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Connect the World

Fight For Kobani Not Over; Israeli Prime Minister Dissolves Parliament, Calls For Early Elections; Anti-ISIS Meets In Brussels To Discuss Strategy; Al-Shabaab Kills 36 at Kenyan Quarry; Germany Mourns Good Samaritan; Impact of Falling Crude Prices; Parting Shots: Graffiti Wall Tapestry

Aired December 03, 2014 - 11:00   ET

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

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NICK PATON WALSH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: You see here quite remarkable devastation caused by the explosives used. What`s quite clear is that ISIS

are far from giving up on this fight. In fact, trying to take ground every day.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BECKY ANDERSON, HOST: We`ve watched it from a safe distance, we have speculated about the balance of power, now CNN`s Nick Paton Walsh and his

team have been inside the Syrian border town of Kobani to give us the real picture from the stricken city.

Well, as the countries of the anti-ISIS coalition plot their next moves, we`ll consider whether the governments of Iran and Syria are now their

allies in all but name.

Also ahead, dissolving parliament and announcing new elections, a shrewd move or a political risk for Benjamin Netanyahu. We`ll take you live to

Jerusalem to investigate.

And saying goodbye to a good Samaritan: the deadly attack that left Germans devastated.

ANNOUNCER: Live from CNN Abu Dhabi, this is Connect the World with Becky Anderson.

ANDERSON: At just after 8:00 p.m. in the evening tonight, we begin in Brussels where 60 ministers and dignitaries are gathering to devise a

strategy to destroy ISIS. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry is chairing the meeting at NATO headquarters. He says it could take years to put an

end to the Islamic extremist group, sometimes referred to as DASH.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOHN KERRY, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: DASH is still perpetrating terrible crimes. But there was a consensus that the momentum, which it had

exhibited two-and-a-half months ago has been halted, that it has been forced to modify its tactics, and some of those modifications severely

hampering their ability to operate in the way that they were certainly, that their hold on territory has been challenged already and their finances

had been strained.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: Well, the Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is criticizing the coalition saying that, quote, "one cannot bring an end to terrorism through

air strikes." The president speaking to French magazine Paris Match.

Well, meanwhile the fight against ISIS in Syria`s Kobani continues and we now have seen for ourselves what the destruction looks like inside that

city.

CNN`s Nick Paton Walsh had rare access. He joins us now from just the other side of the border in Turkey.

And as you listen to the words of John Kerry today, your thoughts as you describe to us what you found in Kobani.

NICK PATON WALSH, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: I heard think the most striking thing inside Kobani is of course the devastation. We`ve seen it

from the hills. We`ve seen the airstrikes go in, one after another, but we haven`t seen quite what that and of course the mortar attacks, the

indiscriminate fire from ISIS on civilian areas has done to that city.

But, two, chillingly perhaps, the estimates we get from Kurdish officials talking inside and outside hinted that really they felt ISIS were being

squeezed into minority of territory there. I have to be honest from what we saw in there, ISIS have more ground than I had thought they did. And

certainly when you`re in there you get the real feeling of a fight very much still in the balance.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NICK PATON WALSH, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: We`ve been taken down this street towards the eastern front line behind those curtains they have

put up to protect them from snipers by Botafe (ph) and Medea (ph) who were two of the female YPG fighters escorting us down there.

And this is near the eastern front where there`s been much more intense fighting in the past three or four days.

And while we get differing figures from whoever you speak to you here about quite how much of the city is controlled, and you see here quite remarkable

devastation caused by the explosives used. What`s quite clear is that ISIS are far from giving up on this fight, in fact trying to take ground every

day. Their move towards the official border crossing three or four days ago, that was a substantial advance. They tried. They were beaten back.

But each night, particularly last night, we heard very intense clashes further down this street towards the eastern front here.

You can hear the -- you can see the absolute devastation here as we get closer towards ISIS`s positions here to the northeast of the city.

Some of this caused by airstrikes, but some, too, from the daily constant, sometimes every five minute thump of mortars, some homemade by ISIS that

have been pounding into Kobani for months now.

We can see Turkey literally just behind us. But here, they`re edging through this wreckage closer and closer to the places where ISIS are trying

to push forward.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WALSH: There was barely a place in that city, Becky, where you could open your eyes and not see absolute devastation. I mean, so little left,

frankly, to fight over, but it`s become such a symbol for both sides that that fighting is nowhere near complete -- Becky.

ANDERSON: Nick Paton Walsh on the ground for you. Thank you, Nick.

Let`s turn to the coalition meeting in Brussels then aimed at developing a multi-faceted strategy against ISIS. This is ongoing as we speak.

Senior international correspondent Nic Robertson has been listening in to what is going on. He`s in London with us. And he joins us now.

ISIS, or DASH, Kerry says, is being pushed back, its finances being squeezed. But the secretary of state at the meeting of NATO ministers and

dignitaries did conceded that the fight could take years.

Have we learned anything new about U.S. and/or coalition policy against ISIS going forward?

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, I think what we`ve learned is the fact that this meeting has been called, hosted by NATO, but

in fact involving 60 different countries, the first ministerial level meeting of its kind sort of about two or three (inaudible) really into the

sort of action of the coalition is that they really need to find a way forward.

The critics of the coalition say that they have too many disparate interests. They -- the different countries want different things that they

need to be more effective. And this is what the meeting was about, it was about finding a better way forward. We`ve heard some of the lines before,

you know tackling the finances, tackling the toxic ideology. Secretary Kerry talked about the fact that in the region there every country the

media there is -- and the people are against this sort of ISIS ideology, also stopping the flow of foreign fighters -- again, lines we`ve heard

before.

But it`s all about trying to move that agenda forward, because it is a slow agenda.

But to listen to what Secretary Kerry said about, you know, halting the momentum of ISIS, changing their tactics on the ground and what President

Bashar al-Assad of Syria said today to French media, that the airstrikes alone are not going to do enough, it`s almost as if they`re talking about

two different things.

Well, partly they were. Assad is talking about Syria and Kerry is talking about Iraq. So better effects in Iraq, but the root of the problem is in

Syria. We didn`t learn a lot more about that.

ANDERSON: And let me just read for our viewers a little bit more of what the Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said today when he spoke to that

French magazine.

He said, and I quote, "had these strikes been serious and effective, I would say they would be helpful for sure, but it`s we who are battling

against ISIS on the ground, and we haven`t sensed any change, especially since Turkey is still providing direct support in those areas," the

president said.

You rightly point out that he is talking specifically to ISIS in Syria and clearly not represented, Nic, of the meeting of NATO members of

dignitaries.

I want to move on with you and just address the issue of Iraq, because there has been word, or at least reports, of Iranian strikes on ISIS in

Iraq. Did we hear anything from the meeting to that effect?

ROBERTSON: Well, the Iranians weren`t invited. They haven`t been invited to any of these sort of coalition against ISIS. What we heard from the

Pentagon yesterday was that indeed they were Iranian airstrikes on ISIS. Both the Pentagon and Tehran, though, very quick and clear to point out at

the same time that there isn`t coordination between the United States and Iran on what to target, when to target.

You know, people involved in air traffic control particularly in this kind of environment will tell you there is a need to deconflict, you know,

fighter pilots on sortie missions of this type.

So, at some level -- and perhaps Iraq is at some level, there must be some control over that air space and who can use it for what and where. But we

do understand that Iran now has targeted ISIS on the ground inside Iraq.

I think going back to the point that Bashar al-Assad is making here, and this is a very important point, the point that he is really making here is

not really that the coalition isn`t being effective, although that`s the headline of the message, the subtext is, don`t do it by air, do it on the

ground. Partner with me, the Syrian leader, and we can mop up ISIS.

This is message he said before, but this is what his feeling is, a very timely message to communicate to a wider audience. And of course we don`t

know what happened behind the closed doors of the three hours meeting that Secretary Kerry was chairing in Brussels. We don`t know if that was

discussed or what was discussed, but until now that`s been anathema to coalition. But he`s saying that`s the way forward at the moment, Becky.

ANDERSON: Fascinating times.

Nick, thank you.

We`ll have more on the coalition against ISIS militants later on Connect the World with me, Becky Anderson.

Nations fighting the group include some unlikely allies like Syria and Iran. The Pentagon says indications that Iran is conducting airstrikes on

ISIS positions in eastern Iraq are likely true. Syria also targeting militant position in its own territory as Damascus coordinating with the

anti-ISIS coalition?

Well, we`ll go in depth into those issues and questions later in the show.

Moving on in Yemen, six people were killed and 12 were injured when a car bomb went off outside the home of the newly appointed Iranian ambassador.

He was not home when the explosion occurred. It is unclear whether his family was there at the time.

Well, among the dead, a security guard and a woman and her child who were walking by when it happened. A government official says authorities expect

al Qaeda to claim responsibility .

Well, the terror group recently vowed to kill people from the Houthi sect of Shia Islam along with their allies, which include the Iranian ambassador

in this case.

Well, Israeli lawmakers have just voted on a preliminary bill to dissolve parliament. This comes one day, you`ll remember, after Israeli prime

minister Benjamin Netanyahu dismissed two of his cabinet members for what he calls attacking the government from within.

The bill goes up for final approval in a few weeks. Earlier in the day, parliament members agreed to a new election date of March 17.

Well, Ben Wedeman is live in Jerusalem with the very latest on this and indeed an incident, Ben, in the West Bank just in the past couple of hours.

What can you tell us?

BEN WEDEMAN, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, this was an incident in Michad Adu Mime (ph) which is an industrial settlement to the east of

Jerusalem where in a supermarket two suspects apparently stabbed two shoppers there, the shoppers are in moderate condition. One of the

attackers was identified as a 16-year-old from a nearby Palestinian suburb of Jerusalem.

There was another incident in Jerusalem at the Shaofat (ph) refugee camp where youth were clashing with Israeli soldiers and police who had gone

into that camp to demolish some buildings. During that, apparently dozens of Palestinians were wounded by rubber bullets and tear gas.

Now this, of course, comes against the backdrop of Israel prepares for these elections on March 17. Now of course Prime Minister Benjamin

Netanyahu is hoping that he will come out on top after those elections.

But keep in mind that before -- he`s been prime minister since 2009, his boast was that he was the man who oversaw Israel during a period of calm.

But that calm has essentially gone since June, that shortly following that kidnapping and murder of three Israeli teenagers in the West Bank followed

by the killing of a Palestinian teenager here in Jerusalem followed by the 50 day Gaza War, followed by more clashes and attacks in Jerusalem. So he

doesn`t really have that to boast about as he goes to the electorate, nor in the economy, the Israeli economy, which enjoyed fairly healthy growth

rates is now beginning to stall as well.

So some are saying that he`s served three times as prime minister, the fourth time may not be possible -- Becky.

ANDERSON: Ben Wedeman reporting from Jerusalem for you.

Still to come tonight, Germany mourns a good Samaritan. Tributes paid to a Turkish-German student killed for standing up to a group of men harassing

teenaged girls. We`ll bring you the story from Berlin.

And a coalition is meeting in Brussels as we`ve been discussing refining its strategy against ISIS, but two key players are kept out of the game.

We`ll look at Iran and Syria`s roles up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ANDERSON: Closed circuit camera footage showing an individual dressed in the tradition Arabic Abaya (ph) leaving the scene of a bloody attack that

left an American teacher dead. The most shocking aspect of this crime was that it happened in broad daylight in the rest rooms of what was an -- or

is an upscale mall right here in Abu Dhabi, a city with a very low murder rate.

Police say the victim was a 47-year-old mother of twin boys who worked at a nearby school.

They have appealed for help in tracking down the mysterious killer.

You`re watching CNN. This is Connect the World with me, Becky Anderson. We continue, of course, to follow that story for you.

One of our top stories this hour, a high level meeting of the coalition against ISIS taking place in Brussels. The coalition includes members from

60 states, but if you look around the room, there are two nations heavily involved in the fight against ISIS who are notably absent: Syria and Iran.

Now there have been reports that Iran bombed ISIS targets in eastern Iraq, a claim that the Iranian government at least denies.

But Tehran and Washington say their militaries do not communicate despite having a common enemy.

Well, for more I`m joined by James Jeffrey in Washington. He`s the former U.S. ambassador to Iraq.

As the countries of the anti-ISIS plot their next moves, are the governments of Iran and Syria already, or at least likely to be their

allies in all but name?

JAMES JEFFREY, FRM. U.S. AMBASSADOR TO IRAQ: Under no circumstances are they allies, although they have a common enemy. Having a common enemy

doesn`t make you common friends.

The underlying dysfunctionalities of the Middle East that have produced ISIS are to a considerable degree the responsibility of the Assad regime

and its Iranian backers as well as Iran`s own efforts to promote an ideology that`s essentially a Shia version, somewhat detuned of what you

have with ISIS.

So, these are not allies of ours. And we have to be very, very careful what they do and how they do it.

ANDERSON: Right, that`s the in front of closed doors, as it were. Behind closed doors, things may be slightly different, sir, it has to be said.

And with respect, in a Pentagon briefing on Tuesday, Rear Admiral Ben Kirby acknowledged the likelihood of Iranian strikes in Iraq, but said the

following, "we are flying missions over Iraq. We coordinate with the Iraqi government as we conduct those. It is up to the Iraqi government to

deconflict that airspace. Nothing has changed about our policy of not coordinating military activity with the Iranians."

I`m wondering whether our viewers will buy that explanation, sir?

JEFFREY: The explanation is technically correct, but at various times when I was in Iraq we would send messages to the Iraqi government knowing the

Iraqi government -- and expecting that the Iraqi government would pass that to the Iranian government. At times, such as when Ambassador Crocker (ph)

was in Baghadad, the U.S. dealt directly with the Iranians on Iraqi issues, only Iraqi issues. So this kind of indirect coordination, which is

necessary in any military campaign, is certainly underway at some level.

But we shouldn`t read too much into this. As I said, the Iranians have their own agenda. Part of the reason they escalated with this bombing was

because they weren`t invited to this NATO conference of 60 states. They wanted to show that they`re a factor to be considered.

ANDERSON: I`m wondering as we know anticipate the new deadline for P5+1 and the talks with Iran over its nuclear program, whether this isn`t very

much infecting the narrative as it were? How much do you think Washington is keen Tehran stay on board, as it were? And how much do you think the

negotiations are pinned -- whether John Kerry says the two are completely separate or not- pinned around not necessarily overt coordination with Iran

on ISIS, but covert coordination?

America needs Tehran at this point, doesn`t it?

JEFFREY: No.

Unless you believe that a bad nuclear deal is better than continuing the very tough sanctions that are still in place, America and our allies can

wait this out with Iran.

Secondly, this idea that we need Iran to defeat ISIS, I don`t buy that. Iran has been effective in a few tactical operations in Iraq, but right now

ISIS has been contained in Iraq.

The big issue is to roll them back in the Sunni Arab areas in Syria and Iraq where ISIS has dug deep roots. That will never be done by Iranian-

Shia forces or by Iranian-Shia political machinations. They are part of the problem, once again, not the solution.

Now that the negotiations have broken down, to some degree the Iranians probably feel that they have to take other steps to insure that Washington

is focusing on them and that they`re not being forgotten in this big coalition effort.

ANDERSON: The views of our guest this evening James Jeffrey in Washington, the former U.s ambassador to Iraq.

Well, for more on the war against ISIS militants in Iraq and in Syria, log on to CNNInternational.com and read about how the Syrian city of Raqqa, for

example, is becoming the new ISIS target for Syrian forces. This comes as coalition war planes are targeting the same city, which is the self-

proclaimed de facto capital for DASH, or the militant group.

Live from Abu Dhabi, this is Connect the World. It is 23 minutes past 8:00 in the evening here.

The al Shabaab group strikes again, this time in its home base of Somalia. We`re going to get you the details on that after this.

First, though, the art of coffin making. You meet a Ghanaian artist whose business is to provide personalized coffins. That`s next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hi, my name is Kuja Ofutu (ph) the owner of (inaudible) woodwork ship in Ghana. Welcome to my store.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Kuja Ofutu (ph) is based in Awutu, a town in Ghana`s central region. He started designing coffins in 2007.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I saw a coffin, a designed coffin somewhere and I thought, no, I have to do this and I forced by parents to push me into it.

I love playing with the wood, so I didn`t study in school I just love carving. So the time I saw that piece, I never knew that it was a coffin.

I thought it was just a piece of art.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: A common practice in Ghana is for coffins to be made to represent the profession of the deceased, ranging from a chicken for a

farmer to a sewing machine for a designer.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Canoe shaped coffin for (inaudible) a fisherman who have many ties of coffin or fisherman. We have fishing boats, fishing

nets, canoe, different kind of fish.

A family came here some two years ago and they said, our late mother is to be a midwife. And we want a design coffin, something that can talk about

her work. And I came out with a pregnant woman was about to deliver and it was a fantastic piece.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Ofutu (ph) employs six full-time workers, but still faces many challenges.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Today, for example, we have a lot of work here and I don`t have a big shop, so if it was (inaudible) we have to work inside a

shop. Sometimes the materials we use are (inaudible) and we don`t have enough money to get out to start materials for many years.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: However, Ofutu (ph) is optimstic about the future.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: In the next five years, I want to (inaudible) my shop and even the wetness or the Africaness I have in (inaudible) only somebody

order something we can deliver more days before I resign.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ANDERSON: This is CONNECT THE WORLD with me, Becky Anderson. The top stories for you this hour.

In Yemen, 6 people were killed and 12 were injured when a car bomb went off outside the home of the newly-appointed Iranian ambassador. He was not at

home, we`re told, at the time. A government official says authorities expect al Qaeda to claim responsibility.

Authorities here in Abu Dhabi want the public`s health in identifying the suspect in a fatal stabbing that killed an American teacher. Surveillance

cameras at a shopping mall caught the suspect dressed in a full -- a black, full-length gown traditionally worn by Emirati women. The victim was an

American teacher and mother of 11-year-old twins.

An American couple cleared of charges of starving their adopted daughter to death in Qatar are now on their way home. Matthew and Grace Huang fought

their conviction and three-year sentence for nearly two years. A travel ban imposed on the couple was lifted on Tuesday.

Mogadishu police say the Islamist group al-Shabaab attacked a UN convoy in the Somali capital, killing at least four people. Police say three of

those killed were civilians, and another was a security force member. No UN staff members were hurt in the attack.

The attack by al-Shabaab in Somalia comes just a day after another deadly one by the group in Kenya. Militants killed 36 quarry workers in a village

near the Somali border. Nima Elbagir has more on that and its political fallout. Her report, I have to say, contains images that some of you may

find disturbing.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NIMA ELBAGIR, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): They were caught by surprise, asleep in their tents when gunmen attacked in the early

hours of Tuesday. The 36 bodies here are of non-Muslim quarry workers, separated from their Muslim colleagues, and executed.

Those who survived were taken to hospital, some telling of watching their friends beheaded. Al-Shabaab was quick to claim responsibility for the

massacre, saying it was in retaliation for mosque raids carried out in Kenya by security forces last month.

But the quarry attack in Kormey, near the Somali border, is just the latest in a string of brutal killings by the Islamic militants. On November 23rd,

the group ambushed a bus in the same region, killing at least 28 people after they failed to recite verses from the Koran.

A campaign of terror, designed to put pressure on the Kenyan government to withdraw troops fighting Islamic extremists in neighboring Somalia. The

Kenyan president remains resolute.

UHURU KENYATTA, PRESIDENT OF KENYA: We will not flinch or relent in the war against terrorism in our country and our region.

ELBAGIR: Kenyans had feared this latest attack and fear more still.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Everybody`s getting scared of what is happening. So, we were listening to today`s -- our president`s speech. He gave us another

assurance, assurance that things will be OK. So, we want to see again what is going to happen.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If you are a good parent, you have to protect your area first, your home first, then your community. Then you go beyond your

village.

ELBAGIR: It`s the kind of criticism that prompted sweeping changes in Kenya`s top security ranks in the hours following Tuesday`s attack.

President Kenyatta announcing that national police chief David Kimaiyo had resigned and that he was also appointing a new interior minister. Action

that has been long awaited.

KENYATTA: We also acknowledge some weakness in our security architecture. In light of this, last week, I directed my government security actors to

engage with members of the relevant committees of the legislature with a view to rectify administrative and legal hurdles that limit our ability to

deal with this very real and existential threat that we face.

ELBAGIR: It may go some way to winning back the trust of the Kenyan people, who again prepare to bury more loved ones lost to a lingering war

on terror. But can it guarantee their safety?

Nima Elbagir, CNN, London.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ANDERSON: Well, for more on both of these attacks that al-Shabaab has claimed responsibility for, let`s go to CNN`s Diana Magnay. She joins us

now from Nairobi in Kenya.

And Diana, the Kenyan government continues to put pressure on the Islamist militants, despite the seeming retribution. Kenyans, as Nima reporting,

clearly concerned. What are the consequences, do you think, at this point of this latest campaign of terror?

DIANA MAGNAY, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (via telephone): Amongst regular Kenyans, there is a feeling that first of all, the government has

let them down in terms of not having its security apparatus rigorous enough. And the question is whether the acceptance of the retirement of

one of the security chiefs, the head of the police, and the interior minister is really enough.

The president has promised to push through some reforms of the security forces, really to try and coordinate the police better, make them more

proactive rather than reactive, put more boots on the ground, all of those kinds of things.

But the trouble is, if you do have a much more militarized approach of the security services, which is what President Kenyatta is basically putting

forward, you also run the risk of polarizing elements within the Muslim community.

And that`s why after the last crackdown, after the attack in Mandera on the bus, and President Kenyatta`s troops went in and rounded up a lot of Muslim

extremists, there were, then, riots in the streets.

And that is what al-Shabaab has done very effectively in many of the more marginalized Muslim communities and in the Kenyan and Somali communities is

to play on those tensions. And really, we`ve seen decades, now, of radicalization and recruitment. So, Kenya is battling an enemy within, and

that is the problem that President Kenyatta faces.

ANDERSON: Diana Magnay reporting from Kenya. Thank you, Diana.

To a story now that has shocked Germany and prompted a lot of soul- searching. A young Turkish-German woman is being hailed as a national hero after she died defending two teenage girls from harassment.

Tugce Albayrak was later ambushed and attacked, allegedly by one of the harassers. She was knocked unconscious in that brutal assault last month

and never woke up. Her life support was switched off on her 23rd birthday last Friday.

The training teacher was laid to rest today in central Germany. CNN`s Fred Pleitgen with the story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It was almost like a state funeral as hundreds gathered at this mosque in the town

of Waechtersbach to pay their respects to Tugce Albayrak, a young Turkish- German woman who was killed for defending others, and who has become an icon for civil courage in Germany.

"The situation is very dramatic and emotional," the head of the mosque says, "so I want to give my condolences to the Albayrak family and to her

neighbors."

It happened at this fast-food restaurant last month, when Tugce Albayrak stepped in and stopped several men from harassing two young women at the

restrooms. Later, one of them, identified only as 18-year-old Sanel M, approached Tugce on the parking lot and hit her on the head, police say.

Tugce fell to the ground and remained there, unconscious.

"All we heard was a thump, and then I saw Tugce laying there," her friend says. "As I came closer, I saw there was a puddle of blood."

Hundreds held a candlelight vigil at the hospital where Tugce was treated. A pianist played her favorite song. But she never regained consciousness,

and on her 23rd birthday late last week, her family made the decision to take her off life support.

"The doctors have told us that she`s brain dead," this family friend says. "There`s no chance of reviving her, and that`s why the family has decided

that the machines will be turned off today."

Tugce`s courage has made her into a role model for many Germans. There`s even a campaign urging authorities to posthumously award her the country`s

Medal of Honor. But many who came to the vigil outside the hospital say they are simply stunned by the events.

"I`m very upset that someone could be killed like that right here in our town," this man says. "It really makes me sad."

The man who attacked Tugce remains in custody. Meanwhile, top-level politicians, like Germany`s president, say the country must learn lessons

from this case to ensure that other people will do the same as Tugce when they witness injustice without having to fear for their lives for helping.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ANDERSON: More than 100 people, as we heard in Fred`s piece -- 100,000 people have signed an online -- a petition asking the president to

recognize the young woman`s bravery with a state order of merit. More than 100,000 signing that petition. Let`s get the latest on this. Fred

Pleitgen is in Berlin for us. Fred?

PLEITGEN: Hi, Becky. And I think you`re absolutely right with what you said before. This is a country right now that`s doing a lot of soul-

searching. And of course, on the one side, on this day that we had the funeral of Tugce Albayrak is celebrating her life, is celebrating what she

did. But it`s at the same time asking itself a lot of very tough questions.

We just saw in that report that this incident happened at the restroom of that fast-food restaurant. Many people are asking, first of all, why

didn`t anybody else step in to help those two girls who were being harassed? Why did it take this very young, very slender woman to step in

and show the courage? There were a lot of other people in that restaurant.

Then, second of all, when she was attacked in the parking lot, why didn`t anybody help there? So, certainly, it does raise the question of civil

courage, of stepping in when people are being harassed here in this country. There`s a lot of people, of course, who fear for themselves and

for their safety.

This is not the first time in Germany that someone has stepped in to help people who were being harassed, to help people who were being attacked, and

paid for that with his or her life. So, the Germans asking very broad questions there.

And of course, also asking questions about violence against women. How can it be that someone who is a very, very big man would attack this woman as

she comes out of that restaurant? So, there`s a lot of questions that Germany society is asking themselves.

On the one hand, of course, saying that this woman is a role model, that she did something great. But at the same time, really doing a lot of soul-

searching on the part of German society. And I can tell you, it`s all over Germany media, really a mood of somberness here and of sadness in this

country, Becky.

ANDERSON: Reflected in your piece that you filed for us, Fred. Thank you.

Live from Abu Dhabi, this is CONNECT THE WORLD. Coming up, graffiti often tagged by bad reputation. Here, though, in the UAE, artists putting their

skills, well, to good use. We`ll show you how.

And a tottering trio. We look at three oil producers who could be very badly hit by falling prices.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ANDERSON: I want to get you a check as to how oil prices are doing. Brent Crude up slightly to just over $71 on the barrel. That`s just days after

prices hit their lowest level in five years. A story that we have been covering here on CONNECT THE WORLD with me, Becky Anderson. Of course,

you`d expect that from us.

The slide in oil prices has major implications for producers worldwide, including here in the Middle East. Three countries in particular stand to

be hit hard if prices continue to fall. That`s Iran, Iraq, and Algeria. They have big proven reserves, but just how prepared are they to weather

this price slump?

Let`s bring in emerging markets editor John Defterios, who`s probably forgotten more about oil prices than I will ever know --

(LAUGHTER)

ANDERSON: -- and I think I knew quite a lot some time ago.

JOHN DEFTERIOS, CNN EMERGING MARKETS EDITOR: Well, coming out of OPEC, I was thinking about it for a full week, that`s for sure.

ANDERSON: John was at OPEC, of course, a crucial meeting last Thursday. Standing here in the UAE, John, where there is lots of oil cash to splash,

as it were, on spending, you`d think the region overall is flush with revenues. But some of the major producers, of course, are feeling the pain

of this price at around $70.

DEFTERIOS: Indeed. In fact, most people take the same brush and paint it right across the Middle East. There`s a lot of potential in Algeria, Iran,

and Iraq. But the challenge is, they have big reserves, but they also have very big budgets, because higher populations.

Let`s break them down one by one. We know that Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, UAE here, have $2 trillion in the bank. That`s not the case with

these other countries. Abdelaziz Bouteflika, the long-serving president of Algeria, here, is faced now with an average price need of $132 a barrel.

So, we`re looking at $70 --

(CROSSTALK)

ANDERSON: This is to balance their budgets.

DEFTERIOS: To balance their budgets, very good point. And the point is, after the Arab Spring, he jacked up his spending to try to calm down the

situation there. He had the security problems in the southern part of the country. Again, more spending. So, he`s facing a lot of pressure here.

Iran, Hassan Rouhani here, $131 a barrel to balance his budget. That`s come down a little bit. This is a CitiGroup estimate. But they already in

the last 24 hours, Becky, have looked at a $70 budget. They`re looking at a budget deficit of 30 percent on the bottom line, 50 percent on the top

line.

And then, you go to Iraq. To balance their budgets, $116 a barrel. Already, they`re suggesting lawmakers take a 50 percent pay cut. They`re

looking at a budget deficit of about a 25 percent now.

So, this is radical. We`re standing in the Gulf where there`s major surpluses. Those surpluses will come down. But these three countries that

we`re talking about, strategically very important, but under a lot of pressure.

ANDERSON: Yes, strategically, what is the potential, then, of Iran and Iraq versus, for example, the largest player, Saudi Arabia?

DEFTERIOS: A lot of people don`t put it in this context, but I thought it would be worthwhile since we`re standing in the Middle East to do so. Iran

has proven reserves of 157 billion barrels. This puts them at over 9 percent of proven reserves. Then you take Iraq at 150 billion barrels.

You`re looking at just below 9 percent.

What I think is interesting about the debate, now let`s bring up Saudi Arabia. They have proven reserves of 265 billion. That`s about 15 percent

of proven reserves. There`s the Sunni-Shia divide here. The Sunnis are Saudi Arabia. They pushed through this OPEC policy. Iraq and Iran suffer

under this policy.

But Iran says, for example, if you help us lift the sanctions in July, if the P5 Plus 1 goes through, we can get up to -- our production up very

quickly. Let`s take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BIJAN ZANGANEH, IRANIAN OIL MINISTER: After two months after lifting the sanctions, we can reach to 3.8 million barrels of crude. We can reach

during maximum four years, in crude oil to 4.7 million barrels.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

DEFTERIOS: So, two months to 3.8 million barrels, in four years, nearly 5 million barrels. Iraq said yesterday, if they can push ahead, they can

double their production to 6 million. Add those two up, they`re head-to- head with Saudi Arabia. And this could be one of the reasons why Saudi Arabia`s taken such a tough line as well.

ANDERSON: Yes, this is fascinating, isn`t it, as well? Because we are just learning over the past -- what? -- 24, 48 hours that the Iraqis have

got together once again, the Iraqi government --

DEFTERIOS: Yes.

ANDERSON: -- based in Baghdad and the Kurds and said look, let`s get back together.

DEFTERIOS: A big more.

ANDERSON: Let`s stop fighting --

DEFTERIOS: Yes.

ANDERSON: -- over oil at present. Let`s share the divide, as it were, or the spoils, because we need to work together on this.

DEFTERIOS: That`s a very good point.

ANDERSON: Very briefly, Saudi Arabia came up with this plan, effectively to drive prices lower. How long is everybody else going to go along with

this.

DEFTERIOS: Saudi Arabia told me, Ali Al-Naimi, the oil minister, it`s going to last until June. They have the support of the Gulf producers,

Russia, Venezuela. And the countries we`ve talked about tonight said we`ll revisit this in three months. This is where it`s going to be the gray area

to be.

ANDERSON: Watch this space. End of quarter one, I think people are going to be suffering at this price and things may change. John, always a

pleasure.

DEFTERIOS: That could be.

ANDERSON: Thank you very much, indeed.

DEFTERIOS: Thank you.

ANDERSON: Live from Abu Dhabi in the UAE, this is CONNECT THE WORLD with me, Becky Anderson. Coming up, the UAE has been celebrating a birthday

this week and trying to break world records in the process. This is one of them. Up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ANDERSON: You`re watching CNN, this is CONNECT THE WORLD with me, Becky Anderson. And your Parting Shots this evening. The UAE celebrating its

43rd birthday on Tuesday, and the country invited 150 graffiti artists to help celebrate, decorating for the big celebration -- and break a world

record, too. Khadija Al Hosani tells us more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KHADIJA AL HOSANI: To kick off a special week of celebrations marking the UAE`s 43rd birthday, Dubai chose to do what it often does, break another

world record. One hundred and fifty international and regional artists gathered to create the world`s longest graffiti wall on just one piece of

scroll.

The wall measures about 2,000 meters. From an aerial view, you can see that it was constructed to resemble the map of the UAE. Each artist was

asked to create their vision of the UAE, painting it the way they see it. The result? A tapestry of old and new, ancient desert vistas and modern

urban skylines.

On one wall, you see the camels and falcons that the region is well-known for. On another, there`s the new buildings and skyscrapers. Even the Mona

Lisa made it to the scroll.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ANDERSON: The team at CONNECT THE WORLD wants to hear from you, have your say. Send your pictures from National Day or from any other event that you

may have been celebrating recently, or indeed, just want to tell us about, facebook.com/CNNconnect. We always enjoy seeing your images. You can

tweet me @BeckyCNN. Search for us at Becky and CNN on Instagram, of course, as well.

I am Becky Anderson, that was CONNECT THE WORLD. From the team here in Abu Dhabi, it is a very good evening. Thank you for watching.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

END