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Connect the World

Hamas Responds to Latest Gaza Ceasefire Proposal; 8M+ People Under Flood Watches in South Florida; Argentina Senate Passes Sweeping Reform Bill Amid Protests; Former Employees Sue SpaceX, Mush for Alleged Illegal Firings; BTS Member Hugs 1,000 Fans after Military Service. Aired 9-10a ET

Aired June 13, 2024 - 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)

BECKY ANDERSON, CNNI HOST: Well, the scene in Italy where leaders of the G7 and others including Volodymyr Zelenskyy are gathering. U.S. President

arrived earlier. He and several of the group's leaders are focused on domestic challenges. It's 3 pm in Italy, its 5 pm here in Abu Dhabi. I'm

Becky Anderson. This is "Connect the World".

Also happening, over the next two hours as many Palestinians are forced to move again while hoping for rather than expecting a ceasefire deal. We've

just heard a level of frustration from the U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken saying the ball is now firmly in Hamas is caught. On the board of

Tesla is voting on whether to reinstate Elon Musk's massive $51 billion pay package.

Stock markets on Wall Street will open in a little under 30 minutes from now the futures markets that certainly suggesting a mixed open. More than

that, of course, as we get it bottom of the hour. Well, we begin with the frustration at the negotiating table, more death, destruction and

desperation on the ground.

That is the reality in Gaza today. With Palestinians in Rafah reporting, Israel's military is ramping up operations in the western areas of the city

as it tries to destroy what it says are Hamas is last combat units there. This latest military activity forcing even more Palestinians to flee

loading what little they can with them onto carts and moving into and Israeli designated safe zone.

Already way overcrowded and lacking basic necessities. Or by now the vast majority of Gaza's population is displaced, and the prolonged suffering is

taking its toll.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MOHAMMED ABU SHAWISH, DISPLACED PALESTINIAN: The people are tired. Honestly, we're tired, very, very tired. We've carried more weight than we

can bear. The situation is terrible. We suffer from a lack of everything, lack of the basics, water, especially after the occupations cut all the

routes on the Egyptian border. And we hope that the negotiations are completed successfully.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: Oren Liebermann is connecting us from Tel Aviv and one Palestinian they're voicing this frustration about what continues in the

strip. The suffering is palpable. What hope at this point for any progress in these negotiations after U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken's latest

trip to the region?

OREN LIEBERMANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, we heard that same level of frustration and perhaps exasperation from Secretary of State Antony

Blinken, when he was here. The goal wasn't to lock in a ceasefire agreement and simply have one take place in the few days that he was in the region,

meeting with the Egyptians, Israelis, Jordanians and Qataris.

But he certainly was looking for a path forward while he was here. Hamas finally issued a response about 12 days after President Joe Biden publicly

put forward a U.S. back proposal. And that response, according to officials was neither an acceptance nor a rejection. Blinken said Hamas requested

numerous changes, some of which are workable, and some of which are not.

He also had a press conference in Qatar question whether Hamas was negotiating in good faith. Here is what he said on one of the morning shows

earlier today.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANTONY BLINKEN, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: You have one man who's probably somewhere deep underground in Gaza for Hamas, Mr. Sinwar, who's making all

of these decisions. Well, he's relatively safe underground, the people that he purports to represent, they're suffering every day. So if he has their

interests -- he will come to a conclusion to bring this to a conclusion.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Well, you've said that --

BLINKEN: -- that needs to happen, and it needs to happen now.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LIEBERMANN: The question there. And you see that bit of a shift there. He's clearly directing his message straight at Yahya Sinwar, the Military Leader

of Hamas, and that seems to be a bit of a shift here, instead of talking to Hamas. Generally, they're talking to arguably the single most powerful

person in the entire group and arguably the one who will make the decision on whether Hamas accepts the ceasefire.

Now, Hamas has responded saying that the changes they requested were not significant. And they had responded essentially with a measure of

positivity to the possibility of negotiations to get a ceasefire deal finished and said they blame the U.S. and Israel together and said the

Blinken should point his anger, his frustration at Israel.

Because Israel hasn't publicly acknowledged at least not from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that they have accepted the ceasefire proposal

on the table, despite U.S. assurances that Israel is on board.

[09:05:00]

ANDERSON: We are, of course reporting Israel's military moving into western areas of Rafah as they go. They say after what are the last bastions of

format is combat units there, that continues, that's on the ground and Palestinian suffering. Of course, as that continues, you also have some

news on fighting in Northern Israel, Oren.

LIEBERMANN: The trajectory we have seen with the continued escalation appears to be continuing. According to the Israeli military, at least 40

rockets have been fired into Northern Israel, and fired into the occupied Golan Heights. So that is a continuation of what we saw yesterday when some

200 rockets were fired that one of the largest barrage is perhaps the largest barrage we've seen from Hezbollah, fire towards Israel since the

beginning of the war.

Hezbollah put out a statement just a few moments ago, claiming responsibility for the launches, saying drones were also used as part of

the attack according to the Israeli security forces. There were some fires a number of them that were started that is also what we've seen over the

course of the past several days.

Hezbollah also saying it is a continuation of the response to an Israeli strike that killed a senior Hezbollah commander just a couple of days ago.

The question is, is there an off ramp here? It doesn't really look like there is right now the North remains incredibly volatile.

And of course, one of the concerns is as negotiators are trying to push a ceasefire in Gaza over the line, there appears to be the possibility

drawing ever closer of another front on the northern border between Israel and Hezbollah.

ANDERSON: Oren Liebermann is on the ground for you, thank you. Right now, in Italy, the 50th annual G7 summit is underway. You're looking at the

leaders of some of the world's wealthiest democracies. France, the U.S. the U.K. to name a few notably, Ukraine's leader will also make an appearance

as the war in his country.

Features front and center at the talks, Mr. Biden is expected to sign a new 10 year security pact with Zelenskyy on the sidelines of the summit. CNN's

Clare Sebastian is in London focused on these meetings designed to support Ukraine and our International Diplomatic Editor, Nic Robertson is in Italy.

We hear that G7, Nic, is planning to announce a new loan for Ukraine. What more do we know at this point?

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Yeah, they're still working out some of the technicalities behind it. It's unique. It's never

been done before. It's a $50 billion loan. That's the plan Ukraine would have it by the end of the year. And what's unique about it is it would use

the profits of $300 billion worth of assets that have Russian assets that have been frozen.

Mostly there in Europe, a small amount of it's in the United States, and the wrangling, all the detail if you will try to get to answer these

questions. OK, it's alone. What happens if Ukraine defaults on the loan? Another question, what happens if the profits from that 300 billion don't

ramp up and match $50 billion loan by the end of the year?

Where does that extra money come from? And while a lot of as I say, a lot of the frozen assets are inside Europe, I think Europe didn't want to

accept the big burden to answer those two questions alone. So it does seem as if that underwriting, if you will, is something that will be managed

between the United States and the European Union.

And it's the precise details of that will be worked out, probably not at that beautiful big olive wood table. You saw President Zelenskyy setting

out with the other G7 leaders earlier, olive wood, of course, because Puglia this region of the southeast of Italy is famous for its olives,

everywhere you turn, there are olive groves.

So it's not quite clear yet how the details will be finessed, but probably in the back rooms, the leaders probably signing off, if you will, on the

overview of it less the detail.

ANDERSON: What's the perspective, Clare from Kyiv at this point about what Zelenskyy hopes to achieve in Puglia this week? And what is, current

concerns are?

CLARE SEBASTIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, I think it's the sort of longer term goals, Becky, and there are more immediate goals. Ukraine, of course,

go straight from the G7 into its own peace summit at the weekend, which is designed not necessarily to advance to peace talks, because of course

Russia won't be there but to build this international coalition around its own vision for peace.

[09:10:00]

So to sort of cement these alliances that has proved so crucial. But on the immediate side of things, this is a very critical time on the frontlines

we've seen Russia launch a new offensive in the north, essentially a new invasion, we've seen Ukraine struggle to hold them back as having a

slightly more luck.

Now, as Western weapons come to bear, there are also been brutal attacks six, in the last three months or so on Ukraine's energy grid, which have

destroyed about half of the electricity generating capacity that Ukraine needed at peak of last winter. So they are in a critical situation in dire

need of funds.

And if you look, at those 50 billion numbers that could be brought to bear through this loan mechanism, that Nic just described that is the same

amount of money. But the Kyiv School of Economics, a prominent university in Ukraine, just estimated this week would be needed just to fix the

electricity grid, just to make those repairs and build it back in a way that would be more resilient.

So you get a sense there of just how urgent the need is, and how critical the timing of these meetings are for Ukraine?

ANDERSON: Nic, last week, far right parties dominated in European Parliamentary elections, and some of these G7 leaders face elections at

home in the coming months when we consider the very, very pressing needs, that Ukraine has, for example, and the other issues that are being

discussed, of course, as they gather there in G7.

How is that sort of these elections, these leaders, facing uncertain times as it were back at home? How is that impacting? What -- can be achieved in

Italy?

ROBERTSON: Yeah, I think that's the sort of unspoken elephant in the room, if you will at these meetings. And it's something the leaders obviously a

very keenly aware of their own domestic situation. You have the British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, arriving here facing elections Fourth of July

in the U.K., where he is expected to get firmly trounce so don't expect to see him at a G7 as a leader soon.

That's the expectation. President Macron in France, looking at the success of the right wing vote in the European Parliamentary elections over the

weekend and calling a snap election for the parliament. Of course, President Macron will be around but, you know, what will his political

clout be the Japanese Prime Minister facing calls at home for an election there?

Of course, President Biden with this is perhaps the biggest uncertainty of all because who replaces him if he is not successful and the answer if he

isn't successful, it would likely be Donald Trump. This moment is the biggest uncertainty facing these leaders because President Trump back when

he was president.

He had a fractious relationship with the European Union, with individual European nations and his views on supporting Ukraine a well-known as his

inclined not to do it. So whatever is agreed around the table of President Zelenskyy now, they all know that the leaders there may not be the leaders

going forward, that are dealing with these issues.

But you know, as with all politicians, they do tend to deal with the here and now. But the 10 year bilateral security relationship that President

Biden will sign if you will today with President Zelenskyy, will be an effort to circumvent whatever changes come in the White House in the

future, but it's not clear. Even then, that really what he does today, President Biden does today could endure in a year's time.

ANDERSON: To both of you, thank you. And for more on this story and a focus on what is one of the most awkward moments of the G7 event head to CNN

online. World Affairs Correspondent and Former CNN Producer Frida Ghitis points out how one picture usually reveals enormous amount after all family

photos tell 1000 words rule?

Well, turning now to severe weather in South Florida where more than 8 million people are now under flood watch. Torrential rains swamped the Fort

Lauderdale and Miami areas on Wednesday. Streets turned into rivers, forcing people to leave their cars and wade through the high waters. Some

areas have seen more than 45 centimeters of rain over the past two days. That's more than a months' worth.

[09:15:00]

CNN's Carlos Suarez is on the ground in Fort Lauderdale. Carlos, what are you seeing right now?

CARLOS SUAREZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Becky, as you can see here behind me there is a considerable amount of flooding that folks are dealing with

here in Southern Florida. In the last 48 hours or so we have seen well over a foot of rain fall across parts of Miami-Dade and Broward County in this

one neighborhood that is just to the north of Fort Lauderdale Hollywood International Airport.

You can see what the folks out here are dealing with. It has made for a very difficult day for folks to try to get out of their homes and into

their cars. The last about three or four days, this part of the state of Florida really has been saturated by all of this rain down in Miami-Dade

County and some of the more touristy parts of Florida.

We're talking about the cities of Miami Beach, as well as Aventura. They saw more than a foot of rainfall in a 24 hour period now on the southwest

coast of Florida. So we're talking about all the way on the other side of where I am standing here in Southeast Florida. The folks there have been

drying out for the last three days since about Tuesday, when more than a foot of rainfall fell in that part of Florida.

Now the governor out here declared a state of emergency in five counties, including here in Broward County, as well as Broward County or rather fewer

in Broward County as well as Miami-Dade County. And what that allows is for emergency officials to start getting resources and staff to some of the

hardest hit areas, all in an effort to try to get most of this water out of these neighborhoods so that folks can start going about their days.

The forecast however, is calling for more rain later today, as well as Friday. And so even if they were able to get some of this water out as more

of this rain moves in, folks that live in this part of Southern Florida are just going to have to deal with the fact that this flooding really is not

going to go anywhere just yet, Becky.

ANDERSON: Look, Floridians are used to getting rain on the particularly this time of the year. But this has been quite phenomenal as far as how

much has fallen. Just how are locals and authorities coping at this point?

SUAREZ: You know that's a great question. So we are in a neighborhood that we came to last year in April of 2024 this very same neighborhood after

more than two feet of rain in a system similar to what we're seeing right now fell here in Fort Lauderdale. Now after that happened after that day --

city officials out here.

They decided to install new drainage systems. They decided to buy new water pumps, all really in an effort to try to prevent all of this from

happening. The problem, Becky, is that even if you're able to get all of these new drainage systems in place, even if you're able to get all of

these water pumps, ready to be deployed one of these storm systems move through, the water is just too great.

The number of inches of rain that we're talking about falling in a short period of time is just too intense for all of the drainage system even

though for it to be new. And all of these water pumps to be in place. It's just not able to get all of this water out considering the pace at which

the water, the rain is falling.

ANDERSON: More rain is on the way for folks in South Florida. Thank you, sir. While a heat wave is headed for the East Coast of the U.S. -- CNN

Meteorologist, Elisa Raffa, here with a look that for us.

ELISA RAFFA, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Yeah, Becky, I mean, looking at some of these rainfall totals, like you were mentioning. Yes, this area gets rained

this time of year, but this is prolific. We're talking about over 10 inches of rain at some places approaching two feet of rain with more than 20

inches and you can see all of those areas there.

Just in one day, Fort Lauderdale got more than 9.5 inches of rain which is the entire months' worth of June and it makes it the eighth wettest day on

record period so just incredible. The risk continues today we have that moderate risk level three out of four for additional flooding from Naples

to Fort Lauderdale, and Miami.

We have a stationary front that's just parked and tropical moisture keeps feeding into it, which is why we've had this flooding rain over the last

couple of days. It starts to ease up a little bit as we head into the weekend breaking up some of that rain, but still through Friday, we're

still looking at an additional four to eight inches of rain across South Florida.

Obviously, a lot of this area doesn't need any more rain with all the flooding that's already there. Now we also know that our atmosphere is

getting warmer thanks to human induced climate change. And when the atmosphere is warmer, it can hold more moisture. So we're finding that

we're getting heavier downpours more frequently.

[09:20:00]

Our heaviest 1 percent of days is 37 percent heavier than they used to be across the southeast. Look at that number 60 percent heavier in the

Northeast of the U.S. Heat is also something that we've been tracking. The triple digit heat continues in parts of the southwest from Las Vegas to

Phoenix and El Paso temperatures up around 40 degrees Celsius.

And will continue to find this heat spreading east. Look at the numbers as we go into the weekend. Temperatures up around 99 degrees in Little Rock,

Arkansas, St. Louis, Missouri as well. Temperatures up near 100 degrees that are sweltering, especially for this early in the season for that part

of the country.

That extreme heat starts to work its way east as we go into the work week. Look at the extreme measures. This is a new map that we have that shows

heat risk for heat sickness right your risk of heatstroke and heat exhaustion. Well, it's on the extreme side for water the Midwest, as we go

into Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, all those impacts flooding eastward.

Also tracking extreme heat in Europe as well, Athens right now currently at 36 degrees, much above average, and sweltering and this is coming as

tourists needed to leave there were places that were closed in Athens the other day because it was simply too hot and too dangerous for tourists to

be there so just really incredible.

That heat as well in Eastern Europe does start to slow down a little bit getting closer to average in Athens by Saturday and Sunday temperatures

back down to 32 degrees, which is a little bit more June like, Becky.

ANDERSON: Thank you. You're watching "Connect the World" with me Becky Anderson, 21 minutes past five here. Up next, Argentina's Senate approved a

sweeping reform bill but as you can see, not everybody was celebrating that passage will explain the violent backlash, up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ANDERSON: Argentina's Senate has approved a sweeping reform bill. I mean violent protests in one of these areas where more than two dozen people

were arrested. Now this bill could give some temporary emergency powers to President Javier Milei, without having to go through Congress.

The legislation now goes back to the lower chamber for more discussions. Stefano Pozzebon is following the story from Bogota, Colombia, and this is

a president who vowed sweeping change and he is getting on with it clearly not everybody is content with the way he is going about this. Will that

prevent him from carrying out what he said he wanted to achieve for the country?

STEFANO POZZEBON, JOURNALIST: Well, Becky, the first and short answer is no. Milei has vowed to continue. He's reformed so despite the dissent that

we're witnessing in Argentina about Wednesday's process that really had seen surreal scenes in Buenos Aires. We had teams on the ground throughout

the day.

[09:25:00]

They told me that they hadn't seen this level of violence in a very long time. Personally, the last time I remember seeing water cannons and tear

gas deployed in Buenos Aires was in 2017. And that I think is a sign of how polarizing the presidency of Javier Milei is turning out to be.

As I was saying the President himself has just vowed to continue his office released a statement yesterday saying that, calling the protesters a

terrorist and accusing them of waging a creditor. And the President himself was speaking just as the violence was played out on the streets. He was

speaking at a right wing conference at the Hilton Hotel in Buenos Aires, and this is how he characterized the moment.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JAVIER MILEI, ARGENTINE PRESIDENT: You're facing the choice between the paths of decadence or we rise to walk the path of freedom. The battle is

being fought in the street.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

POZZEBON: It's clearly throwing gasoline onto the fire. It's clearly not showing any intention to listen to the protesters or to understand what the

concerns are? About the reform, he was passed that later on Wednesday night at about 11 pm after almost 12 hours of debate in the Senate, and only

after the Vice President Victoria Villarruel had to take a vote to break a tie just like in the United States.

If the Senator is tied, the vice president who is presiding the session can actually vote and in this case, that's how these were formed. That brand

suddenly lays the power to bypass Congress to present further reforms passed on so clearly a tenth times in Buenos Aires.

And now the question is how will the opposition the left wing opposition bloc of Cristina Kirchner, Alberto Fernandez the previous government that

was in place will react to these reforms and will react the U.S. government that clearly has no sign as I was saying has given no sign of willing to be

sitting down and talk, Becky.

ANDERSON: Good to have you sir. Thank you. That's a story there. Meantime is the founder of SpaceX and Tesla waits to hear about it blockbuster pay

package. Elon Musk faces a new caught challenge, more on that after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[09:30:00]

ANDERSON: Welcome back. You're watching "Connect the World". I'm Becky Anderson, half past five here, half past nine in New York. You're watching

the opening bell on Wall Street and mixed open there, certainly that was the picture suggested by the futures markets.

This is the story as these investors get out of the gate and start the day's activity. Tesla shares jumping at the open the electric carmaker is

controversial CEO. We'll find out later whether Tesla shareholders have voted to restore his massive pay package. Elon Musk says it's in the bag.

Well, CNN's Anna Stewart shows us why the stakes are so big for both Musk and the company he founded?

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ANNA STEWART, CNN REPORTER (voice-over): It sounds like the trailer of a blockbuster movie. Featuring fast cars and starring robots. Well, it's not.

It's a teaser for a corporate AGM. But given us involves Elon Musk, it's far from boring.

ELON MUSK, CEO OF TESLA MOTORS: At Tesla, we build our cars with love, like we really care.

STEWART (voice-over): This was Musk at the 2018 AGM after the board agreed unusual compensation package that gave Musk no salary or cash bonuses or

equity that vests by the passage of time. Instead, Elon would get a 100 percent at risk performance award with a huge price tag now worth around

$50 billion in Tesla shares, if Musk hit a series of performance milestones, which he did. But a few months ago, the pay deal was cancelled

by a judge in Delaware.

DANIEL IVES, MANAGING DIRECTOR OF WEDBUSH SECURITIES: This is a game of high stakes poker. It all started with the Delaware court ruling that

essentially voided must $56 billion pay, compacts in 2018. Musk hit all the issues of the milestones that he needed to in taking tasks above a trillion

dollars.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: On June 13th, we will hold our annual shareholders meeting.

STEWART (voice-over): The Tesla board is now asking shareholders to reinstate Musk's pay package and to move Tesla's incorporated home away

from Delaware to Texas.

IVES: Musk is Tesla. Tesla is Musk, hearts and lungs. And ultimately, shareholders need Musk and Musk stars to spend less time at Tesla. That's a

bad thing for Tesla. And I think that's the issue right now at --

STEWART (voice-over): Musk's other companies he can focus on like SpaceX, Neuralink, The Boring Company, and X formerly known as Twitter. And Tesla

shareholders may want his attention if Tesla is to evolve from electric vehicles to humanoids, Robo taxis and artificial intelligence so coming

soon, to an AGM Thursday.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Your vote decides the future of Tesla.

STEWART (voice-over): Anna Stewart, CNN, London.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ANDERSON: Well, this comes as former employees of SpaceX are suing Elon Musk and the rocket company that he founded saying he illegally fired them

after they called out sexual harassment in the workplace. CNN's, Clare Duffy, joining us live from New York. It is a busy week for Mr. Musk,

Clare.

CLARE DUFFY, CNN BUSINESS WRITER: Yeah, these employees claim that they were illegally fired for their involvement in writing this letter in 2022.

That raised concerns about a culture of gender discrimination and sexual harassment within SpaceX. That letter at the time was signed by about 400

employees at the company.

And this lawsuit like that letter specifically calls out Elon Musk's habit of making crude sexual innuendos and posts on X formerly known as Twitter,

and says that because he was CEO, his posts were considered like official company documents and influenced how other people at the company felt they

could behave.

For example, at references one tweet from 2021 where Elon Musk says he has a plan to open a new university called the Texas Institute of Technology

and Science, which of course would have a euphemistic acronym referring to women's bodies. And I want to say the suit alleges that because of this

culture that was created by Elon Musk's tweets.

[09:35:00]

It influenced how other employees felt they could behave. It references one example where an engineer named a part of a rocket, the Upskirt Camera. The

lawsuit also claims that Elon Musk was specifically involved in the firing of these employees after they wrote this letter asking other executives to

disavow his tweets.

And I should say that SpaceX did not respond to our request for comments, although an executive of the company formerly said that these employees

were fired for cause, so just the latest sort of legal tussle for Elon Musk, Becky.

ANDERSON: Thank you. Well, China's electric vehicle makers are getting hit with more EU tariffs, bringing the highest overall rate towards 50 percent.

The EU points to what it sees as Beijing's unfair support for companies that undercut European carmakers. European Commission's decision follows an

investigation into China's state support for its EV makers.

Still to come, two high profile hot dog eating champs will be putting their stomachs to the test in a TV special. A closer look at this big rivalry is

up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ANDERSON: Well, BTS is back? Well at least one member is Jin, the oldest member of the K-pop super group just finished up his compulsory service in

South Korea's military. He is celebrating by getting close up and personal with his fans. CNN's Mike Valerio has more from Seoul for you.

MIKE VALERIO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, it's certainly a sense of Jin jubilation, elation far and wide from here and sold the heart of the Festa

2024 events celebrating the christening the commemoration of BTS when it started 11 years ago today, but you know people have been here for going on

15 plus hours.

Let's just show you our field of view. So over my right hand shoulder, these were people who are still lining up to get in in anticipation of the

concert that will be held tonight. The lucky 1000 fans though have already ascended or I should say descended upon one of the stadiums here that's in

the shadow of Seoul's 1998 Olympic Stadium that's over my left hand shoulder, those lucky 1000 fans getting the chance to hug Jin for about two

to three seconds.

And you know, when you run into people from all over the world, this woman from India, for example, she made a photo compilation of her favorite

headshots -- of Jin, she wanted me to have it and then a Thai super fan took it upon herself to make these fantastic cute cookies in the shape of a

cartoon that Jin created a little while back to help promote his music before he entered military service.

So in that vein, we heard from Jin just after he was discharged from his military service. And we also heard from the Thai, super fan who made this

cookie, who, was going to have a chance to hug Jin. We heard from her boyfriend as well. Listen to what all of them had to say.

[09:40:00]

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JIN, SOUTH KOREAN SINGER-SONGWRITER: It was so fun for the last year and six months. It's such a relief. I met so many good people.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We wish to take photo. If you -- can you hold a -- for seven days?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Seven days for --

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VALERIO: So the why this matters factor in terms of the cultural context. Jin is the first member of BTS to be released from his compulsory military

service being the oldest member of BTS. So, you know, there are all of these fans who have said this is going to be a new marker for new

creativity for BTS eventually, to get back together.

The other six members are going to finish up their terms of military service and be reunited a year from now next June. So there's a lot of

gratitude, a lot of excitement that this could mark a new creative chapter. Of course, this is such a cultural force K-pop a multi-billion dollar

industry soft power that is projected from Korea all around the world. Mike Valerio, CNN, Seoul.

ANDERSON: Well, two champion hot dog eaters will go head to head and the winner takes all content set to stream live in September. Takeru Kobayashi

popularized the sport more than 20 years ago, and Joey Chestnut is the world record holder. The last time that the two faced off was at Nathan's

Hot Dog Eating Contest in 2009, when Chestnut won by devouring 68 hot dogs in 10 minutes. Andy Scholes joins me now. Tell us how that match up came

together, Andy?

ANDY SCHOLES, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: Well, Becky, the easy answer of how it came together is money, right? We've had a lot of hot dog eating contest

news this week, because Joey Chestnut got banned from the annual Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest because he signed a sponsorship deal with a

competing brand.

So it was like, oh, this is an American tragedy. We're not going to get to watch Chestnut's hot dogs on July 4. But here comes the news that he is

actually going to be going up one on one against Kobayashi 15 years since these two guys went head to head eating hot dogs. So it's going to be on

Netflix on Labor Day.

And it seems like, Becky, Netflix is you know, anytime there's some sort of weird sporting event or something that people want to watch. Netflix is the

one grappling it so we will see who can win now. Years later, who's the best Joey Chestnut or Kobayashi?

ANDERSON: Amazing. All right, well, that's something to look forward to, I guess sir. Thank you. Andy is back with that "World Sports", real sport.

After this short break, we'll be back top of the hour for you.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[10:00:00]

END