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Connect the World

Military Leaders Says Sudan's PM is Staying at his House; Papers: Researchers Warned of Gaps in Language Skills; COP26 Climate Summit Begins Sunday in Scotland; WFP Chief says Billionaires Need to Step Up; Japan's Former Princess Marries, Couple Apologizes. Aired 11a-12p ET

Aired October 26, 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]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ANNOUNCER: Live from CNN Abu Dhabi. This is "Connect the World" with Becky Anderson.

BECKY ANDERSON, CNN HOST, CONNECT THE WORLD: This hour Sudan's Military General denies the Prime Minister's arrest saying that the Prime Minister

is safe at the generals own a home. But still, no signs of Abdalla Hamdok.

I'm Becky Anderson. Hello and welcome to your second hour of "Connect the World". Sudan's military defending seizing power and the military leader

says the Prime Minister is safe amid growing international outrage and concern over a coup that is having global reverberations.

General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan addressing the country for a second day saying the military acted to prevent a civil war. Burhan claiming the Prime

Minister is not under arrest and staying as a guest at his house, the generals' words not appeasing the international community. Here's what the

UN Secretary General had to say a short time ago.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANTONIO GUTERRES, U.N. SECRETARY GENERAL: I once again strongly condemned the forceful military takeover of power in Sudan. And I urge of course, all

stakeholders to exercise maximum restraint. But the Prime Minister and other officials that were unlawfully detained must be released immediately.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: Well, as protests continuing Khartoum, we have just learned that eight people died in Monday's protests with 140 injured. The international

backlash is intense with the United Nations, for example, suspending its $700 million program aimed at helping the country transition to democracy

that is a blow to a nation already in economic crisis.

Well, last hour, I spoke to the Sudanese Foreign Minister, and I started by asking her to describe the situation on the ground, take a listen to part

of what she told me.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MARIAM AL-SADIQ AL-MAHDI, SUDANESE FOREIGN MINISTER: For me, I see - of smoke all around the place where I'm staying, and I know because my

children and my children of my relatives and my neighbors are on the streets, I know they are outside, and they come very tired and - reporting

that they are being shot at by tear gas and, and all that.

And so the situation really it is a in this sense, the people of Sudan are resisting this military coup, and the use of the Sudan are continuing to

stay problem besides their principles. And unfortunately, what is happening now is, is something very serious in the whole of Africa, because within

only six months, we are now seeing the fourth non constitutional change or seizing of power taking place in four countries now Sudan is fourth. I

believe this is a very serious warning time.

Let's -- yes. And let's discuss the - let's discuss the international reaction here because it has been swift, the governments of the UK, the

U.S. and Norway condemning the coup saying that they are deeply concerned about the situation, what are the conversations that you are having with

your foreign counterparts, particularly those in the region foreign minister?

AL-MAHDI: Yes, actually, they have done like a testing balloon for a coup on the 25th of August last August. And the international stance was really

very outstanding. It happened again, with this actual coup. And I believe they are having - they will be having serious problems because all the

things that they have tried to present as causes for their seizure or their patronizing - the civilians have been already assessed.

So that's why I really, really very assure by their very strong international stance. Also in the EU, the EU and the Arab League, and many

of the African countries, many of the Arab countries they have expressed concern in an unusual way except of course, which is maybe was expected not

from Egypt up to now that total silence.

[11:05:00]

AL-MAHDI: But the thing is we are very much sure of our march to democracy because of our youth and their constant. And also because of the regional -

strong support level of democratic change.

ANDERSON: Let me put this to you. Let me put this to you. And I hear what you're saying. In light of these developments let's just be quite clear the

U.S., the United States has paused some $700 million of emergency assistance. What kind of an impact will that have on Sudan's struggling

economy?

And have you reached out to the U.S. Envoy who was in the country until an hour before this coup takes place? What do you believe needs to happen now

in terms of international cooperation and support?

AL-MAHDI: I think yes, of course, this now, implementation of the support to the civilian governments and the implementation and actualization of the

threat to any unconstitutional overtaking of power is important now. We must go beyond work.

The second thing, I think - and I have met with the - the envoy, the U.S. Envoy to Sudan. And I have thanked him for the keenness that they have been

following the case of Sudan, why involving to the different parties and trying to exert some sort of indirect mediation. And I thought the way they

were handling the whole matter was quite useful and helpful to the news.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: And we will do more on this story with our Correspondent, Nima Elbagir. And indeed, we're going to do that now. Let's do that. CNN's Nima

Elbagir who has done extensive reporting on him from Sudan is with us from London today.

You and I talked last hour when I conducted that full interview, what do you make of what is going on, on the ground Nima and what needs to happen

next?

NIMA ELBAGIR, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, there does seem to be an attempt to backpedal to try and bring down the temperature on all

of this, and indeed, many of those we're speaking to in Sudan, in fact, first and foremost is extraordinary that we're able to speak to anyone in

Sudan at all given that the generals' had brought down a lot of the communications networks and infrastructure in the country.

So the fact that they have allowed for people to be able to communicate externally from inside Sudan, that seems to be a big step towards

attempting to appease those thousands of Sudanese that have been demonstrating for the last two days over the overthrow of the civilian

leadership, the fact that Dr. Mariam Al-Sadiq, was able to speak to you at all was a big step. And it was the first time that she had been publicly

heard from on any channel.

So that is, both of these taken together, in addition to what we heard from General Burhan, about wanting to put together some kind of civilian

government, and that Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok is a respected guest in his home. These all seem to be tentative measures to try and bring down the

temperature on public opinion internationally.

But what we're seeing so far, since we spoke last hour, Becky, is that it doesn't seem to be working. People still want nothing short, both globally

and domestically in the country, nothing less than a return to civilian rule. And for many of these civilian leaders, if indeed Prime Minister

Abdalla Hamdok is at home with General Burhan, then, those I've been speaking to on the ground are saying, then bring him out, bring him to

these press conferences, allow people to see that he is safe, and that he is able to speak for himself, Becky.

ANDERSON: We discussed with the Foreign Minister what she hopes to see from the international community next. And let's just remind our viewers I mean

I don't want to call it irony because it's more than that. But the irony does seem is that the U.S. Envoy to the region was in the country, until

just an hour before this coup took place.

And as we understand it, he believed that he had staved off what he and many other people, including you, I think, had believed was this inevitable

coup. What's the message to Washington and others at this point?

ELBAGIR: Well, what we've seen in the American response in the U.S. response, I think, speaks to how narrow that timeframe was, I mean, we

spoke yesterday and we have thought we calculated it and thought that it had to be less than a day.

[11:10:00]

ELBAGIR: But the idea that this was minutes that this was just an hour, I think allows us to understand a little bit the kind of the temper behind

Washington's reaction the immediate pause on the $700 million worth of assistance and the absolute refusing to give any succor to Sudan's generals

that this cannot be allowed to continue.

Washington will definitely see this as a blow to their influence in Sudan and worry that it will be seen and Dr. Mariam Al-Sadiq mentioned this, in

your interview with her that this will be seen in the broader African context, bearing in mind the region that Sudan is in the instability in

neighboring Ethiopia, the instability in Somalia, what message does it send to the rest of Africa into the region that the envoy can leave. And an hour

later, the government can be overthrown after being given these assurances?

What is heartbreaking? And I've been looking back at a lot of the reporting that we did at the time. And a lot of what we spoke about and some of the

things that we wrote is that people are back out on the same streets fighting for the same rights. And that's what we have to try not to allow

it to disappear amongst all of this conversation Becky.

ANDERSON: Nima Elbagir thank you! Nima is in London today reporting for you. Thank you. Well, the United Nations coordinator in Sudan, Volker

Perthes says that there were signs that a coup could happen, have a listen to part of what he said, during a virtual meeting with UN reporters in New

York.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VOLKER PERTHES, U.N. SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE TO SUDAN: He indicated on my question, that's military would be prepared to respond to an invitation to

dialogue. That's a table obviously, United Nations. And that said dialogue would be favorable, much favorable to military action. But yes, he also

indicated that the military might, of course, as other envoys has been forward, I strongly warned against doing this.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: We're joined now by Volker who is live in the Sudanese Capital of Khartoum to get a deeper look at how we got here? First, though, let's just

ask you for your assessment of what is going on, on the ground?

PERTHES: I'm sorry can you repeat the question, please? I cannot really hear you.

ANDERSON: Just describe what you understand to be happening on the ground at present?

PERTHES: Well, we clearly had a military takeover here in Khartoum, yesterday, all at the same time we have protesters on the street, that are

calling for a return to civilian government and since we don't have any government at the time, after the dissolution of a government that was in

charge until yesterday.

We just see Commander of the Armed Forces he made a press conference today and said that, indeed, there wouldn't be a return to civilian government.

And it would be up to the armed forces to establish a technocratic government.

ANDERSON: Do you believe him? Have you spoken to General Burhan --?

PERTHES: I'm not speaking about these --

ANDERSON: Do you believe what he says?

PERTHES: It is. It is to be seen whether we will have a credible civilian government in the next couple of days and what's the next steps that will

be? The main task, I think now is to see to it that people who have been detained, including the Prime Minister and ministers will be released and

that violence on the streets is prevented by its restrained low security forces.

ANDERSON: So General Burhan says that the Prime Minister hasn't been arrested that he is a guest at the general's house. He will remain there

until he feels safe to leave. What do you make of that assessment of the prime ministers were present?

PERTHES: In the first place I would take his word but then we want to see the prime minister being released. I'm not here to doubt or to believe the

words of General Burhan. We just hope that's a prime minister is safe. And I repeat that we want to see him released.

ANDERSON: Is there were warnings that occurred could happen and our forces had been warning us for some time. Why were there no efforts made to stop

it, sir?

PERTHES: Well, there were a lot of efforts made to de-escalate the tension, which builds up particularly in the last four weeks.

[11:15:00]

PERTHES: And myself as well as a couple of deployments from member states of the United Nations have indeed made efforts to bridge the parties

together. We ourselves as the United Nations have offered our good services or good services offices to, to mediate between the parties if there is a

wish for such mediation.

We also came up with a couple of proposals for getting back to substantive issues of difference and solving them.

ANDERSON: Right.

PERTHES: Now, obviously, that was not very successful. There weren't, as you indicated, any warnings in the sense we are going to do ABC if you

don't do the other things. But we have seen the tensions coming up and a lot of rumors about an impending Cold War there in the last two weeks.

ANDERSON: Those efforts weren't just not successful; they were a failure, weren't they? Because just before the coup, you tweeted a photo of you in

General Burhan saying, "Important meeting today, stressing the need to maintain the constitutional partnership between the military and civilian

component return to dialogue and build on achievements of the transitional period and yet the coup happened anyway".

This was just to 60 minutes after the U.S. Envoy had left the country, why have your efforts failed sir?

PERTHES: Well, maybe there - maybe we didn't do enough. Maybe we weren't clear enough. And maybe the interests of those on the ground, who acted

were in the end stronger than the warnings which we could issue.

ANDERSON: So what were your warnings? I just wanted to be very clear about this. You say? Maybe we weren't clear enough. Maybe the military didn't

heed our warning. So what were those warnings? And what happens next?

PERTHES: Look at the entities, the Sudanese actors who, who decide what they're doing? How much they are open for dialogue, how much in this case,

they are prepared to take extra constitutional action, which clearly has happened?

But we did warn against going this path, because in our assessment, it would put at risk the achievements that have been made in the last two

years, in a fragile but still functioning partnership government between the civilians and the militaries.

Think of Sudan on getting away from the U.S. list of terrorist sponsoring states. Think about death relief, which has started, think about the

economic recoveries and started. Think about the peace agreements, which brought former rebel fighters into the government. That's quite a number of

achievements for two years, and the failed wars and all warnings were that that could be put at risk if there was an extra constitutional.

ANDERSON: You are attending an emergency UN Security Council meeting on Sudan this afternoon. Briefly, what will your message be? And do you have a

concern of another civil war in the horizon in in Sudan, at this point?

PERTHES: Well, it is certainly my task and those of other international friends of the country of Sudan to help the Sudanese prevent any outbursts

of violence. My message to the Security Council or one of my messages to the Security Council is that the important states here in the Security

Council have to maintain the unity on Sudan.

And as I did in the last two years, in contrast to what happened, for example, in terms of splits over Syria and Libya, if we had such a split

over Sudan that would definitely reflect negatively in the country on the ground and must be avoided. And that's the responsibility of the big powers

of the Security Council.

ANDERSON: And, of course, what happens in Sudan doesn't stay in Sudan. This is an extremely strategic part of the region, and the spillover could be

very, very dangerous. Sir thank you very much indeed for joining us. We're taking very short break viewers back after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[11:20:00]

ANDERSON: Lies and hate speech maybe slipping by on Facebook simply because social media giant doesn't know all of the languages that its users use.

Yep, that is according to documents leaked by Former Facebook Employee Frances Haugen.

They show researchers warned that monitors Facebook monitors didn't know all of the 100 plus languages used on Facebook. Thus they couldn't check

out all of the content. Some of these were in countries considered at risk and volatile.

We've already learned that Facebook knew its content was harming children, especially in the area of body image. The revelations haven't heard - more

than three and a half billion people log on to Facebook or one of its related apps every month and that is up 12 percent from last year.

These are latest numbers by the way, nor have they hurt the company's earnings, which were higher last quarter. Here's what Facebook Founder Mark

Zuckerberg had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MARK ZUCKERBERG, CEO OF FACEBOOK: Good faith criticism helps us get better. But my view is that what we're seeing is a coordinated effort to

selectively use leaked documents to paint a false picture of our company. The reality is that we have an open culture where we encourage discussion

and research about our work so we can make progress on many complex issues that are not specific to just us.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: Well, my next guest Former Facebook Middle East and North Africa, Policy Chief Ashraf Zeitoon recently said, and I quote, there's a feeling

among people at Facebook that this is a systematic approach one which favors strong government leaders over the principles of doing what is right

and correct. Ashraf Zeitoon joins me now via Skype from Amman in Jordan, what did you mean by that, sir?

ASHRAF ZEITOON, TECH POLICY IN THE MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA REGION: Hi, Becky. What I meant is what we're seeing now and what Facebook is watching

is corporate hypocrisy at its worst. We see a company that has no issue making money from key markets and running ads targeted.

But then when it comes to adequately scaling up staff or adding local language resources to protect people, then they come up with multiple

excuses. And this is then augmented by their ability to bend rules whenever it fits their corporate agenda in a specific country.

We've seen it happening in a lot of - in a lot of countries where Facebook, senior executives, and it goes all the way up to mark would have no issue

and moving the goalposts when it means that this could jeopardize the relationship they have with a ruling political party, or an elite

leadership community in a specific country.

ANDERSON: During your time at Facebook, did you witness any deliberate attempts, by users either to sow division witness, the company, knowing

that its algorithms were prioritizing hate and fake news, over fact, in this region of the Middle East? And if so what - what specific examples can

you give us?

ZEITOON: I'm glad I think at that period, I would call it and describe it as the honeymoon that Facebook had in the region, the challenges that we

faced were really minimal at the same time -- at that time, the company were just witnessing significant user growth.

All of that started I think, in the late Q2, or Q3 of 2016. And this is when we started significant change and significant attempts by governments

in the region. Iran is by far one of the most the healthiest culprits when it comes to that.

[11:25:00]

ZEITOON: And we've seen multiple cases I think we've seen the worst of it when we had the disagreement between the countries in the Gulf where we've

seen significant attempts by certain governments and certain organizations for misinformation and showing attacks against specific government or

government officials.

ANDERSON: Look, Facebook's defense and you heard Mark Zuckerberg here before we came to. It is that disinformation is a coordinated effort to

leak selectively, and in order to damage the company's reputation.

When you hear Mark Zuckerberg saying that, when he knows, you know, and I know that there are tens of thousands of leaked documents, we are for

example yet to see much evidence of what's been going on the Middle East, we may - we may get to that.

We've certainly seen examples of where the sort of damage is being done in in countries like India, and Ethiopia, Myanmar, what do you make of his

defense?

ZEITOON: Honestly, I think they're in a position where there is nothing they can justify. Facebook is facing what has been described as the largest

corporate public relation crisis in recent business memory. And I don't think there is anything they can do to justify that this is a company that

has prioritized growth over the personal safety of billions of users.

And I'm sure what we're seeing is we're seeing precedents that have been happening. And we're going to see that these leakages, these whistleblowers

are going to continue, because there are a lot of people that have more - that hold the moral high ground within the company.

And there's a lot of people that I think have been really triggered by this apathy by the leadership in dealing with the issues that have been

justified. All of these Facebook files have shown us that we can no longer be surprised what we hear about Facebook.

What shocks us is there are a lot of the issues that have been addressed by the media and their own role. And that has been addressed by activist and

yet they've been highlighted by staff within Facebook, and yet senior management decides not to do anything.

ANDERSON: But Ashraf, why is it that we are only finding this information out now? Why is it that we are only finding out that, for example, in 2019,

there were tests done in the India market, and Facebook themselves would set up a dummy profile?

And the rest is history, you know, hate speech, the algorithm pushing content that could be seen as religiously inciting why it that it's taken

so long is? And is there to a certain extent some complicity on the part of Facebook staff that you might have been talking about it internally, they

might have been talking about internally, but why is it that nobody spilled the beans, nobody fessed up to this, nobody put their own paymasters on the

block here?

ZEITOON: So there are multiple reasons. So first of all, a lot of there are small leakages that we've heard of over the past three years, but we've

never witnessed something as big as this. So that's one factor.

The second thing is a lot of this research. And a lot of this work has been done within echo chambers within the company. And these teams work

exclusively alone. You don't hear a lot of this news.

And the third that I think the most, the weakest argument is a lot of these people are sucked into Zuckerberg's fan club, where they're very happy

living in this very comfortable situation within Facebook, getting the best salaries getting all of these perks.

And they live within this echo chamber where they believe that Facebook is doing good to the rest of the world. And they're being targeted because

people hate them for the success of the achievement they have. And this is for me that was a shocking thing to discover that a lot of my former

colleagues live in that dreamland.

ANDERSON: With that, we'll leave it there. Thank you, sir, for your insight and analysis. Up next, got a question for you, haven't Australia plan to

reach net zero carbon emissions by 2050 and still be opening new coal mines? Well, they are. And tonight we go in search of answers just ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[11:30:00]

ANDERSON: The UN isn't holding back. It has taken the rappel off to diet climate warnings this week that latest says Earth is warming faster than

previously thought and scientists warn that time is running out to do something about it.

We've heard that one before haven't we? The other findings are earlier in the week say carbon dioxide levels in the Earth's atmosphere having reached

a 3 million - 3 million year high. That was in 2020. All of this coming days before the Cop 26 Climate Summit in Scotland and now there are

concerns about how much meaningful progress can be made in Glasgow.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BORIS JOHNSON, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: It's going to be very, very tough this summit, and I'm very worried because it might go, it might go wrong.

And we might not get the agreements that we need. And it's touched and go. It's very, very difficult, but I think it can be done.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: Well this comes after countries have been pledging carbon neutrality Saudi Arabia promising net zero carbon emissions by 2060 Bahrain

following suit promises also coming from China the world's biggest greenhouse gas emitter.

State media reporting Beijing is keen to cut its reliance on fossil fuels, but it recently ordered China's coal mines to produce as much coal as

possible after weeks of power shortages. And we know that coal is that dirty fuel.

Australia meanwhile, trumpeting a pledge to achieve net zero emissions by 2050. That's a big shift, but it's not mentioning any new emissions cuts.

And it's not planning to reduce its dependency on coal. So more coal mines in Australia more frightening numbers from the UN worries about who may or

may not show up at next week's climate summit in Glasgow an awful lot to think about. CNN's Chief Climate Correspondent Bill Weir is joining us to

do just that.

You heard Boris Johnson, the Prime Minister who is co-hosting this meeting of course in Glasgow, in Scotland saying he is concerned about any

meaningful progress. What will meaningful progress look like to your mind build given what I've just been reporting?

BILL WEIR, CNN CHIEF CLIMATE CORRESPONDENT: That's a great question, Becky, because we sort of live in the in the golden age of green washing, both on

the corporate and the national level or grand promises are made.

But you wonder if it's just to protect the social license to protect business as usual. President Xi of China, Putin of Russia will not attend

this and together they admit more than a third of the climate cooking pollution currently going into the sky. That's not a good sign.

As you mentioned, Australia, Scott Morrison, the Prime Minister there be grudgingly made a pledge with no details as Boris Johnson has admirably

done in the UK. He wrote a defiant op-ed saying we will not be lectured by those who don't understand Australia.

[11:35:00]

WEIR: Well, there are plenty of Australians who are encouraging him to do something given the ridiculous levels of wildfires that they've seen in

recent years down there increasing heat. And then Saudi Arabia is pledging they want to match China's 2060 zero carbon pledge, but only within the

kingdom that is exempt.

You know, they're not counting all of the oil, the crude oil; they'll be exporting to the rest of the world to burn. Now, this is the hard part is

you can't get too cynical because any progress is good. You want to give people the benefit of the doubt if Saudi Arabia, which is now 99 percent,

oil fueled economy, if they can have that it would lead to new booms and technology, it would be a huge accomplishment right now.

But it reminds me of I just got a pitch from a Crypto Currency Company that had their zero net zero pledge in 18 months, but only in the lights in

their offices in the coffee makers, are they going to offset. They're not going to count the massive power gobbling servers it takes to make and

trade crypto currency. So the devil really is in the details.

ANDERSON: Yes. Well, and I wanted to talk to you about that, because the big oil producers announcing these ambitions to carbon neutrality, not

least as you rightly point out Saudi Arabia that followed a net zero goal announced by the UAE where I am that announcement just last month.

And just today, Abu Dhabi's National Oil Company announcing it will operate entirely on solar and nuclear energy in its oil production going forward.

Now, is this the sort of real action that we need to see to rapidly decarbonize? Because what we are seeing is a lot of talk, of course, and a

lot of these net zero goals, but they are just IOUs unless that talk is translated into action, correct?

WEIR: Yes, I mean, there's something ironic about running an oil well, with a solar panel. It just shows that these Petro States are so wedded to this

economy. But this is more, they're more than ever, this is a real threat.

Look in Russia, they're going to defrost instead of bake and broil. So maybe Siberia could be the breadbasket of the world in a warmer world. So

they won't suffer as much. But the Gulf States, I mean, they're already seeing temperatures of 54 degrees Celsius, 130 degrees Fahrenheit, there

could be mass casualty events, say during the Huj Pilgrimage to Mecca.

They're living with the results of this in real time in those hot spaces right now. So you hope that once we reach over this tipping point of

innovation, and they're serious, they could look at all the sun they go, you could turn those Petro States into stone solar States. And that's

really the only hope we have.

ANDERSON: Yes, fascinating. Bill it was a pleasure, thank you, boys.

WEIR: Thanks, Becky.

ANDERSON: Now, as we just heard from Bill Weir, the closer we get to COP26, the more we will hear about the need to act, including optimistic carbon

neutral plans. But here's the thing. This is not just a story about carbon emissions or global temperatures rising.

This is about life as we know it right here on planet Earth. Last week, a Biden Administration report directly named climate change as a national

security challenge. That is because climate change will result in greater migration and more pressure, on resources, especially in places facing

extreme weather and drought. Doesn't sound great, does it?

Well, the ahead of the World Food Programme, David Beasley tells me, there are still ways to ward off the worst of the crisis. But that requires

urgent action, especially he says; from the world's billionaires have a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DAVID BEASLEY, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, WORLD FOOD PROGRAMME: In Central America, the dry - Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, I mean,

just down in that area alone, and we're feeding a lot of people down there. And the climate is just changing with hurricanes and flash flooding. It's

just devastating.

So the number of people that are now talking about migrating because they tell us if we have food, we will go. We want to stay is doubling. The

number of people now talking about migraine has doubled the number of people that are now in severe food insecurity is doubling and tripling and

quadrupling.

And so let me just give you an example. I was down in Guatemala when this other report came out to say the United States for example, was spending, I

don't know something like $30 million a week for 1600 shelters at about I don't know a few $1,000 - $4,000 per person per week in a shelter on the

border.

[11:40:00]

BEASLEY: A person who doesn't even want to be there, you know how much we can provide food security resilience, so they don't want to leave per

person per week between $1 to $2? Now $4,000 per week, a one to $2 per week with a program that will create sustainability and resilience so they don't

want to leave home.

ANDERSON: Are you seeing momentum for that sort of action?

BEASLEY: I'm seeing more buzz talk than I have before. But you know children don't eat on promises. We need action. You're going to pay for it

one way or the other? Why not do it right. It's a lot cheaper do it right.

ANDERSON: You have for months and months, if not years been warning that the climate crisis is fueling a food crisis. And you say COVID has only

exacerbated that. You have learned about this for years.

You've told me again and again, large swathes of the globe, from Madagascar to Honduras, to Bangladesh, and the list goes on are in the throes of a

climate crisis that is now a daily reality for people on the ground. What's your message to leaders gathered next week at COP26 in Glasgow?

BEASLEY: We see what's happening droughts and flooding and more cyclones, and the list goes on. So last year, we had 30 million people displaced

because of climate. But in the next 30 years, with the climate expectations that we're looking at, we're looking between 201 billion people being

displaced.

Now, you think you got a problem with 30 million, wait till 200 to a billion people start heading your way, because they don't have food. And

let me tell you, Becky, we survey people over time; they don't leave home because they just want to leave home.

People don't not migrate lists; they just happen by and large, they want to stay home. But if they don't have food at 80 degree of peace and security,

they go do it every mom and dad would do for their children, they go leave, they go find it. That's what happened. And let's say Germany, I just saw a

report in Germany $125 billion in five years for a million refugees.

Do the math, that's $25,000 per person per year, you know how much we can support that Syrian refugee in Damascus? 50 cents a day, instead of 50 to

100 euros a day, it's a lot cheaper to do it right? It's a lot more effective and better for everybody.

So all hands on deck, the world's leaders coming together at COP, they need to stand up, step up, and don't just talk about it, do something about it.

We've got solutions, we need to be given the funds and the flexibility to do it and do it now.

ANDERSON: So you have been calling on a smallish cohort of individuals that you say, can help end this crisis. U.S. billionaires alone, have gotten

over a trillion dollars richer during the Pandemic. You're asking those billionaires who are going to space, the likes of Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos

to help. Are they helping?

BEASLEY: The governments are tapped out. And this is why and this is when the billionaires need to step up now on a one time basis, $6 billion to

help 42 million people that are literally going to die if we don't reset. It's not complicated.

And this is what's heartbreaking. I'm not asking them to do this every day, every week every year, we have a one-time crisis, a perfect storm of

conflict, climate change, and COVID It's a one-time phenomenon. I've got 43 nations with 42 million people in IPC Level IV knocking on families go just

helped me with them one time, that's a $6 billion dollar price day.

Jeff Bezos' net worth increased just last year during COVID was 64 billion. I'm just asking for 10 percent of your net worth increase. Just last week,

Elon Musk had a $6 billion net worth increase. One day, one day, the 400 - there's a bunch of them but just 400 the top 400 billionaires in the United

States their net worth increase was $1.8 trillion in the past year.

All I'm asking for is point .36 percent of your net worth increase. I'm for people making money, but God knows I'm also for you helping people who are

in great need right now. The world's in trouble when you tell them you can't give me .36 percent of your net worth increase to help the world in

trouble in times like this. What if it was your daughter starving to death?

[11:45:00]

BEASLEY: What if it was your family starving to death? Wake up smell the coffee and help. I mean I ask any billionaire, come with me just come with

me on one trip. Let me show you the reality. They sit in some humanitarian scheme to raise money.

I want to put the World Food Program out of business. But my God, people are dying out there. Every four seconds someone's dying out there from

hunger related causes. We've got solutions we have - we got a vaccine for this is called money, food - being there's need step up.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: David Beasley the perfect storm of crises. That's how the World Food Program's Chief describes this convergence of major global challenges.

The pandemic, the climate crisis, ongoing conflict, pushing more and more people into poverty and food insecurity and you know what? He tells me he

just needs $6 billion, a one off check to get a lot of this stuff sorted.

Now, look, to you and me that is a great deal of money. But to the likes of Elon Musk, the trillion dollar man of the moment or Jeff Bezos going to

infinity and beyond that figure is nothing more peanuts, that David Beasley says less than half of 1 percent of the money the billionaire class made

this year alone can help him and his organization put an end to acute hunger around the world.

Isn't that worth more than sending another Vanity Rocket into space I what to leave it to you at home to decide that. We're going to take very short

break back after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ANDERSON: Brazilian lawmakers about to vote on whether to approve a scathing Senate report? It accuses President Bolsonaro of crimes against

humanity and other offenses related to his handling of the pandemic. These are live pictures of lawmakers there discussing the vote.

Now the president has said he is guilty of nothing not guilty of any crimes. More than 600,000 Brazilians of course have died from COVID-19 the

world's second highest death toll more on that of course as we get it. CNN spoke to two families who testified before the Brazilian Congress about

losing their loved ones. Here's Isa Soares with more on their quest for justice.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ISA SOARES, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Time they say heals all wounds. Almost two years since Marcy lost his 25 year old son Hugo to COVID-19 this

immeasurable pain of grief and loss continues to bring him to his knees.

[11:50:00]

SOARES (voice over): His son one soul in a sea of more than 600,000 lives lost in Brazil.

MARICO ANTONIO DO NASCIMENTO SILVA, LOST SON TO COVID-19: When I tell my son's story, when I share my pain which is so tough, I do it to save lives.

SOARES (voice over): Marico's indignation has pushed him to seek accountability and justice.

SILVA: I think we deserve an apology. We deserve an apology from the highest authority in the state.

SOAREs (voice over): His testimony to Brazil's parliamentary commission inquiry into the Brazilian government's COVID-19 response, one of many

harrowing and emotional witness statements from the families of COVID victims.

SILVA: I did something that today I know I shouldn't have done, but a desperate father doesn't measure the consequence".

SOARES (voice over): With Marcio recounting the last time he saw his son a dance teacher life.

SILVA: I went to the ICU. I opened the door and I kept signaling to him "Hugo, Hugo your dad is here".

SOARES (voice over): But Hugo who Marcio says had no underlying health conditions lost his battle to the virus after being the ICU for weeks.

SILVA: Not to wear a mask when he says he won't be vaccinated he's causing Brazilian deaths. This denialism has killed many Brazilians.

SOARES (voice over): A parliamentary commission has blamed President Jair Bolsonaro directly recommending he be charged with crimes against humanity

as well as other charges for reckless leadership. The explosive report says Bolsonaro was guided by an unfounded belief in the theory of herd immunity

by natural infection.

Bolsonaro has dismissed the power of entry report as politically motivated and having quoted no credibility by law.

JAIR BOLSONARO, BRAZILIAN PRESIDENT: We know that we did the right thing from first moment.

SOARES (voice over): --to 20 year old Giovanna who lost both her parents to COVID-19. Now an orphan she's become a mother to her 11 year old sister, a

tragedy she blames on the Bolsonaro government.

Still the president says he's not to blame and continues to refuse to be vaccinated. To the victims' families it feels like rubbing salt on their

already deep wounds and unimaginable grief that even time can't heal. Isa Soares, CNN.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: Well, it was no fairytale leading up to their wedding. Why Former Japanese Princess Mako and her husband a commoner are apologizing after

tying the knot that after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[11:55:00]

ANDERSON: Japan's Former Princess Mako and a non-loyal college sweetheart are now officially married. It was an unconventional ceremony they skip the

traditional pomp and circumstance of formal marriage rights and publicly apologize for any trouble they may have caused. Selina Wang explains.

[11:55:00]

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SELINA WANG, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Most royal weddings are a time for celebration but not this one. Japan's Princess Mako gave up her royal

title to marry her college sweetheart, Kei Komuro without any fanfare. Instead, they held a press event.

I apologize for any burden I may have caused because of this marriage. Case existence is irreplaceable to me. I loved Mako I want to spend my one life

with a person I love. I would like to start a beautiful family with Mako and do whatever I can't support her.

WANG (voice over): Media have been waiting outside of the closed event no live questions were allowed the palace said Mako felt strong anxiety just

imagining answering the questions verbally. She's been diagnosed with complex PTSD because of the relentless scrutiny in Japan.

But in written remarks, the couple said they felt horrified and scared by the false information that's been taken as fact. Their wedding was delayed

for three years after rumors emerged about financial disputes involving Komuro's family. The gossip spiraled public opposition grew even causing

people to rally against her marriage in the streets dividing the public.

People fear the image of the royal family will be solid. I have a hard time feeling genuinely happy for them. I feel sorry for her. I just want her to

be happy.

So does Royal Superfan Fumiko Shirataki (ph). She's been staked outside of this hotel for hours waiting to catch a glimpse of Mako. 81 year old

Shirataki has been chasing the royals for 28 years, snapping tens of thousands of photos even following the current Emperor sent her daughter up

the mountains on their private hikes.

Shirataki started crying when I asked her about Mako's marriage. I feel a sense of relief she told me that Mako is finally able to get married after

three years of waiting. Japan's royal women are barred from the throne. And if they marry commoners they have to abdicate and leave the royal family.

Mako is entitled to a $1.35 million payment in taxpayer money to help her start a new life. But she's not taking the money.

The couple will be moving to New York where Komuro works at a law firm escaping this backlash at home. Shirataki wishes Mako could have had the

traditional royal wedding. But even without the celebration for Shirataki and many in Japan, this wedding will be unforgettable a reminder of duty

and society's expectations clashing with love. Selina Wang, CNN, Tokyo.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: From us it is a very good evening.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

END