> >> HELLO, EVERYONE, AND WELCOME TO "AMANPOUR & COMPANY. "

HERE'S WHAT'S COMING UP.

IRAN PREPARES FOR A NEW ROUND OF NUCLEAR TALKS UNDER THE THREAT OF A U. S. ATTACK.

AS THE INTERNAL CRACKDOWN ON DISSENT EXPANDS HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVIST HADI GHAEMI JOINS US TO DISCUSS.

> >> THEN -- >> IT BRINGS UP MIXED EMOTIONS TO REPRESENT THE U. S. RIGHT NOW I THINK.

>> COMPETITION HEATS UP ON THE WINTER OLYMPICS SNOW AND ICE.

BUT COULD POLITICAL CONTROVERSY OVERWHELM THE GAMES?

I SPEAK TO NPR'S BRIAN MANN IN MILAN.

> >> AND -- >> IF PEOPLE BELIEVE LIES ARE FACTS, THEN YOU CAN CONTROL THEM.

>> A WARRIOR FOR PRESS FREEDOM INVESTIGATES DONALD TRUMP'S UNITED STATES.

HARI SREENIVASAN TALKS DISINFORMATION WITH NOBEL PRIZE-WINNING JOURNALIST MARIA RESSA.

?

?

>> "AMANPOUR & COMPANY" IS MADE POSSIBLE BY -- THE ANDERSON FAMILY ENDOWMENT.

JIM ATTWOOD AND LESLIE WILLIAMS.

CANDACE KING WEIR.

THE SYLVIA A. AND SIMON B. POYTA PROGRAMMING ENDOWMENT TO FIGHT ANTISEMITISM.

THE STRAUS FAMILY FOUNDATION.

THE PETER G. PETERSON AND JOAN GANZ COONEY FUND.

CHARLES ROSENBLUM.

MONIQUE SCHOEN WARSHAW.

KOO AND PATRICIA YUEN, COMMITTED TO BRIDGING CULTURAL DIFFERENCES IN OUR COMMUNITIES.

BARBARA HOPE ZUCKERBERG.

AND BY CONTRIBUTIONS TO YOUR PBS STATION FROM VIEWERS LIKE YOU.

THANK YOU.

> >> WELCOME TO THE PROGRAM, EVERYONE.

I'M BIANNA GOLODRYGA IN NEW YORK SITTING IN FOR CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR.

AMIDST TENSION IN THE MIDDLE EAST MILITARY DIPLOMACY PROGRESSES.

U. S. AND IRANIAN DIPLOMATS HELD INDIRECT TALKS IN OMAN LAST WEEK AGAINST THE BACKDROP OF AN AMERICAN NAVAL FLOTILLA POSITIONED IN THE REGION.

IRAN SAYS THE TALKS PAVED THE WAY FOR FURTHER DISCUSSIONS.

BUT THE U. S. MARITIME ADMINISTRATION WARNS AMERICAN SHIPS TO REMAIN AS FAR AS POSSIBLE FROM IRAN'S TERRITORIAL WATERS.

INSIDE IRAN IT'S NOW MORE THAN A MONTH SINCE THE BRUTAL CRACKDOWN ON POLITICAL DISSENT BEGAN.

NOBEL PRIZE LAUREATE NARGES MOHAMMADI HAS BEEN GIVEN A NEW JAIL SENTENCE OF OVER SEVEN YEARS AFTER SPENDING THE PAST YEAR OUT ON MEDICAL FURLOUGH.

AND MULTIPLE REFORMIST POLITICIANS CLOSE TO THE PRESIDENT HAVE NOW BEEN ARRESTED BY IRAN'S REPUBLICAN GUARDS.

ACCORDING TO THE HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVIST NEWS AGENCY, WHICH IS TRACKING THE CRACKDOWN, ALMOST 7,000 IRANIANS ARE CONFIRMED DEAD.

HADI GHAEMI IS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE CENTER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS IN IRAN, RESEARCHING AND DOCUMENTING RIGHTS VIOLATIONS IN THAT COUNTRY.

AND HE JOINS ME NOW LIVE ON THE PROGRAM.

HADI, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR TAKING THE TIME.

WE ARE NOW AS I NOTED A MONTH SINCE THE PEAK OF THOSE BRUTAL JANUARY KILLINGS BY THE REGIME AGAINST THOSE PROTESTERS.

YOU RECENTLY SAID THAT THE ISLAMIC REPUBLIC IS STAYING IN POWER BY, QUOTE, CONTINUING TO COMMIT MASS ATROCITIES.

LOOKING BACK ON WHAT HAS HAPPENED OVER THE LAST --THE MONTH AND THE WEEKS SINCE, GIVE US YOUR TAKE ON HOW THE IRANIAN POPULATION IS FEELING AND DEALING WITH ALL OF THIS RIGHT NOW.

>> YES.

HELLO, BIANNA, AND THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

THIS INDEED HAS BEEN A MONTH SINCE A MASSACRE THAT HAS LEFT THE COUNTRY IN SHOCK, RAGE, GRIEVING AND ANGER AND A LOT OF EXPECTATION THAT THE ISLAMIC REPUBLIC SHOULD BE COMING TO ITS END GIVEN THE ATROCITIES IT HAS COMMITTED.

I WOULD SAY THAT THERE IS NO ONE IN IRAN ANYMORE EVEN WITHIN THE REGIME'S LOYALISTS WHO CAN SINCERELY AND HONESTLY TELL THEMSELVES THAT THIS REGIME OR THIS GOVERNMENT REPRESENTS ANY SEGMENT OF THE COUNTRY THAT WANTS IT TO STAY AS ITS REPRESENTATIVE.

THE REGIME WE KNEW WAS BRUTAL, BUT NOW ITS CRIMINAL SIDE HAS SHOWN THAT IT IS IDEOLOGICALLY COMMITTED TO PERPETRATING ATROCITIES THAT NONE OF US REALLY EXPECTED OVER 48 HOURS.

AS YOU SAID, AT LEAST 7,000 PEOPLE HAVE BEEN KILLED.

OVER 50,000 PEOPLE ARE IN DETENTIONS WITHOUT ANY INFORMATION OF WHAT IS HAPPENING TO THEM.

HUNDREDS OF CHILDREN HAVE BEEN KILLED.

SO GENERALLY, THE MOOD IN THE COUNTRY IS VERY MUCH OF RAGE AND WANTING CHANGE AND WANTING TO SEE AN END TO THIS ISLAMIC REPUBLIC HOPEFULLY IN THE SOON FUTURE.

EVEN THOUGH THERE ARE MANY MOVING PARTS AS WE KNOW, BOTH REGIONALLY, INTERNATIONALLY AND DOMESTICALLY.

AND A LOT OF THINGS HAVE TO WORK COHERENTLY FOR A PEACEFUL TRANSITION OF POWER.

BUT IT SEEMS LIKE THE LEADERSHIP OF THE ISLAMIC REPUBLIC IS COMMITTED TO ULTIMATE VIOLENCE AND DOES NOT WANT TO CEDE POWER IN ANY PEACEFUL PROCESS.

>> AND TO THAT POINT, AND AT THE HEIGHT OF THE PROTESTS AND IMMEDIATELY AFTER MANY HAD PREDICTED WHAT YOU JUST SAID, THE END OF THE REGIME.

AND YET IT PERSISTS.

OBVIOUSLY HIGHLY AWARE OF ITS VULNERABILITY RIGHT NOW, BOTH DOMESTICALLY AND INTERNATIONALLY GIVEN THAT ITS PROXIES HAVE BEEN WEAKENED, ITS NUCLEAR PROGRAM HAS BEEN SEVERELY CRIPPLED.

AND THERE ARE REPORTS THAT THE U. S. ADMINISTRATION HAD BEEN PLANNING ON SOME SORT OF DECAPITATION STRATEGY AGAINST THE IRGC AND ULTIMATELY THE SUPREME LEADER ALI KHAMENEI AT SOME POINT.

AND I KNOW IT'S BEEN A MONTH NOW AND WE STILL HAVE THE UNITED STATES CIRCLING THE COUNTRY AND THE REGION WITH ITS ASSETS AS THESE TALKS CONTINUE.

DO YOU THINK THERE IS A VIABLE PLAN IF IN FACT THAT STRATEGY OF GOING AFTER THE IRGC AND THE SUPREME LEADER IS ACTED UPON BY THE U. S. ?

>> WELL, WE ALL KNOW THAT AT THE MOMENT THE FINAL DECISIONS THAT PRESIDENT TRUMP MAKES ARE UNKNOWN TO ALMOST EVERYONE TILL THE LAST MINUTE.

SO I'M SURE THERE ARE SEVERAL PLANS OFFERED TO HIM AND ON THE TABLE.

THE QUESTION IS WHAT WILL HIS PRIORITY BE AND WHAT WILL HIS GOAL BE?

BUT TO BE HONEST WITH YOU THE END OF THE ISLAMIC REPUBLIC MUST COME WITH THE HELP OF THE ENTIRE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY.

WHILE THE AMERICAN PRESIDENT IS MAKING UP HIS MIND WHAT TO FOCUS ON WE NEED TO ACTIVATE THE SECURITY COUNCIL.

WE NEED TO GET THE LARGER INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY INVOLVED.

WE NEED TO START REFERRALS TO THE INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT.

WE NEED TO START CUTTING OFF OIL REVENUE FOR THIS REGIME.

THE ONLY REASON IT CAN CONTINUE TO FUND THESE ATROCITIES IS BECAUSE OF THE SALES OF THE OIL IT DOES PRIMARILY TO CHINA.

AND WE NEED TO ISOLATE IT ON EVERY FRONT.

ALL OF ITS AMBASSADORS SHOULD BE EXPELLED FROM EUROPE AND OTHER COUNTRIES.

ALL INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS SHOULD SUSPEND ITS MEMBERSHIP AT THE MOMENT.

FIFA SHOULD BE EXPELLING IT FROM THE UPCOMING WORLD CUP.

THE PEOPLE IN THE COUNTRY WANT TO SEE SOME ACTIONS BY ALL OF THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY WHILE PRESIDENT TRUMP DECIDES WHAT TO DO.

IF HE DECIDES TO GO ON WITH A BROAD MILITARY CAMPAIGN, THEN THAT IS ALSO SOMETHING THAT HAS TO BE COUPLED WITH DOMESTIC AND POLITICAL ACTIONS THAT THE IRANIAN OPPOSITION NEEDS TO COME TOGETHER AND BE PART OF THIS FORMULA VERY SOON.

>> SO A DECAPITATION STRATEGY WOULD ONLY WORK IN YOUR VIEW IF IT'S DONE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY, RESPONDING AND ISOLATING IRAN AGGRESSIVELY TOO.

WHICH HAS NOT HAPPENED AT THE SCALE THAT YOU HAVE JUST NOTED.

YOUR ORGANIZATION HAS HIGHLIGHT ED SINCE THE MASS KILLINGS LAST MONTH HOUSE TO HOUSE RAIDS, STRIP SEARCHING TO IDENTIFY EVEN WOUNDED PROTESTERS.

I MENTIONED NARGES MOHAMMADI BEING SENTENCED TO ANOTHER SEVEN YEARS IN PRISON.

CHRISTIANE ACTUALLY SPOKE WITH HER IN DECEMBER OF 2024 WHEN SHE WAS RELEASED FROM PRISON FOR THREE WEEKS AS SHE WAS UNDERGOING RECOVERY FROM AN OPERATION.

AND HERE'S WHAT SHE SAID ABOUT WHAT SHE'D EXPERIENCED.

>> WE MANAGED TO MAKE OUR WAY TO THE PRISON YARD, AND IT WAS THEN THAT THE MALE PRISON GUARDS CAME AND STOOD THERE AND ONCE WE STARTED CHANTING LOUDLY THEY STARTED HITTING ME ON THE CHEST.

WHERE I WAS SUPPOSED TO GO FOR AN AN GIOGRAPHY.

MY ARTERIES WERE BLOCKED.

YET THEY WERE BEATING ME ON MY CHEST.

SO THAT WAS NOT NOTHING ACCIDENTAL.

IT WAS DELIBERATE ON THEIR PART.

>> AND THESE WERE TACTICS, WE SHOULD NOTE, THAT THE IRGC AND THOSE FORCES UNDERTOOK, THE SECURITY FORCES, UNDERTOOK OVER A YEAR AGO.

I KNOW YOU'VE DESCRIBED THIS REGIME AS A, QUOTE, WOUNDED ANIMAL GOING AFTER EVERY PERCEIVED THREAT.

HOW HAS THAT IFIED SINCE THEN?

>> WELL, DURING THIS PAST YEAR WE'VE SEEN HOW IT'S INTENSIFIED BY WHAT HAPPENED IN JANUARY.

AND NARGES OF COURSE HAS BEEN IN DETENTION SINCE LATE NOVEMBER.

ALL OF THIS GOES BACK TO THE FACT THAT THE REGIME BENEFITING FROM THE LACK OF A COHESIVE AND UNIFIED POLITICAL OPPOSITION TO IT.

AN OPPOSITION THAT AT HOME EXISTS BUT IT'S UNDER THE VERY STRONG REPRESSION OF THE REGIME.

AND YET THERE ARE MILLIONS OF IRANIANS IN THE ASPORA WHO ALSO HAVE POLITICAL MUSCLE IN OPPOSITION.

IF THIS IS TO COME TOGETHER AT THIS MOMENT IT COULD MAKE A HUGE DIFFERENCE.

I JUST WANT TO MENTION ONE OF THE MAIN POLITICAL THINKERS IN IRAN, A POLITICAL SCIENTIST AT TEHRAN UNIVERSITY, HIGHLY RESPECTED, HATAM ODERI HAS BEEN PROMOTING A NATIONAL CONGRESS THAT SHOULD URGENTLY BRING TOGETHER A COALITION AND EVEN POTENTIALLY A GOVERNMENT IN EXILE TO START WRESTLING POWER AWAY FROM ISLAMIC REPUBLIC BOTH DOMESTICALLY AND ON THE INTERNATIONAL FRONT.

AND I HOPE AND I KNOW THAT THERE ARE MANY EFFORTS BEING MADE IN THE SOON FUTURE IN THE COMING WEEKS, HOPEFULLY FOR SUCH A NATIONAL BODY TO COME TOGETHER SO THAT THE ISLAMIC REPUBLIC DOESN'T BENEFIT FROM CONFRONTING PEOPLE LIKE NARGES JUST AS INDIVIDUALS.

WE NEED ALL POLITICAL FIGURES AND THEIR POLITICAL PERSUASIONS COME TOGETHER SO ISLAMIC REPUBLIC CANNOT ISOLATE AND DEACTIVATE THEM LIKE THE WAY IT DOES WITH NARGES AND CONTINUOUS IMPRISONMENT OF HER.

>> WOULD YOU ENVISION REZA PAHLAVI HAVING A PLACE IN THAT BODY?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

HE HAS EMERGED AS ONE OF THE POLITICAL OPPOSITION FIGURES THAT PEOPLE IN IRAN ARE RECOGNIZING.

BUT HE HIMSELF HAS SAID THAT HE DOESN'T REPRESENT EVERYONE AND HE NEEDS A COALITION.

AND WE ALL NEED A COALITION.

RIGHT NOW NO ONE CAN CLAIM TO BE THE NEXT POLITICAL ENTITY IN IRAN OR THEIR POLITICAL PERSUASION TO BE THE DOMINANT ONE.

NOBODY EVEN HAS A POLITICAL PARTY OR A STRUCTURE TO MAKE THAT CLAIM.

WHAT WE NEED IS POOL ALL OUR RESOURCES FROM LEFT TO RIGHT, FROM REPUBLICAN TO MONARCHIST, ALL OF THEM COME TOGETHER, AND I HOPE THAT WE WILL MEET THIS HISTORICAL RESPONSIBILITY THAT'S PUT ON OUR SHOULDERS.

OTHERWISE, THE ISLAMIC REPUBLIC COULD LAST MORE MONTHS AND YEARS AND MUCH MORE WORSE --OR MUCH WORSE ATROCITIES COULD BE UNDER WAY.

>> HOW ARE YOU INTERPRETING THE ONGOING ARREST AND TREATMENT OF SOME OF THE COUNTRY'S SO- CALLED REFORMISTS NOW?

EVEN AS TALKS ARE ONGOING BETWEEN IRANIAN OFFICIALS AND U. S. OFFICIALS.

AND WE SAW WHAT HAPPENED IN OMAN AND WE KNOW THAT THESE TALKS MAY BE CONTINUING.

WE'LL SEE.

BUT WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF WHAT'S HAPPENING AT HOME IN THE MEANTIME?

>> WELL, I SEE IT AS A CONTINUITY OF WHAT I WAS JUST DISCUSSING, THE NEED FOR A COALITION OF OPPOSITION FORCES COMING TOGETHER.

AND THESE REFORMISTS WHO HAVE BEEN DETAINED, THEY COULD OBVIOUSLY ALSO PLAY A ROLE IN THE COMING MONTHS AS PART OF THE SYSTEM, WITHIN THE SYSTEM, THAT COULD MAKE SUCH A COALITION MORE IMPACTFUL.

SO THE REGIME IS REALLY, AS I'M SAYING, IS TRYING TO DIVIDE, CONTROL, REPRESS AND SURVIVE.

AND THESE REFORMIST POLITICIANS ARE ALSO BEING PUT AWAY SO THAT NO ONE IS ABLE TO TALK TO THEM OR BRING THEM INTO A COALITION WITH AN OUTSIDE COUNTRY.

AGAIN, I'M CALLING FOR A VERY LARGE UMBRELLA THAT INCLUDES ALL OPPONENTS OF THE ISLAMIC REPUBLIC AND THE SUPREME LEADER.

>> AND WHERE IS PRESIDENT PEZESHKIN.

ALL OF THIS IN OBVIOUSLY WE KNOW IT'S THE SUPREME LEADER WHO YIELDS ULTIMATE POWER IN DECISION MAKING.

BUT WE DID HEAR FROM PEZESHKIN IN THE EARLY DAYS OF THESE PROTESTS EVEN SPEAKING PUBLICLY, ACKNOWLEDGING SOME OF THE STRAIN AND SOME OF THE PRESSURE THAT IRANIANS ARE UNDERGOING AS IT RELATES TO THE ECONOMY.

AND AALL CHANGED QUICKLY AS THE MURDERS BEGAN.

WHERE IS HE IN THIS?

>> IT'S HARD TO SAY.

BUT I SEE HIM PERSONALLY AS A CONFUSED AND CONFLICTED INDIVIDUAL WHO UNDERSTANDS THAT THE ISLAMIC REPUBLIC IS NOT MEETING THE DEMANDS OF THE PEOPLE.

WHO UNDERSTANDS THAT THE CRISIS NEED TO BE SOLVED BROADLY AND NOT THROUGH REPRESSION.

AND YET HE DOES NOT HAVE THE COURAGE TO SAY THE SUPREME LEADER SHOULD NOT BE CONTROLLING THE COUNTRY ANY LONGER, THAT HE HAS FAILED.

HE STILL WANTS AS A POLITICIAN TO SURVIVE THROUGH HIS LOYALTY TO THE SUPREME LEADER, AND AS SUCH I DO NOT SEE HIM PROVIDING ANY POSITIVE PATH FORWARD.

IT WAS HIS GOVERNMENT WHO COOPERATED WITH THE REVOLUTIONARY GUARDS TO COMMIT THE MASSACRE.

SO I SEE HIM IMPLICATED IN THE MASSACRE THAT HAPPENED AND AS ONE OF THE PERPETRATORS OF CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY.

>> AS WE NOTED, PRIME MINISTER NETANYAHU WILL BE TRAVELING I BELIEVE FOR HIS SEVENTH TRIP TO THE UNITED STATES SINCE TRUMP TOOK OVER AND BEGAN HIS SECOND TERM AS PRESIDENT.

WHAT WILL YOU BE WATCHING FOR COMING OUT OF THESE MEETINGS?

WHAT DO YOU EXPECT PRIME MINISTER NETANYAHU WILL BE SAYING TO PRESIDENT TRUMP ON THIS ISSUE?

>> WELL, ACCORDING TO REPORTS OUT OF ISRAEL, HE IS GOING THERE TO MAKE SURE THAT AMERICAN ADMINISTRATION IS IN COORDINATION WITH ISRAELI INTERESTS IN THESE NEGOTIATIONS AND TO MAKE SURE THAT THE RESULT OF THE NEGOTIATION DOES NOT END WITH SOMETHING THAT ISRAEL IS UNHAPPY ABOUT.

BUT THE FACT IS WHAT I WATCH FOR FROM EITHER GOVERNMENT IS WHAT IS THE BALANCE BETWEEN THEIR CONCERNS OVER THE NUCLEAR ISSUE, REGIONAL PROXIES, BALLISTIC MISSILES VERSUS DOMESTIC AFFAIRS AND WHAT IS HAPPENING IN THE COUNTRY AND THE INTERESTS OF THE POEM.

PEOPLE.

I WANT TO HIGHLY EMPHASIZE THAT THESE NEGOTIATIONS, THEIR BIGGEST FAILURE IS THAT THEY DO NOT INCLUDE ANY REPRESENTATIVES OF THE IRANIAN PEOPLE.

THE NUCLEAR ISSUE IS NOT THE IRANIAN PEOPLE'S ISSUE.

THE NUCLEAR ISSUE IS THE ISLAMIC REPUBLIC'S CARD FOR 30 YEARS TO MANIPULATE AND CONTINUE ITS POLICIES IN THE REGION AND INTERNATIONAL INTERNATIONALLY BY KEEPING EVERYONE PREOCCUPIED WITH THE NUCLEAR ISSUE.

THE REAL ISSUE FOR ME IS WHO IS REPRESENTING IRANIAN PEOPLE AND WOULD ANY OF THEM BE LISTENING TO IRANIAN PEOPLE AND REALIZE THAT THEIR INTEREST HAS TO BE REPRESENTED HERE.

IN THESE NEGOTIATIONS AND THEY SHOULD NOT BE IGNORED.

>> AND THESE INTERESTS YOU THINK SHOULD BE REPRESENTED PUBLICLY.

SO FROM YOUR PERSPECTIVE WHAT WOULD BE BETTER OR FROM THE IRANIANS' WHO ARE THERE SO BRAVELY PROTESTING AND WAIT FORGET SOME SORT OF RESPONSE AND ACCOUNTABILITY, WOULD IT BE IN THEIR INTEREST TO HAVE ONE OF THESE OPPOSITION LEADERS OR FIGUREHEADS, EVEN REZA PAHLAVI, I DON'T KNOW, I DON'T PUT WORDS IN YOUR MOUTH, MEETING PUBLICLY WITH PRESIDENT TRUMP?

>> NO, THAT'S NOT AT ALL WHAT I'M PROMOTING.

WHAT I'M PROMOTING IS THAT PRESIDENT TRUMP AND HIS ADMINISTRATION AS WELL AS ISRAELI GOVERNMENT REACH OUT TO A BROADER INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY AND REALLY MAKE THIS A GLOBAL ISSUE, THAT WE SHOULD RECOGNIZE AN IRANIAN OPPOSITION FRONT, NOT JUST ONE INDIVIDUAL.

REZA PAHLAVI IS A MAJOR POLITICAL FIGURE BUZZ HE DOES NOT REPRESENT EVERYONE.

BUT IF HE COMES TOGETHER IN A COALITION WITH OTHER LEGITIMATE ACTORS, THEN BOTH ISRAEL, U. S. IN TANDEM WITH OTHER COUNTRIES SHOULD WELCOME THEM AND START DISCUSSING THAT HOW COULD THEY HELP THEM TO TRANSITION TO WORK TOWARD A PEACEFUL TRANSITION OF POWER?

>> YEAH.

AND YOU HAVE NOTED THAT THE KILLING MACHINE WILL GATHER STEAM ONCE AGAIN UNLESS ITS COST IS RAISED.

AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT YOU ARE ONCE AGAIN REINFORCING.

HADI GHAEMI, YOUR WORK IS SO IMPORTANT.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE TIME.

REALLY APPRECIATE IT.

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

> >> NOW, AS WE NOTED, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER BENJAMIN NETANYAHU IS ON HIS WAY TO WASHINGTON TO URGE AMERICAN NEGOTIATORS TO TAKE A TOUGHER APPROACH IN NUCLEAR TALKS WITH IRAN.

AHEAD OF HIS U. S. TRIP ISRAEL IS TAKING A SERIES OF SWEEPING MEASURES TO TIGHTEN ITS GRIP ON THE OCCUPIED WEST BANK.

FAR RIGHT MINISTER BEZALEL SMOTRICH SAYS THE MEASURES WILL FUNDAMENTALLY CHANGE THE LEGAL AND CIVIL REALITY IN THE WEST BANK.

THE PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY CONDEMNS THE MEASURES SAYING THEY AMOUNT TO PLANS FOR ANNEXATION AND DISPLACEMENT.

CORRESPONDENT NIC ROBERTSON HAS THE STORY.

>> Reporter: THIS IS INTERESTING BECAUSE THIS SAME GROUP OF INTERNATIONAL COUNTRIES THAT PRESIDENT TRUMP LENT ON TO GIVE SUPPORT AND CREDIBILITY TO HIS GAZA PEACE PLAN LATE LAST YEAR THAT ENVISAGED A PALESTINIAN STATE IS NOW SORT OF THOSE SAME COUNTRIES CRITICIZING WHAT ISRAEL IS DOING BECAUSE THEY SEE IT AS SHUTTING DOWN THAT POSSIBLE PATHWAY TO A PALESTINIAN STATE THAT PRESIDENT TRUMP'S 20-POINT PEACE PLAN TALKED ABOUT.

THE PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY SEES THIS AS JUST A WAY THAT WAR IS BEING WAGED ON THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE.

THAT'S WHAT THEY SAY.

BEZALEL SMOTRICH, THE FAR RIGHT FINANCE MINISTER HERE IN ISRAEL WHO'S THE AUTHOR AND THE SORT OF ENGINE BEHIND THIS CHANGE THAT'S MAKING IT EASIER FOR SETTLERS TO GET PROPERTY INSIDE THE WEST BANK, TO GET LAND INSIDE THE WEST BANK, A VISION HE'S ALWAYS HAD AND ONE THAT HE'S REALLY PUSHED TO ENABLE SETTLERS TO NOT JUST TAKE LAND BUT TO LEGITIMIZE THE TAKING OF THAT LAND, AND NOW THIS NEXT STEP, WHILE IT SEEMS AN INCREMENTAL PART OF A PROCESS THAT THIS FAR RIGHT, RIGHT-WING ALLIANCE IN AND APRIME MINISTER BENJAMIN NETANYAHU IS INTENT ON DOING, ALTHOUGH IT SEEMS INCREMENTAL, IT IS SIGNIFICANT BECAUSE THE PUSH AND THE DRIVE IS THERE TO DO IT FROM PART OF THE ISRAELI SIDE.

AND THIS IS GOING TO MAKE IT EASIER AND THEREFORE PUT PRESSURE ON THOSE PALESTINIANS INSIDE THE WEST BANK AND DRIVE THEM, THEY ASSESS, TO SORT OF LIVE IN SMALLER AND SMALLER AREAS, BE PUSHED INTO THEIR BIG CITIES, SAUDI ARABIA, JORDAN, THE UAE, QATAR, TURKEY, EGYPT, INDONESIA, PAKISTAN HAVE ALL JOINTLY SIGNED A LETTER CONDEMNING THIS ACT BY ISRAEL.

BUT REMEMBER, THOSE WERE THE EIGHT COUNTRIES THAT PRESIDENT TRUMP WENT TO IN THE MARGINS OF THE U. N. GENERAL ASSEMBLY SEPTEMBER LAST YEAR WHEN HE WAS PROPOSING HIS 20-POINT PEACE PLAN FOR GAZA.

AND THEY CAME BACK TO HIM LATER AND SAID ALL THIS TALK BACK IN THE FALL OF LAST YEAR ABOUT ANNEXATION IN THE WEST BANK, WE DON'T SUPPORT THAT, WE DON'T WANT IT.

SO PRESIDENT TRUMP ACTUALLY CAME OUT THEN AND SAID HE WAS AGAINST ANNEXATION OF THE WEST BANK.

SO ALL OF THAT IN CONTEXT, THOSE SAME COUNTRIES THAT SUPPORTED PRESIDENT TRUMP'S 20- POINT PEACE PLAN, WHICH INCLUDED THE POSSIBILITY OF A PATH TO PALESTINIAN STATEHOOD, ARE COMING OUT AGAIN.

SO WHEN PRESIDENT TRUMP MEETS WITH PRIME MINISTER NETANYAHU, THESE EIGHT NATIONS OF COURSE AND OTHERS WILL BE HOPING THAT THE PRESIDENT BRINGS THAT UP WITH THE ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER AS AN ISSUE OF CONCERN.

>> OUR THANKS TO NIC ROBERTSON FOR THAT REPORT FROM JERUSALEM.

> >> WELL, MEDAL COUNTS ARE RACKING UP IN THE 2026 MILAN CORTINA WINTER GAMES.

RECORDS WERE BROKEN AND BROKEN AGAIN BY A PAIR OF DUTCH WOMEN SPEEDSKATERS IN THE SPACE OF JUST MINUTES.

AND IN THE ADRENALINE- FILLED WORLD OF CURLING AN AMERICAN DUO KNOCKED OUT THE DEFENDING GOLD MEDALISTS FROM ITALY IN THE MIXED DOUBLES COMPETITION SETTING UP A GOLD MEDAL MATCH AGAINST SWEDEN.

BUT AS THE GAMES HEAT UP IN ITALY SOME ATHLETES CAN'T ESCAPE THE POLITICS AT HOME.

FACING MEDIA QUESTIONS ABOUT TURMOIL IN THE U. S. ATHLETES HAVE BEEN CALLING FOR TOLERANCE AND RESPECT.

INCLUDING THIS FROM SKIER HUNTER HESS.

>> I THINK IT'S --IT BRINGS UP MIXED EMOTIONS TO REPRESENT THE U. S. RIGHT NOW, I THINK.

IT'S A LITTLE HARD.

THERE'S OBVIOUSLY A LOT GOING ON THAT I'M NOT THE BIGGEST FAN OF AND I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE AREN'T.

I THINK FOR ME IT'S MORE I'M REPRESENTING MY LIKE FRIENDS AND FAMILY BACK HOME, THE PEOPLE THAT REPRESENTED IT BEFORE ME.

ALL THE THINGS THAT I BELIEVE ARE GOOD ABOUT THE U. S. I JUST THINK IF IT ALIGNS WITH MY MORAL VALUES I FEEL LIKE I'M REPRESENTING IT.

JUST BECAUSE I'M WEARING THE FLAG DOESN'T MEAN I'M REPRESENTING EVERYTHING THAT'S GOING ON IN THE U. S. YEAH, I JUST KIND OF WANT TO DO IT FOR MY FRIENDS AND FAMILY AND THE PEOPLE I SUPPORT GETTING HERE.

>> Reporter: >> PRESIDENT TRUMP THEN LABELED HESS A REAL LOSER IN A SOCIAL MEDIA POST.

WELL, NPR'S BRIAN MANN IS IN MILAN REPORTING ON THE COMPETITION AND THE CONTROVERSY.

BRIAN, WELCOME TO THE PROGRAM.

LET'S GET TO THE POLITICS IN A MOMENT.

BECAUSE I DO WANT TO START WITH THE SPORTS.

AND ALL EYES WILL BE ON FIGURE SKATING TONIGHT.

SPECIFICALLY AMERICAN SKATER MAXIME NAUMOV, WHO TAKES TO THE ICE AFTER ENORMOUS, ENORMOUS HEARTBREAK FOLLOWING THE DEATH OF HIS PARENTS, THAT TRAGIC PLANE CRASH THAT KILLED NOT ONLY HIS PARENTS BUT DOZENS OF OTHERS.

JUST OVER A YEAR AGO.

WHAT HAS THIS ROAD TO MILAN MEANT FOR HIM AND FOR ALL OF THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN SUPPORT ING THESE BEREAVED SKATERS?

>> YEAH, IT WAS REALLY A SHATTERING FRAME TO THIS OLYMPIC SEASON, THAT THE WHOLE TEAM SUFFERED THAT KIND OF LOSS AND HIS PARENTS DYING IN THAT CRASH.

THE FACT HE'S BEEN ABLE TO COME BACK AND TRAIN AND BUILD THIS INCREDIBLE SEASON TONIGHT IS GOING TO BE REALLY QUITE PROFOUND TO WATCH.

IT HAS BEEN VISIBLE HERE IN MILAN, HOW PEOPLE HAVE REALLY COME AROUND THIS ENTIRE U. S. FIGURE SKATING TEAM.

HIM IN PARTICULAR.

BUT YEAH, THIS HAS BEEN REALLY ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S RESHAPED THIS COMMUNITY.

A LOT OF THESE SKATERS HAVE TALKED MORE AND MORE IN RECENT YEARS ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH, ABOUT THE KIND OF SUPPORT THEY NEED TO DO THIS INCREDIBLY DEMANDING, EMOTIONAL SPORT WELL.

AND THIS HAS REALLY TESTED THE BOUNDARIES OF THAT.

AND AGAIN, WE'LL SEE THROUGH THE COMPETITION TONIGHT HOW WELL HE IS ABLE TO COME AND PUT THAT OUT ON THE ICE.

>> AND TO THE POINT OF ONE'S MINDSET AND STRUGGLES BOTH MENTALLY AND OBVIOUSLY PHYSICALLY, ONE CAN'T HELP BUT RAISE LINDSEY VONN AND THE COURAGE THAT SHE REALLY HAD SHOWN GOING INTO THIS COMPETITION AT 41 YEARS OF AGE WITH A RUPTURED ACL AND SOBERING NEWS OBVIOUSLY WHEN SHE CRASHED JUST A DAY OR TWO AGO AT THE WOMEN'S DOWNHILL FINALS, BREAKING HER LEG ULTIMATELY.

HERE'S WHAT SHE POSTED ON INSTAGRAM.

"WHILE YESTERDAY DID NOT END THE WAY I HAD HOPED AND DESPITE THE INTENSE PHYSICAL PAIN IT CAUSED, I HAVE NO REGRETS.

STANDING IN THE STARTING GATE YESTERDAY WAS AN INCREDIBLE FEELING THAT I WILL NEVER FORGET.

KNOWING I STOOD THERE, HAVING A CHANCE TO WIN WAS A VICTORY IN AND OF ITSELF.

I ALSO KNEW THAT RACING WAS A RISK.

IT WAS ALWAYS --ALWAYS IT WOULD BE AN INCREDIBLY DANGEROUS SPORT. "

WHAT DOES THAT TELL US ABOUT HER MINDSET?

AND AS CHRISTINE BRENNAN, OUR COLLEAGUE HERE COVERING THESE GAMES, SAID, THAT THIS WAS THE ULTIMATE EXAMPLE OF LINDSEY VONN BEING LINDSEY VONN.

>> I THINK THAT'S RIGHT.

THIS IS A COMPETITOR WHO SAW AN OPPORTUNITY TO COME BACK AT AGE 41.

SHE TRAINED FOR IT.

A LOT OF PEOPLE THOUGHT THAT THIS MIGHT BE PUSHING THE BOUNDARIES OF WHAT WAS POSSIBLE.

BUT THEN SHE'S COMPETED BRILLIANTLY OVER THIS WORLD CUP SEASON.

EVEN AFTER THAT ACL TEAR SHE LOOKED STRONG IN SOME OF THE EARLY TRAINING RUNS.

WHAT SHE SAID IN THAT SOCIAL MEDIA POST IS THAT SHE DOES NOT FEEL THAT THAT CONTRIBUTED TO THE CRASH, THAT SHE WAS JUST A LITTLE BIT OUT OF POSITION, ABOUT FIVE INCHES OUT OF POSITION, SHE SAID, SO THAT SHE CAUGHT THAT FLAG.

IT TWISTED HER OFF BALANCE.

AND SHE LANDED INCREDIBLY HARD.

SO SHE'S SAYING THAT THIS IS THE KIND OF CRASH THAT COULD HAVE HAPPENED TO ANY SKIER AT ANY AGE.

>> OF COURSE WE WISH HER A SPEEDY RECOVERY.

THIS HAS ALSO BEEN BILLED AS THE MOST GENDER-REPRESENTATIVE WINTER GAMES YET WITH WOMEN MAKING UP 47% OF THE COMPETITION HERE.

HOW MEANINGFUL IS THAT NUMBER FOR THE WORLD OF SPORTS AND FOR THE OLYMPIC GAMES THEMSELVES?

>> YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN COVERING OLYMPIC GAMES FOR A LONG TIME, AND IT HAS BEEN A REVOLUTIONARY CHANGE TO SPORT THE WAY THAT WOMEN HAVE MOVED INTO MORE EVENTS, MORE SPORTS.

THERE IS STILL ONE SPORT, NORDIC COMBINED, WHERE ATHLETES SKI CROSS- COUNTRY AND JUMP WHERE WOMEN ARE NOT YET ALLOWED IN.

THAT'S AN ISSUE HERE AT THESE GAMES.

SOME WOMEN ARE PROTESTING INTENSELY, SAYING THAT THEY NEED TO BE INVOLVED IN THIS LAST SPORT.

BUT THERE IS ENORMOUS PROGRESS.

THIS YEAR ON THE CROSS-COUNTRY COURSE FOR THE FIRST TIME IN HISTORY WOMEN WILL COMPETE AT THE SAME DISTANCES AS MEN AND THEY'LL COMPETE IN ALL THE SAME EVENTS AS MEN.

AND SO THERE HAVE BEEN BARRIERS KNOCKED DOWN YEAR BY YEAR.

EARLIER IN MY CAREER WE SAW WOMEN BREAK INTO SKI JUMPING.

THESE PLACES WE'VE SEEN WALLED OFF WE'VE SEEN INCREDIBLE PERFORMANCES.

AND THIS IS THE THING THAT I THINK IS EXCITING TO SEE, THAT ONCE WOMEN DO BREAK THROUGH THAT BARRIER THEN WE'RE JUST SEEING THEM DOMINATE THESE SPORTS, DO ING PERFORMANCES IN THESE SPORTS.

AND WE'VE DEFINITELY SEEN ANOTHER BIG STEP FORWARD HERE IN MILAN.

>> AND OF COURSE ALL EYES ON THE WOMEN'S ICE HOCKEY MATCH BETWEEN TEAM USA AND CANADA, UPCOMING AS WELL.

GETTING TO THE POLITICS AND THE CONTROVERSY THAT THAT HAS GENERATED, WE SAW NOT THE AMERICAN TEAM BUT THE VICE PRESIDENT AND THE SECOND LADY BOOED IN MILAN, THE OPENING DAY THERE FOR THE GAMES.

THEN WE HEARD THE AMERICAN ATHLETE, THE FREESTYLE SKIER HUNTER HESS IN THE INTRODUCTION THERE WHEN ASKED ABOUT HIS VIEWS ON WHAT WAS TRANSPIRING ON THE STREETS OF THE UNITED STATES AND SOME OF THE PRESIDENT'S POLICIES RESPOND THE WAY HE DID, WHICH LED TO THE PRESIDENT CALLING HIM A REAL LOSER.

HESS THEN TURNED TO INSTAGRAM AND POSTED "ONE OF THE MANY THINGS THAT MAKES THIS COUNTRY SO AMAZING IS THAT WE HAVE THE RIGHT AND THE FREEDOM TO POINT THAT OUT. "

AND I WAS STRUCK BY EVEN CHESS GRANDMASTER GARRY KASPAROV, HIMSELF A RUSSIAN DISSIDENT, WEIGHING IN ON THIS AND WRITING IN HIS DAILY NEWSLETTER ABOUT WHAT HAS HAPPENED, AND HE SAID, "A QUESTION FOR AMERICANS, BOTH THOSE WHO SYMPATHIZE WITH THE DISSIDENT ATHLETES AND THOSE WHO SUPPORT THE ADMINISTRATION.

DO YOU EVER HEAR THE RUSSIAN ATHLETES CRITICIZING THEIR GOVERNMENT?

THE CHINESE?

THE NORTH KOREANS?

OF COURSE NOT.

THOSE REGIMES WOULD NEVER TOLERATE THE FRANKLY MILD CRITICISM THAT AMERICAN ATHLETES ARE NOW VOICING. "

WHAT IS YOUR REACTION TO ALL OF THIS?

IN ONE WAY I WOULD IMAGINE IT WAS SORT OF INEVITABLE AND EXPECTED, THE FACT THAT ATHLETES WOULD BE ASKED ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THEIR OWN COUNTRIES.

BUT HOW ABOUT THE PRESIDENT'S REACTION TO IT ALL?

>> YEAH, THAT WAS SURPRISING, THAT THE PRESIDENT FELT THAT HE NEEDED TO CHIME IN IN THAT WAY AND TO FIRE BACK.

BUT I THINK ONE THING THAT'S REALLY SURPRISED ME ALSO HERE IS THAT A LOT OF THESE ATHLETES ARE CLEARLY EAGER TO TALK ABOUT THIS.

SOMETIMES YOU GO TO A BIG SPORTING EVENT AND IT'S REALLY REPORTERS WHO ARE KIND OF PULLING ATHLETES INTO A DISCUSSION OF POLITICS OR A CULTURAL ISSUE.

BUT IN THIS CASE ATHLETES HAVE BEEN POSTING ON SOCIAL MEDIA ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING IN MINNEAPOLIS AND OTHER PARTS OF THE U. S. , THE VIOLENCE AND THE TURMOIL.

AND WHEN ASKED ABOUT IT HERE DURING PRESS CONFERENCES THEY OFTEN LEAN IN AND THEY SPEAK EXPANSIVELY ABOUT WANTING MORE TOLERANCE.

AND I THINK IT REFLECTS A COUPLE OF REALITIES.

FIRST OF ALL, THIS IS AN INCREDIBLY DIVERSE TEAM USA.

THERE ARE PEOPLE HERE FROM ALL ETHNICITIES, ALL BACKGROUNDS.

ONE OF THE MOST POWERFUL THINGS THAT HAPPENED HERE AFTER THAT EXCHANGE BETWEEN HUNTER HESS AND THE PRESIDENT WAS A PRESS CONFERENCE WITH THE SUPERSTAR SNOWBOARDER CHLOE KIM.

SHE'S THE DAUGHTER OF IMMIGRANTS FROM SOUTH KOREA.

SHE TALKED ABOUT THE FACT THAT HER STORY, HER FAMILY'S STORY MADE THIS INCREDIBLY MEANINGFUL FOR HER TO TALK ABOUT, AND SHE TOO SORT OF PLANTED A FLAG, SAYING WE DESERVE THE RIGHT TO TALK ABOUT THESE ISSUES.

>> YEAH, WE HAVE THAT SOUND, ACTUALLY, FROM CHLOE KIM.

AND OTHER ATHLETES WHO WERE ASKED ABOUT THIS AS WELL.

LET'S PLAY IT.

>> OBVIOUSLY, MY PARENTS BEING IMMIGRANTS, THIS ONE DEFINITELY HITS PRETTY CLOSE TO --CLOSE TO HOME.

AND I THINK IN MOMENTS LIKE THESE IT IS REALLY IMPORTANT FOR US TO UNITE AND KIND OF STAND UP FOR ONE ANOTHER, FOR ALL THAT'S GOING ON.

AND I THINK THAT I'M REALLY PROUD TO REPRESENT THE UNITED STATES.

THE U. S. HAS GIVEN MY FAMILY AND I SO MUCH OPPORTUNITY.

BUT I ALSO THINK THAT WE ARE ALLOWED TO VOICE OUR OPINIONS ON WHAT'S GOING ON AND I THINK THAT WE NEED TO LEAD WITH LOVE AND COMPASSION.

AND I WOULD LOVE TO SEE SOME MORE OF THAT.

>> FIRST OF ALL, I'D LIKE TO SAY I'M PROUD TO BE HERE TO REPRESENT TEAM USA.

AND TO REPRESENT OUR COUNTRY.

BUT WE'D BE REMISS IF WE DIDN'T AT LEAST MENTION WHAT'S GOING ON IN MINNESOTA AND WHAT A TOUGH TIME IT'S BEEN FOR EVERYBODY.

THE STUFF THAT'S HAPPENING RIGHT AROUND WHERE WE LIVE, AND --I AM A LAWYER, AS WE KNOW, AND WE DO THE --WE HAVE A CONSTITUTION.

AND IT ALLOWS US FREEDOM OF THE PRESS AND FREEDOM OF SPEECH.

PROTECTS US FROM UNREASONABLE SEARCHES AND SEIZURES.

AND MAKES IT SO THAT WE HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, HAVE PROBABLE CAUSE TO BE PULLED OVER.

AND WHAT'S HAPPENING IN MINNESOTA IS WRONG.

THERE'S NO SHADES OF GRAY.

>> AND IT'S INTERESTING THAT YOU PICK UP THAT DURING OTHER COMPETITIONS WE'VE SEEN ATHLETES AVOID STEPPING INTO POLITICS AND WHAT IS HAPPENING IN THE UNITED STATES RIGHT NOW.

WE JUST SAW THAT RECENTLY WITH THE AUSTRALIAN OPEN AND ATHLETES ASKED THE SAME QUESTION AND THEIR RESPONSE WAS MORE FOCUSED ON THE MATCHES THAN WHAT IS HAPPENING ON THE STREETS OF THE UNITED STATES.

DO YOU THINK IT IS FAIR GAME, OR DO YOU THINK THAT REPORTERS SHOULD BE ASKING ATHLETES WHO HAVE SPENT SO MANY YEARS, MONTHS TRAINING FOR THESE CRUCIAL MOMENTS ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING BACK HOME?

>> YEAH, IT'S A REALLY GOOD QUESTION.

AND HERE'S WHAT I WOULD SAY.

FIRST OF ALL, WHAT'S HAPPENING IN MILAN- CORTINA IS OVERWHELMINGLY FOCUSED ON SPORT AND COMPETITION AND MEDALS AND THE JOY OF THIS PLACE.

IT'S REALLY BEEN AN OLYMPIC GAMES THAT'S GONE OFF VERY SMOOTHLY SO FAR.

THE UNITED STATES HAS ALREADY REGISTERED SOME AMAZING PERFORMANCES.

AND YOU KNOW, IN OUR CONVERSATION HERE WE'RE KIND OF DIALED INTO THIS ONE THING, BUT MOST OF WHAT THE ATHLETES ARE BEING ASKED ABOUT IS THAT OTHER STUFF, THEIR PERFORMANCES ON THE SNOW --I'VE BEEN SURPRISED BY THE FACT THAT MANY OF THESE COMPETITORS REALLY SEEM TO BE SORT OF READY TO GO.

AGAIN, THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT IT ON THEIR OWN SOCIAL MEDIA FEEDS.

THEY'RE VOLUNTEERING THEIR OWN STORIES, THEIR OWN VIEWS.

AND WHEN THESE QUESTIONS HAVE COME UP, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE NOT LEANING BACK AWAY FROM THOSE MICROPHONES.

MANY OF THEM ARE NOT.

MANY OF THEM ARE LEANING IN AND SAYING I'D LIKE TO SHARE THIS VIEW.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S TRUE IS THAT A LOT OF THESE ATHLETES COME FROM COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE BEEN DIRECTLY AFFECTED.

THEY COME FROM NEAR PORTLAND, OREGON.

THEY COME FROM NEAR MINNEAPOLIS OR IN MINNEAPOLIS.

AND SO THIS IS A POLITICAL STORY.

THE OLYMPICS ALWAYS HAVE A POLITICAL DIMENSION.

BUT THIS YEAR THE POLITICS OF THE WORLD ARE PLAYING OUT IN THESE YOUNG ATHLETES' COMMUNITIES AND IT'S CLEARLY ON THEIR MINDS.

>> MOST WOULD ARGUE WHEN THERE'S A WAR STILL ONGOING IN YOUR OWN HOME COUNTRY, AND THAT'S EXACTLY THE CASE FOR UKRAINIAN SKELETON RACER VLAD SLAR GERASCEVIC WHO HAS KUDS THE IOC OF BETRAYAL AFTER HIS HELMET WHICH WAS HONORING ATHLETES, THERE HAVE BEEN A SCORE OF ATHLETES WHO HAVE BEEN KILLED SINCE THE WAR BEGAN, AND HE WAS BANNED FROM WEARING THAT HELMET FOR VIOLATING RULES ON POLITICAL EXPRESSION.

HE'S RECEIVED PUBLIC BACKING FROM PRESIDENT ZELENSKYY.

INSTEAD I BELIEVE THE IOC SAID HE COULD WEAR A BLACK ARM BAND.

HE CAME OUT TODAY AND SAID DESPITE THAT BAN ON THE HELMET HE WILL WEAR IT.

JUST TALK ABOUT THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THAT.

>> YEAH, I SPENT TIME COVERING THE WAR IN UKRAINE.

AND THIS IS A MOMENT WHEN THE COUNTRY IS JUST UNDER INCREDIBLE PRESSURE.

AND THIS IS AN ATHLETE WHO ARRIVED HERE WANTING TO SHOW THAT SOLIDARITY.

THE IOC HAS THIS INCREDIBLY COMPLICATED NARRATIVE WHERE THEY TRY TO PUSH NON-POLITICAL ACTION OUT IN THE SPORTING FIELD.

SOMETIMES THAT'S VERY HARD TO MAINTAIN.

AND THAT'S WHERE THIS CONFLICT IS HAPPENING RIGHT NOW.

>> BRIAN MANN, REALLY GREAT TO TALK TO YOU, AND APPRECIATE YOU TAKING THE TIME TO SPEAK WITH US ABOUT PRIMARILY THE GAMES.

BUT IT'S HARD NOT TO TALK ABOUT THE POLITICS AND SITUATIONS IN WAR AS IT RELATES TO VLADISLAV THAT SO MANY OF THESE ATHLETES ARE ALSO GRAPPLING WITH IN THESE DAYS.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

APPRECIATE THE TIME.

>> THANKS FOR HAVING ME.

> >> 225 EXECUTIVE ORDERS, CRACKDOWNS ON IMMIGRATION AND MAJOR FUNDING CUTS TO SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH AND USAID.

THE U. S. HAS TRANSFORMED SIGNIFICANTLY SINCE PRESIDENT TRUMP RETURNED TO OFFICE OVER A YEAR AGO.

AS PUBLIC TRUST IN AMERICAN INSTITUTIONS ERODES, NOBEL PEACE PRIZE LAUREATE MARIA RESSA WARNS OF A NARRATIVE WARFARE BEING WAGED BY TRUMP NOT UNLIKE AND, QUOTE, FAR MORE INSIDIOUS THAN WHAT SHE EXPERIENCED IN THE PHILIPPINES UNDER FORMER LEADER RODRIGO DUTERTE.

MARIA RESSA JOINS HARI SREENIVASAN TO SPEAK ABOUT HER RECENT REPORT ON THE SUBJECT.

>> BIANNA, THANKS.

MARIA RESSA, THANKS SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.

MARIA, YOU HAVE BEEN AN OUTSPOKEN ADVOCATE FOR THE PRESS, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU WERE IN THE PHILIPPINES AND YOU WITNESSED AND LIVED THROUGH HOW THAT GOVERNMENT CRACKED DOWN ON THE PRESS.

AND YOU WROTE A RECENT REPORT AT THE NERVE WHICH LOOKED AT THE FIRST 100 DAYS OF THE SECOND TRUMP ADMINISTRATION IN WHICH YOU SAID, "WE RECOGNIZE THE WARNING SIGNS IMMEDIATELY.

IT WAS A SYSTEMATIC IMPORTATION AND EVOLUTION OF THE AUTHORITARIAN PLAYBOOK THAT WE SURVIVED IN THE PHILIPPINES. "

PUT THIS IN PERSPECTIVE FOR US.

COMPARED TO WHAT YOU WITNESSED IN THE PHILIPPINES, HOW CONCERNED ARE YOU FOR THE UNITED STATES?

>> EXTREMELY CONCERNED.

I MEAN, I TELL FRIENDS I HAVE BOTH DEJA VU AND PTSD.

AND EVERY DEVELOPMENT IT'S LIKE OH MY GOD, WE'VE LIVED THROUGH THIS AND OH MY GOD, WHAT IS HAPPENING?

LOOK, THE REPORT'S TITLE IS "NARRATIVE WARFARE AND THE BREAKDOWN OF REALITY. "

I THINK IF YOU DON'T LOOK AT THE DATA YOU MISS THAT CUMULATIVE EFFECT, THE WAY PEOPLE'S BEHAVIOR CHANGED.

RIGHT?

SO JUST ON SOCIAL MEDIA ALONE WE KNOW LIES SPREAD SIX TIMES FASTER.

THAT'S A 2018 M. I. T. STUDY.

BUT WE SAW IN THE PHILIPPINES IN 2017 IF YOU LACE IT WITH FEAR, ANGER AND HATE IT GOES VIRAL.

AND THEN IT ISN'T JUST THE VIRALITY.

IT'S ALSO THE SEEDING OF A MOTA NARRATIVE THAT IS A LIE BUT THEN THE OPPORTUNISTIC AMPLIFICATION EVERY TIME.

SO A LIE TOLD A MILLION TIMES BECOMES A FACT.

IF YOU CAN'T TELL FACT FROM FICTION, IF PEOPLE BELIEVE LIES ARE FACTS, THEN YOU CAN CONTROL THEM.

AND WHAT WE'RE SEEING HERE IS THE SAME THING THAT WE LIVED THROUGH IN THE PHILIPPINES, WHICH IS NARRATIVE WARFARE UP TOP IN THE FIRST 100 DAYS OF TRUMP 2.

0 IT WAS 143 EXECUTIVE ORDERS THAT DIDN'T JUST ACT AS POLICY OR DISMANTLE INSTITUTIONS LIKE USAID IN THE PHYSICAL WORLD, THEY WERE CONTENT TRIGGERS IN THE VIRTUAL WORLD.

RIGHT?

WHERE THE PUBLIC INFORMATION ECOSYSTEM'S DESIGN IS DETERMINED BY BIG TECH FOR PROFIT.

SO THOSE 143 E. O. s LITERALLY CREATED THIS NARRATIVE WARFARE THAT WOULD BE THE TOP OF THE FUNNEL.

WHAT'S THE END GOAL?

THE SECOND PART OF IT IS WHEN PEOPLE CAN'T TELL FACT FROM FICTION CIVIC ENGAGEMENT DISAPPEARS.

AND THE MIDDLE OF IT IS THE DISMANTLING OF INSTITUTIONS.

THERE ARE NO CHECKS AND BALANCES.

WE LIVED THROUGH THIS IN THE PHILIPPINES UNDER RODRIGO DUTERTE IN 2016.

IT TOOK HIM SIX MONTHS.

I THINK OUR REPORT POSITS TO YOU THAT IN AMERICA IT HAPPENED WITHIN 100 DAYS.

143 E. O. s. AND THEN THE LAST PART, THE BIGGEST CHANGE FROM 2016 TO TODAY, IS THE FUSION OF STATE WITH BIG TECH.

RIGHT?

AND YOU CAN SEE THAT IN THE DISMANTLING OF SAFETY MEASURES THAT HAD BEEN PUT IN PLACE THAT HAD BEEN DEMANDED BY THE WORLD.

BY 2024 WE HAD THESE MEASURES.

BUT THEN FACEBOOK JUST DECIDED TO TAKE THEM DOWN.

NO FACT CHECKING.

AND PEOPLE WENT TO VOTE IN AMERICA WITH MORE PROPAGANDA THAN FACTS.

NEWS ORGANIZATIONS' DISTRIBUTION WAS FAR LESS THAN IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN.

WE ARE LIVING THROUGH AN INFORMATION ARMAGEDDON.

IN ORDER TO MAKE DEMOCRACY WORK WE NEED A SHARED REALITY.

AND I'VE SAID THIS OVER AND OVER.

THE THREE SENTENCES SINCE 2016.

FACTS DON'T SPREAD AS FAST AS LIES.

RIGHT?

SO IF YOU DON'T HAVE FACTS, YOU CAN'T HAVE TRUTH.

WITHOUT TRUTH YOU CAN'T HAVE TRUST.

WITHOUT THESE THREE WE DON'T HAVE A SHARED REALITY.

YOU CAN'T HAVE JOURNALISM.

YOU CAN'T HAVE DEMOCRACY.

>> YOU KNOW, LET'S BREAK THAT DOWN A LITTLE BIT.

SO SAY, FOR EXAMPLE, AN EXECUTIVE ORDER COMES OUT.

HOW DOES IT GO THROUGH THE SORT OF TECH ECOSYSTEM?

>> LOOK, FIRST IT'S NOT AN ACCIDENT, LIKE WE CALLED IT IN THE REPORT A DECONSTRUCTION MODEL WHERE IN THE PAST THE PERSUASION MODEL, A GOVERNMENT WOULD HAVE TO PERSUADE ITS CITIZENS, HAVE DISCUSSIONS ABOUT POLICY.

RIGHT?

BUT WHAT HAPPENED HERE WITH A DECONSTRUCTION MODEL IS THE GATEKEEPERS, INSTITUTIONAL GATEKEEPERS, THE PRESS, CONGRESS, LEGISLATURE, THINK TANKS, THE ACADEMICS, ALL OF THE DISCUSSION THAT GOES AROUND A POLICY, SHOULD WE DISMANTLE USAID IS COMPLETELY THROWN OUT.

AND THE CONTENT TRIGGERS THEN SO WHEN THE E. O. HAPPENS THE CONTENT TRIGGER GOES IN, THE ADMINISTRATION USES EXECUTIVE ACTIONS TO CREATE NARRATIVE EVENTS.

THEY'RE AMPLIFIED.

A DECENTRALIZED NETWORK OF INFLUENCERS.

THEY REFRAME THESE EVENTS FOR POLITICALLY ALIGNED COMMUNITIES.

AND THEN IT'S REINFORCED BY PLATFORM ALGORITHMS THAT REWARD THIS EMOTIONAL BEHAVIOR.

YOU KNOW, POLITICS BECOMES A GLADIATOR'S BATTLE TO THE DEATH.

BUT I THINK MORE INTERESTING THAN ALL OF THIS ARE THE -- THIS ISN'T AN ACCIDENT.

THERE'S A DELIBERATE POLITICAL STRATEGY THAT LEVERAGES DIRECT UNMEDIATED COMMUNICATION TO BYPASS TRADITIONAL CHECKS AND BALANCES.

THERE'S A TECHNOLOGICAL ARCHITECTURE THAT SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS ARE BUILT TO REWARD EMOTIONS.

AND THEN THERE'S AN ECONOMIC MODEL.

RIGHT?

THE CREATOR ECONOMY.

AND NO OFFENSE TO INFLUENCERS AND CREATORS, BUT YOU ARE PART OF AN ECOSYSTEM THAT MONETIZES ATTENTION AND IT CREATES THIS POWERFUL FINANCIAL INCENTIVE.

SO TIKTOK WAS THE MOST INTERESTING BECAUSE IT'S ALL ABOUT SPECTACLE AND MOVING IT AWAY FROM POLICY TO PERSONALITIES.

IT'S INFLUENCER-DRIVEN REALITY.

INDEPENDENT CREATORS DROVE 66% OF ALL ENGAGEMENT, DWARFING MAINSTREAM MEDIA, WHICH ONLY HAD 32%.

INSTEAD OF TALKING ABOUT POLICY, IT WENT TO BARON TRUMP INSTEAD.

IT CREATED THE PRESIDENCY AS POP CULTURE.

IT SOFTENS THE IMAGE OF AUTHORITARIAN POWER FOR YOUNGER AUDIENCES.

AMERICANS NOW GET THEIR NEWS FROM SOCIAL MEDIA.

RIGHT?

IN TIKTOK COMPLEX EXECUTIVE ORDERS WERE STRIPPED OF ALL MEANING, OF CONTEXT, AND THEY WERE REPACKAGED AS MEMES AND IRONY.

>> SO WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THE INSTITUTIONS THAT USED TO STAND IN THE MIDDLE, WHETHER IT'S CONGRESS OR AN INDEPENDENT PRESS, GET ERODED AWAY OR ARE MADE INCONSEQUENTIAL, LESS RELEVANT BY THIS SORT OF INFORMATION FUNNEL AND THIS WAVL THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT?

>> IMPUNITY.

WHAT YOU GET LITERALLY IN HOW TO STAND UP TO A DICTATOR, MOST PEOPLE ASSUME THE DICTATOR I WAS TALKING ABOUT IS RODRIGO DUTERTE, WHO BY THE WAY WAS ARRESTED MARCH LAST YEAR.

HE IS NOW JAILED IN THE HAGUE AWAITING TRIALS.

THE CHARGE AGAINST HIM IS CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY.

RIGHT?

BUT THE BIGGER DICTATOR IN "HOW TO STAND UP TO A DICTATOR" WAS MARK ZUCKERBERG.

RIGHT?

HE'S NOT ELECTED.

HE DETERMINES WHAT BILLIONS OF PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD SEE AND FEEL AND INFLUENCES THE WAY WE ACT INSIDIOUSLY.

WHEN YOU SEE IN MY COUNTRY IT WAS MY GOVERNMENT THAT ATTACKED ME.

AND YOU'RE SEEING SOME OF THIS HAPPENING.

ACTUALLY, THAT'S THE NARRATIVE WARFARE WE LAY OUT IN THE REPORT HERE.

BUT FOR ME, LOOK, IN 2017 THE NARRATIVE WARFARE AGAINST ME WAS #ARRESTMARIARESSA TRENDED.

AND THEN I WAS ARRESTED IN 2019.

BUT IN 2017 IT WAS LAUGHABLE.

SO IT'S LIKE FERTILIZER SEEDING THE GROUND.

THE COMMODIFICATION OF NEWS HAS LED TO A STEADY DECLINE IN THE KIND OF NEWS THAT REACHES THE WIDEST AUDIENCE.

AND THAT GOES HAND IN HAND WITH WHEN SOMEONE IN POWER LIKE PRESIDENT TRUMP, LIKE PRESIDENT DUTERTE, CALLS AN INVESTIGATIVE REPORT FAKE NEWS, AN INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER FAKE NEWS.

THAT IS VERY, VERY DIFFERENT AND CARRIES CONSEQUENCES.

WHEN THE GATEKEEPERS ARE GONE, THEN YOU HAVE UNRESTRAINED POWER.

AND THE IMPUNITY HAPPENS NOT JUST AT THE STATE LEVEL BUT ALSO AT THE TECHNOLOGY THAT UNDERPINS THIS.

>> YOU HAVE BEEN VERY CRITICAL OF MARK ZUCKERBERG AND FACEBOOK AND YOU'VE CALLED HIM KIND OF MORE DANGEROUS AND A BIGGER DICTATOR THAN DUTERTE.

AND LOOK, DUTERTE HAS ADMITTED TO HAVING DEATH SQUADS.

HE'S KILLS HUNDREDS IF NOT MORE PEOPLE.

WHY IS ZUCKERBERG WORSE IN YOUR OPINION?

>> HERE'S AN EASY ONE THAT EVERYBODY HAS ALREADY AGREED TO AND I'VE WATCHED THE NARRATIVE SHIFT OVER TIME.

2018 MYANMAR.

WHERE IT WAS GENOCIDE IN MYANMAR ENABLED BY FACEBOOK AND BOTH FACEBOOK AND THE U. N. SENT ITS TEAMS TO INVESTIGATE THAT.

THEY CAME OUT WITH THE SAME --WITH THE SAME CONCLUSION, THAT IT HAD ENABLED THIS.

I'VE WATCHED THIS IN THE PHILIPPINES.

I'VE LIVED THROUGH IT.

LIKE LITERALLY, I'M NOT JUST GIVING YOU DATA.

I'M GIVING YOU THE EXPERIENCE OF IT.

AND IF WE DON'T FIX IT DEMOCRACY WILL NOT SURVIVE THROUGH IT.

RIGHT?

YOU'LL HAVE A LOT OF COMPANIES WITH A LOT OF PROFIT.

BUT IT COMES AT A SOCIETAL, AT A GLOBAL EXPENSE.

AT SOME POINT THE WORLD WILL TIP.

AND IT'S THE SAME.

IN A CLOSED SYSTEM WHEN A META NARRATIVE IS SEEDED YOU POUND IT OPPORTUNISTICALLY.

AT SOME POINT IT TAKES OVER THE SYSTEM.

WE'RE AT THAT PHASE.

AND THE PROBLEM GLOBALLY, AND YOU'RE SEEING THIS, WHETHER IT IS IN THE UK OR FRANCE OR GERMANY OR EVEN CANADA, RIGHT?

OR AUSTRALIA.

WHAT YOU'RE SEEING IS THE DEMOCRATIC LEADERS ARE STANDING ON WOOD THAT IS BEING EATEN BY TERMITES.

AND THAT WOOD WILL COLLAPSE UNTIL WE EXTINGUISH THE TERMITES.

THAT'S WHAT NARRATIVE WARFARE DOES.

>> YOU SAID ONE OF THE BOTTOMS OF THIS FUNNEL IS THAT THERE IS A KLEPTOCRACY OR INHERENTLY THAT'S WHAT IT ENABLES.

EXPLAIN THAT.

>> IN THE PHILIPPINES WHAT WE SAW, SIX MONTHS DUTERTE BECAME THE MOST POWERFUL LEADER WE HAD EVER HAD.

MORE POWERFUL THAN THE FIRST MARCOS IN 1972 WHEN HE DECLARED MARTIAL LAW BY EXECUTIVE ORDER.

RIGHT?

SO THE TOP OF THE FUNNEL.

AND THEN HE GOES DOWN, WITHIN SIX MONTHS THE LEGISLATURE ESSENTIALLY COLLAPSED.

SO WHAT HAPPENS WHEN ALL OF THAT GOES IS THAT YOU DON'T HAVE A DEMOCRACY ANYMORE.

AND IT IS TRANSFORMING IN FRONT OF YOUR EYES.

IT'S THE DEATH BY A THOUSAND CUTS OF A DEMOCRACY.

>> ONE OF THE THINGS YOU'VE WRITTEN ABOUT BEFORE IS HOW DUTERTE WAS REALLY KIND OF PICKING OFF THE SORT OF ELITES IN THE TOP AND TO MAKE EXAMPLES OF PARTICULAR TYPE OF INDIVIDUALS AND INSTITUTIONS THAT CREATES A MASSIVE CHILLING EFFECT.

HOW DID YOU OVERCOME THAT IN THE PHILIPPINES, WHERE PEOPLE KNEW THAT THIS COULD BE INJURIOUS TO THEIR PERSONAL HEALTH IF THEY DECIDED TO SPREAD THIS INFORMATION?

>> I DECIDED NOT TO LEAVE THE PHILIPPINES.

RAPPLER WAS THE THIRD NEWS ORGANIZATION TARGETED BY DUTERTE.

SO I HELD A MEETING AND I TOLD EVERYBODY IN RAPPLER, IT'S GOING TO GET WORSE.

AND LOOK, IF THIS IS TOO MUCH FOR YOU LET US KNOW AND WE WILL HELP YOU FIND A JOB IN ANOTHER NEWS ORGANIZATION.

NOT ONE REPORTER TOOK THAT.

NOT ONE JOURNALIST TOOK THAT OFFER.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DID WAS IF A DOZEN AGENTS CAME IN, AND THEY DID WHEN THEY ARREST MED ON FEBRUARY 13th.

RIGHT?

BUT IF THEY CAME IN TO TRY TO SHUT DOWN RAPPLER WHAT WOULD WE DO?

RIGHT?

WE HAD CODE.

WE HAD ONE CODE WORD THAT WOULD GIVE US FIVE MINUTES FOR EVERY REPORT -- EVERY PERSON INSIDE RAPPLER TO SHUT DOWN THEIR ELECTRONICS.

WE DID QUARTERLY DRILLS OF A RAID IF THEY CAME IN.

I WANTED TO BE PREPARED.

AND THOSE DRILLS, OUR PEOPLE DIDN'T KNOW WHETHER THEY WERE REAL OR NOT.

AND SOME OF OUR PEOPLE CRIED THROUGH IT.

BUT EACH TIME WE LEARNED SOMETHING.

AND IT PREPARED US.

THAT'S THE THING.

RIGHT?

THE SEVENTH PIECE.

PROPER PREPARATION.

WE DRILLED IT EVERY QUARTER.

SO WE WERE PREPARED FOR THE WORST.

IT NEVER HAPPENED, THANK GOD.

BUT WE WERE PREPARED.

AND BECAUSE WE WERE PREPARED FOR THE WORST WE WEREN'T AFRAID.

>> YOU LOOK AT THIS AS NOT A FREE SPEECH ISSUE.

IF WE WANTED TO TRY TO CONSTRAIN SOME OF WHAT THE SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS ARE DOING TODAY, YOU'RE SAYING STOP TRYING TO ARGUE THE SPEECH CASE, START LOOKING AT THE SAFETY CASE.

EXPLAIN THAT.

>> THIS IS BY DESIGN HARMFUL TO US.

AND WHERE WE'VE SEEN THE MOST PROGRESS, AND THIS IS BIPARTISAN, EVEN IN THE UNITED STATES, IS ON SAFETY FOR KIDS.

RIGHT?

I MEAN, THINK ABOUT HOW CORRUPTED THIS IS.

LIES SPREAD FASTER IF YOU LACE IT WITH FEAR, ANGER AND HATE IT SPREADS EVEN FASTER.

IF YOU ACTUALLY AGREE TO BE CLONED IN THE VIRTUAL WORLD.

DATA PRIVACY IS LARGELY A MYTH NOW IN AMERICA.

RIGHT?

LIKE I DIDN'T AGREE TO THAT.

THERE'S A LITTLE BIT MORE PROTECTION IF YOU'RE IN THE EU.

THE LAWS IN THE EU HELPED US IN THE GLOBAL SOUTH.

SO A LOT OF THIS --EVERYTHING IN THE PHYSICAL WORLD IS NOW BEING REPLICATED IN THE VIRTUAL WORLD.

BUT DEMOCRATIC COUNTRIES ALSO ABDICATED RESPONSIBILITY FOR PROTECTING ITS CITIZENS IN THE VIRTUAL WORLD.

RIGHT?

IN NOVEMBER 2022 WE CAME UP ABOUT 300 NOBEL LAWYER UREATES, CIVIL SOCIETY GROUPS, WE CAME UP WITH A TEN-POINT ACTION PLAN THAT BOILS DOWN TO THREE BUCKETS.

THE FIRST IS TO STOP SURVEILLANCE FOR PROFIT.

WE ARE NOT --WE DID NOT GIVE APPROVAL TO BE CLONED.

AND THIS KIND OF, YOU KNOW --THIS KIND OF CLONING INSIDIOUSLY MANIPULATES US.

STOP SURVEILLANCE FOR PROFIT.

THE SECOND ONE IS STOP CODED BIAS.

BECAUSE IF YOU ARE A WOMAN OR LGBTQ PLUS, IF YOU ARE BROWN OR BLACK OR PART OF ANY ETHNIC MINORITY YOU'RE FURTHER MARGINALIZED ONLINE.

THE THIRD IS JOURNALISM IS AN ANTIDOTE TO TYRANNY.

BECAUSE THINK ABOUT THE SYSTEM THAT BIG TECH CREATED.

SOCIAL MEDIA FIRST.

AND NOW WE CAN TALK ABOUT CHATBOTS SEPARATELY.

BUT IN SOCIAL MEDIA WHAT'S REWARDED?

A NEWS ORGANIZATION SEPARATES THE PUBLISHER, THE ARM THAT HAS TO MAKE MONEY, FROM THE JOURNALISM GROUP THAT HAS TO CALL A SPADE A SPADE, THAT HAS TO TELL YOU THINGS YOU MAY NOT WANT TO HEAR.

WHAT BIG TECH DID IS IT REWARDED TELLING YOU EVERYTHING YOU WANT TO HEAR WITHOUT ANY --WITHOUT ANY GUARDRAILS IN PLACE.

SO THAT'S THE NEXT PHASE.

WE HAVE A SHARED REALITY ON FACTS.

WHEN THAT HAPPENS WE CAN HAVE CIVILIZED POLICY DISCUSSIONS.

WE CAN AGREE TO DISAGREE.

WE CAN LEARN.

THAT'S THE OTHER PART.

RIGHT?

IT'S NOT THE CULT OF THE AMATEUR.

AND FINALLY, THE LAST PART OF IT IS THAT BUILDS COMMUNITY.

THAT'S HOW WE BRING DISPARATE VOICES TOGETHER, BY FINDING OUR COMMON GROUND.

IF WE DON'T FIX THE PUBLIC INFORMATION ECOSYSTEM, EVERYTHING WE DO DOWNSTREAM WILL COLLAPSE BECAUSE WE LIVE IN TOXIC SLUDGE.

>> NOBEL PEACE PRIZE LAUREATE AND CEO OF RAPPLER MARIA RESSA, THANKS SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.

>> NO, THANK YOU.

> >> AND FINALLY, 2,300 MILES.

NINE STATES.

MILLIONS OF SUPPORTERS.

AND ONE TRUSTY CANINE COMPANION.

TODAY A GROUP OF BUDDHIST MONKS COMPLETED THEIR WALK FOR PEACE ACROSS AMERICA, ARRIVING IN WASHINGTON, D. C. OVER THREE MONTHS AFTER THEY SET OFF FROM FORT WORTH, TEXAS.

THROUGH FREEZING TEMPERATURES, SERIOUS INJURY AND EXHAUSTION THE MONKS KEPT GOING, CARRYING A MESSAGE OF UNITY, HEALING AND COMPASSION WITH EVERY STEP.

>> THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU.

>> WE LEAVE YOU WITH ONE OF THE LESSONS THEY SHARED ALONG THE WAY.

THIS IS THE BEAUTIFUL TRUTH ABOUT PEACE.

WHEN YOU GIVE IT AWAY, IT DOESN'T DIMINISH.

IT MULTIPLIES.

WHEN YOU SHARE JOY, YOU DON'T LOSE IT.

YOU CREATE MORE OF IT.

I LOVE THOSE WORDS.

AND THAT'S IT FOR OUR PROGRAM TONIGHT.

IF YOU WANT TO FIND OUT WHAT'S COMING UP ON THE SHOW EACH NIGHT, SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER AT PBS.

ORG/AMANPOUR.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR WATCHING "AMANPOUR & COMPANY" ON PBS.

JOIN US AGAIN TOMORROW NIGHT.

?

?

?

?

?

?

?

?

>> "AMANPOUR & COMPANY" IS MADE POSSIBLE BY -- THE ANDERSON FAMILY ENDOWMENT.

JIM ATTWOOD AND LESLIE WILLIAMS.

CANDACE KING WEIR.

THE SYLVIA A. AND SIMON B. POYTA PROGRAMMING ENDOWMENT TO FIGHT ANTISEMITISM.

THE STRAUS FAMILY FOUNDATION.

THE PETER G. PETERSON AND JOAN GANZ COONEY FUND.

CHARLES ROSENBLUM.

MONIQUE SCHOEN WARSHAW.

KOO AND PATRICIA YUEN, COMMITTED TO BRIDGING CULTURAL DIFFERENCES IN OUR COMMUNITIES.

BARBARA HOPE ZUCKERBERG.

AND BY CONTRIBUTIONS TO YOUR PBS STATION FROM VIEWERS LIKE YOU.

THANK YOU.