>>> AN UNUSUAL SCENE OVERSEAS TONIGHT, IN LONDON. THE LONDON BRIDGE, STUCK IN AN UPRIGHT POSITION, FOR HOUR, COMPLETELY SNARLING TRAFFIC IN ONE OF THE BUSIEST AREAS IN THE CITY. THE BRIDGE IS OPEN TO ALLOW A LARGE-WOODEN SHIP TO GO UNDERNEATH.
AUTHORITIES SAY, A TECHNICAL FAILURE IS TO BLAME. THIS HISS TTORIC BRIDGE, BUILT 1894, NORMALLY OPENED ABOUT EIGHT TIMES EVERY YEAR. >>> THE DIRE WARNING TONIGHT FROM THE UNITED NATIONS AS IT RELEASES IN ONCE IN A DECADE CLIMATE REPORT. THE CONCLUSIONS, IMPOSSIBLE TO IGNORE. HUMANS ARE TO BLAME FOR A WARMING PLANET AND MAKING DISASTERS LIKE THE WILDFIRES IN GREECE AND CALIFORNIA EVEN WORSE. OUR MAGGIE RULLI IS IN GREECE TONIGHT.
>> YOU CAN HEAR THE CRACKLE OF THESE FLAMES. THE FIRING ARE JUST REPPING THROUGH THE UNDERBRUSH HERE. >> BUT ALSO, REPORT MAKING IT VERY CLEAR IT'S NOT TOO LATE TO REVERSE COURSE. ONE OF THE LEADING VOICES ON CLIMATE CHANGE STAND ING BY TO JOIN US LIVE. >>> COVID CASES ARE SOARING IN THE UNITED STATES. FOR THE FOURTH DAY IN A ROW, 100,000 CASES IN A DAY.
AND TONIGHT, THE CONCERN AMONG CHILDREN. TONIGHT, PEDIATRICIANS ARE URGING THE GOVERNMENT TO LET CHILDREN FROM 5 TO 12 GET THE VACCINE. MANY HOSPITALS ARE NEARING A BREAKING POINT, TONIGHT, OVERWHELMED WITH PATIENTS. FLORIDA IS ASKING THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT FOR HUNDREDS OF VENTILATORS. >>> THE PENTAGON WEIGHING IN, TONIGHT, ABOUT THE TALIBAN'S ADVANCE IN AFGHANISTAN. SAYING THINGS ARE, CLEARLY, NOT HEADED IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
WHAT CAN THE U.S. DO TO HELP AS IT PREPARES TO LEAVE AFGHANISTAN IN JUST A MATTER OF WEEKS? >>> THE MAJOR DEVELOPMENTS IN WASHINGTON, THIS WEEKEND, THAT SET THE STAGE FOR INFRASTRUCTURE COMPROMISE. THE SENATE EXPECTED TO PASS A BIPARTISAN BILL TOMORROW MORNING SENDING IT TO THE HOUSE FOR A NEW BATTLE, POSSIBLY PITTING DEMOCRATS AGAINST EACH OTHER.
WHAT COMES NEXT? U.S. ENERGY SECRETARY JOINS US. >> THIS WILL BE THE BIGGEST INVESTMENT IN MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE CLEAN ENERGY AND, OF COURSE, OUR NATION'S HISTORY. >>> NOT ONE, NOT TWO, BUT 39 GOLDS. THE HOMETOWN HEROES RETURNING FROM TOKYO WITH THE OLYMPICS NOW IN THE BOOKS. >>> HOW DID TEAM USA COMPARE TO THE COMPETITION? >>> GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE.
I'M LINSEY DAVIS. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR STREAMING WITH US. A CODE RED FOR HUMANITY. TONIGHT, WE BEGIN WITH THE WAKE-UP CALL FROM THE UNITED NATIONS ON WHAT THEY CALLED THE UNEQUIVOCAL IMPACT HUMANS ARE HAVING ON OUR PLANET. THEIR ONCE IN A DECADE CLIMATE REPORT IS OUT, TODAY, AND WITH IT COMES A WARNING ABOUT WHAT COULD HAPPEN IF HUMANS DO NOT AGGRESSIVELY CHANGE. IT'S THE WORLD'S MOST EXPANSIVE REPORT, YET, INTO CLIMATE CHANGE.
AND THERE'S NO SUGARCOATING IT. THE U.N. REPORT SAYS, AT THIS POINT, WE ARE NOT ABLE TO STOP GLOBAL WARMING FOR AT LEAST 30 YEARS. ESSENTIALLY, A HOTTER FUTURE IS, ALREADY, LOCKED IN.
A FUTURE WHERE EXTREME-WEATHER EVENTS, LIKE DEVASTATING FIRES, HISTORIC FLOODING, AND EXTREME HEAT ARE, ALL, MORE COMMON. THE REPORT'S AUTHORS ARE ESSENTIALLY SENDING THE WORLD'S LEADERS A FINAL WAKE-UP CALL, CURB EMISSIONS AND DRAMATICALLY REDUCE CONSUMPTION OR FACE A WORLD THAT IS FUNDAMENTALLY DIFFERENT. AROUND THE WORLD, FIRE CREWS ARE BATTLING FIRES, TONIGHT, ON A NEARLY-UNPRECEDENTED SCALE. IF SEEING IS BELIEVING, MANY ARE GETTING A FIRSTHAND LOOK AT A WORST-CASE SCENARIO FOR THE FUTURE. BUT THE REPORT CONCLUDES THERE IS, STILL, TIME TO CHANGE. OUR MAGGIE RULLI REPORTS FROM GREECE.
>> Reporter: CODE RED FOR HUMANITY. A DIRE WARNING, TONIGHT, FROM THE UNITED NATIONS ABOUT OUR PLANET'S FUTURE. SCENES MORE REMINISCENT OF HORROR MOVIES NOW PLAYING OUT, RIGHT BEFORE OUR EYES.
>> ON FIRE. >> Reporter: THIS IS GREECE IN 2021. TURKEY, CALIFORNIA, CHINA, GERMANY. A BRAND-NEW, ONCE IN A DECADE REPORT FROM THE U.N. IS
INCREDIBLY CLEAR. WE AR ALTERING OUR PLANET. THE REPORT DETAILING HOW CLIMATE CHANGE IS MAKING EXTREME WEATHER WORSE, IN EVERY REGION OF THE GLOBE. HOTTER-HEAT WAVES, HEAVIER RAIN, MORE EXTREME DROUGHTS, RAGING INFERNOS.
>> YOU CAN HEAR THE CRACKLE OF THESE FLAMES. FIRES ARE JUST RIPPING THROUGH THE UNDERBRUSH HERE. LOOK AT THAT. IT IS GOING ALL THE WAY UP THE HILLSIDE.
WE HAVE SEEN DOZENS OF THESE POPPING UP ALONG THE ROAD. THIS IS WHAT FIREFIGHTERS ARE STRUGGLING TO KEEP UP WITH. >> Reporter: HERE IN GREECE, THE FIRES TURNING THE SKY A BLOODSHOT, OMINOUS RED.
FORCING RESIDENTS OUT OF EVIA MAKING CONDITIONS ALL THE MORE DIFFICULT FOR THE CREWS DESPERATELY TRYING TO HELP THEM TO SAFETY. THE GREEK WILDFIRES HAVE BEEN RAGING FOR MORE THAN A WEEK. NEIGHBORING, TURKEY, FINALLY, GOT MOST OF THEIR FIRES UNDER CONTROL AFTER NEARLY TWO WEEKS, KILLING AT LEAST EIGHT. AND IT'S ALL ACROSS OUR GLOBE, EXTREME WEATHER OF SEEMINGLY BIBLICAL PROPORTIONS NOW A PAINFUL, NEW NORMAL. >> FIREFIGHTERS HAVE BEEN WORKING IN THIS AREA JUST A FEW DAYS AGO.
BUT THEY ALREADY MOVED ON TO OTHER AREAS, NOW. YOU CAN SEE, OBVIOUSLY, THE FIRE IS STARTING, AGAIN, HERE. >> Reporter: THERE ARE AT LEAST 93 ACTIVE WILDFIRES BURNING IN SIBERIA. OVER 2.8 MILLION ACRES, DESTROYED. SOME VILLAGES IN THE REGION EVACUATED.
IN AMERICA'S WEST, RECORD HEAT, DROUGHT, AND STRONG WINDS, SPEEDING BLAZES LIKE THE DIXIE FIRE UP IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA. NOW, THE LARGEST SINGULAR FIRE IN THE STATE'S HISTORY. IT'S A LEVELED GHOST TOWN, OUT HERE. THE SURROUNDING AREAS, STILL, THREATENED.
THE AIR? DIFFICULT TO BREATHE. BECAUSE THE MULTIPLE HAZARDS, OFFICIALS SAY IT COULD BE WEEKS BEFORE FAMILIES ARE ALLOWED TO RETURN. >> Reporter: THE EIGHT LARGEST FIRES IN CALIFORNIA HAVE, ALL, OCCURRED IN THE PAST-FOUR YEARS. UNPRECEDENTED 116 DEGREE HEAT IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST AND ALL-TIME RECORD HIGHS IN CANADA CAUSING HUNDREDS OF DEATHS EARLIER THIS SUMMER.
AND IF IT'S NOT RECORD HEAT AND FIRES, IT'S FLOODING. YET AGAIN, VENICE'S ICONIC ST. MARK'S SQUARE COVERED IN WATER.
FAR EARLIER IN THE YEAR THAN NORMAL. THESE HORRIFYING SCENES FROM CHINA, COMMUTERS TRAPPED IN CHEST-DEEP WATER IN TRAIN CARS. STREETS, TRANSFORMED INTO RIVERS AFTER RECORD RAINFALL IN THE CENTER OF THE COUNTRY. HOW HIGH WAS THE WATER? UP TO HERE? I WAS IN GERMANY JUST THREE WEEKS AGO.
THE SITE OF DEVASTATING FLOODS AFTER A ONCE IN 1,000 YEAR RAINSTORM KILLED AT LEAST 160 PEOPLE. >> SO MANY PEOPLE DEAD. YOU DON'T EXPECT PEOPLE TO DIE IN A FLOOD IN GERMANY. >> Reporter: BUILDINGS IN THIS MEDIEVAL TOWN AROUND SINCE BEFORE THE 15th CENTURY WERE ONCE THOUGHT TO BE ABLE TO STAND THE TEST OF TIME.
NOW, POTENTIALLY, DESTROYED BY ONE FLOOD. FROM FLOODS THAT WIPE OUT ENTIRE TOWNS, TO FIRES THAT LEAVE FORESTS AND HOMES BURNED, COVERED IN ASH, STILL SMOLDERING. THIS EXTREME ONCE-IN-A-LIFETIME UNPRECEDENTED EVENTS ARE NOW BECOMING COMMON. AND SCIENTISTS ALL POINT TO ONE THING, CLIMATE CHANGE. >> IT IS THAT HUMAN ACTIVITIES ARE CAUSING PCLIMATE CHANGE AND MAKING EXTREME-WEATHER EVENTS MORE FREQUENT AND SEVERE. SECOND, IT SHOWS THAT CLIMATE CHANGE IS AFFECTING EVERY REGION ON OUR PLANET.
>> Reporter: THE U.N.'S REPORT CONFIRMING, IN THE STRONGEST LANGUAGE EVER, THAT THE WORLD IS WARMING AT A RATE UNPRECEDENTED IN THE LAST 2,000 YEARS. AND THE REPORT SAYS, WE, HUMANS, ARE TO BLAME. OUR ACTIONS HAVE US AT THE BREAKING POINT. EVEN IF WE MEET THE GOALS OF THE PARIS CLIMATE AGREEMENT TO LIMIT WARMING TO 1.5 DEGREES CELSIUS. >> 1.5 DEGREES CELSIUS.
THERE IS THIS IDEA FROM THE PARIS AGREEMENT, WE WOULD TRY TO KEEP WARMING BELOW THAT LEVEL. THAT LOOKS LIKE A PRETTY BIG CHALLENGE, AT THIS POINT. >> Reporter: SOME IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE ARE NOW IRREVERSIBLE. OUR BEHAVIOR HAS ALTERED OUR OCEANS, CHANGED OUR PLANET'S GLACIERS. IN GREENLAND, THE AMOUNT OF ICE THAT MELTED IN THE SPACE OF ONE DAY IN JULY COULD COVER THE ENTIRE STATE OF FLORIDA, IN TWO INCHES OF WATER. AND NO MATTER WHAT WE DO, THE ICE MELT IS GOING TO CONTINUE AND GET WORSE.
>> CHANGES IN ICE SHEETS, DEEP OCEAN TEMPERATURE, WILL CONTINUE FOR CENTURIES TO THOUSANDS OF YEARS. MEANING THAT THEY ARE IRREVERSIBLE IN OUR LIFETIME. AND WILL CONTINUE FOR GENERATIONS TO COME. >> Reporter: THE REPORT CONCLUDING SEA LEVEL RISE MAY BE ONE OF THE SINGLE BIGGEST PROBLEMS FOR THE REST OF THE 21st CENTURY.
>> EVEN IF YOU SUDDENLY STOPPED THE INCREASE IN WARMING, YOU ARE GOING TO STILL SEE MELTING FOR DECADES TO COME. >> WHAT'S DIFFERENT ABOUT THIS REPORT? WELL, JUST HOW CONFIDENT SCIENTISTS ARE ABOUT THE CONCLUSIONS. SO THIS REPORT WAS PRODUCED BY OVER 200 SCIENTISTS FROM 65 COUNTRIES.
UM, THEY WORKED FOR THREE YEARS, TOGETHER, TO ASSESS HUGE AMOUNTS OF SCIENTIFIC INFORMATION. OVER 14,000 STUDIES AND RESEARCH PAPERS. >> Reporter: DATA FROM THE PAST EIGHT YEARS HAS THE SCIENTIFIC COMMUNITY MORE CONFIDENT THAN EVER, BEFORE, THAT HUMANS ARE THE CAUSE OF WHAT'S HAPPENING TO OUR PLANET.
BUT IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE THIS WAY. WHILE MORE WARMING IS EXPECTED IN THE COMING DECADES, IT'S NOT TOO LATE TO CHANGE TRENDS IF HUMANITY CHANGES BEHAVIORS, NOW. >> WE CAN'T UNDO THE MISTAKES OF THE PAST.
THIS GENERATION CAN MAKE THE SYSTEMIC CHANGES THAT WILL STOP THE PLANET WARMING, HELP EVERYONE ADAPT TO THE NEW CONDITIONS. AND CREATE A WORLD OF PEACE, PROSPERITY, AND EQUITY. CLIMATE CHANGE IS HERE, NOW. BUT WE ARE, ALSO, HERE NOW AND IF WE DON'T ACT, WHO WILL? >> A CALL TO ACTION, TONIGHT, FROM THE UNITED NATIONS. MAGGIE RULLI JOINS US NOW, FROM GREECE. AND, MAGGIE, AS WE SAW IN YOUR PIECE, YOU HAVE BEEN IN TWO DIS DISASTER ZONES JUST IN THE PAST FEW WEEKS.
THERE IN GREECE AND OF COURSE FLOODING IN GERMANY. HOW ARE PEOPLE THAT YOU ARE -- YOU ARE TALKING TO RESPONDING TO IT ALL? >> YEAH, LINSEY. EMOTIONAL IS THE PERFECT WORD TO DESCRIBE IT. NO MATTER WHERE WE ARE, WE ALWAYS HEAR THE SAME THING.
PEOPLE TELL US THEY ARE EXHAUSTED, THEY'RE ANGRY, AND THEY'RE SCARED. HERE, IN GREECE, PEOPLE ARE TIRED. THEY ARE EXHAUSTED. THE FIRES HERE ON THIS ISLAND, ALONE, HAVE BEEN GOING ON FOR MORE THAN SEVEN DAYS. WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THESE EXTREME, ONCE-IN-A-LIFETIME EVENTS THAT, LINSEY, NOW SEEM TO BE HAPPENING AT LEAST ONCE A SUMMER.
AND THEY ARE LASTING FOR LONGER THAN EVER. I MEAN, YOU TALK ABOUT JUST THE TOLL THAT TAKES ON SOMEONE. BECAUSE ALL OF THIS IS SO PERSONAL.
AND WE HEARD FROM THAT ONE YOUNG MAN WHO SAID MY ISLAND IS ON FIRE. THESE FIRES ARE BURNING THROUGH PEOPLE'S HOMES. THESE FERRIES AND -- AND BUS -- AND BOATS, BEHIND ME, THEY ARE ALL ON STANDBY, WAITING IF SOMEONE NEEDS TO BE EVACUATED FROM THEIR HOME TONIGHT. THAT TAKES A TOLL. WE WERE IN GERMANY. I WILL NEVER FORGOT STANDING IN FRONT OF THIS MAKESHIFT GARBAGE PILE THE SIEDS OF A FOOTBALL FIELD, TWO STORIES HIGH AND IT WAS FILLWOOD PEOPLE'S RUINED BELONGINGS.
EVERYTHING THEY CHERISH. THIS IS PERSONAL AND PEOPLE JUST GET EXHAUSTED OF IT. AND THEN, SOON, THEY BECOME ANGRY. SO MANY PEOPLE ALWAYS TELL US THEY ARE ANGRY THEIR GOVERNMENTS HAVEN'T DONE MORE.
THEY SHOULD HAVE KNOWN THIS WAS COMING. WE HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE. WE GET NATURAL DISASTERS. WHY WEREN'T THEY PREPARED? AND THEY ARE DEMANDING THE GOVERNMENTS STEP IN AND -- AND DO MORE BECAUSE THIS IS GOING TO KEEP HAPPENING AND THAT'S WHY PEOPLE ARE SCARED. THEY'RE S THEY ARE SCARED FOR THE FUTURE.
WE JUST SAW THAT U.N. CLIMATE REPORT SAYING THEY ARE GOING TO HAPPEN MORE OFTEN. THAT TOWN IN GERMANY, YOU KNOW, ONE MAN TOLD US HE CAN'T BELIEVE HIS HOUSE, IT MIGHT BE RUINED. ARE THOSE PEOPLE GOING TO REBUILD? PEOPLE HERE IN GREECE, WITH ATHENS EXPERIENCING TEMPERATURES 113 DEGREES. I MEAN, HOW LONG IS THAT LIVABLE FOR? ARE PEOPLE GOING TO BE ABLE TO LIVE IN THESE CITIES AND THESE COUNTRIES, ANY LONGER? YOU KNOW, LINSEY, I THINK WE ALL KNOW THIS WAS COMING AND MANY PEOPLE THOUGHT IT WAS GOING TO BE CENTURIES OR AT LEAST DECADES IN THE FUTURE. BUT FOR PLACES LIKE GERMANY, FOR PLACES LIKE GREECE, FOR PLACES IN AMERICA, ALL OF THIS IS HAPPENING RIGHT NOW, LINSEY.
>> RIGHT. THE URGENCY, I THINK, HAS BEEN LOST ON -- ON SO MANY OF US. BUT OF COURSE, THE FEAR AND FRUSTRATION, UNDERSTANDABLE.
MAGGIE, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR REPORTING. AND JOINING US NOW, IS SPECIAL ADVISER AND ASSISTANT SECRETARIAL GENERAL. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME TONIGHT. U.N. SECRETARY GENERAL WAS CLEAR THE U.N. CLIMATE REPORT OUT
TODAY IS A QUOTE CODE RED FOR HUMANITY. THE REPORT DID, STILL, SAY THAT THERE IS TIME TO AVOID A WORST-CASE SCENARIO BUT WE ARE LOCKED INTO 30 YEARS OF WORSENING-CLIMATE IMPACTS, NO MATTER WHAT. SO WHAT DOES SUCCESS LOOK LIKE, AT THIS POINT? >> WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME THIS EVENING. AND IT'S DEFINITELY A CODE RED FOR HUMANITY.
GREENHOUSE GASES FROM FOSSIL FUEL BURNING AND DEFORESTATION TOOK ON OUR PLANET. AND PLACING THE LIVES OF BILLIONS OF PEOPLE AT RISK. NOW IS NOT THE TIME FOR [ INAUDIBLE ]. NOW IS NOT THE TIME FOR -- THIS IS WHY THIS YEAR'S CLIMATE SUMMIT IN GLASGOW, SCOTLAND THIS YEAR, REPRESENTS A CRITICAL MILESTONE FOR GLOBAL EFFORTS TO ADDRESS AND DEFEAT CLIMATE CHANGE. WE NEED ALL LEADERS, ALL COUNTRIES, TO STEP UP TO THE PLATE. AS I SAID BEFORE, NOW IS NOT THE TIME FOR EXCUSES OR FOR DELAYED ACTION.
WE NEED TO SEE BOLD ACTIONS FROM ALL GOVERNMENTS. RICH COUNTRIES, POOR COUNTRIES, BIG COUNTRIES, AND SMALL COUNTRIES. TO REDUCE EMISSIONS, DRASTICALLY, AS THE SCIENCE SAYS THAT WE MUST HAVE GLOBAL EMISSIONS OVER THE COURSE OF THE NEXT DECADE. IT IS POSSIBLE. WE HAVE THE TECHNOLOGIES. WE HAVE THE RESOURCES TO DO IT.
AT THE SAME TIME, WE ARE SEEING THESE UNPRECEDENTED IMPACTS IN THE UNITED STATES. BUT ALSO, IN SMALL AND POOR, DEVELOPING COUNTRIES. COUNTRIES WHO DON'T HAVE THE MEANS AND THE CAPACITY TO RESPOND TO THE MASSIVE IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE. IN ADDITION TO REDUCING EMISSIONS, GOVERNMENTS AND THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY MUST INVEST IN RESILIENCE BUILDING TO SUPPORT VULNERABLE PEOPLES AND VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES.
>> SO, IF THERE'S ONE BAR FOR SUCCESS, IF WE COULD BE REALLY SPECIFIC. SOMETHING THAT WE CAN MEASURE, TEN YEARS FROM NOW, AND SAY, OKAY, THAT WORKED. WHAT WOULD THAT ONE THING BE? >> DECARBONIZING THE ENERGY SECTOR. IT'S ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL THAT WE DECARBONIZE THE ENERGY SECTOR, AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
AND WE HAVE THE TECHNOLOGIES AVAILABLE. WE SIMPLY NEED TO TRIPLE ELECT ELECTRICITY GENERATION FROM RENEWABLE SOURCES OVER THE COURSE OF THE NEXT DECADE OR SO. AND IT HAS BEEN DONE, BEFORE. BETWEEN 2010 AND 2020, POWER GENERATION FROM RENEWABLE-ENERGY SOURCES, WIND AND SOLAR IN PARTICULAR, TRIPLED. WE NEED TO DO THIS, AGAIN, BUT AT A MUCH GRANDER SCALE. AND WE MUST CONSIGN FUELS, LIKE COAL TO THE DUSTBIN.
WE CANNOT -- STEP THAT MUST BE TAKEN TO -- TO KEEP THIS 1.5-DEGREE GOAL WITHIN REACH IS TO PHASE OUT COAL. AND THIS MUST BE A KEY OBJECTIVE OF THE GLASGOW PROFITS. >> WHAT IS THE WORST-CASE SCENARIO IF THE WORLD DOES NOT HEED THE WARNINGS LAID OUT IN THIS REPORT? >> WELL, IT WILL BE A PLANET THAT IS UNLIVABLE.
AS THE REPORT, CLEARLY, INDICATES, LIVES OF BILLIONS OF PEOPLE ARE AT STAKE. WE CANNOT SURVIVE IN A 4-DEGREE WORLD OR A 3-DEGREE WORLD. WARMING HAS INCREASED BY ABOUT-1.2 DEGREES CELSIUS OVER PREINDUSTRIAL LEVELS. WE ARE SEEING THESE UNPRECEDENTED IMPACTS IN ALL COUNTRIES, EVERY CONTINENT. WE -- A WORST-CASE SCENARIO WILL BE BILLIONS OF LIVES.
I -- I REALLY CAN'T THINK OF A WORSE CASE SCENARIO. ALL GLOBAL EFFORTS NOW NEED TO BE FOCUSED ON HOW DO WE -- >> YOU KNOW, I GUESS, MY QUESTION WOULD REALLY BE TO FOLLOW UP THERE IS DO YOU THINK THAT GLOBAL ACTION IS NOT JUST FEASIBLE BUT REALISTIC? IS IT YOUR EXPECTATION THAT THESE WORLD LEADERS ARE GOING TO TAKE THE NECESSARY ACTION? >> YES. YES. WE'RE CAUTIOUSLY OPTIMISTIC. AND OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST FEW MONTHS OR SO, WE'VE SEEN MANY GOVERNMENTS COMMITTING TO NET ZERO BY NEXT CENTURY.
ABOUT 73% OF TOTAL-GLOBAL GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS ARE NOW COVERED BY A NET ZERO. WE'VE SEEN THE -- THE ENTIRE G7 GROUP OF NATIONS COMMIT TO NET ZERO BY 2050. WE'VE, ALSO, SEEN MANY OTHER, LARGE ECONOMIES, ALSO, MAKING THIS COMMITMENT. BUT WE NEED ALL OF THE G20 NATIONS.
WE NEED ALL OF THESE COUNTRIES TO COMMIT TO NET ZERO, AS A FIRST STEP. BUT ALSO, BACK UP THIS LONG-TERM COMMITMENT WITH AMBITIOUS INTERIM TARGETS. AND AGAIN, AT THE RECENT-G7 SUMMIT IN -- IN THE UNITED KINGDOM, WE SAW ALL OF THE G7 COUNTRIES STEP UP WITH MORE AMBITIOUS, WHAT ARE CALLED, NATIONAL CLIMATE PLANS OR NATIONALLY DETERMINED CONTRIBUTIONS. BUT WE NEED ALL COUNTRIES TO BE MORE AMBITIOUS. TO USE THIS NEXT DECADE. WHAT HAPPENS -- WE WILL WIN OR LOSE THIS RACE, OVER THE COURSE OF THE NEXT DECADE.
IF WE DON'T REDUCE EMISSIONS, IF WE DON'T HAVE EMISSIONS BY THE END OF THIS DECADE, WE WILL HAVE NO HOPE OF THE 1.5 GOAL OF THE PARIS AGREEMENT. >> IT SEEMS SO SOON.
UM, AND LASTLY, I KNOW THAT YOU WERE JUST SAYING THAT YOU NEED ALL OF THE G20 COUNTRIES TO PARTICIPATE. BUT LET'S POINT OUT, IN PARTICULAR, THE UNITED STATES. IT FEELS LIKE WE WOULD NEED TO PLAY AN EXTREMELY LARGE ROLE IN ALL OF THAT. WHAT'S YOUR MESSAGE TO PRESIDENT BIDEN AND OUR OWN COUNTRY'S LEADERS? >> WELL, PRESIDENT BIDEN HAS TAKEN SOME EXTRAORDINARY STEPS, OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST FEW MONTHS.
HE HAS INCREASED THE U.S.'S COMMITMENT TO CLIMATE ACTION. HE'S CONVENED GLOBAL LEADERS, AND WE NEED PRESIDENT BIDEN TO CONTINUE TO DISPLAY THAT GLOBAL LEADERSHIP. UM, WE ALSO NEED ALL LARGE COUNTRIES, ALL THE G20 COUNTRIES, TO FOLLOW THIS TYPE OF EXAMPLE. AND WE, ALSO, NEED WEALTHY COUNTRIES TO NOT FORGET THAT THEY NEED TO SUPPORT RESILIENCE BUILDING AND ADAPTATION IN THE SMALLER AND POOR COUNTRIES. THIS MUST BE A GLOBAL EFFORT.
IT MUST BE A MOMENT FOR GLOBAL SOLIDARITY. MANY OF THE IMPACTS THAT YOU'RE SEEING IN THE UNITED STATES, IN GREECE, AND OTHER PARTS OF EUROPE ARE BEING SEEN IN SMALL-ISLAND NATIONS. THEY ARE BEING SEEN IN AFRICA. WARMING IN AFRICA IS OCCURRING MUCH GREATER -- AT MUCH-GREATER LEVELS THAN THE GLOBAL AVERAGE. SO IN ADDITION TO REDUCING EMISSIONS DOMESTICALLY, COUNTRIES, LIKE THE UNITED -- LIKE THE UNITED STATES MUST, ALSO, REACH OUT AND SUPPORT THE SMALLER AND POORER NATIONS WHO ARE, ALREADY, BATTLING WITH MANY OF THESE DEVASTATING IMPACTS FROM CLIMATE CHANGE. AND THAT'S WHAT THE GLASGOW CONFERENCE IS ABOUT.
IT'S ABOUT LOOKING AT THIS ISSUE FROM A PURE COMPREHENSIVE LENS. MUST REDUCE GLOBAL EMISSIONS BUT MUST ALSO PROTECT VULNERABLE PEOPLE AND VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES IN EVERY CORNER OF THE EARTH. >> SPECIAL ADVISER AND ASSISTANT SECRETARY GENERAL FOR CLIMATE ACTION AT THE UNITED NATIONS.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME TONIGHT. >> THANK YOU SO MUCH, LINSEY. ALWAYS A PLEASURE. >>> NOW, TO THE ALARMING SURGE IN COVID CASES IN NEARLY-ALL 50 STATES.
NUMBERS NOT SEEN IN ROUGHLY-SIX MONTHS, INCLUDING CASES, HOSPITALIZATIONS, AND DEATHS. THE U.S. IS REPORTING MORE THAN 100,000 CASES FOR FOUR-STRAIGHT DAYS, NOW.
THE VAST MAJORITY OF THESE CASES ARE AMONG THE UNVACCINATED. THE VIRUS, FUELED BY THE DELTA VARIANT, NOW TARGETING CHILDREN, BY THE THOUSANDS. OUR VICTOR OQUENDO REPORTS FROM FLORIDA, TONIGHT, WHERE HOSPITALS ARE AT THE BRINK. #. >> Reporter: TONIGHT, THE COVID CRISIS IS EXPLODING ACROSS THE SOUTH. FROM FLORIDA TO LOUISIANA TO TEXAS, HOSPITALS ARE PUTTING UP SURGE TENTS, BRINGING IN EXTRA VENTILATORS AND RUNNING OUT OF BEDS AND STAFF.
>> YOU WEAR US DOWN AND WE GET TO WHERE WE CAN'T COME TO WORK ANYMORE. THAT'S NOT GOING TO BE ANYBODY HERE TO TAKE CARE OF YOU. >> Reporter: WITH 68,000 COVID PATIENTS STRAINING AMERICAN HOSPITALS, EXPERTS WARN THE SYSTEM IN AFFECTED COMMUNITIES IS NEARING THE BREAKING POINT. >> IF THIS PACE CONTINUES FOR THE NEXT FOUR OR FIVE DAYS, WHICH IT SEEMS IT WILL, THE HOSPITAL SYSTEMS IN FLORIDA AND LOUISIANA WILL COLLAPSE. >> Reporter: AND WITH COVID INFECTIONS CLIMBING, ANOTHER MOVE TO MANDATE VACCINES. THE PENTAGON, TODAY, ANNOUNCING IT WILL SEEK THE PRESIDENT'S APPROVAL TO REQUIRE NEARLY-1.4 MILLION ACTIVE-DUTY
MILITARY MEMBERS TO GET THE VACCINE, STARTING IN MID-SEPTEMBER. >> YOU CAN CONSIDER THIS MEMO, TODAY, AS WHAT WE WOULD CALL IN THE MILITARY A WARNING ORDER. >> Reporter: AND THE PENTAGON COULD MOVE THAT DEADLINE UP IF THE VACCINES GET FULL-FDA APPROVAL, SOONER.
TONIGHT, WITH MILLIONS OF SCHOOL CHILDREN HEADING BACK TO THE CLASSROOM, DOCTORS FEAR MORE KIDS WILL BE HOSPITALIZED WITH COVID. >> YOU SHOULD ASSUME THAT WE'RE GOING TO SEE PEDIATRIC INTENSIVE-CARE UNITS ALL ACROSS THE SOUTH COMPLETELY OVERWHELMED AND SOMETHING EVEN A POSSIBILITY OF SMALL-TENT CITIES OF -- OF SICK ADOLESCENTS AND KIDS. >> Reporter: IN JUST THE LAST WEEK, PEDIATRIC CASES CLIMBING TO 94,000. AND CHILDREN WITH COVID ARE GOING INTO HOSPITALS AT A RATE, NEARLY-FOUR TIMES HIGHER THAN JUST A MONTH AGO. >> THIS IS NOT YOUR GRANDFATHER'S COVID. CHILDREN ARE EXPERIENCING MORE SEVERE DISEASE THAN THEY HAVE, IN THE PAST.
THEY COME IN, IN RESPIRATORY FAILURE. THEY OFTEN REQUIRE HOSPITALIZATION IN THE PEDIATRIC INTENSIVE CARE UNIT. >> THE DELTA SURGE PROMPTING THE AMERICAN ACADEMY OF PEDIATRICS TO CALL ON THE FDA TO AUTHORIZE VACCINES FOR 5 TO 11-YEAR-OLDS AS FAST AS POSSIBLE. IN VIRGINIA, THIS 17-YEAR-OLD DIED JUST FOUR DAYS BEFORE SHE WAS SCHEDULED TO GET THE VACCINE. >> I DON'T WANT TO SEE ANYBODY ELSE HAVE TO BURY, YOU KNOW, THEIR LITTLE SIBLING OR LITTLE DAUGHTER OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT. IT'S REALLY HEARTBREAKING.
>> Reporter: IN JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA, 12-YEAR-OLD LEYLA HARTLY WANTS MASKS IN SCHOOLS TO PROTECT HER BROTHER WHO IS TOO YOUNG TO GET THE VACCINE. >> EVEN THOUGH I AM VACCINATED, I CAN STILL GET SICK. ALSO, MY -- MY DWRYOUNGER BROTH. WELL, I DON'T WANT TO GET HIM SICK IF I GET IT BECAUSE I WASN'T WEARING A MASK. >> SO MUCH OF A CONCERN RIGHT NOW, FOR THE CHILDREN, IN PARTICULAR. VICTOR OQUENDO JOINS US NOW.
VICTOR, WE HAVE HEARD ABOUT HOSPITAL BEDS RUNNING OUT. IN AUSTIN, TEXAS, JUST SIX ICU BEDS FOR MORE THAN 2 MILLION PEOPLE THERE. AND WE ARE HEARING THAT'S NOT THE ONLY STATE WHERE THAT'S THE CASE.
>> LINSEY, THE GOVERNOR OF ARKANSAS SAYING THEY HAVE JUST SAW THEIR LARGEST SINGLE-DAY INCREASE IN HOSPITALIZATIONS NOW DOWN TO JUST EIGHT ICU BEDS IN A STATE OF 3 MILLION PEOPLE. GOVERNOR HUTCHINSON CALLING IT AN ERROR TO SIGN A LAW BANNING THOSE MASK MANDATES. LINSEY. >> VICTOR OQUENDO, OUR THANKS TO YOU. >>> NOW, TO THE LATEST DEVELOPMENTS WITH EMBATTLED NEW YORK GOVERNOR, ANDREW CUOMO, AS STATE LAWMAKERS DISCUSS POSSIBLE-IMPEACHMENT PROCEEDINGS AFTER THAT SCATHING REPORT ACCUSING HIM OF SEXUAL HARASSMENT INVOLVING 11 WOMEN.
ONE OF THOSE ACCUSERS IS NOW SPEAKING OUT, FOR THE FIRST TIME, ABOUT HER ALLEGATIONS. AND ALSO, FILING A CRIMINAL COMPLAINT. HERE IS ABC'S ERIELLE RESHEF IN ALBANY. >> Reporter: TONIGHT, EMBATTLED-NEW YORK GOVERNOR, ANDREW CUOMO, NOW FIGHTING TO SALVAGE HIS POLITICAL CAREER. >> FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MORE THAN 100 YEARS, THE ASSEMBLY'S UNDERTAKING AN IMPEACHMENT INVESTIGATION OF A SITTING GOVERNOR. >> Reporter: TODAY, THE NEW YORK ASSEMBLY JUDICIARY COMMITTEE MEETING, FOR THE FIRST TIME, SINCE THE SEARING NEW YORK ATTORNEY GENERAL'S REPORT FOUND CUOMO SEXUALLY HARASSED 11 WOMEN.
THE ASSEMBLY'S IMPEACHMENT INVESTIGATION LOOKING INTO ADDITIONAL ALLEGATIONS OF MISCONDUCT. >> ALLEGATIONS THAT THE GOVERNOR IMPROPERLY USED STATE RESOURCES TO WRITE AND PRODUCE A BOOK. ALLEGATIONS, CONCERNING COVID-19 AND NURSING HOMES. ALLEGATIONS THAT HE PROVIDED FOR PREFERENTIAL ACCESS TO COVID-19 TESTING. >> Reporter: AND GOVERNOR CUOMO, ALSO, FACING POTENTIAL-MISDEMEANOR CHARGES IN ALBANY STEMMING FROM A CRIMINAL COMPLAINT FILED BY HIS FORMER-EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT, BRITTANY CAMISO. >> HE PUT HIS HAND UP MY BLOUSE AND CUPPED MY BREAST OVER MY BRA.
>> THE GOVERNOR HAS MAINTAINED HE NEVER TOUCHED ANYONE, INAPPROPRIATELY. >> WITH RESPECT TO BRITTANY, IT JUST DID NOT HAPPEN. >> ERIELLE RESHEF JOINS US, NOW, AGAIN, FROM ALBANY.
AND ERIELLE, WE ALSO GOT WORD LAST NIGHT OF A TOP AIDE TO GOVERNOR CUOMO RESIGNING. WHAT CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT THAT? >> THAT'S RIGHT, LINSEY. IT'S HARD TO OVERSTATE JUST HOW SIGNIFICANT THIS IS. MELISSA DeROSA, THE GOVERNOR'S TOP AIDE, SUDDENLY, RESIGNING OVERNIGHT. LESS THAN A WEEK AFTER THAT BOMBSHELL REPORT WAS RELEASED. YOU MAY REMEMBER AND OUR VIEWERS MAY REMEMBER THAT SHE WAS SITTING NEXT TO THE GOVERNOR DURING THOSE INFAMOUS COVID-19 BRIEFINGS THAT GAINED HIM SO MUCH NOTORIETY.
REALLY, ONE OF HIS CLOSEST IN HIS INNER CIRCLE. NOW, SHE HAS RESIGNED CITING AN EMOTIONALLY AND MENTALLY TRYING TWO YEARS. LINSEY. >> AND WHAT ARE WE LEARNING ABOUT THE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE'S TIMELINE FOR THEIR IMPEACHMENT INVESTIGATION AND HOW THAT MIGHT WORK? >> WELL, THE CHAIRMAN OF THE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE, TODAY, LINSEY, SAID THAT THAT INVESTIGATION SHOULD WRAP UP BY THE END OF AUGUST. AND SHOULD THEY DECIDE TO FILE ARTICLES OF IMPEACHMENT, THOSE PROCEEDINGS WOULD START IN EARLY SEPTEMBER. IF THE GOVERNOR IS IMPEACHED AND WE ARE A WAYS AWAY FROM THAT BUT HE WOULD HAVE TO STEP DOWN UNTIL THE END THAT HAVE TRIAL.
LINSEY. >> ERIELLE RESHEF, OUR THANKS TO YOU. >>> IT WAS JUST LAST WEEK THAT WE REPORTED ON THE FIRST PROVINCE IN AFGHANISTAN FALLING UNDER TALIBAN CONTROL. WELL, JUST IN DAYS, THE SITUATION HAS ESCALATED WITH THAT GROUP NOW SEIZING CONTROL OF AT LEAST SIX KEY CITIES. STEPHANIE RAMOS HAS THE LATEST ON THE TALIBAN GAINS, AND WHY EVEN THE PENTAGON IS ADMITTING THAT THINGS IN THAT NATION, CLEARLY, ARE NOT HEADED IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. >> Reporter: TONIGHT, THE SITUATION IN AFGHANISTAN DETERIORATING, QUICKLY.
THE TALIBAN TAKING CONTROL OF TWO MORE PROVINCIAL CAPITALS JUST TODAY. BRINGING THE TOTAL TO SIX. THE AFGHAN MINISTRY OF DEFENSE RELEASING VIDEO OF AIR STRIKES AGAINST TALIBAN POSITIONS.
BUT THE TALIBAN'S TAKEOVER HAS BEEN SWIFT. IN JUST THE PAST FIVE MONTHS, THE GROUP SEIZING WIDE SWATHS OF THE COUNTRY. AND NOW, A GROWING HUMANITARIAN CRISIS FOR AFGHAN CHILDREN.
AT LEAST 27 KILLED AND 136 INJURED, SINCE FRIDAY. THE PENTAGON SAYING, TODAY, THE SITUATION IS, CLEARLY, NOT GOING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. HOWEVER, THE SECRETARY CONTINUES TO BELIEVE THAT THE AFGHAN FORCES HAVE THE CAPABILITY.
THEY HAVE THE CAPACITY TO MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE ON THE BATTLEFIELD. >> Reporter: WITH THE FULL-U.S. WITHDRAWAL JUST WEEKS AWAY, THE AFGHAN GOVERNMENT, CLEARLY, STRUGGLING TO MAKE THAT DIFFERENCE. LINSEY, THE U.S. MILITARY SAYS
95% OF U.S. TROOPS AND EQUIPMENT HAVE WITHDRAWN. AND THE WITHDRAWAL WILL CONTINUE THE NEXT FEW WEEKS AHEAD. HOWEVER, ABOUT 650 U.S. TROOPS WILL REMAIN ON THE GROUND TO HELP PROTECT THE U.S. EMBASSY
AND THE AIRPORT. THE U.S. IS, ALSO, PROVIDING CRITICAL AIR SUPPORT TO AFGHAN FORCES. THAT IS SCHEDULED TO END LATER-THIS MONTH.
LINSEY. >>> AS PRESIDENT BIDEN MOVES ONE STEP CLOSER TO THE PASSAGE OF HIS TRILLION-DOLLAR INFRASTRUCTURE PLAN WITH THE SENATE EXPECTED TO PASS THAT BIPARTISAN BILL TOMORROW, WHAT HAPPENS NEXT? LET'S BRING IN ABC CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT, RACHEL SCOTT. RACHEL, THIS BILL, FINALLY, MAKING IT THROUGH THE SENATE.
BUT -- BUT WHERE DOES IT STAND ON GETTING THROUGH THE HOUSE? >> YEAH, A RARE MOMENT OF BIPARTISANSHIP IN THE SENATE. BUT IT STILL DOES HAVE A VERY LONG WAY TO GO OVER IN THE HOUSE, LINSEY. THE HOUSE IS, ALREADY, ON RECESS AND DEMOCRATS HOLD A RAZOR-THIN MAJORITY.
THEY CAN REALLY ONLY AFFORD TO LOSE FOUR VOTES HERE. PROGRESSIVE DEMOCRATS HAVE SAID THAT THIS IS NOT BIG ENOUGH. THEY WANT TO SEE THEIR PARTY PASS A MUCH-LARGER PACKAGE. THE MEASURE THEY ARE EYEING RIGHT NOW, LINSEY? $3.5 TRILLION. >> AND YES, AS YOU MENTION, THAT $3.5 TRILLION BUDGET BILL
UNVEILED BY DEMOCRATS, TODAY. JUST OUTLINE THE SCOPE OF THIS BILL AND WHETHER DEMOCRATS HAVE THE VOTES TO ACTUALLY MOVE IT FORWARD. >> YEAH. SO, THIS IS A VERY SWEEPING MEASURE, LINSEY. IT REALLY INCLUDES SEVERAL DEMOCRATIC PRIORITIES AND A LOT OF DEMOCRATS SAY THIS GOES HAND IN HAND. SO YOU ARE GOING TO SEE, IN THIS MEASURE, FUNDING FOR UNIVERSAL PRE-K, AS WELL AS FREE COMMUNITY COLLEGE, BILLIONS MORE TO FIGHT CLIMATE CHANGE.
THE ISSUE HERE IS THAT DEMOCRATS ARE GOING TO HAVE TO PASS THIS, ON THEIR OWN, IN THE SENATE. WHICH MEANS THAT THEY CANNOT AFFORD TO LOSE A SINGLE VOTE. AND YOU ALREADY HAVE MODERATE-DEMOCRATIC SENATORS LOOKING AT THAT PRICE TAG AND SAYING THAT IT'S JUST TOO HIGH. LINSEY. >> RACHEL SCOTT, OUR THANKS TO YOU. >>> WE TURN NOW TO THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION'S ENERGY SECRETARY, JENNIFER GRANHOLM.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US, TONIGHT. >> YOU BET. HAPPY TO BE ON. >> THE $1.1 TRILLION BIPARTISAN
INFRASTRUCTURE BILL MAKES MAJOR INVESTMENTS IN AREAS, LIKE CLEAN ENERGY AND ELECTRIC-VEHICLE INFRASTRUCTURE. AND THERE ARE, ALSO, ADDITIONAL CLIMATE-RELATED MEASURES IN THE $3.5 TRILLION BUDGET BILL DEMOCRATS UNVEILED TODAY. BUT AS WE REPORTED EARLIER, THE U.N. CLIMATE REPORT, TODAY,
CALLED THE THREAT FROM WARMING TEMPERATURES A CODE RED FOR HUMANITY. SO LET ME, FIRST, ASK, DO THESE BILLS GO FAR ENOUGH TO ADDRESS THAT THREAT? >> WELL, TOGETHER, THEY GO A SIGNIFICANT WAY. UM, AND IT'S NOT JUST THE UNITED STATES, OBVIOUSLY. OTHER COUNTRIES HAVE TO WORK, TOO. THIS WILL BE THE BIGGEST INVESTMENT IN MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE CLEAN ENERGY IN, OF COURSE, OUR NATION'S HISTORY. IT IS VERY SIGNIFICANT.
WE HAVE TO DO IT. THE REPORT, TODAY, SUGGESTED -- NOT JUST SUGGESTED -- REALLY, HAD A FLASHING LIGHT SAYING THIS HAS BEEN -- THIS IS FAR TOO -- UM -- BIG OF A PROBLEM FOR ONE COUNTRY TO ADDRESS. EVERYBODY HAS TO DO IT. IT IS PERSISTENT. IT'S GONE ON TOO LONG AND WE CAN STILL FIX IT.
BUT WE'VE GOT TO MAKE BIG AND BOLD MOVES, AND THAT'S WHAT THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION IS PROPOSING. >> AND AS YOU KNOW, PROGRESSIVES HAVE ARGUED THAT THE BIPARTISAN INFRASTRUCTURE BILL FALLS FAR SHORT OF THE MAJOR SPENDING NEEDED TO ADDRESS THE THREAT FROM CLIMATE CHANGE. AND -- AND SOME HAVE SAID THAT THEY MAY NOT BE ONBOARD, UNLESS THE BIGGER-SPENDING BILL CAN, ALSO, PASS.
SO ARE YOU CONFIDENT THAT THE SMALLER BIPARTISAN INFRASTRUCTURE BILL WILL GET ENOUGH VOTES IN THE HOUSE? >> I BELIEVE IT WILL. I BELIEVE PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS TWO-STEP PROCESS. THE BIPARTISAN BILL MAKES SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENTS IN, FOR EXAMPLE, MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE AN ELECTRIFIED-TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM. BY ENSURING THAT WE'VE GOT CHARGING STATIONS ON OUR NATION'S HIGHWAYS, AND IN PLACES THAT THE PRIVATE SECTOR HASN'T ESTABLISHED THEM, YET. VERY IMPORTANT.
AND THEN, ALSO, MAKES BIG INVESTMENTS IN OUR NATION'S GRID WHICH IS REALLY CRITICAL IF WE'RE GOING TO ADD ALL THE CLEAN ENERGY, THE RENEWABLE ENERGY, THAT WE NEED TO ADD. WE NEED TO EXPAND THE CAPACITY AND THE RESILIENCE OF OUR GRID. >> AND AT THE SAME TIME, THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION DOES NOT CURRENTLY HAVE THE SUPPORT OF 50 DEMOCRATIC SENATORS FOR THIS LARGER $3.5 TRILLION BUDGET BILL. WITH SENATORS MANCHIN AND SINEMA STATING, MULTIPLE TIMES, THAT THE PRICE TAG IS JUST TOO HIGH RIGHT NOW. WHAT DO YOU THINK THAT THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION CAN DO IN ORDER TO CONVINCE THEM TO BACK THAT ADDITIONAL-SPENDING PACKAGE? >> WELL, OBVIOUSLY, THIS IS GOING TO BE A NEGOTIATION AND THEY'VE GOT THEIR PRIORITIES.
BUT I CAN TELL YOU, IN MY LANE, I MEAN, SENATOR MANCHIN AND SENATOR SINEMA, BOTH, ARE SEEING THE IMPACTS OF THIS -- OF CLIMATE CHANGE IN THEIR STATES, BIG TIME. I MEAN, ARIZONA, OBVIOUSLY, MASSIVE DROUGHT, HUGE HEAT WAVE. AND IN WEST VIRGINIA, THERE HAS BEEN A HISTORY AND A LEGACY OF FOSSIL-FUEL WORKERS THAT ARE SEEING THEIR JOBS GO AWAY, AS A RESULT OF THE GLOBE MOVING TO CLEANER ENERGY. BOTH OF THEM KNOW THE IMPORTANCE OF INVESTMENT AND INCENTIVIZING CLEAN ENERGY AND THAT'S SUCH A BIG PART OF THE SECOND STEP, THIS RECONCILIATION PACKAGE. >> BEYOND THE MEASURES IN THESE BILLS, WHAT'S THE TOP PRIORITY FOR YOU, AS ENERGY SECRETARY, TO MOVE THE U.S. TOWARD ADDRESSING
THE GLOBAL THREAT FROM CLIMATE CHANGE OUTLINED IN THE U.N. REPORT? I KNOW, A MOMENT AGO, YOU SAID THERE IS STILL TIME TO FIX IT BUT IS THERE ANY CONCERN AT ALL THAT -- THAT WE'RE REALLY RUNNING OUT OF TIME? >> YEAH, FOR SURE. OUR HAIR SHOULD BE ON FIRE. THIS IS REALLY -- I MEAN, THE PLANET'S ON FIRE. CERTAINLY, THE WEST IS ON FIRE. YEAH.
WE HAVE A -- WE HAVE THIS DEEP SENSE OF URGENCY. AND SO, MY TOP-THREE PRIORITIES ARE DEPLOY, DEPLOY, DEPLOY. DEPLOY THE CLEAN-ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES THAT WE, ALREADY, HAVE. THE WIND, SOLAR, GEOTHERMAL, HYDRO, NUCLEAR, DEPLOY, DEPLOY, DEPLOY. AND THEN, ALSO INVEST IN THE FUTURE. THE KINDS OF TECHNOLOGIES THAT WE KNOW ARE GOING TO BE NECESSARY TO TAKE US THE REST OF THE WAY HOME.
SO, BOTTOM LINE IS, FOR US, I MEAN, THE DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY IS THE DEPARTMENT OF SOLUTIONS, REALLY. WE HAVE 17 NATIONAL LABS THAT ARE WORKING ON THE SOLUTIONS TO CLIMATE CHANGE. BUT WE, ALSO, HAVE TECHNOLOGY THAT IS READY TO GO AND DEPLOYMENT IS CRITICAL. >> ENERGY SECRETARY JENNIFER GRANHOLM, WE THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME. >> YOU BET.
>>> WHEN WE COME BACK, THE FRIENDS IN AN ELEVATOR WHEN FLOODWATER STARTED POURING IN. WE WILL EXPLAIN WHAT HAPPENED THERE. >>> OUR CONVERSATION WITH THE DIRECTOR OF THE NEW DOCUMENTARY "PRAY AWAY." AND SOMEONE WHO WENT THROUGH THESE CONTROVERSIAL-CONVERSION THERAPIES. WHAT THEY WANT THE WORLD TO KNOW. >>> BUT UP NEXT, THE LAWSUIT FILED AGAINST BRITAIN'S PRINCE ANDREW AND ITS CONNECTION TO THE JEFFREY EPSTEIN INVESTIGATION.
STAY WITH US. >>> WITH SO MUCH AT STAKE, SO MUCH ON THE LINE, MORE AMERICANS TURN HERE THAN ANYPLACE ELSE. ABC NEWS "WORLD NEWS TONIGHT WITH DAVID MUIR." AMERICA'S NUMBER ONE MOST WATCHED NEWSCAST. NOW STREAMING ON ABC NEWS LIVE. >> ADMIT IT.
THESE DAYS, WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW -- >> SEEMS TO CHANGE JUST ABOUT EVERY DAY. >> WHAT IS IT THAT YOU REALLY WANT TO KNOW? NEED TO NE? KNOW? >> TO HELP YOU NOT JUST GET THROUGH YOUR DAY. >> BUT TO MAKE THE MOST OF IT. FEEL SMARTER. >> FEEL BETTER. >> FEEL HAPPIER.
>> WELL, HOW ABOUT A THIRD HOUR OF "GOOD MORNING AMERICA"? >> "GMA3" WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW, NOW STREAMING ON ABC NEWS LIVE. IT'S ALL ABOUT YOU. >> ROBIN ROBERTS. GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS.
MICHAEL STRAHAN. WAKE UP WITH AMERICA'S NUMBER ONE MOST-WATCHED MORNING SHOW. ABC'S "GOOD MORNING AMERICA."
>> THE WORLD MAY FEEL OUT OF YOUR CONTROL BUT YOUR HAPPINESS DOESN'T HAVE TO BE. LEARN THE SECRETS TO HAPPINESS. LISTEN TO THE "10% HAPPIER" PODCAST FREE ON APPLE PODCASTS. >> ABC NEWS HONORED WINNER FOR THE SECOND OF STRAIGHT YEAR WITH THE EDWARD R. MURROW AWARD FOR
OVERALL EXCELLENCE IN TELEVISION. ABC NEWS, AMERICA'S NUMBER ONE NEWS SOURCE. >> NOW STREAMING ON ABC NEWS LIVE. "20/20."
TRUE CRIME. CINEMATIC. REAL-LIFE DRAMA.
STUNNING. THE UNTHINKABLE. FOLLOW THE CLUES. THE HUNT. TRUE CRIME.
"20/20." NOW STREAMING ON ABC NEWS LIVE. >> THIS IS WHAT BEING LIVE IS ALL ABOUT. THIS IS ABC NEWS LIVE.
>> LET'S MOVE BACK. >> WE'RE SURROUNDED BY PEOPLE. >> SQUEEZING INTO THIS BOMB SHELTER. >> WE ARE ON URGENT DELIVERY RUN. >> NOT AFRAID TO GO THERE.
>> SO MY QUESTION, MR. PRESIDENT, WHAT ARE YOU SO AFRAID OF? 6. >> BREAKING NEWS, LIVE EVENTS. >> THIS IS THE MOMENT.
>> LIFTOFF. >> STREAMING STRAIGHT TO YOU, ANYTIME, ANYWHERE. >> YOU'RE WATCHING ABC NEWS LIVE.
THANKS FOR STREAMING WITH US. >> NOW, WHEN IT MATTERS MOST, THE STRAIGHTFORWARD FACTS. ABC NEWS IS AMERICA'S NUMBER ONE NEWS. "GOOD MORNING AMERICA," NUMBER ONE IN THE MORNING NINE YEARS RUNNING. WORLD NEWS TONIGHT WITH DAVID MUIR, NUMBER ONE IN THE EVENING WITH AMERICA'S MOST WATCHED NEWSCAST.
"20/20" THE NUMBER ONE NEWS MAGAZINE ON FRIDAY NIGHTS. "THE VIEW" THE NUMBER ONE DAYTIME TALK SHOW. AND ABC NEWS LIVE, NUMBER ONE IN STREAMING NEWS. ABC NEWS IS AMERICA'S NUMBER ONE NEWS. >>> NEXT, TO THE BREAKING NEWS INVOLVING PRINCE ANDREW.
HE IS NOW FACING A NEW LAWSUIT FILED BY JEFFREY EPSTEIN'S ACCUSER, VIRGINIA GIUFFRE. HERE IS ABC'S JANAI NORMAN. >> TONIGHT, PRINCE ANDREW FACING A NEW LAWSUIT FILED BY JEFFREY EPSTEIN ACCUSER VIRGINIA GIUFFRE CLAIMING THE PRINCE SEXUALLY ABUSED HER WHEN SHE WAS 17. STATING, 20 YEARS AGO, PRINCE ANDREW'S WEALTH, POWER, POSITION, AND CONNECTIONS ENABLED HIM TO ABUSE A FRIGHTENED, VULNERABLE CHILD WITH NO ONE THERE TO PROTECT HER. >> REGARDLESS OF HOW RICH AND POWERFUL THEY MAY BE, THEY ARE NOT ABOVE THE LAW.
>> Reporter: IN COURT FILINGS, BEGINNING IN 2014, SHE SAYS EPSTEIN AND LONGTIME ASSOCIATE, GHISLAINE MAXWELL, ALLEGEDLY DIRECTED HER TO HAVE SEX WITH PRINCE ANDREW ON THREE OCCASIONS IN 2001. INCLUDED IN THE FILINGS, THIS PHOTOGRAPH OF HER STANDING BESIDE THE PRINCE. IN A RARE INTERVIEW WITH THE BBC, IN NOVEMBER 2019, THE PRINCE DENIED HER ACCUSATIONS.
>> YOU DON'T REMEMBER MEETING HER? >> NO. NOBODY CAN PROVE WHETHER OR NOT -- UM -- THAT IT -- THAT PHOTOGRAPH HAS BEEN DOCTORED. BUT I DON'T RECOLLECT THAT PHOTOGRAPH EVER BEING TAKEN. >> THE FILING COMES NEARLY TWO YEARS AFTER EPSTEIN DIED IN A NEW YORK JAIL. AB DREW HAS NOT COMMENTED ON THE FILING TODAY. >> AND AS FOR GHISLAINE MAXWELL, SHE HAS PLEADED NOT GUILTY TO FEDERAL CHARGES.
SHE CONSPIRED WITH EPSTEIN AND AIDED IN HIS ALLEGED SEXUAL ABUSE OF FOUR UNDERAGED GIRLS FROM 1994 TO 2004. HER TRIAL IS SET TO BEGIN IN NOVEMBER. LINSEY.
>> THANK YOU. >>> STILL AHEAD HERE ON PRIME. CANADA'S BORDERS ARE BACK OPEN TO AMERICANS. BUT WITH ONE VERY BIG CATCH.
THE WARNING TONIGHT FROM THE CDC ABOUT A RARE BACTERIAL DISEASE THAT HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED IN FOUR STATES. >>> AND THE 2021 OLYMPIC GAMES ARE NOW OVER. WE'LL TAKE A LOOK AT THE HIGHLIGHTS, BY THE NUMBERS. >>> BUT FIRST, OUR TWEET OF THE DAY FROM THE CINCINNATI ZOO. >> ALL RIGHT.
HERE WE GO. YOU READY? >> YES, IT'S THE SHOW AMERICA WANTS AND AMERICA NEEDS RIGHT NOW. >> THIS IS "WHAT WOULD YOU DO?" >> LET'S GO.
HOW ARE YOU? >> SO WHAT WILL YOU BE WATCHING SATURDAYS ON ABC NEWS LIVE? >> WHAT WOULD YOU DO? >> I GUESS, I JUST FOUND OUT. >> THE "WHAT WOULD YOU DO" MARATHON, 12:00 TO 6:00 EASTERN EVERY SATURDAY ON ABC NEWS LIVE. >> MY FAVORITE SHOW. >> THIS IS WHAT BEING LIVE IS ALL ABOUT.
THIS IS ABC NEWS LIVE. >> ALL RIGHT. WE'RE GOING TO MOVE BACK.
>> WE'RE SURROUNDED BY PEOPLE. >> WE ARE ON URGENT DELIVERY RUN. >> NOT AFRAID TO GO THERE. >> SO MY QUESTION, MR. PRESIDENT, WHAT ARE YOU SO AFRAID OF? >> BREAKING NEWS, LIVE EVENTS. >> THIS IS THE MOMENT.
>> LIFTOFF. >> STREAMING STRAIGHT TO YOU, ANYTIME, ANYWHERE. >> YOU JUST MET ONE FRIEND RIGHT HERE. >> YOU'RE WATCHING ABC NEWS LIVE. THANKS FOR STREAMING WITH US.
>> ADMIT IT. THESE DAYS, WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW -- >> SEEMS TO CHANGE JUST ABOUT EVERY DAY. >> WHAT IS IT THAT YOU REALLY WANT TO KNOW? NEED TO KNOW? >> TO HELP YOU NOT JUST GET THROUGH UR DAY.
>> BUT TO MAKE THE MOST OF IT. FEEL SMARTER. >> FEEL BETTER. >> FEEL HAPPIER. >> WELL, HOW ABOUT A THIRD HOUR OF GOOD MORNING AMERICA? >> "GMA3" WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW.
NOW STREAMING ON ABC NEWS LIVE. IT'S ALL ABOUT YOU. >> 24 HOURS ASSAULT ON THE CAPITOL.
THE ABC NEWS ORIGINAL EXCLUSIVELY ON HULU NOW STREAMING. >> WITH SO MUCH AT STAKE, SO MUCH ON THE LINE, MORE AMERICANS TURN HERE THAN ANYPLACE ELSE. ABC NEWS "WORLD NEWS TONIGHT WITH DAVID MUIR." AMERICA'S NUMBER ONE MOST WATCHED NEWSCAST NOW STREAMING ON ABC NEWS LIVE.
>> THE WORLD MAY FEEL OUT OF YOUR CONTROL BUT YOUR HAPPINESS DOESN'T HAVE TO BE. LEARN THE SECRETS TO HAPPINESS. LISTEN TO THE OH "10% HAPPIER" PODCAST FREE ON APPLE PODCASTS. >> ROBIN ROBERTS. GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS. MICHAEL STRAHAN.
WAKE UP WITH AMERICA'S NUMBER ONE MOST WATCHED MORNING SHOW. ABC'S "GOOD MORNING AMERICA." >> ABC NEWS HONORED WINNER FOR THE SECOND STRAIGHT YEAR WITH THE EDWARD R. MURROW AWARD FOR
OVERALL EXCELLENCE IN TELEVISION. ABC NEWS, AMERICA'S NUMBER ONE NEWS SOURCE. >>> WELCOME BACK, EVERYONE. THE SUMMER GAMES IN TOKYO HAVE COME TO A CLOSE AND ON THE LAST DAY OF COMPETITION, TEAM USA PULLED AHEAD IN THE FINAL-MEDAL COUNT. LET'S TAKE A LOOK, BY THE NUMBERS.
U.S. FINISHED WITH 39 GOLD MEDALS EDGING OUT CHINA BY ONE GOLD, OVERALL. HOST COUNTRY, JAPAN, FINISHED THIRD WITH 27 GOLD MEDALS. TEAM USA'S 113 FOELT MEDALS, INCLUDING 41 SILVER AND 33 BRONZE ALSO PUT THEM ON TOP OF THE MEDAL STANDINGS, OVERALL. CHINA FINISHED IN SECOND, 25 MEDALS BEHIND THE U.S. AND THE
RUSSIAN OLYMPIC COMMITTEE CAME IN THIRD. SOME OF THE MOST NOTABLE AMERICAN ACHIEVEMENTS. U.S. SWIMMER CAELEB DRESSEL TOOK HOME FIVE GOLD MEDALS. THE MOST OF ANY ATHLETE IN TOKYO. AND HE SET TWO NEW WORLD RECORDS, IN THE PROCESS.
COMPETING IN HER FIFTH OLYMPICS, 35-YEAR-OLD ALLYSON FELIX WON HER 11th MEDAL. THAT MAKES HER THE MOST DECORATED U.S. TRACK AND FIELD OLYMPIAN EVER. ONE AHEAD OF CARL LEWIS. AND TEAM USA'S WOMEN BASKETBALL TEAM, THEY TOOK HOME THEIR SEVENTH GOLD MEDAL IN A ROW DATING BACK TO 1996 WITH TEAMMATES DIANA TEROSI AND SUE BIRD EACH WINNING THEIR FIFTH GOLD MEDAL WITH THE TEAM.
THAT'S THE MOST EVER BY OLYMPIC BASKETBALL PLAYERS. THE SUMMER GAMES, OF COURSE, CAME AFTER A ONE-YEAR DELAY DUE TO THE PANDEMIC. SO THAT MEANS THERE ARE ONLY 179 DAYS, UNTIL THE NEXT OLYMPIC GAMES. THIS WINTER SET TO KICK OFF IN BEIJING, IN FEBRUARY, 2022. >>> AND WE STILL HAVE LOTS TO GET TO HERE ON PRIME TONIGHT.
THE TRIAL AGAINST SINGER/SONGWRITER R. KELLY HAS BEGUN. WE HAVE THE DETAILS ON THAT. >>> AND OUR CONVERSATION WITH A WOMAN WHO UNDERWENT GAY-CONVERSION THERAPY, AND IS NOW SPEAKING OUT AGAINST IT. >>> BUT FIRST, A LOOK AT OUR TOP-TRENDING STORIES ON ABCNEWS.COM. >> WORLD NEWS NOW.
>> AND AMERICA THIS MORNING. >> THE BEST, NEW VIDEO. >> THE BREAKING NEWS OVERNIGHT.
>> EMERGENCY CREWS CALLED TO THE TOWN OF SURFSIDE. >> U.S. AIR STRIKES HITTING TARGETS IN IRAQ AND SYRIA. >> THE STORIES PEOPLE ARE TALKING ABOUT. >> YOU DON'T WANT TO SHAVE YOUR LEGS? DON'T. >> OH, MY -- >> AND WHAT TO EXPECT IN THE DAY AHEAD.
>> ABC WORLD NEWS NOW AND AMERICA THIS MORNING. >> STARTING AT 2:00 A.M. EASTERN. >> UP ALL NIGHT TO KEEP YOU UP TO DATE. >> NOW, WHEN IT MATTERS MOST, THE STRAIGHTFORWARD FACTS.
ABC NEWS IS AMERICA'S NUMBER ONE NEWS. "GOOD MORNING AMERICA" NUMBER ONE IN THE MORNING, NINE YEARS RUNNING. WORLD NEWS TONIGHT WITH DAVID MUIR, NUMBER ONE IN THE EVENING WITH AMERICA'S MOST WATCHED NEWSCAST. "20/20" THE NUMBER ONE NEWS MAGAZINE ON FRIDAY NIGHTS. "THE VIEW," THE NUMBER ONE DAYTIME TALK SHOW.
AND ABC NEWS LIVE, NUMBER ONE IN STREAMING NEWS. ABC NEWS IS AMERICA'S NUMBER ONE NEWS. >> SHE WANTED TO BE A STAR. SHE WANTED TO BE A MOTHER.
AND DANNY LYNN IS HER LEGACY AND TO BE REALLY HONEST, I DIDN'T KNOW A WHOLE LOT ABOUT ANNA HER EARLY YEARS. I THOUGHT WHY NOT GO BACK TO ANNA'S BEGINNINGS? >> WHAT HAPPENS WHEN HER FAMILY GOES IN SEARCH FOR ANNA, HER POSSESSIONS, HER SECRETS? >> WHY NO ONE CALLED 9-1-1 SOONER IS NEVER FULLY ANSWERED. >> WHEN THE AUTOPSY IS RELEASED, IT IS SHOCKING. >> THE 2020 EVENT SPECIAL FRIDAY ON ABC. >>> TONIGHT, THE COVID CRISIS IS EXPLODING ACROSS THE SOUTH.
>> YOU OVERRUN US AND YOU WEAR US DOWN AND WE GET TO WHERE WE CAN'T COME TO WORK ANYMORE, THAT'S NOT GOING TO BE ANYBODY HERE TO TAKE CARE OF YOU. >> WITH 68,000 COVID PATIENTS STRAINING AMERICAN HOSPITALS, EXPERTS WARN THE SYSTEM IN AFFECTED COMMUNITIES IS NEARING THE BREAKING POINT. TONIGHT, WITH MILLIONS OF SCHOOL CHILDREN HEADING BACK TO THE CLASSROOM, DOCTORS FEAR MORE KIDS WILL BE HOSPITALIZED WITH CO COVID.
IN JUST THE LAST WEEK, PEDIATRIC CASES CLIMBING TO 94,000 AND CHILDREN WITH COVID ARE GOING INTO HOSPITALS, AT A RATE NEARLY-FOUR TIMES HIGHER THAN JUST A MONTH AGO. THE DELTA SURGE, PROMPTING THE AMERICAN ACADEMY OF PEDIATRICS TO CALL ON THE FDA TO AUTHORIZE VACCINES FOR 5 TO 11-YEAR-OLDS, AS FAST AS POSSIBLE. >>> THE FIRST PHASE OF R. KELLY'S SEX-TRAFFICKING TRIAL OH UNDERWAY TODAY WITH JURY SELECTION BEGINNING IN NEW YORK CITY.
THE SINGER HAS DENIED THE CHARGES, AND PLED NOT GUILTY. HE IS ACCUSED OF LEADING EMPLOYEES TO RECRUIT WOMEN AND GIRLS FOR SEX. HIS LAWYERS ALLEGE THE VICTIMS ARE, QUOTE, GROUPIES THAT ONLY STARTED ACCUSING HIM OF ABUSE WHEN PUBLIC SENTIMENT CHANGED IN THE ME TOO ERA. KELLY HAS BEEN IMPRISONED SINCE BEING INDICTED AND WAS MOVED TO BROOKLYN TO FACE TRIAL. HE HAS, ALSO, DENIED SEX-RELATED CHARGES IN ILLINOIS AND MINNESOTA. >>> CANADA IS OPENING ITS BORDERS TO AMERICAN VISITORS FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE THE PANDEMIC BEGAN.
TO ENTER, YOU'LL HAVE TO PROVIDE PROOF OF VACCINATION, A PREENTRY NEGATIVE COVID-19 TEST WITHIN 72 HOURS, AND COMPLETE A LAUNDRY LIST OF INFORMATION REQUESTED ON THE CANADIAN GOVERNMENT'S ARRIVE APP. WITH COVID-19 RAVAGING THE TOURISM INDUSTRY, LOCALS ARE WASTING NO TIME ROLLING OUT THE RED CARPET TO NTHEIR NEIGHBORS O THE SOUTH. >> I JUST WANT THEM LIKE TO BE WELCOME. >> Reporter: AMERICAN VISITORS FELL 87% FROM 15 MILLION, IN 2019, TO 1.9 MILLION IN 2020.
AND NOW THAT THE BORDER IS OPEN, MONTREALERS ARE HAPPY TO REMIND AMERICANS THAT THE BEST BAGELS ARE, IN FACT, THEIRS. >> WHAT YOU SEE IS WHAT YOU GET. >> LET ME SEE YOUR BEST MOVE. >> WATCH AS WATER RUSHES INTO THIS ELEVATOR. QUICKLY, RISING AROUND A GROUP OF RIDERS. THE FLOODING TRIGGERED BY A STORM IN OMAHA, NEBRASKA.
>> ONCE I GOT DOWN TO START TRYING TO OPEN THE DOOR. THEN, THERE WAS TO MY NECK. >> THE GROUP CALLING 9-1-1 AND LOSE ROOMMATES. THOSE ROOMMATES COMING TO THE RESCUE HELPING LOU AND HIS FRIENDS PRY OPEN THE DOOR. THE WATER SO HIGH, THEY HAD TO SWIM OUT.
>> WE JUST GOT IT OPEN AND THEN STARTED SWIMMING OUT. AND THEN, ONCE I GOT OUT, I JUST COULDN'T BELIEVE, LIKE, WOW. THIS IS SOMETHING YOU SEE IN A MOVIE. >> TONIGHT, THE CDC ALERTING DOCTORS. BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR A VERY RARE BACTERIAL DISEASE. FOUR CASES, IDENTIFIED IN DIFFERENT STATES, AND TWO PATIENTS HAVE DIED.
CDC OFFICIALS WARNING OF BACTERIAL INFECTIONS THAT MAY NOT RESPOND TO NORMAL ANTIBIOTICS. SOME UNDERLYING-MEDICAL CONDITIONS CAN INCREASE THE RISK OF SERIOUS INFECTION. >>> A HERO'S HOMECOMING IN ST.
PAUL, MINNESOTA, FOR GOLD MEDALIST SUNISA LEE. >> I JUST HOPE THAT EVERYONE KNOWS THAT EVERYONE'S SO PROUD OF HER. >> THE FIRST HMONG AMERICAN TO COMPETE AND MEDAL AT THE OLYMPICS. HER COMMUNITY, WELCOMING HER BACK THIS PAST WEEKTD. >> IT'S EXCITING TO HAVE A HOMETOWN HERO, AGAIN, YOU KNOW? I DON'T KNOW I'M CRYING IT'S SO EXCITING.
>> AND SHE'S JUST STARTING HER FIRST YEAR OF COLLEGE, AT AUBURN UNIVERSITY ON WEDNESDAY. >> I AM AN OLYMPIC-GOLD MEDALIST. LIKE, IT JUST -- >>> WELCOME BACK, EVERYONE. WE NOW TURN TO A NEW NETFLIX DOCUMENTARY EXAMINING CONVERSION THERAPY. THE PRACTICE OF USING PSYCHOLOGICAL AND PHYSICAL TACTICS TO FORCE LGBTQ INDIVIDUALS TO CHANGE THEIR SEXUAL PREFERENCE. SOMETHING THAT HAS LONG BEEN DISCREDITED BUT STILL REMAINS LEGAL, IN SOME FORM, IN 30 STATES.
THE DOCUMENTARY IS CALLED "PRAY AWAY." IT FOLLOWS, BOTH, ITS FORMER LEADERS, AS WELL AS SURVIVORS. TAKE A LOOK. >> MY WHOLE, ENTIRE LIFE WAS STRUCTURED AROUND NOT BEING GAY.
>> THERE IS A HIGH POPULATION OF YOUTH WHO ARE AT LIVING HOPE. IT WAS AT LEAST 50 PEOPLE THAT WERE CYCLING THROUGH. WE WEREN'T ALLOWED TO HAVE OUTSIDE CONTACT WITH EACH OTHER. SO WE WEREN'T ALLOWED TO BE FRIENDS ON FACEBOOK OR TO KNOW EACH OTHER'S LAST NAMES. THE REASON THAT WE COULDN'T SHARE ANY IDENTIFYING INFORMATION WAS BECAUSE THEY WERE WORRIED WE WOULD ALL MEET UP, AND HAVE SEX WITH EACH OTHER.
WE WERE ONLY ALLOWED TO TALK WHEN WE WERE, LIKE, SUPERVISED. >> THAT WAS A VOICE OF JULIE ROGERS, YOU JUST HEARD FROM. SHE JOINS US, NOW, ALONG WITH "PRAY AWAY" DIRECTOR. WELCOME TO THE SHOW, BOTH OF YOU.
APPRECIATE YOU TALKING WITH US. >> THANK YOU FOR HAVING US. >> JULIE, YOU WERE FORCED INTO CONVERSION THERAPY AFTER YOU CAME OUT TO YOUR PARENTS AT 16 YEARS OLD. DESCRIBE WHAT THAT WAS LIKE FOR YOU. >> YEAH.
I CAME OUT WHEN I WAS 16 YEARS OLD, ON VALENTINE'S DAY. AND UM, MY PARENTS BOTH TOLD ME THEY LOVED ME. AND I -- I KNEW -- UM -- THAT MY MOM WAS COMPLETELY DEVASTATED. AND THERE WAS A CLEAR SENSE FROM MY FAMILY, LIKE, THE ONLY OPTION WAS FOR ME TO TRY TO LIVE LIKE A STRAIGHT-ISH LIFE.
SO THE NEXT WEEK, WHEN MY MOM PULLED ME OUT OF SCHOOL AND TOOK ME TO MEET WITH THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF LIVING HOPE MINISTRIES IN ARLINGTON, TEXAS, I FELT LIKE IT WAS REALLY THE ONLY OPTION I HAD. IT WAS THE ONLY PATH FOR ME TO MAKE MY PARENTS PROUD. TO FIND APPROVAL IN MY COMMUNITY. AND UM, TO BE GOOD. >> AND SO, YOU WENT, WILLINGLY, THINKING PERHAPS I WILL BE ABLE TO GET RID OF THIS DESIRE THAT I HAVE, I'M ASSUMING THERE. GIVE US A SENSE OF, THEN, WHAT HAPPENED ONCE YOU WENT TO -- TO THIS RELIGIOUS FACILITY IN ORDER TO TRY TO -- TO RID YOURSELF OF -- OF BEING GAY? >> SO I DID GO WILLINGLY.
I THINK, AT THE AGE OF 16, IT'S QUESTIONABLE. UM, BECAUSE YOU'RE EXCLUSIVELY RELIANT ON YOUR -- ON YOUR PARENTS FOR SURVIVAL. BUT I -- UM -- I MET WITH RICKY FOR COUNSELING. AND THEN, I WENT TO A WEEKLY-SUPPORT GROUP THAT FUNCTIONED KIND OF LIKE CHURCH-YOUTH GROUP MEETS, A 12-STEP PROGRAM WHERE WE WOULD ALL GO AROUND THE CIRCLE. AND SORT OF CONFESS ANY SORT OF LIKE SEXUAL FAULTS THAT WE HAD THAT WEEK, ANY FEELINGS THAT WE HAD OR CRUSHES AT SCHOOL. THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND THEN, I WENT TO YOUTH RETREATS IN THE WINTER. EXODUS INTERNATIONAL FREEDOM CONFERENCES EVERY SUMMER. AND BASICALLY, UM, AT ONE POINT, LIVED IN A HOME THEY HAD. ALL OF MY LIFE AND THE LIVES OF MANY, MANY HUNDREDS OF YOUTH THAT I KNEW WERE ALMOST ENTIRELY STRUCTURED AROUND TRYING NOT TO GAY. >> AND, CHRISTINE, LIKE TO BRING YOU IN HERE. YOUR INTEREST IN CONVERSION THERAPY COMES FROM A PERSONAL PLACE.
TELL US ABOUT THAT. >> YES. SO MY UNCLE, ACTUALLY, WAS SENT TO CONVERSION THERAPY AFTER HE CAME OUT AS TRANS, AS A CHILD. AND WHAT FOLLOWED WAS A LIFE OF TREMENDOUS MENTAL-HEALTH CHALLENGES THAT INCLUDES ADDICTION, DEPRESSION, SUICIDAL IDEATION. TREMENDOUS ANXIETY. UM, THE LIST IS LONG AND THERE IS VERY COMMON FOR PEOPLE WHO GO THROUGH SOMETHING LIKE THIS AND HE ACTUALLY PASSED AWAY A FEW WEEKS BEFORE I WENT TO FILM SCHOOL AND I DECIDED I WANTED MY FIRST FEATURE DOCUMENTARY TO BE ABOUT THE CONVERSION-THERAPY MOVEMENT.
AND WHEN I STARTED DOING RESEARCH, WHAT REALLY STRUCK ME IS THAT THE VAST MAJORITY OF PEOPLE WHO LEAD THESE MOVEMENTS ARE ACTUALLY LGBTQ, THEMSELVES. THEY ARE PEOPLE WHO SAY THAT THEY KNOW HOW TO CHANGE. AND THAT THEY WANT TO TEACH OTHERS TO DO THE SAME.
AND FOR ME, THAT REALLY HELPED ME UNDERSTAND THE DENPTHS OF MY UNCLE'S DESPERATION AND HOPE THAT CHANGE WAS POSSIBLE, AND, OF COURSE, DEVASTATION WHEN CHANGE NEVER CAME. AND THEN, OVER TIME AS WE MADE THE FILM, WE WEAVED IN JULIE'S STORY, AS WELL. WHO PRIMARILY EXPERIENCED THE MOVEMENT AS A SURVIVOR.
TO REALLY GROUND THE FILM IN THE UNDENIABLE HARM AND TRAUMA IN THE MOVEMENT BECAUSE REGARDLESS OF THIS NOT WORKING, WHICH IT DOESN'T, THE -- THE TRUTH OF THE MOVEMENT IS THAT IT CAUSES PAIN AND TRAUMA. THAT IS UNDENIABLE. >> AND, ACCORDING TO STUDIES BY THE UCLA WILLIAMS INSTITUTE, CHRISTINE, MORE THAN 700,000 LGBTQ PEOPLE HAVE GONE THROUGH CONVERSION THERAPY. WHAT ARE THE CONSEQUENCES THAT MAKE IT HARMFUL TO -- TO SO MANY WHO GO THROUGH IT? >> WELL, IF I CAN JUST TALK ON THAT NUMBER, FOR A SECOND. AND SAY THAT, THAT NUMBER FLOORED ME, IN MY OWN RESEARCH.
AND I WOULD, ALSO, LIKE TO SAY THAT CONVERSION THERAPY CONTINUES, ON EVERY-MAJOR CONTINENT. SO THIS IS IS A VERY PRESENT-TENSE ISSUE. SO MANY OF THE THINGS I TOUCHED ON, IN TERMS OF WHAT MY UNCLE STRUGGLED THROUGH, ARE THE IMPACTS OF THIS MOVEMENT. IT IS PAIN AND TRAUMA.
UM, IT MANIFESTS. THERE'S PHYSICAL EFFECTS, AS WELL. THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE TALK ABOUT IN THE FILM IS THE PREVALENCE OF SELF-HARM AND DEVASTATINGLY SUICIDE, IN THIS MOVEMENT. WHICH IS A, YOU KNOW, SAD, HORRIBLE, LOGICAL CONCLUSION OF BEING TAUGHT TO HATE YOURSELF. SO THERE'S SO MANY WAYS IN WHICH THIS HARMS INDIVIDUALS.
IT HARMS FAMILIES. UM, YOU KNOW, THE LIST IS LONG BUT THE PAIN IS UNDENIABLE. >> AND, JUSTLY, I WOULD LIKE TO COME BACK TO YOU.
JUST TO GET A SENSE. HAVE YOU EVER KNOWN ANYBODY WHO SAID THAT IT WORKED? I'M CHANGED? AND NOW, I'M HETEROSEXUAL AND -- AND THAT AND ON TOP OF I'M, ALSO, CURIOUS IF YOU WERE ABLE TO RECOVER FROM THE TRAUMA THAT YOU EXPERIENCED? >> SO I'M CONNECTED TO HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE. PROBABLY, OVER A THOUSAND PEOPLE, WHO WENT THROUGH THE PROGRAMS. AND 98% OF THOSE PEOPLE ARE JUST, LIKE, HAVE ACCEPTED THEMSELVES AS SOME VERSION OF QUEER AND ARE LIVING THAT OUT, NOW, WHETHER IN RELIGIOUS COMMUNITIES OR NOT.
UM, THERE IS A TINY, TINY PERCENTAGE OF PEOPLE WHO CLAIM THAT, DESPITE THEIR ONGOING STRUGGLE WITH SAME-SEX ATTRACTIONS, THEY HAVE MARRIED SOMEBODY OF THE OPPOSITE SEX AND THEY ARE TRYING TO LIVE A LIFE THAT THEY BELIEVE THEIR -- THAT THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY TELLS THEM THEY HAVE TO LIVE IN ORDER TO BE ACCEPTED. SO -- BUT MOST OF THEM DON'T CLAIM THAT THEY WERE HEALED. THAT TINY PERCENTAGE OF PEOPLE JUST SAY, LIKE, THEY'RE -- THEY'RE STRUGGLING THROUGH THEIR SEXUALITY WITH A SPOUSE. UM, IN TERMS OF HEALING. YOU KNOW, I -- I, MYSELF, STRUGGLED WITH A LOT OF SELF-HARM. AND UM, YOU KNOW, THE STATISTICS SHOW THAT -- THAT YOUTH WHO ARE SUBJECT TO CONVERSION THERAPY ARE TWICE AS LIKELY TO HAVE ATTEMPTED SUICIDE IN THE LAST YEAR.
IT'S -- THE CONSEQUENCES OF THIS ARE DEVASTATING. AND I HAVE -- I HAVE FOUND THAT HEALING, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE OF SO MUCH OF THIS HAPPENED IN RELATIONSHIPS WHERE WE WERE REJECTED. WHERE WE WERE TOLD, EXPLICITLY, THAT WE WEREN'T WANTED IF WE TOLD THE WHOLE TRUTH ABOUT OURSELVES.
HEALING, FOR ME, HAS LOOKED LIKE FINDING COMMUNITIES OF PEOPLE WHO SAY WE SEE YOU, WE LOVE YOU, AND WE ABSOLUTELY DELIGHT IN YOU, EXACTLY THE WAY YOU ARE. AND UM, AND -- AND TO FIND THAT -- THAT THERE ARE MANY, MANY THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE, TONS OF COMMUNITIES, EVEN FAITH COMMUNITIES, WHO -- WHO WILL CHOOSE ME. AND WHERE I KNOW THAT I AM TRULY WANTED. >> AND, JULIE, LAST QUESTION TO YOU. WHAT -- WHAT DO YOU HOPE THAT PEOPLE WILL TAKE AWAY FROM WATCHING "PRAY AWAY"? >> I WANT THEM TO KNOW, FIRST OF ALL, THAT CONVERSION THERAPY IS CONTINUING TO HAPPEN. IT'S THE PRIMARY RESPONSE TO PEOPLE WHO COME OUT IN EVANGELICAL COMMUNITIES.
AND WHAT EVANGELICALS MAKE UP A QUARTER OF THE VOTING BLOC IN THE UNITED STATES. SO THIS IS AN ENORMOUS, LIKE, A HUGE PERCENT OF THE POPULATION. AND YOU KNOW, LIVING HOPE MINISTRIES, RICKY, THEY'RE STILL GOING. THEY ARE THRIVING IN THESE COMMUNITIES.
AND HE IS SPEAKING IN MEGA CHURCHES TO TENS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE TELLING THEM THAT THE RIGHT THING TO DO WHEN A QUEER KID COMES OUT, THAT GOD'S RESPONSE IS FOR THEM TO REJECT THEM. AND SO, I WANT THEM TO STOP DOING THAT AND I WANT STRAIGHT FOLKS, IN THOSE COMMUNITIES, TO GO TO THEIR PASTORS AND SAY, HEY, IF WE ARE SUPPORTING THIS, IN ANY WAY, SOMETHING THAT LEADS TO DOUBLE THE SUICIDE RATES, THEN WE ARE GOING TO PULL OUR FUNDING AND WE ARE GOING TO GO WORSHIP ELSEWHERE. KIDS DESERVE TO KNOW THAT THEY CAN BE SEEN AND SAFE AND LOVED BY -- BY EVERYONE IN THEIR COMMUNITIES. THEY DESERVE TO FEEL SAFE AT HOME.
AND -- AND SO, I WANT -- I WANT THE PEOPLE PRACTICING CONVERSION THERAPY TO STOP. AND I WANT THE QUEER PEOPLE IN THOSE COMMUNITIES TO KNOW THAT THEY'RE -- THERE ARE SO MANY PEOPLE THAT WILL WELCOME THEM AND DELIGHT IN THEM, ENTHUSIASTICALLY, EXACTLY BECAUSE THEY ARE WHO THEY ARE. THIS WORLD IS MORE BEAUTIFUL BECAUSE THEY'RE IN IT.
>> JULIE ROGERS, CHRISTINE, WE THANK YOU, SO MUCH, FOR JOINING US. "PRAY AWAY" WHICH IS EXECUTIVE PRODUCED BY RYAN MURPHY AND JASON BLUM IS AVAILABLE, NOW, ON NETFLIX. >>> LIVING HOPE MINISTRIES DECLINED TO COMMENT TO THE F FILMMAKERS, NOR PROVIDE ANYONE FOR AN INTERVIEW.
>>> BEFORE WE GO TONIGHT, THE IMAGE OF THE DAY. OLYMPIANS ARE HEADING HOME AND, IN THIS CASE, PROVIDING SOME EXTRAORDINARY SIGHTS AT THE AIRPORT. OLYMPIAN OF TEAM USA RHYTHMIC GYMNASTIC TEAM DECIDED TO POSE FOR THE CAMERAS IN TOKYO'S AIRPORT.
DON'T TRY THAT AT HOME. OR DO, IF YOU ARE EXTREMELY FLEXIBLE. THAT IS OUR SHOW FOR THIS HOUR. BE SURE TO STAY TUNED TO ABC NEWS LIVE FOR MORE CONTEXT AND ANALYSIS OF THE DAY'S TOP STORIES.
THANKS SO MUCH FOR STREAMING WITH US. >>> COMING UP IN THE NEXT HOUR, WE ARE STAYING ON TOP OF SEVERAL THINGS INCLUDING THE GROWING CONCERNS ABOUT THE RISK THE DELTA VARIANT POSES TO CHILDREN. >>> AND WHY IS THE CLEANLINESS OF CELEBRITIES, LIKE ASHTON KUTCHER AND OTHERS BECOMING A THING? STAY WITH US. >> SHE WA >> SHE WANTED TO BE A STAR. SHE WANTED TO BE A MOTHER.
>> AND TO BE REALLY HONEST, I DIDN'T KNOW A WHOLE LOT ABOUT ANNA HER EARLY YEARS. I THOUGHT WHY NOT GO BACK TO ANNA'S BEGINNINGS? >> GOES IN SEARCH FOR ANNA. HER POSSESSIONS, HER SECRETS. >> WHY NO ONE CALLED 9-1-1 SOONER IS NEVER, FULLY ANSWERED. >> WHEN THE AUTOPSY IS RELEASED, IT IS SHOCKING.
>> THE "20/20" EVENT SPECIAL. FRIDAY ON ABC. >> NOW, AS THE COUNTRY RE-OPENS WITH SO MUCH HOPE FOR A BRIGHTER SUMMER.
IT'S TIME TO -- >> RISE AND SHINE. >> AND WE'RE CELEBRATING BY HITTING THE ROAD. TRAVELING TO ALL-50 STATES, THIS SUMMER. >> GOOD MORNING AMERICA! >> LET IT SHINE. >> LET IT SHINE.
>> YES, IT'S TIME TO CELEBRATE THE SUMMER WITH -- >> GOOD MORNING, AMERICA! >> IT'S ABC'S "GOOD MORNING AMERICA" RISE AND SHINE TOUR. >> GOOD MORNING, AMERICA. >>> HEY, EVERYONE. I'M LINSEY DAVIS.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR STREAMING WITH US. WE ARE MONITORING SEVERAL DEVELOPMENTS HERE, AT ABC NEWS, AT THIS HOUR. TRIBUTES HAVE BEEN COMING IN FOR THE YOUNG CHICAGO POLICE OFFICER KILLED IN THE LINE OF DUTY. 29-YEAR-OLD ELLA FRENCH WAS SHOT AND KILLED DURING A TRAFFIC STOP.
HER PARTNER IS NOW FIGHTING FOR HIS LIFE AS FLAGS FLY IN HALF STAFF IN THE CITY IN THEIR HONOR -- IN HER HONOR. >>> THREE SUSPECTS ARE IN CUSTODY IN CONNECTION WITH THE VIOLENCE. >>> EMBATTLED NEW YORK GOVERNOR ANDREW CUOMO'S TOP AIDE HAS REDESIGN SIGNED TONIGHT. THIS AS STATE LAWMAKERS IN THE CITY DISCUSS POSSIBLE IMPEACHMENT PROCEEDINGS FOLLOWING A BLISTERING ATTORNEY GENERAL REPORT THAT ACCUSED HIM LAST WEEK OF SEXUAL HARASSMENT INVOLVING 11 WOMEN. GOVERNOR CUOMO HAS MAINTAINED HE HAS NEVER TOUCHED ANYONE INAPPROPRIATELY.
HE IS ALSO FACING MISDEMEANOR CHARGES IN ALBANY STEMMING FROM A CRIMINAL COMPLAINT FILED BY HIS FORMER-EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT. >>> AND SOME WELCOME NEWS ON THE ECONOMY FRONT. RESTAURANT WORKERS NOW EARNING MORE THAN $15 AN HOUR. BOTH GROUPS HAVE SEEN THEIR WAGES RISE MORE THAN 7% FROM PRE-PANDEMIC LEVELS.
AND REMINDER, THERE ARE A RECORD 10 MILLION JOBS AVAILABLE, NATIONWIDE. >>> AND AS THE ECONOMY RECOVERS, IT STILL HAS TO GRAPPLE WITH THE PANDEMIC AND THE DELTA VARIANT THAT CONTINUES TO INFECT MORE PEOPLE. THE NUMBER OF AMERICANS IN THE HOSPITAL, RIGHT NOW, WITH COVID CONTINUES TO GROW AT AN ALARMING RATE. JUMPING MORE THAN 300%, SINCE EARLY JULY.
THE VAST MAJORITY OF THESE PEOPLE ARE UNVACCINATED. ALL THIS, COMING AS ONE DOCTOR IS DESCRIBING THE UPCOMING-SCHOOL YEAR AS A HUMANITARIAN CATASTROPHE. VICTOR OQUENDO HAS MORE.
>> Reporter: TONIGHT, THE COVID CRISIS IS EXPLODING ACROSS THE SOUTH. FROM FLORIDA, TO LOUISIANA, TO TEXAS, HOSPITALS ARE PUTTING UP SURGE TENTS. BRINGING IN EXTRA VENTILATORS AND RUNNING OUT OF BEDS AND STAFF. >> WE OVERRUN US AND YOU WEAR US DOWN AND WE GET TO WHERE WE CAN'T COME TO WORK ANYMORE.
THAT'S NOT GOING TO BE ANYBODY HERE TO TAKE CARE OF YOU. >> Reporter: WITH 68,000 COVID PATIENTS STRAINING AMERICAN HOSPITALS, EXPERTS WARN THE SYSTEM IN AFFECTED COMMUNITIES IS NEARING THE BREAKING POINT. >> IF THIS PACE CONTINUES FOR THE NEXT FOUR OR FIVE DAYS, WHICH IT SEEMS IT WILL, THE HOSPITAL SYSTEMS IN FLORIDA AND LOUISIANA WILL COLLAPSE. >> Reporter: AND WITH CO-VID INFECTIONS CLIMBING, ANOTHER MOVE TO MANDATE VACCINES.
THE PENTAGON TODAY ANNOUNCING IT WILL SEEK THE PRESIDENT'S APPROVAL TO REQUIRE NEARLY 1.4 MILLION ACTIVE-DUTY MILITARY MEMBERS TO GET THE VACCINE, STARTING IN MID-SEPTEMBER. >> YOU CAN CONSIDER THIS MEMO, TODAY, AS, WHAT WE WOULD CALL IN THE MILITARY, A WARNING ORDER.
>> Reporter: AND THE PENTAGON COULD MOVE THAT DEADLINE UP IF THE VACCINES GET FULL-FDA APPROVAL, SOONER. TONIGHT, WITH MILLIONS OF SCHOOL CHILDREN HEADING BACK TO THE CLASSROOM, DOCTORS FEAR MORE KIDS WILL BE HOSPITALIZED WITH COVID. >> YOU SHOULD ASSUME THAT WE'RE GOING TO SEE PEDIATRIC INTENSIVE-CARE UNITS, ALL ACROSS THE SOUTH, COMPLETELY OVERWHELMED. AND SOMETHING, EVEN A POSSIBILITY OF SMALL-TENT CITIES OF -- OF SICK ADOLESCENTS AND KIDS.
>> Reporter: IN JUST THE LAST WEEK, PEDIATRIC CASES CLIMBING TO 94,000. AND CHILDREN WITH COVID ARE GOING INTO HOSPITAL
2021-08-11