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First Move with Julia Chatterley
Texas Immigration Law; Supreme Court Allows Texas To Enforce Own Immigration Law; BOJ Interest Rate Hike; Hong Kong Passing Second National Security Law; IDF Press Ahead With Assault On Al-Shifa Hospital; Israel About To Send Some Palestinian Patients Back To Gaza; Argentina President Criticized For Record Inflation; Controversial Immigration Law; All But One Of World's Most Polluted Cities In Asia; A.I. Picking Your Next Holiday Hot Spot; How A.I. Can Save Travelers Money; First Ever MLB Season Open In South Korea. Aired 6-7p ET
Aired March 19, 2024 - 18:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[18:00:00]
EGYPT SHERROD, REAL ESTATE BROKER: U.S. housing sales drop because first - time homebuyers can no longer afford.
JAKE TAPPER, CNN INTERNATIONAL HOST: All right. Egypt, thank you so much. Really appreciate it.
Join me Sunday night for the special we're going to have on C.J. Rice and also, a brand-new episode of "United States of Scandal." We're going to dig
into the leaking of the identity of CIA Operative Valerie Plame by Bush administration officials. You might think you know the whole story, but you
probably don't. It's Sunday night at 9:00 Eastern Pacific here on CNN. The news continues on that. See you now.
JULIA CHATTERLEY, CNN INTERNATIONAL HOST: A warm welcome once again to "First Move." Here's today's need to know. The U.S. Supreme Court rules
that Texas can enforce a state law that allows police to arrest and detain migrants suspected of entering the country illegally.
The Bank of Japan raising interest rates for the first time in 17 years.
And fancy letting A.I. pick your next holiday hotspot. Well, if the answer is yes, then travel firm Kayak may have you covered. The founder and CEO
joins us to discuss their latest technology. That conversation and plenty more coming up.
But first, controversial border security. The U.S. Supreme Court clearing the way for Texas to begin enforcing its own immigration law. It lets state
law enforcement to arrest people they suspect of entering the nation illegally and they can also order deportations.
Immigration advocates and the federal government have raised a whole host of concerns, including fears of racial profiling with Latinos comprising 40
percent of the state's population.
And joining us now is John Sandweg. He's partner at the law firm Nixon Peabody. He's also a former acting director of U.S. Immigration and Customs
Enforcement. John, great to have you on the show. We can argue the legality of this until we're blue in the face. I think at this moment, the
practicalities matter more.
How do you best avoid at this stage some form of conflict between federal border patrol and now state and local enforcement agents? And how do you do
this in a, to my point there, non-discriminatory way?
JOHN SANDWEG, FORMER ACTING U.S. IMMIGRATION AND CUSTOMS ENFORCEMENT: Yes, it's going to be hard, right? And it's going to be very interesting to see
how the state actually implements this law in the coming days.
First of all, though, the key is communication. We need communication between the border patrol agents on the ground and the state law
enforcement. There's a lot of tension right now, obviously, between the political leadership, but these agents can't let that tension interfere
with their core missions. We just need to make sure we avoid conflicts.
But look, you raise a great question. How are you going -- how is the state going to enforce this in a way that is non-discriminatory? I think, you
know, my bigger concern is especially as you get farther away from the immediate border, it's really hard to do that. And the federal government
has access to a lot of databases and information that's not available to the state. They're also given a lot of training. So, I think there really
are serious concerns that Texas is going to be able to implement this in a way, you know, in a non-discriminatory fashion.
CHATTERLEY: I mean, what we're saying is that U.S. citizens may be approached at this stage. Are we asking whether or not they now have to
carry a passport to be able to say, look, I'm a U.S. citizen, I'm not a migrant, and having that constant interaction? I mean, how often does that
happen today versus, in your mind, what will happen as we start to see state and local enforcement agents, police officers taking charge here?
SANDWEG: Yes. Julia, listen I hate to say it, it happens at the federal level as well, where you have officers who are really specifically trained
on these issues and mistakes have been made.
When I was at DHS and then at ICE, certainly, there were very limited, thankfully, cases and nobody wants to see this happen, but where U.S.
citizens were arrested. My concern here now is you've empowered state local law enforcement who don't have the training of federal immigration
officers, who don't have access to, like I said, those databases where they can verify nationality. And now, they're going to be making decisions about
whether someone is a U.S. citizen or lawfully present or whether they cross the border.
That's concerning, you know, obviously, because it's very difficult work to begin with, but when you have officers who are trained on things that are
critically important, public safety type law enforcement, now doing regular immigration enforcement you can see very likely that we're going to hear
about some, you know, horror stories here of U.S. citizens who were arrested.
CHATTERLEY: I mean, this could change again. This is being appealed and debated in lower courts. We're going to get a decision on that in in early
April. Let's say if, and it is an if, this ruling is upheld by the lower court, are we going to see copycat legislation?
I mean, the obvious ones to think about here Florida, Arizona that go, OK, we'd actually like to be able to control our borders in the same way and
perhaps have the same kind of deportation rights.
SANDWEG: Oh, I absolutely think it's coming. And I think even before the lower court rules. You know, you're right, this is a -- the Supreme Court's
ruling had procedural elements to it. And certainly, you know, they're going to see this case again. But I got to tell you, I think the Supreme
Court, by even lifting this injunction, has given a green light to a lot of states that would like to do the same thing.
[18:05:00]
And look, Julia, politically, this is a hot button issue in this country. The practical reality is the Texas law is not going to have -- you know,
not going to promote border security. It might even detract a little bit because it diverts resources from more serious criminal investigations.
But the bottom line is politicians want to be seen as doing something about the border because Americans are frustrated. And I think absolutely we're
going to see the copycat legislation. You know, Florida, as you mentioned, Arizona. But I wouldn't be surprised if we see it popping up in states all
over the place, you know, far away from the border, as governors and legislators want to be seen and want to communicate to those voters that
they're doing something about it, you know, even if it's something that probably doesn't really impact border security that much to begin with.
CHATTERLEY: I mean, to your point, and the governor of Texas has said this, look, we're being invaded. And that's the technicality under the U.S.
Constitution that said that we need to protect our borders. Texas needs to take charge of this. And the federal government has failed us. And again,
we can debate Congress' inaction on this and the wise and wherefores.
But is there a role for local and state enforcement to perhaps help and do a better job than has existed in the past, simply using federal agents
alone? Because, John, there is failure here, clearly.
SANDWEG: Yes. But look, the state does play a critical role. And I think that's one thing that kind of gets distracted in the politics of this. I
mean, I hate to sound cynical, but this was a political action, you know, the passing of this bill.
But the reality is on a daily basis, you know, when I was at the -- you know, working on federal immigration enforcement, we worked very closely
with state prosecutors. When there are cases, smugglers who are apprehended, and we didn't have enough resources to prosecute them,
federally, you turn to state prosecutors.
You rely on your state law enforcement partners, state police officers, sheriffs, our members of task forces who work collaboratively with the
federal government. But you're targeting the criminal actors who are exploiting our borders, right, drug smugglers, human traffickers, coyotes
who are exploiting economic migrants.
What's changed here now is what Texas has done is said, hey, no longer are we just going to focus on those criminal cases and the public safety cases,
but we're also going to go after the economic migrants, the migrants themselves who are crossing the border and generally, are just looking to,
you know, flee for a better life.
Look, the problem in the U.S. and the problem at our border, of course, has been our failure to hire enough immigration judges and our failure to hire
enough asylum officers to process everybody who's coming across and remove them if they don't make a valid asylum claim.
Nothing about what Texas has done is going to solve that problem, and really all that's going to do is pull more resources, you know, away from
these critical public safety missions, and argue -- you could argue potentially weaken border security as a result.
CHATTERLEY: Yes, and also sending a message perhaps too to the criminals that are a part of this process in getting people across that actually it's
not going to work. Many failures, John, political, but it's also been a crisis for many years. Great to have you with us, sir. Thank you. John
Sanweg, former acting director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Thank you.
Now, it's one seemingly small step for the Bank of Japan, but one giant leap into the unknown for the Japanese economy and perhaps even global
investors.
The Japanese Central Bank announcing Tuesday that it's finally emerged from the global central bank basement, raising interest rates for the first time
in 17 years and ending its eight-year run of below zero interest rates. It was the last central bank standing, by the way, with this policy.
In addition, the Bank of Japan ended other economic support measures, including what's known as yield curve controls that held down longer-term
interest rates. Then came the verbal intervention, telling the public and investors too that they will be very cautious about doing more tightening,
reassuring news perhaps with Japanese equity investors with the Nikkei finishing Tuesday session above that 40,000 mark.
Hanako Montgomery is in Tokyo, and joins us now. Hanako, a hugely symbolic step, 17 years arguably in the making. Important for investors, important
for the Japanese public too. What are they saying about this shift?
HANAKO MONTGOMERY, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Julia. I mean, this is a hugely symbolic shift and a key policy change, I think, for Japan
and it indicates to the Japanese public, to consumers, to investors that Japan thinks its economy has finally turned a corner.
So, as we know, Japan has been experiencing deflation for many, many years now. But right now, it's actually seeing inflation. The rate of inflation
for core consumer prices, which of course includes everything besides food and fuel, is hovering at about 2 percent. That magic number you need to see
that indicates the economy is healthy, is growing in the right direction.
And after so many years of deflation, inflation is really a welcome change. I spoke to an expert earlier about just how historic this change was.
[18:10:00]
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEJIRO TAKESHITA, PROFESSOR, UNIVERSITY OF SHIZUOKA: Well, what we've been seeing is two decades of deflation, which is basically stagnating the
economy and also the minds of the people, including the corporations and the consumer as well. So, we have to get out of that doldrum.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MONTGOMERY: So, even though this move was largely expected, the fact that Japan was going to end negative interest rates was largely expected, you
know, we didn't really see a huge, huge, you know, ton of surprising movement in the Japanese stock market.
But I think it is safe to say that the Japanese public, I mean, this indicates to them that Japan is finally taking a step towards
normalization, that it's taking a step in the right direction, and we can be a little bit more positive about the way the Japanese economy is
unfolding in the next coming months, Julia.
CHATTERLEY: Yes, and you say that with a smile. It is one step, but it was an expected step, to your point. It's the next steps that they tried to
manage. And actually, I think they did very successfully.
Part of what allowed them to do this, though, and it was something you and I were discussing when I was just there, was wage negotiations and some of
the largest companies providing some of the biggest wage increases in the latest negotiations that we've seen since the 1990s. Hanako, this was also
key to facilitating this step.
MONTGOMERY: Exactly. Super, super key, Julia. I mean, this was the second condition, the second component that the Bank of Japan, Governor Kazuo
Ueda, said needed to be met in order to actually end negative interest rates.
So, as we know and as we discussed when you were here in Japan last month, Julia, wages in Japan have not really grown. I mean, they've stagnated for
years and years. But on Friday, the Japanese labor union, RENGO, which is comprised of the country's biggest companies, decided to raise wages by
5.28 percent. The biggest pay hike it's seen in 33 years.
Now, this is significant because, as I mentioned, Japanese workers in the country have not seen their wages grow that much compared to other OECD
countries like the United States, the U.K., Germany for example.
So, really, the fact that these two key components came together indicated to the Bank of Japan that it was finally time to end negative interest
rates. Of course, now, you know, these movements were very, very conservative yesterday and it remains to be seen whether or not Japan will
raise that interest rate to perhaps 0.2, 0.3 percent in the next few months.
But again, this is a huge step for Japan, a symbolic one. And for the Japanese public it is, again, positive news, I believe, Julia.
CHATTERLEY: Absolutely. And they'll continue to track the data and we'll see what it brings. Hanako, great to have you with us. Thank you. Hanako
Montgomery there.
Now, the Bank of Japan, not the only heavyweight central bank in action this week, the U.S. Federal Reserve announcing its latest policy decision
on Wednesday and its long-awaited update on potential rate cuts.
U.S. stocks rallied Tuesday ahead of the announcement with the S&P 500 hitting, yes, fresh records. That said, it's looking more likely that the
Fed actually avoids cutting rates at the June meeting, which was expected earlier this year, given those ongoing inflation uncertainties.
Now, Hong Kong has passed a second national security law. Critics warn that it now aligns the city more closely with mainland China and further
strengthens efforts to crack down on dissent. Kristie Lu Stout has more.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KRISTIE LU STOUT, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): On the streets of Hong Kong, we ask a simple question. Do you support or not support Article 23?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I have no idea.
STOUT: No idea?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes. Sorry. Yes, I have to go.
STOUT: Yes or no?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes. No, I have to go.
STOUT: OK.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm really sorry.
STOUT (voice-over): We ask in English. We ask in Cantonese. No comment.
STOUT: Article 23 is Hong Kong's controversial new homegrown security legislation. It includes a range of new national security crimes, including
treason, espionage, external interference, and disclosure of state secrets.
STOUT (voice-over): It carries sentences of 10 years for crimes linked to state secrets and sedition, 20 years for espionage, and up to life in
prison for treason, insurrection, sabotage, and mutiny. Officials point out that many western countries have similar legislation and say it will fill
loopholes in the sweeping national security law imposed by Beijing in 2020 after mass anti-government protests.
JOHN LEE, CHIEF EXECUTIVE, HONG KONG: We still have to watch out for potential sabotage under currents that try to create troubles.
STOUT (voice-over): In 2003, Article 23 was shelved after an attempt to enact it drew half a million residents onto the streets in protest. No such
scenes of opposition are expected this time around.
Beijing's national security crackdown has transformed Hong Kong. Dozens of political opponents have been arrested, civil society groups disbanded, and
outspoken media outlets shut down.
[18:15:00]
Former opposition lawmaker Emily Lau was among the protesters in 2003. She's no longer marching, but has a message for Beijing.
EMILY LAU, FORMER OPPOSITION LAWMAKER: I just want to tell Beijing, there's no need for such stern treatment. I don't think Hong Kong will go back to
the turbulent past. And I think people want to look forward to a safe and peaceful and free future.
We want Hong Kong to prosper. We are part of China. I've never disputed that, but we are different from the rest of China. But the difference is
getting less and less, which is very sad.
STOUT (voice-over): Critics say the law could have deep ramifications for the city's status as a global business hub.
The U.S. State Department says it is concerned by the "broad and vague definitions of state secrets and external interference that could be used
to eliminate dissent through the fear of arrest and detention."
The Hong Kong government rejects that criticism as biased and misleading, with Security Secretary Chris Tang pointing out there is strong public
support.
SECURITY SECRETARY CHRIS TANG, HONG KONG SECRETARY OF SECURITY (through translator): We received 98.6 percent support and positive feedback.
STOUT (voice-over): But on the streets --
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): I don't want to answer.
STOUT (voice-over): -- it's hard to tell.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): We don't discuss these things, very sensitive.
Kristie Lu Stout, CNN, Hong Kong.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHATTERLEY: So, legal scholars and business figures have told CNN they're worried about the harsh penalties and broad definitions in this new law.
According to the Hong Kong government, cases will be handled, "in accordance with the law."
Now, to Gaza, where the Israeli military continues its operation at the enclave's largest hospital. Thousands of people are sheltering there, but
Israel claims the Al-Shifa Hospital is being used by senior Hamas terrorists.
Meanwhile, a famine appears increasingly likely in the north of Gaza. Half of the population is on the brink of starvation, according to a new U.N.-
backed report. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken also setting out the scale of the humanitarian crisis there.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANTONY BLINKEN, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: 100 percent of the population in Gaza is at severe levels of acute food insecurity. That's the first time an
entire population has been so classified.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHATTERLEY: Now, in East Jerusalem, Israel is about to send a group of women and babies who've been receiving medical care there back to Gaza.
Jeremy Diamond has their story.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN CORRESPONDENT (VOICE-OVER): Little Sarah is barely six months old. Born in East Jerusalem, all she knows is the safety of this
hospital room. This week, that will be torn away. War will become her new reality.
I might go back and they invade Rafah, her mother Nima (ph) says. I'll be the one responsible for anything that harms them. If I go back with the
twins, where do I go with them? Where would I get diapers and milk? Gaza is not the same anymore.
For nearly six months, these three mothers have been living, sleeping, and nursing their five babies in this hospital room together. Before the war,
their high-risk pregnancies made them eligible to leave Gaza and give birth in Jerusalem hospitals. But now, they've packed their bags after learning
that the Israeli government is sending them back to Gaza, where Israel's brutal military campaign has made survival a daily struggle.
Hanan (ph), the mother of twins, says she's scared of going back to Gaza without a ceasefire. There are diseases spreading, infections, she says,
it's not a normal life.
They will be among the 22 Palestinians set to be bused on Wednesday to the Kerem Shalom Crossing in the south. Her husband is in the north, and Hanan
(ph) is still trying to find a place to live.
Despite that uncertainty, Asma (ph) wants to return to Gaza. My daughter is there. She needs me, Asma (ph) says. Every time she speaks to me, she asks
when I'm coming back. Every time there's an airstrike, children go to hug their mothers. And mine has no one to hug.
At nearby Augusta Victoria Hospital, nearly 50 Gazan cancer patients have been receiving treatment since before October 7th, watching from afar as
their families endure the horrors of war.
For Mohammed (ph), one of the 10 who are in remission and being sent back to Gaza, being far away from his son Hamza (ph), who is blind, has been the
hardest to bear. But going back is also terrifying.
[18:20:00]
I'm torn, he says. The only wish I have in life is to go back home. I regret even coming here for treatment. I wish I could be with them, because
I know how they need me.
In a statement, the Israeli agency in charge of their return said patients who have received medical treatment and who are not in need of for further
medical care are returned to the Gaza Strip.
After more than two months of pushing back on Israeli demands, Dr. Fadi Atrash says he was ordered to compile a list of patients to be sent back to
Gaza this week.
DR. FADI ATRASH, CEO, AUGUSTA VICTORIA HOSPITAL: We don't want to send them, but it's not our call at the end of the day.
DIAMOND (voice-over): Now, he fears for his patients.
DR. ATRASH: All the support, all the efforts that we have been putting to try to cure them or to put them in a good condition or to improve their
quality of life will be lost because there is no care in Gaza. There is no hospitals. There is no health care. The system is totally destroyed.
DIAMOND (voice-over): The mothers are preparing for their journey. They've bought sweets and toys for the children who are waiting for them.
If they want to throw away all my belongings, they can, but not this bag for my daughter.
It is all they can bring for the children who have endured so much in six months and the babies who will soon learn the reality of war, far too
young.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHATTERLEY: We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[18:24:20]
CHATTERLEY: Welcome back to "First Move." It's been 100 days since Javier Milei took office as Argentina's new president, promising a new era. He
pledged radical reforms, cutting of government spending, removing fuel and food subsidies and switching, if you remember, to the U.S. dollar. He also
said things would get worse before they get better.
And now, more than three months in, his critics are pointing to spiking poverty and record inflation, the highest anywhere in the world. Stefano
Pozzebon reports from Buenos Aires.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
STEFANO POZZEBON, CNN JOURNALIST (voice-over): It's still the afternoon when the soup kitchen in Buenos Aires opens for dinner. And for many,
including children, this is their only meal of the day.
[18:25:00]
Walter Torres (ph) is a regular. He comes here every night, he says, since he lost his unemployment benefit last year.
Look how many we are. These people had a job or some plan, and now, they're queuing for food. Our salary is worth nothing.
This charity was born as a shelter for the homeless, with a capacity for 50 people. But most of the over 200 meals handed out today are taken away and
eaten at home. Volunteers asking for IDs to make sure nobody hoards on food, which is scars for everyone.
Inside, the kitchen is in full motion.
Some of the guests are our own neighbors, who would have never imagined they would need a charity, says this volunteer.
And next to the kitchen, a clothing bank.
POZZEBON: This is another aspect of the new poverty crisis here in Argentina. When this service was started, it was mostly for homeless
people, adults, when instead, here you see the sizes of four years old, four, five, six, seven, eight years old, meaning that the families can no
longer afford to buy the clothes for the little ones.
POZZEBON (voice-over): Argentina's poverty rate was already rising before President Javier Milei took office in December. Since then, his focus has
been on an austerity drive to bring inflation down.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The Argentine economy--
POZZEBON (voice-over): His reforms, like the value in the Argentinian peso over 50 percent, were applauded abroad, but punished many in Argentina, who
have seen their salaries collapse and can no longer afford to pay for food.
Getting today's fare at the supermarket and out of the question for this worker. While the analyst's fare did his still open --
MACARENA MICHIENZI, LEAD SPECIALIST, CEFEIDAS GROUP: I think we have to see how mind (ph) to the people is willing to like give him the benefit of the
doubt at all. And maybe adjust their divergence.
POZZEBON (voice-over): Milei's interior minister pleading for patience in an interview with CNN.
GUILLERMO FRANCOS, ARGENTINE INTERIOR MINISTER (through translator): What we want is for people to receive their benefits themselves and stop relying
on food kitchens. But changing the system takes time.
POZZEBON (voice-over): Who doesn't have time is Torres who was able to eat today but he's not sure about tomorrow. For him, change couldn't come soon
enough.
Stefano Pozzebon, CNN, Buenos Aires.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHATTERLEY: And Tropical Cyclone Megan continues to drench Northern Australia after making landfall Monday afternoon. Some parts are seeing
more than half a year's worth of rain, and it doesn't look like the storm is leaving anytime soon. Chad Myers joins us now.
That's what you promised, half a year's rain. Yikes. Chad, talk us through what we're seeing and we'll see.
CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: And that will absolutely happen in Alice Springs. Typically, 260 millimeters of rain a year, so not a wet place, but
150 over the next 48 hours. I haven't said that in a very long time.
Heavy rain, Alice Springs. The storm isn't really dying off when it comes to rainfall. Yes, the wind is gone, but it's still raining. 150
millimeters, yes, in just two days.
Now, it's going to be cooling down across parts of the south, another cold air mass coming in from the south, going to cool things off nicely for
Melbourne. You were almost 10 degrees warmer yesterday than you'll be today, Melbourne only 18.
Now, remember, there's a Formula 1 race in town Saturday and Sunday, maybe a shower for qualifying possible on Saturday. But otherwise, Sunday looks
really nice, sunny and 22. Farther to the north, still for you, Julia, snowing in the western prefectures of Japan, right where the ski resorts
are. You take that all winter long and they're now pushing that into spring because officially by tonight, happy springtime. It is now going past the
equinox.
We'll take the snow. We'll take it where we can get it. There will be some wind in Tokyo and also the chance of a shower, but very mild. A high today
of 16.
CHATTERLEY: That means speeding skiing as well. We like the snow in the springtime.
MYERS: They're still piling the snow. It will not stop.
CHATTERLEY: Chad, thank you for that. For me anyway, never mind our viewers. Next. All right. More coming up on our top story. What a new
ruling on a controversial immigration law means for the situation at the Southern U.S. border. Mexico, as you would imagine, not happy.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[18:32:48]
CHATTERLEY: Welcome back to "First Move." And a look at more of the international headlines this hour.
The two top U.S. generals during the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan spoke about it today before a congressional committee. They both blamed the U.S.
State Department for failing to order an evacuation operation of civilians sooner. Democrats, meanwhile, criticizing the hearing is an attack on the
Biden administration.
Former Trump White House aide Pete Navarro has reported to prison in Miami, Florida. Navarro was the first former White House official to be imprisoned
after being convicted for contempt of Congress. Navarro was sentenced to four months in prison after he refused to comply with a subpoena from the
House Select Committee investigating the January 6th Capitol attack.
Russia drawing a harsh rebuke from the International Olympic Committee for planning to hold its own so-called friendship games next September. The IOC
blasted the move as "politically motivated." Athletes from Russia and Belarus will not be allowed to participate in the opening ceremony of this
year's Olympic Games in Paris. They will only be allowed compete as individual neutral athletes and not on national teams.
And a reminder once again of our top story today in a major new immigration ruling in the United States as the Supreme Court allows state officials in
Texas to arrest and detain people suspected of entering the country illegally.
The law is still being challenged by a federal appeals court, but the Supreme Court's decision means Texas can start enforcing it now. Mexico's
foreign ministry announcing in last few minutes that the county won't accept repatriations made by the state of Texas and saying this law creates
"a hostile environments" which expose the migrant community to hate and discriminatory speech and racial profiling.
Ed Lavandera is on the story for us from Dallas. Ed, these are all the concerns raised by the federal government on this which is why they
intervened and said they should continue to manage the situation or the crisis at the border. You've spent a lot of time there what's your sense of
how this is going to play out now with Texas in control?
[18:35:00]
ED LAVANDERA, CNN SENIOR U.S. NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, we've been able to do some reporting here in the last few hours as this reaction is coming
in, specifically what we're looking for and looking towards is exactly how local law enforcement agencies across the U.S. southern border and in other
parts of Texas will choose to enforce this law.
You know, we talk a lot about exactly what this law can do, which gives local law enforcement the ability to arrest migrants here in Texas
illegally, and as you mentioned, also gives judges the ability to deport them to Mexico.
And as you mentioned, you know, there's a great deal of uncertainty as to how exactly this will be implemented. And from our initial reporting here
in the last few hours in speaking with various local law enforcement agencies across the state, there's some real apprehension among these law
enforcement officers about whether or not this law will even be enforced.
One sheriff I spoke with said they don't have the manpower to do this. Others are very concerned about the liability of going after people
suspected of being here in Texas illegally and what that could mean for their officers and their departments. So, there's a great deal of
trepidation as to exactly how this will be implemented on a day-to-day basis.
And as you mentioned, what we're hearing from Mexican officials is that they won't even -- they're saying they won't even accept migrants that are
returned to Mexico from Texas officials. So, this is really kind of coming to a loggerhead as this case continues to play out in the U.S. legal
system.
We haven't heard the end of this, but it's definitely a dramatic moment in this tension between the state of Texas and the federal government over
immigration. Julia.
CHATTERLEY: Yes. I mean, certainly one of the things that Mexico's dealing with is the fact that not all these people, even though they may have
journeyed from Mexico, originated in Mexico, which is one of the other big challenges here, Ed.
LAVANDERA: Exactly.
CHATTERLEY: It's Pandora's Box. Great to have you with us. Thank you. Ed Lavandera there.
Now, to an alarming new report on air pollution. All but one of the world's 100 most polluted cities are in Asia. That's according to a global report
by monitoring group, IQAir. More than 80 of those cities are in fact in India. Vedik Sud has more.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
VEDIKA SUD, CNN REPORTER: In 2023, 83 of the 100 most polluted cities in the world were from India. A report by IQAir which tracks air quality
guidelines worldwide says these cities, including capital New Delhi where I am, exceeded the World Health Organization guidelines 10 times over.
Begusarai, a city of half a million people in Northern India's Bihar State, was the world's most polluted city last year. Its air quality was 23 times
the WHO guidelines, followed by high IQAir rankings by the Indian cities of Guwahati, Delhi, and Mullanpur.
The study looks specifically at fine particulate matter, or PM2.5, which is the tiniest pollutant but also the most dangerous and is linked to asthma,
heart and lung disease and cancer. In Delhi, PM2.5 levels rose by 10 percent in 2023 with levels peaking in the month of November.
Northern India struggles with smoke from crop burning, vehicle emissions, coal burning, and other toxic emissions. Every year annual crop burning
pushes Delhi and neighboring areas into emergency level air quality days. People suffer from acute respiratory related issues for weeks.
According to the report, millions of people die each year from air pollution related health issues. Air pollution from fossil fuels is killing
5.1 million people worldwide every year according to a study published in the British Medical Journal in November.
Meanwhile, the WHO says 6.7 million people die annually from the combined effects of ambient and household air pollution.
Vedika Sud, CNN, New Delhi.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHATTERLEY: OK. Coming up for us, the A.I. bots that could help pick cheaper travel spots. We'll speak with the head of online travel site,
Kayak, which has just sold out new artificial intelligence tools to help customers save on their holidays. That's next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[18:41:42]
CHATTERLEY: Welcome back. The great reopening travel boom may be losing a little of its vroom. Travel industry giants Marriott, Hilton and Expedia
have said recently that they expect 2024 travel demand to remain healthy but to slow from the torrid pace of recent years as the revenge travel
craze cools. Ongoing inflationary pressures may also weigh on demand, an issue that the Kayak online travel site wants to address.
Kayak announcing a brand-new price comparison tool powered by artificial intelligence to make sure customers get the lowest prices possible. Kayak
also made headlines back in January by giving customers the ability to opt out of flying on Boeing's 737 MAX planes after that incident, if you
remember, when a door plug blew out on a MAX jet midair.
Steve Hafner joins us now. He's the co-founder and CEO of Kayak. Steve, disaster because we've got way too much to discuss actually in this
conversation. Let's talk about travel trends first and foremost. Your data shows searches for international travel is up, I think, 13 percent year on
year. Is that translating to bookings too?
STEVE HAFNER, CEO, KAYAK: It is, Julia. And thanks for having me on, by the way. Yes, look, domestic travel here in the U.S. has softened. As you
noted, a couple of companies have alluded to that. But international interest is still very high and prices, unfortunately, are high as well.
But it's actually not -- Europe right now from the U.S. that's of interest to people, it's Asia.
CHATTERLEY: Oh, you have to talk to me more about that. I believe that's the top trending destination actually for 2024. Your point about prices
concerns me. Are we seeing more flights being added or is the inevitable happening that actually that demand is pushing up flight prices?
HAFNER: Well, it's easier for demand to spike than it is for airlines to bring capacity online, as you know.
CHATTERLEY: Yes.
HAFNER: So, in the short-term, you're going to see higher prices, particularly because input prices for the airlines in terms of staffing
costs and fuel are up as well. But over time, the airlines are pretty adept at shifting capacity around. So, you will see better service and prices
will come down.
So, we saw prices spike in the U.S. last year domestically. They're actually down almost 9 percent year over year. So, it will normalize over
time.
CHATTERLEY: And very quickly, what are those price increases on those sorts of destinations in Asia? And which destinations, by the way? What's hot?
HAFNER: Well, Asia was the last region, if you recall, to open back up for post-pandemic travel. So, Japan is very popular. Thailand is very popular.
And depending on, you know, where you want to go in China, that's popular as well, although from a lot lower base, there's a lot more outbound
Chinese demand than international demand into China at the moment.
CHATTERLEY: OK. Are people utilizing the function that you added back in January, which I think has become even more topical since with some of the
other issues that we've seen with Boeing aircraft, where you allow customers to, I guess, find out and opt out potentially of using MAX 7 --
sorry, MAX 8 and 9 jets?
HAFNER: It is. Although, from a very small base. So, at Kayak, once you get the search results, and there can be thousands of flights, we have a very
robust set of filters on the left-hand side. One of which is and has always been aircraft type. So, narrow body versus wide body jet versus props,
because that's what people cared about.
[18:45:00]
In December, we launched the actual model. So, if you wanted to avoid, you mentioned the 737 MAX 8 and MAX 9, you could do so in the search results.
Since we launched that in December, we've seen a spike. It's up 10X. And now, we've actually seen people broaden it to exclude other Boeing jets.
So, they seem to be a preference for Airbus over Boeing.
But I do want to stress that most people care about schedule and price a lot more than they care about what equipment they're flying on. And then
the airline -- the Boeing big caveat behind this is the airline always has the ability to change their equipment without notifying you.
CHATTERLEY: Yes. OK. But 10X. So, what we're saying is 10 times more people are de-selecting flying on Boeing jets at this moment and the ones that you
mentioned specifically. And now, they're looking at other flights and just taking out other Boeing jets.
Perspective critical on this. What proportion of overall flights is this, just to give us some clarity on this? Because 10X sounds like a big
multiplier. What proportion of flights overall?
HAFNER: It's a very small number of people interacting with it relative to the amount of people who use Kayak every month.
CHATTERLEY: Yes.
HAFNER: Right.
CHATTERLEY: Like less than 5 percent?
HAFNER: But for those people, obviously, it's a very important thing for them or they wouldn't be engaging with it. So, I'm glad that we have the
filter so that people who really care about avoiding those equipment types can travel with a little bit more peace of mind.
CHATTERLEY: OK. We have to talk about A.I. You're utilizing ChatGPT to help people book travel. I know some specifically you've got the price check and
then you've got the specific tool that allows people perhaps to get A.I. to help them plan their holiday. Talk me through this decision and how well
it's working, because I know it was a launch this month.
HAFNER: It's amazing. So, I don't know how many of your viewers have interacted with ChatGPT and other piece of A.I. For me, it's just as cool
and innovative as when the cell phone, when the mobile phones come out.
You know, for the last 20 years since we started Kayak, you had to come to our website or use our app to submit a query of what you wanted to do, and
then we got back to you in real-time with results from hundreds of other travel sites. Now, with Kayak price check, you can use your phone and take
a picture of another travel website or your booking confirmation e-mail or even a bar napkin you're riding an itinerary on, send that to Kayak and
we'll convert that to a query, send it to hundreds of other travel sites and send you back a result set that tells you did you get the best deal or
not.
You don't even have to go to Kayak anymore, you just take a picture. And not only is this really fun, it's actually really useful. You know, People
are saving a lot of money with it.
CHATTERLEY: Do you have to go early though in order to do it? I do love how simple it is. It's a screenshot, it does the comparison for you and it
comes back with options. But is it as usual, the closer you get to the day to travel, the less likely you are to make savings? So, people have to do
it early?
HAFNER: Absolutely. I mean, I still recommend people come to Kayak first anyway. But you know, if you do --
CHATTERLEY: Of course.
HAFNER: If you are loyal to like BA or somebody else, go do a search on BA, take a screenshot of what you find, send it to us and we'll let you know if
you got the good deal or not.
CHATTERLEY: OK.
HAFNER: And we can also set up a filter for you on an automated basis too.
CHATTERLEY: We have to talk about hallucinations. ChatGPT can be quite excitable, depending on the version that you're using. ChatGPT 4 is a lot
better. It is a refined version though, isn't it? Because you can't follow up with questions and you have to be quite specific in your question. Will
this adapt and how soon are you going to roll this out more broadly, Steve?
HAFNER: Yes. So, we haven't had a problem with hallucinations. So, we have a function -- or second A.I. feature release is called Ask Kayak, where we
use ChatGPT so that you can submit a natural language query to Kayak. Where can I go next weekend for $300?
We train ChatGPT on our own data. So, the risk of hallucinations is a lot lower. And, you know, we come back with a result set that even if it was a
hallucination, it'd be a place you'd want to go to.
You know, the second thing that's really cool about it is we use it on a result set. So, you know, typically, if you ask us for a hotel in Paris,
for example, we'll bring back a couple thousand results from apart hotels to alternative accommodations to luxury hotels, you know, et cetera.
Now, you can actually just right in the side of the filthy area, hey, I really want to stay at a Marriott, you know, close to the Louvre for no
more than EUR200 a day. And we'll immediately filter down to result set that matches that query. Pretty darn cool.
CHATTERLEY: Yes, it's pretty useful. And also, your point about training it on your own data is critical. No romance novels here, which was one of the
classic hallucinations that we've discussed on the show. Steve, great to chat to you. We'll talk again soon. Thank you so much for your time.
HAFNER: Thank you, Julie.
CHATTERLEY: Steve Hafner, the CEO and co-founder of Kayak there.
All right. Coming up on "First Move," the first ever Major League Baseball season opener in Korea. The Exciting Soul series, and of course the latest
on Ohtani and his wife, obviously, after this break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[18:52:21]
CHATTERLEY: And welcome back to "First Move." Baseball fans can't wait for the new Major League season to get underway. The first pitch will be in
Seoul on Wednesday and the L.A. Dodgers will one of their visiting teams. They'll play two games there against the San Diego Padres.
Don Riddell joins us now on this. Even I'm excited, and it's not just about Shohei Ohtani, of course, Don. It's about his wife. Fabulous couple. I
know. I Can't help myself.
DON RIDDELL, CNN WORLD SPORT: Yes, well, I'm glad that you're enjoying all of it. Yes. Look, baseball fans really, really excited. Dodgers fans
particularly excited, they've had a really busy summer, of course, signing Shohei Ohtani on that monster $700 million contract. They've really boosted
the team. The Dodgers are the favorites to win the World Series this year.
And of course, if you are interested in sport and entertainment and all the other stuff, then you've got the sideshow with Ohtani announcing to the
world that he was now married and he's going to be playing in front of his new wife for the first time in an official game, really in just a few
hours' time. So, that's all going on.
But tremendous excitement and hype around this team and Ohtani. And it's just such a cool event as well, back-to-back games against the San Diego
Padres. A lot of these players have been out and about in Seoul and South Korea really kind of enjoying and lapping up the sights and sounds and
really making the most of the fact that Major League Baseball is taking these games around the world.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: One, two, three. One more. OK.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Right now, we're in the live five in the Seoul Metro and we're going to Myeong-dong for a night market. Yes. I'm going to go try out
some new foods. I think all of us are. I am planning on accepting any challenge in terms of what to eat.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So good.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Like, literally, like, crystallized sugar around fruit?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Tornado potato. So, one side is cheese, one side chili.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're getting wild stuffs.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Octopus. Going down the (INAUDIBLE).
(END VIDEO CLIP)
RIDDELL: How can you crystalized sugar around fruit? These players are loving it. The fans are welcoming them with open arms as Major League
Baseball and these teams really try to further grow their brands around the world.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
[18:55:00]
DAVE ROBERTS, MANAGER, LOS ANGELES DODGERS: There's a lot of room on the Dodgers bandwagon. And so, it's just good to see -- you know, even here in
Korea, you know, to see the Dodger hats around Seoul. And I can't imagine, you know, the Dodger hats that are walking around all of Japan now.
HA-SEONG KIM, SAN ANTONIO PADRES SHORTSTOP (through translator): Yes, I'm just grateful that I'm wearing the Padre's uniform and playing here in my
home country. And I'm sure that it'll be a great experience and memories for my teammates.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
RIDDELL: So, there you go. First pitch coming up in just a few hours' time, Julia. I know you will be tuning in.
CHATTERLEY: Of course, I will. And now, my father will too, because he's a huge crystallized sugar fruit fan. Very naughty.
RIDDELL: I know.
CHATTERLEY: That did look delicious. Don Riddell, thank you so much for that. Very exciting.
And finally, on "First Move," if you're in the U.S. and fancy a taste of the high life, why not buy a ticket for the Mega Millions lottery? The draw
takes place in just a few hours' time.
The estimated jackpot is a whopping $893 million, with a lump sum cash option of $421 million. There's a lot of tax in there. Bear in mind, your
chances of taking home the jackpot are one in more than 300 million. But if you're taking part, good luck. The probabilities like that, I might suggest
you save the money. But you know where I'm off to now.
And that just about wraps up the show. Thanks for joining us. I'll see you tomorrow. And even if I win, you'll see me tomorrow. Have a great evening.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
END
