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Hurricane Helene Expected to Make Landfall Thursday at Cat 4 Strength; U.S., Allies Call for 21-Day Israel-Hezbollah Ceasefire; Relaxed Biden Opens Up About Exiting Presidential Race; Two Giant Pandas Gifted From Beijing Arrive in Hong Kong. Aired 4:30-5a ET

Aired September 26, 2024 - 04:30   ET

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

[04:30:00]

CLARE SEBASTIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: ... Mike Johnson, the House Majority Leader, who is of course the key player here, is now not scheduled to meet with Zelenskyy.

MAX FOSTER, CNN ANCHOR: OK, Clare, thank you.

Millions in the southeast U.S. are bracing for Hurricane Helene. The huge storm could bring catastrophic winds, rain and storm surge as well. The detail is coming up.

After more than five decades, a Japanese man has been acquitted of murder. The story of the world's longest-serving death row inmate is coming up, too.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

FOSTER: Welcome back to CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Max Foster. Here are today's top stories.

Hurricane Helene is now forecast to reach catastrophic Category 4 strength by the time it makes landfall in Florida later today. The National Hurricane Center is telling residents that preparations to protect life and property should be completed in the next few hours before tropical storm conditions arrive.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams has been indicted on at least one federal criminal charge. Federal prosecutors have been looking into Adams' connection to Turkish officials and businessmen. The exact charges are expected to be announced in the coming hours.

Caitlin Clark's historic rookie season has come to an end after the Indiana Fever were eliminated from the WNBA playoffs on Wednesday. The Connecticut Sun defeated Indiana 87-81. Clark, the WNBA Rookie of the Year, led her team to its first playoff appearance since 2016.

We are tracking Hurricane Helene as it heads towards the U.S. More than 86 million people across five states in the southeast are under tropical storm or hurricane watches and warnings.

[04:35:00] Helene is churning in the southern Gulf of Mexico right now and heading towards Florida. It's a massive storm with tropical storm force winds extending up to 345 miles and -- miles from the center. And it's expected to make landfall later today as a Category 4 hurricane with catastrophic winds and storm surge. The mayor of Tampa, Florida, tells CNN her city is doing all it can to prepare for the onslaught.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JANE CASTOR, MAYOR, TAMPA, FLORIDA: We have our emergency shelters open. We have evacuation of Zone A, everything that is on the waterfront. We have mandatory of action in those locations. Police officers going around advising everyone they need to get out of those areas.

We have distributed 50,000 sandbags to our residents. And for those of us who were born and raised in Florida, we're used to these hurricanes. But we're one of the fastest-growing cities in the nation. And so we have a lot of people that aren't used to them. So we're really trying to overcommunicate and get people to heed the warnings.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FOSTER: Hurricane Helene lashed parts of Cuba and Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula earlier on Wednesday. Heavy rainfall flooded parts of Cancun and surrounding areas. And strong winds from the storm knocked out power to thousands of people in Cuba's western province.

CNN's Patrick Oppmann reports now from Havana.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PATRICK OPPMANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The worst of Hurricane Helene appears to have passed through Cuba. But for much of the day on Wednesday, this part of the island, the westernmost and even central parts of Cuba, were rocked by heavy winds and rain flooding in western Cuba. It still has some towns cut off.

According to officials there, about 50,000 people in the westernmost Cuban province of Pinar del Rio are still without power. And it could take days for electricity to be restored there. All the same, though, many Cubans felt they missed the worst of this powerful hurricane.

The hurricane did not make a direct hit on Cuba as it traveled between the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico and westernmost Cuba. It does not appear, though, that Florida is going to be as lucky. The panhandle or western part of Florida are looking to be hit by a powerful category 4 hurricane. That is what forecasters are saying that Helene could strengthen into.

And that is the kind of hurricane that can bring absolutely devastating storm surge to coastal areas, can knock out power for weeks, take down heavy trees and power lines. So residents are being urged to take final preparations as a storm much more powerful than the one hit Cuba takes aim at Florida. Patrick Oppmann, CNN, Havana.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FOSTER: Israel is continuing its strikes on Lebanon despite a new push for a pause in fighting. The IDF says it struck about 75 new targets overnight. That happened hours after the U.S. and its allies put out a three-week ceasefire proposal for Israel and Hezbollah. Diplomats are concerned that the fighting between them could escalate into an all- out war.

Meanwhile, Israel's army chief now says a potential ground incursion into Lebanon is on the table. But Iran is making it clear it won't stay on the sidelines if a full-scale war breaks out.

Earlier today, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu departed for New York, where he's expected to address the U.N. General Assembly. But an Israeli official told CNN the ceasefire talks are the main reason for his trip. For the latest, let's head over to Hong Kong, where we're joined by Ivan Watson.

How do you interpret this trip, first of all, to New York, and then take us through what you see happening on the ground?

IVAN WATSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Right. Well, an Israeli official has told CNN that the Israeli prime minister's trip to New York is in part to conduct diplomacy and that he gave basically some kind of a green light to engage in this U.S. and French-led diplomatic initiative, which the U.S. President Joe Biden referred to. Take a listen to what he had to say about this last-ditch effort to try to create a 21-day ceasefire.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We put out a statement for a 21-day ceasefire along the Israeli-Lebanese border. We're able to generate significant support from Europe as well as the Arab nations. It's important that this war not widen.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WATSON: But, of course, it's critical, Max, what will the two warring parties say about this proposal? That is the powerful Lebanese militia, Hezbollah, and the Israeli government. We have not heard any official response from Hezbollah on the part of Israel.

Well, the prime minister hasn't said anything publicly about this, but there are a number of important political voices within Israel that have already come out criticizing it or condemning it.

[04:40:00]

For example, Netanyahu's own finance minister, the hard right-line politician Bezalel Smotrich, he put out a statement on Twitter where he basically said that Hezbollah should not be given time to recover from the heavy blows it has received and to then reorganize for the continuation of a war for 21 days. He said that surrender of Hezbollah or war, that's the only way we'll return our residents and security to the north of the country.

And from the other side of the political spectrum, the leader of the opposition in Israel, Yair Lapid, he put out a statement saying that Israel should accept the ceasefire proposal, but only for seven days in order not to allow Hezbollah to restore its command and control systems.

And in the meantime, the fighting really does continue, with the Israeli military saying that it carried out at least 75 different bombing attacks in Lebanon overnight, saying that it saw at least 45 projectiles fired from Lebanon across the border into Israel. We haven't gotten any confirmations of any casualties on the Israeli side from that round, that salvo yet.

However, in Lebanon, on Wednesday alone, as a result of Israeli bombing, at least 81 people were killed, the Lebanese health ministry says, and hundreds injured. That's coming after Monday's bombardment that killed more than 100 women and children across Lebanon in a single day. More than 90,000 Lebanese people have been forced to flee their homes and are taking shelter in schools.

And meanwhile, the Israeli military says it's preparing for the possibility of a ground incursion into Lebanon as well -- Max.

FOSTER: Ivan, thank you.

The world's longest serving death row inmate has had his name cleared. According to national broadcaster NHK, a Japanese court acquitted the 88-year-old. He'd been sentenced to death in 1968 for murdering a family. A retrial was ordered after new evidence appeared to show he was innocent. Because of his age and fragile mental state, Iwao Hakamata was released as he waited his day in court. The legal saga have fueled calls to abolish the death penalty in Japan.

Pope Francis is in Central Europe for a four day visit that will focus on the scandal of clerical sexual abuse and the challenge of promoting the Catholic Church's mission in secular societies. On the flight, the 87-year-old pontiff seems tired as he skipped his usual walk down the aisle of the plane to greet journalists.

The pontiff's first stop is Luxembourg. Then he's expected to travel to Belgium for private meetings with 15 survivors of sexual abuse by the clergy. Belgium has been rocked in recent years by revelations of abuse and has seen a decline in church attendance.

President Biden appeared buoyant and unburdened on ABC's talk show The View on Wednesday. Ahead, how he feels about leaving the presidential race.

Plus, what's turning Sydney Harbor bright green? Well, that's what officials in Australia want to know too.

[04:45:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

FOSTER: Away from the pressures and scrutiny of campaigning, U.S. President Joe Biden is embracing more freewheeling public appearances. He opened up about exiting the presidential race on ABC's signature talk show, The View, on Wednesday. CNN's Brian Todd has the details.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Unburdened and unplugged, President Biden says, he's at peace with his decision to drop out of this year's race. As for what advice he's given Vice President Kamala Harris since then?

JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Be herself. Look, she is smart as hell, number one. She's tough. She was a first-rate prosecutor. She is United States senator of significant consequence.

And as vice president, there wasn't a single thing that I did that she couldn't do.

TODD (voice-over): In a rare live TV interview with ABC's "The View", the president seemed to give Harris the most boisterous endorsement he could.

BIDEN: She is bright. She is tough. She's honorable.

And the thing I like about her, and one thing we share in common, is that we have an optimistic view of the future here. I mean, this is, there's nothing we can't do.

TODD (voice-over): Despite what many polls indicated at the time of his withdrawal from the race, Biden said this about his chances if he'd stayed in.

BIDEN: I was confident I would beat Trump. He's a loser.

TODD (voice-over): The interviewers pressed Biden on whether he felt he was forced to withdraw. And on the subject of Nancy Pelosi, who was widely believed to have been a driving force behind the scenes of Biden's departure from the race, and who said several weeks after the president stepped aside that she still hadn't spoken to him. Biden said this about his current relationship with the former House speaker.

BIDEN: Our relationship is fine. Look, I never fully believed the assertions that somehow there was this overwhelming reluctance of my running again. I didn't sense that.

TODD (voice-over): Political observers skeptical of that claim, given reports that Biden did resent Pelosi.

JASMINE WRIGHT, POLITICS REPORTER, NOTUS: We know just how important her back-channeling was with the Democratic Party was in getting him to step aside, back-channeling with his own office. And I think that the reports that he was really upset by it or felt really attached by people that he thought were his friends, at least political allies, is true.

TODD (voice-over): Pelosi has refused to say whether she directly told Biden that he needed to step aside. Near the end of the interview, the president was asked how he wanted to be remembered.

BIDEN: When I want to remember for as being honest in what I've done, straight up in building relationships. It matters to build trust. It matters, it matters, it matters.

TODD (voice-over): One observer says, despite the enthusiasm and warmth he has been received with recently, much of this has to be tough for Joe Biden.

WRIGHT: But I'm sure that there are some real sadness in his mind because he says things like, I still think that I could've won against former President Trump.

TODD: That interview could help Joe Biden cement his legacy. What does he hope that legacy will be? Analyst Jasmine Wright says the president likely hopes that at least part of it will be that at the toughest moment of his political career, when so many were pushing for him to drop out of the race, he put his country and his party above himself.

Brian Todd, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FOSTER: Both chambers of the U.S. Congress approved a stopgap spending bill that will avert a government shutdown for now. The bill will only fund the government until December 20th, though, at which point the fight over funding will resume. Neither Democrats nor Republicans appear to have any appetite for a big budget battle and possible shutdown prior to the November election.

[04:50:00]

Hong Kong has received a gift from Beijing, and that is two giant pandas. One of them is in that box. More on their special welcome ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

FOSTER: Two five-year-old giant pandas, given as gifts from Beijing, arrived in Hong Kong earlier today. They were greeted with a welcoming ceremony after landing at Hong Kong International Airport. The creatures will join four other giant pandas at the island's Ocean Park Animal Theme Park.

Our Kristie Lu Stout is there in Hong Kong. She has the details.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KRISTIE LU STOUT, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The motorcade is arriving. Two very important pandas are being given the presidential treatment here in Hong Kong. These are national treasures that were gifted by the Chinese central government to Hong Kong ahead of the October National Day holiday next week.

Now, the pandas, they touched down earlier before midday today, Thursday, in Hong Kong. They were given a welcoming ceremony at the Hong Kong International Airport, and then they were given a very special escort by elite police officers on motorcycles to their new home here at Hong Kong's Ocean Park.

The two five-year-old pandas are named An An and Ke Ke, and they're from a conservation and research center in Sichuan province.

An An is male, Ke Ke is female. They were both born in June of 2019.

[04:55:00]

They are not genetically related, and they're said to have complementary characteristics. They're also said to be in good health. Even so, they have to spend 30 days in quarantine here at Ocean Park. And then after that, they have a month to acclimate and to get used to their new habitat.

But the public won't get a chance to see the dynamic duo of the giant pandas until mid-December.

Kristie Lu Stout, CNN, Hong Kong.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FOSTER: A scary moment for a rock star. Tommy Lee and his wife were caught on a security camera. A coyote snatched the couple's dog from behind their home in Los Angeles, as you just saw.

Thankfully, Brittany quickly ran outside and rescued Nina. She says she's had to yank the dog out of the coyote's mouth. Nina is safe and OK, but they're warning others about coyotes in the area.

Some residents of Sydney, Australia, got quite a shock when they got a look at the city's famous harbor. The water in some areas had turned neon green in some neighborhoods. Authorities say they believe a dye commonly used by plumbers is to blame.

Fire and rescue officials tested the water, which they say is non- toxic, thankfully, also odorless, but some residents are more skeptical.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Green cordial, like radioactive stuff that you see in those superhero movies.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FOSTER: Well, the good news is authorities say no fish were killed. The product isn't harmful.

Thanks for joining me here on CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Max Foster in London. CNN "THIS MORNING" is up next after a break. [05:00:00]