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House Judiciary to Hold Next Impeachment Hearing on Monday; European Ambassadors Petition U.N. about Iran Nuclear Weapons; France Strikes Turn Violent; Africa's Climate Crisis. Aired 11:30a-12p ET
Aired December 05, 2019 - 11:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
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LYNDA KINKADE, CNN ANCHOR (voice-over): Hello and welcome to CONNECT THE WORLD. I'm Lynda Kinkade joining you live from the CNN Center in Atlanta.
You've been watching our special coverage of the impeachment inquiry.
In just the last couple of hours, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi instructed Congress to proceed withdrawing up articles of impeachment
against the President of the United States. She also said the inquiry will continue on Monday with another hearing to present the evidence.
Well, let's go now to some of the other news we're following today.
Well, right now the French president is said to be calm and determined as the largest nationwide strike in decades takes over the streets of his
country.
Railway workers, teachers, emergency room medics, all striking today over the government's plan to overhaul the retirement system; 90 percent of
trains and 20 percent of flights are cancelled today.
The protests have been largely peaceful but in Paris and here in the western city of Nord (ph), riot police were seen firing tear gas at
demonstrators and hurling objects at authorities. CNN's Melissa Bell is following the strikes in Paris.
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KINKADE: She joins us now from a train station where a protest kicked off earlier.
Melissa, these protesters certainly saying that they could continue with this protest until Christmas. Just take us through what you're been
seeing.
MELISSA BELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right. Two things. First of all, the nationwide strike that really has paralyzed the country. As you say,
90 percent of trains haven't run.
People knew this was coming. This was a strike that was long-planned. Many people chose to take the day off so gridlocked was the country, so
difficult was it to get around. Here in Paris, seven out of 10 metros weren't working.
Then to the march, some of the pictures we've seen earlier. We moved away from the worst of the front line, where there was a fair amount of tear gas
and projectiles being thrown by protesters toward police. We saw arrests being made.
And a great deal of tension between the demonstrators, the protesters and the riot police on the other side; 6,000 policemen mobilized here in Paris
to try to keep the peace.
But, again, quite a bit of tension. Even now the smell of tear gas hangs fairly heavy in the air.
What was different about this strike, it wasn't just the unions who were out who represent the public sector workers who are affected by Emmanuel
Macron's reformed pension system.
For the first time, the Yellow Vests, who all year have been holds protests have joined the unions. In general, the Yellow Vests had their protests
and the unions would hold theirs. This is the first time the Yellow Vests joined them. I think that's what gave this particular its much more
violent, much more tense air.
It isn't over yet. Many thousands of people out in the street that we have seen. We haven't got official figures. None have been provided by the
interior ministry so far. But a very well-attended march and a great deal of anger out here on the streets of Paris tonight -- Lynda.
KINKADE: And I want to ask you a bit more about that anger. Why people are so upset about Emmanuel Macron's policy, this reform that he's pushing.
Just explain what people are saying about that.
BELL: Well, here in France, public sector workers have a certain amount of advantages and, in particular, pension systems they are particularly
generous. They call them special regimes.
Emmanuel Macron, who came in on a platform of reform, has been carrying out a number. This has been described as his most ambitious. His idea, Lynda,
France should have a universal pension system, the same for private sector workers and public sector workers in the way it functions.
People protesting the idea there are special regimes from which they benefit will be changed. Their fear and we've seen this all throughout the
day, they're simply going to be made to work longer in order to get their pensions and that they may get less. So that is the reason for their
anger.
Now last time this very reform was attempted, Lynda, was back in 1995. That's how long it had been.
What happened then?
The president and his prime minister sought also to create a universal pension system; 2 million people came out in the street. It was a
bitingly cold winter just like this one. It took about three weeks of public protests and strikes for the government to fold.
The big question this time is whether Emmanuel Macron will hold tight, hold firm and push through past these protests. Already we've heard from the
rail workers' unions, this strike could be continued is now going to last until at least Monday -- Lynda.
KINKADE: All right. Melissa Bell on the streets of Paris. Good to have you with us. Thanks so much.
Well, three of the biggest players in Europe are coming together to express concern over Iran. The U.K., France and Germany sent a joint letter to the
United Nations on Wednesday, saying that Iran has developed ballistic missiles that could conceivably carry a nuclear warhead.
Weapons like this ballistic missile, which you can see here on your screen, that means Tehran would be breaking a U.N. resolution based off that 2015
nuclear deal.
Well, our senior international correspondent Sam Kiley is covering this story for us from Abu Dhabi and joins us now live.
Sam, Iran has certainly put out a strong statement denying this allegation. Take us through their response.
SAM KILEY, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Lynda, they have denied it in a rather beakish, lawyerish kind of way, pointing out that the
letter of complaint, it's the fourth one that the signatories to the nuclear deal back in 2015, or at least some of them, have put out, have
made these allegations about particularly the Shahab 3, staying it is the sort of weapon with this kind of technology, which means it could, for
example, be accurately deployed.
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KILEY: It's got a range of 1,000 to 1,100 kilometers. It's capable of carrying a payload of 500 kilograms and a warhead of 300 kilograms.
And that according to the complaint by the British, French and Germans, would indicate that it could be used for a nuclear weapon.
Well, the Iranian response is, well, would, could, likely; there is no legal definition of what a nuclear-capable ballistic missile is. And there
will be an endless debate backwards and forwards in that.
Really, they're trying to muddy the waters because this is part of an ongoing process of pressure that the international community has been
trying to bring on Iran to slow down in their view the capacity of the Iranians to build nuclear weapons.
And it's coming at a time when things are extremely tense. As you know, Lynda, with Iran just in the last 24 hours, the Pentagon has said that a
ship was seized in the Arabian Sea coming from Iran, allegedly, containing advanced missile parts. Destination unknown, although the implication
would be probably to the Houthis in the Yemen.
At the same time, Pentagon officials are briefing about what they're saying is an increased threat spread, a threat spread coming from Iran, this
threat of joined up, if you'd like, movements of missiles, they've alleged, CNN has reported.
Pentagon sources saying short-range missiles have been shipped into Iraq. In all that context, this is a reminder for the international community
that the Iranians are being watched and watched closely.
KINKADE: All right. Sam Kiley for us in Abu Dhabi. Good to get that reminder. Thanks for that report.
Still to come here on CONNECT THE WORLD, this is what the climate crisis looks like. A nation parched robbing millions of people of their basic
human needs, food and water.
Coming up next, we're going to head to Zimbabwe.
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KINKADE: Well, no water, no crops, no food. The United Nations warning that Zimbabwe is marching toward starvation. Millions of people in both
rural and urban areas are struggling to live in the parched nation.
It's one of the many African countries on the front lines of the climate crisis. Despite the continent collectively contributing to the smallest
portion of greenhouse gases. Let's bring in CNN's David McKenzie, who reports extensively on environmental issues across Africa.
So, David, the drought is so bad, it's killing hundreds of elephants, lions, herds of cattle, crops are dying. Just explain why this is
happening.
DAVID MCKENZIE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, it's happening because of a multi- year drought, Lynda, and the climate crisis; many people think of it as a future problem. Well, here in southern Africa, people are living with it
and dying from it right now.
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MCKENZIE (voice-over): It's incredible, isn't it. The Victoria Falls, one of the natural wonders of the world. And this entire stretch of rock
should be churning with white water.
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MCKENZIE (voice-over): Climate scientists say that the climate crisis is hammering this region.
A multi-year drought has transformed Zimbabwe's rivers and farmland into miles upon miles of sand and scorched earth. Here they do not speculate
about climate, change they are suffering because of it. Once proud productive farmers like Felistus Ncube reduced to handouts to survive,
reduced to just one meal a day.
FELISTUS NCUBE, DROUGHT VICTIM: Nowadays it is -- there is nothing.
MCKENZIE (voice-over): It's a hunger gripping an U.N. estimated 45 million people. And in this part of Africa, the climate crisis is only getting
worse.
FRANCOIS ENGELBRECHT, U.N.: The region is projected to be warming at more or less double the global rate of warming.
MCKENZIE (voice-over): Scientist Francois Engelbrecht is a lead author on key U.N.-backed climate reports.
ENGELBRECHT: At the current rate, the Southern African region five decades from now will be unrecognizable compared to the region we are living in
today.
MCKENZIE (voice-over): And in a future without aggressive emissions reductions, almost unlivable, where day zero events like when Cape Town
almost ran out of water last year, are three times more likely.
And cyclones like Idai slamming into Mozambique in March will become more powerful and more frequent, extreme events punishing countries that did
little to cause climate change.
ENGELBRECHT: We should realize that, if you look at the historical responsibility for the problem of global warming, entire Africans'
contribution is still on the order of half a percent.
MCKENZIE: One percent?
ENGELBRECHT: Yes, 1 percent.
MCKENZIE (voice-over): But now among the first to feel its devastating affects.
"I wish they could stop climate change because we are the ones who are now suffering," Ncube says.
"If the climate stays like this, we will not make it."
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MCKENZIE: Well, historical emissions are hugely important to climate change and the climate crisis, Lynda. The country that has contributed the
worst to this crisis is the U.S., of course. And the Trump administration recently said that they are wanting to pull out of the Paris agreement.
And that means that really these targets could possibly never be met -- Lynda.
KINKADE: Yes, not too good. A dire assessment. David McKenzie, thank you so much for your time.
Well, a reminder --
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KINKADE: Our top story this hour, the impeachment of U.S. President Donald Trump is moving ahead at rapid pace. U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi
announcing she's asked chairmen of key House committees to proceed with articles of impeachment.
Be sure to join us for a town hall with Pelosi at 9:00 pm Eastern time. That is on CNN. That's Friday morning 10:00 am in Hong Kong.
I'm Lynda Kinkade. That was CONNECT THE WORLD. "WORLD SPORT" is up next. I'll be back in a couple of hours with much more news on "HALA GORANI
TONIGHT." Thanks for watching.
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