Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Newsroom

China Tightens Security Amid Widespread Protests; Brazil And Portugal Advance To Round 16 In World Cup; U.S. To Play Iran After Altered Flag Controversy; Ukrainians In Kherson Struggle With Lack Of Power And Water; 2022 The Deadliest Year In West Bank And Israel Since Early 2000s. Aired 12-1a ET

Aired November 29, 2022 - 00:00   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[00:00:40]

PAULA NEWTON, CNN ANCHOR: Hello everyone, I'm Paula Newton. Ahead right here on CNN NEWSROOM.

Beijing cracks down, China's government tries to crush large anti- lockdown protests which has spread right across the country.

Plus, threats of torture, sources say the families of Iran's football team face violence or prison if players protests at the World Cup.

And warnings of a critical humanitarian situation in Ukraine as millions struggle without power as winter sets in.

The Chinese government appears to be pulling out all the stops to try and keep protesters off the streets. Police are out in full force in Beijing where crowds had gathered through the weekend venting their anger and frustration over strict COVID lockdowns, censorship, and the ruling Communist Party.

Now, CNN has in fact verified protests in 15 cities with dozens of others reported. The Chinese foreign ministry says media accounts do not reflect what actually happened and the government's fight against COVID they say we'll be successful.

But coronavirus cases are soaring, more than 38,000 infections now, new ones on Monday alone. That's the first day in nearly a week that didn't break a record.

Now, the protests in Beijing's response have spooked financial markets on Wall Street, the Dow fell nearly 500 points or 1-1/2 percent.

The Biden administration meantime stop short of criticizing China but said the U.S. supports the right to protest peacefully. British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak was more direct.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RISHI SUNAK, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: We recognize China poses a systemic challenge to our values and interests, a challenge that grows more acute as it moves towards even greater authoritarianism.

Instead of listening to their people's protests, the Chinese government has chosen to crack down further including by assaulting a BBC journalist.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NEWTON: Now, you remember the protests started after COVID restrictions reportedly slowed firefighter's response to a deadly fire in Xinjiang province last week.

CNN's Ivan Watson spoke exclusively to the families of some of the victims.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

IVAN WATSON, CNN, SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Anger on the streets of Chinese cities. The biggest nationwide display of discontent this tightly controlled country has seen in a generation. Protesters pushing back against police and the government's zero COVID policy.

The unrest triggered by a deadly fire in Urumqi, in China's Western Xinjiang region last Thursday. Videos emerge of fire hoses barely reaching the blaze which killed at least 10 people.

Among them Kumar Nisahan Abdul Rakman (PH) and four of her children.

What happened to your mother and your brothers and sisters?

SHARAPAT MOHAMMAD ALI, FAMILY KILLED IN APARTMENT FIRE (through translator): The fire started on the 15th floor. The smoke poisoned my family. The government could not stop the fire in time.

WATSON: Two surviving adult children of Kumar Nisahan speak to me from Turkey. Unable to see their family since 2017 due to the harsh crackdown, the government accused of putting up to two million of their fellow ethnic Uyghurs and members of other minorities in internment camps. They say their loved ones were trapped in the building by COVID measures.

MOHAMMAD MOHAMMAD ALI, FAMILY KILLED IN APARTMENT FIRE (through translator): They could not escape because the fire escape was blocked and the fire escape to the roof of the building was also locked.

WATSON: Accusation CNN cannot independently confirm but Chinese authorities have been seen literally locking residents into buildings.

Outrage over the Urumqi fire compounded by previous deadly incidents in recent months directly linked to COVID prevention.

Though CNN verified 16 protests in 11 Chinese cities this weekend, a Chinese government official told the journalist they just didn't happen.

[00:05:05] ZHAO LIJIAN, CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESPERSON (through translator): What you mentioned does not reflect what actually happened. China has been following the dynamic zero COVID policy and has been making adjustments based on realities on the ground.

WATSON: On Monday, the white papers that have become a symbol of the protests in mainland China spread here to Hong Kong, where the small groups of demonstrators are holding a vigil for what they say are the victims of China's zero COVID policy.

JAMES, PROTESTER FROM SHANGHAI (through translator): I am a victim, I cannot go home for many years, like two to three years, right? My parents were locked down for three months. And even relatives of my good friends they suicide because of the lockdowns.

WATSON: With China reporting record breaking new daily cases of COVID, there appears to be no end to the lockdowns in sight.

Meanwhile, siblings Mohammad and Sharapat cannot even pray for closure after suffering the unimaginable loss of five immediate members of their family.

Will you go home for the funeral of your family?

M. ALI (through translator): We want to attend the funeral of our family members. But if we went back now, China will put us in jail or even torture us.

Ivan Watson, CNN, Hong Kong.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NEWTON: Such a tragic story there. We want to head now live to Hong Kong. We're seeing as Kristie Lu Stout is of course tracking the latest developments.

And you know, as we heard from Ivan's report, protests have erupted right across the country and yet now, China seems to be taking a different policy forward. What exactly is going on in terms of tightening security there now?

KRISTIE LU STOUT, CNN CORRESPONDENT (on camera): Well, Paula in the wake of the sweeping anti-zero COVID protests, China is tightening security. Police are now out on patrol in the streets of Shanghai and Beijing. And Shanghai authorities there have taken down barricades on Lamouchi (PH) road, which is a sight of those defiant protests over the weekend. And you're looking at video of this new barricades in place in Shanghai.

CNN has also learned that protesters are being rounded up. In fact, one protester who is detained in Shanghai and later released tells CNN that around 80 to 110 protesters were taken in and detained by Shanghai police after the demonstration on Saturday. The protestor also told CNN that the police collected their biometric information, including their fingerprints, including their photos and retina scans. It's unclear how many remain detained.

And on Monday, there were no signs of protests on either Beijing or in Shanghai, quite in stark contrast to this dramatic scenes that we saw at the weekend.

People across China have had enough of this zero tolerance zero COVID policy which has up ended people's lives and livelihoods. The trigger of course, the deadly blazes in Urumqi which that took place and took people's lives because of a COVID 19 lockdown that got in the way of rescue efforts there.

And CNN has now verified 20 COVID related protests have taken place in 15 cities across China and we have a map of that. Let's bring it up for you so you can see this.

And to emphasize the sheer reach and scope of these protests, just want to quickly name the cities where these protests have verified by CNN taken place in Beijing, Chengdu, Chongqing, Guangzhou, Hotan, in Korla, Langzhou, Nanjing, Shanghai in Taiyuan and Tianjinm in Urumqi, in Wuhan, and Xi'an as well.

And there was also an extremely rare vigil of protests that took place last night here in Hong Kong, where dozens of protesters took to the streets in the central business district of Hong Kong bearing flowers to mark the victims of the blazes in Urumqi.

Also, they were holding banners and those white sheets of paper that symbolizes censorship, and also have turned into a symbol of these protests. Back to you.

NEWTON: Yes, so evocative, just with one single sheet of white paper. Kristie, I have to ask you, where does this leave the COVID policy, though? You know, we just said that the number was still quite high. There have been mixed signals leading up to this about what China wanted to do to go forward.

STOUT: So far, what we're hearing from state run media is they're doubling down on the zero COVID policy. Saying that it is "scientific, and it's effective". The cases, you're right, they continue to be very high. But look, we're talking about 38,000 new local cases of the virus in the country of 1.4 billion. I mean, it pales in comparison to global standards.

But in zero COVID China, it's too high and as a result, that's why we're seeing these new pandemic restrictions being rolled out. But it is not in a consistent way. There is no singular zero COVID strategy. It's a patchwork of various restrictions being rolled out across China. We've learned that is Shanghai, Shanghai Disneyland is closed once again, there are locked downs in districts of Guangzhou, there are messages urging residents for example in Beijing not to go outdoors.

[00:10:16]

As cases rise, these more additional zero COVID restrictions, they're rolled out but in very inconsistent ways across China. And it just makes it more difficult for China to be on a path to reopening in a smooth and timely manner and that just increases the frustration, increases the temperature among people in China, back to you.

NEWTON: And I'm remembering again that sometimes those people are locked down have a hard time getting, you know, seen by a medical professional, medicine, food. It's all been at stake in terms of what you've been bringing us from the region for months now.

Kristie, thanks so much, appreciate it.

STOUT: Thank you.

NEWTON: Now.

In Monday's World Cup action, top ranked Brazil defeated Switzerland 1-0.

I think they're happy there. That was the scene as Brazilian fans celebrated back home. The victory clinched Brazil's spot in the round of 16. In case you were wondering, and joining them is Portugal who punched their ticket to the knockout round after defeating Uruguay 2- 0.

World Sports Don Riddell has the highlights

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DON RIDDELL, CNN WORLD SPORT CORRESPONDENT: Nobody has a World Cup record quite like Brazil. They've won the tournament a record five times but it's been a while and 2002 now seems like a lifetime ago.

However, at this tournament, they have so far justified their billing as one of the favorites. On Monday night here in Qatar, (INAUDIBLE) edge pass Switzerland in group G with a late goal from Manchester United's midfielder Casimiro. Thanks to their earlier win over Serbia, they're now guaranteed to qualify for the knockout round alongside the holders France.

One of the games of the tournament played out elsewhere in group G. Serbia came from behind to take a 3-1 lead against Cameroon. Aleksandar Mitrovic seem to have given his side an unassailable advantage. But the indomitable Lions fought back with two goals in just four minutes.

Vincent Aboubakar and then Jean-Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting secured a thrilling draw for Cameroon.

They still have it all to do though, in order to stay in the tournament, Cameroon will have to beat the favorite Brazil and hope that the other game goes in their favor. If Switzerland avoid losing to Serbia, they're through.

In group A, another thrilling game involving an African side Ghana threw away a 2-0 lead against South Korea. Weak lies (PH) with a thundering header from Cho Gue-sung, but the Black Stars weren't rattled, and kudos to Mohammed Kudus who secured a famous win for his team.

Portugal won the late game of the day against Uruguay. It looks as though Cristiano Ronaldo have put them ahead, but his head mustn't have actually touched the ball. Because his former man new teammate Bruno Fernandes was credited with the score, and he later made the game safe with a penalty.

So, Portugal also joined Brazil and France in the knockout round. The other three teams in this group still have a chance. And next up, it's a grudge match between Ghana and Uruguay.

Tuesday marks the start of the final round of group games and therefore, a lot of teams are soon going to be packing their bags. Back to you.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NEWTON: Our thanks to Don there.

Now, the most anticipated match on Tuesday is arguably the one between the U.S. and Iran. And it could determine which team advances to the next round and it will be marked by a new controversy.

At issue is an altered image of the Iranian flag that was shared on Team USA's social media accounts. Now, the U.S. Soccer Federation displayed the fact without the emblem of the Islamic Republic to show support for protesters demanding human rights in Iran.

The American football coach, meantime has apologized for the Federation's move, saying the team itself wasn't involved.

On Monday, meantime, he and his Iranian counterpart tried to downplay the drum.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GREGG BERHALTER, U.S. SOCCER MANAGER: The staff, the players had no idea. Of course, our thoughts and -- are with people, the whole -- the whole country, the whole team, everyone, but our focus is on this match.

CARLOS QUEIROZ, IRAN FOOTBALL MANAGER: We have solidarity with the humanitarian causes all over the world wherever they are. But here, our mission is bring the smiles for the -- for the people at least for 90 minutes. That's our mission.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NEWTON: Now, on top of this controversy it looks like Iran's players could be facing severe government pressure over their behavior.

Now, days after the team declined to sing the national anthem in an apparent show of support for protests at home, a security source tells CNN the players have been warned against further acts of defiance.

[00:15:03]

According to the source, their families could face imprisonment or torture even if they again snub the anthem or if they join any political protests against their government.

Jason Rezaian is a global opinions writer for The Washington Post, he previously served as the Post's correspondent in Tehran. And he was unjustly imprisoned by Iran for more than a year, until his release in 2016.

And now he's written his opinion piece for the newspaper, and it says this, I'm Team USA, but it's more important that Iran advances in the World Cup.

Jason, thanks so much for joining us, obviously, a thought provoking column there and you wanted it to be that way. I mean, this must be not just what you're thinking, but what you're feeling at this point. Why?

JASON REZAIAN, GLOBAL OPINIONS WRITER, THE WASHINGTON POST: Well, Paul, first of all, U.S. and Iran have not played in the World Cup since 1998. That was the only other time they faced off in this competition.

And for me, throughout my entire life, when the U.S. and Iran would compete. And first and foremost, I'm American, I root for America.

But this time around with everything that's happening inside Iran, the ongoing protests now in their third month, the number of people who've been killed by the regime, the arrests and detentions of thousands of protesters. And this is all happening at a time when there's so many other things going on in the world. I think it's an important moment for people to keep eyes on what's going on inside Iran and a spotlight, like the one that the World Cup shines is hard to beat.

NEWTON: I don't want to put too strong a point of it. But do you think that that could change the course of history? And I don't mean on the soccer or football pitch?

REZAIAN: Well, look, I mean, I think we're watching history play out inside Iran. And whether or not people around the world know about that is an indication of just the number of different things that are grabbing for our attention.

You might have seen during one of the games earlier on Monday, that someone ran onto the field wearing a t-shirt saying save Ukraine, and on the back respect Iranian women.

And you know, this is a site that literally billions of eyes will witness. And so, you know, as history is being made in that country, as we talked about these games, invariably, the geopolitics come into it. And I think it's just a really important platform.

NEWTON: You know, we're talking a lot about the provocative move on the part of the U.S. team. And yet, many are now pointing out that what the Iranian team members did was incredibly courageous by not singing the anthem during that first game, and I found that the coach himself speaking as a European and not as an Iranian, obviously not as much as steak for him. He basically said it bluntly to everyone. You cannot imagine what these young men are going through.

What are they going through, Jason, you know better than most?

REZAIAN: Well, it's massive pressure, you know, they are the representatives of their country, of their fellow Iranians. At the same time, their paymasters are regime that's brutal, and ruthless, and that exerts a lot of pressure on them.

And your reporting here at CNN has indicated that Iranian security agents have put even more pressure on these players to fall in line, not publicly support protesters, but just by virtue of standing up and not singing the anthem, or in a press conference talking about their support for the grieving Iranians who lost loved ones in these -- in these protests, talking about how they're standing with them. It's incredibly powerful.

It may seem subtle to us than the outside world who live in freedom. But for Iranian standards, over the last 43 years, it's a big deal.

NEWTON: What do you expect to see on the pitch between the players and I don't want to ask you your opinion on football. I mean, kind of the way they will treat each other and what will ultimately happen during the match?

REZAIAN: Ultimately, I hope that it's similar to what happened in 1998, which was a great show of sportsmanship, friendship, you know, at the end of the day, they're going to be on the field battling it out as competitors, but I hope in a fair and friendly way and I expect as an American of Iranian heritage, and knowing these two countries really well and the people of these two countries really well, I think that's what's going to happen.

NEWTON: And Jason, I can't thank you enough, not just for your foreign perspective, but a very personal one as well, really appreciate it.

REZAIAN: Thanks, Paula.

NEWTON: Now, up next for us, already facing constant shelling by Russian forces, residents in the Ukrainian city of Kherson are now struggling with the lack of power and water.

Plus, a 2022 became the deadliest year in decades in the Israeli Palestinian conflict.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[00:22:25]

NEWTON: The U.N. is describing a dire and critical situation in southern Ukraine where the cities of Mykolaiv and Kherson are struggling with a lack of water, heat and power.

Making matters worse in Kherson is constant shelling by Russian forces. Civilians in the recently liberated city continue to flee as more and more attacks target residential areas.

Russian forces stationed on the east bank of the Dnipro River are launching those strikes, which have also hit other towns in that entire Kherson district.

Now on Monday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with Foreign Ministers from seven Baltic and Nordic nations in Kyiv. They discuss more aid for Ukraine as the country works to restore power following Russia's relentless strikes on its infrastructure.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): The day as every single day, the occupiers again shell Kherson and the region's communities. In just one week, the enemy struck 30 settlements, settlements of our Kherson region 258 times.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NEWTON: Now, it has been more than two weeks since Russia's retreat from Kherson and the initial scenes of celebration, we remember them, right have now been replaced unfortunately by signs of desperation.

Residents are struggling as we were saying with power and water shortages. And it could get worse with winter on the way.

CNN's Matthew Chance reports now from southern Ukraine.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The devastation Russia's retreating forces left behind. A village in southern Ukraine torn to shreds, and until now, abandoned to this war.

Valery (PH) told me he's lived here 51 years. And after evacuating for eight months, he's home to stay. Even amid this wreckage.

It's like a stone weighing on my soul, he said. We built everything here with our own hands. It's hard to look at what those Russian scum did to us, he adds.

A short distance away in newly liberated Kherson, a pool of blood where Russia is attacking the city it just left behind.

Four were killed when this grocery store was hit. Now one desperate resident picks through the debris looting scraps of food and toilet paper. Is everything so bad, we asked. It's not good, he responds.

All right, well, getting basic supplies, though, in Kherson, has become a massive risk. We've come to the seaport, the river port right on the Dnipro River with this woman here Tatiana (PH) from Kherson to collect water so she can do her washing up and wash her clothes and go to the toilet and things like that.

[00:25:18] The water supplies have been completely cut off by the Russians. This is the only way. You can hear the artillery shells go off in the background. This is the only way she can get water for her house.

And it's dangerous because this is basically the front line. The Russian forces have retreated to the other bank, right? So the Russian forces are just across the river.

But the risk is one that has to be taken.

What can we do, Tatiana asks. We can't live without water.

There's no electricity either. And people are cramming into makeshift charging stations like this one just to stay connected. We found defiance here, too, in the face of hardship.

There's no water or power, Hannah (PH) tells me, but also no Russians. So we will get through this.

What do you think?

I think our enemies will all die soon, says Nastia (PH), who only just turned 9. We'll show them what you get for occupying Ukraine, she says.

For many, the hardships are already too much. Roads out of Kherson crammed with residents trying to leave.

But for those who stay, it is a desperate struggle to survive.

Matthew Chance, CNN, Kherson.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NEWTON: And a grim look now at one of the world's longest running conflicts, a CNN analysis shows this year has been in fact the deadliest between the Israelis and Palestinians outside Gaza since the early 2000s. And we still have a month to go.

CNN's Hadas Gold takes us behind the numbers.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HADAS GOLD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: These have become frequent images this year across Israel and the Palestinian territories. Funerals last week in Nablus for 16-year-old Ahmad Amjd Shehadeh, and to Jerusalem for 15-year-old Canadian Israeli Aryeh Schupak, both killed on Wednesday on their way to school.

In another world, they might have been classmates. But here, they are the latest victims of a decades old conflict that is rearing its head to new heights.

With a month left to go, 2022 is already the deadliest year for Palestinians and Israelis across Israel in the West Bank since the early 2000s according to a CNN analysis of official numbers from both Israel and the Palestinian authority, setting off alarm across the world.

POPE FRANCIS, HEAD OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH: I hope that Israeli and Palestinian authorities take this search for dialogue to heart in a greater way, building reciprocal trust, without which there will never be a solution for peace in the Holy Land.

GOLD: 150 Palestinian combatants and civilians have been killed so far this year in the occupied West Bank in Israel, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health, as Israel conducts regular military raids in response to a wave of Palestinian attacks.

Well, Israel says most of the Palestinians killed were militants or engaging violently with their soldiers. Human rights groups say dozens of unarmed civilians have been caught up as well.

The Israeli government says 31 Israelis and foreigners have been killed in Palestinian attacks, a number that includes soldiers and civilians during shooting, stabbings and ramblings.

And then last Wednesday, twin bombings killed two in Jerusalem, a type of attack not seen in years.

Immediately bringing to mind the Second Intifada or Palestinian uprising when Palestinian suicide bombings and Israeli military raids became the norm.

One has to go back to those final years of that conflict 2004 and 2005 four death count higher than this years.

The U.N.'s Middle East envoy warning that the situation is running out of control.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mounting hopelessness, anger and tension have once again erupted into a deadly cycle of violence that is increasingly difficult to contain.

GOLD: That hopelessness partly a result of a politics on both sides that seem as far apart as ever, an increasingly unpopular Palestinian Authority. Its aging leader Mahmoud Abbas recently pilloried for attending the World Cup, while new militant groups rise up at home, claiming to be the true representatives of the Palestinian Street.

And in Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu soon to take power once again. But this time with a sharp turn to the right alongside coalition partners like Itamar Ben-Gvir, and other far right settlers who have called for an even stronger response to Palestinian attacks, and are vehemently opposed to the two state solution. As the violence on the ground continues with no end in sight.

[00:30:12]

Hadas Gold, CNN, Jerusalem.

(END VIDEOTAPE) PAULA NEWTON, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: Still to come for us, Chinese citizens are calling for changes to the country's strict COVID-19 restrictions. I'll speak with a journalist in Shanghai about what's different about the protests this time.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NEWTON: You are watching CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Paula Newton.

More now on our top story this hour. The Chinese government is trying to quell protests over its unrelenting COVID restrictions and calls for political change.

Now, there's a strong police presence in cities where crowds have been gathering. And that includes Shanghai, where a protester says police detained as many as 110 people on Saturday night alone. Now, CNN can't independently verify that number.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(CHANTING)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NEWTON: And you hear that. This was a gathering in Chengdu on Sunday, where protestors chanted their demands. And it is, in fact, a rare look at people are openly defying the government, even in Beijing, showing how tired Chinese citizens have become with months of what some have viewed as suffocating COVID measures.

One U.S. official says China needs to seriously consider what its people are asking for.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOHN KIRBY, U.S. NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL COMMUNICATIONS COORDINATOR: This is a moment for -- you know, for the Chinese people and the Chinese government to speak to. We have been nothing but clear and consistent. People should be allowed. And the right to assemble and to peacefully protest policies or laws or dictates that they take issue with.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NEWTON: For more now, I'm joined by Matt Bossons. He is a journalist based in Shanghai. And it is good to have your perspective.

Would you give us an indication on the state of protests right now? Especially where you are. We understand the Chinese authorities have, in fact, been taking measures to make sure those protests are silenced.

MATT BOSSONS, JOURNALIST: Yes, I mean, obviously, everyone is quite familiar with what happened over the weekend. There were two, you know, demonstrations, both on Saturday and Sunday evening.

My understanding is last night there were some demonstrators out near Luchilu (ph), perhaps less than previous nights.

What I do know is that, you know, based on speaking to people who are in the area, Chinese authorities were there, you know, unmasked, and they were checking people's phone, specifically Chinese citizens' phones, looking for foreign apps, on assuming they're, you know, those are being used to communicate between, you know, people demonstrating.

[00:35:14]

So, there is definitely, you know, an increase in police. You do see it on the streets here in Shanghai. And it's unclear kind of what's going to happen next.

NEWTON: Yes, and that's the chilling part of all of this. Even if protests, though, are successfully muted, what is the risk here for China?

Because a lot of the frustration and anger that we see are opening there in the streets. It's real. It's not going away anytime soon.

BOSSONS: Yes, I mean, I think it's going to be very hard for them to walk back zero-COVID at this point. There's obviously a lot of political capital invested in it.

But the reality is that life here on the ground is under zero-COVID is not a pleasant experience.

I said earlier this month in an op-ed for CNN, actually, that it's difficult here to plan even more than 20 minutes in advance. You never know if you're building is going to go on lockdown. You never know if your workplace is going to shut down. You never know if your health code's going to change color.

And it really makes living life here difficult. It makes running a business here difficult. The economy is obviously suffering as a result of that. Youth unemployment is at, you know, roughly 20 percent, which is -- which is, you know, deeply concerning.

I would hope that they start taking measures to kind of wind it back and we did see earlier this month that they did announce a relaxation of certain measures. The problem is that on the ground, we haven't seen those measures relaxed.

So hopefully, you know, in the not-so-distant future, we see some movement on that.

NEWTON: And you have made a point that others have made, if you just want to explain it, that just the World Cup, right now is adding insult to injury for many Chinese.

BOSSONS: Yes, I mean, think about it. You know, we're here. We're, you know, masking every day still. We are doing daily COVID tests in many cases, depending on your workplace or your housing situation.

You know, you cannot enter the grocery store without showing a QR code. And here we are, you know, the World Cup. Obviously, football is a big deal here in China. And it's being watched by people all across the country. And they're seeing fans unmasked in the thousand show up in Qatar and, you know, celebrate. And that's not something that we're able to do here.

And I think it -- you're right to point out it very much adds insult to injury to see the rest of the world kind of moving on. And here we are, you know, still living in 2020, essentially.

NEWTON: Yes, and to see that it's had an effect. And something that clearly isn't censored. And it can't be censored in China.

I wanted to ask you, though, before I let you go, we have heard different chants from the crowd, not on mask, of course, that this has gone beyond COVID, that this really has a lot to do with the Communist Party itself and ousting the regime and Xi himself.

How widespread do you think that sentiment is?

BOSSONS: I mean, it's a very difficult question to answer. You know, there's obviously some people that are very, very discontent with the government.

Obviously, we saw in the lead-up to the 20th party congress, the very, very public, you know, Beijing bridge man, as he's become known, unveil the banner denouncing Xi and some of the measures that have been taken across the country.

It's difficult to know, I think, and I'd be reluctant to comment. There's definitely a sentiment of that among certain people, for sure. But yes, to answer that question, it is quite -- quite difficult with it, to be completely honest.

NEWTON: Yes, and fair enough. It's certainly shocked some in the crowd to see even just a few people asking for that so openly. Matt, really appreciate your perspective.

BOSSONS: Thank you so much.

NEWTON: Now, global markets, meantime, fell on Monday in response to those protests. But right now, stocks are up in Hong Kong and mainland China in trading on Tuesday.

CNN's Marc Stewart has more for us.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MARC STEWART, CNN CORRESPONDENT: News from China, focusing on COVID restrictions and reactions to government mandates, will be a prime focus for investors as they prepare for the business day ahead.

Here, in the U.S., it was a rough day on Wall Street as uncertainty over the Chinese government's response to protests is rattling markets around the world.

All three major indexes saw declines, with the Dow down close to 500 points. And Apple stock, it had a wobbly day due to possible disruptions to the company's supply chain, which has key parts in China.

Broadly speaking, investors are trying to figure out if China will start to ease some of the restrictions as part of its zero-COVID policy or if it will double down on them. The impact of China extends beyond the markets, the price of oil has also seen a dip amid concern that demand will soften.

Marc Stewart, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

NEWTON: Still to come for us, a team of U.N.-backed scientists says the world's largest coral reef is facing threats from climate change. Next, the recommendations the team has to protect it.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[00:42:14]

NEWTON: So, Hawaii is experiencing a very rare event. Two volcanoes erupting on the island at the same time.

Now, one of them, Mauna Loa, is the world's largest active volcano, and it's erupting for the first time since 1984, making it the longest quiet period in its recorded history.

Right now, the lava flow, thankfully, is not threatening any communities.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DR. JOSH GREEN, HAWAII LT. GOVERNOR AND GOVERNOR-ELECT: Because it's going through the Northeast rip zone, that is a better way for the lava to flow.

It goes into a flatter area. The lava becomes quite viscous, and it tends to slow down before it gets anywhere near our people, which would be Hilo. Hilo is the largest town on the big island. And it's where my in-laws live. We just are getting a little nervous from time to time. It's at least a week away, and we're hopeful that it won't make it all the way to the top.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NEWTON: OK, now not far from Mauna Loa is the smaller Kilauea volcano, and it's been erupting since last year.

Southwest Airlines even canceled flights to the area because of the volcanic activity.

So far, though, thankfully, no evacuations have been ordered. But the Hawaii National Guard is on standby.

Now, meantime, a team of scientists backed by the U.N. says Australia's Great Barrier Reef should be listed as an in danger world heritage site. And this comes in a new report which says the reef is facing major

threats due to climate change. It says rising ocean temperatures and water acidity are leading to mass bleaching.

Scientists are calling for urgent action to protect the reef, including reducing emissions.

I am Paula Newton, and I'll be back at the top of the hour with more news. But, first WORLD SPORT starts after a quick break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[00:45:32]

(WORLD SPORT)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[01:00:00]