Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Newsroom

Wildfires Spread in Western Canada; Kenya Closing Refugee Camps; Trump Launching Attacks at Hillary. Aired 4-5a ET

Aired May 08, 2016 - 04:00   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[04:00:11] GEORGE HOWELL, CNN ANCHOR: Ahead this hour facing the worst as wild fires continue to spread in Western Canada, destroying property, displacing thousands of people who live there.

Plus in Limbo, Kenya says it is closing its refugee camps including the worlds largest and it is not exactly clear what happens to the hundreds of thousands of people in those camps.

And she's not the Democratic nominee yet, but that's not stopping Donald Trump from launching into his boldest attack against Hillary Clinton.

Live from CNN World Headquarters in Atlanta, welcome to our viewers here in the United States and around the world. I'm George Howell. "CNN NEWSROOM" starts right now.

Good day to you. We begin this hour with wild fires raging in Western Canada. They have gained ground -- a lot more ground, nearly doubling in size in the last 24 hours and now threatening Saskatchewan, the neighboring province to the east.

Alberta government official say that the fire has consuming some 2,000 square kilometers. That is nearly 800 square miles and it is not slowing down. Flames have destroyed the entire Fort McMurray community.

Officials have evacuated thousands of people from there, but some 15,000 remain trapped north of that area. Tender dry conditions are fueling the flames and the wind is fanning them to the northeast. That's making things hard for the more than 500 firefighters that are fighting these fires.

Our Dan Simon is on the ground and has this report.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DAN SIMON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: You can see some of that thick smoke behind me. This fire is still very much out of control and you still have so many people who are evacuated. Nearly 90,000 people evacuated. That is an unprecedented situation here in Canada. In terms of the weather, it's pretty hot today. The conditions remain dry. It can be windy, so terrible conditions for fighting this fire. There is a chance that there could be rain in the forecast tomorrow so that would be welcome news. But even if it does rain, this fire is going to go on for some time, perhaps several weeks.

In terms of the damage, the numbers are staggering, 1,600 homes and businesses destroyed, most of that destruction in the Fort McMurray community. All the people who have been evacuated, a lot of them are staying at shelters, of course many also staying with relatives. But if that's not an option, if you can't stay with a friend or family member, perhaps you're going to a hotel, but it's pretty much impossible to find a hotel room in the area.

Of course, people are anxious. They want to know if they have a home to go back to and right now they're just dealing with that now. They're trying to get the essentials in place, food, shelter, and water as this fire continues in Canada.

Dan Simon, CNN, Fort McMurray, Canada.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOWELL: Dan, thank you. Now, thankfully there have been no fatalities to report at this point, but rescuers are racing to try to get everyone out of harm's way and for these evacuees, it's a story of fear and devastation, but also a story of hope and resilience.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's smoky, stow (ph) and flames. There's spots (ph) you can see into the -- whether your truck comes from the convoy as -- it's a mess. It's a mess. That's the only way to say it.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: When we came through, there were flames on both sides of the highway and it's a lot. It's just devastation, but it hasn't sank in yet either. I mean, you know what's going on, but it's just hard to comprehend right now.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're OK. We're kind of self-sustained here, so now we can help people that are actually in need. So that's what we plan on doing now.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOWELL: Our correspondent Dan Simon pointed out in his report there is, you know, a possibility for rain later, but our meteorologist Derek Van Dam here to tell us what difference that will make here.

DEREK VAN DAM, AMS METEOROLOGIST: George, look at all the computer models, it doesn't look like in the screen to make a significant difference on the firefighting front.

I mean, I saw enough to douse any of these extensive flames to say the list. It's just going to maybe, perhaps lower the threat of spreading further and further. But nonetheless, this is extreme fire conditions in Alberta. It's now boarding on the Saskatchewan border.

Take a look at this graphic. I did a little bit of math here and this -- the size of the Fort McMurray fire in the surrounding areas, 772 square miles. That is creeping up closer and closer to the equivalent of adding Boston, Chicago, and Houston skyline together. This is massive.

I mean, there's a reason why we continue to cover this, because it is so extensive. It's impacting the weather across much of North America.

[04:05:03] In fact, this is the sight from the international space station. You can actually see the smoke from space and it's drifted as far south as the CNN headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia. There was actually a thick haze over the headquarters on Friday and it's also impacted the air quality across the Dakotas and into Minnesota.

Take a look at this as the air quality index for this mark North Dakota, also into the Minneapolis- Saint Paul region. I mean, this is extreme. But that's the least of the concerns that at least the air quality in America or the United States. It's really the fire that is ongoing across Alberta at the moment.

This is interstate or Highway 63. We've been talking about this particular highway because this has been the evacuation route for the convoys of vehicles, upwards of 2,500 vehicles evacuating from the smoke and the flames.

This is a Google Earth G.I.S. image. Here's Highway 63 running north and south across Alberta through the town of Fort McMurray. The dots in yellow are the recent flare-ups within the past six days, but the more recent within the past three to six hours are those red dots. So you can see how it's spreading to the north, to south and also to the east.

So this is obviously being fueled by the winds ongoing across this area. Good news is chance of rain, cooler temperatures, humidity on the increase. We start to see the threat level for fire danger start to be suppressed overtime.

But, I don't want to belittle the situation, it's still extremely tender, extremely dry in Alberta at the moment and the fire concern continues to be a threat. There's the three-day forecast for Fort McMurray. You can see it mark a difference in our temperature. By the way, that Celsius had equates to temperatures in the 50s and 60s.

HOWELL: So little rain on the way that not really enough.

VAN DAM: Not enough to downs the fires, unfortunately, George.

HOWELL: Derek Van Dam, thank you so much.

On now to North Korea, that country's ruling elite all gathered for a historic meeting of its Workers' Party Congress in the capital city. It is the first such beating in its kind in 36 years. State media quotes Kim -- leader Kim Jong Un making some major announcements to his nation and to the world. Kim reportedly saying that he would not use nuclear weapons unless his country's sovereignty was threatened. Also adding that North Korea would be, "responsible nuclear power." Kim's comments are among the first to come out of the secret of meeting.

Our Will Ripley is on the ground in Pyongyang and has this report for us.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

WILL RIPLEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Given that North Korea has a reputation for being one of the most secretive countries on earth, it shouldn't come of any surprise that the political process here is also veiled in a real lock of transparency to say the least.

The past few days of this historic Workers' Party Congress, the first in 36 years as we know that it's been happening in the April 25th People's House of Culture in Pyongyang, a building that we are not allowed anywhere close to, aside from on the first day we took some pictures from across the street.

We've been taking on sight seeing tours and turn around the city while the work of the Party's Congress has been happening behind close doors. And each evening now, around 10:00 at night, there's been a surprise news broadcast. An unannounced broadcast proclaiming to the people what has happened at the Party's Congress of that day. It's only about 30 minutes long.

Today, we were told that the supreme leader Kim Jong Un gave a policy speech although the narrator didn't specify which policies he talked about other than to say that he's continuing to hold very true to the policy of his late father and grand father before him.

And then we heard from about 10 different party officials from different sectors. It's been clear at science, even in textile (ph), the manufacturing, all of them saying they whole heartedly support their supreme leader and they encourage people to do the same.

So it is -- it's really -- although we don't get a whole lot of information, it certainly is a window into how things work here. The government tells the people what they need to do, what they need to think, and then the people wholeheartedly applaud and they celebrate what the government and their leader is doing.

Another day of life here in the North Korean Capital, Will Ripley, CNN, Pyongyang.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOWELL: Amid all the political fan fare coming out of North Korea, there are new warnings. The think tank 38 north says satellite imagery shows the country maybe preparing for yet another nuclear test. Even before that, there was speculation that a test blast could be stage to coincide with this meeting of the Worker's Party Congress. A major announcement coming out of Kenya, that government says that it will close all of the refugee camps in that country and the move would have a huge impact. It would displace more than 600,000 people. The decision includes Dadaab, the latest refugee camp in the world, the largest

We get the latest now from Nairobi, Kenya. Robyn Kriel is on the ground and joins us live this hour.

Robyn, it's good to have you. So what more do we know about why the government has made this announcement and decision?

ROBYN KRIEL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, the announcement came out of the blue, even aid officials from various aid organizations were expressing disbelief.

[04:10:06] So when they saw the statement, we wanted to verify that it was true first of all coming from the ministry of Kenya's interior, the internal security ministry here. They're saying that it's due to economic and security reasons and that would make sense, economically, obviously having a huge refugee camps.

A number of huge refugee camps spread across the country, 600,000 refugees in Kenya would be quite a heavy economic burden for East Africa's largest economy. But also security wise, particularly the refugee camps in the northeast of the country along the Somali border.

There is enormous concern from the government and from security agencies themselves that these camps have become infested and a breeding ground, that's the word the government uses, for terrorist group, Al Shabaab, al-Qaeda link terrorist group Al Shabaab.

They actually have said that some of the various attacks here in Kenya, such as the Garissa University attacked where more than 147 people were killed, most of whom were students at Garissa University, that those attackers came from -- that this one of those attackers came from the Dadaab refugee camp on Kenya's northeastern border with Somalia.

However, human rights group and various aid organizations such as the doctors without borders, MSF have said that -- so this is a terrible idea. What would be -- where would these people go? And that is a very, very good question for most of these refugees.

Some of them have grown up their entire lives. There are decades old refugee camps, 30 year old that if only ever lived and say that the Dadaab refugee camp born there some of them. And also the Kakuma refugee camps that many of these people cannot return from Kakuma to warring South Sudan in the middle of -- in the midst of what has been a very brutal civil war since December 2013.

So they're saying that they have no alternative. Where will these people go? Kenyans are calling for international aid for humanitarian assistance for these refugees, but not really presenting any solution of what can be done. HOWELL: Robyn, I want to break that down just a bit because again, when it comes to these refugee camps, you either go there, you choose to go there, you are taken there or you are born there.

So, what happen? I mean, these are pretty very different groups. What would happen? Any indications what would happen to these people?

KRIEL: Hugely confusing, George, for the people who are born in these refugee camps and I remember when I visited Dadaab refugee camp some years ago that one of the people that we were working with as a translator who was born there and he was in his mid 20s.

So, he was born into that refugee camp, but it only ever lived inside the Dadaab refugee camp. Now, what status is he? Is he a Somali? He wasn't technically born in Kenya, but he couldn't leave the Dadaab refugee camp. He could not come to -- say in Nairobi, he couldn't seek a normal job. He couldn't seek a normal life. And for of them it's far too dangerous to be repatriated back to Somalia.

So there is a small repatriation program where Somali refugees who agree to go back for a small bit of money. They have their tickets paid and they can fly back. However, it is very tiny ministerial compared to the number, about 300,000 living in, say the Dadaab refugee camp and the neighboring refugee camps there in the northeast. It's a tiny fraction of those who have agreed to go back. Most of them said they don't have a choice.

And given the security situation in Somalia, I'm sure many people would agree. It's just not safe for these peoples, babies, people who were born in the refugee camps who've never known any life back that to return home.

HOWELL: It is such a sweeping announcement. But, again, there are so many people, so many different situations that would be impacted by this.

Robyn Kriel, we appreciate you joining us this hour. We'll stay in touch as we all try to figure out what happens to this many, many people. Thank you.

This is "CNN NEWSROOM." Still ahead this hour, Donald Trump isn't just attacking Hillary Clinton, he's now taking swipes at the former president of the United States, husband Bill Clinton as well. Why Trump thinks he's the better candidate for women, ahead.

Plus, we are just a day from Philippines presidential elections and the candidates are making their final stand to the polls. The latest on the race for the country's tough job as "NEWSROOM" continues.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[04:18:23] HOWELL: Emergency workers have evacuated thousands of people South of Fort McMurray, the wildfire there that has ravaged this community. You see these images, but some 15,000 people are trapped north of it. Alberta officials say that the fire could reach into Saskatchewan province and the flames cover some 2,000 square kilometers. That's almost half a million acres.

America's Choice 2016 following the race to the White House, a recent CNN/ORC poll found that 64 percent of women viewed Donald Trump unfavorably. To try to lessen that gap, the Republican frontrunner has begun attacking Hillary Clinton on her record with women in recent days Mr. Trump has gone even further, trying to link Clinton to her husband, former President Bill Clinton and his infidelities.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, U.S REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: She's married to a man who was a worst abuser of women in the history of politics. She's married to a man who hurt many women and Hillary, if you look, and she study, Hillary hurt many women, the women that he abused.

She's married to a man who got impeached for lying. He was impeached and he had to go through a whole big process and it wasn't easy. He was impeached for lying about what happened with a woman.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOWELL: Donald Trump there. Clinton, though, is no stranger to those attacks or deflecting criticism of her husband Bill Clinton.

[04:20:03] The former secretary of state and Democratic frontrunner spoke to CNN's Anderson Cooper earlier this week and she said a Trump presidency posed the serious risk to the United States.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HILLARY CLINTON, U.S DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I don't think we can take a risk on a loose cannon like Donald Trump running our country. I think it's a risk. I think he is a loose cannon and loose cannon tend misfire.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOWELL: So it comes to Hillary Clinton, she's ahead in the Democratic race, but her opponent Bernie Sanders is refusing to cede her the nomination.

We've also learned that he may, maybe open to joining Clinton as her running mate if he fails to come out ahead at the Democratic national convention.

He was asked about that very possibility by our own Wolf Blitzer. Here's what he had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BERNIE SANDERS, U.S. DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Look, what's most important is we defeat Donald Trump. I believe that I am the strongest candidate against him. WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: If she were to get the nomination, would you consider being her vice-presidential running mate?

SANDERS: Well, right now, we are focused on the next five weeks of winning the Democratic nomination. If that does not happen, we're going to fight as hard as we can on the floor of the Democratic convention to make sure that we have a progressive platform that the American people will support. And then after that, certainly Secretary Clinton and I can sit down and talk and see where we go from there.

BLITZER: Well, I guess, an alternative question would be if she came to you now or relatively soon approached you and offered you the vice- presidential running mate slot, would you drop out?

SANDERS: I think that that is a hypothetical that will not happen and once again there are nine states left. We think we have a good shot to winning West Virginia on Tuesday, Kentucky and Oregon the next week, and we think we can win in California.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOWELL: The current president of the United States, Barack Obama, is hoping to shape the minds of young people.

Mr. Obama delivered a commencement address, Saturday to graduating seniors at Howard University. He encouraged students at this historically African-American school to become more engaged in the political process and warned against censoring speech.

Our Joe Johns has this report.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOE JOHNS, CNN SENIOR WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT: President Obama delivering a commencement speech that was both nonpolitical and very political at the same time, perhaps giving us a glimpse at the message the outgoing president will be sending as the country starts looking toward the November general election.

While he mentioned none of the candidates for the White House by name from either party, he did present a dramatically different view of the country than we've seen and heard from Republicans, especially from the presumptive GOP front-runner Donald Trump.

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF UNITED STATE: No matter how ridiculous or offensive you might find the things that come out of their mouths, because as my grandmother used to tell me, every time a fool speaks, they are just advertising their own ignorance.

JOHNS: Mr. Obama making the case the things have not only gotten better in the U.S. since he graduated from college, he said the same is true since he took over the White House, giving a speech to one of the country's best known historically black universities which gave him an honorary doctor of science degree for his work on the Affordable Care Act. The president also made a few statements that could be construed as writing his own legacy saying his election did not create a post racial society and also speaking directly to those who may question why he was not able to get certain things done while in office. The President said, "It's all about the vote."

OBAMA: It is absolutely true that 50 years after the voting right side, there are still too many barriers in this country to vote. There are too many people trying to erect new barriers to voting. This is the only advanced democracy on earth that goes -- goes out of its way to make it difficult for people to vote.

JOHNS: And there was an oblique reference in the speech to activists who attempt to shout down politicians and others at rallies and speeches. Mr. Obama did not mention the Black Lives Matter Movement or any other group by name, but the inference seemed clear.

OBAMA: Our democracy gives us a process designed for us to settle our disputes with argument and ideas and votes instead of violence and simple majority rule. So don't try to shut folks out. Don't try to shut them down, no matter how much you might disagree with them.

JOHNS: The president is expected to give commencement speeches to two other universities this year, the Air Force Academy and Rutgers.

Joe Johns, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOWELL: Joe, thank you.

In the Philippines, a presidential election is just a day away and candidates are drumming up last-minute support. Davao Mayor and presidential front-runner Rodrigo Duterte held a rally on Saturday. He drew a crowd of some 300,000 people far more than his rivals. His supporters say they strongly believe in his cop (ph) stands on fighting crime.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

[04:25:02] UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I believe in his program -- I mean, especially on the peace and order because we have to start with that. I'm a "economy" supposed to be, but we cannot go into these other things without having a stable peace and order environment.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOWELL: The presidential candidate Grace Poe took a swipe at the front-runner saying the country should not be ruled in, "fear."

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GRACE POE, PHILIPPINES PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE (through translation): Let us pray to the Lord that in the next six years let us not be ruled in fear, but with prosperity for each person. A leader who will focus on your needs, who will listen to you, who will understand you and who will feel what you feel so that they can give what needs to be given.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOWELL: Duterte has been accused of running vigilante squads that have killed more than a thousand suspected criminals. The presidential election happens on Monday.

This is "CNN NEWSROOM." Still ahead this hour, another hacking attack in Bangladesh claims another victim who maybe -- to blame for this as we look into that story.

Plus, Saudi Arabia, the world's largest crude oil exporter is restructuring its government. We'll explain the significance behind those changes. Live across the United States and around the world this hour, you are watching "CNN NEWSROOM."

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HOWELL: Welcome back to our viewers here in the United States and around the world. You are watching "CNN NEWSROOM" and it is good to have you with us. I'm George Howell with the headlines we're following for you this hour.

In Western Canada, a fast-moving wildfire now covers some 2,000 square kilometers nearly 800 square miles and it may reach into Saskatchewan province.

[04:30:11] That is the very latest from Alberta officials. They've evacuated nearly 90,000 people at Fort McMurray and north of there.

Three journalists from Spain who went missing in Syria last July have now been released. Though, it is still unclear who kidnapped them, but the freelance reporters disappear while working in the City of Aleppo. Keep in mind, that's where extremist groups are fighting for control.

In Kenya, a huge announcement from the government saying it will close all of the country's refugee camps citing economic and security reasons. The move would displace more than 600,000 people. The decision includes Dadaab, the world's largest refugee camp. The Kenyan Government made the announcement Friday, but is not saying where all of these refugees will go.

Another hacking death sadly to report in Western Bangladesh, this time a Sufi Muslim spiritual leader, the victim of an attack. Police say the 65-year-old was killed after leaving a meeting with his disciples. It is the latest in a series of similar attacks in a nation carried out by radical Islamists.

For more on the hacking attacks, we turned to our own Alexandra Field. She was just in Bangladesh and now joins us live in Hong Kong.

Alexandra, it's good to have you. So, what more do we know about this attack and what do we know about who might be behind it?

ALEXANDRA FIELD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, George, the question is whether or not this attack is link to the spate of previous attacks which have been claimed by Islamic extremist groups including ISIS.

The targets in those attacks have been secular bloggers, LGBT activists, a university professor and religious minorities, but this is the first time that we have seen a Sufi Muslim spiritual leader attacked, his name Mohammad Shahidullah.

Police are saying that he was in fact hacked to death the same way these others have been killed after he left a meeting with his religious disciples. They're not sure why this man would have been targeted. They say they have made no arrests in this case so far and publicly there has at this point been no claim of responsibility.

That would mark the difference to the other attacks where you have seen ISIS for example come out online and claim credit for the attacks. In those claims of credit, they have said that their targets are people who have insulted Islam or offended Islam and they have majority Muslim country.

Again, we know there was a spate of bloggers killed. These were secular bloggers talking about atheism. There were also some high profile LGBT activists who are hacked to death as well as a professor who was killed Rajshahi, which is the same area where Shahidullah was killed.

Back to area that we were able to visit just last week, the community there has been left reeling by the death of this professor Rezaul Karim Siddique. He was a professor of English. ISIS claims credit for that brutal killing which happened on a public street of (inaudible) waiting for a bus.

He was attacked by a gang of men wielding machetes. There were questions why he was attacked. That claim online of responsibility from ISIS said that this was somebody who was promoting atheism.

I actually spoke Siddique's daughter. She says that her was a believer. He was not an atheist. So far there is no evidence that have written anything publicly that was critical on Islam. So, police are also investigating that killing although they tell us they have made several arrests connected to it, George.

HOWELL: Alexandra for people who are demanding more forceful investigations, more forceful prosecution and reform, what's happening in that country?

FIELD: There's a tremendous amount of frustration. People are saying that the governments, that government officials and leaders need to come out, take a harder line. But they are really saying that there needs to be a much greater effort to try and find the attackers in these previous cases, one because they are wondering whether some of the assailants could be connected in several of the cases. So that's one measured they're trying to protect the people for being target.

But they also believe that if the public sees that there is a real and coordinated effort to prosecute and go after these attackers that it could cut down on something that is becoming quite overwhelmingly frightening for a lot of people in this community. They're wondering how far it goes and they're saying it seems to be promoting a culture and environment of growing intolerance.

And you have seen this target sort of widen out from the secular bloggers who are writing very openly about atheism to the LGBT activists and now to a professor and even this Sufi Muslim religious leader, George.

HOWELL: Alexandra, so, you know, you hear two messages. You hear one from government officials say, "Look we will offer protection to people." But you also hear the message that when it comes to any sort of criticism, online, or written criticism of Islam that it has to be responsible. So, how do you -- how are people squaring the circle there?

FIELD: Right and that has been a hard pill to swallow for some who believe that they are being targeted, for people who believe that they are victimized in the place where they thought that they had their freedom of expressions. So they're being told, "We shouldn't have to tone it down."

But they are getting that message, which is asking people to take, "responsible tone" that would make them, perhaps not the subject of being targeted. That is a very controversial line to take, of course, because we've been out there speaking to people who are really living in the shadows at this point, George.

[04:35:09] We spoke to young LGBT activists who say, they are afraid to come home at night. They are fearful that someone's in their home. They're afraid to leave their houses during the day. Same thing with a lot of people -- really young people even who had written their thoughts about atheism or secular Bangladesh online, on Facebook.

Now, they feel that they could be endangered as well. So these are people who are appealing to the government and saying, "Do not put fault on the victims, but take a harder line with the people who are perpetrating these attacks."

HOWELL: Alexandra Field, live for us in Hong Kong. Alexandra, thank you for your reporting today.

Moving on now to Syria, the opposition there says that the Assad regime could soon carry out a massacre against prisoners.

The human rights group says government forces tried to stop a revolt of about 800 inmates on Friday. The group says some prisoners nearly suffocated in what appears to had been tear gas.

The inmates don't want to be transferred to a prison near the capital city and for almost a week they have been demanding trials and better jail conditions.

Moving on now to Saudi Arabia, the world's largest crude oil exporter, the kingdom is restructuring its government in hopes of diversifying its economy away from oil dependents and it cause the country's veteran petroleum administer, his job after nearly 20 years on that post. CNNMoney Emerging Markets Editor, John Defterios joins us this hour from Abu Dhabi. It's good to have you, John. So this is a very big move.

JOHN DEFTERIOS, CNNMONEY EMERGING MARKETS EDITOR: Thanks (ph) George.

HOWELL: Why is this being done?

DEFTERIOS: Well, this is interesting. This has been the talk of the oil world, if you will, for the better part of a year, ever since the Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman consolidated power under his father King Solomon who took the throne at the end of January 2015, George.

That makes no doubt about it. Ali Al-Naimi was the most powerful man in oil for 20 years. He served as the oil minister since 1995, but also the chairman of Saudi Aramco and at one (ph) point CEO and also controlled the Supreme Petroleum Council holding those positions at one point all the same time.

But this is part of a much bigger shake-up by Mohammed bin Salman, the Deputy Crown Prince "Vision 2030" as what they're calling it. They want to reduce the dependency on oil even slow at 5 percent of the energy giant the largest of the world Saudi Aramco either in 2017 or 2018.

But, having covered OPEC for the better part of 25 years, it is quite a career for Ali Al-Naimi. He was in Saudi Aramco, George, for 60 years having started as a clerk. They sent him overseas for education. He got his Ph.D. consolidated position at Saudi Aramco making the extremely respected around the world, became the minister.

But in a sign of the times, a very young Deputy Crown Prince wants a change, who wants to proceed by diversifying the economy. He did not think Saudi leader of the oil energy giant, Ali Al-Naimi was the man to do it for the next 10 years.

HOWELL: OK, so John, what do we know of the new minister and will the oil market accept this change without shock?

DEFTERIOS: I don't think it will be a shock, George. Khalid Al-Falih in fact was the CEO of Saudi Aramco for six year is the current chairman. But, what was interesting of the last year, he also assume the position as the Ministry of Health and I saw it and so many others in the energy market as a training ground to move him into this much bigger position by the Deputy Crown Prince.

That did take place -- they like the fact investors that he is a very steady hand. He knows the energy market as Saudi Aramco begins to open up and introduced transparency around the world.

I think most importantly as people watch Khalid Al-Falih is that he is a trusted ally of King Solomon and also perhaps more importantly the Deputy Crown Prince. This is somebody who is trying to -- as I suggested before, really radicalized the economy, raise the stake of the private sector going forward. But we know Saudi Arabia is the largest exporter in the world, one out of every eight barrels around the world is produced by Saudi Arabia. But, we're in different times today, George. Oil around $40 a barrel not $115 as we saw it back in June of 2014 and the kingdom is trying to change.

HOWELL: And I want to push on that just a bit, John. So, you know, we're talking about transforming an entire economy, "Vision 2030". Look, this was a big move here, but when you look at the big picture of this, how difficult will that be?

DEFTERIOS: Well, in fact this is the huge question mark and I wrote a column in fact for CNNMoney in the last week, George, talking about this is a phenomenal blueprint. This is a blueprint for the next 16 years for Saudi Arabia to go through this transformation.

But the big question mark hanging over the regional markets in the Middle East and North Africa, can Saudi Arabia deliver? Since we saw oil prices all the way down to $27 a barrel, change had to take place.

[04:40:04] Saudi Arabia is running the budget deficit of nearly $100 billion. The young Deputy Crown Prince is saying, "Look, we can't stand by and watch this take place and not do anything about it."

But his late forward at least 20 major programs over the next 15 years and whether he can deliver is a big question mark, but the cabinet shuffle moving in a younger leader for Saudi Aramco and also the Ministry of Petroleum has seen as a very fast, good start.

HOWELL: No one with better depth and insight on this situation than our own John Defterios. We always appreciate you joining us live in Abu Dhabi this day.

DEFTERIOS: Thanks George.

HOWELL: You're watching "CNN NEWSROOM."

Still ahead one motorist found out a hard way how divisive the U.S. presidential race has become. When we come back, the politics of being refused service, that's right, by a tow truck driver.

Plus, we take you to Brussels where 140 food trucks have gathered in the city for a record-breaking festival. This is "CNN NEWSROOM."

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HOWELL: Americas Choice 2016, the race for the White House, Donald Trump has become the presumptive republican nominee, but he has without doubt made some enemies along the way in that party.

Speaking out at commencement speech on Saturday, Mitt Romney, the 2012 Republican presidential nominee even issued a thinly veiled warning about Donald Trump.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) MITT ROMNEY, 2012 U.S. REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: We live in tumultuous times, demagogues and the right and the left draw upon our darker angels, scapegoating immigrants and Muslims or bankers and business people, profiteers tempted endeavor to focus with compulsive addictions, entertainment media distract us from things that bring enduring achievements and happiness.

[04:45:01] Think carefully about the habits of your life. You deserve to be happy.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOWELL: The comments there come just days after Mitt Romney attended a meeting about drafting a third party candidate. He's been floating -- he's been floated rather as such a candidate in the past and it's not just politicians who are divided by Donald Trump's rhetoric.

One disabled motorist was recently denied service by a pro-Trump tow truck driver. Why? Well, it's because she had a Bernie Sanders' sticker on the car. Adrian Acosta with CNN affiliate WHNS has more in South Carolina.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ADRIAN ACOSTA, FOX NEWS CAROLINA: Ken Shupe runs Shupee-Max Towing in Travelers Rest and on Monday, he made a business decision that caused a lot of controversy.

SHUPE: I've drive to Asheville, North Carolina, the lady had obviously had a little Sanders bannered.

ACOSTA: Shupe's that he was about to load the woman's car seen in this pictures, but stopped.

SHUPE: I noticed all the Bernie Sanders, you know, the big cardboard Bernie Sanders sign in her back window.

ACOSTA: For Shupe, a Trump supporter, that was a deal-breaker.

SHUPE: Every business dealing in recent history that I've had with a socialist minded person, I haven't got paid. I own the truck. The side of my truck says Shupee. It doesn't said freebie, you know. And every time I dealt with this people in recent history I get burn with the A not a U.

ACOSTA: Cassy McWade is the Sanders supporter that Shupe refused to tow.

CASSY MCWADE, REFUSED HELP BY TOW TRUCK DRIVER: I've personally believed Mr. Shupe wouldn't want someone to do this to him.

KELLE MCWADE, DAUGHTER REFUSED SERVICE BY DRIVER: Or his daughter.

C. MCWADE: Or his daughter.

ACOSTA: Kelle McWade says what Shupe did was especially hurtful because Cassy, her daughter is disabled.

K. MCWADE: Trump's motto is makes America great again. This kind of divisive behavior and hatefulness is not what's going to make America great again.

You're discriminating against somebody based on whatever their affiliation is. Then that is bigotry.

STEVE SUMNER, ATTORNEY: We may not like it, we may not agree with it, but I don't believe in any laws (inaudible) were broken.

ACOSTA: Greenville attorney Steve Sumner said unlike race, religion, and sexuality, political affiliation is not a protected status.

SUMNER: As long as there is no contract present between the driver and in this case the tow truck company, then there would be no legal obligation for the tow truck company to pick her up.

ACOSTA: Sumner says he's never heard of a situation like this, but given the heated political climate it may come up again.

SUMNER: It might be wise if he feels that strongly about a particular candidate or about a particular point of view politically that he's going to say, "Listen, I'm not going to tow you." Certainly, it would have saved a lot of time and a lot -- I'm sure frustration.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOWELL: That was Adrian Acosta reporting there on Shupee Max Used Cars & Towing in Travelers Rest, South Carolina.

Belgium maybe famous for its waffles, but this weekend its capital had become a food truck haven. Coming up, the goal behind the huge festival there as "CNN NEWSROOM" continues.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[04:51:56] HOWELL: The images you see here, pictures of people trapped in a storm off the Portuguese Coast on Saturday as reported by our CNN affiliate TVI in Portugal.

Men trying to save boats at sea were caught up in a very strong storm. There are three men including a rescue worker who was trying to help. They all had to be rescued.

These amateur videos from TVI show the size -- look at that, of those huge waves. The storm continues to spin off the coast of Portugal and Spain while threatening the region with even more bad weather.

Our meteorologist Derek Van Dam is here to talk more about what's happening. Derek?

VAN DAM: So, it sounds like in the video footage we just saw a moment ago they went to go rescue people who were stranded on a boat ...

HOWELL: Right. VAN DAM: ... and then they ultimately had to be rescued themselves, gives you an idea of the power of this particular storm system that's spinning just off the coast of Portugal. This is also known as the Iberian Peninsula from the geographical fact for you there.

Take a look at the graphics and you'll see the area that's being impacted as we speak. This is the rainfall accumulation going forward and this storm system has the potential to drop 50 to 100 millimeters of additional rainfall from the capital of Portugal, Lisbon, all the way through Central Spain.

This is the Iberian Peninsula. And significant amounts of rain localized flooding certainly a possibility. But this system is really going to move rather slowly.

In fact, there's a term in the meteorology world called retrograding and this is actually when a low pressure system, instead of moving from west to east, it actually moves from east to west and that's detected here on this particular map.

But nonetheless, just rain band after rain band is going to impact this particular region and strong winds as well and that will kick up waves, probably an excess of five meters, especially on the open ocean so that will equate to, perhaps 10 to 12 foot waves right along the coast of Portugal.

It will bet that people will certainly be surfing those waves. It's a very popular surf destination as well. Take a look at the wind gust across this area. It's gusty. The strong systems starts to retrograde toward the west starts (ph) to relax the wind somewhat, but nonetheless, it will be a stormy start to the workweek across that region.

Speaking of storms, this video just dropped into CNN. You have got to see this. This is coming from Wray, Colorado. The northeastern sections of Colorado, this particular twister touched down. It was half a mile wide. It was on the ground for six miles.

Unfortunately, George, there were some injuries from this particular tornado, but quite a sight to see, especially with the sun setting in the background like that in the Northeast Colorado provide this spectacular tornado chasing opportunity.

HOWELL: Just that image, wow.

VAN DAM: It really is incredible.

HOWELL: Derek, thank you very much.

VAN DAM: Thanks George.

HOWELL: Move on to Brussels now where food trucks are the epicenter of that town. In fact, there's a huge festival there that's not only letting people eat their way through the European capital, but organizers hope it will break a world record.

[04:55:06] Our Erin McLaughlin has this report.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ERIN MCLAUGHLIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Belgium is stealing the world record from the United States for the most food trucks in one place at one time. There's 140 trucks from all over Europe. Let's check it out.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There is our version of fish and chips.

MCLAUGHLIN: As the president of the Food Truck Association in the states, how does it make you feel to see it here in Belgium?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're just excited. I mean, it really kind of spawned from Los Angeles and it came, you know, sweeping throughout the United States and now we're seeing it's everywhere. So we're just -- we couldn't be happier.

MCLAUGHLIN: So, what makes a good food truck?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, a food truck isn't just great food. It's a great social experience. It's great interaction with their customers.

MCLAUGHLIN: All right, so what is this?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This is a bubble waffle with ice cream, fresh fruits, enjoy it.

MCLAUGHLIN: Well, in Belgium, you have to try a waffle. In this case, a bubble waffle.

Erin McLaughlin, CNN, Brussels.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOWELL: That's a cool sign at Erin.

We thank you for being with us for this hour of "CNN NEWSROOM." I'm George Howell at the CNN Center in Atlanta.

I'll be back after the break with another hour of news from around the world. Thank you for watching CNN, the world's news leader.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HOWELL: A huge wildfire in Canada grows even larger, now, even threatening to jump into another province.