live in Pyongyang this hour; Will Ripley joins us with more reporting for us. Will's tenth trip to Pyongyang. Will, it's good to have you. So, what can you tell us about what you have seen this day and quite frankly, what you haven't seen as this event gets under way?
WILL RIPLEY, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: It's really an interesting experience, covering politics here in North Korea, George. Because we don't see a whole lot, frankly. We left the hotel this morning and we were in a caravan of other journalists and we were kind of driving around the city. It seemed as if our escorts with the government were unsure what we were going to do.
And then at the -- kind of suddenly we parked in a side parking lot and we walked a few blocks down the street and there we were in front of the venue for this event, the seventh Workers Party Congress, it's the April 25th people's house of culture, it's where the 1980 Workers Party Congress was held 36 years ago.
But unlike countries where they might broadcast these events live on television or perhaps allow journalists to actually inside the building, in this case, we simply stood across the street and filmed the exteriors of the building and the banners that were up with the portraits of the late leaders. And the Workers Party Flag, and we could talk to people who were walking by on the sidewalk.
But as of right now, we have absolutely no idea what's happening inside that event, other than the obvious which is that there are 3,000 members of the country's ruling elite, Workers Party Members who will unanimously support and elevate the supreme leader Kim Jong-un to an even more powerful position than he already has.
HOWELL: Will, whether Kim Jong-un will unveil due economic directions in this meeting. It is still unclear. But what we do know is that North Korea is under the grip of very crippling sanctions. So, what can you tell us from what you've seen there about everyday life? Do you get the sense that these sanctions are having any effect?
RIPLEY: Our movements are tightly controlled, so we get a very narrow glimpse of what life is like here, even in the capital city, and o course, we're rarely allowed to leave the capital to the rural areas where we have no idea what life is like there, other than what defectors and aid groups and the United Nations say, which is that for many people life is quite difficult outside of the capital.
But I can say what I have personally observed here, people who are more and more fashionably dressed, shopping in new department stores, there's more traffic. People are taking taxis. They have smartphones for several years now, they don't have the internet but they have an internet, they can take selfies.
So, seeing all of things it does seems. And in fact, there have been some reports indicating that there has been some slow economic growth here. Some state-owned businesses now can run autonomously, some farmers are allowed to keep their excess crops, but those are the only major economic reforms.
So, we are watching to see if Kim Jong-un will announce some sort of broad new reform similar to what China did when it moved away from communism and toward capitalism. And as you have now seen it's become an extremely prosperous country.
A lot of people though, say that's unlikely given the fact that this country is heavily sanctioned because of the nuclear program and the missile program and the missile tests. There's, you know, rumors of another perhaps imminent nuclear test. So, you wonder if this economic growth can continue given the sanctions and the triple-down effect they could have.
HOWELL: CNN correspondent, Will Ripley, live in Pyongyang, North Korea. And also good point to our viewers to Will's Instagram account willripley@cnn with some really interesting images that will share with his audience there. Will, thank you. ALLEN: It is another twist in the race for the White House. Former
Texas Governor Rick Perry now endorsing Donald Trump and he says he would consider being his running mate.
HOWELL: When he was campaigning against Donald Trump, Rick Perry was -- he said he was a cancer on conservatisms.
[03:05:01] Perry says Trump is not an ideal choice now but does not -- but does rather think that he loves his country.
Meanwhile, the highest level republican is refusing to support Donald Trump, that is the Speaker of the House, Paul Ryan, who says he's not ready to do so, at least yet.
ALLEN: And Trump fired back saying he doesn't support Ryan's agenda, here we go.
Sunlen Serfaty has more for us.
SUNLEN SERFATY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Donald Trump is facing a new wave of resistance within his own party. House speaker Paul Ryan speaking out today for the first time since Trump became the presumptive GOP nominee, in an exclusive interview with CNN's Jake Tapper.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JAKE TAPPER, THE LEAD SHOW HOST: Now you have a presumptive nominee, Donald Trump. Will you support him?
PAUL RYAN, SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE: Well, to be perfectly candid with you, Jake, I'm just not ready to do that at this point. I'm not there right now. And I hope to, though. And I want to. But I think what is required is that we unify this party. And I think the bulk of the burden on unifying the party will have to come from our presumptive nominee.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SERFATY: Ryan admitting there is a lot of work to be done.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RYANL: And we've got a ways to go from here to there.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SERFATY: This as four of the last five republican presidential nominees are now skipping the GOP convention.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, (R) U.S. PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I went to a very rough primary, where I was very harsh on some people like Jeb Bush, and you wonder why the Bush family wants to sit it out. When I hear they want to sit it out, I think that's fine, I don't care if they sit it out.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SERFATY: Add that to some prominent never Trump republicans who are now working into overdrive to draft a third-party candidate to run against him.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: In my opinion, it's not over yet. We can still stop him and I would like to.
SERFATY: The Nebraska republican Senator Ben Sasse posting this open letter asking of those who say they their choice is Trump or Clinton, why is that the only choice? Sasses calling for voters to rally around a third-party candidate, writing, "I think there is room, an appetite for such a third candidate." But the problem no such candidate has stepped up yet.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RYAN: I do not want, nor will I accept the nomination for our party.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SERFATY: Meantime, some panic is setting in about Trump's potential effect on down-ballot candidates. Arizona Senator, John McCain expressing concerns to donors at a closed door fundraiser last month according to a recording obtained by CNN.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOHN MCCAIN, ARIZONA SENATOR: If Donald Trump is at the top of the ticket here in Arizona, with over 30 percent of the vote being Hispanic vote, I have no doubt that this may be the race of my life.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SERFATY: But Trump in an interview with Wolf is signaling he's moving forward.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WOLF BLITZER, THE SITUATION ROOM SHOW HOST: So, the general election campaign from your perspective starts today?
TRUMP: It essentially started. I mean, yes. It started today. It started actually three months ago when I hit her pretty hard and she went down.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SERFATY: Among the items on his to-do list, organize a list of vice presidential options.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: I think probably in terms of vice president I'm going to go the political route. I don't need a business name. I've got that covered.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SERFATY: Trump shooting down some names being floated.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: No, not Nikki Haley. No, Nikki Haley, no. She was under consideration.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SERFATY: But indicating openness to some formal rivals.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: Marco is a good guy, a really nice guy and I like him, but not necessarily with respect to any position, but it could happen.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SERFATY: And announcing today his national finance chairman building out a fund-raising operation for the general election fight ahead, but not losing his provocative touch today on Twitter for Cinco de Mayo, tweeting, quote, "The best taco bowls are made in Trump tower grill, I love Hispanics."
ALLEN: CNN political commentator Peter Beinart joins me now. Peter, nice to see you. Thanks for being with us. I want to ask you first up, what do you make of the Speaker of the House, the highest ranking elected republican, Paul Ryan's refusal right now to back Donald Trump?
PETER BEINART, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: It's pretty remarkable. I mean, this is the kind of thing we have not seen in my lifetime in American politics. Usually when someone wins their party nomination, the party coalesces around them quickly.
This is not happening in the case of Donald Trump. Both because republicans find him -- you know, some republicans find him genuinely odious and dangerous, and also because they feel that his loss in the fall could endanger their position.
And I think that -- I think with Paul Ryan, I think both these are going on. I think he genuinely does at a deep level find Donald Trump disturbing in terms of what he represents about the kind of vision he has for America, but also he's concerned that there could be epic losses for the house republicans that he represents.
And he feels that by not endorsing Trump or at least not endorsing Trump right away, he gives those congressional republicans some cover if they themselves don't want to endorse Trump because they think it gives them a better chance of surviving.
ALLEN: Yes, understand all of that, but is part of this posturing before presumptive unifying? BEINART: We don't know. You know, if Paul Ryan were certain that he
were going to unify, I think he would have kept his mouth shut. Donald Trump is going to Washington. Paul Ryan didn't have to say anything.
[03:10:08] I think this was a shot across the bow to Donald Trump, to suggest that Trump is going to have to do certain things, if he wants to get Paul Ryan's support and a signal to other republicans that Paul Ryan is giving his blessing for them not to support Donald Trump.
I think, as a result of this, there will be a number of politicians who do not support Donald Trump and the republicans will be hire. And so, no, I don't think you will see the normal kind of unifying that happens in a party after a candidate has won the nomination.
ALLEN: And we also know there's a growing list of republicans shunning the convention. A former candidates Mitt Romney, John McCain. Both former Presidents Bush announcing they won't attend. Does that matter in this move toward any kind of unification or not?
BEINART: Yes, it does matter. I mean, what American history teaches, recent American history is that divided parties lose. To have most of the major former presidents or candidates of a party not even be willing to go to the nomination, not even be willing to say they support Donald Trump that they -- against Hillary Clinton, this is unprecedented. And I think is yet more evidence that republicans are headed for absolute disaster this fall.
ALLEN: All right, we'll continue to watch it of course. Many months to go, but let's turn now to Hillary Clinton, the lead democrat. The e-mail nightmare just continues for her. CNN learned that federal investigators have interviewed a number of Clinton's closest aides as the FBI continues to probe the e-mail situation with the security of her server. Will this continue to give fuel to Donald Trump and affect her campaign?
BEINART: It certainly gives fuel to those people who don't like Hillary Clinton. And remember, there has been a scale of scandals connected to Hillary Clinton since the 1990s. I myself don't think they really add up to very much.
But they have been all the fuel that people who don't like Hillary Clinton need to view her as untrustworthy, dishonest. But I think at the end of the day, it's extraordinarily unlikely that she will be indicted.
ALLEN: Many months to go. We'll wait and see. As always, we appreciate you joining us and your comments. Peter Beinart for us. Thank you, Peter.
BEINART: My pleasure.
HOWELL: The former President of Mexico, Vicente has a lot to say about a possible Donald Trump presidency. He sat down with our own John Vause in Los Angeles and said that he does have faith in the American voters. Mr. Fox also responds to Trump supporters who compare him to former U.S. President, Ronald Reagan. Listen. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
VICENTE FOX, FORMER MEXICAN PRESIDENT: No, come on. All that is marketing.
JOHN VAUSE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Right.
FOX: I mean, President Reagan is much more stature than this guy. He loved horses, he loves animals, he loved people, he love his wife, he love his family. He loved life, he loved the world. He was a diplomat. He understood that walls should not be built. How come this guy comes to say I'm going to build a wall?
VAUSE: Right.
FOX: And President Reagan comes to Berlin and said "President Gorbachev, please hear me, tear off that wall."
VAUSE: I just want you to when you made your original comments back in February about not paying for that wall, at that time, did you think it was possible that Donald Trump would end up being the republican nominee for president?
FOX: Maybe, yes, I thought that it was possible. What I surprise is that about 20, 22 percent of people in this country is following this false prophet. I ask the people to wake up, to really analyze the proposals to see when he lies and when he tells the truth.
Because appointing him president of this nation has to do with the future of your kids, the future of your family. It's not, as he says, that he will build jobs for everybody, that he will increase salaries. He's lying to you. That doesn't happen. United States are the lowest unemployment rate that has had in a lot of years. So, I don't understand his proposal.
VAUSE: Do you think he can beat Hillary Clinton and be the next president?
FOX: No, of course not.
VAUSE: No?
FOX: No, he cannot be, because I have trust in the American people. I am half American.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ALLEN: Vicente Fox with our John Vause there.
We want to turn now to the war in Syria. The U.S. says an action there, there is no justifiable excuse for it. We're talking about an air strike that targeted a Syrian refugee camp near the Turkish border. A human rights group says at least 28 people were killed, many of them women and children.
[03:14:59] HOWELL: It is not clear whether Syrian or Russian planes launched the attacks. Syria has agreed to ceasefires in other areas of that country. A survivor had this message for Syrian president Bashar al Assad. Listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(FOREIGN LANGUAGE)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOWELL: Now in that same country and quite to the contrary of what you just heard there, Russia sent a renowned orchestra to perform amid the ruins of the ancient city of Palmyra.
ALLEN: Witness foreign secretary calls the concert a tasteless distraction from the suffering of millions of Syrians.
Our senior international correspondent Fred Pleitgen witnessed the performance.
FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Attack helicopters hovering over our convoy at all time for protection. Russia's army to a great length to bring a massive group of journalists to the ancient Syrian City of Palmyra, recently liberated from ISIS.
When we arrive, a surprise, a classical concert featuring a Russian star director right in the ancient amphitheater, and a greeting from Russian President Vladimir Putin.
"This is concert is a way to thanks those who fight those against terror," he said, "ready to sacrifice their lives." The star musician, Sergei Roldugin named in the Panama papers for allege links to offshore companies with cash loads of hundreds of millions of dollars. He has denied any wrongdoing.
Also on hand, Russian soldiers who demined Palmyra after ISIS was ousted. A sign of the pride Russia takes in its Syria intervention. Palmyra was liberated from ISIS controlled in late March after the Syrian army launched a massive offensive.
When ISIS moved into Palmyra many experts feared the worst, that the terror group would flatten this entire remarkable ancient site. But when ISIS was driven out of here by the Syrian military, of course with a lot of support by the Russian air force, the experts were surprised to find how much of it remained intact.
But some treasures, like Palmyra's triumph arc were destroyed. Now experts are debating how to restore them. But threats like unexploited ordinance remain. Both Russian demining teams have cleared both the ancient city and the nearby town, they are also training Syrian troops to find and destroy explosive devices.
The commander says the bombs ISIS left behind were particularly sophisticated.
"ISIS left bombs behind that were professionally made," he said. "We found high-grade explosives and at least three suicide vests."
Russia clearly views the liberation of Palmyra as a major victory, not only for the Syrian government, but for their forces as well. One they want the world to take note of even as Syria's civil war drags on.
Fred Pleitgen, CNN, Palmyra, Syria.
ALLEN: We will turn next to the massive wildfire in Canada, where people are just barely escaping the embers.
HOWELL: Wow.
ALLEN: An incredible footage for you coming next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KATE RILEY, CNN WORLD SPORT ANCHOR: I'm Kate Riley with your CNN World Sport headlines.
Liverpool are into the final of the Europa League, meaning that Jurgen Klopp is on track to win silverware in his first season at the club.
[03:20:02] Trailing 1-0 to Spanish side Villa Real from the first leg, the Reds were absolutely dominant at Anfield. They level the tie on aggregate early on after Bruno's own goal.
Daniel Sturridge put the home side ahead after excellent work from Roberto Firmino. And after Villareal's victory win to (Inaudible) Adam Lallana sealed the win. Liverpool's opponent in the final will be Sevilla who are looking for their third straight success in the competition.
The Spaniards soar have shocked (Inaudible) 3-1 on the night, meaning they progressed 5-3 on aggregate. No team has ever won the Europa League or its predecessor, the UEFA Cup, on three consecutive occasions. But Sevilla will have the chance to make history on May 18th.
And in Formula One, there are fresh doubts over Daniil Kvyat's future, the driver was dropped to the rest of the season by Red Bull on Thursday, he's been replaced by junior teammate Max Verstappen.
The decision was made following a disastrous weekend in Solchi. The Russian twice crashed into Sebastian Vettel within two corners. Team Principal Christian Horner said the 22-year-old will continue his driver development with a junior team.
And that's a look at all your sports headlines. I'm Kate Riley.
HOWELL: Welcome back to Newsroom.
So, in the coming hours, Canadian authorities hope to evacuate people from a raging wildfire just north of Fort McMurray. A convoy of 400 cars will carry these evacuees to Alberta's capital of Edmonton.
ALLEN: You've been seeing the footage for the past several days. (CROSSTALK)
HOWELL: It's incredible.
ALLEN: This fire is massive. Firefighters battling intense flames which have swallowed entire neighborhoods and people are just getting out of the danger.
CTV's Janet Dirks has the latest for us.
JANET DIRKS, CTV ALBERTA BUREAU CHIEF: New video shows the destruction in Fort McMurray. In some places, rows of houses completely done. In the downtown, the hospital and other major buildings are still standing. Though in the distance, you can see areas that are burning. A wildfire that's grown to be 85,000 hectares, or about the size of the City of Calgary.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Fire conditions remain extreme in the province.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
DIRKS: Yet more incredible images show the harrowing escape as tens of thousands fled from the flames on Tuesday. Some forced to drive right past them under a shower of embers.
The fire approached the airport causing significant damage nearby, but firefighters managed to save the main terminal.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SCOTT LONG, ALBERTA EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR: Their defensive efforts worked yesterday. So, mild damage to the airport, it remains open for aviation.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
DIRKS: As for the weather is not exactly cooperating. Temperatures have cooled off, but the winds remain a problem. The military is deploying more helicopters to the scene and the province of Quebec sent water bombers. Though officials say even with all that help, it will be a tough fire to fight.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CHAD MORRISON, ALBERTA WILDFIRE PREVENTION SENIOR OFFICER: Let me be clear. Air tankers are not going to stop this fire. This fire is an extreme fire event.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
DIRKS: In good news, the fire was expected to expand away from Fort McMurray, though, overnight several areas to the south had to be evacuated, where residents had been waiting in the shadow of towers of black smoke, hoping they wouldn't be pushed further from their homes. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We just don't want to go too far away from our home, Fort McMurray is still our home.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
DIRKS: This man planned to drive back in to Fort McMurray, wanting to rescue his cats.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I just want to go get my pets, put some fuel and I'm heading out of here.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
DIRKS: With 25,000 people stranded north of the fire zone, efforts are getting underway to airlift some of them out. Meanwhile, one bank estimates this could become the biggest insurance event in Canadian history, causing up to $9 billion in damage.
Janet Dirks, CTV News, Fort McMurray.
HOWELL: Wow.
ALLEN: And let's go to our meteorologist right now, Derek Van Dam. Because you've been looking into just how massive this fire is and they just can't seem to figure out how to tamp it down there, Derek.
DEREK VAN DAM, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Natalie, George, that dash cam video is as close as it gets. That was an evacuation that, I mean, we're talking moments to spare there for those individuals.
Fortunately, couple reporters actually tracked down the person who took that footage, found out that he's Ok, his home safe with his family. Some good news there definitely.
But just to put this fire into perspective, 85,000 hectares have burned so far. That's 850 square miles or so. That is equivalent to the size of Singapore Island or, get this, 14 times the size of Manhattan.
This fire is huge. This inferno is massive. And I cannot get over the video that we keep seeing from this dashboard camera. Because what you're watching here is in essence, the anatomy of how a wildfire actually spreads. So, take note of a few separate things here. Look at how high these flames have risen.
[03:25:00] Remember that the wildfires this intense can actually create their own weather patterns on their won. They have updrafts that are going to take embers and push them across the street.
Speaking of embers, look at the ashes falling on the back side of this guy's truck. So, as I mentioned before, what you're actually watching here is spot fires and the spread of wildfires. We zoom in a little closer on this video, and you can actually see in the front yard of this person's residence, is the start of another fire.
This is showing you just how quickly these fires can actually spread. So, to get to the anatomy of what a spot fire actually is, you need this large combustible item, like a tree. We've got very strong winds that help fuel this flame, and it takes these embers, and it literally drives them across bridges, overpasses, roads, until it finds something that it can start on fire.
Unfortunately, it happens to be people's homes, people's front and backyards. And very scary moments for those residents to say the least. To put this into further perspective, coming back to the graphics, spot fires are extremely sporadic and you saw proof of that with the video just a moment ago.
It causes multiple ignitions over a wide area and it can overpower even the strongest of firefighting resources. Natalie, George, with over a thousand firefighters battling this blaze, they have got their work cut out for them right now. So, tough stuff definitely going out too. Everyone there involved trying to put out this one.
ALLEN: Absolutely. They certainly do have dangerous work there.
DAM: They do.
ALLEN: Derek, thank you. And we'll keep that in contact with you on that one.
We want to turn now to China, where some -- there are some dramatic video of quite a car crash.
HOWELL: It is indeed terrifying. This happened at an intersection. The surveillance video of the crash. You see it right there. Wow.
ALLEN: Oh, my goodness.
HOWELL: Three people survived. The drivers say they didn't see each other in time.
ALLEN: The car as you can see ended up stuck between the truck and what appears to be a bridge railing. Rescuers came in to help and the survivors were rushed to a hospital. Hard to believe anyone survived that.
HOWELL: Indeed.
You're watching CNN Newsroom this hour. Still to come, new regulations for smokers and they think are going into effect in the United States. Why this has the e-cigarette industry so unhappy as CNN Newsroom continues.
[03:30:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ALLEN: And welcome back to our viewers around the world. You're watching CNN Newsroom. I'm Natalie Allen.
HOWELL: And I'm George Howell. Here's a look at the headlines we're following for you this hour.
In Pyongyang, North Korea, the ruling party is holding its first Congress in decades. Thousands of party members are in that nation's capital where this high level political event. They are expected to lay out future goals for the country. Leader Kim Jong-un is also expected to unveil new party leadership and also to consolidate his own grip on power.
ALLEN: Near the city of Aleppo in Syria, more than 70 fighters were killed in clashes between the Al Qaeda-linked Al-Nusra Front and the Syrian army. That according to a human rights group, Al-Nusra says they now controlled more villages south of Aleppo. Forty eight-hour ceasefire there does not include terrorist groups.
HOWELL: The polls have closed and soon Londoners will find out Friday if they have elected the city's first Muslim mayor. Labour Party Sadiq Khan is the child of Pakistani immigrants. His rival, the conservative Zach Goldsmith, he is former journalist and the son of a billionaire.
ALLEN: Results of the voting should be released in the coming hours. Controversy has swirled around this election with Sadiq Khan's faith at the center of it.
CNN's Phil Black reports from London.
PHIL BLACK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: This mayoral race, like London, is made up of diverse characters, a rich white man up against the son of an immigrant bus driver. Labour Sadiq Khan says he owes London everything. His family lived in public housing; he went on to state's schools. He went on to become a lawyer, Member of Parliament, government minister, and now possibly mayor of London. If he wins, he'll become the first Muslim to hold the office.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SADIQ KHAN, LABOUR PARTY LONDON MAYORAL CANDIDATE: I'll be the first Muslim to preach extremism and (Inaudible). My experiences and me being me I think allow me to be the best mayor for London.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BLACK: Zac Goldsmith's campaign has been accused of dug whistle racism by trying to link Khan to people who have to support radical Islam. Goldsmith denies that, says it's about Khan's judgment and values not race and religion.
Goldsmith is the conservative party candidate, the son of a billionaire and a current member of parliament.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ZAC GOLDSMITH, CONSERVATIVE PARTY LONDON MAYORAL CANDIDATE: My promise for London, which is to solve the housing crisis, close the gap between demand and supply, help Londoners earning average incomes, get the keys to their first term. It's about protecting the transport budget to keep London moving. BLACK: Whoever wins, he won't match the flamboyant style of the
current office holder, Boris Johnson is stepping down to further his national political career. He's expecting to take a run at the top political job in the U.K. when the current Prime Minister David Cameron walks away.
Phil Black, CNN, London.
HOWELL: So what happens in London, we will have to wait and see. But we're also waiting for results from elections in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. Voters are headed to the polls Thursday to elect members of their national legislature.
ALLEN: And despite Scots rejecting independence from the U.K. in a referendum less than two years ago, the population is embracing the nationalist party that spearheaded the separatist campaign.
HOWELL: That's right. The S&P could retain its majority in the Scottish parliament as the unionist party loses ground there. In Wales, labor appears to have kept it lead in the national assembly, counting is under way in Northern Ireland.
ALLEN: In Nairobi, Kenya, the death toll at a building that collapsed last Friday has risen to 40, even as more survivors were pulled from the rubble.
HOWELL: Workers freed four people on Thursday, although one survivor died shortly afterwards.
Our Robyn Kriel has details of the dramatic developments there.
ROBYN KRIEL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Amongst the rubble, a woman's hand. And then, a voice. Life. After six days buried alive underneath a seven-story building, a middle-aged woman was found injured, dehydrated but alive.
A total of four people were rescued alive from this rubble on Thursday. Almost one week later. It took hours for rescue officials and the Kenya Red Cross to reach her, gently removing the rubble for fear of hurting her even more. She spoke to rescuers saying she was OK and alive, and finally she was freed and rushed to hospital for emergency medical care.
[03:35:07] The building collapsed in Nairobi Huruma suburb after heavy rains, leaving more than 30 people dead and around 17 missing. Early on Tuesday morning, a 6-month-old baby girl was rescued. Her father spoke to CNN on the phone about the moment he was reunited with her in hospital.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I called her and she responded. At the same time, she lifted her hand to show me that I am with you, and she was alive in the house.
(END VIDEO CLIP) KRIEL: Baby Dealeryn survived because she was placed in a blanket and
in a bucket, moments before the collapse. Her mother, however, was killed. Rescue workers say they will not stop until they've retrieved everyone, alive or dead, from the rubble.
Robyn Kriel, CNN, Nairobi, Kenya.
HOWELL: In the United States, the anti-tobacco lobby has scored a notable victory with the judgment that e-cigarettes, premium cigars, hookah and other product will now be regulated in the same manner that traditional cigarettes are regulated.
The Food and Drug Administration made the announcement Thursday alongside the Secretary of Health and Human Services. She described it as a major breakthrough for public health in the United States. Listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SYLVIA M. BURWELL, U.S. SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES: What we know is that the absence of a federal restriction means that enforcement is uneven and in some cases, non-existent. We cannot let the enormous progress that we have made toward a tobacco-free generation be undermined by products that impact our health and economy in this way.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOWELL: OK, so here's some background. E-cigarettes, the use there has risen dramatically in recent years as some studies show them to be an effective way for people to give up smoking. Growth in the market is highest among younger smokers. Industry leaders are angry that sales could be curbed in light of the changed law.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GREGORY CONLEY, AMERICAN VAPING ASSOCIATION PRESIDENT: Under this regulation, two years from now, over 99 percent of the vapor products on the market today will be banned. It will be modern day prohibition, not because the products are unsafe, but because the small and medium size businesses making them will be unable to afford multimillion dollar applications just to keep them on the market. Meanwhile, big tobacco will flourish and take over this market.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOWELL: So, to talk more about the tightening restrictions on tobacco products, we bring in now Erika Sward in Washington with the American Lung Association. Erika, it's good to have you to talk about this.
So, obviously your group welcomes these new regulations. The goal to put e-cigarette products and others under the same regulation as cigarette companies face. But what do you say to this argument that this would actually help big tobacco by now making it more costly for smaller rivals to compete? ERIKA SWARD, AMERICAN LUNG ASSOCIATION VICE PRESIDENT: The American
Lung Association recognizes that today's announcement by the Food and Drug Administration is an important step forward for the protection of public health.
E-cigarettes have become the most commonly used tobacco products among kids. And what we are interested in seeing is this common sense protections applied across the board in order to protect kids from becoming the next generation of addicted users.
BOLTON: But I would ask you, you know, the question about the legal fight, the big push from house republicans to fight this legislation, with some in Congress who have long-standing ties with tobacco products and the lobby.
SWARD: The American Lung Association urges Congress to not weaken or move to block any of FDA's authority to protect our nation's health from tobacco products. Tobacco is the leading cause of preventable death in the United States. Almost half a million people die from tobacco use every year.
And what we want to see is these common sense protections applied to not just cigarettes and smokeless tobacco as they are now, but really to all tobacco products, including cigars, hookah, and of course as we've discussed, e-cigarettes.
HOWELL: When you look back to the statement that was published by the Royal College of Physicians back in 2013, it suggested that e- cigarettes were an effective and affordable alternative to conventional cigarettes and could make harm reduction a reality to smokers. So, how do these new regulations, how does it counter that argument? Could it?
SWARD: Well, it does not counter. And I don't think that it's really an apples to apples comparison. In England and in the U.K., e- cigarettes are regulated. Today, is the first day that we're seeing what a regulatory system for e-cigarettes might look like in the United States.
[03:40:04] So, we're still a few years away from truly understanding the impact of e-cigarettes on the public health in the United States. But until that point, I think it's very important for people to realize that the Food and Drug Administration has not found any e- cigarette to be safe and effective in helping smokers quit.
And in reality what we're unfortunately seeing is the smokers who do want to quit and have tried perhaps before, 70 percent of current e- cigarette users are still smoking regular cigarettes.
And what we want to see is FDA oversight to make sure smokers are not being told erroneously that these products can help them quit until there's actually scientific proof that that's the case.
HOWELL: Erika Sward with the American Lung Association, thank you so much for your time.
SWARD: Thank you for having me.
ALLEN: And coming up here on CNN Newsroom.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: During testing, I called the horse still be a mean girl and we later learned it was pays to be a mean girl.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And for stopping a mean girl in front.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Is that embarrassing?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, that is embarrassing.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ALLEN: Paystobea (ph) will be a mean girl. Great races and great announcers, we'll find out if CNN's Richard Roth makes the cut coming up here.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOWELL: Welcome back to newsroom.
In Pakistan, 14 people have been arrested after the barbaric killing of a 16-year-old girl. Police say a tribal council ordered her death, saying that she damaged the village's reputation after helping a couple to elope. The girl's mother is among those arrested.
ALLEN: It's another horrific honor killing as they are called. Police say this teenager who died was choked, poisoned, tied to a van and burned alive.
[03:45:01] A human rights commission says there were more than 500 of these so-called honor killings last year in Pakistan. It's just absolutely horrendous.
Venezuela's economic crisis has led to huge shortages of food and basic supplies, and now hospitals are feeling the impact.
HOWELL: CNN's Paula Newton recently visited one hospital where it is a daily struggle for doctors to treat the sick and to treat the wounded.
PAULA NEWTON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: You're about to get a rare look inside one of Venezuela's largest public hospitals. A searing view of the catastrophic conditions stalking patients the moment they step inside.
The true state of these hospitals is contentious. The doctors granted us access because they want you to witness just a fraction of the suffering and indignity their patients endure every day.
As we rush through corridors, Dr. Ronnie (Inaudible) details the long list of shortages, medicines of all kinds. Syringes, saline solution, I.V.s, gurneys, even cleaning and sterilization supplies. And then he takes us to meet Jose Luis Vasquez.
"I was shot so they could steal my bike." He recounts. "The bullet came in and came out the other side."
And then he goes on to say there's only a make shift drain for his lungs. The hospital has no gauze, no needles, and he had to buy this himself. And then he shows us where he keeps his money. Counting out the cost of his meal, the equivalent of $10 he can't afford.
Next door, we gather to meet Winifer Meza, just 21 with a horrifying tumor on her neck. She's clearly in pain. Her mother tells us they've been waiting for the operation, but it was canceled today. No medical supplies. Winifer lays waiting in a hot room, bringing her own sheet and drinking water in a hospital that is crumbling.
No working toilets or showers. So, Dr. Ronnie here is telling us that throughout the entire hospital you'll have scenes like this. The infrastructure is absolutely crumbling and falling apart. There are leaks everywhere, the water doesn't work.
Then he shows us a wing which was supposed to open months ago. So, these are operating rooms that were inaugurated by the government just last year, and doctor says he has never seen any equipment here and they've never been used.
We find Luis Hidalgo in the corridors, 40 days in hospital, still waiting for surgery. In the meantime, he too, buys his own medicine, he says, and he's even had it stolen inside the hospital.
Behind closed doors, the doctors vent their frustration, not over their salaries at barely $30 a month, but at what they now describe as a humanitarian crisis not yet acknowledged.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
"We used to have operating rooms working 24 hours a day," she points out. "The surgeons would work a lot. This was an elite hospital."
Still I want to know why Dr. Ronnie would risk his career by speaking out. The answer that supposedly there is still democracy and free speech here. "It's part of my job," he says, "it's part of my commitment to the patients and we have to raise our voices."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Things are not getting better. Just getting worse.
NEWTON: Have you had cases of people dying?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, of course.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NEWTON: Places of healing rendered horrific by years of unending financial misery. Here you find the human cost of Venezuela's deepening crisis. Paula Newton, CNN, in northern Venezuela.
[03:50:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
DAM: Unfortunately, the fire threat still remains high across the Alberta, Canada region. Specifically near Fort McMurray, Canada, where they are still assessing the damage from this week's raging brush fire. As you can see, this very compelling image, plenty of homes and plenty of vehicles burnt almost to a crisp.
Fortunately, no injuries have been reported from this particular incident. Nonetheless, the reason for this heat is an upper level ridge that continues to build across this region.
As we head through the course of the weekend, we have yet another warm spell in store, especially from Saturday into Saturday evening. We should get some relief by the end of the weekend and heading into the first parts of next week at that ridge breaks down.
Elsewhere, across the United States, some much needed rain for the West Coast, heading for the Central U.S. 27 near Denver, showers anticipated to start up at early weekend for near New York City, 12 degrees with rain in this forecast.
Take a look at the next four days, taking you through the weekend. Really heating up for Atlanta, Charlotte, even D.C. in the lower 20s by the end of the weekend. Temperatures still on the cool side, however, for the big apple.
Here's our rainfall for both coasts. New York all the way through the Carolinas. Showers for the Rockies, Idaho into Nevada as well as California, all the way to Mexico.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(GROUP SINGING WE ARE THE CHAMPION)
ALLEN: Good news. Such a thing would be such a hit. That's Gwen Stefani and Julia Roberts, the close friends that they are. The acting rock stars also backup the musical rock star's Hollaback Girl.
HOWELL: Got to love that. All right. So, this Saturday, it is one of the 140 -second running of the Kentucky Derby. One of most famous horse races in the world, and they will be competing for a likely purse of $1.6 million. A lot of people will be watching this.
ALLEN: But aside from the fame and fortune, every great race deserves a great announcer. Well, for this story, we don't have one. But we do have our own Richard Roth. Here's his story.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So, hockey is so fast. We had so bad, I'm good, the bad deputy gets away from the inside and he will settle in.
RICHARD ROTH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'm calling today's fourth race. What should I know?
KEN WARKENTIN, FREEHOLD RACEWAY: You need accuracy and clarity. You need control. You can't get too excited. You should use the binoculars.
ROTH: How upset can you get if a race caller makes a mistake?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, very upset.
ROTH: Because I might make a mistake?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You're not going to make a mistake. I have full confidence in you.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: At a half mile track you'll find if you stick to one, two, three and four, you probably do pretty good just to dealt with numbers...
(CROSSTALK)
ROTH: I wasn't good at math, though, in school.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK. So, we'll go with 6, 7 and 8 then.
WARKENTIN: During testing I called the horse pays to be a mean girl. And we learned it's pays to be a mean girl.
ROTH: It's pays to be a mean girl in front. Is that embarrassing?
WARKENTIN: Yes, that is embarrassing.
ROTH: Is it proper for a race announcer to make a bet on the race he's calling?
WARKENTIN: It's an unbiased approach to the business. You might be concentrating too much on that horse that you bet.
ROTH: Two dollars across on the five. Five rock rock is there. Number six, OK, cognac. Number seven, real mystical. And number eight, magnum mike.
WARKENTIN: My great pleasure to introduce Richard Roth. Don't mess up, Richard.
[03:55:04] ROTH: The fourth race at three hold seconds away. Many people don't know Wolf Blitzer was a driver once. Finished 14th in the Preakness.
Breaking news, this fourth race is under way. Rock rock who's there, going for the early lead at the middle of track shy in, Cheyenne patty, though, along the rail gets the lead.
Grabbing the lead, rock rock whose there, along the back stretch, comfortably in the pocket second. Cheyenne Patty. It's Factor Jay in fourth.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A little bit of an error there. We have Cheyenne sportsman four. That's OK, cognac hung out third.
ROTH: Knock knock, rock rock. Going to drive me crazy rock rock who's there pulling away. Magnum mike third making a move. We got Rock rock who's there in front, in the fourth at free hole.
Give me it straight, how bad or good?
WARKENTIN: Well, you had to be -- you had to go through the field, you know. There are some horses that you really had didn't give a call too at all. I give you a, b.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes. You heard my screw-up?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: In the middle but you recovered quickly.
ROTH: Do I have a future?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, but that's beside the point.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ALLEN: All right, Richard.
HOWELL: What was it? Pays to be a mean girl?
ALLEN: Yes, pays to be a mean girl. When he's not covering horse racing, he's of course covering the United Nations for New York.
HOWELL: But in this particular case of Richard makes a mistake, he just plays it off so well, you didn't even know it happened.
ALLEN: Well, that's it for this hour. Thank you for watching. Remember, the Kentucky Derby on Saturday. I'm Natalie Allen.
HOWELL: Thanks for being with us. I'm George Howell. CNN Newsroom continues next with Hanna Vaughan Jones in London.
[04:00:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
