Return to Transcripts main page

Connect the World

Anti-Choice Activists Slam Abortion Decriminalization; CNN Poll Shows Headwinds for Biden and 2024 Election Bid; Rescuers Rush to Save American Trapped in Turkish Cave; CNN Speaks with U.N. Official on Environmental Migration; Decision Expected in Appeal over Abaya Ban in France; NASA's Moxie Experiment Offers Hope for Human Exploration on Mars. Aired 11a-12p ET

Aired September 07, 2023 - 11:00   ET

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

[11:00:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BECKY ANDERSON, CNN HOST, CONNECT THE WORLD: And this is your second hour. This hour a pivotal moment for the world's second biggest Catholic country

we're going to take a deep dive into what Mexico's ruling to decriminalize abortion means for the political and cultural trajectory of the country.

First up, though, you're on the headlines this hour U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken announces a new billion dollar aid package for Ukraine

during his visit to Kyiv. This is a Ukrainian drone strike. It's dangerously close to Russia's southern military headquarters.

Rescuers are racing to save an ill American trapped in Turkey's third deepest cave. The man is stuck 1100 meters below ground. A new CNN polling

spells trouble for U.S. President Joe Biden's reelection bid. His overall approval rating has dropped to 39 percent.

Mexico's Supreme Court declaring that access to abortion is a human right, and any effort to stop it is unconstitutional. Now this push for

reproductive health rights has been a long time in the making by feminists across the country as recently as 2017.

Women there could face up to three years in prison for ending their pregnancy. Now it's worth remembering that Mexico is home to some 100

million Catholics the second largest Catholic population in the world just behind Brazil.

So the significance for the court to rule that the abortion ban violates the human rights of women and people with the capacity to just state cannot

be understated. Meantime, Mexico's ruling party and the leading opposition party have both named female candidates for the presidential election next

year making it very likely that Mexico will have its first female leader come 2024.

So tonight we ask are we seeing a new era of liberalization in Mexico. Well, CNN's Rafael Romo has been covering Latin America for us for many

years, and he has his finger on the zeitgeist in Mexico. So let's start with what is a very simple question, Rafael. Is this a new era for Mexico?

RAFAEL ROMO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Becky. Yes, it is in the sense that this kind of ruling would have been unthinkable a couple of decades ago.

And while no woman can be prosecuted any longer for having an abortion in Mexico, there are still 20 states where the procedure remains illegal. But

the ruling paves the way for the federal healthcare system to start providing abortions.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ROMO (voice-over): The effort to decriminalize abortion in Mexico has been going on for years, especially in Mexico City where abortion rights groups

have taken to the streets to say my body my decision. In fact, by the time the Mexican Supreme Court issued a ruling Wednesday decriminalizing

abortion at the federal level 12 out of 32 states had already invalidated laws banning abortion.

MARIA ANTONIETA ALCAIDE, IPAS/MEXICO AND CENTRAL AMERICA: Our reaction was of pure joy and celebration but also has been very proud of being part of

this green wave this movement that has been working to advance the abortion agenda.

ROMO (voice-over): In a statement the court said that banning an abortion is unconstitutional because it violates the human rights of women and

people with the capacity to gestate. Anti-abortion groups in Mexico blasted the ruling.

ALICIA GALVAN, PRESIDENT & FOUNDER, PATRIA UNIDA FOUNDATION: There are millions more Mexicans who are in favor of life from the moment of

conception until natural death.

ROMO (voice-over): The Supreme Court first ruled that it was unconstitutional to criminalize abortion in 2021. Same day the ground shook

in Mexico. The earthquake was filled for about a minute but the shockwaves sent across the nation by that court's ruling are still being felt.

GALVAN: It is a black day for Mexico. The country is in mourning. The Supreme Courts of Justice, the highest level institution in the country.

They want in charge of watching over justice and human rights, both to betray the first human right, without which no other human rights can exist

life.

ROMO (voice-over): Back in 2021, the court issued a decision on a law enacted in the Northern State of Coahuila, which said that women who get an

abortion may get punished with up to three years in prison and a fine. Exactly a week before Wednesday's ruling Aguascalientes had decriminalized

abortion becoming the 12th state to do so.

[11:05:00]

Mexico City was the first jurisdiction to end the ban on abortion in the country back in 2007. Starting a trend in the still mostly conservative

country, where more than three quarters of the population identify as Catholic. Abortion rights groups say even before the ruling, Mexico had

already become a destination for some American women seeking an abortion.

ALCAIDE: Before Mexican women used to go to the U.S. to look for abortion services. And now Mexico, more and more American women are coming to Mexico

for services.

ROMO (voice-over): And while no woman can be prosecuted any longer for having an abortion in Mexico, there are still 20 states where the procedure

remains illegal. But the ruling paves the way for the federal health care system to start providing abortions.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ROMO (on camera): Also Becky, and this goes to the question that you were asking me at the beginning, it is very telling that the two people running

for president for next year's elections are both women, and they both support the criminalizing abortion. Now back to you.

ANDERSON: We know things are complicated in Mexico, given the formidable influence of the cartels, on government and society, quite frankly. I guess

the idea of a female president though next year is you know a really interesting one. Is it likely at this point? I mean is that what we are

looking at?

ROMO (on camera): Well, at this point, Becky, I would say that it is pretty much a given and we have seen how women have rose in the political ranks in

the country. The main political coalition that in the coalition of President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has announced already that Claudia

Sheinbaum, Former Mayor of Mexico City is running for president, they have already chosen her.

And then the other woman you see on screen there. Xochitl Galvez she's a Senator from the PIN another political party and she is running for a

coalition of the three main opposition parties. So the question for Mexicans next year when they go to the polls, it's not going to be whether

it should be a woman, but it's going to be which one of the two who are running should be the next Mexican President.

ANDERSON: Thank you, Rafael Romo is on the story -- Mexico part of a trend of liberalization on abortion rights in Latin America and globally. Only

four countries have made it more difficult legally for women to access abortions. Those are the United States, Nicaragua, El Salvador, and then

away from that part of the world, Poland but there are still restrictions for many women around the world.

You can see here where rights are limited. Globally, abortion is prohibited in countries in red in those countries in orange it is only available to

women whose lives are at risk according to the Center for Reproductive Rights 40 percent of women live under restrictive abortion laws. That is

some 753 million people.

Well this hour, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is wrapping up his trip to Ukraine. He spent the past two days stressing that his country's

unwavering commitment to helping Ukraine sustain and improve its democracy while defending itself against Russia.

Blinken's visit comes as U.S. President Joe Biden prepares to head to India to the G20 Summit. Ukraine will be a major focus there as leaders from the

world's richest and most powerful countries meet. But there is very little hope for consensus.

Melissa Bell is following the Secretary of State's trip and other developments from Kyiv. On the back end of what has been a two day trip.

This was a surprise trip, certainly for many that Antony Blinken would be there. At the end of this trip what do you believe the key takeaways really

are?

MELISSA BELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It was, of course, all about the solidarity, the show of support and about taking Kyiv's message back to the

American people. That's what we've been told ahead of Secretary Blinken's arrival here in Canberra, certainly ahead of it becoming public Becky.

I think in the end, what we saw was a reminder if we were needed and Russia never fails to deliver on this of exactly why this effort is being made not

just by the American people by so many different allies that shocking attack yesterday on that marketplace. The cruise and ballistic missile

attacks on Kyiv even as the Secretary of State was arriving here a reminder of exactly what it is Ukrainians are fighting against every day.

[11:10:00]

What he announced in the end of course, that billion dollar package is specifically designed to try and help Ukrainians make a breach in those

formidable Russian defenses. The joint assessment now, as we've been hearing from the United States, and Ukraine, now that they've had a chance

to consult and compare notes, is at the counter offensive is making real progress.

Of course, it's not as fast as anyone would like, but it is making progress. The latest package and it's not all military aid. But the

military aid part of it Becky is very much designed specifically to help Ukrainians where they need it, which is to get through these Russian

defenses, including, of course, that addition of the very controversial, depleted uranium munitions.

I think Moscow's reply to that has spoken volumes, a very furious reply that's come already this morning, calling this a criminal act. What the

munitions will allow the Ukrainian forces to do once they're able to fire them from the Abrams tanks that they'll get this fall is to penetrate the

sort of covering of the tanks on the other side.

This is believed will help them make a difference, however, controversial the munitions, you'll remember that the cluster munitions received much the

same reaction when it was announced by Washington that they will deploy them.

It's about helping Ukrainians to pierce through these defenses. So desperate is the fight day in day out to get past them, Becky. We've also

seen over the course of the last day, the continuation of what's been happening more and more clearly, and with less and less, with more and more

clarity, not just on the effects of it, but in the saying of it.

Ukraine, taking this war, more to Russian soil than ever had before, once again drone strikes on Rostov and on Moscow, intercepted by our defenses

but causing damage in Russia as well. It isn't just Ukraine at this stage paying the price but ordinary Russian civilians going about their daily

life.

ANDERSON: Yes, absolutely. Melissa, thank you. Melissa Bell is in Kyiv for you. Brand new polling numbers are out and they may spell bad news for

President Biden and his bid to remain in the White House that is coming up.

Plus a massive rescue effort underway in Turkey to save this man an American who is stuck in one of the countries deepest caves after he fell

ill. Why it could take days to bring him to the surface that is just ahead?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ANDERSON: New CNN poll numbers show that U.S. President Joe Biden could be facing some headwinds as he seeks reelection in 2024. Mr. Biden's approval

rating has sunk to 39 percent. He's been hovering just above that number for months.

The new CNN polling also shows in a theoretical matchup Biden in a dead heat or losing to nearly all of the leading Republican Presidential

Candidates and that includes Donald Trump. You can see Nikki Haley at the top with 49 percent.

[11:15:00]

Biden's 43 percent, she's followed by Trump and Ron DeSantis, who are neck and neck with the President. Well, here to break down the numbers for us is

CNN Political Director, David Chalian. And David, this does spell major trouble, at least for the Democrats. What are voter's biggest concerns over

Biden?

DAVID CHALIAN, CNN POLITICAL DIRECTOR: Yes, this poll Becky is showing just alarm bells will be going off inside the White House and in the Biden

campaign. You know, it's interesting one of the biggest concerns is clearly the economy.

But also, we've noticed a big concern around the President's age. He's the oldest person to ever serve as President. And even among his fellow

Democrats, this is Democrats and Democratic leaning independents here.

We asked an open ended question, what's your biggest concern about his candidacy? 49 percent of his fellow partisan said his age 7 percent mental

sharpness, 7 percent health 7 percent ability to do the job, that's all of a piece there, obviously.

So that's something obviously he can't get younger. He's only going to get older as he goes through this campaign. And you hear how he tries to

address that by saying, with age comes wisdom about how to do this job, but it's a concern.

ANDERSON: What's the plan here? I mean, Biden has been making the rounds, of course, to tout his economic achievement. But according to the poll,

that just seems to be falling pretty flat, doesn't it?

CHALLAN: It does. 58 percent of Americans in this poll tell us that Biden's economic policies they believe have worsened the American economy. Now,

that is why you are right, you see him out there touting what he calls Bidenomics, and constantly hitting the campaign trail to say what he

accomplished legislatively.

But with inflation still high, even though it's coming down. People are not yet feeling it. And some of that legislation just hasn't gone into effect

yet. So when you see a majority of Americans and 58 percent say that he's worsened the economy, that's something they're going to have to continue to

work on as well.

ANDERSON: Yes, it's really interesting, isn't it? On the Republican side, Mike Pence on the offensive taking a swipe at his former boss, let's just

have a listen to part of what he said.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MIKE PENCE, FORMER U.S. VICE PRESIDENT: A populist movement is rising in the Republican Party. The growing faction would substitute our faith in

limited government and traditional values, with an agenda stitched together by little -- personal grievances and per formative outrage.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: David, the reality here is that Donald Trump's lead among the party is growing. He's now at 52 percent. That is way ahead of the rest of

their field. Is there any real competition at this point? Or do you foresee any going forward for this Republican nomination?

CHALLAN: Well, certainly things could change as the race gets more engaged. But you are right, Becky, this is a one man race right now. He's dominant

there with you say the 52 percent support. And to Mike Pence argument in that speech up in New Hampshire yesterday where he was arguing for sort of

return to Ronald Reagan style conservatism and not the populism that defined Donald Trump's presidency.

And quite frankly, defined the transformation of the Republican Party even prior to Donald Trump sort of created the avenue for Donald Trump to come

in and 2015. And what we see in this poll also is that when we ask Republicans about who can best handle issues like immigration, the economy,

Ukraine, a far and away Donald Trump is that like 60 to 70 percent.

Mike Pence is down in the single digits of that in terms of who can best handle it. So the pitch he's making is clearly not resonating. He's trying

to have a contrast of vision. And so far Republican voters are saying no, we like the vision of Former President Trump better.

ANDERSON: David Chalian in the house good to have you, sir. Those polls are important to report. Well, police set to give a briefing in a few hours on

the search for a convicted murderer who escaped from a prison in Pennsylvania last week.

New surveillance video shows Danelo Cavalcante crab walking up to walls at the prison. Police say he was spotted a couple of times in the past week

and they have even spotted his footprints. Here is CNN's Brian Todd.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): This is the moment convicted murderer Danelo Cavalcante escaped from Chester County Prison in

Pennsylvania, prompting an intense manhunt that is now in its seventh day. From the exercise area he crab walked up the wall and apparently dropped

down the other side.

[11:20:00]

HOWARD HOLLAND, ACTING WARDEN, CHESTER COUNTRY PRISON: Cavalcante escapes from the prison, having crab walked up a wall, pushes way through razor

wire, run across the roof, scale another fence and push his way through more razor wire.

TODD (voice-over): A Tower Guard in an observation post did not see the escape and has been put on administrative leave. It took an hour until the

prison was locked down and an alarm was sounded. Furthermore, authorities admit in May another inmate briefly escaped by the exact same route. Since

then the only step taken to address the weak point additional razor wire was installed.

HOLLAND: Well, we believe the security measures we had in place were sufficient. They've proven otherwise.

TODD (voice-over): Meanwhile, the search area again growing on Wednesday after another sighting reported on Tuesday night, unlike Monday, citing

this one in a creek bed by a resident was not caught on camera. Any traces of him left anywhere.

LT. COL. GEORGE BIVENS, PENNSYLVANIA STATE POLICE: Yes, there have been footprints. And there have been other indicators to us that he's passed

through a certain area. We've had a number of dogs sent, trails that we have followed for quite some time.

TODD (voice-over): Hundreds of officers plus dogs and drones and helicopters continue to search. At roadblocks and checkpoints CNN observed

police searching vehicles opening trunks and checking back seats.

BIVENS: He'll make that mistake that we're pushing him hard so that he makes or there will be some piece of other type of evidence that points us

to him.

TODD (voice-over): Two school districts again closed on Wednesday. Reverse 911 calls warning residents in the area.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (voice-over): If you see this individual, do not approach him.

MICHAEL DOYLE, RESIDENT OF CHADDS FORD, PENNSYLVANIA: Lock in everything, lock into cars at night. I've been checking out all the woods.

BIVENS: The risk he is a violent individual if given the opportunity, I believe he would use as much violence as he needed to or could to avoid

capture.

TODD (voice-over): Cavalcante escaped prison last Thursday just over a week after he was sentenced to life without parole for the 2021 murder of his

former girlfriend Deborah Brandao. Authorities say she discovered he was wanted on murder charges in Brazil. Her sister tells CNN he had become

suspicious and jealous.

SARAH BRANDAO, SISTER WAS MURDERED BY ESCAPEE: There were threats like if you ever cheat on me, I'll do the worst to you, these types of things.

TODD (voice-over): Now that he escaped she is scared.

BRANDAO: I haven't slept for many days since then. I nap and I wake up afraid.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

TODD (on camera): While law enforcement officials say they are concerned that this man hunt could come to a violent end, given Danelo Cavalcante's

violent history, Lieutenant Colonel George Bivens of the Pennsylvania State Police told me right now they do not have any indication that he has a

weapon on him, Brian Todd, CNN, West Chester, Pennsylvania.

ANDERSON: Let's get you up to speed on some of the other stories that are on our radar right now. And in Gabon, the military leaders who staged a

coup say that the country's ousted president is now free to move about. Ali Bongo has been under house arrest since the military ousted him late last

month.

The coup has been widely criticized by other African nations and in the West. But desperate rescue effort is underway in Turkey for an American

trapped in one of the country's deepest caves. Mark Dickey fell ill out about 1100 meters below ground in what is known as the Morca Sinkhole.

Jomana Karadsheh has more on what is a complex rescue.

JOMANA KARADSHEH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: We don't really know the full details of what really happened. But what we do know from the Turkish caving

Federation is that American caver Mark Dickey, who was part of a local and international research team fell ill last weekend or early this week, more

than 3000 feet or 1000 meters from the entrance of Turkey's third deepest cave.

The Hungarian cave rescue service that is involved in his rescue operation right now say he's lost a lot of blood as a result of gastrointestinal

bleeding. He got six units of blood and was stabilized according to the Turkish Federation. They say his condition is continuing to improve.

The bleeding has stopped, he's stable, he's able to walk on his own and he is right now at base camp, and that is still more than 3000 feet from the

surface and it's a real logistical challenge to get him out of there. There are more than 150 rescuers and personnel from Turkey from its emergency and

disaster management agency AFAD and rescuers from countries including the U.S., Bulgaria, Hungary, Italy, Poland, Croatia, and many others that are

involved in this complex rescue effort.

Mark Dickey, according to his own bio is a very experienced caver. He's been caving in 20 U.S. states and 10 countries since the 90s. He's a

rescuer himself and a rescue instructor. And the Chief of the New Jersey initial response team focusing on cave cliff and abandoned mine rescue. The

Turkish caving Federation says it takes 15 hours for an experienced caver to reach the surface in ideal conditions.

And this cave has really narrow and winding passages making it hard for them to get him out on a stretcher. And they are consulting with doctors on

moving him out. They expect that this effort could take days. Jomana Karadsheh, CNN London.

[11:25:00]

ANDERSON: Well, we thought it would be useful for you to get some perspective and just how far into the cave, Mark Dickey went. Take a look

at this map, provided by the Turkish Caving Federation; you can see the cave wines more than 1200 meters below the surface.

And that red circle marks what is described as the campsite which sounds odd doesn't. But it's described as a campsite inside where Dickey was last

reported to be resting more than 1000 meters underground. Well coming up, we'll take you to the frontlines of the climate migration crisis in Africa

and ask how rich nations can be held accountable.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ANDERSON: Welcome back, you're watching "Connect the World" with me, Becky, and it's in time here in Abu Dhabi. This is our Middle East programming

hub, of course, is 7.30, well just shy of. Your headlines this hour, Mexico's High Court has ruled that laws banning abortion are

unconstitutional and violate women's rights.

Now it's a hard fought victory for abortion rights activists and what is this conservative mostly Catholic country, the laws still vary by state.

The ruling now protects women who seek abortions and health care workers who provide them. Well, the U.S. Secretary of State toured a hydroelectric

dam outside of Kyiv as he wrapped up a two day trip to Ukraine.

Antony Blinken spent much of his visit reiterating America's commitment to supporting Ukraine during its war with Russia and in the future. A new

billion dollar aid package includes funding for military humanitarian and other purposes. At least seven people have been killed in Turkey after days

of heavy downpours.

Here you can see flash flooding turning the streets of Istanbul into rivers. A subway station was partially submerged and dozens of people had

to be evacuated at a library. What you're looking at here are the plains of the state of Rio Grande do Sol in Brazil.

[11:30:00]

At least 39 people are confirmed dead in heavy flooding caused by an extra tropical cyclone. You can see just how devastating the rising waters must

be to infrastructure. And the governor visited the disaster area Wednesday, promising no effort will be spared in rebuilding homes and other buildings.

Well, this week's rains are said to be the worst natural disaster to hit Rio Grande do Sol in 40 years. Joining us now is CNN's Jennifer Gray with

more, Jennifer?

JENNIFER GRAY, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Hi Becky. Yes, we have had just torrential rain over the last several days. More rain is actually in the

forecast but water just overfilling the riverbanks you can see homes underwater. There's a road right there water just everywhere. So this

intense flooding has been deadly, as you mentioned in these areas are just unbelievable across Brazil.

So the flooding rainfall from September 1 through the fifth, we had almost 300 millimeters of rain for many of these locations. And you can see just

several impulses of showers very heavy downpours came one after the next. And so, that's really what caused all of this rain and a lot of the heavy

rain just basically stayed in one area for a long period of time.

And so, we had those rainfall totals really stack up. For Thursday, we have heavy rainfall and flooding likely these areas shaded in yellow. These are

the weather warnings in Brazil right now. And from our satellite imagery, you can see cloud cover as well as rainfall. Now here's Rio de Janeiro, we

can see that most of the rainfall is well to the south.

So it is shifting a little bit. The bulk of the rain will be south of the areas that were flooded earlier. But we are going to see the potential for

additional flooding anywhere from say 25, 50 maybe even up to 100 additional millimeters of rain. And you can see it extends very far inland.

So the flooding threat is still there. Well, of course we'll be keeping an eye on it for the conditions across this region, Becky.

ANDERSON: Thank you. Well as the climate crisis grows, and we see more episodes like this flooding in Brazil or indeed in Turkey. We are going to

see more of this. Climate change induced migration as land becomes arid or swallowed up by rising tides, people will have to flee their homes as areas

become unlivable.

The UN International Organization for Migration has pointed to estimates there will be as many as a billion environmental migrants in the next 30

years and that number could rise even higher by 2060. Well, the routes those migrants may be taking are already extremely dangerous.

The Mediterranean for example, 20,000 people are estimated to have died since 2014 while attempting to cross the world's deadliest migrant route.

As the crisis grows, those numbers will only get worse unless governments and countries start making changes.

And joining me now is Andrew Harper, Global Special Adviser on Climate Change for the UNHCR. You were this week at the Africa climate summit

pushing for leaders to address the situation of refugees as they tackle climate change. I want to get your sense of response, what commitments if

any, have you seen by nations to prioritize refugees and IDPs in their climate pledges.

ANDREW HARPER, GLOBAL ADVISER ON CLIMATE CHANGE, UNHCR: We saw a number of pledges and we saw a number of declarations. And we saw a number of

policies and strategies which came out of the Africa Climate Summit. And that's all very welcome, because they're required. But what is actually

missing is the action.

And what was probably the most important element from the Africa climate summit was actually outside of the summit. And that was when we're able to

take the cop DG the Director General for the UAE to one of the world's largest refugee camps, because what is missing Becky is realization that

having meetings often does not, does not lead to that much change.

What leads to change is awareness. And so, what we're able to do was actually take the cop Director General, and it was a fantastic gesture from

him to go to a refugee camp, go to one of the most desolate refugee camps on a Somali border. And speak to refugees; speak to women who have been

there for up to 10, 20 years who have fled both a combination of conflict inside Somalia.

And now having to deal with drought, we had now having to deal with a lack of decent shelter, trying to find a way in which they can support and

protect their families.

[11:35:00]

So meetings are important. But what's even more important is seeing the reality on the ground. And this is the first time that any cop presidency

has actually visited a refugee camp. So this is what I think will actually spur change, more than anything written on a piece of paper.

ANDERSON: And that the dark refugee camp in Kenya, you have described as the front lines of the climate crisis. And you have described why it is so

important that those who are at the forefront of these conferences, these opportunities for change, really understand what's going on there. Because

the impact, of course, of climate crisis on so many people in so many parts of the world is right there in front of our eyes, correct?

HARPER: That's correct. So not only is climate, the climate crisis driving conflict, exacerbating conflict in places like Somalia, but it's making the

situation particularly perilous for those refugees who have fled to a neighboring country. So they've fled the conflict. But what they're seeing

is, is a hostile climate following them.

And so, whether it'd be in the dub, where we've got 260,000 refugees, who have fled from Somalia, but we've also seen the situation where we've just

had 100,000 refugees fleeing from Sudan to Chad. And so they're moving from a situation which is where they've been able to manage -- the flee of the

conflict, find safety.

But then they're moving into an environment which is extremely hostile, where they don't have shelter, where they don't have water, where they

don't have food. And this situation is just going to become even more hostile, more tragic, more perilous.

And so, what we do require is not only humanitarian support, we need agencies like not only like UNHCR to be supported, but we need agencies

like the World Food Program to be supported, so food can go there. We also need development actors to come in. Because it's not only a situation of

providing food and tents to people, that's not going to be sufficient to protect them from what's the extreme weather conditions that are coming

more frequent and becoming more extreme.

We need better shelter, we don't have shelter, we need more sustainable water systems, energy. And one of the women that we spoke to sort of said,

if you can empower us, we can then empower our children, and we can then empower our societies. So we should not be thinking of people being forced

to leave from their homes as victims.

They need to, to find the resources, have the resources to support a future, a future which also empowers the country in which they found

refugees.

ANDERSON: Right. I know that the UNHCR is seeking what $845 million for activities, supporting climate action. And you've just described there, you

know, what people are telling you as what they need in tangible action as it will support so that they can support themselves.

I mean, the issue of climate in migration is so visible in so many parts of the world. What is the UNHCR's climate vision? Can you sum it up for us?

HARPER: Well, to provide safety and dignity and provide the resilience for people to adapt to an increasingly hostile climate where they contribute to

the society which is providing them with the safety and protection, but it's no use just looking at refugees by themselves. Refugees have been

protected by the community.

So if you look at the situation in place like Kenya, we not only need to provide support to the refugees in the dub, we need to provide support to

the Kenyans who are also sharing their resources, providing land. We need to treat this as a much more almost like development approach.

So people who are in abject poverty cannot adapt to climate change. So we've got to have an emergency humanitarian response where we provide

decent shelter, and food and education, healthcare, but we've also got to provide a way in which people can move forward in a sustainable way.

So they actually have livelihoods, we need to invest in the -- amount of money that you mentioned, Becky was 845 million that's globally. And that's

nothing when you start looking at the costs of even, for instance, a Hollywood blockbuster, or what has been provided in company profits.

But what we need to do is, you can't do it for humanitarian crisis with a humanitarian response. What we need is development action, we need private

sector investment.

[11:40:00]

We need a belief that if you empower people, even if they've been displaced, even if they've, if their refugees that have fled a hostile

conflict, obviously a conflict and a hostile environment that they can contribute. We just need to give him the opportunity and we need to be

prepared.

Waiting is not an answer. We know what's going to come in the future. The science is there, the data is there. But we need to provide that protection

and support and belief that people can survive and prosper if they're given the ability and the resources.

ANDERSON: Andrew, it's good to have you. Your perspective from the meeting and the trip to Doha, the DOH -- are really important. Thank you very much

indeed for joining us, Global Special Advisor for Climate Change for the UNHCR. Now in the last few hours U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for

Climate, John Kerry spoke with CNN. He gave an update on how negotiations are going over a loss and damage fund for the low emitting countries

hardest hit by climate change.

This was a key goal of last year's COP27, an idea that rich countries having emitted the most planet warming gases should pay poorer countries

who are now suffering from climate disasters that they didn't create. Have a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOHN KERRY, U.S. PRESIDENTIAL ENVOY FOR CLIMATE: The nations that are lucky enough to have strong economies around the world have been trying to help

other nations, the United States is proud to say the largest humanitarian donor in the world. And we are trying to work a way to make this transition

as fair as possible to everybody.

But in the terms of the losses and damages and the fun that was agreed upon by everybody, we have to make certain that that is getting input from

everyone, that it is not unfair in itself. We've made it very clear that we're not opening up some channel of liability and compensation. But we are

trying to provide help to people who need that help for reasons that are no cause of their own.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: John Kerry, but at least 32 civilians are killed and dozens more injured in an attack by the Sudanese armed forces according to an activist

group. The attack took place in the City of Omdurman, the activist group says that shells indiscriminately targeted civilians, including kids, women

and the elderly.

Now this comes nearly a day after the SAF commander issued a decree to dissolve the paramilitary rapid support forces. Tensions between the army

on the one side and the RSF, of course erupted into brutal fighting earlier this year. And according to a statement released on Wednesday by the

Sudanese Transitional Sovereignty Council, "The decision comes as a consequence of the rebellion of these forces against the state. The grave

violations they committed against citizens and the deliberate sabotage of the country's infrastructure".

But on Wednesday, Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced that the U.S. was also imposing sanctions on the Deputy Leader of the RSF, Abdelrahim

Dagalo for his involvement in human rights abuses. Dagalo calls the sanctions unfair. You're watching "Connect the World" with me Becky

Anderson. Time here, 43 minutes past seven. When we come back, a Muslim Rights group is fighting back over a ban on garments worn in schools that

is after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[11:45:00]

ANDERSON: A French court expected to rule soon on the legality of a ban on a buyers in school. Now, a Muslim Rights group is appealing the French

government's new ban on the robe like garb, which is often worn by Muslim women. And as Anna Stewart reports, some argue it's not a religious garment

at all.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ANNA STEWART, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A daily ritual for some students in France. You can attach it to your bag that's the rule inside.

Put the headscarf in the bag, this teacher tells a student at the school gates, removing any sign of their Muslim faith before entering the

classroom. But as summer vacation ends, France's 2004 law banning conspicuous religious symbols and state run schools will be applied to

loose fitting full length dresses known as abayas for the first time.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The abaya has no place in our schools and neither do religious symbols.

STEWART (voice-over): The free flowing garments worn by some Muslim women and girls, now prohibited in the name of French Laicite or Secularism. This

policy is a new interpretation of the controversial 2004 law from France's ambitious new education minister. Nearly 300 students were in abaya to

school on Monday, 67 were sent home for refusing to take it off.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They say that the abaya is a religious dress, but it's not at all it's not a religious dress. It's a traditional dress.

STEWART (voice-over): And Muslim Rights Group has already brought an appeal against the ban to the country's highest court with their lawyer saying the

ban doesn't legally define what an abaya looks like.

VINCENT BRENGARTH, LAWYER: The ban is not based on any legal text. It's purely a political announcement.

STEWART (voice-over): Another lawsuit is being prepared after a student wearing a kimono and jeans was expelled from class. Disproportionate is how

one teaching union described the abaya debate, when issues like funding and bullying also need to be addressed. At least one other major union has

supported the government's ban.

And that division gets to the heart of the secularism debate in France. Laicite a principle upheld by many across the political spectrum as

France's blind defense against religious discrimination, but critics condemn it as a veiled attack on Muslims in France. Hijabs, bikinis, now

abayas is falling under the glare of an unyielding French State. Exactly what Macron asked him as teachers faced with resistance students this

month?

EMMANUEL MACRON, FRENCH PRESIDENT: We know that there will be cases because we know that there will be some through negligence perhaps, but many to try

to defy the Republican system. We must be uncompromising.

STEWART (voice-over): France remains an outlier among Western nations moving into wider acceptance of civil liberties around religious dress,

with a hijab embraced elsewhere by Muslim politicians and major brands like Nike. For schools in France though a new year means new rules. Anna

Stewart, CNN.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ANDERSON: One of the world's most popular tourist destinations will start charging an entry fee next year. Visitors to Venice in Italy have to pay

five euros to enter on peak days if they are not spending the night there, the move which start sometime in the spring makes Venice the first city in

the world to charge data visitors.

Officials call the fee system and experiment for now at least in an effort to manage what are high volumes of tourist traffic at certain times of the

year. Well, Phil's got a sneak peek into some out of the world findings, how NASA's Moxie experiment is offering hope for future human exploration

on Mars.

[11:50:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ANDERSON: Well that is the successful liftoff of the H-2A rocket carrying Japan's Moon sniper lunar lander. And a new X ray satellite, so-called

CRISM satellite could offer scientists extraordinary new insights about exploding stars black holes and galaxies powered by them.

Meanwhile, the lander will use its own propulsion system to head towards the moon. It is expected to arrive in the moon's orbit in a few months and

attempt a soft landing. Well, there's an awful lot going on in space at this point. For more, let's bring in CNN's Kristin Fisher, who is in

Washington. What do you make of the images that we have been looking at today?

KRISTIN FISHER, CNN SPACE & DEFENSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, first of all, it was a successful launch by Japan's Space Agency, JAXA, in partnership with

NASA and the European Space Agency. Two things Becky, really stand out from that launch, one, the successful launch of this brand new X-ray telescope,

which is going to help astronomers study some of the hottest, most energetic places in the universe.

Things like the matter around black holes, or all the stuff that comes out of a giant exploding star. There are other X-ray telescopes, but this one

is expected to produce especially sharp and crisp X-ray images. And then the other thing that was onboard this rocket, Becky is a lunar lander

that's called the moon sniper.

And what it's supposed to do is demonstrate this new kind of technology that allows landers to land on a very narrow target about the size of a

football field. Current targets for lunar landers are several miles wide. So this is a technology to demonstrate a pinpoint landing on the moon,

which is why it's called the moon sniper. It's a great name.

ANDERSON: Amazing. I was actually down at the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Center here in Dubai recently. And I saw just a little moon lander, these

things are actually much smaller of times than you think, but you know that. Kristin, these are NASA's --

FISHER: That's the size of a small food track actually, so, yes, it's not, not that -- .

ANDERSON: All right. OK, yes, yes, yes. Listen, NASA's oxygen generating experiment successfully completed on Mars. Now I feel like this takes us

into a completely new realm. Correct me if I'm wrong, and walk us through what has been accomplished here.

FISHER: Becky, this is so cool. This is called Moxie. It's oxygen generating instrument that hitched a ride on the perseverance Mars rover.

And what this means is this little instrument has proven that you can successfully extract oxygen from the Martian atmosphere, excuse me, extract

oxygen from that atmosphere.

And then turn it into breathable oxygen for the astronauts to breathe or even turn it into fuel for future astronauts on Mars to get back to Earth.

That is the type of technology that has kind of always been in the realm of science fiction.

The team of scientists at MIT that made this thing has just proven that you can do it. And so NASA is absolutely thrilled about this, because you know

what this means is, they want to try in the future to live off the land, be it on the surface of the Moon or the surface on Mars.

[11:55:00]

The hope is that now you can take this Moxie instrument which was just really a demonstration idea and turn it into something that can generate

oxygen for astronauts to breathe and to make rocket propellant to get them back home from the Moon and Mars. So truly is a groundbreaking technology

here that NASA, MIT and astronauts aspiring to go to the Moon and Mars are really excited about.

ANDERSON: This is remarkable stuff. Black holes, galaxies, breathable oxygen, Mars, I mean, it's, it just feels like a really, really exciting

time for space exploration. And I've told you before, that I'm going to remind you how I feel about, you have got the best job in the business.

Thank you.

FISHER: I think so. I'm trying to hold on to it. Thanks Becky.

ANDERSON: Well, you're very good at it. Well done.

FISHER: Thank you.

ANDERSON: Thanks for joining us. I'm Becky Anderson. "One World" with Zain Asher is up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[12:00:00]

END