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Hala Gorani Tonight
New U.S. Govt. Report Has Dire Warning On Climate Change; U.S. Shoppers Set To Spend Billions In Holiday Period; Two Wounded, Gunman Killed In Alabama Mall Shooting; Retailers In China, Hong Kong Drop Dolce & Gabbana; Land: One Of South Africa's Most Divisive Issues; Gifts For Refugees On Black Friday. Aired 2-3p ET
Aired November 23, 2018 - 14:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HALA GORANI, CNN HOST: Hello, everyone. Live from CNN London on this Friday, I'm Hala Gorani. Tonight, a major and new U.S. report on climate
change is out this hour. Its early release on the day after Thanksgiving has critics claiming the Trump administration wants it buried.
We're live in Washington, for those details. And Turkey's top diplomat is calling out U.S. President Trump, accusing of him of turning a blind-eye
against Saudi Arabia over the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
And the United Arab Emirates is taking a second look at a case that is causing international uproar. It is considering a clemency request for
jailed British academic, Matthew Hedges. We'll have that story.
Well, just (ph) as many Americans are packing the malls and shopping online for blockbuster deals on this Black Friday, the U.S. Government is
releasing a major, highly anticipated report on climate change. In fact, it's being made public right now, as we speak at this hour, 2:00 pm
Eastern.
The congressionally mandated rapport of documents, the human impact on climate change and its cost to the economy. Now it could contain dire
threats that are at odds with President Donald Trump's own environmental policy and own pronouncements. Let's go right to CNN's Rene Marsh for
details, she's live in Washington.
So you were able to take a quick look at this report. It is officially being put out in the 2:00 pm hour, so right now. What new details are we
learning?
RENE MARSH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Right. So Hala, you're right. I mean this report released literally about a minute and 40 seconds ago. But the
government report squarely focuses on the human impact of climate change for people here in the United States, using real life examples.
I'm going to take through some of the quick highlights that I'm seeing in my first read here. It says people who are already vulnerable, including
low-income and other marginalized communities, will feel the impacts the most.
This report goes on to talk about the health impact, the economic costs and the impact on transportation infrastructure. And it's very specific,
according to regions here in the United States. As it relates to the economic impact, the report says that the expected - the climate change is
expected to cause substantial net damage to the U.S. economy throughout this century.
Annual losses in some economic sectors are projected to reach hundreds of billions of dollars by the end of the century, so quite pricy. They also
go on to say, the frequency of severity in allergic illnesses, including asthma and hay fever, are expected to increase as a result of climate
change. More people will be exposed to things like ticks carrying Lime Disease, mosquitoes that transmit viruses like Zika, West Nile virus and
Dengue fever. So that will become more prominent.
When it comes to agriculture and our food sources, it specifically talks about the Midwest. And it says increases in temperatures during the
growing season in the Midwest are projected to be the largest contributing factor to declines in productivity of U.S. agriculture.
And obviously, that impacts not just people in the United States, but as we export, it impacts people who are relying on our export as well. I mean
this is a lengthy report, 29 chapters, hundreds and hundreds of pages. But the bottom line is that this report is really zeroing in on how does it
affect the people.
And this issue of climate change is often looked at as something that's far off, something we'll deal with in the distant feature. But this report is
making it clear, we're dealing with the effects today, as we speak. Of course, there's a controversy that it's being released one day after a huge
national holiday here in the United States, Thanksgiving.
Is anybody paying attention? And there is speculation it was released today because they're, you know, trying to bury the critical, critical
information that is in this report.
GORANI: And it's being released a few days after the president himself tweeted out that "it's a cold Thanksgiving, whatever happened to climate
change?" Of course, climate and weather are two separate things. I think we have that - that tweet, that the president sends out, "Brutal and
extended cold blast could shatter all records, whatever happened to global warming?"
So it's interesting, because on the one hand, the U.S. Government report is coming out saying this is going to cost us hundreds of billions, people
will become ill, it will affect agriculture, meantime, the commander in chief is saying, you know, there is no global warming, look how cold it is.
MARSH: Right, I know. I mean this tweet came out yesterday, and you just read it there. I mean besides the science here and evidence that these
scientists are putting forth there's also the politics here. This has been a president who has often tweeted things to the sort that you just read
there, that suggests that climate change isn't really a thing.
But scientists and the scientific community disagree. We've seen at his EPA (ph), many of the actions that they've taken at the Environmental
Protection Agency, rolling back regulations that would curb these greenhouse gas emissions that scientists say actually contributes this
climate change.
We've seen this Trump administration rolling back those regulations, and I'm not being as strict on industries that emit this sort of dangerous
greenhouse gases. So besides the science and the dire picture that this report that this report is painting, there is the politics here. And
you're right, the president's tweet yesterday clearly just shows how he's on just such an opposite spectrum of the science community when it comes to
this issue of climate change.
GORANI: Rene Marsh, thanks very much, live in Washington. As Rene mentioned, this report came out literally minutes ago, so we're going to
give our weather team an opportunity to go through out and be able to sort of figure out what the, you know, important and newsworthy lines are from
that report.
We're going to go to them in about 25 minutes, and we're also going to go to West Palm Beach, Florida, where the president is spending the long
holiday weekend, to talk a little bit about that, but also about news that perhaps the president is considering possible replacements for his chief of
staff.
All of those are reports that are out there. We're going to be examining those. But before we get to that, I want to turn to signs of a possible
reprieve for that British scholar sentenced to life in prison for spying in the UAE.
The country says it's now considering clemency for Matthew Hedges, and hopes to work towards a, quote, "amicable solution." The case is drawing
condemnation from London, and it's threatening to up - end relations between Britain and the UAE, at least those are the outward and public
threats that are being banded about.
Let's go straight to Abu Dhabi for the latest, and Kiley joins me now with more. So that statement form the UAE came yesterday, saying, "We hope to
find an amicable solution." And then there were reports that the UAE would be open to releasing Hedges, but if Britain admitted he was a spy, which is
something that it doesn't appear Britain is willing to do.
What's the very latest on his situation?
SAM KILEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, the latest, Hala, is, of course, that he's in an unknown location, in a prison somewhere here in Abu Dhabi. And
- but there has been a bit of a glimmer of hope.
A statement, earlier on today, from the UAE ambassador, the Emirati ambassador to London offered a opportunity and a (ph) glimmer of hope. And
it also perhaps offers both London and Abu Dhabi perhaps a graceful way out of this impasse, because this has become not just about one individual, but
about the reputation and the relationship between the United Kingdom and the United Arab Emirates.
The United Kingdom, of course, used to run this place as a protector. We're just about a week and a day away from the annual celebrations of
independence. But let's take a listen, in my rapport, as to what exactly that ambassador said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KILEY: "This is the face of a British spy," according to an Emirati court, which handed down a life sentence to Matthew Hedges for espionage.
Officials here insist that he was working for MI6, that he was caught with electronic devices carrying evidence that proved his guilt. Now though, a
glimmer of hope for his family and a way to end a diplomatic growl (ph) between London and Abu Dhabi.
SULAIMAN HAMAD ALMAZROUI, UAE AMBASSADOR TO THE U.K.: This was an extremely serious case. We live in a dangerous neighborhood. And national
security must be a top priority. This was also an unusual case. Many researchers visit the UAE freely every year without breaking our laws.
Under UAE law, everyone has to right to appeal for conviction (ph), and everybody can request a pardon from our president. Mr. Hedges' family have
made a request for clemency, and the government is studying that request.
KILEY: Traditionally, the UAE pardons some prisoners on its national day, December the 2nd. Clemency can prevent close allies from turning on each
other. The whole purpose of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix where the drivers are practicing for Sunday's final race, just across the water there, is to
showcase the Emiratis to the whole world.
But instead, the focus has not been on racecar driving, but on human rights. And there have been unwelcome comparisons from the Emirati
perspective with their attitude toward Matthew Hedges and the Saudi treatment of Jamal Khashgoggi.
Hedges' wife insists he's innocent and was mistreated during his five months in prison.
[14:10:00]
DANIELA TEJADA, WIFE OF MATTHEW HEDGES: Very tough to just think about what might be going through his head; the terror that he must be feeling
and just the sheer sadness that a country that he considered to be his second home since he lived there for so many years has paid him back with
such mistreatment and injustice.
KILEY: the UK helped create the United Arab Emirates out of former protectorates 47 years ago. They remain close allies who share intelligence
and maintain close military links. Nonetheless, the British foreign secretary had been on the offensive before there was a suggestion of a
pardon.
JEREMY HUNT, BRITISH FOREIGN SECRETARY: We have raised the issue repeatedly. I raised it last week with Crown Prince Mohammed himself. And
yet, despite that, we have today's news. There will be serious diplomatic consequences for a country that says that it is a friend and ally of the
United Kingdom.
KILEY: This threat could be undermined if the Emerates shared what evidence they have of alleged spying by Hedges but they insist that they want to
find a way out of this dispute. The 47th anniversary of independence from Britain may just provide what the Emerates seek, an amicable solution.
Well Hala, you might notice that green streak just here in the skyline behind me. That is the illuminations over a hotel on Yes Island overlooking
that formula one racetrack and we supposing that it's been turned green in honor of the visit here by MBS, by Mohammed bin Salman, the Crown Prince of
Saudi Arabia on one of his first foreign trips outside of Saudi Arabia since the Khashoggi case.
He's here on an Arab tour ahead of attending the G-20 talks in Argentina. Part of perhaps reentering the world, burnishing his reputation, the
reputation of his country after the knock that Khashoggi has delivered it. Of course, Hala, the jailing of an alleged spy or somebody convicted of
spying is nowhere close to the murder of one's own citizen but nonetheless this is the sort of thing that is most unwelcomed in terms of attention
that it attracts here in the UAE. Hala?
GORANI: And when might we -- I mean, if there is -- if he is, Hedges, freed I know there's a national day coming up. I mean, there is some
opportunities for the Emirates to free the academic coming up.
KILEY: There are. I think that perhaps behind closed doors preferably in public, the Emirates like to get some kind of gesture of contrition both
from the United Kingdom and Mr. Hedges where there have been reports that they wanted him to plead guilty to spying and that the arrangements to
release him could have been handled by the British intelligence. But the British refuse that. That is reportedly. But I think that ultimately the
opportunity really is over the next week leading up to a week today, a week tomorrow rather, on National Day when prisoners are traditionally given
some clemency so it's a good time in a sense for this issue to come to a head for Mr. Hedges although very difficult time indeed for the Emirates
given what's been happening in neighboring Saudi Arabia, Hala.
GORANI: Sure. Sam Kiley, thank you. Live in Abu Dhabi.
All right, let's go live now to West Palm Beach, Florida. Mr. Trump, as I mentioned the U.S. President, is spending the long holiday weekend there.
We were talking there about that climate report that was released today but also there is some news that Democrats on the Hill would like to look at
that CIA report regarding the murder of Jamal Khashoggi and as is often the case the president has been tweeting.
Our White House reporter Sarah Westwood joins me now live with the very latest. I understand we have a few technical issues there connecting with
Sarah Westwood. And they have been resolved. Sarah, if you can hear me, talk to us a little bit about what the president has been up to on this
long holiday weekend. He hasn't been too far from his twitter account.
SARAH WESTWOOD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right. The president has been tweeting repeatedly about immigration and border security. He's been
particularly focused on a ruling from the Ninth Circuit blocking the efforts to change asylum rules through executive action. The president
again accusing the Ninth Circuit of having a liberal bent, he is getting into a war of words with the Chief Justice at the United States Supreme
Court, John Roberts.
The president has also been pushing Republicans and Democrats to pass some kind of bipartisan border security package before the next session of
Congress. Obviously that's not very likely given how few weeks are left on the clock and how many other legislative items on the agenda for the
Congress and the president returning to the same themes that he was really focused on before the midterm elections and that we haven't really heard
much from him about over the past few weeks since republicans received a drubbing in the race for the House and managed to maintain their majority
in the Senate. We haven't heard as much, again, about the caravan of Central American migrants that played a central role in the president's
midterm messaging.
GORANI: Now you mentioned that Democrats made gains in the midterms. We are following news as I mentioned that Congressional Democrats are planning
the look at those U.S. Intelligence reports on the murder of the Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi and that's of course after the president brushed
off the CIA's assessment that the Saudi Crown Prince was somehow involved.
Adam Schiff says Democrats will also dig into Mr. Trump's financial interests in Saudi Arabia and elsewhere. This is as I want to tell the
viewers - this is what Adam Schiff told "The Washington Post." "There are a whole set of potential financial conflicts of interest and emoluments
problems that Congress will need to get to the bottom of. Certainly if foreign investment in the Trump businesses is guiding U.S. policy in a way
that's antithetical to the country's interest we need to find out about it.
So really with the Democrats gains in the House, there could be some headaches ahead for the president here.
WESTWOOD: That's right. The president has sort of been trying to ride out the controversy over Khashoggi's murder and the administration's subsequent
response to it. There's been criticism that it was too weak, that there wasn't enough done to punish Saudi Arabia for that. And his response could
come under heavy scrutiny when Democrats retake control of the House. It's just one of many areas that Democrats will scrutinize when they take
control of the committees in the House to give them subpoena power, will give them the ability to drive the direction of those Congressional
investigations and the president having passed financial and business ties to Saudi Arabia. That's going to be one of the key areas of focus for House
Democrats.
GORANI: All right. Sarah Westwood, in West Palm Beach, thanks very much.
Still to come tonight, a warning from the British Prime Minister just as she says a final Brexit deal is within reach. We have those details ahead
of a very decisive weekend.
Also, one of the most prominent Syrian democracy activists is dead. More on the remarkable life of Raed Fares ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
GORANI: Back my deal or be back at square one. British's Prime Minister is urging parliament to throw its weight behind her Brexit plan. She took
calls live from listeners on a BBC radio show today as she ramps up toward a very, very important weekend for her. She's getting ready to sell her
Brexit deal ahead of a make or break summit this weekend in Brussels. CNN's Hadas Gold joins me now. And Hadas, I love the fact that the prime
minister, as a journalist, you love the fact that the leader of a country takes live radio questions.
HADAS GOLD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes.
GORANI: I would love to see Macron or Trump did it.
GOLD: Trump, yes.
GORANI: Yes, it would be interesting.
GOLD: It's the second time she's done it in a week.
GORANI: Yes, she's really trying to sell this to the people now but she does have to get it through parliament, obviously.
GOLD: Yeah. I means it's both parliament and convincing the British public and if you were listening to some of those questions she was getting today
on BBC radio, she has a tough sale to make but what she's trying to tell both the members of parliament and the public is if we don't go with this
deal then it's just going to be even worse. It's going to be even worse than no Brexit and that they had -- only option is her deal. Let's take a
listen to what she said to one of the callers today.
(BEGIN VIDEO)
THERESA MAY, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: I think that if this deal doesn't go through what happens is we end up back at square one. I think as Sarah's
just said, what we end up with is more uncertainty and more division, frankly. And so, I believe that if we were do go back to the European Union
and say, well, we didn't -- people like that deal. Can we have another one? We don't get -- I don't think come to us say we'll give you a better deal.
(END VIDEO)
GOLD: So obviously, the question is, how many MPs are now potentially going to vote against this deal? Latest numbers we have seen from various
different news organizations who are trying to track this show that we're close to the point to tip not in her favor so now we're going to have a few
really intense weeks probably of lobbying behind the scenes where she's going to try and convince all of these members that they have to vote for
her deal or face as she's saying going back to square one.
GORANI: And her strategy is to address really even the hard Brexiteers and tell them you don't love this deal but the alternative is a second
referendum potentially.
GOLD: And she has said multiple times, as long as she is prime minister, there will not be a second referendum and we saw there was that attempt at
a no confidence vote trying to maybe topple her leadership and that has not amounted to anything yet. There doesn't seem to be any sort of clear
choice of somebody else to take over from her own party and for a lot of people this is a better deal than having Jeremy Corbyn as a prime minister.
GORANI: Right that's another kind of fear that she is or she is -- what she is trying to say is this -- you don't -- I realize there's no majority
in favor of this deal but every other alternative is scarier depending on the group she is addressing. And what I found interesting, too, is in this
radio show a caller asked her, will things be better after Brexit? Can you assure me things will be better after Brexit? She couldn't say yes.
GOLD: She couldn't quite say yes and there was also a lot of questions of whether to resign and she -- you know, it is so hard to tell. Listen,
Theresa May didn't really want Brexit. She is in a really...
GORANI: She was a remainder.
GOLD: She was in a really difficult position. She really is kind of standing on her own when it comes to trying to push this deal through. She
is getting pushback from the EU now pushback we've seen recently from Spain and she's getting obviously pushback from members of parliament in her own
party and from all around. It's like 360 degrees of...
GORANI: She is in a difficult position but she is hanging on. Thanks Hadas Gold so much for joining us on that.
And one of the issues that is a - has become an unlikely stumbling block for Brexit -- let me get it out -- is Gibraltar. The British outpost on the
tip of Spain could put Theresa May between a rock and a hard place as Madrid says more provisions must be made for its future. Nic Robertson has
more on that.
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Gibraltar, population 30,000 proud Brits, a vestige of colonial power now a not strategic rocky spit
straggling out into the Mediterranean from southern Spain, more than 1,000 miles from mainland UK. and now, not unsurprisingly putting a wrinkle in
Brexit negotiations. Last year, the Rock's chief minister gave me a flavor of behind the scenes tensions.
(BEGIN VIDEO)
FABIAN PICARDO, GIBRALTAR CHIEF MINISTER: Spain insists that Gibraltar must be Spanish and that we must hand over a slice of Gibraltar at least to
her whilst we become entirely Spanish.
(END VIDEO)
ROBERTSON: Now come the 11th hour of Brexit talks in Brussels and Spain is throwing a wrench in the EU's carefully coordinated plans.
(BEGIN VIDEO)
PEDRO SANCHEZ, SPANISH PRIME MINISTER: (through translator) I have to say that we feel displeased. We found in the withdrawal agreement a number of
elements, one article, article 184, that call into question Spain's capacity to negotiate with the United Kingdom on the future of Gibraltar
and the Spanish government cannot accept that.
MAY: I spoke to Prime Minister Sanchez of Spain. We have been working constructively with the governments of Spain and Gibraltar in the
negotiations on the withdrawal agreement and we want this work to continue in the future relationship. But I was absolutely clear that Gibraltar's
British sovereignty will be protected.
(END VIDEO)
ROBERTSON: As the clock ticks down, tensions on this are rising; all 27 EU leaders must sign off on the deal. There is impatience to get it done.
(BEGIN VIDEO)
ANGELA MERKEL, GERMAN CHANCELLOR: (through interpreter) We still have an objection in Spain. I can't say exactly how we will solve this issue but I
hope it will be solved by Sunday. Over the coming days more work will be done on the future relationship between Great Britain and the EU.
(END VIDEO)
ROBERTSON: And while they decide, back on the rock, views expressed to me last year are likely only hardening. What is it you're worried about that
Spain wants here? What are they trying to get out of this Brexit deal?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What they want to get out is Gibraltar back.
ROBERTSON: They have been through hard times with Spain here before. Border blockade from '69 to '82.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Spain, they have always treated us the same. It's -- it doesn't change.
ROBERTSON: And although almost everyone here voted against Brexit, they are British before Spanish.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: One hundred percent British. I'd rather die than be a Spaniard.
ROBERTSON: In Brussels, talks are far from that kind of life and death choice. Quiet diplomacy is still the winning formula. Spain's longstanding
desire to have a greater say in the future of the rock for now at least seems unlikely to crash the process. Predictions the rock's residents gave
me last year look set to hold true.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm quietly confident that we will find a way to survive. That we will find a way to take Gibraltar forward despite Spain's
attempts.
ROBERTSON: It would be foolish, however, to think Gibraltar won't be making the headlines again at another delicate moment in the tortuous
Brexit process. Nic Robertson, CNN, London.
GORANI: To Syria now and a war that's taken hundreds of thousands of lives but just one life today I want to focus on. His name was Raed Fares, one of
the original pro democracy activist in Syria, seen here on twitter recently with his kids. Fares was the founder of the independent station Radio
Fresh. He was shot dead by gunmen in the rebel-held province of Idlib along with a colleague.
You may be familiar with the banners of (inaudible). Usually anti-regime, oftentimes humorous and light hearted. Fares was one of the main architects
of that messaging campaign seen around the world. With his death the message he risked everything for is also fallen silent. There have been
some heartbreaking responses on twitter.
Fadel Abdul Ghany, Chairman of the Syrian network said a new tragedy is added to our long tragic record. Tens of times I have asked him to leave.
After he was targeted first time and then a second time and now in the third brutal terroristic targeting he has been killed. He would simply
answer, "What can they do? Kill me? Well, let them kill me. I'm not going to leave and leave them the country."
Some have said he knew deep down the revolution as he imagined it at first was dead but he kept fighting on anyway. Others called him the bravest non
violent man they knew. Raed Fares was 45 years old.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[14:30:53] HALA GORANI, CNN INTERNATIONAL HOST: Well, let's get you caught up with one of our top stories. A major new report released just a few
minutes ago has a dire warning about climate change in America and its devastating impact on people's health and the economy.
The report from the federal government says rising temperatures, extreme heat, drought, wildfires and heavy downpours will challenge the quality of
American crops, livestock and the livelihoods of people living in rural areas.
The timing of the release is raising some questions. It comes during the busy Thanksgiving holiday weekend and more than two weeks before this
scheduled December release date. As I mentioned, CNN is sifting through the details of this report now and I want to bring in meteorologist Allison
Chinchar.
What are the key aspects or points coming out of this report? You had an opportunity to look at it over the last several hours.
ALLISON CHINCHAR, CNN INTERNATIONAL METEOROLOGIST: Yes. We officially got a sneak preview copy around 1:00. But the official report only came out
about 30 minutes ago. The main focus with this wasn't really to explain what climate change was to people. It's to really make people understand
the actual impacts it would have on their lives. Both from an economic standpoint and from a health standpoint. OK? Because it does impact
people. It doesn't just impact nature.
Globally, about 12.6 million people die every year due to the environmental risk factors and we expect that number to go up between the years 2030 and
2050.
Now, this particular report really kind of broke it down by region in the U.S. so that depending on where people live, they could really understand
what those impacts were going to be. So you have, say, the southeastern U.S., the northeastern region, the Midwest and it continues on out there
and it gives these icons to break it down.
So some regions, the main concern will be extreme temperature, say for example, more occurring heat waves. Or it may be extreme weather events,
more frequent hurricanes, you may start to notice tornado events, things like that. Flooding events.
We also could see a change in the outdoor air quality, especially for the bad. A lot of cities are becoming more and more polluted, people are
becoming more sensitive to the air quality around them. More people are developing asthma, things of that nature, wildfires.
We've also noticed -- take California, for example. They used to actually have a wildfire season. It's no longer a season. Now, those wildfires can
occur at any time of the year there.
And then you also have some other ones, especially when you're talking about infections. Because those start to increase, as well, and become
more widespread in regions, especially as climate change continues and perhaps gets worse.
They also talked about individual things because of a weather related incident. So take, for example, the southeastern United States. Due to
the increased risk of flooding in this region, they initiated the Acadiana Planning Commission and this was really set up to address the increasing
flood risks for that particular region, especially along the Mississippi river basin.
Say for Texas, for example, they dealt with hurricane Harvey last year. They set up the Governor's Commission to rebuild Texas and this was really
meant to help infrastructure rebuilding and also economic recovery because those were two things that were incredibly hard to hit, Hala, from that
particular storm. So it's giving them specific examples of how to deal with climate change not only now but in the future.
GORANI: Allison Chinchar, thanks very much.
As we mentioned, releasing the climate report the day after Thanksgiving is somewhat controversial because right now Americans are mostly looking the
other way. Digesting maybe their meal from yesterday. And, of course, it's Black Friday in the U.S. Something that, by the way, has spread quite
a lot around the world.
And that is a date that has become a major holiday in its own right. As we speak, department stores are enjoying one of their biggest days of the
year. And although many people are still hunting for bargains their traditional way in person, online sales projected to set new records this
year.
Alison Kosik, though, is spending the day at a Best Buy store in New Jersey, a traditional brick and mortar store. It doesn't look too packed.
I mean, and I know retail sales slightly disappointing in the United States in the last few months. How is going today?
[14:35:06] ALISON KOSIK, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: It actually is packed. I'm in part of the store where people are waiting in line to check
out. But if you look down this way, you see people kind of gathering and trying to pick out the best gift for the season.
Actually, this Best Buy has been busy all day. People began arriving at 8:00 a.m. buying TVs. Some people buying two to three TVs at one time.
Computer screens, double fisting computer screens. Some of the other hot items. Hot wheels going fast.
Also anything computer related or Nintendo related. This is just happening here physically in this store. Talking about everybody shelling out their
money. They're also shelling out their money online. Already, we're learning some figures, $3.7 billion was spent on Thanksgiving which means
while people were eating their turkey dinners, they were also on their phone spending money on holiday gifts.
Today, Black Friday, obviously, not just happening in the store, happening online, as well. The predictions are that $6.4 billion will be spent on
online shopping just today. I haven't even talked about cyber Monday. The expectation there, $7.8 billion expected to be spent on cyber Monday. And
that's when everybody's going to be at work.
The National Retail Federation puts it all together and it expects that sales not just at physical stores but online stores, online sales will
equal up to $720 billion for November and December. We will see what those figures actually pan out by the New Year. Hala?
GORANI: Alison Kosik, thanks very much. Double fisting computer screens. Those are some motivated shoppers.
Holiday shopping took a frightening turn, though, at the largest mall in Alabama. Two young men got into a fight when one of them pulled out a gun
and began shooting. Terrified shoppers hid inside stores. Before escaping out the back. Diane Gallagher has that story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (bleep) let's go, let's go!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hey, everybody out now.
DIANNE GALLAGHER, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Chaos erupting inside an Alabama shopping mall packed with Black Friday shoppers.
MAVENY WHITE, WITNESS: All of a sudden I heard like my manager just yell, there was gunshots.
GALLAGHER: A shooting at the Riverchase Galleria near Birmingham after two people got into a fight. The alleged gunman shot an 18-year-old man
outside a store and then tried to run away from the area.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I heard one and then bang-bang. And then right after that, people started screaming. And going crazy just to get away from it.
And then cops ran by us with their guns drawn.
GALLAGHER: police officers on duty for the holiday season reacting quickly.
LEXIE JOYNER, WITNESS: And I stepped us in the supply closets and locked the doors. They seemed prepared and then we sat there for five to 10
minutes freaking out. And then they opened the escape route doors and we escaped through the escape route doors.
GALLAGHER: Alabama.com reporting several shoppers were also seen with their guns drawn. Police say one officer encountered the suspect,
"Brandishing a pistol and shot and killed him."
GREGG RECTOR, CAPTAIN, HOOVER, ALABAMA POLICE: We were fortunate that that Hoover officer was there where he needed to be. And we believe at this
point that maybe he prevented further injuries.
GALLAGHER: Also caught in the crossfire, a 12-year-old girl.
RECTOR: We believe last we heard that she was alert, conscious and talking.
GALLAGHER: Those who were inside say they're grateful for mall employees who helped keep the scary situation calm.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: As soon as everybody started screaming, they were like shut the doors, shut the doors. They were courteous of, you know, the
visitors that was in the stores.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
GORANI: Dianne Gallagher reporting there. Don't forget you can get all the latest news and interviews, as well, on our Facebook page,
facebook.Com/halagoranicnn and check us out on twitter, as well, @HalaGorani.
One of the world's biggest fashion brands is facing quite the backlash in one of the world's biggest markets. Retailers in China are dropping Dolce
& Gabbana over claims of racism.
A series of Dolce & Gabbana ad showed an Asian actress trying to eat Italian food with chopsticks and that offended some people. The situation
was made worse when offensive comments were posted from Stefano Gabbana's Instagram account. He says his account was hacked and the designer's
realized that the backlash was real.
We're talking about their goods being pulled from stores, from online retailers, as well, in the Chinese market. They've come out and
apologized.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DOMENICO DOLCE, ITLAIN FASHION DESIGNER (through translator): Over the past few days, we have thought long and hard with great sadness about
everything that has happened and what we have caused in your country, and we are very sorry.
[14:40:02] Our families have always taught us to respect the various cultures in the world and this is why we want to ask for your forgiveness.
If we have made mistakes in interpreting yours.
STEFANO GABBANA, FASHION DESIGNER (through translator): We also want to apologize to all of the many Chinese people throughout the world. We take
this apology very seriously. As well as this message.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GORANI: Dolce & Gabbana there apologizing to those who were offended by that ad.
Still to come, South Africa's president calls it the country's original sin. It's an issue that's continuing to fuel resentment and hatred there.
A report from Johannesburg, next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
GORANI: At least nine soldiers were killed when a blast ripped through a mosque in eastern Afghanistan. The provincial spokesperson says an
explosion hit an army brigade mosque during Friday prayers. Twenty-two people were wounded.
Officials didn't provide any details on what caused the explosion but they're looking into it, obviously. No one has claimed responsibility yet.
However, the region has faced a militant insurgency in recent years with the Taliban-linked group very active in that particular area.
And just across the border in neighboring Pakistan, a pair of deadly attacks has rattled the country. Official say 30 people were killed and
dozens more wounded when a bomb exploded in a market in the north of the country. There's been no claim of responsibility there.
In Karachi, the country's most populist city, gunman stormed the Chinese consulate and there, they killed four people. Three attackers from a
separatist group were also killed. Pakistan's foreign ministry has vowed to apprehend those responsible but you're seeing once again a lot of
violence there in that part of the world.
To an emotional and political issue in South Africa, land. President Cyril Ramaphosa recently described the country's lands act as South Africa's
original sin.
And this week, we've brought you reports on how land is being used by some groups to divide people. But beyond the rhetoric, farmers both black and
white, are taking matters into their own hands. David McKenzie got a first-hand look.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DAVID MCKENZIE, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Mr. Shavilala (ph) (INAUDIBLE)
Land in South Africa, it's always meant something more.
I'm David from CNN.
Before 71-year-old Wilson Shavilala was born on this land, worked this land, his ancestors owned it. Then it was legislated away.
"Sometimes I feel like I'm just a security guard looking after this farm," he says. "Because I don't have the paper to say it's mine. I'm just
guarding it."
The 1913 Native Land Act would limit black ownership to just seven percent of agricultural land. As apartheid took hold, more laws would follow.
[14:45:07] Sprawling informal settlements still trap millions of South Africans without title, a living reminder of a painful past.
JULIUS MALEMA, ECONOMIC FREEDOM FIGHTERS PARTY: The only way we can heal this wound is to transform our land ownership.
MCKENZIE: Land reform is once again an election issue. And expropriation without compensation is a political rallying cry for both sides of the
debate.
MALEMA: Do you agree that the state must be the owner of the land?
MCKENZIE: President Cyril Ramaphosa and the ruling ANC wants to implement it, within the confines of the law to accelerate change.
CYRIL RAMAPHOSA, PRESIDENT OF SOUTH AFRICA: In an orderly fashion. In accordance with our constitution.
ERNST ROETS, AFRIFORUM: You are drunk on hatred and contempt.
MCKENZIE: Advocacy groups like AfriForum which call themselves a minority rights group do not.
ROETS: And we'll suffer even more if you continue to destroy the economy and to sow hatred and division.
ROLAND HENDERSON, COMMERCIAL FARMER: These are my ancestors on the wall.
MCKENZIE: And then there are farmers like Roland Henderson worried about what it will all mean.
HENDERSON: My grandmother as a young girl.
MCKENZIE: History's complex in South Africa. Our forbearers took land from people, if not directly. It was certainly helped by legislation of
the previous government. So, what part of you also thinks about that part of your legacy?
HENDERSON: No, no. We can't ignore that. But I don't think farm, commercial farmers must atone for all the sins of apartheid that were
committed in the past.
HENDERSON: Walk on. Away, away!
MCKENZIE: We came to his remote corner of (INAUDIBLE) because we had heard that he and a group of fellow white commercial farmers had done what the
government has largely failed to do.
HENDERSON: In all politics, in all countries, there's a far left and a far right and they do tend to make the most noise. And in the middle is what I
call sort of a moderate middle which is as white commercial farmers and communities who live in rural areas, who just want a sensible place to
stay.
MCKENZIE: Over the past decade, they've voluntarily given almost half of their land to emerging black farmers. So, why did you do it?
HENDERSON: We did it because we have a sense of responsibility. We know that the land is unequal.
MCKENZIE: Henderson's community came together and carried out land reform. They proved it can be done.
But ask Shavilala if the government can deliver on what the World Bank sees as much needed reform.
"I don't have trust anymore in government officials," he says, "Because all of these people working for the government are criminals."
His skepticism is well placed. There's been ongoing land reform since democracy in 1994. But it has been painfully slow and riddled with
corruption. Shavilala put his claim in in 1996. It was granted only to see the government official in charge of the transfer take the land for
himself.
Finally, the September, the official was sentenced to 10 years in prison. Now, Shavilala is back on his land but his title deed has yet to come
through.
Many people look at South Africa and see a disaster waiting to happen because of the land issue. Do you think you can prove them wrong in this
area?
HENDERSON: It's not easy. It's hard work but it's doable and we did it in '94 so we do need to do it again, otherwise, we will go over the edge.
MCKENZIE: David McKenzie, CNN, Besters, South Africa.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
GORANI: Now to an update on a story we've been covering about that South Sudanese girl whose arranged marriage sparked an international outcry. A
Sudanese human rights lawyer says this image shows that teen with her husband at their wedding. There were initial reports the child was
auctioned off on Facebook. But now one of the men involved tells CNN that is not the case. That people discussed it on Facebook. Farai Sevenzo has
all the details.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
FARAI SEVENZO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: After much concern over social media about the fate of Nyalong Ngong Deng, the young south Sudanese girl who was
married by a businessman from South Sudan who paid 500 head of cattle, three cars and $10,000 in cash for her hand in marriage.
The story came full circle again today when we spoke to the husband who won her hand in marriage beating four other suitors. Her husband flatly denied
that this had been an auction. He told CNN that if there had been an auction, everybody would have been allowed to bid. He strongly defended
what he called Dinka culture, Dinka ceremonies allow for negotiation of a bride's prize, of a dowry and he said everything had been done in the
correct way.
[14:50:08] When pressed again at what age Nyalong was when he married her, he flatly refused to acknowledge either way of what age she was. He felt
very put on and hard done by the media and saying that they portrayed his culture in a very negative light.
Now, what is at the center of this entire story is what age young girls are getting married at. Remember, UNICEF in the 2017 November figures said 52
percent of the young girls getting married in South Sudan were under age, that is below the age of 18 and that is at the core of this entire story.
It hits right in the middle of Africa's modernity and what they do about their cultures which have not caught up yet to the rights of the child or
indeed, the rights of women.
Farai Sevenzo, CNN, Nairobi.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
GORANI: More to come including the shop where they want you to spend a lot of money but you leave with nothing. We'll bring you a story about those
buying gifts for refugees instead of themselves. We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
GORANI: Singapore's status as a garden city didn't happen by accident because despite high density housing, the tiny state still remains a green
city. Now, we met one of the pioneers behind Singapore's iconic green walls. Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
RICHARD TAN, FOUNDER, GARDEN AND LANDSCAPE CENTER: I'm Richard Tan. I'm the owner and founder of Garden and Landscape Center. We were the first
people who did the vertical greenery. Right? And it's part of the government policy to try to green the whole city on vertical and as well as
the roof top garden.
Most of the buildings, we need to have some kind of a screen wall, green wall which would be more permanent and also to allow cleaning the air,
because we have vertical green, it takes the dust that passes by.
CHEONG KOON HEAN, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, HOUSING & DEVELOPMENT BOARD: The challenge is, how do you build how-rise, high-density development which
is livable? That people actually want to live in.
The project Pinnacle@Duxton was actually done as an experiment to test out very high density living environment.
TAN: I'm very proud at what we have done for Pinnacle@Duxton. That was the first building in the whole Singapore that sits high to build a garden
in the sky. I think it is about three kg.
I never say I'm a pioneer but I happen to be one. Because there's nobody else of my age. I'm 85. A lot of people think I'm 65 are gone. But I
don't feel that way. I'm still feeling 40, 30. I still can do it. This is life. I enjoy it.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
GORANI: I love that. I love those vertical gardens.
Now, we've been talking enough about it. You know it by now that it's Black Friday. That annual shopping frenzy where everyone's buying big and
looking for bargains. But what if instead of buying for yourself this year, you bought a gift for someone in need?
[14:55:59] Nestled between the high street shops of London, you can find a store that offers you an entirely different shopping experience. Take a
look.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
GORANI: Cut prices. Hot deals. London retailers are doing all they can to lure in those festive shoppers with an eye for a bargain. But on this
street corner, a store with an altogether different offer.
Here, you are encouraged to choose love and buy a gift not for yourself but for a refugee instead.
MATTHEW MCCABE, VOLUNTEER, HELP REFUGEES: Blankets, hot meals, children's coats. So everything is individually priced. Or you can buy a bundle of
things.
GORANI: It's a project by charity Help Refugees that works on the frontline of the crisis.
On the shelves here, items in desperate need by refugees across Europe and the Middle East. From first arrival often by boat to life in a camp for
months and often years.
JOSIE NAUGHTON, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, HELP REFUGEES: So much stuff in the media are about buy this, buy that and it really feels like there's a
lot of people who, you know, want to kind of turn consumerism on its head and do something for someone else and rather than just something for
themselves.
And we've just been really overwhelmed all day. People have just been coming in and feeling so emotional about doing something for someone that
they don't even know.
GORANI: It's the second year of the project. Last year's pop-up raised almost $1 million. As well as practical gifts, shoppers can buy mental
health support or legal services for refugees. Helping with family reunions.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Here is a great way to actually buy something that's not for yourself that's going to make a difference to other people. And
especially at this time of year. There's so much buying. It's why not buy something that's going to be a value to somebody else?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I bought the meal ingredients because one of the main things that you need is food when you come to a new place.
GORANI: Like most stores on Black Friday, here, they want you to shop your heart out, except in this case, it's not for yourself but for someone in
need.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
GORANI: Just around the corner from our studios there. Good idea. It's the second year they've done this, as I mentioned in that story. Last
year, they were able to raise hundreds of thousands of pounds for refugee causes and it's a kind of interesting innovative way to do it.
A lot more coming up on CNN. Of course, the latest from the winter White House, as it's being called, Mar-a-Lago in Florida where the president is
spending the long holiday weekend and also that climate report that's come out of the U.S. federal government that is warning the people of the United
States and, of course, by extension people around the world that climate change is having a devastating impact already on all of us.
I'm Hala Gorani. "QUEST MEANS BUSINESS" is next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
END
