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Desperate Situation in the Caribbean; Comey Prosecution should be Considered; Hillary Clinton Analyzes Election Loss in New Memoir. Aired 12-1a ET

Aired September 13, 2017 - 00:00   ET

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


(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[00:00:05] JOHN VAUSE, CNN ANCHOR: This is CNN NEWSROOM, live from Los Angeles. Ahead this hour --

ISHA SESAY, CNN ANCHOR: Across the Caribbean, a desperate situation -- food and water running low, reports of looters, some carrying guns and machetes. How can the islands ever rebuild after Irma?

VAUSE: After being hit with new U.N. sanctions, North Korea promises to accelerate its nuclear and missile program and the U.S. President says he's prepared to go even further.

SESAY: And the White House says the Justice Department should consider prosecuting James Comey, the FBI director fired by the President.

VAUSE: Hello, everybody -- great to have you with us. We'd like to welcome our viewers all around the world. I'm John Vause.

SESAY: And I'm Isha Sesay.

NEWSROOM L.A. starts right now.

VAUSE: What's left of Hurricane Irma is now bringing showers to parts of the U.S. south but the record breaking storm has left behind a trail of destruction which could mean years of rebuilding in the Caribbean and Florida

SESAY: Irma killed at least 30 people in the Caribbean and at least 17 in mainland United States.

VAUSE: Some in the Florida Keys are returning home to widespread destruction. Emergency officials say 90 percent of homes on the island chain were destroyed or damaged and millions of people across the state are still without power.

SESAY: Meanwhile the Caribbean islands are still trying to assess the catastrophic damage Irma caused. There are widespread outages, flooded neighborhoods and in some places growing concern about looting.

VAUSE: Irma was a record-breaking Category 5 hurricane, the intensity which has never been measured before when it slammed into the Caribbean.

SESAY: CNN's Sara Ganim is in St. Thomas, one of the U.S. Virgin Islands with a look at the damage there.

SARA GANIM, CNN CORRESPONDENT: This island, St. Thomas, was one of the first to get hit by Hurricane Irma. A Category 5 when it hit last Wednesday and it has become very clear that it was going to be one of the last to fully recover from that storm.

As we approach today, six days later, it was immediately clear there is still devastation across this island -- barely a structure that wasn't touched, barely a leaf still on a tree.

We spoke to people who spent days just chain-sawing themselves out of their own local roads, their own community to get to the main street. We saw people who, six days later are still trying to get off the island.

That is the main problem here -- getting in and out of this island is incredibly difficult. With the airport and the ferry ports damaged just now are people beginning to be able to leave. And just now are supplies beginning to be able to come in.

We have seen locals helping each other using private resources, like private yachts and private airplanes to ferry in medicine, food, water, diapers, formula -- things that people who are stranded here desperately need as they move forward in recovery.

I'm actually here at the local headquarters for emergency management. FEMA came to this island before the storm hit and military assistance has since arrived. But almost a week later, they are now just starting to get to some people.

Authorities here admitting to us they have not yet been able to search all the far corners of these islands, specifically St. Thomas and St. John. At this moment authorities believe the death toll is four and will remain at four but they admit that they have not been able to get to everyone on these islands just yet.

Back to you.

SESAY: Our thanks to Sara Ganim for that.

Let's bring in Julien Alleyne (ph) now. He rode out the storm in St. Thomas. Julien -- thank you so much for being with us. Your experience with Irma sounds like a nightmare. Tell us about what you and your family went through when the storm hit.

JULIEN Alleyne, ST. THOMAS RESIDENT: It was -- honestly it was really, really devastating and saddening. I only just said to my family five minutes that I felt like I was in a bad dream.

And now I'm in the neighboring island of St. Croix so I kind of escaped what was going on in St. Thomas but it's just really saddening to see just the devastation because a lot of groups (ph) -- there's people just trying to survive with what's there and what they have on the island because, you know, we're still secluded and we're still in the middle of nowhere.

So it's just hard to just kind of get everything that we can, you know, just because everyone is just trying to survive. But for me just the experience -- the start of the storm stared around like 12:00, 1:00 in the afternoon of Wednesday and just in the beginning the storm was strong winds.

Like the shutters and the windows of the porch of my mom's house where she's living it flew away completely right away. So me and her had to go into the bathroom in the bathtub for 18 hours just waiting out the storm until the morning which was around like 4:00 or 5:00 when the winds finally stopped.

[00:05:02] So I think when I finally got out of the bathroom and I looked out on the porch and I saw everything around me I just started crying because I didn't realize how bad this was.

And I was just thinking in my head everyone else that went through this, you know, I at least have a roof over my head but I knew some people didn't at all which I saw finally two days later when I drove around the island.

It was a lot of places were gone, like completely collapsed homes. And everywhere is just complete brown (ph), so that I think is the worst thing, too is everything is brown. It's not green anymore.

SESAY: Yes. The brown, the (inaudible) dead, everything is kind of just covered up in the soil --

ALLEYNE: Yes.

SESAY: I knew that the coast -- go ahead, Julien.

ALLEYNE: You were about to mention the Coast Guard actually and where my mother lives there were trees and power lines that were down so the Coast Guard actually came and downed the tree that was blocking our driveway.

So we finally got out on Friday -- Saturday to finally like see what was going on around St. Thomas but they came in and Red Cross was around the area as well.

So there are people coming in and helping and, you know, trying to help everyone get by. But it's just -- the power I don't think will be back on for a very, very long time because there's power lines down everywhere.

SESAY: How is your mom doing?

ALLEYNE: She's all right. I mean she's in survival mode now. So I think it's just finally -- you know, we're on St. Croix now which is didn't get hit as bad at St. Thomas so it looks completely green over here which I think to me was the drastic change.

It's like being -- seeing just brown completely everywhere and devastation. And now coming to St. Croix which is a bit -- it didn't get hit. It looked as if nothing happened here. So I think we're just trying to like regroup and trying to get our minds off of just seeing, you know, devastation everywhere.

SESAY: The devastation. Your mother's house -- you mentioned the porch which was just blowing. I mean what is the extent of the damage to your mother's house? And what are the prospects of rebuilding and going back?

ALLEYNE: Well, she has to get new doors for her porch door. It's like the concrete around the porch, it blew away so it's rebuilding that and putting up the sliding doors and getting a new bed and getting a new furniture because all the furniture inside of the home, since the windows were exposed, it got (inaudible) of water flood in. So everything was completely wet inside.

So I think it's just getting new furniture, getting a new wall built because the wall -- the interior walls were completely gone because the wind blew them away.

SESAY: It's just --

(CROSSTALK)

ALLEYNE: So the only standing -- yes, the only standing structures were the bathroom and the kitchen which is what --

SESAY: That's all.

ALLEYNE: -- in the middle. That was all, yes. The walls came out and everything is just wet in the inside.

SESAY: Talk me about your sense of the federal and local authority's response to this. How satisfied are you with what you've see, what you've heard in terms of, you know, how quickly they came to your aid and just getting necessary supplies in to people?

ALLEYNE: Well, I mean I've been listening to the local news and I've not heard too great things about people trying to get food and supplies. I mean me and my mom were lucky to have friends and family nearby that had plenty of food and water and supplies so we can rely on them.

But you know, I'm thinking about the people who don't -- can't rely on the people around them. So I think getting supplies it's kind of -- it's hard, you know. There's lines everywhere at gas stations, grocery stores and there's a lot of federal agents at different places, you know, protecting those businesses so people aren't looting.

But you know, some people -- I guess the communication with, you know, locals and all these different people coming in is just not -- I guess they are -- not to say they're not helping but they're not communicating in a way that's respectful to the locals. You know, it's a bit forceful which I've heard on the radio. And I've kind of seen first hand with federal agents everywhere. SESAY: Before I let you go, you did just mention looting so I have to pick up on that. How widespread is it? I mean what are you hearing about this issue with crime there on St. Thomas? Because I know that some local authorities are pushing back against that. But those reports are out there.

ALLEYNE: Yes. No, it's definitely happening there. It's definitely a lot of businesses I saw had broken windows. They were completely gone inside so the looting is definitely happening. I think police is just -- there's a curfew so they have a restriction on when people can be out on the road.

So I think that's kind of protecting businesses in a way so you have people out of the road between 12 and 6 but -- so between the other times, it's people out -- you know, just trying to see what they can find I guess in different businesses.

So I think that's why there's such a prominence of federal agents in different businesses. So if people are out looting at night, you know, they're protecting gas stations from having gas or, you know, food supply warehouses, you know, so they can sustain themselves with the food that they have in (inaudible).

[00:10:06] SESAY: Yes. It is a desperate situation.

ALLEYNE: Yes.

SESAY: Tensions are running high. Julien, we are --

ALLEYNE: Yes.

SESAY: -- we are pleased that you are safe with your mother on St. Croix. And just want to thank you for taking time out to speak to us. We wish you the very, very best.

ALLEYNE: Yes. No problem. Thank you so much. I just want to bring awareness to my islands because we're really in a desperate situation here. And we're part of the U.S. so I hope people can really pay attention to what's going on here.

SESAY: Yes. Well, we know. We'll check in with you and continue to follow up on your progress.

ALLEYNE: Thank you.

SESAY: So, hope to speak to you soon. Thank you -- Julien.

ALLEYNE: All right. Thank you so much. Have a good night.

SESAY: Thank you.

VAUSE: Have a good night.

Well, and this is such a (inaudible) part. The U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico -- they over and over again, they say we are part of the U.S. SESAY: Absolutely.

VAUSE: And it's a similar situation with those other territories as well because there's been a lot of criticism of France and Britain. Said they acted too slowly or they haven't done enough. Well now --

SESAY: They feel forgotten. They feel, you know --

VAUSE: They sure -- absolutely. But now at least France and Britain are ramping up their relief efforts for their Caribbean territory.

The French President Emmanuel Macron visited St. Martin on Tuesday. He surveyed the devastation first hand. Officials say 95 percent of the island has been destroyed.

SESAY: On the same time, U.S. foreign secretary Boris Johnson visited a British military base in Barbados. They defended the response by their government and detailed their priorities for recovery efforts.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

EMMANUEL MACRON, PRESIDENT OF FRANCE: (Inaudible) 12 billion euro for fast recovery so we are trying to fix institutions regarding health, education, access to water, energy and (inaudible).

BORIS JOHNSON, U.K. FOREIGN SECRETARY: We have every sympathy for the suffering of the people who have been hit by this extraordinary hurricane, I think it's been 150 years. But I think most fair-minded people look here at the deployment that the U.K. has made.

This is the biggest military deployment that we've seen since Libya. You've now got a thousand troops in the area. I think more than 50 police officers, more police officers are coming in tonight; huge numbers, huge (inaudible) of supplies coming in.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VAUSE: Well, Adam Marlatt is founder of the Global Disaster Immediate Response Team. He joins us now from St. John in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Adam -- thanks for taking the time to talk with us. And clearly there is still the immediate need for food, water and shelter but many are asking beyond that. How can these islands rebuild?

Just from a practical point of view, the first step will be removing the rubble and debris. But how can they do that on these small islands. Where does it go?

ADAM MARLATT, FOUNDER, GLOBAL DISASTER IMMEDIATE RESPONSE TEAM (via telephone): Exactly John. So there's a significant challenge that we have right now from debris management. But even there's ongoing life safety issues that we're handling, the biggest challenge is not just debris but also getting people off the island because there's just no sustainable option for them. But when they do try to move this debris, they're going to have to

find somewhere to put it. There's no open space on the islands and the damage here is catastrophic.

VAUSE: When the earthquake happened in Haiti the President said it would take a thousand trucks, a thousand days to move that debris. This looks like a very similar situation.

So let's assume that they even manage to get to the point of getting everybody off the island and clear the rubble and then they look at rebuilding. They need building material, construction workers and like everything that comes into these islands, they cost so many times higher than on the mainland. And this economy simply won't be in a position to afford that.

MARLATT: Exactly. I mean obviously there was an ongoing situation with the Virgin Islands and their fiscal budget. So hopefully the federal government will be able to come in with a disaster declaration and be able to support, not only just the individual homeowners here but also the core infrastructure because virtually 100 percent of power is damaged or destroyed.

Here every single power line that goes over roads are down. Telephone poles are completely snapped and the water system is here is compromised.

VAUSE: I mean is there a time estimate on how long it could actually take before there's anything that looks like normalcy?

MARLATT: They haven't even begun to initiate planning on that just because right now they're still trying to chainsaw through cut down power lines and get into some of these remote areas of St. John.

We've been here with St. John Rescue who requested us to come in. And we've been doing ongoing searches for the last four days.

Virginia Task Force One arrived today, this evening to begin searching in support of that so that way they can do a house to house sweep and actually identify if anybody is still stuck inside.

However, earlier today we did find one person that was still inside of their home, elderly that was unable to get out and was scheduled to have heart surgery tomorrow. The U.S. military was able to get them a UH-50 Black Hawk and they flew them directly off the island.

[00:15:10] VAUSE: And I do understand that right now that is the immediate priority of clearly getting people off the island and getting the aid in and trying to restore any kind of basic services. But what we're looking at here are some staggering numbers of the damage at St. Martin for instance, $300 million for the island of Barbuda -- sorry, $300 million for Barbuda, more than a billion dollars for St. Martin.

For the people who are still there, does this weigh on them at this point? Are they looking to their future and wondering if they do have a future? Or is it just simply a day to day proposition right now for them?

MARLATT: Well, even the rescuers that have been -- the volunteer rescue crew from St. John that's been working right with us, a lot of damage even then trying to go through self-evaluation of whether or not it's time to relocate and a lot of them are thinking about depopulating the island themselves as far the damage is simply catastrophic. There's no way for them to recover.

VAUSE: So there's a possibility that these islands -- some of them at least may just have to be abandoned.

MARLATT: Yes. I think certain parts from here as far the economic status of some of the residents. I think it will be a significant challenge for them to rebuild some of these areas.

VAUSE: Wow. These are very difficult times for so many people. Adam -- thank you for being with us. And thank you for what you're doing. I'll just mention you're a former U.S. Army soldier and you're bringing your skills which are much needed right now to these disasters.

So Adam -- thanks for taking the time.

MARLATT: Yes. Thank you very much -- John.

SESAY: One cannot overstate the devastation to people's lives that have been upended.

If you want to learn how to help Hurricane Irma victims, log on to CNN.com/Impact. You can donate to one of the charities we vetted or volunteer your time.

VAUSE: And they are going to need billions.

SESAY: Billions.

(CROSSTALK)

VAUSE: And they don't have it. Some have suggested a Marshall Plan is needed.

SESAY: Yes. Richard Branson said that, you know, a Marshall Plan was needed.

We'll see what happens.

VAUSE: We'll see if it happens, yes.

Ok. Short break here.

When we come back, the Trump administration is taking another look at the former FBI director and says the Justice Department should do the same.

SESAY: And Hillary Clinton has a new book out -- what the White House has to say about it. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

VAUSE: The U.S. President is planning to view the storm damage in Florida on Thursday. Sources say he'll travel to the Gulf Coast near where Hurricane Irma made landfall over the weekend.

SESAY: Meantime the White House says the Justice Department should consider prosecuting the former FBI director. Press secretary Sarah Sanders defended the President's decision to fire James Comey and explained why Comey should face charges.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SARAH HUCKABEE SANDERS, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: Comey by his own self admission leaked privileged government information weeks before President Trump fired him. His actions were improper and likely could have been illegal.

[00:20:01] UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Would the President encourage the DOJ to prosecute Comey?

SANDERS: That's not the President's role. It's the job of the Department of Justice. It's one thing they should certainly look at.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He definitely would like to see it. (ph)

SANDERS: I'm not sure about that specifically but I think if there is ever a moment where we feel someone's broken the law particularly if they're the head of the FBI I think that's something that certainly should be looked at.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VAUSE: Joining us out here in Los Angeles, Democratic strategist Matthew Littman and CNN political commentator and Trump supporter John Phillips.

This is the second day in a row the White House has gone after Comey, questioning his credibility and his character.

So Matt -- connect the dots here. What does this say to you about the investigation by the special counsel Robert Mueller, in particular with his focus on the obstruction of justice part of it?

MATTHEW LITTMAN, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST: Well, first of all they're going after Comey because Comey's credible thinking (ph), right. If they weren't afraid of Comey they wouldn't get tough about him.

As for Mueller, it seems like he's going after obstruction of justice as the number one thing here, also Trump's finances. But they've given him a real lane with the obstruction of justice because of what happened in June, in that flight that they were on where Eric -- where Donald Trump, Jr. came out with a false statement about that meeting with the Russians where he said it was adoption. And it wasn't adoption. And apparently Donald Trump helped him with that statement. So the question, what was that meeting really about? And was Donald Trump trying to cover up what that meeting was about?

I mean I think that's where Mueller really has a lane now. Plus Trump's finances -- let's always keep in mind there's a reason why Donald Trump hasn't released his tax returns.

And I think Mueller has a lot to look at in terms of the finances. I think there's a lot. So not only are they going to try to destroy Comey's credibility. They've always tried to attack Mueller.

SESAY: John Phillips -- to you on this issue of attacking Comey's credibility. Doesn't it put this White House on shaky ground, a White House that has credibility issues of its own?

JOHN PHILLIPS, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Oh, I think we've known for a while now that this White House doesn't like to cut off its jib. And this is the latest --

SESAY: Experience so early in the evening.

PHILLIPS: This is just the latest battle that they've had with Jim Comey. And I think it says more about the "60 Minutes" interview that happened over the weekend with Steven Bannon than anything else.

Steven Bannon said among other things, that it was a big mistake to fire Jim Comey. That from reports was Jared's advice to the President. And so I think this is a proxy battle between Jared and Steven Bannon that's now playing out in Sarah Huckabee Sanders' press conferences and they're standing by Jared.

VAUSE: Ok. You mentioned Steven Bannon. Let's hear exactly what Steven Bannon said during the CBS "60 Minutes" interview about this decision by the President to fire Comey.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHARLIE ROSE, CBS HOST: Someone said to me that you described the firing of James Comey, you're a student of history, as the biggest mistake in political history.

STEVEN BANNON, FORMER WHITE HOUSE CHIEF STRATEGIST: That would be probably -- that probably would be too bombastic even from me but maybe modern political history.

I don't think there's any doubt that if James Comey had not been fired, we would not have a special counsel, yes.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VAUSE: So Matt -- this decision, according to Bannon worse than the decision to invade Iraq, worse than Watergate, worse than Iran contra, worse than choosing Sarah Palin as a running mate -- does this suggest to you that maybe Bannon knows that there's something here bad to come? LITTMAN: Well, let me defend Bannon here by saying that I've said the same thing on this show. As Bannon said, I hate to think that he's quoting me. I'll have to change my mind about it.

But this was absolutely -- just in terms of --

(CROSSTALK)

LITTMAN: -- just in terms of the pure politics of it, this was an incredible, incredible mistake -- self-made mistake by Trump. This wasn't the Iraq war, this wasn't a war. This was a stupid mistake that Trump made with Jared Kushner's advice.

He relies on Jared Kushner, Trump not because Jared Kushner is some kind of genius but because Jared Kushner is his son-in-law and loyal to Donald Trump. That's why he's put him in charge of all this stuff.

So I think that Bannon knows yes, this mistake which led to the special prosecutor now could lead to Trump's undoing and a lot of that is because of obstruction of justice and the finances.

SESAY: Well, speaking of undoing, Hillary Clinton has published her new book, "What Happened" taking a look at all that went down in the election. The White House has a very concise opinion of the book. Take a listen to Sarah Sanders.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SANDERS: Whether or not he's going to read Hillary Clinton's book, I am not sure but I would think that he's pretty well versed on what happened. And I think it's pretty clear to all of America, I think it's sad that after Hillary Clinton ran one of the most negative campaigns in history and lost.

And the last chapter of her public life is going to be now defined by propping up book sales with false and reckless attacks. And I think that that is a sad way for her to continue this --

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SESAY: Sad. Matt -- you've started reading it.

LITTMAN: I have and I've gone as far along as page 20 but so far so good. But so far so good -- it's actually better than I thought it would be for 20 pages.

But let's just remind everybody that Hillary did win by three million votes. I just wanted -- you know Hillary won by three million.

PHILLIPS: I get the papers.

LITTMAN: And, you know, I think -- look in terms of her writing this book, better now than next year when we get closer to the midterm elections. I really -- I think a lot of Democrats want to put the Hillary thing behind us. Instead of giving oxygen -- [00:25:00] SESAY: But to pick up on this. Sorry -- just to pick up

on what Sarah Sanders said about her last chapter in political life being this book which again resurrected (inaudible) and arrows. Is this the right move?

LITTMAN: If I were Hillary I wanted to put this book out now but I think it is -- it is an interesting book. She ran an the interesting losing campaign. I mean she did lose to -- knocked by this guy.

And I can understand why she feels this way and wants to get it out there, however really better now than next year or a couple of years later. We need the rest of the Democratic Party to have some room here for the people that are going to --

(CROSSTALK)

VAUSE: Ok. John -- is Hillary Clinton the gift to Republicans that just keeps giving?

PHILLIPS: Oh, this is --

(CROSSTALK)

PHILLIPS: Up until the point at which Hillary Clinton published this book, I thought that Glenn Beck was the angriest woman in America. And thank God it's now Hillary Clinton.

Look at the list of people that she's blaming for her loss. She's blaming Barack Obama, Bernie Sanders, James Comey, Joe Biden, an entire race of people. She's blaming white people for her.

VAUSE: Misogyny, sexism --

LITTMAN: Did you read any of her books?

PHILLIPS: I'm reading "Shattered" which is --

LITTMAN: Oh good.

PHILLIPS: -- a much more accurate version.

LITTMAN: I know she does put a lot of blame on herself in the book.

VAUSE: Ok.

I never thought we would say this.

SESAY: But say it. Say it.

VAUSE: But Texas Senator Ted Cruz likes porn or somebody who uses his Twitter account likes porn video. And this is what the Senator said when he was asked about it on Monday.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. TED CRUZ (R), TEXAS: Heading to a meeting -- thank you. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You want to clarify it for us.

CRUZ: We put out a statement earlier today.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Did you put a statement out or (inaudible) --

CRUZ: We put out a statement. Our team can get it to you.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VAUSE: That was awkward.

So the statement came out. Ultimately it was a staffing issue, a mistake.

SESAY: A mistake. They're looking into it.

VAUSE: Perhaps looking into it -- John.

PHILLIPS: You know, I talked to a very high placed Republican source in Washington today. And he said that Senator Cruz actually wanted to respond to the story last night but was sound asleep. And I don't know why but John maybe you can explain it to me.

VAUSE: Matt?

LITTMAN: This is probably the most human thing that Ted Cruz has ever done. I'd like to see what he doesn't like. I'd like to see the thumb's down on the porn stuff that he gets on his Twitter account.

VAUSE: We should also note that a parody video which is on pornhub was the first clip which was taken in the -- fastest time to reach one million views after Ted Cruz's staff inadvertently linked it. How about that?

LITTMAN: How do you know they had porn on Twitter? I will say, I thought it was all sports and news. I really didn't even know that they had porn on Twitter so thanks to CNN.

(inaudible)

VAUSE: That's a good place to learn things.

SESAY: Yes.

VAUSE: What an education.

Matt and John -- thank you.

SESAY: Thank you. Always a pleasure. Thank you.

All right. Well, our own Anderson Cooper will be talking with Hillary Clinton about her new memoir, "What Happened" Wednesday at 8:00 p.m. in New York. That's 8:00 Thursday morning if you're in Hong Kong.

VAUSE: We'll take a break. When we come back, North Korea responding to the harshest U.N.

sanctions ever imposed on the regime. At the same time the U.S. says plenty more to come.

SESAY: Plus another thorn in the North Korea's side, live fire military drills between the U.S. and South Korea. Why they're as important as ever -- next.

(00:00:00)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

JOHN VAUSE, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: Welcome back everybody, you're watching "CNN NEWSROOM" live from Los Angeles. I'm John Vause.

ISHA SESAY, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: And I'm Isha Sesay. The headlines of the hour, French President Emmanuel Macron --

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SESA: -- is pledging to rebuild the French territories devastated by hurricane Irma in the Caribbean. He arrived there Tuesday to oversee relief effort. Irma struck the Caribbean at a category 5 hurricane last week killing at least 38 people.

VAUSE: (INAUDIBLE) 90 percent of the homes in the Florida Keys were damaged or destroyed by hurricane Irma. Some residents had begun returning to the island chain. Millions across Florida still have not got power. The death toll in Florida stands at 12.

SESAY: U.S. President Donald Trump met with Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak. Tuesday, the White House says that focus was security but the prime minister is also under U.S. investigation for alleged money laundering using the Malaysian government fund. He denied any wrong doing.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VAUSE: Well, North Korea says the latest U.N. sanctions has condemned them rather in the strongest possible terms calling them a "heinous provocation".

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VAUSE: Through a resolution drafted by the U.S. would ban North Korea's textile exports, one of its biggest sources of revenue and cut the country's oil import by 30 percent. And (INAUDIBLE) on its ability to build nuclear weapons.

SESAY: Well, U.S. President Donald Trump says the sanctions are just the start and he's willing to go much further.

DONALD TRUMP, U.S. PRESIDENT: We had a vote yesterday on sanctions. We think it's just another very small step, not a big deal. Rex and I were just discussing not big, I don't know, but has any impact, but certainly it was nice to get a 15 than nothing vote. But those sanctions are nothing compared to what ultimately will has to happen.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VAUSE: CNN's Ian Lee live in Seoul in South Korea this hour. So, Ian, the North Korean say they will now accelerate their nuclear and missile programs. That's not entirely a surprise. I guess the question is, do they have the capacity to do that? And what is the South Koreans response now to what North Korea plans with that?

IAN LEE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, North Korea is an enigma. It's hard to determine what exactly is going on in that country but from what we've seen in the past, they have surprised many people by how quick they were able to come up with what they say is hydrogen bomb that can fit on top of an intercontinental ballistic missile and we know that this is the number project for North Koreans.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LEE: So if they say that they're going to accelerate this program, you know, they could have the possibility and the means to do so. Definitely they have the political will to do so. And the South Koreans, though, are trying to still continue to show a strong show force.

And what we're seeing today is the first time they've tested what is a Taurus air to surface missile. This is an advance missile that then South Koreans. They have about 170 of them. And to give you an idea of their -- they have what's -- what can hold is a thousand pound warhead.

And if one of these missiles is launched from Seoul, it can strike anywhere in North Korea in about 15 minutes. And the South Korea has said that in the events of the war, one of the first two targets they're going to go after are the North Korean nuclear missile program as well as the North Korean leadership.

VAUSE: The director of the CIA Mike Pompeo said that --

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VAUSE: -- North Koreans will actually be willing to sell their missile technology. He told "FOX NEWS" this, "As North Korea continuous to improve its ability to do longer range missile and to put nuclear weapons on those missiles, it is very unlikely if they get that kind of ability that they would not share it with lots of folks.

And Iran would certainly be someone who would be willing to pay them for it." You know, Pyongyang had sold secrets before and the revenue from missile sales, it would more than make up for an embargo of textile at exports.

LEE: Yes, that embargo on textile export is believed to be what caused the North Koreans about 500 million dollars. You know, North Korean has worked with other countries before. It's believed that, you know -- and besides Iran, they've also worked with Syria. They helped to develop and nuclear reactor in Syria, that was destroyed by the Israelis in 2007. And that is a big fear that as this traditional revenue sources are cut off that the North Koreans would try to proliferate --

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LEE: -- that their nuclear technology. (00:05:00) And I heard that from the National Intelligence Officer for North Korea, part of the Defense Intelligence Agency in the United States was speaking here in Seoul just last week.

And that's one area that he brought up, was one of the major concerns is not just North Korean developing nuclear weapons. It's North Korea sharing that technology that really has them concerned as well, John.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VAUSE: OK. Ian Lee there live for us this hour in Seoul. And thanks for the update, we appreciate it. Thank you.

SESAY: Well, our Will Ripley is the only western TV journalist in North Korea. He has more now on the reaction in Pyongyang.

WILL RIPLEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Here in North Korea, still no direct response to this critic comments from the U.S. President Donald Trump on the latest round of U.N Security Council Sanctions.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RIPLEY: The strongest ever imposed on this country, President Trump saying they are "Nothing compared to what ultimately will have to happen."

(END VIDEO CLIP)

RIPLEY: But here in Pyongyang the North Korea capital, we are getting a direct response to the sanctions themselves. North Koreans condemning them in the strongest possible terms.

In the regional portion of the statement put out by North Korea State News Agency, it says, "The resolution was fabricated by the U.S. employing all sorts of despicable and viscous means and methods.

The DPRK, that's North Korea condemns in the in the strongest terms and categorically rejects the U.N. Security Council resolution on sanctions as a product of heinous provocation.

The adoption of another illegal and evil resolution on sanctions piloted by the U.S. served as indication for the DPRK to verify that the road it chose to go down was absolutely right."

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RIPLEY: North Korea also doubling down on its pledge to continue strengthening its arsenal of nuclear weapons and the missiles that could potentially deliver them to the mainland U.S. defiantly not backing down despite increasing economic pressure on this country which has already withstood round after round of international sanctions and somehow still managed to grow its economy by almost four percent last year according to South Korean Central Bank estimates.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

RIPLEY: Will these sanctions be different? Will they cause North Korea to change course? The word on the ground from officials here, absolutely not.

They say the notion that they would give up the nuclear weapons after they've invested so much and come so far is ridiculous and they are continuing to challenge the United States and pledging more provocative behavior to come. Will Ripley, CNN, Pyongyang, North Korea.

SESAY: We're turning now to the (INAUDIBLE) of the Rohingya, the Muslim Rohingyas had been denied civil and political rights for decade. They even called the "world's most persecuted minority" and that they have never fled Myanmar --

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SESAY: -- in the numbers we are seeing right now. The U.N. said about 370,000 Rohingya have crossed to Bangladesh in less than three weeks.

They're escaping a violent military crackdown. The U.N. said Myanmar seems to be carrying out "a textbook case of ethnic cleansing. And after this war now is the time to prevent genocide. The U.N. Security Council is set to discuss the crisis on Wednesday.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VANCE: We'll take a short break. When we come back, it's (INAUDIBLE) and it's really expensive and I might even make a phone call. We have all the details on the iPhone X in a moment.

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(00:10:00)

SESAY: Hello, everyone. Ten years after Steve Jobs introduced the first iPhone, Apple has unveiled the next generation of its flagship device.

(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)

TIM COOK, APPLE CEO: The first iPhone revolutionized the decade of technology and changed the world in the process. Now, 10 years later it is only fitting that we are here in this place on this day to reveal a product that will set the path for technology for the next decade.

VAUSE: Good to see Tim Cook, he's not selling at one bit. OK. The luxury model comes with everything you would never actually need.

SESAY: Really?

VAUSE: Yes, and be ready to shell out some serious cash. Samuel Burke was at Apple's launch.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SAMUEL BURKE, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hey, there John and Isha. There's no denying that 1,000 dollar price tag is very expensive. And the truth of the matter is a lot of people were already paying nearly that much for some of the larger versions of the older iPhones, the ones that has 250 gig.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BURKE: And a lot of competitors to Apple like Samsung already have a thousand dollar phones on the market. Now the big difference to me between the iPhone X that has the 1,000 dollar price tag and the iPhone 8 is though iPhone X has a near infinity screen that basically goes up from one side to the other.

And it's the first thing that I noticed when I got my hands on it and it will be the first thing that you'll notice if one of your friends has it and you don't.

That's exactly what Apple wants. Also the iPhone X has facial recognition. That means you don't have to use your thumb print to get in the phone anymore which means the iPhone X doesn't need that home button anymore.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BURKE: I found myself trying to push it to get to the home screen because I'm used to doing that and it's just not there anymore. So you'll have to relearn how to use your iPhone.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BURKE: Now, the iPhone 8 cost about 700 and 800 dollars, so they're less expensive and they all have wireless charging. So again, we're being very lazy it feels like. We don't even want to plug our phones in anymore to charge them.

All three of the phones, the iPhone X to the iPhone 8 have a wireless duct. So you can just set it down at the office or at home on top of that duct and you can charge it. Now this is the 10th anniversary of the iPhone.

When the iPhone first came out in the market, it cost 600 dollars but they decided that people weren't buying it at that price. Went ahead to knock it down to 200 dollars. And when that iPhone came out 10 years ago, there was nothing like it on the market.

(END VIDEO CLIP) BURKE: Here we are the 1,000 iPhone and it shows this iPhone is playing catchup here. All of these features that I'm talking about are already available in competitor's phones like Samsung, but Apple has learned under Tim Cook that they don't have to be the innovator that Steve Jobs was.

They just have to do it best and then people will come and buy those products. And boy, they are squeezing every last penny out of us, John and Isha.

SESAY: Well, not of me.

VAUSE: Do you think they'll come with the razors (INAUDIBLE) like, you know, just, sort of, to trim while you guys are on camera. (INAUDIBLE)

SESAY: Really? Well, OK. The hype continues over that, the iPhone X. Now, you've been watching "CNN NEWSROOM" live from Los Angeles, I'm Isha Sesay.

VAUSE: I'm John Vause. Be sure to follow us on Twitter @CNNNewsroomLA. Isha will respond to all of your tweets, she loves them.

SESAY: He'll read all your -- he'll read all your messages.

VAUSE: Stay tuned now for "WORLD SPORT".

SESAY: And then we'll back with another up -- news from all around the world. You're watching CNN.

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KATE RILEY, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: Welcome everyone to CNN "WORLD SPORT" I'm Kate Riley. It's that time again the UEFA Champions League is back and since their founding in 1970 Paris Saint-Germain have never won a Champions League title.

Make no bones about it, though, it's now their top priority. Having to spend nearly half a billion dollars on talent with some renditions of Neymar and Kylian Mbappe. What's more, they did it from two potential Champions League title rivals Barcelona and Monaco. Celtic powerfully go.

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RILEY: And PSG counter with Adrien Rabiot, threads it to Neymar, he's close at home to finish. Now the Parisian spending money to sign elite players is all worth it.

Neymar (INAUDIBLE) Kylian Mbappe was on hand with a simple finish and becomes the first ever players to score with two different clubs in the Champions League as a teenager. (INAUDIBLE) ends in Scotland on Tuesday. And if that wasn't enough (INAUDIBLE) as well as the most feet attacking trio in Europe leading up to their name on day one. Also in group B, Bayern Munich winning three now and Anderlecht playing with 10 men from most of that match.

A quick look at group C for you. Roma, Atletico with draw finish with the goal list zero. And PL Champion Chelsea against debutant Qarabag the first ever team from Azerbaijan to make it to the group stage with the blues running out six no winnings at Stamford Bridge.

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RILEY: Without Neymar Barcelona hosted last season runners up Juventus. And judging by the results --

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RILEY: (INAUDIBLE) was continuing as normal. The Italians resistance didn't take very long. Lionel Messi grabbing a brace on the night after wrong footing the veteran keeper Gianluigi Buffon.

That means Messi has now scored seven (INAUDIBLE) last 10 goals across all competition. (INAUDIBLE) the final score in Spain and (INAUDIBLE) are now 23 group stage games unbeaten (INAUDIBLE) group B, Sporting one on the ninth pass through way is (INAUDIBLE) they conceded twice in the last two minutes of that match.

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RILEY: Well, it's a big night for Manchester United as well, being with (INAUDIBLE) home to Basel Tuesday marking their return to the Champions League for the first time in 644 days. All (INAUDIBLE) and the night belongs to the --

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RILEY: -- Belgian contingence that (INAUDIBLE) Fellaini got things started for the United then, it was up to his countrymen, a new signing Romelu Lukaku. He didn't points either. And now the Belgian with a goal scoring had a (INAUDIBLE) well, here's a look at the scores in group A, a three-goal score in both matches there. CSKA Moscow with a surprise win in Portugal too. Well, still to come, he is trying to win --

(END VIDEO CLIP)

RILEY: Europe's biggest trophy and save American soccer at the same time. Up next we go one-on-one with Borussia Dortmund star Christian Pulisic.

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(00:20:00)

RILEY: Welcome back. Continuing our Champions League talk, and Tottenham really do have a tricky group along the way. They will have to face holder's Real Madrid. And this time tomorrow they will have to play Borussia Dortmund.

Lining up alongside Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang for the Bundesliga Club will be one American teenager who's been grabbing all sorts of headlines for Club and Country, meet Christian Pulisic.

(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)

RILEY: The U.S. teammates, the manager are in no doubt, the teenage midfielder Christian Pulisic is not only the real deal for both Club and Country but has the potential to win the trophy that have eluded his countrymen to date.

The 18-year-old Pulisic (INAUDIBLE) Borussia Dortmund and the U.S. National team (INAUDIBLE) made a name for himself last season for Club and Country. Playing at the highest level in Europe and has been impressive both in the Bundesliga and champions league. All the way keeping his country on the road to Russia.

BRUCE ARENA, U.S.A. NATIONAL TEAM HEAD COACH: I was very fortunate in 2002 to have three young stars on our World Cup team in Landon Donovan, DaMarcus Beasley and Christian's ahead of them at this point. He'll be 19 if we qualify for World Cup. And he's an outstanding player.

Playing in one of the great club teams in Germany and in the world. And he's future's incredible and I think we'll have the young players as well produced. And I think Christian's going to be a player that will be (INAUDIBLE) 2026 as well.

RILEY: (INAUDIBLE) his national team manager is so excited by Pulisic's potential as well as being the youngest player to represent the U.S. and score for his country in the World Cup qualifier.

Pulisic is also the youngest foreigner to find (INAUDIBLE) in the back of the neck in the Bundesliga and for good measure he's Dortmund's youngest ever goal scorer in the champions league.

And he'll need to be at his best in the group this time around against the holder's Real Madrid as well as Tottenham with Dortmund play on Wednesday.

CLINT DEMPSEY, U.S.A. NATIONAL TEAM CAPTAIN: He can go wherever he wants to go, I think. He's just so smooth on the ball. He has such a changing phase, go out as fast defender, causes mismatches because he's able to beat the first defender in the -- or the first player and caused him mismatch.

Someone has to set to him in other player's role. And so great vision, good at pass but also it shows that he's getting (INAUDIBLE) goal. He's playing Champions League now and doing great there. So we'll have to wait and see what the future holds.

RILEY: Pulisic's bright future is arguably a product of his parents. Both his parents played at universities and father Mark played professional in (INAUDIBLE) and coach team. And Pulisic Sr. didn't just honed Christian's promising skills in his birth place of Hershey, Pennsylvania, it was in England as well. While his teen (INAUDIBLE) was brief. Pulisic has said England is where his love for the game started to come alive.

TIM HOWARD, TEAM U.S.A. GOALKEEPER: For a young kid he is -- got a great head and shoulders. From everything I know, it comes from a very good family.

He has learned his football at a traditionally powerful club who are renowned club and, you know, the mental side and the longevity side is up to him. Sky is the limit for him, the rest of it is in his hands.

RILEY: And if all goes to plan, the incredibly talented team, Pulisic (INAUDIBLE) on yet another standout season in Europe by becoming one of the breakout stars of the 2018 World Cup.

(END VIDEO TAPE)

RILEY: Yes, good luck to him. And just finally, the horse Decorated Knight which produced the 25-1 offset. The Irish Champion Stakes may only have one more race in hand.

The (INAUDIBLE) hinted that he may contest the Breeders Cup in America in November after winning the Group One Contest and left his town over the weekend. Aly Vance was there for CNN's "WINNING POST"

(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)

ALY VANCE, CNN PRESENTER: With the price pot of the equivalent one and a half million U.S. dollars, the Irish Champion Stakes was the feature race in the opening day of Irish Champions Weekend, the country's big end of season racing finale.

Leopardstown's just a stone away from the center of Dublin, but once again, the (INAUDIBLE) they were hoping to cheer home an Irish-trained winner with Aidan O'Brien's Churchill, the red hot favorite amongst the 10 (00:25:00) runners who lined up for the (INAUDIBLE) to race.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: -- quarter and they're often running and --

VANCE: In the orange and blue colors, the (INAUDIBLE) winner Churchill had the perfect division on the rail. After runners turned into their home straight, no one would've expected the horse at the back of the field in the green color to (INAUDIBLE) the leaders.

But as they (INAUDIBLE) hard in front flying down the outside on an unstoppable run with Decorated Knight.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: -- from the back Decorated Knight with a strong run down the outside, Decorated Knight come sweeping through the fans. There Andrea Atzeni (INAUDIBLE) is battling back from James Doyle. Decorated Knight wins for (INAUDIBLE) and Andrea Atzeni.

VANCE: It was a one, two, three for British trained runners, but the all-time favorite Churchill finishing at disappointing seventh. For the sixth year running this race has gone up to an overseas radar.

Italian Jockey Andrea Atzeni and British trainer (INAUDIBLE) will be celebrating. This is Decorated Knight for his first win at Group One Level but not many expected it here today. At 25-1 he provided one of the biggest surprises in the racing history.

ANDREA ATZENI, PROFESSIONAL ITALIAN JOCKEY: Amazing feeling really. You know, we were at (INAUDIBLE) out there and, you know, AT ALL -- with no pressure really. And we, you know, we -- these last two runs, we're disappointed but obviously the soft ground and the (INAUDIBLE) and then the very messy race equips. So whether by draw we knew there's going to be a lot of phase in the race and just -- our plan is to take our time and bringing in (INAUDIBLE) later on the outside.

VANCE: With none of Decorated Knight three top medal victories coming on (INAUDIBLE) so he'll look to add that to his CV with the (INAUDIBLE) champion stakes but that's in October, his expected target. Aly Vance for CNN in Dublin.

(END VIDEO TAPE)

RILEY: And Aly's report brings this edition of CNN "WORLD SPORT" to a close. Thank you so much for watching from the CNN and me. I'm Kate Riley, stay with CNN.

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SESAY: You're watching "CNN NEWSROOM" live from Los Angeles.