Return to Transcripts main page
Isa Soares Tonight
Actors Join Writers in Hollywood Strike; Blistering Temperatures Hit Northern Hemisphere; New Details Emerge About the Showdown Between Putin and His Top Generals; ICC Investigating Alleged War Crimes In Darfur. Aired 2-3p ET
Aired July 14, 2023 - 14:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[14:00:00]
CHRISTINA MACFARLANE, CNN INTERNATIONAL HOST: A very warm welcome to the show, everyone, I'm Christina Macfarlane in for Isa Soares. Tonight, a huge
strike in Hollywood as actors joining writers on the picket lines. We're live outside the Netflix studios in Los Angeles, just ahead. Then
blistering temperatures hit millions of people across the U.S. and Europe.
We'll look at how regions are scrambling to adapt. And confusion and confrontation in Russia's military. New details emerge about the showdown
between Putin and his top Generals. Now, Hollywood actors are on strike for the first time in over 40 years. This was the picket line in New York
today. Actors are joining screenwriters who walked off the job two months ago.
The combined strike threatens to grind Hollywood to a halt. The cast of the new movie "Oppenheimer" walked out of their U.K. Premier in London in
solidarity.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
FLORENCE PUGH, ACTRESS: It's been a really tense few days for a lot of people, not just actors, but everybody in the industry who are going to be
affected by this decision, but affected by a decision that is necessary.
CILLIAN MURPHY, ACTOR: You know, I stand by my colleagues, that's all I can say to you.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thank you.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MACFARLANE: Well, the union representing 160,000 actors is demanding a fairer slice of the profits from streaming giants and better working
conditions.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
FRAN DRESCHER, PRESIDENT, SAG-AFTRA: I am shocked by the way the people that we have been in business with are treating us. I cannot believe it
quite frankly. How far apart we are in so many things. How they plead poverty that they're losing money left and right, when giving hundreds of
millions of dollars to their CEOs. It is disgusting. Shame on them!
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MACFARLANE: Well, joining me now is CNN's Natasha Chen. Natasha, so many issues on the table for those striking. I understand you are at a picket
line at the Netflix studios in Los Angeles. Just tell us what union members are saying to you there.
NATASHA CHEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Right, well, Christina, a lot of discussion around better compensation, the protections regarding artificial
intelligence where A.I. could take a digital likeness of an actor and residuals in the world of streaming services. And that's where I want to
bring in our guest, actor Brittany Garms. And you have been doing some shows and content for Netflix, for Hulu.
Tell me about what you were saying earlier that your brother is also an actor --
BRITTANY GARMS, ACTRESS & MEMBER OF SAG-AFTRA: Yes --
CHEN: And was just receiving a residual check for something he did 30 years ago.
GARMS: Yes, my brother was an actor, he's since retired, but in the '90s, worked a lot. And we sometimes get residuals, and he'll get checks from
broadcast television shows that he did in 1995 that are worth more than residual checks from big corporations for films I did in 2020. And that is,
I think a big part of the reason why people are out here today.
I understand that streaming is such an uncharted territory, but there has to be some sort of cap, because they're making money. All these
millionaires are making money, but nobody else is seeing any of that money.
CHEN: Tell me a little bit about what your life looks like when you are doing a lot of content for these streaming services. Does it mean that you
have to do extra work for your day job just to, you know, connect those moments?
GARMS: Right. I mean, for me personally, it's been a lot of the in-between. There's a lot of waiting in acting. And I think in the days of past, you
were able to get through from job to job based off residuals, and that has sort of gone away. I mean, SAG represents 160,000 members, 95 percent of
which can't pay their bills.
I mean, a lot of actors that I have worked with, that I'm doing shows with, have to have side jobs in-between, have to do side jobs while working just
to make ends meet because the money is just not what it used to be.
CHEN: Even while they're on a show.
GARMS: Yes, absolutely, a 100 percent.
CHEN: Yes, and then tell me about your concerns regarding A.I. What are your feelings on that right now?
GARMS: I mean, it's such a scary uncharted territory. I don't know too much about it, but I know that the big threat right now is that they can sort of
take your likeness and use it for whatever they want. I know it's an even bigger threat to the Writers Guild, which is obviously out here tonight.
But -- so a corporation can pay you a SAG day rate, and that's supposed to last you for months and months on end. But they can use your likeness for
years and years and years.
CHEN: How are you feeling today? It's day one for SAG-AFTRA, but it's day 70-something for the writers' strike. Which tells you that this could be a
very extended experience.
[14:05:00]
GARMS: I'm feeling really excited, I've been out here quite a few times in support of the writers. And the energy has always been good, but nothing
like it is today. Everybody is excited, everybody is loud, and I hope that we just keep that energy going.
CHEN: Is there anything that you're hearing from the studios where you want to send a message back?
GARMS: I mean, I just think you can't replace us. What do you -- what do you think you're doing, my guy? Like do you think that artificial
intelligence is going to be able to create stories and tell the stories of our lives? You can't do that. Writers can't be replaced. Actors can't be
replaced.
CHEN: Thank you Brittany. And we're already seeing a lot of financial impact from the writers' strike that has been going on for more than 70
days, and now with SAG, after joining them, we've talked to a number of local businesses, people who run restaurants, janitors, dry cleaners,
makeup artists, who are not seeing the business come in, because productions are at a standstill.
I did speak to the Milken Institute's global chief strategist who said that that is going to be seeing now much more abroad as well outside the United
States. In filming hubs like the U.K., like Australia, like New Zealand, and the global impacts could be at least $4 billion with a B. Christina.
MACFARLANE: Wow. Well, as you say, this is of course, a global issue not just in the United States. And it seems from what your guest was saying
there, Natasha, that they are prepared to strike for as long as it takes. Natasha Chen there live from L.A. Thanks for bringing us that, Natasha, and
I'm glad that Natasha's guest, Brittany mentioned it. We want to talk about that because the strike comes after actors slammed a proposal from the
studios on how artificial intelligence would be used in movies and television shows. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And that groundbreaking A.I. proposal they propose that our background performers should be able to be scanned, get paid for one
day's pay, and their companies should own that scan, their image, their likeness, and should be able to use it for the rest of eternity, And any
project they want with no consent and no compensation.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MACFARLANE: Nina Schick is joining me now. She's an author and commentator specializing in generative A.I. Nina, thank you for joining us on this
important day. We had a taste just then in that short clip which showed of how -- what impacts, you know, the use of A.I. could have and it's quite
frightening, frankly, to see it laid out. You have called Fran Drescher's speech, that powerful speech that's kind of been at the front of every news
line on this, a moment of historical significance.
Can you just begin by explaining how justified she is and everyone else in the industry, by their fear that A.I. could take over their jobs?
NINA SCHICK, AUTHOR & COMMENTATOR, SPECIALIZING IN GENERATIVE ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE: I think that this is going to become one of the most
pertinent debates in society. I have long been predicting that this is going to get intensely political. Because for the first time, if you kind
of consider the technology revolutions of the past 30 years from the internet to the smartphone, it's all been about building a digital
ecosystem and digital infrastructure.
However, when it comes to A.I., and in particular, generative A.I., you can conceive of it as a knowledge and creative revolution. For the first time,
you have machines that are able to do creative, intelligent output which we thought was only unique to humans, right? So, the capabilities of ChatGPT
or the capabilities of artificial intelligence to actually clone people's biometrics.
So, it's not only the entertainment industry that's going to be utterly disrupted by this. But I would argue that all forms of knowledge work,
white-collar work, creative works are going to be impacted by the effects of artificial intelligence. And the key philosophical question, this is the
thing that Fran is getting at, and that SAG is getting at, is to what extent is this going to augment or automate us?
And obviously, the fear with this action is that it is going to automate us, and that we're not going to be fairly compensated.
MACFARLANE: And what we're seeing with this revolt really is this sort of beginnings of this being voiced really publicly for the first time, and for
us, beginning to really understand the ramifications of this as you lay out. It seems to me that the question of how far this goes, you know, in
this industry, in this particular industry, depends on where the power lies, right?
At the moment, we're seeing big names, big active names come out in support of lesser actors. But if that support wanes overtime, the question is, you
know, how much leverage industry insiders going to have to prevent the use of A.I. actually being used in this industry?
SCHICK: So, I don't think that we're going to prevent the use of artificial intelligence either in entertainment or any other industry. I think it's
going to actually become a fundamental part of knowledge work and creative work going forward. But the question as to how we put in place protections
and perhaps in this case, more, how do we share some of the incredible abundance and economic abundance that's going to come with this A.I.-
powered revolution?
[14:10:00]
And ensure that, for instance, in this case, if actors' digital likeness is being used, that they're being fairly compensated for that. Because that
should be a part of their IP, right? But what Duncan(ph) from SAG-AFTRA was referencing was that, you know, the studios were saying in perpetuity, we
now own the rights to your likeness. This is not what we see happening with big Hollywood stars.
For instance, you might have seen the recent ad which came out with Jennifer Lopez for Virgin Atlantic, I think it was, where it said --
MACFARLANE: Yes --
SCHICK: A.I. simulated version of her. She's been compensated for that. But are background actors going to be compensated too?
MACFARLANE: So if you were advising members of SAG-AFTRA, like what to do, I mean, what protections would you say to them? You know, go get these --
this is what you need for the future protection.
SCHICK: We were actually at an event together in January, and at the time, a lot of the conversation was about how, you know, this was, you know,
something that they were looking at, but they didn't think that it would be such a big deal, and actors and writers couldn't be replaced.
Now, six months, just six months later, the conversation is entirely different. And it's very interesting to see SAG and Fran kind of putting
themselves at the frontline of what she pitched very clearly in her speech, as a bigger battle for labor, right? She said, we are just the first, but
it isn't only about the entertainment industry. This is for all workers.
Now, she said this is a historic moment, and indeed, I do think that speech has historic significance, because the issues and the fears that she raised
are increasingly going to become a core part of public discourse far beyond, I think, the entertainment sector.
MACFARLANE: I just want to show, as we were referencing sort of real-life events here for our viewers, there's a clip from the recent "Marvel" movie
-- "Marvel" TV series where the studios basically used A.I. in the opening credits, they didn't use any graphic designers, they didn't use any
animators. I don't know if we can run that clip for you.
Here it is. It was kind of artistic take, and this caused outrage, of course, because of how easily people could be replaced. But it also raises
issues as we've been talking about of copyright. You know, that speaks to your point as well about body scamming for actors. I mean, is the -- does
the issue of copyright exist in A.I.? Could that be used as a potential protection?
SCHICK: It is unprecedented territory, and it is territory that is being litigated right now. So some of the breakthroughs that you're seeing in
A.I.'s capability to generate, to create intelligence and creative work is nascent. But already, since the release of ChatGPT last November, the
conversation is dramatically shifted because of full capacity capability and scale of this technology is becoming apparent.
And a part of that is that we've seen a bunch of class action lawsuits launched in the United States against some of the creators of these large
general models, in which they argue that the training data used to create the synthetic or A.I.-made content is subject to copyright protection. Now,
that's all winding its way through the courts, it's going --
MACFARLANE: Yes --
SCHICK: To be a big one.
MACFARLANE: Yes, and this will not be the first time or the last we talk about this. This is just the beginning, as you say. Nina Schick, great to
have your insight, thank you for joining us.
SCHICK: Thank you.
MACFARLANE: Now, the effects of climate change amplified by El Nino are baking parts of the northern hemisphere. Let's begin our climate crisis
coverage in southern Europe. Croatia is battling wildfires that have already devastated a small town. The forecast is no help to firefighters.
It's likely to remain about 40 degrees Celsius for the coming week.
Temperatures forced Athens to close the Acropolis, you can also see sizzling heat lines where tourists should be. Greek police said that one
woman had to be stretched out of the famous sites. Athens isn't the only southern European hot spot that's getting a bit too hot. Barbie Nadeau
reports from one of the sweltering cities, Rome.
BARBIE NADEAU, CNN REPORTER: Christina, even though the day is starting to wind down here, the temperatures are just not dropping. We've seen tourists
out here outside the Roman Coliseum all day long, standing in lines so that they could get inside no matter how hot it is. For so many people coming to
Rome, it's a once in a lifetime opportunity, and the city of Rome is doing everything they can to try to make it a little bit more comfortable.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
NADEAU (voice-over): Rome, the eternal city lately is more like the infernal city. A deadly heat wave gripping southern Europe has made those
trying to enjoy a Roman holiday rather uncomfortable.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I mean, it's hot. But yes, it is -- it is a little disappointing. I was thinking, today, like -- because we're planning to not
be out when it's at the hottest. Like we're missing some hours to be able to do stuff. But ultimately, to be able to enjoy it the most, we're going
to have to cut out those hot hours in the day.
NADEAU: Temperatures are climbing and expected to top 40 degrees Celsius, 104 degrees Fahrenheit in Rome.
[14:15:00]
Italians have named the heat wave Severus, after a figure in Greek mythology that guarded the gates of hell. Officials say the best way to
combat the heat is with water, and Rome has no shortage of that. Rome has more than 4,000 public water fountains with drinkable water. And Rome's
civil protection agency has an app that will help visitors locate the closest one.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (SPEAKING IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE)
NADEAU: The command center head Josepina Politano(ph) tells us that common sense is key and staying hydrated is essential, so is using water to cool
off, he says. But tempting as it may be to swim in a fountain, doing so runs the risk of a several hundred dollars fine.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We can't stay out all day, that's for sure. Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think we just have to take a lot of breaks and not try and over plan.
NADEAU: The heat wave is supposed to last at least through next week. And for most tourists, canceling is not an option, which means another week of
hell, not fit for man or beast.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NADEAU: And Christina, probably one of the worst things, but some news we've got to share, anyone coming to Rome today is actually going to be the
coolest day for the next five temperatures are only going to get worse. Christina?
MACFARLANE: Our thanks to Barbie. Now, to the U.S. where a blazing heat wave continues to blanket large parts of the country with millions living
under daily extreme heat less that pose a deadly threat, and it's getting worse. One in four people are living in areas forecast to hit dangerous
temperatures today. But the weekend heat expected to be record-breaking.
Let's go to CNN's Ed Lavandera in Dallas, as Texas remains stuck in a week's long wave of unrelenting heat. And Ed, I guess around 2 O'clock in
the afternoon there, you've reached peak heat. Just how intense is it? How are people coping?
ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, we're starting to reach the hours of the day that are quite frankly the most miserable part of the day. And the
really difficult part is that, at night, there really isn't a cooling off that is -- provides any kind of real relief. So, that is part of the
struggle through this heat wave here this Summer.
And as you mentioned, heat alerts are going out across the country, from Florida in the southeast, all the way across the United States to
California. More than 90 million people here in this country under heat alerts today. And that is expected to continue for several more days. In
fact, there have been 34 consecutive days in the southwest United States where there have been heat alerts.
So, this is not just something that we're going through right now. It has been going on and will, you know, kind of -- kind of entering the worst
days of these summer months. And the heat is really just astronomical in many places, reaching temperatures of close to more than 44 degrees
Celsius, in certain places, more than 110 degrees Fahrenheit like cities like Phoenix, you know, and many people are simply just concerned about
being outside right now.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NELSON PODZEMMY, RESIDENT, DALLAS AREA: If it gets hotter next Summer, which is -- it's already raising my -- heating an airfield, is going up.
So, I don't want that to get any worse next year. And I don't want it to be too hot for them when there's sports, what not, you know, every year,
football held in --
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LAVANDERA: And so, you have the people you see behind me at this popular water park in a park here in downtown Dallas, Texas, is really being, one
of the areas where people can find some relief. And I'll leave you on this note. The hottest place on earth this weekend could very well be a place
known as Death Valley in California, of the deserts out there where temperatures could very well reach 130 degrees Fahrenheit, that's 54
degrees Celsius.
MACFARLANE: Yes, Death Valley as the name suggests is not a place to visit anytime soon. Ed, I hope you're using those fountains to stay cool. Thanks
very much. Ed Lavandera there for now for us. And as we've just been hearing these extreme temperatures for both Europe and the U.S. But for
some parts of the world like the Middle East, people live with this sort of heat quite regularly.
Let's bring in CNN meteorologist Chad Myers for more. And Chad, yes, they live with this heat more regularly, but they also use more air
conditioning, which we know is not great for the climate either, is it?
CHAD MYERS, METEOROLOGIST: And something more true. And something else, called a swamp cooler. And that is just a technical term for getting a
piece of cloth or a membrane or something like an air filter, getting it wet and letting this very dry air blow through it, and all of a sudden,
your air temperature will go down significantly.
And that's what happens here in Abu Dhabi. Abu Dhabi is not breaking any records at 46, that's almost just like a normal high temperature for them.
But they cool themselves down by using the water evaporation to help them out, also wearing light clothes, staying out of the sunshine.
[14:20:00]
All the temperatures that you ever see on a weather map are always counted in the shade. You can feel 10 or 20 degrees warmer in the sunshine. Lots of
water, obviously, of course. Make sure pets and kids stay out of cars and especially if you're going to leave the car, nothing that you want to do
here getting into a greenhouse effect with any kind of pets or for that matter, even plants.
There have been a 1,000 record-highs across the United States since June 1st. AND I know it's Summer, but this is an unusually high 10 to 15 degrees
above what we should be having in Summer. And by the end of the weekend, a 100 more records will be broken without a doubt.
Temperatures are very hot here. But unlike Abu Dhabi, and like Rome, where it's humid, the temperatures feel much warmer to the body because the body
can't evaporate that heat. And when that happens, all of a sudden, your body just warms and warms and warms especially if you get above 37, as your
body temperature doesn't want to go above 37, and it's hard to evaporate and cool yourself down with that Death Valley being somewhere.
It's going to be over 50 without a doubt, it's going to be over 50 degrees. They're hot, and the Mediterranean is also very humid, so it's hard to cool
down here, temperatures are going to have extreme heat for Italy, for the next couple of weeks, and really, this is going to be the coolest day, and
our reporter was there and said that, and I'm glad she did.
The coolest today is the coolest day for the rest of really the month for that matter. We are going to have --
MACFARLANE: Wow --
MYERS: Forty one in Rome, and it's going to feel more like 49 with that humidity. Mediterranean water is hot, the heat and water comes into your
body, and all of a sudden, you can't cool down even if you are wet with your clothes. It doesn't evaporate enough to cool you down. Christina?
MACFARLANE: Oh, it is just kind of frightening, really. But --
MYERS: Yes --
MACFARLANE: As you say, a wet towel close to a fan might --
MYERS: Yes --
MACFARLANE: Bring some relief. All right, Chad, we hope so, thanks so much.
MYERS: You're welcome.
MACFARLANE: All right, still to come, a closer look at how A.I. is radically changing life as we know it, even the way we shop. Anna Stewart
finds out how some businesses are capturing and storing your data as soon as you walk in the door.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
MACFARLANE: Welcome back. Wagner mercenaries are some of Russia's best shock troops. But Moscow is trying to disown the private army after last
month's rebellion. The Kremlin said the fighters were never a legal entity, and Russia newspaper says President Vladimir Putin wants to split the
fighters from their outspoken leader, Yevgeny Prigozhin.
[14:25:00]
Mr. Putin pitched a different commander and the fate of Prigozhin and two generals who may have crossed the Kremlin remains murky. Well, meantime,
Ukraine is trying to capitalize on Wagner's absence on the battlefield, that says, "an offensive has continued towards Melitopol and Berdyans'k.
For the latest, CNN's former Moscow bureau chief, Jill Dougherty joins me now.
And Jill, I think it's important to remember these comments come following a week of real turmoil among Russia's military top brass. So, do you read
these comments by Putin as attempt for him just to project control? Because we know his comments regarding Wagner have been quite contradictory.
JILL DOUGHERTY, ADJUNCT PROFESSOR, GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY: Well, I think what he's trying to do and, of course, we don't know completely, but I
think what he's trying to do is split Wagner fighters from Prigozhin. And what -- he needs the Wagner fighters. As you said, they're effective, they
are brutally effective, they have been in Ukraine.
And so that strange interview today to "Kommersant" newspaper where he said Wagner doesn't exist, and yet, he said, of course, it does exist,
physically exist, but legally doesn't. And then, he tried to say that the guys from Prigozhin's group who were in that meeting just five days after
the uprising, they actually were kind of accepting his offer to go and continue to fight.
And Prigozhin said, no, the guys don't want it. So, I think, again, there is an attempt to solve the problem with Wagner fighters, but they still
haven't solved the problem of Prigozhin. And that's probably why --
MACFARLANE: Yes --
DOUGHERTY: We haven't seen much of them.
MACFARLANE: Yes, and what do we know of this new leader of Wagner that Putin has proposed, setting Andre Troshev(ph)?
DOUGHERTY: Yes, I mean, he has been a commander apparently, quite effective. But you know, just getting back to how strange this is, right
after you get that interview with Putin, then video pops up, it's actually on the Telegram channel of the Belarusian Defense Ministry, showing Wagner
fighters in Belarus, where we were told not so long ago they weren't.
And they are training Belarusian territorial defense forces. So, again, how many there were, who knows? But I think there's an attempt to say, go back
to work, we can use you. But the problem is, Prigozhin apparently still thinks he's in charge of them, and that's a problem for Putin.
MACFARLANE: I mean, so Putin is trying to control the messaging here, as we're seeing different developments coming to light. Does it indicate that
Wagner, he may feel that Wagner is still potentially a threat to the Kremlin?
DOUGHERTY: I think a threat, but useful. And that's the dilemma. I mean, if they -- if they're on the side or under the Kremlin and loyal to Putin, as
they apparently said just in that meeting at the Kremlin, that is fine as far as the Kremlin is concerned. If they are not loyal to Putin, and if
they continue to support Prigozhin, and we're not quite sure where they want to fight and what they want to do, that is a problem.
Because these guys are good fighters. We understand they gave some of their heavy weaponry back to the Russian military. But there is still, you know,
a dangerous, potentially dangerous force for the Kremlin.
MACFARLANE: Jill Dougherty, always great to have your perspective on this, we really appreciate your thoughts. Thank you. All right, still to come
tonight, the heartbreaking story of a Pakistani teenager who died trying to make a better life for his family.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[14:32:30]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
MACFARLANE: We are not on the precipice of a human catastrophe, but in the very midst of one. With that warning, the United Nations about the crisis
in Sudan, the International Criminal Court's top prosecutor announced a new investigation into alleged war crimes in the Darfur region. Sudan is three
months into a conflict led by warring generals that has killed thousands of people and displaced millions more.
Karim Khan says the roots of this conflict stretch back years and now, "The same miserable history is threatening to repeat itself." Khan spoke with
CNN's Zain Asher saying the world has let down the people of Sudan and now, it has something to prove.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KARIM KHAN, ICC CHIEF PROSECUTOR: I think this is a defining moment. We have many in the world at the moment, which is, are these structures that
have been created fit for purpose? And are we willing to protect those that look to these structures, that look to the U.N., or the ICC, or the African
Union or individual states of good conscience, to protect them and give life to the promise that every human life matters equally? It doesn't
matter if you reach your poor, whether one is in a mud hut or in a palace, we need to do better and I think we're not stepping up to the plate in the
manner that victims expect of us.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MACFARLANE: Now we're turning now to Europe's migrant crisis and some heartbreaking new numbers. UNICEF reports at least 289 children are
estimated to have died or disappeared attempting to cross the Mediterranean Sea this year, going from North Africa to Europe. That amounts to nearly 11
children per week. One of those who died was a 14-year-old Pakistani boy who was aboard a dangerously overloaded boat that capsized near Greece last
month, leaving more than 600 people dead.
CNN traveled to the boy's home in Punjab province and spoke to his devastated father. Anna Coren has this exclusive report.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ANNA COREN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The lush plains of Gujarat in Punjab province are home to some of the most fertile land in all of
Pakistan.
The mighty Indus River and its tributaries, the lifeblood.
But not everyone here prospers from its richness. 14-year-old Mohammed Abouzar felt the heavy burden of responsibility. His father, a school van
driver earning less than $90 a month, was struggling to provide for the family. Abouzar worried about the future of his younger brothers.
[14:35:02]
Especially 6-year-old Azzan, who is severely disabled. "My son pleaded with me to be sent abroad," he explains. He said, "Look at how we live, we'll
die of hunger. It's best for me to leave so I can support our family."
Many older boys from the village had already made the trek to Europe through human smuggling operations, sending hefty remittances back home.
Abouzar's uncle had decided to go, and the teenager knew this was his chance.
"The people," smugglers said, "it would cost more than $8,000 to send my son to Italy." I said, "I can't afford it." He told me, "Your kid will earn
that in a couple of months."
At the beginning of May this year, Abouzar, his uncle and a small group of teenage boys from the village set off. Human smugglers organized for the
group to fly from Karachi to Dubai, then to Egypt before transiting to Libya. From Tripoli International Airport, they drove to the Libyan port
city of Tobruk and waited in a camp filled with other illegal migrants for the next month.
The day before the group set sail for Italy, their final destination, Abouzar sent a video to his brothers, hoping to make them laugh. He then
recorded the group's final prayers. That night, he called his father.
"My son was really happy. He said, don't worry, Dad. It will be OK. We'll have life jackets. It's a big boat. Once I'm there, you'll have nothing to
worry about."
On the 9th of June, Abouzar boarded the Adriana, a fishing vessel with a capacity of 100. Instead, 750 illegal migrants were crammed aboard, of
which almost half were from Pakistan, according to the Pakistani Interior Ministry.
Within days, the trawler would capsize off the coast of Greece, as a Greek coastguard ship watched on. More than 600 people drowned in what would
become one of the deadliest migrant boat tragedies.
Among the survivors, only 12 Pakistanis. Abouzar was not one of them. "Dying of hunger is better than this. Don't send your children away. For
us, life and hell are now the same."
But this grieving father's warning is falling on deaf ears. According to U.N. migration, last year, Pakistanis weren't even among the top 10
nationalities arriving in Europe. This year, however, they're ranked number five, with economic migration fuelling the surge. A financial crisis in
Pakistan and record-high unemployment is driving many families to make this life-altering decision.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERTO FORIN, HEAD OF E.U. OFFICE, MIXED MIGRATION CENTER: The common narrative is that smugglers are there to lure people into this dangerous
journey. We look at who are the people that influence the decision of migrating and it's mostly family. So, migration is a family investment.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COREN (voice-over): For this mother in Bandali, in Pakistan-administered Kashmir, her 20-year-old son was supposed to be on that ill-fated vessel.
She says the human traffickers disembarked him because of overcrowding. He's now waiting for the next boat.
"I asked him to come home, but he won't," she explains. "He wants to go to Europe like other boys from our village. I pray that he makes it."
Anna Coren, CNN, Hong Kong.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
MACFARLANE: Welcome back. Now earlier in the show, we told you how artificial intelligence is shaking up the film industry and threatening
jobs in Hollywood.
Now we want to show you how A.I. can actually help some people do their jobs, like catching shoplifters. But at what cost to society? Alice Stewart
says it's how people in Britain may be tracked the minute they step foot in a store.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ALICE STEWART, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Got that feeling you're being watched? You probably are. And it's not just CCTV, A.I. could be
watching, too.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
STEWART: So your camera should have picked me up as I walked through the front door?
SIMON GORDON, CEO, FACEWATCH: Yes.
STEWART: So if you were the security guard and you discovered that I'd stolen something, you would go to this and find me?
GORDON: Yes, I'd scroll down and look at the system and I'd know what time you've walked in, so I'd be able to find your face, and in fact, here's
your face. Stole a load of steaks. And ran out.
STEWART: Stole a load of steaks.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
STEWART (voice-over): I'm a suspect. A case of mistaken identity, I assure you. But here's what happens next. A suspect's biometrics are stored by
FaceWatch for a year. If they return to the shop, their presence will be alerted to staff. And for prolific thieves, or those suspected of taking a
high-value item, the biometrics could be shared with other stores in the area. All legal under British law.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GORDON: I was reporting all these crimes to the police, trying to help the police, giving them CCTV, and nothing ever happened.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
STEWART (voice-over): This didn't start in a store, but a wine bar. London's oldest wine bar, in fact, run by FaceWatch founder, Simon Gordon.
GORDON: Our goal is to be the trusted, and we are the trusted name in facial recognition and crime prevention. We're just here to prevent crime.
We don't, were not --
STEWART: Isn't that the police's job? Are you filling a gap that shouldn't be filled by private businesses?
GORDON: Everybody should be taking security seriously.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
STEWART (voice-over): Gordon says there's no bias in the AI algorithms and the company also uses human super facial recognizers. But mistakes happen.
Accuracy was 99.85 percent in June, according to FaceWatch.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MADELEINE STONE, SR. ADVOCACY OFFICER, BIG BROTHER WATCH: If you're put on a watch list, your information is held for up to a year because there's no
real due process. This is all done by a private company, there's no police involvement, there's no direct evidence that anyone's actually committed a
crime. So you could very easily be wrongly placed on watch lists and have your life really changed because some AI-powered technology has flagged you
as a criminal, which you aren't.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
STEWART (voice-over): For shoppers leaving a store with FaceWatch tech, there's a mix of opinions.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I don't want my face to be recognized, I'm just doing my shopping.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I mean it's uncomfortable, but I mean I understand why they're doing it.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think in this day and age, even our phone, facial recognition, biometrics and everything, it's all around us so I don't think
there's any escaping it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
STEWART (voice-over): Back at the supermarket, it's time to see how quickly alarm bells will ring now I've been flagged.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
STEWART: That was quick, I didn't even make it down the first aisle.
GORDON: That's a match. It's 99 percent similarity. You would trigger an alert in a store down the road if you'd carried out more than one crime
here or if it was over a certain value.
STEWART: Well, thanks for showing me how it works. Could I ask that you delete my profile?
GORDON: Absolutely.
STEWART: Not really, I think.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
STEWART(voice-over): Anna Stewart, CNN, London.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MACFARLANE: I mean, I was going to pop to the shops after the show, but I think I'm just going to head straight home now after that. Anyway, let's
move on.
A history-making weekend at Wimbledon is ready to be served.
[14:45:01]
The tennis world's number one, Carlos Alcaraz, and world number two, Novak Djokovic, have booked their tickets to the men's final on Sunday. One
looking to win an eighth title there, one looking to win his first ever Wimbledon title.
But first, the women will hit the grass court on Saturday where a new Wimbledon champion will be crowned. Ons Jabeur making the final for the
second consecutive year where she will be facing Marketa Vondrousova.
So let's bring in World Sports Andy Scholes during me now live. Andy, great to see you. Let's talk about the men first, because that was the one that
wrapped up just recently. I think kind of the expected final, they are the two top season, the final everyone wanted to see, certainly I did. But I
guess the question is, what chances does Alcaraz have of defeating a seven- time Wimbledon champion?
ANDY SCHOLES, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: It's certainly going to be difficult, Christina. And the odds makers do have Novak Djokovic as about a
two-to-one favorite to beat Carlos Alcaraz on Sunday. But I mean, this is the matchup we wanted since the tournament started, right? You got the
number one player in the world right now in Alcaraz taking on the best player ever in Novak Djokovic. And Djokovic just looking fantastic against
Jannik Sinner today to make it to that Grand Slam final.
This is going to be the 36th Grand Slam final of his career. That's a record for any player, male or female. Djokovic looking to win that eighth
Wimbledon title, which would tie him with Roger Federer for the most all- time. And he's just so good on the grass at the All England Club. Djokovic has not lost there at Wimbledon since 2017 in the quarterfinals. He's
basically unbeatable there. So, it's going to take an incredible effort from Alcaraz in order to win that match. But if he played like he did today
against Daniil Medvedev, that is not out of the question, Christina, because Alcaraz was just a wizard on the court today against Medvedev. So
much so that at times Medvedev was just looking around his family and his coaches like, what do I do against this guy?
The 20-year-old Spaniard, you know, he's -- we know how good of a player he is on the hard in the clay. He's becoming a great player on the grass as
well, winning the Queens right before Wimbledon. He's got that one Grand Slam title already under his belt, the U.S. Open, looking now for his first
Wimbledon. He's been the top ranked player in the world for 11 weeks now. So this is going to be just a great match-up. I certainly can't wait for
it. They faced each other twice before. They're one-in-one in those match- ups. The last one coming at the French Open in the semis, you know, we were hoping that one was going to be an epic match, Christina. Alcaraz ended up
having some cramps, which kind of put it downer on it, and Novak ended up winning it rather easily.
But we're all looking forward to Sunday now in this Wimbledon final. It should be an incredible one.
MACFARLANE: It's going to be so good. And Alcaraz, you know, is such a confident player. He backs himself, doesn't he? And he is the future. Let's
see if the future arrives on Sunday. So, let's just talk about the women tomorrow, because as we're saying, we know there'll be a first time winner
this year, Ons Jabeur, Marketa Vondrousova. But I think Ons is going to be pretty tough to beat given, Andy, we were saying she lost out in the final
just last year.
SCHOLES: Yes, and we'll see if the third time is the charm for her, right? Because she also made that U.S. Open final that she came up short in. And
she's looking to make history of her own. She'd be the first Arab player, male or female, to ever win a Grand Slam title. And she certainly looked
impressive in this run. Just the power she shows out there on the court, the confidence that she seems to have in her game now at 28 years old. You
know, she's the first woman to defeat three top 10 players at Wimbledon since Serena Williams did that back in 2012. So, her run to this final has
certainly been impressive. She's got 28 grass court wins on the WTA. That's the most since 2021. So she's definitely on top of her game.
On the other side of things, Marketa Vondrousova, 24 years old from the Czech Republic, she battled injuries last year. She was out for six months,
but she's certainly, you know, getting her game back to where she hoped it would be. It's her first Grand Slam final since the 2019 French. But,
Christina, she was not expecting this so much. You know, she's the first unseated finalist to make Wimbledon final since Billie Jean King back in
1963. She didn't have plans for her cat. She said she had to find the last second cat sitter to come watch her cat because she wasn't planning on
still being there at this time.
MACFARLANE: I heard about that. And her husband, of course, who apparently is hustling to get to center court tomorrow. It's great. I hope he gets
there in time. Cannot wait for these finals. Andy Scholes, great to speak to you again. Thank you.
SCHOLES: All right.
MACFARLANE: And I'm glad we talked about cats because hilarious hounds and crazy kittens are coming up next. We'll take a look at the nominees for
this year's Comedy Pet Photo Awards next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[14:52:16]
MACFARLANE: The new Barbie movie will hit theaters in just one week. The iconic Barbie doll has been a mainstay in American culture and beyond for
generations, but the brand has faced some fatigue in recent years for being slow to diversify. CNN's Vanessa Yurkevich spoke with the makers of Barbie
about the doll's comeback and what the new film could mean for the brand.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
VANESSA YURKEVICH, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Barbara Millicent Roberts you know her as Barbie, parents, Mattel, born in 1959, but doesn't
look a day over 19.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Everyone had a Barbie, and it was the thing to have a Barbie.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
YURKEVICH (voice-over): Next week Barbie comes to life in a new movie with an A-list director and actors.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RYAN GOSLING AS KEN, ACTOR: Hi, Barbie.
MARGOT ROBBIE AS BARBIE, ACTRESS: Hi, Ken.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
YURKEVICH (voice-over): Distributed by CNN's Parent Company, Warner Bros. Discovery.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RICHARD DICKSON, PRESIDENT AND COO, MATTEL: It's an incredibly important milestone for the brand.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
YURKEVICH (voice-over): Barbie, beloved by girls and boys around the world, has had ups and downs.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DICKSON: Back in 2014, '15, we hit a low and it was a moment to reflect in the context of why did Barbie lose relevance? She didn't reflect the
physicality, the look, if you will, of the world around us.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
YURKEVICH (voice-over): Now Barbie, Ken and friends have many different skin tones, shapes and special traits that make them look more like us.
But this year's first quarter sales of Mattel slumped down 22 percent from last years.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
YURKEVICH: How is Mattel and Barbie viewed as a brand?
KATIE MANCINI, GENERAL MANAGER, LANDOR & FITCH: There's been a lot of decline in that differentiation and that relevance that keep a brand fresh
and top of mind from a purchase perspective. And when that happens, brands go into a place of fatigue.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
YURKEVICH (voice-over): Mattel hopes this new movie will give them the boost they're looking for.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DICKSON: We also now have the opportunity to reach new ages and stages that ultimately, from a business perspective, provides huge merchandising and
monetization opportunities.
ILENE GAYER, OWNER, HOMBOM TOYS: We're standing in front of Barbie.
DICKSON: At HomBom Toys, owner Ilene Gayer can't keep moving Barbie on the shelf.
GAYER: Within a day, they were gone.
YURKEVICH: Have you always had Barbie and Ken and friends in store?
GAYER: Absolutely. Absolutely. It's a staple. It's the moms and dads who are more nostalgic than the kids.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
YURKEVICH (voice-over): But that nostalgia isn't for everyone.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I don't know how she's evolved.
YURKEVICH: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Like did she have a college degree now?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
YURKEVICH (voice-over): The movie has calculated for that.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We haven't played with Barbie since we were, like, five years old.
ROBBIE: Oh.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
YURKEVICH (voice-over): And for others, you're never too old for Barbie.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CAROL SPENCER, FOR BARBIE CLOTHING DESIGNER, MATTEL: I am 90 years old. Or I should say 90 years young.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
YURKEVICH (voice-over): Carol Spencer didn't grow up playing with Barbies.
[14:50:00]
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SPENCER: This was my first project.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
YURKEVICH (voice-over): But Barbie wouldn't be, well, Barbie without her.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SPENCER: I was a designer for the Barbie doll starting in 1963 for over 35 years, and I loved every minute of it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
YURKEVICH (voice-over): While Carol helped make, Barbie helped make Mattel. As other toys have come and gone, Barbie is still strutting.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SPENCER: Barbie really carried Mattel for a great many years. I thought of every child who played with a Barbie doll as my child. So, let me tell you,
I have a big family and I love it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
YURKEVICH (voice-over): And that is the magic and power of Barbie. Vanessa Yurkevich, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MACFARLANE: Now, they're with us through the good and the bad, and our cameras capture it all. These shots represent the most hilarious moments of
our furry companions. Hand-standing hounds, frightening felines, and ravenous reptiles are all vying for the top prize in this year's Comedy Pet
Photo awards. And the winner will be announced in August. But for me, it would have to be this shot of a Border Collie photo bombing some park goers
in New York that wins it. Or indeed, this photo titled The Big Boss coming in a close second. The Big Boss is essentially me as we speak at the end of
the week, looking into the weekend.
Thank you so much for watching. Stay tuned for our big boss coming up next. QUEST is after the break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
END
