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First Move with Julia Chatterley
Harris And Trump Competing Events In Michigan; Harris Meets With Michigan Union Workers; Israel And Hamas Vows To Fight On After Sinwar's Deaths; S. Korea Accuses N. Korea Of Sending Troops to Russia; Pyongyang Reportedly Sending 1,500 to Russia; Island-Wide Blackout In Cuba; Taiwan To Build Up Its Coast Guard; Inside Singapore's Changi Prison; Saving Australia's Koalas; Ohtani Sets Sight On World Series. Aired 6-7p ET
Aired October 18, 2024 - 18:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[18:00:00]
JULIA CHATTERLEY, CNN ANCHOR, FIRST MOVE: It's 6:00 a.m. in Taipei, 7:00 a.m. in Seoul, and 6:00 p.m. here in New York. I'm Julia Chatterley. And
wherever you are in the world, this is your "First Move."
And a warm welcome to "First Move." And here's today's need to know. Swing state struggle. Kamala Harris and Donald Trump hold competing events in the
pivotal State of Michigan. Mission to Moscow. South Korea accuses the North of sending troops to Russia to support their war in Ukraine. Behind bars.
An exclusive look inside Singapore's Changi Prison, where drug trafficking can lead to death row. And Koala conservation, Australia's national symbol,
is under threat. We speak to the foundation trying to save them. That conservation conversation and plenty more coming up.
But first, Kamala Harris and Donald Trump make whirlwind stops in Michigan with both campaigns focusing on a handful of swing states. Harris is
meeting with labor leaders in Lansing, Michigan, of course, the headquarters of the U.S. auto industry. The vice president also trying to
go on the offensive, attacking the former president's fitness for office.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KAMALA HARRIS, U.S. VICE PRESIDENT AND U.S. PRESIDENTIAL DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATE: He is ducking debates and canceling interviews. Come on. And
check this out, his own campaign team recently said it is because of exhaustion. Well, if you are exhausted on the campaign trail, it raises
real questions about whether you are fit for the toughest job in the world.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHATTERLEY: Having not done interviews for many weeks, of course, Trump catching flack there from Harris for cancelling multiple interviews this
week now. He spent the morning doing media appearances on mostly friendly territory like Fox News.
Larry Sabato, who heads the Center for Politics at the University of Virginia, and he joins us now from Charlottesville. Larry, always great to
get you on. It's part of the Blue Wall. It's a critical state to wing -- to win, and it's swingy. We know it is because Trump won it in 2016 by a tiny
sliver of votes. Then Biden took it, of course, in 2020.
The question for me really is how many undecided voters really are there out there to win, or is this simply about ensuring that everybody who can
vote does?
LARRY SABATO, DIRECTOR, CENTER FOR POLITICS, UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA AND EDITOR, "A RETURN TO NORMALCY?": There are a handful of undecideds, and if
the race is as razor thin as it appears to be, maybe they'll make the difference. But I think, really, this is about a turnout, and it's about
motivating your supporters.
And as usual, Democrats have a little bit tougher job than Trump supporters do. Trump supporters are so energetic that you worry about their hearts
sometimes. But the -- it's not that Kamala Harris' supporters aren't enthusiastic, but there are a lot of Democratic voters who really need a
push to get out there.
Now, the good news for Harris is, the Democrats this year, her campaign, has a much better get out the voter apparatus than the Republicans do. So,
that will help her.
CHATTERLEY: How much more significant is that, Larry? Because that's an interesting point.
SABATO: Well, it's very significant. The studies about get out the vote, voter contact suggests that a good operation, as Harris apparently has, can
add a couple of percentage points to your total. Well, look at these swing states, they're all within a couple of percentage points. So, I would say
it's very important.
CHATTERLEY: Yes, I mean, the Harris campaign has pivoted. We've all clearly seen it attacking Trump. She, as we heard there, suggesting from
the campaign that he's exhausted, questioning his fitness for the job. She also appeared on Fox News and survived. You can debate how well she
survived or thrived. Is all of this helping her?
SABATO: I think it is in that people didn't know much at all about her when she actually became the nominee and people say, well, she's been vice
president for four years. Why don't people know more? Because we don't focus on vice presidents. Nobody believes vice presidents make the
decisions. The president makes the decision and then the vice president goes out and tries to help sell it.
So, that's part of it. But I think it's also really important to see what's happening here. She's flipping the script. What did Trump and all the
Republicans say for months and months and months about Joe Biden, has no energy, can't possibly survive to 86. We're not going to have the kind of
energetic president we need in the Oval Office.
[18:05:00]
Well, see what she's saying? It's -- now, he's the old one. He's at 78. He will be the oldest president ever inaugurated if he has actually elected.
So, she's turned it around on him. That's a great argument. It also does something else for her. It's so important that she separate herself from
Joe Biden.
Joe Biden is still in the low 40s. He has a low approval rating. You can't win if your president is in the low 40s. So, she's trying to say, hey, I'm
younger. I'm a separate candidate. I'm going to run things differently. And this enables her to do that.
CHATTERLEY: And she's flipped the switch on the narrative as far as interviews is concerned as well, because go back a few weeks and she was
the one being accused of avoiding interviews. And now, she's pointing at the cancellations for Donald Trump. So, a lot feels like it's changed in a
couple of weeks. To your first point, though, the question is, how much does this matter?
A recent ABC News and Ipsos survey had Trump winning with men by eight points, and it had her winning with women or at least leading by nine
points. So, we do have this sort of sexist gap, not sexist in the truest sense of the form, but sex gap, let's call it, between men and women and
the two candidates. To what extent do you think it will matter or benefit Trump if he does manage, as reports suggest, to get Nikki Haley on the
trail with him?
SABATO: That would have helped a few months ago. I'm not sure it has that much of an impact now, because most of the Haley voters have already
decided. The vast majority of them are Republicans, they're going to vote for the Republican nominee. I've seen this over and over. People hymn and
haw, and then at the very end, they support the nominee of the party they've always identified with. Now, she might bring a few more of her
voters back into Trump, but this is awfully late to be trying that gambit.
When you look at what Harris has had on the campaign trail and the fact that president -- Former President Obama and Former First Lady Michelle
Obama are going to be spending a lot of time between now and the election, I'd say she has that covered pretty well.
CHATTERLEY: Meanwhile, he's got Elon Musk holding solo events for him in Pennsylvania. Harris is going to bring the singer, Lizzo, to Detroit
tomorrow. She's got Usher joining her in Atlanta. How much do these proxies matter? I feel like I'm a Debbie Downer today asking how much anything
matters, quite frankly. But it's that tight. We have to ask.
SABATO: Well, Debbie Downer was fun on "Saturday Night Live."
CHATTERLEY: OK. Good.
SABATO: That's OK. Look, I don't think it matters in terms of votes very much, but I'll tell you what it does do, it attracts the cameras. So, the
cameras cover the candidate being endorsed by somebody famous, people pay more attention to it. So, that's where it makes a difference toward the
end.
And people -- everybody really is paying close attention because we only have now almost 17 days to go. That's a tiny, tiny time period. And this is
it. People have to decide who they're going to vote for, or if they're going to vote at all. And the vast majority will vote.
CHATTERLEY: Yes. And it plays to the energy too, to the point we were making at the beginning and that feel. Larry, great to have you on. Thank
you so much.
SABATO: Thanks.
CHATTERLEY: The director of the University of Virginia's Center for Politics. Have a great weekend, sir.
Now, to the Middle East, where prayers have been held in Gaza for the late Hamas leader, Yahya Sinwar. Israel's chief pathologist confirmed that he
died from a gunshot wound to the head after being seriously hurt in battle.
Hamas says Sinwar's death has not changed its demands. The group refuses to release any hostages until Israel withdraws from Gaza and frees Palestinian
prisoners earlier. Israeli leaders met to discuss their next move with sources telling CNN since Sinwar's body could be used as a bargaining chip
to secure the hostages' release. U.S. President Joe Biden and other western leaders say Sinwar's death offers hope for a ceasefire.
Jeremy Diamond is in Tel Aviv for us tonight. Jeremy. It feels as though Hamas is digging its heels in here and saying, look, unless the war ends,
unless Israel leaves Gaza, we're not going to hand over the hostages. Meanwhile, the Israelis are saying, look, unless you hand over the
hostages, we're not going to leave Gaza or consider any movement further.
Does the body of one individual potentially provide the kind of leverage that could help reach some kind of an agreement?
JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN JERUSALEM CORRESPONDENT: Yes, I think the short answer to that is no, Julia. And you know, I think the reality is what you just
described, which is that Hamas is very much digging in here, at least publicly. Some of this, of course, is posturing as we wait to see who will
actually succeed Yahya Sinwar as Hamas' leader.
[18:10:00]
We heard today from Khalil al-Hayya, a very important figure in the negotiations who could also potentially succeed Sinwar and take the mantle
of the political leadership, at least of Hamas.
And on the Israeli side, the Israeli prime minister yesterday making very clear that this is not the end of the war, but he did say that it was an
important inflection point and one that could mark perhaps the beginning of the end of Hamas.
Now, as all of these discussions are happening about the impact of Sinwar's death, we are starting to learn more details about how he actually died. I
spoke today with the man who actually performed the autopsy on Yahya Sinwar's body yesterday. Dr. Chen Kugel is the chief pathologist at
Israel's National Forensic Institute. He told me that he confirmed that it was a bullet to the head rather than the tank shelling that was believed to
be responsible for Sinwar's death that actually killed the former Hamas chief.
He also talked to me about the process of identifying Sinwar's body, the DNA analysis that took place based off of a finger, he said, that was taken
off of Sinwar's body, cut off of Sinwar's body in Gaza. Listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CHEN KUGEL, CHIEF PATHOLOGIST, ISRAEL NATIONAL CENTER OF FORENSIC MEDICINE: They have a suspicion that this is Yahya Sinwar and they sent a sample, a
finger, that they cut from his body in order to make the DNA profile. And after the laboratory here made the profile, we compared it with the profile
that Sinwar had in the term that he was serving here as a prisoner. So, then we could identify him finally by his DNA. After the final
identification, then the body arrived here at about 9:30 yesterday.
DIAMOND: What percentage of certainty do you have based on that DNA analysis?
KUGEL: 100 percent.
DIAMOND: 100 percent?
KUGEL: Yes.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
DIAMOND: And Sinwar's body, Julia, was taken to an undisclosed Israeli military location after four hours at that forensic institute. We don't yet
know what the Israeli government will do with his body, but there certainly is the possibility of using him somewhat as a bargaining chip. But once
again, I think it's important to emphasize that doesn't necessarily change the equation here.
And certainly, the families of the hostages, 97 of whom were taken on October 7th and who remains still in Gaza, their families are certainly
hoping that at least Sinwars death can perhaps offer a golden opportunity, as the United States has termed it, for this war to end and for their loved
ones to be released, Julia.
CHATTERLEY: Yes, but it does certainly feel like hope and not much more at this stage. Jeremy Diamond, thank you for that report.
Now, to the latest in Russia's war in Ukraine. Ukraine's foreign minister telling western allies to, quote, "wake up" to the fact that North Korean
troops will be alongside Russia on the battlefield. His plea comes as Pyongyang is reportedly sending 1,500 soldiers to Russia. South Korea's
intelligence agency says it's the first step in preparing North Korea for military involvement in the war against Ukraine.
Last week, the Kremlin dismissed allegations that North Korean troops had been sent to Russia. A Russia spokesperson called it a hoax. Mike Valerio
joins us from Seoul, South Korea. Mike, what more do we know about what may be taking place here? Because if it is true, it would be very significant.
MIKE VALERIO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Right. Julia, this is the first time that South Korea's government is saying not just support personnel, but troops,
special forces troops are aiding Russia's fight against Ukraine.
And, you know, Julia, with so much going on in the world, when we talk about why this story matters, why we should be paying attention to this, it
factors into two crucial questions. First of all, will North Korean troop involvement perhaps prolong Russia's invasion of Ukraine and will North
Korean special forces troops perhaps tilt the balance of power in this struggle further towards Moscow's favor?
So, let's take you through what we know. Again, these details coming just a few hours ago from South Korea's National Intelligence Service. It's saying
that it observed not just one, Julia, but seven Russian ships transporting North Korean special forces troops from North Korean territory into Russian
territory, several Russian military bases in the eastern parts of the country, closer to our neighborhood of East Asia. These troops,
specifically inspected by Kim Jong Un a couple weeks ago.
And as you mentioned in the introduction, Ukraine's president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, warning the world that he is expecting not just 1,500 special
forces troops, but his intelligence is saying up to 10,000 troops potentially prepared to come from North Korea to help the Russia in its
fight against Ukraine.
So, what we also want to add here, the intelligence goes further to say that these special forces troops have been given Russian weapons, Russian
uniforms looking a little different than what we see on the screen right here. And also, Julia, Siberian forged I.D. cards of Siberian residents who
apparently, according to the intelligence, look similar to North Koreans in order to try to make an effort to partially conceal North Korea's
assistance here.
[18:15:00]
So, reacting to that news, we asked a former South Korean Navy commander, Yu Jihoon, to weigh in. And he told us essentially the following, quote,
"The subterfuge points to a deliberate effort by both nations to obscure the extent of North Korean involvement in the conflict. Such a move could
be seen as an attempt by Moscow to avoid further international scrutiny and sanctions while simultaneously bolstering its depleted manpower and
ammunition stockpiles."
So, the commander is right. Julia, this whole thing, this whole song and dance is happening because Russia has gone through manpower, has gone
through ammunition so quickly. What is North Korea have a huge surplus of? Manpower and military That's 1.2 million people strong. Many, many
warehouses, with artillery and in a desperate need for cash after its economy has been beset by sanctions from the International Community over
years because of its nuclear weapons program. So, this is a sign that the cooperation is deepening and we're going to be monitoring for any further
signs of North Korean special forces troops on the battlefield.
We've seen a few images that have come through social media yet, but of course, we have to vigorously, you know, go through those images, look for
any signs of digital alterations and make sure that they are genuine, but that is going to be the next sign to see if these troops are actually on
the battlefield and when that happens, Julia.
CHATTERLEY: Yes, and South Korea certainly will continue to watch this. Ukraine is going to clearly continue to watch this very closely, and the
allies too, because 1,500 troops is -- could be the thin end of the wedge. So, potentially huge development. We'll continue to watch it, Mike.
In the meantime, KCNA, the state media agency there in North Korea reporting that it's recovered a South Korean military drone. What more do
we know about this?
VALERIO: That news, Julia, just coming down the wire, just appearing on our screens a few minutes before this newscast. So, when we were with you
last week, we had information and pictures that North Korea sent us of what it said were a South Korean drone over the skies of the North Korean
capital dropping leaflets saying essentially, you know, this regime needs to end and that the economy would be doing so much better if the people
rose up against Kim Jong Un.
It was a mystery and it still continues to be a mystery who exactly was responsible for sending that drone over the skies of Pyongyang. So, now,
North Korea is saying they've recovered remnants of a drone very close to where the drone that flew over the sky or over the city a few days ago was
found.
They are blaming South Korea's military, why that matters, that seems to be a new playbook. We have not seen South Korea's military fly a drone over
the capital for this information warfare. So, what is retaliation going to be, if anything? That's what we're watching for at this hour.
CHATTERLEY: Yes, and we will leave you watching that and come back to you if we get any further developments. As always, Mike, great to have you.
Thank you. Mike Valeria there in Seoul.
VALERIO: Thanks, Julia. Thanks.
CHATTERLEY: All right. Now, to Cuba. Struggling to come to terms with life without electricity after one of the island's main power plants failed.
Millions of people on the communist run island have been left without lights over the last few days after the nation's aging electrical grid
repeatedly collapsed.
Officials blaming a combination of economic sanctions from the United States and damage from recent hurricanes. Patrick Oppmann comes to us from
Havana courtesy of a portable generator. Patrick, just set the scene for us on how challenging this is, because you and I were talking earlier and It's
not just about the electricity grid, it has profound implications for things like water supply, too.
PATRICK OPPMANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Absolutely. It becomes really a domino effect and a pretty grim one. When you think about how hard it is for
Cubans to find food, that is beginning to spoil as we get into hour seven of this blackout. People will not be able to get water in their homes
today.
And as you can see, it's getting dark behind me and there's not a light on in Havana or across this island that is not powered by a generator like our
trusted generator, which has been the star of the day, but eventually, we'll run out of fuel. And that is just the reality. So, it seems
increasingly unlikely that we will get power back today because the updates have not been very positive. It seems very, very limited so far, the areas
where there is power. No major city has had power restored in any kind of meaningful way. It's been kind of an information blackout as well from
Cuban officials just because there's been really no news to report other than they were working around the clock, they say, to restore power.
[18:20:00]
You know, for people who come to Cuba, certainly, it doesn't seem like it's a big news that there's power outages, but it really is almost
unprecedented that the entire island, 10 million people, are in the dark right now because this is not a plot plan power outage, this is not
something the government foresaw, that's all too common, this really caught the government by surprise.
And the worry is how complicated it will be to get power back on, what happens several days go by and they're not able to get power restored, it
becomes so much more difficult because where do people get food? Where do people get water? Certainly, the government is not in a position right now
where they can provide that on the scale that Cuba will require.
So, as we get into the first night without power, people certainly are crossing their fingers, are hoping that in the hours, if not the days to
come, power is restored. But, you know, we are talking about a situation that has been allowed to build over the years, there's just been so little
investment in the power grid. Of course, the Cuban government blames many of the problems here on U.S. sanctions. But a lot of this comes down to the
fact that the Cuban government has been either unable or unwilling to invest in this kind of infrastructure that is so badly needed.
CHATTERLEY: Yes. I mean, and, Patrick, you sort of called this a slow- motion crisis when we were discussing this a couple of hours ago. This is sort of years in the making. Just to give people the context very quickly.
What were things like before this power cut? Because the government warned very recently that we're going to have to be more careful, we're going to
have to ration, we're going to have to be more careful with our electricity use. But what was the situation before that people already understand that
they have to manage a crisis like this and have some degree of preparation?
OPPMANN: You know, we kind of live in a little bit of a bubble here in Nevada because it's a capital, because there are four news organizations.
There are many embassies and diplomats. Of course, this is where the government is based. So, you might have, in my neighborhood, a power outage
every other day of a couple hours. They don't do it at night because that's when people really get upset. The rest of the island, it's sometimes 12
hours a day every day.
And so, that reality is finally reached us here in the capital, what Cubans have been living in other parts of this island for now for four months. And
that is fueling an exodus. That is the largest exodus of Cubans in the history of Cuba, you know, since the Cuban revolution, and that's just
because, you know, people don't want to live in a situation where they have to cook with charcoal, where they do not have water, and they have to go to
a well and carry water for several miles. You know, people are living in a way that people typically have not lived in this country in the last
century. And it is forcing them to leave.
And so, certainly, we expect the power to get restored, but how much power will people in Havana be getting? Will we be like the rest of the island,
where we have sort of three, four hours every day? That gets very, very hard to live in those circumstances in that situations. Already school was
canceled today in Havana. You know, it's an open question whether there'll be school next week, whether people be able to go to work and what the
future really holds for Cubans.
CHATTERLEY: Yes, fingers crossed they get it back on by running very soon. Cancelled school would have been my worst nightmare as a child. Truly,
Patrick Oppmann, thank you so much for that report and we keep our fingers crossed.
All right. Straight ahead, Taiwan looks to build up its Coast Guard after China practices blockading the island. We'll have the latest on the
military moves ordered by Beijing.
And finding the bare necessities for koalas to thrive. With Australia's national icon under threat, we'll discuss a conservation drive to help
protect their habitat and them. That's later in the show. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[18:25:00]
CHATTERLEY: Welcome back to First Move and a very happy Saturday morning if you're just waking up with us. In today's Money Move though, it was a
Friday feeling. On Wall Street, U.S. markets have just closed out their sixth straight week of gains. The starting gun also well and truly fired on
earnings season. It's a case of so far, so good.
Netflix, a star performer, closing up 11 percent after earnings and subscriber growth topped estimates. Europe also saw a positive end to the
week bolstered by a widely anticipated quarter of a percentage point rate cut by the European Central Bank, but the bank gave few hints on where it
could move next, data dependent.
And it was a mostly positive end to the week for the Asia Pacific stocks, too, with the Shanghai Composite up nearly 3 percent. This after China's
GDP numbers came in slightly stronger than expected. Growth still being held back by weak consumption and the long running crisis in the property
market.
There was also a show of force this week literally encircling Taiwan. China's Coast Guard played an unprecedented role in military drills around
the island as its ships and jets participated in a simulated blockade of Taiwan. The maneuvers came just days after Taiwan's president rebuked
China's claims of sovereignty.
CNN's Will Ripley picks up the story and reports on China's bizarre propaganda image of those exercises.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
WILL RIPLEY, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: On Friday, the president of Taiwan, Lai Ching-te, paid a visit to the island's Coast
Guard, where he thanked them for their service and pledged to build 11 new Coast Guard vessels over the next seven years, significantly beefing up the
island's Coast Guard defense at a time that Taipei is sounding the alarm about China's Coast Guard and the key role it played in the Joint Sword-
2024B drills that simulated a Taiwan blockade earlier this week.
This was the first full encirclement of Taiwan by China's Coast Guard, Taipei says, including using a 12,000-ton vessel, one of 17 vessels that
Taipei says it detected around its territorial waters during the drills. They also say China's Coast Guard intruded into restricted waters near
Taiwan's outlying Matsu Islands.
Now, this is not the first time this year that China's Coast Guard has been accused by Taipei of playing an increasingly large role in intimidating the
island. It was back in February when China's Coast Guard actually boarded a Taiwanese tourist boat, checked everyone's I.D. and detained them, giving
people quite a scare and sparking an online frenzy here about the role of China's Coast Guard, something that Taipei has long referred to as a gray
zone tactic, nonmilitary, but nonetheless, coercive and intimidating force sanctioned by Beijing.
In addition to the Coast Guard activities near Taiwan, they posted a propaganda image showing the track of the vessels that encircled this self-
governing democracy that appeared to be in the shape of a heart. In fact, Chinese propaganda even referred to Taiwan as sweetheart, seen as creepy by
some locals here in Taiwan.
Taiwan's Coast Guard has called the Chinese Coast Guard actions harassment, not law enforcement. And they say that this is being stepped up at a time
that Beijing is trying to put pressure on Taipei while falling short of triggering an actual military confrontation.
The Taiwanese Coast Guard even said they intercepted a Chinese smuggler near the outlying Kinmen Islands, another suspected gray zone tactic that
they say this island and the world needs to be on the lookout for, because it's not just happening in Taiwan there have also been confrontations
between China's Coast Guard and other Coast Guards particularly in the Philippines over disputed shoals there.
Will Ripley, CNN, Taipei.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
[18:30:00]
CHATTERLEY: Now, in our weather move today, there are fears of new wildfires in California as northern parts of the state grapple with so-
called Diablo winds, which have brought on hot, dry conditions. Chad Myers is at the World Weather Center to explain. Chad, happy Friday, but not so
happy news there on the weather.
CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Right, exactly. And it isn't a problem unless there is a fire. I mean, the winds can blow and it's OK even if
they're dry. But now, we have a few fires that have popped up here in the past couple of hours. And if you're asked or if you smell smoke, if you're
asked to evacuate, it's time to move here because the winds will be very gusty tonight all the way through tomorrow morning.
And yes, we still have the critical area down here across parts of Southern California where the winds could blow through the canyons, maybe even
higher than 45 miles per hour and it doesn't take a lot to knock down a power line or get a spark and all of a sudden, you have those sparks and
they start to move, those embers start to move downwind and the fires get larger and larger and larger. So, far so good for most of these, but there
are fires out there, and when that happens, there's always a risk of those fires getting larger.
We even have mountain snow going on across Colorado and also even parts of New Mexico. There could be a foot of snow in the highest of elevations out
toward the southwest near Durango. And yes, the (INAUDIBLE) going to pick up some big snows out there. The first real one of the year. But then east
and south of there, there could be maybe four to six inches of rainfall for parts of New Mexico.
Look at the weekend that most of the eastern half of the U.S. has in store, from D.C. in the 70s, warmer than you should be. But now, it's warm and the
waters are still warm. And down in the Caribbean, we have a new potential tropical cyclone number 15. Just a lot of words for a storm that's starting
to spin down here near Belize and also Quintana Roo in to parts of Cancun, could see some clouds.
There's your rainfall. They'll take the rain when they can get it. It has been quite dry. But, Julia, there are spots that could pick up between 10
and 20 inches of rain. That's a half a meter and at no place in the world wants to that much in three days or less. Julia.
CHATTERLEY: No, they definitely don't. We'll continue to watch that. Chad, thank you so much, as always. Have a great weekend. Chad Myers there. We'll
be right back. Stay with CNN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[18:35:00]
CHATTERLEY: Welcome back to "First Move." Singapore has some of the harshest drug laws in the world. A narcotics conviction in the city state
can carry a death sentence even for the smallest amounts. Last year, a woman was hanged for attempting to traffic an ounce of heroin. Ivan Watson
went inside a prison where Singapore's death row is located. And here is his exclusive report.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
IVAN WATSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Crime and punishment. In the short distance from normal city streets to the
depths of a prison, you enter another world, a fortress carefully designed to strip convicted criminals of their freedom.
WATSON: This is a maximum-security wing in the Changi Prison complex in Singapore. The inmates incarcerated here have been convicted of felonies
ranging from drug trafficking to violent crimes, and CNN is getting a rare look at this country's criminal justice system.
WATSON (voice-over): Under the constant gaze of guards and security cameras are steer cell blocks, where rules are strict and meals arrive
through a small shutter in each prison cell door.
During my visit here, officials allow me to interview one prisoner, a 41- year-old former teacher named Matthew. He was sentenced to more than seven years in prison and seven strokes with a cane for trafficking
methamphetamines.
WATSON: In Singapore, you can be sentenced to death for that.
MATTHEW:, CHANGI PRISON INMATE Yes.
WATSON: Was that a potential threat for you?
MATTHEW: At that point of time, I wasn't thinking about it. In fact, I was actively avoiding the whole issue of consequences.
K. SHANMUGAM, SINGAPORE'S MINISTER OF HOME AFFAIRS AND LAW: I see this as an existential threat to the social fabric.
WATSON (voice-over): K. Shanmugam leads Singapore's war on drugs.
K. SHANMUGAM: If you look around the world, anytime there has been a certain laxity in the approach to drugs, homicides go up.
WATSON (voice-over): Flying into Singapore, visitors get a stern warning.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Drug trafficking may be punishable by death.
WATSON (voice-over): While Singaporean citizens may also face testing for drugs on arrival. This small city state in Southeast Asia is per capita one
of the wealthiest countries in the world.
K. SHANMUGAM: The amount that a drug trafficker or drug barons can make by trafficking drugs into Singapore is because the people of Singapore can
afford to pay for it.
WATSON: What do you want me to take away from being able to visit the prison?
K. SHANMUGAM: That our philosophy on prisons is not the same as, say, the Scandinavian philosophy. You won't find air conditioning. You will find it
to be quite a tough regime.
WATSON: This is a standard cell for a single prisoner. Inmates can spend from 14 to 23 hours a day in here. And as you can see, it's not very big.
The shower and toilet are right behind here and there's no air conditioning. And in this climate here in Singapore, I am dripping with
sweat.
WATSON (voice-over): Authorities did not give CNN permission to enter death row. Under Singaporean law, those caught trafficking certain
quantities of heroin, meth, or even marijuana face mandatory execution.
WATSON: How does Singapore execute criminals?
K. SHANMUGAM: They are hung.
WATSON (voice-over): Officials say most Singaporeans support the death penalty and argue this is an essential part of Singapore's system of
deterrence.
WATSON: What do you want to say to the government here?
NAZIRA LAJIM, SISTER OF EXECUTED PRISONER: I want to say to the government to abolish this hang system. It's very cruel to take one's life. Just put a
life sentence, that will do. That will deter them from committing the crime.
WATSON (voice-over): Nazira Lajim's brother Naziri was executed in 2022 for trafficking heroin. He was a lifelong drug addict, she says, and not a
violent man.
WATSON: These are portraits.
LAJIM: These are portraits, yes.
WATSON: OK.
WATSON (voice-over): In Singapore, the government organizes a professional photo shoot before execution for each prisoner to share with their
families.
WATSON: How does it make you feel, him looking happy kind of --
LAJIM: No, no. I know it's fake. It's fake happiness. I know it's fake.
[18:40:00]
WATSON (voice-over): But Singapore's zero tolerance approach to drugs remains very real. Since August, authorities have executed four men
convicted of drug offenses. As for the prisoners in maximum security, statistics show that after completing their sentences one in five of these
men will likely commit crimes. And end up once again behind bars.
Ivan Watson, CNN, Singapore.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CHATTERLEY: All right. Coming up on "First Move," whether you're a foreign dignitary, a religious leader, or just a plain old tourist in Australia, a
photo with a cuddly koala is definitely one for the album, but they remain under threat of extinction. We'll take a look at efforts to save them and
their habitat, next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHATTERLEY: Welcome back to "First Move." Now, while the koala bear is a beloved national symbol of Australia, finding them in the wild is getting
harder. Their habitat is under pressure from land clearances. This heartbreaking Greenpeace footage video highlights climate change, disease,
road accidents, and even dog attacks are also dangers.
Now, despite the launch of a 10-year recovery plan in 2022 by the federal government, the population decline has not yet reversed. Lost and looking
for homes, some are turning up in suburban backyards, climbing power poles, hiding in swimming pools and other risky places.
Now, the campaign group, the Australian Koala Foundation, is pushing for legislation called the Koala Protection Act to save the marsupial and
millions of other species, which rely on woodland. Deborah Tabard is the CEO of the foundation and she joins us live now from Brisbane. Deborah,
thank you so much for joining us on the show.
I think everybody thinks they're cute, believe that they would be protected. So, why have we seen a 30 percent drop in koalas just since
2018?
DEBORAH TABART, CEO, AUSTRALIAN KOALA FOUNDATION: Well, that's the conundrum, really. It's -- you know, it was listed as vulnerable in 2012.
It was listed as endangered in 2024, but the major threats don't go away. You know, if you lose your home and someone cuts down your tree, then you
are at risk of being run over by a vehicle or killed by a dog or not having any food and getting sick with chlamydia.
[18:45:00]
Yes, so I am -- I've been in my role for a long time, and even as far back as the year 2000, when the Clinton-Gore administration did list the koala
as endangered under the Endangered Species Act of your country.
So, our governments have been very slow to actually do the necessary laws that are necessary to protect trees. And so, that's why we want a Koala
Protection Act. You imagine our country is a bit like California. Everyone wants to live on the East Coast where it's sunny and there's beautiful
beaches and all that sort of thing, and that is prime real estate for koalas. So, there's a lot of industries that are really opposed to
protecting koalas.
CHATTERLEY: Yes. So, there has to be a balance between necessary city development so that people can work, so that people can improve their
lives, but at the same time, the habitat, the wildlife and trees, of course, have to be protected as well.
I know the federal government's committed, I looked at it, 76 million Australian dollars to support the recovery. Queensland added its own 32
million dollars and said that there was around 700,000 hectares of koala habitat in the southeast, half exempt from any kind of development. So, the
first question is to do with the money and whether that's enough money.
And then the second was that half exempt from any kind of development. Deborah, what are the rules around development and how protected really are
the habitats for koalas?
TABART: The habitats are not protected. I mean, we've got a Queensland government election, so they always say this. We also have a federal
government election coming up early next year.
No, we need stronger legislation. And after 30 years I'm -- I do not believe that there needs to be a balance anymore. 85 percent of the world's
forests are gone. 80 percent of Australia's forests are gone. There has to be a point at some stage where everyone says, go build the houses wherever.
I mean, I've driven this country, which is 1.25 million square kilometers, which is koala habitat, for 30 years. There are so many places where we
could be putting sustainable housing.
We worked with a developer in 1994, our Koala Beach, where we sort of encouraged people to live harmoniously. No, it's time for our world to
really say we are going to bite the bullet now. We won't wait until 90 percent of the habitats are gone. It is now. And I am hoping that our
country and people around the world will support a Koala Protection Act, a bit like the Bald Eagle Act.
And I have found great support from environmental lawyers in the United States who have taught me this is the only way the koala will be saved.
CHATTERLEY: Give me that statistic again, about how much has been destroyed. How many of the trees have gone? Because I think your point
about the time for balance has long passed. What was that statistic again?
TABART: Yes. Well, this came from the Ecological Society of America. And I was on BBC a couple of years ago saying 85 percent of the world's forests
are gone and 80 percent of the koala habitats are gone. So, you look at the amazon that is now being, you know, just destroyed on a day-to-day basis.
When will the world -- I mean, I personally think we need international laws that says to people, this biodiversity is essential for us, for
humans, not to mention the animals. But yes, I have no interest in balance anymore. I want a Koala Protection Act, and if I was a developer, I would
not be fearful of this. It just means you will have to do things properly.
CHATTERLEY: Symptom of a bigger problem, as you say, of the loss of trees and the loss of our ecosystems and biodiversity. Very quickly, because I
have about 30 seconds. You mentioned elections. Do you have public support for this and are they willing to put sort of their votes where their
concerns are?
TABART: Oh, look, we had a march in Canberra just recently, and on our website, there are some glorious photos.
CHATTERLEY: OK.
TABART: Where we had all the people coming and I believe the Australian public are supportive. I feel politicians aren't.
CHATTERLEY: Yes. Well, that's what your vote is for. Deborah, thank you for you and for your work at the foundation. We'll continue to track your
progress. Tabart there, the CEO of the Australian Koala Foundation. Lovely to chat to
you.
All right. Next --
TABART: Thank you for having me.
CHATTERLEY: Thank you. From L.A. to the World Series, baseball superstar Shohei Ohtani hoping to get the Dodgers all the way as they battle the New
York Mets. We've got the latest.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[18:50:00]
CHATTERLEY: Welcome back to our sports move. Shohei Ohtani and the L.A. Dodgers just one win away from the World Series. But as we speak, they're
facing stiff competition in the form of the New York Mets. Patrick Snell is following all the action for us. I've got it on my phone. I'm watching the
score. This does not look good so far.
PATRICK SNELL, CNN WORLD SPORT: I'll let you do the hit then, Julia.
CHATTERLEY: No, no, no. Off you go.
SNELL: And thank you so much.
CHATTERLEY: I have my limits.
SNELL: Great to be back on with you. You know, it's back in December when Shohei Ohtani shocked the world of baseball with that whopping, gargantuan
$700 million move across town from the Angels to the historic and the iconic L.A. Dodgers.
He then proceeded to put his money where his mouth is, becoming the first player in history to have a 50/50 season. That's hitting 54 home runs and
stealing 59 bases. He's now playing in his first ever postseason, helping the Dodgers get to within one winof a World Series appearance.
L.A. leading their best of seven series against the Mets, 3-1, but New York coming up big with their backs against the wall, up 9-2 right now. That's
midway through Game 5. Should they win, the series will shift back to L.A. where the atmosphere is sure to be electric. You can guarantee that.
Now, New York's other team, the Yankees, were involved in one of the games of the year on Thursday night. They were one out from taking a three-
nothing serious advantage over Cleveland until a player with a last name Noel, nicknamed Big Christmas, did this. Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Feliz Navidad. Feliz Navidad.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SNELL: Oh, Feliz Navidad, indeed. Big Christmas, the 23-year-old from the Dominican Republic tying the game up. First rookie ever, Julia, to hit a
game tying home run in the ninth inning of a postseason game. The drama not done, though. Why? Because bottom of the 10th, David Fry at the plate with
two outs.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Swung on. Hit high. Hit deep to left. There she goes.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SNELL: Oh, you just could not script this. Fry also come on as pinch hitter in this game. The walk off winning it for Cleveland, saying their
season as they now head to Game 4 tonight, trailing the series two games to one.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DAVID FRY, CLEVELAND GUARDIANS DESIGNATED HITTER: Amazing. I mean, all glory to God. I had a really bad first at bat in a strikeout versus
(INAUDIBLE). And I just told God, I said, take it, man. Just take the bat. I still don't know what happened, but it ended up we won. When everybody
thinks we can't do it, we think we can. Manzo has a huge homer early. I still don't know how John Kinsey hit a homer off that guy. That was such a
cool event. I mean, what a win. Matt Boyd was so good. That was fun.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SNELL: An instant classic indeed. And, Julia, there's more. Because these two teams go at it again in just over, by my calculations, just over an
hour from right now. Back to you.
[18:55:00]
CHATTERLEY: And we'll be watching. I love the way that Big Christmas easily jogs around that thing. That's the beauty of having such a big
thwack of the ball that you can just take your time.
SNELL: Effortless.
CHATTERLEY: Takes until Christmas to get there.
SNELL: Yes.
CHATTERLEY: Thank you Patrick. Have a great weekend.
SNELL: You too.
CHATTERLEY: And finally, on "First Move," a celestial celebration for stargazers. In case you missed it, these are some of the eye-catching views
of this week's supermoon. That's when the moon appears bigger because it's closer to the Earth than usual due to the elliptical orbit.
Now, here's a time lapse of the moon passing by New York's Statue of Liberty. It's also known, by the way, as the Hunter's Moon, named after
early hunters who benefited from extra light as they gathered food for the long winter ahead. Wow.
That reminds me. I must pop to the supermarket. Who wrote that? Really? You have to be kidding me. I was born to let someone else cook and show great
appreciation. It's all about takeout.
That just about wraps up this show. Thank you for joining us. Have a great weekend and we'll see you next week.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[19:00:00]
END
