Return to Transcripts main page

NEWS STREAM

Hurricane Irma Cuts Path Of Destruction In Caribbean; Haitians Brace For Deadly Storm; Floridians Taking Storm Seriously; Storm Expected To Hit U.S. Mainland This Weekend; Puerto Rico Residents Without Power Or Water; U.K. Prime Minister Faces Major Test On Brexit; Guardian: U.K. To Restrict Migrants After Brexit. Aired 8-8:30a ET

Aired September 07, 2017 - 08:00   ET

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


(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LU STOUT: Feeling the wrath of Hurricane Irma, the category five storm roars to the Caribbean and it's not done yet. Laying the foundation for

the U.K.'s from the European Union on the day on egoistic in two days debate.

And calling for dialogue with North Korea, Vladimir Putin says tensions of Pyongyang need to be resolved and says the U.S. is being played by North

Korea.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LU STOUT: We begin with the ruthless and powerful storm that is leading a path of devastation across the Caribbean. At least nine deaths are now

blamed on Hurricane Irma, most of them on Saint Maarten. It tours to the island with terrifying force on Wednesday.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LU STOUT: With winds have pummeled the tiny island of Barbuda, absolutely decimating it. The prime minister spoke to CNN.

GASTONE BROWNE, PRIME MINISTER, ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA (via phone): It was heart wrenching, absolutely devastating. I have never seen such

destruction on a deceptive basis, that bead away saw embody this afternoon.

Ninety-five percent of the properties embody there were damaged. The infrastructure was damage, all of the institutions, the (Inaudible), the

school. It is absolutely heart wrenching.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LU STOUT: It is difficult to overstate the storms economic toll. Winds are nearly 300 kilometers an hour have rips through countless homes and

businesses.

And across the region, thousands of flights have been canceled, trips interrupted. Haiti is now bracing for this ferocious storm. Paula Newton

is on the northern coast of Haiti and joins us now. And Paula, have you seen evacuations on the way. I mean how prepared is Haiti for this monster

storm?

PAULA NEWTON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, unfortunately not as prepared as likely they should be. What I keep telling everyone is that look, Haiti

and we're in the northern shore remember, that it does not need to take a direct hit from this massive hurricane in order to be there, to be very

significant damage and loss of life.

Now if Hurricane Matthew is anything to go by has been less than a year since that struck, hundreds of dead and the real threat is it came from

those mudslides.

People truly being taken a waste, swept away out of their homes and into the ocean, and that is what they are waiting to see what happened here.

We have had some wind pick up. We have had a couple of downpours. We still are two to three hours from that storm hitting us. The main thing

though is that the government has been ill prepared.

There are some evacuation centers but clearly not enough and we have not seen the preparation that you would likely see in other areas of the

Caribbean or certainly what's going on in the United States.

One thing to keep in mind here as well in terms of the aftermath, while NGOs are really at the crux of trying to get thing like food and water to

people here.

You know the best that can be said it is a wait and see. See how tough the storm is on people -- people just being told to look stay indoors. This is

going to be a storm unlike any others even if they do not take a direct hit and that is it.

Other than that, Kristie, you know what's passing for preparation here is prayer. They're just hoping. They do not take the kind of hit that they

took last year from Hurricane Matthew.

LU STOUT: You know, the people of Haiti, Paula, they have endured and gone through so much over the years. Hurricane Matthew, a catastrophic

earthquake a few years back following the cholera epidemic and now, this. How are they feeling -- how are they anticipating this new looming

disaster?

NEWTON: Well the fact of the matter remains, they are very resigning to this right here and there isn't a heck of a lot. They can do both and so

that's why they remain resigned to what goes on.

What they do know though, Kristie, is that there be very little help for a significant number of days worrying Cap-Haitien on the northern shore.

When you think about the villages and then towns on the outskirts here, they know that they will have to spend for themselves at least for a matter

of days until help can get to them.

So again, that is the main problem here. The government doing basic things like sending out radios to the regions to make sure that there is some

communication -- if all communication and electricity is cut-off, but really that's just not going to cut it.

Even in this large city, we are seeing people not doing the basics like stocking up on water and food supplies. Quite frankly the supplies don't

exist, people can afford them.

Again, the capacity of Haiti to really withstand this kind of a storm is not a mystery. We know they can. So at this point in time, they're just

hoping that they do not have significant damage from the storm.

[08:05:00] We're expecting to ride it out through the day on Thursday into the early morning hours on Friday and then they can got to assessment in

terms of the kind of damage. And again, keeping in mind, it is the flooding and the mudslides that puts this country at risk.

LU STOUT: Yes, so many concerns about the flooding, about the mudslides, the immediate threat that it will pose to life and to property.

And also with the lingering water -- the certain water borne diseases, I mean the hurricane could leave many parts of Haiti underwater. How

vulnerable is Haiti to another outbreak of disease?

NEWTON: Well, as you said, the cholera epidemic, I was here for that was absolutely catastrophic and they are continuing for that. Remember,

Kristie, that Haiti already lags behind in terms of emulations in the first place.

You will have people drinking contaminated water, baiting in contaminated water and again, it is another concern for the country here.

Again, that huge mobilization that people have been pleading with in terms of the government to got organized has not happen and it is lift up to the

NGOs.

And it has to be said, we are a good seven hour drive north of the capital Port-au-Prince and so as you -- even though this is a large community, more

than at least 200,000 people living in this area in Cap-Haitien.

Still the further you get from the seat of power, the less prepared they actually are. So again, it is trying to get to a lot of these villages

that really will only be able access for a few days perhaps by helicopter in terms of trying to determine the risk. They could be dealing with the

impact of the storm, even if it isn't all that significant for weeks to come.

LU STOUT: Paula Newton reporting live from Haiti, a country that has suffered so much and will likely suffer because of Hurricane Irma. And

Paula, please to you and the crew, take care.

Hurricane Irma is starting to hit the Dominican Republic, the Caribbean is popular withholding makers who are now caught up in the storm and to

stunned by the force of Irma.

Felicia Gilbert is one of them. She is stuck in her hotel in Punta Can. She spoke to CNN earlier.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

FELICIA GILBERT, STUCK IN DOMINICAN REPUBLIC: So outside there's just lots and lots of wind. You can actually hear it from inside the room. We've

been told to stay in our rooms, put our luggage in the bathroom.

We've been moved further inland from the room we were originally in at this resort. So -- and they gave us lots of water yesterday. So we're just

doing everything we can to kind of wait it out and hope that things clear up at some point.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LU STOUT: Waiting and then hoping for the best. Hurricane Irma is expected to reach Florida in just a couple of days. The state is getting

ready. Residents are deciding whether to shelter in place or to get out of town.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LU STOUT: Mandatory evacuations in the Florida Keys and other parts of South Florida have triggered traffic jams like this one. Gasoline is

already in short supply as thousands make their way north. And the state's governor says Irma is one of the most dangerous storms in recent memory.

GOV. RICK SCOTT (R), FLORIDA: This is serious and we cannot take chances. This is life-threatening. This is not a storm you can sit and wait

through. I cannot stress this enough. Be prepared.

Know your evacuation plan, listen to the local officials. This storm has the potential to dead center state and you have to take this seriously.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LU STOUT: Florida is no stranger to hurricanes and after seeing the horrors of Hurricane Harvey in Texas and Louisiana, residents are doing

everything they can to be ready for Irma. Kyung Lah reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KYUNG LAH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Irma's force already slamming the Caribbean across Miami, prepping and bracing for the monster coming. How much is

Harvey hanging over everything that's happening to you today?

TANYA BHATT, MIAMI BEACH RESIDENT: I think because we also saw the images of the devastation, loss and heartbreak and assistance that people are

giving each other. I think people really are taking this seriously.

LAH: Florida County is at stake. Government taking the barrel to category five hurricane very seriously. Mandatory evacuations began with out of

southern Florida's Monroe County, more evacuations coming Thursday in parts of Broward County, the big concern with Irma, the storm surge.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So these are pretty much state of the art flood pound.

LAH: You are expecting a 5 foot storms surge potentially.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Potentially, yes, so hopefully it doesn't get that bad.

LAH: What is already bad trying to get the basics, some gas stations already out of fuel. This one told us they don't know when they'll be able

to get more, trying to get bottled water, this site greeting shoppers across Miami-Dade County. No water out there?

KATHERINE PINA, RESIDENT: No water out there, at all. No depot, no Publix was running out of them. CVS had no water. Walgreens had none at all.

LAH: Katherine Pina after finally got some water after seeing people fight over it in other stores. Here's what she heard.

PINA: Make sure you get some but I'm not keeping out my water. People were even asking to buy from him -- from his own cart.

[08:10:00] LAH: People are fighting for water?

PINA: Yes, for water.

LAH: Many gas stations especially those in Central Miami we saw are completely out of gas. Some say they believe that they will see new

supplies, new fuel trucks come in, others they have no idea if anymore is coming in. Kyung Lah, CNN, Homestead, Florida.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LU STOUT: Now Kyung Lah reporting there. The Miami Beach mayor is urging visitors and residents to quote, be safe not sorry. CNN's meteorologist

Chad Myers is in the CNN Weather Center in Atlanta.

He joins us now and Chad, while the size of the storm is just so massive. It is the direction that you're keeping a very, very close eye on.

CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Of course. Now it does look like it's going to go right over the Turks and Caicos, a beautiful island chained all

the way to the southeast of the U.S., of the southern tip of Florida.

It is now 285 kilometers per hour and I just saw the hurricane hunter that's flying through the storm. It dropped a drop saw. It's kind of like

an inverse weather balloon because it goes down from the airplane rather than go up from the weather balloon.

It just had a wind gust to 325 kilometers per hour and number -- I may have never seen on the weather map ever. The storm surge going to be at least 5

to 10 meters high over some of these islands that are 3 to 5 meters high but we have to watch to see what that does to the island.

Right now the Bahamas right in the middle of it even some spots could be 6 meters right there through the Bahamas. Here's the wind speeds were

expecting, everywhere that's why it's hundred and 120 kilometers per hour or more.

I don't even think that's a stretch. There will be many areas that pick up at 240, 260 kilometers per hour over the next few hours right through the

central and southern Turks and Caicos. Where does it go from here?

In the middle of the cone, in the middle of the eye, we always look at this no matter if it's a typhoon or a cyclone, there's always some type of line

in the middle.

It honestly goes right through central Miami, Florida across the Florida Keys, got of an island chain there with the reef offshore and then straight

into Miami with heavy rain and also storm surge.

And I know that person was talking about a 5 foot wall that they were putting up, if you have a storm this large, the storm surge is going to be

6 meters, that's 18 feet.

So a 5 foot wall is going to do absolutely nothing. Now the next storm we're watching -- not really watching but for Barbuda for sure Jose. Jose

back out here.

Here's what hit so hard over the last couple of days and it's kind of tracking a little bit toward Barbuda maybe to BVI again like they're trying

to pick up stuff and they get hit with another hurricane, we hope though in the forecast is for a slight turn to the right just away from the track

that the hurricane Irma just took, Kristie.

LU STOUT: Incredible. You not only keeping eye on Irma but also hurricane Jose to very active hurricanes there in the same neighborhood.

When you analyze and look at these computer models, how fluid are they -- going back to Irma, is this a storm that can suddenly make a turn for

better or for worse?

MYERS: I think it can. Let me get you to a map. I just made this map and I will kind of zoom out and we'll talk about the track. Here's Miami,

Florida it is the third tallest city in America with 70 buildings that are somewhere in the neighborhood of 40 stories high or more.

And the water that will be in to these neighborhoods, even with a 2 foot surge is in blue here. Now I'll back you up one more spot. Here is where

we think that the landfall will be somewhere around Key Largo, maybe drop Homestead.

Backing you up even more, it makes a significant difference if the storm is here through the water that comes across, these are the florida State,

here's Cuba, here's (Inaudible), people like to go fishing there even though it's illegal.

If you back up here toward the North, that's where the waters coming from, it has a very warm Gulf Stream of America. If the storm stays here, it

will continue to be a very large dangerous somewhere in the neighborhood of 280 kilometers per hour storm.

If the storm makes landfall here, now all of a sudden you have tens of millions of people in that gray spot right there. That's all concrete,

that's why it's gray on Google Earth because that's the city of Homestead all the way up toward Coral Gables and all up to Fort Lauderdale.

This is all one concrete jungle of the city. All these people are trying to go north or they are trying to go west, which you're going to go away

from it but you know what?

We're already talking about how this little gas there is because Harvey turned off the gas because Harvey ran right over our refineries in Texas

that pump gas to the East Coast.

So yes the cone is still in question, we're still about 72 hours away but I don't see too many good scenarios right now. Everything is bad even if it

misses Florida on this coast like this.

[08:15:00] It will eventually turn back and either hit northern Florida or maybe Georgia, or the Carolinas up to north of there. And it will still be

a very strong storm. The U.S. get's hit with this one, I don't think there's any question.

LU STOUT: Yet you're not seeing any -- many good scenarios in this superlative storm, history making storms, that's going to New Jersey highly

destructive.

Chad Myers, thank you so much. We'll talk to you again soon. You're watching News Stream, and coming up, we are live on Puerto Rico as more

islands feel the wrath of this hurricane.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LU STOUT: And also ahead, we're also watching the key test for the British Prime Minister. British lawmakers debate a bill to prepare for leaving the

European Union.

Also ahead, President Donald Trump prides himself on his deal making but nobody expected the deal he done the works with the Democrats. We'll

unravel the political intrigue just ahead.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LU STOUT: Coming to you live from Hong Kong, welcome back. You're watching News Stream, more now on our top story, that category five

hurricane that's been pummeling the Caribbean. CNN's Leyla Santiago is in Puerto Rico.

The island nations seems to have narrowly escaped the worst of Irma's destruction but still, Leyla, no power, little water, wide spread flooding,

how are residents coping there?

LEYLA SANTIAGO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I think the governor said a vast when he said it is now time to work, that is what we are seeing right now in

Puerto Rico as people wake up and sort of step outside their homes to assess the damage.

Businesses doing the same, where we are right now, businesses are cleaning up from the damage Irma left behind. But yes, the big problem, Kirstie,

the power outages, more than million people right now without power.

More than 56,000 without water and no word yet on when that will be back, take into account the financial crisis here. This is an island billions of

dollars in debt and so power system here has really been struggling for months now.

Lack of funding, lack of maintenance and so as a result, these could be awhile before the people of this island get that power back. The other

issue you mentioned is flooding especially on the eastern part of the island.

Overnight they were several dozen rescues of people flooded in their homes as well as in the cars but now it is a damage assessment time.

Many people feeling lucky that they are in the situation that Barbuda or Saint Maarten where they had death there and lot of infrastructure damage

but certainly, now that an assessment time to figure out exactly what damage was behind by Irma.

[08:20:00] But the governor has already announced that work and classes will resume here on Monday. So it doesn't seem like we are too far from

what could be a normal day life here. But a continued damage assessment from Irma's wrath really of the Caribbean. Kristie,

LU STOUT: Yes, yes, close normalcy but still as you point on, more than 1 million people still don't have power there on the territory definitely

took a hit. Well, Leyla, thank you for you're reporting, take care. Leyla Santiago joining us live.

Now let's turn out to the U.K. The British Parliament is back from summer recess and straightaway, Prime Minister Theresa May is facing a major test

of her government.

Today, is a landmark day for Brexit and as lawmakers begin debate on the E.U. withdrawal bill, there is already controversy around the government

proposal and for more, let's turn to Max Foster who is monitoring the latest for us in Westminster. Max.

MAX FOSTER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Kristie, the bill six to pave the way for Britain's exit, laws be like copying and pasting E.U. law into U.K. law.

These are live pictures for you coming in from inside the House of Commons.

It's not as complicated as all that when it comes down to the debates. It was much more complicated because there are so many elements to this.

Thousands of bills will have to come back to the U.K., laws rather.

The opposition party likely supposes these four bills, so the prime minister will need to work with northern islands, Democratic Unionist

Party. Earlier, Brexit Secretary David Davis stressed the importance of this very first step of the process.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DAVID DAVIES, SECRETARY, U.K. BREXIT: This bill is an essential step. Well it does not out of the European Union, that's a matter for the Article

50 process.

It does ensure on the day we leave, businesses know where they stand, worker's rights are up held and consumers remain protected. This bill is

rightful to is ensuring that as we leave, we do so in an orderly manner.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FOSTER: Well in the run-out to today's debate. Britain's Guardians newspaper published legal document that contains a government proposal to

restrict immigration after Brexit. And here are some of the key points in it.

Amongst the measures are limits on the number of E.U. migrants allows take low skills work, most of it was given a two-year residency permits and the

rules allowing family members of a visa holder to live in the U.K .are three times as well.

This is just after Brexit, E.U. systems will have to carry a possible term to the U.K. Many currently just use a national I.D. card issued by their

own country.

An income threshold test could be impose as well on E.U. nationals willing or wishing to move to the U.K. and according to Guardian, British

government intends to strength of his ability to refuse entry E.U. citizens with a criminal records.

Sounds straight forward about one where there are 70 issues that lie behind it. For more, I'm joined by political analyst, Carole Walker. I'm just

talking about a couple of issues there.

Well, there are 20,000 pieces of legislation you were saying that need to come back to the U.K. And you know, that can't be done in an easy way.

That's why it's come up with this bill, right?

CAROLE WALKER, POLITICAL ANALYST: That's exactly what David Davis who is Briatin's chief negotiator has been saying in the House of Parliament.

He is saying that yes we're got these 20,000 different rules, regulations and directives that are built-up over the last 45 years but a part of E.U.

law and they have to be put into U.K. law, otherwise we're going to have legislative chaos on the day Britain leaves the European Union.

He is saying that the only feasible way of doing that is to simply in many cases use what's called a (Inaudible), simply means that the government

does it without having to go through a complicated process with MPs.

But what he's opponents and that includes many in the conservative party are concerned about that big changes will be swept through as part of that

big processing. David Davis...

FOSTER: Without the scrutiny, the parliament normally puts into dollars.

WALKER: Exactly. Now what David Davis is saying is that when it comes to big policy changes on things like immigration and on trades and on

sanctions, there will be separate bills, there will the proper chance of the parliament to debate and vote on the plans.

But you simply cannot do that every single one of these 20,000 different matters. But it has to be said, he was given a pretty hard time in the

Commons.

There are endless hostile questions from people accusing him of trying to take on Henry VIII powers -- house back in the 16th century when the King

decided he could do it without parliament all together and just do what he wants.

FOSTER: Yes, so, what does this means for Theresa May because a vote on Monday should probably get pass, won't she? With the help of the

(Inaudible), but later on, this is a big test upon leadership because if she can't get this bill through, then Brexit unwinds effectively and what

we've seen is her fault.

[08:25:00] WALKER: Look, this is just the first stage in a very long and complicated process. This bill itself is going to take months to go

through Parliament. Once senior labor figures already saying there's going to be serious trench warfare.

Yes it looks as if the prime minister will get through this first vote on the bill and principal on Monday, only with the help of the Democratic

Unionist Party.

But at every stage, her opponents are going to try to ensure that there are guarantees for example on the Labor Party, going to be assisting on a

transition deal with Britain saying in the single market of the European Union.

So it can trade freely. There are going to be Scottish MPs insisting that some powers are going to come back to Scotland and that should be part of

the bill.

There are going to be liberal Democrats and all we should have a second referendum at the end of the whole process. David Davis are saying look

this is the bill why we should be looking at those matters.

But his opponents are necessarily going to accept that and it only takes a handful of conservative MPs to rebel and the government could be defeated.

FOSTER: Because the government was so weakened in this recent election. They lost their -- the scale of majority that they did have. David Davis

is pertaining with this all the time isn't it with his negotiations in Brussels.

He's been weakened there, if this turns into chaos, it's pretty chaotic agreement, it's going to be weaker in negotiating with the E.U. on the best

deal on leaving.

WALKER: David Davis is battling on two fronts simultaneously. He is going through this very complex, hard, detailed parliamentary process here.

And he's going through those equally complex and equally difficult negotiations with the European Union with Michel Barnier who make some

pretty disbarring comments about him this morning.

And those talks are frankly at stalemate at the moment with the E.U. side insisting that they've got to be more progress on things like the Irish

border, on the amount of money Britain has prepared to pay before they all talk about the final settlement about trade and about customs.

And David Davis has says well, look, honestly know what the customer deal is going to be. How -- how could we sold out the Irish order.

So at the moment there is deadlock there, it may be up to the Prime Minister Theresa May when she meets other the E.U. leaders at the big

Summit in October to try to get some sort of breakthrough because at the moment, we've had five months of these talks and there's precious little to

show for it.

FOSTER: Absolutely, Carole, thank you very much indeed. That's the reality of this. Kristie, very complicated. Well, there's been no

progress so far and that's the bog concern.

LU STOUT: No progress yet. Max Foster joining us live, thank you, take care. Now, concern in South Korea that a new missile test by the north is

on the way and coming up, that can boils over on how to keep the country safe. We'll go live to Seoul.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LU STOUT: I'm Kristie Lu Stout in Hong Kong. You're watching News Stream and these are your world headlines. Hurricane Irma still a category five

storm, is ripping through the Caribbean, leaving at least nine people dead in its wake. Six of those deaths were in St. Martin. The storm is now

barreling towards the northern part of Haiti, one of the world's poorest and most vulnerable countries. It is still reeling from hurricane Matthew

that hit less than one year ago.

India's prime minister, Narendra Modi, is supporting Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi's claim that recent violence in Rakhine state was the work of

terrorists. He's promising to help Myanmar deal with extremists in the region. The violence sparked humanitarian crisis with 164,000 Rohingya

Muslim fleeing across the borders of Bangladesh in recent days. Many of them accused security forces of a brutal crackdown.

In South Korea, protesters fought with police outside the military base. U.S. anti-missile launchers have been deployed in response to the threat

from the north. Critics say that could only increase tension between south and North Korea.

Russia President Vladimir Putin says U.S. may be playing into North Korea's hands. And speaking alongside Japan's Shinzo Abe and South Korea's Moon

Jae-in, Mr. Putin says Pyongyang counts on a specific reaction from the U.S. and they get it. He asks, why play along? And once again, he said,

talks are essential.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (voice-over): With its actions, Pyongyang is seriously threatening peace and security throughout the region. The Japanese prime

minister confirmed our position, that resolving the situation in the Korean peninsula, especially solving the nuclear problem, is only possible through

political and diplomatic means. Above all, we need to reduce overall tension and then set up a dialogue between all the interested countries.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LU STOUT: Let's take you straight to the South Korean capital. Paula Hancocks joins us now live. Paula, (INAUDIBLE) earlier today. We heard from

Moon Jae-in. He delivered a statement along with his Japanese counterpart, that was in opposition with Russia and China, firmly in line with the U.S.

position. Your thoughts on that, is that a sign of the strength of the alliance?

PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Kristie, it's certainly a sign of something, because you heard today the two leaders of

Japan and South Korea calling for stronger sanctions, calling for tougher action against North Korea, which you said, the exact opposite of what

Russia is calling for, which is more dialogue and talking about peace to North Korea.

Really what we are seeing especially from the South Korean president, Mon Jae-in, is something that is very different to what he campaigned on. He

campaigned and became president on a platform of dialogue, of engagement with North Korea. That is what his history is. That is how he has been for

many, many years in his political sense.

Certainly, we've seen in recent weeks that that is changing more towards the harder line attitude of the United States. And certainly it is a

surprise that he is moving away from Russia. Even Vladimir Putin, the president, said that he believes South Korea and Russia would agree on many

ways of dealing with North Korea. Kristie?

LU STOUT: Paula, the South Korea prime minister today wade in on the North Korean threat and offered a date for the next ICBM launch. What did Lee

Nak-yeon say?

HANCOCKS: That's right. We've been hearing for several days now from the intelligence agency here, giving briefings to lawmakers that the

preparations are in place for another ICBM by North Korea. But as you say, the prime minister today actually gave a date.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LEE NAK-YEON, PRIME MINISTER OF SOUTH KOREA (through translator): Some believe North Korea may launch another intercontinental ballistic missile

on the ninth. This time, at an ordinary angle. The situation is very grave. It doesn't seem much time is left before North Korea achieves its complete

nuclear armament. A special measure is urgently needed to stop their recklessness.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HANCOCKS: September ninth, which is Saturday, is a special in North Korea. It's Foundation Day. One thing that he is putting context there, the prime

minister said it could be flown or launched at a normal trajectory, a normal range. That means it may not be fired at a great altitude to try and

get the range but not fly it too far.

Potentially, it could be a greater range. Of course, the question is, which direction? Will it go into the Pacific Ocean or much more provocatively to

the United States? Will it head towards the U.S. territory of Guam? Kristie?

LU STOUT: Yes. We may indeed find out on Saturday. Paula Hancocks reporting live for us. Thank you, Paula.

What unfolded at the White House on Wednesday may have looked more like one of Donald Trump's reality shows and politics as usual, but despite some

shock from his own Republican Party, it looks like some things got done. Joe Johns has all the twists and turns of the U.S. president's latest deal.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We had a great meeting with Chuck Schumer,

[08:35:00] Nancy Pelosi, and the whole Republican leadership.

JOE JOHNS, CNN SENIOR WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In a stunning move, President Trump bucking his own party, cutting a deal with Democrats

to provide disaster relief funding, extend the debt ceiling, and fund the government for three months. According to a senior White House official,

Republican congressional leaders cautioned the president a day earlier that his tax reform plan would have to wait, given other legislative priorities

in September.

But President Trump eager for a win, struck the deal to clear the busy GOP September agenda by knocking off three major issues. House Speaker Paul

Ryan blasting the proposal just hours before, pushing for a more long-term solution.

PAUL RYAN, SPEAKER OF THE UNITED STATES HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES: I think that that's ridiculous and disgraceful that they want to play politics with

the debt ceiling at this moment.

JOHNS (voice-over): A senior Republican source described Trump as being in apprentice mode, making the deal on the spot. A second source saying, he

cut off Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin mid-sentence. At the height of a tense meeting, sources say first daughter Ivanka Trump entered the oval

office to pitch her agenda on the child tax credit, throwing the meeting off topic. Republican leaders visibly annoyed by her presence, and then

left to answer questions on the president's unexpected deal making.

SEN. MITCH MCCONNELL (R), KENTUCKY: His feeling was that we needed to come together, to not create a picture of divisiveness.

REP. KEVIN CRAMER (R), NORTH DAKOTA (voice-over): I will tell you that I gasped when I heard it. I think he felt this was the best deal he could

get.

TRUMP: We walked out and everybody was happy. Not too happy because you can never be too happy, but they were happy enough.

JOHNS (voice-over): Seemingly also on the president's mind, opening the door to working with Democrats on a "dreamers" bill as more than a dozen

blue state attorneys general threatened to file suit on his decision to rescind DACA. Trump denying he sent a conflicting messages about his plan

after tweeting that he would revisit the issue in six months.

TRUMP (voice-over): No mixed signal at all. Congress, I really believe, wants to take care of this situation. Chuck and Nancy would like to see

something happen, and so do I.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LU STOUT: That was CNN Washington correspondent Joe Johns reporting.

Australians will get to vote on whether to legalize same-sex marriage. The high court ruled a national postal vote will go ahead despite a challenge

by marriage equality advocates. They argued the voluntarily nonbinding postal vote is unnecessary since parliament could act on this issue at any

time. They also raised concerns about whether a lengthy national campaign could end up being damaging. The ballots will be mailed out next week.

You're watching "News Stream." Up next, the mounting toll from hurricane Irma. It could be on the collision course with the U.S. mainland. We're

learning disaster funding is already thinly stretched. That story is next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LU STOUT: Welcome back. One of the most powerful Atlantic storms in history is ripping through the northern Caribbean, hitting island after island, and

leaving at least nine people dead in its wake. Most of those who lost their lives were in St. Martin. Earlier, the storm decimated Barbuda.

The prime minister says the island is now barely habitable. Irma is also expected to brush Haiti,

[08:40:00] one of the world's poorest and most vulnerable countries. It is still reeling from last year's hurricane Matthew.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency already has its hand full dealing with the aftermath of hurricane Harvey. And that was the world sees how

destructive Irma. There were concerns that FEMA could soon become overstretched. Rene Marsh has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RENE MARSH, CNN AVIATION AND GOVERNMENT REGULATION CORRESPONDENT (voice- over): First, Harvey. Now, Irma.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If you're told to evacuate, get out quickly.

MARSH (voice-over): A second major hurricane is headed to the U.S. and it's one of the strongest Atlantic storms ever.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Storm surge and extreme winds are the biggest concerns right now.

MARSH (voice-over): Irma, a category five hurricane, is threatening Florida nearly two weeks after Harvey devastated Texas. And it's all happening as

FEMA comes dangerously close to running out of money. FEMA has just over $1 billion with 541 million of that available for immediate use as of Tuesday

morning.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Are you confident that Congress will set aside enough funding for FEMA?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You know, that's up to the congress.

MARSH (voice-over): Wednesday, the house approved $7.8 billion in relief aid, but the aid package now in the senate has gotten political with relief

funding being tied to raising the debt ceiling.

RYAN: We've got another unprecedented hurricane hitting -- about to hit Florida, and they want to play politics with the debt ceiling? That will

strand the aid that we need to bring these victims.

MARSH (voice-over): Even if the 7.8 billion in relief aid passes congress, Florida senators say it will only cover federal response costs for about a

couple of weeks and would not adequately cover resources FEMA needs to respond to Irma.

BROCK LONG, ADMINISTRATOR, FEMA: We need citizens to be involved. This is a landmark event. We have not seen an event like this.

MARSH (voice-over): The historic magnitude of Harvey overwhelmed federal responders, causing them to ask the public for help. And that will likely

happen again with Irma.

MARSH: The response and recovery will be overwhelming for federal responders. Despite that, FEMA says that is has activated its headquarters

and its regional offices and already deployed some 700 people to respond to hurricane Irma. Rene Marsh, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LU STOUT: And that is "News Stream." I'm Kristie Lu Stout. Don't go anywhere. "World Sport" with Alex Thomas is next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[08:45:00] (WORLD SPORT)

END