Return to Transcripts main page

The Global Brief with Bianca Nobilo

Draghi Offers To Resign As PM, But President Rejects It; U.S., Israel Sign Deal Intended To Deny Iran Nuclear Weapons; Biden Faces Delicate Diplomatic Balance In Saudi Arabia; At Least 23 Killed In Russian Strikes On Vinnytsia; Russia's Invasion Takes Severe Mental Toll On Ukrainians; Cyprus Opens Underwater Archaeological Park. Aired 5-5:30p ET

Aired July 14, 2022 - 17:00   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[17:00:46]

BIANCA NOBILO, CNN HOST: It's 11:00 p.m. in Rome, and it's 10:00 p.m. here in London, and I'm Bianca Nobilo. Tonight, Italy's President rejects the

resignation of the country's Prime Minister. Sri Lanka's President emails his resignation while continuing to country hop after fleeing. And Israel's

caretaker Prime Minister disputes the U.S. President stance on Iran.

You're watching The Global Brief on a night when leadership across the world is being tested.

We begin in Italy, a country once again plunged into political crisis. Mario Draghi has offered to resign as the Italian Prime Minister, but

President Sergio Mattarella has rejected his resignation, urging Draghi to address the Italian Parliament next week to get a clearer picture of the

political situation. If the Parliament can't find a solution, the President could call a general election as early as this autumn.

Just a few hours before announcing his resignation plan, Draghi won a confidence vote in Parliament. However, he lost the support of the Five

Star Movement, a key partner in his coalition government. Five Star's leader former Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte accused Draghi's government of

not doing enough to help families who are facing the rising cost of living.

I'm joined now by Milan Correspondent for The Financial Times Silvia Sciorilli Borrelli. Welcome to the program, Silvia. Tell us what are the

next steps now? What will Parliament likely do?

I think we're having some audio issues. We will return to lovely Silvia in just a moment when we can rectify them. But for now, we'll leave Italy

where political tensions have been simmering for weeks and go to Sri Lanka, where the government has been in crisis for months.

Today, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa resigned via email after resigning over the phone on Wednesday. But under the Constitution, Rajapaksa needs to

formally declare his resignation. The Speaker's office told CNN the legality of Rajapaksa's email needs to be considered with a formal

announcement likely to come on Friday. Rajapaksa also continued his country hopping, arriving in Singapore today after fleeing to the Maldives on

Wednesday.

Meanwhile, back in Sri Lanka, while protests largely calm down in the Capitol this evening, demonstrators are nowhere near finishing that fight.

The military was seen patrolling the streets earlier on Thursday. Acting president Ranil Wickremesinghe has given the military power of arrest and

permission to use force against protesters. A curfew remains in place until Friday morning to curb any further unrest.

Turning now to Israel, another country in political limbo. The caretaker Prime Minister Yair Lapid took office just a fortnight ago after his

predecessor dissolve the Knesset and scheduled a general election for this coming November. Lapid is currently hosting U.S. President in Jerusalem,

where the pair earlier today signed a new security deal, aimed at preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons.

The two allies, however, are still very divided over how to actually deal with Iran. Biden has expressed hopes for a diplomatic solution. But Yair

Lapid insists instead that words and diplomacy will not stop Iran's ambitions.

So CNN's Jeremy Diamond joins us now from Jerusalem for more. So Jeremy, if not diplomacy, what is Israel stance and how crucial is it for the U.S. and

Israel to see eye-to-eye when it comes to Iran?

JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, listen today was interesting, because on the one hand, we saw President Biden and Yair Lapid

on the same page as it relates to ultimately preventing Iran from getting a nuclear weapon. But there are ways of going about that and how exactly to

achieve that name are different.

We heard President Biden on the one hand touting the diplomatic efforts that his administration has been leading over the last several months. But

what we heard from Prime Minister Lapid was something very different. In fact, he directly urged President Biden to adopt a much more muscular

approach. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

YAIR LAPID, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER: Words will not stop that, Mr. President. Diplomacy will not stop them. The only thing that will stop Iran

is knowing that if they continue to develop their nuclear program, the free world will use force.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[17:05:06]

DIAMOND: And listen, President Biden for his part he also said that he would be willing to use the military option as a, quote, last resort. He

made those comments in an interview with Israeli television that aired yesterday. But what he also said was that, listen, he wants to negotiate

that there is a deal on the table for Iran right now. The question is whether or not they will take that deal.

And the President making very clear that while he wants diplomacy to work, he said he is not going to wait forever. So the ball is in Iran's court.

Now, the question is, if that diplomatic deal ultimately falls through, what does the response look like particularly from Israel, which we know

has prepared military options. Bianca?

NOBILO: Jeremy Diamond in Jerusalem, thank you so much for joining us.

The President's visit to Saudi Arabia, a country he wants called a pariah will require some delicate diplomatic balancing, advancing U.S. interests

while trying to maintain his long-standing advocacy of human rights. He is expected to sit at meetings with the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin

Salman.

Report that MBS has cracked down hard on dissidents. And U.S. intelligence has concluded he was responsible for the murder of journalist Jamal

Khashoggi. Here's how Mr. Biden today justified his visit.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: My views on Khashoggi may have been absolutely, positively clear. And I have never been quiet about

talking about human rights. The question that I'm -- the reason I'm going to Saudi Arabia, though, is much broader is to promote U.S. interest.

Promote U.S. interest in a way that I think we have an opportunity to reassert. What I think we made a mistake of walking away from our influence

in the Middle East.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NOBILO: Mr. Biden arrives in the city of Jeddah. He may notice some profound changes underway. Bin Salman has launched an ambitious

modernization program. But as CNN's Nic Robertson reports, those reforms carried out some great risks.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR (voice-over): President Joe Biden might see this on his way to meeting Saudis leaders. Whole

neighborhoods of the kingdom's historic second city Jeddah, erased for modernization. Or he may see this, thousands upon thousands of new homes

being built on government orders.

(on-camera): What Biden is unlikely to see other people we met, who told us they're unhappy their homes were demolished, but are afraid to speak out

publicly.

(voice-over): The housing changes are a fragment of massive reforms authored by the kingdom's leader in waiting, Crown Prince Mohammed bin

Salman, whom Saudi critics outside the country say is failing to deliver.

YAHYA ASSIRI, FOUNDER, ALQST & CO-FOUNDER, NAAS PARTY: It's very clear there's a big fail with the pigeon, basically, because it is a one man

vision.

ROBERTSON (voice-over): Yet stroll Jeddah's old streets as we did, and you'll find plenty of fans of the Crown Prince. Abdul Majeed was one of

them. Nabil Abdallah another.

NADIL ABDALLAH, JEDDAH SHOP OWNER: My dream, our children get a good chance. Now we are see this in new vision 2030.

ROBERTSON (on-camera): Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's vision 2030.

ABDALLAH: I'm with him. I'm agree with him.

ROBERTSON (voice-over): Where generations of his family lived and worked, the Crown Prince's renovations bringing ancient homes back to life.

(on-camera): But what happens if he doesn't deliver, he can't deliver?

ABDALLAH: Why you think negative? We already now see the positive, something happened. Why do you think that bigger. If you always see the

thing about negative, we cannot -- will go one step.

ROBERTSON (voice-over): But MBS's dreams are big and could make or break the country. Neom, a futuristic city yet to be built its epicenter and if

the Crown Prince has his way, its economic engine for generations to come. Yet despite several years in the making, developers videos are all we have.

Government permission to shoot there hasn't yet been facilitated.

Grandiose visions of kings are nothing new here. The Last King Abdullah had his version. I covered it 15 years ago.

NIDAL JAMJOOM, FORMER CEO, EMAAR KAEC: There's going to be half the size of total Bahrain, and three times Manhattan.

ROBERTSON (on-camera): Three times the size of Manhattan?

JAMJOOM: Three time of Manhattan, yes.

ROBERTSON (voice-over): Reality never caught up with imagination. Hundreds of thousands of proposed jobs never materialized.

(on-camera): MBS's vision will be the test of him at every level. If there are jobs and a brighter future for most people, then happy days. But if his

reforms falter even fail, how will he respond?

[17:10:08]

If it's through repression, then his relationship with President Biden and other Western leaders could crumble.

(voice-over): For now, leverages mostly on MBS's side, a pivotal, regional power with vital energy supplies at a time of U.S. need.

LINA AL-HATHLOUL, SAUDI ACTIVIST: He managed to basically make the Biden administration back down on all its promises regarding Saudi Arabia and

MBS.

ROBERTSON (voice-over): Hathloul's sister, a women's rights activist, was freed from Saudi jail but not the country, not long after Biden called for

her release early last year. She fears MBS will read Biden's visit as approval for more arrests.

AL-HATHLOUL: The press will never stop as MBS is in power. It's about the person he is. And the only thing that can change things is accountability

from the international community.

ROBERTSON (voice-over): Biden's time in Jeddah will be a harsh reminder, a real politic at its toughest.

Nic Robertson, CNN, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

NOBILO: Now let's return to our top story. The Italian Prime Minister has offered to resign, a move the country's President has rejected. Draghi will

address lawmakers next week to try to find a solution to this standoff. Draghi's cross party government lost the support of the Five Star Movement,

which was a key party in the coalition.

And now I'm joined by Milan Correspondent for The Financial Times Silvia Sciorilli Borrelli. Silvia, let's just check the cone (ph), so you there

with us?

SILVIA SCIORILLI BORRELLI, MILAN CORRESPONDENT, FINANCIAL TIMES: I am still here.

NOBILO: Perfect. So tell us what the next steps will be now and what parliament is likely to do.

BORRELLI: So Parliament will hold a confidence vote on Wednesday, but in the run up to Wednesday, the parties are going to discuss their positions.

The coalitions, the central right and the center left are going to try to find common ground to understand and decide whether there's scope, and

there's room for maneuver. And so if Draghi can potentially continue as Prime Minister of Italy, or if the parties that support his government

would rather go back to the polls. And so that means that Italy would be headed for a general election as early as October potentially.

NOBILO: And obviously, I'm coming to you from a country which recently experienced a prime minister trying to resist resignation as long as

possible. What has the E.U.'s response been given that Mario Draghi is such a popular figure, a former president of the European Central Bank?

BORRELLI: I think on a European level, most people in Brussels were quite surprised. Commissioner Paolo Gentiloni, who's Italian said they were

concerned that the forecast, economic forecasts for Italy are not so good for next year. And clearly, this government was carrying out structural

reforms that are very much linked to the European recovery plan.

There's a lot of European funds that are being poured into Italy. And so, obviously, there's a lot of concern, and Draghi is very well known on an

international level. He's worked alongside European allies throughout this crisis, including the Ukraine war. So this was quite unexpected, as it was

very much unexpected in Italy as well, to be honest.

NOBILO: And what's the general mood among people in Italy over this political crisis? Does Draghi have popular support?

BORRELLI: Well, a lot of people appreciate Draghi, and were confident this government was ultimately going to turn this country around passing those

structural reforms that were always delayed in this country. But at the same time, the Five Star Movement was a party that was against everything

that European elites stood for. And they were always kind of friendly with Vladimir Putin, they were close to Trump. And now they found themselves in

a government with someone who embodies the European elites.

And clearly, this was very hard for their voters to digest. Their support has been waning across the past year and a half. And there's a part of the

population that isn't happy with Italy sending arms to Ukraine, they're feeling the bite of inflation, of rising energy costs. And so, there's a

part of the population that is unhappy, and probably this movement is trying to cater to those voters. And also, they have an eye to elections,

whether they're in October or next year.

So, you know, the situation isn't easy, but up until now, I mean, it hadn't been smooth sailing, because this is a national unity government, it brings

together the left and the right. But Draghi was popular. People were confident that reforms were going to be pushed through. Now probably the

population is starting to get worried, including because of this crisis, and everything that is going on internationally.

[17:15:00]

NOBILO: Silvia Sciorilli Borrelli, we really appreciate your time. I wish I had the opportunity to ask you more questions especially about the

continued support of Ukraine, but we'll have you back on the program soon. Thanks so much.

BORRELLI: Thank you.

NOBILO: Now, we've learned in the past few hours that Donald Trump's first wife Ivana has died in New York. The former U.S. president announced her

death on his social media platform. Ivana Trump was 73 years old. She and Donald Trump had three children, Donald Jr., Ivanka, and Eric, all of whom

played significant roles in the former president's White House team.

She also wrote several books and was an advice columnist. Her ex-husband writes she was a wonderful, beautiful and amazing woman who led a great and

inspirational life. The Trumps were married from 1977 until their high profile divorce in 1992.

We'll be back after a short break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NOBILO: The European Union is condemning Russian missile strikes on the Ukrainian city far from the battlefield, calling it an atrocity. Cruise

missiles slammed into Vinnytsia today killing at least 23 people including several children. The death toll could rise even further as dozens of

people are still missing. President Vladimir Zelenskyy calls it a Russian act of terror.

Let's bring in CNN's Scott McLean who's live tonight in Vinnytsia. Scott, you're there on the ground. What are you learning about this devastating

event?

SCOTT MCLEAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Bianca. President Zelenskyy doesn't just call it an act of terror, he also said that people couldn't do this,

only animals could do this kind of a thing. And looking around being at the scene today, you can understand why he thinks that.

There were two missiles that actually touchdown, four aimed at this part of Vinnytsia. Two of them were shut down by the air defense system. Two of

them landed. One hit a theater, absolutely obliterating it. The other one landed in the parking lot next to the theater, setting several cars on fire

and also blowing out all of the windows in the office building next door.

[17:20:04]

Now, the air raid sirens did go off in Vinnytsia. About 10:15 this morning, the actual strike was about 30 minutes later. And so, because the city is

so far from the front lines, and because it has been relatively quiet as of late, a lot of people went to the shelters, but a lot of people didn't. I

spoke to one woman who was on the fourth floor of that office building when the strike actually happened.

It is remarkable. She says that she didn't have any injuries. Another man was actually standing outside that I talked to taking cash out of the ATM

machine, he managed to get sheltered by the machine itself. But he says he is very, very lucky to actually be alive.

Now, 23 people, at least 23 people dead. We saw on the scene today, there were dogs going through what was left to the theater looking for the rest

of the bodies. They have had some difficulty actually IDing some of those bodies, because, well, it tells you a lot about what kind of state they're

actually being found in.

One of the victims, one of the three victims who was a child was killed when she was in her stroller and people were going there to the spot where

she was killed, they were leaving flowers, leaving stuffed animals there to pay their respects. And what I think a lot of people will find relatable is

that this little girl's mother had posted on Instagram, just about an hour, hour and a half before this missile strike, a video of them to walking down

the street and little girl is pushing her own stroller. This just tells you that the Russians can strike anywhere in this country and literally no one

is immune to the bombs.

One of the things to mention, Bianca, and that's what I found especially remarkable today is that we were given access to especially -- essentially

roam around almost anywhere we wanted to go. Nobody stopped us. Nobody said, hey, you can't go behind this line, save for a few times when they

were dismantling some parts of the buildings that were badly destroyed.

But it was abundantly clear that Ukrainians really wanted us there. They wanted people to see exactly what happened here. And they wanted people to

see that this was a deliberate strike on a civilian target. Bianca?

NOBILO: Scott McLean, thank you so much for the reporting that you and your team are doing in Vinnytsia, Ukraine. Do keep safe.

And we've been covering the cycle of death and destruction in Ukraine for months now. Today we look at the mental toll that the war is having on

Ukrainians. Alex Marquardt met with people who say that they're living in terror to the point of having heart attacks.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ALEX MARQUARDT, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): With every Russian strike, a deep crater, collapsed homes and shattered

lives. The pain and the fear are palpable. This 19-year-old told us her friends go to bed terrified and jump at every sound.

This father of a six-year-old girl talks about the terror they feel but insists they will cope. But cope how? Psychologists like Dr. Camilo Garcia,

who's with Doctors Without Borders are increasingly alarmed and pessimistic about the long-term effects of the daily trauma that Ukrainians are facing.

CAMILO GARCIA, MENTAL HEALTH ACTIVITY MANAGER, MEDECINS SANS FRONTIERES: Right now, especially in the east, we are still seeing acute phases of

stress. We are expecting if we don't act that those symptoms evolved to worse -- or get worsen. They can evolve to anxiety disorders, depression

disorders, and we will definitely see some PTSD as time passed by.

MARQUARDT (on-camera): And so over time as this war continues, or we expect it to go on for quite some time, the issues are just going to compound?

GARCIA: If they don't find somewhere to work on it, or if we don't provide the support, they will struggle with that.

MARQUARDT (voice-over): Stress and anxiety are already having a devastating impact on Ukrainians physical health, according to Olga, a doctor in a

rural village near the front line.

It's making pre-existing chronic diseases worse and creating others, she says. There have already been multiple heart attacks recently, and people

have gone to the hospital.

The relentless sound of explosions, we're told, has also led to heart attacks amongst dogs. Dr. Alex Domenico (ph) has been treating patients

since the last Russian invasion in 2014. He says now things are far worse.

Now it's impossible to hide from war, he says. We only have dangerous or very dangerous places.

MARQUARDT (on-camera): When you go towards the frontline and you meet people who you think need help, how do you convince them that they need to

talk to someone when maybe it's a concept they don't even think of?

I asked them how they're doing. I'm interested in their lives, he says. That's the first step to get them to open up.

Doctors Without Borders goes into affected communities and the teams try to spark conversations about dealing with mental health, a relatively new

concept and conversation here in Ukraine.

[17:25:03]

GARCIA: We don't only deal with stigma about, I'm not crazy so I'm not going to a psychologist, but also lack of knowledge. So they say like, are

you going to end this? Or are you going to end the war? Or are you going to give my house back? No. So what should I work with him for?

MARQUARDT (voice-over): Experts say older Ukrainians are the most vulnerable in many ways, often living alone and reluctant to leave their

homes when there's fighting and bombing.

They asked me how do I go on with my life? Why should I go on living? Because there's nothing left, Dr. Domenico (ph) says. My task is to answer

the question to find this new meaning of life because they're asking God to take them away to let this life be over.

Alex Marquardt, CNN, Kharkiv.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

NOBILO: France has honored Ukraine and other Eastern European allies during its annual Bastille Day parade. Thousands of troops marched in Paris, meet

with soldiers from Eastern Europe leading the way. And right now, the French capital is still celebrating France's national day. You're looking

at pictures right here of live pictures of the Eiffel Tower with fireworks lighting it up.

Finally, a chance to swim among the Poseidon seagrass in a place almost as old as the myth of Poseidon himself. Cyprus has just opened its first

underwater archaeological marine park near the ancient sites of (INAUDIBLE) which dates back to the four century B.C. visitors can swim among ruins, on

the seabed, which is also rich in flora and fauna.

A marine archaeology professor says that she hopes it's a chance to learn about a unique aspect of nature in a truly immersive way.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

STELLA DEMESTICHA, ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF MARINE ARCHAEOLOGY, UNIVERSITY OF CYPRUS: These people can learn, understand how things were and then explore

by themselves because this is an open space. It was, and it still is. There are no gates or anything. So people can take their time, learn, come back

as many times as they want.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NOBILO: That's my idea of a good time. And thank you all for watching. That was The Global Brief. World Sports up next. I'll see you next week.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

END