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More Children Starving As Hunger Crisis Deepens; White House Claims "Historic Successes" In First Six Months; Ivy League University In Court Over $2 Billion Funding Freeze; Donald Trump Touts Immigration Crackdown.19 Killed After Bangladesh Air Force Jet Crashes Into School; Kyiv Says 450 Missiles And Drones Launched Overnight; Pilot Makes Hard Midair Turn To Avoid B-52 Bomber. Aired 10-11a ET
Aired July 21, 2025 - 10:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[10:00:31]
ANNOUNCER: Live from CNN Abu Dhabi. This is CONNECT THE WORLD with Becky Anderson.
BECKY ANDERSON, CNN ANCHOR: Well, welcome to the second hour of the show from our Middle East programming headquarters. I'm Becky Anderson in Abu
Dhabi, where the time is just after 6:00 in the evening.
Israeli fire killed dozens of people seeking aid as starvation takes hold in Gaza.
Six months into his second term, President Trump touts his successes, calling the U.S. the most respected country.
And as deportations continue there and ICE gets new funding, Americans take to the streets to protest the president's policies.
Well, civilians are leaving parts of central Gaza by the hundreds today, Israel says it is launching a new ground offensive there against Hamas, and
it has issued evacuation orders for large areas of Deir al-Balah. Well, that is after a devastating weekend for people seeking aid across Gaza.
Palestinian officials and witnesses say more than a hundred people were killed by Israeli fire Saturday and Sunday while they were trying to
collect food.
Paula Hancocks back with me to talk about this this hour, just explain what's going on.
PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Becky, we have been seeing an alarming rise in the number of children that have been -- that
have been dying from malnutrition, from hunger. We heard from the Ministry of Health in Gaza that they say four children have died, or at least four,
in the past three days, the youngest of them just 3-months-old.
Now, we have a report. So, I must warn viewers that some of these images that you are about to see are very distressing.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HANCOCKS (voice over): 4-year-old Razan Abu Saher was hospitalized with malnutrition more than one month ago. Malnutrition has caused her to suffer
from a mobility disability, her mother says. Her health was good before the war, but there is nothing to strengthen her no milk in the hospitals or
pharmacies.
Sunday, Razan became the latest child in Gaza to die of hunger. Her skeletal body laid out on a slab of stone, painful proof of the famine the
U.N. and others have long warned about.
It is shocking, but should not be surprising.
In the space of 24 hours, 18 deaths were caused by famine, according to the Ministry of Health in Gaza.
Yasser Ahmad (ph) was waiting at this soup kitchen since 6:0 a.m. desperate to take something home to his family of 12. Flour is expensive, he says,
everything is expensive. Where can we get food from? We don't know what we'll do in the end, eat each other?
When his turn comes, the amount poured into his bowl is minimal. He walks the four kilometers back home. When his wife sees how little is in the pot,
she starts crying.
Is this enough for 12 people, she asks. Is it enough for a woman who is seven months pregnant, even a 1-year-old child wouldn't be satisfied by
this.
Pouring the watery soup into one bowl, the family eats together. The father allows himself just one spoonful, leaving the rest for his children and
grandchildren.
After this, he says he will go to another soup kitchen to see if he can keep starvation at bay for one more day.
Israel says the military is working to allow and facilitate the transfer of humanitarian aid into Gaza, including food, adding there are trucks yet to
be picked up by aid groups. The U.N. says Israel often denies permission to move aid or approves routes too dangerous to travel.
Thousands across Gaza risk their lives every day in the search for food. At least 73 people were killed Sunday by Israeli gunfire or trying to access
aid according to the Palestinian health ministry.
The IDF says it, "Fired warning shots in order to remove an immediate threat posed to them." It cast doubt on the death toll. The U.N. says
accessing aid has become a death trap. The U.N. World Food Programme says Gaza's hunger crisis has now reached new levels of desperation. Hospital
officials say they're seeing an unprecedented number of starving citizens arriving at emergency departments, a man made catastrophe that has been
continuously warned about. No one can say they didn't see this coming.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
[10:05:13]
HANCOCKS (on camera): They've had a statement as well from the foreign ministers of more than two dozen Western nations, including the U.K.,
France, Australia, Canada. It's stronger than it often is from these countries, saying that the suffering of civilians in Gaza has reached new
depths.
Also, saying, "The Israeli government's denial of essential humanitarian assistance to the civilian population is unacceptable." Saying the number
of people that have been killed while seeking aid is horrifying.
ANDERSON: Paula, thank you.
And we warned you those images would be distressing, and they were, I'm afraid.
The U.N. World Food Programme demanding shootings near aid sites in Gaza stop immediately, as you heard in Paula's report. Dozens of Palestinians
were reportedly killed by Israeli fire on Sunday as the organization tried to distribute badly needed food.
I spoke with the WFP chief, Cindy McCain. We spoke earlier today, and she explained in detail what happened.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CINDY MCCAIN, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, WORLD FOOD PROGRAMME: This is one of the worst tragedies we've seen so far in this -- in this particular war. What
happened was, as we were -- I had clearance to go through this Zikim gate, it was -- we were through the gate. The Israelis had -- as you know, they
clear everything, and they -- and they decide when and if you go in. And we began our trek down the road, and what we saw were thousands of people
running towards us, and they were hungry, they're starving.
And all of a sudden, the Israeli tanks, Israeli guns, Israeli weapons from all kinds started firing on the crowd, and it was -- it's something that I
hope never happens again.
But more importantly, our group, WFP, our people that work for us were there too, and they were put in grave danger as a result of that. No
humanitarian aid worker should ever be a target of anything.
ANDERSON: This follows a trend over the last two months where over 800 Palestinians have been killed around aid distribution sites. The majority
of those are at the controversial U.S. backed and Israel supported Gaza humanitarian foundation.
Can you be very specific, are you coordinating in any way, or supporting in any way, that operational model? And what is your view on the GHF?
MCCAIN: Well, we are not coordinating, and we do not work with GHF. As you know, we're a U.N. agency, and so we have our U.N. -- the way the U.N.
operates is different from what GHF is doing. I don't really have any information about them at all, because we don't even talk.
ANDERSON: The GHF model was developed according to those involved with it, with private sector input and Israeli government coordination, designed to
minimize Hamas interference, and there is much reporting of Hamas looting.
Is there any evidence to suggest that that is correct? Have you seen any evidence of that? What is the picture on the ground?
MCCAIN: The picture on the ground is terrifying. Under no circumstances do we want any armed groups involved in or watching over or guiding us in
whatever way they feel they should. Armed groups are not necessary, and we do not want them.
We are dealing -- we want to deal in safety and with the guidance of humanitarian principles and humanitarian law. When we had full access, we
had 400 distribution sites. We were getting in 600 trucks a day.
So, the capability that we have is unmatched by any other organization or any other foundation with that in that respect.
And the truth is right now the most important thing we could do is get the food in, and we know where our food goes, because we have a system on the
ground that is tested and works.
And so, as far as the looting goes, we view it a little differently. These people are starving to death. It is looting, but they're hungry. And so,
that does occur.
ANDERSON: Is there any evidence to suggest that Hamas operatives, those associated with Hamas on the ground are involved in that looting, in
interfering with the aid distribution to the extent that that food aid is not getting into the hands of those who need it most.
MCCAIN: You know, we've not seen that. We have seen what happens as a result of people starving to death, but with regards to our -- who's in the
armed groups and what it is, no, we've not seen that at all. We just continue to do our job and get the job done as much as we can.
[10:10:12]
ANDERSON: Is there any sense that Israel will allow WFP and other aid organizations to do their job and restart aid? Have you spoken directly to
Israeli authorities?
MCCAIN: We talk to Israeli authorities daily, and each day there is a -- some promises made. And we believe in the good faith, we're working on good
faith. We need a cease fire. That's exactly what we need right now to make sure that we cannot just get in but that keep sustained ability to be able
to get food in.
Here and there, bits and pieces don't work. We need full sustained access. We need at scale, so we can set up the kinds of aid stations that can
actually help people and do it where it's not a panic situation, where they know they can rely on the food coming in that day.
We are the largest food agency on the planet. We're really, truly, the only organization can do that, can do this at scale. If there's one message I
want to leave, that would be -- it would be that we need to be able to get in. We need to cease fire.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Cindy McCain speaking to me earlier.
Well, coming up on the show, Donald Trump spent the weekend trying to manage the Epstein controversy. But did it make any difference? Well, more
on that is after this.
Plus, as he marks, six months into his second term, the president touting his deportation crackdown, an issue that helped elect him. But how is his
aggressive approach sitting with most Americans? More after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Welcome back, you're watching CONNECT THE WORLD with me Becky Anderson. Time in Abu Dhabi, which is our Middle East programming
headquarters, just before 6:15.
Well, the White House touting its legislative wins as President Donald Trump marks six months in office, many Americans, though, do seem much more
interested in the Jeffrey Epstein files. The president is facing bipartisan calls for more transparency around the case.
Well, CNN's Alayna Treene back with us this hour, and there is no doubt this six month milestone marks a moment for the White House to tout their
successes. That laundry list of wins somewhat overshadowed by this Epstein controversy. Just explain what's going on behind closed doors there at the
White House, and how they're managing this.
ALAYNA TREENE, CNN REPORTER: Look, I mean, despite the president's best efforts, Becky, of trying to kill the story to convince his supporters
specifically to move on from this, this is still dominating the public's attention. And you're right, there are a lot of different issues that the
White House had been trying to highlight yesterday to mark his first six months in office.
[10:15:05]
But this story, and particularly, the Trump administration's handling of the Epstein case continues really to have this grip on Americans who are
still eager for so much information than what the administration is saying that they will provide.
Now, of course, I would argue that the President, as well as his team, had really hoped that this Wall Street Journal story last week that had talked
about an alleged letter that Trump had sent to Jeffrey Epstein back in the early 2000s would help put some of this to bed.
One, of course, is that whereas a lot of Trump supporters are angry about their handling of the Epstein case, they also could be unified. And you
know, when the White House tries to argue that a story is fake news, and we did see some of that, some of the president's fiercest supporters
coalescing around him once again after that story.
But the president also was hoping that his asking of the Attorney General Pam Bondi to unseal the grand jury testimony from the Epstein case would
also help with this.
Now, one I think people are calling it a good start. We heard both Republican Congressman Tim Burchett argue it was a good start. I had a
conversation with Steve Bannon, a leader of the MAGA movement, who said it was a good start as well.
But they're worried it would not be enough. And this is what we actually heard from one of the president's lawyers -- excuse me, Epstein's lawyers
yesterday, Alan Dershowitz, he said in an interview on Fox News that the grand jury testimony was unlikely to contain the information that people
are wanting.
And now we're seeing not only Democrats, Republicans as well on Capitol Hill, signing on and supporting this effort for a broader vote on unsealing
these records, all to say, this isn't the way that they had been wanting to mark six months, and this isn't where they want the attention.
And the president himself kind of recognized that over the weekend when he posted, he said, "Nothing will be good enough for troublemakers and radical
left lunatics making this request, it will always be more, more, more." He's saying that, despite what he had said about the grand jury testimony
and wanting to unseal that, it might not be enough for people.
And we are saying, you know, I'd argue again, even if they do try to move and unseal this, it's up to a court to decide what actually will be
publicized.
And so, this is a story now that has dominated media attention for roughly two weeks, over two weeks now, and it's not showing signs of going away.
So, unclear kind of where we go from here. But again, not exactly what they want to be talking about at this point in time, Becky.
ANDERSON: Yes, it's fascinating, isn't it? Thank you for that.
Well, as the White House marks this point in Donald Trump's second term, we are following a critical moment in a high stakes battle over academic
freedom and federal authority in the U.S. Harvard University backing court, excuse me, this hour as it challenges the Trump administration in its
federal funding case, in front of the U.S. District Judge.
Ivy League university trying to restore more than $2 billion in federal funds that it claims was unlawfully stripped by the White House.
CNN's Gloria Pazmino following this story for us. 180 days into this Trump administration, this is where we are at and it's not just Harvard, of
course, it is other universities who've taken the wrath of this Trump administration, including threats to pull funding.
What's the Trump administration's argument very specifically in this case, and what is Harvard's defense?
GLORIA PAZMINO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Becky, and that's exactly why it matters so much, because it is not just about Harvard. Yes, Harvard
University is in court this morning. In fact, that hearing is now underway.
But for faculty at Harvard, for alumni of Harvard, and for people who have joined this lawsuit, they say that it is about much more. It's about the
sanctity of higher education being independent from the government here in the United States, from the government, not being able to dictate to
universities how they do their jobs, who they hire, what they teach, and how they do it. That's what Harvard says is at the very core of this
lawsuit.
Now, as I said, oral arguments are now underway. Harvard going into this very confidently, believing that the Trump's administration's funding
freeze is unconstitutional, that it violates First Amendment rights and that it violates their academic freedom.
They also are making an argument, Becky, that there are actually laws in place that would allow an administration to take money back if a university
is in fact involved in some sort of harassment or any kind of violation, which is what the Trump administration has accused Harvard of doing.
But the University says that they did not follow those procedures. Now, as you might remember, this all started back in January after President Trump
took office, he signed an executive order directing his administration to increase enforcement on university campuses around the issue of anti-
Semitism. This was following the protests that broke out in opposition to the war in Gaza.
[10:20:14]
Now, the president has suggested that Harvard will be willing to settle in this lawsuit, but that, of course, remains to be seen.
I want to show you a portion of the White House response that we got over the weekend, saying that they believe Harvard will eventually come around
and support the president's vision, and through good faith conversations and negotiations, a good deal is more than possible.
The question here, Becky, is whether or not they will make a deal, because unlike other universities, for example, Columbia, here in New York City,
Harvard has taken a very aggressive approach. They have made some changes over the last few months as they tried to negotiate, but they are standing
their ground, trying to protect this funding.
At stake is, of course, much of the medical and scientific research at Harvard University conducts, more than 900 projects that were already
underway. And as I said at the beginning, this question of the government being allowed to dictate how Harvard or any other university carries out
its business on campus, Becky.
ANDERSON: This is going to be really interesting one to watch. It's good to have you, Gloria, thank you.
Well, the U.S. president was elected, he says on his promise to crack down on migrants, had he put his promise into practice as soon as he took
office.
Well, now a new CNN poll finds Americans largely oppose his approach to it. 55 percent, the majority, now say he has gone too far when it comes to
deporting the undocumented. That is 10 points higher than back in February. It is an issue that has drawn massive protests nationwide.
At the same time, immigration officials are now set to receive a historic cash infusion of some $75 billion that will help hire and train thousands
of new ICE agents pay for new detention facilities and removal operations.
Well, CNN's Priscilla Alvarez joining me for that part of what is our look at President Trump six months in. just explain where we are at at this
point.
PRISCILLA ALVAREZ, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, we are at a point where the administration is preparing to supercharge their immigration
enforcement operations. As we also review these poll numbers, which show that the administration is going too far.
And what you pointed out there Becky with the 55 percent in that 10 point increase in February, that's important, because what it tells us is that
the public is paying attention to the way in which the administration is executing on its deportation campaign.
There were some major moments that happened in those intervening months, in March, for example, that they had hundreds of thousands -- sorry, hundreds
of Venezuelan migrants sent to that notorious mega prison in El Salvador. After April, they began to send migrants to far flung countries like South
Sudan.
So, the public is paying attention, and it appears that they think the administration is going too far. But there is more on the horizon.
In fact, with the funding that the administration is prepared to receive and to act on, ICE will be the most well-funded police force in the federal
government over the next four years.
What does that mean? When you break down the $75 billion, that's $45 billion for detention centers and $30 billion for enforcement and removals.
And that's critical, because ICE has historically been underfunded. They've also had limited personnel, so White House border czar Tom Homan told me
that they're preparing to act on this and do it quickly. He's in daily calls about contracts for these detention centers, for ICE and U.S. Customs
and Border Protection. He's on calls about recruiting and training of more officers, including just last week, when an e-mail went out to those who
have retired for them to come back into the force, and also offering them financial incentives to do so.
So, this is an operation that is building now, knowing that they have so much money that they'll be able to work with.
Most immediately, we'll probably start to see those detention centers go up, they want to get to 100,000 beds by the end of the year, I'm told.
That's double what they have now.
And the American public is a bit skeptical about that. According to our polls, 57 percent oppose an increase in detention, so we'll see how the
administration tries to square that.
So far, they've mostly maintained their messaging that the worst of the worst are the ones that are being arrested and placed in detention, but
there are others that are being swept up as well who don't have criminal records, and that nuance is, may be what ultimately influences the way that
the public begins to perceive of this deportation campaign.
[10:25:00]
But, look, the other part of this is that current and former ICE officials tell me that there's deep seated frustration within the agency itself.
They've been under immense pressure from the White House as well as from the public.
So, while they are trying to reach the administration's goal, they're also having to contend with their own realities of what they can do and also who
they're going after.
Some agents who I speak with say, look, we are ready to get the worst of the worst. They were frustrated by the policies of the Biden
administration, but the same time, they feel as though, just by going after as many people as they can, they start to lose those priorities.
So, there is some tension that is happening within that agencies at a moment when they are about to get so much cash, Becky.
ANDERSON: So interesting. Good to have you. Thank you.
Still to come, Russia launches another wave of deadly strikes on Ukraine before saying it wants another round of peace talks.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Welcome back. You're watching CONNECT THE WORLD with me Becky Anderson.
Your headlines this hour, and more than two dozen Western nations have issued a joint statement condemning Israel for, "The drip feeding of aid
and the inhumane killing of civilians in Gaza over the weekend." More than 100 people were reported killed in Israeli gunfire as they tried to collect
food. Israel says its troops were facing an immediate threat.
As the U.S. president marks six months in office, he's being caught up trying to manage a growing controversy with some of his most fervent
supporters, who are increasingly frustrated by his handling of the Jeffrey Epstein case. Mr. Trump is now facing bipartisan calls for more
transparency on the matter.
And we are following breaking news in Bangladesh where 19 people have been killed after an Air Force jet crashed into a school campus. In northern
Dhaka, more than 100 people have been injured. Let's get you more on this story.
Vedika Sud is reporting on it and keeping up to date with the very latest. Vedika.
VEDIKA SUD, CNN REPORTER: Becky, let me just bring you up to speed with what we do know. Now, there was a devastating tragedy that took place early
afternoon local time in Dhaka, the capital city of Bangladesh. We believe that a military jet took off at about 1:06, this is a training jet that
took off at 1:06 local time.
[10:30:00]
And according to officials and others in Dhaka, and through press statements released by the government there, we've been told that the pilot
did try to stay away from the densely populated areas, but then slammed into a two-story building, and this turned out to be a school, and it's a
school for children between the ages of 4 and 18.
Now, what eyewitness accounts have also told us is that they saw huge plumes of smoke emerge from that double storied building. Eyewitnesses,
including parents, have also said that there was a huge boom sound that they heard, after which they realized that this indeed was a jet crashing
into that building.
Now, the advice -- the chief advisor to the government there has also issued statements where he has said that the bodies that have been
identified through now will soon be handed over to their families.
Meanwhile, DNA testing will be carried out to identify the remaining victims. We do know that the pilot also died in this incident. Now, this is
a huge tragedy unfolding in Dhaka. There have been huge rescue efforts on the ground. You've had the Army, the Air Force, and others on the ground
trying to douse the huge flames in and around the area.
You've had scores of people looking on, and they have all called this a shocking tragedy that is yet unfolding in Dhaka. Becky.
ANDERSON: And more as we get it on the investigation, of course, and you see the images there. Vedika, thank you. Of, you know, grieving families,
clearly, and some real emotion being showed there. More, as I say, as we get it into CNN.
Well, at least two people were killed and 16 injured in Russia's latest wave of strikes on Ukraine, according to officials, Moscow, launched 450
missiles and drones overnight with nationwide airway warnings issued for most of the country.
Now, while the majority of these strikes were shot down, 23 did get through, leading to several fires breaking out across Kyiv and other
cities. Despite the attack, the Kremlin says it is in favor of a new round of peace talks, but stressed work needs to be done to bridge the gulf
between the two positions.
Well, CNN's Clare Sebastian joins me now. That doesn't sound as if Russia is actually saying anything new, apart from the fact is saying it's
prepared, or once peace talks.
CLARE SEBASTIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes.
ANDERSON: Which is clearly what the U.S. is pushing for. What else have officials said about these, these attacks, very specifically?
SEBASTIAN: Yes. Becky, this -- look, even in the dramatic escalation of these, this air war that we've seen, even given that it's perhaps more
unusual at this point for Ukraine not to face an overnight barrage of missile and drones than it is to face when this was very large, 450
missiles and drones is up there. Not a record, but certainly one of the biggest numbers that we've seen recently.
It targeted approximately nine regions across the country, according to President Zelenskyy, all the way from Kharkiv in the east, which faced
another second round of drone attacks in the morning. Over to Ivano- Frankivsk, which is in the far west, down south, Kherson and Mykolaiv, and of course, in the capital Kyiv, which is coming under pretty sustained
attacks at the moment. They faced an eight-hour air alert pretty much all night. I think, it's worth pointing out that as well as the impact of, of
course, the injuries and fatalities that we see the impact of sleep deprivation is now very real in Ukraine.
And I think, look, President Zelenskyy pointing out that they must now scale up, as he put it, that interceptor capabilities.
Well, we do, of course, see discussions today, certainly, at the Ukraine defense contact group that's been happening virtually, this grouping of
allies that coordinate military aid Germany, saying that it's preparing to contribute to five much needed Patriot systems for Ukraine, even given that
the economics of using Patriot systems to shoot down drone attacks on this scale is just unsustainable. So, Ukraine is having to innovate, and they've
come up with interceptor drones, and they are continuing to scale that up as this air war ramps up. Becky.
ANDERSON: Good to have you, Clare. Thank you.
Russia, its war on Ukraine has led, of course, the NATO nations boosting, or at least pledging to boost defense spending to five percent of GDP
within the next decade. On the CNN web site, you can now read analysis by business and economics reporter Anna Cooban, on what the alliance's
European members can afford to fork out billions more on security.
Let's get you up to speed on some of the other stories that are on our radar right now. And sheltering in an underwater air pocket. This is how a
10-year-old boy survived the sinking of a sightseeing ship in Vietnam. Rescue teams relative -- found him relatively unharmed, although he was
suffering from mental distress. The overturned vessel was caught in a sudden storm, leaving at least 36 people dead over the weekend.
Well, Japanese far-right Populist Party emerged, as an unlikely force over the weekend, grabbing 14 seats in the country's parliamentary elections.
[10:35:05]
A dramatic rise from the single seat it had held previously. The party is known for its Japanese first campaign and tough immigration talk.
Well, a start warning on Afghanistan's water crisis, the aid group, Mercy Corps says nearly half of Kabul's water pumps have run dry, and that it
could become the world's first modern capital to completely dry up. Experts blame population growth overuse and climate change.
Well, you're watching CONNECT THE WORLD with me, Becky Anderson. Time in Abu Dhabi, just after 25:07.
The killing of a U.S. university professor in Greece -- a U.S. professor in Greece. We'll bring you the very latest as the suspects go to court.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: We are following a court case in Athens involving the murder of a U.C. Berkeley professor. On July the fourth. The 43-year-old was shot and
killed, whilst on his way to pick up his children. Well, Greek police have charged five people in connection to this case, including the professor's
ex-wife and her current partner with the suspects in court today. Let's bring in Elinda Labropoulou, who is on the ground in Athens. What's the
latest from there, Linda?
ELINDA LABROPOULOU, JOURNALIST: We understand that the current partner of the ex-wife has actually pled guilty to murder, and there are another three
people who have also pled guilty to being accomplices to the murder. Now we're waiting to hear from the ex-wife. We understand that she will be
pleading not guilty, and we actually spoke to her lawyer earlier, and she says she is very much afraid of what happens to her children next. Let's
take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ALEXANDROS PATSIAS, LAWYER FOR PRZEMYSLAW JEZIORSKI'S EX WIFE: My plan pleads not guilty, because she has nothing to do with the murder. She had
no prior knowledge of the whole thing.
She happened to be the murderer's girlfriend, and now, the most important is that she is terrified about the future of her children, because she
thinks that she may lose them.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LABROPOULOU: It seems that the couple, Becky, had been in this very lengthy custody debate for years. It's a couple that met about 10 years ago, they
got married, they lived in the U.S. Then, eventually, the ex-wife came back to Greece with the children. She had full custody.
Now, the current boyfriend says it was his decision to kill the professor, because he didn't want him to take the children away to the U.S. Both the
children and the professor had both U.S. and Polish citizenship. The ex- wife had only Greek citizenship, and that seems to be at the heart, at the core, of what has happened. So, what we're waiting to find out about now is
whether the ex-wife will be remanded in custody along with the other four, or whether she will be acquitted.
[10:40:08]
Becky, this will be crucial to what happens to her children.
ANDERSON: And is it clear what's happened to the kids while this is going on?
LABROPOULOU: Yes, the kids are now with the Greek social services. The Polish family, the professor's family, has asked for their custody. The
mother and brother have asked for joint custody. And once these proceedings are finished here in Athens and we find out what happens with the ex-wife,
then, we're likely to know what happens to the children as well.
We have been speaking to family friends who have said that the children are traumatized. You know, the father has just been killed. They don't know
what's going to happen with their mother. So, it's a very emotional case, and it has touched a lot of people in Greece. Becky.
ANDERSON: Understood. Elinda, thank you.
Well, crowds gathered in Mexico City on Sunday for another day of protests against gentrification and inequality.
Protesters say they are being priced out of their own neighborhoods by tourists with deep pockets, some of whom they say are even trying to gain
residence in Mexico.
CNN's Valeria Leon spoke with demonstrators as they marched.
VALERIA LEON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: This is the second anti-gentrification march in Mexico City, the second one in less than a month. Protesters have
taken to the streets to demand fair prices and a halt to the displacement of local residents.
The march is concentrated in the south of the capital city, rather than in centrally located neighborhoods largely occupied by foreigners.
Demonstrators have claimed that they have been priced out of their homes. That's the case of Eddie, a young Mexican resident.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
EDDIE, MEXICAN RESIDENT (PH): The price of rentals has gone really, really high in the last couple of years since the pandemic started. We have seen
like, for example, what used to be really affordable is now the price of three weeks of work. So, it's -- I've seen a couple of my friends having to
move to other places, because the rents are too expensive.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEON: This week, Mexico City officials announced a plan to address the capital's housing and gentrification problem. The plan includes a legal
framework to reduce rental prices to prevent people from being displaced.
Mexico is experiencing a high -- record number of foreigners applying for a resident visa. In 2023, over 60,000 people applied for this resident visa
and to stay in the country legally. The main nationality was the United States.
And beyond the increasingly high cost of living, some centrally located neighborhoods are seeing a transformation, with menus written in English
and very few people speaking Spanish in those areas, which many Mexicans are seeing as a sort of colonialism.
Valeria Leon, CNN, Mexico City.
ANDERSON: Well, to the U.S. state of North Dakota now where a terrifying mid-air close call between a U.S. commercial flight and a military aircraft
is now under investigation.
The pilot of the SkyWest flight, which is a delta regional jet, was says that he was forced to pull a last second and what is known as aggressive
maneuver to avoid colliding with a B-52 bomber on Friday. CNN's Brian Todd, following this for us. He is in Washington for you today. What more are we
learning this hour? What we hearing from both the airline and the U.S. military on this, Brian?
BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well Becky, what I can tell you is that we have a late statement just into CNN from the Federal Aviation
Administration, saying that it is now investigating this incident. It is an extraordinary sequence of events, not only because of what occurred this
close call that you just mentioned, but also in the way the pilot interacted with the passengers in the moments after that commercial flight
landed.
We do also have a new statement from the U.S. Air Force. A spokesperson confirming to CNN, saying this, "We are aware of the recent reporting
regarding commercial and Air Force aircraft operating in airspace around Minot International Airport. We are currently looking into the matter."
The Air Force says, "We can confirm that a B-52 aircraft assigned to Minot Air Force Base conducted a flyover of the North Dakota State Fair, Friday
evening." That's from the U.S. Air Force, also just in to CNN, confirming that it was a B-52 involved in this incident, and that the B-52 was
conducting a flyover of a state fair when this happened.
Now, setting the stage, the stage for you here. This was on Friday, this past Friday, July 18th. This was SkyWest flight 3788, was operating as a
delta connection flight between Minneapolis, Minnesota and Minot, North Dakota.
[10:45:07]
The incident happened as the commercial jet approached Minot. We have some tracking animation there. This Minot is also home to an Air Force base
about 10 miles away from the commercial airport. This Air Force Base does have radar capabilities, we should say.
As Becky mentioned, the pilot had to make an aggressive maneuver, a hard U- turn. According to audio of the incident, the pilot saying he had to make a hard U-turn to avoid colliding with a B-52 bomber. That is, according to
the pilot, he told passengers that the tower asked him to report six miles from the airport.
After being in communication with the air traffic control tower, the pilot said he turned right. He said, he then saw the military aircraft on the
right-hand side, so, the air traffic controller told him to turn left. He said he could tell by the speed of the other aircraft that it was a
military plane.
Afterward, and again, extraordinary, we should say, the pilot and the -- and the commercial aircraft landed safely at Minot Air -- at the Minot
airport. Afterward, the pilot said this to the passengers. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Sorry about the aggressive maneuver. It caught me by surprise, this is not, not normal at all. I don't know why they didn't give
us a heads up because the Air Force base does have radar and nobody said, hey, there is also a B-52 in the pattern. I had -- long story short, it was
not fun, I do apologize for it, and thank you for understanding.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
TODD: Just after the pilot said that, he got a round of applause from passengers inside the cabin. He was very, matter of fact, and very calm as
he was explaining this, but it had to have been a harrowing moment.
Here are some critical things that we do not know, though, at this hour. We do not know how close these two aircraft actually got to one another. We
don't know if they were actually on a collision course. That's unclear at the moment, and we do not know what air traffic control actually said to
the pilot in those moments.
The Pentagon and Delta Airlines referred CNN to SkyWest Airlines when we asked both those entities about this incident. SkyWest issued a statement
to CNN, saying this: "SkyWest Flight 3788 landed safely in Minot after being cleared for approach by the tower, but performed a go around when
another aircraft became visible in their flight path."
The incident is under investigation by SkyWest. The tower involved was not a tower that was operated by the Federal Aviation Administration, but as we
said at the top of this segment, the FAA is now investigating this incident. Becky.
ANDERSON: Brian, talk about transparency from the pilot. I mean, he certainly sounded, as you rightly point out, very calm, if not somewhat
irritated by the fact that he hadn't been given a decent heads up by air traffic control or by the sort of official sources, have we heard from
passengers? You suggested they gave him a round of applause -- of applause, and rightly so.
TODD: Yes.
ANDERSON: How passengers said they got through this?
TODD: Well, there was one passenger, Monica Green, who spoke to CNN not too long ago, and said that it was, you know, they -- she experienced, I think,
what she called, like a -- like a jerking, the plane really jerked, and it really made a hard U-turn.
She kind of, you know, described that and said it was pretty drastic. And she was wondering, if, you know -- if, you know, everybody on the outside
understood how kind of drastic this maneuver really was.
So, the -- clearly, I think, the passengers were taken aback by this. It was a very hard maneuver. It was -- it was a hard U-turn. The pilot
admitted as much. And, you know, it's going to have to really, I guess, come out of the wash in this investigation, which entity might have been at
fault and where the miscommunication really might have been there.
ANDERSON: Yes, absolutely. Brian, thank you.
TODD: Thank you.
ANDERSON: Brian Todd, and has for you.
Well, Bulgarian authorities said that they have seized $22 million-worth of cocaine from a car carrying a Congolese diplomat on Sunday. Over 200
kilograms of cocaine was found in the car at Bulgaria's border with Turkey. That is over 450 pounds in weight. The interior ministry said the drugs
were found in a Land Rover with diplomatic plates carrying a diplomat from the Democratic Republic of Congo. But Local media reported that his
diplomatic status was for Belgium and may not give him immunity in Bulgaria.
When we come back, media coverage of the Jeffrey Epstein controversy has elicited a firestorm from President Trump. A look at who is in the
crosshairs after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[10:51:24]
ANDERSON: Well, Donald Trump is demanding an NFL team change its name back to one that was criticized for being an ethnic slur.
Posting on social media, President Trump told the Washington Commanders to quote immediately revert to the Washington Redskins. Well, the NFL team
dropped their old name after decades of criticism from Native American groups. The team is trying to move back to the city after relocating to
nearby Maryland.
But President Trump threatening to restrict the move unless the team changes its name. It is not clear how he would be able to do that, however.
And Mr. Trump also taking media outlets for negative press once again. This time, over coverage of the Jeffrey Epstein case. CNN's Tom Foreman with
that.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
TOM FOREMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): "I told Rupert Murdoch, that he shouldn't print this fake story. But he did, and now I'm going to sue
his ass off." President Trump is laying into The Wall Street Journal and its owner over the Epstein story, just weeks after ripping the paper's
coverage in general.
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The Wall Street Journal has truly gotten to hell.
FOREMAN (voice over): Throughout his second run and return to the White House, Trump has said plenty about the media.
TRUMP: And I watch these criminals back there, the press.
Is the news is really fake.
Real scum.
And it has to stop. It has to be illegal.
FOREMAN (voice over): And he is taken action. Trump sued ABC News, saying he was defamed in an interview about a past sexual abuse case. The Network
settled by promising $15 million to Trump's presidential foundation. But his attacks have not stopped.
TRUMP: ABC is the worst newscast of any newscast by far.
FOREMAN (voice over): Trump filed a suit against CBS's "60 Minutes", saying it unfairly edited an interview with his Democratic challenger, Kamala
Harris.
TRUMP: She gave an answer that was so bad that they changed it.
FOREMAN (voice over): Many media and legal analysts said his claim was unfounded, but just weeks ago, CBS parent company Paramount settled too,
coughing up $16 million.
Trump filed a lawsuit against the Des Moines register over an election poll that showed him doing poorly in a state he eventually won.
TRUMP: And in my opinion, it was fraud and it was election interference.
FOREMAN (voice over): The paper disputed the claim. The matter is still in court.
And there is more.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm Donald Graft (PH). And I have more press than all of you.
FOREMAN (voice over): Trump, who was parodied long ago on Sesame Street, has torn funding away from public television, radio, and Voice of America.
Press rooms at the White House and Pentagon have been rearranged, often to the advantage of pro-Trump outlets. He's battled the Associated Press over
its widely respected stylebook, still referring to the Gulf of Mexico --
TRUMP: It's called the Gulf of America now.
FOREMAN (voice over): And he's even savaged another property of media mogul, Rupert Murdoch, the recent polls showing public faith in Trump
falling. Posting, "It's why MAGA hates Fox News."
(END VIDEOTAPE)
FOREMAN (on camera): Few of these cases have produced anything like a substantial apology for any behavior. And many of the companies seem to be
settling it just so they don't go into long, drawn out legal proceedings.
Nonetheless, this has proven to be a winning political strategy for Donald Trump, even if he doesn't necessarily win in court.
Tom Foreman, CNN, Washington.
ANDERSON: And before we leave you tonight, a fair warning from Coldplay front man, Chris Martin.
[10:55:02]
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CHRIS MARTIN, SINGER, FRONT MAN, COLDPLAY: Is we're going to use our cameras and put some of you on the big screen.
So please, if you haven't done your makeup, do your makeup now.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Well, this video was taken at their concert in Madison, Wisconsin on Saturday. It comes, of course, just days after this couple tried to hide
from what's known as the kiss cam at another Coldplay concert. We probably don't have to tell you that video went viral. And that man, Andy Byron is
resigned from his job as CEO of tech company, Astronomer.
That's it from CONNECT THE WORLD, for you, from the team working with me and those working with us around the world. It's a very good evening from
Abu Dhabi.
"ONE WORLD" up next. Don't go away.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
END
