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Brexit: Theresa May Scraps 65 Fee For E.U. Citizens To Stay In U.K.; Globalization Facing Uncertain Future As Forum Begins; Russia: 10 Dead In Fire On Two Ships Off Crimea; Pre-Trial Hearing For American Detained In Russia. Aired 2-3a ET
Aired January 22, 2019 - 02:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
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ROSEMARY CHURCH, CNN ANCHOR (voice-over): Hello and welcome to a special edition of CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Rosemary Church.
BECKY ANDERSON, CNN HOST: And I'm Becky Anderson in Davos in Switzerland, live from this year's World Economic Forum. Thank you for being with us.
Business and government leaders from around the globe are gathering here in Davos but the outlook not as optimistic this year as CEOs are worried about trade wars and slowing economic growth. There no U.S. delegation thanks to the ongoing shutdown; British prime minister Theresa May not here, either.
She's back in the U.K. trying to come up with a path forward for Brexit. Now Ms. May is getting lackluster reviews for her plan B revealed to Parliament on Monday. Many say it's nothing more than a warmed-over plan A which failed miserably last week at Westminster. CNN's Bianca Nobilo begins our coverage for you this hour.
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ANDERSON: We don't have that package for you; for the time being, let me carry on. We'll see if we can get back to that.
Meantime, the dawn of day 32 of the U.S. government shutdown bring no sign of a breakthrough. The House and Senate set to vote on separate border security measures this week but there is not bipartisan support for either of the plans.
Hundreds of thousands of government workers now faced with missing a second paycheck.
President Trump proposed extending temporary deportation protection for children of undocumented immigrants or so-called DREAMers and for those with temporary protected status.
In exchange, well, he wants his border wall funding. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called the plan a nonstarter.
The International Monetary Fund has a warning about the global economy: it's slowing and trade wars could make it worse. The agency released its updated outlook as leaders and influencers gather here at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
IMF directing manager Christine Lagarde says it doesn't mean a global recession is around the corner but she didn't sound very cheerful about it, either.
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CHRISTINE LAGARDE, MANAGING DIRECTOR, INTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUND: The risk of a sharper decline in global growth has certainly increased. Add to this, the uncertainty, the geopolitical worries and disappointing long-term growth prospect and you have an economic picture with a pretty clear message.
And the message is the following. For policymakers, address remaining vulnerabilities and be ready if a serious slowdown were to materialize.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: The IMF forecast isn't the only sign that things could get off to a pretty rough start here in Davos. Some major world leaders are no shows. There are also fears that globalization could be in danger. CNN's Julia Chatterley explains.
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JULIA CHATTERLEY, CNN ANCHOR (voice-over): High in the Swiss Alps amid breathtaking vistas and pristine air, the Davos dream of global connectivity and cooperation is facing a bumpy ride. Some say it may be downhill from here for the Davos elites.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The vision of Davos, which is that everyone is coming together, has really been shattered over the last year. There are so many issues facing globalization right now. In fact, it's hard to think of something positive for globalization.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Good evening.
CHATTERLEY (voice-over): And what a year it's been since the last Davos. From anti-elite Yellow Vest protests in France to populist wins at the ballot box in Brazil, Mexico and Italy and strongmen consolidating power in countries like Turkey and Hungary, it's not just America first.
TRUMP: Make America great again, right?
CHATTERLEY (voice-over): It's the fear of every nation out for itself everywhere.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: In Davos you are probably going to hear a lot about a tripolar world. The U.S. is going one direction, Europe is going another and China and some of the emerging markets are going a third.
CHATTERLEY (voice-over): Let's call it deglobalization. President Trump seems to embrace it. But be careful what you wish for. IAN BREMMER, EURASIA GROUP: There are two big threats to Western-led globalization as we know it. The first is the rise of China with alternative models and political values. the second is the erosion of liberal democratic institutions from within --
[02:05:00]
BREMNER: -- inside all of these states.
CHATTERLEY (voice-over): But Davos won't be all doom and gloom; yes, global growth may be slowing but the U.S. economy is on solid footing.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think we are actually in a good place.
CHATTERLEY (voice-over): And certain central bankers are saying they will be patient. The big hope, of course, the possibility of a U.S.- China trade deal coming this year, too.
And there is going to be the usual discussion about technology, disruption and innovation. After a rough 2018, it could be tough going; Davos men and women are simply hoping to stay on their feet -- Julia Chatterley, CNN.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: A week's worth of coverage kicking off today from here in Davos. It's not all just about Davos men and women, of course. In Yemen, a fragile ceasefire offers a glimmer of hope in a grinding civil war.
But as the U.N. struggles to implement a peace deal we look at the prospects for the people of Yemen in 2019. That is after this.
Plus the rich get richer and the poor, unfortunately, get poorer. A new report on global wealth shows just how much wider the gap has become.
You are with us here live in Davos, back after this.
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ANDERSON: Well, a very warm welcome back to a pretty chilly Davos, where some of the world's most powerful leaders are gathering. One of the crises they are facing is the ongoing civil war in Yemen and the humanitarian crisis it has caused.
On Sunday, Saudi-led forces pounded seven military targets in the capital city, Sanaa, which is held by Houthi rebels. The Houthis are aligned with Iran while the government forces have the backing of Saudi Arabia. Reuters reports at least two civilians were killed.
A fragile truce in the key port of Hudaydah seems to be holding. The port is held by the Houthis, the U.N. trying to get both sides to withdraw their forces from the port where badly needed aid, of course, comes in.
And we want to share a graphic, a disturbing video --
[02:10:00]
ANDERSON: -- clip from on the ground in Yemen, showing just how these big topics of humanitarian problems and peace processes scaled down to the immense tragedy of one child.
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NIMA ELBAGIR, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): These are 9-month-old Apil's (ph) last gasps. Filmed inside a local clinic, Apil died as the medical team fought to revive him. His desperate father borrowed the money to bring him here and all he is leaving with is a little body wrapped in white.
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ANDERSON: A disturbing reminder of just why it is so important that a solution is found to what is this grinding civil war.
Among the first on the ground in places like Yemen, getting aid in and helping people out is Oxfam International, perhaps the world's best- known charity, with a budget of more than 1 billion dollars every year.
Let's bring in the woman that runs it, executive director Winnie Byanyima, to dive into all of this.
We have seen all these reports that upwards of possibly 85,000 kids have died in this war. Let's just get your sense on the ground.
What are you seeing and are you seeing any improvements at this point?
WINNIE BYANYIMA, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, OXFAM INTERNATIONAL: Not yet unfortunately; 20 million people are in severe food insecurity; 5.4 million children, acute malnutrition.
And we are still finding it difficult to access aid, life-saving aid, to many parts of Yemen. We are seeing a ceasefire that's holding but not really holding, the same shelling and rocket artillery, we're seeing air bombings.
We are calling for, first of all, respect for international humanitarian law so that there is unhindered access for civilians to move and for aid to reach them. And we are calling for a ceasefire that is truly holding and a lasting solution to the conflict.
ANDERSON: Let's agree that the Stockholm talks before Christmas were definitely a good start. The -- Martin Griffiths, who is the U.N. envoy to Yemen, reduced expectations by saying, this is baby steps at this point. But certainly as you rightly point out, it's a struggle but that
cease-fire, for all intents and purposes holding in that key port city of Hudaydah. We need to know that there will be more talks, when those talks will be and how quickly we can get on with this.
The United Nations condemning that in areas of Yemen controlled by the Houthis, vast amounts of food are being taken, quote -- and I quote the WFP here -- "amounts to the stealing of food from the mouths of hungry people."
The head of the WFP agency says this is criminal behavior that must stop. Trucks, Winnie, illicitly removing food from designated distribution areas; officials falsifying records; food being sold for profit. We have heard this before in conflict areas. But we are hearing it again.
This is nothing less than an outrage, is it?
BYANYIMA: It is an outrage that warring parties are not respecting international humanitarian law. Oxfam is calling for all of them to respect international humanitarian law, to let us humanitarians take aid, life-saving aid, to the people in need, to allow civilian movement, free movement of civilians.
These are not things that they should take as lightly, as privileges; these are rights, rights of people trapped by war. And we are also calling for a lasting solution to the conflict.
We cannot have a final solution unless all of the warring parties come to the table and also allow women to be at the peace table. At the last negotiations, the government delegation had just one woman. Peace will not come unless all people are involved and particularly women will suffer most at the peace table.
ANDERSON: It's incredibly fragile but let's hope that 2019 brings a solution as you light are you point out for the people of Yemen.
BYANYIMA: Absolutely.
ANDERSON: If I were to grab a handful of snow here and compare --
[02:15:00]
ANDERSON: -- it to all of the snowflakes here, that would help me show the vast scale of what I want to talk to you about next, the new Oxfam report showing that the world's richest -- get this -- the world's richest 26 people own as much as half the world's population, some $1.4 trillion is what I am talking about here.
What does that mean for the world we live in?
BYANYIMA: It means that many millions of people are trapped in poverty because of this extreme inequality that's run out of control. Oxfam's report showed that last year alone, the wealth of the billionaires was increasing by $2.5 billion a day while the wealth of the lowest, the half of humanity that's poorest, was decreasing by $500 million a day.
Runaway -- and we point to the cause of this, we show that governments are fueling this widening inequality that's trapping millions in poverty. They are not taxing the wealth of rich individuals and big companies and they are cutting back on public services, as people do without health, people -- children, 262 million children are not in school; 10,000 people who die every day because of lack of free healthcare.
So governments are not playing their role.
ANDERSON: I make a commitment to you to try to track down as many of those 26 as might be here.
BYANYIMA: They are here.
ANDERSON: Up the hill in Davos, we'll do our best to try and ensure that we have conversations with each and every single one of those who are up this mountain and put your points to them.
We are still talking with Winnie Byanyima, the executive director of Oxfam International.
It's been a pleasure having you on. Good luck here. I hope people are listening.
BYANYIMA: Thank you very much, Becky, for having me today.
ANDERSON: Davos is known for its winter sports, so our Richard Quest hit the ice with the town's pro hockey team to see what the sport can teach us about the global economy. Have a look at this.
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RICHARD QUEST, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: Ah, the peace of the Swiss mountains: tranquil but a place to think amidst the quiet.
Hockey Club Davos makes its presence felt. When they train, you know about it. The cloaks right next door to west. Leaders should come here to learn a few tricks. Think of the players as today's economic problems.
The speed of going on the attack, the ferocity when things go wrong just staying upright is a challenge. First up, get more padding when things go wrong.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: One step forward.
QUEST: What's point of make a step forward? I can barely move.
Force it, yes.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Good.
QUEST: Right.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Good.
QUEST: Now we're ready with all the tools on --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, no, not though.
QUEST: What?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: don't go. So this is to block the fact and this is catch it there.
QUEST: Now we're ready to attack the global economy.
Think of me as the global economy. Fragile, uncertain, not sure of what to do. Needing all the help I can get. So onto the ice and what the world is facing today, Brexit.
No one knows what's happening and everyone seems to be going in circles. Then, there's the U.S. and China, bashing each other over trade. The world's economy caught in the middle but pull over.
Finally, growth. After several years of speed, countries like China is slowing. And for some, they may come to a sudden stop. If we don't get it right, it won't be pretty. What about style and grace?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Doesn't really matter as long as you win.
QUEST: HC Davos may not be having their best year ever. But they are a good example of how to get the economy right. But all this shows is that if everyone pushes in the same direction, instead of trying to pull it all apart, well, the global economy stands some chance of staying --
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QUEST (voice-over): -- on its own two feet -- Richard Quest, CNN, Davos.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: It's not all about the money. Politics and conflict riding along here in Davos and some come here to the belly of the beast, as it were, to try to change all of that from the inside.
One such man, the storied secretary general of Amnesty International, Kumi Naidoo, joining me now.
I think you and I were discussing before we started that I think we met here for the first time about 18 years ago. You have made a lifelong career of pushing for change, from scaling oil rigs in the Arctic to taking the lead in some of the anti-apartheid protests, of course, in South Africa, you were just 15, I believe, when a regime that was clearly an existential threat to many South Africans was put an end to eventually.
Now grown up with many more fights on your hands, what do you see as the greatest threat to people watching this show on CNN today around the world?
KUMI NAIDOO, AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL: Well, I think the greatest threat is that people look at Davos and the World Economic Forum and think that solutions are going to come from here. People need to look at the history and ask yourself, whenever humanity faces a big injustice, was there ever any movement that the business community came forward to lead?
So for example, if you look at -- we have been getting warning shots, right, the Asian financial crisis of 1997; in 2008, you had the global financial crisis and this place and the culture here is about system -- when the global financial crisis came in, what kicked in?
System protections, system maintenance, system recovery. But what we should have learned by a failing economic system, that is feeding the 1 percent and leaving 99 percent of the folks marginalized, is that what we need is system redesign, system innovation and system transformation.
And that's not going to come out of the --
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ANDERSON: So with respect, why do you come?
NAIDOO: Well, yes, good question. One comes with a lot of trepidation but there are people here who have the capability of changing things. To be honest, some of the most important conversations you have here are the one-to-one bilaterals, catching people in the toilets and in other places where they don't want to talk to you.
So we feel that we have an obligation to put it to the global public and, quite frankly, when we come here, we get media access and we can tell our story much better than if we had to try to do it --
ANDERSON: So I am listening, we are listening but are those that you are catching in those small back rooms, in the restaurants, you know, on the road, on a walk, are they listening?
NAIDOO: Well, they might be listening but they are not necessarily hearing. Right?
The problem is that today you can't have a conversation with any CEO of a big fossil fuel company, where they would deny that climate change is happening; whereas in the past, they put millions of dollars trying to deny it. But --
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NAIDOO: Yes. You see, if you want an image of Davos and the World Economic Forum, it's like we are rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic while humanity is sinking.
Basically what we have is incremental solutions, baby steps maybe, some good projects but largely what we need is a political honesty that says our economic system is not working. And we need fundamental change.
ANDERSON: You have written so-called tough guy leaders who you argue -- and I quote, "think their policies make them tough but they amount to little more than bully tactics, trying to demonize and persecute."
Are you talking about Donald Trump?
NAIDOO: Well, Donald Trump epitomizes it. But let's be clear that he has quite a few followers now. We have got Bolsonaro in Brazil; we have the Hungarian prime minister, we have Duterte in the Philippines, Modi in India. He's maybe not as extreme but essentially he's in the same mold.
So basically when we look at World Economic Forum and the role it plays with the rise of some of these people, we cannot say that all of these people get (INAUDIBLE) here. Last year when Trump came here, Davos and the World Economic Forum celebrated the tax increases; whereas the tax increases clearly has not been in the interest the majority of people --
ANDERSON: Tax cuts, you mean.
(CROSSTALK)
NAIDOO: Yes, sorry.
(CROSSTALK)
ANDERSON: -- the progressive Democrats would love to have seen some tax increases.
Look, one of the things is that you argue against this sort of -- you name check or you just -- describing here this sort of rise in populism. The problem is, when you argue against that or you decry the rise in populism, some people say you are arguing against the populace, the people. Maybe people actually, I don't know --
[02:25:00]
ANDERSON: -- in Donald Trump's case, want this war, want tougher immigration.
NAIDOO: Well, one has to look at what was said to the people by the politicians that have been elected and what they were told was lies to a large extent, false promises but also the political popularity was built on demonization, demonizing women, demonizing people of color, people of alternative sexual orientations.
If you look at both Trump and Bolsonaro as two examples, it's from the same playbook. It's about attack public institutions, attack the media when it doesn't suit you and go after different identity groups to consolidate your own group.
And let's be blunt about it. Donald Trump is clear that I want to protect white Americans and that's my agenda.
ANDERSON: 2018 was clearly a year that the #MeToo movement really bedded in. It was a good year for women in many places around the world. Not as good a year for women in other places outside of the developed world and that's something we must be very mindful of.
You say it was women who offered the most powerful vision of how to fight back against these oppressive leaders. In 2019 you say organizations like yours need to do more to amplify women's voices. I get that.
But there will be those that say, isn't there a risk that men end up becoming victims?
NAIDOO: No, absolutely but when we look at the question of the marginalizing of women from the public space, I remember the first time I met you here in the early 2000s, every meeting we had (INAUDIBLE) we were raising the issue of the paucity of women on panels and so on.
It's improved somewhat --
ANDERSON: -- 22 percent this year.
NAIDOO: But it doesn't reflect the (INAUDIBLE). So I think when men make judgments about their own vulnerability they have to take -- make the judgment based on decades and decades and decades of marginalizing of women.
But if you look at solutions and where solutions are coming from, young people generally and women in particular cause -- we have something in the room now that we didn't have something as visible when we here the first time and that is the reality of what the climate scientists are telling us, that we have 12 years to get emissions to peak and start coming down.
And when you have that, you need a kind of moral courage to actually tell people, listen, our business as usual is not going to get us there and women, I am finding, in all of our movements, are speaking with greater courage than men, because far too many men are compromised by being in positions of power like in the (INAUDIBLE) organizations represented here.
(CROSSTALK)
ANDERSON: -- some statistics of the day. Many of those men who have lost their jobs as a result of their being flushed out during the #MeToo movement, their jobs have actually been taken in many -- on many occasions by women. So there is -- there is some sort of light there. And we continue --
(CROSSTALK)
NAIDOO: A redistribution of justice.
ANDERSON: There you go, from one social activist. Thank you, sir, it's been a pleasure having you on. Good luck this week and climate change will be a subject that we will tackle here. And I know it's a subject that certainly the World Economic Forum have decided is one that should be as part of the agenda, let's see what we achieve.
Thank you.
NAIDOO: Thank you, Becky.
ANDERSON: You are watching us live in Davos this week. It's Tuesday morning, early in Davos, four days when you get the great and the good, as the cliche goes, up this mountain here.
As I say and I am discussing with Rosemary, let's see what is achieved at the end of this week. Back to you.
CHURCH: Indeed. A great interview there, Becky Anderson, we'll come back to you in Davos, Switzerland, just a moment.
Let's take a very short break but when we come back, a U.S. man has we detained in Russia since last month. The latest legal action on behalf of the former Marine reservist accused of espionage.
Plus after a deadly terror attack, like the one in Kenya last week, everyone asks, why?
CNN gained exclusive access to a former militant, who had plenty to say about the mindset behind terror. That interview in just a few minutes.
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[02:32:00] CHURCH: Welcome back to CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Rosemary Church. I want to check the headlines for you this hour. British Prime Minister Theresa May is laying out her Brexit plan B and it looks an awful lot like plan A. But would do away with fees for European citizens who want to stay in the United Kingdom. She also promised to try to renegotiate the controversial Irish backstop to appease hard line conservatives, but the E.U.'s top negotiator says the current agreement is still the best deal possible.
Syria has sent letters to the United Nations condemning Monday's Israeli airstrikes around Damascus. Israel says it hit Iranian targets and Syrian anti-aircraft batteries. It also says Iranian forces fired a rocket at the Golan Heights. Russian state media report at least four Syrian soldiers were killed in the Israeli strikes. On the day honoring a civil rights icon, U.S. Senator Kamala Harris officially announced she is running for president.
She's joining a diverse field of Democratic primary candidates with more women already in the race than ever before. Well, the U.S. government shutdown is grinding into its 32nd day. While there are plans for Democrats and Republicans to vote on separate border security bills this week, there's little expectation the standoff will end any time soon. Here is Kaitlan Collins with details on where negotiations are right now.
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KAITLAN COLLINS, CNN INTERNATIONAL WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: President Trump making an unannounced visit to the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial in Washington today.
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: It's a great day. It's a beautiful day. And thank you for being here.
COLLINS: But declining during his two-minute long trip to answer any questions on the longest government shutdown in history.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Are you going to talk about the shutdown at all?
COLLINS: Now 31 days old with 800,000 federal workers bracing to miss their second paycheck. Hopes to end the stalemate remained slim this weekend as Trump blasted House Speak Nancy Pelosi as a radical Democrat who has lost control of her party. Those tweets coming after Pelosi immediately rejected Trump's latest proposal to restore three years of deportation protections for some immigrants including many of those brought to the country illegally as children in exchange for $5.7 billion for his border wall.
TRUMP: Number one is three years of legislative relief for 700,000 DACA recipients brought here unlawfully by their parents at a young age many years ago.
COLLINS: Democrats declared the offer dead on arrival.
SEN. CHUCK SCHUMER (D-NY), SENATE MINORITY LEADER: If he opens up the government, we'll discuss whatever he offers. But hostage taking should not work. It's very hard to negotiate when a gun is held to your head.
COLLINS: And immigration hard liners dismissed it as amnesty including Ann Coulter who tweeted we voted for Trump and got Jeb Bush.
[02:35:03] The president pushing back on that criticism from conservatives saying amnesty isn't part of his offer now, but might be later on in a much bigger deal. And on the eve of the Martin Luther King Holiday, Vice President Mike Pence likening the president to the civil rights icon.
MIKE PENCE, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: One of my favorite quotes from Dr. King was now is the time to make real the promises of democracy. You think of how he changed America. He inspired us to change through the legislative process to become a more perfect union. That's exactly what President Trump is calling on the Congress to do.
COLLINS: Martin Luther King Jr.'s son pushing back on that comparison.
MARTIN LUTHER KING III, MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.'S SON: Martin Luther King Jr. was a bridge builder, not a wall builder.
(END VIDEOTAPE) COLLINS: Now, CNN is being told that the White House does expect the
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to introduce the president's proposal tomorrow as part of a broader package that could potentially set that up for a vote on Thursday. But it's still a question of whether or not any Democrats would support it. They would need several democratic votes and so far since the president gave his speech on Saturday, not a single Democrat has come out in support of there over it though plenty have criticized it.
A senior Democratic aide told CNN they do not expect to be able to get 60 votes. But in the White House's eyes at least they'll be able to ratchet up the pressure on Democrats and put them on defense. Kaitlan Collins, CNN, the White House.
CHURCH: A nationwide manhunt is underway in Kenya to find the collaborators in last week's Al-Shabaab terror attack on a Nairobi hotel that killed 21 people. Local media say police are looking for anyone who may have been carrying weapons into Kenya from Somalia. Some Kenyans have been volunteering for jihad. Well, one of them a former Al-Shabaab fighter has been speaking exclusively to CNN's Sam Kiley, not only about last week's attack but also about the mindset of the militants.
And Sam joins me now live from Abu Dhabi. Good to see you, Sam. So what all did this former militant tell you and how much closer might this put authorities to finding those responsible for the attack.
SAM KILEY, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Rosemary, it was an extraordinary interview and as you say an insight into not only the motivations but also the training of Al-Shabaab. Some very chilling details emerged during this interview. And in addition to which of course the detail that not only did he know one of the attackers at the Dusit Hotel, but that also he warned, not even feared but warned that more Kenyans joining Al-Shabaab were lightly to be sent back to carry out more terrorist attacks. And this is what he revealed to me.
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KILEY: As he watched the coverage of a terrorist attack on Nairobi's Dusit Hotel, a chilling revelation. He knew one of the killers, Ali Gichunge. They've met in Somalia. They even had lunch. A former Shabaab fighter (INAUDIBLE) meet the terrorist in Central Somalia. He says Gichunge who was one of the five jihadists killed in the Dusit was an Al-Shabaab security service, the Amniyat.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You know, that guy he was a Christian then he joined -- then he converted to Islam.
KILEY: (INAUDIBLE) was recruited at his mosque and now that he's home in Kenya, he's been given amnesty after a deradicalization process. But after surviving an attempt to kill him, he lives in hiding.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I hate this radicalization. I want to be an example, someone who wants to go. I want to tell them not to go. KILEY: His story gives some insight into the training and
indoctrination by Al-Shabaab which is shown brutal skill in attacks on Kenya and into the selection of suicide bombers. Seen here detonating outside the Dusit cafe.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So at the beginning you are told, are you going to blow yourself? If you say, yes, and select you are like maybe 10 people who stay in a house, maybe like one year or more. They try you with patience. They train you Koran, some Hadith. I know there are so many -- everyone -- everybody wants to come and do this like Dusit, if they're given a chance they would come.
KILEY: Training includes sharing in atrocities.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Everybody wants to cut off the head of someone, you know, have a piece, a small bit and give another person, you cut off the head. Yes, they told us it's part of the training.
[02:40:02] After that, you're told to surround the head, kick it like football to reduce fear.
KILEY: But for (INAUDIBLE) the fear remained. He says after two years of combat, he fled Somalia and the terror group.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, it was traumatizing. Until today, it's coming into my mind. It's difficult.
KILEY: (INAUDIBLE) said he meet large numbers of foreigners, any of them British and American, and some who wanted to return to their homelands as suicide bombers.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I remember one person told me that he wished to be taken to his country to blow himself up with the wife. He was, yes, he was in Somalia with a wife and one boy, his child. He told me he want to take his child to British to blow himself up.
KILEY: He is convinced Shabaab has agents in Nairobi who are planning another atrocity.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I know they have people in Nairobi, but I know there is because I remember our sheikh told us that in every tragedy there will be always another tragedy. It won't stop.
KILEY: And with a steady stream of Kenyans volunteering for jihad, he says, there's no shortage of killers to take on their own country.
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KILEY: No shortage of killers, Rosemary. Also, to try to hunt and track down the defectors such as him from Al-Shabaab. There has been a record that includes him of assassination attempts by former members of Shabaab. In his case, he survived one attempt. But now has to live in hiding, Rosemary.
CHURCH: Yes. A brave man and an extraordinary interview there Sam Kiley bringing us that exclusive. We appreciate that. And we will have more global news in just a moment. But let's head back to our Becky Anderson who is live in Davos, Switzerland. Becky?
BECKY ANDERSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: That's right, Rosemary. Welcome back viewers to this fortress of ice, money, and power, the yearly get together at the World Economic Forum. I want to get into everything that's going on with the best, the best first, Sahar Nasr. She's Egypt's Minister of Investment and International Cooperation, so with us here. I'm going to get my teeth. It is getting colder. I can't speak.
It's John Defterios, my colleague from Abu Dhabi of course, CNN's Emerging Markets Editor. Let me start with you, minister, because I fairly sense a renewed confidence from the Egyptian delegation here. What is your message to those gathered here in Davos and to the rest of the world this this week?
SAHAR NASR, MINISTER OF INVESTMENT AND INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION OF EGYPT: Indeed that's a very powerful delegation coming from Egypt headed by his excellence the Prime Minister, Dr. Mostafa Madbouly and indeed we have a clear message to transmit which is we have been very successful in implementing a bold and comprehensive economic reform program. We're starting to rip the fruits of this reforms (INAUDIBLE) here to translate message that Egypt has been reposition to attract more investments and that we're ready to do business with all our stakeholders whether from the private sector or our partners from the international financial institutions.
ANDERSON: Well, let's drill down on some of the numbers. John?
JOHN DEFTERIOS, CNN EMERGING MARKETS EDITOR: Yes. In fact, the growth is looking strong for 2018-2019 in your fiscal year, six percent which is very solid. Oil and gas independency now because of the big discourage you had in the Mediterranean. How do you pull the investment outside of oil and gas because of the reforms you're getting here? Are you getting the FDI with the stability and stronger growth?
NASR: Absolutely. We have moved forward with a very comprehensive and impactful economic reform program with a key pillar of attracting more private sector participation into the economy. We have done a lot of reforms that, John, you are very much aware of which improved the business environment and also encouraging the private sector to come into strategic areas that they were not participating in such as the energy -- renewable energy, not just gas and oil, but also more importantly renewable energy sector.
And that's something we're very proud of (INAUDIBLE) one of the largest solar plants worldwide and that's where it is in Upper Egypt.
ANDERSON: This is a great message to the international community too. Egyptians living at home who face inflation rates for example of upwards of 50 percent, what's the message domestically? And are you concerned about the possible sort of fallout from statistics like that?
[02:44:55] NASR: I think let's look at the numbers and it's very important. It's true that the global FGIs has been in stagnation or a bit of a slowdown. But more importantly just look at Egypt's share of this FGI.
Egypt share of FGI has been picking up globally and that's impressive in itself. And you're right, we look carefully into the implication of this world reform program. So, I have here to reflect that the President Sisi has put a grand vision for Egypt. But the government has made sure that we also put the mitigation measures, and to address any adverse selection.
So, even on inflation pressure, Egypt has done very well on that front and it's reflected in the number. Going back to your point on FGI, Egypt is ranked as one of the top 10 economies in attracting FGI and in generating growth. We're also number one in terms of African continents.
And I think it's so important context as Egypt will be sharing very soon to African Union within a few days' time.
DEFTERIOS: Do you have concerns now about the sporadic attacks that we still see in tourism? Know the president is trying to secure the region. Tourism numbers did recover. So, you got a boost in your growth because of that. But how do you convince investors? Like I want to use this as a base of big market, 90 million consumers to leapfrog into Africa to come into Europe? But you can't ignore there's still a security issue in the country.
NASR: In fact, in the security issue in Egypt has been improved significantly. And that you can see in the context of all the neighboring countries and that's very visible. And, in fact, that's what the perception of the investors. They see Egypt as a destination, they see Egypt as a gateway to Africa. And that's why you will see that a lot of multinationals and big companies are investing now in Egypt. Either expansions or even green, green investments.
So, the security as -- is one of the main areas where we have done a lot of achievements and progress there.
ANDERSON: You won't be surprised for me to ask that with this renewed sense of optimism, and the numbers are clearly pretty impressive. What opportunity for a renewed environment whereby human rights abuses don't make headlines around the world in Egypt? And actually, maybe the economic numbers might sort of surpass it. What's being done? Is this -- is this an administration that cares?
NASR: The administration cares a lot, and I think human rights here includes. It's a -- it's a wide definition for so many things. So, for example, one of the key areas it is the right for young people to participate effectively in the social, political, and economic sphere.
The right of each Egyptian to get access to the wide range of services they need. And the right to speak up and I think that's also very affect -- represented and reflected at the numbers.
So, if you look at the number of parliamentarian's young who are actively participating and speaking out loudly regarding their concerns with the reform programs and their aspirations. Their active participation even on social media. I think that's very visible in Egypt.
So, that's the priority. But I think it's also important that we are here at the World Economic Forum. To also to transmit as a government our clear message of transparency, inclusion, and all aspects of life.
ANDERSON: I'd love to carry on. And this is lots more to discuss and I that John's chomping at the beat.
DEFTERIOS: Yes.
ANDERSON: But we've got to take a very short break. So, yes.
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DEFTERIOS: Let's talk up ahead over sense.
NASR: Thank you. Thank you so much, Becky. It's lovely that you are on.
ANDERSON: So it's -- It's a -- it's a pleasure. It's a pleasure to have you on. Thank you very much.
NASR: Thank you. (INAUDIBLE) Thank you. Thank you so much.
DEFTERIOS: Thank you, you could stay right there.
ANDERSON: Indeed. Rosemary, it's warming up slightly. The Sun is out, so let's see though just how chilly the winds are as it were for those who have gathered up this hill. Nobody gets you, Rosemary, I'm going to take a very short break. Viewers, we will be back after this.
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[02:51:16] CHURCH: Welcome back, everyone. A pre-trial hearing is now underway in Moscow for an American man accused of spying. Paul Whelan a former Marine Corps Reservists was arrested last month and faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted.
His family says he was in Russia for a wedding and a vacation. For the very latest, we want to go to Fred Pleitgen who joins us live from Moscow. So, Fred, on the phone. In actual fact, what is expected to happen? When American Paul Whelan, eventually appears in court shortly for his appeal hearing?
FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (via telephone): Hi, Rosemary. Yes, his hearing has started for a short time. We haven't seen Paul Whelan in the court, yet. So, basically, what happened was that the prosecution side stated its case essentially, they said that Paul Whelan, when she was arrested here in Moscow, was in possession of what the prosecution says were state secrets.
Now, we know from case so far that currently, he received a thumb drive from someone. The defense for its part has said that they don't believe that could be the case. They think that was certainly not aware that he had -- was in possession of anything that would be a state secret. That sort of is their line of defense.
That's quite interesting, because basically, what happened here is that both sides stated that their case for a short time, the trial has now been adjourned for about 15 minutes and go then that start again. And we expect that at that point in time, we could be able to actually see Paul Whelan for the first time since he has been arrested.
It's interesting because we just heard from his lawyer also, this is obviously as you stated. A pre-trial hearing what he's asking to be let out on bail until the actual trial, but then the lawyer saying actually in cases like this, they do tend to keep people under arrest.
So, the hoax not very high for Paul Whelan to be let out on bail. But certainly, there is still, at least, on paper a chance for him to possibly be able to do that. But we're going to learn more during the next 15 to 20 minutes. Now, we can keep you posted as well, Rosemary.
CHURCH: All right, we know you will keep a very close eye on the situation there. Thank you so much to our Fred Pleitgen joining us there on the line. We'll take a very short break. We're back in just a moment.
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[02:55:05] CHURCH: A rescue operation is underway after two cargo ships caught fire off Crimea. Russian officials say it appears to have started during a fuel transfer. At least, 10 crew members are dead, seven are missing. Some jumped into the water to escape the flames.
Well, yesterday, we brought to you the story of an ethnic Uyghur from the Xinjiang region of China. A woman named Mihrigul Tursun accused Chinese authorities of detaining her and separating her from her eight-week old triplets back in 2015.
She said one of the babies died in a hospital shortly after her release three months later. She alleged that she was detained three times in China, interrogated, and tortured. And that she witnessed deaths of fellow inmates in what she says were mass internment camps in Xinjiang.
CNN reached out of the Chinese Foreign Ministry for comment four times prior to first running that piece. On Monday, China's foreign ministry refuted the Uyghur woman's allegations that one of her children died in the hands of the Chinese authorities, and that she witnessed deaths of others at a vocational training center, and that's the government's term for what critics allege, a mass internment camps in Xinjiang.
But the woman's story of detention and torture which she also delivered in full to the U.S. congressional executive commission on China back in 2018, fits a growing pattern of evidence emerging about systemic repression of religious and ethnic minority groups carried out by the Chinese government in Xinjiang.
We'd like to thank you for watching this special edition of CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Rosemary Church. And I'll be back with our Becky Anderson at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland after this short break. Do stay with us. You're watching CNN.
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CHURCH: Hello and welcome to a special edition of CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Rosemary Church.
ANDERSON: And I'm Becky Anderson in Davos in Switzerland live from this year's World Economic Forum. Thank you for being with us.
Well, this year's gathering of business and government leaders from around the globe is missing a few things.
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