Return to Transcripts main page
Connect the World
Italy Hospital Brace For News Surge Of COVID-19 Patients; Wales In Firebreak Lockdown To Slow Virus; Israel Easing Its Second National Lockdown. Aired 10:00-11a ET
Aired October 26, 2020 - 10:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[10:00:16]
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Three million people are waking up to what is called a fire break. Melbourne, the city that was the epicenter of Australia's
coronavirus outbreak will move out of lockdown this week after recording new new cases for the first time since June.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There's people dying at the end of the day. You know, we've just got to stay in and just respect that
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Here in France, another record set on Sunday more than 52,000 new cases.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Italian the hospitals are able to deal with a number of patients in intensive care. However, that could change.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The officials in China's western region of Xinjiang say they're in the process of testing 4.7 million people for COVID. This after
a single asymptomatic case was reported.
MARK MEADOWS, WHITE HOUSE CHIEF OF STAFF: We're not going to control the pandemic.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANNOUNCER: Live from CNN Abu Dhabi, this is CONNECT THE WORLD with Becky Anderson.
BECKY ANDERSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: And connecting this hour the world learning its lessons the hard way, if at all. We know what works.
Look at Israel, and what doesn't look at much of Europe and America. With just eight days to go until the U.S. election, the country recording its
highest seven-day average of new COVID-19 cases and there seems to be next to no appetite for drastic steps there to arrest the growth.
Over the next couple of hours, we'll be taking you to the state and connecting you around the world from Wales to Italy, Israel to Hong Kong as
we look at the lessons learned from coronavirus responses, the successes and the failures as some countries go back into lock downs some coming out
of them again. We begin this out in Italy, one way to deal with a total lockdown it seems trying to avoid it.
That seems to be the choice Italy has made at the moment even after the country recorded its highest daily number of cases over the weekend. The
Prime Minister though ordering new nationwide restrictions in response to this second wave. Bars and restaurants will now be forced to close at 6:00
p.m. local time. But when it comes to completely shutting down the country, Giuseppe Conte says, well, the country just can't afford it.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GIUSEPPE CONTE, PRIME MINISTER OF ITALY (through translator): Managing the pandemic means to permit our medical system to give a prompt response
guaranteeing cure and proper hospitalization to all citizens. It means to prevent a second complete lockdown like the one we had in Spring, the
country cannot afford it
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: That's Giuseppe Contea. CNN's Ben Wedeman is in Rome for you. And you might almost ask, Ben, if Italy can't afford to lock down then how on
earth can it afford to stay open? It's not like they haven't seen how bad it can get.
BEN WEDEMAN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Becky. Italian leaders are really pulled in different directions. On the one hand, they
really know that what is most effective is a really strict nationwide lockdown, the likes of what we saw earlier this year. But just a few days
ago, the governor of Campania where Naples is located, announced that that's what they should do, is a complete lockdown and immediately there
were violent protests.
On the other hand, we were up in northern Italy and one of the worst hit parts of the country. Earlier this year were they -- we -- the doctors in
an intensive care unit that was really the front lines of this struggle of against coronavirus made it clear. At this rate, things are only getting
worse.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
The intensive care unit is a place of total concentration. No small talk just the rhythmic beeping of the machines, the steady breathing of patients
on ventilators.
Ospedale Maggiore di Lodi was in the frontline of Italy's coronavirus pandemic earlier this year.
And now the staff is bracing for the second wave. Dr. Matteo (INAUDIBLE) anticipates another nightmare.
It's like the second jump for a paratrooper, he tells me. The first time you don't know what to expect. The second jump is more problematic because
you know what's coming.
At the moment, Italian hospitals are able to deal with the number of patients in intensive care. However, that could change as the numbers
continue to skyrocket.
ICU Dr. Enrico Storti regularly gathers his colleagues for a debrief.
[10:05:06]
DR. ENRICO STORTI, ICU DIRECTOR, OSPEDALE MAGGIORE DI LODI: To evaluate to better evaluate what we need and how we can allow the floor and bring on
the table. Our ideas our solutions.
WEDEMAN: Gathered in this room are some of Italy's, perhaps some of the world's most experienced soldiers in the fight against COVID-19. Dr.
Annalisa Malara diagnosed the first Italian coronavirus patient on the 20th of February.
DR. ANNALISA MALARA, INTENSIVE CARE PHYSICIAN: We are ready because we learned a lot.
WEDEMAN: But this war, like all wars, takes a toll.
DR. MICHELE INTRONA, MEDICAL DOCTOR, OSPEDALE MAGGIORE DI LODI: I think I felt like the soldiers during the world wars, I don't know, I think I
experienced what these young boys experience that that time when they were going, fighting for war, I mean, a war, knowing that they could die.
WEDEMAN: The empty beds for more casualties.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WEDEMAN: And this set of restrictions that the Prime Minister Conte announced is the fourth set of restrictions he's announced in the last
month. Many people feel that sooner or later as the numbers continue to increase and they're increasing dramatically every day that Italy will
indeed go back under total. Nationwide, lockdown. Becky?
ANDERSON: Ben Wedeman is in Rome for you. That graph really tells the story, doesn't it? Thank you, Ben. As Italy, resists another nationwide
lockdown for the time being in Wales, it might as well be mid-March all over again. This is what it looks like in one Welsh town. The streets
desolate, stores shuttered, a second strict lockdown going into effect over the weekend for 16 days. Almost everyone in Wales must stay at home.
But will it slow the rapid spike in new COVID-19 cases? Well, connecting this lockdown 2.0 for us this hour, a slightly wind sweat, Nina dos Santos
with us today from Snowdonia National Park in Wales. Nina, so many countries and their lead is facing the same dilemma. Locking down
sufficiently to try and arrest the search, but at the same time trying to protect the economy and people's livelihoods. What are the lessons where
you are?
NINA DOS SANTOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, it's a complicated picture here in Wales and one that is only just becoming clear because we're only about
three days into this national lockdown. We don't yet have a huge amount of data on whether or not it's worked, or whether enough people have been
compliant to make it work as well. Remember, this is the second time that this part of the U.K. has gone into lockdown.
The difference between March was that the whole country was in a lockdown. But now Wales has said that the cases have spiked so much. They have to
take their own approach and going their own way.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DOS SANTOS: Shutting up shop and locking down. Friday's last orders were filled with uncertainty in Cardiff. As come sundown Wales' three million
residents were once more ordered to stay at home for the next two weeks. A firebreak deemed essential to stop COVID in its tracks.
MARK DRAKEFORD, WELSH FIRST MINISTER: A short but deep period of restrictions that will interrupt the virus break the chains of
transmission, but that is the best hope we have of being able to get things back on track.
DOS SANTOS: The decision was welcomed by the shoppers on the streets.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's about time that somebody took the bull by the horns.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There's people dying at the end of the day. You know, we've just got to stay in and just respect that.
DOS SANTOS: But not so much in the supermarkets or a ban on the sale of non-essential items prompted a petition to loosen the new laws almost
immediately.
Meanwhile, businesses brace themselves for mega taking.
JONATHAN PANGELI, MANAGER, 39 DESSERTS: If this didn't work the first time, why is it going to work the second time? We have hand sanitizer for staff
and customers, we wash our hands every 10 minutes. We socially distance in the store. Why can't we stay open safely?
DOS SANTOS: Like Scotland and Northern Ireland, Wales has its own government with autonomy over matters like health. It claims this national
lockdown is needed to prevent the virus spreading from big cities to remote places but hasn't yet gained a foothold. The porous border with England is
also a source of concern. Here in Betws-y-Coed in the mountains of North Wales, they were spared the first wave of the pandemic only recently
witnessed an uptick in cases thanks largely to tourists bringing the virus over the border from hotspots in England.
The Welsh government says that it's following scientific advice. Part of that science confirms that genetic material from COVID-19 haut by people in
neighboring parts of England is now popping up in wastewater in Wales.
[10:10:12]
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Because it was very, very busy.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Very, very busy here in the summer. Very --
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: In the summer.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Very busy.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I mean, it's lovely to see people.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yeah.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You know, but it was really busy.
DOS SANTOS: Thousands of visitors were streaming into Snowdonia every day. Now, not even the locals are allowed out without good reason. Halloween is
off the cards so that maybe Christmas can be saved.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You can't do anything. And you can't diversify. We've all built our businesses up over 15, 20 years. You know, what can you do?
DOS SANTOS: Wales is taking a different approach to other parts of Britain still focused on local tiered restrictions. This lockdown will last until
November the 9th, whether the picture will look less bleak thereafter. It may be many more weeks before that becomes clear.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: And Nina, a sense of resignation, then by many in your report, just how bad are things?
DOS SANTOS: Well, if you take a look at the latest help figures from the Welsh health secretary, it's not looking great. He was just speaking
earlier on today, saying that they've now reached the milestone of having more than 1000 people in Welsh hospitals with coronavirus. And that is an
18 percent increase on the figures just this time last week. So, what they're really concerned about here, Becky, is the health system for Wales,
which remember, Wales is slightly separate to other parts of the U.K., like Northern Ireland, Scotland, it has its own health system, its own health
rules.
They don't want their health system to be overwhelmed. But the big question politically is twofold. One, once you get into a lockdown, if you then need
to keep extending it, how do you get out? You need to start promising people a roadmap to exit. And then the other problem is over the border,
this is increasing the political pressure on leaders in places like England that have been focusing on local tiered restrictions to consider their own
national lockdown.
And that could be more economic hardship on both sides of the border. Just an idea of how much it's probably costing Wales. This part of Wales,
Snowdonia normally welcomes one million tourists every single year. This season it's been drastically curtailed this year already. And it's probably
cost about government and businesses, about 600 to $700 million just for this two-week lockdown alone. Becky?
ANDERSON: Yeah, absolutely. A great example of just how tough things are in so many parts of the U.K. and indeed, across continental Europe. Thank you.
As Wales slides into its second lockdown, then Israel emerges, you will remember it was the first major country in the world to go back into a
second lockdown. And it does look like it is worked in a big way. With new daily cases dropping off a cliff. The country saw around 560 cases Sunday
but that is down from a record 9000 cases in a single day.
As you can see here on the chart back in late September. That was according to the Israeli health ministry. Well, connecting us to this part of the
narrative is Oren Lieberman who is in Jerusalem for you. And Oren, what is the lockdown less and where you are?
OREN LIEBERMANN, CNN JERUSALEM CORRESPONDENT: Becky, it sounds so familiar to hear those reports from Italy and Wales because Israel was in that exact
situation just a couple of months ago with among the highest daily coronavirus cases per capita in the world and that's why it was forced into
a second lockdown. If there is a silver lining and this would be a thin one, it is that the second lockdown worked.
It worked quicker than was expected. And it worked without the restrictions being as severe as the first lockdown. People were allowed to venture out a
little further, more activities were allowed, and yet the numbers came down. Anyway, we traveled to a town in the Negev desert called Yeruham to
see what it was like there and what they did above and beyond the lockdown.
And what I saw at least from that town is part of what made it work there was buying from the entire community and a level of public trust that seems
rare these days.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
LIEBERMANN: In the heart of the Negev desert, the second wave of coronavirus, hit hard. The town of Yeruham was labeled a red zone because
of a high infection rate. A second lockdown was inevitable, but it was also embraced.
DEBBIE GOLAN, YERUHAM RESIDENT: It was definitely in awareness in the community of the seriousness of the situation and the need for severe
measures. Measures that would be effective.
LIEBERMANN: The town closed, schools early going above and beyond Ministry of Health requirements. Religious services removed outdoors before it was
mandatory. And in late spring the mayor created a local contact tracing network not relying on a national plan.
TAL OHANA, YERUHAM MAYOR: I need to find the COVID and I need to give them hope.
[10:10:04]
OHANA: I need to work for their immunity and I must do everything I can that they will trust me.
LIEBERMANN: Across the country public trust in the national leadership's handling of the coronavirus crisis has plummeted. The different sectors in
Israeli society religious secular, ultraorthodox and Arab, attacked and blamed each other for a second wave of infections that was much worse than
the first. A second gen lockdown only exacerbated that bitterness even as it brought down the numbers.
ERAN SEGAL, PROFESSOR, WEIZMANN INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE: Anytime you reach the point where you need a lockdown, that's a failure of managing the pandemic.
The lockdown itself is likely to work because everybody stays at home. But reaching that point is in my view, a failure.
LIEBERMANN: Eran Segal at the Weizmann Institute of Science says it was a surprise that Israel's second lockdown worked so quickly. On September
30th, Israel hit more than 9000 new cases in one day. Three weeks later, the numbers were down to around 1000 a day, even though the lockdown was
less strict.
SEGAL: All other activities like allowing people to be more outdoors to do sports to drive more, but be kind of more on their own. Those are not
drivers of the pandemic. So, the fact that we allowed those during the second lockdown, and not the first didn't have an effect.
LIEBERMANN: Yeruham saw a similar drop from 27 in a day in September to less than five in the last week. Here they take seriously the commandment
to love thy neighbor as thyself.
The country of Israel is like a hand. The hand has a lot of fingers. There's no finger worth more than others. But only all the fingers together
can make one hand, a hand without a finger is not a complete hand. The same thing for us. We have many different men and women, everyone with his
opinions, desires ideas, but we are all truly one.
As Israel slowly reopens there is a fear that it's too soon. The numbers now are significantly worse than they were at the end of the first lockdown
in May. Yeruham is not immune to that fear. But here they say their greatest strength is a community united against coronavirus.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LIEBERMANN: Professor Segal says one of the key lessons that the rest of the world could learn from Israel is that you shouldn't manage a pandemic
and make your decisions based on the capacity of your healthcare system. Why not? Because then you're bound to hit that capacity, if that's your
metric for making decisions and that puts undue strain and stress on your healthcare system and perhaps pushes it past the breaking point. Becky?
ANDERSON: Which begs the question and this is a question that, you know, leaders around the world will be asking themselves. By what metrics should
decision makers be making their decisions?
LIEBERMANN: The key numbers to look at here are not and the change in the infection rate. If the infection rate is growing, if the positivity rate is
growing, you have to step back on reopening. As long as that positivity rate continues to decrease. And as Professor Segal says the outbreak is
shrinking in a country you can move forward on reopening. But there has to be a level of patience here because every decision it takes two to three
weeks to see the effects of that decision. Bottom line this is not a quick process and it cannot be managed as a quick process.
ANDERSON: Now fascinating. Developing a dashboard to help leaders make these decisions is so important at this point. Thank you, Oren. Lockdown
lessons from Oren over in Jerusalem. Ben out about in Roman, Nina in what is a windy Snowdonia in Wales, thank you to all of you. Your reporting is
so important. Thank you.
Well, we're not done connecting your world on this because Australians in the State of Victoria, also following their government's lockdown rules.
And as Kristie Lu stout now reports. It seems to have paid off that as well. Have a listen.
KRISTIE LU STOUT, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Melbourne, the city that was the epicenter of Australia's coronavirus outbreak will move out of lockdown
this week after recording no new cases for the first time since June. Melbourne will leave lockdown from Tuesday at 11:59 p.m. That means
residents will be allowed to leave their homes and most businesses can reopen with restrictions on the number of people.
DANIEL ANDREWS, VICTORIA, PREMIER: I'm very pleased to be able to announce it from 11:59 p.m., Tuesday the 27th of October. All retail will open.
Restaurants, hotels, cafes and bars, they will reopen as well. Indoor there'll be a maximum of 20 people seated with 10 people per space. Outdoor
a maximum of 50 people with one person per two square meters. Beauty, personal services and tattooing provided you can wear a mask will reopen.
LU STOUT: The lifting of restrictions and the significant milestone of zero new COVID-19 cases comes nearly three months after Victorian Premier Daniel
Andrews declared a state of disaster.
[10:20:08]
LU STOUT: And back then the state saw as many as 725 people test positive in a single day. Andrew says Victoria was able to rein in the virus because
of the public's willingness to endure hardship, follow the rules and listen to the science. Kristie Lu Stout, CNN Hong Kong.
ANDERSON: Still ahead on CONNECT THE WORLD. We will hear from the World Health Organization about the dire coronavirus situation in Europe, the
apparent surrender to the virus by the United States and about what lessons they have learned from those countries that are through their second
lockdown. That is coming up on this show of CONNECT THE WORLD with me, Becky Anderson.
Well, quite the admission from the White House after the U.S. just soar its highest number of daily COVID cases. What the president's chief of staff
said during a heated interview that sent shockwaves through Washington.
The Turkish president says his French counterpart needs mental therapy. We'll have more on what is the latest ratcheting up of this international
spats. Then.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: People eat that drives a flashy car, maybe they think -- I mean, they kind of stopped, you know, from their failure, unfortunately,
and it's very containable.
ANDERSON: A chilling picture of the situation in Nigeria where there have been ongoing protests calling for police reform. We hear from the governor
of Lagos State in the next hour here on CONNECT THE WORLD.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MEADOWS: We're not going to control the pandemic, we are going to control the fact that we get vaccines, therapeutics and other mitigation --
(CROSSTALK)
JAKE TAPPER, CNN ANCHOR: Why aren't we going to get control of the pandemic?
MEADOWS: because it is a contagious virus just like the flu.
(CROSSTALK)
TAPPER: Yes. But why not make efforts to contain it?
MEADOWS: Well, we are making efforts to contain it. I mean, that's --
TAPPER: By running all over the country and not wearing a mask?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Well, some pretty incredulous questions for the U.S. president's chief of staff from my colleague, Jake Tapper. Those questions come as the
coronavirus pandemic in the U.S. hits its highest daily average ever. Yes, ever. The seven-day average of new cases past 68,000 on Sunday, a rule not
U.S. state is moving in the right direction at best. Some are maintaining the status quo. That's shown on the map here and take a look at this.
Five members of Vice President Mike Pence's inner circle have now tested positive for the virus. This includes his chief of staff and his personal
assistant since the vice president has been in close contact with at least one of the group he is supposed to go into quarantine for 14 days. That's
according to the CDC guidelines which are crystal clear.
[10:25:04]
ANDERSON: However, Pence, the leader of the White House Corona Virus Task Force, yes, the leader, is ignoring the guidelines and he is staying on the
campaign trail. John Harwood is at the White House. And he joins us now. John, what do you make of how those three items that I have just reported
on Pence's team, those record highs and the comments from Mark Meadows, what do you make of them?
JOHN HARWOOD, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, it's really made plain. A, the approach to the administration and two, the political difficulty of
the administration. The number one issue to voters is the pandemic. They're frightened about it, it's damaged their economic prospects. And they judge
harshly the administration's approach. And here you have the White House Chief of Staff confessing that they don't really seriously try to contain
this pandemic anymore.
Very damaging to the White House. The President's been trying to go around the country saying all Democrats want to talk about his COVID. I want to
talk about the economy. And now you have a second White House outbreak, this one close to people around the Vice President, his chief of staff, his
body man, his political advisor, a couple of other aides. Just another echo of the earlier outbreak you had with Hope Hicks, the President's close
aide, the President himself, and it's another blow to a campaign that's already losing to Joe Biden by a large margin nationally and in a
sufficient number of battleground states.
ANDERSON: Have a listen to Joe Biden here, John.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOE BIDEN, DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: Sure. I'm one of those folks or competitors. It's not over till the bell rings. And I feel superstitious
when I predict anything other than compete hard fight. We feel good about where we are. But, you know, I don't underestimate
how he plays.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: We are eight days out from U.S. Election Day, November 3rd. How hard is that fight ahead, John?
HARWOOD: Well, it's a challenge for the last eight days. But Joe Biden's caution is understandable. In fact, it's widely shared within the
Democratic Party, everyone was burned by the fact that they expected Hillary Clinton to defeat Donald Trump four years ago. And also the nature
of this race at the moment, a lead for Joe Biden nationally of around nine points, but it's narrower in the battleground states.
Democrats feel very confident that they will carry the three states that could tip the election to Biden. That is Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and
Michigan. But beyond that, you've got a series of battlegrounds, which are much closer that could go either way. States like Florida, North Carolina,
Georgia, even Texas, is on the board. So, you can see why Democrats are cautious. And of course, the very narrow victories by the president in
those three Rust Belt states four years ago, tipped the balance toward President Trump in the Electoral College, even though he lost the popular
vote.
This is why Democrats are all suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Syndrome from four years ago and why Joe Biden is cautious.
ANDERSON: Hmm. Fascinating. It seems almost incredible. We are talking about PTSD when it comes to an election. But there it is, life going on as
normal at the White House. Look at this Halloween photo opportunity, Mr. Harwood. It's kind of spooky, that again, no masks, even for an event that
whether you buy masks safety for the good of your health or not almost necessitates a mask. It's Halloween.
HARWOOD: Exactly, Becky. And -- but it is stunning that the President even at an event with children does not wear masks. Now, the White House says
that they -- there was no risk involved because there was a separation between the President and the First Lady and those trick or treating
children. The actual candy was not given out by the first couple. It was given out by aides with masks and gloves separately.
But even then, in the modeling for the country of safe behavior. This president simply does not want to engage in that because he's trying to
create the impression that the pandemic is over. The American public know it's not. And that's one of the reasons why he's losing the election.
ANDERSON: Remarkable. I was just going to say, as you spoke, grinning at the side of the President and the First Lady acknowledging a dinosaur as it
walked. Not through what the analogy should be but there you are. Or the metaphor in fact. John, thank you for that. John Harwood.
[10:30:02]
ANDERSON: Can't make it out. Could you? The U.S. presidential election has become a rollercoaster ride and the best way to navigate it is
cnn.com/politics. You will find Joe Biden's possible paths to 260 -- 70 electoral college votes. And indeed, Donald Trump's, and how Amy Coney
Barrett Supreme Court confirmation will affect the race. Then on Election Day, you can find continuous updates as you would expect here on CNN.
It is all at cnn.com. Well, here, what actor Kal Penn has to say about what American voters are looking for.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KAL PENN, FORMER ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR, WHITE HOUSE OFFICE OF PUBLIC LIAISON: I think most people are looking at it as more than just a lesser of two
evils conversation but really conversation about the direction we want to take the country in.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Well, the next hour, catch my full interview with the former White House staffer about the U.S. presidential election, the political
climate and his new show.
And some Muslim retailers and consumers around the world are boycotting French goods. Why? Well, Turkey and Pakistan accuse French President
Emmanuel Macron of attacking Islam. We will explain after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Welcome back. You're watching CONNECT THE WORLD with me Becky Anderson. Two NATO leaders are at odds in a growing diplomatic dispute of
some recent comments from the president of France on Islam. Let me explain. On Saturday, the Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that the
French president needs "mental treatment," after Mr. Macron said the country will be ramping up its fight against radical Islamism.
Now other countries taking sides with some countries calling for a boycott of French goods and others speaking out in support of Mr. Macron. It's
bringing two of our reporters. Melissa Bell is in Paris for you, Arwa Damon reporting from Istanbul in Turkey. And Melissa, just explain how this all
got started, if you will.
MELISSA BELL, CNN PARIS CORRESPONDENT: I think, Becky, it's important to note that the tensions between the French leadership and the Turkish
leadership had been simmering for some time over a number of geopolitical issues over the course of the last few years. Libya, Syria, the maritime
rights in the Eastern Mediterranean, you name it. They've been at odds for some time.
Then of course, you had this debate here in France that has been really reignited by the beheading of a French school teacher on October 16th over
his teaching, his showing in a classroom of the images of the Prophet Mohammed. This is really ignited, reignited, a debate that had actually
begun earlier than that. It was in early October that the French president had announced to crack down on what he described as radical Islamism here
in France.
[10:35:09]
BELL: And that has been given new wings and a passion really here in France by the beheading of that school teacher. And of course, it is in that
context that you have to understand the pronouncements of the French president who's speaking at the memorial for that French school teacher
last weekend who tweeted over the course of the weekend. We will not give in ever. We respond, we respect all differences in the spirit of peace.
He wrote, we do not accept hate speech and defend reasonable debates. And so, Emmanuel Macron, much more forcefully defending France's idea of
militant secularism, and that crackdown on radical Islamism, but clearly that is -- has further worsened things between the Turkish president, the
French President with over the course of the last few hours and couple of days, Becky, a number of European leaders really backing the French
president in the face of what they described as defamatory remarks from the Turkish President.
ANDERSON: Well, thank you. Arwa, what are response and from the Turkish president and those who are supporting his position?
ARWA DAMON, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Becky, Turkey is not backing down Recep Tayyip Erdogan as if anything actually upping the
rhetoric. But it's also worth noting here that this isn't just coming from Turkey. You have in a number of Arab and Muslim countries calls for the
boycott of French products. You also have a number of small demonstrations against France, the burning of the French flag.
But it really is Erdogan who is perhaps because of those various different geopolitical issues that Melissa was talking about who is at the forefront
of this dispute. Just take a listen to what he said earlier today.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RECEP TAYYIP ERDOGAN, TURKISH PRESIDENT (through translator): In reality, Europe is no stranger to ghettoization, inquisitions and genocide. They're
used to it, they have done it before. We remember the crimes against humanity committed against Jews 80 years ago, and in Srebrenica 25 years
ago.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
DAMON: And of course, Becky, there is great risk and politicizing an issue that is so sensitive. And it does seem at this stage as if all of this is
just further driving a wedge between the West and the Muslim and Arab world at a time when -- to put it simply, neither area actually needs that. And
of course, at the heart of this is not just that reaction to the use of the cartoon or to what President Macron was saying but greater and broader
issues that frankly, put a lot of people at risk.
ANDERSON: Melissa, France recalling its ambassador and there will be people watching this who say, what happens next? Where does this go? What's at
stake at this point?
BELL: I think to Arwa's point a moment ago, Becky, it is absolutely that wider divide that's being exposed as a result of this call for a boycott
that really is worrying the French. It's from the French Foreign Ministry that we heard today. And on that specific question of the boycott, really
urging Muslims worldwide, not to follow that plea because as the French Foreign Minister said, it is a distortion of the debate that's being --
that's being held here in France that has allowed such passions to be raised.
Also as a (INAUDIBLE) speaking to the fact that that reform of radicalism is being driven here in France and that's been reignited by the beheading
of the French school teacher on October 16th. That that is something that he says is about protecting the whole of France, including France's
substantial Muslim population which he reminded everyone in his press release was an integral part of French society, of French culture, of
French history and of France going forward.
So, really trying to call on Muslims everywhere to understand that the broader debate here simply doesn't need to divide the world that everyone
here in France, whether they are Muslim or non-Muslim, are aiming for the eradication of radical Islamism, not any specific attack on Islam itself,
Becky.
ANDERSON: Hmm. Fascinating. To both of you, thank you. Well, still ahead. We have to take action where we can. On one of Formula One's biggest
stages, Lewis Hamilton takes a moment to speak out about police brutality in Nigeria, calling it a human rights crisis.
Plus, a new truce, a new finger pointing between Armenia and Azerbaijani trick using the other of breaking a third ceasefire.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[10:40:00]
ANDERSON: Welcome back. You're watching CONNECT THE WORLD with me Becky Anderson. It's 20 to 7:00 in the evening here in Abu Dhabi. This is our
Middle East broadcasting hub. He took a moment to put sport on the sidelines even as he smashed the record for more Formula One wins. And any
other driver in history. Yes, Lewis Hamilton raised the issue of police brutality in Nigeria at the Portuguese Grand Prix wearing a shirt with the
hashtag end S-A-R-S or SARS. Amanda Davies is here with more on that. Amanda?
AMANDA DAVIES, CNN INTERNATIONAL BRITISH SPORTS PRESENTER: Yes, Becky. You might remember that a little bit earlier in the season, Lewis Hamilton got
something about a rap on the knuckles. Didn't he -- when he wore a t-shirt in support of Brianna Taylor. Posing a political message on the podium. He
was told he couldn't do that. So we made this point on Sunday ahead of the Portuguese Grand Prix of wearing this t-shirt ahead of the race, making his
point concurrently on Twitter, calling it a human rights crisis, the situation playing out in Nigeria.
Then changing his t-shirt to put on the Black Lives Matter t-shirt to take part in the sanctioned antiracism campaign that is taking place across
Formula One this season. And there's been a real noticeable shift with Lewis in the last couple of months where he has seen the power of his
voice. And he said, the better he does on the track, the bigger his platform to really put his message across.
It doesn't get much better than becoming the most successful driver in Formula One history with those 92 race wins, surpassing Michael Schumacher.
And he's really growing into this role. He said that this is what he sees as his position in sports and beyond. He's now become the greatest ever, of
course, he's going to go on you would think to equal those seven world titles of Michael Schumacher and the platform's just going to get bigger
and bigger.
ANDERSON: Yes. And he really does seem to be taking his responsibility really seriously. Thank you for that. I know you've got a lot more on World
Sports. After that, and in the next hour, we'll have my interview with the governor of Lagos on the tragic events there. First up, though, is World
Sport with Amanda. We will see you at the back end of that.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[10:45:00]
(CNNI SPORTS COVERAGE)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[10:50:00]
(CNNI SPORTS COVERAGE)
[10:55:00]
(CNNI SPORTS COVERAGE)
ANDERSON: Well I'm just still smiling at Andy Shulter, parents around the world unit with a sigh. Thank you Amanda.
You might think you are looking at a sports crowd here, but this is just one of three rallies that the American president is holding today. It
starts in just a few minutes and we will keep a close eye on that for you. A second hour of CONNECT THE WORLD is up next. See you on the other side of
this short break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
END
