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Hala Gorani Tonight
UN considers how to contain North Korea; US working with South Korea to strengthen its defense; Peace St. Louis protests follow night of violence; UK PM says government being driven from the front; Bangladesh army to build temporary shelters; "Handmaid's Tale" first streamed show to win Emmys. Aired 3-4p ET
Aired September 18, 2017 - 15:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[15:00:06]
HALA GORANI, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: Hello, everybody. I'm Hala Gorani. Welcome to the program.
World leaders have descended upon New York City as the U.N. General Assembly gets underway. It's that time of year again. In the next few
minutes, the American president, Donald Trump, will meet with his French counterpart, Emmanuel Macron. We'll bring you more on that as it happens.
Now this will be the first UNGA for President Trump. It has been a busy day for him already. Earlier, he hinted that he may pull out of the Iran
nuclear deal during a meeting with the Israeli Prime Mister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has made quite clear over the last several months that he
absolutely abhors the deal.
He also called on the U.N. to implement a long list of reforms riffing off this familiar phrase.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: The main message is to make the United Nations great, not again, make the United Nations
great. Such tremendous potential (inaudible) --
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GORANI: Make the United Nations great. Tomorrow, Mr. Trump will address the general assembly in a much-anticipated speech. The international
community will be watching as he lays out his America first agenda.
We have it all covered for you. Joining us live from the United Nations, Robyn Curnow, and standing by in Paris this evening, Melissa Bell.
So, let's talk a little bit about after having relentlessly bashed the United Nations now finally Donald Trump is inside that U.N. building and
expected to obviously give a speech that will lay out an America first agenda tomorrow.
What are the expectations for how he will sort of deal with the U.N. itself as an institution having criticized it so much in the past?
ROBYN CURNOW, CNN CORRESPONDENT: You know, (inaudible) the question is how awkward is this going to be because he's going to be laying as you say his
America first speech to the U.N., which essentially the world's first and he said before when he was on the campaign trail that, you know, he felt --
you know -- the U.N. didn't support democracy or freedom.
So, he certainly has come out tough on the U.N. as an institution, had suspicions about how it works, but when it boils down to it his one big
foreign policy focus for the moment, North Korea, he needs the U.N.
He need the global community to help him isolate North Korea. So how is he going to balance that. So, this is a speech that is not just about Donald
Trump on this world stage pretty much for the first time.
But it's also going to be a measure, Hala, of world leaders and they are going to take a measure of what this man is and how he says things. And of
course, everyone is going to be wondering is he going to stick to the teleprompter, to the free laid out script or is he going to go a little bit
freelance, and you know, what does mean?
GORANI: Yes, it's adlibbing when it comes to Donald Trump especially in a formal setting like this will be absolutely fascinating. Well, we'll know
soon enough. It happens tomorrow.
But what will happen before that is a bilateral meeting, Melissa Bell, in Paris between President Trump and the new French president for whom as
well, this will be the first U.N. GA address, Emmanuel Macron.
They are due to mean about 10, 12 minutes time. I understand that the president of France is eager to try to convince the American president to
stay in the Paris Climate Accord and also not to ditch the Iran nuclear deal.
MELISSA BELL, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Hala. Emmanuel Macron has really chosen the path of dialogue with Donald Trump.
You'll remember those extraordinary pictures when Donald Trump is invited to Paris, and the genuine chemistry that appeared to exist between the two
men.
And Emmanuel Macron is going to pursue this within the next few minutes with Donald Trump in this bilateral meeting hoping to convince him both on
the Iran deal, and on this France's position has shifted substantially.
You'll remember that even when this is being negotiated, France had been really the skeptic in the group of those negotiating with Tehran. Now
Emmanuel Macron has really readopted a far more pragmatic position to the doubt of many of his predecessors on many Middle Eastern matters not only
Iran but also Syria will be arguing, will be defending the idea of taking with the deal.
And there is this hope after those comments by Rex Tillerson over the weekend that perhaps just maybe there is some room for negotiation with the
Trump administration on the question of the Paris climate deal.
And Paris is going to argue very strongly for that. Emmanuel Macron hoping that he can get some shift in Donald Trump's position.
GORANI: All right. We'll get back to this interesting relationship, by the way, between Donald Trump and Emmanuel Macron went from this awkward
first meeting at a NATO summit to, you know, a double date in the Eiffel Tower in a moment.
But Robyn, you're at the U.N. The big, big challenge for the U.N. and the United States needs the U.N. for this, presumably, is the North Korean
issue. This week, they are going to have to -- officials have to come up with some sort of solution or approach. What are we expecting?
[15:05:07] CURNOW: You know, I think what is interesting and when we look at the issue of North Korea, which is such an overwhelmingly dangerous,
potentially dangerous situation is the fact who is not here, and the Russian leader and the Chinese leader.
Xi Jinping and President Vladimir Putin are not here this year, which is an indication perhaps, of what they think of what goes on in this building
behind me or it is an indication of the weakness by which this president is trying to deal with the North Korean situation.
Because those sanctions, if you remember, pretty tough sanctions, at least compared to the ones before, were instituted last week. So, what does that
mean? Yes, sanctions are there, they need to be implemented.
To do that, you need Russia or China on board and figuring out the nitty- gritty of how to implement these new sanctions. Those two leaders aren't here. So, then what does that mean?
Is this al just about talk (inaudible), pretty much is, but when it comes down to Donald Trump, it's also about (inaudible). So, is he going to be
blustering and belligerence and sweetening (ph) or is he going to try and use some sort of coalition of the willing.
You know, encourage this global community to be behind him. It is only the tone and how he deals with that speech tomorrow that is certainly going to
play into perhaps the way the North Korean issue is settled or at least moves forth.
GORANI: All right. And Melissa, one last one on Macron because it's not just Trump's first address to the UNGA, it's also Macron's first. His
popularity in France is just taking a major nosedive, isn't it? What is he going to try to achieve with the speech at the U.N. in New York?
BELL: I think it will be fascinating, Hala, to watch the extent to which he tries to position himself is what the rest of the world has come to see
as an alternative to Donald Trump. The French president really positioning himself as an alternative leader of the free world.
Robyn was just talking about those who are not there. Well, amongst those not present is Angela Merkel and that really gives Emmanuel Macron all the
more reason to sign as the leader not only perhaps informally of a strengthened, emboldened, reunited Europe beyond Brexit.
But also, to present himself as this alternative leader of the free world. It's something Emmanuel Macron has not shied away from in the past and
indeed tomorrow we are expecting him to call for a number of things.
Amongst them (inaudible) multilateralism rather than left, a sort of codification that would be run by the United Nations to help police the
environmental challenge and to police those changes that countries are trying to make towards dealing with the environmental challenge.
And so, in a sense, Emmanuel Macron, is going to position himself as the other voice, perhaps the voice of an older world, or the one that had been
built before the populism of Donald Trump to try and present what perhaps the United Nations can continue to do more forcefully than under the vision
of Donald Trump.
GORANI: It certainly is another vision, one that will not be music to the ears of Donald Trump. We'll hear from both leaders tomorrow. Thanks to
both of you, Melissa in Paris and Robyn in New York.
World leaders are expected to zero in on some of the world's most pressing issues, of course, I mentioned North Korea, the escalating crisis there.
Iran's nuclear deal.
Let's talk about this with Robin Wright, a joint fellow at the U.S. Institute of Peace and the Woodrow Wilson International Center as well as a
contributing writer for "The New Yorker," and she joins me now live from New York.
So, Robin, let's first start with this Iran deal. I know the French are going to be trying to convince Donald Trump today stay in it, do not rip up
this deal. The French Foreign Minister (inaudible) said look this could spiral downward if you start going down that road.
Should the Iranians be concerned that this deal is going to be put in jeopardy by the administration of Donald Trump?
ROBIN WRIGHT, FELLOW, USIP AND WOODROW WILSON INTERNATIONAL CENTER FOR SCHOLARS: Well, I think letting the Iranians understand that the Trump
administration is going to escalate the rhetoric and the pressure on Tehran, but it probably not primarily through the nuclear deal.
Probably mainly through whether it is the missile testing, the human rights violations, support for extremist groups that those are the things that the
administration is going to emphasize.
Secretary of State Tillerson is likely to meet with the Iranian foreign minister on Wednesday under the rubric, under the auspices of the European
Union and the group that signed the nuclear deal.
I think that that he will use some pretty tough language as the president will in his speech on Tuesday and on what the U.S. expectations are and
that Iran is in violation of the broad spirit of the court if not the specifics.
GORANI: OK. And but leading to what? Because this is what Hassan Rouhani said on CNN. Most Americans want to stay in this deal. Here's what the
president of Iran said just a bit earlier.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HASSAN ROUHANI, IRANIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): Using such an agreement would have -- would carry a high cost for the United States of
America and I do not believe that Americans would be willing to pay such a high cost for something that will be useless for them.
[15:10:08] It will yield no results for the United States, but at the same time, it will generally decrease and cut away and chip away at
international trust place in the United States of America.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GORANI: So Robin, if the objective in the end is not to tear up the deal, what is it for the Trump administration?
WRIGHT: I think the Trump administration would like to see the Iranians be under such pressure that they would leave the agreement, wouldn't be the
United States blamed for the collapse of what is most important nuclear --
GORANI: But the Europeans wanted to stay in.
WRIGHT: They'll have --
GORANI: They're basically saying we don't care what the U.S. does. We are not jeopardizing this thing.
WRIGHT: And that is where you find for the first time in 40 years, a deep division between the Europeans and the United States on Iran. The five
other parties to the nuclear accord disagree strongly with United States.
I think that is one of the reasons that the president will not take some of the more radical measures that he has high implied in some of his remarks.
GORANI: And what about North Korea that has to be the biggest challenge now for the U.N. The U.N. has a big role to play in it.
WRIGHT: Absolutely. And this is where Donald Trump's headstrong America first agenda comes into direct confrontation with the realities of the
world today and the fact that the United States alone cannot deal with North Korea.
That it needs the international -- whether it's the U.N. or international cooperation primarily through China to try to squeeze the North Koreans,
but there is no obvious solution out there -- the best we can hope for is some kind of freeze.
The idea that the administration talks about denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula or North Korea is not realistic.
GORANI: Well, because North Korea -- why would it see that in its advantage at this stage to fully denuclearize?
WRIGHT: Absolutely and the reality is the Chinese do not want to see a regime change in Pyongyang. It does not want to the kind of -- it does not
want the reunification of the Korean Peninsula that it has very different visions of what North Korea should be today and down the road.
GORANI: And China, by the way, leaders of China and Russia are not at the UNGA this week. Now it's going to be a big moment for Donald Trump maybe
even for him, he's a little nervous. I do not know addressing the UNGA for the first time.
He's criticized the U.N. relentlessly, bashed it as useless, antiquated that the U.S. should even pull out of it. What is the expectation? Is he
going to stick to script or is he going to go off script and start ad- libbing do you think?
WRIGHT: I bet this is the most tightly scripted speech he has ever given. I think he realizes that being a real estate magnate in New York City is
very different from being leader of the most powerful nation in the world. And that I think after eight or nine months in office he understands he
really needs --
GORANI: He just tweeted a jift of Hillary Clinton getting knocked in the head by one of his golf balls. I mean, at what point did he realized do
you think that he is leader of the free world?
WRIGHT: Look, I think he -- there are certain realities that the people around him have been emphasizing that the change in his own staff is
reflected. The fact he has to come to grips it. It is not just about ideology.
It is about tackling and finding tangible solutions to these very real security problems, particularly in North Korea, and I think that has
tempered at least the kind of approach he is going take at the U.N.
That does not mean he is a changed man. I do not think he is, but I think this is likely to be a very scripted appearance.
GORANI: We really always appreciate having you on, Robin Wright. It was a pleasure. Thanks for joining us on CNN.
WRIGHT: Thank you.
GORANI: Let's turn our attention now to a major development in the investigation into Friday's terror attack on a London subway. Sources tell
CNN that the two suspects arrested over the weekend are from Iraq and Syria.
This new video was obtained today by a CNN affiliate, ITV. Now it appears to show one of the suspects on the morning of the attack is carrying a
little bag. It matches the one that later exploded on the train.
Sources say the suspect seen in this video is an 18-year-old Iraqi refugee, who is at a foster home. The other man under arrest is a 21-year-old Yaya
Faruk (ph) and local sources tell CNN he is a Syrian national from Damascus.
CNN's Nima Elbagir is tracking this story with more. So, these two men, one was the 18-year-old, the other, the 21-year-old, one suspected perhaps
of placing the bomb and the other one was arrested as well.
NIMA ELBAGIR, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, as yet, we have not gotten any of this officially on record from the police because
they have not been formally charged yet. But we understand from their neighbors, local officials, this is what we've learned about the two men.
This 18-year-old we hear from the neighbors was incredibly troubled and that he had come over to the U.K. as a refugee as a minor, most
importantly.
[15:15:11] So, I know there have been a lot of reports in the British media that he had blipped on the police radar previously, but him having been a
minor at the time obviously complicates that incredibly in terms of any surveillance that he could potentially have put under or whether he could
even have been arrested for whatever this trouble was.
Local -- the locals within the neighborhood say that his parents both were killed before he came over to the U.K. So, that gives you a sense of the
border back on and they believe that he had lived in an area that was under control of ISIS.
Then the Syrian refugee, his father --
GORANI: That's the 21-year-old.
ELBAGIR: That's the 18-year-old, the Iraqi refugee.
GORANI: And the Syrian one is this one --
ELBAGIR: Yes, absolutely. It's the 21-year-old. His father is believed to have died quite recently. He is also believed to have been fostered by
the same couple, who, by the way, they were actually recognized by the Queen for the work that they've done with troubled young people and the
works that they've done in the community.
Up until this point, this have been very much in keeping with what we've seen about the way that jihadis have been targeting the U.K. and other
European cities up until the point that this complicating factor of them having been refugees.
You've been covering this for so long. The way that this immediately changes the temperature around this conversation in Europe at this point.
Changes the temperature for local authorities because as far as that concern as we understand it none of these people blipped in a meaningful
way.
This is what they believe up until this point and as evidenced by the fact they brought the threat level back down from critical. They don't see them
as being the standard typical having been in communication with ISIS leadership. They believe that perhaps this is an inspired attack.
GORANI: Or that there is not a third one on the run or another bomb about to go off --
ELBAGIR: They don't --
GORANI: They decreased that threat level. But what I found interesting, according to reports, the 21-year-old Syrian when he was arrested, they
wrapped his arms and legs in the saran wrap or something. I wonder if that means that they think there is some sort of forensic evidence on his
extremities.
ELBAGIR: Absolutely. As we understand it speaking to bomb disposal experts because of the European Union laws reenacted after the Paris attack
and the Brussels attack, to get it in the quantities that make it easy to use that's not very difficult.
And that's one of the reasons why this bomb ultimately (inaudible) and detonated in the way it was intended to. They want to try and see what
kind level of residue was on hands.
GORANI: Nima, thanks very much. We are seeing live images of the French president and Donald Trump, the United States president. This is the first
U.N. General Assembly for both men, Donald Trump and Emmanuel Macron.
Emmanuel Macron is expected to try to convince Donald Trump to stay in the Iran nuclear deal. Let's listen.
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: He is doing a terrific job in France. He is doing what has to be done. He is respected
by the French people and I can tell you he is respected by the people of the United States. So, we have a lot of things to talk about. We'll be
discussing many different (inaudible).
So, I just want to thank you all for being here. I want to thank your representative for being here. Many of whom (inaudible) already and we
have very (inaudible). France is a great country. It's a beautiful country.
I won't soon forget our dinner on top of the Eiffel Tower where we really got to know each other and our families, and thank you very much.
EMMANUEL MACRON, FRENCH PRESIDENT: Thank you, everybody. (Inaudible) so I would just give a few words in French for the French people here.
(Speaking in French).
GORANI: All right. Essentially, we heard there from Donald Trump saying that Emmanuel Macron is doing a terrific job. He's respected by the French
people, Donald Trump said and also respected in the US.
So, as we were mentioning Macron's popularity rating has taken a major nosedive in France. It's close to 40 percent now after having been much
higher. Emmanuel Macron was speaking in French there.
He said that he totally concurs with Donald Trump. He's been happy to meet the U.S. president again, and that both men will speak on issues of common
interest that they share in fact common views he said in French on big issues including nuclear proliferation.
And that is obviously one of the big, big topics of discussion between the two men today. It will be about the Iran nuclear deal.
[15:20:09] When the asked earlier will you stay in the nuclear deal. He let that question hang, and essentially replied with a teaser and other
sort of tease, you will see very soon. So, asking us to wait for his decision on whether or not he would pull out or remain in the Iran nuclear
deal.
All right. We are going to take a quick break as we continue to bring you these live images from New York of the French and U.S. presidents.
A lot more to come this evening. Their islands were devastated by Hurricane Irma, now Puerto Ricans and others in the Caribbean are bracing
for another massive storm, a last thing they need. We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
GORANI: Several Caribbean islands left in ruin after Hurricane Irma hit a little more than a week ago are bracing for yet another monstrous storm.
Hurricane Maria is one of three storms currently in the Atlantic.
It's quickly gaining strength. In just hours, it's expected to make landfall on Dominica and the French island of Martinique, Puerto Rico,
which is still recovering from Irma is in a state of emergency as it braces for what's likely to be a direct hit on Wednesday.
Leyla Santiago is there and joins us now. All right. So, tell us more about what Puerto Rico is doing to try to prepare itself for another big
one.
LEYLA SANTIAGO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, you know, just even on the road you can tell there's quite a bit of traffic in the metropolitan area and a
lot of those folks are out trying to get last minute supplies because schools are out.
Many businesses have been closed, but people are trying to now (inaudible) for the things that they thought they would need for a while, right? It
was just days ago that Irma came through here.
A lot of people here very thankful. It was really a sigh of relief that Irma didn't do much here, but now comes Maria. I think something that is
really interesting here, Hala, is just the resources right now.
This is an island that right now is in the middle of an economic crisis. So, that is one factor and then the other factor is, you know, Puerto Rico
really took a big role in helping out some of the other Caribbean islands with Irma.
So, on the island right now, you have quite a few evacuees that are using services and resources here as well from other Caribbean islands. Just
yesterday I was at the Puerto Rico Convention Center. I spoke to one gentleman, 22 years old.
He left the British Virgin Islands, left his family there. He didn't -- wasn't able to communicate with them, but was trying to playout the next
storm rather here in Puerto Rico.
So, you have a state of emergency declared by the governor. They have requested a state of emergency from the federal government and then you
have limited resources and even more people that they are caring for than is typical during a hurricane -- Hala.
[15:25:13] GORANI: All right. Leyla Santiago, we'll get back to you a little bit later with more on preparations for yet another big storm.
To the United States now, in another part of the United States, with Stephen Colbert at the helm and a hall full of A-list celebs. There was no
way that the Trump administration wouldn't be a theme at the Emmys, but no one expected it to be this close to the administration.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEAN SPICER, FORMER PRESS SECRETARY: This will be the largest audience to witness an Emmys, period.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GORANI: Well, that was former Press Secretary Sean Spicer making that surprise cameo. It certainly got a lot of laughs in the audience, but it
also started a fierce debate. Should he have been given a platform to rehabilitative his image?
Let's bring in Dylan Byers, is in Los Angeles. First of all, who's idea was it to invite Sean Spicer?
DYLAN BYERS, CNN SENIOR REPORTER FOR MEDIA AND POLITICS: It was actually Stephen Colbert's idea and he did it with the help of his producer, Chris
Licked, who is a well-known figure in the television industry. He certainly out here in Hollywood.
And they basically came up with this idea to get the man who is obviously one of the most notorious faces of the Trump administration, certainly most
notorious among that crowd programs to come out and do this.
And look, it served the purpose for Sean Spicer as well. He is beginning his sort of you know, public speaking, public engagement tour, trying to
win over a crowd that obviously does not have a great deal of respect for him.
The question is, was it a smart move on his part to come out and do this. I think many people feel that you know -- he is trying to act like he is in
on the joke, but when the joke is months and months of lying and effective propaganda, it does not look good to take that lightly. It is a very
serious thing.
So, I think the reaction at the Emmy last night was a mix of sort of humor and oh my gosh, and that is really runny, but also certain sense of, wait a
second, this is a serious issue.
GORANI: But people were taking selfies and having some fun with him backstage and he went to all the fancy parties so it was not exactly
(inaudible) either, but as you have seen, Dylan, I am sure all day, there was some very critical reactions to Spicer's appearance, people tweeted.
Including this one, "Acting like Sean Spicer is just another funny guy is the same blurring of entertainment in politics that led to Trump becoming
president." This is Murtaza Hussein.
Another one said, "The overnight normalization of Spicer into a comical, sympathetic figure with no responsibility paints an ugly picture of years
to come." Another tweeter posted. So, this is really generated a whole lot of controversy as well.
BYERS: That is right and look, I would say all valid points across the board. I think one that I would add is OK, you were part of an
administration and the spokesperson for an administration that repeatedly berated the media, berated Hollywood, berated, you know, coastal -- the
coastal liberal elite.
And now that it has come time for you to get out of the White House and get into the business of making money for yourself, making money off of your
brand, however notorious that brand may be, now you are courting them.
So, what is going on here? Can you have it both ways? And I think that actually speaks very much to the nature of the Trump presidency, the sort
of celebrity presidency where you have someone who is simultaneously bad now thing. These people are also looking to curry favor with them.
GORANI: Right. Yes. Well, it seems like he was enjoying himself, those parties that's what I'm going to say. Dylan Byers, thanks so much live in
LA. Always a pleasure.
Still to come, preparing to fight fire with fire. South Korea plans a massive counterattack with the help of the U.S. military in case war breaks
out with Pyongyang. Preparing for the worst-case scenario.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HALA GORANI, CNN HOST, THE WORLD RIGHT NOW: North Korea will come up again and again and again during this year's UN General Assembly as the world
debates how to contain that country's nuclear threat.
Now, according to South Korea, Pyongyang now claims that its intercontinental ballistic missile program is near the final stage. CNN's
Ian Lee got an exclusive look at how the South might defend itself in case of an attack.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
IAN LEE, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: A war in Korea could start like this. Volley after volley of North Korean artillery raining down on Seoul.
Thousands of weapons are currently pointed at the South Korean capital, home to more than 10 million people. Defending it is priority number one
for her generals and politicians.
The US Army granted CNN exclusive access to the 6th Battalion 37 Field Artillery. The unit's work horse, the M2-70 Alpha 1, also known as Steel
Rain.
Staff Sergeant Kavon Isabell gives me a tour of the MLRS - the multiple launch rocket system.
STAFF SERGEANT KAVON ISABELL, US ARMY: It's all about being able to provide support fires in an extremely timely manner with being very precise
at the same time.
LEE: The MLRS can fire 12 rockets or two missiles up to 300 kilometers with GPS precision. And its ability to shoot and scoot makes it hard for
the enemy to target.
ISABELL: This one, I have more firepower, so I can hold two pods and it's tracked. So, I can pretty much get it anywhere that I need to. It's not
very common that these get stuck.
LEE: Lieutenant Colonel Will Hsu is in charge of this live-fire exercise, just kilometers away from the border with North Korea. It's his
responsibility to make sure the unit is ready to fight tonight.
LT. COL. WILBUR HSU, US ARMY: For us, it's really about going out continually to train and practice and make sure that we have mastered the
fundamentals and make sure that this thing can shoot far and shoot fast.
LEE: Hsu's artillery unit is part of a bigger picture of advanced aircraft and missiles protecting Seoul, according to assembly member, Kim Jong-Dae.
KIM JONG DAE, SOUTH KOREA ASSEMBLY MEMBER (through translator): When North Korea fires its long-range artillery, we can analyze the trajectory and
calculate the point of origin within a short time. That data is linked to our artillery, which fires self-propelled and multiple-launcher rockets to
destroy the target.
LEE: But the National Defense Committee member worries that tens of thousands of potential shells could carry a deadly passenger.
DAE: What's scarier is that North Korea is storing about 5,000 tons of chemical weapons. They are also thought to have biological weapons like
anthrax. Long-range artillery can be used as a delivery method for these weapons of mass destruction.
If North Korea prepares an attack, Kim says it's up to Hsu and his troops to help deliver a silencing counter-punch. Failure could turn Seoul into
what both North and South Korean officials describe as a sea of fire.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
[15:35:02] GORANI: Ian Lee reporting there really the worst-case scenario. US President Donald Trump made some brief remarks about North Korea when he
arrived at the UN today.
Let's get details on that and other developments from senior UN correspondent Richard Roth. We're also joined by senior White House
correspondent Jeff Zeleny.
Jeff, to you first, so what is going to be the president of the United States' approach with regards to North Korea at the UN because, on this
one, even if the president is critical of the UN saying it needs to be reformed, this organization is needed to deal with North Korea. What's the
strategy?
JEFF ZELENY, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Hala, that is the predicament - in fact, the challenge that President Trump finds himself in.
He has spent so much time criticizing this institution, so much time criticizing the United Nations when he was running for president and indeed
since he's been president.
But the White House, the administration also is touting the sanctions that the United Nations Security Council have imposed on North Korea. So,
indeed, this is the best example yet, most recent example of how the White House and this administration need the United Nations.
So, you saw a much more measured tone today from President Trump, coming here earlier today, talking about reform. He is hardly the first president
to come to the United Nations to talk about reform, he will not be the last, I would suspect.
But on North Korea, specifically, his speech tomorrow to the General Assembly will be largely framed around his plan for North Korea.
And the reality here is, yes, military options are available. We've seen the Ambassador to the United Nations, the US Ambassador to the UN Nikki
Haley talking about that again and again that Secretary Mattis, the defense secretary, has a plan for this.
But people in the White House at all levels say to us that this is, obviously, a last resort here. So, the administration has been a bit all
over the map in terms of the president last month saying North Korea will receive a fire and fury unlike the world has ever seen and also trying
diplomatic routes.
So, tomorrow, President Trump will have to split the difference between that as he fills in more blanks here of the still-evolving Trump Doctrine.
GORANI: And, Richard, what about other members? We don't have the big, big - for instance, Vladimir Putin isn't present, the leader of China, we
have Angela Merkel not there as well.
But what about other countries that are instrumental in any sort of sanctions package or response to North Korea? How will they cooperate with
the US or not with - in this crisis?
RICHARD ROTH, CNN SENIOR UN CORRESPONDENT: Look, there's a traditional meeting of the permanent five big powers on the security council. This
time, it's a breakfast.
So, if there's any talk of North Korea, it's there. We know that the president of China and President Trump had a phone call where they talked
today about enforcing already outstanding Security Council sanctions.
Let's look ahead to that Trump speech that everyone has been waiting for. This drama will also be heightened by the fact that the North Korean
delegation is sitting this year in the front row of the famous chamber and 20 feet away from Donald Trump.
Will he stay on teleprompter or will he see the placard which says Democratic Republic of North Korea and want to say, hey, guys, this is what
you're doing to us. I would look very closely for that moment.
GORANI: Sorry. The North Korean delegation is sitting where vis-a-vis Trump at the podium?
ROTH: While trump is speaking at the rostrum, he can look down to his right, 20 feet away, in the front row is the North Korean delegation. Iran
is three rows back. It's all done by lottery. This year, by chance, that's how it came up.
GORANI: All right. Thanks very much. Richard Roth at the UN; Jeff Zeleny as well. Thanks to both of you.
Now, a day of peaceful protest following a night of violence in the US city of St. Louis, Missouri. Police made no arrests today, but officers took
more than 80 people into custody Sunday night. Still very tense in St. Louis.
Police say protesters attacked officers, broke windows and flipped trash cans. They're angry over the acquittal of a white former officer, who
killed a black man.
Dan Simon joins us now from St. Louis with the very latest. So, what's the situation today after the violence over the weekend.
DAN SIMON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, hi, Hala. The situation remains the same. What happens is the protest during the daylight hours are calm and
peaceful. And then, at night, things turn into chaos.
That's what it's been like for the past three days and there's no reason to think that tonight will be any different.
Let me explain where I am. This is downtown St. Louis. Behind me is the Marriott Hotel. You can see all these windows were smashed. They're
boarded up today. Across the street, directly across the street, is a convention center. And you can see, it's the same story. All these
windows were smashed.
And I was in a section of town on Saturday night called the Delmar Loop. This is near a university. And I would say, well more than 20 businesses
had their stores smashed in. It was quite a sight to see.
[15:40:11] I want you to listen now to one business owner I spoke with.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RICH HOWARD-WILLMS, STORE OWNER: I personally see the value of protesting. And I've been there myself and feel that the cause is necessary and people
need to get out there and let their voices be heard. But the kind of violent and senseless acts like this really are bothersome. And I don't
think it - it hinders the cause rather than furthers the cause.
SIMON: When you saw all of these businesses hit, what did you think?
MIKE MILLIGAN, GLASS REPAIRMAN: All night. I saw that I'm going to be up all night.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SIMON: Yes. If you're in the glass repair business, you're going to be very busy in St. Louis, Hala. And the scenario is this. Once these calm
peaceful protests end, you have some people that just refuse to leave. Usually, it's about two to three dozen people.
These are the folks who are wearing masks, trying to hide their identities. They get into a faceoff with police. They throw things. They throw rocks
and bottles and they just taunt these officers.
And then, when police try to close in, they start running, the crowd does. And that's when this vandalism occurs. I can tell you that the National
Guard is on standby if things really get out of control. We'll see what happens tonight. Hala?
GORANI: All right. We'll keep following that. Thanks very much. Dan Simon there reporting from St. Louis.
And check out our Facebook page, facebook.com/HalaGoraniCNN for more.
After a break, Theresa May says her government is driven from the front when it comes to Brexit in a rebuke to her own foreign minister. We'll
explain what is going on. Is there a tension in the May government? We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
GORANI: The prime minister of the UK is in Canada today hoping to drum up support for a trade deal post-Brexit. They can't officially negotiate.
The UK is still part of the EU, but there's some working groups having discussions.
While there, she has had to strongly rebuke her own Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson over something he said about Brexit.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
THERESA MAY, PRIME MINISTER OF THE UNITED KINGDOM: Look, the UK government is driven from the front and we all have the same destination in our
sights. And that is getting a good deal for Brexit with the European Union. That's a good trade deal, but also a good ongoing relationship in
relation to other matters like security.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GORANI: Why the driving analogy? Well, it may have something to do with this infamous buzz behind me and the controversial slogan written on it.
It claimed at the time during the Brexit campaign, you member, that Brexit could bring the UK EUR350 million a week and that it will go straight into
the National Health Service.
Well, that claim, by the way, has been found to be untrue. But Boris Johnson revived it in a contentious article, spelling out his vision for
Brexit.
[15:45:07] Let's get more on this. Nic Robertson is with me in the studio. What is Boris Johnson doing because he is the foreign secretary, he is not
the Brexit secretary, and he is reviving this claim of EUR350 million when really it has been proven time and time again this is not the net figure,
it's the overall figure, and there's no way it would all go back to the NHS? Why we are talking about this?
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: He seems to be frustrated that perhaps, as foreign secretary, he isn't getting to speak
about the biggest foreign policy issue facing Britain at the moment.
There's a Brexit secretary, there's an international trade secretary and he's been sort of marginalized. And he was one of the loudest, most
forward-leaning Brexiteers and this was a slogan that he campaigned on, giving us a sense that he wants to revalidate that and show that it's not a
lie.
[15:45:47] But at the same time, the timing, you have to look at Theresa May Friday this week due to give a key speech on Brexit in Florence in
Italy.
And next week, following after that, the Conservative Party conference where a few months ago people were talking about her leadership standing
there. So, he's really - appears to be, by bringing up this figure, by not mentioning a transition period which Theresa May is coming around to, which
reflects the sort of business community in Britain and a transition period, a longer transition period, several years sort of post-negotiations to
leave the European Union.
GORANI: So, is he going for a leadership position? Is he trying to undermine his own prime minister?
ROBERTSON: I was standing next to him just a couple of weeks ago in Nigeria when this same question came up.
GORANI: But it sure sounds like it, doesn't it?
ROBERTSON: It sure sounds like it. And he says, no, he's not. In fact, today, this evening, he has been quoted - while there in New York, he shook
Donald Trump's hand there by the way.
GORANI: Well, he was waiting in line to shake Donald Trump's hand.
ROBERTSON: He was. But, in an interview afterwards, he said there is only one driver, referring to Theresa May without saying her name. I had only
wanted to give a positive view of what Brexit means.
He is clearly setting out his stand of what he believes Brexit should be, what he campaigned for and you could say it's a last gasp.
GORANI: But by repeating an untruth. It's been debunked.
ROBERTSON: He and there are people standing behind him within his senior members of the conservative party who would say no, this is an accurate
figure. The head of the National Statistics Bureau in Britain has said no, it isn't. There's an argument about that, but it is an old argument.
GORANI: There's no debate around it. It is just not an accurate figure.
ROBERTSON: He would have that it is.
GORANI: How?
ROBERTSON: And this is something he put his name to. Well, because he says that this is the sum total of what goes out. It's not everything that
could go. He said some part of it could go to -
GORANI: Without counting what comes in.
ROBERTSON: He clearly feels that he wants to have a voice in this. And he was on the verge of not having a voice because Theresa May was about to
give a major speech on it. So, you absolutely have to see this as a challenge to her. If you are not in Britain -
GORANI: Well, will she allow him to stay? I mean, as the prime minister, does she want a foreign secretary that undermines her?
ROBERTSON: The British bookmakers right now have him as the highest likely person to be the next leaving the cabinet. But if you look from outside -
GORANI: The ultimate barometer is the British bookie.
ROBERTSON: Maybe. But if you're outside - if you're part of the EU27, you're looking at this and you're saying, look, the Conservative Party -
the Britain is in disarray over Brexit. It's disorganized.
And this is what's dogging the talks. And this is what Theresa May kind of wanted to settle to a degree. Give a clear vision, move these talks
forward, because right now the clock's ticking and they're falling behind. This just drags it backwards, it appears.
GORANI: Nic Robertson, thanks very much for joining us. Appreciate it.
Now, to this really sad story of wall to wall human suffering as it's been called. This is how aid workers describe the scene in a refugee camp in
Bangladesh, where hundreds of thousands of Rohingya are trying to seek shelter from a military crackdown in Myanmar.
These are new pictures from camps near the border. Overcrowding is already a huge problem. More refugees are on the way. So, the Bangladesh army is
pledging to build new shelters on more than 800 hectares of land.
Now, the numbers are staggering. Four hundred thousand Rohingya - more than 400,000, a Muslim ethnic group, have fled Myanmar just in the past few
weeks.
CNN's Alexandra Field reports from a refugee camp across the border.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ALEXANDRA FIELD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Thousands of people wait in line for hours for basics. Hundreds of thousands still have nothing at
all. And they're getting desperate.
(on-camera): These are locals here who are handing out whatever they have. And you can see the children, the families running to collect.
International aid organizations are trying to take a more organized approach. They're worried about the kind of chaos that this creates.
But the people who live here, they want to provide help to so many who are in such need.
(voice-over): An estimated 800,000 Rohingya Muslim refugees are living on Bangladesh's border. Nearly half of them arriving in the last three weeks,
fleeing a violent military campaign in nearby Myanmar.
[15:50:10] Juno remembers bullets were flying around like rain.
(on-camera): This is what they've escaped to, an overcrowded camp with tens of thousands of people in it. We're seeing children that are running
around without any clothes. Their clothing is soiled. There are piles of feces almost everywhere you step.
This is one makeshift kind of washroom that we've seen.
(voice-over): Aid organizations are building toilets, working to provide clean water and vaccinating children to try to stop the spread of disease.
CORINNE AMBLER, IFRC BANGLADESH SPOKESPERSON: I can only describe as wall- to-wall human suffering.
FIELD: The crisis is already too big for Bangladesh's government to bear alone.
AMBLER: This area, the population here, is already suffering from deprivation. And the strain on services that this is causing needs to be
addressed as well - education, health. Disaster-prone area as well.
FIELD (voice-over): Trauma counselors at the camps are trying to help the Rohingya with what they've already seen, what they have survived. At least
1,300 children are still separated from families that fled as their villages burned.
Juno says government forces carried out attacks late in the night and early in the morning. They forced girls hiding inside their homes to come out.
Myanmar's military insists it's doing what it needs to wipe out terrorists after an attack on border guards. The United Nations calls it a textbook
case of ethnic cleansing of a minority Muslim group that has lived for generations in a predominately Buddhist country.
"The government forces are torturing us, kidnapping and hacking the young men and boys," she says, "raping women and girls. That's why we ran away
and came here."
All she's found now is this spot off the side of the road. She can stay dry here during the end of monsoon season.
Alexander Field, CNN, Kutupalong refugee camp, Bangladesh.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
GORANI: We'll have a lot more after a break. Stay with CNN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
GORANI: Well, just like that, the Emmy history was made. Hulu's "The Handmaid's Tale" became the first ever streamed show to take home the Emmy
Award for outstanding drama. It beat out three Netflix series vying for the same price.
"The Handmaid's Tale" is based on Margaret Atwood's dystopian novel. It won a total of five awards. Frank Pallotta is a medial reporter for
CNNMoney. He joins me now live in New York.
I love the "Handmaid's Tale." Kind of disturbing to be honest to binge watch the whole thing, but I thought the lady who played the Ann Dowd, the
lady who played sort of the matron, the horrible, sadistic matron did a great job and deserves her Emmy.
FRANK PALLOTTA, "CNNMONEY" MEDIA REPORTER: Yes. What was really surprising about last night is that it was a historic night for Hulu. If
about five years ago, you came to me and said, all right, name the streaming service that's going to be the first one to win an Emmy for
outstanding drama series.
I would have said Netflix. Most people would have said Netflix. Maybe some people would have said Amazon.
GORANI: And Netflix has never won outstanding drama?
[15:55:01] PALLOTTA: No. This is the first streaming series to win outstanding drama series.
GORANI: That's incredible. So, that's a huge achievement and it's, obviously, now setting a precedent.
PALLOTTA: Right. What this is basically is saying is that streaming services have been building up and building up over the last couple years.
There was nominations and then they started winning. And now, they're winning the big, big awards over the perennial traditional favorites like
"This is Us" which is on NBC.
Even Netflix had like two of the most popular shows or most talked about shows with "The Crown" and "Stranger Things." Very two different shows.
And then, here comes "The Handmaid's Tale" which was critically acclaimed and people said very, very topical. And it just kind of came out of no -
it didn't come out of nowhere. People expected it to win, but it was a huge historic night for it and really kind of puts Hulu on the map with
Amazon and Netflix.
GORANI: Yes. You should watch an hour of kitten videos before you hit the eight-part series there, just so you don't despair too much. The "The
Handmaid's Tale" is kind of depressing.
But then, "Saturday Night Live" did very well. "Veep" did very well as well.
PALLOTTA: Right. You still had - the best thing about the Emmys lately is that what we're seeing is this kind of coming together of very different
ways of broadcasting.
You have your traditional routes, which is traditional TV, broadcast, cable. And now, you have streaming networks eating up this slice of the
pie. Now, this is why the audiences are so fragmented.
But, ultimately, there's a lot that traditional networks can learn from streaming services and vice versa because what Hulu learned last night is
it doesn't matter how much money you're throwing at this content. You can't just create lightning in a bottle. It takes time to develop these
shows.
Amazon was kind of talking about creating the "Game of Thrones." It's going to take time just like it did for "Handmaid's Tale."
GORANI: Right. And "Big Little Lies" did great as well. I have to say, but somebody remarked - we have to go. Frank, listen, we're going to have
a longer conversation about how movies are now being (INAUDIBLE) high- quality television. All right. We'll see you soon, Frank Pallotta in New York.
This has been the program. I am Hala Gorani. I'll see you soon. Same time, same place tomorrow. "Quest Means Business" is up next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
END
