Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Newsroom

Zelenksyy Delivers Powerful Address To U.S. Congress; Zelenskyy Meets Biden At White House, Thanks U.S. For Support; U.S. Announces $1.85B In New Security Assistance For Ukraine; Ukrainian President Zelenskyy Meets with President Biden; Ukrainian President Zelenskyy Addresses U.S. Congress; Crackdown on Afghan Women's College Education; U.N. Security Council First Ever Resolution Passed on Myanmar; Bahamian Authorities Extradited Former FTX CEO Sam Bankman- Fried Back to the U.S. Aired 2-2:45a ET

Aired December 22, 2022 - 02:00   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[02:00:29]

KRISTIE LU STOUT, CNN ANCHCOR: Hello and welcome to our viewers joining us from all around the world. You're watching CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Kristi Lu Stout.

Coming up. In a historic speech on Capitol Hill, President Zelenskyy thanks the U.S. word support and makes a passionate plea for even more aid. We'll bring you the top headlines from his visit.

Plus, Benjamin Netanyahu beats the deadline to form a new government. And it's expected to be the most right-wing in Israel's history.

And the lines of migrants at the U.S.-Mexico border are getting longer and it is unknown when or if U.S. immigration policy will change.

Ten months after Russia invaded his country, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy declared that Ukraine is "alive and kicking" as he addressed the U.S. Congress in a historic visit to Washington.

A rousing reception on Capitol Hill as Ukrainian leader was greeted by cheers from lawmakers on both sides of the aisle. Mr. Zelensky thanked the U.S. for its continued support, and made it clear that Ukraine will never surrender. Russia's ambassador to the U.S. responding to the visit, saying it shows neither Mr. Zelensky nor the U.S. are ready for peace. Out here as part of the Ukrainian president's address to congress.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, PRESIDENT OF UKRAINE: This battle cannot be frozen or postponed. It cannot be ignored, hoping that the ocean or something else will provide a protection. From the United States to China, from Europe to Latin America, and from Africa to Australia. The world is Too interconnected and interdependent, to allow someone to stay aside and at the same time to feel safe when such a battle continues.

Our two nations are allies in this battle. And next year will be a turning point. I know it, the point when Ukrainian courage and American resolve must guarantee the future of our common freedom. The freedom of people who stand for their values.

Russia could stop its aggression, really, if it wanted to. But you can speed up our victory. I know it. And it -- and it will prove to any potential aggressor that no one can succeeded in breaking national borders, no one committing atrocities and reigning over people against their will, it would be naive to wait for steps towards peace from Russia, which enjoys being a terrorist state. Russians are still poisoned by the Kremlin.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

STOUT: Hours ahead of that historic speech to Congress, Mr. Zelenskyy met with U.S. President Joe Biden at the White House where the two leaders displayed a united front against Russia's war on Ukraine. Phil Mattingly has more from Washington.

PHIL MATTINGLY, CNN CHIEF WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: For a leader that has become a beacon of -- to some degree freedom, hope democracy for the Western world over the course of the last 300 plus days. There was no more dramatic and potentially consequential seven to eight hours. In the seven to eight hours, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy spent going from the White House meeting with President Biden up to Capitol Hill speaking to a joint session of congress.

All through the lens of a conflict that shows no signs of ending anytime soon. And that was one of the primary takeaways from his sprint through Washington, D.C. His first trip out of Ukraine since Russia invaded at the end of February. The reality that as long as Vladimir Putin, as long as Russia continues to mount the invasion that they've had ongoing now for nearly 10 months. There are no compromises to make in the words of Zelenskyy.

There is no change. There's no shift. And this is not just a battle between two countries and invader and the Ukrainian people. This is a battle, really, to some degree, at least in the framing of Zelenskyy for democracy, for many of the Western values that President Biden has made clear are essential in this moment in time.

[02:05:04]

And that is why this visit when he talked to White House officials was so critically important given the scale of the U.S. assistance over the course of the last nine or 10 months, given the fact that while Zelenskyy was here, Biden announced another $1.8 billion in security assistance, including the most substantial addition of weapons capability in the Patriot missile defense system that has ever been put on the table.

Something that Zelenskyy made clear he wants more of. They need lawmakers to continue to support that. They need the American public to continue to support that and Zelenskyy made clear, that was in part why he was here and had a very, very clear message. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ZELENSKYY: Your money is not charity. It's an investment in the global security and democracy that we handle in the most responsible way.

Russia, Russia could stop its aggression, really, if it wanted to. But you can speed up our victory. I know it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

Now officials familiar with Biden's closed-door meeting with Zelenskyy lasted a little more than two hours with a one-on-one meeting and a bilateral meeting between the two national security teams. So, there were no clear moves towards some type of peace pathway. That is simply not on the table. So long as Vladimir Putin and the Russian military continue the pathway they've pursued.

But they all seem to agree that next year, starting in just a couple of days, is a turning point, a critical year and a moment where the Ukrainian forces plan to make some type of breakthrough. How they're going to do that, though, remains somewhat unclear. He talked to U.S. officials, they see this now more as a stalemate when it comes to the battlespace than any type of progression forward on one side or the other.

And that underscores and other critical component. Zelenskyy making clear they would be asking for more assistance. Pretty much daily from here on out, underscoring that while the U.S. has by far given the most money, weapons, economic support up to this point, much more will be needed and the Munson perhaps longer ahead.

Phil Mattingly, CNN, the White House.

STOUT: Let's go live now to London and CNN's Clare Sebastian. And Clare, just How did Mr. Zelenskyy make his appeal to the American people and how is Russia now responding?

CLARE SEBASTIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Kristie, this really was a performance I think designed to guard against any fatigue that we might be seeing now that this conflict is entering its 10th month. President Zelenskyy really a masterclass in symbolism. He presented a flag that was signed by soldiers on the front line to the heads of Congress. And he backed it up with concrete evidence.

He said he was blunt. He said, Russia -- he said Ukraine is out gun Russia has the upper hand when it comes to artillery and ammunition, providing evidence for his ongoing requests for more weapons. And he said Russia repeatedly used the word terrorist. He said it's a terrorist state, not only in its actions in Ukraine, but also at home in Russia. So really, along the lines that we've seen from Zelenskyy throughout this conflict, presenting it, there's an existential struggle, not just for the future of Ukraine, but the future of democracy.

President Biden also steadfast saying that they will stick with Ukraine for as long as it takes. But politically, I think he also has to bring forward some evidence that this is working, that it's not just as the House -- the House Republican leader has that a blank check. Take a listen to what he said in a press conference earlier in the day.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I don't think we should underestimate the impact this war is having on Russia, and the losses they're suffering. And you saw just -- I think it was two days ago, Putin saying that this is much tougher than he thought. He thought he could break NATO. He thought he could break the West. He thought he could break the alliance, he thought he could be welcomed by the Ukrainian people that were Russian speaking. He was wrong, wrong and wrong.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SEBASTIAN: Well, as you notice, Kristie, we've had some reaction now from the Russian ambassador to the U.S. Anatoly Antonov who said, the Hollywood-style trip to Washington by the head of the Kyiv regime has confirmed that the administration's conciliatory statements about the lack of intention to start a confrontation with Russia or just empty words making the point that Russia continues to make that by the provision of weapons to Ukraine.

The U.S. is essentially being drawn into the conflict. They have presented themselves as in a struggle with the west. And we saw President Putin on Wednesday appearing with his defense chiefs announcing major military expansion. It's clear that Russia despite accusing Ukraine of this is itself not in the mood for peace.

STOUT: Yes. A Hollywood-style trip and interesting choice of words there from the Kremlin. Clare Sebastian, we thank you for your reporting. Take care.

[02:10:06]

As President Zelenskyy speaks about the current war Russian President Vladimir Putin is talking about possible future ones. In fact, on Wednesday, he announced that Moscow will step up investment in its military to prepare for what he called inevitable clashes with his adversaries made it clear the main adversary is NATO, which President Putin claims wants to weaken and split Russia.

The Russian leader also said the war with Ukraine was bound to happen at some point.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VLADIMIR PUTIN, PRESIDENT OF RUSSIA: Still achieved them. It became obvious that clashes with these forces including in Ukraine were inevitable. The only question was when it would happen. Of course, military operations are always associated with tragedy and loss of people. We understand this very well. And we are aware of this. Since it was inevitable, better today than tomorrow. (END VIDEO CLIP)

STOUT: The new investment includes increasing the size of Russia's military and stepping aboard to deploy its latest intercontinental ballistic missile.

Steven Pifer is the former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine and joins me now from Palo Alto, California. Sir, thank you very much, indeed, for joining us. Let's talk first, of course, about President Zelenskyy's speech to Congress. And he's spoken English to directly appeal to American lawmakers, as well as the American people. Did he succeed in shoring up more support?

STEVEN PIFER, FORMER UNITED STATES AMBASSADOR TO UKRAINE: I think it was a very successful speech. And it was a nice touch to speak in English, even if it was a -- English was not a comfortable language for him, you know, addressing the Congress in English was the right thing to do. But he did, I think three things that were very important. One, expressed gratitude, not just to Congress but to the American people, for American support.

Second, he made the very correct point, that this war is not just about Ukraine, it's about much bigger things that concern the West. Things like a rules-based international order. Things like broader threats to Europe that could come from Russia, should Russia succeed. And the third point he made is that well, of course, it's been the Ukrainian soldiers who have been fighting and dying but fighting with great tenacity, skill and courage.

It also is important that he -- that he reminded Congress that they need tools to fight and that means continuing -- ammunition from the west.

STOUT: That's right. And that has come in the form of the latest U.S. package of military aid, including the Patriot missile battery. You know, we know that Russian airstrikes are just slamming just raining down on Ukraine. What will the Patriot do to better defend the country?

PIFER: Yes. The Patriot has a very good capability against enemy aircraft, but also against ballistic missiles. And that may be sort of the unique contributions, the Patriot will allow Ukraine to defend against Russian ballistic missiles, such as the Iskandar. And again, the provision of this, so there's also a symbolic message here which is a commitment of long-term American support because it'll take a while to train the Ukrainians on the patriot.

But that's showing that, you know, several months down the line, America is still going to be there.

STOUT: And the issue of more aid, you know, in his speech, Zelenskyy said this, "We have artillery. Yes. Thank you. Is it enough? Not really." And that was a moment that actually got a laugh in the chamber. But it is a very, very significant point. Ukraine will be seeking more aid, but will a divided congress approve it? PIFER: Yes. Again, I think part of the message that Zelenskyy directed at the Congress was to bolster support for Ukraine. And bear in mind that if you go back to the early 1990s, there's a long tradition of bipartisan support for Ukraine. It was really only in the last eight or nine months where you've seen this fissure emerge within the Republican Party where most republicans, I believe, understand the importance of Ukraine.

And that the Americans have an interest in Ukraine's defense. You have though this minority group, the people who, you know, MAGA people, perhaps the incoming speaker of the House, who does seem to question that. And I think this speech probably bolstered support, not only in within Congress, but also among the American public for Ukraine.

STOUT: And to -- finally, just zero in on one of the three takeaways that you've taken away from Mr. Zelenskyy's speech, how this is bigger than Ukraine. In his speech, the Ukrainian president warned that if Russia is not defeated in Ukraine, it will come soon for other U.S. allies in Europe. Do you also believe that could happen?

PIFER: You know, Vladimir Putin, back in June talked about recovering historic Russian land. So, he said, what the Russian military is doing in Ukraine, it's -- we're not capturing territory, we are regaining historic Russian land.

[02:15:07]

Well, if you look at old maps of the Russian Empire, the Baltic States were once historic Russian land. And I do worry a bit that if Putin succeeds in Ukraine and is emboldened, he may then try something against one of the Baltic states. And remember, when we're talking about Ukraine, it's the United States providing weapons and money. If it's a Baltic state, a member of NATO, the United States is going to be providing weapons, money and the lives of American soldiers. It's better to stop Putin in Ukraine.

STOUT: Yes. They're massive and frightful stakes at play here. Ambassador Steve Pifer, thank you so much for joining us.

PIFER: Thank you.

STOUT: Israel is one step closer to having its most right-wing government in history. On Wednesday, Prime Minister Designate Benjamin Netanyahu announced that he formed a new governing coalition, but the incoming cabinet is set to include politicians who were once considered to be on the extreme fringes of Israeli politics.

For more, Hadas Gold joins us now live from Jerusalem. And Hadas, it happens just minutes before the deadline. Mr. Netanyahu confirmed that he secured this deal to form a new government. How did he do it?

HADAS GOLD, CNN JERUSALEM CORRESPONDENT: Yes. Benjamin Netanyahu had promised after those November 1st elections where he and his coalition partners actually did much better than the polls were suggesting. He said he was going to have a government within a week or two. But then it turned out it took weeks of wheeling and dealing and striking deals with his coalition partners.

And he really took it up to the wire just minutes before that midnight deadline. We were still waiting to hear from Benjamin Netanyahu, whether he was going to call the Israeli president say that he had finally managed to do it. And he did. You can see the video there of him on the phone with the Israeli President saying he had managed to do it. But this new government, as you noted, is expected to be the most right-wing likely in Israeli history.

And it has many in the international community, including Israel's allies, bracing themselves for what comes next.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

GOLD (voice over): The new Israeli government setting off alarm bells around the world. Even allies warily eyeing Benjamin Netanyahu's new ministers who will make up the most right-wing government in Israeli history.

A stark change from the last coalition now made up all of men and all Orthodox except for Netanyahu himself. Most recognizable is Itamar Ben-Gvir, once convicted of anti-Arab racism and supporting a Jewish terrorist group. Now National Security Minister in charge of Israeli police.

Eager to allow Jews to pray at Jerusalem's holy a site where only Muslims are now allowed to worship. A place that has sparked intifadas and even wars. Former Israeli ambassador to the United States Danny Ayalon warning Washington will be on high alert.

DANNY AYALON, FORMER ISRAELI AMBASSADOR TO UNITED STATES: If They will perform what is conceived in Washington as provocations. For instance, change of status in Temple Mount, or unchecked enlargement of new settlements. This could be a very, very big problem for Netanyahu and for the government.

GOLD: Then there's Bezalel Smotrich, another far-right settler lawyer turned politician has been named Minister of Finance, and has also been given power to appoint the head of the Israeli body which controls border crossings and permits for Palestinians. Smotrich supports abolishing the Palestinian Authority and annexing the West Bank.

Israel staunchest ally the United States perhaps hoping the rhetoric won't match the actions.

ANTONY BLINKEN, UNITED STATES SECRETARY OF STATE: We will gauge the government by the policies it pursues rather than individual personalities.

GOLD: Other appointments causing uproar include a gay-rights opponent who has vowed to ban pride parades to position in the education ministry. And proposed changes to the law of return for the restricting who was considered Jewish enough to be permitted to emigrate to Israel.

Netanyahu, for his part has repeatedly claimed that the buck will stop with him.

BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER-DESIGNATE: I've had such partners in the past, and they didn't change an iota of my policies. I decide the policy with my party.

GOLD: But as the government has taken shape, his critics like this cartoonist say he's creating a monster he won't be able to control.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

GGOLD: And Kristie, despite Netanyahu's call last night to the Israeli president, he still actually needs to sign formal coalition agreements with at least two of his partners. And we still don't know the full list of who will be in Netanyahu's cabinet, who will be important ministerial positions such as minister of justice or minister of foreign affairs. And even for some of the ministers that we do know will likely be appointed.

They actually need some special bills to be passed before they can take on their roles, including one who needs a special bill to be passed to allow him to become a minister because he has been previously convicted of tax offenses. Kristie?

STOUT: interesting official there. Hadas Gold reporting live from Jerusalem. We'll talk again soon. Thank you.

Oh, the crisis in Peru leading to a finger pointing between Mexico and the U.S.

[02:20:05]

Up next, what Mexican president believes Washington is not walking the walk when it comes to supporting Peruvian democracy.

And later, the World Health Organization says it is concerned over the rising number of COVID cases in China. What it's now asking Beijing to do.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

STOUT: Welcome back. Now, the lines of migrants are growing longer by the day at the U.S.-Mexico border. With the Trump era immigration policy known as Title 42, still in limbo. Now that policy, which allows border officials to quickly expel migrants to slow the spread of COVID was due to expire Wednesday before the Supreme Court's Chief Justice stepped in to put its termination on hold.

And border cities as well as the Biden administration are still preparing as if Title 42 will end sooner rather than later. But until it does, uncertainty looms over the thousands of migrants trying to seek asylum. Disagreement over title 42 is holding up a $1.7 trillion government funding bill in the U.S. Senate. And amendment from Republican Mike Lee seeks to extend the policy. But Democrat Chris Coons says the bill is hanging by a thread.

The measure includes $45 billion in emergency aid to Ukraine and NATO allies and it would ban the social media app TikTok on government- issued electronic devices.

Our political friction is growing between the U.S. and Mexico ahead of a major North American summit next month. And Mexico's president is pointing a finger at the U.S. and accusing it of hypocrisy over its response to the crisis in Peru. Rafael Romo reports.

RAFAEL ROMO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Mexican president Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador spoke at length about relations between the United States and Latin American countries. He stopped short of saying the White House has been meddling in the domestic affairs of some nations. He specifically focused on the U.S. response after former Peruvian President Pedro Castillo, a fellow leftist was ousted after he attempted to dissolve his country's Congress which in turn impeached him.

He criticized the recent meeting between U.S. Ambassador to Peru Lisa Kenna and current Peruvian President Dina Boluarte who succeeded Castillo as well as other meetings with officials in the new government.

[02:25:02]

He also criticized the fact that the White House recognizes Boluarte's presidency when Mexico still considers Castillo Peru's legitimate president.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANDRES MANUEL LOPEZ OBRADOR, PRESIDENT OF MEXICO (through translator): And I, to be honest, I'm very sorry that the United States government, which always talks about democracy in this case, instead of asking that the will of the people be respected, that the democratically elected president be respected. What they end up doing is endorsing all the shady maneuvers to remove the president.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROMO: At one point, Lopez Obrador seem to contradict himself when he said that there are no problems between Mexico and the United States. Only minutes after saying that there are frictions. Next month, President Lopez Obrador will host the North American Leaders Summit in Mexico City and both U.S. President Joe Biden and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau are expected to attend.

Lopez Obrador says he wants to begin a new phase in relations between countries in the American continent. Peru's new government is furious about President Lopez Obrador's public support of former President Castillo going as far as ordering the Mexican ambassador to Peru to leave the country and declaring him persona non grata. President Lopez Obrador said Wednesday his country will not respond in kind.

Mexico is giving asylum to former president Castillo's wife and two minor children. Rafael Romo, CNN, Atlanta.

STOUT: The World Health Organization says it is concerned about the rise of COVID infections in China. A country is seeing an uptick in cases after dropping its harsh zero-COVID restrictions earlier this month. The WHO was urging China to share more information.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TEDROS ADHANOM GHEBREYESUS, DIRECTOR GENERAL OF THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION: WHO is very concerned over the evolving situation in China was increasingly reports of severe disease. In order to make a comprehensive risk assessment of the situation on the ground, WHO needs more detailed information on business severity, hospital admissions and requirements for ICU support.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

STOUT: The WHO was praising the country's renewed strategy to get more people vaccinated and warns that it will be hard for China to curve COVID infections with just social measures.

You're watching CNN NEWSROOM. Still ahead, we've got more on our top story. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's historic visit to Washington and the rousing and inspiring speech he delivered to Congress.

[02:30:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT: Your money is not charity. It is an investment in the global security and democracy that we handle in the most responsible way.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KRISTIE LU STOUT, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Ukraine's president there, stressing to U.S. lawmakers just how vital American support is for Ukraine's fight against Russia. Volodymyr Zelenskyy delivered a historic and impassioned speech at the U.S. Capitol before a joint meeting of Congress. He made a plea for more help in the fight, emphasizing that Ukraine's armed forces are outnumbered and outgunned by the Russian military. President Zelenskyy emphasize that Ukraine does not need U.S. troops on the ground but, instead, needs American equipment and funding.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ZELENSKYY: I assure you that Ukrainian soldiers can perfectly operate American tanks and planes themselves.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

STOUT: President Zelenskyy also expressed gratitude for the Patriot missile defense system the U.S. is sending to Ukraine's part of a nearly $2 billion new aid package. Millions of people in Ukraine were not able to watch President Zelenskyy's new conference or his address to Congress because they don't have electricity. Will Ripley reports from Kyiv. WILL RIPLEY, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: It has been an extraordinary, surreal 48 hours for Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The fact that he was just, yesterday, on the front lines in Bakhmut where you could hear the explosions from artillery as he was presenting medals to troops. Then he gets on a train and a plane and he's in Washington meeting with President Biden, giving him a war hero's medal. Meeting with members of Congress, getting up more than two minutes standing ovation and then delivering, in English, this primetime speech that is being compared to Winston Churchill's address at the beginning of World War II after the bombing of Pearl Harbor.

It is undoubtedly a huge moment for Ukraine's president and people here will be proud. But the reality is most people were not able to see that moment on television. One, because the speech happened in the middle of the night here. But largely because there are millions of people right now who don't have electricity, who don't have heat. Many of them don't have water. And they are simply trying to survive day- to-day despite this constant Russian bombardment.

Essentially, President Putin has tried to take this developed society where most people had a standard of living, comparable to the average American and trying to bomb them back into the stone ages. Keeping people, having to line up outside for a hot meal or having to go to a tent so they can have wi-fi or charge their cellphone. Even people here in the capital Kyiv are telling us that they have electricity for as little as 40 minutes a day, less than one hour of electricity a day.

In the capital city of a nation that despite this adversity, despite intense fighting and huge loss of life on the frontlines continues to get up to go to work, to put one foot in front of the other. And President Zelenskyy certainly, you know, as inspiring as his words were, that inspiration, I feel every day when I meet Ukrainian people who are living in the midst of extraordinary circumstances. Doing the best they can and doing it with the sense of pride and a sense of determination that they will win this war with or without these weapons, with or without this money.

But, of course, they rely very heavily on the assistance from the International Community. But they are fighting this war. They are dying in this war. It is their blood that they're paying for for the freedom of this democracy. And it's a war that they say will spread to the rest of the world if Ukraine does not win.

STOUT: Now, that was CNN's Will Ripley reporting. You're watching "CNN Newsroom".

And up next, the Taliban's latest crackdown on women's rights has begun. And, up next, an educator in Afghanistan weighs in on the new ban that keeps women from going to college.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[02:35:00]

STOUT: Welcome back. Now, despite swift international condemnation, the Taliban are moving ahead with their decision to suspend higher education for Afghan women. Female students walked out of Kabul university on Wednesday after professors at staffers were instructed to turn them away. The ban was announced on Tuesday, even though the Taliban had promised to respect women's rights when they seized power last year. One educator says many women are devastated by the decision.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

YALDA KOHI, RUNS EDUCATIONAL CENTER IN AFGHANISTAN: They asked all the centers to close. And you have to close. And some places even they just behave in a very bad way with the students and with girls. We can truly say that whatever they ask or whatever they do, it's not -- it doesn't have any base in our religion, even in our culture.

But it is just rise from a very small group of ideology people that they just wanted to put their ideology on -- majoralize (ph) it and to just put it for --

[02:40:00]

-- other people. We do not know, actually, that -- why they have this kind of behavior with the girls or women. Everything that they have in their policies is just -- belong to women and girls. All of them were just really said. Once again, they just lost their hopes. Once again, they have lost their dreams about their future. Every one of them were crying and saying that what is our sin? Why we are not allowed to study?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

STOUT: The Taliban halted secondary education for girls earlier this year. And women in Afghanistan are also barred from working in most professions. They have to cover their faces in public and they cannot travel long distances without a male guardian.

Now, the U.N. Security Council, meanwhile, is calling on Myanmar's military rulers to release all political prisoners, including the country's president and state counselor, Aung San Suu Kyi. In its first ever resolution passed on Myanmar, the U.N. called for more humanitarian assistance for citizens and Rohingya refugees.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARBARA WOOODWARD, BRITISH AMBASSADOR TO THE U.N.: Today, we have sent a firm message to the military. That they should be in, no doubt, we expect this resolution to be implemented in full. We have also sent a clear message to the people of Myanmar that we seek progress in line with their rights, their wishes, and their interest.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

STOUT: This comes nearly two years after the coup in February of 2021, military leaders overthrew Myanmar's democratically elected government. Now, two of the former top lieutenants were the crypto exchange FTX have now been charged with defrauding investors. And the former CEO of the now bankrupt company has not been extradited from the Bahamas. These images show Sam Bankman-Fried being led to a plane bound for the United States where he will face charges. He is expected to appear before a judge in New York on Thursday. Bankman-Fried was arrested last week on eight counts of fraud and conspiracy. He's accused of stealing money from FTX customers to support other investments and giving that money to political campaigns.

Thank you for watching. I'm Kristie Lu Stout. I'll be back in about 15 minutes with more "CNN Newsroom". Until then, World Sport is next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[02:45:00]

(WORLD SPORT)