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Connect the World
Backlash Over Deportations Of Haitian Immigrants; Kabul Imam Calls Those Who Worked With Foreigners "Spies"; Candidates Spar In Final Debate Ahead Of Sunday Vote; Greta Thunberg Addresses Climate Activists In Germany; Biden Hosts "The Quad" To Combat China's Influence; London Community To Hold Candlelight Vigil For Sabina Nessa; Britney Spears' Battle For Freedom. Aired 10-10:45a ET
Aired September 24, 2021 - 10:00:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[10:00:11]
BECKY ANDERSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: Deplorable conditions. A harsh but truthful assessment from the U.N. refugee chief as he slams the current
situation at the U.S. border with Mexico.
China looms large over a key meeting of U.S. allies known as the Quad at the White House. We are live in Washington and Shenzhen.
And the murder of a London schoolteacher reignites debate about gender violence in Britain.
It's 6:00 p.m. in Abu Dhabi. I'm Becky Anderson. Hello, and welcome to CONNECT THE WORLD.
Deplorable, that is the word the United Nations refugee chief used to describe conditions at a camp of mostly Haitian migrants along the U.S.-
Mexico border. But the number of people there is now shrinking.
We've been showing you the pictures this week. Thousands of people around the Del Rio Bridge living in tents and huts after a long, grueling and
extremely dangerous trek through South and Central America hoping to enter the United States and start a better life.
Just minutes ago the Del Rio mayor said the number of migrants remaining at the camp has fallen to around 2200. The camp had swelled to more than
14,000 before U.S. officials started processing some people for entry and deporting others. Nearly 2,000 have been sent back to Haiti so far. Another
3900 have been moved and will face likely deportation.
U.N. refugee chief Filippo Grandi criticizing the U.S. for mass expulsions without screening for protection needs saying the policy violates
international norms and must change. And UNICEF pointing out more than two out of three migrants arriving in Haiti are women and children without
adequate protection and finding themselves even more vulnerable to the violence, poverty and displacement they fled in the first place.
Melissa Bell is in the capital Port-au-Prince in Haiti and on either side of the border for you this hour, Matt Rivers is in Ciudad Acuna in Mexico,
Josh Campbell is in Del Rio in Texas.
And let me start with you, Josh, because those are pretty strong words from two agency chiefs. One calling conditions deplorable and suggesting that
what the U.S. is doing at this point is at least against international norms and could be worse. Just explain what you understand to be going on
where you are and what is forecast next?
JOSH CAMPBELL, CNN SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Well, this has been a hotly contested issue here politically. And what is so interesting in the United
States for those who cover U.S. politics is even President Joe Biden's own party, members of the Democratic Party are criticizing him for the way in
which these migrants are being handled. Of course we've heard many lawmakers saying that to send them back to the nation of Haiti which itself
remains in a state of political and economical crisis to them is simply, as you mentioned there, quoting one official, deplorable. And that is a
criticism that we've seen.
Nevertheless, we continue to see customs official here continue to clear up this camp. I want to take you live to our drone now, CNN air which is over
this Del Rio International Bridge, you can see one of the buses that's there that's being loaded up. This has been part of this patter that we've
seen. Caravan after caravan of buses coming and going as they bring these migrants out.
As we zoom out here at this bridge, I'll show you a picture that is a comparison, striking comparison to what we saw just days ago. You could see
that portions of that are have now been bulldozed. That's because there are no longer the several, several thousand that we've seen. We saw officials
coming in yesterday with earth-moving equipment to clear out some of these makeshift tents that were there. And so that number continues to dwindle.
Finally we're told that the repatriation flights to Haiti continue at this hour. There were five of those flights yesterday from the United States to
Port-au-Prince and other parts of Haiti. A total of 548 migrants were flowed to Haiti yesterday. That brings the total as of Sunday to 17 of
these flights.
Now we're told that a small number of these migrants have been allowed to stay in the U.S. for both reasons of seeking asylum if the U.S. determines
they have a legitimate claim but also some of them are in distress health wise. And so they have been treated but nevertheless the vast majority of
them were being told will be returned from the places from which they came -- Becky.
ANDERSON: Matt, let me get to you on the other side of the border.
[10:05:03]
Do those who are making their way to where you are -- and we've been talk about this dangerous and grueling journey through South and Latin America
to get there. Do they know what's happening on the other side of the border? Are they aware that even if they get to the States that it is
likely that they will just be returned home at this point?
MATT RIVERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, I think it's safe to say that a week ago maybe they didn't know that but I think now very clearly they know that
that is a reality. That is part of the reason why some people have actually chosen to come back here to Mexico. We know that there's roughly 600
migrants that are in this encampment behind me. Just up the riverbank behind our camera, there are hundreds of people, Haitian migrants, who are
staying in this park here on the Mexican side waiting to be processed one way or another by Mexican authorities. It's not clear when or how exactly
that will happen.
We also know according to the Department of Homeland Security, in their words, thousands of these migrants have come back here to Mexico after at
least at some point being in that camp. Now we're asking Mexican immigration officials, OK, do those numbers add up? Exactly where were all
of those thousands of Haitians sent to? We know that immigration officials in Mexico have said that they are mainly trying to process asylum claims.
They're going to take people back to southern Mexico which is traditionally the part of the country where migrants who have come up through South
America, through Central America are processed with these claims of temporary refugee status, of asylum claims.
We're told from the Mexican government that many of the migrants that are here now, people that were here before, have been brought down to southern
Mexico. We're trying to get more confirmation on the numbers there.
But, Becky, one thing I think is safe to say about the community of Haitian migrants here is that word does travel very quickly mainly through
WhatsApp, the main communication tool that people are using. And so there is no question that people on this side of the border know that deportation
flights are happening and yet some people, even this morning, are continuing to cross into the U.S. because I think it's also safe to say
that people know that some people, some Haitian migrants, are being let into the United States.
So some are willing to take that risk to go to the U.S. and go through that process. Others not willing to do so, staying here in Mexico. But at this
point, this far on in this process, Haitian migrants definitely know what's going on including many of the people that we've spoken to over the last
three days.
ANDERSON: And you must have spoken to people who have youngsters with them. We've seen the images just behind you, Matt, of women and kids wading
through that water oftentimes with the kids, you know, on their shoulders. I mean, what of these youngsters who now don't know whether -- if they have
any access in getting into the States or what life would be like should they be allowed in? And have no idea whether they might indeed be returned
to what you're telling me southern Mexico at this point. And what's the atmosphere like? I mean, how are these kids coping?
RIVERS: I mean, I think, you know, depends on how old some of these kids are. I think we've seen some 8, 9, 10-year-olds, who have a better
understanding what's happening. But just -- I don't know.
ANDERSON: OK.
RIVERS: Ten minutes ago there was a little girl here who just crossed --
ANDERSON: Matt --
RIVERS: -- with her dad. Yes.
ANDERSON: Sorry. Carry on. I'll tell you what, Matt, I'm going to come back to you. I just want to get to Joe Biden who is taking some questions on
this very subject. Stand by.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: -- of competence and unity. We witnessed what's happened in the country over the course of the last several months. We've
seen the chaotic troop withdrawal from Afghanistan, the threat of a government shutdown right now, and Democrats, members of your own party are
still divided over your agenda going forward. So what do you say to American who say that you have not delivered on that promise?
JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Remember, I said it's going to take me a year to deliver everything I'm looking at here. That's number
one. Number two, take a look at what I inherited when I came into office. When I came into officer. The state of affairs and where we were. We had
four million people vaccinated. We had no plan. We had -- I mean, I could go down the list. So, you know, part of it is, dealing with the panoply of
things landed on my plate. I'm not complaining. It's just reality. It's reality. Number one.
Number two, I think the part of what has to happen here, as well, for example, let's talk about my economic plan. The economic plan you all are
always and understandably, legitimately, citing polls. Every element of my economic plan is overwhelmingly popular. Overwhelmingly popular.
But the problem is, with everything happening, not everybody knows what's in that plan. For example, all those women out there who are not able to go
back to work because they have a dependent grandparent or a parent, or they have a dependent child who needs help, or they can't find daycare, or they
can't find -- I mean, look at what's happening.
[10:10:11]
Well, there's a solution. There's a solution in the proposal that I put forward. And the plans we're now debating in the United -- among ourselves
and they're debating in Congress is a plan -- the essence of the plan that I laid out at the beginning. And so, I'm confident that, at the end of the
day, we're going to be able to get that done.
Second point I'd like to make, we talk about price tags. The -- it is zero price tag on the debt. We're paying -- we're going to pay for everything we
spend. So they say it's not -- you know, people, understandably, "Well, you know, it started off at $6 trillion, now it's $3.5 trillion. Now it's -- is
it going to be $2.9? Is it --" It's going to be zero. Zero. Because in that plan that I put forward, and I said from the outset, I said I'm running to
change the dynamic of how the economy grows.
I'm tired of trickle-down. The trillionaires and billionaires are doing very, very well. You all know it, you've all reported it, and in the middle
of this crisis, but hardworking people and middle-class people are getting hurt. And so, I provide for, for example, a tax cut. If you have a child,
you get a refundable tax credit. It's reduced hunger in America by 40 percent, literally, for children.
You have the whole notion of being able to provide for daycare for your children, getting people back to school, et cetera. It's all paid for. It's
all paid for. But a lot of these are flat tax cuts that exist within my proposal, and they're being calculated as if the cost of the Child Care Tax
Credit is a cost to the government. It's not. It's reducing taxes, reducing taxes, not increasing taxes.
Now, part of the problem is I had hoped -- I hadn't planned on, although I kind of anticipated it might happen, I hadn't planned on the 178-mile top
winds hurricanes going to Louisiana and 20 inches of rain in New York and New Jersey, and an area as big as the state of New Jersey burning down in
the West. And so, what I had hoped I would be doing, I do what I did in the campaign. I'd be out making the case about what my plan proposal contained.
And it's been very much curtailed by a whole range of things.
And so, I think that it's understandable, I think it's understandable, people being frustrated. I think they're frustrated as well by the fact
that -- not just members of Congress, Democrats and Republicans -- frustrated by, you know, I thought this was going to be better. I thought
everything was working out. We were moving along on COVID-19, and now we have all these people who refuse to get a shot.
And now look at the people dying, large numbers of people dying. So, I guess, I think it's a totally -- obviously, it's a legitimate question
you've asked, but I think, putting into context here, it's going to take some time here. And I know I always kid you when you all ask me about,
well, what about -- are you going to get A done, B done, C done? Well, I say, do you want to negotiate? I'm being a bit facetious, obviously, but
here's the deal. This is going to end up -- I believe, we're going to end up getting both pieces of my economic legislation.
The first piece, the $1.9, fundamentally changed the structure and the nature of the economy in this country, even though, remember, it got
clobbered. It was this, all this terrible thing, no Republican voted for it. Well, we got real economic growth. Now we're at this stalemate at the
moment. And we're going to have to get these two pieces of legislation passed. Both need to be passed. And they'll have a profound impact
according to not just -- Joe Biden, but according to Wall Street, according to the IMF, according to international organizations.
And so -- and then there's, you know, I'm going to be having a meeting today with the Quad, with the leaders of -- the leader of India, Japan, and
Australia. And we're going to be talking about Afghanistan, which is a legitimate thing for people to talk about. But the truth of the matter is,
at the end of the day is, we were spending $300 million a day for 20 years. There was no easy way to end that. And we're now still getting people out,
but it's really -- there was no picture-book way to say, OK, the war has ended. Let's get everybody out, and we'll go home.
[10:15:04]
No war has ever ended that way, other than there's been a surrender and it's a totally different circumstance. So anyway, there's a lot, I'm sure,
along the line that there are things I could have done better, but I make no apologies for my proposals, how I'm proceeding, and why I think, by the
end of the year, we're going to be in a very different place.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Mr. President, just to follow up on COVID, if I can, quickly.
BIDEN: Sure.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: What do you say to Americans who disregard the new CDC guidance and get a booster shot anyway?
BIDEN: Well, I --
(LAUGHTER)
BIDEN: I'm not sure how they get it, but --
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: There are people who go into stores right now and just -- have got it without any high-risk situation or underneath that age
limit. It happens around the country as we speak.
BIDEN: Well, I think what's going to happen is you're going to see that, in the near term -- or we're probably going to open this up anyway. They're
constantly looking at -- we're looking at both Moderna and J&J. And we're both -- as I said in the speech. In addition to that, we're also looking to
the time when we're going to be able to expand the booster shots, basically, across the board. So, I would just say, it'd be better to wait
your turn in line, wait your -- you know, in line, wait your turn and to get there. Ken?
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Thank you, Mr. President. Met you met with congressional leaders --
ANDERSON: Joe Biden taking some questions from reporters there being asked questions on various issues. Not least that of Afghanistan and once again
him repeating that there are things that could have been done differently but I make no apologies from pulling out from a war that was costing the
U.S. $300 million a day. He said there's no easy way to do that.
Well, an ominous sign for many Afghans coming out of Friday press in Kabul today. The imam of the city's largest mosque called for retribution against
those who helped the U.S. against the Taliban, and he said anyone who helped foreigners should be considered a spy.
CNN's Nic Robertson is in Kabul. Nic, is this a real threat to the Afghans still in Kabul who helped the U.S. and other foreign countries? How
concerning is it?
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: It is very concerning. I just been speaking with some Afghans who are very concerned about the --
you know, their safety and security. Any message like that comes from the main mosque, you can just see it in sort of shadow behind me, in silhouette
behind me, is going to put people who did work and they friends knew that they worked with Americans or British or other people is going to put them
in danger. Because there are people who listened to what's said in the mosque, armed people, the Taliban, you know, who may decide to sort of take
what the imam is telling them into their own hands.
Now we've had very clear messages sort of run counter to this from the Defense chief here in Kabul, the Taliban's Minister of Defense, Mullah
Yaqoob, the son of the founder, Mullah Omar, who said that absolutely you should not be taking the law into your own hands. You should not be getting
involved in extrajudicial killings. But, you know, what you get is these mixed messages and a gray area. And that's the uncertainty. That's where
the uncertainty comes from.
The imam at the mosque here said, as you said there, anyone who worked with a foreigner should be considered to be a spy. He said we should take
revenge. Then he went on to say we should take revenge through Islamic education. But he said the foreigners, you know, the United States and
other countries who were here, were really here to essentially for their own -- you know, to make money off the resources of Afghanistan. For their
own betterment, not for the Afghan people.
This is a broad Taliban message that really tries to sort of separate themselves from the previous government. Set themselves up to be something
different. Shun the United States and everything that they stood for. So this is partly the Taliban defining itself but it's a very, very clear
message that anyone who tries to associate themselves with the United States going forward is potentially putting themselves in danger. So yes,
for many Afghans, it's worrying. It just adds the mixed messages to that uncertainty -- Becky.
ANDERSON: Yes. And it was that fear of retribution that had so many making for the airport and for the borders to get out of the country and out of
harm's way.
Nic, thank you.
Well, let's connect you to the biggest story from Europe's biggest economy. Right now German voters preparing for a new political era as they head to
the polls on Sunday to replace Angela Merkel as chancellor after 16 years.
[10:20:06]
Candidates went head-to-head in their final televised debate on Thursday. They clashed over taxes, debt and foreign policy, yet it's the issue of
climate change that is dominating much of the agenda, with the Green Party, now one of Germany's biggest contenders.
That mood is clear in Berlin today where a climate strike has been taking place. Greta Thunberg was there with a timely reminder of how quickly
change can be effected.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GRETA THUNBERG, CLIMATE ACTIVIST: It's been a really terrible last year and a half. This has been a time where we have been reminded of how vulnerable
we are. But we have also been reminded of how fast things can change and be turned completely upside down.
(END OF VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: That's Greta Thunberg. Fred Pleitgen is in Berlin.
And we are seeing protests in Berlin and across parts of Europe. What are people calling for?
FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, I think that essentially what people are saying is that they want action on climate
change and they want it now. They want it as fast as possible. They don't want any further delay. And, you know, one of the things, Becky, that we've
been talking about in this German election campaign is I think for the very first time, and I've covered a lot of German election campaigns, the issue
of climate change, the issue of really doing something about climate change is more urgent than it ever has been before.
One of the things that's certainly clear here in this country, no politician is going to become chancellor of this country if there's not a
very strong green agenda. And that's something that we've heard from all the top three candidates. And I don't think that it's any surprise that the
Green Party, for instance, is set to have the strongest showing that it's ever seen in a German election and for a while they were even ahead in the
polls.
Now there were some unforced error that sort of threw them back a little bit. But they are still going to have a very strong showing. And every
party is now coming forward with a very, very strong green agenda. You can also see that the issue of climate change is also something or the
environment that can break campaigns or make them more difficult. For instance, from Angela Merkel's party, the top candidate there, Armin
Laschet, he was caught on camera laughing while he was visiting victims of the big floods that happened here in Germany in July and that's certainly
something that didn't go down well and that certainly threw him back in the polls.
So right now as this country is emerging, like so many other countries around the world, Becky, from the coronavirus pandemic, you can really feel
that the issue of climate change, the issue of the environment is really big on the agenda on these elections. And of course for Germany it's one
that's especially big because this is one of the biggest industrial nations in the world. And you can really feel this country grappling with the
question of how they can maintain that industrial base while also of course making the economy greener as well.
They're very exciting, the German election. Again, we've covered a lot of these German elections. You have of course as well. This is one of course
where Angela Merkel is not on the ballot anymore. And so therefore there is going to be change in this country. It's a neck and neck race. It's really
too close to call at this point in time. But you could very well see a social democratic chancellor come Monday morning or a designated chancellor
if you will come Monday morning if the polls really do reflect how voters are feeling. Becky.
ANDERSON: You and I were together the first time that she was elected back in the days, some 16 years ago.
PLEITGEN: Yes.
ANDERSON: It seems like yesterday. Thank you, Fred.
Tune in for CNN's special live coverage of the German federal elections. Find out who will be the next to lead the country. Join my colleagues Hala
Gorani, Fred and Salma Abdelaziz as they bring us the very latest. That's Sunday, 6:00 p.m. in Berlin, 8:00 if you are watching here in Abu Dhabi,
and that is right here on CNN.
Well, President Joe Biden cozying up to U.S. allies with a meeting of the Quad at the White House, and China likely front and center.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[10:26:07]
ANDERSON: The U.S. president Joe Biden is turning to diplomacy to push back against China. In a few hours, he is hosting the first in-person meeting of
a group that is known as the Quad. The leaders of Australia, Japan and India will be visiting the White House to discuss a united effort that
Beijing has criticized as a Cold War mentality.
David Culver joining me from Shenzhen.
The White House very quick to suggest that this is by no means the meeting of a sort of military strategic alliance. This is a meeting of like minds
from India, Japan, Australia, and indeed the U.S. Not the sense that China is getting, though. What's been the response and what is expected?
DAVID CULVER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: You're right, Becky. This is phrased as a strategic partnership and certainly not a military pact. But it comes just
really couple of weeks after AUKUS was announced involving Australia, the U.K. and the U.S. which of course dealt directly with the military in
providing technologies including nuclear powered subs to Australia. So China is reading into this a bit deeper and perhaps understandably so.
They are looking at the countries that are surrounding them including the U.S. and the mounting pressure that they believe the U.S. has been putting
on China. They consider this to be a containment effort and they're fighting back. They're telling the rest of the world and they're trying to
use this through a lot of propaganda means. Hey, careful when you partner up with the U.S. They've used Afghanistan as an example of that and they've
even said in one recently "Global Times," which is a state-run tabloid here, publication, that allies to the U.S. will be dumped like trash. Those
are their words.
And they put a warning out to India, to Australia, to Japan. You will be cannon fodder if it leads to something between the U.S. and China. So it's
really in one way trying to warn them, but in another way perhaps you can see it as threat. That they're seeing this will not go over well. Meantime,
the conversations are likely to include things such as the South China Sea. Something that has been increasingly tense in recent months. We've seen the
U.S. going through with these freedom of operation exercises, a freedom of navigation through the South China Sea in particular the Taiwan Strait.
That has really caused a lot of frustration and anger for the Chinese officials. They have been responded by just as recently as yesterday flying
more than 20 aircraft fighters and bombers above Taiwan. All of this is constant puffing of military might if you will. But it's increasingly
concerning because it takes one misstep, one miscalculation that could lead to a conflict -- Becky.
ANDERSON: David Culver is in Shenzhen. David, it was a pleasure. Thank you very much indeed.
You're watching CONNECT THE WORLD. We are doing what we -- what it says on the tin. Coming up, outrage pours in as violence against women makes
headline in the U.K. yet again. We're live in London as people mourn a beloved elementary schoolteacher who was killed near her home.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[10:31:49]
ANDERSON: Welcome back. I'm Becky Anderson in Abu Dhabi. You are watching CONNECT THE WORLD. It is 6:30 in the evening here.
Just hours from now a community in southeast London will gather for a candlelit vigil to mourn Sabina Nessa. She was a 28-year-old elementary
schoolteacher who police say was killed last Friday during a short walk from her home to a pub. Police have arrested a 38-year-old man on suspicion
of murder. They've recently released images of another man they are looking for in connection with the killing.
Well, Nessa's death is putting the spotlight back on Britain's epidemic of violence against women and girls. The numbers paint a grim picture. Data
from Femicide Census, a group that tracks violent incidents, shows a woman is killed by a man every three days in the United Kingdom.
CNN producer Nada Bashir joining us now live from London.
And Nada, Sabina Nessa's family say they are still in shock over what happened and understandably so. What's the community response?
NADA BASHIR, CNN PRODUCER: Well, Becky, there's been a huge outpouring of grief and shock from Sabina's local community here in southeast London but
it's a story that has reverberated across the U.K. Sabina, the 28-year-old schoolteacher, was just taking a short walk from her home to meet with her
friend Friday evening. It's a walk that should have taken just five minutes. But she was killed on her way. Police say she was attacked in a
nearby park and her body was found next day.
Of course the outpouring of grief here has been felt not only by her family and those who knew her but many people have come to show their grief and
their support for her loved ones leaving flowers behind me here and many will be coming this evening to mark her life as part of a vigil. But
there's also been a stark community response from officials and police officers nearby. They have been asking people to take extra precautions
over the next few days.
In fact, on my way here, I was handed this security alarm, told to keep safe. But many are questioning why onus is being put on women to protect
themselves and to look out for their self-defense, and not on preventing and putting a stop to male violence. London mayor Sadiq Khan has called
this an epidemic and says more needs to be done to stamp out the root causes of this kind of violence. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SADIQ KHAN, LONDON MAYOR: We do have an epidemic when it comes to violence against women and girls. I think we need a whole system approach. We need
to make sure at a young age, our boys are taught to respect girls. I think we need to make misogyny a hate crime. I think harassment in the public
space against women should be a criminal offense.
(END OF VIDEO CLIP)
BASHIR: Well, as you can hear there, there are some calls for more to be done on a legal stand. But activists and people who are just outraged in
this community have said that that simply isn't enough. That this has gone on for too long. Many people saying that actually the number of women being
killed is out of the expectations for somewhere like London -- Becky.
ANDERSON: Nada Bashir, on the story for you, and the vigil to be held there in a couple of hours' time.
Still to come, exclusive new CNN interviews revealing never before heard details about the tight control over Britney Spears' life.
[10:35:09]
A preview of a CNN Special Report is coming up. And it's one of the most intense rivalries in sport. U.S. versus Europe in the Ryder Cup. A preview
of what is a truly unique golf event is up next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Pop star Britney Spears has been in the public eye for more than two decades. For a large portion of that time her finances and many
personal decisions have been tightly controlled by others.
In a new CNN Special Report airing this weekend, CNN's Alisyn Camerota spoke to a promotional tour manager who worked with Spears as the so-called
conservatorship was beginning. Here's a preview.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN ANCHOR: There were reports that on the Circus tour she couldn't read certain books. She couldn't have a cell phone. Is that true?
DAN GEORGE, SPEARS' PROMOTIONAL TOUR MANAGER 2008-2009: Yes. Yes.
CAMEROTA: What books couldn't she read?
GEORGE: She could only read Christian books.
CAMEROTA: Says who?
GEORGE: Her father.
CAMEROTA: She couldn't have a cell phone.
GEORGE: At times she did have a cell phone. Her phone was monitored. The text messages were read. The call logs were there. I don't know whether or
not calls were recorded. But the use of a phone was very tightly controlled.
CAMEROTA: CNN cannot independently confirm these allegations. Britney says her doctors and therapists were also carefully controlled.
GEORGE: The conservatorship dictated to her who her doctors were going to be, which doctors she was going to see, how often she was going to see
them. How long those sessions would be. Every aspect of her medical care, and not just her medical care was extremely, extremely controlled.
CAMEROTA: As was who she could see.
GEORGE: Who she could date, who she could be friends with was very, very tightly controlled.
CAMEROTA: The conservatorship told her who she could be friends with.
GEORGE: Yes.
CAMEROTA: Why?
GEORGE: I think there was a concern that a third party might introduce something to the mix that without be detrimental to the overall structure
that was restoring order in her life. And I think the conservatorship did a good job of doing that in the beginning.
CAMEROTA: Meaning, they were trying to keep out the rift raft or they were trying to make sure they were protecting the bottom line, and this
commodity could keep performing.
GEORGE: Yes. Well, she was treated as more of an object than a human.
(END OF VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Britney Spears' conservator, her father Jamie Spears, declined to comment on the record about these specifics. But his lawyer did tell us
that her father loves his daughter and has dedicated his life to helping her reach her goals.
CNN entertainment reporter Chloe Melas has been a part of this in-depth look at Britney's relationship as it were with her father, and this
conservatorship or some will note a guardianship is really what's at the heart of all of this.
[10:40:12]
Chloe joining me now. Tell us some of the other details that you've learned about Britney's life over the past two decades.
CHLOE MELAS, CNN ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT: Thank you so much for having me. Yes, Alisyn and I did this special report together. You know, we
divided those interviews, you know, down the middle. And, you know, I flew across the country to speak with people who were very nervous to come
forward and sometimes talk for the very first time. I think that many people are wondering, why would Britney go out on tour right after being
put under a conservatorship that is really put in place when you are not able to be high functioning.
So if she is able to provide food, clothing, shelter for herself, then you know, go on a worldwide international tour, then why is she put under this
conservatorship? We also spoke to celebrities like Rosie O'Donnell, who was the first TV show host to ever sit down with Britney and we actually have a
look at that right now.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ROSIE O'DONNELL, FORMER TV TALK SHOW HOST: Yes, it broke my heart, it made me cry when I heard it.
Back with Briney Spears --
MELAS: Rosie O'Donnell says she became close to Britney after having Spears on her TV show many times over the years and going on tour with her.
O'DONNELL: We've known about it for so long and she's been afraid to speak out about it, and I have a belief in her ability to get herself out of this
horrible enslavement that she has found herself trapped in.
MELAS: You've tried to reach her over the years?
O'DONNELL: Yes. I've reached out to her. We haven't connected. I always send, you know, notes sometimes when she would go to the Four Seasons. I
would go down to the spa to see if I could bump into her, you know, to say, hey, kid, how you doing, you know. I just love her.
(END OF VIDEO CLIP)
MELAS: So the most important day in Britney's entire 13-year conservatorship is taking place in just a few days from now on September
29th in L.A. when Judge Brenda Penny is going to potentially rule on a petition filed by Britney's father to terminate this conservatorship. So
will it be over on Wednesday or will we see this continue and there continue to be this legal battle? But it's going to be interesting. If you
guys tune in Sunday night, you're going to learn a whole lot more that you didn't know before.
ANDERSON: Good stuff, Chloe. Thank you for that. Good work.
MELAS: Thank you.
ANDERSON: Chloe Melas on that story for you.
Well, the Ryder Cup is underway and the top 10 golfers in the world rankings on the U.S. side you're going to probably assume that the
Americans would be heavy favorites but there are signs the U.S. team is far from unified especially when it comes to the ongoing feud between Brooks
Koepka and Bryson DeChambeau. Koepka is on the course right now, while DeChambeau is sitting out the morning matches. What is going on?
"WORLD SPORTS'" Alex Thomas is here to explain.
ALEX THOMAS, WORLD SPORTS ANCHOR: You know, Becky, the Americans are often better on paper. Yet it's Europe that have won, you know, seven of the last
nine Ryder Cups and have really dominated for decades now. So one of the discussions on other theories is that these elephant in the room is that
Europe are better when it comes to team camaraderie. I mean, look at the Brooks Koepka-Bryson DeChambeau dynamic. They've had a feud for years now
over comments made in the past.
And on "WORLD SPORT" coming up, we're going to delve a little bit deeper into that, although I have to say in the early stages, on the first day of
three at this Ryder Cup, it is America who've got the upper hand.
ANDERSON: Good stuff. All right. Well, not good stuff, because I'm going to show my partisanship over to the European. I mean, it's good stuff that
you've got that coming up.
After the break, "WORLD SPORT," and I'm back after that. Stay with me.
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