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Security in Kenya A Year After Westgate Attack; Afghan Presidential Opponents Sign Power Sharing Deal; Prime Minister Of Yemen Resigns Amid Rebel Attacks In Capital; Syrian Kurds Pour Across Border with Turkey; Pope in Albania; Pleas to Release ISIS Hostage; Parting Shots: Head Cam Captures Robbery; Saudi's Stock Market Surge; Saudi Billionaire's Kingdom; Eliminating ISIS
Aired September 21, 2014 - 11:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BECKY ANDERSON, HOST: Political breakdown in Yemen. New developments as the country's prime minister resigns to head off the prospect of a
sectarian war. We're going to get you the latest details from Sanaa.
Also this hour, Afghanistan's presidential opponents sign a power sharing deal after an election stalemate there. How, then, can the country
move forward now?
Plus, Pope Francis is in Albania on his European trip as pope. Why he chose a predominately Muslim country as his first stop.
ANNOUNCER: Live from CNN Abu Dhabi, this is Connect the World with Becky Anderson.
ANDERSON: A very good evening. It is 7:00 in the UAE. This just in to us here at CNN. Yemen's prime minister has resigned after days of
fighting between the government and Houthi rebels.
Senior officials say Prime Minister Mohammed Basindwa has stepped down just as Houthi fighters seized the defense ministry.
Now weeks of tension between the Houthis, who are Shiite, and the Sunni dominated government erupted into violence on Thursday. Dozens of
people across the capital were killed.
Let's get to our journalist Hakim Almasmari who is on the ground in Sanaa. What can you tell us at this point?
HAKIM ALMASMARI, JOURNALIST: Right now Sanaa is very tense. Houthis (inaudible) militants have took control of the majority of the military
bases and strategic government offices in Sanaa. They closed down the defense ministry and the main military compound surrounding Sanaa.
So it's very tense right now. The Houthis know the government will not escalate, because if they do escalate no ceasefire deal will be signed
in the next hour or so.
So because they know that they need to be -- a ceasefire agreement, they are standing (inaudible) and now they control 50 percent of Sanaa.
Just one hour ago, the prime minister also resigned, fearing that if he did stay this would halt any ceasefire agreement, because it cannot
happen until he resigned. And he did so.
So, the agreement is expected to be signed within the next 30 to 40 minutes.
ANDERSON: OK. So, I think we're correct in saying no deal as of yet, but we are awaiting that.
Now, listen, this may put an end to Houthi demands -- fuel cuts and more inclusive government. But the real deal many people say is the
Houthis are looking to gain control of Yemen with the implicit backing of Iran. Do you share the concern that this is an incompetent government now
on the back foot in a country spiraling ever further towards anarchy?
ALMASMARI: What will happen over the next couple of months will be very dramatic when it comes to Yemen's foreign policy. The Houthis would
want a very strong state, not only in the internal politics of Yemen, but also the foreign policy of Yemen. So we would expect to see a lot of
changes in the alliances of the government and how the government deals with foreign allies, new foreign allies maybe as well.
But the next couple of months will be very tense, because the Houthis demands are completely opposite to what Yemen has been accustomed to over
the last decade or so.
ANDERSON: We're going to leave it there, sir. We thank you very much indeed for joining us. And apologies for the slight problem with
technology there, but as you can imagine it's better to get the story than not get the story at all.
Well, the UN refugee agency says the influx of tens of thousands of Syrian Kurds pouring into Turkey is only the beginning. Some 70,000 made
the journey after the Islamic militant group ISIS was closing in.
A Syrian human rights group says in the past several days some 60 villages in Syria have fallen under ISIS control.
Now at one point, Turkish security forces fired tear gas that pushed the crowds back when some tried to cross the border into Syria.
Well, as hundreds of Turkish Kurds are going to Syria to join those on the front lines, Anna Coren joining us live from Irbil in Northern Iraq
with more.
And Anna, a huge amount of traffic going back and forth now across the Turkish-Syrian border, what's being done to secure these people?
ANNA COREN, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, they're letting them in. They weren't doing that on Friday, Becky, those incredible images
of this wave of humanity heading towards the Turkish border. These people, Syrian Kurds trying to flee the ISIS militants and almost, you know, stuck
between the fighters and the Turkish border police.
But, finally, Turkish authorities relented. I think it helped the fact that there were TV cameras live at the border beaming this coverage
out to the world. So they were allowed into the country.
Now some 30 -- 70,000, I beg your pardon -- 70,000 Syrian Kurds across into Turkey in the past few days, according to UNHCR. And they believe
that there will be many more in the coming days.
It's important to note, however, that Turkey has taken in more than 800,000 Syrians since the civil war began some three years ago. But the
fighting is raging. Certainly (inaudible) and the surrounding villages, as you say, more than 60 villages and townships have fallen to ISIS.
And it just goes to show that the rapid advances that ISIS is making at least in northern Syria. I mean, their efforts are unchecked. They can
do whatever they like. So those refugees fleeing across the border, the Kurdish president here -- President Barzani -- describing what's taking
place there as ethnic cleansing, is Barbaric, and calling on the international community to get involved, for the United States to start
those U.S. airstrikes there in Syria, Becky.
ANDERSON: Yeah, let's just get another couple of things into play here. Overnight reports that 49 mostly Turkish hostages are being held by
ISIS have now been released. Anna, so far there's been a lot of speculation as to what Turkey might have offered ISIS in return for these
hostages. This what Prime Minister, or the president, Mr. Erdogan, had to say on the possibility of a prisoner swap.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RECEP TAYYIP ERDOGAN, PRESIDENT OF TURKEY (through translator): A swap might have taken place or not. 49 citizens have returned to Turkey.
We wouldn't trade this for the world. This is not an issue that we discuss, even if there was a swap, as a president I would think the lives
of 49 citizens are irreplaceable.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Anna, it was the existence of these hostages that the president had said was the reason, or one of the reasons that he wouldn't
commit to helping the international coalition of the willing, as it were, to fight this militant group. Should we expect that to change, do you
think now?
COREN: Look, for sure, when U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry came through the region trying to rally up support, Turkey was a very
uncommitted partner, very unresponsive to getting involved in this global coalition. But as you say President Erdogan saying well we didn't want to
endanger the lives of the 49 hostages who were under ISIS control since June.
But certainly he has since come out making comments to the press before boarding a plane to New York for the UN General Assembly, saying
that these was no ransom paid, that this was merely a diplomatic and political negotiations that freed these hostages.
Mind you, Becky, the National Intelligence Agency yesterday was saying it was a covert mission that secured the release of these hostages.
But certainly, you know, Turkey has allowed foreign fighters to pass, you know, through country into Syria. That is a fact. They've also
allowed for oil -- ISIS oil and, you know, petroleum products to be traded on the black market in Turkey.
So we know that President Erdogan wants to see the fall of Bashar al- Assad, the Syrian president -- has certainly, you know, backed the rebels here. But as for what deal was struck between, you know, Turkey and ISIS
we just don't know. We just don't know.
ANDERSON: This -- let's just have a listen to something else that the president had to say, this the president of Turkey on the possibility of a
buffer zone inside Syria. I thought this was interesting. Have a listen to this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ERDOGAN (through translator): To establish a buffer zone on the Syrian side of our border with Syria was an issue that I raised in the NATO
summit. Also in our bilateral talks with Mr. Obama, I discussed this issue with him and gave him details along with some of the member countries in
the coalition I discussed the same issue.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Is that something that Mr. Obama would be up for supporting, do you think?
COREN: Well, it's interesting, isn't it? I mean, it's an idea that certainly Turkey has put out there. But there are lots of questions as to
how this would be policed.
You know, we're talking about ISIS militants right up on the border of Syria and Turkey. They control many of these border crossings. So what
sort of buffer zone are we talking about into Syrian territory pushing back ISIS.
Obviously, Turkey would have to become a lot more engaged in this fight against ISIS.
A lot of questions, Becky, you know, yet to be answered, but certainly if this buffer zone was to be created between Turkey and Syria, you would
be seeing a much more committed partner in the fight against ISIS from Turkey.
ANDERSON: Yeah, it's going to be really interesting to see what comes out of the UN General Assembly this week. Of course, the president Mr.
Erdogan, former prime minister who would have normally gone with his prime ministerial hat on now going as the president as are so many other leaders
of so many countries who have a part to play in ridding the region of this group.
So we'll stand by for what happens this week. Meantime, as ever, thank you. Anna, is in Irbil this evening.
Still to come tonight, Pope Francis is on his first trip to Albania since taking a visit to first time a pope has been to mostly Muslim nation
in decades. More on that.
And, breakthrough in Afghanistan. After months of political uncertainty, the presidential election is finally settled.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: You're watching CNN. This is Connect the World with me, Becky Anderson out of the UAE at 13 minutes past 7:00.
After months of dispute, Afghanistan finally has an outcome to its presidential election. Ashraf Ghani has been named president-elect after
officially winning the country's runoff.
Now he's already signed a unity government agreement with a man who was his rival, Dr. Abdullah Adbullah.
Under the deal, Mr. Ghani, here on the left, will be president while Abdullah has been named chief executive until the constitution can be
amended to include a prime minister.
Well, the uncertainty over Afghanistan's leadership has lasted for months. The presidential election was originally held, you'll remember,
April the 5th, but the first result was inconclusive leading to a runoff in June. Accusations of fraud and manipulation flew between both sides before
Washington brokered an agreement for both sides to eventually form a unity government.
Well, an independent audit was conducted under the supervision of the UN and international observers, that was completed this month, although the
results haven't been released.
Well, Nader Nadery is the head of the FEFA, the Free and Fair Election Foundation of Afghanistan. It's an independent observing body. Joining us
now from Kabul.
It is rather remarkable, the results haven't actually been released, those votes that were attended for each party. Is there a reason for that,
sir?
NADER NADERY, FREE AND FAIR ELECTION FOUNDATION OF AFGHANISTAN: It is, indeed, remarkable, and indeed a matter of concern for a Afghans who
are still alive and went to very, very difficult situation of security to vote. Now they do want to see how their vote was counted.
Now, because this entire process was a very much disputed and there was political crisis that emerged, as a result now we have this national
unity government. Part of this, it's been said, that the result should be announced in stages. The election commission today announced who is the
winner. It's promised that it's going to release their -- the rest of the information.
However, it did give the numbers. It said 1,300 of polling stations were invalidated, which those votes were counted for both candidates and
that makes a tally if each of them are 600, it makes a tally of close to 800,000 votes.
Now, there's no other reason that those votes has to be counted, has to be released.
ANDERSON: Yeah.
Let's just remind our viewers who these two men are. Ashra Ghani served, of course, as finance minister from 2002 to 2004. He was also an
academic, once working as chancellor of Kabul University and the former U.S. citizen has held roles at the UN and indeed at the World Bank.
Dr. Adbullah Adbullah served as foreign affairs minister from 2001 to 2005. He was a vocal critic of the Taliban during their years in power.
And once an ally of Mr. Karzai. He went on to challenge him in the 2009 election, though he dropped out after the first round over claims of voting
fraud.
Which brings us back to where we stand today.
I want to get a sense from you of how you think these roles are going to be split up. I start with a very simple question, given that the most
of the fraud in the election voting was discovered in Mr. Ghani's votes, it does seem ironic that he is assuming the mantle of president, leaving this
sort of CEO position to Dr. Abdullah Abdullah with a view, one assumes, to Dr. Abdullah Abdullah getting the prime minister's role if and when a
constitution allows for that.
Is it -- is that effectively going to work well, do you think? We see a unity government here. How long is it going to last, I guess is the
question?
NADERY: Well, first the result after the audit and as now it seem they have been leaked to media and the local televisions are already
reporting, so the difference of the votes after the audit remain somehow, which through those votes you can see that as it was agreed that whoever
won most of the votes will assume the role of the presidency and the runner up will assume the CEO.
Now, that decided who will be the president, who will be the CEO.
Going forward -- now we're looking to the agendas of both of the candidates when they were campaigning. There are many places where they
share their platform were similar, they were -- the agenda of their work looked similar, but they are areas where they differed from each other,
namely the issue of peace process, which both of these candidates at the time when they were candidates have different views.
Now working to come on a common agreement on how to proceed on peace process with the Taliban is going to be one of the challenges.
There are differences on agendas of economy. There were details economic agenda.
Now all of that rest on this working document that calls -- the national unity government agreement.
Now that is not a binding document, it only has based itself on the face of the faithful cooperation of both of these individuals.
Now if they work in the spirit of cooperation and partnership, then you will see it succeed.
ANDERSON: Yeah, but this of course is an experiment.
I guess a very important question for many of our viewers looking at this from the outside is this, that there needed to be a government in
order for somebody to ask the U.S. if they would leave troops on the ground and sort of it's nothing more than it sort of military training facility as
opposed to an entire pullout of troops by the end of 2014.
Do you expect that to be a clear priority now for this new government trying to effect some sort of stability on the ground through leaving some
of these ISAF troops ahead of pullout?
NADERY: Definitely. Both of these individuals have already, through their campaigns, said this will be their priority. Both Dr. Ghani and Dr.
Abdullah have insisted time and again that President Karzai should have signed it, that if he didn't sign they, they will sign it on the first day
in office.
Now that is a priority not only for those two candidates, but also for our international partners, but for Afghan public who collectively endorsed
that bilateral security agreement a year ago in a traditional consultative gathering -- consultative lawyer jargon.
Now it is a priority. The economy has been affected hard because of uncertainty around this issue people's expectation about the future. And
there a fear of the future was increasing because of uncertainty around this document not being signed.
So it is a top priority for the next administration and for the Afghan public in general and for our partners internationally.
ANDERSON: All right. With that we're going to leave it. We thank you very much indeed for joining us out of Kabul this evening on what is
certainly an historic day.
Live from Abu Dhabi this is Connect the World with me, Becky Anderson. Coming up, a look back at a terror attack that shook Kenya. How things
have changed on the first anniversary of the Westgate Mall tragedy.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: In the next hour, a ceremony will begin in Kenya marking exactly one year since the Westgate shopping center attack. Al Shabaab
gunmen stormed the Nairobi mall on a busy Saturday afternoon, killing at least 67 people and wounding hundreds more.
The terror group claimed the attack was in revenge for Kenya's military operations in Somalia. But it took Kenyan security days to bring
the siege to an end. They were later criticized for their slow response.
Well, today the Westgate mall remains closed with no word of when or even if it will reopen.
Well, Nima Elbagir is at CNN in London with more. And it was an horrendous story. You were there. One year on after the attack where are
we?
NIMA ELBAGIR, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, the answer is, Becky, we're not very far along at all. In fact, if anything, security-
wise Kenya seems to be going backwards. There's been that horrible spate of attacks across the summer, throughout the summer, along the coastline in
Lamu County (ph). People still feel like there has been no accountability on the part of the government for the lapses in judgment and the issues
with the speed of the response. And that's really affecting the families of the survivors and the survivors themselves, it's affecting their ability
to heal and move on.
We spoke to one lady, Charity, whose husband, Paul, was killed in the attack. And she describes how even today on the anniversary of the day of
his death she thinks of him and she thinks about what could have been done differently. Take a look at this, Becky.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CHARITY IRUNGI, VICTIM'S WIFE: It was on the radio, and the first thing I heard is the breaking news no going to Westgate, no going to
Westland. There Westgate has been attacked.
I was like that is his -- one of his favorite places. I felt that emptiness. Then I decided I could not stay here any longer. So, I decided
to go to Westgate to go and see -- at least to Westlands I see, I hear whether (inaudible) or I'll see him.
Luckily, we were with his brother at West -- at (inaudible). And the brother called around for -- he called me, he called my sister, because he
thought I would not take the news.
My sister started crying. And I knew all is not well. And I took the phone, I called him back. I told him tell me. We are strong. Tell me.
I'm waiting for anything now. And he told me they found him. And he's not OK.
And I asked him, where are you?
At the city mortuary.
Then what are you telling me?
And I told him, you, you don't know Paul. Let me come and tell you.
I remember that the bullets that I saw in him and I just felt the pain like it were myself.
I was waiting at least somebody to go inside and rescue him. And only to be given a dead body.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ELBAGIR: Charity and her family, Becky, will be amongst those lining up to light candles for their loved ones this evening and in the coming
days -- Becky.
ANDERSON: Nima, with al Shabaab still active and Kenyan forces still engaged in fighting them, how would you describe the overarching security
situation in Kenya today?
ELGABIR: Well, paradoxically in Somalia, they're actually -- these African Union forces that Kenya is apart of is moving very close to the
heart of al Shabaab territory, the town of Baroury (ph). And they are making a lot of gains. But the problem with that, Becky, is because of
just the sheer disarray of the security response in Kenya there are no guarantees that al Shabaab won't just up -- you know, pick up shop and move
across the border, because that border is so pourous. And the Kenyan authorities have shown time and time again that they don't have the
intelligence ability on the ground to combat al Shabaab's movement between the two countries and combat al Shabaab's cells inside Kenya.
And you add to that, a growing problem of radicalization on the Kenyan coast and Kenyans feel that they are, in fact, markably less secure than
they were a year ago today -- Becky.
ANDERSON: Fascinating.
Nima, thank you.
The latest world news headlines are just ahead. Plus, the pope has visited Muslim Majority Albania on his first trip to a European nation.
Details on his message up next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BECKY ANDERSON, HOST: Welcome back, this is CONNECT THE WORLD with me, Becky Anderson. The headlines for you this hour.
Ashraf Ghani has named Afghanistan's president-elect after winning the country's runoff vote. Now, he has already signed a unity agreement --
government agreement with the man who was his rival, Dr. Abdullah Abdullah.
Yemen's prime minister has resigned after days of fighting between the government and Houthi rebels. The announcement came as the Houthi fighters
seized control of the Defense Ministry. The UN is trying to broker a cease-fire between the rebels, who are Shiite, and government forces. Both
sides are expected to sign sometime this hour.
An Egyptian major general and police officer are dead after an explosion in Cairo. According to state media, it happened at a checkpoint
near the Egyptian Foreign Ministry building.
And Pope Francis traveled to Albania on Saturday, the first European country outside Italy to host the pope since he was elected. It's an
interesting choice, as Albania is a majority Muslim nation with a Catholic minority.
Well, the trip partly viewed as support for Albania's effort to move closer to the West and its wish to join the European Union. Delia
Gallagher joins us now from Rome. Interesting choice. I thought that the pontiff wasn't supposed to do politics, but then we've learned more about
this man, haven't we, since he was elected?
DELIA GALLAGHER, CNN VATICAN CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Becky. In part, this choice, I think, falls right in line with what the pope has been
saying throughout his pontificate, that is reaching out to those on the fringes. He's chosen to go to Albania as his first European country rather
than France, Germany, or some of the center powerhouses of Europe.
Why? In part, as you mentioned, because it is a majority Muslim country, some 56 percent of Albanians are Muslim, there's only about 15
percent Catholic and some 6 percent Orthodox Christian. That is one of the reasons the pope himself said to highlight the peaceful coexistence of
these three religions, working and governing together.
But also to highlight, Becky, the years of communist dictatorship and suffering of the Albanian people. So, that goes back to the pope's desire
to be with people who have suffered. And none like the Albanians under the Communist dictatorship, when religion was effectively outlawed.
Churches and mosques were confiscated, razed to the ground, or else turned into cinemas, other public houses. And priests and religious people
were killed. So, the pope is there today also to honor those martyrs and, of course, encourage the rebirth, really, only since the last 25 years --
the dictatorship ended in 1991 -- so to encourage the rebirth of Christianity in that country, Becky.
ANDERSON: Delia Gallagher in Rome for you. Well, the day after 49 mainly-Turkish hostages were freed by ISIS, the wife of British aid worker
Alan Henning is pleading with the group to set him free.
In a message to ISIS, Henning's wife said, and I quote, "Alan is a peaceful, selfless man who left his family and his job as a taxi driver in
the UK to drive in a convoy all the way to Syria to help those most in need." She goes on to say, and I quote, "I cannot see how it could assist
any state's cause to allow the world to see a man like Alan dying.
Meanwhile, Muslim leaders in England have released a video to say that killing Henning would be un-Islamic.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
USTADH ABU EESA, DIRECTOR, PROPHETIC GUIDANCE, MANCHESTER: No matter what our differences, no matter how differently we see the world, what
there is no doubt about is that the killing of an innocent man is not permitted in the religion of Allah. It is not allowed in the religion of
Islam.
But however we feel, however strongly we feel about Western foreign policy, this killing will not help anyone bring closer a solution to their
grievances.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: As I mentioned, Alan Henning was traveling as part of a group. Karl Penhaul has been to meet one of the other volunteers who drove
with him.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ALAN HENNING, ISIS HOSTAGE: I've spoken to my family and they're all OK.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Is it the first time you've spoken since away from them?
HENNING: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh.
HENNING: It was very hard.
KARL PENHAUL, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Taxi driver Alan Henning on a mercy mission to Syria. That was Christmas Day
SHAMEELA ISLAM-ZULFIQAR, ALAN HENNING'S COLLEAGUE: You got some presents from other members of the --
HENNING: Oh, yes.
ISLAM-ZULFIQAR: -- convoy, don't you?
HENNING: I got a nice t-shirt, very silly t-shirt, some aftershave, and some chocolates and some biscuits.
ISLAM-ZULFIQAR: Aw.
HENNING: They're all great lads.
PENHAUL: Father of two, Henning was the only non-Muslim on the British aid convoy. Fellow volunteer Dr. Shameela Islam-Zulfiqar, and her
family drove with him.
ISLAM-ZULFIQAR: He really wanted to make sure that he was counted as somebody that got up and did something, not just made a simple donation and
sat in the comfort of their own home.
PENHAUL: Members of the 50-vehicle convoy affectionately nicknamed him "Gadget."
ISLAM-ZULFIQAR: Uncle Gadget, as my children call him, he traveled with us on several convoys, has a love for all things that are technical.
And he really was -- is the guy that fixes everything.
HENNING: Here we go. Five's through. We're behind eight.
PENHAUL: The convoy was taking ambulances to help Syrian civilians caught up in the war. Henning dedicated his vehicle to a British doctor
purportedly murdered by the Syrian regime a week earlier.
ISLAM-ZULFIQAR: "To save the life of one means to save the whole of mankind." And it's one of my favorite quotes. It was a quote that Alan
was helping to put on the side of the ambulance.
PENHAUL: At the Turkey/Syria border, Henning volunteered to cross over into the battle zone with a ten-person advance party. They recorded
their cautious progress, greeting refugees as they went. Moments after that video was taken, Dr. Shameela received a desperate call
ISLAM-ZULFIQAR: We received a phone call about half an hour later. It was a very distressed, distraught individual on the other end of the
phone to say that Gadget had been taken after armed gunmen had come in.
We thought it was just a temporary measure, that they were just going to -- with him being a non-Muslim and being visibly English, that they
would just question him further and then they would let him go.
PENHAUL: But as ISIS and rival rebel factions clashed, that didn't happen.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They've just dropped a bomb here. They've just dropped a bomb just not far away from us. As you can see, it's very, very
close to us. Allahu Akbar.
PENHAUL: The convoy advance team recorded this explosion as it fled back to the border.
Back in Henning's hard-scrabble hometown in northern England, well- wishers have tied yellow ribbons to lampposts and street signs. None of his work mates at the mini cab company, nor any of the neighbors down his
street are talking. All are hoping. Now, with ISIS threatening to execute Henning, there's a sense time is short.
(BELLS RINGING)
ISLAM-ZULFIQAR: I'm just dreading -- we know that the deadline's coming up. We know that we've got a very small -- that time is running
out.
PENHAUL: But nobody is giving up.
ISLAM-ZULFIQAR: I have a message for ISIS. As your sister in Islam, I would implore you and beg of you, please spare the life of this innocent
man.
PENHAUL: I ask her how we should think of Henning in his hour of need.
ISLAM-ZULFIQAR: Just that smile. And his -- his concern and care for everyone around him, and his beautiful, beautiful golden heart.
PENHAUL: Karl Penhaul, CNN, Eccles, England.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: And we are, of course, watching this closely for you, wait and see how ISIS responds if at all to those pleas for mercy for Alan
Henning.
You can get in touch with us, let us know your views on this and any other story that we are following, of course, facebook.com/CNNconnect.
Have your say. You can tweet me @BeckyCNN. Share your thoughts and ideas with us. I do keep an eye on everything that you send and do make a real
effort to incorporate your analysis in our coverage. That's @BeckyCNN.
And in tonight's Parting Shots, the world -- or the story of a world traveler, a robbery, and a camera. Jeanne Moos reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Meet a would-be robber with a gun --
(MAN SHOUTING IN SPANISH)
MOOS: -- who doesn't realize he's on camera.
ALEX HENNESSY, ROBBERY VICTIM: I completely forgot that I was -- that I had GoPro on on my head.
MOOS: Canadians Hennessy and Mike Graziano are trying to travel to 195 countries. But while on a bike tour in Buenos Aires, Argentina, watch
out for the motorbike.
HENNESSY: Whoa, amigo, whoa.
MOOS: Alex thought the guy was just a bad driver until seconds later, the robber cut him off again.
HENNESSY: Whoa, amigo, amigo, amigo, amigo, amigo, amigo!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Dame la mochila!
MOOS: Demanding "mochila," backpack, and pulling a gun.
HENNESSY: I don't know what you're saying man. I don't know what you're saying, man!
MOOS: Alex played dumb, pretending it was the bike the mugger wanted.
HENNESSY: The bike?
MOOS: And resorting to one of the few words of Spanish he knows.
HENNESSY: Amigo. yes, I've got to give it to him, I've got to give it to him.
MOOS: But he resisted giving his backpack containing $4,000 worth of camera gear to this "friend."
HENNESSY: Yes, amigo.
(LAUGHTER)
HENNESSY: I think we should put an amigo counter at bottom of the video
MOOS: We counted about 21.
HENNESSY: Amigo, amigo, amigo, amigo, amigo!
MOOS: Alex's real friend, Mike, and others came to the rescue.
GRAZIANO: As I'm running I hear a girl say "Oh my God, he's got a gun."
MOOS: Too many witnesses apparently scared off the mugger. And as Hennessy ran, he felt something on his forehead.
HENNESSY: It dawned on me, I was like, holy (expletive deleted), I've got a GoPro and I'm recording.
MOOS: He grabbed another bike, they flagged down a policeman.
HENNESSY: I've got entire thing on my GoPro right now.
(LAUGHTER)
MOOS: Now the police have the video, but they tell CNN the mugger has not yet been identified or arrested.
MOOS (on camera): Were you scared?
HENNESSY: Yes, of course.
MOOS (voice-over): That deserved a dumb question counter.
MOOS (on camera): And get this. This is the second time in a month that Alex was robbed at gunpoint.
MOOS (voice-over): A few weeks earlier in Ecuador, a guy pointed a gun at Alex and took his iPhone.
GRAZIANO: It became a running joke about Alex getting robbed at gunpoint everywhere we go. He's no longer fazed by a guns anymore.
(LAUGHTER)
HENNESSY: I need them to show me bullets.
(LAUGHTER)
MOOS: Just watch out for your "friends."
MOOS (on camera): All right, amigos.
HENNESSY: Amigo, amigo, amigo!
MOOS (voice-over): Jeanne Moos, CNN.
HENNESSY: Amigo, amigo, amigo!
MOOS: New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Unbelievable. I'm Becky Anderson, that was CONNECT THE WORLD. Thank you for watching. We're here in the UAE, and MARKETPLACE
MIDDLE EAST is next. Your headlines will be after that.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
JOHN DEFTERIOS, HOST: This week on MARKETPLACE MIDDLE EAST, surging business in Saudi Arabia, as the country's stock market lays out plans to
open up to foreign investors, we head to the capital to take a look at what the kingdom's economy has to offer. Plus --
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HRH PRINCE ALWALEED BIN TALAL AL SAUD, CHAIRMAN, KINGDOM HOLDING: Ah, how are you!
DEFTERIOS: Good to see you again.
BIN TALAL: Good to see you.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
DEFTERIOS: The richest man in Saudi Arabia and an influential figure both at home and abroad. We have the financial magnet Prince Alwaleed bin
Talal al Saud in an exclusive interview.
Welcome to our special program from Saudi Arabia. I'm standing at the headquarters of the Saudi Stock Exchange in the capital of Riyadh. The
exchange is one of the best performers in 2014, based on the fact that this market will open up to international investment next year. Quite a shift
for an economy that was not open in the past.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DEFTERIOS (voice-over): The brands that scroll across the ticker are not global household names, but the Saudi Arabia Stock Exchange is laden
with corporate heavyweights. The Tadawul, meaning "to swap" in Arabic, is home to SABIC, the world's largest chemical company, SAICO, a giant
insurer, and big telecom operators like Mobily, Zain, and STC.
The kingdom is recognized as the world's largest oil exporter, but the chief executive of the state-run energy company says the country is eager
to go beyond crude.
KHALID AL-FALIH, CEO, SAUDI ARAMCO: We're very much part of this globalization that has been taking place, and it's taken place very
strongly in the kingdom, and I think the stock market opening is only one small step in a journey that we're traveling very deliberately.
DEFTERIOS: This journey is being led by the ruler, King Abdullah, pictured on the right, who is in a rush to modernize his country. That
effort has included membership into the Group of 20 largest economies, joining the World Trade Organization, and being ranked 26 in the World
Bank's ease of doing business survey.
Saudi Arabia is a top country in terms of revenue for GE. This gas turbine maintenance plant makes up part of the company's $1 billion of
foreign direct investment, or FDI. John Rice is their CEO of global growth markets.
DEFTERIOS (on camera): What's the signal about the stock market, in your opinion, which has been here for so long?
JOHN RICE, CEO, GE GLOBAL GROWTH AND OPERATIONS: I think the signal is that they want foreign capital. They want investors, they want people
to invest in Saudi's companies. The same -- it's the corollary of the foreign direct investment.
DEFTERIOS: Even though Saudi Arabia has a population of 30 million people, it has the largest economy by far in the Middle East and North
Africa, about three quarters of a trillion dollars. If all goes as planned, the Saudi Stock Exchange will be a member of the MSCI Emerging
Markets Index by 2017.
DEFTERIOS (voice-over): That prospect has sent the index up better than 30 percent this year. Stock exchange officials, however, are not
opening the floodgates, with plans that limit purchases by a single qualified foreign buyer of one company at 5 percent. Global players say
that rule is an indication that raising money is not the motivation here.
NATARAJAN CHANDRASEKARAN, CEO, TATA CONSULTANCY SERVICES: I think it is about integration, it is about job opportunities, it is about global
trade. So it is not just about capital. I don't think it's about capital. It's about everything else.
DEFTERIOS: But the companies at the Tadawul certainly won't shy away from that capital, nor the global recognition that is on the way next year.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
DEFTERIOS: This is the most prominent building on the Riyadh skyline and home to one of the largest companies on the Tadawul. It's named after
Prince Alwaleed bin Talal's investment arm, Kingdom Holding.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DEFTERIOS (voice-over): As the region's richest man, Prince Alwaleed bin Talal al Saud's wealth has been one of contention. Ranked 30th on the
Forbes list of the wealthiest people at over $20 billion, he's estimated by Bloomberg to be worth over $30 billion.
But it was Alwaleed's $550 million investment into the embattled CitiGroup back in the 1990s that made him a billionaire and a global
player. Since then, he has maintained high-profile stakes in News Corp, CNN's parent company Time Warner, and Walt Disney, amongst others.
But in the new media sphere, his $300 million stake in Twitter has quadrupled in value in just two years, and he had a 5 percent position in
technology group Apple, which he bought for $115 million back in 1997.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
DEFTERIOS: In my interview with Prince Alwaleed, I started by asking him if Tim Cook's strategy at Apple to bundle all the products is the
correct one.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BIN TALAL: Well clearly, I think this was a very big experiment, an exam for the post era of Steve Jobs. When a company reaches beyond the $20
billion schematic tab, it is very difficult to sustain and maintain the same growth like if you have a $20 billion or $30 billion company.
So, we have to see. So, I think we have to give it a year or two to see how things will unfold in the Apple new story.
DEFTERIOS: We followed you and your investment with News Corp for years. Is it better that Rupert Murdoch was not able to take control of
Time Warner, the parent company of CNN?
BIN TALAL: Combining both companies would have been, really, a dream proposal, because the amount of content, there, the combined company would
have had would have been tremendous. But clearly, I think we'd have still faces some antitrust regulations.
But I think that Mr. Murdoch chose to withdraw the offer because he's now very careful and he's watching his share price, and you see that the
market was actually not very positive.
DEFTERIOS: He shouldn't go back in? You think he should just leave it?
BIN TALAL: No, I think he -- he'd have planted the seed now, but I think knowing Mr. Murdoch, I think the idea is still in his mind, but I
think that the time is not right right now, because the management of Time was against it, and the shareholders of Fox were not also for it.
DEFTERIOS: It's interesting to me that billionaires usually like to downplay their wealth, but I know you're very upset at the Forbes valuation
of around $20 billion in 2013 and 2014. They have you ranked at 30, and you filed a lawsuit. What are you hoping to accomplish?
BIN TALAL: This thing's been going on for a decade, so it's not a secret. They've been undervaluing my wealth since ten years. Luckily, I
didn't give attention to that at all.
But when they came and they attacked Saudi Arabia and Kingdom Holding and myself, that's when I didn't accept that, and that's why we filed the
lawsuit in the UK. And the UK courts have accepted the lawsuit, and now this is taking its full course in the UK.
DEFTERIOS: As you know, Your Highness, the world's gotten very used to $100 oil, but we've seen some recent weakness. Does it concern you that
the break-even point for Saudi Arabia now is around $95 to $98 a barrel, because the spending's gone up so rapidly after the Arab Spring?
BIN TALAL: It's a huge concern. Actually, it's a worry, when the price of oil -- I would not say "collapse," but goes down drastically from
the $110 and $120 to the low $90s. I have always called publicly and privately for the Saudi government to be sure to reduce its dependence on
oil.
Because as stands today, 90 percent of our budget, annual budget, is dependent on oil. And 60 percent of our GDP is oil-based, which is very
dangerous and scary. It's not correct to have the (inaudible) very fast.
And hopefully, there's an early warning for the government, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of oil, Ministry of Economy, to really get the ship in
order and begin proposing to the king some serious alternatives for Saudi Arabia ad to be less dependent on this commodity, which is oil.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
DEFTERIOS: Of course, the kingdom's oil wealth has sparked investment, but the regional terrorist threat could halt growth. In part
two of our interview with Prince Alwaleed, I ask him what should be the right response to ISIS.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
DEFTERIOS: Welcome back to MARKETPLACE MIDDLE EAST. We know Prince Alwaleed bin Talal as a billion-dollar investor, but as a nephew to King
Abdullah of Saudi Arabia, he's able to speak his mind on a range of issues. In our exclusive interview here in Riyadh, I asked Prince Alwaleed whether
ISIS should be contained or eliminated.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BIN TALAL: We've seen how President Obama developed from first of all containing, then degrading, and I now I think they reached the state of
demolishing and eradicating.
I think that with each killing that takes place, unfortunately, every time, hopefully, the world community will be more united in eliminating
this disease that's really infecting the whole Middle Eastern region that inevitably will be contagious to other countries in the world.
DEFTERIOS: Saudi Arabia held exercises earlier this year with 130,000 troops. Is it a fair assessment to say they want a very strong response by
the kingdom here? And would Saudi Arabia put troops on the ground, do you think?
BIN TALAL: No, I think that Saudi Arabia would not be involved directly in fighting the ISIS in Iraq or Syria, because really this does
not affect -- although it affects implicitly, it does not really affect Saudi Arabia explicitly.
But clearly, this military maneuvers that took place a few months ago, it's a multifaceted message. It's a message to Iran, number one, that
we're going to defend our territory and defend the GCC countries, number one. Number two, it's a message also to the ISIS group in Iraq and also a
message to the southern border.
So, there's a big vacuum in the Arab world, so clearly, military power is a very important message to the whole world because this could translate
eventually into political power.
DEFTERIOS: A mistrust with Washington, and a mistrust with President Obama. Do they not trust him after the Arab Spring and what's transpired
in Syria, Egypt, and even Libya?
BIN TALAL: I think when Obama took over, expectations were raised such tension dramatically in the Arab world and the Muslim world.
But clearly what took place by having this rapprochement with Iran without informing the Arab world and especially Saudi Arabia, by putting a
red line against Syria using chemical weapons and having Syria use chemical weapons and still he blinked when Russia exerted pressure on him.
And his later play on ISIS, took him more than two months to assemble this -- the team of Arab -- ten Arab countries and Turkey to really face
ISIS head on. So, all these things have shaken the trust, not only of Saudi Arabia, but the whole Arab world in the Obama administration.
But I believe there's a good chance right now to prove to the Arab world and the Islamic world and the whole world in general that Obama is
willing to follow up and follow through with his words right now to really eradicate and demolish completely ISIS, even if it will take three or four
years, to use his own words.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
DEFTERIOS: Prince Alwaleed bin Talal in his Kingdom Holding Tower here in Riyadh. And that's all for this edition of CNN MARKETPLACE MIDDLE
EAST. I'm John Defterios, thanks for watching. We'll see you next week.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
END
