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Connect the World
Libya Looks to the Future; Moammar Gadhafi Calls on Loyalists to Rise Up Against the Rebels; In the Queue; Venus Williams Speaks Out; The Children of Mexico;
Aired September 01, 2011 - 16:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BECKY ANDERSON, HOST: Amid desperate need for food, water and power, crates of cash arrive in Tripoli.
Well, a call to arms from a deposed dictator -- an audio message urge the Libyan people to rise up against the new leaders.
And then, saving the children -- how a generation in Mexico may be destined for the drug war.
And Earl Grey tweaked -- why a new recipe for an old favorite has caused a storm in a teacup.
These stories and more tonight as we connect the world.
Well, he's in hiding and his regime has all but collapsed. But Moammar Gadhafi insists the fight is far from over. We've already heard from him once today and we are expecting another message any minute now.
Well, the first audio message came about five hours ago, broadcast on a Syrian TV channel. A man who identified himself as Gadhafi called Libyan rebels "traitors" and animals and urged his supporters to take up arms.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
MOAMMAR GADHAFI, FORMER LIBYAN LEADER (through translator): Go. Use -- use the guns. Go and fight and fight. And we're going to be with you. We're going to fight from one place to the other, from one -- from valley to valley, from mountain to mountain, from town to town, until we show them this battle is going to be for very long and then they will regret. And they will never underestimate the armed forces of the Libyans.
They want a long battle?
We are ready for them.
They want a war?
You get war.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: OK, and, as I say, we are waiting on another message, we are told, which should hit the airwaves imminently.
Well, fighters are still massing outside Sirte, Gadhafi's hometown, but they have now modified their plan of attack. They've extended their Saturday deadline by a week for all Gadhafi loyalists to surrender.
Well, much of the world is, of course, already looking past Gadhafi, working to give opposition leaders the help they need to become Libya's new rulers.
Jim Bittermann is in Paris for you tonight with the latest from an international conference convened to map out how the outside world can help Libya shape its future -- Jim, what's come out of this, what is the first day of this meeting?
JIM BITTERMANN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, it's a very brief conference, Becky. It only went on less than four hours. But there were 60 delegations from around the world, including 13 heads of state.
And basically it was a twofold mission, I think, and they probably should say that mission was accomplished.
One is that they wanted to make sure that members of the world community were opposed to the -- at least didn't approve of the NATO bombing that brought down Gadhafi, like China and Russia, that they could have a -- a platform to come back in, to be reconciled with the new government and the new leaders in Libya, and, at the same time, to have a platform for the new government, new leaders to come and express their ideas about, first, what their needs are, some very immediate humanitarian needs. But beyond that, what their goals are, their vision is for the new Libya and what they want to have happen. They've established now that they want to have democratic elections within 18 months.
And the chairman of the National Transitional Council, Mustafa Jalil, who is essentially the head of state of this newly emerging Libyan government, he urged the Libyan people to avoid revenge.
Here's the way he put it.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MUSTAFA ABDEL JALIL, NATIONAL COUNCIL OF LIBYA, FORMER LIBYAN JUSTICE MINISTER: I would like to say to the Libyan people it's not just we did rely on you and the whole international community relied on you, it is now within your hands to prove, firstly -- to prove what we have pledged to do. Secondly, stability and -- and safety inside Libya. Thirdly, pardoning and forgiving anyone in respect of all the massacres and the hardships that was done, except by law. And, of course, we all saw the burning and the attacks and the women that were raped and the kids that were intimidated by Moammar Gadhafi.
This would be left to history and to the law to take its course.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BITTERMANN: So that was the message from Jalil to his Libyan people. But it was also a message meant to address the conferees, because there is at least some questioning about where this new Transitional Council is going to go and what kind of leaders they're going to prove to be and whether there's still a lot of divisiveness back on the ground in Libya -- Becky.
ANDERSON: All right, Jim.
Thank you for that. The latest from Paris as the -- those who are supporting the Transitional Council convene.
Let's get you now straight to an audio message from Moammar Gadhafi.
We've been expecting it. It's the second of the day.
Have a listen to this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GADHAFI: The water resources in Libya and because who said -- who, from now on, would confiscate Libyans' water and that means they will occupy Libya and take away the water of the great river of Libya and to control Libya left as north, south, east and west, the great river that goes from north, south and from east to west and from west to east until they come and take control of the water, which means controlling Libya and controlling the water of Libya.
This would impose internal war, which we do not want. We do not have intention to do it. We have absolutely no intention of this. This has been enforced on us by the imperialists. It's the same as we forced us to fight against Ethiopia, by force. We had no animosity or any problem with them. Now Libyans are trying -- are forced to fight against each other by force. And they have been fragmented. And now we are under the imposition of supremacy. We wanted to get Libya again as a free country and we'll get the world back and help Libyans, not to start. And we want to get them the medication and the communication (ph). And we wanted the electricity and everything to be in the hands of Libya.
But now, this is in the hands of the imperialists. And therefore, the whole -- the whole purpose of this is to suppress the Libyan people and the Libyan people would rather die than be suppressed.
This is something we will not allow the traitors to do and let Libya be completely occupied and completely suppressed and humiliated. This is what they wanted to do on Libya by having all these air raids, by the help of the traitors and collaborators.
Do not be very happy about stopping the attacks of some areas in Libya if the attacks, air raids stop, that means the imperialists have become victorious and occupied this area. So any area that is not being under attack, that means it is suppressed by the imperialists.
This is a bit -- it's a bit like the same they give to a fish in order to fish them out.
Now, after your suppression, Libya will never be suppressed. It will never be occupied and we will fight against you, wherever we are. We will sacrifice our lives so that the sons of Libya will become and the (INAUDIBLE) of Libya will become fire and fight against you. You will never have peace of mind inside our land. And you will never be able to sleep over our territory. We have tried death (ph), so we will be victorious. Libya will never be occupied today, if you stop attacking Tripoli, that means Tripoli is no longer the capital. And they have killed 1,000 people on the day of Eid, because thinking that this is something the world will not hear about because of the stopping of the communication and the transportation.
And Sirte now is the capital of Libya. And it is the -- the -- the capital of the Libya. And Sirte is the place for resistance. And now all the committees are having meetings and they started to run control from Sirte. And this means Sirte has become the capital and the -- the opposition and resistance starting in Tripoli and over the borders of Algeria and Chad and in the Mediterranean will not be able to take our oil. We will not allow you to do this.
We are the lions of Libya. We will not allow you to take the oil fields and our ports.
Libyan people, men and women, be ready to fight against imperialists, the same as our grandfathers did. And be prepared for a long war that has been imposed upon us. The imperialists we need to be able to fight through a long war and they will retreat day by day. And their resistance will diminish day by day.
Begin for a guerilla warfare and fighting inside city warfare and be like a bee, sting and fly and fight across Libya, the whole area.
It's not about occupying one area or freeing one area. It is about fighting against the enemy, whether they are Libyans or foreigners, and to attack and finish off the enemy, wherever it is.
We will have to fight -- fight the enemy day and night, attack them. Attack them. Attack anyplace where they congregate their transportation. Try to narrow the gap on them and attack them from everywhere. They are limited in number. They're limited with equipment. The vast majority is with you and the small suppressed minority is with the enemy.
Let the imperialists know that the idea is not just about suppressing a -- one city. They have worked 60 raids over Bab al Aziziyah that have reduced it to cinders. And we -- we put 2,500 at the doors of Bab al Aziziyah. It means nothing to us. The -- the turn of Bab al Aziziyah to basically a cinder or ash, this is shame on you. It means nothing to us. This means the resistance is continuing throughout the country. You will not be able to occupy Libya or run it. And you think that the Libyans will listen to you and you give orders from overseas, the same as the Ottoman Turks used to run the affairs of other countries in Istanbul -- in Istanbul. We are all, in the east and everywhere in Libya, are armed and we will arm the Libyans in the east and we will fight against you.
We do have arsenals. We have arms. The -- all the tribes will not be ruled by your -- by your people. They will not suppress you. They are armed tribes and you will not -- you will not be able to rule them. You cannot rule them.
Even if you attack them fire crops (ph), tribes will not surrender. No tribe will attack another tribe because they are armed and they -- they -- they -- all these tribes and areas, they all fight in one frontier.
Therefore, it is very difficult to rule Libya without its people. Your aircraft will not suppress them and they will not accept that. These are armed tribes. Women are armed. And therefore, Shuks (ph) and dignitaries all in these more than 2,000 tribes, they all meet in Tripoli and they talk in the names of all the fighting tribes who will not accept anything except what they accept. Otherwise, they are armed and they will be able to protect themselves and they will fight your collaborators in these areas.
In the end, they are all carrying arms and it's difficult to rule them by anyone.
So you have to accept the reality in the situation. It is a fait accompli and you have to accept it and that you have to keep away your aircraft and (INAUDIBLE) with this regime. The people are armed and they - - and they -- and the people do have the authority and the world belongs to the people. And, therefore, these people will not allow you to take the oil and rob Libya's wealth that God has endowed Libya with. You'll never have this.
The arms and the struggle is continuing. The arms and the struggle is continuing. We are ready for a long, long drawn out war. And every time this -- the young people will re--- regroup and rebalance themselves and we will re-wage a war against you again. It's a war that frighten us in our homes, killing our children and women and killing and shoot and bombing our hospitals, schools.
These are devilish actions that will never -- will never win. God is with us and we are in our homes.
Don't ask us to do anything. We are fighting in our homes and we are fighting -- our tribes are fighting. Until then, you have to negotiate with us in order to leave. That's all you can do, negotiate to leave.
We will not leave the land. Every day, we offer martyrs. Every day. March forward armed, all armed people.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Releasing an audio message, we believe, at least, is Moammar Gadhafi. We can't know for sure. That message released there live to Syrian TV following on from a message released by, we believe, the leader some five hours ago.
Let -- let's get to what he said. I mean it was a fairly rambling message, talking vaguely about water resources at the beginning. He spoke about getting utilities back up and running. He said the West is suppressing Libyan people and we will not allow Libya to be oppressed.
"We'll sacrifice our lives," he said. Interesting. "We'll be victorious." He said Sirte is now the capital of Libya. He doesn't say where he is or what his intentions are at this point.
A quite confusing narrative about whether his supporters should negotiate or not. But what he did say right at the end of that is that we are ready for a long, drawn out war.
The latest release from who we believe to be Moammar Gadhafi, an audio message released to Syrian TV. You heard it here live on CNN.
Well, some of the badly needed cash promised to the Libya opposition is finally starting to arrive. Britain today delivered its installment. It's about 225 odd million dollars, a bank in Benghazi. Now that money will help pay the salaries of nurses, doctors, police officers and teachers, as well as buy medicine and food. And also today, France confirming that it has unfrozen more than $2 billion in Libyan assets. And the United States says it has released more than $700 million of the $1.5 billion it will give Libya's opposition from unfo -- unfrozen funds.
Right, so you've got The Contact Group going on in Paris. You've seen the numbers on the frozen funds that are beginning to be released. And then, of course, you just heard the latest audio message from what we believe to be Moammar Gadhafi.
Let's bring in our man on the ground for you tonight.
Nic Robertson there in Tripoli -- Nic, firstly, this latest audio message, is there anything in that that we haven't heard before?
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: The tone is different, Becky. And it's also got this sort of, if you will, this sort of echo quality, this sort of godly -- the voice of God quality to it. So it's -- there's some -- some more sort of rationality, if you will, than the sort of attack, attack, attack type messages that we've heard. Clearly, this seems to be aimed and the fact that there's a Contact Group meeting in Paris. A lot of -- a lot of pronouncements sort of positively for the rebels there, Gadhafi trying to get his digs in, as well.
But what we're hearing here is a reference to the water, the great man made rivers in the country that -- that sort of were built under his administration, saying that the -- that the outside powers are trying to take control of the resources in Libya, whereas, in fact, everyone here knows that he's cut the water to the city by cutting off these supplies.
He's saying that Sirte is now the capital of the resistance because NATO is bombing there. He's saying that the tribes can't be beaten by NATO's bombing.
So it's sort of trying to touch the key themes here in perhaps a slightly more logical and rational way than we've heard him of late, to try and rally support.
Clearly, the vast majority of people hare aren't going to listen to that. But I think it's the tone that's different and trying to -- and trying to sort of offer some thoughts for people to grasp with -- why are they short of water, what's really happening here?
Gadhafi is offering his own explanation, but not telling the truth. He's not saying that his forces have cut the water. He's saying that NATO and the rebels are greedy and they're trying to take it all -- Becky.
ANDERSON: Yes, interesting stuff.
Nic, thank you for that.
Nic Robertson on the ground there responding to what we've just heard from what we believe to be Moammar Gadhafi, another fairly long speech talking -- well, he must have used the word imperialist, I don't know, 15 or 20 times, in what was about a 10 minute speech. "Do not be scared to stop and attack" what he calls the imperialists, as Nic alluded to, talking about water resources and, as Nic said, as well, Sirte, Gadhafi saying now the capital of Libya.
As I pointed out, he doesn't say where he is nor what his intentions are at the moment.
Well, you've just had a rundown of where the monies are. They're beginning to trickle into Libya as we speak. All of that money will help the Libyan opposition deliver basic needs which are in short supply.
Dan Rivers is in Tripoli for you tonight, as well.
And he shows us how Libyans hoping to fill up their cars are, frankly, getting fed up with what are incredibly long lines.
Have a look at this.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DAN RIVERS, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, the fuel situation in Tripoli is still pretty bad. There are still incredibly long queues.
It's better than it used to be, but check it out. This is the back of the queue for gas. And I want to show you just how long it is.
(voice-over): This queue just goes on and on and on. It's ironic because Libya actually has the largest oil supply in the whole of Africa, the ninth largest in the world. Experts say it has some 23 years of oil reserves. And before the war, it used to pump about 1.3 million barrels a day.
But now all the people in this queue care about is when these petrol queues are going to subside. Some of them say they've been waiting in the scorching heat for hours.
(on camera): And finally, this is the front of the queue. The coastal road is open, so it means some supplies are coming in. But you get the idea of just what an agonizing waiting it is simply to fill up your car.
Dan Rivers, CNN, Tripoli.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Closing out our Libyan coverage for you this evening.
Coming up in about 60 seconds here on CONNECT THE WORLD -- you're watching CNN, of course. Twenty-three minutes past nine.
She used to be -- or she is certainly used to some tough battles on the court. But Venus Williams is now facing a new challenge. The sports star speaks out after being diagnosed with a chronic illness.
And in just over 10 minutes from now, a global press baron who had it all only to spectacularly fall from grace. The extraordinary story of Conrad Black and what he thinks of another media mogul under the spotlight. That coming up.
We're taking a short break.
Be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Well, Venus Williams says that she will return to the tennis court. Despite her optimism, there is now a huge question mark over the future of the seven time grand slam champion after she surprisingly pulled out of the U.S. Open with the news that she is suffering from a debilitating disease. It's a chronic disease, we are told, that causes extreme fatigue and joint pain.
Well, with more on the condition and the star's future, "WORLD SPORT'S" Pedro Pinto is with me in the studio.
What's going on here?
PEDRO PINTO, CNN "WORLD SPORT" ANCHOR: Well, it really caught everyone by surprise. I mean everybody knew that she wasn't doing particularly well, because she's only played 11 matches this year. She had a -- a combination of injuries, of illnesses. And she said she wasn't feeling great. But -- but the way she described it, Becky, the way she described what this Sjogren's Syndrome feels like is quite astounding.
Let's -- let's listen to how she said she felt during her worst moments.
This is what she told a news channel in the United States.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP FROM "GOOD MORNING AMERICA," COURTESY ABC)
VENUS WILLIAMS, TENNIS PLAYER: I lost a lot of feel. Like I would miss shots by feet and I just couldn't feel with my hands. And my hands would hurt when I was playing. And I had swelling and numbness and then fatigue, which is really debilitating. I just didn't have any energy.
And it's not that you don't have energy, you're just so beat up.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PINTO: Well, all this does, Becky, now, is make a huge question mark hang over the -- the future of -- of her career. She's 31 years old and she hasn't won a grand slam title in three years.
What's going to happen, you know?
ANDERSON: Medically, what's the prognosis on this?
PINTO: Well, it's a syndrome that isn't really that common. It affects mostly women. And like you mentioned, it's -- it's fatigue. It's -- it's tiredness and also pains in the joints, as well. But it can, like Venus was saying, maybe dry eyes, as well, and just physically it's not really what an athlete wants to -- to go through.
ANDERSON: Right.
PINTO: Well, we got the (INAUDIBLE) of a CNN medical expert earlier today. And this is what she had to say.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: But even if you asked her, would she -- she probably doesn't know. This disease can be hard to predict. For some people, it is absolutely devastating and they would have to leave something like this. Other people, it's not as bad. And also remember, she's a top athlete. So she is trying to perform at a really tip top level.
So there's two different questions -- can she continue to play tennis and can she continue to play tennis at the level that allowed her to win Wimbledon in 2008.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PINTO: It's difficult to make a prediction right now, Becky. And it's hit the Williams family pretty hard. Serena Williams played earlier this evening in the United States, I guess daytime over there. But she...
ANDERSON: Yes.
PINTO: -- she went through to -- to the third round. It didn't seem to affect her too much. But the family was and they've been shaken by this.
ANDERSON: Yes, they've had a terrible year with Serena, as well, of course, haven't they?
PINTO: Yes. Of course, she -- she missed a lot of the season with -- with injuries, as well. Last summer, she cut her -- her foot and had to be out for a while, had surgery. Then the pulmonary problem that she had, as well. She was very...
ANDERSON: Sure...
PINTO: -- worried about the future of her career. So it hasn't been an easy time for them.
ANDERSON: Listen, you know, if -- if they were to never play another match, we'd remember the Williams sisters forever. I mean they have had the most phenomenal run. And they're 30 -- you know, they're -- they're getting older.
PINTO: Yes.
ANDERSON: I mean these...
PINTO: Serena is 29...
ANDERSON: -- these kids have come up.
PINTO: Venus is 31.
ANDERSON: Of course. Yes.
PINTO: So they're getting...
ANDERSON: And let's not write them off, I guess...
PINTO: No.
ANDERSON: -- yet.
PINTO: You can never write off athletes and people who -- who are fighters. They've demonstrated that throughout their careers. It would just be a pity if they don't go out on a high or at least on their own terms.
ANDERSON: Yes. Pedro, lovely.
Thank you.
And Pedro back, of course, in about an hour's time, at half past the next hour. He's going to have the latest from the U.S. Open for you, as well as the World Athletics Championships.
It's good stuff.
Thank you.
Plenty to come here, though, on CONNECT THE WORLD in the next 30 minutes.
In about an hour's time, we've got the headlines for you, then CNN's interview with a media mogul turned convicted fraudster -- what Conrad Black thinks of Rupert Murdoch. His cutthroat comments are just ahead.
Then...
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
When he's playing, he says he wants to be a hit man. He's drawing a sketch where a person is being shot and killed.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: A mother's anguish as her kid got caught up in the middle of Mexico's drug war. That story coming up in just about 15 minutes time right here on CONNECT THE WORLD.
I'm Becky Anderson in London.
It's half past nine here.
We're going to take a very short break.
Back after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: And you're back with CONNECT THE WORLD here on CNN, the world's news leader.
I want to give you a check of the headlines at this point.
Moammar Gadhafi says his supporters will rise and defeat the forces who control the vast majority of Libya. That warning delivered from hiding. The Syrian-based TV channel aired two of his audio messages today, the second, just moments ago, predicting a drawn out war.
Well, fighters are still massing outside Sirte, which is Gadhafi's hometown. But they've now modified their plan of attack. They've extended their deadline -- their satellite (ph) deadline, at least -- by one week, for all Gadhafi loyalists to surrendered.
Well, skirmishes break out at a Kurdish rally in Istanbul. Some Kurds hurled stones and petrol bombs at police, who fired tear gas in response.
Now, the demonstration, organized by Turkey's main Kurdish political party, started out in honor of World Peace Day.
And August marked a milestone for U.S. troops in Iraq, it was the first month since the 2003 invasion that no American was killed. Contrast that to Afghanistan, where August was the deadliest month for U.S. forces since they began fighting there in 2001.
Joran van der Sloot, once a suspect in the disappearance of U.S. teen Natalie Holloway, is now charged with murdering a Peruvian woman. Stephany Flores was found dead in his Lima hotel room last year. No date has been set, though, for a trial.
And those are the headlines for you this hour.
Also in the headlines today, this man. He was once commanded one of the most powerful media companies in the world. But now, Conrad Black is heading back to prison. He was convicted (INAUDIBLE), remember, back in 2007, of defrauding shareholders. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled the law used to convict him was unconstitutional.
Well, a U.S. judge says he hasn't served enough time on two other charges, though. So he's going back to jail for just over a year.
Well, my colleague, Richard Quest, spoke to Conrad Black on a range of issues, as he gets ready for another stint inside. In a moment, we're going to hear some of his explosive remarks.
First, though, the rise and fall of a former media powerhouse.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
RICHARD QUEST, HOST, "QUEST MEANS BUSINESS": 'Conrad Black's rise as a media tycoon began in the 1960s when he started buying up small Canadian newspapers. By the 1990s, he was in charge of an empire that spanned Europe, the United States and beyond, owning some of the world's most prestigious titles, amongst them, Chicago's "Sun-Times," the "Jerusalem Post" and the UK's "Daily Telegraph".
But his fall from grace was as dramatic as his rise. In November, 2003, he was forced to resign as the chief executive of Hollinger International, accused by the board of directors of siphoning off millions of dollars of cash into his own pocket.
By August, 2005, the tale begins to unravel. The Securities and Exchange Commission charges Black and three of his associates with fraud, obstruction of justice and racketeering.
By December, 2007, his media empire is on its knees and so, it seems, is his reputation.
Lord Conrad Black is acquitted of many of the charges of which he's been accused, but convicted on several counts and so sentenced to six-and- a-half years in prison.
Conrad Black has always maintained his innocence and many of those remaining charges were overturned by the Supreme Court.
Richard Quest, CNN, London.
(END VIDEO TAPE)
ANDERSON: Well, a tycoon with a ruthless reputation. He also has a sharp tongue on him, let me tell you.
Richard asked Conrad Black if he thinks the U.S. justice system was making this case personal, going after him because he was a big fish.
Take a listen to what he had to say.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CONRAD BLACK: It was completely impersonal other than that I was the big fish. They wouldn't have cared if the big fish's name had been Richard Quest. It's just let's get big fish in Chicago.
And we had a special committee in our -- in our company, which, when I agreed to the formation of it, I thought would be an admirable thing to clear the air and show that absolutely nothing had gone amiss. And then they found that one of my associates had done a few bad things. So he made his deal and pointed at me. And then they laid it onto the prosecutors and that's what happened.
But I mean I'm always amazed, Richard, that you people in Britain generally consider the United States a half mad country anyway. And you're always skeptical about its justice system. And I don't know how anyone in that country could take seriously this fetelcious (ph). No British court would have even received these prosecutions, let alone returned guilty verdicts. Neither would a Canadian court.
QUEST: You mention Rupert Murdoch. And your art -- your recent article about Mr. Murdoch is -- is perhaps less than charitable. And you're -- in the book, you describe him as "ruthlessness. He conducts campaigns to humanize himself, but" -- but, frankly, you're not terribly impressed. "He has no friendships, no nationality emotionally. The company he has built is his nation," you -- you write.
Do you -- do you now and would you warn Rupert Murdoch to be careful that the U.S. Authorities may be after him?
BLACK: I don't think Rupert needs much warning from me. I see he's hired my former counsel, Brendan Sullivan. And I -- I think he would not be doing that if he thought that there were no chance that there might be interested what he's doing.
But you said I was uncharitable to him. I don't think I was. I believe you're referring to the article I wrote in "The Financial Times." I did say he was the greatest media proprietor in history. Then the rest of it is a character description that anyone who knows him, I think, would agree with.
I mean he -- he, as I said, he is a great bad man. But it has come to light in this country that despite our 25 year cordial relationship, he specifically instructed the editorial desk at "The New York Post" to make the articles about my travails as nasty as possible, while he was sending placatory letters...
QUEST: OK.
BLACK: -- to me. I mean Rupert is a bad man. But -- but he's done great things and that shouldn't be taken from him.
QUEST: How do you feel about that, somebody you've worked with or known for decades was actually agitating against you?
BLACK: Well, you're -- Rupert Murdoch is a special case. He's a sadistic man and he has, as far as I can see, no human feelings at all. But -- but he is who he is.
If you mean as things go forward, would I be welcoming a contest between him and the U.S. Prosecutors, no, I -- I -- Rupert is just a powerful man who -- who is a nasty and misanthropic person. The U.S. Prosecution service is eating at the soul of the American republic. It is an absolute danger to everyone. And I would wish Rupert well if he gets in the maw of it.
(END VIDEO TAPE)
ANDERSON: Conrad Black speaking to my colleague and friend, Richard Quest, this evening.
I think I'm right in saying that as we broadcast that interview, Conrad Black back in prison again this evening.
Well, coming up, they have lost the very people who were supposed to bring them up. The orphans of Mexico's drug war, their problems may only just be the beginning. We're going to find out why, up next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Well, it's hard enough to lose a parent. But to be the youngest victims of Mexico's drug war, it's just one of the grim realities they are forced to confront.
Have a look at this report from Rafael Romo.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(VIDEO CLIP)
RAFAEL ROMO, SENIOR LATIN AMERICAN AFFAIRS EDITOR (voice-over): The tears of a boy who has lost both his father and brother in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico's most dangerous city. Mothers cry desperately after learning their children have died in a shooting outside a shopping mall. Regular people now among the victims of Mexico's seemingly out of control violence stemming from turf wars between drug cartels.
Some of those victims are young children. According to the Human Rights Commission, in the border state of Chihuahua, last year, drug violence left nearly 10,000 children orphaned. Some are looked after at this government orphanage, but many others live on the streets or go from home to home with no psychological assistance. Some non-government organizations are trying to launch programs to help the youth.
MARIA JOSEFINA MENENDEZ, SAVE THE CHILDREN, MEXICO (through translator): Were trying to create awareness. There's a huge need of establishing mechanisms of protection for children around their school communities, protection that includes ways of facing the risks they're exposed to.
ROMO: There are no statistics countrywide in Mexico for the number children who fallen victims to violence. Victims include those who lose relatives to street shootouts, those who are kidnapped or those who work for organized crime as lookouts. This Central American girl says she was forced to work for the drug cartel known as Los Zetas, infamous for being ruthless.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): You get to know when something happens. They kept us living in a room with just a carpet and they wouldn't even let us take showers. There would always be two men keeping an eye on us.
ROMO: Mexico's National Commission for Human Rights estimates that as many as 70,000 children are sexually exploited or forced to work.
ROSY OROZCO, PAN LEGISLATOR (through translator): In several states in the south, Central American migrants are kidnapped, especially young girls who are trafficked. Those criminals are really harming immigrants in a terrible way and getting away with it.
ROMO (on camera): What worries children's advocates is that these children who are victims of all kinds of abuse may end up becoming criminals themselves without the proper psychological help and assistance.
(voice-over): This mother, who's afraid to reveal her identity, says she's worried her children have become desensitized to the daily violence.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): When he's playing, he says he wants to be a hit man. He's drawing a sketch where a person is being shot and killed.
ROMO: With 15,000 people being killed this year alone, the conflict is taking an emotional toll on Mexico's youngest.
Rafael Romo, CNN, Atlanta.
(END VIDEO TAPE)
ANDERSON: So what can be done to stop the victims of the violence from becoming part of the problem?
I want to head to Washington and speak to John Hasse, who is an expert on this subject.
He spent more than 15 years working to address the issues faced by kids in Central America and beyond, joining you this evening.
The character in Rafael's report there, the last one, suggesting that these kids have become desensitized to any sort of normal pattern of behavior, what sort of legacy are we seeing left here by this drugs war?
JOHN HASSE, SENIOR DIRECTOR, WORLD VISION: Well, Becky, thank you.
That -- what we're seeing is so oftentimes, in most of our programs in Mexico and -- and throughout Central America, is that children just don't know how to relate to the rest of society. They've been so wrapped up in finding ways, illicit ways to -- to fend for themselves, whether it's food. They don't have healthy relationships with their families because their parents have gone to other places to find jobs. And they just don't know how to operate in society so often.
ANDERSON: Are they used as...
HASSE: And...
ANDERSON: -- are they used as tools by these drug organizations once they've lost their parents?
HASSE: Oftentimes. It's very easy for them to fall into that, because they need a -- a way to eat or have a place to sleep or someplace where they belong. And drugs and the drug gangs and other gangs are very easy solutions or opportunities for these children, because they -- they -- they give them a sense of belonging. It's easy money, generally, at first, and then it becomes more difficult.
ANDERSON: I know that your organization has worked very hard to help kids affected in this way out. If I can ask you, what -- what are your success stories?
Because I mean the story is such a bad one that I'm, you know, I'm wondering whether we can lift -- lift the spirits somewhat here.
I mean tell us, you know, how are you coping and -- and, you know, what -- where are these kids that are actually getting themselves out of it?
HASSE: Now, that's a great question, because, you know, we see so many atrocities happening. And those success stories are really what lift us up. And I'll give you an example of two months ago, I was in Mexico and in Mexico City and talking with a -- a mother who had just kind of given up. Her husband had moved to another state and she was raising her own children. But this -- this girl, through World Vision's program in Mexico City was able to get a good education. And her mouth just couldn't provide for that anymore.
She was actually in vocational training, as well, so that she could find a job and was learning how to use computers and other -- other skills, learn other skills.
There's others, as well. There was a -- in Mexico, as well, in one of our street programs, street children's programs, we had a young man. He became an orphan at three. And by the time he was 21, he was addicted to drugs. He was running drugs. He was a very violent person. But he just had enough. He had been threatened a number of -- one too many times.
ANDERSON: Sure.
HASSE: And came to our program and got a shower, some hot meals. And we were able to put him into a drug treatment program, as well as provide him some vocational training...
ANDERSON: All right...
HASSE: -- and to this...
ANDERSON: We...
HASSE: -- and yes. So now he has a family...
ANDERSON: Oh. Sure.
HASSE: -- and he's raising his children today.
ANDERSON: And this is all good news.
How does, though, what we see happening in Mexico, how is it reflected elsewhere across the continent and beyond?
HASSE: Yes, this is a consistent problem. You know, Central America and Mexico are catching a lot of the news now. But, you know, Colombia and South America are where a lot of the drugs come from. And so we deal with many of the same issues there.
So what we're doing in some of those areas are we're working with youth to have social movements to create peace and saying that it's not OK to continue to produce the drugs and traffic the drugs. And we're having significant success in those areas, as we see more children protected in families and communities staying together.
It's the same thing in -- in Haiti and the Dominican Republic, which are often drop points for many drugs. And, again there, because Haiti is, you know, such a volatile place, it's very easy for the drug, the drug...
ANDERSON: Sure.
HASSE: -- the drug lords and -- and to -- to move in those places. And so again, we're working through gangs and doing -- providing...
ANDERSON: OK.
HASSE: -- economic opportunities.
ANDERSON: John, always a pleasure.
Thank you very much, indeed, for joining us.
Keep up the good work.
HASSE: Thank you.
ANDERSON: John Hasse, your expert on the subject.
It's a sad story, that one.
This evening, well, still to come, a storm in a tea cup -- or not, perhaps. We're going to tell you why some Brits say their favorite cuppa now tastes, well, like dishwater. That coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Well, an army of British tea drinkers is staging somewhat of a revolt. Since 1831, tea blenders at the company Twinings have been making Earl Grey. When they decided to spice up the recipe earlier this year, they have no idea that the new brew would start an online backlash.
Let's kick off this part of the show with CNN's Jim Boulden, who went to the top of Twinings to ask, why change a good thing?
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JON JENKINS, GENERAL MANAGER, TWININGS: Yes, we talked to our consumers about what they like and what they prefer to drink. And consumers were telling us that they wanted a more refreshing, light tasting Earl Grey. So we did some extensive research on particularly different blends, we are going to be more refreshing and lighter. And we found that -- that the new blend that we've just launched was the most preferred of all the different options we had.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's Earl Grey. It's a lovely blend.
JENKINS: It's the same tea base, but with a little bit more bergamot and a finishing note of lemon. And from that relaunch, we've seen 55 percent more consumers buying it. More than 200,000 households have drunk it since we -- we launched the -- the blend. And it's been a big success for us.
JIM BOULDEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: You've had a few complaints on social media, even a Facebook page.
JENKINS: Yes, we did. Yes. Yes.
BOULDEN: So how do you account for that or what do you say to the customers who say, I want the old flavor back?
JENKINS: Yes, we had 120 people complain in the first month, after we changed the blend. And then since then, the complaints have -- have tailed off. But we've contacted each one of those consumers directly, and, first of all, tried to persuade them that the -- the new blend is better than the old one. And some of the consumers they've -- they've learned to love the new blend...
BOULDEN: OK.
JENKINS: -- and it would be preferred to -- to the old one now.
BOULDEN: Yes.
JENKINS: But for those who haven't made that switch, we've made the old blend available at our online shop.
BOULDEN: OK.
JENKINS: And made it available at the same price that it sold interest supermarkets and waived the postage and packing.
BOULDEN: Honestly, looking back, the change in the flavor with a bit of a backlash, was it a mistake?
Was it a bit of a Coke 2 or just a temporary blip?
JENKINS: Not at all. We -- we've had a great success from the relaunch. And we persuaded lots of new consumers to come into Earl Grey because they love the new flavor. But we have really tried to contact every one of those consumers who weren't happy and convert them to the new blend, and, failing that, to allow them to buy the old blend at our online shops.
BOULDEN: Social media might have made that backlash a bit more noticeable, but you're also able to reach out to people through social media.
JENKINS: Yes, it's a great way of connecting quickly. And the...
BOULDEN: I'm noticing that maybe there was a bit of a...
JENKINS: Yes.
BOULDEN: -- a hiccup.
JENKINS: So there's a difference between this relaunch and changing blend versus prior changes in blend is -- is that instantaneous nature of social media and the -- the speed of the feedback you get.
BOULDEN: Well, full disclosure, I drink a lot of Twinings Earl Grey tea.
JENKINS: Great.
BOULDEN: I noticed the change in the box.
JENKINS: Yes.
BOULDEN: I hadn't noticed that much of a change, but let's have a taste test so I can give my honest appraisal, OK?
JENKINS: Great.
BOULDEN: That's got more lemon in it.
This is the new?
JENKINS: That's the new one.
BOULDEN: And this is the old?
JENKINS: Correct.
BOULDEN: It's very obvious.
I'm not going to give my verdict yet. I think I'll wait a -- about a month. But I -- I'll try a box of the new stuff.
JENKINS: Fantastic.
BOULDEN: Now that I know the difference in the taste. And then I'll let you know, how's that?
JENKINS: Thank you.
(END VIDEO TAPE)
ANDERSON: Twinings' Jon Jenkins there with my colleague, Jim Boulden.
He said that they -- the company has received 120 complaints. But if we take a look at the Facebook page, named Bring Back the Original Twinings Earl Grey, you'll see more than 700 have joined the site. There have been plenty of angry comments on the site. But today they are claiming victory. Well, it's no wonder, there's a lot of tea traditionalists in Britain. The Tea Council here estimates 165 million cups are drunk in the U.K. every single day, most of those, I've got to tell you, by my sister, who is a tea nut.
It's a global obsession, supplied by a global industry, with 2.5 million tons of tea produced each year in more than 40 countries. To talk all things tea, I'm joined by buyer, blender and taster, Tara Calcraft, who is from The Tea Palace.
And let's kick off with the Earl Grey story before we take it a little bit wider.
I -- I only drink Earl Grey. I would have tasted a difference, would you?
TARA CALCRAFT, FOUNDER, THE TEA PALACE: Yes.
ANDERSON: I guess. Right.
CALCRAFT: Absolutely.
ANDERSON: Why did they do it?
CALCRAFT: Well, every single brand will have its own type of Earl Grey, because it's such a widely popular blend. Everyone will use a slightly different blend recipe to create their Earl Grey blend.
That said, it is a very comforting, soothing cup and people are very ingrained in their habits. So it's a risky step if you change your recipe.
ANDERSON: If it isn't broken, don't fix it, one assumes the, you know, that you'd -- you'd fix the old adage.
How close to our teas are we, though, really?
I mean I'm -- and, as I say, I know I'm a bit of a -- an Earl Grey nut.
But -- but how close are most people to the -- the tea bag or the, you know, the -- the fresh tea that they drink?
CALCRAFT: Well, I think it really depends. I think there are certainly very popular teas, the traditional classics like Earl Grey (INAUDIBLE). And that is the majority of the teas that are drunk, that is, in the UK. But I think slowly but as people are understanding that there are so many different types of tea. There are green teas and white teas and oolong teas. And they all have their own health benefits. And I think people are slowly discovering that that's much more to tea than just Earl Grey.
ANDERSON: What have you got out here?
CALCRAFT: We've got lots of things here. We've got a jasmine -- a jasmine silver needles white tea. We've got a very rare Japanese green tea called ghia curia (ph).
ANDERSON: That looks like seaweed, anyway.
CALCRAFT: It doesn't taste like seaweed.
ANDERSON: Oh, it doesn't. OK.
CALCRAFT: We have here one that's fabulously named, Iron Goddess of Mercy, which is its translation of its Chinese name, Tae Guan Yin, which is an oolong tea.
ANDERSON: Yes.
CALCRAFT: And then this is an example of how you can blend some of the teas. So that was a white tea that's been blended with pink rose buds. So there are so many things you can do with tea. Black tea is just a fraction of what's out there.
ANDERSON: For those around the world who've only ever seen tea in a tea bag, you would say tonight?
CALCRAFT: Definitely (INAUDIBLE) drink tea. Definitely. Definitely. Whatever brand you choose, it will taste better and it's got more health benefits.
ANDERSON: What is the history -- remind us -- of -- of why the Brits are such tea nuts?
I mean I -- I can just about remember the Lyons tea houses, which I think disappeared some years ago. But I remember the one outside Charring Cross Station in London, for example.
I mean these were big deals, weren't they?
CALCRAFT: I think the thing is that it's really been part of our culture for so long. And that is common to all tea drinking countries. There's some sort of ritual, whether it's a very long Japanese tea ceremony, whether it's a Chinese Gongfu tea ceremony or the English traditionals, just put the kettle on and sit down and have a chat. It's always about taking time and interacting with other people.
ANDERSON: Do you ever drink coffee?
CALCRAFT: No.
ANDERSON: Oh.
(LAUGHTER)
CALCRAFT: Why drink it?
With so many teas to choose from, there's no (INAUDIBLE).
ANDERSON: Good stuff.
Thank you, Tara.
Thank you for coming in.
Good story.
Well, for our parting shots tonight, we want to make sure you Earl Grey drinkers out there get the right cuppa. So if you want Twinings new blend, this is the box that you are looking for. It's on supermarket shelves.
But if you want the old blend, you've got to order it online.
That's what I'm going to do.
I'm Becky Anderson. That's your world connected. Thank you for watching. The world news headlines and "BACK STORY" will follow this break, so don't go away. You're watching CNN.
END