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Hala Gorani Tonight
Jeb Bush to Announce Presidential Candidacy; Suicide Bomber Mourned in England; Sudanese President Escapes ICC Justice Again; Flooding in Tbilisi, Georgia
Aired June 14, 2015 - 15:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[15:00:09] PAULA NEWTON, HOST: Tonight a notable name is about to officially enter the race for U.S. President.
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How will Jeb Bush reintroduce himself to the American people and the world? Then chaos on the Turkey, Syrian border as offense gives way letting
through a wave of desperate people. Plus what we're learning about a 17 year old boy who blew himself up from Iraq, we're live from the community
he left behind.
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Hello, I'm Paula Newton, live from CNN London, and this is The World Right Now.
So any moment now we're expecting Jeb Bush to declare his candidacy for the U.S. Presidency.
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Now we will be bringing you a live event there from Miami, there are some live pictures there it's Miami Dade County College. It is one of these
events that we've been waiting for -- for quite some time, we will bring you his address, his launch for his candidacy as soon as we have that live.
And just to let you know in case you didn't know his full name, John Ellis Bush served as Florida Governor. Now he's the younger brother of former
president George W. Bush. And the second son of another Commander in Chief, George H. W. Bush. Now the 62 year old republican has forged a
reputation as a pragmatic conservative.
He's - that's just some, we want to show you just some of a campaign video that his campaign has just released. Take a look.
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JEB BUSH: The barriers right now on people rising up is the great challenge of our time. So many people could do so much better if we fixed
a few things. Let our belief start with the premise that the most vulnerable in our society should be in the front of the line, not the back.
This is what leadership's about, it's not just about yapping about things, it's a lot of people talking and they're pretty good at it, and we need to
start fixing things.
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NEWTON: He's used that word quite often, he wants to be the fix it man. Now the Bush name is almost instantly recognizable but not only with
American voters but obviously with people around the world. So how will that help or hurt his campaign?
CNN's Political Analyst Josh Rubin, joins us now live from our Washington Bureau. I feel like we've been at this place before, several times before
and we've been waiting a long time for this to happen. What does he need to do when he gets on that stage in about 10 minutes?
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JOSH RUBIN, CNN's POLITICAL ANALYST: Well as you mentioned this has been a long awaited formal announcement of Jeb Bush's candidacy for president in
2016. He's been unofficially running for at least six months, some say as long as 18 months and he's been speaking and talking about it the whole
time.
So according to excerpts of his coming speech that we've received from the campaign Jeb Bush will make the argument that he needs to fix Washington
and he is in a position to do it because he fixed Florida. He'll tout his role as Florida Governor, he'll tout the economy in Florida while he was in
charge, and then he'll promise to run without taking anything for granted.
So what Bush needs to do in the speech very simply is to show that he's going to be an aggressive candidate that's going to take on all comers that
he's not going to ride on some air of invincibility. While that had been the case some say at the beginning of the year, over the last couple his
campaign and (waiting) has launched a lot of steam. He's been ready set to go after his challengers, and that's what's got to change, and the Bush
campaign knows that. And what they've done is they've made big changes at the top of the campaign, They have installed a new campaign manager, Danny
Diaz. And what they're going for is aggressiveness. And he says he's going to run with heart, and he said he's going to run to win. And he'll be
compelled to both argue that point and then demonstrate it after the speech as he starts to tour around the country.
NEWTON: Josh what do you think you know there's no doubt he's a likeable man especially in Florida where he's had so much success. But will he be
able to shake those two Bush legacies, especially that of his brother? Will that be an easy thing to do? Does he need to do that?
RUBIN: Yes, so he's not been able to do that so far despite some trying. When questioned about the war in Iraq, when questioned about his brother's
legacy around the world he's actually defended it and that's hurt him in the polls. Even amongst republicans some of George W. Bush's foreign
policies in retrospect are very unpopular.
So the campaign hasn't figured out what they're going to do to square that circle. He's got his line, his line is that he is his own man, that he's
neither his brother nor his father but he has yet to lay out exactly what that means. And that's going to be a big challenge.
On the one hand you see a campaign that wants to profit off the legacy and the relationships that the Bush family has accumulated in its decades of
public service. We're talking about donors, we're talking about name recognition, we're talking about networks of activists, and individuals and
volunteers and allies all over the country. So he wants to use that so that presents a problem for him as he tries to distance himself from
especially his brother. It's a tricky thing and the campaign is going to struggle with that as long as he's a candidate.
[15:05:20] NEWTON: Yes, and he has to get through a very chaotic republican race before he even hits the democratic nominee, whoever that
will be. Josh, thanks so much and I'm sure we'll be hearing more from you throughout the coming months.
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NEWTON: In the meantime CNN will of course bring you Jeb Bush's speech in its entirety, we expect that to happen in about 10 minutes from now. And
in the meantime as you can see we'll have a live feed direct from that Miami event, it will be in the right hand bottom corner of your screen and
you'll be able to watch those developments as they happen in Miami.
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NEWTON: Now turning to other news thousands of desperate Syrians are flooding toward the Turkish border in an effort to escape air and ground
attacks against ISIS targets.
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Now these are the chaotic scenes at the border crossing just north of the Syrian town of Tel Abyad. Now Kurdish forces say they have the ISIS
controlled town completely surrounded and we should say these people are fleeing that chaotic fighting.
Now nearly 2,800 people forced their way through the border Sunday with another thousand crossing just today, just in the last few hours alone.
Now as CNN's Arwa Damon reports many are fleeing that violence that I had mentioned and of course they are facing a very uncertain future.
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ARWA DAMON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Through the haze of the heat a glimpse of a few of those who are waiting for Turkish
authorities to allow them through, the majority barely visible behind the (berm). Arms raising frantically the moment water arrives. Many have been
here for hours if not days.
They are finally let through. A desperate scene the world has witnessed too many times yet done little to stop. Some parents lugging their
children, others laden with all they have left in life.
Exhausted, angry, and dehydrated, most just want to keep going. Some have relatives that already made it to Turkey.
This is a family that's just being reunited but they don't want to stop and talk which is very understandable given everything that they have been
through. A lot of people in those moments when the gate was opened were just phoning relatives they had on the other side saying it's open, come,
cross quickly worried that it would close once again and they would continue to have to wait on the other side.
ISIS controls the Syrian side of the official border crossing here and the town of Tel Abyad just on the other side. Now in the crosshairs of
advancing Kurdish fighters and Arab rebel forces. Capturing it means cutting off a major ISIS supply route to their strong hold (inaudible).
The majority of Tel Abyad's residents and those of the surrounding villages and impoverish rural area have gotten by day by day.
There are normal civilians who have nothing to do with anything. Whomever governs us we just obey them (inaudible) says, we just had to leave because
of the clashes.
Many had chosen ISIS rule over losing the little they have in life. A choice they no longer have.
Arwa Damon, CNN on the Turkey Syria border.
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NEWTON: Now meantime a small city in Northern England is in shock over the apparent death of a 17 year old fighting for ISIS.
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NEWTON: British teenager Talha Asmal is believed to be Britain's youngest ever suicide bomber. His family says they are absolutely devastated and
saw no signs he was becoming radicalized.
CNN's Nic Robertson is in Asmal's hometown of Dewsbury, England.
You know Nic in looking at some of the pictures that we're seeing right now I mean these were moments before he decided to go ahead and blow himself up
in the name of ISIS. The family has registered their shock. But this is a community that is familiar unfortunately with these kinds of events. This
kind of radicalization of their young people.
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NEWTON: And we apologize there as you can see we have lost Nic Robertson but we will try and get him back. I believe now we can speak to Nic
Robertson, Nick, can you hear me?
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NIC ROBERTSON: CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, hi Paula you're absolutely right, Dewsbury was where the ring leader of the 777 bombers
lived. In fact as I drove up here this evening I was reminded that I had driven the same roads when we came here what is it now almost eight years
ago, or seven - or ten years ago rather. And it is in this neighborhood and other neighborhoods not far from here that this sort of situation has
struck before. Young people that have become radicalized. What the family is saying is that they believe that he was intentionally groomed and
targeted by ISIS to do just this sort of suicide act.
[15:10:23] ROBERTSON: Dead, aged 17, Talha Asmal thought to be Britain's youngest suicide bomber. At his family's house in Northern England
mourners were streaming in and out through the day. Family bringing tea to reporters but declining interviews letting their finely worded statement
sound. Talha fell under the spell of individuals who continued to pray on his innocence and vulnerability to the point where if press reports are
accurate he was ordered to his death by so called ISIS handlers, and leaders too cowardly to do their own dirty work.
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ROBERTSON: In this reasonably well off tight knit community few here it seems want to speak out in part out of respect for the family and part also
because they feel under scrutiny and pressure.
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ROBERTSON: At the mosque at the street end that neither Talha nor his family attended the Imam spoke of his shock and concerns.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I would request everyone in the community to take care of their children and to also take care of who they send their children to
study under. It matters that the right knowledge is imparted and we live in this community in a peaceful manner.
ROBERTSON: According to neighbors Talha grew up playing on these streets, the oldest of four children. When he first went missing in March his
family contacted the police. This photo was part of their appeal for help but it was too late, his family said "completely unbeknownst to us [his
family] and entirely against our wishes he ended up travelling it seems to Iraq." It took ISIS just two months to destroy everything his parents
nurtured and turned him into a suicide bomber.
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ROBERTSON: And the family are still struggling to come to terms with that. That's what they've said the few people that have talked to us who come out
here speak very quietly about the suffering of the family and while we've been here dozens upon dozens upon dozens of people Paula going inside to
pay their respects to this family.
NEWTON: Yes and unfortunately they are not the only family going through this. I mean Nick, CNN has been covering this around the world from Canada
to Australia we have these young people who are radicalized. Now another story out of Bradford where a family is kind of worried about missing
members of the family. What do we know about that case?
ROBERTSON: Yes Paula these statistics are shocking to anyone that reads them and this is a family that's just 10 miles away from here. Three
sisters, one is 30, the other 33, the other 34, were reported missing or noticed missing by their family on the 9th of June. They reported them
missing on the 11th of June but it isn't just these three sisters that have gone missing. Their nine children have gone missing with them as well.
This is what West Yorkshire Police, the police in this area are saying that 12 people have been reported missing to them. And what the associated -
the press association here in the UK is saying is that the fear right now is that these 12 people, the three adults, the three sisters, and their
nine children have all gone to Syria; so of course this is causing yet more concern at a time when one family here is going through so much grief after
suddenly their child taking up and leaving to go to join ISIS in Iraq and Syria Paula.
NEWTON: Yes and it gives you a sense of what the authorities have to deal with and the families that are trying to make sure their loved ones do not
end up with ISIS. Nic Robertson we know will stay on this story, I appreciate the update tonight.
Now Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir has arrived back in his home country apparently one step ahead of the law.
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NEWTON: His arrival back comes as a South African High Court was considering whether to order his arrest. Al-Bashir is wanted by the
International Criminal Court for alleged war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide. He was in South Africa for an African Union Summit.
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Now we want to bring you the latest on this, CNN's Diana Magnay, reports now from Johannesburg.
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DIANA MAGNAY, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: He's wanted for the gravest of war crimes accused of ordering torture, murder and ethnic cleansing
during the conflict in Darfur, charges he denies.
But Sudan's President Omar al-Bashir returned home to a hero's welcome on Monday after defying a South African court order barring him from leaving
the country.
He'd been in South Africa to attend the AU Summit. Whilst African leaders hobnobbed in Johannesburg a court in Pitoria was deliberating whether or
not South Africa as a signatory to the Rome statute was constitutionally obliged to hand Mr. Bashir over to international justice. Their ruling was
yes.
DUNSTAN MLAMBO, JUDGE: The Respondent (inaudible) to take all reasonable steps to prepare to arrest President Basir.
MAGNAY: By that point though he'd already left. Journalists at Waterkloof military airbase tweeting a little while earlier that they'd seen the
Sudanese Presidential Jet take off.
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[15:15:40] MAGNAY: The court has requested a full explanation as to when and how Mr. Bashir was able to leave and it expressed its concern that an
order was issued and not complied with. The Southern Africa Litigation Centre which is the sole applicant in the case said in a statement "The
Rule of Law is only as good as the Government which enforces it", and that it's considering bringing contempt of court charges against the state.
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MAGNAY: President Bashir was re-elected back in April despite being the most wanted war-crimes fugitive on the International Criminal Courts list.
But without its own Police force the ICC relies on the cooperation of its signatories and African leaders aren't playing ball.
At this year's summit they called the court dysfunctional and without their backing the courts ability to pursue international justice is clearly
compromised.
Diana Magnay, CNN, Johannesburg.
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NEWTON: Now President al-Bashir faces 10 charges for his government's role in alleged war crimes in Darfur.
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NEWTON: Three of those counts are for genocide. Genocide by killing by causing serious bodily or mental harm. And by deliberately inflicting
living conditions to destroy a target group.
Now he also faces two counts of war crimes for intentionally directing attacks against civilians and for pillaging. And five counts of crimes
against humanity including murder, extermination, torture, rape and forcible transfer.
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NEWTON: Now earlier the ICC's deputy prosecutor James Stewart, spoke to CNN's Christiane Amanpour and said it was not a bad day for the court at
all.
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JAMES STEWART, DEPUTY PROSECUTOR: It is clear from what happened over the last few days and especially today in the court in South Africa that an ICC
Warrant of Arrest actually means something.
President Bashir did not leave in quite the way I expect he thought he would and certainly not in the way he arrived. It really does underscore
however the need for full cooperation by state's parties to the Rome Statute and member states of the United Nations. But I don't think that it
is a setback for the court or a bad day for the court in that sense, it is a bad day of course for International Criminal Justice.
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NEWTON: Now still to come tonight another Bush is officially entering the chase for the U.S. Presidency.
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We'll have unparalleled analysis on Jeb Bush's announcement when it happens, you'll see only here on CNN.
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[15:20:31] NEWTON: Welcome back the American woman who caused such a fire storm over her racial identity, Rachel Dolezal, is stepping down as
President of the Spokane NAACP Chapter.
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NEWTON: Now the civil rights group which traditionally caters to issues concerning blacks posted Rachel's resignation letter on line. Rachel has
got worldwide attention as you can imagine in the past few days after her parents showed these old pictures of their white daughter who they say is
now lying and trying to pass as black. Now it's not clear what her future role will be in that organization.
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NEWTON: The Vatican says it has set a trial date for its former Ambassador to the Dominican Republic on charges of child sexual abuse.
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NEWTON: Jozef Wesolowski is the highest ranking former Vatican official to be arrested to allegations related to sexual abuse of minors. Now when his
trial begins July 11th he will also be the first to be tried on such charges at the Vatican. Now the church stripped him of his priesthood last
year.
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NEWTON: Now it's a national day of mourning in Georgia after the worst flooding in decades. At least 12 people are dead and Agence France-Presse
reports up to 20 others are missing. But the biggest threat now may be from the hundreds of zoo animals that escaped when the floods destroyed
their pages. Matthew Chance has more.
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MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: The scenes in Tbilisi have been remarkable; large areas of the Georgian capital devastated by the
flash floods.
Out of the mud you can see the corpses of dead animals drowned as the city zoo was inundated.
Some of the animals that escaped are extremely dangerous. Hear rescuers are recovering a large crocodile, several more remain unaccounted for.
This hippopotamus was cornered in a city square before being tranquilized and recaptured.
One terrified bear escaped the flood waters by perching on a window ledge. Many of the escaped animals including lions, tigers and wolves have been
shot dead but authorities say there is still a danger of animal attacks.
The human cost has already been rising. Dead bodies including of children are being unearthed.
(UNIDENTIFIED MALE) : Tbilisi's mayoral office will provide financial assistance to eliminate the consequences of the natural disaster. The
situation is difficult but it can be handled except for the fact that we cannot bring back those who died.
CHANCE: Several countries including Russia, Turkey, and members of the European Union have offered condolences and a promise of help. Georgia may
need it to clear up the carnage in its capital.
Matthew Chance, CNN, Moscow.
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NEWTON: Could Sepp Blatter be about to make a dramatic U-Turn?
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NEWTON: Now some media reports are out there that say that the FIFA President would be willing to stay on if no viable alternative emerges.
But Domenico Scala FIFA's Chairman of the Independent Audit and Compliance Committee appeared to pour cold water over that theory.
Meantime the play agreement between former FIFA executive committee member Chuck Blazer and the U.S. Government could be unsealed in the United States
at any time.
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NEWTON: This is The World Right Now and we'll have much more here from CNN straight after the break.
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