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First Move with Julia Chatterley
Harris and Trump Target Battleground States; Elon Musk's Financial Giveaways Come Under Legal Scrutiny; Israel Striking Lebanese Financial Targets with Links to Hezbollah; Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin in Kyiv; U.S. Defense Secretary in Kyiv Announces $400M Ukraine Aid Package; Shohei Ohtani; IDF Kills Head of Hezbollah's Money Transfer Unit in Syria; U.N.: Israel May Be Destroying Palestinian Population; Cuban Power Grip Collapses for Fourth Time; Australian Senator to King Charles: "You Are Not Our King"; Immi Shakes Up Instant Ramen Market; Yankees vs. Dodgers in World Series. Aired 6-7p ET
Aired October 21, 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]
JAKE TAPPER, CNN ANCHOR: -- annual membership fee by 160 percent over the next two years. Without the price hike, the organization says it would have
needed to make dramatic cuts, but some members called the increases insane. The Girl Scouts do offer financial aid for some families.
The news continues on CNN with Wolf Blitzer in The Situation Room. I will see you tomorrow.
JULIA CHATTERLEY, CNN ANCHOR, FIRST MOVE: It's 7:00 a.m. in Tokyo, 9:00 a.m. in Sydney, and 6:00 p.m. here in New York. I'm Julia Chatterley. and
wherever you are in the world, you're this is your "First Move."
And a warm welcome to "First Move" as always. And here's today's need to know. Million-dollar man. Elon Musk's financial giveaways come under legal
scrutiny as the presidential campaigning intensifies in the critical swing states. Bank blitz. Israel now striking Lebanese financial targets with
apparent links to Hezbollah in an effort to squeeze their operations. World Series wonder. Shohei Ohtani leads the Dodgers versus the Yankees in a
dream baseball battle. And ramen reinvention? The firm dishing up what they say is a healthy alternative to the world's go-to noodle dish. That
conversation and plenty more coming up.
But first, just over two weeks to go and everything's still to play for. Kamala Harris and Donald Trump have been out in force over the past few
hours with just 15 days until the presidential election here in the United States.
Vice President Harris has been making a push for right leaning voters, teaming up with Former Republican Congresswoman Liz Cheney. They're touring
three of the key battleground states, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania. Harris warned that another Trump presidency would be historic
in all the wrong ways.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KAMALA HARRIS, U.S. VICE PRESIDENT AND U.S. PRESIDENTIAL DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATE: There are things that he says that will be the subject of skits
and laughter and jokes. But words have meaning coming from someone who aspires to stand behind the seal of the President of the United States.
These are the things that are at stake.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHATTERLEY: Former President Donald Trump has been putting his focus on North Carolina. He held a rally today that addressed economic concerns
among voters.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT AND REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: This state was once the beating heart of American manufacturing, but I
could see, year by year by year, it was being dissipated. It was being taken over by China. After NAFTA, the worst trade deal ever made and
China's entry into the World Trade Organization where they were considered a growing nation. We are a developing nation. We're a developing nation
too. Have you ever seen some of our places? We're developing too. We're developing more than them.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHATTERLEY: Senior Political Analyst Ron Brownstein joins us now from Los Angeles. Ron, always great to have you on the show. Let's talk about Harris
first. She's made the last two weeks, really, about reaching out across the aisle, finding Trump's skeptical Republicans and saying, "Look, there's a
place for you," quote. She's also gone back to that democracy is at stake message. Liz Cheney, of course, is a fundamental part of that. What do you
make of what we're seeing?
RON BROWNSTEIN, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: Yes, I think what you saw today is incredibly revealing. I am just back from Michigan very late last
night myself. And I think if you look at the swing states, particularly the three states that were formerly in what I once termed the blue wall,
Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin, the geography and the demography point you toward exactly where Harris and Cheney were today as the pivotal
kind of fulcrum in these states.
You know, if you think about smaller, rural communities that are predominantly white, mostly people without a college degree, religiously
traditional, that's Trump country, and every indication are he's going to run at least as well there as he did in 2020, maybe even better.
I was -- I spent a lot of time on Saturday in inner City Detroit and the big urban centers like Philadelphia, Milwaukee, and Detroit, Harris is
going to win them by big margins. But Trump has the chance to run a little bit better than he did last time, particularly among black and Latino men.
So, what does that leave you? That leaves you with the big, populous, largely college educated, increasingly racially diversifying inner suburbs
of the major cities, exactly where she was today with Liz Cheney, outside Philadelphia, outside Detroit, and tonight, outside Milwaukee, appealing to
the white college educated voters in those places who may have previously voted Republican, but are resistant to Trump.
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And that is especially true among women, and that is probably the group in the electorate that she is best positioned to improve among college
educated white women, and she's going to need big margins among them to overcome what I described as the pincer movement from Trump, both in the
central cities and in the more rural places.
CHATTERLEY: Yes, you're sort of answering my question. I was going to ask you, what are we talking about in terms of numbers? How many Liz Cheney's,
really, are there, people that are willing perhaps to say, you know, I've voted Republican my entire life, but I'm a not Trumper and therefore, OK,
fine, I'll sort of bite the bullet and vote for Democrats here?
And is that, to your point, a better plan, perhaps, than specifically focusing on the Latino vote or the sort of black vote in this case? What's
the easier get? Because it's so close now. It's almost like every tenth of a percentage point could matter.
BROWNSTEIN: Yes. Well, she needs them both, right? She needs to prevent significant protection among black voters. And you saw that in Sunday,
appearing at church services in Georgia. But the place where she can most easily grow her vote, increase her vote is among women, including women who
have leaned Republican in the past. Maybe 20 to 25 percent of Republicans consistently in polls over the last four years have shown resistance to
Trump. There is a bigger segment of Republican leaning independents who have shown resistance to him.
And post Dobbs, you know, we talked about this before, Biden ran well among college educated white women in those states post Dobbs in 2022, after the
Supreme Court rescinded the constitutional right to abortion. The Democratic gubernatorial candidates in places like Michigan, Pennsylvania,
Wisconsin, and even Arizona ran even better among those women.
So, I think there is room for her to grow. She also needs at least some gains, I think, among the blue-collar white women who are also mostly
prochoice, but probably don't prioritize it as much as they do economic issues, in which Trump has been targeting with his safety message about
crime and Immigration.
If she is going to win these states then she is going to have to have a really big margin among women. But to her advantage, in all of the
battleground states and new projections that I'm writing about tomorrow on cnn.com, women will cast a majority of the votes. So, if she wins women by
as much as Trump wins men, that would be advantage Harris.
CHATTERLEY: Yes. So, this was a completely imbalanced conversation because I was going to ask you about Trump too, but we're going to do that later on
in the show. So, for our viewers, hang on in there. Ron, always great to get your perspective. Thank you. Ron Brownstein there.
All right. Staying with US politics, critics are calling it a giveaway gone too far from tech billionaire and Donald Trump supporter Elon Musk.
Over the weekend, Musk and his political action committee, America PAC, announced a $1 million a day cash award contest for registered voters in
U.S. battlegrounds. Now, to get a chance to win, voters had to sign a petition in support of the First and Second Amendments. Musk says he would
choose the people randomly.
Now, Pittsburgh, a Pennsylvania woman who won the prize on Sunday said in an America PAC interview that it was an experience she'll never forget.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Sitting in my seat when he came on stage, it was so exciting. He did the jump like he did at the Butler rally. It was just
really fun to see. And then, hearing my name called was the surprise of a lifetime. Yes. It was so exciting, like, I don't win things.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHATTERLEY: I don't win things. Musk is also offering cash to people who refer other registered voters to sign the petition. Election law experts
say all this could violate laws that forbid paying people to register to vote. Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro said on NBC's Meet the Press that
the giveaway needs to be investigated.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GOV. JOSH SHAPIRO (D-PA): I think there are real questions with how he is spending money in this race, how the dark money is flowing not just into
Pennsylvania, but apparently, now into the pockets of Pennsylvanians. That is deeply concerning. I think it's something that law enforcement could
take a look at. I'm not the attorney general anymore of Pennsylvania. I'm the governor, but it does raise some serious questions.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHATTERLEY: And just for balance, Musk posted on X that it was, quote, "concerning" that he would say such a thing in response to that interview.
Michael Kang joins us now. He's professor of law at Northwestern University. Professor, great to have you on.
A number of legal analysts have come out point blank and said, look, this is illegal, even though it's sold effectively as a sort of lottery that you
enter for signing a petition. In the end, to sign that petition, you have to be a registered voter and therefore, it's an inducement to register and
therefore vote. Agree or disagree?
MICHAEL KANG, PROFESSOR OF LAW, NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY: I agree that it's illegal. Here, there's a federal prohibition on vote buying, which covers
payment for registering to vote. And this is a really clever attempt to kind of get around that law, to incentivize people to register, kind of low
propensity voters that I think Elon Musk thinks will vote for Trump in these battleground states.
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There are some circumstances where this might be fine. It wouldn't be as troubling, but I think here, the combination of the reward, the financial
reward for being a registered voter combined with the context, which I think is really critical here make this, for me, a reasonably
straightforward case of illegality under the vote buying statute.
It's a little bit more complicated. It's not a direct explicit payment for registering to vote. But that's where we end up once you add in the timing
and a lot of the context of Elon Musk's proposal here. Only in battleground states and only up to the registration deadline for this particular
election. I think all of that means we end up with the (INAUDIBLE). And it's basically an illegal proposal to incentivize people to register.
CHATTERLEY: I mean, you could argue it's a clever way to go about it. The problem also is proximity, with three weeks out from a presidential
election, the inference that you can make as a result of this perhaps is very clear.
I guess the bigger question, the more important question is if you're the Justice Department in the United States, are you able and willing to
pursue, what, the richest oligarch in the United States, if not the world, ahead of a presidential election 15 days out? Do you take that much
interest?
KANG: Yes, that's exactly right, That's exactly right. I think even if you're pretty convinced that this is illegal and sets a really bad
precedent for the future maybe a different proposition for DOJ to bring a prosecution here. There's going to be a lot of political fallout. If they
do, it's going to be criticized on First Amendment grounds.
Elon Musk is obviously a very prominent supporter of Trump, with a lot of resources to fight this and go public with it. So, I think it's complicated
choice for DOJ about whether they want to take action or whether individual states want to take action against him. That implicates these kinds of
bigger worries about the political concerns surrounding an election.
CHATTERLEY: Very quickly with the people that get the checks have to give the money back, because they could always say, look, I plan to vote in the
election. I plan to register anyway. All I did was sign a petition that I feel strongly about.
KANG: Yes. I think in this case, the real wrongdoer is Elon Musk. You know, he's trying to get people to register to vote and vote for the
candidate he wants. That's the obvious scheme here. I think -- especially people who are already registered and they sign up for the lottery and win,
they should be OK. I don't think they're trying to break the law or anything like that. It's really the wrongdoings on Musk's part and not sort
of people who are just trying to participate and register voters who just want to see if they can win a million dollars and get lucky.
CHATTERLEY: Yes, I was about to say, the gentleman holding the check there, quick, get on a plane somewhere warm and start spending, but as you
said, maybe they're OK. Michael Kang, great to get your insights. Thank you, Professor of law at Northwestern University.
Now, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin visited Ukraine as a critical point approaches in the direction of the war with Russia. Former President
Trump's rhetoric has been pretty negative towards Ukraine, while the Biden administration is now front-loading aid to Kyiv. As Russia advances on
several fronts, it's reportedly bringing North Korean soldiers into the conflict. We discussed this late last week. Clare Sebastian has more.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CLARE SEBASTIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, the U.S. defense secretary's visit carries enormous weight for Ukraine, not because of the latest $400
million aid package that was announced, or the optics and handshakes, but because we're now two weeks out from a U.S. election that Ukraine really
sees as existential.
Former President Trump's rhetoric has become increasingly negative towards Ukraine and his running mate J. D. Vance has actively opposed sending
military aid. Now, for his part, Lloyd Austin was there to offer some reassurance that the Biden administration remained committed and was doing
what it could to front load aid before the election.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LLOYD AUSTIN, U.S. DEFENSE SECRETARY: We've moved heaven and earth to help Ukraine in that inspiring coalition of more than 50 allies and partners
continues to stand united to provide your country with the security assistance that Ukraine needs to prevail. Under President Biden's
leadership, the United States remains committed to keeping up this support.
And so, I'm pleased to announce today the commitment of a $400 million presidential drawdown package to provide your forces with additional
munitions, armored vehicles, and any tank weapons.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SEBASTIAN: Well, all of that will be welcome, but this a dangerous moment for Ukraine. Russia is inching forward on several fronts. It's
counterattacking in Kursk, and it's launching almost daily aerial attacks.
In fact, just hours before this visit, Russia launched an attack involving 116 drones and three missiles. It's also, according to Ukraine and South
Korean intelligence, actively preparing now to bring up to 12,000 North Korean soldiers into the fight.
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Video provided to CNN by Ukraine appears to show North Korean soldiers speaking Korean and being issued with Russian military uniforms at a
training ground near Russia's border with China. Now, the Kremlin did not explicitly deny this was happening, simply saying its cooperation with
North Korea was, quote, "not directed against third countries." Ukraine's president, for his part, is now urging a strong reaction from his allies.
Clare Sebastian, CNN, London.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CHATTERLEY: And our thanks to Clare there. Israel says it's killed the head of Hezbollah's money transfer unit with an attack in Syria. This
follows strikes on what Israel says is a Hezbollah-linked financial network in Lebanon. Several branches of a Hezbollah affiliated bank were hit over
the weekend. The militant group has embedded itself Lebanon's public institutions, running healthcare and schools.
For more, we're joined by Jeremy Diamond in Tel Aviv. Jeremy, what more can you tell us about what's been targeted?
JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN JERUSALEM CORRESPONDENT: Well, the Israeli military says that it is going after this financial institution with very close
links to Hezbollah. Israel and the United States and other countries have pointed out these links in the past. But this the first time that we've
actually seen the Israeli military target the these -- the branches, multiple branches of this institution in the Lebanese capital of Beirut and
in other parts of Lebanon as well.
It's what -- part of what a senior Israeli intelligence officer described to us as an effort to break the trust that exists between Hezbollah and the
Shia community in Lebanon which relies heavily on this institution. In addition to financing much of Hezbollah's operations, according to the
Israeli government, it is also a financial institution that serves hundreds of thousands of Lebanese civilians.
And so, what this really is, is a part of this kind of broader effort by the Israeli government, as we've seen over the course of last month, to not
only break down Hezbollah from a military standpoint, but to also try and bring more political pressure, internal pressure within Lebanon to bear on
Hezbollah in an effort to try and get Hezbollah to agree to the kinds of terms of a ceasefire that Israel would like to see, which involves not just
a cessation of hostilities, which Hezbollah has in fact floated, but rather to also see Hezbollah withdraw from several dozen kilometers north of the
Israel-Lebanon border. That, so far, is not something that Hezbollah has been willing to do.
CHATTERLEY: And, Jeremy, very importantly, we got a statement from the OHCHR, so this obviously the United Nations, warning about the dire
humanitarian situation in Gaza once again, and talking about what and where their operations in Gaza may lead. And they're talking about destroying the
Palestinian population through, quote, "death and displacement."
When you hear a comment like that, you can understand that they're warning about future accusations of some kind of genocide in Gaza. We know the
relationship between the Israelis and the United Nations at this stage is pretty toxic, but you can't see this warning and surely not listen to it,
particularly with what's happening in Gaza.
DIAMOND: No question about it. I mean, humanitarian officials have been flashing, you know, red warning signs over the course of the last two
weeks, and we know that in the first two weeks of October, almost no food reached Northern Gaza and only in the wake of ramped up U.S. criticism of
Israel's efforts to allow humanitarian aid in have we actually seen some minor changes from the Israeli government so far in terms of allowing some
aid to enter the northern part of the Gaza Strip.
But the humanitarian aid picture is just one small part of what we have been witnessing across Northern Gaza. Over the last couple of weeks alone,
more than 400 people have been killed in and around the city of Jabalya in Northern Gaza, where the Israeli military has been focusing its offensive.
But beyond those who have been killed, we have also heard of people who have been trapped in their homes for days on end, describing to us
absolutely terrifying situations in which they simply have no way out from this fighting and from what has been described to us as around the clock
bombardment by the Israeli military inside of Northern Gaza.
The few hospitals that are still functioning there are also describing Catastrophic situations where they are running out of fuel running out of
supplies, and more than anything, overwhelmed by the sheer scale of the horror that they are witnessing currently in Northern Gaza.
We saw today images as well of thousands of people fleeing from Jabalya. They were actually released in part by the Israeli military itself, who
described this as a way to show how they are allowing people to evacuate. But these images are so stark, where you see these huddled masses of people
walking through absolutely devastated parts of that City of Jabalya.
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And that, of course, represents just one picture of the thousands of stories that we are currently witnessing in Northern Gaza as tens of
thousands of people have already fled, hundreds of thousands more may soon do the same. And of course, we know that many though are trapped and unable
to leave even if they could. Julia.
CHATTERLEY: Yes, and dispersing comments too from the U.S. National Security Council John Kirby today saying, I cannot sit here today and tell
you that negotiations are about to restart in Doha, Cairo or anywhere else for that matter.
Obviously, ceasefire negotiations. We'll continue to watch it. Jeremy, good to have you. Thank you. Jeremy Diamond there in Tel Aviv.
Now, straight ahead, Cuba's power grid collapsed. The island nation plunged into darkness yet again. The latest on what's being called a growing
humanitarian disaster.
Plus, the ramen remake, how an instant noodle startup is helping reinvent one of the world's most popular foods. A true East meets West success story
coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHATTERLEY: Welcome back to a model Monday on Wall Street, topping today's Money Moves. The Dow and the S&P falling from record highs, pressured in
part at least by rising bond yields. But as you can see there, tech stocks did rise.
Disney shares softer, though, on news of a boardroom shakeup. Mark Parker is stepping down as chairman. He'll be replaced by former Morgan Stanley
CEO James Gorman. Disney also finally putting a date on when it will announce a successor to CEO Bob Iger. Early 2026, so that's well over one
year from now We'll see.
In Asia, Chinese stocks in the green after the People's Bank of China announced cuts to two key interest rates. The move had been widely expected
after news last week that Chinese economic growth remains below Beijing's 5 percent target. Investors, however, still hoping for more fiscal stimulus
at the upcoming meeting of the nation's National People's Congress.
Elsewhere in Asia, the Hang Seng dropping 1.5 percent. Japanese stocks are touched softer too as the country gears up for its general election this
weekend.
And now, to Cuba, where many residents remain in the dark after being hit by a hurricane over the weekend.
[18:25:00]
And Cubans are making their anger known, banging pots and pans in protest. Cuba's power grid was already failing ahead of the storm's arrival, the
nation now suffering its fourth blackout in as many days. Oscar, meanwhile, is now a tropical storm, bringing heavy rain and flash flooding to the
island.
Patrick Oppmann joins us now from Havana. Patrick, great to have you with us. Our regular viewers will remember the conversations that you and I were
having on Friday about the people that are being incredibly resilient, but some fear and frustration over when the electricity was going to kick back
in again and the deprivations it creates with things like water. How are people doing today?
PATRICK OPPMANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, of course, there are limits for resilience. If I have a bit of a smile on my face, Julia, it's because
finally, after all these days of speaking with you, we do have power in Havana here in our offices and elsewhere. The majority of people in Havana,
according to the government, do have power back on, but outside of the capital is a very different story. Millions of people are about to begin
yet another night without power.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
OPPMANN (voice-over): Near empty streets in Havana, devoid of light and life. On the third night and of an island wide blackout in Cuba, residents
of this neighborhood play dominoes to pass the time and distract them from the worsening situation.
Children are sleeping in the street, she says, because there's no food, no water, no electricity in this country.
Tensions are running high as Cubans increasingly are taking to the streets, to beat pots and pans and protest the government's failure to keep the
lights on for more than a few hours.
OPPMANN: Already four times the Cuban government has been in the process of restoring power and had it all come crashing down and a complete loss of
power on this island. So, that is what worries people is that the longer this goes on -- we already know that school is going to be canceled here
for several days, life really can't return to normal until the power gets on.
OPPMANN (voice-over): The Cuban government blames U.S. economic sanctions for the crisis, but has made little investment in the aging jerry-rig power
grid that has been fading for years.
Officials say more than 52,000 workers are on the job 24/7 trying to restore power. And that they understand the growing anger.
Without electricity, there's no water, he says. No medicine production, no food distribution. Electricity affects everything, and it frustrates
everyone.
In 2021, power outages sparked the largest ever protests against Cuba's communist run government. Hundreds of people were arrested and given
lengthy prison sentences following mass trials. Cuba's president on Sunday warned people not to take to the streets.
We're not going to allow acts of vandalism and much less, alter the tranquility of our people, he says. That's a conviction, a principle of our
revolution.
A stern warning, but one that likely falls on deaf ears for the millions of Cubans still in the dark.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
OPPMANN (on camera): And, Julia, of course, the root causes here still exist, even if power is slowly coming back. These power plants are
antiquated they are way past being improved, modernized, and there's just no money to do that. As well, Cuba is receiving, for whatever reason,
thousands of barrels of oil, less than they used to from allies like Venezuela and Russia.
So, yes, they're getting the power on in a limited capacity, but eventually, this problem is going to come back. And as you can see, people
understandably very, very upset. They spend so much time without light.
CHATTERLEY: Yes, deeply frustrating. Patrick, but a little smile for you and the people in Havana to have the lights back on and the power working.
So, fingers crossed it stays that way. Patrick Oppmann in Havana. Thank you.
OPPMANN: Absolutely.
CHATTERLEY: All right. The ongoing climate crisis has at least in part helped fuel a powerful and deadly hurricane season. Oscar, as we were just
discussing there, proving the season still far from over. And on the other side of the world too, the Philippines now bracing for its own tropical
storm. For more, we're joined by Chad Myers, Chad. What more can you tell us?
CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Well, you know, in the Northern Hemisphere, the Atlantic Ocean, we are still in hurricane season. Even though, if you
go outside here in Atlanta in the morning, temperatures are like 5, 6 degrees Celsius. So, not very warm, but the water is still very warm.
The good news for Patrick and the people of Havana is that the storm, Oscar, actually hit 800 kilometers away from Havana. So, yes, a much less
populated area. And now, it is moving away, but this thing went from 40 miles per hour to 80 miles per hour very, very quickly. Rapid
intensification, and that's what happens when you have this extremely warm water in the way of hurricanes.
[18:30:00]
It was not even a blip on the map 24 hours before this thing actually turned into a hurricane, and that's how quickly things have happened.
That's how things have happened this entire season. And then the storm moves up the East Coast, likely affects Atlantic Canada coming in the
middle part of this week. The next storm that we might have could be Patty. We'll have to see where that goes.
Now, back out toward the west, far to the west, into the Philippines. Look at this massive cloud cover. You would think there's a huge cyclone,
typhoon under there, but there's not. In fact, it's just right now tropical depression number 22, but will likely become Tramu. This the area that will
see the rainfall, the heaviest rainfall, even though you're probably only going to see somewhere in the ballpark of about 50, 60 kilometer per hour
winds.
You're going to see some spots now over 500 millimeters of rainfall, not that far from manila, just to your north. If the models are all correct.
This how it shapes up. And even though it's not a big wind and disaster maker, when you get areas here that are in white, that's 500 millimeters
plus, a half a meter of rainfall from one storm. We could certainly see quite a bit of damage here from that flooding up there to probably southern
parts of Luzon. And then, of course, that's way too close to Manila for my liking when you talk about that much rainfall. Julia.
CHATTERLEY: Yes, way too close. We'll continue to watch it, Chad. Great to have you. Thank you.
MYERS: You're welcome.
CHATTERLEY: More "First Move" after this. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHATTERLEY: Welcome back to "First Move" with a look at more of the international headlines this hour. The lawyers of Sean Diddy Combs say they
now have, quote, significant new grounds to seek his release from jail. Seven new lawsuits have been filed against him, including accusers who say
they were minors when they were allegedly drugged and sexually assaulted. And for the first time, other celebrities are now cited Though not named,
at least 25 civil lawsuits have been filed against Combs since November of 2023.
[18:35:00]
And the preliminary toxicology report for former One Direction singer Liam Payne has been given to the local prosecutor's office in Buenos Aires. The
final results have not yet been released. Payne died last Wednesday after he fell from the third floor of his hotel. The prosecutor's office suspects
Payne was suffering from an episode due to substance abuse when he died. Payne had previously been open about his struggles with addiction and his
mental health.
Remarkable scenes in Australia's parliament when a senator of indigenous heritage confronted King Charles shouting, Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You are not our king. You are not (INAUDIBLE). You are not our king. You are not (INAUDIBLE). You committed genocide against
our people. Give us our land back. Give us what you stole from us. And (INAUDIBLE), our baby, our people. He destroyed our land. This is not your
land. This is not your land. You are not my king. You are not our king.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHATTERLEY: Lidia Thorpe there, who has long campaigned for greater indigenous rights in Australia and had spoken previously about her
objections to the British monarchy. The king and queen are in Australia for their first visit to a Commonwealth realm since Charles took the throne.
Royal historian Kate Williams joins us now.
Kate, great to have you on. There's always going to be someone that protests. What is the general consensus view now on Australia for
Australian people, whether they want to continue with monarchy or head towards a republic?
KATE WILLIAMS, CNN ROYAL HISTORIAN: Yes, good question, Julia. Well, there have been various comments about what Lidia Thorpe said. You know, some
people have said she's gone too far. But there really is, I think, a question in the moment in Australia. This the first visit of the king to
Australia. The first visit of any king to Australia. The queen went frequently. And the last referendum on whether or not Australia would
remain in which the king was head of states was in 1999.
Now, that didn't go through, but I think there's been increasing momentum and discussion about another referendum. Australia said they weren't going
to do anything while the queen was on the throne. The queen is no longer on the throne. And people have said -- I've seen Republican t-shirts saying
this the farewell tour of the monarchy, and we don't know that yet. But I think certainly that Charles has questions to answer and there will be
perhaps more of a protest not just some Lidia Thorpe and those representing first nation people, but generally, from Australians who feel that their
identity doesn't match with a king from Britain anymore.
CHATTERLEY: Yes. And I think there's also been questions asked about her conduct on previous occasions as well. And there wasn't much he could do in
that situation. Just dignified silence, I think. People are allowed their views. Kate, great to have you on. Thank you for staying up late. I
appreciate. It's late there over in the U.K. Thank you.
All right. Coming up, ramen revolution. How startup Immi is shaking up the instant ramen market and swears it's both nutritious and delicious. We'll
speak to one of the firm's co-founders, next.
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CHATTERLEY: Welcome back to "First Move." Call it a case of the instant noodle company that's truly using its noodle. Immi is a U.S.-based startup
that aims to make a healthier version of instant ramen. Its plant-based products are lower in carbs and sodium compared to alternatives and higher
in protein and fiber.
The company's co-founders are inspired by their families who came to the United States from Taiwan and Thailand. Their business has raised some $10
million dollars from high profile fans like music superstar Usher and tennis champ Naomi Osaka. Their noodles are now sold in 3,000 retail
outlets including Whole Foods and Target.
Immi has also struck a brand partnership with Disney's Pixar and its hit film "Inside Out 2." Not bad for a brand only three years old. Kevin Lee is
one of the co-founders of Immi and he joins us now. Kevin, fantastic to have you with us. Just give us a sense, what makes Immi different from
other brands? I've mentioned the composition, but why is it selling so well?
KEVIN LEE, CO-FOUNDER, Immi: Thank you so much for having me. Yes, I think so. Traditional instant ramen is really dominated by these Asian
conglomerates who haven't innovated on their formulas in the past 50 to 60 years. Most of them are all using the same ingredients. It's really high in
carbs. It definitely has a lot of preservatives. It's very high in sodium. And there's just not any nutrition in these traditional ramen brands.
So, Immi is the world's first high protein, low carb, high fiber, and fully plant-based instant ramen. There's really nothing like it in the market. It
took about two plus years of R&D, working with food science PhDs and chefs and nutritionists to get a nutritional profile that still mirrored the same
taste and texture that people expect and love in instant ramen.
CHATTERLEY: I mean, you've been really honest. You basically said you didn't get it right in the first year and you've just about failed. You
went back to the drawing board and was like, OK, we need to come up with something better. Talk to me about that process and what was different back
then to what you've got now.
LEE: Yes, we speak about this a lot even in our public ads, and we think people generally will do appreciate the authenticity. My co-founder and I
don't come from food science backgrounds. We're not chefs by nature. Again, we grew up in Asian food families, but a lot of the initial R&D was
ourselves, in our own kitchens, just -- literally, just like creating the noodles ourselves, going through 200 different formulations.
And in the first year, what we didn't realize is that the formulation you create in your kitchen is often not what a manufacturer can replicate in a
production level setting with all of their equipment, their machines, you know, you can't just like expect them to roll the dough in a certain way
that you've done at home.
So, when we first worked -- in the first year, when we first worked with a U.S.-based manufacturer, they actually didn't have any experience with
traditional instant ramen. So, we were actually guiding them on a lot of the R&D process. And when they launched the product, we realized that it
didn't match at all what we thought, you know, our original version in our own kitchens looked like.
So, that first year was really, really tough. You know, we -- I was actually manning the customer experience channel, myself, responding to all
the tickets, issuing a lot of refunds, and we almost ran out of cash, we thought we were going to go out of business, but it was actually -- as soon
as we launched, we started going right back out to the international manufacturers out in Asia and we set up a whole new production process, a
whole new supply chain, all international. And that took another year just to get set up.
So, by the time we got to version two, we were again, almost dead, but barely surviving. And we finally made it out of that slump.
CHATTERLEY: To what extent do you think it's your story? Because you are great on social media, which I think is very important, but also the
popular - the sort of popular Asian themes that we're seeing when we've had stars from "Shogun" on, there's "Squid Game" on Netflix that everybody
loves, the sort of view of K-pop music around the world, which is increasingly popular, that's perhaps opened people's eyes to other flavors
that sort of helping you build this business as well. Do you think that's playing a role?
LEE: I think it's playing a huge role. I think there's actually a fun anecdote we often talk about. During COVID we actually interviewed some of
our top customers. I distinctly recall I was on a Zoom call with a school teacher based in the Midwest and she was telling me that during COVID, the
schools were on lockdown, she was stuck at home and she opened Netflix and Netflix actually served her this Korean drama called "Crash Landing on
You." She had never watched any Korean shows in her life.
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And on that show, they kept eating this thing called ramen, but she was a middle-aged school teacher and she cared about her health. So, she typed in
healthy ramen and Immi was the first thing to show up. And that was such a fascinating story to us because it was a correlation from someone being
affected by, you know, Asian media and then influencing her palate and her desire to try these Asian flavors. And we think this really a trend that's
not going away. And so, we're really excited to be kind of at this confluence of health and wellness and Asian flavors.
CHATTERLEY: OK. So, I loved this spicy beef broth. I had to give the noodles a pretty good chew, which I'm told by people who know better than
me that's the high protein content. So, I've sort of compared to one that actually you can get available at CNN. Protein, you have 23 grams. This one
has 6.6. So, you're way up on the protein. Fat, you have 19 grams, they have 11. This less than half the price, by the way, of your one. But when I
look at the ingredients, I'm like, this not clean food. Do we not care about clean food anymore?
LEE: Yes, I think that the interesting thing is what we've always told people is we're not trying to create like a whole food, you know, salad
company or anything like that. What we realized is that we need to take people from negative 100 just back to zero. And I think there's a lot of
people around the world who are still eating traditional instant ramen, which is filled with horrible ingredients, no nutrition whatsoever, no
protein, no fiber, full of carbs really bad for metabolic health because it's spiking your blood sugar.
And we said, look, we can provide a better foundation for people. And then, they can always add their own whole ingredients. So, we like being that
gateway. And in fact, a lot of our customers call us a gateway into their health and wellness journey, where they don't want to give up this
nostalgic, delicious product that they've eaten their entire life, yet they're not ready to make that full commitment to just go on a full juice
cleanse or going to full salad cleanse.
And so, we are really happy to be that meal they can enjoy throughout the week and again, add their own whole ingredients.
CHATTERLEY: Yes, I think that's a very fair answer. We're not selling this as some clean food mega deep product but something --
LEE: Totally not.
CHATTERLEY: It's a comfort food, let's be honest. But I think -- actually, I'll mention it, that the point about -- that you make about fiber is
actually very important. Two grams of fiber in this one and you have 15 grams. So, that is a big difference that I didn't mention as well. One
minute left. Kevin, what about global expansion plans?
LEE: Yes, we do ship right now to the E.U., U.K., And Canada. Those were the most popular English-speaking regions. We do have interest from all
sorts of countries every single week, but a lot of it is just bandwidth from our team. We really are focused on the U.S.
I think what people don't realize is the instant ramen market is a $56 billion dollar market globally. Eight of that is currently in the U.S. And
so, we're excited to, you know, hopefully change up pantries around the U.S., replace those cup noodles with a better option with Immi. And then,
over time, as we grow the team and grow the brand, we hope we can bring it back out internationally to Asian countries.
CHATTERLEY: Wow, $56 billion market. Yes, you've got enough to do at home for now, and then we'll see about global domination. Kevin, great to have
you on. Thank you. Kevin Lee, the co-founder of Immi there.
LEE: Thank you so much.
CHATTERLEY: Thank you. Now, if you've missed any of our interviews today, there will be on my X and Instagram pages. You can search for
@JChatterleyCNN.
Coming up for us, it's baseball's biggest World Series rivalry. The New York Yankees will take on the L.A. Dodgers for a record 12th time. The
details, next.
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CHATTERLEY: Welcome back. The teams are all set for this year's World Series. The Los Angeles Dodgers will take on the New York Yankees in
baseball's fall classic for the first time in more than 40 years. And there's no shortage of star power. Don Riddell joins me now.
I'll tell you what, the celebrations on social media for Shohei Ohtani had him being literally showered in alcohol and unable to stop smiling. What an
incredible year he's had.
DON RIDDELL, CNN WORLD SPORT: Yes, just amazing. Remember, it's his first year with the Dodgers. He's been a great player for so many years. He'd
never played in the postseason until now, Julia, but all of a sudden, he's in the World Series. It's called the Fall Classic, and it has all the
makings of a classic.
Of course, nobody has won it more times than the New York Yankees. They're back in the series for the first time in 15 years, led by stars such as
Aaron Judge taking on the L.A. Dodgers, who last won it just four years ago. But of course, now they have Ohtani leading the line. These are two
massive franchises, East Coast against West Coast. It's going to be such a big deal.
It does, though, mean we won't have what's known as a subway series in the Big Apple because the Dodgers beat the Mets in the National League
Championship Series. Dodgers winning by 10 runs to five. In Sunday night's game six, shortstop Tommy Edman igniting the L.A. charge in the first
inning with a two-run double. Then he added a two-run homer in the third, setting the stage for a star-studded World Series.
It is going to be the 12th time that the Dodgers and the Yankees will have faced each other in the Fall Classic. But as you say, Julia, the first time
since 1981.
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SHOHEI OHTANI, LOS ANGELES DODGERS DESIGNATED HITTER (through translator): it's the place that I've dreamt of playing all my life. And to be able to
finally come to the stage and be able to, you know, play and hopefully win it is my next goal.
The Yankees are a really good team with a lot of good players and really good coaches. I'm really looking forward to playing against them.
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RIDDELL: So, the Dodgers really are one of the hottest teams in baseball these days. That is their fourth National League pennant in just eight
years. Game one of the World Series will be on Friday, starting in L.A.
CHATTERLEY: Now, we can't talk about those guys without talking about the WNBA. What a historic season capped by that dramatic winner takes all game
five Sunday in New York. I mean, it's an incredible end to what can we call it the most hyped season in the league's history. Don, I mean, wow.
RIDDELL: Just wow. I mean, the whole thing was wow. I mean, what a season it was. We've enjoyed the rookie sensation Caitlin Clark. She drew a lot of
new eyeballs to the league. And that's when a lot of people who hadn't been paying attention realized that it's full of great players and mega stars.
And this final series was gripping, going right down to the wire over time in Game 5.
The New York Liberty fans, of course, they loved it in Brooklyn. They witnessed their team's first ever title, denying the Minnesota Lynx what
would have been a record fifth championship for them. Locker room celebrations are always so much fun. This the moment when the players can
finally let their hair down and enjoy the fruits of all their labor.
But believe it or not, injuries can happen in these situations. And look at this Julia, Liberty star Sabrina Ionescu posing with the trophy. Suddenly,
she got a cramp and that looked pretty uncomfortable for her. Luckily, the training staff was right there to try and work it out. Hopefully, the
silverware helped dull some of the pain. She's had a great season and of course, her game three -- three pointer from the logo was a real mic drop
winner to win that game. That will be remembered as one of the most memorable moments of the series. And we're looking forward to seeing her
and all the other great players in action again, next season. Can't wait for it.
CHATTERLEY: Can't wait. Can't wait. I mean, cramp is better than groin strain, which is what I thought it was initially. And then I saw someone
trying to give a CPR. It's like steady on everyone. Amazing. Really great. Love to see these superstars. Don, great to have you. Thank you. Don
Riddell there.
Now, saying goodbye to loved ones before they leave for faraway lands. It's never easy, but now a New Zealand airport has prompted an emotional
outpouring of its own over this sign. Take a look at this. It limits hugs to three minutes. The rule imposed at Dunedin Airport was intended to
reduce congestion at its drop off zone, adding, for fonder farewells, please use the car park.
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Apparently, hold ups were being caused by people taking far too long on the farewells. But one person on Facebook responded, you can't put a time limit
on hugs. That's inhumane. No time limit on hugs. A cuddle crisis in New Zealand.
And finally, on "First Move." Catching a ghost in real-life, an elusive type of fish not seen for almost 20 years has been rediscovered in
Cambodia. Science have confirmed this indeed the Mekong ghost, a highly rare breed that was feared to be extinct.
The giant fish, which is native to the Mekong River, has been a mystery since it was formally discovered in the early '90s. Only around 30 have
ever been spotted since. The discovery gives scientists hope that this ghost could have plenty of life in it yet. They're going to stay hidden,
stay away from humans.
And that just about wraps up the show. Thank you for joining us. We'll see you tomorrow.
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