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First Move with Julia Chatterley
Marco Rubio Expected to be Secretary of State; Mike Huckabee Picked to Serve as U.S. Ambassador to Israel; Trump Chooses John Ratcliffe for CIA Director; Trump's Team Considering a Draft Executive Order to Purge Generals; China and Russia's Growing Cooperation; Man Kills 35 People in Southern China; Crypto's Post-Election Comeback; New "Terms of Service" Explores How Tech is Shaping Our Lives; Large Explosions in Beirut; COP29 Pledges on Climate Aid; ExxonMobil Opposes Trump's Paris Agreement Exit; Philippines Facing Two More Potential Typhoons; Natilus' Passenger Aircraft Designs; New General of Tennis Stars. Aired 6-7p ET
Aired November 12, 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]
JAKE TAPPER, CNN ANCHOR: -- on CNN with Wolf Blitzer, right next door in a place I like to call The Situation Room. I'll see you tomorrow.
RICHARD QUEST, CNN INTERNATIONAL HOST: Gosh. Busy hours, 7:00 a.m. in Beijing, 10:00 in Sydney, Australia, 6:00 at night in New York. Julia is
away. I'm Richard Quest at the helm. And wherever you're joining me in the world, it's your "First Move."
A warm welcome. This is what you need to know as you're starting your day. Rubio's rise, the man Donald Trump once called Little Marco, is set to be
the nominee for secretary of state. And Mike Huckabee, former governor, picked to serve as U.S. Ambassador to Israel. Bitcoin's on a rise, jumped
up 25 percent since the election in the crypto comeback, what's driving those gains. And the COP commitment, multilateral banks promising to boost
climate finance aid. Also, the perfect blend. The aviation startup says it's radical blended wing design will make it fly longer for less. We'll
talk about that in the show ahead.
We begin, though, with the latest announcements on the Donald Trump staffing for appointments to the federal government and the cabinet, and
we're getting them thick and fast.
A clear idea is now coming of what the new administration might look like. In the past few hours, Mr. Trump said he would choose the former Arkansas
governor Mike Huckabee as his ambassador to Israel. Huckabee is an evangelical Christian pastor who's been a staunch defender of Israel over
the course of his career. He also supports Israeli settlements in the West Bank.
Florida Senator Marco Rubio is highly likely to be the next U.S. secretary of state. For some reason, Donald Trump has not actually confirmed that
particular appointment or nomination. And in the past few minutes, he -- the president-elect has announced he's choosing the former U.S.
intelligence chief, John Ratcliffe, as his director of the CIA.
Put them all together, Kristen Holmes has more on the president-elect's efforts in building his team.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KRISTEN HOLMES, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): President-Elect Donald Trump's administration is coming into focus, as the president builds
out his cabinet. Announcing Tuesday that former Arkansas governor and Trump loyalist Mike Huckabee would serve as ambassador to Israel, as Huckabee has
been a staunch supporter of Israel's and could strengthen ties between the country and evangelical Americans.
CNN also learning that Trump is expected to select Marco Rubio as secretary of state. The two men, once rivals, facing off in 2016.
SEN. MARCO RUBIO (R-FL): Have you seen his hands? They're like this. And you know what they say about men with small hands.
DONALD TRUMP, U.S. PRESIDENT-ELECT: When little Marco spews his crap about the size of my hands, which are big.
HOLMES (voice-over): Before Rubio transitioned into one of Trump's staunchest allies.
RUBIO: I think they love you a lot.
HOLMES (voice-over): And was considered a top contender to be his vice president.
RUBIO: That is the choice in this election, between a president, Donald J. Trump, who gave us the most secure border in modern history. We had an
economy where prices were stable, salaries were going up, and people could afford to have a little bit of money left over at the end of the month.
HOLMES (voice-over): Rubio, the most hawkish of his choices, is known for his tough stance on China. Trump has placed loyalists in three other key
positions. The president-elect posting on Truth Social today that he has tapped Florida Congressman Mike Waltz as national security adviser. A
former Green Beret, Waltz was often by Trump's side on the campaign trail.
Trump also choosing South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem as head of the Department of Homeland Security. Noem also once thought of as a potential
pick for VP.
GOV. KRISTI NOEM (R-SD): We already knew that President Donald Trump was a fighter.
HOLMES (voice-over): But faced political backlash after revealing in her memoir that she shot her 14-month-old dog, and falsely claiming she had met
with North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un.
Each of these roles, aside from Waltz, must be confirmed by the Senate. However, Trump is expected to create roles that hold an enormous amount of
power, that don't need to go through the same approval. Already evident in his recent choices to help implement Trump's ambitious immigration policy
proposals, including mass deportations.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
QUEST: Now, Donald Trump does pick Marco Rubio. He's almost guaranteeing tensions with China. Beijing banned and sanctioned Rubio in 2020 as part of
a dispute over Hong Kong. The Florida senators also grilled the head of the FBI over TikTok and tried to block tax credits for EVs made with Chinese
technology. He is far from the only China hawk.
[18:05:00]
Congressman Mike Waltz is expected to become national security adviser. In fact, it's been announced he will be. Amy Celico is the partner at Albright
Stonebridge Group, a former senior director for China affairs at the office of the USTR.
So, what do you make of these appointments so far? How do you think they fit into a cohesive strategy that if you were in Beijing, you would have an
idea of where we're going?
AMY CELICO, FORMER SENIOR DIRECTOR, OFFICE OF THE U.S. TRADE REP. CHINA AFFAIRS: Well, I do think it's quite consistent that President Trump, in
the selections he is making, is trying to lay down a marker that, indeed, China is going to look at -- China is going to look a little bit more
closely at whether and how there can be cooperation because clearly, this team so far named wants to confront China, sees China as significant
threats to the United States, and are going to start off early in the administration, taking some pretty significant actions.
As you just mentioned, Richard, naming a sanctioned official to be the secretary of state, if that is what President Trump does in nominating
Senator Rubio to be a secretary of state, that is going to be a signal to Beijing that Washington wants to have a team of people who are going to
look at the threats that China poses.
QUEST: OK. Within those confines though, all the people, one can disagree with their policies, one can look and say they're hawks or doves or they'll
be hawkish on China, but they are within the realms of reasonableness. These are all men and women who are experienced in government and I know
how it works.
CELICO: Indeed. I think that for President Trump looking at former members of Congress or subnational governors and others says he does want people
who are experienced in policymaking. He doesn't want to have disarray at the beginning of his administration, but just as equally important. He has
said about each and every one of these potential individuals that they support his America first policy priorities. And so, he is trying to say,
I'm going to bring a team that can start from day one to implement policies that I know they support my views on.
QUEST: At the end of the day, Amy, he's been not only entitled to do it, it's right that he is doing it. The American electorate voted for this, and
if he did not provide this, they voted for a hawkish China, they voted for tariffs, if and when they do arrive, they voted for a president that is
going to supposedly solve Gaza and or Ukraine on day one, and we cannot fault this.
CELICO: Well, it is true that President Trump and Congress are going into office in January with a -- with significant tailwinds, and that is so much
support from the American people. We have to grant these new leaders of the United States that. They won the confidence of the American voter. How
they're going to translate that into action is clearly very important. That's why they want to be prepared early on.
But I will say, as you just said, Richard, they elected a deal maker. And so, I also think there are going to be members of the Trump team that have
commercial background, that see interest in transactions with China and other international problems in a way that will bring benefit to the United
States.
QUEST: Good to see you. You know, obviously, you and I will talk many more times over the next four years, particularly on the China question. Thank
you so much. I'm grateful.
CELICO: Looking forward.
QUEST: Now, the Trump transition team is reportedly considering a draft executive order to establish a board of retired senior military personnel
to recommend removals of generals and admirals deemed unfit for leadership. The Wall Street Journal has the story.
Oren Liebermann is at the Pentagon. This is one of those things where the definition of unfit for leadership depends on where you sit and how you
view them, isn't it?
OREN LIEBERMANN, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Very much so. President-Elect Donald Trump has talked about going after, quote, "woke generals,"
effectively making sure those in charge, the three- and four-star generals line up with his view are loyal, I may say, to his view, and that's what
this looks like it is.
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin even acknowledged just a few days ago that the president, the commander in chief, can choose who he wants in charge of
his military, on the civilian side and on the military side, just as he did from 2016 to 2020.
[18:10:00]
But this draft executive order as reported by the Washington -- by the Wall Street Journal looks much more like a purging of the top ranks of the
military if they don't agree with Trump. It would effectively short circuit the Pentagon process for dealing with promotions and retirements and do a
much faster version of that, or at least attempt to at the whim of Trump and this advisory board essentially, which would be senior retired officers
and non-commissioned officers.
It's worth noting that there are 40 four-star generals and 163 three-star generals that this draft executive order, if signed, would apply to. One of
the key concerns here, because he is been a target of the right-wing, as the chairman of the joint chiefs, General C.Q. Brown, he has been attacked
as being too woke, largely because he put out a video after the George -- the killing of George Floyd and the protest that followed about what it was
like coming up as a black fighter pilot.
Now, in this case, it is worth noting that C.Q. Brown was promoted to chief of the air force by Trump. So, the two have a bit of a history and at least
it looked like it went well. But now, Brown has come under attack from the right-wing and we'll see how he fares in a Trump administration.
Now, it's worth noting that this draft executive order was drafted by an outside policy group. Here is what the campaign said in response -- or
rather the transition team, the American people re-elected President Trump by resounding margin, giving him a mandate to implement the promises he
made on the campaign trail. He will deliver.
So, they're not being -- Richard, they're not being committal, essentially, to this executive order, at least at this point.
QUEST: OK. I want to ask you about a man by the name of Steve Witkoff. Steve Witkoff, sir, is the -- to be the special envoy to the Middle East.
He used to be, of course, our Jerusalem correspondent. So, you're well versed on this. Unfortunately, he doesn't seem to have much experience of
anything to do with the Middle East. Even in the announcement by President Trump, it's all -- he's a real estate person who's successfully led
financing and is a widely sought-after public speaker on trends in global real estate. Not immediately clear that he is eminently qualified to be the
special envoy to the Middle East.
LIEBERMANN: Especially in such a complicated region. He has been golfing with Trump, Steve Witkoff. He has been -- he was in a meeting with Trump
and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. So, it looks like Trump is trying to get him -- at least start dipping him into the complex waters of the Middle
East. But you're right, in the bio that was sent out by Trump, and I'll read from this, right now, the last line. He, that is Witkoff, is a widely
sought-after public speaker on trends in global real estate. He's had a very successful real estate career, but to put it mildly, that does not
translate into a successful Middle East envoy, but he has the most important qualification, he is close to Trump and Trump trusts him.
In that sense, we saw Trump do this in his first term with his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, who also had real estate experience, but suddenly, became in
charge of a whole lot of things, including the Middle East, especially with the Abraham Accords.
So, look, the only thing we can say right now, Richard, is we'll see how Steve Witkoff does in this role.
QUEST: I'm grateful, Oren. Thank you very much. Do that one at you.
LIEBERMANN: Of course.
QUEST: Thank you. And so, back to President-Elect Trump and the promises to confront China. The cooperation between Beijing and Moscow is growing.
We know that, this relationship. Russia's president, for his part, is advocating for a new world order with less U.S. influence. CNN's Fred
Pleitgen with that report from Moscow.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (VOICE- OVER): Jet fighters streaking across the skies at China's largest air show. Aiming
to show just how fast the People's Republic is modernizing its massive military.
China's main partner is Russia. The head of the Russian National Security Council, Sergei Shoigu, in Beijing, praising ever closer ties.
We are not a military political alliance like the ones formed during the Cold War, he says. Relations between our countries are superior to those
forms of interstate ties.
This as China shows off its brand-new stealth fighter, called the J35A, for the first time ever. While the Russians were showcasing their own stealth
jet, the Su-57, which has already been used in combat operations.
Russia and China have dramatically expanded their military cooperation in recent years, with regular exercises like these major naval drills, the
Russians say, were the largest in more than 30 years. This, as Vladimir Putin says, he wants what he calls a new world order with less U.S.
influence and more power in the hands of countries like Russia and China.
Russian Chinese cooperation in world affairs acts as one of the main stabilizing factors in the global arena, he said.
[18:15:00]
And China's Xi Jinping added, in the face of the turbulent international situation and external environment, the two sides should continue to uphold
the original aspiration of friendship for generations to come.
All this as relations with the U.S. grow ever more adversarial. Washington concerned about Chinese territorial claims and military expansion in the
South China Sea. President-Elect Donald Trump vowing to reign Beijing in.
TRUMP: There are certain countries, I can tell you, everyone, I can give you from top to bottom, China's the toughest of all, but we're taking care
of China with the tariffs.
PLEITGEN (voice-over): But the U.S. now also faces an emboldened North Korea. Kim Jong Un, heavily courted by Russian President Vladimir Putin,
recently conducting another round of ballistic missile tests. The U.S. also believes more than 10,000 North Korean soldiers are currently fighting on
Russia's side in its war against Ukraine.
Russian political analyst Sergei Markov telling me the alliances forged by Vladimir Putin will be a major issue for the new administration.
SERGEI MARKOV, RUSSIAN POLITICAL ANALYST: All this coalition has a major goal to support each other in only one thing, sovereignty. And because the
challenges to sovereignty comes first of all from the United States and Western coalition, it moves them automatically as a little bit anti-
American.
PLEITGEN (voice-over): Fred Pleitgen, CNN, Moscow.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
QUEST: We go to Southern China now where a man has driven his car into a crowd killing 35 people. 40 people are in hospital and they attacked a
place in the City of Zhuhai near Hong Kong. The police say the man alleged to be the driver was upset over the outcome of a divorce settlement. Most -
- many of the people hit were exercising at Sports Center, the hit and run happening on the eve of China's biggest military civil air show, which
takes place in the city. CNN's Marc Stewart reports from Beijing.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MARC STEWART, CNN CORRESPONDENT: This is a case that is getting the attention of the top leadership here in Beijing, including Chinese
President Xi Jinping. According to state media, Xi said all efforts must be made to help those in need, including consoling the families who are
dealing with the emotional aftermath.
It goes without saying this is difficult for people in the City of Zhuhai in Southern China. According to police, this was triggered by the driver's
dissatisfaction stemming from a divorce. The 62-year-old man who was driving is in police custody. Police say while he was attempting to flee,
he was hurting himself with a knife, which was inside his vehicle. Police say he has severe neck injuries, is unconscious, and can't be questioned.
Some important context here. China has a population of more than 1 billion people. Violent crime rates are low. Guns are not easily accessible. But
we've seen several high-profile cases in recent months where people have been either hurt or killed, including deadly knife attacks.
In September, a bus crashed into a crowd outside of a school, 11 people were killed, 13 people were injured. Police have not revealed if it was an
accident or something deliberate.
Marc Stewart, CNN, Beijing.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
QUEST: And you and I have a long way to go, a lot more to talk about. Cryptocurrencies are surging after Donald Trump's win, and the new bullish
environment is likely to continue.
Also, the dangers of sharenting. Why parents should think twice before posting family pictures online. You think it's cute, what do the kids
think?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[18:20:00]
QUEST: There are red arrows on Wall Street in our Money Move. Have a look and I'll show you, all will be revealed. Now, pulling back from the highs
of the last few days, the S&P was falling for the first time since last week's election. Rising bond yields was the guilty party.
Also, major retailers are reporting results. Home Depot beat estimates and raised guidance, still was down on the day because of cautious consumers,
down 1 percent. And a rough day in Asia, the Hong Kong Hang Seng fell the furthest. It was off almost 3 percent. So, when Wednesday's trading starts
shortly, the pressure will be there, likely to continue from Wall Street's fall.
Bitcoin is one of the asset classes that's rallied sharply after the win. The most popular cryptocurrency is currently trading flat, near record
highs don't -- basically 90,000 or so, and some believe 100,000 by the year's end. CNN's Vanessa Yurkevich has more on the Bitcoin post-election
path.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
VANESSA YURKEVICH, CNN BUSINESS & POLITICS CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Bitcoin soaring to new heights today, flirting with a new record, $90,000
per coin. It's the latest in a crypto frenzy fueled by President Trump's re-election win. The industry believes Trump's win signals a new crypto
friendly government, a departure from the Biden administration's harsher crackdown.
KARA CALVERT, VP FOR U.S. POLICY, COINBASE: We are now on the precipice of changing course. I think what President Trump did was lay out a very robust
and a very clear vision. And that I think was something we had not seen. So, it was a very stark choice from the previous administration.
YURKEVICH (voice-over): Bitcoin, a digital cryptocurrency, trades on some unregulated exchanges and has no central regulating authority and is not
backed by the government or a bank. It can be very volatile.
JAMIE DIMON, CEO, JPMORGAN CHASE: Yes, I've always been deeply opposed to crypto, bitcoin, et cetera. If I was the government, I'd close it down.
YURKEVICH (voice-over): President-Elect Trump was once a crypto skeptic. During his first term, he said it was quote, "based on thin air." But in
recent months, he's changed his tune, accepting crypto campaign donations.
TRUMP: Hello, Bitcoiners.
YURKEVICH (voice-over): And speaking at Bitcoin 2024 in July.
TRUMP: I'm laying out my plan to ensure that the United States will be the crypto capital of the planet and the Bitcoin superpower of the world.
YURKEVICH (voice-over): In September, Trump helped create a new crypto business, World Liberty Financial. That same month, he stopped by a crypto
bar in New York City's Greenwich Village. He also proposed a national crypto stockpile.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The first transaction by a president on the Bitcoin protocol. History.
TRUMP: You know what that means? That's history.
YURKEVICH (voice-over): The president-elect has vowed to oust SEC chairman Gary Gensler, who has sought more regulation over the cryptocurrency market
and helped lead the takedown of FTX's infamous Sam Bankman-Fried, who defrauded thousands of customers.
GARY GENSLER, CHAIRMAN, U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION: It's an innovation, but innovations don't long thrive if they don't also build
trust. I mean, the automobile wouldn't have survived if you didn't have traffic lights.
YURKEVICH (voice-over): But as Trump assembles his administration, he's surrounding himself with crypto friendly advisers, most notably Elon Musk,
who argues it promotes freedom.
[18:25:00]
ELON MUSK, TECH BILLIONAIRE: I do think crypto by its very nature is -- it helps with individual freedom.
YURKEVICH (voice-over): Vanessa Yurkevich, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
QUEST: And so, to -- first, and the "First Move" in the world of podcasts. CNN has launched a new audio series that breaks down the latest trends in
tech and asking how they're changing our lives for better or worse.
It's called "Terms of Service." It looks at everything from A.I. to deep fakes. It's Clare Duffy, of course. One of the first episodes explores how
parents can better keep their kids safe when it comes to sharing information online.
Clare Duffy, who is always good to listen to. Why the phrase -- why the name "Terms of Service" and why this particular subject for the first one?
CLARE DUFFY, CNN BUSINESS WRITER: Yes. Richard, I mean, "Terms of Service," I hope will capture the fact that we want to help break down
these kinds of complex tech innovations that are showing up in people's lives and help them understand how do they work, how can people use them,
how can people protect themselves from the potential downsides of these things, really make tech more accessible for everyday listeners who I hope
will enjoy this show.
And this first episode about sharenting really seemed to encapsulate a lot of that for me. I get asked so often as a tech reporter, should I post my
children on social media? And so, I called up Leah Plunkett, who is a privacy research at Harvard. She offered a number of tips and really said
that it's not so much a yes or no question, do I post my kids or do I not? But some things that parents need to consider before they post.
So, things like your child's physical safety. Is the information that you're sharing on social media going to share their location, the name of
their school, things like that? And she had this really great analogy for why this is so important that I think we can play for you a clip from the
show.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LEAH PLUNKETT, AUTHOR, "SHARENTHOOD": I'm the tail end of Gen X. I grew up without technology, and I sometimes say, you know, my parents would have
never put my full name, my date of birth, my phone number, my home address, my likes and dislikes on a poster board and stuck it up in the center of my
town because why do a bunch of people in my town, as lovely as it was, need to know that? And the answer is they don't.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
DUFFY: So, physical safety is one of those considerations. She also said that parents should think about whether their kids would be comfortable
with the things they're posting five or 10 years down the road. So, your kid might not love that you're sharing their potty-training journey with
the world.
And I really do hope that people will listen for the rest of her recommendations. I found it really interesting, even though I don't have
kids. It's a good reminder of how we can all be more mindful about our posting, Richard.
QUEST: Yes, but will you be mindful about what you're going to post about yourself, or would you just sort of let it all hang out? Because podcasting
is different. You know, we are broadcasting, in a sense, to a large number of viewers. You're podcasting to a large number of listeners. Is there a
difference?
DUFFY: Yes. I mean, I think there is a difference between sort of what -- even what I'll share about my personal life on the internet versus, of
course, I would love to talk about the podcast. I want to talk about my work and, you know, it is our duty to share information about the news and
what's going on in the world.
But I think the information that Leah shares in this episode really gets at how we can be thoughtful about how we're sharing about our personal lives,
about the people in our lives, the children in our lives. And I think that is really the takeaway from this episode for folks.
QUEST: I'm grateful to you and I wish every success for it. Thank you. You can get it, of course --
DUFFY: Thank you.
QUEST: -- where you get all your usual podcasts. Still ahead, a dire warning at the COP29 Climate Summit and advice. Donald Trump -- Donald --
advice to Donald Trump from the CEO of ExxonMobil.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[18:30:00]
QUEST: Welcome back. It's "First Move." And the headlines at this hour. Moments ago, we had a large explosion in Lebanon. In the southern suburbs
of Beirut, the black plume of smoke, which you can see there. We know that the IDF did issue evacuation orders for the Hezbollah stronghold only hours
ago, and fighting between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah has been escalating, as you're well aware, since September.
After that strike, there you are, there are the rockets fired. They're going up. We'll talk more about it in just a moment when we get updates.
At least three planes from three U.S. airlines have been hit by gunfire trying to use Haiti's main airport in Port-au-Prince. A pilot union member
obtained by CNN says a bullet hole was discovered earlier today on an American Airlines plane. On Monday, a Spirit Airlines flight from Florida
was hit as it attempted to land. JetBlue then said in an inspection of one of its planes also revealed bullet hole. The FAA has now banned flights
below 10,000 feet over Haiti for the next 30 days.
In Amsterdam, police are bracing for more anti-Semitic violence after Monday Dutch police say a firework was lit inside a tram causing it to
catch fire. No one was hurt in the incident. Israeli football fans were attacked last week, as you're aware, after a game with the local Dutch
team. Social media videos showed supporters of the Israeli team chanting anti-Arab slurs and praising the Israeli attacks in Gaza.
The world's top multilateral banks have pledged to boost climate aid to developing countries at the COP29 Climate Summit in Azerbaijan on Tuesday.
The new goal is to offer vulnerable nations $120 billion in aid per year by the end of the decade. A 60 percent increase compared to last year's
levels.
The U.N. secretary-general says substantial action is needed to meet targets before it's too late. And he calls this year a masterclass in
climate destruction.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANTONIO GUTERRES, U.N. SECRETARY-GENERAL: The sound you hear is the ticking clock. We are in the final countdown to limit global temperature
rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius. And time is not on our side.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
QUEST: ExxonMobil's chief executive Darren Woods is attending the conference. His company is urging President-Elect Donald Trump not to
withdraw from the Paris Agreement, like the president did in the first term. It says that the U.S. should instead remain involved in the effort to
battle climate change.
Tim Sahay joins me, the co-director of the Net Zero Industrial Policy Lab at Johns Hopkins. The author of a new report on the dangers of a U.S. clean
energy retreat. And good to see you, sir.
To a little too late, says the U.N. secretary-general. We have now a U.S. president, or will have soon, that doesn't believe in the whole thing.
[18:35:00]
So, I'm -- I don't understand fully how far these talks can go in the future now there's going to be a change in Washington. What do you think?
TIM SAHAY, CO-DIRECTOR, NET ZERO INDUSTRIAL POLICY LAB: I mean, the clean energy transition has been happening for many decades now. So, the chances
of it just reversing because of a U.S. election, that somehow this is going to go. There's an element of inevitability about it. The amount of money to
be made in the climate transition by businesses has been steadily growing for many decades. There's a lot of clean energy manufacturers. There's a
lot of clean energy political interests. So, I think the United States might just get left behind as everybody else chugs along with the energy
transition.
QUEST: I don't doubt the transition continues, but without the U.S. leadership or not, as the case may be, does it slow down that transition or
who takes the lead, the E.U., the U.K., where does the impetus come from?
SAHAY: The impetus is coming largely from China, U.S. and Europe over the last 20 years. So, if the U.S. sort of steps out of the U.N. climate
accords, you would expect Europe and China to pick up the slack and keep going. Because it's not exactly, sort of, they are waiting for the U.S to
act. China decided to go fast ahead on the energy transition and climate investments over the last 20 years, as did Europe, and they'll just keep
going.
QUEST: The race for clean energy and the investment and sums necessary. Now, the private sector certainly is heavily involved, as indeed are the
multilateral lending organizations. It is the talk of every major convention and event and summit. Is there enough money? And if so, where
will more be found?
SAHAY: There is a lot of taxpayer money that is currently going towards subsidizing climate investments globally. There is not enough public money
going towards supporting developing countries that are definitely finding themselves in an area of austerity with high interest rates or debt crises
and are cutting back their budgets.
QUEST: But that's where I come back to this idea of the U.S. being involved. I get what you're saying, that everybody else is going to carry
on. But in an environment where the developing nations are looking for greater financing, and to a large extent that financing in the private
sector comes out of the E.U. or the U.S., through various financing structures, there I see a potential difficulty in the future.
SAHAY: Yes, I think there is a difficulty, but I think you kind of have to look at what are the incentives for both the private sector and for
governments to be going green. Is it to save the planet or is it to save their own skins?
And what you basically find is a lot of countries are importing very expensive fossil fuels, and they would rather not do that. So, instead,
they import solar panels, they import batteries, and if they do that, they don't have to import expensive oil and gas and coal, and that saves them
from, you know, using their scarce dollars that they would rather conserve for a rainy day.
And so, there is a lot of other incentives in play here for -- especially fossil fuel importing countries to switch very rapidly towards going clean,
and I think that's basically the biggest reason why a country like China moved first and moved fast in the 1990s and 2000s to develop its clean
energy, because it wanted to essentially not be subject to an oil and gas industry that is dominated by the U.S., by the Gulf Kingdoms, by Russia,
but not China.
And so, we see a lot of similar countries like Brazil, India, Mexico, countries that are importing hydrocarbons, choosing to go green to save on
their scarce dollars.
QUEST: I'm grateful to you, sir. Thank you for joining us tonight. We'll talk more. I'm grateful. Thank you.
Talks on the climate, to a country in the grip of extreme weather. The Philippines said to be hit by the fifth major storm in less than a month.
And these are the impact of Typhoon Toraji, which made landfall on Sunday. Thousands of people were forced to leave their home and the forecasters say
more typhoons could be on the way. Chad Myers is with us. How bad?
CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Not could be on the way, are on the way.
QUEST: Oh, I'm sorry. Forgive me.
[18:40:00]
MYERS: 185-kilometer per hour storm, Richard. Yes. I mean, yesterday it was a could be, but now, we know they are here. They are getting stronger
without a doubt. So, Usagi and then we still have here, Man-yi, still out in the eastern part of the part that's going to move toward the West Pac.
We've got some rain into De Nang from the last storm, probably 100 millimeters. And as you talked about Toraji, that storm moved through on
Sunday. But we have more weather to come. Toraji is going to die out. The water is getting cooler, a little bit of shear out there, but these are the
ones that are still coming that we're very, very concerned about. Usagi here, 111, but likely to get too close to 200 KPH, making landfall in the
exact same place. That's the problem. And then the next one, making landfall in the exact same place, Richard. 400 or more millimeters of rain
from each of the storms on places that are already flooded.
So, yes, we have problems. We have big problems still to come. And the rainfall is in the same areas there where we're already seeing lifesaving
things going on to try to protect people, pets, the property. And one more thing that we haven't talked about yet, for next Wednesday, there will
likely be a hurricane close to Florida. I know that's eight days away and I don't make eight-day forecasts, but it's going to be close.
QUEST: I'll be in Florida then. Oh, well, thank you. We'll talk more about it.
MYERS: Well, then, you better keep a microphone with you.
QUEST: I'm grateful to you. I'm a galoshes. Thank you, sir. And this is "First Move." Julia's away. I'm here. I'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
QUEST: Sustainable aviation is very much on the agenda at COP29. Now, this is the future, or at least one version of the future for commercial and
freight travel. Renderings of the Natilus air transport, capable of carrying cargo or passengers. The design uses what they call a blended
wing. Basically, the passengers or the cargo is in the thing itself. It says to generate 50 percent less emissions and 30 percent more fuel
efficient. U.S.-based companies as a prototype of its variant could fly within two years. And the 200-seater version of a passengers could compete
with the 320 and the 737.
[18:45:00]
Aleksey Matyushev is the chief executive. Sir, very pleased to have you with us. So, this is really not -- our discussion really is not so much
about whether it works, the prospect, the fuel economy, because to -- I'll grant you all of that. We know blended wings, we know all of sustainable
aviation fuels, but you've got to build it. And you're at the prototype drone section, but you've actually got to build the thing. How difficult is
it going to be to get the money to build it in scale?
ALEKSEY MATYUSHEV, CEO, NATILUS: I think, you know, capital is definitely one of the things that we internally discuss, not only with our customers,
but, of course, our investors. I think there's a lot more capital available now more than ever. When you think about sustainability and the shift that
we're seeing not only in the private markets, but also in the public markets.
And of course, you know, you were briefly talking a little bit about the government funding that is available for large projects such as ourselves
as well.
QUEST: When -- I won't hold you to this, but when do you expect to fly?
MATYUSHEV: So, first prototype will fly around 2028, and that'll be a full-scale 118-foot version of the horizon airplane.
QUEST: Full-scale version?
MATYUSHEV: Full-scale version, yes.
QUEST: Right. And where do you aim to compete the market? Because, you know, I look at what, say, Boeing or Airbus have got in the next 10 to two
years, there's nothing like this. I mean, it's all about SAF. It's all about new engine options. There's no new fixed wing green sheet white paper
plane on the horizon from either of them.
MATYUSHEV: Yes, and I think that's kind of created a lot of frustration with a lot of the airlines today. A lot of them are, of course, our future
customers, but I think with a lot of them having so many, I would say, addresses sustainability goals, to be carbon neutral by 2030 or sometimes
by 2050, you know, taking a look at SAF and engine technology, that's not going to be the only way that you're going to get there.
And I think the airlines, for the first time ever, are open to groundbreaking ideas from smaller companies such as ourselves.
QUEST: What's your power source?
MATYUSHEV: So, power source, traditional jet engines. So, as an example, we are looking at the (INAUDIBLE) family as well as, you know, the gear
turbo fan for our product right now, but we're using sustainable aviation fuel and, of course, a jet aid (ph), depending on how our customers want to
use it. And then, we're also looking at hydrogen maybe 20 years down the line.
QUEST: Now, you see. Why aren't you going hydrogen? Why aren't you future proofing yourself? Look, you know as well as I do, Airbus -- I mean,
(INAUDIBLE) it's all about hydrogen. He's almost betting the house on it.
MATYUSHEV: Yes, I think there's still some fundamental issues with hydrogen, specifically, the engine technology is not quite there yet. And
on top of that, it's still very expensive to produce hydrogen through electrolysis and specifically making sure that the energy source for that
process comes from clean, renewable energies. And then, lastly, just delivering that into infrastructure areas at the airport. So, I think we
kind of have three different problems that are still not quite there yet to be figured out.
QUEST: The difficulty of getting from here to there, to convince -- I mean, I was always impressed that the traditional airlines booms supersonic
plane because they could see what was happening and they're quite a long way forward. You have a -- pardon the pun, a quite a long runway ahead of
you. I don't doubt, as I say, the need and demand for this aircraft but it's going to be the difficulty of building it and getting the sales to it,
which of course I hope you do.
MATYUSHEV: Yes. I mean, the company has over $18 billion in orders today. So, I think we found, I would say, product market fit within our airline
segments. And we're starting to see quite a bit of, I would say, opportunities for, you know, working with different states and local
governments and state levels to actually help build the manufacturing and infrastructure facilities needed for us. And of course, this is such a
fundamental job creation tool that we're starting to see private capital being available at very large amounts.
QUEST: Assuming I'm still around, can I have a seat on the first flight?
MATYUSHEV: Of course. Looking forward to having you, Richard.
QUEST: You'll be around, I'm not sure I'll be, but there we go. If I am, I'll be -- I'll have my tray table in the right and stowed position. Thank
you, sir. Good luck. And I'm very grateful to have you on the program. Thank you.
As we continue tonight, after decades of dominance by the big three, tennis is at the dawn of a new era. Two young champions. In just a moment.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[18:50:00]
QUEST: Men's pro tennis is holding its year end tournament, and for the first time since 2001. The Nitto ATP Finals are taking place without at
least one of the big three, Federer, Nadal, or Djokovic. A new generation of players. The torch has been passed as they say. Aleks Klosok has more.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ALEKS KLOSOK, CNN PRODUCER (voice-over): It began at an ATP Challenger event in 2019. A sprightly 17-year-old Jannik Sinner up against a fresh
faced 15-year-old in the form of Carlos Alcaraz. Little did they know then that it was a match that would set them on course into what is rapidly
becoming the most gripping rivalry in recent tennis memory.
JANNIK SINNER, WORLD NUMBER ONE: I saw the draw coming out and I said, oh, Carlos Alcaraz. I said, I have no idea who he is. And I saw the age and I
said, wow. You know, he is playing a challenger. It's amazing. And I was straight away -- I was impressed.
CARLOS ALCARAZ, WORLD NUMBER THREE: The match was a lot of roller coaster for us, you know, 6-1, you know, 2-6, 3-0.
SINNER: All the time.
ALCARAZ: And, you know, but it was a great time, you know.
SINNER: So, after the match, I -- we went to the same locker room, you know, because I wanted to get to know him, because he was just an amazing
talent, already back in the days. And yes, you could see it straight away that he is, you know, a very, very special player.
ALCARAZ: I didn't think at that time that we were going to share a lot of tournaments or to become, you know, the players that we are right now,
because it was impossible at that time.
SINNER: No, it's impossible. When you are this young, you don't even think that far.
ALCARAZ: Yes.
SINNER: Yes.
ALCARAZ: Everything was too far away.
SINNER: Yes, yes. It was. Just all dreams.
KLOSOK (voice-over): Fast forward five years later, and those dreams have now become a reality. With the pair finding themselves spearheading a new
generation of tennis stars. As their rivalry has grown on the court, so too has their friendship off it.
SINNER: We are two different kind of players, you know, different personalities, I guess. I'm more the solid player in a way. I think the --
but you are much, much better where I am is, is, you know, the touch of the ball, you know, you have very good sensibility. It's nice to see. Sometimes
you get engaged with the crowd. And that's exactly what the crowd wants to see. You know, when they come to see a match.
ALCARAZ: He's really solid. It doesn't matter, you know, how is -- what is happening on the court, on the game. He's going to act the same way and
probably it's not going to affect anything.
KLOSOK: So, I know we both like -- all like football here. Who's Kylian Mbappe here and who's Erling Haaland here?
ALCARAZ: That's tough.
SINNER: That's a good question.
ALCARAZ: Probably, he could be Haaland, you know, a killer. Probably me, Kylian Mbappe. Oh, at least I would say that.
KLOSOK: And he's around Madrid player. So, that works as well.
ALCARAZ: That's true.
KLOSOK (voice-over): Like their footballing counterparts, there's little to separate the two. The pair has split the four Grand Slam majors this
year and looks set to add to their respective tallies in 2025. And with Rafael Nadal shortly following Roger Federer into retirement and Novak
Djokovic the sole remaining survivor of the big three, the question now is whether the Sinner-Alcaraz era is here to stay.
[18:55:00]
ALCARAZ: Probably for, you know, the people see the results, you know, the last couple of years, probably they are going to think that we -- you know,
we are going to -- we're going to be the next top two guys who are going to dominate the game. But right now, I see a lot of players right now, the
drawers are really, really open.
SINNER: We are not looking too much forward and I think it's not comparable, you know, what the big three have done, you know, and also the
big four, you know, with Andy, there has been this period where, you know, always the -- and this four were always in the semis. And, you know,
talking from my side, I just made one season like this, how they made it in 15, 20 years. So, I don't think it's comparable at all.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
QUEST: Finally, on "First Move," the trailer from the third season of HBO's "White Lotus." It's in Thailand. Belinda, the spa manager from the
first season, is back. Jennifer Coolidge, fans are still hoping her character, Tanya, will come back from the dead somehow. And "White Lotus"
fans should notice in an upcoming world of wonder. I visited the four seasons in Sicily used in season two. HBO, CNN, WBD, Warner Bros.
Discovery. That's it. Goodbye.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[19:00:00]
END
