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Cleanup Underway Across Florida After Deadly Hurricane; Human- Caused Climate Change Fuels More Intense Storms; T.D. Bank to Pay $3 Billion to Settle Money Laundering Charges; Britain's Princess of Wales Returns to Public Eye. Aired 4:30-5a ET
Aired October 11, 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]
MAX FOSTER, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome back to CNN NEWSROOM, I'm Max Foster. If you're just joining us here are some of today's top stories.
Former U.S. President Donald Trump will rally in both Colorado and Nevada in the coming hours. Following his stop in Michigan on Thursday.
Vice President Kamala Harris, fresh off campaign stops of her own in Arizona and Nevada, set to participate in the Jewish voters for Harris Walz high holiday call just ahead of Yom Kippur.
President Joe Biden says there's been a robust response from the federal government to hurricanes Milton and Helene. He also condemned price gouging and misinformation in the wake of both storms. Biden said Trump who's been amplifying that misinformation should quote get a life.
And the death toll from Hurricane Milton is now at least 15 people, more than two and a half million customers in Florida remain without power. According to poweroutage.us. the Red Cross now has a place on its website where families who can't find loved ones can submit a request for help.
Disaster cleanup efforts are in full swing across the state of Florida. During the storm, there were reports of dozens of tornadoes touching down one of them in a Fort Myers neighborhood. And in that same area, homes lost their roofs and fences at one airport were torn apart.
Jessica Thompson is the CEO of All Hands and Hearts, a nonprofit focused on communities impacted by disasters. And she's with us from Fort Myers in Florida. Thank you so much.
Can you give us a sense of the damage, first of all, because you know, that only becomes apparent days after these events.
JESSICA THOMPSON, CEO, ALL HANDS AND HEARTS: Thanks for having us, Max. And our hearts go out to everybody who was affected by Hurricane Milton and the subsequent tornadoes. You're right that emergency managers, first responders are still out there assessing the damage. I think we can say that it's not as bad as the most severe projections would have showed. But still, there is a significant amount of damage out there, both from storm surge, flooding from the rain and this tornado outbreak as well. So families today across the state of Florida are waking up and figuring out how they're going to start to take those steps onto the long road to recovery.
FOSTER: How many people is your estimate on who stayed and didn't evacuate because they're obviously going to be your priority?
THOMPSON: Yes, obviously, we always recommend that people follow the advice of emergency managers. But for some people, that wasn't possible. And so we'll be focused on checking in with those local coordination bodies today to see who the most vulnerable families are and targeting our response there.
FOSTER: And we're seeing all the flooding here. Obviously, all eyes on how long that lasts.
THOMPSON: Exactly. All Hands and Hearts has increased our emergency fundraising goal that we set after Hurricane Helene to be able to help residents of North Carolina and Florida to recover from these two back-to-back storms. So today we're looking for $3 million, which will allow us to arrive early.
We have teams heading into Florida today to support those activities and to stay late, to be here for at least 12 months, because we know that recovery from these kinds of terrible storms takes months and years.
FOSTER: There's been a bit of politics around this. Have you seen that the federal government has been supporting the local agencies or have local agencies been complaining that they haven't had enough support from the government at this point?
THOMPSON: We're not hearing much on that. I think from our perspective, what we do in bringing volunteers to support these communities from around the world is that they realize that they are not forgotten, that people care and that people are coming to help. So from what we've seen, families are pleased that volunteer groups are stepping up and coming to stand alongside them and support them in this critical time.
FOSTER: There will be people who evacuated who are still away. What sort of advice are they receiving about when to return?
THOMPSON: Our connection with emergency management in Tampa has told us that it's safe to return from today. But I do know that people did evacuate quite far away this time, given the size and scale of Milton. So it will take families some time to return.
[04:35:03]
FOSTER: Because they'd obviously be very worried about their homes, they'll want to protect them as well, presumably, as well. That'll be another concern. THOMPSON: Yes, protect them from the elements too. The rain and wind continues, so people definitely want to get home and make a start on this work. We're hearing that families and first responders both are tired after the impacts of these two storms, one after the other.
And so I'm sure that people want to get back and make a start with the huge amount of work that is to be done.
FOSTER: There was obviously, as you said, the storm wasn't quite as bad in that area as many people had dreaded, which is great news. But do you feel that the systems worked effectively? Because it did seem as though, you know, when more storms are coming in, you may be apprehensive about evacuating.
But actually, people did respond to that call this time, didn't they? So the system is working, it seems.
THOMPSON: Yes, we're hearing from homeowners that we have worked with over the last two years in response to Hurricanes Ian, Hurricane Adelia and then Hurricane Helene, that they were following that advice in those evacuation zones.
FOSTER: OK, Jessica Thompson, really appreciate your time and good luck with your work.
THOMPSON: Thank you.
FOSTER: The devastation from Hurricane Milton likely caused between 30 and 50 billion dollars worth of insured losses. That doesn't include losses that weren't insured, of course. The estimate comes from Fitch Ratings, one of the biggest credit rating agencies in the U.S.
Virtually all climate scientists believe that devastating storms like Milton are the result of human caused climate change. But not everyone is convinced, as Bill Weir explains.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BILL WEIR, CNN CHIEF CLIMATE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): As Earth overheats, these are the kinds of storms that take lives and livelihoods. But as families reel in private grief, it's the material loss that is so obvious everywhere in Pinellas County, from the tower construction crane that crashed down on neighboring buildings, to Tropicana Field, peeled like an orange by Milton's winds. The Tampa Bay Rays already have plans in the works to build a new stadium with taxpayers kicking in hundreds of millions of dollars.
But what happens now is anyone's guess, especially after the loss of entire neighborhoods, retirees and working class American dreamers.
SANDY DAUGHTRY, FLORIDA NATIVE, PINELLAS COUNTY RESIDENT: I'm just really concerned for all these people. It's just devastating. It's like World War Three or something, you know.
WEIR (voice-over): Sandy Daughtry hid in a closet during landfall and the day after rides her bike through the mingled wreckage of back to back hurricanes, praying for neighbors she knows now have nothing.
WEIR: Long after all of these pieces of people's lives have been picked up, what will remain in Florida is a massive insurance crisis. In just the last couple of years, dozens of different carriers have gone insolvent or stopped accepting new customers or have been placed on state watch lists.
So as a result, flood insurance for a home like this can be over $20,000 a year, way more than the mortgage. So most of these families had no coverage at all.
And so many folks are uninsured, right?
DAUGHTRY: Yes, yes, I know. That's why I just like it breaks my heart. I'm riding through here just like my heart is just shattered. I just can't even -- it's just unbelievable, really.
WEIR: What do you think becomes of communities like this?
DAUGHTRY: I don't know. I really don't. I'm, I'm hearing a lot of people saying they're going to leave the state and head back up north, but I don't I don't know if that'll happen. You know, maybe a mass exodus or something.
WEIR: Do you connect all of this to a changing climate, a warmer planet?
DAUGHTRY: You know, I don't I'm not sure. I couldn't. I can't really answer that.
WEIR: Really?
DAUGHTRY: I just maybe it's just a hundred year cycle or, you know, some kind of a cycle that we go through.
WEIR: Even though all the scientists are telling you this is what climate change looks like.
DAUGHTRY: Well, that's the point. I'm not sure all the scientists are agreeing that.
WEIR: They are. I can tell you they are.
DAUGHTRY: So that's kind of like --
WEIR: I'm here to tell you they are. Ninety nine percent of them absolutely agree. You can ask anybody at NASA.
DAUGHTRY: I can definitely tell you our beaches are eroding in my lifetime. All the beaches have I've seen the water come up a lot higher than it ever has before. So --
WEIR: Thank you so much.
DAUGHTRY: So for talking to you.
WEIR: Yes. Thank you for talking with us, really. You're a great neighbor. If there's a heaven, you're getting in.
DAUGHTRY: And that's honestly, that's what I do. I ride around and just pray for people and just pray, you know. I just -- it's just --
WEIR: You're a first prayer responder. That's very, very sweet. All right.
DAUGHTRY: Yes.
WEIR: All right, good luck to you.
DAUGHTRY: Yes.
WEIR: Thank you.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
FOSTER: One person is dead after an accident inside a tourist mine in the U.S. state of Colorado. And nearly two dozen people had to be rescued.
[04:40:00]
The group became stranded when an elevator inside the gold mine malfunctioned for roughly six hours. They were stuck at the bottom of a cold, deep mine, which is about 300 meters or one thousand feet below ground.
The temperature was 50 degrees Fahrenheit or 10 degrees Celsius. The people trapped did have water blankets, chairs and a radio, but no access to bathrooms. No word yet on what caused the accident.
One person is dead in a chemical release at a plant in Deer Park, Texas, on Thursday. A shelter in place order was issued for all residents of that city. It's not yet confirmed what chemical was released, but officials in neighboring Pasadena said it was hydrogen sulfide. That's a colorless, potentially toxic gas used in oil and gas refining.
The sheriff says one person was airlifted to hospital and multiple others were injured. Fire and pollution officials are at the scene and monitoring the situation to ensure the leak has actually stopped.
Still ahead on CNN NEWSROOM, Tesla promising a new era in autonomous driving. When we come back, CEO Elon Musk unveils the new self-driving cyber cap.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
FOSTER: The federal judge in Sean Diddy Combs' criminal case has set a trial date for May the 5th of next year. During Thursday's court hearing in New York, Combs appeared in jail-issued clothes with his ankles in shackles.
He smiled and waved at his family. The musician and producer is charged with racketeering, conspiracy, sex trafficking and transportation to engage in prostitution. Earlier this week, his lawyers accused the government of leaking hotel surveillance video to CNN that shows Combs beating his then-girlfriend. They want the footage barred from the trial.
[04:45:00]
T.D. Bank will pay a whopping $3 billion in fines to settle charges that it was used by drug cartels to launder money. U.S. officials say the bank's financial surveillance was so poor that more than 90 percent of its transactions went unmonitored for more than six years. As a result, three money laundering networks transferred close to $700 million through T.D. Bank. The U.S. Attorney General described it as an enabler who looked the other way.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MERRICK GARLAND, U.S. ATTORNEY GENERAL: T.D. Bank created an environment that allowed financial crime to flourish. By making its services convenient for criminals, it became one. Today, T.D. Bank became the largest bank in U.S. history to plead guilty to Bank Secrecy Act program failures and the first bank in history to plead guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
FOSTER: T.D. Bank is based in Canada, but it has large operations in the U.S.
Elon Musk has unveiled his vision for the future of autonomous cars. The Tesla CEO showed off his Cybercab Robotaxi on Thursday as part of the We Robot event in Los Angeles. The self-driving vehicle has no steering wheel or pedals.
Musk rode in the futuristic car during the event, which was livestreamed to millions of viewers on social media platform X. He also introduced Tesla's Robovan, which he said is capable of carrying up to 20 people.
ELON MUSK, TESLA CEO: What happens if you need a vehicle that is bigger than a Model Y? The Robovan. The Robovan is, this is, we're going to make this and it's going to look like that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
FOSTER: Musk said the Cybercab should be in production by 2026, though he could be overpromising. Five years ago, he said Tesla's Robotaxis would be available in a year.
Britain's Prince William made an unannounced visit to a community grieving the murder of three children several months ago, and his wife Catherine joined him, marking her first public appearance since finishing her cancer treatment.
CNN's Anna Stewart has the details from London.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) ANNA STEWART, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It was a surprise visit by the Prince and Princess of Wales and the first public engagement for the Princess since she announced she had finished her cancer treatment. They're seen here in Southport, a town in the northwest of England, which experienced a shocking incident in July. A man attacked young children with a knife at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class.
The Prince and Princess visited the bereaved families of the three children killed in the attack. They also met with members of the emergency services who responded on a day to offer their support. The King visited Southport back in August, and it's clear today that the royal family don't want the town to feel forgotten as the weeks and months pass.
The Prince and Princess of Wales posted a message on X after their visit, saying: We continue to stand with everyone in Southport. Meeting the community today has been a powerful reminder of the importance of supporting one another in the wake of unimaginable tragedy. You will remain in our thoughts and prayers.
The Princess of Wales is back at work but is expected to keep her workload light as she continues to recover.
Anna Stewart, CNN, London.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
FOSTER: After a stellar career, the King of Play is calling it quits when we'll see when we'll see Rafa Nadal's final professional tennis match. Hot ticket, that one, just ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
FOSTER: A legendary tennis career coming to an end. Rafael Nadal has announced that he is retiring in November after the Davis Cup in Spain. The 38-year-old last played at the Paris Olympics, where he won singles and doubles gold for Spain.
Nadal played his first professional match in 2001. He went on to win 22 Grand Slam titles, second only to Novak Djokovic. In recent years, Nadal has been plagued by injuries which severely limited his time on the court.
He spoke to CNN about it in 2022.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RAFAEL NADAL, 22 GRAND SLAM TITLES: I'm going through all these, probably, challenges. I always hold the passion for keep going, you know, and I always hold the love for the game and I always wanted to keep going.
It's all about having the chance to be happy playing tennis or not. And if the pain is impossible to manage, then you can't be happy.
(END VIDEO CLIP) FOSTER: Some call Nadal's rivalry with Roger Federer one of the greatest in tennis history. Federer wrote on Instagram: It's been an absolute honor.
The New York Yankees are moving on to the American League Championship Series after a 3-1 win over the Kansas City Royals. Juan Soto got the scoring started in the first inning. The Yankees added runs in the fifth and the sixth. They'll face either Cleveland or Detroit.
The Guardians managed to force a game five with the Tigers. David Fry hit a home run in the seventh inning and knocked in another run in the ninth. Final score, Cleveland five, Detroit four.
Women's basketball, where the Minnesota Lynx stunned the New York Liberty in overtime to win game one of the WNBA Finals, 95 to 93. It was only the sixth finals game to go into overtime. Minnesota's 18- point comeback tied the record for the largest comeback in league finals history, a record shared with none other than the New York Liberty.
The Lynx were vying for a record fifth championship whilst Liberty are out for redemption, having lost the finals five times. Game two is on Sunday.
Access Hollywood host Mario Lopez turned 51 on Thursday. He got one birthday gift that will last a long time. The star got his own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. A big crowd was there to help him celebrate, including close friend Mark Wahlberg.
Lopez got his big break in the sitcom Saved by the Bell in the 1990s, but he's worked steadily since then.
[04:55:00]
His wife and three kids were also on hand, along with his mum, who he credits with the success.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MARIO LOPEZ, ACTOR/HOST: Growing up, I had no idea anything like this was even possible. I was just a kid from Chula Vista, first generation. And I just got into this business just because my mum was trying to keep me busy and out of trouble. Cut to 40 years later, having a star on the Walk of Fame.
It's just the whole thing is just a surreal experience. And I'm just -- I feel so blessed.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
FOSTER: An intense solar storm making the northern lights visible much further south than usual. People up and down the eastern U.S. are getting a stunning light show. This image was captured in New Jersey.
Further up the coast in Maine, a woman captured this video, curtains of color appearing in the sky when the sun's energy interacts with Earth's atmosphere. In Massachusetts, meteorologists say Thursday's weather was perfect for a light show. Stunning images have also been seen in Canada, England, Germany and Finland.
The Norwegian Nobel Committee will shortly announce the winner of this year's Peace Prize. So how is the award decided? Well, let's take a look.
Nominations come from lawmakers from around the world, including university professors, previous Nobel laureates, heads of state and from members of the Nobel Committee. The deadline for nominations was January 31st. The Nobel Committee did not provide names, but this year there are 286 candidates, 89 of which are organizations, 197 of them are individuals.
Last year, Iranian human rights activist Narges Mohammadi took the medal home. And we'll know in the next few minutes who will earn it this year. So stick with us.
We are going to hand over -- well, CNN continue -- CNN NEWSROOM will continue for American viewers, CNN "THIS MORNING" will be up after the break.
But I know Kasie will be covering the prize as well. For the rest of the world, we'll bring you the Nobel Peace Prize announcement live as it happens.
