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Connect the World

Massacre in Afghanistan; Fans Celebrate Sachin Tendulkar's Record; Exclusive Look Inside Zimbabwe's Marange Diamond Fields; Nike Steps In It With New Shoe Nickname; Nike's PR Gaffe; Skydiver Jumps from 22 Kilometers; Big Interview With Felix Baumgartner; Parting Shots of Real Life Angry Bird; India Celebrates Cricket Milestone But Loses Match

Aired March 16, 2012 - 17:00   ET

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

BECKY ANDERSON, HOST: Tonight on CONNECT THE WORLD...

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PRES. HAMID KARZAI, AFGHANISTAN: It is, by any means, the end of the ropes here.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: An exasperated Afghan president calls for more open cooperation over the massacre of 16 civilians, allegedly by a U.S. soldier.

ANNOUNCER: Live from London, this is CONNECT THE WORLD with Becky Anderson.

ANDERSON: As the soldier's lawyer speaks to CNN about his client's mental state, tonight, we explore the psychological impact of war.

Also this hour, thrilling a crowd and a country and making cricketing history too boot.

And Nike puts its foot in it -- how a Saint Patrick's Day themed sneaker causes a global stink.

Angry over civilian deaths and demanding accountability, President Hamid Karzai is warning the United States that Afghanistan's patience is at breaking point. Today, he met with relatives of the victims of Sunday's massacre and methodical bloodbath, allegedly carried out by a U.S. Army sergeant. President Karzai suggested that he, like many Afghans, doesn't believe the soldier acted alone. He also accused the U.S. of withholding information.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KARZAI: The Afghan investigation team did not receive the cooperation that they expected from the United States. Therefore, these are all questions that we'll be raising and raising very loudly and raising very clearly.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: Well, also infuriating Afghans, the U.S. rejected calls for the soldier to face public trial in Afghanistan. He's now being flown to a military prison in the United States.

The soldier is accused of going house-to-house, killing 16 people, many of them children.

We're going to get you a live report from Kabul in a moment.

First, though, more on the suspect and why his attorney says he's, quote, "concerned for his state of mind."

CNN's Carol Costello talked with that attorney today.

He raised issues of stress and injuries from previous deployments, but flatly rejected reports that mental problems played a role.

Have a listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOHN HENRY BROWNE, CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY: I know for a fact that the marital problem issue is totally bogus. And I'm not con -- I'm a little concerned as to why that's being floated out there by the government. And the other part is, you know, anyone who's in Afghanistan right now, particularly someone who's been in Iraq three times previously and been injured, would obviously be under a great deal of stress.

So stress is always a factor. I know for a fact that there is no issue with his marriage. It's a very strong marriage and, frankly, we're all taking offense to that.

Now, whether there was alcohol involved or not, I simply don't know. I haven't spoken to my client about that.

COSTELLO: When you talked with him on the phone, did it appear that he knew what he'd done?

BROWNE: No. First of all, I'm not sure what he's done either. I -- I'm a defense lawyer so I don't really make comments about my clients' involvement in cases until I know more facts. And certainly there's a lot of allegations. But this is a very serious matter and I certainly understand why the Afghan people and -- and Muslims in general would be upset about it. But I don't know what the facts are. He seemed to be unaware of some of the facts that I talked to him about, which makes me concerned about his state of mind, obviously.

COSTELLO: You talked before about him suffering head trauma. And yet he was deployed yet again to Afghanistan.

BROWNE: Correct.

COSTELLO: Just your initial thoughts about how that might affect your case -- his case.

BROWNE: Well, there's been a big problem with soldiers who have been previously deployed to both Iraq and Afghanistan with concussive head injuries and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. I know there's been a lot of controversy about this particular base in Washington not treating those illnesses.

We do know he had a concussive head injury. We also know he was injured in his leg severely. And I am somewhat confused as to why they would send him back to Afghanistan.

He was told he was not going to go and then overnight he was told he was going to go. And as a good soldier, he did what he was told.

(END VIDEO TAPE)

ANDERSON: OK. Well, it's important to stress, we don't know the soldier's state of mind, all the possible effects of his traumatic brain injury. But we do know that war can take a psychological toll, of course. And that's what we want to discuss with our next guest.

Dr. Harry Croft is a psychiatrist and former Army doctor.

He co-authored the book, "I Always Sit with My Back to the Wall."

Harry, thanks for joining us.

You've heard what this soldier's lawyer has said.

What do you make of it?

DR. HARRY CROFT, FORMER ARMY DOCTOR: Well, I -- I think there are some things he said that are very true. Post-Traumatic Stress can affect people. Repeated deployments can affect people. Traumatic brain injury can affect people.

But even having said all that, although I've not evaluated this particular soldier, it is not usual that PTSD, TBI or the combination cause heinous behavior such as this.

ANDERSON: Is the sort of alleged behavior of this soldier unique or have we seen this sort of presentation before?

CROFT: Well, we have seen, with PTSD and TBI and the combination, things like anger and irritability some time escalating to rage, where people kind of lose their conscious control. And -- and we see that in terms of domestic violence and other kinds of things back home.

But this kind of killing of civilians is something that I think is very extraordinary. And I would suspect that there are other facts that will come to light in the next few days and weeks about this particular incident.

ANDERSON: Like what, Harry?

CROFT: Well, I -- I understand that a close military buddy of his had his leg severely injured. He was close by. It might have been that that plus the fact that this soldier obviously did not want to go back to the combat theater after three tours, may have flipped him into a psychotic rage where, perhaps, he lost touch with reality. We don't know if alcohol was involved. It shouldn't be, but we don't know if it was.

We don't know what else was going on that may have triggered this kind of unusual and heinous behavior.

ANDERSON: Dr. Harry Croft is a psychiatrist and former Army doctor.

Harry, stay with me.

I want to go to Kabul, where Sara Sidner is standing by.

Do we know any more at this stage about what happened and what was -- what might have lain behind this alleged attack -- Sara?

SARA SIDNER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, we can tell you right now that Mr. Karzai, in speaking with the villagers from Kandahar who came, some of them had family members killed, that whatever is going on with the investigation that the U.S. is conducting, they're not happy with it. They were very clear in talking about the surveillance video that exists that apparently shows the soldier that's accused in this coming back to base and what seems like trying to sneak back onto base and then finally getting to the base and holding his hands up and being taken in.

Mr. Karzai spoke about that surveillance video and basically said, we're not convinced. We're not convinced that this video is necessarily authentic. That's what his investigators are saying.

So there's a lot of work to be done and a lot of skepticism surrounding the investigation.

We can also talk about this. Mr. Karzai was very strong in his words today about the relationship between the U.S. and Afghanistan at this point, considering all of the incidents that have been happening over the year and particularly those including the one where you saw a picture of U.S. troops urinating on -- on -- on dead Afghan bodies, another where you saw U.S. troops accidentally burning Korans and then this last incident that involved the massacre of 16 people who, in the dead of night, said that someone came in and just literally started slaughtering people as they were sleeping.

Let's hear what Mr. Karzai had to say about the relationship with the United States right now.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KARZAI: The Afghan investigation team did not receive the cooperation that they expected from the United States. Therefore, these are all questions that we will be raising and raising very loudly. It is, by all means, the end of the rope here.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SIDNER: All right, Sara Sidner in Kabul.

We thank you for that.

Back to you, Harry.

"Time" magazine today noting an instruction in the Army field manual titled "Combat and Operational Stress Control," deferred diagnosis of behavioral disorders.

I wonder what you make of this. It says -- it basically suggests Army mental health workers should tilt toward a diagnosis of normal combat stress instead of an abnormal behavioral disorder when in a war zone.

I don't know if you've ever seen that manual or that part of the manual.

Does it surprise you?

CROFT: No, but I've heard about the controversy, Becky. And -- and it is that some people feel that combat changes people, especially redeployment to the same combat area again and again. That's not happened in modern history until this war. And we don't know the impact of that.

And there are some that say, look, to call PTSD a disorder disserves the military members who have it. Maybe we ought to call it combat stress or something else.

I'm not interested as much in what we call it as the fact that it is a real disorder...

ANDERSON: Right.

CROFT: -- that affects people's lives after they've been in combat, like this soldier has.

ANDERSON: Dr. Harry Croft, psychiatrist and former Army doctor, on the story for us this hour.

We thank you very much, indeed, for joining us.

Our top story tonight, the Afghan president demands more transparency into the investigation of a massacre of civilians, allegedly by a U.S. soldier whose mental health has been questioned.

And what a note here, some U.S. Army professionals say official instructions urging them to avoid declaring a soldier mentally ill in war zones keeps too many such ailing troops in combat. That at least the premise of an article on Time.com, definitely worth a read.

You're watching CONNECT THE WORLD with me, Becky Anderson, here on CNN.

Still to come, George Clooney in cuffs?

Why one of the world's most famous actors is arrested in broad daylight and in front of the world's media.

Then, celebrations in the streets of Mumbai as India's highest profile athlete makes an unprecedented achievement.

And later, behind locked doors and under tight security, Robyn Curnow takes us on an exclusive tour of Zimbabwe's controversial diamond fields.

All that and more when CONNECT THE WORLD returns after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ANDERSON: You're watching CNN.

This is CONNECT THE WORLD with me, Becky Anderson.

Welcome back.

Now, India's "Little Master" is now the only man in cricketing history to reach 100 international centuries. Sachin Tendulkar reached the milestone during a one day international against Bangladesh. He is India's highest profile sports icon and he's revered as one of the finest batsmen ever to play the sport.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is about time he got it. And he's finally got it so everyone should be happy about it.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We definitely idolize him as a cricketer.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: Well, joyous fans celebrated outside Tendulkar's home in Mumbai. We're going to have more on what is an unprecedented achievement and why he is so beloved ahead in our sports headlines for you.

A look now, though, at some of the other stories connecting our world tonight.

And Special Envoy Kofi Annan is sending a mission to Syria to start talks on an international monitoring plan there. The opposition says shelling and arrests across the country intensified today. This video purports to show the aftermath of government shelling in Homs. Thousands of people demonstrated and marched across the country, calling for immediate military intervention. The government insists armed terrorists are to blame for the bloodshed.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KOFI ANNAN, SPECIAL U.N.-ARAB LEAGUE ENVOY: I'm doing my best, with the support of everyone, to try and find a peaceful solution. The first effort -- the first objective is for a lot of us to try and stop the violence, the human rights abuses and the -- and the killings and get an unimpeded access for humanitarian assistance to the needy and, of course, the all-important issue of political process that will lead to a democratic Syria fulfilling the aspirations of the Syrian people.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: Kofi Annan there speaking earlier.

Well, the U.S. State Department is standing behind George Clooney after this happened today in Washington. What you are seeing is no movie. The actor and activist is being led off by police after he was arrested during a protest outside the Sudanese embassy. Clooney and others, including his journalist father, Nick Clooney, accused the Sudanese government of killing its own citizens.

They spoke shortly after being released from custody.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE CLOONEY, ACTOR: What we've been trying to achieve today is we're trying to bring attention to an ongoing emergency, one that's got about a six week timetable before the rainy season starts and a lot of people are going to -- to die from it.

So our job right now is to try to bring attention to it. One of those ways was apparently getting arrested. I guess we've been not allowed to hang out on -- at the Sudanese embassy.

NICK CLOONEY, JOURNALIST: I didn't know that.

Did you?

G. CLOONEY: No I didn't know that, either.

N. CLOONEY: It's hard work (ph).

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: Well, North Korea's plan to launch a satellite may threaten its deal with the U.S. for food aid. Pyongyang says it plans to launch an, quote, "Earth observation satellite" with a carrier rocket in April. The U.S. calls the move "highly provocative."

Now, previous satellite launches have been widely regarded as ballistic missile tests in disguise. The North agreed last month to halt nuclear tests and long range missile launches in exchange for aid from Washington.

Well, Belgium observed a national minute of silence today for the victims of an horrific bus crash in Switzerland last Tuesday. Belgian members of parliament gathered outside in Brussels to mourn the 28 people who lost their lives. The bus was on its way home from a ski trip when it crashed into a tunnel wall, killing 22 kids and six adults. The cause of that accident still under investigation.

Well, for any cricket fans out there, you're going to know the news by now. An extraordinary record set by Sachin Tendulkar. The star talks about the first time he held a cricket bat in his hand.

That up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ANDERSON: Well, fireworks for a real cracker of a sporting achievement. Fans of cricketer Sachin Tendulkar celebrate his record 100 international centuries outside his home in Mumbai. I'm sure it was all -- all safe.

You're watching CONNECT THE WORLD live from London.

I'm Becky Anderson.

Welcome back.

Twenty-two minutes past ten here.

Mark McKay is at the CNN Center -- Mark, this could be a sporting record. I'm assuming that it just may never be broken. It's quite remarkable, isn't it?

MARK MCKAY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, no doubt about it, Becky. Sachin Tendulkar, in all likelihood, set one of those records in sports that we may never see passed again.

It came Friday against Bangladesh in the Asia Cup. India's iconic batsman, as you said, scoring his 100th international century.

Here it is.

Cricket is the national sport in India. Tendulkar revered as much more than just an athlete back home. The soon-to-be 39 -year-old reaching that milestone with a single. Watch how he marked the moment. It's a modest glance toward the sky while pointing to the Indian flag on his helmet. Very low key, very modest.

Tendulkar already a legend of the modern era, one of the greatest of all time, made 114 off 147 balls, 12 fours and a six, before being caught behind in the 47th over.

Since cracking his 99th ton against South Africa in the World Cup just over a year ago, Tendulkar has been playing a waiting game, one that's now finally over.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SACHIN TENDULKAR: It's been a tough journey, especially when -- when you know that you are backing while I felt I was very good in Australia and -- and in England (INAUDIBLE). But, you know, Mumbai, again, I got so close to getting my 100 and then for -- for some reason, it was just not happening, not that I was not happy when I (INAUDIBLE) possibly in Australia the first couple of test matches. But I was really moving better. I could say that maybe in the last years (INAUDIBLE) the best. That's what I'd say.

But somehow that -- the figure 100 was not happening. And then, you know, I'm -- I'm glad it's a -- it's a little away and I can focus on the game again.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MCKAY: You know, and breaking down the numbers, and as you look at the top five of all time, Tendulkar had gone 21 test innings in 12 one day internationals without a three figure knock since March 12th of 2011. So it was a long time in coming. Tendulkar now ahead of Ricky Ponting on the all-time list.

For more perspective on the life and the career of Sachin Tendulkar, here now, "WORLD SPORT'S" Alex Thomas.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ALEX THOMAS, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Brilliant yet humble, Sachin Tendulkar's fame has nothing to do with hype and everything to do with achievements. By the time he retires, India's so-called "Little Master" will rival Australian legend, Don Bradman, as cricket's greatest ever batsman.

Like the Don, Tendulkar became entranced by the sport at an early age.

SACHIN TENDULKAR, CRICKET PLAYER: I remember when I -- I first held a cricket bat when I was probably four or five. And the love for cricket only grew bigger and bigger after that. And it hasn't stopped. Every outing is a special one. And that is what I have dreamed of as a kid. And I'm living that dream.

THOMAS: Like these youngsters, Sachin learned to play the sport in this park. And while he's one of the most popular players in the world, here in Mumbai, it's not exaggeration to say that he's worshipped.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Sachin is God for us.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He's a legend of the cricket.

THOMAS: Tendulkar's cricketing ability helped him get into this high school at the age of 11. A silver jubilee booklet mentions how Sachin was taught to hit boundaries because he was too small to run in his pads. We were treated to more Tendulkar anecdotes by his proud former science teacher, who is now head of the school

KRISHNA SHIRSAT, TENDULKAR'S FORMER TEACHER: Everything is, in soul, in spirit, everything was of cricket. He was under a constant interest in cricket. But whenever he used to come to the school, he'd concentrate. He was a very sincere, hard worker and he used to complete the work.

THOMAS : Tendulkar was only 16 when he made his test debut for India. And since then, he's hit more runs than anyone in the history of test and one day international cricket. Now he's scored 100 international hundreds, 29 more than his nearest rival, Ricky Ponting.

MAHELA JAYAWARDENE, SRI LANKA VICE-CAPTAIN: What he has achieved as a cricketer is phenomenal. But the same thing as a person. I think he -- he's a fantastic guy, especially with one billion people's expectation on his shoulders. That's something that you have to admire.

THOMAS: In a country where cricket is regarded as a religion, Tendulkar is a sponsor's dream. His achievements have made him an icon and a rich man. But no one ever calls Sachin a publicity seeker. More often, he's described as quiet and down to earth. Which is probably why he spends a lot of his money here, next to what is simply called the dumping ground. In the destitute Mumbai, suburb of Gandhi, the Apnalaya charity runs half a dozens centers aiming to help poor families. It's backed by Tendulkar and run by his mother-in-law.

ANNABEL MENTA, TENDULKAR'S MOTHER-IN-LAW: He's a -- a person who believes strongly in helping those less fortunate than he now is.

THOMAS (on camera): He's a great cricketer.

What's he like as a son-in-law?

MENTA: Oh, he's a great son-in-law. He's the most lovely person -- very quiet, very shy, very modest.

THOMAS (voice-over): Most of these kids don't realize Sachin's connection with the work being done here, but they love him all the same.

UNIDENTIFIED CHILDREN: Sachin, Sachin, Sachin, Sachin.

THOMAS: Ultimately, Tendulkar's appeal comes back to his cricket. And in a career that has spanned more to have seen 22 years at the highest level, there are those within the game who believe his accomplishments are unrivaled.

Alex Thomas, CNN.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MCKAY: And when it comes to achievement, Sachin is well-rounded. In all, Becky, Tendulkar holding four major batting records -- most runs in centuries in both tests and one day internationals.

He's pretty good, isn't he?

ANDERSON: He's not bad.

I guess the only question left to ask is what's next for him?

MCKAY: Well, I -- I -- I think maybe he -- he wraps it up, you know, he's no spring chicken, right?

He's going to be 39 in just a few weeks.

ANDERSON: Amazing.

MCKAY: He's had an incredible career and I -- I -- you know, watching Alex's piece, obviously, Alex went to India and got the -- the flavor of it for us by just finding out how down to earth and -- and really humble this guy is. He said so in his press conference on Friday, Becky. He says, I don't go out there trying to achieve records, I go out and I play cricket. And he's done it -- done it quite well through the career.

ANDERSON: Yes, amazing guy. An inspiration to us all.

Markey (ph), a good weekend to you, sir.

MCKAY: You, too.

ANDERSON: Speak to you soon.

MCKAY: OK.

ANDERSON: Mark McKay in the house for you on "WORLD SPORT" this evening. And, of course, the show back in an hour from now.

Thank you, Mark.

Still to come on CONNECT THE WORLD, a boost for Zimbabwe's future or into the leader's back pocket?

You decide. We go exclusively behind the scenes at Zimbabwe's controversial diamond fields.

And running into trouble -- why Nike is black and blue after its black and tan, a marketing blunder.

And another giant step in a history making feat -- a skydiver survives a vital test as he prepares to jump from the edge of space. We're going to show you the latest pictures after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BECKY ANDERSON, HOST: A very warm welcome to our viewers across Europe and around the world. I'm Becky Anderson. It's half past ten in London. These are the latest world news headlines from CNN.

Afghan president Hamid Karzai says his country is at the, and I quote, "end of its rope" over civilian casualties. He met today with relatives of 16 people killed in a massacre. The suspect, a US army sergeant, is being sent to a military prison in the United States.

Special envoy Kofi Annan says he is sending a mission to Damascus this weekend to continue talks on a proposal to end Syria's violence. Annan met with President Bashar al-Assad over the weekend, and he says he'll return when sufficient progress has been made on peace proposals.

Tonight, George Clooney is a free man. One of the world's most famous actors was arrested earlier today during a protest outside the Sudanese embassy in Washington. Clooney accuses the Sudan -- Sudanese government of attacking its own citizens. The US State Department says it shares his concerns.

An Indian sports icon becomes the first cricket player in history to score 100 international centuries. Sachin Tendulkar did it with a single during an Asia Cup match against Bangladesh earlier today.

Well, diamonds may be a girl's best friend, but they can also be a source of misery and war. That's why the Kimberly Process was set up, to stop the sale of so-called blood diamonds to fund armed conflicts.

It was designed to protect human rights, so eyebrows were raised somewhat when Zimbabwe was given the green light to trade on the open market recently. Well, despite allegations of corruption and abuse, its Marange Diamond Fields have remained off-limits to many outsiders.

Well now, my colleague, CNN's Robyn Curnow, has been granted exclusive access, and this is what she found.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ROBYN CURNOW, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: We're here in Harare. We recently returned from a trip to the Marange Diamond Fields. Now, when I was talking to the mining minister, he said Zimbabwe is aiming to supply 25 percent of the world's diamonds.

Another official said to me that Zimbabwe's diamonds are a game changer for this country, which is why they say they've allowed us this unprecedented access to the Marange Fields. Take a look at this.

CURNOW (voice-over): This is the entrance to the Marange Diamond Fields. Clearance approved by the Zimbabwean government.

CURNOW (on camera): Thank you. OK, we're about to get access to these very controversial diamond fields, perhaps some of the most controversial diamonds are mined here in the world.

CURNOW (voice-over): Controversial because human rights groups are concerned that the revenues from these mines secretly support Robert Mugabe's security forces. Allegations the government denies, which is one reason for this unprecedented show and tell.

Manashe Shaba (ph) works at the state-owned Marange Resources, one of four companies operating here. He gives us a tour as we are trailed by Zimbabwean government officials and intelligence agents.

MANASHE SHABA, MARANGE RESOURCES: So, basically what he's looking for, he's looking for element C.

CURNOW (on camera): Carbon.

SHABA: Yes, carbon.

CURNOW (voice-over): Under heavy security and constant surveillance, we do get a glimpse into the production work here. Something the Zimbabwean government has never offered before.

They're keen to show off their new technology after the Kimberly Process, a scheme that monitors blood diamonds, said Zimbabwe's gems are clean and are now able to be sold on international markets.

CURNOW (on camera): So, we've all just come to another set of security, signed my name for the third time. But there's a good reason, you say. There are diamonds in there.

SHABA: Yes, let's see.

CURNOW: Let's see.

CURNOW (voice-over): Another ring of security, and this is where the raw diamonds are plucked and separated from ordinary stones, and then dropped into a secure canister underneath.

CURNOW (on camera): These ladies are sorting through what looks like dirt to me, but they're looking at diamonds. Just a few diamonds ever, what, every five minutes?

SHABA: Exactly.

CURNOW: Amazing. You say you have the capacity to produce 200,000 carats wort of diamonds every month just from this mine.

SHABA: Exactly.

CURNOW (voice-over): Later, even deeper inside the Marange Fields, we visit Anjin, a Chinese-Zimbabwean joint venture.

They offer us a welcome speech and a corporate video before we are taken to a massive open class mine.

CURNOW (on camera): Many believe that this area is the most significant diamond find in more than a generation, and this area is vast, more than 600 square kilometers. That's about 70,000 soccer pitches.

CURNOW (voice-over): Zimbabwe says the state will receive about $600 million this year, and two more investors are expected to be given concessions soon. So, the income is expected to rise.

But human rights groups say very little of that money will go to ordinary Zimbabweans, many of whom are desperately poor. For that reason, they've spoke out against the decision to allow international sales.

But the director of the Anjin mine says they're wrong.

MUNY ARADZI MACHACHA, DIRECTOR, ANJIN DIAMOND MINE: Every stone is accounted for, and every dollar is accounted for.

CURNOW: As the sun sets on our visit to the mine, the Zimbabwean government is making every effort to try to market the legitimacy of its gems.

CURNOW (on camera): The Zimbabweans, it seems, want to be serious players in the diamond market, which is why, it seems, they're trying to rebrand the Marange Diamond.

Robyn Curnow, CNN, Harare, Zimbabwe.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ANDERSON: And you can see more from Robyn's trip to Zimbabwe's diamond fields on "Marketplace Africa," Saturday afternoon, 4:15 London, 5:15 in central Europe, only here on CNN, of course.

Well, still to come on CONNECT THE WORLD, Nike shoots itself in the foot over its new footwear, and a marketing expert looks at the wider threat of brand suicide.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ANDERSON: Well, it pays to do your research, something Nike is learning the hard way. If you've ever enjoyed a Friday night drink in the US, well, you may have heard of the beer mash-up known as the Black and Tan.

Well, Nike adopted the name for its new athletic shoes, arriving just in time for St. Patrick's Day. Well now, the apparel giant can't apologize fast enough. CNN's Jim Boulden shows us why.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I know you guys have all been waiting for the Black and Tans. These are insane.

JIM BOULDEN, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Nike insists the term "Black and Tan" is only a, quote, "unofficial name" used by some. Officially, these shoes are a new version of the Quickstrike series for skateboarding.

To many Irish, the Black and Tans was the nickname given to a British paramilitary force that terrorized the island during the country's civil war in the 1920s.

Nike says, "Sorry, no offense intended." In Northern Ireland, where British-Irish tension is never far below the surface, the controversy has hit just in time for St. Patrick's Day.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If an Irish company was to basically take a shoe out in America and call it the Taliban, how would the Americans feel?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I am a Nike wearer. I've always worn Nike shoes. But I wouldn't have worn the Black and Tan shoes.

BOULDEN: The shoes, which are, well, black and tan, have a drawing of an Irish stout pint on the inside cushion. Nike has two stout-themed shoes.

BOULDEN (on camera): So, the nicknames for the Nike shoes are the Guinness, for the black stout drink, but also for the half-and-half drink that people apparently drink in the US, half stout and half lager. The nickname for that is Black and Tan.

BOULDEN (voice-over): So, even if Black and Tan is the nickname for a mixed drink, many are asking, couldn't someone at Nike use Google to find out what the term means outside the US? In fact, Ben and Jerry's already went through this. It once had an ice cream flavor called Black and Tan in honor of mixing stout with pale ale.

Northern Ireland shopkeeper Sinead Murphy says Nike need not bother selling the shoes there.

SINEAD MURPHY, STORE MANAGER: Myself, I was extremely surprised whenever I saw the shoe. I couldn't believe that they had named the product this name. Our customers are not interested. Most of them said they wouldn't buy it for that reason. I think across Ireland, this shoe is going to be a non-runner.

BOULDEN: Nike says the Quickstrikes will go on sale soon in select markets, presumably with no hint to the nickname, a nickname that might just no longer be linked to a mixed drink in the future.

BOULDEN (on camera): So, I strongly suggest, if you order this kind of drink in an Irish bar anywhere in the world, I wouldn't ask for a Black and Tan.

Jim Boulden, CNN, London.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ANDERSON: Well, coming back from a PR gaffe can be tough. Allyson Stewart-Allen, director of international marketing partners, joins me now here in the studio. I mean, Allyson, if I said you couldn't make this up, I -- I would normally be right. But this is for real. What I can't understand is how a company like Nike can get it so wrong?

ALLLYSON STEWART-ALLEN, DIRECTOR, INTERNATIONAL MARKETING PARTNERS: Absolutely. And one of the things that clearly happens in these big corporates is that there's an assumption that the due diligence is done in one part of the business. That part assumes the other part's done their homework.

And actually, it's clearly fallen -- between the cracks, and no one's done it. And a simple Google search would have told them that Black and Tan is probably not going to be salable everywhere.

ANDERSON: You and I know, Allyson, that Nike isn't the only company that's had an about-face after a marketing blunder, and that's what these guys are going to have to sort out at this point.

In 2002, for example, sportswear maker Umbro had to apologize after naming one of its shoes Zyklon. That's because it was the same name as the deadly gas used by the Nazis, for example, in the Holocaust.

When Honda released this new car, it was originally called Fitta. Little did they know that the same Nordic languages, "fitta" is a slang word for female genitals, and they quickly changed the name to Honda Jazz in most markets after realizing their mistake. A fairly safe name, one would assume.

And finally, Abercrombie and Fitch had to recall a line of t-shirts which featured Asian cartoon characters after thousands of complaints.

We live in a global world. These are big, global companies. You say this due diligence can sort of slip through the cracks of more often big companies than smaller ones. But in a world of globalization, you've just got to do your homework.

STEWART-ALLEN: Of course you do. And one of the things that's really interesting is, very often, it's a US company who assumes that the rest of the world is like them, because they don't know they're not.

And actually, they need to get out a little more, they need to consult their local markets, they need to make sure that they've absolutely done their homework very methodically, very carefully. But obviously, in this case, that's not happened.

ANDERSON: So, what do you do if you're Nike, now.

STEWART-ALLEN: Well, a few things. To try to fix the blunder, you probably recall the shoe or you give it a new name, you stop calling it Black and Tan, you change the colors, you educate the people that are selling the shoe to not refer to it as the Black and Tan.

And obviously, in some of the retail outlets, that's what it's being called, because that's the word on the street for that particular model. So, you recall it, you apologize, you take swift action. You've got to be quick, you've got to demonstrate that you're really serious. You don't just let it subside. That's the worst thing to do.

ANDERSON: If I suggested that there will be heads rolling at Nike this weekend, would I be right?

STEWART-ALLEN: I think you probably would. I think if, certainly, I was leading the marketing function at that company, I would be looking to find out how that could possibly happen. It cost a lot of money.

ANDERSON: Yes, of course. Allyson, always a pleasure, thank you for coming in.

STEWERT-ALLEN: Thank you.

ANDERSON: Your director of International Marketing Partners joining me here in our London studio, regular guests here in London.

You're watching CONNECT THE WORLD. When we come back, jumping from a capsule attached to a balloon 22 kilometers in the air. The test -- need I say -- could have proved deadly. Up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ANDERSON: Well, a giant step towards a history-making feat. You are looking at pictures of Felix Baumgartner in his Stratus Project capsule. Aided by a giant balloon, the Austrian skydiver was lifted to a height of - - get this -- 22 kilometers.

From there, he jumped back to Earth. His team estimates Baumgartner was in free-fall for almost four minutes and reached a top speed of 585 kilometers an hour before, thankfully, landing safely.

Now, the question you may be asking is this: why? Well, that feat you've just seen was a vital test for a much, much more ambitious mission set to take place in August. Our Max Foster spoke to Mr. Baumgartner earlier this year when he announced his plans to enter the history books. Have a listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MAX FOSTER, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Set to do what no man has ever done before, jump from a capsule attached to a giant balloon from 120,000 feet, where the view looks like this.

FELIX BAUMGARTNER, BASE JUMPER: I'm going to slide the door open, bail out, and I'm going to be the first human person in free fall who's breaking the speed of sound.

FOSTER: He makes it sound simple enough, but Felix Baumgartner's attempt to jump from the edge of space comes after five years of exhaustive testing, development, and even a legal hitch.

FOSTER (on camera): What's the biggest challenge, here? Why has no one tried it before? And what's the challenge that you've managed to overcome to make it possible?

BAUMGARTNER: It needs a lot of research. It's not just, you lock yourself in a pressure capsule and then you go up. You need a lot of research. You need to find the right people to work with.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOE KITTINGER, COLONEL, HIGHEST SKYDIVE RECORD HOLDER: OK, now we're going to get serious. We're going to depressurize the cabin to 120,000 feet. So, hit the dump valve and let's have a ride.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FOSTER: Among those on his Red Bull Stratos team, Colonel Joe Kittinger, who holds the 52-year-old record Baumgartner is attempting to break. The former US Air Force test pilot helped develop the NASA astronaut program. So, too, the suit being used in this mission.

FOSTER (on camera): Explain a bit more about the suit, how it works, and what sort of technology's in there.

BAUMGARTNER: So, the suit is protecting you, it provides you with oxygen, it keeps temperature, the cold temperature out. It also -- you also need a pressure suit because if you reach 65,000 feet, which is called the Armstrong Line, your blood starts boiling, and that suit keeps you alive.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BAUMGARTNER: We're at 81,000 feet, Joe, outside.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BAUMGARTNER: It needs and requires a lot of training inside the suit, because skydiving is totally different with the suit. You have a lack of mobility. It pretty much feels like a big handicap, and you have to learn how to deal with that handicap. So, it's not easy in the beginning.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(BAUMGARGNER SHOUTS)

KITTINGER: Beautiful! Beautiful technique, beautiful!

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FOSTER: Baumgartner is no stranger to death-defying stunts. He has BASE jumped from the world's tallest buildings, set a record for the lowest such jump off Rio's Christ the Redeemer statue, and completed the first crossing of the English Channel with a specially-made fiber wing.

But free-falling from the edge of space is a whole new ballgame.

FOSTER (on camera): I guess if people imagine someone diving off a diving board, you have to keep that position, don't you? Because it would be very easy to spin out of control.

BAUMGARTNER: The big problem that we face here is at 120,000 feet, you have no supportive air. That means, when you step off, you cannot use your skydiving skills, and everything that I've done in the past relies on my skydiving my skills, but they're gone, because it's pretty much like swimming in the water without touching the water.

So, the first 30 seconds, you cannot use the air, and that requires a really stable exit. That's the reason why we practice a lot of bungee jumps.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Perfect.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BAUMGARTNER: Just to get the right motion into my mind. Exactly how to step off. And you cannot use any dynamic rotation, you cannot have any ordinary rotation, because then you start flat spinning really fast.

Because at 90,000 feet, you hit an air barrier, and then you start flat-spin, and it occurs so fast that you might pass out and you're going to die, so this is what we have to stay away from.

FOSTER (voice-over): Apart from being a personal challenge to Baumgartner, it's hope the Stratos Project will also help pave the way for future space travel, giving vital clues as to how man can survive in the stratosphere and beyond.

FOSTER (on camera): What are your chances of success?

BAUMGARTNER: Well, we have a big chance of success, because we're working with the right people. And as I said early on, we're not going from zero to hero. This is an ongoing program. For five years, we have been developing a lot of emergency equipment just in case, and we really know what we're going to do. And this is the reason why this is going to be a successful mission.

FOSTER: Are you not scared in any way?

BAUMGARTNER: Well, I am scared, because you go up to 120,000 feet, which is a really hostile environment, and no matter how much you have prepared yourself, you never know how it turns out until you do it for real. And that's the scary part.

But also, my courage is much bigger because I really want to see what's going up there -- what's going on up there, and that's the reason why I'm doing it.

FOSTER: You had a chance to meet Neil Armstrong, I just wanted to ask you about, in 2010, didn't you? So, what advice did he give you?

BAUMGARTNER: Well, he said go for it. You've got the right team behind, you're prepared, you have the skills, so he definitely thinks it's possible.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ANDERSON: He's a braver man than either Max or I will ever be.

In tonight's Parting Shots for you, don't even think about having a gander on this goose's patch. The goose charges, leaving this office worker in a bit of a flap, really. It looks like a scene from an Alfred Hitchcock movie, doesn't it?

And he's not the only victim in a suburb of St. Louis, Missouri.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He was coming at my face.

(LAUGHTER)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Full force. And it would not stop, and I ran, and it continued to come after me.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: I just want to check this out one more time. A hapless man at the mercy of what is an angry goose as your Parting Shot this evening.

Well, before we go, we had to squeeze just a little bit more in about the amazing Tendulkar tonight, little master, now the only man in cricketing history to have reached 100 international centuries. CNN-IBN anchor Rajdeep Sardesai was asked how Indian fans are reacting to what is an extraordinary achievement. This is what he said.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RAJDEEP SARDESAI, CNN-IBN ANCHOR: Well, it's been a day when, typically, Indian cricket has seen highs and lows, because at 4:36 PM Indian Standard Time, Sachin Tendulkar became the first cricketer to score 100 international hundreds, and there was wild celebrations. Our website, ibnlive.com, got numerous people writing in to celebrate and congratulate Sachin Tendulkar.

A little after 9:00 PM Indian Standard Time, India lost the match to lowly Bangladesh. So, while Sachin Tendulkar, the individual, had scaled Mount Everest in terms of cricketing achievement, the Indian cricket team lost the match.

And typically, there were several Indian fans who were wondering whether this was a country which tends to celebrate individual achievement while forgetting that sport, and sport like cricket, is a team sport.

And I think that has, in some way -- the luster and the joy over a Tendulkar hundred has been diluted to some extent by the fact that India lost that game to Bangladesh. And there were even some by this evening who were suggesting that Tendulkar played for personal glory, and not for team glory, which is a bit unfair at the end of the day.

But the fact is, India did lose the match, and I think that has taken some of the sheen off Tendulkar's remarkable achievement.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ANDERSON: Well, we think he's an absolute hero. I'm Becky Anderson, that was CONECT THE WORLD for you, thank you for watching. Friday night here, the world news headlines up after this. Don't go away.

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(CELEBRATORY FIRECRACKERS EXPLODING)

(CROWDS CHEERING)

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END