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Connect the World
It's Transfer Deadline Day For European Football; Wrap-Up Analysis of RNC Convention
Aired August 31, 2012 - 16:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
JONATHAN MANN, HOST: Tonight on Connect the World, a Hollywood star and an empty chair: Clint Eastwood's offbeat speech at the Republican National Convention sparks an internet sensation with picture they're calling Eastwooding sweeping the web.
ANNOUNCER: Live from CNN Center, this is Connect the World.
MANN: To some extent, Mitt Romney was upstaged by the Dirty Harry of decades ago. Tonight, the next generation on the race to the White House so far.
Also tonight, demanding answers: South Africa's justice minister wants an explanation after the Marikana miners are charged with murder.
And Twitter torment, an Australian celebrity is hospitalized following a cyber bullying attack. Just why do people take part in so-called trolling?
Thanks for joining us. I'm Jonathan Mann.
It was his defining moment. Last night Mitt Romney made the speech of a lifetime, telling voters why he should be the next man to lead America. The former governor of Massachusetts attack Barack Obama's record as president. And promised he would deliver a brighter future.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MITT ROMNEY, REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I'm running for president to help create a better future, a future where everyone who wants a job can find a job, where no senior fears for the security of their retirement, an America where every parent knows their child will get an education that leads them to a good job and a bright horizon.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MANN: Romney wasn't the only star of the convention. The three day event was packed with political heavyweights rallying voters to give Mitt a chance. Here's a look back.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MANN: Flashing lights, rocking music, and of course rousing speeches.
GOV. CHRIS CHRISTIE, (R) NEW JERSEY: If you're willing to stand up with me for America's future, I will stand up with you.
MANN: It could only be the U.S. Republican National Convention, a storm delay in the end didn't dampen spirits with all its pageantry, the traditional roll call of states formally nominating Mitt Romney and his number two didn't disappoint the crowds.
But for many, it was the presidential candidate's wife who stole the show on the opening night.
ANN ROMNEY, MITT ROMNEY'S WIFE: I can only stand here tonight as a wife and a mother and a grandmother, an American, and make you this solemn commitment, this man will not fail.
MANN: It wasn't just Ann Romney who impressed. On Wednesday, former secretary of state Condoleeza Rice showed off her foreign policy clout. But it was her tribute to the so-called American Dream that had many mesmerized.
CONDOLEEZA RICE, FRM. SECRETARY OF STATE: You see, the essence of America, what really unites us, is not nationality or ethnicity, or religion, it is an idea. And what an idea it is. That you can come from humble circumstances and you can do great things, that it does not matter where you came from, it matters where you are going.
MANN: Her speech set Twitter alight. "Lump in throat" said Florida GOP operative Ryan Duffy. "The birth of a candidate," tweeted another.
No one sat down for long. Romney's running mate Paul Ryan brought the convention to its feet with plenty of pointed attacks on President Barack Obama.
REP. PAUL RYAN, VICE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: College graduates should not have to live out their 20s in their childhood bedrooms staring up at fading Obama posters and wondering when they can move out and get going with life.
MANN: And then it was finally the turn of the main man to step into the spotlight and formally accept the party's presidential nomination.
ROMNEY: Now is the moment when we can stand up and say I'm an American. I make my destiny. We deserve better. My children deserve better. My family deserves better. My country deserves better.
MANN: This was his big chance to convince voters he's a man of conviction who has what it takes to lead the American people.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MANN: The convention even tried a touch of Hollywood with mixed results. Movie icon Clint Eastwood made a guest appearance holding a make believe conversation with President Obama who was represented by an empty chair.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CLINT EASTWOOD, ACTOR/DIRECTOR: I think attorneys are so busy -- you know, they're always taught to argue everything and always weight everything and weigh both sides and they're always, you know, they're always devil's advocating this and bifurcating this and bifurcating that, you know, all that stuff, but I think it's maybe time, what do you think, for maybe a businessman. How about that?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MANN: Well, President Obama didn't take that sitting down. He joined in the conversation by posting a picture of a chair online. It was his, his chair with him sitting in it under the caption this seat is taken. That sparked an online trend of Eastwooding, people posting pictures of empty chairs. A dog Eastwooding, then a cat. And famous names like the actor Zack Braff getting in on the action posting a picture of an empty chair next to him in a cafe.
Well, despite the convention effort, the Romney/Ryan ticket doesn't seem to have fired up the youth vote so far. Polling numbers from earlier this month show that 73 percent of 18 to 34 year olds would vote for Obama compared to just 25 percent for Romney, a huge gap to close.
Joining us now Rod Snyder, president of the Young Democrats of America from Washington, D.C. And from Dallas, Texas Katrina Rice from the Young Republican National Federation.
Thanks so much for being with us, to both of you.
Katrina Rice, could we start with you, the gap in the numbers is enormous. It's not new. It dates back to when Barack Obama is running against John McCain. And I wanted to ask you about whether the Clint Eastwood episode, though it was kind of trivial in its own right, points to a problem that the Republican Party has a reputation of being the party of older white guys?
KATRINA RICE, YOUNG REPUBLICAN NATOINAL FEDERATION: There is a bit of a concept that older white guys run the Republican Party, but obviously I'm here so that can't be completely true.
The Clint Eastwood thing I actually thought played relatively well with some of the youth that were present and some of the other conservative leaning or libertarian youth, because he is still, though he's Clint Eastwood. He's still a Hollywood star. He's still somebody that a lot of us looked up to watching his movies growing up, that kind of thing. I don't think that was a negative.
MANN: Well, fair enough, but obviously the evening wasn't about Clint Eastwood, it was about Mitt Romney. And Mitt Romney made it about Barack Obama.
So Rod Snyder, I wonder if we can turn to you, one thing we heard over and over again is that everybody, and young people among them, have to be disappointed with the way things have gone over the last four years. Do you agree? It seems kind of obvious in a sense.
ROD SNYDER, PRESIDENT, YOUNG DEMOCRATS OF AMERICA: Well, John, I actually think that tere's a lot of the story, you know, that needs to be told. And obviously the poll numbers speak for themselves as you were just mentioning. Young people still very supportive of the president. And there's real reasons for that. We've seen 29 straight months of private sector job growth, 4.5 million new jobs since the President took over in a very bad economy. And you look at sort of the global recession that's taking place. And the United States is climbing out of that hole slowly, but surely.
And so the president has performed. 3 million new young Americans have health insurance since the Affordable Care Act pass. We've seen doubling in investment in financial aid...
MANN: Let me jump in, though, if I can Rod Snyder. I mean, do your friends, the people you know, really plan to go out and vote this time for Barack Obama with the same enthusiasm they had four years ago?
SNYDER: You know, young people historically turn out about 50 percent. That is lower than other age groups. And it's a shame that something I'm sure that the Young Republicans and the Young Democrats are working on all the time to increase voter participation.
But we expect the turnout to be this year to be very strong. We think that young people are actually going to deliver the margin of victory for President Obama just like in 2008.
MANN: Katrina Rice, I'm curious about one particular thing that's got to matter to young people and that's college, the cost of going to college in the United States is astonishing. $100,000, $200,000. Young people graduate from college in debt. We heard all about it last night. And yet it's no secret that Paul Ryan wants to cut government spending and inevitably education spending will be cut. The number of young people getting college grants is said to decline perhaps dramatically.
Now the Obama people are campaigning on it. They have all kinds of numbers. But those numbers aside, do young people care about college? And do they worry about what a Romney/Ryan administration is going to do?
RICE; I would think that we're -- the problem with college is that, OK, so you can go and it's expensive, but right now we're not getting jobs with college degrees. We go to four years, we spend all that money whether we have government aid or not, and then we don't get jobs coming out of it.
For the last three years, only 49 percent of graduates are able to find full-time work within one year of completing their graduate degree, that's from Rutgers University workforce development. And even then, we're only earning about a dollar more than we did in 1989. So how are the last three years of not even being able to get a job after spending all that money for college, I mean that's what I think the bigger issue is, is that we're not getting hired.
MANN: Well, let's go to Rod Snyder for more on that. You heard what she said. You heard what they said last night. And I know lots of young people who are looking for work. You must to as well.
SNYDER: Of course. But if you look -- if you take a look at Mitt Romney's speech and Paul Ryan's speech on Wednesday night, there's not a single new concrete policy proposal that came out of the Republican National Convention to deal with youth unemployment. We saw nothing new. The last time Mitt Romney was asked about college affordability and access to higher education, which is important for entering the job market, he simply told a student to shop around.
You know, Barack Obama has doubled the investment in higher education. Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan actually suggest cutting it very steeply. It's a contrast that young people recognize. And it's why young people are not gravitating towards the Romney Campaign.
MANN: Katrina Rice, I just want to ask you about social issues, because they're not primary in this campaign, but they're once again a big wedge between younger Americans and older Americans. Younger Americans tend to believe that women who love other women can marry them, men can marry other men. Women should have access to abortion if they want it. They should have guaranteed access to contraceptives as part of their employer health plans.
On social issues, again, are the Republicans fighting uphill to convince younger Americans and younger women that they deserve their support?
RICE: I think that this election for the Republicans is much more about the economic and fiscal issues. There are always disagreements within the Republican Party on social issues, but I just don't think that that's important. We just don't have the luxury to worry about those issues right now as our number one issue. Right now, it's jobs, and being able to survive on our own and being able to be adults.
When you've got kids in their 20s who want to move out and have their own place and their own life and they can't leave like you had the clip from Paul Ryan saying that we're still living at home hoping we can get our future started. And I think that that's the main struggle and the main focus of the RNC and any -- a lot of young people too.
MANN: So Rod Snyder, we'll give you the last word, are people, young people, worried about their futures going to turn out in the numbers Barack Obama needs? Without young turnout he isn't going to win.
SNYDER: Young people are absolutely going to turn out again in 2012. They're going to support the president by a very wide margin. His values on social issues matter to us as well. You know, he -- equal pay for women was the first law he signed. And Paul Ryan actually voted against that equal pay for women.
These types of issues are going to draw young people out to the polls once again and are going to reelect President Barack Obama.
MANN: Rod Snyder of the Young Democrats of America, and Katrina Rice of the Young Republican National Federation, thanks so much for being with us.
SNYDER: Thanks, John.
RICE: Thanks for having us.
MANN: Starting Monday, join Isha Sisay as she reports live from the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, North Carolina. Count on extensive coverage and analysis straight from the convention floor. And stay up to date with all of the twists and turns of the upcoming election right here on CNN.
Still to come tonight, battle of the big hitting oligarchs. The Russian billionarie who took his former business partner to Britain's highest court and lost. Hear what he has to say about it.
Cleaning up in Kenya's second largest city after days of deadly violence. Security forces say they're now ready for anything. Our report from Mombasa is next.
And it's D-Day for transfers in the European footballing world. Find out where your player is heading when Connect the World continues.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
MANN: You're watching CNN. And this is Connect the World. I'm Jonathan Mann. Welcome back.
South Africa's justice minister is demanding answers from the country's public prosecutor. Jeff Radebe wants to know why 270 miners were charged with the deaths of 34 colleagues during a violent strike at the Lonmin mine back on August 16. What happened that day shocked the world. And the pictures we're about to show you are graphic. They show the miners being shot by police.
But prosecutors used apartheid era laws to charge the workers with murder. Coming up on the program reaction from a spokesman from the justice minister.
Let's have a look now at some other stories connecting our world tonight. Wildfires burning in Southern Spain have claimed their first victim. A body, thought to be that of an elderly man, was found near the Mediterranean sort town of Marbaya (ph). Water bombing aircraft are being used to help bring the fires under control. Spanish officials say about 6,000 people have been forced to flee their homes.
Russian Oligarch Boris Berezovsky has lost a high court battle in London against his former business partner and Chelsea Football Club owner Roman Abromovich. Berezovsky was seeking more than $5 billion in damages in a dispute over Russian oil and aluminum shares. The high court just threw out the case saying Berezovsky was an unreliable witness much to the billionaires disbelief.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BORIS BEREZOVSKY, RUSSIAN OLIGARCH: I'm absolutely amazed what's happened today. I'm surprised completely. And particularly because (inaudible) took responsibility to rewrite Russian history.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MANN: After 18 months of conflict in Syria, August 2012 will go down as the bloodiest since the uprising started.
Scenes like this are why. Activists reporting fierce clashes and shelling in hotspots. And judging from the online video today, the battles are intense. These are rebel fighters in Aleppo, according to the description of this footage.
Speaking at the Non-Aligned Movement summit in Tehran, UN Secretary- General Ban Ki-moon called on all countries to hold back providing weapons to either side.
Samsung has won its latest fight against U.S. rival Apple, this one in Japan. A Tokyo court ruled that the South Korean company did not use Apple patented technology in some of its Galaxy products. The decision came a week after another one you may recall. Samsung lost that one and was ordered to pay $1 billion to Apple for copying the look and feel of its iPhone and iPad lines.
The streets of Kenya's second largest city Mombasa are for the moment, at least, calm. The killing of a well known radical Muslim cleric sparked days of deadly unrest. And now security forces say in their words that they're ready for anything.
This report from CNN's David McKenzie.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DAVID MCKENZIE, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: The gruesome aftermath of a drive by shooting in Mombasa, Kenya. This was clearly an orchestrated hit. Family members, some wounded, still in shock.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (SPEAKING IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE)
MCKENZIE: Slumped over the chair, the target, Sheik Aboud Rogo Mohammed, prominent radical cleric, blacklisted by the UN security council and U.S. government.
Rogo was a vocal supporter of al Qaeda linked Al Shabaab in Somalia, accused of recruiting Kenyans to fight and accused of involvement in several terror attacks in east Africa. The response to his killing: chaos, days of rioting in Mombasa, Kenya's second city. Three policemen were killed in a grenade attack.
Amongst the youth of Mombasa, the support for Sheik Rogo ran deep. And the situation still tense.
They brought the Sheik's body right after he was killed, took it away from police and brought it here to the Mosque just down the street. And what is striking is this area of Mojango (ph) now is nearly completely deserted. You've got paramilitary police who are stopping anyone coming in or out on vehicles. And here you see the burnt remains of tires. This neighborhood is angry. And this place is all but deserted.
One of Rogo's long time confidantes has agreed to meet us. He's been hiding for days. Abubaker Shalrf Ahmed says Kenyan police killed Rogo and that he could be next.
ABUBAKER SHARIF AHMED, FACES TERROR CHARGES: If a policeman comes to arrest me, I have to go with him. If I go with him I'm dead. If I stay in my house, I have to defend myself, because I know if they come for me they kill me.
MCKENZIE: Sharif faces terror charges and is on the same U.S. government blacklist for suppporting Al Shabaab.
AHMED: In fact, I prefer to going back to Somalia, live with Al Shabaab. Maybe I'll have peace there. I can live a normal life.
MCKENZIE: The police have dismissed claims that they killed the Sheik, but the simmering tension remains in Mombasa. Many youth here feel neglected, forgotten by the state. Some have fallen under the influence of militant leaders like Abubaker Sharif Ahmed.
AHMED: It's a conflict between democracy and Islam. So whoever opposes democracy with Islam gets killed. What is happening in Kenya is going to affect the peace in Kenya. If they are going to kill us like this we have to fight back.
MCKENZIE: Ominous words in a country where sectarian violence is an ever present danger.
David McKenzie, CNN, Mombasa, Kenya.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MANN: You're watching Connect the World on CNN. We're going to take a short break now. But when we come back it's football's transfer deadline roughly 90 minutes from now. Dr. Snell will put us in on last minute wheelings and dealings next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
MANN: Welcome back.
The last day of August tends to be a hectic one on the European football calendar. And that's putting it mildly. Patrick Snell is here to make some sense of it all.
It's deadline day. Much drama?
PATRICK SNELL, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: Well, we could do with a bit more, to be honest, John. We're still looking for that blockbuster deal to really go through. Plenty of interesting developments. Let's start off with money bags Manchester City. They're the reigning English Premier Champs. The club seemingly with a limitless, bottomless pit of money. They had been quiet until this Friday came along.
Just to remind you know, the transfer window, as John said, open for another hour-and-a-half or so.
It's being reported the citizens, this is a potentially big one monetarily. He's a quality player from Benfica. The midfielder Xavi Garcia, just 25 years of age, a Spanish player born in Morsia, Spain, just the kind of player, really, that City head coach Roberto Mancini has been looking for. He could well be on the move. We understand the figure around $27 million, $28 million reported at least.
City have been busy. They've already tied up a double deal if you like, an important one. The Inter Milan defender, the Brazilian, the 31 Brazilian Maicon. And Scott Sinclair, a 23 year old, the youngster with the EPL's only Welsh club Swansea City.
But I like the Maicon signing for City. He's experienced as I say. He's 31. Over 60 caps for his country.
Going out of the door at Eastland's meantime will be Nigel de Jong. The Dutch player going to Italy's Milan.
Meantime Man United Dimitar Berbatov has finally got a new club. The Bulgarian who we thought was headed to Italy's Fiorentina, possibly Champion's Juventus, is actually going to be staying in England after it was confirmed he's to move to Fulham for a fee of around $6 million.
And a couple of other of those nuggets for you, John, two players leaving Tottenham. Rafael Van Der Vaart, the young Dutchman, going back to his old club Hamburg of Germany while the young -- young Mexican Gio Dos Santos leaving for Spain to play for Real Majorca.
So lots of interesting developments. Plenty more I could have told you as well. We don't have the time. But not a blockbuster yet. But there's still time. There's still over an hour-and-a-half to go.
MANN: You mentioned Fulham in passing. Clint Dempsey, any action?
SNELL: Really interesting. No is the word. I mean, Clint Dempsey is a player, just to make it clear, who was -- made it very, very clear to Fulham his employers and the fans there, this American international, that he wanted to move on, that he wanted to play Champion's League or even European football.
What happened was, the head coach there at Fulham, Martin Jol said, right, you're not -- for now at least you're not playing for me again. So he kind of went into this limbo, this footballing limbo. He hasn't played for Fulham this season. And he's going to emerge with proverbial egg on his face if he cannot get the move to what I think in a nutshell is a bigger club.
Now he's been in talks with Liverpool today, reportedly. That hasn't gone through as yet. As I say there is still time. He's been linked with Sunderland as well.
But Clint Dempsey needs to get a club and quickly, but it needs to be the right club as well.
MANN: Not playing, not moving. He's got a little bit more than an hour left. Patrick Snell.
SNELL: Get his agent to work quickly.
MANN: OK, you've heard the call. That's very much.
One more thing, join Patrick and Mark McKay. They'll have more coverage of deadline date coming up.
Still to come, though, on this addition of Connect the World, the internet was shocking enough, but now the government's legal response has left many South Africans astonished and outraged. We'll have the latest on the mass shooting of those striking miners.
Singer Leann Rimes, actor Stephen Fry, reality star Kim Kardashian, what have they got in common? They've all been victims of online trolling attacks. We'll have a special report on the latest high profile case.
And we'll have the latest from the Paralympics including the game they call murder ball.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
MANN: A warm welcome, if you're watching from Europe or anywhere around the world.
I'm Jonathan Mann and these are the latest world headlines from CNN.
South Africa's justice minister is demanding an explanation as the prosecutors charged 270 striking miners with the murder of their colleagues. Police actually fired the shots that killed 34 miners two weeks ago.
Wildfires burning in southern Spain have claimed their first victim. A body thought to be that of an elderly man was found in the Mediterranean resort town of Marbella. Officials say 6,000 people have been evacuated.
Following his big Republican convention speech in Florida, presidential hopeful Mitt Romney is now in the State of Louisiana, visiting areas affected by hurricane Isaac. U.S. President Barack Obama will visit the region on Monday.
Another round of U.S. economic stimulus could be in the works. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke staunchly hinted at a third package, saying the Fed is willing to take whatever action is necessary. U.S. stocks finished the week stronger on the back of that news.
Let's return now to the stunning murder charges against those miners in South Africa. Their attorneys are now calling on President Jacob Zuma himself to intervene.
Our Nkepile Mabuse has more now on the case from Johannesburg.
NKEPILE MABUSE, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: The decision by the South African Police Service and the National Prosecuting Authority to invoke this very controversial apartheid era, a Doctrine of Common Purpose and charged 270 miners with Common Purpose murder, has really sparked huge outrage here in South Africa.
The Congress of South African Trade Unions saying, this has exposed the Police and the National Prosecuting Authority's lack of professionalism and lack of training, saying that it totally undermines the Commission of Inquiry that was set up by the President to really get down to the bottom of what went wrong on that day, a prominent law professor calling this decision outrageous, bizarre and shocking, saying that it is a flagrant abuse of the criminal justice system.
People on the streets are also talking and this is what they had to say.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think it's outrageous because um it's clear -- it's clear that uh police were the ones who actually shot them.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don't know why the Prosecutioner revised this, the Doctrine of Common Purpose and it was something I know, that the apartheid government essentially enacted, so that they could prosecute uh groups of black people who were protesting.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think it's absurd for the State to charge um miners who are exploited on a daily basis with murder. I mean, they have a right to protest.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MABUSE: The Minister of Justice has decided to intervene. He has requested the National Prosecuting Authority to furnish him with details of how they came to this decision.
We're expecting that when these 270 men appear in court next week Thursday for a bail application, we'll hear arguments for and against the inclusion of this controversial charge and at the end of the day, it is the courts here in South Africa that will make the final decision.
The Police and the National Prosecuting Authority have been accused in the past of allowing political interference in their work but people in South Africa still have confidence in the courts to rule fairly and independently and that's what they are looking to the courts to do.
Nkepile Mabuse, CNN, Johannesburg.
MANN: South Africa's justice minister says the decision to charge the miners has led to a sense of what he called, shock, panic and confusion.
Let's get more now from the minister's spokesman. Mthunzi Mhaga joins us now on the line from Pretoria.
Thanks so much for being with us. What in fact is the Minister going to do?
Is he going to see that the charges are promptly lifted?
MTHUNZI MHAGA, SOUTH AFRICA'S JUSTICE MINISTER'S SPOKESMAN: Good evening Jonathan and good evening to CNN viewers. I think what's important is the fact that we are not oblivious to the fact that as you've just indicated, that generally within the South African society as well as internationally, this case is of very great importance in terms of how it reflects on the proper and fair administration of justice.
Now obviously, the shock and outrage in the public, as well as, the confusion that is reigning currently necessitated an intervention by the Minister and he's empowered in terms of the legislation that established the NPA, which is the NPA Act on and the Constitution, to request information, a report, reasons and an explanation of what informed the decision by the NPA to charge the miners who, in terms of reports in the media and the investigations that are still being carried out, most of them died.
So, we want to understand what informed that decision.
MANN: Well, let me ask you. You have seen the video. It is appalling but it is very clear, it's on the Internet, it is around the world. It seems to show very, very clearly, uniformed police officers firing on the crowd of miners at some apparently safe distance.
We're looking at it again now.
How can there be any question or any delay, about, letting these men go free until the government knows better?
MHAGA: That kind of a question is what we hope will be answered in the report that will be submitted to the Minister.
Hopefully next week Monday we'll have that report and then we'll take the process forward.
And also important also, is the fact that there is a Commission of Inquiry that has been set up to ventilate all these issues, which is why the Minister wants to reflect on the decision of the NPA in so far as -- as it impacts on that which is under the process of actually being established, which is the Commission of Inquiry.
MANN: Now, the Commission of Inquiry was established that after the shootings. They were August 16th. At last word the Commission of Inquiry was looking for an office. It was still looking for office space. We can't -- I think, expect that there will be particularly prompt results if they don't have desks and chairs and working telephones yet.
These men are in jail and already the South African government's Independent Police Investigative Directorate says that 200 of them have complained of being assaulted and abused while they have been in custody. You probably know this better than I do. They're still behind bars.
How long will the Minister wait before he sees them released, given that he doesn't understand why they are behind bars and they are complaining that they are being beaten while they are there?
MHAGA: The Minister has requested that report and the NPA is treating the matter with urgency because right now, they have requested the provincial that (INAUDIBLE) for the prosecution (INAUDIBLE) who took that decision because remember, the decision was taken by the provincial office, not by the national office of the NPA, which is why the Minister impressed on them, in that request, that please treat this matter is a matter of urgency because the people that have been incarcerated and they have a right to a speedy trial and obviously that -- whatever decision that the NPA will be taking in terms of their report, that will be (INAUDIBLE) by the Minister, will have to take into account a number of issues which will also (INAUDIBLE) on the Commission of Inquiry and all other issues.
But of importance is the fact that we are alive to the fact that there is the right to a fair trial and to the (INAUDIBLE) they are in custody, the Minister is aware of that, and hence he has asked this report to be speedily made available to him so that he can understand on what basis they have been charged.
MANN: Now, those men have a bail hearing on Thursday. I don't know South African law way you would. Will the government of South Africa intervene at that bail hearing, to ask the judge to release them, given the amount of doubt that has been raised about the justice of putting those men behind bars?
MHAGA: It would be unfair for us to say we will intervene in that judicial process without getting a report from the prosecuting authority which is empowered to make prosecutorial decisions.
Hence I'm saying, let's exercise the (INAUDIBLE) and get the report from the prosecuting authority that explains their decision and then we'll take it from there.
We can't act until we get that report. (INAUDIBLE) this is why the Minister (INAUDIBLE) on the behalf of government and (INAUDIBLE) responsible for the proper and fair administration of justice, has impressed on NPA to make that report available as soon as possible.
MANN: With many questions, still waiting to learn more, Mthunzi Mhaga spokesman for the South Africa's justice minister, thank you so much for talking with us.
Still to come on CONNECT THE WORLD, an Australian television host is in a hospital after sickening Twitter attack. What happened when she confronted the trolls?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
MANN: Welcome back. If you're an Internet user, chances are you've come across it. You may even have been a victim yourself. It is called trolling. Anonymous people using social media sites to send hateful, abusive, messages to whoever [sic whomever] they please.
(INAUDIBLE) in the spotlight again, after a disturbing case, this one in Australia, where a television personality is literally in a hospital after becoming the victim of an online attack.
John Vause has a look.
JOHN VAUSE, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Around the world it seems anyone who is in the public eye is at risk of falling victim to Twitter trolls, these cyber bullies who launch nasty and personal attack and they create their own momentum and they appeared to have struck again, this time making headlines in Australia for an attack on this woman here. Her name is Charlotte Dawson. She's a television personality and a former model.
She received hundreds of abusive Tweets after (INAUDIBLE) one of these so- called trolls. Now that troll apparently said to Charlotte Dawson, why don't you, "Go hang yourself."
Now after that, Ms. Dawson seemed to be defined. She appeared on television, she did a lot of interviews, she seemed determined to take on the cyber bullies.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CHARLOTTE DAWSON, TELEVISION PERSONALITY AND FORMER MODEL: There was a whole group yesterday that started off about me and you know, this -- you know what this one, you -- you know, even so you come across as an absolute bitch, model material, (INAUDIBLE) your whole career is based around criticizing (INAUDIBLE) last longer than (INAUDIBLE) career, um you know, it's just -- it's just abuse after abuse after abuse and sometimes it does wear you down and sometimes it does make me drink a bottle of wine.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: Now after that interview, the Twitter attacks increased and Ms. Dawson continued to respond. She was engaging with these bullies until finally came these last Tweets, "Hope this ends the misery" and then "You win."
An hour after that, Ms. Dawson who has publicly talked about her battle with depression, was taken to hospital and was being treated at the psychiatric emergency unit.
Experts say she made one terrible mistake, they say, "Do not feed the trolls."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JUDITH DONATH, BERKMAN CENTER, HARVARD UNIVERSITY: The option of ignoring them can save you quite a lot of disturbing experiences and it will also most likely be quite effective in making it stop.
So, you can respond if you want but you have to be ready to (INAUDIBLE) to know that that's going to escalate the situation.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: Often the trolls need no encouragement from their victims to attack.
In U.K. police arrested a teenager who sent an abusive Tweet to a diver Tom Bailey after he missed out on an Olympic medal. The Tweet read, "You let your dad down. I hope you now that." Tom's dad died last year from brain cancer.
And then in the world of music, Gary Barlow who is with the group, Take That, he received marking messages via Twitter after his daughter was stillborn.
And then, there is singer Katherine Jenkins. She denied having an affair with David Beckham. Even so, she's reportedly called police after receiving death threats, again via Twitter.
This list just goes on and at least police and lawmakers are now struggling to find a balance between allowing the freedom and openness of the Internet and what should be censored because it's hateful and ultimately harmful.
I'm John Vause.
Back to you.
MANN: Oh obviously trolls can cause serious harm to their victims, so why do they do it?
Let's ask Psychologists Wendy Walsh who joins us now live from Los Angeles.
Why do they do it?
I mean, is this the same impulse in people that leads to vandalism and graffiti and routine mischief or is there something worse about it?
DR. WENDY WALSH, PSYCHOLOGIST: No. I think they do it because there aren't consequences and they have the anonymity.
Think of it this way, when you read something online that pleases you, you probably aren't as activated to spread it around but if you hear about something that makes you upset, there's more likely that you will hit that keyboard.
So negative energy creates more keyboard thumping but secondly, they're anonymous, they're unknown and all of a sudden they can -- they're public words are known everywhere.
We all do it to some extent. You know, how sometimes we say things (INAUDIBLE) just because of the brevity of characters, for instance, which we wouldn't say the same way, if we had the time to do it verbally.
So, it's just one of those things that people wanna be heard.
MANN: Well, let me ask you because this also is one of those sayings that people get insulted. As children, many of us were taught the crime about 'sticks and stones' which is basically a way of telling children, insults don't actually matter, just ignore them.
Is there something more serious here?
Or adults simply being victim of insults they should be ignoring?
WALSH: No. I think there is something more serious because it's so public. It's one thing if somebody says something to you on the street that insults you. It's another thing if they post it on the Internet to potentially billions of people around the world.
I myself was attacked by a bunch of trolls one time when I misspoke on CNN AMERICA, so to wake up every morning and see your blackberry or iPhone crammed with hundreds of profanity, negative messages and then have to get up and put a smile on your face and get your kids out of bed is really not for the faint of heart. You've got to be strong and have some alligator skin.
My biggest concern of course, are for the youth, for people who are just developing their identities, for people in middle school and high school who get bullied online because there's nowhere to hide.
MANN: So let me just ask you. You've been a victim and we're thinking about young people of course who are so sensitive --
WALSH: Yeah.
MANN: -- to the thoughts of their peers.
WALSH: Yeah.
MANN: What kind of remedy makes sense to you?
WALSH: Well of course ignoring is very important, to not engage them as much as possible but of course, I'm an extrovert and I'm a talker, so I created a video response that I posted on my YouTube channel, so that I called it, "The God that clubs" because it was the atheists that were mad at me that week. Every week there's somebody else when you have opinions on camera.
So, you know, that helped me because people started to post my response around and that felt good to me but other than that I didn't respond individually to many people because it didn't lead to goodness.
MANN: Don't feed the trolls.
Wendy Walsh.
Thanks very much.
What is being done to stop the practice?
Well in many countries they are our laws surrounding online abuse. They are complicated or they just don't exist in others.
The government of the United Kingdom is currently considering updating its laws to specifically target trolls. At the moment people do face jiggle time though if they send and electronic message that's considered "-- grossly offensive or of an indecent, obscene or menacing character."
In Australia, no specific laws, but it is illegal to use, "-- a carriage service to menace, harass or cause an offense."
The U.S. doesn't have dedicated laws about trolling either, why? Well, experts say governments are yet to catch up with the booming social media world and there are concerns that new laws could stifle freedom of speech and create censorship issues.
One thing's for sure trolls are a problem, that, are not going away.
You're watching CONNECT THE WORLD.
When we come back, arguably the most violent sport of the Paralympics. We find out that wheelchair rugby is called murder ball for a reason.
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MANN: Welcome back. I'm Jonathan Mann and this is CONNECT THE WORLD.
On Day 2 of the Paralympics, let's have a look at the medal table. China seems to have broken away from the rest of the world already, with a massive total of 34 overall medals.
There was major drama at a report in the Velodrome, world-record holder Jody Cundy had to be physically restrained after he was disqualified. He blamed equipment for a faltering start. Officials disagreed saying it was rider error.
Look at him.
And Serbian club thrower (INAUDIBLE) broke the world record with his very first throw, 26.8 meters, think about that. No other athlete was even close.
Well one sport to watch over the next week is murder ball. Actually its wheelchair rugby as it's officially known. Garrett Hickling Canada's flag bearer and 20-year murder ball veteran (INAUDIBLE) the game.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is (INAUDIBLE) an arena where (INAUDIBLE) during 60 minutes of (INAUDIBLE).
The rules of engagement are simple enough, cross the goal line in 40 seconds and avoid the carnage.
But those who play the sports say it's great family entertainment.
GARRETT HICKLING, CANADIAN WHEELCHAIR RUGBY PLAYER: It's (INAUDIBLE) you know, even my grandmother came (INAUDIBLE) once (INAUDIBLE) she's a little older you know and she was a little (INAUDIBLE) wasn't sure about me getting hit and things like that.
By the end of the tournament she's cheering. She's wanting us to rip heads off and it's quite entertaining seeing that.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Do you enjoy, in inverted commas, 'Ripping heads off'?
HICKLING: I love it you now. You know, I love intensity in sports and I like seeing guys giving it all they've got all the time.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Having been named as the world' best murder ball player on multiple occasions during his 20-year career, Hickling is revered in the sport.
ANDT VAN NEUTEGEM, CANADA HIGH PERFORMANCE DIRECTOR: Garret's a legend and you know, this will be his 5th Paralympics games and he's a leader on the team. He's a leader in the world for wheelchair rugby, a great man and a great role model. Now he has those intangibles, he's a born leader.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It was tragic circumstances that brought Hickling to the game, after he survived a catastrophic accident while traveling in the south of Canada.
HICKLING: February '87, I fell off a 300-foot cliff. Me and three other friends were (INAUDIBLE) one (INAUDIBLE) passed away, another guy broke a bunch of bones in his body and I broke my neck.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hickling found solace in sports and some of his best therapy was on court playing basketball, hockey and rugby.
HICKLING: Definitely life changing you know, I was 16, I wasn't (INAUDIBLE) what was going on, I wasn't sure what was happening at that time you know, but it was the ability to get out and play a sport, just get your mind off things, help me (INAUDIBLE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And during the Paralympics, Hickling is planning to go on and win gold having secured silver and bronze in previous games. It's the only medal missing in his glittering collection.
But regardless of how the team, perform the 41-year-old says he has no plans on putting the brakes on.
HICKLING: Oh I'm definitely addicted, you know, I have been playing for 20 years and it's you know, I can't put my rugby chair in the closet yet, you know. I definitely want to continue playing and whether its recreation or high-caliber, I just love being on the court.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MANN: Amazing stuff.
If you want to find out what's happening at the Paralympics, just visit our live blog CNN.com/Paralympics.
And we are sticking with the Paralympics for our parting shots tonight.
London's exuberant Mayor, Boris Johnson has been trying his hand at sitting volleyball. The sport is a cross between volleyball and a German game called Sitzbal. Joined by British TV star Barbara Windsor, the pair didn't exactly score very high but from the pictures, it does seem they played by the rules, one of those being, a part of the players body between the buttocks and the shoulders must be in contact with the floor.
Have a look at their faces. They seem to be having a ball.
I'm Jonathan Mann. This is CONNECT THE WORLD. Thanks for joining us.
The headlines are next, right after this break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
MANN: Hello, I'm Jonathan Mann and this is CNN the world's news leader. The headlines this hour.
Officials say 6,000 people have been forced to flee their homes in southern Spain as wildfires threaten properties in and around the Mediterranean resort town of Marbella. A body thought to be that of an elderly man was found nearby. Water bombing aircraft are being used to help bring the fires under control.
South Africa's justice ministry is demanding an explanation after prosecutors charged 270 striking miners with the murder of their colleagues. Police actually fired the shots that killed the 34 miners two weeks ago. They say it was self-defense in the August 16th confrontation that ended in a hail of gunfire.
Mexico's Electoral Commission has officially declared Enrique Pena Nieto the winner of the July 1st presidential vote. Pena Nieto's opponent contested the results alleging electoral fraud. Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador still refuses to concede the election .
Syrian opposition activists say at least 85 people were killed across the country today, alone. Some of those deaths came in homes where fierce fighting is reported. State TV says troops clashed with what it called armed terrorist groups and inflicted heavy last losses. Friday ended the most deadly month in Syria since a conflict there began.
And those are the latest headlines from CNN the world's news leader.
AMANPOUR starts right now.
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END
