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No Refuge In Idlib; Trump, I Am Not Racist; Slap Of The Century; Oil Tankers Sink Off China. Aired 10-11a ET
Aired January 15, 2018 - 10:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
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[10:00:14] UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: There had been five of his relatives killed in that building. Few children among them.
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BECKY ANDERSON, CONNECT THE WORLD, CNN: This is what is left of Idlib, and this is what is supposed to be a safe zone. Syrians will find it anything
but as a war-weary families try to survive. Reporting from inside of Syria is next. Also --
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I'm not a racist. I am the least racist's person you have ever interviewed.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: The U.S. President there denying that he is a racist as officials in South Africa demand an explanation about the vulgar comments
directed at African countries. Later we are live or you in Johannesburg.
Plus the slap of the century, the words of the Palestinian authority President coming up. And how the Trump Presidency is impacting the
prospects for peace in the Middle East.
It is 7:00 in the UAE and I'm Becky Anderson and this is "Connect the World." You are very welcomed by any measure, it has been an extraordinary
first year in the White House, and Donald Trump fast approaching that milestone and so this week, we will taking step of the ups and the downs of
his presidency, and see how it has changed Washington and the world this hour, we begin with one of Mr. Trump's biggest foreign policy challenges,
the Syrian civil war. Now, the U.N. issuing a grave warning about millions of civilians in the Idlib region as fighting intensifies there. And it is
considered a relative safe zone, and many families fled there to escape the horrific fighting in Aleppo when it was under siege, you may remember. But
now it appears that Idlib City could become the next Aleppo, and for some, there is simply nowhere else left to run. CNN's Arwa Damon returned to
Syria to file this report.
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ARWA DAMON, SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT, CNN: It feels like one is peering into the macabre doll house of broken lives. Bits of concrete
tumbling down as people are trying to clean up or salvage what they can, amid the horrors they cannot escape. Five of the relatives killed in that
building and few children among them. Images like this are familiar a year ago from the siege of Aleppo, but this is Idlib City, This is where
families were supposed to be safe and this was meant to be a refuge and one of the last remaining ones, and part of the so-called de-escalation zone
which is lately anything but. The forces strike that hit here happened five days before we arrived and many of those we met had actually fled from
Aleppo.
So lucky they were in that back room. This man is haunted by all that he has lost. His wife was killed in Aleppo six years ago and he is raising
his two son on his own. We asked where the boys are now, and his eyes still filled with tears. We fled from Aleppo to get here, he says,
whispering and choking on his words. There is no solution. There is just no solution. The boys were both studying for exams when the bombs shook
the buildings and sucked the air out of the room, and everything went pitch black. They were screaming "daddy, daddy" Mohammad remembers, but he could
not find them right away. When the kids were younger, back during a happier times -- what childhood he laments. What childhood. Children have
lose everything in life.
We head south where some towns feel deserted. Closer to the front lines of the fighting, children are rummaging through the aftermaths of the bombs to
the look for plastic to sell. We get scared and we hide from the bombs they say. The Syrian regime and its foreign back seems to push, it is
aimed at eliminating or at the very least suffocating the last major rebel stronghold. Hundreds of thousands of people have been on the move for the
last few weeks.
[10:05:02] Many of them fleeing ahead of what they know is coming or as soon as the first strikes hit. Some live in makeshift camps along the road
to Turkey bringing everything they can, including the livestock, by now everyone is resigned to knowing that no one is going to save them, and no
one is going to stop the violence.
Rada and her family were initially an ISIS territory over a year ago. As they were fleeing, there was an explosion, and her daughter almost are lost
her leg. I don't want to remember, the 7-year-old tells us. They felt they were going to be safe, but then the regime and the Russians started
bombing and four days ago, they arrived here. Turkish aid organizations are building new and expanding old camps in Syria right up against their
border. Mohammad's youngest was born in the camp the day they arrived. He sang freedom he pretend they will be jokes.
A beryl bomb would have hit us when we were sleeping, it would have been more merciful. There is remaining rebel area as risk turning into the next
Aleppo, but only this time, even fewer people are watching and even fewer seem to care. For many we spoke to here, it is not about if this area will
also get bombed, but it is about when. And how many souls can get crushed into the shrinking safe space, and what is happening when it is gone.
(END VIDEO)
ANDERSON: Arwa is joining us live with more, she is in Irbil in Iraq and from your reporting, this is a population resigned to what is a miserable
fate, and as we approach the end of the first year of Trump's presidency, what is the reputation of United States for example amongst those that you
met?
DAMON: You know, Becky, I was asking people if they had any message for the United States, and in the past, you would hear please for America to
come save them, and please for America to do something that would somehow bring about an end to the violence and now there is much more of a sense
that America quite frankly never has and still does not care about what happens to them. What has been interesting with the Trump presidency is
that you will have remember the chemical attack that took place in Idlib last year, and followed by President Trump ordering the bombing of the
Syrian base where it the attack is believe had originated from, and that created optimism that they would be more aggressive when it comes to trying
to protect the Syria civilian population, the reality of course has been since that one strike, nothing has been done, and it seems as if this
administration does not give a lot of importance to the fate of Syria's most vulnerable or the most innocent.
ANDERSON: Meantime, today the Turkish President accusing the United States of quote building an army of terror on the borders. What does Erdogan mean
by that? What is his evidence?
DAMON: Well, look, the U.S. has long been backing the Syrian Democratic forces which is the predominantly Kurdish force that that is made up of the
YPG now, America has been backing this force in the fight against ISIS which is something that has long caused Turkey to bristle, because Turkey
views the YPG it as being the Syrian branch of the PKK terrorist organization that continues to carry out numerous attacks within Turkey's
own borders. Turkey views America's involvement with the YPG and now the fact that they are trying to turn this force into to some sort of border
security as being a direct affront to Turkey.
The Turkey views them as being a very severe threat to Turkey's own security. This is not the first time that we have seen very harsh rhetoric
from Erdogan when comes to America's position vis-a-vis the YPG. Right now, this move by the United States, their effort to try to build something
of a permanent border force is really to a certain degree crossing a lot of lines for Turkey. To put it even more simply, Becky, from Turkey's
perspective, America's backing and supporting of the YPG would be akin to let's say for example any other country supporting a Al Qaeda right up
against America's borders and that is how Turkey and the severity that Turkey views the threats posed to its own national security by the YPG.
ANDERSON: Arwa Damon reporting for you today out of Idlib, Iraq, and just back from Syria.
It has been seven months since four Arab states severed ties with Qatar, and the alleged and denied backing of terror groups and that decision
transformed years of carefully calibrated cooperation to what is becoming damaging feud that is both burned fiercely and resentfully since last
summer.
[10:10:11] And now, the United Arab Emirates in Bahrain accusing Qatar for intercepting two commercial Emirati aircraft bound for Bahrain. The cadre
ministry of foreign affairs calls that completely false according to flight tracking website flight ware. One of the flights by Bahrain is having been
intercepted landed just over an hour after the scheduled arrival, but it has taken off almost an hour late from Dubai. We will give you the ongoing
bitter fight between the Qatar and the UAE, even the finest of details are examined by observers. CNN emerging market editor John Defterios joining
us now, for more on this and now picking up what we do know, we do need to caveat this with a reminder that it a has been seven months of claims and
counter claims, and give us the context of where we are and what we know right now?
JOHN DEFTERIOS, CNN EMERGING MARKETS EDITOR: My point is, and we have claims this evening and counter claims of both sides and we are awaiting a
more detailed explanation from Doha, but we will get to that in a moment. At the center of this there are two flights here suggesting the general
civil aviation authority in Bahrain identified the first flight as emirates flight 837 that had it in here, but let us bring it up back on the map.
They reportedly said there was as second flight this afternoon but we have four carriers from the UAE that fly to Bahama it is almost like a New York
Washington shuttle at least ten a day. They didn't identified the second one, I spoke to a spokesperson for the last 15 minutes from emirates
airline they said this is not something the carrier themselves are dealing with. This is something at the government level and including the foreign
affairs ministry. The ministry of foreign affairs in Bahrain condemned the actions in no uncertain terms. Bringing up the tweet from the ministry of
Qatar a spokesperson there categorically denied it, but they also said they would put out a more detailed explanation, but we have not gotten it yet.
They claim that the Qatar fighter planes intercept in a UAE civil aircraft is completely false. A senior source told us in the last couple of hours
from the foreign affairs ministry that they will go to the international civil aviation organization that are known by its acronym ICAO which is
based on Montreal and filed a formal complaint. And they should put this in to context as you suggest Becky, seven months ago a very heated dispute
another source here in the UAE said that this issue off of the radar primarily for Saudi Arabia and the UAE, this is a good way to put it back
on the radar, because they believe it Doha, and puts this dispute puts its front and center tonight in the fact that we are talking about it.
ANDERSON: All right, John. We will continue to watch not only this story, and look for more from both sides, but the kind of wider crisis as it is
known. Thank you.
Let's get you up to speed on some of the other stories that we are following right now on the radar. 26 people were killed in a double
suicide attack in Baghdad. Dozens are wounded. The bombers detonated their vests in a busy square packed with day labor laborers. It is the
first attack since Iraq declared victory over ISIS month, and there has been no claim of responsibility.
In the China Sea, a week after an oil tanker collided with another tanker. The tanker carrying a million barrels of oil from Iran when the collision
triggered explosions and huge flames. They say in all 32 crew members are presumed dead.
In Indonesia at least 77 people were injured when a floor at the Jakarta stock exchange collapse. As you can see just gave way spilling dozens of
people to the floor below. The stock exchange says that the trading -- quite remarkably -- it was not affected.
Two weeks ago North and South Korea were not even talking, but now the upcoming winter Olympics has brought the north and the south to the table
for talks. Delegates from both countries have agreed to high level negotiations on the broader issues in the future, but the focus at this
stage is on next month's Olympics. CNN Paul Hancocks has more details.
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PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The second meeting between north and South Korea has ended successfully, and with some progress it would appear.
From the statement of the south, we and the north will send around 140 members of the orchestra which is a North Korean orchestra which has in the
past played a mixture of western and traditional music.
[10:15:00] We understand as well they will not just be playing in the area where the Olympic is going to be held in that province, but also in the
capital Seoul. North Korea said they will send an inspection team ahead of time to sort out the logistics, and South Korea has said they will assume
the safety and the convenience of the arts group. One can only assume that will be picking up the tab for allowing them to come here and for
accommodations and potentially transport and food. We have heard that the North Korea have requested or said that they want to come to South Korea by
the land border, and so across the DMZ, but the south at this point has not answered that. We know that there was some suggestion that there would
have liked to have sent a cruise ship up to North Korea, because they have the accommodations sorted out as well. We are certainly seeing some
progress at least in the cultural sense. We know that South Korea wants to talk about the inter-Korean sports team, and women's ice hockey team with
both North Korean and South Korean athletes within it. They are going to talk once again at a high level on Wednesday. Now, what is coming up on
the weekend which could be crucial is the North Korean athletes meeting with the IOC, the Olympics committee where they will find out if they have
wild cards. The two North Korean figure skaters who did qualify for the Olympics, but missed the registration deadline, will they be able to
compete at the Olympics. That is going to be a crucial meeting on Saturday. Paula Hancocks, CNN Seoul.
(END VIDEO)
ANDERSON: Well, from connecting the Korea's to connecting America next here on "Connect the World" one had a dream for the world and another a
vulgar term for much of it. We explore two very different visions for America. I will tell you why we are doing that up next.
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ANDERSON: From Syria to here and Abu Dhabi and over in the Koreas, we are connecting the world at a times what is a world so complex, it can seem
unfadeable can't it? Rich and powerful as America, is it to faces countless challenging complexities, and right now, millions of Americans
are waking up to two very different sides of the United States and from each of this two very different men.
[10:20:05] On the one hand many have the day off marking, pausing and reflecting upon this Martin Luther King Jr. Day, and remembering a man, an
icon who in these bleak black and white images you will all know stroke to remake America in a way that was anything but black and white.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I have a dream. My four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin,
but by the content of their character.
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ANDERSON: From this very same day, many waking up to something else. Their president defending himself quote, not a racist. Kaitlan Collins
explores both sides for you.
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KAITLAN COLLINS, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: In an extraordinary statement from the president on Martin Luther King Jr. they are denying the
use if racist and denying that he made disparaging remarks about people from African countries during a meeting with lawmakers in the oval office.
A meeting HANKS: has now pitted lawmakers against each other arguing over which vulgar language the President used.
TRUMP: I am not a racist. I am the least racist person that you have ever interviewed, that I can tell you.
COLLINS: President Trump on defense after days of outrage over the disparaging comments of immigrants from Haiti and some African nations.
TRUMP: Did you see what various Senators in the room said about the comments? They were not made.
COLLINS: Lawmakers who attended the meeting offering different accounts about whether Mr. Trump referred to the countries as shitholes.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He said these hate-filled thing, and said them are repeatedly.
COLLINS: The long Democrats in the meeting Senator Dick Durbin said that the President did use the vulgarization, and while two other Republican
allies said Friday they did not recall the phrase before insisting Sunday that it did not happen.
DICK DURBIN, DEMOCRAT: He did not use that word George and I am telling you, it is a gross misrepresentation.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I did not hear that word either I certainly didn't heard what Senator Durbin has said repeatedly.
CONWAY: Senator Tim Scott telling the Charleston Post that fellow Republican Lindsey Graham said that the comments are basically accurate.
SEN JEFF FLAKE, (R) ARIZONA: It was in a meeting afterwards where those presented to the President the proposal spoke about the meeting, and they
said those words went public.
CONWAY: The bitter infighting is stalling talks of potential immigration deal that would protect dreamers.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We can't have immigration compromise is everybody is out there calling the President a racist.
CONWAY: And the President said that DACA is probably dead, but willing to keep the door open.
TRUMP: We are willing and able to make a deal on DACA, but I don't believe that the Democrats would want to make a deal.
CONWAY: It is raising concerns that the deal will not be reach ahead of Friday's budget deadline to avoid a government shutdown.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Voting for government funding until we get a deal on DACA.
CONWAY: President Trump also addressing this frightening false alarm in Hawaii.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The U.S specific command has detected a missile threat to Hawaii. The missile may impact or land or sea within minutes. This is
not a drill.
CONWAY: The mistakes sending residents running for their lives. President Trump suggesting that North Korea contributed to the chaos.
TRUMP: And the people are on edge, and we will hopefully try to solve the problems so it won't be so on edge, and we have talks going on, and the
Olympics as you know about, a lot of things are happening.
CONWAY: The outcry of the president remarks come to a time when Republican and Democrats could be discussing how to keep the government from shutting
down in a few days, but instead they are arguing over the president language that all government runs out of money in just four days.
(END VIDEO)
ANDERSON: Kaitlan Collins reporting. We are covering this for you from Johannesburg today and a country still with scars of racism and abhorrent
regime. CNN David McKenzie joining us to report that it is one, taking serious issue with Mr. Trump's vulgar remarks, and what is the reaction
there to what Trump remarks late last week?
DAVID MCKENZIE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Becky, the reaction is outrage and now official. The south African government hauling in the head of the
embassy in south Africa for what can only be seen as a dressing down and asking her to, Becky, to explain the President's comments. They said that
denials from Trump that we are reporting on are not categorical and why in fact he said those allegedly said or reportedly said those vulgar things
about Africans and other countries.
[10:25:12] So it is a real sort of a slap in the face as it were for the state department who have to come on a public holiday unmasking this the
King Jr. day, of course to, the south Africans, and to explain the words of their own commander in chief, Becky.
ANDERSON: David, last summer, the pew research group polled Mr. Trump's popularity across much of the world, and might the countries that they
spoke to by continent and for the viewers' sake, Africa was the most confident to give the President highest. Why is that? What is the broad
sweep view of Trump where you are? Is this likely to do damage to that impression?
MCKENZIE: Well, Becky, yes, I think it will do damage to that impression. It was a sense at that stage when that research was done that Donald Trump
had not done or said much about the African continent up to that point. It is also worth mentioning that the study looked at six countries in
(inaudible) African, it is not a broad sweep of the entire continent and some of those countries are staunch U.S. Allies, and already at that pint
it was a big negative swing with the view of Trump based compare to the end of Obama era. So it was a downward trend, and I think it is probably down
for further still, because of several instances of Donald Trump saying things to have left Africans at a very least scratching their head, and
this where it is has a become a more official diplomatic spat.
Aldo the lack of to action from the Trump presidency, and they have yet to name an ambassador to south Africa which is a key political appointee, as
well as several other key African nations, and so there is both the insulting things that the President is saying, and the lack of action by
the President on the African continent that is going to be probably seeing the numbers dip for sure Becky.
ANDERSON: David McKenzie is in Johannesburg for you tonight, viewers. Just ahead. Thank you, David. The slap of the century that is what the
Palestinian authority President Calls the Trump's administration moves on the Middle East. Live from Jerusalem view coming up.
[10:30:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BECKY ANDERSON, CNN ANCHOR: You are watching Connect the World. It is half past 7:00 in the UAE. Wherever you are watching, you are more than
welcome.
The top stories for you this hour, the U.N. expressing grave concern for millions of civilians in Syria's Idlib province since fighting there
intensifies between rebels and government forces.
The CNN team visited Idlib and says their growing fears, the city once considered a safe zone could become the next Aleppo. The United Arab
Emirates and Bahrain have accused Qatar of intercepting two commercial Emirati aircraft bound for Bahrain from Dubai, Qatar calls that completely
false.
This is the latest flare-up in a row that erupted over Doha's alleged backing of terror groups with four Arab states cutting ties. Qatar denies
the accusation.
North Korea has agreed to send an orchestra to the upcoming Winter Olympics in South Korea. Delegates from both countries have agreed to hold high-
level talks on broader issues in the future.
Pakistani authorities have released a sketch of the man they believe abducted 7-year-old Zainab Ansari outside of her home when the day she went
missing. She was found raped and murdered. Authorities are waiting on DNA test results to see if her case is linked to eight other victims of a
suspected serial killer.
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas is once again, slamming the United States over President Trump's decision to recognize Jerusalem as the
capital of Israel in what was a fiery speech to the Palestinian -- Palestine Liberation Organization or PLO.
Abbas declared the move, the slap of the century. He also made it clear, he doesn't want the U.S. in charge of any peace negotiations. Well, CNN's
Oren Liebermann is joining us now from Jerusalem.
Abbas, not missing his words, Oren, and perhaps we shouldn't be surprised by that but the significance surely here is that, is on the Arab State stay
behind the scenes or at least mind its take a wait-and-see attitude with Washington or its plans for peace in the Middle East, then the Palestinian
it seems won't be towing the line, correct?
OREN LIEBERMANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Absolutely. Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas was very clear in his speech. It is worth noting
that his anger wasn't just of the United States.
He lashed out that at it seems almost everyone whose a player in the region, including Britain for the Balfour declaration demanding an apology
and compensation, Europeans he said for creating a state of Israel as a colonial enterprise as a European interest.
He even attack other Arab States although he didn't mention any by name, he said, we don't interfere in your affairs -- affairs, don't interfere in
ours.
And it seems or it was a pair that he was talking about Saudi Arabia who was working with President Donald Trump on a peace plan. A peace plan that
we now know did not included any part of East Jerusalem as the capital of future Palestinian state.
And that was why he lashed out but it's also worth noting that this wasn't a foreign-policy speech. He wasn't laying out some sort of vision for the
PLO into the Palestinians moving forward. This was a speech to the Palestinian street where Abbas' popularity has been waiting in recent
years.
He went straight to his base shored up basically displaying anger or talking about his anger at everybody here but mostly at United States,
specifically for recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.
He wants somebody else in on the peace process for question is, who, nobody else has anything that they are putting forward at this point.
ANDERSON: What's the response from the Israelis?
LIEBERMANN: No surprise there. The Israelis criticized Abbas to right back. In fact, we just got a statement from the Israeli Prime Minister,
Benjamin Netanyahu who is on an official state visit to India at the moment.
[10:35:00] He said, this is -- this is Abbas taking off his mask and it proves what Netanyahu has said for many years. He said this shows the true
purpose of -- the true reason for the conflict is that the Palestinians refused to recognize the Jewish state within any borders.
You got the sense here that some were surprised by the rhetoric that Abbas used because of its anger but many criticizing Russians, say just about
everybody criticizing Abbas for the language and the anger with in his speech.
This is also day two of the Central Council meeting for the PLO. This is when decisions are made. This is when the future course is laid out.
But we need to see what follows that fiery speech, whether the decisions that the Palestinians will take and crucially, will they change any of the
standing agreements or arrangements between the Israelis and Palestinians. That could change a lot here if they go that route.
ANDERSON: Fascinating. All right. Well, time will tell. It sound like a cliche but this is the Mideast peace process after all or a lack there.
And, Oren, thank you.
American mass media company Conde Nast cutting ties with two a fashion's most famous photographers over allegations of sexual misconduct. New York
Times reports Mario Testino and Bruce Weber allegedly made sexual advances to several assistants and models.
It is just the latest as you will be well aware in a string of repercussions against powerful men accused of sexual harassment and abuse,
known now as the Me Too movement.
The campaign has impacted the entertainment, political and tech industry. Senior media correspondent, Brian Stelter, is live in New York. Not only
has it touched it seems every industry, it continues to do so as we move into the first weeks of 2018, Brian.
BRIAN STELTER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes. In this story, a very disturbing story is the talk of the fashion world and of the magazine publishing
world.
You mentioned, Conde Nast cutting ties with these two photographers, that was right after New York Times investigation came out -- the result of
months of reporting by the Times.
The newspaper reporters interviewed 15 male models and assistance who alleged improper behavior by Bruce Weber and the 13 assistance of models
who allege improper behavior by Mario Testino.
These allegations, some of them go back to the 1990s, they describe sexual exploitation of coercive behavior, situations where the photographers
insisted on nudity when there was no unnecessary things like that.
You know, the fashion industry, the model industry, it is a complicated story here because it is about projecting desire. It is about getting that
photo. It is sometimes literally about selling sex.
However, these -- these people spoke with the New York Times both on the record and anonymously say these photographers crossed a line in abuse of
their power and that's probably why Conde Nast says they will no longer commission work from either of the two men for the feasible future.
ANDERSON: Sure. Well, these two huge gaps thinking controversial issue, isn't always as clicker as it may seem last week for an actress Catherine
Deneuve who is among 100 women who signed an open letter denouncing hashtag Me Too after scathing criticism in the misuse of the letter by some to
justify male harassment.
The starlet apologized to victims of sexual assault adding that she wanted to emphasize her disagreements with the way some of the signatures have
individually granted themselves, the right to make appearances all over the media distorting the very spirit of this text.
And Brian, the point here is -- and I'm bouncing off Catherine Deneuve's situation here, is that there are those men and women, it has to be said,
beginning to say that they fear a witch hunt in all of this.
How do we avoid that because a witch hunts going forward simply did basis how far this era has now come, how far we have come and how far we have
allowed women to actually say what has been happening to them for so many years.
STELTER: There certainly is a backlash building right now and then the letter in France columns here in the United States pieces and speeches, in
other countries as well are reflecting a backlash, a sense that perhaps this moment of tipping point where we see powerful men are taken down by
allegations of harassment, then perhaps some of these cases have gone too far.
But you know, if you talk about going too far, it gets very sensitive very quickly and I think that the reality is for all of us as journalists or
viewers who are watching this program, we should take each of these cases individually rather than lump them all together.
There are certain allegations that have come out about certain actors, certain executives, that may or may not meet individual's definition of
harassment or assault.
[10:40:05] However, taken together, we have learned about dozens of horrific acts against -- by powerful men against women and in some cases
against men as well.
ANDERSON: Sure.
STELTER: The cases involving Bruce Weber and Mario Testino, they have been vaguely denied by the two men but the evidence is quite compelling in the
New York Times story.
I think we have to be able to separate out an individual's account if it was published anonymously online versus let's say, a New York Times or CNN
story fighting dozens of sources.
Each of these has to be judged individually but we certainly are in this phase where there was a backlash building and it's prompting these
important but uncomfortable conversations to be happening.
ANDERSON: But they are nonetheless conversations that we must have. Brian, thank you for that. One criticism that is being leveled at hashtag
Me Too campaign. Let's remember, this has been a defining moment for 2017.
But one criticism is that inadvertently keeps the spotlight on Hollywood stars, predominantly white wealthy women. But discrimination of course
knows no social or physical borders.
CNN's new As Equals digital project shines the light on women in the developing world, hearing from women in some of the poorest countries, all
of them tackling incredible challenges with what it's going to be set incredible strength and inspiring stories there, some difficult to read but
inspirational stories on CNN.com.
Do check that out. Our colleagues have worked really hard on that to bring you some fantastic stories. Live from Abu Dhabi, this is Connect the
World.
Coming up, invincible, not this year -- Manchester City's incredible running English Premier League is over. We will be live in London with
reactions.
[10:45:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Welcome back. What time is it? Ten to 8:00 here in the UAE. And you are watching Connect the World, of course. I am Becky Anderson.
And you are very welcome.
It had to end sometimes, for most of this English Premier League Season and if you are a soccer fan, you will know this, what I will be telling you.
Manchester City seemed, well invincible and up until yesterday, they hadn't lost a game all season.
But then they met a Liverpool team in no mood for letting that continue, in a 4-3 victory for the red team, and what was a topsy-turvy game, sold out
and beaten street full.
We will get you to London. And CNN's World Sport, Amanda Davis, has more. I think there were people beginning to say, city cannot be beaten this
season, and clearly where any sold just half way through. But I think Liverpool do because they were looking absolutely superb, were they until
this point.
AMANDA DAVIS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, they were. This is Manchester City side, they are still in every competition this season. And you have to
say, Becky, this was an absolute crack, a neutral sitting at home watching it.
You couldn't take your eyes off it. And it didn't look very good for Liverpool in the minutes before the game really because it is their first
match since Philippe Coutinho has departed for Barcelona, their new signing.
Virgil van Dijk had been ruled out injured. And then you're looking across social media and when Liverpool fans were really, really worried.
[10:50:02] But they need have been because (Inaudible), came out and absolutely summed city. And where a city has really got through this
season, passing the ball from the back, Liverpool has the fitness.
They have the confidence, they have a manage of behind them who was urging his side forward and they were pressing, they were relentless and the likes
of Firmino and Salah, and Mane, they really, really kept up the city defensive line, and started to expose the weaknesses that we saw from
Manchester City maybe 18 months ago.
I said you have to have the coach behind you who gives the side, the belief to do that and (Inaudible) knows that over his records against (Inaudible)
he has done OK. He has now won six matches while, (Inaudible) has won five of their head-to-head meetings.
And of course, they also have the confidence, Liverpool -- Manchester City have only won one game and field in 18 since 2003. So they have all of
that on their side.
They said this was a match to be remembered for 20 years but you suspect the Manchester City fans will be hoping that they forget about it as
quickly as possible.
ANDERSON: Let me tell you -- I mean, this is an Abu Dhabi owned team these days, Manchester City, so believe when I say there are an awful lot of Man
City fans here in the UAE and around the region.
And I have to say, you know, Twitter was full of sort of shock and horror as it were at the result last night with a good fans to the extent, they
were tweeting, look, that result, whether they deserve they result and we will be back.
A lot of today's footballers receive nothing but adulation from the stands, Amanda, as we know. But a lot of the time, several regions got a lot
worse. This was a pioneering black player who has died at the age of 59.
I grew up watching this guy. He played the team got west Coventry, an African Villa, his career spanning nearly 20 years. But, June, that time,
he was a frequent target of what was this horrendous racist abuse from fans.
He was the third black player to play for England, and his -- well, the basis of his death would have shock so many of us who remember this guy.
What's the football world saying today?
DAVIS: Yes, pioneer is the word that has been used a lot today, and that is no exaggeration. As you said, you know, the third black player to play
for England and to put into context what that means that the times that he was playing, the late 70s, the 80s here in England, at the moment they
should've been one of the proudest in his footballing career, being able to put on the England shirt and run out for his country.
He received a bullet through the post with the threat that it would one similar would be used on him if he was to put a foot on the pitch in an
England shirts.
And so many people would have crumbled under that kind of reception and this is not just an one-off incident in his career. This is somebody we
can count day in, day out when he ran out to play top level football was subjected to monkey chance, to bananas being thrown at him.
And despite that, he got those 300 caps for Coventry, 300 caps for West Brom and was able to really bring about social change, not just in football
but also across the county here in the United Kingdom.
ANDERSON: We owe him a deep, deep debt for the part he played in moving British society and football as a whole, away from those awful days.
Amanda, thank you for that. On tonight's Parting Shots, we stick with the football theme.
It's the Stone Age versus the Bronze Age in a game for the ages, so to speak. That is the script for the latest movie from Wallace and Gromit
director, Nick Park, and as, Neil Curry, reports, well it's got some A-list power behind. Have a look at this.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
NEIL CURRY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Life on Earth has been constantly evolving. And it's one of the darkest periods in Hollywood history. Wallace and
Gromit director Nick Park brings a much-needed moment of merriment to cinema screens with the release of his new movie, Early Man.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The age of stone is over. Long-live the age of bronze.
[10:55:00] CURRY: It's a battle between bronze and stone-age tribes. Phenomenal with Park's own battle against extinction with his low fire,
forward stop motion animation with the Aardman Productions.
NICK PARK, ENGLISH DIRECTOR: When (Inaudible) first started to rise, you know, and 20 audiences about 30 years ago, we kept thinking how longer we
live. So much story telling, and now, it helped to stand-out against the crowd. It is strange radically, we shoot now and really have a massive
studio but it mean it can do a lot afterwards.
(SHOUTING)
CURRY: Some concluded a talented cast of actors and voice artists including Tom Hiddleston, Eddie Redmayne and Game of Throne star Maisie
Williams, who plays a feisty female footballer, cast with training with cavemen and women.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You think you can run the earth?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I can help.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I have always been so honor to work with (Inaudible) and in fact when I was younger, I was so inspired when -- so I make my own
little figurines and do little stuff animation. And it still holds own amongst many other animated films.
CURRY: And Nick Park fulfilled an even more hands on role during Tom Hiddleston's voice at the recording session.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I helped a little bit with Tom Hiddleston when he was filming, massage -- and he was telling that story, truly were.
CURRY: Nick Park is hoping his new film will get audiences animated in the run up to the football World Cup in Russia this year.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We challenge the champions.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A caveman?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A caveman?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A caveman?
CURRY: With glowing critical reviews, he could yet hold his own trophy cabinet which already contains an impressive call for four Oscars. Neil
Curry, CNN, London.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: I'm Becky Anderson. That was Connect the World. From the team working with me here and around the world, it was a very good evening.
Thank you for watching.
END
