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American Soldier Killed in Ukraine Now Back Home; New Russian Recruits Tested in the Battlefield; Worshippers Killed in Shiraz, Iran; U.S. Slap Iran with Sanctions; Protesters Remembers Mahsa Amini; Ebola Cases Raising Concern in Uganda; Long Time Foes Now Agreed to Sign an Agreement; P.M. Rishi Sunak Faces Tough Questions; People are Asking How Iranian Protester Nika Shahkarami Died; Earth's Temperature Gets Warmer. Aired 3-4a ET
Aired October 27, 2022 - 03:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[03:00:00]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANNA COREN, CNN ANCHOR: Hello, and welcome to our viewers joining us from all around the world. I'm Anna Coren, live in Hong Kong.
Just ahead on CNN Newsroom.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
OLEKSANDR TRUKHIN, UKRAINIAN M.P.: He's the same one hero for me, like our soldiers, so we should make everything possible to give his body back to his family.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COREN: The journey to bring the body of an American soldier killed while fighting for Ukraine back home. We'll have that CNN exclusive report.
Plus.
Protests and vigils. Iranians expressing both grief and anger 40 days after the death of Mahsa Amini. A look back at how it all began.
And more than 100 cases and 30 deaths in Uganda since an Ebola outbreak began last month. We're live in Johannesburg with the latest.
It's 10 a.m. across Ukraine where the battle lines are being drawn in the southern port City of Kherson. An advisor to Ukraine's president says the heaviest of battles are coming against occupying Russian forces.
Well, right now, fierce fighting is reported in the Donetsk further east. And Russian strikes hits the Kyiv region early today, although no casualties are reported. More than 70,000 civilians have left Kherson in the past few days, along with Russian officers and elite military units. Ukraine says Moscow is sending in its newest recruits, which it
describes as cannon fodder. Well, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reports Russia has used 400 Iranian made drones to carry out attacks on civilians and infrastructure. He says between 60 and 70 percent were destroyed by his military.
On Wednesday, the Russian president repeated Moscow's claim that Ukraine is planning to use a so-called dirty bomb to provoke Russia. Ukraine and its Western allies. Say that a claim is a -- that claim is a Kremlin effort to create a false pretext for escalating the war.
Well, earlier, CNN's Nic Robertson asked the head of Ukraine's defense intelligence agency about the dirty bomb allegation.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KYRYLO BUDANOV, UKRAINE'S CHIEF OF DEFENSE INTELLIGENCE (through translator): This is a question that became something of a joke, and my answer is direct. We are not getting prepared. We are not working on a dirty bomb.
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Ukraine has invited the International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors to come here. When are they due to arrive? Where will they go and when do you expect their results?
BUDANOV (through translator): We're absolutely supporting the visits of the IAEA mission and we are waiting for them. We're waiting for them to visit all nuclear facilities.
ROBERTSON: And Russia has identified two sites, science academy here in Kyiv and a mining facility in the center of Ukraine. How important is it to you that the IAEA inspectors very quickly clear Ukraine of all these baseless Russian allegations.
BUDANOV (through translator): The sooner they come, the better things would be.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COREN: NATO secretary general is warning Russia to stop using the dirty bomb claims as a pretext for escalating the conflict. Jens Stoltenberg says he's worried Russia is launching more indiscriminate attacks on civilians because its forces are failing on the battlefield.
But Russia's ambassador to the U.K. says nuclear weapons are off the table.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANDREY KELIN, RUSSIAN AMBASSADOR TO THE UNITED KINGDOM: First of all, in his conversation, I mean, that means through defense Shoigu, he assured every minister once again that we are not going to use nuclear weapon. Russia is not going to use nukes, so it is out of the question. (END VIDEO CLIP)
COREN: Vladimir Putin says the risk of a global conflict remains high. He's concerned about weapons from Ukraine's black market falling into the wrong hands, and he says Ukraine has practically lost its sovereignty and become an instrument of U.S. foreign policy.
Well, let's go live now to London, where CNN's Clare Sebastian is tracking the latest developments. And Clare, it would seem that Russia is doubling down on that dirty bomb accusation.
[03:04:59]
CLARE SEBASTIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Anna, doubling down, tripling down. This is clearly something they are not backing away from. Not only President Putin reiterating this claim on Wednesday, but the Russian ambassador to the U.K. saying that Ukraine, they think is going to do this because its counter offensive has stalled and they need something to quote, "attract attention."
Ukraine, of course, strenuously denying this, and Russia also doubling down on its denials of the western concerns that this is perhaps a Russian false flag, that it is accusing Ukraine of building a dirty bomb because it itself is planning something.
They are denying this. The ambassadors you had there denying that Russia has any plans to use any nuclear weapons, but it's confusing coming off the back of the fact that in this conflict so far, Russia is the only party to openly threaten any kind of nuclear activity. We've had a constant drip, drip of these threats over the past few weeks.
In the middle of the all this, we saw President Putin on Wednesday personally supervising via video conference, Russia's nuclear drills. These are annual drills. This is routine, but still happening at a time of heightened tension and of course, a warning from him as well, that there is a high risk of global conflict.
So, I think the denials from Russia will not stop the concern mounting in the west, as you said, the NATO secretary general, not for the first time coming out on Wednesday and warning Russia, again, not to use this as a pretext for escalation in the conflict.
COREN: Clare, President Zelenskyy says the toughest battles are taking place in the Donetsk region. What's the latest on the battlefield there?
SEBASTIAN: Yes, so he says that the two towns where the battles are are concentrated are Bakhmut and Avdiivka. They are towards the eastern part of Donetsk, Donetsk region. This is a region, of course, where Russian-backed forces have actually held territory since 2014. But Russia in this eight-month-old conflict has not really been able to gain much ground, unlike in the Luhansk region, which is the other part of the Donbas where they claimed control over the entire territory at the beginning of July. They didn't have never taken full control of Donetsk so it continues to be heavily contested. And of course, the other major focus right now in this conflict is the Kherson region. An adviser to President Zelenskyy saying on Wednesday that the heaviest battles there are yet to come, that Russia is beefing up its troops in that area.
And the Ukrainian deputy defense minister also saying Wednesday that Ukraine is mainly holding onto defensive positions there and launch -- launching a few offensive actions as well. So, sort of two key front lines at the moment. Not much movement in them but heavy battles taking place. Anna?
COREN: Clare Sebastian, we appreciate the update. Many thanks. Joining us from London.
Well, the body of an American man killed in eastern Ukraine will be returning to the U.S. soon. Russian forces handed over the remains of Joshua Jones to Ukrainian authorities on Wednesday.
CNN's Clarissa Ward has this exclusive report.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CLARISSA WARD, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: On the front lines in Ukraine, he was known to his fellow fighters as tactical Jesus on account of his long hair and deep knowledge of the Bible. To his mom, he was simply Joshi.
Tennessee native Joshua Jones was just 24 years old when he was killed fighting in eastern Ukraine back in August. His passport in Ukrainian military I.D. showed up on Russians social media channels soon after, but his body was never recovered. Since then, Ukrainian lawmakers Oleksandr Trukhin and Alexander Kovelnov (Ph) have worked tirelessly to get his body back. And today, it is finally happening.
Why is it important to you to recover the body of Joshua Jones?
TRUKHIN: He's the same one hero for me, like our soldiers. So, we should make everything possible to give his body back to his family.
WARD: We are driving to the front line in Zaporizhzhia. We stop along the way to link up with military intelligence. In another car, a Russian soldier sits slumped over. He is being released today as part of a larger swap in which 10 Ukrainians were already free.
The lawmakers talk with the officers to go over the plan once more. A makeshift white flag is put together for the moment of transfer and we're off again, this time to no man's land. A rare two-hour ceasefire has been agreed by both sides, and time is of the essence.
So we've just arrived at the meeting point. They're waiting now for the Russians to arrive with the body.
A team of forensic investigators get ready for the task ahead. This is as far as we are allowed to go. Actual handover will happen just beyond the hill waiting for their return. It is eerily quiet. Only the bravest dare come out in these parts.
[03:09:59]
One of the transfer team captures the moment Joshua Jones' body is brought back into Ukrainian territory as Russian forces look on. For a Kovilyov (Ph) and Trukhin it's the moment they have been waiting for. Jones is now one step closer to being returned to his family.
Back in the car, they show us his personal effects.
TRUKHIN: This is his personal body cross, which, which he was wearing. He was very religious guy.
WARD: What's your feeling in this moment? You've been working towards this for a long time to try to get Joshua Jones back to his family.
TRUKHIN: Our feeling we are proud of our country, of our team. We are proud of president and we are proud that we are saving lives at cost. You know, when even somebody is dying, his family continued to live and they cannot live normally if they know that they don't have a place where to come for their son.
WARD: Thanks to their efforts, Joshua's mother, Misty Gossett in Tennessee will soon have the chance to say goodbye to her son.
MISTY GOSSETT, JOSHUA JONES' MOTHER: Joshua was, he was a soldier. He was a born soldier. He was named after the Battle of Jericho, and he proved he lived up to his name so valiantly. And I feel like the weight of the world has been lifted off of me.
WARD: A name and a life that will be remembered even half a world away.
Clarissa Ward, CNN, Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COREN: Well, CNN's Jake Tapper spoke with Jones' mother after she learned that his body had been returned to Ukrainian authorities. She described her last conversation with him just a few days before he was killed.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GOSSETT: It was, it was a fun conversation. He had sent me a picture, it was three days before he died and sent me a picture with his long veered and his long ponytail and I said, apparently there's no barbershops open. And then, I said, wow, look at the bread in that beard. And his whole life he's looked like his dad. But I saw mama in that red beard and he's like, I look good, don't I? I was like, you look great.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COREN: Joshua Jones' mother speaking to Jake Tapper there. What an incredible story. Europe's rush to store away enough fuel to last through the winter has
resulted in a supply so great prices dipped into the negative this week. The initial move was sparked by fears of shortages due to reliance on Russian oil amid the war in Ukraine.
The E.U.'s original goal was to fill 80 percent of its storage b November, but it's already closing in on 94 percent of its capacity. Fuel trucks are queuing at ports trying to unload their new shipments, but one expert says it could take another month to find space for all the fuel.
Still to come, ISIS claims responsibility for a deadly attack on a shrine in Iran as worshipers gathered to pray. We'll have a live report.
Plus, how Mahsa Amini's death has sparked a core for women's rights and regime change in Iran. We'll ask an expert if the protest will help change the status quo.
[03:15:00]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COREN: ISIS is claiming responsibility for a deadly attack in the Iranian city of Shiraz on Wednesday, at least 15 people were killed and more than 40 injured when an attacker charged into a holy shrine and opened fire on worshipers.
State media reports to children were among the victims. Officials say the suspects are foreign nationals. Two people have already been arrested while a manhunt is on for a third suspect. The attack took place during one of the busiest hours for worshipers.
Well, meantime, protestors across Iran chanted women, life, freedom on Wednesday, 40 days after 22-year-old Mahsa Amini died in the custody of the country's morality police.
University students in Tehran held a vigil for Amini while clashes were reported across the country, including the capital city where security forces fired tear gas and pellet guns at demonstrators. Thousands of people gathered at Amini's grave despite tight security and a near total internet blackout was reported in Iran's Kurdistan province where Amini was from.
CNN's Nada Bashir has the latest on the unrest.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NADA BASHIR, CNN REPORTER: The final resting place of Mahsa Zhina Amini, a place of mourning and now of protest. Amini's name has become synonymous with a movement that is posing the biggest threat to the Iranian regime in years. Sparked in the wake of the 22-year-old's death while in the custody of Iran's notorious morality police. Detained for allegedly contravening the country's strict dress code.
But now as the Iranian people commemorate 40 days since Amini's death, a significant marker of both mourning and remembrance, the movement has grown to become something far more wide-reaching than its initial call for women's rights.
FIRUZEH MAHMOUDI, CO-FOUNDER & DIRECTOR, UNITED FOR IRAN: It was a protest that quickly turned into, a movement and an uprising. And some of course say that there's definitely components of beginning parts of a revolution.
BASHIR: And how important is Mahsa Amini's legacy in really driving this protest movement.
MAHMOUDI: Zhina's death was a sparkle that led to this mass fire. Right? That we're seeing throughout the country. That initial protest was not even about hijab. It was of course about that, but that is much more than that. It's about body autonomy. It's about gender equality, it's about basic rights.
BASHIR: Amini's death is now remembered alongside a growing list of women and young girls who have lost their lives at the hands of Iran's security forces. Though authorities deny responsibility, disregarding the mounting evidence of the regime's brutal and deadly crackdown on protestors.
TARA SEPEHRI FAR, SENIOR IRAN RESEARCHER, HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH: We have use of, paintball guns, shotgun with, with metal or plastic pellets, and also, instances of use of assault weapons, assault rifles, clashing of style weapons, or even handguns that have been documented.
BASHIR: This, in addition to the mass detention of hundreds, if not thousands of protestors. Six weeks on however, and the movement isn't losing steam. With protests gripping the country's universities and high schools, and strike action by teachers, business owners, factory workers, even oil refinery workers, the backbone of Iran's economy. The call for a reform and for regime change is only growing louder.
Nada Bashir, CNN, London.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
[03:19:53]
COREN: In response to the crackdown on protestors, the U.S. has sanctioned more than a dozen Iranian officials and three entities. Secretary of State Antony Blinken says the move shows the U.S. is committed to supporting the Iranian people and holding those responsible for the violence accountable. The executive order from the U.S. president cites serious human rights abuses by the Iranian government.
Well, CNN's Melissa Bell joins us now from Paris with more. Melissa, let's start with the shrine attack that ISIS has claimed responsibility for. What more can you tell us?
MELISSA BELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, we've been hearing from the Iranian president who's vowed a swift and serious response to bring those responsible to accountability as you mentioned a moment ago, Anna, two men now in custody the manhunt continues for a third.
There have been conflicting reports initially about how many people might be involved. We're hearing largely from Iranian state media that they are foreign men. We've heard of course this claim of course of responsibility as well from ISIS.
This was the busiest time the moment of prayers at this mausoleum in Shiraz last night on Wednesday evenings when people gather at the shrine in their largest numbers when the assailants attacked, 15 dead, 40 injured, and as you mentioned two children amongst those who've been killed. The manhunt still on the way to find the third man that Iranian officials say is responsible, Anna.
COREN: Melissa, moving to the sanctions, the U.S. has imposed new sanctions on Iranian officials involved in the bloody crackdown. Will it have any effect?
BELL: Well, it was very clear in Antony Blinken's statement as the latest slew of sanctions was announced. There had been previous sanctions announced initially, but these are the latest ones that the American administration was determined to target those responsible for the kind of repression that we've been seeing over the course of the last 40 days.
So those who are being targeted includes police chiefs prison, people in charge of some of the most notorious prisons inside Iran, the United States really trying to send a strong message to those. And of course, this is we just heard in that story from Nada Bashir on the 40th day of Mahsa Amini's death.
We saw that those protests again the subject of repression across the countries and universities of course in that town in which she's buried and in Tehran. And it is those methods being used to try and repress these protests that are of concern.
With the White House also expressing yesterday, Anna, a concern that Tehran may now being advised by Moscow on how to put down those peaceful protest. This of course at a time of heightened awareness and fears about the growing cooperation between Tehran and Moscow Not least in Ukraine, Anna.
COREN: Yes. Certainly, a very develop -- alarming development. Melissa Bell joining us from Paris. We appreciate the update, thank you.
Sanam Naraghi Anderlini joins me now from London. She is the founder and CEO of the International Civil Society Action Network as well as an author and peace practitioner. Sanam, great to have you with us.
The protesters are clearly not backing down despite the violent crackdown, security forces reportedly shot live rounds at demonstrators on the 40th day after Mahsa Amini's death. As an Iranian, when where do you feel that this is heading?
SANAM NARAGHI ANDERLINI, FOUNDER & CEO, INTERNATIONAL CIVIL SOCIETY ACTION NETWORK: So, first of all, I want to express my condolences to all the families of those who died yesterday in Shiraz and others that, you know, as you said there are live rounds. It's an incredibly emotional time for all of us. And it's kind of like a rollercoaster of high hopes and very, very deep fears in terms of the levels of violence and the detentions and what's going on in the jails, and so forth.
Honestly, I think that if anybody has the answer of where this is going we would need to question it because we don't know where it's going. It has been gathering steam, as you say, and everybody is watching as the days go by. But it certainly seems to be persistent, it certainly seems to be widespread. And with every -- with every other story that we hear of a young being getting killed, it gives a feel. So, the violence is actually, I think strengthening the resolve of the protesters.
COREN: And day after day, we are seeing demonstrators on the streets but also in the schools and these university campuses, it almost seems that the students are the driving force behind this.
ANDERLINI: It's definitely the same as what you're saying, it definitely seems very much that the young people are involved. It's a generational issue. But it's also about I think a down bursting of a multi-generational level of frustration coming up, specifically around the questions of how women are treated, how -- the law being so discriminately against women.
[03:24:58]
Despite the fact that we do see women across, you know, in public life at high-levels and in the private sector, of course in universities and so forth, but the discrimination is entrenched in the law. So, and it -- and this has been going on for 43 years. So, it's almost like a dam has burst and this generation is taking it to the next level.
COREN: Sanam, hundreds have been killed according to human rights groups, thousands arrested and no doubt these are very conservative numbers. But do you get a sense that security forces perhaps in some provinces are backing off when it comes to the videos that we've been watching of women, you know, burning their hijabs or just simply not wearing their hijabs?
ANDERLINI: It seems to be that on the question of the hijab itself, certainly we're seeing images, at least right now of women being able to be out in public in different places. And that may be one of the longer-term games.
The real issue, and I look at this from a sort of a global perspective when you compare it to other places, is that these things -- these types of incidences and protests ebbed and flow a great deal.
You know, if you think about what happened in Sudan a few years ago, it was, you know, women were at the forefront of those protests. The government did come down, there was a transitional process, and then there's been a coup again.
Or if you look at Myanmar or you look at Egypt or Yemen, it's -- the surge of the public presence can change things but you can't underestimate the responses and the systemic structural forces that are there that, you know, will be a big wave back. So, these are some of the things that when we look at other countries it's also worth bearing in mind.
COREN: Sanam, does the regime care that the world is watching, that there is an international spotlight on them right now, because obviously, you know, we are watching these videos of these brutal and bloody crackdown. So, do they care?
ANDERLINI: I think that there are probably elements that care and elements that don't care. And this is one of the issues that is important to be considering when we talk to the -- or when we see what the international communities are doing.
The public in Iran have consistently said, you know, echo our voices, be there for us, maintain connectivity in terms of the internet and so forth. So obviously, the public wants the attention. I think that one of the risks that we have is that, if you don't have the attention and if you don't shine a light, if embassies were to close, then you really don't know what's going on.
And it becomes a little bit like North Korea or Venezuela or, you know, these others places where attention diminishes as the world moves on. So, I think from the standpoint of the public, there certainly a demand and a wish for more attention, and from within the regime there are those that might say we are better if there was no attention at all.
COREN: That definitely is not going to happen considering the Iranian diaspora out there and the world being as vocal and as strong as what it is which you are clearly amongst them.
Sanam, do these female-led protest, yes, there are men and women out there in the streets, but this is predominantly female lead, do they fill you with hope?
ANDERLINI: Yes. I mean, I can't -- they certainly fill me with a kind of pride to see the courage of these -- of these young women going out there and it's a very unifying force. Because it's the identity. You know, the gender identity of coming together as women across the country, across generations, across a different ethnic groups, and so forth, it -- across different classes.
All of that is a strong unifying force, and I think the other aspect of it that we see in Iran that maybe we haven't seen in other countries is that the men are with them. And that makes a big difference. It's also different generationally, three generations ago, women were protesting in Iran but the men weren't necessarily standing alongside with them.
So, the fact that it is women, that in itself is a unifying force. The fact that the manner there is also remarkably kind of, certainly gives hope and pride, but it also, you know, again, as someone who has worked on conflict areas and in context where we see these issues, I -- I also have to be cautious because we don't know how what's happening in the detention centers and in the prisons.
And my, you know, I go to sleep at night and I wake up thinking about what's happening to those kids. It's a lot of young people what's being done to them. And of course, it requires an investigation and there has been a call for a U.N. investigation into the detention centers.
So, you know, as I say, it's a very mixed emotions. I think. And from the diaspora we see a lot of anger which is, again, understandable.
[03:30:01]
But we also need to be cautious, because if you want to maintain international attention you also have to be cognizant of what the different dynamics are from, you know, in terms of the European policies and the U.S. policies, and so forth.
So, the motions are riding high at the moment and I think that along with the pride, I do think we also have to have levels of caution and thinking for the long term as well.
COREN: Sanam Naraghi Anderlini, wonderful to speak to you, thank you for sharing your thoughts on what is clearly a very distressing time for the Iranian diaspora. Many thanks.
ANDERLINI: Thank you very much.
COREN: Later this hour, an exclusive CNN investigation.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KATIE POLGLASE, CNN INVESTIGATIVE PRODUCER: The basis of our investigation using over 50 videos from the night and speaking to those with her that evening, CNN can reveal that sign of Nika's final hours were spent at the protest including evidence that suggest she was chased and detained by security just a few hours before state says she died.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COREN: Details of the death of an Iranian teenager Nika Shahkarami during the protests in Tehran. Still ahead.
Also coming up, Uganda's deadly Ebola has spread to a number of health care workers. The latest on the efforts to contain the virus.
Plus, Israel and Lebanon are technically at war but they are moving ahead with a major deal affecting oil and natural gas. We'll go live to Jerusalem for the latest.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COREN: Hello and welcome back to our viewers from all around the world. I'm Anna Coren live from Hong Kong.
Let's go to some of our other news around the world. China now offers the world's first inhalable COVID vaccine. These
images show people taking the vaccine as a booster in Shanghai. The new treatment was approved in September and requires patients to inhale the medicine through a small device. It's manufactured by a company that offers by the same booster as a shot.
Well, China state media is reporting a conciliatory gesture from leader Xi Jinping to the United States. In sharp contrast to the anti- west rhetoric of last week's Communist Party Congress, Mr. Xi reportedly is offering to cooperate with the U.S. in the new era. In his message to the national committee on U.S.-China relations, Mr. Xi said China is willing to work with the U.S. to promote more stability and certainty in the world.
[03:34:59]
Brazil's presidential runoff is now just three days away and it's still a tight and polarizing race between the former leftist president, Lula da Silva, and far-right incumbent Jair Bolsonaro. Most polls show Lula with a slight lead. The runoff was required after neither candidate received more than 50 percent in the first round of voting earlier this month.
In Uganda, officials are urging calm as cases of Ebola continue to rise. The health minister says there have been 109 cases of the rare but deadly disease and at least 30 deaths since the Ebola outbreak began in late September. Fifteen health care workers are about among those infected, six of whom have died.
In a statement issue Wednesday, Ugandan authorities say they are ramping up efforts to contain the virus setting up treatment centers across the region.
Well, let's bring CNN's David McKenzie live from Johannesburg. And David, tell us how they are trying to contain this outbreak.
DAVID MCKENZIE, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Anna, it's at a critical phase this particular outbreak of Ebola in Uganda. Now Uganda as we know has had experience with dealing with the outbreak before. We've covered those in particular one case in western Uganda off this sudden strain of the virus.
Now, the difficulty they have of course is there's no workable vaccine just yet for this particular strain of Ebola. And they're going to be bringing in three different experimental vaccines in the next two weeks that could ring vaccinate people who have had contacts of confirmed cases.
And that could be what means a difference between getting on top of this outbreak in Uganda and it getting out of control, particularly in the capital Kampala. In Kampala, though, it appears people are heeding the call not to panic and to trust the government's pronouncements on this particular outbreak.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) UNKNOWN: I've never seen someone affected with Ebola, but I hear it's there. And the way you are seeing Kampala, the population you can never know. You can never tell who has the Ebola and who doesn't.
UNKNOWN: I believe the government is doing its very best. Right now, my personal life feels safe. I'm not under tremendous, you know, scare because of the current outbreak. I think it's being contained very well.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MCKENZIE: It's not contained yet. that is the issue here. Seven districts have had confirmed cases of Ebola in two districts. At least they've stopped movement in and out of those zones where the outbreak first began, Anna. That appears according to the health officials to having -- to be having some impact on cases.
I think the next two to three weeks will be really critical. It's normally, at least, 21 days you have to monitor a situation to see if you're on top of this chain of transmission. They have now got mandatory quarantine, and especially in Kampala, if you happen to be a contact of a confirmed positive case, it's those old school methods of contact tracing, quarantining and isolation, that really will allow the government to stem the tide of this outbreak. Anna?
COREN: David McKenzie joining us from Johannesburg. Many thanks.
You are looking at live pictures where the Israeli cabinet is about to meet to approve a historic maritime deal with Lebanon. At issue is an area in the Mediterranean Sea that's been disputed between Israel and Lebanon for years.
But now the two countries are set to sign an agreement to solve their board of dispute, and by doing so, open the area to immediate energy exploration and improve regional security.
Well, Hadas Gold is standing by in Jerusalem. Hadas, tell us more about this deal.
HADAS GOLD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Anna, it's amazing to think that these two countries, as you noted still technically at war in Lebanon, there's an Iranian-backed militant group Hezbollah that has vowed in the past to destroy Israel, will now be in the same room, we believe, signing this agreement.
Now, I should note, this agreement is not actually directly Lebanon with Israel. They're each shining agreement with the United States that mediated this agreement. This has been years in the making. Previous administrations had tried but failed to mediate this dispute over this area in the very oil and gastric part of the Mediterranean Sea, but now it's succeeded.
Now, part of the reasons for that are these some new motivations that have happened in the last few years. You have Europe desperate for new source of energy because of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. You have Lebanon in dire economic straits desperately needing some new sources of income, and Israel has always wanted to have peace on its northern border to have some quiet on its northern border and to immediate -- be able to immediately start extracting gas and selling it to the Europeans from their gastric.
[03:40:00]
Yesterday, U.S. President Joe Biden actually met with the Israeli president and hailed this deal as historic. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: Israel and Lebanon are going to sign an agreement to establish a permanent, a permanent maritime boundary between your two countries. I think it's a historic breakthrough, it took a lot of courage for you to step up and step into it and took some real guts, and I think it took a principle and persistent diplomacy to get it done. And I compliment you and I compliment the government.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GOLD: Now a London based gas company is actually the one that's extracting the gas from the Israeli waters, and they actually began pumping gas yesterday. Now, Lebanon's gas fields have not yet been fully explored, but the Lebanese are hoping that just the possibility of gas and oil being able -- being able to be extracted from that waters will bring some very much needed investment to the Lebanese economy.
Now, what we're expecting now is any moment now the Israeli cabinet is expected to formally sign this agreement. Then it will be flown by helicopter to Israel's northern border. Will be then brought to a U.N. base just on the other side, on the Lebanese part of the border En- Nakur. And then the two sides will be together.
There's still -- we're still not sure whether the two sides will actually be in the same room or whether they will both be signing the agreements with the United States in separate rooms. Because again, the agreement is actually not one with each other. They're each country is signing with the Americans. And then what's notable is that each side will also submit these border coordinates to the United Nations.
And some analysts are saying it's actually the first time that Lebanon is recognizing, sort of de facto recognizing that the state of Israel is there and that it has a maritime border. And there is a lot of hope that this agreement not only will help economically for Le -- for the Lebanese, will also help the gas supply in Europe, but also importantly, it will keep the security situation between Israel and Lebanon at a calm state.
COREN: Hadas Gold joining us from Jerusalem, thank you for keeping across these events.
In London, Britain's new prime minister says difficult decisions lie ahead as his government works to tackle the country's economic crisis and delays its budget by more than two weeks. That acknowledgement from Rishi Sunak coming during his first prime minister's questions, where he faced a grilling from the opposition Labour Party leader. And some tough questions were focused on one of his top cabinet picks.
CNN's Bianca Nobilo has the details from London.
BIANCA NOBILO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Rishi Sunak delivered for the Conservative Party at his first prime minister's questions. His first since becoming leader of the Conservative Party and Britain's Prime Minister on Tuesday. He had only 24 hours to prepare to face the House of Commons and the conservative benches behind him were full of cheers and support for the new prime minister as energetic and boisterous as I've seen them in a number of years.
Keir Starmer, the leader of the Labour Party, and Ian Blackford, the leader of the Scottish National Party both sincerely celebrated the fact that Britain's new prime minister is of Asian heritage. Starmer didn't waste too much time on celebration and pleasantries, though before he started asking hard questions.
To begin with, revolving around Sunak's reappointment of Suella Braverman as home secretary. So far, his most controversial appointment since becoming prime minister. That's because Braverman was fired as home secretary six days before her reappointment. She was sacked by Liz Truss for a security breach.
So there have been questions raised and eyebrows by the Labour Party and other opposition parties as to whether or not there was some kind of deal made behind the scenes between Sunak and Braverman.
But in terms of giving his party more confidence and more enthusiasm for the prime minister and the direction of the party, Sunak seems to have delivered. It was interesting to see him go up against Keir Starmer as both politicians have some similarities in terms of their communication style. Known for being serious, having a good grasp of the brief, and detail.
Watching them go toe to toe, it seems that Sunak may be able to get his wish, which he said at the beginning of this prime minister's questions, which was to have serious grown-up exchanges with the leader of the opposition.
Bianca Nobilo, CNN, London.
COREN: Still to come, CNN investigates the mysterious death of an Iranian teenager during the protest in Tehran. Why the government's explanation of her death just doesn't add up.
Plus, the U.N.'s latest climate report warns that global promises to cut emissions are not nearly enough to prevent a climate catastrophe.
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COREN: Welcome back. Let's get you up to date on the unrest in Iran. ISIS is claiming responsibility for a deadly attack on a holy shrine in southern Iran on Wednesday, state media says at least 15 people are dead and more than 40 injured.
Plus, the U.S. is imposing a slew of new sanctions against Iranian officials involved in the crackdown of protestors after the death of Mahsa Amini in police custody. And clashes broke out across Iran Wednesday as thousands went to Amini's burial site in her hometown to mark 40 days since her death.
In an exclusive investigation, CNN looks at the final hours of Iranian teenager Nika Shahkarami who was among the many protestors on the streets days after Amini's death. After analyzing more than 50 videos obtained by CNN and speaking to six eyewitnesses, there's evidence she was chased and then detained by police just a few hours before going missing.
Well, CNN's Katie Polglase has this report.
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POLGLASE: 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.
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"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.
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.
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COREN: A sobering new analysis by climate scientists at the United Nations presents a grim picture of the future if global emissions are not slashed very soon.
CNN meteorologist Pedram Javaheri. Pedram.
PEDRAM JAVAHERI, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Yes. You know, we've seen these studies year after year showing these grim findings, and of course, we know that the planet is warming, the numbers continue to increase every single year. We'll break down exactly what the latest study is showing us coming up in a few minutes.
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COREN: The United Nations has released one of its grimmest forecasts yet on the climate ahead of the upcoming COP 27 summit in Egypt. The latest analysis by the U.N.'s world meteorological organization reports greenhouse gases have reached record levels and are climbing at an alarming pace.
It was that even if current pledges to cut emissions were fulfilled, the Earth's temperature would still rise more than two degrees Celsius by the end of the century. The U.N. says global emissions need to be cut 45 percent over the next eight years to keep that from happening.
Well, let's bring in CNN meteorologist Pedram Javaheri. Pedram, I'm afraid that's not going to happen.
JAVAHERI: Yes, you know, last year we were talking about reducing it by about 40 percent. Previous year, 35 percent every single year, of course, we get closer to the threshold and the numbers continue going up, and that's the biggest concern. We've touched on, on this, many, many times when it comes to these summer temperatures and the global temperatures.
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As a whole, the past seven years, every single one of them coming in as the warmest record, years on record, and of course, waiting for the data for 2022 to be released, and very likely that it will also be added to that list of the warmest years on record.
But as you noted here, that number, that threshold we've been trying to keep and kind of aim for 1.5 degrees Celsius, the global temperature to keep it below that value, that 45 percent number every single year. Again, this number continues to climb back up there and reducing it by 50 percent would not be out of the question this time next year when the next study from the U.N. is released.
But why do we get there? Why are we in this particular situation? Well, we know based on the analysis from the studies from the Lancet countdown report, about 80 percent of government studies have been analyzed here showing that governments and companies continue to incentivize and promote the production of fossil fuels, especially when it comes to oil, coal, and certainly gas as well.
And when you increase the output of very much high intensive emissions there, you're going to, of course increase global temperatures, and that's the biggest concern. And when you look at this as a whole, 15 of the world's largest oil and gas companies, in fact, the studies are showing are still increasing their emissions even based on what they projected previously.
So, by 2030, that number could be up to 40 percent greater emissions than initially expected, by 2040 up over 100 percent of initial estimate. So, you take a look at what's happening here. The baseline now puts that temperature, we're aiming for 1.5. Realistically, we'll end up somewhere between 2.1 and 2.9 degrees. And of course, this is despite some nations making that effort here ahead of COP 27 to really crack down on reducing emissions.
And you notice the trend here, Anna, over the past several decades, especially the past decade or so, dramatic increase in global temperatures. So, as a result of this, when you look at everything, the study essentially says the goal will remain 1.5 degrees Celsius, but even if all the countries band together and try to limit emissions at this point, the lowest will probably end up by 2100 would be 1.8 degrees Celsius.
So, of course that just increases the likelihood of additional flooding, additional destructive, and multi-billion-dollar weather events. And that is precisely how things have been playing out the.
COREN: Wow, Pedram. It does not bode well for the planet, does it? But thank you for delivering that sobering news.
Before we go, some good news. The world is a little more crowded today and that is a good thing. Six new species of frogs have been discovered in Ecuador. They all live in the cloud forests of the Andes Mountains. Let's hope that they can survive whatever is coming our way.
Thanks so much for your company. I'm Anna Coren. CNN Newsroom continues with Max Foster, next.
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