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Heads of U.S., U.K. Intelligence Agencies Hold Joint Appearance In London; Colt Gray, Father Do Not Enter Pleas In First Court Appearance; Vitims' Families In Court As Teen Suspect Appeared, No Plea Entered; Sentencing In Hush Money Trial Delayed Until After Election; Boeing Starliner Successfully Returns To Earth Without Crew; Former Vice President Dick Cheney Announces He Will Vote For Harris; Family Of American Woman Shot In West Bank Blames Israeli Military, Demands Independent Investigation; Heads Of United States, U.K. Intelligence Agencies Make Rare Appearance Together To Address Key Global Concerns. Aired 7-8a ET

Aired September 07, 2024 - 07:00   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

AMARA WALKER, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning, everyone, welcome to CNN THIS MORNING. It is Saturday, September 7th. I'm Amaral Walker.

VICTOR BLACKWELL, CNN ANCHOR: I'm Victor Blackwell. We're following breaking news out of London. Today, the heads of the CIA and MI6 are holding a rare joint appearance. The U.S. and British intelligence chiefs are expected to address key global security concerns, including challenges from Russia, China, and in the Middle East.

WALKER: Joining me now is Sean Turner, former Director of Communications for U.S. National Intelligence. We are watching the live feed of this event. And of course, we will bring that to you when this joint news conference between the CIA director and MI6 chief actually happens and they're on the stage now as you show those pictures. OK, they're sitting down. So, I think we'll listen in to this and then we'll bring you back, Sean, on the other side of it.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Their presence is what accounts for a lot more security than usual at the F.T. Festival. Thank you both for being with us. You don't often come out of the shadows, and I think I am right in saying that this is the very first time that the heads of your two agencies have been in the same place.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think we've been at the same place, Rula, but I don't think we've ever appeared in public together.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: On a, on a global story on that would be on a stage together. So, why, why did you agree to this? I mean, I'm delighted by, I know you have a very special relationship, but what why did, why did you agree to this? Is it because of the state of the world? Is it because of the state? American politics, is it because some people think?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WALKER: You know, all right, let's bring you back, Sean Turner, although I was interested in hearing their answer as to why they are appearing on the same stage together, and logistically, I'm sure security wise, it's quite complex to have the two chiefs there. So, I mean, they're saying it now, but why do you think they're issuing this rare joint appearance and statement together talking about the, apparently the international world order being threatened currently?

SEAN TURNER, FORMER DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS FOR U.S. NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE: Yes, well, good morning. Thanks for having me. First, I think it's just important to say again, I can't state how unprecedented it is to have both of these leaders on stage together.

You know, I spent a lot of time in the intelligence community, and I think as they indicated, certainly this is the first time we've seen this. Look, you know, as these two leaders sit down together, I think the context is important. When we look at the threat environment facing the United States and our partners and allies right now, what we've seen over the past year is that it's been heating up quite consistently.

And then, we look at the past 90 days and it's been unusually active across the United States and across Europe with regard to threats from a number of different sources.

Look, you know, we look here in the United States in the last couple of months we've seen everything from an Iranian plot to assassinate a former president to unprecedented sabotage efforts on the part of Russia to interfere in our elections. And then, you know, when we look beyond our borders, we see indications that Russia might be planning to sabotage critical communication infrastructure with undersea cables.

We look at what happened in Europe over the past couple of weeks with a knife attack that ISIS has claimed credit for, an arson attack on synagogues. So, just when we look at the totality of the threat environment, and that's not even to mention what these gentlemen are going to talk about as it relates to other threats from Russia and China and North Korea.

So, it's just a very active threat environment. And so, I think that that makes this the right time to sit down and to have this conversation on the international stage to help both Americans and our partners and allies understand the importance of being vigilant right now. And I think we'll hear that message from both of these leaders.

WALKER: And so, I guess on that note, you know, what their message is, I mean, is it to, I mean, it is just extraordinary to see the head of the CIA and the head of MI6 sitting together in one room, really in a public forum there in London. But it's a message that we're on it, that we're, you know, we are -- our partnership is as strong as ever.

We rely on each other for intelligence to keep this world safe, and we are going to bring this international world order back to where it needs to be? Or is it more of a message to the bad actors that hey, you know, we're watching you, we're going to get this under control when it comes to the ISIS terrorists, the ceasefire deal in Gaza, the bad actors who are trying to interfere in America's elections and what have you that you just mentioned.

[07:05:38]

TURNER: Yes, you know, look, I think the short answer is all of the above. When we look at intelligence, you know, across the country and with our partners and allies, there are no two partners that are more closely aligned and lengthened the United States and the British intelligence agencies.

And so, as we look at all the threats that I mentioned and we look at sort of what's happening with regard to the world order, it is time for us to come together and to do what we often do behind the scenes, and that's working through our State Department, working through intelligence channels, sort of diplomat to diplomat, government professional to government professional to make sure that we are doing all the things to maintain a strong world order.

But I think that it started several years ago where the thinking is that we need to be more public and more direct and we need to talk about these things more so that people understand that there are active efforts to maintain a strong and civil world order. So, I think that yes, you'll hear some specifics on some of the threats that we're facing. But the big picture here will be that we are joint, and that we're working together, and that we're going to make sure that there's a strong rule of order going forward.

WALKER: Sean Turner, great to have you this morning. Thank you so much.

BLACKWELL: The Winder, Georgia Community is trying to heal after the mass school shooting that left two students and two teachers dead. The suspect in the case, 14-year-old Colt Gray, made his first appearance in court, but he did not enter a plea, neither did his father, Colin Gray, who is also charged in connection with the case. With tears and hugs, a grieving community came together last night to remember the victims and to try to console one another. CNN Senior National Correspondent Ryan Young brings us all of the latest developments.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Good morning, sir. Are you Mr. Colt Gray?

RYAN YOUNG, CNN CORRESPONDENT: In a green T-shirt handcuffed with unkept hair, the teenager accused of Wednesday's deadly school shooting in Georgia made his court appearance.

CURRIE MINGLEDORFF, BARROW COUNTY SUPERIOR COURT JUDGE: The penalty for the crimes for which you are charged does not include death. It includes life without the possibility of parole or life with the possibility of parole.

YOUNG: The 14-year-old is charged with four counts of felony murder and will be tried as an adult. But he's not eligible for the death penalty in Georgia because he's under 18. Colt Gray did not enter a plea in court.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: At this time, the owner there has not a request for bond.

YOUNG: The teen is accused of opening fire with an AR-15 style rifle at Appalachian High School in Winder, Georgia.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I thought I was going to die.

YOUNG: Killing math teachers Christina Irimie and Richard Aspinwall, along with 14-year-old students Mason Shearhorn and Christian Angulo.

Back in court today, devastated families of the victims embraced and cried. The suspect's father, Colin Gray, also made his first court appearance. Colin Gray was arraigned on multiple counts of involuntary manslaughter, second-degree murder, and child cruelty.

An arrest warrant says the 54-year-old allegedly gave his son a gun, "with knowledge that he was a threat to himself and others."

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You don't have to have been physically injured in this to be a victim. Everyone in this community is a victim. Every child in that school was a victim.

YOUNG: The FBI says in May of 2023, law enforcement interviewed the father and son after receiving several anonymous tips about online threats to commit a school shooting. That interview was recorded by the Jackson County Sheriff's Office.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Do you have weapons in the house?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I do.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Are they accessible to him?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They are. I mean, there's nothing loaded, but they are now. We do, actually, we do a lot of shooting, we do a lot of deer hunting.

YOUNG: Colt's father even told police he'd been trying to teach his son about gun safety.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, I want you to talk to him and just tell him. Like, I don't know I don't know anything about him saying like that and I'm going to be mad as hell if he did, and then all the guns will go away and they won't be accessible to him. You know, I'm trying to be honest with you, I'm trying to teach him about firearms and safety and how to do it all and get him interested in the outdoors.

YOUNG: In December of 2023, two law enforcement sources say Colin Gray purchased the gun allegedly used in the shooting as a holiday gift for his son. Colin Gray did not enter a plea and faces a maximum penalty of 180 years in prison. The charges against him are the most serious filed against the parent of an alleged school shooter and this is only the second time a parent has been charged in connection with a minor carrying out a mass shooting. JOEY JACKSON, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: Be purchasing a weapon in December of 2023, under conditions where po should not have one, is trouble one, but I do think we are in a world where p to use all the tools available to them.

YOUNG: The mother and father of Ethan Crumbley, the Oxford, Michigan school shooter who killed four students in 2021 were both convicted of involuntary manslaughter earlier this year. The charges filed against Colin Gray in Georgia. The Barrow County District Attorney says --

MINGLEDORFF: I'm not trying to send a message. I'm just trying to use the tools in my arsenal to prosecute people for the crimes they commit.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[07:10:38]

YOUNG: Victor and Amra, the pain in this community is something that you just feel all around you. Seeing some of the kids who are just 14 years old, they're just so tiny and small. And now, they're having to figure out exactly how they're going to return to school, how to deal with their emotions, how to deal with losing a loved one, someone that they went to school with, someone they considered a friend. These are all things that kids this young shouldn't have to process. Reporting in Winder, Ryan Young, CNN.

BLACKWELL: There's a lot to navigate over the next few weeks and months. Ryan Young, thanks so much. Still to come, the Boeing Starliner spacecraft is safely back on Earth, but without its crew. Why NASA says there's a lot of work left to be done on the Starliner vehicle. We have that next.

Plus, Donald Trump is lashing out at the women who accused him of assault after an appeals court hearing in the E. Jean Carroll sex abuse case. Why Trump's lawyers say he should be granted a new trial?

And families of Israeli hostages held in Gaza plan to hold another protest rally in Tel Aviv. They're demanding their immediate release. What they're saying about the Israeli government. That's ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[07:16:25]

BLACKWELL: This morning, one of the year's strongest typhoons has made landfall again, this time in Vietnam. Forecasters say the Typhoon Yagi re-intensified to become the equivalent of a Category 4 hurricane. The storm already killed three people and injured dozens more when it hit China. Yagi hit sustained winds of 140 miles per hour and made it the world's second most powerful tropical cyclone of 2024, so far.

This morning a driver in Virginia is charged with reckless driving after the bed of his truck slammed into an overhead sign along the interstate. And the bizarre incident happened along I-64 in Richmond on Thursday. WTVR reports the crash closed the road for more than seven hours and backed up traffic for miles. Virginia State Police are investigating what led up to that incident.

The presidential election, 59 days away now, and voters will not know what Donald Trump's punishment in the hush money case will be before they head to the polls. That's because Judge Juan Merchan has delayed sentencing in the case until November 26th. He said in part, he did not want the sentencing to impact the outcome of the election. Meantime, in the sex abuse and defamation case, Trump trashed E. Jean Carroll and her legal team, Friday, after appealing a $5 million civil settlement.

WALKER: Breaking overnight, after months of questions about safety, Boeing's Starliner capsule has successfully returned to Earth from the International Space Station without its crew on board. The capsule landed at White Sands Space Harbor in New Mexico with NASA officials saying it was "a bull's eye landing."

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

STEVE STICH, MANAGER, NASA COMMERCIAL CREW PROGRAM: It was a great day today to return Starliner. It was great to have a successful undock, the orbit and landing of the vehicle. I am thrilled for our Boeing team and all of our colleagues that worked this mission across the country, on the NASA team and the Boeing team. They've put a lot of heart and soul into this mission over many years, and it's a testament to those people that we got the vehicle back safely today.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WALKER: Astronauts Sunni Williams and Butch Wilmore were supposed to return with the Starliner, but they will stay on the International Space Station for another five months until February of 2025. CNN's Kristin Fisher has more.

KRISTIN FISHER, CNN SPACE AND DEFENSE CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Victor and Amara. Boeing definitely breathing a sigh of relief this morning after Starliner successfully landed in White Sands, New Mexico just after midnight Eastern time. And you know, Starliner, despite all of its issues with those faulty thrusters and the helium leaks, NASA was so worried about that moment of the deorbit burn.

That's essentially when those thrusters have to fire in order to stop Starliner, hit the brakes essentially, and allow it to re-enter the Earth's atmosphere. That was the critical moment that NASA was so worried about. It's why Butch and Sunni, the two NASA astronauts that were Starliner's crew, stayed back at the International Space Station.

But Starliner's thrusters and all of those issues did not prove to be a problem during this re-entry and landing back on Earth. There was one minor hiccup, one thruster on the crew module where Butch and Sunni would have been, didn't fire during a test. That's something Boeing and NASA are certainly going to be looking at today, but pretty close to a picture-perfect landing in White Sands, New Mexico.

So, now, the big question is, is Boeing, is NASA going to require Boeing to do another crewed flight test before it's certified to fully fly NASA astronauts to and from the International Space Station? And then of course, Butch and Sunni, you know, they're now up there at the International Space Station until February of 2025. This is actually where Butch and Sunni trained for their time up at the space station.

This is a full-size mock-up of it. Every astronaut that's up there trains in here. But, you know, Butch and Sunni, they really only trained for what was supposed to be an eight-day mission. Now, they will be up there for eight months. But Victor and Amara, after last night's landing, it's pretty clear that if Butch and Sunni had been on board, they would have been just fine.

But NASA's saying, you know, at what point, how much risk are you willing to take when there are human lives involved? NASA simply saying there was just too much risk, too much uncertainty in order to allow Butch and Sunni to fly back home. So, they're up there until February 2025. Victor, Amara.

[07:21:08]

WALKER: Kristin Fisher, thanks so much. So, the countdown is on for next week's first presidential debate between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump. How the candidates are preparing this weekend. And the NFL made a pretty good first impression, Carolyn.

CAROLYN MANNO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It did, Amra. South America loves its football, just the kind that you play with your feet. But last night they got a taste of cheeseheads and cheesesteaks as the Eagles and Packers introduced themselves as American football stars. Back with that story in just a little bit.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[07:26:05]

WALKER: We're just now 59 days from the presidential election, and it is a big weekend for Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump's campaigns. Harris is continuing debate preparations with her team in Pittsburgh ahead of the first, and so far, only debate against Trump on Tuesday night. This morning Vice President Harris is going on the offensive by releasing three new attack ads on reproductive rights overnight. We're going to have that in a moment. As for Trump, he will be on the road campaigning in Wisconsin.

BLACKWELL: There was a little snag in the process of voting, talking mail-in ballots, the first ones in the country in North Carolina. They'll be delayed after an appeals court ordered the state to take RFK Jr. off the ballot. Independent candidate dropped out last month, endorsed former President Trump. Let's bring in now CNN's Betsy Klein to discuss. First, the Harris campaign is just released and we're talking just in just early this morning, three new ads. Tell us about it.

BETSY KLEIN, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE PRODUCER: Well, Victor, what's really notable here is that in the seven weeks since Harris ascended to the top of the Democratic ticket, the ads have really focused on introducing and defining her as a candidate. Now, that has shifted as they have started to play up this issue of abortion and really ramp up that contrast with former President Donald Trump. And they're doing that with the personal stories of women impacted by the overturn of Roe v. Wade, but also Trump's own words. Take a look.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Donald Trump wants to go further with plans to restrict birth control, ban abortion nationwide, even monitor women's pregnancies. We know who Donald Trump is. He'll take control. We'll pay the price.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KLEIN: Now Harris has emerged as a leader on reproductive rights as vice president. We expect her to play up that contrast on the debate stage this Tuesday. And the campaign also believes that this is going to be really galvanizing to voters, particularly moderates and particularly women voters heading into November.

WALKER: Speaking of that debate on Tuesday, what do we know about Harris's debate preps?

KLEIN: Well, just taking a step back, I mean, campaigns historically, this one included, really believe that American voters are not paying that close attention to the presidential race until after Labor Day. So, people go back to work, back to school, summer is over, and now people are really starting to tune in. And that's what makes the stakes so incredibly high for Vice President Harris.

She has been hunkered down since Thursday in Pittsburgh with her closest aides, really preparing meticulously for Tuesday's debate. And, you know, she -- the choice of Pittsburgh here was really intentional. They wanted to get that earned media in the battleground Pennsylvania, and they are very pleased so far with how that has gone. But we do expect her to take a break in the coming days over the weekend and step out and be out and about in Pittsburgh and really continue that earned media.

BLACKWELL: What are President Biden's plans for Tuesday night? Do you know if he'll be watching?

KLEIN: Well, let's just remember that Harris has long been preparing for a debate and before that she was preparing to debate J.D. Vance. So, Tuesday is going to look very different from what was originally expected. And we know that President Biden is planning to watch Press Secretary Karrine Jean-Pierre telling reporters this week that he is proud of his former running mate and is looking forward to it.

BLACKWELL: All right, Betsy Klein, thanks so much. Now let's bring in Sabrina Siddiqui, National Politics Reporter with the Wall Street Journal. Good morning to you. Let's start here. Republicans attacked Harris on inflation and immigration, and she responds. It's up to the voter to determine whether the answers are good enough to elect a president. But when Harris attacks Trump on reproductive rights, it seems like they are struggling to come up with a response. What are we hearing in response to ads like what we just saw?

[07:30:02]

SABRINA SIDDIQUI, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: Well, I think the reproductive rights and abortion access is really one of the centerpieces of Vice President Harris's campaign. And just generally, for Democrats, going into November, an issue where they feel they have the advantage over Republicans.

And I think part of the challenge for Republicans is that they have been very clear in their intention to limit abortion access across the country, and as we know, this year, engaged in a highly controversial debate even over whether or not women should have access to IVF treatment.

So, although you've seen former President Trump try and change his stance, at least on the issue of abortion, it's pretty ingrained, I think, in the psyche of American voters, how Republicans feel about this issue.

So, and then, there are Republicans, of course, who have aggressively campaigned as being pro-life and anti-abortion. So, it's a little late in the game to try and convince voters otherwise.

You know, what we have seen in our polling at the Wall Street Journal is reflected in polling elsewhere, is that, yes, the economy and inflation do rank as top issues for voters across the country. But abortion also often shows up as a top priority for a significant faction of the public, and oftentimes it's actually abortion that ends up being more of a deal breaker issue. That's why you see the Harris campaign really honing in on the subject and hoping that just like the 2022 midterms, it will factor heavily into how voters turn out at the polls.

BLACKWELL: 2022 midterms, and every time abortion rights have been on the ballot across the country, we've seen the trend of electorates choosing to secure those rights.

Very conservative, former Vice President Dick Cheney has now confirmed that he will be voting for Vice President Kamala Harris. Released a statement. "In our nation's 248-year history, there has never been an individual who is a greater threat to our republic than Donald Trump. He tried to steal the last election using lies and violence to keep himself in power after the voters had rejected him. He can never be trusted with power again."

Interesting. But is there still a Cheney voter? Is this influential? What do you think?

SIDDIQUI: Well, I think that certainly when you look at the Republican Party, overwhelmingly, Republican voters and elected officials have coalesced behind former President Trump. That doesn't mean that there isn't a sliver of Republicans who may identify as more of a Cheney voter.

You know, Liz Cheney, of course, has been one of the most prominent Trump critics in recent years, and now you are seeing her own father, of course, the former vice president, come out and endorse Harris. Well, I think we have seen in polling is that, you know, Trump is carrying support from roughly 90 percent of the Republican base, but some polls suggest that there are as many as 10 percent of Republican voters who are looking for an alternative.

So, does a Cheney endorsement move that percentage of Republicans to potentially support Harris?

Or is that percentage, or is that group of Republicans simply going to vote third party or stay home? I think either of those scenarios is obviously challenging for President Trump in an election that could come down to tens of thousands of votes across a handful of key battleground states.

And you've seen Harris directly make an appeal to Republicans and Republican leaning independents. So, I think you know, it's not that it's "a game changer" necessarily, to have the endorsement of Dick Cheney, but there is that faction of Republicans that still is opposed to former President Trump.

And I think now the choices between Trump and Harris, not Trump and Biden, maybe some more of those voters who are frustrated with their choices up until two months ago, could be compelled to vote for Harris this time around.

BLACKWELL: Sabrina Siddiqui, thanks so much.

And Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump share the stage for the debate everyone has been waiting for. Follow CNN for complete coverage and exclusive analysis before and after the debate.

The ABC News presidential debate simulcast Tuesday night at 9:00 Eastern, right here on CNN.

WALKER: The U.S. says it is working to gather the facts around the killing of American activists who was shot and killed in the West Bank.

[07:34:25]

We're live in Tel Aviv with what we know after the break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLACKWELL: This morning, the family of an American woman who was shot and killed by Israeli forces during protests in the West Bank is demanding an independent investigation.

The family of 26-year-old Aysenur Eygi say an investigation by Israel would not be adequate. The White House says that it's working to gather facts around a killing.

CNN's Nic Robertson is in Tel Aviv with more.

Tell us about this story and more about the investigations plural that seemed that may be coming.

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Yes. So, what we know from some of the protesters who were with her at that site, there were some international volunteers protesting alongside Palestinian activists. They were protesting about a small Israeli settlement that has been very contentious for many years now, and was legalized by the government just a couple of months ago.

[07:40:05]

So, there have been weekly protests, and she was attending these protests in the middle of the afternoon.

The protesters say the Israeli troops were about 200 meters, 200 yards away from them, up the hill that they had soldiers on the rooftops with guns. At some point during the protest, the IDF, they say, started firing tear gas down towards the protesters, and at that point, he was hiding behind a dumpster.

Then, there was a small period of silence, according to one of the protesters who was there with her at that point, a couple of shots rang out. There was confusion among the protesters. They started to run away, and one of her friends said he saw her lying down, and thought that she was lying down to duck out of the way of the bullets.

Then, when they rolled her over, they realized that she had been shot in the head. Medics were on the scene very quickly in this olive grove. They got her to an ambulance that was close by, got her to a big hospital in Nablus, not far away. But unfortunately, she was pronounced dead on arrival.

Now, her parents are saying that the blame here lies clearly with Israel. That they are not satisfied with Israel doing an investigation. The U.S. Ambassador Jack Lew here has urgently called for more information about what has happened.

The IDF has confirmed that they fired shots and that they say they were firing shots at somebody who was throwing rocks at them that they thought put them in danger.

Now, the protesters say that they were 200 yards away from the soldiers. However, that's where things stand. Confidence in an IDF investigation of an activist or journalist shot in the West Bank, confidence in that will be very low, because the IDF has been less than transparent in many cases, and certainly, for the families involved in wanting to know what's happened to their loved ones that have accused, the IDF obfuscation and taking a long time after multiple accounts of what's happened, changing those accounts before a final account that appears to match with events on the ground becomes clearer.

So, I think for the family at the moment, they clearly -- they clearly believe that Israel should not be able to hold this investigation into why their daughter was killed because of the past performance of the IDF in similar types of investigations. WALKER: Hence, atmosphere there in Israel, Nic, and over the past few days, we've seen a lot of anger on display against Netanyahu and his government after those six hostages were recovered. Their bodies were, I should say, there are more protests planned today by the families of the hostages.

ROBERTSON: There are. There have been over the past many, many months now. Protests on Saturday evening here, the end of Shabbat, there have been protests. And they organized right outside the main defense headquarters here in Tel Aviv, and today now in other parts of the country, in Jerusalem and in other -- and other major cities around the country.

So, I think the expectation is that this sort of weekly Saturday protests will attract more protesters, maybe not as many as Sunday last week, but they are expecting to hear from some family members, wives, relatives of some of the hostages being held.

These are very emotive protests because they want the prime minister to change, and he is digging into his position of not making an agreement to bring all the hostages back, which is the core of the protest.

WALKER: A lot of confusion when you have President Biden saying that they may be close to a deal and Netanyahu saying, no, not really. Nic Robertson, thank you so much.

BLACKWELL: And so, we are watching that rare joint appearance from the heads of the U.S. and U.K. intelligence agencies. Bill Burns and Richard Moore, appearing together for the first time to discuss key global security issues.

WALKER: Joining us now is CNN chief international security correspondent, Nick Paton Walsh. Tell us more about what they have been talking about there on stage.

NICK PATON WALSH, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Yes, I mean, a lengthy and at times, detailed speech about the key issues facing both the United States and United Kingdom, and this rare appearance, one thing I think that stood out was a comment about the Ukrainian invasion of the Kursk region of Russia that we've seen over the past month or so.

Richard Moore, the head of MI6, referring to that as typically Asia's and bold on behalf of Ukrainians and saying they changed the narrative. Bill Burns joining him, saying, calling that was a significant tactical achievement.

In fact, likening it to the moment where Yevgeny Prigozhin took his Wagner forces towards Moscow, and how it exposed the vulnerabilities of the Putin military. Concerns about them too. I think about sabotage around Europe by Russian intelligence forces, who Richard Moore described as being a bit feral in their behavior.

[07:45:04]

And I think also an interesting moment too, when they were asked about the support Russia is getting for its war in Ukraine from China.

Described as being a bit feral in their behavior, and I think also an interesting moment too, when they were asked about the support Russia is getting for its war in Ukraine from China.

And they, in fact, said, at this point, Richard Moore said, they don't think that either agency has seen direct evidence of the provision of weapons from China to Ukraine, but they see a lot of things just short of that.

And Bill Burns dodging the question really about whether or not Iran has sent ballistic missiles. But I think you're just hearing there from Nic in Israel. The key question here about Bill Burns's personal role in the negotiations to try and find some kind of ceasefire settlement for Hamas -- sorry for the Gaza conflict, and he actually received an applause from the crowd here what describes his extraordinary personal efforts in those negotiations.

He described it as something that they're not guaranteeing necessarily they will see success on that they feel they have to work tirelessly towards because of the enormous human suffering there.

Bill Burns, the director of the CIA, saying that Hamas is a movement, and you can't really defeat an idea unless you have a better idea. And while he described a two-state solution as an elusive goal, he did say, look, show me a better alternative. I'm paraphrasing there.

So, I think another brief moment to where Bill Burns is -- you know, we've heard from U.S. officials, the idea that the potential for a ceasefire agreement, the wording, the paragraphs, in 90 percent done. And Bill Burns said, look, it's that last 10 percent that's always the problem. That's always the sticking point.

So, you know, it's very hard to tell how public statements reflect the reality of how close a deal is in negotiations and part of the negotiating process itself. But clearly here, I think a sense of the extraordinary efforts that Bill Burns had put in himself, and I think also too publicly, how we still accept the idea of a ceasefire deal tomorrow is still quite a long way off.

But also too, interesting how transparent they were about Ukraine's success inside Russian border areas. And also too, that just been talking now about the wider threat posed by China and how President Xi Jinping is essentially the most powerful Chinese leader since Mao.

So, a lot to chew over here, but above all, a key moment in which both countries expressed the strength of their alliance and what they called an editorial this morning, probably the most dangerous moments for the international world order they've seen for a long time. Back to you.

(CROSSTALK)

WALKER: Nick Paton Walsh, appreciate you. Thank you.

BLACKWELL: It was a golden moment, eight years in the making. Team here, says Hunter Woodhall lights up Paris at the Paralympic Games, and it gives him a chance to share a full circle moment with his wife.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[07:52:07]

WALKER: Brazil loves its football, better known as soccer in the U.S. But last night, it was all about American football.

BLACKWELL: Carolyn Manno joins me now with more.

I mean, it was supposed -- you were supposed to go --

(CROSSTALK)

WALKER: I'm starting being generous. I was like, it's your turn to read.

BLACKWELL: No, you go and take it.

CAROLYN MANNO, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: Is anybody -- does anybody want to know about the football?

BLACKWELL: Hello.

WALKER: Yes.

(CROSSTALK)

MANNO: Good morning.

WALKER: That was (INAUDIBLE) pause.

MANNO: Good morning. No. It really -- it really was a lot of fun you guys to see it in Sao Paulo.

You know, this international series that the NFL has been doing has been considered a win. I mean, several games this year in Europe, now, the first game in South America.

American football being introduced, being branded to audiences around the world. And Brazil is a great host. 40,000 plus filling S.C. Corinthian Stadium to watch the Philadelphia Eagles and the Green Bay Packers. They also got to see why Philly made Saquon Barkley one of the highest paid running backs in the league. The long-time New York Giants star stellar in his Eagles debut, scoring two rushing touchdowns and catching another.

Green Bay did have a chance late in the game. They were down by five in the final seconds. Packers' fans, avert your eyes. Quarterback Jordan Love going down awkwardly as he was being tackled, had to be helped off the field with what looked like a leg injury. We won't speculate. No word yet on how serious it might be. The Eagles do hold on to win their season opener, 34-29.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) NICK SIRIANNI, HEAD COACH, PHILADELPHIA EAGLES: Man, did Brazil get a great game tonight or what? I know we reconverted some people to be big time football fans tonight.

SAQUON BARKLEY, RUNNING BACK, PHILADELPHIA EAGLES: Just the opportunity was amazing. So thankful to the NFL. So thankful, you know, everyone in Brazil. It was super fun. The energy was amazing. And, you know, I couldn't picture any anyway better than that.

MANNO (voice over): Back stateside at the U.S. Open, long-time friends Taylor Fritz and Frances Tiafoe facing each other, but only one would become the first American man in nearly two decades to reach the final in New York. This one was a classic.

Tiafoe taking two of the first three sets, but that's when he started to run out of gas a little bit, and Fritz was just getting started, winning the fourth set, then, really turning on the afterburners in the fifth, taking it 6-1. And the emotion started to pour out as Taylor Fritz is heading to his first major final.

TAYLOR FRITZ, FIRST MAJOR FINAL APPEARANCE: It is the reason why I do what I do. It is the reason why I work so hard. It's -- I mean, I'm in the finals, the U.S. Open.

It's a dream come true. I'm in the final, so, I'm going to come out, and I'm going to -- I'm going to give everything I possibly have, and I know that for -- that for a fact, I'm going to -- I'm going to give it everything I can possibly give. So, I can't wait.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MANNO (on camera): And what a moment at the Paralympics, Friday night for team USA's Hunter Woodhall after bronzes in Rio and Tokyo. Woodhall winning the first Paralympic gold of his career in the men's 400-meter T62 final.

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Just after he crossed the finish line, he flipped his bib around to show a message that he wrote for his late uncle who passed away from cancer earlier this year. Then, he found his wife, Tara Davis-Woodhall in the stand. She took gold in the women's long jump at the Olympics a couple of weeks ago. They are officially a golden power couple.

You guys, very sweet to see them embrace one another after doing the same in Paris during the Olympic Games.

WALKER: I always get -- my heart goes pitter patter every time I see you know them finding their spouses or the significant others in the crowd. It's such a beautiful moment.

MANNO: So sweet.

BLACKWELL: So great to see them celebrate one another. Carolyn Manno, thanks so much.

WALKER: And we'll be right back.

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[08:00:03]

WALKER: All right, first of all, with Victor is coming up next. What do you have?

BLACKWELL: We've got a packed show, and one question we're going to approach here is, does the free speech defend ever go too far? Some say it does.