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Connect the World
Saudi Court Rejects Appeal Of Controversial Execution; Volunteers Helping Palestinians Harvest Olives; Massive Earthquake Strikes Afghanistan/Pakistan Border; The Bond Brand; Fears of Global Economic Slowdown Ahead of World Economic Forum. Aired 11:00a-12:00p ET
Aired October 26, 2015 - 11:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[11:00:16] BECKY ANDERSON, HOST: Pakistan and Afghanistan hit by an earthquake. At this hour the 7.5-magnitude tremor has left at least 118
people dead, hundreds injured and rubble of collapsed buildings in its wake. I'm going to give you a report from the region, up next.
Also ahead...
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): We could at any time turn on the TV or the radio and hear the decision announced there.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Waiting on death row. I sit down with a man whose son and brother face beheading and crucifixion in Saudi Arabia. Their story later
in the show.
Plus, traditionally a symbol of peace, olive branches are now also embroiled in the tensions of Israelis and Palestinians, but one group of
volunteers is working to promote a peaceful harvest. More from the olive groves later this hour.
ANNOUNCER: Live from CNN Abu Dhabi, this is Connect the World with Becky Anderson.
ANDERSON: A very good evening from the UAE at just after 7:00 in the evening. Dozens of people are dead hours after South Asia was hit by a
powerful 7.5-magnitude earthquake. It was centered in northeastern Afghanistan, but it shook the ground in several countries across the
region.
In Pakistan, at least 146 people are reported dead, nearly 600 are injured, but these numbers
have been going up all day as remote areas reached.
And in northern Afghanistan, 12 girls were killed in a stampede as they rushed out of their school.
Now, the epicenter of the quake was in northeastern Afghanistan. As you can see on this map, tremors were felt hundreds of kilometers away.
As far north as Kyrgyzstan as far south as India's capital New Delhi. And that's where CNN Ravi Agriwal joins us now live.
Ravi, what's the latest, as you understand it?
RAVI AGRIWAL, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Becky, well the latest is that the death toll that CNN has been able to independently confirm is
now about 180 across Pakistan and Afghanistan. And the sad reality of a crisis like this is that we can well expect that number to rise as we hear
more from the far-flung parts of those two countries.
Getting in touch with people there has been quite difficult over the last few hours. Phone lines are down in many areas, and so we actually at
this stage, we still don't know how bad the damage could be in the remote parts of those two countries. We've been hearing from people in Kabul,
however, and there our producer has told us that this was the most severe quake that he had felt in many years.
And when he was driving around the city afterwards, he said that he actually didn't see that much devastation around the city. So perhaps
that's a ray of light that we can hold onto for now.
But further south where I am here in New Delhi, it's about 750 miles south of the epicenter, we felt the tremors pretty strongly. We could see
the walls around us shake, lampshades were shaking, And we knew this was quite a serious and severe earthquake -- Becky.
ANDERSON: All right.
All right, Ravi on the story from New Delhi for you.
Now comes a scramble is rescue survivors and assess the damage, as Ravi pointed out.
Joining me now is Unni Krishnan. He's the head of disaster preparedness and response at Plan International.
And Unni, this is one of a number of earthquakes, sadly, that this region has experienced in, say, the last 10 years. You're very familiar
with the sort of aftermath of these incidents.
What happens at this point? Just how prepared is this region?
UNNI KRISHNAN, PLAN INTERNATINOAL: OK, there are two different things. First of all, what is needed right now, search and rescue, medical
assistance and actually rescuing people from collapsed buildings should be the priority and for the survivors time is running out and quick action is
need. That's the first thing and that's the foremost thing that should be happening right now.
Second, you mentioned about several earthquakes. Yes, in Iran in 2003, in Berm (ph), thousands of people died. And moving further 2005 in
Pakistan, up to 75,000 people died. And also the Indian side of Kashmir was also impacted during that earthquake.
And recently, six months ago in Nepal -- in fact yesterday we were observing a Plan Nepal -- our Plan International team in Nepal were
observing the six months of the earthquake. And there has been in between either earthquakes or shocks in other countries in the region as well.
So, we should be taking building safety and local level preparedness very, very seriously, because -- especially if you look at other remote
places that has been impacted because of this earthquake, it will be the local people who will always be the first responders, and sometimes our
only responders during the initial hours. And supporting them and helping them to prepare better to deal with earthquakes is absolutely key.
Plan International works in these countries and our work often focuses on children, that's our priority. And we work with children in schools so
that they can start learning about the preparedness and readiness from very early days itself.
We were watching about what has happened to 12 girls in Afghanistan who died when they were running away from the school. This -- and our
thoughts are with them and their families, and there these are sadly some of the things which we can avoid if we put better preparedness and
readiness missions in place.
And that's where investments are needed, especially focusing on children.
[11:06:12] ANDERSON: How significant was it that this was an earthquake that happened during the day as opposed to in the hours of
darkness and that it was relatively deep underground, wasn't it?
KRISHNAN: Absolutely. This earthquake was much deeper if you look at the scale -- on the Richter scale, this was more or less like what happened
in 2005, but the number of people who may die from this earthquake is likely to be less because it was very, very deep.
And the second thing that happened during that time, so the fact that many people were not sleeping inside their houses, that's what happens
during nighttime and if the building collapsed, they have no way of getting out of some of these buildings.
So, these two helped actually, will definitely contribute to reducing the number of deaths.
At the same time, this also happened during school hours. And we know that unsafe schools and school buildings kill a lot of children, and unsafe
buildings kill people. So we need to watch out in the next few hours the information that is coming from Afghanistan, especially locations close to
the epicenter and other places as well.
ANDERSON: Unni Krishnan is the head of disaster preparedness and response at Plan
International joining you out of London this evening. Unni, thank you.
ANDERSON: Still to come this hour on CNN, Russia's airstrikes in Syria raising tensions with the U.S. Now is Russia considering expanding
that campaign? Well, we'll get some answers on that.
First up, though, from war hero to soldier at peace, Israel remembers Prime Minister who paid the ultimate price for pursuing a final peace
agreement with the Palestinians.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:11:13] ANDERSON: This is CNN and Connect the World with me, Becky Anderson. It's 7:11 here in the UAE.
A peace deal between Israelis and Palestinians appears more elusive than ever as violence continues to escalate.
But 20 years ago, there was a real sense of hope until an assassin's bullets took the life of Yitzhak Rabin.
All this week, Israel is commemorating the prime minister who won a Nobel Peace Prize for
his efforts to reach a final agreement with Palestinians.
A soldier turned statesman, Rabin negotiated the Oslo accords with Yassir Arafat in 1993. Two years later, a Jewish extremist gunned him down
at a peace rally in Tel Aviv.
Well, let's get more from Oren Liebermann who is live for you in Jerusalem.
And Oren, tell us about the commemorations today for Mr. Rabin.
OREN LIEBERMANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, for this afternoon's commemoration comes on the anniversary of Rabin's death by the Jewish
calendar. The one by the Gregorian calendar just a few days away here.
The ceremony itself was held at Mount Herzl, which is where many famous and important Jews are buried, or Israelis are buried, including of
course Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin.
There were a number of speakers there. The president, the prime minister, but it was the shortest speech that was perhaps the most powerful
coming from Dalia Rabin, Yitzhak Rabin's daughter.
She spoke as if speaking to her father of -- or perhaps the memory of her father saying that
the hatred that existed then exists now. Here's what she had to say.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DALIA RABIN, YITZHAK RABIN'S DAUGHTER (through translator): i have no good news to tell you. There is no political process. There is terrorism
and blood is being shed once more, and hatred is on the rise.
And I have no other country. And yet my country has changed its face.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LIEBERMANN: Again, a very short but a very powerful speech there from Dalia Rabin, lamenting about the tensions now between Israelis and
Palestinians, tensions that Yitzhak Rabin worked so hard to alleviate or to ease.
Prime Minister Netanyahu spoke for quite a bit, but he didn't talk about Rabin all that much. He talked about the situation on the ground
today, tensions between Israelis and Palestinians, even mentioning Iran during his speech.
He said he had disagreements with Rabin, which is very much an understatement. Becky, Netanyahu to this day is blamed by his critics for
the atmosphere of incitement that 20 years ago led to Rabin's assassination.
ANDERSON: A commemoration of a life 20 years on. Meantime, that tension -- or those manifested once again in violence on the streets.
What's the latest?
LIEBERMANN: Well, still more of these attacks that we're seeing here, none again in Jerusalem, Jerusalem itself as a city has been quiet or
relatively quiet, I should say, for more than a week now. But the IDF says earlier today, early this morning, even, a Palestinian stabbed an IDF
soldier outside the city of Hebron in the southern West Bank. That soldier was stabbed in the neck and rushed to the hospital. The IDF says forces at
the scene shot and killed the alleged Palestinian attacker.
Then later in the day -- in fact just a couple hours ago -- at this point, the IDF says they thwarted another alleged attack.
So, the violence continues. It does seem to be tapering off, but this is so day to day, Becky, that anything at this point can still change
either way.
The hope, of course, that the 24-hour surveillance that was announced on Jerusalem's holy sites might somehow alleviate tension not only in
Jerusalem but also in the West Bank.
LIEBERMANN: Oren Liebermann is in Jerusalem.
And we're going to hear much more from Dalia Rabin. Later this week, we'll be interviewing the daughter of the late Israeli prime minister right
here on Connect the World. Do stay with us for that throughout the week.
We've seen Russians airstrikes in Syria over the past few weeks, moving on tonight. Now an Iranian news agency reports those strikes could
extend into Iraq.
Russia says it launched its air campaigns to target terrorists, including ISIS. But U.S.-backed opposition groups accused Russia of
targeting them.
Russian officials called for Syria to hold elections, suggesting a push for a political solution. A Russian lawmaker says the Syrian
President Bashar al-Assad is willing to hold those elections, but his priority is considering those he suspects to be, quote, terrorists.
Our senior international diplomatic editor Nic Robertson is joining us from Moscow for you live now.
One of the key players in the Syrian war, Nic, the Free Syrian Army, came out today saying it would cooperate with Russia under one condition, a
spokesman said, and I quote, "if they stop helping Assad, we are happy to coordinate with them. We're happy to coordinate with anybody. The
Iranians, anybody."
Nic, is there much truth, do you think, in that, or is this just another sign of how murky and multi-layered this conflict is?
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: It's definitely an indication of how multi-layered it is and how difficult it is for each of
the players in this to maneuver to the best position for them.
Look, I mean, essentially what the Free Syrian Army is saying here is no thanks, because
surely they don't believe -- because they're the ones that say they're being targeted by Russian aircraft at the moment -- that Russia will stop
backing President Bashar al-Assad. They say they're not. They say that they're attacking ISIS, but that's the broader perception.
They've gone in there, they said, at the invitation of President Bashar al-Assad, they're supporting his troop on the ground as they try to
regain territory from the opposition, including the Free Syrian Army.
So, the Free Syrian Army here is saying, yes, okay, we'll take that support, but you've got to drop your support for Assad, and that seems at
the moment a nonstarter.
And they also went to say, as well, and I think this is most telling, Becky, that they really are not sure, not clear about the Russian position.
And they went beyond that as well, saying that they don't trust the Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
So, they said, yes, but it might also sound like pretty much like a no as well.
ANDERSON: A diplomatic development in the last couple of hours. Oman's foreign minister visit visiting Syria.
As you can see in this -- in these images, he met with the president there, President Assad who thanked the country for its support.
Oman is, of course, a member of the Gulf Cooperation Council, the GCC, with the likes of Saudi Arabia, the UAE here, and Qatar who themselves
support the opposition.
What's behind the visit, Nic, do you think? And is it likely to anger the other GCC members?
ROBERTSON: You know, I think Oman has a special position in the Gulf, because it has recognized that it can sort of diplomatically straddle
arenas where other countries can't. We've seen Oman help the United States in its relations with Iran, for example, getting hostages, people held
prisoner there in Iran, freed, Americans freed.
The role that Oman can play here will be another voice to Bashar al- Assad, perhaps to amplify or echo what Russia has been saying to him when he came to Moscow here to visit President Putin just last week.
So I think perhaps what we're seeing is some of that.
And what we're being told is being said in this meeting is their discussing the possible political process of a broadening list of talks
that involve wider parties in the region. So, perhaps Oman can play this particular role.
Russia is -- President Bashar al-Assad says that he's willing to stand for these elections if the Syrian people want him. That's kind of nothing
new.
The implication of what Russia has been saying is that perhaps Bashar al-Assad can be in for a
transition period once the fighting against the terrorists is over.
What -- how is Oman maneuvering through all of this? It certainly isn't clear at the moment if Iran is ready to let President Bashar al-Assad
go as soon as perhaps Russia might be implicit in what's being said here.
So, we're seeing a huge sort of diplomatic effort emanating from Russia and allying with all
sorts of different people and countries, and Oman I think is no exception to this and perhaps plays -- can play an important and delicate diplomatic
role at this time.
ANDERSON: Nic Robertson is in Moscow for you this evening. Nic, thank you.
Live from Abu Dhabi, we're in the UAE with Connect the World.
Coming up, World Economic Forum global summit being held right here in Abu Dhabi. We're going to be live at the event shortly to look at the
issue reshaping the region and indeed the world.
And this building was once the tallest in the Southern hemisphere. Well, now it's getting a makeover to showcase Africa. We're going to take
you to Capetown up next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JOHN DEFTERIOS, EMERGING MARKETS EDITOR: When this grain silo was built nearly 100 years ago in Capetown, it was the tallest building in the
southern hemisphere. Now this massive, weather-beaten structure will be the biggest contemporary art of the African museum.
The $38 million Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa sits within this VNW waterfront development.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Back in 1987, it was probably one of the least inhabited, it was one of the most dangerous no-go areas within Capetown,
South Africa. Today, our visitor numbers are around 25 million people. Now in anybody's town 25 million people is a pretty significant attendance
per anum.
DEFTERIOS: It's one of South Africa's commercial success stories currently contributing about $2.5 billion to the country's GDP.
The chief executive says, an artistic addition will add, of course, to the footfall.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: More about the realization that if we are going to continue to expand the waterfront and grow and continue to achieve these
level of growth, you have to do something that is fresh, new and different. And I think that's the main reason from a commercial point of view behind
bringing this museum in.
DEFTERIOS: The museum will house the art acquired by its namesake, German businessman Johann Zeitz, a prolific African art collector.
Curator, Mark Coetzee, thinks the museum will help boost African art's standing in the world.
MARK COETZEE, CURATOR: I think for me the value is untold, because it's the first time that this has been done. It's the first time that a
body of work is being brought together to represent not only the continent, but also the continent's influence globally.
[11:25:07] DEFTERIOS: Designed by British architect Thomas Heatherwick (ph), the team's project leader, Matt Cash (ph) says working
within the confines of the existing silo structure required a lot of creative thinking.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What we wanted to do was play with the amazing structure it already has, play with the tubes, play with the upper machine
parts, so when you visit the building hopefully you get a sense that far history that's been reinvented.
DEFTERIOS: Indeed, they even drew on the building's former purpose to help with their design technique.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What we figured out that the best kind of cutting medium to use would be the object that would have been stored in these
grain silos for so many years. So, we took a singular grain of corn, and we've still got the grain of corn back in the workshop somewhere. And we
supersized it and used that to scallop out the heart of this scheme which created these bolted spaces inside the heart of the storage bins.
DEFTERIOS: For Coetzee, the museum's value goes far beyond commercial success or innovative design.
COETZEE: It gives our artists kind of an equal playing field. It means they can get exposure, it means they can have budgets, they can have
space, they can have institutional resources and support to dream on the scale that we see many other artists in many other countries dream in.
DEFTERIOS: One grain at a time, this dream is becoming an African reality.
John Defterius, One Square Meter, CNN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:30:14] ANDERSON: At just after half past 7:00 in the UAE, this is Connect the World with me, Becky Anderson.
Top stories for you this hour. And a powerful earthquake that hit South Asia in the last few hours has left at least 146 people dead, and
nearly 600 injured in Pakistan. Across the border in Afghanistan, at least 34 people were killed.
The quake was centered in the remote northeastern region of Afghanistan. It shook the ground hundreds of kilometers away.
A man has been arrested in connection with an attack on a military base in Belgium. Officials said he tried to ram a car into a fence, but
was stopped by soldiers who fired shots. No one was injured and terrorism is not suspected.
European leaders have come up with an emergency plan for to help ease the influx of migrants into the continent. One point includes the set up
of reception centers to accommodate and additional 100,000 in Greece and the western Balkans.
At least 680,000 migrants have arrived in Europe by sea so far this year.
And it's deadline day for those hoping to become the next FIFA president. Nominations close in a few hours. And European football's
general-secretary has just joined the race with the full report of UEFA's executive committee.
The election to determine who replaces Seth Blatter takes place next February.
Well, voters in several countries went to the polls on Sunday, and as results start come in concerns about the economy seemed to be playing a big
role everywhere.
In Poland, a conservative party is declaring victory in what polls indicate could be a sweeping win. The party opposes having migrants
relocate to Europe.
And no kidding early results indicate that a former comedian Jimmy Morales will be Guatemala's new president running as a political outsider.
He's promising to clean up the way the country is run as it reels from a corruption scandal.
And Argentina appears to be heading to its first ever presidential runoff. The capital's mayor came out surprisingly strongly against the
candidate favored by the outgoing president. Argentina's stagnant economy remains a big issue. And voters are split over who to choose to fix it.
And our extensive coverage for all of those elections and others right around the world continues online. We break down the numbers for you in
the race in Guatemala as voters there went to the ballot box for their ninth presidential election in less than 20 years. Find how the how they
hope this one will be different. All that and more CNN.com.
Well, the precursor to the World Economic Forum is taking place here in Abu Dhabi. Leaders from the world of business and politics in the city
to discuss key issues. Among them, worries about a potential global economic downturn in 2016 and the Middle East isn't exempt.
Regional instability and the falling price of oil have hit governments here hard over the past year.
Well, CNN's emerging markets editor John Defterios has been at the forum and he joins me now. And John, the IMF warning governments in this
region to cut their spending. How bad is the forecast for Gulf countries at this point?
DEFTERIOS: In fact, Becky, let's call it the new crude reality. This is $50 oil or lower lasting
for longer. This is the dominant theme here at the World Economic Forum on this side of the F1 circuit. The IMF raised alarm bells, particularly for
Saudi Arabia suggesting that it could burn through its reserves, $650 billion or slightly higher, by 2020 if oil stays where it is today.
In fact, the geopolitical strategist Ian Bremmer suggested this is a very nasty combination of having upheaval on the borders of Saudi Arabia
because of Yemen and a prolonged slump in oil prices. Let's take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
IAN BREMMER, ANALYST: With oil prices being what they are and with the security on Saudi Arabia's borders in Yemen and Iraq being as troubled
as it is, you have to wonder about the stability of the Saudi Kingdom itself. That's the single biggest question in the Middle East that I think
has to be upsetting people.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
DEFTERIOS: Pretty bold statement by Ian Bremmer there, and another one, Becky, suggesting if we see this slump for another five years or so,
it would lead to a second Arab Spring. And he's suggesting keep a close eye, as he was pointing to Saudi Arabia, Iraq -- and a country we don't
cover very often, Algeria.
And there are social pressures on the employment front. The unemployment rate has been
rising. There is going to be another 10 million Arabs joining the work force by 2020.
So, again, lower oil prices, rising unemployment and the harsh reality again that governments don't have that much money to spend as a buffer,
Becky.
[11:35:04] ANDERSON: John, countries are reacting differently to these challenges. What's the UAE doing?
DEFTERIOS: Well, it's interesting you raise the UAE because they've seen budget cuts
right across the board as a result of the lower oil prices. The UAE has a break-even price of $70 a barrel. Qatar is in very good shape at $53,
Kuwait at $49 a barrel.
But it's interesting that the UAE is moving ahead beyond the budget cuts, for example looking to introducing a VAT tax, looking at introducing
a corporate tax as early as at the end 2016, and this is despite the fact they have a huge buffer. Basically, the minister of cabinet affairs
Mohammed Al Gergawi told me there is no reason to race a crisis, you need to push ahead with reforms. Let's take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MOHAMMAD AL GERGAWI, UAE MINISTER OF CABINET AFFAIRS: We looked at the problem. I said, you know what, let's wait to sort it out or it will
sort itself out. Nothing will happen.
We've been through that in a difficult time. We need to work harder, basically, but we need to be always wise.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
DEFTERIOS: Always wise, and he was pointing back in our conversation about the 1991 Gulf
War, suggesting we had the Iraq War, the war between Iraq and Iran, but he said you do need to continue with reforms. Interesting number for the UAE
with better than a trillion dollars of savings, Becky. The IMF was suggesting they could go 30 years with $50 oil, but they don't want to burn
through the savings and that's the concern, of course, that we share tonight with Saudi Arabia, because they have not pushed through the reforms
and they have not pushed through the fuel subsidies and the price right now seems stubbornly low at $50 or below for the last three months.
Back to you.
ANDERSON: Yeah, fascinating. All right, John, thank you.
John Defterios at Yaz (ph) for you this evening.
A recent Saudi court ruling threatening to flare up religious tensions across the Middle East. The Kingdom has rejected an appeal and decided to
move ahead with the beheading and crucifixion of senior Shia cleric and his nephew.
He has been found guilty of sedition, but critics say the move is politically motivated.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: A thorn in the side of Saudi Arabia's ruling family. Fiery words of dissent Shiite Cleric Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr (ph), arrested in 2012.
A Saudi court recently unheld his death sentence, rejected his final appeal. His life now depends on King Salman signing his execution order.
The cleric's nephew, Ali, awaits the same fate. He's also on death row for crimes allegedly committed during protests inspired by the Arab
Spring, when he was only 17.
Ali's father believes the charges against his son were motivated to spite his brother.
MOHAMMED AL-NIMR, BROTHER AND FATHER OF DEATH ROW INMATES (through translator): Sheikh Nimr's arrest created a political and security crisis
in the area.
ANDERSON: The cleric was accused of inciting sectarian strife, sedition and breaking, quote, allegiances with the ruler.
He and his young nephew are sentenced to beheading and crucifixion meaning a public display of the body after death.
AL-NIMR (through translator): King Salman could sign the execution order and it would be
carried out. But this decision would have consequences, consequences that could be dangerous on a regional level.
ANDERSON: Iran's deputy foreign minister warned Sunday that the, quote, "execution of Sheikh Nimr would mean Saudi Arabia facing a heavy
cost."
Human rights groups have urged Saudi authorities to commute the sentence of the younger Nimr on the grounds that he was a minor at the time
of his arrest.
How soon do you believe that if your son is executed it will happen?
AL-NIMR (through translator): Usually the interior ministry does not notify anyone. They will kill the child or the convicted at a specific
time. We could at any time turn on the TV or the radio and hear the decision announced there.
ANDERSON: The sobering reality of a case seemingly brought about by politics and religion. But ultimately a family tragedy played out on a
public stage.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Live from Abu Dhabi, this is Connect the World. Coming up, the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians playing out in an olive
grove. We'll show you how volunteers from Israel and elsewhere are trying to stem the fight over West Bank olive trees.
And Daniel Craig is back as James Bond, but it is not just the high octane action that enthralls the crowds, but the style that comes with it.
We're going to take a look at the company's involved in what is "Brand Bond."
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: About a quarter to 8:00 in the UAE. Welcome back.
Let's crack on with the show shall we. And returning to one of our top stories this hour, growing unrest between Israelis and Palestinians.
Olive trees, historically a symbol of peace, are in the middle of what is a tug-of-war over land. West Bank olive groves have been the scene of
attacks on Palestinian farmers, but as my colleague Ben Wedeman reports, some Israelis and international volunteers are trying to promote a peaceful
harvest.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BEN WEDEMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Armed with a knife, a masked man kicks and punches Rabbi Arik Asherman on a West Bank hillside near the Jewish
settlement of (inaudible). Over the years, Rabbi Asherman has had many run- ins with settlers. He heads a group called Rabbis for Human Rights which brings volunteers to help Palestinian farmers harvest their olives.
[11:45:20] RABBI ARIK ASHERMAN, RABBIS FOR HUMAN RIGHTS: I think we have, of course, maybe the most, the government most supportive of the
settlers ever. And I think that gives the message to settlers and other Israelis who have that violent tendency that they can get away with things.
Israeli police are investigating the incident.
Nearly 400,000 Israelis have settled throughout the West Bank. Their settlements often on or near land where Palestinians have cultivated olive
trees for generations. The settlers claim they are attacked and harassed by Palestinians. What isn't in dispute is that the olive harvest is yet
another time when tensions flare. The troubles that come with the annual olive harvest go to the very heart of this conflict. Yes, religion does
play a part in it. But, at its very essence, it is all about control of the land.
London resident David Amos comes to the West Bank village of Bil'in every year to help in the harvest. And last week, another masked settler beat him
with stones during the harvest. Israeli police acknowledge that with the recent rise in tensions, there have been dozens of attacks on Palestinians
in the West Bank.
DAVID AMOS, BRITISH VOLUNTEER: Because I am British. Because I am international, then there is news. It makes me ashamed. So, that makes me
angry.
WEDEMAN: He witnessed the beating and complains that many such attacks have been under the eyes of the Israeli army. We are surrounded by the army
and settlements he says. And the settlers are protected by the army. They don't come without them. He brought his wife and son and other relatives to
their olive grove in the shadow of an Israeli settlement. He insists despite regular harassment, he is not going anywhere. Where can we go, he
asks. We aren't going to leave our village. We aren't going to give up our land. And the only way we will leave is if you shoot me and bury me here.
This year's olive harvest is expected to be average. But, as always, one tinged with bitterness.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDESRON: Coming up, tonight James Bond is all about high-octane action often taking place in spectacular cars. We're going to take a look
at what Daniel Craig will be driving in Spectre.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
[11:51:17] UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Everything you believed in are ruined. Why did you come?
DANIEL CRAIG, ACTOR: I came here to kill you.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: James Bond returns to the big screen tonight with the premiere of Spectre in London.
Many people won't get to see it until November, but that was a sneak peek for you.
James Bond is seen as a style icon around the world. Isa Soares then looking at firms which are partnered with "Brand Bond" over the decades.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Sorry about that.
ISA SOARES, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDNET: Blink and you'll miss it: 7Up, Seiko, and British Airways, among the first product placements to
feature in a bond movie, launching a trend that has turned into a lucrative relationship
between Bond and brands.
Talk to us about what brands get out of the franchise, and what does the franchise get out of these big brands?
DARRYL COLIS, DIRECTOR: So, when a brand ties in with something like James Bond, what they're tying it with is a property that is going to have
global reach and it's also an identity and a personality that kind of says a lot about the brand. And what the production get out of it is brands who
are willing to promote their association with James Bond on a global scale.
SOARES: And there have been many. Take Die Anotehr Day, the 2002 movie alone featured as many as 20 brand partners.
PIERCE BROSNAN, ACTOR: If there's any left, 61 Bolinger.
SOARES: From champagne to cars.
JOHN CLEESE, ACTOR: Aston Martin call it the Vanquish, we call it the Vanish.
SOARES: To watches.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Rolex.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Omega.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Beautiful
SOARES: They all have stood the test of time.
Others, though, have faced criticism for diluting the traditional sophisticated Bond image. Many 007 fans felt shaken not stirred after
Bond's move to drinking Heineken in Skyfall.
If you're a Bond fan, do not despair, Bond is returning to his drink of choice, a martini, in Specter. This after Belvedere Vodka, owned by
LVMH, signed a partnership deal for an undisclosed sum.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Excellent choice, Mr. Bond.
SOARES: In the upcoming movie, Belvedere is among 14 official brand partners, all vying for the attention of mostly savvy male Millennials who
don't mind seeing products on the big screen.
JAMES CHAPMAN, UNIVERSITY OF LEICESTER: I think if that's too obvious, or too excessive then people can take against it. It's seen as a
sort of crass commercialism and distracting from the narrative.
But when it is does in a subtle way, or maybe in a rather ironic way, incorporated in a film in a way that we associate with James Bond, I think
audiences appreciate it.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You have no authority, none.
SOARES: With each incarnation, the enigmatic spy has evolved with the time and so have the products he uses, mirroring the changing tastes of his
fans.
While the secretive deals between 007 and advertisers are worthy of an MI-6 operation, it is no secret this is a priceless partnership for both.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think we are just getting started.
SOARES: Isa Soares, CNN, London.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Magnificent, isn't she?
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Well, do stay tuned to CNN. Our very own Max Foster will be reporting live from the red carpet in a couple hours' time as the stars
of the movie and members of the royal family attend that premiere in London. That is a couple hours from now, so stick with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Well, we thought we would stick with the program, as it were. In tonight's Parting Shots he's known for his womanizing ways and
his love for martinis, shaken not stirred, of course, but one other thing that we've come to expect from Mr. Bond and his films is high-octane action
scenes, as we've just scene, using some of the best cars in the world.
And this is the car from the latest film Spectre, the bespoke Aston Martin DB-10. The new film reportedly involves the destruction of around
$38 million worth cars in total. Yes, it does. The most of any James Bond production.
For many of you fuel heads out there, that must be a nightmare.
Before we go tonight, we want to tell you about a special series that we are launching on our Facebook page this week. Relentless war has driven
millions of Syrians from their homes, as you are well aware. And among the refugees now living in neighboring countries, are many kids. Despite the
hardship that they have endured, their childlike creativity does live on.
Now, films may by the refugee children can be seen on our Facebook page. They are based on their personal life stories, how their families,
for example, had to run away from the peace that they once new to very different lives as refugees.
And each night this week, we will be bringing you one of eight movies, which premiered at the Charges International Children Film Festival (ph)
here in the UAE.
And you can watch those movies exclusively on our Facebook page. Head to Facebook.com/cnnconnect. They are fantastic. Do let us know what you
think as well as anything else you think about the show and its content.
I'm Becky Anderson, that was Connect the World. From the team here, it's a very good evening.
END
