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One World with Zain Asher
Israel Supreme Court At The Center Of A Looming Legal Battle That Could Trigger A Constitutional Crisis; A World Weather Attribution Initiative Study Concludes Climate Change Causes Heat Waves; Ukraine Military Reports New Advances In Its Counteroffensive In The South; China's Foreign Minister Out, Old Foreign Minister Back In; Paris Saint-Germain Considers Accepting A Record-Breaking Bid For Kylian Mbappe; Dan Duggan Denies U.S. DOJ Allegation of Breaking A U.S. Arms Embargo; Sarina Bolden Earns Philippines' First World Cup Goal; White House Maintains the U.S.- Israeli Alliance Is Unshakable; Ecuador's President Declares A State Of Emergency Across The Country's Entire Prison System For The Next 60 Days; Alabama Authorities Weigh Possible Charges Against A Woman Admitting Hoax; President Biden Signs A Proclamation To Officially Establish A National Monument Honoring Emmett Till And Mamie Till-Mobley. Aired 12-1p ET
Aired July 25, 2023 - 12:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[12:00:00]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHRISTINA MACFARLANE, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: Hello and welcome, I'm Christina Macfarlane live in London and this is One World and we begin in
Israel where the Supreme Court is at the center of a looming legal battle that could trigger a constitutional crisis. We're now waiting to see if the
court will issue a temporary injunction on petitions that were filed after parliament passed a controversial law on Monday. It's the first step in a
process that would weaken the Supreme Court and there appears to be a lull in mass street protests but internal backlash is growing. Doctors are
walking off the job, military reservists are threatening to stop volunteering, and black ads covered the front pages of several major
Israeli newspapers on Tuesday. The country's strategic affairs minister spoke to CNN earlier and pushed back on criticism that the new law presents
a danger to democracy.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RON DERMER, ISRAELI MINISTER OF STRATEGIC AFFAIRS: I think there are fears that the opposition and many of the protesters have. I personally think
those fears are unfounded and I think they're gonna see as we move forward with this reform that many of the concerns that they have are not gonna
happen.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MACFARLANE: CNN's Fred Pleitgen is joining us now live from Jerusalem. Good to see you, Fred. And you know, Fred, like it or not, this push for
judicial reform is being seen or viewed as a threat to Israeli democracy, and that is what brought so many thousands of people to the streets
yesterday. Bring us up to date on the situation there today, Fred, and how long are we expecting these medical workers to go on strike? They've
announced they're going to do so. Are any others likely to follow them?
FRED PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, there's a couple of other groups that have said that they might walk out as well, who
have threatened to walk out if the government, as they put it, continues with some of the measures that have been going on. Because, of course,
Christina, one of the things that we have to keep in mind is that the Israeli government has said, some of the ministers in the government have
said that what was happening yesterday in Israeli Parliament, the Reasonable Act, the Reasonableness Act, is only the beginning of a flurry
of measures that the government wants to take to essentially curtail the powers of the Supreme Court, but also to make it easier for the government
itself to change the makeup of the Supreme Court.
And so, that's certainly something that's driving people to the streets. We have some of the images on our screens right now, where we can see some of
the clashes that took place yesterday in Jerusalem, but also in Tel Aviv as well, which, of course, were big turmoil here in this country. We spoke to
some of the protesters, and a lot of them were telling us that they believe that right now is the time for them to come out on the streets. They think
that the measures that are being debated right now, some of the ones that have already been pushed through, some of the ones that have been that are
being debated, are so fundamental to the democracy of this country that they feel that they need to go out on the streets.
But it was so interesting also to hear Ron Dermer earlier this today on CNN because he was asked by our own Erica Hill is, if the Supreme Court decides
to strike down that law that was enacted yesterday, the Reasonableness Act, whether or not the government would abide by that. And he really didn't
answer the question. He said, look, Israel is a country of rule of law, where they abide by the rule of law, but not a rule by judges. So,
certainly not a direct answer to that question, and certainly not something that is going to curtail some of the turmoil that's been going on, which is
going on in Israeli society, but also in the Israeli economy, as well.
We had Morgan Stanley today downgrade the economy of Israel in its rating. And then we had the government just a couple of minutes ago come out with
its own statement, Benjamin Netanyahu and his finance minister, saying that, look, the Israeli economy is in great shape. They believe, once the
dust settles, people are going to see that the Israeli economy is very strong and will remain very strong.
We're also waiting for a report coming out from Moody's later today, as well, to see what they are going to say. But certainly, right now, is
definitely a difficult time. Many believe for Israeli democracy, certainly also for the Israeli government of Benjamin Netanyahu, as well, as they are
facing that criticism.
And right now, it's very difficult to see how all of this is going to end and where it is going to end, because of course one of the things that
we've been hearing is on the one side the people are saying, who we've been seeing out on the streets, that they are not going to stop coming out and
protesting until these measures are repealed, until they're taken back or are struck down by the Supreme Court. And of course, the government is
saying that this is just the beginning and there are more measures to come. Christina.
MACFARLANE: Yeah, and we will wait to see, Fred, if those protests pick up again. And, indeed, where this stands on the legal front, we understand
there are petitions being filed to the Supreme Court to stop this legislation, so much more to come in the hours and days ahead. Fred
Pleitgen, for now, thank you.
Now, it does not matter where you are in the Mediterranean region today. You can feel the heat and fear and the fires. The airport in Palermo,
Sicily was shut down for several hours when fires came terrifyingly close to the runways there.
[12:05:00]
Take a look at this, it's now been reopened. Meanwhile, in Algeria, more than 7000 firefighters are battling about 100 wildfires amid temperatures
reaching 48 degrees celsius. At least 34 people have died including 10 soldiers who are helping in the fight. And we're about to show you a
disturbing video from a similar tragedy in Greece which is also reeling from wildfires.
Here you can see a firefighting plane that crashed as it was dumping water on the island of Euboea. Two people were reportedly on board. The Greek
Prime Minister is waring that the fire and heat are expected to get worse, not better. As drought conditions persist, the island of Crete has now
joined roads and Corfu under extreme risk of wildfires.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KIRIAKOS MITSOAKIS, GREEK PRIME MINISTER: Let me state the obvious, that in the face of what the entire planet is facing, especially the Mediterranean,
which is a hot spot for climate change, there is no magic defense. If there was, obviously we would have implemented it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MACFARLANE: Well, it may seem obvious but it's worth repeating these blistering heat waves are almost certainly the result of climate change.
That is the conclusion of a study by the World Weather Attribution Initiative. The study's authors are calling for the rapid reduction of
planet heating pollution and they're urging cities to adapt infrastructure to better deal with extreme conditions.
Well, let's bring in CNN Meteorologist Derek Van Dam with more on all of this. Tell us a bit more about the conclusions of this study. And also, you
know, speaks to the fact that all of these extreme wildfires, extreme heat are happening at the same time.
DEREK VAN DAM, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Yeah, Christina. Basically, what this report is telling us is that if we don't stop burning fossil fuels rapidly,
the quote, unquote, "heat hell" that we are experiencing across much of the northern hemisphere right now will seem like cool summer months in the
future, right? So, that really puts it into perspective.
Now, scientists have for decades been able to associate and attribute weather events like climate or coastal storm surge, heavy rain events, as
well as these extreme heat events. But now, this World Weather Attribution Initiative, the study that we're talking about right now, has the ability
to compare the current climate, which is about 1.2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial averages to the past climate. And what it's showing is that
climate change is absolutely just incredibly entrenched within this makeup, the DNA of our temperatures.
Take the heat wave ongoing from North America with man-made climate change, it is actually two degrees Celsius above where it would be without the heat
trapping gas that we emit into the atmosphere by burning fossil fuels. And the frequency of these extreme heat events is going up as well. We're
ranging anywhere from an extreme heat event every 5 to 15 years. If we continue to burn fossil fuels, we can expect that to go 1 in every 2 to
three years to see these extreme heat events.
And what you and I used to think was extreme heat, let's say roughly 35 degrees Celsius, or 95 degrees Fahrenheit is becoming more easily
achievable and it's occurring more frequently, as well. And what we thought was extreme heat, well that will now be the new normal and then we'll start
to see those extremes get pushed further and further. Just take for example the global heat average. We have since July 3rd set the global average
temperature record for the entire planet and that has been consecutively going for over 20 days.
And in places like China, we have never recorded a temperature this hot that was late last week, 52.2 degrees in Phoenix, Arizona, in North America
where we continue to have our ongoing heat wave. We have had just incredible consecutive stretch of temperatures above 43 degrees as these
heat don'ts propagate across the country. Christina, without these heat waves, it will be virtually impossible without climate change to have this
type of excessive heat.
MACFARLANE: Yeah, it is undeniable, isn't it, Derek? And a frightening new reality, unfortunately. Derek Van Dam, thanks.
Now, the Kremlin says it's impossible to rejoin the Black Sea deal. Russia quit the deal that had allowed exports of Ukrainian grain from the
country's Black Sea ports, saying conditions for it to continue had not been met.
Meantime, Ukraine's military reports of new advances in its counteroffensive in the south. Our Alex Marquardt is joining us from the
southern Ukraine port city of Odessa. So, Alex, these gains being reported by the Ukrainian military, I believe in the south and the east near
Bakhmut, where we know the fighting has been ongoing for months now. Do we know how sizable these games are?
ALEX MARQUARDT, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Well, gains of course positive for the Ukrainian forces, but they are incremental,
Christina.
[12:10:00]
What we have seen, at least on one of the various axes for the Ukrainian forces driving south according to an outside group, the Institute for the
Study of War, they say the Ukrainian forces have managed to take back and move forward around 1.7 kilometers. And as they drive towards the southern
city of Militopol elsewhere on another axis, as they drive towards the southern city of Berdyansk, they have made some progress, we are told.
We did just get the evening update from Ukraine's military. There has been no more progress, they say. Today, the Ukrainian forces are, of course,
running up against extremely stiff resistance. This is something we've heard ourselves from Ukrainian soldiers right there on the front line. They
are trying to cross incredibly dense minefields. They're coming under very heavy fire from artillery.
So, as they make these small gains, they are trying to dig in, in order to be able to hold on to those gains and push that front forward as they try
to drive south. And the goal here, Christina, is to split this land bridge that connects Russian-occupied Crimea with Russian-occupied Donbas. That is
a primary goal in this counteroffensive.
And then as we move east, of course, there has been so much discussion around the city of Bakhmut, that has seen some of the worst fighting of
this entire conflict. Ukrainian military now saying that they are making some gains to the south of Bakhmut. They have been trying to encircle the
city, which has been occupied by Russian forces. Ukraine not making much progress to the north, where Russian defenses are significant, but to the
south they are pushing towards some key villages.
And the reason that is important, Christina, is that is because Russia has some supply lines to the south of the city. If Ukraine is able to take
these villages, take that area, of course, they could cut off those supply lines. That area to the south also providing some higher ground. So,
Ukraine claiming some gains to the south of Bakhmut and in the south of the country along that southern front, but they are modest gains, Christina.
MACFARLANE: Yeah, incremental as you say, but nonetheless still potentially strategically important. Alex Marquardt there live from Odessa. Thanks so
much, Alex.
Well, meanwhile, the Kremlin says 49 African countries will attend its summit in St. Petersburg this week. Russian President Vladimir Putin is
expected to meet separately with individual leaders, focusing on issues ranging from trade to security to grain supplies. Moscow is accusing the
West of trying to sabotage the summit by encouraging African leaders not to take part.
Now, China's foreign minister is out. The old foreign minister is back in. And that's not even the biggest mystery of this story. In a surprise
announcement just hours ago, Beijing said former foreign minister Wang Yi has returned to his old job. Wang was already the top foreign policy
adviser to Chinese President Xi Jinping. He replaces Qin Gang, who has not been seen for a month. He disappeared from public view about a week after
meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken in mid-June, and there has been little word about where he was or what happened to him other than
vague statements from Beijing about health problems.
So, CNN's Marc Stewart is tracking this story for us and joins us now. I mean, Marc, this is mysterious and a highly unusual shake-up for China's
foreign policy leadership. And I understand, as well, that Qin, you know, was only in the position since December. So, how sudden has this come
about?
MARC STEWART, CNN CORRESPONDENT: This is very sudden, Christina. In fact, let's just look at the last month. It was on June 25th. It was the last
time Qin Gang was seen in public. He was meeting with officials from Sri Lanka, from Vietnam, from Russia, very much part of the job description of
foreign minister. But since that time, it is very clear he was out of public view. In fact, he had meetings with an official from the E.U. He had
meetings with leaders from the ASEAN nations, the Southeast Asian nations. He was not there for any of that.
So, that is when this conversation about his disappearance from the global stage really started to accelerate. It is already Wednesday now here in
Asia, Wednesday in China, but on Tuesday afternoon, his disappearance, if you will, was a part of the conversation during a regular briefing from
China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. And the reason that we got for his departure was, quote, "no information to provide us to where he would be".
Well, then hours later, we learned of his formal departure.
It is also interesting to point out that Qin Gang has been a very trusted advisor of Chinese leader Xi Jinping. He has served as ambassador to the
United States. He has served as really the point person and the global voice from China. He is the one who gave statements of rebuke after the
Chinese spy balloon shoot down.
He has also been very involved with the U.S.-China relationship including the big meeting that we saw with Secretary of State Antony Blinken, yet he
was missing from the meeting with Secretary of Treasury Janet Yellen, as well as John Kerry.
[12:15:00]
So, we have this mystery about not only what happened but where is he now. And for the moment, Christina, Beijing is being very guarded in its
statements, at least to the public.
MACFARLANE: Yeah, an ongoing mystery, it seems. Marc Stewart there, live for us from Tokyo. Thanks, Marc. Turning to the Women's World Cup now where
the tournament is getting deeper into the group stage and the contenders are emerging. The next match on the docket is Japan versus Costa Rica, and
on Wednesday, the top- ranked Americans had their toughest test yet against the Netherlands. U.S. Star Alex Morgan says they understand the challenge
in front of them.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ALEX MORGAN, U.S. WOMEN'S NATIONAL TEAM: We approach every game like it's the biggest game and this game is no different. But we have played
Netherlands historically in very important matches, 2019 Olympics even before then. So, this is going to be an incredibly difficult match-up. Very
challenging.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MACFARLANE: Well, elsewhere in football, Paris Saint-Germain is considering accepting a record-breaking bid for Kylian Mbappe, one of the world's top
football players. According to multiple reports, Saudi club Al Hilal has submitted a bid to Mbappe's current club for US$332 million and is offering
another $776 million to Mbappe for one season. Paris Saint-Germain striker still has one year left on his contract with PSG. The French club tells CNN
it has not yet accepted the offer.
Well, World Sport's Don Riddell is joining us now. Good to see you, Don. I mean, these are eye-watering sums, aren't they? But ones we've kind of come
to expect with Saudi Arabia. And it seems that having missed out on securing Lionel Messi recently, Al-Hilal are now determined to secure
another superstar. How serious is this offer and how likely are they to get him?
DON RIDDELL, CNN WORLD SPORT: Hey, Christina. Well, I think the offer is serious. As you say, we've been seeing the amount of money that Saudi
Arabia and their public investment fund have been throwing around in football even just in the last few weeks. So, clearly, they have the money.
They're happy to spend it. The question is, will Kylian Mbappe want to go and play there? And we don't know. He hasn't said anything on the subject.
But what we do know is that he has a year left on his contract with PSG.
At that point, he gets to choose whatever club he wants to play for and that club doesn't have to pay anything to acquire his services. It is
widely believed that he's heading to Real Madrid. He has expressed a great deal of interest in the past in playing for Real Madrid one day and he has
for the last few years endured or enjoyed a rather uneasy relationship with PSG.
So, it seems as though he and PSG have reached an impasse. It's hard to imagine that he's ever going to play for them again. So, the question now
is, what does he do for the next 12 months? Does he just take the year off or does he go and play somewhere? And when someone is offering you $770
million for a year's work, why would you turn that down? We don't know what's going to happen next but there is certainly a pathway, Chrissie,
that would take Kylian Mbappe to Saudi Arabia.
MACFARLAINE: Yeah, and of course he's not the only one that has been approached to move to Saudi Arabia. I mean, Don, how much does this kind of
offer and actually all the acquisitions we're seeing to -- in recent months, how these domestic football league -- how much is that skewering
the industry and football's financial norms? Because, you know, big clubs in Europe just can't kind of compete with this sort of money and also
they're governed by rules that mean they can't.
RIDDELL: Absolutely, it's skewering things. You know, I mean, just look at the players that have gone to Saudi Arabia in the last few weeks. Mendy,
Firmino, Koulibaly, Neves, Benzema, Kante. These are huge, huge names. And Cristiano Ronaldo isn't even on that list because he moved before this kind
of most recent splurge by the Saudis.
So, you know, these players are going there because they're being paid huge amounts of money. And that changes the whole marketplace. It's incredibly
disruptive because now, the price of every player has gone up and even though there's only one market or one country paying those kinds of money,
that of course just changes everything.
The Premier League doesn't like it but that's interesting because the rest of Europe has been irritated with the kind of resources the Premier League
has had over the last 10 -- 20 years. And now, the Premier League itself is experiencing, oh I see, this is what it's like when someone else comes in
with even more money than you do. So now, the Premier League clubs are having to pay more for the players that otherwise they would have got for a
little bit less.
MACFALANE: Yeah, and as we know, Don, it's not just in football. It's in golf, it's in boxing, it's in Formula One, it's across the board right now.
[12:20:00]
Don Riddell, though, I really appreciate your insight on this, Don. Good to see you. Turning to a developing story now. We have just gotten word of a
scary incident involving Bronny James, the son of LeBron James. A statement from a family spokesperson says the 18-year-old Bronny suffered cardiac
arrest while practicing with his college team at the University of Southern California on Monday.
He was rushed to hospital and now is apparently out of the ICU and in stable condition. Bronny is a dynamic outside shooter and just enrolled at
USC after an award-winning high school career. He and LeBron have talked about someday playing together in the NBA on the same team.
Well, let's bring in CNN's Sanjay Gupta to help us understand what happened to Bronny James. Sanjay, can you tell us anything more about his condition
and how common this is to have happened, this cardiac arrest among younger people, younger athletes like him?
SANJAY GUPTA, M.D., CNN CHIEF EDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Sure. Well, I can tell you, first of all, with regard to his condition, we know that he was
resuscitated, taken to the hospital, to the ICU and is now told to be in stable condition out of the intensive care unit on the general care floor.
So, that's a really good sign.
We don't have all the details of exactly what happened at the time of his cardiac arrest, how long was he unconscious, was a defibrillator used, how
long did it take for him to get to the hospital. But we do know, Christina, the outcome here, which is that at least he's out of the ICU, in stable
condition. And now they're going to do this testing to try and figure out what exactly happened here. So, that's the good news.
What we're talking about is pretty rare. I mean, when we say rare, you know, six to seven -- 8000 people a year of that age, young athletes who
might have sudden cardiac arrest. And once you get older, it's pretty clear most likely it's caused by some sort of issue with coronary arteries,
blockages and things. In younger athletes, there can be a bunch of different things that could potentially cause this.
Somebody may have had no symptoms at all before this and the sudden cardiac arrest is the first indication, Christina, that something is wrong. That
happens a lot in young athletes. Thankfully, again, it sounds like he's stable. Now they've got to figure out, get to the bottom of what exactly
happened here.
MACFARLANE: Yeah, and cardiac arrest itself, Sanjay, I mean, what does that mean compared to heart attack or heart failure? Because there is an
important distinction here, isn't there?
GUPTA: There really is. Sudden cardiac arrest basically means exactly what the words sound like. The heart just stopped beating. Again, there can be a
variety of reasons why that happens. When someone has a heart attack, usually it's because blood vessels that provide blood flow to the heart
have become blocked, the heart tissue is not getting enough blood flow, and the heart muscle becomes damaged. It can lead to cardiac arrest, but that's
what's actually happening in that situation.
Then heart failure is something where the muscles of the heart have now become so weakened that even after the heart starts beating again, it's not
beating adequately enough. It's sort of failing, not pushing enough blood through the body. Sudden cardiac arrest does happen. Again, it's rare in
young athletes, a few thousand times a year, for example, in the United States. But it does happen. Out of hospital cardiac arrest across all ages
is quite common, as you might guess. Hundreds of thousands of times a year that happens. So again, it happens in young athletes. Why it happened here
exactly, that's gonna be the focus, I imagine, of the next several days for Bronny.
MACFARLANE: Well, it is a relief, at the very least, to hear he is out of the ICU.
GUPTA: Yeah.
MACFARLANE: And we really hope for a swift recovery. Sanjay, thanks very much for breaking that down. And an American man says he was just helping
out some Chinese civilian pilots. But the U.S. believes differently. Details on the situation coming up after the break. Plus, a stunning
admission in the U.S. state of Alabama where an alleged kidnapping has now turned out to be a hoax. That's later this hour.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[12:25:00]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
MACFARLANE: From high in the sky to behind bars, a former U.S. Marine is fighting extradition to the U.S., where he could face decades in prison.
Daniel Duggan is accused of training Chinese military pilots more than 20 years ago. He says he was only training civilians, and his supporters say
he's being used as an example. Ivan Watson has more.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SAFFRINE DUGGAN, WIFE OF DAN DUGGAN: Free Dan Duggan. Free Dan Duggan.
IVAN WATSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Saffrine Duggan's husband was a top gun, a marine pilot who until 2002 served with attack squadron 214
out of Yuma, Arizona. Now, Daniel Duggan is locked up in an Australian jail fighting extradition to the United States.
DUGGAN: It's been devastating. The kids and I are distraught. It's just a struggle. It's a daily struggle.
WATSON: The U.S. Department of Justice alleges Duggan broke a U.S. arms embargo by training Chinese military pilots, which he denies. Among other
offenses involving a South African flight school allegedly committed over 10 years ago. A 2017 grand jury indictment accuses Duggan of training the
PRC pilots on how to land a jet on an aircraft carrier, as well as other specialist maneuvers. The Test Flying Academy of South Africa denies any
wrongdoing, saying all skills it teaches are quote, "strictly unclassified and no training involves classified tactics or other information nor any
frontline activities."
But last month, the company was added to the Commerce Department's list of sanctioned entities for providing training to Chinese military pilots using
Western and NATO sources. Duggan doesn't deny training Chinese pilots in South Africa, but says they were civilian plane enthusiasts seeking to
improve their skills. The supporters say he's being used as an example as tensions flare between the U.S. and China.
GLENN KOLOMEITZ, LAWYER, FORMER AUSTRALIAN ARMY OFFICER: But it is sending a message to China saying don't be recruiting Western former military
people. That's what it's all about.
WATSON: Duggan's 2022 arrest happened shortly after he returned to Australia with a security clearance for an aviation license needed to work
as a pilot. Later Australia has moved to tighten laws against former military personnel selling their knowledge overseas.
MIKE BURGESS, AUSTRAILIAN SECURITY AND INTELLIGENCE ORGANIZATION: However, the individuals rationalize their decisions, the bottom line is they are
transferring highly sensitive, privileged and classified know-how to foreign governments that do not share our values or the respect for rule of
law.
WATSON: Duggan's lawyers have previously alleged United States and Australian officials used the security clearance to lure him back to
Australia, where he could be arrested. That allegation is now being tested by independent investigators, probing the involvement of Australian
security officers in Duggan's arrest. Duggan's extradition hearing has been set for November to give time for the investigation.
DUGGAN: The extradition can be dropped and should be dropped. It's unjust.
[12:30:00]
WATSON: The relationship between Washington and Beijing changed dramatically in the time between Duggan's alleged offenses and his
indictment. The former Marine could be sentenced to 65 years in prison if a U.S. court finds him guilty. Ivan Watson, CNN.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MACFARLANE: All right, still to come, how leaders in Ecuador are addressing a wave of escalating violence and crime across the country and inside the
nation's prisons.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
MACFARLANE: Hello and welcome back to One World. Let's catch up now on the latest headlines. The Philippines stunned New Zealand 1-0 to earn their
first ever Women's World Cup victory. It's all thanks to Sarina Bolden's header in the 24th minute for the goal. That's also the Philippines' first
ever goal in a Women's World Cup competition.
And deadly violence in the West Bank. Hamas says three of its members were killed today in an armed clash with Israel's military. The Israeli military
says the men fired on soldiers during a routine patrol in Nablus and the soldiers returned fire in response.
Well, Israel's still reeling from Monday's parliamentary vote that approved the first major legislation in the government's plan to overhaul the
judiciary. There appears to be a lull in Mass Street protests right now. But as you can see here, doctors in Israel are walking off the job, staging
a 24-hour strike in protest of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition. Meantime, Former U.S. Vice President Mike Pence has been quick
to rally to Mr. Netanyahu his defense and slam U.S. Democrats for trying to get in the way of Israel's domestic politics.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MIKE PENCE, FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT: This preoccupation of Democrats, which literally goes back, you know, decades of trying to micromanage what's
happening in the domestic politics in Israel, is wrongheaded and it undermines a clear message to one of the most dangerous parts of the world,
of our commitment to our most cherished ally. I reject it categorically.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
[12:35:00]
MACFARLANE: Republicans in America largely support the Israeli leader, but many Democrats worry the new law will remove a significant check on
government power by weakening the Supreme Court's oversight in executive and legislative actions. Still, the White House says the U.S.-Israeli
alliance is unshakable.
KARINE JEAN PIERRE, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: Our commitment to Israel's security is ironclad. And one of the things that you've heard us say
before, and I'll reiterate, the core of that relationship is certainly on democratic values, the shared democratic values and interests, and that
will continue to be the case.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MACFARLANE: Well, time now for The Exchange and my conversation with Yaakov Katz, he's joining me here. He's a Senior Columnist and Editor at "The
Jerusalem Post", and he joins me now live from Jerusalem. Great to have you with us.
YAAKOV KATZ, SENIOR COLUMNIST AND EDITOR, "The Jerusalem Post: Thank you, Christina.
MACFARLANE: So, we heard Prime Minister Netanyahu saying in his address, Monday night, that this was not the end of democracy. It is the realization
of democracy. But what this government is actually pushing to do, as we've been saying, is to govern without checks and balances. Can Israel still
call itself a democracy without that?
KATZ: Look, I think that Israel still is a democracy, right? The sun was shining today, the country went on. There still is, and there still are,
checks and balances in the state of Israel. But what we saw happen yesterday in the Israeli parliament, in the Knesset, with the passing of
this first law that does take away some of the authority and powers of our Supreme Court to be able to implement judicial oversight over the executive
and legislative branch is the beginning of what could ultimately lead to a change in Israel's democratic character that has not yet happened.
But that is what could happen if this coalition led by Netanyahu continues on the path and the trajectory that they have set out for themselves, which
is to continue to enact a slew of judicial laws that will dramatically change this country. And that is what has people scared. It wasn't just the
law yesterday, it's what their main and wider vision is really about.
MACFARLANE: Yeah, it's the first step, as you say, on a path that could eventually threaten Israel's democracy. And we know that other components
of the judicial overhaul are waiting in the wings. What is your sense of whether the Israeli government will be able to move forward with these?
Because we know that Monday's bell could be declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court. And we also have seen the growing discontent, the civil
unrest, the strikes happening just yesterday but obviously for months now.
KATZ: Look, you know, this law will be taken, Christina, to the Supreme Court, which will review it, and we will have to determine, does it uphold
it or does it disqualify it? I would tread very carefully there, because if the Supreme Court disqualifies this law, that will only raise the ire of
the right in Israel and of the coalition of Netanyahu to do even more against the court.
So, the court will have to be savvy in the way it makes this decision of what exactly it's going to do. But we also have the unrest. And we saw -- I
mean, I was walking through the tent camp yesterday in Jerusalem, getting a sense of the mood after the law passed and the Knesset. It felt like a
funeral. There was a sense of gloom, of doom, of real desperation, like there was a huge loss.
And for this half of the country, and it's a significant percentage of people who feel like the country is slipping between their fingers, that
they're losing the Israel that they once held dear and the one that they fought for, literally in the military that they continue to defend for in
the IDF -- in the Israel Defense Forces reserves, and that is no longer the case.
Will Netanyahu continue? Look, that's a question, Christina, that we don't yet know. He kind of threw out a fig leaf yesterday in our olive branch
where he said that I'm willing to slow down and hold talks with the opposition until the end of November. So, he cited November as a potential
date. But we have to see, he has partners that are extreme. They want to see more reform and more overhaul, and Netanyahu will once again have to
balance between these two powers, civil unrest and its coalition partners.
MACFARLANE: Yeah, and Yaakov, just quickly on the Supreme Court, on the reaction we might see if this is declared unconstitutional, would you
expect the government and Netanyahu to abide by the Supreme Court's ruling?
KATZ: It's a great question. I don't really have a good answer for you. I could see them abiding by it. I could see them saying, okay, this is proof
of why we need the overhaul. We need to now pass even more draconian laws against the Supreme Court. Israel is in very, very delicate situation right
now. And we're seeing this play out on a daily basis here in Jerusalem.
MACFARLANE: And can I just ask you about how this is changing the way, not only how Israel is perceived internationally, but crucially within the
United States? So, we heard that there are growing divisions between Republicans and Democrats over support for Israel, for Netanyahu about
this. And we know that relations between Biden and Russia within the United States.
[12:40:00]
And we heard that there are growing divisions between Republicans and Democrats over support for Israel, for Netanyahu about this. And we know
that relations between Biden and Netanyahu have become increasingly tense, increasingly brittle in recent months. So, how do you assess that
relationship right now? I mean, the U.S. obviously still committing and talking the talk when it comes to their commitment to Israel.
KATZ: Talking the talk is not yet walking the walk, although the Americans are still standing with Israel and the alliance is still strong between the
militaries, intelligence agencies. We're seeing already credit agencies like Moody's which are lowering the credit rating for Israel, Morgan
Stanley, which has done the same. This is potentially going to hurt the economy.
And when it comes to diplomatic relations, it's no secret that the Biden- Netanyahu relationship is not good. President Biden has not yet invited Prime Minister, or has invited him, but without a real date. I had not --
Netanyahu has yet not yet set foot in the United States since he took office over six months ago. The President has called repeatedly on the
Prime Minister to enact these reforms in the overhaul with the broad consensus and the Prime Minister ignored that request.
I don't see how this is going to yet get better unless Netanyahu slams the brakes, stops it, says I achieved my one goal of this law, and now I'm
looking to try to bring the country back together. The jury is still out on whether he's going to do that.
MACFARLANE: Yeah, we'll wait to see if the relationship remains unshakable in the months to come. Yakov Katz, great to have your thoughts on this.
Yakov, Senior Columnist Editor at the Jerusalem Post. All right, next up on One World, the bizarre case of a kidnapping that wasn't how women in the
U.S. state of Alabama admitted to faking her own disappearance. Next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
MACFARLANE: Welcome back. Ecuador's President has declared a state of emergency across the country's entire prison system for the next 60 days.
Police and armed forces will be deployed inside prisons to try and restore order and confront violence blamed on criminal organizations. The move
comes after at least six inmates were killed in clashes between rival gangs over the weekend. In addition, more than 90 prison guards are being held by
inmates right now inside five different prisons.
Well, Journalist Stefano Pozzebon joining us now live from Bogota, Colombia. And Stefano, we know that gang violence inside prisons in Ecuador
is not unusual, but this level of unrest seems to be quite unprecedented, is it?
[12:45:00]
STEFANO POZZEBON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Christina, I mean, you've said it yourself. We've been here before. We've been in a state of emergency in
Ecuador before. It really seems that everything the government is trying to throw at these criminal organizations that are, by the way, battling a turf
of war for territorial control over cocaine trafficking routes out of Ecuador, it seems that the government has very little action.
What we're seeing over the weekend is violence spilling out of the prisons. For years, the violence only occurred inside the prison, where it often
erupted in gruesome massacres between inmates. But we have seen episodes of violence outside the prisons, in the streets. We've seen a mayor of one of
the Ecuador's largest cities gunned down on the streets on Sunday. And the government already declared a state of emergency yesterday concerning to
that episode.
And now, with the news that at least 96 prison guards are being held hostages by these inmates who are members of criminal organizations,
according to Ecuadorian authorities. The government has declared yet another state of emergency nationwide inside the prisons.
Frankly, yes, we've seen something like this before, but the level of intimidation, the level of control that these organizations are exerting
from inside what are meant to be penitentiaries, what are meant to be correctional institutes that instead have become castles of organized
crimes across the land is something that we haven't seen before. And it's also worth pointing out to the political repercussions of this crisis with
the President Guillermo Lasso, who has so far changed five directors of the penitentiary service in the last two years.
He, Lasso himself, is on the way out. He's presented his resignation over an investment scandal just in May and on August 20, Ecuador will hold a new
election, likely that will go to a runoff set for October. And it really seems that stability is not on the cards for Ecuador right now. It's
frankly, actually, to see how a nation that just a few years ago was not subject to this level of crime, this level of this type of stories,
frankly. Ecuador has always been a very peaceful nation here in South America. And now, it really seems on the border, on the cusp of collapse
due to the actions of organized criminal organizations and cartels. Christina.
MACFARLANE: Yeah, it is sad to see how it's effectively being held hostage by those gangs and those cartels. Stefano Pozzebon, live from Bogota. Thank
you, Stefano. Now, authorities in the U.S. state of Alabama are weighing charges against a woman who now admits her story about being kidnapped was
a hoax.
Carlee Russell's attorney gave a statement to police apologizing. The 26- year-old disappeared while she was driving home from work nearly two weeks ago. And after an intensive search, Russell turned up at her home two days
later. The local police chief says he still doesn't know where she was.
CNN's Ryan Young has been following this bizarre case for us out of Atlanta. And Ryan, this is really shocking and quite disappointing to hear
and I know we are getting more details from the authorities. What are they saying?
RYAN YOUNG, CNN U.S. CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, they really laid this out. Let's start with the disappointing part. The disappointing part is the fact that
so many resources were used to find this woman. There's a lot of people who have missing family members who don't see this sort of resource. The woman
called about a week ago and said that she saw a toddler on the side of the road. And when she saw that child, she called 911. She pulled over. When
police arrived, all they found was her car, her wig, and her cell phone. At that point, they started doing an extensive search for this woman.
About two days later, about 49 hours later, she showed back up at home. She had this fantastic story about being kidnapped by a man with orange hair.
And her mom even went on TV saying that her daughter had escaped this kidnapping. And so, so many people were wondering what happened to Carly.
In fact, now take a listen to the Chief and what he's figured out so far.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NICK DERZIS, HOOVER ALABAMA POLICE: There was no kidnapping on Thursday, July 9th, 13th, 2023. My client did not see a baby on the side of the road.
My client did not leave the Hoover area when she was identified as a missing person. My client did not have any help in this incident, but this
was a single act done by herself.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
YOUNG: Christina, that was a statement being read by the Chief from the lawyer for Carly Russell. So, you have so many questions at this point.
They went through her phone. They were able to see her search history. She actually looked up one-way bus tickets.
[12:50:00]
She looked up the movie, "Taken". So, obviously she was trying to get interested in what would happen if she was abducted. She also looked up how
old someone would be for an amber alert. And here in America, when a child goes missing, they put out an amber alert across the state.
So, now there are all the questions about where was this woman for the last 49 hours? No one knows. No one knows where she went to for that time. They
do know she stopped at a grocery store and bought snacks before calling 911. So, this really got the entire country talking at one point about
where could this woman be? And then it all ended up in this elaborate hoax that has a lot of people scratching their heads.
MACFARLANE: Yeah and no one knew where could she be. But what happened to the toddler she claimed she was helping as well? That also resonated. So,
Ryan, is she going to be charged with any crime for this?
YOUNG: That is a great question because you think about the manpower, the resources, they had a helicopter, they had a drone, they had canine units,
they had people from the community all swell in. There was actually a reward that was over $25,000 for any information to find this young lady.
And at this point, they haven't tallied all the money spent to find her. We don't even know where she was during that 49 hours.
The big question is, will the district attorney move forward with charges against this woman, especially after making a false report and then going
missing for a little while before showing back up at home? So many questions in this. I can tell you the internet has been on fire about this.
And so far, no real good answers for why this happened.
MACFARLANE: I bet. We will wait to see what the outcome will be. Ryan Young there, we appreciate you breaking it down. Thanks, Ryan.
YOUNG: Thank you.
MACFARLANE: And we'll be right back with more after this quick break. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
MACFARLANE: A short time ago, U.S. President Joe Biden signed a proclamation to officially establish a national monument honoring Emmett
Till and his mother, Mamie Till Mobley. The new monument will be established at three separate sites in Illinois, where Till was from, and
Mississippi, where he was killed. Till was brutally murdered in Mississippi in 1955 at the age of 14. The black teenager was abducted, beaten and shot
for allegedly whistling at a white woman. Till's death galvanized the civil rights movement, and President Biden reflected on how his death shocked the
world, drawing on his own experience of burying a child.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOE BIDEN, U.S. PRESIDENT: That's a remarkable thing, it seems to me. Insisting on an open casket for her murdered, and I might add, maimed and
mutilated son.
[12:55:00]
Fourteen years old. Fourteen years old. She said, let the people see what I've seen. Let the people see what I have seen. My God. All of us who've
lost children in other ways, how hard it is even to close the casket or keep it open or what a debate it is, but to see the child that had been
maimed in a country and the world saw -- saw -- and I just heard the story of Emmett Till and his mother as a story of a family's promise and loss,
and the nation's reckoning with hate, violence, racism, overwhelming abuse of power, brutality. It's hard to fathom.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MACFARLANE: Today, would have been Emmett Till's 82nd birthday. Thank you so much for watching One World. I'm Christina Macfarlane. Do stay with us.
Amanpour is coming up on the break -- after the break, with CNN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
END
