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Connect the World
Human Rights Group: One Person Killed as Protests Intensify; ISIS Claims Responsibility for Iran Shrine Attack; CNN gets Access to Ukrainian Power Station Damaged by Russia; Landmark Mideast Deal; World Bank Expects Oil Prices to Fall 11 Percent Next Year; Adidas Could Lose up to $249M after Dropping Kanye West. Aired 11a-12p ET
Aired October 27, 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]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANNOUNCER: Live from CNN, Abu Dhabi. This is "Connect the World" with Becky Anderson.
BECKY ANDERSON, CNN HOST, CONNECT THE WORLD: A very warm welcome back to the show! Women, life, freedom the call for reform is only growing louder
across Iran despite the growing toll from a fierce government crackdown.
These protests happening as a human rights group says one person was killed in the West Azerbaijan Province today. The Norway based group - which
monitors the Kurdish region, says that the death happened after clashes following a funeral for another protester. This as thousands of people
gathered at Mahsa Amini's grave on Wednesday to mark 40 days since her death while in the custody of Iran's Morality Police.
And mourners gathering to commemorate the death of another Iranian teenager where were met with tear gas and gunfire earlier. Video shows smoke near a
bridge where mourners had gathered in Iran's Lorestan Province said is not clear if there were any casualties. Nika Shahkarami Rami was among the many
protesters on the street after Mahsa Amini's death. In an exclusive investigation CNN looks at the final hours of Shahkarami at CNN's Katie
Polglase reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KATIE POLGLASE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Nika Shahkarami, the 16- year-old has become one of the most known faces in Iran. On September 20th, Nika was a high profile figure at the protests and known personality on
social media. She stood on bins chanting for the crowds.
Official say that within 24 hours she would be dead. Nika, joined to grow growing list of young women who have lost their lives in recent weeks, as
protests have swept Iran and authorities have waged a violent crackdown in response.
The Iranian government has made a series of shifting claims first saying that her death had "No connection to the protests", but that she was thrown
from a roof. And then on Wednesday, a new claim from the judiciary that it was suicide.
On the basis of our investigation using over 50 videos from that night and speaking to those with her that evening. CNN can reveal that some of Nika's
final hours were spent at the protest, including evidence that suggests she was chased and detained by security just a few hours before the state says
she died.
The first videos we found of Nika on the 20th are here at 7 pm. As protests heats up Nika can be seen right at the front, throwing rocks at a formation
of uniformed officers easily recognized she was brave, not even frightened eyewitnesses said.
At this stage in the evening Nika is here by - Park. Then as more officers arrive, witnesses say Nika starts to move away from them. First along
Keshavarz Boulevard, and then - street, where she's seen making a phone call just before 8 pm.
As it gets dark, the police crackdown intensifies moving into Nika's new location. Evidence of injuries start emerging and protesters are seen being
detained apparently by plainclothes officers. One person told CNN they saw security forces hitting women and putting them in police vans.
In the midst of this heightened violence CNN found a video of Nika still at the center of the protests. Its 8:37 pm and the last known video of her
don't move, don't move she shouts as she crouches between cars to hide from authorities.
POLGLASE (on camera): The person filming from the car told CNN that shortly afterwards, Nika was taken by several large bodied security forces and
bundled into a van. By this point in the evening, police were everywhere. Videos we've geo located to the scene show police to the south and also to
the north of Nika. It means when she was crouching in traffic, she was completely surrounded.
POLGLASE (voice over): By the next morning she would be dead according to this death certificate, first obtained by BBC Persian and verified by CNN,
which shows she died from multiple injuries caused by being hit with a hard object and is dated September 21st.
But Nika's family would not know of her death for another 10 days meanwhile both Nika's mother and aunt have said in interviews that credible sources
told them that for days during that window Nika was in state custody.
[11:05:00]
POLGLASE (voice over): The Iranian authorities released this CCTV footage, claiming Nika died after being thrown from this building, later the same
night in an incident they say was unconnected to the protests. They made no claim about who allegedly threw her.
And CNN cannot verify the person is Nika, nor the day it was filmed. Nika's mother has publicly disputed this footage, saying it's not her daughter.
And it's hard to square this calm walk with the evidence we have of Nika being chased by police and detained just a few hours earlier.
Iranian officials have not responded to CNN's inquiry as to whether she was ever in custody in the hours leading up to her death. What is certain
though, is that Nika was a prominent activist at the center of a police crackdown on the protests that night. Katie Polglase, CNN, London.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Meanwhile, ISIS is claiming responsibility for a deadly attack in the Iranian City of Shiraz. At least 15 people were killed more than 40
injured when an attacker opened fire on worshippers on Wednesday. Officials say the suspects are foreign nationals.
Two people have already been arrested while a manhunt is on we are told for a third suspect that the attack took place during one of the busiest hours
for worshippers. Iran's military is now saying without evidence, it has to be said that protesters are complicit in that shrine attack and is
threatening a further crackdown.
CNN's Nada Bashir following the story for us from London and the concerns for many critics of this regime is that they believe that these suggestions
by the government that this is protesters, in some way without evidence, complicit in the attack on the shrine will lead to further government
crackdowns on demonstrators just explain what we understand to be the detail here.
NADA BASHIR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, absolutely, Becky. That is the primary concern at this stage. Since these protests began in September, the Iranian
regime has characterized these protests as being not about human rights, not about women's rights or anti-regime sentiment, but rather they have
characterized these protests as riots.
And they've accused foreign actors, including the United States and Israel as being responsible for encouraging instability, chaos and unrest in Iran.
They accused these protesters of working for foreign agents in their words. And I've long maintained that this is the product of foreign interference,
not peaceful protests, calling for those human rights in Iran, to be upheld.
And so of course, there are significant concerns now that this claim by the Iranian regime that this attack at the shrine in Shiraz on Wednesday night
may now have been a cause perpetrated by foreign nationals and that could play into the regime's narrative at the protests that we're seeing are part
of a wider conspiracy of wonders the regime by foreign actors.
Now, as you laid out there, we've already heard reaction from the Iranian authorities a statement from the Iranian armed forces, saying that these
protests have been designed to stoke unrest, chaos and instability in Iran.
And that attack that we saw yesterday is part of this movement and that anybody taking part in these demonstrations is complicit in that attack,
there are concerns that that could allow the regime to set the pretext for an intensification of that crackdown.
We've also heard from Iran Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khomeini, saying that there will be decisive action in response to this attack. We've already
seen a significant, brutal and deadly crackdown by the Iranian security forces. We're talking about live fire ammunition tear gas, metal pellets,
and beatings.
And as you saw there in that report, from Katie Polglase this has led to dozens of deaths. We've seen according to Iran HR, at least 200 deaths
since protests began, although it is difficult for CNN to independently verify that figure. The concern now is that this could set the pretext for
the Iranian regime to really double down on that crackdown.
ANDERSON: Just briefly, we are seeing tear gas as I understand it, fighter protesters Nika Shahkarami's Memorial and other incidents just let's - just
if we can just run some of that video, if you can speak to that.
BASHIR: Yes, absolutely Becky. That shocking video is not new to us. We've seen that sort of action by the Iranian security forces today, targeting
mourners commemorating the life of Nika Shahkarami much as we saw yesterday at mourners in their hundreds if not thousands gathering at the burial site
of Mahsa Amini to mark 40 days since her death.
[11:10:00]
BASHIR: The Iranian security forces have been using tear gas reportedly according to some rights with live fire as well against mourners gathering
there who are also of course, protesting. We've heard chants of death of the dictator, death to the regime. These are cause mourners, but they also
protesting against the Iranian regime.
And we have seen in the City of Mahabad in the Western Azerbaijan Province today, some clashes between protesters and the Iranian security forces once
again, reports of tear gas being used against demonstrators live fire, according to Amnesty International.
And I can just read you this tweet from Amnesty Iran today saying Iran security forces are unlawfully using firearms against thousands in Mahabad.
Iran's authorities must immediately rein in the security forces. The United Nations, of course just yesterday called for an independent international
investigation into the use of excessive and lethal force by the Iranian security forces Becky.
ANDERSON: Well, that is on the story out of London for you, Nada thank you! And in a separate incident crowds gathered outside the British Embassy in
Tehran earlier. The state align news agency says the crowd was made up of Iranian students. The outlet says they were demonstrating against what it
calls the British government's role in the unrest in Iran.
Well, Israel's President says Iran's crackdown on its own people is part of what makes it a danger to world order and stability. Isaac Hertzog made the
remarks in an exclusive interview with my colleague, Wolf Blitzer. He's calling out to Iran for providing Russia with drones for its illegal war in
Ukraine. Mr. Herzog still defends Israel's refusal to deliver a missile defense system to Kyiv have a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
WOLF BLITZER, CNN HOST: To my right and hearing you say your strategic limitations will prevent Israel from providing these air defense systems
that the Ukrainians are--
ISAAC HERZOG, ISRAELI PRESIDENT: --monotonous depends which air defense system?
BLITZER: Well, which ones are you prepared to provide?
HERZOG: I'm not going to negotiate with you. Let's first put things in perspective. There are weapons that the American Administration is not
supplying to Ukraine. There are weapons that Europe is not supplying to Ukraine. On the other hand, there are a lot of issues and things that can
be supplied to Ukraine.
We identify with the suffering of the Ukrainian people. We want this havoc to end. We want to find solutions to this conflict. And definitely we
support the territorial integrity of Ukraine. So as far as we can go, in many non-lethal products we can do. As far as dealing with Ukraine, Iranian
drones, were definitely analyzing the situation.
BLITZER: President Volodymyr Zelenskyy recently said this, he asked Israel to choose aside and he asked if Israel is "With the democratic world, or
with those who turn a blind eye to Russian terror".
HERZONG: It's an unfair judgment; we have respect for President Zelenskyy. I, myself, have met President Zelenskyy a year ago, and we have a dialogue
with President Zelenskyy. And we understand the enormous plight and pain of the Ukrainian people.
We are treating hospitalized Ukrainians in Israeli hospitals. We have absorbed many refugees in our country, including, personally, me and my
wife, we've absorbed and are assisting a family of refugees in Israel. So we are definitely there. And I think rhetoric of that nature does not have.
BLITZER: As you know, there's also been some serious criticism of Israel coming from both Democrats and Republicans, members of Congress, who would
like Israel to be more assertive in helping Ukraine right now.
HERZOG: It's very easy to come to Israel with questions and comments on this issue. After all, there are many, many solutions and products that can
be supplied to Ukraine. There are things that we can't even do it technically, for example, there are weapons that we don't even have an
export version for.
There are things that we don't want them to fall in the hands of our enemies. There are secrets that we can't deliver. But wherever we can help,
we're trying to help. And we set it out right.
BLITZER: I know it came up during your meeting with President Biden at the White House. An increase of anti-Semitism here in the United States and we
saw that just in recent days with Kanye West and now known as Ye. How did that discussion with the President go? And I know you're very much
concerned about what's going on in this country?
HERZOG: And we are all concerned by anti-Semitism all over the world and of course, anti-Semitism here and everywhere. And the President was clear
crystal clear was on target is in fighting anti-Semitism with all tools possible.
[11:15:00]
HERZOG: It's anti-Semitism, racisms and Xenophobia these are the challenges of the era. But unfortunately history teaches us that usually it starts
with hating Jews, with blaming Jews with terrible rhetoric that people say you know, OK you said it.
And that's why I'm extremely pleased objectively as an Israeli as a Jew as a human being I'm extremely pleased to see this overwhelming reaction
against the comments by Kanye West.
(END VIDEO TAPE)
ANDERSON: Well, Ye feeling the fallout of his anti-Semitic remarks. Just Ahead the latest companies to cut ties with him and the hefty cost of that
decision. Meantime Russia amps up its efforts to deprive Ukrainians of the very basics needed to survive. CNN gets exclusive access to a power
station, disabled by a Russian strike.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Well, people in and around Kyiv are being warned of severe power outages after another Russian attack on Ukraine's energy sites. Officials
say Russia used Iran made drones to attack the main network of its power grid in Ukraine's central regions.
People in businesses there are told to conserve power to keep that grid from overloading and causing a complete blackout. Well, UN officials say
these attacks have led to and I quote them here deep suffering that could get worse as winter sets in.
CNN's Nic Robertson and his team got exclusive access to what is a disabled power station, which CNN isn't identifying for safety purposes. So here is
what Nic found?
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOAMTIC EDITOR (on camera): We're fairly arrived at this power plant when there was an air raid siren
everyone came into the bunker here there are several bunkers dozens of people in each room. There's Wi-Fi down here, this is just becoming normal
for all these workers.
The power plants are a new target in this war. They're spending several hours a day down here on their shifts is just becoming normal. They're
sending messages to friends. I've seen one gentleman playing chess online, there's a group of men over there playing dominoes. For these workers this
plant is now out of commission but they're still here.
It's out of commission because it's been hit several times already. This is a growing concern across the country. The power system the power grid
becoming a target for Russia, the government telling people they have to cut back on their electricity use their rolling blackouts across the
country.
These workers here though coming in every day trying to repair the power plant get it back online but the airstrikes are just making that harder and
harder.
[11:20:00]
ROBERTSON (on camera): They have no idea when the sirens will give them the all clear to go out. They know it'll happen. They just don't know when
hours and hours getting wasted. Work hours getting wasted, hiding away from the bombs. Nic Robertson, CNN, by the power plant in Ukraine.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Vladimir Putin meantime blaming the West for playing what he calls a dangerous, bloody and dirty game around the world. And he says for
seeking global domination. The Russian President making these comments at an event going on as we speak in Moscow he also said the West shouldn't
tell Russia how to build it society while adding that Russia does not consider itself an enemy of the West and he had a prediction for Russia's
future. Have a listen?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
VLADIMIR PUTIN, RUSSIAN PRESIDENT: Of course we have some problems. First of all, our losses due to special nature operation but we have economic
losses too. We have massive gains. What is happening without any doubt in the end of the day, and I want to emphasize in the end of the day will be
for the good of Russia and its future.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: To the situation on Ukraine's front lines President Zelenskyy accusing Russian troops of "Craziness in the Eastern Donetsk region". Three
civilians reportedly killed as Russian forces keep trying to take the City of - now, that's been a long months long effort with only small gains. Mr.
Zelenskyy mocked Russia for focusing so much firepower there with so little to show for it.
Well, Ukraine's President also sounding very confident about the prospect of taking back the Southern City of Kherson. He says his forces will
besiege the Russians if they stay one of his advisors earlier warnings that the heaviest of battles against occupying Russian forces, there is set to
come. CNN's Fred Pleitgen reports from near the frontlines, close to that city.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Ukrainian forces trying to hit the Russians on all fronts. This motor unit
firing in the north of the country while in the south Kyiv is continuing a counter offensive trying to capture the Russian occupied City of Kherson.
We met up with an artillery unit on the battlefield.
PLEITGEN (on camera): The soldiers tell us there's firing going on here pretty much every day several times a day. The frontline is not very far
from where we are at all. It's a couple of kilometers in that direction. And right now, there's not very much movement on that front line, but
still, the situation is very dangerous.
PLEITGEN (voice over): Ukraine's Defense Minister says Kyiv's counter offensive here is complicated by wet weather in the area. But the commander
says he believes in the end they will oust the Russians.
BANDERAS, UKRAINIAN ARTILERY COMMANDER: I know one thing for sure we will never step back from here. We have no other choice only forward. Ukraine
has to get back all its territory and borders.
PLEITGEN (voice over): While Russia continues to mobilize hundreds of thousands for the war here the Ukrainian say they found the Wagner Private
Military Company, founded by Putin ally of - is sending Russian prisoners with diseases to the front line. The Chief of Ukraine's Military
Intelligence told CNN's Nic Robertson.
KYRYIO BUDANOV, HERD OF UKRAINE'S DEFENSE INTELLIGENCE AGENCY: They put on them certain wristbands in blue white or red color. Every color signifies
tuberculosis, hepatitis or HIV. It's happening on a mass scale. Most of them who are taken prisoners or their dead bodies, which were found in the
battlefield, had those wristbands.
PLEITGEN (voice over): CNN can't independently verify those claims as Russian forces continue to lose ground in Ukraine. The Kremlin conducting
massive annual nuclear drills involving submarine launched ballistic missiles and others launched from Russia's fleet of strategic bombers.
While the Russians notified the U.S. about the drills well in advance Russian President Vladimir Putin with a clear warning to Washington.
PUTIN: What they are trying to achieve we see on the example of Ukraine, which has become an instrument of American foreign policy. The country has
practically lost sovereignty and is directly controlled from the United States.
PLEITGEN (voice over): But the Ukrainians on the front line say they are fighting for their own freedom not for anybody else, Fred Pleitgen, CNN
Mykolaiv, Ukraine.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
[11:25:00]
ANDERSON: CNN has reached out to the - group for comment on the remains of a young American killed while fighting in Ukraine is heading home. The
handover was the result of what were extraordinary efforts by two Ukrainian lawmakers negotiating with Russia Chief International Correspondent
Clarissa Ward reports on what was a powerful moment in this war and what is a CNN exclusive?
(BEGIN VIDEOTPAE)
CLARISSA WARD, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice over): On the front lines in Ukraine, he was known to his fellow fighters as Tactical
Jesus on account of his long hair and deep knowledge of the Bible. To his mom, he was simply Joshy.
Tennessee native Joshua Jones was just 24-years-old when he was killed fighting in Eastern Ukraine back in August. His passport in Ukrainian
Military ID showed up on Russian social media channels soon after, but his body was never recovered.
Since then, Ukrainian lawmakers Oleksandr Trukhin and Oleksandr Kovalyov have worked tirelessly to get his body back. And today, it is finally
happening.
WARD (on camera): Why is it important to you to recover the body of Joshua Jones?
OLEKSANDR TRUKHIN, UKRAINIAN PARLIAMENT: He's the same one hero for me like our soldiers, so we should make everything possible to give his body back
to his family.
WARD (voice over): We are driving to the front line in Zaporizhzhia. We stop along the way to link up with military intelligence. In another car, a
Russian soldier sits slumped over. He is being released today as part of a larger swap in which 10 Ukrainians were already free.
The lawmakers talk with the officers to go over the plan once more. A makeshift white flag is put together for the moment of transfer. And we're
off again this time to no man's land. A rare two hour ceasefire has been agreed by both sides and time is of the essence.
WARD (on camera): So we've just arrived at the meeting point they're waiting now for the Russians to arrive with the body.
WARD (voice over): A team of forensic investigators get ready for the task ahead.
WARD (on camera): This is as far as we are allowed to go. Actual handover will happen just beyond the hill, waiting for their return it is eerily
quiet. Only the bravest dare come out in these parts.
WARD (voice over): One of the transfer team captures the moment Joshua Jones's body is brought back into Ukrainian territory as Russian forces
look on.
WARD (on camera): For Kovalyov and Trukhin it's the moment they have been waiting for. Jones is now one step closer to being returned to his family.
WARD (voice over): Back in the car, they show us his personal effects.
TRUKHIN: This is his personnel - which he was wearing. He was very religious guy.
WARD (on camera): What's your feeling in this moment? You've been working towards this for a long time to try to get Joshua Jones back to his family.
TRUKHIN: Our feeling we are proud of our country of our team. We are proud of President and we are proud that we are saving lives because you know
when even somebody is dying, his family continues to live and they cannot live normally, if they know that they don't have a place where to come for
their son.
WARD (voice over): Thanks to their efforts Joshua's mother Misty Gossett in Tennessee will soon have the chance to say goodbye to her son.
MISTY GOSSETT, MOTHER OF AMERICAN KILLED IN UKRIANE: Joshua was he was a soldier he was a born soldier. He was named after the battle of Jericho and
he proved he lived up to his name so valiantly. And I feel like the weight of the world has been lifted with me.
WARD (voice over): A name and a life that will be remembered even half a world away Clarissa Ward, CNN, Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: As you will be well aware wherever you are watching this in the world Russia's war in Ukraine and certainly jolted global energy markets to
put it mildly. But in a new report, there could be an upside in the long run. We will explain how and why after this? Plus Israel and Lebanon still
technically at war have managed to end a long running dispute. We'll see what it could mean for that global energy crunch that is all just ahead?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:30:00]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: U.S. President Joe Biden is congratulating Israel and Lebanon on that deal to end a maritime boundary dispute the agreements, signed a short
time ago paves the way for oil and gas exports from undersea fields in the Mediterranean Sea. And it's an area that's been disputed by both countries
for years.
Let's bring in CNN's Hadas Gold now live from Jerusalem. And that we've been reporting on this now for some weeks, it was important that both sides
got this through their governments. And clearly at this stage that has been achieved. Just explain for the benefit of our viewers exactly why or the
significance of this deal and the consequences, if you will?
HADAS GOLD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, the significance of the deal is, first of all, that you have these two countries that are still technically at
war, these are enemy states, actually coming to an agreement about a maritime border. It's also significant in that previous administrations had
been trying to strike a deal in this maritime border for years, and they had failed.
But in this the past few months, there seems to have been new motivations popping up because first of all, there are potentially billions of dollars'
worth of gas and oil in this part of the Mediterranean Sea. And now when you have Russia's invasion of Ukraine, really putting pressure on Europe's
gas supply, you have Lebanon, in dire economic situation really desperate for some new investments and Israel, of course, wanting some security
measures on its northern border.
I think all of these motivations came together to really push this agreement forward. Now, the deal was mediated by the United States by the
U.S. mediator Amos Hochstein.
And what's interesting about this deal is though we're calling it the Lebanon Israel maritime deal, each country actually signed an agreement
with the United States. And then both of those were sent to United States and then sent to the United Nations. There is no piece of paper that has
both the signatures of the Israelis and the Lebanese.
And I think this is important for several political considerations. And this is also why we're not seeing images of a big signing ceremony of two
sides shaking hands. This is being done a little bit differently. However, it is still being hailed as historic by the Lebanese by the Israelis and by
the Americans.
Actually, U.S. President Joe Biden, yesterday at a meeting with the Israeli President at the White House held the deal, take it listed.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: Israel and Lebanon are going to sign an agreement to establish a permanent, a permanent
maritime boundary between the two countries. I think its historic breakthrough. It took a lot of courage for you to step up and step into it.
It took some real guts and I think it took principle and persistent diplomacy. You get it done and I compliment you and I compliment the
government.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
[11:35:00]
GOLD: And to give you an idea of how both sides are sort of playing this agreement, the Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid hailing it, calling it
diplomatic achievement, saying that not every day an enemy state recognizes the State of Israel. While the Lebanese President Michel Aoun said it was a
technical process without a political dimension, Becky.
ANDERSON: Hadas Gold is in Jerusalem for you, thank you. Russia's war on Ukraine is affecting the global energy market in profound ways. In fact,
the International Energy Agency says that markets and policies will be altered for decades to come.
The IEA expects global fossil fuel emissions will peak in 2025 as countries make bigger commitments to clean energy. Well, it says coal use will fall
over the next few years and predicts natural gas demand will level off by 2030.
Some of this might sound odd; given what we are going through at present the turning back on of coal fuel power stations, for example. But demand
for crude oil the IEA says will plateau by the mid-2030s. Well, earlier my colleague Julia Chatterley spoke with the Executive Director of the
organization about the report's findings.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
FITAH BIROL, IEA EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR: I think we are all focused rightly so the negative impact of this crisis, which I call the first truly global
energy crisis we have, of course, negative impact on the economy, energy market, our lives, businesses and people. But at the same time, but I think
many of us can be missing that the government responses to this energy crisis in terms of huge amount of money, putting on the table to accelerate
clean energy technologies is huge.
Inflation Reduction Act from the United States, 400 billion U.S. dollar in terms of tax incentives in terms of subsidies for solar, wind, nuclear
power, hydrogen, electric cars. In Europe, there is also a similar plan, which we call the Republic EU.
In Japan, in China, India, governments are putting real money on the table to accelerate the clean energy, not necessarily for environmental climate
reasons, but mainly for energy security reasons. They see that the Clean Energy Renewables or nuclear power or electric cars, they are an insurance
for energy security.
So another reason why we are seeing so much money put on the table by the governments the public spending growing so much is that the government's
want to make sure that their economies are one of the frontrunners when it comes to the next chapter of the clean energy industry, in terms of battery
manufacturing, in terms of hydrogen, in terms of the new nuclear technologies.
So putting all of these things together, we expect that the fossil fuels, coal, oil and gas altogether, which were continuously increasing since the
Industrial Revolution, year-by-year will make a peak in the next few years and start to decline at thereafter.
JULIA CHATTERLEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, and one of your other conclusions is that Russia, as a result will never have the market share nor the
influence on energy security in the world, ever, to the same way that it had pre-invasion, which is another important point.
The World Bank said today that they believe oil prices would fall 11 percent next year. I just wondered if you agree with that, and whether we
can tie that to the recent decision by OPEC plus to cut oil output. They've said it wasn't politics; it was down to economics, and a decision of lesser
demand in the future. Would you agree with that, based on what you're seeing to?
BIROL: So first of all, one word about Russia. I think this is one of the key findings of our art that we published today. Russia was as of 24th of
February, the day of invasion. Russia was the number one energy exporter of the world by far oil, gas, coal, but Russia has made by far the main market
was Europe.
A very good client gets oil, gets gas and paid the money on time. And Russia lost this market forever. And it will be very difficult this Russian
oil and gas find a new home as a big as Europe is looked at as Europe.
And as a result we see Russia's share in International Oil and Gas trade will be halved and Russia will lose about 1 trillion U.S. dollars in the
next 10 years from which is oil and gas export revenues.
[11:40:00]
BIROL: Now, coming back to the decision of the oil exporters, cutting the production by 2 million barrels per day, I will say this is a very
unfortunate decision, leave aside the political part of the decision. We have been following the decisions made by this group many, many years.
And I can tell you it is the first time maybe very unprecedented, and then the global economy was on brink of a global recession. They decided to push
the prices up, therefore the inflation up and many countries, it is not only the U.S. or Europe or Japan; these are not the main casualties.
The main problem is with the developing countries, oil import in developing countries will suffer a lot from that. So from that point of view, I find
this decision unprecedented when I look at the future or the past records of these countries and their decisions, and also from a global perspective,
which is really unfortunate.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: That's very bad barrel from the IEA. OPEC plus, of course, argues that it is in the face of that global recession that they chose to cut oil
production they say to ensure stability. So let's have a look at prices for Brent crude today. Well, it's up just over 1 percent WTI Crude, the U.S.
basket they're up just over one and a half percent.
The Saudi oil minister earlier today is criticizing U.S. President Joe Biden's decision to release more oil from the U.S. strategic reserves to
help bring down gasoline prices. Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman says such moves may become "painful" in the months to come.
One assumes that's because he believe reserves are increasingly being depleted. Now the prince also fired back at the U.S. threat of consequences
on the Saudis for that decision as lead producer in OPEC plus to cut production. He says the kingdom has "decided to be the mature guys in the
U.S. Saudi relationship".
Well, in response, National Security Council Spokesman John Kirby says such comments aren't helpful, and that the long standing partnership is in "some
high school romance".
Well, only this week, I interviewed the Saudi Ambassador to the U.S. She was in Riyadh with me and she defended that OPEC plus decision to cut oil
production by 2 million barrels a day along with the kingdom's diplomatic position on the war in Ukraine. Remember the U.S. administration accusing
the Saudis and OPEC of siding with the Russians in that conflict. Have a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PRINCESS REEMA BINT BANDAR AL SAUD, SAUDI AMBASSADOR TO U.S.: It's clear where to the point of disagreement, and many people have tried to
politicize this, but you're hearing it from the horse's mouth. This is not political. This is purely economic based on the expertise of 40 or 50 years
of mapping and trends.
ANDERSON: Is the kingdom, siding with Russia?
SAUD: No, the Kingdom has a policy of engaging with everybody across the board, those we agree with and those that we disagree with. The
relationship that we had with Russia is what allowed us to free prisoners of war. We view our role as a mediator and the communicator, we've
supported Ukraine humanitarianly, and that's the value of our engagement. Is it siding with Russia? No.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Saudi Ambassador to Washington. Well some news now just in from the new UK Government. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is pulling out of a trip
to the Cop 27 summit and climate change in Egypt. So Downing Street spokesperson says he needs to focus on "other pressing domestic commitments
in the UK will be fully represented by the senior members of the government". Coming up how an African game launches going green and
reducing its carbon footprint.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:45:00]
ANDERSON: Well, every year, millions of travelers from around the world go on safari in Africa bringing in billions of dollars to developing nations
but there is also an environmental hazard. There's a cost here associated with all those visitors.
And today on Call to Earth, a game launch in one of the continents premier wildlife viewing destinations is going green through programs which benefit
both the tourists and the surrounding communities, have a look at this.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (voice over): Tourism is big business in Botswana, a landlocked country in southern Africa where wilderness and game reserves
are the main attractions. Of its approximately 2.3 million people nearly 9 percent work in the industry with the majority of visitors coming to bask
in the "Jewel of the Kalahari, the Okavango Delta, and its neighbor Chobe National Park.
TSHEPISO VIVAN DIPHUPU, ENVIRONMENTALIST, CHOBE GAME LODGE: They're traveling from very far places from their countries to come and see our
beautiful country.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (voice over): But while all that traffic can be good for the economy, it can come at a huge environmental cost as waste pollution
and an increasing number of vehicles damage to the health of the region's ecosystem.
BAINAME MAOME, SAFARI GUIDE, CHOBE GAME LODGE: This is their lion track; it's heading to the west side. So it could be the lions that we saw down by
the river side yesterday.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (voice over): Here in Chobe National Park, home to Africa's largest elephant population, Bainame Maome works as a guide for
Chobe Game Lodge, the only permanent property inside its borders, and the first in Africa to use an electric safari vehicle and electric powered
boat.
MAOME: All this electricity that used to power the boats and the vehicles are generated in house from the solar panel. Even when we are driving the
boats, the solar charges from the sun, it's such a magical experience on electric boats because they are much more quiet and you can even hear birds
call and when the animal call like alarm calls.
For those who are bed watchers, is a great moment. And you can easily approach most potentially dangerous animal like elephants and hippos
without even disturbing them.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (voice over): According to the lodge, the electric vehicles have helped them save over 2500 gallons of diesel reduce their
carbon emissions by nearly 28 ton. And drastically cut back on an invisible but highly important issue in the natural world noise pollution.
DIPHUPU: We can hear the noise from the other boats, you know, obviously the diesel powered or petrol powered they make a lot of noise. And then I
was so silent. Of course being driven in the water they produce zero emissions. So this is so nice to maneuver around. Especially when elephants
were swimming across go into the other side we can actually be close; you know a few meters away just to watch them.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (voice over): Earlier this year, the fully ecotourism certified lodge took another step to ensure their credentials by appointing
Tshepiso as their first environmentalists.
[11:50:00]
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (voice over): And she says their sustainable practices extend across the entire property and beyond from guest laundry services to
up-cycling waste products.
DIPHUPU: From practicing there have been about initiative of manufacturing are stuck bricks. So it all comes from this glass bottles here. And when we
mix that with cement, we identify the less privileged people, maybe a family that we can go a house for, and we use those same bricks to build
those houses.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (voice over): For a population so reliant on the income that tourism brings, eco lodges like Chobe are vital, and forging a path
that can maintain and even boost visitor numbers without damaging the very ecosystem that makes Botswana such an attractive destination.
DIPHUPU: It's all about conserving and preserving what we have, you know, taking care of our environment, making sure we take good care of our flora
and fauna. That's what matters most.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Well, let us know what you are doing to answer the call with the #calltoearth. We're going to take a very short break, don't go away; there
are couple of minutes more of - lots to come.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: The dominoes keep falling for Kanye West or Ye, as he's known. Several brands have dropped the rapper after a string of controversial
comments and anti-Semitic remarks. Peleton says it will no longer plays music and its streaming workout classes, added us stands to lose up to 250
million Euros by ending their Mega easy shoe deal.
GAP will no longer carry easy brand and merchandise the backlash, severely hurting Ye's pockets. Forbes says losing the Adidas deal alone knocked him
out of the exclusive billionaires list. Well, CNN's Chloe Melas is following this story for us. The list does go on.
Do we imagine that we will see more here? And at the end of the day these are corporations which have a lot at stake here. So their positions they
have to be very clear on don't them?
CHLOE MELAS, CNN ENTERTAINMENT REPORTER: I mean, look, it all comes down to them wanting to appease, you know, their customers, they've all of these
brands have been getting a lot of public pressure to part ways. And Adidas has already come out and said that they're going to lose over $200 million
in the fourth quarter of their fiscal year due to severing ties with Ye, as he's called.
But that they are going to continue to sell the shoes that made them so much money, but just not call them easy anymore. And if you own a pair of
those shoes now what do you do with them, right? Do you even wear them?
And what's left for Kanye? He has his good music label which has his own music labels, so he could definitely continue to put out music. He could
potentially try to build a factory and distribute shoes and designs and fashion on his own. He still has over 18 million followers on Instagram.
He's back on Instagram today posting joking about these companies cutting ties with him, doesn't seem the least bit remorseful.
[11:55:00]
MELAS: Even in the wake of the President of Israel's remarks with CNN's Wolf Blitzer, Kanye seems to be completely unfazed by all of this, and
joking about the fact that he has lost his billionaire status. And it's been knocked down to a couple 100 million dollars, which is still a lot of
money.
But again, Spotify though coming out saying they're going to keep playing his music, keep it on their platforms, because the music itself is separate
from the artist, and that if his music and the lyrics were anti-Semitic in any way, then that's when they would draw the line. So for now, despite the
public pressure, his music is still available to be listened to on Spotify.
ANDERSON: Chloe, thank you for that.
MELAS: Thank you.
ANDERSON: And thank you, viewers, wherever you are watching in the world, for joining us from the team working with me here in Abu Dhabi, where the
time is just before eight o'clock in the evening. And those working with us in Bureau around the world, it is a very good evening. CNN continues after
this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[12:00:00]
END
