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Isa Soares Tonight
Russia Attacks Odesa For A Third Straight Night; Europe's Blistering Heat Wave Continues; Women's Football World Cup Officially Kicks Off; Russia's Impact On Global Food Supply; Troubling Treatment Of Migrants In Texas; U.S. Soldier In North Korean Custody After Crossing Border. Aired 2- 3p ET
Aired July 20, 2023 - 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, ISA SOARES TONIGHT: A very warm welcome to the show, everyone, I'm Isa Soares. Tonight, another round of relentless Russian
attacks on southern Ukraine as officials say sites linked to grain shipments were hit. Then, Europe's blistering heat wave continues. Greece
braces for even higher temperatures as devastating wildfires continue to burn.
I will be speaking to the country's environment minister in just a moment. Plus, the Women's Football World Cup officially kicks off. We'll have all
the latest action from down under. But first, tonight, it is about 9:00 p.m. or so in Ukraine. And as darkness falls, the city of Odesa is bracing
for more Russian attacks.
The key port has been battered by strikes for three straight nights. Emergency crews have been racing to douse the flames. Officials said
earlier today that sites linked to grain shipments were hit and at least, one person, a security guard was killed. Russia says this is a retaliation
for Ukrainian attack on a bridge linking Crimea to the Russian mainland, the Kerch Bridge.
Russian missiles also slammed into another city in the south, that's Mykolaiv. Authorities there say at least, two people were killed and more
than a dozen hurt. Ukrainians are again calling for more weapons, especially air defenses. They say they only downed a quarter of cruise
missiles overnight. Meanwhile, video out of Belarus purports to show Wagner mercenaries training with Belarusian special forces, just miles from the
border with NATO member, Poland.
The Poles say they are monitoring the situation and have an ongoing military operation of their own. Let's get the very latest from our Fred
Pleitgen. And Fred, this plea for more weapons, specifically air defenses for its southern region --
FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes --
SOARES: Shouldn't really come as a surprise at this stage, given the barrage of firepower that we have seen directed at Odesa in the last 24
hours, also Mykolaiv.
PLEITGEN: Yes, Mykolaiv, Odesa, the entire southern region is a pretty important key ports there as well, Isa, and I think you're absolutely
right, that it's absolutely no surprise that the Ukrainians are calling for more air defenses, because the Russians really did hit those regions hard.
In fact, the mayor of the town of Odesa said that the last couple of nights have been going on there, is something that, that town simply has not seen
since the war, since Russia's big invasion of Ukraine has started.
And I think, one of the things that the Ukrainians are saying, look, the Russians are not only attacking with some of the cruise missiles they've
been using in places like Kyiv and other places as well, they are using some of the heaviest stuff that they have. You look, for instance, at the
Oniks anti-ship missile.
That is a very powerful coastal defense weapons. I've seen those in Russia, it's part of the bastion coastal defense system, that has a massive warhead
and is used to destroy warships. And they apparently use that on some of those port facilities in Odesa. You look, for instance, at the KH-22 as
well with a gigantic warhead of about a 1,000 kilograms, that is designed to destroy aircraft carriers.
So that specifically is what the Ukrainians, today in the forum of the spokesman for the Air Force, came out and said, look, we simply don't have
the means down in Odesa to take those things down. And hence, you're seeing statistics like the one that you were pointing out, where the Ukrainians
are saying that they were only able to take out about 25 percent of the cruise missiles that were fired at Odesa overnight.
Of course, that also has to do with the fact that a lot of those Shahed drones, those drone swarms were sent as well, that Ukraine is all set to
take out. So this was a huge barrage and the Ukrainians are saying they need more in the way of air defense if they are going to come to terms with
that. Right now, they simply don't have enough, specifically down in that southern region, Isa.
SOARES: And yesterday, roughly at this time on the show, Fred, we showed our viewers your reporting on the Wagner fighters. I'm keen to get your
thoughts of what you make of these lines --
PLEITGEN: Yes --
SOARES: Out of Belarus, that is preparing to stage a joint military exercise with Wagner troops on the Polish border. How nervous do you think
Poland will be about these exercises?
PLEITGEN: I'm not necessarily sure the Poles are very nervous, but the Poles certainly say they are monitoring things, and I do think the Poles
are taking precaution. So they certainly are concerned about it, I would say. One of the things we've heard from the Polish government in the past
couple of weeks, when it became clear that Wagner was probably going to go to Belarus, and of course, we have confirmation that they are there, and
that they are there in force.
[14:05:00]
Is that the Poles have already moved military assets to NATO's eastern flank. They do say that this is something that is a big concern to them.
And one of the other things that we've seen from eastern Poland is that there are villages there who are hearing some of these exercises that are
going on in the Belarusian side of the border, and of course, they are concerned as well.
And you can see how some of this could be interpreted as a provocation, if you will. One of the things that the Russians said today is they accuse the
Poles of being aggressive for putting more military assets in that area. So, you can see how already, the presence of Wagner is making all sides
kind of nervous and kind of provoking things there as well.
I think one of the other things that's also becoming clear, Isa, is that the Wagner private military company with what we've been seeing over the
past couple of days is announcing they are back, they have a new role and of course, also are displaying that Yevgeny Prigozhin is still very much in
charge.
It was very interesting yesterday to see that video coming out of Yevgeny Prigozhin, addressing some of those Wagner fighters in Belarus, saying that
they were back, they were going to train the Belarusian military, which of course, that in itself is a big concern for a lot of NATO nations.
Also saying they would go to Africa, and that they would look for new combat roles for these units as well. So, right now, what NATO is looking
at, what Poland specifically, with that long border with Belarus is looking at as well, is a lot of fighters who are very battle hardened, who have had
success on the battlefield in Ukraine, now they're in Belarus and now training as you put it, very close --
SOARES: Yes --
PLEITGEN: To Polish territory.
SOARES: Yes, which begs the question, really, of what kind of deal was had between Lukashenko-Putin, and of course, the Wagner leader. Fred Pleitgen,
appreciate it, thanks very much, Fred. Now, the Bradley Fighting Vehicle was largely designed for land war in Europe that really never happened.
During the cold war, the U.S. wanted a tank killer that could take on Soviet armor and deliver troops to the battlefield.
Instead, the Bradley went to the Middle East, seeing heavy use in Iraq. But in the hands of Ukrainian forces, the Bradley is getting a chance really to
return to its original mission. Our Alex Marquardt reports on how western gear is being used to take on deeply-entrenched Russian troops.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ALEX MARQUARDT, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In a secret basement bunker, part of Ukraine's 47th mechanized brigade is
desperately trying to find out how to punch through Russian lines.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There are a lot of Russians.
MARQUARDT (on camera): there are a lot of Russians.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: In here and overall. They have more guns, they have more shells, and they have more people.
MARQUARDT (voice-over): CNN was given an exclusive look at this battalion command post at the very front of Ukraine's counteroffensive in the south,
filled with maps and feeds from drones. Stanislav(ph) closely watches dozens of drone feeds, helping artillery teams try to take out Russian
positions.
(on camera): And you can see that from here, you can see how close they are.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes --
MARQUARDT: And you can tell them what?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And we guide them.
MARQUARDT: You can redirect them farther --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes --
MARQUARDT: And closer left, right?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
MARQUARDT: How do you think the fight is going in your section?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's tough. It's tough.
MARQUARDT (voice-over): The no-man's land between the two sides is heavily pockmarked with craters from thousands of artillery rounds. But it's these
little white dots, some of the countless anti-tank and anti-personnel mines that the Russians have laid that are part of what is making Ukraine's
advance so limited. De-mining teams called sappers bravely cross the densely-mined battlefield, often under fire, to defuse or detonate the
Russian mines.
(MINE BLOWS UP)
Charles(ph) is a sapper who just got back from a mission. "We need to break through the mine barriers", he says, so that equipment and infantry can
pass. The enemy uses constant artillery and mortar fire. It's hard", he says, "very hard". Everyone here, soldiers and generals alike, admit that
over a month into Ukraine's counteroffensive, progress is slower than they would like.
They argue that the Russians had months to dig in and prepare, but Ukraine was preparing as well. Soldiers like this team getting weeks of western
training and all kinds of new equipment. Like this American-armored Bradley Fighting Vehicle, rarely shown to the press. The Bradley team leader, named
Korch(ph), is just 19.
He shows us inside, which is also used to carry troops across the battlefield. "I feel very protected", he says, "we know we're safe because
it can withstand a lot and has a very thick layer of armor and it has been tested in battles."
[14:10:00]
(on camera): Why do you wear the American flag?
(voice-over): Korch(ph) is just four months out from American training in Germany. His U.S. flag patch, a parting gift for good luck from his U.S.
trainer. "The first day of fighting was the most difficult", he tells us. "We didn't know what to expect or what could happen, how events would
unfold. Early setbacks on this front have meant that Ukraine has had to change tactics.
Moving more on foot after many of the newly-acquired vehicles were damaged or destroyed. The team camps out in a narrow tree-line, trying to hide from
Russian drones. When their next order to assault will come, they don't know, but soon, they will be back in the fight. "This is the life here",
the team's gunner says. "You live by the fact that you're preparing for the next mission." Alex Marquardt, CNN in southern Ukraine.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SOARES: Importing reporting there from Alex Marquardt. Now, heat, storms and now hail the size of tennis balls, extreme weather is continuing to
batter large parts of Europe. Right now, most of the southern Italy is under heat alerts, but not the north, where residents in Veneto were hit by
this dramatic hailstorm early on Thursday morning.
More than 100 people were injured by the 10 centimeter -- you can see them there, hail stones. Meantime, temperatures in Greece are expected to keep
rising, parts of the country could hit 44 degrees Celsius over the coming days. The tinderbox conditions increased the threat of wildfires, even of
course, as firefighters are still battling to get multiple large places under control.
Theodoros Skylakakis is Greece Minister of the Environment and Energy, and he joins me now from Athens. Minister, thank you very much for taking the
time to speak to us here on the show, just give our viewers a sense of the scale first of all, of these wildfires that have been burning now for days.
One of them, I understand, pretty close to Athens.
THEODOROS SKYLAKAKIS, MINISTER OF ENVIRONMENT & ENERGY, GREECE: Yes, we've had them before, they are very strong. They are even stronger due to the
extreme weather conditions. We have a lot of heat waves, one has just passed, and there were -- there was a lot of wind after that. And we are
getting into a second heat wave in the next ten days. It's a very warm July, not only in Greece, but I think globally, it's a very warm July.
Climate crisis is here. The Mediterranean is a hot spot of the climate crisis, and we are fighting very difficult battles, especially against
wildfires.
SOARES: How many acres of -- already been burned, Minister, from what you know?
SKYLAKAKIS: Well, we are still counting. It's yet not as bad as in previous years. There was a very bad year, 2021, and then back in 2007, it
was a very bad year as well. Up until now, it's not as bad. But we are still in the middle of the Summer, not even in the middle of --
SOARES: Yes --
SKYLAKAKIS: The Summer.
SOARES: Yes, and from what I understand, fires are common in Greece, like you mentioned there, and other parts of southern Europe, I should add as
well. But hotter, drier and windier Summers have turned, I think it's fair to say, the Mediterranean, Minister, into a wildfire hot spot in recent
years --
SKYLAKAKIS: Yes --
SOARES: So what needs --
SKYLAKAKIS: Exactly --
SOARES: Then, to be done, Minister, to prevent this or prepare for this new normal?
SKYLAKAKIS: Well, there are a lot of things that we have started doing. We are much more prepared in terms of airplanes and helicopters. We have more
than we ever had. We have more firefighters, we are more organized in terms of command and control, and we started doing prevention, we spent hundreds
of millions in the last two years, 150 million just for prevention which is within the forest.
But all over the Mediterranean, and I think, in other places, the U.S. as well, the fact that we have been preventing fires for quite a long time and
not energetically managing our forest means that there is a lot of material within the forest that turn these fires to extremely difficult fires to
handle. So, this is a big problem. The fact that these forests are full of mass that can burn because they have not been, let's say, managed for
decades, in fact.
SOARES: On that point, you mentioned preparedness in terms of helicopters, airplanes. But I'm keen to focus on the prevention here. Because it then
becomes probably a policy perspective.
[14:15:00]
What does the government need to be considering here? I'm wondering in terms of prior to reaching the heat wave point, looking at, taking care --
SKYLAKAKIS: OK --
SOARES: Of forests, for example. How early on in the year are you -- are you doing the prevention?
SKYLAKAKIS: Well, it has to be massive preventions. We have to build new ways to stop fires that are turning into mega fires, and these are
extremely difficult to stop, so we have to prepare strategic zones to try and contain them, so that you don't have a fire that burns half -- hundreds
of thousands of -- not -- tens of thousands of acres.
SOARES: Yes --
SKYLAKAKIS: We have different measures in Europe, in terms of how we describe it. And to do that, you need both money plus the ability of
involving the private sector and using the markets to use that, that must have come out of the forest so that it can make economic sense to spend
more money into prevention. We need --
SOARES: So is the private sector then on board on this, Minister? Because, clearly --
SKYLAKAKIS: Well --
SOARES: It needs to be part of policy.
SKYLAKAKIS: It needs to be part of our policy. It cannot be done only through public spending.
SOARES: Yes --
SKYLAKAKIS: We have tried to -- we have changed totally the policy in terms of public spending. We have three, four, five times the money that
went for prevention before. But we need also to get the public -- the private sector on board, and we also need to use that mass that comes out
of the forest for various practical reasons.
Either to turn it into biofuels or to turn it into energy or to turn it into a wood product, so that, forest, much bigger part of our economies, in
order to protect them, this is --
SOARES: Absolutely --
SKYLAKAKIS: Something new that we didn't have to deal before. But we will lose our forests if we don't manage them, we're in a totally different
manner compared to what we did before. I think, all over -- all over climate crisis hot spots, this is true.
SOARES: Indeed, bio-diversity, all tied to the economy, all very important. Minister Theodoros Skylakakis, really appreciate you taking the
time to speak to us. Thank you, Minister.
SKYLAKAKIS: Thank you, goodnight.
SOARES: Well, the Women's World Cup is now underway in Australia and New Zealand. The two host nations won their opening matches, which is
especially meaningful for New Zealand. They hadn't won a single match in any of their previous appearances in the tournament up until now. They
stunned Norway, 1-0.
And after an opening ceremony celebrating mariculture and its famous Haka war dance which we all know, athletes from 32 teams are playing in front of
record crowds over the next month. Keeping an eye on all of this for us is our World Sport anchor, Don Riddell. And Don, what a fairytale beginning
for New Zealand defeating Norway in that opening game there.
DON RIDDELL, CNN WORLD SPORT ANCHOR: Yes, it was a fairytale, Isa, and it was very emotional. Of course, it was always going to be emotional in New
Zealand and Australia hosting the World Cup tournament for the first-time. But remember, just what nine-ten hours before the kickoff in Auckland,
there was a fatal mass shooting incident.
And so, you know, the whole country was just kind of wrenched from one extreme emotion to the other. And of course, so much pride in hosting this
tournament -- co-hosting this tournament, and of course, nobody would have expected a moment of silence to be a part of the opening ceremony in the
pre-game festivities. But there it was. The New Zealand team, arguably, with their toughest game of the group stage against Norway, who are the
former champions.
The Norwegian team is packed full of stars, New Zealand had never ever won a game of football in the World Cup, 15 World Cup games previously, 12
defeats. And here they are kicking off against the toughest opponent. So, it was a really brilliant night for the Kiwi team, only one goal in it, it
was very tight, that goal coming early in the second half.
It was a breakaway goal and Hannah Wilkinson got herself on the end of it at Eden Park. And when you see the goal and you see the reaction, the
response from the players, and hear the roar of the crowd at Eden Park, some 43,000 fans just losing their minds, you could see what it meant to
the players, the fans, the whole country.
[14:20:00]
Could have been even better, had Ria Percival not struck the crossbar with a very late penalty. But it didn't matter, massive win for New Zealand.
Just listen to the thoughts of their co-captain, Ali Riley.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ALI RILEY, CO-CAPTAIN, NEW ZEALAND WOMEN'S NATIONAL FOOTBALL TEAM: I am so proud. We've been fighting for this for so long. And we had a clear goal
that we wanted to inspire young girls, young people around this country and around the world. And I really think we did that tonight. Anything is
possible.
I think there have been a lot of doubters because of the results we've had, but we believed. We believed in ourselves this entire game. We believed in
ourselves from the very beginning, and we showed it, we played with confidence and with poise and Vic was incredible, the defending was
incredible and the finish. This is what dreams are made of.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
RIDDELL: New Zealand have never made it out of the group stage of the World Cup, perhaps this is going to be their time. And it was a big night
for both of the host nations, Australia beating Ireland, the Irish making their World Cup debut. The Aussies without Sam Kerr, their star, who is
injured, winning that game by a goal to nil as well, Isa
SOARES: So, Don, 32 teams, who are the favorites? Who are the pundits backing here?
RIDDELL: Well, it's really hard to bet against the United States --
SOARES: Yes --
RIDDELL: They have been the preeminent force in women's football, both on and off the field, growing the game, fighting for equality in pay and
working conditions. So, the Americans always the favorite. Even though, they haven't exactly been stellar in the years between the last World Cup
and this. But they're going for a three-peat, it's going to be a highly emotional tournament for them.
Megan Rapinoe is going to be playing in her final World Cup, Alex Morgan leading the line, and they've got a host of really exciting new young stars
who have been coming through, and they are about to be introduced to the world. So, don't look too much further than the United States if you're
looking for a clear favorite, but as I say, the game has been growing so rapidly in the last few years. And Europe in particular has made great
strides --
SOARES: Yes --
RIDDELL: So, a lot of European teams here with high hopes, including the current European champions, England, The Lionesses.
SOARES: Yes, absolutely, see what they can do. I know team Portugal are in the same group as team USA, so here's hoping, Don.
(LAUGHTER)
Great to see you, Don, thanks very much.
RIDDELL: All right --
SOARES: And still to come tonight, Donald Trump could soon face an unprecedented third indictment. We'll have the very latest and the grand
jury meeting today in Washington. That story just ahead for you.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[14:25:00]
SOARES: We are closely watching for developments in a Washington D.C. courtroom this very hour, as a grand jury could soon vote to indict Donald
Trump in connection with efforts to overturn the presidential election he lost in 2020. We don't know an indictment is coming for sure, but Trump
says his special counsel has notified him that he's a target of this investigation and has until today if he chooses to testify.
Trump has already been indicted, if you remember, in two separate cases. An unprecedented situation, of course, for a former U.S. President who is
actively campaigning for the White House again. I want to bring in CNN senior crime and justice reporter Katelyn Polantz for more. So, Katelyn,
all eyes then on this federal grand jury meeting in Washington. What are you hearing from your sources about what may happen today, and whether a
possible indictment may come today?
KATELYN POLANTZ, CNN SENIOR CRIME & JUSTICE REPORTER: Well, the indictment could come at anytime that he grand jury is meeting. Now, it depends on the
Justice Department's decision-making, their sense of timing, now that they have notified Donald Trump he is a target of this investigation. The very
likely already have a good sense of the case they want to bring before the grand jury for approval.
And so, in this investigation, the grand jury, they are gathered today, but from what we know from our sources, is that they are still at work. Their
work is confidential, and they have been working for months and months bringing in witnesses, hearing testimony, they even heard from former Vice
President Mike Pence and some of the top advisors around Donald Trump previously.
But today, they're hearing from at least, two people. One of them was a personal aide to Donald Trump, also had worked in the White House. He had
testified before, so, was coming back potentially as what you would call a cleanup witness or something, to flush out a part of this story. But we
really just don't know exactly when the indictment will come, and how much of a breath it would have to capture what happened after the 2020 election
and leading up to end on January 6th.
We know that Trump is facing some pretty serious possible charges that the grand jury could approve, but we just don't know the meat of what will
happen here. And so, here at this courthouse today, the grand jury, they are still meeting as far as we can tell. There are many prosecutors still
at work here, and the business of Washington, as you can probably hear --
SOARES: Yes --
POLANTZ: It's grinding on. Not only are there other things happening inside the courthouse today and other hearings, there's also a political
protest parade that's going on just out here on the street, has nothing to do whatsoever with anything else that would be happening inside the court
house today.
SOARES: A political parade, I love it, it's very colorful indeed. Let's talk about then Donald Trump's possible legal troubles here, Katelyn,
because Trump, from what I understand, is now expanding his legal team. Any sense, Katelyn, of what their strategy will be here as they -- as they deal
with this legal logjam.
POLANTZ: It is a logjam. I mean, their strategy almost certainly would be to fight the case at every possible juncture, both on timing, on the law,
on the facts. That is a typical approach for a defense attorney, especially someone who is client, like Donald Trump would never apparently be willing
to plead guilty. That is just not something that would be within Trump's nature as far as we know of him.
And so, in the Florida case, the federal case against him related to documents he retained at Mar-a-Lago after his presidency, and then in this
January 6 proceeding that may emerge from the courthouse, there's just a lot of legal work to be done. And so, the January 6 side of things, there
had been lawyers that were working on that for several months doing proceedings inside this building, all kinds of witness discussions, making
sure they had a good handle on what was going on in the investigation.
Those people are gone, they added a new lawyer, and when that indictment comes, they're going to have to figure out exactly how they will want to
fight it in court.
SOARES: Katelyn Polantz there for us in Washington, thanks very much, Katelyn. And still to come tonight, new moves by Russia could have an
impact on the global food supply, we'll talk to a World Food Program representative, that's just ahead. Plus, anti-government protests in Kenya
over tax hikes turn violent as demonstrators clash with security forces. You are watching CNN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[14:30:00]
(MUSIC PLAYING)
SOARES: Welcome back, everyone.
Officials in Ukraine are accusing Russia of grossly violating international obligations. That comes after the Russian defense ministry said all ships
sailing into ports in the Black Sea would be considered military ships.
The Ukraine foreign ministry went on to accuse Russia of trying to increase world food prices through its withdrawal from the Black Sea grain
initiative. What will be the impact then, on the global food supply, I want to get our guest for that.
Joining us now is Matthew Hollingworth, the WFP Ukraine representative.
Matthew, really appreciate you being with, us this evening on the show. I'm sure you have been, seeing, you have seen reporting you would have heard as
well from your teams on the ground, that the last three, nights we have been showing our viewers, Russia really pummeling the south.
Odessa, Mykolaiv and targeting specifically, says president, Zelenskyy the country's port infrastructure.
What impact is this happening on grain storage?
And any possible shipments. Here
MATTHEW HOLLINGWORTH, UKRAINE REPRESENTATIVE AND COUNTRY DIRECTOR, WORLD FOOD PROGRAMME: I, mean clearly since the decision by the Russian
Federation earlier this week to pull out of the Black Sea initiative, we have been looking very carefully at the impact of our operations globally
and our operations here in Ukraine.
There are three key problems with Russia pulling out, terminating their involvement in the Black Sea initiative. First of, all is that we relied on
the Black Sea initiative to move 725,000 tons of food to people living in places like Afghanistan and Yemen, Ethiopia, Somalia, Sudan and so on,
countries that desperately need that food assistance.
[14:35:00]
HOLLINGWORTH: This was a country where we could guarantee on high quality, competitive market price food and it was the largest single sourcing nation
last year for the World Food Programme, despite the conflict, despite the invasion.
So that's going to leave a massive hole in our operations of trying to get food to people around the world that desperately need. It there's 345
million people living in severe food insecurity right now. So that should not be underestimated.
The second thing obviously is the impact globally, sorry, on the food prices and availability. We have seen an 8 percent rise on both sides of
the Atlantic, in the last 24 hours on the price of, wheat that is going to hit a lot of poorer people around the, world in their pocket.
It will mean global food insecurity, if those prices stick. And if they stick at that level. Obviously, what worries me, as the representative here
inside Ukraine, is the devastating impact on the farming economy of this country.
It's 15 percent farmers or 15 percent of the employment workforce of this country, if they don't, farm if there is no incentive to farm, because they
cannot get their produce, to market, then it's going to have a long-lasting impact on this, nation as well as the rest of the. World
That's just part of the food systems. Truck drivers will not be having any, work, stevedores in the ports. All of the other food systems, activities
that support an agricultural economy is important as, this all suffering because of this decision.
SOARES: They are also interconnected. Let me focus on your first point. The hole it was going to leave in your operations.
What are the options, then, to try to get the grain moving again?
Do you believe, given everything we've seen in the last few, days that Russia will return to the agreement?
Or are you looking at option, B option C here?
HOLLINGWORTH: We are a humanitarian organization. We are used to working in the most complex, chaotic environments. We've always got a, plan B and a
plan C.
What we hope though, is that we can see the world come together to get the Russian Federation back to the negotiating table. I think Secretary General
made it very clear in his speech earlier this week that many of the issues that the Russian Federation raised have actually been part or almost net.
So we want them to come back to the table, because it's not just about Ukraine; it's about global food security. And none of us, in a time when we
see weather extremes, climate, extremes around the world and we are still at a 10-year high in terms of food costs around the world, we cannot afford
to lose as important a sourcing country, a food producer as this from the global market.
SOARES: Do you know whether the U.N. is already talking, is in conversation with president, Putin with Russia trying to bring him back on
board?
You know if these conversations are happening behind the scenes?
HOLLINGWORTH: Absolutely certain the United Nations are not going to give up on this issue and will continue everything it can to try and find a
result, to ensure the safety of vessels in the northwestern part of the Black Sea, to ensure that food can continue to leave this country.
If we will certainly have other options, in terms of solidarity, lanes in terms of other routes out of the country. But none of them are going to
replace what we currently. Lost But it's only a few days.
The market still is jittery. We need to see how the rest of the world actually recovers in terms of the market, whether it can stabilize. And we
need to have a little bit of time yet to get these actors back together and negotiating and coming to an. Agreement
SOARES: Speaking of actors and negotiating, here I was speaking to one of the negotiators behind the grain deal. This is what he told me yesterday.
Have a listen to. This
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DAVID HARLAND, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, CENTRE FOR HUMANITARIAN DIALOGUE: They will probably find it hard to walk back. So they will probably only agree
to humanitarian shipments.
I think the World Food Programme could step in, I think if Russia would agree to, that so that at least the world's most needy people in the
world's most food-short countries would get supplies from Ukraine, which is such a big contributor to the grain market.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SOARES: Matthew, David Hartman was pretty pessimistic when I spoke to him yesterday about Russia coming back on board.
What do you make then of this idea that Russia may only agree to humanitarian shipments and the WFP would have to chip in?
Is that part of the other considerations that you are looking at?
That you think are being talked about here?
[14:40:00]
HOLLINGWORTH: Look, from our perspective, of the 33 million tons of food that managed to get out of Ukraine since last July through the Black Sea
initiative, 20 percent of it went to the global south. And that was trading. That was through normal economic agreements between those, nations
and this nation.
The humanitarian assistance that went out is very, very important. But we cannot underestimate the importance of global availability, global
accessibility because of Ukraine.
So I think we need to push harder than simply only having a humanitarian delivery system through some sort of partial agreement. We need more than
that if we are going to actually achieve and continue to achieve some form of stability, when the world already is seeing just enormous levels of food
insecurity.
SOARES: Matthew Hollingworth, we appreciate you taking the time to speak to us this evening, thank you very much.
Still to come tonight, new concerns about the alleged mistreatment of migrants seeking to cross into the U.S. state of Texas. We'll have updates
from the Rio Grande valley. That's next.
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SOARES: Turning now to complaints about the alleged treatment of migrants crossing the border into the Texas. The U.S. Justice Department has
received reports that state troopers were ordered to push migrants back into a river separating Texas and Mexico and to avoid giving them drinking
water.
The department is calling it "troubling" and it's assessing the. Reports governor Greg Abbott's office says that no one was given orders that would
jeopardize migrants' lives. Rosa Flores has been following this development.
And Rosa, these reports should be of concern to many.
What have you been seeing on the ground?
ROSA FLORES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Let me show you around, because this is one of the very popular crossings here in Eagle Pass, Texas, because the
water is very shallow on the Rio Grande.
About those allegations, I actually just talked to two women who are pregnant and who crossed in the past week. They both say that they asked
the Texas National Guard for water and they say that they were denied multiple times.
Now one of the woman specifically said, the second time that she asked for water, that the Texas National Guard actually showed her their handcuffs
instead of providing water.
So she said that at that point it was very difficult, for her it was very, emotional, she was pregnant, she said that she just jumped into the, water
on the, Rio Grande to get out of the, heat because it was so, hot and she just wanted a little water. Both women say that, what they had to do is
continue walking down --
[14:45:00]
FLORES: -- this concertina water -- wire -- until they were able to turn themselves in.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JESUS FUENTES, OWNER, EPI'S CANOE AND KAYAK: We're in the middle of the Rio Grande.
FLORES (voice-over): Jesus Fuentes grew up riding the waters of the Rio Grande in Eagle Pass, Texas.
FUENTES: It's a river that I love.
FLORES (voice-over): And in 2015, he turned his passion into a business, launching Epi's Canoe and Kayak.
FLORES: What was business like?
FUENTES: It was beautiful.
(LAUGHTER)
FLORES (voice-over): Fuentes even organized races on the river but not anymore.
GOV. GREG ABBOTT (R-TX): We're securing the border at the border.
FLORES (voice-over): Governor Greg Abbott has deployed concertina wire, shipping containers and most recently, 1,000 feet of floating border
barrier and netting on the river. The buoys are four feet in diameter and anchored to the bottom of the waterway.
ABBOTT: A strategy that no state has ever before deployed, to stop people from entering Texas illegally.
FLORES (voice-over): The State of Texas did not exactly follow the law when it started installing the buoys on the Rio Grande.
According to the U.S. State Department, a series of treaties between the U.S. and Mexico governed the use of the water on the Rio Grande and Texas
not only didn't consult with the U.S. federal government before installing the buoys, it didn't obtain a permit.
FUENTES: It used to be a beautiful pristine island.
FLORES (voice-over): Fuentes points to an island on the river that he says Texas also destroyed. Here's what the island looked like on Google Earth.
Here's what it looks like now. The island is gone, the vegetation is dead, a road and concertina wire taking its place.
FUENTES: It made me want to cry. It was sad.
FLORES (voice-over): Fuentes filed the lawsuit claiming the buoys will prevent him from making a living. And Mexico's top diplomat complained to
Washington saying the buoys violate two treaties between the countries, including one that prohibits construction that deflects or obstructs the
flow of the river.
Mexico is also concerned the buoys may be on their territory.
MAGALI URBINA, TEXAS LANDOWNER: This is our property.
FLORES (voice-over): Magali and Hugo Urbina say they too have complained about Texas but for installing concertina wire on their land and for
refusing to remove it.
HUGO URBINA, TEXAS LANDOWNER: Has DPS taken over control of our entire properties?
Yes.
Are we in support of it?
No, we are not.
FLORES (voice-over): But the most alarming part of it all is what they say they witnessed. Migrants needing help and Texas National Guard members just
standing there.
M. URBINA: I asked, "Aren't you all going to help?"
And they just sat there and they said, "We can't. We can't get on to your property."
They told us not to get on the property. They told us not even to give them water.
And I said, "Fine."
And then I just turned around and we just kept helping people out.
FLORES (voice-over): Texas National Guard denies the allegations. The Urbinas' account come after Texas DPS released emails showing top brass
acknowledging an increase in migrant injuries from concertina wire.
And a Texas State Trooper blowing the whistle to superiors about a 19-year- old stuck on the wire while having a miscarriage, a 4-year old passed out due to exhaustion and about being ordered to push migrants into the river
and denying them water, allegations the agency denies.
Maverick County Sheriff Tom Schmerber says he has never witnessed State Troopers mistreat migrants but he's worried the buoys could mean more
migrant deaths.
SHERIFF TOM SCHMERBER, MAVERICK COUNTY, TX: I hope that I'm wrong. But I think we are going to have some people drawn in (ph) that are here.
FUENTES: I want to be that voice for the river because the river can't speak for itself.
FLORES: Are you afraid of going against the State of Texas?
FUENTES: Am I afraid?
No.
Is my business suffering?
Yes.
Is my heart suffering?
Yes.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
FLORES: Now the U.S. Department of Justice says that it's assessing all of these allegations. It's also working with other federal agencies. But it is
unclear, if legal action will be. Taken
SOARES: Rosa Flores for us there in Eagle Pass, Texas, with that fantastic, report thank you very much, we appreciate. It
New details about what happened when a U.S. soldier crossed into North Korea, at the demilitarized, zone. A witness says, a group was on a tour
when Pvt. Travis King went across. Now U.S. authorities say that King would have faced additional disciplinary actions in the U.S. as a consequence for
being detained in South Korea for assault.
Will Ripley has the very latest for. You
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
WILL RIPLEY, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: The Korean DMZ, the demilitarized zone, is one of the most heavily fortified border areas in
the world. That's why you have barricades and spike strips at all of these military checkpoints, to try to prevent people from going, in or coming
out.
There's a reason why this road has tank traps. Basically if a tank comes rolling, down they will blow up to stop an invasion from the North to the.
South and the North has similar booby traps up as well. So obviously it's a highly secured, area.
How did this U.S. Army private just run across?
Well, we're learning that on, Monday at Inchon airport, about a 90 minute drive, from where we're standing. Right now he was supposed to get on an
American Airlines flight to Dallas.
[14:50:00]
RIPLEY: But he told after going through all of the, procedures all the, security right at the gate to the, plane he claimed that he had lost his.
Passport and was escorted back outside of the airport, somehow made his way here on Tuesday, where he was able to, board get on a, tour.
He had booked a tour. It was -- apparently the passenger manifest was approved by the United Nations command and he along with about 40 other,
people took a bus down this road over this unification (ph) bridge and less than five miles, that way is the joint security, area where he was able to
basically, according to others who were on the tour with, him run across, ignoring the calls of, guards and getting into a North Korean van where he
was whisked away.
Now where he is now, after being in North Korean custody for Wednesday and now Thursday, still an open, question, because the North Koreans have not
released any information publicly. And it may be quite some time before we officially know anything about this soldier's, whereabouts or when he might
have a, chance of getting back to the U.S. -- Will Ripley, CNN, in South Korea near the DMZ.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SOARES: A shocking story from India, graphic video has emerged on social media showing two women in Manipur state being sexually assaulted.
Protesters turned out to condemn the attack as well as ongoing ethnic violence in the northeastern state.
Out of respect for the victims, CNN's not showing the video at this time. It dates from May and shows the terrified women surrounded by a mob of men
and forced to walk naked through a crowd.
An Indigenous group says the women were gang raped after the events shown in the video. Prime minister Narendra Modi called the images shameful and
promises punishment for those responsible.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NARENDRA MODI, INDIAN PRIME MINISTER (voice-over): And I want to assure, the country men that no culprit will be spared. The law, with all its,
might and, strictness will take steps one by one. Whatever has happened with the daughters of Manipur will never be forgiven.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SOARES: And we will be back after this short break.
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SOARES: A $2 ticket has just made one lucky person a billionaire. And it is a dream. Scenario it came true for the person who bought the winning
Powerball lottery ticket, from this convenience store in California. The jackpot in Wednesday night's drawing was the third largest in Powerball
history, we don't know the winner's identity yet. But we hope they've stashed their ticket of, course somewhere safe.
[14:55:00]
SOARES: It is worth $1.08 billion or $558 million in cash. Good luck to them.
A Florida jury has awarded a family $800,000 after their child was burned by a hot chicken McNugget. The jury found that McDonald's and the franchise
owner failed to properly warn or provide reasonable instructions on possible harm from the hot food item.
The suit was originally filed in 2019. It claimed the 4 year old was left disfigured and scarred after a hot nugget burned her body. CNN is awaiting
comment from Archer Foods as well McDonald's.
Well, officers are still combing the streets of Berlin. They are searching for unusual fugitive, a lioness on the loose. Helicopters and 100 officers
are taking part in the search, which started after reports of a lion chasing a wild boar just down the street. There is no, word yet on where
the lioness came from.
A spokesperson says no animal parks, zoos or circuses are missing any animals. Police are warning people to stay, indoors even our Fred Pleitgen
told me at the top of the. Show and he is urging them to bring pets inside the big cat is, of course, caught.
That's probably for the, but as one resident, says I've got two little dachshunds who are probably the ideal food for a lioness.
That does it for me, tonight thank you so much for your, company do stay right, here. "QUEST MEANS BUSINESS" is next.
END
