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Erdogan Vows to Tackle Inflation, Resurrect Destroyed Cities; Spanish Prime Minister Calls for Snap Parliamentary Election; Agreement Includes Provisions Neither Party Supports; Uganda Enacts Anti-LGBTQ law that Includes Death Penalty; Violence Ticks up in Once-Peaceful Jericho; "Succession" Actor Brian Cox Talks About Childhood. Aired 11a-12p ET

Aired May 29, 2023 - 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, CONNECT THE WORLD: Welcome to our second hour of CONNECT THE WORLD. I'm Lynda Kincaid, good to have you with us. This hour

world leaders are congratulating Turkey's Recep Tayyip Erdogan he is unprecedented third term as President. So what does this mean for the

country and its struggling economy?

Also dodging debris in Kyiv Ukraine's Capital seeing some of its most intense attacks since the start of the war we'll see what happened in that

Russian barrage. And the deal is on the table, but will the U.S. Democrats and Republicans in Congress sign on? We'll have more in the race to avoid a

government default. And succession calls it a night the power house hit show about the powerful and power hungry has just wrapped up. And we spoke

with one of its biggest stars.

Well Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has secured another term. He already has governed for 20 years and Sunday he defeated his opponent in a

runoff with 52 percent of the vote. Mr. Erdogan says the most urgent topping ahead right now is to reverse Turkey's high inflation and that now

it's time to "To resurrect cities that was destroyed in February's earthquake".

And Nada Bashir is joining me now from Istanbul has been covering the election from the get go. Good to have you with us Nada. So the opposition

described this election campaign as unfair they joined with opposing parties to defeat Erdogan. Despite that he has secured a third term. Take

us through his top priorities.

NADA BASHIR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Although there are a lot of concerns on the minds of voters ahead of this runoff election, not least the economy

that is certainly a key focus, President Erdogan has faced fierce criticism over his monetary policies, policies that people say are to blame for the

rising inflation that we are seeing in the country as well as the plummeting of the lira.

So people are really struggling across Turkey. And there has been real backlash against President Erdogan for that, despite however this

criticism, President Erdogan has been clear he plans to stick through with his vision for the country's economy. He believes he will see a return

soon.

And when we spoke to voters yesterday outside the AKA Party Headquarters celebrating President Erdogan's victory, they said they also believe in his

vision, they feel that this is a time for political stability. And after more than two decades in power, they feel President Erdogan is the person

to deliver that stability.

But of course, another key issue that President Erdogan will be grappling with is the aftermath of the earthquake as you mentioned. More than 50,000

people killed, millions more displaced still living in temporary camps across the country southeast.

We've already seen the government pushing ahead with reconstruction plans across the region affected. President Erdogan doubled down on that

commitment yesterday as well; he took to his victory speech to recommit his government towards providing permanent housing for those impacted by the

earthquake as well as loans for those who have been made homeless by the earthquake.

And then of course, he has a real focus on cementing Turkey's place on the world stage. Turkey is a key NATO ally. It's an influential powerbroker in

the region. It has deep connections with the region, of course, particularly as a result of recent conflicts Turkey very much involved in

the conflicts in northern Syria, as well as in Libya, where its foreign policy focus has been for the last few years.

And, of course, the war in Ukraine, President Erdogan over the course of the last year or so has been positioning Turkey as a source of mediator in

this conflict attempting to secure some sort of peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine. At this stage, we've seen success when it came to the

Grain Deal.

He was able to broker an agreement between Russia and Ukraine on that front. But of course, President Erdogan is continuing to focus on that, and

he has said that he will maintain what he described as a special relationship with President Putin focusing on his relations between the two

countries in line with his place as a NATO leader.

Now of course, there is concern around the state of democracy here in Turkey. That was a key focus for Kemal Kilicdaroglu, the leader of the

opposition party defeated in this runoff.

He says that the fact that this was such a close race, that it even went to a runoff the first time for a presidential election here in Turkey shows

that there is a real divide in the country that there is really hunger for change in Turkey.

[11:05:00]

KINKADE: All right, Nada Bashir for us in Istanbul, Turkey. Good to have you on the story. Thank you and we are going to stay on this story. And

given his past policies, the question is will Mr. Erdogan be able to turn the economy around? Well for more now I'm joined by Bilal Bagis. He is an

Economist with the Turkish Think-Tank Foundation for Political, Economic and Social Research, also known as SETA. Good to have you with us.

BILAL BAGIS, ENCONOMIST, SETA: Thank you, Lynda. Thanks for having me.

KINKADE: So, President Erdogan described his win in this runoff election as a win for the people of Turkey. What will the people of Turkey get from

Mr. Erdogan in the next five years?

BAGIS: Well, President Erdogan, he was a front runner. So he was expected to win. He was set to win. And he had a head start in the second round --

in the first round, I'm sorry. So there are actually a lot of reasons people opted for him again.

First of all, President Erdogan's, the incumbent President's support is mainly coming from Anatolian heartland, I will say, from the mainland

Anatolia, there is actually a really huge, almost half of the population that is loyal to him.

He has a really huge devoted work potential. And part of it is also the recent social policies such as the new housing projects that the fans

infrastructure has high tech initiatives, including the electric vehicle chip production, actually, also including the foreign policy attempts,

focusing more on employment production.

And all these policies, they actually they did pay off, including the rising wages, retirement benefits. And starting from the first round, he

got really huge support from the people. And we could also add, actually, the increasing nationalistic sentiment, I would say, and also, the fact

that in the first round, the people's airlines, it got actually, majority of the parliament.

So the legislative body, it was already on the people's alliance side Mr. Erdogan's side, and people opted for political stability, I would say,

that's another critical factor. So people prefer political stability as well and also President Erdogan's ability to read the situation and to play

accordingly. He really believes in things he does, and he really does things that he promises, he says, and people do really appreciate that.

KINKADE: And I want to ask you if I can about the Turkish Lira. Over the last decade, it's lost more than 90 percent of its value. And upon the

reelection of Erdogan it sunk to a new record low. Analysts predict it's going to sink even further under his government. Why that pessimism?

BAGIS: So well (audio gap) no volatility is including the high inflation rate, high current account depths, and there are a lot of reasons for that

part of it is rising U.S. dollar against almost everything the tightening monetary policy in the western world in the U.S. and Europe and UK.

And there are also of course, some domestic factors as well. Turkey is lacking in managing expectations. The communication, lacking in

communication is instruments and also the expansion of money monetary policy, I will say decreasing interest in that also party play the role.

And the huge current account deficit, the external finance needs all these factors; they put a pressure on Turkish Lira. But looking forward post the

election, I would say Turkey and President Erdogan they will probably balance a little more and probably balance between the huge external

inflation exchange rate volatility and also the domestic inflation with the higher growth rates and employment that they have opted for in the past.

So we probably will not see that type of demand side expansionary policies and also the lacking in communication and management of expectations that

we faced before the election, and they will probably a new economic management team as well. So including all these factors, I would say

looking forward; there will be more reason to be optimistic.

[11:10:00]

KINKADE: Right now the cost of living crisis is significant inflation is over 50 percent. And the economic policy that Erdogan has pushed to tackle

inflation is highly unusual, highly unorthodox. He believes he can lower interest rates, which in turn will lower inflation. Not many economists

believe that that is, in fact, correct. I haven't heard from any economist that believes that that would work. What impact do you think that will

have?

BAGIS: So Turkey did follow some unconventional or unorthodox plan policies. That's a reality. And in the big picture, actually, what Turkey

is trying to do is basically focusing on the supply side issues. So the global external supply side shocks, negative factors, and also the

domestic, external weaknesses that Turkey has, including the energy dependence on countries such as Russia, and other intermediate goods.

Turkey was also having actually huge gold imports in the past few years. So the most critical issue I would say was in communication of these new

instruments and the new goals that Turkey had. So they lacked in selling or explaining these new policies.

So going back to the theory, while everybody would agree that there is a connection, there is a relationship between inflation and interest rate.

But as for the causality, we actually we can't be sure about from which side the causality is.

So certainly both policymakers in Turkey and across the world, they agree that there is some connection between inflation and interest rate. And

Turkey has been focusing on the supply side issues, domestic supply side issues, and hopefully with the help from the external positive supply

issues as well.

Turkey is planning to actually deal with these huge nominal or financial volatility is that it had in the past. And as I said a few minutes ago, the

economic management team, it will probably also change and the new team it will probably have more confidence and trust, and they will be able to

explain these policies to the market much better. So they will also probably balance between the growth employment investment and export.

KINKADE: We have to leave it there for now. Bilal Bagis we will wait and see if that change indeed does happen with the economic policy of Erdogan's

government going forward. Thanks so much for your time. We appreciate it.

BAGIS: Thank you. Thanks for having me.

KINKADE: We'll get out your smartphone because there is much more analysis on Mr. Erdogan's next moves on "Meanwhile, in the Middle East" that

newsletter we drop three times a week right into your inbox. You can scan the code below or you can go to cnn.com/middleeast.

Well, Spain may be on the verge of change as well. The Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez is calling for a snap parliamentary election in July. I was earlier

the conservative Popular Party had made huge gains in local and regional elections over the Prime Minister's ruling Socialist Party.

Al Goodman is following all the developments and joins us now from Madrid. Good to have you with us Al. Elections were expected to take place in

December but the Prime Minister has called for these snap elections in July explain why.

AL GOODMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Lynda. Well, it's the second biggest surprise here in Spain in less than 24 hours. That second surprise with the

Prime Minister's announcement at this morning, coming out and saying that he was going to call snap elections for a Sunday, July 23rd, saying as a

result, because of the election results last night and he took he took responsibility.

He said for those results. The first surprise was Sunday evening. Now the polls had said that the opposition Conservative Party was going to make

some gains in all of the city halls across Spain, and in most of the regional governments but not to the deep, deep degree that the Conservative

Party did.

They wiped out the socialist leaders in a lot of areas that are considered to be socialist -- loyal socialist photos, election after election. And so

as a result of all this, the newly emboldened conservative leader who's never stood at a national level is saying that there's going to be a change

in cycle.

Now the backdrop for all of this is that the far right Vox Party has also come up in this polling on Sunday. It already was present in Spain, but now

it's got a bigger presence and is pushing to make deals with the center right conservative popular party, and that may be one reason that the Prime

Minister has called these early elections trying to hold on to whatever political capital he still has while the things are just changing here in

the city halls and in these regional governments across Spain, Lynda.

[11:15:00]

KINKADE: All right Al Goodman for us in Madrid Spain. Good to have you on this developing story. Thank you. To Ukraine now where explosions have been

reported around the Capital Kyiv for yet another day.

This video shows children running to a shelter. Ukraine says its air defenses shut down dozens of cruise missiles and drones launched at the

Capital earlier. Kyiv is promising swift retaliation. Well, this all comes as a country's long awaited counter offensive is expected to begin soon.

CNN's Sam Kiley traveled to meet with some of Ukraine's recruits in combat training.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SAM KILEY, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice over): These are new recruits training. They could be on the front line in a couple of

weeks. In training mistakes are harmless.

KILEY (on camera): And what happened to you?

MAKSIM, UKRAINIAN RECRUIT: I got hit in the face with a pellet.

KILEY (on camera): How long have you been doing this training?

MAKSIM: Two months. I recently joined the Army. So for now I'm here for two months training.

KILEY (on camera): What do you think about the coming offensive? Do you want to get involved?

MAKSIM: Yes, I do.

KILEY (on camera): You're not worrying?

MAKSIM: I think we're going to win.

KILEY (on camera): These young men they've been having quite a lot of fun running around in the woods and sometimes things get quite funny. But

ultimately, this business is deadly serious.

KILEY (voice over): These recruits could be weeks away from combat, pretend war, turning to this where death is all too real.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He's not breathing!

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He's not breathing!

KILEY (voice over): Wounded veteran Colonel Oleksandr Piskun runs the training.

COLONEL OLEKSANDR PISKUN, NATIONAL GUARD: I know what it's like to lose loved ones. But this is war and there is no other choice. Of course, once

the unit goes into action some of these guys will die. They are all aware of that.

KILEY (voice over): That experience is hard one. Oleksandr came face to face with the Russian who shot him in Bakhmut last week.

KILEY (on camera): What would you say to young volunteers or conscripts joining now?

PISKUN: That you have to be prepared for anything. To be prepared for the good and the bad.

KILEY (voice over): The hospital's got plans for dealing with the Ukraine's offensive, which is expected this summer.

IHOR, UKRAINIAN ARMY: They will be tough to force back hard. They won't give up territory that easily. It's going to be a big fight, very big and a

lot of casualties.

KILEY (voice over): Colonel Piskun knows that this will not be his last memorial service. This military cemetery has space to grow. Soldiers are

confronted with grim truth here that many young men are forever in tuned in this parade of graves. Sam Kiley, CNN in Kryvyi Rih.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KINKADE: Well, time is running out to raise the U.S. debt ceiling can Joe Biden and Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy get both parties to support

their deal before default? The latest in live reports in Washington next, and later, one of Venice's famous canals turn to bright green, we'll have a

live report on what may be behind this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[11:20:00]

KINKADE: U.S. President Joe Biden and Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy are acting as salesmen today and possibly twisting a few arms. They're trying

to convince lawmakers to support their agreement to limit spending and raise the U.S. debt ceiling. Officials say the U.S. could default on its

debt one week from today.

To avoid that the deal must pass and both the House and the Senate. But the agreement includes provisions that neither party supports, or more now from

a conversation last hour CNN White House Reporter Arlette Saenz and CNN Congressional Correspondent Lauren Fox.

ARLETTE SAENZ, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: While this deal will raise the debt ceiling up until 2025, which is just past the 2024 midterm

Presidential elections, I should say. There are a number of concessions that were made on behalf of the White House and probably the key one

relates to work requirements when it comes to food stamps.

That is something that progressives have really bulked at this agreement would slowly phase in a new age limit for those work requirements, raising

it from 49, up through the age of 54. Now progressives have expressed quite a bit of frustration with the inclusion of this proposal.

But what White House Officials have argued to Democrats in private is that they were able to prevent any further toughening of other work

requirements, chief among them, really the issue pertaining to Medicaid, which is something that the President had really said that was not an

option for him, even though that was something that Republicans did want to pursue.

But now they are facing this difficult task of trying to corral support from both sides of the aisle, the White House has argued to those

progressives that they were able to, you know, stave off any type of impact to the inflation Reduction Act and infrastructure worse, which were some of

the key priorities for Democrats.

Now, White House officials are expected to continue briefing members throughout the day, they had briefings with Democratic lawmakers. Just

yesterday, there was also expected to be some one on one phone calls with members of Congress as well as they're trying to corral enough support to

get these bills across the finish line without June 5 deadline -- .

KINKADE: Yes, and speaking of that finish line to Lauren, both our Speaker and the U.S. President have to convince their own parties essentially to

pass this in Congress. And time is not on their side.

LAUREN FOX, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, I mean, they really don't have that much time. But the House of Representatives is working

pretty quickly, they are hoping to vote. As soon as Wednesday they are going to go to an important committee, the rules committee tomorrow night.

The expectation would be that they could pass it out of that committee, which establishes sort of the playing rules for getting to the floor of the

house.

Once they actually get that passed, though, it has to go to the U.S. Senate. And that could take a bit more time because while the U.S. Senate

can move very quickly when it wants to any one member can really slow down that process force, the Majority Leader Chuck Schumer to burn a lot of

time, and that could put you right up against that June 5 deadline.

I want to go back, though to the fight to get the votes in the House. The expectation is there's going to be a number of conservatives who do not

vote for this package, many of them already speaking out against it. You have people like Representative Bob Good, as well as others who are

concerned about the fact that they believe this did not cut spending at the amount that they wanted it to.

So there's going to be some votes lost on the Republican side, there's also probably going to be some votes lost on the progressive side because of

those work requirements that are that was discussing. So that gives you a sense this deal has to pass out of the House of Representatives right in

the middle.

[11:25:00]

And it's kind of a rare moment on Capitol Hill where you have sort of this collection of Republicans and Democrats who are moderates who are going to

have to get this passed in a bipartisan way given the fact that the House of Representatives typically just passes bills along party lines that's

going to be something to keep an eye on.

KINKADE: Thanks to both those Reporters. Well, let's get you up to speed on other stories on our radar right now and mediators in Sudan say the two

warring parties have significantly impeded delivery of humanitarian aid during the current ceasefire. There are fears of further violence when the

seven day truce expires later today.

The conflict between Sudanese armed forces and rapid support forces is now in its seventh week. South Korea is urging North Korea describe its plans

to launch and supposed satellite warning would respond firmly to any provocation from Pyongyang. North Korea has been touting plans in recent

weeks to launch the country's first reconnaissance satellite.

Nepal is celebrating the 70th anniversary of the first ascent of Mount Everest. Among those honored were Sherpa guide Kami Rita has climbed

Everest twice this season for a record 28 times in total. Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay first reached the summit on this day back in 1953.

Well, the famous Grand Canal in Venice turned to green over the weekend, but the reason why it's still a mystery. Police have collected water

samples for clues. They're also looking at surveillance video to see if anyone suspicious was around the water, for more, here, CNN's Barbie

Nadeau.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BARBIE NADEAU, CNN CONTRIBUTOR (voice over): Venetians are used to just about anything happening in their beloved Grand Canal, tourists jumping

into it, even surfing in it. They're used to high water, low water, but on Sunday they were seeing green. At first one city official was sure it was

another episode of climate activism, giving the term going green a whole new meaning none of the groups usually involve to credit.

Instead, the region's President announced on Twitter that authorities believe a tracing agent used in small quantities to find leaks and

underwater structures somehow got spilled into the water. He says it isn't dangerous for the canals, flora or fauna and hopes it doesn't give climate

activists any ideas for their next stunt.

Officials say they don't know how long it will keep the canal system looking like slime or exactly how to get rid of it? Barbie Latza Nadeau

CNN, Rome.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KINKADE: When Nigeria swears in a new President, ahead on CNN a look at the promises Bola Tinubu is making amid crippling economic and security

challenges in U.S. African nation. Plus, one of the world's toughest anti- GBTQ bills it has been signed into law in Uganda that story ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[11:30:00]

KINKADE: Welcome back I'm Lynda Kinkade at the CNN Center you're watching CONNECT THE WORLD. Officials say Ukrainian air defenses have shot down

dozens of Russian cruise missiles and drones targeting Kyiv. The capital has been targeted on 15 separate days this month alone.

Ukraine is promising swift retaliation against Russia for the barrage of attacks. Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has another offer for

any country that wants to join a union with his nation Russia. There could be "nuclear weapons for everyone" is comments from an interview with

Russian state media.

And they go against the global treaty of non-proliferation nuclear weapons. Mr. Lukashenko offered no other specifics. Turkey's President Recep Tayyip

Erdogan, his security has secured yet another term in office, Mr. Erdogan has already ruled for 20 years as Prime Minister and President.

And on Sunday he defeated his opponent in a runoff election, with 52 percent of the vote is failing to tackle soaring inflation in Turkey and to

resurrect cities destroyed in February's earthquakes. Nigeria has a new President Bola Tinubu was sworn into office a short time ago.

He won February's election with a promise to unite the fractured country. But he faces massive challenges. CNN's Stephanie Busari reports from Lagos.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

STEPHANIE BUSARI, CNN SENIOR EDITOR OF AFRICA (voice over): He's the man on a so called broom revolution, promising to clean up Africa's largest

economy. But that's only one of the challenges he faces. His first is slightly more immediate, illegal one from the country's opposition.

Tinubu from the ruling APC party may have been declared the winner back in March, but many have criticized the election for voting irregularities,

violence and attempts to disenfranchise voters.

BOLA TINUBU, NIGERIAN PRESIDENT: Those who didn't support me. I ask that you will not allow the disappointment of this moment to keep you from

realizing the story national progress we can be by working together.

BUSARI (on camera): Former two times Governor Tinubu has long harbored ambitions to grow Nigeria, but it will be a challenge of a lifetime to

unite a fractured nation, fix an economy on life support and tackles spiraling insecurity.

BUSARI (voice over): Nigeria's total debt stands at more than $103 billion. And some analysts, say the incoming President must get to grips

with this urgently.

ROLAKE AKINKUGBE-FILANI, CHIEF COMMERCIAL OFFICER OF MIXTA AFRICA: It is now really a focus on the structural aspects of building sustainable

economic development. How are we going to plug some of the inefficiencies and the waste stages in the system?

BUSARI (voice over): But that's not all. The country has grappled with violence, insurgency and crime, leaving some wondering which way forward.

AKINKUGBE-FILANI: One of the challenges of Nigerian societies here is there still huge polarization between the ultra-rich and the super poor.

And in some ways, successive governments have lost the social contract with a majority of the population.

BUSARI (voice over): Nigeria also faces a multitude of social problems, including inadequate access to education and health care, widespread

poverty and gender inequality. And expectations are high, that Tinubu will hit the ground running.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I believe those features and I believe he will be speaking for the position.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We really don't need a government coming and saying they're going to give us the entire job. We just need a government that

puts things in place for us to achieve what we can naturally achieve as very strong willed people.

BUSARI (voice over): As he assumes office Tinubu must work to provide real solutions to these pressing problems, and only time will tell if he can

live up to the aspirations of the Nigerian people.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KINKADE: Thanks so much to Stephanie Busari for that report from Lagos. The Uganda's President has now signed into law what's called the anti-

homosexuality act 2023. And it's one of the toughest anti-LGBTQ laws in the world. It includes the death penalty for court aggravated homosexuality,

which the Lord of Pfizer is having sex with a minor or having sex while HIV positive and incest.

The West has strongly condemned the various laws and is threatening to suspend aid over it. Activists are also getting ready to challenge it.

[11:35:00]

David McKenzie is covering the story for us and David, what an activist say in terms of why this bill is so dangerous to the LGBTQ community?

DAVID MCKENZIE, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, primarily Lynda, it's the threats of direct jail time that they face now. And that

community faces you mentioned the death penalty. There's a law, also a life sentence in this law for acts of homosexuality and lesser jail time.

They're very significant for promoting homosexuality. And it requires Ugandans to hand those over who they believe are from the LGBTQ community.

Now, that's activists means there are certainly going to be living in even more fear in a very difficult circumstance in Uganda.

And opens them up to blackmail sometimes something we've already been seeing in that country and other countries where similar laws have been

pushed through. There's also the issue of health services. I've spoken to many activists over the last few months who say that people are already in

hiding and afraid to access government clinics for medication and health services.

This will further freeze that, according to the public health heads of PEPFAR and the Global Fund combating HIV, they say there's a grave concern

that the progress in combating HIV will be dialed back because of this homophobic law, Lynda?

KINKADE: And, of course, just talk to us a bit about those who are supporting the bill, what are they saying?

MCKENZIE: Well primarily President Museveni has said this is about the sovereignty of Uganda, and they can come up with any kind of bill that they

wish. He is under an intense pressure or was under intense pressure not to sign this bill by the West Uganda is heavily dependent on aid for both

direct budgetary support and for Military aid.

It seems he's put that aside for the moment a similar law was struck down by the courts in 2014. But it seems the proponents of this law are much

more organized this time, say activists are based on my own reporting over the years in Uganda, here's the man who actually his name is on the bill,

celebrating their wealth.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ASUMAN BASALIRWA, UGANDAN PARLIAMENT MEMBER: So if we don't stand our ground, as a country, as a people, as a community, then we will completely

have seceded our sovereignty and independence as a country.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MCKENZIE: So frequently, those pushing for the law say it's about sovereignty, there are reporting in Ghana and also in Uganda show that

conservative groups from the U.S. have certainly had an input into the way that these laws have been pushed forward in both of those countries.

And so there is outside influence, despite the talk of sovereignty. There will be a court's appeal against this I'm sure as you mentioned the leading

human rights lawyer in Uganda I spoke to said that is the next step to try and strike this down in the courts, Lynda.

KINKADE: All right, David McKenzie for a stay across the story from Johannesburg. Thank you. Well, the once-peaceful tourist destination one of

the world's oldest cities is now the site of violence, the effects of more frequent clashes between the Israelis and Palestinians in Jericho.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[11:40:00]

KINKADE: Welcome back new violence in one of the world's oldest cities Israelis and Palestinians are now clashing in Jericho. CNN's Hadas Gold

explains what's behind the fighting and is once-peaceful tourists down.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

HADAS GOLD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): The palm line road into the Israeli occupied city of Jericho and the homes in the Aqabat Jaber refugee

camp bear the scars of the night before. Another Israeli Military incursion targeting with the IDF says are militants.

GOLD (on camera): Nine Palestinians have been killed so far this year here in the Aqabat Jaber refugee camp, and posters like these now lying the

center and as well as walls and houses around this camp and while in places like Jenin or Nablus, you might see plenty of these posters of people

killed. But this is so unusual for this refugee camp that hasn't seen violence like this in decades.

GOLD (voice over): Better known as a tourist destination. Jericho is one of the oldest cities in the world, and the lowest below sea level with

biblical significance where many wealthy Palestinians also have their weekend villas. It's also home to thousands of Palestinians who live in

this refugee camp.

The Israeli Military says militants have risen up in the camp in recent months, carrying out shooting attacks against Israelis, including one that

killed American Israeli Elan Ganeles here in February. Militant group Hamas has claimed the first five of those killed by Israeli forces this year as

its members.

There's no indication the other four including two teenagers are members of a group. The residents of the camp say they now live in a state of fear.

Mahmoud Jamal Hasan Hamdan was killed on March 1 during an operation to apprehend those who killed the Elan Ganeles.

His family says he was shot while he was on his way home from work. What's left behind a traumatized family and a 10 year old little sister who's

grown up faster than, she should.

RINAD HAMDAN, SISTER OF MAN KILLED BY ISRAELI SECURITY FORCES: I don't know what to do when I hear gunshots. I just leave it to God. I'm now used

to it because the soldiers come to the camp. I feel scared for my brothers. I feel scared for the people around us. But it's, OK, he died as a martyr.

Our God gave Mahmoud to my mom and took him back. It's a sacrifice to God.

GOLD (voice over): Jibril Al-Lada was 17 when he was killed by Israeli soldiers on May 1 while they carried out arrests.

UM JIBRIL, MOTHER OF MAN KILLED BY ISRAELI SECURITY FORCES: We were never used to soldiers in the camp. They're now invading the camp every two or

three days and terrorizing people.

GOLD (voice over): He had been in prison once before by Israeli authorities his older brother currently in an Israeli prison as well. On

secret charges the Israeli prison authority told his family Jibril's parents say he heard his cousin had been injured so we ran out to see what

happened when he was shot as well.

In response to CNNs inquiries, the IDF said both Jabril and Mahmoud's cases are put under examination.

JIBRIL: This allegation is not true. Our children are just kids. When you come to someone with a weapon and want to shoot at him his normal reaction

will be throwing a stone that will not harm the army.

GOLD (voice over): Community Leader Jamal Ewada shows us around he says he's never seen the camp like this.

JAMAL EWADA, AQABAT JABER REFUGEE CAMP COMMUNITY LEADER: While killing that you are practicing will not bring you any security in any way, the

Killing -- rebels. When you killed someone who has four brothers, one of them -- killing will bring killing.

GOLD (voice over): For weeks this year, the Israeli Military set up checkpoints at times imposing a blockade on the entire city of 25,000. For

its part, the IDF said they set up the roadblocks because of concrete intelligence about an imminent attack. But the ripple effect was huge.

Jericho is a major tourist destination attracting millions of foreign visitors every year to sites like this Hisham's Palace. But the strict

Israeli Military measures as well as a weeks' long blockade. That's cost the city tens of millions of dollars in lost revenue. Mayor Abdul Karim

Sedir said the blockade amounted to collective punishment and started everything from waste management to farmer's harvest.

[11:45:00]

ABDUL KARIM SEDIR, JERICHO MAYOR: Maybe that was -- not the way. They try to accelerate. Of course, I'm afraid if the blockades continue during the

next -- holiday at the end of June, there'll be an exodus of investors from Jericho and a large number of resistant fighters will be born, which will

transfer the cities to a different rank.

GOLD (voice over): The hope that the city of the moon will soon return as an oasis of calm in the desert. Hadas Gold, CNN Jericho.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KINKADE: On medical news now growing evidence shows that strengthening your leg muscles may be linked with better outcomes after a heart attack.

So keep striving for squats, lunges and other weight training moves at the gym. That's according to new research presented this month to the European

Society of Cardiology.

Joining us now to discuss the CNN Health Reporter Jacqueline Howard also spoke to the researchers behind this study. Great to see you, Jacqueline,

so most of us know someone who has had heart problems my dad survived a heart attack. What is the advice when it comes to building muscle strength

in terms of what is it about stronger quads that can lead to better outcomes for heart attack patients?

JACQUELINE HOWARD, CNN HEALTH REPORTER: Well, the takeaway message here Lynda is that as we age, we tend to lose muscle mass. So this study shows

the importance of maintaining your muscle strength. So the message here is to continue regular exercise and make sure you don't skip strength training

as part of your regular exercise because it could be associated with your overall heart health and what the researchers did.

They looked at data on more than 900 heart attack patients. These patients were between 57 and 74 years old. And the researchers also measured their

muscle strength and their quads, their quadriceps. And the researchers found the incidence rate of those patients later developing heart failure

was 22.9 per 100,000 person years.

And people with low strength and 10.2 so the incidence rate was lower. And people with high quadriceps strength and person years are a measurement

that represents the number of people in a study multiplied by the years following them. So this shows that the incidence rate of heart failure

after heart attack was much lower if you do have that muscle strength in your quads.

And that's what researchers say, led them to find a 41 percent lower risk of heart failure after heart attack and people who maintained that high

quadriceps strength and their legs, Lynda

KINKADE: And so Jacqueline strength training combo the only thing patients can do to stay healthy after a heart attack. What are some of the other

steps they can take?

HOWARD: Yes, you know, strength training is just one part of this bigger puzzle and the American Heart Association says five ways to lower your risk

of another heart attack if you did have a heart attack in the past is number one, take the prescribed medications that your doctor has given you.

Number two continue follow up appointments with your doctor. Number three participate in cardiac rehabilitation. Number four get support from your

loved ones or other heart attack survivors. And then number five manage risk factors that means don't smoke, eat healthy, get exercise and like we

said continue that strength training so that you have your fitness up and you are in tip top shape in case anything else happens in the future,

Lynda.

KINKADE: Some great advice that Jacqueline Howard good positive story thanks so much for joining us appreciate it. Still ahead on CONNECT THE

WORLD. HBO's mega hit series may be over but the succession of session lingers on. CNN recently sat down with actor Brian Cox who plays the

abusive time of this series. Logan Roy will have that interview when we come back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[11:50:00]

KINKADE: Welcome back treachery privilege power some of the themes causing through HBO's mega hit shows succession since it debuted almost five years

ago. Successions finale, which drops Sunday night here in the U.S. is no tragedy. In fact, critics and social media largely agree that the last ever

episode delivered a knock out finish to the pitch black comedy drama.

Fans have long said the story of monster media mogul Logan Roy and his hapless children is Shakespearean in its scope, a piercing look at global

influence and what people would do to hang on to it. Successions created Jesse Armstrong has described the series as a tragedy.

Today, there is only sorry for fans that it's over. And unlike Roman Roi, you can bet in any habit pre Greek, or Brian Cox who played the titan of

this series will turn 77 on Thursday. And despite decades of acclaim for his stage work and dozens of Hollywood films, it's the succession obsession

that will probably cement his fame for years to come.

Brian Cox is very much in control. And he sat down with our own Becky Anderson recently, and began by pointing out that he is very different to

Logan Roy.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BRIAN COX, ACTOR: Logan is a man of very few words, and I am not a man of very few words. I use far as you can witness even now I use far too many

words, which isn't always happy. But it's also because I'm in love with language. Logan is a misanthrope, he's really unhappy man.

And his problems with it would be much easier if he didn't love his children. That's his problem. That's his Achilles heel is he loves his

children, so that's always been the difficulty of dealing with these children who are. And it's again, it's a sad, it's such a reflection on our

life at the moment.

That sense of entitlement those kids have. Logan doesn't feel that because for Logan, and this is what's so important. And when people go in and

compare, they're like, the Murdochs. So they're like the Trump was like the black family. And you know, the big difference between Logan and all those

guys, is he self-made.

He didn't inherit anything. It all came from nothing and it came through disillusion. And so I see his background is one of men tremendous

dissolution.

BECKY ANDERSON, CNN ANCHOR: Are you, loving it?

COX: I've always loved it and let's face it. I'm playing a leading role in the best series in television. I mean, it doesn't get better than that. I

mean, what's there not to love? You know, I mean, it's been a great opportunity for me and my age. You know, I mean, I've been and when people

used to say, you know, Brian will be the long haul for you.

They used to say that to be that was the older attitude or it's going to be the long haul. I didn't know it's going to be this long haul.

ANDERSON: Born and brought up in the tough working class environment of what was then Dundee continues to be a fantastic but tough city. How did

you get out of Dundee and get into the acting, which of course took you down to London as a youngster?

COX: I just think I was very blessed in the sense right from channel too. I had a vision clearly of what I wanted to do. I didn't know what it was,

but I remember it was to do with I remember when you hear Hogmanay when we all used to get together. My father was a great.

He was a quiet man, but he created a sort of social center for people to come to and particularly in New Year.

[11:55:00]

They will come home and songs will be sung and my sister Mary who's a tremendous singer would sing one o'clock in the morning and I just remember

the feeling in the room. I remember how the room transformed, there was this kind of harmony and it never left me.

And I thought what is that and then of course when I fell in love that and go into the cinema and seeing what was going on in the cinema, I thought,

This is what I want to do. It was a kind of, I mean that I got that sensation from the age of four.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KINKADE: That was Brian Cox with Becky Anderson. Well finally Beijing's beloved giant Panda Ya-Ya has returned to the Beijing zoom. Ya-Ya spent two

decades on loan in the U.S. at the Memphis Zoo in Tennessee. But starting in about 2021, animal advocates claim she was not being given proper care

and accusation has repeatedly denied.

The controversy became a symbol of the antagonism between Washington and Beijing. And upon arriving in China, Ya-Ya spent two decades on loan in the

U.S. at the Memphis Zoo in Tennessee quarantine in Shanghai for a couple of weeks, and then the Beijing zoo welcomed her back and they say that her

health is now stable.

Well, thanks so much for joining us this edition of CONNECT THE WORLD, I'm Lynda Kinkade. Do stay with us ONE WORLD and my colleague and friend Zain

Asher is next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

END