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U.S.-France Relationship Strengthened by Macron's Visit; Russian Troops Took Advantage of Ukrainians Leaving; Ukrainians Help Each Other in Times of Crisis; Wagner Group Member Died in War; Protesters Not Deterred by Police; Morocco Wins Over Canada; Another Protester Died in Iran; Sam Bankman-Fried Admits He Screwed Up; Lava Flow Poses Risk to Children and Elderly; Royal Visit Face Criticism. Aired 3-4a ET

Aired December 02, 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)

KIM BRUNHUBER, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome to all of you watching us around the world. I'm Kim Brunhuber.

Ahead on CNN Newsroom. Honoring a historic partnership. U.S. President Joe Biden hosts French President Emmanuel Macron in his first state dinner as they toast their common values.

Plus, Ukraine claims troops are making gains in the southern part of the country while losing ground in other areas. We'll have a live report just ahead.

And new backlash over China's zero COVID policy as Chinese residents tear down barriers meant to keep them in lockdown.

UNKNOWN: Live from CNN center, this is CNN Newsroom with Kim Brunhuber.

BRUNHUBER: French President Emmanuel Macron heads to New Orleans today and then back to Paris, wrapping up his first visit to the U.S. since President Joe Biden took office.

On Thursday evening, Macron and his wife became the first foreign visitors to be honored at the Biden White House with the lavish state dinner. A-list celebrities and some Washington's biggest influencers were among the hundreds of guests. In delivering their toasts, the two leaders celebrated the long alliance between the U.S. and France, dating back to America's War for Independence. Here they are.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: Today, we're still united by the greatest of causes, democracy, liberty, equality, opportunity, and freedom. We stand together against oppression and injustice. We stick up for one another in our de -- our Democratic values. EMMANUEL MACRON, PRESIDENT OF FRANCE: We come from the same values. I

stall during this long rule the (Inaudible) this Constitution of the United States. We the people. We the people.

(APPLAUSE)

BRUNHUBER: But before the champagne and entertainment, the two leaders spent several intense hours together in the Oval Office, hashing out their views on critical global issues and dominating their discussions those Russia's ongoing invasion of Ukraine.

CNN's Phil Mattingly has those details.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PHIL MATTINGLY, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): On a day carefully calibrated to elevate a critical alliance.

BIDEN: Mr. Putin is, let me choose my words very carefully.

MATTINGLY: President Biden signaling a willingness to open a line of communication with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

BIDEN: I'm prepared to speak with Mr. Putin if in fact there is an interest in him deciding he's looking for a way to end the war.

MATTINGLY: With clear preconditions.

BIDEN: He hasn't done that yet. If that's the. In consultation with my French and my NATO friends, I'll be happy to sit down with Putin to see what he wants and has in mind. He hasn't done that yet.

MATTINGLY: The brutal war in Ukraine now in its ninth month at the center of a three-hour sit down with French President Emmanuel Macron. After which, Macron was explicit in his commitment not to circumvent Ukraine in any peace talks.

MACRON: We will never urge the Ukrainians to make a compromise, which will not be acceptable for them.

MATTINGLY: Biden's first state visit underscored the value and durability White House officials see in the relationship with America's longest running ally, with two leaders going to great lengths to demonstrate their unity and iron out clear-cut differences.

BIDEN: And I make no apologies.

MATTINGLY: Biden moving to clearly address French concerns with sweeping subsidies included in his cornerstone economic and climate legislation.

BIDEN: But there are occasions when you write a masterpiece of legislation and that has almost $368 billion for the largest investment in climate change on all, of all of history. And so, there's obviously going to be glitches in it. MATTINGLY: And providing assurances that issue would be addressed.

BIDEN: I'm confident. That's my answer.

MATTINGLY: From Macron a day and a dinner underscoring a White House view of a relationship that has only grown in its importance in Biden's first two years, one driven official say by a genuine personal connection.

BIDEN: I began to refer to him privately as my closer.

[03:04:57]

MATTINGLY: A connection that has become critical in a moment when geopolitical threats have rattled alliances worldwide.

BIDEN: France is one of our strongest partners and historically, but one of our strongest partners and the most capable allies. And, Emmanuel has also become a friend in addition to being president of that great country.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MATTINGLY (on camera): And while there's no question, the three-hour sit down between the two presidents, their top advisors was packed with substance, extraordinarily consequential given everything that's going on in the world, the real capstone of any state visit, certainly this state visit is the glitz and glamor of the dinner.

President Biden holding that first, state visit, that first State dinner rolling out a quite literal red carpet for French President Macron and his wife Brigitte welcoming a couple hundred guests out to the South Lawn in heated tents, really underscoring a relationship that has developed and only gotten stronger over the course of the last two years.

It's something that's been on display for the entirety of President Macron's time at the White House over the course of the day. One thing White House officials make clear they're very happy in the wake of COVID, the pandemic, all of the issues they dealt with in the first two years to finally be able to entertain. And of course, no bigger way to entertain than a state visit.

Phil Mattingly, CNN, at the White House.

BRUNHUBER: Russia appears to be paying a heavy price for small gains in eastern Ukraine. Russian troops have apparently gained some ground near the city of Bakhmut where Ukraine is evacuating some civilians. But recent social media video suggests Russians are also taking major losses.

One video shows dead Russian troops littering the countryside in the area. Some independent military analysts say Russian gains are relatively small compared to the price they're paying.

Now down south, Ukraine says Russian troops have pulled out of at least three settlements near Zaporizhzhia. Some pro-Russian civilian governments are reportedly preparing to follow suit. That's happening after Ukrainian strikes on Russian supply lines and ammunition warehouses in the region.

So, for more on all this Salma Abdelaziz joins us from London. Salma, let's start with the latest on that battle near Bakhmut. What more can you tell us there?

SALMA ABDELAZIZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Bakhmut has really been a flash point for months now, Kim. Residents who are still there endure almost daily shelling by Russian forces and now Ukrainian officials saying that Russian troops are making small gains, taking control of a few settlements in that region.

But I'm going to emphasize that word small gains, Kim, because Ukrainian officials also saying that Russian troops are expending a great deal of resources of effort losing a great deal of manpower to gain a city Bakhmut that is not very strategically important. And that leads me to where might be the next stage in this battle, and that is further south in the Zaporizhzhia region.

They're also reports that Russian troops are actually withdrawing from some parts. Ukraine intensifying -- intensifying its counter offensive. Excuse me. Ukrainian -- Zaporizhzhia is extremely important. Its home to Europe's largest nuclear power plant that is still Russian occupied, and we're seeing the same methodology that Ukrainian forces have used in the past trying to cut off Russian supply lines, cutting off bridges as well, hitting Moscow's forces, even behind the front lines.

And if you take a look at the map, you can begin to understand why this might be the next stage in the battle. What Ukrainian troops appear to be doing is trying to fortify their positions along the Dnipro River, the Western Bank, preparing to push across that river to the eastern bank where Russian troops are fortifying their positions.

In particular, I want to bring up these latest reports again, out of Russian occupied areas in the Zaporizhzhia region that Russian backed officials are preparing for a vote of some kind, a referendum of some kind, taking a census there as well. One Ukrainian official saying that Russian troops have taken essentially almost all of the local hospitals there and turned them into military hospitals to try to treat Moscow's own troops.

So, a real indication that Russia's hunkering down for a fight. But you're also getting very clear signs of the strategy here from Kyiv, which is to sort of drain Russian forces all along that very long frontline while focusing on the southern front and continuing to push on that counter offensive.

But very important to remember here, Kim, these are the winter months. This is when fighting slows down, so don't expect anything to change too quickly.

BRUNHUBER: All right. I appreciate the update. Thanks so much. Salma Abdelaziz live in London for us. Let's talk about how Ukrainians are going about their everyday lives while the war is going on. We're joined by Tymofiy Mylovanov, the president of the Kyiv School of Economics, and he is joining us from Vinnytsia, Ukraine.

Thanks so much for being here with us again.

[03:09:59]

So, you're in, Vinnytsia, which right now I understand has power and crucially water right now. So, contrast what you're seeing there with what life is like for you every day in Kyiv.

TYMOFIY MYLOVANOV, PRESIDENT, KYIV SCHOOL OF ECONOMICS: Yes, I am surprised that Vinnytsia is innocently oblivious to the threat of losing water. I talked to some people here and they said, OK, we are good on energy. We have candles, we have electricity, we have power generators, firewood. And I said, what you're going to do about water?

Because this was really a big and very nasty surprise for us during the last week, during the attack, the first 30 hours, in some places even as long as 72 hours we didn't have water. And water is much more important than even heating. And so they said, you know, I don't know. We'll figure it out.

So, I think they should prepare and we'll be spreading. We'll, you know, thank you for bringing this up. People should understand that the water issue is critical.

BRUNHUBER: I just wanted to take a side route. Because I just found it was interesting on your -- on your journey to Vinnytsia. You were saying that you really loved the winter and how beautiful it was, but that it also made you feel guilty. Explain that for me. I found that fascinating.

MYLOVANOV: But it's true in so many realities and domains. For example, we had the fundraiser, which at the Kyiv School of Economics for university and for the military, and we raised several million dollars and we were, before the fundraiser, we were very, you know, unsure whether we should do it or not, because what kind of fundraiser, dinner, celebration you can have during the war.

And similar businessmen who came to donate, they were very, very -- they had this feeling of guilt. And whatever we do, there is a question, can we have fun during the war in Kyiv? And most people feel that they can't. While some people, and I cannot speak for everyone because I'm not a soldier, but some people I talk to who have been to the front lines, they say that's exactly what they're defending, the way of life.

So, we should -- we should continue to live our lives. This is, this might seem like a small thing, but it's really a big ethical issue in everyone's, mind. You know, where's the line? Can I -- can I be happy during a war.

BRUNHUBER: Yes, that's right. And the connection with winter was that even though you found it beautiful, the fact that it was going to make so many people feel cold because they don't have heating just really, really got to, I guess.

But all of this forces people to be resourceful and creative, and you've sort of been chronicling all the ways people have been doing that. How are people getting around all of these challenges?

MYLOVANOV: It's the community spirit and we, I think it's just love, if I can say it, you know, it's people are trying to help each other and then they are talking and they are bringing resources together. And they come up with ideas. And some of these ideas, you know, they're so simple in the hindsight, and trivial almost. But you need to share them.

For example, electricity lights. It turns out you can, you know, you can put out of storage your Christmas lights and everyone has Christmas lights and put a little bit of power bank or a small, you know, battery like flashlight battery will power it up. And then you are comfortable. A light is important to feel comfortable in your apartment or house. I didn't know that. It looks trivial, but I didn't know that. Now I do it and it also saves energy.

BRUNHUBER: Yes, light is so important for people at home, but for many people who can't necessarily have all of that at home. You know, train stations are becoming more and more important, not just connecting the country together and with the outside world, but also as centers of life.

Paint us a picture of why these train stations in Ukraine have become the, so essentially, you know, oasis for so many people.

MYLOVANOV: It's a natural focal point. It's a life, you know, like kind of lifeline. That's where people travel. But also, that's where people meet. You know, if a soldier comes back on a rotation, on a short, you know, a week off back to the family, that's where you meet.

If you need to go somewhere, that's where you meet. If you need to evacuate, that's where you go. But also, you know, they now have set up this huge rooms in which there is everything from heaters to even, you know, stoves, firewood stoves. That, and they put tea on it. And it's a little bit like almost camping, but inside the building. And it has a very nice and warm feel to it.

You come in and, it's very clean. There is food, there is, you know, the different NGOs helping with food. There is a medical center. They even have mini events. If you need to, you know, you have an emergency, you need to pick someone up and bring to this shelter or maybe drive because you forgot something or some supplies are needed, they will drive you.

[03:15:07]

It is amazing, but it also, you know, I get this kind of campfire feel to it that it was cold, and I walk in and I can relax and I'm with (Ph) friends. BRUNHUBER: Yes. And you know, people are coming together, as you

mentioned, your school is helping to build and to renovate bomb shelters. Give us a sense of what you're doing and how important that work is.

MYLOVANOV: We started in September when we realized that, you know, after two years of pandemic, so we have the same level of troubles that in every country, you know, people, kids have been off -- online for two years and then they need to socialize.

And on top of that, we now have a war. And so many, many schools, you know, they don't have bomb shelters and so they can't operate. And we need to create those bomb shelters. So, we started building them or retrofit in old, you know, old kind of rooms and locations where they satisfy the conditions and it became a big deal.

We now raised almost $2 million for this, and we're probably going to be able to do hundred schools, bomb shelters for hundreds of schools. And that means we're going to put with our effort, you know, tens of, you know, 20, 30,000 of kids to study in person.

But now after the attack, we also started helping them with generators, electricity, some other set up. So, the program grows, and I think it's extremely important that kids get education because otherwise we'll have a generation loss.

BRUNHUBER: Yes. Vital, vital work, indeed. Listen, I really appreciate you giving us a sense of not just the challenges that Ukrainians are going through, but also, just some of the hope that they're experiencing as well through all of this and that sense of community.

I really appreciate it, Tymofiy Mylovanov. Thanks so much for joining us.

MYLOVANOV: Thank you.

BRUNHUBER: Russia's Wagner private military group is facing questions about the death of one of its recruits in Ukraine. The reason, he was from Zambia and his home country isn't buying the explanation about how he ended up fighting for Wagner in the first place.

Fred Pleitgen has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice- over): Mercenaries for Russia's Wagner private military company are fighting on some of the toughest battlefields in Ukraine. A social media channel affiliated with a group recently posted this video allegedly showing a severely wounded Wagner fighter trying to shoot himself rather than fall into Ukrainian hands.

Now the group has acknowledged a man from the Southern African nation of Zambia has been killed, fighting on the front lines in Ukraine. This is 23-year-old Lemekhani Nathan Nyirenda. Wagner's founder Yevgeny Prigozhin known as Putin's chef, admits he recruited Nyirenda from a Russian jail and says he died a hero.

I talked to him in the (Inaudible) region, Prigozhin wrote in a statement, why do you need this war? After all, the chance of dying is quite high. And he answered what I expected. You Russians helped us Africans gain independence for many years. The Wagner group saves thousands of Africans, and if I go to war with you, this is probably a very small way in which I can pay our debts.

Zambian authorities say Nyirenda was studying nuclear engineering in Russia, but was thrown in jail for more than nine years for what his father told Reuters was a drug offense. Despite what Prigozhin said about Nyirenda's alleged gratitude, the Zambian government is demanding answers.

JOSEPH KALIMBWE, INFORMATION AND PUBLIC SECRETARY, UPND PARTY: How did he find himself fighting for Russia when Zambia as a country, when Zambia as a state does not have any interest whatsoever what is happening in that war.

PLEITGEN: Wagner admits it is recruiting fighters from Russian jails and even confirmed to CNN they're sending inmates with HIV, tuberculosis, and hepatitis to the front line. As Russia struggles with manpower issues, videos and inmate testimony show Prigozhin visiting prisons and offering freedom in return for contract to the frontline.

YEVGENY PRIGOZHIN, MEMBER, WAGNER GROUP (through translator): If you choose to go with us, there will be no way back. Nobody will be able to go back to prison.

PLEITGEN: But Africa has been the major theater for Wagner for years. CNN has tracked the unit across the continent, including in the Central African Republic where Wagner mercenaries officially train the Central African army, but have also allegedly committed horrendous human rights abuses.

Wagner recently published a propaganda video glorifying its military training in the Central African Republic, where the group's operatives show recruits how to kill effectively.

Yevgeny Prigozhin says Lemekhani Nathan Nyirenda was so grateful to Wagner he was willing to die for the mercenary's claims Zambia's government clearly isn't buying.

[03:20:07]

Fred Pleitgen, CNN, Moscow.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BRUNHUBER: Still ahead here on CNN Newsroom, we'll hear from a protestor in China risking his life to speak out against censorship. Xi Jinping and COVID Lockdowns. Listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SELINA WANG, CNN CORRESPONDENT: What do you think you guys achieved by participating in that protest?

UNKNOWN: If you don't demonstrate, if you don't show them your voice, your idea, they would never know.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BRUNHUBER: Protestors in China are anxious to get back to their daily lives after years of harsh COVID restrictions. New video from Beijing shows people tearing down those blue metal barriers used to enforce lockdowns and quarantines. We're seeing similar scenes in Jinan and other cities. Pictures from Hubei province show parents clashing with police who are taking COVID positive students to quarantine facilities. And have a look at this video.

You see there are COVID police in the eastern port city of Hangzhou dragging a resident from his home to a COVID facility while they've since apologized.

CNN's Selina Wang spoke with one demonstrator willing to risk it all for freedom.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNKNOWN: Silence will not protect you.

WANG: This person one of thousands across China, willing to put their lives on the line to speak out. Years of pent-up anger over Chinese draconian COVID lockdowns boiling over into protests.

UNKNOWN: I felt like I lost control of my life because of this COVID policy. Nobody is telling you when this is going to end. We are limited physically, and now we're limited mentally. We are forbidden to express our ideas.

WANG: For some that cathartic emotional release spilled into calls for political changes. Some even chanted for Xi Jinping to step down.

UNKNOWN: He's the one who's responsible for this whole policy thing. But for me, first thing first. I want the zero COVID policy gone. And if we have more freedom, speech and freedom of press, of course, that would be great.

WANG: What do you guys achieved by participating in that protest?

UNKNOWN: If you don't demonstrate, if you don't show them your voice, your idea, they would never know.

WANG: And this is what happened next. China security apparatus swiftly smothered the protest. CNN is shielding the protestor's identity because of fears of retribution, even conducting the interview in a car to avoid tracking from authorities. Police are calling and visiting the homes of some protestors.

[03:25:01] And in Shanghai randomly stopping people to check their phones on streets and what appears to be in subways. Protestors say they're looking for VPNs needed to use banned apps like Twitter or Telegram, which some protestors used to communicate.

Another protestor told CNN, I'm afraid we cannot hold protests like this again in the future. There are always undercover agents in our Telegram group. Every few beaters on the street, there are police and police dogs. The whole atmosphere is chilling.

I'm in the center of a protest in Beijing right now. They're chanting that they don't want COVID tests. They want freedom.

Less than 24 hours after this, we drove back to that spot, police cars as far as the eye could see. Then a few days later, it's pretty much back to normal, like nothing ever happened, and that is precisely the goal of a Communist Party.

In Guangzhou, residents destroyed COVID testing booth police and riot gear immediately sworn in, they marched through a market, shouting at people to leave, firing tear gas to disperse protestors, pushing through with shields and making arrests.

Authorities have gone into overdrive to censor all evidence of unrest online.

UNKNOWN: That white piece of paper rep -- actually represents the censorship and all the deleted contents. You cannot arrest us for just holding a white paper. I still have that white paper I protested and I put it in my diary as a souvenir to show my future generations that you should always fight for your rights and never let your voice be silenced.

WANG: How does it make you feel though, that the government even censored pictures of people holding white papers?

UNKNOWN: By doing this, they're just going to make the crowd even angrier. Instead of trying to silence us, they should really focus and try to think why this happened.

WANG: Authorities are silencing them, but it seems they are listening. Right after the riots in Guangzhou, the city started lifting some lockdowns, removing COVID road block.

"Unsealed, we are unsealed." A man screams with excitement as he bikes through streets being opened up, but so many others are still counting down their days in lockdowns in quarantine, wondering when zero COVID will really end.

Selina Wang, CNN, Beijing.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BRUNHUBER: Well, the frustration in China over the government's COVID policies along with the death of a former leader has led some to grow nostalgic for China's past. But as CNN's Ivan Watson reports, Beijing doesn't want the death of Jiang Zemin to galvanize COVID protests and anti-government sentiment.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

IVAN WATSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): This was the week people across China said they're mad as hell and they're not going to take it anymore. The most widespread display of dissent the country has seen in a generation. Protestors are pushing back against the crushing lockdowns and restrictions of the government's zero COVID policy.

But Chinese state media never showed any of these images. Instead on Thursday, offering scenes of very different crowds, somber people lining the streets of Shanghai. Honoring former Chinese leader Jiang Zemin. He died Wednesday at the age of 96. Jiang is being given the country's highest honors. His open casket met at the airport in Beijing by current Chinese leader Xi Jinping.

Jiang was president of China from 1993 to 2003. Famous for his trademark spectacles and for periodically bursting into song. His death has triggered a wave of nostalgia on the heavily censored Chinese internet. Who would've thought that movies, books, and even World Cup live streams have all been censored? One person wrote in a post that appears to have since been deleted by censors. I missed the old man that just passed away. I missed the old times that were open, lively, embracing and renaissance-like.

MATTIE BEKINK, CHINA DIRECTOR, ECONOMIST INTELLIGENCE CORPORATE NETWORK: And maybe this is a challenge for the leadership in Beijing is allowing that outpouring of grief, that kind of nostalgia that memory without having it turn into or feed criticism of the current leader and the current administration.

WATSON: In 1989, the death of another senior Communist Party official was the catalyst for the Tiananmen Square protests. They were ultimately crushed in a deadly military crackdown. Analysts say Chinese officials will be careful not to let Jiang's death become a flashpoint at another time of national tension.

DALI YANG, PROFESSOR OF POLITICAL SCIENCE, UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO: This is exactly why the authorities also timed the, actually this is sort of the easing of the zero COVID measures yesterday, partly in response to some of the protests and partly proudly the news, also actually the occasional Mr. Jiang's death.

[03:30:07]

(FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

WATSON (voice-over): Authorities lifted some lockdowns in some cities on Wednesday, while also cracking down in other areas with police arresting and intimidating protestors. Jiang's upcoming state funeral may present an additional challenge for authorities.

Will Xi Jinping's predecessor hu Jintao attend. Hu Jintao last shared a stage with Xi at October's tightly scripted Communist Party Congress. He was ushered out of the hall seemingly against his will, a strange, apparently unscripted moment for a government that prioritizes control above all else.

Ivan Watson, CNN, Hong Kong.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KIM BRUNHUBER, CNN ANCHOR: Well, fans are celebrating a major achievement for Moroccan football. Have a look here.

For the first time in decades, they've made it to the World Cup knockout round. A lot more on that coming up. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BRUNHUBER: The semifinalist from the last World Cup made an early exit from the current tournament breaking the hearts of Belgian fans. World number two Belgium needed a win to reach the next phase, but crashed out after goalless draw against Croatia. And the Germans, while they're going home too after a disappointing campaign in Qatar, even though they won on Thursday against Costa Rica.

Have a look.

Well, meanwhile, Japanese fans they have reason to celebrate after yet another major upset. This time, they're celebrating the blue Samurai's shock win over 2010 world champions, Spain, who barely squeezed into the next round. Now, the other big triumph on Thursday went to Morocco who soared into the knockouts for the first time in 36 years.

CNN's Don Riddell is in Doha with the details.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DON RIDDELL, CNN SPORTS ANCHOR: The first World Cup in the Arab world now has an Arab team to celebrate. Morocco are heading to the knockout stage, and fans from all over the region have come to join the party.

UNKNOWN: So, I'm from Saudi Arabia.

UNKNOWN: I'm from Egypt. I'm not from Morocco, but I came today just to support Arabic country, Morocco to win.

[03:35:00]

RIDDELL: Morocco have been brilliant in the World Cup so far, and they finished group F on a high beating Canada two-one. Hakim Ziyech who came out of retirement to play in this tournament punished a goalkeeping era to score an early goal before Youssef En-Nesyri scored a second. And the scenes at the final whistle confirmed exactly what this meant to these players and they're fans.

UNKNOWN: It's like a Moroccan win. When everyone is enjoying the music and everyone is singing. Just listen at it. It's all amazing.

UNKNOWN: I hope Morocco will win World Cup. Must be. Must be win. Must be win.

UNKNOWN: Yes. Yes.

UNKNOWN: Wow. Of course. Who can -- who can say that we're going to beat a Belgic, but now we're going to beat all the team.

UNKNOWN: I'm very happy. I'm very, very, very happy.

RIDDELL: It all means that Morocco have won group F ahead of the 2018 runners up Croatia making them the first African team to win a group since Nigeria in 1998.

So, the Atlas Lions will now play the 2010 champion Spain. And for these fans, it is a time of great pride and joy. As one local supporter just told me, it is so nice to see Arab people being happy instead of worrying about the issues that so often plague the region.

Don Riddell, CNN Qatar.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BRUNHUBER: In the coming hours a chance for Ghana to settle the score against Uruguay after a controversial play kept the black stars from advancing 12 years ago. Also in group H, we'll see Portugal and Cristiano Ronaldo take on South Korea. Now in Group G, Serbia will face Switzerland and Cameroon are up against Brazil.

Well, earlier this week, anti-government protestors in Iran were out celebrating the defeat of their football team in the World Cup, and hoping it'll be a metaphor for the eventual defeat of the Iranian regime. But during those demonstrations, a young man was killed.

Mehran Samak was reportedly honking his horn celebrating when he was shot in the head. Human rights groups say security forces are responsible, but authorities deny any wrongdoing. They have announced the arrest of several suspects according to Iran's state line media.

CNN's Nada Bashir is tracking this live from London. So, what more, Nada, can you tell us about the young man who was killed?

NADA BASHIR, CNN REPORTER: Well, look, the death of Mehran Samak is of course another tragic addition to a long list of protestors of anti-regime demonstrators who have now died over the course of the last few weeks since protest began in September.

Mehran Samak, of course, taking part in those celebrations, remarkable scenes that we saw of Iranians up and down the country celebrating the loss of the Iranian national team against the United States. Of course, that's seen as a sort of symbol, perhaps, of the regime and its institutions.

Now, of course, as you laid out, that the police and the authorities have denied any responsibility predictably as they have done with all the deaths that we've seen over the course of this protest movement. But a Norway based human rights organization, Iran HR, as well as other rights groups on the ground say they believe that Mehran Samak was killed by the security forces. Now, according to Tasnim, a state aligned news outlet, several people

have been arrested by the authorities in connection with Mehran Samak's death. At this stage the regime and authorities and police officials in the area continue to deny any responsibility and say an investigation is ongoing.

But of course, human rights groups maintain that this is just another example of the regime of the security forces in Iran targeting peaceful protestors. We've seen that death toll rising according to human rights groups Iran HR, pegging that figure at more than 400 deaths since protests began in September.

And we're also seeing international pressure mounting. The E.U. is set to propose further sanctions, a third packet of sanctions that is set to be put before European Union foreign ministers in December. And now of course, the U.N. has launched a probe, a human rights investigation. But for its part, the Iranian foreign ministry says it won't cooperate with that probe.

Now, take a look at this package. A warning to our viewers, there are some graphic images in this piece.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BASHIR (voice-over): Mass detentions claims of sexual assault, excessive and lethal force. Allegations of human rights abuses in Iran are mounting every single day.

FEDERICO VILLEGAS, PRESIDENT, HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL: We are now in a full-fledged human rights crisis.

BASHIR: It's these allegations that are now being investigated by a recently established U.N. fact-finding mission, but with the Iranian regime calling the mission completely biased, and already rejecting any prospect of corporation. The road to securing true accountability could prove long and difficult.

VILLEGAS: The first report, they will look at the international community to find an assessment that leads to accountability for violations will be the report of this commission.

[03:40:01]

BASHIR: What concrete steps can the U.N. and other members of the international community take to actually hold the Iranian regime to account?

VILLEGAS: Let me be clear. We are not an army that intervenes in a country by force to make authorities change the importance of this commission. They will focus on facts, violations and people responsible for those.

BASHIR: For almost three months now, Iran security forces have violently cracked down on anti-government demonstrators. More than 400 people have been killed since protests first began in September. That's according to the Norway based Iran Human Rights organization. And as the death toll continues to climb, so does the list of protestors wounded by Iran's security forces. Among them is Saman, he sustained life altering injuries while taking part in a protest in Tehran in October.

SAMAN, IRANIAN PROTESTER (through translator): The security forces were attacking us from two directions and from a very short distance throwing tear gas from just across the road. We were standing two meters apart and the paintball bullet injured my eye, but I also sustained injuries to my skull and my jaw. Thankfully, the doctor was able to keep my left eye physically intact, but now I've lost sight in that eye.

BASHIR: Despite his injury Saman considers himself one of the lucky ones, he managed to escape from Iran shortly after being attacked. For his security we are not disclosing his location. Saman tells us he is haunted by fears for his safety and that of his loved one still in Iran. His injuries a daily reminder of the brutality his people continue to face.

SAMAN (through translator): As soon as I return to Iran, I know that I could be arrested. If I am arrested, I don't know what will happen to me. The authorities will decide whether they want to torture me or even execute me.

BASHIR: But Saman is not alone in his fear of being detained and executed. The death sentence is a reality faced by many protestors in Iran. Along with the United Nations, Amnesty International has raised concern over mass trials in which protestors are facing the very real prospect of execution with children reportedly among those in detention.

And while the U.N. investigation is already underway, it could take months before a formal report is finally published. The question now is whether the U.N.'s findings will be enough to prompt tougher action by the international community or even change from within Iran.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BASHIR (on camera): Look, Kim, the details around who are comprised of that fact-finding mission for the United Nations are still to be confirmed and announced by the U.N. Human Rights Council. But this will be a crucial step for the U.N. and for the international communities towards finding a way to hold the Iranian regime to account for the rising death toll, the rising human rights abuses that we are seeing in Iran. Kim?

BRUNHUBER: All right. I appreciate the update. Nada Bashir live in London for us.

The disgraced ex CEO of the now collapsed cryptocurrency exchange FTX is speaking out. In two new interviews he was pressed on what he knew about transfers of customers money from FTX to a separate hedge fund he owned. We get more now from CNN's Marc Stewart.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) SAM BANKMAN-FRIED, FORMER CEO, FTX: Look, I screwed up.

MARC STEWART, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Sam Bankman-Fried was once seen as the wonder kid on the crypto scene. Now he's the face of a massive failure. He claims his billion-dollar empire has now been whittled down to about 100K in a bank account.

BANKMAN-FRIED: I was CEO. I was the CEO of FTX, and I mean, I'd say this again and again, that, that means I had a responsibility.

STEWART: Customers around the world are scrambling to recover funds following the collapse of the onetime multi-billion-dollar business.

Bankman-Fried shrugged off the comparison to Bernie Madoff, the man behind one of the biggest financial fraud schemes in history.

UNKNOWN: A lot of people look at you and see Bernie Madoff.

BANKMAN-FRIED: Yes, I mean, I don't think that's who I am at all. But I understand why they're saying that, people lost money and people lost a lot of money. And I mean, at the end of the day, look, there's a question of what happened and why, and who did what, what caused the meltdown. And I think that is, reads very differently, right?

When you -- when you look at the classic Bernie Madoff story, there was no real business. FTX, that was a business.

STEWART: FTX used celebrity endorsements from superstars like Tom Brady, Naomi Osaka, Steph Curry, even a Super Bowl ad featuring Larry David, but the big names can't cloud questions as to whether FTX improperly used investors' money to make loans to his hedge fund.

[03:45:06]

BANKMAN-FRIED: I did not know that there is any improper use of customer funds.

UNKNOWN: You also took out a $1 billion loan. What was that for?

BANKMAN-FRIED: That was generally for reinvesting in the company.

STEWART: As investors ponder what's next, Bankman-Fried admits he didn't pay attention in a business that's based on trust.

BANKMAN-FRIED: I wasn't spending any time or effort trying to manage risk on FTX. Trying like, and that obviously, that's a mistake.

(CROSSTALK)

UNKNOWN: That's stunning admission.

BANKMAN-FRIED: What?

UNKNOWN: That's a pretty stunning admission. BANKMAN-FRIED: Yes. I mean it, I don't know what to say, like what

happened, happened. I think I stopped working as hard for a bit, you know. Honestly, if I look back on myself, I think I got a little cocky made more than a little bit.

And I think part of me like felt like, like we'd made it.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

STEWART: It is yet to be seen if this may be a watershed moment, like the 2007, 2008 financial crisis and the Bernie Madoff scandal both prompted change to protect investors.

Marc Stewart, CNN, New York.

BRUNHUBER: All right, coming up, why twin volcanic eruptions in Hawaii are raising concerns for children and the elderly. We'll explain on the other side of the break. Please stay with us.

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BRUNHUBER: You're looking at dramatic video from Brazil. Firefighters in helicopters rescuing people from rooftops in the southern state of Santa Catarina. They were trapped in their homes after heavy rains led to severe flooding. The state civil defense reports that more than 800 people were forced to flee, and 17 cities in the state are under a state of emergency.

Spectacular scenes there as you can see this week from Hawaii's Mauna Loa volcano with its first eruption since 1984. But that eruption and another from Hawaii's Mount Kilauea volcano are raising concerns over air quality, especially for children, the elderly and people with respiratory problems.

I'm joined now by CNN meteorologist Derek Van Dam. Derek, that lava is what we often think of as the -- as the big threat. But explain to us why volcanic ash is also so dangerous for humans.

DEREK VAN DAM, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Great question, Kim. And it's all about the composition of what makes up volcanic ash. Think about it, it's actually pulverized rock and glass, which is essentially sand which has been super-heated from the volcanic eruption, which by the way, can reach temperatures over 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit.

Just incredible amounts of heat pent up within this. But the diameter of these ash particles are so small about two millimeters wide, so we can inhale them. Of course, that can be an irritant for lungs, also, for eyes and more vulnerable people would be the young and the elderly.

[03:50:06]

So, that is the reason why we look towards those age groups for vulnerabilities to things like volcanic ash, for instance. Right? But let's talk about what's more of an inconvenience for the people who live on the Big Island of Hawaii. And let's just look first the images, of course, lava coming out of this fissure in the ground. But what I want you to notice on this Google Earth image is the circumference of Mauna Loa. It encompasses over 50 percent of the Big Island of Hawaii. But there is also an important thoroughfare, an east west highway that basically bisects the island and allows people from the east side of the island to the west side of the island to reach other populated areas with Mauna Loa in between.

Unfortunately, the lava flow is now threatening that particular highway, and we do anticipate that to intersect that highway here within the next week. Now you say, well, that's not that urgent, right? Well, it's all about the flow and how quickly the lava is actually moving.

And Kim, it is actually, get this, this is not an exaggeration. Moving at a snails pace, literally 40 meters per hour. Incredible.

BRUNHUBER: Interesting. Well, we'll have to follow that story throughout the week as that slowly heads towards those roads. Derek Van Dam, thank you so much. I really appreciate it.

Well, there are new developments in a racism controversy at Buckingham Palace. Just ahead, how it's impacting a visit from the U.S. by the prince and princess of Wales.

Please do stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BRUNHUBER: Britain's prince and princess of Wales are in Boston, Massachusetts just hours away from presenting the second annual Earthshot Environmental Award. Prince William and Catherine spent Thursday visiting environmental startups as well as at-risk youth groups, and they're set to meet on Friday with U.S. President Joe Biden.

But as CNN's Max Foster reports, they can't escape a controversy that's dominating coverage in the U.K.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MAX FOSTER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: A royal visit to the United States, overshadowed by accusations of racism back home. A black charity executive Ngozi Fulani told the BBC how she attended an event at Buckingham Palace earlier this week and was asked again and again where she was really from.

NGOZI FULANI, CEO AND FOUNDER, SISTAH SPACE: I'm really from here. Yes. But, OK, so I can see that this is going to be a bit of a challenge. She said, what's your nationality? And I said, lady, I was born here. I'm British. I was thinking that would be the end of it. You know? No, where are you really from? Where are your people from?

FOSTER: British media identified the palace official as 83-year-old Lady Susan Hussey, the late Queen's lady in waiting for more than 60 years and godmother to the Prince of Wales. Buckingham Palace responded quickly and unequivocally.

The individual concerned would like to express her profound apologies for the hurt caused, and this stepped aside from her honorary role with immediate effect.

[03:54:56]

William and Kate touched down in Boston on Wednesday ahead of their three-day visit for the second Earthshot Prize Awards. A prize they helped set up for advances in climate science.

The fiasco threatens to overshadow any focus on environmentalism. Behind closed doors the royals will be devastated that the issue of racism within the monarchy has reared up yet again. Speaking to Oprah Winfrey in 2021, the Duchess of Sussex, Meghan, pointed to her own experiences of racism inside palace walls.

MEGHAN, DUCHESS OF SUSSEX: Concerns and conversations about how dark his skin might be when he's born.

PRINCE HARRY, DUKE OF SUSSEX: I had to do everything I could to protect my family.

FOSTER: Incidentally, the Duchess of Sussex and her husband, Prince Harry, released the trailer for their upcoming Netflix docu-series on Thursday. And the pair will shortly receive a human rights award from the Robert F. Kennedy Foundation for their heroic stand against structural racism within the royal family according to organizers.

Like William and Kate's recent visit to the Caribbean when they were dogged by questions about the monarchy's colonial past, this royal tour has again felt the effects of history.

Max Foster, CNN, Boston.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BRUNHUBER: And we're getting our first look at that revealing documentary Max just mentioned. Netflix debuted the first teaser for Harry and Megan. A six-part look at the story of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex and their decision to step back from formal roles inside the monarchy. Have a look here.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PRINCE HARRY: No one sees what's happening behind the closed doors. I had to do everything I could to protect my family.

MEGHAN: When the stakes were this high, doesn't it make more sense to hear our story from us?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: Now Netflix hasn't announced when the documentary will air. They're only saying it's coming soon. And here's a look at what's sure to be one of next summer's biggest blockbusters. Have a look.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HARRISON FORD, ACTOR: I don't believe in magic, but a few times in my life, pristine things, things I can't explain.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: That's Harrison Ford starring in Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny. The fifth installment also stars Antonio Banderas and Phoebe Waller-Bridge. Stephen Spielberg and George Lucas serve as executive producers. It's set to hit theaters on June 30th next year.

Thanks so much for spending your time with me. I'm Kim Brunhuber. CNN Newsroom continues with Bianca Nobilo, next.

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