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Connect the World

Anders Breivik's Testimony Begins; Utoya Shooting Survivor Wants Breivik Trial Televised; Paraguayan International Salvador Cabanas Begins Playing Again

Aired April 17, 2012 - 16:00   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, "given the chance I'd do it again," the defiant words of a mass murderer on trial in Norway over an attack which he describes as spectacular.

ANNOUNCER: Live from CNN London, this is Connect the World with Becky Anderson.

ANDERSON: Television screens went blank as Anders Bering Breivik began to speak earlier today. Tonight, why one of his victims believes his words should be broadcast for all to hear.

Also tonight, what Guatemalan president tells me why he believes the war on drugs has failed and how regulation could be the answer.

Plus.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ALEC BALDWIN, ACTOR: I'd love to run for that job.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: Is this the next mayor of New York? Why actor Alec Baldwin is eyeing up a new career.

I want to begin tonight by going inside the mind of a mass murderer. The man behind the worse peace time killings in Norway's history calls his crimes spectacular and says he'd do it all over again. Anders Behring Breivik today took the stand for the first time in his trial. He suggested he was making a heroic sacrifice by killing 77 people last July saying he did it to save Norway from the evils of Islam and multiculturalism.

Well, Breivik compared his actions to the U.S. nuclear attack on Japan that ended World War II. He said both had, and I quote, "good intentions."

But only people inside the courtroom actually heard what Breivik said since the court banned the media from broadcasting his testimony.

CNN's Diana Magnay was there and joins us now from Oslo with an update. And before his statement, Breivik promised to be sensitive to victims and tone down his rhetoric. What happened when he began?

DIANA MAGNAY, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, really Becky what he delivered was a sort of compressed version of this extremely long manifesto that he sent out the morning of the attacks. Incredibly long winded, rambling, as you say describing his concerns about the Islamization of Europe. And saying things that his lawyer had really warned the general public that he would say like that he would do this kind of thing again, that he felt no remorse.

I'll just run you through some of the more absurd, really, comments that he made and horrific. That this was the most sophisticated and spectacular political attack in Europe since World War II. That he would do it again if he could, because the offensive against his people, against his fellow partisans were apparently just as bad and that he represented a European resistance movement for Europeans who don't want their ethnic rights taken away from them.

He said that he was doing this for the survival of future generations of Ethnic Norwegians, didn't expect people like us to understand. And actually a court filled also with journalists, about 100 in the courtroom, and many more journalists listening in some of the press centers, because this was sent by video link to 17 other district courts around the country and to press centers just not televised.

You know, he said at one point I wish that I got a journalists conference, because they are sort of colluding with the political establishment who are cultural Marxists, but as it was going to be too difficult to get them, I thought that I would get the children on Utoya.

So pretty chilling stuff from Anders Breivik.

I spoke to his defense lawyer, Geir Lippestad just afterwards and I asked him whether Breivik felt that his first day on the dock had gone well.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

GEIR LIPPESTAD, DEFENSE ATTORNEY (through translator): For him, it was important to get across why he did what he did. It's hard to hear and it's difficult to understand, but this is important so we get the right decision in this matter.

MAGNAY: He's described this trial in his manifesto as his platform to the world, that this is his propaganda phase. Is that the way he sees it now?

LIPPESTAD (through translator): It's difficult for me to say if this is part of his propaganda work, but the key thing is this is about whether he can be punished as a sane person or if he should be transferred to psychiatric care.

MAGNAY: And what does it matter to him so much if he's considered classified criminally sane?

LIPPESTAD (through translator): It's probably because of his ideology and his thoughts about why he has done what he's done. He thinks that it won't have any effect if he's considered insane.

MAGNAY: Has he shown any emotion to you in the past, because we all saw him cry as his video manifesto yesterday. Has he shown emotion to you when he's talking about his ideology or when he's talking about the attacks?

LIPPESTAD (through translator): I've never seen him react (inaudible) before. No I haven't seen that.

MAGNAY: Do you think there's any likelihood that he will crack at some point, that there is some way of the prosecution getting through this kind of this wall of his ideology?

LIPPSESTAD (through translator): All I can say is that he's been through over 30 interrogations, many of which have lasted over 10 hours each time and he's never doubted his own ideology or his thoughts. So I don't know if he will do that during this trial, but he hasn't done it before.

MAGNAY: We know from interviews you've given before this trial began that it was incredibly difficult for you, that it was grueling for you. How do you feel now it's actually started?

LIPPESTAD (through translator): I think this case is going very well so far in a very ordered way. It's no circus. And you can tell that this is a very dignified and good way to determine his guilt. And in this way it's also going well for me.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MAGNAY: As you can imagine, Becky, a very difficult case for Geil Lippestad to take on. He says that he really took it on because he believed as a lawyer that it was his duty to protect the human rights even of a man such as Breivik, but he has said in interviews before this, you know, he said I feel I've lost my soul in this case. I hope that when this trial is over, I will get it back and in the same condition as before, Becky.

ANDERSON: Fascinating. Diana, thank you for that. Diana is in Oslo for you tonight.

Let's see what newspapers around Norway are saying about all of this. The country's largest paper, Aftenpoften reports "experts see no trace of schizophrenia or paranoid psychosis." The article says "psychiatric experts say Breivik behaved rationally during his explanation. No instances of disturbed thinking as you might find in a psychotic mind."

The Norwegian tabloid Verdens Gang, or VG, headlines with a comment from one of the prosecutors, quote, "I hope it doesn't sound like I'm talking to a child," it says. "The way she spoke to Breivik was very calm, very open and very king. And some have described it almost as though she was talking to a child."

And tabloid Dagbladet shows a photo of a man on crutches being interviewed outside the courthouse after he, quote, saw the bomb video of himself in court. The paper quotes him as saying, "the video showed an angle where you could see me on my way into the area when the bomb off. It wasn't very nice to see."

Well, listening to Breivik in court was difficult for many people who had survived his attacks or lost loved ones. Some shook their heads in disgust when he said his victims at a youth camp weren't innocent children, but political activists.

We are hoping to get back to Norway at some point during the show to hear from one person who survived those bloody attacks last July.

First, our top story tonight is the chilling defense of mass murder -- mass murder by a Christian extremist in Norway. You can read more about the trial of Anders Behring Breivik on our website, including commentary from one historian who says his extremist views are a symptom of a bigger problem.

That and more on CNN.com.

Well, let me get you now back to Norway. Listening, I said, in court were many people who were affected by his shocking actions that day. One guest -- our next guest survived that attacks on Utoya Island. Bjorn Ihler joins us now from Oslo.

You've been in court. Just describe how it feels to listen and watch the man you saw that day murder so many people.

BJORN IHLER, ATTACK SURVIVOR: It is very difficult in many ways to sit there in court and listen to this man who tried to shoot me and who actually shot many of my friends. But at the same time it's important that he gets this opportunity to explain why he did what he did and the reasoning behind that.

ANDERSON: Can you explain -- I mean, it's incredible that you feel compelled to, you know, even suggest that he should be given a chance. I'm sure lots and lots of people watching this show will be amazed by that. Why? Why do you think he needs his day in court? I know you think his video, the video of his statement should actually be broadcast around the world, don't you?

IHLER: Well, it's incredibly important for me that we stay true to the core principles and the legal system we have in Norway before 22nd of July that we (inaudible) special treatment that we don't' let this terrorist change us and the things we believe in. So to me that's extremely important.

But it's also important that he gets to tell his story so that we can use that in future battle against, or further battle against terrorism and extremism.

ANDERSON: I understand.

You have attended two pretrial hearings before this trial, I know Bjorn. And you've said it was good to see that he no longer had power over you like he did that day in July. Can you explain that?

IHLER: Well, on the 22nd of July he was in a position where he would have been able to kill me or he was able to kill me. And he posed a very large threat, obviously. He no longer does that. In court it's very safe. He can't really do anything like that anymore. So he's disarmed in many ways. And that's very good to see.

ANDERSON: Are you feeling a sense of closure at this point?

IHLER: Well, I don't think closure is the right word. I don't think the court case will lead to any sort of closure either.

This is a much larger thing than just a court case. And the court case is very technical and detail oriented side of it. But -- and many important things are going to come through that.

But the most important thing here is the people who are involved. The survivors and the loved ones.

ANDERSON: Well, with that, we're going to leave it there. We do appreciate you joining us this evening, Bjorn Ihler, who survived the attacks on Utoya Island in July. Thank you.

You're watching Connect the World here on CNN. Plenty more to come this evening, including war on drugs needs a new strategy, that at least the message from the Guatemalan president who spoke to me just a short time before coming on air. My interview in around 15 minutes time.

Also ahead, the British government makes a deal aimed at allowing a radical cleric to be deported.

And the Hollywood star who wants the top job in New York. Alec Baldwin talks about running for mayor. All that and more after this short break. Stay with us. This is Connect the World.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ANDERSON: Smile for the camera: last weekend, Summit of the Americas class photo was a relaxed affair, but behind the (inaudible) are controversial proposals tackled the war on drugs was high on the agenda. The Guatemalan president leading calls for a radical new strategy including the legalization or regulation of drugs.

And shortly be coming on air, I spoke to Mr. Molina who is in Mexico for the World Economic Forum on Latin America. My interview with the president of Guatemala in around 15 minutes time.

Let's look first at some of the other stories that are connecting our world tonight. And Spain's (inaudible) and the Argentinean Ambassador in a row over oil company ownership. Argentinean President Christina Fernandez de Kirchner says that the company YPS will be nationalized, but its majority share is owned by a Spanish firm REXOL. And REXOL says it will claim compensation. Investors are criticizing the move, but it's said to be popular with Argentineans. Ms. Ferdinand does says that Argentina should manage its own natural resources.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHRISTINA FERNANDEZ DE KIRCHNER, PRESIDENT OF ARGENTINA (through translator): We will preserve its status as a corporation. And we will keep operating under the laws of private enterprises. We will manage this company in an absolutely professional way.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: Syrian activists are saying troops are attacking areas in the country's north and south in violation of the what is the UN-backed ceasefire. And an opposition group says at least 66 people have been killed this Tuesday alone. This video online appears to show recent shelling in Homs. The government says, quote, "armed terrorist groups are escalating their attacks."

And as tonight peace hangs by a thread in Syria, my colleague Christiane Amanpour is face to face with the key players. Here what action the United States Senator John McCain thinks America should take. That's Amanpour tonight at 10:00 pm London time following this show.

Australia's changed course on its presence in Afghanistan. Despite previously saying troops would stay until -- in the country until 2014, the Prime Minister Julia Gillard now says Australian forces may start withdrawing within months and could leave the country altogether by the end of next year.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JULIA GILLARD, AUSTRALIAN PRIME MINISTER: To the Australian civilians working in Afghanistan, to our troops and their families, this is a war with a purpose. This is a war with an end. We have a strategy, a mission, and a time frame for achieving it. We are serving our national interest in Afghanistan.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: Well, after a battle with the European Court of Human Rights, the UK is resuming efforts to deport radical cleric Abu Qatada. Qatada's deportation was to Jordan and was blocked in January. His lawyers claimed evidence obtained under torture could have been used in any future trial. But now Britain says Jordan has put conditions in place that will allow it to go ahead. Well, she announced his arrest, the British home secretary said Qatada needs to face justice.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

THERESA MAY, BRITISH HOME SECRETARY: For more than 10 years successive governments have sought to deport Abu Qatada to Jordan, because of a serious risk he poses to our national security. He has a longstanding association with al Qaeda. He has been linked to several terrorist plots, and he has been found guilty in absentia in Jordan of terrorism charges.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: Amnesty International says Bahrain has failed to put in place adequate human rights reforms since last year's violent crackdown on political protests and said a group says it continues to receive reports of torture and excessive force in dealing with protests. The demonstrations and clashes have erupted across the country (inaudible) this weekend's planned Formula 1 Grand Prix, but the Bahraini government says it is pushing ahead with reforms.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ABDULAZIZ BIN MUBARAK AL KHALIFA, BAHRAINI GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN: It is unfortunate that some of these international human rights organizations see a glass half empty and not half full. And we are nearly full, because it took a lot of guts to listen to a very damaging report back in November by Professor Sharif Besunni (ph), but we didn't shy away from our responsibilities.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: Right. We are going to take a very short break on this show here on Connect the World. But when we come back the amazing story of a footballer who is back playing with a bullet lodged in his brain. That and your sports teams headlines coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ANDERSON: You are watching Connect the World live from London. Welcome back. I'm Becky Anderson. 22 minutes passed 9:00 here. The biggest club football competition in the world is at the semifinals stage. Most experts believe we're going to see two Spanish sides Real Madrid and Barcelona facing off against each other in the final in Munich next month. But first, they've got to get through their semifinal opposition and beat them.

Standing in the way for Real Madrid is Germany giants Bayern Munich who are hosting the first leg as we speak. Let's bring in Don Riddell for the very latest.

That's 12 minutes to go, what's the score as we speak, Don?

DON RIDDELL, CNN SPORTS CORREPSONDENT: It's 1-all at the Allianz Arena, Becky.

Hi there, how are you doing?

Yes, as it stands, I think Real will be quite pleased with that scoreline, given that they were trailing in this game, trailing in the Champion's League for the first time this season when Franck Ribery put Bayern Munich ahead in the first half. He'd actually just had a penalty appeal turned down only a few seconds after that he got on the end of a ball that dropped from a corner and thumped it into the back of the net. So good goal for Franck Ribery and Bayern Munich.

But Real Madrid equalized in the second half through Mesut Ozil. As you say, Becky, there are about 10 or 11 minutes to go in that game. As it stands, Real have an away goal. And they will consider that they have the advantage going into the second leg next week.

Of course, tomorrow night we have the other semifinal. That's going to be played in London, Becky, where you are. Chelsea are taking on Barcelona.

ANDERSON: Yeah. And what a game they had at the weekend against Tottenham. They'll be riding high after a 5-1 win in the FA Cup semi...

RIDDELL: Did you have to mention that, Becky? You know who we both support.

ANDERSON: Of course I do. I feel so awful about it. I'm just going to keep going on about it.

So, Chelsea-Barca tomorrow night.

RIDDELL: If you keep talking about it, it's not going to make it go away, you know that.

ANDERSON: It won't make it any better, I know. I know it's not going to get away.

Listen, obviously I'm a Spurs fan.

Listen, there's still time tonight for a Ronaldo hattrick, of course, isn't there? He's been doing that all season.

RIDDELL: Yeah, what's he up to now, seven this season? Absolutely phenomenal, yeah.

I'm not sure he's going to do it in the next 10 minutes, but he's still got the second leg and maybe the final to go.

ANDERSON: All right. So that big match tonight, about eight minutes or so to go now. And 1-all as things stand with Real with the away goal, advantage at this point.

A Paraguayan footballer, Don, back in the game after almost two years for what is even more remarkable is what he has overcome. Do pray tell.

RIDDELL: This is just incredible. And for me this, I think, ranks as the greatest sporting comeback of all time, Becky. We're talking about the Paraguayan fooballer Salvador Cabanas. See he used to be a Paraguayan international. You know, he was going to be going to the World Cup two years ago, but he didn't because he was shot in a Mexican night club. Not only has he recovered from that, but he's still got the bullet inside his brain.

The doctors that operated on him said it was just going to be too risky to remove it so the bullet is still in there. It's incredible that he's still alive, it's even more incredible that he's still running around and competing in a football match.

He's actually now playing for the 12th of October Club which is a third division side in Paraguay. That's actually where he began his career. He returned to action over the weekend. He played about half a match before he was substituted off. And I -- just looking at these pictures, it's just incredible.

And, you know, the one thing you'd be worried about would be apart from the fact that you're taking part in physical activity and surely you're going to make things worse with a piece of metal in your brain. Apparently not for him. And he even headed the ball. So it shows that he's not shying away from the challenge.

ANDERSON: No. And he hasn't lost his skill. Just look at that. He's absolutely fantastic.

Who (inaudible) for these days, just the fact he's out there and playing.

Don, thank you for that. Don, of course, back with a complete wrap of tonight's Champion's League match and a preview of tomorrow's showdown between Chelsea and Barcelona at Stanford Bridge here in London on World Sport. That is about an hour from now. Stay with us for that.

Still to come on Connect the World here on CNN, fighting against Guatemala's drug traffickers, President Perez Molina says only so much law enforcement can do more. Now on his controversial proposal to change things coming up.

And setting record straight with Alec Baldwin. Will he run for mayor for New York? Will he do another series of 30 Rock? Find out in tonight's big interview with the Hollywood star. That still to come. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ANDERSON: A warm welcome to our viewers across Europe and around the world. I'm Becky Anderson with you, and these are the latest world news headlines from CNN.

Anders Behring Breivik says he would kill again if he could, calling his attacks sophisticated and spectacular. The right-wing extremist took the stand at his murder trial -- mass-murder trial in Norway today. He killed 77 people to save the country from multiculturalism.

Spanish oil company Repsol says it wants more than $10 billion compensation from Argentina. Argentina is moving to nationalize Repsol's local unit, YPF. Now, Spain's prime minister says that is damaging relations between the two countries.

Australia is planning to pull out its soldiers out of Afghanistan a year sooner than expected. Prime Minister Julia Gillard says most of the countries 1500 troops should be home in 2013, an election year in Australia. The war has become increasingly unpopular there.

A radical Islamist cleric Abu Qatada has been arrested and detained in Britain. The UK Home Secretary says that after a decade of attempting to have him deported, under a new deal, he can finally be sent to Jordan.

Well, the war on drugs is failing and the world needs to think again. That view from the Guatemalan president was one of the key lines discussed at last weekend's Summit of the Americas in Colombia.

Now, President Otto Perez Molina is calling for a new strategy, which includes legalizing drugs. Other Latin American leaders are also increasingly hostile towards prohibition. Shortly before coming on air, I spoke to the Guatemalan leader about what is a controversial proposal. President Molina told me why he believes regulating the market for drugs is the way forward.

That interview, coming up in just a moment. First, though, a look at Guatemala's daily and brutal fight against the power of the drug cartels.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RAFAEL ROMO, CNN LATIN AMERICAN AFFAIRS EDITOR (voice-over): He was transported in an armored convoy surrounded by heavily-armed guards. Horst Walther Overdick-Mejia, a Guatemalan national, is accused of trafficking cocaine to the United States for a major Mexican drug cartel, using Guatemala as a transit point. Guatemalan officials say Overdick was working for the cartel known as Los Zetas.

HECTOR MAURICIO LOPEZ BONILLA, GUATEMALAN INTERIOR MINISTER (through translator): He became the man who opened spaces so that the Los Zetas could operate in northern Guatemala, specifically in the area of El Peten.

ROMO: Guatemala, a Central American nation that shares a border with Mexico, has long been a transit point for drug traffickers shipping drugs from South America. Last year alone, there were more than 6,000 murders in a country with a population of 14 million. Its murder rate is 43 deaths per 100,000 people, which makes it one of the most violent in the world.

BONILLA (through translator): We are a country that suffers from the exponential increase of criminality and violence because we are a transit point.

ROMO: For Guatemalan president Otto Perez Molina, Overdick's capture was an important step in weakening the presence of the Mexican drug cartel in Guatemala and reducing drug-related violence. But he advocates for an approach that goes beyond law enforcement in the Central American region.

OTTO PEREZ MOLINA, PRESIDENT OF GUATEMALA (through translator): It's not only about this unending fight in which you capture a big drug lord, like this one, and then there's another, ready to take his place.

ROMO: Perez Molina has insisted it's necessary to explore different alternatives, including his controversial proposal of decriminalizing drugs. His proposal has been rejected in the United States. It got a mixed reaction in Central America.

ROMO (on camera): Top Guatemalan officials say they've dealt important blows to drug traffickers in their country, including the confiscation of more than 3,000 kilograms of cocaine last year by the Guatemalan national police. But President Perez Molina insists there's only so much a law enforcement approach can do in the long term.

Rafael Romo, CNN, Atlanta.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ANDERSON: Well, of course, drug violence isn't just Guatemala's nightmare. In Mexico, nearly 13,000 people were killed in drug-related violence last year. Over 45,000 -- 47,000, in fact -- have lost their lives since this war on drugs began in 2006.

Honduras is part of a key smuggling route for cocaine traffickers. According to the National University of Honduras, 19 people are killed there every day in drug-related violence. It's ranked as the most dangerous country in the world.

In El Salvador, there are 18 murders a day. Saturday was the country's first murder-free day in nearly three years after rival gangs called a truce last month.

ANDERSON: Well, Guatemala's president says the human cost of the war on drugs is just too high. But is a new legalization strategy the right answer? Well, not everybody is a fan, not least the US president, as Rafael reported.

Just a short time ago, I spoke to Mr. Molina about his new strategy while he was at the World Economic Forum on Latin America in Mexico. Take a listen to what he had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MOLINA (through translator): Legalizing drugs, decriminalizing drugs, is not the only approach that we are proposing. We are proposing not to do the same we've done for 40 years when the results have not been what we expected.

We are calling for a dialogue so that we do a responsibility assessment to see if we can attack and fight drug trafficking in a different way --

ANDERSON: All right --

MOLINA (through translator): -- because as long as there is the demand in the US, as it is today, as long as our weapons come from the US to the southern countries, as long as dollars come to our countries from the US, it's impossible to fight drugs.

ANDERSON: You have the support of a number of regional leaders. But although he is on record in 2011 as saying this is an entirely legitimate topic for debate, just last weekend, the US president said legalizing drugs is not the answer.

That's not what you wanted to hear. Will you, though, pursue a strategy regardless of whether the US is onboard or not?

MOLINA (through translator): What I think is that the US and President Obama told me personally, he was at the Americas Summit, they're willing to have a dialogue with us to analyze the different scenarios that Mr. Obama is clear that they are not in support decriminalizing drugs.

But I was told they're willing and aware that something else needs to be done in order to fight against drugs effectively. I think it's an important step by President Obama and by the US. We agreed to have a dialogue. Even if we do not agree on issues on decriminalizing drugs, we can find other alternatives working together.

At the end of the day, it's not just Guatemala's decision and Central America's decision. It's a decision by the whole region, and it's an issue we face worldwide, and this will be dealt with in this economic forum.

ANDERSON: Some people would suggest that the reason that you are hoping to pursue a strategy of decriminalization is simply because you don't have the infrastructure to fight this war on drugs. Capitulating to the cartels.

MOLINA (through translator): When you're talking about legalizing drugs, that doesn't mean liberalizing drugs. We're not talking that in any supermarket or shop or just around the corner one could buy drugs.

We are talking about classifying drugs and setting up new regulations on each and every drug depending on the damage they cause and the addiction they may lead to. This is the sort of legalization we are talking about.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ANDERSON: All right. Well, the president of Guatemala, Otto Perez Molina, talking to me just over an hour ago from the World Economic Forum there in Mexico.

It'll never be possible to eradicate global drug markets, but he believes you can regulate them. Legalization, he says, should be one of the options on the table, but there will be plenty out there who disagree. Let me know @BeckyCNN. Tweet me on that.

Google engineer and a French chef don't sound like they have a lot in common, do they? But they are both women who have crossed boundaries in their careers. Find out what drove them to succeed in our special series on Leading Women, coming up after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ANDERSON: Welcome back. Now, tonight, we take a look at two very different women at the top of their careers. In just a few minutes, you're going to hear my interview with one of the leading ladies of French cuisine, global cuisine, in fact, Anne-Sophie Pic.

First, though, Felicia Taylor talks to Google exec Marissa Mayer about the life lessons that pushed her to achieve her goals.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MARISSA MAYER, VICE PRESIDENT OF LOCAL, MAPS, AND LOCALIZATION SERVICES, GOOGLE: And then you just hook one of the luminarias and made that the owl. Or you just hang it.

FELICIA TAYLOR, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Google VP and tech powerhouse Marissa Mayer was the first female engineer at Google. Her maverick nature goes back to when she studied symbolic systems and artificial intelligence at California's renowned Stanford University.

MAYER: What it is, is it's the study of cognitive psychology, how do people learn; philosophy, how do they reason; linguistics and computer science. Can you create a computer that can learn, reason, express itself?

TAYLOR: She graduated with honors in 1999, but the summer before that, Mayer went to Zurich, Switzerland to work in a research lab. She says that period taught her to push beyond her fears.

MAYER: I didn't think I could spend the summer living in Switzerland not speaking the language. What was I thinking? Why did I think this was going to work? Why did I think this was going to be a good idea?

And that summer was just amazing. I worked in a research lab with 30 people from all over the world. We spent the summer working really hard, actually, on the research that led me, ultimately, to Google.

TAYLOR: And it's at Google that her journey to becoming one of the top women in technology began.

MAYER: Well, it was 1999, it was the height of the first -- the first internet bubble, and I was graduating from Stanford with a masters in computer science, and I wanted to work at Google for a lot of reasons I could express.

I felt like the smartest people were there. I felt like it was a risk and I felt like it was something I wasn't really prepared to do.

TAYLOR: Taking chances in life is a motto Mayer believes in.

MAYER: I think that's how you grow. There's that moment of fear, of wow, I really don't know how to do this. And I find that when you push through those moments, that's when you really have a breakthrough.

TAYLOR: Mayer enjoys sports with her husband, Zach Bogue, whom she married in 2009. They are committed to charitable causes, including attending this bowling event to raise awareness for a local organization fighting poverty.

Next week, we'll learn more about Mayer's rise at Google and hear about the life lesson she's learned over the years.

ANDERSON (voice-over): I'm Becky Anderson. For French chef Anne- Sophie Pic, a key life lesson she learned over the past decade came after losing her father in 1992.

ANNE-SOPHIE PIC, GRANDE CHEF DE CUISINE, MAISON PIC: It was like a total shock, you know? Sometimes I think if my father didn't pass away, probably I was not so much involved perhaps in learning my job and in giving all my feelings and my emotions.

ANDERSON: The job she speaks of is really more of a calling, a raison d'etre since gastronomy is in the Pic family bloodline. Pic's great- grandmother, also named Sophie, started the culinary dynasty more than 120 years ago.

Her grandfather Andre and father Jacques were both three-star Michelin chefs, a coveted rating, which Pic herself achieved in 2007.

ANDERSON (on camera): Your family history is steeped in food. Tell me about that.

PIC: Since I can remember, I've always seen someone in the family working in the kitchen, being a cook. So, it's a part of my universe. It's in myself.

ANDERSON (voice-over): In the small French town, Valence, where Pic runs her restaurant, Maison Pic, and other businesses, the Pic name is legendary. But in the beginning, Pic did not want to follow in her family's footsteps. Only after leaving home for business studies in Paris and work in Japan and the US, did Pic realize her calling was to return to her father's kitchen and learn how to cook.

PIC: I discovered new cultures, new way of eating. I discovered Japanese cuisine, and it was beautiful.

ANDERSON: Jacques Pic died three months after his daughter returned home.

PIC: It's like, how to do now? How to manage without him?

ANDERSON: In 1995, after a few years working on the business side of the Maison Pic empire, she brazenly took over the Pic restaurant kitchen as an untrained chef.

ANDERSON (on camera): That's fabulous. Mm.

PIC: So, you see, the acidity and with the vinegar, you know? The only thing I have, ego space from my father. That's the most beautiful thing he gave me.

ANDERSON (voice-over): Along with building a business together, Pic and husband David are raising a young son, and Pic is not slowing down anytime soon. The couple has plans to expand their family brand with another restaurant opening soon in Paris.

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ANDERSON: And next week, you'll hear about some of the challenges these women face and their advice for overcoming the odds. For more on Leading Women, you can go to the website, cnn.com/leadingwomen. Read some of Marissa Mayer's tips on embracing your inner geek, amongst other things.

You're watching CONNECT THE WORLD. When we come back this evening --

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ALEC BALDWIN, ACTOR: They mayoral race is next year. I'm doing the TV show. I don't know if I will be able to put together a campaign to run for that job. I'd love to run for that job.

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ANDERSON: Movie star Alec Baldwin talks about a potential career in politics. That's here, up next.

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ANDERSON: Now, Hollywood actor Alec Baldwin has paid a visit to Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, asking for more money for what he says are the starved and overlooked arts. Well, the star spoke to Congress earlier on behalf of the advocacy group Americans for the Arts.

Baldwin no stranger to politics, and as he tells me in tonight's Big Interview, beyond acting, well, it may just be his calling.

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ANDERSON (voice-over): He was presented with his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Valentine's Day last year. Indeed, Alec Baldwin is a familiar face in Tinsel Town and on the red carpet. Among his accolades, an Oscar nomination for his role in the 2003 drama, "The Cooler."

BALDWIN AS SHELLY KAPLOW, "THE COOLER": Want to tell me what's going on out there? OK, I'm down almost a mil. Doesn't that seem strange to you?

WILLIAM H. MACY AS BERNIE LOOTZ, "THE COOLER": She loves me. Should I get her flowers or candy?

BALDWIN AS KAPLOW: What is happening to you?

ANDERSON: But most of the acclaim is courtesy of the NBC sitcom "30 Rock," in which he stars as Jack Donaghy.

BALDWIN AS JACK DONAGHY, "30 ROCK": She already wants to leave my apartment because Lydia is giving her the stink eye.

ANDERSON: It's a role that's earned the star two Emmys, four Golden Globes, and seven Screen Actor Guild awards. But the elder of the Baldwin brothers is just as famous for his offscreen antics, most recently, kicked off a plane for refusing to turn off his mobile phone.

He's also outspoken on US politics and is now calling on Congress to increase funding for the arts.

ANDERSON (on camera): Alec, you are asking Congress for millions of dollars for the arts. Many would say that that is a pretty big ask given the state of the US economy at the moment.

BALDWIN: I just flew back here on Sunday from Rome. I was in Rome for the premier of Woody Allen's film. We were there with Benigni and Penelope Cruz and Woody. And we were in Rome.

And when you go to these great European cities, you have the same experience, which is their economies may not be what the US economy is. And of course, the US economy right now isn't what it used to be. But what they have that we don't have is a much more muscular commitment and an enduring commitment to their artistic and cultural legacy.

When you're in Paris, when you're in London, you're surrounded by the cultural heritage of the French and the English people. When you're in Rome, the whole city is one work of art. You are actually living in and driving through an entire metropolis that is itself a work of art.

And that's where the Europeans, I think, are getting it right and we're not. We're not investing enough -- we need to invest more money in the arts, not less.

ANDERSON: Well, you mentioned the premier of "To Rome With Love." What did you say to your costar, Roberto Benigni, who has joked that he is better-looking than you?

BALDWIN: I'm not going to argue with him. Benigni is king in Italy. Benigni can say whatever he wants in Italy. Now, when he comes here, I may argue with him about that.

ANDERSON: Well, I guess you could always use Twitter for that. Let's just address the Twitter-fueled rumors that "30 Rock" isn't going to get another season. What's the score there?

BALDWIN: I think everybody was -- myself included -- but everyone else, they were kind of on the fence about going any further, because they weren't quite sure they had another year in them. The writers are very, very gifted people and they wanted to go out in style, if you will.

And -- but after a couple conversations, I was very opposed to that idea, I did not want to go back for another year. And then I really thought about it, and I thought, why not? It's a great group of people, it's a great job, it's one more year of doing something I love.

So, we are going back next year. But after that, I can't imagine it's going to go on anymore after that. I think it's going to be completely over.

ANDERSON: OK. Well, you are all over Twitter today like a rash, as we would say here in the UK. Fans want to know whether you are going to stand for mayor of New York. Are you running for office, yes or no?

BALDWIN: I think the issue right now is that I live in New York, I am a New Yorker in my heart, and I am Democrat and in New York, all of the statewide seats and the congressional district I live in on Long Island is -- they're all safe Democratic seats.

So, there's no opportunity that exists for me now to run for office. The mayoral race is next year. I'm doing the TV show, I don't know if I will be able to put together a campaign to run for that job. I'd love to run for that job.

ANDERSON: I'm going to take -- I'm going to take that as you are not ruling it out, then. What would you bring to the job?

BALDWIN: Listen, there's a lot of great Democratic candidates that want to run, some more so than others. I know that after 12 years of Bloomberg, I know that -- Bloomberg is someone who is a very admired captain of industry. And as a mayor, he did a fairly good job. He did a lot of things right. He did a lot of things wrong.

He did -- and the things that Bloomberg did wrong were things that were, I think, just indicative of being contrary to the New York way. New York to me symbolizes a certain thing that I don't think was always embraced or embodied by Bloomberg's policies.

And after 12 years of me -- of Bloomberg, I know that New York on a spiritual level, on a kind of a psychic level, on an emotional level, they need a huge change. I think they need -- I think they need a mayor that's more inspiring.

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ANDERSON: That is how Alec Baldwin sees it. So, what is on your mind? The team at CONNECT THE WORLD wants to hear from you. Facebook.com/CNNconnect. Have your say. You can tweet me @BeckyCNN.

By this time Wednesday, we're going to be out in Central London for a live show as the city marks 100 days until the 2012 Olympics. Are you going? Are you competing? You've got ticket? Have you missed out on getting tickets? What are you most looking forward to? Your thoughts @BeckyCNN.

In tonight's Parting Shots, the last flight of the Space Shuttle Discovery. It was attached to a modified Boeing 747 for the flight from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida to Washington. Thousands of people, including Shuttle staff and astronauts, turned out to watch.

Discovery was the most used Shuttle in the fleet with 39 missions under its built. The US Space Shuttle program ended, you'll remember, last year after construction of the International Space Station was finished.

Now, that means the US has no way of its own to send people into space, at least for now. Discovery will go on display at the Air and Space Museum's annex near Washington's Dulles Airport.

I'm Becky Anderson, that was CONNECT THE WORLD. Thank you for watching. World news headlines up after this short break. Don't go away.

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