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Hala Gorani Tonight
U.N.: Civilians "Facing The Abyss" On Eve Of Ceasefire; "Cessation Of Hostilities" Brokered By U.S., Russia; Malley: We Need To Fight ISIS "On All Fronts"; Mitt Romney Claims "Bombshell" In Trump Tax Returns; Apple Asks Court To Reverse Its Unlocking Order; OPEC President Says Output Freeze Will Work; US, China Work on North Korea Sanctions; Clinton-Sanders Race Examined; South African Police Fight Street Gangs; BBC Sexual Assault Scandal. Aired 3-4p ET
Aired February 25, 2016 - 15:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(HEADLINES)
HALA GORANI, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: Hello, everyone. I'm Hala Gorani. Thanks for being with us this hour. We are coming live from CNN London,
and this is THE WORLD RIGHT NOW.
Well, countless lives in Syria could depend on a truce due to take effect just over 24 hours from now. U.N. officials say civilians there are,
quote, "facing the abyss" and simply cannot endure anymore war.
There are no pretenses that the ceasefire will stop all of the fighting. That's quite simply because some of the most powerful militants on the
battlefield are not part of the deal to begin with.
The hope here is that a sensation of hostilities, as it's being called, brokered by the U.S. and Russia can at least turn the tide, slow downtown
violence. Whether the truce holds, depends on many factors, including the roll of the regional power houses fighting a proxy war inside the country.
We're live tonight in both those countries, Saudi Arabia and Iran. Nic Robertson is in Riyadh. Fred Pleitgen is in Tehran.
Nic, let's start with you in Riyadh, first of all, what are you hearing from Saudi officials on whether or not they believe the cessation of
hostilities deal can hold?
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: They're skeptical. They're really not sure that it will. The evidence they say they've been
watching up until now doesn't point in that direction.
But, you know, they're waiting to see which way it goes. The opposition that's based here in Riyadh, this group behind negotiating committee, this
is the group that came to Geneva for peace talks.
I've been talking to their spokesman here, met him, talked to him in Geneva, there he told us that the talks for that part couldn't continue
because the heavy Russian bombardment inside Syria.
And many began in Munich a few weeks later where there was a talk and an agreement for cessation of hostilities. A week later he told me. Then two
weeks ago, they'd be watching to see what happened with the Russian bombardments and met him again here, he told me that really they've lost
faith, they don't trust Russia.
They need their friends in the international community, the United States, Saudi Arabia, others in the gulf region, they need their support, but
they've built a real strength of that agreement for a cessation of hostilities.
The strength of that agreement lies in the hands of Russia. I said to him, OK, what is your Plan B? This is what he told me.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SALEM AL-MOSLET, SPOKESMAN, HIGH NEGOTIATION COMMITTEE: We'll wait. We'll wait now and see. We don't know to predict what happens in the coming few
days, in fact, we mentioned something about two weeks, you know, to see and test the goodwill of the other parties.
But I don't think this will really last 48 hours because we have experience with the regime, with the Russia, with the Iranian troops that are in
Syria, Iranian militias, but we'll wait and see.
We hope that this will work out. Then we'll talk about Plan B, you know, for us it's important to push for political solution.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERTSON: But of course if that political solution doesn't materialize, what you have in Saudi Arabia over the next couple days and the weeks ahead
is a big training exercise operation "Northern Thunder," and this really is to train Saudi and other gulf allies and other Arab allies as well.
That if there is a need for forces to go in on the ground to tackle ISIS and al Qaeda alongside the United States. They would have the forces here
that are ready to do that. They'll be training for that in the coming days -- Hala.
GORANI: I want to take us to Tehran where Fred Pleitgen is standing by. So what about the Iranians in all of this? They're very involved. In
Syria, they support the regime. They're close to Moscow. They're part of that access. What are you hearing from officials there about this upcoming
cessation of hostilities deal?
[15:05:05]FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: And they're also directly involved on the ground with the Revolutionary Guard
Forces, and also of course, training militias there to fight as well.
Certainly there's also lot of skepticism if you look around here in Tehran. We recently heard from President Hassan Rouhani on the one hand said of
course, Iran is committed to trying to find a diplomatic solution to this conflict.
But on the other hand, he echoed words that Bashar al-Assad had said shortly before that saying he didn't want any sort of cessation of
hostilities, which leads to opposition forces, rebel forces improving their position vis-a-vis the government.
And that certainly reflects a lot of what you see and hear out of Tehran. On the one hand, the Iranians have for a very long time been involved in a
trying to solve this conflict diplomatically.
They put forward a four-point plan in the past. At some point, we know they got involved in the bigger ceasefire negotiations. And certainly
there's a lot of people who say that the agreement in Munich would probably not have come to be if the Iranians hadn't have been involved in the
process as well.
On the other hand, they are deeply involved in the fighting on the ground as well. I was just recently in the north of Syria, in the area north of
Aleppo, and there is a lot of Iranian presence that could be seen there. Iranian flags on houses. There's of course a lot of Hezbollah flags as
well, pictures of Iran's supreme leader.
They do have a lot of influence there and it was quite telling because one of the things that Hassan Rouhani also said recently in a phone call with
the Russian president, Vladimir Putin.
He said the key thing for Iran was also trying to seal the border between Syria and Turkey. And that's something that the Iranians believe that
they're fairly close to achieving, but also something that they haven't achieved yet. So there still are things militarily that they certainly
want to achieve.
GORANI: And of course, Nic, just one last question to you there in Saudi Arabia, I mean, part of the issue here is that not all of the rebel groups
are excluded from this ceasefire agreement. Not all warring parties have signed on to it.
And that presumably is perhaps one of the -- one of the reasons so many people are skeptical, but I was struck by the opposition leader who said
basically, I give it 48 hours before it unravels again.
ROBERTSON: Yes, look what you have with this agency and negotiating committee is a broad spectrum ranging from a former prime minister so some
pretty hard core Islamists groups. One of those groups today claimed online, not proven, but claimed online to have targeted and blown up a
vehicle carrying Russian officers inside Syria today.
This is a group that just said the weekend, President Bashar Al-Assad named as a terrorist organization, yet they are part of this coalition group of
oppositions, again, range from politicians, former diplomats all the way through moderates and less moderate rebel groups.
Would it extensively be going on the ceasefire? There are groups in there that appear still to be on quite a war footing. They're certainly saying
they're on a war footing.
So you know, it's hard to see quite how this ceasefire comes into effect, but as we understand, you know, there may be everyone expecting there may
be problems with it.
Having said that, of course, these rebel commanders have come out of the country recently north and south and have essentially said we'll give it an
opportunity.
GORANI: Right. And a lot of people are saying give it a shot, it's better than nothing. Fred Pleitgen is our senior international correspondent in
Tehran, and Nic Robertson, our senior diplomatic editor. He is in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, the two countries regionally really duking it out. Fighting
it out on the ground through proxies inside of Syria.
So let's talk a little bit about what the probability is from the U.S. point of view that this cessation of hostilities is going to stick, it's
going to work, and also how to defeat the terrorist group, ISIS.
I spoke with President Barack Obama's special advisor on ISIS in an international television exclusive. I began by asking Robert Malley about
what he has telling the president needs to be done in order to degrade and ultimately destroy the terrorist group, ISIS. Listen.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ROBERT MALLEY, TOP ISIS ADVISER TO U.S. PRESIDENT: Well, we need to fight on all fronts, militarily front, which we are doing both in Syria and in
Iraq with partners on the ground. Much easier to do in Iraq than in Syria, given the situation there, but there's a military campaign, which we're
prosecuting, but also an economic campaign.
There's a campaign to try to make sure that ISIL cannot recruit as many foreign fighters as it has been doing so far. Some this is a multi-pronged
campaign and we've been reviewing it constantly. A lot of public attention obviously is on the military aspect, but that's not the only one by any
stretch of the imagination.
GORANI: And in the last since 2004, since this anti-ISIS coalition began bombing campaigning in Syria, ISIS territory has shrunk, but they're still
making very significant gains. Just as recently as two days ago, they took over a key strategic town in Syria on a very important military route.
[15:10:03]What has not worked in this length of time that is still allowing ISIS to make these types of gains?
MALLEY: First as you said, in fact they've lost quite a bit territory, particularly in Iraq but also in Syria. So there has been real progress
and even as we speak, there's an operation taking place to try to take over the city, which is a very important city for ISIL.
So even as there's some setbacks, we're making progress now. Why, why hasn't gone as well in Syria, some would like it's because of the situation
in Syria.
We have a civil war going on between a very violent regime and the opposition, and that is of course distracting from the fight against ISIL
and other terrorist groups.
And until that gets resolved, they're at least deescalated, it is going to be hard to get all the focus that needs to be devoted to the fight against
ISIL.
GORANI: One of the things you said needed to be addressed was ISIS financing and funding. What kind of money, I mean, I'm just curious, there
were so many figures that were floating around of ISIS being able to raise a million dollars a day by selling oil, et cetera, et cetera. What kind of
figures are we really talking about based on what you've been able to gather?
MALLEY: This changes all the time, for example, the forces that we support that have just taken over the area, they have taken over oil fields which
provided a big part, or a significant part of what ISIL has been able to accumulate.
They've also -- we've destroyed some of the oil fields that they've been using to get more money. We're trying also to go after some of their cash
reserves.
So I don't want to give an estimate now, but we have been prosecuting this economic war against ISIL as vigorously as we've been prosecuting the
military one.
And our goal is to make sure that they don't have the money to press people in Syria and Iraq and to plan terrorist plots in Europe or here.
GORANI: But ultimately, will it require any kind of ground operation? Because on the ground, Kurdish fighters who by the way, the Turks are very
unhappy with and whose positions they sometimes bomb, are the ones who are making true territorial gains against ISIS this terrorist group in parts of
Syria and Iraq. Do you believe that eventually, ground troops in greater number even from western countries will be necessary?
MALLEY: That's not what we're talking about now. The ground troops, they are Syrians prepared to take the fight to ISIL. Part of the problem and
the message we've been delivering to the Russians is that their bombing campaign, which is often indiscriminate is distracting from the fight
against ISIL.
Because they're bombing the very people who would be prepared to go fight ISIL, if they didn't have to protect themselves from the regime or from the
Russians.
Which is why the cessation of hostilities which we've just negotiated and which may or may not succeed, we're doing everything in our power to make
it succeed.
But if it does succeed, and if you see a cessation of hostilities between the regime and opposition then both could go fight ISIL and particularly
those that we are backing then opposition could go fight ISIL.
GORANI: You're such an important part of representing the United States at some of these talks, do you believe that it will lead to a situation that
Russia has invested enough that all warring parties are invested enough that it will lead to a true, difference for civilians on the ground?
MALLEY: Listen, I could give you a million reasons to be skeptical. Just look at the last five years, that gives you ample reason to doubt what the
regime will do, what Russia will do, and what their allies will do.
So we're not going into this with a naive hope that is going to get much better. We are going into this with a notion that we need to do everything
we can to put the chances on our side that this does work for the sake of the Syrian people, first and foremost, and for the sake of the fight
against ISIL and for regional stability.
GORANI: There have been many reports that Vladimir Putin has himself been personally invested in trying to make this cessation of hostilities a
reality, at least on the most basic level. Is this something you've observed in your role at the White House that Vladimir Putin has been more
involved?
MALLEY: He has certainly taken ownership of this. He asked to speak to the president on Monday. He made a nationwide televised address. So at
least on surface, he has a lot invested in the success of this enterprise, which hopefully will put some pressure on the Russians to get this right
and to put pressure on the regime.
Again, we'll have to see whether they do it. They have not lived up to some of their commitments in the past, and we hope that this time they will
because frankly, they have something at stake, a lot of stake here too because they should not want to get involved in an open-ended quagmire in
Syria.
GORANI: He's the one who asked to speak to President Obama.
MALLEY: That's right. He wanted to make sure that both leaders were on the same page when it came to the deal that we had just negotiated with
them and to then be able to tell his own public and the world that he was committed to it. Well, the world will judge.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
GORANI: Robert Malley, President Obama's top ISIS advisor on how to defeat the terrorist groups speaking to me a little bit earlier. And also, with
his thoughts on this cessation of hostilities due to start in about 24 hours saying look, there are a million reasons to be skeptical, but we're
hoping for the best.
[15:15:01]Next, remember that time that Donald Trump endorsed Mitt Romney for president? Well, the tables have turned, and the one-time friends are
engaged in a Twitter war. We'll tell you what it's all about. We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
GORANI: With Donald Trump leading the pack, the Republican presidential candidates are set to face off in the final debate before Super Tuesday
when all these states vote in primaries.
Pundits say Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio will have to wow voters stop the Trump tide. I think everyone is saying, not just the pundits, because they're
second and third in most polls.
Another man trying to slow the tide is Mitt Romney, he was a nominee for the GOP in 2012. He's pushing all of the candidates to release their tax
returns and that's because Romney told Fox News, quote, "We have good reason to believe that there's a bomb shell in Donald Trump's taxes." Here
is how Trump responded to that.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE (via telephone): My returns are extremely complex and I'll make a determination at the right time. I'm in
no rush to do it. Nobody's been bringing it up except for Mitt Romney and the reason is because he lost in the last election and lost very badly.
Tax returns are very complicated. I have many, many companies. I have tremendously, you know, a very complex system of taxes. And frankly, I get
audited every single year. So, you know, unlike everybody else who never gets audited, I get audited every single year, which I think is unfair.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GORANI: Well, then he jumped on Twitter, calling Romney quote, "One of the dumbest and worst candidates in the history of Republican politics." All
right. He did endorse him, but I guess, he's changed his mind since then.
Romney tweeted this in response, "Me thinks the Donald dot protest too much. Show voters your back taxes." Will this become a big issue? Is
this the Achilles heel for Donald Trump?
Let's go to Sara Murray. She is in Houston, Texas with more. So Sara, let me ask you this, Donald Trump says his tax returns are complicated and they
are, we know they are, but they're done, right? So what's complicated about releasing them? Could this become an issue for him?
SARA MURRAY, CNN POLITICAL REPORTER: Well, I think that is the question Romney's presenting when he is saying release your back taxes. Donald
Trump's returns are complicated, they may not be finished for this year, but of course, they would be finished from a couple years ago.
And Donald Trump has given us a sense of his income and his assets for previous years, but the things we don't know about is what is his tax tab?
What's the effective rate he's paying? How much does he give to charity?
These are the kind of issues that have tripped presidential candidates up in the past. These are the kind of issues that Mitt Romney faces
ironically. This was a guy who slow walked the released of his own taxes and faced a lot of questions about his effective tax rate, which was lower
than many families pay and also his overseas accounts.
So it's kind of interesting to watch them battle about this now. It's unclear though, if this is the kind of issue that could actually hurt
Trump.
[15:20:03]He has said many, many wild things that have not hurt him to this point. So it's hard to imagine that all of the sudden his tax returns
could be the death blow.
GORANI: Yes. Well, it is hard to imagine. Sara, tell us a little bit about where you are. Set the scene for us here. What's going on behind
you and how important is this debate for the remaining Republican candidates?
MURRAY: Well, it's hard to overstate the importance of this debate because this is going to be the last moment all these candidates are on stage
together at our CNN debate before we head into Super Tuesday, which is a huge chance to win delegates.
So where I'm standing right now. This is the spin room. This is going to be where in the press files so candidates will come here afterwards to
proclaim that they all won the debate, regardless of how well they did.
Right now what's going on is candidates are mostly arriving. They will walk through on stage, take a look at the podium, see where the audience is
going to be the cues for timing and that kind of thing and get comfortable with the debate area headed into tonight.
But I think you can definitely prepare for fireworks. There are a lot of guys on stage who are trying to slow Donald Trump's momentum.
And if you're Marco Rubio or Ted Cruz, not only trying to stop Trump, you're also trying to kill each other off so that you can get in a one on
one race with the Donald. So it should be pretty feisty debate on stage tonight.
GORANI: All right, look forward to it, Sara Murray, thanks very much. Reporting live from Houston, Texas, the site of this the CNN Republican
debate.
They will all go head to head at 1:30 a.m. Friday morning on London, and then if that's too late for you, the next day, there is a special program
called "America's Choice 2016" and it'll have all the highlights at noon, London time, 1:00 p.m. Central European Time.
Apple, what should it do? Should it cooperate with law enforcement? Now it has officially legally cited the first amendment in defending itself
against the FBI request. That it should build a back door enabling law enforcement to enter its operating system.
The tech giant is telling a U.S. court that it should not be forced to help the FBI unlock the iPhone of a terrorist. Let's go straight to CNN money
business correspondent, Samuel Burke. He's here in London and we have an update.
SAMUEL BURKE, CNN MONEY BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: The first amendment that is what they are citing. Just filed the documents, and actually this is
expected. We've been hearing talk about Apple using freedom of speech saying, you can't force me to write code that would help us break into the
iPhone because then you would be violating my first amendment right. I don't want to make that speech.
Now that might sound farfetched to some, but this is actually an argument that is being used over and over again in this Supreme Court as of late.
Jeffrey Toobin, the CNN legal analyst, has done a lot showing how this is a successful argument for many situations where you wouldn't even think
freedom of speech would apply.
They also said that this would amount to -- this would be -- they would be conscripted to do this. So they're saying that would be forced to do
something that they wouldn't want to do. It's going to be an interesting argument that is going to go the Supreme Court.
GORANI: It's interesting because they're likening writing software code to speech here. Would that be setting a precedent or has this been used
before?
BURKE: That would be setting a precedent. We haven't seen something like that before, but again this type of equating freedom of speech with all
types of things you would never imagine has been successful argument in the Supreme Court.
Now, Tim Cook has been bringing this to the American public, and he actually told ABC's David Mure what this would equate to.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TIM COOK, CEO, APPLE: This case is not about my phone. This case is about the future. What is at stake here is can the government compel Apple to
write software that we believe would make hundreds of millions of customers vulnerable around the world including the U.S.?
And you'd have to write that system in order to unlock that phone. Yes. The only way we know would be to write a piece of software that we view as
sort of the software equivalent of cancer. We think it is bad news to write. We would never write it. We have never written it and that is what
is at stake here.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURKE: The software equivalent of cancer. Again remember, Apple doesn't have a key. The judges orders in the case is they have to go in, write and
create software that doesn't exist right now, and now they're wanting to fight this. Saying it would be a violation of their freedom of speech.
GORANI: Right, and it's like an illegal expert saying the analogy I believe is, well, we could help law enforcement open a bank vault, one bank
vault, that's what warrants are for.
BURKE: Exactly. That's why we have the key.
GORANI: Right, but we don't want to the blow up every single bank vault and everyone else's bank vault in order to comply with the request on one.
BURKE: Exactly. The other thing that we're learning actually is that Apple is working even faster to make it so that the iPhone, even if they
get this software, even if they're forced to make it that eventually it wouldn't work.
So even if they create a key that that wouldn't even work. They're supposedly working around the clock now we're hearing from Apple trying to
create that type of hardware.
[15:25:02]GORANI: I wonder if this is going to change minds. We know a slim majority of Americans sided with the FBI in this case. So we'll see
if another poll is conducted it'd be interesting. Samuel Burke, thanks very much.
Coming up, oil prices has been falling and oil-producing nations have been feeling the pinch. CNN sat down with the president of OPEC. We'll be
right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
GORANI: For months we have told you about the falling price of oil and its impact around the world and markets as well. This is how the two global
benchmarks were doing a few moments ago and it's an update for oil, Brent Crude trading higher at $35.14 a barrel, West Texas oil as well, WTI at
$33.06, up almost 3 percent.
Now at the center of that oil prices is OPEC. Some of the group's members have said they will keep oil production steady to try and boost prices.
Will it work? CNN Money's emerging markets editor, John Defterios, sat down for an interview with the group's current president.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MOHAMMED BIN SALAH AL-SADA, QATAR MINISTER OF ENERGY AND INDUSTRY: At the moment, the best possible, feasible proposal is to freeze at the level
protection of January. But I'm sure Saudi Arabia like any other country is watching the market closely and of course, they will act appropriately.
JOHN DEFTERIOS, CNN MONEY EMERGING MARKETS EDITOR: You have four players that have agreed, plus another two, Kuwait and the UAE firmly committed,
but I don't see any other producers stepping up and saying, we support your effort to freeze.
AL-SADA: In fact the meeting in Doha was extremely successful where we had that agreement of getting the proposal put on the table of everybody like
OPEC and non-OPEC. The momentum is going on, and we think that it will get more and more approval because it is to the interest of all parties.
DEFTERIOS: At this level that we're at today, February 2017, could we actually see a $50 floor through this natural falling out of non-OPEC
production because of the low price?
AL-SADA: I will not be surprised if this is the situation and we even across the 50 battle by then.
DEFTERIOS: Because of the 600,000 barrels that's coming out of the higher cost production, it's forcing the players out.
AL-SADA: Yes. I agree. The drop is going to be sharper and becoming a few months because the lines open for many companies, smaller companies in
particular, there is nothing there anymore and they cannot sustain losses for long.
And by the way, the current price is not sustainable for conventional oil, let alone oil. So the situation is absolutely not sustainable.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
GORANI: Well, there you have it. Exclusive interview with the head of OPEC. We'll return to U.S. politics next. I'll be joined by commentators
on both sides of this race as all the candidates prepare for Super Tuesday.
And later, dramatic drug bust in a neighborhood plagued by gang violence. Some remarkable video. You don't want to miss this. CNN is on the ground
with the special task force in Capetown.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[15:32:15]
HALA GORANI, HOST: Welcome back. Quick look at the top stories, U.N. Officials are warning that Syrian civilians are "facing the abyss" and
their lives could depend on whether a ceasefire takes hold.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GORANI: A cessation of hostilities as its official called is due to take effect 24 hours from now. ISIS and Al-Nusra are not part of the deal.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GORANI: Also among our top stories, the stage is set and the candidates are getting ready for their moment under the lights.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GORANI: The CNN debate in Houston, Texas, is in a matter of hours. And it could be the last opportunity for Donald Trump's rivals to slow the
billionaires -- the billionaire businessman down.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GORANI: And we're also looking at this story, Apple has officially asked the court to reverse its order to access a terrorist's phone. The FBI had
filed a motion to compel the company to unlock the iPhone of one of the San Bernardino mass shooters. Now that sparked a huge legal battle. The
government says it needs Apple's help in an investigation. Apple now says that doing so would violate the first amendment. That's the defense it is
using.
And a French court upheld a decision to demolish half an infamous migrant camp near Calais known as the jungle.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GORANI: And hundreds who live there will be moved from tents to containers on the northern side so that the southern side can be torn down. But with
overcrowding expected, others will have to move to different camps.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GORANI: And we are hearing more about a new resolution at the United Nations happening this hour that would expand the list of sanctions against
North Korea.
Let's get straight to Richard Roth; he's at the United Nations in New York for us. And Richard, this is a resolution that is born out of the
cooperation of the U.S. and China in this particular case.
RICHARD ROTH, CNN SENIOR U.N. CORRESPONDENT: That's right, White House officials were talking up that agreement and how China and the U.S. can
agree on something and it also follows the nuclear test in January, missile launch in February.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ROTH: U.S. Ambassador Samantha Power now speaking to the media here. She just said it's the most severe sanctions imposed in two decades by the U.N.
Security Council once it's approved which could occur this weekend.
There are many technical sanctions data, but what seems to stand out would be that all cargo from now on will have to be inspected going in or out
that it's involving North Korea. There will be additional sanctions regarding rare earth minerals and on any weapons or material for the
military that could be used for nuclear or missile programs.
Luxury items, loopholes will be tightened. So snow mobiles, luxury watches, jet skis, are now also on the banned list. Hala, the U.N. Security Council
may not have any illusions, but they're talking up and hyping this resolution. Very unclear whether it will change North Korea's behavior.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
[15:35:08]
GORANI: Well I don't know if keeping them from buying jet skis or importing luxury watches will do the trick, but an interesting development at the
United Nations. Thanks very much, Richard Roth in New York.
Let's turn our attention back to U.S. politics. Donald Trump may be riding high in the polls, but there are decidedly mixed feelings about him in
Mexico unsurprisingly. Listen to new sound in from the former Mexican President, Vicente Fox speaking to Jorge Ramos of Fusion Television.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
VINCENTE FOX, FORMER MEXICAN PRESIDENT: I be clear, I'm not going to pay for that [bleep] wall. He should pay for it. He's got the money.
JORGE RAMOS, FUSION TELEVISION: Are you afraid that he's going to be the next President of the United States?
FOX: Not at all.
RAMOS: What would that mean for Mexico?
FOX: Not at all. Democracy cannot take us to crazy people that doesn't know what's going on in the world today.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GORANI: Well, I'm not going to pay for that f'ing wall is what Vicente Fox is saying. Fighting words from the former Mexican President. Also, we are
also hearing from other officials, let's get a look at both sides of this contentious race.
I'm joined from Houston by CNN political commentators, Ben Ferguson, and Bakari Sellers. Thanks to both of you.
I'm going to start with you Ben Ferguson, let's talk about those polls here because is there anything, Trump I'm looking at every single poll, not all
Super Tuesday states are -- polls -- there are not polls for every single Super Tuesday state, but in every single one that comes up Trump is still
in the lead. Perhaps in Texas he's coming in second because that's the state for Ted Cruz. But at this point, what is the strategy of the other
Republican candidates?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BEN FERGUSON, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Well I think the strategy tonight has to be to make it very clear why they think that Donald Trump is not
ready and prepared for the White House. I think what you just heard there from Mexico is a perfect example of that saying you know we're not building
this blinking wall and he is. Well that's you know, coming from someone pretty high up in the government, and I think that's something other
candidates will bring up tonight against Donald Trump. And I think they need to talk about his actual plans. Not the ideas, but how he actually
would implement these. Whether it be this wall, whether it be attacking ISIS and how he would fight the war on terror.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
FERGUSON: Also about his tax plan and college plan, all these things that he's talking about and very generic things, saying we're going to make
America great again. If I'm one of the other candidates on stage tonight, I want to ask him consistently tonight, I want specifics. Ideas are not
good enough at this point in the race. And that's how I think you can overcome Donald Trump, if it's possible.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
FERGUSON: Also I think Ted Cruz is going to have to make it clear tonight that he is not willing to sit back. He's going to throw punches. Marco
Rubio has to do the same thing as well.
GORANI: All right. Bakari Sellers let me ask you about perhaps what some have called an awkward moment involving Hillary Clinton and South Carolina
when a Black Lives Matter protester started heckling her and bringing up things she said about 21, 22 years ago about sort of youth that get in
trouble with the law. Let's listen to the -- show our viewers the video, then I'll get you to comment on it.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HILLARY CLINTON, U.S. DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I think we've got a very, we've got somebody saying here. We have to bring --
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We want you to apologize for (inaudible) --
CLINTON: Ok. We'll talk about that.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm not a super predator, Hillary Clinton.
CLINTON: All right, we'll talk about it.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Will you apologize to black people for mass incarcerations?
CLINTON: Well (inaudible) so this is what I say. Thank you very much.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GORANI: Bakari Sellers, what did you make of that? Could this hurt Hillary Clinton?
BAKARI SELLERS, CNN POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: No. It doesn't hurt Hillary Clinton. But what Hillary Clinton has to do is be held accountable for the
'94 Crime Bill as she has, she has to be held accountable for the words that she used back 1994, '95, '96 and the use of the word "super predator."
I think she's handled that, she's pivoted very well and moved forward.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SELLERS: But that is not the issue here. The larger issue here is that we're going -- if we're going to hold Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton
accountable, we have to do so through the same lens. Bernie Sanders is the only person in this race who had a vote for the '94 Crime Bill and he voted
and cast a vote in favor of doing so. In 2006, he was still talking about being tough on crime. So yes, I mean, both candidates need to be held
accountable, but we have to begin to treat them through the same lens. Last night is a great example. I'm never going to be one to poo poo on the
protest tactics of any young person. I'm a child of the civil rights movement, I understand that. But we have to make sure that we're also
forcing Bernie Sanders to answer those questions as well. So I look forward to asking Ashley Williams, the young lady in the video also posing those
same questions to Bernie as well.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GORANI: Interesting that you think perhaps there's a double standard there. Ben Ferguson, by the way, we were talking about the former president of the
Mexico, Vicente Fox, Donald Trump just tweeted about him. "He wrote former President of Mexico, Vicente Fox, --
FERGUSON: I'm not surprised.
GORANI: Yes, exactly, listen to this, "horribly used the f word when discussing the wall. He must apologize! If i did that, there would be an
uproar!" Tweeted Donald trump. So there -- I mean, it's just -- again, I have to ask you because I know -
[15:40:08]
FERGUSON: Yes, he's already - remember he's also already used --
GORANI: Yes, go ahead.
FERGUSON: Well look he always says you must apologize. Donald Trump is the guy who never says he's sorry but demands an apology from everybody. It's
this classic Donald Trump mantra here which is you know you're a horrible person, you're a mean person, you can't say that, you must apologize; you
must say you're sorry, I never have to do the same.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
FERGUSON: Let's not forget Donald Trump has also dropped an f bomb on this campaign. He's also used the p word in saying I didn't say it, someone
else did in the audience.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
FERGUSON: Implying it there, I mean he's used some of the most vulgar terms. He referred to another person as bleeding out of whatever, which is
incredibly sexist towards women. So for him to say somehow that, you know, Vincete Fox is somehow beneath him, I think they're definitely on the same
level there when it comes to trash talking.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GORANI: But it is -- it is working for him. Let me ask you, Bakari, I mean, if you're Hillary Clinton, and essentially, you know, it wouldn't
unreasonable to believe you'll end up becoming the Democratic party's Presidential nominee, is Trump better for you or would a Ted Cruz or Marco
Rubio be more of a threat?
SELLERS: Well, I mean, I honestly, think that any Democrat who is not lying to you will tell you that they really want Donald Trump and Ted Cruz. I
mean, Donald Trump and Ted Cruz do nothing to expand the party. They do nothing to bring more people into the party. They're very divisive in their
own rhetoric. And so I think that Hillary Clinton would love to run against both of them.
Marco Rubio on the other hand, is probably the most dangerous general election candidate that the Republican Party has. Marco Rubio has one major
problem though, and that is, neither you or Ben or any of the viewers here can tell me one primary state that Marco Rubio can win.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
FERGUSON: And he's not even doing well in his home state of Florida right now, and that's also a huge problem when you're running for President.
SELLERS: I don't know who's ever been President of the United States and never won a primary state. So enjoy that.
FERGUSON: No.
GORANI: Right. Well, you mentioned Ben a poll, we have a Florida poll, the newest one, a Quinnipiac poll in Florida, puts Trump at 44%, Rubio at 28,
Cruz at 12, Kasich at 7, Carson at 4. I want to ask you about these Mitt Romney calls for Donald Trump to release his tax returns.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GORANI: Donald Trump said look, I have a super complicated tax return, I'm audited every year, most people are never audited. But the fact is those
tax returns exist. So if -- if the question is put on him. If this gains momentum as an issue, will this end up hurting him? Will he have to do
something about that?
FERGUISON: Well, one it should be transparent when you're running for the Presidency, the same way that he said hey, I'm going to be transparent and
I'm going to release my financials which a lot of people think is smoke and mirrors there about how much he really may be worth, or how much he makes.
The second thing is for Donald Trump to say that my tax returns are super complicated so therefore either a, takes me more time to get them to you,
or b, I'm not sure if I'm going to able to release it and it make sense is absurd. They've already been filed. So it's as simple as literally making a
photo copy and then releasing them. This is something that's not complicated, it's not complex, and it's something that he should do. And I
think the other candidates tonight should definitely take advantage of this saying what are you hiding? Because if you're not releasing this because
it's complex when it's already been completed, it's already a done deal, it's turned in, it's signed, it's sealed, delivered, all you're doing is
showing it, that is not complex.
I would imply tonight if I'm one of the other candidates on stage that there is something in there that you do not want the American people to
see, and it certainly isn't how much money you made unless you lied about how much money you made, because everybody knows you're a billionaire.
That's not going to be held against him. We've seen that be a non-issue in this campaign.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
FERGUSON: So what is there in the details of that return that people may not like? And I think Rubio should use that definitely. He's down in
Florida right now in real trouble. And if I'm Rubio, I'd come out swinging on this issue right away.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GORANI: Ben Ferguson, Bakari Sellers, thanks so much for both of you for joining us on CNN. And do stay with CNN for the final candidate's debate
ahead of Super Tuesday. The Republicans goes head to head live at 1:30 Friday morning in London, and we'll have all the highlights the next day at
noon.
Nine and a half million people visited Cape Town in 2014 according to South Africa's Tourist Agency. But while tourists flock to the beaches, we see an
entirely different picture in the slums. Gang violence a huge problem an epidemic. Even the presence of a specialized police task force is not
stopping crime.
Our David McKenzie brings us this dramatic report.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DAVID MCKENZIE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Peering out of windows, weary of the cops below. The police say they want the community's help to catch Cape
Town's most wanted criminals. But the people here know that the gangs run these streets. They were here to do public outreach in the neighborhood,
but this man's already been shot. The police are talking to him. This operation has just begun, and shots were already fired. They knew the
police were here and still they shot each other?
[15:4512]
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And they don't care. That's just the respect they don't have for the police. They don't care.
MCKENZIE: They have no respect.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They have no respect for the police here.
MCKENZIE: We're with the specialized gang unit of the metro police. For their safety, we can't show their faces. Crime is entrenched in the Cape
flats. It's been that way for decades. But in Lavender Hill, murders have doubled with many innocent victims caught in the cross fire. Gang members
killed (inaudible) son a year ago.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He wasn't a gangster. And they shot him.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: All the envoys, most of the envoys feel forced to join gangs.
MCKENZIE: Why?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Because they are afraid of the gangs.
MCKENZIE: But city officials are finally fighting back. Turning traffic cops into special investigators. And they've called in the U.S. Drug
Enforcement Administration to help.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And about every bad thing that could happen, happened in that one scenario. I mean it was totally off the strip, right?
MCKENZIE: Active agents whose identities must concealed run the training.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don't see any huge flaw that would make me not want to roll with you guys.
MCKENZIE: It's been open season on the cops here. Many of these officers have seen colleagues killed. Every one of them knows a routine traffic stop
can turn deadly. The show of strength they say is disrupting gang operations, but tonight, few arrests. All they can perhaps manage is to
slow the menace.
David McKenzie, CNN, Cape Town.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GORANI: You're watching "The World Right Now." We'll be right back after a quick break. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
GORANI: Now to a scathing report about one of the world's best known media organizations, the BBC, and its handling of sexual abuse allegations over a
period of 50 years. Diana Magnay has more.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DIANA MAGNAY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Jimmy Savile, once one of the BBC's brightest stars revealed after his death as a serial sexual predator who
raped and abused over decades. His monstrous legacy casting a long shadow over the corporation.
DAME JANET SMITH, REPORT AUTHOR: Savile was a danger to young people, both girls and boys, opportunistic and shameless. I have identified 72 BBC
victims of Savile, of whom 34 were under the age of 16. His youngest victim was aged eight. His abuse included eight cases of rape, the youngest victim
being only ten years old.
[15:50:04]
MAGNAY: It wasn't just he, fellow presenter Stewart Hall was convicted and jailed in 2014 for the indecent assault of young girls. How both men could
have hidden in plain sight and who at the BBC knew what, the subject of a three-year independent inquiry with serious failings found in what the
review chair, Dame Janet Smith termed a differential and macho management culture where star talent was treated with kid gloves.
SMITH: There was a culture of not complaining or of raising concerns. BBC staff felt and were sometimes told that it was not in their best interests
to pursue a complaint. Loyalty to and pride in a program could hinder the sharing of concerns. It was a reluctance to rock the boat.
MAGNAY: But this report does, some of the details are shocking. One victim was told, keep your mouth shut, he's a VIP. But even with plenty of
material out in the public eye, which casts doubt over Jimmy Savile's character, BBC bosses didn't think to remove him from his position of
unfettered access to vulnerable young people.
The main finding though that senior management did not know that the BBC, as a corporation, was not aware. Liz Dux who represents 168 of Savile's
victims says she doesn't believe it.
LIZ DUX, LAWYER: You get the feeling from reading that report that you just had to scratch the surface and Savile was there to be uncovered. And that
shows a fairly high degree of knowledge to me.
MAGNAY: BBC Director General Tony Hall, offered a heartfelt apology to the victims.
TONY HALL, BBC DIRECTOR GENERAL: It was a dark chapter in the history of the organization, but a much darker one for all of you. The BBC failed you
when it should have protected you. I am deeply sorry for the hurt caused to each and every one of you.
MAGNAY: Two men lorded when they should have been jailed. The BBC now trying to put this shameful episode behind it.
Diana Magnay, CNN, London.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
GORANI: Well its home to many faiths and practices, but in India it can be argued, this is only one true religion. Paula Newton takes us on the road
to visit the country's young cricket stars.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PAULA NEWTON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Step by step, headed to his field of dreams. On a dusty field in the heart of New Delhi, young boys are trying
to measure up to the aspirations of a nation. The bowlers and the specialist batsman to the seeming all-rounders, all of India seems to be in
search of not just the country's next great cricketer, but oh no, a whole awe inspiring national team of cricket champions. His fingers may be
crossed, but (Roger Sharmi) isn't about to leave it to chance. This devote coach runs (inaudible) Cricket Academy with the face and reverence of a
spiritual leader and for good reasons.
[15:55:12]
NEWTON: It's a religion in India. You don't have to tell me that.
(ROGER SHARMI) Everyone wants to play cricket because it has so many role models.
NEWTON: And many are pending their hopes on the growing academy system here; nurturing players with high level coaching and facilities.
There are bats and balls here older than (Rohan), but he is so keen.
Eight-year-old (inaudible) could barely take his eyes off the ball long enough to talk to us, but he is already learning the secret of champions.
(UNIDENTIFIED MALE): The batman is all confident.
NEWTON: You want to smash their confidence? And then there's the other Rohan.
ROHAN NAGPAL: Well I've improved my bowing, I've improved my spin.
NEWTON: And he knows what he wants. At what kind of level do you want to play?
NAGPAL: Internationally.
JYOTTE NAGPAL, ROHAN'S MOTHER: No, He can't live without cricket. He can't live.
NEWTON: His mother tells us the academy has harnessed his dreams like no other system could.
NAGPAL: Because of his passion, he's crazy about his passion.
NEWTON: It is that passion that coach (inaudible) doesn't want to waste. He was a pro player in England for six years, the Indian national team just
out of reach. He says an academy like this would have made all the difference. So he wants us back in a decade or so, promising some of
India's cricketing gods will come from these grounds.
Paula Newton, CNN, New Delhi.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GORANI: A few weeks ago we told you about this little kid in Afghanistan, (Murtaza Ahmadi) his picture went viral online When he was shown wearing a
jersey made out of a blue and white striped plastic bag.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GORANI: He didn't have the money or access to get the real thing. Now the football superstar and UNICEF gave the five-year-old finally his very own
jersey. There he is. Murtaza was also given of a signed football which his father says he has been playing with ever since. Maybe it's a good idea not
to the play with the signed one though. It might be worth something.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GORANI: Don't forget, you can get all the latest news, interviews, and analysis on our Facebook page, Facebook.com/halagoranicnn. Thanks for
watching. I'm Hala Gorani, "Quest Means Business" is up next.
END
