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First Move with Julia Chatterley

The Taliban Claimed Victory in Afghanistan's Last Holdout Province; The U.S. Ends Its COVID Support Days after Disappointing Job Numbers; Volkswagen CEO Says it Could Take Months to Resolve Supply Issues. Aired 9- 10a ET

Aired September 06, 2021 - 09:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

[09:00:12]

MAX FOSTER, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: Live from London, I am Max Foster, in for Julia Chatterley. This is FIRST MOVE and here is what you need to

know.

Completely conquered. The Taliban claimed victory in Afghanistan's last holdout province.

Uncertain economy. The U.S. end its COVID support days after disappointing job numbers.

And chip shortage. Volkswagen CEO says it could take months to resolve supply issues.

It is Monday, let's make a move.

Well, U.S. markets are closed for today, the Labor Day holiday. Futures for Tuesday is open and moderately higher though after Friday's jobs report

showed a much smaller increase than was expected.

In Asia, Japanese stocks are amongst the biggest gainers, the Nikkei closed 1.8 percent higher, building on a Friday rally after the Prime Minister

announced he won't seek re-election. The Shanghai Composite gained 1.1 percent, the Hang Seng was up one percent after Chinese tech stocks jumped

over there.

And here in Europe, most stocks are trading higher as shares in technology companies rise in the region as well. Investors will focus on the European

Central Bank policy meeting, which is later this week.

Let's get you to the drivers though because we are beginning in Afghanistan, where the Taliban claimed to have taken control of Panjshir

Province, the country's last holdout. This video shows the Taliban raising their flag in what appears to be its Governor's Office.

But a spokesman for the national resistance front denied the claim. He told CNN that resistance forces are still in strategic positions across the

valley.

Nic Robertson is trying to make sense of all the Intelligence coming in. What are you hearing?

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Max, it does seem to be a position where the Taliban have taken the main sort of governance

center in the main part of the Panjshir Valley, and that was clearly their sort of strategic aim.

But what is less clear is how much if you will, mopping up they have to do because, look, these are rugged mountains with a lot of other valleys

running off the main Panjshir Valley. There are a lot of places for fighters to hide out, and this is what the national resistance front is

saying.

They say, look, we're not defeated here. They're not admitting that they've lost this key town, but they're saying we can continue to be the

resistance, continue to put up a fight against the Taliban from these sort of smaller valleys in the mountains.

But I think most significantly, we've heard from their commander, Ahmad Massoud today sort of saying, look, it's not our fault, we couldn't come to

a negotiated solution with the Taliban. The religious scholars in Afghanistan suggested that this was the method to solve the differences.

But the Taliban are not really sticking by Sharia religious laws. They're ignoring the sort of advice of these elders, and is saying, but support us.

It is telling the people of the country, we've had losses, these people are martyrs for the cause. They are fighting for Afghanistan, the Taliban is

only going to take the country into a dark place, a regressive place, sort of set apart from the rest of the world.

But probably worrying for the Taliban, his message is to other former resistance leaders across the country and outside of the country right now,

a call to arms to start a resistance more broadly across the country.

Now, don't expect towns to rise up against the Taliban, but this sort of message is exactly what the Taliban are fearing. They're not going to have

a free hand to run the country. There'll be Herod and Harris in small areas, from the mountains, from the valleys, that sort of thing going

forward, potentially -- Max.

FOSTER: If the Taliban are being supported by Pakistan, which is often reported, who are the resistance being supported by if anyone?

ROBERTSON: You know, I met recently with a spokesperson with the resistance and I asked them exactly that question. We had a long

conversation.

He said that no one was supporting them right now. He recognized that it was too early in the conflict. He recognized that, you know, the

international community writ large does not want to see you know, another insurgency across Afghanistan. It is not their interest. The international

community wants to see stability and economic success in Afghanistan.

Where he was looking for support, traditionally he said, we've had good support when it was under -- I talked before about Ahmad Massoud. Ahmad

Massoud's father was the former commander there Ahmad Shah Massoud, a venerated figure. He had a lot of support from the British, from the

French, and most particularly from Tajikistan, which back in the day underneath the Taliban, the Northern Alliance as it was then, had a

geographical connection with Tajikistan.

[09:05:06]

ROBERTSON: The Northern Alliance as it was then had a geographical connection with Tajikistan, but it seems at the moment that the Tajiks who

would be their natural ally, are not taking up that same position, certainly not publicly at the moment.

I think very much for the time being, those fighters are pretty much on their own, whatever weaponry whatever money, whatever food supplies they

were able to put aside for a day like this, that's what they're going to be relying on in the short term -- Max.

FOSTER: Okay, Nic Robertson, thank you very much indeed.

Now, over in the U.S., pandemic unemployment benefits expire nationwide today. The Federal program provided an additional $300.00 a week on top of

state jobless benefits. About seven and a half million Americans are expected to lose the extra money.

Christine Romans joins me now with more. Obviously, there's a shortage of jobs in the U.S., isn't there? But it's not necessarily easy for people to

transfer from these benefits into those jobs or ways.

CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN BUSINESS CHIEF BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Yes, there's a big mismatch here. And you know, when I look at this, Max, I don't ever

remember such a big benefits cliff. I mean, you've got seven and a half million people who will lose all of their unemployment benefits today, and

another 2.7 million, who will lose that extra $300.00 a week that they were getting. So, that's a lot of people all at the same time that suddenly,

their family finances have been altered. So, it's kind of an uncertain path here about what happens next.

You're right. There are 10.1 million jobs open in the United States right now. So, you would say, well just transfer those people into those open

jobs. It just isn't working like that.

There is the delta variant, which is concerning a lot of people about going into frontline jobs in even healthcare, but also retail and leisure and

hospitality, we saw that in the jobs report. And you're just not matching people one to one to jobs here.

There are millions of people in this country who are actually retraining and they are saying, they don't want to go back to the job they used to

have. They've used this cushion really of these jobless benefits to do that.

So, all of a sudden, entering a new phase here, one of the concerns is that suddenly, Max, you have people who were using those benefits to pay for

their groceries, to buy shoes for their kids, to maybe put gas in the car. That money is not going to be flowing directly into the economy. So, we're

not sure what the impact of that will be.

A last note, I will say about this, you may have heard about this bitter political debate in this country. There were there were some governors who

were casting some of these recipients of unemployment benefits as somehow freeloaders who didn't want to go back to work, they were just enjoying

these benefits and, and weren't going out and doing their civic duty to get a job.

You know, when we look at the states that ended these benefits early, you don't really see an appreciable difference in job creation. There are other

things at factor here -- childcare concerns, healthcare concerns, many people who were working a couple of part time jobs maybe in leisure and

hospitality, they may have someone at home that they need to take care of now, because of how COVID has sort of changed the landscape.

So, we just don't know what's going to happen next, and I think that it is a really interesting moment in the COVID economic experiment in this

country.

FOSTER: It's very difficult to see how the states could afford to, you know, bring these benefits back, presumably.

ROMANS: Well, yes, and this was Federal money, you know, so in some states, some of these Republican governors, they said, you know, we don't

want any more of your money, we're going to stop paying these out. We want all -- we want these people to get back to work. We don't want them sitting

on the government dole.

And people did not rush back to work. Again, there are other reasons there.

So, this was all this just unbelievable COVID relief money that at the beginning of the crisis for 18 months was meant to keep people from

starving, quite frankly. You know, these people who were thrown out of a job in a matter of days in the beginning of COVID. Now, we're entering this

new phase where those benefits are winding down, and we'll see -- even just as the variant, the delta variant is taking hold here, too.

So the timing, we just don't have a roadmap for what's going to happen next -- Max.

FOSTER: Okay, Christine, we will be watching. Thank you very much indeed, your insight on that.

ROMANS: Nice to see you.

FOSTER: And, you.

These are the stories making headlines around the world. Guinea's military says the Constitution has been dissolved and the President has been

arrested in an apparent coup. President Alpha Conde's location is unclear after Sunday's events, but officers say he is unharmed.

The military in the West African nations also declared a curfew and summoned government ministers for a meeting. David McKenzie covering this

from Johannesburg. Take us through what you know then, because the information is pretty patchy at this point.

DAVID MCKENZIE, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, it is, but what we do know is that it appears that Conde is out of power, Alpha Conde, the 83-

year-old leader, Max, who had already tested the patience of Guineans when he extended his term limits, and then one very controversial elections last

year.

But I don't think people anticipated necessarily that those protests would then at this point results in what appears to be a coup that the leader of

the Special Forces has in fact, taken over at this point, whether they can sustain that remains to be seen.

[09:10:03]

MCKENZIE: Russia, the latest nation that is condemning this military coup, as well as all the regional bodies, African Union and the U.S. State

Department, as you would expect.

But as you say, today, there have been meetings where the former government officials and parliamentarians were invited -- and I use that term loosely

-- to meetings with the coup leaders in terms of negotiating, I guess, the terms of their exit from power.

There were as you say, there was a curfew put in place, flights and land borders were closed. Subsequently, a spokesperson has gotten on state TV

and says that those flights and borders have now reopened.

But still, a very tenuous situation, but calm today in Conakry, the capital.

FOSTER: Okay, David, thank you.

Mexican authorities have blocked the passage of a new migrant caravan heading for the U.S. The crackdown came just today after the group left

Southern Mexico. As CNN's Rafael Romo reports, some families with young children were amongst those caught up in the chaos.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RAFAEL ROMO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: There's been tensions between immigrants and Mexican immigration authorities for weeks. This latest caravan was

coming from Tapachula, a city across the Guatemalan border and was traveling through the State of Chiapas when they were stopped.

Let me first show you what happened during an operation by the Mexican National Guard and the Migration Institute with the goal of stopping the

immigrants.

This was the chaotic situation that unfolded in the City of Tuxtla, Chiapas State Sunday morning, where the migrants had spent the night. The Mexican

National Guard in full riot gear tried to stop the immigrants, some of them were traveling in family units with small children.

There were several tense moments including one when authorities tried to stop a mother with her child in her arms. There was a similar incident

moments later when a father claimed authorities were trying to separate him from his young daughter. Let's take a look.

[VIDEO CLIP PLAYS]

ROMO: Let me translate what he said, "Leave me alone." He said repeatedly. "I'm not leaving without my daughter." He later told the members of the

National Guard, "You're parents, too. Have a heart."

CNN tried to reach both the National Guard and the National Migration Institute for comment, but there was no answer. There were no public

statements either.

Last week, the Mexican Migration Institute issued a statement saying that it was not going to allow any type of abuse against immigrants or

journalists covering the story.

Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez-Obrador said last Thursday that his country is working to hold back the migratory flow as much as it can, and

at the same time, is in communication with the U.S. government to come up with solutions to address this challenge.

This latest group of about 500 immigrants was composed of people from Haiti, Venezuela, and Central America.

Rafael Romo, CNN, Mexico City.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FOSTER: The Tokyo Paralympics wrapped up Sunday with a colorful celebration including singing, dancing, and the Parade of Nations. The

stadium was nearly empty due to the pandemic.

Japan had some success containing the coronavirus during the Paralympics, but the delta variant is still driving new infections there.

Now, still to come on FIRST MOVE. BMW's recyclable car, the CEO of BMW Group on the vision for green future.

And an exclusive first look at life under the Taliban in Afghanistan.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[09:16:04]

FOSTER: In the dying days of the Trump administration, calls grew for a financial decoupling between the U.S. and China. But during the pandemic,

shortages of masks and other protective equipment showed just how reliant the U.S. was on the Asian powerhouse.

CNN's Clare Sebastian takes a look at why.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CLARE SEBASTIAN, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT (voice over): These N95 respirators are designed for pandemic survival, filtering 95 percent of

airborne particles, whether the business that makes them can survive the pandemic is not guaranteed.

BRIAN WOLIN, CEO, PROTECTIVE HEALTH GEAR: The labor costs are associated with making an N95 respirator is so different from China to the United

States. We have hourly wages, we pay overtime, we pay double time on weekends.

SEBASTIAN (voice over): Right now, with the delta variant fueling sales, this New Jersey factory is investing to try to bring down those costs.

SEBASTIAN (on camera): This is a brand new piece of machinery worth over a million dollars. It's not yet operational, but in a couple of weeks, it

should be able to churn out up to 50,000 N95 masks every day.

SEBASTIAN (voice over): The last 18 months since Brian Wolin and his brother-in-law decided to turn this luxury retail display business into a

medical grade mask factory have been a crash course in market uncertainty.

WOLIN: It's been a tremendous roller coaster. So, when we first started, we didn't know how we'd be able to handle the demand. And then once the

unmasking policy came out back in May, the -- really, the demand dropped off significantly.

SEBASTIAN (voice over): Pre-pandemic, the U.S. imported most of its supply of personal protective equipment. China accounting for almost half of those

imports close to three quarters when it comes to masks and respirators.

CHAD P. BOWN, PETERSON INSTITUTE FOR INTERNATIONAL ECONOMICS: China is for most parts of PPE, the largest export. And what that meant in early 2020 is

when they were hit with the pandemic first, they stopped exporting. And not only did they stop exporting, they actually started importing from the rest

of the world.

SEBASTIAN (voice over): That sparked critical shortages, leaving healthcare workers exposed.

JOE BIDEN (D), PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We shouldn't have to rely on a foreign country, especially one that doesn't share our interest or

values in order to protect to provide our people during a national emergency.

SEBASTIAN (voice over): Data shows in 2020, the U.S. continued to rely on China for PPE. Imports more than tripled compared to 2019.

Tim Manning, the White House's National COVID-19 Supply Coordinator told us PPE imports are down quite a bit this year, and there is now enough

manufacturing capacity in the U.S. to meet domestic demand. And yet, cheaper imports are still coming.

A box of 20 of Protective Health Gears U.S. made N95 masks will cost you $74.00 on Amazon. The same quantity from China's BYD costs less than half

that.

Some smaller mask manufacturers tell us they also believe some Chinese manufacturers are selling certain products below cost in the U.S. to

undercut U.S. producers. CNN has not independently verified this claim.

WOLIN: How are you? Very nice.

SEBASTIAN (voice over): Brian Wolin is clear, he doesn't want handouts. He just wants the government to buy his product.

WOLIN: We spoke to the government time in and time out and tried everything that we could to get a contract, and it just hasn't happened as

of this moment.

BOWN: How big should this industry be in normal times in order to be able to be easily scaled up during a pandemic? That's -- you know, that's the

kind of questions that the Federal government now has to grapple with.

SEBASTIAN (voice over): At a time of deteriorating relations with China and still critical need for these products, questions that are both urgent

and fraught with risk.

Clare Sebastian, CNN, in Paterson, New Jersey.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

[09:20:00]

FOSTER: Here in Europe, BMW is flexing its electric muscles. The auto show in Munich, moving away from the combustion engine was something the German

giant shouted about from the rooftops of its headquarters with a spectacular light display.

At the IAA Mobility Show, the company is embracing an electric future and fully recyclable cars like this one. It's called the i Vision Circular. We

might be driving around in something like this in 20 years' time. Imagine.

Oliver Zipse is the CEO of the BMW Group. He joins me from the event. Thank you so much for joining us. Talk through the model behind you, if you can,

because as we just said, it's fully recyclable, but it's also made from reusable materials. How have you managed to do that? What have you left

out?

OLIVER ZIPSE, CEO, BMW GROUP: Well, good morning from Munich, from the IAA Mobility. What you want to showcase here that sustainable mobility is much

more than electric drive trains. What we showcase here is our BMW i Vision Circular to showcase that the circular economy is at the forefront of

international and industrial development at BMW, and we want to show that for economical and also for ecological reasons, this is the next big thing

to come and that's why we have this vision car here, which will determine also our new architecture, which will start in 2025.

FOSTER: You can operate a lot of the interior, I gather by hand movements and rather than having a screen, the elements are projected on the

windscreen, is that correct?

ZIPSE: Well, what we do here, we are going into a direction what we also already show in our iX, that technology must not be felt by the driver

itself, he must feel the high tech of the car. But of course, it must be in the form of shy tech to the customer, and this car, it doesn't have a

display anymore.

All the information is over the windscreen, and this is the next vision for BMW.

FOSTER: Some people suggesting that's distracting, but obviously you've looked into that and considered all the safety implications.

ZIPSE: Can you repeat that question? I didn't get the question, sorry.

FOSTER: Well, having, you know, the various elements of the car displayed on the windscreen could be seen as distracting. But why is that not the

case?

ZIPSE: No, we don't think that way. You know, distraction of drivers is one of the incidents for accidents in the car. So, we are working at BMW

very hard to reduce distraction to the maximum possible thing. We already have in our cars the head up display today, and that's the next development

stand of head of displays, and we want to make cars a lot safer than they are today.

FOSTER: You haven't, unlike some of your competitors, given a transition date away from combustion engines. When do you plan to deliver a date

around that because it's obviously inevitable at some point?

ZIPSE: Well, at this point in time in 2021, I think electro-mobility is on the mainstream. We will offer the i4 and the iX this year, which comes to

the market in the United States early next year, and I think, from the very first customer demands, they will be a great hit.

And until 2023, we will have 12 battery only vehicles on the market. And the next step is in 2025, we will cover more than 90 percent of all

segments will be covered with batt-only vehicles. And in 2030, more than 50 percent we think of our product portfolio will be fully electric in the

marketplace.

And on top of that, many will be full electric from 2030 onwards. I think electro-mobility, we've prepared for a long time beginning with the i3, and

now it's the next big step with the next cars coming to the market and we are confident that electro-mobility and BMW will be a perfect match.

FOSTER: Are you confident that the infrastructure will be in place though for your cars and your drivers? I know the E.U. planning to get rid of

fossil fuel cars from 2035, but is the progression there that you'd like to see in the infrastructure taking place? Will nations be ready for these

cars even if you have them ready?

[09:25:02]

ZIPSE: You know, let's take it step by step. The next step -- the next big step is 2025. We are fully prepared for the ramp up of electro-mobility,

also to reduce the CO2 footprint in Europe, in the United States, but also in China.

And then the next step after 2030. That is a topic of political debate. Let's wait for the process because a lot of factors have to be drawn in.

From the technology side, we are ready for this, whether the customers, the infrastructure is ready for this. And I think the next big thing we really

have to tackle it together in all regions of the world is enough charging infrastructure to ramp up electric mobility to reduce further CO2

emissions. That's the next big step,

FOSTER: The more immediate challenge you've got as well as this shortage of semiconductors, which all of your competitors are dealing with as well.

I can't imagine how many chips go into the vehicle behind you. But how are you ensuring against this shortage as you move through the years ahead?

ZIPSE: Well, well, what saw for the first six months of this year that we could counterbalance the effects on our customer was good, then the second

half of this year, we will see more effects. Also BMW will lose some vehicles, but we are working very hard to reduce the effects on our growing

market segments.

But we foresee that the second half of the year be more difficult. If you ask me how long this chip shortage period will stay on, I consider it will

be the next six to 12 months. And after that, we should be over.

FOSTER: Okay, Oliver Zipse, appreciate your time, CEO of BMW.

Now still to come, an exclusive look at life under Taliban rule in Afghanistan's provinces.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[09:30:05]

FOSTER: Welcome back to FIRST MOVE.

The Taliban has gained victory over the last holdout region in Afghanistan. It says, it has, quote "completely conquered" Panjshir Province after two

weeks of fierce fighting. However, a spokesman for the resistance disputes the claim.

CNN has an exclusive first look at life under the Taliban outside Kabul.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ROBERTSON (voice over): Inside the new Afghanistan, in rural Paktika Province, far from Kabul, the Taliban's provincial governor has called a

meeting. No women to be seen. Local village elders and tribal chiefs listen.

A young boy takes a selfie.

Much has changed since the Taliban were last in charge, smartphones and social media. But poverty still the country's biggest problem.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): We have many expectations, and we are praying the Taliban will deliver.

ROBERTSON (voice over): The week after Kabul fell, a local journalist took a road trip for us to see what was happening outside the capital.

Taliban guides showed him the way, but the border changes already underway. Part charm offensive, giving traders what they want, longer opening hours

at the border and part crackdown, keeping men and women apart.

SYED KANDAHARI, TALIBAN BORDER COMMANDER (through translator): Let me tell you, before we had one single line for both men and women, now we have two.

They are kept apart.

ROBERTSON (voice over): Pakistani officials easing into the new relationship, backing the segregation.

On this journey, two things become clear, Afghanistan's near financial collapse and the hard switch to religious rule.

Spotting a crowd, the team stop. It's a provincial courthouse. Inside local leaders careful to praise the new boss.

"We used to have to go a long way to get to a Taliban court," he says. "Now, we have one right here." The new judge in town quite literally laying

down the Taliban law, their interpretation of Islamic law.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): We asked the previous judges how they used to work. They said they were following the law of the land, not

the Sharia. In Islamic Emirate, all court proceedings are according to the Sharia law.

ROBERTSON (voice over): Under Taliban rule in the 1990s, the Taliban's Sharia law led to public amputations for thieves, stoning of adulterers,

even hanging.

But in the local market, Sharia law is not the big concern. It's making a living.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): Business is very bad. We don't know who's in charge. Only low rank people are here. We don't know if we

can trust them. They're not telling us anything and the situation has not improved. Prices are going up.

ROBERTSON (voice over): In the barber shop, business is down. "It's not only me," he says. "But business is bad in the market. It's not as good as

before."

They're not alone. The local pharmacist is also struggling. Stocks already depleted under the last government.

The clinics maternity nurse also worried about finances, says the previous government didn't pay her for the past four months and she can't afford to

go home.

Closer to Kabul, another doctor, more problems. "Day and night," he says, "We get 25 to 30 patients and we have just one doctor and one nurse for

them all."

Outside the hospital, the Taliban claim an alternate reality.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): Before you didn't know whether the doctor was coming or not, but now, they are there for you all the time.

ROBERTSON (voice over): On this trip, the Taliban's prioritizing of Sharia law and bits of charm offensive seemingly missing Afghans most important

needs, a secure livelihood.

Nic Robertson, CNN, Islamabad, Pakistan.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FOSTER: Fundraising company, Pledge, has been heavily involved in campaigns to support Afghans. A fundraiser called Afghan Airlift raised

$2.5 million to get more than a thousand people out of Kabul. Pledge can raise money fast because it allows donations from a range of platforms

including Shopify, Zoom, and your mobile phone.

Joining me now is James Citron. He is founder and CEO of Pledge. Thanks for joining us. Is your feeling that people are interested in donating as much

as they were before, but they have seen this to be easy for them to do so.

[09:35:02]

JAMES CITRON, FOUNDER AND CEO, PLEDGE: Great question. Well, thank you so much for having me today, Max.

You know, a year ago, a year and a half ago, we began the pandemic, literally, the reports were one out three nonprofits may go out of business

because of COVID. And literally, what we found is that people more than ever want to support the causes that matter to them, but it has to be super

easy.

So recently, we launched the first Donate button on Zoom, and you know, Zoom, about 300 million people use it a day; and obviously Shopify, and a

lot of these big platforms have become so much more critical to how we connect.

FOSTER: And you need to grab them in the moment, presumably, when there's a key moment that they're seeing unfold on TV, they're affected by that.

You need to grab them in that moment to make them respond. That's kind of a sign of the times really, isn't it? We're all living in the moment much

more when it comes to media.

CITRON: No question, right. So, we launched the first partnership with Apple Pay. So literally, with your thumb now, in seconds, you can donate.

So you're watching the story on CNN, you're watching the Afghanistan, you know, the crisis unfold. We actually worked with three organizers. These

are three individuals in the U.S. who literally had deep ties to Afghanistan, but they wanted to help.

And this is, you know, the Thursday, right at the beginning of the fall of Afghanistan. They used Pledge, and in 48 hours, raised over a million and a

half dollars to charter the first flight out. And you know, the impact of what they've done is truly profound.

And I think it's not just about speed, but it's really about trust. So a lot of fundraising platforms out there, work very differently from Pledge.

So, we actually partner with -- we have 2.2 million nonprofits around the world. So, you can fundraise now for any nonprofit in hundreds of countries

around the world and ensure your funds actually go to the source of what you intend to do, and then you actually get feedback.

So you know, the million half dollars that was raised in the first 72 hours is now over $2.5 million. And for every donor, you actually know that 1,380

people then safely evacuated out of Kabul and Afghanistan.

FOSTER: The challenge often with platforms like your own is that people are slightly suspicious about where you're making money. So, be transparent

with us about how you make money or how you use the information and make money from that? Where does your funding come from?

CITRON: Transparency is absolutely key. You're exactly right, Max. And so different from a lot of other folks out there, we said, let's create a

business model that is a hundred percent transparent that really relies on the generosity of donors.

So instead of taking a percentage of the donation, and let me be very clear, a hundred percent of the donations that go to Pledge, that go to our

nonprofits, a hundred percent of your money, when you use our platform actually goes to the nonprofit. The only thing that comes out of your

donation is just the credit card processing fees. And if you want to leave a tip to Pledge, you can.

The power of this is now as a donor, you know your money is actually going to the nonprofit that you intended to. And if you feel like our platform is

doing great things and helping you, you leave a little tip for us.

And by the way, this is working great. And it also does two things. One, it ensures the donor knows where their money goes, but also makes our

platforms so accessible. So small nonprofits everywhere in the world can use the Pledge technology platform without having to take money out of

their mission to pay for our software.

FOSTER: But presumably, you're gathering pretty good data as well and there is value in that.

CITRON: Yes, there's no question there's a ton of value in the data. But what that data does is it helps nonprofits be more successful, and it

actually helps our corporate partners.

And let me explain that for a minute. Today, if you're running a company, you have to do good, right? Your employees, your customers expect you to

stand for more than just creating a great product. And by embedding Pledge into your company's ethos and into your technology, like we did with Zoom,

like we don't Shopify, Evite, and so many other brands, Discovery, what you're doing is you're helping your customers and employees actually do

good and serve a higher purpose by tying themselves to the brands, but you're also creating attachment to that brand as well.

FOSTER: Okay, James Citron, founder and CEO of Pledge. Thank you very much indeed for joining us today.

CITRON: Thank you so much.

FOSTER: Still ahead, the end of the summer, but is it also the start of new problems for the travel industry? There's so much new uncertainty

around COVID. We speak to the CEO of the European Tourism Association.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[09:42:26]

FOSTER: For some of us here in the U.K., it almost feels like it never happened. The summer is now coming to an end in the Northern Hemisphere. It

is marked unofficially by the Labor Day in the U.S. today.

This year is again a difficult time for the travel industry. The E.U. has dropped the U.S. from its safe list, meaning member states are advised to

reconsider allowing entry to non-essential U.S. travelers.

Tom Jenkins is the CEO of the European Tourism Association. Thanks for joining us. I mean, how affected is the industry by the transatlantic

issues that we've obviously reported out about a lot on this network?

TOM JENKINS, CEO, EUROPEAN TOURISM ASSOCIATION: Well, not dramatically. There has been a reaction on the Netherlands where they've effectively put

the United States on a red list, and they did so with one day's notice last week.

But in general, the countries of the European Union, indeed most of the country, nearly all of the countries of Europe are still welcoming American

visitors who have been double vaccinated. There is no quarantine outside of The Netherlands. My understanding is there's no quarantine requirement for

a U.S. citizen coming to Europe, so they can still come and visit.

FOSTER: Looking back on this, Tom, obviously, the data is pretty raw and new. But does it look like a good summer for the Northern Hemisphere from

your point of view?

JENKINS: No. I can't get away from the fact it's been, especially my members which specialize in selling Europe as a destination throughout the

world. It's been an appalling year.

Long haul tourism has been down about 95 percent, and there was some hope that we can rescue the balance of the year from September through December

this year. But that's, you can still come as an American citizen to Europe, but I won't pretend that it's easy.

You still have to have PCR tests and various other forms of proof before arriving in the country. So, travel is not easy, and it's not as easy as it

used to be. So, we're struggling at the moment. I'll be perfectly frank.

FOSTER: And for the big organization -- I'll let you carry on, I'm sorry.

JENKINS: Sorry, I said the flip side to that is if you can make it to Europe, Europe is not overcrowded at the moment. So there are plenty of

very enticing offers there, and the experience of the main honeypot centers of Europe -- Venice, Florence, Rome, London, Amsterdam -- not Amsterdam at

the moment -- Paris. These places are not full as they would be now.

And so, it's a unique experience for those who wish to come.

[09:45:06]

FOSTER: Presumably, is the advice to book last minute because it's pretty stressful, isn't it when you book well ahead of time, and you just see your

destination coming in and out a red list, for example, amber list, you're not quite sure what you're going to have to do or whether you're actually

going to be able to go there.

What's the advice for people booking, even, you know, looking ahead towards the December time holidays?

JENKINS: In broad terms, there are very few operators offering packages, which are non-refundable. So, I would say that if you see something you

want to do, book it, because there's certainly going to be terms and conditions which enable you or there ought to be chance conditions, which

enable you to change your mind if you're forced to do so.

Last minute, it's fine if you're that kind of person. But if you see something you want, I'd go for that.

FOSTER: And how are the smaller organizations making up part of your organization coping with this -- the smaller hotel chains, you know, the

smaller travel companies? They haven't got the same type of insurance the larger organizations have, but they are still just treading water to seeing

if they can see if they get through this?

JENKINS: I think a lot of them, frankly, are in deep hibernation, waiting -- waiting for a new dawn to occur. And I'm sure a new dawn will occur. I

mean, confidence and business always does come back in this industry. It is just a question of when.

We've been waiting now for 24 months almost or certainly for 18 months for things to improve. I think they are slowly starting to improve. I think the

recovery that we're seeing now is actually very tentative. A lot of people thought there would be a flooded business coming back in, this has not

occurred.

But I think the people -- there are people coming and I think people are booking as well for next year. So, things are not as black as they may have

seen two or three months ago.

FOSTER: Good news. Tom Jenkins, thank you very much indeed for bringing us that.

Now, after the break, we return to that major auto show in Germany and a glimpse into the future of Volkswagen this time. The CEO's take on that and

his rivalry with Tesla. It's a Musk see.

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FOSTER: As you've been hearing, electric vehicles and tech are taking center stage at the IAA Mobility Show in Germany, one of the first big

events for car makers since the pandemic began.

Anna Stewart following all of this. She just spoke to the CEO of Volkswagen. He wants electric cars to make up half of the group sales by

2030.

ANNA STEWART, CNN REPORTER: Yes, Max, and to reach that target, they have plenty more electric vehicles in the pipeline.

Take a look at this. This is what they unveiled today in Munich. It's a concept car. It's called the ID.Life. It is small, it is compact. It's

obviously electric.

It has the sort of popular SU feel -- STV feel.

[09:50:00]

STEWART: but, Max, the most interesting thing or exciting part of this car is that when it goes on the market in 2025, it will be pretty cheap in

comparison to other models. It's the price, just 20,000 euros when it goes on the market, that's in 2025. That's under $24,000.00, and that's one of

the biggest drawbacks really other than charging infrastructure for people who do want to transition to fully electric cars.

Now, that target you mentioned for 2030, they want to have 50 percent of their car sales fully electric by then. That sounds ambitious. But take a

look at some of the rivals there. You'll see Ford and Volvo want to be 100 percent electric in Europe; Renault 90 percent; Stellantis, which means the

Fiat and the Peugeot brands, 70 percent, although that does include hybrid.

But given that Volkswagen is the leader when it comes to electric car sales in Europe, that feels pretty slow, which is what I asked the CEO about.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

HERBERT DIESS, CEO, VOLKSWAGEN GROUP: Europe, we are already leading -- even in the U.S., we have been in second place for the last month. A lot

slower. We are, you know, we don't want to pull back for instance from Latin America where electric cars will probably not be the solution for

climate change. No.

In Latin America, the natural way forward is use biofuels, which are CO2 neutral, which is still combustion engine. That is why we don't say we will

finish production of ICE cars so soon.

STEWART: Let's talk about the semiconductor supply crunch, because obviously, that's been a big problem with so many car makers, yourself

included. Do you think it's going to get worse before it gets better? And do you think you'll have to reduce production or close any plants?

DIESS: No, it has gotten worse already. We expected that we would have been relieved after summer break, which didn't happen because in Malaysia,

we had really quite significant problems with COVID. Some of our suppliers, the back end suppliers are mostly based in Malaysia, three plants were hit

hard.

We think that we will overcome this situation towards the end of the month and then we should see a relief. Semiconductors will be on short supply

probably for several months.

STEWART: Volkswagen, is of course very competitive with Tesla. You really give them a run for their money, particularly I think in Europe. There have

been many parallels drawn as well between yourself and Elon Musk, not least given your very active social media presence selfies with Mr. Musk, lots of

stunts.

Have you taken a leaf out of his playbook?

DIESS: No, I think you know, the -- I don't see any parallels. I highly regard what he is doing. I think he is a brilliant guy and he is really --

he makes a difference. He is changing the world with his ventures. I think, I really like that he is thinking very long into the future.

He is thinking far, and he's brilliant guy. But we are quite different. He is very focused on Tesla, on his story. I'm running a big traditional

company which we try to prepare for the future. And I think we also require different characters. I like him a lot, but I think we are quite different.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

STEWART: Well worth following Mr. Diess on social media, Max. I don't know whether he's on TikTok, but he's certainly on Twitter and you just never

know when he's going to next sort of tease Elon Musk or do some fantastic publicity stunt.

Elon Musk wasn't obviously there at the show, nor was Tesla. They don't generally go to these big auto shows. And actually, lots of players were

missing this year. So, it was quite interesting, not just who was there, but who wasn't.

So missing from the show were Toyota, Stellantis, which own the Fiat and Peugeot brands, Volvo, GM, Ferrari, Rolls Royce, and also I keep calling it

a car show, but it really wasn't. This year, it was called a Mobility Show. So, it also included bikes and buses and scooters.

And I feel like that says it all, the transition really away from maybe the brands themselves, and much more focus on the technology and software that

they're using -- Max.

FOSTER: Yes, some pretty funky stuff there. You'll be next year as well. I mean, you left yourself off the list, Anna.

STEWART: I am always top of the list, too true.

FOSTER: Thank you.

Now, a bit of a deadly combat for you.

[VIDEO CLIP PLAYS]

FOSTER: That is Marvel's newest heroes smashing U.S. Labor Day weekend records at the box office. I watched it yesterday and it really is a

gripper.

"Shang-Chi and the Legend of the 10 Rings" brought in a record $71.4 million at the weekend giving the movie industry a much needed boost.

Finally, on FIRST MOVE, get ready to raise a glass. The oldest single malt scotch whiskey in the world is set to go on auction and connoisseurs better

have deep wallets because whiskey maker Gordon & MacPhail unveiled the 80- year-old scotch Wednesday at Sotheby's auction house. It comes in a jewel light decanter and it could sell for more than $220,000.00.

[09:55:12]

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

STEPHEN RANKIN, DIRECTOR OF PRESTIGE, GORDON & MCPHAIL: So, it's about judging the moment when the whiskey is absolutely right. It's just drinking

at its peak, and it was deemed having studied it, obviously, the evolution up to now that now was the moment.

The strength was great and the flavors are incredible. It has got a beautiful balance between the contributions from the oak, but still showing

its original bit of character, so this is the very moment.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FOSTER: There's a salesman. The previous decanter is the first of 250 that will be bottled from one cask at Glenlivet Distillery in Scotland.

That is it for the show. Thank you for watching. "Connect the world" with Becky is up next.

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