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Harris, Trump on a Tight Race Ahead of the ABC News Debate; Israel Reopens Border Crossings to Jordan after a Shooting Incident; U.S. Congress Resumes Session, Pressing on the Budget Before the Unexpected Shutdown; Italian Jannik Sinner Claims First U.S. Open Men's Singles Title. Aired 3-4a ET

Aired September 09, 2024 - 03:00   ET

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

[03:00:00]

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ANNA COREN, CNN CORRESPONDENT AND ANCHOR: Hello and welcome to all our viewers in the United States, Canada and around the world. I'm Anna Coren, in Hong Kong. Ahead on "CNN Newsroom."

Face to face for the first time, the former U.S. President and current Vice President are now just a day out from their high stakes debate. We'll have an analysis.

The search for a man suspected of shooting up an interstate in Kentucky stretches into its third day, the latest details on the investigation.

And a wildfire continues to rage in California, threatening thousands of structures, forcing evacuations and prompting a state of emergency.

UNKNOWN (voice-over): Live from Hong Kong, this is "CNN Newsroom" with Anna Coren.

We are now just one day away from the high-stakes U.S. presidential debate between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump. This will be the first time the two candidates meet face-to-face, as they hope to sway still undecided voters in a very tight race.

A New York Times-Siena College poll shows no clear leader. A similar theme also found in a new CNN poll of polls, which shows Harris at 49 percent and Trump at 47. For polls not only showing a close race nationally, but also in key battleground states like Pennsylvania.

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SEN. JOHN FETTERMAN (D-PA): It's going to be very close. It's going to be very close. And we have to do everything that we possibly can to make sure and have the conversations with all across Pennsylvania and all kinds of rooms that may be hopelessly red kinds of counties, but it's going to be the one on the margins. And I've always maintained that. And that's what happened in 2016 that Trump won and then of course Joe Biden won by 80,000 votes. So I've been predicting this is going to be close regardless.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COREN: Trump is already attempting to cast doubt on the integrity of this election. On Sunday, he called on the FBI to investigate mail-in ballots in Pennsylvania and make claims of widespread voter fraud. Those claims are not supported by any evidence. Both candidates have focused on Pennsylvania, where Tuesday's debate will be held. Harris met with voters in Pittsburgh this weekend while she prepared for the debate. Trump held a campaign rally in Wisconsin.

Larry Sabato is the director of the University of Virginia's Center for Politics, and he joins me now from Charlottesville. Larry, great to see you. The latest polls, what do they tell us, and more importantly, how accurate are they?

LARRY SABATO, DIRECTOR, UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA-CENTER FOR POLITICS: They tell us almost nothing we didn't already know. The last 19 or 20 polls have had the contest between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump, tied or nearly tied, well within the margin of error.

And because of that, we know already it is going to be a highly competitive, closely contested race. That's the most important thing to know about it. What you shouldn't do is to overly respond or overinterpret each new poll, which might have been done by the "New York Times" poll that hit town today and caused consternation among Democrats. It showed the same thing that all the other polls have shown.

I think a lot of Democrats thought that Kamala Harris would just continue to move up and up and up. But politics doesn't work that way, and she's had a great run, and she hasn't really lost ground.

COREN: But as you say, many thought that Harris would have had a significant boost from the DNC after weeks and weeks of positive media coverage, but her surge has plateaued. That must be alarming for Democrats.

SABATO: Well, it is alarming, but it's important to remember we live in an age when the electorate in the United States is truly divided and very polarized. And so each candidate has a pretty low ceiling of support, but also a very high floor.

And we can expect both candidates to hover around the 50 percent mark, more or less, for the remainder of the campaign unless something truly dramatic happens. Or in the next debate, coming up on Tuesday, we have the opportunity for one or both candidates to do poorly. Then we might see a change in the polls. But I doubt that happens.

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COREN: Larry, I want to speak to you about the debate. But before we move on, these polls show that Harris and Trump, they are neck-and- neck, and yet Trump is still ahead on the economy. Do you think that this could be Harris's downfall? SABATO: If she loses, it will be because of the economy and because

the Biden administration did not take inflation seriously enough, early enough. But that doesn't have to be. That is, that's not a prediction. That's simply a description of how people are responding. The economy is clearly improving. Inflation is improving.

And the odds are that the Federal Reserve here will lower interest rates in the coming days. So it's way too early, even though the election is November 5th and people are already voting in some places, it's way too early to draw these kinds of hard and fast conclusions about what's going on.

COREN: Larry, with all your years of experience and following the U.S. political scene, tell me what are you expecting from Tuesday's debate?

SABATO: I think it will be more substantive than people are believing at the moment, especially on the Democratic side, because one of Kamala Harris' objectives and needs is to define her positions further and to give people more insight into where she stands as opposed to where President Biden has stood during his administration. But any debate involving Donald Trump will have some unexpected moments, and it's going to get at points highly negative. I think that Harris will sidestep some of the insults and the nastiness.

She's been studying Trump's past debates, so she's going to know how he operates. But you can't avoid that. And this is Trump's opportunity to go after Kamala Harris in a way that he had been doing for months with President Biden.

COREN: Muted mics will again feature like they did in the first debate. Do you think that will be to Donald Trump's advantage because Harris won't be able to showcase her prosecutorial skills?

SABATO: It's possible it will work out that way. But from what I understand, the ABC network has agreed to leave the microphones on when there is a real exchange between the candidates. If one of the candidates continues talking and turning to the other candidate and insisting that candidate has told a falsehood, I understand that they will, at least in some cases, keep the microphones on. So there are going to be some unexpected moments in this debate.

COREN: Larry, is this make or break for either candidate?

SABATO: Not unless one of the candidates falls apart the way President Biden did in the June 27th debate on CNN. That was the greatest disaster in the 37 presidential general election debates we've had since 1960. I don't think we'll see another circumstance like that, but I wouldn't be surprised to see a major mistake, certainly factual.

But even more than that, if somebody goes over the line with an insult, for example, or an attack, then that could have repercussions for that particular campaign.

COREN: Larry Sabato, as always, great to get your perspective and analysis. Thanks so much for joining us.

SABATO: Thank you, Anna.

And be sure to tune in to our special coverage of the ABC News Presidential Debate simulcast here on CNN. It will air this Tuesday, 9:00 p.m. Eastern Time in the U.S. That's 2:00 a.m. Wednesday in London, 5:00 a.m. in Abu Dhabi and 9:00 in the morning here in Hong Kong.

Well the Harris campaign posted policy positions on its website over the weekend. It comes after criticism from Republicans saying she hadn't clearly outlined her stance on issues. Among the positions Harris detailed online, expanding the child tax credit, providing first-time homebuyers up to $25,000 for a down payment, signing a bill restoring reproductive freedom and banning assault weapons.

Both Harris and Trump will be back on the campaign trail later this week. Harris plans to visit North Carolina and Pennsylvania. Trump is expected to attend three fundraisers in California and Utah.

Well schools will be closed Monday in Laurel County, Kentucky, as authorities try to track down a gunman. They've identified this man, Joseph Couch, as the suspect accused of firing into several cars along Interstate 75 on Saturday, wounding five people.

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Authorities believe he's still in the densely wooded area near where his car and rifle were found. The sheriff's department says it doesn't appear the gunman targeted anyone in particular, but the attack was likely planned.

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CAPT. RICHARD DALRYMPLE, LAUREL COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE: We went back this morning, we took a tactical team up on the mountain and we located three different sites where there was evidence. As the sheriff said, we located where we are now certain that the shots were fired from.

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COREN: Some of the injuries are considered very severe, with one victim shot in the face and another in the chest. The White House says President Biden has been briefed and they are in touch with state and local officials. Here's what Kentucky's Governor Andy Beshear had to say about the shootings.

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GOV. ANDY BESHEAR (D-KY): I want to thank the multiple different law enforcement groups that are there, that work throughout the night and are working now to try to make sure that the area is safe. And you know, something's got to change. We have to do better. I mean, you shouldn't be scared going to school or driving to work.

(END VIDEO CLIP) COREN: The mother of the accused 14-year-old shooter at Apalachee High School in Georgia made a warning call to the school just before Wednesday's attack. Well that word comes as a small community continues to mourn the two students and two teachers who were killed. CNN's Raphael Romo has more.

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RAPHAEL ROMO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It's a new and dramatic development. We have learned that Marcy Gray, the mother of the 14-year-old accused of the shooting, called the school counselor roughly 30 minutes before the shooting and describe a quote, "unspecified emergency." This was first reported by the "Washington Post" and later confirmed by CNN with Annie Brown the teenager's aunt.

That emergency turned out to be an alarming and apologetic text from Marcy Gray's son, Colt Gray. The text simply said, quote, "I'm sorry, mom," as CNN confirmed earlier today with Charles Polhamus, Colt Gray's maternal grandfather. It was after receiving that text that the mother placed the call to the school before beginning a 200 mile drive from Fitzgerald to here in Winder, but by the time she arrived, the tragic shooting had already happened.

The painful question that hangs in the air here in Winder is whether this tragedy could have been prevented based on the new information we have learned about what the suspect's mother tried to do. The answer, of course, is that we will never know, but these new revelations are very consequential and may widen the investigation into the shooting.

Throughout the weekend, we have witnessed how thousands of people have arrived here at Apalachee High School in Winder to pay their respects, bring flowers and show support to the families of the deceased and the school itself. And the Atlanta Falcons decided to also show their support Sunday. This happened ahead of their season opening home game against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The Atlanta Falcons players wore Apalachee Wildcats t-shirts during pre-game warm-ups. Also, a moment of silence was observed before the national anthem in Mercedes-Benz Stadium to honor those affected by the deadly shooting roughly 50 miles from downtown Atlanta.

Rafael Romo, CNN, Winder, Georgia.

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COREN: The trial of three of five former police officers charged in the beating death of Tyre Nichols begins in the coming hours. Nichols died in January last year, three days after the officers allegedly kicked and punched him following a traffic stop and brief foot chase in Memphis, Tennessee. The three officers, Tadarius Bean, Demetris Haley and Justin Smith, have pleaded not guilty to the charges that include civil rights violations while two of the officers have plea deals in the case.

Thousands of people are fleeing a massive wildfire in southern California as forecasters warn of record heat over the next few days. Excessive heat warnings are in effect, with temperatures ranging from 95 to 105 degrees Fahrenheit, that's around 35 to 40 degrees Celsius. The Lion Fire has more than quadrupled in size since Saturday morning, threatening more than 36,000 homes and buildings. Well, 1,800 firefighters are struggling to get control of the fire, which was not contained at all as of Sunday morning.

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BRENT PASCUA, BATTALION CHIEF, CAL FIRE: So the biggest challenge when the fire is unpredictable like this is knowing where to position all your crews. So right now we've positioned all over the whole fire, most importantly, within the neighborhoods around homes. We've yet to lose or damage any structures and we want to keep it that way.

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COREN: At least three people have been injured and California's governor has declared a state of emergency. CNN's Camila Bernal is in San Bernardino County with more.

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CAMILA BERNAL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: This fire remains uncontrollable despite the efforts from firefighters. There are multiple factors working against the firefighters. Officials here telling me that the terrain is very steep and very difficult to access. I want to show you what that terrain looks like because this is an area where we saw some of the hot spots. And in this area, you see how difficult it is for some of these firefighters to get into this area.

It is steep and they either have to walk in some of the areas. Or I was told by Cal Fire that you have to fly in the firefighters to certain areas of the fire because it is so difficult to access. You see how they're slipping as they're trying to get down the hill. The other factor of this is the weather, triple digit temperatures and even overnight temperatures in the 80s, so there is no break for these firefighters.

There's also thunderstorms expected in this area, so because you have these thunderstorms, yes, you may have rain that may help this fire, but you also have the possibility of lightning that starts new fires. And then with the storm also come winds that are unpredictable and that move the flames into areas where the firefighters cannot predict and cannot know where to put their crews.

So that also makes it extremely difficult for them. So Cal Fire saying they're cautiously optimistic about the next couple of hours, maybe the next couple of days, because there is still a lot of work to be done here.

Camila Bernal, CNN, San Bernardino County.

(END VIDEOTAPE) COREN: We are keeping our eyes on what meteorologists are currently calling potential tropical cyclones 6 forming in the Gulf of Mexico. Well, parts of Mexico and southern Texas are under a tropical storm watch right now, with the disturbance expected to turn into a full- fledged storm in the coming days. The U.S. National Hurricane Center warns cities on the coast of Louisiana and Texas could also see storm surge and hurricane watches as a result. It's expected to become Tropical Storm Francine sometime today and strengthen to a hurricane by Wednesday when it could make landfall on the Texas-Louisiana border.

A deadly typhoon has been downgraded to a tropical depression after killing dozens across Asia. Yagi is the most powerful storm the region has seen this year. And officials say at least 35 people are dead in Vietnam alone. The storm tore through the country, destroying homes and disrupting electricity and communications. But the danger is not over. Meteorologists warn flash flooding and landslides are still a threat as cleanup begins.

At least 30 people in the U.S. state of Arizona were injured when a truck crashed into an Elks lodge. Well, that's a meeting place for Elks, the American Civic Organization. The 73-year-old driver had reportedly just left the lodge, got in his truck and accidentally plowed into the building. He was arrested. Police say alcohol was involved. At least 15 victims were hospitalized, with one in critical but stable condition.

Israel says it will reopen three border crossings into Jordan today. They were closed after a fatal shooting on Sunday. What we're learning about the suspected gunman just ahead.

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COREN: Israel's defense minister says the military is ready as needed to shift its focus to Israel's northern border. Yoav Gallant spoke with Israeli troops in Gaza on Sunday. He told them the Israeli military could be quickly moved to the fight against Hezbollah if needed. But he also said they would cripple Hamas.

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YOAV GALLANT, ISRAELI DEFENSE MINISTER (through translator): In Gaza we need to achieve our two goals, both to eliminate Hamas and to return the hostages, and we are on this matter with all our might. At the same time, we are looking at the entire war fronts, and this means that while you are fighting here in Gaza, we are preparing for anything that can happen in the north, and moving the center of gravity can be quick.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COREN: Meanwhile, the United Nations started the third phase of its polio vaccination campaign in Gaza. The U.N. plans to vaccinate 150,000 Palestinian children in northern Gaza, after health workers vaccinated more than 400,000 children in the south over the past week.

Meantime, Israel says it will reopen three border crossings into Jordan today. They were closed after a Jordanian gunman shot and killed three Israeli civilians at the Allenby crossing on Sunday.

Our Paula Hancocks joins us now from Abu Dhabi for more. And Paula, tell us. What are you learning?

PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Anna, this happened on Sunday. We understand that there was a Jordanian man who was driving a truck and had been a truck driver for some time, bringing commercial goods from Jordan into the West Bank via this crossing. He stopped at the crossing, we understand. He exited his vehicle and then began shooting. He killed three civilians, three border crossing employees before he was killed himself.

Now the Israeli military has published a photo of the handgun that he had used. We know that there has been an investigation started according to the Jordanian Ministry of Interior. They say at this point they believe that he was acting alone.

Now, he's a Jordanian citizen. He lived just south of Amman. His family has said they're very surprised at what had happened. But his brother did say that he had been very angry about what was happening in Gaza and believes that the war in Gaza may have been a motivating factor in deciding to carry out this attack. Now, it has been condemned by Jordan. It's also been strongly condemned by the Israeli Prime Minister.

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BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER (through translator): We are surrounded by a murderous ideology led by Iran's axis of evil. In recent days, lonesome terrorists have murdered six of our hostages in cold blood and three Israeli police officers.

The killers do not distinguish between us. They want to murder us all, until the last one. Right and left, secular and religious, Jews and non-Jews. What prevents the elimination of our people, as in the past, is the strength of the State of Israel and the strength of the Israel Defense Forces.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HANCOCKS: We understand all three crossings will be open this morning at least for passenger traffic, not necessarily yet for commercial goods.

COREN: Paula Hancocks in Abu Dhabi, we appreciate the update. Thank you. In Israel, protesters blocked traffic in Tel Aviv on Sunday. It was

the latest demonstration demanding that the Israeli government secure a ceasefire and hostage release deal with Hamas. And it came just over a week after six hostages were killed in Gaza. CNN asked the Israeli government's coordinator for hostages and the missing about the political will to reach an agreement.

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GAL HIRSCH, ISRAELI COORDINATOR FOR HOSTAGES: I won't put any type of symmetry between the state of Israel, a democracy, a state, and put in front of it actually political will from Hamas. Hamas do not want Israel on the map. Now I'm doing everything, with very good people, my friends. from the Israeli secret services, the Israeli government, the Israeli armed forces, to bring all our people back home.

Do not forget that in the very beginning of the war we had 3,200 missing. And then it came to the point that we knew that we have 255 hostages in Gaza. This is unprecedented event. Never happened something like this. And it is very important that it won't happen not only in Israel. It won't happen any other place in the world.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COREN: Over the weekend, CIA Director Bill Burns said 90 percent of a ceasefire deal has been agreed to, but he says the last 10 percent is the most difficult part.

Syria's state-run news agency says Israeli airstrikes killed 14 people and wounded at least 43 others on Sunday. The agency says there were several explosions and air defense engagements in central Syria. When CNN asked the Israeli military about the incident, the IDF said it does not comment on reports in foreign media.

Venezuela's opposition presidential candidate has landed safely in Spain where he is seeking asylum. Edmundo Gonzalez had been in hiding since the day after the July 28 presidential election where he ran against longtime leader Nicolas Maduro. Maduro claimed victory despite overwhelming evidence he had lost, sparking massive, deadly protests.

Since the disputed election, the Venezuelan government had charged Gonzalez with terrorism, conspiracy and other crimes. Gonzalez's lawyer says the decision to leave Venezuela came last minute after threats to his safety.

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JOSE VICENTE HARO, EDMUNDO GONZALEZ'S LAWYER (through translator): Put yourself in his skin, in his mindset, in the situation he was facing with real fears for his life and that of his family. At that moment, the bare survival instinct prevailed over everything else.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COREN: Gonzalez is thanking supporters for showing solidarity and says he hopes to continue the fight for freedom and democracy in Venezuela, even from exile.

At least 48 people were killed after a fuel tanker collided with a truck in Nigeria on Sunday. Emergency crews have been trying to clear the scene of the crash. Authorities say the truck was carrying both travelers and cattle and at least 50 of the cattle died in the incident. Fatal truck accidents are not uncommon in Nigeria. In 2020 alone, there were over 500 deaths as a result of more than 1,500 gasoline tanker crashes.

The U.S. Congress comes back into session later today and already a fight is brewing. Those details when we come back.

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ANNA COREN, CNN CORRESPONDENT AND ANCHOR: Welcome back to our viewers in the United States, Canada and around the world. I'm Anna Coren. You are watching "CNN Newsroom."

Well, back to our top story. The first presidential debate between U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump set to take place on Tuesday. Well, this will mark the first time the two candidates meet face-to-face as they hope to sway still undecided voters in a very tight race. The economy is expected to remain a key issue among voters during this presidential race and will likely be in focus when Harris and Trump meet on the debate stage.

Well, it's already been a rough start to September on Wall Street.

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All three major indexes ended last week with their worst losses so far this year. It came on the heels of a somewhat disappointing jobs report which showed a slight drop in the unemployment rate but also fewer jobs added than economists had expected. The latest consumer price index report is due out this week and that could offer a clue about what the Federal Reserve will do with interest rates at their meeting next week.

At least a quarter point cut is widely expected. Well here's a look at the U.S. futures right now ahead of Monday's trading. As you can see, everything up. The Dow, Nasdaq and S&P 500 futures all up.

Well, joining me now from Los Angeles is Ryan Patel, senior fellow at the Drucker School of Management at Claremont Graduate University. Ryan, as always, great to see you. Let's start with the Friday's jobs report and the unemployment rate. August hiring weaker than expected and jobs growth for June and July was revised down significantly. Is this an indication the U.S. economy is more fragile than many realize?

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RYAN PATEL, SR. FELLOW, CLAREMONT UNIVERSITY-DRUCKER SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT: I think we already know it was fragile. I think people are just coming to it. I also think that, you know, this is part of what drone power wanted to see, right? You know, you have kind of no choice in September on 17th when the Fed meets to cut rates. And what I mean by that is that when you start to see the slowdown in jobs, you start to see kind of even the unemployment and the wage growth actually only increased by 0.4 percent.

And let me dive in a little bit deeper on that jobs report. Why it is what you were mentioning fragile a little bit. It was the growth was largely concentrated in two areas: construction, which added close to 34,000 jobs, and health care. So then we are seeing this kind of slowdown and we start to see that pressure starting to go into. And guess what? Right into in a couple of weeks, the big decision on will the fed start decreasing the rate and what rate.

COREN: Well, let's talk about that upcoming rate cut that many anticipated. I mean, Jerome Powell has signaled as much to Fed governors over the weekend made a case for cutting interest rates, but only incrementally. I think the general consensus out there is that the Fed will cut by 25 basis points. Will that be enough in your opinion?

PATEL: Well, I mean, as of today and the way we're seeing what you just saw on the jobs report, that continues to go by the time. You know, we'll start to see other indicators with the CPI not meet expectations, it won't be enough. Now, I think that we'll see this week, the CPI index kind of come close to, I think the 25 basis points is, is the market's also saying it's almost a slam dunk, but highly likely.

I think if Jerome Powell chooses to do 50 basis points, it'll signal to the market, if they like it or not, that it is a lot worse than it can be. And this would be the jump they're looking for. So, you know, I also think the flip side of this, and I have to mention like the GDP of the third quarter is also still growing. The Atlanta Fed came out and increased its outlook.

So we have this kind of weird place that the economy is. It's fragile, but still growing, but where is it growing in the right spot?

COREN: So how will this all affect the U.S. election, considering the economy obviously is one of the major issues at the ballot box and if we listen to the polls, Trump is still ahead when it comes to the economy?

PATEL: You are 100 percent right. It's going to be, the economy is going to be the hottest topic for both candidates to talk about. And the reason why is that each of them will point to the strengths and weaknesses, meaning some sectors not doing well and some working class not doing well. So, you know, I also saw some statements from the Fed this past week about like, you know, we may not see big tech layoffs or just bigger layoffs, but we won't see growth.

So I think the candidates, both of them should be focusing on the economic growth. How are they going to do that in what sectors and how to grow the sectors faster in certain, you know, the wage growth and even the living and the consumer price index? I mean, I can keep going because I think it's really important for these candidates to talk about these things and how to solve for them versus, you know, what is current situation and the kind of going back and forth of not moving forward together as a bipartisan approach.

COREN: Ryan, on that issue, why have Democrats really failed to communicate their wins with the economy? You know, you look at the reindustrialization that is happening in the United States and reducing its reliance on China. I mean, this has all happened under the Biden administration and we're not really hearing this from Kamala Harris.

PATEL: I think part of it too is for her to say something like this doesn't really the voter right now. What are they what are they feeling in their pocket right now is neither of those two issues. Unfortunately, it's about what's in their savings and a high debt that they currently have in accounts. You know, things are more expensive.

The grocery store haven't been feeling that and we also see the wage book not catch up to some of these opportunities when you either travel or go. So I think when you think of what's top of mind in the short term, you see the price sticker shock is still there. We still see big stock. You know, we still see big kind of items, ticket items, people are choosing not to purchase them and holding back. So people's lifestyles are also changing too.

And so again, these are wins that are not affecting the things that people are feeling right now and they're gonna vote with what? What they feel right now. And I think that's why maybe the Democratic party is not addressing those things and having to focus on how to change what they need to do to address these issues going ahead, which you know, which was Trump will continue to focus on.

COREN: Ryan Patel, it is always a pleasure. Great to get your insights. Thank you so much for joining us.

PATEL: Thank you for having me.

COREN: The U.S. Congress will return to session today to a familiar standoff over funding the government. Lawmakers will have just three weeks to figure out how to keep the government's doors open before funding expires at the end of the month.

CNN's Sunlen Serfaty has the details.

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SUNLEN SERFATY, CNN WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT: After a long summer recess, Congress is back and they're facing a big task right off the bat. How to keep the government open and funded? Sources on both sides tell CNN that there is no desire on anybody's part to push the government into a shutdown, especially so close to the election. But they certainly have some real work to do to avoid this. Still not settled is how long a stopgap bill known as the continuing

resolution should go. Democrats, they prefer a short-term spending bill into December. They want to kick the negotiations until after the election.

And many Republicans, they want to fund the government into spring pushing the fight until after the leadership races in the House, which would help Speaker of the House Meg Johnson. They will, of course, need to settle on spending levels. And there is a separate battle brewing over whether to include a non-citizen voting measure.

Now, this is a controversial bill that Republicans are pushing to include. It is already illegal, of course, for non-citizens to vote. But the legislation would require proof of citizenship to vote.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer in a statement on Sunday said, quote, "they will not let poison pills or Republican extremism put funding for critical programs at risk."

And the deadline to get this completed is September 30th, so the government does not shut down on October 1st. That leaves just 13 days in session to find a path forward.

Sunlen Serfaty, CNN, Washington.

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COREN: Boeing has struck a tentative deal with a union representing 33,000 of its employees on the U.S. West Coast. If it passes, it would avoid a major strike and another financial setback for the troubled aerospace company. Boeing says the agreement would give a raise, totaling 25 percent over the course of the contract, along with other employee benefits. It would be Boeing's biggest pay rise for union members. Union leaders are praising the offer, saying it achieves their goals. Well now it needs the approval of their members who build Boeing's commercial jets.

Still to come, it's been a violent weekend in Ukraine and Russia, with both sides ramping up missile and drone attacks. We'll get a live report next.

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[03:45:00]

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COREN: Ukraine's Air Force says it shot down six drones and two missiles launched from Russia overnight. The cross-border attacks have become an almost nightly occurrence as the war rages on. Ukraine's military says at least two people were killed and four others injured in the northeastern Sumi region on Sunday.

Well, Russian media is reporting an attack in Belgorod wounded three people, including two children. It comes as Ukraine's military is facing low morale and desertion. The situation is particularly dire among infantry units near Pokrovsk and elsewhere on the eastern frontline.

Well joining us now is Clare Sebastian in London to discuss this. And we know that Ukrainian forces, Clare, have slowed down the Russian advance to Pokrovsk, but it would seem they're turning their attention now to other places on the eastern front. What is the latest on the Russian assault and also its response to the Kursk incursion?

CLARE SEBASTIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Anna, just to start on those overnight barrages involving missiles and drones, I think, look, we know that this has been a central tenet of the war, but also it has clearly accelerated since Ukraine's incursion into Kursk. We've seen some very large overnight barrages on August 26th. There were some 100 missiles and an equal number of drones fired, some very deadly attacks like the attack on Poltava last week that killed at least 55 people.

But they are happening with such regularity now, literally every night so far this month has seen an overnight attack of some degree. And Ukraine is, of course, struggling to put them down. And we see that President Zelenskyy is calling on his allies using this moment with the momentum of that incursion to call for more air defenses, more military aid.

He told allies at the Ramstein U.S. Air Force Base last week that a significant amount of air defenses that have been pledged are not getting through. So he is definitely continuing that lobbying effort and I think a measure of the scale of these attacks.

The drone debris was found over the weekend outside Ukraine's parliament in Kyiv. Latvia is saying that Russian drones strayed into its airspace. Ukraine say also Romania, those are two NATO members as well so this is clearly a stepped up effort from Russia.

And I think look if one of the stated goals of the course concussion was to try to reduce cross-border attacks perhaps shelling into the Sumi region that may have lessened, but it has not been able to reduce these longer range attacks, which as I say, have been stepping up and all of this underscores the communication issue that Ukraine now has at home trying to convince these beleaguered troops already beset by widespread issues of desertion, low morale, insubordination. Commanders have told CNN, some confused, they've told us, by why Ukraine would launch this incursion when things were already so fragile on the eastern front.

Internationally though, the messaging strategy perhaps showing more success. This effort to prove that Ukraine still has that grit and that ingenuity that was so on display at the beginning of the war. Take a listen to the CIA Chief Bill Burns on the subject of the course of the Concussion.

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BILL BURNS, CIA DIRECTOR: I mean, I think what you've seen first, as Richard said, is the Kursk offensive is a significant tactical achievement. It's not only been a boost in Ukrainian morale, it has exposed some of the vulnerabilities of Putin's Russian and of his military.

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SEBASTIAN: I mean Russia has made it clear that while it is sort of slowing down Ukraine's advance in the Kursk region. It is also prioritizing its push in the Donbas aiming to take that whole region.

Russia claiming over the weekend to have taken control of one settlement just about 20 kilometers east of Pokrovsk, but Ukraine says as you said that it has managed to stall the advance in terms of that key push towards Pokrovsk That strategic city so Russia while clearly prioritizing that area has not made a significant breakthrough on that front as of yet. Anna?

COREN: Clare Sebastian in London, we appreciate the overview. Thank you so much.

Well, police handcuffed one of the NFL's biggest stars just hours before a game. Ahead questions about why it happened and the players' surprising reaction during the game.

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[03:50:00]

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COREN: Welcome back. Well Apple's highly anticipated annual tech event kicks off later today and, as the company looks to jumpstart sluggish iPhone sales, it's expected to introduce the first lineup of iPhones built specifically for generative Artificial Intelligence. The company excited fans with its vision for its Apple Intelligence A.I. system earlier this year. Well Apple teased today's event with a cryptic motto, it's glow time, but so far has not said what it means.

A police officer who handcuffed Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill ahead of Sunday's game is now on administrative leave. Well, you can see Hill in the video lying on the ground with police holding him down. The team says Hill was pulled over for a traffic stop one block from the Dolphins Stadium. Hill says he does not know why it happened.

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TYREEK HILL, MIAMI DOLPHINS PLAYER: I have no idea for real. No idea. No idea man. It's crazy. No idea. It wasn't disrespectful, you know, because my mom didn't raise me that way. Didn't cuss. Didn't do none of that.

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COREN: Listening to his momma. Good boy. Well hours after the incident, Hill scored a touchdown, taking a pass 80 yards into the end zone during the third quarter. Afterward, he celebrated by pretending to have a teammate handcuff him. Hill's agent says the player's legal team is considering action.

[03:55:00]

Well the wait is over for world number one Jannik Sinner who took home his first U.S. Open singles title on Sunday. He defeated American Taylor Fritz in three straight sets to nab his second Grand Slam title. The Italian won his first Grand Slam at the Australian Open back in January. Andy Scholes caught up with the newly crowned champ on his historic win to win the US Open.

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ANDY SCHOLES, CNN WORLD SPORT: Our Jannik, congratulations on an amazing tournament. You're the first Italian man ever to win the U.S. Open. How does that feel?

JANNIK SINNER, U.S. OPEN MEN'S SINGLES CHAMPION: It feels amazing, obviously. It's a huge achievement for me and my team. I'm just happy to hold this trophy. I think the final today was a very high-level final. I'm very lucky or happy that I won the third set because potentially it could change a little bit the balance of the match. But overall, I think me and my team can be very, very pleased about our performance for these two weeks.

SCHOLES: First here since 2002 that none of the big three: Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal won a Grand Slam, you and Carlos Alcaraz won them all. Do you feel like this is the changing of the guard in men's tennis?

SINNER: Yeah, it's tough to predict the future this year, but I think it's nice for tennis to see some new champions, some new favorites of tournaments. And yeah, so I'm happy to be part of this, at least this year. So let's see what's coming next year, obviously there are all big, big challenges coming up. You know, I'm just looking forward to improve as a player and then we'll see what I can do.

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COREN: Congratulations to him. Just one day prior, the Women's World No. 2, Aryna Sabalenka, took home her first U.S. Open singles title. She defeated American Jessica Pegula in straight sets.

Well thanks so much for your company this hour. I'm Anna Coren, my colleague Christina Macfarlane is up next in London with more of "CNN Newsroom."

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