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Connect the World
Ukrainian Special Ops Troops Playing Critical Role; Time Running out to find Survivors; At Least 78 People Dead after Boat Sinks Off Greece; Report: Boris Johnson Deliberately Misled Parliament; New Hampshire Voters Unfazed by Incident; 3rd Men's Golf Major of Year Tees off in L.A. Aired 11a-12p ET
Aired June 15, 2023 - 11:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[11:00:00]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ELENI GIOKOS, CNNI HOST: Welcome back to "Connect the World". I'm Eleni Giokos in Dubai, it is 7 pm. Your headlines this hour as Ukraine makes
incremental gains in its counteroffensive. NATO says it is looking for ways to step up support to help Kyiv.
The United Nations believes up to 750 people were on board a migrant boat that sank in deep waters off the Mediterranean, at least 78 have died and a
frantic search is underway for survivors. And later this hour an in depth of CNN investigation into a brutal attack on the West Bank of Huwara, CNN
has discovered the problems went even deeper than what the IDF has admitted.
Gradual progress that is now showing how Ukraine is describing its offensive in Zaporizhzhia region claiming to recapture more than hundred
square kilometers of territory, some of the fiercest fighting in the war is now taking place in South Eastern Ukraine.
Russia says its forces have repelled multiple attacks. Russia also launched another round of overnight missile and drone strikes. Ukraine says its air
defenses intercepted 21 of them. Sam Kiley is back with us this hour live in Kyiv.
Sam, great to have you with us! We've also heard from NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg saying that the counteroffensive is seeing fierce
fighting. Could you give us a sense of how Ukrainian movements are progressing right now?
SAM KILEY, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well yes, Eleni. I think in the southeast that is the key area where this counteroffensive is
getting going in earnest in the old fashioned troops trying to advance across territory kind of way.
And that is why it's so important that the recent announcements from the European allies in the United States of Battlefield replenishments of
armored vehicles, but above all, short and medium range surface to air missiles to hit aircraft, Russian aircraft it is going to be so important.
But there is another war that has been going on for some time that's intended to break the will of the Russian ability and will to fight and
this is what it looks like Eleni.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KILEY (voice over): A Special Forces night operation, the objective to bring a special kind of misery to Russian troops, as they arrived alongside
Ukrainian regulars, the Russians attacked a night vision recording of a routine assault that the Special Forces needed to shrug off.
KILEY (on camera): How long did you spend under fire like this before you could move?
BRABUS, UKRAINIAN INTELLIGENCE SPECIAL OPS: (Inaudible).
KILEY (on camera): Then what did you do?
BRABUS: (Inaudible).
KILEY (voice over): Electronic surveillance pinpointed their victims. First, they killed two paratroopers approaching on their left flank to get
to the group's main targets, Russian commanders near Bakhmut a sterile record of an all too gritty event in March. First one officer is shot, then
another down. He says radio intercepts revealed that the Russians lost two officers and five others to their sniper team that night.
BRABUS: (Inaudible).
KILEY (voice over): Formed when Russia invaded Ukraine last year this team of experienced veterans works in a secret realm under the intelligence
services. They're tasked with tactical work seeking strategic effect as Ukraine's counteroffensive takes shape. Here using a modified heavy machine
gun in a hidden bunker last month close to Bakhmut. Drone operators more than a mile away a directing Brabus onto Russian troops.
KILEY (on camera): How many Russians have you killed in this war?
BRABUS: A lot of for example -- here's a lot of Russians.
KILEY (on camera): This is when you're on the -- with this gun? How many more or less there?
BRABUS: We didn't calculate.
[11:05:00]
KILEY (voice over): It's the Russians they want to do the counting, because Ukraine's best hope is that Russian troops run rather than fight.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KILEY: Now getting into run is clearly the ultimate aim for the Ukrainians and they're prosecuting a successful counteroffensive on a small scale near
Bakhmut with the advances they claim another three kilometers in the last few days, according to the Deputy Minister of Defense here.
But Eleni, I think the real focus at the moment is on that southeastern front. But as you and I have discussed in the past, there have been all
kinds of other efforts made to destabilize the Russians, including those dramatic raids into Russian territory drone attacks inside Russian
territory and longer range attempts to break the Russian logistics chain that leads up to that very frontline in particular in the Southeast, near
Zaporizhzhia Eleni.
GIOKOS: Absolutely. Yes, let's talk about Zaporizhzhia for a moment. IAEA Chief Rafael Grossi is currently touring the power plant, the nuclear power
plants he's on the show said there are risks that we have to take very seriously. We have seen how this fighting has evolved. We've seen the
damage to the dam, for example, what are you learning in terms of securing the nuclear power plants and its status right now?
KILEY: Well, the United Nations want it completely demilitarized that means the Russian withdrawal that is under Russian occupation or Russian military
vehicles parked inside some of the turbine halls. The Ukrainians claim we've got no evidence to support it. But they claim areas around the
nuclear power station itself had been mined.
We know that there are Russian gun emplacements inside the perimeter and very close to the nuclear power station firing on Ukrainian civilians and
military positions across the Dnieper River and across that dam, and has been for more than a year. So it is bang on the front line.
And that is why Grossi is so concerned about it particularly in the light of the fact that the Ukrainians are now trying to advance. He wants to
enhance sought and got assurances from the Ukrainians that there'll be no fighting in or close to that nuclear power station.
You know -- hearing similar things from the Russians, but the Russians have been using it as a fire base, and it has been the scene of fighting and of
course of incoming and outgoing shelling. Now that is the principal reason why he's there.
Then in the background his longer term concern is about the maintenance of those facilities. The biggest nuclear power station in Europe, they've got
skeleton crews there, whoever's in charge. Of course, if it gets liberated, the Ukrainians will swoop in and repair everything. But in the interim,
it's very serious problem with long term maintenance and therefore fears of some kind of nuclear disaster there.
GIOKOS: All right, Sam Kiley, thank you so much. Well in Brussels, NATO Defense Ministers are meeting in Brussels to look at ways to increase their
support for Ukraine. A short time ago NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said the block support is already making a difference on the
battlefield.
And U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said "We will stand with Ukraine for the long haul". CNN's Oren Liebermann joins us now from the Pentagon.
Oren great to have you on! Look, the Ukrainian say there have landed a few punches and counteroffensive taking back some ground. We've just heard from
Sam as well. What are you hearing from NATO today?
OREN LIEBERMANN, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: That very many lines up with what we're hearing not only from other NATO countries, but more importantly
from the Pentagon. They're watching this play out day by day.
They believe the Ukrainians are as prepared as they're going to be with the equipment they're going to need. That includes not only air defense, which
has been critical to hold off Russian aerial assaults, but also the armor the tanks, the armored vehicles that they will need to carry this out.
That being said this was never expected to be like the counteroffensive in fall where Ukraine very quickly, we took large swaths of territory near
Kherson and Kharkiv, to some extent in Kharkiv was almost like walking through an open door and reclaiming a lot of territory.
The Russians had very much known this was coming so instead of that open door, Ukrainians have encountered trench warfare, Dragon's Teeth meant to
slow down armored vehicles. This was always going to be a slog. And yet Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin says the support is there and the U.S. will
support Ukraine for the long haul here.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LLOYD AUSTIN, U.S. DEFENSE SECRETARY: Ukraine's fight is a marathon and not a sprint. So we will continue to provide Ukraine with the urgent
capabilities that it needs to meet this moment as well as what it needs to keep itself secure for the long term from Russian aggression. And make no
mistake we will stand with Ukraine for the long haul.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
[11:10:00]
LIEBERMANN: In terms of determining whether this was an overall success that officials have told us is simply an impossible question to answer
right now, it's too early. And this was always going to take more time because of how dug in the Russians are to be able to say, yes, this was a
success or otherwise Eleni.
GIOKOS: Yes. Well Oren, I also want to talk about the tensions which we know are high between Russia and the U.S., which is now we're seeing
reporting coming through from CNN, that the U.S. is deploying fighter jets to the Middle East after what the Pentagon is calling unsafe and
unprofessional behavior by Russian planes. What more have we learned from our reporting?
LIEBERMANN: And this is a trend we've seen increasing over the course of the past several weeks and over the course of the past several months.
Syria is a unique place because Russian and American fighter jets can occupy essentially the same airspace at the same time.
That's why Washington and the Kremlin established de-confliction protocols to make sure there wasn't a horrible miscalculation between two of the
largest militaries in the world. The problem is, and this comes from Air Force Central Command which is the Air Force that governs operations in
that region.
The Russians are either not abiding by those de-confliction protocols, or worse, including trying to dogfight U.S. military aircraft or violating
airspace where the U.S. is operating without any sort of notification. And the U.S. points out this are unsafe, unprofessional and frankly, downright
dangerous.
In response to this and to establish, essentially, to send a deterrent message to Russia, the U.S. has deployed fifth generation F-22, fighter
jets to the region, they have already flown missions over Syria, several of these fighter jets.
And this is very much a message to the Russians that the U.S. isn't simply going to back down the U.S. will protect its troops on the ground there.
Troops who are there for the ongoing defeat ISIS mission, and that Russian actions again, which the U.S. characterizes as unsafe and unprofessional
are essentially a challenge to a critical mission, the ongoing campaign to defeat ISIS. So the U.S. not backing down here even as they see more and
more of these Russian military actions over Syria.
GIOKOS: Yes, Oren Lieberman, thank you so much. Well, China's Foreign Ministry confirms an upcoming visit from America's top diplomat. The
announcement was made on Chinese state media that U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken will be in Beijing this weekend.
A U.S. State Department official says not to expect a long list of deliverables from the visit, but rather they will focus on harnessing a
good line of communication. Kristie Lu Stout shares what to expect when a U.S. Secretary of State visits Beijing for first time in five years?
KRISTIE LU STOUT, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Expectations are low for a high stakes visit to Beijing on Wednesday, the U.S. and China both confirm that
America's top diplomat Antony Blinken will visit China this weekend as the U.S. looks to reset relations.
Now this trip was originally scheduled for February, but was postponed due to a suspected Chinese spy balloon that flew over U.S. airspace. This will
be the first visit by U.S. Secretary of State to China in five years. As Senior State Department Officials is Blinken is expected to discuss the
situation in Ukraine and reiterate a call for peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.
Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian Pacific Affairs, Daniel Kritenbrink was also cautious about the prospect of progress. He said this
"We're not going to Beijing with the intent of having some sort of breakthrough or transformation the way that we deal with one another. We're
coming to Beijing with a realistic confident approach and a sincere desire to manage your competition in the most responsible way possible".
Now according to Daniel Kritenbrink, Blinken is expected to raise the issue of the three wrongfully detained Americans in China and call for
appropriate military to military communications. Now earlier the U.S. Secretary of State had a phone call with China's Foreign Minister Qin Gang
and Qin urged the U.S. to respect China's core concerns including Taiwan.
According to foreign ministry readout of the call China's Foreign Minister said this "The United States should respect China's position on the Taiwan
question stop interfering in China's internal affairs and stop undermining China's sovereignty security and development interests in the name of
competition".
Now the U.S. China relationship is at its lowest point in decades over a host of issues including Taiwan trade and territorial disputes. And U.S.
officials hope that Blinken's visit will pave the way for more bilateral meetings including a possible trip by the U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet
Yellen.
This week, Yellen told you U.S. lawmakers that it's in America's best interest to maintain ties with China regarding trade, and that "Decoupling"
would be a big mistake. Kristie Lu Stout, CNN, Hong Kong.
GIOKOS: Well, you're watching "Connect the World" on CNN. And still to come, fears that many more victims and survivors will be found from this
packed boat of Greece as time ticks for rescuers.
[11:15:00]
Plus a scathing report on the British Partygate scandal says Boris Johnson lied to lawmakers when asked about locked down parties a look at the
consequences of those findings that's coming up next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
GIOKOS: Millions of people in India and Pakistan are bracing for impact ahead of a massive storm right now torrential rain from Cyclone Biparjoy is
pummeling India's Northwest Coastline the dangerous and slow moving storm is set to make landfall in the coming hours. The shelter has been set up in
India and officials say more than 75,000 people have already been evacuated.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Due to the storm the situation can get real bad and prices may shoot up. So that's why I came down here to buy some essentials
like rice, lentils and other things for my family.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I feel very unsafe because of the heavy winds. I hope everyone stays at home and stay safe.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GIOKOS: All right CNN Meteorologist Jennifer Gray joins us now for the latest. What are your satellites telling you right now how bad are the
storm going to get?
JENNIFER GRAY, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Well the winds are weakening; we're still going to see torrential rainfall from the storm. And I think that's going
to be the biggest threat moving forward is going to be the flooding threat because a lot of rain is going to come along with this storm.
It has weakened a tropical storm for strength with hundred kilometers per hour winds and gusts of 130 and finally starting to pick up speed. Now if
you remember, this storm has basically just been sitting in one location for a couple of days just meandering around the Arabian Sea.
And so we're going to finally start to see this storm, pick up some forward speed and move inland. So that will help situation just a little bit with
it moving forward, it's not going to dump quite as much right as it would if it were just sitting there in one place, but it's still moving rather
slowly.
And so we're going to see those flooding rains. This storm is going to make landfall later today with two to three meters of storm surge potentially.
And this is holding a lot of moisture. So we're talking about very heavy rain that flood threat.
And it's not just going to be along the coast that flood threat is going to extend very far inland where we're talking about more than 500 millimeters
of rain very well inland across India and we're looking at it right along the coast anywhere from say 150 to 250 millimeters of rain and then you can
see that broader area up to hundred or so.
So flooding will definitely be a huge concern. You can see it pulling in and so by the weekend by Saturday night it's going to be very far inland
away from the coast, coastal areas should be in much better shape later in the weekend much better as far as the wind conditions go as well as the
rainfall should be wrapping up.
[11:20:00]
Wind forecast takes pretty strong winds well inland as well. So we're going to be looking for gusty winds possibly damaging winds far inland also, so
100 kilometer per hour winds right now with gusts of 130 finally moving a little bit quicker at about 13 kilometers per hour.
GIOKOS: Thanks so much for that update, Jennifer Gray for us. Well, let's get you up to speed on some of the stories that are on our radar right now.
Two time Oscar winner Glenda Jackson has died at age 87. Her agent says she died peacefully after a short illness with a family biocide.
In addition to her acting, Jackson was an MP for Britain's Labor Party for 23 years. North Korea has fired at least two short range ballistic missiles
that is according to South Korea and Japan. The missiles are believed to have landed in the waters inside Japan's exclusive economic zone.
North Korea had previously denounced the U.S. and South Korea's joint live fire military drills. While recovering from abdominal surgery, Pope Francis
brought smiles to some of the younger patients. The -- visited the children's cancer ward in Rome at a hospital where he is being treated.
He visited with patient's parents and medical staff. Pope Francis is expected to be released from the hospital on Friday. Now, time is of the
essence as rescuers frantically searched for more survivors in the deep Mediterranean Sea of Greece. A migrant boat carrying up to 750 people from
multiple countries capsized and sank Wednesday, at least 78 people died.
More than 100 have been saved and rushed to Kalamata in Greece. Red Cross workers say the survivors are in shock and urgently need medical attention.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The situation is not good. Since yesterday, we have dealt with some ugly cases, their bodies hurt, they have several skin
problems that we try to treat.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GIOKOS: CNN's Melissa Bell joins us now from Kalamata where the survivors have been taken. You know, I'm looking at the numbers here. 78 people
passing away, it's expected the boat was carrying about 750 people. Melissa, what are we hearing from Greek authorities in terms of the current
rescue operations and what hope there is to find more survivors?
MELISSA BELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, for now that they will carry on Eleni, but clearly with every hour that passes any hope there may be of
finding any survivors dims. And what we're seeing here the Kalamata Coast Guard are relatives of those some who managed to make contact with their
relatives who knew know, therefore, that they have survived others much more desperately.
People who knew that their wife, their young brother, cousin was on the boat, desperately waiting for news and hope that they are amongst those who
are yet to be found. And of course, one of the parts of this tragedy is Eleni that, we will probably never know the true number or the actual name
of so many of those who are onboard.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BELL (voice over): A dramatic rescue at sea. The Greek Coast Guard pulls a group of people to safety, the few lucky ones, survivors of yet another
catastrophe on the deadliest migrant crossing in the world, the Mediterranean Sea. Somehow 104 people managed to leave this doomed fishing
boat alive.
But hundreds are thought to have perished, most still missing in the deepest part of these waters, just 50 miles off the Greek Coast. On shore
medics rush to preserve the lives of those that survived all our men. Aid workers tell me others were unable to get out.
IPPOKRATIS EFSTATHIOU, SOCIAL WORKER, IASIS: Mostly the kids and the women they've been, like logged inside the basement of the boat.
BELL (voice over): At least 40 children were on the vessel, the UN says and as the search for bodies continues today, there are questions about how
long it took to send help. The boat started out from Libya heading towards Italy and called for assistance on Tuesday afternoon, one charity has said.
It claims the authorities had hours to reach the vessel. But a rescue operation was "Not launched until it was too late". Now the wait is for
news. Devastating for families here who think their loved ones might have been on board. This Syrian man spoke to his cousin last week as he waited
to cross from Libya and worries that he could have been on the boat.
[11:25:00]
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's a risk and he knew it, and everyone on that boat knew it. But they took it anyway. If he's alive, we're lucky and if he's
not, I'm going to go to bury him and give him a grave.
BELL (voice over): At this stage, there's little hope that more survivors will be found. Those that did make it are deeply traumatized, and their
future in Europe, far from certain.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BELL: What many of those who work for the NGOs Eleni who patrol the Mediterranean Sea that has become over the course of the last few years,
the deadliest migrant crossing in the world is that their fear is that as individual European countries like Greece, like Italy, but also the EU more
broadly, continues to close their doors to make it harder for people to get to the frontiers of Europe.
And then get inside to claim asylum that these kinds of tragedies that we've seen just off the coast of Greece will continue because of course,
even when the doors are closed, it hasn't so far prevented people from trying to come, Eleni.
GIOKOS: Absolutely tragedy. Melissa Bell, thank you so much. Well, mindset after Jewish settlers torched a Palestinian town CNN examines videos from
that attack and look at what our investigation has revealed. Plus a damning on new report finds former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson
deliberately misled parliament over his actions during COVID lockdown, hear his response to those findings coming up next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
GIOKOS: Welcome back to "Connect the World" with me Eleni Giokos, your headlines this hour. The U.S. Defense Secretary says Ukraine's fight
against Russia is a marathon it is not a sprint and his country is there for the long haul. Lloyd Austin spoke at a meeting of the Ukraine defense
contact group in Brussels.
NATO Defense Ministers will meet again tomorrow. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg says the alliance of support for Ukraine is making a
difference on the battlefield. Now time is running out for rescuers to find more survivors after migrant boats with more than 700 people on board sank
off the Greek Coast.
At least 78 people died. Authorities fear the death toll will grow. It is believed ship in weights made the boat capsized and sink. Now as the
conflict in Sudan enters its third month, the governor of West Darfur has been killed. The Sudanese military is blaming the paramilitary RSA for his
death. However, the RSF said outlaws are responsible. The U.S. and UN are among those condemning the killing.
[11:30:00]
Now last February, Israeli settlers rampage through the occupied West Bank town of Huwara, leaving one man dead, and millions in damages. They called
it revenge after a Palestinian gunman killed two Israeli brothers in that time earlier that day.
Now, the Israeli Defense Forces investigated what happened in that brutal attack on Huwara, but found serious errors that took place. And CNN has
discovered the problems went even deeper than what the IDF admitted. CNN Jerusalem Correspondent Hadas Gold has more on what we found. Hadas thanks
so much for joining us. I want you to tell me more on these findings of the CNN investigation.
HADAS GOLD, CNN JERUSALEM CORRESPONDENT: Yes Eleni, the violence from that day in February was so brutal that an Israeli military leader even called
it a -- . And while the Israeli Defense Forces Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi has acknowledged that their forces were not sufficiently prepared for what
happened that night and then it should not have happened, this CNN investigation, which included testimony from a soldier who was actually
there that night shows that Israeli forces not only failed to stop the riots in Huwara.
They did not protect Palestinian residents as sellers attacked. And at some point even blocked emergency vehicles from entering the town by telling
them it was too dangerous. Israeli forces also fired tear gas and stun grenades at Palestinians, some of whom were reacting to sellers by throwing
rocks at them according to CNN's investigation.
Now the Israeli Defense Forces say that they fired at both sides to separate them, although CNN did not see evidence of the idea of firing at
settlers. Now, a soldier who was there that night told his story exclusively to CNN via the activist group breaking the silence.
He said dozens of forces there were aware of the threat that settlers pose, but he said they did nothing to intervene. He said the army generally,
"Doesn't know how to deal with settler terrorism". He said soldiers did nothing at the first sight of groups of settlers; some of them he said were
masked coming towards the town.
And it's not that no one knew that these attacks would happen. There are settlor WhatsApp groups where even some right wing members of the Israeli
parliament are members of these groups, they had called for settlers to mark toward Huwara and seek revenge for the deaths of these brothers.
But the Israeli soldiers said the biggest failure of the Israeli forces there was their inability to protect and lead in those fire trucks to
prevent the extensive damage to property. Videos and testimony from witnesses show that emergency vehicles were blocked either by settler
attacks or by Israeli soldiers telling them it wasn't safe to enter. Eventually, they went in being told they did so at their own risk.
Now since that night in February, there have been several more violent and sometimes deadly incidences between Palestinians and Israelis in and around
Huwara. And Israeli soldiers remain in the town to reinforce the area, the IDF said. And Palestinians though say that in practice, that means soldiers
sometimes forced them to close their shops.
Now the IDF Chief of Staff told CNN they've learned from the rampage and now they "Rapidly reinforce security forces in a given area when the
suspicion arrives of the development of a similarly severe incident". But Eleni Palestinian residents in Huwara remain unconvinced. And with settler
leaders now in positions of power in this Israeli government, they say they are fearful of what's to come, Eleni.
GIOKOS: Hadas Gold, thank you very much for that update. And you can read more about CNN's investigation into the attack on this Palestinian town
including a timeline of how it's unfolded and what our team discovered. You can go to our website cnn.com.
Now a long awaited report on the UK party gates scandal is finally out the House of Commons Privileges Committee has found that former Prime Minister
Boris Johnson knowingly misled lawmakers when asked about gatherings during COVID lockdown. Johnson resigned from Parliament last week after seeing an
advanced copy of the committee's findings, calling the inquiry a witch hunt.
Scott McLean joins us now live from London with the latest on the committee's report, great to see you Scott. Look, Boris Johnson has said
quite a bit give us a sense of what his thoughts are on the findings what his reaction has been.
SCOTT MCLEAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, well first, let me tell you about the committee and what they were specifically looking forward. Because of
course there have been plenty of investigations and even fines issued for parties that took place at 10 Downing Street during the lockdown.
In fact, Boris Johnson has gotten to find himself the current Prime Minister; Rishi Sunak also received to find this committee though was
specifically looking into the question of whether or not Boris Johnson misled Parliament deliberately.
And I'll give you one example of the kind of statements that they were looking at. This one was from December 2021. He was asked by opposition
leader Keir Starmer during Prime Minister's questions about a Christmas party that happened a year earlier, listen.
[11:35:00]
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KEIR STARMER, LABOUR PARTY LEADER: As millions of people were locked down last year, was a Christmas party thrown in Downing Street for dozens of
people of December the 18th.
BORIS JOHNSON, THEN-BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: Prime Minister, Mr. Speaker, what I can tell the Right Honorable gentleman is that all guidance was
followed completely during number 10.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MCLEAN: So all guidance was followed completely as what Boris Johnson said at the end of 2021. So I should let you know this committee was made up of
seven, seven people, most of them were actually conservative. And they looked at six gatherings in particular, these were mostly leaving drinks or
thank you drinks the results of Boris Johnson's birthday in there.
One of these parties actually had 200 odd people invited to it who are told to BYOB. In this report it is more than 100 pages and it goes into
excruciating detail about precisely what Boris Johnson said and what he knew at the time.
And ultimately, it concludes that Boris Johnson did mislead Parliament when he gave unsustainable interpretations in the words of the report of some of
the rules that he in fact helped write. In fact, he at the time said that and still to this day continues to insist that some of these gatherings
were actually essential for work purposes.
So the committee found this in part, I'll read you an excerpt that says, we came to the view that some of Mr. Johnson's denials and explanations were
so disingenuous that they were by their very nature deliberate attempts to mislead the committee and the house while others demonstrated deliberation
because of the frequency with which he closed his mind to the truth.
Boris Johnson, as you alluded to, Eleni gave his own scathing response. And he said this in part for the committee now to say that all such events
thank you and birthdays were intrinsically illegal is ludicrous, contrary to the intentions of those who made the rules, including me, and contrary
to the fines of the Metropolitan police.
And above all, I did not for one moment think they were listed at the time or when I spoke to the Commons or spoke in the Commons. So ultimately, this
committee suggested that Johnson be suspended from his job as MP for 90 days, which could potentially trigger a by election there, though all of
this is a moot point.
Because of course, Boris Johnson resigned last week. The House of Commons still needs to take this up on Monday and vote on whether to accept these
findings. Boris Johnson himself is no longer in the picture to accept the punishment. But of course, he has also hinted that maybe this isn't the end
Eleni.
GIOKOS: Yes, well, that's thing, I mean, what happens to his political career. Scott McLean, thank you very much, great to have you on. And still
to come on the show, why Donald Trump's indictment in the Federal Documents case does not seem to be hurting the support he needs from his Republican
base.
And later major CEOs are speaking out against the future of artificial intelligence and the big fear many have, we'll explain in just a moment.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:40:00]
GIOKOS: Former U.S. President Donald Trump has announced his first campaign rallies since being indicted on charges related to mishandling classified
documents. And the new Washington Post report details how Trump's attorneys tried to reach a settlement last year to avoid charges and the documents
case.
But the Post reports the former president rejected that idea. CNN spoke to sources close to Trump's legal team who are casting doubt on whether there
was ever a real opportunity to settle. Trump denies any wrongdoing. Now, Donald Trump's indictment doesn't seem to be cutting into his support among
Republican voters. CNN's Omar Jimenez traveled to the swing States of New Hampshire to get reaction.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
LEE HAYNES, NEW HAMPSHIRE VOTER: It's not fair. I'm all about being fair.
OMAR JIMENEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): In this Republican part of New Hampshire 37 count indictment doesn't change much for some Trump
supporters.
JIMENEZ (on camera): This is from the indictment.
HAYNES: Yep.
JIMENEZ (on camera): Trump told the individuals that the plan was highly confidential and secret. Trump also said as President, I could have
declassified it, and now I can't. But this is still a secret. What's your reaction to seeing that Trump allegedly did this?
HAYNES: Well, it's right there with Hunter Biden. Now that don't mean nothing because I don't trust the DOJ. I do not trust the FBI. I hate say
it. Y'all might come out with more info.
JIMENEZ (on camera): Anything that's in here at this point doesn't matter to you.
HAYNES: I will listen to it. I will not make a decision on any of it until I've heard a lot more.
JIMENEZ (voice over): Lee Haynes isn't alone either. Many of Trump's supporters we spoke to pointed to a lengthy investigation into Hunter
Biden's finances, which remains ongoing to Hillary Clinton being cleared of acting with criminal intent back in 2016.
And what was described as a careless handling of classified information on a private email server. To these Trump backers, it's all evidence of a
double standard being applied now.
DUANE WHITE, NEW HAMPSHIRE VOTER: To give us a look here, but don't look over here. I wish they would stop like it's just too much.
JIMENEZ (on camera): And even in this there's pictures of the boxes, you know, stacked up and even spilled on the ground. That doesn't bother.
WHITE: Everything you see, you can't believe everything you see. I don't know. I'm skeptical. They told us Russia collusion was real for how many
years? And it proved through the Muller report that it wasn't. So how can I believe that at face value too?
JIMENEZ (voice over): Even as Trump faces legal Jeopardy, he remains the clear front runner and the GOP primary. The former president's rivals so
far offering a range of reaction to the indictment.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He's saying I'm more important than the country. These are my papers.
NIKKI HALEY, U.S. REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: If what it says is actually the case, President Trump was incredibly reckless with our
national security.
MIKE PENCE, U.S. REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: This indictment contains its serious charges, and I cannot defend what is alleged.
JIMENEZ (voice over): In Seabrook, New Hampshire, another red part of the state, some Republicans believe the allegations will help Trump
politically.
SRINIVASAN "RAVI" RAVIKUMAR, NEW HAMPSHIRE REPUBLICAN VOTER: This is uniting people. People are saying wait a second here. It's not; it's not D
versus R. It's us against them. He too doesn't believe what's in the indictment. For you to know what the charge is really, you have to believe
the charger. So the contents of this indictment to you are essentially disqualified, completely disqualified because it's all done by a completely
tilted Justice Department.
JIMENEZ (voice over): And despite the latest allegations, he doesn't plan to change his vote.
JIMENEZ (on camera): You voted for Trump in 2016.
RAVIKUMAR: I voted for Trump in 2016.
JIMENEZ (on camera): And in 2020?
RAVIKUMAR: I voted for Trump in 2020. And you plan to vote for him this cycle coming out. If Trump is on the Republican ticket for 2024, I would
gladly vote for him again.
WHITE: He was the first person to get me to vote. 56 years old, and I did vote for Trump in 2016. I voted for him again in 2020. At this point, yes,
I'll vote for Trump.
JIMENEZ (on camera): You haven't seen anything at this point to change your vote from Trump?
HAYNES: Not really, but I do wait until the end before I do make a decision. You know if Biden comes through with something stellar, who
knows?
(END VIDEOTAPE)
JIMENEZ: Now, one woman we spoke to who didn't want to appear on camera told us that she's not voting for him anymore.
[11:45:00]
And she says that it's not just what happened over the past week or so that since the last time she's voted for him in her words, he's just done too
many things wrong. But the key thing here is that especially in an early primary state like New Hampshire, this is the dynamic that some of these
contenders are going to be dealing with, that if some of these Trump supporters waver, it won't simply be because of an indictment from the
Department of Justice, Omar Jimenez, CNN, Seabrook, New Hampshire.
GIOKOS: Well, on Tuesday, the judge presiding over the Donald Trump court hearing presented a major hurdle for news organizations by prohibiting
electronics inside the courthouse without access to electronic devices. The rudimentary task of reporting the story from Miami quickly became a major
challenge.
So CNN hired a group of local high school student's last minutes to help deliver the news on this critical day. As the hearing unfolded Tuesday
CNN's team inside the courtroom jotted down their reporting on notepads, tore off sheets with urgent news, and then handed it to one of the
students.
The students then ran the reporting to one of their classmates who was standing by at one of the courthouses only to payphones. Here's student
Lucas Hudson with more.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LUCAS HUDSON, STUDENT REPORTER: If somebody was already at the phones, I would try to wait but make my presence known to them like hey, get off the
phone, I got something. And then I would dial my own phone number. Because my phone, there were no electronics allowed in the courthouse. So my phone
was in our RV in a nearby parking lot where a producer Brad, he would pick it up.
And then I would start talking too fast on what was written down on the paper, he would tell me to slow down, I would say it again. And then he
would relay the information to the editors, and then eventually it would end up on the screen. And I was just there really hoping that I didn't
screw up. Because I was on my left was someone from Reuters, on the other side of me was someone from the AP and I was just like, I don't really know
what I'm doing. But I'm here.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GIOKOS: All right, and the younger generation, obviously getting to learn how to use a payphone I'm sure for the very first time. So if you want to
know more about the story, you can hit to cnn.com where Senior Media Reporter Oliver Darcy has a big spread on how the students helped CNN cover
the Trump indictment story in Miami, it is a great read.
All right, top business leaders are speaking out about AI with some saying technology could end a very existence and actually quite soon, so brace
yourselves. The Yale University survey of almost 120 CEOs shared exclusively with CNN found 42 percent said AI could destroy humanity within
five to 10 years.
That's it folks, five to 10 years, but the other 58 percent said it could never happen and they're not worried at all. Now, in a separate question,
42 percent said the potential of an AI catastrophe is overstated. 58 percent saying it is not clearly there's a very sharp divide here.
Joining us now is Matt Egan. Look, so many warnings from so many people, whether it's the tech CEOs, whether it's, you know, people within the AI
industry, I mean, we've got to listen. And now CEOs in the survey, I mean, a large chunk of going, listen, it could happen sooner than we think why
are they so worried?
MATT EGAN, CNN REPORTER: Eleni, it is a large chunk. I mean, I don't know about you. But even if it was only 10 percent of CEOs that worried about AI
posing an existential threat, decades from now, that would still be alarming. And here we have almost half 42 percent of the CEOs polled by
Gill, who say yes, AI has the potential to wipe out humanity five to 10 years from now.
That is a lot, there is a divide which you pointed out. You have more than half saying no, they don't think that AI poses any sort of existential
risks, which is nice to hear. But still, I mean, I think this survey shows that business leaders are taking these risks seriously.
And we are hearing warnings from the tech community, two AI experts have signed on to a recent warning around AI. We heard from Geoffrey Hinton, the
godfather of AI say that there is the potential that this technology actually gets smarter than humans, and that it could even manipulate humans
and override some restrictions put in place.
So there's a lot here, we know that investors and businesses are sort of captivated with the potential rewards around AI. We've seen in video and
other stocks just skyrocket as Investors sort of see all of the dollar signs.
But I do think that we are starting to hear more and more from people who know this technology best and from captains of industry, that there are
real dangers here, Eleni.
GIOKOS: Yes, if they do more surveys, we can find out how they anticipate it will destroy humanity. Well, this catastrophe would look like just
creating more uncertainty in our lives, Matt Egan, thank you, good to see you.
[11:50:00]
Coming up next on "Connect the World", the U.S. Open tees off today in Los Angeles, we'll be breaking down the tournament for you. So stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
GIOKOS: The European Central Bank has raised Eurozone interest rates to the highest level in 22 years. The benchmark rate is now three and a half
percent. The bank says inflation has been coming down, but is projected to remain too high for too long. Eurozone consumer prices rose about 6 percent
last month compared to 2022.
That is the lowest increase since Russia invaded Ukraine. But still well above the ECBs 2 percent target range. Now this year's Summer Movie
blockbusters already is making headlines from Barbie to Oppenheimer, but for movie goers here in the UAE, one movie will be missing from this year's
lineup.
Vox Cinemas, says Sony's Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse will not be shown in the United Arab Emirates. The movie theater chain did not say why
the film has sparked debates online about whether a character in the film is transgender, and one scene showing a sign in the background that reads
protect Trans kids.
The 123rd U.S. Open tears off later today in Los Angeles, the first golf majors since that shock announcement by the PGA Tour to join forces with DP
World Tour and the controversial Saudi Arabia back to LIV Golf series to form a new commercial partnership CNN's Andy Scholes is here to break down
the tournament so much happening around golf. Tell us more, Andy.
ANDY SCHOLES, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Eleni, you know, this year's U.S. Open is taking place right down the road from the iconic Hollywood
side. And this past year in golf, I mean, it really has been like a movie, so much drama between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf series, we had heroes and
villains, a shocking twist and an ending that no one saw coming.
And this gave me the first major since that announcement that PGA Tour was joining up with the DP World Tour and the Saudi investment fund to form a
new commercial partnership together. And the guys that stayed loyal to the PGA Tour, and we're very critical of the LIV series the whole time. Well,
they were not happy about how this all went down, especially since it came out of nowhere.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JON RAHM, 2-TIME MAJOR WINNER: The general feeling is that a lot of people feel a bit of betrayal from management. I understand why they had to keep
it so secret, is not easy as a player that's been involved like many others to wake up one day and see this bombshell, right. So that's where we're all
in a bit of a state of limbo, because we don't know what's going on. And I don't think how much is finalized and how much they can talk about either.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Because we didn't hear anything about it. That's kind of I think the one thing that shocked everybody the most. I think I ran into
Rickie and JT about after watching the whole thing. And they were asked if they knew and they said they didn't know either.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCHOLES: The PGA and LIV guy, they've been playing against one another this whole time and major, so the awkwardness isn't really there anymore. But
the big question now is what kind of compensation the loyal PGA guys are going to get for staying and not taking those huge payments from the Saudi
Arabia investment fund. Roy Makaay and -- they're paired together for rounds one and two and they tee off later this afternoon. Now you get this.
[11:55:00]
Can you imagine watching the U.S. open today? And you say, Man, that guy looks familiar. I think he was my Uber driver. Well, you wouldn't be wrong.
43 year old Barry Henson is playing in his first ever major. And to help support his golf career while he was injured, the 444th ranked player in
the world became an Uber driver in Southern California.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BERRY HENSON, GOLFER/PART-TIME UBER DRIVER: I've got 3000 rides, and I'm a 4.99 Hoover rated driver, which I love. And I feel you know, I take pride
in that. I like to play games with my, with my passengers, when they come in, I usually let them ask me questions to find out what I really do. And I
can only answer yes or no. And that ends up turning into be fun because they go down like this weird road of entertainment business and, and, and
being in the movies or whatever it might be.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCHOLES: Yes, you might have seen it there on his collar a little bit. Uber is actually one of his official sponsors for the U.S. Open Eleni. How cool
is that? And imagine, imagine that you were you were in one of his cars and now you get into -- .
GIOKOS: Do you speak to your Uber drivers? Do you ask questions? And I'm kind of be asking questions on what this -- ?
SCHOLES: Actually no, I would rather not say -- anymore.
GIOKOS: Andy Scholes, so good to see you. "One World" is up next. You take care, thank you so much.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[12:00:00]
END
