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The Story Is with Elex Michaelson

Trump Blasts NATO Allies Over Strait Of Hormuz Help; Israel Expands Its Ground Operation In Southern Lebanon; Iran Strikes Kuwait City, Threatens Targets In Red Sea; Airport Delays As TSA Agents Quit Due To Partial Shutdown; Donald Trump Floats Cuba Takeover As Country Endures Widespread Blackouts; Trump Notes Asia's Reliance on Oil Trade in Strait of Hormuz; L.A. Port Chief Analyzes Impact of Hormuz Closure on Costs; Massive Storm System Sweeps Across Eastern U.S.; Heavy Rain in Hawaii Causes Flash Flooding; Academy Awards Highlights. Aired 1-2a ET

Aired March 17, 2026 - 01:00   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[01:00:13]

ELEX MICHAELSON, CNN ANCHOR: A live look right now at Temple Bar in Dublin, Ireland, where it's already St. Patrick's Day. The streets look pretty quiet. It's about five o'clock in the morning. They were packed a few hours ago. This is the time in between

. Later today, the city will host its annual St. Patrick's Day parade through Irish prime minister will be in Washington, meeting with President Trump at the White House, as is the tradition on St. Patrick's Day. But at least those birds are out. Maybe even they are feeling hungover right now.

Thanks for watching. The next hour of The Story Is starts right now.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is CNN Breaking News.

MICHAELSON: I'm Elex Michaelson live in Los Angeles, where it's 10 o'clock and we are following breaking news. The top story is the war in Iran. President Trump is now lashing out at U.S. allies for rejecting his call to send warships and help the U.S. secure the Strait of Hormuz.

The vital waterway has been effectively shut down by Iran since the U.S. and Israel launched the war more than two weeks ago. President Trump says some nations have agreed to help, but hadn't said what nations he's talking about. On Monday, his frustration was clear with the countries who have not agreed to help.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, U.S. PRESIDENT: We strongly encourage other nations whose economies depend on this rate far more than ours. So we want them to come and help us with the Strait. I think we're going to have some good help and I think we're going to be disappointed in some nations, too.

You know, the prime minister of U.K., United Kingdom yesterday told me, I'm meeting with my team to make a determination. I said, you don't need to meet it with the team. You're the prime minister. You can make your own.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MICHAELSON: Meantime, Israeli tanks could be seen inside southern Lebanon as the IDF expands its ground operation there. Several Western leaders have warned against a major offensive, saying it could lead to devastating humanitarian consequences with the current humanitarian situation in Lebanon already deeply alarming.

Now since Israel intensified its attacks on Hezbollah amid the wider war with Iran, the Lebanese Disaster Risk Management Unit says more than a million people have been displaced internally.

We're also learning that about 200 U.S. troops have been injured in seven different countries during the ongoing military campaign against Iran. U.S. CENTCOM says majority of those injuries have been minor, just the last few hours we got this video from Iraq which shows an explosion in the vicinity of the U.S. embassy in Baghdad.

Iraqi officials say the embassy and a hotel were targeted by drones. CNN's Ivan Watson live in Hong Kong. Minor in all, let's start with Baghdad and what we know, Ivan.

IVAN WATSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: You know these spectacular videos of drone attacks in the Green Zone in the center of Baghdad, that heavily fortified governmental and diplomatic area with apparent drone strikes and anti-aircraft fire apparently trying to shoot down some of these drones impacting near the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad, which has come under repeated attack from these types of projectiles in just the last week and has also seen angry crowds trying to breach defenses to try to approach it since the U.S. and Israel launched their joint surprise attack on Tehran a bit more than two weeks ago.

Iraq was a proxy battleground between the U.S. and Iran at the height of the U.S. occupation of Iraq. We're going back 15 years or more at that point. And it's very clear that there are a number of Iranian backed and Iranian allied militias in Iraq that have all sworn to attack U.S. interests and that the U.S. has actually targeted.

There have been dozens of members of these militias that have been killed in strikes over the course of the past two weeks. So these kind of bombardments have not only targeted the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad, but also other military installations.

A French soldier was killed by a strike in the north of Iraq last week. And oil fields have been targeted as well. It all puts the Iraqi government in a very uncomfortable position. It also highlights the threat, recurrent threat to other U.S. diplomatic missions around the region, from the U.S. Embassy in Saudi Arabia to the U.S. Embassy in the UAE and in other places that have been repeatedly targeted by Iranian missiles and drones.

[01:05:02]

And if you take a listen to what Iran's top diplomat has to say, this isn't going to end anytime soon. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ABBAS ARAGHCHI, IRANIAN FOREIGN MINISTER (through translator): Let me reiterate that Iran has not signaled or requested a ceasefire. This conflict must end on the condition that it will never be repeated. When we say we do not want a ceasefire, it is not because we seek to continue the war. It is because this time the war must end in a way that the enemies never think of repeating the attacks.

I believe they have learned a profound lesson and realized what kind of country they are facing. A country that will not hesitate to defend its own security and is prepared to continue the war at any cost.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WATSON: So absolute message of defiance from a country that's seen its leadership virtually wiped out in the last two and a half weeks and which is still under constant U.S. and Israeli bombardment. Elex.

MICHAELSON: Ivan Watson reporting for us from Hong Kong. Ivan, thank you so much. Now to Lebanon, where the country's health ministry says at least we have our guest here now, at least 886 people have been killed since Israel began its offensive on March 2nd. We have joining me Imad Salamey, a senior Middle East policy advisor, professor of Political Science, International Affairs at Lebanese American University. You are joining us right now from Beirut.

How are things this morning? Have you heard any bombings?

IMAD SALAMEY, SENIOR MIDDLE EAST POLICY ADVISER, LEBANESE AMERICAN UNIVERSITY: Yes. Now we're getting used to this, like everyday bombings, everyday assassinations of prominent Hezbollah leaders or operatives.

Massive displacement continues to flood the streets of Beirut proper as more and more people move from the south of the country or from the southern district of Beirut. These are two areas mostly populated by Shia, the Shia community and typically perceived as a pro Hezbollah. And these where the Israeli bombardment has taken place over more than almost two weeks now.

So people have continued to come for shelter in Beirut because Beirut is a bit more prepared. Government is more on the alert to receive these displaced and they put them mostly in schools in tents. And at the same time, we are receiving many storms at the moment.

So many of these tents and places are really, not pretty equipped to host such a massive displacement of the population, you mentioned in your report almost 1 million people. And for a country as small as Lebanon, this is a massive displacement, almost one-third of the population under attacks or displacement situation.

So the situations on the ground, the humanitarian crisis that Lebanon is dealing with is quite honestly unprecedented in terms of, you know, the intensity of this displacement.

Also, you know, this displacement is kind of politicized by this. I mean that many of the people who are Shiite are afraid to move to different areas in the country that are not Shiite feeling sometimes frictions, retaliations by the host community. The -- it is not necessarily pro Hezbollah or not a Shiite in confessional affiliation.

So we are really like, you know, we're waking up every morning and we're getting used to this and it seems that we are preparing for much longer battle or much longer fight with Israel.

MICHAELSON: Are you scared for your own safety? I mean, how do you do that day after day, live in that sort of reality? Where do you go when you hear a potential missile coming in?

SALAMEY: Yes, I mean it is not safe, you know, because quite honestly, you don't know where the Israeli may target, where are Hezbollah are hiding. And you know, in many instances the Israeli drones are targeting anywhere, any residential building.

And, you know, we keep hearing that. I mean, 24 hours we hear the drones above the sky of Beirut, you know, monitoring and watching and sometimes commanding other warplanes to come and attack. So in certain times you have Israeli warnings for the population to flee particular areas that Israel would like to target.

[01:10:07]

So sometimes you know about these, so you try to avoid these areas. But in different instances, you know, the attacks are surprising and you don't know where they come from. Usually people now are taking more shelter in areas outside of Beirut, like in mountainous areas.

Typically, you feel a sense of safety more in areas of Christian population because, you know, there is more monitoring of which population is taking shelter in these areas. So people tend to make sure that whoever is in those areas are not necessarily a Hezbollah.

So there is, you know, here and there with quite honestly, you can never tell when you will be hit. And the sense of your own security is always jeopardized by this ongoing crisis in the country.

MICHAELSON: Well, we appreciate you giving us some insight into what it's like there, and we wish you safety and safety for your family as well. Imad Salamey, thank you so much for joining.

SALAMEY: Thanks for having me.

MICHAELSON: President Trump says he will soon announce the countries that have agreed to help the U.S. reopen the Strait of Hormuz. But his comments come as key European leaders signal their reluctance to enter the conflict. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

FRIEDRICH MERZ, GERMAN CHANCELLOR (through translator): Like the United States and Israel, we want to see an end to Iran's nuclear and missile programs, but we will not take part in this war. We have said this from day one. That remains the position of the federal government.

This also means that as long as the war continues, we will not participate in ensuring freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz by military means.

KEIR STARMER, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: We will not be drawn into the wider war. We cannot allow the war in the Gulf to turn into a windfall for Putin.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MICHAELSON: Over the weekend, President Trump warned that NATO faces a very bad future if the alliance does not assist the U.S. in helping to reopen the vital wider way. This despite his previous stance that the U.S. doesn't need allies who, quote, join the war after we've already won.

On Monday, the president blasted the alliance for not backing U.S. Naval forces in the region.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, U.S. PRESIDENT: We defend all these countries and then, do you have any minesweepers? And they say, well, would it be possible for us not to get involved? I've been saying it for a long time. This is the greatest thing to come out of this.

We spend trillions and trillions of dollars on NATO to defend other countries. And I always said, but if it ever comes time to defend us, they're not going to be there. Many of them would not be there, and we're going to have to start thinking more wisely in this country.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MICHAELSON: U.S. allies in the Persian Gulf region are under attack once again from Iranian drones and ballistic missiles. Tehran took aim at Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates on Monday. And Iran is now threatening to target U.S. assets in the Red Sea region. CNN's international diplomatic editor Nic Robertson has our story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: So here in Kuwait City in the last couple of hours, two rounds of sirens going off. And I've got to tell you, just looking at the population, they're taking it and they're just moving on. They're not running for cover because they believe that the missile systems, defense systems here in place in Kuwait can protect them. Kuwaiti government saying six drones were fired at Kuwait today. The

intercepted three of them. One fell in open area, the other two did impact, but no structural damage. But just look up and down the Gulf here.

Iran has been keeping up with its barrage. Look at Saudi Arabia there. They had 13 drones up and around the town that's got a large Saudi air base used by the U.S. Air Force in the center of the country. Also in the east of the country, the oil fields there.

In Saudi Arabia, 15 drones as well intercepted there. Kuwait saying that they'd had today a number of ballistic missiles and drones that they've also intercepted. The United Arab Emirates and Dubai early in the morning, the international airport there, one of the oil storage facilities at that international civilian airport damaged, fire, smoke billowing out of it for a long time. They've had a number of drones and a number of ballistic missiles fired at them as well.

And the message ramping up from Iran. Iran saying because the USS Gerald Ford is in the Red Sea, that puts targets potentially in the Red Sea in danger.

[01:15:02]

Along that coastline there, of course, the Red Sea, actually a place Saudi Arabia can and is exporting some of its crude oil from out down the Red Sea past the Houthis in Yemen. But if Iran starts ramping up and striking there, was that the rhetoric that were hearing from the Iranian military or not was it was an implicit threat, we don't know.

But it, but it potentially would therefore spread the war, the conflict into the Red Sea, threatening that limited supply of crude oil and wrapping the war right around the Arabian Peninsula.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MICHAELSON: Our thanks to Nic Robertson for that. A train from Tehran to Turkey is becoming a lifeline for Iranians fleeing the conflict there. Dozens of passengers arriving at the border describe the chaos in the capital as Israeli and U.S. strikes keep pounding Iran.

Some say they plan to return and defend their country. Others say they are hoping that the regime falls. One passenger described the situation on the ground in Tehran this way.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MOHAMMED HOSAIN, IRANIAN CITIZEN: Situation in Tehran, you know it's war. Missiles are coming. Bombs are coming from anywhere. You see, you know you're walking and, you know, some bombs maybe come.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MICHAELSON: Millions across Cuba left in the dark after the collapse of the island's power grid. How a new threat from President Trump could complicate efforts to get those lights back on. Plus, lines are getting longer. Flight delays are piling up at major

U.S. airports. On the latest on how the partial government shutdown is affecting the airline industry.

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[01:21:00]

MICHAELSON: Welcome back. You're looking at live pictures from LAX here in Los Angeles, where it's about 10:20 at night. You can see there is plenty of traffic, especially leaving the airport right now, people that are trying to pick people up.

Airports across the U.S. are seeing security lines get longer and longer, the partial government shutdown now just over a month old. The TSA says hundreds of their agents have quit, others just taking unscheduled time off.

Now, of course, those agents just missed their first full paychecks this past weekend. And the staffing shortages are clearly taking a toll, as CNN's Colin Jeffery shows us.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

COLIN JEFFREY, COORDINATING PRODUCER (voice-over): The Department of Homeland Security recently announced that more than 300 TSA agents have quit during the partial shutdown. Monday morning travelers at some of the busiest airports in the country face long security lines.

At Houston's George Bush Intercontinental Airport, wait times topped 90 minutes at some checkpoints. And at Hartsfield Jackson in Atlanta waits near two hours. Sunday, the CEOs of major airlines, including American, Delta and Southwest, released a joint letter calling on Congress to pay TSA workers and other airport staff during shutdowns, writing in part -- U.S. airlines expect 171 million passengers this spring season, a new record. But too many travelers are having to wait in extraordinarily long and painfully slow lines at checkpoints.

The president of the union that represents TSA workers in Atlanta says workers will bear the costs long after funding is restored.

AARON BARKER, PRESIDENT, AFGE LOCAL 554: And the financial consequences of this shutdown, damaged credit, missed payments and lost housing will ever will remain ever after the government reopens.

JEFFREY (voice-over): At Denver airport, leaders are asking the public to help TSA workers weather the shutdown. They're requesting people drop off grocery and gas gift cards for impacted workers.

MICHAEL KONOPASEK, SPOKESPERSON, DENVER INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT: We're confident and now pleased to see that the community is really stepping up and they are providing these gift cards to help these TSA workers.

JEFFREY (voice-over): I'm Colin Jeffrey reporting.

(END VIDEOTAPE) MICHAELSON: President Trump has once again set his sights on Cuba, threatening to take over the island as it deals with a crippling nationwide blackout.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: I do believe I'll be the honor of -- having the honor of taking Cuba. That'd be good. That's a big honor.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Taking Cuba.

TRUMP: Taking Cuba in some form. Yes, taking Cuba. I mean, whether I free it, take it. I think I could do anything I want with it. You want to know the truth? They're very weakened nation right now.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MICHAELSON: Millions of people across Cuba are in the dark right now. It is the first blackout since the U.S. effectively shut off the flow of oil to the Cuba. CNN's Patrick Oppmann has access to a generator which is how he was able to send us this report from Havana.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PATRICK OPPMANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Cuba is once again in an island wide blackout. Something that has happened frequently enough over the years. This time feels different because it is the first time since an oil embargo put in place by the Trump administration has led or contributed to this kind of island wide blackout affecting 10 million people.

At the moment, the Cuban government says they are working to restore power. The question is, can they? Because according to their own admission, no oil has come in four, three months now. We have seen longer and longer blackouts as this crisis has developed. You know where I live, sometimes it gets up to 20 hours. In the last several days, we've seen people going out at night to protest, banging pots and pans.

In one small town in the east of Cuba, people actually attacked the Communist Party headquarters over the weekend, tried to burn down the headquarters before or police came in and firing shots in the air broke up that protest.

[01:25:05]

But people are on edge here. People are wondering if the government can hold on. Certainly the Trump administration has said they believe that the government here is in its final hours and that they should make a deal with the U.S. to allow some of that flow of oil. But the Trump administration is calling on the government here to make major concessions. No sign that would take place and whether or not they could do it in time. Patrick Oppmann, CNN, Havana.

(END VIDEOTAPE) MICHAELSON: Afghanistan says a Pakistani airstrike on a Kabul hospital has killed at least 400 people. Authorities say the hospital treated drug users and sustained significant damage with more than 250 people injured.

Pakistan has denied striking any civilian sites, saying it only targets military and infrastructure. The incident marks a sharp escalation in fighting between the two countries as cross border clashes enter a third week.

Pakistan says it is in, quote, open war with Afghanistan after accusing the country of harboring militants that launched strikes into Pakistani territory.

President Trump and Chinese Xi Jinping are seemingly in a standoff over the war with Iran. Just ahead. We'll go live to Beijing. The latest on the president's decision to postpone his planned summit in Beijing.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[01:30:41]

ELEX MICHAELSON, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome back to THE STORY IS. I'm Elex Michaelson.

Let's take a look at today's top stories.

Strikes are being reported across the Middle East on the 18th day of the war with Iran. Video from Iraq shows an explosion in the vicinity of the U.S. embassy in Baghdad and what appears to be air defenses engaging a projectile.

Iraqi officials say the embassy and a hotel were targeted by drones.

After just three hours of deliberations, a Utah jury found Kouri Richins guilty of murder and all other charges in the 2022 death of her husband, Eric. He died of a lethal dose of fentanyl.

The mother of three went on to publish a children's book on grief after her husband's death. She now faces life in prison without parole. Her sentencing is scheduled for May 13th.

President Trump says his chief of staff, Susie Wiles, has been diagnosed with breast cancer. Wiles says it was detected early and she will continue in her role as she undergoes treatment.

Wiles has been close with Trump for years, helping to guide his 2024 presidential campaign. She's the first woman ever to serve as White House chief of staff.

President Trump is highlighting Asia's dependence on Gulf oil as the U.S. ramps up pressure on allies to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We strongly encourage other nations whose economies depend on this strait far more than ours. And we get less than 1 percent of our oil from the strait and some countries get much more. Japan gets 95 percent, China gets 90 percent. Many of the Europeans get quite -- a quite a bit. South Korea gets 35 percent. So we want them to come and help us with the strait.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MICHAELSON: Despite the impact on Asia's markets, China, Japan and South Korea have yet to assist in U.S. efforts to secure the trade route.

CNN's Hanako Montgomery is in Tokyo with the latest reactions on President Trump's call for help.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

TRUMP: It's nice to have other countries (INAUDIBLE) with us, and we'll help work with them.

HANAKO MONTGOMERY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: U.S. President Donald Trump is calling on France, the U.K., China, South Korea and Japan to send ships to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz, one of the most important shipping lanes on the planet. But that's easier said than done.

SANAE TAKAICHI, JAPANESE PRIME MINISTER: As we have not yet received any such request, it is difficult for us to respond to hypothetical matters.

MONTGOMERY: So far, Tokyo has deflected Trump's request. Japan's pacifist constitution limits overseas military action. and Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said last week there are no plans to deploy minesweepers.

Trump's request puts Japan in an awkward position, though, ahead of a key summit this Thursday where Trump will likely raise the issue again.

South Korea is also being cautious, saying it's still weighing its options.

Then there's China, which is least likely to help. Beijing maintains close ties with Iran and joining a U.S.-led effort could strain that relationship.

Iran is also considering allowing some oil tankers through the strait if the oil is traded in Chinese yuan.

That potentially let's China secure supplies without confronting Tehran.

And after years of building crude stockpiles and expanding EVs, renewables, and coal, Beijing is better prepared than most for an oil shock. But Trump continues to apply pressure, warning he could delay a

planned trip to China later this month if Beijing refuses to cooperate.

Hanako Montgomery, CNN -- Tokyo.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MICHAELSON: On Monday in the Oval Office, President Trump tried to explain why he may delay his trip to Beijing. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: We're speaking to China. I'd love to but because of the war, I want to be here. I have to be here, I feel.

And so we've requested that we delay it a month or so. And I'm looking forward to being with them. We have a very good relationship. But because of the war -- there's no tricks to it either. It's just -- it's not like, oh gee, I'm waiting.

It's very simple. We got a war going on. I think it's important that I be here.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MICHAELSON: CNN's Mike Valerio is live in Beijing. Mike, people seem to be appreciative of that delay, right?

[01:34:47]

MIKE VALERIO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Appreciative and, you know, stability, of course, is also wanted on both sides, but very much wanted for thousands of years you could say, on the Chinese side.

So like we were talking about last hour, there weren't a lot of deliverables that were kind of set in stone or were previewed because the Chinese side felt as though there was not enough preparation time to say, ok, well we're going to do x, y, z, or we're going to make this deal with Boeing, or we're going to open this chip, this kind of chip up for purchase and perhaps knock this tariff down from the first Trump administration.

All of those things which will be integral to whenever this meeting happens, you know, were a couple of days out. It was going to happen March 31st until April 2nd. And we hadn't gotten an indication yet of what exactly was going to be accomplished. And both sides certainly want to make something of this meeting.

So certainly we are watching the markets. Traders are taking in this news that there's not going to be this big blockbuster economic summit in a couple of days. Asia indices that we look at right now are in positive territory across the board led by Taipei and Seoul -- two cities, two nations I should say that, of course, are heavily reliant on oil coming through the Strait of Hormuz. Oil is getting through, which is leading these indices higher. We have

news that Chinese, Iranian, Indian and Pakistani ships, through our own CNN reporting are getting through, which is partially leading these indices that we're seeing in Asia trading higher right now.

We should mention, though, Elex, the price of oil is up nearly 3 percent since we started trading in Asia. It's not exactly quite near $120, which was the high on March 9th, we're around $102 -- $103 a barrel.

But we also want to point out, as we're kind of watching what is eventually going to happen with this meeting in Beijing, we're watching our other Asian neighbors. And we have news that's breaking out of Seoul with Eun Jung So, our super producer there reporting that the president of South Korea, Lee Jae Myung is trying to prepare quote-unquote, "worst case scenario measures" if this disruption lasts any longer, which could include reducing the number of cars on the road throughout South Korea.

MICHAELSON: Wow.

VALERIO: Think of license plates ending in odd numbers on the road. This day even numbers, that day, perhaps expanding nuclear energy production in South Korea.

So we have the meeting over here in this space not happening yet. And still a lot of uncertainty about what is going to happen with this Hormuz situation.

But for now, you know, traders are in the green and are taking a deep breath trying to internalize all this news that comes out in D.C. when we're all asleep.

MICHAELSON: Yes.

VALERIO: But that's at least what's happening in our part of the world right now.

MICHAELSON: Well, that's really interesting. The concept of limiting who can be on the road.

An update also on -- if people were watching us last hour --

VALERIO: Yes.

MICHAELSON: -- we did a story on Chinese censorship and when we started to talk about it, China literally censored us live on the air, stopping that from going through.

I'm curious, Mike, are we back on the air after talking about Chinese censorship. And give us some insight on sort of how that works?

VALERIO: We're back on the air, you know, in the bottom left-hand corner of my eye sight there's a monitor.

Oh, I was just going to say we're back on the air but apparently we're not. You know, control room, if you have the China feed up, you can put it on your screen, essentially. There we go.

Whenever there's discussion about Chinese censorship in western media, sometimes you see this.

But you know, we were talking in the last segment, Will Ripley's reporting that there's all of these memes on the Chinese Internet. You know, viewing the U.S. president as a joke. And there's such an escapade, you know, paraphrasing the Internet discourse of the U.S.- Israel war against Iran and how that discourse is allowed to go freely on the Chinese Internet, uncensored.

And our point in talking about that, as we're being listened to by the censors right now, is that information that helps China and its position on the world stage gets out. But, you know there's a whole boatload of other information that does not get out, to put it lightly.

So whenever there's free discussion about censorship, like right now, this is what we see.

MICHAELSON: That is wild. At least they're watching.

VALERIO: Yes.

MICHAELSON: they're watching very closely. And I guess you say, and -- We appreciate them watching.

VALERIO: Yes. And we appreciate being allowed to be here. Yes. Yes.

MICHAELSON: Yes. We need to give them a Nielsen box or something.

Mike Valerio in Beijing, thank you. And now hopefully I've stopped saying all the bad words. And our folks in China can start watching us again.

That is pretty crazy, if you think about it.

The executive director of the port of L.A., the busiest port in the U.S. spoke to CNN on how the Strait of Hormuz's closure could impact markets and consumer prices here.

[01:39:43]

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GENE SEROKA, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, PORT OF LOS ANGELES: Right now in the trans-Pacific trade which makes up 95 percent of our business at the nation's largest port, we've seen the ship fuel prices double during the past two and a half weeks.

The fuel component is now upwards of 30 percent of the entire shipping cost an importer or exporter here in the United States is going to pay. So those costs are escalating. And they're real.

With this many ships again, both inside the Arabian Gulf and those that want to transit from the outside westward, it's going to take weeks, if not months, to unravel this and try to get all of these different commodities, ships and companies working on a supply chain that's in sync.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MICHAELSON: International oil tankers remain stuck in the Persian Gulf since the war began nearly three weeks ago, the AAA national average for regular gas has surged the highest level of either of President Trump's terms in the White House.

Thank you so much for watching this part of THE STORY IS. For our viewers around the world, "WORLDSPORT" is next. For our viewers in North America, I'll be right back.

And an update, we are now back on the air of China. They're ok listening to Gene Seroka talking about the ports, just not hearing us talk about censorship in China.

We'll be right back.

[01:41:04]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MICHAELSON: Welcome back to THE STORY IS. I'm Elex Michaelson.

A massive storm system sweeping across the eastern part of the U.S. has caused severe thunderstorms, blizzard conditions, even tornadoes. Hundreds of thousands of customers across several states lost power.

Thousands of flights were canceled or delayed. Travel disruption even delayed a Senate vote until Tuesday morning.

That multi-day storm has pushed winds up to 80 miles an hour in spots across the Gulf Coast, all the way up to the Great Lakes and expected to move offshore overnight.

In the south, multiple twisters reported. One in Arkansas demolished buildings and part of a home.

And take a look at this. Massive winds lifted part of a barn in southern Missouri, sending donkeys running for cover. Farmers say none of the animals was injured.

And on the complete other side of the country, Hawaii, where it's now 7:45 at night, is being hit with a catastrophic storm causing severe flooding, landslides and power outages across the island.

Flood waters from the so-called Kona storm changed the lives of a retired couple sweeping away their Maui home. Chelsea Davis has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CARRIE BASHAW, WAILUKU MAUI RESIDENT: This is the front of the house and we'd drive into the garage and walk along this gorgeous path that we got into our front door. And which you can see is now gone. CHELSEA DAVIS, REPORTER, HAWAII NEWS NOW: Carrie Bashaw is in bright

spirits despite everything she's gone through. She and her husband Tom, who are nearly 80 years old, saved up their entire lives to build their dream home.

It was perfect. Until this storm. A Kona storm brought torrential rain to the island, turning Iao stream into a raging river, gushing right through their living room Saturday morning. Everything they've worked for gone right before their eyes.

TOM BASHAW, WAILUKU MAUI RESIDENT: The whole back half of the house was gone. Bedrooms, living room, half the living room.

DAVIS: Then this. Winds lifted what was left of their home and sent it crashing into the fierce stream below.

C. BASHAW: Never expected my whole house to disappear, but yes. So everything's gone.

DAVIS: So now they're trying to salvage the little they have left.

T. BASHAW: We didn't have flood insurance, so we're -- well, we never thought it was going to flood.

DAVIS: They were 75 feet away from the stream and 45 feet above it.

T. BASHAW: Mother nature wins and if she wants you, she takes you. She didn't take us. She just took the house.

So we're grateful for that. We have each other and we're doing fine.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MICHAELSON: Our thanks to Chelsea Davis reporting there from Hawaii.

After the break, a look at some of the highlights and memorable moments from the Oscars with our friend Segun Oduolowu. Which one of us won the Oscar bet. We'll tell you next.

[01:48:11]

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MICHAELSON: Actor Sean Penn was called out for skipping Sundays Academy Awards. What was he doing instead? He was in Ukraine to meet with Volodymyr Zelensky. The Ukrainian president posted this photo of them together, calling Penn a true friend of Ukraine.

Penn won his third straight -- third Oscar Sunday night for Best Supporting Actor for his role in "One Battle After Another". That film by Paul Thomas Anderson had a big night at the Oscars, winning six awards including Best Picture, Best Director and Best Adapted Screenplay.

Ryan Coogler's "Sinners" also did well with a record 16 nominations. "Sinners" won four awards: Best Original Screenplay Best Original Score, Best Cinematography. And Best Actor went to Michael B. Jordan for his role as twin brothers in the film.

For more on the Oscars, we want to bring in Segun Oduolowu, TV host, Emmy Award winning entertainment journalist.

Segun, good to see you.

When you joined us on Friday, we made a bit of a bet on who would get the most winners right? So let's put up our picks.

My picks on Friday look pretty good in retrospect, with the exception of the main pick. I did not pick the winner for Best Picture. That, of course went to "One Battle After Another".

The rest of them I got right, including Supporting Actor Sean Penn, Best Supporting Actress Amy Madigan.

You picked -- let's put your picks up onto the screen. You got "Sinners" wrong. Ryan Coogler wrong. Michael B. Jordan, Jessie Buckley right, Sean Penn right. But Teyana Taylor wrong. Amy Madigan won. So I got -- I got you there.

SEGUN ODUOLOWU, ENTERTAINMENT JOURNALIST: Yes. No, no, you did Elex. And look, I'll pay my bet the next time I'm in studio. We will make happen and our digital audience can enjoy it.

And I think (INAUDIBLE) people whose speeches got cut off, which was unfortunate. But there were some high moments too. I'd love to talk to you about those because I know you had some.

MICHAELSON: Yes. Ok so my favorite moment I thought was a sad one but it was very emotional. The Rob Reiner tribute they did the In Memoriam really beautifully.

But to see Billy Crystal and so many actors come out on stage to honor their friend, that was very emotional.

[01:54:47]

MICHAELSON: And it was a very emotional when Barbra Streisand sang as well, when she honored Robert Redford. I felt that entire segment was very classy. And I actually teared up watching it.

For you, what were your favorite moments, Segun?

ODUOLOWU: Well I teared up too when Babs started singing to Robert Redford, but now I really do deserve a pie in the face because at my heart and core, I'm petty. And when Misty Copeland, prima ballerina, dances out at that -- at the end of that "Sinners" musical number and she just -- the beautiful ballet and it's kind of down center stage just to kind of tweak Timothee Chalamet, who we all had heard talk about the ballet and the theater.

I just thought that was so petty and perfect. And I'm sure Ryan Coogler and everyone is more high-minded than me. But I loved it. Almost like a, you know, a tutu in your face, Timothee Chalamet as Michael B. Jordan beat him in the Best Actor. So I felt Chalamet got his just desserts.

MICHAELSON: Yes, it felt like he was the biggest loser of the night with the whole thing. And those comments that he made on CNN basically mocking ballet, which Misty Copeland came after him for, she did it in the most powerful way possible to show him right there.

And I thought it was a good show. You liked the show?

ODUOLOWU: Well, I liked elements of the show. We mentioned the In Memoriam segment. I mentioned the "Sinners" musical number. But overall, I thought that the speeches got cut short. They just kept getting cut short.

MICHAELSON: Yes.

And now I got to cut you short because we're out of time. Segun, thank you so much for talking with us.

We'll see you tomorrow for more of THE STORY IS.

[01:56:31]

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