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The Global Brief with Bianca Nobilo

Russia's U-Turn on Grain Deal; North Korea's Missile Launches; Israel's Far-Right "Explosion". Aired 5-5:30p ET

Aired November 02, 2022 - 17:00   ET

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

[17:00:39]

LYNDA KINKADE, CNN HOST: Hello, everyone. I'm Lynda Kinkade in Atlanta. You're watching THE GLOBAL BRIEF. Good to have you with us.

Just ahead, a Russian reversal. A potential catastrophe avoided as Russia rejoins Ukraine's grain export deal.

Then, North Korea launches the greatest number of short-range missiles in a day. And for the first time, one lands close to South Korean waters.

And Benjamin Netanyahu is on track for a crucial comeback in Israel as partial election results suggest he could lead the country's most right

wing government ever.

Well, Russia has rejoined the deal that will allow critical grain shipments to safely leave Ukrainian ports. It comes just days after Moscow announced

it was suspending its participation, accusing Ukraine of attacking a city in occupied Crimea. But after negotiations with Turkish leaders, Russia has

changed its mind. Ukraine's president is thanking Turkey to help salvage that agreement. World leaders are welcoming Russia's change of course.

U.S. ambassador to the U.N. saying Russia was convinced it can't stand in the way of feeding the entire world.

In the meantime, the battle for the occupied Ukrainian city of Kherson is escalating. Ukrainian officials say they have struck an important target of

Russian air defense system close to the stadium. Russian troops are preparing new defensive positions around the city, and pressing civilians

to leave.

Russia is facing the inside its own borders although it's unclear by who. Reports show a man preparing in planting explosives on a Russian helicopter

on a base inside the country. There's no confirmation that Ukraine carried out the attack, although reportedly that sabotage very quickly.

Our Nic Robertson joins us now from Kramatorsk in eastern Ukraine.

Nic, good to have you with us covering all these developments. You are, of course, in Kramatorsk, where Russia has stepped up its offensive, albeit

with conscripts who are poorly armed.

Just how much impact are they having there on the frontlines?

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Well, what seems to happen is when Russia pushes more troops into the front line, and that

seems to be what's happening here, the front line about 20 miles from here stretches sort of vaguely, roughly north-south. On the southern part of

that, Russians have stepped up their shelling. Having additional forces there, it gives them the opportunity to increase their shelling, increase

the shooting. However poorly equipped the recruits are, they've got a gun, they've got a trigger, they've got bullets is the way the Ukrainian

military sees the situation.

But I think significantly on the front line, not far from here, the Russians have opened up a sort of third hot zone, if you will. There are

towns like bomb went where Russia's been putting a lot of pressure for a long time on that town. Other key places along the line -- but they've

opened up a new hot zone like that as well.

So, that really for Ukrainian forces is drawing their attention, the heavy fire, the additional hot spot on the front line and it reinforces the

understanding -- conversely, of course, on the front line north of here, it's Ukraine that's been able to take some of the ground.

So it's not a simple picture, but one here at least, or Russia has significantly over the past 24 hours or so stepped up its attacks.

KINKADE: And, Nic, I want to ask you about this green deal. We were speaking about this time yesterday. Russia now agreeing to its

participation in the safe passage of grain from Ukraine to underdeveloped countries. What brought about this change? And how crucial was Turkey in

these negotiations?

ROBERTSON: Well, I think Turkey was very crucial. President Erdogan was with President Putin yesterday, it was President Putin who indicated that

Russia was moving back into the deal. He said that Ukraine have given guarantees that they wouldn't use this maritime territory to attack Russian

forces.

[17:05:00]

For their part, the Ukrainians have thanked Turkish authorities as well for their involvement. And I think they're definitely seen by both sides as

trying to work to ease the situation. But there is no indication from the Ukrainian side that they feel beholden to not attacking Russian navy when

they have the opportunity in the Black Sea.

But for now, the deal's on. I think there's a recognition here as well that had the deal collapsed because of Russia pulling out of it, then food

prices would've gone up. And despite Russia making the point that it was only or more of the first world, if you will, European countries who are

getting a lot of grain from Ukraine and not the third world, as that initially been indicated, I think there was a big recognition even among

Russia's friends in Africa that a food prices went up, it was because Russia had pulled out of the deal, and that was destabilizing the global

food market.

So I think those international and political, if unspoken, pressure on Russia to get back in. But now they are, and now it's on track, it seems,

for now, at least.

KINKADE: Yeah, exactly.

And, Nic, I want to ask you about this video that's emerged showing someone planting explosives at a Russian airbase deep inside Russia. Do we know how

much damage was done and what could be behind?

ROBERTSON: It's very obviously sabotage. It appears to be two Russian helicopters that are damaged. The impression it creates is that there are

saboteurs who can penetrate Russian air bases. And I think we've seen potentially similar examples of this in Crimea, where Ukraine didn't say

what hand it had, but one Russian planes fighter jets in that time were actually destroyed on air bases inside Crimea.

Was it drones? Was it missiles or some sort? Or was it sabotage on the ground?

There seems to be an increase in the ability of saboteurs, whoever they are, Ukrainian or just anti-Russian government, the gap in military

complexes where perhaps the securities lax, because they don't feel that they're so close to Ukrainian territory that they're not in danger. And

they're able to not only -- sabotage, but filmed it and go public with it very quickly.

So, it's not only -- it's not only a message about destroying these helicopters, but it's an implication that other Russian bases will be

vulnerable.

KINKADE: Yeah, exactly. We'll be on the lookout for more video like that.

Nic Robertson for us in Kramatorsk, thanks to you and your team.

Well, the U.S. is accusing North Korea of secretly shipping a significant number of artillery shells to Russia to use in its war on Ukraine. U.S.

officials say North Korea is trying to hide the shipments, making it look like they're being sent to countries in the Middle East or North Africa.

The U.S. has not provided evidence supporting those allegations.

Benjamin Netanyahu appears to be on the brink of leaving the most right wing government in the history of Israel. With 86 percent of the votes

counted in Tuesday's election, his Likud party and its allies are projected to win enough seats in the Knesset to secure a majority. If that holds, the

former prime minister would return to office for a record sixth term despite his ongoing corruption trial.

I want to get more now from CNN's Hadas Gold. He joins us from Jerusalem.

Good to see you again, Hadas. So, this huge surge in support for the far- right. What's behind this push to the right, and how is this expected to play and government? How much influence will that half?

HADAS GOLD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, Benjamin Netanyahu definitely seems poised for a comeback with much bigger numbers than anybody was even

expecting for his Likud Party and for his ally 65 seats, potentially, will be the majority of the Israeli parliament. When all they really needed was

61 seats. Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud Party is expected to be the largest parties still with about 41 or 32 seats. But what's really holding up's

majority in the Israeli parliament, will be help from far-right groups.

One in particular is called Religious Zionism/Jewish power. They are a new bloc of these two far-right power parties. They expected to have something

like 14 seats in this next parliament, Lynda. That'll make them the third largest party in the Israeli parliament, right after Benjamin Netanyahu's

Likud Party, and the current prime minister Yair Lapid's Yesh Atid Party.

Now, this Jewish power/religious Zionism group, these were people once considered the far right fringe of Israeli politics. One of their leaders,

Itamar Bin Gvir, was once convicted for inciting racism and for supporting terrorism.

[17:10:07]

He has proposed things like annexing the West Bank. He wants Israeli security forces to have an easier open fire policy against rioters.

And for many -- he was just seen as somebody who is so unfathomable to be in the Israeli government, even for Benjamin Netanyahu just a year ago. He

essentially dismissed the idea that somebody like Itamar Bin Gvir could have a ministerial position. But a few days ago, Netanyahu said, of course

he could be considered for ministerial position.

And now, when this party, when this group is going to have such power in the Israeli parliament, the question will be, what positions will they

extract for the price of supporting Benjamin Netanyahu? There's a big concern that these people who have publicly said they want to be in charge

of public security, that would put them in charge of the police. That would put them in charge of the police and released sensitive places like

Jerusalem's holy city.

Now, we're getting some reaction from around the world, because there's a question of what will Israel's allies -- how will they react to somebody

with these types of political views in the Israeli government? And we just heard from the State Department spokesperson Ned Price, who while they said

it was too early to speculate about the exact composition of the next coalition, and it's because of the votes have not officially been counted

yet, and the mandate to form the government has not actually been giving out yet.

However, he noted the hope that all Israeli government officials will continue to share -- open Democratic society, including tolerance and

respect for all civil society, particularly for minority groups -- Lynda.

KINKADE: Hadas Gold staying on it from Jerusalem. Good to have you with us.

Well, I want to turn now to the Korean peninsula. North Korea's missile launches are becoming more frequent. Pyongyang found 23 short-range

missiles yesterday. That's according to South Korean officials, the greatest number of missiles ever launched in a day. One missile landed

close to South Korea's territorial borders.

South Korea responded by launching three missiles off its own.

For the global reaction and much more on this, I want to bring in CNN's Will Ripley.

Good to have you with us, Will.

So, almost two dozen missiles detected Wednesday, the most volatile situation we've seen in recent years. What do we know about the missiles

that were launched this time? What is Kim Jong-un's objective?

WILL RIPLEY, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Lynda.

Yeah, you know, they're still trying to assess exactly what kind of missiles were launched. So far, it's been surface to air missiles, short-

range ballistic missiles, and even missiles that Japan describes as having an irregular trajectory, which could mean tactical nuclear weapons with the

ability to turn midflight, making them almost impossible to shoot down.

Kim Jong-un's objective, well, he knows he can get away with this right now. The eyes of the world are pointed elsewhere.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RIPLEY (voice-over): In South Korea, where North Korean nuclear threats often feel like background noise, this startling sound.

(SIRENS)

RIPLEY: The first air raid sirens in six years, urging Ulleung-gun residents to seek shelter in underground bunkers.

A North Korean missile came dangerously close to the island, crossing the northern limit line, a de facto maritime buffer zone between the North and

the South.

Pyongyang never officially recognized that line, until Wednesday. They never fired a missile over it, either.

South Korea's President Yoon Suk-Yeol holding to his hawkish stance on North Korea, calling the launch an effective territorial invasion. The

missile actually fell just shy of the South's territorial waters.

He infuriated North Korea this week, forging ahead with operation Vigilant Storm, South Korea's largest combined military air drills with the U.S.,

five days of war games, 240 aircraft, thousands of service members from both countries.

Pyongyang's foreign ministry promising powerful follow-up measures.

For the Korean peninsula, a day of unnerving first. The first time North Korea launched at least 23 missiles in a single day, skyrocketing tensions

to levels unseen in half a decade.

The first time South Korea and the U.S. responded by firing surface-to-air missiles near the North's territorial waters.

CNN counts 29 North Korean missile launch events this year, including a barrage of eight missiles in a single day back in June.

[17:15:04]

Triggering a rare nationwide emergency alert. Japan strongly condemning the launches, calling the blitz utterly unacceptable. Violating U.N. Security

Council resolutions at and unprecedentedly high frequency. Tokyo's solemn protest by that apparently falling on deaf ears. China and Russia have veto

power at the U.N. Security Council, both in no mood to work with the West on punishing Pyongyang as they bolster their authoritarian alliance.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

RIPLEY (on camera): And, Kim Jong-un knows that President Biden has been pretty disengaged throughout the first half of his term. He has his eyes

focused on Ukraine at the upcoming midterm elections. North official warned this week that the U.S. and South will pay, quote, the most horrible price

in history for any military action against the North.

And this, Lynda, is raising fears against what North Korea may be planning next. The U.S. has become increasingly concerned that North Korea might be

on the verge of carrying out its seventh underground nuclear test, the first in five years.

KINKADE: Yeah, highly, highly concerning. Will Ripley for us, thanks so much for that report.

Well, the Brazilian President Bolsonaro has stopped short of contesting the election runoff he just lost, his supporters are suppressing frustration

and in some cases, disputing the results.

In Sao Paulo, crowd prompted a headquarters prompting police to fire tear gas to disperse demonstrators. Bolsonaro signaled that he will cooperate

with the transfer of power. How does the politically divide public move forward?

CNN's Paula Newton reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PAULA NEWTON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Supporters of President Jair Bolsonaro were at the streets for the third day and in some cases, they

were violent yet again. Now, federal officials are ordering military police to use force when they need to clear the demonstrations. That is why you

continue to see sporadic events, you will see her gas being used. You will see water cannons.

Having said, that protesters by large have been moved to the side, they have not actually been moved off the protest sites. For that reason these

protests keep popping up.

Having said that, all of this is motivated by the fact that Bolsonaro gave what was a terse and vague statement, he did concede that he had lost the

election. All he said was that he will follow law and follow this process of transfer of power.

Protesters that we spoke to said that they have the green light to stay out on the streets for as long as it takes, they are still waiting for him to

decide whether or not he will accept those results.

Now, having said that, that makes an already tense transfer of power much more contentious here in Brazil, a time when it does not need it.

President-elect Lula Da Silva continuing to do -- take meetings and meet with international leaders, and now working for Brazil's environmental

policy, as that environmental conference comes up in Egypt.

Through all of this, investors are keeping a wary eye on Brazil. They do want this economy to try and restart itself, especially when it comes to

the issues, the entrenched issues of poverty and inequality.

Paula Newton, CNN, Sao Paulo, Brazil.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KINKADE: Well, still to come, a brutal two-year war in Ethiopia appears to have come to an end with a signed peace deal. We will have that story

coming up.

Plus, how far is China willing to go with it zero COVID policy. The death of a 14-year-old girl in a quarantine facility is sparking outrage.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[17:21:56]

KINKADE: Welcome back.

A dramatic breakthrough in Ethiopia, the east African nations government and the liberation front have signed an agreement to permanently end their

hostilities. It comes after more than a week of peace negotiations in Pretoria, led by the African Union mediators who say humanitarian aid to

the region will now be restored. Two years of brutal conflict between the two sides has killed thousands of people and displaced millions more.

Let's take a look at some of the other stories making international headlines today.

First, an update on that deadly crowd surge in South Korea's capital this past weekend. The chief of police said that tragedy is now being suspended.

A special investigation unit has been created to find out what went wrong before the disaster and during the response.

We are getting a clear picture of those who lost their lives in Sunday's bridge collapse in India. Officials say that 135 people were killed, more

than 50 of them were children. The state where this disaster happened held a day of mourning on Wednesday.

And a World Health Organization official says Lebanon is dealing with a cholera outbreak for the first time in ten years. He says the outbreak

started in a rural area and is spreading to the south, adding that the WHO is working with the government to contain infections and provide vaccines,

as well as treatment.

One of Apple's largest suppliers says videos that alleged death in Zhengzhou manufacturing plant in China were maliciously edited. The social

media footage, which seen and cannot verify, alleges that a group of people died on site during the current COVID-19 lockdown. It is one of many

distressing allegations that have surfaced amid China's zero COVID policy.

But as Selina Wang reports, President Xi Jinping is not backing down on his country's controversial measures.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SELINA WANG, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A 14-year-old girl lies in that, convulsing at a COVID quarantine facility in China. Someone comes

over saying, the kid has a fever of 40 degrees Celsius and no one is coming. She died soon after.

The father posted this video online, showing his daughter's body. He is demanding justice.

I beg the communist party to investigate, he says.

CNN hasn't been able to independently verify the videos. They've been censored. In central China, the whole city has been under lockdown since

late September after reporting just one COVID case.

In year three of the pandemic, every positive case in close contact is still sent to government quarantine facilities like these. In this city,

some were forced to quarantine outside in the cold, in the parking lots.

This viral video, which CNN cannot verify, shows others forced to stay in male bathrooms, sleeping under urinals.

[17:25:05]

And this one, the video says it is a quarantine site for kids in this province. A little boy jumping over bricks to avoid a pool of dirty liquid.

This is where they use the bathroom.

Distraught parents crowd outside to protest, some yelling, get my kid back. A squadron police arrived. Protesters rushed to the streets in Tibet,

demanding the end of a lockdown that has lasted for more than 80 days.

And in Zhengzhou City, workers are fleeing Apple's biggest iPhone plant after a COVID outbreak. Masses of workers carrying their luggage walk long

distances across highways through villages, even farm fields.

Those left behind at the factory claim living conditions are subpar. Videos appear to show workers literally fighting for boxes of supplies. Others,

lining up outside of quarantine facilities.

China's leader Xi Jinping claims zero COVID puts lives above all else, but for many, it is precisely the policy itself that is ruining their lives.

This woman sobbed on the ground, crying, she was caught with her mask pulled down and the government suspended her business for 30 days. Farmers

like this woman secretly harvesting their crops in the middle of the night to avoid getting caught, leaving the house and breaking COVID rules. Like

this man was. The video shows authorities confiscating his tractor and corn harvest.

Metal spikes, which the man filming said were installed to prevent residents from leaving. Or red plastic barriers, this one separating a

father from his daughter. The little girl worried, ask her dad how he is going to get home. Her father, like millions across China, likely has no

idea when he can go home,or when all of this will end.

Selina Wang, CNN, Beijing.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KINKADE: A quick programming note, please join us Thursday for our second court day. A 24-hour global day of action to raise awareness of

environmental issues and you engage with conservation education. America's largest aquariums right here in Georgia, you can follow along at our

special page. That is CNN.com/calltoearthday.

Thank so much for watching. That was THE GLOBAL BRIEF with me, Lynda Kinkade. Good have you with us.

Stay with CNN. "WORLD SPORT" is up next.

END