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U.S. President's First Address To General Assembly; Tensions With North Korea Expected To Top Agenda; Possible Impact Of Trump Address To General Assembly; U.S.-South Korea Defense Against North Korea; Terror Threat Lowered After Two Arrests In Tube Case; U.K. Home Secretary Critical Of Trump's Response; British Prime Minister To Oversee Successful Brexit; Anguilla D.J. Becomes Voice Of Storm Survival. U.N.: 409,000 Rohingyas Flee Myanmar in 3 Weeks; Hamas Moves Towards Palestinian Reconciliation; U.S. Considers Closing Havana Embassy After Attacks. Aired 1-2a ET.

Aired September 18, 2017 - 01:00   ET

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


[01:00:00] ROSEMARY CHURCH, CNN ANCHOR: U.S. President Trump prepares to bring his American First Policy to the United Nations. Plus, amid ongoing tensions with North Korea, an exclusive look at how the U.S. and South Korea militaries are working together to keep Seoul safe. And the Rohingya refugee crisis gets worse; thousands flee Myanmar only to find themselves in camps with supplies for food and clean are limited. Hello, everyone, thanks for joining us. I'm Rosemary Church here in Atlanta. CNN NEWSROOM starts right now.

The U.N. general assembly meets this week, with North Korea were expected to top the agenda. U.S. President Donald Trump arrived in New York on Sunday, set to make his first appearance before the body. He's been harshly critical of international organizations in the past -- like the U.N. -- but he's expected to look for support in dealing with Pyongyang on its nuclear program. Our Athena Jones reports world leaders will listen very closely to President Trump foreign policy message.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ATHENA JONES, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Hi there. This a huge week for President Trump. It's his first turn on the most high- profile stage in the world. We're talking about 193-member nations taking part in the United Nation's general assembly, and a lot of those world leaders are going to be eager to take the measure of President Trump, and eager to hear what kind of message he has to deliver on Tuesday when said to address the general assembly. Especially, given the fact that candidate Trump was a huge skeptic of the United Nations. On the campaign trail, we heard him talk about what he called the utter weakness and incompetency of the United Nations, and we heard him say that the U.N. is not a friend of democracy, not a friend of freedom, and not a friend even to the United States.

Now, it's not clear how much he might temper his criticism of the United Nations in his speech on Tuesday. But we dig a little bit of a preview, a part of the message he'll deliver from his National Security Advisor H.R. McMaster, who spoke on Fox News Sunday. Watch. H.R. MCMASTER, NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR: Well, he thinks the speech is a tremendous opportunity, obviously, to reach so many world leaders at the same time, and to emphasize, really, three themes. First, is to protect the American people. The second is to promote American prosperity. And the third is, really, to help promote accountability and sovereignty.

JONES: So, there, you heard General McMaster say this speech will be a tremendous opportunity for the president to address so many world leaders gathered together in one place. It's also going to be an opportunity for those leaders to hear how the president is going to promote his America First agenda in what is a meeting of a global organization geared towards solving global challenges together. It's important to note, of course, the president will have a serious of important meetings and events that he'll be hosting during which he'll be discussing a long list of agenda items, among them: ISIS, and Syria, Venezuela.

One meeting is going to be having a very important meeting towards the end of the week is a lunch with leaders of South Korea and Japan. North Korea and its nuclear provocations will be high on the agenda at that lunch. Athena Jones, CNN, Summerset, New Jersey.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: Joining me now is Larry Sabato, he is the Director of the Center for Politics at the University of Virginia. Always great to talk with you. Thanks so much for being with us.

LARRY SABATO, DIRECTOR, CENTER FOR POLITICS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA (via Skype): Thank you, Rosemary.

CHURCH: So, let's start with President Trump, who will, of course, address the U.N. general assembly for the first time on Tuesday. He has, of course, been critical of the organization. So, what tone would you expect him set and what's at stake here?

SABATO: This is a teleprompter speech. And believe me, America diplomats, not just at the State Department but around the world hoped that there are no extemporaneous asides. It's just important for the president to come across at serious. Because even though everyone around the world understands the presidency is a very serious office, they do not see Donald Trump as serious. So, the tone that he sets should be precisely that professional. Now, what he does beyond that will depend on what he feels like doing. I doubt he'll be calling as he has in other places and on other occasions for a 25 percent cut in what the United States funds in the United Nations.

CHURCH: Right. So, OK. So, expect him to read off the teleprompter. This will be very controlled. But of course, people never know what's going to happen when it comes to Mr. Trump. And one of the biggest issues right now is rising tensions with North Korea; many are uneasy with the way Mr. Trump has been dealing with this very delicate issue. His U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley and his Secretary of Defense James Mattis have warned that a military option is very much on the table. So, how likely is it that Mr. Trump will be able to forge an international coalition for support for such a, say, option or for, at least, people to rally and nations to rally around him to control North Korea?

[01:05:20] SABATO: Well, the latter is more likely than the former. I don't think there's going to be a coalition in favor of war because no one's going to win from that. Remember, the North Korean delegation will be really just a few feet from Donald Trump. I believe they're going to be in the front row. So, I'll be interested to see what they're reaction is and whether there's a walkout -- which I assume would be planned in advance or in reaction to something that he says. Given the audience, my guess is that Trump will stay to the text, and the text probably will be less inflammatory than his tweets. I don't think he'll be calling the leader of North Korea rocket man.

CHURCH: Yes. But that's so recent, isn't it? I mean, that's the problem and that's what's got so many people uneasy. So, how much will this speech from Mr. Trump matter and what impact might it have on presidency going forward do you think?

SABATO: These speech does tend to come and go. It's hard to remember what other presidents did and said that mattered. Sometimes, the bilateral meetings that are held apart from the addresses to the general assembly actually have more impact, and Trump has a number of that schedule. But as far as the address itself, I suppose again, if he sticks to the text and stays professional and does not directly attack individual's states or leaders will all agree on the side relief.

CHURCH: His chief of staff included, no doubt. John Kelly will be watching very carefully. Larry Sabato, it was a pleasure to chat with you. Thank you so much.

SABATO: Thank you, Rosemary, as always.

CHURCH: CNN's Christiane Amanpour will be anchoring the show from New York all week. Don't miss the interview on Monday with Iranian President, Hassan Rouhani, that's at 7:00 p.m. And on Tuesday, an exclusive interview with French President, Emmanuel Macron.

Well, the U.S. and South Korea are vowing to take a harder stand against North Korea. Mr. Trump spoke with South Korean President, Moon Jae-in, by phone over the weekend and agreed that Washington and Seoul need to work together more closely moving forward. The U.S. Ambassador to the U.N., Nikki Haley, says that North Korea will be destroyed if the U.S. has to defend itself or its allies, who told CNN's Dana Bash that President Trump's warning of fire and fury was more than just an idle threat.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NIKKI HALEY, U.S. AMBASSADOR TO THE UNITED NATIONS: It was not an empty threat. What we were doing was being responsible where North Korea is being irresponsible and reckless, we were being responsible by trying to use every diplomatic possibility that we could possibly do. We have pretty much exhausted all of the things that we could at the Security Council at this point. Now, I said yesterday, I'm perfectly happy kicking this over to General Mattis because he has plenty of military options. So, I think that the fire and fury, while he said this is what we could do to North Korea, we wanted to respond and go through all diplomatic means to get their attention first. If that doesn't work, General Mattis will take care of it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: Well, the U.S. army gave CNN an exclusive look inside its defense in South Korea -- designed to combat North Korea's offensive weapons. Ian Lee joins me now live from Seoul, South Korea with more on this. So, Ian, how prepared are the United States and South Korea for anything that North Korea might have planned for any threat that it poses?

IAN LEE, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Rosemary, this is why we see all those military exercises -- the South Koreans and Americans preparing for the event of a war. You know, they all agreed that the biggest threat coming from the North is their nuclear program, but there's the second threat. One, they say that it's just right behind that nuclear program and that's the artillery -- the guns that North Korea has point South. We went out with a U.S. military unit that his job is to after this kind of threats, and really anything the North can throw at them

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

IAN LEE, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: A war in Korea could start like this. (INAUDIBLE) of North Korean artillery reigning down on Seoul. Thousands of weapons are currently pointed at the South Korean capital -- home to more than 10 million. Defending it is priority number one for her general and politicians. The U.S. army granted CNN exclusive access to the Sixth Battalion 37th Field Artillery. The unit's workforce, the M-270 Alpha One, also known as the (INAUDIBLE). Staff Sergeant Kabahn Isabel gives me a tour of the MLRS, the Multiple Launch Rocket System.

[01:10:09] KABAHN ISABEL, U.S. ARMY STAFF SERGEANT: 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.

ISABEL: This one has more firepower because it can hold two pods in its tracks, so I can pretty much get anywhere that I need to on this. It's very -- it's not very common that these get stuck.

LEE: Lt. Col. Will Su, 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. WILL SU, IN-CHARGE OF THE LIVE FIRE EXERCISES, U.S. 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: Su's artillery unit is part of a bigger picture of advanced

aircraft and missiles protecting Seoul, according to Assembly Member, Kim Jung-Dae.

KIM JUNG-DAE, SOUTH KOREAN NATIONAL ASSEMBLY MEMBER (through translator): When North Korea fires its long-range artillery, we can analyze the trajectories 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.

KIM: What's scarier is that North Korea is storing about 5,000 tons of chemical weapons. There is also a thought a biological weapon, like Anthrax. Long range artillery can be used as a delivering method for these weapons of mass destruction.

LEE: If North Korea prepares an attack, Kim says, it's up to Su and his troops to help deliver a silencing counterpunch. Failure could turn Seoul into what both North and South Korean describe as a sea of fire.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LEE: Rosemary, one proposal to ease tensions on the Korean Peninsula is this freeze-freeze, and this is coming from the Russians and the Chinese. They say if North Korea freezes its nuclear missile program, then, the United States and South Korea should freeze its military exercised. I brought that up with the soldiers out there, and while they wouldn't talk about the politics they did say that it's really important that they are able to continue these exercises because it gives them a level preparedness. In the event of anything happening, they say that they will be ready, Rosemary.

CHURCH: And Ian, I did want to ask you this. I know you've had an opportunity to talk to a number of South Korea people, of course, they have lived with the threat of war from North for decades now, is there any sense that you're picking up that people are feeling that this threat is any greater?

LEE: They do worry about the nuclear program. You know, that's the one thing that everyone tells me. Do they think war is going to happen? Not really. They say that they've heard this fiery rhetoric from the North for decades. But the nuclear program does have them worry, especially when you have Kim Jong-un saying that he wants the North's nuclear program to be on par with America's -- which, frankly, just couldn't happen but it does raise a level of concern that there could be an arms race if North Korea continues to pursue weapons like this will South Korea, will Japan just sit by idly and let them do this or will they try to develop their own nuclear weapons.

You know, there is a call here South Korea to bring in American nuclear weapons to have them back in South Korea. Now, that's a minority voice right now but it is growing. There was also a Gallup poll that came out just the other week to ask South Koreans if the country should develop its own nuclear program. Over 60 percent of respondents said yes. Although, President Moon Jae-in has said he's committed to a denuclearized Korean Peninsula, Rosemary.

CHURCH: Interesting. Our Ian Lee with that report, joining us live Seoul in South Korea where it is nearly 2:15 in the afternoon. Well, coming up, what we know about the suspects in the London terror attack. Why do police say they're making rapid progress in the case? We'll take a look at that just ahead.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The change for me being the person to get the party started. So, you're the guy we're looking to for all the information though. You don't need --

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[01:14:50] CHURCH: A radio D.J. becomes a lifeline for Caribbean island is affected by Hurricane Irma. His story, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

DON RIDDELL, CNN ANCHOR: I'm Don Riddell with your CNN WORLD SPORT headlines. Let's start with the extraordinary drama at the Singapore Grand Prix, the result of which is that Lewis Hamilton has seriously boosted his lead at the top of the driver standings. Sebastian Vettel is in (INAUDIBLE) position but he was involved in a collision with teammate Kimi Raikkonen and Red Bull's Max Verstappen and brawl three there. The race was over within a matter of just a few seconds. Hamilton was able to stay out of trouble to record his 60th race win, giving him an unexpected 28-point lead over his main rival, Vettel.

In English Premier League, Chelsea and Arsenal played to recall the sports fan for the bridge. Elsewhere, it was not a happy homecoming for Wayne Rooney to trap it off to 30 years. (INAUDIBLE), he and his new side Everton was thrashed four-nil. Former Everton star Romelu Lukaku had a goal and assist -- that's his fifth goal in the first five league games.

And for all the criticism that shortening the women's last golf major of the year may have received the 54-hole ever on the championship, certainly provided a dramatic finish. Anna Nordqvist of Sweden and America's Brittany Altomare braved the heavy rain in the playoff, Nordqvist win out in the end. Her second major title and a bit of redemption for the 30-year-old who lost last year's U.S. Open in a controversial ruling. That is a quick look at your sports headlines. I'm Don Riddell.

CHURCH: Welcome back, everyone. While British authorities appear to be making progress in the London Tube bombing case, two suspects were arrested on Saturday, and authorities have searched at least two sights west of London. Officials say, there's still a chance of another attack but the threat is no longer imminent. For more, here's our Nick Paton Walsh in London.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) NICK PATON WALSH, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Police say that

their investigation to the Parsons Green attack is making swift progress, and part of that, obviously, the arrest of a 21-year-old man just before midnight in (INAUDIBLE) to the west of London. Now, we don't know much more about this particular arrest but it was followed by the second of two searches in (INAUDIBLE) suburb on outskirts of London.

The first arrest, earlier on Saturday morning of an 18-year-old man at Dover the southern port that often is used as a crossing into mainland Europe, specifically to France -- suggestion path being this man was trying to flee the country. But law enforcement officials here saying that, yes, it clearly isn't at this point a lone wolf, perhaps, a cell. But they do appear to be increasingly competent that they may have more of a sense of the full scope of exactly who was behind plotting this attack.

[01:20:09] Minimum information made public, though, now, but a clear indication of the decision by law enforcement and police here to reduce the threat level from critical, which is the highest it can be at suggesting an attack is imminent, down to severe today. That certainly suggests they maybe calming their approach here. But still, some criticisms are out there for Donald Trump, the U.S. President, and his very early tweet that's jested Scotland Yard, the police behind me in London had the attacker in "their sight."

Amber Rudd, the Home Secretary here, leading law enforcement official pretty stride in her criticism earlier on today on British television.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What did you think when you saw this tweet from Donald Trump? "Another attack by loser terrorist. These were people who are in the sights of Scotland Yard. Must be proactive."

AMBER RUDD, HOME SECRETARY: Well, it's never helpful to have speculation about an on-going operation and, you know, I would the president of the United States in that comment.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And in speculating, he's received a leak from Britain.

RUDD: It's his pure speculation, absolutely.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So, is your message to President Trump: Donald, stop tweeting. Put your phone down and just stop it.

RUDD: I don't think I'll be the first person to say that.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: But that's what --

RUDD: Well, we don't want any speculation on an on-going operation.

WALSH: But still, this attack really shaking many in London to some degree because of the targets in question. The transport system here, the tube, so utterly vital to so many people in the land to work and it hasn't really seen an attack of this magnitude, fails, interrupted partially, as it was. But the device not properly going off since 2005's 7/7 attack. So, London now, the subject of five substantial attacks in just the last six months. And still, many are trying to go about life as normal. Conscious, though, of this enduring threat. Nick Paton Walsh, CNN, London.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: Meanwhile, this latest terror attack isn't the only challenging facing British Prime Minister Theresa May, she's also fighting criticism. She won't be able to lead the U.K. through Brexit, she spoke about that with ABC News.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It has taken its toll on your government. You almost lost the prime ministership back in June. And the former Conservative Minister, now (INAUDIBLE), George Osborne, has said you're a dead woman walking. That passing Brexit would be basically your last act. Your response?

THERESA MAY, PRIME MINISTER OF LONDON: My -- I'm going to pass Brexit and I'm going to make sure that Brexit happens because the British people voted for it. I think it's really important that politicians actually do respond and do listen to people. We gave the public the choice, they made their choice.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: All right. Moving to the Caribbean now. Maria is now a hurricane and threatening many of the same islands that just devastated -- just were devastated by Irma. Our Meteorologist Pedram Javaheri joins us now with the latest on the advancing storms. And Pedram, we talked last hour about how Maria is following the same path as Irma. Talk to us about the science of that again.

PEDRAM JAVAHERI, CNN CORESPONDENT: Yes. You know, when you think about these water, these storms, and of course an engine essentially that are driven by the ocean heat across this region. You know, we're supposed to have cooler waters once a significant storm moved over a certain part of the ocean, but the water is so warm at such a tremendous depth here that even they're upwelling, cooler waters are able to retain quite a bit of intensity which is a concern with Maria. And of course, Maria is not alone; Jose took North and West -- flee back to at ease though. I'll tell you what, this is the only element of good news here.

A week's storm, we don't really expect to flourish nor impact anyone, at least with one of the three storms. But I want to show you this, because this is the track Irma took just north of Puerto Rico, of course, Barbuda on it, Antigua, Anguilla, all impacted directly -- and then, eventually the Turks and Caicos into Cuba. I want to highlight where we think, we'll have Maria track here, quickly intensifies skipping a one, skipping a two into a three. We recall it that same exact thing occurred across the same exact location here with Maria coming across and Irma coming across, going from a one, two, and three. So, we think this will intensify rather quickly than category four.

Potential direct impact on Puerto Rico as a category four, potentially parts of the Island of Hispaniola as well. But right now, it's sitting there as a low-grade category one hurricane, but again, going to intensify here rather quickly. Notice the tropical storm warnings, the hurricane warnings in place. But a storm is sitting roughly a hundred kilometers, south of where Irma was sitting. So, we think some of these Southern Leeward Island will be directly impacted versus, say, the Antigua and Barbuda that had the direct impact last go around.

But of course, the winds away from the center is stretched hundreds of kilometers, so we think powerful winds will still batter some of these islands. But notice, Puerto Rico could see more of a direct impact that, of course, parts of Hispaniola to Turks and Caicos which saw a category five landfall with Irma, could once again see a three or a four which would be a major hurricane landfall in some time as we approach this weekend. The track here, we believe, this will begin a shift a little to the north here. The steering currents in the atmosphere are such and we've got to highlights the models, the American and the European -- the American in red, the European in blue.

[01:25:10] The European model has it going pretty close to Puerto Rico, making landfall there. But notice a right turn, kind of like what we saw across Cuba toward the United States, but this go around near the Dominican Republic towards Turks and Caicos, and then an orderly track. And at this point, it's really hard to tell where the storm system will end up. Our confidant says it's rather than a churn will occur and a northern shift will occur with the storm system that could potentially threaten parts of the eastern United States as we go in towards the latter portion of the week. So, that's what we're watching.

Of course, there is a storm sitting there in Jose right now, Rosemary, that is a category one. This storm system could begin a brush by portions of New England, and that's where we had storm watches in place right now for dangerous rip current and storm surge as well for some of those communities. A lot of that active pattern right into the Atlantic.

CHURCH: Yes. It is a real concern for all of those people in the path of the hurricane. Thanks so much, Pedram, for keeping a very close eye on that for us all. When Hurricane Irma slammed into the tiny islands of the Caribbean, a radio D.J. suddenly became a steady voice of hope in survival. Jean Claude Paddison also becomes a lifeline to people who needed vital information. CNN's Michael Holmes has his story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEANIE PADDISON, RADIO D.J., ANGUILLA RADIO STATION: Yes, that's right. 11 days after Hurricane Irma, and you got a lot from Cool F.M. 103.3.

MICHAEL HOLMES, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Before Hurricane Irma, Radio D.J., Jeanie Paddison's role with Anguilla's main commercial radio station was to play music and keep a lively pattern.

PADDISON: It's kind of mind-blowing actually, the reception I'm getting from everyone because it changed from me being the person to get the party started, so you're the guy we're looking to for all the information now.

HOLMES: Irma changed his job description and his life. Since the storm, Jeanie and his fellow workers here at Cool F.M. 103.3 have switched from D.J.s to lifelines.

PADDISON: You don't need to go into go in the line or in the queues to get gas if your tank is on a half. There is no gas shortage.

HOLMES: This island was battered by Irma, and the days that followed were brutal. No power, damaged infrastructure, and a shattered communication system. The station's transmission mast was a casualty of Irma furry, ripped off its base and flung over the building next door. Now, the mast, clearly, has been destroyed, but the humble studios next door survived; staying off-air was not an option. So, D.J. Jeanie and his colleagues nearly had a job to do.

PADDISON: When we came out and saw the damage, we were like, OK, we're off-air. You know what, we need to get back up.

HOLMES: One Jury rigged mast. Later, 103.3 Cool F.M. was back on the air. Just outside, listeners take advantage of the makeshift barbershop using the station's generator power.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: All the radio stations are always important, you know. We understand what is going on with the hurricanes, this and then.

HOLMES: People turned to Jeanie and his fellow D.J.s for information, guidance, and comfort here and on other islands in the Caribbean. Tell me about how important the radio station was after the hurricane has gone through.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It was very important in getting information around and to know that we have boats, and what is happening. It's very vital to our community.

HOLMES: Vital to communities throughout the region through Irma. And now, another storm, Maria, is headed their way. The job isn't done.

PADDISON: I've been in entertainment for almost 15 years, and I've never seen myself as a reporter or someone people will be looking to for motivation and information of that nature, of course. Usually, it's Jeanie, when is the next party? You know, stuff like that. So, being called for, this is crazy.

HOLMES: When not on the radio, Jeanie, D.J.s at clubs on this and other islands. Clubs that are closed for repairs now or in some cases no longer even exist. Like so many of his neighbors, his job and his life has changed dramatically, but not his sense of humor.

PADDISON: And there has been and -- in a state flux because now I'm out of one of my primary incomes. So, I'm here trying to figure out what my next move is, maybe, I might get into journalism and take your job.

HOLMES: Michael Holmes, CNN, Anguilla.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

[01:29:26] CHURCH: All right. We'll take a very short break here. But coming up, many Muslim Rohingya escaped what the U.N. says maybe ethnic cleansing. But now, they're facing a humanitarian crisis. An aid worker, of course, of the wall to wall human suffering.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[01:33:07] CHURCH: A warm welcome back to our viewers joining U.S. from all around the world. This is CNN NEWSROOM. And I'm Rosemary Church.

Want to update you on the main stories we've been following.

(HEADLINES)

CHURCH: Rohingya refugees are facing a dire humanitarian crisis, desperate for food and water. At least 409,000 Muslim Rohingya have crossed into Bangladesh from Myanmar. They are fleeing a military crackdown which the U.N. says appears to be ethnic cleansing. Bangladesh says it will build temporary shelters after the refugee camps could not accommodate all Rohingya. Many are now living in squalid conditions in the mud. The situation is so desperate, a woman and two children were killed in a stampede on Friday. They were trying to get some food. One refugee described just how difficult it is to survive.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

[01:35:17] UNIDENTIFIED ROHINGYA REFUGEE (through translation): I saw a blind man. He went out early in the morning to the roadside and begged for food and to get something then he can eat. He sometimes gets rice and sometimes vegetables. They have never received any aid from anyone since we arrived here. With a blessing from Allah, people donated food to U.S. today. This is the first time I received aid since I came here two weeks ago.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: Our Alexandra Field joins U.S. now, live from Bangladesh. She has seen firsthand the conditions Rohingya refugees are facing.

Alexandra, the details are horrifying. What have you witnessed at those camps so far.

ALEXANDRA FIELD, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Rosemary, we've been days in these camps talking to refugees. I can tell you every single person that we seek to has a story of terror and a story of profound trauma. They are telling U.S. about rapes, the burning of these villages, hacking deaths, how they fled under fire, children being shot dead next to their parents, mothers arriving on the riverbank right here in Bangladesh to give birth to children who don't survive more than a few hours. About that, we were talking about the population of some 410,000 refugees that have already arrived on this side of the border. This is an incredible level of suffering, an incredible level of need. It would be nearly impossible for any country to bear this kind of influx in just a three-week period. But consider this is already a highly populated country that is incredibly strapped of resources. And you can just begin to understand why aid agencies say the aid they're providing amounts to really just a drop in the bucket. And this place where so many came to for safety is still dangerous and, in some cases, it's deadly.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED ROHINGYA REFUGEE: (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

FIELD (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.

(CROSSTALK)

FIELD (voice-over): Some locals here were handing out whatever they have. We can see that the children are running to collect. International aid organizations are trying to take a more organized approach. You see the chaos 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 Muslim Rohingya 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.

UNIDENTIFIED ROHINGYA REFUGEE (through translation): (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

FIELD: This woman remembers bullets were flying around like rain.

(on camera): This is what they escaped to, an overcrowded camp with tens of thousands of people in it. We are seeing children that are running around without any cloths. The clothing is soiled. There are piles of feces almost everywhere you step. This is one makeshift 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.

UNIDENTIFIED AID WORKER: I would describe it as water-borne human suffering.

FIELD: The crisis is already too big for Bangladesh's government to bear alone.

UNIDENTIFIED AID WORKER: This area, the population here is already suffering from depravation and the strain on services that this is causing needs to be address as well, education, housing, and counseling as well.

FIELD: This aid worker said the camps are trying to help the Rohingya with what they've already seen, what they survived. At least 1300 children are still separated from families that fled as their villages burned.

"Government forces carried out attacks late at night and early in the morning. Their forced those hiding in their homes to come."

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 U.S., kidnapping and hacking the young men and boys," she says. "Raping when a girl. That's why we ran away and came here."

All she's found now is this spot off the side the road. She can stay dry here during the end of monsoon season.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FIELD: And, Rosemary, here is the even more vicious reality. There is no sign that the violence on the other side of the border is abating. In fact, we got to one side of the river, on the other side of Myanmar, and we could still see the plumes of smoke that are said to be coming from homes and villages that continue to be set on fire. There are estimates that every day here another 10,000 or 20,000 refugees pour over the border, running for their lives. You see what they come here to find, almost nothing. And they're coming at the end of monsoon season, only compounding the difficulties.

We do understand that the army is trying to clear more space for these refugees, but I can tell you, we drove for a number of hours yesterday around the outskirts of these refugee camps, and it's really just wall-to-wall people who are still living along the roadside -- Rosemary?

[01:40:25] CHURCH: And, Alexandra, in the midst of this misery, what hope is there that any help is on the way? What sort of future lies ahead for these Rohingya people?

FIELD: You have to have -- you have hope that you'll ever go home. It's too unimaginable, too big of a question for them right now. They cannot think beyond getting through the day. When I ask people what they look for, they get a ticket to get in line for official aid distribution, the milk, water, and energy that can help to sustain them.

We do know that Aung San Suu Kyi will make an address in Myanmar tomorrow. That is something the population here in Bangladesh will want to know exactly what she said, not that they'll have access to watching those words that are transmitted live on television. They are just desperate for help. Now that they've arrived in Bangladesh, they really just want the basics today, food, shelter, water, medicine.

CHURCH: So understandable. It is a dreadful and shocking situation.

Alexandra Field, joining U.S. from Bangladesh, where it is 11:40 in the morning. Many thanks.

Meantime, the U.N. secretary-general is urging Myanmar's leader, Aung San Suu Kyi to end the military crackdown on the Rohingya. Antonio Guterres says the Nobel laureate has one last chance to call for an end to the violence when she addresses the nation in a televised speech on Tuesday. Suu Kyi has been virtually silent over the Rohingya refugee crisis. Guterres told the BBC, and I'm quoting here, "If she does not reverse the situation now, then I think the tragedy will be absolutely horrible. And unfortunately, then I don't see how this could be reversed in the future."

We'll take a short break. Coming up, the relatively news American embassy in Havana could be shutting down. We'll explain how a mysterious attack is threatening U.S. relations with Cuba. We'll back in a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[01:45:33] CHURCH: Welcome back, everyone. Well, political unity could be coming for the Palestinian factions in Gaza and the West Bank after a 10-year rift. Hamas is moving closer to handing control of Gaza to a Palestinian unity government.

As our Oren Liebermann reports, the onus is now on Palestinian Authority president, Mahmoud Abbas, to decide what to do next.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

OREN LIEBERMANN, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: In statement that paves the way towards possible Palestinian reconciliation between two rival factions, Hamas says they are willing to dissolve their administrative committee and moved to general elections and a unity Palestinian government.

Hamas, which runs Gaza, has had a decade-long split with Fatah, which is in charge of the West Bank. Earlier this year, Hamas establish their administrative committee derided by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas as the shadow government designed to entrench Hamas control of Gaza.

In an attempt to pressure Hamas to give up its control, Abbas cut salaries in Gaza and reduced electricity, worsening the situation for two million Palestinians there.

The announcement now puts the focus on Abbas. How does he respond to Hamas? If he accepts, this could be a major step towards reconciliation. If he places some conditions on accepting, this may be nothing more than a statement without any real follow-through.

The Palestinian public has heard about conciliation in the past but those attempts have fizzled without any real actions. Hamas has found itself under pressure in Gaza, which faces a dire humanitarian crisis. And Hamas is in need of cash and help. At different times, they've turned to Egypt, Iran, the Emirates and Turkey.

Meanwhile, for years now, President Abbas has been a leader in charge of only half his people, with no control over what happens in Gaza. And that's why the statement from Hamas is so significant, especially because it comes only days before President Abbas is scheduled to speak at the United Nations General Assembly. It will be an opportunity for him to lay out what happens next and how he responds to Hamas.

Oren Liebermann, CNN, Jerusalem.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: Mysterious sound waves from a weapon no one has seen are threatening to further rattle relations between the United States and Cuba. Numerous employees at the U.S. embassy in Havana have been injured by what is believed to be some type of acoustic weapon. Now a group of U.S. Senators are calling on the Trump administration to close the U.S. embassy in Havana. And on a Sunday talk show, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said that is a possibility.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

On Cuba, some representatives and Senators have suggested closing down the embassy there. Should that happen?

REX TILLERSON, SECRETARY OF STATE: We have it under evaluation. It's a very serious issue with respect to the harm certain individuals have suffered. We brought some of those people home. It's under review.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: It's still not clear who's behind the acoustic attacks. And that's what U.S. officials are looking into as they consider shutting down the Havana embassy.

Our Patrick Oppmann has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PATRICK OPPMANN, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: It's an increasingly strange story that the United States is taking very seriously. On Sunday, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson threatened to close down the U.S. embassy in Havana. There's no clarification over who has been carrying out alleged acoustic attacks against U.S. diplomats in Havana. While U.S. officials say it is unlikely that the embassy will be closed, at least not right away, certainly, it is an escalation in the worsening relations between Havana and United States. Late last year, the U.S. employees began to complain of attacks by a mystery sonic weapon that caused very real physical harm to them, everything from nausea and headaches to concussion-like symptoms to permanent hearing loss. The Cuba government has denied any rule in these attacks, has allowed the FBI to come down to the island to investigate. And it still remains uncertain who was carrying out these alleged attacks and why. But U.S. officials say they do not believe that Cuba knows as little as they are claiming. To carry out this kind of intelligence operation in Havana under the eyes of the Cuban government without them knowing seems very unlikely, U.S. officials say, so they are pressing Havana for answers. While the Cuban government would like the story to go way, that seems very unlikely. The United States wants to know who is behind these attacks and why.

Patrick Oppmann, CNN, Havana.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

[01:49:56] CHURCH: A first in Serbia on Sunday. The country's first openly gay female prime minister marched alongside other Serbians in the deeply conservative state's Pride Parade. Holding rainbow flags, balloons and signs saying, "For change," hundreds of people marched throughout Belgrade amid tight security. Officers cordoned off parts of the city to prevent clashes. Prime Minister Ana Brnabic was elected earlier this year.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANA BRNABIC, SERBIAN PRIME MINISTER: We should respect diversity. And my message today is that the government of Serbia is here for all citizens and that it will guarantee the respective rights to all citizens, from the majority as well as the minority. With this, we will send a signal that diversity is something which can contribute to the strength of our entire society.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: Previous parades have been marred by violence. Activists say this year's was calmer.

Stars of the small screen descended on Hollywood Sunday night for the 69th Annual Emmy Awards. A look some of the night's big winners. We'll be back with that in just a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(WEATHER REPORT)

[01:54:57] CHURCH: The red carpet was rolled out in Hollywood Sunday night to celebrate the best and brightest in television. The 69th Annual Emmy Awards was hosted by comedian and late-night host, Stephen Colbert. And it didn't take long for the night's M.C. to get a little

political.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

STEPHEN COLBERT, HOST, THE LATE SHOW WITH STEPHEN COLBERT: Industry is booming. There were over 450 original scripted shows made this year. Of course, there's no way anyone could possibly watch that much TV other than the president, who seems to have a lot of time for that sort of thing.

(LAUGHTER)

Hello, sir. Thank you for joining us.

(LAUGHTER)

Looking forward to the tweets.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: Speaking of President Trump, Actor Alec Baldwin won Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series for his caricature of Mr. Trump on "Saturday Night Live." "SNL" shown at the Emmys taking home the award for Variety Sketch Series after supporting Actress in a Comedy Series Kate McKinnon. And another of the night's big winners, HBO's "Big Little Lies." The star-packed series won awards for Best Limited Series, supporting actress, Laura Dern (ph), Supporting Actor Alexander Scarsgard (ph), and lead actress, Nicole Kidman.

How about that?

Thank you for watching CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Rosemary Church.

The news continues next with Natalie Allen and George Howell. Do stick around.