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U.S. Remains Skeptical Of Russian Syria Plan; Rafael Nadal Wins U.S. Open; Dennis Rodman Returns from North Korea; Leading Women: Melinda Gates; Apple to Unveil iPhone 5c, 5s; New Delhi Gang Rapists Convicted

Aired September 10, 2013 - 08:00   ET

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


KRISTIE LU STOUT, HOST: I'm Kristie Lu Stout in Hong Kong. And welcome to News Stream where news and technology meet.

Now the U.S. president is considering a Russian proposal to avoid a military strike by putting Syria's chemical weapons under international control.

A guilty verdict for four men charged in the rape and murder of a woman on a bus in India.

And is this the low cost iPhone? We'll preview Apple's announcement.

And we begin with a whirlwind of diplomatic activity surrounding Syria and its chemical weapons. And what started as a seemingly off-the-cuff remark by America's top diplomat has gained momentum in the international community.

Now less than 27 hours ago, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry suggested that Syria could avoid a military strike if it turned over all of its chemical weapons. Now the State Department quickly said that Secretary Kerry was speaking rhetorically.

But soon after, Russia proposed exactly that. Now Moscow says it is currently working with the Syrian government on a plan to put its weapons under lock and key. China is now voicing its support. Iran as well. Even the Arab League is reportedly backing the Russian plan.

Now France says it will submit a resolution to the UN security council later on Tuesday. And among other things, it will call for Syria to disclose its chemical weapons and place them under international control.

Now let's get more now from Russia. CNN's Phil Black is standing by in Moscow.

And Phil, this news just crossed. It seems that Russia was able to persuade Syria and the Assad regime to accept its plan.

PHIL BLACK, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, the Syrian foreign minister is using slightly different language to what he was using yesterday, Kristie. Only slightly today he's saying that Syria has agreed to this plan, yesterday they said they welcomed the plan. They basically signed on, really, not long after it was endorsed and suggested very strongly by the Russian government here.

So this idea, which seems to have been born from these off-the-cuff comments by Secretary Kerry have now been accepted, endorsed by Russia, by Syria. The rest of the world is approaching this now with some cautious optimism, but now make the next big step from being an idea to being a reality. The international community has to decide politically what the ground rules are for deciding how this will work, how it will be enforced and so forth. But in many ways more challenging than that, there has to be a practical plan on the ground for identifying, accounting for and then ultimately securing Syria's highly secretive chemical weapons program in the context of an ongoing civil war.

It is a big job. And it is not going to happen within the next seven days as Secretary Kerry remarked initially yesterday. But Russia says it is now performing the job of coming together with a plan, putting together a credible plan to move forward with Syria. This is what the Russian foreign minister said on this just this morning.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SERGEI LAVROV, RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTER (through translator): ...are currently engaged in the preparation of a workable clear, specific plan for which literally this minute we're in contact with the Syrian side. We expect to present this plan in the near future and are prepared to refine and work it out with the participation of the UN secretary-general, the organization for the prohibition of chemical weapons and with the participation of the members of the security council.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLACK: Now Kristie, the international reaction to this initiative from other countries, including the United States has been to some degree at least potentially positive. But as I say very cautious as well. In almost every case it has been qualified by remarks that suggest this should not be allowed to become a time wasting exercise, some sort of delaying mechanism for simply putting off U.S. and allied military action.

So whatever plan the Russians and the Syrians now come up with, it's going to be strong enough, specific enough, credible enough to deal with that sort of skepticism -- Kristie.

LU STOUT: Now France seems to be putting the Russian plan to the test by putting forward a UN resolution to place Syria's chemical weapons under international control very similar to the Russia plan. So at the UN security council, will Russia give its OK?

BLACK: I think that's the next step. And we don't have a clear indication of that just yet, because the Russians haven't given away any details on just how they're thinking this needs to be played out.

But you're right, the French were already working on a security council resolution, they say. And part of that will include a provision for pretty serious consequences if the Syrians don't live up to their commitments.

Now that raises the question of whether or not this will be an enforceable resolution, something that could have the threat or the possibility of military action hanging over it, something perhaps under chapter 7 of the United Nations security council charter there.

This is something that Russia has always been very much against these sorts of strong, enforceable resolutions, particularly in regards to Syria throughout this crisis.

So I think there remains a very big question mark over just how tough that language will ultimately be in any draft that is put to the security council. And then just how strongly Russia is prepared to support it and really prepared to compromise in pursuing this initiative in order to put off, or perhaps present the possibility of military action in Syria, Kristie.

LU STOUT: All right, Phil Black reporting live for us. Thank you, Phil.

U.S. President Barack Obama is due to make a national address on Syria. He is continuing to lobby congress to authorize a military strike. A senior administration official says that the core case for action remains the same. Still, the Russian proposal appears to be slowing things down. The U.S. Senate has already delayed a test vote. And CNN's Wolf Blitzer asked President Obama about the diplomatic development.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: This latest idea floated by the Secretary of State John Kerry picked up by the Russians, is it possible this could avert a U.S. military strike on Syria?

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES; It is a potentially positive development. I have to say that it's unlikely that we would arrived at that point where there were even public statements like that without a credible military threat to deal with the chemical weapons use inside of Syria.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LU STOUT: Now Mr. Obama also said it's important to be sure that this is not just a stalling tactic.

Now Syria's opposition says al-Assad is just trying to buy time.

Now let's bring in our senior international correspondent Nic Robertson. He joins us live from CNN Beirut. And Nic, Syria we understand has accepted Russia's plan to put chemical weapons under international control. Could you tell us more on that and the opposition's response?

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, and the opposition, of course, the other side fighting the regime at the moment. For the regime, this does come as a welcome way to avoid, at least in the short-term, those U.S. military strikes that were really hanging over their head, had them moving troops out of barracks into schools, moving weapons around.

So clearly the regime was very concerned, but now they've said they've agreed to this Russian plan, this Russian proposal.

But for the rebels, it is much more troubling than that. They really do feel that this is a stalling tactic by the regime. They also say how can the west trust Bashar al-Assad to turn over his stockpiles? The stockpiles are believed to be large, they're believed to be dispersed in many locations around the country. And the rebels questioned whether or not the United States or the UN or whomever was involved in inspecting and collecting those weapons, would ever to the bottom of the stockpile, would ever get them all.

And the rebels also say for that matter the fighting continues. The conventional weapons are still in use. They're killing by conventional shelling rather than chemical weapons. That's going on to this day.

So, really, there is deep concern and skepticism by the rebels who really feel that Bashar al-Assad is trying to dodge the bullet by way of U.S. missiles and play for time and try to take more ground in the country -- Kristie.

LU STOUT: You know, the rebels raise a legitimate point. The practical matter of actually carrying out this Russian proposal. Syrian may have agreed to give up control of its stockpile, but how can that be carried out in the middle of a civil war? What are the steps that need to take place?

ROBERTSON: They're huge. And given where we are right now diplomatically, politically, internationally, given where we've seen the British public by virtue of the MP's in Britain voting down Prime Minister Cameron's resolution to move, or inch towards, not even back that the U.S. strikes and given that the congress in the United States is still sort of wavering on this issue, the political will that would be required for what diplomats have described to me as a massive peacekeeping force that could potentially be required in a situation like this of up to 200,000 boots on the ground, that -- and that force alone would be what -- they say what would be required to stabilize, secure the situation to allow an environment where these chemical weapons experts could get in to the country and begin to -- begin to secure the weapons.

And even that, chemical weapons experts say, is a massive project in itself. The need to secure locations, to incinerate the chemicals, doesn't happen quickly. You need a lot of experts, perhaps tens of thousands dedicated to these multiple sites around the country.

So it is -- it would be in the very least a long process without even the first of the most significant steps really being taken. This is something this in discussion is barely being committed to paper at this time, let alone to find the resources and the international commitment to make it happen from where we stand

The bottom line is, there is no cease-fire, there is no peace in Syria at the moment. How can there been an agreement when the regime is for it and the rebels are against it to get the chemical weapons experts in the country, Kristie?

LU STOUT: All right, Nic Robertson joining us live from Beirut, thank you.

Now you're watching News Stream. And when we come back, four men are found guilty in a crime that prompted protests across India. We'll get the very latest from New Delhi.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LU STOUT: Now the verdict is in. In India, four men have been found guilty in the gang rape and murder of a 23-year-old woman in New Delhi last year. Now she was attacked on a bus in a crime that shocked the entire nation. And she later died from her injuries.

And the victim's father is calling for the death penalty, while lawyers for the men say that they will appeal the verdict.

Now a sentencing hearing is set for Wednesday. Mallika Kapur joins me on the line from New Delhi. And Mallika, can you tell us more about what happened inside the courtroom today?

MALLIKA KAPUR, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: It was a packed courtroom, Kristie. And the entire nation was thinking about what would happen in the courtroom today. The focus of the entire country was inside that courtroom. And the verdict went exactly as the public had hoped it would go. All four accused today were convicted.

They were found guilty on all charges related to the gang rape of that young student here in New Delhi last year in December. They were found guilty of gang rape, unnatural offenses, destruction of evidence, kidnapping and murder of the helpless victim.

As I said earlier, it was a packed courtroom. And amongst the people in the courtroom was the victim's family. Her parents were there and her brother was there. And they had tears in their eyes as the judge read out the verdict. And her brother was seen wiping a tear from his cheek.

Very moving scenes inside that packed courtroom today.

Soon after the verdict was announced, the defense team, though, sprung into action. They did have comments to make. They said that they will appeal the case in a higher court. And the defense lawyers, one of them said that the verdict was a result of government pressure. And the accused had neither money nor muscle power to fight for a fair trial.

After that when the four convicted rapists were lead away from the courthouse, they were taken away amongst heavy security in a police van, one of them was heard shouting some really intense abuses of choice -- the choices of abuses at media who were there surrounding the courthouse. That's another detail we got from outside the courtroom today.

But all in all the verdict went exactly as the public had hoped for -- Kristie.

LU STOUT: And very emotional scenes inside the courtroom.

Now this was supposed to be a fast track court. So Mallika, why did it take so long for the verdict to come out?

KAPUR: That's right. It was supposed to be a fast track court. It took about seven months. The trial began in February this year. And Kristie, for India, remember, you know seven months is not long at all. Judicial cases -- the judiciary can drag it out for months, even for several years. For this case to be completed within seven months is actually a small victory for the judicial system.

So seven months has been seen as a very good thing. It's a sign that the fast track has worked. And now the public is hoping that the case will reach its logical conclusion tomorrow when the sentencing is announced. And overwhelmingly here in India the public opinion is that this kind of crime calls for capital punishment.

LU STOUT: All right. Thank you for the context there. Mallika Kapur joining us live from New Delhi. Thank you.

This case, again it sparked outrage all over India, all over the world. And it's brought attention to women in Indian society. Let's get more now from a leading campaigner for the empowerment of women in India.

And with us now is Ranjana Kumari. She is a director of the Center for Social Research. She joins us now live.

And Dr. Kumari, welcome to CNN International.

The verdict, it was finally delivered earlier today. What's your reaction to it?

RANJANA KUMARI, DIRECTOR, CENTER FOR SOCIAL RESEARCH: We welcome the verdict. It was really anxious moments for us, because it was taking way too long. There was a case of a German tourist which was dispensed of in 17 days and the conviction came in 17 days. But it took seven months.

But of course, however, we are happy that the due process of law was followed very, very seriously. And also that, you know, all the crimes that they have committed have been established and all the four of them.

As you know, Ram Singh, one of the major, major culprit is already dead, because he committed suicide and one was minor, which was again very, very -- you know, people were very unhappy, all of us are unhappy that we did not, you know, paid attention tot he nature of crime that was committed by the minor.

So this is -- this is something which we are really happy, we are welcoming it. Because this is justice for the family who lost a daughter very young. You know, all the future was ahead of her. And also justice for the society, because you know in India it's almost taking seven to nine years before a first conviction for rape cases coming. And also as you know over 90,000 cases are pending in different courts of the country of rape. And only 4 percent to 5 percent judgment have convictions have happened.

So in this case, at least it is now very certain that, you know, if such kind of crime is -- gruesome crime is committed, then court is not going to spare, there is some kind of a -- you know, situation where no we are seeing lawyers taking its course.

So in that sense, we are -- we are really totally very satisfied with the way the conviction has come. However, the quantum of punishment will be declared tomorrow. And we hope that it will be serious form of punishment, which has been stipulated within our law. And since 13 different cases have been proved, I'm sure the punishment is going to be very, very severe.

So let's see what happens tomorrow. We are still waiting for how much they are going to really be made to, you know, suffer, they are made to -- will be punished for the crime they have committed.

LU STOUT: You welcome the verdict. You are hoping for the death penalty. We know that new laws were introduced in India back in March to allow the death penalty in serious cases of rape. That may be a form of justice, but is it effective as a deterrent to prevent sexual attacks and to protect women in India?

KUMARI: Well, you know that this -- these -- this case especially was not within the purview of that law, because that law came after (inaudible) commission declared this report and parliament passed the law, because this crime happened before that. And as you know since the day the law gets implemented only it is applicable with the crime committed after that.

So in that sense, this is not really under the (inaudible) commission recommendation law, which really has talked about life imprisonment and also in case of the vegetative state of the girl left in vegetative state and also if there is very, very serious crime in which the girl dies after the rape, then certainly that penalty means asked for even by -- recommended by (inaudible) commission.

But even in this case, since the girl died, I'm sure that this rarest of the rare case. However, there is a big debate in the country about death penalty. A lot of people who are talking about, you know -- in this case, of course, the (inaudible) really is unanimous in asking for death penalty, because the anger, the way you saw -- we all protested, we were part of the whole movement which mobilized the whole nation to say that this will not be tolerated and such people have to be brought to justice. They must be punished by the severest form of punishment.

So I think in that sense, this is where we are looking at, rarest of the rare punishment, rarest of the rare case.

So certainly we are looking forward tomorrow to watch the court is going to declare.

One more thing I want to decide here that at least 90,000 girls are awaiting justice. So hopefully this fast track procedure that has been followed has set the precedent and example that other cases can also be put through fast track. And also that, you know, special investigation was done. In this case, DNA test and many other things where all of which never before was done.

So we feel that similar procedure will be followed for other cases so that the cases can stand the scrutiny of the court and justice can be delivered. So in that sense, also this is very important for us that this kind of a decision has come after fast track process and also after very special investigation procedure followed by the police.

LU STOUT: Yeah. I think you just mentioned that, you know, tens of thousands of women in India are still waiting justice, waiting for an answer to what happened to them. We know that sexual attacks and such acts of violence is a fact of life for women in India. In fact, you have that government statistic. In India, a woman is raped every 22 minutes. Why is this happening?

KUMARI: Well, you know, by and large these cases are increasing, as you rightly said 22 minutes.

But as you know, rape is tool of patriarchy. It happens everywhere. It's used as tool of war. It's also that, you know, 200,000 -- over 200,000 cases in 2011 were reported from U.S. itself, 75,000 cases in 2011 from France.

So I think by and large women are seen as -- and especially in India when the status of women is so low, women are not being treated as equal, women have not been given the same kind of respect and dignity. So in that sense, they become very easy object and prey of all kinds of sexual assault.

And that is the reason that the whole society -- and especially the only good hope and -- you know, we are looking at in future it is that a lot of young people, young men and women together are against this kind of assault that is happening on women. So certainly we look forward to a major, major generational change by a few years to come where girls will be more safe and this kind of a -- you know, cruelty, they will not suffer in future.

But at the moment, you are absolutely right. And we are very, very angry and worried that more and more cases have been reported from all across the country.

You know, in Bombay, a journalist was brutalized.

And before she was brutalized and she reported nine more girls were raped by the same gang. And they had no courage to go and report. So that's another reason that the girls have been put the -- on their shoulders the burden of shame.

And that is the reason why they don't go and don't -- sometimes they don't even share with their own parents, their own family what happened to them, because there is hardly any space for talking about, you know, all these issues -- sex and sexuality within the family framework. Also, similar with the educational institution.

So we see a problem which is looming large all over. And there is -- has to be a total change in mentality in our society to see that our girls are safe and women are safe.

LU STOUT: Well, here's hoping that that generational change, as you put it, will take root starting today. And the verdict earlier today represents a turning point for the future of women across India.

Dr. Kumari, thank you so much for joining here on News Stream. Thank you. And take care.

LU STOUT: Now also today shocking new figures have come out on the prevalence of rape across Asia. A UN agency spoke to men in six countries. Now India was not included in the survey, but here is what they found.

Nearly a quarter of the men interviewed admitted to committing rape often against their own partners. Now the survey of 10,000 men is the first done on such a large scale in the region. But the questionnaire did not contain the word rape. Instead, participants were asked questions such as have you ever forced a woman who was not your wife or girlfriend at the time to have sex?

Now organizers hoped that the findings will spur on initiatives to prevent that type of violence.

You're watching News Stream. Coming up after the break, some controversial words from the president of FIFA. Sepp Blatter is quoted as saying that a warning, the 2022 World Cup to Qatar may have been a mistake. We'll explain his comment in a bit.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LU STOUT: Welcome back.

Now Rafael Nadal is known as the King of Clay, but in New York he proved once again that he can reign supreme on any surface.

Now he won his second U.S. Open crown on Monday beating world number one Novak Djokovic in four sets. It is Nadal's 13th grand slam title.

Now the Spaniard's win in New York is the latest highlight of a great comeback year. And for more, let's bring in World Sport's Don Riddell who joins us from CNN Center. And Don, what did this win mean to Rafa?

DON RIDDELL, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: Well, I think you could see by the way he celebrated at the end, Kristie, that it really did mean everything to him.

Last year really was so, so difficult for him when he was out for almost the entire year with that knee injury. Really, really frustrating for him having to sit with his feet up watching his other great rivals win all the other grand slam tournaments. But this year he has come back with a vengeance and he was absolutely superb at Flushing Meadows last night.

Novak Djokovic threw everything he had at Nadal, but Nadal rose above it to win an absolutely thrilling match in four sets.

You know I had forgotten just how good a fit Rafa Nadal actually can be, or maybe this is the best he's ever been. But it meant so much to him. And this is what he had to say at the end.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RAFAEL NADAL, 2013 U.S. OPEN CHAMPION: I never thought that something like this could happen. So, I just was beside it to be back on to it, trying to be competitive, but never thought about -- about competing for all what I competed this year, all (inaudible) the grand slams. So it's just more a dream for me.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

RIDDELL: Kristie, you know, I actually went to Mexico to interview him at the start of the season when he was beginning his comeback. And he said he really didn't know how strong his knee was going to be and what kind of year he would have.

Well, he's played 13 tournaments. He's made 12 finals. He's won 10 tournaments, winning two grand slams in the process. He's only lost three matches all year.

He remains the world number two, but I think everybody knows that he's really playing like the wold number one right now.

LU STOUT: Yeah. I mean, it's been an incredible run for him. Nadal -- and he's already one of the best of all time, could he end up being the best?

RIDDELL: Well, he's certainly on track to say that. And we really wouldn't have even thought that last year. He's had such a good year. He's already now, as you say, up to 13 grand slam titles. That puts him just one behind Peter Sampras and only four behind Roger Federer who's won 17 and who is looking like he might not win another one. Federer has had a very, very difficult season this year.

So whether or not he gets there remains to be seen, but if we just compare Nadal's record to the other of the so-called top four players, he has winning records against all of them.

Take a look at how he fares against Djokovic. He's got a winning record against the current world number one 22-15. Against Roger Federer he's got a fantastic record 22-10. And against Andy Murray he's got a record of 13-5.

So I think he can certainly feel as though he's one of the all-time greats for sure. Of course, he's going to have to get another four or five grand slams for people to actually look at the stats and say yes he is the greatest of all-time.

But given that he's only 27, I would imagine he's got at least another couple of French Opens in him. And I think 17 or more is quite attainable for young Rafa.

LU STOUT: Yeah. Rafa could very well be the best of the best.

Don Riddell there. Thank you.

Now you are watching News Stream. And still ahead, the U.S. president moves forward with his lobbying campaign to gain support for air strikes against Syria. We have more of Barack Obama's interview with CNN's Wolf Blitzer straight ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LU STOUT: I'm Kristie Lu Stout in Hong Kong. You're watching News Stream. And these are your world headlines.

Now Syria's foreign minister tells Interfax that the country will accept the Russian proposal to surrender control of its chemical weapons. Walid Moallem said on Tuesday that he agreed with the plan to place the country's chemical weapons under international control. Moallem says Syria agreed because it would, quote, "remove grounds for American aggression."

Now four men have been found guilty of the gang rape and murder of a woman in India. 23-year-old victim had been to the cinema with a male friend and caught a bus home last December where the gang of men beat and raped her. Now the woman later died from her injuries. Now lawyers for the four men say that they will appeal Tuesday's verdict.

Now 44 people are dead and 39 injured after two passenger buses collided in Iran. Now State Media report that the accident happened on a highway between (inaudible) and Tehran. Police say one bus had a punctured tire. It then crossed a guard rail and then swerved into oncoming traffic. And when it hit the other bus, both buses erupted in flames.

Now FIFA President Sepp Blatter is quoted as saying awarding the 2022 World Cup to Qatar may have been a mistake. Summer temperatures in the country can reach up to 50 degrees Celsius. And Blatter told a football website that he wants to move the tournament to winter, a move opposed by some European football leagues.

Now, let's get back to Syria. Now some three weeks ago, a chemical attack east of Damascus, it killed more than 1,000 people, many of the victims women and children. But there are also many who were treated and survived.

Dr. Sanjay Gupta spoke to medical workers who saved many lives that day. And he joins us now live from Beirut, Lebanon.

And Sanjay, you've been in contact with medical workers who, again, they say that they treated patients after the sarin gas attack, but they are afraid to talk. What is worrying them?

SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, there's a lot nervousness, I think, overall, Kristie. You know, a lot of sides unclear as to who potential retaliation, where it may come from. There are doctors who are more aligned I would say with regime, those who are not with the regime. And I think all of that has led to some confusion and chaos.

So we, for example, were going to speak to one of the doctors who was in some of the videos that had been released showing the aftermath of that sarin gas attack. And what you come to find is some of these doctors they're only communicating in very specific ways, by Skype phones for example. And don't want to be located.

So I'm not exactly sure what is driving that nervousness or if there's a specific worry or specific threats, but as reporters -- the outcome is that it becomes very challenging to try and continually locate people and do these stories. They appear for a period of time and they disappear and that's just sort of the nature of how things are out here.

LU STOUT: And Sanjay, talk us through the physical effects of chemical weapons like sarin gas. Now we have seen the horrific videos on air and online. As a doctor, can you tell us what kind of suffering does it cause?

GUPTA: It's pretty gruesome, Kristie. I mean, the videos, which are incredibly difficult to watch I think tell that story a bit. But from a medical standpoint, from a scientific standpoint, think of sarin as a -- known as a neurotoxic agent sort of turning on all the various systems in the body.

So for example the lungs start to secrete lots of fluid. You see the frothing in the mouth. You see people having convulsions as the motor -- as the motor fibers in their arms and legs are just shaking, causing those convulsions, not being able to turn off.

Ultimately, it's the diaphragm which is that big muscle that allows one to breathe in and out that also goes into a state of convulsive activity. And people simply can't breathe. And it's a gruesome thing. It's a terrible way to die. And you saw some of the effects of that again in those videos. That is typically what happens.

It also takes a small amount, not just inhaled, but even on your skin, that can cause some of these effects. It's odorless, it's tasteless, and a lot of times people don't know that they've even been exposed until they start developing some of those terrible symptoms.

LU STOUT: Yeah. So the human body effectively just breaks down.

So what kind of drugs can be used to help and to treat people affected by sarin gas?

GUPTA: You know, there are some very powerful antidotes, if you will, to sarin gas. So they have to be administered pretty quickly. But I want to show you one medication here, it's known as atrapine. This was a medication that's located in just about every hospital probably in the world. Typically it uses a medication for cardiac, for heart disease, but this can actually help countermand some of the effects of sarin as well. You give a small amount of it, you can give it intramuscular, into someone's muscles, and it can start to have an effect pretty quickly.

And doctors who know how to use this will just keep giving doses of this medication until the patient's symptoms start to go away. So it can be very effective. There are other medications like this as well.

But again you have to have it. You have to have people who know how to use it. And it has to be given quickly.

LU STOUT: And also if there's a large-scale attack, is that vial, is that kind of treatment still effective?

GUPTA: The treatment would still be effective, Kristie, but I think you're hitting on the salient point here, which is that you have to first of all recognize that there's been an attack. And that may sound very simplistic, but when you're talking about sarin, which is this odorless substance, people may not even know that they've been exposed until they develop symptoms. And then getting them to a place where the antidote is available and being able to give them the antidote, that all takes time. And oftentimes, there's not enough time to -- for all that whole process to take place.

So, yes, the antidotes are available. In a perfect sort of scenario, you'd be able to get the antidote to the people at the time they'd been exposed.

But again for all the reasons that I've mentioned, sometimes that's just very difficult to do.

LU STOUT: All right, Dr. Sanjay Gupta reporting from CNN Beirut. Thank you so much.

Now as we've mentioned, U.S. President Barack Obama, he says that he is still pushing congress and the American people to support a military strike on Syria. But the latest CNN/ORC poll shows that Mr. Obama is not faring well with its public when it comes to Syria and foreign policy. In fact, only 19 percent of Americans say that they completely understand his policy on Syria. And just one in three Americans approve of how he is handling the situation in Syria.

Now the survey, it was conducted over the weekend before the latest diplomatic developments.

Now the Russian proposal, it comes at a delicate time for the White House. Let's bring in Brianna Keilar from Washington.

And Brianna, again, Syria has agreed to this Russian plan to relinquish its chemical weapons to international control. How does that development change the calculus for the White House?

BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I will tell you at this point, Kristie, the White House is encouraged by this, but they're also taking a bit of a wait and see approach. They don't exactly trust the Russians fully. They don't trust the Syrians fully. They don't always feel as if they make good. And they've seen up until now, they felt up until now that Russia and Syria have really been trying to -- especially Russia -- that they've kind of been trying to draw out the clock. So they're a little suspicious that that may be happening.

But at the same time, they're welcoming what could be a non-military solution that Americans overwhelmingly favor, because the polls have showed, and the president has been unable to move the dial on winning Americans over in that regard.

So they certainly welcome this.

But the other thing that we're hearing, this is kind of the messaging line coming out of the White House, is they're trying to take a little credit for this development saying that without there having been the threat of military action that this non-military possibility wouldn't have come to fruition -- Kristie.

LU STOUT: So, wait and see, but still taking a little bit of credit about this Russian plan that's been put forward and accepted by the Syrian regime.

Now Brianna, we're also waiting for Obama's prime time address. It will air tomorrow morning Hong Kong time. We'll be sure to air it here on CNN International. Will MR. Obama change his message now that this diplomatic window has been opened?

KEILAR: We're told, actually, that he's still going to make his case for military action. So I think there is going to be some change here, because there has to be this -- certainly this acknowledgement of what's going on. And quite honestly, the administration was really pushing forward with trying to convince congress on taking military action. And they say they're going to continue doing this.

But I think they found themselves very much in a pickle, because nobody was being won over. So this whole proposal has given them in a way a welcomed diplomatic off ramp. But they're still not making a complete about face here and pulling a military option off the table. In fact, now what we're hearing from White House officials is the president is going to be making the case that, hey, we have to really keep the pressure on or else we're not going to be able to see any -- any result, any sort of coming to the table by Syria, any facilitation of this by Russia.

LU STOUT: Yeah. We'll see what new line comes from the U.S. president in just a few hours.

Brianna Keilar joining us live from the White House. Thank you.

Now while President Obama's Syria speech is still again hours away, he's already spoken to several news outlets including CNN. Now here's more of Wolf Blitzer's interview with Mr. Obama.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

OBAMA: We have been very clear about what we expect.

And that is, do not use chemical weapons. Control the chemical weapons. And now, because we have seen Assad's willingness to use chemical weapons, we are going to have to go further and give the international community assurances that they will not be used, potentially by getting them out of there, at minimum, making sure that international control over those chemical weapons takes place.

That can be accomplished. And it does not solve the broader political situation. I would say to Mr. Assad, we need a political settlement, so that you are not slaughtering your own people, and, by the way, encouraging some elements of the opposition to engage in some terrible behavior as well.

You know, what I'm thinking about is, right now, though, how do we make sure that we can verify that we do not have chemical weapons that can be used not only inside of Syria, but potentially could drift outside of Syria?

BLITZER: He said in an interview with Charlie Rose that if you, the United States, attack, launch military strikes, he will respond. "Anything" -- he said, "expect anything," not only from him, but from his allies.

That sounds like a threat to the United States.

OBAMA: Yes, Mr. Assad doesn't have a lot of capability.

He has capability relative to children. He has capability relative to an opposition that is still getting itself organized and are not professional, trained fighters. He doesn't have a credible means to threaten the United States.

His allies Iran and Hezbollah could potentially engage in asymmetrical strikes against us, but, frankly, the kind of threats that they could pose against us are typical of the kinds of threats that we are dealing with around the world and that I have spoken of recently, which is embassies that are being threatened, U.S. personnel in the region.

Those are threats that we deal with on an ongoing basis. They are always of concern. Obviously, we saw the situation in Yemen just a few weeks ago, where we wanted to respond by getting some of our folks out of there. But the notion that Mr. Assad could significantly threaten the United States is just not the case.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LU STOUT: All right, the U.S. president there. And do tune in to CNN for live coverage of President Obama's national address on Syria. It happens 9:00 p.m. local time Tuesday in Washington. That's 9:00 am on Wednesday morning here in Hong Kong.

Now up next, Apple is notoriously tight-lipped about its future products, but here is one of the worst kept secrets in tech. Today, we expect to get a glimpse of the next iPhones. And we'll have a preview right here on New Stream.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LU STOUT: Welcome back.

Now this week on Leading Women, we continue our focus on Melinda Gates, co-chair of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

Now last week, we heard about her work helping women in developing countries. And today she shares some of the valuable lessons she learned from her mentor -- Warren Buffet. Take a look.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

LU STOUT: Since establishing their foundation in 2000, Bill and Melinda Gates have focused on issues ranging from vaccination to education and committed the vast majority of their wealth to their causes.

Their work has garnered support from billionaire Warren Buffet, a Gates Foundation trustee who pledged $31 billion in 2006.

Melinda Gates considers Buffet a mentor.

MELINDA GATES, BILL AND MELINDA GATES FOUNDATION CO-FOUNDER: I have people that I look up to for sure. And I think the one that I would say is Warren Buffet. Warren really believes in women in business. He makes sure that you have opportunities to know that you're doing well, even when you're doing something difficult like he's seen me do, which is juggling a young family and trying to have a professional role. He's just always there to give that and lend that support.

LU STOUT: Gates is co-founder and co-chair of the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation. On this day, she mentors a group of foundation interns.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: John Hopkins (inaudible)

GATES: Great. And one more year?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes. One more year.

LU STOUT: Gates spends a third of her time on the road. And with a big job and three children has a hectic schedule.

How do you deal with your duties of being a mom? You have three children. And being committed to the foundation, especially when you travel so much?

GATES: It's a juggle. It's a constant juggle.

Luckily, the kids can come with us quite often, so some of my trips I plan actually around their school breaks. Bill and I go over our calendars a lot to make sure as much as we can that one of us is home when we can be and to make sure that the kids know that they really are the center of our lives, even though we're also running the foundation. Both of us drive the children to school. And both of us are involved in making sure that, you know, we're involved in their education and getting them to bed at night. And part of their team sports and being there on the sidelines, both of us.

LU STOUT: Melinda Gates was born in Texas, one of four children, her father an engineer; her mother a homemaker.

GATES: My mom's incredible. I'm still in touch with her all the time. We're very, very close.

My mom really helped me understand that you should trust who you are inside and that you should take quiet time every day to really reflect.

LU STOUT: Gates attended Duke University in North Carolina, earning a degree in computer science and economics and then an MBA. In 1987, she joined Microsoft where she became a rising star.

Now you've accomplished so much as a high tech executive, as a philanthropist, as a mom. What's next? And do you have any unrealized goals?

GATES: You know, the -- what I do at the foundation is my life's work. I will be doing this for the next 30 years. And I love it. And also being a mom is the other part of my work. I hope some day that I'll have grandkids.

But my real goals are just to keep pushing forward for women and girls. I think there's so much to do in the world to still raise their voices. We have so far still to go around the world. And so I'm looking forward to doing that day in and day out.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LU STOUT: Melinda Gates there. An incredible woman.

Now you're watching News Stream. And up next, are you waiting for the next iPhone? Well, we have seen what we believe are prototypes of the 5c. We'll tell you what to expect.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LU STOUT: Welcome back.

And you're looking a what are believed to be prototypes of the new iPhone 5c. Now they come from Hong Kong blogger Chris Chang. The iPhone 5c, it is expected to be a lower cost version of the iPhone. And as you can see it's expected to come in multiple colors.

Now Apple's invitation for today's event suggested as much. Now the color of all these bubbles appears to match the colors of the phones. It could be a coincidence, but Apple has been known to drop hints in invitations in the past.

But the iPhone 5c is not the only phone that Apple is expected to show off. They're also expected to unveil the iPhone 5s. It's an upgraded version of the iPhone 5. But it's also supposed to come in a new color. Australian blogger Sunny Dickson (ph) posted these pictures of a gold iPhone and some color they call the color champagne.

Now the iPhone 5s, it is also expected to include a fingerprint sensor to use for passwords.

Apple's announcements, they come during a busy month for the tech industry. Last Wednesday, Samsung unveiled the Galaxy Gear smartwatch, which can make calls and run apps from a device that fits on your wrist.

On Monday, Sony showed off the Playstation Vita TV. It's a tiny device that plugs into your TV and plays movies and games. You will also be able to remotely access the Playstation 4.

And as mentioned, today is the day Apple is set to show off new iPhones.

But that's not all for September, Microsoft is holding an event on the 23rd where they're expected to unveil the next version of the Surface Tablet.

Now, turning now to the man who barely needs an introduction. Dennis Rodman is back from his latest trip to visit North Korean leader Kim Jong un. Kim rules one of the most repressive regimes on the planet, but to Rodman he is just a friend and, quote, "a very good guy."

Now the former NBA star is promoting his idea of basketball diplomacy with Pyongyang. Jake Tapper has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DENNIS RODMAN, FORMER NBA PLAYER: I'm doing some ground-breaking things. Come talk to me.

TAPPER (voice-over): Ladies and gentlemen, Dennis Rodman.

RODMAN: I want to bridge a gap with North Korea so why Obama are afraid to talk to Dennis Rodman?

TAPPER: Flashy scarf aficionado and unlikely liaison to the world's most isolated dictator.

RODMAN: He's my friend. If you hate my guts, hate my guts, but he's my friend.

TAPPER: This morning, the cross dressing, face piercing bad boy, formerly of the NBA announced a plan to unite the United States and North Korea through -- wait for it -- basketball. It is, after all, the favorite sport of dictator, Kim Jong-Un. Rodman just returned from his second friendly visit to Pyongyang, paid for this time by a gambling web site, Patty Power.

While Rodman was there, it seems he and Kim formed a grand diplomatic plan. Step one, gather some of this country's best athletes and have them perform for a packed stadium in North Korea to mark the dictator's birthday.

RODMAN: It was going to January 8, he said you want our stadium? We'll give it to you. We got 150,000 kids will do anything for you on the field. We got 95,000 people will be in the stadium watching this game.

TAPPER: Step two, have one of the best rebounders in American history train the North Koreans to play competitive basketball on an international stage.

RODMAN: I said Dennis, do one thing for us. For the next Olympics, can you train our Olympic team to compete in the Olympics for the next three years, I'm like OK.

TAPPER: Of course, and yes, step three.

RODMAN: I'm going to give you guys this thing. It will be a bestseller. He gave me the rights for me and him to sit down for one month, and me and him is going to write a book together. There we go.

STEVE CLEMONS, "THE ATLANTIC": It is buffoonery amplified because of who Dennis Rodman is. I think that it is very unfortunate that this great basketball player and star in the United States is allowing himself to be duped by Kim Jong-Un. TAPPER: But Rodman says this time his sponsored antics are no joke.

RODMAN: Take me seriously because I have the only interview with this guy. I'm going to write a book by this guy.

TAPPER: While celebrities are often blurring the line between politics and publicity stunts, few are laughing at Angelina Jolie's causes, George Clooney's protests or Ben Affleck's aid work so why not take Rodman's basketball diplomacy to heart?

CLEMONS: Dennis Rodman is a very confused man who is not very sophisticated about U.S. foreign policy and what our stakes are in terms of trying to guide North Korea in a very different direction.

TAPPER: So all Rodman and his sponsors hope to settle our differences with a bit of hoops, chances are President Obama will not be adding North Korea to his brackets any time soon.

RODMAN: Obama, what are you afraid of? Come talk to me.

TAPPER: Jake Tapper, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LU STOUT: Now, if you are a fan of the Emmy winning show Breaking Bad you can download season five, the last season, on iTunes. It says so right here, the final season. But wait a sec, there's another season five package right here. So what's the deal? Well, it turns out that iTunes is selling the final season into two parts, since AMC aired it that way. That means you have to buy two season passes for what fans actually say is only one season.

Now Apple is facing a class action lawsuit by customers who say that the company should reimburse people who paid for season passes twice. Apple hasn't commented on the suit.

Now finally, we don't often show you highlights from Brazilian league football, but you have to see this. Now I want you to keep your eye on the guy hanging out by the goalpost just off the pitch. He is not a player. He is not a ball boy, that is the team's masseur. And he -- he just saved a goal.

Now incredibly, the opposition ended up losing the tie because of that. And as for the masseur, he was chased by a group of angry players. But he managed to get away.

And that is News Stream. But the news continues at CNN. World Business Today is next.

END