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Inter-Korean Summit; North Korean Defector Questions Kim's Motives; Bill Cosby Convicted; Arsenal Seek Europa Title In Wenger's Final Season; American NFL Owner Makes Bid For Wembley Stadium; Athletics Rule Revisions May Impact Elite Women. Aired 2-3a ET
Aired April 27, 2018 - 02:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
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ISHA SESAY, CNN ANCHOR (voice-over): This is CNN NEWSROOM live from Los Angeles. Ahead this hour: choreographed diplomacy at the DMZ as the leaders of North and South Korea take a big step toward normalizing relations.
The U.S. president calls in to his favorite TV show and his words could impact an ongoing legal case.
Plus the (INAUDIBLE) comedian who could now spend the rest of his life in prison for sexual assault.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GLORIA ALLRED, ATTORNEY: Bill Cosby, three words for you: guilty, guilty, guilty.
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SESAY: Hello and welcome to our viewers from all around the world. I'm Isha Sesay. This is NEWSROOM L.A.
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SESAY: The historic summit between North Korea's Kim Jong-un and his South Korean counterpart, Moon Jae-in, is set to resume shortly after a break for lunch. It's the first inter-Korean summit in 11 years with a sharp focus on denuclearization.
Mr. Kim acknowledged expectations are high but said he hopes to deliver results for his people. The North Korean leader crossed the demarcation line that separates the two countries early Friday.
(INAUDIBLE) the summit a starting point in history, an age of peace. After the handshake, Mr. Kim took Mr. Moon's hand and invited him to step north of the demarcation line.
South Korea's Blue House says the move wasn't planned. President Moon says the demarcation line is no longer a symbol of division but is now a symbol of peace.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KIM JONG-UN, NORTH KOREAN LEADER (through translator): I walked 200 meters with (INAUDIBLE). I came here with the mindset that I'm standing at the starting line of the new history of North-South relationships and (INAUDIBLE).
I would like to frankly discuss current issues and matters of interest and have a good result rather than not being able to fulfill it and go back to square one. I would like this to be an opportunity to look at the future and move forward, holding hands.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
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MOON JAE-IN, PRESIDENT, SOUTH KOREA (through translator): The moment we crossed that demarcation line to Panmunjom, it became a symbol of peace, not a symbol of separation.
The entire world is watching us and I once more want to appreciate (INAUDIBLE). I want to have a frank talk and make a good agreement and give the world a good result (INAUDIBLE).
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CNN's Paula Hancocks is not far from the demilitarized zone and she'll be joining us a short time from now to talk a little bit more about what we've seen in that morning session.
I want to go to Tokyo where our Anna Stewart is standing by, as is our Matt Rivers. He's also in Beijing to give us some regional reaction. But let's start with Anna.
Anna, how do you think Tokyo will watch the season played out so far in this morning session of the Korean summit, bearing in mind the Japanese prime minister hasn't even been able to get a response to his request for a meeting with Kim Jong-un?
ANNA STEWART, CNN PRODUCER: There's still some concern. The Japan government did come out this morning and applauded South Korea for its efforts in these talks. But there was still kind of a fairly wary tone.
Listen to what the cabinet secretary had to say.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): We hope to see forward- looking discussions on abductions, nuclear and missile issues. But we do not want to appraise any possible results, as the summit is still about to happen.
(END VIDEO CLIP) STEWART: Japan is -- the general feeling in Japan is one of skepticism, I would say. It feels like it's been here before in the six-party talks, which went on for years. Many agreements made, many assurances given.
And nothing really stuck. So I think the general feeling at the summit is, yes, a lot of words will be said but what action will really be taken?
SESAY: Indeed, the big question out of all of this is what denuclearization actually means to all parties involved. Certainly we know the South Korean view and we know the North Korean view.
What is Japan saying?
I'd imagine it is in alignment with the South and the U.S.
STEWART: It is but it also wants additional assurances on things like short- and medium-range missiles, not just ICBMs. Short- and medium- range missiles can still really threaten Japan.
So it wants to make sure that there is a ban on that. But also crucially wants to see the return of Japanese abductees, who've been held in North Korea for decades. And this is an issue that was brought up in the summit between President Trump and Shinzo Abe and was also spoken about on the phone with the South Korean president earlier this week.
Both leaders were sure Japan its interests --
[02:05:00]
STEWART: -- will be raised. But I think the real issue for Japan is it wants to see actions on these things. In fact, many of the families of the abductees I've spoken to have said they want to see their abductees come home. They want to have them in their hands before any pressure is removed from North Korea.
SESAY: Stakes very, very high, Japan wanting a great deal. We will see how this all shakes out. Anna Stewart joining us there from Tokyo, appreciate it.
Let's go now to CNN's Paula Hancocks, who's not far from the demilitarized zone.
Paula, as you well know, as you've been watching these pictures as closely as we have, the morning session full of smiles, a lot of symbolism.
Beautiful optics, if you will, but what do we know of the substance from the morning session?
What was tackled in the conversation?
PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, we have few details at this point, Isha. We know from the Blue House that they have talked about denuclearization. You hope they would. This is the whole point of the summit and we know that they have discussed how to agree on a peace agreement. At this point there is still just an armistice signed, which technically means both Koreas are still at war.
So they're discussing this issue as well and then also how to improve the relations between North and South Korea. So this effectively is the agenda that we had been told some time ago, that would be discussed.
We heard from Kim Jong-un at the end of the morning session that he hoped what he had agreed with Moon Jae-in, that that would be announced and that would please people and please his own people.
But he also said it is just the tip of the iceberg. So I think we will still have to wait until later on to hear that the declaration that they will both sign or any kind of pronouncements that the two will make as to anything more concrete beyond the fact that they have discussed those issues.
But as you say, it's an important point that the optics are good and, of course, with any summit, you want the optics to be good. What we're going to expect over the next couple of hours or so is that both at lunch at this point, separate lunches and rest, we understand.
They will then be planting a tree, which originates from 1953, the year that the Korean War ended and if that wasn't symbolic enough, there is going to be soil from the North Korean Paektu Mountain and then South Korean Halla Mountain, which will be used in the planting and also sprinkled by water from the Taedong River in North Korea and the Han River in the South.
So really the symbolism is amazing around this summit. They have done a tremendous amount of symbolism because they know that around the world people are watching this live and they want the optics to be good.
They'll also be walking, just the two leaders -- now this is interesting -- there'll be no bodyguards around them. There will be no audio of what they're saying. This will just be the two of them walking along a footpath toward a sign that says "military demarcation line."
So that could be an interesting optic as well and then after that walk they will continue with the hard work and the summit -- Isha.
SESAY: Yes, remarkable symbolism, to your point. They've done an incredible amount of work and seem to have thought everything down to the very last detail. But then we get another headline from the morning session that Kim Jong-un has invited President Moon to the North. I don't know if that was expected or preplanned.
But certainly one would imagine South Korean officials very happy at that development.
HANCOCKS: Absolutely, it would be music to their ears. They said before the summit happened they wanted very few protocols. They didn't want to go to Pyongyang and have the pomp and ceremony and the propaganda, too, that the other previous two summits have been.
They wanted a more practical summit to make sure that it wasn't a standalone summit, that there were going to be more. They even said they would like one or two more before the end of the year.
So the fact that Kim Jong-un has already said that he's inviting President Moon back to Pyongyang, the second invitation, by the way; he did invite him during the Olympics as well -- that will be welcome.
But just one more note as well; whilst they're talking about the optics, whilst they're talking about the amazing symbolism of this summit, not to put a damper on it but you have to remember the symbolism as well of this is Kim Jong-un, one of the worst human rights abusers in the world.
And his country is one of the worst human rights abusers, meeting with a former human rights activist. Moon Jae-in is a former human rights lawyer. So certainly the symbolism is not all positive when it comes to the summit.
SESAY: I want to say the irony, indeed, of it all. Paula Hancocks, astute observation, thanks for sharing.
Paula Hancocks joining us there from close to the DMZ. Much appreciate it.
Want to go to Beijing now, where Matt Rivers is standing by for us and he, too, has been watching the last couple of hours.
Matt, what's the view from Beijing?
I mean they haven't been invited to the party and no one likes to be left out.
MATT RIVERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, the Chinese government is just watching the same way the rest of us are, who aren't at the demilitarized zone.
And you're right. China is not going to be happy about that. I mean, officially, what you're hearing from the Chinese government, it's all roses, you know, it's all exactly what we wanted, it's the solution we've pushed for all along. The only way that we can solve --
[02:10:00]
RIVERS: -- this ongoing crisis on the peninsula is through this kind of direct negotiation.
And that might well be true. They are certainly in favor of negotiations over war. But there is absolutely concern; every single analyst that we speak to here in China says there is no doubt that, in the halls of power here in Beijing, there is concern that they are not getting their views into this discussion, at least at the moment.
And that if these negotiations continue maybe Kim Jong-un doesn't even want China to be a part of that. What happens when President Trump and Kim Jong-un meet?
Could there be some sort of trilateral negotiation between the South Koreans and the Americans and the North Koreans?
That would be Beijing's worst nightmare. It's important to remember that China has huge strategic interests on the Korean Peninsula. They are extremely wary of the U.S. presence in South Korea and the tens of thousands of troops they have there.
And they need North Korea to act as a strategic buffer, as they have for decades now, between South Korea and the Chinese border. So there -- they want to make sure that the North Koreans are hearing that message and are taking their message into these negotiations.
And the only way you can be sure of that is if the Chinese get a seat at some sort of table with future negotiations. But right now the two rounds of negotiations that we know about, that are in place, are happening between the North and the South, between the North Koreans and the Americans. China has not been invited to either party.
SESAY: As you speak to analysts and watches of this long-running conflict and the situation on the Korean Peninsula, what do they say to you about how they think China will go about trying to snag an invite?
To keep this metaphor going.
RIVERS: Well, I think, yes, no, I think you've seen China already take some very tangible steps. You saw Kim Jong-un come to Beijing. We shouldn't overlook that. That's a huge step in what had been a very frosty relationship between China and North Korea.
Remember, both leaders, as President Xi Jinping and Kim Jong-un, hadn't met since Kim took power six years ago. And so that was a big step toward repairing some of the damage that has been caused by this nuclear program that the North Koreans are engaged in.
You also saw a high-level Chinese delegation go to Pyongyang, was received warmly by Kim Jong-un himself. He hadn't met a previous Chinese delegation before in that kind of warm way.
And so that's what -- we're seeing some tangible steps. That's with the Chinese government is doing. They are making sure that the relationship is OK enough that they're going to try and use that to make sure the North Koreans bring them into the fold.
SESAY: You just had to (INAUDIBLE) bring them to the party.
Matt Rivers, joining us there from Beijing, we appreciate it.
(LAUGHTER)
SESAY: Matt, appreciate it, my friend. Thank you.
(LAUGHTER) SESAY: Now (INAUDIBLE) is among those questioning Kim Jong-un's motives. North Korea's former deputy ambassador to the U.K. says beware the dictator's propaganda machine. He spoke with our own Christiane Amanpour before the leaders had their meeting.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
THAE YONG-HO, FORMER NORTH KOREAN DEPUTY AMBASSADOR TO THE UNITED KINGDOM:
FOREIGN MINISTER OF SOUTH KOREA: North Korean leadership is very good at creating quite different messages or images about its leader and its system. Every day, I watch North Korean TV and I read the newspapers and medias. But actually the propaganda work of North Korea, it's saying quite different things to its citizens.
CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN HOST: What's it saying?
THAE: Yes. It's saying that the current -- this kind of peaceful atmosphere around North Korea is the direct achievement and outcome of the completion of nuclear weapons development.
AMANPOUR: So, do you think that, when he talks about denuclearization, that he is prepared, under the right circumstances, to dismantle, to give up his nuclear weapons?
THAE: I'm very skeptical. I don't believe it at all. What Kim Jong- un wants to achieve through this upcoming summit, including tomorrow's North and South summit, is a kind of acceptance as a leader of a new nuclear state.
So, for instance, now, tomorrow, the summit will be held in Panmunjom. And even --
AMANPOUR: Which is that special town inside the DMZ.
THAE: Yes. That's right. And even that special area of Panmunjom is interpreted quite differently between North and South.
In South Korea, Panmunjom is the symbol of peace, which actually brought the end of Korean War. But in North Korea, Panmunjom is the place where America was forced to sign a surrender --
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THAE: -- paper.
So Panmunjom is the symbol of victory. And now, tomorrow, Kim Jong-un would appear to Panmunjom as the leader of nuclear state. He would be very warmly welcomed and very well accepted because of honors that would be offered to him.
So North Korean propaganda work may deliver a quite different images and news to its own people and system in order to consolidate his long-term continuation of the power. (END VIDEO CLIP)
SESAY: Interesting. We'll be right back after a very short break. Still to come, what's next at the summit between North and South Korea and will the two leaders read some kind of agreement?
Plus Bill Cosby's fall from grace, how the comedian went from America's dad to being convicted of sexual assault.
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SESAY: Bill Cosby is guilty. The 80-year-old comedian is now at his home after being convicted of drugging and sexually assaulting a woman in 2004. He faces up to 30 years in prison. In all, more than 50 women accused Cosby of sexual misconduct.
Six testified at this trial. Cosby is out on bail and is being fitted with a tracking device. His attorney says he plans to appeal.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SESAY: Joining us now on the line is Caroline Heldman. She attended the trial with accusers. She's also an associate professor of politics at Occidental College and she's a friend of our show.
Caroline, good to have you with us on this important day. Let me start by asking you to just describe for us what it was like being in the courtroom when the verdict was read out.
CAROLINE HELDMAN, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST: Well, I was sitting in between two Cosby survivors, one who has been waiting for justice for 26 years and another who's been waiting for justice for 41 years.
And we were actually escorted out of the courtroom because they were in tears. I was in tears. Many people in the courtroom broke down just weeping, because, you know, only 2 percent of rapist ever see a day in jail. And so it was an unexpected victory in the sense that it's very rare to get a conviction.
And it's especially rare to get a conviction with someone so prominent and so it was just a moment that overwhelmed a lot of people in the courtroom.
SESAY: We're looking at the pictures of you now, Caroline, as you were escorted out and you're actually leaving the building. And there is a lot of hugging.
But talk to me about what was going through your mind. Obviously, it was a shock; obviously there was the recognition of how rare it is to see justice play out like this.
What were you saying to each other? Tell me what words you were sharing with the other women.
HELDMAN: Well, the words we were mostly sharing were disbelief --
[02:20:00]
HELDMAN: -- and joy. We just didn't expect it to happen. I attended the Cosby trial with the Cosby survivors I worked with last year as well.
And as you may remember, it ended in a deadlocked jury. And so we really just weren't expecting it. But the photos that you're looking at, we actually thought that was a private moment, that we were kind of curling, just hugging and hiding away from a camera. And didn't realize that that they had moved all of the cameras.
So it was just this moment of just unbridled joy and also just this weight lifted off of our shoulders, especially those of the Cosby survivors. It was really difficult to sit in this trial because the defense used a lot of the standard techniques that are used in rape defenses.
So he -- they did a lot of blaming the victim and talking about their promiscuity and assassinating their character. So it was a great relief for it to be over after just the drudgery of three weeks of hearing rape myths.
SESAY: Yes. There's a lot of analysis right now about this moment, the significance of this verdict and how the how the prosecution got to this point, talk of was it because the other five women in addition to Andrea Constand's testimony, were they the element that that made this trial finish up this way with a guilty verdict as opposed to the hung trial the first time around.
Or was it the fact that it's happening at the time of the #MeToo movement being what it is?
How do you see it?
How do you account for this verdict, given the rarity of these prosecutions?
HELDMAN: Isha, I think it's both things coming together. Certainly the five women, the five what are called prior bad act witnesses, were very convincing because they essentially all told the same story, that Cosby groomed them. He befriended their family members. He gave grandma tickets to shows. He talked to their parents and then he drugged them and he sexually assaulted them.
And then after the fact, he gaslighted them. He told them that it didn't happen and he continued to speak with their families and with them much of the time. So the stories were just strikingly parallel.
But I also think the #MeToo movement plays into this in the sense that the Jury perhaps bought into rape myths a little less. The prosecution actually started with a forensic psychologist, who laid out all of these rape myths, for example, the myth that women come forward right away or survivors come forward right away or the myth that they have clear recollections of what happened when, in reality, trauma brain essentially means it's hard to recall details.
So the prosecution really set it up to take advantage of this kind of new knowledge that I think the nation has been given with the #MeToo movement about rape myths.
SESAY: Well, Caroline, thank you so much for coming on and telling us about what was happening behind the scenes. I know how much this means you and all the work you do in support of sexual assault survivors. So we thank you and it's a very big day for women everywhere. Thank you, Caroline.
Let's discuss this further with CNN legal analyst Areva Martin.
Areva, I know you, too, have followed this very, very closely. First of all, just give me your gut feeling when you heard the guilty verdict was in.
AREVA MARTIN, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: I was shocked like Caroline. So few of these cases end in a conviction and Cosby brought on a new legal team and that team was very aggressive in their attack and in their defense.
And they did point out a lot of inconsistencies in Andrea's testimony and they didn't have to prove a case. All they had to do was create reasonable doubt. And as a lawyer, when you start hearing about inconsistencies, you get nervous. You think, OK, maybe that person isn't going to be believed.
And in this case we didn't have your standard forensic evidence. We didn't have any tangible evidence. It was basically her word against his word. Now we had the deposition testimony, we had the settlement, we had some other elements but we didn't have a rape kit or some of the other things that you would like to see in --
(CROSSTALK)
MARTIN: -- he said/she said and you had the star witness with inconsistency. So I think there was some concern. I know I had concerns so I was surprised to hear particularly how short the jury --
(CROSSTALK)
MARTIN: -- it was only out 14 hours or so. The last trial was six days that they deliberated. So a lot of differences in this trial versus the first trial for Cosby.
SESAY: I want to play for you our own Jean Casarez, you know well, Jean Casarez is -- her take on the moments in the court and Cosby's reaction at a certain point. Let's play that.
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JEAN CASAREZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The state attorney, said, "Your Honor, we believe he's a flight risk. He has a private plane."
At that point, Bill Cosby stood up, looked at the state attorney and said, in a loud, booming voice, "He doesn't have a plane, you asshole."
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SESAY: You know what I found shocking about that, and I want to get your thoughts, but it was the fact that since this all started many, many months, Bill Cosby's been this frail, barely able --
(CROSSTALK)
SESAY: -- and then you get this about-face and him standing and, as she said, in a loud, booming voice used this language.
MARTIN: Well, obviously he's upset. He's angry. He's had to sit through not one but two trials and listen to woman after woman -- in this case six women -- tell stories of him grooming them, drugging them and sexually assaulting them.
So it could not be easy for him, even as the perpetrator, and I think we saw some of that anger unleashed as he made that statement about not having a plane, not surprising, given what he is facing.
And I'm sure his lawyers have done a good job of --
(CROSSTALK)
MARTIN: -- well, they're going to appeal but again, very uphill battle, very few criminal trials, very few criminal verdicts like this are overturned on appeal.
SESAY: The five women who came in and gave the additional testimony, do you think that is sufficient grounds for the appeal --
(CROSSTALK)
MARTIN: -- one of the bases used for the appeals. I don't think it's going to work so I think there's sufficient legal precedent for the judge allowing those fact witnesses to testify.
I think something that's not been talked a whole lot about in this case that struck me, the first case -- they didn't talk about that $3.2-$3.3 million settlement, that Cosby deal with Constad. That came in, in this trial.
And although the Cosby team tried to dismiss it, hey, he's a really wealthy guy; this is nothing. But too the --
[02:25:00]
MARTIN: -- average person that makes $50,000-60,000, to hear that someone paid $3.3 million to settle a case, that sends a very powerful message, that there probably was something to this case. This wasn't just nuisance value, this wasn't just a small amount you pay to make someone go away.
This probably was a payment for a case where there was substantial liability. So I think that also had a significant impact on the jurors.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SESAY: Areva Martin there, thank you so much.
Cosby's accusers are happy with the verdict, saying it is an important breakthrough, despite the initial shock of the outcome. Here is what some of them said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
VICTORIA VALENTINO, COSBY ACCUSER: I was pretty much gearing up to face another mistrial. I was steeling myself and trying to figure out exactly how I was going to handle it emotionally and then what to do then.
I've been waiting around as if I was standing on one foot, wondering where I was going to put down the other and I didn't want to continue that. I wanted to know where I was going from here.
And this is resolution, in spite of all the appeals that are being threatened.
PATRICIA STEUER, COSBY ACCUSER: After the disbelief, I put my myself right in front of my very large husband. And he put his arms around me and I started to cry and he cried, too. And my husband doesn't cry.
So the two of us stood in the pharmacy, where we were picking up prescriptions, crying together. There's joy, there's relief, there is definite sadness for the years, especially the first 25 that I carried it alone, not at all aware of anyone else who had had the experience that I had.
LILI BERNARD, COSBY ACCUSER: Well, it was just full of joy, full of gratitude for the prosecution, for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, for Andrea Constand and the five prior bad act witnesses, my survivor sisters, who courageously stood on that then.
I was also -- I'm just shocked. I didn't expect this kind of verdict. The jury has restored my faith in humanity and I feel like I'm dreaming and I need to be pinched to be woken.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SESAY: Some of the women there who were celebrating the verdict today of the Cosby trial. Cosby, though, saying through his lawyers that he's repeatedly denying these accusations and his lawyers say they plan to appeal.
There's much more head on the inter-Korean summit now taking place. Coming up after the break, (INAUDIBLE) watcher Mike Chinoy joins us from Hong Kong with his expert analysis.
Plus would you like some venom with your morning coffee?
President Trump unloads in a TV interview.
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[02:30:31] SESAY: The leaders of North and South Korea holding their first face-to-face talks in more than a decade. A few months ago such a meeting would have been unthinkable. North Korea missile launches and nuclear testing had the entire world on edge. This is the first time the North Korean leader has left his country for a summit with South Korea. After an official welcoming ceremony and Kim signing the guest book the two leaders went into The Peace House for their talks. South Korean official say the men discussed denuclearization and a permanent peace settlement. Well, Mike Chinoy like many is covering Asia's as a correspondent for CNN. He's the author of Meltdown: The Inside Story of the North Korean Nuclear Crisis. Mike, good to see you. As you watch the morning session along with the rest of us, the rest of the world, for you, what was the standout moment? What's the headline?
MIKE CHINOY, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, obviously, the mere fact that the meeting is hugely important to me one of the things that stood out the moment that really I think resonated was after Kim Jong-un and South Korean counterpart shook hands before they meet -- went to the meeting, Kim asked Moon Jae-in to step across the demarcation line into North Korea and this was something that currently had not been planned in advance. It was a spontaneous gesture which to me resonated because first of all it showed a degree of sophistication on Kim Jong-un's part in terms of knowing that the cameras were watching.
It was something that he was willing to sort of take a step of -- that had been sorted out in advance. It was a conciliatory gesture full of symbolism, so that really resonated. More over his general comfort level, his ability, and willingness to speak without notes with the cameras rolling, and the photo opportunity that the journals were allowed to witness all suggests somebody who does seem to want his -- to put his country on a different kind of footing and its relationship with South Korea and presumably in its relationship with the United States.
SESAY: Paula Hancocks made the important point that as we looked at these pictures and we see a self-assured smiling, happy, fuel Kim Jong-un, he's still a man, you know, in human rights circles widely referred to as a terrible individual with a terrible human rights record. We're watching the rehabilitation of the North Korean leader's reputation here in real time.
CHINOY: Well, I've been showed to call the rehabilitation but there has been a narrative that's taken hold in the States and in many places in the West that sees Kim Jong-un, in some ways the same way that his father was viewed as this weird, eccentric, crazy, irrational, flaky guy presiding over a country that's just on the brink of collapse. It's going to implode, end up in the dust of history. I've long argued that that's an incorrect understanding and Kim Jong-un has I think now shown to the world that he's a serious figure, that he's somebody a person to be reckoned with, that he's confident, that he's just projecting an ability to hold his own with his South Korean counterpart and I think he'll be able to hold his own if and when he meets Donald Trump. That doesn't change the fact that there are many profound questions about the North Korean system, about violations of human rights, about the cult surrounding the kind of extreme worship of Kim as a leader and his family. But he does seem comfortable operating on the international stage in a way we've never seen from a North Korean leader until now.
SESAY: And with that being said this immergence of Mr. Kim in this light -- in this new light if you will, do you anticipate that certainly from the U.S. point or U.S. things rather that there will be a change in the calculus and this is how they were planning to approach this expected summit?
CHINOY: Well, there's a great deal of certainly still about how the Trump administration is going to handle this partly because you've got mixed signals coming out Washington in which the president has now saying very nice things about Kim Jong-un but he's also saying that he's convinced Kim Jong-un is ready -- has committed to getting rid of North Korea's nuclear weapons. Other officials in the Trump administration are much more skeptical and in point of fact Kim Jong- un has not said formally or in any convincing way that he's willing to abandon North Korea's nuclear arsenal merely that he's willing to put the denuclearization of the entire Korean Peninsula on the table and that's a completely different situation because the North Korean eyes, denuclearization of the entire Korean Peninsula also means getting rid of the U.S. nuclear umbrella that protects South Korea and Japan.
[02:35:29] So all of the good vibes is not withstanding. There's a long, long way to go before we have any sense of whether this is actually going to lead to any meaningful rollback of North Korea's nuclear capability.
SESAY: A lot talk to be here works out. Mike Chinoy, such a pleasure speaking to you. Thank you for joining us. Quick break here. When we come back, unfiltered, U.S. President calls into its favorite TV morning show with something -- a lot of things to get off his chest.
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SESAY: U.S. President Donald Trump will welcome German Chancellor Angela Merkel to the White House on Friday. They'll sit down for 20 minutes one-on-one and working for lunch and joint press conference. That comes after Mrs. Trump's rather animated phone interview Thursday morning with Fox News. It hit on a number of topics and distanced himself. His longtime attorney Michael Cohen misses the president's self-proclaimed fixer who's under criminal investigation by the FBI. The president said that even after 12 years, Cohen's not all that important.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Let me just tell you that Michael is in business. He's really a businessman, a fairly big businesses I understand it. And I don't know his business but this doesn't have to do with me. Michael is a businessman. He's got a business. He also practices law.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mr. President, how much of your legal work was handled by Michael Cohen?
TRUMP: Well, he has a percentage of my overall legal work, a tiny, tiny little fraction. But Michael would represent me and represent me on some things.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SESAY: Michael Genovese is thankfully here with us. He's a political analyst and President of Global Policy Institute at Loyola Marymount University. Michael, now Michael Cohen, is it much to him? I mean I thought Michael Cohen was ready how he would take a bullet for Trump at one point. Clearly, it's not a, you know, an equal relationship.
MICHAEL GENOVESE, PRESIDENT, GLOBAL POLICY INSTITUTE: Michael who? This was surreal. On a plane a few weeks ago, he said, he's my lawyer. Go to talk to him. He's my lawyer and then today he said, he only does a tiny, tiny little fracture of work --
(CROSSTALK)
SESAY: And he does a little bit of law.
GENOVESE: And is that reference to business is that Trump in his own strange way trying to tell the prosecutors that look at his business. Look at his business. Look at his business. There was a theory in Watergate, John Mitchell, the attorney general of -- head of the campaign to reelect said, look, if we can give them an hors d'oeuvre give the special prosecutor hors d'oeuvre maybe they won't go after the main course. Is Michael Cohen the hors d'oeuvre that Trump is trying to feed to the special prosecutor so that they'll him alone?
[02:40:06] It was beyond surreal and a president unhinge going all over the place? It was a rant that lasted 31 minutes on his favorite program.
SESAY: As he what some would say on a raffle on "FOX & FRIENDS", it comes just hours before he meets with the German Chancellor Angela Merkel who's coming to Washington. I mean you couldn't so more different, you know, world leader. I mean talk to me about her ambitions and the interaction we'll likely to see with Trump this week. I mean clearly we don't expect the same, you know, hands- holding and kissing as we saw with Macron.
GENOVESE: The president and Angela Merkel have a very distant relationship. It's very awkward. If you saw the last time they meet, oh, my goodness, it was -- I was in pain watching it. This is kind of the second of the one-two punch from Macron at Merkel and Merkel has been in power for 12 years. She is the senior leader of the west and, you know, when Macron on Tuesday gave the love him, but then on Wednesday, the smack down. I think we're going to see with Angela Merkel is a little bit more of
the smack down. He -- she will not -- I do not think be as more nefarious and as direct as Macron was. I mean Macron even went so far as to say in his speech in Congress, let's try to make our planet great again, really, that dig at Trump. So I don't think you'll see a lot of that public digging or, Isha, does, my dad used to say but I think what we'll see is behind closed door she will continue to give the Macron line -- the European line and say to Trump, you know, get in line behind us.
SESAY: Well, as we try to figure out this president's interactions with world leaders, we're also looking obviously the Korean Peninsula, the meeting between the North Korean and South Korean leaders. Kim Jong-un has so far put on a very smooth display. The question is how will Washington be looking at that ahead of the expected U.S.-North Korea Summit? Because there is a sense that they have sign underestimated Kim Jong-un.
GENOVESE: Well, he's easy to make fun of because the president does that all the time with the Little Rocketman. But you've got to be smart and tough to be in the position he's putting himself in and North Korea. He's wipe out all the rivals and taking firm control. And so I think, you know, don't underestimate him. Remember, he's smart as a whip. He's very strategic. He knows what he wants and he knows the method to get it whether they will get there or not is uncertain.
But, you know, the U.S. is watching him with the most careful eyes because two things are going on here. On May 12th, there's the nuclear deal that has to be decertified with Iran and we're also now asking North Korea to make a deal with us under nuclear arm and so there's this (INAUDIBLE) that's going on. It's just striking how calm and poised Kim Jong-un has been. But even more importantly, President Moon of South Korea has been the master of this. He's been the one who's really staking the events.
SESAY: It has been masterful to see and we'll just wait to find out whether anything substantive towards that goal of denuclearization emerges, but really fascinating. A moment for history. Michael Genovese, thank you.
GENOVESE: Thank you.
SESAY: And thank you for watching CNN NEWSROOM live from Los Angeles. I'm Isha Sesay. "WORLD SPORT" is up next. You're watching CNN.
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[02:45:16] VINCE CELLINI, CNN SPORTS ANCHOR: Welcome to WORLD SPORT. I'm Vince Cellini, and sure it's Arsenal versus Atletico in the first leg of the Europa League semi-final. But for many, it might be remembered as the beginning of Arsene Wenger's farewell party.
A legendary Arsenal coach announced he will be leaving at the end of the season, after 22 years club. And he'd love to add a European trophy to his legacy, a sign of his leaving perhaps, it's Arsenal's first European semi-final in nine years.
To the Emirates in London, for Wenger's final ever, home game in Europe. And they thought they have quite a break to Emirates in with teammate, Vrsaljko, was sent off. That's were a second yellow. You can't believe it and coach Diego Simeone was sent off shortly thereafter.
Arsenal is finally got on the board. Jack Wilshere, great cross Alexandre Lacazette. Brilliantly, head into the back of the net, 61st minute, it's 1-0. But the Spanish side wouldn't quit, their star, Antoine Griezmann, wins the battle for the ball in a box dribbles, it pass the keeper for the equalizer, and the fourth night celebration to follow kids. It ends at 1-1.
The other semifinal took place in Wenger's native friends where Marseille beat Salzburg, and it was Marseille striking first through Florian Thauvin. The very close range bottom left quarters at 15 minutes. More Marseille at 63 minutes, Clinton Njie, right put it one from the center of the box and 2-0, it ends Marseille in this first leg.
And so, Arsenal are off to on even start in getting their manager Arsene Wenger that elusive European trophy before he departs at the end of the season. It's been an interesting week, to say the least for the 68 year old Frenchman who announce his departure at seasons end. And then, revealed in his pre-match press conference on Wednesday that the timing of this decision was not entirely his. Many questions remain about not only his future but the future of Arsenal.
Arsenal fans we spoke to before Thursday's game had different opinions about who did like to see at the helm?
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I've got preference into the moment, I'd be the like -- it will be, Luis Enrique. I think he's probably the easiest solution at the moment because he's a free agent. And on Sibeko or Max Allegri from Juve.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, a successful manager would be the best option. Something like Luis Enrique, of see at Barcelona. But I knows of seeing the Arthur to beat our business. Arthur is been on the Guardiola, this wing for the past two seasons at Man City. It won these on audition. He's hitting the below, he's gone its creation budget. He needs -- if you want to stop his manager grace, you could stop.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, I'm a sentimentalist, so, I probably have say, Patrick Vieira, especially, since he left the club, Arsenal just never been the same. So, maybe he knows what it takes to get them back to where they went through when he was playing.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CELLINI: And interesting range of names that we just heard from the Arsenal fan base. But doesn't mirror the reality of what bookmakers in England think when it comes to who will replace Arsene Wenger. We heard the name of former Barcelona buzz, Luis Enrique, a mention by supporters and he is clearly the favorite in the bookie's eyes.
Some other names that are followed up to him are such as former Arsenal players Mikel Arteta and Patrick Vieira, who was currently in- charge of MLS side, New York City F.C.
And so, our reminder of how we're set up heading into the second legs of the Europa League semi-finals, Arsenal must score at Atletico, while Marseille hold a two-goal advantage at headed to Salzberg. And those matches will be taking place this coming Thursday. Much more ahead on WORLD SPORT in just a moment.
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[02:50:37] CELLINI: They say everything has a price, is Wembley Stadium included? In a stunning move, Shahid Khan, owner of the National Football League, Jacksonville Jaguars, has offered to purchase London sacred sports venue for reported, $1.4 billion dollars. The 90,000 seat arena is owned by England soccer association and home to its national team, the F.A. Cup final and many of Britain's biggest sporting events.
The Football Association confirmed an offer was received and an outline agreement is in hand. Khan, Pakistan-born American billionaire has seen his Jaguar's play at Wembley, each of the past five seasons. And this move could increase the chances of an NFL team residing permanently in London.
And joining me now is my colleague, Kate Riley. And Kate, first question, who is Shahid Khan?
KATE RILEY, CNN INTERNATIONAL SPORTS ANCHOR: Well, many fans in England will know Khan, after he bought the London-based, Fulham Football Club. That was back in 2013. And then, America, of course, like you were saying, he is the man who is best known for owning the NFL franchise, Jacksonville Jaguars. And also, like you mentioned in your intro, just said that the Jag's do indeed play some of the home games across upon that Wembley.
As to answer your question about who is this man? Well, he is a Pakistani-American billionaire. His network is $7.2 billion dollars according to Forbes. He is also the 73rd richest person in America. Earlier, the businessman released this statement to the media read in part. "If you've had the occasion to join us for one of our Jaguar's home games in London, you know that Wembley Stadium is a very special place. Our commitment to the F.A. is we will own and operate Wembley with the care and respect it deserves, always being mindful that it is. And will continue to be the home of England's national teams as well as the ultimate destination for the world's top entertainment and sports events including Jaguars and NFL games."
CELLINI: OK, you're an English football fan. So, what do they make that this iconic stadium could be bought by an American? And I would think this is not only business but this is emotional for the folks -- RILEY: Yes, you can imagine lots of childhood memories for on all --
for lot of England fans back home. Associated with the old Wembley, as well as the new one, and this story certainly, has shocked and surprise so many in England. Earlier, Khan told the BBC that hopes this deal to buy Wembley Stadium from the F.A. will be completed in eight to 12 weeks now less than. Now, if it does go ahead, we are likely to see more American football games at Wembley.
But we're not sure about that, and it could indeed pave the way for London to be the permanent home of an NFL franchise. Now, we certainly don't know at this stage if few England international games will be played at Wembley. It up, but the sale of Wembley won't be a simple transaction. Any business would involve public sector bodies like the U.K.'s Department of Culture Media and Sport, as well as, the Greater London Authority getting involve.
U.K. Treasury will also want to have their say on the matter as well, so clearly, then, this is more than just as full of story.
CELLINI: And it sounds like it has legs, $1.4 billion. That is an attention giver. Kate Riley, thank you. Appreciate it.
For all the hours, weeks and years of training, that South Africa's Caster Semenya, has put into her career as a professional athlete. Today, one ruling by the governing body of athletics could have more of an impact in any other. And it may put to an end her hopes of competing at the top level altogether. She is one of the number of female runners with naturally high testosterone levels that will now have to take medication in order to compete, or after a race against men.
According to the IAAF, the new regulations for track events from the 400 meters upward, and this is the latest chapter in what has been a long-running and very controversial issue. And one which South Africa's Caster Semenya has had to deal with.
On the international stage, since he burst onto the scene with the win in the world 800-meter title in Berlin as an 18 year old. She was afterward ordered to take a sex verification test and suspended from competition until 2010.
In 2015, Indian's sprinter Dutee Chand, flunk the IAAF's ruling on regulating testosterone and 100 challenge at the court of arbitration for sports with Cas, ordering further investigation of the issue. Thursday's regulations are the result of those investigations by the IAAF.
Caster Semenya has left everyone absolutely no doubt of her views on today's announcement. Posting this on her social media. "I am 97 percent sure you don't like me, I'm a 100 percent sure I don't care. And then, a grump face emoji. It will be interesting to see what step she takes next and whether she'll appeal at all.
[02:55:20] CELLINI: The NFL draft begin on Thursday, over the next three days, some 256 young athletes will have the chance to play American football as a career. And many with big money on the line but big dreams as well.
And no doubt the most inspirational story of this year's draft is Shaquem Griffin. A stand out linebacker at Central Florida. Griffin achieved all of this success despite having his hand amputated when was age four due to a rare birth defect. She came as caught the eye of NFL's scout, as well as our two-time Super Bowl champion, Hines Ward
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HINES WARD, TWO-TIME SUPER BOWL CHAMPION: Because I just watch the tape, I mean the guy is a playmaker, and that's something -- I think, any NFL scout, any coaches, general managers, when you put on the tape, you want him to stand out over all the other players and that's what he does. I mean, if you watching Griffin, out on the football field, I mean, he puffs shouted to the guy sideline to sideline, making place all over the field.
Now, he may be limited to do certain things, and you know, in NFL is all about matchups, matchup problems like that. But it's a learning carried us well. Now, I don't know teams are going to invest in him so highly, and on invest a lot of money into him maybe draft on him in the first round. But I can for surely see him being on the team and having a productive career, a long productive career in NFL.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CELLINI: Well, good luck to him. NBA now, LeBron James has never lost a first-round playoff series, Wednesday's performance is a great example of why. Facing a 3-2 home deficit to Indiana, James, added another chapter to his postseason legacy with a game tied at 95. And following a turnover on James, he guarded Indiana's best player, Victor Oladipo, on the drive. And would end up blocking the possible go-ahead lay-up.
Now, Oladipo and many others believe it was a goaltend, it was not called, so there was no review. Cleveland has the ball with three seconds to play, after a timeout, they inbound, the couple of dribbles, and a three to win it. Over Thaddeus young camps take at 98-95. LeBron James offering an amazing Cleveland sports moment as the Cavs can close out Indiana Friday, back in bankers like field house. I'm Vince Cellini, that's it for now. The news continues right here on CNN.
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