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Evidence Of Wagner Mercenary Group Complicit In Sudan Atrocities; Ukraine Learns From Downed Missiles And Drones; Several U.S. Government Agencies Hit By Hackers; Pope Francis Leaves Hospital After Surgery; At Least 78 People Killed In Boat Sinking Off Greece; Bill Gates Meets President Xi Jinping In China; At Least Three Killed After Texas Town Hit By Tornado; Chinse Fan Detained After Hugging Lionel Messi. Aired 10-10:45a ET
Aired June 16, 2023 - 10:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[10:00:26]
ELENI GIOKOS, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: I'm Eleni Giokos live from Dubai. This is CONNECT THE WORLD.
Coming up this hour, CNN's exclusive reporting on atrocities being committed in Sudan. Strikes in Kyiv as African leaders visit. Pope Francis
is released from hospital. And later this hour, Messi mania takes hold in China.
Well, we begin with a strong condemnation from the U.S. over the ongoing fighting in Sudan. The conflict is now in its third month with more than
2,000 people believed to have been killed. Doctors Without Borders describes the capital of Khartoum as a violent situation that almost defies
comparison. Fighting broke out in April between Sudan's army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces.
The U.S. State Department is warning that attacks on civilians must end. Sudanese rights organizations say atrocities are being committed in Darfur.
And CNN has uncovered evidence that the Russian mercenary group Wagner is complicit, continuing to support the RSF, Sudan's Rapid Support Forces
paramilitary, throughout the months of fighting. Now, despite calls by U.S. and others for support to cease.
In an exclusive CNN investigation, we uncovered the Russian supply lines prolonging the conflict between the RSF and Sudan's armed forces that has
displaced around two million people since mid-April and pushed the country further into humanitarian crisis. Now, RSF denying links to Wagner and any
involvement in mass raids.
As part of this investigation, CNN has verified and corroborated incidences of rape perpetrated by the RSF including one which was captured on video.
We feel it is important, in the face of the RSF's repeated denials, to broadcast part of that video. We must warn you it is graphic and it is
disturbing.
CNN's chief international investigative correspondent Nima Elbagir brings us the story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
NIMA ELBAGIR, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL INVESTIGATIVE CORRESPONDENT (voice- over): The fighting on the streets of Sudan is relentless. Cease-fire after a cease-fire has not helped. Forces previously accused of genocide
returning to a well-worn playbook. Terrorized, expel, and ethnically cleanse.
The paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, RSF, are currently engaged in a fight for dominance with Sudan's army. But years before that rivalry
spilled blood in Sudan's streets, they were implicated in atrocities in Darfur. Now once again Darfur to the west of the country is stopped by the
specter of genocide.
The damage brought by these forces so extensive you can see it from satellite images. This is El Geneina, West Darfur. Hundreds killed, whole
districts raised to the ground. And it's not only El Geneina that is burning. This is Ander and this Kutum.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through text translation): This is our livelihood. The market is destroyed.
ELBAGIR: On the ground it looks like this. These scenes sadly familiar in Darfur. 20 years ago, the region descended into genocide. The same RSF
leadership in place as their men were killed, occupied and raped. Now, once again women's bodies are part of the field of war.
This video is too disturbing to broadcast in full. But it goes on to show a girl, believed to be just 15 years old, being raped. You see here a man in
light colored fatigues matching those worn by the RSF. We've paused the video just before the camera pans to show another soldier wearing the same
uniform forcing himself on to the prone girl.
CNN verified and geolocated the area where this happened. We're not revealing the exact location in Khartoum to protect our sources and the
young girl. This is not an isolated incident.
[10:05:00]
We received and reviewed dozens of cases where women say they were raped by RSF soldiers. Identifying them by their light-colored fatigues and the
insignia on their right soldiers. So who is complicit in this pain?
The RSF's key ally, the notorious Russian mercenary group Wagner has been sustaining their fight and providing the impetus to slaughter innocent
people by supplying arms. We're going to show you. This is an Ilyushin 76 cargo plane operated by Wagner sitting at a Libyan airbase. A previous CNN
investigation exposed how this Russian cargo plane was providing the RSF with deadly arms from a Russian naval base in Latakia, Syria, by Wagner
controlled bases in Libya.
This passage starts just days before the war begins in Sudan. Libya, Syria, and back. And it picks up pace. What's interesting here is the new focus on
the city where it goes next. Bangui, the capital of the Central African Republic. After our exposure of the Libya route, a route directly from the
Central African Republican into Darfur became crucial for the RSF. Eyewitnesses at key transit points and intelligence active in the region
told CNN, arms and supplies from this Ilyushin transported over land using the truck captured here and others like it.
First to a Wagner base in Birao and then into South Darfur to an RSF base in Um Dafuq. Warner putting their thumb on the scales here to secure access
to Sudan's resources through Darfur. Creating chaos and terror. Helping tip the balance of power in their war in the Ukraine whatever the cost.
Nima Elbagir. CNN, Juba, South Sudan.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
GIOKOS: Our Nima Elbagir keep bringing us exclusive reporting through an investigation. We will bring you more on this story in the next hour. In
the meantime, U.S. condemnation of the latest violence in Sudan has been swift with the State Department's African Affairs Bureau issuing this
warning. "Rape, murder, targeted ethnic based killings, the destructions of whole villages, these are the horrors that the war in Sudan has brought
back to Darfur.
"Credible sources place blame at the feet of RSF and allied militias. Attacks on civilians in Sudan by any party must end."
Authorities in Kyiv called the latest Russian attack on the region the largest in weeks. At least six people were injured as residential areas
where hit. Ukraine's military claims it brought down a dozen Russian missiles including six hypersonic Kinzhals. The attack came as a delegation
of African leaders arrived in the capital on a peace mission. South African president Cyril Ramaphosa is set to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr
Zelenskyy. The group is expected to meet Vladimir Putin Saturday in Russia.
Now in the east Ukraine area we're seeing claims its offensive has brought partial success in several directions. And that Russian troops are putting
up desperate resistance around Bakhmut. Meantime, Germany says it will send Ukraine another 64 Patriot missiles to help repel incoming attacks.
CNN's Sam Kiley is in Kyiv.
Great to have you with us. Tell us about what we've seen transpire in the past 24 hours and this barrage of attacks in the capital city.
SAM KILEY, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, it's been a bizarre diplomatic development really, Eleni, with a visit among others of
Cyril Ramaphosa who's been bitterly criticized by the United States and other Western allies of Ukraine. Some are significant donors and friends in
the past of the South African government for his close ties to Russia and Russia's military.
For example, the South Africans recently held naval joint naval exercises with the Russians. Again very much criticized by the United States. They've
also been very slow and circumspect in their criticism of the Kremlin. Nonetheless, they're part of this delegation that arrived in Kyiv at a time
when the Russians launched yet more attacks targeting the Ukrainian capital.
Before they're due to get on to Moscow, the Russian capital, just tomorrow effectively. So in that context, the Ukrainians have exploited it
immediately saying this is a signal to Africa from the Kremlin -- Eleni.
GIOKOS: Sam, you also have some reporting on how Ukraine is tracking damage done by Russian missiles. Could you give us a bit more insight into what
we're looking at right now?
[10:10:05]
KILEY: Yes. Well, these missiles, Eleni, we hear a lot about them. The Kinzhal, the Kalibr, the Iskander, the Shahed from Iran. These are all
missiles that the Russians are using for two reasons. One is to soak up the capability of the Ukrainians to protect themselves and the other is to do
damage both to military, and above all civilian targets in this country.
Now there's a special unit here in Kyiv that actually analyzes not ever but nearly every missile, the strikes that is behind it. It analyzes it from
where it came from, how it was billed, and ultimately who, and they mean by that Russia, will pay for the results. But this is what it looks like on
the ground.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KILEY (voice-over): A graveyard of Russian missiles fired at Ukraine. Creating misery and mayhem. They're stored and analyzed here in Kyiv where
authorities have determined that Russia will pay for its evil ingenuity.
Here in Kryvyi Rih the latest mass destruction by a Russian cruise missile, adding to a mounting civilian toll. This strike the result of Russia's
determination to overwhelm and distract Ukraine's defenses.
(On camera): Oleksander is telling me that these two missiles enormous and complex, though they are, are actually decoys. They're used by the Russians
to fire over enormous ranges, trying to distract the Ukrainian air defenses so that other more dangerous missiles can get through.
(Voice over): Oleksander's ministry is tracing, cataloging and costing the results of Russia's missile attacks. Each type of weapon has its own local
history, like these Tochka that carry half a ton of explosives.
OLEKSANDER, KYIV SCIENTIFIC INSTITUTE OF FORENSIC EXPERTISE (through text translation): These munitions are designed to kill people, soldiers and
lightly armored vehicles. So they knew where they were aiming for.
KILEY (on camera): This is the sort of missile that hit the Kramatorsk railway station killing more than 50 people.
(Voice over): Five of the dead were children and scores were injured while waiting for a train to escape the war. The latest official estimates
suggest that Russia's destruction of Ukraine will cost $441 billion. But the human cost is incalculable. Help with air defense has therefore been
vital.
(On camera): This is what remains of what Russia says is its most potent missile that Kinzhal is supposedly a hypersonic, traveling up to 10 times
the speed of sound. And Oleksander is very pleased to point out that this is where it was hit by the Ukrainian counter missile batteries. Of course
top of their list is the U.S. made Patriot.
(Voice over): But among the most troublesome Russian weapons is this Iranian Shahed drone.
(On-camera): Look at that. That is the engine of a Shahed. Cheap. Sounds like a lawnmower because it basically is a lawnmower engine or something
very similar.
(Voice-over): Oleksander and colleagues dismantle the drones, analyze their computers and navigation systems, and time and again, find foreign made
parts inside despite sanctions on Iran and Russia.
(On-camera): The aircraft has 40 kilograms of high explosives on board. Down here at the end in Russian there's a play on words. On one flap it
says, do not touch, but by removing one letter translates into not brothers, a message to the Ukrainians.
(Voice-over): One that's often delivered loud and all too clearly.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KILEY: Now, Eleni, the message delivered during the visit of Cyril Ramaphosa was delivered with six of those Kinzhal hypersonic missiles. The
Ukrainians say they shot them all down. Just as well though that they are getting re-supplies from the Germans -- Eleni.
GIOKOS: Yes. Brilliant work. Thank you so much for that, Sam Kiley, for us in Kyiv.
Well, Vladimir Putin has been largely isolated internationally during his invasion of Ukraine. He received a show of support at his premier annual
event, the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum. Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the UAE's ruler and president, made an appearance alongside the
Russian president. The most high-level foreign official to be in attendance.
The two leaders met afterwards on the sidelines of the forum to discuss bilateral relations and the situation in Ukraine. Mohamed bin Zayed tweeted
after the meeting saying, "The UAE continues to support all efforts aimed at reaching a political solution through dialogue and diplomacy towards
global peace and stability."
While it wasn't necessarily a headline appearance on stage next to Putin, Mohamed bin Zayed's presence at the St. Petersburg's forum still holds a
lot of political weight and will likely draw the ire of many Western leaders who have been pushing to alienate Moscow.
[10:15:07]
How it's likely to play out in Washington and what it really says about the UAE's balancing act of discreet neutrality is all in today's edition of
"Meanwhile in the Middle East," CNN's Middle East newsletter, is up live right now. You can access it with a QR code on the bottom of your screen.
Well, several U.S. government agencies have been hit in a cyberattack. It is part of a widespread global attack that may have affected hundreds of
U.S. companies and organizations. Authorities say Russian hackers are the culprit.
CNN's cybersecurity reporter, Sean Lyngaas, spoke -- broke the story for us and he joins me now live.
In fact, we've been seeing so many of these threats, right, of hacking specifically since the start of the war, and we've seen some of them
playing out. What is the scale of what we're seeing right now, this breach?
SEAN LYNGAAS, CNN CYBERSECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Yes, absolutely. It's a pretty broad scale and the software vulnerability that the alleged Russian
cybercriminals exploited has used just so broadly, it's hard -- you can probably rule out companies that don't use it rather than count the numbers
that do. It's easier to do it that way. In this case, the hackers were able to get into the software and exploit a previously unknown vulnerability.
So they had some lead time on the defenders in terms of being able to steal some data. Immediately, when they got in, as you know, major companies in
the U.K., such as BBC and British Airways are affected. But yesterday we broke the news that here in the U.S., federal agencies and Washington are
scrambling to respond as well.
It's a very opportunistic hack. They aren't looking to gain deep access into these networks. They're just trying to steal as much data as they can,
and then extort companies for millions of dollars. They've been known, in the past, to demand that tens of millions of dollars of ransom, and then
sometimes they're able to get some money from these payments, and that keeps fueling this cycle of cybercrime.
In this case, there hasn't been any impact that we know of, really, to U.S. government agencies in terms of disrupting how they operate. That's not
happening. What is happening is they're trying to mitigate the damage and sort of reputational damage that might come from getting hacked in this
way. So it's a very evolving situation. We're going to hear about victims by the hour, probably today in different parts of the country and overseas,
and will stay on the story.
GIOKOS: All right, Sean, great to have you on, thank you so much.
Well, still to come on CONNECT THE WORLD, he jokes with reporters, telling them I'm still alive. A happy pontiff has left the hospital. Plus, one of
America's wealthiest people visits Chinese leader Xi Jinping. What Bills Gates' trip could mean for U.S.-China ties. That is all coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[10:20:20]
GIOKOS: Welcome back. Now Pope Francis is back in the Vatican. He was discharged from hospital this morning. He smiled and waved to well-wishers
after spending nine days in a Rome hospital for hernia surgery. The pontiff is keeping appointments and is expected to deliver his weekly prayer this
Sunday.
Barbie Nadeau joins me now from Rome where she has been following the story for us since the Pope was admitted.
Some of the images we're seeing, he's smiling, he looks energetic. We also know that he took a visit around the hospital where he was being treated.
How is he doing?
BARBIE NADEAU, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, you know, he looked pretty good, you have to say. 86 years old, undergoing this extensive surgery, three-hour
surgery under a general anesthetic last week. And you know, 10 days later here he is out of the hospital and he stopped at the Basilica of St. Mary
Maggiore. This is a place where he goes before and after his trips abroad to pray.
You know, this is very symbolic that he went there after leaving the hospital. Back at the Vatican, as you said, he's expected to be out there,
you know, blessing the crowds on Sunday morning. Then he's going to take it a little bit easy. They've canceled his Wednesday audience for next week,
so he's going to be taking it easy a little bit. There's no question, 86- year-old, a surgery like this, he's got to rest.
GIOKOS: Yes, absolutely. Barbie Nadeau, good to see you. Thank you.
Well, the International Organization for Migration, UNHCR, and U.N. refugee agency want urgent and decisive action to prevent more deaths at sea. This
after at least 78 people were killed when a boat carrying migrants capsized off Greece on Wednesday. Some of the survivors have been taken to this
warehouse in Kalamata. Greek authorities say several people have been arrested, but amongst the devastation, one story of hope as a family is
reunited.
CNN's Melissa Bell has the details from Southern Greece.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MELISSA BELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (on-camera): Nine Egyptian men have been arrested on suspicion of people trafficking, just some of those who
survived the disaster of Wednesday morning here, not far from the coast off of Greece. Those men now under arrest. The other survivors, most of them,
those who are not still in hospital have now been transferred towards Athens where their asylum applications will be processed.
It is of course the fate of the other now believed to have been many hundreds who may have lost their lives that has been forefront of the mind
of so many people hoping for answers. Some of those desperate relatives have turned up here in Kalamata, hoping that their loved ones had survived.
As the survivors were taken away to Athens, one man who'd been looking for his brother was able to see him, touch him, hold him through a fence.
Most of those who turned up here in Kalamata, of course, were disappointed given the scale of the tragedy. It's now believed that 750 people may have
been traveling on the boat. We may never know their true numbers and we're unlikely ever to know their actual names.
We do understand from the survivors that there were women and children on board. They were in the holding, of course, given what the Greek Coast
Guard say about the 10 to 15 minutes that it took for the boat to sink. They had very little hope of being able to make it out.
What the NGOs that work in places like Kalamata and all around the Mediterranean fear now is that given the tightening of European policies
with regard to immigration that these kinds of tragedies may actually increase.
Melissa Bell, CNN, Kalamata, Greece.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
GIOKOS: Well, China has failed to release a key indicator about its COVID deaths from last year. The Ministry of Civil Affairs has admitted the
number of cremations that took place at the end of 2022. This, despite consistently showing cremations in four quarter days are going back a
decade. Experts say that the official death toll likely underestimates how many people died from the virus. This as authorities claim what they call a
major and decisive victory over the pandemic.
Well, staying on China, Microsoft co-founder, Bill Gates, has been in Beijing today, meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping. It's the tech
tycoon's first trip to the capital since 2019, per state media. Mr. Xi said he was very happy to see Gates, who he called an old friend of China. He
was also quoted as saying Gates was the first American friend he's seen this year.
The visit comes amid deeply strained relations between the U.S. and China. The Chinese leader says he hopes Gates can promote U.S.-China ties.
For the latest, CNN's Ana Coren is live in Hong Kong for us.
Can Bill Gates be the connecting factor to try and temper some of the tensions we've seen between Xi Jinping and of course Joe Biden?
[10:25:06]
Give us a sense of what was on the agenda, Anna.
ANNA COREN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Possibly, Eleni. I mean, we got a smile out of Xi Jinping. That's not something you see very often but he gave a very
warm welcome to Bill Gates today. You know, Bill Gates is in China to discuss global health issues as the co-chair of the Gates Foundation,
specifically it's to renew its collaboration with the Beijing government to develop innovative therapies for infectious diseases.
But, you know, Xi referred to Gates as his friend, and said that they hadn't seen each other for more than three years. And obviously, that was
due to COVID, which, as we know, China basically shut itself off from the world during the pandemic. Xi spoke very fondly of Gates as someone who has
done a lot for China's development. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
XI JINPING, CHINESE PRESIDENT (through translator): You're the first American friend I've met in Beijing this year. I often say the basis of
China-U.S. relations is among the people. We've always placed our hopes on the American people. In today's world, we can engage in all sorts of
activities, beneficial to our two countries, to the people of the two countries, and all of humanity. We're all pushing forward in this aspect.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COREN: Well, Gates has been in China since Wednesday, and when he arrived, he tweeted, and let me read you this tweet. He said, "Solving problems like
climate change, health inequity and food insecurity requires innovation from developing malaria drugs to investing in climate adaptation. And China
has a lot of experience in that. We need to unlock that kind of progress for more people around the world."
Now, Gates stepped down from the Microsoft board in 2020 to focus on philanthropy. The last reported meeting between Xi and Gates was back in
2015. Now Xi wrote a letter thanking Bill Gates and his foundation in 2020, the beginning of the pandemic, thanking them for their support for China's
fight against COVID.
Let's now have a listen to what Bill Gates said during the meeting.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BILL GATES, CO-FOUNDER, MICROSOFT: Very honored to have this chance to meet, and we've always had great conversations and will have a lot of
important topics to discuss today. I was very disappointed I couldn't come during these last four years, and so it's very exciting to be back.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COREN: Now Gates' visit, Eleni, comes at a time when tensions are high between U.S. and China as you mentioned. U.S. Secretary of State Anthony
Blinken will arrive in China this weekend in an attempt to reset relations. His trip, as you remember, was originally scheduled for back in February,
but that was postponed due to a suspected Chinese spy balloon that flew over U.S. airspace, and the diplomatic row that then ensued.
Xi may have given a very warm reception to his friend, Bill Gates, but it's uncertain if he will even meet with Anthony Blinken. Neither China nor the
U.S., Eleni, have confirmed who in fact Blinken will be meeting, but there are certainly a lot of stake, even though the U.S. State Department has
said it has low expectations for the visit -- Eleni.
GIOKOS: All right, thank you so much, Anna Coren, for us.
Well, coming up on CONNECT THE WORLD, severe weather in the U.S. almost flattened a small town as a tornado carved a path of destruction. We'll
take you live to Texas. And Lionel Messi gets an unexpected visitor on the pitch during a match in Beijing. What happened to the fan after the
surprise encounter. We'll explain after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[10:31:20]
GIOKOS: Welcome back. I'm Eleni Giokos, coming to you live from Dubai. And you're watching CONNECT THE WORLD. Here are your headlines this hour.
The U.S. is condemning the ongoing fighting in Sudan, the conflict is now in its third month with more than 2,000 people believed to have been
killed. CNN has uncovered evidence that the Russian mercenary group Wagner is complicit in the violence.
The U.S. Energy Department says it is among government agencies targeted in a widespread cyberattack. Authorities say the Russian hacking group known
as Cop exploited vulnerabilities in a commonly used software. Universities and private companies were also hit.
Now this dramatic video shows the moment two men said to be brothers from Syria are reunited after a migrant boat capsized off of Greece. At least 78
people were killed on Wednesday, and it's feared the death toll will rise. Greece says nine Egyptians have been arrested on suspicion of human
smuggling.
Now severe weather rocked parts of the southern U.S. last night, leaving devastation behind the small town in Texas. It was almost leveled as a
powerful tornado ripped through, leaving at least three people dead and dozens injured. The local fire chief says the tornado carved a path of
destruction two and a half kilometers long.
I want to bring in Lucy Kafanov standing by in Perryton, in Texas.
I'm seeing these images it is absolutely devastating. Take us through what you're seeing.
LUCY KAFANOV, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It's devastating and heartbreaking. This tornado effectively issuing a direct hit on this town. You can see the
windows blown out, this alleyway full of debris, cleanup crews are slowly making their way here, trying to move some of this heavy junk, the
dumpsters here, the pieces of metal that have been strewn about out of the way.
Back there, a cell phone tower, it's hard to see, it's this piece of mangled metal that's almost bent over in half, as if a child snapped it
into two, but it's supposed to be twice the height. That provided cell power, cell service to the people in this community.
Down this alleyway, residents sweeping some of the debris out of the way. They say that they were stunned by the speed with which this all unfolded.
They were not expecting this tornado to hit so quickly and so powerfully.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KAFANOV (voice-over): A deadly tornado touching down in the Texas panhandle leaving a brutal path of destruction in Perryton.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The tornado is just 100 yards or so right there.
KAFANOV: Large hail pelted down as the tornado moved through the area, and soon after, a possible second smaller tornado was seen as well. One storm
chaser says there was very little warning ahead of this tornado as the funnel cloud formed very quickly.
BRIAN EMFINGER, STORM CHASER: Whenever I was flying around, it looked like people were just having to self-rescue themselves. People were climbing out
of rubble. You know, there was a fire nearby.
KAFANOV: As many as 200 homes were destroyed, according to the town's fire chief, and some of those homes were completely leveled as seen in this
aerial video shot in the tornado's aftermath.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This whole area is just wiped out.
KAFANOV: One nearby resident drove through Perryton in the tornado's wake and documented the damages.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: There's tanks, oil field tanks. That right there is a -- that is a trailer, an oil field trailer.
[10:35:02]
KAFANOV: Texas Governor Greg Abbott deploying the state's emergency response resources. The surrounding cities and counties also rushed to the
area to provide aid. In neighboring Hansford County, the county judge says they are preparing to assist for a possible mass casualty and-or recovery
event. The Red Cross is mobilizing teams to offer support on the ground. The interim county hospital CEO says it's operating off generators which
can only last for a little over 72 hours. She says the hospital has treated somewhere between 75 and 100 people with injuries.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Anything from minor lacerations to major traumas, head injuries, collapsed lungs, broken legs, major lacerations, a little bit of
everything.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KAFANOV: And as the cleanup crews and local residents begin to piece together their lives, they know that they are some of the lucky ones. Three
people were killed last night, more than a dozen injured, hundreds left homeless.
Back to you.
GIOKOS: Thank you for that update.
Well, ahead in sports, a recording breaking bounds for a pair of golfers at the U.S. Open in Los Angeles, and things are getting messy for a Chinese
football fan who stormed the pitch and hugged his hero, Lionel Messi. We'll tell you what Beijing's police did just ahead. Stay with CNN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
GIOKOS: Welcome back. Well, it is not every day you get a dinosaur named after you, but that's what happened to Professor Paul Barrett who has
worked at the National History Museum in London for more than two decades.
This is a recreation of the newly discovered Vectipelta barretti. Bones found on England's Isle of Wight led to the discovery of this new species.
Scientists say this armored dinosaur only ate plants.
Well, a Chinese football fan wanted to hug football great Lionel Messi, and now he's paying for it with police detention. Beijing police say the
teenager stormed the pitch to meet his hero. You can see the image here. They aren't saying how long he'll be held in custody.
CNN's Kristie Lu Stout brings us the story of Messi mania.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Tonight was all about Messi.
KRISTIE LU STOUT, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Beijing recast as Buenos Aires for one hot summer night in the Chinese capital. A sold-out stadium,
welcoming Lionel Messi and his world champs Argentina. A ticket to the match against Australia, costing hundreds of dollars. The city's Workers
Stadium awash of blue and white. But one young fan seemed to take Messi mania too far.
[10:40:03]
Breaking on to the pitch, hugging Messi and high-fiving goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez, evading security for around a minute. An unruly moment in an
otherwise tightly organized event, as most mass gatherings in China are. Later, the young fan apologized. Messi, I'm sorry, I'm really sorry to meet
you this way, he says. I really wanted your autograph, but they were chasing me, so I didn't ask for it.
But in a country on used to acts of disobedient, many cheered the young man. The crowd lauding behavior that is across the world, met with fines,
stadium bands even aroused. State media did not broadcast the pitch invasion, that is standard practice around the world. Later one news Web
site ran a comparison of different social media reactions, some in support of the young fan, some against.
But in a country whose national soccer team has long struggled, even rigid state media commentators acknowledged his unsuppressible passion for the
sport and its global superstar.
Kristie Lu Stout, CNN, Hong Kong.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
GIOKOS: Well, it definitely takes some guts to run on to the pitch.
All right, moving on, most years even par is a good score for Iran at the U.S. Open. Not this year, though. A pair of players posted some eye-popping
numbers in the opening round in Los Angeles, breaking a record in the process.
Don Riddell joins me now to explain how this happened.
What is going on? Great to have you on, Don.
DON RIDDELL, CNN WORLD SPORT: Yes, good to see you. We'll see if this keeps happening, but yes, this was historic. Rickie Fowler and Xander Schauffele
both shooting rounds of 62, that is the lowest score ever in a U.S. Open tournament. This is a tournament that has been running since, what, 1895.
The weather played a lot to do with it, a lot of players had good scores. We also had a couple of hole-in-ones out there, as well as in the opening
round.
And the players do think that when the weather changes, this golf course will get a lot tougher, and of course, it's so unusual, as you say, seeing
rounds like this at the U.S. Open because this is not a tournament, typically, where you get a lot of birdies and eagles. It's the world's
tough golfers usually really struggling and being grateful for par, and you know, often having to settle for bogeys or worse. So very, very unusual day
at the U.S. Open. We'll see if that kind of story continues.
GIOKOS: They make it look so easy. They make it look so easy.
Don Riddell, we'll see you right after this short break, and I will be back with more CONNECT THE WORLD at the top of the hour. We'll see you soon.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[10:45:26]
(WORLD SPORT)
END
