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Maui Reels As Number Of Dead Now 67, With Death Toll Climbing; Judge Warns Trump About "Inflammatory Remarks"; Corruption Scandal Rattles Ukraine's Recruitment Offices; Niger Coup Supporters Protest Against ECOWAS And France; Australia Face France At 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup Quarterfinals; Tokyo Train Station Launches Live Translation Wall. Aired 4-5a ET
Aired August 12, 2023 - 04:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
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KIM BRUNHUBER, CNN ANCHOR AND CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Welcome to all of our viewers here in the United States, in Canada and all around the world. I'm Kim Brunhuber.
Wildfires force more evacuations as the death toll on Maui climbs. We'll have the latest developments just ahead.
Former U.S. President Donald Trump will have to watch what he says campaigning. We'll bring in the latest ruling by the judge in the election subversion case.
Meanwhile, a special counsel is now investigating President Biden's son, Hunter. And yet many Republicans don't seem to be happy about the development.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE (voice-over): Live from CNN Center, this is CNN NEWSROOM with Kim Brunhuber.
BRUNHUBER: We're now getting a better look at the devastation caused by wildfires on the island of Maui. Hundreds of homes and other buildings across Lahaina were turned to ash by the fire, leaving almost nothing behind to show for what was days ago a thriving community.
So here's what we know right now. Authorities, just a short time ago, reported that they have now confirmed 80 deaths. There are fears that number could continue to rise. Crews with cadaver dogs are sifting through the wreckage.
The only road in and out of Lahaina was opened briefly on Friday to give people the chance to go in to see what, if anything, remains of their homes. But authorities closed it down again a short time later. Officials say the Lahaina fire is 85 percent contained but the danger isn't completely gone.
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STEVE DOLAN, LAHAINA RESIDENT: The police won't let us go to our home. We lived in the same house for 50 years, since 1971. So I wanted to go down there, see if anything is left. You know. But they won't let us. I guess it's dangerous or something.
So we'll deal with it in a week or two and we can go see what's left and start from scratch and rebuild.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BRUNHUBER: Meanwhile, another fire on the western side of Maui has prompted police to call for an evacuation of the Kaanapali area. Just a few moments ago, officials said that fire is now 100 percent contained. No further evacuations are being conducted.
So that video we just showed you of the devastation in Lahaina came from our chief climate correspondent, Bill Weir, and his crew. They were able to get inside the devastated area and what they found was shocking. Have a look.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
EDDY GARCIA, FARMER, MAUI RESIDENT: The trees that you guys see behind you right here, this was all from the tornado that came through.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's crazy.
GARCIA: Now we've never even seen a tornado in Hawaii.
BILL WEIR, CNN CHIEF CLIMATE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In a place so familiar with weather extremes.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Wow, it's crazy.
WEIR (voice-over): Maui locals have never seen anything like the firestorm that obliterated Lahaina.
DANIEL GOLDBERG, BOAT CAPTAIN: It can start in a little like smolder and smoke and we're like, the house had survived and now there's a little brush fire and then within like five minutes, the whole thing was engulfed just right off the frame.
WEIR: Really?
GOLDBERG: There's nobody there to put anything out.
WEIR: We're just pulling into Lahaina now, just getting our first glimpse at this town after hearing these nightmarish stories and it is worse than you can imagine.
It looks like a World War Two set, like a bomb went off here. There's just utter scorched devastation everywhere, melted boats in the harbor. (voice-over): What was once the capital of the kingdom of Hawaii and one of the most well preserved towns in the nation is ash, including Bill Wyland's famous art gallery. And he says he escaped the flames on his Harley Davidson, riding around evacuees trapped between fire and ocean.
BILL WYLAND, ART GALLERY OWNER: Had I took the car and said a motorcycle, I plugged in with everybody else jumping in the water. It was -- I mean, it was flames were shooting over the top, coming out. I didn't even want to look behind me because I knew they were behind me.
WEIR: And there's nowhere to go. You're pinned between just the --
WYLAND: Just pinned and that's what happened.
WEIR: -- fire and the ocean.
WYLAND: That's what happened to all the people, I think, is all those cars that were waiting for someone to move in front of them. No one was moving anywhere. You were dead in the water.
WEIR: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They all jumped in the ocean.
WYLAND: They all jumped in the ocean and a lot of them didn't make it, from what I heard.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No.
WEIR: I'm sure if the winds were 80 miles an hour, the surf must have been --
WYLAND: Just that. There was diesel fuel floating in the water as well.
WEIR: Oh God.
WYLAND: And the Coast Guard couldn't come in too far because of the reefs and a lot of the people can't swim that far. And then a couple of people died of smoke inhalation as well. They were just inundated.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I know a lady that stood in the water for eight hours.
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WEIR: This is the historic banyan tree, 150-year-old majestic tree at the center of Lahaina town. It looks like it may have survived. It needs water desperately to survive right now.
But for the locals who are coming down and looking at the damage, this is such a sign of hope that maybe their iconic tree will have lived when so much else is gone here.
But the history can never be replaced. Right here, this is the first hotel in Hawaii. The Pioneer Hotel, Pioneer Theater. It's completely gone.
Right over here was the library. It's just now a stone shell of scorched. Blocks around Front Street there Fleetwood's -- Mick Fleetwood of the band Fleetwood Mac. His place is gutted out with flames. It's just unrecognizable.
One of the most charming, beloved port cities anywhere in the world is just scorched like a bomb went off.
(voice-over): Farmer Eddy Garcia lost a small fortune in crop damage but now is bracing for much bigger losses.
EDDY GARCIA, FARMER, MAUI RESIDENT: My God. Like, when I was down there early, there were uncles and people I know in the street, dead. People were trying to get to the end of the street. You can tell by where the cars that were parked. They say hundreds of people jumped in the water.
WEIR: You personally lost crops?
Like, what is that?
GARCIA: I lost nothing compared to what people lost. I lost farm stuff and food and whatever, tiny little things compared to what people lost. People lost their family, they lost their houses. Everything we've seen, all the landmarks, everything that we've seen for years, history, it's all gone.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
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BRUNHUBER: Well, Judy Riley lives on one of Maui's neighbor islands, Lanai, and she's been volunteering to help those who've been impacted by the fires. She joins us now from Maui.
Thank you so much for being with us, Judy, you are one of the ones lucky to get out unscathed. But friends, neighbors, they lost everything.
Is that right?
JUDY RILEY, LANAI RESIDENT AND VOLUNTEER: Yes. It's been overwhelming to hear the stories and trying to do everything we can to help them.
BRUNHUBER: I saw you've been really active in trying to help out.
Just how desperate is the need right now?
What do folks need most?
RILEY: It's really -- right now we need a central location for communication. We are having a hard time getting the information across. One of the things that we're learning from this experience is that everything is very scattered and everyone is rising to help. And we're trying to network together to figure out what's needed. The number one supplies are baby supplies -- diapers, wipes -- also
feminine hygiene products and propane gas. And the number one that they need on the west side right now is ice.
BRUNHUBER: Ice, why is that?
RILEY: You know, we don't have electricity. So in some areas, people are trying to keep things cool. You know, there's other things you don't think of. You know, so much of all the helpers also need help. You need help with child care; they need help with their animals. So there is layers of helpers right now.
BRUNHUBER: Yes, and part of the problem is that people didn't have much time to evacuate, much time to escape. So they basically escaped with what they were wearing, right?
RILEY: Right, so they fled with -- it was just minutes that they had to get in their car and go or in some cases, get on their bicycle or just run, you know, trying to scoop up their animals and trying to keep everything safe.
They didn't think to grab anything at all. No clothes, nothing, not even their identification or photographs or anything sentimental that you think that you would grab during the fire. There was no time for that. It was just grab your family and go.
BRUNHUBER: Yes, absolutely. And part of the problem is not just getting supplies but then how to get those supplies to the people that need the most.
RILEY: Exactly.
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BRUNHUBER: So you have several different areas around the island where people are located. And north of the fires, some people are hunkered down. But they cannot leave that area because the roads are still closed.
So getting supplies for them has been a challenge. But so many of the tour boats, like Trilogy and Blue Water Rafting has collected supplies in some of the Kihei and Maalaea areas and delivered them to Mala Wharf.
They also have to coordinate once they get there. There is no cell service, no power, no way to communicate. We need people at the docks to offload the supplies. We need them delivered in the area. So everyone's networking as much as they can.
BRUNHUBER: Now people, humans come first, obviously. But you mentioned animals.
How many animals are we talking about here?
These are pets or farm animals, both?
What are we talking about here?
RILEY: We're talking about all animals -- goats, pigs, horses, cows; pets, cats, birds. The Humane Society has started an Amazon wish list and they're helping as much as they can.
The Makawao vet clinic is doing free services at the Lahaina courthouse. And they're asking for donations. And you know, some pets have been burned from the fire. Some just need to be relocated. The horses don't have paddocks anymore.
So some of the up country and the rural areas are taking on horses that have been displaced. They are evacuating as well from the fires. Aussie Rice (ph) is also an area where they were taking in the farm animals.
So we also had to orchestrate, you know, getting -- moving these animals in trailers and trucks in the middle of the night. One of my friends has a ranch up country. And her biggest concern was that a massive tree fell across her driveway.
So if she had to evacuate, she had no way to exit. So we were trying to get trucks and trailers on standby. We didn't know which direction the fires were spreading. So we didn't know where the trailers needed to go.
BRUNHUBER: It's such a huge and overwhelming challenge. And looking at the pictures now, one that will take months, years to overcome. But you know, thanks to people like you, who are volunteering their time to help people in need, it is making a difference.
We really appreciate talking to you. And good luck with your mission to help everyone there. Lanai resident, volunteer Judy Riley, thank you so much.
RILEY: Thank you.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BRUNHUBER: As I said, it will likely take years to fully repair the damage caused by the fires. Some are offering some early assistance. Oprah Winfrey was spotted at several shelters on Maui, visiting people displaced by the wildfires.
Her spokesperson says Winfrey owns property on the island and brought items most needed at the shelters.
Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and his fiancee, Lauren Sanchez, are pledging $100 million to the recovery efforts. Sanchez said they're creating a fund to help the island get back on its feet.
If you'd like to help those impacted by wildfires, get more information by going to cnn.com/impact. We have a list there of vetted organizations that you can check out.
(MUSIC PLAYING) BRUNHUBER: Donald Trump and his legal team are on notice. The federal judge presiding over the election subversion case against the former president is warning them to be extra careful about what they say publicly about the case.
Katelyn Polantz has details on the ruling as well as what could happen if Trump doesn't follow her instructions.
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KATELYN POLANTZ, CNN SENIOR CRIME AND JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT: There is the justice system and then there's politics. And for Donald Trump, as a criminal defendant in federal court on charges related to the 2020 election, the justice system is going to have to come first.
That is the message loud and clear to both his lawyers and to Justice Department prosecutors from the special counsel's office, who appeared in federal court on Friday in Washington for the very first time before Judge Tanya Chutkan.
So Judge Chutkan, she was weighing some questions about what Donald Trump could do with evidence.
Could he share information that he was learning in evidence that he's getting from the Justice Department and that his team will have to take in, look at and pick through as they prepare for trial?
And ultimately, Judge Chutkan says no. We have to protect the trial. We have to protect the witnesses and we have to protect the jury. So it is legal for her to put some restrictions on Donald Trump and his team, curtailing some of his speech.
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POLANTZ: This is a quote from the judge, "The fact that he is running a political campaign currently has to yield to the administration of justice. And if that means he" -- Trump -- "can't say exactly what he wants to say, that is just how it's going to have to be."
The judge also indicated she was going to be watching very closely what Trump said as he is out on bail, not in jail, awaiting trial, because some of the restrictions he has on that side of things is that he can't intimidate witnesses. He can't obstruct justice.
And the weight across that line is by saying things, potentially publicly. So Judge Chutkan said she was going to be watching very closely.
And also that the more inflammatory Donald Trump becomes about this case that is against him in federal court, the more inflammatory his statements are, that means that she will need to be considering this trial has to happen quicker rather than further away.
Right now, the Justice Department wants to trial happen in January with jury selection even before that, before the winter holidays. We don't have a determination from the judge at this time. But she is going to be seeing both Trump's team and the Justice
Department again in federal court at the end of August, where she's going to revisit a trial timeline -- Katelyn Polantz, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BRUNHUBER: Well, Republican critics have long demanded that Hunter Biden be investigated by a special counsel. But now that that's happened, there are complaints that it's too little too late.
President Biden's son has, for months, faced an on again, off again plea deal on back taxes and a gun charge. But that deal is falling apart, which means, he will most likely head to trial.
On a post on social media, Kevin McCarthy blasted the appointment of David Weiss as special counsel, saying he can't be trusted after five years of investigations into Hunter Biden.
Likewise, Republican congresswoman Lauren Boebert lashed out at Weiss for giving Biden a sweetheart plea deal earlier this year, even though it has now collapsed. But U.S. attorney general Merrick Garland defended the appointment, saying Weiss has all the independence he needed to do his job. Listen to this.
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MERRICK GARLAND, U.S. ATTORNEY GENERAL: Upon considering his request, as well as the extraordinary circumstances relating to this matter, I have concluded that it is in the public interest to appoint him as special counsel.
Mr. Weiss has the authority he needs to conduct a thorough investigation and to continue to take the steps he deems appropriate independently, based only on the facts and the law.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BRUNHUBER: Hunter Biden's attorney said the special counsel's investigation should confirm there was no wrongdoing other than the tax and gun charges his client was prepared to plead guilty to last month.
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ABBE LOWELL, HUNTER BIDEN'S ATTORNEY: Whatever his title is and whatever happens next, we are confident that that should be the same conclusion. And if it's not, then something other than the facts and the law has come into play.
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BRUNHUBER: a deadly Russian missile strike caught on video in Ukraine. Look at this.
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BRUNHUBER (voice-over): Still ahead, Russian missile hit a children's day care but the young ones were saved by a stroke of sheer luck.
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BRUNHUBER (voice-over): And the latest from Ecuador on the killing of a presidential candidate. Stay with us.
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BRUNHUBER: Russia claims it's Foiled a new Ukraine drone strike on Crimea. It says Ukraine launched a wave of drones overnight but none of them made it pass Russian air defenses.
Meanwhile, Ukraine's president is cracking down on corruption in military recruitment centers. He fired all top regional military recruiters across the board. At least some of them now face criminal investigations for reportedly profiteering from their jobs.
For more on this, Salma Abdelaziz joins us from London.
Let's start with the drone attacks, what more are we learning?
SALMA ABDELAZIZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, so Russia's ministry of defense saying in the overnight hours Saturday that their forces shot down some 20 Ukrainian drones over the Russian occupied region of Crimea.
The statement going on to say there was no damage or no casualties. This is part of a continuation of a strategy we've seen from Kyiv, to take the war inside Russian territory, on their turf.
We've seen an uptick in drone attacks inside Russia itself but also on Russian occupied regions. As the Ukrainian government says, Ukrainian forces say, they're trying to bring the cost of that war to Russians as well as take out critical military infrastructure such as weapons depots in areas that are occupied by Russia.
Crimea, of course, being a key supply route. So we'll find out more on that. Meanwhile, President Zelenskyy is fighting corruption allegations on his own turf, as you mentioned. The head of all regional offices for military recruitment were let go, were fired amid allegations of corruption.
President Zelenskyy taking a very tough stays on this, Kim, and saying in a public statement that he sees any acts of corruption in a time of war as high treason. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): Some took cash, some took cryptocurrency, that's the only difference. The cynicism is the same everywhere. Illicit enrichments, legalization of illegally obtained funds, illegal benefit, illegal transportation of persons liable for military service across the border.
This system should be run by people who know exactly what war is and why cynicism and bribery in times of war constitute treason.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ABDELAZIZ: This isn't the first time during this conflict, Kim, that issues of corruption have plagued Zelenskyy's government. In fact, in January, he had a major shakeup within his own cabinet after allegations of war profiteering emerged among some of his own men, among some of his own ranks.
It is a problem that Ukraine has dealt with way before this conflict, the issue of corruption, trying to clamp down on that. President Zelenskyy has vowed to continue to dig. There is a bureau of investigations, a Ukrainian government bureau of investigations and they've opened some 100 criminal proceedings into various officials.
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ABDELAZIZ: Several of them have led to indictments. This, of course, hits a nerve at a time when you're talking about war, when you're talking about tens of thousands of men on those front lines.
And it's critical, important for Ukraine's allies -- NATO, United States -- to know that the money they're spending on Ukraine is being used appropriately on those front lines.
BRUNHUBER: Yes, Ukraine making a statement there. Salma Abdelaziz in London, thank you so much.
The city of Zaporizhzhya is reeling once again from a Russian missile attack that hit a hotel, which also served as a children's day camp. Two missiles struck on Thursday just an hour after the children left for the day. As Nick Paton Walsh reports, one of the strikes was caught on video.
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NICK PATON WALSH, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The first strike brought horror, a riverside hotel struck. This man with his family strolling in a Zaporizhzhya park at 7:20 Thursday evening.
Terror, then another roar. The son spots it first.
WALSH: As though the hotel they targeted where a kid's camp had ended just an hour earlier needed to be hit twice.
Imagine how the children in the hotel pool felt. Dozens of guests injured, one dead, who did not walk away. This is how it looked before the two Iskander missiles hit a pool and playground in the car park. A Russian official then declared all hotels in the city to be targets, saying they're full of Ukrainian soldiers. In the hours after, sirens sounded in Kyiv, as Ukraine only managed to take down one of four hypersonic Kinzhal missiles. Officials saying another target was an F-16 training facility in the west.
These nightly strikes, Russia's response to the pressure on the southern front, where Friday importantly small gains were claimed.
President Zelenskyy has urged patience and Friday moved to steady a slow-moving ship, firing the heads of regional military recruitment after a series of corruption scandals, replacing them with wounded veterans.
VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): Warriors who have lost their health, limbs but maintain their dignity and don't have cynicism can be trusted to run the system.
WALSH (voice-over): Nick Paton Walsh, CNN, Ukraine.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BRUNHUBER: As Ukraine fights brutal Russian aggression, its allies are starting to work on deterring any future incursion by Moscow. On Friday, G7 countries said their opening talks with Kyiv on how to build a military capable of heading off a future Russian invasion.
Meanwhile, about 1,000 Ukrainian Marines are returning after training in Britain. They were trained on how to storm beaches and conduct other amphibious operations.
And, in Washington, the White House says it's open to training Ukrainian pilots to fly F-16s on U.S. soil. European countries are still putting together plans for that training.
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BRUNHUBER (voice-over): Fire crews have gotten the upper hand on deadly fires that have scorched parts of Maui but the devastation left behind is profound. A grim look at the damage ahead on CNN NEWSROOM.
Plus, former crypto billionaire Sam Bankman-Fried is behind bars right now. We'll tell you why a judge revoked his bail. Stay with us.
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BRUNHUBER: Welcome back to all of you watching us here in the United States, Canada and all around the world. I'm Kim Brunhuber, this is CNN NEWSROOM.
Officials in Hawaii say 80 people are confirmed dead in the wildfires that have ravaged parts of Maui. And that number is expected to go much higher in the coming days as crews sift through the ashes of the community of Lahaina.
For those that survived, the memories of what they experienced and what they lost proved impossible to forget. Brian Todd reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
EMERSON TIMMINS, MAUI WILDFIRES SURVIVOR: Here's all the restaurant, everything that used to be here. It is no more.
BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: This footage of what looks like the aftermath of a nuclear explosion was taken by Emerson Timmins, as he rode a bike through the historic area of Lahaina on Maui. His video and narration a horrifying account of how people try to escape burning cars.
TIMMINS: The cars that had gotten backed up on the road, the reason that they were there is they were trying to get out. They were trying to escape that fire. But all of the cars got trapped. And all the people were stuck in those cars, trying to get out and they had to run for their lives. And not everybody could make it.
TODD: Vixay Phonxaylinkham, a tourist from Fresno, says that he, his wife and five children were able to exit their vehicle, barely.
VIXAY PHONXAYLINKHAM, MAUI WILDFIRES SURVIVOR: Myself, my wife and my five kids, we all got on the ocean. We found a boogie board that we hung onto. And we were out there floating. It was so surreal and everything was burning around us, explosions, cars blowing up.
TODD: Embers and degree debris were flying everywhere. He says they held onto each other for about three hours in the water.
PHONXAYLINKHAM: The ocean almost swept my kids away a few times. But, yes, we stuck together. We held on. We are not going to die this way. And we are here, we are alive.
TODD: One Maui resident says she, her two children and their dog were in what she called a fight or flight situation for about 30 hours after barely escaping her house.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We stepped out of my front door and it was just hundreds of feet of Black smoke engulfing the town. And it was everything I could do to just gather my kids and gather whatever I could in two minutes to get out of the house.
I mean, we ran out of the house with no shoes. It was just so much. It's so much. It's a lot.
TODD: This video is from Cole Millington showing a completely leveled home. He says after he ran from his home, peeled out in his truck and got on the road --
COLE MILLINGTON, MAUI WILDFIRES SURVIVOR: There were people screaming in the streets. There was no one saying this is where you should go in this is what you should do.
TODD: John Singer says he fought as hard as he could to save his house.
JOHN SINGER, MAUI WILDFIRES SURVIVOR: I sat up on top of the roof and I battled the fire for about three hours. I could not do it anymore.
TODD: He then jumped into the ocean to save himself, he says and he said when he turned to look back at his home --
SINGER: Devastation. Everything gone.
[04:35:00]
TODD (voice-over): Officials say the search for survivors has included teams of cadaver dogs, sifting through the remains of neighborhoods. Many residents are still nowhere to be found.
Hawaii governor Josh Green says, in Lahaina alone, upwards of 1,700 buildings may have been destroyed. He says that it appears about 80 percent of the town is gone -- Brian Todd, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BRUNHUBER: If you would like to know how you can help those impacted by the Hawaii wildfires, please go to cnn.com/impact and we have a list of vetted organizations that you can check out there.
Former cryptocurrency billionaire Sam Bankman-Fried has been sent to jail after his bail was revoked. At a hearing in New York on Friday, a judge said Bankman-Fried poses a danger to the community. Prosecutors say he tried to intimidate his ex-girlfriend, a key government witness in the case against him.
He was once worth tens of billions of dollars. A crash of his exchange, FTX, nearly wiped him out. He has pleaded not guilty to charges of defrauding customers and lenders. His lawyers are appealing Friday's decision.
The wife of the accused suspect in the Gilgo Beach murders is threatening legal action against some law enforcement agencies, saying they ransacked her home. Attorneys for Asa Ellerup released images they say showed the damage caused by the police search. One lawyer said authorities removed pipes in the bathroom, making it unusable.
They also said she is battling breast and skin cancer. Her husband, Rex Heuermann, is accused of killing three women, whose remains were recovered years ago on the stretch of a New York beach.
Still ahead this hour, more protests against the West African bloc as it moves closer to possible military intervention in Niger. Why some people are voicing support for coup leaders instead. Stay with us.
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BRUNHUBER: Supporters of Niger's coup have staged large protests against ECOWAS a day after it has activated standby force for potential military intervention.
On Friday, thousands of people condemn the bloc as they rallied near amid a French military base near the capital. They also demonstrated against France, saying the former colonial ruler should leave their country for good. Jim Bittermann joins us now.
So Jim, for many in Niger, France is seen as the enemy here.
What role is France playing in this crisis?
JIM BITTERMANN, CNN SR. INTL. CORRESPONDENT: Well, it has to be noted, France has been a colonial power in that part of Africa for more than a century. And only in the last of this century, first part of this century, Niger got its independence from France.
And the feelings are still very high against France. There is a widespread belief, for instance, that France is taking advantage of Niger, taking its uranium and using it in its nuclear reactors, which is largely not true.
They are buying some uranium but not much. As a matter of fact, the folks on the ground there in front of the embassy were saying all kinds of things anti-France, like down with France, down with ECOWAS. That's the Economic Community of West African States -- we need Russia's help to get rid of these French monkey.
So you can see the tone of that crowd. And it's exactly what the French did not want to see. They've been trying to keep a very low profile. They basically have said that they are absolutely in favor of the restoration of power of the democratically elected president of Niger, Mohamed Bazoum Bazoum.
And they want him restored to power and they said that's the goal at the moment. They've kept their troops where they are, about 1,500 troops on the outskirts of Niamey, the capital. And they basically, it looks like that's the posture they're going to maintain.
They're saying that even though the junta has said they want the French military out, they're saying that their agreement, their military agreement was with the real democratically erected regime of Mr. Bazoum.
So as a consequence, they're not moving their troops. By the way, the same should be said about the Americans. They have a base further north in the capital, about the same number of people on that base. The Americans and the French both would like to stay because they see themselves as a force for stability in that part of Africa. Kim.
BRUNHUBER: All right, thank you so much Jim Bittermann, in Paris. We appreciate that.
In Ecuador, the shocking assassination of a presidential candidate has left the country deeply shaken and increasing calls for better security.
On Friday, the slain politician's casket was taken to an exhibition hall so that more people could come and pay their respects. He was then buried in a private ceremony. With the latest on the investigation, here is CNN's Rafael Romo in the capital.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
RAFAEL ROMO, CNN SR. LATIN AFFAIRS EDITOR: The Ecuadorian attorney general's office announced Friday they introduced what they call 22 elements of conviction against the suspects.
By this, prosecutors mean evidence collected at the crime scene and during raids carried out after the assassination of presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio. Investigators say they obtained witness testimony and ballistic tests.
They have also analyzed security camera videos in and around the crime scene. There was another crucial piece of information revealed by investigators. They say the autopsy shows the victim received long distance shots.
And they have been able to match shells to a rifle confiscated in the raids. All six suspects are Colombian nationals, according to authorities.
There was a seventh suspect who died after being shot by police, whose identity has not been revealed, although police said he had been previously arrested for gun possession in mid-June and later released.
In one of the raids, officials say they found the stolen vehicle that had multiple weapons in its trunk, including rifles, a submachine gun and four pistols and three grenades and four boxes of ammunition, containing 384 cartridges as well as two magazines.
Of course, many questions remain; among them, who was the mastermind of the attack. But given the information provided by authorities so far, it seems like this was a well planned and coordinated attack.
Late Friday night, five presidential candidates signed an agreement for the peace of the country. They're demanding a swift investigation and more resources to improve security in Ecuador.
Officials say a presidential debate scheduled for this Sunday and the presidential election for the following Sunday will still go on as planned -- Rafael Romo, CNN, Ecuador.
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BRUNHUBER: Fighting for a spot in the Women's World Cup semifinals, Australia look to advance for the first time ever. But they face a tough test against France. We'll have a live update next.
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BRUNHUBER: Please stay with us. (MUSIC PLAYING)
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BRUNHUBER: Well, at the Women's World Cup, France is taking on co- host, Australia, this hour for a chance to go to the semifinals. It's been a close contest so far with both teams still searching for their first goal.
More than 90 minutes into the match and whoever wins will face the winner of the England-Colombia match, which is set to begin in less than two hours. CNN's Amanda Davies joins us now with more.
So Amanda, I know there was a huge boost for Australia when Sam Kerr came on. But it's been a tense match. Take us through the highlights.
And what's the latest?
AMANDA DAVIES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I've got to tell you, I don't know whether this is the best possible moment to come to me or the worst possible moment. We're here at the fan fest in Auckland, over 1,000 people. And, oh, my goodness, it is tense; 90 minutes, we're into the four minutes of time added on.
And there has been nothing to split these two sides up to this point.
[04:50:00]
DAVIES: Co-host Australia, as you mentioned, brought on their striker, Sam Kerr, after 55 minutes. You might remember, she suffered that injury the day before their opening game. She made an appearance in their last game and we weren't sure how much of a role she would play in this.
There was a huge roil, not only here in Auckland but inside the stadium, 2,288 kilometers away in Brisbane, as Sam Kerr came on, she made almost an immediate impact. And for 20 odd minutes or so, Australia threw the kitchen sink at France.
But they could not find a way through. And you could see the tension starting to build amongst that Australian side. France then started to come back into it. And nobody yet has made the breakthrough. So it looks like to extra time we will be heading.
Both of these sides know its first-ever Women's World Cup semifinal is on the line. And that opportunity to meet, as you mentioned, the winners of the second semifinal taking place in Sydney a little bit later.
England going into the game the favorite against Colombia. But they've got a suspension of Lauren James, one of their star players, to deal with. She scored three goals. She's provided another three in their four matches so far. So it will be really interesting to see how the European champions
deal without her. And Colombia, for their part, have really ripped up the rulebook over the last few weeks. They have been many people's surprise package, pulling off that shock defeat of Germany, of course.
They've got the 18-year-old teen sensation Linda Caicedo, who has been stealing so many of the headlines with her incredibly impressive masterful performances, much older than her 18 years of age.
And Colombia know, not only are they looking for a first ever semifinal place themselves, they have very boldly declared they are a team on a mission. They feel they haven't had the respect they deserve on the national stage.
They've had money pulled from their domestic league and they say they're here to earn respect and dignity for them and fellow women's footballers across the country. But I think, Kim, I need to go watch the last couple minutes of this game because it's all to play for. We are headed to extra time.
BRUNHUBER: Yes, that's right. I'm just trying to keep an eye on it myself here. But let's hope it doesn't come down to penalties. Appreciate it, thanks so much, Amanda Davies in Auckland, New Zealand. Thank you so much.
And the big headline in men's soccer, New England captain Harry Kane is moving from Spurs to Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich. Kane announced the move in a video on social media, saying he wanted to thank the Tottenham players, coaches and fans.
Kane stored 213 goals in 317 games for Tottenham. moves. Currently, on 38 goals for the England national side in only 34 appearances were number nine for the Munich club.
Another top shelf transfer is paying off nicely for one city here in the U.S. Lionel Messi led his new team, Intra Miami, to a 4-0 victory over Charlotte on Friday night in the league's cup quarterfinals.
The Argentine scored his team's final goal in the 86th minute. Messi has now scored eight times in five matches. The Ballon d'Or winner joined Inter Miami last month with the contract set to pay him up to $60 million a year.
Inter Miami faces the Philadelphia union in the league's cup semifinals on Tuesday.
In Japan, a train station in Tokyo is testing out a special screen that allows ticket agents and passengers to understand each other when they speak a different language. CNN's Marc Stewart has a closer look at how it works and how it could apply to other aspects of our lives.
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MARC STEWART, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): At Tokyo's busy Seibu- Shinjuku Station, it's a steady surge of trains, travelers and at times the need for translation. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I was actually really nervous coming side; I had people who don't speak English.
STEWART (voice-over): Now a potential solution in this nondescript window using voice translation technology.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Hi, I want to go to Matsumoto station.
STEWART (voice-over): Users simply ask a question in their native language. It appears on the screen and then immediately translated into Japanese for the staff to read.
The response is then translated back to the user's original language. The system is now on a test run. We asked travelers including Fatima Horcher (ph) to try it out.
STEWART: And you thought the translation was pretty spot on.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Spot on. It's exactly what I said was on the screen.
STEWART: How many languages can this system translate?
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STEWART (voice-over): It supports 12 languages.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We're told the number of foreign visitors to Japan is growing. The screen was introduced so staff and customers can communicate smoothly, face to face.
STEWART: There are certainly apps for your phone, which could translate but this system is simultaneous. And it's face to face.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The fact that it was at the same time, the fact that it really understood what I was saying.
STEWART (voice-over): While the system isn't always perfect, this technology is quickly improving.
HITOMI YANAKA, ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR, UNIVERSITY OF TOKYO: Research in the field of natural language processing and artificial intelligence is progressing very rapidly. So these systems are getting better and better. And I hope that they will be used not only in stations but also in other places in the future.
STEWART (voice-over): The manufacturer of the board hopes that could include airports, sporting events and hospitals. Part of an effort to make sure everyone is understood, no matter what language they speak -- Marc Stewart, CNN, Tokyo.
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BRUNHUBER: Here in the U.S., celebrations are underway to mark the 50th anniversary of hip-hop. A special anniversary concert was held Friday in New York. Hip-hop fans filled Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, where the movement first began in the early '70s.
Big names in hip-hop took to the stage from the rapper, Common to artist Run DMC, Ice Cube, Snoop Dogg. The dancing, rapping and (INAUDIBLE) pop group from an intercity environment into a multibillion-dollar part of mainstream culture across the globe.
All right, that wraps this hour of CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Kim Brunhuber, I'll be back with more news in just a moment. Please stay with us.
