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Connect the World

One Dead, 13 Injured In Blasts At Russian Air Base In Crimea; Trump Says He Declined To Answer Questions In Probe Of Company; Police Arrest Suspect In Death Of Muslim Men; Over 60 Percent of E.U. and U.K. Facing Drought Conditions; Wildlife Returning To Bolivia's Infamous "Death Road". Aired 10-10:45a ET

Aired August 10, 2022 - 10:00   ET

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


[10:00:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LYNDA KINKADE, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR (voiceover): Explosions inside Russian-annexed Crimea but the Ukrainian army isn't claiming responsibility

at least not yet. We are live on the ground in Kyiv. Plus...

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: My house.

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Yes. But it's --

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: My house.

ROBERTSON: But it's so dangerous. There's bombs and explosions.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KINKADE: A look at life on the front lines as the battle rages on in the Donbas region. And later this hour, 6,000 evacuated in southwest France as

new wildfire breaks out. We'll have the forecast for Europe's fourth heatwave this summer.

(on camera) Hello, I'm Lynda Kinkade in Atlanta filling in for my colleague Becky Anderson. Hello and welcome to CONNECT THE WORLD. Well, we start with

an airbase in Russian-controlled Crimea rocked by a series of explosions. One person killed, 13 injured, and widespread damage, but just watch or who

caused the blasts?

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KINKADE (voiceover): This is how it looked and sound at Tuesday. Russia's Defense Ministry claims mishandled munitions caused the explosions. And

Ukraine is not saying if its forces attacked the base, but Ukrainian official notes satellite images showed dozens of Russian aircraft and

helicopters at the base hours before the attack. Ukraine's Air Force says nine planes were destroyed without specifying any Ukrainian role in the

explosions. Well, this video shows a fire in a hangar in a town on the Sea of Azov, that lies opposite the Russian-occupied Mariupol. There's no word

what caused that explosion. The mayor of nearby Melitopol, who fled the city months ago, says resistance attacks are continuing in the region, just

as Russia is reinforcing its troops.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KINKADE (on camera): Well, Senior International Correspondent David McKenzie is connecting us today from the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv. Good to

have you there for us, David. So, Ukraine says nine Russian warplanes were destroyed in Russian-controlled Crimea. But Russia denies that any attack

took place at all, and Ukraine is not claiming credit for it.

DAVID MCKENZIE, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, I think it could be if not a pivotal moment of this conflict, certainly, potentially a

very important one, Lynda. You saw those dramatic pictures of a series of explosions rocking the western shore of Russian-occupied Crimea sending

sunbathers scattering and people fleeing the scene. Several people were injured, windows and structures were damaged quite far from that scene,

showing the intense power of those explosions.

Now, as you say, the Ukrainians are not saying whether they were involved, they in fact said they have no information on this particular incident. But

many are asking whether this was some kind of surface-to-surface strike by the Ukrainians. And if it was, what does that mean? What means that could

have the capacity to strike far out of Ukrainian-controlled territory which will have both important military and psychological effects. At this point,

though, nothing is confirmed on that front. This is the president of Zelenskyy reacting to the news without dealing with the specifics.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, PRESIDENT OF UKRAINE (through translator): We will not forget that the Russian war against Ukraine started with the occupation of

Crimea. Russia transformed our peninsula, which was always one of the best places in Europe into one of the most dangerous places in Europe. Russia

brought to Crimea massive repression, economic problems, an economic dead end, and the war, the war.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MCKENZIE: He added that the Ukrainians won't stop until they retake that important Peninsula and it really shows that many Ukrainians believe the

Crimea advance and annexation in the 20 -- in 2014, to be in many ways the original sin of Russia's dealings with Ukraine since that time. More

details may come out. But in previous instances where Ukraine has pushed past its own obvious territory, of course, I believe this is their

territory and international community believes Crimea is part of Ukraine, they've been pretty circumspect about sharing details. Lynda?

[10:05:00]

KINKADE: All right, David McKenzie, we will touch base with you again very soon. Thanks very much for joining us. David McKenzie live from Kyiv. Well,

some of the most brutal fighting is in eastern Ukraine, where Russian forces have unleashed a relentless barrage of artillery for months. This is

part of Moscow's push to capture the entire Donbas region. But despite the constant fighting, the frontlines have barely moved in weeks. And as our

Nic Robertson tells us, for residents living nearby, the threat of death is never far away.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ROBERTSON (voiceover): In Siversk, civilians are buried where they fall, no time, no safety for a cemetery send off. No bomb too big, no building in

this eastern Ukrainian town, seemingly off Russia's target list, and their slow but relentless push westwards.

(on camera) This town is on the fringes of what the Ukrainian government controls. They're surrounded on two sides by Russian forces to the east and

to the north. About five miles, eight or 10 kilometers away.

(voiceover) Shelling here, an ever-present danger. Among the ruins, people are surviving. 2,000 of a pre-war 11,000 clinging on. Valeria barely seems

to notice another shell exploding.

(on camera) How hard is it to live here now?

(voiceover) I don't realize it. But she's about to teach me how hard. She's not kidding. She comes back with a saw and a floorboard scavenged from a

blown building.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Every day. Every day.

ROBERTSON (on camera): Every day. OK, so this is hard. What -- why do you - - yes, good muscles. Why do you stay here? If it's so hard, why do you stay?

(voiceover) Valeria's lesson for me, yes, life here is very hard, but this is home and leaving would be harder.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: My house.

ROBERTSON: Yes. But it's --

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: My house.

ROBERTSON: But it's so dangerous there. There's bombs and explosions and --

(voiceover) Someone has to stay, she says. We go in the basement when they're shelling. She leads us to the basement.

(on camera) So, you're sleeping in here. You're living down here.

(voiceover) We've been sleeping down here for more than three months, she says. Down here, her cheerful sparkle is gone. We have no gas, electricity,

water, or communication, she says. I have nowhere to go. There's more she wants to show us.

(on camera): Yes, look at this. Smashed.

(voiceover) Valeria's neighbors like her, cooking outside. She's brought me to what's left of her friend's house.

(on camera) It's all destroyed. The people who were here, did they survive?

(voiceover) God save them, she says, but now they've left. By local standards, the shelling this day, less than usual. This elderly lady

venturing out for food. She tells us the food handout she needs hasn't arrived. The shelling getting closer. We go. Not so lucky, those we leave

behind. Nic Robertson, CNN, Siversk, Ukraine.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KINKADE: Well, I want to talk more about what could be the boldest Ukrainian military move since the start of this war with retired U.S.

General Wesley Clark. He's the former Supreme Allied Commander of NATO and a CNN Military Analyst and joins us now live. General Clark, good to have

you with us.

GEN. WESLEY CLARK (RET.), CNN MILITARY ANALYST: Thank you, Lynda.

KINKADE: So, we saw these major explosions in Russian-controlled territory. Russia denies being attacked; Ukraine hasn't claimed credit. But if Ukraine

was able to target Russian-controlled territory inside Crimea, as well as the port town, near the Sea of Azov, how significant is that?

CLARK: Well, I think it is significant. It's significant operationally and also politically. So, operationally, these Russian airplanes that were at

this base and some helicopters, that's part of Russia's reserve force. Ukraine is preparing and beginning to move against Kherson. Every day, we

hear more stories of strikes on the Kherson, attacks on the bridges. They're trying to regain that territory on the south coast, which is

Ukraine's lifeline link to the world. And so, this is the real thrust of Ukraine's effort, the fact that they can strike at Russian reserve forces

in Crimea, hugely significant, operationally, but also significant politically, because what it says as President Zelenskyy emphasizes, this

isn't a battle just to restore the February 24th lines. Ukraine wants its territory back including Crimea. And it looks like it's acquiring the

military means to get it.

[10:10:14]

KINKADE: And I want to ask you about that military means. We've got a graphic showing us some of the investment from the West, the U.S., of

course, contributing over $43 billion in weaponry, E.U. over $16 billion, the United Kingdom, over $6 billion. Talk to us about what sort of weaponry

would have been needed to strike inside Crimea and ends at that port?

CLARK: Well, I think right now, the Ukrainians don't quite have enough to finish the job in Crimea this year. So, I think from the Ukrainian

perspective, they're looking at a one or two-year campaign, they're looking at building up their own industrial capacity, repairing the equipment

that's been damaged, improvising to create new equipment, longer range, better targeting, using some of the techniques and equipment they've kept -

- gotten from the West, and using Russian equipment that's been captured. So, they don't have quite but they're asking for more. They need armored

vehicles, they need artillery, they need at some point, to convert the western tanks, and so forth. And that means a huge logistical training

effort for Ukraine. All of this is going while it's -- while they're fighting.

And I have to say, Lynda, that the Ukrainian military leadership has shown remarkable skill and judgment in this. They've blunted the Russian

offensive in Donbas. They've taken away Russia's major operational offensive capabilities there. They're transferring forces toward the attack

to the south. Of course, the Russians see this, they're working against it. There are some -- still some threats. The Iranian drones are a threat,

they'll obviously be going after the HIMARS system. But the Ukrainians have proved themselves very agile, very adept, very resilient. So, I think

Putin, no matter what he says, can see that he's losing militarily. His hope is to use the counter sanctions of cutting off oil and gas, intimidate

Western Europe, try to reduce the aid to Ukraine and give himself another year to rebuild his forces, and come back in 2023. That is a risk.

And that's why it's important that Ukraine receive the aid it's receiving now and even more, to try to gain as much of its territory back in this

campaign season, let's say August, September, maybe mid-October. If they could get into Crimea, if they can take back some of that Donbas, it opens

the way for the kind of settlement that could then provide a sense of justice for the people of Ukraine, and at the same time, end the conflict,

and the food and nutrition problem, energy problem for the world.

KINKADE: So, if Ukraine can get the weaponry it needs in the coming weeks and months, talk to us more about that timeframe, because President

Zelenskyy says that the war must end with the liberation of Crimea. Crimea, of course, was annexed back in 2014. At what point in time will Ukraine

have the means to do that? Do you see that happening in the -- in the coming months? Is this going to move into next year?

CLARK: Well, of course, war is a two-sided affair. And so, it -- what Ukraine needs is also dependent on what Russia has, and can throw into the

fight. As it is right now, Russia is just scraping the bottom of the barrel, it seems. They've got really old, obsolete equipment there, they're

not able to modernize their missile strike force, or whatever. And so, Ukraine has a real advantage right now.

What do they need more? They need artillery, they need long-range striking power. I'd like to see them get the 300 kilometer range ATACMS missiles, so

that they've got operational flexibility. When they go into the south, that if the Russians tried to cut them off from the east, or bring in those

reserves from Crimea, they have an instantaneous strike response force. They really need some air support. Maybe all they need is anti-radiation

missiles for their aircraft, but they don't really have a very large remaining air fleet. So, anything we can give them, the artillery, the

long-range striking power, and the logistics to be able to support this.

And by the way, you know, these Ukrainian forces are still fighting in Donbas, they're still taking casualties there. So, a lot of credit goes to

the people of Ukraine who supported these territorial and reserve forces who've been thrown into the fight out of their own -- away from their own

homes. And some of them driven their automobiles just stand on the line and resist the Russians. It such an incredible national effort, but it won't

succeed militarily without more assistance from the West.

[10:15:06]

KINKADE: General Clark, always great to hear your perspective. Thanks so much for your time.

CLARK: Thank you.

KINKADE: Well, still to come, former U.S. President Donald Trump's legal woes amounting on multiple fronts. Today, he's being questioned about his

company's business practices, as separate investigations are ramping up. Plus, police in the U.S. have a suspect in custody in the killing of four

Muslim men. Hear what his daughter and the authorities are saying about the rest.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KINKADE: Welcome back. Multiple investigations into former U.S. President Donald Trump are heating up at the same time. Today, he faced questions

from prosecutors in New York. Moments ago in a statement, Trump said he declined to answer those questions. The State's Attorney General is

investigating his business practices and trying to find out if his company used false or misleading data to get loans and other financial benefits.

The former president and the Trump organization have denied any wrongdoing. The civil investigation is coming to a head as separate probes into Trump's

presidency are escalating, including his efforts to overturn the 2020 election and the handling of classified documents.

We're learning more about the FBI's unprecedented search of Trump's Florida home, Monday. A source telling CNN that investigators suspected the former

president and his team were withholding documents that had national security implications, and that they believed the Trump team was not being

completely truthful. CNN's Jessica Schneider reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JESSICA SCHNEIDER, CNN JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT (voiceover): New details about the FBI search of Mar-a-Lago are emerging, as Republican congressional

leaders cry foul about the target and the timing.

SEN. LINDSEY GRAHAM (R-SC): I know doing this 90 days before an election reeks of politics.

SCHNEIDER (voiceover): House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy tweeting, "The Department of Justice has reached an intolerable state of weaponized

politicization," warning about investigations if Republicans take the House in November, writing, "Attorney General Garland, preserve your documents

and clear your calendar."

REP. JIM JORDAN (R-OH): Merrick Garland, Chris Wray, come to the House Judiciary Committee this Friday, and answer our questions about this action

today, which has never happened in American history. What was on the water? What were you really doing? What were you looking for? Why not talk to

President Trump, and have him give the information you're after?

SCHNEIDER (voiceover): Trump was in New York at Trump Tower when the search began Monday morning. His son, Eric, said he alerted Trump about what was

unfolding in Florida.

ERIC TRUMP, SON OF DONALD TRUMP: The purpose of the raid, from what they said, was because the National Archives wanted to, you know, corroborate,

whether or not Donald Trump had any documents in his possession, and my father has worked so collaboratively with them for months. In fact, the

lawyer that's been working on this, was totally shocked because I have such an amazing relationship with these people, and all of a sudden, on no

notice, they sent, you know, 20 cars and 30 agents.

[10:20:04]

SCHNEIDER (voiceover): The National Archives asked the Justice Department earlier this year to investigate Trump's handling of White House records,

after the Archives recovered 15 boxes of documents from Mar-a-Lago and discovered some of the Presidential Records had been torn up or contained

classified information. Sources tell CNN, Monday's search was focused on Trump's office and personal quarters at Mar-a-Lago, and it included

examining where records had been kept to make sure everything had previously been handed over to the Archives.

CNN has learned four federal investigators visited Mar-a-Lago in early June. Sources say Trump's attorneys met with the investigators and took

them to the basement room, where boxes of material were stored with the investigators later leaving. However, a source says some of the documents

had top secret markings. And Trump's attorneys later received a letter asking them to further secure the room where the documents were stored.

ANDREW MCCABE, FORMER DEPUTY DIRECTOR, FBI: I really don't believe that the department would have taken such a significant step as getting -- pursuing

a search warrant for the president's residence about information that they already had back. There had to be a suspicion, a concern, and indeed,

specific information that led them to believe that there were additional materials that were not turned over.

SCHNEIDER (voiceover): Trump releasing a lengthy statement, "These are dark times for our nation as my beautiful home, Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach,

Florida, is currently under siege, raided, and occupied by a large group of FBI agents. Nothing like this has ever happened to a president of the

United States before." Also noting, "they even broke into my safe." Trump later called into a virtual rally for Sarah Palin, where he referenced the

raid again.

DONALD TRUMP, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: That's right, another day in paradise. This was a strange day.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SCHNEIDER (on camera): And our team has learned Trump was aware of Federal investigators probing the potentially classified documents that he took to

Mar-a-Lago. In fact, Trump interacted with investigators when they visited his Florida home earlier this year. And in April and May, aides to Trump at

Mar-a-Lago were actually interviewed by the FBI as part of this probe into the handling of presidential records. Meanwhile, so far, there has been no

comment from Attorney General Merrick Garland or FBI Director Chris Wray. Jessica Schneider, CNN, Washington.

KINKADE: Well, another key day for U.S. economic data. New numbers raising hopes that inflation has finally begun to plateau or even slow. Just a

short time ago, the U.S. reporting that headline consumer prices rose at a year-over-year rate of 8.5 percent last month, still near 40-year highs but

easing from the more than nine percent levels we hit back in June. Well, this pricing pullback was expected to at least in part two recent softness

in the U.S. petrol prices.

Let's get you up to speed with those other stories on our radar right now. Local authorities on the Chinese tourist island of Hainan have begun to let

some tourists leave. Around 80,000 visitors were stranded by sudden COVID lockdown last week. Reuters reports at least nine cities on the island are

telling residents not to leave their homes except for essential reasons. Fully water levels have given rescuers hope they can enter a collapsed mine

in Mexico. They're trying to locate 10 miners trapped in the flooding since August 3rd. An underwater drone revealed the water was too high to enter

but may fall in the coming hours.

Cuban officials say the worst fire in the island's history is finally under control. It started Friday when lightning struck Cuba's main fuel storage

facility, and the flames quickly spread. At least one firefighter died, 14 others are missing. The damage is raising concerns about the nation's power

supply with Cuba facing frequent blackouts as well as gas shortages. The hunt for the man who killed for Muslim men in New Mexico may be over.

Police in southwestern U.S. have arrested this man, Muhammad Syed. They charged him with two counts of murder and consider him the primary suspect

in another two cases. The search for the killer left the City of Albuquerque on edge. Eventually, a tip from the community helped

investigators identify Syed as a suspect and tracked down his car.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HAROLD MEDINA, CHIEF OF ALBUQUERQUE POLICE: We knew Albuquerque would step up and somebody would find and identify that vehicle for us, which is

exactly what happened. And it is the City of Albuquerque, its residents, and in particular, the members of the Muslim community who stepped forward,

had faith in the department, trusted us, and gave us the information needed.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KINKADE: Ed Lavandera joins us live from Albuquerque, New Mexico with the latest on the investigation. So, Ed, this suspect charged with two murders

possible links with two other murders which happened over the course of the last nine months. What are you learning about the victims, and what more

can you tell us about the suspect?

[10:25:00]

ED LAVANDERA, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, you know, the victims were considered to be young and off -- with so much to offer. You

know, one of the things we heard over and over the last few days was the tragedy in all of this is that it was such unique lives that were cut

short. You know, what one person was described as a rising star in the political world here in New Mexico, others were heavily involved in helping

recently arrived refugees here to New Mexico and navigate a new world. So, you know, all of that kind of adds to the sense of loss and despair that so

many people feel over these murders.

But here, investigators in Albuquerque say that it is a 51-year-old Muhammad Syed, an immigrant from Afghanistan who arrived here about six

years or so ago. And that also, you know, quite frankly, has made it a rather tragic for many members of the community here, who after this arrest

that we're talking about, how relieved they felt that this killer was no longer on the streets of Albuquerque. Investigators, Lynda, are still

trying to figure out exactly what the motive behind these murders are. And as you mentioned, investigators say they have enough evidence to charge

Muhammad Syed with two of the four murders. These murders started in November of last year. And then, in the last two weeks, there were three

others. Investigators do say they feel confident that they can link Muhammad Syed to all four of the murders.

As far as Muhammad Syed is concerned, we are told and we have read in court documents that Muhammad Syed told investigators that he denies any

involvement in these murders. We were also inside the home of Muhammad Syed, we're invited in by his family. His family also tells us they do not

believe that Muhammad Syed is responsible for these murders as well. But right now, prosecutors and investigators say that they have evidence to

prove that he was. Lynda?

KINKADE: All right, we'll stay on this story. Ed Lavandera for us, thanks very much. Still ahead, extreme heat and drought plaguing parts of Europe.

We'll see if there's relief on the way for the continent, as France faces yet another heatwave.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KINKADE: Welcome back. I'm Lynda Kinkade in Atlanta. You're watching CONNECT THE WORLD, good to have you with us. Well, France is bracing for a

new heatwave this week. Temperatures in the south are expected to touch 40 degrees Celsius, that's about 104 degrees Fahrenheit. The extreme heat

complicates the country's battle against wildfires raging across parts of the south and the west. The new fire has erupted in the Toronto area of

southwestern France. Officials safe 6,000 people have been evacuated.

[10:30:06]

And to make matters worse, officials says 63 percent of land in the E.U. and U.K. are in drought conditions, covering an area around the size of

India. Let's just have a look at some of the effects of this drought. July was the driest month on record for France. This image showing the low

levels of the Midouze River in the southwest. Much of the country is now under water restrictions. And this photo shows a partially dried lake in

eastern Austria, the water levels for the town's groundwater lakes have fallen up to two meters in the past year. And in Germany, you're looking at

part of the Rhine, the country's most important inland waterway. Transport of goods along the river has fallen due to shipping routes being disrupted.

Chad Myers is in the CNN Weather Center. Just incredible summer for Europe, the fourth heatwave now for France this year.

CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: It is, and it won't be as bad as we had in July. Don't get me wrong on this, but we're already in a very bad spot

across all of Europe, really. I mean, like you said, 63 percent in some type of drought, and 17 percent in the very worst type, which means crop

failure going on. This is more than just a dry garden. This is truly widespread drought here. I guarantee you, this is not what the Rhine River

should look like at Dusseldorf. That should be 1.5 meters higher.

And the problem is not so much here, there is a channel back on this little sandy area. The problem is at Kaub. Kaub, the water is only 46 centimeters

deep, it should be two meters right now, to allow that shipping traffic to go back and forth. At 48 centimeters, and it has dropped 20 centimeters in

just the past 10 days, the ships cannot go through, the barges cannot go through full, they're at 25 percent some of them. And so, we don't see the

water going up. In fact, the river forecast still has it going down.

This all started back in the winter, when we didn't get enough snow in the Alps. So, we didn't get the snow to melt to come down the Rhine or to come

out of the Po. The rivers here are just very low because we started low, and didn't have that potential melt off and the runoff from that. So, yes,

we will get some showers but nothing that we need, especially with temperatures going up, back up into the 30s, 37 for Madrid for today. And

it's going to be hot again for tomorrow. This is going to last. There are - - it's going to be a couple of cool days across Europe. But this is going to be a 10-day heatwave with one or two days missing, just a couple of days

back toward cool. Madrid, 38, parts of Paris all the way down toward Toulouse, 36, 38 degrees.

Now remember, just in the past three years, we've broken records, not city records or daily records, but all-time records for an entire country. From

Italy to Spain, and France, and Germany, and of course, the U.K., just last month at that 40.3 degrees C, especially there even in London. Now, the air

conditioning population here is not very high compared to let's say, Japan or the U.S. 85 percent in the U.S. Only about, I don't even know, less than

10 percent of that across all of Europe. Now, it's cool today across Eastern Europe through Ukraine and all the way down to the eastern sections

of Russia.

But watch what happens over the next couple of days where the red and the orange begin to build. These are long term effects of long-term drought,

and the water just isn't there. People, you're going to be able to turn off your hose pipes. I mean, that's what just going even the Thames. The Thames

isn't even starting, Lynda, where the Thames should start. The headwaters are about five miles, or about eight kilometers down river from where to

the Thames should actually begin. That's the first spot of water going into the Thames right now.

KINKADE: Just unbelievable conditions. And we hear the Spain telling people running stores to moderate their air conditioning.

MYERS: Sure.

KINKADE: What's your advice to people? I mean, obviously, most of Europe have experienced several heatwaves already this summer. But facing yet

another one, what should people do?

MYERS: There are a number of things when you don't have air conditioning, and obviously we showed that most people don't. When you don't have air

conditioning, it's -- you want to try to keep the heat out, keep that sun out. If you have aluminum foil or a -- some type of tarp to get over to the

window that would be letting the sunshine in, that will stop some of the heat coming in, something I do here, even with air conditioning in my

house. I take a squeegee and I squeegee my shower right after I take a shower not just the door to stop the water spots, but the walls as well.

That stops all of that water from having to evaporate into your house and make it even more humid. The water just goes down the drain and doesn't

humidify my house. Just the little, tiny things, even if it feels one or two degrees better, that helps. But it's the pets, it's the children, and

the elderly that have to be taken care of here when temperatures approach 40 degrees, Lynda.

[10:35:12]

KINKADE: Good tips, as always, and you keep the shower sparkling clean. Chad Myers --

MYERS: That's right. (LAUGHTER)

KINKADE: -- good to have you with us. Thank you.

MYERS: You are welcome.

KINKADE: Well, French veterinarians tried but they couldn't save a whale that had been trapped in the Seine River. They just rescued it from a

freshwater lock and hoped to get it back into the sea, but they decided to euthanize the animal because it was in such poor health. And the beluga

whale was stuck in riverside since last week, and it had stopped eating. It's unclear why it was there. Belugas natural habitat is closer to the

Arctic. We're going to take a quick break. We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KINKADE: Welcome back. After closing the deaths of hundreds of Bolivians, the country's infamous Death Road has now become a source of new life. A

study from the Wildlife Conservation Society says animals of all types are flocking to the area since vehicles started using another route. Journalist

Stefan Pozzebon reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

STEFANO POZZEBON, CNN JOURNALIST (voiceover): Sharp turns, dust, and fog, waterfalls and sharp drops of 2,000 feet, a deadly combination for drivers

on the North Yungas Road in Bolivia. But the historic dirt path is better known as Death Road. Appropriately nicknamed since hundreds of drivers have

died trying to navigate the serpentine route since it opened in 1930. The road connects the capital city of La Paz to the Amazon rainforest in the

northern part of the country. It was open to anyone who dared to drive it, often local merchants who packed into trucks and buses to sell their goods

in town. The road was not only dangerous for drivers and passengers, but they disrupt the local wildlife, too.

MARIA VISCARRA, BIOLOGIST, WILDLIFE CONSERVATION SOCIETY (through translator): When the Death Road was open, the fauna was heavily affected

by pollution from cars, noise, and dust as the road was used 24 hours a day with heavy vehicles circulated on it.

POZZEBON (voiceover): In 2007, Bolivia's government opened a new, much safer road nearby, and it not only save human lives, but led to a surge in

wildlife activity in the area. The Wildlife Conservation Society or WCS set up 35 cameras along the old road and found over a dozen species of mammals

and nearly 100 species of birds. And that number is estimated to be even higher based on visitor sightings. Some examples include these white-nosed

coatis, this black-and-chestnut eagle, and the oncilla tiger.

GUIDO AYALA, BIOLOGIST, WILDLIFE CONSERVATION SOCIETY (through translator): Today, thanks to work done on the new road, heavy vehicles don't use this

road. Biodiversity has come back to this zone. You and see birds such as hummingbirds, tucans, parrots, blue-throated macaws, and many more. You

could notice biodiversity return. And it's very nice to see a place so near La Paz, around 50 minutes away, and you can come here and enjoy this

beautiful nature.

[10:40:17]

POZZEBON (voiceover): It's an increasingly rare example of good news for the environment, as the demise of Death Road brings a rebirth of

biodiversity. Stefano Pozzebon, CNN, Bogota.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KINKADE: A renowned Japanese fashion designer, Issey Miyake, has died. His designs became popular in the 80s. Combining technology and art. His

(INAUDIBLE) style included sharp pleats and flowing fabric. He designed uniforms for workers at Sony and produced the black turtleneck regularly

worn by Apple co-founder, Steve Jobs. Miyake was also known for his line of perfumes. Many of his designs are housed at museums, including London's

Victoria and Albert Museum, and the Museum of Modern Art in New York. Miyake worked with a pronounced limp, a result of surviving the 1945

Hiroshima bombing as a child. His office says he died from cancer. He was 84 years old.

Well, Serena Williams shocked the tennis world with her surprise announcement, Tuesday, and it seems that shock over her impending

retirement hasn't died down. Andy Scholes is here with us. And Andy, to say, this was a big news, is a massive understatement. How's everyone

handling it?

ANDY SCHOLES, CNN SPORTS ANCHOR: Well, Lynda, you know, a lot of sad people out there right now. You know, Serena is one of the greatest athletes that

we, you know, we've ever had, and you know, we've had the privilege of watching her over the last two-plus decades. So, you know, that's coming to

an end soon, but you know, could have kind of seen this coming. Serena turning 41 years old next month, so we knew she wasn't going to be able to

play forever, but we'll have continued reaction to her impending retirement coming up on "WORLD SPORT."

KINKADE: Yes, it was only a matter of time, but ending on her terms which is wonderful. Andy Scholes, we'll see you after the break. Stay with us.

"WORLD SPORT" comes back in just a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(WORLD SPORT)

END