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CNN NEWSROOM

Truce To Start Sundown Monday, Amid Sticking Points; Sunday Marks 15 Years Since The Attacks; Angelique Kerber Wins U.S. Open Women's Title. Aired 2-2:30a ET

Aired September 11, 2016 - 02:00   ET

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


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NATALIE ALLEN, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: It's all ahead here on CNN NEWSROOM. We are live in Atlanta. Thank you for joining us. I'm Natalie Allen.

Syrians are cautiously optimistic that a nationwide ceasefire will bring some relief after more than five years of a horrific civil war. The truce is set to start at sun down locally on Monday.

The Syrian government says it supports the deal, which was agreed upon by the Russia and the U.S. But hours after the diplomatic achievement was reached, more airstrikes hit Idlib, which is mostly controlled by rebels.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says at least 58 people were killed. About half of them women and children. It's not clear who carried out the bombing.

If the ceasefire takes and holds for seven consecutive days, Russia and U.S. say they will work closer to together to fight terrorist groups. CNN international diplomatic editor, Nic Robertson has more from those talks and this deal met in Geneva.

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NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: This really broad agreement from Secretary Kerry to Sergei Lavrov to the U.N. to the opposition and from everyone across the board that this is a good opportunity to turn the situation around and some of the suffering.

But what could be some of the sticking points, the issues going forward, the opposition concern that there's no real sort of punitive measures to control Assad. What's going to be done if he doesn't agree and comply with the steps here?

A concern on the Russian point of view of this breaking apart the delineation between terrorists, rebel groups, Al-Nusra, and the more moderate rebel groups who have been fighting together on the battlefield.

So, getting them to separate is going to be tough as strong alliances form there. And for the opposition really going forward if this is a success, then they're going to want to see what hasn't happened in the past, real pressure.

It would have to come from Russia on Assad to go into the political transition and leave power. This is the biggest concern going forward. Russia hasn't done that in the past.

The humanitarian effort in Aleppo, some confidence that can get going. The ceasefire can hold for a while, but in the past, these things have broken down fairly quickly and often been blamed, at least for the battlefield level, on the Assad government.

Control of the Assad government precisely how does that work? Nic Robertson, CNN, Geneva, Switzerland.

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ALLEN: The Syrian Army is trying to make significant gains in Aleppo before the ceasefire takes effect. Just hours after the deal was announced, the military attacked rebel-held areas in the northern Syrian city.

Ahead of the general staff, the Syrian Army visited troops around Ramusa (ph) Road Saturday. Both opposition and government forces will have to provide safe access along this key road as part of the ceasefire deal.

It is now September 11th here in the Eastern United States. Fifteen years ago marks one of the worst days in our country's history. Hijackers took over four planes before crashing them in New York, Washington and Pennsylvania. For many of us that day is a not-so- distant memory. Karen Caifa tells how people are remembering the lives lost on 9/11.

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KAREN CAIFA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The freedom tower now stands taller than the twin towers did and near a glittering monument of resilience, the memorial to nearly 3,000 Americans killed in the deadliest terror attack on U.S. soil, exactly 15 years ago today.

Commemorations of a solemn anniversary began days ago. Friday, a parade to honor first responders with a ceremony here in Lower Manhattan.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: On each 9/11 of each year we look back and reflect.

CAIFA: In Washington at the Justice Department.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: A decade 1/2 has elapsed since 9/11. This is hard to believe but it has.

CAIFA: And on the steps of the U.S. capital. Echoing a moment of unity in the wake of tragedy 15 years ago. A CNN/ORC poll released Friday finds Americans more angry and fearful when they reflect on the events of 9/11 now, than five years ago.

Perhaps because of attacks like Boston, San Bernardino and Orlando since then and the quick rise of ISIS. But this day is defined by remembrance. The somber traditions the same each year.

[02:05:10]Moments of silence for the minutes al Qaeda hijackers stirred airplanes into each World Trade Center Tower and the Pentagon and when Flight 93 crashed in Pennsylvania, and when each tower collapsed the south and then the north. And the reading of the names of those lost by the people who love and miss them 15 years on. Near ground zero, I'm Karen Caifa.

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ALLEN: Presidential candidates, Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton will pause their campaigns to honor the victims today. Both of them are expected to visit Ground Zero in New York City on Sunday.

Clinton will be there for the moment of silence at 8:46 a.m., the moment the first plane hit the North World Trade Center Tower. The Trump campaign source says the Republican candidate will visit a firehouse near Ground Zero.

Clinton is expressing regret for a comment she made about some of Trump's supporters during a fundraising event in New York.

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HILLARY CLINTON (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: You could put half of Trump supporters into what I call the "basket of deflorables." Right? The racists, homophobic, xenophobic, Islamophobic, you name it.

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ALLEN: Donald Trump fired back with this tweet, "Wow, Hillary Clinton was so insulting to my supporters, millions of amazing hard working people. I think it will cost her at the polls."

He also said in other posts that Clinton showed hatreds for millions of Americans and that he respected all of her supporters.

Clinton eventually released this statement, quote, "I regret saying half that was wrong. But let's be clear what's really "deplorable" is that Donald Trump hired a major advocate for the so-called "alt-right" movement to run his campaign and that David Duke and other white supremacists see him as a champion of their values."

That's a quote from Clinton. She was apparently referring to Steve Bannon, the CEO of Trump's presidential campaign.

Be sure to watch "STATE OF THE UNION" for an exclusive interview with Hillary Clinton. The interview was conducted Friday before her comments on Trump supporters. It's Sunday at 1:30 in the afternoon in London, 8:30 p.m. in Hong Kong right here on CNN.

A deadly earthquake has struck East Africa and Derek Van Dam is looking into this.

DEREK VAN DAM, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Yes, we're talking about Northwestern Tanzania where this earthquake took place. It was magnitude 5.9. Locally it occurred on the afternoon on Saturday. We're getting some of the first visuals in from that area to CNN.

Eleven confirmed fatalities so far. We also have at least 200 injuries that have been reported. But remember it's very difficult to get information, let alone footage out of this remote area of East Africa.

The depth was 10 kilometers and again the magnitude was 5.9. It was just on the shores of Lake Victoria. You can see exactly what people across this region have had to deal with over the past 12 hours, let alone the aftershocks that will be felt going forward.

We had a population of just over 700,000 people that felt strong shaking but get a load of this, over 400,000, either felt very strong or severe shaking from this magnitude 5.9. That has a lot to do with the very shallow nature of the earthquake.

Here's Lake Victoria, Tanzania, right on the border of Uganda. It just gives you a geographical reference of where this is located.

The U.S. Geological Survey has the ability to compare this type of an earthquake in terms of the magnitude as well as the depth and vulnerability of this particular region and put out an estimate of fatalities from similar type earthquake.

And you can see the highest probability of fatalities lies either between what we've already seen, 11 confirmed, up to 100 people. So, this is something that we want to monitor going forward for the next day, several days, because this will greatly impact families and lives across this region.

All right, something on the other side of the world that is more of a religious offering. This is obviously the week or five days of the pilgrimage taking place in Mecca and extremely hot temperatures across this region.

Nonetheless, Mecca not anticipating any rainfall. The forecast satellite and radar is bone dry, no clouds over head. Sunshine today, 42 degrees and that will actually continue for the next three days.

[02:10:00]Really no major changes in this forecast as several million people, to my understanding, make this pilgrimage to the Hajj every year and it looks like the heat will be a factor once again.

ALLEN: Yes, hopefully, there is a lot of water. Thanks, Derek. Well, it is a dream come true for German tennis player, Angelique Kerber, she won the U.S. Open women's title and picked up her second major title, moving up to first in the world rankings. Her childhood dream comes true.

CNN World Sport correspondent, Patrick Snell has more on her dramatic finish at the U.S. Open. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PATRICK SNELL, CNN WORLD SPORT: The 2016 is proving one special year for Angelique Kerber, who sealed a second grand slam crown on Saturday in a truly historic weekend for German tennis.

The reigning Australian Open champion and new top ranked player in the world has added the U.S. Open title to her growing trophy cabinets after winning a three-set thriller against the Czech Republic in a dramatic final in the big apple.

Kerber was given a big test by (inaudible) who had eliminated remember both Venus and Serena Williams on route to the final, but it will be the German who takes the first set six games to three.

Angelique was 28 years of age when she won in Melbourne. That was her first slam title. This is her second. Carolina Williams the second set. She was even three one up on the decider.

That's when Kerber upped her game, winning the last eight points of the match to seal the set 6-4 and a second major title after two hours and seven minutes of very intense tennis. What a season it's been for Kerber. Remember she recently won Olympic silver medal in Rio de Janeiro and also reached the final at Wimbledon too.

Meantime on Sunday, it's all eyes on the men's final when defending Novak Djokovic will continue his quest for a third title and he hopes a 13th grand slam title overall.

The Serbian world number through to his seventh U.S. Open final where he will face Stan Wawrinka of Switzerland, the man who beat him in the final of last year's French Open at Rolling Greens in Paris. Wawrinka is going for his third grand slam crown as well. Patrick Snell, CNN, Atlanta.

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ALLEN: Again the men's final is Sunday afternoon in New York City. Thanks for watching. I'm Natalie Allen. "MARKET PLACE AFRICA" is next. We'll see you soon.

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