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

HERE'S WHAT'S COMING UP.

>> YOU DEFENDED THE CONSTITUTION, LIVES, THE SECURITY AND THE FREEDOM OF OUR CITIZENS.

>> PUTIN THANKS HIS SECURITY FORCES, BUT WHAT DO THESE CRACKS IN RUSSIA MEAN FOR UKRAINE?

ANDRIY YERMAK, HEAD OF PRESIDENT ZELENSKYY'S OFFICE, JOINS ME FROM KYIV.

>>> THEN THE YOUNG AMERICANS FIGHTING CLIMATE CHANGE IN COURT.

I AM JOINED BY ONE OF THE PLAINTIFFS AND THE ATTORNEYS IN THE GROUNDBREAKING MONTANA CASE.

>>> PLUS, CRIES FOR HELP AROUND THE WORLD.

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>>> WELCOME TO PROGRAM.

I'M CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR IN LONDON.

YOU VIRTUALLY STOPPED A CIVIL WAR.

THE WORDS OF VLADIMIR PUTIN AS HE ADDRESSED HIS SECURITY FORCES IN THE WAKE OF THE WAGNER GROUP'S FAILED REBELLION OVER THE WEEKEND.

THE RUSSIAN PRESIDENT HAS ACCUSED THE WEST OF FOMENTING THE MUTINY AND VOWS TO BRING THE ORGANIZERS TO JUSTICE.

BELARUSIAN PRESIDENT ALEXANDER LUKASHENKO CONFIRMED PRIGOZHIN IS IN HIS COUNTRY.

>> Translator: NEGOTIATIONS WENT THROUGHOUT THE DAY.

SIX OR SEVEN ROUNDS OF NEGOTIATIONS AT 5:00 IN THE EVENING, HE CALLED ME AND SAID, I ACCEPT ALL YOUR CONDITIONS.

BUT WHAT SHOULD I DO?

WE STOP, THEY WILL DESTROY US.

I SAY, THEY WON'T.

I GUARANTEE YOU.

I'LL TAKE IT UPON MYSELF.

>> MEANWHILE, THE UNITED STATES IS SET TO ANNOUNCE A NEW ROUND OF MILITARY AID FOR UKRAINE.

SO WILL THE SITUATION BE A DECISIVE MOMENT FOR UKRAINE'S MILITARY?

PRESIDENT ZELENSKYY SAYS THEY HAVE ADVANCED IN ALL DIRECTIONS ON THE SOUTHERN AND EASTERN FRONTS.

BUT JUST LAST WEEK HE HAD ADMITTED THAT PROGRESS IN THE COUNTEROFFENSIVE WAS SLOWER THAN HOPED.

ANDRIY YERMAK RUNS ZELENSKYY'S OFFICE AND HE IS JOINING ME NOW FROM KYIV.

WELCOME BACK TO OUR PROGRAM.

I DON'T KNOW WHERE TO BEGIN.

I THINK TO BEGIN BY ASKING YOU, HAVE YOU AND YOUR TEAM BEEN ABLE TO MAKE ANY SENSE OF WHAT HAPPENED IN RUSSIA AND SPECIFICALLY HAVE YOU THOUGHT ABOUT HOW IT COULD BENEFIT YOU OR VICE VERSA?

>> FIRST OF ALL, HELLO.

YOU SEE, I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT PRACTICALLY 500 DAYS OF THE HEROIC STRUGGLE OF UKRAINIAN DESTROYED IN THE CIVILITY OF THE RUSSIAN ARMY.

AND I THINK THAT THE EVENTS AND THE -- ALL THESE THINGS OF THE LAST DAYS, IT'S FINALLY DESTROYED THAT EVERYTHING IN RUSSIA IS UNDER CONTROL.

WE CAN SEE THIS CONTROL.

AND, OF COURSE, I THINK IT'S ONE MORE EVIDENCE THAT THE ATTEMPT TO REVIVE THE USSR IS FINALLY FAILED.

I THINK THAT IT'S A VERY STRONG SIGNAL THAT THE WAR IN UKRAINE IS TERRIBLE, ILLEGAL INVASION WHICH STARTED IN 24 OF THE FEBRUARY LAST YEAR AND THE WAR, AS YOU KNOW, STARTED MANY YEARS AGO IN 2014.

OF COURSE, EVERYTHING WHICH HAPPENS IN RUSSIA LAST DAYS IS THE RESULT, IS RESULT OF THIS WAR.

AND THIS IS A RESULT OF HOW I SAID PRACTICALLY 500 DAYS OF THE BRAVE FIGHTINGS OF UKRAINIAN NATIONS.

AND THE, YOU KNOW, I THINK IT'S -- AFTER THIS EVENT, MORE PEOPLE IN THE WORLD MORE SURE ABOUT UKRAINIAN VICTORY.

>> LET ME ASK YOU TWO QUESTIONS TO FOLLOW UP.

ONE IS TO RESPOND TO WHAT MAY HAVE BEEN WISHFUL THINKING FROM YOUR CAMP AND MAYBE MANY OTHER CAMPS.

YOU TWEETED OVER THE WEEKEND WHILE ALL THIS WAS GOING ON, A RUSSIAN CIVIL WAR WAS THE ONLY PLAUSIBLE OUTCOME TO PUTIN'S UNLAWFUL INVASION OF UKRAINE.

HISTORY SHOWS US ALL DICTATORS EVENTUALLY COLLAPSE UNDER THE WEIGHT OF THEIR CONTRADICTIONS, EVEN THEIR HUBRIS.

SO, OKAY, PUTIN REMAINS IN POWER.

HE HAS JUST GIVEN A FEW DEMONSTRATIONS OF THE FACT THAT, YOU KNOW, STARED DOWN PRIGOZHIN.

BUT DO YOU THINK THIS IS THE FIRST, YOU KNOW, SORT OF SERIOUS CHICAGO IN HIS ARMOR, OR WILL HE DOUBLE DOWN BECAUSE HE HAS COME OUT ON TOP?

>> YOU KNOW, IT'S -- THEY STARTED TO COME DOWN AND THEY STARTED AS UKRAINIANS THINK, THEY STARTED IN 24 OF FEBRUARY LAST YEAR.

BUT THESE LAST DAYS, THEY MORE CONFIRM THAT THEY NOT CONTROL THE SITUATION.

THEY NOT LIVING IN REALITY.

OF COURSE, THEY CAN'T MAKE THE REALLY SOME REAL DECISIONS.

AND I THINK IN MANY WAYS WE ARE -- ALL OF THE WORLD SEEING THIS SHOW.

AND ANYWAY, I THINK IT WILL HELP HISTORICAL AND VERY SERIOUS INFLUENCE FOR EVERYTHING WHICH WILL BE IN THE FUTURE.

AND, OF COURSE, I'M SURE THAT THE MANY PEOPLE IN THE WORLD, ESPECIALLY MANY WORLD LEADERS, WILL CHANGE HIS OPINION AND WILL CHANGE HIS TRUST OF EVERYTHING WHICH SET AND WILL SAY PUTIN IN FUTURE.

>> SO THAT'S INTERESTING BECAUSE YOU HAD TALKED EARLIER ABOUT THE MYTH OF PUTIN'S CONTROL AND STRENGTH AND ORGANIZATION.

AS YOU KNOW, MANY OF YOUR FRIENDS IN THE WEST HAVE BEEN RELUCTANT TO GIVE UKRAINE THE KIND OF WEAPONS THAT MIGHT CAUSE PUTIN TO DOUBLE DOWN AND TO ESCALATE.

DO YOU THINK THAT WAS WISE, AND ARE YOU ASKING THEM TO CHANGE THAT NOW THAT THEY HAVE SEEN THAT HE IS ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW, HE IS ACTUALLY NOT -- MAYBE HE IS A PAPER TIGER.

WE HAVE JUST LOST OUR CONNECTION WITH KYIV.

BUT I WONDER IF WE CAN JUST PLAY A REPORT FROM OUR NICK PATON WALSH ON THE STATE OF THE BATTLEFIELD, WHICH IS WHAT I WAS GOING TO ASK ANDRIY YERMAK, AND MAYBE WE WILL GET HIM BACK AFTER THIS REPORT FROM UKRAINE.

>> Reporter: UNPRECEDENTED CHAOS IN MOSCOW HAS YET TO EASE UKRAINE'S BITTER FIGHT IN THE TRENCHES.

CLOSE COMBAT AROUND BAKHMUT TWO WEEKS INTO THE CONTINUED GRIND OF THE COUNTEROFFENSIVE OPEN OPERATIONS FILMED OVER THE WEEKEND JUST AS WAGNER TROOPS ROLL TOWARDS MOSCOW.

HERE THE RED, WHITE AND BLUE ARE RUSSIANS IN DISARRAY AND SURRENDERING.

THE HOPE IS MORE WILL FOLLOW AS WORD SPREADS OF THE FAILED REBELLION AND MORALE AND DISCIPLINE FALTER.

IT WAS NEAR HERE UKRAINE PROCLAIMED MONDAY PROGRESS ON THE FRONT LINES WITH ROOM FOR HOPE ELSEWHERE.

TO THE SOUTH, ON ANOTHER FRONT NEAR THE HEAVILY CONTESTED AREA, SOME KREMLIN LOYAL CHECHEN FIGHTERS WERE PULLED TO MOSCOW FOR DEFENSE OF THE WEEKEND.

HERE THEY ARE STRUTTING ALONG AN APPARENT HIGHWAY NEAR THE CAPITAL.

BAKHMUT AND MAR INCA OPPORTUNITIES FOR UKRAINE IN THE EAST, BUT ALSO FURTHER WEST NEAR KHERSON, THE ANTONIVSKYI BRIDGE.

THE SCENE OF INTENSE CLASHES.

UKRAINIAN FORCES CLAIM TO RUSH OVER TO THE BANK, OPENING ANOTHER FRONT PERHAPS.

IT IS TOO EARLY TO TELL WHETHER OR IF RUSSIA IS CRUMBLING.

AND UKRAINE'S PROGRESS HAS BEEN INCREMENTAL STILL.

THIS THE FAMILIAR SCENE WHEN THEIR FIGHTERS DECLARED THEY HAD CAPTURED ANOTHER SMALL VILLAGE IN THE SOUTH ON MONDAY.

NONE OF THIS YET THEIR STRATEGIC SEA CHANGE IN RUSSIAN COLLAPSE, THE WEEKEND'S MADNESS THAT ZELENSKYY VISITING TROOPS IN THE EAST MONDAY AS WELL WILL HOPE FOLLOWS.

HE FACES ANXIOUS CHOICES, EVEN ALL THE KREMLIN'S INTIMATE UGLINESS SO EXPOSED.

MOVE NOW OR WAIT FOR MORE IN MOSCOW TO UNRAVEL.

HE MUST BE SURE TO MAKE NO MISTAKES OF HIS OWN OR INTERRUPT THE TORRENT OF THEM IN MOSCOW.

>> AND WE CAN NOW SPEAK AGAIN WITH ANDRIY YERMAK, HEAD OF PRESIDENT ZELENSKYY'S OFFICE COMING TO US AGAIN FROM KYIV.

OKAY.

WE HAVE GOT YOU BACK.

I WAS IN THE PROCESS OF ASKING YOU THE FOLLOWING QUESTION.

DO YOU HOPE THAT IN THE UPCOMING NATO SUMMIT THAT THIS WILL HAVE AN EFFECT ON SOME OF THE THINKING, SOME OF THE PLEDGES THAT MIGHT HAVE -- WE ALL KNOW THAT THERE IS A BIG, YOU KNOW, PRESSURE AND A LOT OF TALK ABOUT UKRAINE, YOU KNOW, WANTING TO JOIN AND MAYBE CONSIDERATION BEING GIVEN TO UKRAINE'S MEMBERSHIP.

HOW DO YOU THINK THIS CRISIS WILL PLAY OUT IN THE SUMMIT?

>> YES, OF COURSE, I THINK, AS I SAID, THAT I'M SURE THAT IT WILL HAVE THE INFLUENCE TO THE MANY PROCEDURES AND AS WELL FOR THE SUMMIT AS WELL.

BUT YOU KNOW THAT UKRAINIAN POSITION, IT'S STILL VERY CLEAR AND WE IN THIS POSITION TALKING CAN CONTINUE CONSULTATION WITH OUR STRATEGIC PARTNERS AND THE OTHERS, MEMBERS OF THE NATO.

WE ARE WAITING TO RECEIVE IN THE SUMMIT THE STRONG SIGNAL THAT THE FUTURE OF UKRAINE IS THE MEMBERSHIP OF NATO AND NOBODY IN THE WORLD CAN CHANGE THIS POSITION.

AND, OF COURSE, WE LOOKING IN THIS WAY TO RECEIVE FROM OUR PARTNERS THE REAL SECURITY GUARANTEES WHICH, FIRST OF ALL, GIVE FOR US OPPORTUNITY TO CONTINUE OUR FIGHTING AND, IN THE END, PROTECTED US FOR ANY POTENTIAL INVASION IN THE FUTURE.

>> CAN I ASK YOU -- >> THIS IS OUR ESTIMATE.

YES?

>> YES.

YOU WERE IN COPENHAGEN AT A SPECIAL MEETING, YOU KNOW, POTENTIALLY TRYING TO FIGURE OUT IS THERE POSSIBILITY OF A PEACE SUMMIT.

IS THERE ANY POSSIBILITY?

BRICS COUNTRIES WERE THERE.

WHAT CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT THEIR IDEAS?

WHAT IS SOUTH AFRICA SAYING OR THE AFRICAN PEACE PROPOSAL WE HEAR ABOUT, BRAZIL, THE OTHERS?

>> THANK YOU FOR THESE QUESTIONS.

FIRST OF ALL, I'D LIKE TO START, YOU CAN SEE THE RESULTS FROM THE PHOTOS.

AND THIS WAS VERY CLEAR.

IF YOU COMPARE WHAT IN THIS MOMENT HAPPENED IN RUSSIA AND SAME TIME IN COPENHAGEN, UKRAINE, THE PARTNERS FROM G7, FROM TURKEY, FROM DENMARK, FROM THE GLOBAL SOUTH, WE ARE TALKING ABOUT FUTURE.

WE ARE TALKING ABOUT PEACE.

WHER TALKING ABOUT PRINCIPLES OF UNITED NATIONS.

OF COURSE, IT WAS VERY IMPORTANT MEETINGS.

IT WAS VERY SUCCESSFUL THAT WE ARE SITTING TOGETHER, WE ARE TALKING.

I HAVE THE POSSIBILITY VERY IN DETAIL TO DISCUSS WITH COLLEAGUES PEACEFUL FORMULA OF PRESIDENT ZELENSKYY WHICH YOU KNOW CONSISTS TEN POINTS.

AND THIS IS NOT JUST ABOUT END OF THE WAR, OF THIS WAR.

WHAT ABSOLUTELY FOR US MAY INVOLVE.

BUT IT'S ABOUT HOW TO SETTLE THE POTENTIAL CRISIS OR THE CRISIS WHICH ALREADY HAPPENED.

AS, FOR EXAMPLE, ABOUT THE FOOD SECURITY.

YOU KNOW THAT IN 17 OF JULY WILL BE NEXT DAY IN WHICH WE NEED TO -- THIS INITIATIVE.

YOU LISTEN, ONCE AGAIN, SOME STATEMENT FROM RUSSIA.

AND IT WAS GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO TALK.

THE AFRICAN COLLEAGUES SAT AND EXPLAIN WHAT DO -- UKRAINE?

WHAT DOING UKRAINE, THE PARTNERS?

HOW TO -- THE PEOPLE, THE CHILDREN IN AFRICA?

WE ARE TALKING ABOUT NUCLEAR SECURITY.

YOU CAN SEE WHAT STILL HAPPENED IN THE STATION AND YOU CAN SEE ABOUT OUR CONCERN, ABOUT SOME TERRORIST ATTACKS WHICH ABSOLUTELY STILL WE NOT CONTROL, UKRAINE NOT CONTROL THE STATION.

IT'S REALLY VERY BIG CONSORT AND BIG CONSORT NOT JUST FOR UKRAINE, BUT WHOLE WORLD.

AND FOR ABOUT MANY OTHERS, INCLUDING THE -- WHICH HAPPENED IN THE RESULTS OF DESTROY OF THE STATION.

>> CAN I -- >> IT'S MEAN THAT, FOR US, WAS VERY IMPORTANT, AND I'M VERY HAPPY THAT WE HAVE ABOUT FIVE HOURS VERY CONSTRUCTIVE, VERY OPEN.

CONVERSATION WITH COLLEAGUES, WE DECIDED CONTINUE WORKING IN THESE MONTHS AND YOU AM LOOKING FOR THE NEXT SUCH MEETINGS IN THE VERY NEAR FUTURE.

>> CAN I ASK YOU, YOU SAID, YOU KNOW, YOU WERE HAPPY AND, YOU KNOW, TO BE IN THIS CONSTRUCTIVE FORMAT.

DID YOU NOTICE A SHIFT IN ATTITUDE FROM SOME OF THESE INTERLOCK U TERES, WHETHER THEY ARE AFRICAN OR THE REST OF THE BRICS WHO SPENT A LONG TIME -- YOU ACCUSED THEM OF CARRYING PUTIN'S PEACE PLAN TO YOU ALL.

DO YOU SENSE THAT THEY ARE THINKING, WELL, WHOA, HE IS NOT AS STRONG AS WE THOUGHT HE WAS AND MAYBE WE SHOULDN'T PUT ALL OUR CHIPS ON THAT -- ON THAT PERSON?

>> YOU KNOW, IT WAS THE POSITION WHICH WE EXPRESSED AND IN KYIV DURING THE MEETING FROM INDIA, CHINA, THE DELEGATION OF AFRICAN COUNTRIES THAT IT WILL BE LOGICAL THAT THE BASE OF THE CONTINUED CONSULTATION HAVE THE UKRAINIAN PLAN BECAUSE WAR IN OUR TERRITORY.

BUT WHAT IS VERY IMPORTANT.

AND I REPEAT IT SEVERAL TIMES IN COPENHAGEN.

WE ARE READY TO LISTEN, TO SITTING IN THE TABLE AND DISCUSS WITH ANY COUNTRIES WHO IS RESPECT OUR TERRITORIAL INTEGRITY, OUR SOVEREIGNTY, OUR INDEPENDENCE, WITH RESPECT PRINCIPLE OF UNITED NATIONS BECAUSE EACH OF TEN POINTS, IT'S 100% BASED ON THE PRINCIPLE OF UNITED NATIONS, OF THE PRINCIPLE OF THE INTERNATIONAL LAW.

AND BY THE WAY, WE KNOW THAT BY EACH THIS POINT WE HAVE VERY SIMILAR RESOLUTION OF GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

IT'S MEAN THAT OUR PROPOSALS, IT'S BASED FOR THE PRINCIPLE WHICH RESPECTED BY ALL OF THE RESPONSIBLE COUNTRIES.

THIS IS OUR POSITION AND MY ATTITUDE THAT WE STARTED -- WE STARTED THIS DIALOGUE IN HIROSHIMA.

IT WAS FIRST MEETING WITH PRESENCE THE G7 COUNTRY, UKRAINE AND SOME LEADERS OF GLOBAL SOUTH, AND I THINK WE SUCCESSFULLY CONTINUE IN COPENHAGEN.

>> ALL RIGHT.

OKAY.

LISTEN, IT'S REALLY GOOD TO GET ALL THAT INFORMATION FROM YOU, ANDRIY YERMAK, THE HEAD OF PRESIDENT ZELENSKYY'S OFFICE.

THANKS FOR BEING US WITH FROM KYIV.

>>> TURNING NOW TO THE CLIMATE CRISIS AND IT IS CLEAR THE YOUNGER GENERATION WILL ENHART THE DAMAGE THAT WE HAVE ALL DONE TO OUR PLANET AND MANY OF THEM ARE TAKING THE FIGHT AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE TO THE COURTS.

LIKE 16 YOUNG PEOPLE IN THE U.S. STATE OF MONTANA.

THEY ARE ARGUING THAT THE STATE'S SUPPORT FOR THE FOSSIL FUEL INDUSTRY UNDERMINES ITS OWN CONSTITUTIONAL GUARANTEE THAT THE STATE SHALL MAINTAIN A CLEAN AND HEALTHY ENVIRONMENT FOR PRESENT AND FUTURE GENERATIONS.

THE TRIAL LASTED NEARLY TWO WEEKS AND NOW EVERYONE'S AWAITING THE VERDICT.

18-YEAR-OLD LANDER BUSSE IS ONE OF THE PLAINTIFFS AND JULIA OLSON IS THE LEAD ATTORNEY REPRESENTING THEM.

SHE IS FROM THE NON-PROFIT LAW FIRM OUR CHILDREN'S TRUST.

WELCOME TO THE PROGRAM.

CAN I START BY ASKING YOU, LANDER BUSSE, YOU AND -- WELL, JUST TELL ME HOW YOU GREW UP.

WHAT WAS IT THAT MOTIVATED YOU AS -- I THINK YOU WERE 15 WHEN THIS STARTED, TO TAKE ON YOUR STATE AS A WAY OF, YOU KNOW, MITIGATING CLIMATE CHANGE?

>> ABSOLUTELY, AND THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME ON TODAY.

ONE OF THE MAIN THINGS THAT WE SHARE IN MONTANA JUST TOGETHER, NOT EVEN THE YOUTH, BUT JUST AS CITIZENS IS OUR LOVE FOR THIS STATE AND THE LAND AND EVERYTHING IT HAS TO OFFER US.

THAT'S SOMETHING THAT TRANSCENDS PARTY LINES AND PARTISAN VALUES.

SO MUCH THAT IN 1972 IT WAS RATIFIED INTO OUR CONSTITUTION FOR THE PROTECTION OF THESE LANDS.

SO I SPENT MUCH OF MY LIFE, LIKE MANY OTHERS IN MONTANA, AND HUNTING AND GROWING UP USING THE LAND TO THE BEST OF OUR A ABILITY.

>> WAS THERE A MOMENT THAT YOU DECIDE YOU WOULD HAVE TO GO TO COURT TO PRESERVE, YOU KNOW, THOSE CHILDHOOD RIGHTS AND THOSE EXPERIENCES THAT YOU GREW UP WITH?

>> YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.

WELL, IN THE PAST FIVE, FIVE YEARS OR SO, WE STARTED TO SEE HOW CLIMATE CHANGE HAS BEEN REALLY AFFECTING THE THINGS THAT I HAVE ENJOYED IN MY LIFE SO LONG, WHETHER THAT BE LOWER WATER LEVELS, IN THE SPRING, OR IN THE FALL OR HIGHER WATER LEVELS IN THE SPRING AS A RESULT OF GLACIAL RUNOFF.

WE STARTED TO SEE THE EFFECTS OF THAT MUCH MORE DIRECTLY IN MY LIFE AND AS I BECAME MORE AWARE OF THE SCIENCE OF CLIMATE CHANGE AS WELL I JUST STARTED CONNECTING THE DOTS MYSELF AND REALIZING THE CORRELATION IN MY OWN STATE.

SO WHEN OCT GAVE ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE A PART OF THIS CASE, I JUMPED ON IT RIGHT AWAY.

>> SO OCT, THAT'S YOUR ORGANIZATION, JULIA OLSON.

HOW DID YOU COME UP WITH THAT?

OUR CHILDREN'S TRUST?

AND HOW DID YOU FORMULATE THE LEGAL CASE FOR THIS TRIAL?

>> HI.

THANKS FOR QUESTION.

YEAH, OUR CHILDREN'S TRUST WAS FORMED IN 2010 AND WE LAUNCHED THE GLOBAL CAMPAIGN TO BRING CASES ON BEHALF OF YOUNG PEOPLE TO FIGHT THE CONDUCT OF GOVERNMENTS IN VIOLATING THEIR FUNDAMENTAL HUMAN RIGHTS.

OFTEN THEIR CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS.

AND THE ORGANIZATION WAS REALLY BORN OUT OF ME BECOMING A MOTHER AND BEING AN ENVIRONMENTAL ATTORNEY AND SEEING THAT THE CLIMATE CRISIS IS THE MOST SIGNIFICANT THREAT TO OUR YOUTH AND TO ALL FUTURE GENERATIONS.

>> BUT WHAT DID YOU DO SPECIFICALLY?

RATHER, WHAT DID YOU HANG THIS CASE ON SPECIFICALLY, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY, PEOPLE -- A LOT OF PEOPLE WILL SAY FROM THEIR SIDE YOU CAN'T BLAME US.

WE HAVE GOT PRIVATE ENTERPRISE.

WE'VE GOT THIS.

WE'VE GOT THAT.

IT'S NOT OUR FAULT.

>> WELL, I THINK WHAT'S CRITICAL TO UNDERSTAND IS THAT GOVERNMENTS ARE THE ENTITIES THAT ALLOW OUR ENERGY SYSTEMS TO BE POWERED BY FOSSIL FUELS.

SO, YES, THE FOSSIL FUEL COMPANIES PLAY AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN CAUSING THIS CRISIS, BUT REALLY FOSSIL FUEL COMPANIES OPERATE AT THE PERMISSION AND OFTEN THE SUBSIDIZATION OF GOVERNMENT.

SO THE CASE IN MONTANA IS A PERFECT EXAMPLE.

LANDER AND THE OTHER 15 YOUTH SUED THE STATE BECAUSE THEY HAVE LAWS ON THE BOOKS IN MONTANA THAT REQUIRE FOSSIL FUELS TO BEAUTIFUL GO FORWARD, EXTRACTION, CONSUMPTION, EXPORTATION OF THE VAST FOSSIL FUELS THAT EXIST IN MONTANA.

IT'S SANCTIONED BY LAW.

AND THEY DO SO WITHOUT ANY CONSIDERATION OF THE IMPACT TO THESE YOUNG PEOPLE AND THE CLIMATE CRISIS, INCLUDING THE INCREASING WILDFIRES AND THE UNHEALTHY SMOKE CONDITIONS THAT THESE YOUTH NOW LIVE WITH.

>> RIGHT.

>> AND IT'S A VIOLATION OF THEIR RIGHTS TO SAFETY AND HEALTH AND THEIR NATURAL RESOURCES.

>> SO, LANDER, YOU KNOW, THE ACTUAL LANGUAGE IS THAT THE STATE MUST, QUOTE, MAINTAIN AND IMPROVE A CLEAN AND HEALTHFUL ENVIRONMENT.

WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE TO YOU?

IF YOU WIN, WHAT ARE YOU EXPECTING TO HAPPEN?

>> YEAH.

AND HONESTLY ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT PARTS YOU LEFT OUT THERE AT THE END IS FOR FUTURE CURRENT AND FUTURE GENERATIONS, WHICH IS THE CRUX OF THIS WHOLE CASE, IS THAT THE YOUTH AND THE 15 OTHER PLAINTIFFS, INCLUDING MYSELF, WILL BE BEARING THE BRUNT OF THE CLIMATE CRISIS AND JUST SOME OF THE FEW EFFECTS WE STARTED TO SEE AND HOW ENHANCED THEY WILL BE.

SO WE -- WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR RIGHT NOW FROM THE STATE IS AT THE VERY LEAST A RECOGNITION THAT OUR CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS HAVE BEEN AND CONTINUE TO BE INFRINGED UPON BY A STATE THAT TURNS A BLIND EYE.

IN FACT, SYSTEMICALLY TRIES TO MAKE SURE THAT FOSSIL FUELS WILL BE INGRAINED IN OUR STATE'S CULTURE UNLESS WE DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.

SO IT'S REALLY UP TO THE COURTS AT THIS POINT AND WE HAVE DONE EVERYTHING WE CAN TO GET THIS TO WHERE IT NEEDS TO BE AND WE PUT ON QUITE THE CASE JUST IN THIS LAST WEEK.

WE ARE VERY PROUD OF THE WORK WE HAVE DONE AND WE HOPE THIS WILL START TO REALLY START A TRICKLE DOWN OF LARGER CHANGE THROUGHOUT THE NATION.

>> OKAY.

SO BEFORE I GO TO JULIA FOR MORE LEGAL, YOU SAID YOU ARE, I THINK, 16 MEMBERS WHO BROUGHT THIS.

18 MEMBERS WHO BROUGHT THIS I WANT TO KNOW WHAT SUPPORT YOU HAVE BEYOND THE GROUP OF PLAINTIFFS, WHAT SUPPORT YOU HAVE IN YOUR COMMUNITY BECAUSE THE, YOU KNOW, ASSISTANT ATTORNEY GENERAL SAID HAD DURING OPENING ARGUMENTS.

MONTANA'S EMISSIONS ARE SIMPLY TOO MINUSCULE TO MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE.

CLIMATE CHANGE IS A GLOBAL ISSUE THAT EFFECTIVELY RELEGATES MONTANA'S ROLE TO THAT OF A SPECTATOR.

>> YEAH.

THIS ACTUALLY IS ONE OF THE TAMER COMMENTS THAT YOU PICKED OUT ABOUT -- THAT THE A.G.'S OFFICE DECIDED TO POINT IN OUR DIRECTION.

THEY HAVE CONTINUED ALONG A PATTERN OF JUST HATE AND DISTRUST TOWARDS US AND A COMPLETE LACK OF RESPECT TOWARDS THE LEGAL SYSTEM AND HOW WE APPROACHED THIS.

AND IT'S REALLY DISAPPOINTING, BUT IN FACT IT'S VERY IN LINE TO SEE FROM A STATE THAT WANTS TO CONTINUE TO PROMOTE FOSSIL FUELS.

SO WE ARE TAKING IT UPON OURSELVES TO HOLD OUR STATE ACCOUNTABLE AND ELECTED OFFICIALS ACCOUNTABLE FOR HOW THEY ARE IMPACTING MY GENERATION AND THE FUTURE GENERATIONS OF MONTANA.

>> THE PLAINTIFFS RANGE IN AGE FROM 5, THE AGE OF 5 TO 22.

SO WHAT WAS IT LIKE TO REPRESENT SUCH A PASSIONATE, YOU KNOW, GROUP OF PEOPLE, AND PEOPLE SO YOUNG?

I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY, THEY DON'T, I GUESS, FULLY UNDERSTAND OR KNOW THE LEGAL ARGUMENTS.

WHAT DID YOU GET FROM THAT RANGE OF YOUNG AGES?

>> WELL, I HAVE TO SAY THAT THE BEST CLIENTS I HAVE EVER REPRESENTED.

PEOPLE UNDERESTIMATE YOUTH AND WHAT THEY UNDERSTAND AND WHAT THEY ARE CAPABLE OF.

I THINK THEY UNDERSTAND THE LAW BETTER THAN A LOT OF ADULTS AT THIS POINT AND THEY UNDERSTAND THEIR RIGHTS AND THAT THEIR GOVERNMENT IS VIOLATING THEIR RIGHTS.

AND GOING BACK TO WHAT THE MONTANA ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE HAS SAID THAT MONTANA'S EMISSIONS DON'T MATTER, I MEAN, LITERALLY EVERY TON OF CARBON THAT IS EMITTED INTO THE ATMOSPHERE MATTERS TODAY AND WE ARE SEEING THE CONSEQUENCES OF IT.

AND SO WE PUT EXPERTS ON THE STAND AND WE PUT THESE AMAZING YOUTH ON THE STAND.

12 OF THEM TESTIFIED.

AND THEY TOLD HEARTBREAKING STORIES OF WHAT THEY ARE EXPERIENCING AT THE HANDS OF GOVERNMENTS AROUND THE WORLD, INCLUDING THEIR OWN.

AND SO IT'S NOW REALLY UP TO THE JUDGE TO DECIDE DOES THE EVIDENCE SHOW A VIOLATION OF THE CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS OF THESE YOUTH AND WHAT'S THE REMEDY, WHAT CAN BE DONE ABOUT IT.

>> THAT IS THE IMPORTANT THING.

IS IT A PRECEDENT?

WILL IT GO TO THE SUPREME COURT?

ALL OF THAT.

I WANT TO ASK YOU, YOU MENTIONED THE RANGE OF PEOPLE YOU PUT ON THE STAND, EXPERTS, DOCTORS, PSYCHIATRISTS, YOUR CASE LASTED FIVE CASE.

DAYS.

THE STATE USED ONLY A SINGLE TAY AND CALLED THREE WITNESSES.

HOW DO YOU ACCOUNT FOR THAT?

>> THIS WAS A STATE THAT ACTUALLY DENIED THAT CLIMATE CHANGE WAS HUMAN CAUSED, THAT IT WAS CAUSED BY FOSSIL FUELS.

THEY CHANGED COURSE THE DAY BEFORE TRIAL STARTED.

I THINK IT'S BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THEY HAD SOME EXPERTS, INCLUDING A CLIMATE SKEPTIC SCIENTIST AND OTHERS WHO JUST DIDN'T UNDERSTAND THE CLIMATE CRISIS WHO WERE GOING TO COME TESTIFY.

AT THE END OF THE DAY, AFTER SEEING THE EXPERTS ON OUR SIDE TESTIFY, THINK I THEY REALIZED THEY COULDN'T PUT THEIR PEOPLE ON THE STAND.

AND IT'S THE PATTERNS OF HAVING CLIMATE CASES GO TO COURT AND GO TO TRIAL BECAUSE YOU CAN'T LIE IN A COURT OF LAW, RIGHT.

THERE IS PERJURY.

SO PUTTING THE EVIDENCE FORWARD IN SUCH A METHODICAL WAY REALLY TELLS A CLEAR STORY OF HARM TO THIS YOUNGEST GENERATION AND THAT ALSO TELLS A STORY OF GOVERNMENT CULPABILITY AND GOVERNMENTS ARE PERMITTING THESE ACTIVITIES.

THE PATTERN AND PRACTICE OF LOCKING IN FOSSIL FUELS TO OUR ENERGY SYSTEM AND PREVENTING THE TRANSITION IS THE CAUSE OF THE CLIMATE CHANGE TODAY.

>> SO, LANDER, WHAT DO YOU HOPE, LET'S SAY, OBVIOUSLY, YOU HOPE FOR A VICTORY.

BUT WHAT DO YOU HOPE THAT WILL DO?

WHAT KIND OF PRECEDENT?

HOW MANY OTHER STATES IN THE UNITED STATES, FOR INSTANCE, ARE POTENTIALLY IMPLICATED.

>>> I GUESS A ADD-ON QUESTION.

DO YOU GET HOME FROM, YOU KNOW, SIMILAR GROUPS ABROAD WHO BROUGHT SIMILAR CASES IN EUROPE?

>> YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.

WELL, WE ARE ALREADY STARTING TO SEE AROUND THE NATION AND EVEN WITH THE HELP OF OCT WITH THE GIULIANA VERSUS THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT CASE THIS IS STARTING TO MAKE AN IMPACT AND PEOPLE ARE RECOGNIZING HOW THEY CAN TAKE A STAND AND HOLD THERE, WHETHER IT'S STATE OR NATIONAL GOVERNMENTS, ACCOUNTABLE.

MONTANA IS IN A UNIQUE POSITION BECAUSE OF HOW SPECIAL OUR CONSTITUTION IS AND EXPLICITLY GUARANTEEING ALL CITIZENS TO A CLEAN AND HEALTHFUL ENVIRONMENT.

BUT THERE ARE DEFINITELY -- I AM NOT ONE TO TALK ABOUT THIS.

JULIA IS MUCH MORE WELL VERSE.

OTHER STATES HAVE SIMILAR PROTECTIONS THAT COULD DEFINITELY BE ABLE TO ADD ON THAT THAT PRECEDENT OF CLIMATE CASE LAW.

WE HAVE SEEN JUST RECENTLY, JUST AN OUTPOUR OF SUPPORT FROM PEOPLE INTERNATIONALLY AND PEOPLE WHO ARE LETTING US KNOW WE REALLY HAVE NEVER -- I HAVE NEVER SEEN LIKE THIS.

I LIVE IN A COMMUNITY THAT DOESN'T RECOGNIZE CLIMATE CHANGE LET ALONE FIND WAYS TO ACT ON IT.

SO REALLY SEEING THIS OUTPOUR OF SUPPORT AND JUST HUMANITY FROM PEOPLE WHO CARE ABOUT THIS AS MUCH AS WE DO HAS BEEN PHENOMENAL AND SUPER INSPIRING.

SO WE ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO FIGHT AS HARD AS WE CAN AND WE ARE ENCOURAGING THOSE AROUND THE WORLD TO DO THE SAME.

>> AND, JULIA, HE BATTED THAT PART OF THE QUESTION TO YOU.

WHAT OTHER STATES HAVE SIMILAR LAWS?

HOW BIG COULD THIS BE?

>> YEAH, MONTANA DOES HAVE A SPECIAL CONSTITUTION FROM 1972.

BUT THERE ARE A LOT OF CONSTITUTIONS ACROSS THE UNITED STATES AND THE WORLD THAT RECOGNIZE EXPLICITLY THE RIGHT TO A HEALTHY ENVIRONMENT.

BUT WE DON'T EVEN NEED THAT EXPLICIT RECOGNITION BECAUSE ALMOST EVERY CONSTITUTION IN THE WORLD IN FREE DEMOCRACIES PROTECTS THE RIGHTS TO LIFE AND LIBERTY, HEALTH AND SAFETY.

AND EQUAL PROTECTION OF THE LAW.

AND SO CLIMATE CRISIS AND WHAT GOVERNMENTS ARE DOING TO PERPETUATE FOSSIL FUEL ENERGY SYSTEMS THAT CAUSE CLIMATE CHANGE ARE INFRINGING ON PEOPLE'S RIGHTS TO LIFE, TO THEIR HEALTH, TO THEIR SAFETY, TO THEIR FREEDOMS, INCLUDING THEIR ABILITIES TO LIVE IN THEIR COMMUNITIES, TO HAVE FAMILIES, TO PRACTICE CULTURAL TRADITIONS.

SO EVERY CONSTITUTION HAS A CLAIM FOR THESE YOUNG PEOPLE TO BRING FORWARD.

AND WHEN WE STARTED THIS WORK IN 2010, OUR CHILDREN'S TRUST BROUGHT THE FIRST CASES IN THE WORLD ON BEHALF OF YOUTH TO PROTECT THEIR CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS IN FACE OF CLIMATE CRISIS.

AND SINCE THEN THERE HAS BEEN EXPLOSION OF THESE CASES AROUND THE WORLD.

MANY OF WHICH WE SUPPORT.

AND ONE OF THE BIGGEST CASES GOING FORWARD, WE JUST GOT THE GREEN LIGHT TO HEAD TOWARDS TRIAL AGAIN AFTER EIGHT YEARS, IS THE GIULIANA VERSUS UNITED STATES CASE, THAT LANDER NEXTER MENTIONED.

IT'S AGAINST THE GOVERNMENT MOST RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CLIMATE CRISIS HISTORICALLY AND THAT'S THE UNITED STATES.

WE LOOK FORWARD TO HEADING TO TRIAL THERE, TOO.

>> IT'S REMARKABLE.

WE WILL WATCH TO SEE HOW THIS SNOWBALLS.

BUT JUST A LAST QUESTION, LANDER, BECAUSE IN THE PAST WE INTERVIEWED YOUR FATHER.

HE IS A FORMER FIREARMS EXECUTIVE.

HE IS NOW AND HAS BEEN CAMPAIGNING AGAINST THE INDUSTRY.

AND I JUST WANT U WONDER WHAT KIND OF, YOU KNOW, AN INFLUENCE YOUR FATHER HAD IN YOUR OWN ACTIVISM.

>> WELL, A LOT OF WHAT MY DAD HAS DONE, YOU MENTIONED HIS WORK IN THE GUN INDUSTRY AND THAT SAYS IT PRETTY PLAIN AND CLEAR, HAS BEEN NIGHT AND DAY FROM WHAT I HAVE STARTED DOING IN THE LAST FEW YEARS.

I, OBVIOUSLY, MY PARENTS ARE BOTH VERY ENCOURAGING OF THE WORK THAT I AM DOING, ESPECIALLY NOW WITH OCT AND WHAT WE HAVE DONE WITH THIS TRIAL.

FOR THE MOST PART -- AND MY BROTHER IS A PLAINTIFF AS WELL.

WE HAVE DONE THIS COMPLETELY INDEPENDENTLY BECAUSE WE REALIZE THAT WE ARE THE GENERATION THAT WILL BE BEARING THIS FIRST AND FOREMOST AND OUR KIDS AFTER THAT.

SO, YEAH, THAT'S REALLY WHAT IT CAME DOWN TO, IS THAT WE REALIZED HOW BIG OF A DEAL THIS WAS ON OUR OWN LIFE AND HOW -- IT WOULD AFFECT US LATER AND WHY WE CHOSE TO GET SO INVOLVED IN THE FIRST PLACE.

>> LANDER BUSSE, YOUNG ACTIVIST, AND JULIA OLSON, LAWYER ON THIS REALLY IMPORTANT AND LANDMARK CASE, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.

>> THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU.

>>> NOW, AROUND THE WORLD LGBTQ+ RIGHTS HAVE BEEN IN DECLINE OVER THE PAST YEAR FROM AMERICA TO EUROPE TO AFRICA.

NEW LAWS HAVE BEEN INTRODUCED TARGETING THEIR SAFETY.

KIMAHLI POWELL IS CEO OF RAINBOW RAILROAD, AN ORGANIZATION THAT PERSECUTION AND HE IS JOINING HARI SREENIVASAN TO DISCUSS THE INCREASING RISKS FACING THAT COMMUNITY.

>> THANKS.

KIMAHLI POWELL, CEO OF THE RAINBOW RAILROAD.

YOU PUT OUT AN ANNUAL REPORT AND YOU DOCUMENT THAT YOU RECEIVED 10,000 REQUESTS FOR AID LAST YEAR.

WHY DO YOU THINK 2022 WAS THE MOST NUMBER OF REQUESTS YOU EVER HAD?

>> OUR WORK INTERSECTS BETWEEN TWO DISPARATE CRISES.

ONE IS THAT THE UNHGR REPORTS THAT THERE ARE 110 MILLION PEOPLE DISPLACED IN 2023.

THAT'S THE HIGHEST NUMBER ON RECORD.

THERE ARE 67 COUNTRIES THAT CRIMINALIZE SAME-SEX INTIMACY.

AS WE SEE A NUMBER OF GEOPOLITICAL POLITICAL CRISES AND CONCERNS WHETHER IT'S IN AFGHANISTAN OR UKRAINE OR EARTHQUAKES IN SYRIA, WE KNOW THAT LGBTQ+ PERSONS ARE INCREASINGLY AT RISK, WHICH IS WHY THEY REACHED OUT TO OUR ORGANIZATIONS TO HELP.

>> WE RECENTLY HAD WORLD REFUGEE DAY AND TELL ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT KIND OF THE COMPOUNDING PROBLEM THAT IT IS TO BE A REFUGEE FLEEING YOUR HOME GOING INTO ANOTHER COUNTRY AND ALSO BEING LGBTQ+.

>> YOU KNOW, THE RULES OF THE REFUGEE CONVENTION MEAN THAT IF YOU ARE FLEEING A COUNTRY BASED ON WAR, FAMINE OR ANY OTHER ISSUE, YOU NEED TO FLEE TO YOUR NEIGHBORING COUNTRY AND REGISTER WITH THE U.N.

REFUGEE AGENCY.

IN THE SITUATION OF UGANDA, WHICH I KNOW IS TOP OF MIND, FOR EXAMPLE, PEOPLE IN UGANDA NEED TO FLEE TO NEIGHBORING KENYA.

BOTH COUNTRIES CRIMINALIZE SAME-SEX SAIMT.

IF YOU ARE LGBTQ+ AND YOU ARE TRYING TO SEEK PROTECTION THE FIRST HURDLE IS CROSSING THAT LAND BORDER AND GETTING INTO THE COUNTRY.

IT'S CERTAINLY DIFFICULT IF YOU ARE A WOMAN OR IF YOU ARE A TRANS.

BUT EVEN IF YOU COULD GET TO THAT LAND BORDER, THEN YOU ARE TRYING TO REGISTER FOR A U.N.

REFUGEE AGENCY OR GET PROTECTION IN THE COUNTRY THAT ALSO CRIMINALIZES SAME-SEX INTIMACY AND DISCRIMINATION THE BECAUSE SEXUAL ORIENTATION OR GENDER IDENTITY.

WE HAVE SEEN REPORTS OF VIOLENCE, PERSECUTION IN THE COUNTRY OF ORIGIN WHERE PEOPLE ARE INTERNALLY DISPLACED OR AS THEY SEEK REFUGEE PROTECTION.

>> IN UGANDA THEY ALREADY HAD SOME OF THE TOUGHEST ANTI-GAY LAWS ON THE BOOKS AND THIS WAS A COUNTRY THAT YOU WERE GETTING REQUESTS FROM ALREADY.

BUT JUST RECENTLY THEY PASSED A LAW THAT I THINK THE PHRASE IS AGGRAVATED HOMOSEXUALITY AND IT WOULD CARRY A DEATH PENALTY.

WHAT HAS THAT DONE?

HAVE YOU SEEN AN IMPACT ON THAT ALREADY?

I KNOW THIS REPORT BASED ON STUFF LAST YEAR.

WHAT'S HAPPENING IN UGANDA?

>> ONE THE REASONS WE DO THE REPORT IS BECAUSE THERE IS LIMITED DATA ON THE PERSECUTION OF LGBTQ+ PERSONS, WHICH IS WHY WE LAUNCHED ONBOARD REFUGEE DAY.

LAST YEAR UGANDA WAS AMONGST THE TOP TEN COUNTRIES OF BUT WE RECEIVED REQUEST FOR ASSISTANCE.

NEARLY, YOU KNOW, OVER 300 REQUESTS FOR ASSISTANCE.

THE GOOD THING ABOUT OUR DATA IS WE ARE ABLE TO TRACK DATA REAL TIME SO WE CAN RESPOND TO CRISIS SITUATIONS.

IN 2023 SO FAR WE'VE RECEIVED DOUBLE THE AMOUNT OF REQUESTS FOR ASSISTANCE FROM UGANDA AND THE VAST MAJORITY IS OVER 600 REQUESTS FOR ASSISTANCE CAME SINCE MARCH WHEN THE ANTI-HOMOSEXUALITY LAW WAS PASSED IN PARLIAMENT.

THE DIRECT CORRELATION WITH THE FURTHER AGGREGATION OF THESE LAWS AND THE PERSECUTION OF PEOPLE.

NOW UGANDA IS AMONGST 12 NATIONS THAT IMPOSE THE DEATH PENALTY ON PEOPLE FOR WHO THEY ARE OR WHO THEY LOVE.

>> TELL ME, WHAT ARE YOU ABLE TO DO, WHAT'S YOUR ORGANIZATION ABLE TO DO, WHAT ARE THE PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS ON THE GROUND ABLE TO DO FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE REACHING OUT FOR HELP?

>> RAINBOW RAILROAD HAS DEVELOPED A MODEL BY WHICH WE WORK COLLECTIVELY WITH HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS ON THE GROUND TO VERIFY, IDENTIFY PEOPLE AT RISK.

WHEN WE DO THAT, WE DO THAT -- PEOPLE ARE ABLE TO REACH OUT TO US DIRECTLY ONLINE IN MULTIPLE LANGUAGES.

WE ALSO RELY ON OUR PARTNER NETWORKS TO HELP US IDENTIFY CASES DIRECTLY ON THE GROUND.

ONCE WE DO THAT, WE INITIATE TRAVEL OPTIONS WHERE WE CAN.

SOMETIMES THERE ARE VERY LIMITED OPTIONS.

WE LOOK AT THE TOOLS AT OUR DISPOSAL.

AND THEN ALSO WE CONDUCT TRAVEL AND EVACUATIONS OURSELVES ALONGSIDE THE INDIVIDUAL AT RISK.

OFTEN IN THOSE CASES WE HAVE TO ADD VO CAUGHT FOR PATHWAYS TO SAFETY CALLING ON GOVERNMENTS TO WORK COLLECTIVELY WITH US ESPECIALLY IN A CRISES SITUATION.

WE ARE CONTINUALLY THEN LOOKING AT HOW WE CAN LEARN FROM OUR WORK TO PROVIDE MORE SUPPORT FOR PEOPLE AT RISK.

>> ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I THINK IS INTERESTING IN YOUR REPORT WHEN YOU LOOK DOWN AT THE LIST OF TOP TEN COUNTRIES OF REQUEST, I MEAN, YOU GO PAST AFGHANISTAN, PAKISTAN, TURKEY, AND YOU HAVE GOT -- BUT DOWN AT NUMBER EIGHT IS THE UNITED STATES.

EXPLAIN HOW THE UNITED STATES GOT ON THIS LIST OF PEOPLE REQUESTING ASSISTANCE FROM ORGANIZATIONS LIKE YOURS.

>> YOU KNOW, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE STILL UNPACKING AS AN ORGANIZATION TO BE HONEST.

BUT THE DATA REALLY POINTS TO AN ALARMING TREND THAT LGBTQ+ PEOPLE FROM THE UNITED STATES ARE REACHING OUT TO US FOR ASSISTANCE AND THEY ARE DOING IT IN TWO ASPECTS.

ONE, THEY ARE ASYLUM SEEKERS WHO ARE REACH OUT FOR ASSISTANCE, BUT ALSO U.S.-BORN CITIZENS WHO ARE SAYING THAT THEY ARE FACING DANGER AND ARE LOOKING FOR ASSISTANCE TO FLEE THE STATE OR RELOCATE TO ANOTHER STATE OR ANOTHER COUNTRY, WHICH IS ALARMING.

BUT I WILL SAY THAT THERE IS A DIRECT CORRELATION BETWEEN THOSE REQUESTS FOR HELP AND U.S. POLICY ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

ONE OF THE THINGS OUR DATA DOES IS LOOK AT SPIKES THROUGHOUT THE YEAR AND WE SAW TWO INTERESTING SPIKES.

ONE WAS ALONG THE ADOPTION OF ANTI-LGBTQ+ AND IN PARTICULAR ANTI-TRANS LAWS IN VAURS STATES LIKE FLORIDA.

BUT THE SECOND WHICH WAS A LITTLE MORE SURPRISING TO US WAS AFTER ROE V. WADE AND WE -- A SPIKE THEN I THINK WAS RELATED TO SOME CONCERNS THAT HAVE SINCE BEEN SOLVED WITH THE PROTECT MARRIAGE ACT THAT ROE V. WADE WOULD OPEN THE DOOR FOR LESS PROTECTION ABOUT LGBTQ+ PERSONS.

SO YOU SEE THE DATA POINTS A GENERAL FEAR FROM PEOPLE AND CONTINUES TO THIS YEAR.

THE UNITED STATES IN 2023 IS AMONGST THE TOP THREE COUNTRIES OF REQUEST FOR HELP OUTSIDE OF AFGHANISTAN AND UGANDA.

SO IT'S A DEEP CONCERN FOR US.

AND WE ARE LOOKING CAREFULLY ABOUT HOW WE WORK WITH OTHER PARTNERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY TO ADDRESS THIS PHENOMENON.

>> HOW DO YOU SORT OUT THE IDEA THAT THERE ARE CERTAIN STATES INSIDE THIS COUNTRY WHERE YOU ARE GETTING REQUESTS FOR ASENS FROM, AND AT THE SAME TIME THIS COUNTRY IS ALSO THE PLACE WHERE YOU ARE TRYING TO RE-SETTLE, SOME PEOPLE FROM OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD, BECAUSE THE RIGHTS HERE ARE BETTER THAN WHAT THEY ARE FLEEING?

>> YEAH, TO BE CLEAR, RAINBOW RAILROAD IS CONTINUOUSLY ADVOCATING WITH THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION FOR INCREASED RESETTLEMENT TO THE UNITED STATES.

AND THAT IS -- THAT CONTINUES TO BE OUR POSITION.

AND AT THE SAME TIME WE ARE MONITORING AND ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY OF LGBTQ+ PEOPLE.

YOU KNOW, WHEN WE LOOK AT WHEN WE RELOCATE PEOPLE THROUGH INTERNATIONAL BORDER, WE ARE LOOKING WHETHER THERE ARE GENERAL PROTECTIONS UNDER THE LAW FOR LGBTQ+ PERSONS AND, YOU KNOW, ARE THERE REFUGEE PROTECTIONS FOR THOSE INDIVIDUALS.

AND OUR REQUESTS -- AND ASSISTANCE IN VARIOUS COUNTRIES EBB AND FLOW.

YOU KNOW, WHEN LGBTQ+ PERSONS WERE FACING THE TENSION UNDER THE SO-CALLED MUSLIM BAN PREVIOUSLY, FOR EXAMPLE, WE PAUSED RESETTLEMENT INTO THE UNITED STATES.

AND SO -- AND WE DO THAT IN MULTIPLE COUNTRIES AS WELL.

AT THE MOMENT, YOU KNOW, EVEN THOUGH THE STATES' LAWS ARE CONCERNING, THERE ARE STILL OVERARCHING PROTECTIONS LEGALLY FOR LGBTQ+ IN THE UNITED STATES.

AND ALSO WHAT WE -- ALL OF OUR INTERVENTIONS, WHETHER IT'S DIRECTLY IN COUNTRIES THAT CRIMINALIZE SAME-SEX INTIMACY IN THE UNITED STATES ARE DRIVEN BY PEOPLE AND PARTNERS IN THE GROUND.

WE LOOK CLOSELY TO OUR PART WHO ARE ASYLUM SEEKERS, SOUGHT ASYLUM IN THE UNITED STATES AND SAID, YOU KNOW, AND WE ARE SAYING AND HAVING THE CONVERSATION SHOULD WE CONTINUE OUR EFFORTS AND WORK AND ALSO THEY SAY YES BECAUSE AS PEOPLE WOULD HAVE THE EXPERIENCE OF FLEEING THEIR COUNTRY IT'S ONE THING TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT LAWS IN THE STATES, ANOTHER THING THIS TO BE FLEEING YOUR COUNTRY BECAUSE IT'S LIFE AND DEATH AND THE UNITED STATES IS STILL SOLACE FOR MANY PEOPLE.

>> WHEN NEW BY THE BIG PICTURE, IS THERE ANY KIND OF SIMILARITY BETWEEN WHAT MIGHT BE HAPPENING IN FLORIDA AND WHAT MIGHT BE HAPPENING IN ANOTHER PART ARE THE OF THE WORLD?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

THERE ARE WELL FUNDED RESOURCE GROUPS UNFORTUNATELY SOMETIMES RELIGIOUS GROUPS HERE IN THE UNITED STATES AND OTHER PARTS.

WORLD THAT ARE FUNDING THESE LEGISLATIONS.

SOMETIMES THEY ARE COPYCAT LAWS FROM STATE TO STATE AND ALSO FROM COUNTRY TO COUNTRY.

SO THERE IS A BLUEPRINT, A PLAYBOOK ON ANTI-LGBTQ+ AND ANTI-TRANS LAWS THAT ARE BEING PASSED AROUND AND ABUNDANT FROM COUNTRY TO COUNTRY WHICH IS DRIVING THE LEGISLATION.

WE ARE SEEING THAT SAME MOVEMENT HAPPEN OVERSEAS.

THERE IS -- IT'S NOT A COINCIDENCE THIS IS HAPPENING.

>> SO I AM LOOKING AT YOUR REPORT HERE AND THE TOP TEN COUNTRY OF REQUEST, NUMBER ONE AFGHANISTAN.

IS THIS RESULT OF THE TALIBAN TAKEN OVER?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

YOU KNOW, VERY DIFFICULT TO RELOCATE PEOPLE IN AFGHANISTAN BEFORE THE FALL OF THE TALIBAN -- OF KABUL AND THE TALIBAN AND THERE WAS A DIRECT CORRELATION WITH WITHDRAWAL OF U.S. AND COALITION FORCES.

THE TAKEOVER OF THE TALIBAN AND THE EVACUATION OF PEOPLE, THAT LED TO THE SPIKE IN REQUESTS FOR ASSISTANCE.

WE RELEASED ANOTHER REPORT ON AFGHANISTAN.

I HAVE A DIRECTLY BEEN IN NEIGHBORING PAKISTAN MORE THAN ONCE TO HELP SET UP OUR NETWORK, YOU KNOW.

OUR ORGANIZATION WAS NEVER -- NEVER ANTICIPATED US BEING IN THE MIDDLE OF GEOPOLITICAL CRISES BUT WE ARE SEEING -- AFGHANISTAN WAS A REAL EXAMPLE OF A LARGER GEOPOLITICAL SITUATION THAT DIRECTLY IMPACTED LGBTQ+ PEOPLE AT RISK.

SO WE HAD TO ACT.

WE HAVE RELOCATED PEOPLE FROM AFGHANISTAN.

WITH THAT COMES AN INCREASE IN REQUEST FOR ASSISTANCE WHICH IS DOCUMENTED IN THE REPORT.

>> YOU WERE IN ISLAMABAD HELPING AFGHANS LEAVING THAT COUNTRY AND COMING INTO PAKISTAN.

WHAT WAS THAT LIKE?

>> THIS IS ANOTHER EXAMPLE WHAT IT IS FOR PEOPLE TO FLEE FROM ONE COUNTRY OF PERSECUTION TO ANOTHER NEIGHBORING COUNTRY IN ORDER TO SEEK PROTECTION.

YOU KNOW, PAKISTAN ALSO CRIMINALIZES SAME-SEX INTIMACY, ALTHOUGH THERE ARE SOME PROTECTIONS FOR TRANS INDIVIDUALS A.

AND SO THE -- THE -- WERE MOTIVATED BY BUILDING THEIR PARTNERSHIP NETWORK.

ONE OF THE CHALLENGES WITH AFGHANISTAN IS CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS AND PEOPLE WERE FLEEING THE COUNTRY.

SO WE NEEDED TO SET UP AS MUCH NEIGHBORING NETWORKS AS POSSIBLE.

I AM THANKFUL FOR OUR PARTNERS ON THE GROUND WHO WERE ADVOCACY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS WHICH TRANSFORMED THEIR OFFICES INTO SAFE HOUSES WHILE WE BUILT A SAFE HOUSE SYSTEM.

IT'S PART OF THE JOB THAT WE DO TO HELP ESTABLISH OUR PARTNERSHIP MODEL IN THE COUNTRIES THAT SOMETIMES AREN'T ALWAYS SAFE.

>> THE OTHER CRISIS THAT IS GETTING A LOT OF AIR TIME IS THE WAR IN UKRAINE, BUT OFTEN THERE ARE POPULATIONS INSIDE UKRAINE, INSIDE RUSSIA THAT ARE NOT TALKED ABOUT AS MUCH.

IN YOUR REPORT, YOU TALK ABOUT THIS CRISIS AND WHAT IT'S DONE.

HOW HAS THAT WAR MADE THINGS WORSE FOR THE LGBTQ+ POPULATIONS?

I GUESS ON BOTH SIDES OF THIS WAR.

>> YEAH, FIRST IN UKRAINE.

YOU KNOW, THE CONCERN WAS ENSURING THAT LGBTQ+ PEOPLE HAD ACCESS TO SAFE HAVENS IN NEIGHBORING COUNTRIES.

FORTUNATELY, WITH THE CONFLICT, CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS IN NEIGHBORING COUNTRIES HAVE TEND UP TO PROVIDE SUPPORT AND WE HAVE WORKED TO FACILITATE THE, AGAIN, THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THOSE SAFE HOUSES AND RESORTS SO PEOPLE FLEEING UKRAINE CAN GET ACCESS TO THOSE RESOURCES.

I THINK THERE REMAINS CHALLENGES IN PARTICULAR FOR TRANSGENDER WOMEN WHO ARE FACING DIFFICULTY LEAVING THE COUNTRY AND THE GENERAL INSTABILITY OF UKRAINE.

THERE WERE KIND OF, YOU KNOW, INCREMENTAL ADVANCES FOR LGBTQ+ PERSONS IN THE COUNTRY, BUT BY FAR THE-DEGREE HAS NOT HAD OVERALL PROTECTIONS OF LGBTQ+ PEOPLE.

AND RUSSIA THE SITUATION IS LITTLE MORE DIRE.

WE ACTUALLY SAW MORE REQUESTS IN RUSSIA FROM PEOPLE DISPLACED.

OUR WORK IN RUSSIA HAS BEEN CONTINUOUS SINCE THE 2013 ANTI-LBGTQ PROPAGANDA LAW AND SUBSEQUENT REPUBLICS LIKE CHECHNYA TORTURING LGBTQ+ PERSONS.

WE ARE CONCERNED WHILE THE FOCUS IS ON RUSSIA'S AGGRESSION OF UKRAINE, THE CONFLICT EFFECTS LGBTQ+ PEOPLE IN RUSSIA WITH LIMITED OPTIONS FOR EVACUATION OR RESETTLEMENT.

>> WHAT ARE SOME OF THE STORIES YOU HAVE HEARD FROM THESE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE EITHER FLEEING COUNTRIES LIKE AFGHANISTAN OR UGANDA AND ARE LOOKING FOR A BETTER LIFE, WHETHER IT'S IN THE UNITED STATES OR EUROPE OR ELSEWHERE?

>> YOU KNOW, I HAVE THE KIND OF HONOR TO KIND OF MEET SOME OF THE PEOPLE THAT WE HAVE HELPED.

SOMETIMES ON BOTH SIDES OF THE JOURNEY, AND YOU KNOW ACTUALLY JUST RECENTLY I WAS IN NEW YORK, LAUNCHING A -- ON REFUGEE DAY AND IN THE ROOM WAS -- WERE THREE INDIVIDUALS WE HELPED.

AND ONE THAT REALLY STRUCK AT ME WAS SOMEONE THAT WAS FROM KENYA, ACTUALLY, WHO FLED TO UGANDA, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, WHICH ALSO RECEIVES REFUGEES.

AND SO THEY WERE DOES PLACED IN KENYA.

THEY FLED TO UGANDA WHILE WAITING OUR SUPPORT.

AND THEN WITH OUR SUPPORT WE HELPED THEM RELOCATE TO THE UNITED STATES.

YOU KNOW, THEY SPOKE ABOUT KIND OF WHAT IT WAS LIKE TO HAVE TO FLEE AS A HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS BECAUSE THEIR HOUSE WAS LITERALLY BURNING DOWN AND WHAT IT MEANT FOR THEM TO HAVE SAFETY AND PROTECTION IN THE UNITED STATES.

>> I KNOW YOU WORK ON ADVOCACY ISSUES AND LEGISLATION.

HAVE THERE BEEN ANY SUCCESSES FOR YOUR ORGANIZATION AND YOUR CAUSE IN THE CLIMATE OF INCREASES ANTI-TRANS LEGISLATION IN THE UNITED STATES?

>> OUR ADVOCACY IN THE UNITED STATES IS GUIDED BY MEMORANDA BY THE PRESIDENT ON THE HUMAN RIGHTS OF LGBTQ+ PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD.

AND THAT MEMORANDA STATED TWO IMPORTANT THINGS.

ONE, AROUND ENHANCING THE U.S. ROLE IN ENHANCE HUMAN RIGHTS AROUND THE WORLD.

WE BELIEVE THAT MEANS YOU HAVE TO WALK THE TALK BY MAKING SURE WE ARE ENHANCING HUMAN RIGHTS IN THE COUNTRY.

THE SECOND ONE IS PROTECTION FOR LGBTQ+ REFUGEES.

AND ONE REAL OPPORTUNITY THAT WE ARE FOLLOWING RIGHT NOW WHICH IS ADVANCEMENT, IS THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A PRIVATE SPONSOR PROGRAM THAT ALLOWS CITIZENS ACROSS THE COUNTRY TO WORK WITH RAINBOW RAILROAD TO PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR LGBTQ+ REFUGEES.

>> IF YOU A MESSAGE FOR SOMEONE WHO IS BEING DISCRIMINATED AGAINST IN OUR COUNTRY AND ARE LOOKING FOR WAY OUT, WHAT IS THAT?

>> FIRST AND FOREMOST, DO WHATEVER YOU NEED TO DO TO BE SAFE.

THAT'S THE FIRST MESSAGE THAT WE PROVIDE WITH PEOPLE THAT REACH OUT TO US.

SOMETIMES THEY SEEM IN REAL IMMINENT DANGER AND, YOU KNOW, KNOW THAT THERE ARE PEOPLE IN SOLIDARITY WITH YOU IN YOUR COUNTRY AND ORGANIZATIONS LIKE RAINBOW RAILROAD WHO ARE TRYING TO DO EVERYTHING THAT WE CAN FOR HELP.

AND I WOULD ALSO EXTEND THAT SAME MESSAGE TO GOVERNMENTS.

YOU KNOW, WE REACHED AN HISTORIC MILESTONE WITH THE GOVERNMENT OF THE CANADA, WHO IS PARTNERING WITH RAINBOW RAILROAD THROUGH A DIRECT TRUST AND REFERRAL.

AND WE WANT TO DO THAT IN THE UNITED STATES AND OTHER COUNTRIES AS WELL BECAUSE ALSO WHAT WE REALLY WANT TO TELL THAT PERSON LISTENING IS THAT WE HAVE OPTIONS FOR YOU, BUT WE CAN'T HAVE OPTIONS UNLESS GOVERNMENTS STEP UP TO ADDRESS THE SCALE OF THE CRISIS.

KIMAHLI POWELL, CEO OF THE RAINBOW RAILROAD.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

>>> ONLY MONTHS AFTER BEING FREE FROM A RUSSIAN PRISON, THE AMERICAN BASKETBALL STAR BRITTNEY GRINER HAS BEEN CHOSEN TO PLAY IN THE WNBA ALL-STAR GAME.

GRINER WAS PICKED AS A STARTER FOR THE GAME DESPITE SPENDING SOME 300 DAYS IN A RUSSIAN PRISON.

GRINER IS ONE OF THE BETTER CENTERS IN THE LEAGUE THIS SEASON, AVERAGING MORE THAN 19 POINTS PER GAME.

THIS IS HER NINTH ALL-STAR SELECTION.

>> I AM HONORED ANYTIME THAT I GET VOTED IN.

IT'S GOING TO BE A GREAT TIME.

I DIDN'T THINK I WOULD BE IN THIS SEAT, YOU KNOW, LIKE A WHILE AGO.

BUT LIKE I SAID, HONORED TO BE AN ALL-STAR AND GO DOWN TO VEGAS AND MAKE IT A GOOD ONE.

>> NOW, GRINER MISSED THE 2022 SEASON BUT WAS NAMED AS AN HONORARY ALL-STAR LAST YEAR?

FINALLY, TURNING TO MORE SPORTS STARS CEMENTING THEIR PLACE HISTORY, THE NEW LIST OF HOLLYWOOD WALK OF FAMERS HAS BEEN ANNOUNCED.

TENNIS CHAMPION AND TRAIL BLAZER BILLIE JEAN KING IS THE FIRST FEMALE ATHLETE TO RECEIVE A STAR.

SHE WILL BE OUR GUEST LATER THIS WEEK ON THIS SHOW.

TWO POST I AMMOUS STARS TO CHADWICK BOSEMAN AND THE LEGENDARY SINGER OTIS REDDING.

MICHELLE YEOH, EUGENE LEVY, DR. DRE AND GWEN STEFANI ALSO RECEIVING THE HONOR.

THAT'S IT FOR OUR PROGRAM TONIGHT.

IF YOU WANT TO FIND OUT WHAT'S COMING UP EVERY NIGHT SIGN UP AT PBS.ORG/A.M.

THANKS FOR WATCHING AND GOOD NIGHT FROM LONDON.