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Unprecedented Wave of Syrian Kurds Food Turkish Border; Turkish Role in Combating ISIS; Qian'an's Greenway; Front Lines of Ebola Fight; Anniversary of Kenya Mall Attack; Arab Spring Legacy; Libyan Crisis; Parting Shots: UK Premier of "Wilde Salome"

Aired September 22, 2014 - 11:00   ET



ANNA COREN, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: When you look around, Tanya, these people, I mean, they're not going anywhere. This is going to

be their home.


BECKY ANDERSON, HOST: Free from ISIS, but still in harm's way, hundreds of thousands of Syrians forced from their homes in just a matter

of days. And they'll find increasingly desperate conditions once they cross the border to Turkey.


ANDERSON: A very good evening from the UAE. It is 7:00 here. Three big stories this hour illustrate how even a major regional threat can't

completely overcome long-standing rivalries.

First, we mentioned a moment ago the staggering number of refugees fleeing ISIS in numbers never seen before. The threat the militant group

poses is enough to bring regional foes Saudi Arabia and Iran together on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. We'll be live at the UN for a

look at what they had to say.

Meanwhile, their proxy war is still being fought in Yemen. We'll have the latest from Sanaa following a powersharing agreement aimed at ending

deadly unrest.

Well, aid agencies in Turkey are dealing with a humanitarian disaster. It's the largest displacement of people since the Syrian conflict began. A

Syrian human rights group says as many as 200,000 people have fled northern Syrian when ISIS militants took over dozens of villages, many are making

their way north to Turkey. As refugees come in, some Turkish Kurd fighters clashed with security officers on Sunday when they tried to enter Syria to

help their ethnic brothers fight ISIS there.

Well, let's cross to Irbil in Northern Iraq and Anna Coren who is monitoring developments from there -- Anna.

ANNA COREN, CNN INTERANTIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Becky, this has been described as the biggest single displacement of people since the

Syrian civil war began three-and-a-half years ago and what is happening up on the border between Syria and Turkey is nothing short of a humanitarian

disaster. But it's not just affecting Turkey. It's also here in Northern Iraq where there are hundreds of thousands of refugees living in these

camps, Becky. And we spent time with them. And each one of them told us all they want to do is go home.


ANNA COREN, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: In the searing heat, they come in the thousands, descending on the Turkish border with whatever

belongings they can carry. These are the Syrian Kurds, the latest ISIS target.

With their villages under siege by the Islamic extremists, they flee to escape what's been described as ethnic cleansing only to be met by

barbed-wire and the sound of warning shots.

But with these images being broadcast to the world, Turkish authorities relent, allowing them in adding to the more than 800,000

Syrians already seeking refuge inside Turkey.

This humanitarian disaster in the region caused by ISIS is unrelenting. And its affecting the most innocent.

Refugee camps, like this one in Hunker (ph) near Dohuk northwestern Iraq housing approximately 8,000 Yazidis who managed to escape genocide in

Sinjar last month.

It was only supposed to accommodate the initial emergency, now these plastic tents a permanent fixture on this dusty, desolate landscape.

"We want to go home," says 20-year-old Layla (ph). "We want to go back and be protected. Life here is very difficult. We don't want to


This is just another crisis at the hands of the Islamic extremists. The international community reeling from the chaos, devastation and the

overwhelming influx of refugees caused by ISIS in Syria and here in Iraq.

For humanitarian agencies like UNHCR, this catastrophe caught everyone off guard. And while the refugees may be safe here, director Tanya Kareem

knows their future is grim.

When you look around, Tanya, these people, I mean, they're not going anywhere. This is going to be their home.

TAYNA KAREEM, UNHCR DOHUK DIRECTOR: Oh, yes. And the thing is, as you said, you know, we don't know when they will go home. These people

left their homes, left everything behind. How long we can sustain this assistance and support for these people.

COREN: And with winter fast approaching, this dusty camp will soon be a sea of mud, which is why they're desperately trying to lay more slabs for


But, money has run out and plans to expand have been put on hold.

KAREEM: So I appeal for the nations, the countries, please donate, do help, help these people, at least to live in dignity while we are -- they

are displaced.

COREN: But for this new mother, there is no dignity as she tries to rock her baby to sleep. Ripped from her home, her life like so many others

shattered by the violence unleashed by ISIS, hell bent on destroying these communities.


COREN: Becky, such a grim future facing all these people.

Now the Kurdish president, President Barzani has asked the United States to launch air strikes in Northern Syria. He has described what's

going on there as ethnic cleansing and he says the United States must act now to stop further massacres from occurring, Becky.

ANDERSON: Anna Coren in northern Iraq for you. Thank you, Anna.

Well, the ice between two longtime regional foes, Saudi Arabia and Iran, could be thawing. The foreign ministers met on the sidelines of the

UN general assembly signaling a possible united front in the fight against ISIS. Iran also met with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry to discuss the

rise of the Islamic State and Iran's nuclear program.

Richard Roth joining me now from New York where the UN General Assembly gets underway soon.

Ahead of the official opening, we know that the Iranian foreign minister met with his Saudi counterpart, and indeed with John Kerry. And

it's the state of relations between Saudi and Iran that really could make or break the Mid East's future. What have we learned about that meeting,

if anything?

RICHARD ROTH, CNN CORREPSONDENT: Well, we haven't learned much about that meeting, but ISIS, the community of Arab Nations -- Saudi Arabia on

one side, Iran always on another side, important that they would have huddled. The United States sees this UN General Assembly meeting not just

as talk all week, but as building a coalition as strong and tough as possible to combat ISIS.

Some countries are not willing to do airstrikes or ground troops, but still support in any way will be significant for the United States as they

move in the Security Council to try to stop foreign fighters from joining ISIS and in general regarding funding and logistics.

And just political support at home. The U.S. and officials would love for -- religious leaders, clerics in these countries to be preaching

against ISIS, to get the message out to young men who may be influenced by the social media of ISIS.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry on a morning talk show here in the United States discussed the issue of ISIS and the Arab community.


JOHN KERRY, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: Mike, I'm not going to get in now to who is willing to what at this point, the judgment of everybody is

that a great deal can be accomplished and perhaps even the whole deal can be accomplished by training the Free Syrian Army in the open. Saudi Arabia

has agreed openly to do that training in Saudi Arabia. That's a remarkable step forward. Countries in the region, multiple, have made commitments to

be part of military action. And I think we have to let the beginning begin and we'll see as we go forward.


ROTH: Now, the Iranian foreign minister has been making the rounds here. His nations nuclear program has already been discussed on the

sidelines and whether there's any progress or significant enough it'll be discussed at future meetings this week. There's a late November deadline

for Iran and the IAEA and the international community to come up with a definitive solution to the Iranian goals on nuclear power.

The foreign minister last week, late in the week, met with Ban Ki- moon, the UN secretary-general. Iran's help may be needed in the fight against ISIS. U.S. Secretary of State Kerry didn't rule it out at Friday

Security Council meeting. Saudi Arabia concerned about any influence or involvement by Iran. That is a major issue on the sidelines and in the

private discussions here, Becky, all week at the UN General Assembly's 69th session.

ANDERSON: Yeah, it's going to be interesting to see if who, if anybody, can keep the two separate, I guess -- the need for involvement by

Iran in the fight against ISIS versus the ongoing negotiations about its nuclear program.

All right, Richard, many thanks. Back with Richard, of course, throughout the week.

Well, key parts of Yemen's capital are still under the control of Houthi rebels despite a UN-backed truce agreement.

Now the Houthi, or Shiite, seized government offices in the army headquarters on Sunday around this time just hours before signing a peace

deal with the Sunni dominated government. Well, the agreement requires Yemen's president to form a new unity government and find a neutral

replacement for the outgoing prime minister.

Well, lest we forget, the developments in Yemen could fuel further sectarian tensions across the region. Journalist Hakeem Almasmari joins me

now live from Yemen's capital. And how far do you believe, or do experts believe that the ambitions of these Houthi actually stretch at this point?

Already created the resignation of the government there. How much further might they want to go at this point?

HAKEEM ALMASMARI, JOURNALIST: They control almost everything right now in Sanaa. They control the capital. They control yesterday all the

main institutions in the country. So today the Houthi knows that he has reached the peak. There's no other way -- there's no more to do.

He only wants now to ensure that the politics of the country, whether internal or foreign, works under their agenda, or that they're involved in

making this agenda clear to the international community.

So their influence will be very vital and very strong in the years to come. There will be to the Arab force that to be reckoned with, to be

honest with you. They have thousands of gunmen right now in Sanaa who will not leave the capital under the agreement until a deal is reached one month

later when the government is announced.

ANDERSON: All right.

Hakeem, before we move on, I'm just fascinated here to get our viewers a sense of who the Houthi are. And so lets just give our viewers some more

information and who they stand for, of course.

They're considered an insurgent group in Yemen, focused on reviving the Zaydi form of Shiite Islam. The group is based in the northern part of

the country. And Houthi fighters recently have taken over swaths of suggested territory, not just inside but outside of Sanaa. They've also

staged protests in the capital for the last several weeks demanding greater autonomy over their region. Their leader also wants President Abd Rabbuh

Mansur Hadi to reinstate fuel subsidies that were cut in July and form a cabinet that's more representative of the country.

Now I wonder how much of what we are seeing in Yemen is a proxy battle between Iran and Saudi at this point?

ALMASMARI: The Houthis have some support from Iran, but it is limited. My opinion the Houthis have their own agenda where, yes they're

pro-Shia, and yes they have contact with Iran, but the Iranian support to the Houthis is not -- the Iranian support can be compared to the one given

to Shia for example, or to Hezbollah. There is support, gut the Houthis today are a very strong force (inaudible) Iran to start coordinating with

the Houthis directly, or at least wishing to do so to ensure their interest or put more pressure on Saudi Arabia.

It's not a secret that the Houthis over the last couple of years have also tried to build links and build a trust of the Saudis over the last

couple of years. They've safeguarded parts of their border with Yemen against drug dealers and smugglers. The Houthis have been attempting that,

but Saudis are not giving the Houthis any chance to bridge the link fearing that they have agenda with Iran.

ANDERSON: Journalist Hakeem Almasmari joining us live from Yemen.

Well, still to come tonight, the Ebola outbreak is taking a deadly toll across West Africa and countries are desperate to stop its advance.

I'm going to take you to the front lines of what is the fight against the illness in Liberia.

Also ahead, as Turkey deals with hundreds of thousands of Syrian refugees pouring into its territory just in the past couple of days, we're

going to take a look at Ankara's role in the fight against ISIS.

You're with Connect the World with me Becky Anderson. Stay with us.


ANDERSON: This is CNN and Connect the World with me Becky Anderson. Welcome back.

Now a Syrian human rights group says as many as 200,000 Syrian Kurds are escaping their villages threatened by ISIS militants. It's the largest

displacement of people since the war in Sryia started in 2011. It is no exaggeration to say that the refugees are overwhelming aid groups trying

to provide food and shelter.

Well, Turkish Kurds want to join the fight in Syria. And they've been a thorn in Turkey's side. Ankara worried about links between the Syrian

Kurds and Turkey's Kurdistan Workers Party, which has been engaged in armed campaign for Turkish rights. A very complicated situation there.

Now that dozens of Turkish hostages have been released by ISIS, then what will Turkey do next? Well, it join the international coalition to

fight ISIS, or will it, as it has done to date, stay on the sidelines?

Well, Koray Caliskan joins me now from Istanbul. He's an associate professor of political science and international relations in the city.

And to up with the 200,000 refugees from Syria into Turkey in the past four days alone, on the flip side, Kurdish fighters from Turkey crossing the

border into northern Syria to help prevent the ISIS onslaught and Syria's what is majority Kurdish north.

Was Turkey prepared for this?

KORAY CALISKAN, BOGAZICI UNIVERSITY: I'm not sure Turkey is prepared, because Turkey's foreign policy seems to be failing on almost every ground

right now. Turkey was prepared to get rid of Assad as they are foreign minister once said in less than three months. And it has been more than

two years and Assad has been there.

And we were not prepared for the influx of Syrian refugees. Right now around 2 percent of Turkey's population are Syrian refugees. Right now you

see Istanbul behind me. If you go downstairs from this building where you're broadcasting, you can see a lot of Syrian refugees, children begging

on the streets of Istanbul.

On top of this, now we around 200,000 Kurdish refugees who are rightfully crossing the border because ISIS has been bombing their towns

and villages and threatening to invade right now Kobani (ph), which is predominately Kurdish city whose population reached around 300,000 people.

ANDERSON: So, sir, I guess the questions is what happened next? And you're absolutely right to point out what's going on in Istanbul alone. We

were there just six weeks about and it was very clear that there were an awful of refugees on the streets of Istanbul.

So far, then, there's been a lot of speculation as to what Turkey might have offered ISIS in return for these hostages. This is what

President Erdogan had to say on Rumors of a prisoner swap. Have a listen to this.


RECEP TAYYIP ERDOGAN, PRESIDENT OF TURKEY (through translator): A swap might have taken place or not. 49 citizens have returned to Turkey.

We wouldn't trade this for the world. This is not an issue that we discuss. Even if there was a swap as a president I would think the lives

of 49 citizens are irreplaceable.


ANDERSON: Now with these Turkish hostages, of course, while they were being held in Mosul, which President Erdogan induced as an excuse, as it

were, not to get involved in the international coalition going forward, the release, then, of these may help, one assumes, pave the way for a more

active Turkish policy against ISIS.

Again, President Erdogan on the possibility, for example, of a buffer zone inside Syria. Have a listen to this.


ERDOGAN (through translator): To establish buffer zone on the Syrian side of our border with Syria was an issue that I raised in the NATO

summit. Also in our bilateral talks with Mr. Obama I discussed this issue with him and gave him details along with some of the member countries in

the coalition, I discussed the same issue.


ANDERSON: Would it be fair to say that perhaps one of the reasons Erdogan had taken so long to response was the issue of these hostages and

what do you think, sir, Turkey will do next?

CALISKAN: Turkey should make a decision between two camps. Either secular Kurds or Islamist terrorists. Islamist terrorists already kidnapped

46 of our personnel and has threatened everyone around them.

Yet on the other hand, secular Kurds, they've been fighting to protect themselves from this ideology of Middle Ages that presents itself as Islam.

And everyone that this doesn't really represent Islam.

However, we have a little problem here, Turkish government is a neo- Islamist authoritarian government, which failed to cater to the requirements of democracy. Right now, it is very important, it's a big

test for Turkish prime minister who had been the previous minister of foreign affairs to show that Turkey's direction is towards the west and

democracy, not the east and authoritarianism, but by taking a firm stance against ISIS.

Other than that, I don't think Turkey has any option.

ANDERSON: Interesting. Well, let's see what's said at the UNGA where one assumes an awful lot of discussion will be had about just who is in and

who is out in this fight against ISIS and which countries will stump up what sort of assets, or for example out of Turkey possibly facilities for

the U.S. to fly its planes out of there in the fight against ISIS.

For the time being, though, we'll leave it there. Thank you.

Live from Abu Dhabi, this is Connect the World with me Becky Anderson. Your world news headlines are coming up in a few minutes. First, though,

transforming a so-called mother river in China. How one architect and his team brought life and investment back to its banks. That's up next.



KRISTIE LU STOUT: In the northeastern Chinese city of Qian'an the gurgling family hub, or mother river, runs around its border.

An historical and cultural and landmark that served the famed paper makers that used to line its banks.

ZHOU YUCHENG, HEBEI PROVINCE QIAN'AN CITY RURAL PLANNER (through translator): (inaudible) used to have a large amount of clear, high

quality water in the 1950s. Fish and crabs caught in the river were delicious. It was a most present natural environment back then.

LU STOUT: But it wasn't always this way. Industrialization in the 70s made Qian'an a stronghold of steel production left the same river like

this a dumping ground for human and industrial waste. It was eventually filled with concrete and ignored.

But the local government decided it wanted it fixed and started tackling the project in 2007.

PROFESSOR YU KONGJIAN, QIAN'AN SANUHE GREENWAY: My vision for the site was a green corridor. I call it ecological infrastructure. So it's

not just a river, it's about how to deal with the cities of people and so it's an ecosystem.

LU STOUT: Professor Yu Kongjian was charged with spearheading the river's rejuvenation. He envisaged an urban greenway punctuated with

walkways, cultural references and bicycle lanes, once again used by city dwellers.

ZHANG LIN, DESIGNER: At the early stage of designing, we found out that the river had been severely destroyed. So the entire project was

based on the idea of revising nature.

LU STOUT: In just three years from conception to completion, Yu and his team of designers gave new life to the land. The team redirected

sewage, removed the concrete and treated the industrial waste. And after building a rubber dam siphoning water off the river Luan (ph), Sanuhe

flowed again in three sections.

Today, the wetland is capable of absorbing excess rain, low maintenance vegetation is flourishing and preserved trees grow in island

clusters. And while residents return to Sanuhe's banks. So, too, are developers.

KONGKIAN: The property value also along this corridor changed dramatically. The property value doubled. And you still see may new

buildings, new residentials built along this green corridor.

LU STOUT: A positive move recognized by the locals.

LI HAISHENG, QIAN'AN RESIDENT (through translator): As a person born and raised here, I knew too well about the stinking sewers and the filth.

The contract before and after the transformation is striking.

LU STOUT: And perhaps a sign of a move towards a green China.



ANDERSON: This is CONNECT THE WORLD with me, Becky Anderson. The top stories for you this hour.

A Syrian human rights monitoring group says as many as 200,000 Syrian Kurds have been forced from their homes since Friday. That's as the

extremist group ISIS took over dozens of villages. Meanwhile, Kurdish fighters say they've halted the militants' advance.

Thousands of students in Hong Kong have launched a week-long boycott of classes to demand greater democracy. Beijing has ruled out a fully

democratic election to choose the next leader of the special administrative region, and a growing student movement is voicing its opposition to

Beijing's stance.

Thousands of Russians marched in Moscow over the weekend. They're protesting the Kremlin's handling of the crisis in Ukraine. It's believed

to be the first such rally in Russia since open hostilities began months ago in eastern Ukraine.

Sierra Leone has ended a three-day lockdown of the country. People were ordered to stay at home while educators went door-to-door to provide

information about Ebola. During the lockdown, 130 new cases were identified. Now, across West Africa, Ebola has killed more than 2700


Meanwhile, a second wave of US military personnel has arrived in Liberia to help stop the spread of Ebola. They're part of what is a wider

mission to train health workers and build treatment centers for Ebola patients. But as Elizabeth Cohen shows us, stopping an outbreak of this

magnitude will be a major challenge.


ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN SENIOR MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: When I first arrived here in Monrovia, a diplomat said to me, "This is a nightmare."

After being here for a few days, I understand why she thinks that way.

COHEN (voice-over): An international health crisis unprecedented in modern times. Ebola. Ground Zero? Liberia. This city, Kakata, a hot

spot. As a Sunday service comes to end, parishioners washing up with chlorine, the threat of the virus ever-present.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We are quite afraid, because this is a threatening disease.

COHEN: This young parishioner, Moses Kali (ph), lost 13 of his relatives to Ebola, including his parents. The pastor tells his

congregation, no shaking hands, no hugging.

VICTOR KING, PASTOR, KAKATA, LIBERIA: Are you afraid of death? No, I will die. But I don't want to die from Ebola.

COHEN: In the capital, Monrovia, a prayer before the dead body management team winds its way to the city slums to retrieve cadavers. But

even these suits can't protect their hearts from what they see on the job, like a baby, hungry for his dead mother's milk.

FRIDAY KIYEE, DEAD BODY MANAGEMENT TEAM: I took the key. When I opened the door and went in, I saw a six-month-old child licking on the

mother, because the mother died, she was lying on her stomach, dead, and the baby was licking on the mother's skin. So, right away, I started

shedding tears.

COHEN: Lusa Kane (ph), the woman inside this bag, one of nearly 1500 people suspected of dying from Ebola. The number of cases here up 52

percent in just three weeks. One major reason: many hospitals have closed down, afraid their staff will contract Ebola, so the sick, forced to stay

at home where they can infect others.

This new clinic opened just Sunday, but when we arrive, no one comes outside to bring these patients in. Too weak, they fall to the ground.

Inside this ambulance, three people make a seven-hour trip to get here and die outside the hospital.

Back in Kakata, Father King does his part. He stopped giving everyone communion from the same cup.

COHEN (on camera): By stopping this practice, have you saved lives?

KING: Yes, definitely.

COHEN (voice-over): His congregation awaiting the help promised by President Obama.

ANTHONY KALLAH, SCHOOL TEACHER: The news that America was coming in with that huge number of personnel and material, that in itself is a relief

to Liberia, and Liberians.

COHEN: They know relief won't come quickly. For now, Ebola is here to stay.

COHEN (on camera): The need for more beds here is severe. In the city of Monrovia alone, they need 700 more beds for Ebola patients. Now,

the US government has said that they're going to come in, build 17 more hospitals, 100 beds each.

Liberians are happy about that, but the US isn't sending doctors and nurses to staff those facilities. Liberians are wondering who is going to

take care of these Ebola patients.

Elizabeth Cohen, CNN, Monrovia, Liberia.


ANDERSON: In Kenya, people are still trying to come to terms with the horrific attack that sent shock waves through the capital and around the

world. A year ago this week on Sunday, they marked the first anniversary of the Westgate Mall siege.

Militants from the Islamist terror group al-Shabaab stormed the mall in Nairobi, you'll remember, 67 people were killed in a siege that lasted

four days. CNN's Nima Elbagir is in Nairobi and she joins me now. What's the mood there tonight?

NIMA ELBAGIR, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, there is definitely a sense, Becky, that people are taking this opportunity to look

back and remember those they lost. And in the absence of any meaningful government action on the day, they're also taking the opportunity to

celebrate those Kenyans who stepped into that breach, who became heroes in the face of that horrifying violence.

We spoke to the man who was actually on duty at the Nakumatt in Westgate on the day the attack happened. He is credited with saving dozens

of lives, and he spoke to us about the choice he made to go back in there and get those people out of there, Becky. Take a listen to this.


DAVID MUTURI, WITNESS OF ATTACK ON WESTGATE MALL: The shooting started from outside, outside the mall. So, you could see people from the

mall coming towards Nakumatt. And then, everybody was running helter- skelter away.


MUTURI: I met one of the policeman. In fact, I saw the policeman in the days of this mission. He was in a vest. He asked me, "Do you work


I told him, "Yes, I work here. I work for Nakumatt."

"Are there people inside?"

I told him, "Yes, a lot of people." And even our phone, our internal branch phone was ringing from our area. I told him, there were a lot of


"Do you know where they are?"

I told him, "Yes, I know where they are."

In fact, he told me in Swahili, he told me, "Someone one day will go in and get these people"


MUTURI: Running from one corner to the other, (inaudible). And even opening the window, (inaudible). And even people agreeing that you are not

one of the police, you're telling them to go out. I had to wear even one of their vest coats bearing the Nakumatt logo. I had to wear that so that

when you tell people, "Wake up and move," they agree to move.

That is the time I came to learn that I (inaudible). How do you go out with all these people in there in different corners of the shop? I

knew the way out. I could have gone immediately, but how do you leave all these people? Yes, I had to open, literally open all the doors. Literally

tell everybody, whoever it was inside, "This is the way out."

And we took a lot of people outside. Otherwise the damage could have been enormous. It had never passed my mind that I can die, but in my mind

was, how many people can I get outside? If we don't do something, if the government doesn't do something, then people, it can happen.

These people in the store, you can't stop them with your bare hands. You can't stop them with one policeman or two policemen standing from the

gate. It can still happen.


ELBAGIR: David is only one amongst the many stories of extraordinary bravery that we heard on that day, Becky. And today, amongst the great,

great sadness that Kenyans are feeling, they really are also celebrating those heroes that stepped out from amongst them. Becky?

ANDERSON: Yes. And rightly so. A year on, Nima, and the president vowing to have Kenyan troops continue fighting Islamist militants in

Somalia until, he says, and I quote, "peace and stability is restored to the region." Given the security concerns that these troops in action

raises, did the people of Kenya support that decision?

ELBAGIR: Well, I think for a lot of Kenyans, this is a conversation that's been going on for a while. Is this worth it for Kenya? And I think

what is becoming more and more clear is that it is not worth it if there is absolutely no support system, no security infrastructure here to try and

catch any of those militants that try and cross the border.

For a lot of Kenyans, the focus has shifted from Somalia to the great failings of their security infrastructure here. It wasn't until the

beginning of this month, a year on, that actually a parliamentary commission found that there should be some kind of committee of inquiry

looking into the failings and the shortcomings that the Kenyan government was responsible for in its response to Westgate.

We still don't know when that's going to happen, if that's going to happen. So I think for Kenyans, they feel, OK, that's all well and good

that that's happening in Somalia, but what are you doing here to make us safer, Becky?

ANDERSON: Nima Elbagir in Nairobi. Nima, thank you. Got more on this story online for you. Head to cnn.com, follow the links on our home

page to see video reports on the Westgate attack. You can also watch video from survivors as they recount their experiences of an event that changed

Kenya as we know it.

Live from Abu Dhabi at -- what time is it? -- 7:41 in the evening, this is CONNECT THE WORLD with me, Becky Anderson. Next, from bad to

worse. Fears that heightened tensions in Libya could push the country over the edge. We're going to get back to the UN after the break to hear the

plans from them to stop Libya from fracturing.


ANDERSON: All right. Throughout the past couple of weeks, if not months, we've been exploring the changing dynamics across this region, the

Middle East. What we are seeing today, the upending of the status quo, started with the Arab Spring, of course, uprisings that overthrew

entrenched dictators.

But the political reality that emerged in Egypt and Tunisia and in Libya is far from the inclusive democratic one that was hoped for. And in

the case of Libya, it seems the situation is far from getting any better.



ANDERSON (voice-over): Celebrating the end of a dictatorship, this was Libya in 2011 after the fall of longtime leader Moammar Gadhafi.


ANDERSON: Three years on, the country is in the grip of a nearly all- out civil war. Once united behind a common goal, the Zintan and Misrata Brigades only last month turned their guns on each other, fighting over

political and economic power and Libya's vast oil reserves.

Elections in June brought to power a new anti-Islamist government, but the new administration has so far proved ill-positioned to quell the

violence. I met with the Libyan prime minister, Abdullah al-Thinni, in Abu Dhabi earlier this month.

ABDULLAH AL-THINNI, PRIME MINISTER OF LIBYA (through translator): The situation in Libya is difficult and complicated as a result of the fact

that our biggest city, Tripoli, is being held hostage by a group that calls themselves Libya Dawn. Also, the city of Benghazi is under Ansar al-Sharia

and other outlaws. But this cannot last long.

ANDERSON: The prime minister says there is a way out of this crisis, appealing to militants to lay down their arms and leave the capital.

Failing that --

AL-THINNI (through translator): We will resist with all our power, and the capital will be liberated. And we reassure our people that the

state will not remain quiet when it comes to Tripoli and Benghazi. We will exert all our power, and the coming days will prove this.


ANDERSON: Well, I am afraid that in Benghazi just over the past 48 hours or so, more deadly violence. So, can Libya move away from the brink

of full-blown disaster. To discuss that, I'm joined by the UN secretary- general's special representative to the country, Bernardino Leon from UN headquarters in New York.

And sir, the prime minister contends that only 5 percent of the population actually support the Islamist militia, but the reality is that

almost the entire country is in turmoil. His own government sits in the north of the country in the city of Tobruk, for example, because it's too

dangerous in the capital. How would you describe the challenge of bringing peace and stability to Libya?

BERNARDINO LEON, UN SPECIAL ENVOY TO LIBYA: Well, good morning, Becky. I think the first problem is to agree on institutions. We need

institutions that are recognized by everyone, and this is the House of Representatives, and this should be a national unity government to

represent all the Libyans.

In parallel, we need to work on the security aspect. We have brigades occupying different positions all around the country. In Tripoli, but also

in all the cities --


LEON: -- and we have to address both the political challenges and the security challenges in parallel.

ANDERSON: Now, I note that you are suggesting at the UN that getting a delegation representing the different parties in the Libyan conflict to

meet next Monday for what the UN, at least, calls an initial round of dialogue.

With respect, would these warring parties showing no willingness to put down their weapons and sit around a table to discuss anything, what are

you hoping to achieve and who are you hoping to speak to at this point?

LEON: Well, you are right. The first element for whatever international or national initiative should be complete cease-fire. And we

don't have this complete cease-fire today. We still have fighting, shelling on civilians, and a lot of problems in the Warshefana area and

also around Benghazi.

So, we have to make sure that this cease-fire will be complete and that we will be able to create the right mechanisms to monitor this.

At the same time, we have a group of representatives, important representatives, important representatives from both camps, agreeing on

this dialogue next Monday. So, I'm hopeful that with the support of the international community, this week here in New York around the UN --


LEON: -- General Assembly, we will be able to make this a meaningful dialogue, able to reach conclusions

ANDERSON: Well this is important, isn't it? Because you talked about the inclusion of the international community, here. As the US builds a

coalition to halt the spread of ISIS, what is the danger that the international community ignores the gravity of the situation in Libya and

its potential spillover to the region and to the rest of the world.

Forgive me, but we're here in the region. And even the UAE ambassador to Washington, who have thrown their weight behind the US in its fight

against ISIS, says remember that there are bigger problems in this region than just ISIS. Are you absolutely convinced that you'll get sign-up, as

it were, sign-on by the likes of the US, when so much else is going on?

LEON: Well, I think the situation we have in Libya today is not comparable to the one of ISIS and others in the region. We have a divided

country, but I think these -- both camps who have been fighting in recent weeks can make deals. These are the people who made together the

revolution, and their distances are not huge.

But we have at the same time, you are right, there is a huge international concern about terrorism in Libya. We have some areas in

Darnah, even in Benghazi, we have groups like al Qaeda and all of the jihadi groups around. And we have to work on it seriously. We have to

isolate them --


LEON: -- and this is another reason for the political process to be so important --


LEON: -- because it will help us on both camps to isolate terrorists

ANDERSON: All right. Sir, with respect, I have to put you up on something you said at the beginning of that answer. You said what's going

on in Libya is by no means as big a crisis as that of ISIS.

If you talk to people in this region, they will say that while they absolutely respect the concern that people have about ISIS, that there is a

bigger roiling -- potentially roiling story here.

And that is that of the rise of political Islam and Islamist groups like those of Zintan and Misrata who are fighting what they believe is a

good fight in Libya. And the spillover -- the spillover from that -- could be absolutely disastrous for this region.

LEON: Absolutely. Absolutely. And if we had a kind of rogue state, divided, with different institutions, with no one able to control the land

in a country where we have mafia tracking human beings, with weapons. We have a lot of weapons, too many weapons in Libya.

This could be a disaster. This is why we need to make sure that both camps can make deals, can agree on an institutional framework, and can

normalize Libya. And this is what hopefully we will try to do next Monday in the country.

ANDERSON: Well, I think from everybody who cares about Libya, Libyans themselves, and those across this region and around the world, your

optimism is very good. People are very -- looking for an out on this one. So, good luck. Thank you for joining us here on CNN.

Coming up after this short break on CONNECT THE WORLD with me, Becky Anderson, we catch up with Al Pacino on the red carpet to hear about his

latest bad guy movie role.


ANDERSON: Al Pacino was on the red carpet in London promoting his new movie at the weekend, "Wilde Salome." While he was there, the star

delivered one of his best-known Parting Shots to adoring fans. Karl Penhaul was there.



KARL PENHAUL, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Red carpet launch for his new movie documentary, but to fans here, he'll always

be gangster extraordinaire.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The way he portrayed himself as a gangster, as a bad guy, tough guy, was perfect.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He plays a bad guy well, so yes. He makes it look cool.

PENHAUL: Al Pacino's new movie, "Wilde Salome," is based on an Oscar Wilde play. Merlin Holland is the Irish playwright's grandson.

MERLIN HOLLAND, AUTHOR AND GRANDSON OF OSCAR WILDE: The role of Salome taken by Jessica, which is extraordinary, it's mind-blowingly good,

the way she does it, Al Pacino to me has always been the fellow who played the hard guys in the film. And when he got in touch with me and said, "I

want to talk to you about it," I thought, well this is -- it can't be right.

PENHAUL: Jessica Chastain in the title role, Pacino plays barbaric King Herod.

PENHAUL (on camera): Now, who's the biggest bad ass of them all? Is it Herod? Is it Michael Corleone? Or is it Scarface?

AL PACINO, ACTOR: Oh. Who's counting?


PACINO: I don't know.

PENHAUL (voice-over): Pacino's here with his Argentinean actress girlfriend. She says she grew up watching "Scarface" in English with

Spanish subtitles.

LUCILA SOLA, AL PACINO'S GIRLFRIEND: "Say goodnight to the bad guy."

PACINO AS TONY MONTANA, "SCARFACE": So say goodnight to the bad guy.

PENHAUL (on camera): I need you to twist his arm and persuade him.

SOLA: Persuade him to come tell you lines from "Scarface"?

PENHAUL (voice-over): Others are all-too-ready to repeat classic gangster lines.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: "Say hello to my little friend."

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: "Say hello to my little friend."

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: "Say hello to my little friend."


PENHAUL (on camera): Can you give me the best line from "Scarface" in sign language?


PACINO AS MONTANA, "SCARFACE": Say hello to my little friend!



PENHAUL (voice-over): But "Scarface" the movie was years ago. Maybe Tony Montana is mellowing.

PACINO: Say hello -- say hello to my little friend!


UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's like, oh! Pacino!

PENHAUL: Karl Penhaul, CNN, London.


ANDERSON: Amazing. The team at CONNECT THE WORLD wants to hear from you as ever, facebook.com/CNNconnect. You can always have your say. You

can tweet me @BeckyCNN. We're on Instagram as well, just search for Becky and CNN. Tell us what you think, let us know, stories, ideas, analysis on

the headlines of the day. That's @BeckyCNN.

I'm Becky Anderson, that was CONNECT THE WORLD from the UAE. Thank you for watching. Your headlines follow this.