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First Move with Julia Chatterley
Brazil holds Public Wake for Football Icon; Polar Flight; Growing Number of Countries Restrict Travelers from China; Brazilians come together to Honor Football Hero Pele; Buyers of First OceanSky Cabins have Chance to Become Shareholders; Perfect Plating. Aired 9-10a ET
Aired January 02, 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)
ZAIN ASHER, CNN HOST: Welcome to "First move", I'm Zain Asher in for my colleague Julia Chatterley. Want to begin with a solemn farewell to one of
the greatest sportsmen in history. Let's take a look here at live pictures. Of course, I'm talking about Pele, who passed away a few days ago; a 24
hour wake in his memory has begun.
In Brazil fans have been turning out at the stadium at the Vila Belmiro Stadium that's home of the Santos Football Club where Pele forged that
legendary careers Stefano Pozzebon is actually there. We've also got Coy Wire from CNN world sport. So to find out in this is how a lot of
Brazilians are starting their New Year paying tribute to one of the greatest, if not, in my humble opinion, the greatest football stars to have
ever lived.
STEFANO POZZEBON, JOURNALIST: Yes, definitely Zain and by the way, here in the city, and actually in this country. I think 200 million Brazilians will
definitely agree with your opinion.
It's a somber moment to start the New Year. It's also the new beginning for Brazil with a new President, who was inaugurated to just yesterday, and it
also feels like a moment of the passing of the guard with arguably the greatest Brazilian icon of the last 60 years, being laid to rest and seeing
his people, millions of people here in Santos, walking respectfully, silently, one by one next to his casket to pay their respects.
But we talked about how Brazilian Pele was and how what an ambassador of Brazil? He was all around the world. He also was a Minister in the 1990s
but going back to his Brazilians, if you want to. I don't know if you can hear it, but there is since the moment that the gates of the stadium opened
and a few first few guests arrived.
There has been a low sandbar playing in the background. It was a somber that was written in the 1960s and 70s, when Pele's was the highest there.
There are rumors here who actually wrote the lyrics himself because it's in first person of him and it's called my legacy my garden. And so it adds a
little bit more of the somber essays, slow Brazilian Sanvello in the background, just very gently and respectfully accompany the people as they
come into the stadium one by one saying goodbye.
We've been here since 5 am in the morning, and actually it's been a very somber well organized funeral you know, it's striking that we are talking
about these while in a stadium. That of course was so happy and you know it's a cradle of so many memories, cheerful memories joyous memory, loud
memories when it's your football and their career that Pele had.
Right now everything is silent was Johnny just this low somber in the background? And people, just trying to capture the moment of saying goodbye
to this icon of the 20th and 21st century for this nation afford a beautiful game, Zain.
ASHER: Yes, so many people there in Santos camping out for hours to pay their respects to the legend. Coy, let me bring you in because you can't
really think about soccer, global soccer in the 1960s, 1970s without thinking about Pele. I mean, the way he played football was simply magical.
As somebody who's obviously you know, you're in sports yourself, you know, you cover this stuff. What are some of Pele's most magical goals and of
course games.
COY WIRE, CNN WORLD SPORT: Good barometer Zain is when you have worldwide recognition with just one name Serina, Tiger, LeBron, Zain, Pele you know
you are something. He is a master of his craft right mind boggling footwork body control these unthinkable goals that he was score and he started it so
young was 1958 that he was playing. He was the youngest man to ever play in a World Cup final at 17 years old and not did he's only just play he scored
two goals in the win over Sweden.
And he took his small club team Santos to another stratosphere. They had the power to stop wars and they traveled to Nigeria in 1967. And a
ceasefire between warring factions was brought for 48 hours because they were there to play. So it shows the power that he possessed to impact the
world around him. He retired in 1977 with the New York Cosmos, he scored a record 1281 goals in 1363 games as a pro but to go on to win three World
Cup titles
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WIRE: He's the only person to have ever done it he might be the only person to ever do it. It just speaks volumes about who he was as a player. And
that was really just the start of his iconic life.
ASHER: Yes, I mean, his legacy he could go on and on. He obviously transcended just soccer. So Stefano, what does Pele mean to the likes of
the most famous and revered soccer stars there in Brazil people like Neymar? What does Pele mean to someone like Neymar?
POZZEBON: There is a very famous quote that Neymar gave a few years back when thinking of Pele and he actually reposted in his Instagram when the
news of the passing of this icon was made public. Neymar said that before Pele number 10 was just a number and then you know it now is Pele's number
10. The first great 10 in world football and also these we talked about it with Coy before this figure that Pele head, he's been a constant figure for
the last 60 years here in Brazil and around World's football.
He was a mentor for many of these people. Neymar is widely regarded as his heir because he also was brought up here in Santos in this very stadium by
these very same clubs so that's why he one of his nickname is O Ney just as Pele's O Rei, the King. So it really feels like Pele was the first one and
if you think about a global football star, a global icon for the beautiful game, well Pele was there in the 1970.
When we know that most of South American players would go and play in Europe, Real Madrid, Liverpool, AC Milan, and Inter Milan are all the most
famous clubs. Well, Pele went to New York and went to United States because he realized that it was time to try open up the barriers of football and
bring the United States into the great family of world football. So it really is an icon and a person that has always been their mentor it most of
them.
That's why we are expecting some of the greatest football players of the last 20, 30, 40 years to come here probably Neymar we hear might be coming.
And of course, I can think of dozens of Brazilian football stars who are expected here in the stadium as his body will be lying there for the next
22 hours. Also in the middle of the night, people will be able to come in and pay their respects, Zain.
ASHER: Yes, in terms of the current, you know, Brazilians soccer stars, you mentioned Neymar, a lot of their careers would not be possible without
Pele. He showed them what was possible. Stefano, I'm sure we'll check in with you later, Coy Wire. Go ahead Stefano.
POZZEBON: No, just one more little Zain, we'd say that Pele used to be a Minister for sports in the 1990s. He was in Brazil. So his legacy, the load
of regulates professional football here in Brazil. He wrote that, the low Pele, the Pele low. He wrote it as a Minister to regulate the contracts of
young players here in the Brazilian football system before for example, they go up to Europe.
So in a way, he was both, a trailblazer, the first global star, the first who has like thread endorsements are worth thousands of dollars at the time
and signing for a world club like New York Cosmos in the 1970s. But also he worked to preserve his legacy by actually writing the law that regulates
professional football in this country, Zain.
ASHER: His legacy has practical implications will have Caterpillar implications for years to come. Alright Stefano have to leave it there, Coy
Wire thank you both so much. Seven days of mourning happening right now, in Santos, Brazil to honor one of the greatest football stars to have ever
lived.
Right public viewing for the late Pope Emeritus Benedict the 16th is now underway at St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican where he will lie in state
for three days. These are live pictures here the Catholic faithful will be able to pay their respects in person from today through Wednesday. The
funeral which be led by Pope Francis will take place on Thursday.
Joining me live now is Fred Pleitgen, who's at the Vatican for us. So Fred, this is the first time obviously Pope Benedict was the first pope to have
resigned from his position in about 600 years. Just walk us through what we can expect today from the lying in state.
FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, first of all, the scenes that we're seeing here are pretty remarkable here at St.
Peter's Square. You're seeing a lot of people who are coming to pay their final respects it's quite interesting because it's really a mixed bag of
folks who are showing up here obviously this happened in the time you know that the years were changing so many people would be on holidays.
But you do see a lot of people now actually coming here and paying their respects, lot of them obviously from here from Italy, a lot of people from
Rome.
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PLEITGEN: But also I'm seeing a lot to Germans coming here as well as the Pope of course was from Germany from the very end. He still has a lot of
clout especially there in the South east of Germany in those places around Munich, where he's a giant towering figure. But of course, one of the
things that we have to keep in mind as well, Zain, is that he was also a massive figure here in the Vatican, not just in the time that he was the
Pope but before that, as well.
Some people even say that he was more powerful when he was the head of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith before he became Pope, then in
his actual time of the papacy. So what we're going to see here in the next couple of days is obviously more people pouring in here paying their final
respects and then you have that funeral. That's going to happen on Thursday.
And it was the wish, of Pope Benedict to the 16th, that it'd be a fairly small and fairly humble affair. If something like that is possible in an
institution like the Catholic Church, it will still, of course, be a massive funeral. It will be led, as you mentioned, by Pope Francis himself,
which is something that is really unprecedented for a sitting Pope to be presiding over the funeral of his predecessor, but that is what's going to
happen.
We're already hearing that some heads of state are going to come here, which is I was here in 2005, when John Paul the second died, and it was
just a gigantic event, there were millions of people who came here. It's going to be a little bit smaller than that, but nevertheless, a big event
and I think also, especially within the Catholic Church within the institution of the Catholic Church with a doctrine of the Catholic Church.
This is a major see change that's about to happen in a major era that has now come to an ending.
ASHER: Alright, Fred Pleitgen live for us there thank you. One-third of the global economy is expected to be in recession this year. That's the warning
from the head of the International Monetary Fund. Kristalina Georgieva says the world's three big economies she's talking about the U.S., the European
Union, and China, are all slowing down at the same time.
The IMF projects global growth of 2.7 percent, this year down from 3.2 percent in 2022. Let's break all of this down with our Paul La Monica. So
she's basically saying you've got the U.S., China, Europe, all slowing down simultaneously. And what was interesting, I found interesting in one of her
comments was that even the countries, who are not technically in recession, it's going to feel like a recession.
PAUL R. LA MONICA, CNN REPORTER: Yes, definitely, Zain, she talked about how the U.S., for example, might avoid a recession. But that because of
inflation being such a major issue in the United States, the Fed is going to probably keep interest rates higher for longer, which could potentially
slow growth and also lead to further strength in the dollar. And those higher interest rates and a stronger dollar that really will slam growth
for developing emerging markets.
So that is a big problem there and then, of course, China, given everything that's going on with their latest COVID outbreak. The continued concerns
about the Russia Ukraine war, that obviously having a major impact on Europe's economy. So it is going to be difficult, I think, for the global
economy to have a rebound year in 2023.
ASHER: You touched on China. Obviously, China is responsible for a significant portion of global growth. Of course, the zero COVID policy
really hurt was detrimental to the economy there, but the fact that they're reopening, you know, obviously, it's going to take some time for the
economy to fully rebound. But the fact that they are reopening is that somewhat of a silver lining here?
MONICA: I think there are hopes that will lead to a slight rebound in global growth, maybe at the end of this year, heading into 2024. And GE
just recently said that growth for China was maybe about 4.4 percent in 2022, which was stronger than what a lot of people had expected.
Of course, there's always a lot of skepticism, people taking Chinese economic official data with various grains of salt, but it goes without
questions Zain, that we need a healthy Chinese economy as well as a resilient American economy to help fuel global growth heading into the
latter part of this year, and in the next year, but I think the beginning of 2023 there are more challenges than bright spots, unfortunately.
ASHER: And speaking of 2023 I'm sorry, I didn't even wish you a Happy New Year, Happy New Year, Paul. I hope you had a lovely weekend. All right,
Paul La Monica on that story thank you so much. OK, still to come here on "First move", fresh COVID restrictions how authorities around the world are
taking precautions to stop the spread of infections. Plus, traveling to the North Pole on a luxury airship a Swedish startups ambitious plan we'll take
you through that next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
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ASHER: Welcome back a growing number of countries now imposing new restrictions on travelers arriving from China. Qatar is latest to announce
fresh measures after the U.S., U.K., Japan and others all said that they require a negative COVID test. COVID cases are surging in China after the
government scrapped its zero COVID policy.
Ivan Watson is live for us in Hong Kong. I think there's a lot of concern, Ivan, for many of these countries about the lack of transparency, the lack
of information coming out of China when it comes to accurate COVID numbers and also the concern that new variants may spread.
IVAN WATSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Absolutely, and those have been echoed by foreign governments by the World Health Organization as
well, Happy New Year by the way. There's kind of a contradiction here. On the one hand in China, you have people kind of celebrating a return towards
normality after all those on their own risks, draconian restrictions and lockdowns people had a normal New Year's Eve just a couple of nights ago
and are able to move around.
But the COVID is ripping through the population after especially after the government made its quick U-turn on its zero COVID policy. So one friend in
Shanghai for instance described going to the movies, and just everybody in the movie theater, she said was coughing and you see people coughing on the
streets. Everybody seems to have gotten COVID and is recovering from it.
Now of course, this hits the most vulnerable people, the senior citizens, the hardest and the numbers are staggering anecdotally. Look at these
images from a Shanghai hospital from the lobby and multiply this across the country, the big cities where we're hearing about backups at funeral homes
and crematoriums. And we still haven't seen a peak of the infections hitting rural areas that have weaker, less developed medical care systems.
The concerns have been raised by the World Health Organization which held meetings with senior Chinese officials on Friday. The WHO put out this
statement saying that the organization is again asking for regular sharing of specific and real-time data on the epidemiological situation. It's
asking for more genetic sequencing data, more data on disease impact, data on vaccinations, especially in vulnerable people and those over 60 years
old.
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WATSON: So everybody seems to want more information and in the absence of this as China has announced that as of January 8, they're not going to
quarantine incoming travelers anymore they're going to end their self- isolation.
A growing number of governments are saying hold on we need to at least check passengers coming from China. That list includes the U.S., U.K.,
Italy, France, Japan, South Korea, Spain, Malaysia, and India, and Qatar all saying that travelers will need to get COVID test prove their negative
before they get on planes to travel to those countries.
And Morocco, which has had visa free travel for Chinese citizens. It has just announced that it's going to prohibit any travelers from China
whatsoever for the time being. And that goes to the concerns that people have about transparency, about the threat of new variants, particularly
possibly rising up in China, as tens of millions of new infections take place there in the world's most populous country, Zain.
ASHER: --some of the pictures we were showing while you were speaking certainly not very reassuring. Ivan Watson live for us there thank you so
much. Meanwhile, Chinese President Xi Jinping saying that the country's economy grew at least 4.4 percent last year. A number much stronger than
many economists had been predicting, in his New Year's speech or New Year's Eve speech excuse me.
He said, "China's economy is resilient and has good potential and vitality". Anna Ashton is the Director of China Corporate affairs and U.S.-
China at Eurasia group. Anna, thank you so much for being with us.
So when you think about what the Chinese economy has gone through years and years of zero COVID policy, tough restrictions. I mean, now, yes, it is
opening up, but as our reporter was just talking about there, the virus really does seem to be spreading. So what does 2023 hold for the Chinese
economy do you think?
ANNA ASHTON, DIRECTOR OF CHINA CORPORATE AFFAIRS & U.S.-CHINA, EURASIA GROUP: Well, of course, there are some unknowns. But any opening up is
going to produce at least a moderate uptake in consumer spending, or based on just you know, a move from virtually no ability to get out there and
spend money to being able to go the corner store without having to pass regular COVID tests. So we do expect that 2023 will be a better year
economically for China than 2022.
But there are some unknowns. And one of them is exactly how the COVID waves are going to play out in China? Some of the best explanations that we've
been hearing from public health officials and even from public health officials within the Chinese government estimate that right now we're in a
wave. That's the first wave with the big cities, when people return home during the winter.
New variants that will bring about a second wave and more rural parts of China and then there will be another wave when people return for work and
so we're expecting that to play out by about mid-March, at which point we should really see the economy start to normalize. But that doesn't take
into account the possibility that travelers from outside of China or Chinese travelers coming back to China will bring in new Variants that
create new outbreaks.
ASHER: Right, I mean, you talk about all the unknowns, I mean, you know, one sort of important unknown that people just don't seem to be getting
from China is really the number, the number of infections and the rate. How does that secrecy affect investment into the country?
ASHTON: Well, I think companies that are investing in China, are pretty aware of the fact that the reason that there's not a clear number is
because China has stopped doing the kind of mandatory tracking and testing that it was doing under the zero COVID policies. And those were pretty
rigid and onerous compared to anything that other countries are doing. So it's not that there are not numbers, but just not the same sort of
granularity that there was.
We are starting to get estimates out of China, but it is making lots of countries nervous that there's been this drop in transparency, right at the
same time that there's a lifting of zero COVID policies, and the outbreak is clearly spreading across the country. And I think that lack of
transparency issue really goes back to the onset of the COVID pandemic, in what early 2020 when information was slow to come out of China in the first
place.
ASHER: So how do you think that the U.S. relationship with China's going to change? You think about the fact that there's now a Republican controlled
House, I mean, obviously, last year comedy I'm saying last year. But a few months ago, Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taiwan really rocked the boat. Now that
you've got a GOP house coming in, I mean, is your assumption that relationship is going to get even worse?
[09:25:00]
ASHTON: Well, there will certainly be pressure from the Republican controlled House on the Biden Administration and on colleagues in the
Senate to be tougher on China. Both parties have a general agreement that China is the United States most significant strategic risk. So there is a
lot of alignment actually, between the two parties.
But there's no doubt that House Republicans are more hawkish in general about China than House Democrats. And we know for a fact that they're
planning to step up some of their legislative efforts. And we do expect that there will be high profile visits such as the speaker visit again,
will the Chinese government attribute a speaker visit to the Biden Administration in the same way that it did with Nancy Pelosi, when it is a
speaker from the opposite party?
That's a live question that may produce less of a significant reaction and the live fire military drills that we saw after Pelosi's visited on August.
On the other hand, it is a second speaker visit following one that hadn't happened in many years since Newt Gingrich, and that Newt Gingrich took
followed a trip to Beijing. So it was pretty different and definitely, I think there's no doubt that China will take it as provocative.
ASHER: And let's just quickly talk about the future of TikTok. I mean, this is the first Chinese app with global reach, I mean, truly global reach.
What happens to the security deal with the Biden Administration? And I mean a lot of U.S. lawmakers are really skeptical about this app.
ASHTON: A lot of U.S. lawmakers are really skeptical about this app, and a lot of teenagers are probably paying attention to U.S. government goings on
and we said they weren't before, I think minor. So, you know, the Committee on Foreign investment in the United States has been reviewing TikTok's
investment in the United States.
And there have been rumors of a potential solution that would mitigate national security concerns with basically U.S. company housing, U.S.
person's data, that TikTok is using no sending that data across borders, and some oversight of TikTok's algorithms.
But there have been criticisms of that solution from lawmakers in both parties as well as FBI Director Ray, who all say that it falls short of
what is needed to truly protect user data.
Mike Gallagher, Republican from Wisconsin, who is going to be the Head of the China Select Committee that the Republicans are setting up in the house
has advised that the best way for Tik-Tokers to remain in operation and the United States is for it to be sold to a U.S. company which was what the
Trump Administration had proposed. So I think it's up in the air exactly how this will play out but we may in fact see it come to insistence on
TikTok being sold or shutting down operations.
ASHTON: We shall see, Anna Ashton, live for us there, Director of China Corporate affairs and U.S.-China at the Eurasia group. Anna, thank you so
much happy New Year. All right, still to come here on "First move", a nation says goodbye. 24 hour wake begins in Brazil for the legendary
superstar Pele, more after the break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[09:30:00]
ASHER: Returning now to our main story in Brazil, mourners are pouring into a football stadium in Santos is just outside of Sao Paulo to bid farewell
to Pele. His casket will remain at the stadium for the next day for the next 24 hours or so before he'll end up having a private funeral, fireworks
went off as well.
Well, wishes lined the streets earlier today to see the hearse carrying Pele's body from the hospital, which is where he passed away on Thursday.
Julie Vargas joins us outside the stadium where the wake is underway.
So, Julia, you know, I understand, obviously, you've been speaking to a lot of people who have been lining up for hours to say goodbye to Pele. And I
assume that it's not just the older generation who actually watched him play back in the 70s, et cetera. But it's also the younger generation as
well. What have they said, what does Pele mean to them?
JULIA VARGAS JONES, CNN REPORTER: Well, Zain, they're telling me that he means so much more than a soccer player, really a legend and someone in
this town in Santos that raised this club out of relatively obscurity, relative obscurity and into the world stage. They're grateful. So it is a
very solemn occasion. But it's also a very joyous one to celebrate a Pele's legacy.
I want to just show you a little bit of this line. It's been sneaking around all day we got here so early, we saw the first people in line and
people are still arriving. And I want to show you two very dedicated fans that come here. This is neither - they're sister 73 and 77 years old. They
saw Pele play when he was still playing for Santos and in the first World Cup he ever played. I just want to ask you out, why did you decide to come
here today?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (FOREIGN LANGUAGE)
JONES: Just for the amazing person that he was for the amazing sportsman's that he that he was in for the gap that he's going to leave in her heart.
Now, I want to ask your sister, and --they that tell me what did Pele mean to you?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (FOREIGN LANGUAGE)
JONES: So she's saying he was a great person, a great human being because he was able to love the small ones, those who didn't have much and that are
what Pele really means for Brazil. He was an inspiration. He was the spirit of Brazilian excellence. He showed these people, my people that we could be
better that we could achieve more and nothing more fitting than this kind of a sendoff fit for king, Zain.
ASHER: Yes, it's incredible. You know, especially when they talked about watching Pele play all those years ago when he was still playing for
Santos. Just quick question, how long is that line? How long are actually people lining up for?
JONES: Oh, boy, it's blocks and blocks. Look, this line over here. If you take a look, this is four different lines marching together. I would say
this goes at least 200 meters out to the end of the stadium and back three or four times. I can't tell you how many thousands of people are coming.
You know they can't stop inside the stadium.
They keep on walking and they're only going to be able to view the coffin from about five meters away. And yet people still are coming, they want to
pay their respects, they want to share and they want to participate in this moment in history.
[09:35:00]
ASHER: And can I just say God bless those two sisters for giving up their space in line to talk to us, please thank them for me, that's really,
really nice of them to do that. I hope that doesn't make that line that much longer. Julia, thank you so much. We appreciate it.
All right and apparent Ukrainian striker in the Russian occupied Donetsk region appears to have killed a large number of Russian troops stationed at
a vocational school, that's according to both Ukrainian and pro-Russian accounts. The Ukrainian military claimed that around 400 Russian soldiers
were killed and further 300 were wounded without directly acknowledging a role.
CNN cannot verify those numbers. It comes as Moscow targets civilians and critical infrastructure in a third straight day of attacks. Authorities in
Kyiv are urging residents to reduce their electricity use amid emergency power cuts. Joining me live now from Kyiv is CNN's Ben Wedeman.
Ben, then when you think about how the year ended, how 2022 ended, but people in Ukraine to people in Kyiv, especially just the constant aerial
bombardment, the constant attacks, what do the next few months hold for the Ukrainian people?
BEN WEDEMAN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, the fear is it's going to be more of the same four out of the last five days the Ukrainian
Capital has been hit by these strikes. The Russians are using mostly Shahed-135, Iranian drones that explode upon impact.
And going back to the end of September, the Russians have been targeting the energy infrastructure, power plants and things like the thermal plants,
the plants that provide hot water and heating for the residents of the Capitol and all of the Ukraine those at least to have those facilities.
And therefore it does appear that the Russians who are suffering defeats on a regular basis. And you know, you mentioned that strike on Makiivka in the
Donetsk region were anywhere between 63 and 400 Russians have been killed. And the Russians, they're, they're stumbling on the battlefield.
But what they seem to be doing is making up for their failures on the battlefield with these unrelenting strikes targeted at the infrastructure.
And the authorities here are fairly good at repairing as quickly as possible of what can be repaired, but they can only do so much before the
system actually starts to break down.
Now friends of Ukraine have been providing emergency backup generators, but generators only go so far when it comes to fueling a city or providing
power to a city like Kyiv, which is several million residents, Zain?
ASHER: All right. Ben Wedeman live for us there. Thank you so much. Right, still to come is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it's an airship with plans
to cruise to the North Pole. I speak with the CEO of OceanSky Cruises about recreating a slice of history. That is after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[09:40:00]
ASHER: Welcome back to "First Move". Nearly 100 years ago the Norwegian explorer - made the first flight over the North Pole in an airship. Now
OceanSky Cruisers from Sweden is planning to take passengers back to the Arctic and what they're describing as a sustainable and luxury experience.
Ocean skies North Pole expedition is scheduled for 2024. The 100 meter long hybrid airship will take off from Svalbard in Norway and travel for 15
hours before landing on the ice. Unlike early airships, like for example, the Hindenburg which are filled with flammable hydrogen modern vessels we
use helium, a gas that will not catch fire. Reservations for the trip are now open and early customers have the opportunity to become shareholders in
the company fares, get this starts at around $200,000 per cabin.
Joining me live now is Carl-Oscar Lawaczeck; he is the CEO and Founder of OceanSky. Carl, thank you so much for being with us, Happy New Year.
CARL-OSCAR LAWACZECK, CEO & FOUNDER, OCEANSKY: Happy New Year. Thank you, thank you for letting me here.
ASHER: When people think about going on vacation, they think about going to the beach and maybe the Caribbean or somewhere closer to home, they might
go I don't know skiing or camping. But what you're trying to create is a situation whereby the journey itself is actually the destination.
These are luxury, very, very luxury. I hope we can show some video to our audience. Airship cruises, just explained to us what sort of experience, I
mean 200,000 hertz is certainly a pretty penny, what sort of experience can people expect onboard?
LAWACZECK: A unique one. This is a flying yacht in the sky and hasn't been done since, as we said in the beginning, in your introduction, that for
almost 100 years, it hasn't been possible to fly an airship in this luxury setting. So really what it is, is a unique experience.
ASHER: When people think of I was actually talking about this with my producers right before the show. When people think of airships, as I'm sure
you know, the Hindenburg disaster, obviously comes to mind. I know that these airships that you're doing are very, very different because they use
helium not hydrogen.
So that risk doesn't exist, the risk of it catching fire just simply doesn't exist with helium. However, despite people knowing that
intellectually, I think it's still hard to get over the association, right? People associate I mean, Hindenburg literally marked the end of the airship
era. How do you overcome that?
LAWACZECK: Well, I think our target is a very special group of people. And they're the first movers. They're a very small percentage of the
population. Its lead thinkers, its adventures and yes, so I mean, obviously actually, how we look at it is the mass market product in the future, we
hope, we think, we envision, but in the beginning it's another targets group, it's pioneers of the world, basically.
ASHER: So just talk to you about I mean, we did actually see a tight what I think we saw just now one picture actually inside in terms of what the
cabin looks like. So people are on this airship for several hours. What is the experience that, OK that we have it?
What is the experience that they can expect? If you're in this airship for free for however many hours what are you doing? How are you interacting
with others? What's the layout?
LAWACZECK: Well, first of all, you fly very low. So in terms of the experience, you can look up these amazing windows which will be very large
windows like panoramic view, because we don't have a pressurized cabin. So we can build with panorama windows that are big. So the view is amazing, we
fly low so you can actually see what's on the ground or in the sea.
[09:45:00]
LAWACZECK: But really being on board that special trip with you know, like minded people that wants to push the boundaries and, and really do
something unique. I think it will create an atmosphere. Like when you're on the ship for the first time across the ocean in you know, 1400s and
discovering America something like very, very adventurous and an expedition and an exploration of, of you know, land that is almost inaccessible. The
North Pole and the Arctic is inaccessible places.
ASHER: Yes. So clearly, you're looking for adventurous people who push the boundary but also people who have $200,000 to spare. Not many people like
that out there. Carl Lawaczeck, thank you so much for being with us, we appreciate your time. All right, still to come after the break, still
hungry after New Year's Eve.
Julia Chatterley spoke with chefs and restaurant tour Bobby Flay about his newest show and showed her a recipe for the perfect potato pancake, which
Julia cook - what we play after the break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ASHER: From shopping deliveries to the Superbowl, the rise and rise of drone technology is something you've seen around the world in recent years.
And one city is now using them to light up the sky throughout the festive season.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ASHER (voice over): In recent years, Dubai has set a number of world records with its impressive firework displays. Now the city is taking its
festive spectacles to a whole new level with the lights there featuring over 500 drones.
OLLIE HOWITT SENIOR CREATIVE, SKYMAGIC: We think the sky is the biggest canvas that there is in order to tell stories.
ASHER (voice over): SkyMagic is a drone technology company based in the UK and Singapore. For more than a decade they've created 3d animated shows
illuminating the skies in cities across the world. Today they are in Dubai coordinating the longest running drone show in the Middle East.
HOWITT: You see kind of coming out of the world post COVID; the appetite for drone shows has risen exponentially.
ASHER (voice over): Bringing this all to life is no easy feat as it takes several months of preparations.
SUHAIL MAITRE, PROJECT MANAGER, DSF DRONE: We start planning as early as July, we get on site about 10 days before the shows, we run tests in
advance. So we start with flying one drone going to five going into 20. Finally about three days before the first show the entire fleet to 500 plus
drones goes up in the air.
ASHER (voice over): Several steps go into designing the futuristic show made possible with a team of creative minds and cutting edge technology.
[09:50:00]
HOWITT: It's all bespoke. So all in-house software which uses a 3d modeling tool, we move from still images essentially into an animation.
ASHER (voice over): Despite dozens of people involved in the production, only a handful of crew members actually control the show on the ground.
HOWITT: We'd go through all of the liable calculations like safety parameters, then we essentially upload that animation file onto the drone
fleet, and then the drone fleet will fly that animation in the sky in real life.
ASHER (voice over): According to SkyMagic, the drones used in the show are much smaller than delivery drones, and they're specifically made to glide
swiftly through the air and change colors.
HOWITT: And they are very lightweight, very agile to move through the sky on USB as well as a lot more wind resistant and rain resistant. The GPS
accuracy on them is really strong, so makes it really precise when you're trying to make those tidy images.
ASHER (voice over): Aside from entertainment drones offer a greener alternative to traditional firework displays.
MAITRE: The key benefit is that it is sustainable. These drones can be used multiple times and I think going forward, more and more cities across the
world will be using drones instead of fireworks.
ASHER (voice over): This year it's estimated that over half a million spectators will gather in Dubai to watch the drones light up the sky
throughout the festive season.
AHMED, SPECTATOR: We're sitting down by the blue water and it just took us by surprise.
LENA, SPECTATOR: I just got carried away with the music, the lights, the whole atmosphere, everyone sort of went silent, so I loved it.
ASHER (voice over): For now spectators are enjoying a one of a kind experience. But these displays could soon become the norm as drone
technology continues to evolve.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ASHER: All right, if you watched our CNN New Year's Eve special, you probably saw Julia Chatterley cooking up a storm with Chef and TV
personality, Bobby Flay. Julia also spoke to Bobby about his new show on the Food Network and filming with his daughter.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JULIA CHATTERLEY, CNN CORRREPONDENT: We have other reasons to celebrate to your show, Bobby strip of - picked up for a second series. Talk to me about
this.
BOBBY FLAY, CHEF, RESTAURATEUR, TV HOST: Yes, I love the show isn't a secret location in New York City. And there are three chefs that are sort
of my house chefs; we pick chefs from all over the country one at a time. And they have to take on all three of the Titans as we like to call them.
And if they can beat them, they went $25,000. And even more importantly, to the money, the big 10 time breaking.
CHATTERLEY: The title.
FLAY: Exactly. And then if they actually if they win, we give them a locker in the club forever. So they can always keep their knives and server,
they're always welcome back.
CHATTERLEY: Wow, that's amazing.
FLAY: Yes. And there's also only one judge at night.
CHATTERLEY: OK.
FLAY: And so you have to kind of play that as part of your strategy. You don't know who the judge is until after the first round and then he or she
comes out. And then they start thinking about how they're going to be cooking in the next round. So it's really, it's really a fun show.
CHATTERLEY: It's a lot of pressure, because you have great experience of the sort of combination of presenting and doing this job, but also cooking
at the same time, but in extremely tight time frames.
FLAY: Well, the timeframes are tight; well I give them each two ingredients per round and use the ingredients that make sense together. For instance,
like this dish could have been made when I gave them potatoes and chives. I mean, they could have made a version of this dish. You know, it's one of
those things where I want the food to be first class first rate. I want ingredients that make sense together. Because some people think for
themselves, that's too easy.
CHATTERLEY: Yes.
FLAY: But in fact, there's 30 different ways they can go. The question is, which path will they take?
CHATTERLEY: And how long do they get to think about it?
FLAY: Well, almost no time at all. I mean, it's basically here are the ingredients get up and let's start cooking.
CHATTERLEY: Wow.
FLAY: Yes.
CHATTERLEY: Well, viewers love it.
FLAY: Viewers love it, it's probably some of the best cooking in food, TV history.
CHATTERLEY: What about --one other thing?
FLAY: Sophie, yes.
CHATTERLEY: She's a star himself. And yes, I love on the coast.
FLAY: Yes. Well, thank you so much. Sophie's a journalist out in Los Angeles. You know, every once in a while, she gives me some of her free
time. And we do some things together. We did you know, on the coast with Bobby Sophie's network and its fun to hang out my daughter. That's for
sure.
CHATTERLEY: The way he described to me, he said she stabbed me but she helps keep him relevant.
FLAY: Exactly.
CHATTERLEY: I love that.
FLAY: Exactly. It gets harder and harder every day. But Sophie is definitely she's on the pollster. She knows what's going on in the world.
She's 26 years old. So she's, you know, she's as savvy as they come. And she keeps me in line in all the best ways.
CHATTERLEY: Two great shows, great daughters and great --.
FLAY: Thank you so much, cheers.
CHATTERLEY: Thank you, cheers.
ASHER: Oh, what a fun interview. But what you didn't see there was actually Julia's attempt to plate up a potato pancake and now's your chance to see
how it went. Take a look.
FLAY: If you want to try make one?
CHATTERLEY: Yes, please.
FLAY: OK.
CHATTERLEY: OK so - fresh and excellent.
FLAY: fresh.
[09:55:00]
FLAY: Now you can go--
CHATTERLEY: Sure.
FLAY: OK, now you're going to go to the pickled shallots.
CHATTERLEY: OK, good.
FLAY: Master Chef here.
CHATTERLEY: I know, it's amazing.
FLAY: OK.
CHATTERLEY: my calling.
FLAY: The caveat.
CHATTERLEY: OK.
FLAY: Oh yes. Oh you dig deep. I feel like I've met you before digging deep.
CHATTERLEY: I just ruined it. Oh no.
FLAY: --that's beautiful.
CHATTERLEY: No, it's oozing.
FLAY: That's absolutely good.
CHATTERLEY: It's going to be beautiful to eat and then they've - a today.
FLAY: Yes, exactly.
CHATTERLEY: Kind of.
FLAY: Just drop it on there. And listen, they literally look identical. It's beautiful. So she gave it a try.
CHATTERLEY: Yes, please. Can we swap there? Because -
FLAY: Sure, absolutely, beautifully crunchy, really tender inside perfectly garnished.
CHATTERLEY: I always wonder whether on - people lie even if they don't like it, they just say--
FLAY: I don't want you to know - we don't like - tell me.
CHATTERLEY: No, no, I'm talking about my - you can lie to me.
FLAY: You did a perfect job.
CHATTERLEY: Thank you.
FLAY: You really did.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ASHER: Julia with that deep spoonful of caviar there, very, very expensive taste. All right, that is it for the show. "Connect the World" is up next,
you're watching CNN.
(COMMERCIALBREAK)
[10:00:00]
END
