berlin. tonight, investing in the green economy. financial groups managing 100 dirty trillion dollars in assets have committed to fighting climate change at the cup 26 climate change summit paired ethiopia's leader telling the citizens to be ready for a fight as a year long war with rebel groups in the north threatens to move into the capital. french president emmanuel macron

bidding i do to angela merkel on her final visit to france as the chancellor of germany. ♪ i'm brent goff. to our viewers watching on pbs in the united states and all of you around the world, welcome. hundreds of financial groups say they are working together to mobilize funds to help countries achieve carbon neutrality by the year 2050. the glasgow financial alliance for net zero is bringing together 450 banks, insurers and pension funds with $130 trillion in assets. the alliance says it aims to help the world reach ned zero emissions by the year 2050 at the latest. climate action groups remain skeptical. >> around 450 banks and

financial groups have signed onto the glasgow financial alliance for net zero including heavyweights like switzerland's ubs group or the u.k.'s hsbc. according to their own numbers, the alliance commands around 130 trillion dollars in assets and the group hopes to shift some of those funds to companies working to reduce global emissions. >> through the new window of finance, such initiatives give finance the confidence to invest come up putting forward the adjustments in our economy, smoothing the transition to net zero and critically driving growth upwards while they force the missions downwards. >> but many wonder whether profit driven capitalism can save the climate. already, the financial alliance has its critics, who find it hard to trust the climate intentions of financial powerhouses as long as they also continue funding fossil fuel

projects around the globe. brent: my colleague of dw business joins me here. this glasgow financial alliance for net zero, this is less about political will and more about having enough money to stop climate change. what is behind the skepticism? do people not trust the people with the money? >> the biggest taking point as we heard is for the signatories, it has not been made mandatory to phase out fossil fuel financing. if you are still financially backing oil and gas while aligning yourself to net zero commitments, that is a difficult balancing act to sell to campaigners, activists and concerned citizens. the other problem is that because this is a voluntary commitment, enforcement might be an issue. it is not like there is any

legal way to help you natively pursue these banks and insurers in case they fall short of goals. this is a voluntary alliance they can join but also voluntarily leave. the role of finance in decarbonizing the world economy cannot be understated. a big part of solving these problems will come down to money. it might be good to a public face that you can subject to public scrutiny and even accountability. brent: do we know where and how the money would be spent? >> we are told the money is going to be spent helping countries transition to low carbon economies. that means more money flowing into green technology. we have a problem here in that there is no universally agreed-upon definition for what a green asset is for investors. is nuclear energy green energy? should investors back it? france tried to get the european

union to recognize nuclear energy as such. nuclear energy is a low in missions technology. the pentagon what you do with the waste or if there is an accident, it might end up not being the most environmentally friendly. if we want to find the climate transition, we are going to have to be on the same page as to what constitutes sustainable, green emissions. there are multilateral efforts to get that sorted. on a global level, we are not there yet. brent: we saw yesterday most world leaders departing. they were there for about 48 hours. now the real work is going to be this weekend next week and they are talking about money. this alliance controls 30 to 40% of the worlds total capital. this is the power. what does this tell us about what we have been hearing for years is that banks, multinational corporations are the ones who will stop climate change.

not necessarily the presidents and prime ministers. >> one way to look at this is whether you think the citizens have the power or the customers have the power. i have been talking to experts about this and they have been talking about how this is an opportunity to affect cultural change. a lot of what investors and banks and pension funds will do will depend on what you want. if you want to see where your bank is on this, call them. brent: that is a good point. green investments should produce green dividends. he hoped so anyway. thank you. -- we hope so anyway. thank you. ethiopia's government has declared a national state of emergency and ordered residents to prepare to defend their neighborhoods. that as forces make rapid gains and advanced toward the capital. fighters from the northern tigre regions they they have seized two cities about 400 kilometers away. the rebels have been locked in a

brutal war for government forces since last year. the conflict has plunged hundreds of thousands of people in tigre into famine. it has left thousands of civilians dead and has forced millions to flee their homes. >> the aftermath of the latest deadly airstrike on the capital. the ethiopian government is warning the fighting may soon reach its capital. with forces 400 kilometers from the city and closing, the government has declared a state of emergency and called on residents to take up arms. >> the state of emergency is to protect the nation's existence, unity and sovereignty. i do not think it will harm or benefit any individuals. >> it worries me a lot because they are near. they traveled many kilometers to

get there. i think they will control the city as well. >> after a year of brutal fighting, thousands of civilians are dead and millions have fled their homes. the united nations says both sides have committed atrocities. >> all parties to the conflicts have committed violations of international human rights, humanitarian and refugee law. some of this may amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity. >> with soldiers on the move and both sides showing no willingness to compromise, the civilians caught in the crossfire continue to suffer. brent: we want to bring in samuel. it is good to see you. an event to mark a year since hostilities started in the region. the prime minister today said

ethiopia will not collapse. ethiopia will prosper. ethiopia will forever exist. do people believe that? >> it depends on who you speak to. ethiopian's are looking at the effects of this conflict that has produced more than 2 million displaced ethiopians. the killing of so many people. a conflict defined by sexual violence. ethiopian refugees heading to the sudan. the famine happening across the country that is what the people are focusing on. slogans do matter. they tend to listen to the prime minister. brent: help us understand. the outside world is looking at this. how are these warring parties justifying the extreme violence? the u.n. says we are seeing extreme violen on all sides.

>> i have been to the region about four times since the beginning of the conflict. i was there a month ago. what was echoed in the report is also what has been happening. i'm not trying to discount what has been happening in tigray. making the same kind of allegations about the other side. it's always about the other side wherever you go. this report, while it is not as wide as it should be, i think it is a down payment of what is to come. ethiopians are being touched by it. this conflict has affected not just one region but aoss the country. brent: what about the african union? is there any attempt to mediate or what you would expect the

african union to do in a crisis like this? >> there was an effort. a former president of nigeria was appointed. he was supposed to have proceeded in trying to bring some kind of closure to this deadly brutal conflict. he was discounted from the get-go. it is very irrelevant. as it should be. this time is no exception. besides sending press releases andonoring former lears, i think thafrican unions again -- reduced the role they have taken in trying to solve an issue that has affected millions

of ethiopians and going across the sudan, which are hosting thousands of ethiopian refugees. brent: it is no longer a national issue. it is a cross-border crisis. joining us tonight. we appreciate your reporting. >> thank you. brent: here is a look at some of the other stories making headlines. german ngos say they have rescued nearly 400 people from boats in the mediterranean in the past 48 hours. the migrants, many of whom are children, are believed to have embarked on overcrowded boats in libya to reach the european union. germany's health minister is warning the coronavirus pandemic is far from over and the fourth wave is hitting the country with full force. covid-19 cases have been rising significantly in germany as has the number of covid patients were in intensive care.

the world health organization has granted emergency approval for india's homegrown vaccine. the vaccine is produced by biotech and has shown a 70% effective rate. the united states has entered a new phase in its fight against covid-19 with the rollout of the biontech-pfizer vaccine for the younger children. some 28 million kids between the ages of five and 11 are eligible for the job. -- the jab. >> in washington, d.c., eight-year-old carter took his first covid-19 jab in his stride. >> at first i was nervous. right then and there, i felt fine. >> carter is one of the current

-- one of the first kids to benefit from the recent approval for young children. he is extra vulnerable because he has diabetes. it is a huge relief for his father, brian. >> the biggest concern for us even as adults being vaccinated was, would you bring something home to him? carter has an underlying condition. now that we have his first shot today, life can start becoming good again. >> this clinic in texas also had emotional support dogs on hand to comfort the youngsters brave enough to turn up on the first day. it is also a milestone for their parents. >> getting my children vaccinated is a priority for me right now not just for them and their own health and safety but for the community and that everyone should be doing it. they can tell their friends who may be there parents are on the fence. it does not hurt. it is no big deal. oh protect the community. >> the children's vaccine uses a lower dose than the adult version but also requires two

shots at least three weeks apart. kids who have their first one before thanksgiving in late november should be fully covered in time to enjoy the winter holidays worry free. brent: you're watching dw news. still to come, we will introduce you to the afghan refugees who have entered uzbekistan but uzbekistan says they are visitors and not asylum-seekers. that story coming up in just a moment. angela merkel has arrived in france for her final visit as the chancellor of germany. french president emmanuel macron welcome to the outgoing chancellor and her husband in the burgundy region where the two leaders toward a town. crowds lined up to greet her with cheers. emmanuel macron is the fourth french president chancellor merkel has worked with during her 16 years in office. they do seem to love angela merkel in france.

it's going out to france with barbara -- let's goad to france -- let's go to france with barbara. you been doing this numerous times. these goodbyes and farewells for angela merkel. it is special about bidding her farewell in france? >> it really is the long tour in the long song of angela merkel's goodbye. what is special about this is emmanuel macron really gave her a personal farewell. something that seemed almost heartfelt because he really took all pains to turn this into a memorable event. they were greeted by emmanuel macron and his wife in the marketplace in the historical town. people crying long live mom, which seems the nicest

appreciation of her long reig n and her specialness. the french regard her as an actor -- an anchor, the beacon of the western world. they appreciate what she has done for franco german friendship even though politically, -- emotionally, people seem to be attached to her. it is remarkable. emmanuel macron has given her the works. visiting a wonderful historical museum. a dinner on a one chateau. some good glasses. they piano recital -- a piano recital. everything she could possibly like and walking around and greeting people who are so friendly to her. she must have had and still is having a wonderful evening. brent: we have about 20 seconds. there is an election next year

in france. emmanuel macron is up for reelection. does he have the popularity in his home country that medical would -- that angela merkel would've had if she were up for reelection? >> by far, not. people tolerate and some like him. many think more grudgingly he is doing ok. it is not so bad. but he is not loved. he seems too apart from people. he does not have the common touch. that may be his main problem. he is on tour to be reelected next year. but of course the hearts don't fly out to him as they did to angela merkel tonight. brent: barbara, thank you. the humanitarian crisis in afghanistan is getting worse with critical shortages of medicine, food and fuel. since the taliban takeover in august, his biggest and has

become one of the hubs for international effort to send aids and food across the border. when it comes to taking in refugees from afghanistan, uzbekistan has been more hesitant. it refuses to grant refugee status to people who fled the taliban. emily traveled to the capital and a border city. the refugees she spoke to have asked for their identities to be protected. they fear reprisals against their family members in afghanistan. >> dancing to keep the boredom out and the fear. afghan journalist marina and her extended family fled the taliban in mid-august. she is now in uzbekistan's capital with her sister, her two children, her husband and his brother. marina speaks several foreign languages including russian. she says her reporting and activism for women's rights would have been a death sentence

under taliban rule. >> my whole family was worried about me because i always wrote against the taliban. i remember i took a backpack, diapers and milk for the little one. one or two pieces of clothing to wear and we just ran. >> the 26-year-old tells us the uncertainty over their future is hard. is pakistan is not a signatory of the international u.n. refugee convention so they don't have refugee status. instead, marina and her relatives have three-month guest visas. >> we would have stad in afghanistan if we had not been afraid. it is our home but we knew it was dangerous. they would have found us. >> rights groups and local activists say there are hundreds of afghan political refugees marina's family across uzbekistan including in this city a few kilometers away from the border with afghanistan. officially, the government does

not acknowledge some of the recent arrivals were forced to flee. >> there are no refugees in our country. we have never taken them in. initially when there was a stream of people, we held talks with the taliban. taliban talked to the people and asked them to return home. they all left uzbekistan voluntarily. >>'s biggest and seems to be treading carefully and it comes to relations with its neighbor across the border. while the capital has not recognize the taliban government, officials have held several rounds of talks with the group including on economic projects and trade. stability is always a key concern for the government and the people in uzbekistan. you can see why. war-torn afghanistan is a few hundred meters away. human rights activists say it should not just be about stability and that that was back government needs to take more decisive action to prevent those who fled the taliban from being deported back to afghanistan.

>> these people often end up not having any of the go status, which means they can be pressured or blackmailed or become victims of corruption. so now, they must be allowed to extend their temporary visas until they get refuge in a third country. >> marina misses her relatives back in afghanistan. she is also terrified she can be deported back to her home country. government officials have recently talked about extending temporary visas for afghans currently in the country but marinas visa -- but marina's visa expires next week. duck-hook if i am deported to afghanistan, i will be in danger. they will probably just kill me and that is it. i want to be able to breathe properly and not just sit and wait for our visa to expire god for bid. every morning, i wake up and i look at the calendar on my phone to see how many days we have left.

>> marina hopes her family can start building a new future soon rather than being stuck in limbo . in a few days, she will find out whether or not she will be given the opportunity to do so. brent: it is one of the most prestigious prices -- stages rises in the literary world, the book a prize for fiction. this time, goes to south africa. this year's prize goes to damon galligan who was awarded the prize for his book, the promise. a story of racism and reckoning. he was called a master who pushes the form in new ways of saying the book was dense with historical and metaphorical significance. and, melissa is here from dw culture. he promised me you were going to tell me about the promise. i have not read it yet. why was it the winner?

>> it was certainly the most popular book. it was right up there. it has received the highest praise. it has been compared to james joyce and william faulkner and virginia wolf's writings. it is a family saga set in south africa and is set in -- and is very much set in south africa. it follows a funeral where there is a family. they live on a small plot of land and rachel on her deathbed promises one of the houses on the farm to the black servant. the promise is meant literally but it is also meant metaphorically. it deals with apartheid, south africa in postapartheid south africa. it deals with the promises and the hopes and what has happened there. one thing quite interesting about the novel is it has a very interesting narrator. the narrator shifts positions throughout the novel.

sometimes it is very funny. sometimes it also turns on the reader and can be quite derisive. it can be quite mean and cruel. the idea for it came up during a semi-drunken conversation the author was having with a friend of his about funerals. kind of realized in his conversation where he thought, funerals can also be funny and funerals are not about the dead so much. they are about the living. it follows four funerals over four decades. brent: the way you describe it, it makes me think that the act of reading is also an act of working. you have to concentrate. that tells us or gives us some insight into the author. what more do we know about him? >> he has been nominated twice before for a booker prize in 2000 three and 2010. this is third time lucky for him.

he suffered cancer as a child and spent a very long time in hospital. it is from there that he developed his love of storytelling. he has become increasingly political over the years. before his writings were put a sized at times for not being political enough and now they have become quite political. he has -- he was also one of the older members of the shortlist. this year, four of the six were either 40 or under. he is one of the older members of the short list. brent: i will look forward to reading the promise. we will be prepared as well to concentrate because it does not sound like it is going to be easy. thank you. >> thank you. brent: we were watching dw new spirit here is a reminder of the top stories we are following for you. at the climate conference, 450 private financial groups have pledged funds to help countries achieve carbon neutrality by the year 2050.

climate activists are reacting with skepticism pointing out the groups involved are also investing heavily in planet warming fossil fuels. ethiopia's government has declared a state of emergency and ordered residents to prepare to defend their neighborhoods. as forces make rapid gains and advanced toward the capital. you are watching dw news live from berlin. after a short break, i will be back to take you through the day. stick around. we will be right back. ♪

x#x#x#x#x#x#x#

>> it is 9:00 p.m. this is "live from paris." these are your top stories. tensions between algeria and morocco is cleared further as three algerians e killed in a military strike. algiers is blaming rabat. president biden returns to the u.s. rated by news of a humiliating defeat of his party in the gubernatorial election in virginia. and we are following a hunger strike by a priest in calle. . the local authorities have soft and their approach to migrants and promised to systematically