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Isa Soares Tonight
Russia Attacks Ukrainian Power Grid; U.S. Economy Grows More Than Expected; Prince Harry's Memoir "Spare" Set For Release In January; CNN Investigates Iranian Teen's Death; Migratory Bird Breaks Record. Aired 2-3p ET
Aired October 27, 2022 - 14:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[14:00:00]
ISA SOARES, HOST, ISA SOARES TONIGHT: A very warm welcome to the show everyone, I'm Isa Soares. Tonight, Russia destroys more of Ukraine's power
plants, and CNN gets exclusive access to the aftermath of the bombardment. And while Putin accuses the West of playing a, quote, "dangerous, bloody
and dirty game".
Then big economic indicators out today. A strong U.S. GDP tells one story, consumer spending, though, might tell another. And then later, Prince
Harry's book released set for January. What you can expect to read in the royal's memoir. But first, tonight, Russia is stepping up its aerial
assault on Ukraine's energy infrastructure.
Moscow is determined to deprive the country of light, heat, as well as water, as Winter approaches. Ukraine's energy agency says a wave of Russian
missile and drone attacks overnight destroyed more of its already damaged power plants, including the main network of the grid in central regions.
The agency says they have to implement severe as well as unprecedented emergency power cuts in Kyiv to avoid a complete blackout. The U.N.
humanitarian office warns the continuing attacks will deepen the civilian suffering especially for people along those front lines who have been
traumatized already by relentless shelling and whose homes have been destroyed.
The question of getting the damaged power stations repaired is a tricky one, of course. Our Nic Robertson brings us an exclusive look at a plant
which was targeted twice by Russia.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR (on camera): This is where power plant officials say one of two drones slammed into the ground.
It was the same day the plant was hit by a cruise missile as well. The drone, they say, got tangled up in the high voltage cables up here, ripping
equipment apart all on the ground here, all around the entire cables.
And over here, burnt out equipment, and the problem officials say is that, this part of the site was the most sensitive part, they point that it's the
easiest to take the whole system down. The plant now completely offline. And the other problem is that, some of this equipment here is very hard to
replace. It's scarce. Some of it is not even made anymore.
What they're saying they're doing is turning to other power plants across the country to scavenge useful items, repair work is going on all the time.
But for many of the engineers here, part of their days are spent underground in bunkers because you still get a lot of air raid sirens
alerts.
This is still a target, and they're worried about it. Already, some of the easier to repair parts of the plant have been put back together. New
concrete columns here. The cruise missile landed right here, taking them out. But it raises the big question for the government now, can they repair
at a faster rate than Russia is destroying?
Thirty to 40 percent of the country's electricity generating capacity is down. The public have been told to expect blackouts. They've been told to
keep their phones and power banks charged, not to use high energy appliances in their homes, particularly during peak hours in the evening.
It is a real problem facing the government. A real pressure point that President Putin is putting on them right now. Nic Robertson, CNN, at a
power-generating plant in Ukraine.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SOARES: Well, staying in Ukraine, forces there are advancing to the occupied city of Kherson. But they're making strategic, not hasty progress.
According to Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says, unlike Russia, his military doesn't simply push people to their death. He's warning
Russians that if they stay in Kherson, they'll soon be under siege. But he doesn't think they'll actually leave.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, PRESIDENT, UKRAINE: I don't see that they are running out of Kherson. I see them -- no, I think that is how to say, information
attack, thus for us, I don't want to say all the secrets for us to come. They are to take or from some dangerous places, more people and to go
there. I think that was their information attack.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And --
ZELENSKYY: So, they are not ready to go out of Kherson.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SOARES: President Zelenskyy there. Well, Fred Pleitgen brings us the latest from Ukraine's war fronts.
[14:05:00]
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Ukrainian forces trying to hit the Russians on all fronts. This mortar unit
firing in the north of the country --
(GUNFIRE)
While in the south, Kyiv is continuing a counteroffensive trying to capture the Russian occupied city of Kherson. We met up with an artillery unit on
the battlefield.
(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.
(voice-over): Ukraine's defense minister says Kyiv's counteroffensive here is complicated by wet weather in the area. But the commander says, he
believes in the end, they will oust the Russians.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): 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: While Russia continues to mobilize hundreds of thousands for the war here, the Ukrainians say, they found the Wagner private military
company founded by Putin ally Yevgeny Prigozhin is sending Russian prisoners with diseases to the frontline. The chief of Ukraine's military
Intelligence told CNN's Nic Robertson.
KYRYLO BUDANOV, HEAD OF UKRAINE'S DEFENSE INTELLIGENCE AGENCY (through translator): 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 were taken prisoners or their dead
bodies, which were found in the battlefield, had those wristbands.
PLEITGEN: 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.
VLADIMIR PUTIN, PRESIDENT, RUSSIA (through translator): What they're 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: But the Ukrainians on the frontlines say, they are fighting for their own freedom, not for anybody else. Fred Pleitgen, CNN, Mykolaiv,
Ukraine.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SOARES: Well, CNN has reached out to Wagner group for comment, and we're still waiting a response. Well, Vladimir Putin says he has no regrets in
ordering the invasion of Ukraine, accusing the West of inciting the war. In a speech that happened today in Moscow, he said, the world faces the most
dangerous and unpredictable decade since the end of World War II.
The Russian president doubled down on his unsupported claim that Ukraine plans to use a dirty bomb and blamed the West for stoking nuclear tensions.
This is part of what he had to say.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PUTIN: We never intentionally said anything about the possibility of using nuclear weapons by Russia. We only responded with hints to western leaders'
statements.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SOARES: Well, our next guest says Putin's comments about the most dangerous decade ahead is meant as a message to the West. CNN national
security analyst, Steve Hall is a former CIA chief of Russia Operation. He joins me now. Great to see you, Steve. So, what is that message, then?
STEVE HALL, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY ANALYST: Well, it's interesting. I don't find myself often in agreement with Vladimir Putin, but in this one, i do.
When he says that, you know, we're entering a very dangerous decade, the reasons, of course, are different. What we're seeing from Putin in this
speech and, you know, his spokespeople as well, we're seeing this mirror- imaging thing where the Russians will do something, and then accuse the West of having already done it.
So, in this case, you count Vladimir Putin for example saying Ukraine is no longer a sovereign nation. Well, Russia cares a great deal about
sovereignty, as do most nations. And the only people attacking Ukrainian sovereignty at this point are the Russians, who invaded with the intent of
making the entire country part of Russia, robbing them of their sovereignty.
So, this is just one example of a lot of the rhetoric I think we're seeing out of the Kremlin. Some of which is directed to a domestic audience, and
not necessarily to the international audience as well. Isa.
SOARES: Yes, and as expected, it was very lengthy, wasn't it? Speech very contradictory of moments where he basically rolls on -- rails against the
West. Perhaps, we can talk about what he didn't mention. I think that probably says something else. The mobilization, Steve, the martial law. Any
sort of reassurance to families who lost loved ones.
What does this tell you about how his so-called special military operation is going, and how it's being seen at home, critically?
[14:10:00]
HALL: I think Putin understands, as do some of the key -- these very close advisors to him who also hold a considerable amount of power. They have to
walk a very fine line here. Many of them, remember, back to the first and second Chechen wars in the '90s, when you had the mothers of fallen Russian
soldiers who basically very effectively organized themselves and actually turned out to be a significant problem for the Kremlin.
And so, Putin was around for that. He remembers that, and what he's trying to do now is try to walk that fine line between telling the Russians, look,
this is an extremely important thing, any illusion to World War II, which he did quite a bit in this speech, is basically sort of -- it's a symbol to
the Russians that we all have to, you know, hunker down and you know, have some sacrifices to include perhaps even our sons.
These are -- these are themes that Putin will continue to sound as he tries to manage the domestic problem that he could have if things continue to go
badly for him in Ukraine.
SOARES: And things don't look like they're going very well for him. That is clear, as two of our reporters just outlined. And here on the show,
Steve, we have been reporting now for days on Russia's baseless claim that Ukraine is going to use a dirty bomb, Ukraine has categorically denied this
several times. Did he mention this at all today?
HALL: If -- you know, he's mentioning and he's alluding and he's sort of blending all of these nuclear issues together, which he knows sets the West
on edge. So, the one claim, of course, that he's made quite clearly as have his spokespeople, which is that the Ukrainians are somehow putting together
this dirty bomb.
SOARES: Yes --
HALL: I think Ukraine has acted in exactly the right fashion by saying, oh, well, first of all, that's garbage, It's not true, we're not doing
that. But hey, go ahead and send in some inspectors and take a look around, tell us if you find anything. Of course, you're not going to find anything.
So, the Ukrainians are doing the right thing. But what Putin continues to do is rattle that nuclear saber. He knows that every time he makes a
mention of something nuclear, whether it's nuclear exercises that are currently going on, which, you know, both militaries have been talking
about quite a bit, or whether it's the possibility of using a tactical nuclear weapon in Ukraine, he knows that, that makes the West very nervous,
and that's the best use of those weapons, frankly, that he has right now.
SOARES: So, I mean, so long we've been talking about this being a false flag or even just posturing. I mean, yesterday, here on the show, we played
a little sound-bite, a little clip from the U.K. ambassador to Russia, who said, we have information which is very serious information, that something
is under preparation and it might be a dirty bomb.
So, we're just passing this information on. What is the strategy here? Because today, he alluded -- President Putin alluded perhaps to finding a
middle ground to negotiations, discussions. I mean, does he think, in your view, that he has the upper hand here?
HALL: You know, it's always extremely difficult to figure out what the heck Vladimir Putin believes is the right thing to do because, of course,
we've seen him make so many catastrophic and unforced errors, frankly, to begin with starting this war. And so, you've got this black box of
decision-making where you're not really clear as to -- you know, what his plan is.
Is he talking about negotiations? It's interesting because that's another hard-line he's got to walk in negotiations, generally speaking or started
by people who feel that they are not going to gain anymore, and perhaps lose something. So is that what Putin believes? The Ukrainians clearly have
said, we are not going to negotiate until such time is all parts of Ukraine to include the Crimea peninsula.
Also our return to -- so it's very fascinating to watch the Kremlin say, well, maybe we should talk about diplomacy while at the same time, the
Ukrainians are having none of it.
SOARES: Very briefly, Steve, how do you see the battle playing out in Kherson? I think it's one of the fiercest battles we've seen, the heaviest
of battles, as Ukrainian officials are predicting.
HALL: It's a critical -- it's a critical, tactical and strategic point. I think the Ukrainians are going to push hard for it. The fact that
apparently, the Russians decided to dig up the historical figure of Grigory Potemkin and take his bones with them as they left Kherson doesn't instill
in me a great deal of confidence that they plan on actually holding that place for very long, Isa.
SOARES: Steve Hall, always great to get your insight. Thanks very much, Steve. And still --
HALL: My pleasure.
SOARES: To come tonight, new figures out of the U.S. reveal just how close America is to a recession. And we'll go to Brazil, where the poor and the
hungry may have the most power to create change this weekend. Both those stories after a very short break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[14:15:00]
SOARES: Now, some positive news from the U.S. economy. The country's latest GDP figures came back better than expected, raising hopes it may
dodge a recession for now, as you can see there. Now, it's less good news though for the tech sector. Facebook's pairing company Meta posted second
at the quarterly decline. Its stock fell 17 percent.
And you can see the sharp drop there. Its third quarter earnings were half of what they were last year. So plenty for us to talk about this evening.
CNN's Rahel Solomon and Clare Duffy are joining me now from New York. Ladies, great to have you here tonight. Rahel, let me start with you. I
mean, this is backward-looking data, it's important to point out --
RAHEL SOLOMON, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Yes --
SOARES: But positive news nonetheless, but does this silence, the concerns that you and I and discussions you and I have had over a recession.
SOLOMON: Absolutely, Isa. It's a conversation we've had, and we probably will continue to have. But it does I think dispel the notion that we, in
the U.S. is currently in a recession, doesn't however tell us whether we are headed toward a recession. So this GDP report today, Isa, suggesting
that in the third quarter, the U.S. economy grew at an annualized rate of 2.6 percent.
That was stronger than expectations. There were a few things that really drove that growth for the U.S. economy, net exports, Isa, there were still
strong demand overseas for U.S.-made goods and services. Imports, however, fell. Americans did not buy things, physical things from outside of the
country. Government spending at every level, federal, state, local, was also strong.
And consumer spending, while still positive, slowed. Also on things like services, not physical goods. And this is part of the reason why economists
who not paying as much attention to the top line number, but looking at the details say maybe this suggests we're not in a recession right now. But it
doesn't necessarily mean that we won't be in a recession in 2023.
SOARES: Right, perhaps, it doesn't really move the needle too much when in terms of what the Fed is concerned. Stay with us. Let me go to -- let me go
to Clare. And Clare, let's talk about -- let's talk tech and in particular Meta, we just outlined their revenues as well as profits declining with
short -- we saw that sharp drop there. I mean, what are investors spooked by? Is it Metaverse? Because I can't quite get my head around them, I want
to be honest with you.
CLARE DUFFY, CNN BUSINESS WRITER: I think that's exactly right. You know, Meta is funneling so much money into these Metaverse efforts. This idea
that it's going to build the future iteration of the internet, it's spent $9.4 billion so far this year, and it still feels really far away.
You know, people still don't totally understand it, or know if this is really a product that they want. And at the same time, Meta's core
businesses facing a host of challenges, you know, from everything from the online ad market declining as a result of these recession fears that Rahel
was talking about, you know, to losing younger users to TikTok.
It's facing all of these challenges. And investors aren't sure if the company can actually make up for all this money that it's spending on the
Metaverse.
SOARES: And how much is it spending on the Metaverse, just out of interest?
DUFFY: So, this last quarter, it spent nearly $3 billion, so far this year it's spent $9.4 billion. And has told investors that it's going to be an
even bigger drain on the company next year.
[14:20:00]
SOARES: Right, both of you ladies, I want to pick your brain about this image, is a video I quite remember, I saw on social media. Musk entering
Twitter headquarters with a sink. What's the symbolism, the meaning, can anyone makes a -- don't worry, we're showing it now. He's entering with a
sink. How do you read this?
SOLOMON: I think it's a dangerous game, Isa, to try to read what's in Elon Musk's brain. So I'll let Clare take that one.
DUFFY: I think Rahel is exactly right. You know, he is a man who likes to make a statement and he is doing that here. But you know, the fact that he
showed up at Twitter's headquarters yesterday is a sign that this deal for him to buy Twitter, which is expected to close tomorrow morning is on
track.
You know, he's having conversations with employees, today, he put out a note to advertisers. So Elon Musk's takeover of Twitter, it does seem to be
imminent here.
SOARES: Well, we'll just let that sink in, won't we? Thank you very much, Rahel Solomon and Clare Duffy, thank you very much, ladies, appreciate it.
Now, as many around the world struggle to pay their gas and electric bills, energy giant Shell has posted another giant profit. I mean, giant. It just
recorded a net income of nearly $9.5 billion for the third quarter.
That is more than twice what it recorded last year. Shell and other energy companies have benefited from Russia's invasion of Ukraine which has
pushed, of course, oil and gas prices to eye-watering high as we all know. In Brazil, where poverty has been on the rise, the poor, especially women
are expected to make a difference at the polls on Sunday.
That's when Brazilian voters have their final chance to make their voices heard in the presidential race between former leftist President Luiz Inacio
Lula da Silva and the far-right incumbent Jair Bolsonaro. CNN's Paula Newton joins me now from Sao Paulo with more. And Paula, this of course, as
you well know, is a very divided country, and the race has become incredibly tight. So, how are these two candidates attracting attention?
PAULA NEWTON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, it's been very interesting here because as you know so well, Isa, here, there has been a lot of headlines
about this election that are sensationalized, right? But the bottom line is when you look at the voters of both Bolsonaro and Lula are trying to sway,
they are people that are really having trouble making ends meet here in the worst way, Isa.
Think about the fact that maybe as many as two in five Brazilian children live in poverty here, and for that reason, impoverished Brazilians want to
make sure their vote counts. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
NEWTON (voice-over): Nova Vitoria Esperanca, this pandemic village on the outskirts of Sao Paulo is fertile ground for votes, but not food. The
irony, not lost on anyone here. Food is the issue this mother of four will be voting on, Evanilda(ph), his partner works 16 hours a day, and still she
tells us there isn't much in her refrigerator.
"I just don't want my kids to go hungry", she says. She fears they may if President Jair Bolsonaro is re-elected, even though he raised welfare
payments ahead of the election. In my view, she says, Bolsonaro didn't fulfill his promises, and is only giving us this subsidy to see if he can
get more votes. People here know better than to expect too much from either candidate.
But from former President Lula da Silva, they expect something. "I intend to vote for Lula", she tells us, "because Bolsonaro has been there for four
years, and in four years, he's not been able to do much."
(on camera): From Brazil's impoverished suburbs to the streets of this commercial capital, inflation is biting here. Access to food has become a
central election issue and a convenient campaign promise as tens of millions continue to live in poverty.
(voice-over): At Bolsonaro rallies, supporters ridicule Lula, calling him a thief who belongs in jail, hardly a savior of the poor. Evanilda(ph) sees
Lula's past corruption scandals differently. "Every single one that is in there steals something", she says, "even just a little. They are talking
about Lula and saying he sold -- maybe he did, but at least he takes care of us, he takes care of the poor."
Bolsonaro has spent billions on welfare subsidies in the lead up to this election, trying to prove he can save Brazilians from hunger. Robson
Mendonca has been feeding the hungry for decades.
[14:25:00]
He says hundreds more have been lining up at his soup kitchen in recent months, and he's troubled that the desperate plight of so many is being
exploited for votes.
ROBSON MENDONCA, SAO PAULO COMMUNITY LEADER (through translator): Bolsonaro was even capable of lying on national radio of saying, there is
no hunger in Brazil. They don't see anyone asking for bread at the bakery, he doesn't know reality. There are millions asking for a plate of food
because they can't feed themselves.
NEWTON: To win, both presidential candidates need to count on votes from those who can't count on their next meal. A stark snapshot of what's at
stake with Brazil's hungry.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NEWTON: You know, as we just pointed out, look, this is an important constituency for both of these leaders trying to remain as president or
become president. The problem is, Isa, there is a lot of cynicism about whether any of those promises will be kept after the election, Isa.
SOARES: Especially with the welfare payments that's been promised by Bolsonaro, expecting to end in December. That speaks volumes. But let's
talk, Paula, really about the tight race. Because Lula, several months ago was leading quite significantly. But it's been getting tighter and tighter
as we head to Sunday.
NEWTON: It is. And you get that feeling from each and every poll that comes out, and more often than not, though, Isa, it doesn't matter if you
speak to people who are close to the campaigns, or you speak to people on the streets here, they do not trust the polls. And for that reason, this is
going to be an incredibly tight election.
Everybody says that on all sides with an incredibly divided electorate with a lot of key issues at stake here. issues that people say will determine
what happens here in Brazil for the generation, not just the next presidential term, but for the generation to come.
And for that reason, Isa, there is a lot at stake, and many people have already commented that look, the way Brazil has changed in the last few --
in the last few years, this will be consequential in terms of how this vote turns out, and then whether or not it is accepted by either side when that
result comes through especially if it's close.
SOARES: Yes, absolutely. It is the accepting the result that we're all keeping our eyes on. Important story, a story we'll stay on top of, and
great to have you there in Sao Paulo, thanks very much, Paula. Paula Newton for us in Sao Paulo in Brazil. And still to come tonight, an outpouring of
grief, a brutal crackdown and a new counter-protests. We'll have the latest on Iran's unrest. That is up next
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[14:30:00]
(MUSIC PLAYING)
SOARES: Welcome back everyone.
Now Iran's supreme leader says the perpetrators of a deadly attack in the Iranian city of Shiraz will be punished. At least 15 people were killed in
the attack and more than 40 injured after the shooter opened fire at a shrine. Two people have been arrested while a manhunt is underway for a
third suspect.
ISIS is claiming responsibility for Wednesday's attack. And officials just released this CCTV footage, that shows one of the attackers at a shrine, at
the shrine there on Wednesday.
Despite ISIS claiming responsibility for the attack, the Iranian military is pointing the finger at protesters without any evidence, saying
protesters are complicit in the attack, using this as an excuse for an even harsher crackdown.
It comes, of course, as demonstrations across the country show no sign of stopping. Here you can see security forces confronting people with tear gas
at a mourning ceremony for teenager Nika Shahkarami.
In an exclusive investigation, CNN looks at the final hours of her life. She was among the many protesters on the streets days after Mahsa Amini's
death. After analyzing more than 50 videos obtained by CNN and speaking to six key eyewitnesses, there is evidence she was chased and detained by
police just a few hours before going missing.
CNN's Katie Polglase has the story for you.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KATIE POLGLASE, CNN INVESTIGATIVE RESEARCHER (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 protest, a known personality on social media. She stood on bins chanting for the crowds.
Officials say that within 24 hours she would be dead.
Nika joined a 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, quote, "no connection to the protest," 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 p.m. as protests heat up, Nika can be seen right at the front, throwing rocks that
are formation of uniformed officers easily recognized she was brave, not even frightened. Eyewitnesses said.
At this stage in the evening, Nika is here by Laleh Park. Then as more officers arrive, witnesses say Nika starts to move away from them, first
along Keshavarz Boulevard and then down Vesal Shirazi Street where she's seen making a phone call just before 8 p.m. As it gets dark, the police
crackdown intensifies moving into Nika's new location.
Evidence of injuries start emerging and protestors are seen being detained apparently by plain clothes officers. One person told CNN they saw security
forces hitting women and putting them in police fence.
In the midst of this heightened violence, CNN found a video of Nika still at the center of the protest. It's 8.37 p.m. and the last known video of
her.
"Don't move, don't move," she shouts as she crouches between cars to hide from authorities. 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 geolocated 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.
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.
[14:35:00]
But Nika's family would not learn 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.
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 protest that night -- Katie Polglase, CNN, London.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SOARES: Important story there from Katie. What has now been over 40 days since Mahsa Amini died while in police custody. But the protest movement
her death sparked is only growing. Now a crowd of government supporters is gathering outside the British embassy, as you can see there in Tehran.
They say they are protesting the U.K.'s involvement in Iran's unrest. Iranian American journalist Negar Mortazavi joins me now to discuss.
It is great to have you on the show, there is so much for us to discuss. Let me start on the protests that we have seen. The video we just showed by
government supporters outside of the British embassy in Tehran.
What does this tell you about how all of this involving -- evolving right now?
NEGAR MORTAZAVI, JOURNALIST: This is part of the government's previous playbook and essentially, state propaganda put out there, that these
protesters are somehow instigated by foreign powers.
That Persian based media, diaspora media, some of which I have previously worked with, are instigating the protesters, encouraging them to protest.
Essentially, in a way of denial for the legitimate grievances and the organic and grassroots nature of these protesters, also journalists, as far
as the playbook, journalists who work for these outlets including myself, our families are pressured.
We are harassed. Iran is trying to stop the work of these Persian outlets who play a very important role in bringing light to what is happening
inside Iran, in the face of censorship and a lack of access to independent and free media and journalists inside the country.
SOARES: So give our viewers around the world a sense of what you are hearing from your sources in Iran.
What are they telling you?
How are protesters being energized?
What is energizing them?
Over a month now and they continue these protests, they continue to grow.
MORTAZAVI: The spark was the death of 22 year old Kurdish woman Mahsa Amini. And at the core of this is the feminist uprising, this women's
revolution, essentially, pushing back against decades of discrimination and state sanctioned violence in family, marriage, divorce, inheritance you
name, it.
Every aspect of their professional and personal life, women fear and are discriminated against by the state. And it gets to the point of women being
killed, essentially, Mahsa Amini losing her life for the way that she was dressed.
And we have an intersectional community of protesters, teachers, university students, lawyers and now doctors even joining in and bringing in their own
layers of political, economic and social grievances to this.
SOARES: So many, many grievances go back, many years of coerce (ph) but as you have clearly pointed out, as we have been reporting on the show, these
protests also cut across groups, divides, sections of societies, I mean, it is so intersectional.
And it seems like the women are getting involved. I want to show you this photo that CNN has been able to get. We believe it is from today. You can
see there, it is women without head scarves, facing off right in front of the police.
They are getting bolder, aren't they?
What does this tell you in that case?
MORTAZAVI: Indeed. So the essential core of this uprising is women seeing themselves in Mahsa Amini, men seeing their own sisters in Mahsa Amini and
saying, enough is enough.
We see women throwing their head scarves in bonfires or lifting up into the air and very bravely, essentially risking their lives, standing up to the
security forces and showing, signing that they are not going to go back to where they were five weeks ago.
You are hearing chants against the entirety of the Islamic Republic, the entirety of the system, its leadership, the corruption that they link to
their economic situation, all of these are just layers and layers and years and years of grievances that are now showing in this outpouring of anger.
[14:40:00]
And also, these scenes of bravery we are seeing from women.
SOARES: Incredible scenes of bravery. And authorities clearly struggling to contain this. We have seen thousands of people gather at Mahsa Amini's
grave, to mark 40 days since her death. I think it was early this week.
Do you think that the momentum can be sustained?
MORTAZAVI: It is difficult to speculate at this point. We are seeing immense bravery, as I said, and the sustaining of this. People are drawing
even some comparison to the 1979 revolution but then at the same time we have to remember there is brutal crackdown.
Security forces are using every means, disrupting internet, targeting journalists, targeting even protesters like Nika Shahkarami and the
brutality we have seen in the past in 2019, 2009, the protests, the state essentially had the capacity and the will to bring down an iron fist and
crush the protesters.
I don't know if they are going to be able to do that or the protesters will prevail and sustain. But so far, we have seen immense bravery and courage.
SOARES: Do you feel that this is different, this time it is different?
MORTAZAVI: It really is. They are dealing with a very serious crisis of legitimacy, of this mass population coming out and very loudly and bravely
saying that they do not want the system and this regime.
Again, I do not want to speculate whether this is different and we'll have a different outcome. But it really, the nature of it, at the core of this,
very radical opposition to the system. It is very different and the bravery of the women who are leading this.
SOARES: We really appreciate you taking the time to speak to us, thank you.
MORTAZAVI: Thank you for having me.
SOARES: Now a landmark agreement between Israel and Lebanon is now in effect. It resolves a long time seaboard dispute opening up new offshore
oil and gas fields. There was no joint signing ceremony and they are officially at war, despite this limited diplomatic breakthrough.
Lebanon's president signed it alongside E.U.'s official who mediated the accord.
Prince Harry finally reveals the name of his memoir and it has people talking. We will explain why after this short break.
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SOARES: Welcome back.
Prince Harry's much anticipated memoir has a title. The book will be called "Spare." It will be published on the 10th of January next year. It will be
an account with, quote, "raw, unflinching honesty," and a chance for Harry to tell his story at last, according to his publishers. It's certainly got
people talking. We bring in Anna Stewart to discuss.
[14:45:00]
Great to have you on this.
Do we know, more importantly, what is in this memoir?
ANNA STEWART, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, we can hazard a few guesses, I think. You are not meant to judge a book by its cover. We all know that. I
think we can possibly judge t a little bit by a title. "Spare," as in "the heir and the spare."
It suggests it won't hold back and the publisher as you said, raw and unflinching honesty. A quote from the publisher, just for one little bit
you can expect said, "As Diana, Princess of Wales, was laid to rest, billions wondered what the princes must be thinking and feeling and how
their lives would play out from that point on.
"For Harry, this is his story at last."
So much hype. So much anticipation. So much criticism and judgment already. Here is a quote from Piers Morgan, tweeting today, frequent critic --
(CROSSTALK)
STEWART: -- who says, "Playing the victim again as he trashes his family, again, from his California mansion, all while playing the big privacy and
humanitarian crusader. What a -- " I will leave out that last word.
SOARES: It is pretty unfair because we don't know what's in the book. We don't know what he even had to say. But we know Piers Morgan's very much --
(CROSSTALK)
STEWART: -- is that these books will not make any profits for the Sussexes. We already know all the proceeds will go to charity for this specific
venture.
SOARES: So this was expected in the autumn. As we just said there, it is now being January.
Do we know why it has been delayed?
STEWART: We can only speculate. A number of reasons I would see, the main one would be that Her Majesty the Queen died so recently, and his father
has just acceded to the throne. Perhaps this is out of love and respect for his family, not wanting to upset things.
Perhaps it is fear of a backlash, given there was such a big outpouring of love for the royal family so recently. Perhaps they want to see what
happens once this is launched in the next few weeks.
(VIDEO CLIP, "THE CROWN")
SOARES: This was (INAUDIBLE) and we were discussing this a couple weeks ago. There's so much controversy about this.
STEWART: So much controversy. So they might want to see what happens once this has gone out. They also have another Netflix series in the work, a
docuseries with Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex.
We are also currently in the midst of the Meghan podcast series on Spotify. So perhaps this is also an easing out of all the material we will get from
team Sussex. But we'll be hearing a lot about them.
SOARES: Do you know how much the book is going to cost?
STEWART: No, not on the cost. But I do it will be out the 10th of January. It is in my diary; so is "The Crown" series. And so will the Netflix series
on there if we ever get that one late.
SOARES: Anna, thank you very much. Appreciate it.
Now Kanye West was escorted out of Skechers headquarters (INAUDIBLE) just one day after Adidas ended their brand deal. Skechers says West, who now
goes by Ye, showed up unannounced and with a camera crew.
The shoe company making it clear it has no intention of working with the embattled star, after Adidas decided to stop making Yeezy shoes.
It's facing a fierce backlash after a string of controversial comments, including anti-Semitic views. Of course, we told you the story earlier this
week.
One more headline from the entertainment world. A new movie is the inspiration for Rihanna's latest music release. A new single, "Lift Me Up,"
comes out on Friday. She put a little teaser on Twitter.
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SOARES (voice-over): The song will be featured on the soundtrack for the Marvel sequel, "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever." It's Rihanna's first new
music as a solo artist in six years. It was written as a tribute to the late "Black Panther" star, Chadwick Boseman, who died, of course, from
colon cancer two years ago.
And I look forward to seeing that movie.
A still to come, a record-breaking journey in the rise of an underdog. How one young bird smashed all expectations when we (INAUDIBLE) after this.
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[14:50:00]
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SOARES: Welcome back, everyone.
In wealthy countries, such as the UAE, a lot of food goes to waste and ends up in landfills, producing toxic gases. To help combat the problem,
scientists in Abu Dhabi have found a way to reduce the waste. They are getting help from some tiny players, take a look at this.
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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (voice-over): As you can see here, we have a couple of trays, where the insects start to eat the fermented food we prepared for
them.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (voice-over): A local Abu Dhabi start-up is banking on these little critters to fix the UAE's growing food waste problem.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (voice-over): We are company that tries to use the most natural way to transform organic waste that we have in the environment into
something that is useful and efficient.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (voice-over): It is an initiative contributing to a circular economy, a sustainable process that puts raw materials back into
the economy. With the help of these insects, the company upcycles food waste to produce fertilizer, larvae (ph) oil and livestock feed.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (voice-over): It is a ferocious eater. It's able to consume 500 times of its body weight and grow in a matter of 10 days.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (voice-over): These ferocious eaters are black soldier fly larvae. Eating through mounds of wasted food. They are farmed in this
small lab at this start-up accelerator.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (voice-over): When we harvest these insects, what we get is high quality protein which can be incorporated in your chicken feed,
fish feed and so on.
If we were to go for a further step to roast the insects and then put them in an oil grinder, what we can get is oil from them, which can be a
supplement as well for the animal feed.
Last of all, the excretion of the insects are very high quality fertilizers, which can be used for plants.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (voice-over): In wealthy countries, like the UAE, one of the richest nations in the world, food waste is a major contributor to
the climate crisis.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (voice-over): So currently the food waste is being thrown into landfills. When we do that to the landfills, we create a lot of
greenhouse gases when the food decomposes. What we hope to do is reduce the waste and transform it.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (voice-over): Inaugurated as Abu Dhabi's first waste to feed program, Circle Biotech Circular (ph) company aligns with the goals of
the UAE government. Abu Dhabi is investing more than $2.5 billion to boost growth and innovation in manufacturing sectors. This help support circular
economy initiatives.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (voice-over): We have all these valuable resources put back into the economy.
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SOARES: Some news from the new U.K. government related in a way to the climate issue. Prime minister, Rishi Sunak is pulling out of a trip to the
COP27 summit on climate change happening in Egypt.
A Downing Street spokesperson says he needs to focus on other pressing domestic commitments.
[14:55:00]
The U.K. will be fully represented by other senior members of government.
Finally, the sky is the limit but not for one young bird. A bar-tailed godwit has completed a record-breaking flight, flying all the way from
Alaska all the way to Tasmania. The juvenile flew well over 11 days, traveling about 30,000 kilometers.
Scientists are saying the previous record had been blown out of the water by this young upstart.
Thank you very much for your company. Do stay right here, "QUEST MEANS BUSINESS" is up next. I shall see you tomorrow. Goodbye.
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