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Hala Gorani Tonight
Trump Defends Kavanaugh Before CNN Reporter Kaitlan Collins; Earthquake in Indonesia Has Killed Over 800 People; Soccer Star Ronaldo Accused of Rape In 2009; NAFTA Deal Reached Between the U.S. And Canada And Mexico; Theresa May Tries To Negotiate Tricky Party Conference; Low Turnout Throws Macedonia Name Change Into Uncertainty; Hundreds Of Migrant Children Moved To Texas Tent City; Exploring Laos MandaLao Elephant Sanctuary; Legendary French Singer Charles Aznavour Dies At 94. Aired 2-3p ET
Aired October 01, 2018 - 14:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[14:00:00] LYNDA KINKADE, CNN INTERNATIONAL HOST: Hello, everyone. Live from CNN center, I'm Lynda Kinkade sitting in for Hala Gorani. Good to be
with you.
Tonight, the U.S. President hits out at the trolling saying the Supreme Court nominee is being put through. Donald Trump wants a comprehensive but
quick FBI investigation over a sexual assault claim against Brett Kavanaugh.
Also, tonight, Indonesian rescue teams continue their desperate search for survivors after that devastating earthquake and tsunami. Hundreds are dead
and tens of thousands of people have lost their lives.
An allegation of rape against football superstar Cristiano Ronaldo. We will have all the details ahead.
We begin with U.S. President Donald Trump and the extraordinary new comments about the FBI investigation of Supreme Court nominee Brett
Kavanaugh. During a press conference supposed to focus on the new trade agreement President Trump complained about the trauma that he says
Kavanaugh has been subjected to. Mr. Trump said he wants the FBI to do a very comprehensive investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct
against the nominee but he also said he wants it to go quickly and he got really personal when CNN's Kaitlan Collins asked whether Kavanaugh should
be disqualified if he lied during the senate testimony of drinking excessively.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KAITLAN COLLINS, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: So, if he did lie about his drinking, does that mean you'll pull --
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I don't think he did! Look. Here's what -- I'm just saying. I'm not a drinker. I can honestly say I
never had a beer in my life. OK?
COLLINS: Right.
TRUMP: One of my only good traits. I never had a glass of alcohol. I never had alcohol. For whatever reason. Can you imagine if I had? What a
mess I would be. I would be the world's worst but I never drank. I never drank. OK? I can tell you that I watched that hearing and I watched a man
saying that he did have difficulty as a young man with drink. The one question I didn't ask is, how about the last 20 years? Have you had
difficulty last 20 years? Nobody said anything bad about him in many, many years. They go back to high school.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KINKADE: Joining us live from Washington, Jeremy Diamond is at the White House and our Phil Mattingly is on Capitol Hill.
Phil, I want to start first with you because obviously the President did not want to answer questions initially on Kavanaugh. He didn't want it to
rain on the parade talking about the new trade deal but it was inevitable. Of course, the accusations, key accusations of sexual misconduct, not about
drinking. But if the FBI finds that he lied under oath about his drinking and we are hearing from classmates from Yale that he did drink excessively,
can that lead to a criminal investigation?
PHIL MATTINGLY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, well, it is a federal crime to lie to Congress and Judge Kavanaugh was under oath. I think the President went
off message. Brett Kavanaugh never acknowledged he had difficulty with drinking as the President said in the testimony and did say he had too many
beers and when you talk to Republicans about the drinking issue they say there's plenty of gray area there, plenty of maneuverability of whether or
not lying would be the case here.
I think the broader issue is the President's addressing something of the Democrats. Not just the allegations, that there are other issues here that
need to be addressed that need to be investigated that need to be uncovered perhaps and it's kind of adding a new element to this that goes beyond the
problems that Brett Kavanaugh's nomination had. Is it going to be a significant problem for his confirmation? As you know well, that's up to
Republicans. They have the votes on their own to confirm him if they deem him qualified. Every single day seems like new issues coming out and I
think almost kind of bolstered by the President's own remarks.
KINKADE: Absolutely. Just stand by for us. I want to go to Jeremy. Obviously, we heard a lot from the President about how he believes Brett
Kavanaugh is being treated. He said Brett Kavanaugh is being treated unfairly. He spoke about the trauma he and his family are going through as
a result of the testimony and the confirmation hearing. I want to play sound for our viewers and come back to you.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
[14:05:00] TRUMP: I don't want to talk about plan "B" because I hope that he gets approved. I hope that the report comes out like I think it should.
I think it will. I hope. I hope. But look. I'm waiting just like you. Certainly, I'll take it into consideration if they find something.
Absolutely. I have a very open mind. The person that takes that position is going to be there for a long time. I have a very open mind. I just
think he's an outstanding person. I think he is treated horribly. Even if you're going to bring up that were brought up, they didn't have to treat
him so viciously and so violently as they have treated him.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KINKADE: Viciously and violently. Well, he went on to say that Kavanaugh is the subject of six FBI investigations. But from what I understand
speaking to FBI agents those investigations never looked beyond the age of 18. They never looked at what he may have been like when he was a 17-year-
old.
JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right. The fact of the matter is the FBI did not have an opportunity until now to look into these new
allegations that have surfaced that may not have been under the purview of previous FBI background investigations, the six investigation that is the
President mentioned there so clearly the FBI's going to be looking further into behavior from Brett Kavanaugh's teenage years and more importantly
these allegations that have not previously been the subject of FBI background investigations but I think it's fascinating to hear how the
President is really putting a little bit more doubt in people's minds about the allegations and willingness to consider any new information that might
come to light.
You heard him there say he's going to keep an open mind looking to the FBI's report towards the end of this week as it is expected to come.
Making clear that he is willing to change his mind if there is anything new that should surface in this investigation and it is not a tactic that we
have heard from the President previously. Typically, you know, he is a little bit more forceful, more adamant about a situation and not open to
changing his mind if new facts arise. But clearly, here the President is saying, look, the FBI will do the job and take a look at that towards the
end of the week and he may in doing so have done a bit of a disservice to his nominee and that is the consternation hearing from Brett Kavanaugh's
allies and Republicans on Capitol Hill a little bit of what Phil mentioned just moments ago.
KINKADE: Yes. That is indeed interesting that the President might consider changing his mind on this nominee. His pick. I want to go to
Phil on that point. About the scope of this investigation, because President Trump was asked whether all three women accusing Brett Kavanaugh
of sexual misconduct will be interviewed by the FBI. The President said he wasn't bothered by that but then he went on to say that the third accuser
wasn't credible. How much -- how much guidance will he give the FBI on this investigation?
MATTINGLY: So, the interesting element of this is the President that decides what the FBI goes and investigates. Here's the disconnect. The
White House sent over the scope of the investigation. They wanted the investigation and that limited scope does not include interviewing or going
into depth on the allegations from that third accuser.
Now, it does include interviewing Mark Judge, the friend mentioned by the first accuser Christine Blasey Ford and the third accuser and I'm told
there's a possibility Mark Judge could be asked about the allegations of Julie Swetnick. While the President seems to be opening the door to it,
the guidelines of the FBI from the White House counsel's office doesn't include the third accuser and my understanding is it's not expanded any
time soon.
So, I think again we talk about the messaging and where the President is compared to senate Republicans are and Kavanaugh supporters are. They
believe they have addressed the concerns in terms of the scope of the investigation for the three senators undecided and the President kind of
wanders into another direction and the Republicans are not overly thrilled about it but as far as they know even though the President said he's open
to bringing in the third accuser to this, that's not the case.
KINKADE: We have heard President Trump disparage the FBI. We didn't hear that today. He actually spoke quite glowingly of their -- talking about
the FBI how hard they're working and putting in the long hours and only have a week.
[14:10:00] DIAMOND: It seems the President is trying to distance performance from a personal involvement or the stench that his involvement
might bring to this investigation, to the prospects for Kavanaugh's nomination because despite some of the wavering of him today, he does
believe that Brett Kavanaugh should be the next supreme court justice of the United States and he does understand how critical his confirmation, his
successful confirmation would be to his legacy as President and particularly the backing that he of the wavering of him today, he does
believe that Brett Kavanaugh should be the next supreme court justice of the United States and he does understand how critical his confirmation, his
successful confirmation would be to his legacy as President and particularly the backing that he enjoys from conservative, social
conservatives in particular across the country.
At the same time, we did hear the President say, look, I want to make sure it's not a witch hunt and a term he used to refer to the special counsel's
investigation with raising the other kinds of attacks against the FBI but I think it's important to note the extent which the President is really
trying to say take a hands off approach to all of this, to ensure that, you know, Democrats, Republicans, people across the country really when this
FBI report does come out that they do feel that it was conducted in an independent and appropriate manner. Of course, that's going to be a little
bit different given the guidelines that senate Republicans placed on this. But the hands-off approach from the President he seems to think at least
it's the key to success.
KINKADE: All right. Jeremy, Phil, good to have you both with us from Washington. Thanks so much.
As we mentioned, this explosive press conference was originally about trade and we're going to have much more on exactly what the U.S.-Mexico-Canada
agreed to coming up in about 15 minute's time.
Well, Indonesia is preparing mass graves for victims of Friday's earthquake and tsunami. Officials have raised the death toll to more than 840 people.
Three days after the disaster, dozens of people remain trapped under slabs of concrete. Workers have a difficult time getting the necessary equipment
to the affected areas. Indonesia's President is asking for international help. Germany has pledged nearly $2 million in aid and tens of thousands
of people of course lost their homes. They desperately need food, water, tents and medical supplies. Matt Rivers is on the island that suffered
some of the worst damage. He joins me now via phone. We were going to speak to you live but I understand you are experiencing more aftershocks
and some pretty strong ones.
MATT RIVERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes. We're not sure whether that has anything to do with the signal being dropped here or not. It could very
well have something to do with it but Yes. It was about 15, 20 minutes ago that there was a relatively large sized aftershock that was quite
significant. We felt it. And it really scared people here.
We're standing outside of a hospital near a makeshift clinic that's been set up. The clinic set up outside at first because the people were too
scared to go inside because of fear of this exact same thing. Some people inside the hospital and no one is inside the hospital anymore. The trauma
that these people have gone through is extremely apparent. Even though this aftershock wasn't all that big, no damage, no injuries, within minutes
nurses, people that worked at the hospital were wheeling patients out into the parking lot so I'm in a parking lot right now with probably a dozen or
so patients, their iv bags here, hospital begs are here. One woman needed oxygen and brought an oxygen tank out and they're just out in the open.
And look, it's not ideal but I think that these people are saying, no way am I going back into a building after what they went through with the 7.5
magnitude earthquake. The trauma is real and in terms of the cleanup operation, it's very much ongoing. They're still looking for people.
Buildings that collapsed. But there is clearly a fear here amongst people that this isn't over yet and don't want to be the next round of casualties
should there be some.
KINKADE: And so just give us a sense of the sort of injuries that you are seeing in that car park where you are. And how they're being treated. Are
there many doctors or nurses there on hand to help?
RIVERS: Yes. They're being treated. How effectively I can't be sure. We have seen some pretty serious injuries here and the problem with this part
of the world or at least this town in this part of the world is there's no level one trauma centers here. There's no world class hospitals.
[14:15:00] They're basic facilities dealing with very serious injuries. And so, how effectively these people are being treated, I can tell you the
sanitation is horrendous. There's flies everywhere, trash everywhere. There's -- electricity is spotty. No running water. The toilet facilities
in shambles. I'm no medical professional but generally speaking I think you want a clean environment for patients and at least from that standpoint
it's certainly not being achieved and really the only way to fix this is international help in here and get these people moved to different
hospitals outside of this region. The problem is that it's really hard to get into this region, really hard to get out of the region right now and so
that's where they are. They're kind of stuck waiting for help.
KINKADE: Yes. Certainly, dire conditions and I can only imagine high frightened they are as they live through more aftershocks. Matt rivers,
good to have you there for us. Thank you so much. Of course, if you like to help the victims affected by the earthquake and tsunami, go to
CNN.com/impact. You'll find links to organizations working to bring relief. Again, that is at CNN.com/impact.
Well, still tonight, Cristiano Ronaldo responds to rape accusations of an American woman he met at a Las Vegas casino.
Plus, the U.S. President heaps praise on the new trade accord. We'll take a closer look at that path with Mexico and Canada. Is it really historic
as Mr. Trump says? Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KINKADE: Welcome back. Football superstar Cristiano Ronaldo is brushing off an allegation of rape. Take a look at these photos. He's partying
with the accuser Kathryn Mayorga.
A lawsuit she says that he forced himself on her in a Las Vegas hotel back in 2009 despite her screaming no. He appeared to dispute the claims on
Instagram calling them fake news. I'm joined by correspondent Nick Watt in Los Angeles and Don Riddell.
I want to go first to Nick for more on the accusation because obviously seeing the photos of the two together back in 2009. What is this woman
saying about this accusation?
NICK WATT, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, the pair met at the Rain Nightclub in Las Vegas back in June of 2019. And apparently Cristiano Ronaldo invited
her and other people up to the penthouse suite to enjoy the view and the hot to be.
[14:20:00] This woman she said was given shorts and t-shirt to change into for the hot tub. As she was in the bathroom, he came in, exposed himself.
Asked for oral sex and took her into a bedroom and raped her as she said repeatedly said no, no, no. She has just filed this civil lawsuit against
him seeking damages for both emotional and physical hurt that she claims she suffered as a result of this attack. I want to read you a line from
that. She says after the alleged assault he allowed her to leave the bedroom, stating he was sorry. He was usually a gentleman.
Now, they did reach a settlement. Not long after this alleged assault and the woman Katherine was given $375,000 by his team. She now claims that
she was fragile at that time and she was coerced into signing the agreement and claims that people on the team seem to be threatening her saying if she
pushed the allegations they would say that it was a fragile at that time and she was coerced into signing the agreement and claims that people on
the team seem to be threatening her saying if she pushed the allegations they would say that it was a consensual sexual liaison and she was just
looking for money. She's seeking damages. Back to you.
KINKADE: So, there was a settlement and she claims she went to the police and hospital at the time and that there was a rape test done. A rape kit
done but he's arguing that it was consensual. I want to get more from you on his response. I'll ask you also about how big an athlete he is. But
first, he obviously is taking to Instagram to discuss this.
DON RIDDELL, CNN WORLD SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: Right.
KINKADE: What is he saying?
RIDDELL: So firstly, when the story first broke last year 2017, Ronaldo's legal team dismissed it as a work of journalistic fiction. Ronaldo himself
seems to have denied it. I say that because when we play you the clip you have to interpret what he is saying and remember this is one of the most
successful athletes in the world. He has an Instagram following of 142 million people. That's the top ten all-time in the world of Instagram and
he was doing one of these ask me anything Q&A things and this subject came up. And this was his response.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CRISTIANO RONALDO, SOCCER PLAYER ACCUSED OF SEXUAL ASSAULT: [speaking foreign language]
(END VIDEO CLIP)
RIDDELL: I'm very sorry. That's not the clip we were expecting to play. It was a much shorter clip dismissing it as fake news. Nothing to see
here.
KINKADE: Nothing happened.
RIDDELL: He was basically trying to --
KINKADE: Use the name because he's famous.
RIDDELL: People want to be associated with him on something like that. That was his reaction the other day. Of course, he plays for Juventus.
Played for Manchester United and Real Madrid. He just moved. This is alleged to have taken place in summer of 2009 on the way from United to
Real Madrid. He is just started a new career in Italy. He's played for Juventus on the winning start of the season. They have won every game so
far.
He would have been involved in the champions league this week and not playing in the game because he's suspended. So perhaps he will have a
little more time to reflect on this. We can't overstate how hugely significant a global figure and a world athlete Ronaldo is. He's won the
champions league five times. He's won the world player of the year five times. He captained Portugal to the 2016 European championships. He is a
mega star and this is as a result a huge story.
KINKADE: Absolutely. I just want to go back to Nick. Given that this allegations, accusations stems from 2009 and there was allegedly a
settlement paid, what is the accuser saying about why she is speaking out now?
WATT: Well, she's saying that first of all she has a new lawyer advised her differently and saying that he's been inspired by the #MeToo movement
to come forward saying that part of that is that she wants to make sure that no other women have been assaulted by Cristiano Ronaldo, as well.
[14:25:00] And "Der Spiegel" the German news magazine was the first to really report extensively on the allegations and Cristiano Ronaldo's
representatives said the reporting is blatantly illegal and violates the rights of our client, Cristiano Renaldo in an exceptionally serious way.
This is an inadmissible reporting of suspicions in the area of privacy, and as I mentioned before, yes, she did reach a settlement with him back just a
few months after that alleged incident took place but she's saying that she was fragile at the time and felt coerced and threatened and why she is
bringing the case against Cristiano Ronaldo here in Las Vegas.
KINKADE: Right. Thanks, Nick. I want to play the sound bite of Ronaldo on Instagram in English. Let's take a listen to what he has to say.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RONALDO: Fake. Fake news. You want to promote by my name. It's normal. They want to be famous to say my name.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KINKADE: So fake news. Completely denying that it happened. You mentioned how many Instagram followers he has. What sort of support is he
getting given this allegation that's come out?
RIDDELL: I think it is too soon to say how it plays out. We haven't heard from Juventus on this matter yet. I mentioned that he won't be playing for
the team this weekend in the champions league. He is hugely popular. But of course, I think we need to say how this is going to play out over the
days and weeks ahead.
KINKADE: All right. Don Riddell, good to have you both with us. Thanks so much.
U.S. President Trump is calling the new trade deal with Canada and Mexico historic. The agreement came through at the 11th hour Sunday night and
lawmakers in all three countries must sign off on it. Mr. Trump's tensions with Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau did not impact the negotiations. And
as he talked up the deal at the White House, he had a message for foreign powers.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: It's a privilege for them to do business with us. And I'm not talking about Mexico. I'm talking about everybody. Everybody. It's a
privilege for China to do business with us. It's a privilege for the European Union who's treated us very badly but that's coming along.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KINKADE: Let's take a closer look at the deal and its impact. CNN's Christina Alesci joins me from New York. Good to have you with us,
Christina. President Trump long promised a better deal, called it one of the most important trade deals by far. Is it better for all involved or is
it NAFTA by another name?
CHRISTINA ALESCI, CNNMONEY CORRESPONDENT: Some analysts today calling it an upgraded NAFTA or NAFTA by another name, for sure. But we shouldn't
minimize the benefits for some Americans here, right? At the end of the day, Canada is opening up its markets to U.S. farmers, particularly in
dairy and if it also this deal calls for more components of cars to be manufactured here in the United States. To avoid tariffs.
The administration says that will increase the amount of manufacturing here in America. And will increase the number of jobs. But the biggest benefit
falls at this point, at this juncture to President Trump because this is a political victory for him. This is a campaign promise that he would revive
NAFTA, he would strike it down and replace it with something betterer and that is what he is selling to the American people. And from that
standpoint he seems to be a big winner today. Obviously, over the next couple of days and weeks Republican lawmakers and Democrats are going to be
over the legislation and determine where the majority of the benefits fall.
KINKADE: So, this still has to go through congress and we have the midterms coming up here in November. So, should the Democrats take control
of the house, could this fail and does this deal also need to pass through governments in Canada and Mexico?
ALESCI: Well, yes. It does need to pass through those governments and the leaders indicated they're going to sign on but in terms of Democrats if the
Republicans do lose either chamber, of course, it makes -- actually this is a senate, in the senate, if the Republicans do lose control of the Senate,
it would put this deal at risk, for sure. And the President acknowledged as much in his press conference today. But he also kind of laid the
groundwork for blaming the Democrats and saying that the Democrats would be opposed to anything he would put forward whether or not it's good for bad
for the American people just to be obstructionist.
KINKADE: Right. Good to have you with us. Thanks so much.
Still to come tonight, Theresa May's political party gathers. Any idea what the big talking point is? Yep. You guessed it. Brexit. We will
have the latest on that.
Plus, the Republican of Macedonia bitterly divided how to solve a dispute with Greece. How all sides are spinning the results of a referendum.
We'll have that next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[14:30:55] KINKADE: Well, after two weeks of bruising meetings with E.U. leaders and world leaders at the U.N., you'd think a few days where all you
have to worry about is your own political party sound like bliss. But for Theresa May this week will be anything but.
She has to navigate the conservative conference where the party is openly divided about what to do with Brexit. Only Mrs. May's Brexit secretary had
strong words the European Union saying it is time to get serious about negotiations.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DOMINIC RAAB, U.K. BREXIT SECRETARY: If the E.U. want a deal, they need to get serious and they need to do it now. Some people say that no deal is
unthinkable. Wrong. What is unthinkable is that this government or any other British government could be bullies by the threat of some kind of
economic embargo into signing a one-sided deal against our country's interests.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KINKADE: Let's take you live to that conference. Bianca Nobilo is there in Birmingham, England. And Bianca, the clause of cause is ticking two
years of negotiations, just six months to go and there's still no clear path. Has Theresa May got any more support there today?
BIANCA NOBILO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: She certainly be hoping so. What we saw today with her inner sanctum, if you like, of cabinet ministers led by the
Chancellor of Exchequer, Philip Hammond really banding around her and saying that if you support this deal, speaking not only to the conservative
party membership here at conference, but also, to the country at large, he said that there would be a Brexit dividend.
Now, that's the first time as a remainer and someone deeply skeptical about Brexit that the chancellor has come out and said if you back the prime
minister on this and her proposed idea that there could be a benefit and that benefit economically, in terms of Brexit.
As you just played, we from the Brexit secretary too who had some fighting talk for the E.U., all supporting the prime minister in her plan.
However, Lynda, you really get the sense being here that there's almost a parallel conference going on. You had the choreographed official remarks
happening in the main hall and then you have the fringe groups of Brexiteers on the outskirts and there's certainly a lot more electricity
and buzz in those meetings and they're all advocating to chuck her Chequers plan and for much harder Brexit.
KINKADE: And, of course, Bianca, Boris Johnson is no longer in government but still a very loud voice on this issue.
NOBILO: Oh, without a doubt. And it is interesting given the fact that he isn't a key member of the cabinet. He was dominating all of the headlines
on the first day of conference which was yesterday.
He has attacked the prime minister's Chequers proposal as deranged and quite a long op-ed of his own. He's taken it apart bit by bit and proposed
his own alternative vision for Brexit called a super Canada idea and that's a more comprehensive ambitious free trade deal as opposed to staying more
reliant to the E.U. in some areas which was prime minister is suggesting.
[14:35:02] So Boris actually has a rally here, very close to where I'm standing tomorrow afternoon which is expected to draw a large numbers.
However, I have been speaking to members. In fact, one just before I was talking to you, Lynda, who said Boris has shot himself in the foot by the
way that he's acted and look how boastful his beatings criticizing the prime minister.
But it remains to be seen how the members are going to respond to him tomorrow because he is still a colorful character and a figure -- he's a
bit like marmite, you sort of love him or you hate him in the conservative party and there's certainly a strength of feeling, Lynda, on both sides.
KINKADE: And there's so many a lot of arguments of Boris from those in government in Britain against Europeans who are saying who should make the
next move. The next deadline, of course, is October 18th. A key date. What's expected to happen before then?
NOBILO: Well, there's a sense, as well the prime minister's on borrowed time with her Chequers plan. As I said that there's an attempt at the
moment to galvanize the party and to really bring the conservative party together to support the prime minister's deal.
I think the fact, interestingly enough, that the E.U. initially rejected parts of the Chequers proposal and he's still standing firm on that, has
almost made it look more palatable to some parts of the conservative membership.
Because the reason that the Tory Party really resented that plan, those that ones in the heart of Brexit was because they felt like it was too
compromising, that it was giving the E.U. too much in this negotiation, when the fact that the E.U. have said, no, we don't accept the prime
minister's Chequers plan in its current form has almost to have her a little bit more leeway in that regard.
It remains to be seen what the compromises will be in the coming weeks, both the Brexit secretary and the prime minister even though they are
launching into quite hard rhetoric and fairly uncompromising in turn they have left a window open for further compromise if the E.U. also come to the
table and compromises as well, Lynda. And all of this really revolves around the issue of Northern Ireland and the customs union.
KINKADE: All right. Bianca Nobilo, good to have you with us from Birmingham. Thanks so much.
Well, of course, the Brexit conversation is happening not just in the U.K. but in capital cities right across Europe. Hala Gorani spoke to Spain's
prime minister asking him how he felt about the prospect of the U.K. crashing out of the European Union without a divorce deal.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PEDRO SANCHEZ, PRIME MINISTER OF SPAIN: I'm really concerned about the process of this negotiation. The last informal counsel, European councils
that we held in Salzburg some weeks ago was very clear. We sent a message to our colleagues from the British side saying that we need to reach
essential agreements by mid of October in order to reach this final agreement on the transitional period.
I am -- I would say reasonable optimistic about the results. But we're looking forward to move ahead in this complex negotiations and I do believe
that --
HALA GORANI, CNN INTERNATIONAL HOST: I was going to say you have corporations making contingency plans, you have politicians in this country
that are carrying around dossiers with what will happen if their country crashes out. Some E.U. leaders worried, as well. This seems like a real
prospect, doesn't it?
SANCHEZ: I don't know. Of course. We have organized in our -- within our government and international committee in order to see all the scenarios,
potential scenarios of this Brexit negotiations. But I can tell you, I do believe that we we're going to reach an agreement. I do believe that we
have time enough to reach that agreement.
And what I would like to share with the British public opinion is that we need to reach it in order to continue our own negotiations in the middle
term in order to find a concrete and specific new relations between U.K. and the European Union.
We need to reach this transitional period and agreement for this transitional period. We have a still some issues to close and -- that are
on the -- on the table such as the Ireland question but also Gibraltar and the internal market. But I do believe that we are -- we need to reach that
agreement.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KINKADE: Well, as Britain inches towards its exit from the E.U., the Republic of Macedonia wants to get in. But low turnout in its name change
referendum is throwing that prospect into doubt.
Still, the nation's prime minister is vowing to press ahead in the bid to appease his neighbor groups. Nina Dos Santos explains what's at stake and
what happens next.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
[14:40:59] NINA DOS SANTOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: One question to settle a 27-year dispute. A vote to change Macedonia's name and bring the former
Yugoslav state closer to NATO, the E.U. and to end a bitter dispute with its neighbor Greece.
But after failing to secure the required 50 percent turnout, Skopje's its government is in crisis and the country divided.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): Generally speaking, people are in favor of the European Union and NATO. But not at any cost. The campaign
that was promoting the yes vote puts an emphasis on European values and the European way of life.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): The referendum has failed. So Macedonia remains Macedonia and Macedonians remain Macedonians, not
Northern Macedonians.
DOS SANTOS: Macedonia's two million people were asked about changing the country's name to North Macedonia to placate Greece which I also claims the
name for one of its provinces where Alexander the Great was born.
After years of deadlock, the two nations finally settled on a new name in summer. Bringing Macedonia into Europe's orbit is important for Brussels
amid concerns of growing Russian influence in the Balkans following an attempted in nearby Montenegro ahead of its alliance with NATO last year.
Despite receiving the backing of U.S. Secretary of Defense, James Mattis and German chancellor, Angela Merkel, Macedonian nationalists orchestrated
a boycott and made its impact with turnout reaching just 36 percent way below the 50 percent needed.
Yet within that 36 percent, the overwhelming majority of Macedonians cast their ballot in favor of the change. As such, the prime minister has vowed
to press ahead, even if it means calling a new election.
ZORAN ZAEV, MACEDONIAN PRIME MINISTER (through translator): This is the moment when lawmakers, their decisions, have the obligation to improve
Macedonia, a beautiful place to live for all citizens. Otherwise, the only remaining democratic instrument is to soon hold early parliamentary
election.
DOS SANTOS: But a new election may not close the matter. Constitutional change requires a two-thirds majority. And finding 80 MPs in favor may not
be a given.
Nina Dos Santos, CNN, London.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KINKADE: Still to come tonight, moved under the cover of darkness. Hundreds of migrant children are plucked from foster homes and shelters
taken to their new home a city of tents. We'll have the latest on the immigration crisis in the U.S., next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KINKADE: Welcome back. Well, imagine a child being woken up in the middle of the night, put on a bus and then hauled to a tent city in a desert.
That's what the New York Times reports the Trump administration is doing to hundreds of migrant children currently in U.S. custody.
It come as the number of children detained by the U.S. government grows with more than 13,000 undocumented children being held in facilities across
the country.
[14:45:07] Our reporter Tal Kopan joins me now from Washington with the details. And, Tal, 3,800 children in this tent city which was originally
designed to have a capacity for 400. How is that possible?
TAL KOPAN, CNN POLITICAL REPORTER: Yes, that's right. So, you know, earlier this summer this temporary tent facility went up sort of at the
height of the family separations issue and it was thought that it was mainly to alleviate pressure on the system because of that.
But even as those thousands of children who were separated are in the process of being released, the number of immigrant children in custody has
grown tremendously and now they're expanding this tent facility from that initial few hundred to up to 3,800. As you described in there,
transporting hundreds of children from other shelters to this tent facility to make room for more.
And what's important to remember is this is not because there is massive increase of the number of children coming the U.S. That is relatively
steady. What's changing is how long these children are remaining in government custody.
KINKADE: Right. So currently, and it's up 13,000 migrant children in custody. How many of these children were taken from their parents under
the Trump administration's policy to separate parents and children at the border?
KOPAN: That's exactly right. So there are more than 13,000, only a few hundred of those are those left from the family separations. Now, there
were over 2,600 of families originally separated, but the vast majority of those more than 2,000 of those children have been discharged. So this is
largely children who came to the U.S. by themselves or were separated for cause from an adult at the border.
But as I was describing, part of it is the Trump administration has been implementing new policies, including more vetting of the adults who come
forward which in turn is scaring of some of those who may be undocumented in this climate and that is keeping children in custody for far longer and
that's even though the kids coming in is relatively steady, they simply can't get them out fast enough to accommodate the ones coming in.
KINKADE: Right. So as you say, we're not seeing more children coming into the U.S. It's just that they're being detained longer.
KOPAN: Right.
KINKADE: What is the government saying in regards to all of that?
KOPAN: Now, the government maintains that these facilities, especially including the tent facility, they say that the conditions are not as steer.
They say they give the kids the care that's up to standards. But they continually point back to what they say are in their words broken
immigration laws. They continue to pressure Congress to act to change the laws.
Now, what they're requesting is more authority to detain families for longer. But the administration continues to sort of shift the ball over to
Congress and say if you don't like what's happening, you need to change the laws so we can handle this situation differently.
KINKADE: All right. Tal Kopan for us in Washington. Thanks for that.
KOPAN: Thank you.
KINKADE: Well, much more to come including a career that has spanned eight decades with songs that touched hearts all over the world. We take a look
back at the life legend, the man known as the French Sinatra.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[14:50:59] KINKADE: Welcome back. The man allow elephant retreat in Laos isn't like a typical elephant camp. There are no vibes, all circuit
tricks. Instead a huge mammals simply get to live.
In our special series "Destination Laos" we explored Laos' elephant sanctuary.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Laos, a country once home to the great kingdom of Lan Xang or the Land of a Million Elephants. But today, there are fewer than a
thousand left in Laos due to poaching and habitat loss. Here at MandaLao elephant conservation there are nine, all rescues from the country's
logging camps.
MICHAEL VOGLER, CO-FOUNDER, MANDALAO: I think that elephants actually really enjoy human companionship when it's done in the right way.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: For Michael Vogler who cofounded MandaLao in 2016, the right way starts with ethical treatment. The company is the first and
only non-riding elephant sanctuary in the Luang Prabang. And Vogler says it doesn't stop there. The elephants here are able to socialize, maintain
a diverse diet and roam around chain free.
VOGLER: We don't use any hooks or hammers tools to force the elephant to do anything. We use baskets of bananas. And normally in elephant stomach
it's going to outweigh its desire not to listen.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: in Laos, the rainy season means mud and lots of it. It's messy for the human visitors but a sheer delight for the pachyderms.
Through the jungle and into the stream, the elephants are free to explore 200 hectares of land that MandaLao rents from 30 local families.
Vi Tamporing (ph) is in his 70s. He's been working with elephants for more than 25 years starting in the logging business.
VI TAMPORING, WORKING WITH ELEPHANTS (through translator): I have a very close relationship with the elephants. Because my income and livelihood
depend on them. I can't live without these elephants.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Elephants are a powerful symbol for the Laos people but their numbers are in steep decline. In just three generations, a
population of Asian elephants has dropped by half. To combat this, one of MandaLao's long-term goals is to reintroduce elephants back into the wild
including 2.5-year-old baby Kit.
VOGLER: The more time that I got to spend with elephants, the more I realized that they almost hold some ancient with them. When they're around
such incredible creatures, it's actually the ones that have gone to such hard lives before and they can show such compassion after being treated
like that for so many years. It makes you kind of rethink your position in the world and how you treat other people.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KINKADE: Well, beloved French singer and songwriter, Charles Aznavour has died at the age of 94. He was at his home in the French Alps. Jim
Bittermann reflects on a legendary career that spanned generations.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JIM BITTERMANN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: His fame stretched around the world from an on-stage career that stretched over more than
seven decades. Yet, Charles Aznavour never forgot his heritage and humble beginnings.
The crooner who is to become known as the France's Frank Sinatra was born on this Paris Street to impoverished Turkish-Armenian parents. His father
used to sing in restaurants to make ends meet. Something that may have inspired the young man to leave school at age 9 and take up singing
himself.
His big break came just after World War II when he became a protege of legendary French singer, Edith Piaf, composing music for her and sometimes
appearing with her on stage.
Singer composer, Andre Manoukian and fellow Armenian who performed with Aznavour says Piaf found the late singer's self-taught style and voice
unusual.
ANDRE MANOUKIAN, SONGWRITER: In those days it was quite a problem for him. He was Edith Piaf's assistant and he was saying to him, OK, you write good
songs but, please, don't sing it to yourself. Please, please.
BITTERMANN: In the end, he did both writing more than 800 compositions and recording more than 1,200 songs which sold close to 200 million records.
The French considered Aznavour one of their own, especially because he compose and sang songs which addressed their daily lives, loves and
concerns.
[14:55:05] BERTRAND DICALE, MUSIC CRITIC: He invented this way of being romantic of saying beautiful things about the ugly life of everyone. And
that's why it's at the same time kind of a Sinatra and a punk rocker at the same time.
BITTERMANN: He was so popular internationally that CNN named him entertainer of the century in 1998. And later, he was honored with his own
star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Yet for Armenians, Aznavour was more than just a star. He never forgot his heritage and was constantly involved in humanitarian efforts which raised
millions to help Armenian disaster victims and those like himself who were part of the Armenian diaspora.
MANOUKIAN: And giving the hope to this little country which sometimes can be hopeless. He's like a God.
BITTERMANN: In a 2016 interview with CNN's Becky Anderson, he said the key to his success was to try to learn something new every day.
CHARLES AZNAVOUR, ARMENIAN-FRENCH SINGER LYRICIST: I read a book every night, one hour. And I learn something in different language every night
one hour before go to sleep.
BITTERMANN: It was that discipline formula which kept this school dropout working and learning far longer than most anyone else in the entertainment
business and endeared Charles Aznavour to generations of music levels.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KINKADE: Jim Bittermann reporting there.
Well, finally, two men who's figured out how to stimulate the body's immune system to attack cancer cells have been awarded the Nobel Prize in
medicine. The committee describes their research as a landmark in the fight against cancer.
The two scientists are professors from the U.S. and Japan. And today's announcement comes just a few days before the Nobel Peace Prize is awarded
this Friday.
Thanks so much for watching tonight. I'm Lynda Kinkade. Stay with CNN. "QUEST MEANS BUSINESS" is up next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
END
