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Sources: Saudis to Admit Khashoggi Killed in Interrogation; U.S. Joins Ukraine for Military Exercises; Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Expecting First Child; Brexit Talks Stuck on Irish Border Issue. Aired 12-1a ET

Aired October 16, 2018 - 00:00   ET

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

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NICK WATT, CNN ANCHOR (voice-over): Sources say the Saudis are preparing to change their story and will acknowledge that journalist Jamal Khashoggi was killed in what the kingdom will claim was an interrogation gone wrong.

And a no-deal Brexit is closer than ever. That's the view of the European Council president Donald Tusk ahead of a crucial E.U. summit.

Plus the United States taking part in war games on Russia's doorstep.

Hello and welcome to our viewers joining us from all around the world. I'm Nick Watt and this is CNN NEWSROOM.

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WATT: After two weeks of growing international pressure, Saudi Arabia is repeatedly ready to explain what happened to a prominent Saudi journalist, a critic of the regime and, since last year, a U.S. resident.

Two sources tell CNN the Saudis will admit that Jamal Khashoggi was killed during an interrogation gone wrong. The incident, they'll say, was supposed to end with his abduction, not his death. Khashoggi was last seen going into the Saudi consulate in Istanbul two weeks ago.

His family issued a statement that reads in part, "Our family is traumatized and yearns to be together during this painful time. The strong moral and legal responsibility which our father instilled in us obliges us to call for the establishment of an independent and impartial international commission to inquire into the circumstances of his death."

CNN's Nic Robertson joins us now from outside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul.

Nic, what is the latest?

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Well, through the night, the forensic teams, Turkish teams have been going through the consulate. They wrapped up a couple of hours ago. They were inside the building for about nine hours.

We saw at times during the night a blue-purple light could be seen coming from one of the upstairs windows, the type of thing viewers might be familiar with from COSI: investigations, but we don't know what that light was doing. We understand that sort of light is used to scan for DNA inside rooms after incidents.

But we don't have a readout yet from Turkish officials precisely the nature of the access they got inside the consulate and the nature of the tests that they performed. We do know when they went in, they understood very clearly the areas in the building that they wanted to get to.

We were told very clearly that their DNA testing and their forensic testing would be thorough and sufficient, they believe, to back up their claims that Jamal Khashoggi was murdered inside the building. Thus far, no readout from the Turkish authorities on the thoroughness of their access and what they've been able to find out on that investigation so far.

WATT: Do we have an idea how this Saudi partial admission of responsibility is going to play out?

Do we expect to hear from them today?

What happens in the days and weeks ahead?

ROBERTSON: Over the weekend we were getting hints that the Saudis were about to say one thing that might have indicated, as President Trump said yesterday, that it was a rogue element, that somehow this botched interrogation and rendition went ahead without clearance, oversight and approval.

But that hasn't happened so far. It is possible that at this -- you know, the time -- the time between us, understanding that this is coming and it actually being released could stretch out. That's really not clear at the moment.

But I think what we're led to expect here, again, listen to what President Trump said in the last few hours, the secretary of state Mike Pompeo will meet with the Saudi king, King Salman. That's expected in the coming hours today.

President Trump said secretary of state Mike Pompeo may also go to Ankara and then he hinted tantalizingly that the secretary of state might actually meet with the Turkish and Saudi officials together. That's something we haven't really heard any details about. President Trump did seem to hint towards that in his comments last night.

So it appears at the moment that this would have been a high level diplomatic phase. I think there are certainly elements of this yet to play out and what the Saudis have to say precisely is then going to have to stand up to the sniff test of whether or not people choose to believe that -- [00:05:00]

ROBERTSON: -- the Turkish authorities are very clear.

They believe the Saudis flew 15 men in from Saudi Arabia on a couple of private jets the day that Khashoggi was killed. Those men came to the consulate and Khashoggi was killed after he went into consulate with those men already inside the building.

Then, of course, the very difficult question that his family is alluding to here, impartial international independent commission to-- to investigate this thoroughly. Of course key to all of those that love Jamal Khashoggi is the whereabouts of a body. That would be whereabouts of his body. And that would be key to the investigators here.

That remains an unanswered question. Turkish President Erdogan said at the beginning of this, it was down to Saudis to say how he left the building and for investigators, there's a key question, they want to know what did happen to Jamal Khashoggi's body, assuming that it is widely believed, that he's dead.

WATT: Nic Robertson in Istanbul with the very latest. Thank you very much for your time.

Now the U.S. president Donald Trump said he spoke with Saudi King Salman by phone Monday morning Washington time. He said the king firmly denied any knowledge of what happened to Jamal Khashoggi. Mr. Trump suggested, quote, "rogue killers" could be behind the journalist's disappearance and that's a story that could shield Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman from blame.

As CNN's Sam Kiley reports, the Saudis may soon try to push that rogue narrative.

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SAM KILEY, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: It will come as a blow to the Saudis to have lost control of the narrative that King Salman was so anxious to get hold of about 48 hours ago when he reached out to the Turkish President and then put out a statement saying that the two countries would form a joint investigative committee and that they would never shatter the brotherly love between the two nations.

Now we have a revelation that has come originally really from Donald Trump who appears to have blurted out a confidence shared with him by the Saudi King which suggested perhaps that what the president called "rogue elements" were behind the killing of Jamal Khashoggi in that consulate in Istanbul.

CNN sources have confirmed that they believe that there will be a statement published by the Saudis, perhaps coinciding with the visit of secretary of state Mark Pompeo, who is en route to Riyadh as we speak. Either way though, there remains very serious questions but I think one of the things that is not in question is that the Saudis have been working on this for some days.

We had rumors and innuendos that this was the sort of line that was likely to come out and the intelligence community here will be in a state of considerable unease because in all probability the finger will be pointed at an intelligence official being has suggested that this was a rogue element rather than appointing any further up the chain of command perhaps all the way to the crown prince Mohammed bin Salman.

He, of course, right from the get-go, insisted in an interview with the Bloomberg News Service that "The Washington Post" journalist's disappearance was nothing to do with the Saudis and, indeed, invited anybody who wished to inspect the consulate.

Now the Turks have been inspecting that consulate and a doubt will publish their findings very soon. But all of this coming at a time when Mike Pompeo is going to meet King Salman and the two allies, allies in the war on terror, are going to try to put this behind them and try and move forward. But the future of the crown prince remains a matter of debate, albeit behind closed doors here in Saudi Arabia -- Sam Kiley, CNN, Riyadh.

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WATT: Now President Trump's insistence that Saudi King Salman not only denies any knowledge of what happened to Jamal Khashoggi but strongly denies it. Some analysts saying this fits into a troubling pattern of behavior by the U.S. president, one we've already seen play out with North Korea's Kim Jong-un and Russia's Vladimir Putin. More now from CNN's Brian Todd.

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BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): President Trump is still swooning over his relationship with Kim Jong-un.

LESLEY STAHL, CBS NEWS HOST: Do you trust him?

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I do trust him. Yes, I trust him. That doesn't mean I can't be proven wrong, right?

STAHL: Why would you trust him?

TODD (voice-over): In an interview with CBS' "60 Minutes," the president noted that the North Korean strongman hasn't test-fired a missile or a nuclear warhead in several months, something he credits to his interaction with Kim.

TRUMP: And then we fell in love, OK?

TODD (voice-over): And Trump didn't seem bothered with Kim's track record on human rights.

STAHL: I want to read you his resume, OK?

TRUMP: Go ahead.

STAHL: He presides over a cruel kingdom of repression --

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STAHL: gulags, starvation, reports that he had his half-brother assassinated, slave labor, public executions. This is a guy you love?

TRUMP: I know all of these things. I mean, I'm not a baby. I know these things.

STAHL: I know, but why do you love that guy?

TRUMP: Look, look, I have -- I like -- I get along with him, OK?

TODD (voice-over): Trump brushed back when pressed on Vladimir Putin and the fact that he hasn't said a harsh word about Putin in public, claiming he has been tough on the Russian president in private. Still, he cut Putin slack over the poisoning of former Russian spy Sergei Skripal.

STAHL: Do you agree that Vladimir Putin is involved in assassinations, in poisonings?

TRUMP: Probably he is, yes. Probably. I mean, I don't --

STAHL: Probably?

TRUMP: Probably, but I rely on them. It's not in our country.

STAHL: OK.

TODD (voice-over): Analysts say this is part of what could almost be called a Trump doctrine, blindly supporting dictators who've shown favor toward him.

MICHAEL D'ANTONIO, AUTHOR, "THE TRUTH ABOUT TRUMP": There's no doubt that the president wants to be as strong and as powerful and to wield that power as ruthlessly as the authoritarian leaders that he admires.

TODD (voice-over): Tonight, the president is at it again, giving wide latitude to Saudi King Salman and his son, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, over the disappearance of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

TRUMP: The King firmly denied any knowledge of it. He didn't really know. Maybe -- I don't want to get into his mind, but it sounded to me like maybe these could have been rogue killers.

TODD (voice-over): The president has had a long-standing affection for the Saudi royal family, making his first-ever trip abroad as president to the kingdom, enjoying a sword dance and basking in a five-story image of himself on the side of a Trump Hotel in Riyadh.

Analysts say Trump's unwavering support for the Saudi royal family and other repressive regimes is hurting America.

AARON DAVID MILLER, CNN GLOBAL AFFAIRS ANALYST: Once we abandon that moral frame and we become a country of interests rather than just a country of values, I think we have already seen it, a diminution in the respect, the credibility and, I would argue, in the end, the power.

TODD (voice-over): But regarding the Khashoggi incident, a Trump biographer takes it even further.

D'ANTONIO: Donald Trump has been going around for years calling the press the enemy of the people. There is blood on his hands when it comes to Khashoggi because he created the environment that encourages this kind of lawlessness.

TODD: So far, the White House has not responded to Michael D'Antonio's comments that the president might have blood on his hands over the disappearance of Jamal Khashoggi.

Analysts continue to worry that by cutting so much slack to regimes like the Saudis, the North Koreans and to Vladimir Putin, the president is also whittling away America's leverage over these countries, not only to get what the U.S. needs from them but to stop them from behaving so badly on the world stage, committing human rights abuses and even murder -- Brian Todd, CNN, Washington.

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WATT: David Sanger is a CNN political and U.S. security analyst. He joins me now from Cambridge, Massachusetts.

David, what is your reaction to the story we just heard from Brian that apparently President Trump is damaging the U.S.' image overseas by cozying up to perhaps some unsavory leaders?

DAVID SANGER, CNN POLITICAL AND U.S. SECURITY ANALYST: You know, I think there are two big issues here, Nick. One is the choice of leaders that he admires.

I mean he has obviously praised Vladimir Putin, Kim Jong-un, was full of praise for Xi Jinping until the more recent trade disputes with China and of course with the Saudi king and with his son, while being very critical of some traditional American allies.

He would not be the, the first American president who has taken human rights off the front burner of American foreign policy. And some argue that Barack Obama did the same and certainly George W. Bush did the same.

But what's happened with President Trump is sort of twofold. First, he's gone from putting human rights on the back burner to taking it off the stove entirely. When you begin to say we have to find out what happened here which is fine and the Khashoggi case, the investigation, but then prejudge the outcome by saying whatever the outcome I don't want to threaten the American arms contract.

At that point you're saying exactly what a human life is worth. In this case the $110 billion, the figure is probably a lot less that President Trump claims that, that weapons contracts will be worth over time.

So what we've seen happen is that the Trump foreign policy has moved to a point where --

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SANGER: -- I think you've got to question whether or not human rights figures in this at all.

WATT: But why do you think, I mean, you know, you mentioned there the $110 billion dollars in potential arms deals with the Saudi.

Is this, does he lionize these people purely as part of his kind of transactional foreign policy or does he empathize with them?

Is he perhaps, you mentioned Xi Jinping, I mean he seems jealous that Xi could be, you know, president for life. Why do you think the president treats these leaders in this way?

SANGER: Well, certainly I think he admires the fact that they can operate without the kind of constraints that fall on any American president. They don't have to sit around and wait for budgets to be passed by Congress. They don't have to worry about courts overruling their executive orders.

And I'm sure that to President Trump there's a certain appeal of that. And not just for President Trump. We've seen other American presidents as well. The difference here is that it's very difficult to get President Trump to talk about the role of values in American foreign policy.

When I did some interviews with him with Maggie Haberman, my "Times" colleague, another CNN contributor, back during the campaign and he was talking about the objectives of this foreign policy. I had to raise human rights and he was saying, oh, well, that, too.

And I think the answer is he's interested in human rights when it serves his purposes; thus the calls even today to -- on the Iranians to lighten up on protests.

WATT: And where does this Saudi and Khashoggi scenario, how does this play out?

I mean this morning, sorry, yesterday morning, Monday morning President Trump seemed almost naive in his description of the phone conversation he had with King Salman. He said, you know, he denied it very strongly and the president seemed to believe it.

How does this play out and how does Trump look at the end this the process? SANGER: Well, in saying he denied it very strongly he sounded a lot

like what the president has said to many of us and said in Helsinki about Vladimir Putin denying his involvement in the Russian interference in the 2016 election. It is as if you take that denial on face value.

The interesting question is what Mike Pompeo's role is and what his mission is in going to Saudi Arabia on such short notice. And one possibility is that he's there to warn the king and the king's son about the possible repercussions here.

The other is that it is possible that he's there to help them find a way out. And the president seemed to be suggesting that with his statement that perhaps these were some rogue killers. He was almost inviting the Saudis to say well, he did die in our hands.

He didn't actually leave the embassy unharmed. But it wasn't us. It was a bunch of people going rogue as they tried to conduct a basically illegal rendition back to Saudi Arabia.

Hard to believe that some rogue players could get two airplanes fly to Istanbul from to Saudi Arabia, go right in to the consulate with a bone saw apparently and then fly out again that afternoon. That's really a gone rogue operation.

WATT: David Sanger, joining us from Cambridge, Massachusetts, thank you very much for your time.

SANGER: Thank you, Nick.

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WATT: Now the death toll from Hurricane Michael grew to 19 on Monday and the U.S. president also visited the disaster zone. Mr. Trump said that the first priority is to take care of hurricane victims' basic needs.

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TRUMP: (INAUDIBLE) everyone's safe, that they're fed. You know, many of these people have no home. Some of them have no trace of a home. You wouldn't even know it. They just got blown right off the footings.

So (INAUDIBLE) water and safety.

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WATT: There's also a new estimate of the cost of the damage wrought by Michael, one risk modeling company puts that figure at between $6 billion and $10 billion.

And trying to protect the U.K. from economic damage due to Brexit, the British prime minister faces her cabinet before a critical Brussels summit.

Could the U.K. crash out of the E.U.? An expert's outlook is next.

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WATT: In just a few hours, the British prime minister will address her full cabinet behind closed doors and it is no ordinary meeting. Theresa May is expected to outline her final Brexit deal, proposal before a crunched summit in Brussels on Wednesday.

Tension is high. European Council president Donald Tusk has already said that a no deal Brexit is now more likely than ever. And that could be a chaotic uncoupling. The major sticking point on Brexit remains the thorny issue of the Irish border.

The E.U. wants Britain to agree to a so-called backstop or fallback position to ensure that an open border remains between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, which remains an E.U. member. Ms. May says she will not agree to anything that threatens to carve up the United Kingdom.

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THERESA MAY, U.K. PRIME MINISTER: So this backstop is intended to be an insurance policy so people for Northern Ireland and Ireland.

Previously, the European Union has proposed a backstop that was seen Northern Ireland cast off and the E.U.'s customs union and parts of the single market, separated through a border in the Irish Sea from the U.K.'s own internal market.

As I've said many times, I could never accept that no matter how unlikely - -

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WATT: CNN's European Affairs Commentator Dominic Thomas joins me now.

Dominic, I mean we've had Donald Tusk saying that no deal is more likely never. Angela Merkel of Germany saying this is more difficult than ever. Listen, I'm from that part of the world. I'm relatively intelligent and I cannot think of a solution to this problem. Give me yours.

DOMINIC THOMAS, CNN EUROPEAN AFFAIRS COMMENTATOR: Right, well and not only to this particular problem that over the last two years we've heard about a hard Brexit, a soft Brexit, a no deal Brexit, you know a Chequers Brexit, a blind Brexit.

And the latest is a backstop to a backstop. So everything, no matter what we end up with here, crashing out to the European Union or remaining in the European Union, means dealing with the question of the Irish border.

As you mentioned in the lead-up, this is a country as geographic space that is divided between Northern Ireland that is part of the United Kingdom alongside England, Scotland and Wales.

And the southern part of the island is the Republic of Ireland, an independent nation-state that is a member of the European Union.

In theory, if the U.K. leaves the European Union, you need to put a border up there in the same way as you would have a border between eastern states or the members of the European Union and countries that are not.

However, since the peace treaty, the peace accords, the Good Friday Agreement of 1998, the border between and regions of the world that had been in conflict for generations were opened up.

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Thousands of people crossed that border on a daily basis to go to work. Trade is open between those particular areas. And so what the European Union had proposed to the United Kingdom is in the instant, in the case of them being unable to strike a deal with the United Kingdom.

They would provide access to the single market to a degree and to the customs union to Northern Ireland. So that they wouldn't have to put that particular border back up and with all the potential of raising tensions and reintroducing conflict into that area.

And so, this is something that remains -- you know, highly contested. There's so many other complicated reasons above all because Theresa May had called a snap election and is only able to remain in power, because the DUP, the Democratic Unionist Party in Northern Ireland supports her with 10 seats in parliament.

Now, they want to leave the European Union, but they don't want a wall going up between the two. And they don't want to be treated any differently than the other countries that remain in there.

So, it seems as we go along that there is absolutely no way. And at the end of the day, one ends up thinking of actually the best deal for everybody here would be to just simply remain in the European Union.

WATT: Well, yes. I mean that is you've taken a very long run that route to get to what is possibly the only solution. But, now, Theresa May -- I mean, are her days numbered?

Listen, she didn't want Brexit to begin with. She now having put in position of leading the country towards Brexit. The next 48 hours are key for her.

I mean, is she going to survive the 48 hours and maybe the next few months? THOMAS: Well, look, this is the thing that every 48-hour period for her seems to be a period in which she could potentially be removed.

You know, as many had said jokingly, the only reason she is still in power is that nobody really wants a position right now until we get to March of 2019 and figure out whether or not there's going to be any kind of deal and whether or not the United Kingdom is ever going to leave the European Union.

The great fear on her side, of course, is that fear of a Labour government and we could paradoxically end up if no deal goes ahead with a general election that ironically enough brings the Labour government to power.

And that is just as eager in many ways to come out of the European Union but to negotiate something closer to a single market customs union deal that may resolve the issue with the Irish border.

But certainly, as she goes back and forth to Brussels and back and forth to a cabinet and there's not a day that goes by when we're not thinking or wondering whether there's going to be some kind of vote of no-confidence or whether this will be the final end to her -- to her time in power, whether the DUP will pull out their support or not.

So, here she is again, fighting along and trying to do with this. But, of course, at the end of the day, what the greatest challenge is she needs to deal with the European Union that she can clear with her party, there's extraordinarily divided. And also at the same time, clear that deal with Parliament.

It is extraordinarily unlikely that something will come about that will meet and satisfy those three particular partners.

WATT: Dominic, thank you very much for your insight into a fraught topic.

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WATT: Now still to come, the U.S. is drawing closer to Ukraine, joining the country for military exercises.

But what will Russia think of all this?

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[00:30:00] WATT: Welcome back to CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Nick Watt with our top headlines this hour. Sources tell CNN that Saudi Arabia is ready to admit that Jamal Khashoggi was killed during an interrogation that went wrong.

The journalist has not been seen since entering the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul, two weeks ago. In a statement, his family called for an independent inquiry into his death.

And the U.S. President Donald Trump, on Monday, visited some of the areas hit hardest by Hurricane Michael. He says the first priority must be taking care of people's basic needs. The death toll from the storm stands at 19, and one estimate puts damages at between $6 and $10 billion dollars.

And Microsoft co-founder, Paul Allen, has died due to complications from cancer. The billionaire entrepreneur and philanthropist, is 65. Allen founded Microsoft with childhood friend, Bill Gates, in 1975. He also owned the NFL's Seattle Seahawks and the NBA's Portland Trailblazers.

And the U.S. Air Force is joining Ukraine for what could be the country's largest military air exercises ever. The drills are meant for strengthen Ukraine's ties to NATO but there's concern that may provoke Russia as well. CNN's Matthew Chance, reports.

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MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: This is the United States, ramping up its military support for Ukraine. These clear sky exercises the U.S. and Ukrainian war planes flying wing to wing, are meant as a show of solidarity.

With Ukraine, fighting Russian-backed rebels in the country's east, it's also a potent message to Moscow.

MAJOR GEN. DAVID BALDWIN, NATIONAL GUARD IN CALIFORNIA: As the Ukrainian security forces and their armed forces become more and more capable, it allows them to better defend the sovereignty of their country and to deal with the problems that they have, internally.

CHANCE: But isn't that immensely provocative? Aren't you worried that that could pull aviation fuel on the flames of the raging conflict?

BALDWIN: We are demonstrating our resolve, and what we're doing here is not -- certainly not as aggressive or controversial as supporting insurgents across some other countries' international boundaries.

CHANCE: But U.S. military support for Ukraine is evolving fast. In September, the country's president formally took delivery of two U.S. patrol boats to bolster Ukraine's navy. And more controversially, U.S. Javelin anti-tank missiles are now in Ukrainian hands.

They've not been used in battle yet, but Moscow says their deployment crosses a line and encourages bloodshed. It's not just the sky that's clear, but the risk of escalation too.

Well, these joint exercises are just the latest sign of the dramatic changes that have taken place in U.S. policy towards Ukraine. The old reservations about ramping up tensions with Moscow seemed to have receded into the background, while the new policy of training and arming Ukraine has really started to take off.

U.S. officials say their support is a response to Moscow's meddling. The U.S. Embassy in Ukraine, posting a link to these drone images earlier this month. They showed military vehicles driving in and out of Ukraine, from Russia, according to international monitors. Moscow must stop providing deadly weapons under the cover of night to its proxies in eastern Ukraine, the Embassy said on Twitter. It is a diplomatic balancing act for the U.S. ambassador, grappling with what critics say is confusion in the Trump administration towards Ukraine.

On the one hand, you're arming the countries we discussed, and on the other hand, President Trump has, on occasion, spoken about -- spoken in -- in what has been described as a differential way towards Russia and towards Vladimir Putin. Do you believe that America resending mixed messages when it comes to Ukraine?

[00:35:00] MARIE YOVANOVITCH, U.S. AMBASSADOR TO UKRAINE: Well, I look at our policy. And I think our policy is getting -- is a pretty good one, towards Ukraine, and is -- it's getting stronger. So, we are providing assistance as you described. And I think we're on the path to providing more assistance on the security side in this coming fiscal year.

More assistance, more training, more weapons, the trumpeting, you could say, are the dangerous new era. Matthew Chance, CNN, in Western Ukraine.

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WATT: The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, AKA Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, embark on their first overseas tour and announced some big news, a baby is on the way. But will health concerns force them to cut their trip, short? We'll go live to London, for the latest.

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[00:40:00] WATT: The British royal family has a new member on the way. Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have announced that they are expecting their first child. The two had just touched down in Australia for their first overseas tour as a married couple, when the news broke.

Statement from Kensington Palace said the baby is expected springtime, next year. Now, the couple wed just five months ago, in a starry ceremony at Windsor Castle. And our Anna Stewart joins me now live from London, with the latest. Anna, baby, very exciting.

ANNA STEWART, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Thank goodness, Nick. We're all suffering a bit of, you know, post-royal wedding blues, we needed a little lift. And this baby is due around the same time as Brexit's, so something to get excited about for the next year.

And, of course, the whole world has gone crazy. The royal couple are on a special tour of Australia, and they go to New Zealand and Hungary and all sorts (INAUDIBLE) but everyone is looking for that first shot of a baby bump. And we think we've seen it already, a very small bump, I'd say, as the Duchess of Sussex was walking around Sydney, earlier today.

But, certainly, a bump, nonetheless, and this baby may be months and months and months from its due date but it's already getting gifts. It's been given, so far, from the director general of Australia, I think of a little tiny pair of boots, as well as a kangaroo, with joey.

Can only hope that the couple actually brought an extra suitcase because I imagine they're going to get a load of gifts on this trip. They got 16 days in total, 76 official engagements, so it's going to keep them busy.

WATT: And they're in Australia now, they're supposed to go to Fiji and Tonga. Zika, as we lauded to just before the break, is that going to be an issue, is the health stuff going to be a problem, are they going to have to cut their trip short?

STEWART: So, Fiji and Tonga certainly have moderate Zika risk. And we've been told that the couple are aware of this. They have sought all the advice necessary, but they're currently not planning to change that trip at all. They've obviously had much more time to report the news of their upcoming baby more than we have.

So, they obviously have sought all the correct advice, but yes, they will be going to those countries and taking all the right precautions.

WATT: And first overseas trip as a married couple as we mentioned. They're in Australia. The Aussies love the royals, love a bit of Harry, how's it going?

STEWART: The Aussies do love a bit of the royals. And let me tell you, you might not know this lady, Daphne Dunne, she's 98 years old. She's a war widow. Her husband was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross. And she is possibly the biggest royal fan in the world.

She's met Prince Harry twice, she's madly in love with him and she got to see him again, today, with his new wife, who's obviously now expecting a baby, and she was terribly excited. She got a hug. She also stole that time for a good 10 minutes so (INAUDIBLE) really got the chance after that, but very excited.

And the Duchess of Sussex added, Nick, that next time they come and see Daphne, they hope to bring their little one along, as well. Now, this trip, in many ways, actually echoes that of Prince Charles and Princess Diana because they went to Australia, as one of their first royal tours.

And actually, today, Princess Diana was, in many ways, present, because the Duchess was wearing a pair of earrings and a bracelet from Diana's collection. It was a really nice touch on such a special day.

WATT: And the -- I'm not really one for fashion, but they were -- looked like sleeves pushed up on some kind of trench coat.

STEWART: Very good, Nick. And, let me tell you, a very diplomatic choice of dress, white and fitted, which was important, we actually got to see the bump, but also an Australian designer called, I've lost it now, Karen G, I believe, an Australian designer, so very diplomatic, but with a Princess Diana touches. WATT: Excellent, Anna Stewart, in London. Thank you very much for all of that. Now, back to the U.S., the White House is not only the home and office of the president of the United States, it also serves as a bit of a museum and art gallery, featuring many displays of past American leaders.

That collection now includes this sumptuous oil, it's called the Republican club, and it's by Andy Thomas. It depicts a spelt Donald Trump sipping a Diet Coke and sharing a laugh with former presidents, among them, Ronald Reagan, Richard Nixon, and Abraham Lincoln.

And yes, it's actually been hanging on a wall in the White House. It was spotted in the background during a Trump television interview that aired, Sunday.

Thanks for watching CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Nick Watt. Stay tuned now for "WORLD SPORT". You're watching CNN.

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