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CNN International: Slovakia's PM Remains In Intensive Care After Being Shot; Suspect Charged With Attempted Murder Of Slovakia PM; Worldwide Condemnation Over Attack On Slovak PM. Aired 8-9a ET
Aired May 16, 2024 - 08:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[08:00:10]
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, HOST, "CNN NEWSROOM": Hello, and welcome to our viewers all around the world. I'm Fredricka Whitfield, and this is the CNN Newsroom.
Straight ahead, at this hour Slovakia's Prime Minister remains in intensive care after an assassination attempt, as charges are laid against the suspect. We're live in Slovakia with the very latest. Plus, Chinese President Xi Jinping rolls out the red carpet for Russia's leader. Why Xi is looking to forge closer ties with Vladimir Putin now? And Michael Cohen back on the stand next hour for more cross-examination in Donald Trump's hush money trial. We'll take a closer look at Cohen's testimony so far.
All right. We begin with breaking news. CNN has just learned the man suspected of shooting Slovakia's Prime Minister Robert Fico has been charged with attempted murder. This is video of the alleged gunman being taken into custody following the attack. The country's Interior Minister says the man is not a member of an extremist group. His name still has not been released. Meanwhile, less than 24 hours after the attempt on his life, Prime Minister Fico remains hospitalized in intensive care. The 59-year-old was shot five times Wednesday after an offsite government meeting in the town of Handlova. No one else was hurt. Earlier, Fico's deputy gave an update on his condition.
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ROBERT KALINAK, DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER OF SLOVAKIA (Interpreted): The Prime Minister's condition has stabilized overnight. More steps are being taken to improve his health. The situation is really serious. His condition, unfortunately, continues to be very serious due to complicated injuries.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: CNN's Senior International Correspondent Fred Pleitgen joining me now from outside the hospital where the Prime Minister is being treated. So, what's the very latest on his condition? We understand he does remain in intensive care.
FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yeah. He certainly is still in the ICU unit, Fredricka. And from what we're hearing from the authorities is that his condition has somewhat stabilized but it is still quite serious. And as you just heard there, also from the deputy Prime Minister, of course, also still those injuries or those wounds very complicated that those teams were facing. But, all this really was apparently on knife's edge for an extended period of time. We saw some of that video yesterday of Prime Minister Robert Fico being rushed here to this hospital in the northern part of Slovakia after being shot, being taken there by a helicopter.
And what we're hearing now from the hospital here on the ground but also from the authorities, is they say that he required around five hours of surgery and that there were actually two teams who were involved in those surgeries, one of them being a specialized trauma team. Of course, one of the reasons why he was brought to this hospital specifically is because this is sort of the main hub hospital of this entire region of Slovakia. They do have an array of specialists who are capable with dealing with some pretty traumatic and some pretty complicated wounds, and certainly the ones that Robert Fico suffered, we're hearing from the authorities here, were extremely complicated, as they said, multiple gunshot wounds, requiring him to remain an ICU right now.
They do say that the condition has stabilized somewhat. But, of course, it is still a very delicate one and a very difficult one, as the authorities have been saying. Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: And then, Fred, what more do we know about this suspect, and what investigators are zeroing in on?
PLEITGEN: Yeah. We just had the authorities, actually a couple of minutes ago, come out with some new details. They still haven't named the suspect officially.
However, we do hear from media here and also from some others in this country that it appears to be a 71-year-old man who comes from the southern portion of Slovakia. And what the authorities are saying is that he had some disagreements with the government. That could have been a motive. They are charging him with attempted murder, as you had already just mentioned here in the lead into our live report. And they say that some of these disagreements revolved around the government wanting to get rid of the special prosecutor's office but also, of course, and this is quite key, disagreements with the government of Robert Fico cutting that aid to Ukraine as well. Of course, that giving all of this somewhat of an international dimension.
At the same time, the authorities, the Interior Minister, specifically just in a press conference a couple of minutes ago, came out and said very specifically that this was a lone wolf that he was not part of some sort of a network, and therefore acted on his own. It's been quite interesting, because one of the things that we have to keep in mind about Slovakia is that the society here does have some pretty deep divisions in it.
[08:05:00]
Of course, Robert Fico really was probably one of the reasons for that. There is big political divisions here among folks who are pro- Russian, who are anti-Russian, pro-EU or anti-EU. So, it is a difficult situation. But now, politicians from both sides of that divide have come together and called for unity, saying that things like this cannot happen. They acknowledged this was a lone wolf attack. But, they also acknowledged that there are some deep political divisions here inside that country and they don't want those to get out of control in the wake of this, Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: All right. Fred Pleitgen in Slovakia, keep us posted. Thanks so much.
All right. Reaction and condemnation of the assassination attempt is pouring in from around the world, including Russia. President Vladimir Putin calling the attack on Fico a quote "monstrous crime." Fico, a Kremlin sympathizer, won a third term as Prime Minister last October after running a campaign that criticized Western support for Ukraine.
CNN International Diplomatic Editor Nic Robertson is with us now covering that angle from London. So, what kind of reaction are we hearing from within Slovakia and around the world?
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Yeah. The Slovakia reaction has been very, very clear from the senior politicians, and that is there are political divisions in this country. Don't manipulate them. Don't put out fake information on social media or in the media, and don't act in anger. We can have political differences. That's a message that's emerging.
Look, Fico had done sort of a foreign policy U-turn when he took over. Fred mentioned their decision not to send weapons to Ukraine. And so, that could have been one of the first sort of stump up and send fighter jets in the very early days of Russia's invasion. So, this is a monumental shift in foreign policy, but it's some of the domestic ways that the Prime Minister Fico had been trying to take control of the country, undermining the authority of the judiciary, removing the special prosecutor, removing that position completely. The special prosecutor was overseeing high level corruption and bribery cases of which some members of Fico's party are implicated, and remembering that he stepped down from office under a cloud and was later charged with allegations of corruption himself.
So, there are elements here that really divide the population, the idea that the government should be wanting to try to take -- Fico's government should want to take more control of the public broadcaster. These are the things that officials are now citing were the reasons why this 71-year-old man from southern Slovakia actually shot the Prime Minister. So, I think in the country, the reaction is recognition that this is a Prime Minister who is divisive. There have been peaceful, big protests over recent weeks on the streets, and in the minds of government officials, and I think look to the President and her replacement.
The President is sort of politically the polar opposite of Fico. The new President, incoming, is from Fico's party and really kind of cements that party's grip on power. But, both of them standing side by side and talking about, again, not rising up in anger, but the sense of frustration and anger on this -- that has existed over these changes, I think that's the root of what we're hearing more broadly coming from Slovakia.
WHITFIELD: And then, Nic, tell me more about this divisiveness. We heard Slovakian ministers blaming this on political divisions within the country. What more can you tell us about the motivation or what may have fueled something like this?
ROBERTSON: Yeah. Fico is widely -- sort of widely supported in the more rural parts of Slovakia, perhaps more among the more elderly population, whereas the younger population tends to sort of turn and embrace more pro-European values. That would be a sort of an oversimplification. But, look at the outgoing President. She was pro- EU, pro-European. Fico is an outlier in terms of the EU. And so, the way that he has come to power as a populist is riding on the back of a populist message to throw out and change those previous values, and that sort of underscores what is the tension between these sort of two tectonic plates of political thinking.
They have never, never sat well together in many countries that we've witnessed, where there had been tensions. But, I think Slovakia really at this moment, in time for Slovakia, while Fico has only recently come back into office and is executing this U-turn in foreign policy and some quite draconian changes that will give his party greater control in the country.
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This is what I think -- this is where the root of the divisions are. Of course, they're more historic than that, but that's where they lie today.
WHITFIELD: All right. Nic Robertson in London, thank you so much.
All right. Chinese President Xi Jinping rolled out the red carpet for an old friend on Thursday. Russia's President Vladimir Putin is in Beijing for a two-day state visit. The two leaders have met more than 40 times over the course of their leadership and often tout their close personal friendships. They have already signed a joint declaration to deepen their strategic partnership. Mr. Putin says he welcomes Chinese car production in China. The comments coming after the U.S. says it will hike China's tariffs. The two leaders are hoping to show the world that China and Russia are very close and are only growing closer.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
XI JINPING, CHINESE PRESIDENT (Interpreted): Over the past 75 years, China and Russia have joined hands to build a brand new road of neighborly great power, mutual respect, harmonious coexistence, and win-win cooperation.
VLADIMIR PUTIN, RUSSIAN PRESIDENT (Interpreted): For the past five years, despite the aftermath of the pandemic, there were some actions from third-party countries directed at containing our development. The trade between Russia and China is growing at a good pace. (END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: Marc Stewart joins us now from Beijing. So, what is the significance of this visit?
MARC STEWART, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi there, Fredricka. So much of this is about symbolism. You mentioned that red carpet welcome. We've seen so much military pageantry, but the photo op alone is a way for these two men to show the world that Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin are not only friends but that China and Russia share this view of a "no limits" partnership between these two nations. But, beyond that, it's also a snub of sorts to the West and to the United States.
Let's talk about how this could evolve, how this relationship could evolve, especially when it comes to the war in Ukraine. We've noticed that Xi Jinping is taking a lot of care to not take a side in this conflict, saying that China is an impartial neutral party. We have seen Xi Jinping call for peace talks. We've also seen Xi Jinping, despite accusations by the West of providing military support, indirect military support to Russia, he has made these denials. There is a school of thought at least from one analyst I've talked to here in China that perhaps Xi Jinping is going to try to take this relationship to China's favor and perhaps even trying to broker a peace deal between China and Ukraine.
Let's listen to some remarks incurred from Xi Jinping from earlier today.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JINPING (Interpreted): The Chinese side looks forward to the early restoration of peace and stability on the European continent, and will continue to play a constructive role to that end.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
STEWART: So, these two leaders are really going to try to double down this relationship with perhaps China using it to its disadvantage. And Fredricka, I should point out that Vladimir Putin did not come here alone. He brought with him a delegation of top defence and security officials as well.
WHITFIELD: That underscores that it is about more than just politics, right, because we are talking about some big money at stake. How much do China and Russia really need each other?
STEWART: Big money, Fredricka. No question. Look, I don't want to bore people so early in the morning with a bunch of statistics. But, let me show you on the screen about just how this economic relationship has grown. If we look back to 2018, before the pandemic, when we look at Russia-U.S. trade in U.S. dollars, about $107 billion. Well now, last year, that has more than doubled to $240 billion, and a lot of it is because Russia has been cut off from the West. So, what's happening is that Russia is buying key Chinese consumer goods, things like cars, like phones, and Russia in turn -- or I'm sorry, China in turn is buying things like fuel and energy from Russia. So, it's very much a mutually agreeable relationship in every sense of the word, strategically, militarily, philosophically, and of course, economically.
WHITFIELD: All right. Marc Stewart, thank you so much, from Beijing.
All right. Back here in the U.S., the defense will get another shot at Donald Trump's self-proclaimed former fixer when court resumes next hour. Michael Cohen is the prosecution's star witness in Trump's criminal hush money trial. The defense is trying to chip away at his credibility. If the defense wraps up today, prosecutors say they are ready to move to closing arguments. There is no court tomorrow. So, Trump can attend his son's high school graduation.
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For a preview of today's court proceedings, CNN's Brynn Gingras is joining us right now. Brynn, what's expected in terms of the defense and its focus today?
BRYNN GINGRAS, CNN U.S. NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yeah. So, Fred, on Tuesday, when Michael Cohen was on the stand, the defense had about two hours to question him, and it was so much of an attack-dog approach. And really, Todd Blanche, the defense attorney, was sort of kind of a little bit all over the place with his questions. We're hearing today when he begins, it'll be more zeroed in on basically trying to point out things that Michael Cohen has said in the past, sometimes under oath, and showing out and trying to point out contradictions for the jurors. Remember, they're still just trying to chip away at his credibility. So, some doubt into jurors' minds, considering, like you said, Cohen is the prosecution's star witness.
We're also understanding that they're trying to basically bring up conversations that Michael Cohen has had with Donald Trump about the hush money payments, and draw out some possible contradictions from that. So, we'll see how that goes. We're understanding he will be on the stand for quite a bit today. It's possible, like you said, no court tomorrow, he'll be back on the stand when court resumes on Monday. We're still trying to figure out exactly how long this is going to take, as one of the sources told my colleague Kara Scannell, there is a -- it takes a long time to get through all the lies in reference to Michael Cohen. So, that's what's on tap for today.
We also know the defense is going to be asking the judge about what can be admissible if they were to call a certain expert witness based on some pretrial motion -- pretrial rulings that the judge had made. So, it does appear they want to bring one witness at least possibly forward for their own defense, but that's still unclear who they're going to call when the defense has it's turned. But, like you said, the prosecution could be resting maybe today, probably more likely on Monday.
WHITFIELD: All right. Brynn Gingras, thank you so much for that. Appreciate it.
All right. All right. Still to come, ahead, we talk with the former Manhattan prosecutor about how he thinks Michael Cohen has done so far in Trump's criminal hush money trial. Stay tuned. Also ahead, more Palestinians are fleeing Rafah amid Israeli operations in the southern city. A live report next.
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WHITFIELD: Israel says its operation in eastern Rafah is limited in scope, even as Palestinians flee the southern Gaza City in droves. The UN says about 600,000 people have flood Rafah. Satellite images show thousands of tents have disappeared after the Israeli military ordered people to evacuate the city last week. Fierce fighting is underway in the north where the IDF says five Israeli soldiers were killed as a result of friendly fire. The fighting comes as Israel's Defense Minister asked the Prime Minister to lay out his post-war plans for Gaza. Yoav Gallant says he opposes Israeli rule in the Palestinian enclave.
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Let's bring in now CNN's Jeremy Diamond, who is joining us now live from Jerusalem. Jeremy, so, what more do we know about this deadly friendly fire incident?
JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, it is certainly not the first friendly fire incident for Israeli troops in Gaza, but it is quite a significant one. Five Israeli troops were killed in this single incident after an Israeli tank fired on a building where these troops were stationed. These were all paratroopers between the ages of 20 and 22. The Israeli military spokesman Colonel Nadav Shoshani said that the soldiers were operating in a quote, "dense and very complicated area". This is an incident that the Israeli military is indeed expected to further investigate.
All of this comes, of course, amid very intense fighting in the area where these soldiers were killed. That's the Jabalia refugee camp in northern Gaza. And what's especially significant about the fighting there is that Israeli troops battled Hamas there in the early days of the war, some of the most intense fighting, but after they believed that they had defeated Hamas in that area, the Israeli military withdrew from there. And now, months after that withdrawal, Israeli troops being sent back in there because Hamas has sought to re- establish a foothold. General "Herzi" Halevi, the top Israeli general, saying that the Israeli military is increasing pressure on Hamas in Gaza, in particular in Jabalia, and he said that the Israeli troops will not allow Hamas to rebuild itself.
WHITFIELD: And then, Jeremy, this long-awaited pier to bring humanitarian aid in Gaza, it's almost operational, according to the Pentagon. What kind of impact might it have in terms of how deliveries will be carried out inside Gaza?
DIAMOND: Well, Fred, this has been a process weeks in the making, the U.S. military, the primary group to be building this pier, and they have been building it for weeks now. And now, that floating Pier has been anchored to the beach in Gaza. That happened this morning, around 7:40 a.m. local time. The U.S. military says that trucks carrying aid are expected to begin
moving ashore in the coming days. The United Nations will be receiving the assistance on land in Gaza and handling the distribution of it. And we'll see the number of trucks that they can work up to. We're told that this could be around 90 trucks a day at the beginning of this process, and perhaps even rising all the way up to 150 trucks per day. That is very significant in terms of the kind of aid that could get into Gaza, particularly at a time when we have witnessed that the Rafah border crossing between Israel -- or rather, between Gaza and Egypt has been closed for the last week and a half now. That reopening of that crossing is being stalled amid ongoing negotiations between Israel and Egypt following an Israeli military offensive that captured that crossing last week.
And so, there is no question that this is a moment where more aid crossings need to be opened, more aid needs to be getting into Gaza, and certainly this pier and this new maritime route will certainly contribute to upping the aid at a time when it's most needed. Fred.
WHITFIELD: All right. Jeremy Diamond, thanks so much.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with military officials in Kharkiv city on Thursday amid major Russian offensive in the region. Zelenskyy says the situation there remains extremely difficult, but that Ukrainian units in the area are being strengthened.
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This was the scene in Ukraine's northeast on Wednesday, as troops fired at Russian positions outside Kharkiv. Heavy fighting has gripped areas near the border since Friday when Russia launched a surprise cross-border assault. Mr. Zelenskyy says the fighting is ongoing and won't lead to defensive gaps elsewhere.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT (Interpreted): In the Kharkiv region, the areas near the border are defensive. Actions are continuing. The occupier is being destroyed by all means. Artillery, drones and our infantry are working quite accurately.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken wrapped up his visit to Kyiv. On Wednesday, he announced the U.S. will provide an additional $2 billion in military financing for Ukraine.
CNN's Nick Paton Walsh has more now from Kharkiv, Ukraine.
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NICK PATON WALSH, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: It really is perhaps some of the darkest days for the Ukrainian military since the early moments of the invasion over two years ago. Now, we have seen a sustained five days of Russian military operations and advances north of where I'm standing here in the second city of Kharkiv. Behind me, startlingly blacked out, as we occasionally hear blasts in the night.
[08:25:00]
The city itself, it seems, intermittently targeted to by a missile in the last hours as well. But, it's to the border towns, to its north, where Russia appears to be seeing progress. Ukraine's military saying they had indeed chosen more favorable positions in the key town of Vovchansk. That's probably a euphemism for a tactical withdrawal up there. A local police chief saying they can now hear gunfire, street battles inside that town, essentially a sign the Russian military has moved in. A local we saw evacuated this afternoon, said that she'd been in her basement as the town burned around her for the past days. But, Russian troops were indeed in the street next to her.
So, key progress clearly there. The Russian Ministry of Defense say that extends to nearly a double digits worth of villages in that area, but ultimately, they seem to be wanting to push further down to get their military artillery guns in range of this huge population center. Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy canceling his forthcoming travel abroad. Remember, part of his job is going to allies, asking for better weaponry faster. He also used his speeches there to reassure Ukrainians that the intense Russian activity they're having to try and counter to the north isn't going, necessarily leave them weaker in other areas of the frontline, where we have also seen significant losses by Ukraine and Russia moving forwards in the past weeks.
It's been difficult for them in the east too, and there are also suggestions that in the south, maybe some elements of Russian progress too. All of this coming as Moscow sees this really to make the best use militarily of a window now before U.S. military aid begins to arrive in the hands of Ukrainian soldiers. It's been the absence of that munition, of that equipment that has enabled them to get to this position and lose territories to Russia already.
And so, an acutely dark moment for Kyiv, certainly one which Russia has matched with extraordinary levels of firepower and manpower across the frontlines, making good, it seems, on Ukraine's moment of weakness here.
Nick Paton Walsh, CNN, Kharkiv, Ukraine.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: All right. Now to France where an intense manhunt is in its third day for a fugitive known as "The Fly". More than 350 investigators are looking for Mohamed Amra, a 30-year-old convicted drug trafficker. Police say he escaped from a prison convoy on Tuesday after gunmen ambushed the van that was transporting him. Two prison guards were killed and others were wounded. Across France, thousands of prison guards staged a symbolic 24-hour shutdown of jails in support of their slain colleagues.
Alright. Still to come, Michael Cohen returns to the witness stand next hour for another bruising day of cross-examination in Donald Trump's criminal hush money trial. The strategy the defense plans to take, straight ahead. Plus, we now have a date for the first U.S. presidential debate. It is next month, before the conventions. We will tell you exactly when and where, straight ahead.
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[08:30:00]
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WHITFIELD: After a combative cross-examination on Tuesday, Donald Trump's former so- called fixer will be back testifying in about an hour. Defense attorney Todd Blanche tried to paint Michael Cohen as a liar, who hates Trump, and wants to see him locked up. Trump's defense team plans to continue to chip away at Cohen's credibility. Prosecutors say they're ready for closing arguments. No court session tomorrow. So, Trump can attend his youngest son's high school graduation.
Let's bring in Jeremy Saland, who is here to talk about it. He is a former Manhattan prosecutor. Good to see you, Jeremy. So, let's talk about -- or what we can talk about in terms of strategy. When the defense first got a crack at Cohen, attorney Todd Blanche made it personal, asking of Cohen's criticism of him. Which direction does the defense need to take today?
JEREMY SALAND, FORMER MANHATTAN PROSECUTOR: I think the direction they're going to take or need to take is built on the fact that Michael Cohen is a demonstrable liar, not just someone you may not trust, but is actually and affirmatively lied and admitted to lie. He lied to the judge when he was sentenced. He told a different story to Judge Engoron by sentence, I mean, in federal court. He has come here today or the past couple of days and told him another story and tried to change the story about the taxes in his IRS and lies to his wife. So, this is a person who has a demonstrable history of not telling the truth. And you add on to that there is an agenda and a vendetta. He can't be trusted. Let's make it about Michael Cohen. He is trying to take the jury away from the falsifying business records. I don't like Michael Cohen. You can't trust the case and you can't trust the District Attorney's Office on the whole matter.
WHITFIELD: Might that also backfire, because as part of the job, Michael Cohen has explained is lying on behalf of the former President. So, won't prosecutors want to zero in on that if they choose to redirect?
SALAND: Well, I think that part is fair because you don't catch the big bag early. You don't catch the big bad guy unless you're immersed in hands on and knee deep in it. So, you would expect that the guy who knows the most, who is not just the fly on the wall but is an active participant, is also going to be the guy who has dirty hands himself. So, it is, yes, it is a double-edged sword and prosecutor is going to try to rehabilitate Michael Cohen in that way. But, some of it you can, meaning some of it is, yes, he lied. You may not like him. You may not want your daughter to date him. You may not want him to be your brother-in-law. But, nonetheless, this is who we have ad and trust what he says because we also have documents to corroborate.
WHITFIELD: And so far, overall, what kind of impact do you think this trial has had on jurors? And does everything seem to ride on Michael Cohen's believability, his documents?
SALAND: I don't think it rides on Michael Cohen's believability. But, because he is the center show to all this, he is the sort of under the big tent here, the big top, pardon me. I think a lot of it is going to be looking at him, because remember, looking at business records, which this case really is, is fairly boring. It's not mundane. It's not really something someone is not really interested in. So, by default, what catches their attention is Michael Cohen, is Stormy Daniels, the most salacious parts, but they're also in many ways the weakest parts.
WHITFIELD: All right. Jeremy Saland, great talking to you. Thank you so much.
SALAND: You as well.
WHITFIELD: All right. U.S. President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump don't agree on much, but on Wednesday, they suddenly agreed to set the presidential debate schedule ahead of the crucial election in November. They will face each other for their first debate in late June on CNN, from our studios right here in Atlanta. The second debate will be on the ABC network in September.
CNN's Jeff Zeleny has details.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: Well, make my day, pal. I'll even do it twice.
JEFF ZELENY, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): With those words today, President Biden formerly challenged and Donald Trump quickly accepted two presidential debates, with their first face-to-face encounter now set for late next month on CNN. The June 27th showdown, followed by a second one on September 10th on ABC would become the earliest presidential debates in memory, a sign that both rivals are eager to appear side by side to gain advantage in their historic rematch.
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After weeks of taunting from Trump, who often deploys an extra podium as a prop --
DONALD TRUMP (R), FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT AND 2024 PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: That's the Joe Biden. I'm trying to get him to debate.
ZELENY (voice-over): -- the Biden campaign sought to gain the upper hand in the debate over debates in a video today.
BIDEN: Donald Trump lost two debates to me in 2020. Since then, he hadn't shown up for a debate. Now he is acting like he wants to debate me again. So, let's pick the dates, Donald. I hear you're free on Wednesdays.
ZELENY (voice-over): That message, a not-so-veiled reference to the former President's criminal trial now underway in New York. Court is not in session on Wednesdays. Even as he accepted two debates, Trump called for more.
VOCIE OF TRUMP: I really think he has to debate. He might as well get it over with, probably should do it early so that he can, you know, he is not going to get any better.
ZELENY (voice-over): Televised debates have long been a storied part of presidential campaigns, with history-making moments for candidates.
RONALD REAGAN, 40TH U.S. PRESIDENT: I am not going to exploit, for political purposes, my opponent's youth and inexperience.
ZELENY (voice-over): But, American history offers no modern day guide for a sequel to this.
TRUMP: Because they want to give good healthcare.
CHRIS WALLACE, FOX NEWS HOST: If I may ask my question, sir.
BIDEN: Will you shut up, man?
TRUMP: Listen, who is on your list? Did you use the word smart? So you said you went to Delaware State, but you forgot the name of your college.
BIDEN: You're the worst president America has ever had. Come on.
ZELENY (voice-over): As their 2024 contest intensifies, Biden and Trump are both hoping to keep the debate stage free of third-party candidates like Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., who blasted his rivals, saying they are trying to exclude me from their debate because they are afraid I would win. Advisors to Biden and Trump have been working behind the scenes in an effort to bypass the Commission on Presidential Debates. The group has organized such forums since 1988, and had three presidential and one vice presidential debate already set for this fall. In a statement today, the Commission said the American public deserves substantive debates. We will continue to be ready to execute this plan.
ZELENY: The Biden campaign is eager to have American voters focusing on this race in a side-by-side comparison with former President Donald Trump. They believe that that is a strong position for them because voters, they hope, will view this as a choice between the two candidates, not simply a referendum on the Biden administration. Of course, that is very much an open question. But, one Biden advisor said that this race is quote "stubbornly stable". They are trying to shake this race up and they hope a debate in June, is the best way to do it.
Jeff Zeleny, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE) WHITFIELD: All right. Another high-profile trial is set to resume in New York in the next hour. It is day two of opening statements in the bribery case against U.S. Senator Bob Menendez. He has been charged with acting as a foreign agent on behalf of Egypt and taking bribes of gold bars, a car and more. On Wednesday, his attorneys told the jury there was no bribery scheme, and that the gold bars found at his home belonged to his wife, who is set to go on trial in July.
CNN's Jason Carroll is live for us outside the court in New York. Good morning to you, Jason. So, Senator Menendez's attorney laid out the opening statement yesterday. What did that tell us about the key pillars of the defense -- their defense in this case?
JASON CARROLL, CNN U.S. NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, they really did, and they're putting things squarely at the feet of Senator Menendez and his wife, saying the following about Senator Menendez, saying that what he did was he put greed first, that he put power up for sale. Prosecutor Lara Pomerantz also saying that this was not politics as usual. This was politics for profit, and that he used his wife, Senator Menendez used his wife Nadine as a go between as a way to accept these rights.
And she laid it out this way. She said the following. She said "He was powerful. He was also corrupt. For years, Robert Menendez betrayed the people he was supposed to serve by taking bribes. And what was his price? She said gold bars, cash for his wife, and a job for his wife." Now, of course, she is referring to those gold bars and the hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash that was found at Senator Menendez's home in New Jersey, stuffed into clothing and into other areas.
The defense knew that they really had to address this and address it right away and they did in the opening statements. Avi Weitzman said the following. He said "Look, I need to address when he called the Green and Gold elephant in the room", saying to jurors "Look, I know this looks fishy, but there is a reasonable and innocent explanation for all of this." And he said the following. He said this about Nadine Menendez. "She wasn't going to let Bob know that she had financial problems so she tried to get cash and assets any way she could. But kept Bob sidelined. Nadine made sure Bob was kept out of conversations including money.
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In this case we need to figure out where is Bob?" of course, making a reference to where is Waldo there.
He also went on to tell jurors that there is nothing directly linking Senator Menendez to these alleged bribes, no emails, he says, no phone calls, no text messages. So, again, at least this far -- at least so far we know that they're going to lay part of this blame squarely at the feet of Nadine Menendez, that if there was any wrongdoing, and they're not saying that there was, but if there was, Senator Menendez didn't know anything about it. And as you know, Nadine Menendez, her trial begins in July. Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: So, Jason, what more likely for today? Can you hear me OK? CARROLL: Now I can hear you.
WHITFIELD: OK. Hi, Jason. So, what is expected today? Might we see a couple of first or two witness?
CARROLL: Well, we're going to continue with opening statements. The opening statements today will be coming from defense attorneys representing the two other co-defendants in this case, Wael Hana and Fred Daibes. These are the two New Jersey associates, the two New Jersey businessmen that prosecutors say were working in tandem with the Egyptian government, the Qataris, to facilitate these bribes. So, we're going to be hearing from opening statements from their two attorneys today.
WHITFIELD: All right. More opening statements. Very intense day. Thank you so much, Jason Carroll.
All right. Still to come, taken to safety but still traumatized by war. We meet Palestinians who were medically evacuated from Gaza to Qatar. Their powerful voices are coming up right here on CNN.
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WHITFIELD: Tensions are high in the French territory of New Caledonia where nearly 200 people have been arrested amid anti-government protests.
CNN's Ivan Watson has more on the history of the territory and the cause of the unrest.
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IVAN WATSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): An island paradise in turmoil. In the South Pacific, the French territory of New Caledonia erupting in violence for the third straight day Wednesday. Pro-independence protesters clashed with security forces, leaving shops, cars, homes burned. Mostly, young demonstrators are protesting against a vote held over 10,000 miles away.
In Paris on Tuesday. France's National Assembly passed changes to voting laws in New Caledonia. The aim of the legislation, to open up voter lists to French residents who've been in New Caledonia for 10 years.
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Local independence activists believe new voters want the Pacific Archipelago to stay with France, which has ruled the island since the 19th century.
DENISE FISHER, FMR. AUSTRALIAN CONSUL-GENERAL IN NOUMEA, NEW CALEDONIA: The kind of people who are objecting to that, not just because it's been decided in Paris without them, but also they feel that they wanted to be part of a negotiation, a whole negotiation, which would include another self-determination vote.
WATSON (voice-over): The French government wants more talks with the independence leaders before the voting rules are formally changed.
GABRIEL ATTAL, FRENCH PRIME MINISTER (Interpreted): Our priority is to find a global political agreement, the broadest possible political agreement with the separatists and the non-separatists, which will allow us to move forward and write the future of New Caledonia.
WATSON (voice-over): Leaders of the independence movement are calling for an end to the violence, which has turned deadly. For the first time, deaths reported by the President's office, as gunfire erupted between rioters and security forces.
FISHER: The last two days, we've seen violence of a scale we haven't seen for 30 years in New Caledonia. It is kind of marking the end of 30 years of peace in New Caledonia.
WATSON (voice-over): New Caledonia has had the chance to vote for independence. Three recent referendums all resulted in the decision to remain with France. That's done little to defuse tension between some residents of New Caledonia and the government in Paris.
Ivan Watson, CNN.
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WHITFIELD: All right. Meantime, Palestinian evacuees in Doha who have escaped the horrors of the conflict are trying to find some semblance of normality.
CNN's Jomana Karadsheh spoke to some of them.
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JOMANA KARADSHEH, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Far from a place of death and destruction, Gaza's children trying to be children again. But, everywhere you look here, you see the real cost of a war, Israel says is against Hamas, what the UN has called a war on children. So many injured little ones, so many who have lost limbs. Mahmud can no longer ride a bike. The nine-year-old lost both his arms in an Israeli strike. He is one of hundreds of children evacuated by Qatar for medical treatment. Mahmud is finding ways of living a childhood shattered. He shows off how he has learned to use his feet to play video games. I want to fulfill my dreams. I want to be a journalist and a pilot, he says. The once independent child now needs his mother to feed him, dress him and take him to the toilet.
I asked what makes him so resilient. Because I'm from Gaza, because I'm Palestinian, he says. Nothing can stop me. Most children here like Mahmud don't want to talk about their injuries. They found sanctuary in this unlikely place. A compound Qatar built for World Cup fans, now turned into housing for nearly 2,000 Gaza evacuees, most of them women and children. It's a safe space to deal with the trauma of war and offers us a firsthand glimpse into the suffering, which Israel has forced us to cover from afar by preventing international journalists from freely accessing the Enclave.
In this room, women gather for a session of Palestinian embroidery. It's therapy, a distraction. But, how could anyone forget what they've been through and all they've lost? Alma quietly sits watching her grandma doing embroidering, her wounded mother is in hospital, her injured father still in Gaza.
MONA AL-ROUBI, GRANDCHILDREN KILLED IN GAZA (Interpreted): I didn't expect Alma to survive. She had a fractured skull, an amputated leg, shrapnel in her back, and a broken arm.
KARADSHEH (voice-over): Like many children, Alma has lost more than her leg. The blast that maimed her, took her eight-month-old sister Sham who died in her arms, and her six-year-old brother Ahmed. I am sad about my brother and sister Alma. Choking back tears. Can't say anymore. Everyone in this room is missing loved ones, those gone and those they've had to leave behind, weighed down by grief and guilt. They tell us they deprive themselves of food and sleep.
SOHEIR ISSA, SONS KILLED IN GAZA (Interpreted): I've been sleeping on a couch. How can I sleep on a bed when my sons are sleeping in a tent and on sand? How can I eat when my children are hungry?
KARADSHEH (voice-over): Soheir's three children and husband are in Rafah. Like others, she desperately wants to get them out.
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She shows us pictures of what used to be home where she was injured, where she lost her mother, six-year-old niece, and two of her sons, all killed in a strike, she says, while they were sleeping. She gleams with pride talking about her boys. 16-year-old Sharif was top of his class. Mahmud had just gotten a scholarship to study medicine abroad.
ISSA (Interpreted): Israel left no dreams. I now find myself thinking I wish I had let my sons take up arms instead of dying like this.
KARADSHEH (voice-over): Soheir says she raised her boys to never carry weapons, to serve their people through their education.
ISSA (Interpreted): I want to tell them, you destroy the people. The mothers, you created more hatred. I used to feel for them, with the hostages, as a mother who has lost her children. If I could avenge my son's death, I would do it myself.
KARADSHEH (voice-over): Memories and photos, all she has left of them.
ISSA (Interpreted): When I go to sleep at night, I put my arms like this. I imagine I'm hugging Mahmud and Sharif, hugging my mother.
KARADSHEH (voice-over): Pain in this place is palpable. Those who've made it out may have escaped the war. But, there is no escaping the everlasting scars it leaves behind.
Jomana Karadsheh, CNN, Doha.
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(COMMERCIAL BREAK) WHITFIELD: All right. Now to a competition for all the couch potatoes out there, no running, jumping or physical activity of any kind required. You simply sit and space out. But, contestants say doing nothing for a while actually does the body good.
Here is CNN's Hanako Montgomery.
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HANAKO MONTGOMERY, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A crowd gathering, media jostling for the best spot to catch sight of a fierce competition among more than 100 people in South Korea recently. They are rivaling each other in Seoul's annual Space-Out Competition, where contestants have to zone out for 90 minutes without falling asleep or checking their phones. The winner gets determined based on audience votes and competitors' heart rate. This year, more than 4,000 people applied to participate in the competition, the city government says. From an Olympic athlete to bakers, contestants came dressed in clothes that reflect their different professions.
KWAK YOON-GY, SHORT TRACK SPEED SKATER (Interpreted): I tried out for the Olympics five times and have never taken a proper rest while training for 30 years. I heard this place is where I can clear my mind and rest at least during this time. So, I came here thinking, wow, this is what I needed so much.
GU GA-HYEON, BAKER (Interpreted): While we stare out the oven, we see customers outside a window going out after buying bread, while we work in the hot heat. We're so tired and exhausted. So, we wanted to relax our mind.
MONTGOMERY (voice-over): This year marks the 10th anniversary of the competition that was founded by visual artist Woopsyang.
WOOPSYANG, VISUAL ARTIST (Interpreted): The Space-Out Competition overturns this social convention that spacing out is a waste of time in today's busy society and turns it into a valuable activity. This contest tells you that spacing out is no longer a waste of time, but a time that you really need.
MONTGOMERY (voice-over): Since its first competition in Seoul in 2014, the contest has expanded internationally, taking places in cities like Beijing and Tokyo.
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For this year's competition in Seoul, the winning trophy went to a freelance broadcaster Kwon So-a, who works multiple jobs.
KWON SO-A, FREELANCE BROADCASTER: I think especially here in Korea, it's such a competitive country where people think that if they do nothing that they are a little behind. So, I think everyone has to have their own pace and sometimes just slow down.
Hanako Montgomery, CNN.
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WHITFIELD: All right. Well, guess what? The NFL has released its schedule for the upcoming season, and one of the highlights is play outside the United States. Five international games, in fact, will be held in three countries. They include the first ever NFL game in South America, a week one contest between the Green Bay Packers and the Philadelphia Eagles at the Corinthians Arena in Sao Paulo, Brazil. It will also be the first Friday night game of the opening weekend in more than 50 years. Three games will be played in London and one game in Munich.
Thank you so much for joining me in the CNN Newsroom. I'm Fredricka Whitfield. Connect the World with Becky Anderson and Erica Hill is up next.
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