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One World with Zain Asher
President Biden Wraps Up Final D-Day Speech After Apologizing To Ukrainian President Zelensky For A Delay In Assistance; Woman Sues Netflix, Claims She Was Defamed By The Hit Show "Baby Reindeer"; At Least 150 People Killed By Rebel Forces In The Village Of Wad al Noura. Aired 12-1p ET
Aired June 07, 2024 - 12:00:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[12:00:25]
ZAIN ASHER, CNN ANCHOR: Democracy begins in each of us. Those words from President Biden as he delivers a speech on freedom from the shores of
Normandy. "ONE WORLD" starts right now. A call for democracy. Last hour, Joe Biden wrapped up his final D-Day speech just hours after apologizing to
Ukrainian President Zelensky for a delay in assistance.
Also ahead, Netflix under fire. A Scottish woman is suing the media giant for $170 million over the hit series "Baby Reindeer" after online sleuths
labeled her the real Martha Scott. And later, safari scare. The moment a giraffe tried to remove a child from her family's vehicle.
All right, coming to you live from New York, I'm Zain Asher. My colleague, Bianna Golodryga is off today. You are indeed watching "ONE WORLD". A
poignant scene coupled with a very powerful message. U.S. President Joe Biden is making the case for democracy as much of the Western world faces a
critical choice.
A short time ago, the President wrapped up a speech in Pointe d'Arc, France. A symbolic backdrop that was the site of a pivotal battle in
German-occupied France 80 years ago. His stark warning, the fight for freedom is far from over. The President made reference to those American
soldiers in 1944 who put their mission and their country first. And he spoke about the debt we now owe to them.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOE BIDEN, U.S. PRESIDENT: They're not asking us to give or risk our lives, but they are asking us to care for others in our country more than
ourselves. They're not asking us to do their job. They're asking us to do our job, to protect freedom in our time, to defend democracy.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
Earlier, Mr. Biden met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Paris. It comes as Russian troops are gaining momentum along the front
lines in Ukraine in what could mark a critical turning point in the war. The U.S. President announced new military aid to Kyiv and apologized for
the way Republican hardliners delayed the $61 billion package.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BIDEN: I'm not going to walk away from you. I apologize for the weeks of not knowing what's going to happen in terms of funding.
ASHER (voice-over): Before that meeting, Mr. Zelensky addressed the French parliament in a very emotional speech and warned that Nazism is making a
comeback. He also drew parallels between Vladimir Putin and Adolf Hitler.
VOLODYMIR ZELENSKY, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): Can Putin win this battle? No, because we have no right to lose. Can this war end
along the current lines? No, because there are no lines for evil, either 80 years ago or now.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ASHER: CNN's Melissa Bell-Jones is live now from Paris. But first, I want to bring in Arlette Saenz, who's live for us at the White House. So,
Arlette, we've talked a lot on the network really about the headlines coming out of the speech, about the importance of focusing on democracy and
really what's at stake. But you can't ignore the political aspect of this speech. He didn't mention Trump by name, but there were a lot of veiled
references to the threat that he believes that Donald Trump poses to democracy four months out from the election. Take us through it.
ARLETTE SAENZ, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, Zain, there really were a lot of veiled references like that. And these themes of needing to
preserve democracy and push back against authoritarianism at home and around the world really have been a hallmark, not just of President Biden's
re-election campaign, but also his nearly three and a half years in office.
The President used this moment on the world stage to really try to draw parallels between the heroic acts of those allied forces in Normandy back
in World War II with the fight that is currently ongoing today, specifically when it comes to Ukraine continuing to try to battle back
Russian forces as that war has continued now for years. Now, the President really drew on the heroism of those 225 Army Rangers who were there at
Pointe du Hoc 80 years ago.
[12:05:04]
They scaled those giant cliffs to take down German artillery. And what the President tried to argue is that Americans should look to those heroic
acts, that those soldiers, the soldiers who died, soldiers who survived, that they would want Americans to continue to fight for the same tenets
like democracy and freedom that they sought to preserve during World War II.
Now, this speech also comes at a time that the White House is viewing quite precariously. You have Europe still dealing with war as Russia has
continued its campaign. As you mentioned, Biden meeting with Zelensky in that show of solidarity a bit earlier today.
But then there is also the man that President Biden did not mention in his speech. He made no specific mention or named former President Donald Trump
by name. But so much of this speech could also be tied to his GOP rival. It comes at a time when Trump has embraced authoritarian leaders like Putin,
like North Korea's Kim Jong-un during his time in office and after.
Trump has also warned about upending long-standing alliances. He in recent months has suggested that Putin should be able to do whatever the hell he
wants to NATO countries who have not met their obligations. So, the President, even if he's not mentioning Trump specifically by name, also
simply had a message about the threat that isolationism, the threat that authoritarianism could propose, not just to the world, but also to the
United States.
So, the President really trying to use this moment on the world stage to send a message, not just to allies, but also Americans here at home that
they need to continue this fight to preserve democracy at a time he views it as being under threat by the former President.
ASHER: All right, Arlette, stand by. Melissa, let me bring you in because one of the lines that President Biden touched upon is this idea that, you
know, in today's generation, nobody's asking the American or the British to risk their lives. They're simply asking all of us to stand up for what is
right.
He apologized to President Zelensky for the hold-up in weapons. And I think the question that a lot of people are asking is does the delay in providing
military aid -- several months delay in providing military aid to Ukraine, show that perhaps this generation may have indeed forgotten the most
important lessons from World War II?
MELISSA BELL CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, I think it's certainly suggested to the Ukrainians bear in mind, Zain, that they were waiting not just for that
$61 billion aid package held up as it was for several months on Capitol Hill. At the very same time, there was about _50 billion worth of funding
that was being held up by the European Union because of Hungary's opposition.
And that, when you think about the end of last year, those dark days of November, December, and then into the new year, when it would have seemed
to Kyiv that perhaps this unwavering support that had been pledged was in fact wavering, these were very dark days indeed. And there was a question
about whether the United States and Europe can maintain the political unity that is necessary, remember, for providing huge amounts of weapons. It
costs a lot of money.
These are countries that are taking their own weapons to gift them to a country in another part of the world for the United States, not much closer
for Europeans. And yet, it's a big effort to be asking electorates at a time when the governments that we're talking about, whether it is the Biden
administration or the Macron administration here in France or indeed other centrist governments in Europe, are under pressure from parties far further
to the right and far more skeptical about continued aid to Ukraine.
Yet, the aid did come through. The problem is that the gap in getting it to the front lines that were already telling us time after time when Ukraine
was on the ground. Ukrainian commanders have been telling us for years -- we don't have the ammunition we need. Time after time, the weapons come,
they come too late. The Russians are ready for them by the time they arrive.
These front lines were already feeling a great deal of pressure. The delays have only added to that, and as has now the opportunity that Russia has
seen in those depleted front lines under pressure in opening up that third front. That is the context in which these leaders are gathering in Normandy
at a time when they understand that their help has been a lot, but probably too little, probably too late, and that there is much more the West needs
to do to put this to an end once and for all.
Hence, the very strong historical parallels, hence the calls for people to stand firm in backing what has been already support for a long and drawn
out war and threatens to continue given the advances currently of Russian troops on the ground. So, what you are hearing are not just greater pledges
of actual aid, as in the one announced by President Biden this morning, the extra 225 million, the extra Mirage fighter jets being pledged by Emmanuel
Macron as he urges other Europeans to follow suit.
It is also the ways in which the West can go about helping Ukrainian allies, the crossing of things that have been considered red lines so far,
how they can make sure that Ukraine wins, even as they try and stay out of the conflict themselves. Zain.
[12:10:09]
ASHER: All right, Melissa Bell, Arlette Saenz, thank you both so much. And just to our audience, we are looking at live pictures of Macron, President
Emmanuel Macron of France and the First Lady, Brigitte, of France, meeting and exchanging pleasantries and hugging President Zelensky and his wife.
This, of course, has been a pivotal trip for Zelensky. He has been courted. He spoke to several World War II veterans just yesterday. There was this
beautiful moment of Zelensky sort of hugging a World War II veteran, telling them that, listen, you saved Europe. And it's just you can't fail
but draw parallels between Zelensky being courted here and, of course, Vladimir Putin's absence.
Let's dig a little bit deeper now. Julian Zelizer is a historian and professor at Princeton University. He joins us live now. Just in terms of
getting your take from President Biden's democracy speech, did he do a good job at conveying urgency in this speech, in terms of conveying really what
is at stake right now in Europe?
JULIAN ZELIZER, HISTORIAN AND PROFESSOR, PRINCETON UNIVERSITY: Well, I think his supporters will certainly feel that way. He made a pretty bold
argument that connected the domestic issues that he's campaigning on, namely opposing the former President and the current state of the
Republican Party with global autocratic threats and strains on democratic processes and pitting himself against all of this.
And I think that message was clear. I think, obviously, the backdrop was dramatic. And one other element for those it will touch is that he invoked
Ronald Reagan, who went there in 1984 as a conservative Republican and essentially made a comparable argument when the Republican Party was in a
much different place during the Cold War.
ASHER: And just in terms of how this message by the President will resonate with a younger generation that obviously the experience of war is
not a firsthand experience for them, how do you think it will resonate with today's generation?
ZELIZER: I'm not sure how it will resonate. There's a lot of obstacles to having this message land with younger American voters. Many young voters
are either disillusioned or frustrated with both parties, including the Democrats. And some will hear this and say there's a disconnect between the
theme he is arguing and the message he is sending and what they believe is going on overseas in places such as in Israel, Gaza, and even other parts
of the globe.
And there's others, you know, we live in an era of disinformation and fragmented communication. So, a speech like this, it's very hard to reach a
lot of voters or change minds, and young voters fall into that, you know. This gets out on TikTok, maybe it will have more of an effect, but I do
think it will still be limited.
ASHER: I mean, it's impossible to ignore the fact that this speech comes at a time when Russia is talking about arming the adversaries of European
nations, of Western nations, of the United States as sort of payback for the U.S. essentially allowing Ukraine to strike targets within Russia. How
do you think Vladimir Putin received the message by President Biden today, as well?
ZELIZER: Well, he'll see this as a threat and a provocation, not as a grand speech, not as a moment of principle, but as a moment of aggression.
That is how Putin sees everything. And he will use the words to try to mobilize support for himself and continuing with what he's doing in Ukraine
and what he's doing in arming adversaries.
So, I think it won't be a calming speech from within Russia, but Biden understands that. And the point of the President and the administration was
to send a strong signal that the doubts and fears you see on Capitol Hill in America, in Congress, not how he or a lot of the country feels about
this moment in world history.
ASHER: All right, Julian Zelizer, live for us there. Thank you so much.
ZELIZER: Thank you.
ASHER: All right, to Israel now, where there's uncertainty about a key member of Benjamin Netanyahu's emergency government. Former Defense
Minister Benny Gantz will hold a news conference on Saturday. Last month, he warned he and his party would withdraw from the government by June 8th
if the Prime Minister didn't come up with a clear plan to bring back the remaining Israeli hostages and present a post-war strategy for Gaza.
[12:15:02]
The potential move would not collapse the government, but it would risk further isolation for the Prime Minister on the international stage.
Meantime, the Israeli military struck several areas across Gaza on Friday.
A Gaza official says that a U.N. -linked school housing displaced civilians in the north came under attack, as well as a building in the southern city
of Khan Younis, in which eight people, most from the same family, were reportedly killed. Gaza health authorities say that some 77 people died in
24 hours after eight Israeli strikes. One Gaza resident describes the scene.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNKNOWN (through translator): The missiles that struck were not normal, and they say that they strike with precision-strike missiles. But this was
not a precision missile, but just one missile. Look what happened.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ASHER: All right, in the southern city of Rafah, Israel says it's eliminating terrorists and destroying terrorist infrastructure. The IDF
says soldiers located weapons and destroyed tunnel shafts. For months, U.S. President Joe Biden and much of the international community had warned
against any ground assaults on the densely populated city. Over the weekend, President Biden said Mr. Netanyahu is listening to him and not
going into Rafah full force.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BIDEN: I think he's listening to me. They were going to go into Rafah full bore, invade all of Rafah, go into the city, take it out, move with full
force. They haven't done that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ASHER: His comments come amid a new CIA assessment of Prime Minister Netanyahu. It includes he's likely to defy U.S. pressure to set a post-war
plan for Gaza. Let's bring in CNN's Katie Bo Lillis, joining us live now from Washington, D.C.
Katie Bo, thank you so much for being with us. So, this report essentially concluded that Netanyahu is judging, that he can get away with not really
defining a clear plan for post-war Gaza and really discussing it in very vague terms without losing too much support.
But the fact that this CIA assessment exists, just walk us through what that means in terms of how the U.S. really views Netanyahu. It almost seems
like the U.S. now views him as less as a trusted partner and more like an unpredictable foreign government. Just walk us through that.
KATIE BO LILLIS, CNN REPORTER: Yeah, so this CIA assessment was circulated amongst senior U.S. policy-makers this week, and it really represents kind
of the most up-to-date intelligence assessment that kind of gives you a sense of how the U.S. is viewing Netanyahu and his political
considerations.
And as you mentioned, of course, it has found that the CIA believes that Netanyahu is likely to continue to try to defy pressure from the Biden
administration and from the West to find a really clear picture for what post-war governance is going to look like in Gaza.
But it does come amid a little bit of a shift in rhetoric that we have seen from the Biden administration. There has been a real reluctance in sort of
the early months and weeks of the war to discuss Israeli politics publicly, right?
And I think what you have seen really in the last few weeks and months, as there has been these sort of growing tensions in between what the Biden
administration wants Netanyahu to do and what Netanyahu is actually doing, you have seen Biden administration officials be more willing to talk in
more frank terms about Netanyahu and the political calculations that he's making and in particular the kind of balancing act that he's having to do
in between sort of the far right element of his very fragile governing coalition and the pressure that he's receiving from the West.
Now, certainly the CIA and other elements of the U.S. intelligence community do the kind of analysis and assessment that we have seen in this
report routinely. But what is interesting, I think, and what you are seeing is a shift in the public rhetoric.
The President, of course, saying last night that he believes that Netanyahu is listening to him, but speaking very frankly in an interview with "Time"
that became public earlier this week where he talked about how it was reasonable for Americans to conclude that Netanyahu was potentially
extending the conflict in his own sort of political interest.
Now, one of the things that this CIA assessment really delves into is the deep divisions within Netanyahu's own governing coalition about what the
post-war governance, both from a security perspective and a governance perspective, could look like in Gaza and sort of that struggle that
Netanyahu is going to have in sort of getting a consensus around any potential path given the deep divisions within his own government.
ASHER: All right, Katie Bo Lillis, life for us there. Thank you. All right, still to come here, the British prime minister is facing a firestorm
of criticism over his decision to leave D-Day ceremonies early. We'll tell you how he's responding after the break. And no longer confined to a
courtroom, Donald Trump is back on the campaign trail. We'll tell you the message he's bringing to voters. Also ahead --
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
EMILY AMOS, UNDECIDED GEORGIA VOTER: Trump supporters are staunch supporters.
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They don't care what this man does.
ASHER (voice-over): And CNN sits down with a group of undecided voters in a key swing state. What it will take for them to make a choice -- when "ONE
WORLD" continues.
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ASHER: Embattled British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has apologized for leaving D-Day ceremonies early. Sunak cut short his time celebrating
veterans of World War II on Thursday so he could head back to London to record a T.V. interview and get back on the campaign trail ahead of July
4th national elections.
Now, Sunak says he should have stuck around for all the D-Day events.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNKNOWN: You didn't care, did you?
RISHI SUNAK, BRITISH PRIM MINISTER: No, I cared deeply.
UNKNOWN: Then why didn't you stay?
SUNAK: As I said, the itinerary for these events was set weeks ago before the general election campaign. I participated in events both in Portsmouth
and in France and having fully participated in all the British events with British veterans. I returned home before the International Leaders event.
That was a mistake, and I apologized for that. But I will always be proud of our record in supporting veterans here in the U.K.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ASHER: For the first time, businessman, former President, political candidate Donald Trump is hitting the campaign trail with a new descriptor,
convicted felon. He spoke to the supporters at a town hall in Phoenix, Arizona on Thursday followed by a fundraiser in California.
Trump is planning to ramp up his campaign now that he's no longer forced to appear in a courtroom every day. And as you can imagine, much of Trump's
Thursday appearance was dedicated to reining against his many legal problems.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT (R) AND CURRENT PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE (R): It's all fake. The impeachments are fake. The court cases are a
disgrace to our country. Everything is fake. So, they come up with this order. I won't say it because I don't like using the word (BEEP) in front
of these beautiful children.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ASHER: With the first Trump-Biden debate just weeks away, undecided voters in the U.S. know that they will soon have to make up their minds about
which candidate they support. CNN's Randi Kaye sat down with some undecided women in Georgia to find out what it will take for them to pick a
candidate.
[12:25:00]
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RANDI KAYE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: What was your reaction when you heard that Donald Trump was found guilty on all 34 counts?
AMOS: I wasn't surprised.
ANDREA COOKE, UNDECIDED GEORGIA VOTER: See, I was very surprised because I don't think that any of us believe that he would be held responsible.
KAYE HLAVATY, UNDECIDED GEORGIA VOTER: I was not surprised but I am disappointed.
KAYE: Given that Donald Trump is now a convicted felon, do you think you could still vote for him?
KAY BELIVEAU, UNDECIDED GEORGIA VOTER: I'm disappointed. But when you weigh the two candidates, I'm not thrilled with either one of them, to tell
you the truth. I'm really not. But I do like a lot of what Trump did during his presidency. So, I may be leaning in that direction. Yes.
AMOS: I agree with you on that. When Trump was in office, my business, it was thriving. I'm talking about quadruple sales. I mean, the business
really, really thrived when he was in office. And since Biden has been in office, I mean, I'm always one step from closing my doors. You know, I'm
not concerned about whether he's a felon or not. You know, it's like, is he going to be good for me and my business?
BRITTANY DANIELS, UNDECIDED GEORGIA VOTER: It's really kind of crazy that we are at this point where we are considering voting for a felon.
HLAVATY: I know. Who would have thought?
DANIELS: That kind of "X'd" him out for me. But I am still leaning towards maybe a third party.
KAYE: What is the moment that you all are waiting for to decide? I mean, when will you know when you see it? When will you feel it?
HLAVATY: I don't know.
AMOS: You really can't put a time on it. I mean, I think as you get closer, it's that gut feeling.
BELIVEAU: I can't put a time frame on it. There are a lot of things that I worry about with Biden. Inflation bothers me. His cognitive ability
bothers me. His foreign policy. So, I mean, to me, those are negatives when it comes to him. I just got to weigh it all.
KAYE: You know, you're considering a third party.
DANIELS: I am. I think the debates are really going to help me --
UNKNOWN: We need those. Yes.
UNKNOWN: -- who am I going to decide on?
KAYE: You have eight children.
UNKNOWN: I do.
KAYE: When you think about Donald Trump in office and character, does that weigh into your decision?
CROOKE: Absolutely. I think that that's probably the biggest determining factor for me is when I teach my children to be kind.
BELIVEAU: I mean, I've got to say, Trump can be abrasive, extremely abrasive. I know that. But yet, I --when it comes down to the bottom line
of what he did for the country during his term, I still feel good about that.
KAYE: Trump and his allies have continued to call this verdict political persecution. They say that the whole thing, the whole trial was rigged.
AMOS: I don't feel like it was rigged. You know, at the end of the day, there's an old saying, you know, the chickens have to come home to roost.
KAYE: What about, you know, the two of you as Republicans? I mean, he was convicted in the same way a jury convicts people around the country every
day.
HLAVATY: No, I don't think it was rigged. I think it was set up.
BELIVEAU: Well, the timing of it, to me, it's just, you know, I can't help but think, isn't that sort of odd that they would do this right now?
DANIELS: Now is the perfect time because of the election coming up.
AMOS: I think she's right. She said the perfect time -- for who?
KAYE: Let's just keep in mind that this is the same Department of Justice that is now prosecuting Hunter Biden, the Democratic President's son.
AMOS: If you have enough power, you can wield anything.
BELIVEAU: It would be foolish to think otherwise.
KAYE: Does the charges that Hunter Biden is facing and the troubles he's facing legally, does that give you pause when it comes to voting for Joe
Biden?
CROOKE: No.
KAYE: I think about people like you who are, you know, independent or undecided or leaning and just not sure, and then you have this guilty
verdict.
AMOS: I don't think it's going to hurt him at all. This will push his supporters even further in his corner because Trump supporters are staunch
supporters. They don't care what this man does.
CROOKE: I could see people who would be interested in a third party completely writing him off as a result of it.
DANIELS: A lot of Trump supporters, I think they are having to sit with themselves and really think, would I really want someone who's been on
trial for this to represent me?
KAYE: Should he drop out as a convicted felon?
DANIELS: He should, but he's not going to.
AMOS: People make mistakes in their life, and that thing doesn't define who they are as a complete individual. So, should him being convicted make
him drop out? I would say no.
KAYE: How many of you think Donald Trump should go to jail? Two, okay.
HLAVATY: If you look at others who have been convicted of the same felony, very few, the low percentage, have actually served time.
BELIVEAU: I cannot feel good about saying yes or no. I wish he had shown remorse, yes.
KAYE: Now, when it comes to the question of age, everyone in our group told us that they would really like to have the option of voting for a
younger candidate. They think it's time that both Donald Trump and Joe Biden step aside and let a younger candidate, a new generation, enter the
race.
[12:30:03]
They think that this person would come in with fresh ideas, somebody who might be more in touch with where they are in their lives, they said, and
the direction that this country is heading in. In fact, one of the Democrats in our group said that when it comes to talking about age, she
thinks it's only fair that you talk about not only Joe Biden's age because they're only about three and a half years apart. Randy Kaye, CNN, Atlanta.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ASHER: All right, still to come, the deadly civil war in Sudan rolls on. This time, rebel fighters decimate a small village where the U.N. says this
war could have been avoided.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ASHER: Welcome back to "ONE WORLD". I'm Zain Asher. The leader of Sudan is warning of harsh retaliation after rebel fighters led a massacre on a small
village this week. General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan visited Al Jazeera State Thursday. That's where paramilitary Rapid Support Forces killed dozens of
people the day before.
The villagers gathered to bury their dead, most of whom they say were civilians caught in the crossfire of a civil war. The U.N. condemns the
attack and is warning the world of the consequences if the war is not stopped soon.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MARTIN GRIFFITHS, U.N. UNDERSECRETARY-GENERAL FOR HUMANITARIAN AFFAIRS: That we have a situation where highly likely, we will have up to five
million Sudanese people at risk of famine when the next report comes in, which will be in the coming weeks.
[12:35:05]
I don't think we've ever had that kind of number at risk of famine, and this was an avoidable conflict.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ASHER: CNN's Nada Bashir has the details, but we must warn you, some of the images in her report are about to show you are indeed disturbing.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
NADA BASHIR, CNN REPORTER: Awaiting burial, the victims of another costly day in Sudan's year-long civil war. At least 150 people were killed by
rebel forces in the village of Wad al Noura on Wednesday, local officials and eyewitnesses say, though CNN cannot independently confirm these claims.
These images, which our teams have geolocated, were shared on social media by an activist group. Most of those killed here by paramilitary Rapid
Support Forces were civilians, locals told us, including women and children.
An RSF spokesperson said Thursday it had targeted army bases in the area, though locals disputed this claim. The U.N.'s top official in Sudan has
called for a thorough investigation, but that may take time to heed. Wad al Noura is in Sudan's central Al-Jazeera state, where RSF fighters are
attempting to gain ground.
They already control much of the country's capital, Khartoum. Seized after RSF leader General Mohamed Hamdan Daghlour fell out with army chief Abdel
Fattah al-Burhan in April last year, unleashing violence across the country.
GRIFFITHS: Two men basically decided that they were going to resolve their differences through fighting, that they were going to take the country
down, and this was an avoidable conflict.
BASHIR (voice-over): Since then, more than 15,000 people have reportedly been killed, according to one NGO. Some nine million have been driven from
their homes, and U.N. aid chiefs warn of an imminent risk of famine.
Many civilians sought safety in Al-Fashr in western Darfur, but that city is now also facing assault by RSF fighters, according to a Yale report out
Wednesday, as the RSF, quote, "continues to gain ground". Nada Bashir, CNN, London.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ASHER: All right, time now for The Exchange and a closer look at the crisis in Sudan. Joining me live now is Akshaya Kumar. She's the director
of crisis advocacy at Human Rights Watch and adjunct professor at Columbia Law School. Thank you so much for being with us. It's interesting because
we opened the show today with President Biden visiting Normandy, talking about democracy.
And while you have the President of the United States speaking about democracy in Europe, on the other side of the world, in Africa, further
south, you have two generals vying for power, literally tearing a country apart in Sudan, leaving thousands of people dead. What is it going to take
in Sudan to eventually get to sustainable peace in that country?
AKSHAYA KUMAR, DIRECTOR OF CRISIS ADVOCACY, HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH: Well, I think that you're absolutely right. This is a story of two men and their
armies and the havoc that their war crimes have wrecked over the country of Sudan, which used to be a breadbasket producing food. Now, you have
millions at risk of dying from famine.
It used to be a country that had a stable capital city. And now, even in the capital, you have people who have suffered war crimes that have been
endemic to the country for decades in the peripheries. But it's more than that. It's also the story of the people who enabled those two generals. And
I think to get to that durable peace, we need to unmask the actors who are enabling these fighters. For the RSF, it's the United Arab Emirates. And
it's clear that not enough pressure has been put on those enablers.
ASHER: I mean, what is so sad is that the people, right, the civilians in Sudan, and we talk about Biden speaking about democracy, the people in
Sudan have been hungering for democracy and really trying to search for democracy and seek it and fight for it for such a long time. And despite
that, all you see in Sudan is one crisis after another.
In terms of a realistic intervention here, aside from the fighting, this is a country that is really on the brink of a massive famine. People are going
hungry right now. What does a large-scale sort of intervention to prevent famine in this country actually even look like?
KUMAR: Well, the biggest barrier to people being able to get the food that they need is that those who are seeking to deliver that aid and assistance
are being blocked and obstructed.
[12:40:00]
The border crossings are being choked off and so trucks are being let in at a trickle's pace. But there's also restrictions on moving across the
fighting lines, which make it hard for stocks of food that do exist in the country to get to those who are hungry and in need. And you're absolutely
right.
The Sudanese people, Sudanese civilians, protestors, women's activists, have been for years clamoring for democracy. And in fact, in the capital
city of Khartoum, we had protests led by young women like Alaa Salah, whose image chanting in a white tobe captured the imagination of the world just a
few years ago and really symbolized the hope that pro-democracy movements could bring.
And what we've seen is instead a complete reversal of circumstances. Now, where civilians are sidelined, men in uniforms are dictating the terms, and
people, particularly women, who are giving birth in the most unimaginably difficult circumstances, children who are being killed or conscripted into
fighting, and elderly people are suffering the brunt of this war.
ASHER: Sudan -- I mean, just what a bleak situation that you've just outlined there. If nothing happens, if the international community doesn't
intervene in the way, I mean, I don't even know how they can stop this war realistically right now, but if nothing happens, what is at stake? What is
Sudan going to look like one, two, three years from now?
KUMAR: Well, we are facing, it's not even one or two years, we're talking about months and weeks for people to be passing away from hunger and
malnutrition. We've already seen ethnic targeting. Human Rights Watch, my organization, has documented an ethnic cleansing campaign by those same
rapid support forces in Darfur.
And let's not forget that this is the same Darfur that witnessed ethnic cleansing by some of these very same authors of atrocities back in the
early 2000s. And so, the impunity gap, the lack of accountability is just enabling this conflict to get worse and worse.
And so, when you ask for credible interventions, for me, the three things that come to mind are, well, what can we do to protect civilians? What can
we do to create a wedge that protects and shields these civilians from these fighters? We've seen the National Army isn't trying to protect
civilians. They're not standing up to shield Darfur, Masadit or Zagawa.
We've seen the RSF are very willing to commit war crimes and crimes against humanity on a large scale. So, who will step in? And I think in the past in
Sudan, United Nations peacekeepers were brought in, African troops were brought in, and we need to be re-examining that option very closely because
when there is a protective wedge, then we can also have the opportunity for aid to be delivered without being obstructed by these fighters.
But all of that, unfortunately, requires a degree of political will that we just haven't seen. The United Nations Security Council, although it's
considering dozens of drafts on Gaza, has said very little on Sudan. And I think that's the biggest tragedy of all, is the global silence and perhaps
indifference to this suffering.
ASHER: One of the biggest tragedies, obviously in addition to the famine, in addition to the human rights abuses that you just laid out, thousands of
people displaced, thousands of people killed, of course, is the fact that children are being conscripted, right? That is heartbreaking to any mother.
Just explain to us what impact this war is having on the youngest members of Sudanese society.
KUMAR: Well, we've seen kids whose education has been interrupted now for months on end. We've seen families who were forced to flee. And in our
research in West Darfur, we've seen children who paid the ultimate price. Really horrific testimonies, things that I can't forget from my mind of
children being piled up and shot by RSF fighters, thrown into the river, attacked as they were trying to cross and flee for safety.
There are testimonies we collected of young teens who were separated, rounded up, of young girls who experienced horrific acts of sexual violence
and rape and now are in a position of burying the children of their rapists because they weren't able to access adequate sexual and reproductive health
care. So, really the range of harms you could imagine, Sudanese children are facing them at this moment.
ASHER: All right. Akshaya Kumar from Human Rights World. Thank you so much, right, for being a voice for the people of Sudan and really explaining to
our audience what is happening in that country. Thank you for being on the show. Up next on "ONE WORLD", a woman claims one of the most successful
shows on Netflix has ruined her life.
[12:45:05]
Details of her $170 million lawsuit, when we come back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNKNOWN: You say this woman is stalking you.
UNKNOWN: Yeah. Like, six months maybe.
UNKNOWN: What took you so long to report it?
UNKNOWN: I think she needs help. She comes to my work, my house. She sends me emails like all the time. I wouldn't say this is particularly
threatening.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ASHER: All right, a woman is suing Netflix for $170 million claiming she was defamed by the hit show "Baby Reindeer". It tells the story of a
comedian who is terrorized by a woman stalker named Martha and is supposed to be based on a true story.
Now, a Scottish woman named Fiona Harvey has filed a lawsuit saying that after the show aired, she began receiving threatening messages from people
who think Martha is based on her. She accuses Netflix of telling the, quote, "biggest lie in television history and claims she is suffering
mental anguish and loss of business as a result of this series".
CNN Business Writer Clare Duffy is tracking this story for us. So, Clare, just to sort of catch up our viewers, for those who haven't watched "Baby
Reindeer", it portrays this woman, Martha, as this stalker who is constantly outside Donny's home. She has committed physical assault, sexual
assault, and obviously not a great way to be portrayed by anyone. And the real-life character who believes that Martha is based on her, Fiona Harvey,
she is now suing. Just walk our audience through it.
CLARE DUFFY, CNN BUSINESS WRITER: Yeah, that's right, Zain. This show, "Baby Reindeer" which Richard Gad said was based on his real experience
being stalked, has been one of the biggest hits on Netflix since it debut in April. And there is a slate at the start of the show that tells viewers
this is a true story. But this woman, Fiona Harvey, says that that is untrue.
She says that she was tracked down by TikTok and Reddit users who identified her as the alleged stalker portrayed in this show. And she said
she now is fearful to leave her home. She's filed this $170 million lawsuit against Netflix, as well as comedian Richard Gad. And she claims that they
misrepresented her, quote, out of greed and lust and to make money.
She says that Netflix never made any effort to confirm any of the purported facts in this show. And in particular, she takes issue with the fact that
in the show, she is portrayed as having been convicted, you know, sent to prison for this alleged stalking.
[12:50:05]
And in real life, she says she has never been convicted of any crime. Netflix, for its part, says that it will be vigorously defending against
this lawsuit and says that it wanted to protect Richard Gad's right to tell his story. So, we'll have to see how this one plays out, Zain.
ASHER: And just in terms of what Richard Gad has actually said about this. I mean, he's the creator. He's the main star of the show. Has he come out
and said anything?
DUFFY: Yeah, he did tell "The Guardian" that this story was, quote, "very emotionally true" but that he wanted it to exist in the sphere of art and
to protect the people portrayed in the show. So, kind of an interesting response there that could potentially support Fiona Harvey's allegations
that he took some creative freedoms with her story here.
ASHER: All right, Clare Duffy, live for us there. We'll see what happens. We'll see if she gets the money she's looking for. Thank you so much. Still
to come here on CNN, what happened after a Texas toddler and a hungry giraffe had a very close encounter?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ASHER: All right, a famous landmark in China is poetically described as the Milky Way flying down. It's a beautiful waterfall, but in reality, it
may not be the heavenly wonder it's cracked up to be. Video on social media appears to show the cascade is actually supplied artificially with a pipe.
It's in central Henan province and is hailed as the tallest in China at 314 meters. According to reports, park officials say the pipe was added during
the dry season to give the waterfall a little boost.
All right, a giraffe unexpectedly picked up a toddler at a wildlife center in Texas, and now her family has quite a story and video to prove it
happened. Isabella Quintanilla with affiliate KWTX reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ISABELLA QUINTANILLA, KWTX JOURNALIST (voice-over): Two-year-old Paisley Toten was riding in the back of a pick-up truck with her mom feeding all of
the animals when one giraffe accidentally grabbed her shirt and lifted Paisley into the air. Jason Toten recalled the moment the giraffe picked up
his daughter, which was caught on video by a car behind them.
JASON TOTEN, PAISLEY'S FATHER: We stopped to feed the giraffes, and I turned around to look out the back window, and I saw the giraffe kind of
digging around her out there, and then it just grabbed her, and I didn't see her no more.
QUINTANILLA (voice-over): According to Toten, it was a complete accident.
TOTEN: Paisley was holding the bag like this, and the giraffe went to get the bag, not get her, but ended up getting her shirt, too, and picking her
up.
[12:55:04]
QUINTANILLA (voice-over): But thankfully, she didn't get too high up before the giraffe dropped her.
TOTEN: As soon as she went up, her mom just yelled, like, hey, and the giraffe just kind of let go.
SIERRA ROBERT, MOTHER OF PAISLEY TOTEN: Oh, look. Oh, oh. Hey.
QUINTANILLA (voice-over): When she felt her mom was right there to catch her, so no one was hurt, but it was still a scary moment for everyone.
TOTEN: My heart stopped. My stomach dropped. It was scary. It scared me.
PAISLEY TOTEN, LITTLE GIRL PICKED UP BY GIRAFFE: -- my shirt.
QUINTANILLA: You got your shirt? Yeah. Was it scary?
QUINTANILLA (voice-over): Afterwards, Toten said they went to the gift shop and Paisley got a toy giraffe.
J. TOTEN: We got it, yeah. I figured she deserved it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ASHER: That "hey" by the mother would have been enough to scare me, too. All right, that does it for this hour of "ONE WORLD". I'm Zain Asher.
Appreciate you watching. "AMANPOUR" is up next. You're watching CNN.
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