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Blinken in Egypt for More Ceasefire-Hostage Talks; E.U. Leaders Begin Two-Day Summit in Brussels; Trump Faces Monday Deadline to Post $464 Million Bond; Appeals Court Hears Arguments on Texas Immigration Law. Aired 10-11 am ET
Aired March 21, 2024 - 10:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
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[10:00:17]
BIANCA NOBILO, CNN ANCHOR: Hello and welcome to our second hour of CONNECT THE WORLD I'm Bianca Nobilo in London.
Just ahead for you. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is in Cairo for ceasefire talks as Israel continues its military operation at Al-Shifa
Hospital in Gaza.
Then, thousands of people in Kyiv forced to shelter as Russia launches one of the biggest attacks on the city in weeks. This, as European leaders
gather in Brussels, we'll have the very latest.
Plus, sources tell CNN Donald Trump is in panic mode. The former president has just days to raise the funds for a $460 million bond. The details on
that coming up.
Right now, America's top diplomat is back in the Middle East. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is in Cairo today sitting down for more
talks with Arab leaders on a ceasefire and the release of Israeli hostages.
Meanwhile, in Gaza. Loudspeakers warning people in Gaza's largest hospital to stay where they are as an Israeli raid on the complex enters its fourth
day. The IDF says what it calls its precise operation at Al-Shifa has eliminated dozens of terrorists. Gaza's civil defense describes the area as
a battlefield. There is a lot happening today involving multiple players.
Our U.S. Security Correspondent Kylie Atwood is following developments from the State Department and Jeremy Diamond is live in Jerusalem.
Jeremy, let's begin with you. Tell us the latest that you're hearing about Al-Shifa Hospital. What is the fate of the people who are trapped inside?
Do they have access to the essentials that they need? And are they able to hear and heed these warnings by the IDF not to step outside, or they might
be shot?
JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, we've certainly been hearing reports of severe shortages at Al-Shifa Hospital for the thousands
of people who were sheltering there when this Israeli military operation began. Shortages of food, water, electricity having been shut off. We don't
know exactly how many people are at Al-Shifa Hospital, but we have received new video of people who are hiding inside the complex, including women --
about 20 women in a stairwell.
And you can hear the loudspeakers being broadcast, presumably by the Israeli military, warning people not to leave the hospital grounds, saying
that they will be shot, saying, stay in the hospital. Anyone who leaves will be shot. The voice on the loudspeaker also tells the people at Al-
Shifa Hospital not to worry, not to fear us, as it says here, and saying that they are here in order to get the hostages.
The Israeli military also says that they have now killed over 140 militants since the beginning of this operation, now stretching into its fourth day.
We also know that they have detained hundreds of individuals whom the Israeli military has described as terror suspects, but we also know that
they have detained medical personnel and at least one journalist's crew from Al Jazeera in the process of this whole operation.
Meanwhile, we know that there are thousands of people who have been fleeing the area around Al-Shifa Hospital, heading south for central Gaza, hoping
to find more security there. The Israeli military, we should note, has said that Hamas has begun to reuse Al-Shifa Hospital as a complex for its
fighters. They said that they were fired upon from Hamas fighters at that hospital, and that is what they say prompted them to go into that hospital
in the first place.
NOBILO: Jeremy Diamond, stay there, we'll get right back to you.
Let's go to Kylie Atwood, who's at the State Department for us. Kylie, we're hearing the expression of optimism again from the U.S. Secretary of
State, Antony Blinken, about the prospects for a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas. However, nothing has materialized as of yet. What can you
tell us about the levels of frustration felt at the moment within the U.S. administration towards Israel?
KYLIE ATWOOD, CNN U.S. SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Well, listen, the U.S. definitely feels like there is some momentum here. The Secretary of State
wouldn't have said that he feels like these negotiations are getting closer if he didn't actually feel that way. But as you said, we've been here
before with these voices of optimism that haven't always resulted in actual breakthroughs. So we'll have to watch and see.
When it comes to the U.S.-Israel relationship, it is in a fragile state at this moment. I think it's fair to say you had that phone call with Prime
Minister Netanyahu and President Biden earlier this week, where they had quite a frank exchange.
I'm told that, that conversation was a good one to have, though, because it did sort of bring down the temperature, given how tense it had been between
the two countries.
[10:05:05]
But what we're looking at right now when it comes to these conversations between U.S. and Israeli officials is how they're going to essentially move
forward with the disagreements over how to approach an operation in Rafah. We've heard from Prime Minister Netanyahu saying that he believes that a
ground operation in Rafah is a necessity to actually accomplish what they want to accomplish there.
And you have heard from U.S. officials who have said very clearly that a ground operation is not the way to go. So we'll watch to see what Secretary
of State Tony Blinken gets through on that topic when he's in Israel tomorrow. And then, obviously, we'll watch to see next week when there's a
delegation of Israeli officials who are coming to Washington to discuss this very topic.
But we should also note that what happens in Rafah could have implications for these ongoing negotiations to try and secure the release of those
hostages that are held by Hamas and, of course, to try and secure a ceasefire.
So from the Biden administration's perspective, what they're trying to do is not just, you know, see what they can convince Israel to do on that, but
also see if they can convince Israel to hold out on any operation in Rafah that could upend those efforts that are ongoing right now that the
Secretary of State says are getting closer.
NOBILO: Jeremy, how is this pressure from the United States being received in Israel among the public and the media and, of course, crucially, within
the heart of government?
DIAMOND: Well, certainly, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has made clear that he is willing to listen to the United States, but he hasn't
committed to much beyond that, particularly as it relates to this issue involving a potential ground incursion into Rafah.
In fact, even as he agreed to send this Israeli delegation to Washington next week to hear American military officials' ideas about how else they
could get after Hamas in Rafah without carrying out an all-out ground offensive, he also made clear that his mind could not be changed about the
military necessity of carrying out such a ground incursion into Rafah.
At the same time, it doesn't appear that that ground incursion is imminent at this stage. We know that a lot of preparation needs to go into preparing
the areas where the roughly 1.5 million civilians who are currently living in Rafah would be moved to. That evacuation, I'm told, will take at least
two weeks to actually carry out. So we are still weeks away at a minimum from any potential ground incursion into Rafah.
And the hope, of course, certainly from the American side, is that a deal, a hostage and ceasefire deal, will forestall an inevitable Rafah incursion,
as far as the Israelis view it, before it can actually go into place.
NOBILO: Jeremy Diamond in Israel and Kylie Atwood at the State Department. Thank you both very much.
Now, a massive barrage of missiles and a frantic rush to find shelter. Ukraine's capital came under heavy missile attack in the early hours of
Thursday, for the first time in six weeks. More than 25,000 people took cover in the city's metro stations. Authorities say about a dozen people
were injured, but there are no reports, thankfully, at the stage of fatalities.
Meanwhile, in Brussels, E.U. leaders are meeting at this hour discussing how to boost support for Ukraine and Europe's own defense capabilities.
There's talk of using frozen Russian assets to buy weapons for Ukraine as well, so we'll keep an eye on that.
Let's go now to Fred Pleitgen for us. Fred, this missile attack on Kyiv, the biggest in many weeks, what happened and why do you think the refocus
on the capital at this particular time?
FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, first of all, you're absolutely right, Bianca, that it was the biggest in about six
weeks on the Ukrainian capital. And then second of all, it certainly was by any standard a pretty large attack that took place there. In total, 31
missiles launched at the Ukrainian capital.
The Ukrainians say 29 of them cruise missiles and two of them ballistic missiles, so definitely a very large attack. There's two things that
obviously have happened in the days running up to all this. First of all, Vladimir Putin, no surprise there, won the Russian presidential elections
and there are some people who were thinking that he might escalate some attacks, especially those missile attacks, after that election took place.
And then, of course, also the other things that are going on is that the Ukrainians have apparently attacked a Russian air base in the past days
using drones and also, of course, some cross-border raids that have taken place by Russians fighting on the side of Ukraine onto Russian territory.
But in any case, you're absolutely right that it was a pretty scary morning for the people in the Ukrainian capital, many of them, thousands of them
going to shelter inside the subway system. The Ukrainians say that they actually did manage to take all of those missiles down.
But there's several things that are remarkable. First of all, the Russians using, once again, their fleet of strategic bombers to launch the cruise
missiles, but then they also apparently used at least one hypersonic missile called the Kinzhal or Dagger, which itself is launched by an
aircraft. And then the Ukrainians are saying they believe that the other ballistic missile that was fired, which was also taken down, may have been
of North Korean make.
[10:10:11]
Of course, that's something that we've been hearing from the Ukrainians over the past couple of weeks, well, by now, pretty much the past couple of
months, as they say they believe that the Russians have gotten missiles from North Korea that they are already using on the battlefield and, of
course, also seeing now on cities in Ukraine as well.
The Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, he already came out and said that what we saw overnight in the Ukrainian capital shows how good the air
defenses are there. He's calling for more Western air defense systems to be delivered to Ukraine to make sure that the rest of the country could
withstand missile attacks like that as well, Bianca.
NOBILO: And pertinently, Fred, E.U. leaders meeting in Brussels right now, they could approve frozen Russian assets to help with the Ukrainian war
effort. Break that down for us in terms of how that would actually work and the likelihood of it going ahead.
PLEITGEN: Yeah, it would be an interesting proposal. It's definitely sort of the talk of the town, if you will, in Brussels right now, really talk of
the European Union. It's an idea that's been floating around for quite a while.
And we're talking about here's windfall profits from Russian assets that have been frozen in the European Union, obviously to try and use that to
acquire arms for the Ukrainians. There's various European leaders who have already said that they believe that this is a good idea. In fact, Olaf
Scholz came out earlier today as he came to the summit that's taking place today in Brussels.
And he said that he believed that this is something that should be done, but should be done in a targeted way, where that money should be used to
acquire weapons for the Ukrainians and not be used for other purposes.
What we've also heard, and that's probably also not a surprise either, is that the Russians have come out and said that they will, first of all, use
all legal measures, as they put it, to try and stop all of this. But they also said that they would retaliate if European countries went through with
this plan to use the profits from frozen Russian money to buy arms for Ukraine.
It's certainly, I think, the Ukrainians believe and the Europeans believe would solve a lot of problems for them, namely drumming up the sums to try
and get a lot of those weapons. Because of course, right now, the Ukrainians do need a lot of arms, need a lot of ammunition to stay in the
fight. And of course, the other big thing that we've been talking about for so many weeks, Bianca, now, is the fact that right now the Ukrainians
aren't getting any military aid from the United States.
And that's something that's still frozen in the pipeline with House Republican leadership still stalling on passing that supplemental bill. So
this could be something that the Ukrainians hope could help them out with that, something that the Europeans want to try and make happen. But at the
same time, of course, they say that they need to do this in a way that makes sure that these funds are used in the correct way and also that all
of this is legally sound as well, Bianca.
NOBILO: Fred Pleitgen, always brilliant to speak to you. Thank you so much.
The U.S. Justice Department is suing Apple in a blockbuster antitrust suit today. This lawsuit comes after longstanding allegations that Apple has
harmed competition with restrictive app store terms and high fees. Brian Fung has been looking into this. Brian, what more can you tell us?
BRIAN FUNG, CNN TECHNOLOGY REPORTER: Yeah, Bianca, this is a big moment for the Biden administration, cracking down on Apple after years of allegations
by app developers, consumers that Apple's walled garden ecosystem is anti- competitive and monopolistic. And so this is really, you know, kind of a big swing at one of the world's most wealthiest, most successful tech
companies. And it is the last of the major tech companies to be sued by the U.S. government under federal antitrust law after a 2020 House
investigation found that Apple, Meta, Google and Amazon all hold monopoly power and they use it in allegedly anti-competitive ways.
The specifics of this -- of this case are still undetermined. They haven't been released yet, but, you know, they do reflect, we know years of
allegations that Apple has been engaged in anti-competitive behavior and it could lead to big changes for Apple's business model and the way that
millions of consumers use Apple products. This is a huge, huge deal, Bianca.
NOBILO: Brian Fung, thank you so much.
In the U.S., time is running out for former President Donald Trump to post bond in his civil fraud case in New York. Earlier on CNN Senior Legal
Analyst Elie Honig explains how it got to this point.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ELIE HONIG, CNN SENIOR LEGAL ANALYST: The judge returned a verdict for Donald Trump. The verdict was in the amount of $355 million plus interest.
You somehow did the math and backed it out is what gets us to that $450 plus million-dollar figure.
Now, the Attorney General can start collecting on that as of Monday unless Donald Trump posts a bond with the court.
Now, let's understand exactly what that means. There's sort of a two-step calculation going on here. First of all, a bonding company. Usually, this
is going to be a private company, an insurance company or a bank. They certify to the court that if Donald Trump does not pay the total amount
that he's owed after his appeal, we are good for it. We will cover him.
[10:15:10]
Now, in order for them to make that promise, Donald Trump has to post collateral with the bonding company. That can be cash. That can be other
assets.
Now, Donald Trump has been unable to do that so far. And hence, if we get to Monday and he's not posted a bond, Letitia James can start collecting.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NOBILO: I want to bring in CNN's Kara Scannell now to discuss what the New York Attorney General can actually collect from Trump if he doesn't pay up.
Kara?
KARA SCANNELL, CNN REPORTER: So, among the things that the Attorney General's office could try to go after would be any of Trump's assets, and
that's to satisfy the total judgment in this case against Trump and his family of $464 million. You know, so they could go to seize bank accounts.
They could try to seize planes. He owns a number of planes. They could try to seize some of his properties.
You know, of course, Trump will litigate and fight this every step of the way. So, even if a deal, in a sense, is not reached, Trump is not able to
come up with a bond or be able to get a loan or some way be able to satisfy this judgment by Monday. And if he's not able to persuade the New York
Appeals Court to let him post a smaller amount or delay posting any money until the appeal's over, then that is when the New York Attorney General's
office could begin to take the first steps to try to seize some of this property. And, you know, it is something that is going to be very
contested. It's not something that Trump is going to go along with lightly.
And even if the attorney general's office does seize some property, it is not that they get, you know, the money immediately. They will still have to
find a buyer for the property. So it will be a cumbersome process on the state as well. You know, this, all as Trump is appealing this verdict and
hoping to get the court to knock it down. Bianca.
NOBILO: Kara Scannell in New York, thank you so much.
A Texas court will have the next word on the state's new border law. Can a state enforce its own borders or is that solely the job of the federal
government? Or will impact what happens next for immigrants trying to come into the country? So we'll have that for you.
And a new look for your local weather report. And the outlook is alarming. Actor Nikolaj Coster-Waldau tells me about the new campaign on climate
change.
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NOBILO: A federal appeals court will now decide whether to allow Texas to temporarily enforce its controversial immigration law after hearing oral
arguments in the case. The state law, which is now on hold, is raising fears of racial profiling in a state where Latinos make up 40% of the
population. CNN's Rosa Flores spoke with one undocumented immigrant about the battle over the border and the message that he has for Democrats and
Republicans.
[10:20:18]
NOBILO: We're having some technical issues there with that reporting, but it is a phenomenal piece. So I hope we'll get it back to you in a moment or
two.
For now, I want to bring in Ed Lavandera, who I think is standing by to discuss this further. Yes, there you are, Ed. You're joining us from El
Paso, Texas. When do we expect the court to make a decision on this very controversial issue?
ED LAVANDERA, CNN SENIOR U.S. NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, it could come at any moment. There were oral arguments that were heard by a three-judge
panel in the federal appellate court. So that decision could come at any moment, and we're standing by for that. Of course, you know, the legal
whiplash on this particular issue has been quite dramatic over the last few days and the last few weeks as well.
There's also another court hearing scheduled for early April. So whatever decision that comes out of this appellate court could very well be just
temporary.
What is interesting is that the judges there kind of signaled that there might be -- or there might be some willingness or some openness to adopt
and allow parts of the Texas law to go into effect. And to explain exactly what the law would do is that it would give local law enforcement agencies,
police departments, sheriff's departments, and state police the ability to arrest people suspected of entering Texas illegally. And it also would give
state judges the ability to deport people to Mexico.
So there's a couple of different layers to this law, and some of that could be enacted while this broader lawsuit continues to make its way through the
legal system. So we're waiting to see exactly what this appellate court is going to do on this hearing and this issue of whether or not to allow the
law to continue going forward while the legal challenges continue to play out.
NOBILO: Ed Lavandera, such a fan of your reporting. Thanks so much for joining us.
The Major League Baseball season is underway with a big scandal surrounding one of sports biggest stars. The interpreter for Shohei Ohtani, whose Los
Angeles Dodgers started the season this week in South Korea, has been fired, accused by Ohtani's lawyers of massive theft, reportedly tied to
gambling as well. The interpreter was with Ohtani on Wednesday when the Dodgers won their opening game. So Andy Scholes joins me now for more on
this.
Andy, this is a remarkable story, which is casting quite a cloud over this incredible start to the season for one of baseball's absolute biggest
stars. But what can you tell us about how it went down?
ANDY SCHOLES, CNN SPORTS ANCHOR: Well, Bianca, the explanation of how this all went down, it quickly changed with race of eyebrows. So Shohei Ohtani's
spokesman originally told ESPN that Ohtani sent money to cover the gambling debts of his longtime interpreter and friend Ippei Mizuhara. But then
Ohtani's lawyers on Wednesday said Ohtani was the victim of massive theft.
Now, this all came to light because federal investigators are looking into an illegal California gambling operation, as first reported by the "Los
Angeles Times." Now, according to ESPN, Ohtani sent millions of dollars in wire transfers from his bank account to the alleged bookmaking operation.
And Mizuhara originally told ESPN in an interview Tuesday that the transfers were to cover his losses.
He said Ohtani had, quote, "zero involvement in the betting and none of the bets were on baseball." Now, Mizuhara, he told ESPN he didn't know gambling
was illegal in California and Ohtani wasn't happy about his debts, but decided to pay them off for him.
Well, as ESPN was getting ready to publish their story on Wednesday, Ohtani's lawyers, they sent out a statement saying in the course of
responding to recent media inquiries, we discovered that Shohei has been the victim of a massive theft and we're turning that matter over to the
authorities.
Now, on Wednesday, Mizuhara also walked back much of what he had told ESPN saying Ohtani had no knowledge of his gambling activities debts or efforts
to repay them. Now, CNN is attempting to contact Mizuhara. We've reached out to local authorities and Major League Baseball has declined to comment
at this moment.
And Mizuhara was in the dugout for Wednesday's MLB season opener against the Padres. He was seen, you know, talking to Ohtani, smiling, but Mizuhara
was fired by the Dodgers after this story came out. And Bianca, you know, this is certainly just going to be a big adjustment for Ohtani moving
forward.
You know, Mizuhara had been with him ever since he stepped foot here in the U.S. as his interpreter and he was right by his side, you know, whether
they were working out, you know, going to events, at games. He was even his catcher for the 2021 Home Run Derby. So these two were very, very close.
Certainly be interesting to follow this story and see what Ohtani eventually has to say about it, considering now that lawyers are involved
and the story changed early on.
NOBILO: A critical professional and personal relationship. It would be very interesting indeed. Andy Scholes, great to speak to you. Thank you.
[10:25:03]
With COP 30 over a year away, we look at a new campaign launched by the UNDP and talk to actor Nikolaj Coster-Waldau about his role in that.
Plus, we're in Mississippi where more former officials will be sentenced today for torturing two black men last year.
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NOBILO: Welcome back to CONNECT THE WORLD.
Local weather reports will be looking a little different today. Instead of your regular meteorologist, reports will be anchored by children and set in
the year 2050.
The Weather Kids is an initiative of the U.N. Development Program designed to inspire people to action on behalf of the next generation. And the UNDP
is inviting people to go online to sign a pledge on behalf of the kids in their lives. Once you sign that pledge and input the name of the child in
your life, the U.N. site shows you what the 2050 forecast could look like in their corner of the globe.
Those forecasts are generally sunny, the best possible outcome. But the Weather Kids, young meteorologists in training, are warning what could
happen by 2050 if we don't make major changes.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KAYLEE, WEATHER KID: I'm Kaylee with the very special weather report. From up there to down here everything is crazy. If we don't listen to
scientists, things are going to be even crazier when I grow up.
Let's look at the forecast for 2050. Heat waves will affect 94% of children, making playing outside a thing of the past. Extreme droughts will
wipe out wheat crops, killing the one food my brother eats, bread.
Disasters will cost taxpayers almost six trillion dollars. My parents hate taxes. Of course, all of this is caused by a blanket of heat-trapping
pollution in the atmosphere that we could just like not put up there.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NOBILO: Well, Derek, I'm leaving tomorrow but if I hadn't already planned I would be because clearly I'm going to be out of a job because look at the
competition. So you need to be careful as well as you join us from the Weather Center.
DEREK VAN DAM, CNN METEOROLOGIST: I know.
NOBILO: We often come to you with similar projections from scientists around the world showing us how climate change is threatening the future.
So I want to ask you today about what you see being achieved by this campaign. And you've signed up and made a pledge yourself, haven't you?
[10:30:16]
DAM: Yeah, you know, Bianca, this is such an excellent initiative to communicate climate change to people with these weather kids actually
inheriting this future, a planet that we are giving them and looking towards my job in the year 2050, you don't necessarily need to take it from
me, you can listen to Kaylee one of the weather kids you saw on your screen just a moment ago.
There's also scientific backed illustrations of what our future will look like when we start to go into unchecked, uncurbed Global warming and this
is one of such renderings of course very familiar landscape here being London, the River Thames.
Look at this artist rendition of potential sea level rise into London inundating some of this coastal areas now since the start of 1900 we've
seen about one foot or roughly a quarter of a meter of sea level rise realized since the Industrial Revolution with projections if we leave
climate change unchecked up to one meter.
You say, hey, look what three feet of future sea level rise, that's not that much but when you consider that one in seven people across the globe
actually live in a coastal community and rising sea level allows for water to be pushed further and further inland. Just take Shanghai, here's a
financial center. You can see this artist rendition of a four degrees warming world. And what that will look like.
Now, when it comes to climate change these are some of the strongest evidence of extreme weather that we have linking that to climate change
coastal flooding, sea level rise, heat -- heat waves as well. And all of these extreme weather events, they're incredibly expensive.
In fact, here in the United States alone last year we totaled over 90 billion dollars because of these extreme weather events set a new record of
28 billion dollar plus weather disasters and those billion dollar plus weather disasters continue to increase with time. Bianca?
NOBILO: And Derek, when you went on the website. What -- what was your experience? What did you see?
DAM: You know, listen Bianca, I've been to countless schools talking to them and children's facing them right in their eyes talking to them about
extreme weather the changing climate and -- and having children of my own, here's one of my -- my daughters, Maya, you know, just having this
responsible -- responsibility now to future-proof this planet for future generations. This initiative helps back that decision I made the pledge
today. And -- and I encourage our viewers to do the same because this is the biggest climate story is the biggest story of our lifetime. And we have
the potential here to have our finest moment as humanity, in my opinion.
NOBILO: Derek Van Dam, thank you so much for joining us from the Weather Center, great to see you.
DAM: OK.
NOBILO: Thank you.
My next guest is a U.N. Goodwill Ambassador who has long focused on the impacts the younger generation can have, here's Nikolaj Coster-Waldau.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NIKOLAJ COSTER-WALDAU, ACTOR & UNDP GOODWILL AMBASSADOR: The decisions that we make today about the future of the planet will affect young people more
than anybody else. You know, a child born now is likely to suffer on average three to four times as many extreme climate events in their
lifetime as their grandparents. We must embrace their leadership. We must listen to their demands We must work to ensure their voices are heard and
taken into account in the rooms where decisions are made.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NOBILO: And Nikolaj joins us now live from Reykjavik in Iceland. Great to have you on the program with us talking about this really important
initiative. What do you see young people achieving as part of this weather kids campaign? And when they do get a seat at the decision-making table,
what have you seen this younger generation achieve?
COSTER-WALDAU: Well, I think -- I think what I love about this campaign, it's -- it's kind of putting a focus on that this issue is kind of a
generational issue. It's not something we can solve in 2, 4, 10 years. This is going to take decades. And it comes for responsibility.
And you're right, kids have had taken up a lot of space over the last years in it because they're afraid of the future rightly so.
I also think -- to me, it's important that this could be a wake-up call for us because not long ago, I was -- I did -- I did a show, I travel around
the world. I was doing this -- this live podcast talking about and after that a woman came up to me and she said thank you so much for talking about
the positives, the future being -- being hopeful because my kid suffers of climate fear. And it's a real -- it's almost disabling.
And I think it's important that the grown-ups are the grown-ups and that we have to tell our kids listen, I know you hear all the noise and there's so
much fear out there about the world coming to an end. Well, does not coming to an end because we have the means, we have the tools and we have the will
to implement.
[10:35:08]
And we will do that because there's no -- I mean, we don't have a choice. I mean, you know, we're not that stupid as humans. Humans are incredible and
we've done it before. We've faced massive challenges before overcome them and what's happened here, of course, is that through our brilliance, we
understood how to use the natural resources and we've creating incredible wealth over the last 100, 150.
Now, of course, we realized, yeah, that's a byproduct here and that's a pollution and it's -- it's -- it's the heating of the of our globe. We have
to reverse. We have to course correct. It's happening, it happens happening globally. Is it happening fast enough? No, but it is happening. And I think
the message of hope which is also when you see the rest of the weather report from the kids there is actually hope at the end because change is
coming. We want to keep pushing our politicians, our decision makers to keep go driving that -- that -- that way forward.
And of course with anything, this is not going to be just one smooth ride. It's always this thing of two steps forward one step back but I think the
message to our kids, to our young people is that, we hear you and we will act, and we will be the grown-ups for you.
NOBILO: The combination that you were alluding to in that last answer of the alarm and the urgency that has to be heard. But an equal measure, the
hope is so important and on that note, I think we have a sound bite. Let's try and hear more from the weather kid herself Kaylee who's forecasting the
reasons that we do have to hope.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KAYLEE: There's still a chance of clear skies. Right now clean energy systems are moving in from the east to the west, creating tons of cool
jobs. And solar prices have dropped lower than oil and gas. Going to the satellite, it looks like a high-pressure system of grown-ups could still
move in and protect kids from an avalanche of really bad stuff. Some gusty political winds ahead, but they're no match for the power of Hurricane
Felicia. That's my mom.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NOBILO: So Nikolaj, what needs to be done, what more needs to be done to ensure that we achieve that sunnier outlook for the future?
COSTER-WALDAU: Well, I think -- I think there's -- what's amazing now, of course, is that -- and we also live in a world that's very much dominated
by economics, right? What we see now is that renewable energy is actually cheaper and it moved so fast and it's happening all over the world. And,
you know, I was -- I was traveling around, I did another show called an Optimist Guide to the Planet. I met -- I was in Fukushima in Japan, the
place where they were hit by this horrible nuclear disaster. And they were like, they decided we're going to change this from nuclear. We're going to
go into hydrogen.
Then, I went to Germany where in the north of Germany, they -- they decommissioned the newest coal power plant in the country and turned into a
hydrogen power plant. That just tells you that it's happening because it makes sense. It makes sense most importantly, of course, for the future of
the climate, but also it makes economic sense. Because change is very difficult, it's difficult to go out to our -- to our voters to a fellow man
to say yeah, we're going to save the world, but it's going to cost you extra. That's always a difficult sell. But the reality is, as she also --
talks about in the weather forecast that the cost if we don't act it's going to be so much more.
And also, let's also look at the -- the side effects of acting is that we're going to get cleaner air, cleaner water. I just saw today Delhi in
India the most polluted the city in the world like millions of people at harm every day. We don't want that. We don't want that for our kids. And
that's what I think at the end of the day what's great about this campaign and what unites us, we all want to leave this planet in a better place than
we -- when we took over. And we have some work to do.
But you know, I -- I took the pledge myself, for my kids. And I put a little plus because who knows maybe I'll get lucky no pressure on my kids.
But, you know, because it is -- it is the most important thing for all of us. It's our family is to take care of our kids. Yeah.
NOBILO: Absolutely and selling the benefits of a greener world and eco- friendly solutions is so important as you just did in a very compelling way so that people are going to have huge advantages by making the adjustments
that they need to make.
I was just about to ask you about you filling out the pledge in honor of your daughters, Filippa and Safina. I think we can bring up -- here we go,
the forecast of 2050 generated for them by this U.N. development program website.
Now lastly, to you to make this dream a reality of a sunnier outlook, a huge part of it has got to be about the systemic change worldwide across
individual countries and supranational institutions not just what the individual is capable of doing by using their lights less or buying an
electric car.
[10:40:07]
COSTER-WALDAU: I think -- I think that's a very important point because I - - because we've gone through this time of pointing fingers at each other shaming each other for not doing that. We have to get away from that
because, let's face it, I don't know, I don't walk into your shoes and the choices you make are your choices. So we have to lift it up and say listen,
this is about, you know, having our governments, our politicians make the decisions that are hard and that's why we elect them. We don't elect them
to do the easy stuff. We want them to do the stuff that we can't do ourselves.
And it's like an example at home, I'm in Denmark, you know, just basic stuff like recycling. I used to recycle whatever I could. But then when --
when -- when all these containers were put in my house, it got so much easier because they're plastic, metal, glass. OK, then I do it because it's
-- it's accessible and -- and -- and things have been put in motion for to make it accessible. And that's the whole thing.
You know when you turn on your light switch, you don't really care where they come -- where it comes from, you don't want it, you just want it to
work. But if you know that actually this is -- this renewable energy, it's cheaper for us, for all of us. Well, it's a win-win. I mean the thing is, I
don't see the downside in this transition and that's -- that's what I think is important to focus on. That's also why I think all over the world, it's
happening and it's being scaled up so fast.
But, of course, we need to keep the pressure on. But in terms of hope and because sometimes, you know, you know, when -- when there are elections
people get oh, no if this happens, and we got it -- sometimes you take a step back, but the movement is happening. It's happening at a -- at a
massive space and there is real reason for hope. But we have to, you know, we have to voice our concern and our willingness for our politicians to do
the right choice, make the right choice.
NOBILO: Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, it's been wonderful to speak to you. It always is when you get to speak to somebody who is a passionate advocate
for such an important global challenge. It's really reaffirming. So thank you for your time today on the program.
COSTER-WALDAU: Thank you so much, thank you.
NOBILO: And we want to give the final word of this segment to the weather kid.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KAYLEE: We'll keep you posted as we track it. But don't stop wasting time and fix this totally solvable problem because it's not just a weather
report to us. It's our future.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NOBILO: Happening now, the Dow Jones Industrial Average is closing in on 40,000 points for the first time in its 128-year history. The rally just
keeps on going after the U.S. Federal Reserve sent stocks soaring to new highs on Wednesday, on a forecast of three rate cuts for this year. Matt
Egan is with us. Is it going to happen, Matt?
MATT EGAN, CNN REPORTER: It may happen. I think the question is whether or not it happens today. I'm a little surprised how close we've gotten to
40,000 just in the first hour plus of trading. You can see the Dow just a 115 points away.
[10:45:10]
This would be a big moment. I mean remember a lot of people did not think that we'd be talking about Dow 40,000 right now. A lot of people year, two
years ago, they were really worried about a recession and that of course would have crushed the stock market. Instead investors are feeling pretty
good right now. I mean they're feeling good about the economy, about the prospects for a soft landing. They're feeling good about interest rates
just yesterday, the Fed signaled that it is still penciling in, three interest rate cuts this year despite some hotter than expected inflation
numbers, that sends stocks up.
Investors are also feeling pretty good about artificial intelligence, right? Money has just poured into NVIDIA and other AI stocks and -- and
that has catapulted the NASDAQ and really the entire stock market.
It is also important, I think, to remember where we came from. You know, not that long ago was four years ago during these scariest moments of
COVID, the Dow plunged below 20,000 so we're actually more than double the COVID lows, which I think is pretty impressive. And you go back even
further during the scariest moments of the 2008 Great Recession, the Dow was down below 7,000. So it has been quite the move since then. It is of
course fair to note that the stock market is not the economy. You know, and what's good for Wall Street is not always good for Main Street. But I do
think in this case it is a reflection of optimism about the U.S. economy and -- and really the world economy at large.
NOBILO: Matt Egan, thank you so much
EGAN: Thank you
NOBILO: The last two members of the so-called goon squad are expected to be sentenced today for torturing two black men in Mississippi last year. Four
other men have already received sentences ranging from 17 to 40 years behind bars for their racially motivated crimes, all six men are former law
enforcement officers. CNN's Ryan Young reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MALIK SHABAZZ, LEAD ATTORNEY FOR JENKINS AND PARKER: The day of justice has finally come.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's right.
SHABAZZ: For the Rankin County Goon Squad.
RYAN YOUNG, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The Goon Squad, a nickname federal prosecutors say some white former Mississippi law
enforcement officers gave themselves for their alleged willingness to use excessive force and not report. Now six of them facing sentencing after
pleading guilty to charges in connection with torturing two black men, Michael Jenkins and Eddie Parker, for nearly two hours back in January of
2023.
SHABAZZ: They've undergone from what you've heard in there, a substantial amount of trouble.
YOUNG (voice-over): The officers had entered the home the victims were in without a warrant and proceeded to use racial slurs, kick, taze and attempt
sexual assault and intimidate the victims with the firearm. The assault ended with Jenkins getting shot in the mouth and then the officers
attempted to cover it all up. Back in July, I spoke to Parker Jenkins and Jenkins' mother and tour the home where the crimes occurred.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They started beating me here.
YOUNG (voice-over): The courtroom filled with the motion at sentencing today, Michael Jenkins' mother, Mary Jenkins giving a victim impact
statement in court saying in part, I want the same consideration for these people as they gave my son when they put the gun in his mouth and pull the
trigger. And the parents of one of the convicted deputies, Hunter Elward also making a statement, nothing prepares a parent for this. What happened
shouldn't have happened. There are so many more victims in the people in this room. Hunter is going to take an own what he did.
And his son did, Hunter Elward stood up and directly addressed the two men he victimize. I'm so sorry. I don't want to get too personal with you,
Michael. There is no telling what you've seen. I'm so sorry that I caused that. I hate myself for it. I hate that I gave you that. I accept all
responsibility. Hunter Elward parents spoke to CNN shortly after their son's apology and his sentencing of 20 years plus one month.
EDDIE ELWARD, FATHER OF CONVICTED DEPUTY: What happened to those two gentlemen he cannot live with anymore.
YOUNG (voice-over): One of the victims, Eddie Parker told Elward in court that he forgave him.
EDDIE PARKER, VICTIM OF DEPUTY ASSAULT: I hate to forgive him because I mean deep down inside I know, you know, what he did wasn't something that
he did, you know, solely on his thoughts.
YOUNG (voice-over): But Michael Jenkins said it didn't mean a damn thing to him.
MICHAEL JENKINS, VICTIM OF DEPUTY ASSAULT: I got attacked.
YOUNG (voice-over): Jenkins older brother still reeling from what happened to his brother.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I couldn't do this to nobody. I couldn't stand and watch it being done with my bud.
YOUNG (voice-over): The attorney for Jenkins and Parker said there was some overall solace in today's sentencing.
SHABAZZ: Finally they could see justice occur and to see their tormentors know that they won't be back on the street to terrorize them again and
they'll be behind bars for at least 20 years.
YOUNG: Ryan Young, CNN Jackson, Mississippi.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NOBILO: Ahead on CONNECT THE WORLD, traditional gender roles flipping around in Colombia, why that country is seeing more and more househusbands.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[10:51:39]
NOBILO: The so-called househusband is an example of how traditional father- mother roles have flipped while the spouse works, the other stays at home with the kids. And in a specific example of gender equality, men
responsible for household chores has almost doubled in Colombia since the pandemic. CNN Stefano Pozzebon has more now on men learning new parenting
skills in CNN's ongoing as equals theories.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
STEFANO POZZEBON, JOURNALIST (voice-over): Open, clean, moisturize, close it and they're all set. It sounds simple, but the impact can be massive.
This is what a care school for men looks like. And more than just learning how to change diapers, this is a place where Colombian men can learn how to
be better husbands, fathers and sons.
JUAN DAVID CORTES, FOUNDER, HOMBRES AL CUIDADO (through translation): We can all say it at the same time, first thing we are told is that men don't
cry.
POZZEBON (voice-over): And that includes, for example, learning how to tie a ponytail.
CORTES (through translation): Combing hair is not just combing hair. It's about the emotional connection that you create. Investing in men learning
about care will allow us to assume this responsibility at home and yet I don't lose masculinity.
POZZEBON (voice-over): That care, something Colombian men just like these didn't really know how to give. During the pandemic lockdowns, many looks
for help as they were unable to look after their families. Domestic violence reports in the country also soaring.
POZZEBON: Colombian women are disproportionately in charge of household chores and of raising children. And projects like these are already having
an impact.
(Voice-over): According to research from Bogota City Hall shared exclusively with CNN, men who said they were entirely responsible for
household chores roughly doubled since the project was launched in 2021. The transition from classroom to the real world is fast.
Harold Pardo is a father of four, and he is the one in charge of the school run.
HAROLD PARDO, COLOMBIAN FATHER (through translation): Have you got homework to do?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translation): Yes I do, in English.
POZZEBON (voice-over): That is change. Like many Colombians, growing up, Harold was not as close to his father as he is now to his children.
POZZEBON: Will you have wished that your dad had done a course like the one you did yesterday?
HAROLD PARDO, COLOMBIAN FATHER (through translation): Of course. They should do it to see where they come from and where we, the new generation,
are going instead. I'd like to see how that generation reacts to what we are doing balancing the scale.
POZZEBON (voice-over): But, it's not all family care for Pardo. He is studying to work in healthcare administration. And once a week, he and his
friends gather for a retrial of Latin American manliness.
PARDO (through translation): In the football team we're fathers, sons, brothers. We talk about our responsibilities at home. My teammates would be
happy to take a course and be more aware.
POZZEBON (voice-over): But, even here, the tables are turning. Soon enough, Pardo says, they could be gathering for playdates and changing diapers.
Stefano Pozzebon, CNN, Bogota.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NOBILO: Before we go, have you ever wanted to be a NASA astronaut? Now's your chance because the U.S. Space Agency is accepting applications
obviously not just anyone is eligible, you have to be a U.S. citizen with a master's degree in science, tech, engineering, or maths. You have to have
at least three years' experience in some kind of related profession. And you have to complete a NASA long duration spaceflight physical.
[10:55:23]
If you can do all of that, and if NASA accepts you, you could become the first woman to walk on the moon or the next man. Inspiring stuff.
Well, that is it for CONNECT THE WORLD today. Do stay with CNN. CNN NEWSROOM is up next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
END
