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Hala Gorani Tonight
U.S. Ends International Travel Ban; COVID Cases Continue To Surge In Europe; Migrants Try To Breach Border From Belarus Into Poland; Poland Raises State Of Alert At Belarusian Border; No Claim Of Responsibility For Failed Attack On Iraqi PM; Island Nations Use COP26 To Warn Of Potential Extinction. Aired 2-3p ET
Aired November 08, 2021 - 14:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[14:00:00]
HALA GORANI, CNN INTERNATIONAL HOST: Hello, everyone, live from CNN in London, I'm HALA GORANI TONIGHT. A 20-month travel ban is finally over. The
United States reopens to vaccinated international travelers, but is it bad timing when it comes to European tourists? This continent is the latest
COVID flashpoint. I'll ask the European Health Commissioner why?
And later, migrants try to breach the border from Belarus into Poland. I'll speak to the Polish deputy Foreign Minister as his country vows to defend
its territory. Today marks a new chapter in the coronavirus pandemic as the U.S. officially reopens to fully-vaccinated international visitors, ending
effectively a 20-month travel ban. For so many, it calls for celebration. Here are some of the lucky few fresh-off-the-first British Airways flight
to land at New York's JFK Airport.
There will be countless scenes today of people reuniting with their loved ones after very long separations. And obviously, there's a business angle
to it as well. It's a boon for airlines and travel companies. European Airlines are reporting full or nearly full flights today. Trans-Atlantic
bookings are surging. Now, not everything is like before though, foreign travelers must provide proof of vaccination if you're heading to the U.S.,
remember, you need to do that.
You also need a negative viral test taken within three days of traveling to the United States. And also, travelers are being warned of long lines and
potential delays at customs, and all of this is coming amid rising COVID-19 cases particularly in Europe.
France is one such country. It is seeing a sharp rise in cases in the last month. Nonetheless, a steady stream of masked travelers arrived at Paris'
Charles de Gaulle Airport this morning, excited to finally see loved ones in the United States. Our Melissa Bell was at the airport.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MELISSA BELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (on camera): For the first time in more than a year and a half, the United States finally opening its borders to
foreign vaccinated travelers. And what that means this Monday morning here in Charles de Gaulle Airport here in Paris in the 2E terminal, is a much
busier terminal than I've seen in a long time, and a lot more flights up on the boards to Atlanta, Los Angeles, New York, Miami and some pretty excited
travelers.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We are happy because of the weather, especially. We can call it freedom, yes. I hope it continues after because we hesitate about -
- you know, the fourth wave was upcoming, and I don't know if the borders will be closed again one time.
HENRI DE PEYRELONGUE, EXECUTIVE VP, COMMERCIAL SALES AIR FRANCE KLM: So we have very strong demand on the short term, from November, for the Christmas
period before COVID, Trans-Atlantic for a group Air France KLM represented 40 percent of the total long-goal turnover.
BELL (voice-over): But some of these passengers waiting at the gate to fly to New York are still getting used to the return to the skies.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's kind of strange as a feeling because it seems that the whole thing, the whole COVID situation didn't happen at all. Yes, just
like a snap, it's strange, but it feels good.
BELL (on camera): This flight headed to New York is just one of the 15 Air France flights due to go to the United States this Monday. But for all of
the excitement, here at Paris' main airport, Charles de Gaulle, there is some fear that it's going to take a while for the industry to get back to
where it was. Air France says that by March of next year, its traffic to the United States will still only be 90 percent of what it was in 2019.
(voice-over): And yet, the return to something like normality should be palpable on the other side of the Atlantic as well. This will be just one
of 253 flights to land either at JFK or Newark Liberty Airport this Monday. Melissa Bell, CNN, Paris.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
GORANI: A momentous day of travel changes, so obviously who do we connect with on days like today? Richard Quest, he's stationed at one of America's
most iconic destinations, live from the 86th floor of this building, New York City's Empire State building. Richard, you can join us now live.
[14:05:00]
You were at JFK Airport and you're at this very famous New York landmark where, hopefully, European and other international fully-vaccinated
travelers will be able to, you know, enjoy the sights of New York --
RICHARD QUEST, CNN BUSINESS EDITOR-AT-LARGE: Right --
GORANI: City.
QUEST: Yes, we decided to do the Empire State building because according to some surveys, it is the most visited building by tourists, certainly in New
York, and arguably the world. Now, the reality is though, that what happened today happened across the United States. British Airways were
telling me they had run nearly two dozen flights to different destinations across the country as the U.S. allowed them for the first time, as you're
saying, in 20 months.
And the U.S. Commerce Secretary said that this was a well-thought-through plan that was designed to move away from geographic restrictions, i.e. have
you been in this country or that country? Are you on a red list, an amber list, a green list of countries?
And, instead, individual, are you vaccinated? Have you had boosters? And it has to be said, Hala, that the U.S. system is one of the most simple that
I've come across, and I've done more travel than most in the last 12 months.
It pretty much is, are you vaccinated? Fill in this attestation form, show us your vaccination certificate and your 72-hours -- less than COVID test,
and on you go. And even now, it can be antigen nor PCR.
GORANI: Yes --
QUEST: Not surprisingly, Kennedy, this morning, they were delighted.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No longer on a screen, it's going to be hugs, it's going to be in-person catching up. A lot of stories to tell.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It feels nice to be kind of seeing New York again and seeing people and e-mailing, and so you mail -- you can see them now. So,
yes.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: i love the states. This is one of my favorite countries. I go here quite regularly, I'm spending the whole of January,
I'll be back in January to the states, so, yes, this is a great moment for U.S.-U.K. relations. The special relationship is back on.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
QUEST: So, Hala, tonight's "QUEST MEANS BUSINESS" from the top of the Empire State building.
GORANI: Let's talk business. Let's talk lost revenue for airlines, lost tourism revenue in the United States, because Americans have been able to
travel to Europe but not the other way around. How bad a hit did they take and how long do they expect it will take for them to bounce back to where
they were pre-COVID?
QUEST: We're in the billions of dollars in terms of the hit that was taken. Devastating for airlines like British Airways where more than 50 percent
comes from U.S. travel. As to how quickly it comes back, I think the city is going to basically explode with tourists between now and Christmas.
Capacity is going to go way high, more flights are being added, hotel prices will go up, but New York is absolutely on the agenda for that.
When we come to January and February of next year, it will fall off. They're not --
GORANI: Yes --
QUEST: The big airlines are not expecting to reach 2019 levels probably until the back end of next year, maybe '23.
GORANI: All right, Richard Quest, we'll see you on "QUEST MEANS BUSINESS" at the top of the hour from the top of the Empire State building. So
obviously, more crowds and Winter approaching, what does it mean?
Well, it means potentially more COVID transmission and infections. As the U.S. reopens its borders, Europe is once more becoming the epicenter of the
pandemic. Case numbers are climbing back toward all-time highs on the continent, you are seeing there, the graph for Europe with a seven-day
ruling average clearly on the up.
Some of the continent's biggest countries, Russia and Germany, are seeing new surges while smaller nations like Croatia and Greece have even more
dramatic spikes -- you see it there again on that graphic. The European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, Stella Kyriakidou joins us now.
Thank you, commissioner, for joining us. I want to ask you, what is going on? It is quite worrying that Europe is decoupling in terms of its
trajectory from other regions, the United States and other parts of the world. Why is this happening now? Commissioner Kyriakidou, can you hear me?
All right, we have a bit of an audio situation there with the commissioner. We're going to try to get her back, I can see her, so that's half the
battle. We're going to take a quick break, we're going to fix the technical issue we have there and we're going to talk to the commissioner after that.
And also authorities in Ethiopia are detaining people under the new state of emergency as human rights experts are very much worried about
developments there. We'll bring you that and the rest of the day's news.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[14:10:00]
GORANI: Welcome back. Before the break, we were talking about Europe's rise in COVID cases, and we were talking with Richard Quest about how the United
States now is allowing fully-vaccinated travelers to travel to America, especially European travelers who had been very frustrated, some of them,
for 20 months not being able to visit and also not being able to connect with family and friends that they have in that country.
But one of the risks with opening up a country to tourism with the approaching Winter months, of course, is that you have higher transmission
of COVID cases. What is going on in Europe? Could it be that some of these rules have relaxed over the last few months, leading to a surge in numbers?
The European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, Stella Kyriakidou joins me now live. And thank you commissioner for being with us. Right
before the break, we were talking about the rise in European cases, and we have a graphic that really illustrates that quite starkly. Europe compared
to Asia and North America, very much higher in terms of the seven-day moving average of daily cases. What is happening in Europe right now that
is leading to this situation?
STELLA KYRIAKIDOU, EUROPEAN COMMISSIONER FOR HEALTH & FOOD SAFETY: So good evening, it's a pleasure to be with you. It is -- we have seen a rise in
the number of new cases over the last several weeks after quite a long period of stabilization. Here I should say that we have now reached a
vaccination full coverage of over 75 percent of the adults within the European Union member states. But, of course, this does not mean that we
need to be complacent. And what we are seeing in the last few weeks is an increase in the number of new cases, and in several member states, an
increase in the number of hospitalizations, but here I need to stress as well that it is mainly those who are unvaccinated.
GORANI: Right, so what's going on? Because you talk about an increase in hospitalizations. For a while there, it seemed like cases were increasing,
but hospitalizations and deaths were not. But you look at a country like Germany, and over the last three months, there is a very clear uptick in
hospitalizations as well.
Is it just about, you know, not having had the kind of vaccine uptake that you'd like to see in all these countries? Is it just among the unvaccinated
or is it time to reconsider some of the reopening and the relaxation of rules?
KYRIAKIDOU: i think it's possibly a combination of factors. We do -- we are -- there's no doubt about it, that the vaccines are safe and they're
effective and they protect against hospitalization and serious disease.
[14:15:00]
And what we are seeing in Germany is an increase of the number of cases and also hospitalizations, but mainly of the unvaccinated. So I would say that
it is a combination of factors, possibly also seasonality and also the fact that there is a relaxation of the non-pharmaceutical measures and people
just wanting to get back to a normality.
So there is a combination of factors which could be leading to this, but there is absolutely no doubt that the way forward is to continue with
vaccinations and cover as much of the population as quickly as possible.
GORANI: But you have some vaccine hesitancy in countries like Germany --
KYRIAKIDOU: Yes --
GORANI: And in France as well. And the U.K. for some reason, that's not an issue, but in continental Europe, you do have it. So is it a communication
problem? Has the messaging been poor? Why are some people still unconvinced?
KYRIAKIDOU: Hala, I wouldn't say that it's just -- it's a communication problem. What I have seen and I have traveled to many of the member states
that are facing challenges with their vaccination rollouts, and are now facing increased pressure on the health systems.
What I have seen is that there is no one-size-fits-all answer to this or reason for this. A vaccine hesitancy can be due to a number of reasons, and
what we are doing is working with each member state, addressing the different challenges they face.
So in order to really enable them to vaccinate as many citizens as possible, so really one needs to be -- look at this at the European level
in terms of the communication messaging, but also at member-state level in terms of the different challenges that each member state faces. And I've
seen this by -- through my visits to the member states, that being on the ground you do see the different realities and the different challenges they
face.
GORANI: But I'll ask you about these lifting of restrictions, I interviewed Hans Kluge; who is the European director for the World Health Organization.
He said basically, he's saying to countries, you must consider at least the possibility that lifting some of these restrictions at the speed at which
they were lifted has led to quite a dangerous situation. And that perhaps this is something to reconsider if these numbers keep climbing. Do you
support that view? Do you think there should be a re-assessment of the -- of how much countries have reopened to travel --
KYRIAKIDOU: Yes --
GORANI: And work and tourism?
KYRIAKIDOU: I speak with Dr. Kluge on a very frequent basis. We've been working together from the beginning of the pandemic because, of course,
what happens in the W.H.O. region Europe, which is a much broader region, is of direct interest to us as European Union.
What I would say to this is that I believe that you need to look at the epidemiological situation in each member state, and we do have member
states who have different measures in place involving mask-wearing and other measures.
But ultimately, what we need to do is have a combination of increasing our vaccination coverage, and at the same time, when needed, have some measures
in place to have this -- the protection that is needed. We had aimed for and reached over 70 percent of the adult population being fully vaccinated.
We're over 75 percent, but we have a virus that is clearly very transmissible and we need to aim higher and really address the issues where
there are challenges to covering the population effectively as quickly as possible.
GORANI: Yes, and you're going to have to think of boosters as well. So, it's a long-term project.
KYRIAKIDOU: We're already -- we are already thinking of boosters, and the European Medicines Agency --
GORANI: Yes --
KYRIAKIDOU: Has already suggested and member states are following, giving a booster dose to the immunocompromised, to the more vulnerable --
GORANI: Yes --
KYRIAKIDOU: Groups. And some member states have continued for the general population, but, as you said, it's a long process. We never said it was a
sprint, this is a marathon, and we all need to work together at different levels in order to be able to exit this pandemic.
GORANI: All right, thank you, Commissioner Kyriakidou, apologies for some reason, you've turned into a film noir black-and-white shot from Brussels
there. I don't know what happened, but you're in black-and-white, but still very much --
KYRIAKIDOU: Interesting --
GORANI: Visible --
KYRIAKIDOU: I hope the messages were loud and clear, I hope the messages were loud and clear even though they're not in color --
GORANI: Most importantly --
KYRIAKIDOU: So thank you for the opportunity, Hala --
GORANI: Most importantly, we heard you exactly very well. Thank you --
KYRIAKIDOU: Thank you --
GORANI: So much commissioner --
KYRIAKIDOU: Thank you so much.
GORANI: Ethiopia's --
KYRIAKIDOU: Thank you --
GORANI: Human Rights Commission says police in Addis Ababa appear to be detaining people based on ethnicity. They are raising the alarm days after
lawmakers declared a state of emergency as the conflict between government troops and Tigrayan rebels escalates.
[14:20:00]
The emergency declaration gives the government wide powers including detaining people, quote, "suspected of collaborating with terrorist
groups". But watchdogs are warning there is no excuse to restrict human rights.
The Addis Ababa police commander denies that ethnicity is why they're detaining people, but concedes that most of the people who have been taken
in are ethnic Tigrayans. Now, to this story, a criminal investigation is underway now to determine exactly what happened at the Astroworld Music
Festival in Houston, Texas, over the weekend.
Eight people died and dozens were injured after a crowd surge, and you can see just how packed it was. It happened during a performance by Travis
Scott on Friday. And now the rapper along with Live Nation and the concert promoter are being sued. Some of the fans were crushed, others were
trampled on, cries for help drowned out by the loud music and left unanswered. Here is what one concert goer tells us about the tragedy.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOYA MELVIN, EYEWITNESS: I mean, personally being pushed into a mosh pit, you just can't -- you couldn't control where you were going -- I was pushed
into a mosh pit by accident where you just literally are being thrown into a ball of violence. He was -- he did stop the set three times, but he was
still pointing out, like there was a person hanging on a tree, and he was like, oh, look at that rager out in the tree.
He was really still seeing people, he was like, come pick this person up, but it was just like the show kept going on. And if you saw people that
were dying, I feel like he should have stopped the entire show completely.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GORANI: Other witnesses have been speaking to CNN's Rosa Flores, and as she explains, Travis Scott's behavior during his set is now under scrutiny as
well.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It was a death trap basically.
ROSA FLORES, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): More witnesses are coming forward to share their experiences at Houston's Astroworld Friday night
where eight people died and hundreds more were injured.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And I picked a kid up and his eyes rolled to the back of his head, so I checked his pulse, I knew he was dead, and I checked the
people around me, and I decided to leave him there, there was nothing I could do. I had to keep going.
FLORES: Another concert goer saying the mood noticeably shifted in the audience just before internationally acclaimed rapper Travis Scott took the
stage.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And as the time was winding down, you know, people became more rowdy and more antsy and just more stand-off-ish is the vibe
that I got.
FLORES: Police also say that a security guard was pricked in the neck with a needle, prompting more questions about what was happening in the crowd.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He went unconscious. They administered Narcan. He was revived and the medical staff did notice a prick that was similar to a
prick that you would get if somebody is trying to inject.
FLORES: But Scott maintains he had no idea about the severity of what was happening in the crowd as he continued his set, telling fans in an
Instagram video Saturday night that he is devastated by what happened.
TRAVIS SCOTT, AMERICAN RAPPER: At any time that I can make out, you know, anything that's going on, you know, I'd stop the show and, you know, help
them get the help they need.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Security (INAUDIBLE) --
FLORES: It isn't the first time crowd control issues have come up for Scott, who sells out concerts across the globe and is known for his high-
energy shows. In his 2019 Netflix documentary, a member of Travis' team tells security guards about the anticipated rowdy fans ahead of one of his
shows.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The pressure becomes very great up against the barricade. You will see a lot of crowd surfers in general, but also you see
a lot of kids that are just trying to get out, get to safety because they can't breathe because it's so compact. You won't know how bad it could be
with our crowd until we turn on.
FLORES: In the past, Scott has faced legal trouble for egging on fans at his shows. In 2018, Scott pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct in Arkansas.
According to the Northwest "Arkansas Democrat-Gazette", after police say he encouraged people to rush the stage at one of his shows.
Two other misdemeanor charges including inciting a riot were dismissed. And in 2015, Scott pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor reckless conduct charge
after encouraging fans to rush the stage at Chicago's Lollapalooza Festival according to the "Chicago Tribune".
He was sentenced to a year of court supervision. In Houston, a criminal investigation is now underway according to police who are urging concert
goers to contact them if they have information to share.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
GORANI: Well, Rosa Flores joins me now live from Houston. What is the latest, Rosa, on the investigation?
FLORES: Well, Hala, as we mentioned, this is a criminal investigation, and now we know that it includes both a homicide and also narcotics division.
[14:25:00]
And the reason why it involves the narcotics division as well is because of that account by that security officer who said that he felt a prick in his
neck, he went unconscious and he was revived with Narcan and according to officials, he wasn't the only one that had that experience.
And so that expands this investigation. The latest that we've heard from the Houston Police Department was that they were trying to acquire the
surveillance video of this event so that they could look for clues about what happened, what caused that surge towards the stage and also if there's
any criminal activity.
GORANI: Yes --
FLORES: Hala?
GORANI: And in your piece, you mentioned the rapper Travis Scott sometimes has been blamed for encouraging people to act in reckless ways. In this
instance, he is offering to pay for the funerals of the victims?
FLORES: Yes, he just announced this, saying that he is wanting to pay the funeral costs for all of the eight victims in this case, that he is in
contact and trying to get in contact with the families. Now, I should say that there are still six people in the hospital, this is according to the
Houston Fire Department, and five of those are in the intensive care unit. So, of course, that is a huge concern.
Now, back to Travis Scott, not only is he saying that he is willing to pay for the funeral costs, he is also saying that he is partnering with mental
health organizations to provide free mental health care, some of it online, of course, because people from all over this country flew into Houston for
this event.
And I can tell you, Hala, from talking to a lot of the concert goers, people are traumatized. I talked to a few college students who told me that
they don't think -- they're going back to college and they don't think they're going to go to college parties because they claustrophobic just
being around people because they were caught in that just big group that was closer to the stage. At some point they said that they didn't even have
control of their bodies because they were just moving with the crowd. Hala.
GORANI: Well, it looked -- it looked incredibly claustrophobic and obviously, as we know, it was very dangerous and deadly. Eight people lost
their lives. We'll continue to follow what has become a criminal investigation.
Rosa Flores, thanks so much live in Houston. And still to come tonight, a surge of migrants trying to force their way into Poland right now. I'll
speak with Poland's deputy foreign minister about what's going on at that country's border with Belarus. We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[14:30:00]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
GORANI: Poland is raising its state of alert. There is a dangerous confrontation unfolding along its border with Belarus. Hundreds of migrants
are -- you see an aerial image there, trying to breach the barbed wire dividing the two countries, they are challenging Polish soldiers.
Poland and other nearby countries are accusing Belarus's regime of deliberately driving migrants to the border and basically using them as
pawns as retaliation for E.U. sanctions. And you see they are desperate and they are determined.
Let's get the perspective, the Polish perspective on this. The Polish Deputy Foreign Minister, Marcin Przydacz, via Skype from Warsaw joins us
now. So do you blame Belarus for using these desperate refugees coming from some of them Afghanistan, others Iraq, some Syrians as well as pawns to try
to destabilize the European Union?
MARCIN PRZYDACZ, POLISH DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER: Well, the migrants are not only from Afghanistan, they are mostly from Iraq, the people encouraged by
the Belarusian regime to come to Minsk. They've got the visa, they've got the accommodate -- in a state-owned hotels accommodation. They got the
transportation towards the border with E.U. and they got the promise to do it illegally.
And what's even worse, they paid a lot of money for that to the Belarusian regime. So I think this is the first time in the modern history, one --
while the authoritarian regime uses people as a weapon to destabilize the European Union and the border as an answer and as a revenge to the -- our
collective decision to sanction Mr. Lukashenko.
GORANI: Right. We did see similar waves of desperate humanity in 2015 as well reaching European shores via Greece that was. In this particular case,
though, you're basically saying the Belarusians and the regime in Belarusia is so cynical, that it is telling these migrants fly to Minsk, we will
drive you to the border, and then you will cross into an E.U. country, Poland, and there, you will be able to start a new life, knowing full well
that these people will probably not end up achieving that goal. Is that what you're saying?
PRZYDACZ: That -- that's exactly what we are saying. I mean, those migrants, they -- quite often, they shout or they chant Germany, Germany at
the border. So this is the best answer to all those who doubted what is the real name of those people. They are provided with the information that once
they cross the border with Belarus, they'll be directly transported to the Germany to start a better, you know, probably new life.
So those people probably, they -- of course they do know that this is Belarus and that they're going to cross illegally the border, but for Mr.
Lukashenko for the Belarusian regime, there are unfortunately just kind of bullets in his political hybrid operation against Poland, against the E.U.,
and against the N.A.T.O.
GORANI: You -- your government passed a law last month, or your country passed a law last month, that allows border agents to immediately expel
migrants without allowing them to apply for asylum. You were criticized for that. What -- why would you not allow some of them, who may have a
legitimate case, to apply for political asylum before repelling them?
PRZYDACZ: They do have this option to apply for the political asylum in Belarus, many Polish consulates and embassies where they can apply for the
-- that status and also in their countries of origins. In Iraq, for example, they can still apply for political asylum.
Unfortunately, those migrants who are trying to cross illegally the near the border with Poland in vast majority, they will not get any status of
asylum, and then they don't even want to apply for that. Those who successfully crossed the border, the vast majority, they refuse to fulfill
any documents claiming that they want to get their own asylum or whatever, protection in Germany, the Netherlands, France or Belgium, so they don't
want to stay in Poland.
[14:35:00]
GORANI: Let me ask you, what do you want the E.U. to do or even N.A.T.O.? I understand Frontex, which is the E.U. Border Agency, offered its help. You
said, no, we're fine. We have our soldiers there. We have our border guards there.
Do you want the E.U. to help you here? Do you want N.A.T.O. to step in? Donald Tusk, the leader of the opposition in your country, said he thinks
Poland should ask N.A.T.O. here for assistance. Will you do any of that?
PRZYDACZ: Well, I -- personally, I briefed also N.A.T.O. during the North Atlantic Council a couple of days ago. So our allies in N.A.T.O. are very
well-informed what's going on at the Polish border. And the same goes to the E.U.
What we are doing right now and expecting from our Western allies is to sanction those individuals who are involved in this -- in the process and
those business entities who are making money, which are making money on this, including airlines and their travel agencies as they call themselves,
which are encouraging people to be instrumentalized by Mr. Lukashenko. So we need a tough answer, but the political or diplomatic one, rather than
any sort of help at the border.
We are quite big country. We have a significant number of troops next to the border. So I think we'll manage to protect the border of the E.U. and
then Poland. But what we need to do to have is the collective answer as E.U. and N.A.T.O. towards Lukashenka, and those who are involved in this
process.
GORANI: Deputy Foreign Minister of Poland, Marcin Przydacz, thank you very much for joining us live from Warsaw this evening.
PRZYDACZ: Thank you. Thank you for having me.
GORANI: So far, no one is claiming responsibility for a failed assassination attempt on Iraq's Prime Minister. But the search is on for
answers after a brazen weekend attack that involved drones in the Green Zone. Jomana Karadsheh is following this story from Istanbul and has more.
Jomana.
JOMANA KARADSHEH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, hello, you know, the Iraqi Government says an investigation is ongoing. But there is very little doubt
in Iraq as to who was responsible for this attack. If you look at the tactics used, the use of drones, targeting the Green Zone, these are the
sort of tactics we have seen used by Iranian-backed Shia militias in Iraq.
In the past, they've targeted the Green Zone, they've been blamed for these attacks, I must say, targeting the Green Zone and U.S. military bases in
Iraq and in Syria. And they have repeatedly, these various groups, threatened the Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi who has tried to
rein them in since he came to power last year.
But the Iraqi Government, Hala, since the attack, they've been very cautious in what they're saying publicly. And they seem to, again, publicly
try -- trying to be very cautious at how they handle what is a very dangerous situation.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KARADSHEH: It was one of the most brazen attacks to ever target Iraq's leadership. A drone laden with explosive struck the residence of Prime
Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi in Baghdad's fortified Green Zone, according to Iraq's Military.
Al-Kadhimi escape what officials have described as a failed assassination attempt that injured members of his security detail. Shortly after that,
the Prime Minister appeared calm and composed in a televised address, reassuring the nation and calling for restraint.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MUSTAFA AL-KADHIMI, IRAQI PRIME MINISTER (through translator): The cowardly missiles and drones do not build our country's nor our future, and we're
working to build our homeland by respecting the state and its institutions and establishing a better future for all Iraqis. I invite everyone to a
call and constructive dialogue for the sake of Iraq and the future of Iraq. Long live Iraq, long live Iraq.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KARADSHEH: No one's claimed responsibility for the attack. Iraq says it's investigating the government failing to bring those responsible to justice
blame, "criminal armed groups," the term it's used in the past to describe Iranian-backed militias.
The powerful Iranian-backed groups have threatened Al-Kadhimi, a close U.S. ally in the past, but on Sunday, various groups were fast to deny their
involvement, accusing foreign powers of an attempt, they say, to implicate them. The attack comes after weeks of rising tensions following the October
10th elections. Parties representing Iranian-backed militias emerged as the biggest losers of that vote, losing many of the seats they once held in
Parliament.
They refuse to accept the results of an election they've described as fraudulent. And for weeks, their supporters have staged a protest in
Baghdad that turned violent on Friday, where protesters clashed with security forces as they tried to storm the Green Zone. Militia leaders
accused the government of targeting peaceful protesters and vowed revenge following the death of a demonstrator.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
[14:40:02]
KARADSHEH: And, Hala, since then the Iraqi Prime Minister, Mustafa Al- Kadhimi, has vowed to bring those responsible for the attack to justice. Everyone is waiting to see how he's going to do that. The Iraqi government
has failed to hold these Iranian-backed Shia militias accountable for crimes they have been accused of committing over the years.
I mean, the problem is right now, Hala, is that the Iraqi government has for so long tried to avoid any sort of confrontation and escalation with
these groups. But that may no longer be an option, because a very dangerous line has been crossed right now. And there's so much at stake, Iraq's
democracy and its constitutional process right now at stake.
GORANI: Absolutely. I mean, just having so much violence and attempted assassination on the Prime Minister, it's going to be very, very difficult
to write that, that ship there. Thanks very much for that, Jomana.
Still to come, an existential threat. I'll speak to an official from Fiji, whose job it is to build up the country's climate resilience. That is
coming up next. We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
GORANI: At the Climate Summit in Glasgow, there's one more week left. Protesters have gathered outside the conference urging leaders to do more.
Demonstrators staged a die-in. Smaller island nations are bearing the brunt of climate change as we've been reporting. The former U.S. President Barack
Obama is in Scotland and he says that what is happening to those smaller countries is a warning to the planet.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARACK OBAMA, FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT: Our islands are the canary in the coal mine in this situation. They are sending a message now that if we don't act
and act boldly, it's going to be too late. I also think that it's important for us to recognize that, as was true five years ago, we have not done
enough and our islands are threatened more than ever.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GORANI: Well, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum is the Fijian Attorney General, as well as the country's Minister for Economy. He joins us now live in Glasgow. So
far, are you encouraged or disappointed by the pledges you've heard at COP26?
[14:45:05]
AIYAZ SAYED-KHAIYUM, FIJIAN ATTORNEY GENERAL: Well, I think, you know, it's a bit too early to make better dichotomous call, but I think we --
obviously there's a lot of noise has been made in the past one week or so, there's been a lot of positive noises being made. But it's now down to the
crunch time where we are in the negotiating rooms to get the right text going forward.
For us, as you know, as you highlighted through President Barack Obama, we need to keep 1.5 degrees alive. It's an existential issue for us. And the
current trajectory suggests that, you know, the global temperature will rise anywhere between 2.7 to 3.1 degrees by the end of the century. We
cannot afford to do that.
GORANI: But all the promises taken together at COP26, even if they're kept, which is by no means a certainty, will not get you to 1.5. And some leaders
of island nations on the front line of the climate crisis have said very plainly, "This is a death sentence for us." Do you share that concern?
SAYED-KHAIYUM: Well, I think if we keep on the current trajectory, it will be a death sentence. But we also believe there is a solution. And the
solution is that we need to cut emissions by 50 percent by 2030, in particular the high emitters and then need -- reach net zero emissions by
2050.
GORANI: But how do you do that? That's not what's being promised.
SAYED-KHAIYUM: Well, I think the commitments need to be made, and we need to ensure that within the process, we're able to monitor those commitments.
We're still very, you know, positive about it.
We believe that if we are able to push the envelope, we are able to also, I think, get some of the larger countries, the high emitters, the
corporations to see that there's actually merit in, you know, going for net zero emissions, because you it makes, you know, a good argument for
sustainability of profits, even, sustainability of longevity in terms of your of your customer base.
GORANI: Well, that all obviously sounds good on paper. But China didn't even send its leader to COP. Their pledges did not exceed what was promised
in Paris. And even the rich nations' promise to spend the $100 billion to help poor, developing, and also climate vulnerable nations' transition,
that was not even met. So I'm sorry to keep asking you, but how do you maintain a level of hope and trust going forward when in the past, promises
have been broken so often?
SAYED-KHAIYUM: Well, what is the alternative? The alternative is that, you know, you spell this doomsday and you sit back and don't do anything about
it. Britain has actually, you know, pointed Germany and Canada in respect of the shortfalls of the $100 billion. There is now a new projection that
they'll reach their target by 2023. We are saying there needs to be cumulative $500 billion by 2025. And there on, we need about $750 billion a
year.
And I think there is some of the private sector input in the past couple of days, give some sense of hope. And I think there's an opportunity to get
the private and the public sectors involved in getting blended finances. For us, obviously, it's critically important that we have affordable
finance available to us.
GORANI: Yes. All right. Well, thank you so much, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum, the Fijian Attorney General coming to us live from Glasgow, Scotland.
Appreciate your time this evening.
SAYED-KHAIYUM: Thank you. So how should we deal with the climate change impacts we're already seeing? You'll remember extreme rainfall ravaged
parts of Germany this summer. There were many deaths. Its neighbor, the Netherlands, has been taking drastic action to try to prepare for the
future. Phil Black has our report.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PHIL BLACK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Germany's Ahr Valley is striking and serene, soaring steep slopes covered with vineyards. We see the river flowing
gently, more like a string. But everywhere, there is evidence of its unpredictable power.
In July, the water here swelled suddenly, violently swallowing homes and businesses in just a few hours. Extreme rainfall devastated communities
throughout this region of Europe, killing more than 200 people. This video was taken from the top floor, Franziska Schnitzler's hotel and restaurant.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
FRANZISKA SCHNITZLER, RESIDENT OF DERNAU, GERMANY: Here was the kitchen. The restaurant was there.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BLACK: Today, much of that centuries old building is gone. The damage was so great it had to be torn down.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SCHNITZLER: A lot of people are selling their houses already. We do live with the climate change, and this is the result.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BLACK: Scientists later determined this rare flooding event was made more likely by climate change. The waters of the Ahr Valley flow north through
Germany and eventually into the Netherlands, a low-lying country with centuries of experience, building dikes and holding back water.
[14:50:03]
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HANS BROUWER, DUTCH MINISTRY OF INFRASTRUCTURE AND WATER MANAGEMENT: We know we are a very vulnerable country. If we wouldn't protect ourselves by
dikes, then on a daily basis, about half of the country can flood.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BLACK: Hans Brouwer says the Dutch have now also realized dikes alone aren't enough. Huge floods in the mid '90s, together with some of the
earliest warnings about climate change, inspired what was then revolutionary thinking. What if you could just let the rivers flood? Let
the water find its own space.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BROUWER: We believe that giving space to the river which means that you can accommodate more water without raising level that then the damage can be
controlled much better.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BROUWER: The result is called room for rivers, a vast long-term project, reshaping the land to accommodate the extreme weather that comes with
climate change. Dikes have been lowered so land can flood more easily. Some are now permanently open, allowing water to take over, transforming
farmland into lakes and marshes.
Homes and businesses have been knocked down with only some rebuilt on huge mounds designed to sit above the worst floods.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BLACK: When the water comes, it takes the rest of the land, doesn't it?
BROUWER: It takes the rest of the land.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BLACK: The project has grown with greater understanding about the changing climate, but it's only possible through great selflessness. People have
given up their land to absorb flooding so riverside towns and cities will be safe.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BLACK: Oh, look at the water, the water's right there.
ANNEKE VAN LELIEVELD, RESIDENT OF NOORDWAARD, NETHERLANDS: It was -- yes, yes, yes.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BLACK: Anneke van Lelieveld used to live next to a neighbor's farm. That farm is now a lake and floodplain. Embracing the project, watching friends
and neighbors leave hasn't been easy.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LELIEVELD: It's so complex.
BLACK: Because you know other people have made sacrifices.
LELIEVELD: Yes. Yes. Yes. And I saw the tears and the crying and, yes, it's brock -- it broke my heart, you know, and that makes me emotional because
it's not -- it's a deep impact, but I do it for the future, you know, for the young people.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BLACK: This project shows preparing in advance for climate change is hugely challenging and often painful. But there are lessons in the flooding of the
Ahr Valley, too. Vulnerable communities risk even greater loss and trauma if they wait too long to adapt. Phil Black, CNN, at Germany's Ahr River
Valley.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
GORANI: We'll be right back. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[14:50:12]
GORANI: So we all know this by now. Eating livestock comes with major environmental costs. Well, one chef is trying to find a sustainable high
protein alternative. He's offering up insects in this episode of Going Green.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: In this kitchen in Brooklyn, Chef Joseph Yoon has an unusual array of ingredients at his disposal.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CHEF JOSEPH YOON, CHEF & FOUNDER, BROOKLYN BUGS: This is a really good one. Manchurian scorpions, mealworm powder, and do the sex dust. There are over
2,000 types of edible insects with a wildly different flavor profiles, textures, and functionality. That alone is a chef's playground.
I'm going to be making a cold sesame noodles with the amazing cicadas, one of my all-time favorite insects, if not my favorite insect.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: As a self-styled edible insect ambassador, the chef believes these can be a nutritious and tasty addition to our diet. From
cicadas to scorpions, Yoon is on a mission to normalize edible insects around the world, one dish at a time.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
YOON: We don't have an understanding of how to integrate insect protein into our food. And so that's what I'm trying to do, is be able to present
people with this wonderful cornucopia of flavors, textures, and ideas of how to cook with edible insects.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The livestock industry generates between 14 to 17 percent of manmade greenhouse gas emissions according to recent studies. To
help reduce the environmental impact of our culinary habits, Yoon is keen to promote a sustainable and high protein alternative to meat.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
YOON: Over 80 percent of the world's nations and two billion people regularly consume edible insects around the world. How do we change the
perception of insects from being something that can be disgusting or creepy crawly to something that's sustainably farmed and harvested specifically
for human consumption?
One of the really big driving factors of my work is that we can make a difference, mitigate climate change by talking about these things, and
these small lifestyle changes that we can adopt. Incorporating edible insects into your diet once a week can make a big difference. Bug appetit.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GORANI: Thank you for watching tonight. I'm Hala Gorani. QUEST MEANS BUSINESS live from the Empire State Building is coming up next.
END
