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Connect the World

Israel Back at Table for Hostage Negotiations; U.S.: Attacks on Ships in Red Sea at Worst Level in Decades; Rescuers Search for Survivors as Death Toll Climbs; Southern Border Epicenter of Immigration Crisis in U.S.; ICRC Closes Office in Nicaragua at Government's "Request". Aired 9- 10a ET

Aired December 20, 2023 - 09:00   ET

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

[09:00:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LYNDA KINKADE, CNN HOST, CONNECT THE WORLD: Hey, it's 9 am here in Atlanta. I am Lynda Kinkade. Welcome to "Connect the World". A source tells CNN that

Israel is back at the table and has brought forward proposals for pausing fighting in exchange for Hamas releasing hostages held in Gaza. We'll be

live in Tel Aviv with more in just a moment.

Plus, the ruling from Colorado Supreme Court could throw Donald Trump's hopes for a second presidential turn into jeopardy and then the search for

survivors in subzero temperatures following the deadliest earthquake there in over a decade.

Israel is proposing another pause in fighting in Gaza in exchange for the release of more hostages. But a source tells CNN at the moment a deal is

not close and the proposals are just the start of negotiations.

Now Hamas-run Health Ministry reports at least 46 people were killed more than 100 wounded in Israeli attacks around the Jabalia Refugee Camp in

Northern Gaza. You're seeing damage from previous attacks here. The World Food Program says an aid convoy from Jordan has crossed into Gaza through

Israeli territory for the first time since the October 7th terror attacks.

It entered through Karim Shalom (ph) crossing. Aid group says half of Gaza's population is starving. Our Will Ripley is following the

developments and connecting us now from Jerusalem. Good to have you with us, Will. So Israel is talking about a potential pause in the war to

negotiate the release of hostages. We know that Hamas's top leader is in Cairo for these talks. What are the expectations, Will?

WILL RIPLEY, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: I just want to pause for a moment to reflect on what you just said, half of the population of

Gaza starving. That's more than a million people. You have 85 percent of the more than 2 million people in Gaza displaced from their homes right

now.

And you have hostages that are being held in conditions that their families believe are as about as close to hell on earth as you can get. So there's

really a sense of growing urgency here in Tel Aviv and growing pressure not only domestically, but also internationally for Israel to hammer out a deal

to once again stop the fighting to allow desperately needed supplies in.

When we saw images over the weekend of aid trucks people are climbing on them because they were so desperate to get their hands on the few scraps of

food, medicine and other supplies that remain of course the shortage of fuel as well. So they need the aid. Hamas knows that and Hamas knows that

Israel really needs to get its hostages back.

Now the numbers are round 128, 129 hostages remaining. Of those 108 of them are believed to be alive, the other 21 are believed to be dead but their

bodies are being held in Gaza. Israel wants them all back and is willing to stop the fighting for one maybe even two weeks to make that happen.

Now Hamas has said in the past that the hostages will only be released if there's a full out permanent ceasefire, essentially the end of the war.

Israel says that's not in the table until Hamas leadership is removed. That has been their objective from day one. But what would this pause look like?

Initially what Israel is offering according to CNN sources is a one week pause in the fighting in exchange for some 40 hostages released the

priority being the women, the elderly and anybody who's in need of urgent care. Now in exchange what Hamas is set to one and they haven't agreed to

this deal by the way, but they want their prisoners to be released by Israel.

And they don't want women and teenagers like last time. They want in their words more heavy duty prisoners than before perhaps people who are actually

facing criminal charges or had been convicted of criminal charges here in Israel because a lot of people you know, from Gaza are essentially being

held without any charges and they can be held indefinitely without charges.

So it's a very complex situation. The last hostage release deal Lynda took more than a month to hammer out. So getting anything done this holiday week

according to an Israeli official speaking to CNN very unlikely they're nowhere near a final deal at the moment.

But at least they're talking and that for Israel certainly is a big shift from the tactics that we've seen from Israel in these recent weeks of

fighting. And the IDF really stepping up and intensifying its ground efforts there including the accidental shooting death of three Israeli

hostages over the weekend, Lynda.

KINKADE: And Will, aid agencies are desperate for a pause in the fighting to get in some of those basic necessities. We know a U.N. vote calling for

A, pause in their hostilities in Gaza was delayed that vote is now expected to happen today. Why was it delayed and where does the U.S. stand on that

vote?

RIPLEY: It was delayed because the United States has essentially been stalling trying to tweak the language here. The U.S. really is walking on a

very delicate balance of trying to show solidarity with Israel its closest ally certainly in this region one of its closest allies in the entire

world.

[09:05:00]

And yet at the same time, acknowledge and join the rest of the -- much of the rest of the world in condemning the death of innocent civilians. The

Hamas-run Health Ministry in Gaza says that the death toll in total in Gaza is getting closer to 20,000. We could cross that 20,000 mark pretty much

any day now. So the United States has been tweaking the language that vote is expected within the next few hours.

And presumably if they can agree on how this U.N. ceasefire resolution is worried the United States might not veto it like they did last time. And of

course, that would then add to the pressure on Israel. United States Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin was here in the region. He's been meeting

with Israeli officials.

They've publicly been trying to put on a united front, but behind closed doors, the pressure from the U.S. side Lynda, according to CNN sources has

really been intensifying on Israel to find a way to achieve their strategic objective of removing Hamas without the unnecessary deaths of so many

civilians.

KINKADE: Yeah, all right. Will Ripley, we will stay in touch with you and speak to you again very soon. Thanks so much for being there on the ground

for us. Well, since the October 7th terror attacks, the U.N. humanitarian affairs office has recorded more than 300 Israeli settler attacks against

Palestinians in the occupied West Bank.

Nearly 100 Palestinians have been injured in those attacks. At least eight killed by Settlers. CNN's Nima Elbagir visited the West Bank to speak with

Palestinians who are living in fear of settler attacks. Here's what she and her crew experience.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NIMA ELBAGIR, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL INVESTIGATIVE CORRESPONDENT (voice- over): We stopped at a service station in the occupied Palestinian West Bank, a man in military fatigues demands to check our I.D.s.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I have the right to secure this area. And to check need to whom you are and what you are doing here.

ELBAGIR (voice-over): He has no identifying insignia won't tell us who he is. But he's got a gun. So we oblige. We're confused. And we're not the

only ones.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You are a Settler. Shut your mouth. I'll start shooting.

ELBAGIR (voice-over): CNN obtained this video from inside Hebron, a divided city filmed a few days after the Hamas October 7 attack.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You're not a soldier. You want me to shoot? Anyone who's not clearing out, I'll shoot.

ELBAGIR (voice-over): The Palestinian man won't comply. He says he recognizes the man with the gun as a settler, not a soldier. In this tense

climate if a soldier issues an order, you comply, but is everyone with a gun and fatigues a soldier. The West Bank is under Israeli military

occupation. It's also believed to be home to almost three quarters of a million Settlers.

Israeli civilians are living in the occupied territories. Settlers consider this part of their biblical homeland and are expanding into Palestinian

territories. Even though the U.N. Security Council considers their presence illegal, yet Settlers are integral to Israel's security plan in the

occupied territories as Israel Defense Force reservists and settlement security squads.

Responding the IDF says the security threats in settlements, towns and villages. Palestinians told CNN they consider armed Settlers a greater

threat than ever before. Their remit from the IDF is blurring the lines as Settlers encroach on Palestinian land like here, and the Palestinian

village of --where there's a settlement at the top of the hill.

In this video, you see men in military fatigues. The idea of equips both civilian settlers, security squads and soldiers in the region. As you can

see here, it's almost impossible to differentiate. They point their rifles at residence and then they shoot according to eyewitnesses. CNN shared the

images we gathered in the West Bank with a senior IDF official who was unable to tell us who here is in the IDF and who is not.

We asked how then are Palestinians expected to differentiate. The official told CNN there have been cases of reservists who did not act in accordance

with Army standards, adding there is no place in the IDF for such behavior. Every case that breaches army standards will be investigated. Palestinians

the official said should contact their local brigade.

But Palestinian Rights Activist and Local Resident Basel Adra say Settlers in military fatigues are forcing Palestinians off their land.

BASEL ADRA, RESIDENT AND ACTIVIST: These Settlers are with their guns and they pointing it to the head of the residence and they tell them if you

don't leave in 24 hour, we will shoot you. So the family would understand that there are not playing. It's a serious threat of killing if you don't

leave your home. That led for like 35 families to leave and these Settlers have been wearing uniform also.

[09:10:00]

ELBAGIR (voice-over): Settlers have heavyweight support in Israel's far right government. Itamar Ben-Gvir, Minister of National Security Settler.

After the Hamas October 7 attack Ben-Gvir loosened gun permit regulations, making it easier for tens of thousands of Israeli civilians to bear arms.

Bezalel Smotrich, Minister of Finance Settler also post attack pushed through over $100 million for West Bank security, including funds for

training and equipping settler security squads. But it's not just arming and equipping. We witnessed firsthand some of the restrictions the IDF

impose on Palestinians. Ihthidal's (ph) house is not even five minutes away from the other side of this checkpoint, but she can't get through.

ELBAGIR: Every day they tell her to go back. And every day she has to do this extraordinarily long loop to try and get it. She said there they are

intentionally making it difficult for us -- making so we have to cross through areas that are hostile to us to get to our homes.

ELBAGIR (voice-over): Ihthidal picks up a few more things before she sets off home, but not too many; it's a long walk uphill.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: they've closed off the road. For the sake of a five minute walk now I have to go around a one hour journey.

ELBAGIR (voice-over): Since the 1990s, the City of Hebron has seen many curfews; the day we visited there was a curfew in place from 7 pm to 7 am.

Ihthidal has to go through this check point, Palestinians have to be searched. Settlers aren't normally checked. Ihthidal has to walk, Settlers

can drive. Palestinians need permission for visitors. Settlers don't.

The IDF says all these measures are in accordance with the security assessments to provide security for all residents. Settlers and

Palestinians live side by side. But the rules for each are very different.

Pfizer (ph) and her husband have lived in this house for 14 years. They inherited it from her husband's grandparents. Their house is overlooked by

an IDF century post, yet they fear for their safety. This scene is so inappropriate and depressing for our home. You can see up here what we've

had to put in place to protect ourselves from Settlers.

As we leave Pfizer's house, we get stopped by an Israeli soldier. He says we're not allowed to walk along the main road; we have to go back to the

checkpoint to be searched again because we've been inside a Palestinian home.

ELBAGIR: I would just point out a lack of logic, which is that these Palestinian houses, the Palestinians have come through that checkpoint, so

they can't have possibly bought in anything.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: So just I can understand just so --I can notice that I'm really confused as usual.

ELBAGIR: So even though we went through a checkpoint

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Okay.

ELBAGIR: Even though we went through that checkpoint

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yeah

ELBAGIR: Because we've been in the house of Palestinians, we now have to go jumping over people's garden walls.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: So we can't walk on the street.

ELBAGIR: Yeah, we can't go straight down.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If you were going through the checkpoint and you stay here, it's great, but as soon as you move from different areas.

ELBAGIR: Yes.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You need to get rechecked.

ELBAGIR: Now do you understand this?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh.

ELBAGIR: Yes, we need to get recheck. So the route --

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Now you know for next time.

ELBAGIR: Let's just go.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Thank you.

ELBAGIR: Thank you, we'll see you in a bit.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thank you, see you soon.

ELBAGIR (voice-over): But we can't get down, the access to the garden is closed.

ELBAGIR: So the past I can see is the other side of that fence, but if you can see when I can't.

ELBAGIR (voice-over): We can't walk on the street because we've been in a Palestinian house. And now we're deemed a security risk. So we're stuck.

Eventually, the soldier has to call in his superior to give a special permission to walk on the main road.

ELBAGIR: Thank you so much.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Thank you so much.

ELBAGIR (voice-over): We head out and back through the checkpoint where we're searched again. A tiny glimpse into what Palestinians navigate every

day. The U.N. says that post October 7th over 1000 Palestinians in the West Bank have been displaced, forced from home by security restrictions and

settler violence.

The U.S. and UK are now sanctioning extreme Settlers, but Palestinians say it's not enough. Not when Settlers can cloak themselves in the authority of

the Israeli state. Nima Elbagir, CNN Hebron.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KINKADE: The conflict has been expanded beyond the West Bank and Gaza into the Red Sea where one U.S. military official says attacks on merchant

vessels have reached a level not seen in at least two generations. That senior official says Yemen's Houthi rebels who are trained and funded by

Iran have launched at least 100 attacks on 12 commercial ships over the past month. Many of their drones and ballistic missiles have been

intercepted.

[09:15:00]

The Houthis claimed they're retaliating against Israel's actions in Gaza by targeting vessels that support its war effort. However, multiple companies

that were attacked have said they have nothing to do with Israel or the war. CNN's Natasha Bertrand picks up the story from the Pentagon.

NATASHA BERTRAND, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY REPORTER: The U.S. and its allies are scrambling to respond to a series of attacks by the Iran-backed Houthi

rebels in Yemen, who have launched over 100 attacks.

According to a U.S. military official using missiles and drones on commercial vessels in the Southern Red Sea over the last four weeks alone

causing a dramatic impact to international shipping and international commerce, because of the impact that these attacks have had on these

vessels operating there.

Many companies have said that they're actually pausing their operations in the Red Sea because of the threat of coming under fire by these Houthi

militants. So the U.S. and its allies now trying to find a way to respond that does not involve striking the Houthis directly in Yemen, something

that the U.S. has been trying to avoid over the last several weeks.

And as a response to the attacks to date, the U.S. now says that they're going to be setting up an international coalition of maritime forces that

will essentially be in the region and in the Red Sea available to respond and help commercial vessels if they need it. Some of the vessels or some of

the ships, I should say they will be escorting these commercial vessels if the situation warrants it.

And of course, we have also seen the U.S. shoot down a number of the missiles and drones that the Houthis have launched, targeting these

commercial ships in recent weeks. But it remains unclear whether the Houthis are going to be deterred by this new maritime coalition. They have

said that they are going to continue their attacks on these commercial vessels in solidarity they say with the Palestinians and an opposition to

these rallies.

However, it's important to note that many of these ships that they have attacked, if not most of them, actually have no ties to Israel at all. And

the U.S. says that the Houthis have just been attacking these ships opportunistically and they have been taking advantage of course of the U.S.

and allied presence in the area.

They want to try to bolster their international reputation and presence there. And they think they will be able to get attention by continuing to

target these vessels. So the U.S. facing a very big problem here grows calls for them to strike the Houthis directly. But at this point, this

maritime coalition, according to the Secretary of Defense, they say is going to hopefully help ease the problem. Natasha Bertrand, CNN at the

Pentagon.

KINKADE: Malaysia's government is using shipping to punish Israel for its Gaza offensive. Prime Minister's Office says its banning Israeli owned and

flag ships from docking at Malaysian ports. Malaysia did not cut ties with Hamas after the October 7th attacks and does not recognize Israel's

statehood.

Thousands of residents forced from their homes due to Iceland's erupting volcano won't be allowed back in time for Christmas. That's what the Mayor

of GrindavA-k is saying. More than 3000 people ordered to evacuate the small coastal town back in November when authorities anticipated the

current eruption. Officials also say there's little threat to the volcano will impact international air travel.

But some areas including the Nordic nation's capital may be experiencing volcanic pollution. CNN's Frederik Pleitgen is on the ground near GrindavA-

k and sent us this report.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The Arctic night illuminated as the Earth breaks apart from the Fisher burst

its molten core. Weeks of earthquakes led to this display of our planet's fire and force. It's never possible to say exactly when or if a volcano

like this one near the town of GrindavA-k will erupt. Officials took no chances though evacuating the population after weeks of tremors.

Thousands of shakes were felt in November and all knew what they could bring. Thankfully, none were in GrindavA-k town when the volcano around two

miles away finally did erupt. This crack in the surface of our world is close to four kilometers or more than two miles long spewing lava.

PLEITGEN: This is as close as the authorities are going to lead us to the volcanic eruption in the south west of Iceland. It's a so-called fissure

eruption that means an eruption along a crack that can be several miles long rather than on a volcanic cone. Now, one of the good things about

these eruptions is that actually, usually they don't spew ash into the atmosphere very high, which can and has in the past disrupt air travel

internationally. Of course in a place like Iceland that can have massive effect.

PLEITGEN (voice-over): Previous eruptions in Iceland have lasted weeks or even months. In the town of GrindavA-k the earthquake damage is clear, the

lava may follow.

[09:20:00]

HALLGRIMUR INDRIOASON, JOURNALIST: If this activity goes on then the big question is will GrindavA-k be inhabited -- inhabitable in the long run?

PLEITGEN (voice-over): Whether people can ever move back here depends on a new set of geological circumstances being created right now. Fred Pleitgen

CNN, near GrindavA-k, Iceland.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KINKADE: Still to come, rescuers are scrambling to find survivors as the death toll rises in China after that massive earthquake. We'll have the

details in a report coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KINKADE: The death toll in northwest China continues to rise in the aftermath of Monday's massive earthquake. Emergency crews are winding down

search and rescue efforts and shifting focus to post disaster relief. The Quakers killed at least 131 people. Tens of thousands of people have had to

be evacuated while others spent the night in shelters. CNN's Steven Jiang has the details from Beijing.

STEVEN JIANG, CNN BEIJING BUREAU CHIEF: After rescuers dug through the debris for second night, the Chinese authorities on Wednesday said their

search and rescue effort was "Basically over". Now there might still be some small scale operations going on according to state media focused on

remote small villages, not only hit by the initial quake, but also the subsequent mudslides because officially there are still more than a dozen

people missing.

But the fact the official were casualty figures including the death toll have only been revised up slightly from Tuesday to Wednesday is perhaps a

reflection of the remoteness of the quake zone sparsely populated, mostly rural, and often mountainous even though the epicenter was only some 100

kilometers away from the provincial capital city of Gansu.

The authorities say their focus is now shifting to post the disaster relief, including treating the injured. Nearly a thousand people to get

injured in this quake. But also resettling the tens of thousands of people forced to evacuate from their homes and farms after those structures were

either destroyed or severely damaged.

Now, that's no easy task during the best of time, the very harsh winter condition, with temperature reaching as low as minus 20 degrees Celsius

overnight hampering this effort as well. And it may take some convincing for some of the people to get resettled, since many of them are very poor

farmers telling state media they're not only concerned about their safety, but also their livelihood, including the fate of their crops and livestock.

Overall, though the authorities say they have restored electricity communication signals as well as road access to most parts of this quake

zone hit by that very powerful tremor late Monday night. Steven Jiang, CNN, Beijing.

KINKADE: While there's still no sign on the world's most famous Kremlin critic, the wife of jailed Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny says,

he's been missing for at least two weeks. Her comments come as concerns grow about Navalny's well-being especially after he didn't appear Monday

for his latest court hearing.

[09:25:00]

Navalny has been imprisoned in a penal colony east of Moscow. Still to come on "Connect the World" Donald Trump's team is vowing to appeal the decision

by the Colorado Supreme Court disqualifying him from the 2024 Presidential Ballot in that state. We'll have a live report ahead.

Plus we're following a legal challenge to the new Texas laws targeting migrants who illegally cross the U.S. border.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KINKADE: Welcome back. I'm Lynda Kinkade in Atlanta. You're watching "Connect the World". Good to have you with us. Well, Colorado State Supreme

Court has delivered a stunning decision disqualifying Donald Trump from the state's 2024 Presidential Ballot.

On Tuesday, the justices ruled that Trump is not eligible to be a candidate in the Colorado State because of his role in the 2021 insurrection. The

decision comes just weeks before the critical Republican primary season kicks off. Well, Trump's team reacted immediately saying it would appeal

the decision to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Colorado's ruling is on hold pending that appeal. Well for more on this let's bring in CNN's Lucy Kafanov is in Denver. This is just an

extraordinary turn of events in Colorado. Just take us through this historic decision.

LUCY KAFANOV, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, Lynda, there's no shortage of adjectives here surprising unprecedented a historic ruling. The judge is

here acknowledging that at the top of their opinion talking about the weight and the magnitude of the issue.

It is potentially the biggest court decision to impact in American elections since the Bush versus Gore decision. And even though this only

impacts the State of Colorado this specific ruling, the implications could be national.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KAFANOV (voice-over): Former President Donald Trump kicked off the 2024 primary ballot in Colorado.

JENA GRISWOLD, COLORADO SECRETARY OF STATE: We've never had a president inside insurrection and then try to run for the presidency again.

[09:30:00]

KAFANOV (voice-over): In an unprecedented decision Tuesday, the Colorado Supreme Court ruled that Trump is disqualified due to his actions on

January 6th, citing section three of the 14th Amendment, which bars anyone who "Engaged in insurrection" to run for office. The court writing, we do

not reach these conclusions lightly. We are mindful of the magnitude and weight of the questions now before us.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We think this is an absurd ruling.

KAFANOV (voice-over): Colorado Republican Party Chair Dave Williams slamming the decision.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Donald Trump has not been charged nor convicted of insurrection. And we shouldn't be making these types of decisions that take

away people's right to vote.

KAFANOV (voice-over): The Trump campaign vowing a swift appeal, saying we have full confidence that the U.S. Supreme Court will quickly rule in our

favor and finally put an end to these un-American lawsuits. Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold.

GRISWOLD: I of course will follow whatever court order or decision is in place by the time that we certify the ballot.

KAFANOV (voice-over): On the campaign trail, Trump's GOP rivals appearing to back him and denouncing the court's decision.

CHRIS CHRISTIE (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I do not believe Donald Trump should be prevented from being President of the United States by any court.

I think he should be prevented from being President. I'd say it's by the voters of this country.

NIKKI HALEY (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: We don't need have judges making these decisions. We need voters to have made these decisions.

KAFANOV (voice-over): And Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, calling it abuse of judicial power and calling on the Supreme Court to reverse it. Voters in

Colorado offering mixed opinions.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I mean that's great. He's a crook so good Britain's.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think what cannot decide who I'm voting for so because it's my own decision, that's not the court's decision who I'm

voting for.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAFANOV (on camera): And Lynda, as you've pointed out this is likely not the last word on the case that is likely to head to the U.S. Supreme Court

next.

KINKADE: I'm sorry, just take us through the timing Lucy. How quickly could this get to the U.S. Supreme Court and how soon could we see a decision on

this?

KAFANOV: The clock is very much ticking. The Colorado Supreme Court stayed its decision until January 4th that is one day before the deadline for the

State of Colorado to certify its primary ballot. And this is all in case an appeal is filed.

And the Trump team already vowing to take this extraordinary case all the way to the highest court in the land a court who's 6-3 conservative

majority I should remind viewers includes three Trump appointees his campaign already fundraising off of this ruling blasting out emails last

night asking for money accusing Democrats of trying to keep the Former President off the ballot, Lynda.

KINKADE: Wow, Lucy Kafanov good to have you on the story for us in Colorado. Thanks so much. Well, civil rights organizations is suing the

State of Texas over its controversial new immigration law, which gives state and local authorities the power to arrest and deport migrants who

entered Texas illegally.

In response, Texas Governor Greg Abbott said Texas will take this fight all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court if necessary, to protect Texans from

President Biden's dangerous open border policies. CNN's Rosa Flores reports. The lawsuit comes amid a surge of migrants at the U.S. southern

border.

ROSA FLORES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: What you see behind me are thousands of migrants in Eagle Pass, Texas waiting to be transported for immigration

processing. Now, Eagle Pass, Texas is the epicenter of the immigration crisis in the United States right now. It is where the federal broken

immigration system collides with the State of Texas who wants to take this issue into its own hands.

And I want to show you exactly what I'm talking about. If you look over my shoulder, you'll see that these are men, women, children who are waiting

right now out in the cold to be transported for processing. And what you're looking at right now is a federal issue in the United States. It's up to

the federal government to apprehend these individuals, process them and hold them.

But Texas Governor Greg Abbott has just signed a bill known as SB-4 that would -- that has created a new state law for illegal entry into the United

States. And what that means is, is the images that you're looking at right now could turn into a state issue.

Now I've talked to state leaders all along the border who are very concerned about this. Why because it's going to cost their communities

money. I talked to the sheriff here in Maverick County and he says that his deputies don't have training in immigration law and that he doesn't have

space in his jail to house all of these individuals.

His jail can only house 250 individuals there's already 180 in custody and there are thousands of people behind me. So why is all this happening and

why is there this bottleneck?

[09:35:00]

Where right now there are about 23,000 migrants in border patrol custody and holding capacity is only 10,000. So do the math. There are an

overwhelming number of migrants who are in custody right now. And it has created this bottleneck, which raises the question why? What's happening?

Why is this different?

I'll tell you why. There are a few factors. Of course, the capacity issue, the flow issue, there's a lot of migrants who are coming to the United

States from all around the world. And then there's this, the Biden Administration is trying to implement and use legal consequences for

illegal entry into the United States.

And what they're doing in certain processing areas along the U.S. southern border is they're using something called enhanced expedited removal. And

what that means is that asylum officers make a determination on the migrants case while the migrant is in custody, which means that migrants

are spending more time in custody.

And as I mentioned, they only have holding capacity for about 10,000. They're already holing 23,000 migrants. And so what this is doing is it's

testing the infrastructure on the U.S. southern border Rosa Flores, CNN Eagle Pass, Texas.

KINKADE: Let's get you up to speed on some other stories on our radar right now. The French Parliament passed a controversial bill that toughens rules

for migrants. Among other things the bill makes it much harder for immigrants to get state aid and it drops the residence permit for

undocumented workers in high pressure jobs. The bill was mostly backed by Emmanuel Macrons' party and those on the far right.

Guinea of the death toll continues to rise in the wake of Monday's fuel depot explosion. At least 18 people have been killed and dozens hurt in the

Capital of Conakry. Residents are being advised to wear masks due to pollution coming from the flame.

A record number of Indian opposition MPs have been suspended from parliament. Advocacy groups of the human rights foundation says 141 members

of the opposition something protesting in this video will be removed for the rest of the retrocession have been demanding a parliamentary debate on

a recent security breach.

After this short break another football club Chairman in Turkey has taken offense to a refereeing decision. "World Sports" is coming up to tell you

what he did to protest stay tuned.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KINKADE: International Committee of the Red Cross says it's leaving Nicaragua at the request of the government there. Closing its office in the

nation's capital the group ended humanitarian operations after the local Red Cross was shut down by lawmakers earlier this year.

The organization received permission to operate in the country in 2018 as waves of anti-government protests left hundreds dead. But in May of last

year President Daniel Ortega's government expelled the committee's chief of mission.

[09:40:00]

The Red Cross says it's delegation for Mexico and Central America will still be able to assist in Nicaragua as needed.

U.S. court has sentenced a Former Haitian Senator to life in federal prison over his role in the assassination of Haiti's President. Jovenel Moise was

killed during an attack on his private residence in Port-au-Prince, Haiti back in 2021. Joseph Joe John pleaded guilty to three charges, including

conspiring to kill and kidnap a person outside the U.S. An affidavit says John admitted to helping find vehicles and guns used in that attack.

Blue Origin is back in business launching rockets into space. It successfully launched an un-crewed science mission Tuesday from its

facilities in West Texas. This is the first liftoff after the Jeff Bezos founded company spent more than a year recuperating from a failed test

flight. Although no one was on board Tuesday, Blue Origin hopes to restart tourists' trips to the edge of space soon. That's according to company

officials.

Well, more extraordinary scenes in the world of Turkish football. A top flight game was suspended Tuesday after the team's Chairman instructed the

players to leave the pitch because he disagreed with a referee's decision. You can see a player there pleading with him to let them continue the game.

Our Amanda Davies joins me now. And Amanda this comes after another club jam and hit a referee earlier this month. What's going on in Turkish

football?

AMANDA DAVIES, CNN WORLD SPORT: Yeah, Tuesday was meant to be the day Lynda where the players and the football went back front and center after the

events of the previous week where we'd had a club president run onto the pitch and punched a referee in the face. You might remember hospitalizing,

the referee, and there are criminal proceedings that are still ongoing as a result of that.

Football was suspended at every level in Turkey after that. It came back yesterday. And then this happened in just a second match on the schedule. I

think it's fair to say there's anger, there's embarrassment. There are a whole lot of questions about what happens next in Turkish football.

How are the club presidents getting this level of control and feeling that they can impact what is happening on the pitch and that's what we're going

to be discussing a little bit more in a couple of minutes in "World Sports".

KINKADE: Yeah, really tough with the players who just want to play the game. We will tune into you after the break Amanda Davis thanks so much.

And I will be back at the top of the hour with much more news don't go anywhere.

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