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Marines to Attend Flag-Raising in Havana; China Explosion Aftermath; Presidential Hopefuls in Iowa; ISIS Using Mustard Gas?; As U.S. Reopens U.S. Embassy, Castro Says U.S. Owes Cuba Millions; Chinese Special-Need Child Getting Adopted; This Year's El Nino Could Be Record Breaker. Aired 1-2a ET

Aired August 13, 2015 - 01:00   ET

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


(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[01:00:16] ROSEMARY CHURCH, CNN HOST: In just hours, U.S. marines will raise an American flag at the country's newly reopened embassy in Cuba. Ahead, we take you for an exclusive look inside.

And then powerful images show the devastation of multiple explosions in China. Experts are on the ground to try to figure out the cause.

And in the U.S., presidential hopefuls rushing to meet voters and defending their records. We'll look at the candidates getting the most attention.

We do want to welcome our viewers here in the United States and of course around the world. I'm Rosemary Church. This is CNN NEWSROOM.

We begin in Cuba where in just a few hours, the U.S. will raise its flag symbolizing restored diplomatic ties former between former enemies. The U.S. embassy in Cuba is formally reopening this morning. It has been closed since 1961.

For the past few months, U.S. president Barack Obama and Cuban president Raul Castro have been hashing out plans to reopen embassies in each country. Secretary of state John Kerry will be at the ceremony. Former leader Fidel Castro has different thoughts, though. These photos show the 89-year-old on Thursday on his birthday. Castro published a letter in Cuban media telling the U.S. it owes Havana millions of dollars because of a decades old trade embargo.

We are about to give you an exclusive behind the scenes look at the new embassy.

Patrick Oppmann spoke to a few embassy employees and the man in charge at the diplomatic center.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Welcome to the new embassy.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Thank you.

PATRICK OPPMANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Words for over a half century, U.S. diplomats in Cuba were unable to say.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Welcome to the new embassy.

OPPMANN: The day Cuba and the U.S. officially restored diplomatic relations, officials at the embassy greeted colleagues with hugs and American flags.

CNN was granted exclusive access to the reopening. Members of the Cuban staff marveled that the cold war era hostilities had been overcome.

And did you ever think you would work here and see the changes in the last six months.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I never thought I would see this in my lifetime.

OPPMANN: The head of the embassy says he and his staff are taking part of history.

JEFFREY DELAURENTIS, CHARGE D'AFFAIRES, U.S. EMBASSY IN CUBA: It is really a privilege to be a part of this. It is a privilege to be part of an administration that has made a courageous decision to make this change. It's also a privilege to be able to lead this mission as it transitions from an intersection to an embassy.

OPPMANN: That transition is more of a sprint as staff get everything ready for secretary of state John Kerry's visit. Redoing the long, unused flag pole.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They will use the Spanish --

OPPMANN: Boosting an influx of foreign press and planning for every contingency.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: That anyone would want to go back to Wi-Fi there and just as should be around holding places.

OPPMANN: A long list of challenges in a country where few things ever seem to go right.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This is where we keep everything running.

OPPMANN: Management officer Martina Fault (ph) takes us to the basement to get a first look at the sign and the seal that will go on the entrance to the embassy.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Pretty cool sign, isn't it?

OPPMANN: What I'm walking next to is something that hasn't been seen in 54 years in Cuba. It is a sign for the U.S. embassy in Havana.

She says reopening the embassy is the high point of her career.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This is fantastic. So many foreign service offices that have waited to be here and will be envied by a lot of people that will say this is the culmination of a lot of work by a lot of people.

OPPMANN: The work will continue until the last moment. Nothing is left to chance. The marines even practice raising the flag. But as the big day arrives, American diplomats say the U.S. embassy in Havana is ready to step back in to the spotlight.

Patrick Oppmann, CNN, Havana.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: And the ceremonial American flag goes up at the embassy, but we also caught glimpses of it all over Havana. The stars and stripes of the American flag showed up across the city. Cubans have overwhelming showed their support since Washington and Havana decided to restore ties.

And we will have much more on this landmark day later this hour. And stay with CNN for the historic moment itself. We will have special live coverage of the American flag raising at the embassy in Havana. It begins 9:30 a.m. eastern for our U.S. audience, 2:30 p.m. in London. 3:30 central European time right here on CNN.

A dangerous new development in the fight against ISIS. The U.S. is investigating reports that the terror group used mustard gas during an attack this week making several people sick.

CNN's Jim Sciutto has details from Washington.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

[01:05:32] JIM SCIUTTO, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: The U.S. is investigating what it says is credible information that ISIS may have used chemical weapons, specifically a mustard agent or mustard gas during against Kurdish forces in an attack earlier this week in northern Iraq. The attack took place in a town of Marmuk (ph). This is near Irbil. Some of those Kurdish fighters exhibited breathing problems after the attack and it was determined that those problems are more consistent with a possibility of a mustard agent rather than chlorine gas. There have been previous reports of ISIS using chlorine gas. The question now, and it is still being determined definitively is that how would ISIS have gotten mustard agents.

Number of possible explanation they may have found shells from the Iraqi army in Iraq or possibly from Syrian army in Syria. It is also possible U.S. officials that ISIS may have developed the ability to manufacture mustard gas. Again, no confirmation but U.S. officials taking these reports very seriously. It would be a significant new threat on the battlefield.

Jim Sciutto, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: The top Democrat on the U.S. House intelligence committee spoke with CNN about the investigation. Representative Adam Schiff says it is very possible ISIS obtained the chemical agent in Iraq.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. ADAM SCHIFF (D), HOUSE INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE: I think if they do possess these kind of weapons, and I can't go in to specifics, but if they did my guess is they are more likely to have gotten them as old weapons leftover in Iraq from the old WMD program there than they were likely to obtain them in Syria in some kind of hidden cache of the regimes. But again, we are obviously going to explore any of these reports and continue to do all we can to get to the bottom of them.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: Meantime, the group's reign of terror does not appear to be letting up. ISIS is claiming responsible for a truck bombing that killed at least 36 people in a crowded market in Baghdad. ISIS says it was striking at Shia militias who are fighting alongside Iraqi government forces. Thursday's attack follows several other recent ISIS bombings near the capital.

Back here in the United States, the FBI and the Pentagon are investigating an alleged ISIS hit list containing personal information about more than 1,000 Americans. Though the legitimacy of the list is questionable, it does have many on edge.

CNN's Brian Todd reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A dry-looking spread sheet with sensitive, potentially dangerous personal details. A group calling itself the Islamic state hacking division published this list online. About 1400 names, email addresses, phone numbers and alleged pass words of U.S. military personnel and civilian government employees.

At the top, a message, oh, crusaders know we are in your computers and email systems watching and recording your every move. It says they are extracting confidential data, passing it to ISIS and its soldiers quote "will strike in your necks in your own lands."

MATTHEW LEVITT, WASHINGTON INSTITUTE FOR NEAR EAST POLICY: This drives people to follow up on this information, maybe it will get a hit on someone, may be it won't. It also does really freak out U.S. governments, military and law enforcement personnel.

TODD: The FBI is investigating. U.S. military and Australian police officials tell CNN they are lacking in to how it is effecting their people on the list.

GEN. RAYMOND ODIERNO, U.S. ARMY CHIEF OF STAFF: I take it seriously because it's clear what they are trying to do. And so, it is important for us to make sure that all our force understands what they are trying to do. TODD: Neither CNN nor the global security firm Flashpoint

Intelligence can confirm the authenticity of this claim or the accuracy of the passwords and other sensitive information on the list. We called and emailed several people on the list, some emails bounced back as being old addresses. Others went through. One retired serviceman confirmed to us the phone number for him on the list is accurate and he said the Pentagon alerted him. One Australian computer security expert said this is not likely an actual hack.

TROY HUNT, INTERNET SECURITY RESEARCHER: It is quite evident it is information from multiple sources and most of it is publicly discoverable too.

TODD: But analysts say it doesn't have to be a hack of protected information. Given the recent attacks targeting Americans in their homelands, the message to potential lone wolves is a dangerous one.

LEVITT: You can stay where you are. Do something where you are. And even if not a single one of these leads actually pans out, they are creating a sense for someone sitting in their mama's basement, you are part of us.

[01:10:16] TODD: A U.S. military official tells CNN following the publication of this list they have told personnel to protect their personal information on-line and in social media. Don't put anything on Facebook or twitter indicating who you are, where you live, who your relatives are. And it's not the first time they have had to do this. Officials say this is at least the second time this year that a group claiming affiliation with ISIS has bragged about doing this.

Brian Todd, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: Syria is criticizing the expanded U.S. bombing campaign against ISIS calling it a mistake. And in an exclusive interview with our Fredrick Pleitgen Syria's deputy foreign minister explained how far his government is willing to go to end the violence plaguing his country.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

FAISAL MEKDAD, SYRIAN DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER: Yes, the Syrian government is ready to sit with the opposition, but with real opposition, not -- we are ready to sit with all kinds of opposition but not with terrorist groups, not with ISIS, not with Jabhat al- Nusra.

FRED PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Now, the United States has also ramped up its fight against ISIS. What do you make of the additional jets the U.S. has stationed in Incirlik and the additional airstrikes, is that something that will make a big effect?

MEKDAD: I believe the U.S. is committing again the same mistake. Adding I mean, six, seven fighters or I mean, planes and so on will not effect unless there is real cooperation on the ground between the respective governments of Iraq and Syria with all of those who are trying to fight against terrorism, nothing will happen.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: U.S. warplanes are using a Turkish air base for manned strikes against ISIS targets. The first jets took off on Wednesday.

I want to turn to China now where there is a scene of total devastation today in Tianjin. Smoke is still rising from a chemical warehouse where massive explosions erupted Wednesday night. At least 50 people were killed in that blast. More than 500 others were hospitalized. For those living in this populated city, the sheer devastation is slowly coming in to focus.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

WILL RIPLEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: You can understand why residents of Tianjin are nervous about the possibility of another explosion when you think of the fact this huge, twisted charred piece of metal was thrown as a projectile after the blast. And this car here, you can see where you can see what happened to it. And keep in mind we are standing more than a mile away from the blast site itself. The smoke plume is lower. And there's a biochemical response team on the ground here right now to figure out exactly what toxic chemical mix sparked a huge explosion that has created so much damage and cost so many lives.

One day after a series of massive explosions destroyed so much of Tianjin, a black cloud continues to hangs over the city, the air thick with the chemical stench. A sea of cars destroyed. Their paint stripped off by the intense heat. Broken glass covers streets and sidewalks for miles around. And when the wind blows, more glass rains down from apartments and homes.

Today, new images of those amazingly powerful blasts. This cell phone video records the moment of impact. The first blast around 11:30 at night. Fire officials say hazardous chemicals stored in a warehouse where ignited by fire. The bright flash followed by a tremendous explosion waking people across the port city of 13 million.

Another explosion followed just seconds later, seven times more powerful. The equivalent of 21 tons of TNT according to a Chinese data center. Buildings shook, windows blown out. Glass felt more than two miles around the epicenter. Some likened it to a nuclear explosion, even as a mushroom cloud rose over the blast site.

The house collapsed. We didn't know what happened said one survivor.

Surveillance video obtained by ABC News captured the explosion's sudden fury. This man buried under a wall of glass. At least 50 people killed. Hospitals said to be overwhelmed by the hundreds injured. More than 1,000 firefighters ran to the danger. At least 17 died and dozens are missing.

Emotions are running high. I was reporting outside of a hospital when a small group of people challenged me, demanding to see my phone. Police arrived but I was temporarily forced off the air. A statement from the environmental group Greenpeace expressed what

many fear quote "we are concerned that certain chemicals will continue to pose a risk to the residents of Tianjin. The company that owned the warehouse was in the business of storing dangerous chemicals. The cause of the fire is yet to be determined.

Thousands of people had to spend the night in shelters which are set up all across the city. And you can see with damage like this to so many building why it may be quite some time before some people can return to their homes. These apartment blocks all the windows are blown out and with so many lingering concerns about the air quality from the toxic chemical fire and explosions, well, there are many people, many families that wonder when it will be safe or if it will be safe for them to live here long term. Questions that as of yet are still awaiting answers from the government and others.

Will Ripley, CNN, Tianjin, China.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

[01:15:44] CHURCH: Such disturbing images. We will, of course, continue follow that and hope to bring you more information on what exactly caused those blasts.

While some stock markets around the world have rebounded from a bad week, the price of oil continues its slide. We will explain why. That's just ahead.

Plus, Republican outsiders are surging in U.S. presidential polls. We will see what is behind their growing appeal. We are back in a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[01:20:12] CHURCH: Welcome back, everyone. Well, Greek lawmakers are locked in a marathon debate over the country's third bailout package. A live look inside parliament. It is after 8 a.m. in Athens right now. And they have been there all night. Parliament is expected to approve the $95 billion agreement to help Greece avoid bankruptcy. The proposal involves tax increases and spending cuts, but there are some other hurdles to overcome first. Eurozone finance ministers will meet later today where they will have to sign off on the loan. Meanwhile, the IMF is pressing Europe to provide the debt relief for Greece.

Well, in the U.S., oil prices hit a new six-year low on Thursday, trading just below $42 a barrel. The falling prices reflect the surplus of American oil, the devaluation of the Chinese Yuan plus reports of higher Iranian oil production.

CNN money's Paul La Monica has more details.

PAUL LA MONICA, CNN MONEY CORRESPONDENT: Oil continues to plunge, a new six-and-a-half year low. At one point below $42 a barrel. Many of the same factors are still at play here. There are concerns about oversupply. OPEC continues to pump a lot of oil, particularly Saudi Arabia. Now we're worried about Iran which has a lot of oil sitting there, waiting to be exported having their oil going on to the market, as well. That would put more pressure on prices.

At the same time, there's a shale gas explosion in the United States. Many companies still pumping a lot of oil from the U.S. So you add all that up and there's definitely a supply glut. One of the reasons we went from 100 a year ago all the way down to 42.

But the new wrinkle that has people more concerned, China. China's economy is a bit of a question mark right now. And if the Chinese economy is weakening a lot more than people thought, that will lead to lower demand for commodities like oil. And you are already seeing other commodity prices tumbling too, cooper, corn, wheat. So it is not just oil, it is the demand part of now big problem.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: And again, that was CNN Money's Paul La Monica reporting.

Well, the 2016 race for the White House is gaining steam as Republican candidates set their sights on the primary state of Iowa. And polls show the political outsiders are keeping the more established candidates on their toes.

CNN's chief congressional correspondent Dana Bash has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DANA BASH, CNN SENIOR CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Carly Fiorina, Ben Carson, Donald Trump, all climbing in the polls, all with one key characteristic in common, none has been elected to office. All are worrying the Republican establishment. Trump is well ahead in Iowa, according to CNN's latest poll and the tea party senator who was supposed to be the outsider is lashing out with an impersonation of sorts.

SEN. RAND PAUL (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: We have people up there who say such profound things such as you are stupid. You are fired. You are a pig. You look terrible.

BASH: Trump responded Trump style saying Senator Paul has no chance of winning with the nomination and the people of Kentucky should not allow him the privilege of remaining their senator. Rand should save his lobbyist and special interest money and just go quietly home. And Trump is even getting it from John McCain who had tried to stay above it all when Trump attacked his military service last month.

SEN. JOHN MCCAIN (R), ARIZONA: I don't like to respond to Mr. Trump because there's no line about you don't want to get in to a wrestling match with a pig. You both get dirty and the pig likes it.

BASH: Another candidate climbing in the Iowa polls, neurosurgeon Ben Carson is now in a line of fire from a fellow doctor accusing him of using tissue from abort fetuses for medical research, something he told CNN is unnecessary. BEN CARSON (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Virtually everything that can

be attributed to progress by using fetal tissue can also use other tissue.

BASH: Today in New Hampshire, Carson defended his research.

CARSON: Tissue specimens and tissue banks are maintained everywhere. And it would be irresponsible to throw the tissue away.

BASH: Meanwhile, Jeb Bush is still trying to answer questions about his brother's controversial policies, like torture of terror suspects, something President Obama stopped immediately after taking office.

JEB BUSH (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I do think in general the torture is not appropriate. It is not as effective and the change of policy that my brother did, and then was put in to executive order form by the president was the proper thing to do.

[01:25:03] BASH: And he is talking Iraq again. The question, if the U.S. had not invaded Iraq in first place, would ISIS now be a problem?

BUSH: Who knows? That's just such a, you know, complicated hypothetical. Who knows? I can't answer that. I will tell you taking out Saddam Hussein turned out to be a good deal.

BASH: It is always been clear that to be politically viable, Jeb Bush would have to convince voters that he is different from his brother. But over the past two months it also become clear how hard it is, understandably so to do that personally for him, especially in controversial issues that are tough for George W. Bush. So Jeb Bush made one statement today that he hopes people will take away that he believes the country is safer because of his brother and it's not just because he's a Bush.

Dana Bash, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: And it is worth pointing out again, Republican candidate Carly Fiorina has surged to the top tier of the polls and now she is taking on Hillary Clinton in. An editorial for CNN the former Hewlett-Packard executive blasts the democratic front runner. Fiorina says she is working hard to earn votes while Clinton believes she's entitled to them. And you can read the full article at CNN.com.

All right. We have video now of an incredible rescue to show you out of eastern China. A 3-year-old boy was left dangling after he fell out of a fourth floor apartment window. And you can see he's hanging by his neck after he became stuck in the windows iron security bars. One man climbed up the side of the building to help. Now, eventually the boy's father was able to pull his son inside. Amazingly, the 3- year-old was not seriously hurt. Unbelievable pictures there.

More on our top story just ahead. The U.S. embassy reopening in Cuba. Hear from three U.S. marines who took down the American flag 54 years ago. Plus, good news in the campaign to adopt an abandoned disabled boy in

China. We speak to the couple preparing to welcome him in to their home.

We're back in a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[01:30:30] ROSEMARY CHURCH: Welcome back, everyone. You are watching CNN Newsroom. I'm Rosemary Church. We want to check the headlines for you this hour.

A biological and chemical response team is on the ground in Tianjin, China, where huge explosions rocked the city on Wednesday night. We should learn today if it is safe for them to enter the blast site. They'll try to determine what chemicals ignited the exPLOsion that killed at least 50 people.

The U.S. is investigating reports that ISIS used mustard gas in an attack against Kurdish Peshmerga this week. It happened in Iraq making several people sick. They believe ISIS most likely used mortar or rocket shells to deliver the chemical agent.

The U.S. will formally reopen its embassy in Cuba today. U.S. Marines will raise the American flag above the diplomatic center in Havana in a few hours. The embassy has been closed since 1961. A number of U.S. officials, including John Kerry, will be there for the ceremony.

"The New York Times" Ernesto Londono is joining me to talk about U.S.- Cuba relations.

Thank you for being with us.

Let's start with Castro's defiant birthday message, saying the U.S. owes Cuba millions of dollars and fails to make a mention of the reopening of the U.S. embassy in Havana on Friday and comes after diplomatic relations between the two were restored last month. What are we to make of this? What is in the timing of this letter?

ERNESTO LONDONO, THE NEW YORK TIMES: Well, the timing was striking. The fact he released this statement the day Secretary Kerry is coming to Havana was intended to send a message. I the message he intended to say is look, not everything has changed. There's still big issues that divide us, deep grievances we have that as a nation that should not be forgotten. I think what I read in to that is I think a lot of people in the old guard of the Cuban government system are apprehensive about what this change represents, the risk that the change respects to their ability to remain in control. We have seen Cubans react ecstatically to this new era and this change in policy. I think the Cuban government and in particular some of the older guard folks within the Cuban government are scared about what it means for them.

CHURCH: So on this money issue that Fidel Castro raises -- and it is not the first time, of course -- is he expecting it to be resolved in some way financially or just trying to make a point here? LONDONO: Look, I think the Cuban government for years has been saying

the embargo has cost them an untold number of millions of dollars in damages. On the other hand, U.S. and American businessmen and Cuban Americans have been saying the properties that the government nationalized after Fidel Castro took power cost them a fortune. And they want to see some of that money back. They want to see some land titles back. So this is a two-way dispute. Both sides have been clamoring on this issue for a long time. I think that now we are seeing a change, now we are seeing these countries start to look at each other differently, starting to treat each other differently, you will see posturing on both ends of this argument. I would be surprised if either side gets any real traction. These are old grievances, complicated grievances and my best guess is at the end of the day it will be wash.

CHURCH: Let's take a look at the significance of the upcoming opening of the U.S. embassy in Havana, for the first time, of course, in 54 years. Friday's flag raise will signify the normalizing of ties between the two nations. So what changes are likely to come as a result of this move forward?

LONDONO: I think the most important change is that in this long run it becomes harder each day for the Cuban government to credibly say the United States is an enemy and an enemy that everyone needs to band together to protect themselves from. I think as the U.S. diplomatic mission starts to operate like a normal embassy and they have more regular, routine contact with Cubans of all walks of life, Cuban officials, but also members of civil society, Cuban artists. As we see people manage to approach the U.S. embassy, manage to approach U.S. diplomats without being suspected of being traitors, without being accused of working against the best interest of the state that will be a change. I don't think it will happen overnight but I think the U.S. government is planting the seeds for this to happen in the long run. I think we are already starting to see some interesting steps in that direction.

[01:35:39] CHURCH: All right. We'll be watching carefully.

Ernesto Londono, thank you so much for joining us. Appreciate it.

LONDONO: My pleasure.

CHURCH: In 1916, three U.S. Marines lowered the American flag at the embassy in Cuba. They just didn't realize it would be the last time the ritual would be performed there for more than a half century. Those same Marines are back in Havana and will watch as the Stars and Stripes flies over the embassy once again.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MARINE VETERAN: There are only three Marines if the United States Marine Corps that took the flag down. There are only three Marines that will watch it go back up.

When we stepped out and lowered the flag, we looked at the pole and the people and the pole and they just spread off the sidewalk. They knew we were going to go get the flag and they just got out of our way. All they wanted to do is get in and get a visa. Try to get out of the country.

UNIDENTIFIED MARINE VETERAN: We knew it was closing up but we had no idea to the particulars behind it. As far as I was concerned, it was a sad day putting the flag down for the last time.

I made a lot of friends and a lot of good people that I met there. Just something that you didn't want to happen but it happened.

ANNOUNCER: Castro marks the second anniversary of his revolution with the biggest military parade staged in Cuba. Shortly afterwards, Castro demanded the United States embassy reduce the staff to 11 persons. It was the last straw. Eisenhower broke off diplomatic relations.

UNIDENTIFIED MARINE VETERAN: I didn't think I would be going back down, no. 54 years, a half century you put it behind you. Someone called and said, look we are going back. This one called me up and said we're going to Cuba again. I said no. I didn't think it was going to happen but pinch myself. We are here on our way down.

LYNDON JOHNSON, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: It is my hope and conviction in the not too distant future it will be possible for the historic friendship between us once again to find reflection in normal relations of every sort.

UNIDENTIFIED MARINE VETERAN: We're going to watch the Marine security guard detachment put the flag back up because that's their job now. They will be protecting it like we did in our time.

UNIDENTIFIED MARINE VETERAN: God knows happy thoughts going through my mind. To see Old Glory go back up over Cuba. It will be great.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: I'm sure you will all be watching.

In just about three and a half hours, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is expected to deliver a statement marking the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II. We will bring it to you live of course. There's a lot of speculation about what Mr. Abe will say, especially after he pushed measures through parliament's lower house last month to allow Japan to send its military on overseas missions. According to the "Japan Times," he plans to include the words "apology" and "aggression" in today's speech. Previous Japanese leaders have apologized for Japan's war-time actions. China and South Korea have said the statements did not go far enough.

They have raised money and filed the paperwork. Now an American couple hopes to soon adopt a special-needs child from China named Jiajia. CNN brought you the story several days ago. The boy was abandoned by his parents after a botched surgery left him paralyzed. He's the oldest child at a home for children with disabilities.

And our Will Ripley has more. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's very, very hard to find a family for Jiajia. We waited for nine years. He waited nine years.

WILL RIPLEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A family that promised to adopt him backed out. Many of his friends found homes and moved away. Now finally, an American family is filing paperwork to adopt Jiajia.

(on camera): Dad, mom, three sisters and grandparents. Wow, that's a big family.

RIPLEY: The Wilsons, from Kansas City area, are trying to raise $36,000 in adoption costs.

"If I have parents, he says, I can live. I can have a life."

Jiajia's new life is still likely months away, an eternity for a young boy who's been waiting nine years for a family.

(on camera): It's OK.

RIPLEY (voice-over): Suddenly no more words. Only tears.

(CRYING)

RIPLEY: Pain felt by far too many children abandoned.

(CRYING)

RIPLEY (on camera): It's OK.

(voice-over): Desperate to find parents, to find homes, to be loved.

Will Ripley, CNN, Beijing.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

[01:40:20]CHURCH: Incredible story and what a family. So heart warming to know that he will be joining his new family hopefully soon.

A little while ago, his adoptive father, Brian Wilson, told my colleague, Michael Holmes, why Jiajia is so special to them.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BRIAN WILSON, ADOPTIVE FATHER OF JIAJIA: He really touched a special place in our heart. There's a family and friend of ours that they adopted Jiajia's best friend and that's how we got to know him. As soon as we met him, there was something about him that really touched us. God told us that was our son.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: What about this, the Wilsons have now surpassed their fund- raising goal, thanks to a go fund me page. It raised more than $46,000 in just a few days and they plan to donate any extra funds to other families who wish to adopt. Great story there.

Now to a case that has stunned Paraguay. An 11-year-old girl who allegedly was raped by her step-father has given birth to a baby girl. The infant was born by C-section yesterday. Doctors say mother and child are doing well.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DR. MARIO VILLALBA, PARAGUAYAN RED CROSS DIRECTOR: A baby girl weighing three kilos, 50 grams was born without any complications or external anomalies.

VERA SALARNO, ATTENDING PSYCHOLOGIST: She's is a strong person. Emotionally she is doing well and seems to understand everything that is happening.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: The step-father is now in jail. He is charged with rape and abuse of a child. He insists he is innocent. The girl's mother faces charges of child neglect.

Forecasters say this year's El Nino could be a record breaker. Coming up, a detailed look at the system that could impact weather around the world. Back in a moment.

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[01:45:17] CHURCH: Welcome back, everyone. In Pakistan, seven militants have been sentenced to death for attacks that killed more than 100 people. Authorities say the militants were involved in a horrific massacre at an army-run school last December. That Taliban assault killed is 145 people, most of them school children. After the attack, Pakistan lifted a seven-year moratorium on executions.

A new report predicts the months ahead may bring the worst El Nino on record.

For more on what to expect, here's our meteorologist, Derek Van Dam.

Derek, what are the worst areas across the globe it will likely effect?

DEREK VAN DAM, AMS METEOROLOGIST: It could range from the drought in California to the brushfires in Australia and heavy rain events across South America.

I think it is important, Rosemary, that we start with what is El Nino, first and foremost. It is simply put the warming with of the eastern Pacific waters. The term "El Nino" came from fishermen who were seeking their annual harvest of cold water fish around Christmastime. When their nets weren't filling up with those mackerels they were disappointed and started to name the warming of the ocean water with El Nino. If you directly translate that from Spanish to English, it means the child or Christ child, coinciding with Christmastime.

In normal, conditions, we would have trade winds employee from the eastern Pacific to the Western Pacific. But this has been far from an average season. El Nino allows for the trade winds to relax or ease. What this does is it takes the warm pool of ocean water, which is typically over the Western Pacific and it starts to move it gradually towards the east. It takes the convection or thunderstorms or southwest monsoon that typically impacts Southeast Asia and Indonesia along with it.

We have hard evidence to prove my point here, as well. Take a look at this. Anywhere you see the shading of red, off of South America and North America, that is above normal sea surface temperatures. That's what we have been experiencing over the past several months. We have studied this phenomenon for several years. In fact, records date back to 1950. Compare this to the last strong El Nino event, which, if you recall, was back in 1997 to 1998. That's when we had roughly 43 billion U.S. dollars attributed to this strong El Nino, over 2300 fatalities, unfortunately. That's went we set record water temperatures of 2.3 degrees Celsius above where we should be and projections actually expect water temperatures to warm further than that this particular year. We have a long way to go. This will have major impacts on drought in California but look at that, rosemary, 71 inches to make up for that big deficit.

CHURCH: Unbelievable. We will keep an eye on that. Many thanks.

All right. Let's look at this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, my god. He's going to hit the boat.

It's like he wants the bag.

Oh, almost.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: Wow. You are looking at incredible video of two teenagers assisting a whale in Sydney Harbor, Australia. The gentle giant swam next to their fishing boat, entangled in a fishing line and trash. And it seems, in its own way, the whale asked the teens for help to get out of the sticky situation. The teens removed the debris and the whale slapped its fin in apparent gratitude. How about that?

The movers have been sent to Sesame Street. The legendary children's show and residents find a new home. Their new address just ahead.

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[01:53:03] CHURCH: Can you tell me how to get to Sesame Street? Tune in to HBO. The beloved children's show is moving to the U.S. cable network this fall under a five-year deal. The nonprofit group that makes the show has been losing money lately but the move to paid TV will get it more cash. His face is already everywhere. And now we are seeing more people

impersonate the most outspoken candidate for U.S. president. Jimmy Fallon, Rosie O'Donnell and even a baby in his highchair are getting in on the action.

Jeanne Moos reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DONALD DUCK: DONALD.

JEANNE MOOS, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Everybody's doing Donald.

DONALD DUCK: Oh, shut up.

MOOS: Not that Donald, the Donald.

JIMMY FALLON, HOST, THE TONIGHT SHOW: It was fantastic. The ratings were huge.

MOOS: We're not just talking professional comedians like Kyle Dunnigan.

KYLE DUNNIGAN, COMEDIAN: Gandhi.

Loser.

Mother Theresa.

Idiot.

Jesus.

Hippie loser.

MOOS: Comedians can't resist doing Trump.

UNIDENTIFIED COMEDIAN: Rosie's a loser. She's been a loser for a long time.

MOOS: Even presidential candidate, Rand Paul, made a lame effort at imitation.

SEN. RAND PAUL, (R), KENTUCKY & PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I'm rich.

(LAUGHTER)

MOOS: While actor, Bryan Cranston, barely bothered with the voice.

BRYAN CRANSTON, ACTOR: I actually like his candor. You are an idiot. I'm a winner, you are a loser.

MOOS (on camera): One of the most memorable impressions helped to fuel the Rosie O'Donnell feud.

ROSIE O'DONNELL, ACTRESS: There he is.

(LAUGHTER)

MOOS (voice-over): Impersonators have posted how-to videos.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Always see those bottom front teeth. He's always --

MOOS: Some limit themselves to the Donald's face.

(APPLAUSE)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Next, make your Donald Trump face.

MOOS (on camera): Donald doesn't seem to mind being imitated. He mentioned a couple of impersonators he finds funny.

(voice-over): For instance, Darryl Hammond --

DARRYL HAMMOND, COMEDIAN: I'll tell you who will be a loser on any team, that Sasquatch, Rosie O'Donnell.

(LAUGHTER)

MOOS: Trump also likes Frank Caliando (ph)

FRANK CALIDANO (ph), COMEDIAN: I'm so excited I think my hair just moved, really.

MOOS: Conan chose impersonator John D. DaMinico (ph) to do the voiceover on a bit featuring the Donald Trump ovulation kit.

JOHN D. DAMINICO (ph): If you are not ovulating, you are a loser. Your eggs are losers.

(LAUGHTER)

MOOS: But this baby is a winner.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Show us.

MOOS: After egged on to give Donald Trump lip.

Jeanne Moos, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

[01:55:41] CHURCH: Get used to it. He's not going anywhere just yet.

Well, in New Zealand, they have teamed up with the national rugby team for the latest safety video.

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(SINGING) (END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: That will get people watching, right? The spoof of the '90s movie "Men in Black," features player and coaches from the team and a cameo from the World Cup-winning Captain Marty Johnson.

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

Another two hours of CNN Newsroom starts now with my colleague, Natalie Allen. You are watching CNN.

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