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Connect the World
Expo 2020 Begins ahead of Opening Ceremony; Sarah Everard's Killer Sentenced to Life in Prison; Family says U.S. Should Have Apologized to them Personally; Energy Shortages in China Cause Power Outages; Afghan Musicians go Silent over Fear of Taliban Punishment; Expo 2020 Parade Welcomes World & Business Leaders. Aired 11a-12p ET
Aired September 30, 2021 - 11:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[11:00:00]
ELENI GIOKOS, CNN HOST, CONNECT THE WORLD: Hello and welcome to "Connect the World". I'm Eleni Giokos standing in for Becky Anderson. We'll have all
the day's top stories but first CNN's comprehensive coverage of the six month long Expo 2020 in Dubai, it's happening right here right now.
A parade is about to get underway ahead of the opening ceremony which begins in one hour. And you're looking at live pictures from the Expo, the
first to be held in the Middle East. And the one word that best describes it big, big in participation. 192 countries are here, the most ever for a
World Expo big in area covering nearly 4.4 square kilometers the size of 800 football fields.
And if organizers get their wish, big in attendance, it's anticipated 25 million people will visit over the next six months making this largest
global gathering since the start of the pandemic. CNN will bring you all the big moments along with the way with a look at key presentations and
interviews with business and world leaders coming from our newly built studio on the Expo grounds.
We have Scott McLean on the ground on the scene for us right now and Scott, look, the overarching theme of this Expo, its connecting minds and creating
the future. And it comes at a time where everyone's thinking about the sort of post COVID world.
And if we look at the architecture, if we look at the infrastructure, which you know, if that's sort of a microcosm of what's to come, it looks
optimistic and positive, right.
SCOTT MCLEAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I mean, certainly this is a microcosm of the world with 192 countries represented all kinds of business and other
interests will be here over the next six months. Truth be told Eleni, we've been a little bit restricted, a lot restricted actually, over the last
couple of days in terms of what we can shoot?
You really get the sense of anticipation in the sense that organizers want to present this really sanitized, perfect version of Dubai and the UAE to
the rest of the world. And this is certainly it. You have people doing traditional song and dance as the - I should call them delegates who are
making their way into the - Plaza for this opening ceremony.
Along the side as they come down here. They'll see people doing traditional crafts, demonstrating all kinds of traditional cultural elements of the
United Arab Emirates. And obviously, if you've been to this part of the world, you know that this is not something that's really in your face when
you come here.
You don't meet a lot of Emiratis, you don't really see the local culture on display because there are so, so many foreigners here that sort of
dominate, and certainly foreigners in the service industries, the people that you actually interact with.
We're getting a sense of the local culture, at least the one that organizers want to put on display here. As you mentioned, Eleni, this -
there's a lot of themes on display here. Sustainability, opportunity, mobility, and they're going to be explored over the next six months.
But this event certainly has not been without controversy. Obviously it's had to be delayed for one year, because of the Coronavirus pandemic. This
is really the first big, big world event being held since the pandemic began. And so everyone coming in here has to be double jabbed.
And if you're not you have to be tested. Not to mention the fact that the European Parliament just a couple of weeks ago actually passed a resolution
calling on member countries and European sponsors of this event to withdraw over human rights concerns, something that the Emirati government flatly
rejected.
And all of the European pavilions that we know of are still here, no one has withdrawn, not likely wanting to miss the chance to have some
diplomacy, show off their newest technologies and really put their best foot forward.
It's - what's really amazing as well about this site Eleni is that if you were to go back into 2013 when the bid was first won by Dubai, this was all
just open desert. There was nothing here. There was a camel farmer and a few trees now they have really transformed this site into a small city a
really technologically focused one with really futuristic architecture.
And when it comes to country pavilions some pretty wacky designs there as well Eleni. One of the things to mention it is scorching hot right now it
is 90 plus degrees that is expected to be that way until at least two o'clock in the morning so not a whole lot of relief from the heat.
Obviously they're hoping that it'll cool down to make things a little bit more bearable for people visiting Eleni.
GIOKOS: Yes. I'm bracing myself for the heat tomorrow as well when I join you on the ground. But I will check in on you in about a half an hour as
things get underway there but thanks for that update, Scott much appreciate it.
Alright, so let's move now to other stories making headlines. And in the UK a 48-year-old ex-police officer would die in prison for the kidnapping,
rape and murder of Sarah Everard. A judge in London has sentenced Wayne Couzens to life in prison with no chance of parole in the killing of the 33
year old London woman in March.
[11:05:00]
GIOKOS: The Everard family says "Knowing he will be imprisoned forever bring some relief". Prosecutors say Couzens abused his power as a serving
officer, falsely arresting his victim to kidnap her before murdering her.
The judge described Everard as "A wholly blameless victim". CNN's Nada Bashir is at the Old Bailey Courthouse in London for us. Nada, that just
listening to the details of the story, listening to what Sarah went through in the final moments of her life, and now the sentence finally been given
to Couzens. What is a family saying right now they say that there's a little bit of relief, but it must be such a painful time for them.
NADA BASHIR, CNN PRODUCER: That's right, Eleni. It is a little bit of a relief a semblance of justice for the loss of Sarah Everard. And we heard
those emotional statements yesterday at the first day of the sentencing hearing where Sarah's mother said she was still tormented by thoughts of
what her daughter had to endure.
We heard from them again today, releasing a statement saying that they are pleased that Couzens has now been sentenced to life in prison without
parole, but nothing can bring Sarah back. And also just a short while ago, we heard from the Head of the Metropolitan Police saying that she was
sickened by hearing the evidence that was presented in court yesterday and adding that it has eroded the confidence that the public is supposed to
have in the police force.
And it really is those harrowing details presented by the prosecution in yesterday's hearing that have really shocked the nation as well as the
evidence provided the graphic CCTV footage shows the moments just before Sarah was adopted. Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BASHIR (voice over): This is Sarah Everard just hours before she was killed in March seen here in newly released CCTV footage being stopped by then
serving police officer Wayne Couzens as she made her way home from a friend's house.
It's in this moment investigators say Couzens presented his police ID and handcuffed Everard carrying out a false arrest under the guise of enforcing
COVID-19 lockdown regulations. In the hours that followed Everard was abducted, raped and strangled to death with her killer's police belt.
BASHIR (on camera): It's in this court behind me that Sarah Everard's killer was sentenced to life in prison without parole. It's a sentence that
is only passed out in the most extreme of cases and was issued based on the severity of the crime committed and the abuse of power by the former
serving police officer.
BASHIR (voice over): Wayne Couzens treated her with vile depravity. It was a truly evil thing to do. We all feel betrayed that Couzens abused his
position as a police officer to commit such a - crimes. Defense lawyers told the court that Couzens is filled with self-loathing and abject shame.
The confessed killer kept his head bowed and eyes closed throughout much of the two day sentencing hearing, only raising his gaze briefly when
addressed directly by Everard's family. Everard's family said in a statement after the sentencing they were pleased Couzens would spend the
rest of his life in jail.
Nothing can bring Sarah back, but knowing he will be in prison forever brings some relief. We remember all the lovely things about Sarah, her
laughing and dancing and enjoying life. We hold her safe in our hearts.
Sarah's murder spots in nationwide outpouring of shock, grief and anger over what some have described as an epidemic of violence against women in
the UK anger which has only intensified in recent days following the murder of 28-year-old school teacher Sabina Nessa who was killed just meters from
her home in Southeast London.
And while the sentencing of Wayne Couzens has bought some semblance of justice to the family of Sarah Everard, her death and the brutal manner in
which she was killed, remains incomprehensible for so many.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BASHIR: And this case has really reverberated across the country and many are still asking the question, what is being done to prevent cases like
this from ever happening again? And as we did hear from Cressida Dick, the Head of the Metropolitan Police, saying that she will do everything in her
power to ensure that the police can learn lessons from this case learning, Eleni.
GIOKOS: No. Thank you very much, Nada for that update. And for your reporting much appreciate it. We're going to a short break and we'll be
back with more analysis right after this. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:10:00]
GIOKOS: All right, we're going to bring you more analysis now on the killing of Sarah Everard and what this means, in the UK? Now in response to
the sentencing, my next guest tweeted "Sending strength to Sarah's loved ones, we now need action and accountability to address the institutional
police failings that allowed her killing to happen".
Bell Ribeiro-Addy is a British Labour MP; Sarah Everard was a member of her London Constituency. She joins me now from London. Bow, you know, listening
to the details of what Sarah went through and the abuse of power of this former police officer.
One then, you know, starts thinking about whether women in general feel safe and are safe around police officers? How would you describe the
situation?
BELL RIBEIRO-ADDY, BRITISH LABOR MP: Well, I mean, the situation as you said, what we've heard in court has been absolutely harrowing. It must be
awful for Sarah's family, also quite scary for a lot of women, the women across my constituency across the country that actually identified with
this and feel afraid.
And we people being told that we are meant to look to the police for safety that, you know, the police are meant to be the ones to protect us. But how
does that message ring, especially with what we've heard today, because it's not that he was able to adopt her in spite of being a police officer.
It's actually the fact that he was able to adopt her because he was a police officer.
GIOKOS: Absolutely. Look, I want to go to the back to what we saw during Sarah's vigil, where you saw police aggression, and how that plays into the
wider problem in Britain right now?
RIBEIRO-ADDY: Well, I mean that the scenes from the memorial what absolutely disgraceful. It's really, really tragic that in response to a
vigil, which is actually meant to commemorate Sarah, and all the women who had lost their lives to violence, women were actually met with violence,
and again, met with violence by the force that is meant to protect us.
I was very shocked today to find out some statistics from a Freedom of Information request by buying times, which has actually shown that 56, 52
percent sorry, of the police officers that were charged for some sort of sexual misconduct, 52 percent of those between 2016 and 2020, were allowed
to keep their jobs.
And we've seen 800 complaints of domestic abuse against police officers and staff since 2017. So there is an issue. There is - there's a culture in
society, there was a culture clearly within the police. And how are they meant to maintain or how they meant to build trust, if we keep hearing
these things?
If they're treating women in these ways, and we know that many women don't end up reporting cases because they don't believe they're going to be taken
seriously and the ones that do never usually going to see their day in court.
[11:15:00]
RIBEIRO-ADDY: The tragic fact is that the reason why this has got to court is because of exactly what's happened because there has been a murder. And
I don't believe that we should have to wait for a murder to occur before a woman who has been abused in this way receives justice.
GIOKOS: Absolute. I mean, listening to those stats, as you say, seeing this experiencing realizing that this is a far deeper problem that has been
ongoing for a while. We've also heard the Prime Minister saying that needs to be training, there needs to be new measures in place. But how do you put
policies and protection in place for women and do it swiftly to avert these kinds of incidents in the future?
RIBEIRO-ADDY: I think government should stop being lazy and talking about - what is the point of increasing sentencing on paper, when actually, the
majority of perpetrators of domestic abuse of violence against women never actually ended up going - to that issue in itself.
So creasing sentencing is not going to make a massive difference and is a very lazy response. I think we need to look holistic, politically, at some
of the issues we have in society, what we see as abuse against women, certainly is not seen as much as an issue.
There's a culture of when women are reporting not to be relieved, that needs to change itself. But also, over the past 10 years, we've seen masses
and masses of cuts in the sector of women's support so all of all of the organizations that do - women in these circumstances and help them through
these tragic cases.
These particular organizations a lot of the time on their knees in actually turning women away and now I've got to the women that are turned away when
they go to the police station, and we have a - we have a wide spread problem. So we need to look at practical measures, not just talking about
laws that we're going to pass put down on paper that aren't actually going to change any.
GIOKOS: Absolutely, and protections that make women feel safer. Thank you very much for your insights and for joining us today great to have you on
the show.
Right now U.S. lawmakers are juggling several critical pieces of legislation. On one hand, they seem to have agreed on a deal to keep the
government funded and running. But on the other hand, President Joe Biden's own party is holding his agenda hostage divisions among the Democrats are
threatening to kill a trillion dollar infrastructure plan.
CNN Congressional Correspondent Jessica Dean joins us now from Washington, D.C. Jessica, great to have you on. You know, we see these big ticket bowls
and these plans have always been very contentious. And we know that they take a long time to actually pass through the House.
But we've also got the situation where Democrats are starting to push back as well. Where are we right now? And how can we get these votes through the
house?
JESSICA DEAN, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, it's a really interesting dynamic that's playing out right now Eleni. Remember, this is
the first time Democrats have held all the levers of government in quite a while. So a lot of these lawmakers haven't been here, especially in the
House to see this all happen.
And so it is interesting to see that it's playing out that progressives, particularly in the House are incredibly frustrated with moderates within
their own party, who they see is stopping the president's agenda, but also the things they were promised if they went along with this infrastructure
plan.
So just to make it all very clear, there are two tracks, let's call it. You have the infrastructure plan, which is hard infrastructure, things like
broadband internet, and building bridges and roads that has already passed in the Senate, which is a very hard bar to clear; they have to get 60 votes
there, which requires Republican support. They got that done in the Senate.
It is now sitting in the House as we speak. They were supposed to vote on it today. We just heard from Speaker Nancy Pelosi who says she's not sure
yet how that's going to go. She says think positively. We also heard from the Majority Leader in the House, who's a member of her leadership team who
said it is possible that they don't vote on it today, or that a vote comes to the floor and fails.
So the question is why is that if they hold a majority in the House? Well, they have this block of progressives who are saying, look, waited, not so
fast. We said that we would support this hard infrastructure plan if you supported this second track. And that second track is more of expanding the
social safety net.
This is things like paid family leave the child expanding the child tax credit, climate provisions for climate change, things like that, that they
are, frankly, nowhere on and that's where the push and pull is and these progressives are saying we will not vote on this bipartisan infrastructure
bill unless we have more progress on this social infrastructure bill.
And right now Nancy Pelosi is trying to thread that needle Eleni and right now we just simply don't know how the day is going to turn out? Now it's
not the end for the Biden agenda but it certainly is thorny right now. Democrats can find a way through but they're going to have to start
communicating with one another.
[11:20:00]
DEAN: They need to know from Senators Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema who are more moderate what they want in this social infrastructure bill in
order to move forward with the bipartisan infrastructure bill so those two tracks playing out right now.
Now, one thing they have agreed on, it appears is a plan to make sure that the government does not shut down. We are just hours away from that
deadline, which is at midnight tonight. And it appears that the Senate and the House and all parties have worked out a plan moving forward, the Senate
is expected to begin voting on that right now as they work through some amendments.
And then we'll get that over to the House to avoid a government shutdown. But Eleni as I just laid out, we've got all these other things at play, and
maybe the biggest is the debt ceiling, they still don't have a path forward on how to raise the debt ceiling? That's going to expire here at mid-
October and that could spell out calamity, both for the international markets and the domestic markets as well.
GIOKOS: Yes. I mean, exactly. It's like debt ceiling season. And you know it always has repercussions globally, in fact, so yes, we'll be watching
that. Thank you so much for that analysis.
All right, the Taliban have closed a key border crossing between Afghanistan and Pakistan this after they exchanged gunfire with Pakistani
guards there. Meantime, new information is coming to light about the U.S. drone strike that killed 10 members of Afghans last month, including
several small children. CNN's Anna Coren talked with members of the family at the center of this tragedy.
ANNA COREN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: A stunning admission from top U.S. defense officials revealing what they knew about the drone strike that killed 10
innocent Afghans in Kabul a month ago. For the surviving family their pain has been amplified by the fact that no one from the U.S. government has
tried to contact them.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
COREN (voice over): Barking dogs and a faint call to prayer are the only sounds that punctuate the silence from this hilltop above Kabul. Yes, the
serenity and panoramic views do little to ease the souls of those who have been forced to relocate here. We cannot go inside the old house because of
the memories; a house full of life was turned into a graveyard.
A month ago, their world was destroyed when the U.S. military fighter hellfire missile into the family's compound the target a white Toyota
Corolla, with aid worker and family patriarch - behind the wheel. 10 family members were killed, including seven children, three of whom were toddlers.
The U.S. had intelligence that 43-year-old was an ISIS facilitator with suspected explosives in the car, posing an imminent threat to U.S. troops
in the final days of the airport evacuation. After weeks of defending the strike, the military admitted their intelligence was wrong.
And then this admission during yesterday's grilling of defense chiefs in Congress, examining the chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: At what point General McKenzie and this is for all three of you. At what point did you know that the strike was bad that it hit
civilians?
GEN. KENNETH "FRANK" MCKENZIE, CENTCOM COMMANDER: Also we knew the strike hit civilians within four or five hours after the strike occurred. We did
not know though that the target of the strike was in fact an error until a mistake until sometime later. It took us a few days to run that down.
COREN (voice over): --family says no one from the U.S. government has contacted them.
MCKENZIE: I offer my profound condolences.
COREN (voice over): The only apology they've received is by U.S. Central Command General Frank McKenzie before the TV cameras almost two weeks ago.
MCKENZIE: And I offer my sincere apology.
COREN (voice over): They should have passed on their condolences. Ask for forgiveness directly from us, says -- brother for 15 years - worked as an
engineer for U.S. based NGO in NEI that provided soybeans for Afghanistan's malnourished and poor.
NEI based in California has had a long history with the U.S. Embassy in Kabul. Some of their life saving programs was funded by the State
Department.
SONIA KWON, SENIOR ADVISER, NUTRITION AND EDUCATION INTERNATIONAL: I don't know of any other job in the world where you can accidentally kill
someone's entire family and then call it a mistake.
COREN (voice over): Adding insult to injury the U.S. military continues to maintain the chatter they've been monitoring for 36 hours before that
fateful day came from an ISIS-K safe house. CNN can confirm that the purported ISIS-K safe house is the family home of NEI's Country Director,
Dr. Walid, a pediatrician and father of three young girls and has lived here for 40 years.
DR. WALID, COUNTRY DIRECTOR, NUTRITION AND EDUCATION INTERNATIONAL: So that's you see the laptop bag.
COREN (voice over): --had stopped at the house that morning to pick up Dr. Walid's computer, which he had forgotten. It was from that moment, the
military began following - car and will continue surveillance for the next eight hours before launching the strike.
[11:25:00]
DR. WALID: I'm really shocked why this house is level as a safe house for ISIS. It is absolutely untrue. But I do expect from the U.S. government to
clear the name on my house.
COREN (voice over): In fact, Dr. Walid was granted a U.S. Green Card in 2018. It was reissued a few weeks before the strike. He now feels under
threat in Taliban controlled Afghanistan exposed is working for a U.S. based NGO plus being falsely associated with ISIS-K and wants to leave.
The U.S. military says it's looking into reparations for - family, but that's little comfort. NEI is engaging legal representation on behalf of
the family and is also demanding their resettlement.
KWON: They just hope the U.S. government has the compassion to grant what they want, which is to resettle and I think that they really deserve this.
COREN (voice over): For the surviving children their smiles disguise their daily anguish and pain. Relatives say they often break down in tears,
asking why their siblings and cousins had to die. There isn't a single day where we don't shed tears for them says - sister. Nothing is more painful,
and nothing can relieve our pain.
Other than compensation and resettlement - family desperately wants justice and for this fatal mistake to never happen again. We know there are two
U.S. military investigations currently underway, which will examine what went wrong, whether someone should be held accountable, and whether any
procedures around strike targeting needs to be changed in the future? We contacted Central Command, but they declined to comment.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GIOKOS: Right, that was Anna Coren for us. Coming up, we'll have more on the chaotic U.S. exit from Afghanistan and its repercussions. Why the
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is blaming the U.S. State Department? Plus, tens of millions of transport workers warn of a global system
collapse. What they're demanding to keep it rolling?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
GIOKOS: We've been reporting this week about the petrol crisis in the UK, which was triggered by a shortage of truck drivers partly due to the COVID-
19 pandemic. Now, the International Chamber of Shipping and other groups representing 65 million workers have written an open letter to the United
Nations. They're warning that global supply chains are beginning to buckle.
[11:30:00]
GIOKOS: It was triggered by a shortage of truck drivers, partly due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Now the international chamber of shipping and other
groups representing 65 million workers have written an open letter to the United Nations.
They're warning that global supply chains are beginning to buckle. They say two years of strain are taking their toll. They're calling on governments
to restore freedom of movement and to give them priority access to COVID vaccines.
While there are some signs that fuel shortages at the pumps are easing, the British government will kick some emergency measures into high gear to ease
the crisis, including putting the military on standby to deliver fuel, CNN's Nina dos Santos reports.
NINA DOS SANTOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The UK has a record number of job opportunities with the shortfall standing of more than 1 million people
across the country.
Well to try and unlock that blockage in the labor market, the Justice Secretary Dominic Raab has suggested that the country could get as he put
it in a magazine interview, more creative about fluid hired potentially mobilizing the prisoner population.
Does that mean we could see offenders delivering fuel at four ports like this in West London? Well, that suggestion sounds as though at this point,
it could be premature. But either way over the last week, the government has been on the back foot to address critical failures in planning and
vital infrastructure.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SANTOS (voice over): Petrol, fresh produce and natural gas shortages of vital items are affecting day to day life in Britain.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This shouldn't be happening in the country like ours.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We don't have enough skilled workers and that's going to be the problem.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hindsight is 2020. So it's very easy for me to sit and say, oh, they should have - but we should do better.
SANTOS (on camera): The government says the recent run on the pumps is down to panic buying and that there's plenty of fuel, thanks to the pandemic and
Brexit. There is however, a lack of truck drivers making it very difficult to get all sorts of goods to where they're needed most.
SANTOS (voice over): Authorities hope to ease pressure on strained supply chains by issuing thousands of temporary visas to people like - and millage
from Bosnia. He's worked in the UK before and would gladly return.
DRAZEN MILJIC, TRUCK DRIVER: Some stamping for me because salaries are good, especially now when they're in crisis in need of drivers. I know
before, before the Brexit before the crisis salaries were good also in England. So yes, it sounds OK for me, I would work there.
SANTOS (voice over): But others like these drivers in Slovenia weren't so keen.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Problem. Customs. Time. No good. Visa problem, passport problem.
SANTOS (on camera): COVID-19 disrupted the examination process with tens of thousands of potential heavy goods vehicle operators in the UK. Now the
government has decided to try and ease the backlog by fast tracking the qualification process.
Here at this driving school on the outskirts of London, that means that they're busier than they've ever been. --is a 29 year old, wanting to be a
truck driver. Why?
JOE CROOK, TRAINEE DRIVER: Just the opportunity of earning money is the main thing is very flexible within my family life for an English person to
be doing that. I think it's a big mass and big need I do try to tell people who have grown up with you know, do it.
SANTOS (voice over): Until Joe and many others like him can get goods around the UK; customer patience is another thing that's in short supply.
SANTOS (on camera): With the next crisis point looming just in a few months' time at the end of the year when there'll be the Christmas holidays
presents to buying food to put on the table.
Britain is becoming increasingly worried about these labor and vital items supply crunches, putting the government on the back foot of a critical
planning and infrastructure.
Also that concerns with all of this could derail an economic recovery that's badly needed after successive lockdowns during the pandemic Nina dos
Santos, CNN in London.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GIOKOS: The world's biggest energy consumer is running out of power, overturning people's daily lives and threatening to slow the world's second
largest economy.
Demand for Chinese goods is surging as the global economy emerges from the pandemic increasing the use of China's electricity hungry factories. CNN's
Selina Wang reports.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SELINA WANG, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice over): The world's biggest energy consumer is running out of power. China's energy crunch is
triggering blackouts, forcing factories to cut production, overturning people's daily lives and threatening to slow the world's second largest
economy.
Social media users have posted images of cities gone dark. Severe traffic jams caused by traffic lights that stopped working, shops forced to close
early or resorting to candlelight to stay open. A mother with two young kids trapped in an elevator for 45 minutes after a sudden power outage.
It was completely dark. I can see nothing because the power is cut from everything. Only when vehicles drove past, you can see lights on.
[11:35:00]
WANG (voice over): The power cuts have rippled across northeastern China and parts of the South, the cause of it all, a perfect storm of factors.
Demand for Chinese goods is surging as the global economy emerges from the pandemic, increasing use of China's electricity hungry factories that
sending energy prices skyrocketing.
But since electricity prices are regulated in China, some power companies are losing money and hesitant to boost production.
At the same time, China is trying to meet its ambitious climate goals to bring carbon emissions to a peak before 2030 and net zero by 2060, so local
officials are rationing power to meet annual targets before the year end. Power outages aren't new to China. But this one is especially severe.
YUN JIANG, CHINA POLICY CENTRE: For most provinces in China when there is a shortage of power, they're rationale industries first. So it doesn't affect
residential uses.
But in the North East because it has reached to us quite significant shortage, it is now even rationing for residential uses and that is quite
significant because it could lead to a lot of social discontent.
WANG (voice over): And residents are taking to social media to complain. One user posted there is no gas don't we need to cook and eat. I have been
ordering takeout for two days. Another wrote people from Northeast China have to light candles in the middle of the night. This is not North Korea.
I'm speechless.
This person writing, many communities have been locked down due to the pandemic. If there is no water or electricity, that's so unbearable. The
power rationing could create new headaches for global supply chains, with several Apple and Tesla suppliers suspending production.
PHILIP ANDREWS-SPEED, SR. PRINCIPAL FELLOW, ENERGY STUDIES INSTITUTE, NATL. UNIV. OF SINGAPORE: Can be further interruptions to supplies of different
things, whether it be to toys for Christmas, or metals and silica for advanced materials and advanced equipment's.
WANG (voice over): But the power supply challenges aren't unique to China.
ANDREWS-SPEED: It is partly a problem of managing the low carbon energy transition. At a time when the economy's picking up after the pandemic, I
think we're going to see the same sort of challenges in other parts of the world.
WANG (voice over): China's energy crisis is a sign of what the world is reckoning with, in its bumpy transition to clean energy. Selina Wang, CNN
Tokyo.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GIOKOS: Coming up after the break our Clarissa Ward is in Kabul with the Afghan perspective on what led up to the frenzied U.S. withdrawal from
Afghanistan and why evacuations did not happen sooner.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:40:00]
GIOKOS: U.S. Joint Chiefs Chairman General Mark Milley is blaming the State Department for the messy evacuation from Afghanistan. According to AXIOS
and a private briefing with senators this week really said State Department officials waited too long to order the evacuation of U.S. citizens and
allies through Kabul's airports and his public testimony, Milley said.
The question of why the order didn't come sooner needs further exploration. Clarissa Ward is on the ground in Kabul and gave my colleague John Berman,
the perspective from there, take a listen.
CLARISSA WARD, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, it's interesting because the reason that had been given by the White House as to
why they didn't start those evacuations earlier was that the government of the former President Ashraf Ghani had repeatedly begged the U.S. not to
start evacuations too early because there was a real concern that that would look bad that that would impact morale, that it would seem that the
Taliban was already winning.
At the same time, you have to remember Ashraf Ghani one week before the fall of Kabul was talking about hydro dam projects. And you know U.S.
officials privately had been talking for a long time about whether or not he was fit or competent.
There were serious doubts about his ability to really lead this country through this turbulent time. And so, one does naturally ask the question of
given the fact that the Taliban was moving so quickly and it's offensive.
And given the fact that it was very clear that the government of Ashraf Ghani was unable to adequately respond to the situation should then a
decision had been taken earlier by the State Department to sort of contravene what Ashraf Ghani had asked for and really start to get those
evacuations moving much more quickly.
It's clear General Milley feels according to AXIOS, that that should have been done at a much earlier time. It'll be interesting to see though, John,
how the State Department responds to that.
JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: Need it will. So Clarissa, you've been on the ground doing some really terrific reporting on what's changed since the
last time you were in Kabul about five weeks ago since the Taliban took power. And one of the things that you've seen is something that's
disappeared. Music, I want people to watch this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WARD (on camera): This neighborhood used to be full of musicians and music stores selling instruments now you can see almost all of the shops here
have been shut down. This is using a -- yes.
WARD (voice over): Down the street, we meet musician Mustafa Nori. He tells us he has been forced to sell street food since the Taliban took over. The
entire area of Horabat --is full of musicians, he says, but since the Taliban came, they stopped the music and our work has ended.
WARD (on camera): As we're talking a red car pulls up. So it looks like the Taliban have arrived here. Does it make you nervous to see them coming up
and down the street like this? Of course, I'm afraid he says. When we see them normally we go into our house.
WARD (voice over): The Taliban haven't officially banned music. But the musicians tell us the fighters regularly threaten them not to play their
instruments.
WARD (on camera): The Taliban are here again driving class --. You can imagine how intimidating that is for people in this neighborhood just to
have them with their weapons, driving up and down the street.
WARD (voice over): As we start to leave a man invites us into his house. He says he hasn't taken his Tabla out of its case since the Taliban took over.
WARD (on camera): I imagine that music is part of your heart. It must hurt not to have not to be able to play anymore. If you can't play, then we feel
depressed and our hearts cannot breathe, he tells us. Nothing is left, the music has ended.
He says he doesn't know how long they can continue to live like this. He starts to tap the Tabla lightly. His reflexes take over. And for a brief
moment, he is free. It's beautiful, thank you.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BERMAN: So sad, Clarissa.
WARD: It is. It's heartbreaking John and you know you see this everywhere right now in Kabul. These small acts of resistance small, simple, but
really courageous acts of defiance whether it's playing your instrument for just a few moments or being an Afghan woman and going out on the street
with a colorful headscarf.
It's really difficult to communicate just how frightened people are of the Taliban here and just how frightened they are of what the future will hold.
[11:45:00]
WARD: And so those small moments that you see those, those sort of extraordinary acts of courage by ordinary people, they are profoundly
moving. The question is how long they will they continue. How long before we really see the Taliban show its true colors.
GIOKOS: North Korea's leader isn't holding back when it comes to his grievances against the U.S. Kim Jong-Un slammed what he calls the hostile
policies of the Biden Administration at his nation's Legislative Assembly on Wednesday. He claims America's proposal of dialogue without precondition
is nothing but a mere illusion.
Kim also condemned South Korea's joint military drills with the U.S. saying it's brazenly building its force and continuously making dishonest remarks.
Ever he said he'll restore severed communication lines with South Korea early next month.
Meanwhile, North Korea's weapons ambitions are intensifying the global arms race and the hypersonic missile claims to have tested on Tuesday has the
potential to be one of the world's fastest and most accurate weapons was even more worrisome. Experts say it could be fitted with a nuclear warhead.
If it's a success, it would be a game changer. Will Ripley reports.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WILL RIPLEY, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice over): If what North Korea says is true, this may be their most dangerous weapon yet a
hypersonic missile. Analysts say it could change the military equation in East Asia and beyond. Kim Jong-Un's Arsenal has exploded during this first
decade and power.
Analysts say the Hwasong-8 could be unlike any missile he's tested before exact specifications unknown. Hypersonic missiles can fly more than five
times the speed of sound roughly 4000 miles an hour or about a mile every second.
At that speed a missile could fly from Pyongyang to Washington in less than two hours. Some hypersonic weapons can theoretically fly four times faster,
up to 20 times the speed of sound.
Many ballistic missiles already fly at hypersonic speeds, but they follow a set trajectory from point A to point B. North Korea says this new missile
has a hypersonic glide vehicle making it highly maneuverable descending on a target from a much lower altitude, experts say almost impossible to shoot
down.
GORDON CHANG, AUTHOR, "NUCLEAR SHOWDOWN: NORTH KOREA TAKES ON THE WORLD": It would mean for instance that our ground based interceptors in Alaska and
California would not work against North Korea's missiles. That means North Korea would be able to intimidate the United States.
RIPLEY (voice over): South Korea says the North's newly tested hypersonic missile is likely in the early stages of development and can still be
detected and intercepted by South Korean and U.S. missile defense systems at least for now.
JAMIE METZL, FOUNDER, ONE SHARED WORLD: We don't know yet about the full capacity of these hypersonic missiles. But when you connect these new
missile capabilities, new launch capabilities and the miniaturization of nuclear weapons, it leads to the conclusion that North Korea will possibly
or even likely have an increased strike capability and that's going to increase the threat that North Korea poses to countries around the world.
RIPLEY (voice over): Right now just two nations have deployed hypersonic missiles, Russia and China. The U.S. is actively testing and developing
hypersonic missile technology, three world powers and now possibly North Korea, a new global arms race escalating at hypersonic speed Will Ripley,
CNN, Taipei.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GIOKOS: You're watching "Connect the World" live today from Dubai. It's the site of Expo 2020. The opening ceremony now just minutes away and we'll
have a live report. Stay with us.
[11:50:00]
GIOKOS: Oman is hoping to become one of the world's top 10 players in the logistics business. The nation is pumping billions of dollars into it
hoping to create some 300,000 jobs in the coming years. Let's take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GIOKOS (voice over): The port of Sohar is hot in northern Oman is a breathtakingly massive facility strategically located at the center of
global trade routes between East and West. It is also at the center of Oman's strategy to boost its logistics sector.
MARK GEILENKIRCHEN, CEO, SOHAR PORT AND FREEZONE: Hi, how are you?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Good morning.
GEILENKIRCHEN: How are you?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Good, good, good.
GIOKOS (voice over): Mark Geilenkirchen is the CEO of Sohar Port and Freezone. He came to Oman five years ago and is seen it through challenging
times.
GEILENKIRCHEN: So we've had an oil crisis we've had pandemic and still we did grow every single year and we have been growing every single year since
I've been here. So basically it's a big story of, of success of new investments and new things coming into the port and into the freedom.
GIOKOS (voice over): He says 68 million tons of cargo have come through the port this year, most of its industrial.
GEILENKIRCHEN: Seven out of 10 products that we will see in this country combined our port.
GIOKOS (voice over): The Asyad Group is Oman's national logistics hub, established in 2016. It operates in the countries three deepwater ports and
free zones.
ABDULRAHMAN AL HATMI, CEO, ASYAD: We have to be ahead of the game in terms of technology, in terms of expansion, in terms of the people as well. So
our ports are very top efficient port. You know, at the moment, you know we are ranked in the top 10 globally in terms of efficiency.
GIOKOS (voice over): And businesses are benefiting from that efficiency. Like SPMP which manufactures precious metals, antimony and gold. The
company buys raw materials from all over the world, processes them and then ships out the finished products. Everything happens right here in the
Freezone at Sohar Port.
JOEL MONTGOMERY, CEO, STRATEGIC AND PRECIOUS METALS PROCESSING: Our business is about antimony but it's also about logistics. It's about
getting the products to the site and getting the finished goods to the customer.
GIOKOS (voice over): Joel Montgomery is the company CEO. SPMP started construction in the Sohar Freezone in 2014 and began production in 2019.
The company enjoys a big tax advantage for operating here.
MONTGOMERY: In Oman the Freezone allows SPMP to import those concentrate globally and export our products without having to deal with all the tax
and the import and export burden that typically is associated with bringing products in and out of a country.
GEILENKIRCHEN: We just offer you a one stop shop, so you come to me and I'll take you through the process of everything that permits your need.
Starting your company and getting to the chamber to the Ministry of Commerce getting your environmental permit your electricity connection.
Goodness comes to us and we'll help you through the whole process.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GIOKOS: A year delayed by the Coronavirus pandemic Dubai's Expo 2020 is finally here. A parade is underway to usher in this massive six month
expert of first for the Middle East. Take a look at those pictures. Next hour the opening ceremony begins.
Organizers expect Expo 2020 to be the world's largest gathering since the start of the pandemic. 192 nations are participating each with their own
pavilion, focusing on the overarching theme of the expo connecting minds and creating the future through sustainability, mobility and opportunity.
And we're connecting you to what's happening in Dubai over the next six months with reporting on the expos various theme weeks and with interviews
and business leaders and government officials as well.
Scott McLean is on the scene for us. Scott, I see things are heating up it looks beautiful lights are on and I'm sure things about to get going.
MCLEAN: Yes, that's right. Eight years of anticipation Eleni, seven years plus one year delayed by the pandemic of anticipation, all leads up to this
moment in just a couple of moments that opening ceremony will begin. I'll give you a sneak peek from at least what we can see from our vantage point.
I know you guys have a better shot.
[11:55:00]
MCLEAN: But you can see people in the stands there and they're all fanning themselves because of the intense heat. It's still more than 90 degrees,
even though it's in the evening, but they're all taking their seats that should begin any moment we got a sneak peek of what this show looks like
earlier on in the week when they invited us to rehearsals.
We weren't allowed to take any pictures. They really wanted to make sure that today was the day where they presented this sort of really perfect
version of the Expo and of Dubai that they're trying to present here.
Some really big star power as well, Andra Day Ellie Goulding and Andrea Bocelli all will be performing at this year's Expo, obviously not short of
any challenges. The Coronavirus pandemic delayed things, people have to have been double vaccinated in order to get in or they have to have a
negative test.
And even once you get in here, you still have to wear a mask despite the sweltering heat. They have made exceptions for broadcasters well
broadcasting which I am eternally grateful for because it is so uncomfortable to be outside.
Obviously they're hoping that gets better as the months go on. But I just want to point out something really quickly Eleni and that's my producer.
Just to give people a sense of how hot it is because obviously you can't feel the heat through your TV but you get those sweat marks on your hat
sometime.
Well, Joe here has it on his shirt because he has been sweating all day. So Eleni, I know that you know how hot it is, but I just want everyone at home
to really know what we're going through here in Dubai.
GIOKOS: Yes. Scott, welcome to Dubai. I've been here for a few months and let me tell you it's cooler than what it was in August and in July. But
anyway I want to join you tomorrow. I look forward to sweating it out with you guys. So - cool.
Make sure to tune into a special edition of "Connect the World" on Friday tomorrow live from Expo 2020 giving you at home a front row seat to the
global conversations taking place right here in Dubai.
That's 6:00 pm in the UAE, 3:00 pm in London. Scott and I will be on the ground; Becky Anderson will be on the ground. Thank you so very much for
joining us. That was "Connect the World". I'm Eleni Giokos. "One World" with Larry Madowo is up next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
END
