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CNN NEWSROOM

Pope Francis Gets Political In Washington Debut; Colombia Signs Peace Commitment with Rebels; President Xi Jinping Addresses Cyber Security with U.S. Tech Leaders; Donald Trump Attacks Clinton and Republican Rivals; North Korean Woman Says She's Trapped in the South; Saudi Man to be Beheaded and Crucified; U2's Bono Fights to End Extreme Poverty. Aired 12-1a ET

Aired September 24, 2015 - 00:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


[00:00:12] ROSEMARY CHURCH, CNN ANCHOR: In a rare moment, Pope Francis speaks to America in English, and some of his words and actions are stirring controversy.

ERROL BARNETT, CNN ANCHOR: Plus a long-awaited peace agreement in Colombia. The nation comes to terms with guerrilla rebels known as FARC after decades of conflict.

CHURCH: And later the clock is ticking for a Shiite man in Saudi Arabia who is due to be beheaded and crucified. Why human rights groups are begging authorities to spare his life.

BARNETT: A very warm welcome to our viewers here in the United States, and those of you watching from all around the world. I'm Errol Barnett.

CHURCH: And I'm Rosemary Church. Thanks for joining us. We are your team for the next four hours. This is CNN NEWSROOM.

Our top story this hour, Pope Francis will soon be the first pontiff in history to address a Joint Meeting of the United States Congress. It is a speech he will deliver just hours from now as part of his six- day tour of the United States.

BARNETT: Now this Pope spent Wednesday at numerous events, including a White House welcoming ceremony with President Obama. And as Jim Acosta reports, the leaders made clear they are united on many issues that divide Americans.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JIM ACOSTA, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): His presence could be felt the moment he arrived, as cheers erupted across the nation's capitol when the tiny Fiat carrying Pope Francis pulled up to the White House. Before a sea of the faithful assembled on the South Lawn, the Pope joined President Obama to deliver a message that seemed so coordinated it could have come from political running mates.

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: You remind us that the Lord's most powerful message is mercy.

ACOSTA: On immigration, President Obama called for compassion.

OBAMA: That means welcoming the stranger with empathy and a truly open heart. From the refugee who flees war-torn lands to the immigrant who leaves home in search of a better life.

ACOSTA: And so did the Pope, speaking in carefully practiced English so Americans could hear from him directly.

POPE FRANCIS, CATHOLIC CHURCH LEADER: As the son of an immigrant family, I'm happy to be a guest in this country, which was largely built by such families.

ACOSTA: Pope Francis pleaded with the world's leaders to protect the environment, describing the planet as our common home.

POPE FRANCIS: It seems clear to me also that climate change is a problem we can no longer be left to our future generation.

ACOSTA: It was as if they were reading the same speech.

OBAMA: We support your call to all world leaders to support the communities most vulnerable to changing climates, and to come together to preserve our precious world for future generations.

ACOSTA: The only hint of any disagreement came when the Pope talked about marriage, a reminder the two leaders remain divided on gay rights.

OBAMA: All of you are much better behaved than usual.

ACOSTA: Behind closed doors in the Oval Office, the president and Pope held a rare one-on-one meeting, discussing other pressing global matters from the Syrian refugee crisis to the battle against ISIS. Minutes later, the pontiff was paraded down Constitution Avenue, his Fiat switched out for the Popemobile. All the better for kissing babies along the way. Then he was off to an address to U.S. bishops where he repeated his concerns on immigration.

So far the Pope's visit is everything the White House could have hoped for. No surprise in this White House video even the president sounds like a fan.

OBAMA: So glad you're here in the United States.

ACOSTA (on camera): Despite what sounded like a unified message from the White House and the Vatican, aides to the president claimed they had no idea what Pope Francis was going to say until he said it. It's unclear how much help the Pope's support will be for the president's agenda. The world will get a sense of that when House Speaker John Boehner hosts the Pope's speech to Congress on Thursday.

Jim Acosta, CNN, the White House.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BARNETT: Now on Wednesday, Pope Francis canonized a controversial 18th century priest as a saint, the first such ceremony in the U.S.

CHURCH: To Francis, Junipero Serra was a missionary from Spain credited with spreading Christianity in California. But to Native Americans, Serra is viewed as the man responsible for the mistreatment and brutal deaths of their ancestors as he converted their communities to his way of thinking.

BARNETT: Now the Vatican says the Pope met with Native Americans after Junipero Serra's canonization.

[00:05:04] CHURCH: Pope Francis also met with the Little Sisters of the Poor in Washington on Wednesday. The Catholic News Agency reports the sisters filed a lawsuit against the Obama administration for its 2012 mandate that employers provide insurance for birth control and drugs that can cause abortions. The Pope's visit was seen as a sign of support for the women.

BARNETT: Father Thomas Reese joins us now to talk about what's happening this week. He is the senior analyst for the National Catholic Reporter.

Father, thank you for joining us here on CNN. I just want to know what -- what you think we should all make of the Pope's U.S. visit so far, considering as warm as a welcome as he's received, conservatives in this country, they are less approving of him now than they were earlier this year.

FATHER THOMAS REESE, SENIOR ANALYST, NATIONAL CATHOLIC REPORTER: Well, it's interesting. Actually, most Catholics, most Americans love this Pope. The people who don't like him are the conservative commentators on radio and television and the blogoshpere. These are the people that are taking him on and attacking him. These are the people that only want the church to talk about abortion, gay marriage and birth control. And this Pope has got a much bigger agenda than that.

He wants to talk about the poor, about immigrants and refugees, about globalization, and he wants to criticize capitalism. And, you know, and of course a big item on his agenda is concern about global warming in the environment.

BARNETT: Right. I'm just wondering if because he is in D.C. at the moment, it's almost exposing a chasm between most Catholics and the political conservatives in D.C. who do kind of point the narrative, the conversation in a different direction. For example, he made a point while at the White House to mention responsible care for our common home, effectively saying climate change, and what to do about it is a moral issue.

Is that the main sticking point, do you think, for political conservatives?

REESE: Well, this is a Pope who actually as a young man studied as a scientist, studied chemistry, and actually worked as a chemist before he entered the seminary. So he's got some science background. And he has listened to scientists all over the world and accepts the consensus view that global change is happening. It's being caused by human activity. And for him, this is a moral issue because it's going to impact people all over the world.

I mean, if the ocean rises, countries like Bangladesh are going to be flooded. If all the glaciers melt, where is India going to get its water for its rivers? I mean, this is going to be an absolute disaster. And he is saying we can't postpone dealing with this. You know, it's not up to future generation. This is our obligation to do something to deal with climate change today.

BARNETT: We'll certainly stay tuned. Father Thomas Reese, a senior analyst with the National Catholic Reporter, thanks for your time today.

REESE: Thank you.

CHURCH: Colombia's government is taking a major step toward ending its 50-year war with leftist rebels. The two sides signed a peace commitment Wednesday in Cuba aimed at reaching a final deal within six months. The plan calls for tribunals to try those accused of the most serious crimes.

BARNETT: Now FARC rebels have been fighting the government since 1964 in a conflict that's killed more than 200,000 people. The peace agreement also calls for a commission to provide compensation to war victims.

CHURCH: And for more, let's bring in CNN's Juan Carlos Lopez. He is live in Havana.

Good to chat with you. So, Juan, let's start with the significance of this peace commitment after 50 long years of war between the Colombian government and the FARC rebels.

JUAN CARLOS LOPEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Rosemary, surprisingly, this is another Pope Francis related story. In Havana, he made a call for Colombians to advance in the peace process. And he said this process would not accept another failure. There were hopes by the Colombians and the FARC and the Cubans for this announcement to be made while the Pope was here. But that wasn't possible. And why is it significant? Because both the FARC and the Colombian government have recent agreement on the most contentious point, and that's what is going to happen with the victims.

What's going to happen with those who committed crimes and what does that future hold? There is an expectation that many would go to jail. And this contemplate that possibility but it spells it out in different ways. Now it's an agreement that would be signed in six months, but now there is a concrete date. That's also significant. And also the announcement by FARC that 60 days after they sign an agreement, which would be March 23rd, 2016, that would be the cutoff date, 60 days after that they would start disarming and become a political party.

[00:10:09] There's still a lot of work to be done. But for Colombians to see President Juan Manuel Santos, who belongs to one of the most traditional and politically involved families in the country in the same stage with Timoleon Jimenez, Timochenko, the leader of FARC who has been fighting the government for 50 years, joined by Raul Castro, this is a very significant issue. A lot of people are happy. A lot of people are not. But it is a process that is ongoing.

CHURCH: OK. So what is in this peace commitment exactly? And how different will it likely be to the final deal that, as you mentioned will be signed months from now?

LOPEZ: What they've been doing is going part by part. They talk about agriculture. They talked about compensation. But this was justice for the victims. So what they've created is a system where whoever confesses to committing these crimes will face punishment, but will not face jail. If a person who has committed crimes, and it's important, this is not a rendition or capitulation by the rebels. This is an agreement between equals. So if someone who belonged to the state committed the crimes or someone who belonged to FARC committed the crimes, they both will have the same benefits. Five to eight years of retribution -- retribution.

That's a process where they would find a way to compensate the victims. But if the persons don't confess to their crimes, then they can face five to eight years of jail. For those crimes that are considered crimes against humanity and for those people who are condemned by ordinary justice, they could face up to 20 years. The question that many are asking now, would this be ratified by the constitutional court in Colombia or by the International Criminal Court. Is this justice or not?

But the FARC have agreed to this. And they have said that they're willing to advance in the process and to sign this agreement before the six months are over. So a significant announcement, a very significant announcement that Colombians are going to have to look forward to. And by the way, President Santos and the FARC leader reiterated Colombians have to go and vote and decide if they accept this agreement or not. But it's been over five decades of war and as you have mentioned over 200,000 victims.

CHURCH: Yes, unbelievable details there. And very significant.

Juan Carlos Lopez joining us live from Havana, Cuba. Many thanks to you.

BARNETT: And there are more important stories we're tracking for you. Before he heads to the White House, China's president met with some of the biggest tech leaders in the U.S.

CHURCH: At Microsoft's campus in Washington state, Xi Jinping spoke with Microsoft's co-founder, Facebook's founder and Apple's CEO among others. He told the executives a secure cyberspace is important around the world.

BARNETT: Now earlier in the day, Mr. Xi announced a multibillion deal to buy 300 jets from Boeing. Our Asia-Pacific editor Andrew Stevens joins us now from Hong Kong with more on that and the meeting with tech executives. Andrew, good to see you. Let's begin with the meeting between Chinese

and U.S. business leaders. You had Warren Buffett, Jeff Bezos of Amazon, and of course Apple's Tim Cook as we saw, as well as many others. And they got a choice to voice concerns over intellectual property rights. I'm wondering what message President Xi brought to this discussion.

ANDREW STEVENS, CNN ASIA-PACIFIC EDITOR: This was a meeting of the big base of the tech sector really in the two biggest economies in the world. So you did have some real heavyweights in there at a forum which had been organized by a former U.S. Treasury secretary. And as you say, Errol, presided over by President Xi.

It was about business opportunities if you like. President Xi dangling the prospect of the world's second biggest economy continuing with relatively high growth for a long time to come, and a sector which is performing above many, many of the other sectors. 1.2 billion mobile users, 600 million Internet users. These were the carrots he was offering really to U.S. businesses about what they can achieve, if they get in there. It's a massive market for them to get into.

But there are caveats. The Chinese want to see -- they want the help enlisted of these Americans to try to get more high-tech information and high-tech manufacturing processes across into China to help the Chinese economy. The big sticking point, of course, is the rules. And it's as you mentioned, it's IPOs, intellectual property. Just how can it be protected. Hacking. China is a major problem when it comes to cybercrime, as we now know.

So the executives are really laying out their stalls, if you like, saying, of course I want to do business, but they need certain guarantees. The Chinese are saying and Xi Jinping is saying that we understand as well. So how close is meeting of minds comes to actual action, we have to wait and see. And it will be interesting to see how it's interpreted in the White House because President Obama, Errol, has been very, very strong on cybercrime.

[00:15:06] There are sanctions on the table. They haven't been triggered. But he wants a real change, a sea change from China about dealing with hacking. So that remains the big, big stumbling block here.

BARNETT: That's right. And President Xi will meet with President Obama on Friday. The hope is the most optimistic view is that perhaps some sort of loose framework and pencil on that issue can at least come out of this visit.

Andrew Stevens, live in Hong Kong for us today. Thanks, Andrew.

STEVENS: Thanks, Errol.

CHURCH: Eurozone leaders are pledging more than $1 billion to Middle Eastern nations dealing with people fleeing the fighting in Syria. EU President Donald Tusk is predicting, quote, "The greatest tide of refugees and migrants is yet to come." Mr. Tusk announced the aid package at an emergency summit to discuss a proposed quota plan.

BARNETT: Now the U.N. Refugee Agency says as of August, four million Syrians have fled to neighboring countries and North Africa. This agency and the World Food Program will use the aid money to help Lebanon, Jordan and other countries there in the region.

And in just a few hours from now, German Chancellor Angela Merkel will address parliament on the humanitarian crisis unfolding in Europe. And later today she'll host a refugee summit for the country's state premiers. And these events come amid criticism from state leaders and communities over a lack of funds to address the migrant crisis.

CHURCH: Heads roll at Volkswagen. The automaker's boss quits as the crisis deepens at the company's falsified diesel emissions. But he says he had no hand in it.

Back in a moment with the details on that.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(WEATHER REPORT)

[00:20:39] BARNETT: Welcome back, everyone. Volkswagen's chief has resigned amid growing scandal that has shaken up the auto industry. U.S. regulators say the company cheated on environmental standards in its diesel powered vehicles. Volkswagen revealed that 11 million cars worldwide have emissions discrepancies.

CHURCH: The numbers are incredible. CEO Martin Winterkorn says there was no wrongdoing on his part. The head of the company's supervisory board says those who are responsible will be held accountable.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BERTHOLD HUBER, VOLKSWAGEN SUPERVISORY BOARD (Through Translator): We agreed at today's meeting that all procedures must be clarified with the utmost decisiveness. And misconduct has to be punished. At the same time, we are determined to make a fresh start.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: Volkswagen has been ordered to recall the affected vehicles and stop selling some cars in the United States.

U.S. Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee is going after Barack Obama's faith, saying he pretends to be a Christian.

BARNETT: Now Huckabee was answering a question about Republican rival Ben Carson's recent comments that he would not support a Muslim president. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MIKE HUCKABEE (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: There is no religious test to hold public office in America. I am less concerned about what faith a person has, I'm more concerned about the authenticity of their faith and how that plays out in their policies. I'm also concerned about a guy that believes he's a Christian, and pretends to be, and then -- and says he is, but then does things that makes it very difficult for people to practice their Christian faith.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BARNETT: Now Donald Trump says he will unveil a detailed tax plan next week with tax cuts for the middle class and increases for hedge fund managers.

CHURCH: On Wednesday, he was on attack mode on the campaign trail in South Carolina.

Sunlen Serfaty reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SUNLEN SERFATY, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Republican frontrunner Donald Trump back on offense, going after his Republican and Democratic rivals alike.

DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Hillary who has become very shrill. You know the word shrill? Marco Rubio as an example, he's had no money, zero. Now I think that's OK, it's fine, maybe it's good politically to say you owe money because you over borrowed your credit cards.

SERFATY: Mocking his opponents for their appearance at last week's debate.

TRUMP: In a room that was 100 degrees, that room was hot. I mean, poor Chris Christie. No. It's true. It was an amazing thing. I was like a piece of water. Rubio, I've never seen a young guy sweat that much. Huckabee, nice guy. He was seriously hot. He was soaking wet. I grabbed him around his back. I said, good job. And it was soaking wet. I immediately -- he was drenched.

SERFATY: Trump also going on a two-day Twitter tear against FOX News, declaring he is boycotting the network "for treating me very unfairly," and calling Megyn Kelly a lightweight and highly overrated. FOX News says Trump announced his boycott after FOX canceled his interview with host Bill O'Reilly scheduled for Thursday, and directing fire at Senator Rubio, saying he has the worst voting record in the Senate.

But in an appearance with Stephen Colbert, still refusing to answer the question whether he believes President Obama was born in the U.S.

STEPHEN COLBERT, HOST, "THE LATE SHOW WITH STEPHEN COLBERT: Right there, just right there. Come on.

TRUMP: You want to know, I don't talk about it anymore.

SERFATY: This as Ben Carson can't change the subject away from his controversial comments, that a U.S. president shouldn't be a Muslim.

BEN CARSON (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Anybody, and that includes any religion, who lives according to American values and principles, and is willing to put our Constitution above their religious ideology, is acceptable to me.

SERFATY: But claiming the fallout had led to a big boost in donations.

CARSON: I mean the money has been coming in so fast it's hard to even keep up with this.

SERFATY: Meanwhile, Carly Fiorina now polling at second place says she thinks Trump's rumblings are a sign he's getting nervous.

CARLY FIORINA (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Maybe I am getting under his skin a little bit.

SERFATY: And riding the post-debate wave in South Carolina, Fiorina says she sees that momentum turning into something tangible.

[00:25:07] FIORINA: We're seeing a big up-tick in our crowds and our fundraising and interest and support, and obviously that's really gratifying.

SERFATY (on camera): And the Fiorina campaign would not divulge how much interest they're seeing, how much money they're seeing, in hard numbers, only saying that they're seeing a significant up-tick across the board.

Sunlen Serfaty, CNN, Rock Hill, South Carolina.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: Thousands of North Koreans have escaped to the South and only a few have asked to go back. One North Korean defector is desperate to return to her family in Pyongyang.

BARNETT: But she says she is trapped in South Korea because of a mistake.

Will Ripley shares her story in this CNN exclusive.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

WILL RIPLEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Every hour, every day, this wife and mother says she suffers, living with the consequences of what she calls a horrible mistake.

"The wrong choice I made, my choice of wanting to earn money for my treatment led to the worst situation of my life," says Kim Rion-Hi.

Kim went to China four years ago seeking medical care for liver disease but found she couldn't afford it. She says a broker tricked her into going to South Korea, promising she'd make a lot of money to pay her bills. Kim says she didn't realize once she signed the papers renouncing her North Korean citizenship, she could never go home.

At the time, she says, she didn't even know what a North Korean defector meant. Desperate to return to her family, Kim says she pretended to be a North Korean spy, hoping to be deported. Instead ending up in prison. Today she is out on parole, working at a recycling plant. Kim says she is trapped in South Korea. Her arms bear the scars of multiple suicide attempts.

In Pyongyang I meet Kim's husband and 21-year-old daughter who hasn't seen her mom since she was 17. She asks why, why can't she come back? Why do we have to go through such suffering? We ask if they'd like to send her a message.

"To my wife in South Korea, don't forget here you have parents, a husband and daughter, and a socialist nation. Keep on fighting until the end."

We show their message to Kim. The first time she has seen her family in four years.

"What am I going do," she says. Kim also asked to send a message. A tearful apology to her family.

We meet once again with Kim's husband and daughter. They promise to relay her message to her aging parents, unsure when or if they'll ever be reunited.

(On camera): To these two chairs right here, please.

(Voice-over): South Korea's Unification Ministry says the law does not allow them to bring this family back together.

Like so many others on the divided Korean peninsula, the anguish of separation, one of thousands of families torn apart. As the video plays, no words, just heartbreak.

Will Ripley, CNN, Pyongyang, North Korea.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[00:32:12] CHURCH: A warm welcome back to our viewer here in the United States and all around the world. I'm Rosemary Church.

BARNETT: And I'm Errol Barnett. Let's update you on our top stories right now.

Pope Francis raised some politically sensitive issues including climate change, immigration and marriage during his first full day in the U.S. Wednesday. It's perhaps a signal of what's to come when he addresses a Joint Meeting of Congress hours from now in Washington. The Pope is in the U.S. for a six-day visit.

CHURCH: China's President Xi Jinping met with top tech executives at Microsoft's headquarters in Redmond, Washington, Wednesday. He assured them Beijing is making cybersecurity a priority. Earlier he announced a multibillion deal to buy 300 jets from Boeing.

BARNETT: Colombia's government has signed a peace commitment with leftist rebels to end more than 50 years of fighting. The plan announced in Cuba aims for a final agreement within six months. More than 200,000 people have been killed in the conflict.

We want to talk a bit more in-depth about the Colombian peace deal. Joining us now from Silver Spring, Maryland, is Dr. Virginia M. Bouvier. She goes by Jenny, by the way, and she is the senior adviser for Latin American Programs at the U.S. Institute of Peace. You can all read her blog, "Colombia Calls" on WordPress.com.

Jenny, thank you for your time and for joining us here on CNN today. Pope Francis even said on Sunday that Colombia cannot afford yet another failure in peace talks. But why do you think the time is right now on both sides to settle this after 50 years once and for all?

VIRGINIA BOUVIER, U.S. INSTITUTE OF PEACE: Well, I think certainly the Pope's words had a strong impact on the people that were sitting at the table about the cost of not coming to an agreement soon. The parties, the FARC and the government of Colombia have been at the table for the last three years. For the last year, they've been working on the agreement on victims and we find today a new agreement on transitional justice sets historic and quite innovative. And I think the time -- it's been in the process, in the works for a while for the last year.

The teams at the table in Havana have been consulting with victims. This is a really innovative process in that there is no other peace process in the world where victims have been invited to the table to present their testimonies. And I think we're finding the impact of that that is finally reaching some conclusions.

BARNETT: Because peace talks, we should note, they have been going on for years. You had that failed ceasefire back in May. Land reform, eliminating illegal crops. Plus as you mentioned there the rights of victims. They're all still contentious and difficult issues to settle.

Which side needs to buckle then in order to resolve those?

BOUVIER: Well, these are quite difficult issues. But what we've seen in today's accord is that some compromises have been reached. For the longest time, the FARC has said that they would not go to jail.

[00:35:05] What we see is a new agreement where they will agree to restrictions on their liberty under certain conditions. This is not jail time, but it's a model of what we would call restorative justice rather than punitive or retributive justice.

So there is no impunity. An agreement has been reached that the rights of the victims to truth, justice, reparations and non- repetition of the events will be respected. At the same time, the government has agreed to -- and the FARC has accepted that there will be a process whereby crimes will be investigated. They'll be prosecuted. And they'll be punished. And I think this is a win-win all around.

Times have changed. The international environment really does not allow for amnesty -- broad-based amnesties or pardons to take place for gross violations of human rights for crimes against humanity, for war crimes. And in this agreement today, they specified that these kinds of crimes, you know, monumental grave crimes will not be -- will not go unpunished. And I think this is an advance for everybody. It's an advance for the victims, whose voices will finally be heard. And some justice will prevail.

We can't assume that with 7.6 million victims registered in Colombia, that every single victim will see their -- the perpetrator of their crimes against them in jail. But I think we will see some very serious efforts to bring them to justice that will show that this shouldn't be done. And this kind of violence --

BARNETT: Well, jenny, thank you so much for your time. The senior adviser for the Latin American Programs at the U.S. Institute of Peace, there giving some insight into what is an historic agreement so far. We appreciate your insight.

BOUVIER: Thank you.

CHURCH: U.N. experts and human rights groups are urging Saudi Arabia not to go through with the beheading and crucifixion of a young man. The government calls him a terrorist.

BARNETT: His family, though, says he was just a teenager when he was arrested protesting for social reform.

Becky Anderson has more on this.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BECKY ANDERSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Friends and family describe Ali al-Nimr as an optimistic and outgoing young man who loves photography, movies, cars, and motorcycles. But today, he sits in a Saudi prison condemned to death over crimes he allegedly committed as a teenager.

Al-Nimr was arrested in 2012 during pro-democracy protests inspired by the Arab Spring. But he was just 17. Convicted of charges, including belonging to a terror cell, attacking police with Molotov cocktails, incitement and stoking sectarianism, according to Saudi state media. Now he is set to be executed, beheaded in this public square in Riyadh, with the added rare punishment of crucifixion. His body displayed after his death as a warning to others.

A source close to the family tells CNN, although al-Nimr took part in the protests, he is innocent of the charges and that his conviction and harsh sentence are, quote, "revenge against his uncle," firebrand Shiite cleric, Sheik Nimr al-Nimr. The uncle, a protest leader, was convicted by Saudi authorities last year on charges including sedition and is also facing the death penalty.

CNN has reached out to Saudi officials for comment on al-Nimr's case, but there have been no response. Previous attempts by CNN to contact officials for comment on the case of al-Nimr's uncle also went unanswered.

Human rights groups, journalists and politicians have expressed outrage over the case on social media, with many activists calling on Saudi Arabia's king to commute the young man's sentence. A London- based legal charity says much about Nimr's case has been held in secret. His final appeal denied last week, without the young man, or his lawyer present.

His parents are expected to visit him in prison on Friday, the Muslim holiday of Eid. But with all of his legal options exhausted, it's feared al-Nimr could be executed and crucified any time.

Becky Anderson, CNN, Abu Dhabi.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: Sunjeev Bery joins me now. He is the advocacy director for Amnesty International here in the United States.

Thank you, sir, for talking with us. Now it is of course a very disturbing case of a 20-year-old man facing a public execution for crimes he is accused of committing through years ago. And your organization is calling on Saudi Arabia to halt the execution of Ali al-Nimr. How likely it is that Saudi authorities will listen to your pleas for this man's young life?

[00:40:02] SUNJEEV BERY, AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL USA: Thank you for having me. Saudi Arabia needs to listen to the global chorus of people and organizations that are calling on the Saudi Arabian government not only to drop the execution and potential crucifixion of Ali al Nimr, but to stop all executions in the country.

Saudi Arabia has a long record of executing people following repeated reports of torturing people into confessing to crimes that they may not have committed. And it's time for the Saudi Arabian government to stop this practice, stop this brutality, and let Ali al-Nimr go.

CHURCH: Yes. And the nature of this is what makes it so particularly disturbing. He was 17 at the time. They're going to -- they plan to behead him and then crucify him. U.N. experts have also joined with various rights groups in calling for a halt to the execution of Ali al-Nimr. But what more needs to be done to apply pressure to Saudi authorities who aren't talking to CNN, by the way. What political power perhaps can be applied?

BERY: Well, Amnesty International and our members around the world are calling on the Saudi Arabian government to stop this execution, have a retrial, and investigate the very serious allegations that Ali al-Nimr was tortured into confessing to crimes that he may not have committed. And by the way, these crimes include protesting the government. So it's important to see just how the Saudi Arabian government applies its death penalty.

Some half of the people executed in Saudi Arabia this year were executed for nonlethal crimes that they were accused of committing after trials in which people are frequently tortured into confessing.

CHURCH: And as Becky Anderson mentioned in her report, Ali al-Nimr is the nephew of Shiite cleric Sheik Nimr al-Nimr. Is this young man being made an example of, do you think, by Saudi authorities because of his uncle and his uncle's actions?

BERY: It's certainly possible. Ali al-Nimr's uncle, the sheik, is one of many people in the eastern provinces of Saudi Arabia who are very critical of the government's brutality and repression. And his uncle has been given the death sentence for the so-called crime of disobeying the ruler. So it shows just how the Saudi Arabian government applies the death penalty. And this is just one of many cases in which people are facing either the death penalty or extended prison sentences for engaging in freedom of speech, freedom of expression.

There's of course the case of Raif Badawi, the Saudi Arabian blogger who was given lashes and 10 years in prison. The list goes on and on. And Western governments need to end their cozy relationships with Saudi Arabia's government and start standing up for human rights.

CHURCH: Sunjeev Bery, thank you so much for talking with us. We appreciate it.

BERY: Thank you.

BARNETT: Now poverty is expected to be a big topic at the U.N.'s meeting on Friday. How U2's Bono is doing his part to bring about awareness. CNN got the exclusive interview. We'll show it to you after this.

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[00:46:10] CHURCH: Welcome back, everyone. Pope Francis is expected to address extreme poverty when he speaks to the U.N. on Friday.

BARNETT: Now this is a cause the lead singer for U2 has been working on for years through his efforts on the African continent. Bono spoke exclusively with CNN during his most recent trip.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: This is how most people know Bono. As the in- your-face rock star from U2. But away from the lights, this is Bono's other main stage, the continent of Africa.

BONO, LEAD SINGER, U2: I started to work for Nelson Mandela. And he said, you know, poverty is not natural. It is manmade. And it can be overcome.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: And it's through the ONE campaign, seven million strong worldwide that improving the lives of people living in the poorest region of the planet is happening. But there is still a lot more work to be done.

BONO: Poverty is an easy word to throw around, but it's not simple to understand. It can be, you know, a famine, or it can be conflict. But the thing that really offends us is I suppose when there are structures in place that keep people poor. That's the thing that really gets me going.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: CNN met up exclusively with bono in Lagos, Nigeria. After a stop in Rwanda where a small bipartisan U.S. congressional delegation saw firsthand the progress and the plight facing first responders on the ground. It had been 10 years since Bono had last visited Rwanda, but he promised he'd be back.

BONO: When I first went to Rwanda, we had finally got across the line, universal access to ARVs, with AIDS drugs. And I was in hospital, a teaching hospital in Kigali. And I witnessed six people on a bed, three of them patients. Under the bed, on top of the bed. The despair of people receiving their diagnosis and realizing it was a death sentence. So an accident of geography, literally, where you live, was deciding whether you live.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Bono also made a promise to this woman, a nurse.

BONO: What is your name? This is actually Florence Nightingale.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: A decade later, the two were reunited.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You promised that you would come back. I said yes. Nobody comes to Rwanda once. Here you are. It's wonderful. I'm glad you came.

SEN. CHRIS COONS (D), DELAWARE: It was very moving, challenging to me to realize just how significant the gap is in the quality of care available here and the quality of care available in this which really is Rwanda's best children's hospital.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Senator Chris Coons of Delaware was on the trip, a trip that comes ahead of the Pope addressing the United Nations General Assembly where eradicating extreme poverty by 2030 will be one of the top global developmental goals.

COONS: That ambitious goal of ending extreme poverty by 2030 is entirely possible if we wisely deploy the development dollars, the assistance that is provided by the United States and many other Western countries, and if we embrace and leverage the power of the private sector.

BONO: I'm not really motivated by charity as much as I am motivated by justice. That's where I came in. Christ only speaks of judgment once. It's about the way we treat the poor. So I think it's a second most important theme of the scriptures after redemption is how we treat the poor. So I'm just doing what I'm told.

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[00:50:12]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) BARNETT: Thursday night New Zealand and Namibia will face off in the Rugby World Cup. This year All Blacks' Dan Carter will be on the field.

CHURCH: Yes. He is rugby union's highest point scorer of all time. Carter's career has been hampered by injuries, but he never lost his spirit. And this year the 33-year-old hopes to become part of the first New Zealand team to win the world cup title overseas.

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DAN CARTER, ALL BLACKS STAR PLAYER: Rugby for me means a lot more than just another sport. It's like you're going to war against this opposition.

My name is Dan Carter and I'm a rugby player.

My father's probably been the biggest influence on my career. There was one particular year, it was for my eighth birthday, he built me a set of goalposts and painted them blue and white. You know, I spent hours every day after school, kicking the ball all over the post, playing games of rugby with all my mates until it got dark. You know, that's where it all got started. It's the best present that I ever received.

[00:55:19] Put it on the All Blacks for the very first time was a very special moment that, you know, only a few rugby player, you know, get to experience. From that moment, I just didn't want it to end. You know, I got to taste for it, and it's such a unique, special feeling. My dream had finally become a reality, and I absolutely loved it.

I'm the highest point scorer in Test match rugby. I was named the International Rugby Board Player of the Year twice.

It's tough to know exactly sort of what sets this team apart from others. You know, we're wanting to create history, do things the other teams have never done before. And huge self-belief that you can get through whatever is thrown at you.

It's such a small window being a professional rugby player in your lifetime so you want to make the most of this opportunity and live each day like it's your last. We make real cups. No one has ever done that. It's something that's really hard to do, and it takes a lot of hard work and a lot of sacrifice. And there are more than a handful of other teams that are just as capable of lifting the World Cup up as well. So it would seriously be a dream come true. And just a magical thing that this team is to achieve.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: And thank you for watching CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Rosemary Church.

BARNETT: And I'm Errol Barnett. I'll see you back here after this short break. Stay with us.

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