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UNICEF Vehicle Hit by Gunfire in Gaza; Israel Preparing for Possible Iranian Attack; Grief and War Darken Eid al-Fitr Holiday in Gaza; U.S. Wholesale Prices Rose Less than Expected in March; Severe Flooding Hits Kazakhstan and Russia; Suspect Found after Female Victim Found Drained of Blood; U.S. and Japanese Leaders Announce Moves to Strengthen Ties; Riding Along with USAF's 33-Hour B-52 Mission; Call to Earth; The Masters. Aired 10-11a ET
Aired April 11, 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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ANNOUNCER: Live from CNN Abu Dhabi, this is CONNECT THE WORLD with Becky Anderson.
BECKY ANDERSON, CNN HOST (voice-over): Yes, it is, and welcome to our second hour. I'm Becky Anderson in Abu Dhabi. We'll be covering all angles
of the Israel-Gaza war as Netanyahu and Biden make statements of intent while Iran threatens to become involved.
First up, your headlines this hour. Progress on slowing U.S. inflation is stalling. New data on wholesale prices showing they rose faster in March,
especially critical coming off yesterday's report on consumer prices.
A few hours from now, President Biden will host the first-ever leaders' summit between the U.S., Japan and the Philippines. The region grappling
with more proactive China and continued provocations from the North, from North Korea.
And it's the biggest week on the annual golfing calendar. They are teeing off today in Augusta but the start is delayed by bad weather. We will hear
from Tiger Woods on his hunger for a sixth Masters success.
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ANDERSON: Well, "Whoever hurts us, we hurt him." That is a direct quote from the Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, saying his country is
preparing for, quote, "scenarios in places beside Gaza."
Well, this amid warnings Iran could retaliate soon for a suspected Israeli strike in Syria that killed several of its commanders. Israel carried out
new operations in central Gaza following Wednesday's strike that killed three sons of Hamas' political leader.
Ismail Haniyeh says it won't change the group's stand on a cease-fire. And the charity UNICEF says, one of its vehicles was struck by gunfire at a
checkpoint in northern Gaza. No one, thankfully, was hurt.
Let's do a deep dive on this, we're covering this region and beyond. CNN's Ben Wedeman is in Beirut; Nic Robertson is in Jerusalem; Arlette Saenz has
the very latest from the White House.
We're going to start on the ground in Jerusalem. Nic, walk us through the next phase of this war from Israel's perspective, as we understand it.
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SENIOR DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: They're ramping up. Indeed, the defense minister said flooding Gaza with humanitarian aid. That's the
position we're now hearing from the IDF spokesman, from COGAT officials as well. That's the body that oversees aid getting into Gaza.
This week, we've seen it significantly jump up, the highest levels recorded since the beginning of the war on October 7th. Just this afternoon, the
highest level meeting between Israeli officials, IDF and COGAT officials and U.N. officials, took place.
The IDF is framing this that, their priority, now that the ground operations are shifting in Gaza, their priority now is to make sure enough
aid gets in. But of course, a huge amount of scrutiny is coming from the White House.
They say that they want to see not just the amount of trucks getting in but they want to see that aid actually connecting with the people.
And that goes to the point that we heard from the UNICEF spokesperson today, who was in that convoy, trying to cross an Israeli checkpoint in the
middle of Gaza from, the south of Gaza to the north of Gaza, to deliver much-needed aid to a hospital there, where they say children are under
threat of dying from lack of food.
They were trying to cross unless they waited on a mission that had been coordinated in a designated holding area. Gunshots rang out. Three of those
gunshots hit their vehicle. The IDF is also talking about opening a border crossing from the -- from Israel into the north of Gaza.
Of course, that would speed aid into the north. But despite the fact that, almost a week ago now, the prime minister, in his conversation with
President Biden, indicated that was happening. It was announced that a border crossing would be opened at the Erez crossing.
That's dialed back and now the military, the IDF, is working on a location in the north. So that's yet to actually happen. But that's where things are
structured.
When it comes to the broader issues in the region and the threats from Iran, we heard from the prime minister today, visiting an airbase in the
center of Israel, talking to F-15 fighter pilots who are active, dropping bombs in Gaza and on the south of Lebanon. And he spoke there.
[10:05:00]
Indicating clearly Israel would, though he didn't use the word Iran -- would strike back if Iran struck Israel.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, PRIME MINISTER OF ISRAEL (through translator): We are in the midst of the war in Gaza, which continues in full force. At the same
time, we continue our unceasing efforts to return our hostages.
But we are also preparing for scenarios of challenges in other arenas and we established a simple principle. Whoever hurts us, we hurt him. We are
preparing to meet the security needs of the state of Israel.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERTSON: So amid those heightened tensions with Iran, President Biden saying steadfast support for Israel. The foreign minister yesterday saying
unequivocally, if Israel is struck by Iran, Israel will strike back and the defense minister echoing that in statements he made as well.
Let me bring you in, Ben. We've heard where the Israel perspective stands at present. I just spoke to Tamir Hayman, the former head of Israeli
intelligence, about what an Iranian attack on Israel or Israeli assets might look like. Take a listen
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MAJ. GEN. TAMIR HAYMAN (RET.), FORMER HEAD OF ISRAELI INTELLIGENCE DIRECTORATE: We are anticipating a range of munition, starting from long
range UAV, like the one we saw attacking in Ukraine. That's Iranian long- range UAVs, the Shahed 136. And I assume that's suitable for that kind of an attack.
We can see maybe some cruise missiles and maybe -- and just maybe, because they have the potential capability to use ballistics rockets. But ballistic
rockets have assent (ph) over full-scale war.
So I'm not sure that it will be approved. But along their blood from the range spectrum of capabilities, they have all three. It will be very
interesting to see whether he will choose, the supreme leader, to use ballistic rockets.
By the way, the Israeli defense capabilities can handle all of the above. But it's a matter of volume.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: He didn't say on which targets he thought any of those munitions would be rained.
What do you make of what you've just heard, Ben?
BEN WEDEMAN, CNN SR. INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, we're well aware that the Iranians have these capabilities, that they have cruise missiles,
they have ballistic missiles, they have these Shahed drones, which I've seen in use in Ukraine.
But as the person also mentioned, Israel has the technical means to stop all of them. The arrow (ph) system, the Iron Dome and others. And it also
has -- United States has made it clear that, regardless of differences, how -- over how Israel is conducting Its war in Gaza.
The Americans, we heard President Biden saying that in the United States has an ironclad commitment to helping defend Israel in the face of Iranian
threats.
So you have an addition to Israel's capabilities, you have the United States, as well. So it's difficult to see a scenario where using those
three things -- drones, ballistic missiles and other armaments -- how Iran is actually going to effectively hit any Israeli targets.
Now there are other means. They can do a cyber attack on Israel. Israel itself is very skilled in the cyber field as well.
But what we've heard from, for instance, Hassan Nasrallah, the secretary general of Hezbollah, as well as other Lebanese sources close to Hezbollah,
is that none of Iran's allies in the region are going to be part of this response to the Israeli attack on the Iranian consulate in Damascus on the
1st of April.
So we'll just have to wait and see. Certainly what we've seen in the meantime, as everyone is waiting for the Israeli -- the Iranian response to
the Israeli attack, is that one thing the Iranians have succeeded in is causing Israelis to have a lot of jitters.
There are concerns about perhaps knocking out the cell phone system. The mayor of Haifa has told people to check their land lines there to make sure
that they've worked. We've heard last week a spokesman for the Israeli military telling people, don't worry, don't go stock up on food and
medicine and other things. So there's a psychological aspect to this war as well as from the Iranians.
[10:10:00]
I think they've already accomplished something without actually firing a shot, Becky.
ANDERSON: Good to have you, Ben.
Let me bring Arlette in at this point.
And Arlette, Ben just quoting the U.S. president as suggesting that the U.S. has an ironclad commitment to Israel in the face of retaliation. Let's
remind ourselves, this would be retaliation for the Israeli strike on the Iranian consulate or commanders in Syria.
What's the thinking behind the scenes at the White House at this point?
ARLETTE SAENZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Becky. Well, yesterday, President Biden did make clear that he is firm in his commitment to protect and
defend Israel in the face of these Iranian threats.
Even as we have seen very real differences emerging between the president and Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu about the way Netanyahu has
conducted his military campaign in Gaza.
Now officials here at the White House throughout the week and U.S. government throughout the week have really been on high alert and preparing
for that possible retaliatory strike from Iran on both Israel and potentially U.S. assets as well.
They -- one official had said over the weekend that they view a retaliatory attack as really being inevitable, pinpointing this coming week as a
potential timeline to see some type of action from Iran.
So far the administration has not offered any intelligence supporting this or -- and they're also not getting into the operational details of how they
are preparing. But we do know that this was a key conversation point between President Biden and Netanyahu when they spoke last week.
The president spoke to that in his Rose Garden press conference yesterday, where he said that America's commitment to Israel is ironclad. Take a
listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOE BIDEN (D), PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Our commitment to Israel's security against these threats from Iran and its proxies is ironclad. Let
me say it again, ironclad. We're going to do all we can to protect Israel's security.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SAENZ: Now, after that Israeli strike killed those two Iranian commanders at that diplomatic post in Syria, we saw the Biden administration really
move quickly to try to send messages to Iran .to say that the U.S. was not involved and didn't not have any advanced knowledge of that attack.
Of course, there are concerns about what this could mean for U.S. assets in the region if Iran were to target the U.S. as well. But then there is the
broader concern about this spreading into a wider regional conflict.
Officials over at the State Department told CNN yesterday that the U.S. has continued to exchange private messages with Iran. The Iranians' messages to
the U.S. have been to stop providing support to Israel.
And in turn, the U.S. has said not to plan any further or plan any attacks against Israel at this time. Now there's also been some interesting
conversations happening, relating to a lot of attention that we're seeing in the Middle East.
The Iranian foreign minister today spoke with his counterparts in Qatar, the UAE, Iraq and it comes on the heels of a report that said that one of
the president's top Middle East coordinators here at the White House, had asked allies in the region to try to help defuse the situation.
So we will see whether that will actually help defusing the tensions that are currently there. But the U.S. is incredibly concerned about the
potential of Iranian attack and what it could mean for a possible wider regional conflict
ANDERSON: And no appetite in this region of the Gulf for further escalation, it has to be said. The Saudis and the UAE, of course, have only
recently reestablished diplomatic ties with Iran.
Arlette, good to have you.
Nic, always a pleasure. Thank you.
Well, Muslims around the world celebrated Eid al-Fitr on Wednesday with prayers, feasts and what are always joyful family gatherings. But in Gaza,
the holiday of course, was marked with grief, with uncertainty. And loss. Here is Nic Robertson's report.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ROBERTSON (voice-over): Eid's joys are scarcer in Gaza this year. Celebration Eid amidst ruins. Sarah (ph) crying as she recounts finding her
beloved Eid clothes in
the rubble of her home then realizing she won't get to wear them. Her family's festivities forgone this year.
"Thank God, we are alive for Eid," her father explains. "But we're exhausted and devastated. We should be in our home comfortable eating,
celebrating."
In the ravaged enclave millions are clinging to what is unbreakable. Tradition.
"We insisted on praying inside Rafah's (INAUDIBLE) mosque so all the world knows that we are holding onto our mosques, to our land, to our country,"
Mustafa Al-Khalil from Gaza City says.
[10:15:08]
Eid spirit also being kept alive in makeshift kitchens ingredients of everyone's Eid memories donated by charities outside of Gaza, lovingly
crafted into date, sesame and caraway (ph) cookies.
"We're trying to make our kids happy, reminding them of the smell of Eid Atlan Salah (ph) says, who didn't get the traditional new clothes. There is
no joy for Eid, no balloons, no sweets.
What is in abundance this year Eid's custom of commemorating the dead. Silence plus tears of sorrow surrounding fresh-dug soil in other years less
tragic than today.
Um Ahmed (ph) came with her children. "My kids lost their father," she says. "When I told them I was going to visit his grave, they told me, mom,
we want to come visit Baba (ph).
This little one, who's banging on the stone saying, I want to see Baba. He said he's going to celebrate Eid with me.
There is no going back. A generation here growing up with a new memories of Eid, of suffering and loss a long time before the joy is shared by about
1.9 billion other Muslims around the world become universal in Gaza again - - Nic Robertson, CNN, Jerusalem.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: And you can read more in-depth analysis on the Middle East in our "Meanwhile in the Middle East" newsletter or just scan the QR code on
your screen or head to cnn.com to get all the very latest news and analysis.
Today's edition is on the options that Iran might consider in retaliation for the Israeli attack on its consulate in Damascus.
Well, still ahead, another key gauge of U.S. inflation is out today.
What does it signal about the strength of the U.S.?
We'll break that all down for you in a live report from New York up next.
And some thought it was dormant. But ISIS becoming a threat to the West once again. More on that after this.
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ANDERSON: Well, Americans' prolonged and ofttimes painful battle with high prices doesn't appear to be coming to an end anytime soon. The producer
price index, which is a closely watched measure of inflation at the wholesale level.
[10:20:00]
That rose again in March to its highest level in nearly a year. Now this comes on the heels of Wednesday's report showing consumer costs were up
last month and even more than expected. Let's get you our CNN reporter, Matt Egan, who's live in New York.
And all of this, of course, follows this really robust jobs report recently. I thought it was a really well pitched Bloomberg headline, to
quote a competitor here. But I thought this was good.
They've headlined their -- one of their latest pieces on the U.S. economy as "The no landing U.S. economy is too hot to cool inflation."
Get your arms around that one, Matt.
(LAUGHTER)
MATT EGAN, CNN BUSINESS SENIOR WRITER: Becky, I agree. I liked that framing because for the longest time we talked about whether or not
there'll be a soft landing in the economy or a hard landing.
With a hard landing meaning recession, of course the other risk all along was no landing at all, meaning that the economy would just stay hot despite
the Feds' best efforts to cool it off and we are seeing some signs of that.
I mean, we've had this blockbuster jobs market, another really strong jobs report out for March. And then we've had three street consumer price
reports that were hotter-than-expected.
Now today's producer price index measures wholesale inflation. And this was actually cooler than expected, showed that prices went up but not at the
pace that some people had feared.
When you look at the trend and the annual rate, 2.1 percent, we can see, one, that this metric has improved a lot from 2022, right?
This was at almost 12 percent annual inflation. We're miles away from that but some of the improvement has started to level out. And that is the
concern here. We are increasingly hearing from some economists calling inflation stubborn, right?
Even comparing it to a toddler that just won't leave the park. And I think that that is apropos because, right now, despite everything the Fed is
trying to do to coax inflation lower, it just hasn't happened to the degree that it needs to, at least not yet.
And so now the question, Becky, is what happens with borrowing costs?
Because those hopes for an interest rate cut in June, those hopes appear to have been dashed by these latest economic numbers. And there is even some
talk that maybe the Fed is going to actually have to do more here, that maybe the Fed could even have to start increasing interest rates again.
Becky, one other point here is, since we last spoke, U.S. markets have really turned around. The initial reaction to today's report was positive.
We saw stock futures go up, wipe out early gains.
But look at this, we now see the Dow down 200 points. This is after a loss of more than 400 yesterday. The Nasdaq was up and now it's flat; S&P moving
slightly lower, so markets have bounced around.
But it is interesting to see that initial enthusiasm for this report sort of go away and we're back to this concern around inflation.
ANDERSON: It's -- and it's really interesting, isn't it?
Because it's how do people in the States feel about the cost of living?
That's what's going to be important as we approach this November election. The Biden administration can talk about what they've done for this economy
and what they've done sort of on the macro level until they're blue in the face.
But if the your is more expensive, if your food is more expensive, if your loans are more expensive, if your house is costing you more, ultimately,
that's the sort of stuff that really means something to people, isn't it?
And many of those stocks, for example, in the Dow Jones industrial average, are stocks of companies that need people to get out there and spend some
money.
It's always good to have you, Matt. I think the consequences of what we're seeing is so important at this point. Matt's always got the deep dive for
you, always makes sense. Thank you, sir.
EGAN: Thanks, Becky.
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ANDERSON (voice-over): Let's get you up to speed on some of the other stories that are on our radar right now.
And alarming scenes in Buenos Aires where demonstrators were met with this, water cannon as they protested president Javier Milei's economic reforms.
He has fired more than 15,000 public workers and has cut numerous government programs.
His predict, of course, say the reforms have caused Argentina's poverty rate and prices, consumer prices, to skyrocket.
Another wave of Russian shelling in Ukraine has destroyed the largest power plant in the Kyiv region. This is the burning power station after the
attack, pouring black smoke into the sky.
And after multiple missile attacks in Ukraine's Kharkiv region, more than 200,000 people there left without power.
[10:25:00]
Severe flooding in Kazakhstan and neighboring Russia has forced more than 100,000 people to evacuate their homes. The flooding has been caused by
warm temperatures, rapidly melting snow. Floodwaters in the Russian city of Orenburg are expected to peak tomorrow.
Police in Paris are boosting security measures ahead of Champions League matches this week. The heightened security presence follows threats from
the Islamic State terror group against European soccer stadiums hosting the matches. CNN's Melissa Bell reports from Paris.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MELISSA BELL, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): This was ISIS- K training in Afghanistan back in 2016. Now, it is to the United States that the group presents an urgent threat, according to FBI director Chris
Wray.
CHRISTOPHER WRAY, FBI DIRECTOR: The potential for a coordinated attack here in the homeland, like the ISIS-K attack we saw at the Russia concert
hall just a couple of weeks ago, is now increasingly concerning.
BELL (voice-over): That attack in Russia, the deadliest in decades, killing more than 100 and quickly claimed by ISIS-K, the affiliate of ISIS
that's been regrouping in Afghanistan and the surrounding region.
ROBERT BAER, CNN INTELLIGENCE AND SECURITY ANALYST: ISIS-K is like the blob that forms and reforms and disappears. What's left of it in Europe is
a brand and it's anybody who perceives a great injustice and has the capabilities can claim an attack in the name of ISIS. And this is what
makes it so difficult to close this movement down.
BELL (voice-over): And now this clear sign that, in the West, too, the group is back, a terror threat posted by the pro ISIS Al-Azaim media
outlet, saying "Kill them all," and identifying four major European stadiums.
Including London's Emirates stadium, Paris' Parc des Princes and Madrid, where security was also tightened this week, as Al-Azaim broadcast an image
of a drone flying above the stadium with the message, "Strike them from the sky."
BAER: But where people congregate, it's virtually impossible to protect them, as we saw in Kansas city. Carrying weapons around this country is
very easy. You can take a truck -- stolen, leased, whatever -- and run it into a mass gathering.
BELL (voice-over): The latest threats, only adding to the pressure already being felt in Europe, with France more than doubling the military personnel
to patrol its streets in the wake of the Moscow attack.
EMMANUEL MACRON, PRESIDENT OF FRANCE (through translator): Our hope is that the culprits can be found as quickly as possible and that we continue
to fight effectively against these groups, which are targeting several countries.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It makes it even more --
BELL (voice-over): Those groups now also targeting the United States at unprecedented levels, according to the FBI.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I see blinking lights everywhere I turn.
BELL (voice-over): The attack on the Moscow Crocus Music venue now seen as a wakeup call for the West, too, as ISIS-K revives long dormant terror
fears -- Melissa Bell, CNN, Paris.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Police in France say they have detained a man wanted by authorities in Italy in connection with the murder of a 22 year-old woman.
The victim from France was found drained of blood in an abandoned church in northern Italy. CNN's Barbie Nadeau joining us from Rome.
This murder is being called a femicide.
Who is this suspect?
And what happened?
BARBIE NADEAU, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, one of the things to keep in mind here, the reason it's being called a femicide is because that implies they
were a romantic couple. In fact, the prosecutor who gave a press conference this morning did call them just that.
The victim, we've got the name of the victim now, Auriane Nathalie Laisne, the 22 year-old girl (sic) who was seen with the suspect. Now again, he
hasn't been charged. He's only been detained but he's also been named as Teima Sohaib. He is an Italian citizen, is born to Egyptian people who live
here in Italy.
And so we don't know a lot about them or their motive. But we do know from very, very many witnesses who talked to police that they were searching for
a haunted house called the Derby Castle.
That is very near the church where her body was found and were thought to be involved in this trend right now, to take pictures and post on social
media ruined buildings and kind of spooky places and ghost hunting.
Her family, in fact, told police that she'd been looking for ghosts in this sort of place. They were described by witnesses as dressed as vampires in
dark clothing when they were near the church in the days before she disappeared and before her body was found.
But that's all we know at this point. We know that when the charges are finally delivered, are laid down against the suspect, we could find out a
little bit more information. But the -- the prosecutor was very clear to say that this was an established couple.
[10:30:00]
And in fact that there had been a judicial charge against him, a judicial hold and France related to a domestic violence incident. But it is not
certain if this is the victim of this crime was the victim of that one as well, Becky.
ANDERSON: Good to have you, Barbie. Thank you very much. Indeed.
We're going to take a very short break here. I'm Becky Anderson. You're watching CONNECT THE WORLD on CNN. Why it is critical for the Biden
administration to nurture strong military and economic ties with Japan right now. That is coming up.
Plus CNN rides along on one of the U.S. military's longest missions in the world. That is an exclusive report. Do stay with us.
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ANDERSON: Welcome back, you're watching CONNECT THE WORLD with me, Becky Anderson.
Now later today, President Joe Biden will host the first-ever leaders' summit between United States, Japan and the Philippines. It is the latest
attempt by the White House to draw Pacific allies closer as the region grapples with an increasingly assertive China and by nuclear provocations
by North Korea.
Now this meeting is expected to lead to an announcement on how the three countries will work more closely together. On Wednesday, President Biden
and Japanese prime minister Fumio Kishida announced plans to strengthen their country's military ties and work more closely on an array of critical
projects. CNN's Kristie Lu Stout has the details.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KRISTIE LU STOUT, CNN ANCHOR AND CORRESPONDENT: The leaders of the U.S. and Japan are hailing a new era of strategic cooperation that sends a clear
message to China.
U.S. President Joe Biden hosted Japan's prime minister Fumio Kishida for a state visit, an honor to underscore Japan's importance with a focus on the
Indo-Pacific region. They announced a range of moves to enhance military, economic and technological cooperation.
[10:35:00]
This was the fifth official state visit of the Biden White House and the fourth dedicated to a key Indo-Pacific ally. Japan has been at the center
of Biden's alliance building in the Indo-Pacific. Kishida has pledged to increase defense spending by 2 percent of GDP by 2037 and has acquired
American Tomahawk missiles.
He's also provided ongoing support to Ukraine and, on Wednesday, the two leaders announced measures to further deepen the U.S.-Japan alliance. New
steps were announced on trade and economic ties, diplomacy, climate change, space exploration.
In fact, a Japanese astronaut will be the first non-American to travel with NASA to the moon. Critical technologies like AI, officials said that there
will be a joint AI research initiative between Carnegie Mellon and Keio University.
And defense, defense a key takeaway here. In fact, around 70 agreements on defense cooperation were made, including moves to upgrade military command
structures to boost coordination.
On the back of recent maritime aggression, the U.S. and its allies, including Japan, see China as a growing threat in the region. Here's the
Japanese prime minister.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
FUMIO KISHIDA, JAPANESE PRIME MINISTER (through translator): We reaffirm the importance of realizing a free and open Indo-Pacific, based on the
rules of law and concurred to maintain close collaboration through various opportunities, including the Japan-U.S.-Philippine summit, which has
planned for Thursday.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
STOUT: On Thursday in the U.S., Biden will also host the first-ever leaders' summit between the U.S., Japan and the Philippines. It's part of
Bidens wider strategy to draw Asian allies closer together and offset China's growing might -- Kristie Lu Stout, CNN, Hong Kong.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Well, while this week's meetings are designed at least to consolidate U.S. influence, oversees the Pentagon wants the world to know
it is always ready to respond to a military threat.
My colleague, CNN's Oren Liebermann, gained exclusive access to what is a long-range U.S. Air Force mission, meant to send a clear message to friends
and foes alike. But that mission, in an aging B-52 bomber, also comes with challenges. Have a look at this.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: 113, runway 33, wind 330.
OREN LIEBERMANN, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Under the shroud of predawn darkness, flight MYLAR11 roars out of Louisiana's Barksdale Air
Force Base.
It's the start of one of the longest military missions in the world, a nonstop 33-hour flight by this B-52 strategic bomber group to the other
side of the world, flying near Russia, China, North Korea and back.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: As you can see, it's dark outside. The cockpit has red light once again for the night.
LIEBERMANN (voice-over): CNN is the first news crew ever allowed on one of these extensive B-52 missions.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Not only are we out of the visible and flexible legs on the nuclear triad, we can have a B-52 where you need it, when you need it
within 48 hours.
LIEBERMANN (voice-over): These flights are intentionally high-profile. Two years into the war in Ukraine, as Russia challenges the U.S. and NATO, the
Kremlin is meant to know about our bomber flight. So is China, with Beijing pressuring Taiwan and Chinese Coast Guard vessels harassing ships of the
Philippines, a U.S. ally.
MAJ. GEN. JASON ARMAGOST, COMMANDER, EIGHTH AIR FORCE: Both the national leadership of Russia and the national leadership of China, what do they
react to?
We see that they publicly comment about our bomber task force missions, particularly when it involves others in very joint and public ways.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Tanker one, contact.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Bomber one, contact.
LIEBERMANN (voice-over): Five hours into the flight, we hit our first of four aerial refueling off Alaska's coast, taking on as much gas as we can.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Keep track of your own fuel state. I'd like for you guys to be with us all the way to Yankee Zulu Papa.
LIEBERMANN (voice-over): After an hour of formation flying during this refuel, we arc out over the Pacific and toward Japan.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's important that we communicate to our partners that we mean what we say when we say that we're committed to our alliances.
That's an example of what the B-52 does. We show up when we're asked.
LIEBERMANN (voice-over): This 63-year-old Boeing B-52 Stratofortress, decades older than its crew, shows its age. But it remains the Air Force's
primary bomber, taking part in every U.S. war since Vietnam with planned upgrades to its antiquated systems, it'll see nearly a century of service.
This year, the U.S. began producing its next- generation B-21 bomber. China is close behind, promising their H-20 strategic stealth bomber will be
unveiled soon.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Twenty seconds to the turn. Zero five zero.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thank you.
LIEBERMANN (voice-over): Onboard MYLAR11, we pass by Russia's East Coast, closer to meeting up with U.S. and ally fighter jets. Our flight is
unarmed, the mission is not to attack but to prevent attack, to deter. But this is a bomber, of course.
If we were carrying nuclear weapons, the Air Force would monitor the flight from the joint nuclear operations center back in Louisiana.
[10:40:00]
Seen here on news camera for the first time, it's a 24/7 operation, tracking all ballistic missile silos and airborne nuclear weapons.
On the ground, crews trained to turn the aircraft into an offensive platform, munitions teams -- or MUNS, as they're known on base -- assemble
weapons. Outside, loading teams marry bombs to bomber.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And install the bindings.
LIEBERMANN (voice-over): The B-52 can carry up to 70,000 pounds of bombs.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You ready to fly?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Ready to fly.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: All right. Your jet.
LIEBERMANN (voice-over): It is a marathon of marathons to put the B-52 in its crew virtually anywhere in the world.
LIEBERMANN: At this point, we've passed the halfway point on the flight. We've been in the air more than 16 hours. It's the middle of the day here
in Japan where we're over flying at the moment. En route to the mission area where we'll meet up with fighters from several other countries here
and carry out an exercise.
LIEBERMANN (voice-over): Here on the edge of the East China Sea, fighter jets from Japan and South Korea take up formation off our wings. Hours
earlier during our flight, North Korea test fired a mid- range ballistic missile, a reminder of the threats in the Pacific.
LIEBERMANN: You want to be seen by both allies and adversaries.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We want to be seen by allies and adversaries.
LIEBERMANN: It is still a head-turner --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It is.
LIEBERMANN: -- when you take it around the world.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It is.
LIEBERMANN (voice-over): But it's China that the U.S. is watching most closely. In October, a Chinese fighter jet intercepted a B-52 flying over
the South China Sea at night, coming within 10 feet of the bomber.
By number of ships, China has the world's largest navy, soon have the world's largest air force according to the commander of U.S. IndoPacific
Command. Beijing is rapidly modernizing its military, including its strategic forces and they're not part of any non- proliferation treaty,
obscuring their nuclear assets.
After 19 hours of flying and 14 more to go, a warning light signals trouble with one of the plane's main engines. The crew runs through the checklists.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Throttles, number five.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Confirmed, five.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Confirmed.
LIEBERMANN (voice-over): They make the decision to shut down the engine. There is no panic, just a management of risk. Nearing the 30- hour mark of
the flight, we see our second sunrise over Washington State's Mount Rainier.
LIEBERMANN: And though the crew is tried, they all know there's still a critical task ahead and that is getting the B-52 back on the ground and
that is one of the most difficult parts of the mission.
LIEBERMANN (voice-over): On final approach, the B-52, which has been in the air nearly 15 hours longer than the longest commercial flight in the
world, has one final surprise.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: One gear not down.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Affirm. Right main gear is not down.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Go ahead and emergency extend it.
LIEBERMANN (voice-over): Flight MYLAR11 touches down at 3:00 in the afternoon after 33 hours in the air, a mission that showed the abilities
and the age of a jet that remains critical to the Air Force.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Despite how many years the B-52 has been running, she is a tough girl.
LIEBERMANN: Officers we spoke with in Air Force Global Strike Command say countries like Japan are requesting more B-52 flights. They want to see the
bomber in their skies.
It is not just a measure of assurance between the U.S. and its allies. It's also a message to adversaries like China who are very much aware of those
B-52 missions, especially the long-range ones.
Meanwhile, President Joe Biden and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida held a meeting on Wednesday in which they said there would be increased
defense security cooperation, more integration on things like command and control between the militaries and making sure these militaries can
continue to move together.
Biden said it is the most significant upgrade to the alliance since it began -- Oren Liebermann, CNN, at the Pentagon.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: You're watching CONNECT THE WORLD. I'm Becky Anderson for you, there is a lot more news ahead. So stay with us.
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[10:45:00]
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ANDERSON: Australia's Southern Ocean was once teeming with giant kelp, a type of brown seaweed critical to a healthy ocean. Now it has almost all
but disappeared. Today on our series, "Call to Earth," we head to the island of Tasmania, where researchers are using advanced AI-powered
technology to regrow and restore these underwater forests.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
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STOUT (voice-over): Sunlight streaks through the kelp canopy on Australia's Great Southern Reef, an over 8,000 kilometer long temperate
ecosystem that wraps around the country's southern coastline.
It's a quiet and private world, far from its famous cousin to the north, the Great Barrier Reef.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (voice-over): Just have immense diversity that we just don't find anywhere; 70 to 80 percent of spaces that we find on our reef
are unique to the Great Southern Reef. They're not found anywhere else.
STOUT (voice-over): The giant kelp anchor this environment, building a nourishing and underwater forest. And it's all but disappeared in Tasmanian
waters, an issue that has scientists concerned.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (voice-over): In Tasmania, we've lost around 95 percent of our giant kelp forests over the last five decades. Feeling squarely
because of climate change.
STOUT (voice-over): in the capital city of Hobart, marine ecologist Scott Bennett (ph) sets out to the mouth of the steel gray dormant river,
searching for a healthy canopy and a chance for the species to survive.
SCOTT BENNETT (PH), MARINE ECOLOGIST (voice-over): We've had that strong selecting pressure from marine heat waves and warming over the past five
decades. So there's 5 percent that remain have been through a lot already. And its our hope that the resilience in that remaining 5 percent that hold
the key.
STOUT (voice-over): Back on shore, scientists are taking a closer look at the hardy survivors, hoping to unlock their secrets.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: So we're trying to understand through genomics what it is about those individuals that allows them to withstand these warmer
temperatures. And then we will take those individuals and in the lab we will breed new kelp that carry that trait of thermal tolerance.
STOUT (voice-over): At Australia's state science agency, the CSIRO, Underseal (ph) Willis and her team have identified the genetic markers that
may make them more resilient to climate change.
Through selective breeding, the scientists are able to maximize the effectiveness of that trait in the kelp that will eventually be introduced
back into the ocean. But the sheer size of the Great Southern Reef makes it difficult to determine exactly where the strengthened kelp is most needed.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (voice-over): We don't have a baseline and you cannot protect what you can't measure. So we can't put in place conservation
programs until we have that baseline.
STOUT (voice-over): Google Australia is now working alongside the CSIRO, The Nature Conservancy, the University of Tasmania and the Great Southern
Reef Foundation, tooling up the scientists with new tech.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (voice-over): For this project, we are analyzing 7,000 square kilometers of satellite imagery, which just would have been
incredibly difficult to do with traditional computers.
STOUT (voice-over): Google's geospatial technology is creating the first- ever map of Australia's giant kelp forest. Researchers will then use the company's AI tools to analyze the kelp that is survived.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (voice-over): There is no natural regeneration anymore unless there's human intervention into the restoration, it will be lost.
STOUT (voice-over): Augmenting that human intervention with AI gives these scientists a better chance of saving the giant kelp and, with it, the Great
Southern Reef.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: And let us know what you're doing to answer the call with the hashtag #CalltoEarth.
[10:50:00]
I'll be back with more news after this.
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ANDERSON: Well, from a shining star to a disappearing sun, bad weather delaying the start of the Masters in Augusta but fear not. The Tiger will
be coming to tee later today. Tiger Woods hungry for it. The historic sixth green jacket. Andy Scholes is in Augusta with a brolly and more on what we
can expect on day one.
ANDY SCHOLES, CNN SPORT CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Becky, we were really worried that those thunderstorms were going to wreak havoc on this first round. We
got pretty lucky, they just skirted where we are here in Augusta, Georgia. And the first round of the tournament only had to be delayed 2.5 hours.
The ground has started, players are out there on the course and we should have fabulous weather the rest of the weekend here in Augusta. That's
something that certainly makes Tiger Woods happy.
He withdrew last year before a very rainy and cold third round due to injury. Tiger said earlier this week, if everything comes together, he
still thinks he could win this tournament. But it certainly would not be easy.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TIGER WOODS, GOLF PRO: I ache every day and I prefer it warm and humid and hot. And I know we're getting some thunderstorms, so least it'll be hot.
Won't be like last year. Every shot that's not on a tee box is a challenge.
So yes, once we start the hole, it's a bit of a challenge
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCHOLES: Yes, Tiger is going to tee off at 3:54 Eastern. So he's not going to be able to finish his first round today, Becky, but he is looking for
some history. If he makes the cut, it'd be the 24th straight time, which would be a Masters record.
ANDERSON: I mean, he's on the prowl, isn't he?
These are the best of the best, of course, on this golf course.
Andy, who is the favorite though to wear the famed green jacket on Sunday?
SCHOLES: Well, that gets hard to bet against Scottie Scheffler. He's the world number one and he's been playing fabulous, coming into this
tournament. He's the -- he's -- the oddsmakers have him as a heavy paper to win this year's tournament. Actually, he's the heaviest favorite here at
the Masters since Tiger back in 2013.
Scottie Scheffler has been playing great 1-2 tournaments leading up to this year's Masters. And he said he's once again excited about trying to compete
for another green jacket.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER, GOLF PRO: excited about having playing to begin this year. I had two nice wins, which was obviously a bunch of fun and then I
was close to my last start as well. And an extremely competitive person. And I like competing out here.
And I'll hopefully I'll be out here competing for a long, long time. But life first crazy stuff, yes, sometimes. So we'll see how long it happens.
But hoping its going to be a long time.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCHOLES: Yes, Scheffler's paired and a star-studded trio of rounds, one and two. He's going to go off with Rory McIlroy and Xander Schauffele at
1:12 Eastern this afternoon.
Now, Becky, yesterday, of course, they had the annual par 3 competition and it was cuteness overload. All the players had their families out there, all
the kiddos wearing the Masters white jumpsuits.
And no kid, I tell you what, shines brighter though than Bubba Watson's 9- year-old daughter, Dakota. She made not one, not two but three incredible putts in front of the crowd of just thousands.
Had everyone just going nuts, there. Bubba Watson even tweeting later that his daughter, Dakota, she wants to be a pro 1 Dana.
Tell you what, Becky, looked like.
[10:55:00]
She's got the game to do it is. So impressive what she was able to do
ANDERSON: This is just lovely. Thank you. What a way to close out. Enjoy, enjoy the tournament. It's always a good one. We look forward to hearing
from you. Good stuff.
That's it for CONNECT THE WORLD, stay with CNN. "NEWSROOM" with my colleague Rahel Solomon is up next.
END
