Return to Transcripts main page

Connect the World

Rouhani: Iran Doesn't Want to Fight Any Nation; U.S. Sending 1,000 More Troops to Middle East; Mohamed Morsi Buried in Cairo Day after Death in Court; Former UEFA President Platini Detained in France; Hong Kong Leader Apologizes for "Deficiencies"; Trump Threatens Mass Deportation of Migrants; Jamaica's Reggae Girlz Feel the Joy at Women's World Cup; Facebook Unveils Digital Currency; Scientist Captures Reality of Greenland's Melting Ice Sheet. Aired 11a-12p ET

Aired June 18, 2019 - 11:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

[11:00:00]

(MUSIC PLAYING)

CHRISTINA MACFARLANE, CNN HOST (voice-over): Hello, welcome to CONNECT THE WORLD. I am Christina Macfarlane live from London.

From strong accusations to a show of force, the United States is dramatically raising tensions with Iran by announcing it will send a

thousand more troops to the Middle East. It's releasing a new video it says proves Iran was behind the attacks on the two tankers in the Gulf of

Oman. Iran denies any responsibility, says it is ready for any possible aggression.

Both Tehran and Washington say they don't want war. Britain and Saudi Arabia are also blaming Iran for tanker attacks, China and Russia urging

restraint, warning about consequences of any confrontation. Russia's deputy foreign minister is not mincing words, calling the deployment of

U.S. troops a deliberate cause to provoke war.

Fred Pleitgen is live in Tehran.

Fred, a fast paced, moving story today, with lots of comments coming forward.

First of all, what's been the response on all sides from Iran today to this apparent new step from the United States?

FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, the troop deployment. There's been a flurry of comments coming from the Iranians,

some moderate, others more hardline, more bellicose. There have been some Iranian generals that have come forward first and foremost from the

Revolutionary guard, the most elite wing of the Iran military, but also from regular armed forces as well.

There was a Revolutionary Guard general that said he believes these additional forces the U.S. is deploying, any additional forces couldn't be

a threat to Iran. He says Iran's military is so strong, in such a state of alertness, of readiness, they would be prepared for anything that might

come.

In fact, he said if the U.S. tried to do any moves in the greater Middle Eastern region specifically, in the Persian Gulf region, they would feel

Iran's iron fist, as he put it.

There was another comment made by the head of Iran's general staff, this one is interesting as well. He said that the Iranians are very closely

monitoring U.S. forces in the greater Middle Eastern region.

He also said if what he calls enemy forces, in this case implies mostly U.S. forces, if they try to make any move, Iran said there would be a

crushing response and it would be in a wide area.

That seems to take to mean that the Iranians are saying the response wouldn't just be between the Iran and U.S., could take place in the greater

Middle Eastern region. One thing that the former Iranian commanders said to us, they said if there's ever a shooting war between the United States

and Iran, it would not only involve Iran's regular forces but also proxy forces that they control around the greater Middle Eastern region.

The Iranians are saying practically next to every place that the Americans have an outpost in the Middle East, Iran controls some kind of militia

there. The Iranians say they have a big ballistic missile program, which they have been expanding the past couple years.

But there have been more moderate comments that we need to mention as well. The president, Hassan Rouhani, came out and said Iran doesn't want a

conflict or confrontation with any country.

He then took a swipe at the Trump administration and told his audience that they need to understand the Iranians are dealing with fairly inexperienced

politicians in the United States and Washington, D.C. -- Christina.

MACFARLANE: Fred, what effect is all of this action from the United States having on the moderates and hardliners there in Iran?

What are people telling you?

PLEITGEN: Well, that's an extremely important question. One of the things that anybody that's been to Iran a couple times knows there is sometimes a

bit of a challenge between these two groups, between moderates and hardliners, they tend to vie for power.

In effect, the person with the final say on anything that happens in the supreme leader, he is a fairly conservative person. But if one thing has

happened -- and it is interesting that you asked that question, this goes back to when this campaign of maximum pressure by the Trump administration

started, because what that's essentially done is it molded these two sides closer together.

They seem to be on the same page in a lot of things where they weren't --

[11:05:00]

PLEITGEN: -- on the same page before. A couple months ago, Rouhani, who had his fair share of troubles with hardliners, especially when the nuclear

agreement was in place, coming together and praising the Revolutionary Guard corps, when the Trump administration put them on a list of terrorist

entities.

Now you have groups close together, with the same strategy, because they have that common force, common enemy they didn't have in the same way

before, which is the Trump administration sanctions, which is Iran getting pushed up against the wall.

If anything, it pulled the two forces closer together, rather than push them further apart, which is something we did see when the nuclear

agreement was still in place. There were their shares that the moderates and hard liners had when the economy was doing better and the nuclear

agreement was still in place -- Christina.

MACFARLANE: All right. Fred, thank you very much. Live from Tehran.

Let's move on. The ramifications of this bill are far wider than the Middle East. Caught up in the middle of it are Europe and we know that

Britain, France, Germany warned Iran not to violate the nuclear deal, previously saying they would have no choice but reimpose their own

sanctions. The French president now is urging calm.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

EMMANUEL MACRON, PRESIDENT OF FRANCE (through translator): All forms of escalation do not go in the right direction, won't help Iran itself and the

international community, so we will do all we can with our partners to dissuade Iran, find a path to possible dialogue and improvement of these

conditions.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MACFARLANE: The situation is tense as more U.S. troops make plans to move in. Speaking to Christiane Amanpour Monday, the Iranian ambassador to the

U.K. said the United States is heading into dangerous territory.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN HOST: Where do you think this is headed?

HAMID BAEIDINEJAD, IRANIAN AMBASSADOR TO U.K.: Unfortunately, we are heading towards a confrontation, which is very serious for everyone the

region.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MACFARLANE: Let's stay on this and get more reaction from Europe. I want to get to the special adviser to the vice president of the European

Commission, Nathalie Tocci, who joins us live from Rome via Skype.

Nathalie, great to have you with us. As you have been hearing and as you know, European signatories are caught between support for the United States

and efforts to keep Iran in the nuclear deal.

Which of the two is more important to Europe now?

NATHALIE TOCCI, SPECIAL ADVISER TO THE VICE PRESIDENT OF THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION: Well, I think Europe's priority now, in fact, it doesn't see

the two things as disconnected because it sees the escalation very much as the product of, on one hand, the United States' violation of the agreement

following its decision on the 18th of May last year to withdraw from the agreement.

And this led to a cycle of escalation that led us to where we're at today. On one hand, we're working towards the continued implementation of the Iran

nuclear deal and we therefore, on one hand, keep on telling the Iranians it is in their best interest to live up to their side of the bargain,

cognizant of the fact that we need to somehow compensate for the fact the United States has violated the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.

And all of this trying to avoid further escalation in the Gulf, which we very much see as being the right consequence of the developments concerning

the Iran nuclear deal.

MACFARLANE: You believe the Trump administration manufactured this crisis through decision to pull out of the Iranian nuclear deal, the blame lies

with them?

TOCCI: No, I wouldn't say this at all. What I am saying is that, of course, we don't have definitive proof as to who committed this attack on

the two oil tankers and in fact I do believe it is fairly credible that it is Iran itself that did it.

What I am saying though is that this Iranian attack, if it does indeed resolve to be the case, has the consequence of an escalation which did not

start in Tehran; it started with violation of the United States' nuclear deal with Iran.

MACFARLANE: I wanted your perspective on the evidence that is being talked about. We know the USA believe they have strong evidence Iran are behind

the attacks, released more pictures today.

How are you looking at this evidence yourselves about and going about determining what actually happened?

TOCCI: Well, to be honest, obviously I think it is important to understand what happened but I think it is equally important --

[11:10:00]

TOCCI: -- to try to figure out. Let's assume the evidence shows us it is Iran.

The question really is how to avoid Iran itself having an incentive to what it considers retaliation to a escalation provoked by the United States.

This is why I keep making the connection between on one hand, trying to do the best we can to ensure the full implementation of the deal with the

escalating tensions in the Strait of Hormuz.

MACFARLANE: How concerned are you at this stage, there's been so much talk about this.

How concerned are you that we are headed for military confrontation between two nations?

TOCCI: Well, what reassures us is the fact that neither the United States nor Iran actually have an interest -- or at least segments within the

United States and segments within Iran -- are saying that they do not have an interest for military escalation.

What the risk that we're seeing unfolding is that of an accidental military escalation, which indeed could get out of hand.

Now at the moment I still believe it is possible to restrain this but I think what events are showing us is that time is really running short,

which is why I think also on the European side, it's important to accelerate further and render ever more concrete what we need to do to

provide Iran what was promised in the context of the JCPOA.

MACFARLANE: Nathalie, thank you for your analysis there.

TOCCI: Thank you.

MACFARLANE: In Egypt, the wife of former president Mohammed Morsi said he was buried alongside other senior figures of the banned Muslim Brotherhood

movement. The United Nations is calling for investigation into Morsi's death and treatment in prison.

Morsi collapsed in court Monday soon after making a final statement in his espionage trial. State media reports he had a heart attack. He has been

behind bars for six years, going through multiple trials since ousted as president in a coup in 2013. Meantime, his supporters saying there is far

more to his death than meets the eye. Jomana Karadsheh has the story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JOMANA KARADSHEH, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It was in a courtroom behind these walls that Egypt's first freely elected president collapsed

and died. According to state media, Mohamed Morsi, who was on trial for espionage, died of a heart attack.

But supporters in Egypt and beyond called it murder and an assassination, blaming the 67-year-old's sudden death on government of the man who ousted

him in 2013, President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): We count this man as a heroic martyr, this martyr killed today by the Egyptian regime forces. The forces

of the coup that prevented him getting his medicine, carried out a crime against Morsi.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KARADSHEH (voice-over): Human Rights Watch said his death was, quote, "entirely predictable." He was behind bars nearly six years and human

rights groups long raised concerns about his state, saying he didn't receive adequate medical care for diabetes, sending him into diabetic coma

several times, and they've accused the government of not providing specialized treatment for his liver condition.

The Egyptian government fired back, denying these allegations, accusing Human Rights Watch of, quote, "political exploitation in the name of human

rights."

In a statement, Egypt maintained Morsi was in, quote, "good health," and only suffering from diabetes.

But it is not just Human Rights Watch. A panel of British parliamentarians warned of what they called inhuman and cruel treatment of Morsi, who they

say was kept in solitary confinement for prolonged periods of time, could be torture under Egyptian and international law.

With the Muslim Brotherhood, the mostly outlawed political movement Morsi was part of, a thorn in the side of some regional regimes that have

designated it a terror group, it was a muted reaction from most, as his allies pay tribute.

The emir of Qatar in a tweet, sending his sincere condolences. Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan calling him a brother and a martyr.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): History will never forget the tyrants that led to his death by putting him in jail and threatening him

with execution.

KARADSHEH (voice-over): Calls are rising for an independent and thorough investigation, not just into the death of Morsi but into the allegations of

ill treatment of thousands of other political prisoners and dissidents.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is something that's not specific to Morsi, this plagues Egyptian detention and prisons elsewhere and many believe that with

regard to political prisoners that --

[11:15:00]

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: -- they're specifically denied adequate health care and so on.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KARADSHEH (voice-over): In its statement, the government said there's no credence to claims about ill treatment of other inmates and the prosecutor

will provide more details on Morsi's death after forensic analysis is done.

Under tight security in the presence of his wife and children, he was buried in this Cairo cemetery Tuesday, along other leaders of the Muslim

Brotherhood, leaving behind a complex legacy in an increasingly polarized Middle East -- Jomana Karadsheh, CNN, Istanbul.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MACFARLANE: CNN international correspondent Arwa Damon is following developments from Istanbul.

With the U.N. opening the investigation, it is apparent they're not accepting the Egyptian state's version of events as to how he died.

ARWA DAMON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, they're calling for an independent investigation, adding their voice to that of Human

Rights Watch and to that of Morsi's on family. His youngest son told CNN that they believe this was the slow murder of their father, clearly laying

blame with the Egyptian authorities, especially as you hear in that reporting there, the conditions under which he was held, especially given

how ill he was.

And there have also been very harsh words from Turkey's leader, President Erdogan was speaking at a symbolic funeral at a main mosque here in

Istanbul in Morsi's memory, saying that he did not believe this was, as he put it, a natural death.

He was calling and has been calling since his passing, the leadership in Egypt a leadership of tyrants. That's not necessarily surprising, given

how close his party, the AKP, is to the Muslim Brotherhood.

But he and a few other leaders in the region have also added their voices of outrage towards Morsi's detention, the conditions under which he was

held, they're saying were directly responsible for his death.

MACFARLANE: Arwa Damon live from Istanbul. Thank you.

Still to come, UEFA's former president says he is innocent after he is detained by Paris police for his part in the corruption football probe.

We'll have the details ahead.

And Hong Kong's leader said she heard protesters loud and clear.

But did she get the message?

A look at where things stand today.

(MUSIC PLAYING)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[11:20:00]

(MUSIC PLAYING)

MACFARLANE: One of France's greatest footballers Michel Platini is maintaining his innocence. The former boss of European football's

governing body UEFA was detained in France. It comes as prosecutors investigate suspected corruption in the process of awarding the 2022 World

Cup to the Gulf State of Qatar. CNN "WORLD SPORT's" Alex Thomas joins me now.

Alex, what do we know?

There hasn't been much coming out today but we heard from Platini himself.

ALEX THOMAS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, and his lawyers say he was also questioned in the awarding of European football championships to France in

2016 while he was still president of UEFA, European football's governing body.

But it's definitely the Qatar 2022 which has pricked up their ears. Platini was such a huge figure, a famous former footballer, one of France's

best ever, going on to be most equally as famous as football administrator, becoming the head of the organizing committee when France

hosted the World Cup back in 1998, becoming UEFA president and FIFA vice president.

And pretty much towers as the man who would next leave FIFA after Sepp Blatter. Both Platini and Blatter are among many that fell during a

corruption sweep, anti-corruption sweep when Swiss authorities raided the FIFA hotel in 2015 at the request of U.S. Department of Justice.

There are still three investigations ongoing into football in America, Switzerland and France. Platini was questioned in relation to that probe

that started in France in 2016 about the Qatar hosting.

(CROSSTALK)

MACFARLANE: Three investigations are still going on. So much time after that bid took place and was announced.

If any of these are found to have been dirty, are we too late to reverse the decision?

THOMAS: Not too late. But I'd be amazed if it leads to further developments. The vote was taken in 2010, when at the same time for the

first time ever, gave two World Cups at the same time. Russia got the 2018, Qatar the 2022. England, the U.S. and Australia are some of the

countries that missed out.

And some rumors of dirty tricks ever since. Two of the men not in football were thrown out because of corruption charges proven or put in jail or

quickly took retirement before anything bad could happen. There's all sorts of smoke. You believe in no smoke without fire, you made up your

mind.

It would be surprising if this led to specific new allegations that remove the World Cup from Qatar, which is immediately what everyone's thoughts

turn to.

MACFARLANE: Thank you very much for breaking it down for us.

Let's get you up to speed on other stories. That's on our radar now.

A tsunami warning issued for parts of northwest Japan after an earthquake struck after 10:00 pm local time. The U.S. Geological Survey reports it

was 6.4. There are no immediate reports of damage.

The death toll has risen in India's brutal heat wave. At least 83 people have died in the eastern state since Saturday, due to scorching heat

conditions. Officials say all government run and private schools are closed until next week. The heat wave is expected to last the next couple

of days.

And Hong Kong's leader is apologizing for a second time over the government's handling of a controversial extradition bill. That sparked

days of protests. CNN's Ivan Watson tells us that, for critics of Carrie Lam, the apology was not enough.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

IVAN WATSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hong Kongers saw something you certainly don't see every week. A senior Chinese official

apologizing to the public. This was chief executive Carrie Lam, the top government official in Hong Kong, apologizing after mass demonstrations

that were denouncing her policies. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CARRIE LAM, HONG KONG CHIEF EXECUTIVE (through translator): On Sunday I issued a written apology. I totally agree that I should take much of the

responsibility in this as the chief executive, that I should personally, solemnly apologize to the public.

This is the earliest opportunity to do so because I have to come here and meet the media so that I can apologize to the public through you.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WATSON: Ms. Lam dropped a condescending tone we heard a few days ago, gone were comparisons of protesters to disobedient children. She stopped this

argument that demonstrators didn't understand the extradition law she was trying to ram through the Hong Kong legislature --

[11:25:00]

WATSON: -- instead she said I hear you and she hoped that scores of people wounded in violent clashes with riot police Wednesday, that she was

saddened by that, hoped they would get well soon.

For the protesters' part, some opposition leaders still want her resignation and want the extradition law completely scrapped, not just

temporarily suspended. But then the protesters face a dilemma.

How can they keep the pressure on the government, can they mobilize yet again, one or two million Hong Kongers in the streets?

Or do they have to look at other tactics perhaps to try to keep the pressure up?

Regardless, they have succeeded weakening the chief executive here and indirectly put a crack into that tough guy image that the Chinese President

Xi Jinping has been cultivating with mass roundups of people in Mainland China.

Despite those types of tough measures, he has proven unable to completely bend people of Hong Kong to his will.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MACFARLANE: Our thanks to Ivan.

Still to come, Donald Trump issues an ominous but vague threat on immigration, hours before he officially kicks off his 2020 re-election

campaign. We're live in Washington and Mexico straight ahead.

Plus, yelled at, kicked and put a gun in their face. U.S. police did this to a family after their little girl carried a toy out of the dollar store.

The controversy ahead.

(MUSIC PLAYING)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[11:30:00]

(MUSIC PLAYING)

MACFARLANE: You're watching CNN. This is CONNECT THE WORLD. I'm Christina Macfarlane. Welcome back.

Donald Trump is threatening to deport millions of undocumented migrants next week. New details in the tweet, saying immigrants, quote, "will be

removed as fast as they come in."

He praised Mexico for making progress stemming the flow of Central American migrants. Those remarks come before Mr. Trump officially kicks off his re-

election campaign, gearing up for a major rally in Florida tonight.

Let's bring in Joe Johns, live at the White House, and Michael Holmes in Mexico near the Guatemala border.

Joe, let's go to you first. Do we know anything more about exactly what this operation is he tweeted about?

And if it is such a major operation, why did he tweet about it in advance?

JOE JOHNS, CNN SENIOR WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT: Your guess is as good as mine, quite frankly. It was quite a tweet. And it caught a lot of people

off guard. It went out in the middle of the night and took time to get anybody to weigh in on this thing.

What we do know, there have been some in the administration who have advocated for a sweep across the nation, for Immigration and Customs

Enforcement agents to go out all over the United States and lock up undocumented immigrants as a deterrent to send a message to people on the

southern border not to come across or the same thing may happen to them.

But it is not clear at all that this was that. We know that there's some type of operation they talked about for a while. We have been told now off

the record or at least on background that people were surprised that the president made this announcement on Twitter.

Initially what we heard about this was much smaller numbers, in the thousands or tens of thousands, not a million or millions.

A lot of questions out there; the administration put out a statement essentially embracing the president's language from the tweet this morning

but not confirming nor denying any such operation is imminent or coming next week.

MACFARLANE: A lot of questions still remaining, Joe. As you say, immigration a key focus in the run-up to the election.

And Michael Holmes is at the border in Guatemala.

Michael, we know the deadline for troops to be in place at the border is today.

But in reality is it likely to be less than that, the 6,000 that were promised?

MICHAEL HOLMES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, that was the promise, 6,000, Christina, would be in place by today, Tuesday. That's not going to

happen. Even the government admits that, we were at a news conference yesterday where a spokesman said 50 percent of that number, will have their

assignments and not by today, by end of the week.

So it is a rollout of that promise but a much slower rollout than was initially outlined. We know that here on Tapachula we're on the Mexican

side of the border with Guatemala, we know that several hundred troops arrived here overnight.

And they're being dispatched to points along the border, some popular river crossings, for example, and increased checkpoints both around where we are

here and further north, trying to cut off the migrant routes.

We have been speaking to people at the processing center where people try to register to become legal residents in Mexico while they consider their

future, gives them permission to live here, work and so on.

Several of them were shocked by this, especially the numbers. As Joe said, millions, really?

Hard to imagine that happening. Couple people told me it does impact them. One man is thinking of going to the U.S., from Honduras, says, no, I think

I'll stay in Mexico now and work.

He is like everybody behind me, around here, glad to be away from dangers of their home countries, talking about Honduras, Guatemala, El Salvador and

Nicaragua.

And several have said they will stay here in Mexico, take advantage of permission to stay. Others said, like one young man said, I'm going to

keep heading north, still going up there, it is in God's hands, he said. Mexico is --

[11:35:00]

HOLMES: -- increasing the number of detentions as people come across the border. UNATR is concerned. They say people seeking asylum shouldn't be

detained. A lot of people are detained if they don't have the right reasons to be here, are being deported by Mexico and in considerable

numbers.

Worth pointing out the U.S. says what it says but Mexico has in reality deported far more from the Northern Triangle countries than the U.S. has in

recent years. The uncertainty for these people continues.

We talked to one family, I'll mention it quickly, a family of seven. They're sleeping on the streets here, they have for a week now. The

weather is hot, it is humid beyond belief most days. And then in the afternoons it pours with rain.

They're sleeping on the streets, they have a baby, kids. Their next appointment with the Mexican government to further their application is a

month away. They said we have no money, nowhere to stay, not allowed to work here, what do we do?

That's the desperation taking place in places like this in Mexico.

MACFARLANE: Absolute desperation. Michael Holmes, live from the border. Thank you to you.

And to Joe Johns at the White House.

We want to tell you about an incident that people are talking about in the U.S. It started when a little girl reportedly took a doll from a store

without paying for it. Police were called and then this happened.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You are not complying with me. When I tell you to do something, you (INAUDIBLE) do it.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I am. (INAUDIBLE).

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Lay down and shut your mouth.

MACFARLANE: As you can see here, things got very ugly, with police shouting profanity, pulling a gun on the family who are African American.

CNN's Scott McLean picks up the story from Phoenix.

Scott, police shown being shockingly aggressive in that video over a doll. Understandably, people are outraged.

What has the response been from the family and state police department to this?

SCOTT MCLEAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, the family has had a lot to say. In fact, there's pending litigation, looking for $10 million over the

incident. It all ended in that parking lot, with police with their guns drawn. Eventually both adults here, Dravon Ames and Iesha Harper, were in

handcuffs.

But there were never charges laid from the incident. It started back in a dollar store not far from there where a 4-year-old girl had taken a doll

out of the store. Police aren't commenting on this, at this point, because of pending litigation.

They released footage that shows this 4-year-old taking a doll out of the store without paying for it with her parents. This couple is sort of

downplaying the significance of the video, saying doesn't show anything we didn't know already.

They're disputing the police account of this, written in the police report, where police claim Mr. Ames actually confessed to stealing underwear out of

the store. Yesterday, the couple, along with lawyers and supporters, held a press conference, where Ames was asked whether or not he took anything

from the store. The question seemed to hit a nerve. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DRAVON AMES, DOLLAR STORE CUSTOMER: My family has been through enough. As you see in the video, the fear, the sounds of my daughters crying and you

asked me about some drawers. Police putting guns to my daughter's face and you asking me about some drawers. That's makes -- that has no -- that's

insensitive, that's insulting.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MCLEAN: So this couple and their lawyers made it abundantly clear in the press conference what was or wasn't stolen is not the point. They think no

petty theft should have prompted the heavy-handed police response that we saw, where police ended up with their guns drawn, one officer yelling, "I

will put a cap in your 'expletive' head."

The governor of Arizona weighed in with local media yesterday, he said the police behavior was disturbing, unacceptable. He wants to see the internal

police investigation before weighing in. He thinks there's more to the story here.

The next thing that will happen, the mayor is holding a public meeting to talk about this incident; in particular, the couple will be there, they

will make a statement but don't plan on staying for the whole thing. They think this community meeting is a sham. Christina.

MACFARLANE: All right. Scott McLean from Phoenix. Thank you very much.

Still ahead. Facebook wants to befriend your wallet. The social media firm launching its own virtual money. The latest on a new type of currency

next.

And Jamaica is feeling the joy of their first Women's World Cup, even though they have yet to score a goal in the tournament. More on the Reggae

Girlz coming up.

(MUSIC PLAYING)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[11:40:00]

(MUSIC PLAYING)

MACFARLANE: You're watching CNN and this is CONNECT THE WORLD. I'm Christina Macfarlane. Welcome back.

We share lots on Facebook, messages, photos, news articles. Now the social network wants you to add money to the list. Facebook announced it is

launching its own digital currency named Libra, taking on the likes of bitcoin.

You can buy it and store it in a wallet application called Calibra. Clare Sebastian has details and joins us live.

A new digital currency some say could shake up the world banking system. Explain how it will work exactly.

CLARE SEBASTIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, I think the reason people are so excited by this, you take Facebook and its 2.4 billion users worldwide, add

the fact to create this currency, they partnered with 27 other companies and organizations, the likes of PayPal, Visa, Uber, Spotify, Lyft, all

kinds of companies getting involved.

And you have something that could take this into the mainstream, a lot of cryptocurrencies bulls are excited. Libra will be facilitated by

association that involves these founding members, partner organizations. That will be based in Geneva, Switzerland, it operates like we know

cryptocurrency does.

It exists on a block chain, a digital token but unlike bitcoin, which is volatile, seen that price fluctuate wildly, this is designed to be a stable

coin. It's backed by real world assets that Facebook says will be low volatility, the likes of bank deposits and short term treasuries, things

like that.

That should allow it to be more stable and be a more reliable store of value. Facebook is launching a new subsidiary called Calibra, the first

product is a digital wallet. That allows users to transact through its Messenger products, Messenger, WhatsApp, like you do with emojis and photos

and GIFs. They're talking about another layer of technology on top of what they already have.

MACFARLANE: Seems dangerously too easy, given the way I use my smartphone. With the company accused of multiple privacy violations at the moment, is

this really the time for Facebook to be launching a project that will require users to share more sensitive financial information?

SEBASTIAN: Well, so Facebook is trying to get in front of concerns. Yes, there's been a lot of trouble; their reputation has been badly hit the past

few years, especially since Cambridge Analytica. They say the way they're getting around it, Calibra, the new subsidiary, is separate from Facebook.

There won't be --

[11:45:00]

SEBASTIAN: -- any commingling of data that ends up on Calibra and the block chain, the way it operates is essentially sort of anonymous. You can

have more than one address. It is not linked to your real world identity.

And I think Facebook is trying to insulate itself by partnering with all of the different organizations. It isn't the central body. That should send

analysts, should add credibility to the project.

MACFARLANE: We shall wait and see. Clare Sebastian from New York. Thanks.

Coming up, Jamaica's Reggae Girlz are soaking up the first World Cup experience. Their journey to the big time hasn't been easy. A look back

at their road to the tournament next.

Plus an incredible photo goes viral after capturing the harsh reality of Greenland's melting ice sheet. More on the story behind this image coming

up.

(MUSIC PLAYING)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(MUSIC PLAYING)

MACFARLANE: You're watching CNN, this is CONNECT THE WORLD. I'm Christina Macfarlane, welcome back.

Day 12 of the Women's World Cup will kick off in France. They'll go head to head with Australia's Matildas in a few hours time. One of the

highlights has been watching Jamaica Reggae Girlz compete in their first World Cup. They may be ranked 53rd but the journey has been incredible.

Amanda Davies is here to discuss more of that.

As I mentioned, lowest ranked in the competition with one of the best stories in terms of how they've gotten to the competition. Tell us more.

AMANDA DAVIES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: This is one of the stories that encapsulates women's football. You have the likes of the USA looking for

record number of titles, then Jamaica for whom just being at the tournament is a success.

They're a team that were disbanded on more than one occasion in recent times because the Jamaican Football Federation needed to save some money.

And they saw disbanding the women's team as an easy way of doing that, rather than sending the team to try their hand against other women's teams

abroad, thought it was easier to get rid of them.

That's why Cedella Marley comes into play. She's the eldest daughter of Bob Marley, she's a singer, a fashion designer, an entrepreneur. She took

up the mantle as a funder and a fund-raiser because of what she calls the love of football she got from her father and really wanted to give an

opportunity to young girls, young women in Jamaica.

She, alongside an unpaid head --

[11:50:00]

DAVIES: -- coach, a former Wall Street financier, Hugh Menzies (ph), have really reestablished women's football, putting a pathway in place. They

searched the globe for players with Jamaican heritage, put together one of the youngest, most exciting squads at the tournament.

And by getting here have made a mark. Results so far haven't necessarily gone the way they planned but what was interesting when I had a chance to

speak to Marley earlier, she said she hadn't quite realized how many other teams at the tournament were in the same boat.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CEDELLA MARLEY, JAMAICAN FOOTBALL SPONSOR: Even outside of our region, what's been eye opening to me, watching the entire World Cup, is that

Jamaica is not alone in the problems that we have with our programs. And so I think we need to be having bigger conversations in general, how we can

help to grow this game, female football.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

DAVIES: The tournament hasn't quite gone as planned. They suffered defeat to Brazil and Italy. But one of their star players, Khadija Shaw,

nicknamed Bunny because of her love of carrots, is being talked about as one of the players to watch moving on from the tournament. She just signed

a long term deal to play for Bordeaux in the French League, one of the best women's leagues.

She said, yes, she hasn't found back of the net but she understands. We have seen the emotion not only from her but the rest of the players they've

lined up, they really understand they're playing for so much more than just this tournament.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KHADIJA SHAW, JAMAICAN NATIONAL WOMEN'S FOOTBALL TEAM: To me, it's the biggest stage of my career and to finally hear that, knowing I am not only

representing myself, representing the boys and little girls inspired by what we're doing out there in the country, my family, my community. Just

being here, you know, seeing the vibe, the atmosphere, what it is like to be at World Cup is a great experience.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

DAVIES: She may not have scored yet, but keep an eye out. She said her and the team have their celebration sorted. If they get the back of the

net against Australia, a moment to watch.

MACFARLANE: If they do, we'll be tweeting about it on social media. Thank you very much.

Check out this photo captured by a Danish scientist, giving a firsthand look at Greenland's melting ice sheet.

Steffen Olsen took this shot a few days ago. His dogsleds would normally be on ice, instead they're in knee deep in a wide expanse of blue water.

The melt season is June to August.

On this one day, June 13th, a whopping 40 percent of the island's ice sheet is experiencing melting. Steffen Olsen joining us by Skype from Greenland.

Steffen, talk us through how you came to capture this incredible shot.

What led you to take it that day?

STEFFEN OLSEN, DANISH CLIMATOLOGIST: Thank you for describing this. Wanting to take that shot. I was perhaps like many others now, awed the

impressive melting we saw during the day and the situation, where somehow getting a little out of hand, we were getting out of our comfort zone

working on the ice.

So, yes, I wanted to document the situation and likely also had an idea it would be some kind of scientific evidence of the situation.

MACFARLANE: I can understand how it would be scientific evidence.

Were you surprised by how people responded to the image?

It obviously went viral on social media.

OLSEN: Yes, a photo is not science but this photo seems to have had enormous impact. I have a hard time getting my head around how far out

this picture came or have come. It is amazing. I had never thought that could happen.

MACFARLANE: You operate in this area as a scientist all the time. You're there right now.

How concerning is it to see this degree of melt?

As we mentioned earlier, 40 percent.

How unusual is that?

OLSEN: I mean, I was taking this photo on the ground. I could not see the melt going on but these extremes are what we expect from global warming.

So being there in person on ice, basically seeing the ice melt below our feet --

[11:55:00]

OLSEN: -- that's quite concerning. But it also reminds us that what we're seeing is correct and the process we try to describe by our measurements

and science are taking place also on a day-to-day basis.

MACFARLANE: Yes. Certainly reinforces your mission and underscores that climate change is very real. Thank you for joining us, bringing us that

wonderful if disturbing picture.

I am Christina Macfarlane. That was CONNECT THE WORLD. Thank you for watching.