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CNN NEWSROOM

Germany Tries to Stop Flow of Migrants; Thousands of Migrants Pass Through Greece/Macedonia Border; Volunteers Help Migrants at Hungary Train Station; Thousands in California Evacuated Ahead of Wildfire; County Clerk Kim Davis to Return to Work; Novak Djokovic Wins U.S. Open; Behind-the-Scenes Look at Reagan Library; Religious Leader Gives Hillary Clinton Unsolicited Advice; Iran Distrust Mutual; Threat of Government Collapse in Northern Ireland; Shuddle, an Uber- Type App, Arranges Rides for Kids; "Sesame Street" Returns to Persian Gulf TV. Aired 2-3a ET

Aired September 14, 2015 - 02:00   ET

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


(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[02:00:11] ROSEMARY CHURCH, CNN ANCHOR: As Europe's migrant crisis worsens, Germany takes new action in hopes of controlling the flow of people.

Plus, California's governor declares a state of emergency as crews battle not one but two major wildfires.

And a county clerk at the center of America's gay marriage debate out of jail and headed back to work.

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

A desperate situation demands a response. E.U. ministers will meet in Brussels in the coming hours looking to solve the escalating migrant crisis. Some countries are already on record opposing mandatory quotas for the number of migrants each European country takes in.

Meanwhile, Germany has imposed temporary controls at its border with Austria trying to stop the flow of people. Thousand of migrants have poured into Germany since the weeks since Chancellor Angela Merkel welcomed those displaced by war. Now the country is running out of space.

Germany's interior minister explained the decision.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

THOMAS DE MAIZIERE, GERMAN INTERIOR MINISTER (through translation): The goal of this measure is to restrict the amount of in-flow of migrants into Germany and return again to an orderly process upon entry.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: But the flow of migrants across the Aegean Sea has hardly stopped. They are desperate. And the images of them, simply heartbreaking. See this man, fighting to stay afloat and keep his 2- month-old baby from drowning. Their dinghy packed with 70 people sank off the coast of Lesbos in Greece.

Once migrants reach Greece, thousand are passing through the border with Macedonia on their trip north to Germany.

Our Ivan Watson has more from the Greek/Macedonian border.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

IVAN WATSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: This transit center has been recently erected on the Greek/Macedonian border, just one stop on this very improvised migrant trail into central Europe that has pretty much sprung up over the course of the last weeks and months. So, migrants are escorted across and informal crossing point by Greek and Macedonian authorities. They arrive here, and then after receiving some temporary papers that allow them to stay in Macedonia for 72 hours, the vast majority of them quickly move on. So we have seen them boarding by the hundreds onto trains here. Charged 25 Euros per person. They also board onto waiting buses and into taxis. And they're paying for this journey, so far, very much, themselves. This is a self-financed journey. The bulk of the people who are moving by the tens of thousand through here, we're told by the United Nations high commissioner for refugees that they're refugees from Syria, 70 percent to 80 percent. Many have paid large amounts of cash, 1,200, $1,300 per person, to board on rafts from the Turkish coast to Greek islands. The remaining, 20 percent, 30 percent, they're a hodgepodge. They're Afghans, Pakistanis, Bangladeshis, increasingly refugees from Iraq as well. And, we're told, in recent days, that the first Yemenis have started joining this wave of humanity.

Everybody I have spoken with, they want to get to Germany, which has offered to take in hundred of thousand of these migrants and refugees and also offers generous social welfare benefits to the new immigrants.

Ivan Watson, CNN, on the Macedonian border with Greece.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: From Macedonia, refugees and migrants continue on through Serbia into Hungary. Tens of thousand arrived at Budapest's main railway station in the past week. Most of them need food, water, and a little bit of human kindness. Local volunteers are on hand to help them get through all the chaos and onto trains headed west.

CNN caught up with some of those volunteers.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: At 6:00, the gates behind us open for the services. As you can see there are so many of them. All of them, they just want to go inside. So it is really hard to work in this situation. And our work now it is just how to solve this problem.

(SHOUTING)

[02:05:07] UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Some of them they didn't sleep since like three days or more. And they just let one of the families in the line. So they let sell inside to wait in the line. After that, he tried to call his family. When the family come, the other people cannot understand that.

(SHOUTING)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The volunteers cannot organize all the refugees at once, like, and they all want to reach it and there is no organization at the moment. And for that reason we don't really know what to do and how to deal with the situation.

(SHOUTING)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There are 2,000 may be here. But in the transit zone, there are more. There are more. Every day, they are -- there are more and more.

(LAUGHTER)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We look at on the Facebook, some news about, about, please, everyone here speak the language, speak Arabic, Hungarian, we need your help. Sometimes, some of the people, but, you know, everyone here they have these university, but when he can come, he can come.

(SHOUTING)

ABU ALIMAN (ph), MIGRANT: My name is Abu Aliman (ph) from Libya. I decided to help the people because, the people we, have the same situation mine country. So we know what does it mean to be out of your country and it is like give us to come here.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: First, it started in the travel -- go Turkish -- and see. Now I am in Budapest. And the train to Austria and go to Germany. I love German. I love Arabia. I love.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I am mother. And also I have my work. But just I am taking it up all of them and the university study. Everyone finished university, he come to here. All of the mother and father, who he has, too, if to come to here and help. Are coming to help. All of them have a story. I am listening to the story, maybe from 11 or 12 families. There are some families, this taxi man, and taking his child and he said, "Don't give back your tribe, you don't give me the money." Everyone had a story. Everyone have something. But I don't know what I said, but this now what we have.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: For more on Europe's migrant crisis, do make sure to head to our website. In just the past few hours, we have added several new interactive features to help you better understand this story. And to try them, go to CNN.com/international.

Well, 12 tourists are dead, 10 are injured after Egyptian forces mistook them for terrorists. Egypt's interior ministry says it happened Saturday in the country's western desert region. The military says the military and police were chasing terrorist elements when they came upon the tourists. Two of the dead were Mexican nationals. Mexico's president said, "Mexico condemns the acts against our citizens and demands that the Egyptian government conduct an exhaustive investigation of what happened."

In Malaysia, police have arrested three suspects in connection with last month's Bangkok shrine bombing. Two Malaysians and one Pakistani national were taken into custody. Police say they're assisting with the investigation. The exPLOsion ripped through central Bangkok on August 17th killing 20 and wounding more than 100.

In the United States, the governor of California has declared a state of emergency in two northern counties as firefighters battle a rapidly growing wildfire. Officials say the so-called Valley Fire has burned more than 50,000 acres, or 20,000 hectares, west of the city of Sacramento. We have now learned one person may have died in this fire. Meanwhile, firefighters are battling another major wildfire to the east.

As CNN's Nick Valencia reports, thousand of people have been forced to evacuate.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

[02:09:59] NICK VALENCIA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Two massive wildfires burning in northern California are spreading fast, threatening homes, property and lives.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This is a reminder of how the conditions are in California now. With the temperatures and low humidity, four years of a drought, conditions are extreme.

NICK VALENCIA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Of the 1,000 fire personnel battling the Valley Fire flames, so far, four suffered burn injuries. They've been transported to U.C. Davis Medical Center in stable condition.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The firefighters there, emotionally and physically drained after being stuck in a situation where your life is on the line doing your job.

VALENCIA: Mandatory evacuations have been ordered for many communities in the fires zone. A shaken Joyce Ream (ph) got out just in time.

JOYCE REAM (ph), EVACUEE: We were stuck, couldn't go either way. Where near were stuck, we saw the flames going up the hill toward our house.

VALENCIA: Meanwhile, just over 100 miles away, the Butte Fire has grown to more than 65,000 acres, also fueled by dry conditions. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I was going to take a picture. I didn't have the

time to take my phone out of my pocket to take a picture. It was that hot that fast.

VALENCIA: 6,400 structures are being threatened. More than 130 have been destroyed.

In both fires, residents say, they had very little time to escape the fast-moving flames.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We smelled the smoke. We went outside. And our neighbors were in a panic. They told us to leave. We want across and we helped them get their important things out of their home. Their barn, unfortunately, burned down.

VALENCIA: Nick Valencia, CNN, Atlanta.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: We have our Meteorologist Pedram Javaheri here in the CNN studio to talk more about this.

It is terrifying. Of course, we are hearing this news that one person may have died.

PEDRAM JAVAHERI, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Yeah, and it's expanding so quickly. Winds have been so strong. Little to no moisture in the trees, bushes, plants across the region. Four years of drought in a row. Going on five years in a row. Becoming so bad. There is an area, grant grove, a grove of ancient forests, giant sequoias, 3,000 years old, hundred of feet tall, they are building a fire line to protect the trees, thousand of years old. Threatening lives. The landscape, well known for incredible beauty as well.

We'll show you this particular landscape. This is an area around the Valley Fire. You have 60, so, miles, northwest of Sacramento where the land has burned across the region. It was just, 50 acres that were consumed Saturday morning. By Sunday night, that went up to 50,000 acres. Do the math. Some where on the order of 30 acres. Fires expand. Embers fly downstream. Additional fires across the region. That's not the only one. Take a look across the region. Zero percent contained. Another fire back to the east. 65,000 acres consumed. You look at the landscape. Absolutely incredible to think over 6,000 structures currently are threatened by the fires across the region of California.

We knew this was coming, of course. In the heart of the fire season. Now pushing into September. You know the summer heat, culminating over the region. Fires beginning to pop up. Fortunately, some moisture prevalent over the region. Unfortunately, the heaviest of the rainfall couple days away. Notice Clear Lake, near the Valley Fire. Forecast, temperatures, downstream. Finally, by, say, Wednesday, a good chance for rainfall, potentially a quarter inch. Higher elevations pick up snow showers.

The storm right now in the Gulf of Alaska. All eyes on the storm. Off to take a southern trajectory models indicate right now. Concern it will be windy in the meantime over the region. We'll continue to follow this, Rosemary. Again we know communication, infrastructure, they're also threatened

by this. And the power plant also threatened by this. So this is now starting to take over an incredible amount of land with the growth rate that was about 30 acres per minute at one point.

CHURCH: A real worry isn't it? Of course, they need moisture.

JAVAHERI: They need moisture. Looks like by midweek. Finally, a chance for it.

CHURCH: Little good news.

Pedram Javaheri, many thanks.

JAVAHERI: Thank you.

CHURCH: Also in the U.S., a county clerk who refused to give marriage licenses to same-sex couples will return to work in the coming hours. Kim Davis was jailed for five days for refusing those licenses, which she is required to issue under state and federal law. But she says it is against her religious beliefs.

Our Chris Welsh has the latest from Kentucky.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHRIS WELSH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The local police and sheriff's department here said they're preparing for potentially large crowds here when Kim Davis, the county clerk here, reports to her job Monday morning. This will be the first time she will be at work since she was in jail for five days. She was, of course, in jail, in contempt of court for refusing to issue marriage licenses for same-sex couples.

While in prison, her deputies had been issuing those licenses. Now when she returns, the question remains, will she allow deputies to issue the licenses or will she step in and once again refuse to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples. The judge did not mince word when he allowed her to leave jail last week. He had said that if she continues to deny these couples these licenses, he would have no problem holding her in contempt, of course, once again, and possibly sending her, once again, back to jail.

Now, no one knows exactly what she will do. Seems the only person who knows what Kim Davis will do is Kim Davis herself.

We want to point out, the last several weeks, attorneys have been filing motion after motion in hopes of overturning the initial judge's order that ordered her to issue licenses to same-sex couples. They have been fighting. She even sent an emergency petition to the U.S. Supreme Court. That did not work. On Friday, her team filed another appeal, yet again, this time with the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals. So far, they have not issued a response.

In Morehead, Kentucky, I'm Chris Welsh, CNN. (END VIDEOTAPE)

[02:16:05] CHURCH: Rain delayed the men's U.S. Open finals match, but it didn't stop Novak Djokovic from claiming another victory. Details on his win after this short break.

Plus, the latest in U.S. politics. The top-two Republican presidential candidates trade insults just days before they're to meet again at CNN's Republican debate. The latest jabs straight ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[02:20:28] CHURCH: Welcome back, everyone. On Sunday, millions of American pro football fans rejoiced with the full arrival of the NFL football season. Technically, the season started with one game last Thursday. But, Sunday, there were total of 13 games played, including this finish, the Dallas Cowboys pulled off the win against division rival, New York Giants, scoring a touchdown with just seven second left in the game.

Nothing could stop Novak Djokovic from winning this year's U.S. Open, not even a three-hour long rain delay of the final match. The world's number-one tennis player defeated second-ranked Roger Federer in four sets in New York.

CNN's Andy Scholes takes a look at this year's men's final.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ANDY SCHOLES, CNN WORLD SPORTS ANCHOR: The fans here at Arthur Ashe Stadium tried their best to will Roger Federer to his first grand slam title since 2012, but, in the end, the world's number-one player, Novak Djokovic was just too good. Behind thunderous chants of, "Roger, Roger," Federer rallied to win the second set, 7-5, but just like at Wimbledon, Djokovic continued to make Federer work for every single point. And eventually, the 34-year-old Federer would wear down and lose this match in four sets. The all-time series between these two superstars is now tied at 21-all.

This is the first U.S. Open title for Djokovic since 2011, and he now has 10 grand slam titles for his career. And what a year it was for Djokovic. It made it to the finals in every single one of the grand slams, winning three of them.

At the U.S. Open in New York, Andy Scholes, CNN.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: All right, let's turn to U.S. politics now. Republican presidential contenders are busy preparing for CNN's prime-time debate on Wednesday. And the leading party candidates managed to find some time to throw huge jabs at each other over the weekend.

(AUDIO PROBLEM)

CHURCH: Clearly, they were very quiet about it. We'll have more on that when we come back on the other side of the break. Just stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

[02:26:30] JAVAHERI: Good Monday afternoon to you. Meteorologist Pedram Javaheri for CNN Weather Watch.

(WEATHER FORECAST)

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: And we are back now after a few little technical issues, as you would have seen.

But as we gear up for CNN's Republican debate, Moderator Jake Tapper has a behind-the-scenes look at the preparations taking place at the Reagan Library in California. Take a look.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JAKE TAPPER, CNN CHIEF WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The debate may still be days away, it is all systems go here at Ronald Reagan library.

(on camera): This is it, the stage where all the magic is going to happen on Wednesday night at the Ronald Reagan Museum and Library. You can see and hear workers getting the stage ready. Normally, this floor doesn't even exist here. We are all getting prepared for what could be a momentous evening in presidential politics.

(voice-over): The Republican candidates will have this as their backdrop, Air Force One.

MELISSA GILLER, SPOKESPERSON, RONALD REAGAN MUSEUM AND LIBRARY: This is the plane that flew President Reagan for all eight years of the administration.

TAPPER: It's one of many impressive pieces of presidential memorabilia on display at the Reagan Library.

Library spokesperson, Melissa Giller, says that Air Force One was always fully stocked.

(on camera): Was there anything on there particular to President Reagan?

GILLER: Sure was. He loved chocolate cake. Aboard every flight, there was a chocolate cake in the back galley. Not just because he loved it but just in case some one went up and whispered, President Reagan, do you know it's Jake's birthday, the cake could come out, and sing "Happy Birthday."

TAPPER (voice-over): More than 350,000 people each year visit the library to experience the spectacular Simi Valley setting and pay their respects to the 40th president. He was laid here to rest in beloved California, facing westward so he can forever look out toward the Pacific.

TAPPER: This is real?

GILLER: A real piece of the Berlin Wall. Came down in 1991. Reagan was here in '94 when we received the piece.

TAPPER (voice-over): Inside the museum, an exact replica of Reagan's Oval Office, complete with a jar of Jelly Beans, or Jelly Bellies, that he always kept on hand.

TAPPER (on camera): A way that he --

GILLER: Gave up smoking.

TAPPER: -- gave up smoking?

GILLER: Uh-huh.

TAPPER: Whenever he had a fix, he would grab a Jelly Belly.

GILLER: He had Jelly Beans, Jelly Bellies everywhere.

[02:30:00] TAPPER (voice-over): The plane, the oval, trappings of the very office that the candidates will be battling to reach Wednesday night.

I'm Jake Tapper, for CNN in Simi Valley, California.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: Just as a reminder, the first of Wednesday night's Republican debates starts at 11:00 in London, midnight in Berlin, and if that is too late, well, we will replay the entire thing the following night, at 8:00 in London, 9:00 central European time, only here on CNN.

Well, on the Democratic side of things, party front-runner, Hillary Clinton, attended church in Washington Sunday and received some unsolicited advice from one religious leader to be kinder to the press.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HILLARY CLINTON, (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE & FORMER SECRETARY OF STATE: A Methodist Church and my fellow Methodists have been a source of support, of honest reflection, of candid critique. I got some advice from Dr. Wageman just earlier this morning --

(LAUGHTER)

-- which I promise I will put into effect.

(APPLAUSE)

CLINTON: He basically said, you know, if you are going to read and listen to Romans 12, you have got to be nicer to the press.

(LAUGHTER)

So to my friends in the press, I will certainly take that to heart.

(APPLAUSE)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: Very good thing. Clinton rarely speaks about her faith, but her team is trying to make the candidate seem a little more down to earth on the campaign trail. She was joined by her daughter, Chelsea, and her husband, former President Bill Clinton, at that church service.

Despite a hard-won nuclear agreement, relations between the U.S. and Iran are far from friendly. Coming up, how Iranians feel about the deal.

And Northern Ireland has become a popular tourist attraction for "Game of Thrones" fans around the world, but the excitement doesn't match the emotions involved in a new political fight that's taking over the country.

We're back in a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KATE RILEY, CNN WORLD SPORTS ANCHOR: I'm Kate Riley with your CNN "World Sport" headlines.

Manchester City may lead the way atop the English Premiere League right now but one team can match them in terms of current form based on results since last April. Now up to second. The Foxes have gone nine matches unbeaten in total in the league stretching back to last season, winning six of them. Their latest win at home. Coming to midland rivals, blew away a two goal lead in this one. The dramatic winner came from Nathan Dyer on his debut.

Congratulations to New Zealand's Lydia Ko, who we can say is the youngest woman ever to win a major. The 18-year-old beating the previous mark held by Morgan Pressel by six months on Sunday after she won the Evian Championship in France. Ko's 63 was the best round of the week. It helped her come from two strokes back at the start of the day to finish 16 overall.

So it was a bit of squib for England as their cricket campaign came to conclusion on Sunday against Australia. The hosts were 138 all out to give Australia an eight wicket win. At Old Trafford, the result meant not only did the Aussies win on the day, but they also won the series 3-2.

That's a look at all your sports headlines. I'm Kate Riley.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[02:25:29] CHURCH: We are back. Some trouble for Australia's Prime Minister Tony Abbott. He is facing new political challenge. Communications minister, Malcolm Turnbull, is calling on Tony Abbott to resign, challenging him for leadership of the Liberal Party. The move comes amid growing concerns about the coalition government's performance. Mr. Abbott last faced a leadership challenge by members of his own Liberal Party. He has been saying this is gossip, political rumor, but apparently that's not the case. We will be continuing to follow that story, of course, in the days ahead.

The fighting in Yemen is intensifying while the peace effort receives a setback. Saudi-led coalition forces launched a major ground operation against Houthi rebels in Yemen's Marib Province Sunday. The coalition is trying to push the Houthies out of the oil-rich province. Meanwhile, Yemen's exiled president says his government won't take part in U.S.-sponsored peace talks unless the Houthies withdraw from areas they have seized, including the capital.

I want to turn now to the Iran nuclear deal, and there is no shortage of American distrust. A new CNN/ORC poll shows about half of those questioned would have preferred Congress to reject the agreement. And for many Iranians, the distrust is mutual.

Fred Pleitgen has more on the sentiments in Tehran.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

FRED PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): If anyone thought Iran's supreme leader would hold back with fiery rhetoric after the nuclear agreement, think again. His anti-American and anti-Israeli views are plastered all over Tehran these days. This one says, "America will be under Iran's shoes." And this one, "God willing, in 25 years, there will be no such thing as a Zionist regime."

Khamenei also blasted the U.S. and Israel in a speech as Congress was set to vote on the nuclear agreement, showing that even with the deal, distrust towards America remains strong, says Mohamed Marandi, of Tehran University.

MOHAMED MARANDI, HEAD OF NORTH AMERICAN STUDIES, TEHRAN UNIVERSITY: The Iranians are not interested in having further talks with the United States because here they feel that the United States has to show that it is serious at the negotiating table. It has to show itself as being serious at the implementation stage.

PLEITGEN: But there is another possible explanation for the tough talk. Iran's conservative clergy and powerful military are the supreme leader's strongest supporters. Both groups have been highly critical of the nuclear agreement.

(on camera): Many conservatives feel that Iran gave up too much in return for sanctions relief, and they want reassurances there will be no further negotiations with the West any time soon. (voice-over): A majority of Iranians do favor the agreement. Many we

spoke to say they want better relations with America, but also demand respect.

UNIDENTIFIED IRANIAN: Iran is not like some other countries. Iranian people are proud of their history. We have a strong history. So we are strong. We are powerful. We don't let America abuse us.

PLEITGEN: "Both sides should make compromises," this woman says. "They should build on what they have in common instead of talking about their differences."

For the first time since the Islamic Revolution, authorities removed the U.S. seal from the embassy in Tehran and replaced it with a stone full of words cursing America, a sign that even after successful talks over the nuclear issue, normal relations between Iran and the U.S. still seem a long way off.

Fred Pleitgen, CNN, Tehran.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: Just hours before the start of the Jewish New Year, fighting erupted between Israeli police and Arab youths at one of the holiest sites in the world for both Muslims and Jews. The Palestinians say Israeli forces stormed the mosque, firing rubber bullets and stun grenades. Israeli police say Palestinians were setting up barricades and threw rocks and fireworks at them. The clash spread outside the complex into the streets of the old city of Jerusalem.

In Northern Ireland the possibility of a government collapse is causing deep stresses and strains across the country. Cross-party talks are scheduled for today, but many worry about the consequences such political deconstruction could bring.

Nic Robertson reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

[02:40:08] NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Northern Ireland has never been so popular. Tourists flocking to see where the "Game of Thrones" is filmed.

(SHOUTING)

ROBERTSON: This, the King's Road.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: She told me there is a "Game of Thrones" tour, trying to go back where they filmed a majority of the scenes.

ROBERTSON (on camera): What do you think now that you have seen it?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, my goodness, it is beautiful.

ROBERTSON (voice-over): Coach companies are cashing in. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: As soon as we put the seal, tickets were flying

off the shelves so to speak. That's two years ago now. We haven't looked back since. We have seen a massive increase in business.

ROBERTSON: Just as in the mythical "Game of Thrones," all is not well in Ireland, where two former IRA members have been killed and several top government ministers have resigned amidst political disputes that threaten to collapse power- sharing government, a product of the 1988 peace agreement that ended three decades of conflict. "Game of Thrones" is only one of the things at stake.

(on camera): So far, "Game of Thrones" has brought in estimated $170 million for Northern Ireland. It is doing what everyone hoped the peace deal would do, boost the economy.

The peace agreement itself, one of U.S. President Bill Clinton's foremost foreign policy successions, and it has become a model for resolving other conflicts.

(voice-over): Paul Donnelly teaches tourists about the conflict. In the wake of resignations, he worries about the consequences of a collapsed power sharing government.

PAUL DONNELLY, TOUR GUIDE: Absolutely dangerous. First of all, you create a vacuum within Northern Ireland. Vacuums always tend to be filled. There are people that will be happy to fill that vacuum.

ROBERTSON: He means he doesn't expect to return to the violence of before, where more than 3,600 people were killed, but he fears some violence is possible. The problem, he says, is political infighting.

DONNELLY: They're not thinking about the governance of Northern Ireland, not thinking about the health of the Good Friday agreement. They're thinking about their own collateral possessions.

ROBERTSON: Back on the King's Road, known locally as the Dark Hedges, this local tourist, out with his wife and grandchild, says that politicians need to wise up.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They seriously need to wise up. Nobody wants to go back to the way it was.

ROBERTSON: Unlike the "Game of Thrones," so far, it seems Northern Ireland still has a shot at a brighter future.

Nic Robertson, CNN, the King's Road, Northern Ireland.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: Doctors in Thailand step in after a woman confesses to stealing a six-carat diamond by swallowing it. That story just ahead.

Plus, busy parents have one less thing to worry about. There is a new car service, kind of like Uber, but just for kids. But is it safe?

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) SAMUEL BURKE, CNN TECH CORRESPONDENT: There is a big step going from being with your kid in an Uber to sending them alone in the shuttle service.

MARY INMAN, MOTHER & SHUDDLE USER: Are you saying, what kind of irresponsible parent am I?

(LAUGHTER)

BURKE: That's what everybody wants to know.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

[02:45:37] JAVAHERI: Good day to you. Meteorologist Pedram Javaheri for CNN Weather Watch.

(WEATHER REPORT)

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: Welcome back, everyone. Severe floods in the south of France have left one town completely unrecognizable in spots.

Meteorologist Pedram Javaheri joins us now to explain what is going on there -- Pedram?

JAVAHERI: An incredible story out of this area of France. Sunday night into Monday morning, rainfall totals impressive. It all happened within three hours in southern France. Work your way to the east, a complex of thunderstorms develop over this region. Dumped upward of four inches in a few spots, or 100 millimeters in three hour period. Three hour totals of 51 millimeters, two inches. A 24 stretch, and four-plus inches down over the region. Rain was so heavy that it actually buckled a portion of the roadway here because this was close to the river. River burst its banks. Problems continued stream. In the town, home to about 7,800 people. You see the incredible damage left in place. We know officials say 27 water rescues were conducted. Still, at this hour, eight alerts for floods across this region. We often talk about the force of water. Really doesn't take much in the way of moving water, to produce the tremendous force. You see that causes damage in place. But the concern is there is more rainfall on the way. We have a tropical feature. Remnants that impacted portions of Nova Scotia. Feature, what is left, pushes across the Atlantic and the models indicate a one-two punch of heavy rainfall over the next couple days. The region will be inundated with rainfall across it. Of course, the wind will pick up with the front as well. This is going to be an active pattern, Rosemary, when it comes to what the weather pattern is bringing towards the region. You check your calendar, autumn nearly upon us in the northern hemisphere. Storm track, shifting farther south this time of year -- Rosemary?

CHURCH: Thanks so much, Pedram. Appreciate it.

JAVAHERI: Thanks.

CHURCH: In Thailand, doctors have surgically removed a six-carat diamond lodged in a woman's intestine. Police say the 39-year-old from China confessed to stealing the diamond by swallowing it. The gemstone worth $280,000. An exhibitor from a gem and jewelry fair reported the diamond missing. The woman is being detained on a theft charge. A Chinese man was also arrested in the case.

Well, if you have ever gotten a quick ride from Uber, you know how convenient it is, right? And now there is something similar for kids. It's called Shuddle. But is it safe? That's the big question. How does it work?

Our Samuel Burke found out.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

[02:49:52] SAMUEL BURKE (voice-over): Would you let a stranger drive your kids around? That's exactly what Mary Inman does. She uses Shuddle, an app like Uber, to arrange rides for her two boys.

(on camera): When you first heard the idea for the shuttle service, were you looking at who would let their kids go with a stranger?

INMAN: No. Being, city dwellers, we are accustomed to taxis, Ubers, Lifts.

BURKE: A big step from being with your kid in an Uber to sending them alone in the Shuddle service?

INMAN: Are you saying what kind of irresponsible parent am I?

(LAUGHTER)

BURKE: That's what everybody wants to know. What do you say?

INMAN: What I say to that is these people have designed a really great system, that the people who are driving are women who have a lot of experience with children. It does take a little bit of getting used to. But I think my kids experience has made us all feel very comfortable about it.

BURKE (voice-over): The boys say riding the shuttle is like car pooling with neighbors.

(on camera): What do you think about the Shuddle?

DEVIN INMAN, SHUDDLE RIDER: Really nice. Not such a big-business taxi. It feels more like a neighbor or something than someone like a stranger.

BURKE: Is there any type of special thing you have to tell them so they know it is you and you know it is them?

DEVIN INMAN: Yeah, they usually say the pass code thingy.

MILES INMAN, SHUDDLE RIDER: They have the app. We know our passwords. The passwords are on and a picture of us.

SALLY BRYANT, SHUDDLE DRIVER & MOTHER: We have "pickle" for Miles.

MILES INMAN: Yes.

BYRANT: "Chicken" for Devin?

DEVIN INMAN: Yep.

BURKE: Sally Bryant, mother of four kids in college, took up Shuddle driving to make extra bucks.

(on camera): When you applied, what process did you go through?

BRYANT: In-person interview and apply with my driver's license so the Shuddle could do background checks. And then we got fingerprinted.

BURKE: It's a huge responsibility driving your own kids. It must be even more responsibility when you are driving somebody else's kids. Does that make it nerve wracking?

BYRANT: For me, that it's the really important part of the job that I know I have been a good mom, and I would want my kids with some one like me.

BURKE (voice-over): Shuddle doesn't only rely on the drivers. There is technology to assist and monitor the humans.

(on camera): What live, real-time monitoring is happening when the Shuddle ride is on the road?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Every ride is monitored by a full-time employee. The ride can be monitored by parents on their app.

BURKE: And a device in the car that is monitoring how their driving is?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Using GPS technology, we can tell how fast they're going, did they accelerate too quickly, stop short, just roll through a stop.

BURKE (voice-over): All of that technology and driver scrutiny comes at a cost. Unlike Uber or Lift, Shuddle charges a monthly fee in addition to per ride. The service is in the California Bay Area now. Shuddle's ambition and challenge is to scale without losing track of a single ride.

BRYANT: Have a great day.

BURKE: Samuel Burke, CNN, San Francisco.

(END VIDEOTAPE) CHURCH: It has been more than 20 years since the Arabic version of "Sesame Street" aired in the Persian Gulf. But it is finally making a comeback this week on nine channels in the region.

Becky Anderson has a preview of an old favorite returning with new technology.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

(MUSIC)

BECKY ANDERSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): This was the first, the Arabic adaptation of "Sesame Street" launched in Kuwait in 1979. A big hit in the Middle East. The 1990 Gulf War put pay to it. But now, 25 years on, in Abu Dhabi, the doors of "Sesame" are opening again.

(MUSIC)

ANDERSON: I went to the recent re-launch of the show to meet the people behind this production.

(LAUGHTER)

(on camera): If I just knock on the door -- hello?

Hi there.

The clever lady behind this Muppet is none other than Ashma.

Hello? What a wonderful job.

Tell me about your character?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: She is a little girl. She is 6 years old. She is very smart, talented, clever, full of life. She wants to play with everyone. And she is helpful.

ANDERSON (voice-over): A lot has changed since it went off the air the first time, including the way young people are engaging with the show.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: 30 years ago, we had few platforms. Currently, talking about a content on different platforms. So for us is the fact, not just the show, it is the live shows, the games, the books. The e-books that we need also to develop in Arabic to help the kids, you know, feel the effectiveness of the show.

(MUSIC)

[02:55:07] ANDERSON (on camera): You are too young to have been around during the first series.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, yeah, I was born after it was finished. I was born in 1994. I didn't grow up with the show. But my dad used to videotape it for my older brothers. I did watch it. ANDERSON (voice-over): The crew here hopes this modern twist on old-

school puppetry will proved a big hit with today's kids in the Middle East, just as its predecessor once captivated their parents.

(SINGING)

ANDERSON: Becky Anderson, CNN, Abu Dhabi.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: How about that?

And you have been watching CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Rosemary Church.

Do stay with us for another hour. Errol Barnett joins me for a look at the day's top stories right after this short break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[02:59:54] ERROL BARNETT, CNN ANCHOR: Stretched to the limit. Germany reintroduces borders patrols with Austria after more than 15,000 migrants arrive in Munich over the weekend.

CHURCH: State of emergency. A pair of fast-moving fires in northern California destroys hundreds of homes and forces thousands to evacuate.