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Connect the World
New UK Prime Minister: Nation in "Profound Economic Crisis"; U.S.- Saudi Ties Strained over Dispute on Oil Production; CNN talks with Saudi Ambassador to U.S.; Ukraine: IAEA Arrives "Soon" to Disprove "Dirty Bomb" Claim; Six Killed in Deadliest Day in West Bank this Year; Saudi Triathlete Prepares for Saudi Games. Aired 11a-12p ET
Aired October 25, 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)
BECKY ANDERSON, CNN HOST, CONNECT THE WORLD: Hello and welcome back to this special edition of "Connect of the World". I'm Becky Anderson for you live
tonight from Riyadh in Saudi Arabia, where global business leaders are meeting amid a period of crisis and instability around the world all which
may mean that the world is in for a recession just around the corner.
We'll have the latest analysis from some of Wall Street's most influential names. You are here in just a moment. First up, though, let's get you to
the United Kingdom because news there were Britain's new Prime Minister is getting down to business without delay. Rishi Sunak only hours into the job
is keeping Jeremy Hunt, as his Finance Minister, Mr. Sunak says UK is in profound economic crisis. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RISHI SUNAK, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: Some mistakes were made, and I have been elected as Leader of my party and your Prime Minister, in part to fix
them. And that work begins immediately.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHATTERLEY: Well, Former Finance Minister himself Mr. Sunak became Britain's fifth Prime Minister in six years after a formal meeting with
King Charles at Buckingham Palace a few hours ago. This is a day of political triumph for Britain's first PM of color. But he warns there are
"Difficult decisions to come". CNN's Scott McLean live in Downing Street for us. What do we know of his plans as he takes off his Scott?
SCOTT MCLEAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Thank you. Rishi Sunak has already made his very first difficult decision in reappointing Jeremy Hunt as the
Chancellor, the Finance Minister of this country. Of course, Hunt was brought into attempt to write the ship during Liz Truss's time in office.
And he proceeded to scrap virtually all of her economic reforms; the same economic reforms that Rishi Sunak had previously warned would be disastrous
for the economy and disastrous specifically for inflation. So perhaps that tells you something about the direction that he plans to go, especially
considering - especially this is sorry, this is the details of how we're just coming into number 10.
Right now, we've also seen some other cabinet members or former cabinet members entering number 10. There's let's just see what exactly that might
tell us among those that we've seen so far Becky, in addition to the Zima Zahawi is also Dominic Raab, the Former Deputy Prime Minister James
cleverly, the Foreign Secretary, was inside as well, all of her doubt in the former chairman of the Conservative Party, and then of course, Jeremy
Hunt we also saw walking across the street shortly after he was officially reappointed as chancellor.
But in his speech earlier today, Becky, Rishi Sunak indicated that he was going to go back to the basics of the Conservative Party manifesto their
election promises, which then means improving the NHS controlling the borders a reversal of some of the plans that Liz Truss had to loosen
immigration control in this country, support for the military and then reducing inequality between North and South.
He also has a long way to go to uniting his fractured party between the Boris Johnson camp Liz Truss camp, and making sure that everyone is singing
from the same song book. So he had this to say.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SUNAK: I stand here before you ready to lead our country into the future, to put your needs above politics, to reach out and build a government that
represents the very best traditions of my party.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MCLEAN: So Becky it is worth mentioning that in his speech this morning, Rishi Sunak seemed quite conciliatory toward the Boris Johnson camp, also
toward the Liz Truss camp saying that mistakes had been made, but certainly not of ill will.
What I think will be fascinating to see over the next couple of years is how Liz Truss's failures as Prime Minister and these ill-timed economic
reforms and tax cuts for some of the richest in this country will change the conservative party if it changes the party at all.
ANDERSON: It's fascinating, isn't it? I'm just looking at the pound against the dollar, which is about 10 percent higher than it was on that sort of
fateful day when the mini budget or fiscal event as Liz Truss described it was announced.
So certainly the currency markets finding some solace in this clearly, a rise in the currency generally suggests that there is some expectation that
rates will go higher and I think that's probably clear, whatever happens policy wise, there will need to be some rate rises out of the UK as it is
challenged by a 10 percent inflation rate at present.
[11:05:00]
ANDERSON: I wonder, you know, we're beginning to see signs of how Rishi Sunak will build his cabinet? Are there any expectations that that will be
difficult to form a government given the state of the Conservative Party right now? He certainly, as you rightly suggests, made some conciliatory
noises.
MCLEAN: Yes, no, I think you're absolutely right. And I think a good example of that is Ben Wallace, the Defense Secretary right now. Ben
Wallace is a man who has made it abundantly clear that he wants to stay in his current job, regardless of which the Prime Minister is, but he's also a
man who sorry, that's Grant Shapps.
That's the current home secretary in charge of policing in charge of immigration and borders in this country. There's another person that lot of
eyes will be on what happens with that role in particular, given that Grant Shapps was brought in literally the day before Liz Truss actually resigned.
And so if he's replaced, surely this would be one of the shortest tenures in the history of that department.
It will also depending on who Rishi Sunak chooses dictate the direction that his government wants to go when it comes to immigration. And when it
comes to immigration numbers, whether or not they want to stick to the pledge to reduce overall immigration or whether they want to loosen overall
immigration.
And just quickly, Becky just getting back to the Ben Wallace point and that is that Ben Wallace has made clear that he wants to stay in his job but
also that he wants defense spending to rise to 3 percent. Rishi Sunak has a huge hole in the British budget to try to fill.
And so whether or not he's appointed will tell you a lot about whether or not Rishi Sunak is on board to stick with that 3 percent of GDP pledge or
whether something closer to 2.2 percent might be more his peed.
ANDERSON: That is a revolving door behind you there. And understandably every time somebody revolves through it, it is important to get the shot of
who that is giving us some sense of who may or may not be part of that cabinet part of that government going forward?
And the other shot that we've been seeing since you've been speaking as the huge sort of bevy of journalists on the other side of the road. You are
amongst that scrum important times that we are there reporting on what is going on as far as the UK is concerned. Thank you Scott!
The world reacting then as Britain's new Prime Minister makes history. Here is a sample of the global front pages for you "The Metro" in the UK hailing
Britain's first Asian PM, "The Times of India" proclaiming color and race now no bar to success in the UK. This appointment of course and Diwali and
the Gulf News that's a newspaper based in Abu Dhabi declaring history beckons new Conservative Party Chief is Britain's first leader of color.
Well, U.S. President Joe Biden calls Mr. Sunak premiership a groundbreaking milestone tweeting together, I look forward to enhancing our cooperation on
issues critical to global security and prosperity including continuing our strong support for Ukraine.
If Ben Wallace stays in that job, I'm sure that Ukraine will be front and center for him. Congratulations for the new PM coming in from around the
world. European Council President Shawn Michel tweeting working together is the only way to face common challenges and brings stability is key to
overcoming them.
You know how difficult the relationship has been with the EU since Brexit. So that's an interesting one from Shoals Michel, while Rishi Sunak is
acknowledging that his country is facing a profound economic crisis, the health of the world economy is in focus here in Riyadh, in Saudi Arabia.
Some of the biggest names and I mean, the biggest names in global finance have been sitting down with my colleague, Richard Quest here at Saudi
Arabia's Future Investment Initiative Conference.
And when the CEO of JPMorgan Chase speaks, while the world listens, Jamie Dimon says he's even more worried about the geopolitics of the world today
than the prospect of a recession in the U.S. And Richard joins me now. Richard, we'll get to the wider picture in just a moment. What's the
business world looking out for as far as the UK is concerned right now just how big all those challenge for the Former Finance Minister now Prime
Minister Rishi Sunak?
RICHARD QUEST, CNN EDITOR AT-LARGE: Sanity, stability, comprehensive economic policies, that's what everybody wants now, on the panel. That's
exactly what they said they were looking for direction and basically a return to sensible policies and they're going to get it with Rishi Sunak
has great confidence that.
[11:10:00]
QUEST: The problem Sunak faces is that a bad economic situation existed that was made a great deal worse by Liz Truss's policies. So not only does
he have to repair the existing damage or the damage that was there before she came into office, he's got to repair that as well.
And that's why I was quite surprised when I saw that phrase profound economic crisis. That's a measure of how bad the situation is with high
gilt yields, deep spending cuts, higher taxes, and a big fiscal hole that has to be filled a profound economic crisis. That's the measure that Sunak
faces, Becky.
ANDERSON: Yes, absolutely. Well look, let's get on to what is going on in the sort of wider space as it will, as it were, that being the world. You
got some seriously big hitters today on what was a sort of roundtable discussion about where the world is headed next? What are they telling you?
QUEST: Recession, it won't be disastrous, but it will be a recession in large parts of the world. There are going to be great difficulties, the
number of people who are poor will increase that's offensive to most people here.
And as Jamie Dimon said, on the question of recession, you have to put it in that larger context of global geo strategic - so many buzzwords and
cliches but the reality is - cliches by me know him. He was talking about what he faces and how difficult it's going to be.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JAMIE DAMON, CEO, JPMORGAN CHASE: It's very good news right now, the United States, people see it, consumers, businesses, still spending lots of money,
a lot of fiscal stimulus. But there's a lot of stuff on the horizon, which is bad and could doesn't necessarily, but could put the United States in
recession. That's not the most important thing for what we think about. We'll manage right through that I would worry much more about the
geopolitics of the world today.
QUEST (on camera): You worried about what side of the geopolitics, particularly?
DAMON: I think the most important thing is, is the geopolitics was going in Russia, Ukraine, America, China, you know, the relationships of the Western
world, and that we'd have to be far more concerned and whether there's a mild or slightly severe recession.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
QUEST: And Becky that the interesting juxtaposition, of course, is they're all worried about these existential or at least certainly systemic risks.
But here, they're all doing business. And it's how you - it's how you square that circle, Becky, that makes FII so interesting, because they are
in one of the hottest spots physically, literally, geopolitically in the world. But they have to manage that risk.
ANDERSON: Absolutely. Look, while we've been here, I sat down for an exclusive interview with Saudi's Ambassador to the United States. We know
how difficult that relationship between Riyadh and the States is at present, particularly in light of the decision by OPEC Plus, to cut oil
production.
The Americans have been accusing Saudis as lead on OPEC Plus of siding with the Russians and playing politics with the oil market. That brings us Rima
the Saudi Ambassador told me that, and I quote her here, Richard, we are at a point of disagreement.
She said, though, that it was a relationship, which has been 80 years in the making, and expects the relationship to be a good one going forward.
What's the feeling amongst those that you've been speaking to?
Those Titans of Wall Street about how this relationship between the U.S. and Saudi and let's not forget, I mean, you know, Saudi have the keys as it
were, to the golden spigots at this point? What's the sense from those that you were speaking to today about how this will play out and affect them and
consequently us?
QUEST: There are two interesting dynamics to it. On the one hand, if you talk to the strategic people, they will say, oh, it's all very serious. And
these tensions need to be resolved and blah, blah, blah. But then you talk to the business leaders like Jamie Dimon, who you'll hear in a second.
And they say, in the great scheme of things, the Saudi-U.S. tensions are small matters, because both sides recognize the significance of the wider
issue of defense, economic and all these other things. This is Jamie Dimon again.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DAMON: Saudi Arabia and United States has been allies for 75 years. I can't imagine any allies agreeing on everything and not having problems they'll
work it through and I'm comfortable that folks on both sides are working through and that these countries will remain allies going forward and
hopefully help the world develop and grow properly.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
[11:15:00]
QUEST: You know you have to remember Becky, and you and I have seen enough of them. When the UK was in the EU, there were some terrible arguments with
allies, terrible disagreements with allies, the U.S.-Saudi tensions is not in the same league as the U.S.-China rift. And that's a big difference.
ANDERSON: Good point. Thank you, Richard Quest, still out the investment conference, which is just down the road from where I am always good to be
with you. Look, after the break, folks, I'm going to give you more of what was my exclusive interview with the Saudi Ambassador to the United States.
What she has to say about women's rights and why she says transformation doesn't happen in a day, more on that after this?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Welcome back! You saw last hour the first part of my exclusive interview with Saudi Arabia's Ambassador to the U.S. Princess Reema Bint
Bandar. If you didn't catch that, then you can find it on Twitter @beckycnn and it will be on my Instagram page as well shortly.
In the second part of our discussion, we talked at length about her time growing up in Washington when her father Prince Bandar was the Ambassador
there. And what she learned from that experience, he held the post there for more than two decades.
So Princess Reema is the first Saudi woman to serve as an Ambassador. And she took on that position in the States at what you could only describe as
an unenviable time. The relationship was fractured. It was in the wake of Jamal Khashoggi is killing and amid the Saudi led war in Yemen.
Well, prior to taking on that role the Princess a member of the Saudi Royal Family had been an advocate for women's rights in the Kingdom an issue that
sits at the heart of 20 - vision 2030 the Crown Prince's ambitious plan to modernize and diversify this economy. Well, Princess Reema has championed a
lot of reforms in the Kingdom but she doesn't shy away from the fact that there is still a lot more to be done. Take a listen.
[11:20:00]
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: You're no stranger to the U.S. Capitol; you spent years there when your father was the then ambassador, Prince Bandar. How did your time
in Washington as a youngster, inform who you are now?
PRINCESS REEMA BINT BANDAR AL SAUD, SAUDI AMBASSADOR TO THE U.S.: Living in Washington, DC and particularly in diplomatic circles. And having we were
there for 23 years from when I was seven years old to 30. You're immersed in something that you don't even know is happening, the people that
surrounded us the conversations, we listen to the things my father included us in. At that time, I honestly didn't appreciate that I was watching
history happen. And that's so important when you're dealing with the relationship of the United States and the kingdom.
If you don't contextualize it in history, you will not understand why it's important that we remain strong and steady and cool headed in this
partnership that's been 80 years, and the next 80 years can be magnificent if we allow it.
ANDERSON: Can we really be more hopeful about a more effective alliance going forward?
SAUD: I can, Becky I can because there are things in within vision 2030 that the Kingdom has invested in that I feel the world isn't seeing number
one. Yes, we are one of the largest oil producers in the world. But the kingdom is reframing itself to be one of the largest energy producers.
We have put billions of dollars in investments in renewables, solar, wind, anything you could possibly imagine. We're betting on it. Why Becky?
Because the Kingdom with Envision 2030 has an initiative called the Saudi Green Initiative, which is our gift for the next generations, not just of
our country, but of the world. And we are doing it in balance of the oil market, because you cannot walk away from one until the other is ready. And
by the way, our commitment is to have 50 percent of our domestic energy needs met by renewables by the end of this decade, not 50 years from now.
ANDERSON: That narrative that says here in the kingdom, vision 2030, aligned success with sustainability has been met with some skepticism.
SAUD: Correct, fair enough. Why? Because it takes time to build these things. It takes time to transform, it takes time to reform. You know, a
lot of people talk to me about, are the reforms true? Are they true?
Well, I have to tell you, honestly, Becky, I left the United States in 2005, where they were still arguing about gun control and abortion rights
and health care. And I came back in 2019, to the same conversation. And I leave a kingdom, where in five years; we've had more change than we've had
in 80 years, where women's rights are at the forefront where female inclusion is at the forefront.
And have we finished? No, we've designated 2030 to be a point that we want to aim to get the maximum done. But guess what happens in 2030? The next
round of change has to happen because the next generation comes up and says thank you, but here are my needs.
We are simply getting ourselves caught up with the world. And you have to give us time, because transformation a doesn't happen in a day, the United
States had a 200 year journey of transformation, we've had 80. We're different people in a different place.
And we are going to get there because we believe in the same thing. We believe in the sense of opportunity for our people. And we're very proud of
the changes that have happened.
ANDERSON: Before you took the role as ambassador to Washington for a decade between 2008 and 2018, you agitated for the rights and freedoms of women
here; you have been transformative in the issue of women's empowerment here. Describe some of the challenges that you faced and the significance
to your mind of this change, because it has been very recent.
SAUD: It has and it is not out of modesty or humility when I say the word we versus the word I. When I was in the private sector, yes, I will take
credit for the things I did. And you can call it agitate. But for me, it just felt like common sense. It was common sense to have women in a
department store.
It was common sense for me that women should drive. It was common sense for me that women, when they speak about their health and well-being should be
able to talk about breast cancer as breast cancer because it is simply that is the disease. And we shouldn't have to mute ourselves when we talk about
our own bodies and our own health. I was hired February of 2016 in the Ministry of Sports. Why? They said Reema; you seem to have access to women.
I said yes. Yes, I do.
And they said would you be interested in coming here and helping us design the mandate for female inclusion in sports? And I said I don't know what
that means. Because obviously again, whoever knows me knows I'm not really athletic. That's not really my domain, but female inclusion is creating
opportunity and access to it is my domain. And my recognition was this is the time to step out of yourself and join the world that's giving you an
opportunity.
[11:25:00]
SAUD: Because either I stay out of government and I get frustrated and complain, or I join and say I will take on the burden and share the burden
with those who want us to change.
ANDERSON: Is that empowerment trickling down quickly enough?
SAUD: It is, because I may be the first female ambassador. We have two more in Europe. We have a permanent representative at UNESCO. We have CEOs; we
have women at Tadawul which is our stock exchange. We have female doctors, architects, archaeologists, we have female baristas we have shop owners, we
have entrepreneurs, and they're in the military. They're in firefighters, shocking, Becky. And it's amazing.
ANDERSON: Just give me one moment in time, over that period of time before you became ambassador before you took yourself back to Washington in a new
and different role, one moment you are most proud of.
SAUD: I think one of the most special moments was when women were allowed to enter the stadiums for the first time for a soccer game. And I don't
know if you know many Saudi women, but we are avid sports women, we cheer our teams as if our lives depended on it.
And to walk into that room and see the faces of women peppering the stadium, I have never felt more joy because they were finally having the
experiences that everybody else has in the world, in their own country.
ANDERSON: How do you square the empowerment of women here with what feels like a drip feed of arrests of women for using their social media? In what
seems like a very mild dissenting way, we're talking about two cases recently.
One of 34 years for a young Saudi woman who's a PhD student in the UK and another 42 years. Just explain.
SAUD: So in the journeys of reform, some reforms are faster than others, some regulations have been adjusted in some habit. And in that process of
reform, I think whatever it is that these ladies have been accused of, has not been addressed yet. But I will tell you their cases are under review. I
believe they're under appeal.
And I do believe that the system will correct itself, if that's what's necessary and--
ANDERSON: Because this - unreasonable, doesn't it?
SAUD: I can see that. I absolutely can see that. But Becky, when I balance out the change that's happened for women in the kingdom, I could look at
the United States and say, children are being shot every day in schools, in malls, in grocery stores, places we're supposed to feel safe.
But I don't look at the United States of America and say, I feel threatened. I feel at risk. I recognize that there are certain things that
need to change. That doesn't take away from everything that we've done. But it is definitely, I would have to say it's an obstacle. It's a challenge,
and we will face it.
ANDERSON: Do you lean into that?
SAUD: Do I lean into that? Yes, I do. I do because I'd be a fool not to. And the history that he has made that he has been part of. And the journey
that he had was something that's written about in books. But Becky, I always have to remind people, I'm his daughter. And yes, I come back and
I'm in the United States in the role he was in.
But I don't come back as Bandarban Sultan; I come back as a team event vendor. And I begin my journey. And I launched myself through my
experience, through my own skills that have been developed and honed through his tutelage through my experiences with him, and I rely on that
profoundly.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: And that is the Saudi Ambassador to the United States speaking to me, and what was an exclusive interview here on CNN. You can find that and
part one of that interview on my social feeds. Well, students in Iran digging in with their protests against the regime hackling a top government
official, two days in a row, more on that is coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:30:00]
ANDERSON: Inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency are expected in Ukraine shortly according to the Foreign Minister and are
expected to visit two sites. Ukraine invited the IAEA into the country to debunk Russia's unfounded claim that Kyiv planned to detonate a dirty bomb
in the country and blame Russia.
The Russian diplomats will address the issue with the UN Security Council today. Meantime, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is appealing for help, with
more than a third of his country's energy sector in ruins as winter draws closer. Nic Robertson, my colleague is live in Kyiv for you.
Let's start with this IAEA team. And we've learned that the team will visit two sites in Ukraine to try and debunk this dirty bomb narrative from the
Kremlin. What do we know? Where are those sites? Who's coming? What are they going to get access to?
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Well, I think the headlines here still has to be what we've heard from Ukrainian officials
and the foreign minister, just adding to the words from the president that we've heard over recent days, Russia's claim absolutely false.
It is Russia defense ministry officials that named the two locations in Ukraine when they were briefing journalists just a couple of days ago. And
Ukraine turned to the UN's nuclear watchdog, the IAEA International Atomic Energy Agency and said, look, send your teams overcome and have a look.
They agreed they got the backing of the European Union. There's no doubt that Ukraine's allies absolutely feel Ukraine is telling the truth that
Russia is in effect lying. And it's a completely false allegation laid by Russia.
But in the coming days, that's what we understand no specific time yet. The IAEA inspectors will visit a science, the National Science Academy here in
Kyiv to a nuclear research part of that academy they'll visit there and also visit a mining and processing facility in the center of Ukraine.
These are the two places that were named by Russia. There is no doubt that Russia is trying to make a lot out of this by taking it behind closed doors
at the UN Security Council. And their diplomat at the IAEA in Vienna said that normally when an inspection team goes out the results come back the
full results in a couple of month's first results in a couple of weeks.
Russia is very clearly trying to highlight and stretch this issue out despite not presenting any evidence whatsoever Becky.
ANDERSON: Nic Robertson is in Kyiv in Ukraine. By the time is 6.34 in the evening thank you Nic, 6.34 here as well. Ukrainian officials say Russian
forces are making it harder for people to leave occupied areas.
[11:35:00]
ANDERSON: In parts of the Russian occupied South exhausted civilians are hoping their liberation is coming soon. More now from CNN's Clarissa ward.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CLARISSA WARD, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice over): By now it has become a familiar routine in Mykolaiv. In the relative calm of
daylight hours residents combed through the wreckage of the night before. On this day, it's an apartment building on the outskirts of town, two
Russian S-300 missiles hit at one in the morning.
WARD (on camera): So this here is where the first strike hit. And then you can see the second one just smashed in to the top of that building.
WARD (voice over): Five people were injured but miraculously no one was killed. In one apartment Andrei (Ph) is busy cleaning up. He tells us this
is what the Russians do. They shoot not at military objects but where people live, he says.
The fact is the anger towards them is rising and it won't go away, not in a month, not in a year, not even 10 years. In this southern port city people
have become used to hardship. Since April there has been no fresh water here.
The main pumping station was hit in a Russian strike. Now they gather every day and patiently wait to stock up. A few blocks down another line, this
one for humanitarian aid. Will I be able to get something today, this old woman asks. We already have 100 people on the list, the organizer replies.
Mykolaiv is less than 20 miles from the nearest front lines and just 35 miles from the Russian health city of Kherson. Last week, Russia announced
that civilians must leave Kherson warning of an imminent Ukrainian attack. Ukraine called it propaganda to distract from recent Ukrainian military
gains.
It is difficult to get a picture of what's really going on in Kherson. But we managed to connect with one resident who we will call Vitali who took
these videos. The streets he says are empty. But there are people in the markets. Most vendors no longer want to take Russian rubles. They prepare
for a potential Russian withdrawal.
WARD (on camera): Do you have a sense of whether Russian forces have left the city or not?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There are fewer Russian soldiers here but you find them around the city. Several days ago there was a rotation and they brought in
new soldiers. Part of the soldiers who were here for a while they left and the new ones came. Probably they are mobilized conscripts. They don't even
know what city they're in.
WARD (on camera): And why did you decide to stay? Are you not frightened?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's our city. We believe that we have to wait until our army comes. I can't say we are not afraid, we are afraid. But this is our
decision.
WARD (voice over): The people who remain in Mykolaiv have made a similar decision. Back at the strike site the cleanup has already begun as the city
braces itself for the next attack. Clarissa Ward, CNN, Mykolaiv Ukraine.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Still ahead Israel cracks down on a Palestinian group. Palestinians take to the streets in protest. We are live in Jerusalem on
tensions rising once again.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:40:00]
ANDERSON: Protestors in Iran heckling a top regime official for two days in a row. This was the scene at Tehran's University of Technology on Monday.
State align media reports that demonstrators chanted get lost during a press conference by the government spokesman forcing him to end early.
Another protest today Social Media Video shows students calling the same official a murderer. This comes amid more than five weeks of protests
following the death of a young woman detained by Iran's so called morality police. Well, CNN's Nada Bashir is covering all of these developments for
us. She joins us tonight out of London. Nada, it does appear that the focal point of these protests have been at the universities over the past 48
hours. What are the details?
NADA BASHIR, CNN REPORTER: Absolutely Becky. And students really have been at the forefront of this protest movements since they began in September.
We've seen universities even schooled high schools taking part in these demonstrations which were of course, initially sparked following the death
of 22 of Mahsa Amini very much focused on the regime.
Severe restrictions on women's rights and in particular, the mandatory hijab, which is enforced often violently by the morality police, but this
has really gained momentum and has grown into something far more wide reaching many protesters now of course, calling for regime change.
That is certainly the message we've been hearing from those university students now taking part in those demonstrations. Just Saturday alone,
Becky, we've seen at least 12 universities now taking part in these demonstrations, students taking over their campuses calling for regime
change.
And as you saw there in those videos, we saw the government spokesperson being faced head-on by students in his in their words telling him to get
lost today in the holy city of Qom university students and they do not want a murderous guest on their campus.
So clearly we are seeing very remarkable and grave signs of defiance from these university students. We've also seen videos on social media
circulating showing women some wearing the hijab. Some, who've chosen to take their mandatory scarves off standing side by side together in protest
against the regime, also saw some students flouting their universities, mandatory regulations around segregation. Women and men standing together
in defiance against the regimes severe restrictions and severe human rights abuses as well but of course, there is concern around the crackdown, which
is continuing to intensify.
According to the Iranian prosecutor, more than 300 people have been charged for allegedly threatening state security. State media says that more than
thousand protesters have already been detained. And of course, human rights organizations including the Norway based Iran HR group, which has been
keeping a tally of the repressive acts of the government, has said that it believes several thousand people have so far been detained.
And of course, we have seen as brutal and deadly tactics being used by the Iranian regime time and time again, we're now in the six weeks of protests
and that crackdown is continuing to intensify. Iran HR says it believes more than 230 people have been killed. But of course, CNN can't
independently verify that figure, Becky.
ANDERSON: Nada Bashir on the story, Nada, thank you. Well, protests in the West Bank after the deadliest day of violence there this year. Five
Palestinians were killed in an Israeli operation in Nablus. Israel says it was going after a militant group that killed an Israeli soldier and
attempted an attack in Tel Aviv.
A sick person was killed during the protest as well. Israel says it is targeting terrorists. The Palestinian authority president says the killings
are war crimes. Israelis cracking down and Palestinians protesting this is a cycle that we have seen before.
CNN's Hadas Gold joins us from Jerusalem. We've certainly seen it before. The concern is that we are seeing the ramping up of conflict at this point.
We've seen more Israeli raids and Palestinian unrest in recent months. What's the danger here?
[11:45:00]
HADAS GOLD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, I mean, the danger is that we will just completely spiral out of control last night was one of the biggest
Israeli military raids. We've seen in a while targeting a relatively new militant group that has grown out of really a disaffection for what's been
happening in the West Bank, a disaffection with the current Palestinian Authority leadership and how they don't feel as though they're standing up
against the occupation and against Israeli settlers.
And last night was the deadliest day in the West Bank so far this year and what's already been a very deadly year for both Palestinians and Israelis.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
GOLD (voice over): Gunshots echo through the narrow streets of the old city of Nablus. As near nightly Israeli military raids targeting militants in
the West Bank, reached new heights in the early hours of Tuesday. It became the deadliest day for Palestinians killed by Israeli forces in the West
Bank this year, five killed and about 20 injured in this raid, according to Palestinian officials, and another dead in a clash north of Ramallah.
The Israel Defense Force says they raided Nablus to target The Lion's Den, a new militant group that has claimed responsibility for deadly attacks
against Israeli security forces and who Israel says is planning to target civilians in Israel. According to Israeli officials, soldiers raided and
explosives manufacturing site for the group and killed one of their leaders. Palestinians claiming this man was killed in a targeted drone
strike suggesting the Israelis are using new lethal escalations in this latest fight that so far had been focused on ground incursions.
This new armed Palestinian militant group does not belong to any of the traditional Palestinian factions. They're mostly young male members bounded
by the lost faith in their own Palestinian leadership to stand up against the occupation and Israeli settlers.
A red ribbon around their weapons as a symbol of the blood of the martyrs won't go to waste. Their popularity is skyrocketing among Palestinians
already with more than 200,000 followers on telegram, supporters heeding the call to flood the streets, chanting den in the streets of Nablus after
the raid. As 2022 now remains the deadliest year for Palestinians and Israelis since 2015 with no end in sight.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
GOLD: And the Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid in a statement today saying that they plan to inflict severe and lasting damage on terrorism. And its
agents in Jenin and Nablus and anywhere he says where terrorists grow. Meanwhile, today in the West Bank, a general strike was called in reaction
to the raid overnight.
And the Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas calling on the U.S. to stop the Israeli aggression and referring to that a critical point that
you talked about because it really feels as though Becky everything right now is so dry that all it will take is just that one match that one spark
that will blow this up into a much bigger conflict than what we have already, Becky.
ANDERSON: Yes, Hadas Gold is on the story. Thank you. We'll be right back after this short break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:50:00]
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SALMA ABDELAZIZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): It is a difficult time for this Kenyan farmer who lost more than half her crops earlier this year the
reason heavy rain.
EUNICE WAMBUI NGUU, KENYAN FARMER: The climate this year has been cold and raining. So the crops didn't do well.
ABDELAZIZ (voice over): Eunice Wambui Nguu has been a farmer for 30 years growing crops from maize to avocados and macadamia nuts. These harvests on
her farm which is less than one acre are what she relies on to make a living.
NGUU: There are many types of avocado varieties.
ABDELAZIZ (voice over): Nguu's farm is one of many that's been hit hard by extreme weather conditions over the past two years, but one organization is
hoping to change that.
KOOME CMCOURT, LEADER FOR GOVERNMENT RELATIONS ONE ACRE FUND: The work that One Acre Fund does in Kenya has been helping farmers by improving their
yields also their livelihoods and their access to quality inputs.
ABDELAZIZ (voice over): Located in the heart of Nairobi, One Acre Fund is giving farmers the opportunity to borrow farming materials from equipment
to seeds, while this helps them grow their crops efficiently and sell them for a higher profit. Koome Cmcourt says their mandate spans beyond just the
local community.
CMCOURT: One Acre Fund aims to provide over a billion dollars' worth of impact by 2032 to smallholder farmers all across Africa.
ABDELAZIZ (voice over): An ambitious target that will be discussed at this year's COP 27, which will take place at the Egyptian beach resort of Sharm
El-Sheikh, while One Acre Fund aims to achieve a billion dollar impact by 2030 to help small-hold farmers in Africa at COP 27 world leaders will
build on a wider pledge that was promised at last year's COP 26. $100 billion that were dedicated to developing countries like those in Africa,
but were never met.
WAEL ABOULMAGD, SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE, COP 27: $100 billion doesn't solve the problem, but it shows commitment from developed countries. And it
builds trust and gives assurance to developing countries that there is seriousness in providing them with the necessary financial resources to
make their fair contributions to the global effort to combat climate change.
ABDELAZIZ (voice over): While this global effort will take many to participate, it will be One Acre Funds first time to take part giving a
voice to the voiceless.
CMCOURT: I am very hopeful that we will see a lot more implementation following the COP 27 this year because for the first time the smallholder
farmer has been recognized.
ABDELAZIZ (voice over): Recognizing the ones hit hardest by climate change in creating funds to help smallholder farmers like Nguu. Salma Abdelaziz
CNN.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Welcome back. You're watching a special edition of "Connect the World" with me Becky Anderson live from Riyadh in Saudi Arabia tonight.
Look sports are taking a front seat in the Middle East in the upcoming weeks. The World Cup in Qatar and the Gulf will kick-off on November the
20th.
The Dubai globe soccer awards on the 17th of that month. But first this Thursday, right here in Saudi Arabia, the country is launching the largest
sporting event in its history. The Saudi games more than 6000 athletes will be competing in 45 individual and team sports. And for today's parting
shots, we take a look at one triathlete who is aiming for goals in the competitions to come.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
YASMEEN SHAABAN, SAUDI TRIATHLETE: My name is Yasmeen Shaaban and I am an athlete in the Saudi national team. Basically, I started my competitive
triathlon journey doing our man 70 .3 in a span of two weeks. Followed by the Riyadh Marathon where I came in first as first Saudi female to complete
the marathon.
It was a joyful and proud moment to be the first Saudi female to complete it. Triathlon for me is life. I basically live by it; I do it passionately
and do it proudly. It takes a lot from you both mentally and physically. It's crazy what your body can achieve. I thought after having done to our
minds, my body was starting to fade.
But it turns out it got the best of me continuing and doing a marathon. When I joined the Saudi Triathlon Federation back in April, I was told that
the goal is to make it to the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, and that was a phone call that changed my life. I did not imagine that triathlon would
take over my life, but it took over my life in the best way possible.
[11:55:00]
SHAABAN: I want to open the first and the biggest triathlon gym inside Saudi Arabia, including the best of the best coaches around the world.
We're having the best facilities and swimming, cycling and running. I do want to give back to my society. And I do want to encourage Saudi
triathletes, especially women being exposed to a whole new world that I didn't know about before triathlon.
And I do encourage everyone to take a step forward and just seeking discomfort and just going the extra mile and doing what you love.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Doing what you love. Thanks for joining us. I'm Becky Anderson live from Riyadh tonight in Saudi Arabia. "One World" with Lynda Kinkade is
up after this short break, don't go away.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
END
