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GOP Candidates Pulled No Punches on Donald Trump; Croatia Deals with Thousands of Migrants, Refugees. Aired 10-11a ET.

Aired September 17, 2015 - 10:00   ET

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


ROBYN CURNOW, CNN HOST: Welcome to the International Desk, I'm Robyn Curnow at the CNN Center. Now it was sometimes rowdy, nasty, occasionally funny

but the U.S. Republican Presidential candidates really pulled no punches taking on front-runner Donald Trump in Wednesday's CNN debate.

It was not Trump but former Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina who first dominated the first hour of the three-hour exchange. Well our John Berman

was there, he has more from Simi Valley, California.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOHN BERMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: From nearly the minute the debate started, Donald Trump was the man in the middle, the middle of a pile-on.

RAND PAUL, REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: His visceral response to attack people on their appearance, short, tall, fat, ugly, my goodness,

that happened in junior high.

DONALD TRUMP, REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I never attacked him on his looks, and believe me there's plenty of subject matter right there.

That I can tell you.

BERMAN: There was Trump v Paul, Trump v Fiorina about the "rolling stone" article where he talked about her face.

CARLY FIORINA, REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I think women all over the country heard very clearly what Mr. Trump said.

TRUMP: I think she's got a beautiful face, and I think she's a beautiful woman.

BERMAN: No, she did not seem impressed. Nor was Jeb in Trump v Bush, the subject? Remarks Trump once made accusing Bush of being soft on immigration

because his wife was born in Mexico.

JEB BUSH: I hope you apologized for that, Donald.

TRUMP: Well I have to tell you I hear phenomenal things. I hear your wife is a lovely woman.

BUSH: She is. She's fantastic.

TRUMP: I don't know her and this is a total miss character saying .

BUSH: She is absolutely the love of my life and she's right here. And why don't to apologize to her right now.

TRUMP: Good, good, No, I won't do that because I said nothing wrong but I do hear she's a lovely woman.

BERMAN: The 11 candidates were begging our moderator for their chance to get in the game. All with a need to break through. Carly Fiorina, the

newcomer to the main debate stage, touched the crowd with a reference to sting videos targeting planned parenthood.

FIORINA: Anyone who has watched this videotape, I dare Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama to watch these tapes. Watch a fully formed fetus on the table.

It's heart beating, its legs kicking, while someone says, we have to keep it alive to harvest its brain.

BERMAN: Marco Rubio flashed passion and knowledge on foreign policy.

MARCO RUBIO: The number one issue that a President will ever confront and the most important obligation that the Federal Government will have is to

keep this nation safe and today we are not doing that. We are eviscerating our military and we have a President that is more respectful to the

ayatollah in Iran than he is to the Prime Minister in Israel.

BERMAN: While Trump and Fiorina flashed their business backgrounds in a tit for CEO tap.

FIORINA: I led Hewlett-Packard through a very difficult time the worst technology recession in 25 years.

TRUMP: She can't run any of my companies. That I can tell you.

FIORIN: You ran up mountains of debt as well as losses using other people's money, and you were forced to file for bankruptcy.

TRUMP: I've made over $10 billion.

BERMAN: So what? Who cares said governor Chris Christie?

CHRIS CHRISTIE: The fact is that we don't want to hear about your careers. Back and forth and volleying back and forth about who did well and who did

poorly. You're both successful people. Congratulations.

BERMAN: The debate did have some lighter moments or higher as the case may be.

BUSH: 40 years ago I smoked marijuana and I admit it. I'm sure that other people might have done it and may not want to say it in front of 25 million

people. My mom's not happy that I just did.

BERMAN: The big laughs came with Bush and Trump's proposed presidential code names.

BUSH: Ever Ready, it's very high energy, Donald.

(LAUGHTER)

TRUMP: Humble.

BERMAN: And not to be out partied, Lindsey Graham who made waves in the first debate with some hard-edged anti-terror policy.

LINDSEY GRAHAM: I have a plan to destroy radical Islam because it has to be. These are religious Nazis running wild.

BERMAN: He also came out for hard liquor.

GRAHAM: That's the first thing I'm going to do as President. We're going to drink more.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CURNOW: Oh, there's so much to talk about. Let's try some of it with Lynn Sweet, a Washington Bureau Chief for the Chicago Sun-Times. Hi there. It

was a three-hour conversation, riveting at times, but Donald Trump, I mean he didn't really suck all the oxygen again. He didn't asphyxiate the other

candidates like he did in the last debate. So the question is, then, is his -- has he hit his tipping point? Is this the end of the road for him?

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LYNN SWEET, WASHINGTON BUREAU CHIEF, CHICAGO SUM-TIMES: No, yes - last night was not the end of the road, but it could be the beginning of the end

of the road or the beginning of the next chapter where the laws of political gravity impact him.

[10:05:07]

SWEET: So far, he's been able to insult his way to the top, make light of not knowing any of the subject matter at hand. And that was pretty cool for

the first debate and all his appearances. But last night at the debate, you just can't keep repeating the same things when the conversation has moved

on.

He was on the defensive. And I think the way he treated Carly Fiorina just won't go away. That is a moment in the debate, the way he patronized her.

Well I think he'll have to end up having to worry about appealing to women voters far more than he did two days ago.

CURNOW: Yes, no, it was incredibly patronizing. And let's talk about Carly Fiorina. I mean she really was the one who stood up. In fact, she was the

one woman on the stage, but she slapped him down a few times. I mean, she fought back.

SWEET: Well, what the line she had to be waiting for was to be asked about that rolling stone interview where Trump said that she basically wasn't

pretty.

And then when she had a great response, very steely, a one-liner, something like the women of America heard you, Mr. Trump, and then when he leaned

over his podium and said, oh, I think you're beautiful, that was actually kind of a little creepy. And It was patronizing as I said.

But in the context of Carly Fiorina and her great night, she broke out of the pack not because she was a woman but because she gave a lot of very

good answers.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SWEET: She understood the debate format. And she understood how to communicate. And indeed, if I could make one other comment, when asked,

there is a debate in America about putting the face of a woman on our $10 bill, that would mean throwing the guy who's on it now, a former President,

off. So all the men were blustery about what woman they would put on. She just said, we don't need it. It's just a gesture.

CURNOW: Yes, she doesn't like gestures. That's for sure. Let's talk about this whole race, it seems at times to feel like a reality TV show. And last

night looked like one of those episodes of "Survivor," like who was going to be voted off the island. So then tell me, who tanked here?

SWEET: Well I think the one who had the most to gain and a lot to lose is the Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker.

BEGIN VIDEO CLIP

SWEET: He was waiting too long to be called on. It was three hours even with an unwieldy 11 people on stage, it was plenty of time to jump in. And

certainly CNN debate moderator Jake Tapper and CNN's Dana Bash and conservative talk show host Hugh Hewitt gave everybody plenty of

opportunity if they wanted to kind of jump in the fray. Scott Walker just needed to have more to say and say it more. He has- he has been declining

anyway. We'll see if this is the beginning of his last chapter, too.

CURNOW: We'll see what happens next and we'll see implications, whether this narrows down the field.

Jeb Bush, I mean he warmed up at the end, didn't he? But you know before all of these debates early on, I mean he seemed like a sure bet. It doesn't

seem like that now.

SWEET: Well, he didn't seem to have a way of getting his head around how to deal with the front-runner Donald Trump. Carly Fiorina did. He had his good

moments where he demanded an apology from Donald Trump for insulting his wife and then kind of didn't follow up when Trump said he wouldn't do it.

And also, you know -- so he had - he's going to get a second chance out of this debate because he - I think that the stage was really dominated by

Bush and Trump and Fiorina. The other front-runner in the polls at least, Dr. Ben Carson, hardly heard from, was very make. So Jeb bush was able to I

think at least set the - set a way of getting -- moving along in his campaign.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SWEET: But he didn't get out of this debate I think what he need, which was some clear ways to show he can handle the front-runner. Made some attempts,

not there yet.

CURNOW: OK, Lynn Sweet, thank you so much for your analysis. Thanks a lot.

SWEET: Thank you.

CURNOW: Now top aides to Democratic Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton say the Republican debate was a win for them, especially on the issue of

defunding the women's health organization planned parenthood. Clinton even joked about it after the debate on "The Tonight Show" with host, Jimmy

Fallon who dressed up as Donald Trump.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HILLARY CLINTON, DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: You know I'm really curious, Donald, what is your stance on women's issues?

JIMMY FALLON, HOST: Look, I know a lot of women, and they all have issues. You want to win? Here's what you've got to do. First, yell. I yell all the

time. In fact, this phone isn't even plugged in. I'm just yelling.

(LAUGHTER)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[10:10:05]

CURNOW: And you can see a replay of the Republican debate at 8:00 p.m. Today London time, that's 9:00 p.m. in Central Europe. Now, it was three

hours long of course so get comfortable. Only on CNN.

Well, it's been a new day and new challenges for Croatia as it deals with thousands of migrants and refugees at its border with Serbia.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CURNOW: Croatia's Interior Minister says more than 7,300 people have entered the country since early Wednesday. Ivan Watson is at the train

station in Tovarnik, Croatia and Ben Wedeman is reporting from Horgos, Serbia at the Hungarian border.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CURNOW: Thanks, guys. I'll get to you in a minute, Ben. Ivan, just explain to us what the scene is like where you are. I know you said in some cell

phone video so just talk us - talk us through this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

IVAN WATSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, right now, the scene at the train station here on the Croatian border is much calmer than

it was about an hour ago when there was just a heaving mass of migrants here that were trying to break through Croatian police barriers that had

been erected to try to control the flow of people coming into this staging area.

So what we saw were very dramatic scenes of hundreds and hundreds of people pushing against police barriers and breaking through different points of

defense. In the crush of the crowd, there were children caught in the crowd, women caught wailing, screaming. The Croatian police were struggling

to help out some of the children who'd been caught and the women who were being overwhelmed by the heat and the sheer number of people.

And this standoff continued for some time with the Croatian police not using really force. All they were doing was holding with their weight

trying to hold these barriers up. And finally after about an hour just the floodgates opened and I would estimate several thousand people just broke

through the police barriers and ran into Croatia. Not waiting for the buses that the government had been organizing to take people to a next

registration area but kind of charging on mass.

So A dramatic scene and one that left the Croatian authorities clearly overwhelmed and they kind of threw up their hands and gave up. So now you

have more migrants coming in down the train tracks and coming into this area. The police kind of mingling here. It's a very calm situation here

now.

But there was a Red Cross distribution area here where there were diapers and some food and edibles here. And clearly part of the crowd charged into

there and ripped through everything. Now you have some refugees and migrants trying to restore order to what were donations for the people who

have come in.

It's only been a little bit more than 24 hours, Robyn, since Croatia announced it was opening its doors to migrants, refugees. We saw very calm,

orderly scenes throughout the border throughout the day on Wednesday with Croatian police escorting in the new arrivals. I do not think that the

Croatian authorities expected such chaos and pandemonium barely 36 hours after they invited this wave of migrants into their country.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CURNOW: Indeed they invited them and then now they're saying, we're hearing from authorities, that they can't take in any more migrants. Just stay with

us. If your signal continues to stay up, we'll go back to Ivan. But I just want to bring in Ben Wedeman. 24 hours ago when we were talking, there was

chaos behind you. The people who are there, have they moved to where Ivan is?

BEN WEDEMAN, CNN SERNIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Many of them have. In fact, we saw, as the Serbian authorities provided buses, initially to take

them to a camp, but then they said that in fact the people there refused to get on the camp, which is just ten kilometers from here and insisted that

those buses take them to Croatia. And that in fact is where they've gone.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

WEDEMAN: Now let me just explain to you the scene going on next to me. What we have now is a small demonstration organized by activists in

solidarity with the refugees who are calling for the gates to Hungary to be opened. But this is really the biggest grouping of people we've seen at

this location since this morning because many, many people have indeed decided that there's no chance that they'll be able to cross the border

into Hungary.

They've boarded buses, gotten into private taxis, taken trains to the Croatian border because apart from this number of optimistic people hoping

to get into Hungary, it doesn't look like this gate which was the scene of those violent clashes yesterday is going to open for them. Robyn?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(10:15:19)

CURNOW: Ben, Greece is warning of large numbers of refugees of migrants from Syria moving to their land border with Turkey. I mean you've covered

just about all angles. You've been all over Europe reporting on this story. I mean, it really underscores just how difficult it is and how this wave of

humanity just isn't stopping and doesn't look like it's going to stop.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

WEDEMAN: No. In fact, you know I was speaking to some of the refugees and migrants here who are insisting that they're going to stay here as long as

it takes until they can cross the border. But really I think only a sixth of the number of people who were originally here remain here, and those --

and really the way this crisis is working is that people quickly find out when there are other routes to get into Europe, and they change just as

quickly.

I mean, what's amazing is that when we were here on Tuesday morning, people were beginning to arrive here at this border in the hopes of crossing. And

here we are just 48 hours, just a little more than 48 hours, later, and many of them who have moved on through Croatia.

END VIDEO CLIP

WEDEMAN: And now of course we're hearing about this massing of people who are hoping to move across the land border between Greece -Turkey and Greece

so that means another wave is on the way.

So this crisis has a dynamic that I don't think anybody can anticipate. And what's interesting is that, by the time the aid groups and what not, get

organized on the ground, the crisis has moved on. So now many of them are talking about packing up and moving to the Croatian border. But who knows

how long that crisis in that spot will last? It could quickly move on to another location like the border between Croatia and Slovenia, Robyn.

CURNOW: Indeed Ben, Wedeman there and of course we're hearing from the European Council President saying he's summoned EU leaders to an

extraordinary summit next Wednesday to try to deal with this and the proposed scheme to redistribute 120,000 asylum seekers across the EU.

You're at the International Desk.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CURNOW: Still to come, Tsunami warnings are issued after a powerful earthquake rattles Chile. We'll have an update.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

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(COMMERCIAL)

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CURNOW: Welcome back to the International Desk. Tsunami warnings have been lifted in Chile after a powerful earthquake struck off the coast.

BEGIN VIDEO CLIP

CURNOW: This video shows the shaking and rattling as the magnitude attitude 8.3 earthquake hit. At least 8 people were killed. The quake triggered

flooding and 1 million people had to be evacuated from coastal areas. The Chilean President says she will travel to the hardest hit areas.

[10:20:12]

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CURNOW: Well our Shasta Darlington, is following developments from Rio De Janeiro in Brazil and she joins us now. I know you've been hitting the

phones I mean what's the latest? What are people in Chile being telling you?

SHASTA DARLINGTON, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Listen, Robyn, as you - as you mentioned, this was an extremely powerful quake. According to

Chilean officials, it was the strongest earthquake of - so far this year in the entire world.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DARLINGTON: So all of those people who were at home, who were in the supermarket in those videos we've been seeing, many of them rushed out into

the street, then of course with the Tsunami warning, more than a million people were evacuated along the coast.

And while, yes, the Tsunami warning has been lifted, our experience has taught us -- we were there last year for a major quake -- many people just

don't return home either because their homes were destroyed or because there's so many aftershocks, we're talking hundreds of them, that they're

terrified that their houses could come tumbling down any minute.

And since that big quake last night, they're still feeling aftershocks. In fact, the (Cha Waup Pa) province has been declared a disaster zone. We

still don't know the full extent of the damage there. And again, what we saw last year was thousands and thousands of families setting up tent

cities in these hills above the cities where they could basically be safe, there wouldn't be buildings falling on them. But they didn't have any

access to running water, any access to toilets. So it really also sets up a bit of a hygiene/health crisis for the government.

And what we saw is, while they're at this point very efficient at handling the earthquakes and evacuating people, dealing with this post-earthquake -

these challenges, in some ways can be the most difficult phase. And that's what we'll see going forward, is the government really trying to get people

back into their homes once they've assured they're safe and convincing them that these tent cities are perhaps even more dangerous because of the

health issues, Robyn.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CURNOW: Excellent point, thanks so much. Shasta Darlington there.

I want to get more on the Tsunami warnings following the earthquake that Shasta was talking about. CNN's Meteorologist Chad Myers joins us now for

an update on that. Hi there, Chad.

CHAD MYERS, CNN METEROLOGIST: You know, this was a very big earthquake. Good afternoon, good morning depending on your time zone and good evening

here if you're now into parts of the East.

It is going to be a day that we watch the waves move across the pacific ocean. The Tsunami still going, although at this point Kilo, Hawaii, just

had the biggest wave they've had all night, 2.1 feet, about two-thirds of a meter. So things are calming down. There were very, very, very big waves

along the coast here. 15 feet in Coquimbo, that's a 5-meter wave coming onshore here in this coastal town. That's why there are so many people that

were evacuated along the coastal cities here.

So we're talking about almost a foot, two and a half fee, almost a meter in French Polynesia and two-thirds of a meter into Hawaii. Will it hit Japan?

Yes. Will it be a big Tsunami? No. Things begin to calm down the longer it goes there's a little bit of friction in the water so by the time it does

gets to Japan, still only looking at probably a third to two-thirds of a meter. Haven't seen anything bigger than that. Even the U.S. Now picking up

about a third of a meter along the coastal sections of California.

(Inaudible) Island still at 16:20, Zulu UTC time. What happens is the bottom of the earth kind of ruptures up and when it ruptures up, it pushes

the wave up, pushes the water up and then the water comes onshore. It can go in both directions, and it did this time. In some of the water came

onshore in Chile and some of that water, some of the wave did move off to the west and is still moving at this hour. So we're still going to watch

it. There are still quite a few aftershocks going on right now and it's not out of the question to get an aftershock of around 7 when you already have

an earthquake of 8 - 8.3. And a 7 aftershock is a big quake all by itself.

CURNOW: No doubt terrifying for all those people on the ground. Thanks so much, Chad Myers.

MYERS: You're welcome.

CURNOW: Still to come here at the International Desk.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CURNOW: Gay couples in Singapore are taking on decency laws that make their relationships illegal. Now they're fighting for equal rights, next.

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(END VIDEO CLIP)

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[10:25:53]

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CURNOW: Welcome back. Now same sex marriages become legal throughout the U.S. this summer and led to headline making showdown as well in the state

of Kentucky. But this week we're focusing on Singapore where homosexuality is a crime.

CNN's David Molko introduces us to one couple who decided to take on the law and their leaders.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DAVID MOLKO, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Cheers and celebrations outside the U.S Supreme Court but half a world away, Singapore's Prime

Minister had a far more restrained reaction.

LEE HSIEN LOONG, SINGAPORE'S PRIME MINISTER: I think we have a much more cautious approach towards social issues. I think on LGBT issues I've stated

my position.

MOLKO: A position that basically says, let's agree to disagree, because Singaporeans just aren't ready. But the debate here runs much deeper than

same sex marriage. In Singapore, it remains illegal for two men to have sex, even in the privacy of their own bedroom.

Just last year, the Supreme Court upheld section 377A. and while the government says it doesn't enforce the law, anyone who breaks it could face

up to two years behind bars.

GARY LIM, LGBT RIGHTS ADVOCATE: Because as long as 377A is there, you know, we are criminals.

MOLKO: Gary Lim and his partner of 18 years, Kenneth Chi fought against the law and lost.

LIM: It's been tough. I mean it's a long journey and we fought like any other couple will do but (inaudible).

MOLKO: In a conservative country that prides itself on its racial and religious diversity, that love isn't recognized or protected.

LIM: It's not like, you know, mom, this is my husband. It's not one of those things.

MOLKO: Would you like to call Kenneth your husband?

LIM: Yes.

MOLKO: At this year's annual Pink Dot Rally for LGBT rights, organizers say a record 28,000 people packed into Speakers Corner at Hong Lim Park. It's

the only place in the country that allows protests without a permit. Doryn Sim said this year they applied to hold the rally elsewhere but were turned

down.

DORYNE SIM, PINK DOT: So there is space civil discord. But where it gets too heated I think that's when the government will step in and say no, we

don't have space for such things.

MOLKO: In part because of public opinion. One 2014 survey found more than 72% of those polled were opposed to same sex marriage. 78% disapproved of

gay sex.

SIM: There's a lot of fear and ignorance in the population. It's very hard for us (inaudible).

MOLKO: But Gary and Kenneth say there is increasing awareness and tolerance. And they are hopeful about the future.

LIM: This thing will be repealed sooner or later, I feel we are (inaudible) -- we are in our own --

KENNETH: So I think eventually it will happen.

MOLKO: However many years it takes, Gary and Kenneth say they will wait together.

David Molko, CNN, Singapore.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CURNOW: Thanks to David for that report.

Coming up here at the International Desk.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CURNOW: It's been nearly a decade since the U.S Central bank raised interest rates. But the fed could change that in the next few hours.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

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[10:31:42]

CURNOW: Hi there. I'm Robyn Curnow, you're watching the International Desk let's check the headlines.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CURNOW: U.S. Republican Presidential candidates pulled no punches taking on front-runner Donald Trump in Wednesday's CNN debate. Former Hewlett-Packard

CEO, Carly Fiorina dominated the first hour and Trump's participation decreased as talk turned to foreign policy and other weighty issues.

Croatia's Interior Minister says his country can't take in any more refugees or migrants that's according to a report from Reuters. The

ministry says at least 7300 people had entered the country from Serbia by midday yesterday. Asylum seekers deterred by Hungary's new border fence are

seeking other routes north.

At least eight people are dead in Chile after a powerful 8.3 magnitude earthquake there. The quick generated a nearly five-meter wave triggering

Tsunami advisories as far away as New Zealand. Nearly 1 million people had to be evacuated from coastal areas.

United Nations is condemning a military coup in the African nation of Burkina Faso. Presidential guards following the General Diendere stormed a

cabinet meeting and seized top officials. It happened just days before the country was to hold general elections. Some media reports cite Diendere as

- saying the Interim President and Prime Minister are fine and that they'll will be released from (inaudible).

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CURNOW: Wall Street is on edge as investors wait to see if the Federal Reserve will raise interest rates later today. It would be the first time

in nearly a decade.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CURNOW: Investors appear to be playing it safe for now with slight - with trading slightly lower at the start. They are the numbers there.

Well Maggie lake, as always, has all the answers. Will they or won't they?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MAGGIE LAKE, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Robyn, if I had the answer to that, in fact, this time around, very few seem to be really sure.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LAKE: If you look at Fed fund futures, the bond market, that's telling us that most people think that they're going to hold off. But when you talk to

people, they're really hedging their bets. They're not sure. There are so many things for the Fed to consider as they sit around the table.

And if you think about it this way, if you think of the Fed as being auto mechanics, before they turn that ignition for the first time in almost a

decade, they need to make sure that the economy can handle higher rates.

Mechanics at the 54th Street Auto Center know a thing or two about inspecting engines. Each day they make sure vehicles are in top shape

before they hit the road. So what are you doing here?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What I'm doing is tightening up the terminal.

LAKE: Fine-tuning a car is obviously a lot different than crafting Fed policy. But they do have one thing in common. Both require a lot of care

and one wrong move could cause a lot of damage.

For the fed, job number one is keeping the wheels of growth running in the U.S. Without sparking excess inflation. Many say there's a lot more work to

do on the monetary motor.

SCOTT SHELLADY, TJM INVESTMENTS: We used to raise rates to cool off an overheating economy. We never used to raise them just because let's get it

over with. We've had those emergency level interests rate now we're in our seventh year of zero percent. Seven years, zero percent and we still can't

get any real inflation? Doesn't that tell you that the engine is broken? And I think if the engine is broken, raising rates is probably the wrong

thing to did.

[10:35:13]

LAKE: Others think the Fed have room to tap ever so slightly on the brakes. Employment is close to Fed targets, the jobless rate is at seven-year lows

and key segments are strengthening.

DIANE SWONK, CHIEF ECONOMIST, MESIROW FINANCIAL: We do have a tailwind. The tailwind is a much stronger housing market. Most people care most about the

value of their home. They hold less stock today than they did prior to the crisis and in fact home prices in most markets have hit their previous

highs, which is a tipping point. So there's a tailwind of momentum and that extra tax cut of falling prices at the pump will help consumers with

stagnant wages.

LAKE: Another key factor for the Fed, the lack of economic shock absorbers. If they keep rates at record low levels they'll have less tools to loose in

the next downturn.

But be careful what you wish for. Even one rate hike could mess up the transmission and trigger a rise in borrowing costs.

GILLIAN TETT, U.S. MANAGING EDITOR, FINANCIAL TIMES: What the Fed officials desperately hope (inaudible) is that they can rise a little bit and nothing

will happen for quite a long time and then they creep up gradually hand slowly. What's more likely to happen is when interest rates start to ride

up a bit, they will pop up much faster than people expect and cause more turmoil.

LAKE: No-one wants drastically higher borrowing costs that could knock the wheels off the economic recovery. The pressure is on Janet Yellen and the

Fed as they begin their look underneath the economic hood.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CURNOW: And Robyn, it's really worth remembering, we are still in uncharted territory as the Fed starts to shift away from those emergency measures.

They're really not sure how markets are going to respond and it's global markets as well. Now the decision is going to come at 2:00 p.m. Eastern

time and then very importantly Janet Yellen the Fed Chair, you just saw there, is going to hold a press conference, and that investors are telling

me is going to be as important as the decision. What does she say about the future trajectory of interest rates is going to be absolutely crucial

Robyn.

CURNOW: Absolutely and we'll cover it here on CNN. But definitely a tough call. Thanks so much.

You're at the International Desk. We're on the road to Singapore next.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CURNOW: Find out why some young entrepreneurs are calling it the Silicon Valley of Asia. Stay with us.

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CURNOW: All this week, CNN is on the road in Singapore. A tiny city state is looking to reinvent itself through a growing start-up scene. Paula

Newton introduces us to a couple of the nation's young entrepreneurs.

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PAULA NEWTON, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: You've heard it a million times, straight-laced Singapore. No chewing gum, no graffiti, everyone

diligently working away as good corporate citizens.

Well, take a tour with us through this luxury villa, and we'll explain how it's at the heart of Singapore's new take on corporate culture, innovation,

and how to nurture it.

[10:40:02]

NEWTON: Stephanie Chi wants to rent you this luxury villa, but how she wants to do it is the essence of Singapore's new push to become the place

for start-ups in Asia. She runs the Lux-Nomad, a luxury travel website run out of Singapore.

Well, this is the extravagant villa.

STEPHANI CHI, You picked the most expensive villa. I mean here we are at Keppel of course it's one of Singapore's top hotels.

NEWTON: Stephanie could have started her niche business anywhere in Asia, but she's here.

Why Singapore? Why come here?

CHI: To be very frank with you, I moved to Singapore three years ago because it really is now becoming the Silicon Valley of Asia. They've

invested a lot of money in different schemes to support entrepreneurs such as myself to start a business here.

NEWTON: Those schemes include cold, hard cash, matching funds that are raised privately. But it's so much more. A different attitude. Creative

start-up pubs complete with legal graffiti. In short, a tech ecosystem built from the ground up.

MELVIN YUAN: So the place that we're at right now, this whole area is called Launchpad. It was converted from factories in the past, it's been

you know designated as an area where start-ups and venture firms can get rent at cheaper prices.

NEWTON: Let's call Melvin Yuan a serial and successful entrepreneur, his latest venture is the commission, based here at the Launchpad. It gives

people the chance to commission art of their own.

YUAN: The power of commissioned artwork, the power of having something done just for you.

NEWTON: Matching them with artists who can finally earn a living doing what they love. The power of the commission was intimately demonstrated for me.

YUAN: Your team has prepared a surprise for you.

NEWTON: Really?

YUAN: Uh-huh. So we're here.

NEWTON: You've got to be kidding me. If only they were. As my own commissioned work of art was unveiled -- that is incredible!

But truly on display here, the power of an idea of what can unfold because of it. Everybody has the same idea. How do you make it work?

YUAN: It's a good melting pot of talent and culture and I think when you have people from different - you know with different talents and from

different cultures come together, that's where magic happens.

NEWTON: From art to villas, Singapore is taking the leap, moving away from the roots of its corporate character and fostering a new breed of business.

Paula Newton, CNN, Singapore.

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CURNOW: Well that does it for us here at the International Desk I'm Robyn Curnow. Thanks for watching. World Sport with Don Riddell is up next.

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[10:45:25]

DON RIDDELL, CNN HOST: Hello there and welcome to World Sport live from the CNN center. I'm Don Riddell.

The return of the Champions League has thrown up plenty of talkers this week. Contrasting fortunes for last year's finalists, the continued demise

of the Premier League teams and a pretty demanding start for Paris Saint Germain. But all of that paled in comparison with one awe-inspiring moment

in Rome.

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RIDDELL: Barcelona have made a habit of starting the defense of their European cover (inaudible) against Italian sides and it was no different on

Wednesday. Luis Suarez put the Catalans ahead. But then watch this. Alessandro Florenzi took a few strides over of the halfway line, and then

audaciously lobbed the goalie from all of 64 yards. Not surprisingly, it is being described as one of the best Champions League goals ever.

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RIDDELL: Meanwhile, Chelsea will be grateful for the morale-boosting win at Stamford Bridge which may just give them something to build on. The blues

have made their worst league start in almost 30 years so a 4-0 thrashing of Maccabi Tel Aviv will have felt pretty good.

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RIDDELL: What didn't feel good was Eden Hazard's the dreadful (inaudible) penalty. But (inaudible) spared his blushes shortly afterwards with a free

kick that somehow had made it past the goalie. And Diego Costa scored the goal of the night with a spectacular effort just before the hour mark.

Costa and Cesc Fabregas completed the route. That is only Chelsea's second win in seven game this season. The manager Jose Mourinho says he

understands why the media has been so hard on them.

JOSE MOURINHO, CHELSEA MANAGER: I am a fantastic manager when I win matches and I am fantastic manager when I lose matches . So but you think in a

different way. Different industry. You know and your industry is it the pundits' industry. You know they got big money not to say easy things. They

have to say -- they have to be genius in their analysis or they don't deserve the money they get. So I understand all of this.

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RIDDELL: Well it turns out that Chelsea was the only English team to pick up any points this week. Man City, Man United and Arsenal all lost their

respective games by a 2-1 score line.

The Gunners play Chelsea this weekend by the way.

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RIDDELL: And you'd be forgiven if you didn't see Arsenal's loss coming. For their opponent, Dinamo Zagreb this was a first group stage win in 16

attempts. (Inaudible) red card, the Gunners had to play more than half the game with only ten men. And it was a tough night in Croatia. But their

manager Arsene Wenger, says all is not lost.

ARSENE WENGER, ARSENAL MANGER: We are promising to start every competition this year and we promise against the championship and again tonight in the

Champions League. But I'm confident that we can put that right in the next five games.

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RIDDELL: Well given that Arsenal have Bayern Munich to contact with in Group F that really wasn't the most ideal start for the North London side.

Bayern meanwhile kicked off with a comfortable win away at Olympiacos. Well it was comfortable on paper.

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RIDDELL: Bayern dominated position but they didn't take the lead until early in the second half when Thomas Muller accidentally beat the goalie

with a cross. And It wasn't until the last couple of minutes when the German champions made the game safe. Mario Gotze taking this one very well,

Muller added a late penalty after that.

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RIDDELL: And then Formula 1, says it has no plans to change anything for the Singapore Grand Prix this weekend, despite the fact that an unhealthy

cloud of haze has been hovering over the island state for the last week. But one thing will be different for the night race on Sunday. The American

Alexander Rossi has been called up to race for the Manor team. He will replace Roberto Merhi for five of the last seven races this season. Rossi

can't race in Russia and Abu Dhabi because he has to finish off his GP2 campaign.

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RIDDELL: OK, the rugby world cup is almost upon us. And for the devoted All Blacks fans, that means a dilemma.

That's next on World Sport.

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[10:52:02]

RIDDELL: We are just over 24 hours away now from the start of the rugby world cup.

The hosts England will take on Fiji in the opening game on Friday at Twickenham. And then on Sunday the reigning champions New Zealand will kick

off the defense of their title against Argentina.

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RIDDELL: Back home on the other side of the world, the All Blacks fans are trying to figure out a way to see the games. They'll kick off early morning

in New Zealand and so a campaign has begun to try and get the working day started later. The tag line is work starts when play ends. If you didn't

know, rugby is very much the national sport in New Zealand. And for everyone in their squad, playing for the All Blacks in a world cup is a

very big deal, especially for those who are getting their first taste of it like scrumhalf Aaron Smith.

AARON SMITH, NEW ZEALAND HALFBACK: Oh I guess for us it's not about really the world cup it's just about us playing our first game really well. And

you know, I've never been a part of a world cup so for me I'm just really excited to be over here. And just can't wait to get into it. So you know

we've got one week until we get to play our first game and that's pretty much our goals each game. Each game, take one game at a time.

RIDDELL: The world cup was first played in 1987 and it three of the seven tournaments so far the host nation has lifted the Web Ellis trophy. England

obviously are hoping to make the most of home advantage this time, but the All Blacks legend, the tournament's leading tri scorer Jono Lonu told us

that playing at home can be a mixed blessing.

JONAH LOMU, FORMER NEW ZEALAND WINGER: This is Rugby HQ, this is where rugby was created. It was started here. And you know we're - you know all

the pressure is on England. But also at the same time you know it's the great immense support that they have it's going to make it tough for

anybody to beat them here. If you beat them here, then you know you've done something amazing.

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RIDDELL: Now Europe's golfers say they are the underdogs for this weekend's Solheim Cup in Germany. But they are the defending champions who

are going for a third consecutive win in ladies golf bi-annual team competition.

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RIDDELL: Europe haven't always been on top though. Over the last six events the trophy has been split evenly between Europe and the USA. And

overall the Americans have won eight to Europe's five.

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RIDDELL: There will be a lot of attention on the former champ protege Michelle Wie who's barely played since winning the U.S. Open last year,

injury concerns have completely wrecked her season. But she's says she's good to go.

Meanwhile Europe will be looking to Norway's Suzanne Pedersen, the heartbeat of their last wins. She has been speaking with our live-in golf

host, Shane O'Donoghue.

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SUZANN PETTERSON, WORLD NUMBER II: I'm kind of a perfectionist like any other golfer, but I'm not really happy until everything's perfect. And

sometimes that's helped me in a lot of ways, but it's also hurt me. Golf is not a game of perfection. You've got to accept to have bad days and get the

most out of those days as much as those good days or that one round when you hit two perfect golf shots.

[10:55:01]

SHANE O'DONOGHUE, CNN LIVING GOLF ANCHOR: Growing up with two older brothers in Norway gave her an edge that took a while to turn into an

advantage.

PETTERSON: When I was younger, I was always in trouble. And I think that's still in me. The older you get, the kind of the better perspective you get

on golf as well. As a kid, I used to have huge anger management problems on the golf course. I was not throwing golf clubs, but I think as any kid you

have your moments where you just lose it. And I think you grow out of it. It's kind of part of growing up, playing golf. You kind of learn the

etiquette and manners and the sportsmanship of the game.

O'DONOGHUE: Suzann's character makes her a difficult opponent to play against on any stage especially the Solheim Cup. Few embody the nerve and

(inaudible) in the event as much as Petterson. You know the Solheim has been a very defining point of my career. I played my first Solheim in 2001

and I think then I realized I could kind of take on the world stage. I felt like I had the guts to kind of take it on, it all matters.

I had great guidance from the current players at the time and am fortunate enough to play alongside some of the best human golfers ever. It's just

meant the world to me.

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RIDDELL: European golf legend, Suzann Petterson there. All right, that is it for this edition of World Sports, thanks for your company. Becky

Anderson's up next with Connect The World live from Abu Dhabi. Take care.

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