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South Sudan: Sudan's Warring Factions Agree to Peace Talks; CNN Talks to Sudanese-Americans who Fled Khartoum; Prominent Palestine Detainee Dies in Israeli Prison; German FM: Aim for COP28 must be to end Fossil Fuel Era; Source: Francisco Oropesa Deported 4 Times; FIFA Chief Women's Football Officer Talks Commercialization. Aired 11a-12p ET
Aired May 02, 2023 - 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)
BECKY ANDERSON, CNN HOST, CONNECT THE WORLD: Well, breaking this hour an agreed truce between the reported warring factions in Sudan. I'm going to
tell you what's different about this agreement. First, your other headlines is our authorities in Israel and Gaza reporter barrage of rockets fired
from Gaza. That is after the death of Hara Adnan, a Prominent Palestinian Prisoner who was on a hunger strike.
High level representatives from more than 40 countries meet in Berlin today, trying to find solutions for the climate crisis. This is a precursor
for COP28 the global climate conference happening here in the UAE in November.
Later this hour, "The Writers Guild of America" has begun its strike against the big Hollywood Studios effectively shutting down the production
process of new movie and television scripts.
All Right, we're starting with this breaking news just in in the past few minutes about a possible new week long truce for Sudan. South Sudan's
Foreign Ministry says the two warring Generals have agreed to a seven day ceasefire and will send representatives for peace talks, and I quote them
here to be held at an agreed venue of their choice.
This happening on what is day 18 of fighting and a rapidly expanding refugee crisis. Well, CNN's Larry Madowo collecting us this hour to Jeddah
in Saudi Arabia. Arrival point, Larry for foreign nationals and the fortunate Sudanese citizens, the few fortunate Sudanese citizens, it has to
be said you have been able to flee the fighting. What are you hearing there?
LARRY MADOWO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well we're hearing first, Becky about the ceasefire is that the two Generals, General Abdel Fattah Al Quran, who
leads the Sudanese armed forces and therefore Sudan, and his rival and his Deputy, General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo will have agreed in principle to a
truce.
I think the in principle is doing the heavy lifting in this statement from the south Sudan President Salva Kiir because the statement says that this
truce will begin on Thursday. It does not begin immediately. It's a seven day agreement to a ceasefire in principle, and President Salva Kiir is
encouraging them to name negotiate a team to negotiate at an agreed location.
So again, again, it seems like there are some things that have not been agreed upon. There's been previous reporting that that agreed upon location
would be here in Saudi Arabia, we haven't heard from the foreign ministry or in Saudi Arabia.
This came from at least some reporting, quoting the UN head in Sudan. But now this is the substantive statement saying that there will be an
agreement in principle to a truce, and he's encouraging this to men to use this as a stepping stone to going back to dialogue to ending this war that
has been going on for so long, has killed more than 500 people.
But I think the details here is where it's good to all live and die because this man had been using fighting words Becky, calling each other criminals
saying they've got to be brought to the book that they've costumer suffering for Sudanese people.
And this is now some kind of agreement that fine, we can sit down and talk again, even though the details will be very important. Will that location
be here in Saudi Arabia, as it has been reported? Will it be in Juba in South Sudan? Might it be Nairobi? Would it be Addis Ababa in Ethiopia?
We just don't know. There's a lot we don't know. But if ceasefire does happen, it'll be a big thing, because there's been at least five or six
failed ceasefire so far. They agreed to them in principle, and then a short while later, they said no, they started shooting at us. No, they weren't
shooting at us. And so we had to defend ourselves, Becky.
ANDERSON: Yes, I mean, you rightly point out there'll be some skepticism here, given that this is and I think you're right and say, we are at least
five ceasefires in at this point, the difference here at least is a period of time that has been suggested a week long truce and the suggestion these
warring parties have agreed to meet in principle or at least teams of the two warring generals have agreed to meet in principle.
[11:05:00]
Where is the question? Obviously at CNN we are doing the legwork to try and establish where that will be. Larry, meantime, you have been speaking to
and bear witness to the journey that many, many people have taken from Port Sudan to Jeddah. When I say many people, those are the lucky few because
there are thousands of people still trying to flee this conflict. What have you been hearing?
MADOWO: We've heard some heartbreaking stories, people who made the journey it's more than 500 miles more than 830 kilometers from Khartoum, the
Capital to Port Sudan, which appears to be the safest place as fighting is continued in Khartoum, especially in some residential areas.
It's concentrated around the presidential palace and the General Command Headquarters, people are fleeing the city in West Darfur, there's been a
lot of fighting. Port Sudan in the East has emerged as the safe place to find refuge but also to try and get on one of these ships that the Saudis
have been running across the Red Sea to hear in Jeddah.
And finally, Americans get a lot of criticism for pulling out their citizens -- pulling out the diplomats and their staff, but now the citizens
they felt abandoned and the first ship arrived here in Jeddah, and I heard from some of those who are lucky to get on that ship.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MADOWO (voice over): These are the first Americans to arrive in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia and the U.S. naval ship Brunswick its small conference after
an anxious two weeks of conflict in Africa's third largest nation.
MOHAMED KHALED, SUDANESE-AMERICAN EVACUEE: I didn't really like if it was up to me, I would have stayed to see things. Oh, but unfortunately, it's
got too bad. You know, the situation got just got worse and worse by the minute. You know what I mean? There was no water, there's no electricity.
MADOWO (voice over): This port city has become the main route out of Port Sudan. Several broken ceasefires later, people are desperate to escape.
REEM, AMERICAN GRADUATE STUDENT AT OXFORD UNIVERSITY: I'm basically doing a master's. And so I was in the Sudan to like do research ironically, on
these very same topics.
MADOWO (on camera): How's your family? Do you have family back in Sudan who cannot leave because maybe they don't have dual nationality in other
places?
REEM: Yes, of course. I mean, that's the reality for most people that are currently in Sudan are that because of the hierarchy of citizenship the way
that it works. Obviously, a lot of people couldn't even afford to live in Khartoum because of the prices of bus tickets.
MADOWO (voice over): U.S. officials say about thousand Americans have been evacuated since the conflict began by land, sea or air after initially
saying it was too dangerous to get private citizens out.
MADOWO (on camera): This operation only brought hundred U.S. citizens across the Red Sea. But there are so many more still stuck in Port Sudan,
hoping for transport like this. To get them to Jeddah,
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We've been working very closely with international partners around the world and here in Saudi Arabia with our Saudi partners
MADOWO (on camera): Will then be more U.S. ships today or in the next few days?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Not that I know of.
MADOWO (voice over): As families escaped the fighting. There are lighter moments, as even in war kids will still teach the parents.
MADOWO (on camera): How do you feel about having in Sudan?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, good.
MADOWO (on camera): How was it was it scary?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I wasn't scared. But she was good.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: She absolutely handled herself 100 percent.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MADOWO: There are so many children who are living through this. I met Omar who's nine years old. She has a three week old sister who was born just as
this conflict was beginning. And he said he never wants to see Khartoum again because he's afraid if he goes back, this might break out again and
they can't get out.
We're just outside the King Faisal naval base here in Jeddah Becky because we're expecting another ship run by the Saudis to dock here shortly. More
people who have been evacuated from Port Sudan will be arriving here in Saudi Arabia in the next hour so.
ANDERSON: Many more, not yet able to make that journey. Larry, good to have you thank you! As you heard that from Larry, the first U.S. led convoys to
evacuate private citizens only arrived this weekend, two weeks after the fighting began prompting many to criticize the Biden Administration's
efforts in getting Americans out of Sudan like my next guests.
They are two Sudanese Americans who like many others were caught in the crossfire of the conflict. They were visiting the country for the Eid
holiday. Quickly realizing how dire the situation was. They were, of course, desperate to get out.
After claiming to receive no assistance from the U.S. government they eventually made their way here to the UAE through private means it has to
be said. Mona Nourelhuda and Gamer Eltahir here, join me now live on set to tell us your story about how you got here?
And I'm very happy that you are here because I know things in Khartoum in Sudan are harrowing just heard Larry's report tell us about your journey
Mona, how did you get here?
[11:10:00]
MONA NOURELHUDA, SUDANESE- AMERICAN WHO FLED KHARTOUM: Actually, we waited around like five days; we supposed to leave the same day of the fighting.
But we could I mean, the MRI told us OK, I mean just canceled our flight.
And we stayed at our home that home for five days fasting and then no electricity, no water in our home. And, and then the bullets. I mean the
bombs everything people in the street dying, then we said we have to do something when we left to home of my brother in Riyadh.
And we were there for almost, maybe another week. And the bullets even got there, through the doors. So we have to sleep in the floor. So when we said
OK, we have to do something else. Then we contacted the embassy, the email, and we get like auto reply of some things.
ANDERSON: The U.S. Embassy to American Jews?
NOURELHUDA: Yes, yes, yes. And we are emails of course, and we get what to do what to do. We register our name our wherever we go. We put our look, I
mean home address, where are we at? And then decided just to take the risk on our own risks and just through private, not the company, our friend and
I have to say, that group.
And we went there to -- to Port Sudan in Port Sudan also we had suffered to go through wherever that ship. We couldn't after we got to the ship; they
took us out and then decided also our friend in that group. They said, OK, the Emirates airline, they evacuate going to evacuate us, and we put your
name there. And then we came to this.
ANDERSON: So you were lucky enough because you basically you knew somebody who could get you out and get you into the Emirates where as I understand
that you're being put up for the time being until you can make another plan. So what you're telling me Mona and gamma is that for more than a
week, you were holed up in your own and other's homes. You said dead bodies on the street?
NOURELHUDA: Yes. Outside our home, because there is Yes, across our home they killed I think this is another military. I mean, how do I say that the
justice? I'm not sure what it is they pulled them from the house.
And I think someone is resist to be taken then they, I mean, they showed him and in the street for four days. I mean, nobody can go there. I wish I
could get you the picture. But my friend took it but I didn't take it because I couldn't even see it.
ANDERSON: So, what you've experienced is a story that we have been hearing recounted. But to hear it firsthand, is really traumatizing. We've just
heard about a ceasefire, potential ceasefire. This is not the first time that we've heard of this Gamma Ave. Just experience, it just explained. At
what point did you realize you had to leave? And money, you've talked about the lack of response from the U.S.? How did you feel as a U.S. citizen?
GAMER ELTAHIR, SUDANESE- AMERICAN WHO FLED KHARTOUM: Yes. When I had the citizenship, first, they will have the citizenship, I suppose that I'm
actually part of one of the greatest country, Reached country, but unfortunately, when I live them when I need them, I couldn't find them. So
we they just put them.
NOURELHUDA: Where our tax goals.
ANDERSON: You say that you pay taxes in the U.S.? What are you paying those taxes for? I mean, you feel that the U.S. has failed? Yes, its citizens do?
NOURELHUDA: Yes. And I have the question for you. What do we expect biggest country in the world, biggest military in the world, and the leader of the
free world to do for their citizens? I don't know. What do you expect? I mean, what I don't know, this appointed. I mean this belief. I don't know
what to say.
ELTAHIR: The Japanese. They asked. I mean, some Sudanese were really nice and they asked for they are Japanese. They asked for help. They came to
their homes, and they took everybody out. This is help that you need that we wish but unfortunately we were put down and they even asking for how
much you have to pay for the service that we are going to give you.
[11:15:00]
ANDERSON: You were able to get to port Sudan, where you were then hold up again, effectively while you're actually able to escape this. We have been
reporting on the potential for another ceasefire this week.
And the warring factions promising to hold peace talks effectively, how much hope do you hold out for those peace talks and just describe for us,
if you will, what you have left, back in Khartoum?
NOURELHUDA: Everything even we are, we can only for a vacation, Ramadan, and they eat everything, and we left it there. And the other thing when we
pulled out from the ship, our luggage went together. And here I came was just what have wearied.
ANDERSON: What hope do you have thought friends and family back home and consumers?
ELTAHIR: This is the most precious part of it is our relatives, our people, our families, they will live and we don't know actually how they are going
to live without water without electricity without food. So it's really dangerous. We wish actually, somebody should do something for that one.
ANDERSON: I know that you will be the first to admit that you are lucky to have very locked out despite the fact that obviously you know, this has
been a harrowing two week period for you.
You talk about your friends and family left back at home and the fears that you have for them, many, many Sudanese citizens, we are hearing from who
say that they simply can't get out at present.
Your dual nationals, you've criticized the U.S. government's support for yourselves and those criticisms we, we continue to hear. We're so sorry. We
please. You're safe here. But we're so sorry. And we'll continue to tell your stories. Thank you.
NOURELHUDA: Thank you so much.
ELTAHIR: Thank you so much.
ANDERSON: You can follow the very latest from Sudan online, including an in depth look at the evacuations to Jeddah and the agonizing wait for many who
have made it to Port Sudan. But as we were just hearing, so many of those were and are unable to leave from there that's at cnn.com on your computer
or through your CNN app on your Smartphone.
Well, coming up here on "Connect the World" with me Becky Anderson, a Prominent Palestinian Detainee has died in Israeli prison following a three
month hunger strike prompting anger among Palestinians and rockets fired towards Israel from Gaza.
Plus startling new video showing what fighting is like in Ukrainian trenches. And high level delegations are meeting today in Berlin to discuss
climate solutions and the message is familiar. We aren't acting fast enough. You're watching "Connect the World" I'm Becky Anderson. Stay with
us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:20:00]
ANDERSON: A problem Palestinian detainee who became a symbol of resistance to Israeli detention died earlier today. Authorities in Israel said Khader
Adnan; a former spokesman for Islamic Jihad had been on a hunger strike since his arrest by Israeli authorities in February nearly three months.
The Israeli Prison Service said he had refused to get medical checks. While in detention, he was found dead in his cell on Tuesday morning.
Well, in response, at least 22 rockets were fired from Gaza towards Israel for interception, 16 fell in open areas. So far at least three were injured
by shrapnel in Israel as a result. Well, Adnan's death also prompted anger across the occupied West Bank. Palestinian political parties announced a
general strike closing caught schools and shops, while Palestinian detainees in an Israeli military prison announced their own hunger strikes
to protest Adnan's death.
CNN's Hadas Gold covering the story for us from Jerusalem and she joins me now live. And give us the latest first, on how his death has escalated
tensions if you will?
HADAS GOLD, CNN JERUSALEM CORRESPONDENT: Yes, I mean, it has escalated things quite a bit. This is a rather large barrage of rocket fire from Gaza
at least 22 rockets, in addition to three rockets that were fired earlier today. So in total, right around 25 rockets fired by what Palestinian
militant groups were calling their joint factions, which likely means Hamas and both Islamic Jihad.
Because as you noted, Khader Adnan was once a spokesperson for Islamic Jihad. And upon his death, Islamic Jihad said they had essentially promoted
him to be a commander. Now, three people were injured as a result of shrapnel from these rockets, at least one of them was seriously injured by
shrapnel. That's according to Israeli medical authorities.
Now, while the Israeli military did initially respond to those first three rockets fired with some tank fire, we have not yet heard about any other
Israeli military response to the latest larger barrage, although the Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is in the midst of security briefings right now
with the IDF Chief of Staff.
And I do believe and I would expect that we will see some sort of Israeli military response to a rather large barrage of rocket fire from Gaza,
especially since the sort of modus operandi for the Israeli military in the last couple years has been to respond to every single thing that comes out
of Gaza, whether it be an incendiary balloon or rocket fire.
But Khader Adnan as you noted, had become really a face of Palestinian prisoners, face of Palestinian resistance. He had been detained at least 10
times since 2004. As you noted, he was a former spokesperson for the Islamic Jihad. He had been detained since February on terror charges. This
was also not his first hunger strike.
He had done at least five other hunger strikes in the past, but this one was going on for at least three months in Israeli prison authorities saying
that they found him unconscious in his cell this morning, they said that he had been refusing medical checks throughout his hunger strike. As you
noted, not only the rock, we saw the rockets but also the general strikes across the West Bank and Gaza.
But what's interesting is actually what we heard from Khader Adnan's wife who before the biggest barrage of rockets spoke out and actually said that
she didn't want to see rockets fired as a result of her husband's death. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RANDA MUSA, KHADER ADNAN'S WIFE: Not a drop of blood was spilled during the previous prisoners hunger strikes. And today, we say with the rise of the -
- and his accomplishment of what he wished for, we do not want a drop of blood to be spilled. We do not want someone to respond to his martyrdom. We
do not want rockets to be launched and then for Gaza to be struck after.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GOLD: Now Adnan was being held in what's called administrative detention. This is a common thing amongst Palestinian prisoners. The Palestinian
prisoner's society saying about thousand Palestinians are currently being held under this detention. This means that he has not yet faced trial or
charge.
This Israeli security services say this is often done for security reasons to for what they say is prevent future attacks the Palestinian prisoner's
society saying that this they are at the highest level of administrative detainees since 2003, Becky.
ANDERSON: Hadas, thank you. Let's get you up to speed folks on some of the other stories that are on our radar right now. And an American has died
while attempting to climb Mt. Everest, an expedition. And organizers says that Jonathan Sugarman died at Mt. Everest succumb to after feeling unwell.
[11:25:00]
A record 463 climbers have received permits so far this year to scale the world's tallest mountain. Three crew members from a tanker missing after
their vessel caught fire off the coast of Malaysia. The tanker was sailing from China to Singapore at the time. 25 other members of the crew were
rescued.
Protesters and police clashed in Paraguay overnight over the results of Sunday's presidential election. The candidate who came in the third place
is alleging election fraud. Long ruling, Colorado party, Santiago Pena, won more than 40 percent of the vote. Well new details from the White House
about the number of Russian casualties in Ukraine.
The Biden Administration says more than 100,000 Russian troops have been killed or wounded in Ukraine since December. And the American government
says that is proof that Russia's war has backfired. Well, CNN Chief International Security Correspondent Nick Paton Walsh is live Zaporizhzhia
for us. And you would expect to have got some sort of response on those numbers, which certainly sounds significant on Russian deaths. From the
Kremlin, what have we heard?
NICK PATON WALSH, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Kremlin Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov has told reporters that the White House has in
absolutely no way of being able to estimate Russian casualties. And we should look to the last official statement from the Russian Ministry of
Defense that just below 6000 deaths is their latest statement.
But look, John Kirby, the National Security Council spokesperson when he gave this figure, it's no suspiciously round, to be honest, said it was
based on intelligence that had been downgraded essentially, classified declassified to the point where it could be released publicly and then went
on to give more details which makes slightly more sense of it.
20,000 dead, he said the remaining 80,000 are injured. That may be, we don't know that may be the result of their assessment that for every person
who dies, there are four people who are injured in a normal battlefield. That's certainly the ratio that NATO hopes to obtain in its operations.
At the same time, he said the half of those 20,000 dead were Wagner fighters now that would probably locate them in the exceptionally grisly
battle for Bakhmut that we've seen taking place since about October or November. The key focus of Russia's military activity since then the
grizzly focus of their winter counter offensive, utterly futile, frankly.
And in the last few days, we've seen a key Russian military figure, Yevgeny Prigozhin; the Head of that Wagner group come forward and say without more
artillery shells, he's not sure his guys can hang on in Bakhmut. Now, he's made misleading statements before we would simply don't know where that's
coming from.
But at the same time, Ukrainian officials have said they're pushing back and managing to get Russians to leave position. This has been a back and
forth for months now. And it's one where in the last few weeks, we began to get the feeling Russia thought it had the higher ground had the capacity
potentially, to encircle the remaining Ukrainian troops inside that city and now that seems to be reverting.
Back and forth it may continue to move on. But I think the message we can take from the White House, certainly, with these numbers, which lack
evidence, certainly behind them. But do certainly speak of an appalling winter that Russia has had is the fact that the Biden Administration are
very keen to informational be behind this forthcoming Ukrainian counter offensive.
They're reminding the world how catastrophically bad Russia decisions are on the battlefield, how their decision to fight for the symbolic but
strategically not very useful. City of Bakhmut has taken up what remaining resources they have. Becky, we've spoken to Russian convicts who were
recruited directly by the Russian Ministry of Defense, sent to the frontline to fight injured and then called us from hospital to say they
were concerned about being sent back to the frontline still injured.
So there really it appears straining the resources on a human level that they're sending to that frontline. And that certainly speaks of desperation
ahead of this Ukrainian counter offensive into which billions of dollars of NATO weaponry training and planning appear to have gone. A senior U.S.
official is talking about how they had been training the Ukrainians for a surprise attack.
So we're seeing indications here in Zaporizhzhia, that some of that counter offensive may be beginning or beginning to have its prelude impossible to
tell. And the Ukrainian government obviously won't tell us when they're starting, but a very stark indictment of where Russia is ahead of this
strategically vital moment, Becky.
[11:30:00]
ANDERSON: Nick, thank you. Well, the United States says there is an irregular dialogue happening with Russia regarding wrongfully detained
Americans. U.S. citizen Paul Wieland is serving a 16 year prison sentence on espionage charges. Journalist Evan Gershkovich is currently being
detained on similar charges.
Now the U.S. Secretary of State has called for the release of both men. Well, Evan Gershkovich has consistently denied that they are spies. Just
ahead, a severe drought is putting Spain's crops at risk. CNN travels to one of its most important reservoirs to find out how bad things are getting
and Hollywood getting ready for picket lines. We're going to tell you why film and TV writers say they are battling for the very future of their
profession.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Welcome back. You're watching "Connect the World" with me Becky Anderson. It's just after half past seven in the UAE; you are more than
welcome, your headlines this hour. South Sudan's foreign ministry says the two warring sides in Sudan have agreed in principle to a new week long
ceasefire.
And in a change from past truces, and let's be quite frank, there have been many at this point that have been largely unobserved. The rival generals
will send representatives of peace talks at a venue they say of their choosing. South Sudan is among the nation's receiving a flood of Sudanese
refugees fleeing the fighting, that is now in its third week.
At least 22 rockets have been fired from Gaza towards Israel according to the IDF, while most fell in open areas. Emergency services say three people
were injured in the city of --. And it follows the death of Palestinian prisoner Khader Adnan after almost three months of being on hunger strike.
The White House says more than 100,000 Russians have been wounded or killed in Ukraine since December. Biden Administration says that figure shows that
Russia's war effort has backfired. Meanwhile Ukraine says weather has delayed its planned Spring Offensive.
Well, Germany is calling for an end to the fossil fuel era. At a climate conference in Berlin today, Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said that
that must be the goal of the next U.N. Global Climate Conference. Well, COP28 will be held here in the Emirates, a controversial choice for many
given the country's reliance on oil revenue. [11:35:00]
Well, Conference President and co-host of this meeting in Berlin, Sultan Al Jaber says under his leadership there will be space for all parties to
discuss the role of all energy sources.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SULTAN AL JABER, COP28 PRESIDENT: Let me say this, and let me be perfectly clear. In a pragmatic, just and well managed energy transition, we must be
laser focused on phasing out fossil fuel emissions while facing up and scaling up, viable, affordable, zero carbon alternatives.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Well, our Senior International Correspondent Fred Pleitgen standing by for us in Berlin. You've been monitoring what's been going on
at this meeting. This is a meeting that is held ahead of the climate conference every year and it's been hosted in Germany. Now for years COP28
Sultan Al Jaber says, needs to deliver an action plan that engages the public and private sector to achieve in his words, transformational
results, and that will be underpinned by the response to the first ever global stock take.
Let's just be quite clear about this that global stock take will provide the world with a sense of where we are at when it comes to climate
negotiations and our efforts to prevent this climate crisis and it is not looking good at this point. What are you hearing from the conference?
FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, first of all, I think you're absolutely right. And that's something that we've heard
Becky from a lot of those taking part in the conference today. The German Foreign Minister, but also others, like for instance, the U.N. Secretary
General, saying that they believe it is actually not looking good.
And I think that global stock take is something that is really important having that key data, seeing how bad the situation really is that as far as
climate change is concerned, as far as carbon emissions is also concerned as well. That was quite interesting, because in the speech of the U.N.
Secretary General, which was remote, which was done by video today, he said that the nations of the world need to stop shutting their eyes.
They need to get real look at the data, they need that global stock take to see exactly where they stand. Now the German foreign minister who of
course, comes from the Green Party always had a big environmental agenda. She also came out and said that right now, quite frankly, the world is not
doing enough.
She says she believes that richer nations need to do more to give, for instance, funds to poor nations to deal with the impact of climate change.
But that also what Sultan Al Jaber there was saying is also very correct. There needs to be a massive investment in renewable energy. And she said
right now, the world at this point in time is simply not doing enough. Let's listen in to what Annalena Baerbock said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANNALENA BAERBOCK, GERMAN FOREIGN MINISTER: We all know it's not enough to describe that we're not meeting our targets. We have to say how we want to
change course, to finally get back on the 1.5 degrees path.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PLEITGEN: Finally, get back on the 1.5 degree path, obviously capping a global warming at 1.5 degrees Celsius. Right now, obviously, the world is
on track to get much higher than that. And that's certainly something that's very disconcerting.
One of the things that Annalena Baerbock said and also Sultan Al Jaber said as well is he believes that for COP28, there need to be benchmarks
established for renewable energy to make sure that those investments are really made. And that all of this is not in the end, something that's there
on paper, but that really in reality leads to less carbon emissions. And then people also hope less global warming as well, Becky.
ANDERSON: Yes, well, you've been tracking the real world impacts of the climate crisis and you've been in Spain recently. What did you find there?
PLEITGEN: Well, you know, right now, the situation in Spain is absolutely, is absolutely disastrous. And it's across many regions of Spain, where it
simply is way too warm. But we're also for months, it simply hasn't rained, and there simply isn't enough water around either. And so the drought in
this year is really severe, and it's clearly having an impact on the population there and also on farming as well. Here's what we learned.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PLEITGEN (voice over): From afar, even a natural disaster can look majestic. But up close, the full impact of the global climate emergency is
clear to see. This is the Sau Reservoir near Barcelona, normally one of the largest bodies of freshwater in this part of Spain, but months of drought
and the water levels are so low, an entire medieval village usually underwater has come to light.
PLEITGEN (on camera): The folks here say normally you'd be rarely being able to see even the tip of the medieval church, because it would be almost
fully submerged. But now as you can see the church is very much on land. And the authorities here fear things will get much worse once the summer's
heat really sets in.
[11:40:00]
PLEITGEN (voice over): The Sau Reservoir is already at less than 10 percent capacity. And that's causing hundreds of thousands of acres of farmland to
dry up. All of this wheat is probably lost. Farmer -- Santee Koutoubia shows me why.
The grain should be milky, he said, we're in a critical moment. If it doesn't rain, this will end up empty. We should be seeing the grain come up
to here, but it's only like this. If it doesn't rain in the coming week, the crop will be zero.
But there is no rain in sight and temperatures in Spain have skyrocketed. Scientists at the Institute of Agri Food Research and Technology are trying
to find ways to make very little water go a longer way. Chief Scientist Joan Girona says like efficiency needs to be maximized.
JOAN GIRONA GOMIS, RESEARCHER, IRTA: But it's all about taking the most of our drop of water.
PLEITGEN (voice over): Just like the crops, the people in this area are also in survival mode. Dozens of towns are without water and need to get it
trucked in. The village -- hasn't had any for about a year, and residents say they can't even remember the last time it rained.
I don't recall, Joan tells me, it's been a long time a year or more without proper rain, nothing. This region of Spain is a breadbasket for all of
Europe. And while the authorities say they're building desalination plants to combat the water crisis, the Head of the region's Water Authority says
life here might change dramatically.
SAMUEL REYES, DIRECTOR, CATALAN WATER AGENCY: And sometimes I think about the capacity of the territory. I mean, is this a country will where we can
handle with the increase of citizens, tourist, industry, farmers agriculture, or we should stop.
PLEITGEN (voice over): And that point might be closer than some believe. Back at the Sau Reservoir authorities are actually draining most of the
remaining water to prevent this precious and ever scarcer resource from getting contaminated by the sludge at the bottom of this once mighty lake.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
PLEITGEN: You know, Becky, just to give you an idea of how dire the situation is there, the folks there told us that normally the really rainy
time of the year is actually March and April. But this year, that simply hasn't happened. There simply hasn't been any rain.
And one of the folks that we spoke to said he believes that possibly in the world, one of the big conflicts of the future will be for the access to
fresh water, which then brings us of course right back to that conference that we're having here in Berlin today. That we had here in Berlin today
with a German foreign minister also said that she believes climate change is already a massive factor for instability in the world, Becky.
ANDERSON: Fred Pleitgen on the story for you, Fred, thank you. And we will be closely following the lead up to COP28 here in the UAE on all of our CNN
platforms. Of course you can keep up to date with us here on "Connect the World" as well at cnn.com/climate or on your CNN app on @beckycnn.
Well, still to come on "Connect the World" a massive manhunt in the U.S. police searching for this man four days after they say he killed five
people in Texas. Ahead what we are learning about the fugitive.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:45:00]
ANDERSON: Right, welcome back. It's quarter to eight here in the UAE. I want to get you to Texas in the U.S. now and the massive manhunt for the
suspects who shot and killed five people on Friday including a nine year old child. The U.S. immigration and customs enforcement tools tell CNN this
suspect Francisco Oropesa had entered the U.S. illegally and had been deported at least four times since 2009.
U.S. Border Patrol officers have been told to be on high alert in case he attempts to go into Mexico. An $80,000 reward has been offered for any
information leading to his arrest. Well, joining us now is CNN Security Correspondent Josh Campbell. What more do you have Josh at this point?
JOSH CAMPBELL, CNN SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Becky this manhunt continues in Texas as well as in Mexico. Authorities are looking for the
suspect who is accused of this brutal murder on Friday night in Texas killing five people, including a nine year old boy. As you mentioned, the
suspect 38 year old Francisco Oropesa, we are learning more information about his background.
You indicated there that he had previously been removed from the United States four separate times that according to a source familiar back in
March of 2009 he's found in the U.S. illegally, he's deported. Just six months later, he finds himself back in Texas and is removed again.
Two other times follow that, he was also convicted in the state of Texas for driving while under the influence of some type of drug or alcohol he
did end up serving jail time. And so the reason that is important is because authorities are concerned that because he is so adept at traveling
from Mexico into the United States, there's a fear that he may have already fled the United States into Mexico.
That's why border officers on both sides of the U.S. Mexico border are on alert at this hour. They've been briefed on the suspect, they have his
photo, they've been told to be on the lookout in case they encounter him. Interestingly, the U.S. government is also aggressively messaging to media
in Mexico about this $80,000 reward that's being offered for information leading to his arrest.
And that is because if there was someone in Mexico that knows where he is, they want to hear from you. And people stand up possibly collect up to
80,000 U.S. dollars as part of that arrest effort. Meanwhile, back in Texas where this murder took place, this was just about 50 kilometers northeast
of the city of Houston.
There are some 250 law enforcement officers that are continuing to fan out doing what they were called grid searches to try to look through every
place where he might have been, were told that they are going door to door asking residents in the area have you seen this suspect? Have you seen his
vehicle?
They're also asking if residents have security camera footage that authorities can look at. Just to try to again put him in that place in time
as they try to find out where he is, no credible leads yet authorities say that they are receiving many, many tips that they're working through. But
at this hour Becky this very dangerous suspects still at large.
ANDERSON: Josh, thank you. And you can follow this story online. Cnn.com has a story about how this mass shooting unfolded last week. The
heartbreaking grief felt by the victim's families and the multiple times this suspect is, Josh who was just explaining enter the United States
illegally. We'll be back after this short break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:50:00]
ANDERSON: More than 11,000 film and TV writers are now on strike after talks with the big Hollywood Studios broke down. Now this move will
immediately shut down many TV programs and could soon lead to a halt on virtually all scripted movies and TV shows. The writers say they are
battling for the very future of their profession.
They say they're not fairly compensated for what are streaming programs. And they are worried about the impact of AI on writing. Well, CNN's Vanessa
Yurkevich is outside the Ed Sullivan Theater in New York. Where Vanessa, the Late Show with Stephen Colbert has already shut down production,
explain.
VANESSA YURKEVICH, CNN BUSINESS AND POLITICS CORRESPONDENT: Exactly. It will be a rerun tonight for the Stephen Colbert show which films just
behind me. And we are learning now just how far apart the two sides are. According to the Writers Guild, they are asking for $429 million in
compensation each year. And they are saying that the studios are only offering $86 million dollars a year. But let's go through what the studios
are offering.
They said that they have come up on compensation that they are adding to residuals that they are coming up on the residuals that they pay writers
for streaming, and they are willing to go even higher, but there remain these key sticking points.
One of them is how many writers are in the room, the studios looking to limit that number, the writers looking to expand that number also length of
employment. Additionally, a regulation of artificial intelligence is key on the table and residuals from streaming the writer saying that the number
that the studios have given them is still not enough.
Now when we talk about studios, we're talking about Apple, Amazon, Disney, CNN's parent company, Warner Brothers Media, these are companies that have
seen dips in advertising revenue, the shares of the company dropped, they then have to take cost cutting measures. And that includes layoffs.
On the other side, the writer say that there are now fewer jobs for them. And the jobs that do exist are low paying jobs, especially as the industry
has switched from broadcast to streaming. Now in 2007 that was the last writer strike that was about 15 years ago, it lasted 100 days, the economic
impact from that was $2 billion. If you adjust that, for inflation, Becky, that's about $3 billion.
Today, we are not having any negotiations between the Writers Guild and the studios. But in a few hours, a lot of these writers are going to start
hitting the picket lines across New York City and California. It is day one of this writer strike, but still a long ways to go, Becky.
ANDERSON: Look and I think many people will say, you know, should I be worrying that much about you know whether the Late Show is going to be
recorded tonight or I got to see it for a second time. But this is really gets to the heart of an issue, streaming and AI really sitting at the heart
of many of those in this industry.
And you and I included and you say you know, what is the future for this industry. And so there are some really big issues on the table here yet to
find out just how long this will last or where this will go. We'll keep it out of the story for you folks. Thank you. FIFA is threatening to pull the
broadcast of its upcoming Women's World Cup in the big five European countries calling offers from broadcasters in these countries a slap in the
face for the tournament's players. Here's the deal.
The organization's President Gianni Infantino has criticized broadcast offers made yesterday noting. And I quote him here, "Broadcasters pay 100
to $200 million for the men's FIFA World Cup, but could only offer one to $10 million for the FIFA Women's World Cup".
Well, just a few weeks ago, I spoke to the FIFA Chief Women's Football Officer Sarai Bareman about what they are doing differently to make this
World Cup a commercial success. Here is part of what she had to say.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SARAI BAREMAN, CHIEF WOMEN'S FOOTBALL OFFICER: You know, we're for the first time, we have unbundled the rights to the woman's World Cup. We have
a dedicated strategy for women's football commercially. And we want to drive the commercial value of our sport.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
[11:55:00]
ANDERSON: Sarai Bareman speaking to me recently. Well for tonight's parting shots, we dive into the world of high fashion. Have a look at this,
starting with the star studded red carpet of this year's Met Gala where celebrities got creative with this year's theme paying homage to fashion
juggernaut Karl Lagerfeld.
Rapper Doja Cat got in touch with her wild side as she drew inspiration from the late designers cat companion issue pet. While Oscar winner Jared
Leto took it a step further by going full feline with a cat suit and designed to look like Lagerfeld's pet.
You've been watching "Connect the World" with me Becky Anderson. Apologies if I sound like I've got a bit of a cold, because I have. But it's good to
be back. We will see you same time, same place tomorrow.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[12:00:00]
END
