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Israel-Hamas War; Iranian Attack on Israel Would Likely Come from Proxy Forces; Trump Says Abortion Legislation Should Be Left to States; International Court Rules Switzerland Violated Human Rights; U.N. Committee to Decide on Palestinian Full State Member Status; Students Angry over Biden's Handling of Israel-Hamas War; NASA Launches Rockets to Study Total Solar Eclipse; "Hardest Geezer" Completes Run across Africa. Aired 10-11a ET
Aired April 09, 2024 - 10:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[10:00:00]
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE (voice-over): Live from CNN Abu Dhabi, this is CONNECT THE WORLD with Becky Anderson.
BECKY ANDERSON, CNN HOST (voice-over): And welcome to our second hour of CONNECT THE WORLD. I'm Becky Anderson in Abu Dhabi for you, where the time
is six in the evening.
This hour, the Israeli prime minister says there will be no stopping a ground invasion into Rafah in southern Gaza.
For the first time in the United States, the parents of a school shooter are set to be sentenced to prison.
Court is in session and we are standing by for the ruling.
And a landmark case in Europe has ruled that Switzerland's failure to address climate crisis was a violation of human rights.
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ANDERSON: Well, approximately 1.4 million people. That is how many Palestinians have flooded into Rafah, the city their last refuge for safety
after they were forced to flee the fighting elsewhere in Gaza.
And now they must brace for an Israeli ground incursion into Rafah. Prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and announcing on Monday that a date for the
operation has been set and vowing today, that, quote, "no force in the world will stop it from happening."
This looming offensive coming amid dire warnings that what is already a humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza could reach unimaginable proportions in a
war that has already seen more than 33,000 people killed.
Jeremy Diamond is back from Jerusalem.
"No force in the world will stop," says the prime minister.
To whom is he alluding?
And what do we know about when this threatened assault might happen?
JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, the prime minister says that a date has been set for that Rafah offensive. He said so in comments
yesterday, just hours after his far-right minister -- national security minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, effectively threatened to collapse the
government should a Rafah offensive not happen and should the war end before such an offensive would take place.
So it's important to take the prime minister's comments about a date being set for this offensive in the context of that kind of political pressure
that the Israeli prime minister is currently facing, perhaps even more so than in an operational context.
But nonetheless today, during an event with Israeli troops, the Israeli prime minister continuing to vow that that offensive will take place, no
matter the forces trying to prevent it. Listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, PRIME MINISTER OF ISRAEL (through translator): We will complete the elimination of the Hamas battalions, including in Rafah. There
is no force in the world that will stop us. Many forces are trying to do this but it will not help because, this enemy, after what it has done, will
not do it again.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
DIAMOND: And I'll ask your question, Becky, about exactly which forces the prime minister is talking about. We know that at this very moment the
Israeli prime minister is under enormous pressure. Not only here domestically but also international pressure. In particular from Israel's
closest ally, the United States, which has tried to forestall an Israeli invasion of Rafah, urging Israel to take a different path, presenting
alternatives.
But for weeks now, despite that, those comments from the United States, despite those efforts to prevent Israel from carrying out that offensive,
Netanyahu has only emboldened himself on that front, vowing that it is essential to take out what he has described as Hamas' last bastion and
vowing that offensive will take place regardless of what the United States provides as alternatives.
ANDERSON: The background to this, of course, is that ceasefire talks ongoing once again over the weekend. Hamas now sitting with a proposal, a
plan, that if they agree to that, of course.
[10:05:00]
And that's a big if at this point we would be looking at a ceasefire albeit temporary for the release of hostages and Palestinian prisoners. Again, we
continue to follow the lines of inquiry in that. Nothing as of yet but I've been told by sources that this is a critical juncture in that negotiation
process. Good to have you.
If Iran launches an attack against Israel, it is more likely to be carried out by Iranian proxies in the region, not by Iran itself. That is according
to American intelligence sources talking to CNN.
And they say Tehran is wary of a dramatic escalation in fighting and does not want to give the U.S. or any of its allies an excuse to attack. Iran
has vowed retaliation, of course, for an Israeli strike on its consulate in Damascus last week. And a key military adviser to the Iranian supreme
leader has warned none of Israel's embassies are safe.
Trita Parsi joins us now, live from Washington. He's author of "Losing an Enemy," and executive vice president of the Quincy Institute for
Responsible Statecraft.
What do you make of the U.S. messaging on what Iran plans to do?
TRITA PARSI, QUINCY INSTITUTE FOR RESPONSIBLE STATECRAFT: Well, the key point though is that the U.S. intelligence expects some sort of a response
from the Iranians this time around.
And that breaks the pattern that we have seen in the last few years, in which the Israelis have attacked Iranian officials, military installations,
et cetera, in Lebanon, as well as in Syria without a strong response from the audience because of the fact that the Iranians have played a longer
game and have wanted to avoid direct confrontation.
But rather want to confront Israel asymmetrically. But this attack against the constant breaks violates an Iranian red line, which is that it was
technically on Iranian territory. And as a result, some form of direct response is expected.
I'm not so sure, however, that it would come from some of the organizations that are aligned with Iran.
We saw the United States under Trump assassinate Soleimani, the head of the Quds Forces, the Iranians made a point out of responding directly
themselves from Iranian territory to signal that this was a major escalation by the United States.
And as a result, would get a major response from the bombs.
ANDERSON: That's interesting.
You wrote in a recent piece that, and I quote you here, "It is clear that Iran wants to avoid a direct confrontation with Israel but it cannot avoid
it unless it secures a big win in the region."
What are Iran's options and what scenarios do you see as likely at this point?
PARSI: The Iranians have been pushing the United States in talks that have been held in Oman that they will put pressure on their partners in the
region if the United States puts pressure on its partner, Israel, and gets a cease-fire.
The U.S. side has come with demands on Israeli and Iraqi militias, et cetera. And we have seen that Iranians have actually done so.
But the Iranian response has also been that they want to see a reciprocity from the American side in making sure that there's a ceasefire in Gaza.
There are some reports out there in the Arab media that says that the Iranians have offered to refrain from attacking Israel if the U.S. secures
a cease-fire.
And that could potentially be something that Iranians are doing as a double win; on the one hand, they will be off the hook from actually having to
retaliate against Israel and risk a major confrontation.
And they could simultaneously take some credit for saving the people of Gaza, whether those reports are true or not, it's not entirely clear at
this point.
We may find out in the next couple of days but it is interesting, if conversations of this kind is being held between the two sides, because it
shows neither the U.S. or Iran actually want the confrontation.
The question is, how will they be able to avoid it while also saving face?
ANDERSON: If the U.S. ended up in confrontation and were looking for the support of their regional allies at this point, certainly, as things stand
at the moment, they are unlikely to get that.
There has been no change in the regional positioning with regard Iran of, for example, the Gulf states, those who were not diplomatically aligned
with Iran over the past few years.
Saudi, UAE, for example, now have diplomatic relations and that hasn't changed. It hasn't changed despite October the 7th
[10:10:00]
Does that change a U.S. calculation in any way should things escalate?
PARSI: I think it certainly should be a critical consideration for the U.S. because the situation as you pointed out is dramatically different
from what it was about 15 or so years ago.
Remember that WikiLeaks showed that both officials from the UAE and Saudi Arabia were actively pushing the United States back then to attack Iran.
And we also saw a lot of pressure during the Trump years for some form of compensation.
That has now dramatic (INAUDIBLE). The Emiratis have find a new modus vivendi (ph) of the Iranians; the Saudis have come to the conclusion that
their 2030 vision and their longer-term objective cannot be achieved if they continue to be embroiled in some form of a negative rivalry with the
Iranians.
And through the mediation of the Chinese have now reached their own modus vivendi. None of these countries are interested at this point in a
confrontation that would jeopardize those wins and lead them into a much more uncertain situation.
ANDERSON: It seems a long time ago, six months, that we were talking about de-escalation around this region.
But if you're in this region, as I am, that sort of project of de- escalation continues, despite what we are seeing in Gaza and the concerns about slippage of that conflict around this region. It's good to have you,
Trita, thank you very much indeed for joining us.
PARSI: Thank you so much for having me.
ANDERSON: Well, right now in Michigan, the -- thank you -- the parents of school shooter, Ethan Crumbley are set to receive their sentences for
manslaughter.
Now the court will hear victim impact statements before Judge Cheryl Matthews hands down those sentences. Jennifer and James Crumbley were
convicted in separate trials. Jurors found the two culpable in allowing their 15 year-old son have access to a gun while suffering mental illness.
He killed four classmates and wounded seven others. Adults for the high school in 2021. Jean Casarez is back with us this hour.
Jean, it's good to have you.
What do you make of what you are hearing so far?
JEAN CASAREZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, this is contentious in the courtroom and I -- they are just about to get to the victim impact
statements, which will be emotional.
But remember, this is the first time in this country that parents of a school shooter have not only been charged and convicted but now they're
being sentenced. And so the defense is really finding issue with some of these aggravating factors here.
For instance, that the defendant intended to kill as many people as possible in that mass shooting. That is something that can add years to
your final prison sentence. They said no, the defense is saying we will establish, we will concede gross negligence over a continuing pattern.
But once Ethan Crumbley got that gun in his hands, once he went to school with it, pulled the trigger and killing four and injuring many, that was
his decision. The parents have nothing to do with that. They should not be at fault and blamed for what their son did when he finally was that
intervening, independent factor that did the shooting.
We'll see if the judge goes with that or not, because the prosecution is wanting 15 years in prison, total 10 to 15 at best. The defense is asking
for about two to close to five years.
They have been behind bars for over two years now, so they should get some time served. But there most likely will be a prison sentence here, not
probation. So it just determines how long because I think both parents want to start their life again.
Their son, Ethan Crumbley of course, charged as an adult, convicted, defense making a lot of that, that he was charged as an adult, meaning that
he was responsible for his own acts, never to get out of prison. Life in prison without any possibility of parole, Becky.
Jean, as you say, we are waiting on those victims statements and those are likely to be emotional.
Jean, it's good to have you. Thanks.
CASAREZ: Thanks.
ANDERSON: Well, Trump, angering both liberals and conservatives with his latest comments on abortion rights.
His remarks came in this video posted to his Truth Social account. He says abortion rights should be left up to the States. He refused to say how many
weeks into a pregnancy abortion should be banned.
But he says he supports exceptions in the cases of rape, incest and danger to the life of the mother. He also says he is proudly responsible for
getting Roe versus Wade overturned.
Well, CNN's Alayna Treene joins us now from Washington.
Donald Trump's position has changed on this issues -- on these issues, just explain.
ALAYNA TREENE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, that's right. I mean, what he said yesterday and that statement about this being that he wants to leave it to
the States to decide how to move forward on abortion.
[10:15:06]
It's not exactly new. He has said this for over a year now. But the significance of it is that he has flirted in recent weeks with potentially
backing a 15- or 16-week abortion ban and then also comes as, over the past several months, he has been pressured by several of his top allies and anti
abortion groups to clarify his position on abortion.
And really to try and define a specific number of weeks where he believes that a national abortion bland (sic) should be placed. However, he
obviously did not do that with his comments yesterday.
And to be honest, in my conversations with many Republicans, he really took the politically safe route, because abortion is such a vulnerable issue for
Republicans, something that Donald Trump doesn't just say privately.
But he said it publicly. He says that this is about winning elections. The reason he is punting this is to the state is because he believes that it
will help him in November. Take a listen to how the former president put it in that statement yesterday.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP (R), FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT, 2024 PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: My view is now that we have abortion where everybody wanted it from a legal
standpoint. The States will determine by vote or legislation or perhaps both. And whatever they decide must be the law of the land in this case the
law of the state.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
TREENE: Now Becky, I think another thing that's very important to point out here is that many Republicans have pretty much stayed quiet on this
issue. However, there are a few very prominent Republican leaders who did criticize Donald Trump for this.
We heard from his former vice president, Mike Pence, who said, quote, that Trump's statement was "a retreat on the right to life and a slap in the
face."
We also heard criticism from senator Lindsey Graham, a very fervent supporter of Donald Trump's. He's also someone I know who has been
pressuring Donald Trump to try and embrace a national ban around 15 weeks.
He said he was disappointed with the statement Donald Trump gave, as well as Marjorie Dannenfelser. She is the president of a leading anti-abortion
group in the United States. She added that she was very disappointed as well.
And this is something that clearly has frustrated Donald Trump, because we saw him lash out at this criticism publicly on Truth, Social yesterday, he
criticized Lindsey Graham, said that him (sic) and Marjorie Dannenfelser have been really standing in the way of Republicans' ultimate goal.
Which is again, he thinks to get him elected in November, Becky.
ANDERSON: Yes, you said that this was sort of politically expedient of the former president. A new poll shows that 66 percent of voters support the
right to an -- to an abortion.
So just how shrewd a move, political move, is this by Donald Trump?
TREENE: This is in trying to play it safe, I think. He -- this is something that Donald Trump has struggled with for over a year. And we saw
this really play out during the Republican presidential primary, when many of his opponents had been backing a certain abortion bans and Donald Trump
refused.
He refused to give in to the pressure he was receiving from people on the Right as well as from some of his own advisors on his team, who thought it
would be smart of him during the primary to come out and back a ban.
He avoided doing that and that's exactly what he's doing now. And look, I think it's even more important for him during a general election to try and
play the politics of this. This is something that Donald Trump has always done, particularly when it comes to this issue.
He's really tried to have both sides of it. He's been taking credit for the overturning of Roe versus Wade, for his role in putting three conservative
Supreme Court justices on the bench, while also while trying to punt this to the States.
But I think the main message here in the big picture, Becky, is that, regardless of the outrage we're seeing from some of these Republicans on
the Right, they're still going to choose Donald Trump if this is their leading issue.
People who believed that abortions should not be allowed at a certain number of weeks will choose Donald Trump over President Joe Biden,
regardless of their disappointment with how he's handling this.
ANDERSON: Thank you.
Well, just ahead on CONNECT THE WORLD, linking human rights to the climate crisis. Three separate cases before the European Court of Human Rights have
tried to do just that and one of them just succeeded, I'll explain, up next.
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ANDERSON: Well, it's not often that we get to bring you a win in the climate fight. But we've got one for you today.
It comes in the form of a landmark climate judgment, which could have a ripple effect across the globe. The European Court of Human Rights has just
found in favor of more than 2,000 Swiss women, who argued that heat waves fueled by climate change have undermined their health.
Anne Mahrer is the co president of the Swiss group that filed the successful lawsuit. Have a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANNE MAHRER, CO PRESIDENT, SENIOR WOMEN FOR CLIMATE PROTECTION (through translator): We can be very proud. We, the elderly, to have brought to the
court for the first time the issue of climate and fundamental rights.
And the court has recognized us and our fundamental right to a healthy climate and that our country should do what it has not done until now
meaning to take ambitious measures to protect our health and protect the future for all of us.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Well the court also ruled two other climate-related cases were inadmissible. It's important to note there is no right of appeal and the
judgment is legally binding.
Now this all comes as the world chalks up the hottest March on record. Well, joining me now is Gerry Liston, a senior lawyer at Global Legal
Action Network. He represented a group of Portuguese children, who were unsuccessful with their climate lawsuit at the ECHR. He is live from
Strasbourg for us in France.
It's good to have you. The Swiss government said that they have taken note of the ruling. Will now analyze and review the measures as Switzerland will
take in the future. So let's start there.
Does this ruling beholden the Swiss government to take concrete measures?
Walk us through what the impact of this ruling is.
GERRY LISTON, SENIOR LAWYER GLOBAL LEGAL ACTION NETWORK: Well, I think the most significant impact of this ruling is that it requires much more than
the Swiss government to take concrete measures.
The ruling has European-wide effects. It requires all 46 member states of the Council of Europe to revise their targets urgently so that they are
science-based and aligned with 1.5 degrees.
That's the clear implication of the judge's ruling, which, as you said, has a ripple effect way beyond Switzerland and can even have effects, we hope,
beyond Europe as well. And the court today has recognized --
(CROSSTALK)
ANDERSON: What did you --
LISTON: -- intergenerational threat -- yes, the intergenerational threat that the climate crisis poses and also the fact that it is an existential
threat. So this is really a landmark ruling from Strasbourg today.
ANDERSON: Yes, that's fascinating. So this was a group of Swiss women. The court ruled that the case brought forward by young people in Portugal --
and that was your case -- was ruled inadmissible. Here's what one of the claimants had to say after the ruling for the benefit of our viewers.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SOFIA OLIVEIRA, CLAIMANT, PORTUGUESE YOUTH LAWSUIT: -- court has said that Swiss women's case, that government must cut their emissions more to
protect the human rights. So I really think their win is a win for us, too, and a win for everyone.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Precedent for this ruling set?
[10:25:05]
LISTON: Yes, so as I said, it's going to all the government lawyers who represented the 32 respondent states in our case are now going to have to
advise their governments, the governments they represents it, that they're going to need to look at the targets again and update them.
Because none of the governments in Europe in the case is that before the court today have targets that are anywhere near aligned with 1.5 degrees.
Most governments' targets are aligned between 3.0 and 4.0 degrees within the lifetime of the young people before the court today.
So absolutely catastrophic levels of warming. So this precedent will require European-wide revision to climate policies urgently or otherwise
we're going to see -- I think in any case we're going to see a new wave of climate mitigation in Europe, sparked at the domestic level, sparked by
this ruling from Strasbourg today.
ANDERSON: Yes. This is really interesting, as you're pointing out there, that within the lifetime of these youngsters, these targets are completely
insufficient.
I think a lot of our viewers will be surprised by the insufficiency of those targets in Europe as they stand at present. In ruling your case
admissible, the judge said that the climate crisis is existential in a way that sets it apart from other cause and effect cases.
But said that the court rejects the applicants' submissions to the effect that control over their conventional interests should serve as a relevant
test for establishing jurisdiction in the field of climate change.
I was even struggling to get through all of that. That -- there's a lot of legalese in there.
So for the benefit of me and our viewers, can you break that down for us and tell me how that will impact the way that you approach these types of
climate litigation or climate cases in the future?
LISTON: It's very well the court had never before been confronted with a case that raised an issue of transboundary environmental harm, even say
pollution crossing a border from one country into another.
Which is surprising perhaps, because the court has dealt with lots of cases confirmed -- concerning environmental issues in recent decades. So this is
the first time the court was confronted with this issue.
We were hoping it would recognize that states have to reduce their emissions in a way that are sufficient to protect those in the most
vulnerable parts of Europe. The court found that states other than Portugal don't owe obligations to those living in Portugal. In other words, don't
owe extraterritorial obligations.
But ultimately the fact that the court has emphasized the importance of the 1.5 degree upper limit is we think really significant in terms of
protecting those that are most vulnerable in Europe; 1.5 degrees is not by any means a safe level.
We know that from the impacts that the youth applicants in our case and also the elderly Swiss women in the (INAUDIBLE) case are experiencing. But
it's a significant step forward in terms of decisions that we've seen in domestic courts in Europe so far. And again, I think it's going to spark
new wave of litigation at a national level in Europe.
ANDERSON: Let's close with that, because we've seen governments across the world appear -- or at least say that they want to address the climate
crisis. But we've also seen many ultimately roll back on targets that they had set, because industries just aren't up to scale to sustain their
economies.
How do you see the legal system playing into the climate fight and holding governments to account?
LISTON: We've seen exponential growth in the number of climate cases taken in the last 5-10 years. And I think that growth is going to continue.
Certainly, today's ruling will really, I think encourage others to pursue further cases and strengthen the hand of those involved in existing cases,
both in Europe and beyond.
We've also got other cases at the international level. The Inter-American Court of Human Rights and the International Court of Justice are both
considering cases at the moment relating to climate change.
Ultimately, litigation is just one tool. We're going to need a new wave of -- or a bigger wave of climate activism answer in Europe and beyond again,
to enforce the ruling we've got today in the Swiss case.
And ultimately litigation and the kind of activism that takes place on the streets and through advocacy, through the political channels, are mutually
reinforcing. Today is hopefully a significant step forward for all working on the fight for a livable future.
ANDERSON: It's good to have you. Thank you very much indeed.
[10:30:00]
Bogota, Colombia, facing a mounting drought crisis and will start rationing water this week. The mayor says several reservoirs face historically low
levels. Approximately 9 million people will be affected by the rations.
Officials say Colombia has experienced long periods without rain since June of last year due to El Nino.
Still to come an aid delivery in Gaza that ended in bloodshed. Now a new CNN investigation into the tragedy casts doubt on Israel's timeline of
events. That is up next.
Plus young Americans getting their first chance to choose a president this year. Many are saying they don't want Joe Biden or Donald Trump. More on
that after this.
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ANDERSON: Just half past six in the evening in Abu Dhabi. Welcome back to CONNECT THE WORLD from our Middle East programming hub here in the UAE. I'm
Becky Anderson.
You may remember these horrific scenes.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON (voice-over): The aftermath of an aid delivery turned deadly. More than 100 Palestinians were killed and hundreds more were injured in
Gaza in late February, when the Israeli military claimed its tanks fired warning shots into the air to disperse a crowd after seeing people were
being trampled.
But a CNN analysis of videos, interviews and eyewitness testimonies casts doubt on Israel's version of events. Katie Polglase reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KATIE POLGLASE, CNN INVESTIGATIVE RESEARCHER (voice-over): It's early morning on February 29th on Al Rashid Road in northern Gaza. Thousands of
starving people have gathered here to receive food.
But as the aid trucks arrive, this happens. The night would become known as the flour massacre. By morning, over 100 would be dead in one of the single
biggest mass casualty events of this conflict.
CNN investigated this incident, obtaining never seen before videos of that night.
[10:35:00]
Collecting evidence from 22 eyewitnesses and tracing the aid itself all the way to a Muslim charity in the U.K.
It was the IDF that was then responsible for safely delivering these vital supplies. But we found they opened fire on unarmed, starving Palestinians
at close range as the aid arrived.
Their explanation for the tragedy using this drone video was the stampede that caused soldiers to fire warning shots in the air. They later admitted
to firing some shots directly at so-called suspects who approached them.
But the IDF footage is incomplete. It cuts between crowds surrounding the trucks and bodies lying on the ground. Even this reveals they were firing
in a densely packed area, likely to cause severe bloodshed.
CNN requested the full footage from the IDF but it was denied.
Jihad Abu Watfa was amongst the starving Palestinians and started filming as the trucks crossed into northern Gaza.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (Speaking foreign language).
POLGLASE (voice-over): Videos from Jihad and another key eyewitness, Bilal (ph), indicate the gunfire started earlier than the IDF claimed. The IDF
published this timeline, saying the trucks arrived at the checkpoint at 4:00 am. They've been crossed at 4:29. And only after that did the IDF fire
shots at the crowd.
But in Bilal's (ph) video, filmed seven minutes earlier, at 4:22 am, gunshots ring out. He warned there was a tank. The IDF claimed the convoy
was still stationary at the checkpoint at this time.
Next Jihad begins filming. It's now 4:27 am and there's a barrage of gunfire and the shots are close. Analysis by weapons experts of the bursts
indicate it as heavy automatic gunfire at 600 rounds per minute. Jihad keeps filming.
"A tank is beside me. We're now under siege," he says.
Moments later you see a truck driving along the road. We spotted traces from the gunfire here. One can be seen ricocheting up here, according to
weapons experts.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (Speaking foreign language).
POLGLASE (voice-over): As day broke, the number of dead and injured that emerged staggering. Interviews with survivors at hospitals afterwards found
some people had been shot in the upper body.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (Speaking foreign language).
POLGLASE (voice-over): Amid the devastation, CNN found a clue as to who had delivered this aid. This box with the writing on the welfare trust.
MOHAMMAD AHMED, UMMAH WELFARE TRUST: This was the first time that it had regional than Gaza and we were very, very excited and happy that finally we
have gone through.
POLGLASE (voice-over): They received the terrible news as to what had happened via WhatsApp.
AHMED: I woke up to some photos with cardboard boxes of our logo, my welfare says (ph) with bloodstains on them. And it came as a shock. This is
the first time in 20 years where I've actually seen blood being mixed with aid.
POLGLASE (voice-over): In all, at least 118 died that day. With the U.N. struggling to access northern Gaza, the IDF are responsible for ensuring
aid arrives safely.
Despite this, the U.N. has documented two dozen attacks on Palestinians awaiting aid in the last three months alone. For those like Jihad, living
on the verge of famine, it has led to a desperate fight for survival.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (Speaking foreign language).
POLGLASE (voice-over): And now that fight becomes more challenging than ever -- Katie Polglase, CNN, London.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: And the IDF have not yet responded to CNN's questions on these findings. We'll be happy for more details from that investigation, further
breaking down exactly what we know and how we know it. You'll find that and other stories from the region on our website.
Let's get you up to speed on some of the other stories that are on our radar right now.
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ANDERSON (voice-over): And Turkiye curbing exports to Israel after accusing the country of denying a request to aid drop as they airdrop aid
into Gaza. Restrictions target products that could be used for military or construction purposes, including steel and cement. Israel says Ankara has
violated trade agreements between the nations.
The United Nations is set to decide whether to grant Palestine full state member status. A specialized committee will review the request later this
month.
[10:40:00]
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
VANESSA FRAZIER, MALTESE AMBASSADOR TO THE U.N.: Accordingly, unless I hear a proposal to the contrary, I share with fair (ph) to the committee of
admissions of new members the request that renewed consideration be given to the application of the observer state of Palestine during the month of
April, 2024.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Well, the Palestinian U.N. ambassador says it's an historic moment. Israel's U.N. ambassador, however, says the U.N. would be
establishing a, quote, "terror state."
Well, still to come --
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: If I were to vote tomorrow, I wouldn't vote, period.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Ideally, I would like to vote third party.
ANDERSON: Unhappy with the options, we hear from young voters angry with President Biden's policy on the Middle East and beyond and not tempted by
the alternative, either.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
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ANDERSON: This week, U.S. President Joe Biden unveiled a new attempt to help millions of Americans pay off student loans. His last attempt to
forgive student debt was squashed by the Supreme Court. Now it is one of the ways that Biden is reaching out to younger voters ahead of this year's
election.
A key demographic that helped him to victory, of course, four years ago. But since then, some of those youngsters have soured on the president,
saying his support for the war Gaza is more than they can take. CNN's Rene Marsh has more.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
RENE MARSH, CNN U.S. NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: This November will be the first time Lonnie White(ph) and Rokiya Garbo (ph) will be old enough to
vote in the presidential election. And just the second time Malik Poole and Mozn Shora will cast a presidential ballot. None are planning to vote for
Joe Biden or Donald Trump.
ROKIA GARBO, STUDENT: If I were to vote tomorrow, I wouldn't vote, period.
MOZN SHORA, SPELMAN COLLEGE SENIOR: Ideally, I would like to vote third party.
LANI WHITE, STUDENT VOTER: I'll vote for an Independent candidate.
MALIK POOLE, VOTING THIRD PARTY: I'm considering either voting for Claudia de la Cruz or Cornell West at this point. If there is no substantive policy
change when it comes to the genocide in Gaza then there's not really a discussion for me.
MARSH: When we met at this barbecue restaurant in Atlanta, all four told me they were raised and originally registered as Democrats. But this year,
the president's handling of the Israel-Gaza war has turned them away.
SHORA: I think what Biden has done in aiding and abetting in A genocide is just something I cannot stand for.
MARSH: You're willing to withhold your vote in the presidential election unless there is a ceasefire?
GARBO: Yes.
MARSH: And its implemented?
GARBO: Yes.
MARSH: Not voting could mean Donald Trump gets into office. Do you think he'll be better on Gaza?
[10:45:00]
SHORA: Trump would probably say flatten Gaza and make it into a golf course.
I have absolutely no faith in him.
MARSH: Would you not say that also the people who are not voting for one of the two people who are the likely people to really be in this race have
a role to play in kind of giving the race to Donald Trump in a state like Georgia where it's going to be like razor thin.
POOLE: You know, I'll do you one better actually, I think that just means that's why the Democrats should listen.
WHITE: Exactly.
MARSH: Radical and more tapped in than their peers is how the group describes themselves. Rokiya even helping to organize this demonstration in
Atlanta last October calling for peace and aid for the Palestinian people.
While they don't speak for the majority of Black voters, they're dissent poses a real concern for Democrats in battleground states like Georgia,
where Biden won by fewer than 12,000 votes.
Black voters under age 30 made up only about 6 percent of voters in Georgia in 2020. That group voted for Joe Biden by more than 50 points.
POOLE: We are holding the election in the palm of our hands and they're not listening.
GARBO: We're tired of just hearing him say these things, these empty promise. We have no trust in Joe Biden.
MARSH: The Republican Party isn't earning their vote either.
GARBO: Both sides are just evil (ph).
SHORA: Nothing is being done for us. If enough people vote third party, we can win. That's my thought.
MARSH: President Biden's campaign has touted his success on key issues affecting young voters including student loan forgiveness, lowering
unemployment and tackling inflation.
Still though --
SHORA: I don't feel it, people may be employed but can they survive off of it?
WHITE: The federal minimum wage has stayed the same since 2009. I was five in 2009. I'm 20 years old now.
Well, I work at Goodwill now for $12 an hour and cost of living keeps increasing, especially here.
MARSH: What could President Biden do to change your mind as far as how you vote in November?
GARBO: Call for a permanent ceasefire and actually implement it.
SHORA: I would like us to stop giving aid to Israel.
WHITE: If he doesn't get elected, that is his fault. That's not our fault and that's not the Black voters here. That's not X, Y and Z. No, it's on
him.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Well, CNN's U.S. national correspondent Rene Marsh joining us now live from Washington.
That was fascinating to listen to.
How have the Biden and Trump campaigns responded to these concerns from voters, Rene?
MARSH: Yes. So, Becky, you know, as you can imagine, the Trump supporters and Trump campaign seeing this as an opportunity, a potential opportunity.
MAGA Inc., which is the super PAC supporting Trump, has spent more than $0.5 million for ads on Black radio, hoping to woo those unhappy Biden
voters.
And we asked the Biden campaign about the dissent that we're seeing amongst some young Black voters. And they say that their priority is direct
messaging on the president's achievements to voters like the ones you saw in the piece.
But I have to say this certainly is a segment of their base that they are concerned about. Again, not representative of all Black voters. But enough
of them feel this way, that it could potentially become a math problem incentive with those very tight states like Georgia.
ANDERSON: Let me just ask you very briefly, are these youngsters who then say they would vote for RFK, who is the only alternative out there at
present?
Because as things stand, there will be no No Labels or third party candidate at this point, aside from RFK.
MARSH: You know, we talked to them a bit about that. His name did not come up amongst these four students. They said that they are in a constant state
of reassessment.
They don't want to go in with any sort of preconceived notions. They're going to continue to do their research. And I think that, come Election
Day, once their choices are crystal clear and they are able to see how policy has played out, they will make their decision.
But RFK did not come up as a possibility. You heard Cornell West and another one said Claudia De La Cruz. But yes, no mention of RFK.
So you have to wonder, what will they do in November if the names that they just said in that piece are actually not on the ballot?
ANDERSON: Fascinating, good to have you. Thank you.
Coming up, Monday's solar eclipse proved to be a thrill for millions of people across North America. But it could also unlock some scientific
secrets. What NASA hopes to learn from the eclipse is up next.
(MUSIC PLAYING)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[10:50:00]
(MUSIC PLAYING)
ANDERSON: NASA launched rockets on Monday to learn more about the total solar eclipse in parts of the U.S., Mexico and Canada. An estimated 32
million people in the U.S. were able to see the eclipse in the path of what's known as totality across more than a dozen states. CNN's Brian Todd
has more on what we might learn from it.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: If you blinked, you really could have missed it.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And our first APEP rocket has left the radar.
TODD: In a matter of seconds, a so-called sounding rocket blasts off, then disappears from view at NASA's Wallops Island facility on the Virginia
coast. Traveling at about 6,000 miles an hour, three of these rockets carried special payloads tailored to the solar eclipse.
Launched just before, during and just after the peak of the eclipse, each rocket traveled about 260 miles above the earth to the ionosphere, the
uppermost layer of earth's atmosphere that borders space.
TRAVIS PAUL, SOUNDING ROCKET ENGINEER: Once the motors are done burning, we will deploy booms that take measurements. And then we'll also deploy
these swarm modules that shoot out away from the body of the payload.
TODD: The swarm canisters each about the size of a two-liter soda bottle and the booms are equipped with instruments to measure the disturbances in
the ionosphere during the solar eclipse. NASA official say they need to figure out how those disturbances impact things like satellite
communications.
DANA WRIGHT, LEAD EDUCATOR, NASA WALLOPS ISLAND VISITORS CENTER: The layers of the atmosphere that scientists are studying for this mission is
also where our satellites are at. And you know, you use our satellites for communications. We rely on them daily.
TODD: The swarm canisters floated around the ionosphere during the eclipse, took data, transmitted it back to NASA, then were programmed to
drop back to earth.
Hundreds of people flocked to a special viewing area on Monday to watch the rockets lift off. People like David Quam (ph), who came from the D.C.,
areas.
DAVID QUAM, ROCKET LAUNCH SPECTATOR: This is the combination of all the wonders that we ever talked about right, from science. So the wonder of an
eclipse, that magic of what human caring can do to go observe it and bringing all those together. This is just a really exciting day.
TODD: Between the rocket launches, the total eclipse and the science of it all it made for an exciting day in the marshes of southern Virginia.
REBECCA YAMAKAWA, ROCKET LAUNCH SPECTATOR: I've always wanted to see a rocket launch up-close. I've always wanted to go into space because I just
think it's really cool.
JONATHAN YAMAKAWA, ROCKET LAUNCH SPECTATOR: This is my Ideal job. I want to be in that building working on rockets like these.
WRIGHT: Seeing them get excited and amped about anything related to science we're all about, of course.
TODD: One NASA official told us that while they receive the data from these instruments within minutes, it will actually take months to analyze
the data and really determine how the disturbance in the ionosphere from this eclipse might have affected our satellites -- Brian Todd, CNN, Wallops
Island, Virginia.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: I love that, Wallops Island, Virginia.
Well, Earth isn't the only place where eclipses occur. Here's what a solar eclipse on Mars looks like, as witnessed by NASA's Perseverance rover in
2022.
And you can see Phosbos (sic) crossing the path of the sun, for -- Phobos, sorry. Phobos is the larger of the two Martian moons. It is not big enough
to block out the sun completely. So a partial eclipse is as good as it gets on the Red Planet.
Phobos has that irregular shape because its gravity is too weak to pull its mass into a fear (ph).
Get your head around all of that.
For our "Parting Shots" tonight, athletic achievement means different things for different people, doesn't it?
[10:00:00]
Maybe it's a couch to 5k or a half marathon or even a triathlon. Well, 27 year-old Englishman Russ Cook has taken extreme endurance to a whole new
level by running the entire length of Africa.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RUSS COOK, ENDURANCE ATHLETE: Today, 349 of running the entire length of Africa, three days to go. Body's really starting to break down. Everything
hurts; legs for a lot. They're about to fall off. So I really need someone to put me in an emergency appointment next week when I'm back in the U.K.
at the nearest bakery.
Know some guys really appreciate it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(LAUGHTER)
ANDERSON: Dubbed the "Hardest Geezer," Cook has completed his epic odyssey in Tunisia Sunday, having battled through injury, illness and even being
robbed at gunpoint, let me tell you.
His year-long journey saw him run 16,000 kilometers and raised nearly $1 million for charity. Good on him. His adventure will no doubt give
inspiration to people the world over. I do hope it does.
That's it for CONNECT THE WORLD with me, Becky Anderson, stay with CNN. "NEWSROOM" with my colleague, Erica Hill, is up next.
END
