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BRICS Leaders Struggle With Finance, Expansion; 18 Bodies Found As Fires Rage In Greece And Europe Suffers Another Heat Wave; Tropical Storm Franklin Bears Down On Haiti, Dominican Republic; All 8 People Rescued From Stranded Cable Car In Pakistan After 14 Hour Ordeal; Parliament Elects Srettha Prime Minister; Region Reacts as Japan Set to Release Treated Wastewater; Inside Ukraine's Elite Sniper Unit on the Front Lines; Video Shows Palestinian Man Shot from Behind; Italy's Price-Gouging Scandals; India Set to Land Spacecraft on Moon in Coming Hours. Aired 1-2a ET
Aired August 23, 2023 - 01:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
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LAILA HARRAK, CNN ANCHOR: Hello, and welcome to our viewers joining us from the United States and all around the world. I'm Laila Harrak.
Wildfires raged in several locations across Europe as much of the continent sweats through what could be the worst heatwave of the summer.
Building a bigger BRICS, leaders of the economic bloc debate welcoming new members in hopes of pushing back against the West.
And tourist traps in Italy. 60 euros for two coffees and a water. We'll discuss the tips and tricks to avoid our way just rip offs.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Live from CNN Center. This is CNN Newsroom with Laila Harrak.
HARRAK: The 15th BRICS Summit is underway in Johannesburg in two issues top the agenda, finance and expansion but it's not clear there will be consensus on either one. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa gave a sweeping speech Tuesday calling for reforming the global trading system.
Some BRICS leaders have floated the idea of creating their own currency for trading and finance among member nations to replace the U.S. dollar. But the leaders are not united in whether or how to do that, and it's not clear if it will ever happen.
Still, it stems from the group's vision to counterbalance what it sees as the dominance of the West and global finance.
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CYRIL RAMAPHOSA, SOUTH AFRICAN PRESIDENT: We therefore need to reaffirm our position that economic growth must be underpinned by transparency, by inclusiveness. It must be compatible with a multilateral trading system that supports a developmental agenda. The type of developmental agenda that the five countries that are members of BRICS have embraced right from the onset.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARRAK: Well, the other major issue is whether to expand the group but India and Brazil are hesitant. They are particularly wary of BRICS becoming more anti-Western and more dominated by China. But China, South Africa and Russia favor expansion and Chinese President Xi Jinping and Mr. Ramaphosa showed their unity with a state visit to Pretoria by Mr. Xi earlier in the day. President Ramaphosa awarded Mr. Xi, South Africa's top honor.
Well, one prominent BRICS leader isn't in Johannesburg, that's Russian President Vladimir Putin whom South Africa would have to arrest on a war crimes warrant from the International Criminal Court. Instead, he participated virtually emphasizing that international cooperation and respect are the BRICS guiding principles.
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VLADIMIR PUTIN, RUSSIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): We cooperate on the principles of equality, partnership support, respect for each other's interests. And this is the essence of the future oriented strategic course of our association. The Course that meets the aspirations of the main part of the world community, the so called Global majority.
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HARRAK: Mr. Putin also claimed that Russia is a victim of Western hypocrisy, having it's the grain shipments obstructed yet blaming -- yet being blamed rather for grain shortages after it pulled out of the Ukraine grain agreement, but he promised Russia would remain a reliable food supplier to Africa.
Well, this is the group's of 15th annual summit, but BRICS is still trying to determine where it's heading and what it wants to be. Still, as David McKenzie explains from Johannesburg, its leaders are feeling more confident than ever, that the organization has an increasingly important role to play.
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DAVID MCKENZIE, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (on camera): Well, the critical BRICS meetings have gotten underway here in Johannesburg, and you really get a sense with a growing portion of the world population and of the world economy, of course underpinned by India and China that these leaders are feeling pretty bullish about their place on the world stage, both economically and potentially, politically.
A big question up for debate is whether BRICS will be expanded during the summit or whether this will be discussed. It's something that Chinese President Xi Jinping is looking for, in particular, to become kind of a de facto alternative to the G7 group of wealthy nations.
And on that front, there is talking about economic integration Brazil's President saying that there should be down the road a currency used for trading amongst BRICS nations, nothing like that will happen anytime soon.
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Vladimir Putin, of course, is attending virtually because he faced arrest here in South Africa for the alleged crimes linked to the Ukraine war. But still this venue is where he can get some sympathetic ears, from world leaders and business leaders as well, whether there can be concrete action taken at this BRICS summit is unclear. But certainly there is a sense that BRICS is in their mind very relevant to the world conversation. David Mckenzie, CNN, Johannesburg.
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HARRAK: Bobby Ghosh is a columnist and on the editorial board at Bloomberg, and he joins us now from New York. Bobby, so good to have you with this.
BRICS is underway often criticized for being a talking shop. But they seem determined to change that during this meeting in Johannesburg, do you think they can?
BOBBY GHOSH, COLUMNIST AND EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBER, BLOOMBERG: Well, I am skeptical about they have two major points on their agenda. One is expansion, which is possible. The other is to try and create an alternative currency to the United States dollar, which is the main trading currency of the world. That I think is a bit of a pipe dream, I don't think that will happen.
We may see some statements of interest, some statements of intent in moving towards an alternative to the dollar. But when it comes down to it, in practical terms, it is not possible. And I don't think the BRICS format will work to try and create that kind of currency.
HARRAK: All right, let's focus on expansion because many countries have expressed interest in joining BRICS. What does that signal to you?
GHOSH: Well, BRICS seems to be setting itself up as a -- as a sort of rebuild of what was called the non-aligned movement during the Cold War. At that time, a group of countries, most of them from the Global South, joined together to try and say that they were independent of the major powers of the day, the United States, and the Soviet Union's, a lot of countries in the Global South see BRICS as that kind of an organization, even though if they look closely, they'll realize that it is not really completely independent of the major powers of the world.
One of the major powers, China is very much in BRICS, another country that aspires to major power status India, is also within BRICS. They're setting themselves up as a quasi-alternative to the United States. But even on something as fundamental as that there is a strong division between the core membership. India doesn't want to be part of a completely independent organization from the United States. China definitely wants it. Russia definitely wants it. South Africa and Brazil would like to sit on the fence.
HAARAK: And Bobby, is the current global system fair? Does it benefit the Global South are voices from the Global South taken into account in the current international framework?
GHOSH: Well, much more than they used to be but certainly not as far as countries in the Global South would want. They want a stronger voice. They've gotten a stronger voice in various United Nations platforms. But they feel that there's still more to be said the war in Ukraine has polarized a global opinion, a lot of countries in the Global South are not comfortable with taking sides in that conflict.
And so there's still a great deal of work to be done. So if there is one thing that the West or the major countries in the West need to take away from BRICS, is not that BRICS threatens the order of the world as it is, but it is an expression of dissatisfaction from the Global South.
And therefore, it behooves the major Western powers to make sure that they get a bigger voice, a better voice in the existing platforms, rather than having to go to a platform like BRICS, which is really a platform of China and Russia, and to some extent, India, plus everybody else.
HARRAK: So the solution would be to give them a seat at the table, which they don't have right now?
GHOSH: Well, that to give them a seat at the table at other major international combinations, international platforms. Again, as I say they are getting it but not at a rate that they were -- that they're comfortable with.
So India now speaks at major international sort of organizations with a voice that wasn't as strong as it was before. And it's a reflection of India's economic rise. But if you are a middle sized, middle economy country in Asia or in Africa or Latin America, then you're not satisfied that your interests are being served by, say, the G7, the G- 20, the United Nations.
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You're not sure of that. And you'd like to have a bigger voice in some of these platforms, and frankly, they ought to.
HARRAK: Bobby Ghosh, thank you so much for joining us.
GHOSH: My pleasure.
HARRAK: Countries across Europe are in the midst of a blistering heat wave setting record high temperatures and triggering wildfires across the region. It's on a scale so large that the European Union has deployed its own firefighting resources to help. Firefighters battling blazes in Northern Greece discovered the burned bodies of 18 people in the remote village on Tuesday. Gale force winds are making it more difficult to control the fires, even with additional help from other countries.
In Spain, firefighters raced to save an observatory from a wildfire raging on the island of Tenerife, more than 14,000 hectares have been scorched by the blazes. There's at least one more day of sweltering heat before a much needed dip in temperatures. CNN's Melissa Bell has more.
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MELISSA BELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voiceover): Helpless but being helped to safety. 200 hospital patients in Northern Greece escaping wildfires that are now in their fourth day. Firefighters struggling in the face of strong winds and searing temperatures to contain the flames as they spread towards the port city of Alexandroupolis. Church staff were on hand to evacuate patients joining in the more than four hour long rescue efforts at the two hospitals.
FATHER CHRISTODOULOS KARATHANASIS, DIRECTOR, HOLY METROPOLIS OF ALEXANDROUPOLIS (through translator): We managed in just four and a half hours to transport 200 inpatients from both institutions, saving them from the threat of fire. Some were able to walk and others were bedridden.
BELL: Others were not so fortunate. The charred bodies of 18 people who Greek authorities say may have been migrants were found in a village to the north of the town by firefighters.
In Spain also wildfires burning beyond control in Tenerife with more than 12,000 people forced to flee their homes. The Spanish Prime Minister says the area will be declared a disaster zone as soon as conditions allow.
PEDRO SANCHEZ, SPANISH PRIME MINISTER (through translator): The next few hours are going to be very important. Let's hope that the weather helps us so that we can consider the fire stabilized in the next few hours or days. Hopefully the weather will be on our side.
BELL: As some parts of Europe, burn others are baking, with temperatures reaching record levels and heat warnings in more than 20 countries. French authorities say this could be the worst heat wave this summer. With a new record set Monday nationwide, some residents aren't hopeful to things can improve.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): I think is going to be worse than worse. It will increasingly get hotter and more frequent.
BELL: As loss, devastation and sweltering conditions returned to Europe for the third month in a row. Melissa Bell, CNN, Paris.
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HARRAK: But the extreme heats isn't just limited to Europe. CNN meteorologist Jennifer Gray has more on what conditions to expect in the days ahead.
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JENNIFER GRAY, CNN METEOROLOGIST (on camera): We have intense heat building across the globe mainly across Europe and Northern Africa as well as the U.S. so temperatures have been record breaking in both places with the heat really intensifying across France.
For Tuesday and Wednesday of course temperatures will finally start to ease by the time we get to the end of the week and the bulk of that heat will move east. So, over 100 record set or tied across France on Tuesday. In fact 19 departments across France were under heat related alerts those red alerts.
So we had 43.5 degrees across southern France on Tuesday so record shattering across the board but look at Paris we go to 32 on Wednesday, temperatures really start to back off 25 degrees by Friday that's really close to normal. Milan at 37 will drop just a couple of degrees by Friday, Madrid hitting 40 degrees.
Madrid will actually though start to fall actually below normal by Sunday. So temperatures really warm Wednesday, Thursday and even Friday but then we start to drop by the weekend even to below normal values.
So Rome 36, 37 degrees Wednesday and Thursday. And then temperatures really fall once again Monday and Tuesday with the help of some showers and even thunderstorms in the forecast.
Moving over to the U.S., this has been a steady trend across the summer the excessive heat anywhere from the gulf coast all the way up to the upper Midwest, where we have heat alerts in place.
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Highs on Wednesday will hit 37 degrees in Minneapolis, 38 in Omaha, 40 degrees in Dallas, 40 in Phoenix so temperatures are climbing there. Heat index, 46 degrees in Little Rock. This is the feels like temperature, it will feel like 44 Chicago, 46 in St. Louis, we could see more than 400 records broken. This is for maximum temperatures as well as warm minimum temperatures so the heat is going to continue for the next couple of days.
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HARRAK: All right, thanks to Jennifer Gray. Well, tropical storm or Franklin is gradually approaching the Caribbean threatening to unleash heavy rainfall in the region. It's expected to reach the southern coast of the island of Hispaniola in the coming hours bringing with it strong winds.
The Dominican Republic and Haiti have already issued tropical storm warnings. The U.S. National Hurricane Center is also warning of several inches of rain and storm surges that could lead to flooding and mudslides. Still ahead all eight people including six children have been rescued
from a dangling cable car in Pakistan. We'll have details of their 14- hour ordeal.
Plus, it's election day in Zimbabwe, where the opposition candidate is promising to leave the country out of poverty, but many are raising concerns about whether the votes will be fair.
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HARRAK: A bus crash in central Mexico has killed at least 16 people and injured 36. Officials say the bus was traveling on a highway when it collided with a tractor trailer. Prosecutors say they'll investigate what led up to the crash and whether anyone should be held liable. Local officials are committing state and federal resources to help support the victims.
And there's relief across Pakistan after eight people including six children were rescued from a cable car dangling hundreds of feet over Valley. Officials say they were traveling to school Tuesday when one of the cables snapped, leaving them stuck. They were finally rescued after a 14-hour ordeal. But as CNN's Ivan Watson reports, it was not an easy task for the rescuers.
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IVAN WATSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (through translator): A lone cable car hangs 900 feet over a ravine in a mountainous region of northwest Pakistan with six children and two teachers trapped inside. The students between ages 10 and 15 were on their way to school Tuesday when one of the cables snapped leaving the car dangling by a single cable over the valley below.
Officials say that the cable car had done multiple trips Tuesday before the cable broke partway through its journey. It was a race against time to save the passengers who were said to have no drinking water, two of them reportedly slipping in and out of consciousness.
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Pakistan's military scrambled to help save the group. But initial rescue attempts by helicopter failed after strong winds made the car too unstable. A large crowd on the mountainside watched in horror as the cable car was left tilted at a steep angle. Rescue personnel were able to give the passengers nausea medication after getting reports of the children vomiting. One child was also given heart medication according to officials.
The crowd cheered with joy as a Special Forces officer hanging from a helicopter carried one of the students safely away from the valley.
Several hours later, another two children were brought down with the help of local zip liners. One of the traps teachers aged 20 called a local broadcaster from the cable car.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): The authority should rescue all of us as soon as possible. The cable broke off.
WATSON: The situation grew dire as light fell and authorities were forced to pause helicopter rescues. So a makeshift stretcher was connected to a pulley. Soldiers and locals worked together, desperately pulling on the ropes until another student was brought down. And then another.
Their efforts finally paid off. After more than 14 hours, all eight passengers were brought to safety, a harrowing ordeal for children just trying to go to school.
WATSON: Some important context here, in some of these remote mountainous parts of Pakistan, these types of cable cars are a way to get around they tend to be privately owned. They can make a dramatic difference for people trying to get from one across a very steep valley. But again, they're privately owned and they've had safety issues in the past as recently as December of last year.
There were local media reports in Pakistan of another cable car that got stranded. Fortunately, 12 children on board that were successfully rescued. The interim prime minister in Pakistan has now called for a safety review of all of these cable cars. Ivan Watson, CNN, Hong Kong.
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HARRAK: And the polls are open this hour in Zimbabwe as the country votes in presidential and legislative elections. A live look for you very now as people are getting ready to cast their ballots. The economy, the main issue in this impoverished Southern African nation. Official numbers show inflation at 101 percent, although some economists say it's much higher food expensive and public hospitals short on medicine. The U.N. estimates about two-thirds of Zimbabweans are under the age of 25. And many of them looking for new leadership.
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TINOTENDA MANDIZHA, ZIMBABWE RESIDENT (through translator): I'm appealing with the authorities to hear our cries and address our concerns. Our cries are not being heard as young people. We do not have jobs.
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HARRAK: While the incumbent is 80-year-old Emmerson Mnangagwa, who has been in power since 2017. His party has been criticized for rights abuses and the U.S. State Department is urging free and fair elections.
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EMMERSON MNANGAGWA, ZIMBABWEAN PRESIDENT: We need more, more time for us to build our motherland. Zimbabwe's ready to scale implementation of social economy development for motherland. We had to lift people out of poverty in your quality of life.
(END VIDEO CLIP) HARRAK: The opposition candidates is 45-year-old Pentecostal preacher Nelson Chamisa. He's popular in Zimbabwe's capital and other cities and he's warning voters to be on the lookout for cheating in the election.
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NELSON CHAMISA, ZIMBABWEAN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Number one, Ms. Mnangagwa is not preparing to win. His breaking to weak. I told (INAUDIBLE) that his election in 2018, but this time I will not accept to allow him to steal the election again.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARRAK: Well, the polls are scheduled to be open for 12 hours with results expected within five days.
And here in the United States, Donald Trump is expected to surrender to authorities in Fulton County, Georgia on Thursday. The former president has agreed to a $200,000 bond in the election interference case and won't be kept in jail.
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Two co-defendants surrendered on Tuesday while two others are trying to have their cases moved to federal court. There are also new developments involving Trump's former personal attorney. CNN's Paula Reid has that.
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PAULA REID, CNN SENIOR LEGAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT (on camera): Rudy Giuliani is expected to meet with the Fulton County District Attorney on Wednesday. Giuliani is expected to travel to Georgia along with his longtime friend, former New York Police Commissioner Bernie Kerik. Now, Kerik is not an attorney, but he is an unindicted co-conspirator in this Fulton County case.
Kerik has been helping Giuliani and his search for an attorney, something that has proven challenging given that Giuliani currently has seven figures worth of unpaid legal bills, but it does appear that they have someone with a Georgia law license who will at least help them through the bond phase of this process.
It's unclear though, if he has retained someone who has agreed to represent him in this case, it is an open question about whether Giuliani can even afford a lawyer to represent him in this case.
Now, I'm also told by one source that Giuliani would like to get through the bond negotiations and his surrender before former President Trump shows up on Thursday. CNN has previously reported, Rudy has gone to former President Trump pleading with him to give him some help with his legal bills.
And as of now, Giuliani has only received a small portion of what he owes, and that was from a Trump affiliated political action committee, not from Trump himself. Paula Reid, CNN, Fulton County, Georgia.
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HARRAK: After months of deadlock, Thailand's parliament has chosen real estate tycoon Srettha Thavisin to be the country's new prime minister. It was the only candidate put forward by the populace Pheu Thai Party on Tuesday, securing 482 votes out of a possible 747.
Pheu Thai has or was the runner up in the May elections, but is now forming a government with pro military parties. After the election winner the progressive Move Forward Party was stifled by Thailand's conservative elites.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What kind of Prime Minister do you want to be?
SRETTHA THAVISIN, NEWLY ELECTED THAI PRIME MINISTER: The People's Prime Minister.
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HARRAK: Well, Srettha is a relative newcomer to politics having joined Pheu Thai just last year. He still needs to be endorsed by the king before he can officially take office.
While meanwhile, former Thai President Thaksin Shinawatra has been moved from prison to a police hospital after suffering chest tightness and high blood pressure. The 74-year-old returned to Thailand Tuesday after 15 years of self-imposed exile. Soon after his arrival, he was arrested and taken to the Supreme Court, which sentenced him to eight years in prison for corruption.
A doctor says Thaksin has a history of heart disease. He will remain under a 24 hour surveillance while in hospital.
Still ahead, members of Ukraine's elite sniper units speak to CNN in a rare interview about their dangerous missions on the frontlines, their story in their own words, next. Plus, violent clashes erupt in the occupied West Bank as authorities investigate claims that Israeli police shots an unarmed Palestinian back of the head.
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LAILA HARRAK, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome back to our viewers all around the world. I'm Laila Harrak. And you're watching CNN NEWSROOM.
The Japanese government says it is moving forward with its plan to release treated radioactive water from the Fukushima nuclear plant into the ocean beginning on Thursday. And that's drawing a mix reaction across the region.
Crowds gathered in Seoul on Tuesday to protest the move, and officially the South Korean government says it sees no scientific or technical problem with the plan though it does not necessarily agree or support it.
Critics say there is too much uncertainty around health and safety.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: South Koreans are anxious because we don't know what impact the nuclear contaminated water will have on human beings.
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HARRAK: Well meanwhile, Taiwan says it respects the professional opinion of the International Atomic Energy Agency which backed the planned release in July.
Hong Kong however will ban some Japanese seafood imports. And mainland China was much more critical of the plan.
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WANG WENBIN, SPOKESPERSON, CHINESE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS (through translator): The ocean is the common property of all mankind, Japan should not be allowed to dump nuclear polluted water as it likes.
China strongly urges Japan to revoke its wrong decision of dumping nuclear contaminated water into the sea, communicate with its neighbors in good faith, dispose of nuclear polluted water in a responsible manner, and accept strict supervision.
China will take all necessary measures to protect marine environment, food safety and public health.
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HARRAK: Ukraine's president is returning home after his European trip where he secured new promises of support from allies. Volodymyr Zelenskyy says several countries offered military aid, including armored vehicles and F-16 fighter jets.
Those jets will play a critical role in Ukraine's fight for air superiority over Russia. He also says he hopes European union members will pave the way for accession talks so Ukraine could join the bloc by the end of the year. Well, new video gives a glimpse into an elite Ukrainian sniper unit.
The thermal images show the snipers targeting Russian soldiers on the front lines.
Members of the unit spoke to CNN about their experiences and their approach to the war.
CNN's Nick Paton Walsh reports from Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine.
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NICK PATON WALSH, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: They're never seen and heard fire only once. Their targets just drop.
Ukraine's elite sniper unit from the security services, the SBU, are usually invisible. Like the U.S. Delta Force, chosen for fitness and intelligence; unlike Delta fighting for their homeland's survival for nearly 18 months.
They gave CNN a rare interview as they honed their sniper scopes to broadcast the damage they say they've been doing to Russian front lines.
"It's sniper terror," he says. "That's when we hit every target we spot. It demoralizes them and kills their will to do anything against us."
But it's not always one sided. Five weeks ago, they stumbled at night into a Russian recon group.
"We were in the gray zone between our lines," their commander says, "using a guide from another unit. But we ran into a Russian assault group doing pretty much the same thing as us, moving towards our front position. We opened fire. Our guide was wounded. We suppressed them, pulled him out, called in artillery and then watched them fall back with their wounded."
They do not always escape. Sasha knows that too well.
"I've lost many people," he says. "The best ones leave us first."
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WALSH: His upper lip folds in slightly from an injury when a large shell hit his chest, legs and face last March.
"It was unpleasant," he says, "but I had 16 operations to rebuild my bones and teeth and I got back into the fight."
Western help has kept them afloat, they say, this anti-armor Barrett sniper rifle, a donation used so often that its suppressor has come loose and detaches.
These machines and men working at a tempo they were probably not designed for. They know why they are here though.
"My son is growing up," Sasha says. He's little, but he already trains, already knows who the enemy is and that is Russia."
Hoping each single shot brings Russian defeat closer.
Nick Paton Walsh, CNN -- Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HARRAK: Iran has unveiled what it claims is a new advanced drone that has longer range, and travel capabilities. The government says the drone has a range of 2,000 kilometers or about 1,200 miles. Can fly for up to 24 hours and is capable of carrying guided bombs and air to surface missiles. The U.S. has accused Iran of providing an older version of the drone to Russia in its war against Ukraine. But Tehran denies that.
Here's what the Iranian president said during a ceremony to unveil the homemade drone.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
EBRAHIM RAISI, IRANIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): Any hand involved in aggression against Iran will definitely be cut off by our capable forces.
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HARRAK: Israeli border police say they are reviewing the details of a shooting in the occupied West Bank that left a Palestinian man in critical condition. A witness says that the man was unarmed when Israeli forces shot him in the back of the head.
More now from CNN's Hadas Gold in Jerusalem. And a warning, the report includes some disturbing images.
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HADAS GOLD, CNN JERUSALEM CORRESPONDENT: A violent few days across the occupied West Bank, leading to several deaths, putting an already tense region even further on edge.
It began Saturday when an Israeli father and son, who were in the Palestinian village of (INAUDIBLE) running errands were shot and killed while at a car wash. CCTV video being shared widely by Israeli media shows the moment the two were killed in a seemingly ambush style attack.
The shooter fled the scene and a massive manhunt is still underway by Israeli security forces trying to find that shooter. Now, while militant groups have praise that attack, no one has yet taken direct credit but as a result of the manhunt clashes have broken out in and around the town of Howa (ph) including in the Palestinian village of Beita, when Israeli security forces say they entered to apprehend what they called a wanted suspect and they said clashes broke out.
But during those clashes is when we see and also have learned from eyewitnesses that what appears to be an unarmed Palestinian man was shot in the head from the back.
We have videos of the moment he was shot, you can see that there is a group of men trying to help another man onto a stretcher and this man in white jogs down towards them when he is shot from behind and falls forward.
An eyewitness that CNN spoke to said that this man was not involved in the clashes and that he was unarmed at the time of his shooting. The Palestinian ministry of health saying that he is still in critical condition in hospital.
Now, the Israeli border police saying that the incident is under review, that the security forces were in the village of Beita to apprehend the wanted suspect, when they said violent riots broke out.
They said as the riots continued in intensity, they intensified their response which they said included live ammunition. And they acknowledge that hits were identified.
Also, an Israeli woman was shot and killed and another man was injured while they were driving south of Hebrat (ph) . That brings the total number of Israelis killed across the occupied West Bank on Saturday to three.
Now, overnight, the Israeli military saying that they had apprehended two suspects that they said were directly connected to that shooting. And during clashes that broke out in several other Palestinian villages while the Israeli military was going on arrest raids.
The militant group -- Palestinian Islamic Jihad said one of their fighters was killed in the clashes.
Now Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a statement alongside the Defense Minister said in a statement alongside the defense minister Yoav Gallant said that they are in the midst of what he called a terrorist onslaught that he directly blamed on Iran saying it's being financed and being carried out by Iran and its proxy.
He said that they are working around the clock to catch what he called murderers, and he said that all options are on the table.
Hadas Gold, CNN -- Jerusalem.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HARRAK: Still ahead, it's getting more expensive than ever to live la dolce vita in Italy. We'll take a look at how sky high prices and unexpected charges are affecting both visitors and locals alike and how you can avoid getting price gouged.
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HARRAK: Now to the World Cup kiss that's drawing criticism from around the world. Video from Sunday shows the head of the Spanish Football Federation kissing one of the players on the lips as he presents with her a gold medal.
Luis Rubiales submits he made mistake but says it was a spontaneous moment with no bad faith on his part. Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez disagrees.
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PEDRO SANCHEZ, SPANISH PRIME MINISTER (through translator): I believe that what we saw was an unacceptable gesture. I also believe that the apologies made by Mr. Rubiales are not enough.
I even believe that they are not adequate, and that therefore Mr. Rubiales must continue to take steps to clarify what we all saw through the media.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARRAK: The player, Jenny Hermoso initially seemed to laugh off the incident. The Football Federation later issued a statement from Hermoso saying the kiss was a natural gesture of affection and gratitude.
An Italian holiday maybe a priceless experienced, but this year will go down as one of the priciest in history after a slew of price gouging scandals that have affected tourists and locals alike.
Take for example the couple charged 2 euros just to cut their ham sandwich in half. Or the young mother charged to have her babies bottle heated in the microwave. And in northern Italy, tourists were charged two euros for, get this, an extra empty plate.
But it's not just restaurants and cafes driving up prices. High fuel and energy prices have also made matters worse.
For more on this, Giorgio Ferraguto joins me now. He is the director of the Italy Travel Company. So good to have you with us, Giorgio.
60 euros for two cups of coffee and a water, is there a problem of price gouging in Italy that needs to be addressed urgently?
GIORGIO FERRAGUTO, DIRECTOR, ITALY TRAVEL COMPANY: Hi, Laila. Well I think these are isolated episodes that of course we should all stigmatize. But I don't think it's a general behavior in restaurants in Italy.
So I think well, if it comes on the news, and there are three episodes, four episodes on maybe 20 million tourists then I would be happy to say that these are just episodes. Of course we have to stigmatize that.
HARRAK: So what can, or should the Italian tourism ministry do to protect tourists targeted by these outrageous rip-offs?
[01:44:48] FERRAGUTO: Well, I think it has to come from the same tourists that they have to report any strange episodes. If they are (INAUDIBLE) about to pay, not to pay. Just pay, and then report this to the local police.
And then I think after that, you know, local authorities can start to make some strong decision because this is affecting the entire country, our visibility, and our entire sector that is almost 10 percent of our (INAUDIBLE).
HARRAK: Essentially, you know, this is not just affecting tourists. I mean Italians themselves and you tell me are complaining that they can no longer afford vacations at home. So something is going on.
FERRAGUTO: Yes, I think the increase of inflation has eroded the purchasing power of tourists. And has forced companies to increase the prices upwards. We don't have to forget that while Italian cities remain popular less traditional destinations are experiencing a really significant growth in visits, let's say up to 20-30 percent.
So what I can recommend to tourists coming to Italy is try to avoid big cities and touristic cities next season and try to concentrate on smaller cities and villages that are beautiful.
HARRAK: All right. Do you have some tips for us?
FERRAGUTO: Sorry?
HARRAK: Do you have some tips for us. Some tips and tricks for us? Those who like to visit Italy.
FERRAGUOT: Yes. For example, near Rome you have beautiful UNESCO heritages that nobody visits. They are totally empty. Really good food on the Castelli Romani, Italian castle. You can find three UNESCO heritage. So Tivoli, that has two for example.
HARRAK: Now, obviously you know, on a serious note, you know, if prices are so high because of unnecessary charges, is there a risk that travelers will just stay away.
FERRAGUTO: Yes, there's a strong risk of actually this is putting the entire tourism sector in peril. We face a number of challenges including climate change, I think. As I said inflation.
I think despite everything. We are confident in our ability to adapt, and the resilience. I think Italy remains an unrivaled tourist destination and we will continue to work to ensure that it remains accessible and welcoming for all .
HARRAK: All right. As we all know Italy to be.
Giorgio Ferraguto, thank you so much for joining us.
FERRAGUTO: My pleasure.
HARRAK: And still to come, India poised to make history as it tries to land a spacecraft on the moon in the coming hours.
Plus, do you remember that disastrous Fyre Festival from 2017? Well, the founder is back and ready for part two. Details on ticket sales after the break.
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HARRAK: The Smithsonian is apologizing for how it amassed its vast collection of human remains. In a recent "Washington Post" op-ed, a top official from the museum addressed how the institution collected tens of thousands of body parts during the first half of the 20th century.
Lonnie Bunch wrote that they were largely taken from black and indigenous people, mostly without their consent. Well, this comes after a "Washington Post" investigation revealed that the Smithsonian's Natural History Museum is in possession of more than 30,000 human body parts from people in the Philippines, Peru, Germany and the United States.
After being closed off to the outside world for three years due to concerns about COVID, North Korea is once again allowing its planes to fly outside the country.
The first known international commercial flight from North Korea since January of 2020 landed in Beijing on Tuesday. North Korea also plans to resume flights to Russia on Friday.
Excitement is growing in India as the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft is just hours away from making a historic attempt to land on the moon.
If the mission is successful, it will make India the fourth country to land on the moon after the U.S., China and the former Soviet Union. People across India have been praying for a successful landing and schools will allow students to watch a live telecast of the event.
India's space research organization is already sharing stunning photos from the mission including a close-up of the moon's dusty gray terrain.
India's moon mission comes days after a Russian spacecraft crashed into the moon.
Joining us now from Houston Texas is retired NASA astronaut Leroy Chiao. Thank you so much for joining us. So good to have you with us. The Russian mission to the moon ended unfortunately in disappointment. What makes it so difficult to land a spacecraft on the lunar south pole?
LEROY CHIAO, RETIRED NASA ASTRONAUT: The south pole is a little more difficult than the equatorial regions because you have to make a series of corrections on the way there in order to get into that orbital plane to be able to set down on one of the poles. But nonetheless it is very difficult to land on the moon. There have
been a number of attempts and only a handful as you've pointed out have been successful.
To date, no commercial entity has successfully landed anything on the moon. Most recently, just a couple of months ago, a Japanese private commercial venture failed. And so it is just not something that is that easy to do.
HARRAK: Not that easy to do at all. Now India hopes to make history and land on the moon's south pole. If they pull it off what would it mean?
CHIAO: Well, this would be a huge accomplishment. As you said, just a couple minutes ago, the only countries that have successfully done it are the United States, Soviet Union and China.
China in fact still has an operational rover. The U2-2 on the far side of the moon is continuing operations. And so it'll be a big deal for India if they are indeed the fourth country in the world to be able to do so.
HARRAK: If India is not successful, what does it mean for the country's space exploration efforts?
CHIAO: Well, it would be a disappointment to India if they're not successful. However, they have been working in space for a number years. They've made steady progress. And the government has made a commitment for long term support and funding of their space program.
So they have done very well. They have their own plans for the next few years to fly their own astronauts into space. They've developed advanced rockets with cryogenic engines. So they are doing quite well. And even if they don't succeed in this landing, which I actually believe they will at this time. They will keep going.
HARRAK: Why is there such intense interest in the lunar south pole? What is the objective?
CHIAO: Well, the lunar south pole, parts of it are constantly in shade, that is the sun never shines on those areas. And so, the idea is perhaps there is water, ice in those areas which would be useful for a number of different things.
Of course, ice can be broken down into hydrogen and oxygen, for making a propellant, rocket propellant that can be used for other things.
And so NASA in particular is very interested in the south pole. There are also possibly some kind of mineral deposits there or higher concentrations of possibly valuable elements there.
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HARRAK: And how do all of these different missions impact the global space race that seems to be going on right now? And how high are the stakes for all these space agencies? CHIAO: Well, I think, you know, it is important. It is interesting and
exciting that all these countries are interested. There's kind of a renewed interest in the moon including the United States, of course, with the Artemis program.
You know, it's I think the space race might be a little bit of -- a little bit of an extension because, you know, all of the different countries are vying to put probes down there. And NASA of course, has very publicly said that they are going to go explore the moon. So is China, by the way.
But, it does not have the urgency of the space race, the race to the moon of the 1960s. But nonetheless, I think it is good that we have this competition because it spurs innovation. And it kind of keeps momentum going on the exploration.
HARRAK: And speaking of competition, what lessons can be learned from the missions that have not been successful?
CHIAO: So we always learn. People always learn from their failures, you know, it pretty much goes for anything in life, right.
But for space missions and aviation, aerospace, of course we learn from the failures we have had. We learn where we had problems in processing or improper use of materials, improper calculations, things like that and that helps us to do it better the next time. So it's always a continuous improvement cycle.
HARRAK: Leroy Chiao, thank you so much. Great talking to you.
CHIAO: My pleasure, thank you.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HARRAK: The founder of the disastrous 2017 Fyre Festival appears ready for round two. Billy McFarland, posted on Instagram that the first batch of tickets for Fyre Festival 2, yes you heard that right, has already sold out. He says the new events will take place in the Caribbean next year but a date hasn't been announced yet.
The original Fyre Festival in the Bahamas, as you might remember, ended in a complete disaster after performers backed out and attendees did not get the luxurious weekend that they had paid for.
MacFarland was sentenced to six years in prison after pleading guilty to charges of fraud and served nearly four years of that sentence. Fail once, try again.
That wraps up this hour of CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Laila Harrak.
Rosemary Church picks up our coverage after a quick break.
Do stay with us.
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