Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Newsroom

President Trump Mocks Former Navy SEAL; Chicago Mourns for an Officer's Death; Too Late the Hero for Facebook; Possible Flash Floods on the Watch in California; A Man Brutally Murdered his Whole Family. Aired 3-4a ET

Aired November 20, 2018 - 03:00   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[03:00:00] MAX FOSTER, CNN HOST: As he usually foes, the U.S. president doubles down. Donald Trump once again insulting a top military leader who does criticize him. This time is the retired admiral who masterminded the rain that captured Osama bin Laden.

Plus, cleaning up the devastation. The rain is forecast for wildfire ravaged Northern California but experts are warning they may bring a new set of dangers.

And a young girl sold on Facebook. We'll tell you about the online auction for a child bride destroying outrage worldwide.

I want to welcome our viewers watching from the United States and all around the world. I'm Max Foster, live from London, and this is CNN Newsroom.

Well, Donald Trump says he loves the U.S. military but he's manage to find himself in the crosshairs once again after another misfire directed at the armed forces. This time he's going after the architect of the raid that killed Osama bin Laden.

CNN's Barbara Starr reports now from the Pentagon.

BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Commander-in-chief Donald Trump verbally assaulting retired four-star Admiral William McRaven, the navy SEAL who led the dangerous mission that killed Osama bin Laden.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: He's a Hillary Clinton backer and an Obama backer, and frankly--

CHRIS WALLACE, FOX NEWS HOST: He was a navy SEAL for 37--

(CROSSTALK)

TRUMP: -- wouldn't it be nice if we got Osama bin Laden sooner?

(END VIDEO CLIP) STARR: McRaven commanding Covert operations around the world including SEAL Team Six and the army's Delta Force, including troops who helped capture Saddam Hussein and rescue Captain Richard Phillip is from Somali pirates.

McRaven is not backing down in the face of President Trump's words, telling CNN, "I stand by my comments that the president's attack on the media is the greatest threat to democracy in my lifetime."

Trump then doubling tweeting, "Of course, we should have captured Osama bin Laden long before we did." Trump apparently furious about an August op-ed in which McRaven defended former CIA director John Brennan after Trump revoked Brennan's security clearance, writing, "I would consider it an honor if you would revoke my security clearance as well."

Despite the insults, the president's defenders say he always puts the military first.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KELLYANNE CONWAY, WHITE HOUSE SENIOR ADVISOR: No president has greater respect for the military and the veterans.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

STARR: But another four-star Special Operation commander fired by President Obama defended McRaven against Trump.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

STANLEY MCCHRYSTAL, RETIRED U.S. ARMY: The president is simply wrong.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

STARR: And raise the issue why the president did not visit Arlington Cemetery this past Veterans Day.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MCCHRYSTAL: Maybe that's honest because if you really don't care, it be would be a dishonest to pretend that you do.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

STARR: But the president says in the future, he will go.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: You know, in retrospect, I should have and I did last year. And I will virtually every year.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

STARR: President Trump's insult to military heroes go back to the 2016 presidential campaign. Attacking John McCain who spent more than five years as a POW in North Vietnam.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: He's not a war hero.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He's a war hero.

TRUMP: He's a war hero--

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Five and a half years is--

(CROSSTALK)

TRUMP: He's a war hero because he was captured. I like people that weren't captured, OK, I hate to tell you.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

STARR: And as a candidate criticizing gold star parents.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KHIZR KHAN, GOLD STAR FATHER: you have sacrificed nothing.

(APPLAUSE)

KHAN: And no one.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

STARR: Especially a mother whose son was killed in Iraq.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: If you look at his wife, she was standing there, she had nothing to say, she probably maybe she wasn't allowed to have anything to say, you tell me.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

STARR: Barbara Starr, CNN, the Pentagon.

FOSTER: All right. Joining me here in London, professor of international politics at City University, Inderjeet Parmar. Thank you very much for joining us.

So, what was your reaction first of all to the reaction you had from Donald Trump most recently in relation to a very well-respected member of the military?

INDERJEET PARMAR, PROFESSOR, CITY UNIVERSITY IN LONDON: Well, President Trump classically does this. he tries to divert attention from the story. And what McRaven was saying in this article and then later on was that Trump had attacked press freedom, he's attacked Democratic rights broadly and he has damaged America's international reputation. And that is what President Trump wants to try to move away from. By

labelling him a Democrat and not a military person. And they're sort of besmearing his record by raising the issue of Bin Laden's death, for example.

FOSTER: Which is the strategy he has used throughout his campaign and his presidency.

PARMAR: Yes.

FOSTER: If you're not with me, you're against me.

PARMAR: Right.

FOSTER: But also, this idea of distraction.

PARMAR: Yes, absolutely. I think the kind of sand in your eye strategy is something which he is very, very skilled at. And he gets the conversation shifted around away from the original question which is really that he's an authoritarian, kind of almost a president beyond and above everything.

[03:05:03] He's not even loyal to the Republican Party which has been be behind him for much of the time.

FOSTER: Many people argue very smart as well, the way he manages to control the agenda.

PARMAR: Absolutely. He knows how to shift the narrative. But on the other hand, in the end I think he's trying to suggest that party identification is the most important thing about this. And even there I think he could well be on more and more stand on thinner ice as we approach 2020. Because a lot of people are getting, including Republicans are getting more and more wary by his attacks on key institutions like the military.

FOSTER: Well, the military in particular, obviously held very dear to Republicans and Democrats of course, but particularly to Republicans in politics tradition, so do you think he's crossed the line here by attack members of the military? Especially very well-regarded ones like this gentleman.

PARMAR: Well, I think his main aim is really that he's loyal to nothing. He's loyal to no one except to himself and flattering is base. So, he will come out fighting against anyone who raises a voice against him. And as a result of that and the military is generally speaking, those highly regarded institution in the United States for obvious reasons.

And I think at a certain point, we don't know whether it is going to be that sort of patience with him among Republican voters is probably going to wear thin, because his base, which is his principal object has been withering away.

If you look at the last congressional elections, it could be that the Democrats have got 232 seats in the House. That means they won something like 39 seats. And I think a lot of people estimated that if you win between 30 and 50 seats you had a very, very good run in the midterms.

FOSTER: So, you're not reflecting there the success that the Republicans had in the Senate.

PARMAR: Yes. That is true. He held on but on the other hand, that was probably likely to happen because there were more Democratic seats which were up as opposed to Republican ones. But in 2020, the situation will be very, very different.

FOSTER: You have suggested that perhaps Donald Trump was on point with the national mood in the last election but he could be moving away from it now.

PARMAR: yes.

FOSTER: What do you base that on?

PARMAR: Well, I think to some extent, if you like, the personality of the president which challenge the entire established political system up to 2016 as a responsible for a deep crisis of a broken America, of a kind of catastrophe which had occurred, I think that mood, he captured in a big way. The people were upset with the Democratic Party and Republican Party.

On the other hand, they were looking for big solutions, there were looking for, if you, a kind of big shift in American society which would enable people to achieve that American dream they believed they were being deprived of by big powerful institutions like Wall Street and so on.

But he hasn't really revived that at all. The levels of credibility and legitimacy of the American political system broadly speaking have not been restored by President Trump at all. His base loves him. But even his base or element of his base are hemorrhaging away.

FOSTER: One of his great attack points was -- you know, it comes after the Democratic line as well, where he would attack Hillary Clinton on her use of private e-mails for public work and she -- he would use that as a basis to call her a criminal.

PARMAR: Right.

FOSTER: What do you make of the latest sort of, revelations that his daughter has been using--

PARMAR: Yes.

FOSTER: -- her private e-mail account for public work as well?

PARMAR: Yes. One of the key things about President Trump and the whole administration is that, there is a kind of sense that which the Trump family now owns the American government. And to some extent that feeds into therefore a blurring of the lines between the Trump organization and the American system of government itself. But in doing -- in raising this issue now, with Ivanka Trump, for

example, and then talking about Hillary Clinton's private sever, private e-mail server, effectively what you raise is this whole idea among the establishment politics is that there is a blurring of the line.

The American -- when an American president is elected, they bring in several thousands of their best friends into the government and they do kind of take control of the government. And that's not new under President Trump. The Clinton dynasty has been doing that for a little while too.

But I think this shows there's a kind of underlying contradiction here. But he does raise the issue that -- there's more to it than just the Trump, as Donald Trump family here. That there is a kind of history in the past of a big American families--

FOSTER: OK.

PARMAR: -- taking control of the government.

FOSTER: Professor Inderjeet Parmar, thank you very much indeed for joining us today.

PARMAR: Thank you.

FOSTER: Now the White House is backing down meanwhile from a legal fight to abruptly deciding to restore the press pass of CNN's chief White House correspondent Jim Acosta. This came just hours after CNN asked for an emergency court hearing because the administration had again threatened to revoke Acosta's pass.

[03:09:57] Also on Monday, the White House detailed new rules for reporters at presidential press conferences, journalists will each be allowed one question and only the president or his aides can decide if follow-ups will be permitted.

A judge has temporarily blocked President Trump's order that bans asylum application from anyone who was sent to the U.S. illegally. The aim of the order was to stop large numbers of immigrants from the so- called caravan from crossing the border.

Thousands from that caravan are now waiting at the border in Tijuana, Mexico while the U.S. border patrol temporarily closed their port of entry in San Diego, California. The judge's restraining order will remain in effect until December 19th.

Parts of fires scorched California face a new threat now, possible flooding and mudslides from heavy rains forecast for later this week. At least 82 people have died from the wildfires in northern and southern California. And nearly 700 are still listed as missing.

Since the fires erupted on November 8th, they've scorched more than 151,000 acres. That's about 611 square kilometers. North of Sacramento, entire neighborhoods have been reduced to ashes from the so-called Camp Fire. It's now about 70 percent contained but fire officials warn it could continue burning for several more weeks.

The thick smoke from the wildfires is making simply breathing a hazard there. The air quality in San Francisco, Stockton and Sacramento is now so -- is now so bad that the city has suddenly being listed as the world's three most polluted, worse than China or even India.

CNN's Paul Vercammen is in a burned-out Northern California town, the town of Paradise.

PAUL VERCAMMEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Tonight, the death toll rising in the incinerated wreckage of Paradise and there more than 15,000 structures obliterated. The search for remains is unlike any in California history.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DAN NEWMAN, TEAM CAPTAIN, BUTTE COUNTY SHERIFF'S SEARCH AND RESCUE TEAM: This is the largest -- the largest search and rescue operation in California ever. And there were over 500 search and rescue volunteers from all over California. And that's just unprecedented.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VERCAMMEN: The number of people unaccounted for is down from more than 1,200 to under a thousand. The authorities are trying to whittle down that list as survives are found.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KORY HONEA, SHERIFF, BUTTE COUNTY, CALIFORNIA: This is still raw data, my objective of finding progress or moving forward over perfection I think is still the better course of action, even though the numbers in many cases seem quite daunting.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VERCAMMEN: Those displaced in camping and area parking lots are now spreading out to shelters ahead of predicted rain.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SCOTT MCLEAN, DEPUTY FIRE CHIEF, CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF FORESTRY AND FIRE PROTECTION: Unfortunately, believe it or not, yes, unfortunately, we have some rain coming in.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VERCAMMEN: Four to six inches of rain desperately needed before the fires that officials fear will now cause mudslides and debris flow.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MCLEAN: It will pretty much diminish a lot of those flames that have taken place right now. However, it's not -- it will impose a hazard to the firefighters because back there on dirt trails and dirt trails trying to fight this fire, now it's going to turn into mud which is another hazard for them to contend with.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VERCAMMEN: Still out of the devastation, more dramatic rescue stories. A bus driver a few months on the job shuttled two teachers and 22 elementary school children to safety and rescued a third teacher along the way. A five-hour odyssey through walls of flames.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHARLOTTE MERZ, STUDENT: There were like fires left and right. Everywhere you look there was like smoke everywhere. And people trying to get out.

KEVIN MCKAY, SCHOOL BUS DRIVER: It was time to go. It is much worse than we've ever seen, so let's get the kids that are here left and let's get them out of here.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VERCAMMEN: Cal Fire estimates 80 to 90 percent of the homes destroyed in Paradise, California. The bus driver, the fourth grader, one of the teachers all lost their homes.

Paul Vercammen, CNN, Paradise, California.

FOSTER: Meteorologist Ivan Cabrera joins us now with more on the weather conditions in California. Ivan?

IVAN CABRERA, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Max, we continue to see better containment. But as we heard there it is not completely out. Of course, we're at 65 percent, now we're at 70 percent, so we're doing better. We need some rainfall. That would be great good it came as far as any light rain, that would be fantastic. Unfortunately, it's not going to come that way.

I talk about that specifically here. Although there's 61,218 acres burned. Obviously, we've been talking about the worst the most destructive fire in California. And Max, as you've been mentioning, the worst air quality as we've seen. This actually believe it or not, at a level four now is an improvement to where we were.

We had some level five which takes us to very unhealthy as far as the air quality last week, one of the worse that San Francisco folks have ever seen there.

So, this is what I was alluding to. Look at the rain coming in. It's not going to be a light rain. It's going to be heavy rain and it is going to be falling on that carved landscape.

And I'll show you what that is going to do as we head into Friday as well. Another batch of heavy rain is going to be moving in. And this may continue heading into early next week. It's not unusual to get into these wetter patterns here in California, we are in that season.

[03:15:00] What is unusual of course is such a destructive fire so late in the season that has been happening more and more through the last several decades here.

A 126 millimeters of rainfall. That is not going to be good. If that actually happens and we think we have pretty good idea that it will as far as the heavy rainfall, we could be looking at quite an event here as far as mudslides because those hectares of 60-plus thousand hectares that have burned here.

So, flood watchers are in effect and folks for bracing for water that is going to fall on this. No vegetation where is the water going? And because of the topography, because you're talking about hills and mountains here, that is all going to follow down into the valleys those burn scars are going to be there.

And of course, because of the recent fires now we have even more so. We had this last year and we actually lost a lot of people as a result of this. So, this is a big threat and it comes when you talk about heavy rainfall on top of what we've already had over the last several weeks which has been, well, a lot of landscape just completely gone. Paradise, California basically erased.

Look at this, the forecast, something we haven't seen in quite some time, rain, Max, continues Wednesday and these will come in some significant bursts of rainfall. I think on Friday we'll have another one as well. So, turning rainy and windy in California. Adding the mudslide threats now on top of what we already have. Max?

FOSTER: Yes. Of course, with everyone involved with the rescue and living there as well. Ivan, thank you. To find out how you can help the victims of the California wildfires, head to our web site at CNN.com/impact. You'll find a list of vetted charities helping those in the most need.

Now Facebook is facing yet another controversy after a child bride who was reportedly sold off by her family on the social network. Now human rights groups are demanding an investigation and action.

Plus, a police officer is among three people killed in a hospital shooting in Chicago. Details on what apparently sparked the attack.

[03:20:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

FOSTER: Facebook is under fire for failing to prevent a teenage girl from being auctioned off as a bride on the social network. It happened in South Sudan where selling of child brides is not new by any means. But in this case, activists said Facebook didn't police itself well enough to keep this from happening.

CNN's David McKenzie is following this story from Johannesburg. And as we're saying, it's not unusual this practice but it is in such an open way on social media.

DAVID MCKENZIE, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, there's a horrible use of technology. And the barbaric use of technology, that's the word from a major NGO that under covered this plan international. In the eastern part of South Sudan in what is a war torn and impoverished section of that country, this young girl, reportedly 16, auctioned off by her father on Facebook.

It seems even local officials were in the bidding process in the end this young woman against her will, the father received 500 cows, three cars and $10,000 for selling his own daughter.

A horrific story in South Sudan and Facebook has come in. They took several days before they shut down that auction after it was already completed saying, quote, "Any form of human trafficking with the posts and pages and ads or group is not allowed on Facebook. We removed the post and permanently disabled the account belonging to the person who posted to Facebook."

So, Max, certainly, another hit for the social network where it has been seen that human trafficking is rife on Facebook and it's very hard for them to stamp this out.

FOSTER: The concern being that if this was allowed to happen and encouraged almost, then it would encourage more people to put their daughters up because they would get more money by opening up the market more for the dowries.

MCKENZIE: It's horrible way to put it, but it's exactly right, Max. You're right. And that is a worry from NGOs and charities in the U.N. working in South Sudan, that this just could provide a greater access to an existing problem.

More than half of young girls in South Sudan are married before the age of 18 despite it being illegal in that country. Many of them are effectively sold for dowries. So, this is not a new concept in South Sudan and other parts of Africa and elsewhere in the world.

What the social network in this case, Facebook has done is expanded those options for people who may be desperate for money or food. But in this case, it doesn't appear to be someone who is in that category because of course they had access to Facebook and at the very least the mobile phone to make the sale of their own daughter. Max?

FOSTER: OK. David, thank you.

A Colorado man will spend the rest of his life in prison for murdering his pregnant wife and two young daughters. The prosecutors said it was apparent that Chris Watts has found a new love interest but it wasn't clear why divorce wasn't an option for him.

He pleaded guilty to murdering his wife, Shannan, 4-year-old Bella, and 3-year-old Celeste and disposing of their bodies at a secluded site where he worked. The judge called the murders inhumane and vicious. Prosecutors didn't pursue the death penalty with the approval of Shannon Watts family. Her father spoke for the devastated family.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

FRANK RZUCEK, SHANANN WATTS' FATHER: Life will never be the same without Shannan and Celeste and Nikko. They had all of their lives to live. They were taken by a heartless one. This is the heartless one, the evil monster who dare you take the lives of my daughter Shannan, Bella and Celeste and Nikko. I trusted you to take care of them, not kill them. And they also trusted you. The heartless monster and then you take them out like trash. You disgust me.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[03:24:55] FOSTER: Watts' parents had previously defended their son but later withdrew those remarks, saying they will never get over this.

Three people are dead after a man lifting fire at a hospital in Chicago. The shooter is also dead. Police say it started as a domestic dispute which quickly turned violent.

Ryan Young reports now from Chicago.

RYAN YOUNG, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: It was 3.30 in the afternoon Monday when offices had responded to Mercy hospital. There was a man in the parking lot that had argument with a woman pulled a gun and shot and killed her. Then started opening fire and hitting another man and hitting a woman coming out of an elevator.

At that point an officer responded, he was also shot, we know the Officer Jimenez died from his injuries. It's been a tough day for these folks here in Chicago. In fact, listen to the mayor about the pain of talking to that officer's family.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MAYOR RAHM EMANUEL, (D) CHICAGO: In span of a few hours, the superintendent and I have seen the emotional highs and the emotional lows of the Chicago Police Department family.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

YOUNG: We learned Officer Jimenez was shot and killed, he died from his injury after trying to respond to stop that shooter. The mayor talked about the idea that not only the city loses a doctor but also pharmaceutical assistant in the shooting, so you can understand the pain that the city is going through at this point as they continue this investigation.

Ryan Young, CNN, Chicago.

FOSTER: Well, we are -- could see of a full report on what the U.S. knows about the killing of Jamal Khashoggi and what President Trump is saying about the role of the Saudi crown prince ahead for you.

Plus, Khashoggi's murder could impact the war in Yemen. The latest on the peace talks there coming up.

[03:30:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MAX FOSTER, CNN NEWSROOM HOST: Welcome back to our viewers in the United States and around the world. You are watching CNN Newsroom, I'm Max Foster with the headlines this hour. Donald Trump is taking heat for his criticism of the military commander of the raid that killed Osama Bin Laden. The U.S. president told Admiral William McRaven, a Hillary Clinton backer, dismissing criticism from the admiral and he says the U.S. should have called Bin Laden sooner.

Heavy rains this week could bring a new threat to fire ravage part of California, officials warn the rain could trigger floods and mudslides on the hillsides, burn clear of everything. The death toll from the Woolsey fire in the Northern and Southern California has now risen to 82. At least 699 people are still listed as missing.

U.S. financial markets are hoping to recover from the Dow Jones loss of nearly 400 points on Monday. Apple, Amazon, Facebook, and Netflix drive down the NASDAQ by 3 percent and the best that worries the continued trade talks between the U.S. and China appear to be making little headway.

President Trump is promising a full report on the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, were expecting it in the coming hours. Jeremy says it's ready to ban 18 Saudis allegedly linked to the case as sources tell CNN the CIA thinks the Saudi Crown Prince is responsible for the murder. Our CNN's Alex Marquardt reports Mr. Trump doesn't sound convinced.

(BEGIN VIDEO)

ALEXANDER MARQUARDT, SENIOR NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT, CNN: Yet again, the president, raising doubts about his own intelligence agency's conclusions. Sources tell CNN the CIA now believes Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman known as MBS personally ordered the killing of Washington Post journalist, Jamal Khashoggi. But President Trump says he doubts that because of MBS's repeated denials that he played any role.

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: He told me that he had nothing to do with it. He told me that I would say maybe five times at different points to what is as recently as a few days ago.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What if he is lying?

TRUMP: Well anybody really know? Right, will anybody really know?

MARQUARDT: Part of what the CIA examined was the infamous audio recording from inside the consulate when Khashoggi was murdered and dismembered. A recording the president says he doesn't want to listen to.

TRUMP: It's a suffering tape. It's a terrible tape. I've been fully briefed on it and there's no reason for me to hear. Like I said to the people, should I? They said you really shouldn't. There is no reason. I know exactly, I know everything that went on the tape.

MARQUARDT: On his way to visit the aftermath of the California wildfires over the weekend the president offered up a likely explanation for his defense of the Crown Prince.

TRUMP: We also have a great ally Saudi Arabia, they give us a lot of jobs and they give us a lot of business, a lot of economic development.

MARQUARDT: Republicans in Congress are splitting from the president. Many believe there is no doubt that MBS was behind it and want to hold them to account.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think the evidence is overwhelming that the crown prince was involved.

SEN. LINDSEY GRAHAM, (R), SOUTH CAROLINA: I believe from day one that 15 people 18. Whatever the number was they don't get onto airplanes go to Turkey and chop a guy in the consulate who is a critic of the Crown Prince without the crown prince having known about it and sanctioned it.

MARQUARDT: In this morning MBS's father, King Salman spoke publicly for the first time since Jamal Khashoggi death, as the crown prince listened and the audience became heaped praise on him and never directly address the murder or mentioned Khashoggi by name.

Now the U.S. has taken some action in response to the killing of Khashoggi. They have imposed sanctions on 17 Saudis accused of being behind that horrific murder, as well as the stopping of the refueling of Saudi planes in the war in Yemen, while also calling for a cease- fire, but for many lawmakers, Democrats and Republicans alike. That's not enough, and they fear that with Trump again seeming to not believe the intelligence community that he's not ready to go any farther. Alex Marquardt, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEO)

FOSTER: Now a talk on cease-fire does not seem to stop the fighting in Yemen. The Saudi-back government has agreed to take part in a new round of U.N. sponsored peace talks. So how about Iran back Houthi rebels. If all goes well that could happen in the coming weeks or may not be well if Houthi aligns. News agency says there was fighting in these two promises on Monday. Separately, the Saudi King has told his country's advisory body that he support the political solution in Yemen, but demand the international community reigning Iran. CNN's Bed Wedeman, has a look now as a potential peace in Yemen and why Jamal Khashoggi murder could be a factor in that.

(BEGIN VIDEO)

BEN WEDEMAN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: It is a slight glimmer of hope for a country ravaged by war, disease and hunger. Monday the Houthi rebels declared that they will halt their missile and drone strikes on Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and their Yemeni allies. This comes after the Saudi led coalition declared it was halting its military operations in and around the Houthi held port of Hodeida through much of the country's food and goods past.

[03:35:10] The Yemeni war is seen as the brainchild of 33-year-old Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman and that war has left thousands dead and the country's population threatened by starvation and disease. Now, United Nations special envoy for Yemen Martin Griffiths is hoping to be able to resume peace talks with the warring parties. Those talks are set to resume sometime before the end of the year in Sweden.

Meanwhile, the U.S. is suspended in air refueling of Saudi aircraft over Yemen and Germany has declared its halting all arms sales to the kingdom and is also slapped the travel ban on 18 Saudi suspected of involvement in the murder of Khashoggi. Old friends of the kingdom aren't quite as friendly as they once were, Ben Wedeman, CNN, Beirut.

(END VIDEO)

FOSTER: It is where things stand right now in the Yemen conflict for you then. Everything you see here in red is held by the Houthi rebels, including the capital Sanaa and the critical part of Hodeida. Saudi backed German forces control for more territory. Everything you see in blue and as you heard, Ben say there are that the besieging Hodeida currently.

Since the war in Yemen began three a half years ago. Some 66,000 people have been killed or injured, the lack of food and functioning health facilities also are taking severe tolls on the population. World Health Organization says more than 22 million people need help in an also suffering under severe outbreak of cholera with more than 10,000 suspected new cases reported each week. Well the situation in Yemen is absolutely dire for so many people as you can imagine, but if you'd like to help famine victims there, you can link to various organizations through our website. Just look at Yemen under cnnimpactyourworld.

Despite crisis after crisis, Britain's Prime Minister vows to keep fighting for her Brexit plan. Ahead, what Theresa May is facing in the coming days from the cabinet and from her parliament and one of the titans in the automotive industry has been placed under arrest, details of the crimes that may sound says is Chairman committed, coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

FOSTER: Just in to CNN, the leader of Yemen's Houthi rebels is dismissing a new U.N. Security Council draft resolution as disappointing. Mohammed Ali Houthis says peace talks were work by binding resolution of the American and Saudis are watching down the language. The U.K. has been pushing a Yemen cease-fire deal at the U.N. Security Council. Houthi says he holds the Security Council responsible for continued aggression on there have been no pause in the fighting.

Now one of the highest auto executives in the world will soon be out of a job. Nissan accuses its chairman Carlos Ghosn of what it calls significant financial wrongdoing. He and another top executive are arrested on Monday. Prosecutors say he made nearly $90 million and only half and he reported half of that. Ghosn heads up the auto alliance that includes Nissan, Renault and Mitsubishi all of which took its almost walked on a Monday.

Let us take a look at the fallout, Ana Stewart joins us now, extraordinary for from grace if it all turns out to be true because this is you know, Ghosn, he is a living legend, not just in the car industry but in industry generally.

ANNA STEWART, CNN PRODUCER: He's the linchpin, he turned around to failing car companies, Renault and Nissan and turn them into extraordinarily successful companies. Probably the most successful car alliance in the world. And he is really well respected in the industry. This was shocking and actually yesterday that press conference at the Nissan, he's work on for many, many years. It was really emotional, he said, he thought what that meant shock, humiliation. You know it was tangible how shock everyone in the room was. And yes, they all analyst around the world.

FOSTER: How much is the actual charges? Would you know he's been arrested now?

STEWART: It is not confirmed by Japanese prosecutors. Arrested by the other director at Nissan in collaboration they underreported the Carlos Ghosn salary by over 40 million dollars. In addition to that from the internal investigation in Nissan, we know there were numerous significant acts of misconduct which included using business assets for personal use.

FOSTER: Has he had a chance to dispute it?

STEWART: We haven't heard from him because he's in jail. Now, what happens next, is once he's indicted, he can ask for bail, but they can keep him for 10 days before being indicted and they can extend that by another 10 days. We don't yet know maximum penalty, just for the misreporting of the financial report, is up to 10 years in jail time and up to 90,000 dollars.

FOSTER: So many questions arise. At least why he would do it if indeed he did it when he's paid so handsomely.

STEWART: tens of millions of dollars Max.

FOSTER: Away from that, he's an absolute success story, what he's done with the company is remarkable and going to be a huge amount of concern for people that work in the companies. Even customers of those companies about what happens to the organization?

STEWART: Well, he's overseen an alliance that has almost half billion employees. Just imagine that. This is huge. Three companies needs to decide what to do next. We just had from the French government, they're major stake holder of Renault, he is actually CEO as well as chairman. They said they need an interim leader now. Obviously cannot lead the company as is. But all this board needs to decide what to go going forward. Nissan CEO says yesterday, he is proposing hid remove as chairman from Nissan. That whole meeting doesn't happen until Thursday. Mitsubishi, Renault board meets later this evening.

FOSTER: In terms after share prices, not much chance to react, but there has been a reaction?

STEWART: There has, I mean yesterday this opens after the Japanese stocks closed. Yesterday we had a reaction from Renault, one said it was down 15 percent. And since then of course, Nissan, Mitsubishi open overnight for us both down significantly up to 6 percent down.

FOSTER: In terms of the legal process, what happens there, are we likely to hear from him directly or will it be through his lawyers?

STEWART: I think at this stage, I think it will through his lawyers, I hope we get a statement from him to try to get his side, because it is very hard, he's an industry titan. We interviewed him from CNN a million times. It would be nice to hear his side of the story, but it is a very damning report from Nissan.

FOSTER: It does show as well what sort of structures work within the industry, because three massive empires entirely dependent -- not entirely dependent, largely dependent on one man, particularly when he helped build them or rebuild them.

STEWART: It is the issue of corporate governance. And the Nissan CEO actually said in the press conference yesterday that too much power was concentrated in just one pair of hands, very capable pair of hands when in terms of industry, but corporate governments certainly in question here.

[03:45:03] FOSTER: Ana, thank you, we will be back with you when we hear from either side involve there. In about an hour meanwhile, the British Prime Minister will hold her first cabinet meeting since last week's emergency session on the draft Brexit deal. Theresa May spoke to Britain's business lobby on Monday and vowed to fight for the deal, even though members of her own Party are trying oust her.

Meanwhile the government pass, publish economic forecast, for the Brexit scenarios, the draft deal and the free-trade agreement and the no-deal scenario. CNN's Bianca Nobilo is at 10 Downing Street joining me now with the latest in the cold there, trying to work out how to explain all of this to the wider world. But what matters about today? What are you looking for?

BIANCA NOBILO, CNN PRODUCER: Well, I think paramount importance, this is something that happened last night. Bear with me, because our international viewers are probably aware that the government at the moment is propped up by the Democratic Unionist Party. So, when Theresa May lost her majority at the last election in 2017, in order to function as a government, she struck a confidence supply deal with the DUP and she relies on those 10 M.P.'s to get any kind of business through government. That essential vote, the most fundamental thing such as the budget.

Now last night, because the DUP aren't happy with the way the Prime Minister is handling Brexit and specifically the matters relating to Northern Ireland in her Brexit plan, they actually abstained and then voted with the opposition party. Now why is this significant? It is significant, because it shows that this confidence in the supply arrangement, the way that the British government is currently functioning is falling apart at the seams.

And the DUP had said that they're not in the mood to play ball essentially if the Prime Minister is not going to do the same and respect the integrity of the United Kingdom. They feel they're being treated differently in these draft Brexit deal. Now, the next thing that is important today as you mentioned, the Prime Minister's new cabinet with some fresh faces and some familiar faces meeting for the first time behind me this morning. This is the cabinet that is supposed to make sure that Brexit is executed in the way the Prime Minister wants it to, but it is still rife with division.

So even though she had a new Brexit secretary, somebody who did vote leave, he is considered to be not a particularly influential character in these negotiations. He is going to focusing more on no deal planning and domestic preparations for Brexit. He still has to manage these divisions, Max, because over the weekend her chief Brexiteers in cabinet met to discuss how they could still change the Prime Minister's draft deal. And this is a critical week for her. She is going back to Brussels to try and finally get the rubber stamp on this draft Brexit text which has taken so long to negotiate Max. So, load it safe for a moment. The way -- yes, go ahead.

FOSTER: The specific part of the deal, they want to change is about the Northern Ireland backstop, right?

NOBILO: Yes, most of the issues that Brexiteers and the DUP have what Theresa May's draft Brexit deal revolve around this issue on how to avoid hard border in Northern Ireland. In its current form, the way that would be done, would be that the entire U.K. would stay in customs union with the E.U. until another solution can be found or there would be an extension of the transition period, something which Brexiteers don't want to see happen at all. In fact, in that draft Brexit text which the Prime Minister has presented to her cabinet, it said the transition could be extended to 20x while seeing that would strikes fear into the heart of Brexiteers who are worried that Brexit will keep being delayed. So it is this issue of how to avoid the hard border in Northern Ireland which continues to be the main sticking point, not just for the Prime Minister Brexit fund, but now indeed for the very functioning of her government.

FOSTER: Long day ahead for the Prime Minister and Bianca. Thank you very much for joining us from Downing Street. U.S. President Donald Trump comments about preventing forest fires has spark a new social media circus. Posting of plans to rake America great again. How that is supposed to work, just ahead.

[03:50:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

FOSTER: Some video here. A hot air balloon accident in Myanmar. It is from the opening night of the festival for hot air balloons and fireworks competitions. The balloon flight started out well. But it suddenly became engulf in flames and plunged into the ground, shooting sparks in every direction. As you can see. CNN affiliate Sky net said no one was killed, but some people were injured, which is amazing escape.

Some scary images from Guatemala where the Mount Fuego volcano is erupting. For thousands people who live near the volcano, being evacuated, Mount Fuego is one of the world's most active volcano. This is the fifth eruption just this year. The President of Finland says he doesn't recall discussing raking

forest to prevent fires when he met U.S. president Donald Trump. Mr. Trump told a completely different stories and here's Phil Black with the story.

(BEGIN VIDEO)

PHIL BLACK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Even in these divided times, we could usually all agree, you shouldn't make jokes about wildfires. Then Donald Trump stood amid the destruction in California and offered a theory on how it all happened. Well, not his theory, he said.

TRUMP: I was with the President of Finland. And he said we have -- we have a much different, we're a forest nation. He called it a forest nation and they spend a lot of time on raking and cleaning and doing things. They don't have any problem. When it is, it is a small problem.

BLACK: The citizens quickly answered the call to rake America great again. Spreading the message on social media, #RAGA, #rakenews. This Alaskans got to worked in their pajamas. This rake was seen keeping South Dakota safe. The iconic painting American gothic was touched up. And America's fire prevention mascot Smokey the bear, put down his shovel and picked up a rake. Meanwhile in Finland --

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We have the rake. It is mandatory in Finland. We have to rake two hours per day. But we got the greatest rakes in the world.

[03:55:07] BLACK: Finns enthusiastically joined in, proudly and ironically showing off their fire hazard reduction equipment. So many rakes. This lady said she takes a break from raking by preparing lunch on her rake. President Trump is right on a couple of points, most of Finland, 86 percent of it is covered by forest. And Finnish President seen here offering aid to the United States said they did speak about California recently, but the Finnish head of state said, he never mentioned rakes. He said fires are prevented in his country with a good monitoring system. Some other Finns suggested mockingly, yet another reason why their homeland, a good part of which sits within the Arctic Circle may not be the best point of comparison for California.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It doesn't have to do with our climate. No. Although it rains like hell. We have to rake.

BLACK: Some hot dry climates, they manage the build-up of leaves and potential fuel on the ground because it can help prevent fires starting and spreading, but in the worst case conditions like northern California, it is high temperatures and powerful winds that drive flames forward at incredible speed. Across vast distances creating fire storms that consume everything before them. Phil Black, CNN.

(BEGIN VIDEO)

FOSTER: With the story on raking America great again. Thanks for joining us, I'm Max Foster. Early Start is next for viewers in the U.S. Like everybody else, stay tuned for more news with Kristi Lu Stout, you are watching CNN.