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World Leaders Gathering In New Delhi For G20; Sex Assault Complaint Against Spain's Luis Rubiales; "Tough" Operation To Pull Out American Could Start Saturday; Family: Mahsa Amini's Uncle Arrested Ahead Of Anniversary Of Her Death; Hong Kong Paralyzed By Record-Breaking Rainfall; Hurricane Lee Now Category Five And Gaining Strength; London Police Search Richmond Park For Prison Escapee; Journalist Jailed For 20 Years In Myanmar; At Least 64 People Dead In Alleged Jihadist Attack; U.S. Auto Workers Less Than a Week from Possible Strike; Spanish Football Strike Comes Amid Fallout from Kiss. Aired 10-11a ET
Aired September 08, 2023 - 10:00:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[10:00:27]
BECKY ANDERSON, CNN ANCHOR: I'm Becky Anderson live from Abu Dhabi. This is CONNECT THE WORLD, 06:00 in the evening here.
Coming up this hour, a new sexual assault complaint against Spain's Luis Rubiales. World leaders gather in New Delhi for the annual G20 meeting.
Tough operation to rescue an American trapped in a Turkish cave could begin on Saturday. And Hurricane Lee strengthens to a powerful Category 5 storm.
Well, the suspended president of Spain's Football Federation is now facing a federal case for alleged sexual assault and coercion. Spain's national
prosecutor has filed a complaint against Luis Rubiales over that unwanted kiss after Spain won the women's World Cup final. Rubiales has refused to
resign over the controversy. More on that a little later this hour.
Well, leaders from the world's richest and most powerful countries are starting to gather in New Delhi for the annual G20 summit this weekend.
U.S. President Joe Biden meeting ahead of the event with the Prime Minister Narendra Modi for one-on-one talks that's happening this hour.
Notably absent from this year's summit is Russian President Vladimir Putin. He is sending his foreign minister instead. Mr. Putin has an international
arrest warrant hanging over him, and leaving Russia is risky.
Chinese President Xi Jinping, who commands the world's second largest economy, also deciding not to go. That did come as a surprise considering
Mr. Xi has never missed a summit since taking power in 2012. No official explanation for his absence was given.
For more on this, let's bring in CNN's Jeremy Diamond and Ivan Watson, who is on the sidelines of the summit. Jeremy, let's start with you and the
U.S. President who has arrived in New Delhi. What is Biden bringing to G20 this year?
JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, this year at the G20, President Biden is really looking to focus on what the U.S. can do for
developing countries. And it's a message that he is coming to not only with words, but also with actions proposing a series of reforms to these
multilateral development banks such as the World Bank.
And also coming with promises of more funding injecting -- plans to inject $3 billion of funding for the World Bank if Congress authorizes that, which
would provide the World Bank with $25 billion in total new lending capacity.
The President also hoping to bring that to $100 billion of new lending capacity if, as the President expects, other countries come on board with
the United States. And this is a message that U.S. officials privately tell me that they believe will be amplified and will be even more potent as
President Biden delivers it here at the G20, while Xi Jinping, the Chinese president, is absent from this summit.
And that's because China, of course, has been presenting itself as a handout for the developing world with its One Road One Belt Initiative. And
the U.S. is saying here is a no strings attached option, with additional funding from the World Bank, with a focus on low as well as middle income
countries here.
But there's no question that even though Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin are not attending this summit in person, the fractures
within the G20, the divisions in particular over the war in Ukraine, will continue. And they will continue in the form of whether or not these G20
leaders are indeed able to come up with a joint communique.
Last year at the G20 in Bali, they were unable to do so instead settling for a leader's statement which made very clear that there are divisions
within the G20 over the war in Ukraine, not only because Russia is a member.
China, which has refused to condemn Russia's invasion, but also India, another country that has yet to actually formally condemn Russia's invasion
of Ukraine and which has also refused to sign onto a series of Western led sanctions.
So how this all ends will be interesting to see. But we do know that U.S. diplomats have been working with their counterparts over the course of the
last week to try and craft language that would be appealing and that would be suitable to all of those G20 members.
ANDERSON: Thank you, Jeremy.
Ivan, we will hear a lot about the term the Global South whilst this meeting continues over the weekend. And the sort of self-declared leader of
the Global South, of course, is the emerging power of India. What does the country hope to get out of hosting this meeting?
[10:05:24]
IVAN WATSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Right, the Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, has invested a great deal of personal
capital in being the host of the G20. It's not just this weekend summit. There have been smaller meetings going on all across the country, all
throughout the year that India has held the rotating presidency of the G20.
And Narendra Modi has been using this as chance to kind of promote India on the global stage, but also here at home to promote himself. Everywhere you
go in New Delhi right now, you will see a picture, a portrait of the Indian prime minister with a quote next to it. I mean, it's pretty striking how
many images of this leader there are in this city.
When it comes to the issue of the Global South, developing countries, poorer countries, Modi and his government, they say they want to champion
their causes and their voices at this meeting of global heads of state.
Take a listen to what India's top envoy to the summit had to say.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
AMITABH KANT, INDIA'S G20 SUMMIT SHERPA: The New Delhi leaders' declaration, which many of you will see post the summit. You will see it as
a voice of the Global South and the developing countries.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WATSON: Of course, you know, the Global South is not 100 percent united. And another powerful player here, the world's second largest economy,
India's neighbor, China. Of course, Xi Jinping is not here. He pulled out at the last minute. The Chinese government never provided an explanation,
really, for why.
Xi Jinping has been saying he wants to recreate the world order that has been U.S.-led since the end of World War II. He did attend the BRICS summit
in South Africa, but he has not been here, leading to all sorts of speculation why? Could it be because of tensions between China and the
U.S.? Could it be because of tensions between China and India?
Recall that they fought deadly border skirmishes in the Himalayas in 2020, and that relationship is rocky, to say the least? Or could it be because of
problems at home within China? We simply do not know because of the opaque nature of the Chinese government. So these are all issues here.
Throughout the course of the previous meetings that India has hosted throughout this G20 year, there have also not been joint communiques put
forward. And that's why there are questions. Can these leaders reach consensus here?
One final point I do want to raise is that as European leaders have come in here, Becky, to the Indian capital, one by one, they've been saying that
they want Ukraine to be the war and Russia's invasion of Ukraine to be front and center at this meeting.
And that, of course, is something that has kept Russia's leader Vladimir Putin away from attending now for the second year in a row, a G20. And it
may have been a contributing factor to China's leader not attending either.
ANDERSON: Yes, interesting times. Ivan, thank you.
Ivan Watson and Jeremy Diamond, of course at G20. Thank you both.
Well, let's get you back to the developing news that we are following out of Spain this hour. The national prosecutor there has filed a complaint
against the embattled football Chief, Luis Rubiales.
Atika Schubert is covering this from Valencia in Spain. And as I understand it, Atika, this complaint could lead to a formal investigation and possibly
charges. Explain.
ATIKA SHUBERT, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes. This is part of the Spanish legal process. And what it does is it allows now the national court to formally
open an investigation, a criminal investigation that could lead to possible charges. Now, we're still away from that, but the fact is, this is the
legal process going forward.
I think what's really interesting here is the wording that the national prosecutor used. They said that they had filed a complaint of crimes of
sexual assault and coercion against Jenni Hermoso. Now, I'm sure you remember that Jenni Hermoso is that star striker who received that forceful
and apparently unwanted kiss from the head of the Spanish Football Federation, Luis Rubiales, in the celebration of the World Cup.
Now, we all saw that part, the kiss, and that's what refers to in this complaint by the national prosecutor as sexual assault. But the coercion
part happened several days later. And that, basically, according to prosecutors, is when Jenni Hermoso said that she and several people close
to her were pressured by Luis Rubiales and his associates to put out a statement in support of him in the aftermath of this kiss.
[10:10:17]
When international condemnation started to percolate on social media, she said she continued to get this pressure from him. And according to the
press statement from the prosecutor, this could be seen as harassment. So that's what breaks down in this complaint.
Now we haven't heard any reply yet from Luis Rubiales. We have tried to contact him. CNN has tried to contact him. We have also contacted the
Football Federation of Spain. They tell us, however, that they have nothing to do with Rubiales' defense.
I have to say that throughout this, Rubiales has maintained his innocence, saying that the kiss was consensual and that he has done nothing wrong,
Becky.
ANDERSON: Thank you. Atika Schubert on the story for you.
Well, rescuers could start bringing an American out of a cave in southern Turkey as early as Saturday. American researcher Mark Dickey developed
intestinal bleeding when he was some 1,000 meters below ground. His condition as we understand it is stable and officials tell CNN they'll see
if he improves further. They say it will be a tough operation, taking about four days to bring him to the surface.
CNN's Nada Bashir following this for us from London. Nada?
NADA BASHIR, CNN REPORTER: Look, Becky, this is certainly set to be a complex operation we've heard from the authorities. They say it would
typically take an experienced caver around 16 hours in total to make it to the surface under ideal conditions, but these conditions are certainly far
from ideal.
We're talking about someone who has been injured and will be in need of support throughout the entire route up to the surface. Very narrow winding
passageways, and that'll be a concern for rescuers on the ground, and we do know, of course that there are more than 100 rescuers operating there, 30
at least in the cave right now.
They'll be assessing the situation to see whether it's safe to proceed with that ascent tomorrow. Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BASHIR (voice-over): In the dark and cavernous depths of Turkey's Morca Sinkhole, a welcome update.
MARK DICKEY, AMERICAN CAVER: Mark Dickey from nearly 1,000 meters.
BASHIR (voice-over): American caver Mark Dickey now said to be in a stable condition after falling ill some 3,500 feet below ground almost a week ago.
DICKEY: As you can see, I'm up, I'm alert, I'm talking, but I'm not healed on the inside yet, so I need a lot of help to get out of here.
BASHIR (voice-over): Rescuers say Dickey suffered gastrointestinal bleeding during his research expedition and required urgent medical attention at
base camp. According to officials, six units of blood had to be delivered to him. It's an operation which has drawn about 150 rescuers from across
the globe to Turkey's third deepest cave.
The Turkish Caving Federation says it typically takes a full 15 hours for an experienced caver to reach the surface in ideal conditions. But Dickey's
health is still in a delicate state, and the narrow winding passages of the cave as well as frigid temperatures could pose a major challenge to
rescuers.
GRETCHEN BAKER, NATIONAL CAVE RESCUE COMMISSION: The team on the ground is very happy that Mark's condition seems to be improving so that it looks
like that he will not have to be in a litter the entire way out, but there may be portions of the cave that he has to be in that litter. So the more
he can help, the faster the rescue can go. But even with him helping, we're anticipating that it will take days to get him out of the cave
BASHIR (voice-over): For now, Turkey's Disaster and Emergency Authority says the operation is running smoothly. And though this is a huge
logistical undertaking, there is cautious optimism for Dickey's safe return.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BASHIR: I look back in the last few hours, we have had some updates from the European Cave Rescue Association. They say they are currently preparing
the exit to that cave with additional ropes and other areas to help with that ascent effort once it has begun the plan at this stage is divide -- to
the divide that ascent into seven portions, which will be overseen by different groups.
This is very much a multinational effort, but of course, it means to be seen tomorrow whether or not it is determined safe enough to begin with
that rescue operation. Becky?
ANDERSON: Good to have you, Nada. Thank you.
Well authorities in Iran have been cracking down ahead of what will be the one year anniversary of the death of a young woman, Mahsa Amini, in the
custody of the Morality Police. Now her family says they have been under pressure and threats by security forces.
And family members and activists say Amini's uncle has been arrested. Her death last September 16 sparked months of protests across Iran.
[10:15:11]
Hong Kong has kept weather records for 140 years and it has never seen this much rain in 24 hours. Three months worth of rain in a day causing
destruction, imposing danger on the road.
CNN's Kristie Lu Stout is one of the 7 million residents who have been told to shelter in place. Here is her report.
KRISTIE LU STOUT, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It is a day of severe disruption here in Hong Kong, as the heaviest rain since records began in 1884 has
effectively shut down this city. A highest level black rainstorm warning was put into effect Thursday evening, 11:05 p.m. local time and that's why
I'm reporting from home.
All residents have been advised to shelter indoors. Schools are closed, a number of bus routes and roads are closed. The Hong Kong Stock Exchange is
closed. Earlier, we heard from the Hong Kong Observatory that issued an advisory saying this, quote, "People should stay away from watercourses.
Residents living in close proximity to rivers should stay alert to weather conditions and should consider evacuation if their homes may become
flooded".
Now we've been monitoring and vetting dramatic video that has been circulating online showing both the deluge and the damage. In this video,
you see an example of how a Hong Kong street has been transformed into a river with cars, including Hong Kong's iconic red taxis submerged in
floodwater.
And in this clip, you see the impact of the black rain from the perspective of a resident rain water seeping into the stairway of an apartment building
after the street is flooded outside. And in this final video, a dramatic rescue. A person had to be taken out of a partially submerged vehicle by
Hong Kong firefighters.
Heavy rain also reported in southern China, including the megacity of Shenzhen. We have learned that authority is there, planted discharge excess
water from its reservoir on Friday, and that could potentially worsen the flooding situation in northern Hong Kong, including the northern New
Territories.
This is just the latest extreme weather to hit Hong Kong a week ago. This area was pummeled by Typhoon Saola, which was the strongest typhoon to hit
the city in five years.
Kristie Lu Stout, CNN, Hong Kong
ANDERSON: Well in the Atlantic, Hurricane Lee in shaping up to be a monster of a storm. And now Category 5 was barely a hurricane this time yesterday,
but at last report wins, hitting up 270 kilometers an hour and climbing the Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico and eastern Caribbean islands should brace the
National Hurricane Center, expect dangerous life-threatening surf and rip current conditions this weekend that the hurricane is expected to pass to
the north of those islands.
Well, it could begin to affect the U.S. East Coast by its Sunday.
Well, there is a manhunt going on right now in London. How this terrorist suspects pulled off a daring prison escape and where the search is now
focused. You're watching CONNECT THE WORLD with me, Becky Anderson. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[10:20:35]
ANDERSON: London police are confirming that search in the city's Richmond Park is for an escaped terror suspect. Now, they also released this image
of a truck they say was used to help man escape from a London prison.
Officials say 21-year-old Daniel Khalife escaped on Wednesday while dressed as a chef and he strapped himself to the truck's undercarriage to break
out.
CNN's Salma Abdelaziz, joining us with the very latest on the search from London. And what are we learning, Salma, at this point?
SALMA ABDELAZIZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: So police are coming through Richmond Park. It's about 2,500 acres. Becky, looking for this fugitive terror
suspect, helicopters have been reported overhead. There's been delays at ports and airports across the country as authorities really try to clamp
down. There's been no confirm citing so far, according to local media.
As you mentioned, Daniel Khalife escaped on Wednesday morning. He worked in the prison kitchen. And according to authorities, he staged his bold escape
by clinging to the bottom of a delivery truck, the MET Police Commissioner believes that this was a planned jail break. He says an investigation is
underway to determine if he received any help from inside the prison. And of course there is a nationwide manhunt.
Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
COMMANDER DOMINIC MURPHY, MET POLICE COUNTER TERRORISM COMMANDER: He could be anywhere in the country at the moment, and yes, of course we're mindful
of the risk of him potentially leaving the country. We're focusing our efforts in London at the moment, so we have council terrorism officers now
deployed across London working with colleagues from across the Metropolitan Police and our partner agencies to try and find him here.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ABDELAZIZ: Now he was, Khalife, this 21-year-old British soldier was awaiting trial on terror offenses and for allegedly breaching the Official
Secrets Act. He stands accused of planting fake bombs at a military base. Authorities again have called it extremely concerning that someone facing
terror charges is back on the loose.
And they're calling on residents, people in the area to phone in, any sightings, any information that they find, Becky.
ANDERSON: Salma, thank you.
Well a military court in Myanmar has sentenced a photo journalist to 20 years in prison with hard labor, according to his employer. And CNN's Paul
Hancocks now reports. His sentencing is raising fears that freedom of the press has been completely quashed under the military junta's rule. Have a
look at this.
PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres has spoken of his deep concern for the deteriorating situation in Myanmar.
He was speaking at the summits of ASEAN, the summit for Southeast Asian nations, which Myanmar was not invited to for a second year in a row
because of the deteriorating situation, humanitarian and political in that country.
Now the U.N. chief called on military authorities to release all political prisoners and also to open the door to return to democratic rule. Now there
is absolutely no indication that that is what the military junta intends to do.
In fact, we also heard about the sentencing of a journalist to 20 years in prison with hard labor. Now this is a photo journalist with Myanmar now Sai
Zaw Thaike, and according to his editor in chief, back in May he was reporting in Western Rakhine State on the aftermath of the devastating
cyclone Mocha.
The U.N.'s Humanitarian Office at the time had said that the junta was trying to prevent desperately needed aid from getting to more than 1
million people in that region. Now, according to Myanmar now, the journalist had no access to a lawyer and it was a closed door military
court in Yangon's infamous insane prison, a situation that we have seen countless times over the past couple of years.
The Committee to Protect Journalist said that this is the longest prison sentence given to any journalist since the 2021 coup.
Paula Hancocks, CNN, Seoul.
ANDERSON: At least 64 people were killed in alleged Jihadist attacks in Mali on Thursday. Officials say the attacks targeted a passenger boat on
the Niger River and an army base in the Gao Region. 49 civilians and 15 soldiers were among the victims.
Now the government says that the attacks were claimed by the Support Group for Islam and Muslims as they call themselves, a group associated with al-
Qaeda.
[10:25:12]
I'm Becky Anderson, you're watching CONNECT THE WORLD here on CNN from our programming hub in the Middle East.
Coming up, the big three U.S. automakers may soon find their plans stuck in park. What union workers are threatening to do if they don't get a deal
soon? More on that after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Welcome back, I'm Becky Anderson in Abu Dhabi. You are watching CONNECT THE WORLD.
Your headlines this hour, the suspended president of Spain's Football Federation is now facing a federal case for alleged sexual assault and
coercion. Spain's national prosecutor has filed a complaint against Luis Rubiales over that unwanted case after Spain won the Women's World Cup
final recently.
Well, the world's most powerful leaders are gathering in New Delhi for the G20 Summit this weekend to address multiple crises facing the world.
Notably absent will be China's Xi Jinping who has never missed the summit since taking power. Also absent, Russian President Vladimir Putin who faces
arrest if he travels abroad, due to a warrant accusing him of war crimes.
Well, Turkish rescuers say they could start pulling out an American explorer from a cave on Saturday. Mark Dickey developed intestinal bleeding
someone 1,000 meters down in one of Turkey's deepest caves. It's expected to take him four days to get out.
On a Russian human trafficking network designed to recruit Cuban citizens to fight in Ukraine has been dismantled. That's according to Cuban Foreign
Ministry. 17 people believed to be linked to the network have now being detained. Cuban officials says that traffickers targeted people with
criminal records.
Well today accounts from Ukraine's frontline suggests further incremental gains against Russia in the South. It is impossible to get an exact real
time picture of this counteroffensive.
But our colleagues at CNN Digital have been taking a real, deep look at the key battles of the latest phase of the war, and they have created a
comprehensive visual guide called Seeking a Breakthrough.
I do encourage you to check that out. It's a great explainer of the war so far, what's happening on the eastern and southern fronts and the challenges
Ukraine's counteroffensive will face in the future.
Well, the big three U.S. automakers are facing a possible costly strike. The United Auto Workers Union, which represents 145,000 members, says that
workers are ready to put down their tools if there's no deal by the time their contracts expire next week.
The big three automakers are General Motors, Ford and Stellantis, which is formerly Fiat Chrysler.
Vanessa Yurkevich joins us now with the details. Vanessa?
VANESSA YURKEVICH, CNN BUSINESS AND POLITICS CORRESPONDENT: Just to give you an example of how far apart these sides really are, the union received
an offer from General Motors yesterday offering 10 percent wage increases. The union from the get-go has been asking for 40 percent. They called the
offer insulting.
A lot of why they're asking for these ambitious pay increases is to make up for the concessions that they believe that they made in 2009 during the
auto bailout.
But we have never seen the union be so resilient in the fact that they are willing to strike against all three automakers. They say if they don't get
the contract that they're looking for by next Friday, there will be a strike.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Are you ready to rumble?
YURKEVICH (voice over): There's a showdown in Detroit.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What do we want? Fair contracts.
YURKEVICH: The United Auto Workers Union is less than a week away from a possible strike against the big three U.S. automakers, General Motors, Ford
and Stellantis, teeing up what would be the second largest U.S. labor strike in a quarter century. UAW says their demands have not been met,
waiting nearly a month on new proposals.
SHAWN FAIN, PRESIDENT, UAW: I'll tell you what I'm going to do with their proposal. I'm going to file it in its proper place because that's where it
belongs, the trash.
YURKEVICH: Tensions have been high between the two sides. The union, representing 145 ,000 workers at the three automakers, even filed unfair
labor practice complaints against G.M. and Stellantis, accusing the companies of not bargaining in good faith, which they deny.
GERALD JOHNSON, EVP OF GLOBAL MANUFACTURING, GENERAL MOTORS: These negotiations are serious and they matter. The outcome impacts all of us,
every team member and, quite frankly, every stakeholder across the country.
YURKEVICH: G.M. sent a new offer Thursday with higher pay raises. UAW says it doesn't come close and to, quote, stop wasting our members' time. Ford
also sent a new offer the UAW is reviewing. The union called their previous proposal an insult. Stellantis says it will have a counter by the end of
the week.
FAIN: This trash can is overflowing with the (BLEEP) that the big three continue to peddle.
YURKEVICH: For the first time ever, the UAW could strike all three automakers at once. The last strike in 2019 against General Motors cost the
company $2.9 billion over six weeks. A strike against all three could mean $5 billion in losses in just ten days.
JULIE SU, ACTING U.S. LABOR SECRETARY: We respect their process and are hopeful that they are going to grapple through some hard issues and
hopefully come to an agreement. That's a win-win.
YURKEVICH: President Joe Biden and the acting labor secretary have stayed out of negotiations, but Biden appointed trusted White House Senior Adviser
Gene Sperling to keep tabs. Despite talks coming down to the wire, the president said he believes a strike can be avoided.
The union has some ambitious demands, asking for a 40 percent pay raise over the course of the four-year contract, restoring cost of living
increases and pension plans for all workers.
FAIN: They've had our demands from the outset and we told them we expect to get there by September 14th, and that is September 14th, a deadline, not
a reference point.
YURKEVICH: And as the big three pivot to electric vehicles, they're planning ten new battery plants not under UAW contracts. The union is
hoping these next contracts protect their members in the future.
FAIN: Workers can't be left behind in this transition. You're talking about 20 percent of the power train workers in the big three stand to lose
their jobs down the road if we go from ICE engines to the battery power.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
YURKEVICH (on camera): And electric vehicles are the future of the auto industry. The Economic Policy Institute says that if legislators and
companies invest in creating electric vehicles here in the U.S., that could create 150,000 jobs by 2023. But if they don't, and they move a lot of
those jobs abroad, there could be a loss of 75,000 jobs.
[10:35:06]
And that's what the union is concerned about.
And that's why you have President Biden announcing just recently a $15 billion investment into retooling factories to become places where you can
make electric vehicles and trying to retrain workers and rehire workers in this capacity. As we know, Becky, he is a pro-union president.
ANDERSON: Yes, absolutely. We also know because CNN recent polling has identified that Biden's approval rating is really low at the moment. And
when asked Democrats -- I mean, people in the states have said, and we're talking about Democrats as well, have said that they are disappointed with
the way that he is handling the economy. How is the sort of -- what's the received wisdom about how Biden is actually handling this.
YURKEVICH: He is remaining optimistic. We heard him say that he does not believe that there will be a strike, but the president has very little
control over whether there is a strike or not. This is not like the rail strike that we reported on many months ago when there was executive action
that he could take.
But you're right, the public here in the U.S., through polling, has indicated they do not really believe that the president is doing a good job
with the economy, that inflation is still too high here in the U.S.
So, the president having to walk a very delicate balance between supporting the unions and watching this process play out, but also really crossing his
fingers that he does not have a national auto strike on his hands because that will only impact the economy more, possibly fuel inflation more, make
car prices even more expensive.
We already know, as you said, people are not happy with the economy right now and how he's running things. This would only make it worse. So, his
fingers are likely very crossed, but not a lot he can do to avoid this strike right now, Becky
ANDERSON: Absolutely. Good to have you. Thank you.
LGBTQ dating app Grindr has lost nearly half of its staff after trying to force them to return to the office. Managers gave employees two weeks to
choose between relocating to offices in New York, Chicago and Los Angeles or leave the company with severance.
While approximately 80 of Grindr's 178 workers were forced to leave at the end of August, employees say the move was in retaliation for an effort to
unionize at the company.
Well, suspected Chinese operatives are using images made by A.I., artificial intelligence, to spread disinformation to American voters ahead
of next year's U.S. elections. That warning comes from Microsoft, which shared this example. The company says the operatives are affiliated with
the Chinese Communist Party, and they are focused on, and I quote here, denigrating U.S. political figures and symbols. Well, another example uses
the Black Lives Matter movement. The Chinese embassy in Washington criticized the A.I. allegations as malicious speculation.
Well, new turmoil in Spanish women's football weeks after that unwanted kiss at the World Cup. There is now the threat of a strike. That is coming
up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[10:40:00]
ANDERSON: Ready to launch, but not yet. That's the status of the SpaceX mega rocket, the Starship. U.S. aviation regulators say the company needs
to fix problems identified during its first test flight. That launch in April ended in an explosion or what SpaceX called a rapid unscheduled
disassembly blamed on engine failures.
And a base on the moon may be looking a bit more like pie in the sky unless NASA can get control of its wallet. U.S. government's watchdog says the
space agency's massive rocket designed to take its Artemis program to the moon is just plain unaffordable. A newly released report admits that even
senior NASA officials say the cost of the rocket isn't sustainable. They've spent $12 billion developing it so far.
It's just space news. We like a bit of space news here on CONNECT THE WORLD.
In sport and in Spain, the new season of top tier women's football is supposed to start this weekend. But instead players are going on a strike,
a two-week strike over pay. Of course, this comes at a volatile time. The president of the Spanish Football Federation was suspended after kissing
player Jenni Hermoso on the mouth at the World Cup, which her team won.
Amanda Davis joins me now. I mean, the Spanish football leaders will just feel like they can't catch a break, but Luis Rubiales back in the news
today. Just get us up to speed on where we are at with that.
AMANDA DAVIES, CNN WORLD SPORT: Yes, Becky. This is meant to be the weekend that we were celebrating and Spanish football fans had the
opportunity to celebrate their historic first ever women's World Cup winning side, with the players returning to domestic action for the first
time.
But once again, they are being overshadowed by the fight for equality and all these headlines of unfair treatment. We've got the strike because the
players are not getting the money they feel they deserve. Their unions, the players unions have said that all they want is fair and just treatment of
their superstars.
To put it into context, the minimum salary for a women's player in the Spanish professional leagues is $17,000. That is not a week, that is a
year, $17,000. The minimum pay for a man playing professional football in Spain is $197,000. They just want a couple of thousand extra. They're
aiming for $24,600 -- million, 24.6, it should be million. And a lot of them would be going for the millions, but they want $24,600 minimum a year.
And the negotiations have fallen apart. So, the players aren't taking to the pitch.
And this is coming on the same day that, as you rightly say, that the Spanish prosecutors have said that. They are going to investigate those
criminal charges against Luis Rubiales. So, once again, it's not the football, it's not the players that we're talking about for the right
reason.
ANDERSON: Yes, absolutely. And when I say that those in charge of Spanish football don't feel like they -- I'm sure that they can get a break.
Unfortunately, I mean, let's take aside on this one because I know you and I agree on this, rightly so at the moment, they need to get their house in
order rapidly. And those women out on strike going for what they genuinely believe they deserve.
Amanda back with "WORLD SPORT" after this short break. I'll be back top of the hour for you.
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