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Official: Kherson Power Station "Practically Destroyed"; U.S. looks at Tweaking Powerful Drone to Send to Ukraine; Israel Swears in 25th Knesset; Audio Reveals Acting Police Chief was Told of Kids in Class; Cryptocurrency Exchange FTX Files for Bankruptcy; NASA's Moon Rocket Slated for Wednesday Launch. Aired 11a-12p ET
Aired November 15, 2022 - 11:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[11:00:00]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LYNDA KINKADE, CNN HOST: Welcome back to the show. I'm Lynda Kinkade. Good to have you with us. The Ukrainian Air Force says about 100 Russian
missiles have been fired at cities across Ukraine, hitting Kyiv, Kharkiv, Lviv as well as others. Officials say the country is bracing for more
attacks.
And air raid alerts can be heard throughout Ukraine. The country's Foreign Minister says this is Moscow's answer to the issue of peace talks. CNN's
Sam Kiley is live for us from Kryvyi one of the cities targeted our Nic Robertson is in the newly liberated city of Kherson. Good to have you both
with us. Sam, I want to start with you one of the regions that were struck by this barrage of missiles what more can you tells us?
SAM KILEY, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well Lynda, the widespread campaign across this country, excuse me is something close to
what we saw, excuse me, back in October, when the infrastructure in the country was hit very, very hard, with attacks against electrical power
generating areas, in particular that seems to have been repeated particularly in Kharkiv.
In Kyiv, though the capital of some residential buildings has been hit with at least one person reported a dead there there's also been reports of
explosions in Lviv, Mykolaiv. So from the far north of the country to the far south, in here in the middle of the country in Kryvyi, we've also been
attacked according to the local authorities they've seen off they believe most of the missiles, we have heard some very loud explosions. We're not
yet sure whether that's outgoing, or incoming?
Here in Kryvyi the atmosphere, I have to say, is one of a considerable defiance effectively, with the population largely ignoring the demands from
their authorities that they take cover in shelters. But those that advice has gone out from the Governor in Mykolaiv right through to the Governor in
Kharkiv and elsewhere in the country.
And as far as the authorities are concerned, this has been perhaps the worst if - or the second worst, salvo and attempt to break the back of the
power generating, the energy infrastructure of this country, which as winter is now setting in, of course, affects not just the power supply, but
the water supply.
And of course, ultimately heating, particularly in cities like Kherson, where they've already been very badly hammered and are struggling to get
their power supplies back up in any way at all Lynda.
KINKADE: Sam and I do want to go to our Nic Robertson, who is in Kherson, the newly liberated city. As Sam was saying a city already dealing with
power outages and now this barrage of missile strikes, which is not only hit residential buildings, but also infrastructure. What more are you
learning about the number of strikes Nic?
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Well, 100 is the figure being given by the Ukrainian Air Force. The impact is an increasing number
of blackouts and increased call from officials to people to conserve power, use it sparingly.
We understand that about 1/3 of the country's internet is down at the moment. We've seen this already over the past month or so since that 10th
of October, beginning of 83 missile strikes on Ukraine's power infrastructure, what Russia has done is degrade it to a point where they
could to about 40 percent of the power generating capacity was down or the distribution was down according to the government a couple of weeks ago.
The government vowing to get it back up and it appeared that the Russians were using that as political leverage, in essence, to say, look, we've
degraded it to this point. And if we just press a little bit harder, you now know what we can target what we can do, and that we can make it much
worse.
They bought into the situation where the country was having these controlled blackouts where it wasn't just the power generating facilities
that had been hit. But quite often the switching facilities, the facilities that are the intelligent connections in the network, if you will, the
intersections of the power highway that detect and monitor how much power there is in each region and then balance the system so it can be switched
around the country.
That's what's been taken out. So in many ways government officials describe what they're doing at the moment is trying to switch the available power
they have sort of on the back roads, if you will around the country along their sort of alternate power lines. Russia has been very careful in
particular in the way that it's - so the attack today is as much a political statement as it is a military strategic power infrastructure
statement as well.
[11:05:00]
ROBERTSON: And that will be how it's read in Kyiv. The reality is the government knows that it's got a very long way to go to repair the power
grid. The destruction the Russians wrote here, in Kherson today has been described as complete destruction of power, because they were at the power
station, and they blew up the 250 ton generators and shut up the other switching equipment.
So this won't - this in Kherson won't be coming back online anytime soon. It's completely destroyed effectively, officials say. Russia is hitting a
weak point in the country's system that keeps the country operating that keeps businesses running that keeps the heating on, but it does it hasn't
so far damaged the resolve.
In fact, the opposite every time there were a big barrage of strikes like this, people dip into their pockets here and give more money to the
military to support them at the frontline.
KINKADE: Yes, everyone in Ukraine wanting an end to this war. Nic Robertson for us in Kherson, our Sam Kiley in Kryvyi good to have you both with us
thanks very much!
Well, the war in Ukraine has caused a dark cloud over this year's G20 Summit. Much of the discussion has been on how to end it. Ukrainian
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says he has the path to peace in 10 steps. And he presented those steps earlier in a taped address.
All those steps include food security and nuclear safety as well as a peace treaty with Russia. He says the time to end the war is now.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT: We will not allow Russia to wait it out, build up its forces and then start a new series of terror and
global destabilization. I am convinced now is the time when the Russian destructive war must and can be stopped.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KINKADE: U.S. President Joe Biden is trying to get member countries to speak with a united voice and condemning Russia's aggression, as opposed to
the current fragmented approach. The President of Indonesia which is hosting the Summit in Bali, this is a prolonged war will have implications
for years to come.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOKO WIDODO, INDONESIAN PRESIDENT: If the war does not end it will be difficult for the world to move forward. If the war does not end, it will
be difficult for us to take a risk on stability for the future of current generation and future generations.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KINKADE: Well, of its part Russia blames the West for the war in Ukraine. At the G20 earlier Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov defended Moscow's
actions.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SERGEY LAVROV, RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTER: The more often they talk about unprovoked aggression the more everybody is convinced that this aggression
was provoked by them, and it is not an aggression, but an operation to defend the legitimate interests of Russian security because that is on
Russian - because of threats on the Russian borders and to defend the Russian population of Donbas.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KINKADE: Well, Lavrov also claims NATO and European Union have been participants in what he calls a hybrid war in Ukraine by training troops
and helping with intelligence and targeting. MJ Lee is standing by at the G20 Summit in Bali. Good to have you with us MJ! So this is day one of this
G20 Summit. What exactly does President Biden hope to gain from this summit?
MJ LEE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: You know, as President Biden and his fellow foreign leaders kicked off the G20 Summit, there's no question that there
wasn't a single issue that looms larger over the summit than the ongoing war in Ukraine, both just in terms of the destruction within Ukraine, but
also the global economic and humanitarian impact that the war has had throughout the year.
And I can tell you a senior U.S. officials heading into today, they had said that most G20 members condemned the war in Ukraine. There was sort of
recognition there that there are a handful of countries G20 members that haven't always sort of fully and openly condemned this war.
We are of course talking about countries like China, like India, Saudi Arabia, and even the host countries to some extent, Indonesia. So all of
this has sort of been a complicating, dynamic, but mostly 20 leaders, member countries did ultimately end up signing a declaration condemning the
war and obviously this was significant for President Biden given that the U.S. is overarching goal coming to this G20 Summit was really to sort of
elevate the collective and global voice condemning this ongoing war.
[11:10:00]
KINKADE: And of course, Russia's President and no show Zelenskyy when he gave that hate address refer to the G20 as the G19. But Russia's Foreign
Minister is present. What has he been saying?
LEE: Yes, it was interesting, you know, Vladimir Putin was sort of the elephant in the room without physically being there. Of course, there was a
lot of speculation leading up to this G20 Summit on whether he would ultimately come and yes, he ended up sending at the end to his foreign
minister in his place.
And even until, you know, yesterday, some U.S. officials were being asked questions by reporters about the possibility of Putin maybe joining the
summit virtually. What would happen if some countries ended up boycotting the summit as a result? How would President Biden react if he did end up
zooming in virtually into the summit?
And at that point, officials were still saying, you know, that's a hypothetical that we can even engage. But instead, ultimately, what ended
up happening as we saw throughout the day today was President Biden and other foreign leaders ended up talking about Vladimir Putin and the very
war that he started and is engaged in without his physical presence here.
KINKADE: All right. MJ Lee for us reporting from Bali, Indonesia. Good to have you with us. Thank you. Well, also add the G20 U.S. President Joe
Biden praise Turkey's President for his efforts to restart a grain deal between Ukraine and Russia.
Mr. Biden also expressed his deep condolences over the deadly explosion in Istanbul during a meeting with Recep Tayyip Erdogan on the sidelines of the
G20 Summit Tuesday. It comes after Turkey confirmed that it hosted a meeting between the heads of Russian and U.S. intelligence.
And Chris says the meeting covered threats against international security, including the use of nuclear weapons. Well, as the Biden Administration
announces a slew of new military aid for Ukraine. The U.S. is also looking at tweaking a powerful American weapon to eventually send to Kyiv.
Officials telling CNN the army is heading up efforts to potentially modify the deadly Gray Eagle, a drone armed with hellfire missiles that can fly at
25,000 feet for nearly 30 hours. Alex Marquardt is following the story for us and joins us now from Washington. Good to see you, Alex! So what are the
changes the U.S. is potentially looking at here?
ALEX MARQUARDT, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well Lynda of course, Ukraine has asked for bigger and bigger weapons throughout the course of this war, and they
have been given to Ukraine by the U.S. and other NATO countries. Now, the U.S. has been facing repeated requests from Ukraine for this grey eagle
drone, you highlighted some of its more powerful aspects.
It's also very good at gathering intelligence, carrying out surveillance fighting against other drones.
In the words of one expert I spoke with as far as drones go, it's as good as you can get. But Lynda, it has some very sensitive technology on board
that the U.S. fears could be - it could fall into the wrong hands it could fall into Russian hands if these drones were to be shot down.
Those technology likely centers around the imaging and intelligence gathering capabilities, the sensors onboard that drones. And so what two
officials tell me is that the U.S. is looking at how to essentially modify and make changes to this drone so that if it were to be shot down, it would
be far less dangerous.
One U.S. official telling me that there is still significant interest in getting this drone to Ukraine, if it would still be helpful on the
battlefield so the U.S. has not rejected the Ukrainian request as far as I understand a Ukrainian official told me there has been no official no, from
the United States' side.
They continue to push for it. And it's something that I'm told on the U.S. side, they continue to look at. Of course, Lynda, there is another fear by
the Biden Administration that is giving weapons to Ukraine that is seen as too escalatory too provocative in the eyes of the Russians.
That is a significant fear that the U.S. has had throughout the course of this war. We've seen it when it comes to long range missiles that the U.S.
fears Ukraine could fire into Russian territory itself. They're called the - and those have not yet been given to the Ukrainians.
And so these grey eagle drones kind of fall into that same camp. So this is something that the U.S. is still discussing with Ukraine is something that
they're still considering and we know how seriously they're considering it because they are looking at these modifications that can be made.
Meanwhile, Lynda, Ukrainian officials have told me repeatedly that they are getting more and more frustrated and tired with this U.S. excuse in this
fear of escalation they say that this war - that this is a question of survival for Ukraine and they need all the weapons they can get that to
fight against the Russian aggressors Lynda.
[11:15:00]
KINKADE: Yes, they certainly do. They want this war to end. Alex Marquardt for us from Washington D.C. thank you! Well, Chinese President Xi Jinping
is back on the diplomatic trail.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: A statesman should think about and know where to lead his country. He should also think about and know how to get along with
other countries and the wider world?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KINKADE: What we can expect from his G20 visit after the break. Also ahead six months after the death of a Palestinian American Journalist, Israel is
saying that it won't cooperate with any U.S. investigation. We're going to go live to Jerusalem.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KINKADE: Welcome back! You're watching "Connect the World". I'm Lynda Kinkade. Chinese President Xi Jinping is using the G20 Summit to return to
global diplomacy. After a three year absence from the world stage Mr. Xi has been meeting with a long list of Western leaders, most notably as
Monday sit down with Joe Biden.
Earlier Tuesday he also met with Australia's Prime Minister and relations between the two have been chilly at best. China's President also discussed
the war in Ukraine with French President Emmanuel Macron. He stressed China's position which includes a ceasefire and peace talks. Our Selina
Wang joins us now from Beijing with the details on all of this.
Good to have you with us Selina! So we spoke yesterday about China and the U.S. moving towards a thawing of relations. The other relationship that has
been frosty for years is of course the Chinese Australian one. And Xi did meet with his Australian counterpart as Australia's Prime Minister saying
it was very constructive.
SELINA WANG, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Lynda, I mean, like the U.S. and China bilateral meeting for Australia and China this in person meeting also marks
what we can see as the start of thawing of relations, but too much damage has been done in the Australia China relationship in recent years for this
to be considered a full reset.
This is of course a critical relationship for Australia. China is the country's largest trading partner, but the two countries have been locked
in a brutal trade dispute and diplomatic freeze since early 2020. That's when China slapped tariffs on Australia after it called for an
investigation into the origins of COVID-19. Australia is also increasingly alarmed by China's growing influence in the Pacific Islands and China was
infuriated by Australia's military alliances with the U.S. and the UK.
Now at this meeting, Xi told Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese that good relations between the countries are in the fundamental interest
of both our peoples and take a listen here to what Albanese said.
[11:20:00]
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANTHONY ALBANESE, AUSTRALIAN PRIME MINISTER: Today, I think both countries took an important step to moving forward. There are many steps of course
that we are yet to take and where I have said consistently, since before I became Prime Minister will cooperate where we can disagree where we must
and act in the national interest.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KINKADE: In the conversation with Xi Albanese said he brought up trade issues, human rights, and critically the detention of Australian citizens
in China, including journalists - and Writer --but it's not just China, Australia relations that have been frosty in recent years. It's also
China's relations with other U.S. allies, like the United States their positions on China have hardened they increasingly see the country as a
competitor.
KINKADE: And Selina Mr. Xi also met with the French and South Korean Leaders. What more can you tell us about those meetings?
WANG: Yes, Lynda, so Xi's meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron. In that meeting, Xi advocated for a ceasefire peace talks and a stop to the
war in Ukraine. The readout from the French side was slightly different. They said both of them reaffirmed their position on preventing the use of
nuclear weapons.
Then in Xi's meeting with South Korea, South Korea's President asked Xi for a more active and constructive role on North Korea but Lynda similar to the
Biden/Xi meeting the outcomes of all these in person talks is not any breakthroughs.
We're talking about fundamental disagreements between these countries. But this is really about reopening those lines of communication like we saw
with the Biden/Xi meeting and stopping these relationships from getting worse, Lynda.
KINKADE: Alright, Selina Wang for us in Beijing thanks very much! Well, it may not be smooth sailing for Mr. Xi when he returns to China. The country
has just reported its highest number of Coronavirus cases in well over a year.
The nationwide surge coupled with the governments strict zero COVID policy is pushing residents and local authorities to the brink in the
manufacturing city of Shuang Zhu people are taking to the streets to vent their frustration after weeks of crackdown CNN's Kristie Lu Stout reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KRISTIE LU STOUT, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Angry residents are taking to the streets in the lockdown how to district of Guangzhou. Images
circulated widely on Chinese social media show residents under lockdown in - defying local orders. Some are seeing breaking through roadway barriers
that were meant to confine them at home
And in one video, a woman's voices heard in the background saying "They are revolting". Now CNN has been able to geo locate these images to the hydro
district of Guangzhou but we cannot independently confirm them.
On Tuesday, local officials confirmed that large parts of the district are still under lockdown with the area's Deputy Head Guangzhou saying this "We
have also realized many of our shortcomings". It is a major economic hub that's home to 90 million people as become the epicenter of a nationwide
COVID-19 outbreak.
On Monday Guangzhou reported record COVID-19 infections along with other major cities including Beijing. And even though the case numbers are very
low compared to global standards, China has been holding tight to its zero COVID policy, a policy of mass testing lockdowns and border controls, which
has disrupted both lives and livelihoods.
The protests in Guangzhou come weeks after video emerged of a rare protest in the Tibetan capital of Lhasa over China's tough pandemic rules and that
brazen protests in Beijing that directly attacked China's zero COVID policy.
One banner read in part "No to lockdown, yes to freedom". And despite the rising public discontent, China is sticking with zero COVID. To Beijing,
the policy is necessary to save lives and to protect China's medical systems. But as we're seeing once again, played in Guangzhou many simply
have had enough as anger and desperation continued to rise in zero COVID China, Kristie Lu Stout, CNN, Hong Kong.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KINKADE: Well, now to new developments in Israel and the Palestinian territories. Israel says a Palestinian attacker killed at least three
Israelis and wounded three others in the West Bank. The Israeli army says the assailant was killed.
And separately outgoing Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid says he will not allow the American FBI to investigate Israeli soldiers over the death of a
Palestinian American Journalist. Shireen Abu Akleh was fatally shot in May while covering an Israeli raid in the West Bank.
Meanwhile, a swearing in ceremony for the country's 25th Knesset got underway earlier. And it comes two weeks after a right wing bloc headed by
Benjamin Netanyahu won a decisive majority in Israel's election. Well, Hadas Gold joins now live from Jerusalem with all the developments. Good to
have you with us Hadas! So let's start first with Israel saying that it won't cooperate with an FBI investigation into the death of an iconic
Palestinian American journalist.
[11:25:00]
HADAS GOLD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, so I mean, we first heard about this yesterday when Israeli media began to report that Israeli officials had
been contacted by American officials saying that they may need to hand over or they may want materials handed over in relation to a Department of
Justice FBI investigation into Shireen Abu Akleh's death.
Now while it's not unusual for the FBI to investigate Americans killed abroad and Shireen Abu Akleh was an American citizen. This would be highly
unusual because it would likely mean that the FBI would want to investigate a foreign ally's military activity because Shireen Abu Akleh died while
covering that military raid in Jeanine, in May.
Now the Defense Minister Benny Gantz called it a mistake essentially confirming these reports in a tweet late last night. And then just in the
last hour or so, the Outgoing Prime Minister Yair Lapid, said in a statement that the idea of soldiers will not be investigated by the FBI or
any foreign entity. He said, however friendly.
He said they will not abandon he said Israeli soldiers to foreign investigations, and that their strong protest has been conveyed to the
Americans at the appropriate levels. Meanwhile, the Palestinian Authority Ministry of Foreign Affairs have welcomed the investigation although they
said that it is coming too late.
The Americans for their production the Department of Justice has declined to comments. All of this confirmation that we're seeing is essentially
coming from the Israelis. But if this investigation does continue, it would be the second American investigation into Shireen Abu Akleh's killing
because the U.S. State Department conducted their own investigation that included a forensic examination of the bullet.
And they said well they could not come to a certain conclusion, because of the damage done to the bullet, they did come to the conclusion that it was
likely an Israeli soldier who fired that fatal shot. This is the same conclusion that media investigations including CNN own investigation have
come to.
And months after the incident the Israeli military after conducting its own investigation also came to the same conclusion saying that it was most
likely an Israeli soldier who fired the fatal shot but said it was unintentional that they didn't realize that Shireen was a member of the
media.
Now as for Shireen's family, they have long been calling for this investigation. They say they want accountability and say they welcomed the
news of an FBI probe Lynda.
KINKADE: All right, we'll leave it there. Hadas Gold for us in Jerusalem thank you! Well, still to come on "Connect the World" only days after the
2022 midterm elections Donald Trump is ready to start the 2024 election cycle, a preview of his big announcement coming up.
Plus a stunning story exclusive to CNN prove that senior police officers knew what was happening inside a classroom as they waited outside during a
terrible mass shooting.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:30:00]
KINKADE: Welcome back! Despite much finger pointing and hand wringing over the poor performance in the midterm elections, it appears Republicans are
on the verge of taking control of the House of Representatives. CNN projects that Republicans only need three out of 16 still undecided House
races to seize control of that chamber of Congress.
Democrats already have clinched the Senate. Meanwhile, Republican Kari Lake who prominently campaigned on denying that Donald Trump lost the 2020
election has lost her bid to become Governor of Arizona.
It appears that Donald Trump is ready to kick off the 2024 race for the White House right now. Trump is widely expected to announce his third run
for the presidency tonight at a rally at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida. Analysts say he's trying to shift the narrative from the Republicans poor
showing in the midterms. And he's hoping to get a head start on several potential Republican rivals, including Florida Governor Ron DeSantis.
CNN's Kristen Holmes is in West Palm Beach, Florida covering the Trump announcement for us. Good to see Kristen there for us! So certainly we are
expected to hear from Donald Trump at 9 pm Eastern tonight where he is expected to announce his run for presidency for the President, but he is on
the back foot given the poor showing in the midterms. How is this announcement going to be received?
KRISTEN HOLMES, CNN U.S. NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, that's a good question, Lynda. I mean, basically what we have seen is that aides and
advisors allies to the Former President have asked him not to run not just because of the lackluster midterm results, but also because of that Georgia
run off.
They say he will be blamed if Walker his candidate, the Republican loses, and even entering the race we'll see tons of fundraising for that
Democratic opponent, Raphael Warnock. Despite all of that Donald Trump is still we are told by aides and advisers expected to announce that third
presidential run.
Now something that we have seen across the board, even from once allies has been a number of Republicans is shifting away from Donald Trump saying that
it's time to move on from the Former President this is just motivating the president more based on what we are told by those around him.
He is talking about how this is similar to 2015, when he launched that presidential run. And of course, as we know, in 2016, he was ushered into
the White House. Now, I have spoken to a number of allies who are concerned that he doesn't have the same magnetism that he had back in 2015, and 2016.
And that all of this focus on election denialism will actually hurt him, particularly after we saw that that really fizzled out on Tuesday during
those elections.
KINKADE: And just quickly Kristen his Former Vice President Mike Pence says there are better Republican candidates, he will hold a town hall tomorrow
night on CNN, is that a view shared by many Republicans?
HOLMES: Well, the Former Vice President saying there might be better candidates. He's also kind of talking about himself. We know that he is
considering a run in 2024 and that if he does run according to aides and advisors around him, he's likely going to run on the platform of being
Trump policy, but not Trump baggage.
Now, we have heard that from a number of Republicans particularly following the midterm that they want someone who has that same policy agenda that
Donald Trump did was able to get stuff done, but they don't want all the baggage. Of course, we have to remember that he is making this announcement
while he is under multiple federal investigations. That is just part of the baggage there. So we are hearing that from Republicans.
But again, if you look back to 2015 2016, when people said there was no way Donald Trump can win the way he was able to do that was by gathering up the
voters and the voter voices. The question still remains while these establishment Republicans might be turning their back on him are his
supporters and the voters doing the same?
KINKADE: Yes. Good question. Kristen Holmes good to have you there for us in Florida thanks so much! We're now to a CNN exclusive new audio obtained
from the investigation into the Uvalde Texas school shooting is shedding light on exactly what officials knew in those critical moments while the
gunman was inside the school.
For the first time a phone call reveals that a senior Uvalde officer was alerted that children needed to be rescued after a child called 911 and
reported that she and her classmates were trapped with the gunman. Our Shimon Prokupecz has the story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So how many are still alive?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: --still--
SHIMONE PROKUPECZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): A new audio of a recorded phone conversation obtained by CNN shows the acting Uvalde Police
Chief was directly told that children were trapped with a gunman and needed rescue. And still he failed to take direct action to save them.
[11:35:00]
PROKUPECZ (voice over): CNN has pieced together multiple body cameras and new security footage from inside the school hallway, along with this never
before heard phone call to show how a failure of leadership allowed 77 minutes to tick by before police killed the gunman.
Acting Uvalde Police Chief Mariano Pargas was among the first police officers to enter Robb Elementary on May 24th. The Chief of the Uvalde
Police was on vacation, which left Pargas in charge of the City Police.
Pargas arrives at 11:36 am just three minutes after the gunman fires his first shots. His officers run in ahead of him and make an initial attempt
to breach the classroom. They quickly retreat when shots are fired in their direction.
CNN has chosen to mute the sound of those gunshots. Minutes later, Uvalde School District Police Officer Ruben Ruiz, whose wife is a teacher of Robb
Elementary, delivers critical information to Pargas. The shooter is located inside his wife's classroom.
Pargas who was suspended by the City of Uvalde in July and placed on paid leave while they investigate his role as a commanding officer during the
shooting is walking in and out of the hallway taking cover next to a wall failing to organize a response.
Even when Ruben Ruiz barrels back into the hallway telling his colleagues that his wife, Eva Morales called in from inside the room and says she's
dying. It's Pargas the Acting Chief who comes and removes Ruiz from the hallway.
As time goes by the police on the scene can be heard looking to Pargas asking him for direction. They want to know what the plan is. Pargas tells
them he's waiting on the Texas Department of Public Safety.
PARGAS: Are we just waiting for more time for what's going on?
PROKUPECZ (voice over): At 12:10 pm, nearly 30 minutes after police first arrived 10-year-old Chloe Torres, a fourth grader trapped inside the room
with the gunman is on the phone with a 911 dispatcher.
PARGAS: Classroom--
PROKUPECZ (voice over): CNN obtained that call and published it with the approval of her parents. When the dispatcher radios information to the
officers Pargas and other police on scene are immediately informed.
PARGAS: The room is full of victims child 911 call.
PROKUPECZ (voice over): Pargas, who didn't have a radio with him, takes one from a detective and enters the hallway. He tells the men inside--
PARGAS: The child has said they have victims in there.
PROKUPECZ (voice over): But then Pargas steps back. Two minutes later he walks out of the hallway and places a phone call directly to the Uvalde
Dispatcher. CNN has obtained this call.
PARGAS: OK, in the call that you got - from the one of the students or what did they say?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's going to be a one to--
PARGAS: So how many are still alive?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: 18 are still alive.
PARGAS: Then how many more?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: --actually aware of what we're trying to do?
PARGAS: OK.
PROKUPECZ (voice over): They're recorded phone call proves for the first time that a senior officer at the scene was directly made aware of the
horrors happening inside the classroom. Pargas walks back in the hallway one more time.
A few seconds later, the Acting Police Chief turns his back and walks out in the doorway Pargas can be seen talking to the Texas Ranger Christopher
Ryan Condell, who has CNN, has previously reported is currently suspended and under investigation for failing to organize a response that day.
But Pargas doesn't appear to tell him about the 911 information he received. CNN has learned from sources familiar with the investigation that
a number of law enforcement officials on scene including high ranking officers with the Texas Department of Public Safety say they did not know
about the 911 call.
[11:40:00]
PROKUPECZ (voice over): A few minutes later at 12:20 pm Pargas can be seen walking away from the school away from the hallway where dozens of officers
from several law enforcement agencies remain debating at times confused and seemingly uncertain about what to do.
They wouldn't breach the classroom for another 30 minutes. CNN analysis of a new never before made public angle of the hallway security camera shows
that Pargas never stepped foot back inside this hallway.
In interviews with investigators obtained by CNN Pargas say he didn't believe he was in charge. And his officers from the Uvalde City Police were
there only to assist the school police until the Texas Department of Public Safety took over.
The Texas Department of Public Safety which played seven of its officers who were at the scene under further investigation, labeled Uvalde School
Police Chief Pete Arredondo as the on scene commander. Arredondo who was fired in August maintains he wasn't in charge either.
CNN reached Pargas by phone he said "He would love to defend himself. But he's been told not to speak to the media", adding "It's not that were
afraid because there's nothing to be afraid of. We did what we could. But the thing is that we've been told that we can't".
In interviews with Texas Rangers, he was asked why officers didn't force their way into the classroom sooner. As active shooter training clearly
indicates.
PARGAS: The room was extremely dark and we didn't know where he was or the kids were standing they were by him or not knowing what was behind the
doors.
PROKUPECZ (voice over): Pargas didn't tell the investigators about his direct call with the dispatcher and claimed he didn't remember hearing
radio traffic about the 911 calls.
PARGAS: --we heard all the shots but would know whether there were kids in their - who have no idea.
PROKUPECZ (voice over): But Pargas did know. He knew Reuben Ruiz's wife called and said she was inside dying. And he knew a child called 911 and
said she was in room 112 surrounded by victims. As the acting Uvalde Police chief Mariano Pargas was a Commanding Officer on scene and could have done
something about it Shimon Prokupecz, CNN Uvalde, Texas.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KINKADE: We're going to take a quick break. We'll be right back with more news.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KINKADE: Welcome back! The trillion dollar Crypto currency industry is in chaos following the bankruptcy filing of one of its biggest players, crypto
exchange FTX on Friday. We're learning from court documents out today that the company could have more than 1 million creditors. A handful of
celebrities could Lose big on FTX is collapse from Tom Brady to Steph Curry.
[11:45:00]
KINKADE: Well, Matt Egan joins me now from New York with more on the future of FTX and Crypto currency. Good to see you, Matt! So we've heard several
comparisons of this industry to the Wild West. But the Wild West, there's a sheriff this industry had no regulation, right?
MATT EGAN, CNN REPORTER: Yes, that's right, Lynda. I think it's safe to say that the sheriff of the crypto industry is nonexistent at this point. There
really aren't very many guardrails in the crypto industry, in large part because it is still very new.
But you know the FTX disaster could change that. U.S. regulators were testifying before lawmakers today, warning that these crypto risks are very
real warning that the recent events, including the collapse of FTX shows what happens when there are no guardrails.
And so we are hearing more and more calls for U.S. regulators to do something. I talked to Former FDIC Chair Sheila Bair, she led that agency
during the 2008 crisis and she said, listen, you know, regulators in the United States need to get their act together, figure out who has to
regulate what she said, because real people are getting hurt.
And we learn more details on that front today with these new court documents from FTX showing that this exchange may have more than 1 million
creditors. Previously, when FTX filed bankruptcy last Friday, they said they could have over 100,000 creditors now they're saying it's more than a
million, many of these creditors are likely customers.
And those customers have their money kind of stuck with FTX right now as the company is in bankruptcy. And legal experts say that they may
ultimately lose a lot or even all of those funds. Another really interesting tidbit that came out of these bankruptcy court documents from
FTX they say that in the last 72 hours alone FTX's representatives have been in contact with "Dozens of regulatory agencies from around the world,
including federal prosecutors in the United States and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission" just another reminder, Lynda of just how sweeping
this collapse is.
KINKADE: Matt Egan in New York thanks so much. Well, like everywhere inflation in Argentina is reaching sky high levels and people have had
enough. In September it topped 80 percent and is forecast to go even higher by the year's end. CNN's Rafael Romo reports in the growing frustration in
the country.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
RAFAEL ROMO, CNN SENIOR LATIN AMERICAN AFFAIRS EDITOR (voice over): On the streets of - side is the capital of Argentina. Demonstrators marching once
again to tell the world they are fed up. This time it was doctors, nurses and other health care workers saying low wages and a galloping inflation
have put them between a rock and a hard place.
This is our eighth week of struggle in our second week of an indeterminate strike this resident says added that they're demanding a living wage as
well as insurance for unpaid interns. One of the striking doctors showed CNN his spaced up for the month of September stating a salary and pesos
equivalent to just over $760. That's below Argentina's poverty line salary of just over $800 a month for a family of four in the capital.
RAMIRO BLAZQUEZ, FINANCIAL ANALYST, BANCTRUST AND CO: Inflation has eroded the purchasing power of wages for many years already.
ROMO (voice over): This financial analyst says workers have been hit by a double whammy of inflation and low salaries, especially in the last seven
years.
BLAZQUEZ: If you look back at 2015, the end of 2015 former workers the purchasing power of wages is down 20 percent and the case of informal
workers it's almost 40 percent.
ROMO (voice over): According to government data, the inflation rate rose to 83 percent in the 12 months through September.
ROMO (on camera): Some analysts suggest it may go as high as 100 percent by the end of the year. Do you agree with this assessment?
BLAZQUEZ: Yes, essentially that is our forecast our actually our point forecast is 103 percent.
ROMO (voice over): President Alberto Fernandez acknowledges inflation is high. But strangely, he says consumption hasn't decreased and neither has
industrial production nor gross domestic product. That's little consolation to striking doctors like Marcelo Akuna (ph).
He says that inflation has eroded the salary increases they unable to get over the years the government of Argentina announced Friday a deal with
supermarkets to freeze or tightly controlled prices for around 1500 products.
[11:50:00]
ROMO (voice over): But analysts like Blazquez say this new effort to contain inflation will have little impact if Argentina doesn't deal with
one of the root problems, resorting to printing pesos to make up for a rising fiscal deficit, Rafael Romo, CNN.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KINKADE: Well, let's get you up to speed on some other stories on our radar right now. And the Taliban has ordered judges in Afghanistan to fully
implement Sharia law. Their interpretation of the religious based legal code includes public executions, amputations, and flogging.
When the Taliban returned to power last year, they initially tried to project a moderate image, but have now returned to strict religious roots.
In Southeastern Australia heavy rainfall has triggered dangerous flash flooding leaving hundreds of people stranded.
Some people had to be rescued from tree branches and rooftops meteorologists say parts of the region have had more than 100 millimeters
of rain in the past 24 hours. Well, third time's the charm. Well, that's what NASA is hoping for. I'll take a closer look at another possible
Artemis Moon Rocket Launch when we come back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KINKADE: Welcome back! NASA is preparing to launch its Artemis Moon Rocket in the coming hours. This is the third attempt and it comes just days after
the rocket took a direct hit from a hurricane. I took a close look at how things are shaping up for the overnight launch.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KINKADE (voice over): NASA says it's on track for the Artemis one mission to launch Wednesday that could pave the way for U.S. astronauts to return
to the moon. The launch of NASA's most powerful rocket ever, which is carrying the unscrewed Orion Spacecraft, is targeting a two hour window for
liftoff beginning at 1:04 am Eastern Time Wednesday.
That's if all goes to plan. Previous launches have been scrubbed because of bad weather and technical issues.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: --Director Charlie Blackwell Thompson has called a scrub.
KINKADE (voice over): NASA says the mission is still ready to go even though the mega rocket sustained some minor damage after Hurricane Nicole
swept across Florida last week. Artemis one was already on the launch pad when the storm unexpectedly strengthened.
NASA says it was designed to withstand high winds and needed minimal repairs. But the launch date was pushed back by two days. It's the latest
in a series of delays for the Artemis one launch, which was initially set for late August. The first two attempts were scrapped after issues with a
fuel leak.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Became now going into the cut off procedure after being unable to resolve a hydrogen leak.
KINKADE (voice over): The third scuttled by the threat of an earlier hurricane, which had forced NASA to roll the rocket back to the hangar for
safety. If and when Artemis gets off the ground, it has some lofty goals. The first mission is expected to be a 25 day journey to the moon's orbit
and back. Artemis two repeats the trip including astronauts and a lunar flyby. Artemis three plans to put astronauts back on the moon surface.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
[11:55:00]
KINKADE: Well, the earth's population hit a mega milestone today; 8 billion people now inhabit our planet. That's according to the United Nations
projection. It says the gradual increase in human lifespan due to improvements in medicine, nutrition and other areas has led to an
unprecedented population growth.
But the overall growth rate will soon start to shrink well; it is actually 8,000,000,001 my nephew was just born a few hours ago. Welcome to the
world. He is yet to be named. And finally hats off to Paris for making a cup for the mouth guard of 2020 for Paris Olympic Games.
Many cities choose animals as the mascots but the organizers of the Paris event say they picked hats because they represent the French identity. And
were symbols of freedom during the French Revolution.
Where there will be two versions of the hats for the games, one for the Olympics and the other for the Paralympics. Thanks so much for joining us
that was "Connect the World". I'm Lynda Kinkade; stick around "One Word" with Zain Asher is up next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[12:00:00]
END
