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Quest Means Business
Netanyahu: Rafah Operation Essential to Eliminate Hamas; Aid Delivery Turned Deadly in Gaza on February 29th; Parents of Michigan School Shooter Sentenced; International Court Rules Against Switzerland in Climate Case; Anger Over Government Inaction in Response to Record Flooding; Animals React During Total Solar Eclipse Over Some U.S. States. Aired 4- 4:45p ET
Aired April 09, 2024 - 16:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[16:00:23]
RICHARD QUEST, CNN INTERNATIONAL HOST: Closing bell ringing on Wall Street. One, two, three. Nice gavel to bring trading to an end, even if the number
is not the most exciting. Barely changed for the Dow Jones on this Tuesday.
Those are the markets and the main events of the day: International pressure is growing on the Israeli prime minister. He says, no force in the
world will stop Israeli troops from entering Rafah.
The Highest Court in the US state of Arizona rules. The state must adhere to a 1901 law that bans nearly all abortions.
And King Charles gets a look at the new bank notes, those that bear his portrait.
Live from New York on Tuesday, April the 8th. I'm Richard Quest, back in New York, where of course, I mean business.
Good evening. We begin today with Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, who said no force in the world will stop Israeli troops from
entering Rafah.
As the world tries to ramp up pressure for a ceasefire, the French foreign minister has suggested, sanctions could be used to pressure a ceasefire. He
said in an interview, there must be multiple ways to force Israel to allow more aid into Gaza.
And the new Irish prime minister, the Taoiseach said as he was being sworn in, innocent people are being starved and slaughtered.
In the US, Senator Elizabeth Warren said Israel's actions could be interpreted as genocide.
Our international diplomatic editor is Nic Robertson. He is in Jerusalem. Nic, I don't want to parry or pass phrases here, but when Benjamin
Netanyahu says, no force in the world will stop Israeli troops from entering Rafah, does not then follow a sentence, if it wants to. In other
words, if Israel intends to do it.
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: He is sending a very clear signal that this is the path and the course that he is on, right-wing
members of his government, Itamar Ben Gvir, the National Security minister has said that if the prime minister decides not to go into Rafah, than he
loses his mandate to be prime minister, ipso facto the government collapses.
Now, there are reasons both of them would not want to push that button. But the IDF believes that there is a strong military rationale. The prime
minister says that rationale is that the Hamas still has five brigades there, they still haven't captured or killed the head of the political wing
of Hamas, the head of the military wing of Hamas, and a lot of other commanders.
Hamas is still able to fire rockets, still able to attack IDF forces inside of Gaza. So the rationale, the military rationale the political rationale
is all there. The prime minister says, there is a date. Secretary of State Antony Blinken today indicated that he still expects more conversations
with Israeli officials next week. He is not seeing a date.
The US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin spoke with his counterpart here in Israel, Yoav Gallant today, they talked about the upcoming operation in
Rafah, but again, no date communicated there, and I think if you look what the IDF said over the weekend about the troops it pulled out of Khan
Younis, they indicated that they would get some recuperation time and preparation time.
So it doesn't seem that it is imminent. We may be looking at weeks here though -- Richard.
QUEST: So, what sort of pressure would work? I mean, clearly the speaking hasn't, so I am guessing even the threat of President Biden to change US
policy doesn't really seem to have, so what will it take?
ROBERTSON: Frankly, it would take Hamas to agree to all of Israel's demands when it comes to the release of hostages, and essentially the Hamas
leadership to recuse themselves and exit Gaza.
I mean, this is the complete total victory, total victory is what the prime minister keeps speaking about, release of the hostages, total victory.
Total victory, he keeps saying is the complete destruction and defeat of Hamas, and he keeps saying it is possible.
[16:05:00]
The evidence on the ground points in a completely opposite direction that international allies and partners of Israel say that isn't the path. It is
killing too many Palestinian civilians, but for the prime minister, so therefore, it would have to be that Hamas capitulates and at the moment,
they're the ones that seem to be holding out, at least that's the way it is presented on the negotiating talks for a ceasefire and hostage release
right now.
QUEST: What about the Israeli public? Now, we know because we've spoken to a lot of people who say their support for the war is pretty solid still,
even though we are seeing larger demonstrations in Tel Aviv.
But is there the support for the prime minister to go in -- or for the IDF to go into Rafah?
ROBERTSON: You know, there are still a lot of support around for the war, for the defeat of Hamas and the prime minister, while he is not as popular
as he was, and he certainly wouldn't win an election that doesn't stop other people in the country who wouldn't vote for him, still thinking that
defeating Hamas is the way forward. That is a view a lot of people have.
Look, I spoke to a lady over the weekend whose brother was killed at the Nova Music festival in the 7th of October, along with 350 other people by
Hamas, but she said the pain is worse than it was. And I said, well, what do you want to see happen? And she said to me, look she said to me that I
want the Army to come out and I thought she would say what so many families of the hostages say, which is we want the Army to come out and a deal at
any price.
And she said, no, we want the Air Force -- we want the Air Force to go ahead and continue the attack. So that is very strong language and a lot of
people here do support that continued military campaign.
QUEST: Nic Robertson, who is in Jerusalem and will keep reporting for us, I am grateful, sir. Thank you.
Well, you remember the scenes, these horrific scenes, which was the aftermath of the aid delivery turned deadly. Now, more than a hundred
Palestinians were killed, hundreds more injured in Gaza in late February.
The Israeli military claimed its tanks fired warning shots into the air to disperse a crowd after seeing people were being trampled.
Our analysis of videos, interviews, and eyewitnesses, and the testimonies they gave cast doubt on Israel's version of events.
CNN's Katie Polglase reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KATIE POLGLASE, CNN INVESTIGATIVE PRODUCER (voice over): It is early morning on February 29th on Al-Rashid Road in Northern Gaza. Thousands of
starving people have gathered here to receive food, but as the aid trucks arrive, this happens.
(GUNSHOTS)
POLGLASE (voice over): The night would become known as the Flour Massacre.
By morning, over a hundred would be dead, in one of the single biggest mass casualty events of this conflict. CNN investigated this incident, obtaining
never seen before videos of that night, collecting evidence from 22 eyewitnesses and tracing the aid itself all the way to a Muslim charity in
the UK.
It was the IDF that was then responsible for safely delivering these vital supplies, but we found they opened fire on unarmed starving Palestinians at
close range as the aid arrived.
Their explanation for the tragedy using this drone video was the stampede that caused soldiers to fired warning shots in the air, they later admitted
to firing some shots directly at so-called suspects who approached them. But the IDF footage is incomplete. It cuts between crowds surrounding the
trucks and bodies lying on the ground, even this reveals they were firing in a densely packed area likely to cause severe bloodshed.
CNN requested the full footage from the IDF, but it was denied.
Jihad Abu Watfa was amongst the starving Palestinians and started filming as the trucks crossed into Northern Gaza.
JIHAD ABU WATFA (THROUGH TRANSLATION): We decided to face the danger, to risk our lives to obtain piece of bread for our families.
POLGLASE: Videos for Jihad and another key eyewitness, Belal below indicate the gunfire started earlier than the IDF claimed. The IDF published this
timeline saying the trucks arrived at the checkpoint at 4:00 AM, they then crossed at 4:29 and only after that did the IDF fired shots at the crowd.
But in Belal's video filmed seven minutes earlier at 4:22 AM, gunshots ring out.
(GUNSHOTS)
He warns there was a tank.
The IDF claimed the convoy was still stationary at the checkpoint at this time. Next, jihad begins filming. It is now 4:28 AM and there is a barrage
of gunfire and the shots are close.
[16:10:10]
Analysis by weapons experts of the bursts indicate it is heavy automatic gunfire at 600 rounds per minute. Jihad keeps filming.
(JIHAD ABU WATFA speaking in foreign language.)
POLGLASE (voice over): "A tank is beside me. We are now under siege," he says. Moments later, you see a truck driving along the road, we spotted
traces from the gunfire here.
One can be seen ricocheting up here according to weapons experts.
(JIHAD ABU WATFA speaking in foreign language.)
TRANSLATION: The feeling was totally indescribable, fear, confusion. You fear, God forbid, you're going back to your family as a martyr.
POLGLASE (voice over): As day broke, the number of dead and injured that emerged was staggering. Interviews with survivors at hospitals afterwards,
found some people had been shot in the upper body.
(UNIDENTIFIED MALE speaking in foreign language.)
TRANSLATION: When were you injured?
(UNIDENTIFIED MALE speaking in foreign language.)
TRANSLATION: In my chest, and it went out through my back.
POLGLASE (voice over): Amid the devastation, CNN found a clue as to who had delivered this aid, this box with the writing Ummah Welfare Trust.
MOHAMMAD AHMED, UMMAH WELFARE TRUST: This was the first time that the aid had reached Northern Gaza and we were very, very excited and happy that
finally they have gone through.
POLGLASE (voice over): They received the terrible news as to what had happened via WhatsApp.
AHMED: I woke up to some photos with cardboard boxes of our logo, Ummah Welfare Trust with bloodstains on them. And it came as a shock. This is the
first time in 20 years where I've actually seen blood being mixed with aid.
POLGLASE (voice over): In all, at least 118 died that day.
With the UN struggling to access Northern Gaza, the IDF are responsible for ensuring aid arrives safely. Despite this, the UN has documented two dozen
attacks on Palestinians awaiting aid in the last three months alone.
For those like Jihad living on the verge of famine, it has led to a desperate fight for survival.
(JIHAD ABU WATFA speaking in foreign language.)
TRANSLATION: The living take precedence over the dead. I must get food for myself and my children.
POLGLASE (voice over): And now, that fight becomes more challenging than ever.
Katie Polglase, CNN, London.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
QUEST: The Israeli Defense Forces have not yet responded to CNN's questions concerning these findings.
Turkey is restricting exports to Israel after accusing the country of denying a request to airdrop aid into Gaza. Ankara says the restrictions
applied to materials that could be used for military or construction purposes. Israel says it will responds in kind. Turkey's exports to Israel
are worth $5.4 billion last year.
CNN's Scott McLean reports from Istanbul.
SCOTT MCLEAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Since the war in Gaza began, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has been one of the loudest voices
against Israel, calling it a terrorist state, accusing it of genocide and even making this comparison.
(PRESIDENT RECEP TAYYIP ERDOGAN speaking in foreign language.)
MCLEAN: "Is there anything Netanyahu does that is less than Hitler? No." He said in December, but despite the bark, there has been no bite until now.
(HAKAN FIDAN speaking in foreign language.)
MCLEAN: "There can be no excuse to Israel preventing our attempt to send aid from the air to our Gazan brothers who are fighting hunger," said Hakan
Fidan, "In response to this situation, we have decided to take a series of new measures against Israel."
After Turkey accused Israel of rejecting a Turkish request to airdrop aid to Gaza, Turkey's foreign minister promised consequences. Ankara has now
banned the export of some metals, cement, industrial machinery, more than 50 products to Israel until it agrees to a ceasefire in Gaza and allowance
for the uninterrupted flow of humanitarian aid.
The Israeli foreign minister promised to retaliate with its own export bans aimed at Turkey's inflation battered economy, and said Erdogan is once
again sacrificing the economic interests of the people of turkey for his support of the Hamas murderers in Gaza.
MCLEAN (on camera): While Turkish-Israeli political relations have been hot and cold through the years, lately, economic ties have only been warming
with annual trade volume now into the billions. And while there were some smaller organized boycotts of Israel in Turkey at the outset of the war,
Erdogan's government has long resisted calls to cut trade with Israel.
AKIF CHAGATAI KILIC, CHIEF ADVISER TO PRESIDENT ERDOGAN: Well, there is no talk about sanctions at this point.
MCLEAN (voice over): This was Erdogan's chief adviser in December.
KILIC: But of course the relationship is strained.
MCLEAN (on camera): President Erdogan has called Israel a terrorist state and I wonder why Turkey thinks it is okay to do business with a terrorist
state?
KILIC: Well, I mean, you're saying business, but the fact is that there are certain companies that are based in Turkey, there are certain companies
that are based in Israel. This is not a state to state issue.
(PROTESTERS chanting.)
[16:15:06]
MCLEAN (voice over): This week, police detained dozens of protesters on Istanbul's famous Istiklal Street, who are calling for Turkey to cut off
trade with Israel. And in local elections, less than two weeks ago, Erdogan was dealt a stinging defeat. Smaller parties promising to take stronger
action against Israel siphoned off votes from his ruling AK Party.
MCLEAN (on camera): You think that President Erdogan has heard the message from voters loud and clear?
SEDA DEMIRALP, PROFESSOR OF POLITICAL SCIENCE, ISIK UNIVERSITY, ISTANBUL: Oh yes. This is a very clear message wherever you look, you see pro
government groups talking about how government failed to respond to domestic pressure, domestic demands about the Gaza war, and about the
economy, and how the government failed to notice that complaints were this big before.
MCLEAN (voice over): Scott McLean, CNN, Istanbul.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
QUEST: The Arizona Supreme Court has ruled that a law banning nearly all abortion is enforceable. It was a law that was written before Arizona was
even a state, but now, it seems to be the law of the land in that state, in a moment.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
QUEST: A precedent setting moment in a Michigan courtroom as a judge sentenced each of the parents of the school gunman, Ethan Crumbley to 10 to
15 years in prison. It is the first time in the United States that parents have been sentenced to prison for roles they played in their child's mass
shootings.
James and Jennifer Crumbley were both found guilty of involuntary manslaughter earlier this year in the deaths of four Oxford High School
students who were gunned down by their son. Before the sentencing, the Crumbleys came face-to-face with the victims' families and the members who
gave emotional impact statements.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NICOLE BEAUSOLEIL, MOTHER OF MADISYN BALDWIN: The punishment that you face will never be enough, it will never bring her back. It will never be a loss
that you have suffered, and it will never heal the pain because one day you're going to be able to see your son, visit, hear his voice, possibly
laugh, maybe see him grow. I will never see that again.
Because the so-called loss that you say you have suffered doesn't even compare to the loss of a child.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
[16:20:02]
QUEST: Jean is with me. Jean has covered this case at great length, she joins me from New York.
Jean, I have to say, not that I am an expert on these things in any shape or form, but I was quite surprised at the length here, 10 to 15years, which
seems on the high side bearing in mind, they didn't pull the trigger.
JEAN CASAREZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: And that was the point of the defense right there and they even argued that today in sentencing that once their
son, got that gun in his hand and went to school and pulled the trigger. That was an intervening independent act that the Crumbleys had no control
over.
I mean, say that they exhibited gross negligence with their son, that is gross negligence, but they weren't responsible for this as far as
sentencing. The judge didn't buy it though. The judge in this precedent setting sentence decided that they should get the maximum, which was 10 to
15 years behind bars, the most they could get for these offenses.
QUEST: And what was interesting was the judge said, I am not asking you to be a mind reader. I am not asking you to know, but the circumstances here
were so egregious.
And I know you followed this day by day, blow by blow. So you are in a unique position to tell us, is that how it seemed to you?
CASAREZ: You know if we look at the facts, just the real facts, Ethan Crumbley was in his bedroom every night and what he did in his bedroom
every night through the night was he wrote this journal about what he was going to do and how he was going to do it and he was researching if
Michigan had the death penalty, he wasn't going to do it because he wanted to live, but he knew he wanted to be a mass shooter. Nobody was going to
stop him. He was born this way.
He was texting a school friend, this is what I am going to do. I've got to find the gun. My dad has hidden the gun and I've got to find it.
Well the parents didn't know about that. They had no earthly idea he was doing this. And one of the elements of this crime is foreseeability that
they had to know that their son could commit harm to another.
So, there will be an appeal and there will be appellate issues here because a lot of things did not come in that the defense believes should have come
in and we will just have to see where that goes.
QUEST: Now, the next thing, the interesting thing is the various hearings and motions on whether or not they can see him and all -- or actually not
see him, he is in prison as well, remain in contact with him? Yes, they claim being that we may have all done these things, but we are still a
family.
The judge is still to rule on this.
CASAREZ: such an excellent point, boy, you watch this, you know, these issues and the defense is saying this is a constitutional issue, that there
is a liberty here at stake because they are a family and they should be able to have contact, meaning write letters back and forth in prison. At
this point, there is a no contact order. There has been since 2021. So you have a family, a mother, a father, and a child, and since 2021, there has
been no contact at all.
Ethan has been alone. Many people feel he should be alone and not to be in contact. But they are saying at this point, it is over. Let us write
amongst each other because we have that right.
QUEST: Jean, thank you. Your coverage has been superb and you've got this well across it as I would expect. Thank you. I am grateful.
CASAREZ: Thank you so much.
QUEST: Now, a historic decision in the US state of Arizona.
The State Supreme Court, not the US Supreme Court, this is the State Supreme Court has ruled that a law enacted in 1864 banned nearly all
abortions is enforceable today. It is a measure, which bars abortion unless necessary, to save the mother's life. It carries a prison sentence of two
to five years for those who provide it.
(PROTESTERS chanting.)
QUEST: The court ruled that the law now replaces Arizona's 15-week ban. There is a two-week delay, if you will, on the decision. It could have far-
reaching consequences for women's health and for election year politics.
Earlier, CNN's Natasha Chen spoke to Isa Soares.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NATASHA CHEN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: This is a 47-page decision and very complicated because they were asked to provide clarity on the two laws
that Arizona has seemingly had on the books. This 15-week ban that was put into place, passed by the state right before Roe versus Wade was overturned
two years ago and this other law, the old one dating back to the Civil War era, which bans nearly all abortions except in the case of saving the life
of the mother. It carries a prison sentence of between two and five years in prison for abortion providers.
Now, the judges today ruled that that needs to be upheld, that older law and it is very confusing, of course, that is why there are strong emotions
and reactions from so many people, including Planned Parenthood, who came out today to say that they will continue to provide services according to
the 15-week ban until this ruling goes -- has that 14-calendar-day stay.
[16:25:24]
So this is going to be a lot for people to figure out.
To be clear, no one who provided abortions prior to this ruling will be subject to the penalty. Here is what Governor Katie Hobbs had to say.
GOV. KATIE HOBBS (D-AZ): Let me be clear, Arizona's 2022 abortion ban is extreme and hurts women, and the near total Civil War era ban that
continues to hang over our heads only serves to create more chaos for women and doctors in our state.
CHEN: And already the state's attorney general is saying that this is unconscionable, an affront to freedom. Let's take a look at more of the
statement posted on X saying: "Today's decision to reimpose a law from a time when Arizona wasn't a state, the Civil War was raging and women
couldn't even vote, will go down in history as a stain on our state. This is far from the end of the debate on reproductive freedom and I look
forward to the people of Arizona having their say in the matter. And let me be completely clear, as long as I am attorney general, no woman or doctor
will be prosecuted under this draconian law in this state."
So you see there that there is a statement that there won't be enforcement, at least from the Attorney General's Office. At the same time, you have a
Citizen Ballot Initiative where people are collecting signatures in hopes to put this to voters, to try to enshrine abortion rights in Arizona state
law.
So there is a lot more to come on this winding path, a lot more for people to figure out. Of course, very confusing and probably very emotional for
women hoping to seek an abortion in the state of Arizona.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
QUEST: As we continue tonight together, these were the old ones. They had the picture, of course, of the late Queen. Well, now, new bank notes
showing King Charles coming in the United Kingdom and His Majesty got his first look at them and it was given to him by the Governor of the Bank of
England.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[16:31:08]
QUEST: The Swiss government has been ordered to live up to its climate pledges by the European Court of Human Rights. It's a landmark decision in
a case brought by a group of more than 2,000 Swiss women. The argument was the Swiss federation had failed to protect them from the life-threatening
risks posed by climate change. It's a ruling that could set the stage for similar complaints.
CNN's Clare Sebastian reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CLARE SEBASTIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, the fact that three cases claiming government's alleged inaction on climate change violates people's
human rights made it to the European Court of Human Rights in the first place was already groundbreaking. But the fact that one of the cases was
partially successful is another major milestone for climate activists.
It explicitly links national climate change policies with the state's duty to protect the human rights of its citizens and in bolsters, of course, the
body of proof that litigation can be an effective tool alongside global treaties to force governments to do more to stop global warming.
Experts and activists say this will open the floodgates to more cases in Europe and globally where there is a growing trend of human rights cases
being brought over climate change. That a view shared by Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GRETA THUNBERG, CLIMATE ACTIVIST: This is only the beginning of climate litigation. All over the world more and more people are taking their
government to court, holding them responsible for their actions. And this - - the results of this can mean in no way that we lean back. This means that we have to fight even more this. This is only the beginning.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SEBASTIAN: With the two other cases, including one attempting to force 32 countries to do more to prevent global warming, are dismissed for technical
reasons. But the court's ruling in the Swiss case is binding with no option to appeal. Switzerland will now be compelled to act including possibly
reducing its greenhouse gas consumption. The Swiss government says it's analyzing the judgment and the, quote, "measures Switzerland has to take
for the future."
Clare Sebastian, CNN, London.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
QUEST: Joana Setzer is with me, and it says you're professor at the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment. I think
we have a dodgy line. So let's make a start and see how we go.
This is interesting because I don't know where it goes from here or what the court now rules. So they've ruled what's the, if you will, the
injunction, what follows on?
JOANA SETZER, ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR, GRANTHAM RESEARCH INSTITUTE, LONDON SCHOOL OF ECONOMICS: Well, what follows from government --
QUEST: Oh, dear.
SETZER: Have to comply with the decision. So it's --
QUEST: Joanna, forgive me. I do apologize.
SETZER: Yes.
QUEST: And -- I fear we could keep going, but I know we're having problems so we will leave it there. I'm so sorry. I promise you tomorrow. How about
that? Let's talk about it tomorrow because it's better that we can talk about once we've worked out why that wasn't working. It's best not to
persevere when things are like that.
Residents in the Russian town of Orsk are angry over what they see as a lack of action over devastating floods. A state of emergency has been
declared after the worst flooding recorded in the Orenburg region and 10,000 residential buildings have been evacuated. And President Putin has
no plans to visit the area.
Here's a further look at the situation.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Catastrophic flooding and thousands of lives upended across several regions in Russia, forcing many to evacuate with just their
pets and a handful of belongings. At least three people are reported to have died so far. Authorities declared a state of emergency in the Orenburg
region near Kazakhstan after the Ural, Europe's third longest river, swelled several meters and burst through a dam embankment in Orsk, a city
of more than 200,000 residents.
[16:35:14]
The anger there was palpable on Monday, with protesters chanting shame on you at local officials and Putin help over the government's response.
No one is helping us here, a man in this crowd shouts. The state is doing nothing, he says.
The city mayor said the flood has now peaked according to Russian state news agency TASS, and the Kremlin spokesperson described the deluge in
these regions as inevitable due to an abnormal increase in water levels. Dmitry Peskov also said that President Vladimir Putin is currently not
planning on visiting the affected areas.
Across the border in Kazakhstan, the country's president said the floods were his country's worst natural disaster in decades. In Russia, the
country's emergency situations minister flew over some of the flooded zones on Tuesday to inspect the damage. And over in the Kurgan Region melting ice
and torrential rains caused another river to overflow.
This is not a joke, the regional governor says bluntly. Leave, take your papers, valuables, children, elderly relatives with limited mobility. You
need to do this now, he says.
Floodwaters in Kurgan are expected to rise even higher over the next 48 hours putting thousands more lives at risk and wreaking even more havoc.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
QUEST: Now, yes, of course, you will hopefully be with us as we showed you the rare total solar eclipse across North America, from Mexico to Canada.
What a day it was that we all shared together. And we were treated to those spectacular views as the moon, oops, I did it again, blocked the sun. But
it wasn't the only course as we heard, us who were enthralled. Animals could be seen behaving in an unusual way.
CNN's Ed Lavandera was at the Dallas Zoo.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ED LAVANDERA, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It was like momentarily walking into the classic comedy night at the museum, a glimpse
into the secret lives of animals at the Dallas Zoo when humans aren't around to watch.
Zebra started chasing him and then the ostriches got into the mix as well.
(Voice-over): Just as the zoo slipped into total darkness, a jolt of, well, animal energy seemed to shoot through the grounds. The moment mesmerized
Lisa Van Slett, a curator of mammals at the Dallas Zoo.
So did the total eclipse today meet your expectations?
LISA VAN SLETT, ASSOCIATE CURATOR, DALLAS ZOO: It exceeded my expectations today. There was a lot more activity than I expected to see out of the
animals.
LAVANDERA (voice-over): Just before total darkness an ostrich laid an egg and hovered over it for a time, protecting it. Zoo officials say it's not
clear if the moment was caused by the eclipse, but that the timing was certainly curious, they said. Guinea fowl suddenly crowed wildly.
SLETT: I hear the birds are startled. Yes.
LAVANDERA: The birds are getting louder.
SLETT: Yes.
LAVANDERA (voice-over): Just before the moon covered the sun for almost four minutes, a young giraffe and its mother galloped around the enclosure.
The zebras joined in the chase as well. Here and around the country elephants grouped together and appeared to head back to the area where they
sleep. Flamingos packed together in the middle of a pond in their habitat. Primates apparently also thought it was bedtime.
Animal experts say the sudden darkness triggered a natural reaction among many of the animals.
SLETT: At nighttime, predators go out a lot more and so they have to kind of huddle together to be safety in numbers and in case someone coming. So
they went into that instinct pretty quick.
LAVANDERA: At this doggy daycare in the Dallas area, this group of dogs seem to stop, confused by the sudden darkness. When the sun returned, the
dogs started playing around again. Another video captured a cat wanting to come inside its home when darkness struck.
At the Toledo Zoo, a polar bear didn't seem to care about all the fuss, nonchalantly dove into the water before the sun disappeared. Texas Parks
and Wildlife officials teamed up with NASA to set up these acoustic recording devices to monitor the sounds of animals in the wild. But not all
animals were flustered or impressed by the total eclipse. To Bogo the giraffe mostly walked around, unfazed, ready to start chewing on the
lettuce the humans feed him when the sun came back.
Because a total eclipse is so rare, there's very little documentation, very few studies that have been done on animal behavior during a total eclipse.
Because of that zoo officials say they plan on sharing their observations and the data they gather, not just with other zoos that were in the path of
this eclipse, but as well as with other zoos across the country/.
[16:40:08]
Ed Lavandera, CNN, Dallas.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
QUEST: King Charles was presented with the new banknotes that will feature his image. The bills begin circulating on June 5th. Now, the old banknotes
featuring Queen Elizabeth, of which I have some here, I'll show you in a second, remain in speculation. The governor of the Bank of England spoke
about the importance of the moment during the presentation.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANDREW BAILEY, BANK OF ENGLAND GOVERNOR: We have come to present you with your banknotes. So this, of course, is quite a big moment because we've
never changed the sovereign on the banknotes because the Queen was first sovereign to be on the banknotes.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
QUEST: Change is historic. So these are what the old notes are like. Yes, 30 pounds doesn't go as much as it used to be. But you'll probably won't
notice much of a difference because, of course, the U.K. is increasingly cashless. According to U.K. Finance, 14 percent of payments are using --
were in cash. It's only one form of shrinking contact with the royal family. You've got cash, you've got the stamps, by the way. But these
really are no longer part of daily life either in the same way.
So we have new ways of seeing the royals, on Instagram. X and other social media. That's where you can now catch up with your royals in Britain or in
the United Kingdom.
I still like a crisp pound note, although like so many countries now they're all polymer. So that you can put them in the washing machine and
yes, you can't rip them. I know you' can't, I've tried it. I've tried it once in Australia as well. Can't rip it.
A final look at the markets I will leave you. Stocks were a mix on Tuesday. The Dow was down, the Nasdaq and the S&P 500 were getting inflation numbers
tomorrow.
And that's QUEST MEANS BUSINESS for the today. I'm Richard Quest in New York. Whatever you're up to in the hours ahead, I hope it's profitable.
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