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Connect the World
Former U.S. Treasury Secretary: "Real Possibility" of Recession; Government and Kurdish-Led SDF Agree to Merge Forces; Young People Celebrate Freedom to Learn; Goldman Sachs: There's a 20 Percent Chance of U.S. Recession; Historic Election in Greenland as Trump Talks Takeover. Aired 9-9:45a ET
Aired March 11, 2025 - 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: These live pictures of the White House, where later today, the U.S. President will meet with top CEOs
amid concerns about Trump's tariffs and their knock-on effect on the U.S. economy. It is 09:00 a.m. in Washington D.C., it is 06:00 p.m. in Abu
Dhabi.
I'm Becky Anderson, this is "Connect the World" from our Middle East Programming Headquarters. Also coming up, Ukrainians say talks with U.S.
officials in Saudi Arabia have, and I quote here, started very constructively. The Syrian interim government says it has reached a
landmark agreement with the Kurdish led Syrian Democratic Forces the significance and consequences coming up.
And a Palestinian activist who helped lead Columbia University student protest is having his livelihood threatened. The stock market in New York
opens in about 30 minutes from now. And futures this Tuesday, indicating a flat to weaker open. This, of course, on the heels of Monday's big sell
off.
President Donald Trump has now refused twice to rule out the possibility of a U.S. recession, and that is contributing to what was this stock market --
Matt Egan is in New York. What a trade is telling you about what do we expect today, Matt?
MATT EGAN, CNN REPORTER: Well, Becky, yesterday was a brutal day, and up until a few moments ago, it looked like we might see a rebound this
morning, albeit a week one, but just in the last few moments, we seen U.S. stock futures turn slightly negative, suggesting that we could see more
losses, more volatility today.
And you know, this is after the DOW lost almost 900 points Yesterday. We saw the NASDAQ plunged by 4 percent biggest one day loss for the NASDAQ in
2.5 years. And the S&P 500, it has gone from all-time highs just about three weeks ago to where it is now, where it's actually trading, below
where it was on inauguration, below where it was on Election Day.
The S&P 500 has lost $4.5 trillion in market value in just the span of the last three weeks. So, it has been a very significant market sell off, and
it's one that may not be over yet, Becky.
ANDERSON: It was, as you say, less than a month ago, these U.S. averages were sitting at all-time highs. U.S. economy appeared to be growing at a
solid pace, the fed, it seemed it worked a sort of minor miracle in getting the U.S. economy into a position of soft landing after these extremely high
inflation rates.
And yet now the U.S. President twice refusing to answer a question on whether he believes the U.S. could be heading for a recession. And
effectively that, you know, the context of this is his policy on tariffs and trade. How did we get here? We got Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs now
pulling back their forecasts for growth, not necessarily talking about a recession, but pulling back their forecast significantly for growth this
year.
EGAN: Yeah, Becky. It's amazing that we went from all-time highs in the stock market to this recession scare in the span of three weeks. I think it
just shows how fragile confidence can be. Confidence among investors has really been shaken when it comes to what they believe in this U.S. economy.
Also, confidence in policy making out of Washington, a market veteran, Ed Yardeni, he told me that the stock market is losing confidence in the Trump
2.0 policies, and this is a 180 from what we saw after Election Day, when investors were so excited, so fired up about Trump 2.0.
They were pricing in all of the positives, the tax cuts and the deregulation. And basically, none of the negatives, namely tariffs and
general policy chaos. But not anymore. That has definitely changed in a big way just due to the on again off again. Nature of the trade war, the tariff
threats.
It feels like every few hours there's another tariff threat that comes out on Truth Social. It's hard to keep track of it all. Larry Summers, the
Former U.S. Treasury Secretary, he was out warning yesterday that we are at risk of an economic spiral of sorts. Take a listen to what Summers said.
[09:05:00]
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LARRY SUMMERS, FORMER U.S. TREASURY SECRETARY: This is pretty much a self- inflicted wound. I think we've got a real possibility of a vicious cycle where weakening economy leads to weaker markets, and then weaker markets
lead to a weakening economy. So, I'm pretty worried about the whole situation.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
EGAN: And Summers went on to say that he thinks the risk of a U.S. recession this year has moved closer to 50-50, which is just a stunning
statement. Others like Goldman Sachs think it's much lower than that, they see about a 20 percent chance of a recession. I do think we should tap the
brakes a little bit on this recession talks.
Because remember, we know the economy was growing as recently as the end of last year. The jobs market was also growing as of January and February. And
we know the economy has been very resilient. Right over the years. It has withstood so many different shocks. There was the supply chain chaos, the
inflation crisis.
The feds were on inflation. Those regional bank failures from two years ago and throughout all of those episodes, the economy kept growing. But
clearly, Becky, it's facing another test right now, and it's being driven in large part by policy chaos out of Washington.
ANDERSON: Absolutely, we've said it once, and we'll say it again, and we'll say until we're blue in the face. And you and I know this, and we talk to
people in the markets all the time, markets and investors hate uncertainty. And what they're seeing is sort of flip flopping on policy which is very
ultimately, it's as basic as this.
It just makes it really difficult for traders to actually price stuff. You know, ultimately, you know, this is a market, and you know, uncertainty
really makes it very difficult to operate. And then you get the volatility, and then you get those who are trading on volatility and all the rest of
it.
It's good to have you, sir. Thank you very much indeed. A reminder that Donald Trump, of course, is meeting with top CEOs at the White House later
on today. Well, top diplomats from the U.S. and Ukraine a meeting in Saudi Arabia to try and find a path forward to end Russia's war on Ukraine.
There is optimism steeped in uncertainty. Ukrainian President's Chief of Staff says the talks started, in his words, very constructively. The head
of the talks U.S. Secretary of State, said his team wants to determine the steps that Ukraine will take, or is willing to take to attain peace.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MARCO RUBIO, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: Right now, we're really in listening mode. We may have suggestions, if they ask, but we really want to sort of
ascertain where they stand on this and what they're willing to do in order to achieve peace. It may be incompatible with what the Russians are willing
to do. That's what we need to find out.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Well, while the diplomats talk, the war rages on, Russia now claiming Ukraine launched a massive drone attack on Moscow overnight. We've
got Alex Marquardt connecting us this hour from Jeddah. It's good to have you, and we've heard from Marco Rubio there.
What we haven't heard from Rubio, of course, but we may find out in the days to come, is what Russia is prepared to do to get to a peace deal. That
perhaps a narrative that Steve Witkoff may glean on his reported trip to Moscow coming up. You are in Jeddah, where the U.S. Secretary of State is
with the Ukrainian delegation. Is it clear at this point, what we should expect to come out of today's talks, very specifically?
ALEX MARQUARDT, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: I don't think they're going to come to any kind of agreement or deal where anything is
signed. Becky, the goal of this is really to understand from the Ukrainian side what it is they are prepared to offer, essentially, and these are
clearly quite intense talks.
They had just entered their fourth hour here behind closed doors in this hotel in Jeddah, when they took a break about half an hour ago. And as the
Secretary of State, Marco Rubio and the National Security Adviser Mike Waltz were walking through the lobby, I asked them how the meetings were
going, and Mike Waltz told me we're getting there.
So, some positive signs and positive vibes, if you will, out of these two sides after a very rocky week and a half since that meeting fell apart in
the Oval Office just in late last month, but coming here to Jeddah, we heard Marco Rubio saying that he wanted to hear what difficult decisions,
what concessions the Ukrainians are willing to make in order to get to a peace deal.
Because there has been that criticism that Ukraine has not shown that they are ready to end this war. We asked several reporters, and I asked Andriy
Yermak, the Chief of Staff to President Zelenskyy, what concessions they might be prepared to offer.
[09:10:00]
And while he didn't specify, he said that their priority here is really to get this discussion, to get this process underway. Here's a little bit more
of what he had to say.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANDRIY YERMAK, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENTIAL CHIEF OF STAFF: Now, we think it's necessary to discuss the most importance, how to start this process. And
we're very open. Very open and they want to have very constructive, deep friend partners, conversation with our American partners.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MARQUARDT: So, Becky, what we know they will be discussing in that room between the trail delegations is that military and intelligence assistance
that the U.S. has put on hold. Secretary Rubio indicating that that could change, that it could be unsuspended, if you will.
If this meeting today goes well, security guarantees are another thing, certainly, that the Ukrainians are going to want to raise with the American
side. And on this day, as Ukraine launches that massive drone strike against Russia, not just symbolic because it is happening the day of this
meeting.
There's also the question of this partial ceasefire that Ukraine has put forward, and whether they're discussing that behind those closed doors.
Ukraine proposing that the aerial bombardments by both Ukraine and Russia stop and that the fighting in the Black Sea stop as well.
Remains to be seen whether the U.S. thinks that is a serious enough proposal to take to the Russians. The Russians certainly have not shown any
kind of consideration for concessions on their side. So, we are expecting this meeting to start back up at some point soon, I just want to show you
where we are.
We believe that Secretary Rubio and Mike Waltz will be coming out of that elevator bank over there. That's why all the press is gathered over there.
Then they will go back into that room. But of course, we don't know how long this meeting is going to last, an absolutely crucial meeting between
these two sides, Becky.
ANDERSON: Yeah, absolutely and good to have you there. Alex, thank you. Well, police in Manila arrested Former Philippines President Rodrigo
Duterte earlier today. And a warrant from the International Criminal Court that warrant alleges crimes against humanity.
The ICC warrant relates to Duterte's brutal war on drugs that left thousands dead before he left office in 2022. In a video recorded by his
daughter, Duterte, claimed his detention was illegal. CNN's Mike Valerio has the latest.
MIKE VALERIO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: And the magnitude of this arrest is coming into focus. The former head of state of a nation of more than 100 million
people detained an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court and an accusation against former President Rodrigo Duterte of the Philippines
of crimes against humanity.
So, this is what we know. This is all connected to Duterte's extensive war on drugs, and Duterte's opponents say that his arrest is all about
accountability for the thousands of extrajudicial killings, Duterte supported. People executed on the streets by police, even by vigilantes, in
the name of combating illegal drugs across the Philippines.
Now, in an Instagram live video streamed by Duterte's daughter, the former president, can be heard asking what crime he's committed. Watch.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RODRIGO DUTERTE, FORMER PRESIDENT OF PHILIPPINES: Show to me now, the legal basis for my being here, I apparently, I was brought here, not of my own
volition.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VALERIO: Now, the International Criminal Court has been investigating these extrajudicial killings for years. Duterte actually withdrew the Philippines
from the ICC back in 2019. But the ICC says it can still prosecute alleged crimes during part of Duterte's time in office, since he was elected in
June of 2016 and he didn't take the country out of the ICC until March of 2019.
Rights groups have welcomed this latest development. Human Rights Watch, writing a statement, sending it out to the media, saying, in part, quote,
his arrest could bring victims and their families closer to justice, and this sends the clear message that no one is above the law. Mike Valerio,
CNN, Seoul.
ANDERSON: Well, a landmark moment in Syria, the country's interim government signed a deal with the Kurdish led Syrian Democratic Forces, or
the SDF. That agreement recognizes the Kurdish community as an integral part of the state and merges the SDF into Syria's new state institutions.
It comes despite the worst outbreak of violence in Syria since the dictator Bashar Al Assad was ousted last year, an independent monitoring group says
nearly 800 people have been killed since clashes broke out last week between security forces and Assad supporters.
[09:15:00]
Well in the U.S., a federal judge has temporarily blocked the deportation of the pro-Palestinian Activist Mahmoud Khalil. Arrested on Saturday,
Khalil is a Columbia Graduate who campaigned for the university to divest from companies with ties to Israel. President Trump has claimed Khalil's
arrest is the first of many as part of an executive order where he vowed to root out antisemitism in university campuses.
With more on this, so let's bring in CNN's Gloria Pazmino joining us live from New York. Remind us what Khalil is accused of and why he has been
targeted out of all the students that, of course, took part, not just on Columbia's campus, but in those campus protests last year?
GLORIA PAZMINO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, Becky, what he is accused of actually remains one of the biggest questions in this whole saga. We still
do not know what the government plans to charge Khalil with, but we are getting some clues about how the Trump Administration is going to try and
justify this arrest.
We have brand new reporting this morning from my colleague, Priscilla Alvarez, a source telling her that Secretary of State, Marco Rubio approved
the arrest of the activists. And that they're leaning on a sort of obscure part of U.S. law known as the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952.
And this law essentially gives the Secretary of State pretty broad range to determine that if a person is a threat to the United States, they are
deportable. Now as you remember, Khalil is a green card holder. He was here as a permanent legal residence, and he tried to say that to the officers
who arrested him on Saturday night, they said that that green card was being revoked.
Now yesterday, a federal judge here in New York said that the deportation has to be stopped until both parties come into court and have a hearing.
That's a small win for Khalil's attorneys, at least for now. They are also asking that he's brought back to New York because he was transferred to
another detention facility in Louisiana over the weekend.
So tomorrow, we'll get to hear from both sides in court, and we'll get to hear exactly what the government, hopefully is accusing this activist
stuff, Becky.
ANDERSON: Gloria, good to have you. Thank you. Still to come on CNN, students in more than 100 countries are marking my Freedom Day by
celebrating the freedom to learn and pushing for an end to modern day slavery. This is CNN's project, My Freedom Day, and we will share some of
their stories up next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[09:20:00]
ANDERSON: Well, freedom to learn, that is the theme of this year's My Freedom Day. CNN partnering with young people across the world who are
refusing to stay silent when 12 million of their peers are denied an education because of modern day slavery. Well, students in Burundi, among
those speaking out. Have a look at this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: My Freedom Day.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: My Freedom Day.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: My Freedom Day.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: My Freedom Day.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: My Freedom Day.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Today, we're going to talk about an issue that is very common and has been going on for over decades, and that is child labor. Why
child labor? Why the misuse of our children, our hope and our future, little hands are not to be exploited, but are to be free. No child labors.
My Freedom Days.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Well CNN's Nada Bashir joins us now from Queen Anne school in Caversham near Reading in England. It's good to have you, and I know that
you've been speaking to the students there. What is freedom and freedom to learn mean to them just west of London, Nada?
NADA BASHIR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Look, Becky, we've been here all morning, seeing a whole range of activities and events that have been held to try
and raise awareness, as you mentioned around modern slavery, the freedom to learn course on child exploitation.
In fact, throughout the day, we've seen this student led initiative taking place from poetry recitals, musical performances, dance performances, even
a public speaker coming in to talk about their experience of modern slavery and exploitation. In fact, we've got art installations behind us here in
the performing arts center, you can see behind we've got Isha sewing away this quite striking installation put forward by the students.
And I am joined by some of the students from this school to speak about their experience and what they've been organizing. We've got Tia and Eunice
here. Just tell us a bit about what it was like organizing this and what the goal was behind this initiative.
EUNICE DUROJAIYE, STUDENT OF QUEEN ANNE'S SCHOOL: I think it was, like, really fun to, like, come together as like a school and organize this. And
I feel like our goal was to, like, educate people on the topic of modern- day slavery, especially the year -- they're like the youngest in the school, and we just want to, like, educate them on the topic so they become
more aware.
TIA GOLD, STUDENT OF QUEEN ANNE'S SCHOOL: We've been lucky enough the last few years to learn a lot about how modern slavery is still a massive issue.
It's not an issue of the past, like some people think. So, this year has really been about helping everyone else to kind of understand and come up
with some ideas of how we can help to prevent this from happening.
BASHIR: Yeah. And obviously this year, freedom to learn is the big focus for this --
GOLD: Yeah.
BASHIR: How did you showcase that in what the events that you organized today?
DUROJAIYE: And we had, like, a different range of dances, speeches, poems and public speaking, singing -- yes. And I feel like everything all
together, like really informed people on the topic, and we just wanted people to like, we wanted to humanize the topic.
BASHIR: Yeah.
DUROJAIYE: So, people feel empathy towards it and like, help the people like.
GOLD: We've had a lovely lady called Melanie from the Causeway charity come today to tell us about her previous experience in place with slavery, and
it's just been really interesting, because it just brings to light how serious a matter it is.
BASHIR: Yeah.
GOLD: When it seems so far away, when we're here having this lovely education, which everyone should have.
BASHIR: And just talk to me a bit about this. What's going on behind -- sewing away here. What was this all about? What's the purpose of this
installation?
DUROJAIYE: This is to show like, the conditions people live in, like, in a cage, like, for example, sweatshop workers, like it's really crouched and
like a small table to show, like the conditions they have to work in, and like the pressure.
GOLD: So, yeah -- has been sewing on some child's clothing, the words freedom to learn, which is show how child labor is still a big issue. And I
think this is a really powerful image for showing that.
BASHIR: Yeah.
GOLD: And because everyone should have individuality and rights.
DUROJAIYE: Just like we have like, the right to have education here, everyone else should like, no matter like, what they're going through as
well.
BASHIR: Yeah, absolutely. Well, thank you girls so much.
GOLD: Thank you.
BASHIR: And thank you. It really has been a hugely eventful day today, and this is also a very international effort as well. They've been joined by
partner school in Kosovo as well, taking part in some of today's talk. So again, an international effort, of course, raising awareness around the
freedom to learn, Becky.
ANDERSON: Yeah, and this has been an initiative that CNN has been involved in now for a long time. I don't think I've seen as effective an
installation, though. Is that one behind you? I wonder if your cameraman or woman, Nada, can just open up a little bit and just focus in on that
installation.
[09:25:00]
So, I think it's absolutely brilliant the girls there explaining that this is sort of giving the sense one of the conditions that a youngster, child
labors, a kid would have to work in, in sewing clothes that are hung above the installation there, saying freedom to learn.
BASHIR: Yeah, absolutely. It's a hugely striking installation. What has been happening throughout the day is different. Students have been coming
in one by one to sew a child's -- piece of child's clothing. So, each student has taken part. Eventually, by the end of the day, this last piece
of clothing now, finishing off that sentence, freedom to learn, Becky.
ANDERSON: Yeah, know good for them and schools around the world getting involved today. This is a student led initiative, of course, and we will
have full coverage throughout my Freedom Day. Send us your thoughts on freedom to learn. What does it mean to you, wherever you are living in the
world, using the hashtag My Freedom Day on social media, and check out cnn.com/my Freedom Day for more.
Still to come, it's Election Day in Greenland, and it seems most voters have no interest in any narrative about making that country part of the
United States, despite President Trump's threats to effectively gobble it up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Welcome back. I'm Becky Anderson in Abu Dhabi. You're watching "Connect the World". These are your headlines this hour and a Ukrainian
diplomat say talks with U.S. officials on ending Russia's war on Ukraine have started very constructively. Teams from the U.S. and Ukraine are
meeting in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
U.S. Secretary of State, Marco Rubio says he wants to understand what steps Ukraine is willing to take to achieve peace. Former President of the
Philippines, Rodrigo Duterte, was taken into custody in Manila on Tuesday on a warrant from the International Criminal Court alleging crimes against
humanity.
This comes after an investigation into his years long crackdown on drugs that left thousands dead before he left office in 2022.
[09:30:00]
Duterte says his arrest is illegal. And that is the opening bell on Wall Street. The U.S. markets then out of the gate, and we will let the averages
just settle momentarily. The market is looking very mixed to slightly weaker. It has to be said on the futures markets after what has been a
tumultuous week or so of trading.
A new trading day, then getting going, and you can see those markets are down on the heels of a steep sell off in shares on Monday. Investors
suffering an outbreak of nerves as concerns grow about President Trump's tariff policies and a possible U.S. recession. Well, Mr. Trump himself has
not ruled out that possibility. The way he puts it, the U.S. is likely to go through a period of transition.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MARIA BARTIROMO, FOX BUSINESS NETWORK ANCHOR: Are you expecting a recession this year?
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: I hate to predict things like that. There is a period of transition, because what we're doing
is very big. We're bringing wealth back to America.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Well, let's be clear, when we are talking about a recession, what we mean is a significant decline in economic activity across multiple
sectors for a prolonged period of time. Was for the reason why recessions occur? Well, they are many and they are varied.
Some economists say the very fear of recession can be a driving factor, with anxious consumers spending less, and maybe with nervous investors
pulling financial markets lower, which may explain why politicians and government officials are often reluctant to use the term.
Our Kristina Hooper is here to help us make sense of all of this. She's the Chief Global Market Strategist at Invesco. And we are absolutely delighted
to have you with us today. Thank you. Both Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs cutting their GDP growth credit projections.
Let's look at the numbers. Morgan Stanley forecasting 1.5 percent of the year down from 1.9, Goldman at 1.7 down from 2.2 percent. You look at those
numbers and you can explain what your financial institution is thinking as well. Should investors be concerned at this point?
KRISTINA HOOPER, CHIEF GLOBAL MARKET STRATEGIST AT INVESCO: Well, I think it all depends on an investor's time horizon for so many investors, their
investment time horizon is very, very long. And so, getting too focused and too concerned about what is likely to be short term market sell off short
term volatility, perhaps a recession this year.
That really doesn't matter for most investor's portfolios, because they have years and years, decades and decades before they need that portfolio
to start producing money for them to, for example, fund retirement. So, if we go back to the global financial crisis, for example, the single biggest
mistake investors made was getting spooked and getting out, locking in losses and missing out on the rebound.
So, I think that's important for investors to keep in mind. It's all about the time horizon.
ANDERSON: Yeah, and you were talking about 2008 there. The global financial crisis, we saw another, you know, very difficult period of time for the
markets, during the COVID period as well.
I want to get back to that Goldman Sachs forecast, if you don't mind. The bank now sees a 20 percent chance of recession in the next 12 months. In a
note to its clients, its economist said it was only raised by a limited amount because I quote them here, we see policy changes as the key risk,
and the White House has the option to pull back if the downside risks begin to look more serious.
Look Trump acknowledged the risk of recession himself, which is partly what, of course, drove Monday's sell off, saying he was doing big things,
and there would be a transition period. Two questions to you, if he's -- do you buy his doing big things? Or do you expect him to pull back?
Despite the advice that you've just given, which is, you got to stick in the market for a long time. He doesn't like Donald Trump is facing. He does
not like to see blood across the board on these averages. I just wonder, I guess the question is, at this point, do you see a clear strategy from
Donald Trump at this point?
[09:35:00]
For, you know, for what he is describing is very robust growth and a, you know, supercharged American economy going forward.
HOOPER: So, what I see is a focus on cutting government spending dramatically, and that, to me, is the single biggest risk facing the
economy today, and that's why probabilities of recession are increasing. And so, you know my -- it's hard for me to divine politicians' decisions
and what will make them change force, a change force on a policy.
But I do think that as we stand here today, there is certainly a growing possibility that we go into recession. But if policy were to change today,
if we were to say, pull back on the dramatic government spending cuts that seem to be planned, then I think we could easily avoid a recession.
This is a strong economy, so it really all depends on policy decisions going forward. So, I couldn't agree more with that other forecast coming
from Morgan Stanley. The ball is certainly in the court of policymakers.
ANDERSON: It's going to be interesting going forward. Watch this space. It does feel very chaotic out there at present. When it comes to policy, it's
not clear as yet, what the Trump Administration's policy is or will be on trade and tariffs? There's a lot of flip flopping going on. Thank you for
joining us.
Well, the round of 16 second legs upon us in the Champions League. By the end of the day, four teams will move on. Four will go home. We talk
Liverpool versus PSG, up next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Never has an election in Greenland come in for such global attention as the one happening right now. Voters talking more than ever
before about taking full sovereignty for themselves and achieving independence from Denmark, but on the world's largest island, being annexed
by a superpower doesn't seem to be on anyone's agenda. Joining me now is CNN's Fred Pleitgen now. Fred, what is on the ballot today?
FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, the world's largest island, Becky, with a population of about 57,000. So,
you're absolutely right. This kind of attention is certainly not something that many Greenlanders have had in the past when they have had elections.
But of course, independence from Denmark is the main thing that's not really on the ballot, but certainly the overarching theme of what is going
on in that election, and also that was very much part of the election campaigns as well.
[09:40:00]
Now, of course, all the supercharged and fueled by a lot of the statements that U.S. President Donald Trump has been making saying that the United
States wants to have Greenland, and in fact, saying they will get it one way or another. The Greenlanders ever see things a bit differently. While
they want independence, they don't necessarily want to be part of the United States. Here's what some voters said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
APUTSIAQ INUK PETERSON, GREENLAND VOTER: We need that identity for our people in the Arctic.
NOA REDINGTON, ANALYST AND POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: There will be a new government, and it will put a tremendous pressure on the Danish government
to have a position, a real position, in terms of, if Greenland wants independence, what will the cost be?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PLEITGEN: What will the cost be? And that is indeed one of the big questions. Also, of course, there are other major issues in Greenland as
well, education being one of them, but the economy as well. And one of the things we've taken note out of is that the Greenlandic economy, the exports
are mostly fish, is still very much dependent on Denmark and also for money from Denmark.
About half the territories budget comes from Denmark. So certainly, while Greenlandic politicians, pretty much all the large parties are saying they
want independence. Most of them want that to be a slow process, and obviously also want to have a deal with Denmark as well to keep those ties
upright.
Of course, they want ties with the U.S. also, but none of the major political parties want to be part of the United States of America, Becky.
ANDERSON: Thank you, Fred. I'm going to get you some sports now. If you looked at the stats after the Champions League match between PSG and
Liverpool last week, you think the Parisians had one big but they find themselves one-nil down heading into the second leg on Tuesday. Coy Wire
with more, Coy.
COY WIRE, CNN SPORTS ANCHOR AND CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, Becky, this should be a really good one. 27, shots for PSG, compared to Liverpool's two shots
last week, but the Reds lead where it matters most, and that's on the scoreboard. It was one-nil. So that's where we stand heading into their
second leg later today.
PSG boss Luis Enrique said whoever advances between these two teams will reach the final when all is said and done. Liverpool manager Arne Slot, he
says we're going to see a different type of team out there within the one we saw last week. We'll have our Senior Sports Analyst, Darren Lewis,
breaking all of that down and much more coming up on "World Sport".
ANDERSON: That's fantastic. Coy Wire is up with that after this short break. We'll be back in 15 minutes time with more, "Connect the World".
Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[09:45:00]
END
