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Connect the World
Dozens Dead after Attack at Child Care Center; Deadly Russian Missile Strike in City of Zaporizhzhia; Mysterious Death of Teenage Girl in Iran Raising Alarm; Biden Disappointed with "Shortsighted" OPEC Plus Output Cut; An Upstream Approach to Curbing Plastic Pollution; New Survey Shows Impact of Roe V. Wade Overturning. Aired 11a-12p ET
Aired October 06, 2022 - 11:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[11:00:00]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LYNDA KINKADE, CNN HOST, CONNECT THE WORLD: Hello, I'm Lynda Kinkade in Atlanta. Welcome to "Connect the World" Good to have you with us!
I didn't expect he would kill the kids those chilling words from a teacher at a nursery in Thailand after former police officers stabbed and shot
nearly two dozen children and several adults. The children was said to be all in one room taking their naps when he went child to child stabbing
them.
Authorities say the man stabbed another person outside and tried to ram people with his car as he fled. At home he killed his wife, his stepson,
and then himself. When it was over three dozen people were dead. The victims also include a teacher who was due to give birth next month.
Police say the 34-year-old attacker had been fired from the police force last year. CNN's Blake Essig joins us now from Tokyo. And Blake the more we
hear of the details emerging, the more horrific and gruesome it seems. What more can you tell us about the victims?
BLAKE ESSIG, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Lynda just absolutely heartbreaking the more details that seemed to be coming out by the hour. It happened early in
the afternoon on Thursday, in Providence in the Northeastern part of Thailand about 300 miles or so Northeast of Bangkok a peaceful quiet area
not known for violence that has now become the scene of Thailand's deadliest massacre ever carried out by a single person.
According to officials with Thailand's Criminal Investigation Bureau the attacker armed with multiple guns and a knife entered the nursery while the
kids were asleep. Out of the 24 kids inside the nursery police say 23 of them some as young as two years old, were killed.
According to the Police Chief most of the victims killed were stabbed saying "It seems if it was a kid, he would use a knife" he being of course
the attacker. Police say that the suspect shot and stabbed his victims before he fled the nursery, striking bystanders with his car in the
process.
Investigators immediately launched a manhunt for the suspect to return home before killing his wife and two year old stepson before taking his own life
and in the end at least 37 people are dead including 24 children another 10 people are injured six seriously injured. Police say the shooter and his
family are included in the number of people killed Lynda.
KINKADE: Blake what more can you tell us about this shooter? This former police officer why he lost his job? What was he doing earlier before this
attack?
ESSIG: Yes, so authorities have identified the shooter as a 34 year old man, a former police officer, as you mentioned, who was actually dismissed
from duty and charged with a drug related offense last year and he had actually appeared in court on those drug charges just a few hours before
this massacre took place.
Police say the attackers' two year old son, excuse me step son was enrolled in the child care center where this attack occurred. Officials say that the
34-year-old went there looking for his child who wasn't there at the time. And it was at that point that this attack started.
It is worth pointing out, Lynda that gun ownership in Thailand is relatively high compared to other countries in Southeast Asia and illegal
weapons are also common. That being said, mass shootings and massacres in general in Thailand are rare.
One of the last mass shootings that did take place was in 2021. A soldier killed 29 people injured dozens more in a shooting spree that started in
military site went through several other locations before the gunman entered a mall Lynda.
KINKADE: Alright, Blake Essig, we will stay in touch with you. Thanks to you for that update. Well, my next guest says one of the best and worst
things about being a reporter as you get to see photos and videos that most members of the public will not be able to see.
Today it was one of the worst; rest in peace to the victims of the mass murderer and my condolences to their families. Erich Parpart is with the
Thai Enquirer and joins us now live from Bangkok. This is now the worst mass murder in Thailand's history I understand the youngest victim just two
years old.
ERICH PARPART, JOURNALIST, THAI ENQUIRER: Hi ma'am. Yes, correct. Yes, the youngest victim is between two and four years old. The latest report put
the tally number of the death toll to 38.
[11:05:00]
PARPART: And so far, it had been confirmed that most of the children were stabbed. As far as we know - is what had been reported before? Is that the
killer was an ex officer? And yes, he was indicted and found guilty for in possession of drugs before so and one of the victim was also pregnant.
KINKADE: Yes, I was going to ask you about her, Erich because I mean, I can only kind of imagine what you've had to witness seeing the vision, the
images from this classroom of this massacre. But one of the victims, you were just saying was a teacher who was pregnant and I understand her
husband was on Thai TV, weeping, saying that she was due to give birth next month.
PARPART: Yes, she's eight months pregnant. As her husband suspected, she was unable to get away from the shooting and yes, she's - another victim
also lost six member of his family.
KINKADE: Yes, so absolutely--
PARPART: It was a tragic day. And obviously, sadly, in the U.S. mass shootings have become almost a regular occurrence. But that's not the case
in most of the world, including Thailand. There was of course that one a couple of years ago involving a soldier.
But unlike most of the region, the number of guns in Thailand is really high. And I understand a lot of former police officers, former military
folks have guns and many unregistered. What more can you tell us about the gun culture in Thailand?
PARPART: It was still relatively hard to get done in the United States. That's one thing for sure. But if you know how to access them, you can
always get them here, either with money or if you were former security officers the previous mass shooting in - was by a soldier.
Most recent one was to three months ago was done by police officer who was found to have mental illness and committed murder inside - that one and the
one before that was 27, 29 and this this one is by far the worse.
The topic has been discussions here is how can this be allowed to happen in terms of how the police or soldiers screening process on how people can get
access to gotten more than just gun control. As a member of the public we'll be able to find it hard to get a gun unless like I said they have
connection or money with them.
And then the other ways but there's also a culture in terms of Vocational School Students who make these guns. There are homemade guns, which is
quite widespread. Those are much bigger of a concern in terms of how the public are managed to get their hands on guns? More than going to buy it
from, let's say from a licensed legislator.
KINKADE: Well, we appreciate it. It's quite late there in Bangkok right now. Erich Parpart thanks so much for your time! Eric from the Thai
Enquirer - we much - we really appreciate it. We will have more on that story in the coming hour so stay with us for updates on that.
Well, tensions in the Korean Peninsula are ratcheting up fast earlier North Korea launched two more short range ballistic missiles. That's it six
launch in less than two weeks. The U.S. and its allies are responding with their own show of military force.
Earlier two U.S. warships joined Japan and South Korea for trilateral missile defense exercises off the coast. CNN's Paula Hancocks takes a look
at what North Korea's alarming escalation and launches could mean?
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice over): As North Korea continues to break its own missile launch record. South Korea says
trilateral naval exercises are back in its waters. The U.S., South Korea and Japan holding drills to track and intercept missiles. A response to the
North launches.
ANDREI LANKOV, PROFESSOR, KOOKMIN UNIVERSITY: What is the impact of all this, you know, American aircraft carriers cruising around Korea pretty
much nothing.
[11:10:00]
LANKOV: It will probably make some people in the United States and Republic of Korea a bit happier, but it will have zero impact on North Korea's
behavior and decision making.
HANCOCKS (voice over): North Korea blame their recent flurry on the U.S. Thursday, calling them just counteraction measures against last week's
U.S., South Korean naval drills.
ANTONY BLINKEN, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: It will only increase the condemnation, increase the isolation; increase the steps that are taken in
response to their actions.
HANCOCKS (voice over): But the United Nations Security Council hearing this week suggested Pyongyang is not isolated while the U.S. blamed Russia and
China without naming them for enabling North Korea. Russia and China blamed the United States for increasing tensions a schism that benefits Pyongyang.
CARL SCHUSTER, FORMER U.S. NAVY CAPTAIN: Kim Jong-Un is doing what he thinks you can get away with. He's not expecting any kind of strong U.S.
reaction. He is learning the South Korean government and the U.S. government know that he has significant capability.
HANCOCKS (voice over): North Korea is expected to continue capitalizing on geopolitical turmoil, a seventh underground nuclear test expected at any
time if it happens most likely after the Chinese Party Congress.
So it's not to anger its main benefactor, Kim Jong-Un also released a 5- year plan less than two years ago, he appears to be working his way through that list.
HANCOCKS (on camera): This leads many experts to believe that this cycle of testing will continue, especially as Kim Jong-Un knows that he is very
unlikely to face any more U.N. sanctions, while Russia and China are in no mood to side with the United States. Paula Hancocks, CNN Seoul.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KINKADE: Well, residents of the Ukrainian held City of Zaporizhzhia warned to run for cover today after Russian missiles targeted residential areas.
One missile struck a high rise apartment complex killing at least one person. City of Zaporizhzhia is in the larger region of the same name, one
of four Ukrainian regions illegally annexed by Russia.
Well, today's attacks coming as Ukraine reclaims more territory from Russia in the east and the south of the country. Well, our Frederik Pleitgen is
tracking the developments for us.
Joining us now live from Kyiv good to see you Fred! So the region of Zaporizhzhia is of course home to Europe's largest nuclear power plant. The
region again under attack residents bearing the brunt of it tells us more about the missile attacks and the rescue operation underway.
FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, certainly with devastating attacks that happens. It seems as though it was two waves
of attacks that one that happening overnight, and the other one sort of in the early morning hours around dawn of this morning.
And it was the first one where the local authority said that around seven missiles had targeted residential areas in the town of Zaporizhzhia. It's
actually a pretty big City of Zaporizhzhia right there on the Dnipro River. And that's where several of those residential buildings at least partially
collapsed.
There was a really large one that was hit; we can see some of the video of the rescue efforts are going on sort of at the dawn time. That's also when
that one woman was killed and the local authorities there saying that several people at that point in time had still been trapped underneath the
rubble, at least little - one little girl was saved from the rubble as those rescue crews were working.
Now as that was going on as those crews were still in the rubble trying to pull people out trying to save people it was then that the local
authorities came out and said that the region was under attack again that there was another wave of missile attacks happening on Zaporizhzhia's
unclear how extensive the damage of that one was?
But certainly a big round of missile strikes coming from the Russians towards that town of Zaporizhzhia, which, as you mentioned, Lynda is one of
the places that the Russians have claimed to annex but of course the Russians by no means control, even close to most of that region of
Zaporizhzhia certainly not the town of Zaporizhzhia.
Nevertheless, those long distance striking capabilities clearly something the Russians still have. And again, we can see there right now some of the
very extensive damage that was done to those residential buildings because of those strikes Lynda.
KINKADE: And Fred Ukraine's President Zelenskyy has described this sort of strikes as nuclear blackmail. Before this invasion, that plant was provided
about 1/5 of Ukraine's electricity. What do we know about the status of that plant right now?
PLEITGEN: Well, it's only operating at partial capacity right now. And you know we had that big standoff that's really been going on over the past. I
would say around two months as the Russians are inside that plant.
The Ukrainians are saying that the Russians are shelling the other side of that very large and very wide river Dnipro River from that plant that they
have military inside that plant. The Russians, for their part are saying that they are now essentially the owners of that plant.
Vladimir Putin yesterday signed the decree saying that this was now - this plant was now a part of the Russian energy agency and so essentially
belongs to Russia.
[11:15:00]
PLEITGEN: The Ukrainians are having absolutely no part of that. It was quite interesting because earlier today, the Head of the Ukrainian Energy
Agency said that he was also now the Head of that power plant.
And of course, today we have the Head of the International Atomic Energy Agency here in Kyiv. And this is another big problem for the IAEA for a
very long time since the IAEA has been able to get inspectors in there. They've said they believe that that plant needs to become a demilitarized
zone so that it is safe.
It was you know, very close to some pretty bad accidents and incidents happening inside that plant. The power was cut off; reactors had to be shut
down. And it's clearly something that is extremely dangerous for that region right now. No closer to any of that being solved, Lynda.
KINKADE: All right. Frederik Pleitgen for us in Kyiv, Ukraine, thanks so much. Well, as Ukraine reclaims more villages in the south and east of the
country, we are hearing more grim stories about life under Russian occupation. Our Nick Paton Walsh has more. But we must warn you his report
contains images that some viewers may find disturbing.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
NICK PATON WALSH, CNN INTERNATIONAL SECURITY EDITOR: (voice over): We don't leave our own behind, a Russian war slogan you hear less these days,
especially along the road south by the Dnipro River, where the Russians seem to be collapsing since the weekend on yet a third front.
WALSH (on camera): The pace of Ukraine's advance you can feel on the road here. Hour by hour, they move forwards this road lines with Russian bodies,
abandoned Russian positions is clear people left here in a hurry.
WALSH (voice over): In just the last three days, they've swept along the west bank of the river through Russian positions, the shallow shabby
foxholes of an army with almost nothing at hand. Even what little they had was abandoned, especially this tank, a model that first came into service
60 years ago, when Vladimir Putin was nine. Here, the village of Mykolaivka right on the river is getting cell phone service for the first time in six
months and aid. Shell slammed into here 90 minutes ago from the Russians still across the water. It's the price of their freedom.
The Russians would check on us she says tried to make us vote in the referendum, but we didn't. Still we survived. We old people always have
food supplies. Outside the village are more of the short lived occupation left in the tree line with a sleeping mat and shells.
In nearby - there was heavy fighting Saturday, and then Sunday, the Russians just vanished. Gratitude for aid and liberation is going spare to
almost anyone.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I cry because two of mine are fighting too. I am crying as I am happy you are here.
WALSH (voice over): Smiles at it is over and shock of how fast. It was very scary. We were afraid, she says hiding. They were bombing robbing, we
survived. They ran, the rain came and they ran signs all-around of how their unwanted guests just did not know what to do when they got here, or
have food or beds.
So they filled that gap with cruelty. Andrei had a generator and would charge locals phones. So the Russians decided he was Ukrainian informer and
beat him. They brought me from here and they put a hood on my head and taped it up, he says, and then we walked a few steps up and down.
They beat him so badly. His arms turned blue from defending his head still there months later. Stalemate had torn these huge expanses up for months.
Now it's broken, as has the fear of the Kremlin's army here bereft, abandoned, filthy and vanishing down the road. Nick Paton Walsh CNN along
the Dnieper River Kherson region, Ukraine.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KINKADE: Well still ahead on "Connect the World" she protested on the streets of Iran but never made it back home, more on the mysterious
disappearance and the death of another young woman. Also U.S. backlash of the OPEC Plus one oil cut how the Biden White House is trying to mute the
impact on the global economy.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:20:00]
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ABIR AL-SAHLANI, SWEDISH MEMBER OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT: Until the woman of Iran, a fleet we are going to stand with you. Women, Life, Freedom!
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KINKADE: Swedish Member of the European Parliament there delivering an impassioned speech followed by a dramatic and bold move to show solidarity.
Abir Al-Sahlani later could tell CNN, that the world's leaders are failing to support protesters in Iran.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
AL-SAHLANI: The courage of the Iranian woman has been unprecedented. And the world's leaders met a few weeks ago. And the General Assembly of the UN
and no one of them had that courage to actually mention the fight for freedom of the Iranian women.
And we owe them that at least let their voices eco in the beacon of democracy. They will appear in Parliament. Let their voices eco here and
show our support to the women of Iran when the world's leaders are failing in showing that kind of support.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KINKADE: With the European Union is planning new sanctions on Iran for its violent crackdown on the protesters. Meanwhile, Human Rights Watch is
slamming Iran for using excessive and lethal force to crush dissent. Young women are at the forefront of these demonstrations chanting for more
rights, despite the harsh government crackdown.
This video comes from pro-reform activist outlet, IranWire. Protesters have been agitating ever since 22 year old Mahsa Amini died in police custody
about three weeks ago. For the latest I want to bring in Jomana Karadsheh who joins us from Istanbul. And Jomana you've been looking into the death
of another young woman who's disappeared under mysterious circumstances.
JOMANA KARADSHEH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Lynda. We have been really trying to look into the circumstances surrounding the disappearance and then the
death of this young woman, Nika Shahkarami. But the communication restrictions that have been put in place by the Iranian government, the
internet blackout have made it very difficult for us to try and reach people inside the country to try and gather more information.
But for now, what we have is statements made by family members and what the government has said through state media. And here's what we know so far.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KARADSHEH (voice over): This is Nika Shahkarami, one of the thousands of young Iranians who took to the streets on September 20. But Nika never made
it back home. She disappeared. 10 days later, her parents found her a lifeless body at the morgue of a detention center in Tehran. Nika's aunt
spoke out in a BBC Persia interview.
I was in contact with her until 7 pm on September 20th. Her friend said Nika put a story on Instagram to show she had burned her headscarf. And she
said to her friend she was running away because security agents were after her. That was the last contact from her.
[11:25:00]
KARADSHEH (voice over): According to her aunt Nika's phone was switched off and her social media accounts deactivated. At the morgue they showed a
body. They only allowed her mother and her brother to identify the face. They were not allowed to unzip the cover to see the torso.
While the circumstances of her death remain unclear, human rights groups have documented the brutal force used against protesters. Iranian security
forces have dragged on veiled women by their hair, with some also reportedly sexually assaulted according to Amnesty International.
Iranian state media released the CCTV video that investigators say shows Nika going into a building, possibly falling from it later. They say
they've arrested eight workers who are there. Authorities say there is no evidence the teenager was killed by police.
Prosecutors say they've launched an investigation into her death. That comes just weeks after Mahsa Amini collapsed and died in morality police
custody. Amini's family say doctors told them she had had trauma and believe she was beaten to death.
Police said the 22 year old died of a heart attack they deny any wrongdoing. And it's been nearly three weeks since that investigation was
announced. At Nika's funeral this - cries today is your birthday. Congratulations on your martyrdom. Nika Shahkarami was buried on what would
have been her 17th birthday.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KARADSHEH: And Lynda, despite the tragic news there and despite the ongoing and intensifying government crackdown on the protests, we're still seeing
people taking to the streets, still defiant, still protesting you know we get a little bit of video that does trickle out of the country because of
the internet blackout.
And it kind of gives you a snapshot of what is going on. And we're seeing young people still taken to the streets. You've got these young girls still
joining in the protests. And today in Tehran, we saw people protesting outside a metro station chanting Death to the Dictator.
You had young women who removed their headscarves and were out on the streets as someone described it the atmosphere there is really a mood of
defiance right now.
KINKADE: Yes, it certainly is. Despite that crackdown as you say these protesters are continuing. Jomana Karadsheh thanks very much. Well, still
ahead, the White House has criticized the OPEC oil cartel for its decision to cut production calling it short sighted.
Alaska top energy unless if this could become a flashpoint in U.S. relations with giant crude producer, Saudi Arabia. And we'll have more on
that horrific attack in Thailand that killed dozens of people, most of them children. We'll hear from a teacher who has witnessed the attack.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:30:00]
KINKADE: Welcome back. I'm Lynda Kinkade, good to have you with us. Well, Thailand is grieving after the worst massacre in the nation's history
carried out by one person. The youngest victim is just two years old.
Well families are clinging to each other after police say a former police officer stormed a daycare center in the northeast of the country. He
fatally shot and stabbed a number of adults as well as 23 innocent children who were taking their naps.
He then went home, killed his wife, and his stepson as well as himself. Three dozen people were killed in all; take a listen to one teacher's
chilling account, which is just coming to CNN. And a warning her account gives graphic details.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Around noon, I saw him enter the gate and the staff was having lunch. I suddenly heard what sounded like firecrackers. So I
looked back and the staff had laid down on the floor. Then he pulled a gun from his waist, loaded it and was about to point the gun at me.
So I called to another teacher who was holding a kid, and I didn't expect he'd also kill the kids. The teacher was hiding inside the room, but he
shot at the door and kicked it open and entered. The teacher was panicked and trying to shout to others. He then pulled a knife and stabbed the knife
at the kids and teachers heads.
I saw a short gun, not a long gun. I saw it all with my own eyes. I told my friends he was coming. It's not right. He brought a gun to school to kill
people. The teachers in there, I didn't think he would come and kill them. I thought he would leave.
I saw him using a knife chopping at the bodies of the kids again and again. He also used a knife and stabbed a pregnant woman who was due to give birth
in one month. She died inside that room.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KINKADE: Well, gun ownership in Thailand is relatively high for the region and many weapons are brought in illegally from neighboring countries that
nevertheless attacks like this are rare. CNN's Selina Wang joins us from Tokyo with the latest and the details that are emerging, clearly horrific.
What more are you learning about the victims?
SELINA WANG, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Lynda, the police continue to share more details about this horrifying tragedy. That death toll continues to
rise now 37 people dead, including 24 children 10 more injured, including one pregnant woman as we heard from that witness over in that slot you just
played earlier.
Now authorities say that this 34 year old former police officer went to the nursery around noon time looking for his two year old stepson, he did not
find him. He managed to enter a room where 24 children were sleeping during their lunchtime nap.
He began stabbing and shooting at the children and the staff members all but one child died in that room. Afterwards authority said that this man
drove home using his car to ram into bystanders and that when he got home, he killed his stepson, his wife before taking his own life.
Now the authorities in Thailand had earlier called this massacre a mass shooting. But now the police are saying that many of the people died from
knife stabbing wounds. We know that this 34 year old man had been dismissed from the police force on drug related charges.
In fact he had appeared in court just hours before the shooting because of those drug related charges. The authorities have also said that he has a
long record of drug use. The police are saying that they are not ruling out any motive including personal stress, hallucination from drugs, the
authorities are ordering a blood test. This is an incredibly devastating, horrifying, shocking time for Thailand. As you mentioned earlier, Thailand
is a country where the rates of gun ownership are relatively high compared to other countries in the region. But mass shootings are rare.
And the place where this massacre happened in northeastern Thailand, this is a peaceful, tranquil place that is not known for violence. The families
of the victims are in shock. You can see them weeping. You can hear them sobbing outside of that daycare center after this horrific tragedy, Lynda.
KINKADE: Selina Wang, yes. We will stay across this throughout the day on CNN, thanks to you. Well, the White House says U.S. President Joe Biden is
disappointed with what the administration calls the short sighted OPEC plus decision to slash oil production.
[11:35:00]
KINKADE: The major producers including Saudi Arabia, saying they will cut crude output by 2 million barrels a day. President Biden was asked for his
response. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What's your reaction to the OPEC Plus decision -
JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: Disappointment and we're looking at what alternatives you may have heard Amanda, you're not
going to see the war.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (Inaudible)
BIDEN: There are a lot of alternatives. We haven't made up our mind yet.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KINKADE: OPEX move threatens to push gasoline prices higher and comes just weeks before the U.S. midterm elections. So it has the potential to become
a flashpoint in U.S. Saudi relations. The Saudi Energy Minister says it's all about stability. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ABDULAZIZ BIN SALMAN, SAUDI ARABIAN ENERGY MINISTER: The most pivotal and more important thing for all of us in this table and others who have a huge
amount of hydrocarbon resources is to make sure that we have a stable, sustainable stable market that would not inhibit investment that will not
inhibit growth of demand.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KINKADE: Well, Chief OPEC Correspondent for Energy Intelligence, Amena Bakr joins me now from London. Good to have you with us. So Amena, OPEC has
agreed to its deepest cuts in production since the COVID pandemic began. Understand you've been in close contact with the Saudi energy minister.
What can you tell us about this decision?
AMENA BAKR, CHIEF OPEC CORRESPONDENT, ENERGY INTELLIGENCE: Well, I was on the ground; I just flew out of Vienna actually today. And the mood there
really was to look at the fundamental factors. OPEC plus sees the current market as very uncertain, not just on the demand side, but on the supply
side, we're faced with unprecedented uncertainty that we haven't seen over the past three decades.
So the group wanted to take some kind of action, preventive preemptive action that would help them restore some of that spare capacity, which
might be used in the future. So this headline, 2 million barrel per day cut isn't going to actually result in a 2 million barrel per day cut in supply,
the actual cut might be a million.
That's because many of the group's members already are lagging behind, they can't meet their quotas, so only half of it will be implemented. But that
half would also give countries like Saudi Arabia and the UAE more spare capacity.
So when you see disruptions happening in the market down the road, it sally in the UAE are the ones that are going to be able to deploy the spare
capacity and supply more to the market.
KINKADE: And the White House's call this decision to reduce output short sighted. Is the response from the White House and the U.S. politicians to
this OPEC plus decision justify?
BAKR: Well, to many of the OPEC plus officials, they didn't want to comment about this in public yesterday, they were asked about it at the press
conference. And they said that they would rather keep OPEC plus, out of politics. They remove politics out of their decision. And this was
basically a technical decision.
More privately, I mean, things that are being said, especially among Gulf States is that decisions such as the Fed raising interest rates, that could
potentially also slow down the global economy. And that is disappointing, but you don't see any of the OPEC plus states lobbying the U.S. or issuing
statements saying that's disappointing.
KINKADE: Amena Bark, apologies, I'm going to have to cut you off there. Thanks so much for joining us. I have to get to some breaking news; the
Director of the UN Nuclear Watchdog is in Kyiv. He's speaking about the security situation at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, take a listen.
RAFAEL GROSSI, DIRECTOR GENERAL, INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY: A very complex scenario. So there is no change in the sense that we are going to
continue there. As I said, when I went to the plant, the IEA is not moving, we are going to stay there we are operating as we speak, we are operating a
rotation. So the current team is going to be replaced with a fresh team. So we are staying there.
Of course, this is very recent. All these announcements are just yesterday, and I'm already here discussing about this. So we'll see what the
consequences the practical consequences are.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mr. Grossi, would you be happy to see Ukrainian troops retake the Zaporizhzhia plants and surrounding areas by force?
GROSSI: Happy you mean, if I will be happy.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You have to see Ukrainian forces retake the plant --?
GROSSI: Well, I think this is a matter that has to do with international law. We are here in a conflict. We are here in a world, we want this war to
stop the war, should stop immediately. And of course the position of the IEA is that this facility is a Ukrainian facility. But I don't get into
comments about military developments. Yes.
[11:40:00]
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So what do you think the Russians have apparently said that they want all the people who are working at that lab to become
employees of Rostov? If that happens, the Russians will say look, in the future, you're only going to be dealing with Rostov to deal with that plan?
Are you going to boycott that process with that proposal by the Russians? Are you going to play along with that?
GROSSI: Well, I cannot, I can neither boycott nor play along, I have to do the right thing. And the right thing in this case is, first of all, look
after the security, the safety and the well-being of the staff. And when it comes to the contractual changes that may be coming as a result of the
announcements is something that I will have to be discussing in Russia, in the next few days.
There is not much clarity about the extent of these proposed changes. So I will have to have more clarity. For us it is obvious that since this is a
Ukrainian facility, and the ownership is on an item, any change will be a complex issue. And we are going to know or try to know more about it and
the consequences. So it's not a matter of boycotting, I don't have that power, as you know.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Why don't you have to make clear the Russians that internationally not allowed to annex a power plant and just say?
GROSSI: Haven't I said that? Haven't I just said that? Haven't I just said that?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You said that you are going to have to deal with reality.
GROSSI: We are an international organization; we are guided by international law. And as you know very well, you all know very well
annexations are not accepted under international law, the United Nations Charter and other instruments. So this is very clear, but there are
practical consequences. And I am dealing with that as well. Yes, over there.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The Russian said that a prerequisite setting up or agreeing to safety - the IAEA specifically on that?
GROSSI: Well, in this case, I will repeat to my Russian counterparts, what I have just said. And then, as you know, there are, there is existing
guidance in terms of what international organizations can do. In cases like this, where you have a conflict, we have a war like this, but still, there
are indispensable actions or activities or missions that you have to perform.
In our case, it has to do with the safeguarding of the nuclear material; it has to do with the safety and the security of the plant have to do with the
technical cooperation. And as much as we are concerned we will continue to be guided by the agreements we have with Ukraine and I will be discussing
about this in Russia very soon. Yes, sir.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're having reports on portraits and abductions in the - well-being of employees, the people who stay in notice that kind of
thing. And did you notice that kind of pressure on employees that are working?
GROSSI: I don't know about individual cases or abductions and things like this. Of course, it is beyond our abilities to have this kind of
investigative capacities. One thing I can tell you and I have been saying it from day one, the staff at the plant is operating under almost
unbearable circumstances.
The stress, the uncertainty, not knowing what is going to happen to be, I would say compounded with the fact that now with this announced changes,
there may be issues related to the management of the facility. So all of these things need to be clarified and I expect him to be discussing this
also when I come to Moscow sir, yes.
KINKADE: We've just been listening to the International Atomic Energy Agency's Chief there, Rafael Grossi speaking about security at the
Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant. His staff, of course are investigating it. He again said that war should stop immediately.
He has called for the need for a nuclear safety and security protection zone around that nuclear plant. He also dismissed Russia's illegal
annexation of Zaporizhzhia saying it's not accepted under international law. He said he will be going to Russia soon to speak with them. We're
going to take a quick break. We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:45:00]
KINKADE: Well, every year at least 14 million tons of plastic finds its way into our oceans, threatening marine life and contributing to climate change
and even impacting human health. Well today on Call to Earth, an organization in South Africa is tackling the problem of plastic pollution
with a unique multi-pronged approach.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BILL WEIR, CNN REPORTER (voice over): Lush vegetation flanks this peaceful South African river, water flowing smooth and unhindered. But a bird's eye
view reveals a grim detail. Plastic waste is threatening its beauty, and all forms of life that depend on this water to survive.
FABIAN LEBRON, STAFF, THE LITTERBOOM PROJECT: There's so much stuff in the river. It's really mind boggling. And even the community also they will
tell us like what it looked like before and what it looks like now, it's a huge difference. And that for me, it makes me glad because like we all
making a difference in our--
WEIR (voice over): That's exactly what Cameron Service had in mind when he created the Litterboom project devoted to river cleaning, because 80 to 90
percent of the plastic in the oceans comes from river systems.
CAMERON SERVICE, FOUNDER & CEO, THE LITTERBOOM PROJECT: For us it's always been with the intention of trying to remove all the plastic from the ocean
to be able to restore the pristine beauty of the oceans and rivers back to its original state.
WEIR (voice over): Formed in 2017, the Young Nonprofit took an innovative approach to cleaning rivers.
SERVICE: We set up a black HDPE pipe across the river that sits on top of the water. And we tension in such a way that the floating plastic pollution
gets caught in the Litterboom. And our teams who collect daily will remove the plastic from the rivers and sorted. We're in six rivers in - and three
rivers in Cape Town.
We've collected over 350,000 kilograms of plastic from the rivers. And we have offset about 250,000 kilograms of plastic through recycling and
innovation initiatives.
WEIR (voice over): Amid the success the company continues to improve on its process.
KYLE MACLEAN, RESEARCHER: we installed two time lapse cameras here on the Leesburg River. And the idea is that they take pictures every 30 minutes.
And using algorithm software, they're able to identify what's the amount of plastics that are intercepted by Litterbooms. The data is very useful not
only for the mount, also for the composition. So if we know that a lot of the product is coming from, you know the food and beverage industry that
puts enough pressure you know, we know where to channel our efforts and mitigation measures.
WEIR (voice over): Not all of the plastic they collect is recyclable, but they strive to repurpose as many of those items as they can.
SERVICE: One of the challenges that we face is that no one is taking the non-recyclable plastics. And we've got amazing partnership with a company
in Cape Town called CRDC. And they are one of the many projects that are already focused going on postconsumer innovation and taking the plastic and
putting it into building bricks that are SABS approved so they can be used commercially in South Africa.
[11:50:00]
ABRAHAM AVENANT, CEO, CRDC, SOUTH AFRICA: We have tested over about 60 different samples of plastic feedstock, a potential feedstock with very
high success rates, which just makes this a total new game changer within the concrete industry.
WEIR (voice over): And while the potential of these new products is promising, the founder of the Litterboom project believes so much more
needs to be done.
SERVICE: It's important that we don't see this as a standalone solution because there still needs to be a responsibility to reducing the amount of
plastic being created in the first place.
WEIR (voice over): Cameron dreams of a day when Litterbooms are cleaning rivers around the world. But for now, he's focused on the water and the
people he knows best.
SERVICE: We really want to start taking a deep dive into - in the communities where a lot of this plastic is accumulating because there's
insufficient waste infrastructure. We've been working really hard to establish land based interception programs.
WEIR (voice over): An upstream approach to a cleaner, healthier ocean.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KINKADE: Thanks to Bill Weir. Please let us know what you are doing to answer the call using the #calltoearth. We're going to take a quick break,
stay with us, we'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KINKADE: Welcome back, a new survey this morning is showing the impact that the overturning of Roe v. Wade is having a women here in the United States.
The Supreme Court decision in June triggered laws in several states banning or restricting abortions.
Our Senior Medical Correspondent Elizabeth Cohen is following the developments and joins us now. Good to see you, Elizabeth. So tell us more
about what the survey shows about how this decision is impacting health care on the ground in these states.
ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN SENIOR MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: You know, as we know, the United States is made up of 50 different states, each with different
legislatures that decide different things about abortion. And it's very hard to keep track. But The Guttmacher Institute, they are keeping track of
what's happening in each state.
The bottom line of what they found is that a nearly a third of U.S. women of reproductive age cannot get abortions. They live in states where they
cannot get abortions in that state. So let's take a look at a map of the United States.
You can see that in 14 states, you cannot get an abortion, there are no more providers. And that's because in those states, the legislatures have
passed bans or near total bans, either total or near total bans on abortions.
And this does not count states like Ohio and South Carolina that also passed bans and also passed severe restrictions. But then the court stepped
in and said no, you can't do that. But that's a temporary thing. The courts could step back out and those states would be added to this map.
So another way to look at this is that if you look at the women in those 14 states in 2020 there were more than 125,000 abortions, so 125,000 women got
abortions in those states. So about that number then is needs abortions wants abortions, and they're not able to get them. And what we're seeing is
that many women who have real medical reasons for needing abortions for example the pregnancy threatens their life.
[11:55:00]
COHEN: And the child has some - anomalies where that child is not going to live for just even a few minutes or hours after birth. And still those
women we've talked to them have been denied abortions in their states. Lynda?
KINKADE: And it really affects the pores women who can't afford to travel in a state to get the medical what they need.
COHEN: Yes.
KINKADE: Elizabeth Cohen thanks so much for that update. We really appreciate it.
COHEN: Thanks.
KINKADE: Well, French author Annie Ernaux has been awarded the Nobel Prize for literature. Ernaux is largely known for biographical work for letting
on her family, her class, politics and gender. Well the Nobel academy said they initially has some trouble tracking down the French writer to tell her
about her victory, which is hours later she was celebrating saying that the award is a great honor and a great responsibility. Well that's it for us. I
am Lynda Kinkade in Atlanta. Good to have you with us. Stay with us. "One World" with my colleague Zain Asher is coming up next. You're watching CNN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[12:00:00]
END
