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CNN NEWSROOM

McAffee Arrested in Guatemala; Starbucks to Pay-Up in the U.K.; Concierge Gives Back To Hometown

Aired December 6, 2012 - 12:30   ET

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


(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, ANCHOR, "CNN NEWSROOM INTERNATIONAL": An American multimillionaire who is wanted for questioning in a murder case in Belize may be forced to return to that country today.

John McAfee, who created McAfee computers security software, he is now under arrest in Guatemala. He is accused of entering the country illegally.

Now, authorities in Belize want to question McAfee about the killing of his neighbor there. Looks like they're going to get their wish because Guatemalan officials say they're likely to send his back to Belize today.

Now, McAfee says he has nothing to do, actually, with his neighbor's death.

Vice Media shot exclusive video of McAfee being arrested last night. Take a look at this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOHN MCAFEE, INTERNET PIONEER: They're trying to arrest me. Do Guatemalan jails have beds?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: John, where are you going?

MCAFEE: To jail.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When will you be out?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: All right, so, yesterday McAfee applied for asylum in Guatemala, and during a news conference, he accused Belize of persecuting him for refusing to pay a bribe to a local politician.

As he walked up to the news conference, he described his life in the United States to his girlfriend and then he spoke to the reporters.

So, Vice Media catches all of this. Watch.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MCAFEE: You've never seen this before, have you?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No, never in my life.

MCAFEE: This is my life in America, sweetie, so you'll see that I'm quite comfortable with this.

I have for five years lived in Belize peacefully. Seven months ago, the Belize government sent 42 armed soldiers into my property. They killed one of my dogs. They broke into all of my houses. They stole.

They arrested me and kept me handcuffed in the sun for 14 hours. I was taken to jail and it was only the intervention of the U.S. embassy that got me out of jail.

Since that time, I have been continually harassed by the government. They have attempted to charge me with every crime ranging from running an antibiotics laboratory without a license, to hiring security guards without a license, to having improper paperwork for my company and, most recently, the murder of my neighbor.

I had to leave, but the story has to get out. I have documentation that proves the intense corruption at all levels of the Belizean government.

Now that I'm in a safe place, I can speak freely. I will be talking on my blogs, WhoIsMcAfee.com, starting tonight revealing the truth about Belize.

And thank you very much.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: McAfee did write on his blog. He says a Guatemalan judge is now reviewing his case and he says that he would like to go back to the States.

Lattes, scones, Chai teas, Starbucks adding thousands of stores in the Americans, but it's also investing in China.

How China is quickly becoming the company's fastest growing market. Plus, why Starbucks has agreed to pay more taxes in the United Kingdom.

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MALVEAUX: Responding to a public outcry from across the pond, a Starbucks executives says the coffee company is going to pay more taxes in the U.K. starting next year.

Now, the payment's going to be -- amount to about $16 million, U.S.

Starbucks along with Google and Amazon have been using legal loopholes to minimize their corporate taxes in Britain. Execs of all three companies recently got a public shaming from members of parliament.

I'm joined by Richard Quest in London. Hey, Richard. So, you got some -- I guess you've got some cups there. You're going to explain this. But is this a victory, do you think, despite the fact that Starbucks, how much money it makes? It's kind of like just a drop in the bucket.

RICHARD QUEST, CNN INTERNATIONAL'S "QUEST MEANS BUSINESS": Oh, yeah, well, yesterday, we pointed out that between all the various ways that Starbucks takes the money it makes or brings it in from coffee and it so constructs its affair that there is really nothing left, nothing at all left for profits.

Today, what the company announced is that they are going to take the money that they pay in royalties and the money they pay on inter- company events like loans and they're going to no longer take deductions.

What does this mean in reality? In practice, it means there will be money, more money, for Starbucks to pay as corporation tax, but here's the thing.

MALVEAUX: OK.

QUEST: They say they'll pay maybe $15 million this year. The numbers are still being worked out. Similar amount next year.

Well, you might have thought the British say, oh, yes, nice round of applause. Thank you very much. Send us the check.

Not a bit of it. People are saying in this country tonight, fair enough, Starbucks, but paying tax isn't voluntary. It's not something you decide you're going to do.

And, in fact, HMRC, our equivalent of the Inland Revenue is basically saying that Starbucks should pay more tax.

Now, where does all this leave this rather nasty mess? It's inevitable that in hard times people are going to want to bring in every penny.

Again, Suzanne, what the companies have done is perfectly legal. It's like those people in the United States paying less tax than their secretaries. It's a bit like the accusations made against Mitt Romney.

It was all perfectly legal. What Starbucks has found is that there's a difference between legality and morality.

MALVEAUX: Yeah, it can be -- it can look kind of unseemly.

And, so, they've got profit. You've got those beans in that little cup there.

So, do you think that, like, Google and Amazon, would they follow Starbucks here? Would they follow their lead? I mean, is there any pressure for them to do the same thing?

QUEST: Absolutely there's pressure, but this is what Starbucks said. "We know we're not perfect." This is the managing director, Starbucks U.K. "We've listened over the past few months. We're committed to the U.K. We will -- give us an opportunity to build trust and customers."

Starbucks admitted they were shocked, that they were surprised, I think is the word they used, at the ferocity of the complaints against them, this feeling.

Now, does Amazon and Google remain the same? I think Google is a much different kettle of fish because, Google, you just sort of do it on your computer. You don't really make that same conscious decision as a consumer.

Amazon, possibly. You do go onto amazon.co.uk. They could see a consumer backlash.

But it's the real consumer-facing companies, like Starbucks -- and remember, Suzanne, yesterday the British chancellor revised them downwards. He raised certain taxed and he cut benefits.

So, in that environment, what Starbucks has basically done, voluntarily, is say, we'll pay our share, or at least part of it.

MALVEAUX: All right, good for Starbucks. They've still got the beans in the cup there.

Richard, thank you Appreciate it.

This guy, he works as a concierge in a powerful Washington D.C. building. Well, his passion to give back to his hometown in Burkina Faso in Africa has now inspired a whole community.

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MALVEAUX: A major off shore rescue mission has now been called off in the waters of the north sea. That is where two massive cargo ships smashed into each other overnight. Now one of them sank. It happened in a busy North Sea shipping lane. This is about 60 miles from Rotterdam. Now, four crewmen, they are confirmed dead. Rescues were looking for seven others, but they have called off the search just a short time ago. This is the ship that went down. It was reportedly carrying 1,400 new cars. All of them now in the bottom of the sea. No word yet on why these two ships actually collided. Weather, reportedly, was not a factor.

Parts of the southern Philippines is in shambles after a typhoon hammered the country. The death toll now at 331. That number probably is going to get higher because hundreds of people are still missing. Two hundred and fifty thousand people are now homeless, and relief workers say many of them are in desperate need of water, food, and shelter.

In Thailand, a man who used to lead the government could be put to death for a deadly crackdown on protesters. Reuters reporting that the former prime minister has been charged with ordering troops to use real bullets on anti-government demonstrators back in 2010. Officials say he and his deputy are responsible for the deaths of dozens of civilians. Now, if convicted, they could face the death penalty or life in prison.

Well, schools, new homes, and water wells, this village really getting an upgrade with the help of this man. He work as a concierge in D.C. and with the help of powerful people in his building, he is able to give back to his hometown in Burkina Faso in Africa. We're going to talk with him next.

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MALVEAUX: Jean Kabre is an inspiration to the people who know him. He is a concierge at a building in the shadow of the U.S. Capitol. His personal determination to help his impoverished home village in western Africa has actually sparked the spirit of giving among the lobbyists and some of these D.C. power brokers that he serves. Well, with donations from people who work at 101 Constitution Ave., Kabre has raised enough money to build a well to bring safe drinking water to Tintilou in Burkina Faso. Kabre wants to build houses, schools, make his home village very self-sufficient.

And it's so nice to see you. He joins us from Washington. Tell us, first of all -- I mean it's really amazing. I know exactly where that building is. And there are a lot of folks that have got power, they've got money, and you took this idea to them. How did it start?

JEAN KABRE, CONCIERGE, 101 CONSTITUTION AVE.: Well, it started, you know, it's just got -- having a sense of good humor, I guess, think about my life coming from that little, little village in west Africa, and then now I'm -- I have a friend that work in (INAUDIBLE). Those powerful offices and powerful buildings. I just can't help but count my blessings. God has a sense of good humor.

MALVEAUX: Good humor and now good fortune to your hometown. Tell us, first of all, how do people live there? What are the living conditions like?

KABRE: The living condition is just -- it's just -- it's not -- for someone who lives in western cities and it's just -- unless you live the experience, then you can't comprehend it, because the living conditions is very harsh, you know. Every single day of your life is just a struggle and a challenge. So it's -- every single day you have to get up and think about, you know, what for breakfast, what for lunch, what for dinner. And some type you've got to have -- go by with like just one meal a day.

MALVEAUX: And even just the simple thing of getting water and safe, clean drinking water, I mean it's unbelievable. What did you say? What did you say to your neighbors? What did you say to the people in that building to get them to donate?

KABRE: Well, it started with (INAUDIBLE). A friend asked me, somebody gave me like a bonus check and a friend asked me, OK, let's go for a drink and let's go -- I said, no, this check going to go to west Africa. To my family in west Africa. He asked me a question, and I tell -- I start telling him about, you know, the hardship my people, my family is living in west Africa. And he said, you know what, tell me something about -- let's build a well. I say -- I kind of laugh at his face. Build a well. You know how much it costs to build a well? He said, oh, no, we can do it. Give me the name of your friends, your contacts, I'm going to call them. I'm going to tell of your -- the need. And again, I couldn't believe it. And he started and, hey, we have a nice clean water back in my village in Africa, and my family's so thankful and so grateful. Nice, clean water.

MALVEAUX: Can you imagine, I mean, how many people in Washington go out for drinks and if you said, you know what, don't buy me that drink, let's go do something, let's go do something good that really makes a difference.

Tell us a little bit about your family there in Burkina Faso. I understand that you actually went back and visited a little bit, yes?

KABRE: Yes. I was back home in December 2011 for my oldest son's wedding, which was a great wedding. And it was -- it was a humbling experience going back to the village to see my brothers and sisters, my uncle, nephew, and, you know, just around our village. And they're living in very harsh condition, but they were happy to see me, be joyful and thankful. It was a great experience. But it was, for me, coming back from a western country and going back home and visiting people and seeing them under very, very hard conditions, just breaks my heart. I believe I came back depressed.

MALVEAUX: Oh. And you turned that depression, it seems, into something that was very good and very positive. How was it that you came to the United States?

KABRE: Well, let's say I was running away from misery, I guess. And when things didn't go well, it started with my mom finding me a (INAUDIBLE) when I was 13 years old, sending me to Cadivour (ph) to just try to find my way. And leaving home, I was leaving to better myself to be able to help people I left behind. So if I'm -- if I'm not going to do something about it, it looks like I failed to -- I failed my duties. And it's hard sometimes because I live with my wife and my four -- my five children. My oldest one got married and moved away. But it's very hard. But sometimes it's tight (ph), but I know I'm better off.

MALVEAUX: Yes.

KABRE: My family here are better off than people I left behind in the village. So we need to do something about it.

MALVEAUX: Jean, you have done an amazing, amazing thing that you have done bringing a lot of people in Washington together and certainly appreciating what it is that we have and so much to give there. How can people actually help out? How can they get involved?

KABRE: They can get involved -- as a matter of fact, you don't have to look far to see people in need, Suzanne. Even here in America, people are struggling. You know, people are losing their jobs and holidays coming.

MALVEAUX: Sure.

KABRE: People shopping and spending all this money. Just look next door. Reach out to your neighbor and see what kind of need they have and lend like a helping hand to help your neighbor. And back in Africa, you know, I would love people can (INAUDIBLE) Burkina Faso (INAUDIBLE) go into the small villages and see what the needs are there. The needs are immense. The needs are great. And people are in -- people are struggling.

MALVEAUX: All right.

KABRE: And I can't thank my wife enough for -- even when things are tough, I don't know when I took them on vacation trip, but she always willing to let me send money to help my family back home. I mean she's a -- she's a -- she's a blessing to my life and to my family.

MALVEAUX: All right, a shout out to the wife. I like that.

KABRE: Yes.

MALVEAUX: Thank you so much. So nice to meet you. Obviously your work is incredible and what you're doing. Really appreciate it. And obviously people are making a difference there. Thank you so much.

KABRE: It was an honor to be here and a privilege to be here, Suzanne. Thank you for having me.

MALVEAUX: All right. Thank you.

Coming up at the top of the hour, recreational pot now legal in Washington state. There are some restrictions.

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MALVEAUX: Before we wrap the hour, another inspirational story that was trending this morning coming from Austria where a Vienna bus driver was at the end of his route, right, found a bag that had been left behind with 390,000 euros. That's more than $500,000 U.S. dollars. Well, the driver turned the money over to police. They were able to track down the owner who's an elderly woman, and it was actually her life savings.

I'm Suzanne Malveaux. This hour in the CNN NEWSROOM, a look at the first day of legal pot in Washington state. A debate also to over the fiscal cliff. And an update on the bizarre case of a millionaire caught in a murder investigation. We want to get right to it.