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Hala Gorani Tonight
Confirmation Fight Begins For Trump Pick Brett Kavanaugh; Deadline Day For Reuniting Young Children With Parents; Artist Jidenna Shines Spotlight On Noura Hussein`s case; Responsible Tourism Shows New Side Of India; France Beat Belgium To Reach World Cup Final. Aired 3-4p ET
Aired July 10, 2018 - 15:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[15:00:55]
PAULA NEWTON, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: Hello, everyone. Live from CNN Center, I`m Paula Newton in for Hala Gorani. Tonight, we are following a
number of breaking news stories.
They`re out. Yes, they are, all 12 boys from the Thai football team and their coach have been rescued. We, of course, are live at the scene.
And President Trump, I can tell you, is going to land in Brussels in just a few minutes. That`s ahead of week of crucial diplomacy. But even flying
across the Atlantic Ocean, he was fanning the flames of controversy through his Twitter account.
Now, at times, it had seemed like mission impossible, but this hour, in Thailand, with 12 boys and their coach safely away from that living horror
of that flooded cave, it is, at last, yes, mission accomplished.
The boys are all in hospital and we are now -- they are waiting now to be reunited with their families. Now, some of them have been able to see
their loved ones, but only through a glass window, of course and as we get to this, we will tell you all about it.
They are still prone to infection and of course, everyone wants them to be healthy when they do make that reunion with their family. Look at what
you`re looking at there. Those are the Thai divers, those rescuers, three remaining divers, and a doctor, heroes all followed them out.
(VIDEO CLIP)
NEWTON: You can feel the joy, can`t you? When they returned, the sense of utter euphoria, you can hear it there, was unmistakable, and as we see
those images, so happy for everyone there on the ground, especially those rescuers who put their lives on the line, each and every day they were in
there.
We have to, though, remember the families, so excruciating for them. The father of one of the boys, his son`s welfare, he said, was the only thing
on his mind as he exclusively spoke to CNN.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ADISAK WONGSUKCHAN, FATHER OF BOY RESCUED FROM CAVE (through translator): I want to hug him. I already said in the interview before that I want to
hug him, and I want to tell him that I`m happy. Because of the king`s benevolence, no matter whether it`s the police or the army, they all came
and I`m so happy. I don`t know what else to say. I`m just happy.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NEWTON: Happy just about does it. For more, we go straight to Chiang Rai, where Jonathan Miller has been watching this extraordinary story unfold.
Even from the sidelines, Jonathan, even halfway around the world where I am, it was excruciating.
I can only imagine what everyone else went through. And as miraculous as this entire rescue was, and that`s not hyperbole, it was the break in the
weather, too. Every time I saw you guys, I thought, the skies are going to open up, and at the end of the day, it was that rain holding out that
really helped the situation, didn`t it?
JONATHAN MILLER, ASIA CORRESPONDENT: Yes, that was a major factor, Paula. You know, when you think about it, this has got all the elements of an epic
Hollywood blockbuster. And I wouldn`t be surprised if that was to happen sometime soon.
You know, those divers were up against insuperable odds. A few days ago, we thought it really was mission impossible, as you described it there.
But the skills and determination and heroism has made this happen.
And those odds included the monsoon moving in. The forecast was really bad, and we had several nights of very, very heavy rain. They had depleted
oxygen levels down below. The children were exhausted.
They had to be taught how to scuba dive, from scratch and most of these kids couldn`t even swim. So, when you think about the challenges, the
technical challenges, as well, involved in this dramatic cave rescue, it is absolutely extraordinary that we have had this result.
And it is a feel-good story in all but one respect. And you mentioned, there, the death of Saman Gunam, the former Thai Navy SEAL, who died about
four nights ago deep down inside that chamber.
He couldn`t be resuscitated when he lost consciousness, but his colleagues vowed at that time to make sure that his death would not be in vain. And
my goodness, tonight, they did deliver on that.
[15:05:05] NEWTON: It certainly wasn`t in vain. I mean, all of those boys coming out and their coach that felt so responsible for their safety. And
we were all waiting for those heroes, those rescuers to also make it out of the cave.
In terms of the feeling there in the country and I know that everybody was on tenterhooks waiting for this to happen, what`s the feeling in Thailand
right now? Extraordinary feats from everyone, everyone who volunteered and then also that Thai military.
MILLER: Sure. I mean, you saw from the scene of the cave mouth, sheer elation. That is being down felt across Thailand. I was speaking to local
people, you know, it`s a small town and people know each other.
And two of the children I was speaking to, knew the children in the school, some of the children in the cave, and the mom was a nurse and she`d been up
at the cave every day, they were utterly delighted.
This is a country of 17 million people that has been quite politically divided over the last 20 years. It`s a military dictatorship and you know,
I think this whole incident has brought this nation together in a really interesting way.
It`s been a cathartic thing for them, and Thailand tonight, they might as well have won the World Cup for all the delight that is being felt around
this nation.
NEWTON: Yes. Extraordinary. And they are a soccer team, so they have to remember they get out in time for those World Cup semifinals and the
finals, which is also good. I hear that they`re watching from the hospital.
So good work there, Jonathan. We appreciate your insight, so great to report on this story. Appreciate it.
Now, as we all waited to hear -- we all did wait, didn`t we? We were all on tenterhooks waiting to hear if those children would make it out safely
and it felt as if the whole world were holding its breath. So, when the news finally broke that they were safe, you could really hear it. That
rush of emotion. It came and it was audible everywhere, even right here on our air at CNN.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN ANCHOR: And we do have breaking news at this hour of the best possible variety to bring to you. All 12 boys, every child from
that soccer team has been rescued from that flooded cave in Thailand after 18 days.
PAUL SUMMER, RESCUE DIVE INSTRUCTOR (via telephone): I`ve got a lump in my throat, I`ve got to tell you. Can we breathe now? This is just
remarkable. This is outstanding news. And I say -- and Ivan, I understand you`re out there as well, thank you all for what you`ve done with this
coverage. Wow!
We can take a breath, but as Ivan mentioned, we still have the rest of the doctor and the other divers that have to come out, but this is just --
whoo! What a great feel-good story.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NEWTON: Indeed, it is. We all still feel good and the reason, as that rescuer so pointedly said, he knew the risks. He knew how tough this would
be. From the elements to the ages to have the boys, the youngest being just 11, there were multiple factors which made this mission so
treacherous. We`ve been talking about it day after day. We`re going to relive it all now as Matt Rivers looks back on how it all unfolded.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MATT RIVERS, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A mission that defied the odds, with an outcome that many are calling a miracle. If there
are days when the forces of faith, science, and sheer determination could be perfectly aligned, July 10th could be counted as one of them with the
successful rescue of the last of the boys from the Wild Bore`s football team and their coach.
NARONGSAK OSOTTHANAKORN, CHIANG RAI GOVERNOR (through translator): The first boy rescued today was out at around 3:00 p.m. and arrived at the
hospital around 4:00 p.m. There were three kids in the first batch transported to the hospital. The second batch was around an hour after
that. All are now hospitalized safely, and families can visit soon.
RIVERS: On June 23rd, the 12 boys and their 25-year-old coach left their bikes at the entrance of the cave in Thailand. Monsoon rains trapped them
so far inside the deep cavern that more than a thousand troops and an international team of rescue workers couldn`t find them for nearly ten
days. First contact came on July 2nd. Two British divers find the boys and their coach huddled on a rock ledge, four kilometers into the cave.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How many of you? Thirteen?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, thirteen.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Brilliant!
RIVERS: These were some of the first images the world would see of boys, proof of life for desperate families and a galvanizing moment for the
people trying to save them.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You are very strong.
RIVERS: In the following days, a lifeline to the outside world was set up, with divers ferrying food and medicine into the cave and rescue workers
working around the clock to pump water out of it.
But on July 6th, a tragic reminder of how dangerous this situation was. Sergeant Saman Gunan, a retired Thai Navy SEAL died as he returned from an
operation to deliver oxygen tanks to the group.
[15:10:02] Meanwhile, conditions in the cave continued to worsen. Oxygen levels dropped to dangerously low levels and more heavy rains were in the
forecast. So, on Sunday July 8th, a day Thai officials called d-day, the first wave of rescue operations began.
Four boys with a diver escort on either side, navigated the tight, twist, turns and sharp passages of the cave to be met on the outside by an elated
global audience. Monday, a second rescue wave would follow with an additional four boys brought out.
The last of the boys plus their coach emerged Tuesday, along with a doctor and three Navy SEAL divers. For now, the boys remain in a nearby hospital,
getting medical treatment, not yet at home, but safe with the prospect of many more days to come.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NEWTON: Truly is unbelievable. Now, one member of our team who has been following this crazy story from day one, CNN producer, our friend and
colleague, the indefatigable, Kocha Olarn, is here with us live from Chiang Rai.
Kocha, I`ve been thinking about you so many days. I know you were there from the beginning. I know how tough that has been, and I know how
intensely you would feel this, in terms of the emotion for those families and those boys. I mean, it was obviously exhausting and emotional. What
was it like? Especially for you, you were there from the beginning, when we didn`t even think the boys would be found.
KOCHA OLARN, CNN PRODUCER: Yes, you know, I feel like I w riding a roller coaster, from the very beginning, it was so intense to see anxious parents
and relatives, you know, awaiting in front of the cave, right?
And then we found the boy, you know, tears of joy, and then the next thing is that, you know, it`s another big, you know, task for them to get the
boys out. And then, again, anxiety came back.
And now we, you know, celebrated today that the mission is complete. You know, it`s a roller coaster for me. Logistically, it`s so tough. The
first week, you know, we have to basically, you know, walk right through the mud --
NEWTON: We have some pictures, Kocha, we`re going to put up now. And I`ve seen you in some desperate situations, but there you are, again, the mud.
We`re going to have some more pictures of the mud we`re going to show you in a minute.
But logistically, you knew everyone was hanging on every motel, every shot, every new development in this, and yet it was difficult, wasn`t it? From
the mud to the bugs to the weather, to the rain.
OLARN: Yes, yes, absolutely. Because, you know, we basically had to work on muddy ground. You know, moving from a meter to two or three meters is
just so difficult, because basically, we had to wade through the mud. It`s not easy at all.
And not just us, the parents or the authorities who were working very hard there, they also facing the same situation. But, you know, incredibly, you
know, everyone got through, and you know, we have good news today.
NEWTON: Yes, and I`m sure you were really had that sense of anxiety throughout this entire story. We`re looking at a picture of you right now,
Kocha, with the mud. I`ve seen you in so many conditions, but I looked at the depth of that mud and thought, oh, my gosh. And it`s not just comfort,
it`s talking about cables and lights and a million different things that had mud all over them, I`m sure.
OLARN: My God.
NEWTON: I can`t imagine, honestly. The snow from the Olympics is looking much better right now.
OLARN: Yes. Yes, yes. I don`t know if I love the cold, I love the mud, right? I cannot pick.
NEWTON: Yes, cold, mud?
OLARN: And it`s so tough. It`s not just the mud, rains and you know, mosquitos, I have to say. When dusk comes, there are all kinds of bugs and
mosquitos, but the team`s, you know, held up --
NEWTON: Very well. Our teams are quite tough, including you. They take their lead from you, Kocha. And I`m so happy that you described what
you`re going through, and not just the rescuers, but the families were going through this at the scene as well and so glad they got the good news
they so deserved through all of this.
I`m sure we have another assignment for you somewhere, come on, tick-tock, get moving! See you, Kocha, thanks so much. Appreciate it.
Now NATO leaders are gathering in Brussels for a summit that`s already off to a rocky start. U.S. President Donald Trump arrived just minutes ago
after ratcheting up his attacks on NATO allies. Even en route, he was still tweeting, demanding member states pay more for defense.
Now Mr. Trump heads to London after the NATO summit when he meets with Russian President Vladimir Putin. I want you to listen now, though, to
what he said before he arrived on that airline from Brussels. He said this at the White House just before leaving. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
[15:15:09] DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: NATO has not treated us fairly, but I think we`ll work something out. We pay
far too much, and they pay far too little. But we will work it out and all countries will be happy. So, I have NATO. I have the U.K., which is in
somewhat turmoil, and I have Putin. Frankly, Putin maybe the easiest of them all. Who would think?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NEWTON: Yes, who would think indeed. European Council President Donald Tusk had some words of his own today, showing his clear frustration with
what he called Mr. Trump`s almost daily attacks. Little did he know, he even tweeted from the airplane. He`s not happy with the attacks on the
United States` strongest allies.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TUSK, EUROPEAN COUNCIL PRESIDENT: Dear President Trump, America does not have and will not have a better ally than Europe. Today,
Europeans spent on defense many times more than Russia and as much as China. America, appreciate your allies. After all, you don`t have that
many.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NEWTON: Now, the U.S. ambassador to NATO acknowledged today that discord within the alliance is, quote, "music to Putin`s ears," and that is likely
an understatement.
Let`s talk about all of this with CNN national security analyst, Samantha Vinograd. She was a senior aide and a U.S. national security adviser
during the Obama administration. You briefed during those NATO summits. You`ve been to your own NATO summits. I have to say, Sam, it`s like a
version of Europe unplugged.
I mean, Donald Tusk let it all hang out there and that kind of really does set the atmosphere for this next summit at NATO. But the question I put to
you is, this isn`t time to waste a good crisis, is it? I mean, NATO does have a strategic repositioning to accomplish and they need Donald Trump to
do that.
SAMANTHA VINOGRAD, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY ANALYST: They do. And it`s really curious, because there`s actually a lot of good news that Donald
Trump should be talking about when it comes to NATO. NATO enlargement domestically in the United States is quite popular. Our Senate voted 97-2
to let in the last member.
And NATO over the last year had made some very serious advances on things like forced readiness, on enhanced missions in Iraq and Afghanistan, and
even on cyber capabilities.
So, this summit should actually be a moment for Donald Trump to sing his own praises and to point out, and if he wants to put it on himself, so be
it, that NATO spending on defense in the last year has gone up in the last year rather than down.
NEWTON: And those are all points now on his tweet from the airplane, he basically opened up, though, another issue. He`s been bothering all of
those allies to say, get in line, you`ve got to spend that 2 percent of GDP on your defense and there are many, many countries, in fact most come below
that.
But now he even brought up the issue of having to be reimbursed for what had come before. There you see the tweet right there. At the end he`s
saying, will they reimburse the U.S.? He`s talking about -- I mean, perhaps --
VINOGRAD: That just makes no sense, in that the United States shouldn`t be reimbursed. As you mentioned, this is 2 percent of national GDP. So, why
anyone would pay that back to the United States is illogical, and it also completely misses the point and allies should meet the 2 percent threshold,
but allies contribute in other ways, other than this defense --
NEWTON: But Sam, if you`ll allow me to interrupt for a minute. You know, you`re preaching to the choir here. Donald Trump, no matter what his
defense secretary, General Mattis tells him, does not seem to be hearing that. Do you think anything can materially change?
From Air Force One, to me, it seems like Donald Trump is once again spoiling for a fight over NATO. And fur those other leaders around the
table trying to send a message to Russia that we are strong and united, what can you do to get him on side?
VINOGRAD: The only thing that seems to work is when countries give him a number figure to assign that he can say, I made this happen. It`s
interesting, when President Macron of France came to the White House, I read the White House readout. I remember preparing several of these.
And of course, it said that under President Donald Trump, France increased its defense spending by "x" percent and reached that 2 percent threshold.
The president wants a number that he can say that he`s responsible for.
In the same way that he wants to be able to say that billions of dollars are coming back to the United States because of his trade policy. I think
that`s the only thing that will work.
And the fact of the matter is, let`s all hope that other allies don`t start venting their own frustrations with President Trump about what he`s failing
to do to keep the NATO alliance strong, including, by the way, his continued placating of Russia.
NEWTON: Yes. And you me a good point, because Donald Tusk in those comments that we saw there definitely seems like the European allies will
push back, because they are fed up. Good, though, that you pointed out, if you give Donald Trump the political win, he might give you something in
return. Samantha, I can`t thank you enough. I know we`ll be speaking to you in the days to come about this. Appreciate it.
VINOGRAD: Thank you.
[15:20:06] NEWTON: Now still to come tonight, as Donald Trump heads to Europe, he wades into the messy politics of Brexit. God knows why he`d
want to, but we`ll tell you what he said when we come back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NEWTON: Isn`t that spectacular? How would you like to look up and see that? It is the fly pass over in London marking 100 years since the
founding of Britain`s Royal Air Force. The royal family, they`re joined in celebrations, joining on the palace balcony to watch.
Queen Elizabeth, of course, congratulated the RAF for its remarkable contributions, she said, to Britain`s defense and to the courage and
sacrifice of those who survived. Spectacular, indeed. Love that.
Now, British Prime Minister Theresa May appears to be in the fight of her political life. That`s also an understatement. She met with her new
cabinet on Tuesday, a cabinet that no longer includes former foreign secretary, Boris Johnson.
Now he quit on Monday, joining a chorus of pro-Brexit conservatives who don`t like the way he`s handling the separation -- she`s handling the
separation from the E.U. Now, even Donald Trump, yes, Donald Trump weighed in on the turmoil as he prepared to leave for a European trip that includes
meetings with Mrs. May and you know what, maybe even the former foreign secretary.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PRESIDENT TRUMP: Boris Johnson`s a friend of mine. He`s been very, very nice to me, very supportive, and I -- maybe I`ll speak to him when we get
over there. I like Boris Johnson. I`ve always liked him. Well, that`s up to the people. I get along with him very well. I have a very good
relationship. That`s certainly up to the people, not up to me.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NEWTON: OK, that was kind of obvious there, but we want to talk more about how the Brexit fight is impacting British politics with Dia Chakravarty,
the Brexit editor of "The Daily Telegraph."
We have to say, it`s been a fairly quiet day in Britain. We`re still waiting, though, I think everybody is cooling their jets to use a term,
while Donald Trump is here this week, but let`s deal first with the obviously, you know, unconventional comments that Donald Trump just made,
and yet making a clear point that it makes Theresa May look weak. Just all of that, Boris is a good friend of mine, turmoil in the U.K.
DIA CHAKRAVARTY, BREXIT EDITOR, "DAILY TELEGRAPH": Well, it is commentary on what the situation is like in this country, but I think you can`t
probably blame him for saying things were in a little bit of a turmoil. They were, but as you say, today things have seemed to calm down quite a
lot.
We didn`t see any new drama today at all, really. All of that seems to have happened yesterday. What a lot of drama it was. And for a while, we
were slightly worried as a nation that when your president visits, who`s actually going to receive him, are we actually going to have any senior
ministers in place, available to receive him?
But I think Theresa May has sort of weathered that and today she met with a new cabinet, a cabinet almost entirely of the new appointees were almost
entirely made up of remainers.
[15:25:12] Remains supporting senior politicians from last year, the year before the referendum. So today, things seemed to have calmed down quite a
lot.
NEWTON: But yet, think about what you just said there. The cabinet is now made up of those who went and campaigned to remain in the E.U. Two things,
I want to know how will that change the complexion of what she can do going forward. Will it make her stronger in this fight? And two, are people
still conniving behind her back? I get the sense that, yes, calm for a few days, but what about the next few weeks?
CHAKRAVARTY: And that`s a very, very valid question, that you have. I think things are going to be calmer for her within the cabinet and with her
parliamentary community, her parliamentary colleagues are will be behind her. The checkers deal is a deal that`s favored more by remain supporting
politicians than leave supporting politicians.
That much we can say with some confidence. So, now that she`s got the support of her remain supporting colleagues, who were always a majority in
parliament, the parliamentarians have always been remainers in majority. So, that`s calmed down quite a bit.
The other side that you mentioned are people still thinking about making a move against her. I wouldn`t really call it conniving. That`s maybe
because I am a Brexit supporter myself. But thinking about it from those people`s point of view, they will feel that there`s pressure from 17.4
million voters on them to do something about it.
They would -- their voters would feel that they had won the referendum and Theresa May had told them how, had assured them that she was going to see
Brexit through and then, if now it, seems like what we`re going to be delivered is Brexit in name only.
I think those are the politicians, those Brexit-supporting politicians will feel that they have some responsibility to actually keep making sure that
their voices are heard.
NEWTON: And but, can you really see this as being Boris Johnson`s last stand? I mean, he was within cabinet, now he`s going to be on the outside.
Doesn`t that make him so much more dangerous to Theresa May? Not to Brexit, of course, but to Theresa May?
CHAKRAVARTY: I think that`s a very valid theory there. I think within the cabinet, he might have been able to make quite a lot of noise. From outside
the cabinet, you`re one of a few back benches who support leave. So, as I was saying, leave supporting parliamentarians in the Tory Party are in the
minority.
So, the pressure on Theresa May will be coming from Tory-supporting voters and campaigners, people without whom politicians can`t win their elections.
Those who go out and leaflet, those who go out and campaign for you.
And we`ve been seeing, my paper is a Brexit-supporting paper, "The Telegraph" and we`ve seen the letters that we`ve been receiving from
readers, 90 percent of them absolutely scathing of Theresa May`s checkers plans but also the handling of it. Sharing the plans with Angela Merkel
before sharing it with her cabinet. People haven`t taken that very well.
NEWTON: And it could have been the exact same checkers deal and branded differently, it might have looked a little different, perhaps.
CHAKRAVARTY: I think you`re right. Handling mattered.
NEWTON: Thank you so much, as we continue to follow this story. Gosh, we hope that meeting with Trump goes well. She might be able to take some
trade news into the next week with her.
CHAKRAVARTY: We hope so.
NEWTON: We look forward to it. Dia, thanks so much.
Now, the duke and duchess of Sussex are in Ireland, their first official overseas trip as a married couple. They touched down in Dublin today and
have already met with the Irish prime minister. They`re currently at a party at the British ambassador`s residence, where Prince Harry is expected
to make a speech. And we will continue to follow their visit.
Still to come here, a day after the big reveal, the battle begins. The U.S. Senate the gearing up for a bruising confirmation fight over President
Donald Trump`s new Supreme Court nominee.
And a European battle happening in St. Petersburg right now as France and Belgium thrash it out for a place in the World Cup. We will bring you all
the action, and of course, the score, when we come back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[15:30:53] PAULA NEWTON, CNN INTERNATIONAL HOST: OK. Donald Trump`s new Supreme Court nominee is making the rounds on Capitol Hill, as we speak,
meeting with senators ahead of what could be a bruising confirmation battle. Conservatives are delighted with the choice of Brett Kavanaugh, an
appeals court judge, while Democrats worry about how he might rule on key issues, like abortion and minority rights. Critics also points Kavanaugh`s
argument in 2009 that a sitting president should not be criminally charged or even questioned by prosecutors, an issue that could become front and
center as Mr. Trump himself is under investigation in the Russia probe. CNN`s Abby Phillip has more.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: It is my honor and privilege to announce that I will nominate Judge Brett Kavanaugh to the United States
Supreme Court.
ABBY PHILLIP, CNN CORRESPONDENT: President Trump`s nomination of D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals judge Brett Kavanaugh setting the stage for a
bitter confirmation fight over the stalwart conservative who could reshape the high court for decades.
BRETT KAVANAUGH, U.S. SUPREME COURT NOMINEE: If confirmed by the senate, I would keep an open mind in every case.
PHILLIP: The 53-year-old Yale law school graduate was a former clerk for retiring Justice Anthony Kennedy. He served in both Bush administrations
and helped write Ken Starr`s report, outlining grounds for Bill Clinton`s impeachment. Senate majority leader, Mitch McConnell, calling Kavanaugh, a
superb choice, despite CNN learning that McConnell advised the president to choose a nominee with lest obstacles to be confirmed. Senate minority
leader Chuck Schumer declaring, I will oppose Judge Kavanaugh`s nomination with everything I have. As opponents express concern that Kavanaugh will
both overturn rulings protecting minorities.
SEN. BERNIE SANDERS (I), VERMONT: Are you ready for a fight? Are you ready to defend Roe versus Wade?
PHILLIP: Kavanaugh has not out rightly opposed Roe v. Wade or same sex marriage, but he sided with the Trump administration last year to block an
abortion for a pregnant immigrant teenager, citing the government`s permissible interest in favoring fetal life. Kavanaugh addressed the
landmark abortion ruling during his confirmation to the D.C. Circuit.
KAVANAUGH: If confirmed to the D.C. Circuit, I would follow Roe v. Wade faithfully and fully. That would be binding precedent.
SEN. CHUCK SCHUMER (D), NEW YORK: But what is your opinion? You`re not on the bench yet. You`ve talked about these issues in the past to other
people, I`m sure.
KAVANAUGH: The Supreme Court has held repeatedly, senator, and I don`t think it would be appropriate for me to give a personal view on that case.
PHILLIP: Kavanaugh`s nomination could also have major implications for Special Counsel Robert Mueller`s Russia investigation. Kavanaugh is a
strong proponent of broad executive powers. Writing in 2009, the indictment and trial of a sitting president would cripple the federal
government. Rendering it unable to function with credibility in either international or domestic arenas. Some social conservatives expressing
disappointment that the president chose the establishment favorite.
RICK SANTORUM, FORMER MEMBER OF THE UNITED STATES SENATE: It just seems like, you know, Trump in this case just bowed to the elite in Washington.
And I think that`s going to rub a lot of people the wrong way.
[15:35:01] PHILLIP: But sources tell CNN that the president was hardened that key conservative voices like Ann Coulter and writers at Breitbart have
recently come to Kavanaugh`s defense. As the confirmation battle begins, the White House is eyeing four red state Democrats, three who voted for the
president`s first justice, Neil Gorsuch. Key Republican moderate, Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski who both support abortion rights also likely to
be the target of fierce lobbying efforts. Collins who voted for Kavanaugh as a federal judge promising to conduct a careful and thorough vetting of
the president`s nominee.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NEWTON: That was our Abby Phillip there.
Still to come tonight, she has escaped a death sentence, but Noura Hussein`s ordeal is far from over. One American artist says he`s on a
mission to make sure the world does not forget her. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NEWTON: Today is the deadline for the U.S. to reunite migrant parents separated from their very young children. It is a deadline the U.S.
government will not be able to meet, though. A little more than half of the children under 5 will be back in the arms of their children by the end
of the day. But there is no estimate as to when the other half will be reunited with their families. Immigration officials are having trouble
locating some of the parents and say others could present a danger to the children. CNN`s Miguel Marquez is covering the story from the U.S.-Mexico
border in Harlingen, Texas.
Miguel, I know how closely you`ve been following all of this. To put a fine point on it, this is about children who are under the age of 5. They
don`t even know the names of their parents, right? Their mom and their dad. They have no idea, most of the time, about first names and last name?
Is it logistics? Is it staffing? What exactly has been the holdup?
MIGUEL MARQUEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, the bigger problem, on the big scale, it is the fact that the government from the get-go, when they
separated these children from their parents, they made no effort to create a system, to create some way to track the parent and the child. When the
government decided to take families apart, they didn`t seem interested in how they were ever going to put them back together. They wanted to send a
signal that they were going to be tough, that they were going to take your kids if you came across the border. They hoped that it would stop other
migrants from coming across the border, other migrant families. That hasn`t happened. The policy has been reversed now, and now they`re trying
to create a process for getting these families back together after the fact. That`s not the way you want to do this. So the judge today in
California saying that they believe that they can get 63 of 102 back together either today or in the next couple of days. They have some
issues, because some parents have been deported, some have bonded out on asylum claims. Some are in custody of other agencies and once they`re out
of ICE custody, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, then it`s difficult for authorities to track them. They never considered that possibility when
they separated these families.
[15:40:04] This is all a test case, basically, for a much larger pool of children. Those 5 and up. Some 3,000, just under 3,000 children who need
to be reunited with their families by the 26th. The judge now setting guidelines for doing that, on an expedited basis. The government basically
saying, we want you, mom or dad, we took your kid from you, and now we want you to prove that this is your kid. The judge saying, that`s not going to
work. That`s a process that takes one or two months. It`s called unaccompanied minors. These were not unaccompanied minors. The government
took these kids from their parents. The government must now figure out a way to hand them back very quickly. There is documentary proof in many
cases and there is also DNA if they have to go to that. But there are ways, and the judge said he expects it to be done. Paula.
NEWTON: OK. The judge says he expects it to be done. But, Miguel, how enforceable are these deadlines? I think that`s what I`m having trouble
understanding here. If a judge, you and I could not ignore a court order without repercussions. What`s the accountability on the government`s part
if they don`t meet these guidelines?
MARQUEZ: Well, they could be fined. The government could be held in contempt. Unlike anybody would be arrested, but there could be a
constitutional issue created here, if the government flouts these orders. The one thing we`re not seeing, though, I will say, listening to these
conference calls is the government flouting the judge`s orders. The government does seem to be trying to deal with the situation as quickly as
it can. The Department of Homeland Security trying to find these kids, they know where the kids are, trying to find their parents, trying to make
matches and trying to make them happen. We just saw a couple of buses go out or vans go out of this location here. We think those are children,
just a few of them, on their way to an Immigration and Customs Enforcement department or building here in Harlingen and there`s be some reunions
there.
So they`ve also had to move people from all over the country to be closer to each other, the parents of the kids so that they could move them on the
day that they needed to be reunited together. It is an enormous logistical challenge that the government created for itself, without any thought about
how it was going to make up for it. Now, I think, they are fully aware of the difficulty of zero tolerance in separating children from parents at the
border. Paula?
NEWTON: Extraordinary to me, Miguel, that they didn`t feel they had a duty of care, whether or not this policy was going to continue, eventually.
They were going to see their families. They had to be reunited.
Miguel, I know you`re going to stay on top of this. We`ll continue to check in with you. Appreciate it.
Now, turning to a story we have been following here at CNN, Noura Hussein`s ordeal and an ordeal it has been. Noura is a Sudanese teenager who was
sitting on death row for her killing of her husband who she says raped her. Now, a court recently overturned her death sentence in part due to massive
pressure from CNN and other groups. American musical artist Jidenna says he is committed to making sure that the world does not forget about Noura
and told our Nima Elbagir about his plans to support her.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JIDENNA, ARTIST AND ACTIVIST: I want to thank you, Nima, first of all, for having me here and for shedding light and awareness around this issue,
because it was actually your story that made me aware of Noura`s case. I know I come in here and can be perceived as an outsider, because I`m not
Sudanese, but I`m certainly not an outsider to this issue. Which affects more than Sudan, more than Africa. It`s prevalent throughout the entire
world. So having lived in Nigeria and America, I am from a part of the world that is, unfortunately, used to child bribes and sexual assault
against young girls. So the issue really hits close to home to me.
NIMA ELBAGIR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: What do we do now? Because for a lot of people, when they heard that Noura`s sentence, that the sentence of
execution had been commuted, I think people breathed a big sigh of relief. They felt, oh, OK, it`s over, but of course, it`s not.
JIDENNA: When I heard news of the death penalty being reduced to manslaughter, of course, I was thrilled, but I was also very concerned for
Noura`s safety. I knew that even in the most ideal circumstance, where manslaughter is reduced to self-defense, because that`s exactly what it
was, even in that case, she still faces issues of safety. Both from the husband`s family, from her own family, and from the society at large. So I
was concerned about the wave of public awareness dying.
ELBAGIR: You`ve also been extraordinarily generous. You`re spearheading a fund-raising effort, correct?
[15:45:58] JIDENNA: Yes. So I`m working with SEEMA, who is the main organization in Sudan that is working with Noura and other girls like her
to ensure that girls are free from this legalized pedophilia, this legalized rape. So I wanted to make sure that I was part of that
fundraising effort for those young girls. And I`ve also been made aware of other organizations like Girls not Brides, as well as the Women`s WorldWide
Web and these are organizations that people can join and makes it easier for somebody who may be far away or somebody close to stories like Noura`s
to support and finance the dreams of young girls worldwide.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NEWTON: Now, if you want to support Noura and other women like her, go ahead and visit the Go Fund Me page. It`s raising money for the SEEMA
center, who aim to protect girls facing gender-based violence and child marriage in Sudan. That`s at gofundme.com/fundseema to end child marriage.
Now, all this week, CNN is exploring a very different side of India. The country has always attracted visitors, and now tourists with a real passion
for the environment are going as well. Here`s Destination India.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Deep in the thick green forests and misty hills of southwest in India is Kodagu, also known as Coorg.
CHERIAN RAMAPURAM, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, EVOLVE BACK RESORT: Coorg has always been magic. There`s a magic in the name.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Cherian Ramapuram is the executive director of Evolve Back resort in Coorg, a resort focused on responsible tourism.
RAMAPURAM: In responsible tourism, there are the most acclaimed three R`s. One is reduce. That is reduce waste. The second is reuse. So if there is
a little leftover, reuse that. It`s not the food that we`re talking of. Anything, anything. There`s nothing that is wasted. Reuse it. The third
R is recycle. What we can`t reuse, we give it for recycling.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The resort was once named one of the top 25 ego lodges in the world. Attention to the environment runs through almost every
aspect of the business. There are no plastic bottles. Filtered water is in every room. Most of the energy used is renewable. And recycling is a
must.
RAMAPURAM: So when they see all this, actually, they go back a little more educated that they should not, you know, be wasting.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: General manager Kanthi Aneesh says the experience goes beyond environmental awareness. Guests also offer the opportunity to
discover the local area and its people, visiting coffee plantations and contributing to the economy of the region they`re visiting.
KANTHI ANEESH, GENERAL MANAGER, EVOLVE BACK RESORT: When the guests visit us, they are aware of what they can contribute towards social, economic or
community development. I think they will get the knowledge. Now it is necessary for our generation to have a knowledge how to preserve the nature
and how we can contribute in a smarter way.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[15:50:09] NEWTON: OK, tense just does not do this justice. France and Belgium are in the final minutes of their semifinal match. The score is
one-nil for France. We are in extra time. Our Don Riddell is here with us and I know you have your eyes glued to the monitor, as it should be. So if
you have to look down, look left, look right, just let me know what the heck is going on. Tell me though, Don, because as you`re watching the
screen there, Belgium apparently held their own in this match from what I heard before I got on set.
RIDDELL: Yes, it`s been a really close match. It`s been a very even contest. We knew before this game that it had the potential to be an end-
to-end affair with loss of chances at both ends. And I would say that`s exactly how it`s gone. But as you say, we`re in injury time. We`re at --
well now, just got 93 minutes. So they`ve put up the sign, saying there six minutes of injury time. So about three minutes left in this game. But
I would say at the moment, France look as though they`re going to hold on. But Belgium are giving it one or two or three last throws of the dice to
see if they can get anything out of this game. But as it stands, France are going through to the final. Of course, they won it, when they were
hosting it back in 1998, they also lost to final in 2006 to Italy, famously with Zinedine Zidane head-butt which could have sent off. And France are a
very, very good team. They made the finals of the European championships two years ago. They lost to Portugal in the final of that tournament. So
it`s no surprise to see them doing well in this tournament. But Belgium have been a very, very exciting team here. They really have come of age.
This is their so-called golden generation, this team of all-stars, really, who have failed to deliver in major tournaments up until this point.
They`ve come good this time, but it looks like they`re just going to fall short.
NEWTON: OK. So we`re going to let you take in the last few minutes of this match, as we go to the fan zone. Don, stand by for us there. We`re
going to let you go ahead and watch the match. We are going to now go to the fan zones in both Paris and Brussels. Standing by for us is Melissa
Bell who`s at a fan zone in Paris and Erin McLaughlin, who is in Brussels.
Melissa, first to you. I can`t imagine how tense it is. It`s likely a little bit more tense in Brussels. But first, Melissa, to you. I know
there`s still a couple of minutes left, but did France dare to dream? Belgium really looked strong in the beginning of the match.
MELISSA BELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: They had begun to dream, Paula. But no one quite a match that at this point a couple of minutes before this
semifinal, France has been looking so good to it, there are people in the crowd behind me that have turned away from the screen, because they cannot
bear to watch. Have a look at that crowd, Paula. They cannot believe they made it this far. And in the next couple of minutes, they believe that
they are going to go through to the final. And this was always going to be the big match. Two of the strongest signs, Belgium and France with this
extraordinary spot this year. You can hear their excitement. But again, they`re going to wait until that very last minute, Paula, to really scream
for joy. But all around the Hotel de Ville here in the center of Paris, it is packed. It`s been entirely closed off. The Champs-Elysees will be
closed. And tonight, there will be a massive party here in Paris. It just goes on as we expected to go on.
NEWTON: We are going to stay with you, Melissa, because we expect this game to be over in just a few minutes. Just hang on there.
Erin, it`s very quiet where you are, I bet?
ERIN MCLAUGHLIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It`s extremely quiet here, Paula. Let me just stand out of the shot to give you a sense of the atmosphere here.
There is a definite sense of disappointment here in Brussels, even though the match is still underway. Some 10,000 people have turned out to this
square to watch the match on the big screen. And people here have been telling me, when they arrived here, they were confident. They thought to
Brussels -- there, I think it`s over. I think it`s over. I think it`s over, Paula.
NEWTON: Erin, we`re going to leave it there in the sense that we are going to continue to watch those jubilant fans in Paris. Melissa, we have you
there, obviously, your heart is in France, we have to say that. And what will this mean to the country going into that final now again?
BELL: Well, you can see here, the huge excitement, Paula. The French -- and there has been this huge sense of hope on the shoulders of this
particular squad. Bear in mind that France has three of the world`s five most expensive players and it was looking really strong at the outset. But
France hasn`t won since 1998 --
NEWTON: Melissa, I`m going to have to leave it there, because your audio is cutting in and out, for likely very good reason. Who could hear
anything over that jubilation? But we do have Don Riddell again with us. And Don, I have to say, I felt badly for Erin McLaughlin and all of those
fans from Belgium there. But look at that celebration in Paris. And I`m sure all around France. Don, you know, especially from the way -- soccer`s
tough, right? One-nil. Belgium hung on there for as long as they can. But they are the ones who will face either Croatia or England in the final.
[15:55:29] RIDDELL: Yes, I will say. I feel sorry for Erin McLaughlin. I`ve been sent to the fan zone thing, and of course when you get those
assignments, you absolutely are hoping that the team you`re covering is going to win. I was in Madrid in 2010 when Spain won the World Cup final,
and I was thinking, thank goodness I`m here, because I had a much better night than those who were in the fan zone in Holland. So, yes, amazing
scenes. You`re seeing the scenes now from the Champs-Elysees in Paris, I believe, and they are going to have quite some night. Absolute jubilation
on the field, in St. Petersburg right now. I tell you what, the French players, I mean, they`re carrying each other in their arms and the Belgium
players are absolutely crushed.
They do say in football, that the worst game to lose in a tournament is the semi-final, because you get so close to being in the final, but you never
get to taste and enjoy the great occasion and those Belgium players will be so bitterly disappointed at the moment. But you have to say France,
overall, I think, probably deserve it. They`ve grown through the tournament. That`s the goal that decided it. Samuel Umtiti scoring very
early in the second half. It was a header.
NEWTON: A beautiful, beautiful goal there.
RIDDELL: Yes. Yet another header at this tournament. Another goal from a French defender. Would you believe that is the third time that a French
defender has scored on their run to the final in this tournament? So they`re getting goals from all over the team. I can tell you that Kylian
Mbappe, their megastar, their rising star who is only 19 years old had another brilliant game today. Some amazing touches. Antoine Griezmann
didn`t stop running for the whole game. The French goalkeeper, Hugo Lloris produced some amazing saves. The keep labeling in it. Belgium had their
chances.
NEWTON: They did.
RIDDELL: They gave it one heck of a fight in this game.
NEWTON: And they can hold their heads up, for sure. Don, I`m going to have to leave it there. Don, everyone at the sports team will be back with
highlights in the hours to come. And we, of course, will be back with that amazing reaction that you see there in France. And poor Erin McLaughlin
now gets to cover the NATO summit in Brussels. Yes, we`ve tidied that up for poor Erin McLaughlin.
Thank you all for watching us tonight. As I said, stay with CNN. "QUEST MEANS BUSINESS" is up next.
END
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