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World Headlines; Developing Story; Gymnastic Doctor Gets 60 Years for Pornography Aired; California Wildfire; South Korea Counts Down to Start of Olympics; Third Day Of Protests Against President Trump's Decision To Recognize Jerusalem As Capital Of Israel; Phase One Deal Made Between The U.K. And E.U; Ongoing California Wildfires; CNN's Freedom Project Focusing On Modern Day Slavery In Italy. Aired 8-9a ET
Aired December 08, 2017 - 08:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[08:00:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KRISTIE LU STOUT, CNN NEWS STREAM SHOW HOST: I'm Kristie Lu Stout in Hongkong and welcome to "Newstream." A protest after Friday prayers with
thousands taking a stand against President Trump's decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.
Brexit breakthrough. Progress is made on a deal between the U.K. and E.U. but this is only phase one.
And burning up more of California. The wildfires are still spreading fast forcing almost 200,000 people out of their homes.
Palestinians in the West Bank are pouring into the streets protesting for a third day after the U.S. decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel's
capital.
Demonstrations are taking place across the Muslim world following Friday prayers. Protestors rallied near the U.S. embassies in Jakarta and Kuala
Lumpur. Now CNN has correspondents positioned across the region to bring you the latest. Let's go straight to Arwa Damon who is in Jerusalem. And
Arwa, after Friday prayers, what's the scene there?
ARWA DAMON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, at this point, relatively speaking, it does seem to have calmed down a little bit. You have Damascus gate right
there below us. You can see the security forces. A very small group of protesters. The size has sort of been varying throughout the entire day. We
were actually inside the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound during Friday prayers and then as people began chanting and began their demonstrations, there is
swelling in numbers as they exited.
And as one would expect, there were anti-American chants, anti-Jewish chants. There were vows that no matter what the cost, even if they had to
pay the blood of millions of martyrs, they would continue to fight for Jerusalem. But there also was a lot of anger, Kristie, that was geared
towards leaders in the Middle East especially the leaders of Saudi Arabia whom people feel either sold them out or they and other leaders in the
Middle East should have done a lot more to try to persuade U.S. President Trump from declaring Jerusalem the capital of Israel.
Throughout the day in this area, you see these clashes, these skirmishes that have become something that's fairly normal here. People clash. They
run up. You see there is still some security forces around. In fact, some of them have been on horseback and people come out from the side streets,
little kids will come out. They'll throw some rocks. They'll get chased down. You'll hear the women in front of their shops yelling, no, no, no,
not from here.
Everyone knows exactly how this all unfolds, this back and forth that if you are just standing in front of your store perhaps you want to avoid. And
even those who aren't partaking in these demonstrations, Kristie, you hear their comments that they're muttering underneath their breath. Their curses
that are gearing -- that they gear towards the Israeli security forces who are here. They are voicing their anger either by going out and trying to
demonstrate or they're simply voicing it in this more muted fashion.
And as we all know, these types of clashes are nothing new here. These types of back and forth that you do end up seeing. But this time when you
talk to people, they say that they feel that it's different because with this declaration made by President Trump, they feel as if there is so much
more that is at stake. Not only do they and leaders across the Middle East view this as seeing something that is illegal.
But for the Palestinian population here, despite the fact that Israelis feel like this is a historic moment, when it comes to the Palestinians and
in fact Arabs across the region, they feel as if this was a knife has been pushed even deeper into what is already a very bitter wound.
LU STOUT: So where you are in Jerusalem, you know, the kind of protesters maybe sending out, the tension is still there. We see Israeli security
forces and their presence right behind you. A question about the messaging from Muslim leaders today or Friday, the sermons delivered by imams, you
know, the status of Jerusalem, of course, must have been large in those addresses, but what did they say?
DAMON: It really was and it's a lot about you know, pride and about the need to defend Jerusalem and about the reality that when it comes to the
Muslim world, they view and they fundamentally believe that they have
[08:05:00] as legitimate of a claim to Jerusalem as the Jewish and Israeli communities does at this stage. There are after prayers, of course. There
are no where a lot of calls from the people that were coming out and chanting. You know, some of them saying this is going tobe the beginning.
This is going to be the beginning of the next Intifada. This is where the clashes are going to be breaking out.
The Middle East is very divided. There is absolutely no denying that, but there is one thing that will rally this entire region together and that is
Jerusalem.
LU STOUT: Arwa Damon reporting live from Jerusalem. Thank you, Arwa. Now, let's take you live to the West Bank. Ian Lee joins us up from Bethlehem.
Ian, there was high tension there earlier. What's the scene now?
IAN LEE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well Kristie, we've seen these clashes between Palestinians and the Israeli army going on for about two hours now, two,
two-and-a-half. And you can see behind me. This is where the front line is. They have barricades set up. And you see protesters throwing (INAUDIBLE).
The army has been responding with tear gas, rubber bullets and skunk water. Skunk water is this water that has a chemical in it that smells like sewage
and it lasts for days. And they've been using that as well. This pitch battles have been going back and forth. You know, right here just parallel
of us is another street. And so you have these two parallel streets where clashes are happening between the two sides.
They move forward. They move back, but a lot of anger, the frustration that we've been seeing here, we're still seeing yesterday as well being shown
here in Bethlehem.
LU STOUT: How are the protesters expressing their anger, you know, causing the police to respond with the skunk water and with rubber bullets and tear
gas?
LEE: Well you know, just to give you an idea of how it all starts, you know, back there -- I don't know if you can see it, but you have the
separation wall which separates the West Bank from Israel for the most part and there's a gate there. We saw the Army come out, held -- take a position
just right below on this side of the wall. And then after mid-day prayers, the Palestinians will come this way and start chanting. There's protesting
and then that's when things kick off and the two sides start clashing back and forth.
People here still kind of like what Arwa was saying, there is a lot of anger directed towards Israel, towards the United States, also, other Arab
leaders and as well as their own leadership. Again, we saw this yesterday in Ramallah here, you can see it as well. They want a path forward from
their leadership and right now, they're just clashing with the Army.
LU STOUT: Ian, this separation wall is in the distance behind you and on that wall is a strong message to President Donald Trump and his vice
preside Mike Pence. What did it say?
LEE: That's right. It's full of graffiti, this whole wall is. There's one though, we know that Vice President Mike Pence is supposed to be traveling
to the Holy Land next week. There is a message on it for him basically says you're not welcome here.
And we've heard that also from Palestinian politicians saying that the vice president is not welcome to come here and that is because of President
Trump's declaration that Jerusalem is the capital of Israel, and then that's the anger that you're seeing. And we saw President Trump come here
earlier this year. He came to visit Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas. Butt this time, the U.S. administration is not welcome here.
LU STOUT: Ian lee, reporting live from the West Bank. Thank you for your reporting. Now, there is relief right now in capitals from London and
Brussels, to Dublin and Belfast. The European Commission says sufficient progress was made in the initial Brexit talks, now to move onto the
challenging second phase.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JEAN-CLAUDE JUNCKER, PRESIDENT, EUROPEAN COMMISSION: Sufficient progress will be in the hands of the 27 heads of state or government. I'm hopeful,
sure, confident, sure, that they will share our appraisal and allow us to move on the next phase of the negotiations.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LU STOUT: All right. In the opening phase, the E.U required agreement on three key issues, the right of E.U. citizens in the U.K., Britain's divorce
bill, how the border between the U.K. and Ireland would be managed. The British prime minister said it was a hard task.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
[08:10:00] THERESA MAY, PRIME MINISTER OF THE UNITED KINGDOM: Getting to this point has required give and take on both sides and I believe the joint
report being published is in the best interest of the whole of the U.K. I very much welcome the prospect of moving ahead to the next phase to talk
about trade and security and discuss the positive and ambitious future relationship that is in all of our interests.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LU STOUT: But the announcement also brought criticism from some of the Brit's diehards. One called Theresa May a traitor for agreeing to pay the
E.U. beyond 2020. But that is not the view in Brussels. The European Counsel President says the breakthrough is a personal success for Theresa
May. Let's go to Erin McLaughlin in Brussels, and Erin, after a week of pretty intense talks, a breakthrough has been declared for Brexit. Walk us
through what was achieved.
ERIN MCHLAUGLIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Essentially what was achieved, Kristie, is a preliminary agreement about the three areas that really seem
to matter most to the European Union. There was an agreement on the financial settlement to the amount of billions of Euros. They essentially
agreed on a framework for that so called Brexit bill.
You may remember that originally the United Kingdom saying that legally, the U.K. owed the E.U. nothing upon Brexit. So that issue seems at this
point to have been resolved. Also resolved in this preliminary agreement, E.U. citizens, what happens to the three million E.U. citizens living in
the United Kingdom and the one million U.K. citizens living in the E.U.
A red line for the U.K. previously there. The European Court of Justice, how an agreement would be arbitrated, but now included in this preliminary
agreement today is a role for the ECJ. So the U.K. appearing to give ground there also. Then finally, the Northern Ireland issue. This was a main
sticking point of really negotiations on the Northern Ireland issue happening through the overnight hours.
What they managed to agree upon is text that satisfies the United Kingdom, London, the Democratic Unionist Party in Belfast, Brussels and Dublin, that
text there will be no hard border introduced between Northern Ireland, Ireland and the U.K. as a result of Brexit. All of that is really seen as
no small fee especially when you consider that Theresa May has, s minority government.
Her own party is deeply divided on many of these issues and she's been facing off with the E.U., which up until this point, has been largely
unified on these key topics. Now, in terms of next steps, this is 15-page preliminary report that ultimately needs to be signed off at the European
Council which is scheduled for next week, Kristie.
LU STOUT: So, you know, this first phase part, not over yet. It needs to get that signoff. And then after that the next phase, you know, Brexit
talks, then move onto the really, really hard work, hammering out a trade deal. How is that going to happen?
MCLAUGHLIN: Yes, once this agreement is signed off next week, it is expected that that will happen at the European Council. Then the focus
turns to two different issues, the transition arrangement, which is something that the U.K. has been asking for, a two-year transition period
after Brexit in March of 2019 as well as the future relationship (INAUDIBLE) in both sides to begin to outline and articulate what they want
out of the future relationship.
This is being seen here in Brussels as the most difficult part of the negotiations. Take a listen to what the president of the European Council
had to say about that earlier today.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TUSK, PRESIDENT, EUROPEAN COUNCIL: While being satisfied with today's agreement, which is obviously the personal success of Prime
Minister Theresa May, let us remember that the most difficult challenge is still ahead. We all know that breaking up is hard but breaking up and
building a new relation is much harder.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MCLAUGHLIN: And the E.U. already setting out its requirements for that transition arrangement essentially if the U.K. wants to remain within a
single market and the Customs Union following March 2019 and not official Brexit, they're going to have to continue to abide by the rulings of the
European Court of Justice. They're going to also move their seat critically at the table, something that many Brexiters are not going to be happy
about, Kristie.
LU STOUT: Yes, absolutely. So there's been such strong criticism in certain Brexiter quarters. And just your thoughts on the drama of this last
week in Brussels, I mean, these were excruciating talks to clear just this hurdle. How did it all come together?
[08:15:00] MCLAUGLIN: Yes, I mean this is being seen as a remarkable personal achievement in the words of Donald Tusk for British Prime Minister
Theresa May especially when you consider when she arrived here on Monday. There was an anticipation that there would be an agreement in place only
for Theresa May to have to leave the European Commission, the building just behind me and go back to London empty handed.
In the words of one E.U. diplomat, they really thought she might not be able to do this, she might not be able to pull it off especially on that
Northern Ireland issue to be able to return to Brussels today and to have a comprehensive agreement really hitting those three key areas that matter
most to the E.U. is being seen here in Brussels as quite the achievement. How it's being seen back at home going forward as you mentioned, we're
already hearing from those hard line Brexiteers who are not happy with some of the concessions she made in Brussels today.
LU STOUT: Erin McLaughlin reporting live from Brussels. Thank you. As Erin reported, just the question of what sort of a border there will be between
Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, that was the trickiest issue for Theresa May. Diana Magnay joins us now from Northern Ireland near that
border of (INAUDIBLE), and Diana, the E.C. president and the British prime minister, they announced that there would be no hard border controls. What
has been the reaction there to that?
DIANA MAGNAY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well I think it's one of relief the fact that for the last 20 years since the Good Friday Agreement, there has been
no hard border. It has been important in securing peace and stability between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland and of course in terms
of cross-border trade and the economic relationship between the two.
And the town where I am in, the town of (INAUDIBLE) has basically become a city because of that cross-border trade. It's about four miles away from
the border and has benefited enormously. So here there is a sense of relief. But also I was just talking to a local businessman who said, you
know, how did she manage to please everybody? Surely someone lost bounds on this. Of course it was the DUP who were the real sticklers who kyboshed
this deal at the beginning of the week.
And lo, they clearly allowed it to go through. They didn't sound altogether pleased. They said there are still issues to be resolved around the border
issue, and of course that is all tied up with the future trading relationship. The really hard work begins now. And in the fine print in
this special report, it's clear that unless Theresa May manages to get the trade deal that she wants with the E.U. further down the line to protect no
border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, and to make sure that there is continued north-south cooperation.
She might be forced into other compromises which may not appeal to either the DUP or her Brexiteers. So there is still a lot that is unclear, but
clearly enough to have allowed her to get through to the next phase, which is what matters now, Kristie.
LU STOUT: Yes. So a sense of reliefs as we are in phase one for now, but we have to see how the negotiations of the trade dealing goes in phase two.
Diana Magnay reporting live from (INAUDIBLE) Northern Ireland. Thank you.
It is early morning in Southern California where firefighters will spend another day battling six wildfires -- 23,000 homes could be in the path of
these flames and so the next couple of days there won't be any letup in the dry conditions and the fierce winds that's making these fires even harder
to fight.
The largest fire the one located in Ventura County exploded over 12,000 hectares in just nine hours. At that rate, it would have consumed Central
Park in New York in about 15 minutes. The fires are affecting heavily populated areas of the blaze in Ventura, is next door to Los Angeles
County. It's home to some 10 million people. It's America's second largest city. Our CNN's Paul Vercammen is in Ventura County. He filed this report
for us earlier.
(BEGINV VIDEOTAPE)
PAUL VERCAMMEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Long night after long night after long night in Ventura County. That's where the Thomas fire started. It is a
monster, 115,000 acres burned. That's equivalent to the size of Orlando and Seattle combined. And they reveal the devastating numbers, about 439 houses
destroyed, another 85 damaged. There are some 2,500 firefighters on the lines here and they come from as far away as Oregon as you can see, via
crews behind me.
They have been able to hold -- I'm in La Conchita right now, the line on the northwest flank of this fire, we saw them using handcrews (ph),
bulldozers and some very, very skillfully set backfires to make a pretty big break between basically the Ventura County line and the Santa Barbara
county line near the city of Carpinteria.
They are all just crossing their fingers tonight because with so many nights this week, the fire fighters and others would think that perhaps
those devil winds, those
[08:20:00] Santa Anas that died down, but then they would whip up again and cause all sorts of other misery. Reporting from La Conchita, Paul
Vercammen, now back to you.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LU STOUT: Paul Vercammen there, thank you. Now do stay with "New Stream." Just ahead, I'll be talking with CNN meteorologist Chad Myers. Is there a
link between these fires and earlier fires in Northern California with climate change and what are the health risks of breathing in all that
smoke?
Also ahead, the CNN Freedom Project focuses on Italy. Migrant farm workers seeking a better life in Europe are finding themselves trapped in a cycle
of exploitation. Their stories are next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LU STOUT: Wow, the glittering Hong Kong on a Friday night. Welcome back. This is "New Stream." Now, all this week, CNN's Freedom Project is focusing
on modern day slavery within the migration crisis from Africa to Europe. Many migrants leave their homes to make a better life for themselves and
their families, but in Italy, some farm workers they find themselves stuck in this cycle of exploitation. Here's Isa Soares.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ISA SOARES, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Italy's rich and vibrant produce is on full display at this local market in Puglia. This is their
agricultural heartland and here produce is economic gold. But the hunger for cheap fruits and vegetables has come at a cost. This is (INAUDIBLE), a
home, if you can call it that, for many of Italy's farming migrants. Figures do vary though we have seen several hundreds who lived here in
squalid conditions and with poor sanitation.
(INAUDIBLE) who arrived in Italy in 2011. Six years on, he says he still enjoys the same demoralizing living and working conditions.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translation): Working conditions are really hard, very difficult because there isn't a normal contract. Two, there is
no normal pay. Thirdly, the work is hard. These are the conditions that we live with here.
SOARES (voice-over): They're tied to these ghettos because they depend on the caporali who operate here. It's a corrupt system of middle men who
control their access to work because land owners go to them, when they need cheap laborers.
The government of Puglia tells me migrant workers don't have to live in this shanty towns which he says are ridden with criminal activity as well
as mafia. Instead, they can seek official shelter created or provided by the regional government. But speaking to many people here, they tell me
that is just a dream. There isn't much space for them all there and critically, they won't be living next to the land.
[08:25:00] The migrants working this government-owned field have escaped exploitation. They have contracts and get a fair wage. They get assistance
from ghetto out (ph), a migrant advocacy group. The president of the organization explains the criminal network operating across many of Italy's
farms.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translation): The caporali is the intermediary between the land owner and the worker. When they need workers to pick the
tomatoes, they go to discuss with the land owners. They agree on _5 per box and then talk to the workers. I will help you make money but you have to
accept _4 per box.
So the caporali gets _1 per box. It doesn't stop there because the caporali takes you to work. You're forced to pay _5 per day to go and return for
work. Those who live in the ghettos are slaves. They aren't workers. They're slaves because they are exploited from head to toe.
SOARES: So there was a limited amount they can earn here. They miss out on regular work managed by the caporali who largely control access to the
regions many private farms.
The governor of Puglia tells me this is a mafia structure that needs to be dismantled.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translation): The farms in Puglia have had a real weakness. They are afraid they won't find the workers if they don't
ask the caporali. They are afraid of potential intimidation and threats by the caporali, and here the state should do its part.
SOARES: Have they been challenged? Have they been fined in anyway?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (through translation): There is strict law against caporalato (ph) was tasked (ph) in Italy. The firms that don't follow the
law risk having their land confiscated. It's something that has never happened before.
SOARES: The caporali would not exist without the farmers who use their services. And with 70 percent of exports from Puglia going to the European
Union, these are facts that may be hard to digest. Isa Soares, CNN, Puglia in Italy.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LU STOUT: And you can find out about our CNN Freedom Project on our website. Learn about modern day slavery, the efforts to fight the problem.
You can find it at cnn.com/freedom.
Now, we are following the ripple effects of the controversial U.S. decision on Jerusalem. And up next, we'll go live to the city for a look at the mood
on the streets.
And the former doctor for the USA gymnastics team has been sentenced to 60 years behind bars for child pornography. More serious charges from 140
victims come later. The accusations that led to his conviction ,next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[08:30:00] LU STOUT: I'm Kristie Lu Stout in Hong Kong. You're watching "News Stream." These are your world headlines.
Another tense day in the West Bank after U.S. President Donald Trump recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. A number of protesters
turned out after Palestinian factions called for a third day of rage.
In Jerusalem, police did not set additional restrictions on worshipers attending Friday prayers. It is seen as an effort to keep the tension down.
A satisfactory outcome to the first round of Brexit negotiations. That's from the European Commission as a sufficient progress has been made to let
the talks move to a new phase. The focus now shifts to trade relations between the U.K. and the E.U.
In Southern California, thousands of firefighters are (INAUDIBLE) to contain half a dozen huge wildfires. Officials say 2,300 homes are now
under threat. Hundreds have already been destroyed. Fierce winds are making it even harder to fight the flames and there is no (INAUDIBLE) in sight.
U.S. Republican representative Trent Franks says he is resigning from congress after the Ethics Committee told him that they are looking into
complaints from two former female staff members. This comes as Senator Al Franken announced his resignation under heavy pressure from fellow
Democrats over allegations of sexual misconduct.
Police are out in force around Jerusalem as Palestinians called for a third day of rage. Nic Robertson joins us from the eastern part of the city. And
Nic, following noon prayers, what's new on the streets right now?
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: There is still chanting going on here, but I have to say the vast majority of people who came and
went to light the mosque this morning for those noontime prayers, they came, they prayed, and they left again very peacefully, very orderly.
A few people have hung around to chant, to have a little protest, but police have moved them on. There had been some scuffles. Few people have
been arrested. But the vast majority of people literally did come to pray and then go back home. They will free any age (ph) to come and they came
from not just Jerusalem but areas in the West Bank as well.
But what has been going on here today is really an expression. People tell us their frustration with President Trump's announcement, their frustration
with the state of Palestinian politics. I asked a Palestinian politician who was here a little earlier about the claims that we've heard from some
Palestinian leaders (INAUDIBLE) the two-state solution peace talks - (INAUDIBLE) been shut down essentially by President Trump's move. This is what he told me.
(START VIDEO CLIP)
AHMAD TIBI, LEADER, ARAB MOVEMENT FOR CHANGE: If you are accepting the reality of occupation, you are supporting occupation. Leaders should change
bad realities by giving rights to those who deserve these rights. Palestinians have the right for self-determination, have the right to be
free, have the right for liberty. I think that the American nation knows very well what is liberty and freedom (INAUDIBLE) and from these values.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERTSON: You know, this is what Palestinian leaders are saying, but to a degree, what happens on the streets in the next couple of days will really
perhaps have the biggest outcome of whether or not they have the political space to continue to negotiate -- assuming peace talks can be restarted to
negotiate some kind of peace with Israelis. Kristie?
LU STOUT: Nic, earlier you pointed out that the number of Palestinians have taken to the streets a protest was smaller than at other moment in history
of heightened tension. Is it the same situation today and if so, why?
ROBERTSON: Sure. There hasn't been at least here, the protest has not been as big, but they have another key time. If you look back to July in the
summer, when there was a protest about access to (INAUDIBLE) mosque for prayers there, people will have to go through metal detectors. There was a
big protest about that.
The type of violence that was seen here, the protests were bigger. There were lot more police. There were more, you know, rocks and that sort of
things, more actual violence than chanting backwards and forwards, sort of ebb and flow of police running and protesters running. It was much more of
a serious compensation.
And the significant difference we understand here is that, you know, there hasn't been a unified call for everyone to come out in one place at one
time. There are different Palestinian groups asking for people to come out.
There is a sense here, the sort of top level of Palestinian leadership, Palestinian authority leadership is not trying to mobilize a massive amount
of street protest, rather focus on, you know, what can be achieved politically, what can be salvaged politically.
A look at the political process, because the bottom line reality appears to be that protests, you know, if they turn bloody and violent benefit no one,
least of all the protesters that try to keep a political path,
[08:35:00] is still an imperative for political leaders.
LU STOUT: Nic Robertson reporting live for us from Jerusalem, thank you.
Now, a former USA gymnastics doctor has been sentenced to 60 years in prison on three counts of receiving child pornography, but those are not
the most serious charges he faces. In November, Larry Nassar pleaded guilty to seven counts of criminal sexual conduct.
He admitted to using his position to sexually abuse girls. More than 140 victims have accused Nassar of sexual assault including several American
gymnasts on the "Fierce Five" team won the gold medal at the 2012 Olympic games. He will be sentence on those charges in January.
Now, we will have more on the California wildfires shortly. Plus, South Korea is counting down to the Winter Olympics, but organizers are anxious.
They are concerned regional (ph) tension will keep visitors away.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LU STOUT: All right. Coming to you live from Hong Kong. Welcome back. This is "News Stream."
And the keenly awaited (ph) U.S. jobs report has just been released. The U.S. economy added 228,000 jobs in November. Unemployment remained at a 17-
year low at 4.1 percent. We will have much more on U.S. jobs report on "CNN Money" with Maggie Lake in about 25 minutes from now.
We have been talking about six dangerous wildfires running across Southern California. They have forced some 190,000 people out of their homes. Many
others could be breathing wildfire smoke. Let's bring in our meteorologist, Chad Myers. He is standing by for us. Chad, I mean, is the
heavy smoke generated by all these places turning into a major health hazard?
CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST AND SCIENCE REPORTER: Oh, absolutely. Without a question, the air quality in places in Los Angeles where tens of millions
of people live is worse than Beijing. I know tens of millions live in Beijing as well. But we are almost double the problem that we are seeing in
Beijing with particles in the air. And these are very small particles that will be caught in your lungs.
So, the new fashion is everyone now in Southern California where there is a smoke plume -- this is one from the international space station, Kristie --
everyone of those now -- people are just wearing these masks. They are called N95 masks. They keep out those particles.
I guess the question is, you know, is this going to continue? Is this part of the rest of what we expect for, you know, the next 20 years? Is this
global warming? Is this climate change? Go back to the 80s, about 140 fires in California per year. Go back to the 90s, 160. And then for this year and
all the way through the 2000s, 250 fires per year on average. So, there is something going on, Kristie.
LU STOUT: Yes. It seems there is something going on because also these fires in Southern California are taking place in December. You know, this
is effectively winter time. Is that highly unusual and is that a sign of a changing climate?
MYERS: Actually no. December is a prime time for California fires. We are certainly in fire season. What has happened here is that we had El Nino and
we had la Nina, so you can't blame one thing on climate change. So you can't blame one year or two fires or seven fires.
[08:40:00] But you have this El Nino last year where it just rained over California. And it rained and it rained and it rained. And then all of a
sudden, about March, it stopped raining. It just died. There is not a drop of rain. There hasn't been for quite some time.
And you dry up all of that vegetation. And then you give a one spark and one spark with 100-kilometer per hour wind, and you have forest fires, you
have wildfires. So, it's the dry vegetation that has been the problem, that has truly been the problem, the dead vegetation that's out there. And it'
not going to be ending any time soon. This fire season could go to March.
LU STOUT: Yes, best of luck to the firefighters. They have to deal with these massive fires that could last all the way to the end of March as you
just mentioned. Chad Myers, as always, thank you for your reporting. Take care.
MYERS: You're welcome.
LU STOUT: South Korean Winter Olympics organizers, they must have been breathing a huge sigh of relief right now. The White House confirmed that
the U.S. is looking forward to participating in the games. Opening day is only two months away. The stadiums are ready, but will the visitors arrive?
That's a key question. Paula Hancocks reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice over): As the Olympic torch makes its way around South Korea, problems are mounting for
these winter games.
THOMAS BACH, CHAIRMAN, INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE: The Russian Olympic Committee is suspended with immediate effect.
HANCOCKS (voice over): One of the world's major winter sports powers is at the IOC banning Russia for systemic manipulation of anti-doping rules.
There is another major country wavering. U.S. ambassador to the U.N., Nikki Haley, was asked by Fox News if U.S. attendance will step in stone.
NIKKI HALEY, UNITED STATES AMBASSADOR TO UNITED NATIONS: There is an open question. I have not heard anything about that. But I do know that in the
talks that we have whether it's Jerusalem, whether it's North Korea, it's always about how do we protect the U.S. citizens in the area.
HANCOCKS (voice over): Clarifications from the White House later in the day, Press Secretary Sarah Sanders tweeting, U.S. looks forward to
participating in the Winter Olympics in South Korea.
For South Korea, there is no plan B. Officials say North Korea just 15 miles or 80 kilometers away from Pyeongchang does not pose a risk,
referring to previous sporting events they have successfully held including the Summer Olympics in Seoul in 1988.
These were the final preparations in Pyeongchang a few weeks ago. Transforming the area outside the stadium where the opening and closing
ceremonies will be held. Park Saung-hei (ph) is the site manager.
"Personally, I don't think you need to worry," he tells me. "No one around here is talking about North Korea."
HANCOCKS (voice over): (INAUDIBLE) has sold jewelry in the area for 40 years. He also dismisses security concerns. "The slogan for the games is
the peace Olympics. I believe tension will ease and people from many countries will take part."
Confident voices in the region that stands to lose the most if visitors stay away. Two months out and lagging ticket sales in (INAUDIBLE) from 100
day events in the torch relay. Fifty-four percent have been sold as of November, slightly better than the Winter Games in Sochi four years ago.
But organizers now have to contend not only with tourists put off by North Korea, but the likely loss of many Russian spectators, if there is no
national team to cheer on.
Paula Hancocks, CNN, Seoul.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LU STOUT: That is "News Stream." I'm Kristie Lu Stout, but don't go anywhere, "World Sport" with Rhiannon Jones is next.
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[08:45:00] (WORLD SPORT)
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