Return to Transcripts main page

Connect the World

Audio Recordings of Meeting between Freed Israeli Hostages and Netanyahu Reveal Anger at Government's Conduct; Putin in UAE for Talks with Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan; Biden Walks Back Remark about Running because of Trump; Tonight: Fourth 2024 Republican U.S. Presidential Debate; More than 100 Scientists Sign Letter Demanding Climate Action; Jafar: Philanthropic Capital is Important in the Climate Fight. Aired 9-10a ET

Aired December 06, 2023 - 09:00   ET

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


[09:00:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BECKY ANDERSON, CNN HOST, CONNECT THE WORLD: Well, hello and welcome to "Connect the World". I'm Becky Anderson for you. It is 6 pm here in Abu

Dhabi, where the Russian President is on a rare international trip tonight. These are new pictures of Vladimir Putin's arrival just hours ago complete

with a fly-past and a camel cavalry.

We understand he's discussing oil and the Israel Hamas conflict with his Emirati counterparts. First up, though tonight, the scene on the ground in

Gaza, these are live pictures from the Israeli border. But the IDF is moving its fight further south, where civilians have already fled. Also

this hour the G7 holds a virtual meeting as aid for Ukraine hangs in the balance. CNN has a rare look inside one war ravaged town at what could be

an inflection point for this conflict.

Well, the destruction and death toll is increasing in Gaza in some of the most intense fighting so far in this nearly two month old war. Israel's

military says it hits some 250 Hamas targets over the past day as ground troops focus attention on Southern Gaza. They're now operating in the heart

of Khan Yunis, Gaza's second largest city.

The IDF says it's moving into civilian areas that Hamas is using to hide militants and weapons. It released this video that it says shows hundreds

of missiles, grenades and drones stockpiled near a clinic and a school in Northern Gaza. Well, the Palestinian Health Ministry in Ramallah taking

information from hospitals in Gaza says that the death toll in Gaza now tops 16,000 with most of those killed women and children.

Well, Israel's Prime Minister is rejecting the idea of an international security forcing Gaza once this war ends. Alex Marquardt connecting us this

hour from an army base in Southern Israel. Alex from that perspective, what can you tell us about the intensity of the Israeli offensive?

ALEX MARQUARDT, CNN CHIEF SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Well Becky, in just the past few moments, we've heard the sounds of explosions up in the sky just

over my shoulder here that look like Israeli air intercepts. We didn't see any rockets going up. But that doesn't mean that that didn't happen. We've

heard the low rumble of explosions coming from the direction of Gaza.

We've seen helicopters and jets circling all around either over Gazan airspace or around the perimeter in Israeli airspace. But it really does

speak to what we have heard from the IDF, which just yesterday said that they have seen their most intense day of operations yet since the ground

incursion started; both in terms of the number of firefights, and also the number of Hamas militants who they say they have killed.

Israel's top commanding general saying that they have entered what he called the third phase of this conflict, essentially solidifying the gains

that they made in the north as they push towards the south, specifically towards the city of Khan Yunis, which Israel's military says that they are

operating in the heart of and that they are trying to encircle.

And that really is becoming a focal point for the Israeli military because of the Hamas presence that they believe to be there, the Hamas

infrastructure and the leadership they believe to be in and around that city, which is the biggest city in the south. So as Israel focuses their

attention on that city, there are major humanitarian questions, Becky as well, because so many people fled to that city from the north after Israel

told them to evacuate, now they're being told to go even farther south.

A lot of Palestinians in Gaza as well as humanitarian officials say that for the 1.9 million people who have been displaced the vast majority of the

population that there really is nowhere safe in Gaza and there isn't nearly enough aid coming into Gaza, Becky.

ANDERSON: Alex, there's new audio of a meeting between freed Israeli hostages and Benjamin Netanyahu. And it certainly appears to show and

certainly that's what we can hear from this audio considerable anger on the Israeli government role. Just explain if you will.

MARQUARDT: Yeah, I think it's really speaks to the desperation that so many in Israel feel for those who are still in Gaza, the hostages who are still

being held by Hamas and other groups.

[09:05:00]

And also, this anger that is being directed at the Netanyahu government for not doing enough to get them out and so "Ynet", which is a local news

outlet here has obtained this remarkable audio of conversations between the Prime Minister and hostages themselves who have been released and the

families of hostages who have been released.

Anger being directed at the Prime Minister for the lack of intelligence that the Israel had about the location of the hostages, the lack of action

that these families feel the Israeli government took to get them released. At one point, the Prime Minister, according to this report, according to

this recording, which we've heard, heckled him.

Some people saying shame to the Prime Minister. There was one woman a hostage who was freed with her children, but whose husband is still being

held, who told the Prime Minister that the feeling she had was that no one was doing anything for them, or they were taken from a hiding place that

had been shelled.

They fled from that hiding place, and they were smuggled out and were wounded in the process. So there is a lot of anger being directed at

Netanyahu in it. And it really raises this question about the argument that Netanyahu has made that more military pressure is effective in terms of

getting the hostages out. While you have these testimonies from families saying, well, they're the ones who were actually being hurt in the process

as Israel targets Hamas in the Gaza Strip, Becky.

ANDERSON: And that has been a consistent message from the outset from those hostage families and now hearing expert testimony as it were from hostages

who were held themselves. Alex, thank you. We've been talking about the combat and you've clearly seen the rubble. This though, is the human

aftermath. A child screaming in the rubble after an Israeli airstrike hit the Jabalya refugee camp in Northern Gaza. This kid is trying to stay alive

and he is not alone. Take a look at this.

Well clearly what you see there is footage of people running for their lives and fleeing in an ambulance from Israeli tank artillery in the town

of Deir al-Balah that is in Central Gaza. Now this video shows extensive damage from those Israeli strikes that we've been reporting on.

Many of the casualties have been taken to the nearby Al-Aqsa Hospital and that is a hospital you will have heard us reporting on over the weeks.

"Doctors Without Borders" says supplies there are critically low with hundreds of people needing treatment. CNN's Ben Wedeman is standing by for

us in Jerusalem, Ben.

BEN WEDEMAN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, what we're seeing Becky, is that the humanitarian situation in Gaza, particularly in the

south is veering toward absolute catastrophe, now 85 percent of the population has been displaced. We hear that only 50 trucks entered Gaza

through the Rafah crossing from Egypt yesterday. Keep in mind that before the war, more than 500 trucks were entering every day.

And of course now with so many people displaced, needing shelter, needing clean water, sanitation, medicine, the needs are just getting greater. And

of course, the one thing that is most scarce at the moment is safety.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

WEDEMAN (voice-over): They came here hoping to escape the war. And this is what happened. Tuesday afternoon an apparent Israeli airstrike demolished

this building in Deir al-Balah in Central Gaza. Civilians more than 50 are now martyrs says Abu Besson (ph). The building's owner had given them

shelter; they all came from the North. Under the sand in the rubble is a lifeless body.

There's his head someone says, well others peering into the ruins search for survivors. Is anyone alive, he calls out? Without heavy equipment their

hands suffice. And Deir al-Balah is only functioning hospital, the injured are rushed inside.

[09:10:00]

The hospital spokesman says they received more than 130 injured and more than 90 bodies. CNN cannot confirm the death toll. Once again, so many of

the victims are children. Stunned, confused, terrified, she grasps her mother's hand. The injured treated on the floor.

The lucky are among those who fled and then fled again further south, and up in places like this, makeshift camps devoid of running water,

electricity or sanitation. A plastic sheet is all that protects Anas Musleh (ph) and her family from the elements.

We spend all night hearing rockets and bombs, she says, we're living between life and death. We may die at any moment. Indeed, in Gaza now, the

line between life and death is perilously thin.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WEDEMAN (on camera): And the threat to people in Gaza doesn't just come from war. Under these difficult conditions without sanitation, without

adequate food and medicine, the World Health Organizations warns that more people could eventually die from disease than from the war itself. Becky?

ANDERSON: Ben Wedeman. We are also learning more about the premature babies that were evacuated from a crumbling and now defunct Al-Shifa Hospital in

Gaza. The more than two dozen infants were transported through the Rafah crossing and into Egypt more than two weeks ago. CNN's Larry Madowo and his

team gain access to the Cairo hospital where doctors are still caring for many of them. He spoke to my colleague Poppy Harlow a short time ago about

how they are faring.

LARRY MADOWO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: They're doing well. In fact, they're doing so well that a few of these preterm babies when they arrived here just over

two weeks ago have been discharged from the NICU into the general nursery and they are in the oral feeding phase. Most of them still remain in the

neonatal intensive care unit. And all of them are making good progress.

The doctors here are very pleased with how they're doing, all but one are out of danger. We have just one of the preterm babies that remain on a

ventilator; they're watching closely to see if he makes progress. But the rest of them are doing well. We've seen them; they're taking great care of

them. And some of them are starting to get a sense of where they are and where they're living now and a few parents have started to show up Poppy,

so it's a big progress.

And the doctors here say that the business is saving lives, so if they can discharge some of them from the NICU into the general ward, and that's

massive progress that they've made.

ANDERSON: Larry Madowo reporting from Cairo for you. Well, Russian President Vladimir Putin is here in Abu Dhabi, saying Moscow's relations

with the UAE are at an all-time high, a closer look at his visit in a live report, up next. Plus we'll introduce you to Ukraine's white angel's team.

They bring much needed supplies to people still living in Ukraine's war zones, that after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[09:15:00]

ANDERSON: Well, Russian President Vladimir Putin is here in Abu Dhabi, where he is holding talks with the UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al

Nahyan. It's been fairly rare for Mr. Putin to travel outside of Russia since his invasion of Ukraine almost two years ago. But he received a warm

welcome here a short time ago with the UAE military jet flyover past his limousine route and a full military salute. For more on this let's bring in

CNN's Frederik Pleitgen in Berlin.

Look, it is not unusual this week or this past week to see foreign dignitaries and leaders of countries coming into the UAE. Of course it is

hosting the COP28 meeting in Dubai at present. So what more though, do we know about Mr. Putin's visit to the UAE and the wider region? And what is

he trying to achieve?

FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, I think it's several things, Becky, and I think that this visit, as we've just seen

there on that video that you were just playing is extremely important to the UAE and of course, later to Saudi Arabia, but very important to

Vladimir Putin, as well.

And I think some of the images that we've seen, especially with that flyover with that salute, but also with the Escort that Vladimir Putin got,

I think it is showing how important this visit is also to the UAE.

And the message that the UAE and Saudi Arabia are trying to send to the United States and also to the rest of the world, saying that, look, they

are America's allies. They're very important allies for the United States in the Middle East. But they also want to continue working and having

pragmatic relations with the Russian Federation and with Vladimir Putin.

I did see some of the opening remarks in that meeting with the UAE President where he, the UAE President himself said that the UAE is Russia's

most important trading partner in the Middle East. Vladimir Putin, as you've noted, himself, then saying that the relations between the UAE and

Russia are at an all-time high.

Now, of course, all this comes as the United States and its European allies have been trying to isolate Russia on an international stage. And that's

certainly something with a message that I think we're seeing from Vladimir Putin today, which is one that the Russians have been sending for quite

some time now, is that Russia will not be isolated internationally, Russia is too big to be isolated internationally.

And Russia is certainly too important in player -- especially in the hydrocarbon sector to be isolated in the Middle East, so definitely a very

important meeting. And I think some of the things that they are going to be talking about, because of course, there is also a very important official

agenda as well.

They are also quite telling one of the things of course, the Israel Hamas war where Vladimir Putin has sort of been trying to style himself as on the

one hand being on the side of the Palestinians, of course, repeatedly calling for a Palestinian state, but still also wanting to be a mediator.

Of course, he is a very important player in Israel also with such a large chunk of the Israeli population having Russian roots. So certainly Vladimir

Putin is trying to --himself that way, trying to inject himself into politics in the Middle East and at the same time, of course, and remaining

an extremely important economic player as well, Becky.

ANDERSON: Fascinating. Thanks. Fred Pleitgen is on the story for you. While Vladimir Putin visits Abu Dhabi today, G7 leaders are meeting virtually

this hour with the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Report say this meeting is a show of support for Ukraine and its war with Russia, while the

conflict has been raging for nearly two years.

Right now Russian forces are pressing on with a large scale attack on the eastern Ukrainian town of Avdiivka. CNN following a group of Ukrainians

they're called the White Angels as Anna Coren explains, this team brings much needed supplies to people still living in the war zone.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ANNA COREN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): At a warehouse stocked with humanitarian aid 23-year-old police officer Dimitra Salvi (ph) picks up

supplies. Food, water hygiene products and a generator are on the list. He's part of the "White Angels" unit, and they're heading to his hometown

of Avdiivka in the Donetsk region on the Eastern Front. Where one of the most fierce and blue bloody battles is being waged in the war in Ukraine.

[09:20:00]

I was born in this town, he tells me. My neighbors are there, my relatives my friends, it's my duty to help them we are their hope. But getting to

Avdiivka is a deathtrap. Shortly after leaving us with his GoPro rolling, he spots Russian shelling through the windscreen. Look, the bombers landed,

report incoming of an ugly bastard. And there's another one, he tells his colleague.

Russian artillery mortars and drones target the road and yet Dimitra remains calm. This perilous journey has become routine, despite multiple

close calls. Driving past the sign that proudly states Avdiivka is Ukraine. The town of once 30,000 residents is now deserted, devoid of the living as

almost every single building has been shelled.

But surprisingly, some people still live here, including Dr. Vitaly Symphonique (ph) Head of the local hospital. Diagnosed with terminal

cancer, he's decided he's not going anywhere. We have a job and we do it, he explains.

He called the "White Angels" to evacuate a man who just been injured from shrapnel. As they load him into the van, the idle chatter is interrupted.

Incoming, it's immortal, explains the doctor. Sometimes at Russell's and then bang, that would be a tank. As the explosions get louder, it's time to

go.

COREN: This is the road to Avdiivka; there is one way in, one way out. We are not allowed to travel to the town which is 17 kilometers away. The

military has banned all media saying it's just too dangerous. But for the White Angels they travel on this road multiple times a week risking their

lives to support the less than 1300 people still living in the town.

COREN (voice-over): As the "White Angels" begin the dangerous drive out Dimitra reflects. It's very sad what's happening to my town. But one day

we'll rebuild Avdiivka and I will live there with my grandchildren. We just need to believe, a belief that keeps this community among the ruins alive.

Anna Coren, CNN on the outskirts of Avdiivka, Ukraine.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ANDERSON: And you're watching "Connect the World" with me Becky Anderson. Still to come, U.S. President Joe Biden catching even his own advisors by

surprise suggesting to supporters that he may have skipped to re-election bid if Trump wasn't in the race. We'll have a live report from the White

House. And the star of the U.S. primary and caucus season is just week's away, coming up, what you need to know ahead of tonight's Republican U.S.

Presidential Debate in Alabama.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[09:25:00]

ANDERSON: Welcome back, I'm Becky Anderson in Abu Dhabi. You are watching "Connect the World". The time here 25 past six in the evening, our top

story this hour. The Israeli Defense Forces say they have carried out about 250 airstrikes on Hamas targets in just the past day.

The IDF say they are in the heart of the second largest city Khan Yunis. Seen now on your screen is in the south of the Enclave. But don't forget

Palestinians in the North have repeatedly been told to move south since the start of this war.

Multiple NGOs now say that no matter where civilians go nowhere in Gaza is safe. Meantime, the UN Agency for Palestinian refugees warns that Gaza is

now one of the most dangerous places in the world. U.S. President Joe Biden is now walking back and notably candid remark about why he is seeking re-

election in 2024.

He told democratic donors at an off camera fundraiser on Tuesday "If Trump wasn't running, I'm not sure that I'd be running", a comment that caught

even his own advisers off guard. Biden's campaign though was quick to shrug off the quip is nothing to see here moment. Well, CNN's Priscilla Alvarez

is covering the story for us from the White House. President Biden later is clarifying the comment that he made at that fundraiser, explain.

PRISCILLA ALVAREZ, CNN WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: Well, the setting here was a closed door fundraiser and it provided insight into the President's 2024

rationale. And just to read you the transcript, you read part of it there. But he said, "Folks, this is a big deal this election, we've got to get it

done, not because of me. And I mean that. If Trump wasn't running, I'm not sure I'd be running. But we cannot let him win for the sake of the

country".

So this is the starkest rationale for the President's re-election decision making. Of course, he's come under fierce criticism from some people on his

own party for deciding to run given his age. But what he's making clear here, what we've heard repeatedly from his campaign is that this isn't just

about the man on the ticket, but it's also about two very different visions for the United States.

And the President is making clear, at least in these remarks, that this is about his decision making to come up against Trump to preserve democracy

and the United States. Now, when he got back to the White House yesterday evening, he did try to walk back those comments just a bit, take a listen

to what he had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Would you be running for President if Trump wasn't running?

JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: I'd expect so but look he is running and I have to run.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Would you drop out if Trump drops out?

BIDEN: No, not now.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ALVAREZ: Now Former President Donald Trump is not yet the nominee for Republicans. But the campaign is certainly operating under the assumption

that he very well could be as Republicans continue to bath the Former President. And the President here preparing for what is going to be a very

busy and perhaps aggressive campaign in 2024. And that he is staying on the ticket in part because of who he is running against, Becky.

ANDERSON: Priscilla, thank you. The U.S. Republican presidential debate stage is shrinking. Later tonight four contenders will gather at the

University of Alabama, among them Ron DeSantis, Chris Christie, Vivek Ramaswamy and Nikki Haley. This will be the fourth Republican primary

debate.

All of those candidates on the stage will try to convince voters that they are a better fit than the front runner Donald Trump, the Former U.S.

President will not be there. Well joining us live from Alabama is CNN's Chief U.S. National Affairs Correspondent Jeff Zeleny. And he has been

absent from all of these presidential debate. He doesn't see the necessity to be there.

[09:30:00]

And quite frankly, he may be right in saying that. Those who will be there, where do they stand in this sort of race at this point?

JEFF ZELENY, CNN CHIEF U.S. NATIONAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: Well, Becky, there clearly is a new sense of urgency for all of those four candidates

who will be on stage here in Alabama tonight. Nikki Haley, the Former South Carolina Governor, the Former UN Ambassador in the Trump Administration,

she is really used these debates to a bit of a springboard. That's certainly given her considerable momentum.

Arguably, you could say she is in second place now. It certainly is a race for second place between her and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. So

certainly that dynamic on stage tonight, between those two will be very interesting. But as you said, you're right; Donald Trump will not be here.

I do expect him however, to be at the center of conversation.

And those new comments he made just last evening in Iowa actually saying that, you know, he would be a dictator, at least on day one. Look for those

to be front and center of this debate as well. I suspect all the candidates will be asked about that, as well as other things he has said recently.

And the other two candidates on stage Former New Jersey Governor, Chris Christie, he is trying to -- he's really been running an anti-Trump

strategy, if you will, focusing on New Hampshire where there are independent voters, moderate voters, we'll see how much he hustles with the

other candidates on stage.

He's quite frankly in Nikki Haley's way in New Hampshire, because that is the state that holds the first primary a week after the Iowa caucuses

opened this campaign. And of course, there's Iowa -- or there's the Ohio excuse me, entrepreneur, Vivek Ramaswamy also on stage, he has been mixing

it up with all of the candidates.

So the bottom line to all of this, time is running short for these candidates to make the case that they are the best alternative to Donald

Trump. But the big question is how many Republican voters are actually looking for that alternative? That is something that we'll find out in

about six weeks' time, Becky.

ANDERSON: It's getting close. Jeff always a pleasure, thank you. Iconic Television Producer Norman Lear has died. The U.S. TV legend dominated the

1970s and 80s with several popular sitcoms, he is well known for creating classics like all in the family, "Sanford and Son" and "The Jeffersons".

Norman Lear died Tuesday at his home in Los Angeles. He was 101-years-old. Coming up, a year that will -- go down in the record books alarming news

statistics in the fight against climate change. And lioness let down England's women's football team; we'll miss the main event in Paris. We'll

tell you why, coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[09:35:00]

ANDERSON: We are about halfway through the COP28 Climate Summit in Dubai. And new data underlines the urgent need to cut greenhouse gas emissions.

The EU's climate change service is officially announcing that 2023 will be the hottest on record across the globe.

It says temperatures this year will be more than 1.4 degrees Celsius warmer than pre industrial levels. That is close to that 1.5 degree threshold that

climate officials say the globe must not surpass without seeing the potentially irreversible effects of climate change. And something the

world, of course, signed up to in 2015 at the Paris Climate Summit.

Well, more than 100 climate scientists have just signed an open letter saying the phasing out of fossil fuels is "Necessary for achieving climate

change targets". So let us say, "The link between climate science and fossil fuel phase out is unequivocal. Moving towards the phase out of

fossil fuel combustion is necessary to keep the goal of the Paris Agreement within reach".

Well, the scientists also say it will be necessary to utilize carbon dioxide removal technologies to meet those goals. Well, many here in the

UAE at COP28 believe climate financing holds the key to ultimately unlocking many of the solutions to reaching Net Zero climate targets.

I spoke to Badr Jafar, the CEO of Crescent Enterprises and the COP28 Special Representative for Business and Philanthropy. He believes the

unleashing of the power and dynamism of the business community as well as philanthropic capital will be key towards ultimately winning the global

warming fight. Have a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BADR JAFAR, CEO, CRESCENT ENTERPRISES: So Becky, I've long believed, and I believe now more than ever, the business and philanthropy has the greatest

potential to help us move from again, those pledges and announcements to action implementation. For far too long business has been on the periphery

of the COP process. Yes, it is a political process.

But we need to embrace the dynamism, the capital and the action networks of business and philanthropy if we're going to stand the chance, and achieving

our net zero and nature of positive goals. So the COP presidency hosted for the first time ever the inaugural COP28 business and philanthropy climate

forum, here at COP28.

And we managed to engage 1342 that's the number I just verified. 1342 CEOs from over 100 countries across the world, spanning the spectrum of

industry, from energy to space, from fashion to agriculture, 43 percent of those in attendance were from the great nations across the global south. So

again, embracing inclusivity, not just across regions, but also across sectors and it's that true spirit of inclusivity that is required. Without

that we stand no chance in achieving our climate goals.

ANDERSON: Explain for me how you unlock some of that $1 trillion in philanthropic wealth and the some $200 trillion under management by the

institutional investor? How do you unlock that money for climate finance? And where are the bottlenecks? What have you learned from this?

JAFAR: We're not going to do that if we still adopt the --approach, all capital players need to come together. Now, governments have a critical

role to play. And it's very important that governments do step up to their previous pledges and keep doubling down and tripling down on those pledges.

But the business capital, as you said, that $200 trillion has, of course, tremendously important role to play in combination with what I like to call

is catalytic capital, which is philanthropic capital. And it's only combined that we created, that we can create and generate that multiplier

effect, to get where we need to get to.

ANDERSON: Just explain what you mean by that and how philanthropic capital can play a role very specifically in financing climate projects?

JAFAR: So I've long referred to philanthropic capital as a forgotten child of the capitalist system, often regarded as a sort of referee player and in

some parts of the world even regarded with a high degree of suspicion. The reality is, from what we can measure today, we know philanthropic capital

is dispersed over a trillion dollars a year.

It's more likely north of $2 trillion. But the more exciting aspects of philanthropic capital is its quality. Because it is traditionally more

patient, more equitable in its deployment and more risk tolerant. And that's why in combination with business and government capital, it can help

to generate that multiplier effect, hence the catalytic nature of it.

[09:40:00]

So I really do believe that philanthropic capital can be the glue that binds business and government capital together in concerted action to help

to scale up and accelerate our pathways to net zero.

ANDERSON: So what were the key takeaways for you?

JAFAR: So the key takeaway is this process, this process that has been adopted for the past 27 years now needs to embrace the full potential of

the private sector. We saw over $5 billion in new committed capital just across 48 hours. But I think we can no longer go back to the days where

business is seen as a periphery prayer or something that happens on the sidelines. It needs to be a fully integrated and inclusive process.

ANDERSON: How would you describe what's been achieved to date?

JAFAR: The finish line here is not the 12, the end of the 12 days -- problem. It's our 2030 targets. But it's not about what we've been able to

achieve. It's what we need to keep achieving in the coming days in the coming weeks, keeping in mind, the UAE presidency is not a 12 day

presidency. It's at least a one year presidency.

And you can be sure that the UAE is going to be pushing day and night to make sure that we push together inclusively to deliver on what we need to

for our future generations and for both planets and people making sure that we're no longer separating the climate agenda from the Human Development

Agenda.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ANDERSON: Badr Jafar is the COP28 Special Advisor on Business and Philanthropy. That interview conducted while we were there at the COP28

site in Dubai earlier in the week. Well, more news from COP28 is a new international effort to promote nuclear fusion as a clean energy source.

U.S. Climate Envoy John Kerry announced the plan the U.S. led global initiative will focus on fusion research, development, regulation and

economic potential.

Nuclear fusion replicates the power of the sun and happens when two or more atoms are fused into a larger one, generating a massive amount of energy as

heat. And more from COP as the week goes on. While not all dreams come true, no matter how much you try and when that happens, well, it hurts.

Team Great Britain thrashed Scotland in a key Olympic qualifying match. But it was not enough to keep their Parisian hopes alive. Amanda Davies joins

me with the details. Amanda?

AMANDA DAVIES, CNN SPORTS ANCHOR: A six nil win, it was actually England taking on Scotland. But they knew whatever happened they had to better the

Netherlands and their results against Belgium. It's fair to say it went right down to the wire. And these were teams playing in the Women's Nations

League, not just for the honor of making it to the finals of that competition, but as you rightly said, for next year's Paris 2024 Olympics.

England is playing for the right for Team GB as well. It went one way, it went the other, all the way through to the 95th minute ultimately, the

Dutch celebrating heartbreak for England and Team GB but it wasn't the only late, late finish last night. We've got plenty of action coming up in just

a couple of minutes, Becky.

ANDERSON: Thank you for explaining how these teams stack up for that as well. Amanda is back with that "World Sport" up after this short break.

Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

END