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Connect the World
Hundreds Evacuated As Huge Fire Burns; Officials: It will Take 10-15 Days For Water To Recede; 13 Toxic Waste Sites Flooded Or Damaged; At Least 53 Confirmed Deaths From Storm; Man On A Mission Returns To Flooded Home; North Korea Claims Successful Hydrogen Bomb Test; A Look At America's Last Line Of Missile Defense; South Korea Calls For New Sanctions After N.K. Nuclear Test; Moon Had Called For Talks With North Korea; Trump To Meet With National Security Team On North Korea; Russia Calls For Strongest Condemnation OF N.K. Test; Russia Seeking To Expand Its Influence In North Korea; China Angered By North Korea Nuclear Test; North Korean Test Announced On Big Screens In Capital; North Korea Banks On H-bomb For Survival
Aired September 03, 2017 - 11:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[11:00:00] PAULINE CHIOU, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: Hello and welcome to Connect the World. I am Pauline Chiou in New York, sitting for Becky
Anderson. We begin with breaking news. Leaders around the world are condemning the latest nuclear test by North Korea. Pyongyang says it
successfully tested a hydrogen bomb and here you see the announcement on North Korean television, we've seen a series of weapons tests by Pyongyang
recently, but today is very different.
It's many times more powerful than the last nuclear weapon North Korea tested, so powerful the U.S. Geological Survey registered an earthquake of
6.3 magnitude and Pyongyang says this weapon could fit onto a missile that could reach all the way to the United States. The test is raising tensions
to a new level, there's a fresh call for even more sanctions, but sanctions have done absolutely nothing to deter Kim Jung-un in the past.
U.S. President Donald Trump has been tweeting about the test, he says North Korea's being hostile and dangerous. We'll be looking at all the angles
this hour. Our Boris Sanchez will have more on Mr. Trump's reaction from the U.S. CNN's Paula Hancocks is live in Seoul on whether it's too late
for a diplomatic way out. Fred Pleitgen is in Russia with the reaction from the Kremlin. Andrew Stevens will look at the approach form China.
And Alexandra Field is in Japan with the Prime Minister has called Pyongyang an urgent threat.
Donald Trump also had a message for South Korea, he says the country's approach of appeasement, as he calls it, won't work, I want to start in
Seoul, CNN's Paula Hancocks is there and joins U.S. live. And what is the reaction from the government and people on the ground there in Seoul?
PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Pauline, just in the last few minutes, we've had a response from the Bluehost to not
directly to that Trump tweet, but certainly they said they had to give some kind of reaction because many people are asking but the U.S. President
Donald Trump recalling what South Korea is doing appeasement saying is simply not going to work and what the Bluehost says is that the U.S. and
Korea do agree on sanctions, so the sanctions against North Korea saying that they will bring North Korea to the table by using these sanctions.
So what we're hearing is South Korea still standing by its desire to have dialogue with North Korea and believing that sanctions and further
isolation is the way to do that, also saying that Korea has been through war and they want to make sure that will not happen again. Now, simply
this has taken many people by surprise this tweet from the U.S. President saying that what South Korea was doing is appeasement because what we have
heard consistently from President Moon Jae-in, the South Korean president is that the U.S. and Korea are on the same page.
They have the same goal, they have the same ideas of how to get to that goal of a denuclearization of the Korean peninsula. And this tweet from
the U.S. President would suggest that that's not the case at all, so certainly there are some experts who are raising concerns about it, but
what we've seen a little earlier today is that having a flurry of meetings following this nuclear test. President Moon Jae-in himself saying that it
was as an absurd strategic mistake what North Korea has done. We know that the security chiefs of the U.S. and South Korea have been talking. Let's
listen to the South Korean side.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MOON JAE-IN, PRESIDENT OF SOUTH KOREA (through translator): North Korea today ignored the repeated warnings from U.S. in the international society
in conducted a strong nuclear test in before. With the continued provocation of ICBM level missile launch, President Moon has ordered the
powerful response to condemn North Korea along with the international society and decided to seek diplomatic measures such as pushes their head
for UNSC resolution to completely isolate North Korea.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HANCOCKS: Now this Sunday, South Korea Time, there's been at least two phone calls between the chairman of the Joint Chief of Staff of the U.S.
and South Korea saying that they are trying to figure out what kinds of joint combined military measure that could be carried out as early as
possible. So we could -- we'll see a show of force from the U.S. and South Korea. Just last week we saw B1B Bombers flying over the peninsula along
with Korean fighter jets.
This kind of thing is quite normal as a reaction to North Korea, but certainly in the past, we've seen it's not made a huge amount of
difference. What we do know though from the Defense Ministry is that the status alert of the -- or the alert status I should say of the Korean
military has been raised. It still not at its highest point, but the surveillance on North Korea are being told by the defense ministry has also
been raised. Pauline?
CHIOU: Yes. And also we know that the THAAD Anti-Missile System has already been tested, they had a controversial system as well. Paula, thank
you so much. Paula Hancocks there live in Seoul. Well, President Trump has been ramping up his words against North Korea and its leader Kim Jung-
un. Listen to what he said just last month.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: North Korea best not make any more threats to the United States, they will be met with fire and fury
like the world has never seen.
[11:05:12] He has been very threatening beyond a normal state. And as I said, they will be met with fire, fury, and frankly power. The likes of
which this world has never seen before.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHIOU: Mr. Trump was criticized for that comment, but listen to what he said just a couple of weeks later.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: And you see what's going on in North Korea, all of sudden -- I don't know, who knows, but I can tell you what I said, that's not strong
enough, some people said it was just strong, it's not strong enough. But Kim Jung-un, I respect the fact that I believe he is starting to respect
us.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHIOU: But that wasn't the end of it, Mr. Trump posted a tweet after a North Korean missile test last week warning, the U.S. has been talking to
North Korea and paying them extortion money for 25 years, talking is not the answer, so will these words be followed by action? CNN's Boris Sanchez
is covering this story today from the White House and joins U.S. live. Boris, what kinds of discussion are happening there at the White House
right now?
BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, right now I should tell you, Pauline, the president is actually not here, he's at a nearby church where
he's taking part in this National Day of Prayer to commemorate and commiserate with some of the survivors and victims of hurricane Harvey that
hit Texas around this time last week. But once the president returns to the White House, he is set to meet with some of his closest national
security advisors and have a meeting about exactly how to respond to this nuclear test by North Korea, the strongest by far that they have had, yet.
We can also tell you that some of South Korea's security officials have been in touch with their American counterparts in national security adviser
H.R. McMaster as well as Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, we've not gotten an official statement, neither on camera, nor on paper from the White
House, but we did hear from President Trump on twitter as you alerted to before, the president writing quote, "North Korea has conducted a major
nuclear test, their words and actions continue to be very hostile and dangerous to the United States," he goes onto the write, "North Korea is a
rogue nation which has become a great threat and embarrassment to China which is trying to help but little success."
That tweet specifically -- you have to imagine is raising some eyebrows in Beijing. If you go back all the way to the campaign trail, President Trump
reiterated again and again that he believed that China needed to do more to rain in Kim Jung-un's aggressiveness over time. He -- after meeting with
Xi Jinping, expressed hope that the leader of China would take a much more involved rule in trying to slow down North Korea's aggressiveness. And
over time, we've seen president expressed frustration that Xi Jinping has not.
So, calling it an embarrassment that China is letting North Korea go forward in this way is certainly something that will be discussed in
Beijing, we are not aware that the president has had any communication with China so far today. But you can imagine as the secretary of state and
others close to the president, here from world leaders that would likely come up in conversation. And one last note, something that you mentioned
earlier, one of his other tweets in which referenced South Korea.
And he said that, they only understand one thing, that echoes a tweet from the president that was sent earlier this week where he said, talking is not
the answer. So, we could potentially see some more of that very aggressive rhetoric from the president that we've heard before, that fire and fury,
saying that American forces are locked and loaded, ready to respond to any threat from North Korea. Though these tweets today are far more measured,
they fall slightly closer in line to the tone that we've been hearing from the Secretary of State.
Also from the Secretary of Defense, James Mattis who has said that diplomacy is really the way forward with North Korea. As soon as we get an
official response again whether on camera or on paper from the White House, we'll bring it to you, Pauline.
CHIOU: All right, Boris. Thank you so much, we appreciate the update there, and we look forward to checking you with you about that national
security meeting later on today. Well, North Korea's powerful nuclear test is sending major shockwaves through region. Japanese officials say
Sunday's test was at least 10 times more powerful than last year's test. Tokyo condemned that Pyongyang's move an called an emergency meeting of the
U.N. Security Council.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
[11:10:01] SHINZO ABE, JAPAN PRIME MINISTER (through translator): This absolutely not acceptable and will have to strongly protest, we are
starting National Security Council now to collect information and analyze this.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHIOU: Alexandra Field is tracking the reaction from Japan. She joins U.S. live now Tokyo. Alex, President Trump, and Prime Minister Shinzo Abe
have already spoken on the phone, what's the plan now for both countries?
ALEXANDRA FIELD, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes. And Pauline they have actually had two phone calls in the space of 24 hours as they continue
to mentor threats from North Korea, we understand the latest phone call wrapped up just a short while ago. The Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe
is saying that he and the U.S. President Donald Trump discussed what they described as an unprecedented threat and the need for an unprecedented
response to that threat.
The need for further international cooperation in order to reign in North Korea, does that sound familiar, it's the kind of thing that they have been
discussing for weeks, if not months now, and they've been talking a number of times in just the last few days. And that's because this is certainly
not the first time that Japan has felt the weight of the threat that is coming from North Korea. It was just last week that North Korea launched
the intermediate-range missile that flew over the northern part of Japan.
It prompted sirens to go off on the northern part of Japan, people received a warning saying missile, missile, there were horned to take shelter as
North Korea is conducting that test. At the time Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said, it was most grave threat that Japan had faced from North Korea and
now he's saying that this latest nuclear test, the sixth nuclear from North Korea now takes the threat to a new level.
He is looking right at the United Nations Security Council to do more, he points out that that is provision of the last resolution passed the U.N.
Security Council that they would in fact act, that they would take further measure if North Korea went ahead with another nuclear test. Something
that the international community has strongly warden them against doing, they've pulled off it now, here's what the Japanese foreign minister
saying, it must happen next.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
FUMIO KISHIDA, JAPANESE FOREIGN MINISTER (through translator): Given the North Korea apparently has no intention of engaging in dialogue, Japan will
coordinate with other countries to adopt a new Security Council resolution. The content of the new sanctions will be discussed with all options on the
table.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
FIELD: Japan's Foreign Minister has also been speaking to South Korea's Foreign Ministers, the two of them apparently agreeing that it is time to
apply maximum pressure to North Korea. Of course, the question comes, what is maximum pressure mean? What options remain at this point, Pauline? Of
course, you do hear leaders here in Japan looking squarely of U.N. Security Council, but that will leave major questions for people that have been
seven rounds of U.N. sanctions.
The last resolution passed by the United Nations was considered to be the toughest ever that will be against North Korea, the result has been two
intercontinental ballistic launches in the month of July alone and sixth nuclear test from North Korea. Pauline.
CHIOU: Yes, indeed. And that is the big question, whether another round of sanctions will actually work, but we did see China saying that they had
-- they are going to be banning exports from North Korea of mineral resources and seafood, but even that hasn't worked. So, is there a sense
there in Japan that another round of sanctions will actually work?
FIELD: I don't know if they consider there's of another round of sanctions that will work, but there certain is this call for the current sanctions to
be fully implemented, because really what are the other options, you continue to hear the United States and specifically President Donald Trump
who is taking a fiery tone toward North Korea in recent weeks, talk about the fact that military action is always on the table, certainly that's
something that no one in the region wants to see.
We all know that the direct deprecations could, of course, be on South Korea, on Seoul if there was any kind of action against North Korea.
That's the kind of situation that people want to stay involved. They've been looking to see all international partners fully enforce these
sanctions against North Korea, they want to cut off the flow funding to this program in North Korea, but the question now really is, even if these
sanctions are fully imposed, if you get full cooperation from all who have signed on to these resolutions, would it actually work?
And there are many who closely watched North Korea who say, no, North Korea is certainly not going to give up its nuclear weapons program, no matter
what sources of revenue or cut off to that country that this is the priority to that country, they see it as means for self-preservation. So
at whatever costs it may bring to the people of North Korea, it is the priority of the regime in order to make advancement to this program. And
certainly, you have seen a wild level of advancement to not just the missile program, but now the nuclear program as well with this sixth
nuclear test. Pauline.
CHIOU: Yes. It's been surprisingly fascinating, the progress. Alexandra, thank you so much for giving U.S. a perspective there from Tokyo. Still to
come, Neighborhood Watch. How regional powers Russia and China are reacting to North Korea's latest move. And later, a touching report from
Texas. One of Hurricane Harvey's victims faces the flood waters to bring some comfort to a son.
[11:15:05] We'll explain that story, coming up on Connect the World.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHIOU: The world is reacting after North Korea's strongest nuclear test so far shook the grounds Sunday morning. Pyongyang claims they've
successfully tested a hydrogen bomb that could reach the United States on an intercontinental ballistic missile. Some experts, however, are
skeptical that North Korea has that capability yet, but that's little comfort to its neighbors along with South Korea where we've taken you.
China and Russia share borders with North Korea, they could face dire consequences if Pyongyang's nuclear ambitions continue to escalate
unchecked. We'll head to China for reaction in a moment, but first let's go to Fred Pleitgen, live in Moscow. And Fred, what is Russia saying about
this latest test?
FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Pauline. You could see on that map that the Russia only has a very tiny border with
North Korea, it's only about 17 kilometers run. But you're right, the Russian certainly are very concerned about the situation in North Korea and
of course, they have one of their big Pacific population centers, the port town of Vladivostok which is right in that area.
And it was very interesting to see, the first thing that the Russian said early this morning was that their geological survey on the Kamchatka
Peninsula detected that this test that happened, and the Russians were quite concerned that there could be some consequences of this, they've
been, so they didn't think that there any environment hazards, but certainly, they have come out now and condemned this latest nuclear test.
It was a statement by the Foreign Ministry which I have in front of me right here where the Russian say quote, "It is regrettable that the DPRK,
of course, referring to the Democratic -- People's Republic of Korea, leadership with actions aimed at undermining the global nonproliferation
regime poses a serious threat to peace and security on the Korean Peninsula and in the region as a whole." And then the next sentence is important,
"Continuation of such a line is fraught with serious consequences for the DPRK itself." So, the Russian saying there should action taken by the
United Nation Security Council.
However, they also say that they believe any other party, of course, speaking specifically to the United States should remain calm and not do
any rash move itself, there's another part of that statement where they say, in the emerging conditions, it is imperative to remain claim, to
refrain from any actions that lead to further escalation and to tensions. So the Russian's clearly concerned they have been very critical of the
United States and its position.
And certainly, some of the rhetoric coming out of the Trump Administration, it was a letter written by Russian's President Vladimir Putin only a couple
of days ago, really criticizing the U.S. for what Russian says was rhetoric that simply is out of order regarding the Korean conflict. Pauline?
CHIOU: Yes. And in addition to that, Fred, President Vladimir Putin has said that getting North Korea to give up its nuclear program is misguided
and futile.
[11:20:11] So what exactly does Russia think is the best solution? Is it going to the U.N. Security Council? Is it dialogue? What exactly do they
see at the best half?
PLEITGEN: Well, in the -- yes, you know, in the short-term they obviously sale (INAUDIBLE) to be condemned in the U.N. Security Council, but they
also say that they believe negotiations need to happen, and the Russians are saying that they see eye-to-eye with China on that issue. And there's
also a part of that statement that came from the Foreign Ministry today where they say they believe that negotiations are on order, and there's a
sentence in there where they say, you reaffirm our readiness for joint efforts in this direction including in the context of the implementation of
the Russian Chinese roadmap.
And it's interesting to hear them talk about that roadmap, because it's essentially what they want and this is quite a conflict issue obviously,
but it boils down to the Russian saying there should be what they call a double threes, where on the one hand they see that the Korean should seize
their nuclear activity and their missile program, freeze that program, and on the contrary, the U.S. should stop maneuvers like the ones that they've
obviously been conducting with their allies, they South Korea and Japan over the past couple of days.
And also one thing that the U.S. -- that the Russians are very critical, it's the stationing of those missile interceptors which of course the
Russian's not only see as a militarization of that area or further militarization, but they also think of course that it's a threat to Russia
as well. Pauline?
CHIOU: Yes. That's that THAAD Anti-Missile System that has been controversial.
PLEITGEN: Yes.
CHIOU: Within the peninsula and outside as well. Fred, thank you so much for insight. Fred Pleitgen there live from Moscow. Now, North Korea can't
afford to alienate China, it's not just ally, largest economic partner and biggest defender. But as Andrew Stevens tells us, China is angry about
this latest test.
ANDREW STEVENS, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: China has said that it strongly condemns this latest provocative action from North Korea, and has
warned Pyongyang in its own words to stop taking the raw actions. But it gave no indication that it was prepared to change the level of action it is
already taking against North Korea. It says it continues to abide by the latest tough economic sanctions imposed by the United Nations, but there is
no doubt that Beijing is angry about this latest move from North Korea.
There is a plan, both China and Russia have put forward a plan which involves double freezing, that means North Korea would suspend its missile
and nuclear program, the U.S. would suspend its mass military exercises, it takes in conjunction with South Korea after both of those are being carried
out, they would then be dialogue. But as far as the timing is concerned of this North Korea move, Beijing was even angrier.
It came just as President Xi Jinping welcomed delegates from the five Brit countries, the leaders of Brazil, Russian, India, and South Africa to
Xiamen to talk about economics. The last thing that I wanted to see was the story being hijacked but what North Korea was doing. Mr. Xi, though,
pointedly said nothing about North Korea in his opening address to delegates, he maybe more candid on Monday when he meets in the bilateral
meeting with Vladimir Putin about what next steps to take.
But of this stage, there is no indication that there will be next steps. China, strategic equations so far is that it appears to be in favor of a
lesser of two evils in its own eyes, that they would rather have a nuclear Korean peninsula than a Korean peninsula in chaos a failing state right on
its border which could happen in the least if it continues to impose tough economic sanctions, it can about 90 percent of North Korea's trade goes
through China. So, we're -- so there is leverage there, the stage that China says it's just doing enough. Andrew Stevens, CNN Xiamen, China.
CHIOU: North Korea's announcement of its sixth successful nuclear test was shown on big screens in the capital of Pyongyang. State television there
has been airing reactions from citizens and as you may have guessed everyone's feeling pretty positive about it.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): Just heard the news that the test for the nuclear warhead to be installed on to intercontinental ballistic
missile has been successfully conducted, I am cheering with pride and honor. I call myself part of the people of our great and respected leader,
Kim Jung-un's nation.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): I feel great pride on how much our (INAUDIBLE) nuclear warheads have advanced in their precision. We've all
felt it but we can now perfectly rely on our operation ability. And just how greatly our nuclear weapons technology has progressed.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHIOU: It's not surprising to hear that positive form Pyongyang residents. We showed you that footage because after all of these tests can be seen as
a nuclear-powered communications campaign.
[11:25:09] CHIOU: Leader Kim Jung-un has been open about this intention to continue in his father's footsteps and ramp up his regimes nuclear program,
always framing it as reaction to the hostile United States.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHIOU: On the face of it, he appears to be defying expectations, this is his most powerful nuclear tests yet. And Will Ripley has just returned
from North Korea and he shared his insights with U.S. earlier.
WILL RIPLEY, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Pauline, when I flew out of Pyongyang just yesterday, I got the sense speaking with the North Korea
officials that perhaps the situation would de-escalate for the moment and going to holding pattern, but I was concerned when I saw North Korean's
state media released those pictures of their supreme leader Kim Jung-un inspecting what they claim was a miniaturized nuclear warhead that could go
on intercontinental ballistic missile.
When those pictures came out, I started to get a little nervous, and of course a few hours later, confirmation came in of North Korea's sixth and
most powerful nuclear test to date. This one the claim a hydrogen bomb that they tested, the kind of warhead that they could place on a missile
and fly right towards the United States. Remember, they tested two ICBMs back in July and they flew an intermediate-range ballistic missile the
Hwason-12 over the island of Hokkaido here in Japan, in the northern region, that was just last week.
So the question that keeps coming back here, why is North Korea doing this despite the threats from the United States of fire and fury, despite the
military exercises happening in South Korea. And show of force, the flyover of B2B bombers and fighter jets, the U.S. and South Korea are
trying to show that any military situation, they could defeat North Korea. North Korea's response, don't be so sure, they know that military analyst
believe the consequences of any actual military action or war on the Korean Peninsula would be almost too horrible to even put into words in terms of
the number of people who would be killed and the amount of the damage that could be done.
And it was that way long before North Korea perfected its nuclear weapons, even with its conventional arsenal; North Korea could wreak havoc on Seoul,
South Korea, and even launch attacks here in Tokyo, that would be absolutely devastating. And that is the key that we need to remember.
North Korea has had the capability for a long time to do major damage and they haven't done it, even when tensions on the peninsula have escalated,
even to higher levels than they are right now.
The reason for that North Korea have used these weapons of mass destruction as a nuclear deterrent against the United States, they think if they have
these weapons that the U.S. will not attack them, and in fact, long term they think nuclear weapons will give them leverage and a seat at the
diplomatic table from a position of strength and not weakness. And North Koreans also say they are not afraid of additional sanctions as a result of
this kind of behavior. The seventh round of U.N. Security Council sanction's just passed.
North Korea is saying they have lived through famine, they have lived through significant hardship, and that even if they were to be cut off
economically, they're more self-sufficient now than ever and are unafraid and will only perhaps accelerate their weapons development further until
the world and United States specifically is willing to talk to them and to stop telling them denuclearize because North Korea says that's not going to
happen. Pauline.
CHIOU: And many thanks to Will Ripley there who just got back from North Korea, where very often he is the only western TV reporter on the ground.
And he uses that access, not only for excellent journalism, but to really show you the country in a way that's often hard to capture. Take a look at
these images. You can see all these remarkable photos on Will's Instagram page, you can find them there as WillRipleyCNN.
We're saying on the storage just ahead including an exclusive look inside America's last line of defense against an intercontinental ballistic
missile, but before that, the massive cleanup operation underway in Texas while hundreds are still stranded in their flooded homes. We'll have a
live update from Texas, coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:31:35] PAULINE CHIOU, CNN CONNECT THE WORLD HOST: Pack-up and get out. That's the message for hundreds of people in the Los Angeles area where
this huge wildfire is burning for a third day. Shifting winds have scattered the flames in different directions, making it hard for fire
fighters to keep up. Local reports say a few homes have been destroyed but there are no reports of anyone seriously hurt. From the hot-dry condition
in California, we turns to the massive flooding in Texas, officials say it will take 10 to 15 more days for the waters to recede.
Here's the latest on the aftermath of Harvey. At least 13 toxic waste sites in Texas were flooded or damaged. This will only add to the long
list of challenges facing the Lone Star State. The storm has killed at least 53 people, thousands are still living in shelters and the hundreds
who stayed in flooded homes in Houston are being ordered to evacuate before power is cut off.
Stephanie Elam joins us now live from Houston, and Stephanie, you've been there in the Houston area for several days now, how would you describe the
situations today?
STEPHANIE ELAM, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, it's the almost like a tale of two different areas, Pauline, because the city itself, Houston itself, the
Mayor coming out and saying that it is 95 percent operational. And Monday is a holiday here in the United States, so come Tuesday, he's expecting
that most businesses will open back up on Tuesday, start resuming a normal life pattern.
But it's a very different situation when you go to West Houston, and when you take a look at the City of Beaumont which still under evacuation orders
there. In Beaumont, they are saying that they'll probably have to boil their water for likely a month more. They said they're able to get the
pumps up and working again but the water pressure is so low that they're not able to get enough water to the people there in Beaumont.
Mind you, some people there still have water in their homes. And in West Houston, it's the same situation where they have flooding. Theirs is for a
different reason though. That is because they had to open up the dams to release some pressure and that flooded some homes there. So they're still
dealing with water issues deeply in their homes. Evacuations are mandatory and they are saying that first responders are going door to door to check
on people who may still be there, the elderly, people with disabilities, and they are going there to check on them.
But when you look at the situation overall, there's still about some 40,000 people that has been displaced because of Harvey that are in shelters. I
was in one of those shelters yesterday talking to people and they're hoping to just get some help. I've talked to one woman who had a first-floor
apartment. Her place is completely destroyed, and she's saying that she's hoping to get help and find a place to get her own place. But until then,
she worked in the shelter -- and the -- and the good thing about the shelter is that they do have plenty of information out there. FEMA is
inside there, they have computers, they can start working to figure out what their next steps are. But for many people, despite the fact that
Houston is starting to look better, Pauline, there's still many, many days ahead, and perhaps likely a year, at least.
CHIOU: Yes, especially with insurance claims and some of the homes, they are not even in the flood zone, technically. So, lot of administrative
bureaucratic things to get through. Stephanie, thank you so much. Stephanie Elam there live from Houston.
Well, so many people have lost everything they owned in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey in Texas. But one father decided to return to his flooded
home with the help of a few strangers. He's a man on a mission. Nick Valencia explains.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
RYAN SHORT, HOUSTON RESIDENT: Thank you, sir, for doing -- I'll see you soon.
NICK VALENCIA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: If there's anything good that's come from the Hurricane, it's this. Bryan Short has never met the man he's
sitting next to but they're already working together.
SHORT: I just got to get one bike for my son, man.
[11:35:00] VALENCIA: Like so many, Short's 2-year-old son Jacob is having a hard time being displaced.
SHORT: Take a left right here
VALENCIA: So, he's doing what any dad would do for his son. He's going back into the devastation to look for his son's favorite toy. Short and
his family got out for the Parkers Cypress neighborhood of Houston in the hours right before the Hurricane hit. A week since the storm, it's still
flooded by water waist deep.
SHORT: Thanks for taking us, guys.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You're welcome.
VALENCIA: Along with his friend Tyler Sheen, a friend came all the way from Austin, Texas to help. Why? Because he knows what it's likes to go
through this.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I was in the flood in Onion Creek, Austin 2013 and I want to come and help.
VALENCIA: It wasn't easy getting in.
SHORT: Stop here in the middle of this building, OK?
VALENCIA: Or any less dangerous.
SHORT: I don't know if that's minor or what.
All right, well, this is my apartment. All the planks are already coming out.
VALENCIA: About how many feet of water is this?
SHORT: Looks like it went up at least a waist high or maybe a little less. Damn, man. I still have picture up here. Damn, it's crazy.
VALENCIA: His family had only lived here four months before this, not even long enough to fill up all their picture frames.
SHORT: That's not our family in the middle of the top one. They look good there, everybody asks who they are?
VALENCIA: Most of Short's belongings have been ruined by water. But Ryan is a man on a mission.
SHORT: I didn't get all his toys but he like this bike mostly. Oh, look, here's the bikes, everything floating. That's why --
VALENCIA: Waiting to the pieces of the life he's made, he finds what he's looking for.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'll take this out for your kid.
VALENCIA: A few minutes later, we're back on the boat and on our way out.
SHORT: Awesome. For his little boy.
VALENCIA: A family who was lost almost everything except for each other.
SHORT: This is my home now.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is your home now huh?
SHORT: Yes.
VALENCIA: And now, his two-year-old son's prized possession.
SHORT: Thanks for coming guys.
VALENCIA: Nick Valencia, CNN, Houston, Texas
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHIOU: Worth the effort and thanks for the help of strangers there. Well, everything that's been going on in Texas has, of course, been a huge task
for the American President Donald Trump.
And as we've been discussing this hour, so have North Korea's inter ballistic missiles -- intercontinental ballistic missiles or ICBMs. Alaska
is home to the last line of defense against them, and there, National Guard soldiers repeatedly run drills to stay ahead of the threat. CNN's own
Kyung Lah got exclusive access into the facility.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KYUNG LAH, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: This is America's final shield, the last and only protection against an incoming North Korean
Nuclear Missile. Housed deep underground in the heart of Alaska's wilderness at Fort Greely, about 150 miles North of Fairbanks. The heavily
armed 49th Missile Defense Battalion secures 38 missile silos, dotting a landscape frigid even in late summer. The tip barely revealing what lies
beneath. We're allowed rare access to bring you up close to America's Ground Base Missile Interceptors or GBI's.
COL. KEVIN KICK, COMMANDER, 100TH MISSILE DEFENSE BRIGADE: This is what will be launch here at the Fort Greely to intercept any threat that's
coming in to defend the homeland.
LAH: The key piece of equipment is right here.
KICK: The Kill Vehicle i1s right there towards the top.
LAH: The Kill Vehicle, to take down any potential intercontinental ballistic missile coming to the U.S., including from North Korea which the
U.S. could face in the future. Here's how it works. North Korea launches.
KICK: Impact location is Los Angeles. We are engaging this threat into sign.
LAH: Instantly activating a secured room in Fort Greely. What you're seeing now is a drill, declassified. So we can show you generally how the
Ground Based Interceptors work to protect the U.S.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Roger
KICK: As the alarms would go off, what you'd see is those white shells that you see behind us would separate extremely quickly, and then
immediately, you'd see a flash of flame as that GBI would leave the tube at really incredible rate of speeds.
LAH: Outside the Earth's atmosphere in space, if it works, the interceptor kills the incoming nuclear weapon.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We trained to shoot a bullet at the bullet and destroy it so it doesn't destroy us.
LAH: Has the drills this year taking on a new meaning?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What that does is that just makes it more real for us. Because now I've got a leader of a foreign country who says, "I'm going to
take my missile and I'm going to kill your citizens with it."
LAH: What kind of confidence do you have that North Korea launches a missile that the system will work?
[11:40:01] KICK: I have 100 percent confidence this system will work.
LAH: That's despite a 60 percent success rate. Out of 18 test launches, the interceptors have only struck its target 10 times in controlled
launches
SEN. DAN SULLIVAN (R), ALASKA: Just because we have some failures, doesn't mean we're not learning
LAH: Alaska Senator Dan Sullivan believes the interceptors are still America's best shot as a last defense, as North Korea rapidly moves closer
to being able to strike the U.S. mainland, introducing a bill boosting the number of missiles to a total of 72 studying the possibility of 100 missile
interceptors. So far, a cost of 40 billion to taxpayers.
SULLIVAN: Doing nothing in the face of this threat when we clearly have the capability to make sure we have a very protected homeland is not an
acceptable option, and I think most American's would agree on me on that.
LAH: So what about the argument that North Korea will never actually fire a missile, that this is just for -- it's to gain a bargaining chip? Well,
Senator Sullivan says the flaw in that thinking is that it assumes that Kim Jung-un is rational. He calls it expensive but a necessary insurance
policy. Kyung Lah, CNN, Los Angeles.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CHIOU: A fascinating inside look there, and for more international news, interviews, stories, and topics that matters to you, just head on to
facebook.com/cnnconnect
We've talked about the risk of war a lot this hour so for your parting shot, we want to show you how for the world's1.58 billion Muslims, the last
few days have been about peace instead for the Eid al-Adha Holiday.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: To all the Muslims who are having a difficult time this year, I really hope that every year from now on is something that's going
to be special and beautiful.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: My message would be to the Muslim world is Islam is all about peace, reflect that. Refract that through your action, through your
words and now is the best time to do so.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think Islam is constantly changing. For me, personally, it's always this journey of renewal and re-evaluation and
redefining everything.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHIOU: Upon the place we just told you about, where else but our Facebook page, I told you it was interested -- interesting, rather. That's it from
us, thanks so much for coming along for the ride. I'm Pauline Chiou. You've been watching CONNECT THE WORLD. We'll be back tomorrow same time,
different place because Becky will be back for you out of London, see you soon.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
JOHN DEFTERIOS, CNN MARKETPLACE MIDDLE EAST: Coming up on MARKETPLACE MIDDLE EAST, we get exclusive access inside the largest nuclear
construction site in the world, as the United Arab Emirates looks to a new source of power.
[11:45:01] UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Nuclear Industry, the safety and reliable, and has been operating for a decade.
DEFTERIOS: And later, tourism revolution, how you run in Saudi Arabia? Hope to become holiday hotspot.
Dubai is one of the fastest growing Cities in the world. With one of the harshest climates, it requires an abundance of energy. From powering
offices and homes to providing vast amounts of air conditioning, to fueling desalination plants that provide clean water. Its electricity demands are
enormous. As a result, the United Arab of Emirates is looking for new sources of energy at a post-oil economy and that's why it's embrace Nuclear
Power.
DEFTERIOS: This is the $20-billion Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant which has been under construction since 2012. With four reactors, this has been the
UAE's largest construction projects employing 22,000 workers at its feet.
ALI AL ZAABI, CONSTRUCTION DIRECTOR, EMIRATES NUCLEAR ENERGY: We have more than 1.4 million cubits yard of concrete that was building these plants
with more than 250,000 tons of reinforced rebar as well 1,500 kilometers of cables. So that's a massive, you know, amount of work.
DEFTERIOS: The Barakah Plant is located 280 kilometers west of Abu Dhabi and more than 50 kilometers from the Saudi Border. Testing has begun on
the first reactor and it's awaiting regulatory approval.
Once up and running, this operation will cut the country's carbon emission by 21 million tons a year. An environmental benefit, of course, but there
are economic ones as well.
ZAABI: Now, we have more than 1,400 UAE Local Companies that participated in this project. The development in the UAE is growing and the power
demand is growing. So this site with the four units will contribute to 25 percent of the UAE energy supply by 2020.
DEFTERIOS: Not only supply in a quarter of the country's electricity, it will employ more than 2,000 people. 60 percent of which will be Emiratis.
The man leading the projects is the CEO of the state-run Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation, Mohamed Al Hammadi.
MOHAMED AL HAMMADI, CEO, EMIRATES NUCLEAR ENERGY CORPORATION: It's very simply that the steam get directed to the building behind this wall as the
reactor. And the steam comes in in this turbine and there's three stages and it simply rotates the generator that makes electricity, that as it well
done.
DEFTERIOS: But the UAE is not alone in its peaceful Nuclear Power ambitions. While most of the focus has been on Iran, Saudi Arabia plans to
construct 16 Power Reactors over the next quarter century. Jordan and Egypt, two oil importers also wants to construct Nuclear Power Plants.
ROBIN MILLS, CEO, QAMAR ENERGY: Well, I think at Egypt and Jordan particular and more skeptical the programs are not very advance. Besides,
there's probably more realistic obviously the large finance resources. And the program is a bit more advance. That's probably one of the more
realistic ones.
DEFTERIOS: And in an area gripped by regional and economic crisis, what are the assurances that this plant will only be used for civilian purposes?
(END VIDEOTAPE)
AL HAMMADI: It is illegal to arrest or re-process any uranium here in the company, it is completely illegal, and that's been enforced by our
regulator, fully competent regulator to enforce stop. And technology of the selected in the UAE also has a civilian technology. So, all of this
(INAUDIBLE) that advance and that have been establish in the country.
DEFTERIOS: Fukushima still very much in the minds of the average citizens around the world, Germany face out of Nuclear Energy. What you've learned
from that experience so the argument for safety in this new generation of technology here.
AL HAMMADI: Nuclear Industries demands a very high Standard Nuclear Safety and Security and safety. The Fukushima Plant was built 40 years ago plus
and today, what we have here and bracken the UAE is the Generation IV, Gen IV reactor which is the highest from nuclear safety, security, equality, so
it's very advanced plant.
DEFTERIOS: You sit on about seven percent of the crude and an oil reserves. Do you really need to have Nuclear Energy as part of the mix?
AL HAMMADI: You know, the Nuclear Power Plants are built with their, you know, with their own self. I mentioned the, you know, the sources or the
basket of sources of energy has to be a basket of fossils of energy has to be clean, reliable and secure. Nuclear Energy provides another after
dimension for dimension of that energy basket. To have vulnerable nuclear and oil and gas, it is the best mix of energies. Even in the future if
process goes up and on, the resiliency of that basket, it gives you the long term optionality between you know, different options. But Nuclear
Industry, it is safe clean and reliable and has been operated for decades and people have -- they think it-- the country is a very thing it from for
long time.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:51:58] DEFTERIOS: When it comes to the tourism sector Dubai, of course, is a force to be reckoned with. As we approach the fourth quarter
of the year this is an industry that is in high gear. Recording a 10.6 percent increase in overnight visitors from the same period last year.
Dubai's tourism contributes nearly six percent to the country's GDP, and that's something other places want to emulate. And two of the more
conservative countries in the region are in the hunt for tourism dollars now.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DEFTERIOS: Saudi Arabia is pinning its economic hopes on a tourist- friendly future. The Kingdom plans that increase investment in the sector by $8 billion to almost $46 billion by 2020. It's all part of Saudi's New
Visions 2030 Plan, that the shake off the country's dependence on oil.
In the Iran, an easy no Visa restrictions has seen a boom in foreign visitors. Rising from around two million on 2009 to over five million last
year. Generating some $9 billion on revenue. Well, that number is small in comparison to the 15 million visitors that come into Dubai, for example,
there is a great deal of potential. And hotel change here in the gulf and elsewhere are taking note.
POE's (INAUDIBLE) group is set to open an Iran leader this year; France's AccorHotel has already moved in and Britain's Easy Hotel has reached an
agreement with developers as well. But it's not just foreign company, Irani Entrepreneur are trying to cash in out tourism, too especially when
it comes to more low-end accommodation.
JALAL RASHADIN, GENERAL MANAGER & FOUNDER, SEVEN HOSTEL GROUP: My name is Jalal Rashadin, and I am the founder and General Manager at seven Hotel
Group in Iran.
It was around three years ago that I had a trip to Istanbul with my first experience of staying at these hostels. When you stay at the Hostel,
there's a group of 20 people all your own your age and they talked about everything and the atmosphere is very lively. So, when I got back home, I
decided to start a Hostel in Iran.
There's something that was missing, it was a gap. I could say that there are a lot of people who are looking for budget accommodation in Iran and
they -- what would they Google on the internet? They would Google Hostel in Iran, Hostel in Iran, and they wouldn't find anything. And we started
several Web sites introducing Hostel and budget accommodation in Iran. A large number of tourists were coming here, they are young, curious,
adventurous people who want to discover the truth about Iran and they mostly stay at Hostel.
The foreign travelers who come to Iran needs to carry their money in cash. If they prefer to stay at budget accommodation facilities and this makes
them to stay in Iran for a longer period of time. Take seven Hostel, for example, we can stay at seven Hostel with $15 U.S. per night, including
your breakfast and free internet.
EM: My name is Em, I'm from Denmark. I'm traveling with my husband Victor. We chose to stay in a Hostel so we kind of got that more authentic
experience. We also studying so it was also a question about budget.
JALAL: There are six or seven hostels in Tehran at the moment, in other provinces we have the same average number. But the thing is that there's
interest to start more Hostel in Tehran, that's even a good market break. And as far as the for this business there will be more investors. My
ultimate purpose, my ultimate dream in the country is to replace the oil income with the Tourism income in the country. In short, we need more
information in traveling to Iran. To assure the people it's a safe country, it's a beautiful country, it's a historic country with a lot of
historical attractions and also a lot of natural attraction. In terms of natural attractions, Iran is one of the most diverse countries in the world
in my opinion.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
DEFTERIOS: So let's take a closer look and bring in Ralph Heraud is Head of Financial Services for Strategic Advisory Solidiance, he joins me here
in Dubai. Interesting thoughts it's a very small percentage of overall GDP that again tourism eventually challenge all as natural resources in Iran.
RALPH HERAUD, HEAD OF FINANCIAL SERVICES FOR STRATEGIC ADVISORY, SOLIDIANCE: Well, John, I mean, tourism is definitely one of those
industries that is growing exponentially in Iran. It's not surprising when you look at not only Tehran but places like Shiraz and Isfahan which are
absolutely beautiful. It's easy to understand white sorts are flocking over Tehran.
DEFTERIOS: You been there more than a dozen times and you stayed in the hotels. The investment needs to come in to cater to the needs and the
taste from both East and West, for example?
HERAUD: One of the things that we have seen in the Tourism Industry in Iran is that, the offering is not growing as faster as the demands.
Therefore, there's not enough hotels to accommodate, occupation rates are always very high. And when you talk to the international chains to see if
they're going in, they have a hard time finding properties that they could actually operate and run as high-end hotels.
DEFTERIOS: So, let's roll forward say 10 years, is it realistic to suggest that Iran can be the next Turkey as a tourism destination, even as an
economy.
HERAUD: Well it's interesting you bring up Turkey, John, because Iran is often compared to Turkey in terms of the path the world has taken. Iran is
Turkey 10 years behind, it's what people say. In Tourism Industry, I wouldn't be surprised if that was the case as well. Iran has a lot to
offer, I mean, Tehran is absolutely beautiful. And when you travel outside some cities like Shiraz or Isfahan, it's not hard to believe that Iran
could eventually give a run for its money to its neighboring countries.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
END
END
