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NEWS STREAM

Doug Jones Wins Alabama Senate Race; North Korea Nuclear Tension; Trump White House; Brexit Debate; Southern California Wildfire; Jerusalem Controversy; Royal Rumors About New Star Wars Film. Aired 8-9a ET

Aired December 13, 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 Hong Kong and welcome to "News Stream."

Democrat Doug Jones wins Alabama's special election. Republican Roy Moore has yet to concede, but his lost is a huge blow for President Trump.

And we need to talk. The U.S. secretary of state calls for direct meetings with North Korea while a Korea expert tells us reducing pressure in the

region is key.

And just not acceptable. Muslim leaders meet in Turkey and condemned the U.S. decision on Jerusalem.

And we begin with the controversial U.S. Senate race in Alabama that has captured worldwide attention. Doug Jones narrowly beat Republican Roy

Moore, becoming the first Democrat from Alabama to be sent to the U.S. Senate in 25 years.

The margin was thin, almost 50 percent for Jones and more than 48 percent for Moore, who couldn't overcome allegations of sexual misconduct and his

controversial past. But Moore refuses to admit defeat. He has asked for a recount.

Alabama's secretary of state says a change in result is highly unlikely. Now the win puts the Republican majority in the U.S. Senate at 51 to 49.

Now the party is pointing finger, trying to find someone to blame for the loss.

Kaylee Hartung has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SEN. DOUG JONES (D), ALABAMA: I think that I have been waiting all my life and now I just don't know what the hell to say.

(APPLAUSE)

KAYLEE HARTUNG, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Democrat Doug Jones becoming the first Democrat in decade to win a Senate seat in Alabama.

Stunning the country by defeating embattled Republican Roy Moore in the deep-red state.

JONES: As Dr. King liked to quote, "The moral arc of the universe is long but it bends towards justice."

HARTUNG (voice over): The Moore campaign refusing to concede.

ROY MOORE, FOR CHIEF JUSTICE OF THE SUPREME COURT OF ALABAMA: When the vote is this close, it is not over. What we've got to do is wait on God and let

this process play out.

HARTUNG (voice over): Doug Jones campaign telling CNN Moore did not call Jones to congratulate him. But the Alabama Republican Party declaring the

race over.

JAKE TAPPER, CNN ANCHOR: Do you expect anything other than Mr. Jones being the next senator from the state of Alabama?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I would find that highly unlikely.

HARTUNG (voice over): A source close to the White House describing Moore's defeat as an earthquake, telling CNN that the results are devastating for

President Trump, who gave Moore a full-throated endorsement in the final stretch of the campaign.

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: Get out and vote for Roy Moore.

(APPLAUSE)

TRUMP: Do it. Do it.

HARTUNG (voice over): The president sending an uncharacteristically subdued tweet after the race was called, but before Moore refused to concede,

congratulating Jones on a hard-fought victory, saying, "The write-in votes played a very big factor, but a win is a win. The people of Alabama are

great, and the Republicans will have another shot at this seat in a very short period of time."

A GOP official close to the White House tells CNN Moore's loss should be a wake-up call for Mr. Trump, who was advised by many to stay out of the race

but instead, followed the advice of his former chief strategist, Steve Bannon, to back the accused child molester.

STEVE BANNON, FORMER WHITE HOUSE CHIEF STRATEGIST: If they can destroy Roy Moore, they can destroy you.

HARTUNG (voice-over): The conservative Senate Leadership Fund super PAC, which refused to back Moore even after the RNC renewed their support,

blaming Bannon for the loss, saying in a statement, "Not only did Steve Bannon cost us a critical Senate seat in one of the most Republican states

in the country, but he also dragged the president of the United States into his fiasco."

Fingers also being pointed to the president's political director, Bill Stepien. A source close to the White House calling on Stepien to resign,

despite the fact that he urged the president not to back Moore, criticizing his inability to influence Mr. Trump.

The president ultimately siding with Bannon, who a source says warned Mr. Trump that a Moore loss could embolden Democrats to go after Mr. Trump over

the sexual harassment allegations he is facing, allegations that Mr. Trump has vehemently denied.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LU STOUT: And that was CNN's Kaylee Hartung reporting. She is going to be joining us shortly with more on the stunning Alabama vote. But first, how

did Doug Jones win this high-stakes election? His victory was fueled by high turnout and almost unanimous support of black voters, 96 percent

backed a Democrat while four percent supported Moore.

Now, let's break the numbers down even more. Ninety-two percent of black men and 97 percent of black women voted for Jones. African-Americans made

up almost 30 percent of the electorate this time. The turnout was higher than when Barack Obama was on the ballot.

Earlier, our Max Foster spoke with Jacob Parakilas from Chatham House. He explained why the Alabama

[08:05:00] election could affect next year's vote.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JACOB PARAKILAS, DEPUTY HEAD, U.S. AND THE AMERICAS PROGRAMME, CHATHAM HOUSE: If you're a Republican congress person or Republican senator looking

at what might be a dangerous election in 2018 and counting on the president to rally your base and rally your supporters, and he has proven that he

can't do that in one of the red states in the country, that is a really dangerous thought.

MAX FOSTER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: And empowers all the senior Republicans who are (INAUDIBLE) at the moment.

PARAKILAS: Yes. It (INAUDIBLE) that Trump can't actually sort of rally the troops the way he did in the election, it gives the sense that, you know,

there is less danger than maybe they thought in speaking out against him and in opposing him both on initiative and in general.

And you have already seen some sort of outspoken Republicans like Senator Corker and Flake, take on the president on various issues, but they're

retiring. The question now is will Republicans who are planning to run for election start to move more visibly against him?

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LU STOUT: The top U.S. diplomat has new offer for North Korea and its welcomed by South Korea, China, as well as Russia. Rex Tillerson says

Washington is willing to talk without Pyongyang first getting rid of its nuclear weapons. Beijing says it supports the peaceful resolution. The

Kremlin says it is better than the confrontational rhetoric heard so far.

Tillerson says President Trump is on board with the new stands but the White House seems to suggest otherwise. Let us get more now from Paula

Hancocks. She is in the South Korean capital, Seoul.

PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Kristie, we seemed to have a clear view of what the U.S. policy on North Korea is, at least as far as

the U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson is concerned.

Once again, it appears as though he may not have the same opinion as the U.S. President Donald Trump. But what he heard from Secretary Tillerson at

a speech at the Atlantic Council in Washington was that he believes the U.S. could meet North Korea without preconditions.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REX TILLERSON, UNITED STATES SECRETARY OF STATE: Let's just meet. And we can talk about the weather if you want. We can talk about whether it's

going to be a square table or a round table if that's what you're excited about. But can we at least sit down and see each other face to face.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HANCOCKS: This does appear to be a shift in policy even as far as Secretary Tillerson is concerned. Just back in August, he wrote an op-ed with the

U.S. Secretary of Defense James Mattis and said that if there was to be negotiation, then North Korea would have to have a cessation of nuclear

test, of missile launches in order for that to happen, but now saying that talks could go ahead without preconditions.

But just hours after he made that speech, we had a statement from the White House, saying the president's view on North Korea and his policy has not

changed. So once again, we are seeing a split in opinion, a splint in approach, a split in message from U.S. President Donald Trump and his

secretary of state.

It is not clear whether this is some kind of a good cop, bad cop routine, or whether that is a fundamental difference in opinion of the two men and

how North Korea should be dealt with. But certainly there is a confusing message once again coming out from the White House. No response at this

point from North Korea to these comments.

We have had a response though from Seoul. The Blue House saying that they support various types of contact with North Korea if it is going to help to

try and achieve that goal of a denuclearized Korean Peninsula. Kristie?

LU STOUT: Paula Hancocks there, thank you.

Now, North Korea may be one of the most isolated countries in the world. But recently, the U.N. sent a top official there. The historic visit took

place shortly after China sent the top envoy. Now, we are hearing that new offer for talks from Rex Tillerson. So, what impact can diplomacy have on

the nuclear standoff? Here is my conversation with John Park. He is the director of the Korea Working Group at the Harvard Kennedy School.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JOHN PARK, DIRECTOR, KOREA WORKING GROUP AT HARVARD KENNEDY SCHOOL: Kristie, the hope is that this type of context (ph) will built towards a

momentum where the North Korean side would engage the least preliminary talks.

At the current stage, we see the ratcheting up of tension, North Korea continuing with its testing. The U.S., Japan, South Korea increasing in

military pressure. These are important efforts, but they will take time. The question is, do we have enough time?

LU STOUT (on camera): Ambassador Nikki Haley recently urged the world to sever ties with North Korea. What is the purpose of that and should the

U.S. pivot to engagement and diplomacy?

PARK: There is an effort to increase all types of pressure. Under maximum pressure, we have military pressure, we have economic pressure, we have

political pressure. But with respect to these efforts, if you look at the North Korean development and how advanced the stages right now, you have to

wonder if these type of measures are too late.

If they have been applied in a different time earlier in the program, they may have had a different type of effect (ph). With respect to what's left,

if you look at the different diplomatic overtures, the bottom line is North Korea has shown very little interest. They are keen on developing and

acquiring this overall capability

[08:10:00] of nuclear arm ICBMs. And at that point, we are waiting to see if they will be engaged in some type of (ph) negotiation or offer some

indication that they are willing to talk. But right now, the focus on the North Korean side appears to be making more advancements towards total

acquisition.

LU STOUT: There are different types of pressure that can be applied on North Korea. You mentioned economic pressure or sanctions. There are

reports out there that a number of nations are still not abiding by U.N. sanctions. They're violating sanctions. Can you comment on that reporting

and just how effective is this type of pressure anyway?

PARK: Sure. So, the latest report identified is 49 countries that have not been as effective in implementing these types of sanctions. But we have to

look again at what the goal is for these types of sanctions. Sanction at the end of the day is a tool, it's a passage wall (ph). We are not seeing

the contours of various specific plan and which is going to be applied.

If, however, reading the tea leaves, the goal is to -- North Korea backs the nuclear discussion table, we are looking at a type of phenomenon where

North Korea is focused on the development side of things and they are less interested in any of the discussions at this particular point in time.

LU STOUT: And then there is military pressure. Earlier this month, we have this joint U.S.-South Korean military drills. This week, we have joint

U.S.-Japanese-South Korean military exercises. Does this just raise the temperature even higher?

PARK: We are concerned that with this type of deployment, we can understand the purpose behind it. But with respect to what is happening with these

increased military deployments, the elevated tempo in terms of operations and exercises, it elevated also the chance of miscalculation or inadvertent

escalation.

So this is something that as we see these deployments, as we see this increased military exercises, the hope is that there is the type of

signaling to make sure that there is reduction of possibility of (INAUDIBLE).

LU STOUT: And your thoughts on the state of play with North Korea as we head into 2018, because, wow, this has been quite a year, 2017. This almost

vicious cycle of never-ending weapons test by North Korea, followed by condemnation and confrontation only to begin the cycle again. What is the

outlook going to be for next year?

PARK: I think what we are going to see is an increasing temple on both sides. The North Korean on one side and the U.S.-South Korea dependent on

the other. One of the key things is that as we see these tests and unusual responses, international condemnation, usually U.N. Security Council

resolution, and then more sanctions, what is different is below the surface.

We are seeing the type of military preparations we haven't seen before. And if you look at the warnings coming out of Washington, that really it's Kim

Jong-un and his activities that is the catalyst for these activities. Year 2018 will be where we hope this isn't the case, but the pressure point of

North Korea continuing the testing, United States and other countries having to set a military preparation response, we get the image of two

trains on a course towards collusion.

So we are hoping that this diplomatic overtures by the U.N. and other countries hopefully can slow it down. Right now, there is a proposal on the

table for a pause for pause for the purpose of the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics. Hopefully that pause can happen, number one. And number two,

hopefully that pause can last a little longer.

LU STOUT: John Park there, director of the Korea Working Group at the Harvard Kennedy School, speaking to me earlier. You're watching "News

Stream."

Still ahead, we will have more on that stunning outcome of the high-stakes Alabama Senate race. What does the Republican loss mean for President

Donald Trump? Live in Alabama, next.

And a public feud between President Trump and a female senator. Critics say his Tweeter attack was suggestive, but the White House says there was no

sexual innuendo at all.

[08:15:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LU STOUT: All right. Coming to you live from Hong Kong. Welcome back. This is "News Stream."

Democrat Doug Jones pulled up a major upset in Alabama, defeating Republican Roy Moore for the U.S. Senate seat. A White House source tells

CNN that the election result has been devastating for the president, who says he didn't initially support Moore because he knew he couldn't win.

CNN's Kaylee Hartung joins us now from Montgomery, Alabama. Kaylee, I know you have been monitoring Trump's Tweeter feed. He has sent out a tweet,

much different tone from the one that he sent out initially right after the election result came out. How is Trump trying to distance himself from what

happened in Alabama?

HARTUNG: Kristie, we saw President Trump throw the full weight of the presidency behind Roy Moore, an accused child molester, over the final

stretch of this campaign. And this isn't just a loss for Roy Moore. This is a stinging defeat for President Trump. So as you mentioned, a change in

tone over the past couple of hours really last night after this race was called for Doug Jones.

President Trump tweeting a rather conciliatory message as he said, "Congratulations to Doug Jones on a hard-fought victory. The write-in votes

played a very big factor, but a win is a win. The people of Alabama are great, and the Republicans will have another shot at this seat in a very

short period of time. It never ends."

That tone last night while Roy Moore still refused to concede this race to Doug Jones, didn't even give him a call, following the race being called

for Jones.

And then this morning, we see this tweet from President Trump, saying, "The reason I originally endorsed Luther Strange and his numbers went up

mightily is that I said Roy Moore will not be able to win the general election. I was right. Roy worked hard, but the deck was stacked against

him."

So, again, Kristie, after seeing President Trump throw the full weight of the president seat behind this candidate a little more than a week ago, a

very stark contrast in the tone we see here.

Luther Strange, I should mention, was the challenger to Roy Moore in the runoff for that GOP nomination who Trump did back then. It was Steve

Bannon, who has had Roy Moore's back all along. Now, you see how he and Trump are pitted against the rest of the GOP leadership.

LU STOUT: You know, it's interesting to hear Donald Trump saying that tweet, that he believed that the deck was stacked against Roy Moore when

going into this race, people were saying it was stacked against Doug Jones. I man, that victory for Jones defied expectations. So how in the end did he

win this ruby red, very Republican state?

HARTUNG: Yes, a completely defied expectations. This was truly a stunning win to the people of Alabama, people who have never had a national

spotlight on a race like this one brought. I want you to take a look at the front page of the Montgomery Advertiser. This is the local paper in the

state capital where I am in Alabama right now.

You see just the text of Senator Jones, Democrat. That is something the people here have not seen in 25 years. It was in 1992 that a Democrat was

last sent to the Senate from the state of Alabama, and that was Richard Shelby, who is still serving in the Senate as a Republican.

Now all that being said of how surprising this is, let me explain to you how Doug Jones managed to pull this off. All you need to do is look at his

campaign schedule over the course of the past week. He knew he could not win this race without the African-American vote in this state and he

focused on them in very specific way.

He brought down big names in the Democratic Party like former Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick, New Jersey Senator Cory Booker. He even got NBA

legend and Alabama native Charles Barkley to get in on the final hours. There were also robocalls from former President Barack Obama.

And what proved to be so interesting here, the way Doug Jones pulled this off, he actually had the black voted a higher turnout than Barack Obama did

in 2008

[08:20:00] and 2012 presidential election. Our numbers showing 30 percent of the electorate African-American. That is an unprecedented number in the

state of Alabama.

LU STOUT: So, turnout helped Doug Jones as well as the (INAUDIBLE) party machine. What held Roy Moore back in the end? Did he lose because he was a

flawed candidate or is the political tide turning against Donald Trump?

HARTUNG: It's hard to say that it's one or the other. I think both factors were at play here. Roy Moore, yes, a flawed candidate. The allegations of

sexual assaults or sexual abuse to pursuing relationships with teenage girls when he was in his 30s.

There is no doubt that that struck a chord with many voters in Alabama who knew they deserved better and why someone who they chose of higher moral

standing to be representing them in United States congress.

I talked to so many voters here in Alabama who wanted someone representing them who they can be proud of and who would make the state proud and the

voters spoken now it is Doug Jones.

But the other side of this, yes, it is very difficult not to say that this is a referendum on President Trump, what he and Steve Bannon have been

building, this coalition of anti-establishment wing of the GOP.

There were times they need this race as much about attacking the establishment of their party in Washington like Senate Majority Leader

Mitch McConnell as they did about attacking their opponent Doug Jones.

A lot of factors at play here but at the end of the day, it is Doug JOnes who is the victor and the people of Alabama have made a statement.

LU STOUT: Yes, a stunning political upset in America. Kaylee Hartung reporting live from Alabama. Thank you so much and take care.

Now, a tweet from President Trump, another one, has been creating additional controversy on Tuesday. He tweeted blows to Senator Kirsten

Gillibrand. She had said that he should step down because of claims of sexual misconduct. In response, Mr. Trump tweeted that Gillibrand was a

lightweight who will go to his office to do anything for campaign contributions.

Now, for more on this, let's bring in CNN's Joe Johns, who is in Washington. Joe, Trump fired off that controversial tweet exactly this time

last night. Walk us to the fallout since then.

JOE JOHNS, CNN SENIOR WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT: There has been some fallout, if you will. The important thing to say, obviously, many of the

critics of the president read sexual innuendo into the president's tweet especially before at such she went to his office begging for contributions

and would do anything for them.

Kirsten Gillibrand who is the junior Democratic senator from the state of New York responded indicating that in her view, the president was trying to

silence her among other things and she did take apparently as sexual innuendo. So, a continued back and forth between the president and this

senator who has already called for the president's resignation, however, unlikely.

And many of the president's critics have chimed in as well. The difficulty of course for the White House is that the president has said things like

this before, though the White House press secretary in the briefing room responded, indicating that people were reading things into the president's

tweet that simply were not there. Of course, the backdrop is very important.

The "Me Too" movement here in Washington D.C. has certainly picked up speed with at least three very prominent politicians having to resigned,

otherwise, leaving Capitol Hill. And people here now asking for a re- visitation, if you will, of the president's own issues and allegations concerning how he has dealt with women. So, it is quite a swirl quite

frankly, Kristie.

LU STOUT: And you feel that this is a swirl. Is he going to be able to get out of? Because no matter how the press secretary frames this, explains the

way, the president as you suggested, as you reported, has a history here. He has been accused of subtle and not so subtle sexual innuendo a number of

times in the past.

JOHNS: That is absolutely right. And probably everybody remembers the "Access Hollywood" tape that came out during October so of the election

last year that really set into a tailspin. At that time, people were thinking the president, then candidate Trump had to get out of the race but

there had been numerous others. There have been the comments he made

[08:25:00] about Megyn Kelly who at that time worked for Fox News. So many different moments when this president has said things or done things. As

you know, about a dozen women claim that the president has harassed them or otherwise engaged in inappropriate sexual behavior.

Taken all together, it is a big problem for the president, especially given the fact that there's so much talk in this country right now about issues

relating to sexual harassment.

LU STOUT: Absolutely. The so-called "Me Too" moment is happening right now. Joe Johns reporting live for us. Thank you.

Two and a half years of conflict in Yemen has led to one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world. Access for western journalists there is

extremely rare.

But CNN's Clarissa Ward gets a firsthand look at what has been called the world's forgotten war as families are struggling to survive in the middle

of a proxy battle. Sickness, famine all rampant. Close to million people there have cholera. Medicine and food in short supply.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CLARISSA WARD, CNN FOREIGN CORRESPONDENT: So they have some bread. Some onions. No meat.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LU STOUT: You can watch Clarissa's full report on Yemen's humanitarian crisis, 3:00 p.m. in London, 11:00 p.m. Hong Kong time, only on CNN.

Now, in the past few minutes, European Parliament has voted to move to the next phase of breadth of negotiations. Just a few days ago, British Prime

Minister Theresa May made (ph) an agreement with the E.U. on some key issues. But that could all be thrown in doubt as some British MPs vote on

an amendment. The E.U. has said Britain can't move to gold post (ph) once the agreement has been struck.

The World Bank has made a major announcement that has been welcomed by environmentalists. It says that it will no longer finance oil and gas

exploration projects after 2019, with some exceptions, such as for very poor nation. The measure was announced at the "One Planet" Climate Change

Summit in Paris.

This is "News Stream." Still ahead in the program, a united message for the United States. Muslim leaders hold an emergency meeting on the Jerusalem

controversy.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LU STOUT: I'm Kristie Lu Stout in Hong Kong. You're watching "News Stream" and these are your world headlines.

[08:30:00] Alabama Democrat Doug Jones has defeated Republican Roy Moore in the high-stake U.S. Senate race, the first time a Democrat has won there in

25 years. But Moore refuses to admit defeat and has asked for a recount. Alabama secretary of state says a change in result is highly unlikely.

South Korea says it welcomes any communication that could lead to the North getting rid of its nuclear weapons. U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson

says Washington is ready to talk with Pyongyang with no preconditions. North Korea has yet to respond to the offer.

The White House denies Donald Trump's tweet attacking a female senator was sexually suggestive. Now, the president wrote that Kirsten Gillibrand was a

lightweight who would do anything for campaign contributions. She has been calling for him to resign over sexual misconduct allegations.

More than 7,000 firefighters are battling the Thomas Fire. That is the largest of the six blazes now burning in Southern California. This area has

not seen rain in more than 250 days. The fire is larger than New York City and it is only 25 percent contained.

The U.S. has effectively disqualified itself from Middle East peace process. That's according to the Palestinian Authority president, Mahmoud

Abbas. He was speaking at an emergency summit of Muslim leaders in Turkey. They have been roundly condemning Donald Trump's decision to recognize

Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RECEP TAYYIP ERDOGAN, PRESIDENT OF TURKEY (through translator): I would like all these countries to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of

Palestine. We will never give up this call for Jerusalem being the capital of Palestine as sovereign political state (ph), and we condemned the

atrocities applied on Palestinian people by Israel.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LU STOUT: Arwa Damon is in Istanbul. She joins us now with the very latest. Arwa, very strong messaging from the Turkish president. What more did he

say?

ARWA DAMON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: A lot of strong messaging from the Turkish president, yes, as well as others who were

there. President Erdogan really went on to reemphasize points that he has made in the past, the illegality of America's declaration.

He called once again Israel a terrorist state. But the real aim of this summit was to try to come to some sort of consensus, consensus that was

going to be more than just words on paper. What we do now have is an advanced copy of this communique expected to be right out very shortly

whereby which all of those nations that were present (INAUDIBLE) from it declare East Jerusalem as the capital of the state of Palestine.

And they are furthermore inviting all countries to recognize the state of Palestine and East Jerusalem as its occupied capital. This communique also

goes on to say that it is holding the U.S. administration fully liable for the consequences of not retracting from this illegal decision that is

President Trump's decision to declare Jerusalem the capital of Israel.

And they also regard this as being as you were saying there earlier an announcement of the U.S. administration's withdrawal from its roller role

as a sponsor of peace. Now, also important to point out, this communique also does continue to call for a two-state solution. They are also going to

be moving towards the United Nations to try to push some resolution passed through there as well.

Now, again, we have seen all sorts of declarations over the course of history emerged from various different bodies. What is going to be

especially critical at this stage is how much muscle these various different nations that were present at today's extraordinary summit decide

to put behind this particular communique and all that lies within it.

LU STOUT: Yes. The declaration has been issued to the communique. You said we're waiting for the muscle, right? Is this going to be put into practice?

And also the issue among 70 Muslim leaders who were there at the summit. Some more aligned with Donald Trump and others. So, in practical terms, can

they act as one group on the issue of Jerusalem?

DAMON: Yes, and not necessarily aligned with President Trump per se or even necessarily aligned with the United States, but some of them do have very

deep ties to America. Some are historical ties. Some are ties of convenience.

Some are quite simply ties that are based on circumstance. They are reliant on the United States for military support, for financial economic support.

So, it's really going to end up being down

[08:35:00] to every single nation that is basically going to have to decide how much pressure is it willing to exert, whether it's on Israel if it has

ties to Israel, or on the United States depending on that relationship there. And what are they actually willing to pay to try to somehow pressure

the U.S. or even pressure Israel.

And this is something that despite the fact that we do see this massive rare consensus especially in this region is something that is really going

to dictate whether or not this is basically just another scrap of paper or something they can actually have a fundamental impact on the history of the

region.

Because all of these countries especially those that are in the Middle East, they realize just how high the stakes are. Every single leader from

the region when they come out and talk about this decision by America also tie it (ph).

It goes hand in hand with security here, because many of them do view that America's position, this heavy Jerusalem will potentially have a direct

impact on security because of the ammunition, that it provides various different extremist organizations who can then just turn to their

supporters and say, look, the west is firmly against us, it is firmly against Palestine, it is firmly against Muslims.

LU STOUT: Arwa Damon live for us from Istanbul. Thank you, Arwa.

You're watching "News Stream." And still ahead, it may be a galaxy far, far away, but some real-life royals are said to have raised the new "Star Wars"

film but they may be hard to spot.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LU STOUT: All right. Coming to you live from Hong Kong. Welcome back. You're watching "News Stream."

Now, A-listers from the new "Star Wars" movie walked the red carpet for the European premiere in London. Among them, two blockbuster names of a

different kind, Princes William and Harry. But there is no current (ph) report the brothers could be involved in the film in a more exciting way.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NEIL CURRY, CNN SENIOR PRODUCER (voice-over): Red carpet appearances by "Star Wars" royalty are inevitably fewer these days, since the tragic death

of actress Carrie Fisher and the on-screen demise of Harrison Ford's character, Han Solo.

But Mark Hamill's Luke Skywalker has been joined by a new generation of younger royals in the form of Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, and Adam Driver

for continuing the legacy of this much-loved cinematic institution.

The younger members of Britain's royal family are acting out a similar role with the lives of Princes William and Harry, entertaining viewers around

the world. So when the princely pair paid a visit to the "Star Wars" set at London's Pinewood Studios, it was perhaps inevitable, that speculation

would grow that they had been granted a royal role.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What did you say?

CURRY (voice-over): There has been a tradition of celebrity cameos in "Star Wars" movies. A stormtrooper helmet was reported to have hidden the

familiar features of "Bond" actor Daniel Craig in "The Force Awakens."

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'll tighten those restraints, scavenger scum.

CURRY (voice-over): At the European premiere, sightings of stormtroopers and masked princes proved unfounded.

[08:40:00] CURRY: A royal spokesman declines to speak about the possible presence of the princes in the film. But having seen the screening, I can

reveal that "The Last Jedi" does indeed include several stormtroopers, some of which may or may not share a similar stature to William and Harry.

(voice-over): In search of the truth, we tried the persuasive power of "Jedi" mind control on cast and crew.

Can you confirm or deny that the royals are actually (INAUDIBLE)?

BOB IGER, CEO, WALT DISNEY: I cannot give (INAUDIBLE).

CURRY (voice-over): (INAUDIBLE) royal princes in the film?

MARK HAMILL, ACTOR: I've heard that rumor, but I don't know. I wasn't there that day.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don't know. No one told me. They should be under my command, technically, because (INAUDIBLE).

CURRY (voice-over): Did they (INAUDIBLE)?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I don't know.

RIAN JOHNSON, DIRECTOR: They were so lovely when they visit. They were really cool guys.

CURRY (voice-over): What is it like having to direct them?

JOHNSON: Oh, I can either confirm nor deny any cameos, but it was lovely meeting them and seeing them (INAUDIBLE) was surreal.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Here they come and I am in (INAUDIBLE) suit. So, I went right over and gave them both big hugs. And I think they like that.

ANTHONY DANIELS, ACTOR: These particular royals are very good, I think, in understanding that royalty isn't always about wearing crowns and riding

carriages. It's about, you know, working (INAUDIBLE).

CURRY (voice-over): Whether or not Princes William and Harry will go down in history as "Star Wars" most famous cameos, the royals will cast in a

leading role at the premiere with the late arrival on the red carpet.

In terms of celebrity status, the force was certainly with them.

Neil Curry, CNN, London.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LU STOUT: And finally, it is that time of the year again, Vladimir Putin's 2018 calendar is on sale. It features images "purportedly" from the Russian

president. In February, we are told, he has finally mastered hockey. In July, we see him dancing in celebration of a traditional (ph) holiday. And

in the month of October, Vladimir Putin checks the color of a tiger.

That is "News Stream." I'm Kristie Lu Stout, but don't go anywhere, "World Sport with Amanda Davies" is next.

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[08:45:00] (WORLD SPORT)

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