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CNN NEWSROOM

The Pope in NYC; U.S. Top Republican Resigns; FIFA President Investigated; World Football Leadership and Its State of Play; Hundreds Killed in Hajj Stampede; Volkswagen Names New CEO; Catalans Go to Polls; The Little Girl in Red; Typhoon Dujuan Builds Strength; Former President Clinton on the 2016 Republican Race; Sir Elton and President Putin; The Pope's Fiat. Aired 5-6a ET

Aired September 26, 2015 - 05:00   ET

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


[05:00:00]

GEORGE HOWELL, CNN ANCHOR (voice-over): Next stop, Philadelphia. Pope Francis heads to the City of Brotherly Love after a wildly successful visit to New York.

Sepp Blatter under scrutiny. The FIFA president now the focus of a Swiss criminal investigation. We'll have that story.

And a critical moment in Spain. Why today's vote in Catalonia could reignite the region's push for independence.

From CNN World Headquarters here in Atlanta, I'm George Howell. This is CNN NEWSROOM.

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HOWELL: A good day to you and welcome to our viewers here in the United States and around the world.

Our top story this hour, Pope Francis in the United States, he is wrapping up his 36-hour visit to New York.

And next, he heads to Philadelphia for the world's largest Catholic gathering of families. Some 40,000 people from around the world are set to attend that event called the World Meeting of Families. The Vatican is calling it the main event of the pope's week in the United States.

Back in New York, the pope has been promoting peace, urging people to put an end to widespread poverty and to stop environmental destruction around the world. CNN's Alexandra Field looks back at some of the people and the places that he's impacted during what has been a historic visit to America's largest city.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ALEXANDRA FIELD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Thousands of people all across the streets of New York lining up, waiting to see a glimpse of Pope Francis as he made his way through the city, starting at the United Nations, from there paying a visit to Ground Zero. After that, a school in Harlem, then a procession through Central Park

before finally arriving at Madison Square Garden.

People lined up for hours along 7th Avenue, trying to get a glimpse of Pope Francis as he rode through in his Fiat, the window down, waving to the faithful who had gathered here to see him.

He went into Madison Square Garden to lead a mass before more than 20,000 people, many of whom waited hours to go through security and get inside to finally hear Pope Francis deliver his mass. And it was well worth it to them. Certainly, a moment that you will remember for your entire life.

So they lined up out here for hours, people who came from across the country, really around the world. And what was so striking to me was how quiet this crowd was, how patient they were, how ready they were to just catch this very brief moment. And they took it in.

And then what we saw both times, when Pope Francis went into Madison Square Garden and, again, when he left, was just this sort of ecstatic eruption of joy. People just gleeful, cheering, shouting, yelling, just truly delighted.

An extraordinary experience to be a part of it and to see the delight on people's faces. Obviously, for Catholics, this is such an incredible moment, such a significant and powerful moment to see the Holy Father perhaps in your very own hometown.

But for so many New Yorkers just the experience of being here, in his presence, deeply extraordinary. From here, he goes on to the papal residence and then it's off to Philadelphia -- in New York, Alexandra Field, CNN.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HOWELL: Later this hour on CNN NEWSROOM, we will introduce you to a family who had an amazing encounter with Pope John Paul II just nearly 40 years ago. Join us as they recount their heartwarming story through CNN's Jean Casarez.

In U.S. politics, the top Republican is resigning. House Speaker John Boehner made the surprise announcement Friday in Washington. He says that he will step down next month. Boehner says it was his encounter with Pope Francis on Thursday that helped him to decide that it was time to go.

You see him here getting choked up during the pope's visit to Washington. CNN's Dana Bash says the race is on now for Boehner's successor.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DANA BASH, SR. U.S. CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: It looks as though the man who is now his number two, in the House Republican leadership, Kevin McCarthy, who is relatively new to Congress, given how far he has come. He was elected in 2006. He hasn't officially put his hat in the ring. But it looks like he is going to.

And, you know, at this point, there doesn't seem to be anybody who looks like they can beat him.

I still think that the conservative movement, those out there, the people who are fueling the anti-Washington, anti-politician fervor in the presidential race and, of course, in Congress as well, I don't know that they're going to be so thrilled with Kevin McCarthy, because he has been part of the Boehner leadership team. And he would just move up.

So I'm not sure how much --

[05:05:00]

BASH: -- things will change if, in fact, he gets that. The question might be the leadership roles down the line, if those will be filled by somebody that those conservatives feel more comfortable with.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HOWELL: Boehner has served in Congress since 1990. He became Speaker of the House in 2011.

The United States and China are pledging positive relations moving forward. U.S. President Barack Obama hosted Xi Jinping at the White House. And while they made strong strides on some issues, the leaders still have some differences.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Even as our nations cooperate, I believe -- and I know you agree -- that we must address our differences candidly. The United States will always speak out on behalf of fundamental truths.

We believe that nations are more successful and the world makes more progress when our companies compete on a level playing field, when disputes are resolved peacefully and when the universal human rights of all people are upheld.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOWELL: Mr. Xi said he was willing to have a human rights dialogue with the U.S., but pointed out that things are seen differently in China. Meanwhile, they did reach a, quote, "common understanding" on curbing economic cyber espionage.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

XI JINPING, PRESIDENT OF CHINA (through translator): China and the United States are two major cyber countries. And we should strengthen dialogue and cooperation. Confrontation and friction are not the right choice for this time.

During my visit, competent authorities of both countries have reached important consensus on joint fight against cyber crimes. Both sides agreed to stomp out crime basis investigation assistance and information sharing.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOWELL: Mr. Xi is headed to New York City on Saturday, where he is set to speak with the United Nations General Assembly on Monday.

There is a new twist in the corruption scandal looming over world football's governing body. FIFA's president is now facing a criminal investigation in Switzerland. Prosecutors there opened a case Friday against Sepp Blatter. The Swiss attorney general says authorities questioned Blatter, searched his office in Zurich and they also seized data.

For the latest on this investigation, let's turn to our own Alex Thomas. He joins us now live outside FIFA House in Zurich, Switzerland.

Alex, good to have you with us. So we already knew Mr. Blatter was set to step down. It looks now like that may happen sooner than he had planned.

Where does this leave FIFA leadership and the state of world soccer?

ALEX THOMAS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, George. You and I have spoken many times over recent months, ever since the latest and biggest part of this FIFA scandal erupted back in May, when, on the advice of Loretta Lynch's office, the U.S. attorney general and the FBI investigation, Swiss police rounded up a load of FIFA officials at their hotel just days before the FIFA Congress meeting, when football bosses from across the globe reelected Sepp Blatter for a fifth term as president.

But although Blatter's name was often mentioned in chats between you and I and other news shows, he was never directly implicated until now.

You have the head of the world's most popular sport now directly implicated by Switzerland's justice office, by the Swiss attorney general. And, yes, he's due to stand down next February, just four days after being reelected he said he would stand now next February. He wanted do it at a time of his own choosing rather than being forced out.

But the latest charges now make it more likely he will go sooner. Although the one caveat to that, George, is this, and that is because of all the outside criticism of the lack of a modern corporate style governance structure within FIFA, who will oust him?

Who will stand up at FIFA house a few hundred yards to my left and say Sepp, it's time for you to go?

We've expected that to happen for years and it never has. He's been there 40 years. He's always been a bit of a Teflon Don when it comes to avoiding controversy. This is a major blow, though, and the scrutiny is very, very largely on Sepp Blatter again -- George.

HOWELL: And, Alex, this is only talking about the investigation in Switzerland.

There is also an investigation in the United States that is still ongoing, correct?

THOMAS: Yes, and I was here two weeks ago for a joint news conference, an unprecedented one, between U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch and her Swiss counterpart, Michael Lauber, who, by all accounts, surprised Blatter by waiting for him in his office after Friday's executive committee meeting, surrounded by police when they interrogated him, searched his office.

And both Loretta Lynch and Michael Lauber gave an update on their investigations, even though it's -- that's not strictly protocol. Until they've gotten in concrete, there's all sorts of legal boundaries to revealing to the media what they're trying to investigate. And they don't want to give anything away. They don't want to tip people off what they might be looking into.

But such is the worldwide --

[05:10:00]

THOMAS: -- public interest in this story that the net is certainly closing in. I think both Loretta Lynch and Michael Lauber would like to be known as the person that got to Blatter, if you like, but they want do it the proper way.

There is cooperation between the teams, although it is limited. And certainly now, as we know, Sepp Blatter publicly is under investigation by the Swiss authorities.

HOWELL: Alex Thomas live for us in front of FIFA House, Alex, thank you so much for your reporting and we'll stay in touch as these two investigations continue.

Keir Radnedge, the executive editor at "World Soccer" magazine, explains what this could all mean for Blatter's legacy. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KEIR RADNEDGE, EXECUTIVE EDITOR, "WORLD SOCCER": This is absolutely the most crucial moment of his presidency. Sepp Blatter has been in FIFA for 40 years, as a paid official and as president since 1998. But he has never been under fire in this way like this before.

I mean, it's been put to him many times in the past, that the official at the top should take responsibility for what happens on his watch. He's always refuted that but now what's happening on his watch actually affects him directly.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOWELL: Blatter joins a number of senior and former FIFA officials who are under investigation in the United States and Switzerland.

There is an investigation ongoing in Saudi Arabia and authorities now are suggesting Muslim pilgrims who ignored security guidelines may be to blame for the stampede that killed more than 700 people on Thursday.

Another 900 were injured during the ritual known as the stoning of the devil at the hajj. Iran is calling for international action against Saudi Arabia. Thousands of people marched in Tehran Friday chanting, "Death to the Saudi dynasty."

Iran says more than 130 of its citizens were killed in that stampede. Following it all is our senior international correspondent, Nick Paton Walsh, live in London with the very latest.

Nick, good to have you with us. This is a tragedy, by all accounts, but now we're seeing the finger pointing, we're seeing Saudi Arabia blaming the pilgrims and even a spat now between that country and its regional rival.

What more can you tell us?

NICK PATON WALSH, CNN SR. INTL. CORRESPONDENT: Well, Saudi Arabia and Iran in far more than a spat elsewhere in the Middle East. They are facing off between proxies in the civil war in Yemen, in many ways, too, in Syria and Iraq as well, in fact, some say.

So this, another symptom of that huge split across the Middle East.

But, yes, manifesting itself now and Iranian officials referring to the negligence of Saudi officials, calling this a catastrophe that is quite grave.

Now, Iran, whilst having 131 dead, is also looking now for 365 of its citizens that are missing. They could be part of the 900 who were injured or, more tragically, part of the 717 who lost their lives.

Staggering numbers, George. Worth pausing, really, about an enormous loss of life not really seen since the '90s in a stampede like this at the hajj.

Apparently according to Saudi officials, who are blaming pilgrims who didn't follow what they say is instructions, it seems two flows of pilgrims -- because there are so many people here -- 2 million in this short window to perform the rituals of hajj, two separate flows appear to have converged against each other.

On one road 204, one row 206, some, it seems, moving away from the stoning of the devil ritual occurring on the third of the fifth day of the pilgrimage here and some moving towards that. They may have run across each other. It isn't really clear at this stage quite what caused the stampede.

But in temperatures of 43 degrees centigrade, unbearable heat and sun there, people who simply lost their balance and footing could have been easily crushed under the crowds around them. Saudi officials, after media reports which suggested, in fact, this

blockage may have been caused by a motorcade of a VIP, a Saudi royal VIP, passing through that area have been forced to put out a denial through their Washington embassy, saying, no, there was no Saudi official in the area at that time. No evidence to back it up, but that media report gained so much currency, they were forced to make that statement.

These recriminations continuing and the Saudis and Iranians pointing fingers at each other. In fact, the Iranians even using one of their people they back in Lebanon, Hassan Nasrallah, the head of Hezbollah, who suggested perhaps a Muslim committee, international committee should be charged looking after the hajj pilgrimage. In fact, also Saudi Arabia, as the royal family there, the custodian of the two holy sites there in Saudi Arabia, having that task at the moment.

Unlikely to change, but still this shocking loss of life causing at this stage now the fingers to be pointed.

HOWELL: Fingers being pointed, yes, Nick.

But let's talk about safety in general. You remember, just before this, there was that deadly crane collapse and there is work and expansion being done in that area, as authorities are trying to make --

[05:15:00]

HOWELL: -- this area, where millions of people, converge safer.

But what are we hearing at this point about what authorities are doing to prevent another tragedy like this from happening?

WALSH: The Saudis are still trying to work out and provide a full explanation as to how this one occurred. So until we have that forensic breakdown as to why these two crowds came to converge and run into each other -- and there are differing versions at this stage -- it will be hard to work out how they can legislate to prevent that happening in the future.

But in more general terms, the Saudis have -- the crane you referenced there -- have gone into a lengthy construction process here to try and expand that site, to be able to take the 2 million people that now try and go annually.

That crane fell because it was part of reconstruction to facilitate more people having access. And, of course, when you have such huge numbers of people, all flowing in extraordinary heat towards each other, not always getting the instructions they necessarily need or understanding where they should be moving, the capacity for stampedes, for crush, is always there.

Of course now there will be great scrutiny on Saudi officials to ensure these things do not happen. You know, 2006 was the last time such a tragic event occurred, but now this year, with the 100 who lost their lives at the crane collapse and now the 717 crushed to death in this stampede, George, that is just a staggering number to pause and think on. There will be great scrutiny as to what preparations to be done for next year's Hajj -- George.

HOWELL: It is a staggering number indeed. Our Nick Paton Walsh live for us in London this hour.

Nick, thank you so much for your reporting.

You're watching CNN NEWSROOM. Still to come this hour, Volkswagen has a new CEO at the reins with a very public crisis to overcome. We'll have that story.

Plus a vote that could have the power to change the European Union, Catalonia's big decision and what it may mean to Spain's fragile recovery.

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HOWELL: Hyundai is recalling nearly half a million cars because of concerns over engine failure. The U.S. Safety Group says the recall involves every 2011 and 2012 Sonata model manufactured at a plant in the state of Alabama.

Officials estimate that only about 2 percent of the cars may actually have this defect, though. So far there have been no reports of injuries.

Meanwhile, there is a new CEO at the helm of Volkswagen after the company was --

[05:20:00]

HOWELL: -- accused of rigging emissions tests. Matthias Muller knows the company well as the former head of Volkswagen's Porsche division, but he has a very tough job ahead. CNN's Sherisse Pham has this story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Welcome aboard your own private Jetta.

Ladies and gentlemen, the captain has turned on the turbo charger.

SHERISSE PHAM, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over) Volkswagen now appointing a new captain to pilot through a turbo charged crisis.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): I'm sure that we will manage this crisis.

PHAM (voice-over): Matthias Muller faces the enormous task of steering Volkswagen through an emissions cheating scandal that has spread from the U.S. to Europe. Muller has spent his entire career in the Volkswagen family. He started as an apprentice toolmaker Audi and rose to become the head of Porsche.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Muller is well respected. He's in very steady hands. He's achieved massive, massive gains at Porsche during his tenure.

PHAM (voice-over): Muller's promotion comes as Germany's ministry of transport confirmed that Volkswagen manipulated emissions on 2.8 million diesel vehicles in Germany. He called the manipulation "forbidden and illegal."

Just days ago, VW CEO Martin Winterkorn resigned over the crisis. Several people have been suspended and more heads are expected to roll. Now Volkswagen may change its CEO, it can ax executives, but here's the big challenge ahead: it still needs to win back customers' trust.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A lot of those owners now are worrying at the moment. They're thinking, can I sell my car? Personally would I buy one at the moment? Absolutely no.

PHAM (voice-over): Volkswagen drivers are furious. More than 30 lawsuits have already been filed in the U.S. People owning diesel vehicles are claiming their cars are now worth less because of the scandal.

Dealers could also sue for compensation. Volkswagen says it's putting aside more than $7 billion to cover the cost of fixing vehicles. The total bill: likely to be even more -- Sherisse Pham, CNN, London.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HOWELL: Spain is ready for Sunday's vote in its industrial heartland and the rest of the E.U. will be watching very closely. Catalans will be going to the polls in a regional election but it could turn out to be a historic statement on independence. CNN's Isa Soares explains.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ISA SOARES, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Scenes of unity and defiance in the streets of Barcelona early this month, as thousands formed a human mosaic, pointing towards the new country they aspire to build.

The independence fervor is expected to peak as Catalans go to the polls in a regional election that is being framed as a proxy vote on independence. It's a coalition of pro-independence parties; even without a majority vote, with at least 68 seats in their 135-member Catalan parliament, they hope to translate that win into forming an independent state within 18 months.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): We have done everything in our hands, everything we could to change the status quo and to lead Catalonia to real change.

SOARES (voice-over): Spain's central government has not authorized a vote on the grounds it is unconstitutional. And the E.U., keen to avoid another political crisis, has stressed that membership of that bloc would not be automatic.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The newly independent co-region should or would, by fact of its independence, become a third country with respect to the union and may apply to become a member of the union.

SOARES (voice-over): Some argue that what Catalonia is doing is potentially derailing Spain's tentative recovery and that would be most damaging to the country as well as the region.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The country would probably be taken out of the European Union, also the euro area. And the banks will lose access to the euro system. So that would create problems, financial stability problems. So I think both Spain and Catalonia have a lot at stake.

SOARES: And here's why: with over 7.5 million people, Catalonia has traditionally been the industrial heartland of Spain. It accounts for almost 20 percent, and that is of the entire country's economic output. It is home to companies that you and I know very well -- Fiat, Nissan, Nestle as well as the airline Vueling.

And if viewed alone, Catalonia's GDP is roughly on par with that of Portugal.

SOARES (voice-over): It's such a critical part of the country's economy that already the governor of the Bank of Spain is warning banking restrictions like the ones in Greece could be imposed, economic threats designed to change direction of the vote -- Isa Soares, CNN, London.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HOWELL: Alex White, who is the regional director for Europe at the Economist Intelligence Unit, discussed the implications for the E.U.'s economy if Catalonia breaks away. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ALEX WHITE, EIU: Previously there had been quite a lot of ambiguity --

[05:25:00]

WHITE: -- as to whether a new state that is becoming independent from a European Union member would have some of the rights of membership. So there was a lot of ambiguity when we had the debate in the U.K., about the role of Scotland if Scotland were to become independent.

What we've seen clearly over the past 18 months, two years or so, is Europe taking a much firmer position, standing behind its member states and saying any region of a member state that becomes independent would now need to apply again for E.U. membership -- in Catalonia's case, for euro membership -- and as your report mentioned, we have the governor of the Bank of Spain out recently saying, look, this is not just about E.U. membership, this is also about financial stability. The ECB won't be able to stand behind will the Catalan banking system

if Catalonia becomes I said independent and is out sight of the euro. So the transition costs for the Catalan economy, if it were to become independent, would be very considerable.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HOWELL: That was Alex White there from the Economist Intelligence Unit, talking to CNN.

You're watching CNN NEWSROOM. Still ahead, we catch up with a family who had an unforgettable meeting with Pope John Paul II nearly 40 years ago.

Plus a powerful typhoon is headed straight for Taiwan. We'll get the latest forecast from meteorologist Derek Van Dam as this broadcast continues around the world this hour on CNN International and CNN USA.

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HOWELL: A warm welcome back to our viewers here in the United States and around the world. You're watching CNN NEWSROOM. Good to have you with us. I'm George Howell. The headlines we're following this hour.

[05:30:00]

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HOWELL (voice-over): FIFA's president Sepp Blatter is now the focus of a criminal investigation in Switzerland. This is the latest twist in the corruption scandal plaguing football's world governing body. The Swiss attorney general says Blatter's office in Zurich has been searched and data has been seized.

Muslim pilgrims are converging on Mina, Saudi Arabia, for the hajj ritual known as the stoning of the devil. It was near this site on Wednesday that more than 700 people were killed in a massive stampede. The Saudi government suggested pilgrims who ignored security guidelines are to blame.

Pope Francis heads to Philadelphia in the coming hours for his final leg of a six-day visit to the United States. He plans to celebrate mass there and to visit Independence Hall while he's in the town that is nicknamed the City of Brotherly Love.

On Friday, the pope's busy schedule included a speech at the United Nations General Assembly and a visit to the 9/11 Memorial and Museum in New York City.

Then in East Harlem, it was all about joy.

What a wonderful welcome there. The youngsters at Our Lady Queen of Angels School did themselves very proud. They welcomed the pope like a rock star.

And as you can see here, Pope Francis was having a great time.

The executive director of Catholic Charities called it the pope's most important stop. And this was just a taste of the warm welcome to come.

A short time later in New York's Central Park, ahead of that, the pope met with about 2 dozen students from four Catholic elementary schools. And they were delighted to sing with him.

Those students and so many others in New York have had a chance to meet Pope Francis, including the thousands of faithful at Madison Square Garden, where the pope celebrated mass on Friday.

That encounter brings to mind yet another meeting from nearly 40 years ago. In 1979, a little girl, also at Madison Square Garden, got up close to then-Pope John Paul II.

CNN's Jean Casarez spoke with her and her family about that monumental day decades ago.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEAN CASAREZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The little girl in red: in 1979, she captured the heart of the country and Pope John Paul II during his visit to New York City's Madison Square Garden for the youth rally. And from that moment on, the life of the 6-year-old Geralyn Smith was changed forever.

It was a difficult time for the family. The children's father, a member of the elite division of the NYPD that guarded the likes of heads of state and New York's Cardinal Cook, had suddenly died the previous year.

NORA SMITH, MOTHER: It was the night before I got a call from a member of the police department that they had secured four tickets.

CASAREZ (voice-over): That day Geralyn just happened to wear red and white, the colors of Poland, the pope's native country.

Geralyn's sister, 16 at that time, remembers the energy when they got to Madison Square Garden.

NOREEN CUMMINGS, SISTER: Electrifying, inspirational, everything about it. They had to try and calm, you know, the crowd down so he could even speak. That's how people were chanting. "John Paul, John Paul, John Paul."

CASAREZ (voice-over): The family had had seats close to the front. All of a sudden, a man came up to Geralyn's mother.

SMITH: He asked if she would go down to the railing with him. And I was about to say, I'm sorry, when she had his hand. And she went off.

CASAREZ (voice-over): Now the little girl was very close to Pope John Paul who was entering the garden in his Popemobile.

GERALYN SMITH, MET POPE JOHN PAUL II: I did see him wave. I had no idea it was towards me. The guard that asked me to come down and stand with him was lifting me over the railing. He lifted me up on top of the Popemobile and he had a hold of my lower legs and I was kind of rocking to the music with him.

There was a light around him. I couldn't take my eyes off of him. His smile was amazing and his eyes were the most beautiful thing I had ever seen.

CASAREZ (voice-over): Geralyn was taken back to her family as the mass began.

N. SMITH: She was like mesmerized. And then when the rally was over, a number of people came over. They just wanted to touch her.

CASAREZ (voice-over): Geralyn's interaction with the pope strengthened the family whose faith had been shaken after their father's death.

G. SMITH: I think we all believed that he was there that day and then in some way he was always going to be with us. And this moment kind of solidified that for us.

And it helped us to bond as a family, even without him. And, for me, personally, this gave me some confidence back that I'm not sure I would have had if not for this moment.

CASAREZ (voice-over): Geralyn --

[05:35:00]

CASAREZ (voice-over): -- received a rosary from the Vatican after that day as well as letters from people around the world.

Seventeen years later in 1995, Pope John Paul II came back to New York City. The little girl in red, now all grown up, saw him again.

G. SMITH: I guess I learned to appreciate it, you know more. It really did affect my life.

CASAREZ (voice-over): And in the decades that followed, people continue to remember the little girl in red -- Jean Casarez, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HOWELL: What a great story.

Make sure to stay with CNN for the latest on the pope's visit to Philadelphia later today. Our coverage continues. It starts in just over an hour from now, 7:00 pm in Hong Kong, right here on CNN.

The Dalai Lama is canceling his U.S. appearances next month on his doctor's advice. The Tibetan spiritual leader is now in the U.S. for a routine checkup. His office didn't elaborate on why the doctors ordered rest. The cancellations are likely welcome news, though, for China, which has long objected to U.S. officials meeting with the Dalai Lama.

Switching now to weather, there is a powerful typhoon lining up to hit Taiwan and other islands. Our meteorologist Derek Van Dam tracking it all -- Derek.

DEREK VAN DAM, AMS METEOROLOGIST: It was only a little over a month ago that Typhoon Soudelor made its way across Taipei and Northern Taiwan and here we are in the same situation again, another strengthening typhoon developing over the Western Pacific with its eyes set once again on Taiwan and Southeastern China.

George and everybody at home, we'll take a look at exactly where the storm is located. But first, I want to given you a close-up perspective of the storm, that's called a visible satellite loop and you can see a very well-defined eye, very coincentric eyewall, that's a good indicator to meteorologists that the storm continues to strengthen, it's continuing to deepen.

And it has done so very rapidly over the past 24 to 48 hours, in fact. And it is moving in a general northwesterly direction. In fact, here's the latest from the Joint Typhoon Warning Center, 165 kilometer per hour sustained winds, that is right around the center of the storm, right near the eyewall. Higher wind gusts perhaps over 200 kilometers per hour.

And it is traveling towards the Southern Ryukyu Islands just south of Okinawa and the Kadena Air Force Base and it is making a beeline right towards Northern Taiwan and it has the potential to bring destructive winds to Taipei and the possibility of very large seas, especially across the Taiwan Straits. That's that stretch of water between Southeast China and the western coastal regions of Taiwan, about a 180-kilometer gap there, it's a very popular shipping lane.

So that will cause concerns going forward as well. Here is the projected path. Over the next 24 hours, it is expected to continue to strengthen, although the Joint Typhoon Warning Center has dialed down its strengthening by about 10 kilometers per hour.

But still, this is a formidable storm, something we need to pay very close attention to for the Southern Ryukyu Islands. And then by Monday evening local time in northern Taiwan, we look out for storm surge threats increasing across the eastern facing shore lines of Taiwan and as it crosses the Taiwan Straits, that wraparound effect bringing in moisture and heavy rainfall to the Greater Taipei region, perhaps allowing for landslides and mudslides being a possibility as well.

Here is the current wind gusts. You can see the darker shades of purple and pink right near the center of the storm. Again, that is intensifying and that indicates wind gusts again over 100 kilometers per hour already.

Our computer models depicting this system very, very well. It's clearly going to impact the Southern Ryukyu Islands and again Taipei is next. Here is a look at the population density. Easily exceeding 1,500 people per square kilometer over Northern Taiwan and into Fuzhou and the Wenzhou region across Southeast China.

By the way, that's the Fujian province.

I just want to switch gears quickly and show you a picture that the National Weather Service out of Fairbanks, Alaska, has tweeted to the world.

Yes, that is some record-setting snowfall, over 6.5 inches of snow. They beat the record from 1996 of just under 1 inch. So a sign of things to come. I know it's Alaska, but it just seems a little bit too early to have the snow pictures -- George.

HOWELL: Alaska. Wow. That's a lot of snow. I just got back from Chicago; they had a lot of snow, too.

VAN DAM: Last year.

HOWELL: Last year.

VAN DAM: But it's coming.

HOWELL: It's coming.

Derek, thank you so much.

VAN DAM: All right.

HOWELL: You're watching CNN NEWSROOM. And still to come this hour, Bill Clinton sits down with Fareed Zakaria. We hear what he has to say about Donald Trump and his wife's run for president.

Plus Elton John has a chat with Vladimir Putin, this time the real Putin, not the pranksters who spoke to John before. Up next, what came out of their conversation.

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HOWELL: You've heard that line, "Blame the media." U.S. presidential candidate Ben Carson is doing just that for mischaracterizing his recent comments on Muslims.

He told news outlets to, quote, "mature" and that he believes anyone can apply for the job. Earlier in the week, he told MSNBC he wouldn't support a Muslim running for president. Carson now says he'd support a Muslim for president but only if they renounced sharia law.

Newly discovered e-mails are raising questions about exactly what Hillary Clinton considered to be personal. The exchanges are from 2009 between Ms. Clinton and then-commander of U.S. CENTCOM, General David Petraeus. State Department officials called the e-mails, quote, "getting acquainted."

They say that the exchanges do not appear to include classified information. Clinton claims that she has turned over all work-related e-mails and her personal server over to investigators.

Clinton's husband is defending her in a new interview with CNN's Fareed Zakaria. Former U.S. President Bill Clinton says critics have made more out of the e-mail issue than there really is. He also talked about the Republican frontrunner, Donald Trump. Listen.

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FAREED ZAKARIA, CNN HOST: Again, as a great student of American politics, what explains Donald Trump?

BILL CLINTON, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Well, first of all, he's a master brander. And when you have a lot of people running and people are trying to make distinctions, being able to put a personal stamp on it so people identify with who you are, accounts for something --

[05:45:00]

CLINTON: -- certainly in the beginning. So I think that.

Then he said to the working class supporters of the Republican Party, that have largely shifted over for cultural reasons, I'll give you economic reason to vote for me. I'll build a wall around the southern border of America and I'll stop buying Chinese imports so your incomes will go up.

Now that all will have to be fleshed out in the course of time. And I'm sure the other future debates will do it.

But he's got a lot of pizzazz and zip. He's branded himself in a clear way and he's generated some excitement. And it remains to be seen what's going to happen. It's an unusual election.

You know, there's -- there doesn't seem to be much interest yet on their side. I think there is on our side, because both Hillary and Senator Sanders have laid out pretty detailed, positive policy positions, talked about what they would cost and, you know, you can actually have a debate there, where you could discuss the relative merits of their positions on health care or generating jobs or lifting incomes or whatever.

But over there, it seems to be more about resentments and one-liners. I don't know. It's interesting.

ZAKARIA: But could Trump be the nominee?

CLINTON: I think so.

ZAKARIA: Wow.

CLINTON: I mean, how do I know?

I don't understand -- I don't understand any of it very well.

And look, I've been out of politics a long time. I haven't run for office in 20 years. And, also, I'm not mad at anybody. I mean, you know, I'm a grandfather. I love my foundation. I'm proud of Hillary. I'll do what I can to help her.

But I'm not the best pundit anymore. I don't have a good feel for this. All I know is what I think is good for the country. And I think the country needs somebody who can give us broadly shared prosperity, help families and kids, try to reduce the impact of all this huge anonymous money in our political system and, in a world full of challenges, keep big, bad things from happening and make as many good things happen as possible.

That's how I would define the job of the next president. That's what I think. And so I think Hillary would be a great president.

But I have -- I have no confidence in my political field anymore. I've just been out of it a long time. And I'm not -- I'm not mad at anybody. So I'm just happy to be here.

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HOWELL: That was former U.S. President Bill Clinton, speaking with CNN's Fareed Zakaria. And you can see the full interview Sunday night at 8:00 in London, 9:00 in Berlin and 11:00 in Abu Dhabi, right here on CNN.

Sir Elton John and Russian President Putin have plans to meet to discuss gay rights in Russia. This comes after a prankster called the singer pretending to be Mr. Putin. Senior international correspondent Matthew Chance has more.

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MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, I think it's a pretty smart PR move from the Kremlin, Vladimir Putin, the Russian president, the real one this time, actually calling Elton John and agreeing to meet him in person.

Remember, last week, a couple of Russian pranksters pretending to be Putin spoke with the British rock star after he'd offered to meet Putin to discuss gay rights in Russia. The telephone conversation was, of course, recorded and it showed that Elton truly believed he had the Russian president on the other end of the line.

Take a listen.

ELTON JOHN, PERFORMER AND PHILANTHROPIST: Look, tell him I'm extremely honored to be on this, that he's calling me and that I'm speaking to him. It's a great privilege to be able to speak to one of the most influential people in the whole world. It's amazing.

CHANCE: OK, this time the Kremlin said it took a bit of convincing to get Elton John to take the call, who was perhaps understandably suspicious. I know that you are -- have been played by pranksters, President Putin told the singer, according to the Kremlin, but they intended no harm.

But that, of course, doesn't excuse them, he said. Well, of course, gay rights are a very serious issue in Russia, where laws have been introduced to restrict public discussion of homosexuality. And activists say they face discrimination.

Elton John, for his part, brushed off the prank call, saying that his offer to talk with President Putin still stands and he seems now to be a small step closer to that actually happening -- Matthew Chance, CNN, Moscow.

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HOWELL: You're watching CNN NEWSROOM. When we come back, the little car carrying a passenger of great stature. We look at the regular ride for a pope who acts like a regular guy.

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HOWELL: He's got a reputation for avoiding life's luxuries. One example of the pope's humility is that image of seeing him riding around the United States in a Fiat. And everyone seems to love it. CNN's Jeanne Moos has the story.

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JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): That's not just any arm hanging out of that little car, that's the arm of the pope.

What would Jesus drive?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I love the Fiat.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Driving in that Fiat.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The little Fiat.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Do you own stock in Fiat?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If not, buy it.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And more about that Fiat.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No fancy limousine, that is a Fiat. MOOS (voice-over): Everywhere it went, the little car got a big welcome dwarfed, sandwiched between giant SUVs...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: For this town, that is a very humble car.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Excuse me, Your Holiness, your Uber X is here.

MOOS (voice-over): The first thing Pope Francis did after he got in at the airport was roll down the window.

It's not every day the president awaits and the White House honor guard opens a car this size.

One fan put the pope's arrival to rapper Wiz Khalifa.

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MOOS (voice-over): The Fiat was contrasted --

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MOOS (voice-over): -- with President Obama's bombproof monster known as The Beast.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Fiat starts about $20,000; The Beast, $1.5 million.

MOOS (voice-over): Of course, Pope Francis didn't forsake the Popemobile, a modified Jeep Wrangler, made by the same Italian American auto maker, Fiat Chrysler.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: These nuns are just going crazy.

MOOS (voice-over): But this guy wasn't.

Are you seriously preempting "Price Is Right" for the Popemobile?

Francis refuses to be encased by bulletproof glass. When police tried to shoo away a child, the pope gestured her over for a kiss. The earliest popes were carried on thrones. Then there were carriages followed by lots of Mercedes. And then Popemobiles of various makes.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Papa Francisco! Papa Francisco!

MOOS (voice-over): Now that improbable Fiat, the carmaker tweeted, "His Holiness knows how to make an entrance.

Someone else referred to it as heavenly product placement, all that free press.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And then this was pure Francis. That car.

MOOS (voice-over): Can't you just imagine new ads for the Fiat 500L?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Pure Francis.

MOOS (voice-over): Who knew a hatchback would hatch a pope? Jeanne Moos, CNN, New York.

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HOWELL: And some fans of the pope are having a little fun with his visit by dressing their pets in his honor.

Look at that. Like this. Owners are using the #popedog on Instagram. Doesn't look like a rough assignment there.

Yes, I said the word rough. It was a joke. Not funny, though, I guess. Thank your for joining us at the CNN Center in Atlanta.

For viewers in the United States, "NEW DAY" is just ahead and, for other viewers around the world, "AMANPOUR" starts in just a moment. You're watching CNN, the world's news leader.