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Thailand rescue efforts; U.S. Supreme Court announcement; Secretary of State Mike Pompeo; Train derailed in Turkey; Japan Floods: Death Toll Climbs to 94 after 'Historic' Rain and Landslides; British Woman Dies After Exposure To Novichok; World Cup Impact In Russia VS In Brazil; Four Rescued Thai Boys Rushed To Hospital. Aired 2-3a ET

Aired July 09, 2018 - 02:00   ET

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

[02:00:14] GEORGE HOWELL, NEWSROOM ANCHOR, CNN: At 2:00 a.m. on the U.S. east coast, we're following the breaking news out of Thailand. Still to happen, the rescue effort to extract the eight remaining boys and their coach from a flood cave system. Four boys have already been rescued. I'm George Howell at CNN world headquarters in Atlanta. Welcome to our viewers here in the United States and around the world this hour.

And surely, the world is watching these rescue efforts hoping that all continues to go as smoothly as we saw on Sunday. The rescue efforts still set to resume soon. The four boys saved from the cave were rushed to a hospital by ambulance and by helicopter, medical staff are checking their health, making sure that they get the help that the need, their families of course, anxious to see them.

But they may have to wait. Authorities say they want to make sure the boys didn't pick up any diseases in the caves. So it may be a day or two before they get to see their loved ones. For the very latest, CNN's David McKenzie is following the story live in northern Thailand. David, clearly, there are many factors at play. The weather is certainly one of them.

But I think the overwhelming sentiment at this moment so far so good. From what you are hearing from sources about the next steps in this operation to rescue the remaining eight and the coach, what are you learning?

DAVID MCKENZIE, CORRESPONDENT, CNN: Well, George, we learned that those rescue operations haven't started a few hours ago. So it's slightly delayed compared to yesterday's extraordinary rescue that was successful in getting four boys out. As you can see, the rain is falling quite heavily on my head. That is a factor that everyone is worried about and will add pressure to the teams working together to get these remaining boys and their coach out.

In that mountain behind me, the cave system has been the center of Thailand and the world's attention. We learned from a family member of one of those (Inaudible) soccer team that they haven't been informed whether their boy was in that cave or had been released. It shows the authorities are keeping a very, very tight lid on the information flow on this story, not wanting to give false hope to parents, not wanting to provide any kind of rumor.

Though the rumors do swirl here, just moments ago, there was a military helicopter passing over my head towards that mountain to land near the cave site. There has been a flurry of activity there in recent hours. And in fact, just recently it seems a preparation underway to go in for a second day. The prime minister though in Phuket, the island of Thailand said to reporters that he doesn't want to feel like he is rushing the team.

He said ultimately, the decision will be up to the international and the Thai authorities to cooperate and make that decision. Every time they decide to go into that cave to get those boys, it is a very weighty and brave decision indeed.

HOWELL: David, you touched on this, but can you tell us a bit more. Do we know anything new about the state of these children who were rescued, and what's next for them.

MCKENZIE: Well, they were taken -- some of them, in fact three of them rushed in ambulances along the road behind me late evening yesterday. One boy was taken by chopper presumably because his health status wasn't as good as the other three as we mentioned. Earlier last week, they mentioned that they said that the boys would be in some kind of quarantine.

We don't know if those plans have changed after this point, because the planning of this has been fluid as experts from around the world fly in. We do know that the key members of the team or one of the keys are the two British divers who originally found those boys. We expect they will be in the lead again today, given their level of cave diving experience, such a specific skill set going into those dark cabins with the roof above your head. We won't know until maybe hours from now most likely if those boys more than come out in this rescue attempt that's captured everyone's imagination, George.

HOWELL: David McKenzie in northern Thailand with the details of the reporting. Thank you, David. Let's now put this into context with Neil Bennett. Neil, the Managing Director at New Zealand Diving joining us this hour from Auckland, New Zealand, a pleasure to have you on the show. Neil, as David pointed out just a moment ago, this operation has -- it's been successful.

The feeling around the world seems to be so far so good. But we're talking about the best of the best people who have successfully rescued four of these children. As they regroup, explain how the rain, how the rising water levels either push or affect their process.

[02:05:06] NEIL BENNETT, MANAGING DIRECTOR, NEW ZEALAND DIVING: The rising of the water level is certainly going to affect what they do. (Inaudible) they will make decisions reduce the numbers (Inaudible). So that might be a major factor in delay from starting this morning and also the numbers they're trying to get through.

HOWELL: As far as the actual process, let's talk about what they are doing, because it seems similar to a relay system, essentially shuttling everyone through these dives, shuttling through the mountain and then back out to open air.

BENNETT: That's correct (Inaudible) cave down into groups. The support divers cannot be in sections of the cave (Inaudible). So the experienced divers of the leaders were taken through the tube section. They were then (Inaudible) that way each diver is familiar with the section of the cave they are working in (Inaudible).

HOWELL: And as far as the children are concerned, Neil, the wet suits that they are using, the face masks, the gear, and the importance of keeping them calm and not panicking as they're shuttled through this process.

BENNETT: The wet suits are going to give them some (Inaudible) factor in that (Inaudible) protection against abrasion and injuries etcetera. The face mask itself would actually allow the regulator to remain on them, (Inaudible) it's far easier for the rescue divers to keep them on them (Inaudible).

HOWELL: And as far the rescuers, clearly, these are people who are putting their lives on the line here to make this happen as they traverse through these caves. How physically exhausting is it to be part of an operation like this?

BENNETT: It's a tremendous (Inaudible) two weeks (Inaudible) tremendous (Inaudible) six hours at a time from end to end. So for them to actually have to rescue someone (Inaudible) and get out themselves is a specific strain. It will certainly take its toll after two weeks or longer.

HOWELL: Neil Bennett, you have been with us for the thrust of the time here as we follow the story. We appreciate your expertise, your insight as we watch these crews do what they are trained to do. Thank you for your time. Monsoon rains, that is the big key here and it is important to know what's happening with the weather. Our meteorologist Pedram Javaheri is here to tell us about it.

Pedram, (Inaudible) been able to pump out a lot of water. That's the good news. But these monsoon rains when they hit, they hit hard and it makes a big difference down there.

PEDRAM JAVAHERI, METEOROLOGIST, CNN: (Inaudible) we're about to see this really shift for a dramatically in the next couple of day, tremendous rainfall in store. But you know what, it has not rained in the amount that we're expected to see so far in the 16 days. But the boys have been in this cave. It has not rained this much so we're expecting to see in the next couple.

So we're going to show you exactly how this pattern shift is happening, George. And of course, maps in motion really put it in perspective. The word monsoon comes from the Arabic word (Inaudible) which comes from a seasonal shift in the wind direction that precisely is what is happening across this region. So this is not a single storm system.

It is not a single event. It is a prolonged period through potentially October where you have daily heavy rainfall as expected. You notice since the 23rd of June, the boys went missing, about 5 and half millimeters still on that day. And then about 14 to 16 millimeters later on that week, that is what led to the initial significant flooding into the cave system.

It has been all but quiet generally speaking over the past several weeks. But the pattern now shifts to be much more wet than it was initially in the stages when the boys were first trapped into those cave systems. But (Inaudible) single afternoon, bans of heavy rainfall that works its way into northern Thailand.

With it, 15, 20 millimeters certainly possible, and you are talking about generally 3 quarters of an inch to 1 inch of rainfall over the next three days. We're talking about upwards of 60 millimeters of rainfall, which are about 2 and a quarter inches of rain. Now it may not seem like a lot of rain, but if you take that, drop it down on top of a soccer stadium for example, that is equivalent to 500,000 liters of water, just over a stadium's floor size there.

And then about 135,000 gallons of water or about 12 plus swimming pools, so put this all together, expand it over a pretty large are, try to funnel it down to a cave system. We are talking about millions of gallons of water potentially just from the two and half or so inches. That could be expected in the next couple of days.

And you notice, the maps over the next seven days, an entirely different perspective than the previous seven days when it was generally quiet. Now we are talking about at least 100 plus millimeters in the next seven days across this region. So it is going to get very wet across the area. And the amount of water, as you're noting earlier, that they have been able to pump out the amount of water that's going to be on the ground, going back into the cave system will be far greater than what could be brought out of it.

[02:10:11] So everything needs to be done needs to be done as quickly as possible.

HOWELL: Because they can only do so much against Mother Nature.

JAVAHERI: Absolutely. Mother Nature always has the upper hand.

HOWELL: Yes. Pedram Javaheri, thank you and we will keep in touch with you. So we've been following the plight of these children, their rescue. And we understand the four boys rescued Sunday are in good condition, doctors now evaluating them after the ordeal. Our Chief Medical Correspondent, Dr. Sanjay Gupta explains what they'll be looking for.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SANJAY GUPTA, CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT, CNN: These doctors have a long time to think about and prepare for what is unfolding now. There are basic concerns when the boys come out of the cave. And you can pair it down ABC, airway, breathing, and circulation. And you want to make sure that you address these things at the scene, at the mouth of the cave, and make a decision then, how quickly do the boys, these players, even the divers if something happens need to get to the hospital.

We saw one boy get air lifted. It could have been a problem with some breathing, could have been a problem with blood pressure, as a result of dehydration. We don't know. But that's how these decisions get made. Keep in mind the time line. This is something that the doctors are really paying attention to as well, to sort of predict what these boys will need.

June 23rd, the boys and the coach went missing. Nine days before some of that food shows up as a result of those rescue divers. What were the conditions in the cave? We know the oxygen levels dropped. We know that there is a concern about dehydration. That is how you sort of process things from a medical standpoint.

I tried to guess. I would say most of these boys probably won't be in the hospital that long, because whether it is dehydration, malnutrition, some other concern. Most of that can be addressed pretty quickly. So from a physical standpoint, pretty fast, psychologically mentally we will have to wait and see.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOWELL: Dr. Sanjay Gupta, with that report. Thank you so much. And of course, we continue to track the developments, the breaking news out of Thailand and the efforts to save the trapped football team of young boys and their coach. Also ahead, an important judicial announcement followed by spotlight moments on the international stage.

We've got a preview of President Trump's packed agenda this week. Around the world and in the U.S., you are watching Newsroom.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

[02:15:00] PRES. DONALD TRUMP (R), UNITED STATES PRESIDENT: I am very close to making a decision, have not made it official yet, obviously. I have not made it final, but we've very close to making a decision. Let's say it's the poor people, but they're excellent. Everyone, you can't go wrong, but I am getting very close to making a final decision.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOWELL: The President of the United States there, commenting on his highly anticipated announcement for the U.S. Supreme Court. Here is a look now at the four candidates you heard Mr. Trump speak of, who appear to still be under consideration to replace the retiring Justice Anthony Kennedy. All of these justices, highly conservative, any one of them are expected to alter the balance of the court to solidly conservative majority. Our Boris Sanchez has more on the announcement and the rest of President's week.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BORIS SANCHEZ, WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT, CNN: President Trump is getting set to make a historic announcement Monday night at 9:00 p.m. eastern. His nominee to replace Justice Anthony Kennedy on the Supreme Court, of course, the backdrop of that decision is the news over the weekend of the President's attorney Rudy Giuliani has laid out some very specific demands of the Special Counsel in order for President Trump to testify.

Though President Trump has repeatedly said that he wants to sit down with Robert Mueller, Giuliani laid out a list of demands. One of them being that of the Special Counsel has to provide evidence that there is suspicion of wrong doing on behalf of the President. Giuliani has ultimately that he does not believe Robert Mueller will comply with all of these demands.

He is effectively setting up a situation where the Special Counsel would issue a subpoena to try to compel the President to testify. That's something that Giuliani he will challenge in court. Here is more from the former mayor of New York Sunday morning on State of the Union speaking to Dana Bash. Listen.

RUDY GIULIANI (R), NEW YORK, FORMER MAYOR: I have no idea what he is going to do. I think if he does, we can have the subpoena quashed. To subpoena the President, never been done successfully in the history of this country. There is very, very strong law that the President cannot be subjected to criminal process. There is very argument (Inaudible) opinion governing Mueller says that. But certainly constitutional law may say it. The reality is that we have a very strong argument that they haven't made a case for an interview.

SANCHEZ: It appears that the President's legal team would prefer this court battle to the President actually testifying, and of course, this is all unfolding during a very busy week for President Trump. He doesn't only have that Supreme Court decision. He's also headed to Europe to meet with NATO allies, to visit the United Kingdom, and also that one-on-one sit down with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Boris Sanchez, CNN, travelling with the President near Bedminster, New Jersey.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOWELL: Let's bring in Scott Lucas to talk about all of this. Scott, a professor of International Politics at the University of Birmingham in England, also the founder and editor of EA World View live this hour in Birmingham, England, a pleasure to have you on the show. Let's talk about what we know of the President's pick here for the Supreme Court.

Mr. Trump planning for a 9:00 p.m. Eastern Time announcement at Monday night in true reality show fashion, regardless of who he picks, help our viewers understand what this means for the balance of the court on central issues, abortion being key.

SCOTT LUCAS, PROFESSOR OF INTERNATIONAL POLITICS, UNIVERSITY OF BIRMINGHAM: Well, you know I always grew up with this idea, George, that the judicial branch was independent from the executive legislature, and so whatever happened in America it was sort of politically you know above everything else. Well, that's not true. [02:19:53] Politics does affect the court. These are human beings.

And this will be an attempt by the Trump administration as a very conservative administration to entrench a conservative Supreme Court, not just for its first term, its second term if it has one. But for decades, if you appoint a Justice, and I expect the Justice -- the nominee to be someone relatively young, who is going to sit on the court for decades, it really gives you five conservative justices in terms of their past track records, and where they're likely to go next.

And of course, with a conservative majority, those people, let's call political activists, whether conservative or very conservative, may try to have Roe v. Wade overturned and restrict the right to abortion. They will probably try to restrict states abilities to impose limits on gun ownership at a time when that it is a key issue in American society.

They will probably attempt to use the court to push back and roll back elements of healthcare provision, cutting the unable to pushback the Affordable Care Act, to repeal in Congress, and of course LGBT rights where there has been a big issue, a big debate about how far those rights can be recognized may be pushed back or at least curbed by this court.

So just as in the 1950s, we saw in a sense a social revolution that was really furthered by the court. For example, in its rulings on race now we may see a very different type of social revolution, which is coming not from the streets but from the bench.

HOWELL: Scott, just very quickly. When it comes to Democrats, their ability here to respond, what recourse, what strategies might they have to either delay or block the President's pick?

LUCAS: Well, of course the first step is that you try to sort of hold back on hearings that you say that you have to vet the nominee that you have to go through a very careful process that can't be rushed through. Then you have the hearings themselves. And Democrats may try to see potential objections that are not just party objections.

They'll say we have key concerns about some of these issues that you and I have talked about, and whether Justice's will rise above politics. Then they will use the argument that in 2016, the GOP stalled for months to prevent President Obama from filling a vacancy on the bench in saying why does that not apply here in advance of midterm elections.

Will they succeed? That is probably the wild card, George, because if they don't, the pick will be rushed through. Conservative court if they succeed and they take a majority in Congress in November the entire calculus changes.

HOWELL: They would need all Democratic votes, clearly to vote together on this. We will have to see how it plays out. Scott, very quickly, looking ahead at the President's week, very busy schedule, set to meet with NATO allies to whom he slammed about paying more for defense. He is also set to visit the United Kingdom to meet the Queen, but still feel a not so welcome, welcome by many of the protesters there, all of this in advance of his summit with Russia's Vladimir Putin. And that's person that he gives a great deal of praise to. He also has U.S. allies' concern.

LUCAS: Let me just cut to the chase, George. U.S. officials, the U.S. system has an alliance with NATO. It has an alliance with the United Kingdom. Donald Trump has no such alliance. Donald Trump just as he went in undermined the G7 summit could throw a match into the NATO summit in terms of demanding that other country's pay up America or else he's going to walk aside.

Donald Trump's alliance or at least his closest affiliation now, ironically after decades of history is not with NATO, it is with Vladimir Putin, and I think you will see that play out over the next week.

HOWELL: Scott Lucas live for us in Birmingham, England. Thank you for the insight and perspective.

LUCAS: Thank you.

HOWELL: Now to the U.S. Secretary of State. He sent a message to North Korea during his stop in Vietnam. Mike Pompeo met with the general secretary of Vietnam's communist party. He urged Pyongyang to follow Hanoi's example to engage and enjoy the possibility of lucrative trade relations.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: In light of the once unimaginable prosperity and partnership we have with Vietnam today, I have a message for Chairman Kim Jong-Un. President Trump believes your country can replicate this path. It is yours if you'll seize the moment. The miracle can be yours. It can be your miracle in North Korea as well.

The United States has been clear about what we seek from North Korea to set in motion this great chain of events. The choice now lies with North Korea and its people. If they are able to do this, they will be remembered and Chairman Kim will be remembered as the hero of the Korean people.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOWELL: Pompeo dismissed North Korea's assessment that the two days of denuclearization talks had a gangster-like mindset. We also noted economic sanctions on North Korea remain in place until denuclearization is complete. We are of course continuing to following the breaking news in Thailand, more on the ongoing mission to save the trapped team of 12 boys and their coach, ahead.

[02:25:05] Plus, more scenes of desperation, this time coming from Japan as people there wait to be rescued from devastating floodwaters. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) HOWELL: Live from coast to coast and across the United States and to our viewers around the world this hour. You are watching CNN Newsroom. Thank you so much for being with us. I am George Howell with the headlines we're following for you. The U.S. President is said to announce his nominee for Supreme Court Justice on Monday night, 9:00 p.m. primetime.

Mr. Trump reportedly chose from a list of four leading candidates. All of them expected to change the balance of the court to a solidly conservative court. Hundreds of people, hundreds of rescues underway across Japan after record rainfall caused flooding and landslides, at least 75 people have been killed. We understand many, many more missing.

First responders are using helicopters and boats to evacuate hospital patients and the elderly. The government is advising millions of others in flood zones to evacuate and seek safer ground. In northwest Turkey, a train derailed has claimed the lives of at least 24 people. We understand 124 others are injured.

Government officials blame the heavy rains there. Turkey's President promises to launch an investigation. More than 360 people were on board the train headed to Istanbul near the border with Greece. Violent protests and riots rocked Haiti. This for a third consecutive day, protesters there frustrated with the dire economic situation facing Haiti, despite the suspension of fuel price increases. The international monetary fund pushed Haiti to end fuel subsidies in order to generate more tax revenue.

Here at CNN, we continue to follow the breaking news of course. In Thailand, the rescue teams watching the weather very closely waiting to restart their efforts to save 12 -- this team, these young boys and their coach. Four boys have already been pulled safely out of the cave system.

[02:30:00] They were rushed to a hospital by ambulance and by helicopter. Medical staff are checking their health. Their eight teammates and coach remained trapped there with more rain on the way. CNN's David McKenzie is live in Northern Thailand following the story. And David, one can only imagine what it means for these families not to know first of all which boys have been rescued and of course when these other rescues will take place.

DAVID MCKENZIE, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, that's right. So imagine it as ambulance screams behind me heading to the general intersection of that cave complex. Imagine if you are the mother or the father after now more than 16 days your child being stuck in that cave and according to a source of the family members that the key family members are still in that area where they have been held for many days near the cave complex huddling together and waiting. They say they will not leave until the last boy and the coach have in fact been rescued from that cave and quite incredibly, that same source says that those key family members don't know whether their child has been rescued or not. They might of course heard through rumors and social media. But officially, they haven't been told. And those four were sent screaming process late. Yesterday, an ambulance with their lights blaring to a regional

hospital. Three of them in fact by ambulance, one by helicopter. I want to show some images, George, from around the cave site from just moments ago. Preparation it seems for the continued rescue effort for the remaining boys and their coach as it has rained heavily overnight here until around 3:00 a.m. and then sporadically through the morning here. So the pressure will be felt by those rescue teams and particularly the divers of the elect -- select group that will be going into the cave to get more boys if they have decide to in fact pull that trigger again.

HOWELL: David, we are also very concerned of course as viewers watch the story about the weather there behind you, what is the situation? It seems that there's a bit of a lull, is that the case or is more on the way?

MCKENZIE: There's more on the way and the way it often works with these monsoon seasons, you'll have an intense period of heat followed by showers which is a relief to us frankly, but certainly nerve- racking for the rescue teams because it could mean that the waters will be flowing back into that cave. Now, whether it has a major impact on the water levels is up for debate. We are obviously not right at that cave, but we have heard that that's a concern from the officials for many days now and that's why they eventually decided after several days of planning to make the move for this very brave decision to get these boys out through these narrow tunnels into the relative safety of that staging area and then out to the cave entrance, George.

HOWELL: David McKenzie live in Northern Thailand on this story. David, thank you for all the reporting and your team. We'll keep in touch with you. Now, to Japan rescuers there racing against the clock to free people trapped after days of deadly rain this is Southwestern Japan. Take a look at these homes or quite frankly what's left of these homes in and around Hiroshima. There are like many others, hundreds of others that are either crushed, collapsed, or just destroyed dragged away by powerful floods and landslides. Dozens of people are missing as we understand and rescue workers say it is a race against time now to get to those who are trapped. This record rainfall has claimed at least 75 lives and that number we understand is still climbing. The government calls it a disaster of historic proportions. As our Kaori Enjoji reports the rains are clearing up, but the danger certainly still is not over.

KAORI ENJOJI, JOURNALIST: The death toll continues to mount across Japan as more bodies are being found after a torrential rains triggered landslides, and mudslides, and flooding throughout the country over the weekend. Some 56,000 troops have been mobilized from Japan's Self-Defense Forces which is basically the military to try and get helicopters, boats, rafts, to bring people to higher ground and towards safety. The problem has been that this devastation has occurred through large parts of the country from southwestern areas of Kyushu all the way to the central area of Japan as well.

[02:35:13] And they're saying that some of the remote areas, they haven't really been able to get access to, so they really don't know the full scale and intensity of the damage across part of this country. The weather agency says that the rains have stopped and there are no rain warnings per say today here in Japan on Monday. But as you can see there are still sporadic rain in some -- in some areas and the land has been so wet over the last few days that any kind of motion even a light rain could trigger further mudslides. And so they're urging people to be very vigilant. Some tens of thousands of people spent the night in evacuation centers across the country and I think the rescue efforts are going to be compounded by the fact that there's very little access to some of these centers because train line, some of the local train lines are still halted and the highways are closed as well.

And temperatures are going to be rising today. Forecast arise to some 32 degrees in some of these areas. So you're looking at possibility of dehydration especially among some of the vulnerable parts of the population like the elderly. And remember, in some of these remote areas in Japan, you're talking about a very, very aging rapidly aging population in some of these areas. So it's still a very precarious situation in Japan after a very harrowing weekend of torrential rains and flooding. The vulnerability of some of these areas is still continues to be very high. That's the latest from Japan. I'm Kaori Enjoji.

HOWELL: Kaori Enjoji, thank you for the reporting. Now, let's bring in Naomi Akamatsu. Naomi is an emergency response officer for the Red Cross in Japan live by phone from Tokyo of course this hour. Naomi, thank you so much for your time. We want to first talk about these efforts underway to reach people who still need to be move to safe ground. Is headway being made so far from what you're seeing?

NAOMI AKAMATSU, EMERGENCY RESPONSE OFFICER, RED CROSS JAPAN: Thank you very much, George, for this interview. So far it has been reported that the effect is really increasing by time. And as mentioned, hundreds of people have lost their lives already and three are remaining in critical conditions with still more than 60 people missing. So the situation is really evolving time by time. And as these kinds of heavy rains we have been seeing in the past is as well, but never in such kind of this staging scale. So from our Red Cross side even though there are challenges with highways being blocked, but we have been managing to send several emergency response team to the ground since we are more than 18 teams have been reaching to the sites. And also, we have been providing medical care to the people especially for those that are mainly being evacuated to the center due to the loss of their houses and because of being threat by the flood and also the landslides.

HOWELL: We're looking right now as you're speaking of the devastation of these floodwaters that have certainly submerged many of these homes. It really walks to the infrastructure, right? The ability to simply get around to get food supplies and certainly to rescue those who need help when it comes to the road that have been destroyed, the Shinkansen as well. How badly damaged is infrastructure there?

AKAMATSU: So far, there has been on information given from the government reports that the landline is on its way to be recovered and also the electricity are on its way of being recovered. In some places, we already see that they are able to have accesses (INAUDIBLE) and access through landlines and also through telecommunications. But still, we have to say that it's not fully recovered even at this stage. So what we are at the moment very cautious about is these people who are staying in the evacuation center and have been able to distribute blankets and sleeping kits and also emergency kits to more than 6,000 people. But as mentioned earlier because of their loss of houses we see this not just as an emergency response but also we have to consider about the upcoming days even though the weather forecasters have mentioned that the situation of the rain has been seemed to be resolved. Still, we are head under this consent that it maybe heat stroke as well as sanitation challenges. That could be occurring in any time.

HOWELL: Naomi Akamatsu, thank you so much for your insight into what's happening in Japan and we will of course keep in touch with you. Still ahead here on NEWSROOM, The United Kingdom was already angry that a military grade nerve agent was used on British soil and now a British woman has died from exposure to that agent. We'll have that story. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[02:42:56] HOWELL: Welcome back to CNN NEWSROOM. I'm George Howell. The U.K.'s Brexit Secretary David Davis has resigned marking another stumbling block to Britain's efforts to leave the European Union. David said that he wasn't willing to be a reluctant conscript to compromise plan agreed upon Friday. The plan would press for a free trade area for goods with the E.U. and maintain close trade ties. Other conservative lawmakers criticized the compromise saying it offered a Brexit in name only. Prime Minister Theresa May faces parliament in the coming hours to actually talk about that plan.

Also, in the United Kingdom, a British woman has died after being exposed to a nerve agent. Police say that the death of Dawn Sturgess is now being investigated as a murder. Her partner, Charles Rowley I should say remains in critical condition. He was also exposed to the same nerve agent used to poison a former Russian spy and his daughter. In March following this story, our Phil Black is live from Salisbury, England. And Phil, surely this is adding to the concern of people in that area about even the possibility of coming into contact with this nerve agent.

PHIL BLACK CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, George, that's right. And remember after the nerve agent was used in an attempted assassination of Sergei Skripal, a former Russian intelligence officer and his wife that was back in March. The outrage from the British government was that in its view, the Russian government would dare to use a weapon like this something that was so deadly and so indiscriminate really. They felt that this was a truly reckless act. And so there was enormous concern about risk to the public in the days and weeks after that. We saw people large numbers of police and military (INAUDIBLE) moving and decontaminate sit.

[02:44:44] Now, months later, this couple have been -- have come into contact and been exposed to a contaminated item, the same type of nerve agent, Novichok. Police do not know if it is from precisely the same batch that was used in the assassination attempt against Sergei Skripal, but they're working theory is that, yes, it was. This was a leftover container contaminated by the nerve agent that these people have come into contact with it in some ways. They've been exposed to it, they've fallen seriously ill. And now, this desperately sad news that one of them has died as a result of that.

You remember the huge international outrage over the initial use of the nerve agent. It's likely that the British government will only show greater diplomatic strength and rage, still. Because what has happened now is that a British citizen has died as a result of the Russian nerve agent being used on British soil. George.

HOWELL: And again, politically, this is resonating for sure among politicians talking about this (INAUDIBLE) imagine.

BLACK: Well, you remember the initial response from Britain was to expel diplomats allies around the world followed suit move around 150 Russian diplomats were expelled from various countries. That was because of the use of this type of weapon here. And that was before there was any known casualty, certainly any known British casualty.

No doubt, it was thought, perhaps assumed and hoped that the risk from this nerve agent had passed. But it seems that this item, this contaminated item has simply been here somewhere within this community lying here for months. Perhaps in an area that was not really accessible, not out in the open somewhere but still posing a risk clearly because, somehow, these people have come into contact with it and the deadly result is that a woman has died and another man is still critically ill in hospital. George.

HOWELL: CNN Correspondent Phil Black, live for us in Salisbury, England thank you for the reporting. We'll keep in touch with you.

The World Cup takes on geopolitical significance in Crimea, where cheering for the Russian team is a gesture of support for the Kremlin.

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PEDRAM JAVAHERI, CNN INTERNATIONAL METEOROLOGIST: A very July like weather pattern is shaping up across portions of North America. I'm meteorologists Pedram Javaheri, watching a Tropical Storm Chris sitting there off the coast of the Carolina, as well.

A stationary funnel battery parks in place and a lot of wet weather across portions of the Gulf Coast states. And, of course, the big- time heat in store in the central United States.

But right now, watching this carefully because very little movement in the initial track of the system here, but we do know that it's going to turn up enough waters here to create a dangerous go for some of the coastal communities there as far as rip currents are concerned. Certainly, get some swells as well across that region.

But initially, it'll kind of meander there. And then, over the next several days will see this gradually pull away become category 1 hurricane, Chris. At this point, models indicate this will want to push in towards the Canadian Maritimes enter cooler waters. And then, rain itself out across that region towards the latter portion of this week.

But, how about this, very uniform setup of temperatures. 31 in New York, 32 in Montreal, 33 in Atlanta, and it just continues into the lower and middle 30s. For just about everyone across the country with the exception of the Northwestern U.S. there. Where it's comfortable -- you know, to British Columbia, remaining comfortable there, as well.

Chicago, how about we cool you off a little bit the next several days while in New York City the trend is also a little more bearable of a trend, looking at the pattern around the Western United States in places like Portland, Oregon, big-time heat wave shooting up to the upper 30s by late week.

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[02:50:55] HOWELL: Fair to say the anticipation is building for the World Cup semi-finals. On Tuesday, the winner from 1998, France will take on Belgium. Fans think it may finally be time for Belgium and its so-called golden generation.

On Wednesday, the 1966 champions, England will try to get one step closer to giving a new generation of fans a World Cup. But, talented Croatia squad pad, end England's dreams.

Also, the World Cup is taking place in the western part of Russia, but one journalist visited the more remote areas of that country to see how people are receiving soccer's most prestigious tournament. He spoke with that about out -- with our Amanda Davies.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

AMANDA DAVIES, CNN INTERNATIONAL SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: As the World Cup experience that we are seeing here in Moscow, how much is that being reflected elsewhere from what you did?

JAMIL CHADE, INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT, ESTADO DE SAO PAOLO: Well, this is a vast, vast country. And it was amazing to basically see how diverse it is, first of all. And how diverse is the response to the World Cup, as well.

This year is obviously incredible, everything is working well. But, for example, in the border with Mongolia that I had a chance, I think, it's around six hours by plane to get there. You reach a place where the World Cup is as far away as anything else.

DAVIES: People have any hope of gaining any benefits from this World Cup. We were often hear -- you know, the impact of a major sporting event on a country.

CHADE: That is -- that is a good question because I -- most of the answers I got was it won't change anything in my life. This story was quite of fascinating to see such a vast country, a little bit like Brazil also, continental country. But perhaps, more diverse with other religions, with other languages. And a feeling that this loneliness is real.

DAVIES: Do you think, therefore, that the impacts of the World Cup here or how does the impact the World Cup here compare with the impacts in Brazil?

CHADE: Very different, very different. I would say, even in the little village lost somewhere in the Amazon in Brazil, you'll have a T.V. set showing the game. In a way what unified Brazil, was not only the Portuguese language but also the yellow shirt. This was an element that was used and misused very much, so, in this nation- building element. So, this was very real.

Here I haven't seen -- for example, in this Siberian part of the country, I couldn't spot a single person with the Russian shirt. Not only with the Russian shirt, but no ads about Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar. No one was there, I was in Crimea, as well. And there was a completely different story, completely different.

Crimea, the epicenter, basically, of an international crisis, question obviously, because of the annexation. But there, cheering for Russia, and I was in this last game. Cheering for Russia was a political gesture. It was not only, we are hoping Russia wins a football match. It was basically, saying, we are also Russian.

I spoke to the mayor of Sebastopol that was basically at the Fan Fest a completely Clandestine Fan Fest, but a Fan Fest. And Cuba changes basically, as soon as the game finished, he said, "This has proven that we also Russian."

DAVIES: But with the sanctions, did they have Russian shirt, and scarves, and flags?

CHADE: No. The sanctions there are quite serious. You don't have international credit cards. Your telephone will not work there. So, many on -- in many aspects, it led foreign companies to leave the place. So instead of a very famous coffee shop, they have Starbucks.

The truth is that that was not a -- that was not a football game, that was a political rally, very well-orchestrated. But music, Russian music, obviously, with Russian flags, and with a -- with someone speaking on the microphone basically saying, Crimea is also Russia.

And by the way, if you wanted, you could take free pictures with a Russian flag and with the -- with the saying, Crimea is ours.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

[02:55:21] HOWELL: Amanda Davies with that. Look at the World Cup, and thank you for watching CNN NEWSROOM this hour. Let's reset with more breaking news, of course that we're following in Thailand, plus other stories from around the world after this break. You're watching CNN, the world's news leader.

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ANNOUNCER: This is CNN "BREAKING NEWS" HOWELL: At 2:59 on the U.S. East Coast, we're following the "BREAKING NEWS" this hour. Out of Thailand, rescue efforts to extract the eight remaining boys and their coach from a flooded cave system. Four boys have already been rescued.

I'm George Howell at CNN World Headquarters in Atlanta, welcome to viewers here in the United States and around the world this hour. And surely, the world is watching and waiting, hoping that all continues to go as smoothly as we saw on Sunday. Rescue efforts are expected to resume again soon.

In the meantime, the four boys saved from the cave were rushed to a hospital by ambulance and by helicopter. Medical staff are checking on their health making sure that they get the health that they needed.