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Connect the World
Illegal Immigration; Interview With Diane von Furstenberg
Aired July 01, 2010 - 16:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ARIZONA GOVERNOR JAN BREWER: This is an outrage. Washington says our border is as safe as it has ever been. Does it look safe to you?
BECKY ANDERSON, CNN HOST: A political jab on YouTube. The governor of Arizona pokes fun at a president's ability to police the border. But under and over the fence in Mexico there is anger over her controversial law cracking down on illegal immigrants.
From Italy to Malaysia, Singapore and beyond, the message it seems is clear. It is time to boot out people without papers. Tonight, we'll count the cost.
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ANDERSON: On CNN this is the hour we "CONNECT THE WORLD." Well illegal immigration is an issue that resonates in every nation, doesn't it? To varying degrees, there are always people who want to get in. I'm Becky Anderson in London. I'll hear from you tonight as well. I've Tweeted about this on @beckyCNNtweetback. You can play a part in our live debate.
Illegal immigration. What cost? And England's rich, ancient history can be seen in treasure troves like this one, but a more recent discovery shows how absolutely brutal life here once was.
And she created the wrap dress. Now, you can find her designs in hotel rooms. A one-on-one with Diane von Furstenberg. She is answering your questions as your Connector of the Day.
First up this hour, a new promise to bring 11 million illegal immigrants in the United States out of the shadows. President Barack Obama is vowing to move forward on immigration reform, saying those who entered the U.S. illegally must get right with the law before they can stand in line for citizenship.
President Obama also said the current patchwork of local rules is no substitute for a clear, national policy.
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PRESIDENT OBAMA: In some, the system is broken, and everybody knows it. Unfortunately reform has been held hostage to political posturing and special interest wrangling, and to the pervasive sentiment in Washington that tackling such a thorny and emotional issue is inherently bad politics.
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ANDERSON: President Obama singled out Arizona's new immigration law for special criticism; said it fanned the flames or an already contentious debate. Casey Wan now explaining what all the controversy is about, taking us back to April in the flourish of a pen triggered what has become an uproar.
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BREWER: I will now sign Senate Bill 1070.
CASEY WAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Arizona Governor Jan Brewer signed into law the nation's toughest measure aimed at cracking down on illegal immigration over the objections of hundreds of protestors who surrounded the state capital for several days.
BREWER: Though many people disagree, I firmly believe it represents what's best for Arizona.
WAN: Protestors claim the bill will lead to racial profiling by police officers enforcing its most controversial provision. They will be required in many cases to check the immigration status of anyone they believe is in the United States illegally. Some opponents were angry. Others just sad.
PROTESTOR: I started to cry. I started to think about my family and my friends, about everything that's going to happen, about how things are going to change from now on.
WAN: Brewer says she will enforce state laws against racial profiling with as much vigor as she enforces the new law making illegal immigration a state crime.
BREWER: People across America are watching Arizona, seeing how we implement this law.
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ANDERSON: Casey Wan reporting for you there. Arizona's governor there met with President Obama after she signed that bill into law. She wasn't happy with his immigration policy then, and she isn't happy now. In fact, she has put out a searing new ad that has gone viral on YouTube. Take a look at this.
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BREWER: He promised that we would get word from his administration on what they were going to do to secure the border. Well, we finally got the message. These signs. These signs, calling our desert an active drug and human smuggling area. This is an outrage.
Washington says our border is as safe as it has ever been. Does this look safe to you?
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ANDERSON: Oh, well Arizona and President Obama may be at odds, but plenty of other Americans support the state's tough approach to illegal immigration. A recent CNN Opinion Research Corporation Poll found 57 percent of Americans are in favor or Arizona's new law; 37 percent oppose it.
Well on the other side of the border, many Mexicans are furious. They fear Arizona's law could lead to discrimination against Mexican citizens. Here's the President Felipe Calderon recently told CNN's Wolf Blitzer.
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FELIPE CALDERON, PRESIDENT OF MEXICO: In particular in Arizona, there is some racial profiling criteria. In order to enforce the law that it's against any sense of human rights and of course, is provoking a very disappointing opinion of Mexico and around the world, even here in America.
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ANDERSON: Felipe Calderon, let's join the dots on this story for you, shall we? Arizona is not the only place where police can demand proof is in the country illegally. Malaysia has a similar law allowing an immigration officer to ask any person for proof of his or her legal status.
And the penalties for illegal immigration are severe, including a fine, five years in jail, and up to six strokes of the whip. Singapore has a similar punishment. At least three strokes of a cane, and up to six months in jail.
And Italy passed strict new immigration laws last year which criminalized illegal immigration. The law also allows unarmed civilians to form patrol groups and help police fight crime on the street. One Italian city in particular is at the heart of a bitter culture clash.
Residents of Prato say illegal Chinese immigrants are destroying local businesses. Diana Magnay reporting for you. They are now starting to fight back.
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DIANA MAGNAY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Police break in to what they believe is an illegal factory in Prato, Northern Italy. Inside, a row upon row of sewing machines. The conditions here are unsanitary. The people who work here sleep here too. The business model for this workshop, clothes with the Made In Italy label produced in Europe but under what police describe as sweatshop conditions.
FABIO PICHIERRI, POLICE OFFICER (through translator): We found seven adults all from China. We're in the process of trying to identify them. Three of them are definitely illegal.
MAGNAY: Around 30 percent of the town's population is from China. Many are here illegally, and most don't mix with the locals who say they're forcing them out of business. Tensions are so deep that normally left- leaning Prato last year elected a right-wing mayor, a textile magnate himself. Robert Cenni has ramped up the crackdown on Chinese factories.
ROBERT CENNI, MAYOR OF PRATO, ITALY (through translator): The competition with the Chinese industries is so strong because they don't respect the law. The few Prato textile industries that did have a complete line of production from textiles through to the finished product went bankrupt.
MAGNAY: But why are so many Chinese businesses choosing Prato? Analysts say it's actually quicker to produce "pronto moda" -- instant fashion -- here. The Made In Italy label is valuable and there are low shipping costs. Distrust and stereotypes run deep.
YEN HUIMENG, RESIDENT (through translator): What do most Italians say of Chinese? That they are dishonest competitors, tax evaders, counterfeiters. For the Chinese, the Italians are exploiters.
MAGNAY: Since the mayor's election, the police have been kept busy, closing down hundreds of factories like this one. Diana Magnay, CNN, Rome.
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ANDERSON: All right. So we've seen some reasons why nations may want to give illegal immigrants the boot. Let's bring in Chrystia Freeland, who's one of our big thinkers here at "CONNECT THE WORLD" to discuss the issue of what is illegal immigration? Let's remember that, Chris. This is illegal immigration as opposed to regular immigration we're talking about here.
Seal the border. Stop the drug pushers, the human traffickers. What's wrong with Arizona's law effectively here on illegal immigration?
CHRYSTIA FREELAND, PANELIST: Well, I think the objection that's being raised in America is something that you alluded to earlier in your program, this concern about racial profiling. The concern that what you're going to see is a climate which targets people who look different, probably particularly because the illegal immigrants they're worried about in Arizona are from Mexico.
The climate that will make anyone who is Hispanic, who has darker skin be really uncomfortable to be in Arizona. And I think that's a problem. You know, I think that right now, America and part of the reason you've seen such a pushback from the White House around this is America is very concerned about how competitive it is in the world's economy, and historically America's edge in being competitive has been that it has been able to attract the smartest, the best, the brightest from around the world.
Think about Google, has his parents not come to America, you probably wouldn't have had Google.
ANDERSON: Right.
FREELAND: And Americans know that, especially you have a very strong lobby from Silicon Valley that is really concerned about America starting to be perceived as a place where immigrants are unwelcome.
ANDERSON: All right. Is it then fair to say, and I'm thinking about the Italian example that we showed through Diana Magnay as well. But let's concentrate on Arizona for a moment. Is it fair to say, do you think, that Arizona's fiscal problem are more a result of a national and global meltdown than a problem over illegal immigration, and are we just looking at a downtick, as it were in the economic cycle, and an uptick in the problem with illegal immigration?
FREELAND: Well actually, in America immigration has slowed down. One of the interesting things about illegal immigration into the United States, it is very sensitive to economic opportunity, and as the opportunities have dried up, quite a lot of those illegal immigrants have gone home voluntarily just because there haven't been so many jobs.
Where I think it's connected to the economy and why you're seeing, you know, it would seem to be perverse that actually at a time when illegal immigration is, at least in terms of the numbers, less of a problem, it's moving to the forefront of the political debate.
I think the reason is because the economy is so weak. Unemployment is almost at 10 percent in the United States and that means that people are anxious about their jobs, and they're looking around to see who is competing with me.
ANDERSON: Yeah.
FREELAND: It's quite natural to worry that those immigrants are going to take your job.
ANDERSON: And does that suggest in 2010 and later that we will or should expect to see more draconian laws being put in place so far as illegal immigrants are concerned? I'm just thinking about outside of the states here, around Europe and elsewhere.
FREELAND: Yes. I think in all countries where unemployment is a big issue, where people are worried that those illegal immigrants are going to come in, are going to be prepared to do those jobs for less, you're going to see a lot of political pressure, and a lot of that economic anxiety being targeted on the illegal immigrants. I think it's a coming issue.
ANDERSON: Chrystia, bear with me. I'm going to get some tweets in here. I've been asking on @beckycnn what illegal immigrants provide for your country. Thelma Mash replied to us, cheap labor. Simply that. And KeiraNY, has said they provide a service. Jobs that we're too lazy or too proud to do, or we think we are overqualified.
That resonates with me, certainly in the sort of arguments I've heard before. You?
FREELAND: Yeah, I think that's absolutely right. And I do think in a lot of countries, there's a real hypocrisy around the issue of illegal immigration; that one the one hand, either as people who own businesses or people who eat in restaurants or whatever it is, we are quite prepared, indeed enthusiastic about taking advantage of the benefits of that cheap labor performed by illegal immigrants.
But we're also then very happy to pontificate about how these people are here illegally and how dreadful that is. So I think there is a real national hypocrisy around that issue. The other thing is different people have different interests.
So if you are a businessman, if you are a person who does a job where an illegal immigrant is going to be your employee and not your competitor, you're likely to want more immigration of low-skilled people. If you yourself are low-skilled and you're worried about your job, then you're more likely to be threatened.
ANDERSON: Fascinating stuff from Chrystia. Looking at both sides of the argument, big thinker, joining the dots for us on what is our top story this evening. Chrystia, great to have you back on. See you soon. Thank you very much indeed.
You're watching "CONNECT THE WORLD" here on CNN. That manhunt in Cyprus, an alleged Russian spy wanted in the U.S. disappears while another suspect makes a bombshell confession. That is up next here on "CONNECT THE WORLD" You're about 90 seconds away. Stay with us.
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ANDERSON: Well if you've seen this man, Interpol may want to talk to you. An intense search is underway on the island of Cyprus for this suspected Russian spy. Robert Christopher Metsos was arrested earlier this week but went missing after he posted bail. He is one of 11 suspects in an alleged Russian spy ring rounded up in the United States.
Bombshell revelations in the alleged Russian spy case. CNN has learned that one of the suspects has admitted to U.S. federal agents that he worked for Russia's intelligence service.
This is court hearings for a number of the accused deep cover agents where scheduled today across the northeastern U.S. Well let's get more from Brian Todd. He is in Alexandria in Virginia. What do we know, Brian?
BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Becky, one of several very key developments today is that confession that you just mentioned. The suspect, named Juan Lazaro, we are just told according to a letter released from the U.S. Attorney's Office in New York, that suspect Juan Lazaro out of Yonkers, New York, admitted in a lengthy post-arrest confession that he worked for Russia's Intelligence Service.
According to the letter from the U.S. Attorney's office, he said that Juan Lazaro was not his real name, that he did work for the Russian Intelligence Service. He said that the house that he owned in Yonkers was paid for by the service, and that although he loved his own son, he would not violate his loyalty to the service, quote, "even for his son."
He also refused to provide his real name. That information has just come to us via a letter from the U.S. Attorney's office in Southern New York. But this post-arrest confession we are told happened this past Sunday shortly after his arrest on the 27th.
What plays into this, we think but we're not positive, hearing here in Alexandria, Virginia, and in Boston for suspects in the case; other suspects that authorities believe were part of this ring. These were pretrial detention hearings to determine the status of their detention.
They got started here in Alexandria, but then were postponed. And it was the way they got postponed that made this interesting. The suspects came into court, a married couple named Patricia Mills and her husband, Michael Zottoli. They sat down. They were getting ready to start this hearing when Mr. Zottoli's attorney said, "Your honor I have some information from the government, late-breaking information, I have to confer with my client."
He whispers into his client's ear. He then asks the judge for a delay until tomorrow, and the judge grants it, and then they leave. Now what was that information? We don't know. But what we do know is that we just found out from this letter from the U.S. Attorney's Office in southern New York that another suspect as you know has confessed.
So it could be that that was the information that they got; that there was someone cooperating and that they needed more time to figure out how they were going to handle this detention hearing. Also that another detention hearing for two other suspects in Boston was postponed until later in July.
So you know, you can put these two developments together -- the postponements and this confession that we now know about -- and it could all play into the fluid developments in this case right now -- Becky.
ANDERSON: Yes, curious and curiouser. We know as you've alluded to the fact that some of these suspects, these defendants have kids. What happens to them, out of interest.
TODD: Well I'll tell you that is really a key question, and the suspects here in this Virginia courtroom, Michael Zottoli and a woman who's identified as his wife, Patricia Mills, they have very young kids, ages one and three.
I asked a former FBI agent, a man named Eric O'Neil, he helped actually bring down the notorious Russian mole inside the FBI, Robert Hanssen, what happens to kids in these cases. Here's what he had to say.
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ERIC O'NEIL, FORMBER FBI AGENT: I don't want to say that this is unprecedented, but it's certainly going to be a difficult question for the federal government and for New York City in the case of some of them. There are going to be children who, like I said, could be American citizens and didn't do anything wrong.
So do they become wards of the state? Are they sent back to Russia? Or perhaps one of the ways this came about is their parents decided to cop a deal.
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TODD: Well we know that at least those two young children have been placed, at least temporarily in the custody of protective services here in the Virginia area. Now what we don't know is what arrangements their parents are making with authorities to take care of their children, whether they're going to have them stay with relatives, or other people, possibly friends. We just don't know that yet.
Other suspects in this case have children who are older. We're told that the suspects, possibly in Montclair, New Jersey, there's a married couple there. They have two elementary school-age children. Other suspects in Boston and New York have older children. So we're told that a total of seven children among four married couples in this spy ring, Becky. It is extraordinary.
ANDERSON: Fascinating stuff. Brian, we thank you very much indeed for that update there from Virginia. So how is the spy scandal reverberating in Russia? Well President Dmitry Medvedev has yet to comment, but the Prime Minister, Vladimir Putin, says America police were, quote, "out of hand."
Well our CNN International Correspondent Matthew Chance is in Moscow with the very latest on the response from there. Have a listen to this.
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MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well official reaction here in Moscow to this spy saga has become much more muted compared to when the arrests were first made, and the Kremlin was describing the allegations as baseless.
But the scandal continues to dominate the Russian press with various spreads of the court pictures and detailed stories about how the saga is being viewed and reported in the United States.
Many of the papers question where the suspects could really be Russian spies, blaming the arrest on elements of the U.S. security establishment opposed to President Obama's policy of reconciliation with Russia.
"Moskovsky Komsomolets," a pro-Kremlin mass circulation daily writes that it's as if James Bond finally opened his secret briefcase and all that was inside was socks and some chicken wrapped in foil. It's a kind of jokey reference to the idea that none of the alleged spies had apparently accessed any important or sensitive information.
There's much attention given to one of the suspects, Anna Chapman. Lots of details given about her professional and private life. "Komsomolskaya Pravda", another tabloid, has this glamorous photograph of her on its front page with the headline Russian Spy Appears To Be The Daughter-In-Law of the head of the European Division of Auchan. It's a cheap supermarket chain where lots of Russians do their grocery shopping.
Chapman is reported to be married to his son, but there's been no real confirmation of that at this stage. On the arterial front in papers like "Izvestia", there's lots of comments about what the regulations could mean about the future of relations between Russia and the United States. There's clearly a lot of concern here about that. Most common papers thought pointing out that officials in both Washington and Moscow say they don't think this spy scandal should do lasting damage.
Matthew Chance, CNN, Moscow.
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ANDERSON: Rounding out that part of the show. Coming up next, our series of special report from Poland this week continues. We're going to take a look at the very complicated issue of who owns what in the post- Communist era. This is "CONNECT THE WORLD" I'm Becky Anderson. You're watching the show in London. We'll be back after this.
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ANDERSON: Well all this week, we are bringing you special reports from Poland as part of CNN's i-List series. Now that is a list, the i-List, which shines the spotlight on a different country each month with stories you are unlikely to see elsewhere. We began Monday with a report on Poland's economy, the only one in Europe to avoid recession.
Tuesday, we looked at the legacy of Frederic Chopin, one of Poland's most famous sons. He was born 200 years ago this year, but his music lives on today. And Wednesday, we met some of them many Poles returning home from abroad to take advantage of booming business opportunities.
Well tonight, we turn to the complicated issue of home ownership in post-Communist Poland. As CNN's Frederick Pleitgen can report, some families are still struggling to regain their property decades after it was seized by the government.
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FRED PLEITGEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The abandoned palace in Gorzow near Warsaw could almost be the set for a horror movie.
PLEITGEN (on-camera): This was the main building back in the days?
COUNT CYBULSKI: Yes, it was the main building, built in 18th Century.
PLEITGEN (voice-over): It's actually the family manor of Count Cybulski (ph) and his sister, Isabella. Confiscated by the Communists after World War II.
PLEITGEN (on-camera): Tell me what this room looked like in its best days.
CYBULSKI: In the best days? You know, there was paintings over the walls and the furniture, chairs, and everything when you have the main room of the house.
PLEITGEN (voice-over): The Cybulski family used to own large parts of this area, but almost all of their land, their businesses and their valuables were taken away when the communists took over. The palace was turned into a school, later an administrative building for a nearby factory and it became more and more rundown. The irony, Count Cybulski had to buy the building back from the Polish government. Now he wants to rebuild it and turn it into a hotel.
According to the family, it will take at least $8 million to renovate this place, and all over Poland there are manors like this one which similar ownership issues.
The situation is as complicated as Poland's history. When the Nazi's invaded, they evicted the Jews and took their belongings. After the war, the whole country's territory was shifted westward. Germans were thrown off their land in the west to make way for Poles who lost theirs in the east.
Finally, the communists nationalized almost all privately-owned property. It's not clear how many claims there are on confiscated properties, but lawyers say they must run in the billions.
KRZYSZTOF JAMROZIK (through translator): It's a huge sum and very complicated, he says, as we're talking about around 10,000 potential cases in Warsaw alone. It's impossible to calculate on a national scale.
PLEITGEN (voice-over): Ownership disputes have caused a lot of pain in Poland, but sometimes there is a happy ending. Restoration work was recently completed at, Synagogue. The building was nationalized by the Communists in the '70s and left in disrepair. This is what it looked like when the Jewish community got it back in the 90s.
Bente Kahan fought for years to have the synagogue refurbished and finally managed to get the funding together.
BENTE KAHAN, WROCLAW CENTER FOR JEWISH CULTURE: They of course have to review all these kind of relationships especially with the Jews and it's amazing, the government has been really aware of this and really trying to do a lot of reparation.
PLEITGEN (voice-over): Count Cybulski also received a small grant from the Polish government. Not nearly enough to cover the cost of fixing up the palace, but maybe a starting point to allow his family residence to one day shine once again. Fred Pleitgen, CNN, Gorzow, Poland.
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ANDERSON: And tomorrow, our series on Poland wraps up with a rare ethological success story. We're going to show you how a group of dedicated rangers have helped the bison population in Poland return from extinction. Yes, the bison population. And how an iconic Polish brand has capitalized on its popularity. That's tomorrow at this time on "CONNECT THE WORLD". Tonight, I will be right back with the headlines.
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ANDERSON: You're back with CONNECT THE WORLD here on CNN. I'm Becky Anderson in London for you.
Coming up, psyching out the competition, Ghana gets the edge for Friday's World Cup quarter final against Uruguay, with a little bit of joo- joo.
Well, how and why did they die? We will take a look at the 2,000-year old mystery of the mass burial of Roman babies.
And fashion queen Diane Von Furstenberg answers your questions, as your "Connector of the Day".
All that coming up in the next 30 minutes, first a very quick check of the headlines here on CNN.
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ANDERSON: Well, in less than 18 hours the World Cup will roar back to life. Have you been missing it? Well, the quarter finals kickoff with the Netherlands taking to the pitch against Brazil. Later Friday, Uruguay faces Ghana, the only African team, of course, still in the hunt. On Saturday two more key match ups, Argentina against Germany, and Paraguay faces Spain.
Will Ghana be able to be Uruguay in Friday's quarter final match? A lot depends on skill, but for Ghana you can't discount magic. Christian Purefoy takes a look at fans who believe in the power of paint.
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CHRISTIAN PUREFOY, CNN INT'L. CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Fans of Ghana's national team, the Black Stars, are putting on their war paint and getting out their marching drums. Anson Richards is a local bus driver, but today he and his compatriots are getting ready for Ghana's World Cup quarter final match against Uruguay on Friday.
"It's for a psychological effect against our opponent," Anson explains. "They will fear that we have come with joo-joo, or magical powers."
If Ghana wins its match on Friday it will be the first African team ever to make it to the semifinals. Because it would be bad luck to do otherwise, Anson and other supporters across the country will perform nonstop throughout the match. And each song has a different motivation for the team.
(On camera): When do you play this song?
MOHAMMED BAWA, TUDU MIGHT JETS SUPPORT UNION: This is, this dance is when we are down by a one goal. (UNINTELLIGIBL) loose it.
PUREFOY: How would it help the team?
BAWA: It will take their spirit away.
PUREFOY (voice over): Although these bands may be hundreds of miles away from the match in South Africa, they smoke will carry their moral support to wherever the Black Stars are playing.
"If they win," Anson says, "I will run naked through the streets."
And then-but this is no bad luck omen.
(On camera): When the pot smashes like this it is said to be because the spirits are over anxious, over anxious, about the game on Friday against Uruguay. Christian Purefoy, CNN, Ghana.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: We are getting reaction to World Cup from every corner of the earth. It is amazing what a win can do for fans, even if that win comes early in the contest. Here's a look at some of the wonderful postcards that you have been sending us.
(APPLAUSE, CHEERS)
(CHANTING)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: As you can see, we're very, very excited that we won the first game.
(MEN SOBBING, CHANTING)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: All I can say is, Viva, Portugal, Viva!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Ecstatic, that was the best game ever. I couldn't believe that we actually beat Germany. It was really unexpected.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You know, we've beaten France, or one of the top 20 signs in the world, and yeah, I think with a performance like that today, going out of the World Cup. You know, we disappointed, but extremely proud. I think these guys can hold their heads up high for a performance like that today.
PAUL SIKA, IVORY COAST FAN: Ivory Coast is there. Ivory Coast can make. Ivory Coast, we need to believe in it. We need develop the will. We need to want to win so much. We need to be desperate about winning and we will make it, I believe.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We have already passed my expectations, so we're just going to have a great time and see where it all takes us. Go New Zealand.
DIEGO FILMUS, ARGENTINA FAN: With this optimism, and at the same time being cautious, and you know, thinking how we can fix a few things in defense, I think we have a solid team and really good chances of being World Cup champions.
(CHEERS, NOISEMAKERS)
ANDERSON: Goal. The boys from England (ph)! Go!
We could do it. We can do it. In my heart I know we should do it. Just cross fingers, cross fingers. I'm just pleased. I'm just pleased we're through.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Oh, dear, oh dear. I obviously didn't know it at the time, but England were through, at least, in one sense, of course. We're out. Of all the teams Argentina was the only squad still left in the contest. Of you out there are going to be watching your teams. Do keep sending us those postcards. We absolutely love them.
Tomorrow we are going to look at the curious link between football and finances. We are going to check in with Matt, our very own super fan. And coming up, an absolutely shocking discovery that dates from Romans times. Doesn't make it any less so, but put aside the horrific nature and put yourselves in the position of archeologist. It is the sort of find that could change the history books. We are going to dig deeper for you, right after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: A German historian wants to rewrite the book on one of the most interesting women ever to live. We are told Cleopatra committed suicide by letting a poisonous snake, known as an asp, bit her after the death of her lover Marc Anthony. But a professor at Tria (ph) University notes that such bites are not always fatal and when they are, it is a pretty horrible way to die. He believes Cleopatra drank a poisonous mixture of hemlock and opium instead. She was Egypt's last pharaoh, before the land became a Roman province. Well, it was around then that what we know call Britain became part of the Roman Empire, as well. You can still see that influence here.
And it's capitol, which the Romans named Londinium, and you never know when an overturned shovel of dirt might put you face to face with the distant past. Let's kick off with Phil Black. He's got the story of one discovery as disturbing as it is intriguing.
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PHIL BLACK, CNN INT'L. CORRESPONDENT (voice over): It's a dark mystery. A 2,000 year old puzzle. These four babies were buried in the British earth when the Roman Empire ruled here, around 150 A.D. They are among 97 infants whose bodies have been recovered from the same location. The remains of an ancient Roman building.
SIMON MAYS, ARCHAEOLOGIST: But to have 97 is really unprecedented. It is the most burials we've ever had from a Roman villa site in Britain. The villa was excavated in 1912 in Buckinghamshire, about an hour's drive west of London. The farmland provided a rich haul of Roman artifacts, including the babies' remains. They were stored in boxes and thought lost, until just a few months ago, when they were found in a local museum.
BLACK (on camera): The archaeologist who first discovered the secrets of this field in 1912, simply said in his report that the area was littered with babies in small unmarked graves. Only now archaeologists working to find out how and why they died.
MAYS: Take a long bone, this is a femur or a thigh bone, and we measure that using a pair of engineering calipers.
BLACK: Simon Mays says his calculations show the babies were all roughly the same age. They died just after birth.
MAYS: Whatever statistical analysis you did, the conclusion was inescapable, really. These were mainly infanticide victims.
BLACK: Infanticide was accepted in Roman times because it was thought babies were born without a soul. Historians say smothering the life from an infant was used as a brutal method of family planning. But that doesn't explain why so many have been found in one place.
JILL EYER, ARCHAEOLOGIST: This is hugely significant.
BLACK: Archaeologist Jill Eyer believes the are was once a regional hub for trade and travel. A good place to make money.
(On camera): What is your theory about what took place here?
EYER: My first thought was, well, could this potentially be a brothel? Because that would explain why you wouldn't want babies.
BLACK (voice over): But other ideas are also being investigated, including ritual killing.
MAYS: On this bone, here, we've got very subtle knife marks. This is on the back of the thigh bone here. And that raises the possibility that there may have been a more gruesome means of putting these individuals to death.
BLACK: Britain was part of the Roman civilization for almost 400 years. Archaeologists are still trying to understand some of its least civilized behavior. Phil Black, CNN, London.
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ANDERSON: What Phil describes is, by no means, the only discovery that is both revolting and at the same time revealing. Archaeologists in Northern England last month announced that they had found what they called the world's only well preserved Roman gladiator cemetery. Signs of likely lion or tiger bites were a dead give away. Working on 2012 Olympic site in the Southwestern town of Weymouth, uncovered 51 Vikings hacked to death, 1,000 years ago, and dumped into a mass grave.
Not all the discoveries are so brutal. Imagine being the hobbyist with a metal detector who uncovered this Anglo-Saxon treasure in North Central England, last September. In all, about 1,500 pieces, mostly goal and silver, each an example of exquisite 7th century craftsmanship.
Well, each of these cultures made its mark on modern Britain, but while their impact is permanent, our understanding of them is not. Every find has the potential to change even slightly the connection we feel to a shared past.
I want to introduce you now to Tim Schadla-Hall, he is with the Institute of Archaeology in the University College of London, considered one of Britain's top centers in the field.
What do we learn from great finds like these, Tim.
TIM SCHADLA-HALL, UNIVERSIT COLLEGE OF LONDON: We learn a huge amount. I think the point I'd like to make is that it gives the public a real interest in understanding their past. The whole point is as we get more and more better, if you like, more technical, the more we can understand about what we dig up. So, for example, I was brought up to believe Vikings were raiders. Then we began to believe they weren't. And now, we have evidence, perfect evidence, where we can prove these guys come from Scandinavia. And they had their heads chopped off because they lost, down in Weymouth. Right toward the Anglo-Saxon period.
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That's fantastic! I mean, I was in Weymouth watching all the people queue to see these skeletons. Everybody says we shouldn't look at skeletons. They tell a huge amount.
ANDERSON: Do they also, though finds like these raise more questions than answers do you think?
SCHADLA-HALL: No, I don't think it raises more questions. I mean, it gives us more things we can find out about. You have to remember that-in fact, it was last year when they found the Vikings. It has taken them nearly a year to sort it out. There is more evidence to come. So, it makes us wonder just how great the extent of uncertainty was, even in the 10th century, just before the Norman conquest, we're looking at, really. It is still uncertain. You live an uncertain life, you weren't sure how long you lived. And it looks as if those guys-and remember, they are all men. We are looking at nearly all male graces tonight. They all probably had their heads chopped off in public.
ANDERSON: You say there is more evidence to come? How much more?
SCHADLA-HALL: Well, that's impossible to tell. I mean, you mentioned earlier on, the gladiators-so called, gladiators cemetery. I'm sure that is what it is. That is a two year old discovery. It takes archaeologists working conscientiously and it takes time and money, an a lot of data, before we can put together those pictures. I mean, if found this 50 years ago, we wouldn't be able to say now, "Oh, some of these people in York, come from North Africa. We probably wouldn't even have gotten to the stage forensically, of saying they all had right arms, because they were using them for weapons. All of these sort of things take time to bring out. But they remind us how rich the history of this country it. And we've actually got evidence for it. And, again, they seem to have cut a lot of heads off, but never mind.
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ANDERSON: Should be cutting some heads off with the World Cup team at the moment. But anyway, let's move on. Anyway, let's move on. Maybe well find them later. Lovely, we have to leave you now. I'm going to take a very short break. Always a pleasure, thanks for joining us this evening. Your experts on some of the gruesome finds.
Our next guest has been making her mark in the fashion world, Diane Von Furstenberg, the revolutionary designer behind the wrap dress, shares her thoughts, on size zero models and her latest project that you won't find in a store. That is your "Connector of the Day". You're part of the show. That is up next.
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ANDERSON (voice over): She is best known for a single item of clothing, but Diane Von Furstenberg is anything but a one-trick designer. Whether it is the meat-packing district of Manhattan, or a village in Tuscany, Von Furstenberg's work always creates a stir.
The Belgium-born artist was raised in Europe, but her work first took off in the United States. Her iconic wrap dress was regarded as a staple for working women. Ad she was seen as an emblem of feminism. Often heralded as fashion royalty, she became the real deal, when she married Austrian-Italian Prince Edward Von Furstenberg. The couple had two children, but divorced about four years later.
Today the fashionistas has branched out into interior design. She has unveiled her new series of rooms and suites at the iconic Claridges Hotel in London. The woman, as big as her brand, Diane Von Furstenberg is your "Connector of the Day".
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ANDERSON: And I caught up with Diane in one of the rooms that she actually designed a Claridges Hotel here in London. I started off by asking her why she decided to branch into interior design. And this is what she said.
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When they asked me to do this, I approached it equally as a guest, as a designer. Because as a guest you know what you want, you know? You know the things that absolutely need. You know the grand comforts. You know that in this suite, for example, in this living room, you can have a cocktail party. That you can have a dinner, you know, it is grand comfort.
ANDERSON: Does a hotel have to be a home, from home, do you think?
VON FURSTENBERG: It is the secrecy. When you get into a hotel room, you lock the door, and you know there is a secrecy, there is a luxury, there is fantasy. There is comfort. There is reassurance. I mean if these walls could talk, imagine how many books and interviews you could have.
ANDERSON: I know that off the bat there is a collection that you will make available to the rest of us at some point. Talk to me about the state of interior design. Where are we?
VON FURSTENBERG: Well, I think that people, I mean, home furnishing is becoming very important because people care about their surroundings. Because we live in a different world. I mean, technologically we all go to bed with our iPads and things. So, life has changed so much. We began a new century, a new decade, so our horizons are, our homes have changed. There are emerging countries. I mean, there are countries, you know, China, India, and Brazil, and all of these countries that are emerging. They are building homes. They are building-so there is a new lifestyle. And so clearly if there is a new lifestyle, you need to dress this lifestyle and you need to dress it with colors, and you need to dress it with comfortable shapes, and deep sofas. I mean, things that belong to today's world.
ANDERSON: Do you design for yourself?
VON FURSTENBERG: Do I design for myself? Well, I-it's got to be good enough for myself. Let's put it that way.
ANDERSON: Got some questions for the viewers for you about the industry. Sam Weeks asks, "How has the fashion industry and culture changed since you first started designing and producing collections?"
VON FURSTENBERG: I don't know. You know, it evolves so you evolve with it. But I was young in the 70s and it was a fun moment to be young. And it was the beginning of an era. It is only when you look back that you see the changes.
ANDERSON: Andrea Leon has written to us, and is asking and it is a good question: "What advice would you give to entrepreneurs who are trying to make their way, either in the fashion industry, or elsewhere?"
VON FURSTENBERG: Well, I think that-I think the most important thing is to have clarity. Clarity is the most important thing. I can compare clarity to pruning in gardening. You know, you need to be clear. If you are not clear, nothing is going to happen. You have to be clear. Then you have to be confident about your vision. And after that, you just have to put a lot of work in.
ANDERSON: And did you know, and were you confident about the wrap dress when it happened?
VON FURSTENBERG: No, I wasn't even clear. So, you know-and then, but-I don't-the wrap dress just happened. You know? It is one of those things that happens. Did I know that it would appeal to so many generations and that it-no, of course, I didn't. But I mean, I understood that it was special.
ANDERSON: Diane, let's tackle and issue which is much discussed in the fashion industry. Jurgen asks, "What should the industry do to stop eating disorders and skinny model syndrome?"
VON FURSTENBERG: Well, first of all, I believe that beauty is health. So, I think we have to promote health. And we have to respect that and we have to make sure that us, as the designers, that we do not use people younger than 16, because of course, if you use girls who are 13, they are very skinny. They are not developed yet. And then other people think they have to, you know, to be like that. So, we have to be conscious about that.
ANDERSON: Your mission in life, you say, is to empower women. How about this one? Kelsey asks, simply this, "What do you consider the essentials every woman should have in their closet?"
VON FURSTENBERG: Well, the first thing women should have is confidence. So, you can put it in your closet, you can put it your suitcase. Having said that, what do you need in your closet? You need, in your closet, clothes that will-that you can use in many different ways. Clothes that make you fell comfortable, clothes that make you feel you.
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ANDERSON: Diane Von Furstenberg, with her advice for all us women out there.
"Connector of the Day" tomorrow, is one of Malaysia's most influential politicians, but he is also one of the most controversial, let me tell you. Opposition leader and former deputy prime minister, Anwar Ibrahim is in the hot seat, and he'll be answering your questions. If you love our "Connector of the Day" series we are putting the best bits together from the last few months, for a CNN special. That is CONNECT THE WORLD, "Your Connectors", all weekend, at the times shown on your screen. It is all part of the show, as we say. Your Connectors" special, at the weekend, tonight.
We will be right back.
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ANDERSON: Time for your world in pictures this evening. Thursday is Canada Day. Elizabeth the Second, who is Canada's queen, of course, watched some of the festivities from Ottawa, with Parliament Hill. The man on he right it Mike The Situation Sorentino. He is a cast member of "Jersey Shore" a reality series on U.S. TV. Today he helped launch a pre- workout body building supplement.
Something is in the air tonight in Montero, in Switzerland. That something is British singer, Phil Collins. He was at the jazz festival there, taking part in a show called, "60s Motown & Soul". Your world in pictures this evening.
And just enough time to show you some of our favorite videos of the day. The teams being going through. Let's start off in California for you.
Some car surfing. These kids have found a pretty foolish way to stay cool during the summer, by jumping from the El Dorado County Bridge, from a moving car.
Mmm, here is some big pop under the big top in Missouri. Not a circus but a fireworks tent. No one was injured but two arrests were made after a hot pursuit.
And finally, check these out. Yes, these are real firefighters, just using hot moves as-instead of a hot hose. The Loosa (ph), Oklahoma volunteer fire department has had a burning need for equipment, competing a dance off for a new fire engine.
I'm Becky Anderson. That is your WORLD CONNECTED. Back story is up next, right after this very quick check of the headlines.
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