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Israeli Police Move to Clear Amona; The Consequences of Shutting Down Borders; Iran Launches Ballistic Missile Test; UK Opposition Urge Theresa May to Cancel Trump Visit. 10:00-11:00a ET
Aired February 01, 2017 - 10:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
[10:00:23] DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I only hope that both Democrats and Republicans can come together for once for the good of
the country.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BECKY ANDERSON, HOST: Well, with the unveiling of his pick for the Supreme Court, U.S.
President Trump appeals for unity. But a battle is building on Capitol Hill.
Next, a live report from Washington for you. Plus the firestorm over Mr. Trump's travel ban continues to grow.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
THERESA MAY, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: We believe it is divisive and wrong. If he's asking me whether I had advanced notice on the ban on refugees, the
answer is no.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Well, British Pprime Minister Theresa May there facing mounting public pressure to cancel President Trump's state visit.
Coming up, we will get you to London and...
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BEN WEDEMAN, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: It was a strong shock, he says. We received visas after waiting three years and this order comes.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: He helped U.S. troops in Iraq. Now he is being kept out of the United States. Omar and his family left in limbo after the American
president's order. Their story is later this hour.
And just after 7:00 in Abu Dhabi. Welcome, this is Connect the World. I'm Becky Anderson.
U.S. President Donald Trump has nominated a conservative judge to the U.S. Supreme Court in a highly choreographed event tailor-made for prime time
television. The judicial philosophy of Neil Gorsuch closely follows that of the late Antonin Scalia whose post he will fill if confirm. But the
confirmation process expected to be contentious, especially with Democrats already outraged by
the president's travel ban.
Here's Jeff Zeleny.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Here they come. Here they come.
(APPLAUSE)
ZELENY (voice-over): In a prime time reveal, President Trump unveiling Judge Neil Gorsuch as his nominee to the Supreme Court.
TRUMP: I only hope that both Democrats and Republicans can come together, for once, for the good of the country.
JUDGE NEIL GORSUCH, SUPREME COURT NOMINEE: As this process now moves to the Senate, I look forward with speaking with members from both sides of the
aisle.
ZELENY (voice-over): Setting up a battle between Senate Republicans.
SEN. TED CRUZ (R), TEXAS: I think it was an absolute home run.
ZELENY (voice-over): And Democrats who are vowing a confirmation fight after President Obama's nominee to fill the seat of the late Justice
Antonin Scalia was blocked for 10 months.
SEN. RICHARD BLUMENTHAL (D), CONNECTICUT: If I conclude that he is out of the mainstream on issues like privacy rights, including women's health care
and Roe v. Wade, or worker and consumer protection, I will use every tool at my disposal to block his nomination.
ZELENY (voice-over): For the White House, it's a chance to turn the spotlight from the growing backlash over the President's executive order on
immigration and refugees, the fallout continuing with more than 900 State Department diplomats signing a memo of dissent against the travel ban.
House Speaker Paul Ryan admitting the rollout was unusually rough.
REP. PAUL RYAN (R), SPEAKER OF THE UNITED STATES HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES: Regrettably, the rollout was confusing, but on a go- forward basis, I'm
confident that Secretary Kelly is going to make sure that this is done correctly.
ZELENY (voice-over): Ryan speaking about Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly who is in charge of implementing the action, an action he defended
despite chaotic scenes and flip-flopping on green cardholders.
JOHN KELLY, SECRETARY OF THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY: We knew it was coming. It wasn't a surprise it was coming, and then we
implemented it.
ZELENY (voice-over): Meantime, the White House is trying to rebrand the order.
SEAN SPICER, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: -- that is, by nature, not a ban.
KRISTEN WELKER, WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT, NBC NEWS: I understand your point, but the President himself...
SPICER: It is extreme vetting.
ZELENY (voice-over): Yet, ban is exactly how the President and his Press Secretary Sean Spicer described the action.
TRUMP: We're going to have a very, very strict ban.
SPICER: It's a 90-day ban. The ban deals with seven countries.
ZELENY (voice-over): Pressed on the point, Spicer provided no clarity, instead taking aim at a familiar target.
SPICER: No, I'm not confused. I think those are words that are being used to describe it are derived from what the media is calling this.
ZELENY (voice-over): Despite legal challenges and protests, the administration is signaling it has no plans to change the order. Three
high-ranking Republican Senators saying, they were told the White House will not be rewriting its controversial travel ban.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Well, Jeff joining us from Washington now.
Jeff, President Trump dismissing criticism of his executive order, tweeting, quote, and this
is this morning, "everybody is arguing whether or not it is a ban. Call it what you want, it's about keeping bad people with bad intentions out of a
country. Your thoughts?
ZELENY: Well, look, I mean, the White House was trying to change the subject, Becky, to that Supreme Court nomination, which is one of the
biggest decisions a president makes. This is a life time appointment to the Supreme Court, and this judge who he is nominating is 49 years old.
That means he has potentially decades of service.
But the president is clearly reacting to this news coverage he sees about the semantic discussion if it's a ban or not a ban. It is a ban on some
people, no question. We've heard that from the president's own mouth here. So, look, there are still concerns over the rollout of this executive
order. It is going to be decided by judges in the outcome of these legal challenges here.
But for now, at least, the Supreme Court nominating fight is something that can actually unify some Republicans when they have sort of at odds with
their own president here in the first week -- Becky.
ANDERSON: Jeff, then, how big a fight does Trump face in getting these crucial appointments not least that of his man nominated for Supreme Court
judge through at this point?
ZELENY: It's a pretty big fight and this is why. I mean, it is a life time appointment, as I said, but it also requires 60 votes of the U.S.
Senate. And just doing the math, Republicans do control the U.S. senate here in the U.S., but only with 52 votes. So they need some Democrats,
eight more Democrats, to support this. And the reality here is this debate is not just about this judge, this debate is a year in the making.
Republicans for ten months blocked President Obama's nominee to fill the seat of
Justice Scalia. So that is what is on Democratic minds of Senators if they can do the same thing.
The reality here is they probably cannot block it. But they can make it difficult. And they will have a thorough vetting of him.
The smart money is that he gets confirmed, but this is going to be a campaign and a fight unlike any other.
ANDERSON: Jeff, appreciate it. Thank you, sir. Jeff Zeleny is in Washington for you viewers.
While Mr. Trump's ban might see things be keeping some bad people out of America, it is also locking millions of decent hardworking ones out. So,
what are people in this part of the world making of it?
Well, in a few minutes we'll get you the word on the street from Tehran. And then we will get you into Baghdad in Iraq. Both countries, of course,
on that list.
Well, over in Britain, Prime Minister Theresa May says she had no advanced warning about Donald Trump's executive order on immigration. Mrs. May is
facing increasing pressure to withdraw what is an invitation she extended to the U.S. president for a state visit to the UK.
And while the prime minister defending Britain's alliance with Washington to lawmakers a few hours ago in the House of Commons, she said Mr. Trump's
travel ban is unacceptable.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MAY: We believe it is divisive and wrong. If he's asking me whether I had advanced notice of the ban on refugees the answer is no. If he's asking me
if I had advanced notice that the executive order could affect British citizens, the answer is no. If he's asking me if I had advanced notice of
the travel restrictions the answer is we all did, because President Trump said he was going to do this in his election campaign.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Well, Theresa May also announced that the UK will formally lay out its plan for Brexit negotiations on Thursday this week. Let's get more
on all of this with Nina Dos Santos in London.
Difficult position for Mrs. May. The prime minister, the first foreign leader to meet President Trump. She is now condemning a flagship policy on
his administration. Will that cause issues, do you think, to the special relationship?
NINA DOS SANTOS, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Let's be clear about this, Becky. Theresa May has not been quite as vociferous in her criticism
of the Donald Trump travel ban as some of the people here in Westminster and across the rest of London would like to hear.
In fact, Sadiq Khan, who was once a member of the house behind me, he is now the London mayor, the first Muslim London mayor that we've had, he
actually called upon the prime minister yesterday evening to come out and condemn it in far stronger terms. He called upon other world leaders to
call what he said was a discriminatory ban against people because they come from largely Muslim majority countries.
So, Theresa May, today, as she just heard there, she reiterated a statement that we've heard twice before in the House of Commons both from her home
secretary, Amber Rudd, who said that this was divisive and wrong, this travel ban. Boris Johnson also said that on Monday.
So, she has very much stuck to the wording and language that her government has wanted to over the last few days. And that irritated Jeremy Corbyn, the
leader of the opposition Labour Party. This is what he had to say when he pressed Theresa May on whether or not she would retract her offer of a
state visit extended just less than a week ago to the U.S. president himself.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
[10:10:33] JEREMY CORBYN, LABOUR PARTY LEADER: President Trump has drawn up
international agreements on refugees. He's threatened to dump international agreements on climate change. He's praised the use of
torture. He's incited hatred against Muslims. He's directly attacked women's rights. Just what nor does the President Trump have to do before
the prime minister will listen to the 1.8 million people who have already called for his state visit and invitation to be withdrawn?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
DOS SANTOS: Now those 1.8 million people, Becky, are the number of people that have
signed this petition which is calling upon the government to rescind, retract that offer of a state visit to Donald Trump and that petition
gathering more signatures by the day.
I should also point out, though, that there is a competing petition which has set out recently which has gathered over 225,000 signatures just this
week alone which is advocating that Donald Trump should still have this state visit here.
So to get over 100,000 signatures on any of these petitions is significant. It is so significant, in fact, Becky that it means that parliament will
have to debate this on the 20th of February.
So it gives you an idea of just how divided people are about this. Ironically enough, in a country where dual nationals will not be affected
by this travel ban, Becky.
ANDERSON: Fascinating, isn't it?
And this, of course, overshadowing what was an important day in the British parliament.
A big priority for Msrs. May, as we mentioned, the Brexit, the exit of Britain from the
European Union with pressure both home and abroad. How will the government handle things now?
DOS SANTOS: Yeah, well Theresa May has made it very clear, the UK needs all of the friends it can get, the biggest trading allies it can get. And
that is why she decided to hotfoot it to Washington less than a week ago.
One of the reasons people here in Westminster speculate that she might have been tempted to extend that offer of a state visit a little bit too early,
some critics say, to a very controversial U.S. president.
And just pointing out, she did say earlier today that finally the white paper on what the...
ANDERSON: All right. Nina, I'm going to stop you there for one moment. I want to get us to the White House. U.S. President Donald Trump is being
taking part in a listening session -- sorry. This is for Black History Month. Let's listen in.
(DONALD TRUMP BLACK HISTORY MONTH LISTENING SESSION)
ANDERSON: Right. U.S. President Donald Trump taking part in a listening session for Black History Month, which covers the month of February in the
United States.
Well, turning to other news, Israeli police at this hour are clearing residents from the Amona outpost in the West Bank and some are not going
quietly. This comes after Israel's high court ruled that the outpost was illegal because it was built on private Palestinian land.
Police are clearing protesters from the road leading to the outpost while bulldozers arrived clearing the area.
Now, the legal battle over the outpost began more than a decade ago. The settlers are being removed the day after the Israeli government announced
thousands of new settlements in other parts of the West Bank.
Oren Liebermann joining us now from the Amona outpost with an update on the situation there -- Oren.
[10:25:15] OREN LIBERMANN, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Becky, quite a number of scuffles and some were just seen in the last few seconds, have
broken out here behind us between police and protesters who have barricaded themselves in and around this house here in the Amona outpost. And now you
have an idea of why parts of this are so difficult for police.
Police are around the outside of the building, but some protesters are around them inside the building and on top of the building.
Police are trying to work through this to evacuate 42 families and they say some 600 to 700 settlers who have joined them in protest.
Now, police have said that 12 of those families have left voluntarily. They reached an agreement with the police and left, but there is still a
lot of work here and police are proceeding very slowly and very methodically.
Throughout the day, we've seen scuffles, fights between protesters and police especially this morning when police moved in. Every step they took
was met with protesters pushing back, in some cases even throwing stones and throwing bottles of liquid or bottles of paint.
So, that has been the difficulty for police as they try to carry out this evacuation that has been years in the legal process, but that legal process
ending with this evacuation being carried out behimd me. We'll take one more look at this building here, the scuffles, the pushing that continues
as this evacuation continues into the night here-- Becky.
ANDERSON: All right. Oren Liebermann there for you on the story.
We are going to take a very short break. Back after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(HEADLINES)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
[10:30:19] MOHAMMAD JAVAD ZARIF, IRANIAN FOREIGN MINISTER (through translator): We would never use our weapons against any other countries
except for defending ourselves.
No Iranian missiles have been produced to carry nuclear warheads.
NIKKI HALEY, U.S. AMBASSADOR TO THE UN: The united states is not naive. We are not going to show a blind eye to these things that happen. We're
going to act. We're going to be strong. We're going to be loud.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Well, you've heard a lot about the Iran nuclear deal. Well, this is it. It is very complicated and it's very, very long, some
thousands, 30,000 words. There were two very different views on it right now. Here's why.
Iran launched a missile like this one over the weekend. As you just heard, Washington thinks it was, quote, irresponsible. And France, whose foreign
minister got to Tehran on Tuesday, seems to agree, calling it, quote, contrary to the spirit of the deal.
But Iran doesn't think so at all.
To dive into all of this, Trita Parsi of the National Iranian-American Council is with us from Washington, and from the Iranian capital today
Ramin Mostaghim. He joins us over Skype. He's the correspondent there for The L.A. Times.
Trita, first, let's get one thing straight here, does the launch of this missile contravine the Iran nuclear deal or is it just the spirit of the
deal?
TRITA PARSI: NATIONAL IRANIAN-AMERICAN COUNCIL: It is just the spirit. The language in the UN Security Council essentially says that it calls on
Iran not to conduct any more tests with missiles that could carry nuclear warheads. This root of this is that in the negotiations, the original UN
Security Council resolution did include a ban on ballistic missile testing in Iran, but that was as a result of the suspicions that Iran was
conducting or producing nuclear weapons. Once that issue was resolved as a result of the nuclear deal, the ballistic missile issue actually became
moot, but it was included only as a call on them not to do so.
ANDERSON: Provocative nonetheless.
PARSI: absolutely. Absolutely.
ANDERSON: The Iranian politics, Ramin, is fragmented -- thank you -- into several extremely powerful groups. And the country's missiles, of course,
are controlled by the firebrand Revolutionary Guard.
At the start of last year, they detained 10 American soldiers who drifted off course and into Iranian waters.
So, Ramin, they are not exactly shy about stoking tensions. Do you think by and large that
Iran itself that the operators of government backed this test?
RAMIN MOSTAGHIM, THE L.A. TIMES: Yes. I mean, both factions and reforms moderate what you call the principalist, we call them hardliners, both are
unified and united for missile tests because at the bottom of their hearts they suppose it's a deterrence and
they justify it as a defensive deterrence to discourage any attack or something that they believe happens against it.
They -- I mean, they believe this is a deterrence. So, as long as there is enmity between Iran, the Islamic Republican of Iran, or sovereignty or
nation state and America, this enmity provides the gap and the gap justifies the deterrence.
So because Iran is not member of any -- military treaty so paranoid, scared to the bone so they suppose it just guarantees their survival.
ANDERSON: All right. And that's a very good point.
I want to talk about U.S.-Iran relations and where they're at. Trita, Israel's prime minister quick to respond to the launch writing that,
quote, Iranian aggression must not go unanswered. With Mr. Trump in the White House are you expecting Israel to want a very loud and powerful
reply?
PARSI: Certainly. The Israelis were very upset about the nuclear deal to begin with because they did not want to see any agreement between the
United States and Iran fearing that it would lead to a much more relaxed attitude by the United States towards Iran.
With Trump coming back in, Netanyahu is now quite excited because he believes he can shift back the U.S. policy towards Iran toward something
that existed before which is essentially all-out enmity, all-out containment.
And this is where I think the Iranian government actually has committed a serious mistake. This was very provocative at the end of the day whether
it is a violation of the UN Security Council resolution or not, it is tremendously unhelpful for the broader situation in the region at this very
moment.
[10:35:41] ANDERSON: And Ramin, I think let's talk to this point. U.S.- Iran relations are a very messy business to suggest that the Iran nuclear deal made them any better would be way too simplistic, wouldn't it? We've
heard hawkish comments by Trump as a candidate. We are yet to hear what he thinks about Iran as trump the president, but put Iran on a list of banned
travel country, that might provide a clue. Would it be fair to say that this test by Iran, this ballistic missile test was an
effort to flush him out?
MOSTAGHIM: I agree that it is untimely. That was a mistake from the Iranian side because it provokes Trump and instigate the enmity, I mean.
But we should pay attention to the mindset of Iranians, as Trita should pay attention to the mindset set of Trump and his advisers. See, they -- I
mean, the hardliners, or the principals as they call themselves, they are just -- it is blessing in disguise when
Trump says anything against nuclear deal, against Iranian citizens, dual citizens. They just see it as
a good evidence to show that, yes, the gap between Iran and America is not removable.
So that's why they try just to find this time, just to instigate some things to provoke because they need the evidence to prove to themselves
that they are right that America is not trustworthy.
So this rhetoric against rhetoric measures against other measures, countermeasures is
between two administrations who do not see the wise way to negotiate and that's the problem.
ANDERSON: And Ramin, what of this travel ban eluding to what you are saying here? We've seen the official tit for tat response by Tehran.
MOSTAGHIM: yes.
ANDERSON: Sorry. And I'll put this to both of you, let me ask Trita and both of you. How does the average Iranian feel about this?
Let me ask Trita first, if you will.
PARSI: In regards to the ban or the missile test?
ANDERSON: To the ban, to the travel ban.
PARSI: Oh, to the travel -- I think people are absolutely infuriated and shocked that the
Trump administration has done this. There are plenty of students, Iranian students in the United
States who have had their lives more or less shattered, some of them have been separated because they
were so unlucky to travel back to the United States after a conference or a work trip after this had been put into place.
And keep in mind, was there absolutely no warning that something like this would take place. There was a warning that he would try to do something,
but the fact that it would be targeting green card holders, dual citizens and students is something that is quite shocking. And again it actually
goes to what Ramin mentioned, there is a narrative in Iran that is very strongly held that is particularly propagated by the hardliners, which says
that the enmity of the United States, vis-a-vis, Iran, is unchanging. It doesn't matter what Iran does. The U.S. will always have an animosity -- a
hostile attitude towards Iran.
And measures like this actually feeds into that narrative, it gives it an indication of vindication.
ANDERSON: And Ramin, very briefly, word on the street from the average Iranian? To on.
MOSTAGHIM: The average Iranians are divided. I mean, those who are educated and middle class, those who voted for the moderate in the last
presidential elections, they are disappointed from their own administration, disappointed from Trump administration. They believe that
they have been let down. I mean, they're supposed the Mecca of the better life, America, is gone, just vanished into blue air.
So -- but what hardliners, the principalists, it's a blessing in disguise for them. For example, Javat Narajani (ph), the head of the Islamic Human
Rights Department in the judicial branch of power today announced that, OK, we should have a symmetrical countermeasure, that we have to invite all of the opposition to Trump in America. American
opposition to Trump, to Iran.
All Iranian-Americans who are not aloud to study in America come back to Iran from a scientific think tank. I mean, this is the way that Iranian
hardliners are trying to follow a symmetrical countermeasure. They don't come to the compromising of negotiation.
But I just want to take this liberty of this opportunity and say that now is the time for both sides to renegotiate about everything. It's -- I
mean, Trita has tried to encourage the nuclear deal. We vary on the panel for Huffington Post, and now we have to think about the way these two
administration should talk together, whatever is the result, whatever is the mandate, just talk together, because if one of them, if one in the
administration makes an error in the Persian Gulf, makes a mistake somewhere, somehow it is catastrophe.
So it's time just for diplomacy no matter it is overt or covert, behind the curtains or on their
stage.
ANDERSON: All right.
MOSTAGHIM: Just they should talk.
ANDERSON: I hear exactly what you're saying. And Ramin, thank you for that. And to both of you, this has been an enlightening and excellent
conversation. Thank you very much indeed.
MOSTAGHIM: You're most welcome.
ANDERSON: Iraq saying it won't retaliate against Donald Trump's travel ban. The country is, of course, one of the seven whose citizens are
directly affected alongside Iran, of course.
In the meantime, Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi says he is studying all options available, but the Iraqi foreign ministry expressed regret and
astonishment over the policy they're working with Iraqi forces in the battle against ISIS.
Our Ben Wedeman joining us now live from Baghdad -- Ben.
BEN WEDEMAN, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Becky. In fact, today we also heard from Fouad Massum who is the Iraqi president who described
the executive order of President Trump as a shock. And he called upon the American administration to rescind it as soon as possible.
You know, going around Baghdad, talking to people, watching television, listening to the radio it is the top topic of conversation among Iraqis,
many of them very angry that a country that has worked with the United States very closely in the war against ISIS, in the war against terror,
should treat Iraqis like that. But the ones who are particularly incensed, Becky, are those who since 2003 with the American invasion who worked with
the Americans, put their lives on the line for the Americans and now trying to go to the United States to reach safe ground are not being allowed to
go.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
WEDEMAN: Bags packed, U.S. visas and passports, Omar and his family are ready to go, but they're not going anywhere following President Trump's
temporary travel ban, which includes Iraq.
"It was a strong shock," he says, "we received visas after waiting three years. Then this order comes."
The Iraqi branch of Al-Qaeda planted a bomb in his car in 2009. It blew both his legs off and mangled his left hand. They targeted him because he
provided the U.S. marines and Iraqi police with intelligence on the terrorists in his hometown of Fallujah.
"They were planting bombs," he recalls, "aimed at innocent people, the Americans, the Iraqi army, the police."
Omar, his wife, and four children, received visas under a special program for Iraqis who worked for, or helped the Americans. In letters of
recommendation, marine officers praised his sacrifice and unyielding courage. Commendable traits which have now left him and his family in
danger.
"I have no future in Iraq and my children have no future, he says. If they go back to Fallujah, they'll be under threat. People will say your father
is Omar, and kill them."
And the kids are still too young to go to school, right?
Van was a translator for the U.S. army. That's the American soldiers gave him not his real name. He doesn't want to show his face for fear of
retribution from Iraqi extremists. For now, also out of fear, it will jeopardize an American visa application he submitted seven years ago. He
has a simple message for President Trump.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He should go and ask the soldiers, is that the right way to do it? Is that the right thing, to leave somebody behind? No.
WEDEMAN: Van received a letter containing a bullet and a threat a few years ago. "Stop working with the Americans, or else." He moved his family three
times and keeps a low profile.
[10:45:45] UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I want to stop looking behind, when I walk in the street. That's all I want.
WEDEMAN: He wonders if he'll have to keep looking behind for the rest of his life.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WEDEMAN: Of course, these are only two cases given the depth and complication of the
U.S.-Iraqi relationship since 2003.
I can tell you, Becky, there are many more like them.
ANDERSON: Thank you, Ben. Taking a very short break. Back after this.
No, we're not. We're going to go to Capitol Hill where the Trump's nomination for Supreme Court justice is on his way. Let's just listen in
to what we are seeing and hearing here.
(SUPREME COURT JUSTICE NOMINATION PRESS CONFERENCE)
ANDERSON: Donald Trump's new nominee to the Supreme Court making the rounds in Washington visiting the congress members who will vote on him and
on approving him.
Right, we're going to take a very short break. Lots going on this hour. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[10:50:01] ANDERSON: You're with CNN. This is Connect the World. I'm Becky Anderson. Welcome back. And if you are just joining us you are very
welcome.
EU leaders meeting in Malta this Friday to discuss the challenge of migration. Now, they're expected to address border controls and ways to
curb the flow of refugees coming through Libya. My colleague Phil Black traveled to Belgrade in Serbia where thousands of migrants havebeen left
stranded in what are now sub-zero temperatures.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PHIL BLACK, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Only the most desperate join this line. Each fence belongs to someone who is cold, hungry and a long
way from home.
The travel to Serbia from Afghanistan. 13-year-old Nadim (ph) made the journey along. Every day he joins this patient shuffle for a serving of
hot food and crouches on the cold ground to eat it quickly.
It's usually his only meal of the day.
He shows us the small room he shares with nine other people. Nadim (ph) tells me he fled
Afghanistan after his father was killed by the Taliban. He wants to reach France and go to school, arrange for his mother and sister to join him.
Where you sleep really matters here.
We meet Paradoun Hogani (ph) inside the main smoke-filled building where most of the migrants fight the freezing temperatures by burning fires day
and night. Somehow this boy smiles easily, like a 12-year-old who has only known comfort and safety.
But Paradoun (ph) says he, too, fled the Taliban's violence. He's been traveling alone for eight months. His face is black from smoke. He tells
me he dreams they will open the border soon.
Paradoun (ph) is talking about the Serbian-Hungarian border. Everyone we talked to here says
they are trying to cross it, only to be forced back by Hungarian security forces.
How old are you?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: 19.
BLACK: 19.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yeah.
BLACK: Bikhan Ahmedzai (phY says he's made four attempts to cross Hungary's border fence?
Will you try again?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I will try again.
BLACK: It is really difficult to understand how they continue breathing this air, living like this for so long, day after day, night after night.
There are Serbian government camps that would keep them away from the smoke and the cold, but they choose to stay here and endure this because they are
scared, scared of not being allowed to continue their journey north to a safe, wealthy country and hopefully a new life.
Some are worried about being unable to apply for asylum in other countries if they first register for help in Serbia. Serbia's government
deliberately won't help these people while they are staying here. It's trying to encourage them to move into organized camps, at least for the
winter. The problem is that policy is not working. While some have moved, every day more people arrive at the old rail yard.
As night falls and the temperatures plummet the migrants face a stark choice: the cold or the smoke. Many stay outside for as long as they can,
but eventually they must go inside for the precious warmth they know is also doing them untold harm.
Paradoun (ph) and have found chicken pieces to boil. He's smiling again, joking about wanting a cigarette while breathing in the oppressive smoke.
His smile defies the miserable reality. These people are stranded indefinitely between their
dreams and their fears. They are determined not to take a step back, and they are not allowed to move forward.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: You're watching Connect the World. I'm Becky Anderson. We are live for you in Abu Dhabi.
Coming up, it's space, but not as we know it. Scientists discover something that gives the term Star Trek a whole new meaning.
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[10:55:48] ANDERSON: We all travel the Milky Way together, trees and men, the rousing words of naturalist and writer John Muir. He could scarcely
have known nearly 140 years later how true those words would prove to be.
That is because scientists now say the Milky Way is being pushed across the universe by a
mysterious force. While experts have known for some time that the galaxy is in motion, they haven't until now been sure why, but they have now
worked out it's being pushed in a similar way to gravity. That could be moving us into an area with dozens of other galaxies. And get this,
viewers, experts say our Milky Way is traveling at a speed of 2 million kilometers an hour. But don't expect a collision any
time soon. Scientists say we are still 750 million light years away from whatever our final destination may be.
Well, the scale of beauty of our universe. It's almost enough to make you feel insignificant, isn't it? Well, not me and nor should any of you, any
of you. Viewers, we can still change our world as these two kids, one Muslim and one Jewish, know very well. They are both holding signs against
the American president's travel ban. It's a fantastic image.
Let us know what you think of that and all of these stories on our show. Whatever you think about the travel ban, by the way, it is an amazing
picture.
By surfing Facebook.com, that is Facebook.com/cnnconnect. What a busy hour of news it's been and it continues. CNN up after this. From the team
here, it's a very good evening.
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