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Quest Means Business

Suspected Shooter And His Father Appear In Court; Federal Reserve's Recipe For A Soft Landing; US Officials Seek Information On Frequent Flyer Programs; U.S. Citizen Killed In West Bank; Widespread Destruction In Jenin After Israel Operation; Starliner Set To Leave Its Astronaut Behind. Aired 4-5p ET

Aired September 06, 2024 - 16:00   ET

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

[16:00:11]

RICHARD QUEST, CNN INTERNATIONAL HOST, "QUEST MEANS BUSINESS": Closing bell ringing on Wall Street. It has been down for most of the session, quite

badly down, as you can see from the Dow Jones Industrials, but the day is coming to a close. I think that's almost the worst of the day, maybe just a

little bit off or so.

Come alongside to the business and bring our misery to a close this Friday. One, two, three. I think that's three firm gavels closing off a down week

on the market.

Those are the markets and the main headlines between you and me. The 14- year-old school shooting suspect, and his father both appeared in court and both are charged with murder.

Two hours to go before Boeing's troubled Starliner is due to begin its journey to Earth, returning home tonight.

And frequent flyer miles, now, the US authorities are looking into how the airlines are using unfair to deceptive practicing, are they scamming us out

of all rightful miles or at least taking more than we want?

We are live in New York on a Friday. It is Friday, it is September the 6th. I'm Richard Quest and I mean business.

Good evening.

We begin with the 14-year-old accused of killing four people at a US high school has appeared in court for the first time. He was arraigned on four

felony murder charges in the US state of Georgia. The Barrow County district attorney said he will seek additional charges once investigators

have all the evidence and spoken to all the victims.

The suspect's father was arraigned in a separate hearing. He is accused of providing his son with a gun whilst knowing that he posed a threat to

others. The father is facing up to 180 years in prison on charges of second-degree murder, involuntary manslaughter, and cruelty to children.

Ryan Young is in Winder in Georgia. Let's take this bit by bit if we may. Let's do the accused shooter first.

What happened?

RYAN YOUNG, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Richard, when you think about this and put the pieces together, so many people in this community are wondering how

this all got to where we are. We know that a neighboring county, which this is a jurisdiction that is nearby here with alert to some online threats

last year in 2023. It was May of last year.

They went by the house. They had a conversation with the young man and his father. We actually have those recordings as well, but what we learned

there is the father said yes, there are guns in the house, but he has no access to those guns.

It is through our reporting that we figured out during the Christmas period last year, apparently the father went out and bought that AR platform

weapon and that was given to him as a gift.

This was only his second day of school according to the sheriff. The first day he went to school he had anxiety, went to a counselor. The next day he

came to the school, this is according to the people here is when he went somewhere, assembled that weapon, came back and started firing.

What's left here is just carnage and we know that when the arrest was made with that young man, it is especially after he was confronted by a deputy -

- Richard.

QUEST: Right, now, Ryan in court, both were in court today.

YOUNG: Yes.

QUEST: I gather that primarily today was if you will, official proceedings, charges. There are charges that happened, really the law requires them to

come before a court.

YOUNG: It did, but there is something that you'll understand here. This is the first time in the state that they've actually had charges like this one

for an adult, for the parent. So that really stands out.

And the fact that the dad faces 180 years potentially in jail, something that everyone across this state is talking about. And Richard, if I could

add something real quick. Across this state right now, both the GBI and FBI are getting calls that are flooding into schools all across the state that

apparently are hoaxes and they're basically saying they plan to go after everyone who makes one of those fake 911 calls because people in this

community and around this state are shaken by all the calls that are coming in.

But again, this is the first time in this state that someone has been charged as a parent like this.

QUEST: All right, Ryan, thank you very much.

Lauren Johnson-Norris is a criminal defense attorney at Johnson Criminal Law Group. She is with me now.

Good to see you. Thank you.

We have a lot to get through. Let's just deal with this question of the father being charged. This has overtones of the Crumbleys, which is where

of course both parents were charged for neglect and a variety of many offenses and had been sentenced subsequently.

[16:05:07]

Is this -- I know two cases doesn't make a trend, but the speed with which the Georgia authorities have gone after the father, I mean, are your

eyebrows raised?

LAUREN JOHNSON-NORRIS, CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY, JOHNSON CRIMINAL LAW GROUP: Well, I think a lot of our eyebrows are raised in the legal

community, but I will say the Georgia authorities were already familiar with the father and this minor, so they have this information.

They already knew that there was something that was going on that may have led to this coming up, but I will say in the criminal law, it is unusual.

We just don't see adults being held responsible for other people's conduct. We just don't see parents being held responsible for juvenile's conduct,

maybe in the civil system, we see that as a matter of restitution or financial damages, but seeing this happening in the criminal law certainly

raises eyebrows to those of us who defend people in this system.

QUEST: Now, what I remember about to the Crumbleys, the evidence -- I mean, clearly they did not intend for their son to go out shooting, but the

evidence was very strong that they were oblivious to the point of negligence, to the point of criminal liability and that is going to be the

issue here.

It is not just enough for the father to being a bit weird about guns. They are going to have to prove that there was a causal link between what he did

to face such serious charges.

JOHNSON-NORRIS: You have to prove that and I don't think it is that easy. You know, we are dealing in this case with a kid who is 14-years-old. It is

a little different than a 17-year-old in terms of that child's development, mental emotional development.

Here we knew that this child had some -- had made some threats, though he denied it. His father said, I won't allow him access to guns, but

strangely, then provided him a firearm after that. The question is, what this father, was he so negligent that he should be held responsible for the

acts of this 14-year-old and don't get me wrong, what happened here is absolutely horrible. We just didn't see in the court of law one individual

held responsible for the acts of another.

So this parent-child relationship and how we view parents and what they are responsible in terms of what their kids do, that sort of the new question,

the new frontier we are facing in the courts.

QUEST: And that is -- I am glad you talked about that new frontier because what is happening is, it is being explored literally in front of us, the

parameters of it, both in terms of the evidential issues required and I suspect in the various appeals that will follow to find out what the legal

-- the legal extent of liability and culpability is.

JOHNSON-NORRIS: It is a great point because how the community feels when we are all outraged, saddened, and filled with emotion about what's happened

here.

But the law is supposed to be free from that emotion and look really at culpability and responsibility. And that is what lawyers do is we have to

parse that out and ask courts to figure that out. Where really does the blame lie?

QUEST: So let's talk about how we got to 180 odd years but he is not getting anything like that if convicted. I assume it is because of the

number of victims that you go by each number for the number of years for each victim and you multiply it out.

What is the 14-year-old -- the 14-year-old is facing similarly, very large sentences if convicted.

JOHNSON-NORRIS: He is looking at potentially a life sentence though his age would mitigate against that. But I will say, there is sort of incompatible

theories of the case here that the prosecution has brought forward as it relates to this 14-year-old.

You know, on one hand, they right away brought him to adult court, so he should be treated like an adult.

On the other hand, they are saying his father should have recognized that as a child that he was responsible for his behavior. And so I don't know

how the prosecution reconciles that, but it will be the job of the defense lawyers to come in and say those are untenable theories at the same time,

you have to elect one and pick one, either treat him like a child or treat him like an adult.

QUEST: Lauren, humor me, if you will and extrapolate this out into -- how much of a leap is it? So father knows that son is disturbed. Father gives

sun a car for a birthday, son drives car into crowd at concert. Father liable ala this case?

JOHNSON-NORRIS: We just don't see it. I've represented people in horrible circumstances, unfortunately, and we just don't see parents being held

responsible in this system.

We have an entire juvenile delinquency system with children who are charged with very serious crimes and we just don't see parents being charged.

Now, some states are exploring those laws with parental responsibility laws, but I can tell you, as a practitioner, we just don't see it yet.

QUEST: Yet. Thank you very much indeed, I am grateful to you. Very kind of you. Have a good weekend. Thank you.

[16:10:08]

Now turn our attention to our business agenda. US job growth again came short of expectations. In August, the economy added 142,000 jobs, that are

less than what economists had expected. It is an uptick from the July reading. It is the last one before the Fed meets this month.

Now, as we've discussed at great length on this program, Feds' decisions, its known as the monetary lag. Think of it this way, the cake has been

baked and now at least as relates to this recovery and/or this slowdown, it is too late to tinker with the recipe.

So here is how we got where we are. This is the Powell Delight. The Fed decided to mix into the batter, it is sprinkled in 525 basis-point rate

hikes. Those were at the beginning at the end of the cycle. Then Chef Powell added a heavy dose of 75 basis-point hikes to really make things

move or in total, all in 2022.

He then mixed in two 50-basis-point hikes and then you have the balance sheet reduction, which also combined with a bit of a whisk.

All in all, the Fed has baked at 525 basis points oven for a touch more than a year and this is what you are left with. A big layered cake.

And this is the day, this is today's economy and what we are doing of course, every day in about everyday business, we are cutting it and

experiencing it. So, now time to cut the first slice and work out just how big is the slowdown, how much of this is as a result -- it is very good.

Nathan Sheets, I should have sent you a slice because I know that you are very keen on monetary policy and cakes, but the reality is, Nathan, you're

the chief -- obviously, you know the reality, you are the chief economist, noble economist at Citigroup, but my point is, all this talk of has the Fed

left it too late? Has the Fed done this? Should the Fed have done the other, it doesn't matter. The cake is baked. It is going to happen now,

regardless.

NATHAN SHEETS, CHIEF ECONOMIST, CITIGROUP: Richard, I think that's very fair that this economy is clearly slowing. What's not so clear is whether

the next scalp in that slowing is a soft landing or so something sharper, more non-linear that it feels like a recession and the Fed can respond at

this stage and if we do get into recessionary conditions, blunt the effects, temper the effects of that.

But I think, they will, whether or not things turn down from here for a soft land, it is pretty much already baked. I think it is in that cake that

you're eating right now.

QUEST: I'm feeling so guilty enjoying this cake and not having sent you a piece, but look, following on from the first part of your sentence, there

is a trajectory that has now been established i.e. the baked cake.

If we just continue on the trajectory that we are already seeing, because any rate cut can't affect that trajectory in the short term. Does that take

us to soft landing in your view, on the existing trajectory?

SHEETS: The existing trajectory in my view, is one where we are seeing a gradual slowing in consumer spending, a gradual weakening or loosening in

the labor market and I think if we continue on that trajectory, we are more likely to have a soft landing.

The recession comes if things get worse in a marked fashion from where we are at the moment and it is all together possible, but it hasn't happened

yet.

QUEST: So what would have to happen for things to get worse and now, it is a range of things, isn't it, everything, from geopolitical to strategic to

not moving now, and then, we would be in a different environment.

SHEETS: Indeed, I think the key question is, are we going to get to a point where firms not only are not enthusiastic about hiring labor, are firms

going to start laying off their workers and we have not seen that yet.

But I think that is the key question. If we get to that point where CEOs will say, too many workers, we've got to lay folks en masse, then we are

more likely to move into those recessionary conditions.

[16:15:01]

QUEST: I am not taking you into political waters, but Donald Trump yesterday at his economic speech says, it is an economic catastrophe, worst

economy, et cetera, et cetera.

I don't know many economists that would necessarily agree with that characterization, but there is a rotation around -- well, I am not sure it

is a rotation in the market, does a repricing of risk, an equity risk at the moment as to whether or not existing prices can be justified -- equity

prices -- how much further would you think we've got on that to go?

SHEETS: So there is clearly a softening in the economy that has significant implications for earnings of the corporate sector, and I think that we are

seeing the markets struggle with valuations in this environment.

You know, these equities have been priced quite aggressively and I think we are probably only part of the way through kind of thinking through whether

the current prices are actually justified by the current slowing, easing economy.

QUEST: But to be clear, you don't see a crisis?

SHEETS: No, no. This is not a crisis environment. Even if we do have a recession, by historical standards, it is likely to be a very mild

recession.

QUEST: Are you more of a carrot cake, cheese cake or chocolate cake man?

SHEETS: Richard, I am distinctly all of the above.

QUEST: True economist, one cake, three flavors. I'm glad to have you on the program tonight, sir. Bon appetite and have a good weekend.

We will continue our agenda. Sentencing in Donald Trump's criminal hush money case will now take place after the election. The judge granted the

delay, saying the courts should not appear to be interfering in the race.

QUEST MEANS BUSINESS.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

QUEST: All right, I freely admit my own geekery here and total and utter conflict of interest.

Frequent flyer miles -- live and breathe them, eat and sleep them, earn them, spend them -- it helped me put more than my fair share of flights,

and given a good few tickets away to family and friends.

[16:20:01]

Now, the US Department of Transportation is looking at how America's top airlines run their frequency by miles.

Sky Miles, Mileage Plus, Advantage and I've forgotten what the Southwest is called, specifically whether they short change us by altering the rules,

adding fees and making the whole thing more difficult.

For instance, let's take just one example. United revised its program last year. In doing so, it devalued its miles by an average of 30 percent. You

can see the way in which the various bloggers reported it, from One Mile At A Time, Points Guy, et cetera, et cetera.

And all the airlines have done it, Delta did it last year. American has done it recently and they do it even more when it comes to using Alliance

Miles and partners.

Sarah Kopit is the editor-in-chief of Skift. She joins me now.

What is it that the DoT is hoping to discover? Because we know it is impossible to value the miles. It is impossible to -- and dynamic pricing

means you never know how many miles you're going to have until you look at it.

SARAH KOPIT, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, SKIFT: Exactly. I mean, this is an issue that I think if there is any bipartisan issue in the United States of America

right now, going into election season, it is this one.

Everybody wants to know what is going on with its miles. This has broad support all over the United States and the DoT is trying to figure out what

American, Delta, Southwest, and United is really doing with your points. They want to make sure it is fair, and they want to make sure its

transparent and I think just anecdotally from talking to folks I know, I think the answer is most flyers would think it is no, they don't really

understand.

I mean, we have a publication here called The Points Guy, all they do is try to explain it to us --

QUEST: Absolutely.

KOPIT: What's going on. Yes. It is not easy.

QUEST: No, okay but the first move was -- I mean, we used to have the old charts that you would look Europe, Australasia and work it out. Now they

went to dynamic pricing. Well, dynamic pricing is really nothing more than supply and demand and I guess I don't like it, but you can't really

complain about it. It is when they suddenly require more miles wholesale. This is the equivalent of the bank taking money out of your account.

KOPIT: So dynamic pricing is a really interesting issue because in the travel industry, it has been around for a while.

I mean, we all know, if you go and try to book a flight one day and you're like, oh, I don't want to do it right now. I will get to it next week and

then you login next week and all of a sudden the ticket is a hundred dollars more. This is something that the travel industry does a lot.

But if you did that same thing where you went to Walmart, people would be up in arms. So the travel industry does this, but what the DoT really wants

to try to figure out is whether it is fair and whether the companies are being transparent enough with its flyers to merit being allowed to do this

type of thing.

QUEST: And then you get the fee for re-depositing miles and I am not sure if it sort of an elite or whatever, and then you have the whole thing of

One World Sky Team or Star Alliance rewards where in some -- I remember Delta for example didn't give you miles on Korean, in certain cases.

And if I fly out with United, if I fly on United metal, I get so many miles. But if I fly Star Alliance metal, I don't. I mean, let me ask you

though, we know from the pandemic that these frequent flyer programs are cash cows for the airlines?

KOPIT: Yes, they are.

The thing that is really changed about these programs recently is it used to be, how much you flew, right? So it used to be how many miles you flew

with the airlines. Now, it is increasingly being linked to how much you spend on your credit card.

And so, it is really kind of a different type of thing. You know, I get miles for spending money at the gas station, not necessarily taking a

flight and being loyal to an airline.

So the DoT is just trying to -- they are trying to figure all this out. They are trying to make sure that the airlines are being fair.

I mean, look, the airlines have essentially created, you know, a bit of a currency, dare I say that. I mean, that's like that whole another can of

worms.

QUEST: Yes, no.

KOPIT: But they've created this thing and now, the government is coming in saying like, hey, you just can't do whatever you want with it, right? This

is important to people, people are incentivized to spend and use based on how many miles they get.

QUEST: Do you know, tell me, do you know your frequent flyer numbers?

KOPIT: No. I am terrible. I consider myself to be a reasonably intelligent person, but I can't figure this stuff out. I don't even try.

QUEST: I wish I didn't try. Unfortunately, I try and I fail. Thank you.

KOPIT: I gave up.

[16:25:06]

QUEST: Lovely to see you.

Thank you.

KOPIT: Thank you.

QUEST: Donald Trump has got a legal and political victory today. The judge in his criminal hush money case delayed his sentencing until after the

election.

The new date is November the 26th. It was previously September the 18th. The judge says he wants to avoid the appearance of trying to influence the

presidential race.

The decision comes on a busy legal day for Donald Trump, who is in a New York courtroom to appeal a civil jury's $5 million verdict that he sexually

abused and defamed the writer, E. Jean Carroll.

He spoke after the hearing claiming the deck is stacked against him.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I feel sad that I have to come up here and explain it. I have all this legal talent, but legal

talent cannot overcome rigged judges. They can't overcome a four percent Republican area and I am disappointed in my legal talent, I will be honest

with you.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

QUEST: Kara Scannell is with me.

Interesting. You know, this judge was not -- was absolutely not Donald Trump's favorite and did seem to suggest he was going to go forward

regardless. But this last-minute decision to delay, I wasn't expecting that.

KARA SCANNELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Richard, this decision coming after several weeks of waiting for the judge to weigh in on this request by

Donald Trump to postpone his sentencing until after the election.

Now, interestingly, in his decision which the judge explained over four pages, he pointed in part to the prosecution saying that they did not

oppose a delay of the sentencing, and so said that some of their arguments actually were in favor of delaying it, and the judge also saying that even

if he delayed the sentencing by one week, it would mean Donald Trump would be sentenced just 41 days before the November election, and he said he

didn't want there to be the appearance of any impropriety, the appearance of looking as though he was giving an advantage to one political party or

another.

And so that was part of the reason why the judge agreed to postpone the sentencing and in addition to the sentencing, also postpone his decision on

presidential immunity and whether the conviction on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records should be tossed out as well as the indictment.

The judge saying he will also rule on that only after the election, so essentially freezing this case in place and allowing the election to move

forward and Donald Trump's criminal case now to be on hold with the last thing being the verdict of guilty by those jurors -- Richard.

QUEST: Right. But, but, but Judge Tanya Chutkan yesterday saying almost the opposite on principle. She said she was going to continue with her case

without regard necessarily to the election calendar.

They've each got their strong reasons for following that view, but it is difficult for anybody watching to know where the position is.

SCANNELL: I mean, Judge Chutkan having to put this whole case now back on the drawing block. There is a new indictment by the Special Counsel Jack

Smith. Now, this is something think that they have to sort out how they're going to move forward.

And even in that hearing, the prosecutor in the case was saying you know, we are going to need some time to come up with our own written brief. So

also laying out for the judge that they would need some time.

And as the judge said yesterday, it is very clear that no matter what decision she makes on presidential immunity, it is likely to continue to be

an appealable issue, something that will continue to be litigated.

So there is no chance that that case was going to become a viable case before the election. Really, there is no other case except this hush money

case that did.

QUEST: Kara, final thoughts from you, please.

November the 28th, I think is the date for the sentencing now, following from Judge Merchan, he will either be sentencing a president-elect or a

president who is a candidate who has lost. Now, that's fascinating.

SCANNELL: It sure is, Richard. I mean, and also, we will be waiting to see what the district attorney's position is because it could change

potentially if Donald Trump is the president-elect or if he is Joe Citizen, who is also facing a conviction like any other citizen.

So that is a factor and then how the judge handles that, how that influences his decision will only be something that he reveals to us on

that day, but it is an interesting dynamic and Trump is facing either no jail time or as much as four years on each count. That would be capped at

20 years in prison.

As a first-time offender, his lawyers argue he shouldn't see one day in jail, but it is something that could change the dynamic very interestingly,

depending on if he is a citizen or if he is the president-elect.

QUEST: I am grateful for you. Thank you.

It is QUEST MEANS BUSINESS on a Friday. The US officials want to know more about how a Turkish American activist was killed in the West Bank. The IDF

admits it fired on demonstrators at a protest that she was attending. We will cover that in a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[16:33:22]

QUEST: The IDF has admitted to firing at demonstrators holding an anti- settlement protest. The Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken says he'll share more information as it becomes available. He did not suggest any immediate policy changes

related to her death.

Violence in the West Bank has been on the rise. Residents in Jenin describe widespread destruction after an Israeli operation in their city. CNN's Nic

Robertson reports.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR (voice-over): Surrounded by fellow fighters, men Israel calls terrorists being laid to rest. Jenin's

first chance to bury its dead since Israeli forces pulled out overnight. A tense atmosphere as three interred side by side. Here they are known as the

resistance.

ROBERTSON (on camera): Israel's defense minister has described their military operations here as mowing the lawn, cutting down on the number of

militants is vowing to come back to pull out the roots.

ROBERTSON (voice-over): Militant Abu Islam, Jenin Brigade commander of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad denies Israel had or will ever get a victory

here.

The effect of the destruction and killing, he says, makes us more popular. Sure, some of us were killed, but we admit to our losses. They, Israel,

should admit to their losses, too.

At another Jenin cemetery, 87-year-old Tawfiq Kandil also laid to rest. According to Palestinian health officials, 39 people killed over the past

10 days.

[16:35:03]

The IDF says 14 of them were terrorists. Among the dead, eight children and two elderly like Kandil. His sons united in their grief, telling us, we had

no food for three days. He went out to get some and the Israeli troops shot him. His body videoed as it lay in the street, troops driving over his feet

as they left. The Israelis did not immediately comment on this incident.

What are we supposed to feel when you lose your father in this way? He says, they killed him and he didn't commit a crime. They don't spare the

young or the old. And not just lives ripped up here, but the city. A massive clean up only now just beginning. The cost of Israel's military

operation being counted in destroyed roads, homes and livelihoods. Much of the damage does not appear directly connected to the targeting of

militants.

Sixty-nine-year-old barber, Emad Abu Al Hayat's (ph) half century old business in ruins.

The Israelis pushed all the debris through my storefront. How can I ever repair this, he tells me. The chairs came from Jordan. It'll cost at least

$20,000.

The city's mayor says it's too soon to know Jenin's full repair bill. More than 20 kilometers of road dug up. Internet, water and electricity cut

multiple times. His early estimate, at least $10 million. Israel, he says, is turning the occupied West bank into Gaza.

It's a wheel of genocide. We see it in Gaza and now they turn it on the West Bank and they start in Jenin, he says. There is a sense of Deja vu

here. Nothing new, just getting worse. 18-year-old Islam has grown up with incursions like this.

It's normal. They can destroy what they want, he tells me, and we rebuild. Let them do what they want. We're steadfast here. When they destroy, they

give us more power. Where today there is rubble, tomorrow, for sure, the grass will grow.

Nic Robertson, CNN, Jenin, The Occupied West Bank.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

QUEST: The IDF has released a statement on the killing of the 87-year-old in the West Bank. It reads, a suspicious arrest procedure was initiated

during which the individual continued to advance and was subsequently shot and killed. The circumstances surrounding this incident remain under

investigation.

Boeing's Starliner is scheduled to return to Earth today. An unmanned flight. The crew is staying behind on the ISS. Safety problems have left

the astronauts stranded until early next year. So now, the capsule's coming home alone.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[16:40:56]

QUEST: In less than two hours. Boeing's Starliner spacecraft is due to begin its journey back to earth. Starliner traveled to the ISS in June. It

was supposed to be an eight-day test flight, but it's been docked there ever since. NASA has decided it's not safe for astronauts Butch Wilmore and

Suni Williams to pilot the craft back home, so they will remain on the space station until February. And Starliner will make an uncrewed return,

being controlled automatically.

Kristin Fisher is in Houston for us. Is it all going to work?

KRISTIN FISHER, CNN SPACE AND DEFENSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, we'll find out very soon, Richard. I'm actually at the Johnson Space Center and behind me

is a full-scale mock up of the International Space Station. This is where Butch and Suni trained for what they thought was going to be just a few

days long mission up to the International Space Station. Of course, as you were saying, they are now going to be up there at the actual International

Space Station until at least February of 2025.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Here they come. Our CFT crew taking their first steps outside for their historic flight test to the International Space Station.

FISHER (voice-over): When NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams finally left Earth on the first crewed flight of Boeing's Starliner, the

spacecraft was already more than a billion dollars over budget, years behind schedule, and four years behind the first crewed launch of SpaceX's

Crew Dragon. Boeing's only competitor in NASA's Commercial Crew Program.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Godspeed, Bob and Doug.

FISHER (voice-over): It was a moment NASA had been waiting for, for a decade. Two different commercial spacecrafts flying NASA astronauts to and

from the International Space Station.

BILL NELSON, NASA ADMINISTRATOR: We always like to have a backup that makes it safer for our astronauts. And that's why we started the Commercial Crew

Program in the first place.

FISHER (voice-over): NASA Administrator Bill Nelson couldn't have known at the post launch press conference just how soon a backup would be needed.

Only a few hours into the mission, Starliner ran into its first issue.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Looks like we picked up a couple more helium leaks.

FISHER (voice-over): Boeing had first detected a helium leak on the ground, but it was deemed acceptable for flight. Now, there were three new ones.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: All right. We're ready to copy. Find out exactly what you mean by picked up another helium leak. So, give it to us.

FISHER (voice-over): Then, as Starliner was attempting to dock to the International Space Station, more problems.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The crew aboard Starliner is preparing to conduct a hot fire test of the thrusters that are currently down.

FISHER (voice-over): Five of the spacecraft's thrusters, which are used for steering, failed. But Butch and Suni got four of them firing again, failing

again. And they successfully docked on their second attempt.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Nice to be attached to the big city in the sky.

FISHER (voice-over): Starliner had delivered them safely to the station. But concerns were growing that it was simply too risky to use Starliner to

get them back to Earth.

SUNI WILLIAMS, ASTRONAUT: I'm not complaining. Butch isn't complaining that we're here for a couple weeks, extra weeks.

BUTCH WILMORE, ASTRONAUT: Failure is not an option. That's why we are staying here now. We we did have some degradation and our thrusters and we

know that and that's why we're staying. We are very close and friends with those that are making these decisions and we trust them. We trust their

integrity.

FISHER (voice-over): After seven weeks of testing those faulty thrusters in space and replicas back on Earth Boeing believed that Starliner was safe.

MARK NAPPI, COMMERCIAL CREW PROGRAM MANAGER, BOEING: I'm very confident we have a, uh, a good vehicle to bring the crew back with.

FISHER (voice-over): But after another month of digging through data and tense deliberations, NASA disagreed with Boeing and announced that

Starliner would return to Earth without its crew.

Butch and Suni would hitch a ride home in February on that backup, SpaceX's Crew Dragon.

NELSON: The decision is a result of a commitment to safety. We have had mistakes done in the past. We lost two space shuttles as a result of there

not being a culture in which information could come forward.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[16:45:13]

FISHER: And so now we wait for the go, no go poll. That's going to take place in about 45 minutes, Richard. They'll also be doing a weather check

to make sure that the landing site has good enough weather in White Sands, New Mexico. And then if all goes according to plan. Starliner should be

undocking from the International Space Station just after 6:00 p.m. Eastern Time.

And then it will do that critical deorbit burn a few hours later before landing in White Sands shortly after midnight Eastern Time, Richard. So, a

few more decisions still need to be made to make sure that this undocking is going to happen tonight, but as of now, all systems go for this big

undock coming up without the crew on board. Richard.

QUEST: I'm grateful. Thank you. You'll be watching and you'll be helping us understand. Thank you very much. That decision on the go, no go is due in

about 45 minutes and actually Starliner is due to leave the ISS in just two hours, 15 minutes.

The president of the NBA's Toronto Raptors is working to grow the world of sport across Africa.

Masai Ujiri latest project is a sports and entertainment multiplex in Rwanda. In the latest Connecting Africa. He explains why Zaria Court is a

catalyst for the community.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MASAI UJIRI, TORONTO RAPTORS PRESIDENT: For me, it's the pride of my people. For me, it's the pride of where I come from. It lives in me. For

me, it will always be a passion. It will always be a passion to come back here, to help as much as we can and to help grow sports on the continent,

but to help grow people on you.

Sports bar. Yes, the hotel.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (voice-over): Masai is committed to giving back to his homeland. He's been investing in different countries across the continent

for over 21 years. Zaria Court in Kigali is his latest project.

VICTORIA RUBADIRI, CONNECTING AFRICA CORRESPONDENT: You're the first African NBA team president. What does that mean for you to hold such a

position in a sport like basketball?

UJIRI: It mean it means more to me if you bring more people along. I think it is key that I'm not the only one. And you have -- you have to continue

to do well. You have to win. And I always say you must win on the court and you must win off the court. I see the talent and I think Africa's biggest

jewel is his talent. And there's so many people. Much, much more talented than me that given the right opportunity, I think we'll be in this kind of

a position. I have to create that path.

MICHAEL AMISI, RAFIKI CLUB MEMBER: My dream is to play basketball as a professional to be known, we let everyone say that Michael is one of the

kids that Rafiki (INAUDIBLE)

IAN NTWARI GISA, RAFIKI CLUB MEMBER: I would like to play in the NBA as one and my comrades dream here. But, as you know, we start from small and we go

big.

RUBADIRI: When we talk about dreams, I was talking to a couple of the kids at Club Rafiki and asked them, you know, what's your dream? They said, NBA,

NBA. But how do we also get them to see the value of playing on the continent?

UJIRI: That's key for us. We need this youth. We need this competition. We need the players to grow. We need them to think about business in Africa,

but sports as a business has to elevate. On this continent because there's plenty, plenty jobs to be created. We want Zaria Court to perform, yes and

not only as a template but to show the rest of the continent that this actually works.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

QUEST: QUEST MEANS BUSINESS. Now, fans go to the U.S. Open for the tennis and they stay for the -- well, they stay for the honey juice. It is the

Mellon Ball drink that costs a tennis leg. In a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[16:51:57]

QUEST: Geopolitical uncertainty has roiled all prices in recent years. It's making energy companies rethink how they're using their resources. In the

latest Think Big, we look at one Dubai-based company focused on making fossil fuels more efficient and sustainable.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ELENI GIOKOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): What if the car you already own suddenly required less fuel? What if ships, planes and power generators

around the world polluted less? To many of us, this sounds like a dream.

For entrepreneur Robert Mortimer, it's a day-to-day ambition.

ROBERT MORTIMER, FOUNDER AND CEO, FUELRE4M: The Fuel Re4m is a company that has an innovative new technology that optimizes fossil fuel and makes it

burn more efficiently, reducing fuel consumption and emissions.

GIOKOS (voice-over): Based in Dubai, the company says it uses vegetable oils to develop a mix that when added to any liquid fossil fuel, works on a

molecular level. Restructuring fuel particles. By reducing the size of fuel droplets, it allows them to burn more completely and eliminates consumption

emissions by at least 40 percent, the company says.

MORTIMER: The one that's got reformix in there, we're not going to agitate that. And you can see that it goes into layers of millions and millions of

smaller drops to allow them to atomize. And finally, finally, oxygen to be able to combust more efficiently.

GIOKOS (voice-over): Fuel Re4m claims that over 60 companies already using its technology in more than 5, 000 engines globally. From maritime.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So what you can see here is all the vessels that are using Fuel Re4m that --

GIOKOS (voice-over): To power production. This generator rental company has been using Fuel Re4m's product to help power big events for roughly a year.

VINCENT DAVIES, SERVICE MANAGER, FLOW SOLUTIONS: We tried it out, we ran it on different base models of engines. Our engines were running cooler, the

engine cooling temperature went down. We also saw that our fuel emissions, it was decreased in the fuel emissions.

GIOKOS (voice-over): It's uncertain, however, if this product will have the same consumer response as other solutions in the market, like biofuels,

which burn cleaner than petrol, or additives that boost performance.

KENNETH GILLIMHAM, PROFESSOR OF ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY ECONOMICS, YALE UNIVERISTY: Using an additive to improve the fuel economy, it goes back for

many years now. And a big challenge is how to do it cost effectively.

GIOKOS (voice-over): For Robert, the ultimate goal is to mitigate emissions while we progress towards greener sources.

MORTIMER: While we still need to burn fossil fuel, we need to be burning it as efficiently as we possibly can.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

QUEST: Think Big. Think tennis. Highly anticipated match tonight at the U.S. Open Tennis Tournament. Americans, France's Tiafoe and Taylor Fritz

face off in the semifinals. Both say they are ready to play. Softing.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

[16:55:08]

FRANCIS TIAFOE, PLAYING IN U.S. OPEN SEMIFINAL: I'm happy for him. I know he's happy for me. So, may the best man win come Friday, man? It's going to

be -- it's going to be epic. So, you know, his popcorn do what you got to do. It's going to be -- it's going to be a fun one come Friday.

TAYLOR FRITZ, PLAYING IN THE U.S. OPEN SEMIFINAL: It's going to be just electric. And yes, I think that would be -- that would be awesome for the

fans as well as to be guaranteed that one of us is going to be going in the finals.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

QUEST: Awesome and electric. Likely you'll see the fans drinking one of these, the Honey Deuce. D-E-U-C-E juice. It's the Open's signature drink.

It costs $23.00 and it'll bring in over 10 million in revenue, enough to cover the prize money for the men's and women's single champions. It's a

simple drink. You need some vodka, raspberry liqueur. I've switched out the liqueur and vodka since I don't drink alcohol. And some lemonade. A few

other things.

You need melon balls. They look like little tennis balls and they scoop thousands of them every single day. And you want to see this, all right,

here we go. You put this in here like this, you go round and round and round and round and then you end up with, oh, look at that, grande elegant. Oh, five-second rule. Profitable moment after the

break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

QUEST: Tonight's profitable moment. If there's one thing that always enrages me, it is the frequent flyer confiscation of miles, devaluation,

whatever you like to call it. The reality that you watch your frequent miles be devalued when the airline changes the rules. I don't care whether

you've got a thousand miles or a million, it just seems unfair.

And so, the DOT's investigation should be interesting and fruitful. Now we're talking about being fruitful. Tonight on QUEST MEANS BUSINESS, we

brought you all of this. We brought you baked cakes to show how interest rates are baked into the economy and that is a done deal, whatever's going

to happen. And then we brought you the melon baller which I thoroughly enjoyed doing. Another perfect melon ball to show you about the drink, the

Honey Deuce.

And why do I raise this now? Because we at QUEST MEANS BUSINESS firmly believe whether it is frequent flyer miles or interest rates or how people

are making money, the core of the business is how you and me earn and spend our money. It's the true measure of real business news. And that's been our

fundamental tenant since we started 15 years ago. And if that means going out and buying a melon, a cake, a bottle of vodka, and making a delicious

drink, then I consider that to be a job well done.

And that's QUEST MEANS BUSINESS for tonight. I'm Richard Quest. Whatever you're up to in the hours ahead, I hope it's profitable.

[17:00:04]

Melon, cake or drink, I have all three.

I'm Richard Quest. Whatever you're up to in the hours ahead, I hope it's profitable. Melon, cake, or drink for all three.

END