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Connect the World
Race is on for Next British Prime Minister; Steve Bannon Sentenced to 4 Months for Contempt of Congress; Shevchenko: Ukraine Developed Identity since Independence; Star Singer Silenced by the Islamic Revolution Speaks to CNN; Why you should Probably Change your Password; Audio Tapes Reveal Berlusconi's Friendship with Putin. Aired 11a-12p ET
Aired October 21, 2022 - 11:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[11:00:00]
ANNOUNCER: This is "Connect the World" with Becky Anderson.
BECKY ANDERSON, CNN HOST, CONNECT THE WORLD: Welcome back to "Connect the World". The time here in Abu Dhabi is 7 in the evening. The stakes are high
and the scramble is on. The big question now who will replace Liz Truss's Britain's next Prime Minister?
Well, the Leader of the House of Commons Penny Mordaunt has just declared that she is joining the race the other main contenders Former Finance
Minister Rishi Sunak and his ex-boss Boris Johnson. Sources say Johnson, who was forced to resign a few months ago after a string of scandals mean
deed tried to get back his old job.
British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace says in his own words, he leans towards Johnson. He also says he won't run himself. Well this all comes
after Truss dramatically announced that she is stepping down after only six weeks in power. She's staying on until Conservative MPs pick her successor
which will be no later than next Friday.
We are live in Downing Street where CNN's Bianca Nobilo is standing by. Penny Mordaunt is just declared that she will run and I think it's
important that we explain who she is? And why she could, I guess potentially be the consensus candidate? Tory MPs before we do that, I'm
going to take you to our colleagues in the U.S. where Steve Bannon's sentencing has just been handed down stand by.
[11:10:00]
ANDERSON: All right. That the breaking news out of the States developing story of course here in the UK could Boris Johnson be back? Tory MPs are
said to be split over the possibility that Boris Johnson could return with the Conservative Party divided.
Has it become ungovernable at this point? Bianca Nobilo is outside 10 Downing Street. We remarked that that door might as well be a revolving
door at this point five Prime Ministers in six years is what we are looking at by the end of October.
Boris Johnson in his resignation statement which was outside that very door behind you he had a parting shot, either there or the House of Commons I
can't remember which it was now. But he said - coming true at this point.
BIANCA NOBILO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, possibly. I mean, in terms of Arnold Schwarzenegger, references you may have well said, I'll be back. That may
have been the more appropriate one.
Well, it's interesting because to begin with, it was just whispers. Could it be possible? Could he really try and mount a comeback? But now it's just
open discussion in Westminster. And indeed, a good way to take the temperature is looking at the papers.
So on the front cover of the sun today, we've got Folgers, I'll be back. Then the Daily Express he couldn't could he will Boris bounce back to
number 10? And all this has infuriated the Leader of the Opposition and the Labor Party because they say there's no better argument for a general
election now than the prospect of Boris Johnson returning.
Somebody who was so deeply divisive, who ultimately 148 of his own members of parliament voted against him in a no confidence vote he's still under
investigation. But it speaks to the crisis the party is in that they could even be thinking about this about going back and drawing from the past
instead of looking ahead to the future.
Now it's interesting because the other person that everybody's speaking about today is not just Rishi Sunak but Penny Mordant who could potentially
be seen as that unity candidate. We've had her now officially declare that she is going to run so she is the first person that we know of who will be
trying to get those MPs nominations.
And that is significant because there was talk about whether or not she might step aside and perhaps go in with one of the other camps? Now she is
the first ever Female Defense Secretary here in the United Kingdom, relatively untested compared to some of the more seasoned members of the
party.
But lately, everything she's done whether it was play quite an important role in the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II or step in for Liz Truss, when
she didn't appear in the House of Commons to take an urgent question. And notoriously now's the claim that the Prime Minister was not in fact, hiding
under her desk.
She won plaudits for that performance, and she's done quite well when she's had the opportunity to really show her stuff lately, so she could be one to
watch Becky.
ANDERSON: Absolutely. Thank you, Bianca. Steve Fielding is a Political Historian and Emiratis, Professor of Political History at the University of
Nottingham. He joins me now from Nottingham, in England.
So let's start with Boris Johnson then. Does he really have a shot? He's still under parliamentary investigation for allegedly lying to UK
lawmakers. Is he - is it conceivable that a week from today he could be back in stalled? Standby, sir, I just want to get to the States where it
Steve Bannon is responding to the sentence. It's just been handed down four months. Let's listen in.
STEVE BANNON, FORMER WHITE HOUSE CHIEF STRATEGIST: --on legal side. Also I want to make one other statement before I talk about a broader topic. More
than any person in the Trump Administration I testified before the Muller commission for more hours. I testified in front of shift in the House
Intelligence Committee more than any other person in the Trump Administration.
I testified in front of the Senate Intelligence. I think more than all of that the issues related to Russia gate, to all of that. OK. The same
process every time I had lawyers that were engaged, they worked through the issues of privilege at that time, I went and testified. And this thing
about I'm above the law is an absolute and total lie.
Now, more importantly, the judge - today was my judgment day by the judge. And he stayed it and for the appeal will have a very vigorous appeals
process. I've got a great legal team and it'll be multiple areas of appeal.
But is that sign says right there. Can we have the vote sign? On November 8th there's going to have judgment on the illegitimate Biden regime.
[11:15:00]
BANNON: And quite frankly, and quite frankly, that Nancy Pelosi in the entire committee, and we know which way that's going, either they've
already been turfed out, like Liz Cheney, right or if quit like Kinzinger and other the Democrats, or they're about to be beaten like Luria and
others, or they will lose their power and becoming a minority and Nancy Pelosi and Tom Sherman all of them?
This is democracy. This is democracy. The American people are weighing and measuring what went on with the Justice Department, and will how they
comported themselves. They're weighing and measuring that right now and they will vote on November 8th.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (Inaudible)
BANNON: Can I go ahead and finish? On November 8th, the American people are a judgment and we will groom the Biden Administration ends on the 8th
evening of the 8th of November. And let me - thing is that the Department of Justice Merrick Garland will end up being the first attorney general
that's brought up on charges impeachment, and he removed from office. Thank you very much.
ANDERSON: That was Steve Bannon back after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Well, we're just a month away from football's biggest show piece the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. Just three days before that kicks off all
eyes will be here in the United Arab Emirates the Dubai Globe Soccer Awards will be handed out on November the 17th and the shortlist of nominees is
now out.
Karen Benzema, Alexa Putellas, Salah, Haaland, Lucy Bronze, the biggest names in the world of football are up for honors. And this year, CNN is
partnering with the awards to launch the CNN off the pitch category. Now this award will recognize the achievements of an individual club or other
soccer organization for their impact on wider society and on culture as well as charitable work. Keep an eye out on this show and on our website
for the announcement of those nominees.
Well, one former player who has gone above and beyond not just for his community, but for his country is Andriy Shevchenko, the Former AC Milan
Striker did it all in the beautiful game. A Champions League Winner in 2003 he also won the "Ballon d'Or" the prize awarded to the best player in the
world.
[11:20:00]
ANDERSON: He kept in Ukraine to their first World Cup in 2006, and is one of the country's most famous athletes.
But all of that has taken a backseat since Russia's invasion of his homeland. He's been to Ukraine four times since the start of the war just
eight months ago helping to rebuild stadiums and support struggling towns and villages. We spoke this week at length about his childhood in Kyiv and
what football means to Ukraine's national identity. First, though, he explained how the war has impacted his own life, have a listen.
ANDRIY SHEVCHENKO, FORMER UKRAINIAN FOOTBALLER: Anything been changed for me since the war started, I just concentrate and in everything to help my
country and the football is come, just secondary for me. I stopped watching the game; I just slightly start to get in. I've been in the few games start
to watching some football interests and tried to like little bit change. But I'm still very focused on to help my coach.
ANDERSON: You wrote a powerful piece recently for the players Tribune. And in it, you mentioned your own kids; your youngest is just eight years old,
as I understand it. And you said you couldn't imagine explaining this war to them. Have you had any conversations with your own kids about what's
happening back home?
SHEVCHENKO: Yes, of course I have my older son Jordan is almost 18. And he is very involved in some humanitarian project with me. He is helping, he
come visit the program in Poland. We spent two days together there. And then it's really helpful for helping Ukraine as a civilian to understand
what happened exactly.
And it's very keen to help children, help people and he did his own program to, to just raise some funds and help Ukrainian people.
ANDERSON: You're saying that same piece, that you feel guilty, still for not being in Kyiv to defend Ukraine. And I can only imagine the pain and
the grief that you must feel. Your role has been different in a way you had this unique opportunity you can be a mouthpiece for peace in a way that
other Ukrainians perhaps can't. What is your message at this point?
SHEVCHENKO: Oh, my message is, since the war started, I realized that I can really use my voice, I can really use my popularity and what I build from
my football career. I've been always so honest, and I just try to help my country in a different project also speak loud; speak about telling the
truth about what's happened in Ukraine and what's going on.
And the war is never stopped. It's keep going and it's very important to remember that, that's most important to stay close to Ukrainian crowd.
ANDERSON: You talked in your piece about President Zelenskyy when he promised not to leave Kyiv. I think it was in his address, the first night
and you've spoken to him. I wonder what you believe his end goal is at this point. And how well you think he's doing?
SHEVCHENKO: Look, he's leading the country's most probably difficult time for everyone; he took the lead that was a crucial moment for the future of
the country. He decided to stay united the people around him. That was how we built the resistance. And she's still leading I think is trying
everything to help the country to find a way to Ukraine going to be free country.
ANDERSON: You grew up in Kyiv, of course and you've said you learn the geography of the city through traveling to football games. You were even
playing football the day Ukraine became independent in 1991.
And soon after that you pulled on the jersey of the new national team. And Andriy, I remember you wearing that jersey back then, I am old enough to
remember that, and I remember how proud you were. How connected is the sport to your own national identity? Are they are one in the same for you
at the end of the day?
[11:25:00]
SHEVCHENKO: I think of course, people in Ukraine is all united together, especially in the last 10 years is something happen inside of the country
like a small, a lot more people start to speak in Ukrainian language. And we're really --we start to develop our code to write our identity, been
lost through for the many years. But since we start to be independent, we have all the rights to have that and then the country slightly starts to
move in that direction.
ANDERSON: So it doesn't surprise you that teams have continued to play throughout this crisis. You know, we see football even in the darkest of
days. What does that mean to the people of Ukraine?
SHEVCHENKO: We just want to show the world that we were going to carry on we're going to keep going, but we can also can leave and that the message
that the Ukrainian national team make it qualified to play against -- Scotland, that game was very important for us.
Even if Ukraine lost, they qualified to make it free to play World cup. The player is still national hero for everyone because in that that's such a
difficult moment. We provide everything to declare to play. We want to just show the world now that we were going to carry on and then we're going to
leave not trying to live normal life. ANDERSON: Yes and there was so many, so many people supporting Ukraine that night. I'm sorry, and I know so many
other people are sorry that they didn't make it through.
SHEVCHENKO: That is part of the game.
ANDERSON: Shevchenko, speaking to me earlier this week. Still ahead ordinary Iranians are risking their lives to fight for their rights. Hear
what one protester has to say about the regime's crackdown that is after this. Also you could call it Madonna of Iran, megastar Google; she's
speaking out about her life, her struggles. And what she thinks about the current protests in her home country, that's an interview you will not want
to miss. That is coming up here on "Connect the World" stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:30:00]
ANDERSON: By this time next week, Britain may have a new prime minister almost certainly it will. And several names are emerging as candidates to
replace Liz Truss who announced her resignation on Thursday after only 45 days in office. Among the main contenders, Penny Mordaunt, the Leader of
the House of Commons, who has officially declared she is in the running.
Former Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak. And the man who Ms. Truss replaced former Prime Minister Boris Johnson, will all of the uncertainty
about the UK's political leadership hasn't been good for the markets. The pound is off, it's not off enormously, it's 1.1211 --, it's just down
against the dollar.
European markets, including the footsie are sort of stable today. But the Bank of England is set November 1 to start selling some government bonds.
That's a day after the UK's fiscal plan actually comes out. Now the bank bought the bonds over the past decade and is now ready to get rid of them.
Well in Iran, women have been at the forefront of a battle for change, but they are paying a heavy price. CNN's Jomana Karadsheh talked to one
protester who described her close call with the government's crackdown on dissent. And a warning some of you may find the images and descriptions in
this report disturbing.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JOMANA KARADSHEH, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Every day for the past five weeks, a little bit of video trickles out of Iran, giving us a small
window into the repressive Republic, a snapshot of the bravery of protesters and the ruthlessness of regime forces.
The government's internet restrictions have made it hard for us to speak to those on the frontlines of this battle for change. But we got a rare
opportunity to speak briefly with a 28 year old protester. We're not identifying her for her safety.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: When I went to process - location, I was really scared and I was like, what am I doing here? Here's a war zone. And I was so
scared. I realized that if we want to make a change, I should start with myself.
KARADSHEH (voice over): That defiance was met with shield brutality. Women who've been beaten up with batons and shot at this protesters body riddled
with shotgun pellets according to Rights Group - many have been dragged by their uncovered hair.
And according to human rights groups and Amnesty International, some sexually assaulted in plain sight by the very forces claiming to be the
enforcers of morality.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Individuals and --basset forces attack people and beat them and to scare people. I saw a lady who was coming back from class and
the basset forces hit her, with a beat on in her sensitive place and she couldn't walk.
KARADSHEH (voice over): She recounts in terrifying detail what she and others have witnessed firsthand. Security forces roaming the streets on
motorbikes attacking people is opening fire on peaceful protesters and chasing them into buildings.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: When we were attacked, we ran into a store and the salesman closed and locked the door. So the forces couldn't see inside. My
heart was palming and I was shaking. My friend said, do you want to go home, I said no, like home. I didn't come to run away.
Nothing has happened to me yet and I was able to escape. But it is possible at any moment; we are now in the worst time of our life. We do everything
we can despite all this stress, even if it costs our lives.
KARADSHEH (voice over): Too many lives already lost in a battle they say for women, life, liberty, but that's not stopping the fearless generation
rising up to reclaim freedoms they've never known. Jomana Karadsheh, CNN Istanbul.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Well, Mahsa Amini was among a legion of worldwide fans of Googoosh who is perhaps the most well-known Iranian singer, a cultural
icon. She gained fame early in life. But after the 1979 revolution, her career came to a halt.
Well, Googoosh is now in her 70s living and performing outside Iran. My colleague, Christiane Amanpour spoke to her from exile in Los Angeles -
about the current protests underway in Iran. Here is the second part of that interview.
[11:35:00]
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GOOGOOSH, IRANIAN SINGER: I'm proud of and I wish and I hope in fact I am searching that the women in my country will ultimately achieve the
freedoms, that it's their inherent right.
CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: I know that you are going to record a piece of music this weekend to support the women and the
young girls. So you're going to record it in the same place where they recorded. We are the world. And I wonder what you hope that your message
will bring to the front lines of this movement.
GOOGOOSH: This song with the help of several other female musicians will give the message that Iranian women will succeed in bringing their wishes
into fruition. It is the natural rights of every human being especially women to whatever they want to live the way they want, to be free to say
what they want to say to be able to protest, in any case, to live the same way as men.
For 43 years, the women in Iran have had to wear this hijab. Hijab is not just a scarf covering your head. It is something that subject oppresses
women in every possible way.
And through my song, I want to say to my women in the country, don't despair. Continue to pursue this path and you will undoubtedly succeed. You
will succeed we will succeed all of us; beat the ones who are inside Iran or those who have been outside Iran in exile for 43 years.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Let's get you up to speed on some of the other stories that are on our radar right now. Pakistan's former Prime Minister Imran Khan will be
disqualified from holding political office for five years. The move by the Election Commission of Pakistan is likely to further inflame political
tensions in the country.
The Commission says Khan was involved in "corrupt practices". A Palestinian man was killed and several more wounded after an Israeli military raid in
the West Bank. Palestinian officials say the 19 year old whose body is being carried here was part of a group affiliated with Islamic Jihad in
Jenin.
Israeli officials say forces were conducting counterterrorism activities when the suspects fired on them. The United Nations Security Council
unanimously approved sanctions on Haitian gang leaders. The resolution freeze his assets bans travel and includes an arms embargo.
Haiti also requested an armed international force but that move is still being considered. You're watching "Connect the World", I'm Becky Anderson
for you. Up next, praise, friendship and vodka, Prime Minister or the former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi reveals the birthday
present he got from Russia's president and he has some eye opening comments on the war in Ukraine.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:40:00]
ANDERSON: Well, latest in our "Call to Earth" series. Now elephant is the largest land mammals on Earth. And the impact or the impact they have on
the environment is just as massive, but shrinking habitats are leading to more and more negative interactions with people. Today an organization on
in southern Africa is alleviating human elephant conflict by promoting a positive relationship between the two, have a look at this.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (voice over): If you take a trip to the northwest of Namibia, an arid region of southern Africa, where sandy desert and Rocky
Mountains dominate the landscape, you may come across an unexpected sight. These desert adapted elephants are actually African savanna elephants that
have developed distinct skills to help them live here.
There are only one of two desert dwelling populations in the world. In this part of the country, there are 22 elephants from three different herds that
roam freely. This accorded Herman Kasaona, an elephant guardian who works for the conservation and volunteer project, Elephant Human Relations Aid.
HERMAN KASAONA, PEACE COORDINATOR, EHRA: The elephant can smelt water, a little bit far deeper under the ground, and also so clever and smart. That
is how the elephant know how to survive in a desert area.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (voice over): As a keystone species, elephant's actions, movement and feeding habits are central and maintaining diverse and healthy
ecosystems. But for a period of more than 30 years, they were absent from this landscape forced out by political conflict, poaching, and expanding
human settlements. Then, in the late 1990s, they began to return and in an area where water is a precious resource, issues often arise. But there is
help.
KASAONA: We make a peace between the human being and the elephant. So we'll try to solve this conflict between the two. So you see how the indifference
curves are from an elephant.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (voice over): Known as peace coordinators, an acronym that stands for people, elephants, amicably coexisting it is the job of
Herman and fellow Guardian Taiwin Garoeb to mitigate any conflict that may arise, and they have a number of ways to go about this tall task, starting
with access to water.
KASAONA: We built the small dam for the elephant. Away from the community village, we try to protect the community water point for the elephant not
to damage the water tank.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (voice over): Since 2003 the organization has built more than 230 protective walls with help from over 3500 volunteers. But water
isn't the only resource of concern.
TAIWIN GAROEB, ELEPHANT GUARD, EHRA: The elephants broke into the carton garden of Fiona hamsters, they eat some popos, some tomatoes, they destroy
the carton.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (voice over): Part of Taiwan's job is to be a first responder to these types of incidents.
[11:45:00]
GAROEB: I have to go check how much damage is, so if I read tools I have to start building to fence up again. After building up the fence I have to put
on chili bumps, it's all of an ancient card so they don't like the smell, like they can smell it from 50 meters, so they won't come near the fence
anymore.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (voice over): Through an established series of workshops, trainings and development programs, education is also key to the group's
efforts. All of it designed to promote the conservation of Namibia's desert adapted elephants and uplift local communities.
KASAONA: Female elephant and a male elephant.
GAROEB: I want the people especially my community people to are known elephants, that elephants can understand us if we know how to talk with
them. We have to predict them for our next generation.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Well, let us know what you are doing to answer the call folks with the #calltoearth, taking a very short break back after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Right, listen up; it is a fact of life these days passwords for everything right and they can't be easy to hack only have to change them
all the time. It's maddening, isn't it, but it's really important. CNN's Donie O'Sullivan has a wake-up call for all of us, have a look at this.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DONIE O'SULLIVAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): So it's been three years since you last hack me here in Vegas, Rachel. You have stolen about $2.5
worth of hotel points.
O'SULLIVAN (on camera): A lot has changed. There's been a pandemic, there's a new president, I am still wearing the same shirt.
RACHEL TOBAC, CEO AND CO-FOUNDER, SOCIAL PROOF SECURITY: Oh, yes.
O'SULLIVAN (voice over): You have put me in a middle sea.
R.TOBAC: I'm afraid--
O'SULLIVAN (on camera): Oh, my God! This time I mean, as far as I know, you haven't broken into any of my accounts so far, anything like that?
R.TOBAC: No. I'm about to do that right now.
O'SULLIVAN (on camera): OK.
R.TOBAC: Most people, when they log into their accounts, they reuse their passwords, or they change it just ever so slightly. And when you do that,
if you've been in a breach, which all of us have, that means I can take that password. And I can shove that into all the other sites that you log
into.
O'SULLIVAN (on camera): I have been using quite a few of the same passwords over the years. I've gotten a bit better with some accounts.
R.TOBAC: I guess we'll find out. I'm going to go to a data breach repository site. And I'm going to put in your email address. You can see
here that you're involved in 13 breaches, just with this email address alone.
O'SULLIVAN (voice over): Wow! Online, there are sites that collect all that breach information like email addresses and passwords. And it's likely some
of your data is in there, too.
R.TOBAC: We have our first password that I found sounded familiar to you Donie?
O'SULLIVAN (on camera): Yes, that's a password I still use today occasionally.
R.TOBAC: OK. So you were using that on LinkedIn?
O'SULLIVAN (on camera): Many times.
O'SULLIVAN (voice over): Tip number one; don't use the same password for different services, your password for your Gmail should be different to the
password for your Instagram. If one of these services gets attacked, and your password is leaked, hackers can use it to get into a different site if
you're using that same password.
[11:50:00]
R.TOBAC: The hackers got a lot of information, some of which included a hash. We also were able to crack one of your passwords. The other half is
Evan is the other half of Social Security. I want to bring him in here and show you what it looked like when he cracked your password.
O'SULLIVAN (on camera): Evan emerges from the darkness.
R.TOBAC: --Evan.
EVAN TOBAC, HEAD OF RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY, SOCIAL PROOF SECURITY: I can take all the passwords that we know about you put it in a word list, and
then try 10,000 different little tweaks that you'll probably try. I can add a number at the end I can add a special character. And we did that your
password list and we cracked one of your new passwords. Is this a password that you use now?
O'SULLIVAN (on camera): Yes.
R.TOBAC: How do you feel about that?
O'SULLIVAN (on camera): I--
O'SULLIVAN (voice over): Tip number two; don't use very similar passwords across different websites if you don't want people like Evan being able to
figure out your password.
O'SULLIVAN (on camera): You should probably go change my passwords. That's not great.
R.TOBAC: It's not.
O'SULLIVAN (on camera): So what are the tips for people not to be like me?
R.TOBAC: Well, first and foremost, it is on the company's to avoid getting hacked and prevent breaches like this. Many companies do not use MFA
internally that second step when they're logging in. We need them to use that.
O'SULLIVAN (on camera): MFA is Multi Factor Authentication, which is when they text you code or whatever after you put in your password.
R.TOBAC: They text you a code you look at it app. You have a prompt on your phone that's your second step. So if I get your password I still can't log
into your account because I don't have that code.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Beware; you've been told 20 bottles of vodka and a very sweet letter. Apparently that was the birthday gift a former Italian Prime
Minister Silvio Berlusconi says that he got from Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Berlusconi is discussing Putin in audio released this week by the Italian news agency LaPresse saying that Putin called him "The first of his five
true friends".
Berlusconi, who will be part of Italy's incoming coalition government, also outlines what he thinks, is Putin's justification for the war in Ukraine.
And Barbie Nadeau is standing by; you have listened into that audio. Just explain what we heard and his defense of these leaked comments, if you
will.
BARBIE NADEAU, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: Well, you know, there are lots of things going on here. First of all, the timing couldn't be worse. Just behind me
in the presidential palace Giorgia Meloni, who's the Head of this coalition has just accepted the mandate.
Silvio Berlusconi's party is a big part of that puzzle in order she if she wants to stay in power, she needs him. She says she's for keeping up
Russian sanctions. She's for supporting Ukraine.
Then we get this audio tape in which it sounds like Silvio Berlusconi, a longtime friend of Vladimir Putin doesn't quite agree with her. Now, this
is something that a lot of people are watching. A lot of people are concerned about Italy's stance on Russia. Let's listen to what this audio
tape said first.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SILVIO BERLUSCONI, FORMER ITALIAN PRIME MINISTER: I have reestablished relations with President Putin a bit, quite a bit in the sense that for my
birthday, he sent me 20 bottles of vodka and a very sweet letter, I replied with bottles of Lambrusco and an equally sweet letter.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NADEAU: You know, I mean, is that sweet deal going to be enough to change his stance that's what everybody's really wondering here. Now Silvio
Berlusconi right before the election also stood up for Vladimir Putin and his reasoning behind the invasion in Ukraine.
A lot of people here there were watching it, this government that's happening right behind me is coming into power. How this is going to play
out Becky.
ANDERSON: He said he was the first of Putin's five favorite people or best friends. Did he say the other four words just out of interest?
NADEAU: No, he didn't. But I think we could probably guess who some of them were. Now, you know the relationship between Berlusconi and Putin goes way
back and they've been part of each other's scandals for many, many years.
Silvio Berlusconi has hosted him many times on his villa in Sardinia and, you know, Vladimir Putin has hosted Silvio Berlusconi and all sorts of
events as well. Now, everybody was wondering what Berlusconi would do when Russia invaded Ukraine. And now we're kind of seeing that Berlusconi said
at first, he supported Ukraine, but now things look a little bit different, Becky.
ANDERSON: Thank you, Barbie. Well finally before we go this Friday, the day Swifties have been waiting months for has finally arrived. Taylor Swift's
new album Midnights is out, have a listen to part of the track "Sweet Nothing".
[11:55:00]
ANDERSON: Well, that is a swift tease if ever there was one. She released this on a post on Instagram Midnights is her 10th studio album and features
songwriting credits from Zoe Kravitz, William Bowery pseudonym for her boyfriend. Actor Joe Alwyn, the music video for antihero is set to premiere
online in just about three hours from now. That's it from us, stay with CNN. "One world" with Zain Asher is next.
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