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Isa Soares Tonight
A Judge In The U.S. Considering Unsealing Mar-a-Lago Affidavit; Zelenskyy, Erdogan, Guterres Meet In Ukraine; Russia Sends 700k Barrels Of Russian Crude Oil To Cuba; Right-Wing Coalition On Course To Win Italy's Election; Judge Sets Up Possible Release Of Redacted Affidavit Justifying Mar-a-Lago Search; Chinese National Flees Repression, Seeks Asylum In U.S.; NASA: Spacewalk Cut Short By Battery Pack Issues. Aired 2-3p ET
Aired August 18, 2022 - 14:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[14:00:00]
ISA SOARES, HOST: A very warm welcome to the show, everyone, I'm Isa Soares. Tonight, we are following two major stories for you. In the U.S., a
judge is deciding whether to unseal a key legal document that would explain why the FBI searched former President Trump's Florida home last week.
We'll bring you all the latest developments. Plus, Turkey's president warns of a new Chernobyl in Ukraine as concerns grow over conflict around the
country's biggest nuclear power plant. More on his diplomatic visit with the head of the U.N. But first, more than a week after the FBI raided
former President Trump's home in Florida.
A federal judge is weighing whether to unseal the Justice Department's probable cause affidavit. Now, that document basically explains why the
Justice Department believes there's evidence of a crime at Mr. Trump's home. Media organizations including CNN have requested the affidavit and
other sealed court filings be made public.
But the Justice Department says releasing those materials would cause significant as well as irreparable damage to its criminal investigation.
We'll more on this coming up. We'll keep an eye on that. But first, let me go to Ukraine because as the world struggles with shortages of Ukrainian
grain, and as Ukraine fights a war of survival against Russia, Ukraine's president welcomed two key leaders on Thursday to the city of Lviv.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan for the first time since the war began. The two leaders discussed Ukraine's
grain export deal with Russia, which Turkey and the U.N. brokered and the crisis at the Zaporizhzhia power -- nuclear power plant. Mr. Zelenskyy
demanded that Russia withdraw its forces from the plant. Have a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, PRESIDENT, UKRAINE (through translator): Russia has to immediately and conditionally withdraw all forces from the territory of
the Zaporizhzhia power station and stop all provocations and all shelling. It is unacceptable that Russia puts all of us at the brink of nuclear
catastrophe.
We agreed with Secretary General's parameters of possible IAEA mission at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant in a legal way through the non-occupied
territories.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SOARES: Well, Zaporizhzhia was topic one as U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres joined the two presidents. All three leaders warned that the
fighting and shelling there could trigger an international nuclear disaster. But Russia accuse Ukraine of planning a false flag attack at the
plant during Yeteco's(ph) visit, and also suggested shutting down the plant.
Ukraine's nuclear agencies, that could cause, quote, "a radiation disaster". Well, our senior international correspondent David McKenzie is
in the Ukrainian capital Kyiv with the very latest. David, let's start off with that meeting with the U.N. Secretary General. What else came out of
that meeting?
DAVID MCKENZIE, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, I think you're right that the most important topic of discussion in the immediate
few days is the Zaporizhzhia power plant, Isa. And there was general agreement amongst the attendees, the head of the U.N., the president of
Turkey and Ukraine that this is something that needs to be dealt with and dealt with quickly.
And as you said, the president of Turkey, Erdogan likened it to a possible Chernobyl, and that is the fear that we've been discussing for several days
now, because of the ongoing fight at the Zaporizhzhia plant. And the U.N. Secretary General used unusually stack terms to talk about the potential
for disaster.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANTONIO GUTERRES, SECRETARY GENERAL, UNITED NATIONS: Military equipments and personnel should be withdrawn from the plant. Further deployment of
forces or equipment to the site must be avoided, the area needs to be demilitarized. And we must tell it as it is. Any potential damage to
Zaporizhzhia is suicide.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MCKENZIE: A "suicide" is what he called it. And even if the Ukrainian site as they are agreeing in principle for inspection from the IAEA, the Atomic
Energy Agency to go to that site. The problem is, the key player in this, other than the groups we've been talking about is of course, Russia. And
Russia has shown no sign of allowing in any inspectors, particularly because the -- for that to happen, it needs to vacate that area with its
troops, and it's right close to the front line. Isa?
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SOARES: So just explain to us, really why Russia, it says -- claims it would be shutting it down, and what that would mean.
MCKENZIE: But you can't really just shut down a nuclear power plant that is operational like this. It's not the case of really, you know, switching
off the switch and walking out the door. If you would actually shutting it down, you still need to maintain power to the nuclear reactors to allow
those nuclear rods, those fuel rods to stay cool.
And this is something that the nuclear power plants all over the world must deal with. It's not a question of just stopping it or shutting it down.
That just cannot happen because it can result in a meltdown.
And so, the -- it's sort of an empty threat from the Russians I think. At this point, what is required is to stop the shelling and rocket attacks in
that area. And despite Russians saying they have no heavy military equipment or inside that plant, we have seen video evidence over the last -
-
SOARES: Yes --
MCKENZIE: Few weeks taken from the air, showing at least APCs and trucks being moved into those turbine halls inside that power plant. Again, what
makes this tricky is, this is -- aside everything else is that, this is on the Dnipro River, the Russians occupy one side of that river, the
Ukrainians occupy the other side of it. It's right at the very focal point of the southern battle front of this conflict.
And so to ask Russians to just vacate the entire area would also be a military pull-back. And I don't think that's something they want to do
right now. But the trickiness of this is to allow inspectors in, the Ukrainians are asking for them to go through Ukrainian territory. At this
point, the only way you could do that is to cross the river, I guess, and get into that site.
So, you really do have a standoff at this point, despite the calls from the international community to get inspectors in. It doesn't look like that is
any closer to happening even after today's meeting. Isa?
SOARES: David McKenzie, appreciate it there, live for us in Kyiv this hour. And we have seen drills around Zaporizhzhia as of course, over the
threats of any disasters you can see there, that happened I believe, yesterday. Some of the drills that were taking place in Ukraine. I want to
dig deeper now into the crisis at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant that you just heard David talk about.
Tymofiy Mylovanov is the President of the Kyiv School of Economics, a former Ukrainian government minister and an adviser to President Zelenskyy,
a well known face here on the show, and he comes to us via Skype from Kyiv. Tymofiy, thank you very much for taking time to speak to us.
Let me start right there in Zaporizhzhia. I mean, how worried is Ukraine right now, not just about the risk but also the consequences here of the
nuclear power plant?
TYMOFIY MYLOVANOV, PRESIDENT, KYIV SCHOOL OF ECONOMICS: Yes, we are worried. We want them to stop, we want Russia to withdraw their troops and
stop endangering the situation. Because it's the largest nuclear plant in Europe and the consequences could be very great.
SOARES: Now, we heard your Foreign Minister, Minister Kuleba, say earlier today that the IAEA is kind of ready, it seems. to lead a delegation to the
power plant. Do you think that the U.N. via Antonio Guterres as well as the Turkish side, Turkey President, President Erdogan can push on the Russian
side for there to be some sort of diplomatic solution here?
MYLOVANOV: I think they will try. There has been a discussion today in Lviv about this, about the potential mission, what it should look like and
how it can be done without any violation of the international law, because we want to do it right. But it's -- what's interesting about the shelling,
what Russia is doing is they're really shelling the connection of the electricity grid to the Ukrainian side.
So they have something else going on there. They're trying, maybe, potentially, to disconnect the power plant and re-connect it to Crimea or
something else. So it is critical to get inspectors there, so that they can estimate what kind of game or what is the objective, what Russians are
actually trying to achieve there.
SOARES: Well, it seems that we have been hearing there's been shelling, the allegations at least, shelling from both sides, kind of blaming each
other. The Russians say that Ukraine has been shelled and that -- shelling the area, and that's damaged the support system of the nuclear power plant.
What is your response to that?
MYLOVANOV: There's evidence nowadays. You know, you have satellites for this, you have locations, the area is monitored. It's active war theater.
You know, there are raiders who have proper Intelligence equipment. So, you know, if Russia had any real evidence that Ukraine is involved, they would
put it on the table immediately.
[14:10:00]
They have done -- they have accused Ukraine ever and ever or before since 2014, and they never come up with any piece of evidence.
SOARES: Well, let me quote you another claim by Russia, it is arguing that Ukraine is preparing as you heard us mention a bit earlier, a false flag
operation at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant to kind of coincide, I believe with the visit by Secretary General Guterres. What's your response to those
claims, to those comments?
MYLOVANOV: This is nonsense. It's not the first time they do it. They have done it before in Donbas and Luhansk and Donetsk. They claim there would be
false flag operations, even in the beginning of the war this time in 2022, they've done it, it never happened. Ukraine is not engaged in anything like
that.
Again, has never been an incident, and in fact they do it sometimes themselves. So, when Russia says black, it means white, when it says white,
it means black.
SOARES: OK, so what do you need to see for us to reach some sort of diplomatic solution here? What would you want there to be an agreement on
in the coming days, regarding Zaporizhzhia?
MYLOVANOV: There should be a mission, and inspectors should be coming in, and then the zone should be demilitarized. I understand that tactically,
the Russians are keeping the zone, it's an enclave for them to defend themselves because you know, they want -- they want to position themselves
inside the plant to protect them forever.
But that -- they have to move out because the stakes are the world. You know, we don't want any new nuclear disaster in Europe at this point. So,
they have to give it up. And people -- you know, all diplomatic and political channels should be engaged to persuade the Kremlin to give up on
the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant.
SOARES: And of course, Tymofiy, you know, we are almost, I believe, at the six-month mark of this war, one of President Zelenskyy's advice I was read
today said -- described the war kind of a strategic deadlock, was his words -- were his words. What do you think he meant by that?
MYLOVANOV: It is true, that, you know, in fact, I would say that the initiative is now on the Ukrainian side, also the Ukrainian side is really
not acknowledging specific operations except that hinting at them. But you have seen what's happened in Crimea, you have seen that over the last month
or so, with the arrival and training of head of weaponry from the partners of Ukraine, Ukraine is now able to target command posts, warehouses,
specific important logistical connections. And that Russia is unable to do it actually.
SOARES: Let me ask you about Crimea, because roughly at this time yesterday, Tymofiy, we heard from Ukrainian sources that Ukraine was indeed
behind the attacks in Crimea. What is the strategy, kind of the game here, the game plan here by Ukraine in Crimea?
MYLOVANOV: To deny the Russian troops the ability to use weapons, basically. That's why the warehouses are targeted, command posts and
logistical infrastructure.
SOARES: Tymofiy, always great to have you on the show, appreciate it, thank you very much.
MYLOVANOV: Thank you.
SOARES: Now, back to the investigations into former U.S. President Donald Trump I was telling you about earlier. We are still waiting on the outcome
of that federal court hearing. A judge is hearing arguments about whether to unseal court filings on the FBI's search of course, of Mar-a-Lago. The
Justice Department already released some of the documents it filed, Trump didn't oppose that.
Now, CNN is reporting that some of the former president's allies are pushing him to publicly release surveillance footage of the FBI's search
itself. CNN's justice correspondent Jessica Schneider joins me from Washington, CNN's security correspondent Josh Campbell is in Los Angeles.
Jessica, let me start with you, we know because you and I have spoken already this week quite a few times.
We know that the Justice Department doesn't want this affidavit unsealed as it could be damaging to the investigation of course and the witnesses. So,
what is happening right now?
JESSICA SCHNEIDER, CNN JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT: Well, it's interesting. The Justice Department still forcefully making those arguments, but one thing
that they were willing to somewhat relent on, was releasing some really non-consequential documents. So, the judge had said, OK, I will release
some of those.
So, the judge saying today, he's going to unseal some relatively minor filings. So that includes the department's motion to seal the warrant
documents, also the court's order granting that motion to seal and the criminal cover sheet from the search warrant affidavit. Again, nothing
consequential here, but it's just another batch of documents that will be released to the public.
And what's interesting here is that, any information in those documents about DOJ personnel like names and contact information, that will be
redacted.
[14:15:00]
So really, it won't be anything substantive, just general information here. It's interesting that this information, though, it's going to be redacted
because of the concerns about all the threats that have emanated after this FBI search, Isa.
SOARES: So, that begs the question, I mean, would that appears then, Jessica, those calling for transparency? Would that -- would be, say,
that's enough, that goes far enough?
SCHNEIDER: Definitely not. And that's still why this hearing is ongoing here, where I'm watching it kind of play out minute by minute from our team
in the courtroom. They're updating us as to everything. The DOJ lawyers, they made their arguments, saying why it shouldn't be released.
You know, they talked about the fact that this affidavit is very lengthy, it has a lot of detail, has a lot of detail about the witnesses. If any
information about those witnesses gets released, it could even be detrimental to the witnesses. On the flip side, the media is arguing for
full --
SOARES: Yes --
SCHNEIDER: Transparency here. So, I don't think anything other than a full release of this affidavit is going to quiet the criticism here. So. now
we're going to wait and see if the judge releases this entire affidavit or maybe if there is some sort of compromise. The judge has repeatedly said,
can I take this document back to my chambers and go line by line, and see what we can release? That might eventually be what happens here. We're kind
of waiting and seeing what the judge decides.
SOARES: So if the judge -- if the judge does go and release it, un- redacted, I mean, how unprecedented would that be?
SCHNEIDER: Well, unprecedented at this stage in the criminal investigation. I mean, typically, affidavits remain under seal until we see
an indictment. So the fact that people want this released now is jumping the gun a little bit. And that's the --
SOARES: Yes --
SCHNEIDER: DOJ's big concern here. They're saying, this is going to derail our investigation, this is still an ongoing criminal investigation. We
can't have any details, even however slight they may be, because it could really be a detriment to everything we've done here.
SOARES: Jessica, keep an eye on your phone and your sources, I'm going to go -- just quickly go to Josh. And Josh, just talk to us, explain to us
what the rationale has been behind Donald Trump possibly deciding to release this footage, this video of the FBI's Mar-a-Lago search.
JOSH CAMPBELL, CNN SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Yes, this is fascinating. You know, our colleague Gabby Orr has been reporting that people in Trump
world, there are some advisors that are suggesting he should put this video out. Again, this is the closed caption security camera footage inside his
resort.
And the rationale there is that, this could be red meat for his base. You know, he's long claimed that he's a victim of the FBI, and so showing those
images of FBI agents rifling through his things, through his papers, through his resort, that could be politically powerful.
You know, Donald Trump obviously, before politics, he was in the entertainment television industry, he hosted beauty pageants around the
country, he knows the value of production and the visual medium. But we're also hearing that other sources or other advisors are telling him that this
could actually backfire, particularly if that video shows a large quantity of documents in his residence, which of course, has been the big issue
here.
Why he brought all these documents to his hotel to begin with. There's also the question about whether Trump can actually prove on video that the FBI,
quote, "planted evidence as he suggested." So if he's going to release the video when it doesn't show FBI agents planting evidence, that could be --
obviously backfire as well.
So, a lot of questions there, we don't yet know if he's actually going to put this video out, I suspect we'll see some kind of edited version that
goes into perhaps a campaign ad, we'll have to wait and see.
SOARES: Very briefly. I mean, what would releasing this video actually mean for the FBI agents who had taken part in the search? Security concerns
no doubt.
CAMPBELL: You know, I was an FBI agent before going into journalism. I conducted numerous search warrants, they're actually pretty boring
endeavors, it's dull, you're gathering information, you're doing a lot of paperwork, you're taking photographs. And so, any normal case, I mean, big
deal, you release a security camera footage.
The problem here is that, there's the possibility that showing the faces of these agents --
SOARES: Yes --
CAMPBELL: Could put them under threat. We know after that search warrant return was released, the names of two agents were out there, they started
getting threats, the FBI had to conduct an investigation to protect their own. So that has been the key question here.
If those faces get out there, there could be additional threats out there in cyberspace, and you know, that could actually lead to violence.
SOARES: Josh Campbell and Jessica Schneider, thank you very much to you both.
CAMPBELL: Thanks.
SOARES: Now, and still to come tonight, a win-win situation for Russia as well as Cuba. Moscow needs new customers for its energy exports, while
Havana is dealing with a massive energy crisis. How they're collaborating, that's just ahead. Plus, the U.N. gives a stark assessment of the security
situation in Afghanistan. We'll also have an update on the Mosque bombing in Kabul.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[14:20:00]
SOARES: Now, before its invasion of Ukraine, Russia was the world's second largest crude oil exporter behind Saudi Arabia. Western sanctions on Moscow
have tried to change that, but it appears they're not having much of an impact. A Russian oil tanker carrying 700,000 barrels of oil has just
arrived in Cuba. It is valued at $70 million.
But no word if the Caribbean island is paying for the crude, but it is badly needed. Cuba is facing blackouts and energy shortages on top of that
-- of last week, if you remember, fire at a critical oil storage facility. Let's go to Patrick Oppmann, who is in Havana for us this hour. And
Patrick, before we talk about the trade and the politics behind this, just explain why this fuel cargo is desperately needed right now in Cuba.
PATRICK OPPMANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I can explain that very well because the lights went off in my house last night for about 5 hours, and it's
August in Havana, so you can imagine how hot it is, how unpleasant it is. There is a dengue outbreak right now where -- which of course is
transmitted by mosquitoes and when people have to go out and sleep outside their homes, because it's just too hot to be inside.
That does not help. This is one of the kind of economic shortages that most bother Cubans. It's not only uncomfortable, but your food spoils.
SOARES: Yes --
OPPMANN: And we have been seeing these really unprecedented sites of Cubans going on banging on pots and pans when the power gets turned out.
Unfortunately, more and more, we are seeing the power get turned off.
SOARES: You know, correct me if I'm wrong. Last year, there was more than just pots and pans, wasn't there? I mean, there was unprecedented protests.
So, give me a sense of what the mood is like right now in Cuba, Patrick.
OPPMANN: And those protests started, people forget, because there was one town near Havana where the power had been turned off for several days, and
people went out and were upset, and what happened, something that had never happened before which people across the island saw that one isolated
protest, and went out with their own grievances.
So, officials here are very concerned that one of these (SPEAKING IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE) power outages could be the spark that once again lights
or kicks off widespread protests. So that is why they're trying to keep the power on, they're having a very difficult time after this fire, in
particular, because this is the only port on the island that can accommodate a super tanker like the one that has arrived now.
It cannot go to port at this moment, it's in Cuban waters, they are doing something called lightering, where they are moving oil from one ship to
other smaller ships to bring them in.
[14:25:00]
Just makes even more complicated and time consuming. So Cuban officials are doing whatever they can to keep the lights on. They are mostly failing, and
it's going to be very complicated for the rest of the year, because you know, we don't know exactly how the payment rush was made.
But Cuba does not have that kind of money, they don't $70 million sitting around. So they desperately need this oil to keep the lights on. And once
again, it really is striking, it's Russian oil keeping the lights on in Cuba at least for the moment, Isa.
SOARES: Patrick, Havana, good to see you Patrick, thanks very much. Some other key stories from right around the world now. In New Zealand, floods
like these have forced hundreds of people to flee their homes. A state of emergency has been declared in the country's south island as heavy rain
pounds the region.
The mayor says recovery from the damage will likely take years. And the climate crisis is also wreaking havoc in China. The country is enduring its
worst heat wave in 60 years. Hundreds of cities are under heat as well as drought warnings. Power grids are under strain as the demand for air
conditions surges.
Authorities are dimming lights in train stations and some factories are being shut, all, of course, to save power as well as prevent blackouts.
They're even seeding clouds to replenish shrinking river beds, essentially, basically, they're using planes to make it rain. We'll stay on top of those
stories for you.
While the United Nations says security is deteriorating in Afghanistan, with bombings killing all or injuring at least 250 people just in recent
weeks. The agency says that is the highest monthly number of civilian casualties in the past year since the Taliban took over. It comes as the
death toll rises from a blast that ripped through a Kabul Mosque during evening prayers on Wednesday.
Authorities now say at least 21 people are dead and 33 are injured, and that includes nine children. We've got this coming into us, just in, an
update of course on one of our top stories. If you remember, a federal judge has been hearing arguments over whether to unseal that court filings
on the FBI search of Donald Trump's home at Mar-a-Lago.
He is not convinced -- this is coming to us just now. He is not convinced the entire affidavit needs to remain sealed, this was something that
Jessica Schneider and I were talking about. And so, to that end, he's ordered the Justice Department to file its proposed redactions of that
document. That needs to happen by next week. So proposed redactions gone to the Justice Department, asking what can be seen and what can it not.
We'll keep you updated on this story, of course, as soon as we get more details. And of course, will we see an entire document fully redacted, that
is the question. We'll stay on top of that story for you. Still to come tonight, Serbia and Kosovo failed to reach an agreement at crisis talks in
Brussels.
What's next for the two countries as tensions build over a license plate law. And this woman is on course to become Italy's first far-right prime
minister. And that has many people worried about the future of European democracy. That story just ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[14:31:10]
SOARES: Welcome back, everyone. Italians head to the polls on September 25. Two months after the coalition government led by Mario Draghi, if you
remember collapsed. The next prime minister will lead the country during one of the most challenging periods of Italian history. Like the rest of
Europe, I think it's fair to say, Italy is dealing with rising costs of living and energy crisis brought on by the war in Ukraine, as well as a
climate crisis as the country faces its worst drought in 70 years.
Well, the polls suggest that a bloc of conservative parties led by the far- right, Brothers of Italy, you can see there, looks likely to win a majority. So what does that mean? Joining me now is Enrico Letta, the
former Italian Prime Minister and leader of the Democratic Party, which is polling about the same as the Brothers of Italy. He joins me now live from
Rome. Mr. Letta, thank you very much for taking the time to speak to us.
So as we've just shown there, those polls suggest Giorgia Meloni, of course, the Brothers of Italy leader is on course to become Italy's first
far-right leader. What would this mean for Italy in your view?
ENRICO LETTA, FORMER ITALIAN PRIME MINISTER: First of all, the Appis (ph) people at word level if Giorgia Meloni wins, the elections are Donald
Trump, Putin, and in Europe, Orban. So first of all, there's the big risk of a big change in the Italian presence at word level. But of course, it is
also for me, for what I think for what we think, as the Democratic Party, a big risk also for the future of the country, in economic terms in social
terms, and also for the way in which the country is run in terms of unity to himself cohesion. I think it's -- the next elections will be key
elections. We are keep fighting to avoid this outcome.
SOARES: What is it about her policies, her party's policies that you think, are worrying?
LETTA: First of all, Meloni's party with the two allies, they toppled the very well, working Draghi's government. That is, I think, the first big
mistake that they did. And I think it's a very bad choice for the country. Draghi's government was running the country with very good and positive
choices, the application, the implementation of the recovery plan, with the big amount of European money to make the country more reliable and more
compliant in terms of digital transition terms of sustainable transition. The big risk I see is an interruption, is a stop in this process. Because
the three right parties, they worked together to stop Draghi's government. We supported Draghi's government and we would like to continue policies
that were at the very heart of Draghi's agenda.
SOARES: She's not here, of course to defend herself. But she does argue that she's been unfairly portrayed as a far-right extremists, that she says
she has shared values Mr. Letta, with the conservatives in the U.K., with the Republicans in U.S. and the Likud party in Israel. So, in terms of
policy, let me ask you again, what worries you? What would that mean for example, for the role of Italy in the E.U.?
LETTA: It is not just a problem of discourses or speeches. What worries us is related to their choices for instance at European level, they voted
against all climate change European laws and directives. They were and supporting the recovery plan that was so important and positive for the
country, always against any immigration, European policy, and always against any policy at European level for a more integrated Europe.
[14:35:31]
In Europe, their allies, the name of their allies are many Marine Le Pen in France or Orban in Hungary. So parties and leaders that they don't want to
have a more integrated Europe, they always want to have a weaker Europe. So we think that the big risk, it is not just for Italy, but it is also for
Europe. We need a stronger Europe. And we need Italy at the very heart of Europe, with France, Germany, Spain, the Benelux and not with Hungary and
Poland.
SOARES: Mr. Letta, I really appreciate you taking the time to speak to us. Thank you.
And we have much more now on a story that of course has been enveloping this hour, a federal judge telling the U.S. Justice Department to file
proposed reductions of an affidavit justifying the surge of Donald Trump's home at the Mar-a-Lago resort. CNN Justice Correspondent Jessica Schneider
joins me once more from Washington.
So Jessica, talk us through this. So the justice is basically saying -- the judge is basically saying, you know, we got to consider what can be
redacted and come back to us? Is that it?
JESSICA SCHNEIDER, CNN JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT: Exactly. And by doing this, Isa, he's setting into motion, the possible public release of this
affidavit. It only might be parts of it, it's likely that it won't be the entire affidavit. So what the judge was saying throughout this hearing that
just wrapped up in Florida, it was about an hour and 15 minutes long. He kept saying, you know, I can't believe that there's nothing from this
affidavit that couldn't go out to the public, despite the Justice Department repeatedly saying, no judge, there's nothing from this affidavit
that could be released, that would be OK.
Despite that argument, the judge has now said to the Justice Department, I want you to go back to look at what has been described as a very lengthy
and detailed affidavit, I want you to go back to it. And come back to me in one week and tell me what elements can be released to the public, which you
think might be OK. After that the judge has said, then I'm willing to meet with you in my chambers pretty much in secret, and go line by line looking
at this affidavit and going over with you what might be released. Because the judge here has really said that, you know, this is of such great public
significance and public interest. It's almost like the judge is trying to find some way to get more information out there to the public. So we're
going to be waiting about a week until the Justice Department comes back to the judge, the judge will then likely meet with these Justice Department
lawyers. And then shortly after that, we might get some public release.
I would caution though, that it probably won't be too consequential because if it was, the Justice Department would argue vehemently against that
release. So who knows what we'll see, but it's likely at this point, we will see something either late next week, or shortly thereafter, Isa.
SOARES: Yeah, how much of it will be redacted? How many black lines will it have? Jessica Schneider, thanks very much. Appreciate it, Jessica.
And still to come tonight, why 1000s of people are leaving China in search of dreams elsewhere, we'll look at how China's strict regime is causing a
mass exodus. That's next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[14:41:21]
SOARES: Chinese President Xi Jinping is the country's most powerful and authoritarian leader in decades. Since Xi came to power in 2012, the number
of Chinese nationals seeking asylum abroad has increased by nearly eight times from just over 15,000 to nearly 120,000 as you can see, that is
according to the U.N. Refugee Agency.
Repression in China has grown under Xi's strict zero COVID policy. It's leaving people yearning really for freer life and some of them are risking
everything to chase that dream. Our Selina Wang has the story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SELINA WANG, CNN CORRESPONDENT: This wall separates Wang Qun from his American Dream. He's prepared to risk everything to climb over illegally
crossing into the U.S. from Mexico. But unlike most of the 1000s of illegal crossings a day on the southern border, he's not fleeing poverty or
violence south of the Wall. His journey started on the other side of the world. We'd been following him for months during his perilous escape out of
China by plane, boat, bus, motorcycle, and on foot.
WANG QUN, FLED FROM CHINA (through translation): It's worth it no matter how much I suffer.
WANG: He ran a bubble tea shop back in China. When COVID hit business tanked from constant lock downs. He left his son and daughter behind with
his parents hoping to bring them to America one day.
QUN (through translation): I couldn't make ends meet, and I have two kids to raise. I have to get out.
WANG: Chinese unrelenting zero COVID policy growing authoritarianism under Xi Jinping It's stifling nationalistic education taught in his children's
schools, pushed Wang over the edge.
QUN (through translation): In the past seven or eight years everything is going backwards. And Xi Jinping is going to get his third term. I see no
hope. He's just another version of Mao Zedong. There's no difference.
WANG: At a key political meeting this fall, Xi Jinping is set to secure an unprecedented third term as the supreme leader of the Communist Party. He's
the strong man a top of surveillance state, one that during the pandemic can control and track the movements of virtually all 1.4 billion people.
Since the start of the pandemic, China has kept its borders sealed. A policy the government says is needed to fight COVID-19 and earlier this
year forbade its citizens from going overseas for non-essential reasons. With China turning increasingly inward, Wang became desperate to get out,
and he was set on one Destination, America.
QUN (through translation): My impression of America is that it's free, democratic, open, and vibrant country. You can accumulate through your own
hard work.
WANG: Through online chat groups he discovered a network of people in China planning to illegally immigrate to America through Quito, Ecuador. He
applied for a language school in Quito and made it out of China in April with the school's admission letter as proof. He started documenting his
whole journey from Ecuador. He rode buses over 1000 miles to Colombia, then took a boat to Panama, sharing the ride with other desperate but hopeful
migrants.
On the other side, a five day hike through Panama's rainforest, an endless walk through mud, rivers and mountains. The journey that long said almost
broke him from exhaustion, a brief respite at a refugee camp than seven days of buses from Panama to Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras and Guatemala.
From there, a boat to Mexico's border where police detained him for five days.
[14:45:10]
When he was released, he paid an illegal smuggler 1000s of dollars to get to Mexico City. Dozens of people squeezed into the back of a truck, then
packed into a van more than 104 degrees Fahrenheit inside. In Mexico City, Wang rode a motorcycle 1600 miles to the U.S. border, where we met up with
him, determined to make it to the other side.
QUN (through translation): The rest of my life will mainly be in the U.S. so it's a home for me.
WANG: He's just one of groves, the Chinese trying to flee the country. According to the U.N. Refugee Agency, the number of Chinese nationals
seeking asylum has been steadily increasing until it reached a record in 2021. And most of them 70% are trying to get to America. On China's
internet searches for emigration started skyrocketing in March, as many struggle to get basic necessities and food during lockdowns across the
country. Discussion forums with detailed tips on how to leave China have gone viral on social media. Immigration Lawyer say inquiries from Chinese
wanting to leave have searched since the pandemic.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The volume and inquiries is up many hundreds of times that over what it what it previously was.
WANG: But for others like Wang, he says the only path into America is the illegal way. He ultimately made it to the other side, walked hours in the
American desert over mountains, his sneakers fell apart.
More than a month later, we met Wang in Los Angeles over in this new world he's found the familiar, temporarily settling into a community of Chinese
immigrants. He's even made a friend who crossed into America the same way he did. While he waits for a hearing on his immigration case, he's getting
a driver's license training to be a (inaudible) and studying English every day.
QUN (through translation): In America, I can see the sunshine. I can see the sea. I can do whatever I want, I can work hard for any job I like.
WANG: She's also anxious, in the best case, it will be years before he sees his family again.
QUN (through translation): My favorite food is my mom's cooking, and I may never taste her cooking again.
WANG (on camera): How do you feel when you think about your children?
QUN (through translation): My heart hurts.
WANG: He's applying for political asylum. But if his application is rejected, he says he might ask his kids when they're older to take the same
dangerous path to America that he did.
(On camera): Have you told your family where you are?
QUN (through translation): My parents don't know yet, but my son knows. I told him that there's no way out of me in China. So I came to America to
make a fortune for you, and fight for a bright future for you.
WANG: That future is uncertain. But with China in his past, he has hope of living out his American dream.
(On camera): We reached out to the Chinese government to comment on her story. In response, Beijing defended the country's COVID policies and
called China a land full of vitality and hope. Stories like Wang's, they are a smear on Beijing's narrative that China is getting stronger and more
prosperous, while America is in decline.
Now, Wang's journey to America, it may be rare and extreme. But we have spoken to others that are taking a similar path, including one man who
illegally escaped China by walking across the border into Vietnam. From there he flew to Ecuador, and is now taking that same long path that Wang
did to the U.S.-Mexico border.
In China right now, there are of course, still people who support the government zero COVID policy that has kept the reported death numbers low.
But more and more are also feeling hopeless about the future of their country, a place where they see freedoms and opportunities disappearing.
Selina Wang, CNN, Beijing.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SOARES: Well, as Selina Wang's report was airing on CNN in China, this is what viewers saw, the material was either censored or the signal was
blocked altogether. And this often happens when CNN is reports that Chinese officials consider, "sensitive."
And still to come on the show tonight, what do you do when your battery pack malfunctions during a spacewalk? We'll tell you how it turned out for
a Russian cosmonaut whose mission didn't go quite according to plan. That's next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[14:52:24]
SOARES: Welcome back to the show. Now, a Russian cosmonaut's spacewalk was quite short when the battery pack in his spacesuit started to malfunction.
Officials on the ground given urgent warnings to get back to the International Space Station. Well, he did safely. But now mission
controllers are trying to figure out how this spacewalk can continue.
Let's bring in our Space and Defense Correspondent Kristin Fisher for more details. And Kristin, this is not I believe the first time we have reported
on space suits problems or malfunctions. So what exactly is going on with these spacesuits?
KRISTIN FISHER, CNN SPACE AND DEFENSE CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, so just recently, there was an issue with the NASA American spacesuits up at the
International Space Station. This issue was with a Russian spacesuit. It happened yesterday, when a very experienced cosmonaut, a man by the name of
Oleg Artemyev was conducting what was supposed to be about a seven hour spacewalk to install some new cameras to the European robotic arm outside
the Russian module of the space station. But about an hour in, folks down in Mission Control started to notice some problems with his battery pack in
his spacesuit. They described it as voltage fluctuations. Now, NASA says that he was never in any immediate danger. But listen to what Oleg Artemyev
heard in his earpiece during his spacewalk. It's something that no astronaut or cosmonaut wants to hear when you're in that dangerous vacuum
of outer space. Listen here.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oleg, you must return to the airlock as soon as possible. Because if you lose power, it is not only the pump and the fan,
you will lose calm. So you have to go back. Oleg, drop everything and go back.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
FISHER: Drop everything and go back. So that is exactly what Oleg Artemyev did. He was able to get back inside the space station safe. And now, those
completions to the European robotic arm, will have to wait until they figure out what happened to that spacesuit. Isa.
SOARES: So in terms of, you know, we have to find out what happened, whether they can fix it in the meantime, what happens to the spacewalk?
FISHER: Well, they're going to wait and try to reschedule it. I believe the rescheduled date has been set for early September. But you know, one other
thing that really stood out this happened just a few months after another potentially dangerous situation with a NASA spacesuit, a NASA astronaut --
excuse me, a European Space Agency astronaut inside a NASA spacesuit was conducting a spacewalk when water started leaking into his helmet. This
happened back in 2013. And it was a very dangerous situation.
[14:55:12]
Fortunately, this European astronaut was able to get back inside before it became too big of an issue. But that spacesuit, the NASA spacesuit is now
about to be on its way back to Earth for NASA to troubleshoot.
NASA has stopped all spacewalks at the International Space Station right now until they can figure out that problem. On top of that you now have
this issue with the Russian spacesuits. So it's really becoming an issue up there. And the underlying problem is the suits are just really old and they
need new ones.
SOARES: Yeah, well, there you go. You've answered that problem. Maybe they should get new ones. Kristin Fisher, I appreciate it. Thanks very much.
FISHER: You bet.
SOARES: And don't forget you can catch up with interviews as well as analysis from the show online on my Instagram @IsaSoaresCNN and on my
Twitter feed too, the detail is right there on your screen.
Thanks very much for your company. Please stay right here. "QUEST MEANS BUSINESS" is next. And I shall see you tomorrow. Have a wonderful day. Bye-
bye.
END
