Return to Transcripts main page
NEWS STREAM
Signing The Bill And Avoiding A Shutdown With A Tradeoff, Now, Democrats And Some Republicans Are Crying Foul; Indian Controlled Kashmir Sees Its Worst Attack In Decades, And India Says Pakistan Had A Direct Hand In The Blast; The Final Days Of The Final Battle, A CNN Exclusive Of The Bitter End Of The ISIS Caliphate In Syria. Aired: 8-9a ET
Aired February 15, 2019 - 08:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KRISTIE LU STOUT, HOST, "NEWS STREAM" (voice over): Signing the bill and avoiding a shutdown with a tradeoff.
MITCH MCCONNELL, U.S. SENATE MAJORITY LEADER: He will also be issuing a national emergency declaration at the same time.
LU STOUT (voice over): Now, Democrats and some Republicans are crying foul.
NANCY PELOSI, SPEAKER, U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES: It's not an emergency what's happening at the border.
LU STOUT (voice over) Indian controlled Kashmir sees its worst attack in decades.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A bomb exploded near a convoy of the Indian Paramilitary personnel.
LU STOUT (voice over): And India says Pakistan had a direct hand in the blast. And the final days of the final battle. A CNN exclusive of the
bitter end of the ISIS Caliphate in Syria.
BEN WEDEMAN, SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT, CNN: "DAISH is finished," he says. "We're avenging our martyrs."
LU STOUT (on camera): I am Kristie Lu Stout in Hong Kong and welcome to "News Stream." We begin in Washington where just two hours from now, the
U.S. President is expected to declare a national emergency to get money for his long promised border wall.
The move will bypass Congress and reallocate up to $8 billion in Federal funding. Now, President Trump is also expected to sign a bipartisan
spending bill to avoid another government shutdown, one that does not include funding for the wall.
But the national emergency is not a done deal and could spark a constitutional dispute over whether Mr. Trump is overstepping his
authority. The top Democrats says the move sets a dangerous precedent.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PELOSI: A Democratic President can declare emergencies as well, so the precedent that the President is setting here is something that should be
met with great unease and dismay by the Republicans.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LU STOUT: Democrats are already saying that they are going to fight the measure. Our senior Washington correspondent, Joe Johns, is following all
the developments. He joins us now live from the White House and Joe, first, why? Why is President Trump going to do this?
JOE JOHNS, SENIOR WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT, CNN: Well, Kristie, it's pretty clear that the President made a campaign promise. He talked about
this repeatedly on the campaign trail. Not only did he say he's going to build a wall on the southern border to keep immigrants out. He also said
Mexico was going to pay for it.
Well, as it turns out, Mexico said they're not going to pay for it. But the President continues to push to get the wall, and he's doing that simply
because his base -- conservatives in the United States -- are holding his feet to the fire. They are insisting that the President keep that promise
because immigration was such a critical issue over the last several years.
In fact, there are many people who believe the President would not have been elected, but for his hard line stance on immigration. So the
President feels as though he's got to do this as we approach the reelection season, and he's going to pull out all the stops, Kristie.
LU STOUT: All right, Joe Johns reporting live for us from the White House. Joe, thank you. Now, let's go to Ryan Goodman, a professor at New York
University School of Law for more on this. Ryan, let's talk about what happens next, because the U.S. President, he is expected to sign that
compromise bill, also declare this emergency. There's going to be push back first from Congress. But what can Congress do? And can Congress stop
Trump from using his emergency powers to build this wall?
RYAN GOODMAN, PROFESSOR, NEW YORK UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF LAW: So there's actually a provision in the law that would require Congress to immediately
kick into action and take a vote so they could actually push back.
So both Chambers of Congress would be able to vote immediately to determine that they do not think it's a national emergency. The flaw in that
approach is that they actually would have to overcome a presidential veto. And so it would really require two-thirds of Congress to formally block
him, but even if they were able to do it by a majority, that would be highly symbolic.
LU STOUT: Got it and lawmakers, they could also challenge the decision in court. If it does indeed go to the courts, how are they going to see this?
Is this is going to be seen as a violation of the Constitution or Trump is okay. President Trump can do this.
GOODMAN: So that's right, the members of Congress can also go to the courts. The courts don't usually take cases from Congress. But if in fact
it's a majority in both Houses bringing the case, then they very well might.
And there are additional other people who will bring these kinds of cases, so people whose property might be seized by the President under this
national emergency, people whose contracts with the government will be suspended because he's suspending their contracts and redirecting the fund.
So I do think we'll have a court battle imminently, probably by even the even the end of the day.
How the courts look at it will be -- it's hard for anybody to say, in a sense, because this is so unprecedented, but there are many reasons why
this doesn't seem to fit within the true confines of the legislation.
The question that is asked, is this actually a national emergency? Even if he has presidential authority to declare it, then there are other
provisions of the law that say things like, well, if you allocate funds, is it necessary to use the Armed Forces?
[08:05:14]
GOODMAN: I think the President would have a very hard time with that. I imagine, by the end of the day, courts will already put a temporary
restriction on his move.
LU STOUT: You're saying that a court battle looks to be imminent here. Now, in the event that Donald Trump's move is deemed technically legal,
does it then set this dangerous precedent giving way too much authority to the executive branch?
GOODMAN: I think that's right. I think that's a great fear. And I think that that fear will be felt even by the judges, and then the Supreme Court
justices themselves if this gets to the Supreme Court, because if this is called a national emergency, then one can just imagine future Presidents or
this President in the next year or two, declaring other things to be national emergencies and it cuts both ways.
If it's a Democratic President that says climate change is a national emergency, so I don't care what the negotiations are like in the Congress
for me to be able to get funds, I'm just going to be able to reallocate all these funds, otherwise. I think that's a serious concern that everybody
has.
LU STOUT: And that's why Donald Trump is doing this to bypass Congress to get more funding for the border wall at a funding level that he wants to
see. But in practical terms, does he really have the power -- the executive power -- to take money from one pot from one department and move
it to another, in this case, to shore up a border fence?
GOODMAN: So he doesn't have that power within the Constitution as like just a constitutional power of the President. He would have to find it in
a statute and that's his problem.
And another law that's in the statute books, that's a serious problem that's been talked about by legal experts is a law that actually says it's
illegal to take funds that Congress did not allocate to you.
So if it in fact is found that he is abusing the emergency act, and therefore, illegally re appropriating funds, that doesn't just implicate
him, that seriously implicates individual officials within the administration because that congressional statute actually says that the
penalties and the price might be paid by individual officials who allocate funds that were never actually given to them by Congress.
LU STOUT: And Ryan, just to step back a bit, is there even an emergency here? You know, is there a true emergency at the U.S. border with Mexico?
Does that even matter at this point?
GOODMAN: I think it matters. I think it matters as a legal matter. I think it matters even if a court can't reach the decision because they
defer to the President. I think it's highly important that the public knows what the answer to that question is.
It's very hard to see this as a national emergency. I mean, the images on the screen that we're just played about Kashmir, that's a national
emergency. The only times in which this law and national emergencies have been used before by Presidents after such things as like a natural disaster
like Katrina, in which they had to act immediately, or post 9/11, or the Oklahoma City bombing.
This is not an hour emergency, in fact, if we recall, just wind the clock back a little bit, the President in the White House first said it was an
emergency because there were suspected terrorists coming over the southern border, then his former head of the National Counterterrorism Center said
that's untrue, there actually have been no cases of that. It's the theoretical possibility. So they dropped that as even the justification.
So the idea that we're in a national emergency, and when the numbers of people coming across the border are much lower than they were 20 years ago,
and they are much more comprised of families, it's hard to see this as a national emergency that the Congress itself just declined to authorize the
funds for.
So members of Congress, the other branch of government does not see this as the kind of national emergency that the President is suggesting that it is.
LU STOUT: Now, Ryan, stay there for just a moment, we're going to bring in Shan Wu, CNN legal analyst, also a former Federal prosecutor and Shan,
thank you so much for joining us.
We're just talking to Ryan Goodman, just then about what's going to happen next, when the U.S. President as expected is going to sign that compromise
bill for border funding, and on top of that, declare an emergency. This is going to be fought. This is going to be fought in Congress and also in the
courts. Ryan said just a moment ago, he believes that a court battle is imminent. Your thoughts on a court battle and how it's going to play out
in the courts?
SHAN WU, LEGAL ANALYST, CNN: I will agree with Ryan. I think this will be immediately challenged in court and people have been expecting that and it
will be a question of the standing and that's the legal doctrine that says who is allowed to bring the case, that's what the standing doctrine means.
And in this case, members of Congress may have standing to do it because the argument would be that this is infringing upon Congress' right to
control the purse strings. And then also, an interesting aspect might be that landowners along the border where their land rights might be
infringed, there's a concept called "eminent domain" by which the government might take that land to try and begin construction. They could
also have standing to challenge it as well saying that their rights are being infringed for essentially what seems to be a false national
emergency.
LU STOUT: And Shan, we keep hearing from congressional leaders that Donald Trump's move could set a dangerous precedent here. Shan, is this indeed a
first? Has any other U.S. President tried to do something like this?
[08:10:12]
WU: Oh, there's certainly have been -- there actually, probably right now, a number of national emergencies in place that we don't hear about. The
President certainly, theoretically has these legal powers to do it. I think what's interesting about the legal battle is it's rare to have to
define legally what constitutes the emergency and it certainly can set troubling precedent.
I think the reason why many of the members of Congress were worried about is what's good for the goose can be good for the gander, meaning if you're
a Republican and you think, "Okay, I'll support this Republican President for this wall," and then the Democrats come in and wants to do something
for example on gun control by declaring a national emergency that would be problematic for them politically.
So it is troubling because it really does run into a violation of the constitutional separation of powers. Congress is supposed to control the
purse strings. You do it through legislation and if the executive branch regularly deems to usurp that simply by declaring willy-nilly a national
emergency that does pose a very troubling precedent.
LU STOUT: Yes, Shan Wu and Ryan Goodman, thank you for joining us. We are waiting to see what happens to the White House in the hours ahead. But it
looks like the U.S. President is set to end one political crisis while starting a completely new one that could set this dangerous precedent that
we were talking about.
A big thank you to you both for joining us.
GOODMAN: Thank you, Kristie.
WU: Thank you.
LU STOUT: Now, a big story that we're following here in the region. India is linking a bomb attack that killed at least 37 people to Pakistan saying
that there was incontrovertible evidence that the country had a direct hand.
The attack took place on Thursday what a bomb exploded near convoy of Indian paramilitary personnel in Indian-controlled Kashmir. This is the
deadliest attack in the disputed region in recent years.
Let's get straight over to India's capital where New Delhi Bureau Chief, Nikhil Kumar is standing by. Nikhil, thank you for joining us. Exactly
who are Indian officials blaming for this attack and how is Pakistan responding?
NIKHIL KUMAR, NEW DELHI BUREAU CHIEF, CNN: India has blamed a group called Jaish-e-Mohammed, an outfit that's based in Pakistan that the U.S. State
Department several years ago designated as a foreign terrorist organization and they are blaming that group.
And as you mentioned, Kristie, they've also gone further. They've said that they have incontrovertible evidence that Pakistan had quote "a direct
hand in this attack." Pakistan has rejected any insinuations that said that it had a role in this attack and the attackers really raised quite
suddenly tensions across the subcontinent.
The attack came as a complete shock. We are just months away from elections in this country. Politicians are in campaign mode and suddenly,
37 Indian paramilitaries killed by this devastating bomb, the pictures that have been coming out. It was on a national highway in the south of
Kashmir.
The pictures that were coming out were all over the front pages this morning. They've been all over the television all day today as India
weighs its response. It has vowed to take diplomatic measures to isolate Pakistan diplomatically and internationally it says.
It has taken away something called the most favored nation state as a commercial measure, a trade measure which was applied to Pakistan. They've
drawn that and they've promised more diplomatic steps, and importantly, India has left open the door after a Cabinet security meeting earlier this
morning, they've left open the door to further action possibly military action, so we're going to have to monitor very closely how this unfolds
over the next few days -- Kristie.
LU STOUT: And will politics factor in Narendra Modi's response? As you said, elections are looming. Narendra Modi, the Prime Minister is seeking
reelection just a couple of months, so with so much at stake for him politically, how is he going to respond to this very deadly attack in
Kashmir?
KUMAR: That's the big question over here, Kristie. So the election has to be held by May, and until just last year, Prime Minister Modi looked much
like he had looked ever since he came to power in 2014. He looked politically invincible. It didn't seem like that there was anything that
could displace him from the top of India's government.
But in the last few months, the picture has changed. He suddenly looks weaker and it is from that position of weakness that he is now facing
pressure to retaliate.
The economic message that he ran on in 2014, well, the economy is not doing that well for a lot of people. There aren't enough jobs and so on
security, an area where he said that my government will be stronger than previous Indian governments, people are today waiting to see how he deals
with this just a few months out from the election -- Kristie.
LU STOUT: Nikhil Kumar reporting live from New Delhi. Appreciate your reporting and your analysis. Thank you so much.
And keep it here, you're watching "News Stream" and still ahead in the program, they may be stuck between a rock and a hard place, but ISIS forces
are still fighting to the end in their last sliver of a stronghold in Syria. But as soldiers fight us leaders disagree.
You're watching the stream still having the program. They may be stuck between a rock and a hard place. But ISIS forces are still fighting to the
end and their last sliver of a stronghold in Syria.
[08:15:11]
LU STOUT: But as soldiers fight, U.S. leaders disagree, President Trump order troops out of Syria, but his key general says this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GENERAL JOSEPH VOTEL, COMMANDER, U.S. CENTRAL COMMAND: It would not have been my military advice at that particular time.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LU STOUT: In Syria, ISIS is trying to cling on to the sliver of land it still has in the eastern side of the nation. The terrorist group is a
shell of its former self, cornered around the town of Baghouz Al-Fawqani, but as Ben Wedeman exclusively reports, the remaining militants are not
going down without a bitter fight.
(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)
WEDEMAN (voice over): In its dying days, ISIS fights to the bitter end.
The small, remote, otherwise unremarkable Syrian town of Baghouz Al-Fawqani on the banks of the Euphrates River where it is now finally cornered,
reduced to a pinprick shadow of its former self.
By a combination of Kurdish and Arab soldiers, backed by U.S., British and French Special Forces, and unrelenting coalition air strikes captured in
this exclusive video shot by freelance cameraman, Gabriel Chaim.
It has been hard going, with repeated ISIS counter attacks, using their usual tactics -- booby traps, suicide car bombs and human shields.
And now at the end, after years of war, ISIS' foes have scores to settle. Syrian Democratic Forces Commander Hava (ph) Simko has fought ISIS, known
here as DAISH, across northern Syria.
"DAISH is finished," he says. "We're avenging our martyrs." Its black banner now in his hands.
The battle, like the bombing, continues around the clock. These Arab tribal fighters preparing to take open ground on the edge of town. The
Commander gives the final orders before they move out.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (Speaking Foreign Language)
WEDEMAN (voice over): An armored bulldozer designed to take the impact of improvised explosive devices leads the way, and the troops follow. Flares
illuminate the skies over Baghouz. The sounds of battle echo in the distance. The final battle is in its final days.
(END VIDEO TAPE)
LU STOUT: And senior international correspondent, Ben Wedeman joins us now live, and Ben, this is the final battle against ISIS. But not long ago,
ISIS was very powerful. It controlled huge parts of Syria and Iraq. Can at one day regain strength especially as U.S. forces plan to leave?
[08:20:08]
WEDEMAN: What we've seen so far, Kristie, is that it is regaining strength in places like Iraq, even though it has lost control of territory that it
held in the past. It's very good at exploiting power vacuums. A power vacuum that could open up in the event of the pull out of U.S. Special
Forces here that number around 2,000, and if the air cover that has been so critical to the Syrian Democratic Forces in this battle at Baghouz Al-
Fawqani is no longer there.
ISIS began in Iraq as a terrorist insurgency, and it could very well again emerged as one. We do know that they continue to carry out hit and run
attacks, terrorist attacks, intimidating people who've been cooperating with the local authorities.
And really, Kristie, there's -- you'll be really hard pressed to find anybody in this part of Syria or in Iraq who is laboring under the illusion
that once ISIS has lost the territory it now holds that it will somehow disappear as a threat to people across the region -- Kristie.
LU STOUT: Yes, too soon to call it the last days of ISIS. Ben Wedeman, we thank you for bringing us that exclusive report from Eastern Syria. Ben,
take care.
And it another CNN exclusive, a key U.S. general says that U.S. President Donald Trump made his decision about a true pull out from Syria too soon.
He announced the move in December, seeing that ISIS have been defeated and it's time to bring the troops home. But Joseph Votel, the top U.S. general
in the Middle East disagrees with both points.
We're joined now by Barbara Starr from Muscat, Oman. She sat down with General Votel. She joins us now live. And Barbara, you spoke with again
the top U.S. General for the Middle East and he strongly disagrees with the U.S. President over ISIS in Syria. What did he tell you?
BARBARA STARR, PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT, CNN: Well, Kristie, let's remember, in the U.S. military, you serve the President of United States and you obey
orders and that is exactly what General Votel is making clear that he is doing.
The President has issued an order. The troops will come out of Syria. General Votel is following that order, making the plans, making the orders
and the procedures to get those troops out of Syria. There is no question about that.
But when we sat down with him, he also offered some very blunt words about his thoughts at the time back in December, when President Trump first
ordered the withdrawal.
(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)
VOTEL: It would not have been my military advice at that particular time.
STARR (voice over): The top U.S. Commander in the war against ISIS flatly disagreed with President Trump's decision to pull out of Syria. In an
exclusive interview with CNN, General Joseph Votel says it's too soon to bring U.S. troops home.
VOTEL (on camera): I would not have made that suggestion frankly.
STARR (voice-over): President Trump announced in December, he would pull more than 2,000 remaining troops from Syria.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We have one against ISIS. We've beaten them, and we've beaten them badly.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
STARR (voice-over): Votel aligning himself with the U.S. Intelligence Community assessment, that despite significant advances, there are tens of
thousands of ISIS fighters spread across Syria and Iraq. And the decision to pull out of Syria, leading Defense Secretary James Mattis to resign last
year.
Last week, Votel made a stunning revelation that the President did not consult him on the decision to withdraw.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
VOTEL: Certainly, we are aware that he has expressed a desire and intent in the past to depart Iraq.
ANGUS KING, U.S. SENATOR, MAINE, INDEPENDENT: So, you weren't consulted before that decision was announced.
VOTEL: We were not. I was not consulted.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
STARR (voice-over): Nonetheless, Votel emphasizing he is carrying out the President's orders. This morning, Votel stressed military pressure must be
maintained and success relies on the U.S. ally, Syrian Democratic Forces.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
VOTEL: When they are capable of handling this threat on their own without our assistance that will be another key criteria indicating to me that we
have accomplished our mission of the defeat of ISIS.
STARR (on camera): And as you sit here today?
VOTEL: No, we're not there, no. We're not there on the terms that --
(END VIDEO CLIP)
STARR (voice-over): Votel adding that he believes Iran still remains the biggest long-term threat to the Middle East. He sees indications that
Iran's advanced ballistic missile technology could be a precursor to a more significant weapon.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
VOTEL: It shouldn't be lost on anybody that an advanced ballistic missile program could also be used to move weapons of mass destruction or do things
that could very easily be converted over for that.
(END VIDEO TAPE)
STARR: But back on Syria for a moment, General Votel says there's planning going on to see if there's something the U.S. can still do to help keep the
fighters it supported safe and keep them fighting ...
[08:25:15]
STARR: ... their mission for ISIS and this is something President Trump has also said that he wants to make sure the local fighters there are safe.
What will happen is hard to foresee, with General Votel making it clear, it will have to happen from outside Syria unless the President changes this
mind -- Kristie.
LU STOUT: Barbara Starr, we thank you for the context and for bringing us that exclusive interview with General Votel. Thank you.
In Warsaw, Poland, a two-day summit on the Middle East seem to turn into an anti-Iran conference led by the U.S. U.S. officials pushed for tougher
action on Iran and pressured allies to withdraw from the nuclear agreement.
Meanwhile, another conference kicks off today. The Annual Munich Security Conference is expecting its largest U.S. delegation ever including Vice
President Mike Pence.
So today, he made his first visit to Auschwitz, the Nazi-run death camp. The Nazis occupied Poland during World War II. Pence toured the memorial
site with the Polish President. You see the pictures there on your screen.
Now let's go straight over to Munich. Nick Paton Walsh is standing by. He joins us now live. And Nick, again, a very large U.S. delegation that's
there this year along with the Vice President, is that raising expectations or hopes that the U.S. is looking beyond Trump diplomacy and Twitter
diplomacy to truly engage?
NICK PATON WALSH, SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT, CNN: I think to be honest, people here are very clear what the United States' position is on
many separate issues. And quite often, they find their allies outside the Atlantic don't entirely tally. We have of course discussions here about
Chinese internet technology, Russian interference in elections around the globe, but also to the persistent terror threat.
Now, I've just come out of a briefing earlier on today by the head of Britain's Foreign Intelligence Service, MI-6 and one of the warnings, he in
fact sounded was about al Qaeda and their resurgence in parts of northern Syria. Much of the focus of course now on that tiny sliver of land left
that ISIS controls. It used to be part of their so-called Caliphate. He sounded a warning about ISIS, too, saying that in fact ISIS had managed to
morph and reconstitute into a more traditional asymmetric threat that while they've lost territory, they will perhaps use new technology to continue to
promote attacks against the West.
But it was al Qaeda in particular, lesser talks about threat, because much of the focus has been against the bigger issue of ISIS, but al Qaeda still
have dozens of Europeans in their ranks and some Americans, too in Idlib area and he was certainly concerned about al Qaeda is resurging in
ungoverned space and how people necessarily shouldn't be that relax when it comes to that particular threat -- Kristie.
LU STOUT: Now, the Munich Security Conference will discuss and analyze threats like ISIS, but the annual summit has also been called a master
class and backroom diplomacy, so what do you think will be the focus of backroom policy making this year?
PATON WALSH: We see one - two issues really, I think, perhaps in terms of the European element. There is concern about Brexit and what that might
potentially due to the United Kingdom's role in European security. Lots of assurances here and in fact, a joint statement put out by the head of
Britain's MI-6, the French DGSE and the German BND stating their common ground here against the threat of cyber-attacks here, the continued threat
of Islamist terrorism.
But also I think, concerns, too, about Russia as well. And we've heard some more comments from the man known as C, the head of MI-6, Alex Younger
earlier on today about his concerns about Russia and he said really, we have to ask ourselves why is Russia behaving in the way that it has done?
And he said, frankly, he wasn't entirely sure what their motivation was. It may be bound up in their feelings about the dissolution of the Soviet
Union. But they were very keen, I think in the joint statement, these French, German and British intelligence chiefs to show their solidarity.
I think there are broad concerns here in the elections moving ahead as to exactly what Russia may try to do to disrupt that. On a side point here,
he did also mention that Sergei and Yulia Skripal who were the targets of the Salisbury poisoning of last year are still potentially at risk, saying
that it is quite clear that the GRU and other intelligence services, for them very little is off limits.
So the Kremlin of course, has denied that, but a lot of developing behind me here and the U.S. presence really beginning to arrive. We've just seen
Ivanka Trump pass us here in the last hour -- Kristie.
LU STOUT: Nick Paton Walsh reporting live from Munich at the site of annual security conference. Thank you.
You're watching "News Stream." Keep it here because up next, U.S.-China trade talks, they wrap up this day in Beijing, but the Chinese President Xi
Jinping says that they will move to Washington next week. More on the last minute efforts to reach a deal before the deadline, next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[15:30:00]
LU STOUT: I am Kristie Lu Stout in Hong Kong, you're watching "News Stream" and these are your world headline. The U.S. President Trump is
less than two hours away from declaring a national emergency to pay for his border wall with Mexico. White House officials says the President will
sign a compromise spending bill in a Rose Garden event and then use executive action to reallocate up to $8 billion of other government
agencies to pay for the wall.
Voters in Africa's largest democracy are casting their ballots for President on Saturday. Nigerians are expected choose between two major
front liners -- incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari on the right, praised by the African Union for fighting corruption and Atiku Abubakar on the left
who served as Vice President for eight years.
Chinese President Xi Jinping says the U.S. and China will meet in Washington next week to continue negotiations after the latest round or
trade talks ended in Beijing. U.S. Treasury Secretary described the talks as productive, but the clock is ticking. There are only two weeks left to
reach a deal before U.S. tariffs sharply increase on $200 billion worth of Chinese goods.
Matt Rivers joins us now from Beijing with more and Matt, the deadline is looming. So have the two sides moved any closer to a deal?
MATT RIVERS, CORRESPONDENT, CNN: Well, I mean, they didn't move farther away by the looks of it, Kristie, and I think you could say that in of
itself is progress. These talks didn't fall apart as we have seen before.
So the fact that you know, they took these photo ops, you know, Steve Mnuchin tweeted out - the Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin tweeted out a
family photo that showed all members of both delegation standing there. You saw Xi Jinping go into that meeting room meeting with Steve Mnuchin,
meeting with U.S. Trade Rep Robert Lighthizer.
He didn't have to do those things. They didn't have to take a family photo. So at the very least, after a week of negotiations here in Beijing,
you at least have good sentiment all around. You don't have the U.S. side leaving Beijing this evening with any sort of sour note.
Now, that said, we shouldn't mistake a photo op for substantive progress on trade. We have no idea exactly what progress was made, other than the fact
that they're going to meet again next week with the Chinese side taking its turn to go to the United States.
Now, presumably what that meeting could be doing, Kristie, is laying the groundwork for an eventual meeting between Donald Trump and Xi Jinping
because the general consensus appears to be that the U.S. and Chinese sides remain far apart on a number of key issues. And maybe the only way they
think they can solve it is by getting those two leaders in a room.
The question is, is there enough progress that will be made this week and also next week for Donald Trump to let that deadline slide, not only to see
tariffs not getting raised and perhaps irreversibly escalate this trade war, but also to give himself enough time to meet with Xi Jinping to see if
a deal can actually be hammered out -- Kristie.
LU STOUT: So it sounds like the groundwork is being laid and will be continued to be laid down next week in the United States ...
[08:35:15]
LU STOUT: ... for that upcoming Trump-Xi meeting for the deal to be reached. But in advance of that, what are the biggest sticking points that
were made in these trade talks?
RIVERS: I mean, it's the same things that have always been there, Kristie. I mean, you're talking about asks from the United States' side that would
require the Chinese government to basically change its entire economic model. I mean, the sticking points here revolve around things like market
access for American companies. China remains one of the most protectionist economies in the entire world, certainly the largest protectionist economy
among the top five major economies in the world.
And you also have situations like getting the state here in China out of the economy. So essentially, the government, the United States wants the
government here to stop picking favorites to stop getting subsidies to state-owned companies in exchange what they say -- it gives those companies
the ability to compete at an unfair level, so there's a ton of issues that remain between both sides. Whether they can be worked out completely
remains to be seen, Kristie.
LU STOUT: All right. Matt Rivers reporting live from Beijing. Thank you. India's Assam State exports tea worth around $250 million a year, but it
comes at a cost. More than a million women, including some who are heavily pregnant are employed to pick tea leaves and some of them say, they don't
get the care that they need.
(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)
LU STOUT (voice over): Tucked away in the northeastern tip of India are the lush green hills of Assam State. More than half of the country's tea
leaves are grown in plantations here, but the bright vistas hide a dark reality.
Some female tea pickers get pregnant while working and feel that they have to stay in plantations until they are full term. Two of them spoke to CNN
on condition of anonymity.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (Speaking in foreign language).
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LU STOUT (voice over): Temporary tea pickers who spoke to CNN said they collect leaves nine hours a day, six days a week.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (Speaking in foreign language).
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LU STOUT (voice over): The women say they get less money if they don't fill up their baskets.
The tea industry says it ensures that tea sold internationally needs the highest standards of health and labor protections by working with
independent accrediting agencies, but at two unaccredited plantations that CNN visited, workers complained to CNN of a lack of medical care.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JAYSHREE SATPUTE, HUMAN RIGHTS LAWYER: Assam has about 1.5 million tea plantation workers. More than 70% of this workforce are women. These
women have been working in the slave like conditions for over decades.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LU STOUT (voice over): Since 2005, the Indian government has introduced programs to provide free prenatal care, tests and births in public
hospitals helping many people across the country.
But Assam State still has a high maternal death rate; 237 women die per 100,000 births more than in any other state in India. The State Health
Director says the death rate is improving and he hope things will continue to get better as they introduce new public private partnerships with the
plantations.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
J.V.N SUBRAMANYAM, MISSION DIRECTOR, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & FAMILY WELFARE GOVERNMENT OF ASSAM: We are moving into the tea gardens with our mobile
medical units. So we will we will expand into the tea gardens because the land belongs to the tea garden owner or the tea garden company, but we are
now -- we want to get into these tea garden areas drastically so that finally, the human rights are taken care of.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LU STOUT (voice over): For now though, many women don't have access to or are not aware of what services should be available to them. They work
until the later stages of pregnancy and sometimes give birth in the fields.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (Speaking in foreign language).
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LU STOUT (voice over): The women are afraid of what might happen, but just can't afford to miss out on a full day's pay.
(END VIDEO TAPE)
LU STOUT: This is such an important story and for more on the plight of tea workers and to see which tea brands operate in Assam State, check out
the "As Equal" series on our website cnn.com.
You're watching "News Stream" and still ahead, this trail runner got a little bit too close to nature when he encountered a mountain lion.
Details on the life or death struggle, coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LU STOUT: We made it to Friday here in Hong Kong. Welcome back. You're watching "News Stream" but before we go, we've got to share you this story.
Now, a man who was attacked by a mountain lion while running on a Colorado trail is reliving his life and death struggle with the big cat.
Thirty one-year-old Travis Kauffman says he heard rustling in some pine needles behind him and then mountain lion emerged. He tried screaming at
the cat, but it attacked.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRAVIS KAUFFMAN, COLORADO JOGGER ATTACKED BY MOUNTAIN LION: It was going toward my face, so I threw up my hands to kind of block my face, at which
point it grabbed on to my hand and wrist. I remember looking down and seeing the claws like retracting and then coming out of its paws and I was
just very concerned that mom was going to come out of nowhere and at that point, that part would be over pretty quickly.
I will never be able to live up to the reputation and maybe that's what has to some of my reticence for actually coming out because the story is bigger
than my puny form. So yes.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LU STOUT: What a story and his sense of humor, no less. Now, Kauffman, he was able to maneuver his way on top of the mountain lion and suffocate it
with his foot. He says he loves Colorado for its wildlife, but admits it is better from a distance.
And that is "News Stream." I'm Kristie Lu Stout, don't go anywhere, "World Sport" with Rhiannon Jones is next.
(SPORTS)
[09:00:00]
END