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Connect the World
Trump& 18 Others Charged with Criminal Racketeering; Ukraine Claims Liberation of Urozhaine in Donetsk Region; Evidence of 30 Mass Graves Reported in West Darfur; Intel Scraps Plans to Buy Israeli Chipmaker; Neymar Appears in Video for new Saudi Club Al-Hilal; Group Rescued after being Lost at Sea 38 Hours. Aired 11a-12p ET
Aired August 16, 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)
BECKY ANDERSON, CNN HOST: Welcome to what is the second hour of "Connect the World". I'm Becky Anderson coming to you live from London 4 pm here.
This hour, the United States standing by to see whether Former President Donald Trump will turn himself in to face charges in his fourth indictment
he and his 18 co-defendants have nine more days to surrender.
Ukraine accuses Russia of targeting food supplies following a drone attack on the Odessa region. Meantime, the Ukrainian army says it has retaken
territory in Donetsk. The Governor of Hawaii tells CNN that he believes some of Maui's warning sirens were not working but they are not normally
used for wildfires anyway. The death tolls from the fires are now 106 with only 30 percent of the search for victims completed.
Right Former U.S. President Donald Trump and his 18 co-defendants are facing an August the 25th deadline to surrender in the U.S. State of
Georgia. They are all facing various criminal charges accused of trying to overturn his 2020 election loss. Now the Georgia jail where Trump and
accused co-conspirators are expected to surrender is ready for the bookings.
In fact, the sheriff has made clear it is open 24/7 meaning any defendant at any time could turn themselves in. Well, Trump has not indicated exactly
when he will show up and there's also no date certain for the other 18 charge.
Well, the Former President and his co-defendants are accused of breaking a variety of criminal laws but one charge ties all their alleged misconduct
together. It's called the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act otherwise known as RICO. What is that? CNN's Brian Todd explains.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): In the word she spoke --
FANI WILLIS, FULTON COUNTY DA: Participation in a criminal enterprise --
TODD (voice over): And the words she wrote in her indictment of Donald Trump, like calling him and his associates a criminal organization, Fulton
County DA Fani Willis made this Georgia indictment seem like other famous prosecution's,
SCOTT FREDERICKSEN, FORMER FEDERAL PROSECUTOR: The DA made very clear in her remarks that this was no different than a mafia RICO Conspiracy.
TODD (voice over): The Georgia RICO law is what Trump and his 18 co- defendants in Georgia are charged with violating as part of their efforts to overturn the 2020 election results in that state. RICO standing for
Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations experts say the advantage of RICO is that it allows several individuals to be tried together.
FREDERICKSEN: As a loose group of correlated individuals and schemes in which not every individual has to know what the other individual was doing.
TODD (voice over): But using the statute has disadvantages too.
SHAN WU, FORMER FEDERAL PROSECUTOR: The danger of using RICO is more complicated. You've got multiple defendants now, and that makes them harder
case to prove and for the jury becomes much harder to follow.
TODD (voice over): Analysts says George's version of RICO is not very different from the Federal RICO Act signed into law in 1970.
NICK AKERMAN, FORMER FEDERAL PROSECUTOR: It has been extremely successful. It has been a real hammer on a lot of different defendants.
TODD (voice over): And one of the pioneers of using that RICO statute in prosecutions now finds him targeted by it.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This election was a sham.
TODD (voice over): Former Trump Attorney Rudy Giuliani facing several RICO related charges in the Georgia case. In the 1980s serving as the top
federal prosecutor in Manhattan, Giuliani was aggressive and using RICO to take down the city's most powerful dons.
AKERMAN: They used it against the mafia commission, basically breaking up the five families going after the bosses themselves.
TODD (voice over): Notorious violent bosses like Tony Salerno of the Genovese Crime Family and Carmine Jr. Persico [ph] of the Colombo Family
among several organized crime figures indicted by Giuliani under RICO.
WU: It's actually a very sad day to see somebody who was such a pioneer, using this very statute to show how it can be used being on the receiving
end of it right now.
TODD (on camera): Throughout this investigation, Donald Trump and his allies have vehemently denied any wrongdoing. Rudy Giuliani is calling this
indictment in Georgia "An affront to American democracy". And he says the real criminals are the people who have brought this case forward Brian
Todd, CNN Washington.
(END VIDEOTPAE)
ANDERSON: Well, joining us now with more is CNN Senior Reporter Katelyn Polantz.
[11:05:00]
You focus on crime and justice. And it's so important that we get your perspective on all of this Katelyn. Just walk us through the significance
of a Former President being hit with RICO charges and tell us what we should expect to see next?
KATELYN POLANTZ, CNN SENIOR CRIME AND JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT: Well, it's significant that a Former President would be hit with any criminal charges
that have never happened before in the history of this country. And in this situation, this is quite a substantial case.
There are 160 some overt acts that the prosecutors say the people in this alleged criminal enterprise. So that is what RICO attacks criminal
enterprises or prosecutes criminal enterprises. 160 some overt steps that they would have taken that become part of what you can try in court.
Now, each of those acts might not be a criminal violation in itself, some of the things are just public messaging tweets, even. But when you take it
all together, the RICO statute, it allows prosecutors to look at an operation and also target not just the people who are carrying out the
things that are alleged crimes inside the operation, but also the people that are running it.
And so this is a RICO statute. It's a RICO charge that is charged against Donald Trump and 18 others. And he was the president at the time. He was
the candidate for office. And he also would be the very top person in this case that they are looking at that they're trying to get a conviction of
their other charges as well.
Several other people in this case and Trump him, they're charged with things like making false statements, other conspiracy charges that also
would very likely be tried here. But the case the RICO case, that is count one in this very significant indictment of many different counts against
Trump and others 41 counts and that RICO charge it is by far the most significant criminal allegation that the prosecutors in Georgia are making
right now.
ANDERSON: Katelyn, we're also learning that Rudy Giuliani, of course, also charged under the RICO Act that he helped pioneer as Brian pointed out in
his report. Giuliani also struggling under massive legal bills. This is the Former New York City Mayor and one of the most recognizable faces in
American politics, staring down hundreds of thousands of dollars in legal costs at this point.
POLANTZ: That we know of, and that we can see from court filings, but that may be just the tip of the iceberg of the amount of money Rudy Giuliani
needs to have to be able to defend himself on all of these different fronts, largely because of what he had done as a lawyer for Donald Trump
after the 2020 election.
So now he's charged in Fulton County, Georgia criminally and he says he wants to fight that case that costs money to fight cases. But even before
he gets to the point of fighting that case, he hasn't even turned himself over yet or entered his initial pleading there.
He also has several lawsuits that are progressing, they are not at their ends yet, so he hasn't won or lost those lawsuits. What right now he's just
trying to keep his head above water in those lawsuits. There's a hearing going on right now about whether he has additional time or whether he has
to turn over documents.
And the documents that he has, they're kept by an archiving company that costs thousands of dollars, tens of thousands, even just to keep those
records every month, and so he has massive bills for that some of those bills have been paid by Donald Trump's Super PAC so far save America PAC.
But the amount of money that, that Rudy Giuliani is going to need just to keep fending off the intermediate steps of these lawsuits, these defamation
suits about what he was saying about people after the 2020 election. It's a lot of money. And then on top of that he's already been sanctioned $89,000
by one court, another court has said he needs to pay $57,000 for unpaid phone bills related to his company in 2020. It's piling up.
ANDERSON: Katelyn, it's always good to have you. Thank you very much indeed. Your insight and analysis is so important as we move through what
is this historic period in American politics?
Well, history of indictments against Donald Trump has done little to erode his support among the Republican base. You can see in this recent polling
from Reuters and IPSOS that Trump remains the overwhelming favorite among the Republican presidential candidates.
It is "Meanwhile in American Newsletter". CNN's Stephen Collinson writes, "While the prospect of a fraying democracy is preoccupied Washington,
political and media circles for two years. The issue isn't as resonant in the rest of the country where people worry about their pensions and their
health care the pain of months of high interest rates".
[11:10:00]
Well, Stephen joins me now from our Washington Bureau just expand on this, if you will, this. This idea of democracy just doesn't seem to be
resonating across America. Why is that?
STEPHEN COLLINSON, CNN POLITICS SENIOR REPORTER: Well, Becky, it sounds really glib. But this is a huge country. And we forget, sometimes that what
we obsess about in Washington, 24 hours a day is not necessarily what people outside in the rest of the country are worried about the events of
January the sixth 2021.
The attack on the Capitol, that feels even more distant when you're out in some of those Heartland States, the States that are starting to look
towards the next presidential election. I was in Iowa recently, for example, and I was asking voters about what they thought, were they going
to go for Trump?
Did they feel that all these legal cases against him were disqualifying and a potential president? And one woman, for example, said to me that she was
most concerned about the cost of childcare for her grandchildren.
Farmers in Wisconsin, for example, a state where Joe Biden won by only 20,000 votes, one of the closest and most vital states in the country.
They're being really hit by high interest rates, because their industry relies on short term borrowing. So that's a really big issue for them that
clouds out a lot of these questions about democracy about Trump's trials, and everything else.
I'm not saying that when we get to a point where Trump is on trial, he's showing up in court every day and people are voting that won't be a huge
issue. I think it will be a real question for Republicans in the general election if Trump is their nominee.
But add in all these other factors, and also the point that many Republicans don't believe that the biggest threat is Donald Trump, to
democracy, but the fact that they see an elite East Coast establishment legal system, ganging up on Trump, that is how they come at these issues.
And it's a lot different than perhaps it seems from Washington.
ANDERSON: And on that last point, specifically, Donald Trump has been so successful on capitalizing on the American people's grievances. So two
questions to what's the democratic strategy to counter this in the lead up to next year's election? Secondly, what's the Republicans strategy? The
non-Trump Republican strategy is there one?
COLLINSON: Not really, if you've seen the struggles of all these Republican presidential candidates to try and deal with Trump's fourth indictment, his
third indictment and down the track, they can't really come up with a message the ones that have a chance of winning the nomination, perhaps
someone like Florida Governor, Ron DeSantis, are condemning the weaponization of the Justice Department.
But they're not really touching the allegations that Donald Trump tried to overturn democracy. That's because they need some of Donald Trump's voters
and Republicans that still a sympathetic towards him to win the Republican nomination. They can't afford to alienate them politically, even though
that's a position that could hurt them in a general election.
As far as the Democrats concerned President Joe Biden has been trying to address that grievance, especially in Midwest industrialized states with a
lot of his legislation which is designed at reviving American manufacturing. The problem with that is, even if it works, it's a long term
strategy.
And it's one that you can't necessarily show quick, short term benefits to voters in time for the next election. If Trump is the nominee, he would
definitely go on this idea that Trump tried to stage a coup now he's trying to get the White House back, and you'll basically be voting for an
authoritarian if Trump isn't the nominee, and you have a new candidate that changes the entire complexion of the election altogether.
And that's what a lot of Democrats are worried about, after all, Joe Biden will be nearly 82 years old, by the time of the next election next
November, and introducing a younger Republican candidate to go up against him that creates the kind of comparison that could be, I think, very
threatening to the Democrats in this election.
So they are definitely planning for Trump. They hope and believe that Trump's troubles in the suburban areas, swing states, which were evident in
the midterm elections last year, and in 2020 will be the same this time. But if there's a different nominee, then we have a different election.
ANDERSON: Yes, fascinating times. What are we 14 months out? Watch this space? It'll all be here on CNN. Thank you Stephen! You can read Stephen's
full article on cnn.com. You can also subscribe to his "Meanwhile in that American Newsletter" that's a daily analysis of U.S. politics for global
readers.
Collinson and International News Editor Caitlin explain how the U.S. got here? What it means and where America and the world are headed next? Well,
Ukraine is claiming a notable battlefield victory today in the Donetsk region.
[11:15:00]
It's military says troops recaptured the village of Urozhaine. A video shows Ukrainian troops triumphantly entering the village, Ukraine trying to
advance south to the Sea of Azov to cut off Russian forces along the coastline.
Well, overnight, Russia continued attacks on grain facilities near Odessa region that didn't stop a cargo ship carrying Ukrainian grain from leaving
the port of Odessa. The Hong Kong flag vessel is the first to leave there since Russia withdrew from the Black Sea Grain Deal. It set off despite
Russia's -- of threats to attack Ukrainian shipping interests in the Black Sea, moving through what Ukraine calls a temporary humanitarian corridor.
For the first time, Ukraine security services openly claiming responsibility for the attack last month on Russia's bridge to Crimea. You
may remember that Nick Paton Walsh has the story and 0his report contains footage exclusively obtained by CNN.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
NICK PATON WALSH, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): It's become the most beleaguered symbol of Russian occupation. This weekend, Moscow saying this
incident was just a smokescreen, foiling a Ukrainian attack on the $4 billion Kirche Bridge. The link is between Russia and occupied Crimea that
Putin seems to dote on.
Now CNN has obtained exclusive footage, heralding a new way of warfare of another earlier devastating Ukrainian seaborne drone strike there in July.
From the Ukrainian Security Services, the SBU who say they did it and more will follow.
This is exactly what the drone pilots saw thermal imagery, the water rippling as up to a ton of explosive approaches to bridge. The feed, then
obviously went dead as it hit the concrete. Russian officials said two civilians died in the attack. Cameras on the bridge captured the first
blast on the road section. The cursor shows the drone moving in. And another on the railway tracks at about the same time.
Ukraine has been coy some officials saying these huge blasts are from "An identified floating objects, but no longer". The Head of the Ukrainian
Security Services told CNN this is just the start.
VASYL MALLUK, HEAD OF UKRAINIAN SECURITY SERVICE: Sea surface drones are unique invention of the Security Service of Ukraine. None of the private
companies are involved. Using these drones, we have recently conducted successful hits of the Crimean Bridge, a biggest assault ship Olenegorsky
Gornyak and SIG tanker.
WALSH (voice over): This another Ukrainian drone attack on the Russian amphibious assault boat, Olenegorsky Gornyak, on which Ukrainian officials
said 100 personnel were on board. It was a remarkable feat carried out by a growing fleet of what they call the sea babies. Hundreds of miles away from
Ukrainian bases and right in Russia's coastal heartland, it put the Black Seas east suddenly at risk.
MALLUK: These drones are produced in an underground production facility in Ukraine. We are working on a number of new interesting operations,
including in the black sea waters. I promise you, it will be exciting, especially for our enemies.
WALSH (voice over): Ukraine's ingenuity again and again, toppling the lumbering Russian Goliath. Nick Paton Walsh, CNN Dnipro Ukraine.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Well, still ahead, the painstaking search for fire victims on Maui, plus wise governor talks to CNN about why the Emergency Alert System
was not activated.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:20:00]
ANDERSON: U.S. President Joe Biden is planning to travel to Hawaii next Monday to see firsthand the devastation from the deadly wildfires on Maui.
That news coming from the White House as the number of people confirmed killed rises to 106.
Now Hawaii's governor says 185 search and rescue personnel are on scene doing recovery work along with 20 dogs. Governor Josh Green told CNN that
some of Maui's warning sirens were broken, which is being investigated, but that may not be the only reason that they weren't used.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOSH GREEN, HAWAII GOVERNOR: The sirens were typically used for tsunamis or hurricanes. To my knowledge, at least I never experienced them in use for
fires. There may be some reasons for that. Sometimes sirens send people up mountain and going up the mountain during a fire can be problematic, going
up the mountain when there's a wave is what you have to do.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Well, here's CNN's Gloria Pazmino on the ground in Maui with the very latest.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
GLORIA PAZMINO, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice over): The search continues. As the death toll mounts, there is desperation in this
devastated Maui resort town. Crews now is combing through the ruins of Lahaina, using cadaver dog strain to find human remains. Only 25 percent of
the fire zone had been fully searched as of Monday.
It's still unknown how many people remain unaccounted for here. Close to 100 people are confirmed dead including a family of four? The death toll
says Hawaii's governor could double in the coming days. Thousands have lost their homes, and many are now scrambling to find shelter, food and clean
water.
ANNASTACEYA ARCANGEL-PANG, LOST HOME IN FIRE: They still have loved ones that Chuck for example, my dad. My dad's still there, and he refuses to
come out, but there are certain things that he still needs.
PAZMINO (voice over): Even the island's firefighters find themselves in need.
AINA KOHLER, FIREFIGHTER: They watched their homes burned as they fought for the other side's other homes in the neighborhood. And it was quick like
everything was happened so fast.
PAZMINO (voice over): Frustration now mounting as some Lahaina residents remain blocked from returning to what's left of their neighborhoods.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I want to go back to my home but these guys -- -- are killed. So, I don't understand why they can't get together.
PAZMINO (voice over): Others just beginning to come to terms with so much loss.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm praying for them.
PAZMINO (voice over): Penny Schilling says her brother Joe died while helping his elderly neighbors.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He helped one to escape. The last message from him was, I have the seniors in my apartment and I'm trying to keep the smoke
out.
PAZMINO (voice over): Those who were able to escape the flames say they are now reeling from the scale of the destruction.
KANAMU BALINBIN, LAHAINA RESIDENT: It broke me, it still breaks me. This is what keeps me going and helping people. A lot of us are at that stage.
PAZMINO (voice over): And beyond the wreckage the survivors say it's time to come together.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Lahaina means family and everyone's pitching in doesn't matter where you're from what color you are.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: From the ashes we will survive.
PAZMINO (on camera): And that spirit remains alive and well right here in the -- community about 40 miles away from Lahaina where so much of the
devastation has taken place. It's happened here too many homes have been burned down as a result of the wildfire. But all day we have watched as
neighbors arrived to help neighbors, people pulling over to volunteer their help trying to help people gather the pieces and clean up.
It remains a very active area. There are still several fires that are burning in the vicinity and the fire department has been dropping water in
the area all day long. Recover here remains a long ways away. Reporting on Maui is Gloria Pazmino CNN.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Well, to some grim findings in Sudan's Darfur region. A government Forum says there's evidence of 30 mass graves along across West
Darfur State with more than 1000 people buried in. Now the group claims some of the bodies were dumped by the paramilitary rapid support forces or
RSF and allied militia.
[11:25:00]
Our top Sudanese official says the country needs a caretaker government. He will propose a ceasefire between the Sudanese army and paramilitary forces
after what is four months of almost continued fighting.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MALIK AGAR, SUDAN'S SOVEREIGN COUNCIL DEPUTY-CHAIRMAN: The situation necessitates us to form a government to run the wheel of the state to carry
out a couple basic tasks, to provide services and rebuild what was destroyed by the war, to work with the political forces to structure and
establish the state and to prepare the environment for a constituent and constitutional conference that will lead us to elections in the peaceful
exchange of power.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Well, the UN says more than a million people have fled to neighboring countries since this fighting broke out in April. And more than
3 million are internally displaced within Sudan. Well, coming up later today, CNN's Chief International Investigative Correspondent Nima Elbagir
will have an exclusive report on violence in the Darfur region of Sudan.
You'll see her report at 4 p.m. New York time, 9 pm in London, that's 12 if you're watching in the UAE, for example, that, is right here on CNN. Let's
get you up to speed on some of the other stories that are on our radar right now. And at least 17 Nigerian soldiers have been killed in an ambush
by suspected jihadists.
Nigeria's defense ministry says it happened in an area where jihadist attacks are common near the borders of Mali and Burkina Faso. Several
attacks on Nigerian soldiers have been reported since the military coup last month. Well, heavy fighting between two powerful armed factions in
Libya's capital is left at least 27 people dead and more than 100 injured according to Libyan emergency services.
The fighting there started Monday, after the commander of one of the factions was detained by its rival, he has since been released. And the UN
is pushing to remove all environmental threats from a decaying Tanker of Yemen. More than a million barrels of oil were removed from it last week.
The tank has been sitting there since the Yemen war began eight years ago. Then there was concern, it could break up or explode causing what would
have been a catastrophic oil spill. The spokesman told CNN where the process stands now.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ACHIM STEINER, ADMINISTRATOR, U.N. DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME: We are now in the final phase of cleaning the tanks. Once the tanks have been washed and the
residual waters have also been pumped on to the replacement tanker. The objective is to tow the FSO software away for a final tank scrubbing with -
- then for a scrapping and recycling operation.
So that is underway on the one hand. And at the same time the United Nations who is resident and coordinator in Yemen is also engaged with both
parties to the conflict to look at options for the eventual sale of the oil.
ANDERSON: Well, it's been a long summer in Israel, but the prime minister has apparently been largely avoiding the nation's media. We'll look at
possible reasons why up next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:30:00]
ANDERSON: Welcome back, you're watching "Connect the World" with me Becky and it's in 4:30 in London, your headlines this hour. Ukraine reporting a
military victory along the southeastern front lines, it says troops recaptured the village of Urozhaine in the Donetsk region.
Ukraine trying to advance south to the Sea of Azov to cut off Russian forces along the coastline. The military also says a heavy fighting
continues on the Eastern front south of Bakhmut. A government panel is reporting evidence of 30 mass graves in Sudan's West Darfur state.
The group says as many as 1000 people are buried in all. It says it was apparently dumped by Sudanese paramilitaries who've been fighting
government forces since April. Former U.S. President Donald Trump more than a dozen co-conspirators are facing criminal charges involving alleged
attempts to overturn the 2020 election in the U.S. state of Georgia.
They all have until August 25 to surrender to authorities. The county jailer says he is ready for them. But so far, no one has turned up. The
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is the public face of his country for millions around the world.
You may have seen him answering questions and sitting down with journalists from the international media, including CNN, but with Israeli journalists,
not so much. Elliott Gotkine gives us some ideas why.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mr. Prime Minister, thank you for joining us.
ELLIOTT GOTKINE, JOURNALIST (voice over): Benjamin Netanyahu loves to talk.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Prime Minister, thank you so much for speaking to Bloomberg.
GOTKINE (voice over): And if you've watched any U.S. News Network this year, there's a good chance you'll have seen the Israeli Prime Minister
being interviewed. Switch to an Israeli channel though, and you'll have missed him.
GOTKINE (on camera): Since he became Prime Minister yet again in December, Netanyahu has given multiple interviews to news outlets, including several
to CNN.
Yet, with the exception of the pro government channel 14, he hasn't sat down once with an Israeli news network. This has exasperated Israeli news
anchors.
YONIT LEVI, CHANNEL 12 PRESENTER: Netanyahu did 22 interviews in English since he got elected, we'd be happy to interview him too. I can do the
interview in English, if that's his thing.
GOTKINE (voice over): According to this former Netanyahu ambassador to the U.S., the true reasons include reassuring U.S. investors and ratings
agencies and getting his message across to the American people.
MICHAEL OREN, FORMER ISRAELI AMBASSADOR TO THE U.S.: You have to have no -- are elbows.
GOTKINE (voice over): Then there's the lack of deference he gets from Israeli interviewers.
OREN: And then when you aren't really television, but it's not like meet the press where someone says, Oh, my distinguished colleague from across
the aisle. All right, you know, it's not that, if you fascist bastard from across the island or pounding and kicking you and that's really reflecting
on Israeli -- .
GOTKINE (voice over): Netanyahu's spokesman didn't respond to CNN's request for an interview. But he did provide hope for Israeli news anchors last
Saturday night.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The Prime Minister goes around the world, telling and thwarting the lies and fake news that are being spread. And very soon, he
will be interviewed by Israeli networks again.
GOTKINE (voice over): When that happens expect sparks and tough questions to fly.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Well, this comes amid word that major tech company Intel is scuttling a huge deal to buy an Israeli chipmaker. Intel sites regulatory
issues and says it will look for other ways to work with tower semiconductor. Let's get you Elliott Gotkine who joins us now from
Jerusalem.
And we talked about the potential Intel deal a week or so ago when we were talking about how this very controversial judicial reform has really
impacted investment into Israel and in the domestic space, particularly that of the tech space. So Elliott, this was a five and a half billion
dollar deal. How did this happen and what happens next?
GOTKINE: Becky, this is a deal as you say five and a half dollars' worth. Almost it's been 18 months in the scuppering, because it was approved by
U.S. regulators, it was approved by European regulators.
[11:35:00]
But it was Chinese regulators that dragged their feet to the extent that it hit the steel kind of hit the deadline of August 15 for it to be
consummated, that deadline passed. And as a result, both companies are going their separate ways and Intel will pay tower semiconductor a
termination fee of about $350 million.
So it seems that Israel is actually being unwittingly dragged into this so called chip wars going on between the United States and China. The U.S. of
course, trying to prevent China from either getting hauled off of manufacturing the highest end, highest end cutting edge chips, especially
for those using artificial intelligence.
And China has been retaliating by reducing or restricting exports of certain minerals like gallium and germanium. And at the same time, it seems
that it is also maybe dragging its feet on deals involving U.S. companies too. So Intel will be disappointed but perhaps not too much.
Because earlier this year, Prime Minister Netanyahu announced that Intel was going to be investing $25 billion in the country, this would make it
the largest ever single foreign direct investment in the country. And Intel has a lot of history here. It's been here almost 50 years in Israel.
It's got three facilities in the north, near Israel's equivalent of MIT and -- feast of Tel Aviv and in the south and -- got about 20 kilometers east
of the Gaza Strip. And it's there that the lion's share of this manufacturing of this investment is going to come.
Because what Intel is trying to do is to try to shift away from just making Intel chips to becoming more of a foundry a contract manufacturer for other
chip designers to try and catch up with the likes of Taiwan, semiconductors. That was the rationale behind the tower semiconductor deal.
But now without spending those five and a half billion dollars on tower, perhaps it can show that money into its investment in Korea got them in the
south of Israel. And as a result, we'll perhaps end up spending less in trying to boost its foundry facilities than it otherwise would, Becky.
ANDERSON: Yes, fascinating, Elliott, thank you. Well, a lawyer for the family at the heart of The Blind Side book can move, he says his clients
are heartbroken over allegations made by Michael Oher; the former American pro football star accuses the family of tricking him into signing paperwork
for a conservative ship to profit off his story.
Well, this week he filed a petition to end that conservatorship; the family's attorneys call him his claims hurtful and absurd. Brynn Gingras is
here to fill us in on the details. And Brynn, this is such a famous feel good story. And now we are learning it could all have been a ploy.
For the benefit of our audience who really aren't -- was up to speed as perhaps U.S. audience is, just what do we know so far?
BRYNN GINGRAS, CNN U.S. NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes. So, so far, we know that Michael Oher has filed this petition in a Tennessee courtroom asking
that he basically have no more interaction with the Tuohy family. You have watched that movie; it was about this budding football star that was taken
in by this a southern family in the United States and really kind of raised and then eventually went on to a very successful NFL career.
Well, in that movie, he sits around the table with the family. And he believed he was signing paperwork that would lead to the adoption by that
family. Well, it turns out, apparently, Michael Oher just found out this past February, that he didn't sign paperwork toward his adoption.
He actually signed paperwork, which was a conservative ship, and he didn't know that according to this paperwork, so he's pretty heated about it. Now
there's still a ton of questions, Becky, to be quite frank about. Why did he just realize this now, he signed those papers at 18. He's now 37-years-
old, that has not yet been answered by his attorneys.
Well, he came forward with these, you know, this, this court filing essentially saying he wants money back that he earned from this movie
proceeds and he wants to know where all this money went. And basically the terms of -- he wants out of his conservative shape.
Well, the Tuohy family then now just came forward and essentially said that sure, he can get out of his conservatorship. They have no problem with
that. But they painted this picture that Michael Oher has been shaking them down for money for several years and that this latest court filing is an
attempt to basically get more money out of them.
So yes, that story is so heartwarming, made us all feel good. It does seem like it's not totally factually true and it's really upset a lot of people
just because it's turning quite ugly.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK, big smile Tuohy family.
GINGRAS (voice over): Michael Oher blindsided, he says by his family at the center of the Hollywood blockbuster.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This team is your family, Michael. You have to protect them. -- here's your quarterback, you protect his blind sight. When you
look at him, you think of me.
MICHAEL OHER, FORMER NFL STAR: Yes, ma'am.
GINGRAS (voice over): In a lawsuit, the former NFL player alleging he was tricked by Sean and Leigh Anne Tuohy, believing they were adopting the 18-
year-old budding football star.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He became part of our life.
[11:40:00]
GINGRAS (voice over): When in fact they became his conservators and "Have total control over Michael Oher's ability to negotiate for or enter any
contract. Despite the fact he was over 18 years of age and had no diagnosed physical or psychological disabilities. It's a lie Oher says, he discovered
in February.
Oher's life story from poverty to NFL stardom with the support of the Tuohy family became a best-selling book. Then an Oscar winning film is reportedly
netting more than $330 million. Oher says, he's seen none of that money, and now nearly 20 years later is asking the two weeks for a full accounting
of his share.
The suit reads were other parents of Michael's classmates saw Michael simply as a nice kid in need. Conservators, Sean Tuohy and Leigh Anne Tuohy
saw something else, a gullible young man whose athletic talent could be exploited for their own benefit. Sean Tuohy is telling a local Tennessee
newspaper, we didn't make any money off the movie.
His son SJ, not named in the suit told Barstool Sports, he did make some money, but it didn't make him rich.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Like 60, 70 grand of course, the last four or five years.
GINGRAS (voice over): The suit also claims Oher who just published a book about overcoming obstacles this month, unknowingly signed over the rights
to his name, image and likeness in 2007 without payment. Oher has publicly stated he doesn't like how he was portrayed in the movie.
OHER: I think the biggest for me is you know, being portrayed, not being able to read or write. When you go into a locker room, your teammates don't
think you can learn a playbook you know that weighs heavy.
GINGRAS (voice over): The Tuohy say they are devastated by the claims in the filing "It's upsetting to think we would make any money off any of our
children. But we're going to love Michael at 37 just like we loved him at 16."
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Brynn, appreciate it. Thank you. Well, could the Women's World Cup Trophy finally be coming home? England has been co-host Australia 3-1
to advance to the final. The European champions were leading at halftime and despite being pegged back by Sam Kerr worldy, emerged victorious, a set
of a mouthwatering games Spain on Sunday in Sydney. World Sports Amanda Davies has more.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
AMANDA DAVIES, CNN WORLD SPORT ANCHOR (voice over): The dream run that comes to an end for this Matilda side that has inspired a generation. It
may feel like a painful defeat tonight, but in so many ways, a victory for a group of players who have done more for galvanizing support around
women's football and this team than any who has gone before.
In many ways summed up by a little girl in the crowd with a banner which said simply I'm going to be the next Sam Kerr.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Honestly, the turnout has been unreal to see so many people get behind women sport is actually amazing. It's actually honestly
it's actually unreal. If you were in that stadium and you heard the roar and the people jumping up and down, it was actually amazing.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think the whole like the whole nation is sort of encapsulated by the Matilda's and I hope that it doesn't stop, I hope that
we continue to support them. They're such good women you know, I hope that we follow them from here even though we lost still love them.
DAVIES (voice over): For all Sam Kerr's efforts this evening after two straight Women's World Cup semifinal defeats, England Finally take that
step further into the final. The phrase may be third time lucky, but that does Sarina Wiegman side a disservice. They were disciplined. They were
hardworking, they were skillful.
And they produced those moments as the Australia boss Tony Gustavsson put it that decide a game, first Ella Toone, then the Lauren Hemp and finally
Alessia Russo once again. So just 12 months after European Championship success, they are now closer than ever before to claiming the Women's World
Cup. Amanda Davies CNN, Sydney, Australia.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Footballing star Neymar is making a debut of sorts with his new Saudi club Al Hilal.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm here in Saudi Arabia. I am Hilali.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Neymar is the latest big names join the Saudi pro league which has been spending vast sums on luring top talent away from Europe over the
last few months. Now reportedly is paying in more than $98 million plus add-ons for two year contract. Neymar is leaving Paris Saint-Germain, he
help them win 13 major trophies, but not the elusive Champions League. You're watching CNN, I'm Becky Anderson. This is "Connect the World". We
are back after this quick break, stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:45:00]
ANDERSON: Well, the Taliban are celebrating the anniversary of their return to power in Afghanistan. Tuesday this week marks two years since Taliban
fighters seized Cabela's U.S. troops withdrew after two decades of war. Well during the past two years, Afghan women and girls have seen freedom
after freedom disappear. Anna Coren shows us how many of them are coping.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ANNA COREN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): In the corner of her room on a piece of string hanging by paper clips are the treasured memories of 20-
year-old Zahra.
ZAHRA, UNIVERSITY STUDENT: There are my favorite people that I have them in my life.
COREN (voice over): Photos, drawings, mementos, a secret world of a life once lived, that this afghan university student now grieves for.
ZAHRA: When I stand in front of the mirror, when I look at myself, I just see a different Zahra from two years ago.
COREN (voice over): On the 15th of August 2021, Zahra's life as she knew it was shattered. The Taliban swept to power after the U.S. withdrawal from
Afghanistan following its 20 year war, handing back control to the same group of Islamic extremists who ruled in the 1990s.
While the Taliban promised to be more moderate and honor women's rights within Islamic law, the past two years have brought only a hardline stance
towards women, the closure of secondary school for girls, the force implementation of the burqa, the restriction on travel without a male
chaperone, the banning of women from universities and working at NGOs, including the United Nations.
And just last month, the Taliban closed all beauty salons that employed roughly 60,000 women. Many of them are the sole breadwinners of their
homes.
MAHBOUBA SERAJ, AFGHAN WOMEN'S RIGHTS ACTIVIST: Woman's freedom doesn't exist. There is no such a thing as woman's freedom anymore.
COREN (voice over): Women's Rights Activist Mahbouba Seraj, who stayed in Kabul, one more than a million Afghans fled, says the Taliban government is
erasing women from society.
SERAJ: Even the rights that we had in Islam, even the rights that we had in Sharia, we are losing all of that. So if it is not annihilation, what is it
then?
COREN (voice over): For Zahra, an aspiring designer, it's very clear what the Taliban demands of her.
ZAHRA: Just to stay at home, get married, you have to give birth to children. That's it, and this is your life. This is what women made for.
COREN (voice over): Well, the international community repudiates the Taliban's treatment of women and girls. The Taliban is refusing to listen
saying it will not be pressured.
[11:50:00]
BILAL KARIMI, TALIBAN DEPUTY SPOKESPERSON: Afghanistan was freed from occupation. Afghans were able to regain their country, freedom, government
and will. The only way to solve the problem understands and dialogue, pressure and force are not logical.
COREN (voice over): But human rights activist fee international condemnation is waning, and that the Taliban desperate for international
recognition is gradually being normalized.
HEATHER BARR, HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH: They're posing in photographs of smiling diplomats; they're getting on private jets to fly off to important high
level meetings where people roll out red carpets for them. They're being permitted to take control of embassies and are growing number of countries.
So I think that, you know, I think that from their perspective, it's going pretty well.
COREN (voice over): A terrifying assessment for the women of this country. Protests have all but disappeared, apart from a small group who faced the
threat of arrest as they try to get the world's attention. For most they suffer in silence, convinced the world no longer cares.
ZAHRA: If it continues like this, the future not only for me, but also for other girls, it is horrible, it is a disaster.
COREN (voice over): Anna Coren, CNN, Hong Kong.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Well, CNN spoke to the Taliban they proudly listed the achievements such as restoring security and cracking down on the drug
trade. When we asked them about girl's education they were evasive, refusing to say when girls will be allowed back to school or university.
All they said was they need to wait for the environment to be favorable.
This was the same line the Taliban gave in the 1990s when they ruled for five years. And under their rule, girls were never allowed to return to
school. I'll be back with more news in just a moment.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: You're watching "Connect the World", I'm Becky Anderson for you. We've got an update on a story that we had earlier on four Australian
surfers who went missing off the coast of Indonesia. Well, the four have been found along with two Indonesian boat crew members. However the search
for one remaining crew member continues. CNN's Ivan Watson is with his report.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
IVAN WATSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice over): The moment of relief after two nights lost at sea. Searchers spot the group of
surfers and the crew of their boat missing for over 38 hours in the waters off of Indonesia's west coast. But the joy is short lived. Two members of
the group are not there.
Australian Steph Weisse, Will Teagle and Jordan Short are safe. But they say fellow surfer Elliot Foote paddled away from the group to try to find
help. And just two of the three members of the Indonesian boat crew have been found. We drifted away very far explains Mohammed Iqbal from the
safety of the rescue boat. It felt like we were just circling around the area and it was totally dark.
At home in Sydney, Australia, Elliot's father anxiously waits. Then a text message comes through, Elliott's alive.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We got everyone.
WATSON (voice over): The final member of the group of four Australians pulled from the water by two local fishermen according to a spokesperson
for the families. Reunited on dry land, the group of friends says they need time to recover from their ordeal.
[11:55:00]
ELLIOT FOOTS, RESCUED SURFER: There were some moments yes there where we're all quite nervous and didn't quite know what the outcome was going to be.
But we just plan to get down, couldn't have been happier having been straight with me.
WATSON (voice over): Indonesian rescue teams had led the search for the Group of Seven since Sunday night. The surfer's boat went down in rough
weather. While they were out chasing waves at a remote destination off of Indonesia's Archie. A private plane was pulled in to help as were fishing
vessels and local tourist charters use their knowledge of the currents to plot a search area. But success is not complete.
FOOTS: Now, this -- Indonesian families and friends of the missing mind that is still out there. And you know, it's just it's hard to think about
and we just hope the best for him.
WATSON (voice over): Searchers say the capsized boat was found Wednesday morning, with no sign of the missing man.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Ivan Watson reporting, I'm Becky Anderson. "One World" with Christina Macfarlane is up next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[12:00:00]
END
