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Trudeau Stays In Power In Canada; China Real Estate Crisis Sinks World Markets; U.S. President Biden To Reaffirm Need For Global Partnerships. Aired 2-3a ET
Aired September 21, 2021 - 02:00:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ROBYN CURNOW, CNN ANCHOR: Hi. Welcome to CNN. Thanks for joining me. I'm Robyn Curnow live in Atlanta. So coming up. Status quo in Canada, Justin Trudeau remains Prime Minister. His party with the same power it had five weeks ago. What it now all means for him and how he will govern.
Plus, global tensions fester as leaders gather in New York with lofty goals to calm climate change and (INAUDIBLE) COVID. And the Chinese property developer staggers under a $300-billion debt load. How that crisis is certainly sinking world markets.
Live from CNN Center. This is CNN NEWSROOM with Robyn Curnow.
CURNOW: We begin the show with new developments out of Canada where the Prime Minister will remain in power following that snappy election. Justin Trudeau's Liberal Party will form the next government but will fall short of enough seats to make a majority. He spoke to the country just a short time ago. Our Paula Newton joins us now from Montreal with more on this election and what the Prime Minister had to say.
PAULA NEWTON, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Robin, look. It's only been a five- week campaign, right? And basically, it's a bit like Groundhog Day, essentially, where this government -- Justin Trudeau government sorted is pretty much where it is likely to finish up. Except for the fact that the very tone and tenor of politics in the last week seem to change. I mean, really, it was one of the ugliest campaigns in recent memory.
And definitely that kind of the residue of that divisive politics is having an effect on Canadians already. Justin Trudeau says he disagrees with that interpretation. But he did indicate that he is listening to voters and the message they sent him during this campaign. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JUSTIN TRUDEAU, CANADIAN PRIME MINISTER: I hear you when you say that you just want to get back to the things you love. Not worry about this pandemic or about an election, that you just want to know that your members of Parliament of all stripes will have your back through this crisis and beyond. The moment we face demands real important change. And you have given this parliament and this government clear direction. (END VIDEO CLIP)
NEWTON: You know, he said that he called the selection because he wanted a clear mandate from Canadians but it is exactly the same one that he started with. What is interesting to note, Robyn is the fact that it is likely that for the second time he will lose the popular vote but still be the Prime Minister of Canada. His rival, Erin O'Toole, the Conservative Party leader, he acted like this was the first day of the next campaign. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ERIN O'TOOLE, CANADIAN CONSERVATIVE PARTY LEADER: Five weeks ago, Mr. Trudeau asked for a majority. He said the minority parliament was "unworkable." But tonight Canadians did not give Mr. Trudeau the majority mandate he wanted.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CURNOW: And that is true. He will continue to work with a party. A New Democratic Party, the one he has been working with for the last two years in order to get some very ambitious and high spending plans in place that includes an action plan for climate but also things like $10.00 a day daycare. All of those things seem to be in play now. But the other thing here, Robyn is Canadians, unfortunately, may be headed to another election as sooner than they think.
Many people have speculated that this government, this Justin Trudeau government may last just maybe a year and a half less than the two years that it's already been, Robyn?
CURNOW: Well, you there on the ground in Canada. So I do want to get your sense of what folks are saying to you when you talk to them. What is -- you talked about the tone and tenor changing perhaps. Is there frustration? Is there anger? Is it resignation? Just give us a sense what people have been saying to you.
NEWTON: I think there's fatigue and exhaustion. And you have to obviously Robyn say that look, the pandemic has contributed to so much of that. And to remind everyone what Canada has done well, terms of getting the vaccination rate up fully nearly four in every five Canadians is fully vaccinated. That's going to be a reality soon for those that are eligible for a vaccine. On the West Coast, we still have a fourth way that has been absolutely punishing.
Through all of that you've got this election campaign and the People's Party of Canada, which likely will get five percent of the vote. It doesn't sound like much, but they were protesters that stopped Trudeau during the campaign at one point throwing gravel on him. And that just reflected what is nagging at Canadians. The fact that perhaps what's gone on here may mirror the polarization that they see in the United States.
[02:05:06]
NEWTON: And many Canadians feel that that is endangering the political spirit that is usually alive here to try and get things done and in government and more than that, is actually endangering a lot of those Canadian values. Certainly, there was a lot of ugliness on the campaign, it turned off a lot of voters, we don't have many indications about voter turnout. But this will change the way Canadians see their political -- their politicians going forward, Robyn.
CURNOW: OK. Good to have you there. Paula Newton as always, thanks very much. Well, joining me now from Vancouver is Kathryn Harrison, professor of political science at the University of British Columbia. Great to have you with us as well. I do want to get your analysis on this. It certainly looks like Justin Trudeau is a gamble to try and expand his block in Parliament has failed.
KATHRYN HARRISON, PROFESSOR OF POLITICAL SCIENCE, UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA: Absolutely. What's remarkable looking at the outcome, and you know, they'll still be a bit of movement is that the numbers are almost exactly the same as they were in the 2019 election.
CURNOW: What does this tell us about the Prime Minister five weeks on he clings to power, yes. But does he come out of this looking weaker, less popular or not?
HARRISON: I think -- I think -- I think the liberals were trying to take advantage of the Trudeau government's popularity and handling the pandemic. They were the preferred party for things like climate change and childcare. But the timing ended up being very bad because of the emergence of that fourth wave of the pandemic. And I think it was just grumpiness of the electorate, not necessarily lack of support for the policies that Mr. Trudeau's government will now have to follow through on since they're still in government.
CURNOW: What were the issues that people can -- that people came out to vote for?
HARRISON: The Top of mind issues that the pollsters found are climate change, cost of living, cost of housing, healthcare and the pandemic. Interestingly, climate change wasn't as prominent as I thought it would be given that hundreds of people died in a heat wave. I think throughout the election, the parties were trying to find wedge issues, the liberals went after the conservatives saying they would be weak on gun control.
The Conservatives and NDP argue that this was an unnecessary election. In the end, I think the weakness of conservative governments in handling the pandemic probably hurt the federal conservatives also. They wouldn't say whether their own candidates had been vaccinated. And I think that probably saved the election for the liberals.
CURNOW: You heard Paula Newton there, our correspondent saying that the tone and tenor of this election had seemed to really amplify divisions within Canadian society which is so unusual for a country like Canada. Did you -- have you seen a major social shift here?
HARRISON: There's been something happening for a while. And I think the pandemic, the people who deny the science of COVID, who were opposed to vaccination has been building over time. I'm not sure that the election created that as much as gave rise to it. The fact that the election coincided with provincial governments adopting vaccine mandates and vaccine passports meant that the people who were protesting that were out in the streets at the same time as candidates for office.
CURNOW: OK. So the big question then is Mr. Trudeau is politically back right where he started five weeks ago. He didn't get the mandate, as we said, that he wanted. So what does this mean for how he will govern and for how he will try and actually implement all these real issues that Canadians want dealt with?
HARRISON: Well, the liberals promised a lot of things on the campaign trail. They have quite big plans on climate change for regulation, for increasing the carbon price across Canada. $10.00 a day daycare. They have to negotiate deals with all of the provinces. A new housing plan. So, at minimum, they have to show progress on those. I think they will have support in doing so from the NDP, the party to their left that picked up some seats and pushes for stronger social programs.
And I think they're going to be reluctant to call another election all that soon, given that they did that sooner than voters wanted. And voters were pretty angry about it.
CURNOW: We're going to talk about it in just a moment here on CNN about the United Nations. Obviously, Justin Trudeau likes to style himself as a -- as a global world leader, you know, who's at the forefront of all these liberal issues. How is he going to be going into this meeting in New York in the coming days, particularly when it comes to his relationship with Joe Biden?
[02:10:01]
HARRISON: I think that Trudeau and Biden are much more ideologically compatible. I think we'll see that on climate change and various other foreign affairs issues. The Climate Conference is also coming up in November in Scotland. And it would have been very embarrassing for Canada had the conservatives been elected because they would have gone into that meeting saying they had no intention of meeting Canada's target. So I think that Biden and Trudeau are more natural allies.
CURNOW: Great to have you on the show. Kathryn Harrison live from Vancouver. Thanks so much for coming to us --
(CROSSTALK)
HARRISON: You're very welcome.
CURNOW: Thank you. So world leaders, as we said, are converging on New York for the annual U.N. General Assembly, which kicks off in the coming hour as much debate is expected on how to deal with our warming planet, as Kathryn and I were just discussing. Also, of course, vaccine inequality and these growing rifts we're seeing among world powers. Now, the U.S. President is one of the first speakers. So what is he going to speak about? Well, we understand that he's likely to focus on how to move forward from the turmoil in Afghanistan while also defending the exit, as well as the migrant crisis on the southern border. He'll talk about that. Also add to the fallout from the so called snub which has harmed America's relationship with its oldest ally, France. We also know Biden will tackle the country's struggles with a Delta variant and vaccine hesitancy.
Now part of Mr. Biden's aim at his first general assembly is to convince world leaders that he's not another Donald Trump and that he believes in global partnerships and cooperation. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The strong partnership between the United States and the U.N. is based on common values and principles at this moment those bonds are more important than ever. America's back and we believe in the United Nations and its values.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CURNOW: Well, Brazil's President is certainly drawing criticism ahead of his opening General Assembly speech. Jair Bolsonaro was met by protesters on Monday night as he arrived for a reception at the Brazilian ambassador to the U.N. residents. These are the images here. Mr. bolson arrow has been attacked by as undemocratic by many of his critics and the unmasked unvaccinated president is also stoking controversy for plans to defy the U.N.'s COVID vaccine requirements. Shasta Darlington has more on all of that from Sao Paulo. Shasta?
SHASTA DARLINGTON, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: An unvaccinated president Jair Bolsonaro arrived with his delegation in New York on Sunday. On Monday, he met with Boris Johnson to discuss bilateral trade, the environment and travel restrictions that the U.K. is still imposing on Brazil. On Tuesday he'll deliver the opening speech at the United Nations. This despite rules requiring participants to be vaccinated in order to be in the assembly hall.
Now remember, Bolsonaro came down with COVID-19 last year and he nonetheless has repeatedly criticized the use of masks and downplayed the need at least for himself to even get a vaccine. Last week he made it abundantly clear that he wouldn't be vaccinated before attending the assembly during a live broadcast on his social media. He said, "Why do you take a vaccine? To have antibodies, right?
My antibodies rate is really high. I can show you the document. The U.N. says it expects leaders to respect an honor system but won't bar anyone from entering the assembly hall. Bolsonaro told CNN affiliate CNN Brazil that his speech on Tuesday will last about 20 minutes and that he'll focus on the environment, tourism, agribusiness, and Brazil's handling of the pandemic. Something that's already raising eyebrows considering his self-proclaimed unvaccinated status.
But in fact, after months of delaying the rollout of vaccines, with a death toll that already top 590,000 Brazil has now managed to get the virus relatively under control. Lowering both the number of new cases and new deaths. At this point 38 percent of the total population is vaccinated and more than 66 percent of the population has received at least one shot of vaccine. That's actually higher than many other countries. Shasta, Darlington CNN, Sao Paulo.
CURNOW: Well, the dead -- the dead -- excuse me, the dead crisis. Chinese retail estate giant Evergrande is rattling financial markets around the world. The company is struggling to manage its $300 billion in debt and Beijing may have to step in. Markets in Shanghai, Seoul and Taiwan on holiday but as you can see here, Tokyo and Hong Kong are trading and they are firmly in the red. And then in the U.S., the Dow finished down more than 600 points on Monday.
It's worst day since July. Let's go to Clare Sebastian. She's in New York with more on these numbers.
[02:15:05]
CLARE SEBASTIAN, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, fear took hold on Wall Street on Monday. The Dow was down close to a thousand points at its worst. Before regaining quite a lot of ground in the last hour. Well, the trigger for all this a company called Evergrande. One of China's biggest property groups is now facing potential default on its massive $300-billion debt pile. The company was supposed to pay interest on several bank loans Monday, according to Bloomberg.
We don't know when this happened. And data from Refinitiv show that's also facing interest payments on bonds worth more than $100 million later this week. The company has been warning it's running out of options to raise cash. This is why Wall Street cares if Evergrande defaults, it would hit banks in China and beyond that own Evergrande's debt. It can also dent confidence in China's property sector, which accounts for about 14 percent of GDP according to Fitch ratings.
The focus now is on what Beijing does next, whether it will step in to avoid a disorderly default. And that wasn't the only fear on Wall Street Monday. Investors are also looking ahead to Wednesday's fed statement. It could announce a potential timeline for pulling back on its pandemic era bond purchases. And they're watching the jockeying in Washington over the debt ceiling. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen warned in an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal Sunday, that failure to raise it would lead to "widespread economic catastrophe."
And there's a context to this move. It's now been around 11 months since a pullback of five percent or more on the S&P 500. We're not there yet. There are those in the markets who believe that it's long overdue. Clare Sebastian CNN, New York.
CURNOW: Thanks for that, Clare. Well, let's go straight to Kristie Lu Stout. Kristie is following these developments live in Hong Kong. You've been seeing the way the markets are moving heavily over indebted. Evergrande is certainly dragging the markets down. What more can you tell us about this company and what led to this this situation?
KRISTIE LU STOUT, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes. And the lack of guidance right now is at least spooking investors at the moment. Look, concern is deepening over the fate of this heavily indebted Chinese real estate giant Evergrande and also the spillover risk that it poses to the greater economy. You know, on Monday, we saw global market skid. We look at the performance overnight of the S&P, the NASDAQ notching its worst performance since May.
The Dow notching its worst performance since July. It prompted the White House to step in and issue a statement and say that they're monitoring the markets, but also insisted that Evergrande's business is overwhelmingly centered in China. And earlier today, we have obtained a statement from Evergrande, is in the form of a Mid-Autumn Festival letter to employees today.
It is the Mid-Autumn Festival season here in Asia. And the chairman of the company will bring up the statement for you. Xu Jiayin writes this. "At present the company has encountered unprecedented difficulties. I firmly believe that through joint efforts and hard work of all managers and staff, Evergrande will definitely walk out of darkness and fully resumed operations as soon as possible."
Very much intuitive optimism there from the chairman of Evergrande but that has done little to pacify investors this day in markets that are open across the region. Look, China's Evergrande is the most heavily indebted property developer in China saddled with $300 billion worth of debt that it is struggling to pay off. We've been monitoring their scenes coming into places like Shenzhen, the headquarters of Evergrande where scores of angry desperate and disgruntled investors are protesting at Evergrande offices.
It was last week. But Evergrande warned again, that it may default in a default, of course, we send shockwaves throughout the Chinese economy. But when you talk to analysts who closely monitor and watch Evergrande, they say that they believe Beijing is likely to step in and intervene now for a bailout but to soften the blow. Listen to this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TOMMY WU, CHINA ECONOMIST, OXFORD ECONOMICS: I still anticipate Beijing to step in, even though without a direct intervention or bail out, but at least they will engineer some sort of restructuring so that it will look like more like a soft landing for the Evergrande saga.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
STOUT: Last thing China needs right now is a major default, but so far, Chinese authorities have not provided any public assurances that there is a plan in place to resolve the Evergrande debt issue. And that's why we've seen investors in Asia and around the world just so rattled. Back to you, Robyn.
CURNOW: Yes. They certainly are. Keep us posted if any new developments. Thanks so much. Kristie Lu Stout there live in Hong Kong. Thanks. So still ahead here at CNN. After more than a year, the U.S. is set to ease restrictions on foreign travelers. What that means for beleaguered travelers and the industry and of course, for families who have been separated during this pandemic. Plus, new and scathing remarks from France after the U.S. seriously offended its oldest ally.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[02:22:07]
CURNOW: Welcome back. It is 22 minutes past the hour. Thanks for joining me. I'm Robyn Curnow. So Pfizer says its coronavirus vaccine is safe for children as young as five. On Monday the company released results from its latest trial, saying the shots gives children a "robust antibody response." Pfizer plans to submit the data to the U.S. and European officials for authorization as soon as possible.
A Pfizer board member says that means more U.S. children could get vaccines as early as next month. Dr. Anthony Fauci tells CNN the news comes as a huge relief for millions of worried parents.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DR. ANTHONY FAUCI, DIRECTOR NATIONAL, INSTITUTE FOR ALLERGIES AND INFECTIOUS DISEASE: Parents are very concerned about children of that age group, particularly those who are going into the elementary school age range. We want to make sure we thoroughly protect them. Before we were protecting them by surrounding them with people who are vaccinated. Now they themselves if the FDA gives the approval can be protected by their own vaccination.
And in the U.K., teenagers are lining up to get their first shots. British health officials recommended last week that all 12 to 15 year olds get their first doses of the Pfizer vaccine. And after more than a year, the U.S. says it will lift tough travel restrictions for foreign visitors starting in November, fully vaccinated travelers from nearly three dozen countries will be allowed to fly to the U.S. again.
It is a major, major boost for the battered travel industry. And it is an olive branch to European leaders who've been pressuring the Biden administration to ease restrictions. It is also a huge relief for families who have been separated during this pandemic. Here's Richard Quest with more. Richard?
RICHARD QUEST, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: When the travel ban was first introduced 20 months ago, no one expected it would last so long. And be so difficult to remove. So this is the news that thousands of families kept apart by the pandemic I've been waiting for. 20 months or now the Biden administration will ease restrictions, but only for fully vaccinated foreigners who will be able to enter the U.S. from early November.
For the travel industry this change goes a long way towards achieving some level of pre-pandemic normality. It restores transatlantic routes, and we'll reopen some of the most valuable markets in the world. For the President Joe Biden, preparing to speak at the United Nations General Assembly. The move helps repair widening risks with European leaders who have been demanding that the U.S. opened its borders up.
They publicly voiced their fury after they opened European borders and the U.S. failed to reciprocate. The world travel and tourism council estimates, the U.S. economy is losing $200 million a day because of the restrictions. The group's new CEO told me the changes from the White House are long overdue.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
[02:25:10]
JULIA SIMPSON, PRESIDENT AND CEO, WORLD TRAVEL AND TOURISM COUNCIL: I think today's announcement sees the beginning because once two large global economies can start making sense of this, I think others will follow. And I think there's a massive pent up demand for travel, business travel, leisure travel, reuniting families, and I think we will see things eventually return to normal. Yes, I do. But you do need.
You're absolutely right, Richard, we need global leadership on this. You know, companies have been very internally focused and they need to join up the dots now.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
QUEST: I mean, a down day for stocks around the globe, travel shares rallied in Europe. IAG, which owns British Airways, Aer Lingus and Iberia was up 10 percent. Lufthansa and Air France-KLM each up more than five percent. More muted for the big three U.S. carriers. Although they did show gains because of their transatlantic operations and alliances. Stocks don't really tell the full story here though.
The announcement is a real landmark in restoring business, tourism and family ties that have been severed for so long. Richard Quest, CNN, New York.
CURNOW: Now to the bitter Fallout over a submarine deal that has outraged France. Its foreign minister is accusing the U.S. and Australia of a blind siding betrayal. That is after Australia next a multi-billion-dollar sub contract with France in favor of getting nuclear powered submarines with U.S. and British health. Well, U.S. President Biden appears eager to smooth things over with his French counterpart.
But the Australian Prime Minister is not. Scott Morrison says he has no plans to speak with Emmanuel Macron after ending the sub deal. Meanwhile, the E.U. is also demanding answers and so is the French government.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JEAN-YVES LE DRIAN, FRENCH FOREIGN MINISTER (through translator): What matters now is first of all the breach of trust between partners because trust partners and alliance means transparency, predictability. It requires explanation. It is about talking to one another, not hiding from one another in particular on matters of importance.
(END VIDEO CLIP) CURNOW: I want to bring in Cyril Vanier. Cyril is based in Paris. Hi, Cyril. The U.S. has made it clear and it's been making itself clear for many years now that their strategic focus is on containing China. And in this instance, Australia's defense and that strategic focus overrode France's indignation. The French though seem still to be having trouble getting that.
CYRIL VANIER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, I suppose it depends how you look at this, Robyn. If you look at this as the bruised ego of the French President and the French President throwing a tantrum because he lost a military contract, then yes, absolutely. And there is part of the world, especially in the Anglo-Saxon world that wonders why the French President is making such a big deal of this and wonders when he will stop banging his fists on the table.
Even though most of the talking hasn't been done by himself but by his foreign minister. Look at it differently, though. And the whole story shifts. If you look at this as a strategic rift, which is what the French are saying this is. They have said for several days now, it is not so much about the contract and even the billions of dollars that were tied to that contract. It is about the way partners treat themselves.
And it is about strategic interests in the indo Pacific. If you look at it the way France has been -- has been saying it looks at it, then you understand that this may last a lot longer. And France has been using this to make an argument that it has made for years now under President Macron that it needs to marshal the unity of European powers in order to backup Europe soft power which for the moment is in terms of values and economic with hard power which would see Europe build up its own joint defense force.
We are a long way from that. But I think you can expect France not just in the coming weeks, but in the coming months to continue making that argument and Mr. Macron will have a great platform to do that. Starting early next year when France takes the rotating presidency of the European Union, Robyn.
CURNOW: Well, the E.U. -- the E.U. also getting in and reacting to this rift. What's the perspective in Brussels?
VANIER: Well, the European institutions have stood behind Emmanuel Macron. This European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen telling CNN that there is going to be no back to business with the United States until Europe gets answers on why one of its most powerful Member States France was treated the way it was treated by the U.S. and by Australia. So France certainly has the backing of the E.U.
This is also raising questions for the E.U., where does it get its strategic power from?
[02:30:00]
Until now, has put a lot of faith in its Transatlantic Alliance. And during the Trump era, when that alliance between the E.U., and the U.S. was shaky, at best, the E.U. did have the belief, and the hope, that after four years, at, least it would pass and they would have a more "normal president" to deal with, in Washington. But they're seeing now that even with a Democrat in the White House, somebody who supports multilateralism, at least in theory, their strategic interest, European strategic interest, can find themselves collateral damage to what's decided in the White House.
And it is not just the submarine deal, the Europeans are saying, look, look at what happened two months ago and the last few weeks in Afghanistan, when the U.S. decided to pull a unilaterally and didn't give the courtesy of heads up to its allies that had boots on the ground, there is a pattern, as far as the E.U.is concerned, of the U.S., as you said earlier, Robyn, protecting its own strategic interest over that of either French interest or European interest.
CURNOW: OK. Cyril Vanier, live, in Paris, thank you for that.
So, still to come, the U.S. is sending hundreds of Haitian asylum seekers home. But there are still thousands waiting to be processed in Texas. Details on the migrant crisis, at the U.S.-Mexico border, that is next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CURNOW: The U.S. Homeland Security Department is working to process migrants and speed up repatriations after thousands of people arrived at the U.S.-Mexico border. This new video, have a look at this, appears to show U.S. border agents, on horseback, aggressively confronting Haitian migrants. The White House called it, horrible to watch.
And Homeland Security says, "Does not tolerate the abuse of migrants in our custody and we take these allegations very seriously. The footage is extremely troubling and the facts learned from the full investigation, which will be conducted swiftly, will define the appropriate disciplinary actions to be taken.
Officials say, around 3,000 migrants were moved from Del Rio, Texas to another processing location on Monday and up to three repatriation flights back to Haiti will be organized daily. But they are still more than 10,000 migrants under the Del Rio International Bridge.
Matt Rivers takes a look at the long and difficult journey many Haitians undertake to seek asylum at the U.S. border.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MATT RIVERS, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: A packed street in Southern Mexico resembling something out of Port-au-Prince. Hundreds of Haitian migrants fill the sidewalks Tapachula. This city is often a stop for those travelling north to the U.S. But the amount of Haitians making that journey right now, both government officials and activists say is unprecedented.
[02:35:00]
We have seen lots of migration before, says Ruben Figueroa, but we have never seen this many people from Haiti. It is unbelievable.
Nearly 19,000 patients and counting have applied for asylum in Mexico this year. Already three times higher than all of 2020. But many, asylum claims won't keep them here. They will head north arriving by any and all means.
Here, a few days ago, dozens of Haitian migrants, many of them Haitians take a ferry to cross the river, the only way to get across. Most will then pay a few dollars to a motorcycle taxi to take them along the next leg of the journey.
RIVERS (on camera): So, he's basically saying that he's never seen this amount of Haitian migrants coming through here before.
RIVERS (voiceover): The goal for many is to make it to a place like here, seven hours away in the town of Malpaso where there is fierce competition to get on the buses headed north. Tensions boiling over at times, arguments erupting outside of ticketing stations. These buses will eventually take them to the U.S., which is how recent scenes of thousands of Haitians trying to get into the U.S. came to be. The U.S. says, it will deport these people by the thousands, but they are more coming.
RIVERS (on camera): So, this base in Southern Mexico, up until just a few days ago is actually a place where hundreds of Haitian migrants were staying on a temporary basis every single day. This community actually set up across this shelter because of this recent influx. As you can see now though, it is empty. All of the Haitians that we're here left. They are headed north to the United States.
RIVERS (voiceover): And this surging migration has every chance to continue after a devastating earthquake struck Haiti six weeks ago. Hundreds of thousands were displaced and immigration activists says many could leave the island soon and eventually end up right back here in Southern Mexico U.S. bound.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CURNOW: Well, thanks to Matt Rivers for that report. Clara Long, is a senior researcher for Human Rights Watch. He joins me now from Oakland California.
Hi Clara.
There's certainly blanket agreement that border agents should not be doing what they -- what we see them doing on that video. I just want to bring that up in Del Rio, this one here. They were on horseback and appeared to be whipping many of these migrants. What is that video? What do these images tell you about the chaos we are seeing there?
CLARA LONG, SENIOR RESEARCHER, HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH: Well, I mean, these images are horrific to watch. And they bring to mind, for many in the United States, a dark legacy of racism and law enforcement. The United States still has not been dealt with in a meaningful way and in many parts of its operations, including along the border. But what is really on my mind beyond the videos is what's happening where the cameras aren't going. And that's when we're talking about the processing that these asylum seekers are going through. You know, the border has been closed, to asylum for the past 18 months under a Trump order, that uses the COVID-19 pandemic as a pretext to expel people without giving them the right to seek protection in the United States.
And these flights that are leaving the United States, leaving the border, taking people out of this camp and going back to Haiti are people who are being expelled with no due process at all and who really face serious threats upon return.
CURNOW: But it still is legal. And they are coming into the country illegally is what the White House is arguing. That this is a pandemic related authorization and there is just a system that is overburdened, they have not enough resources and this is a solution, at least in the Biden White House, is perspective.
LONG: Look, that's not the view of the only federal courts had ruled on this manner. You know, just last week, we had a federal court ruling that said, this Title 43 order, which is the COVID-19 pandemic order, is unconstitutional and cannot stand and gave the government 14 days to appeal. We're actually in the 14-day period right now in which the Biden administration is (INAUDIBLE) this order. But that is the only federal court opinion we have on the matter.
And then when you look at -- you know, but there's a broad consensus across public health experts, across, you know, the U.N. refugee agency who have all said, you know, this order, this expulsion order violates U.S. law and human rights law as well.
CURNOW: Why are so many Haitians coming over right now? Why such scenes right now?
LONG: Yes. You know, this is a complex situation, right? You have people who have been displaced for a long period of time, and who have been, you know, come up through --
CURNOW: Since 2010 earthquake, many haven't been home. So, why are they here now?
[02:40:00]
LONG: Right. Yes. Well, you know, it has to do with the contradictory nature of the Biden administration's approach to protection and to asylum. So, some background here, is that in May, the Biden administration, you know, relying in part on Human Rights Watches' findings about Haiti said, we are going to offer patients who are inside of the United States a temporary protected status. That means we won't send anyone back who is in the United States, because it's too dangerous.
You know, since that designation in the United -- in -- you know, in May, in Haiti, there's been the assassination of the president, a major earthquake and increased unrest, increased in security. And so, people are watching all of this, you know, and who have family in the United States -- you know, one story that I saw in the news reported a family who is trying to reunite with -- a young father trying to reunited with his young child in the United States.
You know, for obvious reasons, I'm thinking, OK, this is the right time to come and to seek protection in the United States. If the Biden administration, I want to emphasize, had adopted a principled approach to restore an asylum at the U.S border and to giving people a fair shot and to see who qualifies and who doesn't qualify for protection U.S. and international law, this would not be happening. But instead, because the policies themselves are chaotic, we're seeing this kind of chaos.
CURNOW: Clara Long from Human Rights Watch, thank you for joining us here in CNN.
LONG: Thank you.
CURNOW: As this migrant crisis unfold, President Biden is following through on a campaign promise to take in more refugees. His administration plans to raise the U.S. refugee cap to 125,000 next year after conceding the goal to do so this year will be hard to hit. The cap had been cut to a historic low under the Trump administration.
Coming up on CNN, a Thailand commander meets and greets the people in his police district. Here are what some Afghans are saying about the new government.
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CURNOW: Welcome back. The U.N.'s humanitarian chief says, Taliban leaders have admitted to him they don't know how to govern Afghanistan given the militant's brutal history. There is understandable fear and uncertainty about what happens next in a county already facing a humanitarian crisis.
Well, Nic Robertson is in Kabul and he sent us this report.
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NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR (voice-over): Taliban commander, Mansoor Haqqani, is on a public relations offensive, winning he hopes hearts and minds in the Kabul police district he now runs. He doesn't carry a weapon, but his backup does. Taliban fighters fresh from the frontlines toting American weapons, wearing U.S. combat gear.
ROBERTSON (on camera): This is one of the most important neighborhoods in the center of Kabul, the financial district. Its security is a priority for the Taliban.
[02:45:00]
ROBERTSON (voiceover): With the Taliban well-justified reputation for brutality, it should be an easy job for the 17-year veteran Haqqani to get control. But it's not. ROBERTSON (on camera): How does it feel to be policing the streets rather than fighting to take control= of the country? He says, he's happy to serve the nation just as before to bring Sharia religious law to the city. But there are lots of people, a lot of corruption and a lot of thieving to get rid of, he says.
Haqqani is posting used to be the city's plum police job. Lots of money, lots of shakedowns
ROBERTSON (on camera): You get the feeling walking along here that people are still being a little bit cautious about the Taliban. But at the same time, they're out on the streets, they're trading, they're doing business. So, it feels like it's settling down, but it's that kind of uneasy feeling which way is it going to go.
ROBERTSON (voiceover): We are happy, this gold trader tells me, no corruption so far. I could leave work after dark. It's safer.
ROBERTSON (on camera): So, how is the situation here now?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The situation is very good. You know, if you see like one year ago, two years ago, we see thieves and robbery here, and no safety here. Now, with the Taliban, I hope, God willing, life is very good.
ROBERTSON (voiceover): With the Taliban with an earshot, it's hard to know for sure how people really feel. But despite their presence, several brave women approaches. This woman close to tears, tells me she is a widow with six children. The Taliban fired her from her government job. Sent her home without pay. As we talk another woman comes forward.
Also out of work, she says, because the Taliban stopped girls she taught from going to school. She's been paid for next month but has not idea what happens after that. It's up to Haqqani to choose whether he'll be firm and respected or forceful and feared like the Taliban before. He says, for now, no plans to cut thieves' hand off like before. Which way he'll tip a bell weather for the country.
Nic Robertson, CNN, Kabul, Afghanistan.
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CURNOW: Anna Coren follows this story and has been following this story for months now. You've also reported from Afghanistan, Anna. I mean, it's coming a little bit of a low base with Nic Robertson reporting that the Taliban are promising not to cut fingers off. I mean, that's certainly, you know, not something that is really going to make people feel comfortable as you heard from those women and the fact that tthey admit themselves they don't know really what they're doing.
ANNA COREN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: They don't know what they're doing. They've been fighting a war for the last 20 years. Now, they have to govern for 38 million people. On top of that, you have this humanitarian crisis because they cannot access the foreign aid that was propping up the country.
We know that banks are closed. That people can only get out, you know, what is the equivalent of $200 a week. Unemployment, Robyn, is rough in the country. It is suffering a major draught, internal displacement in these refugee camps. It's something that they have not seen before. These are all problems facing the Taliban and they basically do not know what to do.
They said as much to the chief of the U.N. who looks after Humanitarian Affairs. Take a listen.
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MARTIN GRIFFITHS, U.N. UNDER-SECRETARY-GENERAL FOR HUMANITARIAN AFFAIRS: The Taliban leadership, the Haqqani leadership were very frank in saying that they had yet to understand the responsibilities of governing this country. Nic has made this point very vividly in his report to you on the program. They became the unexpected rulers of Afghanistan. They have no great record of ruling. I know that from the last time they've tried. And we see it in the performance. So, we see imperfect performance of compliance with those promises.
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COREN: Martin Griffiths there, the U.N. Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief speaking to CNN.
So, it's certainly not reassuring to the outside community, the international community that is holding Afghanistan's $9 billion in reserves. That's mainly in U.S. banks. We also know that the IMF is refusing to release emergency funds. We know that $1 billion dollars in aid has been promised to the Afghan people, but still, Robyn, you know, this is a government that is not proving to be the government that have promised to be, inclusive and tolerant, respectful of women and of human rights.
[02:50:00]
And, you know, the Taliban spokesperson, Zabihullah Mujahid, he is holding a press conference right now. Announcing the other cabinet members for the shadow government, acting government. And we're also expecting him to make some announcements about the women returning to the workforce. One of those women who is waiting to hear what he has to say is a teacher that I spoke to a short time ago. She's 41 years old, a mother of five, her husband died, he was a member of the Afghan military. He died, I should, say fighting on the battlefield.
And she is no longer receiving a salary. She needs to feed her children. Let me read you something that she said to me a short time ago. We still have hope, the Taliban will allow us back to work and I will be happy to serve as a teacher on their government. We are not about politics. We were never against them. Why have they stopped us from going to work? If their curriculum changes, we have no problem, as long as we teach the kids, and I get a salary to feed my kids.
This is what these ordinary Afghans are facing, Robyn. They just need money to survive and feed their families.
CURNOW: The basics. Thanks so much. Anna Coren, as always, good to see you.
So, still to come on CNN, crews are struggling to contain at least 10 massive wildfires, burning across California. What firefighters and residents there can expect in the coming hours? That is next. You are watching CNN.
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CURNOW: Take a look at this stunning new drone video. It shows lava flowing into neighborhoods and then, destroying homes on one of Spain's Canary Islands. A volcano erupted on Sunday in La Palma. The president -- islands' president says it will keep spewing molten lava and ash for the next few days. We know that thousands of people had to be evacuated, including 400 tourists staying at a hotel. Thankfully, there are no reports of injuries or deaths. We will continue to monitor that.
And, then in California, the threat of strong winds and low humidity is driving conditions for the spread of wildfires. Right now, crews are struggling to contain at least 10 large blazes that are burning across the state. One of those fires is on the edge of the Sequoia National Park, threatening some the world's largest trees. Officials are hoping to avoid a repeat of last year when thousands of Sequoia trees were destroyed.
Well, I want to go straight to Pedram Javaheri. Pedram is monitoring where this fire is, particularly with those vulnerable trees in its sight.
PEDRAM JAVAHERI, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Yes. Robyn, we are heading there into the peak season, September and October, typically the most active, when it comes to fire weather. So, certainly something worth noting here.
But you notice, parts of 12 states around the Western U.S., 71 large active fires to be had. And just around the Northwest, we saw some rainfall with an incoming front that improve your conditions. But on the backside of it, high pressure develops. And keep in mind, with high-pressure, air flows in a clockwise format. And when you take a clockwise format from its position there across the great western basin, that is going to give you an offshore component. So, the winds will pick up and come in from those deserts, which are already warmer. And, of course, that warmer air rushes right into portions of these fire ridden areas.
[02:55:00]
And we have fire whether conditions, essentially, ripe here for additional spreading potential, and that's the concern, even some heat advisories, but Santa Ana is kicking up in Southern California. Temperatures are expected to soar. But the driest water year on record taking place right now across the State of California, only 25 centimeters of rainfall observed across the six stations there in Southern Sierra, including the area where the Sequoia National Forest is.
And, unfortunately, 25 centimeters is about three times less than where they should be. 75 or so is what is average. 25 making up the driest on record. And there is a national forest, you'll notice the fire vicinity and really in relation to exactly where they are. Very little to no containment at this hour. And that is the concern with this incoming strong wind event that could potentially spread these fires further.
Into the north, some of the largest fires in state history still taking place. Six of the seven largest fires in California's history have all happened since July of 2020. An incredible really sobering statistic when you look at the numbers of what an active season it has been.
And, Robyn, this is what it looks like. We go into the next afternoon here with a level four concerned, meaning widespread fire activities taking place, the national resources committed to this are at the very high level. So, this is as dangerous as it gets here with what is occurring across the State of California.
CURNOW: Yes. Climate change certainly has California and its grip right now. Devastating stats there. Pedram Javaheri, appreciate you joining us at this hour.
So, if you think the U.N. General Assembly is just about speeches and political meetings, think again. President of South Korea and President Moon Jae-in brought in seven special guests with him. The boy band, BTS. The k-pop stars talked about the importance of addressing the climate crisis, and their generation's response to the COVID pandemic. Then, they thrilled fans watching online with a pre- recorded version of their hit song "Permission to Dance."
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CURNOW: That's one way to jazz up the U.N. G.A. The group were recently named U.N. Special Presidential Envoy's for future generations and culture.
Thanks so much for watching. I'm Robyn Curnow. CNN Newsroom continues with Rosemary Church.
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ROSEMARY CHURCH, CNN ANCHOR: Hello and welcome to our viewers joining us from all around the world. I am Rosemary Church.
