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NEWS STREAM

New Gun Laws In New Zealand; Rescue Workers Racing To Get People In Mozambique's Flood Out Of The Danger Zone After One Of The Deadliest Cyclones Ever To Hit Africa; Theresa May Is Arriving In Brussels Right Now To Make Her Case For A Brexit Delay; Breaking News: New Video Of A Deadly Explosion At A Pesticide Plant In Eastern China. Aired: 8-9a ET

Aired March 21, 2019 - 08:00   ET

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

WILL RIPLEY, CORRESPONDENT, CNN: Hey, I'm Will Ripley in Hong Kong, in for Kristie Lu Stout. Welcome to "News Stream." New gun laws in New Zealand.

The Cabinet bans military style guns in less than a week after an attack killed 50 people. Scrambling to save lives: Rescue workers racing to get

people in Mozambique's flood out of the danger zone after one of the deadliest cyclones ever to hit Africa. And can she get an extension?

Britain's Prime Minister, Theresa May is arriving in Brussels right now to make her case for a Brexit delay.

Before we get to those stories, I want to begin with some breaking news. We've just gotten new video of a deadly explosion at a pesticide plant in

Eastern China. We're seeing this for the first time. Let's take a look.

What we know right now, people are dead and dozens severely wounded, and officials say rescue operations are ongoing. Also, the environmental

impact still being determined at this hour. The pictures are dramatic, but for some context here, let's bring in CNN senior producer, Steven Jiang who

joins me now on the phone from Beijing. Steven, as you know all too well, chemical explosions are not that unusual in China. How bad is this one

looking?

STEVEN JIANG, SENIOR PRODUCER, CNN (via phone): Well, Will, information is still coming in as we speak. We don't know a lot of details at this

moment. As you mentioned, the authorities about an hour ago, just announced the casualty figures -- six dead, 30 severely injured. Now,

earlier rescue workers pulled 31 people out of the explosion and they have all been sent to a local hospital for treatment. But, again, search and

rescue operations are still ongoing and authorities say now they have dozens of fire trucks on the scene as well as hundreds of firefighters and

more reinforcements are going in from nearby towns and cities.

But the pictures you are showing to our viewers and we have seen on state television as well as social media platforms are dramatic. You see that

huge fireball erupting into the air followed by thick plumes of black smoke and how strong was is that explosion according to local authorities, they

recorded a 2.2 magnitude earthquake. That was the intensity of this explosion.

So that's why a lot of people are worried that the casualty figures may rise. But in terms of other details, we still don't know yet. There are

state media reports earlier that the chemical involved in the explosion is benzene. Now, that is a huge concern because that is a carcinogen, also a

very toxic chemical. People on the scene, including state media reporters are reporting that a pungent smell is still lingering in the air in this

location in Eastern China. So it's still a very dangerous situation. We're waiting to see more, waiting to hear more from the authorities --

Will.

RIPLEY: Okay, Steven Jiang, we know you'll be following this very closely. Come back to us if you get more information. Thank you.

On to New Zealand now, and a new (audio gap) -- on military style assault weapons. The Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern says she is confident that the

public will get behind this measure which follows last Friday's massacre in Christchurch as the country mourns 50 lives lost. TVNZ is reporting almost

70,000 New Zealanders have signed petitions supporting these tougher gun laws and crowds, well, they have been gathering outside Parliament to

deliver those petitions in person.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JACINDA ARDERN, NEW ZEALAND PRIME MINISTER: Every semi-automatic weapon used in the terrorist attack on Friday will be banned in this country.

These changes will require legislation. That legislation is now being drafted and will be introduced under urgency.

My expectation is that the law will be in place by the end of the next two weeks sitting session which is by the 11th of April.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

RIPLEY: As you heard Ms. Ardern mention there, this new ban, it covers all military style semi-automatic weapons, assault rifles and high capacity

magazines. New Zealand lawmakers have directed officials to develop a buy back scheme. The Bill would include narrow exemptions for, for example,

the police, the Defense Forces, as well as legitimate business uses, such as pest control along with farmers.

New Zealand's Police Minister also adds immediate action will be taken to prevent people from stockpiling weapons ahead of the change in law and also

to encourage gun owners to surrender their weapons.

[08:05:02 ]

RIPLEY: New Zealand has a deep and storied hunting culture, a large rural and farming population. Still, based on what we're hearing on the ground,

many people do seem to support this new plan.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think it's a step in the right direction. Something must change just based on the last experience. I know people could see

this as a reaction or cause reaction because of one person, but the consequences of what we've seen is terrible and something must change and I

think this is a good decision.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think it is good what they have done now. You cannot control people, so you've got to control the law and now, the laws

governing the gun ones, yes, it's in the right step for the society.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

RIPLEY: The City of Christchurch maybe in mourning, but it's also vowing not to bow down to hate and fear. On Saturday, police are expected to hand

over two mosques that were attacked, giving those places back to the Muslim community, but it won't happen in time for Friday prayers. People of all

faiths are showing their respect as the victims are laid to rest. Here you see people laying silver ferns, New Zealand's national emblem to honor the

men, women and children who were brutally killed.

Police have now identified the remains of all 50 victims, which means all of them can now be released back where they belong, with their families.

CNN teams are witnessing heartbreaking scenes as bodies are being carried to their grave sites as police stand guard outside.

CNN senior international correspondent, Ivan Watson, continues to follow all of these developments as he has really from the very beginning and he's

live once again for us in Christchurch. Ivan, talking about this, you know, ban on assault rifles, the Prime Minister is hoping to get this thing

enacted in three weeks. Could it actually happen that quickly?

IVAN WATSON, SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT, CNN: Well, according to the police, as of 3:00 p.m. this afternoon, if you are a licensed gun

owner, and you had one of these gun that now faces a ban, those objects are now illegal. However, there's going to be an amnesty period. There's a

transition period, but the advice is that they don't even want people moving around with these weapons, that's why they want people to register

on some kind of a website that they say will be erected by weekend to begin this process of surrendering the weapons and then a buyback program, as

well.

So this is very ambitious. It's a very dramatic change and it reflects just how shocked and traumatized not only Christchurch has been, but I

think, New Zealand, as well, as a result of this deadly terrorist attack. To get more insight here and I'm now going to introduce you to a guest.

This is Dr. Adib Khanafer. Thank you for joining us so late at night here.

Dr. Khanafer is a vascular surgeon who treated some of the people wounded in the atrocities on Friday here in Christchurch and I'm going to start

with this dramatic move by the government banning these types of weapons. As a medical professional who has had to treat gunshot wounds, do you have

any reaction to the decision to try to take some of these guns out of circulation in New Zealand?

ADIB KHANAFER, VASCULAR SURGEON, CHRISTCHURCH, NEW ZEALAND: Of course, this is the first time I came across such injuries and from a medical point

of view, it really caused devastating injuries, through and through injuries, pretty horrific.

As a person, as a medic, as a citizen, I don't see why this has to be in the public domain. I think for the government doing what it had, I do

support it, of course. I don't want my -- any member of my family to be hurt by such weapons -- what I've seen in the shooting over the weekend.

WATSON: And let me ask you about some of the patients that you've been treating coming in with some catastrophic injuries.

KHANAFER: Absolutely. Fair to say that in our hospital in Christchurch, except for one, all the other 49 patients all survived. As you understand

from the media, a statement from the hospital, some are still critical, but what I've seen is pretty devastating, pretty serious -- some serious

disability will arise because of their injuries and this will affect their life forever.

WATSON: One of your patients, as far as I understand, is a 4-year-old girl.

KHANAFER: That is correct, yes.

WATSON: And how are her chances right now to recover?

KHANAFER: I've been following up with my colleagues back in Auckland. She's in the best place and she continues to be stable. As a surgeon, I am

extremely optimistic. I always believe that I've done -- I've got a skill, I've performed it well and I think the rest is in God Almighty and I

believe and I am strongly optimistic that she'll pull through it.

WATSON: What kind of wounds did this 4-year-old have?

[08:10:02]

KHANAFER: I mean, in my specialty, it was to her major vessels, which is - - which fatal in more than 90% of the people. When I arrived to the theater, there were already three experienced pediatric surgeons having the

bleeding under control. So I managed to find the injury to the vessels and repair them.

As a vascular surgeon, when there is a venous or arterial injury, usually it is a clean field, you know where you are, you can find the hole, you can

put stitches into it, but this was really a lot of damage, tissue damage around, it is difficult to know where are the landmarks, but for the best

of my ability, which I thought was where the tear is and I've repaired that.

Of course, there are other injuries, there was burns, which is mendable. You know, it can mend -- the body can repair itself. The arterial injuries

I've seen is pretty horrific.

WATSON: You are not only a surgeon, you are a parent. I believe your daughter is waiting not far from here.

KHANAFER: Yes, she worries about me.

WATSON: After witnessing something like this and the injuries you saw and the victims, how have you personally coped with whatever psychological

trauma you could face as a result?

KHANAFER: There is a daytime in the hospital there is extreme -- there's a lot of support from my colleagues and also you just get involved with your

day-to-day activities. At home, it's -- I think, we're slowly digesting it, we're slowly understanding it. But I have to say that the support I

had from my colleagues in Christchurch from States, in Germany, from Australia, my own patients, people dropping flowers to my clinics and to my

house and people visiting us has been overwhelming. I did not expect that.

That is the way we coped. I mean, the solidarity between all of us was tested.

WATSON: One final quick question. Are you optimistic about New Zealand moving forward in the wake of these atrocities?

KHANAFER: I think New Zealand is a great place. I came from England nine years ago and I still continue in New Zealand, it is a fantastic place. I

think Christchurch is quite a safe city and hopefully, we'll definitely get over this and I'm very optimistic.

WATSON: Dr. Khanafer, thank you very much for taking the time to speak with us.

KHANAFER: Thank you very much.

WATSON: It's late at night here. So there you have it, Will, the account coming from one of the emergency medical personnel who had to deal with

just a deluge of dozens of wounded people who were rushed into Christchurch Hospital. The hospital has had to postpone previously scheduled surgeries

to help keep some of these patients alive and there are still people fighting for their lives in critical care.

Though there's been an outpouring of love and support from all levels of society, the wounds, both physical, emotional and psychological will leave

scars for many years to come here -- Will.

RIPLEY: Absolutely, Ivan, but it is truly remarkable to see just how much that memorial behind you as grown. Ivan Watson live in Christchurch, thank

you.

Earlier, my colleague and the anchor of this program, Kristie Lu Stout, spoke to the former mayor of Christ church, Bob Parker. He spoke about the

resilience of the community and what he says it will need going forward.

(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)

BOB PARKER, FORMER MAYOR, CHRISTCHURCH: The way the community has come out and wrapped its arms around the families, the survivors, the Muslim

community, and you can see behind us here, and I'm sure you've been talking about the flowers and the cards and the way people have reacted has been

absolutely extraordinary.

But we're not strangers to terrible things. It was only eight years ago that we had a couple of years of earthquakes, we lost a lot of people.

The town was like a war zone.

KRISTIE LU STOUT, HOST, NEWS STREAM: Yes.

PARKER: And there's an incredible amount of trauma as a result of that. But we know how to -- we know what we should do to deal with it.

LU STOUT: And it's important to talk about that trauma. You were the mayor of Christchurch during those earthquakes and the big quake of 2011.

What are the lessons learned about managing the trauma that could be applied to the survivors of the terror attack here?

PARKER: Well, I think people need to be aware that the trauma doesn't just arrive on the day after the incredibly awful tragedy in this case, the

murder, the killings and things that people have witnessed. There is a layer of, I think, protection to a degree for a little while past that

event. But I think it's when you're no longer quite the same focus of attention from the community, from the media perhaps, when you try to get

on with life, that's when it can get really, really hard for people.

So I am really concerned for the Muslim community in particular. But the whole community because this is a terrible thing to have happen in what is

really a very peaceful place.

[08:15:08]

LU STOUT: Absolutely, I have a lot of concern for Mohan, who I spoke earlier.

PARKER: Yes, same here.

LU STOUT: He tells me after he attacks and it's already six days on, he still hears the continuous gunshots in his brain, and even though he has

gone to the hospital to get medication, is there infrastructure for more long-term support and counseling for people?

PARKER: Yes, there is. I mean, that's one of the great learnings from the earthquakes that we lost 185 people and we had many, many injuries, and so

what we realized there is that the support or the support from the Mental Health Services, I suppose, I should say, really is absolutely important.

We had underestimated that impact.

And the other thing is, we underestimated probably just how long those symptoms would stay with people and how that impact some people's lives.

So you see a lot of depression. We can usually track that sales of certain things and this won't affect the Muslim community, but certainly, in the

wider community after the quakes -- the alcohol sales, and so on went up to a large degree.

So you know, people start to try to figure out how to cope with the things that are happening. So there will be -- and the PM has done a brilliant

job, has put a major commitment behind putting mental health support systems in here and we know that that is vital and we know it will make a

difference to many people. So as I said, I worry about the exposure that some people are getting because they still have to go through that big

process, I think of really grieving, coming to terms with it and those sounds will last in Mohan's head, I fear for a very long time.

(END VIDEO TAPE)

RIPLEY: Kristie Lu Stout speaking with the former Mayor of Christchurch. Now, to Mozambique and this video right here, this tells the story of what

could be one of the worst natural disasters ever in Southern Africa, and we're hearing on the ground that the situation is only getting worse by the

hour. Aid workers are scrambling trying to save thousands of people, thousands, who are stranded after Cyclone Idai hit the country last week.

The infrastructure there is totally devastated and that is really adding to the sense of urgency because also heavy rains are expected in the coming

days and relief organizations, as it is, are struggling to distribute desperately needed aid. We already know that 200 people have died in

Mozambique and based on what we're hearing and seeing on the ground, that number is expected to rise significantly.

CNN correspondent, Farai Sevenzo describes what he is seeing and he is in Beira which is one of the hardest hit cities in Mozambique.

(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)

FARAI SEVENZO, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: When CNN landed at Beira International Airport, you could see the scene as it was at this place,

which was the first landfall of Cyclone Idai. There were several choppers belonging to humanitarian agencies. The South African Defense Force were

here, as was a helicopter from the World Food Program.

Then you entered the airport and you see a massive wall with rudimentary written words "Idai Response." And in there, according to the Office of

the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs of the United Nations, there are over 22 international organizations that have come to do this Idai

response. The response, of course, comes about a week after the cyclone hit and put so many people's lives at peril.

But this is where it first hit in Beira. It then moved on upcountry and created what people are calling inland oceans, which is masses -- massive

bodies of water throughout Mozambique. And it went on to Zimbabwe where it crushed people in their sleep by breaking down massive mountains.

And, of course, it is quite unclear how many people have been killed -- what the death toll is in either Mozambique or Zimbabwe and, indeed, in

Malawi.

So at that the moment, as we are here in Beira, we're trying to see the extent of the damage for ourselves and, of course, what can be done to

rescue people that still need lifting from very heavily drowned and watered-down villages in and throughout the interior of these three

nations.

Farai Sevenzo, CNN, Beira, Mozambique.

(END VIDEO TAPE)

RIPLEY: You're watching "News Stream" live from Hong Kong. We're going to take you to Venezuela next where there are new signs Maduro's government

may be stepping up its effort to squash the opposition. Patrick Oppmann in Caracas for us. Plus in the wake of two deadly crashes in five months,

troubling new questions, questions about whether the Boeing 737 MAX 8 was ever safe to fly. The U.S. Justice Department is launching a criminal

investigation.

[08:20:03]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

RIPLEY: Twenty two minutes past 8:00 on a Thursday night here in Hong Kong. You're watching "News Stream." We are continuing to monitor signs

of a new escalation potentially in Venezuela's political crisis. The opposition leader, Juan Guaido, who more than 50 nations recognize as

Venezuela's interim President, he says government intelligence agents have detained one of his top aides and are holding him hostage. CNN's Patrick

Oppmann is following this story and more in the Venezuelan capital of Caracas and he joins me now live.

So Patrick, what are you hearing about this tweet from Juan Guaido that perhaps two of his top advisers have been detained?

PATRICK OPPMANN, CORRESPONDENT, CNN: It really is a chilling development and we've now confirmed, Will, that his Chief of Staff, Roberto Marrero was

not only detained in his house today, but he has actually been taken away the Venezuelan SEBIN, this is the intelligence agency here, essentially,

the secret police. They came to Roberto Marrero's house very early this morning and also the house of one of Juan Guaido's attorneys and they

forcefully entered these homes, searched the homes, and then I'm told by Juan Guaido's spokesman, Eduardo Ramirez that they actually went into the

Chief of Staff's home, Marrero's home and planted weapons.

This is, of course, coming from the opposition. They said there were no weapons there, but that two rifles and a grenade were planted and this was

used to take the Chief of Staff of the man who says he is interim President by more than 50 countries, say he is interim President of Venezuela, into

custody. And there has been no explanation on the part of the government as to why this has happened.

It comes as the U.N. has been here over the last several days investigating human rights abuses. So it is certainly a very bold move. It is certainly

-- the sense we have is this is Nicolas Maduro flexing his muscles, the embattled President of this country and saying that if you are his

opponent, that you are essentially an enemy of this country and that all resources will be brought to bear.

So Juan Guaido is certainly very, very upset over this and you can expect the United States government, which supports Juan Guaido, could weigh in

very soon.

RIPLEY: And, of course, you have people running out of food, you have the national infrastructure on the verge of collapse. A lot to follow there in

Caracas. Patrick Oppmann, thank you.

To the U.S. now, we have learned that the U.S. Justice Department has issued subpoenas to Boeing. This is part of a criminal investigation into

the aircraft manufacturer's certification procedures. Boeing and the Federal Aviation Administration are now under intense scrutiny after two

deadly crashes involving the same type of plane in five months. It's not clear if any crimes have been committed, but these are the early stages of

this investigation.

[08:25:03]

RIPLEY: CNN sources are telling us, investigators are looking into exactly how Boeing certified that its 737 MAX 8 planes are safe to fly, as well as

the data that Boeing gave the FAA about that self-certification.

Now, in response, Boeing says it does not respond to or comment on questions concerning legal matters. But I want to bring in someone who is

ready to talk to us all about it. Mary Schiavo, CNN aviation analyst and former Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Transportation, also

full disclosure here, Mary is an attorney representing families of airline crash victims and she does have current pending litigation pending against

Boeing.

Mary, it's good to have you on "News Stream." And I'm curious, what is your take on the significance that this is now, in the U.S., a criminal

investigation?

MARY SCHIAVO, AVIATION ANALYST, CNN (via Skype): Well, it's very significant. When I was Inspector General, many times we would have to

call the FBI in on our investigations as appears is the case here. The office of Inspector General at the Department of Transportation is

responsible for looking at, you know, violations or improper things that the Federal Aviation Administration.

When we call in the Federal Bureau of Investigation, it would often be because we were getting departmental interference or because the case had

expanded to other departments or it had international ramifications and then there's a special group of cases in the U.S. that actually require

Department of Justice Attorney General approval, so it might have been necessary to bring in the Department of Justice depending upon where the

investigation might be leading. So it's not common to bring in the FBI, but those procedures are in place to do it.

RIPLEY: And Boeing is still building these planes, not delivering them, but building them. They say that there's a software patch and pilot

training to go address the issues. Are you convinced?

SCHIAVO: No, because this software patch has been in the works since Lion Air and after the second plane, the Ethiopian plane went down, then, of

course, the FAA tried to act tough and they said, "We've ordered Boeing to make these software fixes by April." But the FAA issued that edict on the

day that the subpoenas went out. So it looks like the FAA is still reacting to Boeing.

And here is the problem for the United States. It was the FAA even after the second crash said the plane was safe, even though they had no idea and

now that same FAA, which is under investigation, is going to certify the plane is safe to fly with a software fix? It makes no sense. It's utterly

ridiculous because no one will trust the FAA certification.

So I think they're going to have to wait until the investigation is much further along and maybe even wrapped up.

RIPLEY: I think the question a lot of people are asking, "Would I want to fly on one of these planes?" And I think for many, the answer would be no.

Mary Schiavo, thanks for your expertise. Appreciate it.

SCHIAVO: Thank you.

RIPLEY: You are watching "News Stream" live from Hong Kong. Coming up, Theresa May leaves London, heads to Brussels and is under even more

pressure, more pressure than ever to get that Brexit deal through Parliament. The E.U. might grant her extension, but there is one key

condition.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[08:30:00]

RIPLEY: I'm Will Ripley in Hong Kong. You're watching "News Stream," and these are your world headlines this Thursday. New Zealand's Prime Minister

says she is confident the country will support a ban on military style assault weapons, a bad that could go into effect on April 11th, three weeks

from now. There are plans for the government to buy back banned guns from their owners.

U.S.-backed Syrian Defense Forces have denied reports that ISIS has been wiped out in Syria. SDF fighters say they are still combing the Baghouz

enclave, but multiple officials involved in the international effort to stamp out ISIS have said that they expect an announcement of victory

perhaps in the next few days.

If you're watching us from a hotel, here's a story that will make you cringe. In South Korea, two men have been arrested for putting secret

cameras in motel rooms and reporting people's activities around the country. Police say about 1,600 guests were filmed. That's what the

cameras look like right there and then they livestream the footage online for paying customers to watch. The cameras were hidden inside digital TV

boxes, wall sockets, and hair dryer holders.

U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May is swapping one hostile audience for another as she leaves London for Brussels amid a huge climb down over her

Brexit plans after almost two years of saying that Britain will leave the European Union on March 29th, just about a week from now. Well, she will

now ask the E.U. for a three-month extension until June 30th. But an E.U. diplomat has told CNN that while an extension could maybe be granted, it

won't go beyond May 23rd. That's to avoid the U.K. having to take part in European Parliament elections. And of course, any extension is dependent

on Parliament actually backing the Prime Minister's twice rejected Brexit deal.

I mean, this week, the Common's Speaker said that Mrs. May cannot bring that deal back to Parliament without meaningful changes, so she has

actually been appealing directly to voters. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

THERESA MAY, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: You, the public have had enough. You're tired of the infighting. You're tired of the political games and

the arcane procedural rounds, tired of MPs talking about nothing else but Brexit, when you have real concerns about our children's schools, our

national health service, knife crime. You want this stage of the Brexit process to be over and done with.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

RIPLEY: We are covering all of this from London, from Brussels. In a moment, we'll go to CNN's Phil Black in Westminster. First, though, let's

go to Melissa Bell joining me from E.U. headquarters. Okay, Melissa, so at this point, does the British Prime Minister have any credibility left

there?

MELISSA BELL, CORRESPONDENT, CNN: Well, certainly a great deal of frustration here in Brussels, we're expecting the leaders to come through

here into the European Council building where they will be holding that meeting that is expected to last for several hours, not just the 27 heads

of state of the remaining E.U., but also Theresa May who has been invited in and the idea really is to bang heads together and try and get to some

sort of agreement, not on the ultimate decision of whether an extension will be granted since the Europeans are being very clear this time, Will,

it is about Westminster first of all, approving both Theresa May's deal and the possibility of an extension before that then comes back to Brussels for

them to give it the green light.

In a sense, there is frustration that over the course of the last couple of years and ever since the British referendum, they have agreed things.

Deals have been struck only for them to then fall down in Westminster. This time, the Europeans here on the continent felt that they would not be

had. So it will not be a final agreement, it will be an exploration of what possibilities there are.

At the heart of those discussion, Will, will be the question of the calendar. We know that Theresa May has asked for an extension until the

30th of June. We know also that Europeans are very reluctant to go that far because of those crucial European elections. They begin on the 23rd of

May. The incoming Parliament sits from the 1st of July. If Britain were to stay in the E.U. until the 30th of June that would mean that they would

then be involved in European elections for a Parliament in which they can't sit. That clearly is likely to be something that the Europeans are not

willing to accept.

So I think a great deal of the focus today will be on that question of the calendar, of how long that extension should be.

[08:35:04]

BELL: One other interesting piece of news we've just received, Will, is that there will be a bilateral meeting just ahead of that broader meeting

with the 27 between Emmanuel Macron, the French President who as you know has taken a fairly hard line on this. He has been the one to say all

along, Britain wants to leave, but we need to protect the interests of the European Union here in order that this sort of contagion not spread further

within the E.U.

He will be holding a bilateral meeting with Theresa May just ahead of that meeting when they arrive in a short time.

RIPLEY: And Phil, I mean, and Mrs. May, I guess she's hoping third time is the charm when it comes to had withdrawal agreement. I mean, based on what

you're hearing there, is there any chance of it actually passing next week?

PHIL BLACK, CORRESPONDENT, CNN: Well, look there's a path to it. It is possible in theory, but you wouldn't say it's likely especially when you

consider the scale of the previous two defeats that Theresa May suffered when she brought her withdrawal agreement before the House. But this time,

it will be different because it will be so very close to zero hour, so close to that Brexit deadline of March the 29th, which is still built into

British law and so it still remains the default position until it is changed.

And so at that moment, Theresa May will really be relying upon the tension, the pressure that will be created at that climactic historic moment. She

will be hoping that MPs who up until now who have not supported her deal will swing behind it, not because they like it, not because they think it's

the best thing for the country, but because at that point, they will come to the conclusion, she hopes, that in their view it is the least worst

option, a better option relatively speaking than perhaps a no deal scenario or for those who really want Brexit, no Brexit at all.

And that's a possibility that Theresa May has been pointing to a lot, as well, if the uncertainty is allowed to continue. Now, MPs will and do

resent being put into that sort of position because a lot of them have said we've seen this coming for a long time. They've long accused Theresa May

of running down the clock to deliberately try and create this sort of moment where at the last moment, they will feel as if many of them don't

have any real choice at all.

It's why they've often described it as blackmail. But Theresa May says that hasn't been her strategy, that wasn't her intention, and yet this is

the situation we find ourselves in -- Will.

RIPLEY: Phil, really quickly, Theresa May, you know, gave that controversial speech saying the public is fed up, tired of the infighting.

Is that what you're hearing there?

BLACK: Absolutely. A lot of people are very angry about what Theresa May said. I mean, around the country, you'll find people who do sympathize

with the Prime Minister, but here in Westminster, in particular, Members of Parliament, they're pretty furious at her attacking them in this way

because they believe she is Prime Minister, her leadership, her policies, her refusal to compromise and listen -- all of these things, they say, bear

tremendous responsibility for the situation that Britain now finds itself in.

And so she now runs the risk by having attacked MPs, of offending those that she must now try and persuade to vote for her deal next week -- Will.

RIPLEY: Melissa, I just have a few seconds left, but I am curious what are E.U. leaders saying about the possibility of a second referendum in the

U.K.?

BELL: Will, in the end, the idea is very much clear. We will send this ball back to Westminster's court, really leaving it in their hands.

Clearly, the idea, I think for all Europeans would be that there were some form of second vote in the U.K., but that is not in the hands of the

Europeans. They realized that actually, very little has been in their hands these last few years and there's a great deal of frustration in the

strategy that Theresa May has pursued.

And so very much this time, the attitude was essentially that we will leave it to Westminster, you then come back to us and tell us what extension you

want and we will agree to that formally.

But the sense, really, that it is time for MPs, for the legislature in England to get its act together and the United Kingdom to get its act

together and to come back to Brussels to say precisely what they want. But very little hope here that we are heading for anything other than either

the backing by the MPs of Theresa May's deal or the no Brexit scenario, and make no mistake, European leaders, European countries have been for the

last few minutes making contingency plans, preparing for that crashing out of the United Kingdom.

It is not in the U.K.'s interest is the belief here, it is not in the interest of the rest of the E.U., but if it is inevitable, then everyone is

going to have to get ready for something that is entirely difficult to foresee with all sorts of unforeseen consequences likely to ensue. It was

the worst scenario from the point of view of the continental Europeans, no doubt the worst scenario for many in the U.K. and yet the one towards which

we seem to be headed.

RIPLEY: Okay, the saga continues. Melissa and Phil, thank you. Back with more "News Stream" right after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[08:40:00]

RIPLEY: So we just saw Theresa May arriving in Brussels. We will keep you posted at the top of the hour on how things are unfolding there as she

tries to make her case for a Brexit extension. These are the pictures. This is just moments ago. Stay with CNN.

Before we go here on "News Stream," now, I just want to show you this. Look at this. Beautiful image of Wednesday's super moon. It lit up the

skies in Canada, in Japan. Look at how big this is. Slightly larger than usual. Super moon might be the third that we've seen this year. It's also

going to be the last for the year of 2019.

And what makes this super moon extra super is that, well, it happens on the same day as the first day of spring in the northern hemisphere.

I believe we're now going to go to Theresa May speaking live. Listen.

MAY: ... but a short extension would give Parliament the time to make a final choice that delivers on the result of the referendum. But we also

not forget that we're here as leaders of 28 countries, discussing the global challenges that we face and I have always said that although we are

leaving the European Union, of course, we will continue to have shared interest, notably among those, our shared security and prosperity.

So the U.K. will continue to be involved in discussions. And that at this Summit, those discussions are expected to cover issues like China, Ukraine,

disinformation, and we will continue to want to work with the E.U. on issues of shared interest when we leave.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If your deal fails and if you will not ask for a long extension, are you preparing to leave the country out of the E.U. without a

deal a week tomorrow?

MAY: What is important is that Parliament delivers on the result of the referendum and that we deliver Brexit for the British people. I sincerely

hope that we can do that with a deal. I'm still working on ensuring that Parliament can agree a deal so we can leave in an orderly way. What

matters is that we deliver on the vote of the British people. Thank you.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: But if it fails? Prime Minister, if it fails?

MAY: What matters is that we recognize that Brexit is the decision of the British people. We need to deliver on that. We're nearly three years on

from the original vote. It is now the time for Parliament to decide. A short extension gives us that opportunity to decide to leave the European

Union, to deliver on that result of that referendum, and I sincerely hope that will be with a negotiated deal.

RIPLEY: British Prime Minister Theresa May walking away from reporters as they continue to hurl questions at her and walking into probably more

questions and tough ones from E.U. leaders there in Brussels. She's asking for more time. They're asking, will more time actually help smooth this

process along? We're going to follow this along very closely. We're on the ground in London and on the ground in Brussels.

But for now, that is "News Stream." I'm Will Ripley live in Hong Kong. Connect with me any time @WilLRipleyCNN. Don't go anywhere. "World Sport"

is next.

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