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President Trump Criticized Over His Decision in Syria; Protesters Calmed Down in Ecuador; Lawmakers to Question Former Trump Administration Officials; Hunter Biden Stepping Down from Ukrainian Company; Pomp and Ceremony in the United Kingdom; War in Syria; Search for Missing Worker Continues After Hotel Collapse; Woman Killed by Police in Her Own Home; Strong Typhoon Hits Japan; Champions of the World. Aired 3-4a ET

Aired October 14, 2019 - 03:00   ET

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

[03:00:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

GEORGE HOWELL, CNN ANCHOR: Pulling out. The Trump administration announces plans to withdraw all remaining troops from Syria, a move that many fears could give ISIS a chance to regroup and put Syrian Kurds in further danger.

The impeachment inquiry. U.S. lawmakers back on Capitol Hill as a new week of political and legal drama plays out to consume Washington, D.C.

Also ahead this hour, a deal in Ecuador after weeks of deadly protests. The government there giving into the demands of anti- austerity protesters.

We are live from CNN world headquarters in Atlanta. And we want to welcome our viewers here in the United States and all around the world. I'm George Howell. The CNN Newsroom starts right now.

Three-o-one here on the U.S. East Coast. Thank you for being with us this day.

The White House is planning to withdraw even more troops from northern Syria as the Kurds are being forced to find different allies. The Turkish offensive kicked off last week after the U.S. began pulling troops out. The Turks and their proxies are largely targeting Kurdish fighters.

And now Kurdish officials say they reached a deal with the Syrian government to send troops to northern Syria, to that border region. That could play into the hands of Russia and Iran, though, who support Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. The U.S. defense secretary had this to say on Sunday.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MARK ESPER, U.S. SECRETARY OF DEFENSE: Now what we're facing is, U.S. forces in a -- trapped between a Syrian Russian army moving north to take on the Turkish army that is moving south. It puts us in a terrible position and the protection and safety of our service members comes first to me.

I spoke with the national security team yesterday. We all talked on the phone. I talked to the president and he is concerned and so last night he directed that we begin a deliberate withdrawal of U.S. forces from the northern part of Syria.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOWELL: The U.S. pulling troops out of that part, the Turkish/Syrian border, many of the Kurds saying they feel betrayed by the United States. It is a chaotic situation in northern Syria and it's fueling fears of the resurgence of ISIS. But that's not stopping Turkey's president.

CNN's Arwa Damon has more from the Turkish/Syrian border.

ARWA DAMON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: The situation inside Syria is growing even more chaotic and deadly as Turkey presses forward with this operation. And as we heard President Erdogan say earlier, nothing is going to stop Turkey from carrying out its goals.

The situation, while it's unclear exactly who is in control of what at this stage, behind us is the Syrian border town of Ras al-Ain whereas there have also been in other areas pitch battles do seem to be sporadically erupting between Turkey, the Syrian Arab force that it has allied itself with on the ground and the Kurdish fighting force, the YPG.

As this is pushing forward, there are also growing concerns about the safety for the civilian population as well as what Turkey's long-term objectives may be. Many quite surprised by some of the moves that have unfolded, moves by Turkey that extend well beyond, it would seem, its initial goals.

Turkey and its Arab allies captured a key part of the highway known as the M-4. What this has done is effectively cut off crucial Kurdish cities and towns from one another and also cut off U.S. military bases from one another, which is causing great concern among the Americans.

[03:04:58]

As one expert put this, there's one clear winner in this entire scenario at this stage and that is the Russians. They are now exerting, as they have been all along, influence over Damascus. They also have greater influence over Ankara and they have a measure of influence over the Kurds, who have turned to just about everyone they can for help but have come up dry.

The Russians, though, it would seem have managed to make a key strategic victory, and that is in seeing the U.S. military pulling back and pulling out without even having to fire a shot.

Arwa Damon, CNN, on the Turkey/Syria border. HOWELL: Interesting in Arwa's reporting on her Instagram she has a

picture where she's there reporting and you see what looks to be the sun setting. She says, clearly that's not the sun setting. That's an explosion.

Jomana Karadsheh live for us in Istanbul, Turkey. And Jomana, that sets the tone here. I mean, it is a chaotic situation. The Kurds are under a great deal of pressure and American forces even feeling some of the heat as they pull out.

JOMANA KARADSHEH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: A very chaotic situation, George. And you've got this fast deteriorating situation in that part of Syria. As you heard from the secretary of defense, Mark Esper saying that basically the decision was made by the president to withdraw U.S. forces from northern Syria because they're looking at a likely scenario where they're going to be facing two opposing armies that are advancing in two different directions.

You've got basically the Turkish-backed Syrian forces on the ground that U.S. officials are very concerned about. They do not trust these forces. They say that there are many extremist elements among them.

And on the other hand, you've also got what we're hearing now, the Syrian regime through its state media basically saying they're moving to the north of the country.

And you've got that stunning development, but no surprise, really, when we heard the announcement late last night coming from the Kurdish authorities in north and east Syria, basically saying that to face what they're describing as this Turkish aggression, they have had to go to the Syrian regime and that they have reached an agreement whereby the Syrian military will deploy along the border with Turkey to help repel what they describe as this Turkish aggression.

They say they will be doing so alongside the Syrian Democratic Forces. And they say it is the duty of the Syrian regime to defend its borders and to preserve the country's sovereignty.

We still have to wait and see what the details of this agreement really is, George. We've only heard about it through this one statement. Then we heard from Syrian state media saying their troops are moving to the north.

But it is very unclear at this point what the details of this agreement are, what happens to the Kurdish authorities, the Syrian Democratic Forces in that part of the country and what happens with this Turkish offensive.

Because as you mentioned as we heard from Arwa, Turkey is determined to go on with this operation to basically create this safe zone that is about 30 kilometers inside Syria, but now you've got this complicating factor with the move of the Syrian military that is, of course, backed by the Russians and the Iranians.

So, we'll have to wait and see what happens in the coming hours and days and what Turkey's next moves are going to be, depending on, of course, what we see happen and unfold on the ground. These really fast developments we have been seeing over the past 24 hours, George.

HOWELL: One thing that has been made clear, though, by the U.S. president, that the U.S. will not be a factor in what happens there as the chaos ensues. Jomana Karadsheh live for us in Istanbul. We'll stay in touch with you.

The leaders of France and Germany are sending a united message to Turkey about its offensive against the Kurds. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

EMMANUEL MACRON PRESIDENT OF FRANCE (through translator): These offensive risks creating an unsustainable humanitarian situation and we can already see it on the ground.

And on the other hand, it risks helping the Islamic state re-emerge in the region. In the face of this situation, we will stay very coordinated as we were when we notified Turkey that we would end our arm sales.

ANGELA MERKEL, GERMAN CHANCELLOR (through translator): Of course, we have to consider Turkey's security interests but we also think that we have to put a stop to this Turkish invasion because of humanitarian reasons. Neither can we accept this situation facing the Kurds and we really have to find another solution.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOWELL: Another major power in the region, Saudi Arabia for its part, tiptoeing around the change in U.S. policy towards the Kurds while also slamming Turkey as well.

[03:09:59]

Our Matthew Chance following the story from the Saudi capital with more on the diplomatic balancing act. And Matthew, we've seen this White House manage a balancing act of its own with Saudi Arabia given some of its actions and now seems the shoe is on the other foot?

MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, exactly, George. Yes. And Saudi Arabian officials here that we've been speaking to in the capital Riyadh have been condemning the Turkish operation in northern Syria. Describing it as an illegal invasion of Syrian land.

But at the same time, they are very reluctant to criticize policies coming out of Washington, particularly policies coming out of the Trump administration. The U.S. is still a really important strategic ally for Saudi Arabia. And they won't even criticize policies like this one, which involves the U.S. abandoning a U.S. ally. In particular at this moment, the Syrian Kurds to their fate.

While, Adel al-Jubeir is the Saudi minister of state foreign affairs is also a former Saudi ambassador to Washington. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) CHANCE: Do you condemn those of the Turkish operation there and now

the Kurds are fighting this overwhelming force. Do you think it was right for the United States to abandon its Kurdish allies in this way?

ADEL AL-JUBEIR, SAUDI MINISTER OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS: I don't think I would describe it as such. I believe that the U.S. is still working with the Kurdish forces in the northeast of Syria. And the U.S. has to decide what its policy should be or not be.

I won't be presumptuous to sit here and say it's the right approach or it's the wrong approach. This is an American issue. But we are in close consultation with our friends in Washington and we are in close consultation with our friends in -- the ones we support in Syria.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHANCE: All right. Well, as the United States draws back its forces there in northern Syria, it's actually bolstering the number of troops it's sending to Saudi Arabia. Announcing 3,000 additional forces over the course of the past month alone to help bolster Saudi Arabia's defenses in its growing standoff with its regional rival, Iran.

But, I mean, everybody in this region, the Saudi Arabians, the Kurds as well, know full well now more than ever that U.S. alliances don't necessarily last forever, George.

HOWELL: Matthew Chance, thanks for the reporting.

And now to Ecuador and the violent protests that rocked that nation for almost two weeks appears to be over new. The government has reached an agreement with indigenous protest leaders to repeal a decree that sparked the unrest. The decree ended fuel subsidies and was passed to get a loan from the International Monetary Fund.

CNN's Gustavo Valdes spoke about why the government is repealing it. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GUSTAVO VALDES, CNN EN ESPANOL CORRESPONDENT: The indigenous community, you know, confronted the president about the injured and the death here during these 12 days of protests.

That was certainly high up on the priorities for the government to solve. And they probably thought that there was no other way to stop the violence and keep the country moving other than repealing this decree.

Now, they acknowledge something has to be done to improve the economy. They say they're going to sit on the table with the indigenous community, with the government, and find a way to, perhaps, target these subsidies to only people who really need the low prices get it, find a mechanism where that can be done.

So upper income people will have to pay full price. Lower income gets a discount. One of the problems they keep bringing up is on the border with Colombia, for instance, there are people who take the cheaper Ecuadorian fuel and they take it across the border for a profit and they say that's a lot of revenue for this country.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOWELL: Those demonstrations in Ecuador lasted 11 days. At least seven people were killed and more than 1,000 others were injured.

Up next, the impeachment inquiry into the U.S. president enters a critical week. What a key witness is expected to tell Congress about the president's controversial phone call with Ukraine's leader.

Plus, pomp and politics. The carriage, the crown and centuries of history all on display later this day when Queen Elizabeth II opens parliament, but this is a year like no other in British politics. We'll explain as Newsroom continues.

[03:15:00]

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HOWELL: A busy week ahead. Lawmakers return to Capitol Hill this week for a critical week of testimony in the impeachment inquiry against President Trump.

The inquiry was launched after a whistleblower complaint that claimed Mr. Trump abused his power by pressuring the Ukrainian government to investigate Joe Biden, the former vice president and now Democrat running for president.

Of the key people to testify this week, two will include U.S. Ambassador Gordon Sondland and Mr. Trump's former Russia adviser, Fiona Hill. Lawmakers want to ask Sondland about the text messages he exchanged related to Mr. Trump's July phone call with the Ukrainian president.

Hill is expected to be interviewed in the coming hours. She should bring to light some of the behind-the-scenes maneuvering between President Trump, the administration officials and outsiders acting on his behalf in Ukraine.

In the meantime, Hunter Biden, the son of the former Vice President Joe Biden, whose overseas business dealings have drawn attacks from President Trump, well he says that he will step down from his board role at the Chinese owned private equity firm.

His father, again, Joe Biden, the Democratic presidential candidate, he addressed the controversy during a campaign event in Iowa on Sunday and slammed President Trump for repeatedly targeting his son with claims that are just not true.

Our Jessica Dean reports.

[03:20:01]

JESSICA DEAN, CNN WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT: Vice President Joe Biden issuing a fiery rebuke of President Trump's and the unfounded claims against his son, Hunter Biden. This Sunday in Altoona, Iowa, this is Sunday morning, Hunter Biden's attorney release a statement saying that Hunter Biden would be stepping down from a Chinese-backed company he serves on the board there at the end of the month.

And also, that Hunter Biden was pledging that if his father is elected president that he would not serve on any foreign boards or do work for any foreign companies.

Vice President Biden going on to say that he promises a fully transparent White House. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOE BIDEN (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: The statement my son put out today, which I saw when he put it out, I was told it was going to be put out. I did not consult with him what was being put out. In fact, represents the man of integrity he is and what, in fact, he has done and why he stepped down.

And I can tell you now if I am your president, the next president, I am going to build on the squeaky-clean transparent environment we had in the Obama/Biden White House. And no one in my family or associated with me will be involved in any foreign operation whatsoever, period, end of story.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

DEAN: Vice President Biden also addressing the situation in Syria, calling Trump's decision a disaster.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BIDEN: What in God's name is this man doing? What is he doing to our security? What is he doing to NATO? What is he doing? It is a shame. It's shameful what he's done. And to the best of my knowledge, from all the sources I have over in the intelligence community, before, the people who have worked with me, leaders in the foreign policy community, there was no consultation with the military. This is outrageous.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

DEAN: Vice President Biden has said recently that he's very, very concerned about what President Trump will do with the remainder of his presidency as it relates to international interests on behalf of the United States. You can expect to hear more and more of that line of attack as we get closer to Tuesday night's debates.

In Altoona, Iowa, Jessica Dean, CNN.

HOWELL: All right. Jessica, thank you for the reporting.

Joe Biden is not the only Democratic presidential candidate criticizing President Trump's decision to withdraw U.S. forces from northern Syria and betray an ally. Listen. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. AMY KLOBUCHAR (D-MN), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: We have a president who turns his backs on our allies just like he did when he left the Kurds for slaughter. And no sanctions after the fact will change the human rights crisis he has caused at this very moment. None. No rallies or chants or tweets will bring back those dead children. This president should never allow this to happen and it must be stopped.

MAYOR PETE BUTTIGIEG (D-FL), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Putting an end to endless war doesn't mean ending American engagement around the world. Often it means making sure we do our part to stabilize or help keep the peace so that full-blown conflicts don't break out.

But look at what's happened here. This isn't even a strategy or a policy. It is the president systematically destroying American alliances and American values. And that makes America worse off.

Look, the 21st century is going to be filled with these kinds of messy asymmetric conflicts. And we need to make sure that the U.S. is in a position to defend our interests and to live up to our obligations to our allies.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOWELL: And now to that issue of Brexit and a new warning from the E.U.'s chief Brexit negotiator, Michel Barnier, says that Britain's proposal to exit the E.U. is still not acceptable.

This comes ahead of a critical E.U. summit later this week. And that means for pressure on the British prime minister, Boris Johnson, as the clock ticks down to Halloween Day, October 31st, the Brexit deadline.

In the coming hours all eyes will be on the palace of Westminster as his commencement, as his government, rather, sets out its agenda in the queen's speech which opens parliament.

Our Anna Stewart tells us what to expect.

ANNA STEWART, CNN REPORTER: The state opening formally commemorates the beginning of a session of parliament. Steeped in tradition, this elaborate ceremony showcases British history, culture and contemporary politics.

The state opening is the only regular opportunity to unite the three elements of legislature, the House of Lords, the House of Commons and the queen. The occasion is marked by a colorful series of events.

It begins when the queen travels to the Palace of Westminster in a state coach, escorted by the household cavalry. The imperial state crown, a supreme symbol of her authority in the land, it gets its own carriage, too.

[03:24:58] The queen arrives through the sovereign's entrance and then enters the robing room where she puts on the imperial state crown and royal robe. From there, she enters the royal gallery and joins the state procession. The procession enters the House of Lords where the queen takes the throne.

At the command of the queen, the official known as the usher of the Black Rod is dispatched to fetch M.P.'s from the commons. The door of the commons is slammed in the usher's face, who then has to knock on the door three times to be allowed in. This is to symbolize the independence of the House of Commons.

Once inside, Black Rod summons lawmakers to the lords. Those M.P.'s, the Black Rod ushers and commons officials all make their way to the lord's chamber where they stand in the back. Members of the lords and guests including judges, ambassadors and high commissioners will sit in the lord's chamber.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

QUEEN ELIZABETH II, QUEEN OF ENGLAND: My lords and members of the House of Commons --

(END VIDEO CLIP)

STEWART: Then the queen delivers her speech to members of both houses. Written by the government and approved by the cabinet, the speech lays out policies and proposed legislation for the new parliamentary session.

The queen then departs the lord's chamber, prompting the new session to start. Both houses then begin debate the content of the speech. Members will continue debating over several days looking at different subject areas each day.

Anna Stewart, CNN, London.

HOWELL: A lot to debate there in the U.K.

And also, this from the Chinese president Xi Jinping. A warning, he says, for anyone trying to, quote, "split China" in any part of the country. He says those efforts will end in, quote, "crushed bodies and shattered bones," end quote.

China state media quoted Mr. Xi during a state visit to Nepal. It comes as China faces a prolonged trade war with the United States and 19 straight weekends of pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong.

If you're watching CNN international around the world, thank you so much for being with us. In the Making South Africa is next for you. And for those joining here in the United States on CNN USA, stay tuned, Newsroom continues right after the break.

[03:30:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) GEORGE HOWELL, CNN ANCHOR: Half past midnight on the U.S. West Coast, 3:30 a.m. here on the east in Atlanta, Georgia. Welcome back to "CNN Newsroom." I'm George Howell with the headlines we have for you this day.

In Northern Syria, Kurdish officials say the Syrian government will deploy troops along the Turkish border to help repel the offensive by Turkey. Some troops are already moving north to support. This is according to Syrian state media. Syria's government has not yet said whether this is part of any sort of a deal with the Kurds.

Turkey launched its military operation last week after the United States pulled back troops. Now the U.S. defense secretary says President Trump is now ordering the remaining U.S. forces out of Northern Syria. Pro-Turkish forces have cut off a key road leading to Kobani, a largely Kurdish city where troops have been based.

Let's get the context now with Bob Baer. Bob is CNN's intelligence and security analyst, also a former CIA operative. It's good to have you with us.

ROBERT BAER, CNN INTELLIGENCE SECURITY ANALYST, FORMER CIA OPERATIVE: Thanks.

HOWELL: So, Bob, as the Turkish military continues to push into Syria, many of the Kurdish fighters who once fought alongside U.S. troops to defeat ISIS, they now find themselves targeted by another U.S. ally, Turkey.

And with Americans leaving now, the Kurds are turning to the Syrian army for a deal, even considering Russian forces to protect them. How does that strike you to hear the Kurds say that America betrayed them, that America sold them out?

BAER: Well, George, it's absolutely right. I mean, let's not forget the Kurds did most of the fighting against the Islamic state and beat them, drove them into the ground. And now as soon as we're done with them, we're abandoning them to the Turks, to Turkish air power.

Not only that, but we're abandoning them to Turkish-Syrian allies which happen to be very close to the Muslim brotherhood. They despise the Kurds. And right now they're committing ethnic cleansing in the Kurdish areas. No wonder the Kurds are scared and defeated and feel betrayed at this point.

It's quite amazing. I've never seen the United States turn on an ally like this ever so quickly and without cause.

HOWELL: Many of these Kurdish forces were protecting prisoners that were held -- they were holding ISIS prisoners. But now they find themselves defending themselves against Turkish forces. They say guarding ISIS is no longer a priority.

So, hundreds of those prisoners, hundreds of people with ties to those prisoners have escaped already. How great of a risk do you see this for ISIS to possibly resurge?

BAER: Well, as of today, it's an enormous risk. We're getting reports out of Syria that high-value Islamic state prisoners are escaping. And you can count on it, they're going to come back to the battlefield and they're going to be attacking whether it's in Iraq, Syria, Europe or even the United States.

So, I mean, it's not a surprise that the Kurds have abandoned these prisons. I mean, they are defending themselves. This is an existential threat, the Turks, are at this point. They had to take whatever arms and firepower they have and put it on the front. I mean, this was, again, all predictable.

What I don't understand is why the president of the United States didn't factor any of this in. It's just like he woke up one morning, talks to Erdogan and says I'm out of here for absolutely no reason at all, no planning.

And I know the ambassador that represents that area, Jeffrey. He is -- the guy is brilliant. I mean, he did not support this. I guarantee you that. So, Trump has gone without any advice, without any plan for what's going to happen afterwards. And what we're seeing in this part of the world -- and we're going to see it spread, I guarantee you that -- is chaos and more war.

HOWELL: This U.S. president who takes credit for the defeat of ISIS says he shoots from the hip essentially, that he works with his gut, but a great deal of backlash from this gut move from Donald Trump.

And as the fighting there, the chaos continues, Bob, thousands of people are being displaced. People are being pushed further from their homes deeper and deeper into Syria. Help our viewers understand what that means to see the humanitarian crisis there get worse.

BAER: Well, I mean, Syria was barely stabilized as it was, doing better than it was in 2011.

[03:35:03]

BAER: To see this ethnic cleansing, and I'll say it again, going on, essentially tolerated by the United States, it's a tragedy beyond belief. I fought with the Kurds for many years. It's amazing what they can do in the battlefield. It's amazing what they -- the trust they put in us.

And at this point, just abandoning them, you know -- who is going to protect them and who is going to fight the Islamic state? Because I tell you, the free Syrian army, this Turkish group is not. It's just totally incomprehensible to me that this president made this decision, an absolute catastrophe.

HOWELL: Bob Baer with perspective for us. Bob, thank you.

BAER: Yup.

HOWELL: President Trump's decision to withdraw troops from the region has been seen as an attempt to appease the Turkish government. As CNN's Jake Tapper reports, it's not the first time Mr. Trump has been accused of putting Turkey's interests first.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JAKE TAPPER, CNN CHIEF WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Despite President Trump's vague threat to Turkey on Thursday --

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We are going to possibly do something very, very tough with respect to sanctions and other financial things.

TAPPER (voice-over): His order to withdrawal U.S. Service members from the northern part of Syria on the eve of Turkey's assault on America's long-time Kurdish allies is, in fact, just the latest in a number of decisions where the Trump administration has seem to have bent over backwards to give Turkey's President Erdogan what he wants.

JONATHAN SCHANZER, SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT OF RESEARCH, FOUNDATION FOR DEFENSE OF DEMOCRACIES: It's not a good pattern. It's a pattern of appeasement.

TAPPER (voice-over): The Trump administration's ties to Turkey began even before the 2016 election, when former national security adviser Michael Flynn, at the time an adviser to the Trump campaign, was doing secret lobbying work on behalf of the Turkish government.

The Wall Street Journal reporting that Flynn met with Turkish government officials at the time about getting one of Erdogan's enemies, a Turkish cleric living in Pennsylvania in exile, Fethullah Gulen, forcibly removed to Turkey. Erdogan has accused Gulen of masterminding an attempted coup in 2016, though, Gulen denied any involvement in the coup and he was never forcibly removed from the U.S.

TRUMP: General Flynn is a wonderful man.

TAPPER (voice-over): Flynn subsequently admitted to breaking the law by making false statements on federal lobbying disclosures about his work for Turkey. And there's Rudy Giuliani's representation of Reza Zarrab, a Turkish businessman with ties to top Turkish officials indicted by the U.S. for helping Iran to evade billions of dollars in U.S. sanctions.

In an Oval Office meeting with Giuliani and Trump, then Secretary of State Rex Tillerson was pressed to drop a criminal case against Zarrab, who reportedly had an office in Trump Tower Istanbul. Tillerson said no.

Even more curious, the Trump administration so proud of withdrawing from the Iran deal and imposing new sanctions has not yet fined the bank involved in the Zarrab case, the state-owned Halkbank. Why not? The Trump administration did not respond to CNN's request for comment.

Then there's the matter of Turkey purchasing the Russian S-400 missile defensive missile system, a system that Pentagon officials have said would pose an intelligence risk to the U.S. since Turkey also purchased U.S. F-53 fighter jets. According to a 2017 law, Turkey's purchase of these Russian weapons is supposed to trigger congressionally mandated sanctions against Turkey. But Trump has not pulled that trigger. Why not?

The Trump administration told us today, "We continue to urge Turkey to reconsider the receipt of the S-400. There is a deliberative process ongoing on the issue of sanctions."

MIKE POMPEO, UNITED STATES SECRETARY OF STATE: There could be more sanctions to follow, but frankly, what we'd really like is the S-400 not to become operational.

TAPPER (voice-over): In fact, after the Pentagon insisted that the White House cancel Turkey's purchase of the F-35 jet, President Trump sounded more upset about the law than Turkey violating it.

TRUMP: I have a good relationship with President Erdogan. Because of the fact he bought a Russian missile, we're not allowed to sell him billions of dollars-worth of aircraft. It's not a fair situation.

SCHANZER: Sends a terrible message to the Turkish regime that they can continue to test American red lines and get away with it.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HOWELL: That was CNN's Jake Tapper reporting from Washington. Next here on "Newsroom," a racially charged shooting in the U.S. A victim, 28 years old, in her own home. Her young nephew witnessed it all.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[03:40:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HOWELL: The search continues for a missing worker at a collapsed hotel in New Orleans. Take a look at the future Hard Rock Hotel. It gave way, leaving two people dead. The search for the missing third worker was on hold until the dangerously shaky construction site was later stabilized.

That allowed crews to remove one body. They're trying to get a second body now. The identities of those killed have not yet been released. Investigators are still trying to figure out exactly what caused the collapse.

In Fort Worth, Texas, an African-American woman killed in her own home. It marks the seventh fatal shooting police are investigating by one of their officers this year. Twenty-eight-year-old Atatiana Jefferson killed early Saturday morning. Police say the officer did not identify himself before he fired his gun. Our Polo Sandoval has this.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We went from a welfare check to a woman being killed by the cops.

POLO SANDOVAL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Outrage is building over the actions of a Fort Worth, Texas police officer. Saturday morning, just before 2:30 a.m., police were called to the home of 28- year-old Atatiana Jefferson after neighbors noticed her front door was opened.

Heavily edited body camera video released by Fort Worth police picks up what happens next. After police peered through the front door, they walked the perimeter of the property when suddenly police say an officer spotted someone standing near a window.

The medical examiner identified the woman who the officer shot as Jefferson. She died at the scene. James Smith says he's the concerned caller who first alerted police.

JAMES SMITH, NEIGHBOR WHO CALLED POLICE: I feel guilty because had I not called the Fort Worth Police Department, my neighbor would still be alive today.

SANDOVAL (voice-over): In a statement, Fort Worth police said their officer drew his weapon and fired the single shot after, "Perceiving a threat." In addition to the body camera footage, investigators released this still photo showing a firearm inside the house. CNN legal analyst and criminal defense attorney Joey Jackson cautions not to jump to any conclusions.

JOEY JACKSON, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: You are going to release the fact that she has a gun in the home as perhaps what? To suggest she had a gun and that we were perhaps fearful for our life? There's no indication where that gun was.

[03:45:01]

JACKSON: There's no indication she had that gun. There's no indication that she should not have had the gun.

SANDOVAl (voice-over): CNN has requested the unedited body camera footage. A police spokesperson said nothing additional will be released at this time and the department, "Shares the deep concerns of the public and is committed to completing an extremely thorough investigation." Police have not named the officer who joined the department in April of last year.

Polo Sandoval, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HOWELL: We'll continue to follow that story, of course. We'll be right back after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HOWELL: Welcome back to "CNN Newsroom." I'm George Howell. We've been following this very strong typhoon that hit Japan. It affected flights. It definitely affected sporting events that were playing out there. Our Ivan Cabrera is in the International Weather Center. Ivan, this was a strong storm. It hit really fast and looking what was left over, a lot of damage from it, it seems.

IVAN CABRERA, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Yeah, no question about it, one of the worst typhoons they've had in quite some time. Remember, George, for our U.S. viewers, a typhoon is just another name for hurricane. It is the same kind of storm, tropical cyclone, right?

[03:50:00]

CABRERA: This would have been the equivalent of a Category 3 hurricane in the Atlantic, called the typhoon in this part of the world, but the same is the same.

My goodness, look at the record rains here. The wind was significant. We had some damage as a result of that. But the rain has been just prolific here. No question about it. Incredible amounts of rain. You can see them washing off the roads here.

I mean, this was somebody's street, right, in front of their house. It is barely there. We're talking about a couple of feet and you're in the river here. That's been the case really throughout portions of Hongshu in Japan.

Look at the flooding here. We are talking about 14 major rivers and tributaries that run through Tokyo that have to get out into the bay. They are going through neighborhoods and they are inundating the neighborhoods as a result.

Incredible images are coming out of one of our NASA satellites here, before and after, always dramatic. This one is no exemption. Take a look at before. We had a typhoon hitting here. What I want you to notice are the rivers here, the Sagami, the Arakawa that run through Tokyo and exits through Tokyo Bay.

You see that hue there. You begin to see those different colors there, the brown. That is water. That is the water that is coming from those overwhelmed rivers flooding down into Tokyo Bay.

Another river here, the Sagami, that's also flooding neighborhoods. That is going into Sagami Bay. We have another one here also going into Suruga Bay. So you get the idea it has been a devastating storm as a result of the rainfall as well. We'll show you that picture in a second. That's another part of the story.

But notice things are quiet. Folks have been asking. Well, yeah, we have a few showers in the forecast there but nothing too significant as I see it right now. Just some bands rolling through. This has nothing to do with the typhoon. The typhoon is long gone at this point here. That's some good news here.

The picture I want to show you as well, this is not even a typhoon. This is what can happen with a land-falling hurricane or typhoon. You get tornadoes. Look at the damage here as a result of what was a significant tornado out ahead of the landfall that occurred on Saturday. Remarkable images are coming out of this town here in Chiba, Japan. Look at all the destruction here. You'll notice as we widen out the picture if we can, you would be able to see some areas just to the north not hit as hard. Just a tell-tale sign of what you have when you have a tornado rolling through one particular neighborhood and then folks to the north of that doing just fine.

So again, it is a historic storm. We haven't seen something like this since the early 2000s as far as the destructive power. The last storm that hit Japan, by the way, that was Typhoon Faxai, and that was basically last storm that hit right on top of Tokyo as well. That was the equivalent of a Category 2, $7 billion in damages there as a result of Faxai.

This particular storm, obviously the economic losses, it's too early to talk about that. That, I think, will also still be in the billions. The exact amount will have to be determined. But what has happened here with this particular storm has been the loss of life, George, and we haven't seen the fatalities for Japan, a modern country for -- you know, during this time, 35 plus fatalities and likely to continue to increase.

It may not sound like a lot to a lot of people though and we usually don't get those numbers in parts of Japan that is used to these typhoons. But this one was a significant, not unprecedented but a significant storm for them, a value as far as folks being lost and also the damages that will come out of it. As you mentioned, some games, rugby disrupted. Japan was at a standstill over the weekend. No question.

HOWELL: So many people were there for those sporting events. This was a big storm that came through. Ivan Cabrera, thank you so much.

CABRERA: You bet.

HOWELL: A U.S. athlete has just become the most decorated gymnast in the world championship history. Simone Biles smashed a record this week after earning five gold medals during a competition in Germany. Biles now, she has 25 championship medals, the most ever. The 22-year- old is already a four-time Olympic champion, but says next year's Olympics in Tokyo, well, that will be her last.

And it was a banner weekend for two other female athletes. Coco Gauff just became the youngest pro tennis champion in 15 years. That is also how old she is, 15 years old. After a rocky start, Gauff won the Women's Tennis Association tournament in Austria on Sunday.

And Kenyan athlete Brigid Kosgei won the Chicago marathon for the second year in a row. In doing so, she shattered the women's world marathon record. Kosgei ran a 26-mile race in two hours, 14 minutes and four seconds. A full 81 seconds faster than the old record.

And then finally this hour, the world witnessed another major moment in sports. It happened this weekend when Kenyan distance runner Eliud Kipchoge did what no one has done before, completing a marathon in under two hours. It happened in Vienna. He accomplished what previously was thought to be an impossible feat.

[03:55:01]

HOWELL: He spoke about it to my colleague Becky Anderson.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ELIUD KIPCHOGE, MARATHONER: I'm really happy. I'm the happiest man in this universe to make history and break the two-hour barrier. Remember, most people have been saying that in two-hour marathon, our body would be broken (INAUDIBLE). I told them (INAUDIBLE). Here in Vienna yesterday is the day I made history.

Anything you put in your hat and in your mind and say it in your mouth can become a reality. And I'm expecting most to come under two hours in the future. The whole country was celebrating. I got to say under two hours is a unifying factor in the country, and I trust that Kenya will be in unity. Kenya in the future will be a running nation.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOWELL: And let's just take a look at this image. It says so much right there. That is Kipchoge finishing at the finish line, greeted by his wife. But despite becoming the first human to break that two-hour mark, it won't be an official world record.

That's because it was assisted by 30 pacemakers and a pace car, which is considered to be nonstandard conditions, and it was not an official event. But, man, what a race.

Thank you so much for joining us this hour. I'm George Howell at the CNN Center in Atlanta. Now off to New York we go. "Early Start" is next from Hudson Yards. You're watching CNN, the world's news leader.

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