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Connect the World
Concerns of Crime Wave in Rio as Olympic Athletes Targeted by Thieves; President Obama to be First U.S. President to Visit Hiroshima; Trump's Conspiracy Attacks against Clintons; African Start-up: Aero Shutter; ISIS Allowing Some Residents to Leave Raqqa; Israel's Controversial New Defense Minister. Aired 11:00a-12:00P ET
Aired May 25, 2016 - 11:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[11:00:23] LYNDA KINKADE, HOST: Explosions and rocket fire as forces move towards two of the biggest territories held by ISIS. So, can the
terror group be stopped? A live report just ahead.
Also, Israel's new defense minister, a controversial appointment. What will it mean for the volatile region?
Plus...
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SHASTA DARLINGTON, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: This guy jumps to rob a bus passenger. No one intervenes when this man is tackled for his
gold chain.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KINKADE: The rise in robberies across Rio de Janeiro. What will it mean for the Olympic teams heading there?
Hello. I'm Lynda Kinkade in for Becky Anderson and you're watching Connect the World. Thanks for joining us.
The Afghan government is calling on the new leader of the Taliban to join peace or face the consequences. The Taliban have named a religious
scholar as their new chief after confirming that his predecessor was, in fact, killed in a U.S. drone strike over the weekend.
The new leader, pictured there, was a senior judge during the Taliban's brief rule of Afghanistan.
Well, let's get a closer look at this now from our Nick Paton Walsh. He's following the developments from Beirut. Good to have you with us,
Nick.
What can you tell us about this new leader?
NICK PATON WALSH, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, I have to say we don't know a lot about him. He's not a particularly public figure.
Information has been coming out since the Taliban's announcement this morning in which they in one breath confirmed the death of Mullah Mansour,
declared three days of mourning for that and said that Haibatullah Akhunzada would be his successor.
Now, we know this is not a really man who has seen much of the front line. Predominately a cleric, a man who was around during the mujahedeen's
fight against the Soviets back in the 80s, had a role -- a senior role in the judiciary when the Taliban briefly ran the country in the 90s and hails
from Kandahar, from Panjwe (ph) down there in the south where a lot of the Taliban's passionate constituency hails from.
So, potentially has those sort of tribal links that will hold him in good stead in that particular role.
The real issue, though, is this is the less controversial of all the choices
potentially before the Taliban council that chooses a successor like this. The dangerous option many felt they could have gone for was Siraj Haqqani
(ph), who is the deputy still -- and was previously for Mullah Mansour -- for military operations. A man who the U.S. calls al Qaeda's chief
facilitator in Afghanistan.
He didn't get the job. This lesser known, perhaps more moderate or less controversial figure did. But I have to add a note of caution here
really, you know, it's unlikely, frankly, that he -- not a man with much front line experience -- is going to come to the leadership of this huge
fractious and at times quite tired insurgency and decide to pursue peace talks as his first move.
We saw Mullah Mansour use military victories, battlefield prowess as a way to try to consolidate his leadership after a period of infighting.
Well, Haibatullah Akhunzada doesn't have that issue with many different rivals trying to kick him out of a job as far as we know, because the
succession was pretty quick but his clerical history probably means he will also seek to keep territory coming into
Taliban hands and keep them pushing against Afghan security forces.
So, none of this at this stage sounds like a moment for Afghan civilians to relax and feel that we're going to see less violence in the
months ahead. I'm afraid, sadly, we could see worse.
KINKADE: Right.
And we do know his predecessor, obviously, was killed in Pakistan. Does the Taliban have to be more careful going forward about using
Pakistan?
WALSH: Well, I think that's the suggestion certainly. And it is remarkable
how high profile that raid was, probably the most high-profile strike inside Pakistani territory since bin Laden was killed by 2001 by U.S. Navy
SEALs when he was hiding in Abbottabad.
This, a drone strike just inside the border as far as we can tell. No official warning to the Pakistanis ahead of it. Pakistan outraged, but in
the same sentence also saying they hope peace talks will continue.
And I think it marks two things. It marks a sign of impatience in Washington at Islamabad, sort of duel face on this: publicly they espouse
peace talk and a cracking down on the Taliban in the territory, but quite clearly, too, they're allowing Taliban -- Afghan Taliban inside Pakistan to
and continuing to allow them a sense of safe haven there.
So, I think really it does show to Afghan Taliban leaders they have to be
more cautious where they go.
Mullah Mansour, well, reports suggest that maybe he wasn't that careful about his personal safety more public in the way that he traveled,
while obviously he was quickly found by the United States drone there. And I think that may cause many
Afghan Taliban leaders to be much more cautious about their personal safety as the months go ahead.
[11:05:07] KINKADE: OK, Nick Paton Walsh, thanks for staying across all of that for us.
Well, right now, the fight against ISIS is raging on two fronts. You can see both of them on this map, one just north of ISIS's self-declared
capital in Raqqa, Syria the other in the Iraqi city of Fallujah where there's fierce fighting as Iraqi troops try to retake the city.
There's a major battle against ISIS militants who are entrenched there. The UN says tens of thousands of civilians are trapped in Syria.
U.S.-backed Kurdish fighters are leading an effort to retake areas just north of Raqqa. They're joined by Arab fighters as well.
Well, let's bring in CNN's Ben Wedeman who joins us now from Rome. Ben of course has covered the Middle East extensively for decades.
Ben, the United Nations estimates that up to 50,000 civilians are trapped in
Fallujah, these people trying to flee. Is there any way out at this stage?
BEN WEDEMAN, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: There is a way, Lynda. In fact, we've obtained exclusive video footage, a night video footage of
people leaving Fallujah in the dead of night through the date groves on the outside of
the city. But, obviously, it is very dangerous. Now as the UN mentioned, they
believe as many as 50,000 people are still inside the city.
Since the 20th of May, 50 families have -- or rather 80 families have been able to leave this city, but let's keep in mind it is an active war
zone there now. Even though the Iraqi government has declared certain humanitarian corridors that's a unilateral declaration by the Iraqi
government. And by all accounts ISIS is not respecting those arrangements.
We understand that they've even set up sniper positions near some of those so-called humanitarian corridors and have killed several people
trying to leave, including women and children.
And so the Iraqi government, as we've been reporting, has told people that if they can't leave put up a white flag outside their house. But even
if you stay behind what with air raids and artillery bombardments plus the fact that Fallujah has been under siege now by the Iraqi government forces
for months, there's not much in the way of food, medicine or even clean drinking water left in the city.
KINKADE: Right.
And the Iraqi prime minister says that ISIS in Fallujah is collapsing. Is that just political rhetoric or can ISIS actually hold on to this city?
WEDEMAN: We need to look at the experience of Iraqi forces in other cities like Ramadi, also another city in Anbar Province. And there, the
Iraqi forces went in in early December, began their operation. At the end of the month they declared this city had fallen, that it had liberated it from ISIS, but it
took weeks and weeks before they could actually allow civilians back in.
So, it's a long fight, regardless.
Now, we are hearing some reports that ISIS has pulled back from a lot of the smaller villages and hamlets around Fallujah itself. They may
simply be pulling back to Fallujah, the city where of course many of them are natives of that city where they know the terrain and they've have had
two-and-a-half years to prepare for this battle.
So, it's hard to tell, but it would be a mistake to conclude at this point that it's going to be an easy fight.
KINKADE: Right.
And, Ben, looking at the battle in Raqqa, we're hearing reports from one activist group that ISIS is actually letting people escape. It seems a
bit odd.
WEDEMAN: It does. and this is a change of their policy that's been in place for some months, which didn't allow people from leaving the city.
Now, according to what we're hearing from Raqqa is that people are allowed to leave the center of Raqqa to go to the countryside, to go
eastward as far as Deir ez-Zor, which is another city in eastern city largely controlled by ISIS.
Now, in recent weeks, I think it was last week, the coalition was dropping leaflets on Raqqa telling people to leave the city now. Of course
there is an offensive being conducted to the north of Raqqa by the so- called Syrian democratic forces, that's an umbrella militias led by the Kurds.
And why ISIS would at this point tell people you can leave now, is a bit of a
mystery. So, I think we're just going to have to hold on and wait and see what happens there.
[11:10:01] KINKADE: OK. We will wait and see.
Ben Wedeman, for us live from Rome, thank you for joining us.
We're going to turn back to the situation in Syria in about ten minutes to look at why people in Raqqa are worried about what may happen if
Kurdish forces eventually take over that city. And I'll be joined by a Middle East experts so stick around for that.
Well, now for some other stories on our radar right now. Egypt's civil aviation ministry says it's coordinating with France, Italy and other
countries to find the black boxes from EgyptAir flight 804.
The ministry said that early reports that EgyptAir had hired Eeuropean countries to track down the boxes were incorrect.
Greece has reached a bailout deal with Eurozone finance ministers in Brussels just in time to avoid a default this summer. Greece will get more
than $11 billion, although most of it will go straight to its creditors.
Comedian Bill Cosby will stand trial on felony assault charges. The 78-year-old is accused of drugging and sexually assaulting an employee at
the Temple University in Philadelphia. She's one of more than 50 women who allege
sexual misconduct by Cosby. He has continued to deny those accusations.
The Israeli government is turning further to the right and Nationalist Party and its controversial leader Avigdor Lieberman are joining the
coalition to prop up its slender majority. Lieberman has been appointed the defense minister.
Now, CNN's Oren Liebermann can provide some context for us. There's no relation between him and the defense minister.
Oren, great to have you with us.
This new defense minister is a hardliner. He has a very aggressive stance
towards Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas and he has made serious threats against Hamas. What else can you tell us about him?
OREN LIEBERMANN, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Avigdor Lieberman lives in the West Bank. He is a settler in the West Bank
settlement of Nogdim (ph). But he has said in the past that he would leave the settlement and leave the West Bank for any real peace process.
He's one of the few politicians in this government, though he is right wing and critics he is say far right, he is one of the few politicians in
this government that openly talks about a peace process and openly talks about a state of Palestine.
Why he's controversial is what he says about those negotiations. First, he says it shouldn't just be an Israeli/Palestinian deal, he
believes it should come with normalized relations with some of the Arab states. Presumably there he means Saudi Arabia and the UAE. He sees this
all as one package deal. He said the past he refuses to acknowledge a Palestinian right of return and that's part of what has made him
controversial.
He also advocates for populated territory swaps taking Arab/Israeli towns that are in Israel and redrawing the green line so that those end up
in a future Palestine state. That's what makes him controversial and yet as he is right
wing he remains one of the few politicians here that talks about a peace process.
KINKADE: So, Oren will this coalition make for a stronger government for Benjamin Netanyahu, or could he be cornered into appeasing these new
party members?
LIEBERMANN: Well, this addition of five extra members of the coalition takes
his coalition from a narrow 61 seats to a less narrow 66 seats and it prevents one or two members from political extorting Netanyahu. So, in
that sense it stabilizes the government.
But also by introducing a third party, you introduce -- a third right ring party there, you introduce more disagreements. For example, Lieberman
has openly said he wants a separation of religion and state in a coalition that has religious parties. So it creates tension there.
And yet, Netanyahu says he will still advocate for a peace process. Here's what he had to say at the coalition signing earlier today.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, PRIME MINISTER OF ISRAEL: My government remains committed to pursuing peace with the Palestinians, pursuing peace with all
our neighbors. My policy has not changed. We'll continue to pursue every avenue for peace while ensuring the safety and security of our citizens.
I believe the developments in the regions have created new challenges for us all, but I also believe that they've created new opportunities for
peace.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LIEBERMANN: Interestingly, in this coalition signing Netanyahu openly called on opposition leader Isaac Herzog to join his coalition and would
again widen the coalition, but would certainly introduce more disagreements and perhaps more instability that would be a very major government shakeup
if Isaac Herzog, the opposition leader, is willing to join. So far he has refused -- Lynda.
KINKADE: OK, Oren Lieberman for us. We thank you very much for joining us.
Well, still to come it's day two of an operation to clear out a migrant camp in Greece. We're live at that camp with a look at whether
everything is going as planned.
Also ahead, a Ukrainian pilot is enjoying her first taste of freedom in years. What she had to say about her imprisonment in Russia.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:17:20] KINKADE: You're watching CNN and this is Connect the World with me, Lynda Kinkade, welcome back.
Well, let's dig a little deeper into one of our top stories this hour. An
American-backed alliance of Kurdish forces and Sunni Arabs has launched an offensive against ISIS in an area north of Raqqa, Syria.
The ISIS flag has flown over Raqqa for nearly three years and the Sunni
extremist group has imposed hardline Islamic law in a city once considered the most liberal in Syria.
But the local Arabs don't have much love for the Kurds either. CNN reporters who have worked in the region say the people of Raqqa fear the
Kurdish forces will take their land and expel them from their homes.
And it's not only Raqqa where we see this kind of tension between local populations and those apparently there to liberate them.
We've also seen it in places like Tikrit in Iraq.
For more we're joined now by Fawaz Gerges from London who published this book "ISIS: A History."
Fawaz thank you very much for joining us.
FAWAZ GERGES, LONDON SCHOOL OF ECONOMICS: Thank you.
KINKADE: The Kurdish-Arab alliance, or the Syrian Democratic Forces, is attempting to retake that area north of Raqqa, the so-called ISIS
capital.
Just give us a sense of the success that they've had in the past fighting
against ISIS?
KINKADE: Well, you know, Lynda, the armed Kurdish groups are the most effective force, basically they have proven record in fighting ISIS and al
Qaeda in Syria. They are the most fighters that are trusted by the Americans.
Remember Kobani. For almost a years, ISIS tried to take over Kobani. They lost 2,000 fighters in Kobani. The Kurds, with the support of the
Americans, made sure that Kobani did not fall.
I really believe that the ability of the Kurds to hold Kobani and the failure of ISIS to take over Kobani represented a watershed in the fight
against ISIS and the Americans are relying a great deal on the Kurdish forces.
You have about 20,000 forces.
Sadly as you said, there's not much trust between the Kurdish forces and the local population. A widespread sentiment exists that the Kurds
have their own political project that they have extended at the expense of the local population, that basically they would like to establish a
separatist autonomous region.
So, the Americans really find themselves between a rock and hard place. The Kurdish forces are the most effective fighting forces against
ISIS. On the other hand, the local population do not trust the Kurds. That's why the Americans have recruited and trained about 3,000 Arab
fighters to join the Kurdish forces and that's what you said, it's the Syrian Democratic Forces. It's a force made up of 20,000 Kurdish fighters
and about 3,000 Arab fighters that are trying to retake Raqqa, which is the nominal capital of ISIS.
[11:20:24] KINKADE: Some say, for the people in Raqqa, choosing between ISIS or the Kurdish alliance is like choosing between the lesser of
two evils. Is that your assessment?
GERGES: Very sadly so.
And that's why if Raqqa falls either in five months or six months, for our own viewers the fight for a Raqqa city has not started. You're talking
about 50 kilometers. I mean the forces, the Kurdish forces and the Syrian Democratic
Forces. But if and when Raqqa falls, you're going to have an Arab force in charge to replace ISIS because if the Kurds remain in Raqqa, this would
create major trouble for both the Kurdsan the local populations and that's why both the Kurds and the Americans are fully aware of that, even the
Kurds say we do not want to replace ISIS in Raqqa because they realize they're not very much liked and trusted by the local population.
So what you have now is a joint Arab and Kurdish force and regardless of what city or town falls you will have the Arab forces, replacing ISIS in
the towns and villages and the cities that would be liberated in the next weeks or next few months, I hope, around Raqqa.
KINKADE: We've already heard reports from one activist group that ISIS is
allowing some civilians in Raqqa to actually flee the city right now. Are you surprised by those claims?
GERGES: No, I'm not surprised, because Lynda, ISIS is starved financially and basically they're imposing a heavy financial burden on any
family that leaves. You could leave if you pay -- if you have dollars, hard currency. ISIS would like the hard currency.
Another point I want to make today is that ISIS will fight to the last man in Raqqa. This is an existential fight for ISIS. And again, if
history serves as a guide, ISIS will use the local population -- you have more than 100,000, 200,000 civilians in Raqqa, so they have basically 200,
300,000 captive audiences in Raqqa.
KINKADE: And for those that say the Kurds will use this war to claim or
take more territory for themselves, what do you say to them? What do you say to those fears?
GERGES: Well, you know, first of all, we know that the Kurds would like to have an autonomous region. We know that the Kurds are ambitious.
We know that the Kurds believe this is their moment in the sun. So the Kurds have made their objective very clear. They would like to have an
autonomous region.
I don't think that the Kurds are trying to expand to Raqqa. In fact, in their own defense, the Kurds have made it very clear to the Americans
that they do not actually want to go to Raqqa, it was the American military and security forces that have convinced the Kurds to go all the way to
Raqqa.
Just a few days ago, Lynda, the highest basically military officer in the U.S. army went to the Kurdish areas and my take on it, he convinced the
Kurds to play a major role in the liberation of Raqqa, because again, they are the
most effective fighting force. They are fierce fighters. They are trained,
they are tried, and the Americans trust them and that's why they have joined the 3,000
Arab fighters hopefully to go all the way to al-Raqqa in the next few months.
This is a long, costly and complex battle. It has just started.
KINKADE: It certainly is long and complex, but Fawaz Gerges, great to have your analysis for us. Thank you.
GERGES: Thank you.
KINKADE: Well, for the second day police in Greece are busing thousands of
migrants out of a camp near the Macedonian border. The process appears to be going
smoothly so far but there are fears tensions could boil over at any moment. The migrants are being relocated to shelters. Police hope to have the camp
cleared out by the end of this week.
Oour senior international correspondent Atika Shubert joins me now from the site of that camp in northern Greece.
Atika, what can you tell us about the welfare of these people, the men, women and children? What do you know about their state of health and
where exactly are they being moved to?
ATIKA SHUBERT, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, so far it's been an
orderly process. Press are not allowed into the actual camp. We're just a few kilometers outside, but I have actually been speaking to UNHCR
officials who are there, who are monitoring. They say it's been orderly so far.
They have seen thousands of people being moved out. There hasn't been too much resistance.
They've been moved mostly to smaller camps that are in the area. These are more stable camps. They're more structured and it means that
people can get the help they need and can begin the official asylum application process.
The problem is that not everybody, of course, wants to do that. And so what we're finding is just like the people behind me, they're sort of
looking for ways to camp out here because they're not sure they want to go to those structured camps yet.
Take a listen to what one man told us about why he chose not to join the other camps.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
AHMED KHALID, MIGRANT: We come here. We don't want to go to another camp, because another camp, just to stay in another camp and eat and sleep
just for my future is very bad. We want future, a good future and good life. That's all people want here, they want this. You know that.
But another camp, maybe one year, maybe two years, we don't know.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SHUBERT: That was Ahmed Khalid. He's from Aleppo. He is a math student there. And what he -- as he has told us, is that he fears that
he's going to end up in a camp for one or two years instead of just a few months.
And so what some people have decided to do is opt for an illegal route in, paying a people smuggler to bring them across the border. This, of
course, is not what many EU states and Greece wants. If they get caught, they're often turned back and told to return to Greece.
So the hope is that the relocation process will go smoothly and quickly enough that refugees will find it's in their favor to go to a camp,
apply for asylum and be resettled somewhere in Europe.
But it's still very much a tentative work and process, Lynda.
KINKADE: It seems quite surprising that the Greek authorities are allowing people who choose to stay to stay and set up camps, illegal camps
behind you. Do you suspect by the end of the week that authorities might try to move those people?
SHUBERT: I think they've learned from previous attempts to relocate people forcefully that that simply does not work. They do not want to
bring out tear gas and riot police. We've seen that happen at the border before. So, they're giving people time to consider their options, to say,
you know, OK, maybe you don't want to move right now, but let's see if there's a better alternative at the camps nearby. And clearly many people,
especially those with families, are taking that option.
So, I think it's a more gradual process. It's one they're trying to shift
people towards, but don't want to use force if they can.
KINKADE: OK. Atika Shubert live for us on the Greek/Macedonian border, thank you very much.
Well, live from the CNN center this is Connect the World.
Coming up, California police are bracing for protests at a Donald Trump
rally after this chaotic scene in New Mexico. The latest on the race for the
White House just ahead.
Also, with the Olympic Games coming up soon, the host city is struggling with a crime wave. We'll be live in Rio just ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(HEADLINES)
[11:31:45] KINKADE: A Ukrainian pilot is finally back home after spending
two years in a Russian jail. Nadya Savchenko was released in a prisoner swap with Russia. She was accused of involvement in the deaths of two
Russian journalists covering the conflict in eastern Ukraine.
Our Matthew Chance has this report.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: After nearly two years behind bars, this is the first taste of freedom for Nadya Savchenko,
flown bakc to the Ukrainian capital as part of a secret prisoner swap deal with Moscow.
She's lost none of her defiance.
"I spent two years in a single cell," she screams at the crowd. "I'm just sorry for the mothers whose kids won't be coming back," she adds.
The case of Nadya Savchenko came to symbolize the acrimony between Russia and Ukraine amid the broader, bloodier conflict. From the glass
cage in the provincial Russian courthouse where she was tried, this former Ukrainian army pilot cast herself as a symbol of Ukrainian national
resistance condemning the proceedings as a show trial.
This was the fatal incident at the height of the conflict in eastern Ukraine. Savchenko was found guilty of directing mortar fire against a
group of pro-Russian rebels accompanied by a Russian television crew. The Russian reporter and his
sound engineer were killed.
Savchenko always pleaded innocent, the defense team arguing she had already been captured when the deadly incident took place. But the court
rejected that possibility and sentenced her to 22 years.
The Kremlin says the prisoner swap was only approved after President Putin heard an appeal from the widows of the dead journalists to set
Savchenko free.
"You approached me asking me to pardon Savchenko," he says. "I just want to thank you for that position and to express hope that this will lead
to a decrease in the tensions in the conflict zone."
As part of the prisoner swap, Russia also sees the return of two of its own citizens captured in the war zone and sentenced to 14 years by the
Ukrainian courts. In custody, they confessed on camera to being covert special forces soldiers who were convicted of terrorism, although Russia
still denies any of its troops were sent to Ukraine.
The two are now back in Moscow as both Russia and Ukraine finally turn the page on this bruising chapter.
Matthew Chance, CNN, Moscow.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KINKADE: U.S. President Barack Obama has arrived in Japan where he will meet with world leaders at a G7 summit. Topping the agenda, global
security, the fight against terror and the global economy.
Earlier Mr. Obama finished his historic trip to Vietnam with a town hall event with young voters.
Andrew Stevens has the latest.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ANDREW STEVENS, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Mr. Obama finishing the Vietnamese leg of his journey on a light note when he was in front of an audience of some 800 young leaders. He was treated spoke about the
election campaign, assuring or reassuring, his audience that things would turn for
the best.
[11:35:04] BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: You know, one of the great things about the United States is that even when it makes
mistakes, I think it's able to adjust and recognize our mistakes and we correct course and take
different steps. So things are going to be okay. I promise.
[11:35:26] STEVENS: A few hours later, the president touching down here in Japan on the eve of the G7 summit. He had a bilateral meeting with
the G7 host, the Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and at a press conference after, they outlined the sort of topics that the G7 leaders
would be discussing. There would be security issues, including regional issues like North Korea's nuclear proliferation and the sovereignty of the
South China Sea as well as the global economy. The Japanese prime minister has been pushing the global economy more specifically a concerted
attempt to try to lift economic growth around the world, although it's unlikely he's going to get much traction among some of the leaders here.
But the prime minister also took the opportunity of the press conference to talk about the rape and murder of a young Japanese girl at
Okinawa, allegedly by a former marine and contractor at the U.S. military base there.
He described it as a despicable crime and called upon the U.S. to make sure that this could never happen again.
The U.S. president also voicing the fact that he was appalled and said that justice would be served.
But the prime minister and the president will meet again with the five other G7 leaders over the next couple days for the summit and then the
president is off to Hiroshima. Again this could be an event that overshadows the G7 meeting, an historic moment when the first U.S.
president visits the site of the atom bomb attack which killed 140,000 people in city of Hiroshima.
Andrew Stevens, Itoshima, Japan.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KINKADE: Some news just in to CNN. A new U.S. State Department report accuses Hillary Clinton of improperly using her emails during her
time as secretary of state. It criticizes her for using a private email server and says she did not comply with policies requiring her to surrender
all emails dealing with official business before leaving government service.
The issue has consistently dogged Clinton as she campaigns for the Democratic nomination for president.
The new report could give Donald Trump more ammunition against Clinton. He's sharpening his attacks as he nears the first major finish
line. Trump is just a handful delegates shy of clinching the Republican nomination after winning Tuesday's primary in the state of washington.
Trump may no longer face any real opposition at the ballot box but he's still encountering huge protests on the streets.
Jason Carroll shows us how demonstrations got out of hand outside a Trump rally in New Mexico.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JASON CARROLL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Overnight, police in riot gear, blasting pepper spray and using smoke grenades to disburse anti-Donald
Trump protesters outside his rally in Albuquerque, New Mexico hours after the presumptive GOP nominee's speech.
Dozens of protesters stomping on police cars, throwing rocks and bottles at police, injuring several officers. Earlier during Trump's speech
at the city's convention center, protesters breaking through the metal barrier surrounding the venue, some making their way inside only to be
dragged out by security. Inside, Trump criticizing New Mexico's Republican governor, Susana Martinez, who is also Hispanic.
DONALD TRUMP, (R) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Since 2000, the number of people on food stamps in New Mexico has tripled. We have to get your
governor to get going. She has to do a better job, OK. Hey, maybe I'll run for governor of New Mexico. I'll get this place going.
CARROLL: But the bulk of Trump's personal attacks were set on targeting Hillary Clinton, Trump opting to make fun of her voice.
TRUMP: I will never say this, but she screams. It drives me crazy.
CARROLL: And using some of his harshest language yet against Clinton.
TRUMP: I see this lowlife she puts on an ad.
CARROLL: Trump angry Clinton is painting him as a greedy billionaire, this based on comments he made back in 2006 when he said he hoped to profit
when the housing market collapsed.
TRUMP: They've got some clip of me from many years ago when I'm saying yes, if it goes down I'm going to buy. I am a businessman, that's what I'm
supposed to.
[11:40:01] CARROLL: Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren going after Trump for his past business practices.
SEN. ELIZABETH WARREN, (D) MASSACHUSETTS: Donald Trump was drooling over the idea of a housing meltdown, because it meant he could buy up more
property on the cheap. What kind of a man does that? It is a man who cares about no one, but himself, a small, insecurity, money grubber who
doesn't care who gets hurt so long as he makes a profit off it.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KINKADE: Well, for more on all of this we're joined by CNN senior media correspondent Brian Stelter. Great to have you with us, Brian.
Trump is just eight delegates away from clinching the nomination, but we are seeing increasingly violent rallies. Can we expect this to continue
all the way to the November election?
BRIAN STELTER, CNN MEDIA CORRESPONDENT: I hate to say yes, but I think that's the correct answer. Yes, I do think we will continue to see
from time to time these outbursts at protests, this most recently in Albuquerque. But we've seen it before in Chicago, a bit in St. Louis, a bit in California at
various Trump rallies.
When we say violence, I think we should be careful with the way we phrase it. We're talking about a small number of protesters who are
actually engaging in violent acts like the walking on this police car or lighting things on fire. You know, what we did not see last night was
widespread unrest.
However, it is an example of how these protests can get out of hand and these protests do follow Trump wherever he goes, especially in states
with significant Hispanic populations, significant liberal populations. California, for example of one of those, and both categories, and we could
see more protests against Trump in the days leading up to the California primary.
KINKADE: Right. And looking at Clinton and Trump, the attacks seem to be coming very personal and rarely do they seem to be based on facts.
STELTER: Certainly, we are seeing Trump again and again bring up conspiracy theories and discredited rumors. And more recently this week
with regards to Bill Clinton's past and various controversies involving the Clintons from the 1990s.
I think we can put on screen some examples of thsee conspiracy theories from the past, because it is part of a long history that Trump has
going back to the birther claims from many years ago, these claims that President Obama was not born in the U.s. This came up almost five years
ago and Trump a leading proponent of these theories.
But you can see more recently other theories that he has pushed that have been discredited. And the one on the bottom of the list there about
Vince Foster's suicide. He was a Clinton administration aide who did commit suicide in
the 1990s. It is always -- ever since then have been a subject of rumor and innuendo with no
evidence to back up that it was anything but a suicide.
But we should keep in mind at the same time, you know, this list here shows it very well that conspiracy theories are rather popular. There are
a number of conspiracy theories, of course circulated on the internet and in email chains that many Americans do subscribe to according to polls.
So, there's a reason why Trump is leading again and again on some of the
discredited ideas. Partly it is to fire up his base, partly it is because a lot of people subscribe to them, partly because they always circulate
online, and especially with the Clintons, especially with Bill and Hillary Clinton's past, there is a long list of either real scandals or purported
scandals that have followed them along for decades.
Trump continues to bring those up on the campaign trail. And like I said some are conspiracy theories and some without fact, others at least
have a grain of truth to them and that's what Trump hangs on to when he brings up these stories from the 90s.
KINKADE: That's right, the more he repeats these conspiracy theories it seems the more people believe them. Brian Stelter, great to have you
with us.
STELTER: Thanks.
KINKADE: Thank you.
Well, Rio de Janeiro is grappling with a crime wave just over three months before the start of the Olympic games. Now three members of the
Spanish sailing team say they were robbed at gunpoint.
CNN's Shasta Darlington spoke to one of the athletes and she joins us from Rio.
Shasta, no doubt a frightening experience for the members of this Spanish Olympic team. What did they tell you? And how common is this
violence there?
DARLINGTON: Well, Lynda, violent crime is a historic problem in Rio de Janeiro. They've managed to bring it down, sort of begin to control it
over the last decade, but we've seen this resurgence of crime in recent months just to give you an idea. In the month of April alone, street
robberies were up 24 percent, homicides up 15 percent. And this of course means that even Olympic athletes walking to a training at 10:00 a.m. aren't
safe.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SHASTA DARLINGTON, CNN INTERNAITONAL CORRESPONDENT: The Olympics are on the horizon. But gold medalist Fernando Echavarri is worried about a
lot more than water and wind currents. He tells me he and his team were leaving breakfast when they were robbed at gunpoint by a gang of teenagers.
FERNANDO ECHAVARRI, GOLD MEDALIST: And we just turn around to see what was happening and we saw the pistols, like this.
[11:45:07] DARLINGTON: He thinks thieves are targeting visiting athletes.
ECHAVARRI: You can get robbed in Rio any time of the year, but before the Olympic games, all of these people knows that there's going to be
opportunity.
DARLINGTON: In fact, authorities say robberies and homicides are on the rise in Rio. One man has created a website that shows the robberies he
says he's filmed from his downtown window.
This guy jumps to rob a bus passenger. No one intervenes when this man is tackled for his gold chain.
Many videos show young people swarming their targets.
Complicating matters, Rio's police force has been hit with budget cuts, overtime and benefits reduced and officers are quitting.
But the state security chief says he's demanding help for the games to ensure the 85,000-strong security detail as promised.
"There's a need for police officers," he says. "We're going to have to use police from outside the state. We're going to have to ask for help
from the army for Olympic venues."
That will allow Rio's police to focus on securing the city and impoverished favelas, many still
controlled by criminal gangs.
In this sprawling Complido Alimao (ph), more than a dozen favelas cling to the hills connected by a gondola.
We go on patrol with the military police there who battled their way in back in 2010.
He was explaining when they first came in here to Alimao (ph), it was more than 12 hours straight of shoot-outs before they were actually able to
take control from drug traffickers.
Six years later, police still keep their guard up. Community activists say this year alone, 26 people have been killed or injured in
shoot-outs here, many hit by stray bullets.
Pressure is building as the Olympics get closer. Police say it won't end when the games are over.
Shasta Darlington, CNN, Rio de Janeiro.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
DARLINGTON: Now, the worst part, Lynda, is this actually the second time that Spain's Echavarri has been caught up in a robbery. The first
time was at the knifepoint, this time at gunpoint. They made off with cell phones, money. They couldn't carry some of the heavy equipment they
had with him.
But they really feel like they got away with their lives, Lynda.
KINKADE: Yeah, some incredible pictures in your report. Shasta Darlington, thank you very much.
Well, you're watching Connect the World. Still to come, the moment when
Donald Trump met his match and here's a hint, it was not Hillary Clinton. The big reveal in about ten minutes.
Plus, we check out a business that's literally taking off. How one entrepreneur is using drones to show off a whole new side of Ghana. That's
in this week's African Start-up next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
AMIR DAFTARI, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Kwamena Hazel co- founded Aero Shutter in 2014 when he invested $3,000 in two drones.
But the self-confessed drone geek admits that at the start not everyone loved their flying cameras.
KWAMENA HAZEL, CO-FOUNDER AERO SHUTTER: Well, in the beginning, you know, some were scared. And I remember one time it landed in the middle of
the city whilst we were shooting. And the crowd was just crazy. (inaudible) people taking pictures, people screaming Ebola.
But, yeah, with time people have come to realize it's something for good.
DAFTARI: Kwamena's initial strategy was to target corporate customers. Early clients were hotels, event managers and real estate
companies. They use the drone's unique perspective to produce marketing materials.
Within months, Kwamena recuperated his initial investment. He then plowed his profits into additional drones and advanced software. The
company has now broadened its business model. It doesn't want its drones to be only promotional gimmicks. 3D modeling, aerial surveys and remote
sensing are just some of the services they now offer.
HAZEL: We're doing mining. We're doing agriculture. We're doing construction. You know, the drones help with data, they help, you know,
cut costs for companies that give them quick data for them to understand what's going on on the outside and stuff like that.
DAFTARI: Aero Shutter now employs seven full-time staff members and has expanded its fleet to seven drones.
Later this year, they want to open up in Nigeria and Liberia. But finding investors is proving difficult. Although, Ghana has a thriving
tech market, many start ups are in incubators and get their seed money from there.
For companies going it alone like Aero Shutter persuading investors to come on board takes a little longer. And Kwamena believes this is holding
back his business.
HAZEL: The tech industry in Ghana is big. I mean, people are very hands on. They can build drones. I have guys who can build drones and
with funding we can, you know, (inaudible) about what drones can do for Ghana and Africa. It's a big business. And we're glad we're in it.
DAFTARI: The lack of funding, however, is not holding back Kwamena's ambition. He's an entrepreneur navigating his own course to success by
grabbing the opportunity at hand.
Amir Daftari, CNN.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:55:00] KINKADE: Welcome back. Donald Trump is gearing up to take on Hillary Clinton in the race for the White House. But a few years ago
Trump was in another tough matchup and this is your Parting Shots.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JEANNIE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Talk about a matchup. Ali G versus Trump.
ALI G: What is the most popular thing in the world?
DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Music.
ALI G: No.
TRUMP: Tell me.
ALI G: Ice cream.
MOOS: It was back in the days when Sasha Baron Cohen was pranking people with his dimwit rapper routine, everyone from the then secretary
general of the U.S. --
ALI G: Is Disneyland a member of the U.N.?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No.
MOOS: To Buzz Aldrin, second man to walk on the moon.
ALI G: What was it like not being the first man on the moon? Was you ever jealous of Louis Armstrong?
BUZZ ALDRIN, ASTRONAUT: It was Neil Armstrong and, no, I was not jealous.
MOOS: With Trump the topic was ice cream. Ali G proposed The Donald invest.
ALI G: (inaudible) is to come out with just like these ice cream gloves that make the ice cream not go on your hands.
MOOS: Donald was polite, but didn't bite.
TRUMP: Well, it sounds like a good idea and I hope you make a lot of money.
Good luck, folks.
MOOS: And with that, Trump walked off, showing less annoyance than others.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK, I think that's about it.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The guy's an idiot.
MOOS: The other night, the idiot was asked about his encounter with Trump.
ALI G: I was the first person actually to realize that he's a (EXPLETIVE DELETED).
MOOS: Cohen says Trump's interview lasted seven minutes. Though The Donald tweeted, "I never fall for scams. I am the only person who
immediately walked out of my Ali G interview." Ever since that interview 13 years ago, there's been bad blood between The Donald and Sacha Baron Cohen.
Trump called Cohen a moron.
TRUMP: This third rate character.
MOOS: Cohen mockingly endorsed The Donald, wearing a make America great again hat at the premiere of his new movie, which features a Trump
character who contracts HIV.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, goodness.
ALI G: People are cheering.
MOOS: Talk about taking the gloves off, even if they are ice cream gloves.
TRUMP: Good luck, folks.
MOOS: Jeannie Moos, CNN --
ALI G: Do you think man will ever walk on the sun?
MOOS: New York.
ALDRIN: The sun is too hot and it's not a good place.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KINKADE: Well, the Connect the World team is looking at ways to cover more stories we can fit in the show. Check out what we are following head
over to our Facebook page, that's at Facebook.com/cnncorrect and you can also get in touch with
me directly on Twitter. You can tweet me @LyndaKinkade.
Well, I am Lynda Kinkade that was Connect the World.
END
