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Kidnapped American Tourist, Guide Rescued By Security Forces In Uganda; Prosecutors Mar-A-Lago Intruder May Be A Spy; Dozens Of Indian Fishermen Released By Pakistan; Duchess Carrying U.S. Tax Liability Along With Baby; Election Day in Israel, U.S. Department of Homeland Security is undergoing a major shakeup; Donald Trump declares Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps a foreign terrorist organization. Aired 2-3a ET
Aired April 09, 2019 - 02:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ROSEMARY CHURCH, CNN ANCHOR: It's Election Day in Israel and incumbent Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu fate is on the ballots. He could possibly win a record fifth term. We will have a live report from Jerusalem.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security is undergoing a major shakeup. Two top officials have been booted out and more could be forced to leave.
And later, a Chinese national is under investigation for espionage. How she got unauthorized access to President Donald Trump at Mar-a- Lago.
Hello and welcome to our viewers joining us from all around the world. I am Rosemary Church and this is CNN NEWSROOM.
Voting kicked off two hours ago in what could be historic Israeli elections. You are looking at images coming out of Jerusalem. This vote is shaping up to be a referendum on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. If he wins a fifth term, he will become Israel's longest serving Prime Minister. If he loses, his legacy might be about alleged corruption. He is facing three investigations and possible indictments.
Mr. Netanyahu is also running up against a serious challenger, Benny Gantz, who just cast his ballot a few minutes ago. Gantz is a former military Chief of Staff and he leads the Blue and White Party. Here is some of what Mr. Netanyahu said about the race Monday.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER (Through a translator): The hour is very late. At the moment, we are behind a few seats. Lapid and Gantz are leading. The only way to close the gap and ensure with certainty that Likud will form the next government is to have a big Likud. Bring all the people.
(END VIDEO CLIP) CHURCH: Well polls show the two rivals as very close, but Gantz does
have the lead. Mr. Netanyahu is looking to drum up right wing support and he is doing it with a last minute campaign pledge. He promised Saturday to extend Israeli sovereignty to West Bank settlements. The move was quickly slammed by Palestinians and some within the Israeli establishment. Gantz said it was irresponsible to use the subject as a campaign promise.
CNN's Michael Holmes joins us now from a polling station in Jerusalem. Good to see Michael. So Prime Minister Netanyahu is fighting for his political life, imploring people to get out and vote. How is the turnout looking so far?
MICHAEL HOLMES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, he did the same thing in the last election, didn't he, Rosemary? Imploring people to come out saying, we're behind sort of trying to create an atmosphere of urgency. "We're going to lose if you don't turn out in numbers."
In fact, in the last election in 2015, he controversially put out a message saying Arabs are turning out in droves, which he was widely criticized for saying. We've been here for a while, and I've got to say, it's pretty quiet at this particular polling station. I've been talking to a few people. This is a fairly conservative area. Likud and also religious parties.
I've spoken to a few people. They've been saying they're voting for Likud or voting for religious parties. But that's a factor of where we are. You go to Tel Aviv, you're going to get people saying, "Yes, we're voting for Benny Gantz."
Interestingly, I asked one couple who they were voting for. And the man said, "I'm voting for Bibi." And we said, "Why?" And his wife said, "I asked him the same thing." So that gives you a little bit of an indication of you even have divisions within families. You've got 10,000 ballot boxes all around the country. You've got 6.5 million -- 6.3 million voters eligible to vote in this election. So it's going to be a busy day.
It is early, of course, it is just after nine o'clock in the morning here. The votes are going to be counted and cast all the way up to 10:00 p.m. And it's then that is going to get interesting. We'll get the exit polls at 10:00 pm. And that'll give us some idea of how the voting will have gone during the day. And when I say some idea, I mean some idea. Last time around, those polls were wrong.
[02:05:01]
HOLMES: They are notoriously inaccurate, but that'll be the first gauge we've got of whether Benjamin Netanyahu's call for people to come out and Likud has won the day or whether Benny Gantz and Blue and White has won the day in the head-to-head.
You mentioned a coalition, that's really important here. Head-to-head is just a guide of who might be given the chance to form that coalition -- Rosemary. CHURCH: Right. And so far what we know is the polls show, it's too
close to call, but Mr. Netanyahu might have the edge over his closest rival, Benny Gantz when it comes to building a viable governing coalition. What is his likely path to victory if he can pull this off?
HOLMES: Yes, and that's where it gets really interesting. There's about 40 parties running in this election. Realistically, probably anywhere from 10 to 14 will meet the threshold of 3.25% of the vote in order to get seats in the Knesset. And it's from 10 to 14 parties that the coalition will have to be formed.
You mentioned Benjamin Netanyahu's controversial comments the other day saying that he would extend Israeli sovereignty over all West Bank settlements, not just the major settlement blocks that all settlements dotted throughout the West Bank. Now, what he's doing there, most analysts will tell you is he is trying to pull votes from the right wing parties who would form part of his coalition. He is trying to get them to vote Likud so that in the head-to-head with Benny Gantz, he ends up with more seats.
Why? Well, the President is the one who decides who gets to try to form a coalition if Benjamin Netanyahu is ahead in the head-to-head and the President can look at the likely voting of the coalition or the likely support of other parties, he will say, "Benjamin Netanyahu, you try first."
If Benny Gantz wins head-to-head by a considerable amount, the President may well say, "Benny Gantz, you have a go at forming the coalition." The latest polls or the last polls last Friday, they pointed to Benjamin Netanyahu having the advantage when it comes to coalition forming. So, we'll just have to wait and see what happens at the end of the day -- Rosemary.
CHURCH: Yes, it could go either way. Michael Holmes reporting there from a polling station in Jerusalem. We're going to check back in with you in about an hour from now and see if some more voters have turned out. Many thanks as always.
Mr. Netanyahu is thanking Donald Trump for declaring Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps a foreign terrorist organization. The U.S. President announced the decision on Monday saying the Guard actively participates in finances and promotes terrorism. Tehran responded declaring at the U.S. a state sponsor of terrorism and calling American troops in the region terrorist groups.
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo says new sanctions and travel restrictions against Iran's elite military unit will take effect April 15th.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MIKE POMPEO, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: The IRGC masquerades as a legitimate military organization, but none of us should be fooled. It regularly violates the laws of armed conflict. It plans organized and executes terror campaigns all around the world.
From the moment it was founded, IRGC's mandate was to defend and export the regime's revolution by whatever means possible.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHURCH: Well, some background on the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. It is a powerful national military force responsible for protecting Iran's government from internal and external threats.
It was created after the 1979 Islamic Revolution as a domestic force to protect the ruling Shia clerical regime, but it expanded during the Iran-Iraq War to include Army, Navy and Air units. Now it numbers 125,000 personnel.
Ramin Mostaghim is a reporter for "The Los Angeles Times." He joins us now from Tehran. Good to see Ramin Mostaghim. So President Trump --
RAMIN MOSTAGHIM, REPORTER, LOS ANGELES TIMES (via Skype): Good to see you too.
CHURCH: President Trump has declared the Iranian Revolutionary Guard a foreign terrorist organization saying it actively participates and finances and promotes terrorism. Reaction from Iran has been swift. What at all are they saying about this?
MOSTAGHIM: The reformist and the hardliners here are trying to rally behind the IRGC as a popular elite force to show that they have sorts of national solidarity against the great Satan, as they call it, American administration.
But to me, it seems that it's another round of the tit-for-tat calling names. And, of course, increasing the potential for any miscalculation militarily may end up somehow in a military confrontation someday.
[02:10:01]
MOSTAGHIM: But at least for the time being, we can say it is another round of rhetoric, it may lead to some things or may not and both sides are following the brinkmanship diplomacy, which is very dangerous potentially and from a diplomatic point of view, we can say that both hostile regime countries -- Iran and America -- are entrapped again in further hostile relation which makes any reconciliation in short term or long term between two countries more and more difficult and the entrapment needs to the isolation so to some degree in Iran and also further diplomatic isolation for President Trump.
CHURCH: Right, and I want to ask you about that because the U.S. Secretary of State as we just reported, Mike Pompeo says new sanctions and travel restrictions against the Guard will go into effect April 15th. What sort of impact will those sanctions likely have?
MOSTAGHIM: Economically, it has already started devaluation of the local currency riyals yesterday. It has a new devaluation trend it shows and economically, it will hurt the public. I mean, a lower middle class, even middle class in cities. Soaring prices further -- I mean, economic relations with the world, but Iran is bracing for bad days and tries to do some barter trades with Iraq, Turkey and Russia and any other countries that they don't need dollars as an exchange money.
So this is also hard, I mean, hardship expectations and further soaring prices and inflations, but at the same time IRGC, thanks to the floods -- floods in the Iran try to increase the popularity and legitimacy and also reformists are rallying behind IRGC.
CHURCH: All right, Ramin Mostaghim, thank you so much for joining us. We do appreciate it.
MOSTAGHIM: Thank you.
CHURCH: Well, a full scale purge of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security is underway as President Donald Trump's anger grows over illegal immigration. A day after Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen was forced to resign, the Secret Service Director announced his departure. Jim Acosta reports on the latest administration upheaval.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JIM ACOSTA, CNN CHIEF WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT (voice over): In one of the biggest shakeups of his administration, President Trump is cleaning house over at the Department of Homeland Security. The latest official to go, Secret Service Director, Randolph Alles who follows the forced departure of DHS Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen and the sudden withdrawal of the nomination of Ron Vitiello over at I.C.E. Top officials at Citizenship and Immigration Services and the DHS General Counsel could be next.
The Secret Service Director told agency employees that he wasn't being fired, but had been warned weeks ago that transitions in leadership were coming to DHS. Nielsen whose exit was tweeted by the President, Sunday, insists she still supports Mr. Trump.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KIRSTJEN NIELSEN, OUTGOING DHS SECRETARY: I share the President's goal of securing the border. I will continue to support all efforts to address the humanitarian and security crisis on the border. And other than that, I'm on my way to keep doing what I can for the next few days. So thank you all for being here.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ACOSTA (voice over): Before she was forced out, Nielsen was clashing with the President over the influx of migrants at the border as Mr. Trump told asylum seekers, they're no longer welcome in the U.S.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The system is full.
Can't take you anymore. Whether it's asylum, whether it's anything you want, it's illegal immigration, can't take anymore. We can take you. Our country is full. Our area is full. The sector is full. Can't take any more. I'm sorry.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ACOSTA (voice over): Sources tell CNN, the President wanted to resurrect the family separation policy at the border as a deterrent despite Mr. Trump signing an executive order last year, ending the practice of tearing children from their parents.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: We're going to have strong - very strong borders, but we're going to keep the families together. I didn't like the site or the feeling of families being Separated.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ACOSTA (voice over): CNN has also learned that top domestic policy advisor, Stephen Miller and immigration hardliner has been acting as the President's ringleader behind the scenes directing top DHS officials to adopt harsh tactics on the border.
A Trump campaign adviser said much of the blame belongs to the President adding quote, "Trump will never find border success until he learns how to govern. The border situation is his failing and his alone. The fact that Trump listens to Stephen Miller on this issue is why it will never get resolved." Part of the problem the adviser said is that the President doesn't understand government policies.
Just last Friday, the President got his facts wrong about a key part of immigration law known as the Flores Settlement saying it was named after a judge, but it was really named after a young migrant.
[02:15:00]
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: We've had some very bad court decisions. The Flores decision is a disaster. I have to tell you, Judge Flores, whoever you maybe, that decision is a disaster for our country.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ACOSTA (voice over): The President has tapped the top official at Customs and Border Protection, Kevin McAleenan to take over at DHS is Acting Secretary. That means the Trump administration is run by yet another acting official.
The President has also blind-sided the Secret Service which is dedicated to protecting the Commander-in-Chief, even though he has repeatedly praised the agency in the past.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: I could not be happier with the Secret Service. The Secret Service has done a fantastic job from day one. Very happy with them.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ACOSTA (on camera): A Trump campaign adviser questioned whether the President actually knows what he's doing as he's cracking down on the border and shaking up as immigration team. As this adviser put it, this is not a Kirstjen Nielsen or Jeff Sessions issue. This is a lack of understanding issue. Jim Acosta, CNN, the White House.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CHURCH: And joining us now from Colchester, England, is Natasha Lindstaedt. She is a Professor of Government at the University of Essex. Thank you so much for being with us.
NATASHA LINDSTAEDT, PROFESSOR OF GOVERNMENT, UNIVERSITY OF ESSEX (via Skype): Thanks for having me.
CHURCH: So what's going on in the Trump administration right now? The Homeland Security Secretary essentially fired along with the Secret Service Director and more dismissals are expected. What's this all about? And what is the President trying to achieve?
LINDSTAEDT: Well, in terms of what's going on with the Department of Homeland Security, he's had a big shake up because he believes that the people that were in charge, even Nielsen were not really hard lined enough for him.
And she initially had been trying to be realistic with him with what is actually possible in terms of the how they can treat immigrants at the border and what they are allowed to do. And that didn't really sit well with him. And so after the midterms, it was looking like she would be ousted at that time. But then she tried to change her attack a little bit, and started telling him a little bit more what he wanted to hear that they could possibly get around these laws and issues.
But ultimately, she was not hardline enough. And as had already been stated, Stephen Miller who is much more of a hardliner on these issues pushed to have a complete shake up, because they feel that they need a stronger deterrence policy.
But this is probably a bigger issue with the Trump administration, when things don't go the way they could go or should go because there are laws and issues in place that are going to bend it or just because things are impractical or impossible, he basically gets rid of people. I mean, he's been one of the -- his administration has had 15 people in the Cabinet stepped down, there's 25% of the Cabinet is acting.
CHURCH: Yes, and we'll certainly talk about that a little later. But when the President visited the southern border last week, he told border agents not to let migrants in. And now he apparently wants to resume family separations, removing kids from their parents as a deterrent, despite signing an executive order last year to end their practice. What's behind this sudden hardening of immigration policy? You mentioned Stephen Miller there. Is he running all of this? Or is it the President? Who is in charge here?
LINDSTAEDT: You know, President Trump is in charge, but he tends to listen to people who are the most loyal to him, tends to listen to his family members and he tends to listen to hardliners, so that's where people like Stephen Miller have come in. Like, he's just so incredibly loyal to the President that he tends to listen to his advice.
CHURCH: But this has suddenly happened, hasn't it? Because I mean, we -- you know, we know at this point that he got rid of Kirstjen Nielsen because she wasn't hard lined enough, although a lot of people viewed as very tough when it came to immigration.
But what has suddenly happened? Why are we suddenly seeing this? We saw the flip flopping on the closing of the border as well. And he's gone back to that line now. Now, he's saying that the country is full. Why are we saying this sudden -- it's like the flip of a switch right now?
LINDSTAEDT: It is because in the last month or so, there's been just a huge surge in apprehensions. And so he is starting to think that whatever deterrent policy they were using before wasn't going well. And so he's going to pursue this family separation policy, because he thought it was more of a deterrent, even though it's incredibly unpopular in the U.S.
Just domestically 66 percent to 70 percent of Americans don't agree with the family separation policy. But he thinks there's a real crisis at the border and the problem is that there's not enough of a deterrent to families coming in.
Just briefly, previously, immigration used to be mostly men coming in trying to get a job. Now they're escaping violence in Central American countries and so we see whole families coming in and they have been misled to believe that they'll be able to get settled there in the U.S. quite easily and he thinks they need to kind of refocus things towards a very hard deterrent policy to prevent families - whole families from coming in.
[02:20:06]
CHURCH: Yes, we'll see whether other members of the GOP stand by this hardline now. Natasha Lindstaedt, thank you so much for joining us. Appreciate it.
LINDSTAEDT: Thank you.
CHURCH: With just three days left before Britain leaves the E.U., but Theresa May could have another trick up her sleeve as she begs for another Brexit delay. Plus, they never really wanted the U.K. to leave, but Brexit opinions are shifting in Germany. The latest from Berlin. We're back in a moment. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHURCH: Welcome back, everyone. Well, British Prime Minister Theresa May meets with her German and French counterparts in the coming hours in an effort to secure another Brexit delay.
E.U. Ministers gathering for Wednesday's emergency meeting. All 27 members will have to agree on Mrs. May's request for an extension to June 30th.
Back in London, meantime, cross party talks have produced little progress, but will continue for another day. Without any compromise or postponement, the U.K. will crash out of the E.U. without a deal on Friday.
Well, German Chancellor Angela Merkel has said she is willing to do whatever it takes to prevent a no deal Brexit, but it's not a sentiment everyone in Germany shares. CNN's Atika Shubert is in Berlin.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ATIKA SHUBERT, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: It wasn't so long ago that German politicians wrote a love letter to Britain published in "The Times" that read, "Britain should know from the bottom of our hearts, we want you to stay." That was then and this is how Germany's Minister for European Affairs describes the Brexit process now.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MICHAEL ROTH, GERMAN STATE MINISTER FOR EUROPEAN AFFAIRS: (Speaking in foreign language). Brexit is a big [bleep] show.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SHUBERT (voice over): "I say that very undiplomatically," he said. "I don't know if even William Shakespeare could have come up with such a tragedy as this."
SHUBERT (on camera): To Brexit or not to Brexit has become an exasperating drama for many Germans. In fact, last week, state broadcaster ARD did a poll and 74 percent of respondents said they regretted Britain's decision to leave the E.U. But that was also a five point drop from when the question was last posed in February, when that love letter was posted and on the streets of Berlin, many of the people we asked were simply tired of hearing the word "Brexit."
[02:25:05]
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: [Bleep]. I mean, what else is there to say. Not much. Sorry. I think they should just call general elections.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think at this point Brexit should happen. SHUBERT: It should happen.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, and the E.U. and the U.K. have a draft deal so the E.U. should say, okay, either you take this deal or no deal.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Absolutely.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SHUBERT (voice over): "It's really awful," says this woman. "At some point you have to draw a line and we will need to know where they are going. We simply cannot keep extending and extending," she says.
Whether tragedy or farce, it seems many Germans just want the Brexit drama to end. Atika Shubert, CNN, Berlin.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CHURCH: Well, lawyers for former Nissan CEO, Carlos Ghosn released a video tape statement from him Tuesday. Ghosn is currently in custody, awaiting trial on several counts of financial misconduct.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CARLOS GHOSN, FORMER NISSAN CEO: This is a conspiracy. This is not about specific events. This is not about again, greed. This is not about dictatorship. This is about a plot. This is about conspiracy. This is about backstabbing. That's what you're talking about, and why? So you can say why this happened? Why it happened because that there was first a fear that the next step of the lines in terms of conversions, and in terms of moving toward the merger, would in a certain way threaten some people or eventually threaten the autonomy of Nissan.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHURCH: Ghosn had been out on $9 million bail, but was rearrested last week. His attorney say the move is an attempt to silence him. Shareholders voted Monday to remove Ghosn from Nissan's Board of Directors. The directorship was the last official title he held.
With Israelis voting, we will have a look at three very different communities. How Arabs in Israel view this election, that's coming up. And the UN condemns what it calls a serious violation of humanitarian law as rebels in Libya intensify their fight to take down the recognized government in Tripoli. We're back in just a moment.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHURCH: Welcome back to CNN NEWSROOM, I'm Rosemary Church. I want to check the headlines with you now. U.S. President Trump is shaking up the Department of Homeland Security as his anger over illegal immigration grows.
[02:30:00] ROSEMARY CHURCH, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: The head of the Secret Service announced his resignation Monday. That departure comes a day after Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen was forced to resign.
U.S. prosecutors are trying to determine if a woman accused of coming her way into Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort is a spy. They say she was carrying computer malware, detection devices and thousands of dollars in cash. The Chinese national is facing two criminal charges but has not yet entered a plea.
British Prime Minister Theresa May will meet with soon with her German and French counterparts hoping for another Brexit delay at an E.U. summit on Wednesday. Meanwhile, British lawmakers are preparing to take part in European Parliament elections in case the U.K. is still in the E.U. come May 23rd.
Iran is now designating the U.S. a state sponsor of terrorism. And American troops in the Middle East, terrorist groups and that's a direct response to the Trump administration announcing it will formally classify Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corp as a foreign terrorist organization.
All right. We want to recap our top story now. Voting has been underway for more than two hours now in Israeli elections. Polls show a very tight race and candidates have campaigned up to the last minute. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is looking to win a record fifth term, this despite corruption probes and some serious competition. His chief rival, former military Chief of Staff Benny Gantz voted just a short time ago.
He served as military chief of staff. He leaves the centrist blue and white party. And opinion polls show he has a slight lead. Still the Prime Minister could have an edge in forming a coalition. And here's why. 120 seats are up for grabs in Israel's Parliament, the Knesset. From there, the president will ask party leader who should be the next prime minister. This in an election that could involve more than six million voters.
CNN's Becky Anderson recently toured an area south Haifa. One of Israel's most diverse areas and she visited three towns that are very close together but in many ways worlds apart.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BECKY ANDERSON CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: We're in Israel driving the divide. Route to slicing through Israeli society. Our first stop, Jisr az-Zarqa. This is the only remaining Arab towns on Israel's coast. It's one of the poorest and most densely populated in the country. This is -- this is a village which is written with crime, densely populated, life here feels really hemmed in. For many of the Arab men here, fishing is their main livelihood. I want to get down and talk to some of the fishermen here down on the coast.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): No. Netanyahu never gave us our rights and will never do.
ANDERSON: Who are going to vote for? You're not going to vote? Why not?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I never voted and will never vote. It's helpless. No one will help us. Not Jews and not Arabs.
ANDERSON: Well, it's clear that the fishermen here in Jisr are making a living from the sea have very little hope about a future. On land on, get a cross the road from Jisr and out to a blue color Israeli Jewish town. To find out how life is for residents there. Or Akiva is a working class town. Back in the 1950s, this became home to many Moroccan and Romanian, Jewish immigrants. In the 1990s the population here swelled from the post-Soviet aliyah.
This is a staunchly (INAUDIBLE) voting population. And we want to find out what's going on with the political fare this time around. Well, let's find out how they're voting this time around. I think it's pretty clear actually. Why are you voting for Bibi?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): He cleaned up here and made history like no other prime minister or president before him.
ANDERSON: Well, it's clear that Bibi's head is not on the chopping block (INAUDIBLE) let's go to where his home is and find out what the real meat of the issue is there. Life here for the 5,000 well-off residents of this gated community of Caesarea. Couldn't be more different. The Prime Minister owns a house in Caesarea but will his neighbors vote for him?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Benjamin Netanyahu we, love him.
ANDERSON: Yes.
[02:35:00] UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Just for the -- quite simple reason, because I think that he have done to this country in the last 10 years or even more than that, more than anybody else.
ANDERSON: Who will you vote for?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I don't know. I don't like him.
ANDERSON: You're talking about Benjamin Netanyahu.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I don't like -- I don't like what happened in this country now.
ANDERSON: Arab or Jew, rich or poor, for all the differences, handover lamps, they're joined by a common destiny here in Israel. And one, they are still figuring out.
CHURCH: And many thanks to CNN's Becky Anderson for that report. Well, the fierce fight over Libya's capital is intensifying even further following an air strike by the rebel military on Tripoli's only functioning airport. The U.N. condemned the attack calling it a serious violation of humanitarian law. The area in red on this map shows territory controlled by rebel forces. The U.N. recognized government controls the sections in yellow. As CNN's Nick Paton Walsh explains the recent attacks on Tripoli apart of a surprise offensive by renegade general.
NICK PATON WALSH, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: This reported strike on Mitiga International Airport, the key air traffic hub for Libya doesn't really take the pressure on the capital city, Tripoli to a new level here. We've seen in for days now, the forces of General Khalifa Haftar, the predominant strongman of the east of the country move in around that key city edging towards the southern suburbs that have been perhaps thought this was a show of military strength designed last Friday to perhaps pressure the peace talks going on being spearheaded by the U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres.
But that seems to be less likely since he departed the country on Friday and the peace talks appear to have gone nowhere. The fear being really that General Haftar could begin to send his forces slowly into this urban environment where there are many different competing militias off from pressuring each other frankly for control and it is the main seat of the U.N. recognized government of (INAUDIBLE) frankly the struggle to get control of the country since the inception a number of years ago.
Now, many Libyans have lived through chaos since 2011's departure of Colonel Gaddafi, his bloody end and that revolution was supposed to herald a new kind of way of life there, so it collapsed into different systems, feuding warlords. General Khalifa Haftar appears to have a lot of regional support perhaps in the Emiratis, perhaps from Egypt, perhaps even more overtly some say from Russia and even France possibly. Silence in the background.
Is this emboldening him to make the stock of military moves? He seems to have the equipment, he seems to have the moment at the momentum at the moment. The question is does he have the stomach to enter Tripoli main and what will happen to those many Libyan living inside that capital city who have endured so much hardships over the past years and may see that worsen yet still. Nick Paton Walsh, CNN, London.
CHURCH: Well, two more deaths were reported on Tuesday morning following protests outside the military headquarters in Kutum, Sudan. This brings the death toll to 10 since Saturday after crackdowns on protestors by security forces. Dozens are being injured and largely peaceful demonstrations according to human rights watch. Protesters have been calling for the removal President Omar al-Bashir since December.
Grounds have been mashed at the presidential palace responding to a renewed call for protests from the Sudanese professional group made up of doctors, lawyers and journalists. We are learning more about the complicated rescue operation to free an American tourists and her tour guide that were kidnapped by armed men and Uganda. As Robyn Kriel reports. It involved the coordinated military operations and a paid ransom.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ROBYN KRIEL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It was supposed to be a once in a lifetime dream African safari. Scouting gorillas and Uganda's famous tree-climbing lions. But on April 2nd, armed men entered into Uganda's idyllic Queen Elizabeth National Park and abducted Kimberly Endicott and her guide, Jean-Paul Mirenge. Four others in the group were later released. They demanded a ransom of half a million dollars making threats using the hostages' cell phone. Endicott and Mirenge were taken across the border to the DRC.
While Uganda is considered safe and secure, DRC is the opposite. In that country's Virunga National Park, dozens of violent armed groups kidnap for ransom and often these sort of stories don't have a happy ending.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Thank you so much.
KRIEL: But five long days later, Kimberly and J.P. as he's known were rescued by an interagency force consisting of U.S. and Ugandan officials.
[02:40:07] A ransom was also paid.
FRED ENANG, UGANDA POLICE SPOKESMAN: It was an implicit threat of the use of force by our elite teams that we had on the ground.
KRIEL: The U.S. military also provided some support to Ugandan Security Services to aid their search including intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance assets and liaison officers. Finally, this, an emotional reunion disheveled Endicott who back in America is a skincare specialist in Southern California, is in torn (INAUDIBLE) barefoot and scared. Her dream Safari shattered but through the nightmare a friendship forged. Robyn Kriel, CNN Kampala, Uganda.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CHURCH: Three U.S. service members and a contractor have been killed in a bombing in Afghanistan. It happened Monday near Bagram Air Base, one of America's largest military facilities in the country. The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack which targeted a U.S. military convoy, three other service members were wounded.
Well, two Russian Navy destroyers and a tanker have reached a base in the Philippines, what is being called goodwill visit but could be part of a power play by the Kremlin. It comes as Manila squares of China in a territorial dispute. But it could also be a shot across the bell of the U.S., a key Philippine ally. CNN's Brian Todd has more from Washington.
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BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: These ships are a menacing reminder of Vladimir Putin's military ambition, a show of force in a region already in the center of tense relations between the U.S. and its enemies. The three Russian Navy ships are now docked in the Philippines including two high-tech anti-submarine destroyers.
BILL HAMBLET, DIRECTOR OF PERIODICALS, UNITED STATES NAVAL INSTITUTE: I think Putin is looking to give the United States something to worry about.
TODD: It's the second time this year that Russian warships have docked in the Philippines. And for America, it symbolizes and worrisome shift in alliances in that region. For decades, the Philippines was a key U.S. military ally in Asia. American kept one of its largest overseas naval bases there. But recently analysts say, Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte has started to pivot away from the U.S. toward a closer alliance with Putin.
Even though his navy is conducting large scale joint military exercises with American forces right now. Meantime, the Russian President expert say, he's having only moderate success in expanding his navy but he hasn't proved one capability which threatens American forces.
HAMBLET: They've been building new ballistic missile submarines and they have also been building nuclear power and fast attack submarines.
HEATHER CONLEY, DIRECTOR: CENTER FOR STRATEGIC AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES: We are seeing, you know, cruise missiles coming from vessels in the Caspian Sea. They are testing a lot of hypersonic cruise missiles, a lot of them again, submarine based.
TODD: Putin is jumping right into the middle of a region now front with military tension. China has laid claim to several island in the South China Sea, has even built some islands from scratch and place military installation on them. The U.S. has tried to curb China's aggression there. And Duterte whose navy occupies one island in that chain recently threatened a suicide mission against Chinese forces which were spotted near that island.
Experts say Putin is eager to exploit these tensions for his own game and eager to drive a wedge between the U.S. and its ally.
CONLEY: His arrival in the Philippines with these three navy vessels is to remind the United States that Russia is a global power and he separate the Philippines from the United States in any way. Can he be a disruptor?
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TODD: How can America counter this effort by Vladimir Putin to divide it from its allies in Asia? Experts say the U.S. has to stay its course in the region, keep holding joint military exercises with its allies. Keep engaging diplomatically with countries like the Philippines, Malaysia, Vietnam, Indonesia. Make them realize that America is the friend they want to have in the region and not Vladimir Putin. Brian Todd, CNN Washington.
CHURCH: And still to come. New details about the woman accused of trying to come her way into Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago Resort. And why prosecutors thing she may be a Chinese spy. We're back with that in just a moment.
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[02:46:55] CHURCH: Prosecutors, say the mysterious woman who allegedly breached security at Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago Resort last month was carrying malware, detection devices, and thousands of dollars in cash. She appeared before a federal judge Monday. CNN's Kaylee Hartung was there.
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KAYLEE HARTUNG, CNN CORRESPONDENT: New details emerging tonight in the case of Chinese national Yujing Zhang, who allegedly gained unauthorized access to Mar-a-Lago before getting arrested by Secret Service agents.
Prosecutors revealing that investigators are probing whether she's a Chinese spy who was trying to infiltrate the president's resort, after uncovering a trove of electronic devices in her possession.
Found in Zhang's hotel room at the upscale Colony Hotel in Palm Beach, one cell phone, one signal detector, nine USB drives, five SIM cards, and several credit cards in her name. As well as $7,500 and $100 bills, a total of more than $8,000 in cash, including Chinese currency.
This, in addition to what Zhang was caught with which she was arrested at Mar-a-Lago after staff realized her stories didn't match up. Four cell phones, a laptop, a hard drive, and a thumb drive containing malware.
A Secret Service agent taking the stand, saying the malware on the thumb drive began installing itself on an agent's computer when he initiated a preliminary examination. Prosecutors say that Zhang has repeatedly lied to investigators.
When Zhang arrived to Mar-a-Lago, she told a Secret Service agent she was there to go to the pool. But prosecutors say, she arrived in a long gray dress without a bathing suit. A Mar-a-Lago staff member recognized she had the same last name as a member of the club and believed her to be a relative. So, she was granted entry. The defense noting, Zhang is one of three names in China that 275 million people have.
Her story then changed when pressed by Mar-a-Lago staff, showing them this flyer on her cellphone, for an event she said she was there to attend. The flyer presented in court today, the same as an invitation posted on the business web site of Cindy Yang, the Florida spa owner who was allegedly selling access to Trump events at Mar-a-Lago.
Zhang's attorney say she wired $20,000 to someone she believed to be organizing the event in order to come to the United States and visit Mar-a-Lago. But according to the defense, the event was canceled without her knowledge.
Zhang is charged with two federal crimes, making false statements to federal authorities and a misdemeanor offense of entering a restricted area without authorization. Her attorneys fighting hard to dispute the trespassing charge. Saying, the only thing Miss Zhang did was give a very common Chinese name to gain access to Mar-a-Lago.
The State Department has revoked her visa. A federal prosecutor outlining their case as to why Zhang is a flight risk. Saying, she lies to everyone she encounters and has absolutely zero ties to the United States.
This was a pre-trial detention hearing, but no determination was made in that matter because the defense asked for a one-week extension. They told the judge they have spoken with relations of Zhang's and China who they say could help her through this process. That process will resume next Monday right here in this federal courthouse. And federal prosecutors say they will have an indictment against Zhang by then. In West Palm Beach, Kaylee Hartung, CNN.
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[02:49:59] CHURCH: As the royal family gets ready to welcome another baby, they may get an unwelcome surprise as well, a tax bill from the United States. We'll explain.
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CHURCH: As many as 100 Indian fishermen held by Pakistan for alleged trespassing had been freed. They walked back to their side of the border Monday. Their release, part of a goodwill gesture. They were taken prisoner after tensions between the two countries escalated, following an attack on an Indian paramilitary convoy in February. Both sides are still believed to be holding hundreds of prisoners.
Well, this week at the world's largest Democratic exercise will begin as millions of Indians vote in their nation's general election. But a major obstacle could keep many of them from participating. A deadly heat wave is sweeping across the subcontinent. Let's turn to our meteorologist Pedram Javaheri, who joins us now with all the details on this.
So, Pedram, how bad could this be?
PEDRAM JAVAHERI, CNN INTERNATIONAL METEOROLOGIST: Yes, easily, the hottest temperatures of the year, Rosemary. And then, this is climatologically the warmest time of the year, the scenes already playing out across the northwestern India in the past couple of days.
And we're talking about temps into the lower and middle 40s over the next couple of days. Still, for the warmest time of year running above average by some five to six degrees in this region. Certainly dangerous temperatures and the perspective looks as such here with Saturday's high in Delhi, coming in at nearly 39 degrees Celsius, which sits better on 100 degrees Fahrenheit if you're in tune with that scale.
But you notice, the overnight low temperature at almost 26 degrees is six degrees above average. So, that together really makes it difficult for millions of folks who do not have air conditioning to get any relief into the overnight hours.
And again, climatologically, as you climb from the months of April into May and June, this is the warmest time of year, it's known as the pre-monsoon heat, as tremendous heat begins to build across this region.
And unfortunately, since 2010, over 6000 heat-related fatalities across the Indian subcontinent. So, certainly, a big story across this region when they gets hot in the already hot season.
And as you mentioned as well, folks are making their way out to the polls there. But, how about perspective of these readings? Because as we close in towards the middle of the week, and then, eventually, the end of the week, the air temperature in the shade without the humidity, which we know is extreme in this region is already in the lower 40s.
You factor in the humidity we'll feel about four to five degrees warmer in some of these areas. Could see some areas in Northern India as high as 44 degree Celsius this weekend. So, dangerous heat remains in place.
In Delhi, generally going to remain about 40 degrees or so, but there is a system. Well, sometime early next week we think will bring in with that cooler temperatures, Rosemary. Maybe even some rainfall across this region of India. So, cooler weather is at least, briefly slated into next week forecast. Rosy?
CHURCH: All right. Thanks so much for that. Pedram, appreciate it. When Prince Harry married Meghan Markle, neither was probably thinking about the tax consequences. And now, with the baby on the way, the possible new liability could be a real headache for the entire royal family, or at least, for their accountants. Max Foster, reports.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We are also incredibly honored tonight to welcome the royal highnesses, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.
[02:55:01] MAX FOSTER, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Since Harry and Meghan announced their pregnancy last October, all eyes have been on one royal. And her emerging bump. Even the palace accountants are taking interest. And that's because Meghan is a U.S. citizen. And both she and her baby, the seventh in line to the throne will be liable for U.S. taxes.
DAVID TREITEL, FOUNDER, AMERICAN TAX RETURNS LIMITED: Ultimately, the taxes of the United States, the law says, "All income everywhere is taxed unless exempt." So, compensation for personal injury is exempt, for example, a few other things are exempt but most income everywhere is taxed. So, the baby has income, Meghan has income, they're taxed.
FOSTER: That could potentially open up the notoriously private royal accounts to the IRS, the Internal Revenue Service.
TREITEL: The Queen has got to sit there, and her advisers have to sit there. There thinking what if I lend Meghan the Tiara? If I have the baby use a beautiful silver rattle that was used by Queen Victoria? How much is that worth? What's the value of it? How much is to be reported to the states? It's a tough question. It's not easy. FOSTER: There's the wedding ring, gifted by the Queen from a nugget of Welsh gold in the Royal Collection. There's the priceless diamonds in the engagement ring from Princess Dianna's world-famous jewelry collection.
There are also the wedding presents from international royalty and A- list friends. And the biggest gift of them all, the multi-million dollar newly renovated home in Windsor where the couple got married.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I hope to cook for you next time. OK? I hope.
MEGHAN, DUCHESS OF SUSSEX: Oh, Thank you. Yes, the whole family, next time.
FOSTER: The only way for Meghan to avoid paying U.S. taxes would be to renounce her U.S. citizenship. However, even if she does that, the baby will still be liable to U.S. taxes until the age of 18. Max Foster, CNN, London.
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CHURCH: And thanks to your company this hour. I'm Rosemary Church. Remember to connect with me anytime on Twitter, @rosemarycnn. And I'll be back with another hour of news next. You're watching CNN. Do stay with us.
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