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Hillary Clinton's Emails Raise Head Again; Lebanon Finally Decides on President; ISIS Defeated on Outskirts of Mosul; Palestinians Stage Marathon Concert to Raise Money for Cancer Research

Aired November 01, 2016 - 11:00   ET

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

[11:00:15] MICHAEL HOLMES, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORREPSONDENT: Under ISIS, we could do nothing without their permission, he says. In the first hour

after they left, we felt normal again.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BECKY ANDERSON, HOST: Instant relief as ISIS is defeated, we're told, on the outskirts of Mosul. This hour, Iraqi special forces are advancing

towards the city limits. A live report for you from Irbil is next.

Plus...

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HILLARY CLINTON, DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: There is no case here.

PHIL MATTINGLY, CNN CORREPSONDENT: Hillary Clinton and her campaign firing back at FBI Director James Comey.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: While Donald Trump tries to capitalize on the latest Clinton controversy. Later in the show, he hits the campaign trail in

Pennsylvania. We'll get you to that, live.

All right, a warm welcome to Connect the World. I'm Becky Anderson in Abu Dhabi. Just after 7:00 in the evening here. And we begin with Mosul where

Iraqi-led forces are on the doorstep of a city held by ISIS for more than two years.

Iraqi troops now in control of the neighboring forces are in control of Gogjali (ph), which they've sealed off from the terror group. The military

says they've also raised a flag on a state TV building in the area.

Now, Mosul residents reached by phone have reported heavy shelling as Iraqi troops move in. Meantime, reports obtained by the UN say ISIS tried to

force 25,000 people from their homes, planning to possibly use them as human shields, but coalition flights disrupted that plan.

Let's get you straight to Michael Holmes who is in Irbil east of Mosul. Michael, what happens next?

MICHAEL HOLMES, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, well, I guess next is Mosul. But when? That is the question. Iraqi forces came at the eastern side of Mosul from three different directions over the last day or

so. The most significant battle that place, Gogjali (ph) that you mentioned, the last major population cetner before Mosul proper. There was

fierce resistance there. ISIS snipers and an awful lot apparently of land mines, IEDs and the like. They also had big boulders placed across the

roads.

Iraqi counterterrorism forces surrounded the place and they are now going through and clearing it and perhaps a portent of things to come in Mosul

proper. There are 25,000 civilians in Gogjali (ph). So, they're having to work around them as well. And once they cleared the dangers inside that

city, they're then going to have screen all of those people, because one of the risks, of course, is ISIS fighters blending in. With the local

population.

When Mosul? Well, probably a day or so of consolidation before then, but they are literally at the doorstep, Becky.

ANDERSON: You've had a chance, I know, to talk to people who are beginning to come to terms with their life after ISIS, those lucky enough to have

been liberated, what have they been telling you?

HOLMES: Yeah, we were up near Peshmerga front line and when we went to a village just a few kilometers from that front line where people are back

there trying to get their life back tonormal. I think the word normal is going to be a relative term going forward after two years under the brutal

rule of ISIS, but in this one town we went to, they are very happy people. Have a look.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

HOLMES (voice-over): The Peshmerga front line, 12 kilometers from Mosul, and within eyesight, the ISIS-held town of Alsam Akiyah (ph).

And at the end of a dusty track, five kilometers in the other direction, al Fazuliyah (ph), four days ago, under the iron fist of ISIS rule. Today,

free.

"We're so glad this nightmare is over," this man tells us. "These past days, we live in celebration."

Today, he's the busiest man in town, more than 50 customers a day, old and young, since ISIS left.

Across the street, with another barber, savoring his first shave since ISIS came more than two years ago.

"Under ISIS, we could do nothing without their permission," he says. "The first hour after they left, we felt normal again."

(on camera): One of the most visual aspects of life under ISIS, the men were not allowed to shave. Barber shops had virtually no business. Check

this out. Even the faces of the people on the signs outside were taped over so that you couldn't see their faces, their hair cuts, their beards. The

tape has now come off and business is booming.

(voice-over): A few shops down, bad habits renewed.

Smoking a crime under ISIS, but today a breath of freedom for olive farmer, Mahmoud, who told us it's like a black cloud has lifted.

(voice-over): I just asked him how he felt compared to a week ago, and you saw his face. We don't really need to translate it. A happy man.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

HOLMES: Down the street, joy at liberation. Anguish, though, too, for this lady.

(on camera): This lady is telling us when is came into Mosul, her son, who was a major in the Peshmerga, was arrested and taken away. This is his

wife, these are his children. He has four kids. They have not seen him since. And obviously, they fear the worst.

(voice-over): The of al Fazuliyah (ph) story a repeated across the battlefield. Towns freed, people relieved, happy, but scarred as well. Much

damage has been done to bricks and mortar, but also to societies and psyches, neighbors and friends.

For today, though, here, now, the relief is palpable.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

[11:06:31] HOLMES: And Becky, you know, it's got to be said that it's going to take a while to get over what they've been through but at least

this was four days after ISIS had left. It was remarkable how quickly people were -- one young man wearing his Reebok jacket and he said under

ISIS he would have been beaten for doing so.

So, there's going to be a lot of adjustment that needs to be made going forward in a lot of these

towns and villages, Becky.

ANDERSON: Michael Holmes in Irbil for you tonight. Michael, thank you.

Well, Hillary Clinton's national lead is shrinking, but she is determined to keep Donald Trump in the rear-view mirror in what is the final week of

this U.S. presidential race. Now, Clinton working hard to try to prevent a new FBI email investigation from throwing her off course. She has a mass

get out the vote operation underway across the country today.

Clinton will headline three rallies in the state of Florida, but she's also blanketing other battlegrounds with powerful surrogates, including

President Obama, Vice President Joe Biden and formal rival Bernie Sanders.

Donald Trump has his runningmate Mike Pence by his side. They are teaming up for an attack on Obamacare, President Barack Obama's signature health

care program. That even should begin any minute now. We'll get you to it as soon as it does.

Trump is gaining ground on Clinton, but he's running out of time to close the gap. CNN's latest national poll of polls shows him now just four

points behind.

Well, the FBI is using special software to sift through thousands of emails belonging to one of Clinton's top aides. It says it doesn't know if the

material is significant or when this investigation will be over.

CNN's Phil Mattingly explains why the Clinton campaign is now accusing the FBI of a

double-standard.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CLINTON: There is no case here.

MATTINGLY (voice-over): Hillary Clinton and her campaign firing back at FBI Director James Comey, slamming his decision to notify Congress of a new

investigation into thousands of e-mails found on a computer belonging to the estranged husband of a top Clinton aide, Huma Abedin. Clinton's

campaign turning the tables on Comey.

ROBBY MOOK, CLINTON CAMPAIGN MANAGER: It's impossible to view this as anything less than a blatant double standard.

MATTINGLY: Seizing on reports that Comey refused to publicly comment on potential ties between Donald Trump's campaign and Russia.

On Sunday, Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid accused Comey of sitting on, quote, "explosive information," Trump's Russia connections, without

offering proof. CNN cannot corroborate any of these reports. But U.S. officials do tell CNN that Russia is behind hacks that could potentially

influence the U.S. election.

Meanwhile, Trump is capitalizing on Comey's new e-mail probe.

TRUMP: It took guts for Director Comey to make the move that he made in light of the kind of opposition he had.

[11:10:06] MATTINGLY: Comey has only said the e-mails found on disgraced Congressman Anthony Weiner's computer, quote, "appear to be pertinent to

the now-closed Clinton private server investigation."

TRUMP: We can be sure that what is in those e-mails is absolutely devastating. And I think we're going to find out, by the way. For the first

time. Thank you, Huma. Thank you, Anthony Weiner.

MATTINGLY: Abedin's attorney responding, saying in a statement, quote, "from the beginning Ms. Abedin has complied fully and voluntarily with

State Department and law enforcement requests" and reiterated Abedin only learned of the e-mails on Weiner's computer on Friday from the press.

Clinton continuing to apologize for her private e-mail server but issuing a challenge to investigators.

CLINTON: I'm not making excuses. I've said it was a mistake, and I regret it. By all means, they should look at them. And I am sure they will reach

the same conclusion they did when they looked at my e- mails for the last year.

MATTINGLY: All of this as "The New York Times" obtains documents that they say show Trump potentially escaped tens of millions of dollars in federal

personal income taxes in the 1990s by using a tax avoidance maneuver later outlawed by Congress.

Trump's campaign responding to the report in a statement saying, quote, "Any tax experts that you have consulted are engaged in pure speculation.

There is no news here."

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ANDERSON: Well, let's get more from Mark Preston, shall we, executive editor for CNN politics. Good to have you with us, Mark.

It's an old adage that a week is a long time in politics, another that it's not over until it's over. This time next week, November 8th, Americans all

over the country will be voting in what has been one of the most unprecedented U.S. presidential campaigns ever.

Where do we stand at this point this Tuesday, November 1?

MARK PRESTON, CNN POLITICS: Well, Becky, you know, we even have about 20 million people who have already cast their votes with estimating right now

in early voting in more than 35 states, so -- and some of them very crucial states, some of the battleground states.

So, right now what we're seeing a tightening of the polls nationally, as Phil had mentioned, but we're also seeing it in states, in some of these

battleground states that Donald Trujmp and Hillary Clinton are fighting over.

Now, the path for Donald Trump to get to 270 electoral votes is still pretty steep. He really has to run the table in order to get there. Right

now, our CNN estimate has Hillary Clinton, if the election were to be held today, would actually win. But as you said, a week is a lifetime, if not a

day in politics.

ANDERSON: Clinton's email scandal, Mark, still in the headlines and she needs to change the

conversation, doesn't she? And she is hoping to do just that with what is a special introduction at one of her rallies today in Florida, the former

Miss Universe, Alicia Machado, will take the stage. And our viewers may remember she became part of the second presidential debate.

God, that seems so long ago now, doesn't it? When Clinton mentioned Trump's allegedly abusive treatment of her.

Now, he's accused of calling her Miss Piggy and Miss Housekeeping, amongst other things. Also today, Clinton releasing a new ad that reminds voters

of Trump's own offensive words about women. Let's just have a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: Putting a wife to work is a very dangerous thing. When I come home and dinner's

not ready, I go through the roof.

Grab them by the (EXPLETIVE DELETED).

UNIDENTFIED MALE: Donald Trump walked into the dressing room while contestants, some as young as 15, were changing.

TRUMP: Back then, there were no -- you see these incredible looking women.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: Mark, I was interested to see one Republican governor today saying that she holds her breath every day, quote, wondering what he is

going to say next. She says, though, she is still voting for him out of concern over presidential appointments, but that she

disagrees with his divisive rhetoric.

As I say, holds her breath wondering what he will say next.

It seems, though, none of that has made any difference. How many undecideds -- for our viewer's sake, how many undecideds are there out

there? And how are they going to vote?

PRESTON: Well, there's just enough that will sway the election, no doubt. In that ad we've seen from Hillary Clinton, what she's trying to do is try

to appeal to women and mothers and fathers, quite frankly, to show that Donald Trump doesn't have the temperament or, quite frankly, the moral

equivalence see of Hillary Clinton when it comes to women and his willingness to say things that are, you know, distasteful, to say the

least.

Now, Alicia Machado, as you said, will be down in Miami today, which is a very important

battleground state down in Florida to try to get out to vote, to try to get some of these folks who are on the edge -- and not only Democrats, Becky,

we're talking about Republicans, as you noted, some Republicans are very concerned about Donald Trump and we are seeing that within the voters as

well.

Now, Trump, in turn, is trying to turn the message to the email scandal that we've heard a lot about over the last 72 hours, or certainly has been

revived, and also the rising costs of health care in the U.S. in Obamacare.

But this is a battle to the very end and, quite frankly, it is going to be these undecided voters, maybe 6, 7 percent of the nation that will decide

the election.

[11:15:46] ANDERSON: So for our viewers watching around the world, I guess there's a very big question, isn't it? When the dust settles and the

result is in, what a week or so from today, then what? We've heard so little of substance when it comes to the issues, not least the issues of

foreign policy.

Can you just lay out what we know about these two candidates, who they would employ and what that would mean going forward from November 9, as it

were?

PRESTON: Right, so let's start with Hillary Clinton justbecause she's more predictable. You would see an administration that turns over, but you

would probably still see some of the same faces, same advisers from Barack Obama would be helping Hillary Clinton set up the new government.

We know where Hillary Clinton is when it comes to issues such as Syria and what she would do regarding the economy and what have you, but should she

win, we would have a very divided government here.

We already had House Republicans say that they had two years worth of hearings that they'd be

investigating her administration and I should note that that often happens anyway, but we're talking about Republicans who would go right at her. So

we could see a potential gridlock right from the very start. She would tend to put people in her administration with long experienced names that

folks around the world, and certainly leaders around the world would be familiar with.

Now, Donald Trump, the wild card. Because we don't necessarily know how he would govern. He says on the first day he would attack immigration head-

on, he would try to change the policies that have been put in place by Barack Obama, also foreign policy, which is something that is very much up

in the air.

How would he deal with Syria given the kind words that he said about Vladimir Putin and what the Russians are doing now over there. How would

he deal with Iran, Iraq, North Korea, we're not quite sure.

He has surrounded himself with some folks that world leaders do know, such as former Lieutenant General Mike Flynn.

But again, it's more of a wildcard. If Donald Trump wins, there will be a lot more question marks on the board that need to be answered.

ANDERSON: Mr. Preston in the house for you this evening. We have a week to go. Thank you, Mark.

PRESTON: Thanks, Becky.

Let's get you some of the other stories on our radar today. And the head of Britain's counter

intelligence agency, known as MI5, says that Britain faces a growing threat from Russia. Andrew Parker seen here on the left told The Guardian

Newspaper that Russia was, quote, using its whole range of state organs and powers to push its foreign policy abroad in increasingly aggressive ways.

Russia has rejected Parker's assertions.

Pope Francis has wrapped up his short trip to Sweden. The pontiff was there to mark the 500th anniversary of Martin Luther's reformation. He

held a mass in front of 15,000 people in Malmo, which has become a gateway for immigrants entering the country over the last few years.

In Venezuela, the president, Nicolas Maduro has added a U.S. diplomat to a long list of mediators, is trying to build up a rapport between government

and opposition parties. Thomas Shannon was welcomed at the presidential palace on Monday. Before that, Mr. Maduro met with

members of the opposition, their first meeting in two years.

And we will get right back to the U.S. presidential election, next.

Also this evening, Lebanon's political dysfunction makes what goes on in Washington like a piece of cake. So will their new leader, a commander

from the civil war, really be able to fix anything? My report is just ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[11:21:46] ANDERSON: Welcome back. You're watching Connect the World. I'm Becky Anderson. I'm Becky Anderson. It is 21 minutes past 7:00 in the

UAE. I want to get you back to the race for the White House. The U.S. presidential election is just seven

days away, a week and counting. And a new CNN poll of polls shows Clinton leading Trump by four points, 46 percent to 42.

Now, the ABC News/Washington Post tracking poll shows a much tighter race with Trump leading Clinton by one point.

Meanwhile, an important analytical model is predicting major victory for Hillary Clinton. Moody's predicts that Clinton will secure 332 electoral

votes, as they are known, while Trump predicted to get just 206.

Moody's also predicts that Florida, Ohio, Colorado and Pennsylvania will all go blue to the Democrats this year.

The model says inexpensive gasoline and President Obama's high approval rating will tip

the race in Clinton's favor. Interesting.

Well, Larry Sabato is joins me now via Skype from Charlottesville in Virginia. He is the director of the center for politics at the University

of Virginia and has forgotten more about polling than we will never know.

You say, Larry, that this email controversy has changed the very dynamics of the race. How so?

LARRY SABATO, UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA: I'm calling it Comey effect after the FBI director James Comey. He decided, for whatever combination of

reasons, to intervene in the presidential election just days before the election was held. It stopped Hillary Clinton's momentum. This would have

been a week when she was on a victory lap. Instead, she's on the defensive. She has lost some ground in some key states. Donald Trump's

troops have been energized, and it's caused a tightening in the polls.

I personally believe that Clinton is still the favorite. She has many paths to 270 electoral votes, which is what is needed to elect a president

in the electoral college, but you have to say that Donald Trump's once invisible chances to pull an upset have increased

substantially. I think most of it due to the FBI director.

ANDERSON: I want to just check back in with what happened during early voting and get your take on whether you think that is at all significant,

given that this early voting, what, some 20 million Americans, actually happened before this most recent controversy. Because in any other

election, this might have all have been indicative. Millions of Americans, as I say, have already voted,

more than 18.6 million across 38 states have cast their ballots as of October 20, that's according to Catalyst, the data company CNN is partnered

with to receive detailed information on early voting.

So, Larry, about about half of those early votes have been cast in eight battleground states, 4.7 million have come from registered Democrats while

4 million have been cast by registered Republicans. Democrats lead in Colorado, Iowa, North Carolina and Nevada while Republicans have the edge

in Arizona, Florida, Ohio, and Utah.

Let me be emphatic here. This was all before the most recent controversy. What does it then tell us, if anything, about what will happen on November

8.

SABATO: It doesn't tell us a great deal. And here's why, the vast majority of people who vote early or who vote absentee are committed

partisans. They have known for months for whom they were going to vote and that's why they get those early ballots and make sure they vote, get it out

of the way.

So essentially you're banking votes that you would probably get on election day. The idea, obviously, is to get them to vote early in case some

personal mishap happens on election day and they don't make it to the polls.

I tend to think that while early voting can be critical in very close states like Florida and North Carolina, Arizona, it's not as indicative of

the final election results as you might think.

ANDERSON: Right.

You've been crystal ball gazing for weeks, months, probably years. In fact, I know you've been doing it for years. But listen specifically for

what is going on now, you've said while Clinton's lead has shrunk significantly, you reckon that Trump strategy is a simple truth. You say

he needs to flip at least one Democratic-leaning state on November 8 in order to win.

Is that a possibility? If so, which one? How is he going to get out there and convince people to vote for him in these last remaining seven days?

Let's talk through both candidate ' strategies in what is this last week if you will, starting with Trump.

SABATO: Certainly.

Trump has to win almost all of the battleground states. He can afford to lose a few small ones, but has to win all of them and Clinton has done a

very good job of building a strong organization in these states and Trump does not always have a strong organization in some of the states.

Now, in addition to winning the battleground states, he can only get to, let's say, 265, 266. He needs 270. Well, he has to turn a state or two.

It might be two small states like Nevada and New Hampshire, or he might turn a big state. He's clearly targeting Michigan and Pennsylvania.

The polls don't look good for him in Pennsylvania.

In Michigan, though, the polls are tight enough so that it's not impossible that there could be an upset there. I wouldn't predict it but I think

there's a reason why they are spending as much time and effort as they are in that state.

Now, on Hillary Clinton's side -- i was just going to say, on hillary clinton's side, she's

had a plan in place for two years, really. She knows what to do and how to do it. She's built a strong organization, even in states that aren't

necessarily favorable to Democrats like Arizona and North Carolina.

And so really, for them, it's a matter of completing their plan. And to a great degree they've been doing it.

ANDERSON: Larry, have you -- very briefly, have you ever known anything like this race?

SABATO: Never. And I literally started in 1960. You were kind in saying it had been years. Unfortunately, it's been decades and decades and never

has there been a presidential election like this and I have to be honest, even though it's good for my field, it's good for my business, I hope to

never see one like this again.

ANDERSON: Mr. Sabato, you're a joy. Thank you, sir.

The latest world news headlines are just ahead. Plus, a civil war general forced into exile now in Lebanon's top job backed by his old enemies.

We're live in the country. Take a look at what is going on and who this man is.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(HEADLINES)

[11:32:55] ANDERSON: Well, how does a country work without anybody really in

charge?

Well, if Lebanon has anything to go by -- it doesn't, really -- defying hopes that the end of the civil brought, the country's deeply paranoid

politics has plunged Lebanese and Lebanon into an impasse over the last two years. Its fundamental problems rupturing any attempts to pick a new

president.

Well, that was until 24 hours ago. Here's the story of Lebanon's new leader Michel Aoun.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ANDERSON: Lebanon's civil war came to an end nearly 30 years ago, but its legacy looms. Bullet holes riddling its most famous landmarks and the

political scene just as scarred. So fractured, it's stagnated without a president for more than two years. That is, until Monday when lawmakers

chose Michel Aoun for the job, their 46th attempt giving hope to many.

UNIDENIFIED MALE (through translator): This is a closure of the past of political conflicts. It is the beginning of a new period and, god willing,

the political class will be up to the Lebanese dreams and needs.

ANDERSON: But the reality is, this was far from a coming together. It took old enemies striking unknown bargains to create these scenes. The

christian Mr. Aoun was backed by Hezbollah, a powerful Shia Muslim group and command of a state within a state in Lebanon and one backed by Iran.

HASSAN NASRALLAH, HEZBOLLAH LEADER (through translator): And if the statutes of the parliament allow us, we will open our ballots in front of

the cameras to show that the Michel Aoun will be on written on them.

ANDERSON: The Shia weren't alone, surprising many the Sunni leader Saad Hariri (ph) backed Mr. Aoun as well. He could now become the next prime

minister.

Saad's father, Rafik Hariri, was assassinated soon after stepping down from that role ten years ago. The Hariri's are very close to Saudi Arabia, and

political commentators in Lebanon think that Riyadh isn't prioritizing the country anymore, so busy fighting in Yemen that it shrugged at stopping Mr.

Aoun from getting the presidential palace again.

It's not his first time there. To many's delight, he took the office of prime minister in the late 80s.

Fresh from the battlefield, the general, as he was known, kept his army gear on, but he was forced out by the Syrians as the war ended.

Still, hundreds went into the night to celebrate his return.

UNIDENITIFIED MALE: Thank you, Mr. Aoun. We love you. We believe in you.

ANDERSON: One newspaper splashed its front page with the "Republican regains its head." But in Lebanon, how long you get to keep it, is

anyone's guess.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

[11:35:57] ANDERSON: Well, to help us answer that, let's speak to Makram Ouaiss. He is an assistant professor of the Lebanese-American University.

And joining us now from Byblos, Lebanon over Skype.

Makram, to your mind, just how significant is this appointment?

MAKRAM OUAISS, LEBANESE AMERICAN UNIVERSITY: Good evening, Becky. Good evening to your viewers. This appointment I think is a very important step

for the country given what we've been through since I would say 2013 and the postponement of two election -- parliamentary

elections and an empty presidential seat for over two-and-a-half years.

ANDERSON: What difference is it going to make, though, before we talk about what is division, which is at the very heart of Lebanese politics,

just tell me, what difference is this going to make in the short term, because Lebanon, quite frankly, at the moment is a mess, isn't it?

OUAISS: Well, on the one hand, we reached a gridlock and that gridlock almost led Lebanon to lose its democratic credentials completely. Luckily,

we hold local elections this year and this election of a new president is basically a first step in bringing the country back on its constitutional

tracks and opening, if you want, an opportunity for discussions of difficult subjects that have been on the back burner and some on the front

I would say regarding political reform and rebuilding of the state.

ANDERSON: Well, that sounds optimistic, which is a good thing.

Look, as I said, division is at the very heart of Lebanese politics. It's not necessarily about checks and balances, it's about representation,

isn't it? Constitutionally, the president has to be a Maronite Christian and the prime minister a Sunni Muslim, and a Shiite Muslim must be the

speaker in parliament.

Given what is going on in the rest of the Middle East, and given how difficult things have been so far as politics are concerned in Lebanon, can

this balance last, or is Aoun a tipping point, do you think?

OUAISS: Well, it seems to me that, you know, he is really what the Lebanese have been able to come to agree to to move the ball forward given

that we are in a raging regional conflict and we have, as you know, been hosting over 1.2 million Syrian refugees which makes Lebanon the most

highest per capita in terms of hosting refugees, and has put tremendous stress on the country. And (inaudible) here also the different groups

within the country have affinities and have been involved militarily in the case of Hezbollah at the side of the Syrian regime.

So this really an internal consensus on the way to move forward. And while, as you rightly point out, may not be a panacea, at least it's a one

way to move the country back in the right direction and to really allow internal politics to take place.

We hope that the president will push forward for a new election law and we will be able to start

tackling unemployment and other problems.

ANDERSON: Right. OK. Well look, let's just do a little brief history, if we can, for our viewers' sake, I know many of them will recognize and know

the history of this man, perhaps some won't. He was a general during Lebanon's civil war, Let's remind ourselves. Towards the end of that, he

climbed in to lead the country, operating in a sort of parallel government, if you will.

Then the Syrian army chased him out as the fighting stopped so he stayed in exile for around 15

years. Then he came back in 2005 after a former leader was assassinated, many think plotting for this role ever since. He's now aligned with his

old enemies. So, his life is very much tied into the story of Lebanon itself.

But it's also tied into the wider regional divisions, not least that of Saudi and Iran. Saudi, of course, has been a huge supporter of Lebanon,

particularly over the past years, propping it up financially. Hezbollah seen as Iran's representatives in country, the nemesis of Riyadh.

Given all of this, what kind of leader is he going to be and what will this mean for Lebanon

and the wider region, do you think?

OUAISS: Well, I think -- I hope that his presidency will be an example for the region in that

we have a representative who was Christian working with the Shia and the Sunni majority parties that

are, if you want, in the region at odds in terms of their supporters, but also to recognize that any president in this country cannot work outside an

agreement with the main forces that govern in this country.

Hezbollah represents over 60 percent of the Shia community. The future movement represents a very large number of Sunnies, over 70 percent. And

so any president has to be, if you want, the person who can bring those forces together and who can chart a new way forward.

Now, that does not mean that this task is going to be easy, especially given the ramifications in the region and the potential increasing clashes

that are taking place right outside of Lebanon and Syria.

But it seems to me that having someone who can reach out to both sides, having someone who

can work with both sides is essential and has been actually the history of how governments has been made in this country.

Unfortunately, sometimes we can be very critical of the paralysis that such a system brings with it and also sometimes a lack of opposition that we

witness that can be then a source of -- or a lack of checks and balances on those in power.

ANDERSON: Right. Very briefly here, this was a president appointed at the 46th attempt, clearly Lebanon needs some political stability. Hand on

heart, is he the right man for the job?

OUAISS: I think he's the only man for the job right now. Unfortunately, the young, ambitious people who are capable of being in that position have

not yet built the necessary political structures to get to power. And unfortunately, if you want warlord-turned politicians in the early '90s

have sucked the air out of the political system and we are trying as members of civil society, but also as the young faces come out in the

system to create new spaces for political opposition or maybe for a new way to do politics in this country that's not solely based on confessional

belonging or on being part of former militia or former military organization.

ANDERSON: Well, many will say the hope will be that he will usher in the sort of new era that you have just delineated.

Sir, with that, we're going to leave it there. We thank you very much indeed on what is a tremendously important story for this region and the

rest of the world.

Coming up here on Connect the World, she's been by her side for two decades. We'll look at Huma Abedin's close relationship with Hillary

Clinton and see how her emails have put the campaign on the defensive once again.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

[11:46:44] TRUMP: Hhank you, Huma. Thank you, Huma. Do you think right now that Hillary Clinton is happy with the services of Huma? I don't

think so.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: Donald Trump there thanking top Clinton aide Huma Abedin for the FBI investigation into her emails that's given him new ammunition, of

course, in the final days of what is this unprecedented presidential campaign in the U.S.

The U.S. election now only a week away and it appears unlikely that the FBI will finish this new email review by then.

It's now using special software, we are told, to comb through thousands of Abedin's emails. We don't know yet know whether those are even relevant to

the investigation into Hillary Clinton's use of a private server when she was secretary of state.

Remember that story? Yep, it's back again.

CNN's Joe Johns tells us how the democratic nominee tackles the issue head- on in the key swing state of Ohio.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JOE JOHNS, CNN SENIOR WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT: Hillary Clinton kicking off the final full week of campaigning right here in battleground Ohio, trying

to use the anxiety surrounding the controversy to get out the vote. At Kent State, making the case there is no FBI case on the latest e-mails that were

discovered. And here in Cincinnati, calling on the FBI to take a look at the new e-mails, but predicting they won't find anything.

CLINTON: You know, there is a new e-mail story about why in the world the FBI would decide to jump into an election without evidence of wrongdoing

with days to go. That's a really good question.

But I want you to know, I have said repeatedly. I made a mistake. I'm not making any excuses. But I will tell you this -- if they want to look at

some more staffers, by all means, go ahead. Look at them. And I know they will reach the same conclusion they reached when they looked at my e-mails

last year, right?

(APPLAUSE)

It wasn't even a close call. I think most people have moved on. They are looking and focused on who will be the next president and commander in

chief.

JOHNS: Traveling in Ohio, Hillary Clinton was not accompanied by her long time aide Huma Abedin. Instead, accompanied by Capricia Marshall, who

served as her chief of protocol while she worked at the State Department.

Three stops today for Hillary Clinton, all in the state of Florida.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ANDERSON: Joe Johns.

Well, Huma Abedin was an intern when she first met Hillary Clinton and she has been by her

side ever since. Sunlen Serfaty now takes a look at their close relationship and how Abedin plays a crucial role in Clinton's inner circle.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Have a great time.

SUNLEN SERFATY, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): For the last two decades, it has been Hillary and Huma. One of Clinton's longest serving and

most loyal aides, a permanent fixture in Clinton's daily orbit.

It was 1996 when the two first met, Clinton then first lady; Abedin, a white house intern. Abedin was born in Michigan but raised in Saudi Arabia.

She came back to the U.S. to attend college in Washington. Accepting a prestigious White House internship, assigned to work with the first lady's

chief-of-staff.

Their bond and trust forged during that time, turned into a partnership that would outlast many of Clinton's other relationships. Huma has remained

by her side ever since. Working on Clinton's Senate run. Her 2008 presidential bid as the candidate's essential right- hand woman on the

campaign trail, in the State Department...

[11:50:46] HUMA ABEDIN, HILLARY CLINTON AIDE: And with that, I'll be making no further comments.

SERFATY: Traveling the world alongside Clinton as her deputy chief- of- staff.

HILLARY CLINTON, U.S. DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: Unconfirmed, yes.

SERFATY: And rising now to vice chairwoman of the Clinton campaign.

ABEDIN: She's on the road a lot. And I just, you know, there to help keep it all together and help people be at their best including my boss.

SERFATY: Their connection goes beyond work. They are friends. E- mails released by the State Department show a flood of correspondence between the

two highlighting their closeness.

One in 2009 shows Clinton e-mailing Huma to come over to her house in D.C. for a chat, quote, "I'm up now, so come when you're able. Just knock on the

door to the bedroom if it's closed.

And other casual exchanges. The two checking in on each other in the middle of the night. "You still awake?" Huma emails. "Are you?" "Just woke up and

saw this," Clinton responds. And others almost read like gossipy girlfriends. Huma once writing in the subject line "All good here. Have

lots of stories."

Clinton has been known to refer to Huma as a second daughter. And it was Clinton who first introduced Huma to former Congressman Anthony Weiner.

When the two wed in 2010, their wedding officiated by Bill Clinton.

Later it was Hillary Clinton who helped Huma through the public fall of her now estranged husband over his sexting scandals.

ABEDIN: Our marriage, like many others, has had its ups and its downs. It took a lot of work and a whole lot of therapy to get to a place where I

could forgive Anthony.

SERFATY: Sunlen Serfaty, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ANDERSON: Well, she may have been at Clinton's side almost constantly since she was an intern, but according to one of my colleagues, she has not

been flying with Clinton today. She was not seen boarding the plane in White Plains, New Jersey. For what is the fourth straight day, she hasn't

been on what is this last strategic swing through, well, strategic swing states in this race for the White House.

Taking a short break. Back after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ANDERSON: Well, tonight's Parting Shots for you, renowned Palestinian musicians took to the stage for what was a nonstop 12-hour performance all

in an effort to raise funds for breast cancer treatment in the West Bank and in Gaza.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(MUSIC)

[11:55:07] UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): We know how a marathon will look at the start, but we have no idea how it will look after thirty

kilometers. What street will we be on? What will it feel like? Will we be tired? How will we keep going?

(MUSIC)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): A marathon is a challenge, and there is no greater challenge than playing music. There are artists taking

part that we have never met, never worked with. We won't get to practice with them before going on stage and performing.

(APPLAUSE)

(MUSIC)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): I have dreamed about this for many years, putting on a marathon concert and playing the Oud from start to

finish. Whether we like it or not, we lose the suppleness in our fingers as we get older, so it felt like it was time to do this concert, out of

respect for the Oud as well.

We want to reach millions of people around the world and show them that Palestinians can achieve something great with its own people, show them

that Palestine can achieve something great with its own art.

(MUSIC)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): I want to tell everyone suffering from cancer they are beautiful no matter how they look. This is

just superficial.

(MUSIC)

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ANDERSON; Amazing. I'm Becky Anderson. That was Connect the World. From the team here and those working with us around the world, it is a very good

evening. Thank you for watching.

END

END