tv France 24 LINKTV August 30, 2021 3:30pm-4:01pm PDT
3:30 pm
>> u.n. security council adopts a resolution on save departure from afghanistan. will this be heated by the taliban? we have reaction and analysis as well as the latest from our correspondent. hurricane ida's path of destruction in the deep south has one million people without power new orleans once again counting a heavy cost.
3:31 pm
all french workers who have contact with the general public have to have the controversial thing this monday or risk suspension without pay. this is life in paris. -- live from paris. thank you very much for being with us. an emergency meeting of the emergency u.n. council has been called to discuss the situation in afghanistan. they adopted a resolution of safe passage from the company. kabul is that raking point. investigation is being demanded after a drone strike killed 10 members of a family. six of them were children. the member who had been -- number of isis-k could been part
3:32 pm
of the atrocity last week was that kabul airport and claimed the lives of over 100 afghan civilians and 13 u.s. service members france has finished its evacuation but other flights are going towards tomorrow's deadline. with thousands being stuck under taliban rule, they moved to get them out. this is the u.s. investor to you and. >> -- you and --un. >> healthy taliban lives up to its commitment to safe passage you want to leave afghanistan. whether that is today, tomorrow, or after august the first heard consistent with the right to leave any country and even one's own, one must be able to leave afghanistan for any reason they want, by air or by land.
3:33 pm
>> let us go to our correspondent. tell us more about this resolution? >> this resolution says to the tap -- taliban that actions speak louder than words. he made these promises and commitments and now you have to uphold them. this resolution calls on the taliban to ensure safe passage to those seeking to leave afghanistan to secure the airport, and also to respect human rights, particularly those of women, children and minorities. combat terrorism and prevent afghanistan from becoming a safe haven for terrorists. this did not come without problems. we have 13 of the security council members voting in favor. two extensions from china and russia. diplomats there wanted to
3:34 pm
postpone the vote. they did manage to get some of it changed. this resolution was watered down from the original form. the french president spoke about a safe son. the french wanted that language and the resolution but it became clear that the taliban would not accept that proposal. the very term, safe zones suggests the presence of some kind of peacekeeper. that was not really a possibility china and russia, china in particular did not want any language that would be criticized the taliban. top -- china has hinted that they might recognize the talbot as the official government basic is in afghanistan as the u.s. and western powers pullout. indeed, china's envoy was very critical of the u.s. in this meeting. he let it rip that the u.s. was
3:35 pm
essentially faking its concern for afghan citizens after making them suffer for 20 years. he said that the u.s. and western powers had not managed to stop terrorism here and rated western powers at the security council session. the security council said look, this resolution was the minimum call for the taliban. at least of typing civilians in afghanistan. >> if the taliban disregard what was decided today where you are, what is likely to happen? >> absolutely, that is the question that journalists had for western powers. the onus is on the taliban to ensure the safe passage for civilians. you look at the history of the taliban, the can be skepticism
3:36 pm
of whether that will happen. journalists put that question to western powers and said look, we ve ways to enforce this, pressure on the telemann. we have economic cards placed. -- taliban. the taliban wants recognition. th also want the lting of sanctions, perhaps more importantly, they want financials. there are some cards but you are quite right that it is difficult to enforce this. there has been some talk or perhaps in the future, some u.s. peacekeeping force that can monitor the situation but we are a long way off from that. it doesn't seemikehey will except anything like that at this point in time. there will be meetings on afghanistan in this, -- on the
3:37 pm
coming weeks. thank you -- >> that you very much. later in this program, we have a special interview with an afghan woman who is a city mayor in her homeland she spoke to our world affairs person by germany. she tells us of her fears for the future of her country. let us listen to her. >> i just left everything behind. i di't nt my family to pay for my decision. working there was always my decision. being there on the ground was my decision but i lost my dad because of this. didn't want my family to pay once again for that. more importantly, taliban is searching for me.
3:38 pm
they were about to find me because i've always been on the top of their brat -- blacklist. >> that full interview you can see here at 2315. 11:15 p.m., paris time in english, presented by my arabic colleague. one million people without power in the state of louisiana. this in the wake of hurricane ida. you are lane's has been suffering with the memories of hurricane katrina in 2005. u.s. president spokearlier from the headquarters of fema. that is the nerve center of federal disaster management. >> we know hurricane ida had potential to cause massive damage.
3:39 pm
that is exactly what we saw. we have got one million people in louisiana without power. for a time, isa caused the mississippi river to change its direction. some folks are dealing with the storm surge and flash flooding. there are roads that are impassable due to debris and down power lines. we need people to shelter-in-place if it is safe to do so. >> just heard from president biden on the ground. matt is a difficult to say the least. newer liens, he bought counting the cost. >> downing electricity poles, uprooting trees and making rubble out of historical buildings, that is the aermath of hurricane ida. 16 years after hurricane katrina hit the same region with deadly
3:40 pm
consequences, that anniversary was on people's minds. >> i am nowhere -- nowhere near light katrina but it could have been had it hit here. it hit home instead. >> with wins topping 150 miles per hour, and left hl discussion -- trail of discretion -- destruction. on sunday evening, and knocked out power across new orleans, leaving more than one million residents in the dark. some still their homes to remain safe inside. others fled high-risk areas in search of shelter. >> we just want to get out, keep the kids safe. makes everyone is ok. >> heavy rainfall has raise water levels in alabama. ariel rescue teams -- ariel rescue teams allow them to take off.
3:41 pm
they are monitoring the health institution in affected areas. thousands of covid patients are hospitalized and many could not be evacuated because there was no safe alternative and they can be house. >> let us bring you the latest on the covid-19 here in france. situation is intense across the -- intensive care is up by 14 almost 2300 people receiving round-the-clock care. you deaths are at 98. this monday, the controversial health pass is the necessity with people in the general public those who don't comply could be sent home without pay. this weekend, another protest against the measure. 160 for -- 106 2000 people attending across the country. theme parks, transport facilities and cinemas. these are just a handful of the
3:42 pm
3:43 pm
>> according to france's union for the employed, workers were small and medium businesses are playing ball with 80% of their staff already in line with health regulations. the french government has approved the use of the health pass until the 15th of november. the health minister has warned that the deadline can be extended if the situation does not improve. >> brussels has removed travelers from the u.s. from the safe list of non-essential visits to europe comes in the light of rising infections. the decision by european council reverse the advice they gave in june from the block lifted ahead of the summer holiday season. speed limit and paris has been reduced to 30 kilometers per hour. the mayor says it is a measure tailor-made to cut pollution.
3:44 pm
part of a plan to increase bicycle and public transport use in the french capital. each year, 48,000 deaths are linked to be poor quality of the air. for commuters, the public transport falls short and others have no option but to use a car. these people see the downside of this lower speed limit, or merely for their commute by car. >> paris is the latest city t join thencreasingl popular 30 kilometer per hour clump. new speed limit is being imposed on nearly all of the french capital streets. in a bid to lower noise pollution, save lives and according to advocates, lower co2 emissions. >> the move is the latest phase
3:45 pm
of a long struggle between successive paris governments that have restrictive traffic in the city center. while it is a victory for climate change activists, motorists are unimpressed. >> the motorist groups seem to be falling on deaf ears an increasing number of cities acrossurope. >> there is a move in spain and holland following the stockholm claratn that there is a move now to he a default speed limit of 30 kilometers now. we are seeing other countries being interested but obviously, a capital such as terrist like
3:46 pm
madrid,hat isuge. that will drag many other places forward >> -- forward. >> many european countries have imposed new speed limits. >> we will watch that for more developments. >> it is time for business. we are joint here in france where the fun its ministry says it is time to start winding down the state aid that is cap many businesses afloat during this crisis. it has not finished yet. >> indeed. it has been 18 long months. it is not over the finest -- finance ministers says it's going back to business as normal. the economy is going up. the solidarity fund will be ending in september. the french government promised to keep businesses afloat at any cost. that has amounted to 240 billion euros in subsidies and loans.
3:47 pm
to prevent bankruptcies and layoffs. we have the details. >> one month, that is all the time left until they switch their called -- solidarity fund. >> i will remind you that the figures are clear there were 500 -- five or thousand requests from this fund last may. this number had fallen to 50,000 by july. a tenfold decrease because it is reflected in fewer requests for assistance. >> that is a magnitu of the pandemic as it became clear last year. france promised to protect the economy whatever the cost. date dispersed all this -- they dispersed all this money. this solidarity fund accounted for 35 billion euros in
3:48 pm
accessible aid. with expectations, economic growth could hit 6% in 2021, it will wean funds off there -- companies out there funding. that doesn't mean there will still be no hope for those in need. it will remain in place for the overseas territories where the health situation is still far worse than on the mainland by eight is and at sectors where coronavirus restrictions have been left struggling. is operating in the mountains, events management and travel agencies are facing difficulties amidst not jesse for the rollout of the health pass but intentional new rtrictions on the arrival of u.s. tourists to the european union. >> monday brought that requirement for all french employees who are in public facing jobs to have a health pass, through vaccination or negative test. despite polls showing a majority of the public supporting that pass, it is part pushback from
3:49 pm
unions and business owners claim the loss of customers and workers. finance minister defended the requirement himself, pushing against the argument that returning french businesses he says, has had little impact on the economic at committee. >> let's head to fore-check on trading. economic sentiment been receded across the eurozone. france with the sharpest drop as a lag hunt london and frankfurt
3:50 pm
the nasdaq closed at a newline. record high. doubt is slightly in the red. jay powell said the central bank is in no hurry to hike interest rates. humanitarian and security crises are being joined by a banking crisis. this past week and saw the rulers order banks to reopen while customer withdrawals is equivalent to 32 u.s. dollars. prices are rising quickly as the local currency in afghanistan loses value. moneychangers are refusing to accept it. the biden administration decision to freeze billions of dollars in afghan assets along with the imf halting $450 million in funding is leading to a cash shortage. the taliban expects the turbulence to end soon but many afghans are growing desperate.
3:51 pm
>> finally, for business. a heavy weight lifted from environmental concerns. the use of leaded gasoline has finally been eradicated worldwide. 20 years ago, 100 countries were still using leaded gas despite numerous studies linking it to premature deaths, health problems and other problems. the unmarked, and afghanistan were among the last to stop selling it. it wasn't until algeria exacted its last stocks in the past month that the use was fully eradicated you and environment program says 1.2 million fewer premature deaths per year and some 2.4 trillion in savings for
3:52 pm
world economies. they say it goes to show that fossil fuels can be phased out as they are facing -- we are facing a mounting climate crisis that calls for eight energy transition. goodness. it won't and on its own but taking a look right now. >> is a move in the right direction. diesels next. perhaps one day the diesel combustion engine will end. >> great to see you, sir. it is time to turn our focus on how china is using its financial clout to buy its way into europe. it happens like this. wanting a growth taking out a 1 -- montenegro taking a one billion loan and awarding a contract to construct a motorway to a chinese company. what is the payback? part of their balkan slope can be given over to china to pay this debt and cover the cost of
3:53 pm
the construction project. >> this is bar. the largest old -- sport into the balkans. it is located in montenegro. china could annex it legally. why? it started when montenegro decided to go to a motorway to open up the country. a chinese bank provided a $1 billion loan in 2015. six years later, 40 kilometers have been completed. it has been hit with construction delays and financial problems. the one biion euros have been spent. in order to complete the project, the government will have to fish out more money. the prime minister is furious. at the end of his inspection, he did not even try to seal his concerns. >> i have to admit.
3:54 pm
this is the most expensive motorway in europe. a section of the same length is 16 million per kilometer. here it is. 26. i don't understand what this difference -- why this difference is -- exists. >> they blame the chinese contractor. they brought their own workers. there are about 700 here they live in their own village, away from the local population. chinese officials refused to answer questions about the excessive cost of the project or consequences of possible bankruptcy. [indiscernible] >> if montenegro fails to repay the loan, the terms of the contract give china the right to access their land as collateral. in article eight, montenegro
3:55 pm
fuses -- iis within this framework that the count could lose bar harbor. beijing has expressed an interest in these facilities. it is an extraordinary contract. one that is already been implemented. montagnais goes ministry -- montenegr's finance minister has announced that they excepted because they have no precedent in europe. >> personally, i would not have negotiated these contracts on credit which is debt -- dangerous for our territory but now i am a minister, i want hope that the work is done. that this motorway is built and i have to remove the financial risk. >> to pay for this motorway which at the moment, only
3:56 pm
connects villages, the government could ask for help from the eu. this idea has caught on. people here are turning directly to europe. >> we are going to need europe's help to escape this but they will not allow this. i am sure that. >> to be honest, i think montenegro is a sold-out country to the chinese, russians, germans, one of the french? our territory does not belong to us anymore. >> would the chinese except the solution? it is not a given the contract specifically specifies that only chinese courts would have jurisdiction in the event of a dispute. >> our special focus feature from when you stay with us. you're watching french 24. ♪
3:57 pm
4:00 pm
08/30/21 08/30/21 [captioning made possible by democracy now!] amy: from new york, this is democracy now! >> as predicted by the national weather service, this is one of the strongest terms to make landfall here in modern times. amy: hurricane ida slammed into louisiana sunday, leaving a million people without power, including all of new orleans. the devastating storm hit 16 years to the
36 Views
IN COLLECTIONS
LinkTV Television Archive Television Archive News Search ServiceUploaded by TV Archive on