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Quest Means Business
U.S. and China Agree on Framework for a Trade Deal; Inflation Comes in Lower than Expected at 2.4 Percent; L.A. Braces for Sixth Day of Protests Against ICE Raids. Riots Follow Protest Over Alleged Sexual Assault in Irish Town; At Least Seven Killed by Explosions in Colombia; Royal Air Maroc CEO on Developing New Ways to Compete; Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys Dead at 82. Aired 4-5p ET
Aired June 11, 2025 - 16:00:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[16:00:07]
MAX FOSTER, CNN INTERNATIONAL HOST: There we go. U.S. stocks slipping into the red in the final hours of trade, but actually almost dead on as they
finished. That's despite lower than expected U.S. inflation numbers. Those are the markets, the main events U.S. President Donald Trump saying a deal
with China is done after two days of marathon trade negotiations in London.
Hundreds of Marines set to be deployed to Los Angeles as protests spread to other major U.S. cities.
And French colleges are capitalizing on President Trump's war on U.S. universities. We will hear from the director of a French school trying to
woo U.S. students.
Live from London. It is Wednesday. It is June the 11th. I'm Max Foster, in for Richard. This is QUEST MEANS BUSINESS.
U.S. President Donald Trump saying a trade deal with China is "done." The markets don't seem to care, though. Mr. Trump says Chinese imports will
face a 55 percent tariff and Beijing will put a 10 percent tariff on U.S. goods. The White House says President Trump is still going over details
with his trade team, but Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, who participated in trade talks with China, told CNBC that these will be the
final tariff rates.
There was a muted reaction on Wall Street. The Dow closed about as flat as can be. The S&P and the NASDAQ finished in the red as we were saying.
Alayna Treene is in Washington.
I mean, it all does -- you know, there is a big announcement around this, but if we go back a couple of months and to what we've got now, it is
pretty unclear how this is going to end up.
ALAYNA TREENE, CNN REPORTER: No, that's exactly right, Max. And look, I mean, they did agree to a trade agreement, but this is another one. I mean,
they are agreeing again to a trade commitment and framework. But look, I mean, when U.S. and Chinese officials went to London this week for another
marathon round of talks, they had a singular goal in mind and that was to agree to the framework of the broader trade deal that they already agreed
to and laid out in Geneva just one month earlier.
The problem of course, as we saw, United States officials in the Trump administration take punitive actions in the weeks that followed against
China because they believed that Beijing was not living up to the commitments that they agreed to. Some of the punitive measures we saw, the
Trump administration take against China included revoking visas for Chinese students, trying to up the export controls under the Commerce Department to
try and really put pressure on China and some of their manufacturing, and now, we are seeing some of that be eased.
Now, this agreement, as you mentioned, it is sparse on detail. So we don't have a full picture yet of the extent of this truce that we are seeing now
between the two countries, but we did hear from the President himself saying that this is going to ease export controls for both countries.
The president also said that this deal will "have full magnets and any necessary rare earths will be supplied up front by China." You mentioned
this, but tariffs between the two countries still remains unchanged. And specifically, I mean, that means that they are remaining historically high.
We know that the Trump administration's tariffs on China are still 55 percent in totality. China still having a 10 percent tariff on the United
States. But I do think despite kind of the, you know, muted reaction on Wall Street and in the stock markets around this, this will give businesses
and consumers and Wall Street a bit, more breathing room here because of course, I mean, these are the world's two biggest economies and to try and
lower some of these trade barriers is good news for, you know, a very uncertain stock market, particularly uncertain around what was going on
with China.
Now, as we look ahead, of course, we have to see whether or not this continues to be fulfilled. They did make this agreement, but as we saw in
the fallout in the aftermath of the trade talks that took place in Switzerland, it is unclear if this is actually going to hold, but it does
seem like the President, I know this from some of my conversations with Trump administration officials, he feels confident that following his phone
call, the first phone call really between him and Chinese President Xi Jinping last week, he really felt that that was a good step forward. He
actually, I had been told, had told some of his team that he wanted to ease up on some of the punitive measures that they were taking around China
until they could come to this point and have these trade talks in London.
So the Trump administration, the White House, they are arguing that this is a very good move forward. But again, this isn't that different from what we
had already seen them agree to last month, and it is also not that different from kind of the tense place that China and Washington are in
right now, even before April 2nd when these tariffs took effect.
So it is still kind of a shaky market right now, shaky relations still between the two countries. The big question, of course, is getting these
more details now and seeing if both sides live up to their commitments.
[16:05:09]
FOSTER: Okay, Alayna, let's see, again. Thank you.
Despite President Trump's trade war, inflation in the U.S. isn't rising quite as fast as economists predicted. Prices rose 2.4 percent in the 12
months ending in May. That's 0.1 percent on a month on month basis, less than the 0.2 percent expected by economists.
Mr. Trump celebrated the reading on social media and called on the Federal Reserve to lower interest rates by a full percentage point.
Daniel Hornung is the former Deputy Director of the U.S. Economic Council. I mean, he has got a lot to celebrate, hasn't he? People just didn't expect
these figures to be so good, he said it would be fine. And, you know, they're not that bad.
DANIEL HORNUNG, FORMER DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF THE U.S. ECONOMIC COUNCIL: Well, it is good to be with you.
You know, it was a good report. There is no question about it. I think that the question that remains is what the tariff induced price increases do to
either future inflation reports or to the economic activity and employment side of things. If you dig a little bit under the hood of this report, you
see some initial signs that tariffs are starting to have an effect in some categories, like consumer electronics and household appliances.
But overall, I think what we are seeing is that importers really were able to largely build up their inventories and get ahead of the tariff rates.
And to the extent that we are going to see some of these tariffs get actually passed on to consumers, that likely will happen later in the
summer versus in today's report.
FOSTER: Is it inevitable?
HORNUNG: Well, I think we are likely to see one of two things. Either we are already starting to see that importers are paying tariffs when their
goods come across the country. We saw a large uptick in tariff revenue in May. So either we are going to see those prices passed on to consumers, or
we are going to see companies slow their investment and slow their hiring, which also is bad for the economy.
So we are likely to see one or either. We might actually see some of both, and I think most would tell you based on the tariff revenue that we've
already started to see come in, it really is just a matter of time. Unless, of course, the administration reverses course.
FOSTER: What is the vibe you're getting from the Federal Reserve? Because obviously Trump is saying they need to lower interest rates. But you know,
there is too much uncertainty for that, surely.
HORNUNG: Well, I think despite the President's wishes on that, he has put the Fed in a very hard position. You know, here we are debating are tariffs
going to have a bigger impact on the inflation side of things and raising prices or on the employment side of things in terms of lowering hiring? And
when the Fed has such a difficult assessment to make about each side of its mandate, what it does is it waits.
And so the market now is broadly expecting that we won't see any rate reductions for the next two meetings, that we might see rate reductions in
the fall, but certainly nothing like the one percentage point that President Trump called for today.
I think it really just does underscore the significant uncertainty that the Fed is operating under, and the fact that the best path to a rate reduction
would be for some of those tariffs to get pulled back.
FOSTER: We saw this deal with China today. I mean, or, you know, agreement to agree a deal today with China. That's significant though, isn't it?
Whatever came out of it, it does suggest that there is some certainty coming back to that relationship, and there is not going to be any more
sharp rises in tariffs. If anything, they're going to come down.
HORNUNG: Well, it certainly was a sigh of relief today that the Geneva deal is going to be -- is going to move forward as the London deal. But I do
think that for a real sustained sigh of relief that could lead to, you know, people once again thinking about making long-term investments and
long-term hiring decisions, you're going to need to see a bunch more certainty than just the July negotiation date and the August negotiation
date.
I think in order to make long-term decisions, I think businesses and markets are going to want to understand what the tariff rate is going to be
in the fall at this time next year, and we still just do not see that yet.
FOSTER: Okay. Daniel Hornung, really appreciate your time today. Thank you so much for joining us.
The White House says it is not afraid to send more troops to Los Angeles. The military says U.S. Marines are being trained for potential crowd
control if they are asked to respond to protests. See them here, they are practicing. The latest after the break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[16:12:42]
FOSTER: So international students hit by U.S. visa complications may want to look to the French Alps. Why not? The Grenoble School of Management has
begun fast tracking applications for students who have already been accepted into a U.S. business school. It is part of a wider push to bring
students to Europe.
Last month, the E.U. pledged to spend $567 million to attract researchers in response to the Trump administration's grant cuts. The French President
called those cuts a mistake.
Fouziya Bouzerda is the Director General of the Grenoble School of Management, which has already heard from dozens of students. I mean, it is
like -- it has been a horrible situation, hasn't it, for many of these students who thought they were going to one school and now have to find
another, but also a great opportunity because there are lots of other places in the world they can go and you're an example of that.
FOUZIYA BOUZERDA, DIRECTOR GENERAL, GRENOBLE SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT: Yes. Thank you. Can I answer this?
FOSTER: Yes, of course. Just explain what sort of interest you've had from U.S. students.
BOUZERDA: Yes, yes. Again, when we heard this, we mobilized within hours, you know, to offer support to affected students because we believe
education should remain open, inclusive, and protected from political tensions. So we have implemented a fast track. How does it work for us? If
you've been expected, if you have been accepted in one of the top U.S. schools, which are F.T.-ranked because the students must still meet minimum
academic requirements for the program, you'll get priority treatment. Direct admission without going through the admission board.
So this is how we give a solution for these students, because otherwise we have every two weeks our regular international board, and now we handle it
daily for these students.
So in these cases, we streamline administrative procedures. We do not require candidates to submit a full application file again. We trust in the
rigor of the selection processes at these institutions. Often this is our partner and we consider their admission as a strong indicator of the
student's academic quality.
[16:15:04]
And of course, we welcome them. It is very important for the students. It is very important for GEM, it is part of the Choose France, so choose GEM.
FOSTER: Yes, well, it is really positive news, isn't it? You're getting, you know, really incredible students, as you say, getting into these top
U.S. schools is incredibly difficult.
What are your colleagues in America saying about all of this behind closed doors? Obviously, they can't speak too publicly about the Trump
administration, but how frustrating has it been for them to lose these brilliant students?
BOUZERDA: It's very frustrating because education, academic excellence is something we shared all abroad. Our daily partners, we have a lot of
partnership, you know, about 250 with great universities abroad and in the U.S. and this is a huge problem, not only financial but it is research, it
is connection, it is openness. It is also some strong and core values about diversity equity. And this has a lot of implications, also among the
accreditation.
So it is completely challenging everything, and we face that, we are very connected to them and I think -- I hope it is part of the temporary
solution for them and the situation will improve. But it is very important for all students in international to stay connected, to have the capacity,
the possibility to go abroad, to share their culture and to get back with this experience.
So, yes, it is a strange -- it is a strange time now.
FOSTER: Yes, Fouziya Bouzerda, I really appreciate your time and good luck with all of those American students coming your way, at least they get to
go to the French Alps now.
BOUZERDA: Yes, we will welcome them --
FOSTER: Yes, thank you so much.
Now, the U.S. Attorney General says the White House is not afraid to expand its authority to deploy troops in Los Angeles. The military says 700
Marines are mobilized. They are undergoing training as you can see here. It is unclear if they'll be asked to respond to protests against Donald
Trump's immigration crackdown just yet.
Los Angeles Police say they have arrested more than 200 people overnight for failure to disperse. The demonstrations have been concentrated in parts
of Downtown Los Angeles. The mayor says that area will remain under curfew as long as needed.
Nick Watt is in Los Angeles and sadly, you're getting a real sense of the rhythm here, how each day plays out. How is it looking tonight?
NICK WATT, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Max, right now it is a lot calmer than it was this time 24 hours ago. We are outside the federal
detention facility, which has been the focus of these protests that is in the middle of that very small curfew zone. And right now, I'd say a couple
of dozen protesters being very quiet and also the National Guard, much different posture from yesterday, far fewer and they don't have their riot
shields.
Now, what happens tonight? Well, the political standoff, Max, is still in effect. The Mayor of Los Angeles, Karen Bass, she says the fact that troops
are here, the fact that these ICE raids continue, that is what is driving the protests and that is what it means, she has to implement the curfew.
The federal government, on the other hand, says those raids are going to continue. These protests have had no impact whatsoever. And President Trump
making it clear that the clampdown, the federal clampdown here is really an example to the rest of the country that if there are ICE raids, don't
protest, because this is what we are going to do.
Interesting message from one of the local mayors of a little city here, Huntington Park, this morning. He is an Iraq war veteran. He was a Marine.
His message to those Marines that are deployed and currently training, his message to them is, remember, you took an oath not to a tyrant, not to a
dictator, not to a president. You took an oath to the people.
So, Max, let's just see what happens over the next few hours here. As I say, from yesterday, the temperature is a lot lower. But those raids are
going on. We've heard of raids in Downey, just south of L.A. this morning at a Home Depot, at a gym, an older man apparently taken outside a place of
worship.
So the raids are going on. Let's see what happens here. But as I say, this is a lot, lot calmer than it has been. And, you know, President Trump is
saying that there are paid agitators here orchestrating this. What I will say, having covered a lot of protests, most people here have a sincere
belief in what they are protesting. There are, of course, a few people here to cause trouble, but I have seen no evidence of any coordination between
the troublemakers -- Max.
FOSTER: I am sure the police are being very discreet, but is there, you know, this idea that the National Guard, U.S. Marines and police are all
working together?
[16:20:13]
We're hearing from one of your colleagues that there isn't any sort of system set up to deal with that, you know, let alone the fact that the
Marines aren't yet trained properly.
So it is very difficult to see how it is all going to work.
WATT: Well, I mean, what we've been seeing, Max, is the National Guard protecting federal buildings like this detention center, and last night
they were ringed around a federal office building just around the corner. The LAPD are the ones are who have been on the street actually enforcing
the rules and making the arrests.
LAPD and the mayor are very keen to make it abundantly clear that local law enforcement can handle this, that there is no need for those federal troops
sent by President Trump -- Max.
FOSTER: Nick, let's see how it plays out tonight. Thank you for joining us.
President Trump heading to the Kennedy Center in Washington this evening for the opening night of the musical, "Les Miserables." Some performers
have told CNN they will boycott tonight's show, though, to protest Trump's partisan takeover of that arts organization.
Kristen Holmes is at the White House.
Will that be embarrassing for him, or is he just going to carry on?
KRISTEN HOLMES, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, I mean, of course it will be embarrassing, but I will tell you that I've spoken to a number of people
who are dealing with the planning, talking about this potential boycott, et cetera that say that they don't believe that this is going to be some kind
of widespread type of boycott that actually causes a scene in any way, that essentially that if these people did decide that they were going to
boycott, that they would just have an understudy in place instead, meaning that it would look like the show was going on with a natural cast, even
though it was a very different scenario here.
So just one thing that the people who have helped organize this are keenly aware of is not embarrassing Donald Trump. One of the things that we've
noted in the past is when J.D. Vance went to the Kennedy Center, for example, they booed him there. They do not want that to happen.
So one of the things I was told is that a lot of the seats were given away to Trump supporters, Trump allies making sure they fill out the crowd. Now,
there were still some seats that were available to the public, but they are trying to limit what would potentially be an embarrassment if someone was
to boo. They want to drown it out with cheers.
And remember, part of tonight is a fundraiser for the Kennedy Center. We know that they -- some of the seats they say cost $2 million. We don't know
if anyone bought them, but the deal was that if you donated $2 million to the Kennedy Center to redo the Kennedy Center, which Donald Trump has said
he wants to do, that you would get to sit in the box next to the presidential box where Trump and Melania will be sitting.
Also, you could spend $100,000.00 and get an orchestra seat that gives you access to a pre-party sort of deal, where you would rub elbows with Melania
and President Trump. But again, you know, we are going to watch and see how this plays out. We should note Donald Trump essentially got rid of everyone
on the board of directors at the Kennedy Center, then installed loyalists there who then voted him as the head, the President of the board of the
Kennedy Center and that's why there have been so many protests, a lot of shows have threatened to not come.
The Kennedy Center has pushed back and said that they only want people who want to perform for all audiences, saying essentially kind of trying to
turn the tables there, saying that these people don't want to perform for Republicans. But certainly, we will have an eye on how the reaction is in
the crowd and from the performers on the stage.
FOSTER: Fascinating, Kristen. Thank you.
Sources telling CNN that Elon Musk called Donald Trump earlier this week before making a public apology for criticizing him. The tech billionaire
took to his social media platform, X today to say he regretted writing posts criticizing the President and admitting that he, "went too far."
Sources say musk also had a separate, longer call with U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance and the White House chief-of-staff last week, where they
discussed Musk's falling out with President Trump.
CNN media analyst, Brian Stelter is with me.
I mean, who knows what was said behind-the-scenes, but it is interesting that one of these egos ultimately stood down a bit.
BRIAN STELTER, CNN CHIEF MEDIA ANALYST: And Donald Trump may take this as the ultimate evidence that he can roll over anyone, that he can steamroll
anybody, that he will win against any ego, no matter how large. We don't know what's in the President's head. We don't know if that is his takeaway,
but it is a logical emotion for Trump to be having today because he woke up to this tweet seen around the world from Elon Musk.
We never know exactly where Musk is. But you know, if he was on the East Coast, it was three in the morning when Musk was sharing this regret. It is
remarkable to watch Tesla stock bump right up in pre-market trading on Robinhood and other platforms the moment that Musk posted that tweet.
The stock ended up coming down a little bit today, but investors want to see reconciliation, right?
[16:25:08]
Tesla shareholders want to see this this dispute resolved, and certainly for Musk and for SpaceX, or for his other companies, anything that reduces
the threat of regulatory attacks, anything that reduces the threat of Trump is going to benefit Musk. It is strange that we live in this environment
now where it is always a question of retribution and how Trump is going to punish his enemies. But it does seem to me Musk is trying to get off the
enemies list.
FOSTER: How do you think he played it? Obviously, this felt like a show, like often these Trump events do. But he -- you know, he didn't go all out
and criticize Musk in the same way that Musk criticized him. He simply just sort of waited for Musk to come back to him. That seemed to be the
narrative that he was the more powerful.
STELTER: That's a very good point. Musk was playing dirtier. He was more aggressive. He was more harshly personal. But maybe that's because Musk had
more to lose last week. And as time went on, and after a few days, maybe this is Musk recognizing and acknowledging that.
This has also happened in stages, right, with Musk deleting some of the ugliest tweets and now expressing regret and who knows what he will say
next.
This is an environment where money is so relevant to this entire conversation. I think one of the reasons why Trump was somewhat gentle in
his criticism of Musk, talked about being disappointed rather than being mad, acted like he didn't really care that much about Musk's critique, is
that he is aware of how deep Musk's pockets are. He is aware that if Musk turned around and supporting Democrats, Republicans would have a much
harder time in the midterms.
Over the weekend, Trump even issued that threat, saying that Musk would suffer the consequences if he did donate to Democrats to challenge
Republicans. So the financial stakes here are such a big part of the story. And yet, even though Musk does have unlimited resources financially, at the
end of the day, he is the one who came down and said he was sorry.
And to anyone who is worried that Trump's ego is too large and only getting larger, well, this is a day to worry then.
FOSTER: Yes, absolutely. Brian, thank you so much.
Still to come, fear in a town in Northern Ireland. Why police are investigating attacks there as a racially motivated hate crime.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[16:30:37]
FOSTER: Hello, I'm Max Foster in for Richard. There's more QUEST MEANS BUSINESS in just a moment. But we're going to give you some headlines.
Officials say rioters in Northern Ireland set fire to property and attacked police as well. Richard is going to be sitting down with the chief
executive of Royal Air Maroc, who says he's finding new ways to compete. Before that, though, the headlines this hour.
Protests and rallies are spreading across the U.S. over President Trump's hardline immigration crackdown. Los Angeles is bracing for a sixth day of
protests following ICE raids. There have been also been some tense confrontations between demonstrators and police in other major cities like
New York, Chicago, San Francisco.
Austria is in mourning as police search for answers in one of the country's deadliest mass shootings. The country observed a minute of silence on
Wednesday. Nine students and a teacher were killed on Tuesday at a high school in the city of Gras. Police say the shooter was a former student.
Musician Brian Wilson, one of the founders of the Beach Boys, has died at the age of 82. Wilson was the band's main composer, producing hits like
"Surfing USA" and "I Get Around," as well as the landmark album "Pet Sounds." His family announced his passing, saying, we're at a loss for
words.
Police in Northern Ireland say they are investigating the burning of homes in Ballymena as potential hate crimes. The violence there continued for a
second straight night on Tuesday. Officials say hundreds of masked rioters set fire to cars and properties and attacked police responding to the
unrest. The tension started after the arrest of two teens for an alleged sexual assault.
Our international diplomatic editor, Nic Robertson, joins me here.
And violence seems to be continuing tonight?
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: It does. A leisure center about 20 miles from Ballymena in Larne, according to politicians
we're talking to both in Northern Ireland and here, are confirming that it has been set on fire. Video on social media appears to indicate that the
Larne Leisure Center, a very distinctive building, and it does appear as if young people have gathered around there and set it on fire.
Police have arrived, so it does seem that the violence is going into a third night. Now, Ballymena had its second night of violence last night. 17
police were injured, 15 there the night before, and the violence last night had spread to a couple of other locations. A couple of other cities around
the country. Coleraine was one of them, Lisburn was another, and Belfast also.
This began, as you'd mentioned there, because a young woman said that she had been sexually assaulted in Ballymena over the weekend. Now, on early
Monday, the police detained two young teenagers and then they were, according to local media reports, including the BBC, they were then charged
but through a Romanian translator, and this seemed to then --
FOSTER: Romanian.
ROBERTSON: Romanian translator. And then this seemed to trigger the crowds who were attending a vigil for this young woman on the Monday evening to
then turn violent. And they then targeted the migrant community, which is a very small community in Ballymena, smashing houses, kicking in doors,
smashing windows, very aggressive, very violent.
And this is why the police are calling it, you know, racist attacks, racially motivated attacks. But the confrontations with the police and last
night in particular were very violent. Molotov cocktails, petrol bombs thrown at the police, rocks thrown at the police, the police in their
armored vehicles, the sort of stuff we're seeing in Ireland before. The police using water cannon to disperse the crowds, firing their baton rounds
or rubber bullets, if you will, to disperse the crowds as well.
So this is quite an amount of violence for the people of Northern Ireland. And this is how it unfolded.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ROBERTSON (voice-over): For a second night anti-immigration rioters faced off with police in the small Northern Ireland town of Ballymena.
[16:35:07]
Dozens of mostly young men threw petrol bombs and rocks at the police. Police responded with water cannon and baton rounds, ramming their armored
vehicles through burning barricades. 17 officers were injured, two more than the previous night.
RYAN HENDERSON, ASSISTANT CHIEF CONSTABLE, PSNI: This violence was clearly racially motivated and targeted at our minority ethnic community and the
police. It was racist thuggery, pure and simply.
ROBERTSON: The violence also spreading to other towns, including the regional capital Belfast. This Belfast lawmaker's own district was impacted
by racist violence just a few months ago.
CLAIRE HANNA, MP, BELFAST SOUTH AND MID DOWN: I am really worried about the potential for this unrest to spread. It is wanton aggression, violence,
destruction of property and intimidation of people.
ROBERTSON: Ballymena's tiny handful of migrants became the target Monday. Masked gangs smashing windows, kicking in doors. At least one family burnt
out of their home. Their vehicle torched. Others in shock. What had begun as a peaceful protest for a young woman who said she'd been sexually
assaulted turned violent following the charging of two teenage boys through a Romanian interpreter. The BBC reported some immigrant families putting
flags on their doors, hoping to keep attackers away.
HANNA: We've seen the horrific sight of ethnic minorities putting flags and explanations on their door, saying that they're health care worker or that
they work in a local factory and effectively, you know, pleading mercy.
ROBERTSON: Police now calling for reinforcements from mainland U.K.
HENDERSON: As part of my forward planning, therefore, I have now activated the request for mutual aid resources from police and colleagues in Great
Britain.
ROBERTSON: Fueling concerns the riots will continue. The so-called marching season is beginning. A hangover from the region's bloody sectarian past,
and is often the most violent month in the year.
(END OF VIDEOTAPE)
ROBERTSON (on camera): Now, obviously, everyone is hoping in Northern Ireland that this doesn't spread, that it doesn't catch and pick up in
other areas. But when you look at what appears to be happening early this evening, this leisure center that has swimming for children, it's used by
the local community, that the crowd has turned on that, on the potential of rumors that may be displaced migrants might have been there.
This is something, obviously, information that's at the moment superficial, that needs to be checked and cross-referenced with the police when they
provide an update later this evening. But it's troubling.
FOSTER: That's so hard for police to keep up with, isn't it? This is all on social media.
ROBERTSON: And as they said, they're calling for reinforcements.
FOSTER: Yes. Nick, thank you.
Now, still to come, Southwest Colombia rocked by a wave of deadly explosions. The mayor of Cali has a message for people he calls bandits.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[16:41:22]
FOSTER: The mayor of Cali, Colombia, says another 100 police officers have arrived to help secure the city. A wave of deadly explosions and shootings
were reported in Cali and the surrounding areas on Tuesday. Meanwhile, presidential hopeful Miguel Uribe Torbay remains in critical condition
after being shot over the weekend in Bogota. The hospital treating him says he's shown signs of neurological improvement.
Stefano Pozzebon is in Colombia's capital for us.
I mean, how tense is it at the moment, Stefano?
STEFANO POZZEBON, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: Yes, well, tension is high in this country for sure. I think, Max, one of the reasons or the main reasons why
so many people are frankly in shock after the last weekend and the early weeks of violence in the last few days is just the scope of these attacks.
We're talking about a leading presidential candidate gunned down, shot in the head in the streets of the country's capital, Bogota, and then two days
later, more than 20 terrorist attacks across the entire southwest of Colombia region, not just in Cali, but really a wave of coordinated attacks
that sent shockwaves around the country.
Take a listen to how it all unfolded.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
POZZEBON (voice-over): Flames and sirens. Cali, Colombia's third largest city, rocked this week by a wave of terrorist attacks, including car bombs
and shootings, killing at least seven people. At least two of them police officers as security forces were a deliberate target, according to
authorities. The glass on this building in front of a police station shattered by the force of the explosion.
The mayor of Cali welcoming new troops to control the situation, but saying we need more.
The army is blaming the violence on a splinter guerrilla group involved in narcotrafficking and insurrection. But this wave of coordinated attacks
only three days after a presidential candidate was shot in the head at a rally in Bogota is sending chills across the country. A throwback to an era
when bullets rather than ballots ruled Colombia's politics.
ELIZABETH DICKINSON, SENIOR ANALYST, INTERNATIONAL CRISIS GROUP: There are certain types of violence in Colombia that are so symbolically connected to
the history of civil conflict that when they've happened in recent years, it really does raise the question about whether Colombia continues to move
forward or is regressing to that darker error.
POZZEBON: Senator Miguel Uribe survived Saturday's attack, but what is even more concerning most of the violence in both attacks occurred in urban
areas under tight police control, meaning criminal groups are getting bolder, analysts believe.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro traveling to Cali today to rally support for his reforms. But as he approaches the last year of his mandate, a
security crisis risks spilling out of control.
(END OF VIDEOTAPE)
POZZEBON (on camera): And Max, as we're here to talk business, let me give you a little bit of context. Cali is a major urban metropolis in these
countries. The third largest city in Colombia and the largest urban economic hub in the southwest. It's where most of the trade with China, for
example, goes through. Because it's where all the goods coming in and out of the Pacific ports of the -- the ports on the Pacific Coast, go in and
out of the rest of the country.
So this violence, of course, is spilling out and has a massive social repercussion. But let's not underestimate the economic angle of it with
hundreds of thousands of tourists traveling to that region of Colombia because of its natural beauty every year.
[16:45:10]
And like I said, a lot of Colombian trade going on on those roads, right when we see bombs on the streets -- Max.
FOSTER: Absolutely. Stefano Pozzebon, thank you so much.
The CEO of Royal Air Maroc says his company has been finding new ways to compete with other airlines. Morocco's national carrier is expanding its
long-haul routes to North and South America, and growing its African market.
Richard Quest spoke to Abdelhamid Addou at the International Air Transport Association annual meetings, which was last week.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ABDELHAMID ADDOU, CEO, ROYAL AIR MAROC: The GCC airlines are much more oriented in Asia. We are much stronger south and north between Africa and
Europe. Where it's complicated for us to compete is against low-cost carriers. We have 40 plus competitors in our country, so we had to create a
new model and a new market, and that's why we are, I think we are being successful today thanks to this vision and to the teams that have been very
strong in developing this new market.
RICHARD QUEST, CNN ANCHOR: How do you compete against a Wizz, EasyJet, a Ryanair that has such phenomenal resources from Europe?
ADDOU: Well, first, we are developing a different market, which is the African market, rather than just the point to point. Then even on the
point-to-point market, we have a different product. We are not a low cost. When you put a step, when you put a first step in a line like ours, you
feel the atmosphere of the country, the culture, so you have a different experience, and this is important to us.
We have a different product, completely different. We have different teams in terms of service. And that that makes the difference.
QUEST: Is the evidence clear that people are prepared to pay more for want of a better word, a more civilized experience than a low cost?
ADDOU: I think yes. I think there's a market for all. I think that if you want to feel again, the first experience of the country, the airline is the
best way to start a good journey.
QUEST: On the long haul, where will you grow?
ADDOU: West. Much more so. So south, north and then southwest. North America, Southern America, that's where we can have a real added value,
bringing diasporas together, bringing a Senegalese that would go that lives and work in L.A., taking him from Dakar to L.A., taking an Italian from
Milano. Yes, from Milano to Rio via Casablanca.
This is our added value. We are in the center geographically and we can capitalize on this diaspora to transport them in addition to tourism, of
course.
QUEST: That also requires considerable product investment.
ADDOU: Yes, and I agree with you. When you take someone in a Dreamliner from New York to Casablanca and then from Casablanca to Lagos in a 737, the
experience can be complicated. We will start retrofitting our 737s to have flatbed, so that will help us keep the same experience between the long
haul and short haul.
QUEST: The development of the narrow-bodied flatbed is quite an interesting thing, isn't it? Whether it's the XR or the 737, the ability to get a
flatbed in a small aircraft and still make money, it's quite a challenge.
ADDOU: It is. But look, especially in business class, you have to offer your customers what they're paying for and in economy, in coach, you have
to offer the kind of service they're expecting. So we need to invest in the product and we are already doing it.
QUEST: How are you handling the supply chain issue?
ADDOU: Well, like all my colleagues, as you know.
QUEST: Do you get frustrated?
ADDOU: Of course. I mean, when you have 15 to 18 months late deliveries, then you get frustrated. But we are all facing the same issue. But I sense
that things are evolving in the right direction. Yes, I, well, we just received three MAXs this week. We should receive seven other MAXs by the
end of December. So in my opinion, things are getting better based on my information, the rhythm of production is increasing, which is a good sign.
And we want to trust our partners.
(END OF VIDEOTAPE)
FOSTER: Now, coming up, he co-founded the Beach Boys. He was the creative force behind some of their best loved tracks. We'll take a look back at the
complex life and remarkable musical legacy of Brian Wilson, who's died at the age of 82.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[16:52:36]
FOSTER: Musician Brian Wilson, the creative force behind the Beach Boys, has died at the age of 82. His family announced his death, writing, quote,
"We're at a loss for words right now." Wilson composed some of rock music's most enduring songs, such as "Good Vibrations" and "God Only Knows." His
career was also marked by a decades long battle with drug abuse and mental health issues.
CNN's Stephanie Elam looks back at the legendary musician's life and his legacy.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
STEPHANIE ELAM, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): He was the mastermind behind the Beach Boys' chart-topping success. Brian Wilson was one of the
most influential composers in modern music.
The Beach Boys' joyful pop emerged at the vanguard of the California sound in the early '60s. It was Wilson's creative genius that layered the band's
five distinct voices into one perfect harmony.
BRIAN WILSON, MUSICIAN: I would describe it as ethereal and masculine and feminine put together.
ELAM: Wilson and the other Beach Boys wrote their signature sound wave through a string of hits, "Surfing USA." "I Get Around." "Fun, Fun, Fun."
And "Help Me Rhonda."
By the mid-'60s, Wilson experimented with new music and with drugs. He said an LSD experience helped him write the Beach Boys' 1966 magnum opus, "Pet
Sounds."
"Pet Sounds" is widely considered one of the greatest albums of all time.
During its studio sessions, the Beach Boys recorded "Good Vibrations," later released as a single. It became one of the most influential tracks in
rock history.
WILSON: The night we cut the vocals at RCA was one of the highlights in my life, teaching the guys the parts. And, you know, it was just a departure
from anything we have ever, ever done before. It was probably our masterpiece.
ELAM: For seven months, Wilson experimented with multiple layers of track, echoes and reverb, using the studio as his instrument.
"Good Vibrations," produced at a cost of more than $400,000 in today's dollars, was dubbed a pocket symphony. But the drug-fueled creative blaze
came at a cost.
[16:55:02]
Wilson said he began hearing voices around the time he used LSD. By the '70s, his life had spiraled into an abyss of drug abuse, depression, and
seclusion. He disappeared from public view and fell under the sway of discredited psychologist Eugene Landy.
The 2015 biopic "Love and Mercy" dramatized Wilson's decline, his struggles with Landy, and his redemption with the help of second wife Melinda.
Wilson returned to the studio in the late '80s. He released over a dozen solo albums in the decades that followed. In 2012, he joined the Beach Boys
for their 50-year reunion tour. Four years later, they toured again to commemorate 50 years since "Pet Sounds"' release.
Brian Wilson, a musical master who faced personal discord and wrote enduring harmonies.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
FOSTER: Chris Willman is senior music writer and chief music critic at "Variety."
Thank you so much for joining us. I mean, you know, we were looking at the simplicity of these songs, but I spoke to a professor of music, talking
about how remarkably complex some of the writing was and some of the chord work in those pieces of music. And he was arguing that they were some of
the greatest pieces of popular music ever written.
CHRIS WILLMAN, SENIOR MUSIC WRITER AND CHIEF MUSIC CRITIC, VARIETY: Yes, I'm certainly on board with that. I mean, I'm a Brian mega fan, and yes,
you look at things like "Fun, Fun, Fun." You think of simplicity. By the time they got to "Pet Sounds" and the "Smile Sessions" and even "Good
Vibrations" as a one off, there's this such a credible complexity going on.
I mean, they recently rereleased "Pet Sounds" in Dolby Atmos. If you go into a room where you can hear that, it really is like standing in the
middle of a symphony orchestra with all the incredible vocal and instrumental arrangements, and to me, you know, there's a Venn diagram
where there's Chuck Berry on one side and Beethoven on the other, and maybe the only person from popular music in our lifetime that's there in the
middle of that Venn diagram is Brian Wilson.
FOSTER: They were associated, weren't they, with all that fun living, surfing, summer hits, whereas some of the more, you know, other legendary
writers were much more gloomy. Do you think that somehow they didn't have the same credibility just because of this fun brand, even though the music
was as smart?
WILLMAN: That was difficult for them. Beginning in the mid '60s when Brian did do "Pet Sounds," which was not as successful out of the box as, you
know, the earlier hits, although it had "Wouldn't It Be Nice" on it and "Sloop John B," but the rest of it was kind of moving toward this
introspective, kind of lonely ballad thing almost.
And then from there, Brian got more psychedelic for a brief period, and then Brian sort of creatively left the band, and the group had to kind of
figure out how to deal with the counterculture era that was no longer about those striped shirts and surfboards. So, you know, there's so much that the
Beach Boys represent about how they did define an ethos and then kind of had to figure out where to go from there.
FOSTER: A sad day, but, you know, a long life as well.
Thank you so much, Chris Willman.
That is QUEST MEANS BUSINESS. I'm Max Foster. "THE LEAD WITH JAKE TAPPER" is up next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
END
