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One World with Zain Asher

Maui Wildfires Death Toll Rises To 96; Mount Etna Erupts; DA Fani Willis Fani Willis Presents Election Subversion Evidence To A Grand Jury; Niger's Junta Signals Readiness To Meet With The West African Block, ECOWAS; Presidential Election Happens In Ecuador On Sunday; Trump Takes The Spotlight In The Iowa State Fair; Meta Boss Mark Zuckerberg Says He Doesn't Think Elon Musk Is Serious About A Cage Fight Against Him; Australia's Semi-Final Against England Reaches New Heights; Perseid Meteor Shower Lights Over Balkan Skies. Aired 12-1p ET

Aired August 14, 2023 - 12:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[12:00:26]

CHRISTINA MACFARLANE, CNN INTERNATIONAL HOST: Hello, I'm Christina Macfarlane live in London and this is One World. We begin in Maui where the

death toll has risen to 96 in what is now the deadliest wildfire in the U.S. in more than a century. Only about three percent of the fire zone has

been searched by cadaver dogs. As of Saturday, authorities are asking family members to provide DNA to help identify the dead. Also, staggering

the damage estimates which are now approaching $6 billion. Survivors sharing horror stories of what they encountered.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MIKE CICCHINO, LAHAINA RESIDENT: You know, thank God that I left my house - - that Joe go check around the neighborhood because that was the only warning that I got was actually seeing the houses on fire. You just see

everything being caught on fire and people running and for their lives. You know, kids screaming, babies being handed off to other people. It was

something out of a volcano or like a war movie.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MACFARLANE: Meanwhile, outrage and questions are growing about the response to the disaster. The governor has ordered a comprehensive review of what

happened, including why warning sirens were never activated. We're expecting another update from him later today at 9:30 P.M. Eastern time.

And all of this as we get a better idea of the extraordinary speed with which the flames spread through the historic town of Lahaina. Hawaii's

governor comparing it to a fire hurricane that traveled a mile a minute. CNN's Bill Weir takes us to the hard-hit community.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BILL WEIR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: This is the line that the fire department on this part of Lahaina held. They decided we're going to keep it here, this

particular neighborhood. Most of it survived as a result. But let me show you the contrast right here.

This is the home of Archie Kalepa. He is a legendary surfer, lifeguard, a waterman hall of famer on Maui, ninth generation Hawaiian family from the

Lahaina area. And you can see what the spirit of Ohana or family, in the islands means as everybody on Maui and from around the islands began

flooding donations here. So, they've set up a command post, improvised first responders here, all volunteers, all people from the community. And

they've created several of these pods around the burned area of the fire zone.

You can see all the diapers and critical supplies, the water and food. People just coming in here and it's sort of a self-organizing system.

Archie has great leadership experience as a lifeguard extraordinaire, and it's all coming to play right now. People trust him. He does say that the

state and federal response is getting a bad rap.

Let me ask you about the immediate response right now. There's a perception, as we've been outside of the perimeter, that there's no federal

or real official state response and most of the work in the frontlines are being done by people like you, grassroots just improvised first responders.

Is that fair? What's really happening? What do you need?

ARCHIE KALEPA, MAUI RESIDENT: I don't think that's fair. I don't think that's fair because this is a crime scene. This right here is a crime

scene. And so, what people don't understand is the government has to do due diligence before they start moving in. So, they're at thirty thousand feet.

They're looking, evaluating about how they need to come in to begin to facilitate this operation. At the same time, they have to figure out how to

take care of this operation. And so, you know, that is not easy.

WEIR: So, it's a humanitarian response in the middle of a working crime scene.

KALEPA: Exactly. The truth of the matter is, when you look at the overall devastation, we are not going to be ready to allow people to see what we're

living through in six months.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MACFARLANE: Bill Weir, our thanks to him. Let's bring in CNN's Mike Valerio. He's joining us with very latest on the ground from Maui.

[12:05:00]

And we have been saying, Mike, that as we understand it, this fire spread of a rate of one minute a mile, which is shockingly quick. We heard in

Bill's report there, residents responding to criticism about slow response to these fires. What are authorities saying about that there?

MIKE VALERIO, CNN U.S. NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Authorities in short, Christina, are saying that this disaster was outside the realm of

possibility. But I think that they're being very quiet about what could have been done to minimize the loss of human life because there is this

ongoing brand-new investigation that authorities from the state of Hawaii have announced really bowing to public pressure.

Members of the public who are outraged, pointing to the fact that from their points of view, climate change is becoming a reality. Disasters that

were unthinkable in disparate parts of the world are now frankly reality. There were signs that brushfires were becoming more common throughout the

island chain of Hawaii in recent years.

Also, we have government reports put together by the state in February 2022 rating the danger from wildfires as very low. The state recognizing that

tsunami dangers, earthquake, volcano should be taken seriously. But even though the state looked at the potential for changing climate, all the

things they could combine into disasters. The state in this master report again from February 2022, saying that wildfire danger remained low.

Also, the lawsuit that is new as of this weekend, a couple from Lahaina filing a what they hope will become a class action lawsuit which could

carry more severe penalties, saying that the utility, the electric company Hawaiian Electric had the duty and failed to shut off power during

dangerous conditions when wind speeds reached gusts of up to 130 kilometers an hour.

This is important because in the state of California, for instance, after the 2018 Camp Fire disaster, when 85 people died and the entire town of

Paradise, or nearly the entire town, was wiped out by fire, utility companies there have started to, in high wind events, turn off the power in

energized lines that have a danger of falling over, snapping and creating a spark on dry vegetation.

So, this lawsuit is saying that the company was negligent and is somehow responsible for what happened. Now, with accountability and the search for

accountability comes anguish. I want you to listen to what we were told speaking to a woman at this very checkpoint hours ago on that front. Listen

to what she told us.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SUSAN SLOBODNJAK, MAUI RESIDENT: When I drove through on Friday, I had no clue what I was going through. I got so, everything's gone. I lost friends

in there, you know, they were going back to get their animals, you know, and she died. So, I mean, you know, it's really sad because people come

over here, you know, I heard there was a snorkeling boat looking at Lahaina Town. Give them respect, you know, it's so bad. This is, you know, people

died here. You know people, I mean it's not just a vacation -- it's not just a place for vacation. We live here.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

VALERIO: And I think that's the main point that Susan and a whole host of other people who have come through this checkpoint to the disaster zone

want us to convey to our viewers in Europe, Africa, North America, the rest of the audience that watches us and our other broadcast friends that this

isn't just an idea. This isn't just a far-away movie set, a place where Oprah lives part-time. This is the soul and the identity of thousands of

people, of an entire native community and they just want the world to know that this is a slow-moving disaster where hundreds of people, Christina,

right now are still considered missing and the worst may get to come.

MACFARLANE: Yeah, so many, as you say, loved ones still missing, their anguish is definitely understandable. Mike Valerio there, live from the

island of Maui, thank you. One of Europe's most active volcanoes has erupted, leading to the temporary closure of Sicily's Catania International

Airport. These dramatic pictures show a fountain of red lava spewing up from Mount Etna. Flights to and from Catania, a popular tourist destination

have been suspended. The airport had just resumed operations after its major fire in a terminal building last month.

Let's bring in CNN Meteorologist Derek Van Dam for more on the volcano and the weather conditions. These pictures are extraordinary. Derek, just talk

us through the impact this is having.

DEREK VAN DAM, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Yeah, Catania Airport there actually serviced about 10 million customers just last year alone. So, a popular

tourist destination for Sicily and much of southern Europe. A lot of people filtering through in and out of that airport. And so, you can imagine with

customers just last year alone.

[12:10:00]

So, a popular tourist destination for Sicily and much of southern Europe. A lot of people filtering through in and out of that airport. And so, you can

imagine with Mount Etna just kind of residing to the north that authorities watch that closely because Mount Etna has erupted in the past, several

decades, and continues to see some of this lava flow and ash flow actually billow into the upper levels of the atmosphere.

We zoomed in on Sicily, there's Catania and there's Mount Etna, and you can actually see the puff of smoke that occurred when this latest eruption from

Mount Etna actually took place within the past six hours or so. And it's all thanks to these northerly winds that are driving that smoke into the

airfield space. And when we talk about airlines and we talk about airplanes and ashfall, and -- they just simply do not mix. And here is the reason

why.

Ashfall actually consists of tiny pieces of glass. So, once it enters the turbines of a jet engine, it actually sees those ash particles melt.

Eventually, they're going to cool on the other side of the turbine, and they solidify. And eventually, that can stall an engine of a jetliner

causing it to fall from the sky. That was what authorities are so concerned about and Christina, that is exactly the reason why they have suspended

airline activities from that airport.

MACFARLANE: Understandable. Would not want to be in an aircraft flying anywhere near that vicinity.

VAN DAM: That's right.

MACFARLANE: Derek, thanks very much.

VAN DAM: Welcome.

MACFARLANE: Well, this week could be pivotal for former U.S. President Donald Trump. This is the scene outside the Fulton County courthouse in

Atlanta, Georgia. Right now, it's believed the District Attorney, Fani Willis, is presenting evidence of election subversion to a grand jury.

Sources tell CNN, the D.A. could seek indictments against more than 12 people, including the former president. If Mr. Trump is indicted, it would

be the fourth time since April.

Now, keep in mind, these are state charges, not the federal ones handed down by the special prosecutor. And that means any indictment would be made

public right away. And if convicted, Mr. Trump would not be able to pardon himself on state charges if he is reelected next year. All along, Mr. Trump

has maintained his innocence.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT: We don't take plea deals. It's a wise- guy question.

UNKNOWN: Are you gonna change your --

TRUMP: We don't take plea deals because I did nothing wrong.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MACFARLANE: Well, CNN's Zachary Cohen is joining us now from Atlanta with the latest. And Zachary, this is the culmination of two and a half years'

work from Fani Willis. Just walk us through the expectations here for the scope and seriousness of the case she may present today.

ZACHARY COHEN, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY REPORTER: Yeah, we know that there's at least one witness that is expected to present testimony and talk --

appear before the grand jury today, which means that we could be on indictment watch starting as early as this afternoon. But we also know

there's two additional witnesses that are scheduled to appear tomorrow, as well. So, we're gonna have to watch and see how that plays out, how that

might impact the timing of charges.

But as you mentioned, Fani Willis, the district attorney here, is expected to bring charges against at least a dozen individuals, and that may include

the former president. She's been building a very broad and very expansive case into this -- or as part of this investigation into efforts to overturn

the 2020 election. She's been looking into efforts to put forward fake slates of electors. She's been looking into efforts to pressure state

officials, and she's been looking into a voting system breach that happened in a rural Georgia County about 200 miles south of where we are right now.

So, really, two and a half years of investigating. She's amassed a lot of evidence. She's spoken to a lot of witnesses, and today we know that she's

starting to present that case to the grand jury that will ultimately give her the recommendation of whether or not she should pursue that indictment

or not.

MACFARLANE: Yeah, plenty more to come. Obviously, as you say, just even in the hours ahead, we will be checking back in with you. Thanks very much for

now from Georgia. Well, Niger's junta is signaling it's ready to meet with the West African block, ECOWAS, a delegation from Nigeria met with junta

leaders in Niamey on Sunday. And one member says the junta say they want an audience with ECOWAS to discuss why they overthrew Niger's president.

Well, separately, Niger's junta also claimed, Sunday, it had gathered evidence to prosecute Mohamed Bazoum for high treason and for undermining

Niger's security. Niger has been engulfed in political chaos since Mr. Bazoum was detained in a coup last month.

Well, for more on this, let's turn to CNN's Larry Madowo in Nairobi, Kenya for us. And Larry, this intention to prosecute President Bazoum, I

understand, came just hours after coup leaders indicated they were open to diplomatic talks. So, how is that being read? Is it seen as a sort of

genuine push towards diplomacy on their part?

[12:15:00]

Christina, we just had in the last few minutes a statement from ECOWAS, the Economic Community of West African States, condemning that plan by the

military junta in Niger to prosecute the democratically elected president of Niger for high treason and what they call undermining security of the

country alongside local and external accomplices. And they are saying this because they know some people in the country support them. We've been

hearing some voices say, yes, that's not surprising, especially with the international community constantly calling for his release and these

sanctions that have been applied by ECOWAS.

I want to read a statement -- this part of the statement from ECOWAS that you just dropped. ECOWAS condemns this move as it represents yet another

form of provocation, they say, and contradicts the reported willingness of the military authorities in the Republic of Niger, to restore constitution

order to peaceful means. ECOWAS maintaining that Mohamed Bazoum is the democratically elected president of Niger who should be released and

reinstated immediately.

And I think they're picking up on that mixed signal. You can't tell religious leaders you meet that we're open to negotiation. We have to

explain our position. And so, we will welcome an audience. At the same time, hours later say the elected guy that we deposed will be tried for

high treason, which is a very high charge. Listen to what one of the Nigerian Muslim clerics said after meeting with General Abdourahamane

Tiani, who is the self-declared leader of Niger.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SHEIKH ABDULLAHI BALA LAU, ISLAMIC SCOLAR AND DELEGATION MEMBER: War is an ill wind that blows no one no good. It is a matter of the last resort. And

from what we have seen, we think the situation is redeemable because the Nigerian government is ready and open to dialogue and a peaceful resolution

of these.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LARRY MADOWO, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: These Muslim religious leaders have been meeting with the junta in Niger because they are the only

ones from ECOWAS that they seem keen to meet with, partly because there's a lot of cultural and religious similarities between the Nigerian and

Nigerian people, especially northern Nigerian, southern Niger. So, that's one aspect of this. The African Union Peace and Security Council has also

been meeting today. We haven't received a communique from that yet, but they were meeting to update on the situation in Niger, the first meeting

that the African Union has called on this, even though it has supported the sanctions and the threat of military intervention by ECOWAS. Christina.

MACFARLANE: Larry Madowo there with some important developments in the last few minutes there from ECOWAS. Thanks very much to Larry, live from Kenya.

Now in Ethiopia, at least 26 people were killed and over 50 injured in an explosion in the town of Finota Salam, according to a hospital official.

That same official says it's not clear what kind of attack it was, but his hospital has already treated dozens of others in recent days since fighting

between government forces and the local militia known as FENO erupted earlier this month across the Amhara region.

Now, Ukraine is calling it a clear violation of international law and it's strongly condemning Russia's, quote, provocative actions in the Black Sea.

The Russian Defense Ministry says one of its warships fired warning shots at a dry cargo ship on Sunday that it claims was headed to Ukraine. Russian

soldiers then boarded the vessel. It's the first such instance since Moscow left the U.N. brokered grain deal last month which guaranteed the safe

passage of ships exporting goods from Ukraine.

CNN'S Nick Paton Walsh is live and joins us from Dnipro in Ukraine. And Nick, we know that many of the ports exporting grain have been targeted in

the past but this is the first civilian cargo ship to have been targeted. What more are you learning about this?

NICK PATON WALSH, CNN CHIEF INT'L SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, this less the kind of devastating military assault that Russia's unleashed on actual

grain ports in Ukraine, more I think a very targeted and blatant message to shipping in the area. This -- a Ka-29 military helicopter that hovered

above the Sukru Okan cargo ship and essentially forced its crew to sit in a line while they carried out what they refer to as an inspection. Why? Well,

Russia's pulled out of the grain deal in the Black Sea and has essentially, it seems to create a situation where many ships are deciding just to go it

alone and try and move through that area instead. Instead, this particular move, perhaps a bit to show that in certain circumstances, Russia will

militarily intervene.

Now, what's important here is quite where the ship was headed. It's a Palau-registered cargo ship. Now, it's in the Romanian port of Selina.

That's on the western side of the Danube River, near the Black Sea opening of that river. There are suggestions by the Russians that they believed it

was bound for Izmail on the Ukrainian side of the Danube River and speaking to the shipping company itself, they appear to suggest that someone on the

crew may overnight have changed their destination from Selena to Izmail instead.

[12:20:00]

Unclear if that occurred, why that occurred, still arguably not really Russia's place to the decide to intervene at all. But clearly a message, I

think, with the warning shots fired, with the video they filmed of this extraordinary intervention. Not something you can imagine Russia's quite

beleaguered military are able to do dozens of times a day to really intercept shipping in that particular area. But clearly a signal designed

to put people off from continuing on those routes. Will it work? We don't know. May well not do. Certainly, much of the world needs these continued

shipments to keep grain prices at an affordable level, Christina.

MACFARLANE: Nick Paton Walsh there, live from Dnipro. Thank you. All right, coming up, she was supposed to be there as his running mate when the

Ecuadorian president candidate was shot and killed. An exclusive CNN interview with Andrea Gonzalez Nader ahead. Also --

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RON DESANTIS, REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Virtually all alone in those early times of COVID. I was --

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MACFARLANE: Republican voters make sure that presidential hopefuls know there's a wide gap between the candidates. The story coming up. And later

this hour, a look at which four teams are left in the Women's World Cup. One of them will soon become a first-time champion of the tournament.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MACFARLANE: Voters in Ecuador will go to the polls Sunday in presidential elections after a campaign marked by violence. The killing of candidate

Fernando Villavicencio sent shockwaves through the South American country. Let's take a closer look at what happened. Villavicencio, an investigative

journalist and a former lawmaker, was assassinated on Wednesday after an event in Ecuador's capital. His party is nominating Christian Zurita to

replace him. Zurita is also a journalist who have collaborated with Villavicencio.

A presidential debate was held on Sunday. It began with a moment of silence and an empty podium to honor the slain candidate. The other presidential

hopefuls promised to improve security. Violent crimes stoked by transnational gangs had risen sharply in the country in recent years.

Villavicencio's former running mate will stay on as the party's vice presidential candidate. Andrea Gonzalez-Nader was briefly considered as

presidential candidate but party officials were worried about election rules.

[12:25:00]

Nader says his death marks a disturbing moment for the region and for democracy. She also recalls how close she was to being killed herself.

CNN's Rafael Romo has this exclusive interview.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ANDREA GONZALEZ-NADER, ECUADORIAN VICE-PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I think any other Ecuadorian is at the risk of getting shot right now in the street.

RAFAEL ROMO, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): She was supposed to be there, as his running mate, Andrea Gonzalez Nader, should have been right next to

Ecuadorian presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio when he was shot last Wednesday as he was leading a rally in Quito, the capital.

GONZALEZ-NADER: Fernando was shot three times in the head.

ROMO: Has it sunk in that you could have died because you were supposed to be right next to Fernando that night when he was shot dead.

GONZALEZ-NADER: Yes, I was supposed to be there next to him getting inside the car that had no protection against bullets. We wore no bulletproof vest

because we were trying to get the people this message that we had to be brave.

ROMO (voice-over): In an exclusive CNN interview at a location we're not disclosing for her safety, Gonzales said Villavicencio's murder is yet

another gruesome and shocking example of how fragile democracy is in Latin America as a region. But living in fear, she says, is not an option.

GONZALEZ-NADER: I wanna change this country. I want this country to be a place of peace, a productive country. We're known around the world for our

incredible chocolate, our bananas, our shrimps, our coffee. I love -- I love Ecuador deeply. I believe Ecuador is a paradise and they've turned it

into hell.

ROMO (voice-over): Villavicencio was a 59-year-old lawmaker in the National Assembly known for being outspoken about corruption and violence caused by

drug trafficking in the country. In May, he told CNN en Espanol that Ecuador had become a Narco state. His political platform was centered on

leading a fight against what he called the political mafia.

GONZALEZ-NADER: We knew he was -- there was a high risk of him getting attacked by the same mafia, the same organized crime and the same

politicians that are linked with this organized international crime.

ROMO: After the assassination, current Ecuadorian President Guillermo Lazo declared a state of emergency for 60 days. On Saturday, 4000 members of the

Ecuadorian police and military raided a notorious prison in Guayas province and transferred an alleged leader of a local drug gang to another facility.

ROMO: Gonzalez says organized crime is a regional problem that requires a regional solution. How does Ecuador solve its security problem? Is it

something that Ecuador can do by itself? Or does it need help from the international community?

GONZALEZ-NADER: We need teamwork from international intelligence to find out how to stop this. Cocaine is done in Colombia and gets through Ecuador,

through our coasts where it goes back to Mexico and then it's delivered to the United States and Europe.

ROMO (voice-over): Ecuadorians go to the polls on August 20th for the first round of an election to choose a new president. But even something as

simple as voting is an act of courage in this country, and many may decide to stay home. Rafael Romo, CNN, Quito, Ecuador.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MACFARLANE: All right, coming up, four months, three jurisdictions, and nearly 80 felony counts. And it may not end there. Head will break down a

new case against Donald Trump that could be the most damaging yet.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[12:32:11]

MACFARLANE: Hello and welcome back to One World. Let's catch up now on the latest headlines. Iran has arrested eight foreign nationals in connection

with an attack on a sheer shrine there. It happened in Shiraz in southern Iran. At least one person died and seven others are wounded according to

officials. This is the second deadly attack on the shrine in less than a year.

The U.N. says it's averted an environmental catastrophe in the Red Sea. Crews removed more than a million barrels of oil from a tanker that's been

rotting off of Yemen. Maintenance operations for the FSO Safer were abandoned in 2015 after Yemen's civil war started. Officials warn it was at

risk of breaking up or exploding, which would have caused a major oil spill.

Brazilian superstar Neymar has signed with Saudi Club Al Hilal according to multiple reports. Saudi Arabian state media reports the 31-year-old icon is

making the move from Paris Saint-Germain. The two-year deal is reportedly worth $175 dollars. It comes just weeks after Neymar's teammate, Kilian

Mbappe, rejected a move to Al-Hilal.

Now, it all began with this infamous phone call.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: So, look, all I want to do is this. I just want to find 11,780 votes, which is one more than we have, because we won the state.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MACFARLANE: For more than two and a half years later, a fourth indictment may be looming over former U.S. President Donald Trump. We're learning a

Fulton County grand jury is hearing evidence today into alleged efforts by Trump and his allies to overturn Georgia's 2020 election results.

It's unprecedented on so many levels. Trump is already facing 78 felony counts in three separate criminal indictments in the last four months

alone. But the Georgia investigation has the potential to be the most damaging. If reelected in 2024, Trump, who has repeatedly denied

wrongdoing, would not be able to pardon himself on state criminal charges. And this case may provide a unique incentive for other defendants to strike

a deal.

Now, our indication, the DA's office is pursuing racketeering and conspiracy charges. It's a statute commonly used in organized crime cases

that allows prosecutors to charge numerous people in what could be a wide- ranging scheme.

Well, time now for The Exchange and my conversation with Tamar Hallerman. She's a Senior Reporter for "The Atlanta Journal-Constitution", and she

joins me now live outside the Fulton County courthouse. Thank you so much for your time. So, we know that Donald Trump has already had three previous

indictments, as I was saying there, but we are talking about how this could be the most damaging. Just walk us through how and also the key differences

in this potential Georgia case to those three previous indictments.

[12:35:00]

Just walk us through how and also the key differences in this potential Georgia case to those three previous indictments.

TAMAR HALLERMAN, SENIOR REPORTER, "THE ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION": Well, a potential racketeering case could be unique for a couple different

reasons. The first is that it could potentially tie in a whole host of characters. Trump -- we're assuming he will be indicted, but he probably

won't be indicted alone. There could be a whole host of alleged co- conspirators, including some of his closest allies, including former personal attorney Rudy Giuliani, John Eastman, who worked with him on the

campaign, Sidney Powell, and many others. So, it could tie in folks within his Oval Office orbit and folks who worked for his campaign.

Using the racketeering charge could also allow the D.A. to tie in all sorts of different events, not only that took place in Fulton County in Atlanta,

but throughout Georgia and even into Washington. If she could allege that this was part of a broader criminal conspiracy, it allows her to tie

together all of these disparate incidents. So, that's what makes this unique.

MACFARLANE: And as you're saying, Tamara, I mean, indications then that this is going to be the white or -- the most wide-ranging case yet and this

really stands in stark contrast to what we store from special prosecutor Jack Smith who has not yet charged any co-conspirators. Can you talk to us

and explain the possible tactics that Fani Willis is looking at here in taking this approach?

HALLERMAN: Well, CNN and other media outlets have reported that more than 12 people could be indicted as a result of this case. And so, by bringing

in such a wide cast of characters, she's able -- the D.A. is able to paint a much broader picture about what happened in Georgia and nationally. It

would also allow some of these other folks who might potentially be indicted alongside the former president to flip, to cooperate in exchange

for immunity or some sort of lesser sentence and maybe provide more information about the former president that other prosecutors haven't been

able to get their hands on.

MACFARLANE: And if there are going to be sort of charges against multiple actors as you lay out, and what is the likelihood that this case is going

to get to trial ahead of next year's elections? I mean, there is a logjam of trials right now.

HALLERMAN: Yeah, and timing is a big question mark here. One of the first moves that we're expecting the former president and his legal team to make

if he's indicted here is to attempt to move proceedings to federal court, which would be right down the street here in Atlanta, but it could have a

much delaying effect. Fulton D.A. Fani Willis would still be the one prosecuting this case, but the judges overseeing the case are federal

judges.

They're not familiar with Georgia law. It's going to take them a little bit to get up to speed about the ins and outs about how Georgia law works. That

could delay proceedings. And as you mentioned, the former president has a very busy calendar going into 2024, both the political calendar, but also

these other cases in Washington, in Miami, in New York. It could be a big challenge to see anything substantial in a courtroom in 2024.

MACFARLANE: And so far, we've seen, so far, that Trump's indictments have only really worked to boost his standing among Republican voters. I mean,

we saw indication of this again in how Trump completely overshadowed Ron DeSantis in his own state fair -- the Iowa State Fair, over the weekend.

So, what effect, if any, what sense is there that a fourth indictment is going to move the needle on this at all?

HALLERMAN: Well, you have seen former President Trump even joke about this during recent campaign events, saying, well, if he gets four indictments

against him, that might be enough to lock up the Republican nomination. And certainly, his candidacy has only seemed to get stronger with each

indictment as Republican voters rally around him.

But the real question will be the impact of all of this on independent voters, who really overwhelmingly went for Joe Biden in 2020. Many of them,

including a lot of suburban women here in the suburbs of Atlanta tend to be moderates, tend to maybe vote Republican. A lot of them were really turned

off by the former president's behavior in his first term. And it makes me wonder whether they'll see him as even more damaged goods in 2024.

MACFARLANE: Yeah, we will wait and see. It's very hard to say at this point, isn't it? Tamar Hallerman, Senior Reporter for "The Atlanta Journal-

Constitution". Thank you so much for your time. Appreciate it. Now Trump, another Republican presidential candidate, squared off over the weekend, as

I was saying, at the Iowa State Fair. It's an American political tradition that unofficially kicks off campaign season. Presidential hopefuls get on

their soapbox and meet voters in an early contest state face to face. The former president tried to upstage and steal the spotlight from his top

rival Ron DeSantis. The Florida governor faced hecklers on the ground and in the air.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DESANTIS: You've got to be willing to stand for what's right, even when it's not popular, and even when you-

[12:40:00]

KIM REYNOLDS, IOWA GOVERNOR: Hey, you know what? Hey, you know what? We're in Iowa and in Iowa, we're Iowa nice. So, let's give everybody the

opportunity to hear our candidates.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MACFARLANE: A plane circled the fairgrounds with the banner that read, "Be likeable, Ron". Jeff Zeleny has more for us.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEFF ZELENY, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and his wife Casey riding bumper cars with their

kids. A weekend filled with the traditions that make the Iowa State Fair a quintessential stop on the presidential campaign trail. DeSantis

encountered protests from some progressives and support from many conservatives as he walked through the fairgrounds, which he described as a

sign of strength.

DESANTIS: I think when the left comes out, that's a sign of strength because, like, they know that we will beat Biden and they know we will be

able to turn this country around, and they do not want that.

ZELENY: Former President Donald Trump took the spotlight when he arrived, bypassing traditional fair events but greeting admirers. He trolled his

leading rival by traveling with Florida members of Congress who have endorsed him over their state's governor. And with the looming fourth

indictment expected in the coming days, he pledged to remain the frontrunner in the race.

TRUMP: We have not taken any chances. We're way up in the polls in Iowa and all over the country. We're up by over 50 points. That's a lot, but we

don't want to take any chances. We'll be back. We love you very much.

ZELENY: Some Republicans still backing Trump are open to considering other candidates, or at least hearing them out. Right now, as long as Trump can

run, I'm for him, you know, my mind is open, of course, you got, you know, we got to do something different.

ZELENY: Iowa's Republican Governor Kim Reynolds says she believes the primary race is far from settled.

REYNOLDS: It's so early. People are paying so much attention to the national polls. And I can tell you, it's just not reflective of kind of

what I'm hearing from Iowans as I'm traveling around. There's always surprises. It's just, that's part of the process.

VIVEK RAMASWAMY, U.S. REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Hey, guys. It's good to see you.

ZELENY: Republican hopeful Vivek Ramaswamy worked the crowd courting younger voters with a message of change, while taking a subtle jab at

President Biden.

RAMASWAMY: I think that it takes a person of a different generation to reach the next generation. Young people have lost their sense of national

pride. I don't think an octogenarian can re-inspire and reignite pride in the next generation.

ZELENY (voice-over): Former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley logged hours at the fair, flipping burgers and playing games after a fair side

chat with Governor Reynolds. She urged Republicans to turn the page.

NIKKI HALEY, U.S. REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: It is time that we leave the negativity behind, the drama behind.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MACFARLANE: Well, an attorney for Hunter Biden says a trial is not inevitable. This comes days after the U.S. attorney investigating the

president's son was granted special counsel status. That change came after a plea deal to resolve tax and gun charges fell apart last month when it

came under scrutiny from the federal judge overseeing the case. Hunter Biden's attorney had this to say about the possibility of a trial.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ABBE LOWELL, HUNTER BIDEN'S LAWYER: It's not inevitable and I think --

UNKNOWN: And you're trying to avoid one?

LOWELL: Well, yes, we were trying to avoid one all along and so were the prosecutors who came forward to us and were the ones to say can there be a

resolution short of a prosecution. So, they wanted it and maybe they still do want it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MACFARLANE: David Weiss was elevated to special counsel status on Friday. His team said in a court filing that same day that, quote, "A trial is in

order." All right, coming up, Spain and Sweden are gearing up for a semifinal match up on Tuesday in the Women's World Cup. A preview from New

Zealand, just ahead. And also to come, why Mark Zuckerberg says it's time to move on from his proposed cage fight with Elon Musk.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[12:46:50]

MACFARLANE: Hi, welcome back. A team of drone operators in Rwanda is combating malaria by attacking the enemy at the source. They're scanning

the skies and spraying pesticides at mosquito breeding sites. And as Stephanie Busari reports in today's Inside Africa, there are dramatic

results.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

STEPHANIE BUSARI, CNN EDITOR (voice-over): Harnessing the potential of drone technology.

ERIK MUZIGA, CHARIS FOUNDER AND CEO, CHARIS: This drone is the one that really started CHARIS.

BUSARI (voice-over): The team at CHARIS, Unmanned Aerial Solutions, believes that eradicating malaria may be on the horizon.

MUZIGA: This is one of the spraying drones. These ones we actually assemble here so that you can easily use them for the malaria project. This one is

called Nganji. Nganji means in English, conqueror. So, this is conqueror. This is a conqueror drone that is conquering the skies of Africa.

BUSARI (voice-over): Offering not just drones and drone pilots, but cutting-edge data collection technology, CHARIS Founder and CEO, Erik

Muziga, hopes to finally put an end to mosquito nets.

MUZIGA: We are saying no, let's change the approach, attack the enemy from the source.

BUSARI (voice-over): With specialized cameras, these drones scan areas of interest, mapping and searching for mosquito breeding sites. That drone

data is fed back to their in-house analytics team, who then identify, with remarkable accuracy, where to spray mosquito killer.

MUZIGA: One of our main interventions really is mapping these rice paddies or even the communities around the rice paddies and then start detecting

those mosquito breeding sites. Once, these farmers dared not set foot on the marshlands after 3pm.

PHOCAS UWIHANGANA, FARMER, GASABO DISTRICT, JABANA (through translator): Before we used to fight malaria by cutting down bushes around our homes. We

were also told to sleep under treated mosquito nets and also to close our windows, but that wasn't enough.

BUSARI (voice-over): Since the CHARIS drone project began, they say the cases of malaria in this community have decreased by 90 percent.

HABYARIMANA THOMAS, FARMER, GASABO DISTRICT, JABANA (through translator): If we don't have a sick child, we don't have to spend money going to the

hospital. There has been an increase in the harvest because no one fails to go to work due to illness.

BUSARI (voice-over): For Eric Muziga, combating malaria started at a young age.

MUZIGA: When I was a kid, I would miss school a lot. That really had, I would say, quite a strong impact on me. Having had that personal encounter

with malaria when I was a kid, I have that motivation to fight for the next generation so that they don't have to go through the same thing that we

went through.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[12:52:30]

MACFARLANE: Now, a much hyped battle of the billionaires might not happen after all. In a social media post, Meta boss Mark Zuckerberg says he

doesn't think Elon Musk is serious about a cage fight against him. He says the Tesla founder won't confirm a date and claims he needs surgery. Back in

June the two tech giants seemingly agreed to face each other in a cage fight but now Zuckerberg said if Elon ever gets serious he knows where to

reach me.

Okay, turning to the World Cup and then there were four. Sweden, Spain, Australia and England are gearing up for their semifinal matchups this week

in the Women's World Cup and a chance for a spot in the final. CNN World Sports' Amanda Davies has the details from Auckland, New Zealand.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

AMANDA DAVIES, CNN WORLD SPORT: If you were in any doubts what it means to the players to have reached the semi-finals of this tournament, just cast

your eyes across some of their social media feeds. This is a case of Instagram showing the reality.

UNKNOWN: Woo! (ph) Woo! (ph)

DAVIES: Whilst over in Sydney, the hype around Australia's semi-final against England has reached new heights. Here in New Zealand, singing

notwithstanding, Sweden are relatively quietly yet confidently focusing on the job in hand without getting too carried away. Despite all those

celebrations after victory over Japan, there's a real sense of unfinished business after reaching the semi-finals in the last three major

tournaments, but not yet getting their hands on that silverware.

NATHALIE BJORN, SWEDEN DEFENDER: We haven't been speaking about it that much, actually. We watched the quarterfinals and then of course the semi-

finals. We speak about the semi-finals but we really are like not a boring team but we're like, okay, one game at a time. So, first Spain and then we

will see.

DAVIES: Given the atmosphere and the mood that we saw in Sydney, what would it mean to you to make it there?

JOHANNA RYTTING KANERYD, SWEDEN MIDFIELDER: I mean everything. Everything. I feel like we are not done yet and we don't want to go home. We want to

win this game against Spain and we want to go to the finals. So, it's all about that now and I think our mentality has been great throughout the

whole tournament. So, we just keep on working with that.

DAVIES: Spain have traveled back from Wellington here to Auckland for their first ever Women's World Cup semifinal.

[12:55:00]

It's a city and a venue that has treated them well, so far, in this tournament. They've scored 10 goals in the two games they've played at Eden

Park, but this time, Sweden will very much be hoping to reign on their parade. Amanda Davies, CNN, Auckland, New Zealand.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MACFARLANE: So looking forward to that action. Now, it was a beautiful weekend for stargazing in the Balkans. This time lapse video shows streaks

of light from the Perseid meteor shower. Some people in Croatia camped out on an island in the Adriatic Sea to get a glimpse of the event. NASA says

this meteor shower occurs when Earth passes through the debris trail of a comet. The particles from the comet interact with the atmosphere, causing

these bright streaks to light the sky. Certainly a pretty end to the show. Thank you for watching One World. I'm Christina Macfarlane. Christiane

Amanpour is coming up after the break. Do stay with CNN.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

END