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Trump Takes The Heat; Trump Pushing On DACA Deals; Gadgets And Gizmos; Trump, Moon Speak By Phone; At Least 15 Killed In California Mudslides; New Details About Russia Dossier. Aired 10-11a ET

Aired January 10, 2018 - 10:00   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

[10:00:13] DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I'll take the heat. I don't care. I don't care. I'll take all the heat you want to

give me.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BECKY ANDERSON, CONNECT THE WORLD, CNN: Well, there seems to be plenty of it. The judge flacks one of the President's policies and the Russia

investigation back in the spotlight. Next we're live in Washington where things are, you heard it, heating up. And caught on tape, a secret

recording from outside a strip club. What the Prime Minister of Israel's son has to do with it?

And gadgets and gizmos galore. How new tech is going to change and even possibly save your life. The latest innovations from the big consumer

electronics show later this hour.

A very warm welcome. This is "Connect the World." I'm Becky Anderson in Abu Dhabi. It is 7:00 in the evening here. We begin with another setback

for U.S. President Donald Trump. A federal Judge has once again struck a blow to one of his major policy goals. This time it's DACA. The program

protecting hundreds of thousands of immigrants illegally brought in to the U.S. as kids. The ruling came just hours after Mr. Trump's bipartisan

meeting on the future of the program. CNN's Joe Johns has the very latest for you from Washington. Have a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO)

JOE JOHNS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: A federal Judge blocking the Trump administration's decision to end the DREAMERS program on March fifth ruling

protections must remain in place while pending legal challenges proceed and ordering the government to resume taking renewal applications. The Justice

Department responding that the ruling does not change its position that the Obama era program is unlawful asserting that it will continue to defend its

position in further litigation. The late night court surprise coming hours after the remarkable televised meeting between President Trump and

bipartisan lawmakers over a potential deal for the DREAMERS.

TRUMP: This should be a bipartisan bill. It should be a bill of love, truly it should be a bill of love.

JOHNS: President Trump suggesting a compassionate solution adjusting flexibility.

TRUMP: My positions are going to be what the people in this room come up with.

JOHNS: Mr. Trump also signaling an openness to pursuing a larger immigration deal.

TRUMP: If we do this properly, DACA, you're not so far away from comprehensive immigration reform. And if you want to take that further

step, I'll take the heat. I don't care. I'll take all the heat to you want to give me. And I will take the heat of all the Democrats and the

Republicans.

JOHNS: At times the President appearing to contradict himself insisting that border security must be part of any agreement but also suggesting he

is open to a clean DACA bill.

TRUMP: I have no problem. I think that is basically what (inaudible) say, we are going to come out with DACA and start immediately on phase two which

would be comprehensive.

JOHNS: House majority leader Kevin McCarthy interjecting this.

KEVIN MCCARTHY, HOUSE MAJORITY LEADER: President, you need to be clear, I think what the Senator Feinstein is asking here, what we talk about DACA,

we don't want to be back here two years later. You have to have security.

JOHNS: It was unclear if border security meant a wall, the White House offering little clarity.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It has to be part of a deal se DREAMERS to have protection.

SARAH HUCKABEE SANDERS, DEPUTY WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: Border security does have to be part of this process.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: But you understand how the wall could be different than border security, border mean --

HUCKABEE SANDERS: No, actually, I don't.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It doesn't necessarily mean a physical wall.

HUCKABEE SANDERS: That is part of the negotiation we expect congress to have.

JOHNS: Mr. Trump later tweeting that a wall must be part of any DACA approval.

(END VIDEO)

ANDERSON: Right. So a federal Judge says hold your horses on a program Trump seems intent on ending. Joe Johns joining me now from Washington.

Joe, what is the big take away here, particularly for our international viewers? In a week when Donald Trump is intent on proving he is a man in

charge, a man who can get things done and oh by the way, a man who is fit for purpose?

JOHNS: Well, I think one of the takeaways is the President's continuing battle with the federal courts over policies that he puts forward and he

gets slapped down again and again. But I think it's also important to say that this President has expressed a certain degree of sympathy for those

thousands upon thousands of young people here in this country through no- fault of their own finding themselves in the position of perhaps being deported if a deal can't be reached on DACA.

[10:05:13] But it's also interesting and I'd just like to read it, the statement that came out from Sarah Sanders, the White House press secretary

today, about the court ruling. It says we find this decision to be outrageous, especially in light of the President's successful bipartisan

meeting with house and senate members of the White House in the same day, an issue of this magnitude must go through the normal legislative process.

They go on to say that there needs to be a solution that corrects the unconstitutional actions taken by the last administration. So what's

interesting there is the White House is essential advocating for the rights of the legislative branch which is just a little bit unusual. But the fact

of the matter is the President supports these kids. It's just hard to get a deal with the congress.

ANDERSON: Fascinating. All right, Joe. Thank you for that.

South Korea's President hailing successful negotiations with the north after a round of high level talks this week. (Inaudible) restored

dialogues with North Korea. In a televise press conference, he addressed the Korean people as well as the U.S. President Donald Trump who he praised

for putting economic pressure on the Kim regime which he says eventually brought them to the table. He also said Tuesday's talks at the DMZ are

just the beginning. Let's bring in Ivan Watson who's been following the developments from Seoul for you. This talks he said are just the

beginning, Ivan is this a watershed in relation with North Korea and how much credit should Donald Trump take, if that is the case?

IVAN WATSON, SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT, CNN: Let me just bring all our viewers up to date on a new development that has just come out.

There was a 30 minute phone call between Presidents Moon and Trump. We've gotten a statement from the blue house, the residents of the workplace of

the South Korean President. In that statement according to our translation says that President Trump and President Moon agreed that the inter-Korean

talks that took place Tuesday could lead to U.S.-North Korean talks on denuclearization. Now, the statement went on to quote President Trump

saying that he was, quote, open to having a conversation with North Korea under appropriate conditions and timing. And it went on to quote President

Trump denying a "Wall Street Journal" report that he was contemplating possible military strikes against North Korea and going on to say tell them

the North Koreans, let them know that there will be absolutely no military actions as long as the inter-Korean dialogue is going on. Both leaders

going on to say they support the communication. They will work together. Their ultimate goals are denuclearization on the peninsula.

And finally that President Trump would be sending Vice President Pence to serve as the chief of the U.S. delegation attending the upcoming winter

Olympics in Pyeongchang which are to start in just under a month's time. So we haven't gotten the White House readout of that yet, but assuming that

this is the nature of the talks that the South Korean and American heads of state just had, it's an important gesture from the White House ensuring or

pledging in that there would not be any military action and again a message that the U.S. side would be willing to talk to the North Koreans and that

this would basically be bridging out from those first rounds of high level negotiations in some two years between the North and South Koreans that

took place just yesterday. Becky?

ANDERSON: The latest out of Seoul for you with Ivan Watson. Thank you.

Israel's Prime Minister is facing a backlash after a secret recording aired on Israeli television of his son apparently demanding money from the son of

a gas tycoon. The conversation apparently took place outside a strip club in 2015. Let me play you a clip of that recording.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: Let's bring in Oren Lieberman, he is in Jerusalem. Can you explain what we believe to be going on during this episode?

[10:10:00] OREN LEIBERMANN, CNN CORESPONDENT: So as you pointed out, this is a conversation that happen inside of the car according to Israel's

channel 2 news which obtained the recording just outside of a strip club. There were five people inside that car. The eldest son of the Prime

Minister who was in his mid-20s, two of his friends as well as a driver and a body guard. The conversation continues. You can hear they're laughing

there. They all are rather -- you heard Netanyahu say he had quite a bit to drink that night and might have been intoxicated. But in the end the

most interesting part of the conversation is a part between Netanyahu and a son of a gas tycoon, especially since at this time Netanyahu, the elder

Prime Minister there, had just worked through a very controversial gas deal. And here is part of that conversation. It says or Netanyahu says we

fought for it, brother. My father battled for it. I remember. He goes on to say you're crying over 400 shekels? My father sorted your father out

with 20 billion and you're crying over 400 shekels. You see 400 shekels is a little more than $100. He then goes on, to talk about horse a couple of

times in the conversation. Netanyahu issued an apology for what he said. So did the prime minister.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER (TRANSLATOR): My son said what he rightfully called yesterday ridiculous things about women. He did so

under the influence of alcohol. And he apologized for it justifiably so. He said two more things. He said this is not me and he said these are not

the values he was raised by at home. And he is right. My wife and I raised our children to respect every person and to respect every woman.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEIBERMANN: This isn't the first time he has made headlines. He put on social media a meme anti-Semitic connotations and that was retweeted by

David Duke a former leader of the KKK, while there has been no suggestion of anything illegal in the conversation, the problem is the perception with

the Prime Minister under two different criminal investigations that is where this may end up really hurting, Becky.

ANDERSON: That is right. You make a very good point. This is far from happening in a vacuum. Israel a Prime Minister under criminal scrutiny and

corruption probes. How is he and his son? What's the perception about the weigh that they handled this?

LEIBERMANN: It's also worth pointing out that Benjamin Netanyahu's wife Sarah is also under criminal investigation, a completely separate probe.

In this specific case they've taken essentially two different tacks. One is an apology. You heard it from Benjamin Netanyahu there. And his son

issued his own apology. It was also an attack on the media. His sin called it quote a witch-hunt, a familiar refrain we've heard from the Prime

Minister himself under his own criminal investigation. You're seeing a split reaction from the public here. One side, Netanyahu's critics see

this as more allegations or accusations or evidence of corruption and they don't like him more than they didn't just a short while ago before these

recordings came out. The other side, those who back Netanyahu see this as an attack on the Netanyahu family. And in that sense it has pushed each

side further to where they are, those who like him like him more and stand by him. Those who don't like him don't like him even more.

ANDERSON: Oren Lieberman in Jerusalem on the story for you. We are covered here, but for one person. Roman, the third friend in what was that

secret taping, he warned, quote, this conversation should not get out. God, if this gets out, it will be hell.

Mud slides have devastated parts of southern California killing at least 15 people and injuring more than 160 others. The mud slides destroyed houses

and washed away dozens of cars as you can see here in an instant bringing the region to a standstill. CNN on the ground for you in California. Paul

(inaudible) witnessing the devastation firsthand, Paul, give us a sense seeing where you are.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If you look right here, this is absolutely ravage. We have got a house, we believe there must had been a gas blowout here and

that is why the windows are missing. You can see the debris field behind it. As you come up the street house after house after house, this road

turned into a river. These cars pinned in. What had happened is they got rain after that devastating Thomas fire, that largest wildfire acreage in

California history. They worried that rock and debris would be loosened up, because the hills were turned into ash. Look over here. The types of

boulders, smaller ones that came tumbling down. There are bigger ones all over this area.

[0:15:07] One of the factors in all of this is its very steep. It goes from about 3,000 feet to sea level in no time and you took over here. This

is what came pushing down towards sea level. We're only about a mile from the ocean right here. As you look at that mangled mess, some of that is

parts of other houses that were ripped, knocked, gushing off their foundation and came cascading down on these houses below them. There was

actually a creek that became overrun. In a nearby town they had about an inch of rain in just an hour and given the fact that vegetation had been

stripped from the hillside by the fire, it was almost the effect of a water slide. The rain hovered over like a pinwheel, hit the mountain and the all

of this misery came cascading down.

You said the death toll was 15. They expect that climb. There is another factor here, because of blockades like this, huge boulders, we've got about

300 people we were told to shelter in their place. When the sun comes up they're going to go in with helicopters and get them out. It's an enormous

tragedy, one that officials here frankly think that perhaps wasn't given full attention from state and federal officials. But as we said, death

toll 15 and mounting, Becky.

ANDERSON: Terrible. Paul, thank you.

Still ahead, viewers, you have heard a lot about the Russia dossier on Donald Trump, probably not many of the details. Well now transcripts just

released that are describing why the dossier author became so concerned about possible blackmail that he went to the FBI. More on that after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ANDERSON: Welcome back. 19 minutes past 7:00 in the UAE. That is where we are broadcasting to you from. This is our Middle East programming hub

in Abu Dhabi. Now to new revelations in the Russia investigation casting a cloud over the White House. How many times have I said that over the past

year?

[10:20:00] Also according to the head of the firm behind the Russia dossier as it's known, the former senior British spy who compiled the information

became so concerned that Donald Trump was being blackmailed that he went to the FBI. We learned that from transcripts just released by a Democratic

Senator who says there was so much misinformation circulating that she had to set the record straight. Manu Raju has more.

(BEGIN VIDEO)

MANU RAJU, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL REPORTER: Senator Feinstein released that transcript despite the furious objections of the Republican Chairman Chuck

Grassley who warned it would undermine the investigation, now in that August interview he says his firm hired the British spy Christopher Steel

to examine Trump's past including why he did business in Moscow. According to Simpson, Steele was so alarmed that he felt obligated to alert the FBI

in summer of 2016. Simpson said this in the transcript. Chris said he was so very concerned about whether this represent a national security threat

and said he thought we were obligated to tell someone government, about this information.

He thought from his perspective there was an issue, a national security issue, about whether a presidential candidate was being blackmailed. In

addition to this Simpson also testified that Steele told him the FBI had similar intelligence from an internal and Trump campaign source to help

backup the dossier. We now know from our own source of that was a reference information passed on to the FBI about the former campaign

adviser George Papadopoulos who since then has pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI about his contacts with Russia during the campaign. Now, Senators

on the committee including Democrat Chris Coons said the decision by Feinstein to release the transcripts shows that this investigation is a

partisan impasse.

CHRIS COONS, DEMOCRAT FROM DELAWARE: I think it' unfortunate that the majority and minority on the judiciary committee have really come to an

impasse in terms of being able to make progress, I think in some way this is the signal of the end of bipartisan cooperation in the senate judicial

committee.

RAJU: Now Simpson also not reveal who the sources were. Simpson's attorney even saying that one of the Russian sources had been killed and we

now know from our own sources that comment was in reference to the string of deaths of high profile Russians in the aftermath of the 2016 elections.

Now this all comes as Trump's personal lawyer Michael Cohen announced plans to (inaudible) using GPS and the news organizations BuzzFeed for publishing

the dossier last year over his concerns over defamation, because he says the allegation against him in the dossier are just wrong.

(END VIDEO)

ANDERSON: That is Manu Raju. Let me get you our White House reporter Steven Collinson. And this is fascinating once again and let me just get

you and our viewers the very latest tweet from Mr. Trump which is important as we discuss this. He says a single greatest witch hunt in American

history continues. There was no collusion. Everybody including the Dems knows was there no collusion and yet on and on it goes. Russia and the

world are laughing at the stupidity they are witnessing. Republicans should finally take some control. Steven, what if anything is the release

of these transcripts telling us? What does it add to our understanding of any potential Russian meddling?

STEPHEN COLLINSON, WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT, CNN: I think there is an evidentiary addition to our understanding with the release of the

transcripts as well as the political one. The Republican have been saying all along that the FBI investigation into Russian election collusion was

based on this dossier which they say is largely unverified that contains all sorts of false allegations and the product of the Democratic Party

trying to create a hoax about Russian election meddling. When Glen Simpson testified that Christopher Steele went to the FBI, because he was concerned

that the president might have been blackmailed, that shows us that it wasn't the dossier that started this investigation, it was something else.

Steel was told the FBI already knew were allegations about Russian election meddling and perhaps an attempt to influence Trump because they got this

information from the Australians, so that is one thing. The other thing, we can learn the bipartisan on Capitol Hill to look into this issue has

largely fractured. The reason the Democrats issued this transcript of this closed hearing was because Republicans on the same judiciary committee in

the senate had asked the judiciary committee - the Justice Department to look into whether Steele should be prosecuted. So what we're seeing I

think really is the end of that process and it is pretty much a part of one other committee in the senate, the intelligence committee, it is down to

Robert Mueller now, the Special Counsel to sort this out.

ANDERSON: Yes. A former U.S. Intel chief brief this dossier spoke to CNN, as you know a short time ago. James Clapper says the transcripts validate

the credibility of former British intelligence officer Christopher Steele. Let's have a listen to what Clapper said.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JAMES CLAPPER, FORMER INTELLIGENCE CHIEF: I think it is his instincts, his professional instincts that when he grew concern about what he was learning

that he first apparently reported this to his own government as well to the FBI, I think the transcript to me, just the casualty of it seem like

there's a lot of focus on trying to shoot the messenger rather than the sub of content of what he was reporting.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: James Clapper clearly referring to Republican on the senate committee there based on this transcripts, do you think it's fair to say

they appear more interested in shooting the messenger as it were than learning the facts?

COLLINSON: I think that is a very fair point. It's not just the transcripts where we see Republicans trying discredit fusion GPS and

Christopher Steele. We've had of the last few weeks of attempts from the president gone down to discredit not just the congressional investigations

in this issue, but to discredit the FBI, to discredit Special Counsel Robert Mueller. So what I think we are seeing is an attempt to prepare the

political ground should Mueller come back with a finding that is threatening to the President. And what we had seen as well is Republican

politicians particularly in the House of Representatives joining this effort which is also being led by pro-Trump media organizations in the

United States. I think what they are trying to do is shape public opinion to sort of make it less likely that there is going to be a lot of political

pressure from their side to investigate trump and potentially move to, even if it comes to that impeachment proceedings in the House of Representatives

should that be recommended by Mueller.

ANDERSON: It's been a pretty rough start to the year for Mr. Trump, especially after that salacious tell-all book by Michael Wolff, Fire and

Fury. Now the man behind some of the most damning quotes in the book has met his own downfall. Steven Bannon, Mr. Trump's former chief strategist

stepping down from Breitbart news. He had returned to the far right website after being ousted from the White House late last summer. Bannon

has walked back some of his comments in the book and called some of the reporting inaccurate. Be that as it may, is this a guy who is down and out

at this point?

COLLINSON: It looks like he self-combusted politically. He has really been destroyed as a figure in the Republican Party by the president.

Bannon was going to lead a bunch anti-establishment insurgent candidate in primary races before the midterm elections but he is lost a lot of the

funding that shortly because the president has been calling on donors to withdraw. He has lost his job as the head of Breitbart News a sort of

populist nationalist media organization which has been very influential in the Trump era, the question now I think is whether the populist nationalist

feeling that Bannon represent is going to go away in politics without someone as high profile as him whipping it up. Is Trump going to stay

faithful to that kind of ideological grounding which was behind much of his campaign? Trump has a history of reembracing people who appear to have

betrayed him later on down the track. It looks very unlikely there is a second act right now for Bannon and U.S. politics.

ANDERSON: Steven Collinson is in Washington for you viewers. Always a pleasure. Thank you. Regular guess on this show.

COLLINSON: Thank you.

ANDERSON: So shows still within the corridors of power at the White House, where aide save been ask to decide by the end of the month if they will

stay through 2018's November midterm election in the U.S. or if they intend to leave. An official said the deadline is the administration's attempt to

establish order as it braces for an anticipated staffing exodus, but he would normally want to leave the White House, American Presidents are

normally full of wisdom and speedy determination and political masters at that. But all of which, Stephen Collinson suggests Donald Trump is almost

certainly not. He is instead hitting on already low buff.

Find out what makes him think that at CNN.com, your home to understanding the very complex world of Washington. These days one of the latest world

news headline are just ahead.

Plus, Yemen's Houthi rebels are issuing a new warning and it's over a shipping lane that plays a major role in global trade. A look at that, up

next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ANDERSON: A very warm welcome back and for those of you who are just joining as, you are very welcome. It is just after half past 7:00 in the

UAE.

The top stories for you this hour, a U.S. judge has temporarily blocked the Trump administration's efforts to end and what's known as DACA, the program

that gives legal protection to undocumented immigrants brought to the U.S. as children.

The White House plan to wind down the DREAMer program in March. Well, part of an oil tanker carrying 1 million barrels worth of oil is exploded at

sea.

[10:35:00] The Sanchi tanker has been ablaze for days, just up the coast case of Shanghai. Now these new explanations forced rescue vessels to

retreat from the tanker.

The Libyan Navy is has rescued nearly 300 people but up to 100 others are missing and feared dead. That is after several rubber boats carrying

migrants took to the water off the country's western coast. Really that is one of the most important trade routes in the world.

Now there is a threat to shut down part of the Yemen. Houthi rebels are warning they will close what is a vital Red Sea shipping lane. Show in

here a senior Houthi security official says thousands of fighters are amassed nearly Bab-el-Mandeb Strait, ready to act.

Now carry through on the threat, less attacks by the Saudi-led coalition stop. Well let's get to the Saudi capital. Nic Robertson is live for us

from Riyadh. What are your sources telling you, Nic?

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Becky, we heard from a couple of hours ago from the source towards the Saudi government telling us that in

the past couple of hours times were dense, so that was earlier today.

They got reports that a Houthi boat packed with mines had attacked a tanker in the Red Sea, in the vicinity of the area where the Houthis have made

this declaration that they are prepared to block access to the Red Sea.

It is a very important shipping name, at least for the Suez Canal through which thousands of commercial vessels pass ever cal year. So this is a

vital waterway but according to the source close to the Saudi government, a strike, an attack happened on a tanker.

We don't have details yet if there have injuries or casualties or damaged. There were weeks of press briefing coming up in the next couple of hours

here from the Saudi-led coalition supporting the Yemeni government in Yemen.

We may get more details of that briefing. But at the moment, it gives the appearance, this information coming from a source close the Saudi

government, a couple with what we have heard from the Houthis -- Houthi rebels in Yemen declaring.

It does appear on the surface as if they may have began to make goon on that threat. Again, this is -- this is the (Inaudible) a lot more details.

ANDERSON: Nic Robertson is in Riyadh with the very latest from there. Nic, thank you. Well to Syria, where the Syria civil defense says at least

one person was killed and 50 hurt to that air strikes.

The group was known as the White Helmets shared a video of a baby being pulled out of the rubble. It is say where good moments as the group pulls

the crying child from piles of debris after several strikes caught in a neighborhood in Eastern Damascus. Let's get more, our CNN international

correspondent Nick Paton Walsh is live for you tonight out of London. Nick.

NICK PATON WALSH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Becky, I saw those hopeful images sadly today. The continuing air strikes on Ghouta, a large part of

rebel held some of the Damascus have in fact claim the life of one child.

His body was pulled out dead from the rubble. Forty-one air strikes it appears since midnight's in an area simply called Harasta, part of Eastern

Ghouta.

I should give you more context to since the beginning of this year, 85 people have lost their lives in Eastern Ghouta from this continuing air

strikes, 30 of them being children.

Thirteen people died yesterday itself. So frankly, no letup in the carnage at all part it seems of the continued Syrian regimes bid to siege and then

forced to surrender.

The people in Ghouta being cut-off from food, medical supplies, for quite some time, that simply gets worse day by day. I should point out, there

are many of the things happening in Syria at the moment.

Syria's government, a lot of reports of identified aircraft flying over Syria. Syria's government said they have taken action to foil free Israeli

attacks including downing one Israeli aircraft, nothing clear from Israeli, not at this point.

But this is obviously another instance where it may be the case that is in past in the regimes military and destruction being targeted by Israeli.

This is part really of the end game because we are seeing move are carrying to the north of Syria, suggesting the regime trying to get in to the -- one

of the last remaining rebel pockets in an area called Idlib.

They have begun moving in there quite decisively. Tens of thousands of people, many of whom were refugees from other parts of Syria's rebel held

territory now taken back by the regime.

Tens of thousands moving towards the Turkish border there, Turkey deeply unhappy at this Humanitarian crisis unfolding, but if the regime keep

moving, another potential 400,000 people could be on the move as well.

So even though we are possibly in the closing moments of the regime stamping as a mark on rebel held parts of Syria, there are still hundreds

of thousands of civilian lives being lost frankly in horrifying ways day by day. Becky.

ANDERSON: Yes and those images reflecting that.

[10:40:00] Nick, thank you. We're going to take a very short break at this point. Coming up, President Trump is up against a crucial deadline over

the Iran nuclear deal.

Does he sign waivers on sanctions and keep the agreement alive or refuse to sign and terminate the deal? Important. A live report from Washington is

up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ANDERSON: It's about a quarter to 8:00 in evening here in the UAE. Welcome back. President Trump meets today with Secretary of State Rex

Tillerson ahead of what is a crucial decision on whether to effectively renew what is the Iran nuclear agreement.

Well, Mr. Trump has strongly criticized the nuclear accord, threatening to tear it up, Iran says it will reconsider cooperating with the United

Nations nuclear agency of the U.S. backtrack on the agreement.

Well President Trump also sitting down with U.S. ambassador to the U.N. Nikki Haley today, ahead of what is an expected decision on Friday.

Let's get you to, Reza Marashi, Research Director for the National Iranian American Council keeping his eyes on what -- what will happen like a

Friday. Any stir on what Trump is likely to do at this point?

REZA MARASHI, RESEARCH DIRECTOR, NATIONAL IRANIAN AMERICAN COUNCIL: Well, it is 50-50 at this point, Becky. A final decision has been made based on

what I've been hearing.

So precisely because it could go one of two ways, I think right now you're seeing Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif go to Russia and then he will

be going to Brussels immediately after to talk with the European Union to try and do contingency planning.

Because there's a very real possibility that the United States will take a nuclear agreement that is working by every objective measure and continue

to try damage it.

ANDERSON: Well, the lifting of some of the sanctions under the nuclear deal was supposed to of course to get a beast towards a crippled Iranian

economy of was, but that change, certainly hasn't been felt by all segments of society.

And we have seen where is that mass protest in response to what has being described as rampant corruption and rising fuel, and food prices. The

country's law makers say, more than 3,700 people were arrested they may have claimed -- sorry, calmed somewhat.

But one ironic that calling these recent rallies, one of the most serious crises Iran has faced in the past 25 years, as we wait what Donald Trump

does with the nuclear deal. How would you describe these protest we've seen of late?

MARASHI: Well, there is the question that these protests are important precisely because it's the demonstration of the Iranian people airing their

long-standing and legitimate political economic and social grievances.

[10:45:00] And it would be the height of miscalculation and irresponsibility for the Iranian government to not respond and address

these grievances that frankly are long overdue to be addressed.

Now that being said, for all intensive purposes, western governments are unfortunately more concerned with this idea of is it a revolution or is it

a civil rights movement.

And right now, we see not the factors that would necessarily participate -- precipitate, excuse me, a revolution. We see more something along the

lines of civil rights movements.

ANDERSON: Well, the human rights that issue, should we call it such as certainly being raised by Donald Trump, possibly adding fuel to the fire

and he tweeted last week the people of Iran are finally acting against the brutal and corrupt Iranian regime.

All of the money that President Obama say foolishly gave them, went into terrorism and into their pockets, the people of little food, big inflation

and no human rights, he says.

The U.S. is watching. That tweet may or may not, just give us an idea about where he might go with the Iran deal Friday and going forth. I

weather you think these interjections help or hurt the current situation inside the country.

MARASHI: Well, I think it's important for not only the U.S. government but all governments to voice concern and frankly condemnation when human rights

abuses take place whether being Iran or anywhere else.

You know, unfortunately, it's hard to take Donald Trump seriously when he says these things because since he's become president, he's tweeted over

2900 times. He has four tweets about human rights, all four have been about Iran.

So that speaks to a lack of seriousness about human rights broadly conceived and when you approach it that way, where you punish some

countries who you don't get along with on the geopolitical stage, and you give other countries like Saudi Arabia for example a free pass, really

cheapens the concept of human rights and it weakens the cost.

ANDERSON: Reza Marashi, Research Director for the National Iranian American Council joining us out of Washington with his perspective. Thank

you, sir.

MARASHI: Thank you.

ANDERSON: Still to come, as smart new gadget that stimulates your brain. (Inaudible) with one of those, and one that can detect a heart attack

before it happens -- serious stuff. They are both on display at the Consumer Electronic Show and we are there. We're in Vegas, up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ANDERSON: You are watching CNN. This is Connect the World. I'm Becky Anderson. You are very welcome. We are getting a peek into the future and

the technology that could soon be part of our everyday lives.

[10:50:00] New smart gadgets on display, and what it this enormous Consumer Electronic Show, well certainly this is CES, like this one, Cardiomo. Let

me say that again, Cardiomo.

It's a wearable heart monitor that can detect a stroke or heart attack before it happens. CNN's Samuel Burke, is joining me now from the CES in

Vegas. Just show us how some of this technology might work for us going forward. This is fascinating.

SAMUEL BURKE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Becky, in years past wearables were meant for the mass marketed. They said everybody was going to use them but they

didn't quite take off the way people thought they would.

So now we're seeing more specific wearables for specific categories including Cardiomo. What you just mentioned, wearables for senior

citizens.

What the company is trying to do is detect a heart attack or stroke three hours before we might see it -- humans might see the outwardly physical

signs of it. It cost $200 plus a $10 month subscription.

It connects to one of these, like you see in a hospital, a sticky pad on the back seat. You can connect it to your chest and then, the senior

citizen might walk around with them. Now one that's really mind boggling, Becky, this one's for athletes.

Halo sport, brain stimulating headphones, so oh yes it plays music but inside, $749 device is sending an electrical field to your cerebral cortex.

The Golden State Warriors, the NBA basketball team has been trying them out.

You also have the U.S. Olympics ski team trying them out. You don't wear them when you're on the court, Becky, you just use them during training, a

20 minute stimulation should open your brain for about an hour the company says.

So that it's more aware of what you're doing in training. And, Becky, I have one more surprise. If you have time, you know me all the way back in

the day when I was just a production assistant.

But now you know me as a father, even wearables for babies like little, Samuel, here the real wearable here is this device called Hugsy, which

attaches to the blanket. It's a $79 device from a Dutch company.

It replicates the heartbeat of the mother or father in this case. So first you attach it to the parent and reads their heartbeat and then plays that

exact same heartbeat not just with sound but also with vibrations -- so little baby, Samuel, goes to sleep and rest while he's watching Connect the

World.

ANDERSON: I'm glad because you will make a good father some day. I know you will. But if you were holding it by one hand as you were, (Inaudible),

that will make you a better father. Look, you made a really good point.

(LAUGHTER)

ANDERSON: You made a really good point at the front end of all of this. You said, you know, back in the day, two years ago, we were told we will

all be wearing this wearable technology. Now it's very (Inaudible), isn't it? But it will play a part one it seems in most of our lives going

forward, be that how it may.

BURKE: Exactly. I think a lot of people thought they are going to make one product like the Apple watch, like you the Samsung gear, and it take

off, all of us would have it, like we have an iPhone or an android phone that hasn't happened.

It had been a big success, so they're looking at these kind of categories where they think it might fit and building it into technology that way.

And you have these giant price that a lot of people can afford that, $749, OK, an NBA team can afford that but not the little league team for

instance. So I think there's going it back and thinking about how could it work for specific groups not the larger groups.

ANDERSON: You got it and you have it, folks. All right, tonight's Parting Shots, just in time for those. I want you to take a look at these. And

guess, where do you think this is?

In the office? Something, it looked a like a light dusting of snow over the Scottish, Highlands, or that it could be somewhere in the states where

they have been battered by freezing cold. Well look again, see that red peeking through the snow?

Well, these are the usually sun burned dunes of the Sahara desert, now, carpeted in snow. These images from the town of this I will be Ain Sefra

in Algeria, a place known as the gateway to the Sahara.

The snow here marks the third time -- only the third this has happened in four decades. So appreciates it while you can. Well whether the weather

is hot or the whether the weather is cold, wherever you are watching, we want to know what you're doing, where you are, and what you care about.

Treat this show as your own. After all it's you world that we are connecting. You can always follow the story that the team here is working

on throughout the day by using the Facebook page, Facebook.com/cnnconnect and I'm @BeckyCNN on Twitter.

[10:50:05] And I am Becky Anderson, that was Connect the World. From the team here and those working with us around the world, thank you for

watching. Do not go away, CNN and Quest Express -- no, it doesn't. It's International Desk, follows this.

END