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Connect the World
Usain Bolt Wins 200 Meter; Interview with Hungary Government Spokesman; Europe's Migrant Crisis; World Market's Roller Coaster Week; Politicians React to Virginia Shooting; Russia's Power Play In The Middle East. Aired 11:00a-12:00p ET
Aired August 27, 2015 - 11:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[11:00:08] BECKY ANDERSON, HOST: Discovered decomposing in this truck, abandoned on an Austrian highway. When will Europe come together
and act to stem the migrant crisis?
Tonight, we'll speak with the Hungarian government spokesman. That's up next.
Also ahead...
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: She was -- she was kind and she was sweet and she touched everybody.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Heartbreak in Virginia. The father of murdered television reporter Alison Parker speaks to CNN about his daughter and the call for
stricter gun controls in the United States.
Plus...
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENITIFIED MALE: Here's Bolt in front. Gatlin is still there. At the line, Usain Bolt again.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Lightening twice. Usain Bolt claims another gold at the World Athletics Championships leaving his rivals in the dust.
ANNOUNCER: Live from CNN Abu Dhabi, this is Connect the World with Becky Anderson.
ANDERSON: Well, it is a very good evening here from the UAE, just after 7:00. And we start with a grim discovery, and one likely to fuel the
debate over Europe's approach to the thousands of people streaming across its borders every day.
Austrian authorities say an abandoned truck containing the bodies of perhaps dozens of migrants has been found on a highway linking Budapest in
Hungary to Vienna in Austria.
Officials say the deaths appeared to have occurred some time ago. And a cross border investigation has been started.
Well, these bodies were found as an EU summit with Balkan states over opened in Austria.
The refugee crisis high on the agenda.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel said the discovery of the bodies is, quote, a warning for Europe.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANGELA MERKEL, GERMAN CHANCELLOR, (through translator): Of course we talked about the topic of migration today. And we are all very much shaken
off by the news that up to 50 people lost their lives in the situation where criminals facilitate illegal border crossing and do not care about
them enough that they were on their way to places they thought they would be safe.
This compels us to tackle the issue of migration quickly in the spirit of Europe, in the spirit of solidarity.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: All right. Well, CNN's senior international correspondent Arwa Damon has been following Europe's migrant crisis closely, traveling
from Greece through the Balkans alongside some of the thousands of people hoping to find safety and a better life in western Europe. Today, she
joins us from Ruskot (ph) on the Hungarian border. And I can see people behind you. What's going on there, Arwa.
ARWA DAMON, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Becky, this is one of the holding areas for the refugees as they come across following a train
track from Serbia into Hungary. It's a pretty dismal site, but I have to tell you, this is not as bad as it gets. These refugees will have end up
waiting here for hours under the beating sun. There's little to no water. There's no translator to tell them what is going on. And from here they
will be moved to a processing center and then sent to a train station.
And again there they don't really know where they're going. No one is giving them any information.
Many of them really dread being held by the Hungarian authorities because they say of the way they are being treated. They describe the
processing center as being a prison, many of them try to approach the Hungarian police to ask for when it's daytime under the sun water, or when
it's night time under the cold blankets for the children.
And one woman was telling us her and everyone who she was traveling with was just waved off and told to go back to Syria.
All of this is really indicative of just how incapable Europe is of giving these people what it is they need, and that is safety and a level of
humanity as they are transiting across.
We have this horrific news of those who perished inside that truck on the highway leading from Budapest to Vienna. A lot of these refugees are
being forced to resort to these illegal criminal networks to try to reach their end destination of western Europe, because in countries like Hungary,
they're not allowed to take public transportation.
So people as they're transiting through here will not get on trains, because they don't want to be captured again, they don't want to stay in
Hungary, they don't want to be forced to go to the various refugee centers that do exist here. But the only way that they can get to western Europe
at this stage is by taking vehicles or in this case possibly other illegal routes that are resulting in their deaths.
People are angry and they can't believe that Europe is actually treating them like this. Hungary is meant to be the gateway to their
dreams. They went through so much just to get this far. They risked their lives. They've spent all of their money. And to come here and be treated
along the way, but also especially here in Hungary, like many of them are telling us, like animals. It's really too difficult for so many of them to
comprehend.
And there's such a lack of infrastructure and system in place at the processing centers where just 24 hours ago Hungarian authorities fired tear
gas on refugees who are refusing to be fingerprinted.
But, along the entire way, there's a lack of translators, there's a lack of coordination. They feel like at every single step they are being
abandoned by the individuals, the nations who should be able, Becky, to help them the most.
[11:05:41] ANDERSON: Arwa Damon there on the border. You heard Angela Merkel's comments on the horror that is the discovery of these
dozens of decomposing bodies. The Austrian interior minister, Johanna Mikl-Leitner, told a news conference, and I quote, "this horrible crime
shows we must get even tougher in the battle against people smuggling. People smugglers are criminals and not well-minded helpers. They do not
care about the well-being of the refugees. They care about profit."
Well, the Hungarian prime minister's office says the truck involved had a Hungarian license plate. It was found parked in eastern Austria on
that highway linking the two countries.
For more, I want to bring in Zoltan Kovacs, a spokesman for the Hungarian government. And this gruesome discovery, sir, certainly bears
all the hallmarks of human trafficking. The Hungarian government is involved in this investigation. What can you tell us?
ZOLTAN KOVACS, HUNGARIAN GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN: Good afternoon, Becky.
If you let me just come back to your earlier report, because I want to refute one thing very strongly, that's simply not true that the Hungarian
government, that the authorities, don't let these people travel by public transport and other means. The problem is that they don't comply with the
rules. And that's why they use human traffickers.
So, this is a complicated story, and that's when I mentioned to you yesterday on CNN that our first task is reestablish law and order.
It's a terrific crime. It's a horrible incident. And it points out the nature of what is happening all around the so-called (inaudible), that
is organized crime groups, including Hungarians, Serbs, Macedonians, even Greeks and whoever else, are taking these people in inhumane circumstances
to take a journey they wouldn't be forced to do so.
There has always been a legal way to come to...
ANDERSON: Right. OK. I want to stop you there, sir. Let me stop you there for one moment. Our reporter reflecting what she is hearing from
those who are just trying to make it through the countries on this trip to western Europe and some sense of a decent life. So I just to mark that.
Hold on, sir. Hold no, sir, for a moment.
What is the Hungarian moment doing to prevent the exploitation of these people on the move by human traffickers, then?
KOVACS: Indeed, that's the first step we should do that, we stop illegal border crossing. It is the sole and only way at the moment coming
to Hungary and the European Union. 99.9 percent of those who are claiming asylum are coming through the green borders of Hungary, that is organized
by human traffickers, which is completely unacceptable.
And again, the victims, at around 20 to 50 victims we are facing in this case, are falling victim to their own (inaudible) actually, because
they have taken the services of human traffickers instead of coming through the legal ways through the European Union. That's a major problem. We
have to -- we all have to...
ANDERSON: Let's talk about these legal ways. Yeah, OK, because you say you should -- and Hungary should -- prevent illegal crossings, and I
hear what you're saying with reference to human trafficking and people smuggling, which is a horrible, horrible crime. But will Hungary continue
to honor its international obligations and allow asylum seekers to enter the country?
KOVACS: Yes. We are going to fulfill all international obligations. There has always been, and always going to be, a legal way to come to
Hungary and claim asylum, go for a refugee status. That's a major and fundamental problem we face here, that these people...
ANDERSON: So why, then, sir is Hungary building a fence to keep people out?
KOVACS: ...145,000 people this year come to Hungary and therefore to the European Union illegally, being organized by organized crime groups, as
you mentioned. It appears to be that it is only Hungary actually (inaudible) which is doing its homework. Serbia, Macedonia, others,
Greece, are not doing their duty. And that would really help to prevent what is happening all around in the western Balkans and on the route to
Germany.
So, this is a major problem. Europe is not (inaudible). And that the it appears to be that it's Hungary who is interested in reestablishing law
and order.
[11:10:15] ANDERSON: Let me put this to you, all states clearly have the right to control who enters their country, but if Hungary is to honor
its international obligations, you do have to let asylum seekers in, correct?
KOVACS: That is what is happening, but we are also required to register them. And what we are seeing actually is resistance to being
registered, which is a European regulation, so we can't avoid that, because they won't be able to go further to the European Union without being
registered.
So, even those migrants who are crossing again the borders illegally tend not to comply with the rules that are in place.
So, this is a very complicated issue. We really call out for the kind of attention that is required among these circumstances that there's
something fundamentally wrong going on with illegal migration.
ANDERSON: Angela Merkel has called the movement of displaced people, and I quote, the biggest migrant crisis that Europe have faced since World
War II. Why can't European states get together to find a solution? And what is that solution?
KOVACS: That's a question what we are also raising actually. We've been raising for the past couple of months. The lack of recognition, the
lack of effective, efficient, legal and practical environment is basically going against a swift solution.
Again, Hungary is among the three most affected countries at the moment. We are taking the burden, one of the burdens, actually, of these
people coming again illegally to the European Union. And basically we're receiving no assistance from the European authorities.
ANDERSON: We're going to leave it there, sir. We thank you very much indeed for joining us as we look once again at pictures of those trying to
make their way from what has been a potentially war, crisis and desperate poverty into what they hope will be a better life, but as we are learning
this is an incredibly difficult trip, and for some they're not making it. Thank you, sir.
ANDERSON: Well, there is a different but equally well worn and treacherous route that many thousands of people are also taking every day
to get into Europe. I'm talking about that sea crossing from North Africa to Italy and to Malta.
The Italian coast guard says 54 people were found dead on boats in the Mediterranean on Wednesday. 3,000 men, women and children rescued in
multiple operations on the same day.
The international organization for migration says that that journey from North Africa is the deadliest of three sea routes commonly used by
people smugglers.
Nearly 2,300 people have died on this route already this year.
And I need to remind you, viewers, these people smugglers make millions, millions of dollars, millions of dollars out of the hardship of
these people. Just please consider that. This is a truly awful story.
Now, to the horrific double murder of two American journalists in the state of Virginia. Tributes are pouring in for Alison Parker and Adam
Ward, the young reporter and cameraman who were shot to death while doing a live report for their station's morning show. Their colleagues, their
communities, and of course their families are shocked and devastated by what has happened.
CNN's Victor Blackwell joining us now from Roanoke in Virginia where the two victims were -- Victor.
VICTOR BLACKWELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Becky, we are hearing not only from people who knew these two closely, their colleagues, friends and
families, but also from the viewers who watch them every morning. And you know that morning program becomes part of the daily routine. People get to
know those morning anchors and reporters very well.
They are being called some of the best in this community. Their managers, in fact, consider them to be the A-team.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: She just turned 24 last week, and she had - she packed in a great life in 24 years.
BLACKWELL (voice-over): This morning, family members in a community are left reeling, grieving the loss of a newly engaged cameraman and an
aspiring anchor with so much life left to live.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: My heart is - is broken. But I want to try and do something that will - will change that and make her life - will do
something meaningful for her life so that this doesn't happen to someone else again.
BLACKWELL: Colleagues say 27-year-old Adam Ward and 24-year-old Alison Parker of Virginia affiliate WDBJ were unfailingly positive, relentlessly
hard working, and never shied away from a story.
ALISON PARKER, JOURNALIST: Adam, come out from in front of the camera.
BLACKWELL: Both Parker and Ward began as interns at the station, eventually becoming a team as staff reporter and photographer for the
morning show.
PARKER: I am a Virginia girl.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: She had aspirations of being an anchor, and I have no doubt she would have been able to accomplish that goal.
BLACKWELL: The 24-year-old was a rising star appearing on CNN last November.
CAROL COSTELLO, ANCHOR, CNN'S "NEWSROOM": Thank you so much, Alison Parker, from WDBJ in Roanoke.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: She had an explosive personality. She always smiled. She was full of ideas.
BLACKWELL: Parker had been dating WDBJ's evening anchor Chris Hurst and had just moved in with him. "She was the most radiant woman I ever
met," he posted on social media. "And for some reason, she loved me back."
ADAM WARD, CAMERAMAN: In Salem, Adam Ward, News 7 sports.
BLACKWELL: Ward was engaged to the morning show's producer, Melissa Ott, who was supposed to be celebrating her last day at the station
Thursday. Instead, she watched in horror in the control room as her future husband was gunned down. Later, on that same day, her wedding dress was
delivered, a symbol of love and commitment to Ward for a lifetime, shattered by this senseless act of violence.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BLACKWELL: Now, the shooter was found about 170 miles away from this location by a state trooper. When that trooper tried to pull over the
shooter, he did not, drove into an embankment and later was found with a single gunshot wound and then died at a hospital.
Becky, also, there was one survivor -- there was one survivor who was shot in the back. Her name was Vicki Gardner. She was taken to a hospital
and underwent surgery. We're told that she was in stable condition, or her family says that they will stay with her and help her through this
situation. Back to you.
ANDERSON: Victor, thank you.
Well, the shooting that played out on live television is renewing the debate over guns in the United States. Not surprisingly, the presidential
candidates are being pressed for their positions for what has become an emotional issue for so many Americans.
Ahead on Connect the World, you're going to hear what some of the contenders have said in the wake of this tragedy in Virginia. Donald Trump
offered his opinion during an interview with CNN. We'll also explore the gunmen's despicable use of social media after he shot the two journalists
at point blank range. Have we entered a new realm when it comes to what criminals will do to gain attention. We're going to take a look at that
for you as well.
That all coming up.
Still to come after this short break, Donald Trump speaking to CNN to give us his views on U.S. gun laws after that deadly shooting. That is up
next for you.
Taking a very short break. Back in about 90 seconds.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:20:07] ANDERSON: Well, just before the break, we were talking about the killing of two journalists in Virginia. U.S. Republican
Presidential candidate Donald Trump spoke to CNN about the shooting a short while ago and says it doesn't mean gun laws need to be tightened. Have a
listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CHRIS CUOMO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The question is familiar as to why the issues wind up getting us stuck. What do we do about mental illness?
What do we do about guns? What are your positions.
DONALD TRUMP, REAL ESTATE DEVELOPER: Well, mental illness is a -- just a, you know, massive problem. And as you know because of the
cutbacks, and you can say it in New York State, you know, very well, in New York State and in so many other places they've released a lot of the people
that are pretty ill that really should be hospitalized, because they don't have the money to take care of them. And so they walk the streets and
they're on the streets and sometimes they're in the workplace.
And you know in the old days they had mental institutions for people like this, because he was really -- definitely borderline and definitely
would have been and should have been institutionalized at some point somebody should have seen that. I mean, the people closest to him should
have seen it.
But so many people are being released now, because they don't have any money, so they're walking the streets. And of all our cities and all our
places. And it's becoming a very dangerous situation, and it's another problem. It's one of many problems. Our country has so many problems,
Chris, as you know, you cover it every day, but it's one of many problems that we have.
CUOMO: Solutions winds up becoming the call from people who are so sick and tired of what they see. Do you think it is time to do something
else about guns? Nobody likes to talk about it. People say that this is an inappropriate time and then those who experience say it is the most
appropriate time. Would you do something different with gun policy?
TRUMP: Well, I don't think I would, because this is really a sick person. This isn't a gun problem, this is a mental problem. And you know,
you have cases where like had the veterans had the guys that were shot recently had they -- they had weapons they might have been able to save
themselves, they would have been able. They were all heroes. They were all tremendous military men and they had absolutely no defense.
And, frankly, you know a case like this, he snuck up on them. Whether it was a gun or a knife or whatever it would have been, it would have been
something.
But, you know, you're not going to get rid of all guns. So, I know one thing, if you tried to do it the bad guys would have them, to use an
expression. And the good folks would abide by the law. They'd be hopeless and just -- it would be a hopeless situation for them. And I think it's a
big mistake. And you know I'm very much a second amendment person, Chris. And I know the arguments both ways very well, but I'm very much into the
second amendment. You need protection.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Donald Trump on the right to bear arms.
You saw Chris speaking to Mr. Trump there, and he joins us now live from Roanoke in Virginia where journalist Alison Parker and Adam Ward
worked.
Chris, what are people there telling you about what is this hugely polarizing issue in the state?
CUOMO: Well, it's difficult when you've actually just experienced the pain of violence, right. I mean, your perspective is skewed by emotion.
And that's what makes so powerful the words of Alison's father, Andy Parker, that he wants to put purpose to his pain, that he believes
something to be able to be done, it should somehow be less accessible for someone who is unstable, who has a past, to get weapons this way. And yet,
once you find your way into the debate, you see that the law in America is basically set, that there are a lot of laws on the books, that enforcement
is shaky, that the politics are very divisive, and when it comes to mental health, while there seems to be resolve at times, there winds up being no
resolution.
So, it is frustrating for people. Here on the ground, they all want to see change, they never want to see this again. This is a bedroom
community. They're good people. They're decent people. They're not used to wanton violence like this.
So, your automatic response is there must be something we can do.
But I'm telling you, I have stood at dozens of these sites where the formulas are often very similar to this combination of events. Yes, this
was live on television, yes this is the media. But fundamentally it is the same. And that's the frustration is that what will make progress here.
Someone offered to me today, a local as you were referring to in your question, and she said, you know what really has to change, is how we treat
each other, our respect for humanity, our respect for each other and how we act when we're angry and when we feel violated, what we do with those
emotions, that's what needs to change. And of course, that would be the most difficult change of all.
ANDERSON: I know we've spoken to Alison's father. Did he have anything to say about this issue of gun laws going forward?
[11:25:09] CUOMO: He had a lot to say. The reason he's going on TV is because of that as much pain as he's in with his family and how much
they want to be isolated right now. He felt that he needed to use this moment to address what he sees is an obvious wrong, which is this ease of
access, that there should be something to be done, and that the ordinary arguments are tired, and it's more about the politics than it is the
practicalities.
But, he's right and wrong at the same time. He's right about the divisions. He's right that something should be able to be done, but he's
wrong that it should be easy and simple and achievable, because if it were we probably wouldn't be in the quagmire we're in.
ANDERSON: Chris Cuomo is in Virginia for you. Thank you, Chris.
You're watching Connect the World with me, Becky Anderson, live from Abu Dhabi. Coming up, a trip along an ancient trade route, and a lucrative
tea break. CNN's Silk Road looks at the surprising ways an age old industry is being revitalized. we'll get that for you up next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: You're watching Connect the World live from Abu Dhabi. It is here 27 minutes past the hour.
For the past three months, CNN's Silk Road team has traveled some 7,000 kilometers along the ancient trade route, starting in China. Well,
today's report comes all the way from the mountains of Darjeeling in India where a very special blend of tea and technology is proving a hit with
connoisseurs around the world.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SUMNIMA UDAS, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPNDENT: At the Gumtea Tea (ph) estate in Darjeeling, India, little has changed over the years. Every
morning at sunrise, workers climb down the hills and start to pluck.
Everything is done by hand. Distribution and sales are a hold over from the British who first introduced tea in India some two centuries ago.
Leaves are sold to private dealers, and then again at regional auctions.
The process can leave it in warehouses for as long as six months before reaching consumers. (inaudible) Dugar (ph) is trying to change
that. He's planting technology with tea to revitalize one of India's most important industries.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Tea is the second most consumed beverage in the world. Almost every single individual in the world drinks or her cup of
tea. And it's one single beverage which connects the entire humanity.
UDAS: In 2012, he launched Teabox, an ecommerce startup. His goal: to ship fresh tea straight from the field to consumers just days after it
is plucked.
At the company's Bangalore office, programmers wrote a unique algorithm to help consumers determine their favorite, treating tea like
fine wine.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We use technology to figure out how we can further in a way in terms of working with these people like at the end of the day
consumer is drinking his tea in New York or in London gets an amazing cup of tea.
UDAS: So far, it seems to be working. The company has shipped 25 million cups of tea since launch in 2012. They have 100,000 users and have
raised more than $6 million in funding.
But what does it taste like?
It's sweeter. It's very earthy and very, very strong.
At the tea estate, Bike Mishra (ph), Goomtea's (ph) manager, prefers selling to Teabox to go online. His company gets more money for the
product and both agree everyone is a winner, especially consumers who can drink some of the finest teas in the world fresh from the field.
Sumnima Udas, CNN, along the Silk Road.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:33:05] ANDERSON: You're watching Connect the World. I'm Becky Anderson. The top stories for you this hour here on CNN.
Police in Austria say as many as 50 migrants have been found dead in the back of a truck close to the border with Hungary. The vehicle was
abandoned at the side of the road near the town of Pondorf (ph). German Chancellor Angela Merkel says leaders at a Balkan summit had been shaken by
the discovery.
Tributes have poured in for Alison Parker and Adam Ward, the reporter and cameraman shot dead in the U.S. during a live television broadcast.
Two senior Iraqi army commanders have been killed fighting ISIS, according to the country's military. It happened near Ramadi. One of the
men killed was the deputy commander of Anbar province military operations. Five other military personnel were also killed and 12 were injured.
South Sudan's rebel leader says he's concerned about the government's commitment to a new peace agreement. President Salva Kiir signed
yesterday, but added a long list of reservations. The UN security council is giving him until Tuesday to get fully on board.
And activists in Nigeria are planning a candlelight vigil tonight to mark 500 days since hundreds of schoolgirls were kidnapped by Boko Haram.
Dozens of them have managed to escape, but despite a global Bring Back Our Girls campaign, the vast majority of the schoolgirls are still missing.
Let's get more on what is this somber milestone from Robyn Kriel. She's following developments tonight from Nairobi in Kenya -- Robyn.
ROBYN KRIEL, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, yes, Becky. You can imagine what a harrowing 500 days that must have been. These girls
were studying for the end -- their end of year exams when they were abducted from their dormitories in the town of Chibok in northern Nigeria
and they have been turned into sex slaves in a lot of cases. Many of them, we are told, have been impregnated by the warlords who took them, members
of militia group Boko Haram, which has now joined ISIS and is known for its brutality, brainwashing, sometimes even sent back on to the streets as
suicide bombers.
Becky, because this march that will occur today will include 219 young women who will be marching down the streets in the solidarity with the 219
women at least who are still missing, those who are still known to be missing.
[11:35:32] ANDERSON: And when the new president was sworn in, one of the first issues that he eluded to was these missing girls. He vowed to do
what he could to find them, but he didn't sound awfully optimistic at the time. Is there any sense at this point that they still may be found?
KRIEL: Well, there's a lot of hope that President Buhari will be able to in some way take the fight to Boko Haram as he has been, but not only
that, take it in a safe way that might ensure the release of some of these girls.
However, from a number of different areas you are hearing that it might just be too late, that many of them might -- that people don't even
know where they are now that they've been married off to various men and put in various parts of the country. And it might be very difficult to
locate them 500 days after they were abducted.
Buhari, yes, there was a lot of hope in his leadership that he might be able to do something to rescue these girls. President Goodluck Jonathan
had been criticized for being very hands off from the whole bring back our girls campaign, not getting involved nearly enough, according to activists.
And activists, Becky, saying that they have an enormous amount of faith in Buhari and hope that he will step up to the plate.
ANDERSON: Robyn, a pleasure, thank you.
Let's take a look at a story that has dominated the headlines around the world recently: global stock markets. After huge losses this week, the
picture today does seem more positive. This is the Dow Jones in the U.S. right now. Let's get the numbers up for you. A percent and a half up,
some 250 odd points, but it's been awfully volatile hasn't it.
And China finally seeing its main index rise, too, and its Wednesday, Sorry, Thursday session, after a heavy week of losses.
In the Middle East, historically low oil prices have led some of the region's biggest markets to slip into bear market territory. So not really
reflecting what we have been seeing in the past 24 hours when some of these markets have been recovering.
The Gulf not looking too good.
Our emerging markets editor John Defterios reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JOHN DEFTERIOS, EMERGING MARKETS EDITOR: The $70 fall in crude prices over 14 months has been a silent killer for stock market investors based in
the energy producing nations. Even with Thursday's oil bounce, the financial markets are close to or well into bear market territory, defined
as a loss of 20 percent or more.
Saudi Arabia is down 30 percent, Dubai 26 percent, and Qatar and Kuwait hovering around 20 percent.
It is worse in Russia. Under the duress of sanctions linked to Ukraine and the lower oil price, the RTS index is down over 35 percent.
This oil bear market hit Middle East markets shortly after they've opened up to global investors. The UAE and Qatar joined the MSEI emerging
markets index in May 2014. Saudi Arabia opened up to international investors just two months ago.
The Gulf state countries have $2.5 trillion in sovereign reserves, so they have a nice cushion, but they are starting to tighten their belts,
recognizing this could be a prolonged slump.
Here's their new break even price for crude to balance their budgets. Kuwait at $49 a barrel, Qatar $60, UAE $73 and Saudia Arabia at $87 a
barrel.
All four are under water, meaning they're not making enough money to cover their current budgets, but remain far better off than other OPEC
members such as Algeria, Libya and Venezuela. We're looking at a break even price of $100 a barrel or more.
And those countries, there remain real concerns about social unrest because no one at this stage is calling for a quick turnaround in oil
prices.
John Defterios, CNN, Abu Dhabi.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Well, that recent slump in oil prices is just one of Russia's economic woes, as John mentioned there, and also the sanctions and
steep inflation at home the ruble is on the floor.
But its defense exports have been on the rise. And so it seems is Russian influence in the Middle East.
Take Syria, for example, four years in Bashar al-Assad is still in power. Many think Russia's backing is crucial to why he is still there.
Well, Iran nuclear deal, the Russians have long supported what Tehran says is a peaceful nuclear program.
Well, let's go to regional analyst here Mahmood Sharif Mahmood earlier and started by asking him if Russia was growing in importance in this
region. And if so, why?
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
[11:40:06] MAHMOOD SHARIF MAHMOOD, MIDDLE EAST ANALYST: First of all, you have the ISIS or the ISIL and their operation in Iraq and in the GCC.
And the second important thing is that the Gulf states are nervous about the U.S.-Iran interim deal.
Also the Russian looks at the GCC as an economic powerhouse and Russia is also member of the BRICs country, so they want to boost their investment
and trade cooperation with the region.
ANDERSON: Just how important is Russia to the likes of the UAE, Egypt and Jordan at this point?
MAHMOOD: Basically, we cannot ignore an important and strategic stakeholder. So, we want to diversify. UAE has always adopted a balanced
approach to its foreign policy. So it is important for us to not put our eggs in one basket and to diversify.
ANDERSON: Let's take a look at Egypt. President El-Sisi currently on his third visit to Moscow in less than a year, as you will be well aware.
Now we know the U.S. was critical of the way that Sisi came to power last year, Russia has been much more supportive. And When President Putin went
to Cairo in February, the city was adorned was welcome banners.
Do you think Russia is now more important to Egypt than the United States is?
MAHMOOD: Well, I think it's again part of the rebalancing act that the GCC and Arab countries are taking. Afterall, the countries have to
look after their national interests. And as I told you, there's no plan to jeopardize the relationship with the U.S., but I mean that's the
international game. And we have to play it.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Some nuanced perspective there for you from this region.
Live from Abu Dhabi, this is Connect the World with me Becky Anderson. It is 7:42 in the evening here. Coming up, a coldblooded mood designed for
maximum shock value. We'll have more on how the Virginia shooter used social media to broadcast his horrific crimes.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: You're watching CNN. This is Connect the World with me Becky Anderson. Welcome back wherever you are watching in the world.
I want to turn back to one of our top stories this hour, the shooting of two journalists in the U.S. state of Virginia.
Now the deaths of Alison Parker and Adam Ward have reignited the debate over the country's gun laws. Some like Hillary Clinton are arguing
that urgent reform is needed. But as you heard in CNN's interview with Donald Trump earlier in this show, not everybody agrees.
The shooting wasn't only horrific, but it shocked our sensibilities in new ways. The killer filmed himself gunning down his victims and then
posted that footage to social media websites.
I want to look into the social and cultural repercussions of what is this tragic incident now.
To do that, joining us live is CNN's political correspondent Sara Murray from South Carolina, and from New York CNN senior media
correspondent Brian Stelter. Thank you both for joining us.
Let's start with you, Sara, as an international viewer, sadly time and time again we hear of these incidents and we hear that gun laws are once
again in the spotlight and then it seems nothing changes, could this be a point at which we may see something change? We're certainly hearing from
the politicians.
[11:46:04] SARA MURRAY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I think the reality is that this, much like the other tragic shootings we've seen, is not going to
change where politicians stand on these issues. And we're seeing today the very different reactions that you're getting from Democratic candidates and
from Republican candidates.
We saw Donald Trump on New Day saying he's very pro-second amendment, saying this is really a mental health issue, not a gun control issue.
Hillary Clinton on the other hand taking a very different tactic saying we need to crack down. There needs to be more gun control, there
need to be universal background checks. Let's take a look at what she had to say.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HILLARY CLINTON, FRM. U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: There is so much evidence that if guns were not so readily available, if we had universal
background checks, if we could just put some time out between the person who is upset because he got fired, or the domestic abuse or whatever other
motivation may be working on someone who does this, that maybe we could prevent this kind of carnage.
So, I hope that in addition to expressing sympathy for those directly affected, that this is -- maybe for the media, for the public, for elected
officials, for every American what it hopefully will finally take for us to act.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MURRAY: Now, this isn't the first time we've heard politicians, particularly Democrats, suggest changes like these. But we have seen that
they are very politically unpopular. It's very difficult to move any of these changes through congress. And there's little indication to say that
this time would be different.
ANDERSON: Are you alluding to the fact that we'd heard from Donald Trump earlier in an interview with Chris Cuomo. And of course Donald Trump
a presidential contender at this point suggesting that gun laws don't need tightening clearly. There is a big, old lobby out there.
Let's see whether anything changes going forward.
Thank you for that.
I want to move on to Brian who is joining us now. I want to zero in on the gunman's use of social media in this tragedy. I've heard it
described as jaw dropping. It was disgusting I think is the way I would describe it.
Can you just explain to our viewers the sequence of events, as it were, very briefly. And what we might do sort of going forward to correct
what happened.
BRIAN STELTER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hearing Sara talk I can't help but be sad by it. You know, what she's describing is close-mindedness. And in
journalism, we tend to like open-mindedness and the ability to change your mind if you receive new information.
The new information we received yesterday, and the reason why what happened in this shooting was so uniquely horrific, is because it was
filmed from multiple points of view. It's something we've not seen in the United States before.
First of all, it happened on live TV. This gunman was stalking his victims. He walked up behind them while they were on live TV. He waited
for the camera to come back to the reporter and her guest before opening fire. And that was broadcast live on TV by a local station, then it
appeared online as websites reposted the video before they knew anyone had died.
And then a few hours later, the killer himself put up his version of events, his video -- he had a GoPro type camera strapped on his body. You
can see the gun pointed at them before he starts firing.
He posted that on to Twitter and Facebook. And to credit the sites, they took the videos down as fast as they could, but the video now that it
was put up once, you can't scrub it away entirely, that's not how the internet works.
So, the videos are now findable on some news websites that have chosen to post them, not CNN's, and on various sites like Live Leak that
specialize, unfortunately, in this kind of graphic material.
ANDERSON: Yeah. Users -- I've been seeing across social media today calling for what's known as autoplay to be opt in only after being forced,
many of them, to unwittingly watch the gunman's video of this murder. Will we see some action?
[11:50:03] STELTER: That's the other new piece of this. I had never seen this become an issue until the shooting yesterday. It's the idea that
when you're on a webpage, we've all experienced this, the video just starts playing automatically. The reason why we do that in the media is because
we want you to watch the video, we want to have you see the ad in front of it. We want you to watch our content.
But to have autoplay on a graphic video like this did disturb a lot of people. We've seen it turned off in some instances as a result.
It's a problem, though, it's a conundrum for the industry, for sites like Twitter and for website operators as well, news website operators.
Because it is a functionality that has good value, but really shouldn't be applied in situations like this.
You know, I think the whole point about graphic material, whether it's an ISIS beheading video, or it's a shooting in Virginia, is that you should
have to choose if you want to watch it. That's why we're not playing it on repeat here on TV, right, because you're -- you have no choice to see it
right now, but at least on the internet you have to click the button and choose to watch it. That seems like the compromise of sorts that's being
struck here by media outlets across the country.
ANDERSON: So, I know what's known as the cache of video and/or images that were posted by this killer were taken down pretty quickly -- his
Facebook site taken down, his Twitter site taken down. I know, for example, one of the kids in my family noticed that even on Google the
images have been taken down.
Are you impressed, to a certain extent, how quickly these corporates are now working to get rid of that sort of despicable content?
STELTER: You know, I have been.
ANDERSON: ...the fact is, it got there didn't it? It got in front of people's eyes before it was taken down.
STELTER: Yeah, there's no way to stop it from being posted initially, that's what we all love about the internet that any of us can post
anything. That's the radical, wonderful nature of the internet.
But I had his twitter page open looking at it when he was posting these videos and sure enough, popped up on my screen this page is no longer
accessible. It happened very quickly by these big social networking sites.
It is actually because of ISIS, because of overseas terror threats that these United States based websites have put these systems in place to
take down content quickly.
So, they've gotten better, actually, at doing this.
But there is one argument in favor of showing the videos, there's one argument that I think does hold some merit, and that is if people see the
violence up close and personally, if they see people dying, maybe this gun debate will get more attention in the U.S. Just a maybe.
ANDERSON: Fascinating. All right. Good point.
Thank you.
Live from Abu Dhabi, this is Connect the World with me Becky Anderson. We're going to take a very short break. When I come back, something has
happened in the last, what, couple of hours or so this as quick as lightning. Usain Bolt beat rival Justin Gatlin to win 200 meter gold at
the World Athletics Championships.
Stay with us. I want to show you more.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: For the second time in a week, Usain Bolt proved the doubters wrong, beating rival Justin Gatlin to win 200 meters gold at the
World Athletic Championship. Have a look at this. The 100 meter final, of course, had been on Sunday and had been razor close, .01 of a second, in
fact. But this time, it was much more clear cut. You just seen it, Bolt pulling away in the final 100 meters to claim the gold in style, his 10th
world title.
Well, CNN's World Sports presenter Kate Riley joins me now from Atlanta. And Kate, has Bolt forever laid to rest thoughts of him being
challenged on the track, do you think?
KATE RILEY, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDETN: Yes, Becky, you would have thought so. He was out of the blocks first. Justin Gatlin did give him a
run for his money, though, a very tight competition at the start of the race. And then you can see Bolt then opened up this unassailable lead over
the first 100 meters before coming away down the straight and then we'll see in a moment him jabbing him thumbs with his chest as he crosses the
line. The fans got what they wanted, that trademark kick of Bolt's, that acceleration on the home straight, which he's known for. He crossed the
line first comfortably. And now the focus is on whether or not Bolt can go for the triple this weekend. He'll run in the 4x100 relay for Jamaica as
well.
[11:55:31] ANDERSON: All right. Good stuff. It did, though, take somebody other than a racer to knock Bolt off his feet after the race. What
happened?
RILEY: All right. So it's your moment of glory, isn't it, Becky. You're doing your lap of honor. It's not enough just to come away with a
gold medal, oh no, no. Unfortunately for Bolt, he didn't get to celebrate his lap of honor. His lap of honor, however, will be remembered for all
the wrong reasons, because you can see here on our screens that a cameraman is on a Segway, he loses balance and takes Bolt out from behind as well.
Luckily, though, Bolt has only come away with a few cuts and bruises, and apparently he'll still be able to compete for the triple come this
weekend.
Quite amazing scenes there.
ANDERSON: That is quite remarkable.
Listen, you've suggested -- he was hobbling a little bit afterwards -- oh, goodness, yeah you're going to see it again.
Listen, you've talked about this weekend coming up. Can they compete against the Americans in the 4x100?
RILEY: Yeah, you know, all the experts are actually saying that it'll be the Americans, including Justin Gatlin, who perhaps will be the
strongest team out there. There will be some notable absentees in the Jamaican squad as well. So, Bolt will really have to pull out something
special to come away with the triple this weekend.
We'll see. Stranger things have happened, but we'll see.
ANDERSON: Yeah. He's not going to use a Segway to do it, though, is he? He's going to keep walking away from those. He'll -- that natural
inclination to speed.
All right, thank you.
Tonight's Parting Shots. I want to leave you tonight with one nation's joy as it bids good riddance to he scourge of Ebola. These
jubilant scenes are health workers celebrating in Sierra Leone where according the WHO the last known patient with Ebola walked out of a
treatment center on Monday.
Omar Sanko (ph) had just made a full recovery. If no more cases appear in the next 42 days the country will officially be declared Ebola
free, a good news story.
I'm Becky Anderson. That was Connect the World. From the team here, it is a very good evening.
END
