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Russian Strike On Odesa Hits One Kilometer From Romania; Saudi Arabia To Host Ukraine Peace Talks; U.S. Military Critical To Fighting Terror In Niger Region; Donald Trump To Be Arraigned Thursday At Washington Courthouse; U.S. Markets Fall After Fitch Credit Downgrade. U.S. Markets Fall after Fitch Downgrade; Gunman Sentenced to Death for Killing 11 in Synagogue; Typhoon Khanun Batters Japan as Storm Moves West; New Trade Agreement with Taiwan Could Help to Resist Beijing. Aired 12-1a ET

Aired August 03, 2023 - 00:00   ET

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

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[00:01:16]

JOHN VAUSE, CNN ANCHOR: Coming up here on CNN, a wave of Russian drones targeting Ukrainian port facilities find their mark and bring the war to NATO's doorstep.

About three times indicted, twice impeached one term president scheduled to appear in a Washington courtroom this day on charges he tried to steal the presidency.

And first came the downgrade, then came the outrage. Why are so many so angry with Fitch for lowering the long term credit rating for the United States?

ANNOUNCER: Live from CNN Center, this is CNN NEWSROOM with John Vause.

VAUSE: Thanks for joining us here for CNN NEWSROOM and we will begin at NATO's doorstep where a Russian drone attack has caused significant damage to the Ukraine port of Izmail, less than a mile away from NATO member state Romania. The Ukrainian president described the strike as a terror attack on the global food supply. It's part of Russia's ongoing attacks on Ukrainian ports, which began shortly after the Kremlin withdrew from the Black Sea Grain Initiative. For a year, that U.N. Turkey brokered deal has guaranteed safe shipping of Ukrainian grain exports. Global wheat prices rose almost five percent in the hours after this attack, and have remained high since.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): Moscow was waging a battle for a global catastrophe. These insane people want the world's food market to collapse. They need price crises. They need disruptions in supply. Someone there thinks they can profit from this, someone in Moscow hopes to gain something for themselves.

(END VIDEO CLIP) VAUSE: And this drone attack was one of the closest to NATO territory since the war began. Romania is just across the Danube river, you can see the explosion and the smoke in the distance also serves as a physical border with Ukraine. That's the river where a number of Ukrainian ports are operating.

And now, during a conversation with the Turkish president, Vladimir Putin has indicated he may be ready to return to that Black Sea Grain Deal. That is if his conditions are met. For the very latest now, here's CNN's Fred Pleitgen.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Air defenses lighting up the sky in southern Ukraine, as Russia launched a wave of drone attacks on a grain port in the Odesa region. The Ukrainian military later saying they managed to shoot down 11 of the Iranian made Shahed drones.

Two enemy targets were detected because of their sound and or seen, he says, we opened fire resulting in the destruction of one Shahed.

But Ukraine is increasingly fighting back, attacking central Moscow with drones twice within three days. A presidential adviser vowing there will be more to come.

I think Moscow will have more and more war on its territory, he says, and this has nothing to do with Ukraine alone. Now, this is due to the historical significance of this moment. If you start such a war, you have to expect that this war will be on your territory.

And Russia is increasingly on the back foot on the territory it occupies inside Ukraine. Kyiv saying its forces are making gains both in the south and in the east.

Eager to shore up support, Vladimir Putin handing out gold stars to troops who fought in what the Kremlin still calls the "special military operation".

You came to the front line with a single goal, he says, to be with the fatherland and your people in difficult times.

Putin has increased fines for those who don't answer draft summons, and Russia's Parliament recently voted to increase the draft age limit.

[00:05:01]

And now, the country is also dealing with a wave of arson attacks on military recruitment offices, though authorities haven't identified a link to the war. They say in many cases, phone scammers are pressuring vulnerable people to attack the facilities.

But speaking to Brazilian media, Ukraine's president saying he believes there are cracks in Putin's armor. He will not be around for another 30 years, he will die. This is absolutely clear, but I give him 10 years tops.

But the Russian military remains a threat both on the battlefield and for Ukraine cities, towns and key infrastructure facing attacks both day and night.

Fred Pleitgen, CNN, Berlin.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

VAUSE: Joining us now from New Haven, Connecticut is Matthew Schmidt, Associate Professor of National Security at the University of New Haven. Good to see you.

MATTHEW SCHMIDT, DIRECTOR OF INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS, UNIVERSITY OF NEW HAVEN: Good to see you, John.

VAUSE: OK, so this weekend, senior officials from 30 countries will gather in the Saudi resort city of Jeddah for peace talks. Ukraine, the U.S., even India and Brazil will be there. But Russia wasn't invited. And the Kremlin spokesman said Monday even if they were invited, they wouldn't go, here he is.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DMITRY PESKOV, KREMLINS SPOKESMAN (through translator): Of course, Russia will follow this meeting. It is yet to be fully understood what goals have been set. And what the organizers planned to talk about. Is it possible to reach a peaceful settlement with the participation of the Kyiv regime and its current position? The answer is an unequivocal no, it is impossible.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VAUSE: So, what the summary is based on this belief that sooner or later all wars end at the negotiating table, and eventually, Russia and Ukraine will hold peace talks? Is that the premise?

SCHMIDT: Yes, that's basically the idea. And what Ukraine is trying to do here is essentially, you know, float the idea of that 10 point plan that Zelenskyy put out earlier in the summer, and socialize it, right? Get the world's leaders behind it before we get to a real negotiation.

VAUSE: You know, most wars do end with some kind of negotiated peace deal, but not every war, you know, when the stakes are absolute, like, you know, the World War II and the American Civil War, the fighting stops with an absolute victory for one side. Both Ukraine and Russia talk about this war on those terms of being existential threat.

So, could this summit in Saudi be based on a false idea that this war is going to end on some kind of negotiated peace?

SCHMIDT: Well, you know, if you look at World War II, there was a negotiation, right? We had to move to destroy Nazi military war making capability. But in the end, there was still a negotiated settlement, right? We could have continued to fight, they could have continued to fight. And I think that's kind of where you're headed in this situation.

For Ukraine, this is an absolute existential crisis, and they have to fight to survive. But no matter how hard they fight on the battlefield, it's unlikely that they can actually push out every, you know, Russian soldier from their territory.

And even if they did, right, Russia is going to remain an existential threat, even if it sits on the other side of that border line. So, there's going to have to be some kind of negotiated settlement to get security.

VAUSE: Just last question on this, but isn't there a difference between negotiating terms for surrender and a negotiated peace deal?

SCHMIDT: Yes, I think so. I mean, I don't think you're going to see a surrender on either side. I'm quite certain that you won't. And a peace settlement has to be something that's long term, it has to be something that actually provides security for Ukraine. And the problem is, I'm not sure you can get that with Putin in power.

You know, I think that's why Zelenskyy is always talking about Putin dying, whether it's in 10 years or in 30 years, he understands that this man's word can't be trusted. And Ukraine is going to have to defend itself.

VAUSE: Yes. And on that, on Wednesday, the pope weighed in on the concept of a peace deal, here he is.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

POPE FRANCIS (through translator): We might ask Europe, where are you selling, if you're not offering the world paths of peace, creating way for bringing an end to the war in Ukraine, and to the many other conflicts in the world causing so much bloodshed.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VAUSE: To your point, that same signal, the fact that Russia and Putin have refused to engage in good faith negotiations at any point. But here's the thing, what was meant to be a day's long military strike to take Kyiv is now into day 527, two independent Russian media outlets have used statistical modeling to estimate the number of Russian soldiers killed so far in Ukraine, around 47,000.

The Wall Street Journal reports, Russia has lost about half of its entire fleet of tanks as of February this year.

Also, 82 combat aircraft and 87 helicopters reported lost as well. And that's on the conservative side. Yes, there's unhappiness within the Kremlin, Russia was isolated.

You know, in the early stages, Putin may not have been willing to take an off ramp. Maybe he is now.

SCHMIDT: See, I have a different theory on this. I think that what you see more and more with Putin is that this is a word ideology. It's not a war of realism. It's not a war trying to keep NATO out of Ukraine when NATO is already (INAUDIBLE) for instance, and closer to Moscow than it would be in Ukraine. And that means that you can't really deter him.

[00:10:11]

He has a vision, right? He is like a Hitler in the sense that he's got this idea of the world he's trying to create. And you can't dissuade someone that kind of phantasm. And he's going to keep trying to make it until somebody stops him. I think that's really, really where we're at.

And the rest of the world, including the Pope thinks that you can -- you can come in here and have some kind of negotiated settlement and sit down at a table and engage in some kind of logical calculation to end this thing, I think fundamentally misunderstands the war.

VAUSE: Good point to finish on, Matthew. Thank you. Good to see you.

SCHMIDT: You too.

VAUSE: Well, a gunfight in Rio de Janeiro has left at least nine people dead during a police raid on Wednesday. Police claim they only fired after being fired upon first.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

COL. MARCO ANDRADE, SPOKESPERSON, RIO DE JANEIRO MILITARY POLICE (through translator): After advancing through the terrain and reaching the area where the meeting was actually taking place, we were met by many gunshots in an intense armed confrontation ensued.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VAUSE: This operation comes after a police crackdown on suspected organized crime in the Sao Paulo state which left 16 people dead in recent days. Police then were criticized for reportedly using excessive force, which the governor of the state denies.

Well, Western nationals are leaving Niger as the deadline set by regional leaders to end the military takeover and reinstate the ousted president draws closer. France has now evacuated more than 700 Europeans on three separate flights from Niger's capital.

The foreign secretary says the first British nationals have also been evacuated. And the U.S. on Wednesday ordered all non-essential personnel and their families out of Niger, but is keeping its embassy open.

Meantime, the U.S. and a block of West African nations are not giving up on diplomacy. As CNN's David McKenzie reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DAVID MCKENZIE, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Foreign nationals continue to be evacuated from Miami, the capital of Niger, it's a very volatile situation in that country since the coup that ousted democratically elected President Bazoum.

Now, ECOWAS, the regional bloc and the U.S. State Department are trying to negotiate an end to the situation, return the democratically elected president back to power. The U.S. government in particular hasn't officially announced that this is a coup because if they do, a series of steps need to be taken to withdraw military support from Niger, a key ally in the fight against extremists in the Sahel region.

There is of course, a very large U.S. base in Agadez where drones operate, it's an important intelligence gathering operation for that wider region and beyond.

I spoke to a former CIA analyst and former U.S. government official about what could happen next and what's at stake.

CAMERON HUDSON, SENIOR ASSOCIATE, CSIS AFRICA: I think we've seen all of these national militaries with some kind of outside assistance, still struggling to contain the terrorist threat.

And so, absent not just any old military assistance, but U.S. military assistance, I think you're going to find that the Nigerian army is going to really struggle.

MCKENZIE: The real estate, as it were in the Sahel for the U.S. and France to operate is almost running out. I mean, where do you see this going from here?

HUDSON: I think that's also why we are seeing Secretary Blinken and others really doubled down on not calling this a coup. It's obviously an ongoing coup. It's almost more of a hostage situation.

And so, I think that that's in part why we're seeing diplomats continue to double down on the restoration of President Bazoum and the restoration of civilian rule in the country, because they don't want to have to make those hard choices about where they go next. And whether or not they suspend military assistance to Niger in the near term.

MCKENZIE: The coup leaders show no signs at this stage of relenting and the worry is that the region which is already seeing a huge pressure from extremist groups could get even more violent if this continues.

David McKenzie, CNN, Johannesburg.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

VAUSE: And representatives from ECOWAS, a grouping of West African States arrived in Niger Wednesday to try and negotiate with the coup leaders but the general behind the takeover says severe sanctions and the threat of military force by ECOWAS will have no effect.

Meantime, the coup leader and another -- other officers flew to neighboring Mali on Wednesday, seeking military support. Mali is run by Wagner back military rulers who took power in their own coup. It's not clear if the Niger delegation discuss hiring Wagner as well. But Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin suggested several days ago the mercenaries could help.

Up next on CNN, security is tight around a Washington federal courthouse at a Donald Trump's arraignment in the coming hours, looking at how law enforcement is preparing.

Plus, the U.S. Treasury Secretary pushing back on a downgrade for the U.S. credit rating. Let's see how Wall Street is now reacting.

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VAUSE: Once again, we're just hours away from Donald Trump appearing in court this time in Washington for his first court appearance on criminal charges related to his efforts to overturn the 2020 election.

For those keeping score at home, this will mark his third arrest and third arraignment in less than four months. Security has been ramped up in the nation's capitol and around the courthouse ahead of Trump's arrival with law enforcement now monitoring any possible threats or protests.

All this after Special Counsel Jack Smith's investigation led to an indictment with four counts against Trump, including conspiracy to defraud the United States. An attorney for Trump argues the former president did nothing wrong.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOHN LAURO, ATTORNEY FOR DONALD TRUMP: You have one of the leading constitutional scholars in the United States, John Eastman say to President Trump, this is a protocol that you can follow, it's legal. That eliminates criminal intent.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VAUSE: But the indictment against Trump details his false claims and prolific lies of fraud after the 2020 election. His former vice president had this to say about the advice his boss was getting at the time.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MIKE PENCE (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Sadly, the president was surrounded by a group of crackpot lawyers that kept telling him what his itching ears wanted to hear.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VAUSE: U.S. Capitol police chief says they're prepared for Trump's court appearance. CNN's Brian Todd has more now on the security plans already in place.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): The nation's capital in an enhanced security posture ahead of former President Trump's arraignment tomorrow. D.C. Police saying they're, "Working closely with our federal law enforcement partners to monitor the situation and plan accordingly". The U.S. district courthouse, at least temporarily being turned into a fortress.

MATT DOHERTY, FORMER SPECIAL AGENT IN CHARGE, U.S. SECRET SERVICE: They're going to have a surge of manpower around this building.

TODD (voice over): CNN is told multiple agencies are combining forces to secure Trump's appearance, including the Secret Service, D.C. Metropolitan Police, the U.S. Marshals, Capitol Police and Federal Protective Service. Sources tell CNN law enforcement has been looking closely at online platforms where threats could come from.

CHARLES RAMSEY, CNN SENIOR LAW ENFORCEMENT ANALYST: Find out what's going on social media, what are they hearing in the street, are they going to have protesters show up, all these kind of things. They'll be checking like bus companies to see whether or not buses have been rented to come into D.C., hotel reservations.

TODD (voice over): CNN is told federal law enforcement officers have been patrolling the area outside the courthouse this week, along with bomb- sniffing dogs and have stabbed a security perimeter around the building.

Trump's two previous indictments in Manhattan and Miami have seen more of a carnival atmosphere. But since these events have often drawn a mix of Trump supporters and Trump critics, Thursday could still be a potentially volatile situation.

[00:20:04]

RAMSEY: You've got to keep those groups apart, otherwise you're going to have chaos on the streets.

TODD (voice over): This is a city well-versed in the highly charged atmosphere that Donald Trump can create. After the 2020 election, there were clashes and even violence between partisan groups at two Stop the Steal rallies in Washington. And the January 6th riot at the Capitol took place just a few blocks from the D.C. courthouse where Trump will appear.

TODD: What's the biggest lesson that law enforcement learned from January 6th?

DOHERTY: To do more than just send an email out, the old-fashioned, pick up the phone and talk to a body and let them know how operationally relevant it is, the information you have.

TODD (voice over): And there's the question of Trump's safety. One former Secret Service agent says he will likely not be brought in through a sidewalk entrance. DOHERTY: When it's a very public event, you prefer cover the arrivals, as much cover as possible, less exposure to the public on the sidewalk.

TODD: So far, sources tell CNN there is nothing to indicate an active threat to this U.S. District courthouse where Trump will be arraigned, the Secret Service pledging, "The highest level of safety and security for the former president while minimizing the disruptions to the normal court process".

Brian Todd, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

VAUSE: A downgrade of U.S. credit by Fitch Ratings has sent stocks tumbling, and most well sparked much complaining. The Dow lost nearly a full percentage -- percent rather on Wednesday. The NASDAQ dropped more than two percent, it's worse close since February. The S&P 500 lost nearly 1-1/2 percent.

Analyst say the downgrade is unlikely to have a lasting negative impact. Still, the Biden administration has been very critical of this decision. CNN's Richard Quest has that report.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RICHARD QUEST, CNN HOST: The U.S. Treasury wasted little time after the downgrade was announced. The Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen made her views abundantly clear she disagreed. This was entirely unwarranted. The U.S. economy was fundamentally strong.

JANET YELLEN, U.S. SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY: Fitch's decision is puzzling in light of the economic strength we see in the United States. I strongly disagree with Fitch's decision, and I believe it is entirely unwarranted.

It's flawed assessment is based on outdated data and fails to reflect improvements across a range of indicators, including those related to governance that we've seen over the past 2-1/2 years.

QUEST: It wasn't only the Treasury, top economists, respected names also came out and said the decision was inept that the timing was off. It was bizarre in the words of one.

And yet, Fitch stood by its decision to downgrade the United States. This was not just about the immediacy of a recession, which they say will happen in the fourth quarter of this year, something else everyone disagrees on, or indeed about the growth that's currently being experienced.

In the view of Fitch this was longer term, it was about the erosion of governance.

RICHARD FRANCIS, LEAD ANALYST ON U.S. SOVEREIGN RATINGS, FITCH RATINGS: We do feel like governance has deteriorated steadily over the last 20 years. And because of that I think we have less confidence that the government can tackle these fiscal challenges.

QUEST: And so, now, two of the three major rating agencies have downgraded the United States, admittedly 11 years apart.

What's interesting is that S&P never went back to the top level, having done the downgrade back in 2011. And it seems unlikely that Fitch would restore the highest grade anytime soon.

This is not about what's happening today. It is a warning for the future, Fitch has sent a warning shot across the bows of the U.S. The only problem is, who's listening.

Richard Quest, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

VAUSE: Joining us now Catherine Rampell, CNN Economic and Political Analysts and an opinion writer for The Washington Post. She's with us from Aspen, Colorado, it's good to see you.

CATHERINE RAMPELL, CNN ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL ANALYSTS: Great to be here.

VAUSE: OK, so let's hear from the good folks at Fitch Ratings for a little more on why they did what they did, here he is.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

FRANCIS: First, I think the numbers speak for themselves. I mean, honestly, if the debt to GDP at 113 percent and growing is clearly pretty alarming.

Furthermore, the fiscal deficits are large and again, growing. The interest burden, as I mentioned, is high and growing.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VAUSE: This is kind of like calling out the elephant in the room because you have one party in Congress who wants to cut taxes and government revenue, and the other wants to spend and every four years the party that wants to cut taxes goes a little crazy and threatens to blow up the world economy if it doesn't get its way. And in the process, the government debt just keeps ballooning.

RAMPELL: Pretty much. That's a fair -- that's a fair description of the problem. The United States has long term fiscal challenges, many of which are related to programs that are sort of on autopilot.

[00:25:10]

I'm referring to, for example, Medicare, which is the program that in the United States, funds health insurance healthcare for those over 65.

But then, on top of those long term challenges, which are exacerbated by our demographic problems, you also have Republicans coming into office and cutting taxes, which also adds to deficits. And Democrats coming into office and passing a bunch of big spending programs.

And both parties talk a pretty good game about getting deficits under control. And to be fair, the Biden administration has signed a couple of pieces of legislation that on their face look like they might reduce deficits, although you might quibble with the details.

But the broader picture is we don't have a plan for dealing with these challenges. And that's essentially what Fitch was responding to.

VAUSE: Still, it was not received well by many in Washington. Larry Summers, who served as Treasury secretary under President Clinton tweeted or X this, the United States faces serious long run fiscal challenges. But the decision of a credit rating agency today, as the economy looks stronger than expected to downgrade the United States is bizarre and inept.

And the current treasury secretary was none too pleased either. Here's a little more from Janet Yellen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

YELLEN: Over 13 million new jobs have been created since January 2021, our unemployment rate stands at 3.6 percent near historic lows. Overall, annual inflation has declined every month for the past year, and our economy continues to grow.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VAUSE: Those numbers are right. That's not what is in dispute here, but it doesn't address the concerns about how to fix the debt, does it?

RAMPELL: Not particularly, I think a lot of things are true here and they sound like their intention, but they're not necessarily. We have long term fiscal challenges in the United States, point one, that's what Fitch was responding to.

Point two, the economy today in -- you know, in the near term looks relatively strong, but we don't know for sure that we will escape a recession this time around. Maybe we -- maybe we'll have a soft landing. I certainly hope so. And I think the odds that that have increased, maybe we'll have a recession.

But the chances of recession do seem to have diminished, which is a good thing. It means also that it's a bit puzzling that Fitch put out this downgrade when it did.

As I said, we have these long term challenges. They were the case months ago, they were the case years ago. We have a number of other issues going on, including challenges with competent governance, functional governance here in the United States, again, the case months ago, the case years ago.

So, I think what the Biden administration is taking umbrage at is why are they getting picked -- they feel like they're getting picked on, right? Why are they getting picked on? Why is this downgrade happening now when in some respects, things haven't changed? And in some respects, maybe they've actually improved at least if we're talking about like the near term economic.

VAUSE: So, I'm going to put you on the spot here and say it sounds to me what you're saying is that basically, you think it's a fair assessment by Fitch, the only thing which is -- which is questionable here is the timing?

RAMPELL: Basically, I think it's reasonable for Fitch to call out these kinds of risks. Now, it does come into question like, why the United States would all things considered still be downgraded? Yes, we have deficit problems. We have governance problems, lots of countries do. Markets don't really seem to care as yet.

And you know, Treasuries are still regarded as the safest of safe assets, they are the benchmark against which basically all other assets on Earth are measured in terms of their relative riskiness.

So, if the United States is not, you know, gold plated, essentially, in terms of its credit rating, who would deserve to be?

Yes, we have a lot of problems. And yet, the dollar is still the global reserve currency, there's still tremendous demand for U.S. debt.

Again, you know, some jitters in markets today. But we saw that when S&P downgraded the United States back in 2011, and things eventually normalized, even if the credit rating never actually returned to its, you know, AAA standard.

So, you know, the substance of the critique. I'm sorry, I know this sounds -- it sounds more nuanced than probably what the viewers want to hear, but the substance of their critique is correct. The question is why now and then like why rate the United States worse than other places whose debt is frankly by the market's own judgment considered less desirable?

[00:30:11]

JOHN VAUSE, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: We like nuance in this show. We think nuance is important. And we thank you for being with us, Catherine. Thank you so much.

RAMPELL: Thank you.

VAUSE: We'll take a short break. When we come back, the gunman behind the deadliest attack on Jews in the United States has been sentenced by a federal jury. The Pittsburgh community attacked for their beliefs looks to find peace now, five years after their lives were changed forever.

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VAUSE: The gunman behind the deadliest attack on American Jews was unanimously sentenced to death by a federal jury on Wednesday. Families of the victims say this ends a painful chapter which began on October 2018, when the gunman burst into the Tree of Life synagogue, shot 11 worshippers with an AR-15=style rifle.

CNN's Danny Freeman reports in now from Pittsburgh.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DANNY FREEMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): After more than nine weeks of trial, over 100 witnesses and nearly five years since the Pittsburgh synagogue shooting, a jury of five men and seven women unanimously voted to sentence shooter Robert Bowers to death. The jury deliberated for ten hours.

ALAN MALLINGER, SON OF ROSE MALLINGER, SHOOTING VICTIM: Today was the hardest day. And I think it was the hardest day for the jury, too. And it was a hard day for the judge. I'm sure everyone here, as we move on and, you know, see justice, the justice system work; and just thankful for, you know, the jurors, doing what they did.

FREEMAN (voice-over): As the verdict was read, survivors of the shooting hugged each other in the courtroom. The judge presiding over the case choked up as he thanked the jury.

Fifty-year-old Bowers only briefly looked up at the jurors as they affirmed their death penalty decision.

ANDREA WEDNER, INJURED IN SHOOTING, MOTHER KILLED IN SHOOTING: Returning a sense that death is not a decision that comes easy, but we must hold accountable those who wish to commit such terrible acts of anti-Semitism, hate and violence.

FREEMAN (voice-over): The verdict includes a stunning rebuke of the defense's court arguments to spare Bowers's life. The jurors were not convinced Bowers suffered from schizophrenia or was motivated by delusions.

And not a single juror believed he committed the offenses under mental or emotional disturbance.

During the trial, the prosecution detailed how Bowers had been convinced of the anti-Semitic and anti-Latino white replacement conspiracy theory that has been pushed by some on the extreme right.

His defense team not commenting on the verdict.

In contrast, the jurors unanimously agreed with federal prosecutors. The killing of 11 Jewish worshippers was premeditated, motivated by his hatred of Jews, and the jury found Bowers had no remorse for the attack.

[00:35:07]

ERIC OISHAN, U.S. ATTORNEY: When people who espouse white supremacist, anti-Semitic, and bigoted views pick up weapons and use them to kill or to try to kill people because of their faith, our office and our partners in law enforcement will hold them accountable to the fullest extent of the law, each and every time. FREEMAN: Now formal sentencing is expected to happen on Thursday

morning. And during that proceedings, we're also expecting to hear more impact statements from some of the victims who were impacted most by this shooting.

Danny Freeman, CNN, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

VAUSE: We'll take a short break. When we come back, after battering Japan, Typhoon Khanun now heading for China. The very latest on the storm's path, in a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

VAUSE: Typhoon Khanun has weakened slightly as it moves West over the Pacific Ocean towards China. That's after battering Southern Japan.

High winds flipped cars, uprooted trees, and knocked out power to more than 200,000 homes on Okinawa.

Right now, Khanun is on a direct path for mainland China, but meteorologists expect the storm to turn away before making landfall.

CNN's Chad Myers is tracking the storm's progress.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Still looking at a very strong storm here in the water just to the West of Okinawa.

Look at the satellite presentation here. Yes, there are a few bands where dry air is trying to wrap into the eye but, still, a very impressive-looking storm system here.

Still moving to the West toward China, but all of the computer models stop it and turn it to the right, and then eventually off toward the East, with Naha 189 kilometers per hour as it passed over that, one of the Southern-most points there of Okinawa.

And still, about 300, 350 millimeters so far in some spots. And it's still raining, so these numbers could change, obviously, before the end of the storm.

It is now 185 kph, still moving to the West slowly, but that will eventually stop, according to the computer models. And according to the Joint Typhoon Warning Center, we will see this at about 110 kph as it turns to the right moves to the North of Okinawa in the next few days.

We're not going to get a lot of movement with this. There's going to be an awful lot of rainfall in some spots. And we all hope that it's just over water and not over some of these islands. Because easily, we could see 500 millimeters of rainfall if it actually does get onto a reporting station, onto an island. There's the rainfall over the next couple of days, moving on up

towards Japan. This is another problem as it does turn to the North. It could turn to the left a little bit later on in its life. But everywhere that you see right there, that's 500 millimeters of rainfall or more. And that's almost all ocean there.

Some heavier rain showers over parts of Taiwan expected, as well.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

[00:40:02]

VAUSE: Thank you, Chad.

A new trade deal between the United States and Taiwan has Taiwan's chief trade negotiator downright bullish. He believes this historic agreement will help Taiwan resist growing intimidation from China.

CNN's Will Ripley has details now from Taipei.

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WILL RIPLEY, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Taiwan's top trade negotiator John Deng leading a fight for the island's financial future, battling what he calls bullying by Beijing, from this boardroom in central Taipei.

RIPLEY: Do you feel like you're on the front lines of an economic war?

JOHN DENG, TAIWAN TOP TRADE NEGOTIATOR: I feel like we are on the diplomatic front lines.

RIPLEY (voice-over): The front lines of a battle waged in black and white, 75 pages, nine months of negotiations. Taiwan says the most comprehensive trade agreement with the U.S. in more than 40 years, since Washington switched diplomatic recognition to Beijing in 1979, beginning decades of diplomatic and economic isolation for Taipei.

DENG: China is exercising their coercion all the time. Taiwan is not the only target.

RIPLEY (voice-over): But it could be the most vulnerable target, he says. A small democracy with a big authoritarian neighbor and, he says, a big problem.

DENG: China, now, they will and they are intensifying their pressure on Taiwan.

RIPLEY (voice-over): Pressure paid in full, powered by the world's second largest economy. Mountains of money for China's massive military, cyber and diplomatic operations, targeting Taiwan with intimidation, disinformation and isolation, island leaders say.

They don't have Beijing's budget, but they do have a big bargaining chip you can only see through a microscope. More than 90 percent of the world's most advanced micro chips, made in Taiwan, chips that power global tech and give Taiwan crucial soft power.

Deng says formal agreements with friendly democracies might deter a Chinese attack.

DENG: Tech cannot solve all the problems, but trade can build up the confidence. If we can prove to China that we are, we can help each other, I think this sends a much stronger message.

RIPLEY (voice-over): China says it strongly opposes official interactions of any form between what it calls China's Taiwan region and countries that have diplomatic relations with China.

RIPLEY: Do you think that this kind of a deal would increase or decrease the likelihood of China making a move on Taiwan?

DENG: I think we all -- we all have to prepare ourselves. If we can check more for investment, if our investors can go to more countries to invest, Taiwan would be stronger.

RIPLEY (voice-over): And safer, he says. Trade today, Taiwan's democracy tomorrow.

Will Ripley, CNN, Taipei.

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VAUSE: Thank you for watching. I'm John Vause. Please stay with us. WORLD SPORT starts after a short break. And I'll be back in about 17 minutes.

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