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Connect the World

Elections In Egypt, Greece Will Shape World Future; Bianca Jagger Goes On Largest Land Restoration Project In History

Aired June 18, 2012 - 16:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

ZAIN VERJEE, HOST: Tonight on Connect the World, a race to form a government. The winner of Greece's election has three days to cobble together a coalition. We'll take you live to Athens with the latest on the political maneuvering.

ANNOUNCER: Live from CNN London, this is Connect the World.

VERJEE: It was a narrow victory for Greek voters have chosen a party that backs the country's harsh austerity program. But will Germany, the EuroZone's pay master, cut Greece any slack?

Also tonight...

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BIANCA JAGGER, HUMAN RIGHTS ADVOCATE: We have (inaudible).

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VERJEE: Campaign of Bianca Jagger on why she's telling world powers to sign up to a major new environmental project.

And if you're going to royal ascot this week be prepared for a dressing down by the fashion police.

221 days without an elected government, now the leader of Greece's New Democracy Party is going to try and end his country's political trouble. Antonis Samaras is trying to create a coalition after no one party got an overall majority in Greece's second parliamentary election in just two months. Richard Quest joins me now from Athens.

Richard, can New Democracy form a governing coalition or not?

RICHARD QUEST, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, they have the mandate and they have three days. Day one ended today. And we expect that they're pretty much going to say tomorrow to the president, no, they're unable to do it immediately. But here's where it gets interesting, because it's a cascading process. The mandate should go from New Democracy to Syriza, who came number two. Now they've already said they won't take -- they don't want it. And then PASOK who have said that they won't probably take it. Instead, they will look for a government of national unity.

So what I would venture to -- I'm going to sort of speculate what happens over the next 24 hours. Either PASOK decides to get into bed with New Democracy and you have a straightforward coalition. Or equally likely, they can't -- none of them can form a government and very quickly they are called to the president's office who you see on the screen now and they'll call to the president's office to try and produce this government of national unity, or a grand coalition. That is the most likely way this proceeds going forward in the next 24 hours.

VERJEE: And if they do figure it out, Richard, will a new government change anything in practical terms?

QUEST: Oh yes. Oh, it should. I mean, providing it's the right combination of coalition and it has a certain amount of strength behind it, it could well easily last for some time.

More importantly, it will have the mandate to go to the European commission and the ECB and start the tinkering around at the edges of the bailout agreement to try and get relief for the debt burden for Greece. Ultimately, though, Chancellor Merkel has said that she's not going to renegotiate.

And here, Zain, I think we do end up in some really tortured language. When is a renegotiation just an amendment, when is an amendment just an accommodation, when is an accommodation just altering a few things. It's a long way to go from the Merkel hard position of no, never, to the Greek position of you've got to give us something.

VERJEE: Richard Quest putting it into perspective for us from Athens. Thanks a lot, Richard.

So with Greek politicians talking tentatively about renegotiating austerity measures, Europe's eyes turn to its economic powerhouse which is Germany. Just today the German chancellor Angela Merkel has said there's not going to be any leeway for Greece as Richard was saying. No, never. So what happens next?

I'm joined now by Albrecht Ritschl. He is professor of economic history at the London School of Economics. So should Germany cut Greece any slack?

ALBRECHT RITSCHL, PROFESSOR, LONDON SCHOOL OF ECONOMICS: Let's see what they will do. Well, let's see what they can do. The difficulty from the German standpoint is that many of the bitter pills that -- to the Greek are basically still sitting in Athens and haven't been swallowed yet. So in a way it's a bad time for the Greeks to come back to the Germans and tell them to please accept renegotiations, because the first thing the Germans are going to say, oh, why don't you proceed first with what we have told you before, the so-called Troika of the EU, of the ECB, and the IMF has told them to do and they haven't.

VERJEE: So those are the bitter pills that Greece needs to swallow, but is there any tinkering that can be done a little bit that will give Greece the kind of concessions or the breathing space that it might want?

RITSCHL: Well, absolutely. But of course nobody is going to say that in public. Basically what seems to be going on here is that the Germans and the Greeks are -- let me call it that, they're playing a game of chicken. And typically the thing that happens in the end is that of course there is some -- you name it, renegotiation, rescheduling, blah, blah, blah. And not just to mention for all of these translate are equivalent in the German language and the Greek language, just what a confusion that is going to be.

But quite clearly some negotiations there will be. Nobody will really kind of try to play hardball.

VERJEE: More negotiations or more time will mean more money and a more political capital for Germany.

RITSCHL: Well, the thing is, of course, the Germans are extremely worried about the Europeans getting at their wallets. They probably have the hands of the Germans' wallets already. And this is basically what all the negotiations are about that we currently see at the G20, how much is Germany going to give? What are they going to accept? Will they have to accept euro bonds? Will there be any other scheme that is going to be accepted? And that's really not clear. And it's very -- it has become extremely difficult to predict.

VERJEE: From what you can tell does Germany have confidence in Greece? Does anyone have confidence in Greece -- that they can dig themselves out of this mess?

RITSCHL: No, of course not. No, of course not. And Greece in a way is not the problem, because Greece is by all means a small operation. The difficulty is the rest of southern Europe. And if you take all that together, then we get into this typical too big to fail argument, which basically means that the debtor can hold the creditor at ransom. Why is that? Because everybody in Europe is afraid of a big banking crisis.

VERJEE: And the contagion issue.

RITSCHL: That is (inaudible).

VERJEE: And my apologies that I have a similar issue tonight.

RITSCHL: OK. Not (inaudible) please.

(LAUGHTER)

VERJEE: With no debt, though. Thank you so much. Appreciate that. Albrecth Ritschl, a professor of economic history at the London School of Economics. Thank you.

Angela Merkel was speaking from the G20 meeting in Mexico where the EuroZone crisis is at the top of the agenda. So why does the survival of the EuroZone matter so much? And I just want you to take a look at this, OK, because the EuroZone economy is really critical to the United States. It is the third largest market for U.S. goods, purchasing over $49 billion worth in the first quarter of just this year. The world's powerful emerging markets also rely heavily on exports to Europe. It's India's largest export market. New Delhi's exports to Europe are worth about $40 billion. And if you're watching us from China tonight, the EU is your single biggest export destination. China sent over $363 billion of goods to Europe in 2011.

So you see the whole fallout from more trouble in Europe is going to be felt around the world.

CNN's Dan Lothian is in Los Cabos in Mexico where the G20 are meeting right now. He joins me now. Dan, what's been the reaction to all of this going on in Greece at the G20?

DAN LOTHIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, I think you know this sort of, you know, feeling that they have dodged a bullet here. So that's sort of the initial reaction here. But they are cautiously optimistic. I think everyone here realizes that there's still a lot more work to be done, that Greece and certainly the EuroZone crisis is not out of the woods just yet. And the hope is that these world leaders can at least leave here with some kind of vision as to the way forward. There's a lot of concern around the world about the ramifications of this global -- this rather EuroZone crisis. And certainly in the United States concern for what would happen if the European market were to essentially dry up, because they can't afford U.S. goods. Europe obviously being leading trading partner of the United States.

So this is being watched very closely. No one expects any, you know, real resolution to this issue here at the G20, but certainly there's the hope at least that after these face to face meetings that these leaders can sort of carve out the way forward, Zain.

VERJEE: Is there a hope, or any confidence what's going on in Greece can actually be stopped from spreading to country's like Spain or Italy?

LOTHIAN: Well, certainly there is the hope that that will happen. I mean, that's the reason why there is this sense of urgency, because there's a realization of the kind of impact that this could have on the global markets not only in these meeting world countries, nations that are here, but also the developing nations as well. And so, yes, there is the realization of the impact that it could have. And I think that's why you're seeing this sense of urgency.

VERJEE: CNN's Dan Lothian in Los Cabos in Mexico where it's nice and sunny. We can see that, Dan. Thank you so much.

But you can't enjoy any of it.

Still to come tonight. Israel's president issues a warning to Iran as world leaders meet to seek agreement over Tehran's controversial nuclear program.

Also ahead...

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JAGGER: We are reaching the tipping point. And the tipping point, according to most scientists, will be in less than 10 years. We don't have much time.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VERJEE: The ambitious plan to prevent a climate change crisis. Bianca Jagger tells us how it works.

And there is everything to play for at Euro 2012 as Spain and Croatia fight for a crucial quarterfinal place. All that and much more when Connect the World continues.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

VERJEE: A quick programming note. As part of CNN's Freedom Project we're going to bring you live coverage of the U.S. State Department's trafficking and persons report. That's a comprehensive look at which nations are fighting to end modern day slavery and which ones may be looking the other way. That's the trafficking and person's report Tuesday 9:00 pm here in London.

You're watching CNN. This is Connect the World. I'm Zain Verjee. Welcome back.

The Muslim Brotherhood is celebrating in Egypt today after its presidential candidate claimed victory in the historic runoff election. These Brotherhood supporters turned out for a big street party in Tahrir Square. If the prediction is right, Mohammed Morsi would be Egypt's first ever Islamist president, but it is not over yet. Official results aren't due until Thursday. And Morsi's opponent says he's not ready to concede. Much more on this story in about 15 minutes.

Here's a look now at some other stories connecting our world tonight. Syrian opposition sources say at least 68 people were killed across the country on Monday. That includes the city of Duma. Activists say the entire families there are trapped in rubble after shelling by government forces.

Meanwhile a British marine insurer has said it will no longer cover a Russian cargo ship headed to Syria. U.S. officials claimed a vessel is carrying attack helicopters and munitions for the al-Assad regime. The ship is right now off the coast of Scotland.

Myanmar's Aung San Suu Kyi has arrived in Ireland to receive an Amnesty International award. The pro-democracy leader started the day in Oslo. Now there, she co-hosted a panel discussion with U2 front man Bono, then she flew to Dublin where she was presented with the Ambassador of Conscience award during a special tribute concert.

The latest nuclear talks with Iran kicked of in Moscow today. Tehran and six world powers are trying to reach an agreement over the country's controversial nuclear program. Iran insists it's producing uranium for peaceful means, but the west suspects the country is seeking a nuclear bomb. Previous talks in Baghdad last month produced new results. CNN's world affairs report Elise Labott spoke to the Israeli President Shimon Peres who warned patients with Iran is ending.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SHIMON PERES, ISRAELI PRESIDENT: I think time is out, because they continue to do the (inaudible). So it's not (inaudible). They continue to do things which are contrary to the United Nations resolutions, to the atomic center in Geneva. They build, they provoke. They say, OK, we stop. And maybe there was (inaudible) problem. They don't. They continue to enrich the uranium. So you cannot provoke the world assuming that the world is made of fools only.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VERJEE: Shimon Peres spoke to CNN on the eve of his annual Facing Tomorrow conference which looks at challenges facing the international community. The militant Islamic group of Boco Haram said in a statement today that they carried out bombings on churches that killed 50 people Sunday. The three attacks took place in the cities of Zaria and Kaduna. The group says they were in retaliation against Christians for destroying mosques. Boko Haram, whose name means western education is forbidden, has called itself the Nigerian Taliban.

And a double achievement for China in the space race. Now only have they sent the first Chinese woman into space, but today they became the third country in the world to complete a manned docking following in the shoes of only America and Russia. China's Shenzhou 9 spacecraft safely docked with an orbiting space lab. And that means that it's the first time China has been able to transfer astronauts between two orbiting vessels. During the 13 days mission, the astronauts will carry out experiments and tests as they inch closer toward their goal of building a fully fledged space station.

We're going to take a short break right now, but when we come back two billion hectares of barren land: find out how it could help fight climate change and poverty. That's up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

VERJEE: Hi, you're watching Connect the World live from London. Welcome back. I'm Zain Verjee.

As global leaders meet in Mexico to discuss the world's economic stability at the G20 summit, further south Brazil is preparing to host talks on environmental sustainability. One woman who is hoping to make history at the Rio summit is Bianca Jagger. The tireless human rights campaigner is drumming up support for the world's largest land restoration project. And already the United States, Brazil and Rwanda have signed on. Nima Elbagir sat down with the former model to find out why she expects unprecedented support for this project.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NIMA ELBAGIR, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Melting ice, receding glaciers, destruction of coral reef: many scientists say these are signs of global warming and warn of worse to come if we don't cut back our carbon emissions as a matter of urgency.

JAGGER: We are reaching the tipping point. And the tipping point, according to most scientists, will be in less than 10 years. You don't have much time.

ELBAGIR: Bianca Jagger may not be a scientist, but the former model and actress has been a strong voice on environmental and human rights issues for two decades. And now through the plant a pledge campaign she's lobbying governments to sign up to the bond challenge, an ambitious plan to restore 150 million hectares of degraded land, almost three times the size of France, by 2020.

What makes this a historic project? What made you want to get involved with this?

JAGGER: It's a project that will bring concrete and tangible chance to people, to the environment, to the economy, and that will make a difference in the way we are tackling the issue of climate change.

ELBAGIR: At the United Nations sustainability summit in Rio this week Bianca Jagger says she will support her promise with figures from the International Union for Conservation of Nature. It estimates the plan will see cuts of up to 17 percent in carbon emissions and an $80 billion injection into the global economy.

JAGGER: When people think, you know, how will they be able to achieve this? Just think about transforming a landscape that is barren to a landscape where you will be able to make the land fertile, where it will be sustainable, where agriculture can come back, where the people can benefit when local communities can be benefiting and changing their lives. And that you will be tackling as well poverty issues.

ELBAGIR: Similar restoration projects are already under way in Mexico, China, and Rwanda. But they've relied on government support.

Given that a lot of governments are going to austerity measures, is this a bit of a hard sell at this point in time?

JAGGER: It is not because governments are already convinced that -- many governments are already convinced that this will bring financial benefits for their country. And they know that we will be tackling the issue of food security, that we will be improving water sources, all issues that are at the moment in threat because of climate change and a threat because you have so much deforested land throughout the world.

ELBAGIR: You have been doing this for awhile in terms of campaigning on environmental issues even before it was such a fashionable, if I could say that, cause. Do you feel like the climate around environmental issues has changed? Do you feel like people are listening more now?

JAGGER: Both things. In the one hand I think that young people understand the threat of climate change in their lives and in the future. At the same time I see that a lot of governments don't seem to fully understand the threat of climate change and that they use the excuse that we are living through an economic crisis or a difficult time not to do what is necessary. We need to do it now. It is now or we will all either live and survive together or we will all perish together.

And I don't think that I'm being an alarmist. I mean, we need to make a difference. And we, individuals, can make that difference.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VERJEE: Bianca Jagger.

Still to come on CNN, critics in Egypt say a de facto military coup has now come fully circle. Ruling generals strip the presidency of important powers even before the winner of historic elections are announced.

Under police investigation the latest on this tennis star in hot water after a line judge was injured.

And beware, any fashion faux pas at this year's races -- one royal race horse goes to extreme lengths in a bid to ban risque outfits.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

VERJEE: A very warm welcome to our viewers across Europe and around the world. I'm Zain Verjee. Here's are the latest world headlines from CNN.

The leader of Greece's New Democracy Party Antonis Samaras is trying to put together a government. He's appealing to the socialist PASOK party for support. That party says Samaras needs to have a coalition ready by Tuesday night.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

EVANGELOS VENIZELOS, PASOK LEADER (through translator): The most critical for us is this moment is to achieve the widest possible path of cooperation and should happen at the latest tomorrow evening. Also (inaudible) that even for those who will choose the position of opposition is a national duty of responsibility and cooperation so that the country gets the best result both internally and especially during this negotiation role.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VERJEE: Meanwhile, Greece's situation is a hot topic at the G20 summit in Mexico. German chancellor Angela Merkel says there will be no leeway for Athens on the terms of its bailout. She called on Greece's next government to fulfill its EU commitment.

And Saudi state media reports that Salman bin-Abdul Aziz has been named the kingdom's next crown prince and heir to the throne. Right now, he serves as Defense Minister, and he's going to be becoming Deputy Prime Minister, as well. The announcement comes after the funeral of his brother, Crown Prince Nayef.

There's celebration by Muslim Brotherhood supporters in Tahrir Square. Their presidential candidate, Mohamed Morsi, has claimed victory in the runoff election, but his opponent, the former prime minister, Ahmed Shafik, isn't ready to concede, saying the votes are still being counted.

We still don't know for sure who is going to be Egypt's new president, but what we do know is that his powers will be dramatically reduced. Right after the polls closed on Sunday, the military issued a declaration giving itself unprecedented powers while weakening the presidency.

This comes just days after a court disbanded Parliament, allowing the military to claim legislative powers. Some Egyptians say that their revolution's been hijacked. Others are a bit more optimistic.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, I'm very, very, very, very, very, very happy. Egypt! Egypt! Egypt!

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There is no Parliament and there is no constitution, and we need to make this constitution very quickly and we need to fight with the army to gain our -- our, you can say, our winnings, our profits from this battle here in Egypt.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VERJEE: The Muslim Brotherhood has been waiting decades for the chance at political power, and it is not going to give it up without a fight. It's refusing to recognize the military's disbanding of the Islamist-dominated parliament, setting the stage for a real showdown later this week.

Ben Wedeman's following all of these developments tonight from Cairo. Ben, what can we expect? How ugly is this showdown going to be?

BEN WEDEMAN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, it's hard to say, but tomorrow certainly will tell. The Muslim Brotherhood along with other groups have called for a million-man march to Tahrir Square to protest against the dissolution last Thursday by the constitutional court of Parliament.

It's a bit of a change of tactics, actually, or position, since on Thursday they said they would respect the decision of the constitutional court.

But clearly they feel on the defensive at the moment, given the -- this so-called constitutional declaration that the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces issued just as the polls were closing, which very much makes SCAF immune from the powers of the government.

And just a few hours ago, it was announced that the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces was, even before the name of the president has been announced, appointing his chief of staff, who just by chance happens to be a general.

So, certainly, the stage is being set for a serious confrontation. The members of Parliament of the Muslim Brotherhood and others have said they will try to march on Parliament tomorrow and hold a session there, but already, the military has said we've closed off Parliament. They are not allowing any members of Parliament in.

So, the Parliament members are going to hold session in Tahrir Square if they can't get into Parliament. So, very much all the elements for a confrontation, but we'll have to see if they actually have the stomach to go one-on-one against the Egyptian military. Zain?

VERJEE: Why are the army generals doing this? Are they just making their own popularity worse than it already is and destroying their own credibility, whatever's left of it?

WEDEMAN: I think for one thing, they're trying to immunize themselves against the possibility that somebody will come to power, whether the Muslim Brotherhood's Mohamed Morsi or others, and begin to chip away at their privileges.

It's important to keep in mind that the Egyptian military isn't a military in the classic sense, it's also a business. They control about 30 to 40 percent of the economy.

And for instance, if you were to drive from Cairo to the Red Sea, you would be going on a toll road built and operated by the military. You would fill petrol in your car from a petrol station owned and operated by the military. You would buy goodies and snacks that come from army- controlled factories.

So, it's more than just an army, and they want to make sure nobody takes away its perks and privileges and threatens its business empire.

And let's not forget, it's a military cast of officers, who have run this country since July 1952, when they overthrew King Farouk, the last king of Egypt, and these men clearly aren't going to give up power.

They were ready to jettison Hosni Mubarak during the revolution simply to give somebody -- a victim to the revolutionaries, but they themselves are certainly not about to give up power at this rate, at least. Zain?

VERJEE: CNN's Senior International Correspondent Ben Wedeman giving us some great perspective, there, from Cairo and giving us a sense of just how much the army generals have at stake here.

Well, if Mohamed Morsi wins the presidency, it would be a huge victory for the Brotherhood. That was a group oppressed by previous regimes and even banned from politics altogether. But with the military's recent steps to weaken the presidency, what kind of role would they be inheriting anyway?

Let's talk about all of this with Abdul Mawgoud Dardery. He's been elected to Parliament from Luxor, and he joins us now. How bad is the confrontation -- the anticipated showdown going to be between the Muslim Brotherhood and the army generals?

ABDUL MAWGOUD DARDERY, ELECTED TO EGYPTIAN PARLIAMENT: Let me -- thank you for having me. Let me first thank the Egyptian people for making such important steps towards the march for democracy.

Egypt now is happy, their happiness is mixed with anxiety because of the undemocratic moves SCAF has done in the past few days.

I think it is wrong for the military council itself, it's wrong for the country, and it's wrong for its stability in the region. And I think the Egyptian people have decided to go for democracy, whatever it takes. We'll be waiting for decades now to celebrate this moment, and I call upon SCAF to let the Egyptian people enjoy that moment of celebration, first time we elected a president for decades.

And is not time for SCAF, now, to come and dissolve the parliament and try to give itself super constitutional powers. It is not accepted by the Egyptian people, and it should not be accepted by the world community.

VERJEE: We can see -- we're looking at pictures in Tahrir Square where thousands of people are showing that they just don't like what has happened. Is there going to a danger of violence because of this situation?

DARDERY: I hope not, and I don't think this is going to be planned by any means. Our revolution is peaceful and we would like to keep that spirit of peacefulness. The greatest element of our revolution, we used to say, "Salmiya." "Salmiya," meaning "peaceful." Peaceful. We're peaceful protesters.

VERJEE: Right.

DARDERY: We're peaceful Egyptians. We would like change. We would like to live as civilized human beings anywhere on the face of the Earth. We would like to have our own rights, we would like to make our constitution the way we want. We would like to make our democratic institutions the way we want, and the SCAF, the military council --

VERJEE: OK --

DARDERY: -- should not stay in the way.

VERJEE: Well, one of the things the military council is worried about is that if the Muslim Brotherhood comes to power that you're really going to chip away at their own army privileges. Is that what's going to happen?

DARDERY: Not at all. This is an Egyptian decision. The Egyptian people will decide for themselves. The Egyptians are not infants anymore. We've learned how to live under dictatorship. We threw out the dictatorial regime of Mubarak, and now it is the time for the military council to let the Egyptians free.

Egyptians need -- deserve to be free, and they're going to deal with any government that is coming. If the Brothers do good, we will welcome them. If they don't, we'll kick them out and bring another through democracy, through democratic means. Dictatorial regimes are over in the Arab world --

VERJEE: Right. OK.

DARDERY: -- and I think it is time for Egypt to have its freedom.

VERJEE: And will the Brothers guarantee equal rights for all Egyptians, women, Copts, everyone, enshrined in a new constitution? Do you support that?

DARDERY: That's a must. It is part of our culture and it is going to -- and it is going to -- it is part of our constitution. Equal citizenship. I teach in the university my Muslim students as well as the Christian students, they're equal. They're my brothers and my sisters. They have what we have and they carry the same responsibilities as we carry. Equal citizenship is a must for all Egyptians.

VERJEE: Abdul Mawgoud Dardery, elected to Parliament from Luxor, thank you so much for joining us. Appreciate it.

Two more teams are booking places in the Euro 2012 quarterfinals as we speak. Now, is Italy going to be one of the last eight? Find out when CONNECT THE WORLD returns.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

VERJEE: Welcome back. Group C is taking center stage at the Euro 2012 tournament on Monday. Ahead of the matches, a possible scenario that could play out had some in Italy talking about conspiracy theories.

Well, Don Riddell is always talking about conspiracy theories, so he is the best person to talk to about this. Don, great to see you at CNN Center. Is there anything to this conspiracy, Don?

DON RIDDELL, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: You're right, I do love conspiracy theories, and Italian football fans have good reason to believe in them, because they were on the receiving end of what they perceive to be a bit of collusion at the 2004 championship.

But it doesn't matter tonight. The results didn't play out that way. The Italian fans are through -- their team is through to the quarterfinals, Zain, so they don't have to worry about that.

Let's just bring you right up to date. Italy's match against Ireland has just finished. They won that game by two goals to nil. Spain beat Croatia by a goal to nil. So, nice and easy, the two teams that won go through to the quarterfinals. Ireland were already out, Croatia are out now, as well.

Let's head over to Pedro Pinto, who's live for us in Warsaw. Pedro has been following the action for us this evening. It has to be said, Pedro, a nail-biting evening for the fans of those three teams involved. Spain, I think, made their fans suffer a little bit, but in the end, they got the job done, right?

PEDRO PINTO, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: They did, but it wasn't easy. And if you're a fan of the Spanish national team, you're wondering, is this team really good enough to win another major title?

They left it late, Don. They were one goal away from being knocked out of the competition, if they had conceded to Croatia.

They had to rely on an 88th-minute goal from substitute Jesus Navas to get the three points they needed to go through and, as it turns out, to top the group as well, as you just saw on the final standings in this Group C. So, Jesus Navas giving Vicente del Bosque's side a much-needed win and sealing their place in the quarterfinals.

Who's going to join them? Well, you saw it's Italy. They knew they needed to get all three points against the Republic of Ireland, who now finished the tournament with a total of zero points.

You can't blame them for lack of trying, though. They were running at the Italians throughout the 93 minutes. The Azzurri got goals from Antonio Cassano before the break. And then, the controversial striker Mario Balotelli, great goal from him. Kind of a scissor kick -- actually between a scissor kick and a bicycle kick -- from close range for the Manchester City striker.

And when all is said and done, Cesare Prandelli's side also make it through to the final eight. And we now know six of the final eight teams in this competition. The last group to take the spotlight will be Group D. And Don, your national team will be involved there. England, France, and Ukraine going for the final two spots in the final eight. The pressure now is on your boys, my friend.

(LAUGHTER)

RIDDELL: Yes, absolutely. And the last game against Sweden was a nerve-wracking affair. Sweden the team that are out in that group, as we all know.

Look, what do you make of the Italians? They came into this competition on the back of a lot of controversy domestically. They got the job done today. Can you see them going much further?

PINTO: Look, you never know with the Italians. If you watch Italy long enough, you know that somehow, some way, they get the job done.

What's curious is that they really haven't been that successful in the European championship. They may have won the World Cup four times, but they only won the Euro once, back in 1968. And entering this match, they had only won two of their last nine games at the Euro. So, for some reason, there's some kind of curse of the Euro going on for the Azzurri.

Do I think the Italians will make it all the way? No. Could they make the semifinals? It really depends on who they take on next, Don, and we'll find that out tomorrow.

RIDDELL: Pedro, I know that the viewers of CONNECT THE WORLD will be interested in this one because we now know as of the weekend's games that in the quarterfinals, Germany are going to be playing Greece. These two countries have a real kind of mutual distrust of each other regarding the fate of the euro. How do you think this one's going to play out on the field?

PINTO: Yes, I think there's going to be a little bit more than just a football game at stake here. I spoke earlier today with the coach of the Greek national team, Fernando Santos, and he says he hopes the players can channel that energy, channel that motivation in a positive way. He doesn't want them to show too much passion and they'll lose their head.

The press officer actually told me, Don, believe it or not, that he thinks for the Greek people, beating Germany right now would be bigger than lifting the Euro 2004 trophy like they did eight years ago.

Now, I don't know if that's overreacting a little bit. The only thing I know is that this is going to be a big, big deal for the Greek national team.

RIDDELL: Absolutely. Big deal for both teams. Fans all over the world looking forward to that. Pedro, thanks very much. I'll see you again in "World Sport" in about 45 minutes.

Zain, one other story to bring you right up to date with. You're probably aware that David Nalbandian made all the wrong headlines during the Aegon Classic final at Queens on Sunday. He was set up against Marin Cilic when he did that. As you can see, he kicked the advertising border, managed to injure the line official, who was sitting behind him.

He was immediately disqualified, so he lost the match, he lost 150 ranking points, he lost his earnings. It cost him about $70,000. He is tonight the subject of a Metropolitan Police investigation. A member of the public reported him for assault. It's unlikely that will result in a charge, but I think it's fair to say that David Nalbandian is today feeling a little sheepish.

VERJEE: Well, Don, I think that if Greece beats Germany, they should get more bailout money and a lot of concessions. What do you think?

RIDDELL: I can think of a few Germans who'll be on the phone to you and flooding your Twitter account with some un-broadcastable comments.

VERJEE: I think it's fair. If you win the match, you get more money. Simple. If you lose, austerity all the way. No tinkering with the bailout. Thanks, Don. Good to see you.

You're watching CONNECT THE WORLD. When we come back, put down that fascinator. The fashion police are on the hunt this racing season. The strict new rules at Ascot when we come back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

VERJEE: In tonight's Parting Shots, a word of warning for anyone attending Britain's Royal Ascot Racecourse tomorrow. The fashion police are going to be out in force because there are strict new style guidelines being implemented, and risque outfits have been banned.

Fascinators have been outlawed in the royal enclosure, as have miniskirts. Oh, no! I'm not going to be able to come, then! And anyone bending the rules will be asked to cover up or change. To talk us through the style etiquette, we're joined by headwear designer Vivien Sheriff. Thank you so much for being with us. So, what are the new rules? Can I wear this number?

VIVIEN SHERIFF, HEADWEAR DESIGNER, VIVIEN SHERIFF: Well, it looks lovely on you --

VERJEE: Thank you.

SHERIFF: But no, you're not allowed to wear it, so please, take it off.

VERJEE: Why not?

SHERIFF: Because it's not big enough for the royal enclosure.

VERJEE: Why?

SHERIFF: That was fine for the general areas at Ascot, the Royal Ascot. It's not big enough. It has to be bigger -- more -- bigger than this. Four centimeters. So, it's pretty, looks lovely on you --

(CROSSTALK)

VERJEE: So, people are going to walk around with a measuring tape?

SHERIFF: Do you know? I think they might. But I think we can tell by this. This, as lovely as it is, is not big enough.

VERJEE: Right.

SHERIFF: So, I brought other things to show you that are going to be big enough.

VERJEE: So, show me what actually does work.

SHERIFF: These -- I've got a selection of headpieces and hats. So, what they want to do for the royal enclosure is they want to ban fascinators, so the little things. They want to people to wear more --

(CROSSTALK)

VERJEE: And Kate loves fascinators.

SHERIFF: She does, but she loves more substantial headpieces, actually. She's not wearing the really little things.

VERJEE: Right.

SHERIFF: She's wearing bigger things. So Kate -- what Kate's wearing is actually fine. But they want hats in the royal enclosure.

VERJEE: So, the much larger ones are much more acceptable --

(CROSSTALK)

SHERIFF: Yes, OK. So, you're going --

VERJEE: -- like these hats --

SHERIFF: -- straight for the absolute --

VERJEE: I'm going straight for the --

SHERIFF: Wrong way around.

VERJEE: -- wrong way around, of course.

SHERIFF: Yes, never mind.

(LAUGHTER)

VERJEE: All right. So this -- so this is really the kind of look --

SHERIFF: Always down at the front. That's it.

VERJEE: This is the kind of look that we're going for.

SHERIFF: That is a traditional Ascot hat. Fantastic for the royal enclosure, perfect shape, great colors. It's a racing hat. That is a traditional hat. There's going to be lots of that type of shape, and it's really traditional, very -- the way British people wear hats is quite unique.

VERJEE: Let's look at some of the pictures of what's banned and what's not, as well --

SHERIFF: OK, yes. Let's have a look.

VERJEE: -- as we continue to look at these hats. And gosh, they really are fabulous.

SHERIFF: Absolutely. Other way around.

VERJEE: Am I wearing this one the right way.

SHERIFF: Other way around.

VERJEE: I should never go to Ascot, should I?

SHERIFF: No, that's it. That's a lovely piece.

VERJEE: Gosh, it is great.

SHERIFF: That's a lovely piece. No, that is, even though it sticks.

VERJEE: What do you think?

SHERIFF: That is big enough for the royal enclosure.

VERJEE: Yes, yes.

SHERIFF: It's fantastic. It's a great shape on you.

VERJEE: Now, the rules aren't just the hates. You can't be -- you can't show shoulders --

SHERIFF: That's right.

VERJEE: You can't wear too-short skirts.

SHERIFF: That's right.

VERJEE: Just walk us through some of the other stuff while I try on more hats.

SHERIFF: OK. So, they don't -- so, they really are implementing that -- they want you to dress traditionally, a little bit more traditionally. So, pieces that -- really more traditional pieces like this. That is a great piece for -- other way around again -- for the royal enclosure. It's bigger than 4 centimeters. It's called Britannia.

VERJEE: Right.

SHERIFF: And if you -- if you wear that with a -- you're not going to wear that with a strapless dress anyway because it doesn't suit that style of dress.

VERJEE: Now, there are people -- I mean, there are what, 300,000 people or so that will be at Ascot?

SHERIFF: Yes.

VERJEE: But they're going to be patrolling and making sure that people have been -- are dressed correctly. And bring backup stuff, as well, right?

(CROSSTALK)

SHERIFF: Yes --

VERJEE: There's bound to be a patrol out there.

SHERIFF: Well, you imagine --

VERJEE: No, but at least to be honest.

SHERIFF: At least half of those must be ladies. So, with that's going to be a lot of pashminas, a lot of spare hats they're going to have to be carrying around.

VERJEE: And they have to give a 50 pound deposit or something?

SHERIFF: I don't know what it is --

VERJEE: Something like that.

SHERIFF: -- but we'll have to wait and see. Let's hope not too many people get caught out.

VERJEE: Let's show some more of these pictures, actually, and talk us through this.

SHERIFF: OK. So, that is lovely. Its color's fantastic. But you know what? That's not going to be allowed in the royal enclosure this year, and Amanda Holden looks pretty in it, but it's not big enough. So, there we are. An example of something that isn't allowed in the royal enclosure.

VERJEE: All right. Let's take a look at this next one coming. And this one -- this should be allowed, the hat, but not the dress?

SHERIFF: The hat -- exactly. The dress -- the lack of straps, basically. It's a little bit -- I think lengthwise, you're probably OK with that. Hat, fine. And she looks lovely. But it's not the look that they want. They want something more traditional, a little bit more covered up.

VERJEE: Take a look at this next one and tell us if it's in or out.

SHERIFF: OK. I think that's fine for the general areas. She looks lovely, lovely young girl, going for good day out.

VERJEE: Fascinator?

SHERIFF: Fascinators not allowed in the royal enclosure. Her dress, she's wearing a bit of pashmina, her dress has got sort of spaghetti straps, but I think she'll be OK with that.

VERJEE: But -- why all these changes?

SHERIFF: They want to -- understandably, they want Royal Ascot to be really traditional. It is -- it has -- things have lapsed in the last few years. You look around and you just think, oh, dear. But actually, let's really dress up. Let's go for it.

Let's really implement Britishness and really dress up for this, where the men can wear waistcoats -- if you wear it the other way around. The men can wear waistcoats --

VERJEE: Right.

SHERIFF: -- really dress up. Ties in the general areas.

VERJEE: And the whole fun of it, even more than the races, is the hats, right?

SHERIFF: Yes, it is. Absolutely.

VERJEE: Everybody knows that.

SHERIFF: But look, what do --

VERJEE: Everybody knows Ascot around the world. So -- maybe it's a little bit too uptight.

SHERIFF: Maybe it is a little bit too uptight, but you know what? It's Royal Ascot, and I think it's -- they're getting a lot of publicity from this, as well. It's working. We're dressing up. Look at that. That is a really fantastic piece on you. Looks great. You look lit up when you put hats on.

VERJEE: Thank you. Thank you, I love wearing hats.

SHERIFF: Good.

VERJEE: I may hang onto one of these when I go to Ascot tomorrow. Thank you so much, Vivien. Appreciate it.

SHERIFF: You're welcome.

VERJEE: For more on Royal Ascot, be sure to watch CNN's monthly racing show, "Winning Post" at the time shown on your screen.

TEXT: Winning Post ROYAL ASCOT, June 28, London, 5:30 PM.

VERJEE: We're going to bring you all the fashion plus the latest racing action, including the superstar Australian race horse Black Caviar.

I'm Zain Verjee, that was CONNECT THE WORLD. Lots of fun today. Thanks so much for watching.

One programming note: we're going to bring you live coverage of the US State Department's trafficking in persons report. This is a really comprehensive look at the end -- at the fight to end modern slavery. Find out if your country's part of the solution or part of the problem. That starts at 21:00 in London right here on CNN.

The world headlines are up next after this short break, so stay with CNN.

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