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Connect the World

Pro, Anti-Russian Rallies Clash In Crimea; In Turkey, Protests Continue Over Incriminating Tapes of Prime Minister; Manchester United Struggles; Egypt Government Reshuffle; Sentencing in UK Soldier Murder; Muslim Council of Britain on Sentencing; Leading Woman Melinda Gates; Favela Football Accommodation; Backstage at Paris Fashion Week

Aired February 26, 2014 - 15:00   ET

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

BECKY ANDERSON, HOST: And tonight, the Maidan speak as hopeful members of Ukraine's new unity government are unveiled in front of crowds gathered in Kiev's Independence Square. Can the country's geographic unity be preserved as the restive southern region resists the call for change.

Also ahead, decades in jail for murdering a British soldier in broad daylight. We'll ask what effect this pair's (inaudible) crimes, if any, has had on Britain's Muslim community.

And not cutting it on the pitch. How the giants of football Manchester United have been brought down to size.

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

ANDERSON: A very good evening from London.

New unrest highlights the deep political divisions across Ukraine just as interim leaders unveil what is a proposed unity government.

Now these scuffles broke out in Ukraine's Crimea region, which is dominated by ethnic Russians. Pro-Russia demonstrators clashed with protesters supporting the pro-Europe leadership who are in Kiev.

Russia, meantime, is testing the combat readiness of its armed forces in case of what they call a crisis situation. But it denies the snap military exercises are directly related to events in Ukraine.

Well, in the capital Kiev, huge crowds gathered in Independence Square to hear the names of candidates for Ukraine's new interim government. Topping the list is the opposition leader Arseniy Yatsenyuk who was nominated as prime minister.

Let's get to Phil Black in Kiev for the details.

And this is a name that may be more unfamiliar than others to many of our viewers. What do we know about Yatsenyuk?

PHIL BLACK, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, certainly not an international figure, Becky, but here in Ukraine very much an established political name. He is the leader of the biggest opposition party here, Batkivshcyna, or Fatherland, which is also the party of the jailed former prime minister Yulia Tymoschenko who is just released from prison just the other day. He took over leadership in her absence. He is -- or he has served as a former economics minister, a former foreign minister.

So very much an established name, someone who was even offered the prime ministership by the former President Viktor Yanukovych a few weeks ago when he was searching for some sort of political resolution to this ongoing crisis.

So, not a surprise there, I think, but he is an established name while other names have been announced are more grass roots, those that have come through the process here on the Maidan Independence Square, through the opposition protest movement -- doctors, teachers, those who have become popular heroes here over the last three months, Becky.

ANDERSON: Interesting that Tymoshenko's name isn't being mooted (ph) in the mix. Certainly she, herself, suggested only days ago that she wasn't looking for the PMship.

Cheered as she arrived in the square in a wheelchair after being released the other day. Jeered, though, by some. Is her moment, as it were, in Ukrainian politics at this stage, at least, over?

BLACK: Well, I think there's still a great deal of expectation that she will declare her candidacy for the presidency, the campaign period of which has now opened and the vote is to take place on May 25. She hasn't declared yet. She's about to head out of the country to get some treatment for her ongoing back pain. But she is another one of those established political figures, someone who has led the country in the past and someone, there is no doubt, who many Ukrainians have been disappointed by, who have lost considerable faith in.

She does not speak for the nation. She is not viewed by many to be a unifying figure, but someone of considerable political power, considerable ambition, certainly, one of the best known politicians in the country.

So if she runs, she would be someone to contend with. At the moment, there's only one high profile contender for the presidency, that is the former world heavyweight boxing champion Vitaly Klitschko -- Becky.

ANDERSON: Yeah, all right. Well, we'll -- we'll look to Thursday when this interim government at least in Ukraine and Kiev there hoping will be formed and then towards, of course, the 25th of May of presidential election.

Phil, for the time being, thank you for that.

Let's take a moment and look at the geography of this story. This is where Ukraine's position vis-a-vis its powerful eastern neighbor Russia. You can see the capital Kiev where Phil just joined us is almost in the middle of the country. And that is more than geographic. You can see how Kiev relates to the predominately Russian speaking south and eastern parts and the Ukrainian speaking western parts, or parts that are generally bilingual.

By the time you get down to the south of the country, particularly the Crimea peninsula, you are in deep pro-Russian territory. And we can now cross to the capital of Crimea..

(AUDIO GAP)

PLEITGEN: ...Sevastopol are not using the word separatism yet, but certainly by their actions you can see that it is something that is very much in the cards and that could cause a lot of trouble for this country in the not too distant future, Becky.

ANDERSON: Interestingly, the United States Secretary of State John Kerry telling Moscow to be, and I quote, very careful as it flexes its military muscles with these -- with his talk of war games in western Russia near Ukraine's border. What is Moscow's message here, do you think?

PLEITGEN: Well, that's a very good question. I mean, at this point in time, at least -- at the very least, Moscow is not calling these people back. It's very hard to imagine that people like the mayor of the town of Sevastopol, that new mayor who is starting his own militia, who says he's not going to answer to Kiev would be able to do that without having the support of Moscow.

He came out yesterday and he read a message that seemed to be very carefully crafted. At the same time, he said that he'd received money from somewhere to keep paying wages in the town, to keep paying the police in the town and, get this, to also keep playing the (inaudible) forces, the riot police that shot at people in Kiev and that were disbanded here on Tuesday.

He says he can keep paying them. And he says he has money to do so. So it's very hard to imagine that Russia would not have its hands in play there at some point. It seems to be controlling, the Russian minority there in the town of Sevastopol and certainly these people are looking to Russia for some sort of guidance.

So they have a lot of leverage. They certainly could do a lot to make the situation here better. But certainly they could also make the situation a lot worse. At this point in time, it seems as though they are still sort of testing the waters, seeing how far they can go, Becky.

ANDERSON: Fred, on that part of the story and just a post note here, U.S. and Britain both saying the Ukraine is not, as far as they are concerned, a battleground between east and west. Saying it out loud doesn't necessarily mean it's not true, though, does it?

For a touching human story behind the recent unrest in the country, do have a look at the website there. You'll meet Kiev's piano man who overcame personal tragedy to touch the protesters in Independence Square with his music. It's quite a remarkable story, this. Follow the links to our homepage CNN.com/international. One of Phil Black's pieces for you there.

Still to come tonight, anger mounts in Turkey over the latest accusations of corruption involving the prime minister. A report from Istanbul is forthcoming.

And a journalist is left in critical condition after being attacked on a Hong Kong street. How the case there is raising questions about press freedom in the city.

And a Greek tragedy for Manchester United. We (inaudible) team's season has gone from bad to worse and if they can survive it. All that and much more after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ANDERSON: A very warm welcome back. 14 minutes past 8:00 in London. You're with me Becky Anderson and Connect the World.

Now in Turkey, demonstrations against the Erdogan government continued for a second day in Istanbul and in Ankara. The protests follow the leak of what are embarrassing audio recordings that sound like the prime minister giving his son money laundering tips. Arwa Damon on the story for you.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ARWA DAMON, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Turkey's embattled prime minister is once again finding himself in the midst of a political firestorm. This time centering around a corruption scandal and leaked wiretaps, allegedly of a conversation between Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his son Vilal (ph). The main topic of these conversations, how to move and hide vast sums of money.

Now these conversations were allegedly recorded back in December. The day after, there were widespread arrests that were part of a corruption investigation. Following those arrests, the government sacked thousands of police officers, removed the top prosecutors from their post.

With regards to this said leaked wiretap, the prime minister quite simply said that it was immorally edited material.

But real or not, it is fueling the growing anger that has existed for quite some time here amongst opponents of the prime minister, some of them taking to the streets in a small demonstration in Istanbul, around 1,000 people gathering and then peacefully dispersing.

But the rising frustrations have many root causes. Most recently, for example, legislation that was passed that gives the government more control over the judiciary. And just last week, a controversial law that allows the government to shut down any Internet site without a court order.

Arwa Damon, Istanbul.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ANDERSON: Well, the Syrian government is reporting a deadly ambush on rebels near Damascus. State TV aired video of the aftermath. And I've got to warn you, these images are disturbing. The footage shows a row of dozens of bodies in the countryside. A state run news agency says government forces killed 175 rebels, described as mostly Saudi, Qatari and Chechen terrorists, according to the government.

Well, journalists in Hong Kong have been shaken by an attack on an outspoken newspaper editor. Kevin Lao (ph) was recently fired from a newspaper known for its hard hitting reporting on China. And now he is in hospital struggling to recover.

Kristie Lu Stout with more for you from Hong Kong.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KRISTIE LU STOUT, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Kevin Lao (ph) was walking to his car earlier today and then stabbed multiple times by an unknown attacker and left bleeding. He is now in hospital in critical condition.

Now the attack comes in the wake of a sizable demonstration in Hong Kong on Sunday. Thousands of people protested what they see as rising efforts by Beijing to control the media here. And during that protest, many of Lao's (ph) former colleagues spoke saying his recent dismissal as editor of Ming Pow (ph) newspaper reflected that trend.

Now after today's attack there has been widespread outrage. Hong Kong's chief executive CY Leung issued a statement saying this, quote, "we will not tolerate this kind of violence."

And there's also anger and disbelief from journalists.

Now earlier I spoke to Tara Joseph. She's the president of the foreign correspondents club in Hong Kong.

TARA JOSEPH, HONG KONG FOREIGN CORRESPONDENTS' CLUB PRESIDENT: The view is disbelief, but more than that deep, deep concern as to what's happening. We live in the city where you have medium from the full political spectrum who often report and speak out. You have international news organizations who form Hong Kong as a hub for reporting. Something like this should not be happening in this city.

LU STOUT: OK. And Lao (ph) continues to fight for his life. And a journalist who has known him for 30 years spoke to CNN. Shirley Yam says that she cannot think of any reason why anyone would try to kill him. Yam adds that she, a Hong Kong journalist, is terrified.

Kristie Lu Stout, CNN, Hong Kong.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ANDERSON: Well, live from London, this is Connect the World. I'm Becky Anderson.

Coming up, two men convicted in the brutal murder of a British soldier on a London street are sentenced. We're going to have the details on that for you.

And also ahead, the Red Devils were in football hell last night. And with trophy prospects fading, we ask how far can Manchester United football club fall? Coming up after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ANDERSON: Well, it is a big week for the big European clubs. We had Champion's League football last week and indeed last night, we're going to talk that, because Manchester United had a shocker.

Let me just bring you up to date, though, on what is going on as we speak. Schalke 0, Real Madrid 2. And Galatasaray 0, Chelsea 1 at this stage. Two good games going on tonight.

Manchester United seeing red Tuesday night with a 2-0 loss to the Greek side Olympiacos in the what is the last 16 Champion's League round. It's the first round, of course, the first of this last 16.

The English team were the favorites, but poor play and missed chances weren't enough to counter a strong attack from Olympiacos. Embattled manager David Moyes spoke afterward about the result.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DAVID MOYES, MANCHESTER UNITED MANAGER: It take responsibility. It's my team. And I'll always (inaudible) that's what it is. We didn't play well tonight. And, you know, we have to play better. We can do. And the one good thing is there's still a second game to come.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: Yes, there is.

Well, the team has three weeks until that second game, but will be under huge pressure as they've got to get at least 3 goals now to win, of course.

Tuesday's performances part of bigger worries. Since ex-manager Alex Ferguson retired last season, the team has seen what is a dramatic slide in results. Alex was the most successful manager in the clubs history. In 26 years as boss, he stacked his mantle with 36 -- sorry, 38 trophies -- just kept going higher -- 38 trophies, 13 of which were the coveted premiere league titles, EPL as we call it here.

His last year in charge saw Man U take the Premiere League title by 11 points, in other words, a hard act to follow.

Enter Mr. David Moyes. The fellow Scotsman has been in less than a year and it hasn't been an easy start for him. In fact his trophy shelf is a little bare, it has to be said.

He did win the community shield a few months into the job, but hopes for any more silverware are fading fast.

Man U is currently sixth in the Premiere League. They have crashed out of the FA Cup and the Capitol One Cup to lesser teams. Unless they pull back a victory in the second leg of the Champion's League they are out of that, too on top of that.

And let's remember why this is a bigger story than just what happens on the pitch, Manchester United is a publicly traded company on the New York Stock Exchange. And today, shares trading nearly $15. But look at how share prices dropped over the past six months. Investor clearly are not impressed.

And what happens with the share price may just decide the fate of the manager, because these days this is big, big industry.

World Sport's Alex Thomas here to explain what is going on on the field and why everything is going so wrong. And then we'll move on.

So, let's start with formation. What happened?

ALEX THOMAS, CNN SPORTS CORREPSONDENT: Well, I don't want to get too technical, but David Moyes inherited a team, as you just explained, that won the English Premier League, the most lucrative club football competition on the planet, with some ease last season. But Moyes expected to do a rebuilding process this summer after another season before the summer the next assuming he's still in place, which we think he will be despite all the pressure he's under.

And just to explain, if you look at the goalkeeper, David De Gea, question marks over him. Let's put him to one side.

Let's take away Patric Evra, the veteran Frenchman, Nemanja Vidic is ready said he's leaving, Rio Ferdinand is also past it. Michael Carric and also Tom Cleverly were overwhelmed in midfield. Ashley Young was there as well and also Antonio Valencia. Robin Van Persie was complaining about the tactics, which leaves a lot of bare spaces and blanks for David Moyes to fill.

Let's put back Adnan Januzaj who was being rested for the match and also let's put back Juan Mata, the big money signing from Chelsea during that January transfer window. And then it looks slightly better.

There's a few more players that United could build on.

But really Moyes has got to start again the way Alex Ferguson, her predecessor was so good at, he built not just one great team, but probably three, four, even five.

ANDERSON: We were talking about and looking at the share price and talking about why this -- you know, what happens on the pitch is so incredibly important to what happens to -- what is, let's face it, a very, very big brand. How damaging could this season be?

THOMAS: It's going to be very interesting to see how the share price might affect Moyes' future, because we've never had to deal with that before. Although, it's been public listed company for awhile now, that was towards the end of Alex Ferguson's reign and there was no question the manager change. He was the most successful in Manchester United's rich and illustrious history.

Now we've got a whole new ball game here. And it's a new partnership between Moyes, the manager, and the new chief executive, and that is Edward Wood who was head of the marketing at Manchester United. And he said they just could make money hand over fist, because the brand the so strong. It is one of the top three global sports brands, particularly in football, and arguably across the world.

ANDERSON: You've spoken to him, right?

THOMAS: Yeah, we've (inaudible). He just said the more people he employed, the more he could make for Manchester United, because people were so desperate to have that brand name associated with their company.

But, if they're out of the Champion's League, which is a hugely prestigious competition for more than just one season, that brand image will start to dent. Look at Liverpool who were the Manchester United of their day back in 70s and 80s as far as English football is concerned. And although they're still very popular and well known, it's nowhere near like they were at their (inaudible).

ANDERSON: Although it is worth having a season ticket at Anfield this year, because they've been popping goals all over the place. Two players...

THOMAS: It shows how fortunes change so quickly.

ANDERSON: Absolutely.

Piers Morgan, one of our colleagues, was -- there was a possibility of him joining us tonight. And he's an Arsenal supporter, of course, so a lot of glee, particularly when you see the Van Persie's of this world having trouble, because he was absolutely gutted when this player left to go to Manchester United a season or two ago.

I asked him, and I said come and talk to Alex. And I said, I don't like to intrude into private grief, he said, of the Manchester United performance last night.

Look, I mean, for football fans around the world -- and I hope our viewers appreciate what we're doing this tonight, because this is a big international story so far as this brand is concerned. But for football fans who aren't Man United supporters, I mean, this is all sort of secret glee, sort of...

THOMAS: ...because when Ferguson was winning things, not only did he take great satisfaction at his achievements, he took great satisfaction the fact they were denying other teams trophies, particularly Liverpool, both clubs situated in the northwest of England and huge rivals because of their history. Liverpool's fans still like to just remind Manchester United for all their success in the Premier League, Liverpool are still the ones that have conquered Europe more.

ANDERSON: And then there's Manchester City, of course. They must be loving this.

THOMAS: Yeah. And Chelsea is doing well in the Champion's League round of 16 this evening.

ANDERSON: Right. Always a pleasure, thank you.

THOMAS: Thanks, Becky.

ANDERSON: Right, the latest world news headlines are just ahead. Plus, Egypt's defense minister is staying put for now, at least, prolonging what is this guessing game about his possible bid for the presidency.

Dramatic scenes in a London courtroom as two men are sentenced in a soldier's brutal murder. Next, we ask how this shocking case has affected British society.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ANDERSON: A warm welcome back. Opposition leaders in Ukraine have announced nominees for an interim government before thousands of activists at a crowded Independence Square. These are your headlines this hour.

The former foreign minister who helped lead the recent protests has been nominated to lead the government as prime minister until a president is elected in May. Parliament will vote on the nominees on Thursday.

An image released by the UN shows the scope and scale of the devastation caused by Syria's three-year civil war. Tens of thousands of desperate Palestinian refugees trapped inside a camp in Damascus queue up for food. A spokesman for the UN relief effort says humanitarian aid to Yarmouk must be stepped up.

It appears that Egyptian defense minister Abdul Fattah al-Sisi will keep his post, for now at least, in the new interim government. Many had speculated that he would announce his candidacy for president after the government of Hazem Beblawi unexpectedly resigned two days ago.

Let's get to Cairo. Ashraf Khalil is standing by. What is the message here, do you think, from al-Sisi?

ASHRAF KHALIL, JOURNALIST: I think the message is confusion at this point. People were confused when the cabinet stepped down two days ago, and one of the theories was that it was just designed to ease al-Sisi out of the cabinet and into civilian life and smooth --

ANDERSON: Sure.

KHALIL: -- the way for the presidency. But now, if he's staying in the cabinet, then why did the cabinet resign two days ago? And why is he back in the cabinet if he's just going to step down within a week or two to launch his presidential campaign unless he's not going to launch his presidential campaign, which would cause more confusion. That's where we're at.

ANDERSON: The follow-up was going to be what's the world on the street, but clearly one of confusion. Sketch out where you believe we might be in a month or so's time, given that we've got these elections forthcoming.

KHALIL: Well, in a month, we should be in the heart of the presidential election campaign, and by then, we should hopefully know who the candidates are. We've only had three other people have announced their candidacies, the door has been opened for them to file their paperwork for about ten days now.

Only one of them is really considered even a partially-significant candidate, and that is Hamdeen Sabahi, he finished third in the 2012 presidential elections.

ANDERSON: Sure.

KHALIL: But he's not considered any kind of a serious challengers to al-Sisi, so unless al-Sisi is having some sort of change of heart, it probably is a foregone conclusion that he will be the next president, starting in about two months.

ANDERSON: We'll stay with this story for you, and as things develop, of course on CNN, you will get them first. Thank you, sir.

There were dramatic scenes at London's Old Bailey earlier today as sentences were handed down for two men who killed a British soldier. Michael Adebolajo on the left will spend life in prison, while Michael Adebowale on the right will serve at least 45 years.

The two men had been dragged from court after shouting at the judge and brawling with security staff. Let's cross to CNN's Ian Lee who is at the scene of the crime in the London neighborhood of Woolwich for you this evening. Ian?

IAN LEE, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Becky, I'm here outside the Royal Artillery Barracks, and this is where Lee Rigby was stationed. Behind me, there's a memorial for him, there's flowers, there's crosses as well as a drum kit. And as we know, Lee Rigby was a drummer for his unit.

And not too far from here, where the incident took place, there's a few flowers and also a note card that says "Justice will be done today," obviously referring to the sentencing. Atika Shubert, though, takes us back to show us how it all happened.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ATIKA SHUBERT, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Soldier Lee Rigby walks to the Woolwich military barracks on May the 22nd, completely unaware of the horror awaiting him. A car accelerates behind him and runs him down before he is then hacked to death with knives and a meat cleaver.

This is just one of the graphic videos the family and widow of Lee Rigby have endured during the trial of 29-year-old Michael Adebolajo and his co-accused, 22-year-old Michael Adebowale at London's Old Bailey.

The two men, both British citizens, pleaded not guilty to the murder of Rigby, Adebolajo arguing that he had no choice. "I'm a soldier of Allah," he told the jury. "It is a war between Islam and those militaries that invade Muslim lands."

Lee Rigby was killed in full view of horrified onlookers. "He knelt down next the man," witness Amanda Bailey said of Adebolajo in a statement read in court. "He grabbed the young man's head and began hacking."

The jury saw videos of what authorities said were the two men pulling Rigby's body onto the road, and as seen here, people watched as the pair lingered at the scene, still brandishing their bloodied weapons.

Authorities say it was only when armed police arrived that Adebolajo ran, but it was at the officers, and armed with a meat cleaver. He was shot. Within seconds, Adebowale was also shot after police say he aimed a gun at them. The weapon was later found not to be loaded.

Both men pleaded not guilty to the attempted murder of a police officer, Adebolajo telling the court he only ran at police to draw fire because he wanted to die while carrying out what he described as a military operation.

SHUBERT (on camera): In closing, the defense argued that Adebolajo was not a psychopath. The killing of Lee Rigby, they argued, was a political act of war, better defined as terrorism or treason, but not murder.

Now, during the trial, Adebolajo expressed admiration for al Qaeda, saying "I love them. They are my brothers." He also showed no regret or remorse for the killing of Lee Rigby, saying that he hoped his death would bring about a change in British foreign policy.

SHUBERT (voice-over): The prosecution dismissed Adebolajo's argument that the killing of the young fusilier was an act of war, telling the jury that under British law, the attack could only be defined as murder.

Atika Shubert, CNN, London.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LEE: And Becky, I've been walking around this neighborhood talking to people, getting their reactions to this sentencing, the majority of people saying they're very happy with it, some wishing that it could have been harsher.

Everyone, though, said they believe this was more of a one-off attack. They didn't live in fear. But take a listen to what some of them had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I thought it would be a lot of relief for the families, loved ones as well, who's obviously had to do without. But yes, there's nothing -- what's a sentence, compared to what they've done? Nothing, really, so -- a life for a life, I suppose, exactly in the same way, this is their minute, really. They took one life, so it would be fair to spend the rest of their life behind bars.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, it's justice. It was an horrific thing, isn't it? Yes, it was horrific, so it's like -- they got what they deserved, yes.

LEE: Do you feel that sentence was just, then?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No. No. They'll never be -- you can never get justice for taking a life, never.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEE: And Becky, I talked to one man in this neighborhood who was a Muslim, and he told me that what happened does not represent Islam. He said he's very happy with the sentencing and that he wishes that it could have been harsher, as well.

But let me bring in Talha Ahmad. He is from the Muslim Council in Britain, and just let me first get your reaction to the sentencing today.

TALHA AHMAD, SPOKESMAN, MUSLIM COUNCIL OF BRITAIN: The matter of Lee Rigby was horrific, and I think the Muslim community, like every other British citizen, were horrified by this matter, and we condemned it in the strongest terms.

And today we are relieved that both of these men are sentenced in some of the harshest sentences that you can get in this country, and we are quite relieved that these two men have been put behind bars, effectively for the rest of their lives.

LEE: Is the UK government doing enough, though, to integrate Muslims into British society?

AHMAD: That's a huge debate, and I think that's a debate we must have, both within our British Muslim community and also within the wider society.

But I think that today's focus should rightly be that these two men do not represent Muslims, like any other criminals who do not represent their own communities. And that I think the British people understand that these two men do not represent Islam or Muslims.

And there's no ifs and buts. There is no justification in Islam, however well you want to twist it. These men were in -- committed a horrific crime, and they deserved the punishment that they got.

LEE: Is this situation better or worse, then, for the British -- or Muslim community here, since the incident happened?

AHMAD: I think after the incident, the immediate aftermath, obviously the situation flared up quite badly in that we have seen a number of Muslim incidents, mosques, families, individuals were attacked. I think that has now gone down, although the statistics show that Islamaphobic incidents may well be on the rise.

But I do not think that this one incident can really undo the many great works that have been done to strengthen the community and to build a better future for all British people.

LEE: These men had extremist views. Is there a problem with some people, an extremist problem here with the Muslim community with some people in Britain?

AHMAD: There are notorious criminals within every community, and these two men represent the worst of humanity that you can get. Do they constitute and audience within the wider British Muslim community? I do not believe so. I -- in fact, I think this kind of attack is very one-off. It's very unfortunate it happened, and I do not anticipate this happening more.

LEE: Michael Adebolajo was caught trying to go into Somalia to fight with al-Shabaab. Right now, we have hundreds of people, British citizens, fighting in Syria. What is the Muslim community doing to prevent people from going to Syria, but also when they return, how are they trying to make sure that does not come here.

AHMAD: I think it's -- there are many people going to Syria, some going with humanitarian aid. There are also reports that some are going to fight, as they call it, jihad. I think it is not fair to ask a community organization to take responsibility in refraining from people going there, because they could be going for all sorts of reasons.

What should happen is that any extremist views that justify violence of any kind and hatred, that has to be challenged, and Muslim Council of Britain, like most Muslim organizations in this country, has always been very robust in raising those veils.

But ultimately, I think, it's the responsibility for the government and the security establishment to make sure that real criminals and culprits are denied any space. But in doing so, we must be mindful that the situation in Syria and Somali are dire, and many people are going there to assist people who are in extreme needs, and we must not take measures which, in the end, do more harm than good.

LEE: And what is the way forward, then, from this incident? How do you move forward as a community?

AHMAD: As a community, we move forward by not stereotyping. I think it is extremely important for the media and for the policymakers not to focus on the community as a whole as a suspect community.

British Muslim community is a diverse community. You have people of very professional experience, ethnic experience, and so on. And they have very similar aspirations to any other ordinary British citizen.

So, the important thing is to build on our common interest, and that is to build a safer Britain in which we raise our concerns openly without fear, but without letting our prejudice and hatred dictate our action. So really, it's about talking openly about the challenges that we have, within a parameter of respect.

LEE: Well, thank you, Talha Ahmad. There you have it. A lot of talk that even though this horrific incident did happen, though, a talk of unity and that people need to move forward as a society, Becky.

ANDERSON: Ian, thank you. Ian Lee, there, in Woolwich.

Live from London, you're watching CONNECT THE WORLD. Using her wealth to change the world. A chat with Melinda Gates, next on Leading Women. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ANDERSON: Now, as one of the world's most powerful women, Melinda Gates needs no introduction. And providing family planning for women is just one of the causes she has made a priority. She's been on CNN before, and this week, she is our Leading Woman.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KRISTIE LU STOUT, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): She's a global mover and shaker, co-founder of one of the world's largest private foundations, with an endowment of more than $38 billion. She's wife to the richest man on the planet and, according to Forbes, the third-most powerful woman in the world.

MELINDA GATES, CO-CHAIR, BILL & MELINDA GATES FOUNDATION: If by having that placement on the list it helps me to lift up all these women's voices around the world, then it's fantastic. And sometimes, it will help open a door to a government meeting where the person might have thought, oh, they only wanted to meet with Bill, but OK, now I'll meet with Melinda.

STOUT: I met Melinda Gates in Kuala Lumpur at a global conference on family planning. Her goal: get contraceptives to another 120 million women around the world by 2020.

GATES: What matters is doing absolutely everything we can to help women and girls flourish worldwide.

STOUT (on camera): There are conservative groups, religious groups in Africa, parts of Asia, and the United States, very vocal against birth control. So, how do you plan to counter that negative influence?

GATES: Well, what we have to do is put the women and the girls at the center of this. And you're saying, I want to feed the children I have, I want to educate the children I have, but I can only do that if I can limit how many I have or space them.

STOUT (voice-over): Gates' push also has some personal implications.

STOUT (on camera): You are a Catholic, and we know the church's stance on contraception. So, how do you reconcile your faith and your work?

GATES: I grew up in the Catholic faith, I'm still Catholic, but what I know that women also need is a modern tool. So, I bridge the two by saying this is helping women survive, and it's helping babies survive.

STOUT (voice-over): As co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, her job is multifaceted, focused on their core mission of global health, global development, and education.

STOUT (on camera): Do you have a typical workday? How would you describe your day-to-day work?

GATES: My role is really to help set the strategy for the foundation, and then to trust the teams and make sure we're hiring the very best people and keeping the best at the foundation.

And then, when I'm on the road, it's really all about learning about what's going on at the country level and seeing what we can do in terms of advocacy to keep these issues top in mind and top on the agenda, both in the developing world and with the donor nations.

STOUT (voice-over): Melinda Gates met Bill Gates while at Microsoft, where she rose to general manager of information products, and they married in 1994.

STOUT (on camera): But back in the day, when you were at Microsoft, and you were engaged, and he's the boss, and you're still working together, was it tough?

GATES: I had very clear boundaries, and my teams knew that, that I did not go home and discuss work with Bill, because he was the CEO, and I think that allowed me to be effective with them and for them to know that I was leading them as a team.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ANDERSON: Fascinating stuff. Coming up after this short break on this show, how residents of Rio's famous favelas hope to open their homes to the world's football fans. That ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ANDERSON: All right. Close to the end of the show, but not before we do this. Many tourists heading to Brazil for this year's World Cup are paying through the roof for a place to say. If you've looked up the prices, they're horrendous.

But others, well, they're heading to the city's famous favelas. CNN's Shasta Darlington tours some more affordable options for football fans.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SHASTA DARLINGTON, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Some of the best views in Rio from some of the cheapest rooms in town. World Cup fans, take note: Rio de Janeiro's once-infamous shantytowns, or favelas, have opened their doors to tourists. Dutch backpacker Michael Blommers says it's the only way to go.

MICHAEL BLOMMERS, BACKPACKER: If they want to see the World Cup, want to see some football matches and also experience true Brazilian life, they should really come to a favela and just check this out.

DARLINGTON: Beds at the hostels along the beach, which usually go for around $40, will cost as much as $400 a night. Many hotels will charge over $1,000. But a bunk here at Alto Vidigal will cost just $65, four times the normal price, but still a bargain.

DARLINGTON (on camera): The cheapest price around.

(LAUGHTER)

DARLINGTON (voice-over): Still, in many ways, visitors really do have to slum it. Garbage piles up along the roads, electricity, water, and sewage services are spotty at best, and transportation precarious.

And then, there's security. Just a few years ago, Rio's favelas were controlled by drug lords. Police have since stormed many of them, a so- called pacification, driving out armed gangs in an effort to make it relatively safe for residents and visitors.

DARLINGTON (on camera): With all these tourists coming up here now, people have opened shops in their own homes. This guy right down here selling handicrafts, and then right up here, there's a new tapioca sandwich shop, which I have to say, sounds pretty good to me. Let's go try it.

DARLINGTON (voice-over): "People are opening little hotels because demand keeps growing," he says. Indeed, upstairs, his cousin has built a one-bedroom that she's going to rent for $500 during the World Cup.

In other favelas, the pacification efforts have had mixed success. In Josina, Maria Clara de Santos says she could hear the recent shootouts from her terrace. She rents rooms in her bright yellow house to foreign tourists, and she says safety depends on knowing where and where not to go.

That hasn't stopped visitors in search of a more authentic experience, and of course, the great views.

Shasta Darlington, CNN, Rio de Janeiro.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ANDERSON: Well, with Paris Fashion Week in full swing, the world's top designers are putting their final touches on their new looks. Not all catwalk shows, though, are created equal. While some fashion houses aim for glamour, glitz, and spectacle, others hope to create a more intimate affair. CNN's special correspondent Myleene Klass has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MYLEENE KLASS, CNN SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT: It's the first day of Paris Fashion Week, and we're here for the first event on the official calendar. It's Lucien Pellat-Finet, otherwise known as the cashmere king.

LUCIEN PELLAT-FINET, DESIGNER: You know what I like for us? It's to see the people wearing it in the street. They own the time (ph).

KLASS: Yes.

PELLAT-FINET: I like that.

KLASS: Well, you can see the models over there, but let's talk to the designer himself. No big spectacle, no big catwalk. Something very intimate. Why have you done this?

PELLAT-FINET: Because I like the people to touch and look very closely to the product, and as I am using the best material in the world, people should touch.

KLASS: And it must be quite scary, because Paris Fashion Week is this huge, huge deal, and you've got the very first event. You're kickstarting it all. How does it feel?

PELLAT-FINET: I like to wake up early.

KLASS: OK. So, you're the best man for the job?

PELLAT-FINET: Exactly.

KLASS: Can you show me some of your collection? Let's get touching.

PELLAT-FINET: OK.

KLASS: This goes very well with the jumper you're wearing right now.

PELLAT-FINET: Yes. We are all like monkeys. Yes.

KLASS: This is really cute.

PELLAT-FINET: This is done by hand in Scotland.

KLASS: Here at Paris Fashion Week, you never quite know what to expect, from the intimate presentation that we've just seen all the way through to a polished catwalk performance. Here at Anthony Vaccarello, rehearsals are just about to begin.

ALEXANDRE DE BETAK, DESIGNER: You must move straight, and watch what's in front of you on the walk. (inaudible).

KLASS: Behind every big catwalk production is a team of people headed up by a creative director. I know we're minutes away from the show starting, so I want to know how you're feeling.

DE BETAK: I'm feeling very, very well. At the very end, which is when we are, a couple of hours before the show, it's refining and fine- tuning and what we call cueing, which is putting the details together of the sound and the light and the music and the effects and the choreography and the pace, and those little things that will make the show come together as one.

But definitely, a show has to be an experience. An experience, by that, I simply mean it has to be something that touches all your senses. It has to be something that brings an emotion so that will help the memory of what you just saw.

KLASS: Tell me a little bit about Anthony Vaccarello. How have you managed to put his personality and his style into your design?

DE BETAK: Anthony loves an incredibly strong, powerful, yet very sexy woman. And what I try to do in the same great way he does is to work with the idea of strength, of energy, of speed, and of sex in a never ever vulgar way. And try to help to make that message come across.

KLASS: Well, here we are with the designer of the collection that you've just seen, Anthony Vaccarello. What were you trying to put across with this collection?

ANTHONY VACCARELLO, DESIGNER: Well, the inspiration was Tony Viramontes illustrations in the 80s, so I start with black and red and stripes, and I want to translate in a modern contemporary wardrobe.

KLASS: The team that you chose, that you hand-picked, Betak is a huge member of that team. Can you tell me, were you happy with what he put across?

VACCARELLO: I think he's the best, and I'm so lucky to work with someone like him in the first collection.

KLASS: I've got one more question. Why does everyone in the world of fashion wear black?

VACCARELLO: Because always more beautiful in black than in pink, no?

(LAUGHTER)

KLASS (voice-over): Most shows are over in 15 minutes, but the team behind them hopes to make them memorable enough to stay with you for a long time to come, or at least the season.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ANDERSON: You can get your fill of Paris Fashion Week on the website. We've got tweets from the artist runway shows, a look at how Louis Vuitton is taking French fashion history into the future, a lot more on that site, cnn.com/fashionweek.

I am Becky Anderson, and that was -- where am I looking, there are there? There you go, here I am. I'm Becky Anderson and that was CONNECT THE WORLD. A very good evening from London.

END