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Philippines Presidential Candidate Rodrigo Duterte Waffles on Apology After Controversial Comments; Trump, Clinton Win Big in New York; 500 Feared Dead After Boat Capsizes in Mediterranean; Was President Obama's Reception in Saudi Arabia a Snub? Aired 11:00a-12:00p ET
Aired April 20, 2016 - 11:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[11:00:13] BECKY ANDERSON, HOST: A royal snub? Well, as Barack Obama lands in Saudi Arabia, he's not met by the king, but rather, one of his
subordinates.
This hour, was Riyadh sending a message to the U.s. president or was it merely a question of logistics? We're live in the Saudi capital for you
tonight.
Also ahead.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, 2016 REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: We've won and now, especially after tonight, close to 300 delegates more than Senator
Cruz. We're really, really rocking.
HILLARY CLINTON, 2016 REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: The race for the Democratic nomination is in the home stretch and victory is in sight.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: If you make it there you can make it anywhere, right? Well, that is the question for Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton after big
victories in New York.
And presenting a challenge to the Taliban, one singing contest at a time. We're behind the scenes at Afghanistan's first commercial TV
station.
From CNN's programming hub in the Middle East here in Abu Ahabi, just after 7:00 in the evening, I'm Becky Anderson.
Those stories are coming up.
First though, we are following breaking news on another tragedy involving refuges in the Mediterranean. The UN refuge agency says as many
as 500 people may have lost their lives when a large ship capsized between Libya and Italy on Saturday. Now the information came directly from people
who survived the deadly voyage.
CNN's Ben Wedeman following the breaking news and joining me now from Rome -- Ben.
BEN WEDEMAN, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Becky.
According to the UNHCR's as many as 500 people died when a ship capsized somewhere in the Mediterranean, as you said, between Libya and
Italy. Now according to this story that's been reconstructed by the UNHCR, which has spoken to some of the 41 survivors, they were on a boat
containing somewhere between 100 and 200 people that left Tobruk in Eastern Libya in the direction of Italy.
Now somewhere in the Mediterranean they met up with a larger boat where they were told by the human traffickers to transfer on to that larger
boat, which already had several hundred people crammed on to it.
Now in the process, while they were transferring over, that larger ship capsized and sank.
Now some of the people were able to swim to the smaller boat, others simply hadn't transferred yet.
Now, they were drifting for three days in that smaller boat before a merchant vessel flying the Filipino flag was able to pick them up and take
them to call to Kalamata, Greece where they're currently being housed in a stadium there.
So we don't know the precise numbers, the details still being clarified, but this is the worst disaster in the Mediterranean so far this
year. And it really focuses attention once more on the route from Libya towards Europe now that the route between Turkey and Greece is being
regulated, so to speak ,by that EU-Turkey agreement -- Becky.
ANDERSON: This is a shocking story. Ben, do we have any idea about the conditions of those who survived?
Obviously, they were in very rough shape when they were picked up after floating for three days and we know from previous experience that the
human traffickers aren't exactly providing catered meals on these voyages. Oftentimes they have -- they're given nothing at all in the way of food and
water.
Now, we understand that of the 41 survivors there were 37 men, 3 women, and a 3-year-old child. But beyond that their condition is as yet
unclear, but I think we can pretty well assume that when they were picked up they were in dire straits -- Becky.
ANDERSON: Ben Wedeman on the story from Rome for you this evening. Ben, thank you.
Well, for decades it's been seen as an unshakable strategic alliance in this region, but now the friendship between the United States and Saudi
Arabia is facing increased friction on both sides.
U.S. President Barack Obama went straight to see King Salman in Riyadh after landing there earlier on Wednesday. That is sure to be a tense
meeting ahead of a summit with other Gulf leaders on Thursday where Mr. Obama is looking for more support, taking on ISIS and tackling other
regional issues.
But behind the apparent cordiality in this photo up there are big tensions on
a number of fronts.
To break it down for us, let's bring in CNN's international diplomatic editor Nic Robertson who is the Saudi capital for you this evening.
Nic first, help us understand this, why is there so much discordance right now?
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, one of the issues is the bill before congress that will allow the families of victims
of the 9/11 terrorist attacks in the United States to be able to potentially sue the Saudi government if there was something in the 28 pages
of the 9/11 commission report that have so far not been released, something in it that would indicate that somehow the Saudi government was
responsible, complicit, in those attacks.
There's no indication that that is the case, but as those 28 pages haven't been released, questions remain and swirl. The bill before
congress would potentially be very, very embarrassing in the very least for the Saudis and they've reacted almost viscerally saying that they would
withdraw hundreds of billions of dollars worth of investments.
That sort of, you know, that gives you an indication that the mood music between the two countries is not good. Saudi Arabia feels that the
United States under President Obama's administration as it pivots towards Asia, is ignoring its true and trusted known allies in the region here that
date back to the end of World War II. They feel that the United States in its nuclear deal with Iran is really siding with a new partner in the
region, ignoring them and their interests here. This spans the conflict in Yemen, it spans the conflict in Syria and of course President Obama for his
part wants stability in the region, wants cooperation in tackling ISIS. All these things enter that fray.
This is kind of the picture where things stood this morning.
ANDERSON: Nic, as you speak, we are watching the images of Obama arriving earlier today. Interestingly, he wasn't met by the king or even
the crown prince. Greeting him there is the governor of Riyadh, not exactly a big player.
Now the Saudis are insisting this is not a snub, but look, in this part of the world, optics are everything. And this certainly doesn't look
good, does it, Nic?
ROBERTSON: I was here in 2008 when President Bush visited at the end of his presidency as President Obama is doing in the latter days, latter
months of his. It was a different affair. There was much more pomp, circumstance and ceremony and there was certainly more dignitaries at the
airport. It's not that way this time.
The Saudi perception is they blame President Obama for the shifts that they perceive in this region away from U.S. interests in them and a
convergence of their strategic interests here.
So, you know, I think it would be hard for a seasoned observer and President Obama being one of those, not to look around him as he got off
the plane and realized that that delegation sent to meet him perhaps is not what he might have expected a few years ago.
Look at the body language when he met with King Salman today. There wasn't really -- you didn't get a sense of a huge amount of warmth at that
moment of course. These are top -- these are world leaders. Perhaps you don't look for warmth but there wasn't that connection that you might have
thought there would be at such a level at such a time, Becky.
ANDERSON: Nic Robertson is in Riyadh for you this evening. And throughout this hour we're going to be tying together everything that Nic
and I have been discussing for you. I will be joined by a woman whose husband was killed in the
September 11 attack. She wants to use this proposed 9/11 bill that Nic was alluding to, to take Saudi Arabia to court.
Then despite low prices, Saudi Arabia won't cut oil production as you're well aware, but where is the glut of crude now ending up? We're
going to take you there.
Plus, Riyadh is pumping money it can ill-afford into Yemen's messy civil war. We're going to speak to a doctor who is in Yemen and just got
out of the devastated country.
Well, turning now to sweeping victories for both front-runners in the race for the White House. Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Hillary
Clinton now making the case that they are all, but unstoppable after crushing wins in
the New York primary.
Trump swept nearly all 95 Republican delegates at stake while his closest rival Ted Cruz won zero. Cruz now almost certainly cannot win
enough delegates needed to clinch his party's nomination. The best he can do is try to stop Trump from doing the same.
On the Democratic side, Clinton says, quote, victory is in sight. She not only widened her delegate lead over Bernie Sanders, but also
importantly snapped his momentum, breaking a string of recent victory. Sanders is taking today off saying he needs to, quote, recharge.
Well, you can tell from their tone that both Clinton and Trump are already looking ahead to the general election in November, focusing on
trying to reunite their respective parties, Clinton offered an olive branch to Sanders'
supporters while Trump dropped his usual Lyin' Ted reference to his main rival actually calling him Senator Cruz for once.
Well, Jason Carroll covering the Republicans for you. First, though, Brianna Keilar reports on the Democrats.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HILLARY CLINTON, 2016 DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: In this campaign we've won in every region of the country. But this one's personal.
BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Hillary Clinton with a big win in her adopted home state, addressing Senator Bernie Sanders
supporters, with her sights set on the White House.
CLINTON: It's humbling that you'd trust me with the awesome responsibilities that await our next president. And to all the people who
supported Senator Sanders, I believe there is much more that unites us than divides us.
KEILAR: Clinton ending Sanders' winning streak, where he took eight of the last nine contests.
SANDERS: Today we took Secretary Clinton on in her own state of New York, and we lost. I congratulate Secretary Clinton on her victory. There
are five primaries next week. We think we're going to do well.
KEILAR: In New York, three million independents across the state did not vote in the state's closed primary. Sanders also railing against voter
irregularities at the polls with some 100,000 Democrats unable to vote because they were purged from voter registrations in Brooklyn.
SANDERS: I am very concerned about the conduct of the voting process in New York state, and I hope that that process will change in the future.
KEILAR: Time running out for Sanders to catch up to Clinton's delegate lead.
CLINTON: The race for the Democratic nomination is in the home stretch, and victory is in sight.
TRUMP: We can't be caught. It's impossible to catch us.
JASON CARROLL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Donald Trump giving a rousing victory speech, befitting his New York blow-out win, and signaling a new
phase in his campaign.
TRUMP: We don't have much of a race anymore. Senator Cruz is just about mathematically eliminated.
CARROLL: The billionaire front-runner dropping most of the insults and sounding more presidential.
TRUMP: Nobody should be given delegates, which is a ticket to victory.
CARROLL: Trump sharpening his focus on Ted Cruz, continuing to criticize his courting of delegates and the possibility of a contested
convention.
TRUMP: It's a system that's rigged, and we're going to go back to the old way. It's called, you vote and you win.
CARROLL: With a shutout in New York, Cruz defending his delegate strategy.
CRUZ (via phone): I cannot help that the Donald Trump campaign does not seem capable of running a lemonade stand. If you lose, don't cry about
it. Go back and learn how to win an election.
CARROLL: Cruz trying to look past his big defeat, debuting a new stump speech in Philadelphia.
CRUZ: This is the year of the outsider.
CARROLL: The self-proclaimed outsider calling for unity within the Republican Party.
CRUZ: We must unite the Republican Party, because doing so is the first step towards uniting all Americans.
CARROLL: Runner-up John Kasich ready for a fight in Maryland, continuing to argue he's the strongest candidate to take on Hillary Clinton
in November.
KASICH: When you have the sky-high negatives, nobody's voting for you. The delegates will look at that, and you know, I think they're going to
make a pick my way.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Well, some other stories on our radar this evening. And the number of people killed in Tuesday's suicide bombing in Kabul in
Afghanistan has doubled, I'm afraid. A spokesman with the interior ministry says the explosion killed at least 64 people and injured nearly
350 others.
The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack.
An Australian mother and her television crew charged with kidnapping her children from her
estranged husband on a Beirut street are set to be released from prison.
The video you're seeing shows the apparent incident, which happened on April 7th. The kidnapping charges against Sally Faulkner and TV crew were
dropped after a settlement was reached.
And Norwegian mass murderer Anders Breivik has won part of his lawsuit against the government. A court ruled Norway violated human rights laws by
keeping Breivik in isolation for extended periods of time. He's serving a maximum sentence of 21 years for killing 77 people.
Well, the presidential candidate in the Philippines who joked about the gang rape and murder
of an Australian missionary is rejecting an apology issued by his party. Rodrigo Duterte has been
under fire for the offensive remarks, but now CNN Philippines says he is vowing never to really apologize.
Lynda Kinkade gets to the bottom of the story for you.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
LYNDA KINKADE, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: A campaign video gone viral. Philippines presidential hopeful Rodrigo Duterte at a recent
rally apparently joking about the murderof an Australian missionary. Duterte telling supporters when he saw the woman's body raped and murdered
in a 1989 Philippine prison riot, his initial reaction was she's so beautiful and thought the mayor should have been first.
Duterte is a long-time mayor of Davao City known for his profanities- laced speeches and often controversial comments. Despite widespread condemnation over his
rape remark from both in and outside the country, he initially refused to apology but eventually gave in.
RODRIDO DUTERTE, PHILIPPINES PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I'm sorry to the Filipino people. It's my style. It's my mouth. I said it in the heat of
anger. But listen to the story behind.
KINKADE: Duterte's political party issued an apology on his behalf, but the 71-year-old has since distanced himself from the statement. And
in another strange twist, Duterte's daughter revealed to UNIDENTIFIED FEMALEs that she's a rape victim.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It was really a bad joke.
KINKADE: But she goes on to say she wasn't offended by her father's remarks and believes they won't affect his performance as president.
Whether the Filipino pubic agrees is unclear.
PIA HONTIVERES, CNN PHILIPPINES CHIEF CORRESPONDENT: It looks like his support base is still solid, at least for now. Social media shows that
anti-Duterte comments all over social media, but there are those who are staunch defenders.
KINKADE: Duterte leads in recent polls, but that was before his rape remark and with national
elections just three weeks away, his presidential hopes may now be in jeopardy.
Lynda Kinkade, CNN.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Still to come this evening as some oil producers crumble under an epic crude glut, we're going to show you a business that is
actually booming because of oversupply.
And Brazil is in the middle of a full-blown crisis as President Dilma Rousseff fights for her
political life. Will this summer's Olympics be affected? That's the big question. We're going to be live in the capital for the very latest.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:20:18] ANDERSON: You're watching CNN. I'm Becky Anderson. This is Connect the World. Welcome back.
Well, as we mentioned earlier, U.S. President Barack Obama is visiting Saudi Arabia at a time
of rising tensions and one of the issues fueling that tension is a bill concerning the September 11th terror attacks.
Now the proposed legislation would allow victims of terrorism and their families to sue foreign governments for supporting an attack on U.S.
soil. The bill is being considered at the same time that lawmakers are pushing to declassify pages of a report some suspect could reveal a link
between Saudi officials in the U.S. and the 9/11 attackers.
Well Lori Van Auken's husband, Kenneth, was killed in the 9/11 attacks. She's also pushing to have those classified pages released and
she joins me now from New York.
Do you personally believe that the Saudi government was directly involved in the funding of the attackers, the terrorists of 9/11?
LORI VAN AUKEN, HUSBAND KILLED ON 9/11: Well, it's a difficult question to answer, because our evidence is still classified. I have the
joint inquiry book here with the 28 pages that are still missing from our knowledge. We've not been able to read those pages.
But there has been some leaked information and there has been, you know, before these -- this report came out, we were given
to understand that, you know, it may -- it may be like as high as Prince Bandar and money passed
to some Saudi agent that helped the hijackers in San Diego.
ANDERSON: So what would publishing the 28 pages, and, indeed, passing what's known as as JASTA, this legislation, what would it mean for the
families of 9/11.
VAN AUKEN: It would mean a lot for the families of 9/11. We've waited 15 years for justice. No one has been held accountable in a court
of law for the 9/11 attacks. As we can all recall, planes were hijacked, buildings were knocked down, lower Manhattan was decimated
and 3,000 people were killed and there's never been any justice, not with GITMO, not now. We're waiting a long time to be able to read our own
evidence that was held back from us within these 28 pages and other as well. And JASTA would lift the veil of sovereign immunity and enable this
case to go forward and it's just a court case, that's all we're asking for. We're asking for our day in court. We want the truth. And we want to take the truth to court.
ANDERSON: So you will have seen the images of President Barack Obama arriving in Riyadh today. When you see those images, how does it make you
feel?
VAN AUKEN: It makes me feel terrible. First of all, President Obama was on TV and he said that he hasn't even read the 28 pages, which is
astounding. It's hard to understand how you can make foreign policy if you haven't really -- you don't really have the knowledge about what happened
that horrible day almost 15 years ago.
To watch the president sitting with the people of Saudi Arabia that may have funded the attacks
that killed my husband and 3,000 others is very hard to watch.
ANDERSON: The Saudis have said that they will sell American assets worth billions, I'm talking some $500 billion, if this JASTA bill were to
get passed. Your response?
ANDERSON: That sounds like bribery -- I'm sorry, it sounds like extortion, essentially, and I -- we were told that we don't negotiate with
terrorists, so I hope our policy hasn't changed and that we don't, you know, we do the right thing and we're a country of laws and we follow the
law.
We don't want to have the wild west back again, I don't think. So it's important that we just, you know, stay steadfast.
ANDERSON: Lori Van Auken, we'll continue to follow this story. We thank you for joining us.
VAN AUKEN: I appreciate it. Thanks so much.
ANDERSON: Well, oil workers in Kuwait have called off their three-day strike and prices are falling off early as a result. Now, the country is
one of OPEC's top crude producers. It was forced to cut output by more than a half during the strike which temporarily boosted prices.
Elsewhere, Russian deputy energy minister says the country may actually decide to raise output. Now, the comments come just days after
major oil producers failed to agree on a production freeze.
The talks fell apart because Iran said it wouldn't participate in a deal. It's playing catch-up with
supply after years of international sanctions, of course.
So the oil glut could get even worse. And all that extra crude needs to be stored somewhere. As John Defterios now reports, the storage
business is booming.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JOHN DEFTERIOS, CNN MONEY: A tour of this giant oil tank farm on the edge of the Gulf offers an insider's look at today's global glut of crude.
MALEK AZIZEH, COMMERCIAL DIRECTOR, FUJAIRAH OIL TERMINAL: These are the largest tanks currently for independent third-party storage.
DEFTERIOS: My guide is Malek Azizeh, who compares his facility to a five-star hotel in the right location.
Today, he has to hang out the no vacancy sign.
People come today and say I want storage, what happens?
AZIZEH: I'm going to have to tell them, thanks but no thanks, because unfortunately at this stage, we are full and just like most other terminals
in Fujairah.
DEFTERIOS: Fujairah Oil Terminal Company opened early last year with 7.5 million barrels of capacity. That's proving to be too little.
AZIZEH: Surprised I am, but obviously I'm happily surprised because we have plans to build even more capacity.
DEFTERIOS: Such is the state of play with Middle East oil giants leading a charge to squeeze out the higher cost producers.
We often talk about oversupply in the market, but you get a sense of it on a tank farm. This one, for example, holds about 200,000 barrels,
that's about ten of those overproduced every single day.
Across the road in this tiny port town, 30 percent more capacity has been added at storage operator and refiner VTTI.
What has changed in the market today? You build it, you know it immediately gets taken up?
SIAVASH ALISHAHPOUR, MANAGING DIRECTOR, VTTI: That is definitely the case in the market. It means market both in crude and in refined product
is oversupplied. It means if you have tank for today market, you are not worried to fill it.
DEFTERIOS: On shore storage like you see here in Fujairah, is running at full capacity. It's a similar tale all around the world. So, companies
are taking to the high seas and hiring gigantic crude carriers holding up to 3 million barrels as floating storage.
At some point, strategists say, something has to give.
CAROLE NAKHILE, FOUNDER, CRYSTAL ENERGY: If you are going to see more build up of offshore stuck in tankers, for instance, then it's likely that
the cost of storing the oil is going to increase and as a result, people might be forced to sell their oil at the discount.
DEFTERIOS: VTTI says it's an endurance race.
ALISHAHPOUR: Everybody is running. If you run consistently and can go behind the finish line then you are the winner.
DEFTERIOS: In the meantime, those here in the Gulf renting out storage tanks appear to be the real winners.
John Defterios, CNN Money, Fujairah.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: And you can find a lot more about the oil market on the CNN Money website and you can watch an interview there with the head of
Russia's second largest oil company. Listen to what he says about working together with OPEC, that is on CNNMoney.com.
All the latest world news headlines are just ahead. Plus, an isolated city, a desperate call for aid, one medic tells CNN about the horrors of
working under siege in Yemen.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(HEADLINES)
[11:32:21] ANDERSON: Brazil's President Dilma Rousseff says she is confident the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro will be a success. The embattled
leader could face an impeachment trial and that is creating uncertainty ahead of the summer games.
Shasta Darlington has more.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SHASTA DARLINGTON, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff could be forced to step down and face an
impeachment trial as early as May raising the question who is going to be in charge in Brazil when the Olympics kick
off in August.
Well, I had the opportunity to ask President Rousseff if she thought the games could be affected. She said she's confident they'll be a success
and that the venues are largely on schedule.
DILMA ROUSSEFF, PRESIDENT OF BRAZIL (through translator): I really hope to wane in the state, but also outside, because we carry out several
construction projects that change the face of the city of Rio. These constructions were put in place together with local and state government in
Rio.
I am sure it will be the best Olympic Games of the city. Aactually, I mean of the world.
DARLINGTON: In fact, the venues are about 98 percent completed. They've been handing them over to organizers. There may be some hiccups
with transportation. The metro is still a little behind schedule, but it looks like the biggest challenge is going to be ticket sales. Only about
55 percent of tickets have been sold and organizers say it's because Brazilians haven't been buying that could obviously be attributed to the
big economic crisis here and plentyof political distractions.
Organizers are hoping that once the torch relay starts Brazilians will wake up to the games and start buying tickets.
Of course, unfortunately for them, it doesn't look like this political drama is going to wrap up any time soon, providing plenty of distraction.
Shasta Darlington, CNN, Brasilia.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Let me get you back to our breaking news this evening about another horrific tragedy at sea. Hundreds of people are feared dead after
a ship reportedly capsized last week somewhere between Libya and Italy.
UN workers are getting new information on the disaster from people who escaped with their lives. Let's get details now from William Spindler, a
spokesman for the UN refuge agency joining me now from Geneva. What do you know at this point?
WILLIAM SPINDLER, UNHCR SPOKESMAN: Well, a team of UNHCR colleagues interviewed 41 survivors of this ordeal who are recovering now in Greece,
and they told us that they had left Egypt a few days ago and sailed towards Italy where their boat was met a larger boat that was
already packed with refuges and migrants and they were ordered by the smugglers who were in control of their boat to move to this other boat.
And while this was going on, the larger boat became unstable and capsized and sank and
practically all those involved drowned.
The people we interviewed saw this with their own eyes. They are survivors of this tragedy and in some cases they lost family members.
They have, obviously, been traumatized by what they have seen and are now receiving assistance from UNHCR in Greece.
[11:35:43] ANDERSON: So, let me get this straight. One boat from Egypt on its way
to Italy meets a boat from Libya on its way to Italy. And it's the bigger boat from Libya that is overcrowded and sinks.
What sort of condition are those that your colleagues have spoken to in?
SPINDLER: Well, they have had time now to recover from their ordeal, but, obviously, they are still very much affected by what they saw and they
experienced. They are trying to get in touch with the relatives to tell them that they are alive and they are, obviously, very worried about the
people they know. And we are trying to counsel them about their options in Greece. We think that some of them will be entitled, if not most of them,
will be entitled to refuge status in Greece and we are following them and giving them individual counseling and assistance.
ANDERSON: Can you just describe more of what they have told you about their ordeal?
We're almost -- it feels like we are sort of beginning to sanitize these stories because we hear them so often, but this is so awful, so shocking,
this possibly one of the worst dramas at sea that we've heard about.
What else have they told you? Why -- did they tell -- have they told your colleagues why
they left in the first place, why they were prepared to risk their lives and then, you know, more, if you will, about just what they experienced at
sea?
SPINDLER: Unfortunately, we see almost on a daily basis people taking to sea on the very difficult, dangerous conditions out of desperation. In
many cases, they are fleeing war and persecution, in other cases they are looking for a better life in Europe. And they take to sea because
basically they have no other options, that's why we are calling for legal, safe pathways for refuges to come to Europe safely.
This particular case seems to have been a number of boats leaving both Libya and Egypt and
joining a larger boat. This seems to be the way smugglers are operating at the moment to try to avoid detection by the authorities. And by doing
this, they put people in incredible danger.
They are transferring people from smaller boats to bigger boats in the middle of the sea, in the middle of the night in this case, this tragedy
happened at midnight.
ANDERSON: Extraordinary.
SPINDLER: And it just shows the complete disregard that smugglers have for human lives.
ANDERSON: Yeah. And this is an ugly, multimillion-dollar business, as we are well aware.
You've suggested that you are counseling those survivors who have been speaking to your colleagues and you've suggested that some, if not all, of
these refuges are likely to fulfill the requirements for asylum. If that is the case, are your colleagues also asking them why they've risked their
lives on such a dangerous trip, if their asylum cases are likely? Why didn't they try another
route, a safer route, if it's likely they have a case?
SPINDLER: Well, unfortunately, there are very few options. Some of those who are desperately trying to come to Europe have relatives here and
would be entitled to family reunification and to travel in a legal way by plane, with a visa, in an orderly, safe, legal way. But they find that
this takes too long or they are not aware of this possibility and, therefore, they risk their lives in this way.
We think that the answer, part of the answer, is to provide legal opportunities for people, for refuges to come to Europe, particularly if
they have relatives here. Also, resettlement programs that are already in place, but we need countries to offer more places and for
this program to really have an impact and make a difference.
Otherwise, we will continue to see people taking to sea, risking their lives in this way, and basically enriching smugglers who are making a lot
of money out of people's desperation.
[11:40:11] ANDERSON: Yeah. All right, we hear your words. We thank you very much indeed for joining us on what is a breaking news story this
evening. Thank you.
Well, one of our other top stories this hour is the growing rift between Saudi Arabia and the United States. But one thing they have agreed
on is Riyadh's involvement in Yemen's civil war with thousands of air strikes like these.
Still it's a military conflict U.S. President Barack Obama wants to solve as he meets with Gulf countries in Riyadh on Thursday.
Well, now that may be a step closer. Houthi rebels who are backed by Iran are now agreeing to go to UN-backed peace talks in Kuwait, that's
according at least to their representatives talking to Arab media.
But we've been here before, haven't we? Lots of talk and very little to show for it afterwards.
Well, meanwhile, behind all the politics ordinary people are having their lives torn apart by
the war. CNN's John Jensen spoke to one of the few western medics who have been inside the country
trying to help those victims who are there. Have a look at this.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JOHN JENSEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Standing on the mountains outside Taiz, Thierry Durand had no idea of the devastation he would soon see.
This is Yemen's third largest city, one of the hardest hit fronts in the country's year-long civil war. Earlier this year, Durand, who works
for Doctors Without Borders, was one of the few westerners to go inside Taiz, then under siege by Houthi rebels.
THIERRY DURAND, DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS: The city and the people living in the interior were totally cut off from the rest of Yemen. There
were almost no supplies.
JENSEN: That's why he went to deliver aid, but to get around the siege Durand had to trek across tall mountains south of the city.
DURAND: We have to climb by foot or with donkeys or camels, up 3,000 meters, which is the top of this mountain, then get down to the city again.
JENSEN: Others hold food and fuel, both in short supply.
Once on the ground, Durand, found streets overflowing with trash and only five working hospitals, down from 40 before the war.
DURAND: Some were destroyed during the fightings and some were shelled and some could not function because there were no more medicines at
all.
JENSEN: There were too few beds. And doctors, he says, were overwhelmed by daily fighting.
What type of injuries are you seeing in these hospitals?
DURAND: War injuries. I mean, gunshots, blast, explosions, Molotovs, shrapnels.
JENSEN: More than 6,400 people have died in the civil war. Over half the country's 25 million residents do not have adequate food or medical
supplies according to the UN. In March, forces loyal to Yemen's president broke the month's long siege of Taiz, but the Saudi led
coalition backing them blockades much the country and the war goes on.
DURAND: I was, I mean, sad. I mean I'm not driven by emotions, but I cannot do this.
JENSEN: For Durand who plans to return to Yemen later this year, there is much more work to be done.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: And John Jensen joining me now.
John, I just mentioned these peace talks. They are seeming to have gained some steam, but we've been here before, haven't we. You know,
similar spot, seeming to get somewhere and then poof, it's all over just like that.
How likely or how realistic is it that there will be any difference this time?
JENSEN: Becky, I think there's a lot of reason to be optimistic this time around. It seems like for the first time in a very long time, both
warring parties are slowly veering toward the conclusion that a military solution is not what's going to fix the chaos in Yemen.
And political dialog will be the only way forward, no matter how long it takes them to inch toward that goal. That said, there are many reasons,
if not more reasons, to be skeptical. As you mentioned, we've been here before, the talks have failed in the past, they've failed miserably. Both
sides have stormed out. And this time around both sides are threatening to storm out if the other violates the terms of a cease-fire ostensibly put
into place earlier this month.
I can tell you, Becky, that that cease-fire, it there have been reports already been violated just this week alone, including inside and
outside the strategic city of Taiz.
ANDERSON: Let's talk about the humanitarian crisis on the ground. What is it like day to day, to be in Yemen, to be trying to operate your
life as a normal human being?
JENSEN: It's pretty dire. You know that Yemen, before the war, was among the poorest nations in the world. Certainly in this region, it was
the poorest nation. There is very limited water resources, which means you can't grow food, there are very few oil deposits which means there's
very little money coming in, and then you have the war.
We've seen over 6,000 people killed, 30,000 injured, and 2.4 million Yemenis internally displaced, all according to the UN. Add to that the
fact that for most Yemenis electricity is simply a luxury. There are daily power outages across the country, basic service is not working in many
major cities and you know, add to that, all of that, the fact that chaos, instability, and war is now a daily facet of life for most Yemenis. So,
very dire indeed.
ANDERSON: John Jensen with me in the studio this evening. John, thank you for that.
The story was Yemen. Well, live from Abu Dhabi this is Connect the World. I'm Becky Anderson. Coming up, the show must go on. How an Afghan
television station is proving resilient in the face of terrorism.
And two South African writers create an app that helps travelers experience cities in a totally new way. Taking a very short break. Back
after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Birkharp (ph) in Capetown, South Africa, is one of the oldest parts of the city and is packed with tourists taking photos
of the iconic colorful homes.
The suburb is steeped in centuries of history whose story can be told from many different
points of view. It is just finding those stories that can sometimes be hard to find.
IAN MALLEY, CEO, VOICE MAP: I'm Ian Malley, the CEO and co-founder of Voice Map.
Voice Map is a publishing platform for location audio.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Voice Map was started by two travel writers with a vision to build a platform that publishers personalized stories providing
users with a unique experience.
MALLEY: GPS audio tours have been around for a while, but they've been primarily a hardware thing. Now, we have GPS audio devices in our
pockets. I mean that's okay, let's create an app that does audio tours.
The app I think really just makes sense for people because if you've ever joined a group tour, often the guide has been doing this same tour and
they are also tired of the script, that there's no inspiration from them.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: That's really what was missing, I think, was that focus on the unique and interesting perspectives that a local can provide.
MALLEY: This whole infrastructure that was set up to serve travelers, is no longer really needed. They've checked in to their flights on their
phone. You can even check into a hotel now, you don't need your concierge to get to a taxi, because you call an Uber. That kind of tourist.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Since its launch in 2014, Voice Pap is now available in 57 major cities and has almost 200 tours available.
MALLEY: We grow one city at a time. Initially Capetown business model was fleshed out here and we're slowly taking it to other cities.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Voice Map works with partners to grow their user base and presence in major cities throughout the world.
MALLEY: One of our most exciting partnerships recently has been with the Society of London Theater. They represent all of the theaters in the
West End, and so they kind of (inaudible) flow from this box office to these theaters. And so we thought that an audio tour might be an
interesting way of achieving that. And they've approached Ian McKellen as the voice for this tour and he said yes. That was just a huge moment for
us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDESRON: You're watching CNN. This is Connect the World with me Becky Anderson. Welcome back.
After years of threatening the media, the Afghan Taliban have started to openly target journalists but that is not stopping an Afghan television
station, which lost seven employees in a suicide bombing.
CNN's Nick Paton Walsh spoke to the staff at TOLO TV about why they are pushing ahead despite the threats.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
NICK PATON WALSH, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: They say, tell the news, don't become it. But TOLO News has had no choice, because the
Taliban want them dead.
Their morning meeting checks in with some of the toughest beats on Earth, like Kunduz, a city the Taliban overran briefly and a place where
asking them for comment gets their UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE there, this.
WALI ARYAN, NEWS UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE, TOLO: I have a message from Taliban. Taliban soldiers have to killing me and cut my head.
WALSH: About two months ago the threats became real. A suicide bomber tore through this company minibus of TOLO workers being ferried
home. Seven died, 26 were injured.
And this is where they were coming home from. You might call it the front line of the culture war with the Taliban.
No burqas or lashes for lust here.
It's Afghan Star, a version of American Idol, that TOLO TV also makes. Yet here, fun and death live an ugly life side by side. This is what
weighs on the minds of a judge here who says security's never been worse in Kabul.
ARYANA SAYEED, JUDGE, AFGHAN STAR: I don't feel 100 percent safe. There's something in the back of my mind, but you have no choice. We have
to carry on with the show.
WALSH: Doing her hair is Said (ph), who missed that fatal bus trip by minutes.
"That day, after recording," he says, I had the judge's valuables on me. So, had to wait and give them back to everyone and so I was late for
the bus."
Despite the tragedy backstage this is still a moment of new year, of fun, hope and resilience for the Afghan people.
So many of them desperate to know that scenes like this will continue despite the trouble in
the years ahead.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's a clash of modernity and fundamentalism. It's a very, very serious battle of ideas. I think the Taliban has come to
a point where they see a new Afghanistan and they have to confront it.
One of my journalists is telling me that when he was leaving home right after the attack, the
week, or two, afterwards, his wife was making him touch the holy Koran, and -- you know, wishing him a good day in tearful eye.
[11:55:09] WALSH: Left alone in the wake of the west's promises of a new life, yet still trying to shine.
Nick Paton Walsh, CNN, Kabul.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Well, calligraphy is a revered art form, especially in this region and now it's getting a twist. CNN sat down with one artist who's
putting down his parchment and hitting the streets. He goes by the name of El Seed, and he's been marking walls around the world with his own brand of
calligraffiti.
ou don't need to speak Arabic to appreciate these murals, but if you head to our Facebook page you may just learn a phrase or two from El Seed
at Facebook.com/CNN. Check out our page for the full story behind this incredibly exciting artist.
And do in get in touch with me on Twitter. Tweet me @Beckycnn.
Well, when many of us think of reindeer we remember kitschy displays in shop windows around the holidays, don't we. Well, for your Parting
Shots this evening, we are taking you to meet a nomadic tribe that lives side by side with reindeer, a tradition that's quickly fading away.
One photographer takes us to meet the Dukhalar people.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTFIED MALE: The Dukhalar people, who live in Mongolia, don't raise reindeer
primarily for meat to eat, they herd reindeer in order to be able to travel into the forest to hunt other
species of animals.
I realized that we're living on the cusp of a great change. Tribes were facing pressures from both within and without the tribe. The young
generation wanting to migrate to the cities to get a job with a salary to live in apartments, to live the urban dream. So there
is quite a bit of a defection going on.
A tribe of about 400 people who migrate through this enchanted forest on the backs of reindeer, it is precisely these reindeer migration routes
which were being threatened by modern encroachment.
Some of the reindeer people have gone off to join these artisanal gold miners. The fate of this culture ultimately will depend on the health of
the reindeer and the will of the people to herd them.
My name is Hamid Sardar (ph) and these are my Parting Shots.
(END VIDEOTAPE))
ANDERSON: Remarkable.
I'm Becky Anderson. That was Connect the World. Thank you for watching. From the team here, it is a very good evening.
END
