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Trump Speaks with Saudi Crown Prince; Trump to Address WEF in Davos; Iraqi FM Raises Concerns about ISIS Resurgence; ICC Seeks Arrest Warrants for Two Taliban Leaders; Journalist Freed under Gaza Ceasefire Deal Alleges Abuse; Marriage Equality Law Takes Effect in Thailand; Call to Earth: Australia's Brush-Tailed Bettongs; 2025 Oscars; London's Annual Winter Lights Festival. Aired 10-11a ET

Aired January 23, 2025 - 10:00   ET

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


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UNIDENTIFIED MALE (voice-over): Live from CNN Abu Dhabi, this is CONNECT THE WORLD.

ELENI GIOKOS, CNN ANCHOR AND CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Welcome to our second hour of CONNECT THE WORLD. I'm Eleni Giokos in Abu Dhabi.

From a snowy Davos in Switzerland, our Becky Anderson attends the World Economic Forum and speaks to regional leaders from the Middle East. What

they are hoping for, the future of the region and how to move diplomatic talks forward.

In his first-known conversation with a foreign leader since taking office, U.S. president Donald Trump spoke with Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin

Salman. More details on this call coming up.

And the Israeli operation inside the West Bank continues. We speak with a former U.S. State Department spokesperson on what this could mean for the

future of the ceasefire agreement.

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GIOKOS: Well, all eyes are on the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, where U.S. president Donald Trump is scheduled to speak

virtually next hour.

He'll be addressing a room of the world's political and business elites, who are likely eager to get a clearer picture of his views on some of the

biggest topics at the forum, including U.S. policy on Ukraine and the future of American funding for NATO.

Mr. Trump also may discuss U.S. policy for the Middle East. And business leaders will be closely watching to see what he has to say about threatened

tariffs.

While the Davos attendees await president Trump's comments, we've learned that he's held his first known phone conversation with a foreign leader

since taking office, talking to Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman.

Saudi Arabia's official news agency says they discussed cooperation between the two countries to promote peace and stability in the Middle East. This

call coming just days after the Israel-Hamas ceasefire took effect. I want to bring in senior White House reporter Kevin Liptak to shed some light on

this phone call.

Very strategic, it seems. Kevin, Saudi Arabia being a key ally for the United States, a lot of business dealings discussed. But give me a sense of

what this ultimately means and what message it's sending to the region and the rest of the world.

KEVIN LIPTAK, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: You know, I think it was interesting; president Trump, back when he was serving as president the

first time around, made his very first visit abroad to Saudi Arabia. And in fact, that came up in the Oval Office just this week.

He said that he made that decision because Saudi Arabia had agreed to buy $400 million of American products and he said he would consider making

another trip to Saudi Arabia if the country invested $500 million in the United States.

Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman appears to have been listening to what the president was saying because, in that phone call between the two

men yesterday, he said that Saudi Arabia would invest $600 million in the United States.

So you are starting to see foreign leaders really come to grips with this new Trump presidency. It's a presidency that is transactional. This is a

businessman at heart. And I think what you're seeing here is two leaders who are very much on the same page on how they want to move forward.

President Trump is someone who cultivated fairly warm ties with the crown prince when he was in office the first time around, fueled in part by the

friendship between Prince Mohammed and his son in law, Jared Kushner.

Kushner is no longer in an official role in the White House but certainly the relationship between the United States and Saudi Arabia will be a

priority for president Trump, particularly at a tense moment in the Middle East. He sees this country as an ally, as a bulwark against Iran.

And I think it's clear from this conversation, the first known conversation that president Trump has held since taking office with one of his foreign

counterparts -- or at least a foreign leader -- that he does place a high degree of value on this relationship going forward.

GIOKOS: Yes. Really interesting. And in about an hour's time, we'll be hearing from the president, who will be speaking virtually at the World

Economic Forum.

Let me tell you, I mean, all the headlines this week about all the executive orders that were signed or the promises and threats as well,

global leaders are watching very closely.

What could we expect in terms of getting clarity and, of course, an opportunity for president Trump to speak directly to global elites gathered

there?

LIPTAK: Well, I should say the White House hasn't offered an official preview of the speech. But I think it's certain that the president will

continue talking about this America First worldview, talking about some of the items that he has planned, particularly when it comes to tariffs.

And I think that's one of the big questions that a lot of these business leaders who are gathering in Davos have, is what exactly president Trump

plans to do. We obviously heard him earlier this week saying that he was planning for 25 percent tariffs on Canada and Mexico.

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He thinks that they could go in place on February 1st. The question that a lot of these leaders have is whether this is just bluster, whether it's a

bargaining tactic to try and get these countries to agree to something or whether he's serious about doing and taking a step that many say could

cause economic calamity.

So there are a lot of things that they'll be listening for in the speech. This is his first time addressing an international audience since taking

office. And there are so many items on his agenda that world leaders just don't necessarily have a good read of where he's going, the war in Ukraine

being one of them.

We just saw yesterday, Trump threatened new sanctions and tariffs on Russia if Vladimir Putin doesn't come to the table and make an agreement on ending

that conflict.

Again, is that bluster or is that a bargaining tactic to try and get Putin to the table?

You know, this will be the third time as president that Trump has addressed Davos. I remember traveling there with him in 2018. And he was seen with a

huge amount of skepticism among the leaders there.

By the time he departed that summit, many started to view him as something of a pragmatist. They saw his economic viewpoint. They saw his, you know,

commitment to tax cuts. And they said, this is maybe someone that we could be working with.

By the time he returned in 2020, he was somewhat embraced by an economic and business community who saw him as an ally. Of course, then COVID began.

Then the economic downturn began and things started to change.

But I think he's entering this conference with leaders looking and listening to what he's going to have to say. They aren't necessarily going

from the outset with a position of skepticism. And it will be interesting to see what the reaction is from him at the speech.

There's certainly a lot that he will want to say and want to make clear. But you know, whether or not these leaders agree with him, I think, will be

an open question at the end of it.

GIOKOS: All right. Kevin Liptak, always good to have you on. Thank you so much.

Well, our Becky Anderson just moderated a panel at Davos about the future of the Middle East with many of the region's top diplomats. The group

discussed everything from the fragile ceasefire in Gaza and escalating Israeli operations in the West Bank to Iran's next moves.

And Syria's new foreign minister weighed in on what his country needs as it caters -- charters a new future without Bashar al-Assad, as did the Iraqi

foreign minister with the view from Baghdad. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ASSAD HASSAN AL-SHAIBANI, SYRIAN FOREIGN MINISTER: What's happened in Syria?

The -- we are now in 50 days. We bring the hope for all the Syrian people and also we bring the hope for all the world and for the region. And we

were, we were bombed and tortured and displaced during 14 years.

And what happened, of course, it brings stability and security for Syria and for all the region and the world. Of course, what we are looking for

from the Trump administration that to support the stability and security by removing the sanctions imposed on Syria, on the Syrian people.

And also all the Syrian people has expectation, positive expectation from the new administration regarding the supporting the political process and

also supporting the new road (ph) and new future of the city.

BECKY ANDERSON, CNN HOST: So Minister, let me stop you there.

How much contact have you had with this new administration?

Clearly it's only four days old. But I mean, it's been, you know, in a stage of transition now for a couple of months.

And how realistic do you believe it will be that some, if not all --

(CROSSTALK)

AL-SHAIBANI: Yes. This is --

ANDERSON: -- sanctions will be lifted?

AL-SHAIBANI: Yes. The sanctions now, it's turned into -- against the Syrian people. In the past, the sanctions imposed against the Assad regime

because of the torturing people inside Najjar and other prisoners.

But after the overthrowing of the Assad regime, it turned against -- turned against the Syrian people. But now removing sanctions, it's the key actor

and the key to the -- of our development vision. And also the key for the new road (ph) for the Syrian people.

ANDERSON: What contact have you had with the members of the new administration, if any?

Have you been in contact?

AL-SHAIBANI: Yes, yes.

ANDERSON: What are they telling you?

AL-SHAIBANI: It's important actor in the region and who want to perceive the stability and security in the region, they should talk with Damascus.

ANDERSON: Have they been in contact with you?

AL-SHAIBANI: Yes, yes.

ANDERSON: Can you give us any sense of what's been said?

AL-SHAIBANI: No.

(LAUGHTER)

ANDERSON: Fair enough.

(LAUGHTER)

(APPLAUSE)

ANDERSON: Let me bring minister Fuad Hussein in at this point. I'm coming back to you.

(LAUGHTER)

ANDERSON: You've been instrumental in navigating Iraq through complex regional dynamics, advocating for national sovereignty and for regional

cooperation.

What is your view about what is going on in Syria?

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What danger do you believe there is, in any instability that there may be there, spilling over into your country?

And again, what's your perception of where the Trump administration's policy will lie in the Middle East going forward?

I mean, you will need to speak to the new Trump administration. You will need to talk about U.S. troops in Iraq.

What's your sense?

FUAD HUSSEIN, IRAQI FOREIGN MINISTER: Let me first mention that the Syrian security and Iraqi security are very much interlinked. And that has to do

with the past but also the current situations. And we had good discussion with my colleague, Assad, about the security situation inside Syria but

also the security situation inside Iraq.

And the point which we have mentioned -- or the subject which we discussed -- had to do with ISIS, the ISIS fighters inside Syria. In fact, we have

seen that ISIS territory has been extended inside Syria. ISIS was able -- ISIS fighters and terrorist fighters, they were able to control more

weapons because of the fact that Syrian army collapsed.

So they collected a lot of weapons. And some new elements joined ISIS. That's according to our information. And the ISIS terrorist fighters, they

are on our border as well as on the border with Jordan. So that point is worrying us.

And I guess it is worrying also our friends in Damascus. We need a kind of cooperation, how to deal with this threat, because the threat, it is true.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

GIOKOS: Well, and as the ceasefire in Lebanon is set to expire this Sunday, France has been playing a key mediating role. Here's what France's

foreign minister told our Becky Anderson.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JEAN-NOEL BARROT, FRENCH FOREIGN MINISTER: We're 60 days past the ceasefire.

Are we -- are we done?

The answer is no. So we'll need more time to achieve the results. The good -- the good thing is that we, also, alongside partners of the Quintet,

facilitated the election of a president for Lebanon.

That was an essential condition to be met for the ceasefire to be sustainable but also for the reconstruction effort to start. And basically

for Lebanon to -- or for the Lebanese people to take back control over their own destiny.

But as was said earlier in the introduction, what worked in Lebanon is that everyone took their share of the risk, of the effort. Israel put an end to

hostilities and now is removing its forces.

The Lebanese armed forces went beyond what they had done so far and went actually to places where Hezbollah were storing ammunitions and destroyed

those ammunitions. And UNIFIL also did their part.

And the Lebanese police -- the political forces, also, went, you know, sort of overcame their reluctance to work together to elect a president. So

everybody did their part. That's why we where we are now.

But to go or to do the other half of the way, we need people to keep taking their part of the risk.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GIOKOS: Well, "The world still hears our call for equality and justice," the words of one Afghan activist welcoming the International Criminal

Court's action against the Taliban.

The ICC says it is seeking arrest warrants for two Taliban officials on the grounds of alleged gender-based crimes. The ICC prosecutor says there is

reasonable belief that two top officials are criminally responsible for persecuting Afghan girls and women and others the Taliban see as not

conforming to their beliefs. CNN's Salma Abdelaziz reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SALMA ABDELAZIZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: "It gives us hope that our voices are not forgotten."

That's what one woman inside Afghanistan told me after the ICC said that it is seeking arrest warrants for the supreme leader of the Taliban and the

chief justice of the group for alleged gender-based crimes that could amount to crimes against humanity.

Now since the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan, the group has slowly but surely been erasing women and girls from public life. Girls can't go to

university, can't go to secondary school, can't step out of their homes without a full veil, can't even sing in public.

In fact, the latest edict from the Taliban says that women should not be seen from windows.

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Now this is still one step away from an official arrest warrant from The Hague-based court. That would have to be approved by a judge. The chief

prosecutor of the ICC also indicated that he may pursue arrest warrants for other Taliban officials.

Human Rights Watch, which has closely been following these violations against women and girls in Afghanistan, welcomed the news and said they

hope that it leads to concrete action on the ground -- Salma Abdelaziz, CNN, London.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

GIOKOS: Ninety Palestinians have been freed from Israeli detention under the Gaza ceasefire deal. One of them is a journalist who says she was

subjected to hours of abuse just before her release. Her story up next.

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GIOKOS: A key deadline is approaching in the Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire and it appears Israel is looking for an extension. A source tells CNN that

prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has asked the Trump administration for approval to keep five Israeli military outposts in southern Lebanon.

The request contradicts a clear stipulation of the ceasefire deal, which the U.S. is helping to enforce now. It requires Israel to withdraw from

Lebanon and Hezbollah to retreat north of the Litani River by January 26th. Israel's cabinet was expected to meet today to discuss the matter.

Lebanon's new president, Joseph Aoun, said it is crucial that Israel meets the withdrawal deadline now in the occupied West Bank. The Israeli army

says its forces have killed two Palestinian men suspected in a fatal shooting attack earlier this month.

Authorities say several alleged terrorists were also detained in that operation overnight and an Israeli soldier was injured. It's part of a

large-scale military effort ongoing in Jenin. Israel's defense minister says it was launched to ensure terrorism does not return to the area

following lessons learned in Gaza.

Now Israel is stepping up operations in the West Bank just days into the Gaza ceasefire. CNN's Nada Bashir joins us now from Jerusalem.

Nada, good to have you with us. Look, you spoke with one of the first Palestinians released under the ceasefire deal in Gaza. Tell us about what

you learned.

NADA BASHIR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right. We spoke to Rula Hassanein, a Palestinian journalist who was detained back in March 2024. She has just

been released. She is among the first 90 Palestinians who were released on the first day of that ceasefire agreement in exchange for three Israeli

hostages.

And, of course, amongst those 90, there were 69 women. Rula Hassanein's case has perhaps been one of the most prominent amongst those released in

this first day of the deal.

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And we've been learning more about exactly what these Palestinian prisoners and detainees faced on that day of the ceasefire. There was a lot of

uncertainty, really, about how this process would pan out, how exactly it would work.

We know that many of those prisoners and detainees were transferred from other prisoners, including the Damon prison for women and then moved

onwards to the Ofer prison in the occupied West Bank, where they were later released.

But we were there, of course, on Sunday into the early hours of Monday morning. It took hours for that release to take place. And we've been

learning about the horrific experiences of many of those women who were released on that day as part of that process but also about their

experiences while in detention.

Take a listen to Rula's story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BASHIR (voice-over): Little Elia is still adjusting to finally having her mother back home. Rula Hassanein, a Palestinian journalist from the

occupied West Bank, was arrested by Israeli security forces when her daughter was just 9 months old.

Now after 10 months in detention, she is among the first Palestinian prisoners to be freed as part of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire agreement.

RULA HASSANEIN, PALESTINIAN JOURNALIST (from captions): Of course my daughter forgot what I looked like. My husband and family members would

show her photos of me. They would tell her that this is your mother but a photo is nothing like the real thing. I would dream about my daughter a

lot.

My first Ramadan after having Elia was spent in prison. I was in prison for her first Eid and I also missed out on the memory of her first birthday.

BASHIR (voice-over): This was the moment Rula was reunited with her daughter and husband last week. Having suffered from health complications

in the first few months of life, Rula says it was a relief to see her daughter doing well after almost a year of agonizing separation.

But Rula herself has also been through unimaginable suffering while in detention.

HASSANEIN (from captions): During our transfer, we weren't allowed to drink water, eat any food, use the bathroom or even to pray.

BASHIR (voice-over): Rula says that the day she and 89 other prisoners were transferred for release as part of the ceasefire deal, they were

subjected to hours of psychological and physical abuse.

She recalls that they were pushed down to their knees, dragged across the ground while handcuffed and dressed only in thin layers while out in the

cold. They were then made to watch hours of Israeli propaganda video before being released.

But like so many other Palestinians in Israeli jails, abuse and harassment had become a daily occurrence for Rula.

BASHIR: What were the conditions like inside the prison?

HASSANEIN (from captions): Regarding the female prisoners, they violated all international human rights to protect us. We were also deprived of our

most essential private needs.

During our time of the month, male guards would say we don't need to change our sanitary pads every hour, only every four or five hours. They

confiscated our underwear and left us with only one piece to wear.

We saw female prisoners from Gaza who were brought to Damon prison. Some of them looked like they were in a very difficult state. During their time of

the month, their clothes would be covered in blood. It was horrifying. The guards were mocking them.

BASHIR (voice-over): The Israeli prison service has told CNN that they are not aware of any such claims. But the harsh conditions faced by

Palestinians in Israeli jails has been widely documented.

In a report published in July 2024, the U.N. human rights office said, "Palestinian detainees are subjected to systematic beatings, humiliation

and threats in addition to severe restrictions on food, water and essential hygiene products."

Like many Palestinians, Rula was tried before a military court rather than a civil court and later charged with incitement on social media over posts

shared where she had expressed frustration over the suffering of Palestinians in Gaza.

HASSANEIN (from captions): It isn't a new policy to hold Palestinians accountable for their thoughts. Many Palestinians have been targeted for

their art or writing. It has become so easy for them to arrest someone simply by accusing them of incitement on social media.

BASHIR (voice-over): For Rula, it is impossible to forget the suffering that she and other Palestinian detainees have been forced to endure. But

she says her focus now is on enjoying each moment with her daughter and husband.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BASHIR: Now, of course, Rula is one of many stories that we have heard from Palestinian prisoners and detainees who were freed on Sunday, in fact,

on the -- in the early hours of Monday morning, rather, after hours of delay.

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But of course stories like this, recounts of abuse, of harassment, of being threatened within Israeli jails or Palestinians is something we have heard

about quite often, as you saw in that report.

Not only in the U.N. human rights office report but also from the U.N. agency for Palestine refugees, from Amnesty International and a number of

other NGOs and monitoring groups.

And, of course, this is the first release that we have seen as part of this 42-day process. We are expecting to see more Palestinian prisoners and

detainees released every week in exchange for Israeli hostages. Hundreds are set to be released, in addition to yet more Palestinians from Gaza, who

are also set to be released.

So we are expecting, of course, to hear more stories from Palestinians as they are released. But again, accounts like this are deeply troubling.

GIOKOS: All right. Nada Bashir, thank you so much for that reporting.

My next guest is a former State Department official under the Biden administration, who resigned over its handling of the war in Gaza.

Hala Rharrit says the ceasefire agreement signed between -- signed last week between Israel and Hamas was a matter of political will brought about

by the Trump administration.

She writes that, "Now, the real questions are what was given in exchange and will it last beyond this initial phase?"

Hala joins us now live from Dubai.

Hala, great to have you with us. Quite an important time. You know, in just a few days we're expecting hostages to return to Israel. We're seeing

tensions rising in the West Bank. You've got this military operation happening in Jenin.

And the big question, as you ask this, you know, are we even going to get to phase two?

And what was given in exchange for this ceasefire hostage agreement?

What's your assessment right now?

HALA RHARRIT, FORMER U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT SPOKESPERSON, MENA: Well, thank you so much for having me.

It's becoming increasingly clear that what was given in exchange was the West Bank. It's terrifying to say that but everything points in that

direction.

The cease-fire went into effect on Sunday. Then on Tuesday, just two days later, not even 48 hours later, the State of Israel announced a large-scale

military operation. They're calling it Iron Wall throughout the West Bank, focused in Jenin.

And I can't say that that's a coincidence. And that lies right after we're hearing the nominee for the United Nations ambassador, the U.S. nominee,

saying that Israel has Biblical rights to the West Bank. It's very concerning.

And what we're seeing now is a bit of a carte blanche for collective punishment in the West Bank. So we're keeping a very close eye on seeing

what happens and also if the cease-fire in Gaza is actually going to hold.

GIOKOS: Yes. And you make a really important point here. When you mentioned the potential new U.N. ambassador, Trump lifted sanctions on

illegal settlers. The pick, of course -- talking about the U.N. pick, talking about biblical rights to what is sovereign territory right now.

Israel making it very clear that they plan to and intend to annex all of West Bank.

What is your sense of how the Trump administration is going to deal with Netanyahu?

RHARRIT: Look, there have been mixed signals from Trump himself when it comes to how he's going to deal with Netanyahu. In some regards, he calls

him a great friend and an ally. In others, you see that there's a personality clash between the two.

But as a seasoned State Department official, I can tell you that it's also about the people he's surrounding himself with. It's about Mike Huckabee,

the person he wants to nominate to be ambassador to Israel, who again, as an evangelical, thinks that Israel has full Biblical rights to the entire

West Bank and needs to annex the West Bank.

Same with the U.N. ambassador that I just mentioned. So we're going to see how far they are going to push each other, Trump and Netanyahu.

But as you mentioned, the lifting of sanctions, again, that was a bare minimum that the Biden administration did, an absolute bare minimum to try

to shed light and to try to halt -- which it didn't halt, unfortunately -- the settler violence against civilians throughout the West Bank.

GIOKOS: So president Trump spoke to Saudi crown prince MBS today. Interesting, because this was the first conversation with a foreign leader

since coming into office in terms of what we understand right now. Saudi Arabia has been very clear that they want to see an establishment of a

Palestinian state.

We know that president Trump is quite transactional. We also know that, under the Abraham Accords, there was this hope that Saudi was going to

normalize with Israel.

How do you see that relationship playing out?

Because clearly president Trump does want Saudi on its side.

RHARRIT: It's a -- it's a very critical relationship with Saudi Arabia and with others in the Gulf, the Gulf monarchs. Look, I think it's going to be,

like you said, a transaction.

And at the end of the day, what's going to be the best for Trump?

[10:30:00]

He has very much an America First policy but that determines how he interprets that. Again, the people who he's going to surround himself with,

who is going to whisper loudest in his ear.

He did make campaign promises like ending the war in Gaza, bringing about a cease-fire. But he also had right behind him Miriam Adelson, one of the top

donors, who is very much in the Zionist camp and wanting to annex the entire West Bank.

So there are multiple, multiple interests pulling at the new president. And we're going to have to see which one is the loudest. The fact that he spoke

to the Saudi crown prince as one of his first major call -- and perhaps it will also be his first visit, like it was when he first became president

during his last term -- is going to be significant.

So I think we're going to have to watch it very closely. But there is no doubt right now that Netanyahu and his extremist right-wing government is

trying to take full advantage of this situation and trying to have collective punishment throughout the West Bank.

And we're seeing the horrors that are happening now there as things are starting to calm down in Gaza. So we have to keep a very, very close eye on

what is happening in both Occupied Territories.

GIOKOS: Absolutely. And you resigned from the Biden administration after you consistently warned about the way that they were handling the war in

Gaza and also the anti-American sentiment that that has resulted in this.

So big question about what Trump will do next. But he's -- president Trump also made interesting comments about Gaza and actually saying that it's a

phenomenal location on the sea and so forth. Right now, it's uninhabitable for the -- for the Palestinians. They're going back to what is left of

their homes and rubble under the cease-fire.

What does the day after look like for you under Trump?

RHARRIT: Yes, his comments were extremely concerning, also saying that it's their war, not our war. No, it very much is ours. It's all of those

weapons that have destroyed Gaza. They were all American-made weapons.

And again, what I've said publicly multiple times, in violation of U.S. laws, that we continue to funnel all of those weapons to the State of

Israel. What the day after looks like is we have to, as an international community, maintain pressure and end Israel's impunity.

All of this is in violation of international law, a violation of U.S. laws. And if we want a stable Middle East, if we want a secure State of Israel,

if we want the Palestinians to live in any type of dignity, then this vicious cycle of violence has to end.

And my hope is that, with Arab states putting pressure on the Trump administration as well, the international community, international

organizations, which have all called what is happening a genocide and ethnic cleansing, that the president realizes that this is actually against

U.S. national security itself and changes course.

The question is, again, who he's surrounding himself with and whether or not their voices are going to be louder than the international community's.

GIOKOS: Hala, thank you so much for joining us today. Good to have you on the show.

And still to come on CNN, tens of thousands of people are facing evacuation orders right now in Southern California as crews race to contain two new

fires in the Los Angeles area.

Plus, a historic day in Thailand as hundreds of same-sex couples walk down the aisle for the first time.

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[10:35:00]

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GIOKOS (voice-over): Welcome back to CONNECT THE WORLD with me, Eleni Giokos. Here are your headlines.

In about 50 minutes, U.S. president Donald Trump is set to address the World Economic Forum in Davos by video call. The world's business and

political elites are eager to hear what he has to say about U.S. policy toward Ukraine, NATO and the Middle East, as well as his threat to impose

tariffs on foreign imports.

The International Criminal Court is seeking arrest warrants for Taliban officials on the grounds of alleged gender-based crimes. The ICC prosecutor

says there is reasonable belief that two top officials are criminally responsible for persecuting Afghan girls and women and persons whom the

Taliban perceive as nonconforming with their beliefs.

Israel is pressing ahead with what it calls a large-scale military operation in the West Bank. Israeli officials say two men suspected of a

shooting attack on Israelis earlier this month were killed in an exchange of fire. The country's defense minister says the operation aims to ensure

terrorism does not return to Jenin.

GIOKOS: In Nashville, Tennessee, officials are investigating yet another U.S. school shooting. A 16 year old girl died and another student was

wounded during an attack on Wednesday. Police say a 17 year old boy armed with a pistol fired shots in the school's cafeteria and then took his own

life.

It's unclear whether the victims were targeted or struck at random. Law enforcement officials are searching for a motive in Wednesday's incident.

It is the first deadly school shooting in the United States this year. Last year, there were 83 school shootings, the most of any year CNN has tracked.

Two new fires are threatening parts of Southern California right now. The fast-moving Hughes fire ignited Wednesday north of Los Angeles, forcing

thousands of evacuations. It's burned more than 10,000 acres or some 4,000 hectares and is about 14 percent contained.

And a separate brush fire near Interstate 405 in Los Angeles ignited just hours after the Hughes fire. To make matters worse, the National Weather

Service has extended a red flag warning through Friday morning local time as strong winds continue to move through the area.

Hundreds of same-sex couples are getting married in Thailand as the country becomes the first in Southeast Asia to recognize marriage equality with

full legal, financial and other rights. The landmark bill was passed by Thailand's parliament and endorsed by the king last year. It officially

took effect Thursday. CNN's Mike Valerio has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MIKE VALERIO, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A moment of pure elation. Marriage equality in Thailand, a milestone years in the making. On

Thursday, Bangkok police sergeant major Pisit Sirihiranchai and his husband, Chanathip, along with hundreds of other same sex couples, tied the

knot across the country.

SERGEANT MAJOR PISIT SIRIHIRANCHAI, BANGKOK POLICE (through translator): I feel so excited. It's the happiest day of my life. We could finally do what

we've been wanting to do for a long time. We are now a complete family. There's finally a law accommodating our relationship.

VALERIO (voice-over): Thailand is now the third place across Asia to legalize same-sex marriages, joining Nepal and Taiwan. Thailand's

parliament passed the country's marriage equality bill last year, an occasion marked with joy and fanfare.

Now that it's in effect, the country's LGBTQ couples can adopt, inherit property and make health care decisions for their partners like straight

couples have done for generations. After 30 years of being together, Concormemun (ph) and Ponkchakom Wongsupa say they are both overjoyed.

PONKCHAKOM WONGSUPA, LGBTQ SPOUSE (through translator): People here would have similar feelings. They may even be happier. For people at my age, I

could never imagine to see this kind of atmosphere in our lifetime but it did happen.

VALERIO: For many in the LGBTQ community, the next priority is asking the Thai government to recognize transgender people and that includes Nina

Chetniphat Chuadkhunthod, who just married her boyfriend of more than two decades. She says for now, they are simply appreciating the start of this

extraordinary chapter.

NINA CHETNIPHAT CHUADKHUNTHOD, TRANSGENDER BRIDE (through translator): We we're waiting for this moment for the entire 22 years. It's just

indescribable.

The most important thing is that love is beautiful, regardless of gender, no matter what gender someone identifies as, love is beautiful.

[10:40:03]

Everyone wants to experience good love. So I hope people stop limiting love to just men and women.

VALERIO (voice-over): For these couples, a historic occasion, the start of a whole host of happily ever afters -- Mike Valerio, CNN.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

GIOKOS: Next on CONNECT THE WORLD, how a critter that looks like a tiny kangaroo is bouncing back from the brink of extinction and helping to

revitalize Australian landscapes in the process. We'll be right back.

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GIOKOS: The brush tailed bettong is revered as nature's gardener. Its digging habits play a vital role in the ecosystem where it lives in

Australia. Resembling a tiny kangaroo, they once inhabited 60 percent of the mainland but now are only found in small pockets of the continent.

Today on "Call to Earth," we visit south Australia, where a project to reintroduce the critically endangered critter is showing promise.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

LYNDA KINKADE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Guuranda is an ancient place. Now known as the Yorke Peninsula, South Australia.

New research has recently revealed that its traditional custodians, the. Narungga people have lived on this land for at least 8,000 years nurturing

its fragile wilderness, its soul.

GARRY GOLDSMITH, BUSINESS MANAGER, NARUNGGA, NATION ABORIGINAL CORPORATION: The best practice has been here for millennia. And I think that's been

ignored for way too long.

KINKADE: Garry Goldsmith is of Narungga descent and works with the Marna Bangarra Project which aims to protect the health of the region's natural

systems.

GOLDSMITH: It was really important to me to be involved about how I could really influence the traditional cultural knowledge. And that's part of our

role as traditional owners, as custodians is to ensure that there is longevity

KINKADE: In collaboration with the WWF Australia, this ambitious plan involves reintroducing some of the native species, gone as a result of

habitat loss and the introduction of feral animals during European colonization.

DEREK SANDOW, MARNA BANGGARA PROJECT MANAGER, NORTHERN AND YORKE LANDSCAPE BOARD: Foxes, cats, the loss of habitat -- it's just combined together to

create a really tough world for them and they haven't been able to survive.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Wow. We met your friends today, mate.

KINKADE: Many people will know Rambo here as a brush-tailed bettong, its common name. The small and bouncy marsupials are ecosystem engineers,

promoting plant growth by aerating soil and spreading seeds as they forage for food.

To the Narungga, Rambo is known as a Yowie (ph) and while his kind disappeared from this part of south Australia, the species has survived in

a pocket of the continent's west, the home of the Nyungar people, who call these animals by another name, the woylie.

[10:45:00]

In 2021, the first group of woylies were brought from western Australia to repopulate the Yorke Peninsula.

GOLDSMITH: The Woylie and Yowie Translocation Project shows that cultural groups are still working together to ensure that each nation is being cared

for as if it was your own.

KINKADE: It's now up to this team of ecologists to make sure they're thriving in the new environment that was once their own.

SANDOW: We've now got to a stage where the habitat is here for Yowie. We've reduced fox and cat impacts to a level that's low enough for these

Yowie to be reintroduced and for them to actually find refuges, find food and to survive themselves with low numbers of foxes and cats.

KINKADE: Caring for the new arrivals means yearly checkups. So just before sunset, the team sets humane traps for the nocturnal marsupial in the hope

that early the next morning, data collected from the wild population will prove that the rewilding plan continues to work.

Daybreak and its discoveries fuel more hope. The first Yowie or bettong, is a young male born right here.

SANDOW: Which is fantastic for the project. That's what we want to see.

KINKADE: The young bettong is tagged and microchipped before his measurements show he's quite healthy in this new home.

SANDOW: So they've got a what we call a prehensile tail. So that means they can actually grab things with their tail and sort of use it as a limb.

KINKADE: One by one, they are tested and released, joining the now growing population of Yowie-Woylie-bettong a trio of names for one unique and

vitally important critter. Back on the Yorke Peninsula Guuranda where they belong.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

GIOKOS: To learn more about the bettongs' amazing comeback, check out the article and photo gallery at cnn.com/calltoearth.

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GIOKOS: Lights, camera, action. Award season is upon us. And the Oscar nominations are out. Leading the way with the most nominations is Netflix's

"Emilia Perez," with 13 nods, and widely popular musical "Wicked" packed up -- racked up around 10 nominations, including a Best Actress in a Leading

Role for Cynthia Erivo.

And rounding out the top three, also with 10 nominations, is "The Brutalist," starring Adrien Brody and Guy Pearce. Joining us now for more

is host of "Boston Globe Today," Segun Oduolowu.

Great to see you. Segun, great to have you with us. I'm sure you've been waiting for this moment.

(CROSSTALK)

SEGUN ODUOLOWU, HOST, "BOSTON GLOBE TODAY": Eleni, great to be seen.

Well, yes. No, this. Listen, I have been on record saying that I don't think the Oscars should happen due to the wildfires that are going on in

Los Angeles. But in typical show business, the show must go on.

And honestly, this year, there weren't that many movies that I think captured people's imagination besides "Emilia Perez." Like, this has a

historic opportunity for an out trans woman, to, you know, first to be nominated but then to win. You mentioned Cynthia Erivo in "Wicked." This is

the year of the musical (INAUDIBLE).

[10:50:00]

(AUDIO GAP)

GIOKOS: Yes, exactly. It is. I mean, just on that note, on the announcement and you were saying that it should be expanded because of the

wildfires, interestingly --

All right. I think I've lost you. Segun, can you hear me?

Oh, we don't have your audio.

Segun, can you hear me?

Oh, we've lost him. My team is going to sort this out, this technical little issue out.

He can hear me. I can see.

Segun, we can't. We can't hear you. Unfortunately, I don't know if you've accidentally pressed the mute button. No audio yet, so we'll hopefully try

and get you back on.

We were talking about the Oscar nominations and, of course, very exciting stuff that's going on, going through, leading the way, of course. "Emilia

Perez," 13 nominations; "Wicked," racking up 10. All right. Were not going to get Segun back. So let me let me move on to another story.

As we've mentioned, thousands of -- all right.

As we've mentioned this hour, NASA is hosting a day of remembrance. The ceremony at Kennedy Space Center is honoring the crews of Apollo 1 and the

space shuttles, Challenger and Columbia, along with other astronauts who have died while furthering the cause of space exploration and discovery.

Commemorations will take place at other NASA facilities, too, and later will include a wreath-laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery.

Now Elon Musk is talking trash about a massive new U.S. investment in AI infrastructure, right after it was announced by his friend, president

Donald Trump. Musk claimed on social media that the backers of the $500 billion project, quote, "don't actually have the money." CNN's Brian Todd,

reporting from Washington.

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BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The president had two of the biggest moguls of the tech world in the room with him when he announced a

new White House investment in artificial intelligence infrastructure and the creation of a company called Stargate.

TRUMP: We have an emergency. We have to get this stuff built. This technology and artificial intelligence, all made in the USA.

TODD: By Donald Trump's side were OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, Oracle co- founder Larry Ellison and the CEO of SoftBank, all there to promote an

investment of $500 billion in Stargate. Not in the room, Trump's so-called first buddy, another tech giant, Elon Musk, who proceeded to undermine the

announcement, posting on X, quote, "They don't actually have the money. SoftBank has well under 10 billion secured. I have that on good authority."

How do you think Donald Trump might react to Elon Musk doing that?

JASMINE WRIGHT, POLITICS REPORTER, NOTUS: Well, what we do know is that Donald Trump doesn't really like to be second guessed, particularly not in

public and particularly not by people who he finds or he calls his friends that should be loyal to him.

TODD: So far, President Trump has not responded specifically to Musk's post. But Trump's press secretary said this to FOX. KAROLINE LEAVITT, WHITE

HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: So the American people

should take President Trump and those CEOs' words for it. These investments are coming to our great country.

TODD: Hours after Musk denounced the White House AI plan, Sam Altman took aim at Musk, first posting a line on how much he respects Musk but then

saying of Musk's claim that they don't have the money for it wrong. "As you surely know, I realize what is great for the country isn't always what's

optimal for your companies. But in your new role, I hope you'll mostly put America first."

The latest observers say in a nasty feud between Musk and Altman.

HADAS GOLD, CNN MEDIA CORRESPONDENT: First of all they are in active litigation. Musk has sued Sam Altman and OpenAI for becoming a for- profit

company and Elon Musk has said publicly, I don't trust Sam Altman. Sam Altman, for his part, has called Elon Musk a bully.

TODD: This throwdown also signifies how Musk is seemingly throwing his weight around in just the first couple of days of the Trump administration,

confidently striding around the White House amid speculation over whether he'll occupy a West Wing office near Trump's and on how much power Trump

will bestow on Musk as head of the new budget slashing Department of Government Efficiency.

WRIGHT: I think that there are people around Donald Trump who potentially could be weary of Elon Musk but that doesn't necessarily apply to Donald

Trump itself and we know within a Trump administration, Donald Trump is in the driver's seat.

TODD: Analysts point out that President Trump had already given Elon Musk some leeway over another divisive issue, the use of h- 1b visas for

specialized foreign tech workers. Musk was in favor of the visas. Trump's MAGA supporters, like Steve Bannon, hated them. Trump sided with Musk. But

how much more rope Donald Trump is willing to give Elon Musk at this point is something many people in this town are closely watching -- Brian Todd,

CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

GIOKOS: Right. There's a new outdoor art exhibit lighting up London, 12 new works from international artists are on display in the financial

district for the annual Winter Lights Festival. Organizers say the exhibit explores otherworldly qualities of art and light.

[10:55:00]

Those who brave the cold can see displays, including an illuminated bird in flight and glowing, lifesized figures. The festival runs through February

1st.

And we are now just minutes away from U.S. president Donald Trump's scheduled virtual address at the World Economic Forum in Davos.

He's expected to take questions from the world's political and business elite on major topics at the forum and that includes the war in Ukraine,

funding for NATO and U.S. policy in the Middle East after months of war in Gaza.

We'll bring you the presidents remarks live when they happen. Of course, all eyes on the tariff scenarios and what could play out and a lot more

clarity about U.S. foreign policy going forward as world leaders gather there in Davos.

Well, that is it for CONNECT THE WORLD. I'm Eleni Giokos in Abu Dhabi. Stay with CNN. "NEWSROOM" is up next.

END