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More Evacuations from Northern Gaza; U.S. Election in Final Stretch; Getting Rid of Space Junk. Aired 3-4a ET

Aired October 20, 2024 - 03:00   ET

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


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[03:00:00]

ANNA COREN, CNN ANCHOR: Hello and welcome to our viewers watching around the world. I'm Anna Coren, live from Hong Kong.

Ahead on CNN Newsroom, Israel is ramping up attacks in Northern Gaza, causing another 20,000 Palestinians to leave the area. That's according to the United Nations.

16 days until election day in the U.S., and though millions have already voted, Kamala Harris and Donald Trump are making their last minute pitches to voters in battleground states.

And though space may appear infinite, part of it is being crowded with so called space junk. How one company aims to clear it away.

We begin with a message Israel is trying to send to the people in Gaza with a newly released video of their slain Hamas leader, Yahya Sinwar. Israel's military says this footage shows him and his family hiding in tunnels in Gaza just hours before last year's October 7th massacre in Israel. According to the IDF, the video proves Sinwar valued his own well being over that of the people in Gaza, which Hamas calls a blatant lie.

Meanwhile Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says Saturday's drone attack on his home was a bitter mistake. He's blaming what he calls Iranian agents for the attack, which did not cause any casualties. Tehran is denying any direct role and says Hezbollah was behind the operation. The militant group has not claimed responsibility.

In the U.S., an investigation is underway into the leak of highly classified intelligence about Israel's plans to retaliate against Iran. Well, that's from sources familiar with the matter after classified documents were posted on social media in recent days. They contain information about Israel's Air Force drills and plans to move its munitions.

In Gaza, about a dozen people have been killed in three separate strikes and shelling in different parts of the enclave, according to Gaza officials. The Israeli military confirms ongoing operations in several parts of Gaza, with the most intense appearing to be in the north. The U.N. says another 20,000 Palestinians have been forced to flee Northern Gaza as the fighting intensifies.

Well, Nada Bashir is following those developments and joins us now from London. Nada, we are getting a high death toll, reports of a high death toll overnight in Gaza. Tell us what you are learning.

NADA BASHIR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Anna. We are hearing from officials in Gaza reporting at least 73 people being killed in a strike on the Beit Lahia area of Northern Gaza. According to officials, the majority of those killed were reportedly women and children with dozens more said to have been injured or still missing, buried beneath the rubble.

Of course, this comes as we continue to see Israel deepening its military assault around and in northern Gaza. According to officials, some 400 people at least are believed to have been killed in Northern Gaza since Israel began its assault targeting the area surrounding the Jabalya refugee camp earlier this month.

Now, the Israeli military has disputed these figures. They believe that the figures released of this latest are, in their words, exaggerated and insist that they were targeting Hamas militants. But as we know, there is a huge population of civilians still in Northern Gaza despite the evacuation orders that have been issued over the last few days by the Israeli military.

As you mentioned, the U.N. has had some 20,000 of people are believed to have fled northern Gaza, but, of course, there are still thousands more still in the area who are finding it difficult to flee and evacuate this particular region of Northern Gaza. They, of course, have received orders to move to the Al-Mawasi coastal area, which has been designated as a humanitarian zone.

But, of course, many are fearful for their security because this particular humanitarian zone has in the past come under direct attack by the Israeli military. And, of course, important to remember that many of these families have been forced to flee time and time again. Many of them will have fled to Southern Gaza and then returned back to the north in the hope of finding shelter there.

And, of course, the situation in North is growing more difficult as Israel carries out with its campaign, which has been described by some as a sort of surrender or starve strategy, essentially telling civilians to evacuate and leaving those behind to starve.

[03:05:03]

The U.N. has accused Israel of sealing off Northern Gaza, and while there has been reports of at least a dozen trucks carrying flour getting into Gaza City, perhaps moving further northwards, this simply isn't enough to alleviate the deteriorating humanitarian situation in the north, where many are indeed starving.

COREN: Nada, let's now talk about the leak of a U.S. intelligence suggesting Israel is about to strike Iran. I mean, we know that an attack is imminent, but what has specifically been disclosed? BASHIR: Well, there's been a lot of speculation around the details of when and where this attack may take place. We know that the Israeli government has been in close dialogue with its counterparts in the United States.

And now, of course this leaked document has been released, according to three sources familiar with the matter, one source confirming to CNN the authenticity of this document, which appears to detail the plans or reported preparations of the Israeli military in preparation for this attack on Iran.

This has been described as deeply concerning by U.S. officials, as you mentioned, an investigation, of course, ongoing to figure out the source of this leak. But, essentially, this leak, this document was released circulating online on Friday, dated October 15th, October 16th, it began circulating, of course, after being posted on Telegram where it gained a lot of attention there.

It is marked top secret, only meant to be seen by the U.S.'s key allies and of course, this has been described as detailing those clear preparations.

Now, CNN is not quoting the preparations outlined in this document. We are not showing these documents, but, essentially, one of those documents shows plans to move munitions around in preparation for this attack. Another details Air Force preparations, in preparation for this potential attack. Again, this is being looked into by U. S authorities and officials who are carrying out an investigation. This would essentially trigger an FBI investigation, although the FBI has not yet commented on this.

But, of course, this is concerning for the U.S. and potentially, of course, for the Israeli military as they continue to look into preparations for this attack. And, again, still questions as to what this might look like as the U.S. continues to pressure Israel to be measured in its response.

COREN: Nada Bashir, we appreciate your reporting. Thank you for joining us.

The Israeli military says it has killed more than 65 Hezbollah fighters in Southern Lebanon over the past day. Meanwhile, Israel is issuing more evacuation warnings for areas in Beirut's southern suburbs. This comes after Lebanese state media confirmed that at least two Israeli airstrikes hit Southern Beirut on Saturday.

The IDF claims certain buildings in the area were located near Hezbollah assets. However, it is unclear if the strikes targeted the buildings identified. U.S. officials are calling on Israel to dial back.

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LLOYD AUSTIN, U.S. DEFENSE SECRETARY: The numbers of casualties have been, civilian casualties have been far too high. We'd like to see, you know, Israel scale back on some of the strikes that it's taking in, especially in and around Beirut. And we'd like to see things transition to some sort of negotiation that would allow civilians on both sides of the border to return to their homes.

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COREN: Well, the IDF says they destroyed four underground sites used for Hezbollah infrastructure in Southern Lebanon on Saturday. They say more than 50 shafts were located in mosques, schools and other civilian buildings. Again, that's from the IDF. CNN cannot confirm there was Hezbollah infrastructure in those locations.

Well, despite the vows from Hamas and Israel to continue fighting, U.S. leaders have not given up hope that the death of Yahya Sinwar could mark a turning point in the war.

CNN's Julia Benbrook has more from Washington.

JULIA BENBROOK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The death of the Hamas leader creates a lot of uncertainty, but the Biden administration continues to express some hope that there could be an opening to resolve the conflict.

For months now, frustrated American officials who want to see an end to the war in Gaza have quietly expressed that this could be a scenario that could loosen deadlocked ceasefire talks. Now, whether or not that will happen remains to be seen. Hamas has said that they won't release the hostages unless Israel ends the war, fully withdraws from Gaza and releases Palestinian prisoners. Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to keep fighting until all of the hostages are released.

Now, the Biden administration acknowledges that Sinwar's death alone is not going to resolve the situation. Like I mentioned, they are cautiously optimistic that there could be an opening.

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JOE BIDEN, U.S. PRESIDENT: We think that there's a possibility of working for a ceasefire in Lebanon.

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And it's going to be harder in Gaza, but we agree that there has to be an outcome.

KAMALA HARRIS, U.S. VICE PRESIDENT, DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: With the killing of Sinwar, this creates an opening that I believe we must take full advantage of, to dedicate ourselves to ending this war and bringing the hostages home.

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BENBROOK: U.S. officials say that they will continue to work with mediators to push for a ceasefire deal. While those talks are taking place, the U.S. also sees an opportunity to increase the amount of aid reaching civilians in Gaza. On Saturday, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said that he is seeing things be done to get more aid in. He reiterated that the primary objective is to release the hostages and get a ceasefire.

Julia Benbrook, CNN, Washington.

COREN: Well, joining me now from Tel Aviv, Alon Pinkas, the former Israeli Consul General in New York. Alon, good to see you.

Let's start with what Prime Minister Netanyahu is calling an assassination attempt, that Hezbollah drone over one of his homes. Talk to us about the ramifications of this, specifically the retaliatory attack that is expected from Israel on Iran after the missile attack on October 1st. Will it now be a lot more severe in the wake of this assassination attempt?

ALON PINKAS, FORMER ISRAELI CONSUL GENERAL IN NEW YORK: No, I don't. I don't think it will be. Look, it's the retaliation, the Israeli retaliation attack, Anna, is in response to the Iranian launching of 181 missiles into Israel two weeks ago. And, you know, this tit-for- tat, this missile salvo ping-pong of sorts is going on here, irrespective of this Hezbollah drone.

Now, that it was an assassination attempt, I don't know. It seems that the house was targeted, even though if they had such great intelligence on the exact location of the house, they should have had equal intelligence that he wasn't there, that Mr. Netanyahu is trying to turn this into some heroic martyrdom of, look, they tried to kill me. All right, that's playing politics and self-aggrandizement.

I doubt that it would affect the scope, the scale, and the intensity of an Israeli attack.

COREN: Okay, let's now talk about the wake of Yahya Sinwar's death. Obviously, and we just heard from Kamala Harris, from the Biden administration, about this opportunity for a de-escalation, a possible ceasefire. I mean, that appears to be wishful thinking, considering both Hamas and Israel are digging in.

PINKAS: On the one hand, Anna, it's America's job to say these things. It's the American president's almost responsibility and it is almost incumbent upon him to offer hope and offer some kind of a diplomatic course of action. I don't even think it's wishful thinking. I think it's borderline delusional to think that the war will stop now just because Yahya Sinwar was killed.

Look, there are 15 days, 16 days ahead of the U.S. election. So, we're not looking at the next 16 days. If anything, Anna, we're looking at the transition team, and I think that the diplomatic course depends to a large extent on who gets elected, and that would change Mr. Netanyahu's calculus.

COREN: In what way would it change? How would America's policy towards Israel change, whether it be Harris or Trump?

PINKAS: Well, I think that in the last few months, Mr. Netanyahu manipulated and took advantage of Mr. Biden's well-meaning thoughts, ideas and assistance and deceived him into thinking that he's just about to finish the military operation, that he's on the precipice of a hostage deal, that a ceasefire is coming. That was never the case.

As time went by, the U.S. election became an ingredient or a factor in his calculations. And he wanted, Mr. Netanyahu wanted the war to become a wedge issue in the election. I doubt that is happening, but still, it's being talked about. Donald Trump said something about it, Vice President Kamala Harris did. And so he, in this respect, it's become an issue. Now the question is who wins?

I think that Mr. Netanyahu, although he wants Donald Trump to win you know, they're soul mates and they think alike and they share a lot of things, he's also somewhat wary of the fact that Trump does not want this to cloud his presidency in the event that he does get elected. And he will say to Mr. Netanyahu, stop it and stop it now. So, he's trying to do whatever he can until January 20th.

[03:15:01]

If Kamala Harris wins the election, Vice President Harris is inaugurated as president on January 20th, then Mr. Netanyahu is facing uncharted waters, because I think she has been much more critical toward him and his antics, then either President Biden or anyone in the administration's foreign policy team.

COREN: Alon, just before we go, you wrote in a piece for Haaretz that America is steadily being pulled into the vortex, especially regarding an Israeli-Iranian confrontation. Where is the off-ramp and what does it look like?

PINKAS: Well, that obviously depends on the scope or the scale of the Israeli retaliation in the upcoming days or week or so.

Here's the catch, Anna. In order for this to be significant, it needs to be impactful. If it is not impactful, then why bother retaliate? If it does have an impact on Iran's military targets, then the Iranians will feel compelled to retaliate. If that happens, then Israel may decide to strike Iran's oil industry, oil facilities, oil terminals, oil ports and so on. If that happens -- and we're talking about a few weeks. We're not talking about a hypothetical or simulation game here. If that happens, then the Iranians may conceivably attack the Arab Gulfs, the Saudi Arabia, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, their oil industry. That pulls the U.S., right? And I think the U.S. warned Iran and warned Israel against that scenario.

COREN: That is a frightening prospect, indeed. Alon Pinkas in Tel Aviv, we appreciate your analysis, as always. Thank you for joining us.

PINKAS: Thank you, Anna.

COREN: Election Day in America is just 16 days away. Voting has already started in a handful of states with nearly 12 million ballots cast so far. The latest CNN average of national polls shows the presidential race is a dead heat. It could easily go either way. In the coming days, both Kamala Harris and Donald Trump will focus their attention on a handful of battleground states that are expected to decide the election. Harris is scheduled to make several campaign stops in Georgia on Sunday with Trump slated to hold a town hall in Pennsylvania.

Well, CNN National Political Reporter Eva McKend was in Georgia with the vice president on Saturday and has a look at some of the issues Harris discussed on the campaign trail.

EVA MCKEND, CNN NATIONAL POLITICS CORRESPONDENT: In battleground Georgia, Vice President Harris elevating the issue of reproductive rights, acknowledging Amber Nicole Thurman's family in the crowd and her inability to get life-saving care in this state with a restrictive abortion ban.

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HARRIS: Donald Trump still refuses to take accountability, to take any accountability, for the pain and the suffering he has caused, or even to just acknowledge the pain and suffering that has actually happened. In a Fox town hall earlier this week, he even mocked Amber's family for sharing their story.

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MCKEND: And the vice president increasingly using the former president's own words and actions against him as she tries to characterize him as unstable and unfit for the presidency.

Harris continuing to make her case to Georgia voters in a visit to a predominantly black church and in a Souls to the Polls event.

Eva McKend, CNN, Atlanta.

COREN: Meantime, Donald Trump rallied in Pennsylvania. He painted a rosy picture of the future with him as president and slammed Kamala Harris in a vicious personal attack.

Steve Contorno reports.

STEVE CONTORNO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Donald Trump swung through western Pennsylvania on Saturday, delivering a speech that his campaign said was the beginning of his closing message to voters. That closing message, though, began with a rather long winded story about his friend, the golfer, Arnold Palmer, who is a local native, including a rather graphic description of the hall of famer in the men's locker room.

From there, though, he shifted to his scripted remarks where he talked about the race in rather stark terms, describing what would happen if he was elected versus what would happen if Vice President Harris was elected.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) DONALD TRUMP (R), FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT, 2024 PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: But with your support, we'll bring back our nation's strength, dominance, prosperity, and pride. We're going to do it. This will be America's new golden age. 100 years from now, the presidential election of 2024 will be looked upon as America's greatest victory. I hope that's true.

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[03:20:00]

CONTORNO: Donald Trump also played for his supporters, clips of Vice President Harris saying that she would ban fracking, a critical issue in the Keystone State.

Now these clips are all from the past and she has since distanced herself from those remarks. However, Trump's campaign is hoping they will play out in Pennsylvania.

He also continued to attack her in deeply, deeply personal terms. Take a listen.

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TRUMP: Well, she's a horrible person, but she's radical left. And Crazy Bernie is radical left. And this one, Kamala, is further left than them. So, you have to tell Kamala Harris that you've had enough, that you just can't take it anymore. We can't stand you. You're a (BLEEP) vice president.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CONTORNO: Trump on Sunday will remain in the battleground of Pennsylvania. He has a town hall plan. He also will be attending the Pittsburgh Steelers football game, and he intends to stop by a McDonald's and work the fry station.

Steve Contorno, CNN, La Trobe, Pennsylvania.

COREN: No longer a tropical storm, Hurricane Oscar is gaining strength in the Atlantic. Ahead, we'll have all the details on the hurricane as it barrels towards Cuba.

And Cuba has been hit with a second countrywide power blackout. And concern about food supplies and running water is growing. Those details when we return.

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COREN: Hurricane warnings are in place for the Turks and Caicos Islands, Southeast Bahamas and part of Cuba's north coast as Hurricane Oscar intensifies in the Atlantic. The Category 1 hurricane gained strength after forming as a tropical storm north of Hispanolia on Saturday. It is now heading west with maximum sustained winds of 136 kilometers or 85 miles per hour. The storm, which could strengthen a little further, is not expected to impact the U.S.

Well, Cuba has been hit by an extended nationwide blackout after its power grid failed for the second time in two days. It happened Saturday morning just hours after officials said power was being restored from the first blackout on Friday. Millions are without power and there's worry about food spoilage and lack of running water.

CNN's Patrick Oppmann has more from Havana.

PATRICK OPPMANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: So, even though it's been raining on and off throughout the day, you can see people are outside here waiting for bread. It goes all the way to the front of the store, dozens and dozens of people and then down the block. And this is one of the few establishments we've seen selling food, and that is why people are waiting in line because they know how difficult it is to get food right now as Cuba enters its second day of a total blackout.

Earlier on Saturday, officials had said they had restored some of the electrical service here, but that quickly was again extinguished. The power plants simply could not keep up with the limited demand that they were able to actually provide. So, people are calm. There is some concern, though, that this could go on longer and longer. It's a somewhat unprecedented situation, even for Cubans, that they've now gone almost two full days without power.

It comes on in certain areas, but then it quickly flickers out because these power plants, they're old, they're poorly maintained. The Cuban government says they are subject to U.S. sanctions, and that makes it impossible for them to keep running.

But at this point there is growing concern as people are having a harder time finding food, keeping their food from spoiling, and almost this entire island is now spent more than a day getting on to the second full day without power.

Patrick Oppmann, CNN, Havana.

COREN: Extreme weather continues to inundate Europe. Drenching rainfall caused severe flooding and landslides in Licata, on the Mediterranean island of Sicily. The Sasso River, which runs through the city, burst its banks on Saturday, forcing some residents to abandon their homes. Others reportedly took to the roofs of their houses to find refuge. Rescuers had to airlift someone from the flood waters. According to local media, firefighters carried out a number of such operations.

At least seven people are dead and several others have been injured after part of a ferry dock collapsed on Sapelo Island in the U.S. state of Georgia on Saturday. At least 20 people plunged into the water when a gangway collapsed. Crowds had gathered on the island for a celebration of its community of black slave descendants.

Sapelo is a barrier island off the coast of the state and home to about 70 people. It suffered serious damage from Hurricane Helene. The cause of the dock collapse has not yet been determined. Well, after the break, Israel sends a message with newly released footage of the slain Hamas leader, Yahya Sinwar. We return to our top story in just a moment.

Plus, with Election Day looming, Kamala Harris and Donald Trump are looking to pick up last minute support in what has become an impossibly tight race. And things are getting increasingly personal.

Please stay with us.

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[03:30:00]

COREN: Welcome back. Returning to our top story, Israel's Prime Minister is calling Saturday's drone attack on his home, quote, a bitter mistake. He's blaming what he calls Iranian agents for the attack, but Tehran denies any direct involvement.

Meanwhile, Israel is trying to send a message to the people of Gaza with a newly released video of the slain Hamas leader, Yahya Sinwar. Israel's military says the footage shows him just hours before Hamas went on its killing spree in Israel on October 7th last year. And according to the IDF, the footage shows him hiding underground to save his own life.

Well, here is CNN's Matthew Chance with more.

MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN CHIEF GLOBAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: Well, Israel has released new footage. It says shows the Hamas leader, Yahya Sinwar, underground in Hamas tunnels just hours before the October 7th attacks last year. Talking over the grainy black and white images of what the IDF says are Sinwar and his children.

The Israeli military spokesman, Daniel Hagari, said the Hamas leader was hiding alone with his family all night in tunnels below Khan Younis in the Gaza Strip. Well, this was a luxury the people of Gaza did not have, he said, as Sinwar always prioritized himself, his money, and Hamas terrorists over the people of Gaza, Hagari added.

Well, Sinwar, who's seen as the architect of the October 7th attacks on Israel, was killed by Israeli troops in Gaza on Wednesday after a more than a year of devastating Israeli pounding of the territory. The final moments of the Hamas leader captured on a drone camera showed him sitting alone in a wrecked building before lashing out at the drone with a stick.

Hamas, which is reeling from the killing, has accused the Israeli military of blatant lies and a failed theatrical performance in its portrayal of Sinwar during that past 12 months. In a statement, the group said the Israeli army was humiliated by the man the statement calls Commander Sinwar and his brothers. The organization says Sinwar was killed while engaging in the battlefield. After having spent the past year moving across various combat fronts in Gaza, at the forefront of, quote, our brave people's resistance.

[03:35:02]

Matthew Chance, CNN Tel Aviv.

COREN: Well, the IDF did not provide any evidence about Sinwar's whereabouts on October 7th or afterwards.

Donald Trump and Kamala Harris have just 16 days left to win the support of American voters, and right now it is anybody's race. CNN's latest poll of polls shows there is no clear leader in the push for the White House. The election could ultimately be decided in just a handful of key battleground states. And that's where both Harris and Trump will be focusing their efforts in the coming days.

Harris will spend her Sunday campaigning in Georgia, as Trump holds a town hall in the critical state of Pennsylvania.

Well, former President Barack Obama continued his campaign tour on Saturday, stumping for Harris. He told a crowd in Las Vegas, Nevada, that people need to stop making excuses for Trump's behavior. He says Trump's rhetoric is not funny or a sign of strength, adding, quote, everything a president says is serious. Obama also explained why he believes Trump only cares about himself.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA, FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT: He's trying to sell you a Trump Bible. Think about that. This is the word of God. Gideon gives it out for free. He wants to sell you word of God, Donald Trump edition. He's got his name right there next to Matthew and Luke.

And the reason he's doing it is because all he cares about is his ego and his money and his status. He's not thinking about you.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COREN: Joining me now is Katie Gaddini, a visiting scholar at Stanford University and associate professor of sociology at University College London. Katie, good to see you.

You are from an evangelical background. I know you have since left that, but explain to us what is Trump's appeal to that section of society?

KATIE GADDINI, VISITING SCHOLAR, STANFORD UNIVERSITY: Yes. So, evangelicals have been a huge supportive base for Trump in the last two elections, and it's looking very likely that they're going to turn out again for him in this election. They make up a powerful block of the Electoral College as well as the general population. And Trump has found favor with them over the years, primarily for his stance on curtailing abortion, but also his stance on immigration, the economy and LGBTQ rights, or rather wanting to limit those. So, he's hugely popular with evangelicals, especially white evangelicals.

COREN: And, what, they just turn a blind eye to his stance on women or his past behavior and women, all the criminal counts, they just, what, turn a blind eye to that? GADDINI: Yes. So, what I'm hearing from a lot of evangelicals is that his platform is more important than the personality. That's a phrase that I hear a lot. They feel he really championed their causes when he was president in 2017, when he took power, and they want to show up for him again. They feel that, you know, despite his personality or some of his flaws, as they call them, his broader policies and aims align with their political values.

COREN: Well, you have been spending a lot of time with Trump supporters interviewing them, in particular, his female supporters. What have they been telling you? And I guess, what has surprised you, if anything does surprise you these days?

GADDINI: Yes. So, I've been interviewing Trump supporters across the country. I was out last weekend in Northern Virginia canvassing with some Trump supporters, going door to door, and observing their techniques and sort of what is important to them, primarily women, but also men as well.

And I think what I'm noticing above all, which is different this election compared to the last two, is a sense that the stakes are so high. So, a lot of Trump supporters still feel that the election was stolen from them in 2020. They haven't forgotten that. They want to make sure that it's not stolen from them this time around. They want their president in power. There's almost a sense of desperation to make that happen and a real push, people who normally are not engaged in politics, who normally wouldn't be out on the streets, are getting involved because they really want Trump back in power.

COREN: And these voters, are they telling you that they're going to cast their ballot early or they'll wait until Election Day?

GADDINI: So, mixed on that front. I think, you know, historically, we tend to see that Democrats tend to be the early voters and tend to do mail in ballots. I think that's changing this time again. Because there's a distrust in the voting system, there's a sense that the election was stolen from them. We're going to see more conservatives and more Trump supporters going for early voting so they can make sure that they put their vote in, that they've sort of beat any sort of irregularities in the system, as it were.

[03:40:03]

COREN: Reproductive rights, abortion, it's obviously a very important issue for all American women. How do you think this will play out in the election? How will it factor in the -- you know, I guess in the issues?

GADDINI: So, there's two main sort of takeaways. So, for those that are supporting Harris, they feel that reproductive rights are under attack, that this is something that the Harris campaign has really capitalized on, especially recently, is saying that Harris will really turn that ship around in the direction that the country is going in terms of limits on women's reproductive choices. And so that's going to be top priority concern for those voters. Now, for Trump supporting voters, they had a major victory with Roe versus Wade being overturned. So, for them, they're more interested in kind of second tier concerns, so limiting IVF, defining fetal personhood, so that embryos cannot be destroyed once they have been frozen. Also we're seeing some move to push for contraception to be limited or at least definitions around it to be changed and other forms of fertility or other forms of reproduction. So, it's not so much about abortion for those voters, it's a whole host of other issues.

COREN: And, Katie, just finally, do you think that there will be a stronger turnout for Trump, this time compared to 2020? Is that what you are hearing from Republican voters?

GADDINI: I think there will be. I think we're going to see a really strong turnout for Trump. I still think it's going to be a really tight election. I think what I'm more concerned about at this point is what comes afterwards. I think, you know, if you have a group of people who feel that the last election was stolen from them and their candidate doesn't win this time, it could be pretty uneasy in this country afterwards.

COREN: I think that's a concern shared by many people.

Katie Gaddini in San Francisco, we appreciate your time. Thanks for joining us.

GADDINI: Thank you.

COREN: Well, millions of fans love watching the streaming series Emily in Paris, but what if the American wants to go somewhere else? European leaders weigh in on the smash Netflix hit. That's next.

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[03:45:00]

COREN: Now to the latest on the death of Liam Payne. A source tells CNN his family won't be able to take the body of the English singer home until clinical tests are completed in Argentina. The former boy band member died on Wednesday in a fall from his hotel balcony in Buenos Aires. The remaining members of his One Direction band are grieving, along with Payne's family and friends.

Bandmate Zayn Malik announced Saturday he is postponing the U.S. leg of his latest tour. Meanwhile, Payne's fans are still gathering to mourn outside of that hotel in Buenos Aires.

The hit Netflix series, Emily in Paris, dropped a bombshell at the end of season four and a spoiler alert. The main character who moved from Chicago to Paris for her marketing job is now moving to Rome. And the show has become the subject of a turf war between two European capitals, as CNN Senior Correspondent Melissa Bell explains.

MELISSA BELL, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Now, if you happen to be one of the very many addicts of this series, Emily in Paris, you'll know exactly where it is. I'm standing here on the left bank of the French capital, a square made famous by the Netflix series. What you'll also know if you watch it is that the end of season four brought a shock that Emily herself may be leaving Paris entirely, something that was put to the French president himself in an interview with Variety.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

EMMANUEL MACRON, FRENCH PRESIDENT: And I think it's good for the image of France. I mean, Emily in Paris is super positive in terms of attractiveness for the country. So, for my own business, it's a very good initiative.

Emily in Paris in Roma doesn't make sense.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BELL: Emmanuel Macron goes on to point out how good for business and for France this series has been, even if Parisians themselves see a great deal of cliches in the series not all of them are terribly happy about.

For Emmanuel Macron, though, the connection is also a personal one, thanks to the cameo appearance made by his wife earlier in season four.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE).

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, yes, (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE).

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE).

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE).

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BELL: The mayor of Rome has now responded to what the French president had to say, saying that Italians are delighted that Emily is heading their way and that she should be allowed to choose where her heart leads her.

A small war of words then between the French and the Italians about exactly where Emily should be considering herself at home.

Melissa Bell, CNN, Paris.

COREN: Well, some saying God save the king and some called for a republic, as King Charles and Queen Camilla went to church in Sydney, Australia, on Saturday. The British monarch, who's also Australia's king, later said it was a, quote, great joy to be back in Australia.

It's his first visit to an overseas realm since assuming the throne and his first foreign trip since starting cancer treatment. That's been put on hold for the 11-day sojourn. He heads next to the Australian capital, Canberra, where he'll meet with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.

Stay with CNN. We'll be right back.

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COREN: This is the first chunk of the European Space Agency's great map of the universe. The agency's Euclid Space Mission unveiled this week at the International Astronautical Congress in Milan, Italy. The grand mosaic shows about a hundred million stars and galaxies from just a slice of the sky. The mission aims to create the largest 3D cosmic map ever made by observing billions of galaxies.

Well, this piece was captured over two weeks earlier this year. It's just 1 percent of the full map scientists expect to create in six years.

While space is vast, it's getting a little crowded around Earth. Millions of satellite pieces and other debris are racing around our home world. But as Anna Stewart tells us, one company is creating an innovative vehicle to clean up the space junk.

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ANNA STEWART, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): 170 million pieces of space junk flying around the Earth at speeds nearly seven times faster than a bullet, some as small as bits of paint, others, parts of once working satellites, now dead.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Typically, satellites, if they run out of fuel or something happens to it where it's just not working, it is essentially orbiting around the Earth dead.

STEWART: As objects collide in space or quit functioning, the more crowded the area becomes. And the more debris, the higher the risk to other objects in orbit.

But an Italian firm called D-Orbit hopes to decrease this risk in overcrowding with a vehicle specially made for relocations, cleanup and repairs, the GEO.

LUCA ROSSETTINI, CEO, D-ORBIT: Once you collect the space debris in the future, instead of wasting this debris, this raw material, you can bring them into a recycling station in orbit in order to produce raw material that is going to be used in orbital manufacturing facilities to create bigger values.

STEWART: With a $130 million contract from the European Space Agency, the company plans to use their device on satellites in geostationary orbit. That's when a satellite remains over one specific part of the planet's surface and orbits at the same rate as the Earth rotates, giving the illusion on the ground that it isn't moving. Once one becomes unusable, that's when the GEO comes in. ROSSETTINI: The type of interface that we invented, it's already suitable for any type of satellite in GEO.

So, we are going to approach the satellite target, the customer satellite, we dock with the satellite, and then at that point we can extend the life of the satellite, move the satellite in other locations in order to serve other markets.

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STEWART: The GEO can also send objects at the end of their life to so called graveyard orbits, around 100 kilometers higher than geostationary orbits and further away from operational satellites. This vehicle can also guide items toward Earth so they can burn as they enter the atmosphere.

If GEO works, there will be fewer dead satellites flying aimlessly around the Earth and a more sustainable way to reduce and recycle them, making way for a safer, less crowded space and more room to explore the universe.

Anna Stewart, CNN.

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COREN: Formula One championship rivals Max Verstappen and Britain's Lando Norris will share the front row for the start of the U.S. Grand Prix in Austin, Texas, today. Norris qualified in pole position but had a setback on Saturday as Verstappen won the sprint event at the Circuit of the Americas. That win put the Dutchman 54 points ahead of the Brit in the driver standings, going into the main event later today.

Well, Norris had the best qualifying lap of his career, edging Verstappen by about a third of a second, and McLaren still leads Red Bull in the constructor standings.

Well, thanks so much for your company. I'm Anna Coren in Hong Kong. I'll be back in just a moment with more of CNN Newsroom. See you shortly.

history? We've learned that isolation is inevitable.

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