Transcripts For LINKTV DW News 20240714

Brent this is dw news, live from berlin. Tonight, migrants trying to reach the United States. The world asking why are children dying at the border. These were the favorite toys of a toddler who drowned with her father as they tried to cross the Rio Grande River into the u. S. Now the u. S. Congress is debating a new emergency funding package to help the migrants, but will it ever become law . Also coming up, the killing that shocked germany. A politician known for his prorefugee stance shot at his home. Now the suspect, a man with links to the far right, has confessed. But did he act alone . And cities across europe doing all they can to keep it cool as the continent swelters in a recordbreaking heat wave. Brent im brent goff. To our viewers on pbs in the United States and all around the world, welcome. In the United States, democrats in the u. S. House of representatives have approved a multibilliondollar emergency funding package for humanitarian aid for migrants on the border with mexico. It is unclear whether the bill will pass the republicancontrolled senate, and u. S. President trump has threatened to veto it. It comes amid reports of squalid conditions in u. S. Detention centers housing children. And then there is that disturbing photo. The bodies of a toddler and her father who drowned trying to reach america. That picture is triggering disbelief and outrage around the world. We have a warning, you may find images in our following report to be disturbing. Reporter it has come to this. A father with his tiny toddler tucked inside his shirt, drowned in search of a better life. According to reports, Oscar Alberto Martinez Ramirez decided to swim across the rio grande with his wife and child in a bid to seek asylum in the u. S. His wife tania watched as her loved one succumbed to the currents. Seen here in the red, she is led away bereft. The report shows that these people tried to cross the river to the United States. The girl went under the water and he drowned when he tried to rescue her. Reporter back in their native el salvador, their deaths have stirred anger and much anguish as their family mourns. This was her favorite doll, this one. She had it every time her mother got her ready. Reporter photos show a family with their lives ahead of them. Valeria was not yet two years old. The last message my son sent me was on saturday. He said mama, i love you. He said take care of yourselves, because we are fine here. When i read that message, i dont know, it made me want to cry because i saw it as a sort of goodbye. Reporter the tragedy emerged as democrats in washington passed a bill calling for extra cash to address the conditions in migrant detention centers. Thank you, madam speaker. This situation is child abuse. Its an atrocity that violates every value we have not only as americans, but as moral beings. Reporter donald trump says he will veto it. But deaths like oscars and valerias unamerican borders may make such a hardline stance difficult to hold. Brent speaking outside the white house, donald trump gave his reaction to that traumatic picture of that father and daughter. If we had the right laws that the democrats are not letting us have, those people, they would not be coming up, they would not be trying. We are building the wall. It is under construction. A lot of it is under construction. We will have over 400 miles by the end of next year. But it is very important. They can change it very easily. So people dont come up and people wont get killed. Brent that was u. S. President donald trump. I want to pull in the head of an Immigration Law firm based in washington dc. I want to just pick up on what the president just said. He is saying that this crisis at the border is the result of partisan politics. Is he telling the truth . No, that is not the truth. It is a sign of the inaction of congress with Immigration Laws in our country. It has been 12 years since we have had any kind of immigration bill. Since the Obama Administration there have been humanitarian crisis at the border, which is really a global issue because we are talking about humanity and everyone should be involved. But no, it is not a democratic issue and i am not sure which laws he is referring to changing. Asylum has been the same since the 1950s. He has done Everything Possible since his first day in office to deter people from coming to the border and it has not worked. Brent i want to ask you about the story surrounding that tragic picture that the world has been talking about about the father and daughter from el salvador who drowned in the rio grande trying to reach United States. We have been told that they were told that the bridge to cross over was closed, and therefore the only way they could get to the u. S. And to apply for asylum would be to swim across the river. How frequently are people turning away from official channels and trying to reach asylum in the u. S. . Allen very often. One of the new things this administration has been metering, which means they only allow people to come through port of entries at certain times and so many a day, which may cause families to remain in mexico for a long time, which can be problematic for those families so they do other things to try to get to the u. S. It fails me to understand how i wall is going to fix that problem and address the issues of a closed border. Some metrics or the ability to triage individuals to make sure if they are legally applying for asylum we can get them in in a timely fashion. Brent do you have any information tonight about the whereabouts and conditions of those children who were moved from that Holding Facility in clint, texas this week. That was a facility where people said conditions were squalid and unsanitary for children. Allen right. This is the problem. We were able to capture pictures of those individuals who tragically lost their lives at the border, but we cannot get into these detention centers. Either the ones by cbp or ice. The American Public is Holding Children and minors in these unsafe conditions. There is not a lot of information. Yesterday 800 of those children were returned to these yesterday 100 of those children were returned to those squalid places. If you took 300 away, why would you then bring 100 back . Seems like terrible mismanagement. Brent there was a member of congress who said this week children were free to leave these centers at any time they please, which in itself is outrageous. It has to make you wonder, and i will ask you as an Immigration Lawyer, is it possible the u. S. Government here is guilty or culpable of violating any type of human rights in the way that these children have been treated . Allen absolutely. Every human right convention you can think of has been violated. Dont ask me as an attorney, ask me as an american if i want this. Ask if this is the kind of standard we have to care for children who are ages 10 to four months. Is that the way that we can say they can walk out any time . To go where . And how . That is infallible for me it was very responsible that texas congressperson to say that remark. Brent we know democrats in the u. S. House have passed a bill. We heard trump may veto legislation if it makes it to his desk. It does not even look like more money is going to be thrown at this problem. Allen lets start with that consideration, because when we Start Talking about humanitarian humidity in the u. S. , money has never been an issue for this. Just two months ago the government allocated 1 million for our military budget to build this wall and we continue to build this wall. If money was an issue and we care about life and humanity, because we are very prolife here, why are we not managing these facilities . Furthermore, this is not just appear overnight. This has been a problem since this administration started. Now they want to just make claims that you can change laws in weeks and fix everything. It is a call for the International Community to step in and saying you are constantly shouting these principles around the world, but what are you doing at home . Brent are you practicing what you preach . Allen orr joining us tonight from washington dc. We appreciate your insights. Thank you. Brent here are some of the other stories now that are making headlines around the world. The captain of the migrant rescue ship seawatch says Italian Police entered the vessel after they entered italian waters despite an order from rome to stay away. Migrants on board have appealed to italian authorities to allow them to disembark after two weeks of circling an island. Italys farright government has insisted it would not let the passengers come on land. French authorities are investigating the fire earlier this year at notre dame to see if negligence was involved. Prosecutors said a burning cigarette or an electrical fault could have sparked the blaze. They say they have grounds to believe the fire was the result of arson. A United Nations expert has says has said Saudi Crown Prince mohammed bin salmans assets should be targeted with sanctions. Prince salman is suspected to have ordered the death of journalist Jamal Khashoggi who in the saudi consulate in istanbul last year. U. N. Experts said sanctions should stay in place until there is proof the prince is not responsible. U. S. President trumps soninlaw and Senior Advisor Jared Kushner says that the door remains open to palestinians to engage with his peace initiative. But he is also accusing palestinian leaders of not caring about their own people. Because they rejected his 50 billion economic plan. Kushner is closing a two Day Conference which had been organized to launchers launch his proposal. Palestinians have taken to the streets to oppose his plan. Reporter Palestinian Protesters in gaza burn an image of the u. S. And israeli leaders. They are outraged by washingtons peace to prosperity plan, saying it ignores their political demands, including an end to Israeli Occupation and the creation of an independent state. The hamas leader was among the demonstrators. We are not against providing aid to the Palestinian People in order to end the suffering caused by the occupation, but this money must not come at the expense of our ongoing rights or at the expense of jerusalem, the right to return, or at the expense of sovereignty or the release of our prisoners. Reporter in the west bank, a Palestinian Peace negotiator described the International Conference as divorced from reality. The elephant in the room is of course the occupation itself. The Israeli Occupation was never mentioned, not once. Reporter the conference brought together billionaire investors with middle east diplomats and financial leaders. It was organized by president trumps soninlaw and Senior Advisor, Jared Kushner. On hearing the palestinian response to his 50 billion economic plan, the 38yearold Real Estate Investor accused palestinian leaders about not caring about their people. The question leadership has to ask themselves, do they heed their hate their neighbor more than they love their citizens and their people . That is a fundamental question hamas has to ask. Reporter the palestinians see kushner and the Trump Administration as having a proisrael bias. They ask why, if washington is so concerned about palestinians wellbeing, trump cut hundreds of millions of dollars in aid to palestinian humanitarian organizations earlier this year. Brent youre watching dw news. Still to come. We meet south koreas new runway model. A Senior Citizen strutting his stuff. Stay tuned for that. Here in germany, Authorities Say a suspected rightwing extremist has confessed to killing politician walter lubcke. He was shot at his home in the western city of kassel earlier this month. Lubcke was a Senior Member of chancellor Angela Merkel conservative party, the cdu. Reporter a 45yearold suspect, identified only as stephan e. , has been detained behind these walls the last 10 days. Tuesday he confessed to shooting walter lubcke, saying he acted alone. But germanys federal prosecutor doubts this. Despite the suspects claim that he acted alone, our investigations will focus on the possibility that there were supporters, accessories, helpers, or other perpetrators. And we will determine whether this crime was the work of a terrorist organization, or if the suspect is a member of a rightwing terrorist group. Reporter stephan e. Has a criminal record that includes hate crimes. But he was not on authoritys radar. It is not clear to what extent he had maintained contact with rightwing extremist groups. I will say it again. The investigation of this political killing is not concluded with the suspects confession. Reporter the motive for the shooting death of this politician could date back to 2015, when large groups of refugees were arriving in germany. During a local event to discuss a planned refugee shelter, lubcke had said germans who do not value coexistence could leave the country if they wished. Stephan e. Claims it was this statement that spurred him to kill walter lubcke. Brent it is hot here in europe. A recordbreaking heat wave is making life miserable from millions of people across the continent. Authorities in paris have banded 60 have banned 60 of cars to the city to mitigate the buildup of Dangerous Levels of smog in the ozone. Record highs are expected in spains northeast and in the capital madrid. And here in berlin it was a recordbreaking hot, june day. Gonna i will keep checking berlins temperature throughout the day and find out how my fellow berliners are handling the heat, and closely observe if the german capital can top the record. 38. 5 degrees celsius. That was the hottest june temperature ever recorded in germany until today. If this does not sound hot to you, it does to people here. Most of us do not have air conditioning at home. How wellprepared are you . I am taking my family to the pool and we will be staying there the whole day. It is best not to work or strain too much. Stay in the shade. Gonna and it is getting hotter by the minute. I am in the heart of berlins government district. I dont know what Angela Merkel behind me in this building does to cool down, but the tourists have certainly found ways to enjoy the heat. Do you have any sort of ways to cope with the heat . Yeah. We have 50 sunscreen all over. Extra 50 in the bag. Then we try to stay as much as possible in the shadow. Gonna so where do you come from . We come from ukraine. Gonna are you surprised by the weather here in germany at the moment . We did not know that it would be 36 degrees like today. Gonna 36 degrees. You might call it hot, but it is still not breaking the temperature records. Many seem to share my favorite way of cooling down, though. So what about that record . I am not calling it a day yet. I have found a place in berlin that has definitely topped the heat record. This kebab shop. In there, where hes standing, it actually feels more like 50 degrees. When it is this hot do people really come and buy kebabs . Yes. Many people buy kebabs. Kebabs make things better. Gonna i dont know how he does it. Just thinking about eating a kebab makes me sweat. And no wonder, really, considering this has been the hottest day of the year in berlin so far. Brent she is going to need more than a hat if she wants to stay cool. We want to talk about the Health Implications from all this heat. To do that i am joined by oliver opatz, a doctor and researcher at the center for space medicine and extreme environment at the Charite University here in berlin. It is good to have you on the show. Space and extreme conditions, that is what we are in right now, isnt it . Oliver yes. It is always the change of the climate conditions. When it was kind of cold like last week, 20 degrees, 15 degrees, and we go up to 35, 40 degrees, then everyone is getting crazy. Brent it is a danger to peoples health, right . Oliver it is, definitely. Brent we say that every time there is a heat wave, but we are really serious about it. People can get sick and people can die when temperatures are this high. Who is most at risk . Oliver most at risk are very young people, up to one or two years, children, and elderly people above 80 years of age. And people who have severe diseases like kidney diseases, heart diseases, other severe diseases like cancer or something. Brent what are the precautions that people should be taking . I am hoping that you are going to say they should have well working air conditioners. Oliver definitely. Germans are afraid of air conditioning. We have a german word for it. Nobody else in the world has this word. Brent means it is a draft. Oliver it is like wind. Brent it is like wind. It can make you sick. We hear it all the time. Scientists say these heat waves are going to become the new norm, particularly in the summer. The climate is changing rather quickly. Are humans able to adapt this quickly . Oliver young people and people at our age, no problem. So, after a while you get adapted to it, you sweat a lot, or you adapt to drink a lot. But especially those people in danger that we were talking about, they have an enormous risk to get sick and also to be forgotten. Especially, i think about elderly people who live alone at home in the cities. They are at enormous risk. And we are also thinking about them. So, doctors, us, scientists who think about those climate changes now. Brent it is a good point you make, because just coming to work today i noticed they were not as many people outside because it is so hot. And you do not see any elderly people outside right now. Oliver no, they all stay inside and forget to drink and nobody looks after them. And that is why they are in danger, because nobody thinks about it and it is getting worse now. Brent i want to ask you before we run out of time, what about our mindset in dealing with heat . We were talking about air conditioning, for example. Do we have to change the way we view heat and the way we live with it if we want to have a comfortable life . I mean, is there something that we have to change up here as well . Oliver we should. I think it is happening automatically. But we have to make sure that until it happened, until the process has ended, we dont have too many people who suffered, or have given their lives for it. So, we should be going faster with changing air conditions, changing our way of thinking about how to build buildings, how to build houses, what to do with elderly people, how to do public transport, for example, which is also very hot right now. Brent dr. Oliver opatz from the charite, we appreciate your insights. And stay cool. Oliver thanks a lot. You too. Brent we will try to do that. It seems the heatwave could have some dangerous side effects of a different kind, setting off unexploded bombs. In the second world war, the allies dropped millions of bombs over germany. Estimates suggest 100,000 of the m never big never exploded. Many light unexploded under the ground with live fuses. Reporter after the discovery of a mysterious crater in a western german field, it quickly emerged that a world war ii bomb exploded spontaneously. Many are wondering if it was due to the scorching summer weather. Time and again in germany, unexploded aerial bombs are still being found. Usually they are detonated in controlled explosions at special sites like this one in berlin. Specialists do not rule out the possibility that heat can trigger the explosion, but they say it is unlikely. Temperatures play a role, but even so, the release mechanisms spring retains its force for more than 70 years. At some point due to the nature of the material, the plates retention force decreases. Then the spring releases and the bomb explodes. It is not necessarily dependent on temperature. The bombs can lie there undisturbed and still detonate at some point. Reporter forest fires increase the risk of explosion. In this district of what was west berlin, experts think munitions are still left over from training exercises by occupying allies. It is still hard to determine exactly where the allies trained and where leftover munitions may possibly still be in the ground. We do not know exactly where or when soldiers completed training exercises or what munitions they used. Reporter in brandenburg, the area surrounding berlin, Fire Services extinguished blazes from the air for fear of possible explosions. This area was used for decades as a military Training Area in former east germany. Perils from the past still lurk in the ground and the increasing temperatures are increasing the dangers they pose. Brent age, as they say, is just a number. We hear that all the time. A model in south korea is really taking that to heart. He is a Senior Citizen. And in a country that has a quickly aging, grey population, this model has a message. You are never too old to do the catwalk on the runway. Reporter at 65, kim is having one of the best times of his life. This has been his dream for years. Now he can walk with pride and tell the world he made it a reality. I have gone through tough times in order to begin this second life. I had a passion for modeling when i was younger, but the thought of it only came back unexpectedly when i realized it is difficult to find a place in any industry as an older person. Reporter since his debut in 2018, kim has made regular appearances and commercials, Fashion Shows and tv programs, often with younger models. For them, the former Restaurant Owner is an inspiration. At first i had no idea how i could stay in modeling longer because models usually have shortlived careers. But now i can dream bigger thanks to senior models. Reporter kim is setting an example for those who want a second life, too. He says age should not be a boundary. I think all people have some sort of special talent, no matter their age. I think it would not be a bad idea to refine that talent and take a shot at doing. Doing it. Reporter the new fashion stars next goal is europes renowned fashion week. For that, he is wellprepared. Brent wow. I will be back with the day. [captioning performed by the national captioning institute, which is responsible for its caption content and accuracy. Visit ncicap. Org] orrow