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Connect the World
International Drones Pledge about $1.5B in Aid for Sudan; At Least 4 Israelis Killed in West Bank Shooting; IOM calls for Collective EU Effort to Save Lives; FBI, State Agencies in Kansas Investigate Suspicious Letters sent to Lawmakers and Public Officials. Aired 11:15a-12p ET
Aired June 20, 2023 - 11:15 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
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[11:15:00]
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BECKY ANDERSON, CNN HOST, CONNECT THE WORLD: Welcome back, I'm Becky Anderson. You're watching "Connect the World" and you have been watching
CNN's coverage of the federal charges against Hunter Biden the U.S. President's son. More on that as we move through this next hour.
The day's other news for you now Israel's Military says it is looking for suspects after a fatal mass shooting in the occupied West Bank. The IDF
confirms at least four Israelis have been killed and several others have been wounded in a shooting in the settlement of Eli.
This happening a day after six Palestinians were killed when Israeli forces raided Jenin. Elliott Gotkine is back with us this hour from Jerusalem.
What further details do we have at this point, Elliott?
ELLIOTT GOTKINE, JOUIRNALIST: Becky, there's still a developing situation. What we have heard from the Israeli Defense Forces is that they say that
these attackers turned up at this gas station in the Jewish settlement of Eli.
That they opened fire killing four people as you say four were wounded and Israel's ambulance service Magen David Adom saying that those four people
have been taken to hospital. And now according to the IDF, it was a civilian that managed to shoot and kill one of the attackers.
[11:20:00]
And that the other one fled in a vehicle possibly in a stolen vehicle according to an IDF spokesperson and by our calculations this is so far
with four Israelis dead. This is the worst attack on Israeli since January of this year when seven were killed outside a synagogue in East Jerusalem.
Now the IDF is in pursuit of the other attacker or attackers, and has set up roadblocks with a view to trying to help with that aim. But as I say,
this is a developing situation and the IDF is still in pursuit of the other attacker or attackers, who they believe took part in this shooting attack
against Israelis in the settlement of Eli, Becky.
ANDERSON: Four dead and others wounded, Elliott, will let you go so that you can get on with trying to establish further detail. Thank you very much
indeed. Elliott Gotkine is on the story for you. Well, sirens sounded across key for hours overnight, as Russia launched a massive drone attack
on the Ukrainian capital.
Ukraine says Iranian Shahed drones coming from all directions. Kyiv says it shut down 32 of the 35 drones that were fired this first drone attack on
Kyiv since early this month. Meantime Ukraine says it will continue its offensives on multiple fronts in the South. Yesterday, President Vladimir
Zelenskyy said Ukraine has not lost any positions it has just made gains.
Police in France French financial police have raided the offices of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Prosecutors said searches are tied to
investigations involving illegal conflicts of interest relating to contracts, embezzlement and other issues. A spokesman for the Organizing
Committee says they are cooperating fully with investigators. The Summer Games of course, start next July.
Well, it is World Refugee Day today. And with so many crises around the world, it couldn't be more urgent, the recent migrant boat tragedy in
Greece shining a spotlight on the broken migration system in Europe. And in Sudan, the brutal internal conflict there has forced hundreds of thousands
of people to flee to neighboring countries.
World Refugee Day was originally designed to honor refugees around the world. And this year, the theme is hope, away from home but with the plight
of so many refugees only getting worse. We have to ask tonight has World Refugee Day lost its meaning. Well, my next guest is the U.N. High
Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi.
And he says in a tweet and I quote here on World Refugee Day, we have reached a very sad target. More than 500,000 people have now fled the
fighting in Sudan to neighboring countries. Guns must fall silent, if we want to stop this exodus. Filippo Grandi joins me now via Skype from
Mombasa, in Kenya.
Let me start there with Sudan. And Filippo, it's good to have you on today. As we just mentioned, more than half a million refugees have now fled to
neighboring countries out of Sudan, what kind of strain does this place? What is already very tough situation broken ceasefire time and time again
the people of Sudan are basically living for a nightmare. Aren't they?
FILIPPO GRANDI, U.N. HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR REFUGEES: Absolutely, Becky. I was myself at the border between Egypt and Sudan a little while ago spoke
to, many of those arriving from Khartoum telling us of the terrible trauma they had gone through. This was a peaceful city all of a sudden turned into
a nightmare.
No wonder that we have already 2 million people between those displaced inside and the 500,000. We reach that figure today that has gone to
neighboring countries. Many of them like Chad, South Sudan, very fragile countries already so that this crisis has really the potential to have a
very bad regional impact if it is not stopped soon.
ANDERSON: Well, the U.N. a Chief Martin Griffiths announced yesterday, 1.5 billion dollars in new aid that was at the Donor Conference on Sudan in
Geneva. Filippo, is that enough?
GRANDI: Look, Becky, this is better than the situation we were in a few days ago where basically we have almost no contribution to help refugees
displaced people to continue to work inside Sudan as well, wherever we can. So 1.5 billion gives us a boost, but like I said, this is good for now.
[11:25:00]
But if this crisis lasts for longer this money will dry up very, very quickly and this crisis does not have the same visibility as the Ukraine
humanitarian crisis, for example. And yet, you know, the people are fleeing from the same risks the same dangers as the Ukrainians we heard on your
program, the sirens in Kyiv, these people live through the same nightmare as other refugees, and they deserve support.
ANDERSON: I just wonder how much more the international community should be doing here. Certainly Saudi Arabia has played the role of mediator, of
course, in this conflict with the U.S. in trying to establish these ceasefires in order to help these humanitarian aid exercises. It has also
provided not just an evacuation route button aid hub for agencies is the kingdom, your key partner nation now in trying to help those fleeing Sudan.
GRANDI: Certainly, they're one of the key players here, both because of the role that you mentioned in the mediation, this is very, very important. I
would say that this is the most important thing that the international community must do is try to put an end to the fighting between the
different military leaders.
Because by the way, Becky, you understand very well that the fighting which starts between the army and this armed group is now translating itself in
places like that for into ethnic fighting. And we know the history of that region. And we know the tragedies that went on 20 years ago.
That's the risk. That's the very high risk. So Saudi Arabia important, U.S. roll very important African Union, I think we need all hands on deck to try
and put an end to this.
ANDERSON: It is World Refugee Day let's just get some numbers out because, you know, we talk about this day. And we're trying to establish, you know,
just how much more can and should be done at this point. You know, when we talk about refugees, let's remember, we are talking about men, women and
children here.
35.5 million Men, women and children and 62.5 million internally displaced people, it seems to be a global issue. That is, frankly, Filippo, for all
the good work that you and your agencies do spiraling in the wrong direction. What needs to be done to tackle this from your perspective?
GRANDI: In a way, it's the same, as I said, for Sudan, right? Most of this 110 million are fleeing conflict, in fact, violence, discrimination,
persecution, but conflict is very, very central. So it's political action that is needed. The original sin of all this, is a much divided world. This
is a Security Council that cannot agree on anything.
And under those circumstances, wars will not end in those figures will continue. You spoke about our good work. I thank you for that. We do this
with many other humanitarian organizations, I would say that the two most needed things are political mediation to stop conflicts, find the right
solutions, and but continue to give humanitarians the resources they need to help save lives.
You know, let me add one quick point that I think more positive one, if I may, Becky. I'm in Kenya, because here, the country hosting a lot of
refugees from Somalia, from South Sudan. The government is adopting new and more open policies to refugees. I wanted to come here to mark this point
that there are solutions there are better directions that they need support.
ANDERSON: And you are right to applaud the efforts that you see when you see them and from a country like Kenya, you want to make that point. Let's
talk about Europe, because the Mediterranean is often described as the worst, most dangerous migrant route.
This quarter has been catastrophic and the latest sinking of the coast of Greece, of a migrant ship, overloaded with people who have been put on that
ship by human smugglers has been truly shocking. The EU today committing to remaining it says a place of protection and safety.
Frankly, what do you make of a statement like that when you consider European migration policy at present because its critics will say it is
failing, the people of the world where these crises are so bad?
[11:30:00]
It is frankly failing these people and we know what the root causes are of so many of these migration crises?
GRANDI: When I hope that Europe will live up to that statement, because it is a very important one. What that tragedy showed, once again, is many
things. One did that, of course, the smugglers as you define them I dare say the criminals that are exploiting the misery of people.
Really, this needs to be addressed collectively with more muscle and more determination, because we don't see any decrease in their action. But then
it also shows, for example, that Europe does not have an efficient rescue at sea system. There's a lot of criticism to NGOs that do rescue at sea.
But actually NGOs are filling a gap or doing vital work to rescue people that otherwise would suffer from the same fate. So that is a big gap. The
European Commission on the broader scale has now put on the table, this European pact on migration and asylum. Is it perfect? No.
And I think I've said it even in programs with you, it's not perfect, but that's what we have. So it is very important that States agree on sharing
the responsibility for these arrivals and addressing the routes through which people come not just stopping at their borders, but going upstream,
all the way to where these movements begin.
This is the only way to address these are not easy. These are solutions that are not easy to translate into political slogans. These are complex
solutions. But that's the only way forward that Europe and other States must embark upon.
ANDERSON: Filippo, I'm so pleased you've joined us today. We absolutely determined to mark the work that you do, World Refugee Day. And as you
rightly point out and coming to us as you do from Kenya today provides a really good message about where the successes can be made.
It is just that we are not seeing enough of those and the numbers around the world of refugees reflect that. Thank you very much indeed for joining
us on what is an extremely important day. Thank you. Choppy waters low visibility and dwindling oxygen. Just ahead that Humphrey submersible
carrying five people takes on a new air of desperation.
We'll find out what it is like inside Titan plus tragedy in the Mediterranean as we've been discussing, hundreds fade dead after a migrant
boat capsized. We'll talk with the Head of the International Organization for Migration about what Europe should be doing that is up next.
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ANDERSON: Welcome back. You're watching "Connect the World" with me Becky Anderson. Your headlines are up watching for more news from the coast of
Newfoundland in Canada ships and planes searching the area for a missing submersible with five people on board. It has their air supply, which will
be dwindling.
The Titan sub had set out on Sunday to view the wreck of the Titanic when it lost contact with its support ship. Israel's Military confirms four
Israelis have been killed and several others wounded in a mass shooting in the West Bank settlement of Eli. The IDF says one terrorist was neutralized
by a civilian and the search is on for others.
The shooting happened the day after six Palestinians were killed when Israeli forces raided Jenin. Well, U.S. President Joe Biden is maintaining
support for his son Hunter. U.S. Justice Department court filings show that Hunter Biden will plead guilty to two misdemeanor federal tax charges and
has also reached a deal on a gun charge.
Sources say the Justice Department will recommend probation for the tax cases. His lawyer says this resolves a five year investigation. We want to
take a closer look at the story of the missing submersible. Let's have a look at the size of this vessel. Five people on board it lost communication
with its mother ship on Sunday while exploring the wreckage of the Titanic.
Last year, a CBS News Correspondent follows report highlighting just how tight the quarters are inside that OceanGate Expeditions sub. Have a look
at this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Inside, the sub has about as much room as a minivan.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So this is not your grandfather's submersible.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We only have one button. That's it. It should be like an elevator. You know, it shouldn't take a lot of skill.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We can use these off the shelf components.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I got these from -- , we run the whole thing with this game controller.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Well CNN's Gabe Cohen has covered OceanGate before and it's actually been inside the submersible that is missing. We just got a sense
of the size of this submersible. Tell us what else you learned? I mean what you know just describe what it's like in there, if you will?
GABE COHEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: So Becky, I reported several stories on OceanGate during my time working in Seattle, Washington. And in 2018, I did
a story about Titan, the submersible that's now missing and I was really struck by one thing, how simple almost rudimentary.
Some of the technology on board seem to this is a tiny vessel, as you mentioned, it's quite cramped, can only fit five people sitting inside. And
it's operated by a gaming controller what effectively looks like a Play Station controller and yet the company OceanGate told me they were
extremely confident at that point that they could safely make this remarkable journey to the Titanic dive 13,000 feet down into the ocean.
And that the Titan could handle 150 million pounds of pressure at the ocean floor and the company CEO Stockton Rush told me that the pressure vessel
with its carbon fiber structure, the actual structure of Titan would have no problem handling that they said they worked with NASA and Boeing to
design that vessel.
And that they did not cut any corners or costs when it came to safety. Now that said Becky, we have learned that Titan had some communication issues
in the past. They lost communication with their support crew during an expedition last year, according to a CBS News story, and the vessel was
lost for about two hours.
During that incident, they were unable to get messages from their support crew on the surface which they really rely on. When they're underwater to
figure out where they're going. There's no GPS onboard. So a lot of questions here, Becky, as to what went wrong.
ANDERSON: Let me continue to report on this story as we get more details. We will of course, bring it to our viewers around the world. Thank you,
Gabe. Let's get you up to speed in some of the other stories that are on our radar right now on a sweltering heat wave has killed at least 44 people
in India's northern Bihar state.
Country's Meteorological Department says some districts are recording temperatures above 113 degrees Fahrenheit or 45 degrees Celsius.
Temperatures are expected to cool though in the coming days.
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This is the special day for same-sex couples in Estonia. The country's parliament has voted to legalize gay marriage same-sex couples will also be
able to adopt children under the amendment to the country's Family Law Act. The law takes effect January the first of next year. Estonia's Prime
Minister says everyone should have the right to marry the person they love.
Iran's Foreign Minister is visiting Qatar and official sources the visit to Doha is focused on Qatar support for way forward on a prisoner exchange.
They are also discussing the release of billions of Iranian dollars frozen in South Korean banks after the U.S. imposed sanctions.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is in London today. He is meeting with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba. Right now as we speak. This
is what we saw just moments ago before the meeting started. Blinken has been focusing on Ukraine during his meetings in London.
Of course, this follows his meeting with Xi Jinping in Beijing yesterday. Dangerous crossings, hundreds maybe dead after a migrant boat capsized.
When we come back, I'll talk with the Head of the International Organization for Migration about what he thinks needs to be done to make
the seas safer.
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ANDERSON: One by one search is finding remains of those aboard a migrant boat that sank in the Mediterranean Sea. The Greek Coast Guard says it has
recovered three more bodies raising the total today to 81. And that is just a fraction of those who may have perished.
Estimates ranges from 400 to 750 people on board more than 100 have so far been rescued that leaves an awful lot of people unaccounted for. The U.N.
Refugee Agency and the International Organization for Migration are calling for action to prevent these tragedies.
They released a statement saying, "the duty to rescue people in distress at sea is a fundamental rule of international maritime law. The EU must put
safety and solidarity at the heart of its actions in the Mediterranean". Antonio Vitorino is the Director General of the IOM and he joins us now
from Geneva.
I've just been talking to Filippo Grandi. Your colleague at the refugee agency who made the point that EU policy with regards rescuing people at
sea is frankly not nearly good enough. At this point, the mass drowning of people is almost normalize, European Union failed in its duty to protect
those at sea.
[11:45:00]
How have we got to this point and what needs to happen next, sir?
ANTONIO VITORINO, IOM DIRECTOR GENERAL: It is tragedy. I sincerely hope, Becky, will alert all of us for the urgent need to find solutions. And I
think that there are three key points. The first one, we need a search and rescue state led operation. We cannot just leave to the NGOs boats, the
task of rescuing people in the central Mediterranean.
Secondly, we need swiftly mechanisms of disembarkation of the people that are rescued and need desperately support and assistance. And last but not
least, we need that there is solidarity among the European Union member States, which means in very concrete terms.
That those who are rescued will be reallocated to other countries because the burden cannot stay only on the most exposed geographically countries.
But we also need to return those who cannot stay to their countries of origin. And these three building blocks are urgent because the figures show
that as you said, there are people dying.
ANDERSON: The European Commissioner for Home Affairs said that capsizing may be the worst tragedy ever in the med. Should Greek authorities have
acted faster and should there be an investigation into their actions, the actions of the Greek Coast Guard at this point, sir?
VITORINO: Well, as far as I know, the Greek government has already announced an investigation left by the judicial authorities, and we fully
trust on the independence of the Greek judiciary. But definitely the situation in the field raises quite a large number of questions. For me, it
is very clear that the boat had no conditions to travel.
There were no conditions people were at risk of survival. And if you want figures, I give you figures. As you said, the up to 750 people were
supposed to be on the boat, among which 40 children that most likely -- . But even more in the Mediterranean since January this year, almost 1000
people have died or ever been missing.
Which means that with this 500, 600 in this case, we will reach the figure, the terrifying figure of 1.5 thousand people dying this year in the
Mediterranean.
ANDERSON: That is just terrifying. It's terrifying that we have got to this point nine Egyptians have appeared in court over the sinking, as you
rightly point out some 700 were thought to be on board that ship 300 Pakistanis. Can you just walk me through briefly how these groups make
contact?
And plan these trips where they contact these migrants? And what it is that is being done to stop human trafficking. This is a multibillion dollar
criminal operation.
VITORINO: Absolutely. Some people even think that the profit for the traffickers from trafficking human beings is equivalent to the traffic on
drugs strapping worldwide, every year. These are criminal networks transnational criminal networks the Pakistani authorities have made the
number of arrests in Pakistan.
But clearly the critical point of these operations is the departing point for the sea. And we know that these boats left to Tobruk in Eastern Libya.
And therefore the only way of dismantling these networks are to co-operate among countries co-operate at the judiciary level, the police level,
exchanging intelligence about the composition of these networks and DOW they operate locally. Without that it will be impossible to stop this flow.
ANDERSON: Are we seeing any evidence of that co-operation, sir?
VITORINO: We see evidence but too little and usually too late. There is a terrible figure, last year people prosecuted for trafficking human beings
was lower than the big -- prosecuted in 2021. It was lower by 40 percent which means that there is a need to boost the capacity of cooperation in
identifying how these networks operate.
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What are their links in different countries and to mobilize the authorities of those countries on the route to prosecute those who act in the criminal
network?
ANDERSON: What's your message on World Refugee Day, sir?
VITORINO: These are figures that I've given you. They are terrifying figures. But don't forget, these are people, women, girls, boys, men, who
try desperately to find an alternative for their lives. We have a moral duty to prevent these things from happening, and to provide all the support
we can to the people who have been so severely hit by these strategies.
ANDERSON: With that, we'll leave it there. We thank you very much indeed for joining us today and for the work that your agency does. Thank you,
taking a very short break, back after this.
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ANDERSON: FBI is now assisting the state of Kansas with an investigation into dozens of suspicious letters that have been sent to public officials
across that state. Some Republican lawmakers in the U.S., who received those letters which contain white powder, believe they were targeted. CNN's
Rosa Flores has the details from Houston, in Texas for you.
ROSA FLORES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I spoke to Kansas Representative Stephen Owens, and he says that this experience was terrifying. He says that this
act was targeted towards Republicans, look, he says that the return address on the envelope appear to be a constituent. That's why he opened this
letter freely only to find the white powder inside.
Now he shared a photo of the letter and he points to two specific sentences in that letter that say, "to honor your recent accomplishments, it's
important not to choke on your ambition". Now he says this message is cryptic, and it could reference Republicans supermajority in the Kansas
house and the Kansas Senate which recently overrode nine vetoes by the Democratic Governor.
Now those moves were very controversial. He points out the two of them are especially controversial. One of those defined a man and a woman and the
second one stated that biological males could not participate in women's sports. Now, authorities are not saying that this is the motive here. But
this particular lawmaker is not the only one who feels targeted. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MOLLY BAUMGARDNER, KANSAS STATE SENATE REPUBLICAN: There is some message. The message is somewhat unclear, but it was intended to be threatening.
Everybody has to be concerned, everyone has to take this and any subsequent threats like this very seriously.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
FLORES: Kansas authorities have tested some of the about 100 letters that have gone two public officials across the state of Kansas. And they say
that the powder has returned negative for common biological agents, but they do say that further testing is being conducted. And it's important to
note that no injuries have been reported and no arrests and that this investigation is ongoing. Rosa Flores, CNN, Houston.
[11:55:00]
ANDERSON: Well the rooftop of the world is getting a lot less white. And the report warns that the massive glaciers that cover the peaks of the
Himalayan Mountains could lose up to 80 percent of their ice in the next 80 years. The report points out that ice melting from the glaciers provides
water to 2 billion people in 16 countries as that ice disappears, the water will too.
Well finally, a NASA mission to Jupiter has captured images of green lightning near the planet's North Pole. You can see it here near the center
of your screen. It was taken late in 2020 by the Juno spacecraft and a close flyby of the planet in the coming months, Juno will pass over
Jupiter's night side, giving scientists more opportunities to see these lightning strikes in action, remarkable stuff.
And I'll leave you with that. That's it from me and the team working with me here in Abu Dhabi. CNN continues after this short break though, so don't
go away.
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