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Pope Francis Is First Pope to Address Mafia Issues in Italy; Presbyterian Church's Divesting in Three Companies to Show Its Disapproval of Israeli Occupation of Palestine; Nadia Bilchik Talking about Diverse Hairstyles of World Cup Players

Aired June 22, 2014 - 06:30   ET

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


CHRISTI PAUL, CNN ANCHOR: Don't even have to look at the clock. It's 29 minutes past the hour. I'm Christi Paul.

VICTOR BLACKWELL, CNN ANCHOR: I'm Victor Blackwell. Welcome to your Sunday. Five things you need to know for your NEW DAY.

PAUL: Number one, Islamic militants have captured four more towns including a crossing at the Syrian border. Now, the towns plank a main road, to see here from the map from Syria to Baghdad and could aid an effort by militants to lay siege to the Iraqi capital. In the meantime, we know Secretary of State John Kerry is in Cairo now. His first stop on a diplomatic trip to the region.

BLACKWELL: Number two, three border guards in eastern Ukraine were wounded Saturday. The first day of what was supposed to be a one-week ceasefire. Ukraine's border service says pro-Russian separatists launched a motor attack and open fire with automatic weapons. Meantime, Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed support for the ceasefire ordered by Ukraine's new president.

PAUL: Number three, Washington authorities called off the search for a missing Mt. Rainier hiker Karen Sykes. The 70-year old travel writer was last seen Wednesday when she split up with her hiking partner. Officials say they found a body during the search, but haven't yet identified it.

BLACKWELL: Number four, two people were killed when their small sightseeing plane crashed into a home near Minneapolis. Look at this video.

PAUL: Oh my gosh.

BLACKWELL: One person inside the house jumped out a window, was not hurt. Fortunately there. But the flames from the crash were so intense they melted the siding on the house next door. Police are calling this understandably a freak accident.

PAUL: And number five, Pope Francis has a stern message for the Italian mafia, he said during an outdoor mess that they are excommunicated from the Catholic Church. Our Vatican correspondent Delia Gallagher has the details. Hi, Delia.

DELIA GALLAGHER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Using his strongest language todate, Pope Francis has told members of the mafia that they are excommunicated from the Catholic Church. It's the first time that a pope has spoken about excommunication for the mafia. It is language which will resonate strongly in southern Italy where mafia members often attempt to portray themselves as upstanding religious men in good rapport with the Catholic Church in order to gain local credibility.

The pope spoke specifically of 'Ndrangheta, which is the Calabrian mafia saying that they were examples of contempt for the common good and of the adoration of evil. They must be told no, the pope said, to a crowd of some 200,000 faithful gathered at an outdoor mass. Earlier in the day the pope met with relatives of a three-year-old boy who was the victim of a mafia hit in January. He was with his grandfather when both of them were shot and their bodies subsequently burned. The pope also had an opportunity to meet with prisoners, with the elderly and with the infirm in hospice care before returning via helicopter to the Vatican.

Delia Gallagher, CNN, Rome.

BLACKWELL: Well, now, an illustration of the political power of church dollars. In this case we're talking about the Presbyterian Church deciding to divest itself of three American companies because of their link to Israel's treatment of Palestinians. PAUL: That decision came on Friday in this close vote at the general

assembly meeting. They say Caterpillar supplies products that are used to destroy Palestinian homes. Motorola solutions is on the list for providing military and surveillance systems that the church says is used in illegal Israeli settlements and Hewlett-Packard was targeted for providing technology that helps enforce the naval blockade of Gaza. So in all this comes to about $21 million. Out of more than a billion dollars in church investments. Let's talk to Heath Rada, he's moderator of the Presbyterian General Assembly that approved the divestment. First of all, Mr. Rada, thank you for being with us. I have to ask you first and foremost, did you vote and if so, how?

HEATH RADA, MODERATOR, PRESBYTERIAN GENERAL ASSEMBLY: I did not vote on this particular occasion.

BLACKWELL: Do you agree with the decision to divest?

RADA: I -- actually it's my responsibility to affirm the work of the church. In this regard I feel that I do support what the church has done. I think it's important for a statement to be made, but it is also important for it to be recognized as not an action against our brothers and sisters of the Jewish faith.

PAUL: Yeah, Mr. Rada, you did say that I know immediately after the vote you said in no way is this a reflection for a lack of love for our Jewish sisters and brothers. But one of your elders, one of your elder commissioner said that, that divestment has a symbolic power to humiliate our Jewish friends in this country. So, if you put yourself in the shoes of the Jewish community, how would you not see this as something that is separating you or that is humiliating? RADA: Well, I think that kind of a statement is inflammatory. I

don't think that represents the sentiment of what our commissioners were feeling.

PAUL: But this is from one of your elder commissioners.

RADA: I understand it, but there were about 650 elder commissioners, and I don't think that one is representative of the sentiment or the feeling that I heard expressed and saw and was engaged in.

BLACKWELL: I also want to point - you say more than 650. The vote was -- the decision to divest won by what, seven or eight votes? This was a very highly divided vote.

RADA: Right.

BLACKWELL: Vote. So I want to go to one of the other points you talked about, a political statement. $21 million out of more than a billion dollars. This is just a statement, correct? I mean you understand that these companies --

RADA: That is correct.

BLACKWELL: -- will continue on with their business. I want to ask you something that actually one of the persons who presented the dissent asked, his name is Frank Allen, and he asked the question in presenting the - an opposing opinion, do we really think we become more peaceful makers by alienating these good folks, that's from Frank Allen, the teacher elder commission. So I'm going to ask you the question. He also said the divestment will not end the conflict and bring peace. Divestment will bring dissension. The question again, do you really think that you become a peacemaker by alienating Jews here in America and those who receive this message in Israel?

RADA: Well, first of all, let me say that in many of my conversations with my Jewish brothers and sisters, they are not seeing this as being an alienation of them. There are some who do, and I certainly don't wish to discredit that. But I think that the majority of the people with whom I've had personal conversation recognize that we care deeply for that relationship and this particular issue is not one that's being directed against the Jewish people, but instead against some element of the Israeli government that is using these products from our company -- for our companies to harm the Palestinian people.

We recognize that the Jewish people have also been undergoing mistreatment and we are just as grievous about that. So we're not -- we are continuing to invest in our work in Israel, we are continuing to support the companies that are involved in peaceful work in Israel. It is not a divestment from Israel. And certainly not a statement of negativity towards American Jews or Jews anywhere in the world.

BLACKWELL: I know we need to move on to Rabbi Rick Jacobs, but I have to take issue with what you said. That it sounds very cordial and congenial, but in this statement affirming divestment you mention and you compare it to divestment in South Africa in the '80s, and relation to the apartheid policy. There is also the publication "Zionism Unsettled," in which you use phrases like ethnic cleansing, apartheid and cloaking secularism with Messiahnism. And it seems as if the rhetoric, at least, is not something that speaks to as you say your love for your Jewish brothers and sisters. So, can you reconcile those two?

RADA: I'll be glad to, Victor. First of all, our general assembly distanced itself by saying we do not support the statements that were in "Zionism Unsettled." We as a denomination do not affirm that terminology in that use.

BLACKWELL: But you are still selling it on the Presbyterian USA website. It's still as a teaching guide on your Website, I looked at it this morning.

RADA: It still is available, but there are some elements of that over which we don't have control. We -- that is being explored right now to see how we're going to handle that in the future. And the second part is in regard to the apartheid, the relationship there is the fact that pressures against the South African government did help to bring about an end to mistreatment. That's the relationship that we're talking about here.

BLACKWELL: Can you explain how you don't have control, you either sell it or you don't?

PAUL: The statement, the -- go ahead.

RADA: "The Zionism Unsettled?"

BLACKWELL: Yes.

RADA: All I'm saying that has been on our list, it takes -- we've been here at the general assembly, it takes a bit of time for us to be able to move forward on what is going to continue to be sold and what is not. I can't speak for the fact that I don't speak for the Presbyterian publishing company, but I can say that our denomination is not in favor of that and my impression is that it will be either removed or it will at least be identified as something that does not represent our denomination. There are other materials on our publishing -- in our publishing that come from our publishing company that don't represent our position, but I think this one has become so inflammatory that it is a problem.

PAUL: OK, we need to bring in Rabbi Rich Jacobs from Jerusalem here, he's the president from the Union for Reformed Judaism. The largest branch of American Judaism. Thank you so much, Rabbi, for being with us. I'm sure that you had a lot of conversations with your community there. How do they perceive this message from the Presbyterian community?

RICHARD JACOBS, PRESIDENT OF THE UNION FOR REFORMED JUDAISM: Thank you. Well, I actually was in Detroit with Heath and the Presbyterian leadership at the general assembly and what's very clear to us is as you just mentioned, "The Zionism Unsettled," which is still available on the website, is one of the most hateful vicious attacks on Judaism, the Jewish people and the state of Israel we have ever experienced. I went to Detroit to engage with my Presbyterian colleagues to be able to find a way to express to them how deeply hurtful it would be if they were to pass their divestment resolution, which they did. And I just -- listening to my colleague and I'm very grateful to Heath for the invitation for me to be at the general assembly, but when he says he's been around lots of Jewish people who are not upset, I can tell you that I represent the overwhelming majority of the American Jewish community. Literally millions and we are all united.

We are not united about everything but on this we are completely united, that this act of divestment, which is whatever the language said, it is an affirmation of the global BDS, the boycott divestment and sanctions movement, the global BDS has already laimed this as a great victory. This is a very hurtful act that causes the entire Jewish community not only pain, but a sense of betrayal from the Presbyterian Church.

BLACKWELL: All right. We planned to wrap the conversation up here, but there is so much more to talk about. I would like both you, Heath Rada, to stay with us, Rabbi Rick Jacobs, stay with us, we've got more questions. We'll take a break and we'll talk more in just a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLACKWELL: All right, thanks for staying with us here on "NEW DAY." 15 minutes off the top of the hour. Let's bring back in Dr. Heath Rada, moderator of the Presbyterian General Assembly and Rabbi Rich Jacobs from - the president of the union for reformed Judaism, the largest branch of American Judaism.

PAUL: Yeah, gentlemen thank you so much for sticking with us here through the break. Rabbi, I wanted to say we read your letter to delegates at the Presbyterian Church general assembly. And one of the things you said was in order to bring about desired changes imperative that the actions taken how fulfill the goal at hand. If the desire is as I believe it must be two states for two peoples these divestment moves are not the answer. Let me ask you, what is the answer in your opinion?

JACOBS: Well, one very concrete alternative that I put before the general assembly, I invited Gradye Parsons, who is the stated clerk of the church and Heath Rada, who is the moderator, to come meet me in Jerusalem and let us together go and speak with the prime minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu to express to him our commitment together that the settlements are not moving us forward and to really address the core concerns. To engage with us. To work constructively. The act of divestment is not going to move us closer to a two-state solution. In fact, it will harden those in the extremes, it will give them more reason to oppose movement forward on the two-state solution.

So, the action that the church took is exactly the wrong approach to moving forward and building the infrastructure for peace, building the momentum and the good will. That's the way we would move forward and by choosing divestment over engagement the church sent a very loud message that they really are not interested in the partnership that we so very much want and extended to them.

BLACKWELL: Quickly before I get to the question I planned, do you commit to that conversation, Dr. Rada?

RADA: Well, first of all, we were so glad to have Rick with us, and I was pleased to have a chance to get to know him and look forward to working with you, Rick, in ways that we can bring about peace. I think that's the bottom line of what we all want. But I do want to say that what we adopted had several points to it. Not only was it the divestment, but included in our motion and acceptance was that we reaffirmed Israel's right to exist, we reaffirmed our desire to invest in companies in Israel and Palestine that are working on peacemaking, we endorse the two-state solution, we encourage interfaith dialogue and travel to Israel and Palestine and we have tried very hard to set ourselves apart from the BDS, which the rabbi was talking about and we agree, we do not want to be supportive of what they are saying at this point, even though our divestment sounds as though it is supportive. And I can see why it can be interpreted. But I want it known that the Presbyterians wanted very much to say we are with our Jewish brothers and sisters in seeking peace and the intent as I understood it from the commissioners, those split and very close, was to look for ways that they thought would best make this happen, and divestment was their choice.

BLACKWELL: And just to make sure we get the number right from your organization, the count 310 to 303 that was the final vote. So very divided assembly as we know there in Detroit. On that vote specifically. Rabbi Rich Jacobs, and Dr. Heath Rada, we've extended this as much as we can. And we thank you for the conversation.

PAUL: Thank you so much, gentleman.

RADA: Thank you.

PAUL: All righty. So 12 hours and counting folks from the big game between team USA and Portugal.

BLACKWELL: While some are focused on the players' athletic abilities we're looking at some of their other qualities.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PAUL: So, team USA as you know, is facing one of its toughest matches yet, Portugal tonight. And if they can bring home a win it's almost guaranteed they are going to get a spot in the quarterfinals.

BLACKWELL: However, you know, some of the most memorable World Cup moments are not those of the players' moves. I mean, because some of the points are amazing.

PAUL: Sure.

BLACKWELL: But rather, these hair and style choices of the players.

PAUL: CNN editorial producer Nadia Bilchik is here with some of the best World Cup styles, do we say the best? Do we say --

NADIA BILCHIK, CNN EDITORIAL PRODUCER: We can say the most interesting. BLACKWELL: Yes.

BILCHIK: Most riveting - let's start with Ermin Bicakcic, and, of course, he sports a hair to called the pompadour.

Pompadour. You might have seen David Beckham sporting the same hair style. So, of course, it's higher on top, short on sides. And then we move on to Raul Meireles from Portugal. So, we might see Meireles this afternoon playing. And he has the mohawk.

BLACKWELL: That's a commitments.

BILCHIK: We spoke about that, if you can't get a mohawk you might want to try a fohawk.

BLACKWELL: Yeah, try that.

BILCHIK: And then we have Bacary Sagna, and he's from France. And he has the very famous blond braids. Now, of course, the braids blondes are artificial so they must be quite heavy. Also you have to burn the end of the braid to fuse it with the other hair so that's quite a process too. And then we have Marouane Fellaini, and he had that big bold beautiful hair. He does say he keeps it trimmed.

PAUL: Really?

BILCHIK: He also says the reason he does that is that if it's wet he can't see the ball. He's tried being bald, he's tried so bad, and then we have Kyle Beckham and dread locks inspired by the one and only Bob Marley.

PAUL: Yeah.

BILCHIK: And you know that having dreads like that takes maintenance.

BLACKWELL: Yes. It's a statement. It's a cultural statement.

BILCHIK: That's right. As you say it's more than a hairstyle. It's a lifestyle, and Cristiano Ronaldi, think about Monday morning if he plays tonight, there will be lots of little boys asking for a Cristiano hair style, please. If they are not already.

BLACKWELL: I think I could rock that. What do you think?

PAUL: You could.

BLACKWELL: Just on the side.

PAUL: Yeah, because I mean, you are not a bald man.

BLACKWELL: No, I'm getting there, I'm getting close, though.

BILCHIK: You are watching the World Cup going, the bodies have got better, right? It's just that the shirts have got tighter.

PAUL: Is that what it is. BILCHIK: Hugo says, the tighter the shirt, the more it looks like a

leotard. They even say it has health benefits. In fact, it boosts energy to the muscle is a puma claim with the very, very tight shirt.

PAUL: Really?

BILCHIK: So we'll see what team USA wears this afternoon.

PAUL: Yes, lots of people will be watching it. We do not know exactly what everybody's motive is.

(CROSSTALK)

BILCHIK: Uniform that got dry fit technology.

Which they need in the humidity.

BLACKWELL: Yes.

BILCHIK: Humidity and the hot.

PAUL: Thank you, Nadia. How much we appreciate it. Already, we've got to turn to some serious stuff here because this morning ISIS militants, we've learned are four towns now closer to Baghdad. As the most prominent (INAUDIBLE) cleric is calling on Shiites, take up arms. The drum beat of civil war is growing louder and louder right now.

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