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Trump To Tout Economy In State Of The Union Address; The $3.5 Billion To Help Children Around The World; Outrage After Journalist Asks If There Are Bookshops In Nigeria; France Lures U.S. Scientists With Money; Trump To Give First State Of the Union In 11 Hours; Putin Calls U.S. List An Unfriendly Act; Two Polls, Trump Approval At 37 Percent; Terror Groups Say U.S. using Peace As Rhetoric; Trump Says No Peace Talks With Taliban; Inside Yemen. Aired at 10-11p ET

Aired January 30, 2018 - 10:00   ET

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

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

[10:00:14] DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I am here to deliver a simple message that has never been a better time to hire, to

build, to invest and to grow in the United States.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BECKY ANDERSON, CONNECT THE WORLD, CNN: And there has never been a better time to connect your world, hello and welcome to our show. I am Becky

Anderson in Abu Dhabi for you joins us tonight, connecting what many see a defragmented fractured world. Right now we are counting down until the

most powerful man is Donald Trump gives his first ever state of the union address, speaking to millions of Americans will pretty much be filling his

own report card. He tell you a speech in Davos that we just heard a bit from I was there to hear is anything to go by, he may just hand in all A

pluses. We won't just be Americans listening, so will the world. World as you can see we are going to connect from many parts tonight's for you.

Whatever you catted for the last year the state of America's union has being stout by links to the Kremlin and now hurtling towards the legal

deadline as it was but still waiting until the very last moment America's treasury put this out last night and even tough it is such as six pages

long surely a whole new chapter in how they get on a list of exactly 200 names of the richest and most powerful people in Russia. To be clear it is

not a sanctioning of people like. It is more of a list, well worth pointing out the list of oligarchs on it, exactly matches another list of

Russia's richest people compiled by Forbes magazine.

I was bale connecting the story from both sides to the very best of CNN out in Moscow, CNN Frederick Pleitgen, in Washington Stephen Collinson. Fred,

even with what some would call that kind of copy and paste doubling, Moscow it seems is furious about this, why and who is on this list?

FREDERIK PLEITGEN, SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT, CNN: They certainly are furious, as you can see that they are some of the reactions that we see

them coming from the highest level of government here in Moscow including the Russian President Vladimir Putin, we will get to that in just a minute.

But if you look at the politicians side of this list is basically the entire Russian government and just seeing some of in that graphic that we

saw just a couple seconds ago with Sergio Lavrov the Foreign Minister being on it and also the government spokesman Dmitry Peskov pretty much anybody

of any rank and file in the government is on that list now is for the oligarchs are concerned, there are also some pretty heavy hitters and also

send names on that list that the some of our viewers will know from the Trump-Russia investigation.

Of course, we have been covering over the past couple months thinking. For instance, Roman Abramovich, the boss and owner of Chelsea R. Ross, Agalarov

who help put on the Miss Universe pageant in 2013. One of the biggest real estate tycoons here in Russia, Oleg Deripaska mogul himself and also Eugene

Kaspersky of Kaspersky lab you recall we had done some reporting about how the U.S. government is rethinking using Kaspersky Labs product or has been

rethinking that over the past couple of months, so the reaction, even though these, though this list does not lead to new sanctions has been

very, very tough year in Russia, including reaction from Vladimir Putin who said that this list was a hostile act. Let us listen to what he had to say

earlier today.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VLADIMIR PUTIN, RUSSIAN PRESIDENT (TRANSLATOR): This is a cause of an unfriendly act. It complicates already complicated Russia-U.S. relations

and harms the international relations in general. Those who do it, they are doing their own domestic policy. They are attacking the elected

president.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PLEITGEN: That is part of the equation here in Russia you have some folks were quite angry, but there are also others were saying that this is just a

list. This does not mean that new sanctions are going to be imposed against these people, but you do see that there is somewhat of concern

among much of Russia's business elite, less so among the political elite, but this is certainly report. This caused a big stir here in Moscow.

Becky.

ANDERSON: Stephen, it is a list but these characters what is it, 114 Senior Foreign political figures and another 96 businessmen they were

slapped with sanctions by Washington, why?

[10:05:05] STEPHEN COLLINSON, WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT, CNN: That is right and that is causing a lot of consternation among President Trump's

opponents in Washington. The Congress voted overwhelmingly by massive majorities to require the president to impose more sanctions to punish

Russian alleged election meddling and what has happened is the deadline has come and the White House and the State Department is argued that we do not

actually need to impose sanctions, because the threat of sanctions is working itself. Now that is causing some anger among Democrats on Capitol

Hill. One is Elliot Engle the head of the house for affairs committee. He said he was fed up with Donald Trump going soft on Russia and it raises

again the big question of why on many occasions, the president appears to step back from tough action against Russia. Notwithstanding the

publication of this list of oligarchs.

The question is being ask is if Russia is conducting this election meddling was ever pay a price, and Mike Pompeo, the head of the CIA who is an Allied

of President Trump raises question reasoning and I think we could hear some of that.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MIKE POMPEO, CIA DIRECTOR: The Russia has a long history of these information campaigns that part of it is not new, the technology that

enables it is now cheap and plentiful and the capability of transferring information around the world is much simpler. There was in World War II or

decades ago, this threat is not going away, the Russians had been in this a long time, I fully expect to continue to be at it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COLLINSON: So Mike Pompeo the head of the CIA that is saying in a midterm election year in the United States that he expects the Russians to continue

meddling in U.S. elections through various forms of technology that points to this strange duality in Washington. You have only one part of the

administration a real desire to be corporations get tough with Russia on the other hand, we have these repeated instances of President Trump going

soft on Russia being complementary to present Vladimir Putin and it raises the question that has been with us throughout the Russia investigation,

why.

ANDERSON: We are half a day away from a big speech for the U.S. presidency, being back to almost equally as hostile reaction in Washington,

it felt there on the -- on the Russia list, let us and take a look at the State of the Union and speech. If America were filling in a report

conference president on the economy, immigration, wars, Russia ties and how well he is doing quite making America great again. What grades do you

reckon that he would get handed, let us remind ourselves his approval rating is pretty rough also.

COLLINSON: That is very interesting and it points, I think the way that card would be filled out points to the difficulty the president has in the

speech, because if you are Trump supporter you will look at the travel band that was impose on other people's also Muslim nations, increase

deportations of undocumented immigrants. The cancellation of protection for darker recipients, people brought to the US's children, you would say

that is probably was worth an A. if you are an opponents of President Trump from you would see those actions as fundamentally incompatible with

what the United States is supposed to stand for itself and you give E, you could argue that he has done very well with the economy, but the methods is

used to stimulate the economy, tax cuts and regulation would find favor among the business community that the people who believe that most of the

money is going to the rich. It did a very low report right on the walls. I think you could argue the course that he pursue campaign against ISIS

successfully in Syria, but that was an Obama era policy that he was implementing some people would say so is a very great - there is a

hardening of the polarization of opinion about Donald Trump. And that makes it very difficult for him to use the State of the Unions to shift the

political atmosphere here.

ANDERSON: Stephen Collinson is in Washington, Fred is in Moscow, two extremely important stories which all it seems have it exists in

Washington. President Trump will then deliver his State of the Union address. Just days after America's longest war fled out in a deadly

fashion. I am talking of course about Afghanistan on Monday, Mr. Trump rejected the idea of peaceful to the Taliban after a series of deadly

attack. The U.S. is committed to reading the country of quite terrorist.

[10:10:00] Americans are also fighting an advising affiliative Al Qaeda in Somalia where the U.S. president is being beef up. For year Al Shabaab

wanted to topple Somalia's U.N. back government to carry out bombings against military and civilian targets well CNN on the ground in both of

those places Nic Payton Walsh is live for us Kabul and Sam Kiley standing by for us in Mogadishu in Somalia. Nic let us start with you, what is the

latest on the ground and the widest story at this point?

NICK PATON WALSH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It is increase in sense of (inaudible) here really Becky, Kabul the city has been coming to, however

decades every qualified to serve insecure at this stage, people genuinely filling the wars being brought directly to the capital, particularly over

the past week and this solicited a rhetorical change at lease to novel prosecuted by the company to straighten dimension present on how the war

would (inaudible) by the Trump administration. As you mention President Trump's comments now is not the time to talk to Taliban, let us be

realistic here, there were no talks really in the imminent offing. The Taliban are not only more extremely than they had been possibly ever also

potentially military gaining ground as well. Some new figures receive back to the show in just two months of last year between August and October they

raised the territory control of the country from 13 to 14 percent small but substantial setting. If you live in those areas but, Mr. Trump comments

back off by the Afghan government, who said the redline had been cross and the peace could only now be sort on the battlefield.

The Taliban take this opportunity to point out how they believe this is just that Donald Trump sharing his war mongering side by yes, it was not

really an eminent option of physical talks in the next months. Also, I would meaningfully be I think that it was a key tenets of the U.S. policy

here to be adequately aggressive military that you felt perhaps you foresee insurgency into political accommodation, both is off the table now. What

is certainly on the table? This increased tempo attacks here in the capital, increased fear, increased numbers of American troops headed to the

front line, we may hear more about this from Donald Trump on the state of the union tonight, perhaps hundreds meant to be training Afghan soldiers on

the front line and Becky, one more important thing here to repent of the loss of 16, 17 years of transparency regarding our government to explain

how well this boys are going and frankly, the numbers of Afghan troops who were killed or injured during this war is not classified as is the total

strength of Afghan security forces and it was great confusion over the figure that is mentioned about population control by the Taliban to

increasing bid to put this under the veil of secrecy, you might say. As the violence increases as his American involvements.

ANDERSON: U.S. troops Sam, an office there, their highest level since the mid-1990s. Why is Somalia such an important theater in America's war on

terror?

SAM KILEY, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: I think it has gone up an important with the decline of the so-called Islamic state in Syria.

There is a concern not only in Washington but I have been talking to top- level diplomats in the United Nations here and there is a concern that perhaps the highest brand could be transferred to Somalia superimposed or

adopted by Al Shabaab and they then could establish themselves as some kind of caliphate and a similar sort of magnet for global jihad as it was

establish in Syria. Although now of course largely crushed. That is the first the issue.

The second issue is that Al Shabaab out about in and of itself poses a threat not only to the continuing stability or continuing instability in

Somalia, but also of course historically to its neighbors, and I have been a jihadists based in the trade in Somalia who tried to carry out attacks

elsewhere be on the borders of Africa. So in that context American special forces are increasing the numbers are up at 500 of the moment expected to

increase that number by hundred. Just as the African Union is beginning to draw down, reducing its full strength by 1000 soldiers. That is partly

offset by an extra 500 policemen coming in, but already they have begun to withdraw from bases notably on rose into the interior and immediately

whenever they do withdraw those withdrawals that vacuum is filled by out Al Shabaab and so as they try to reduce the foreign military presence here

there was a concern inevitably, that Americans may have to pick up the slack.

If the Somali national Army which is a patchwork quilts all formerly rival militias been very gently stitched together. If that cannot be made into a

whole by the end of 2020 when this withdrawal is due to be over, then there is concern that Shabaab will get very much on the front foot.

ANDERSON: We are live in Mogadishu in Somalia and in Kabul, Afghanistan for you tonight's gentlemen, thank you. Still to come this hour.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

[10:15:05] UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He is showing me, this is the gun truck used to drive this gun truck? This is you, the driver.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: CNN inside Yemen theories shine a light on the impact on the fighting there has had an almost vulnerable tonight, how Yemen children off

struggling to overcome the stalls of war. That is next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yemeni government soldiers (inaudible) to their front line. It is a bone crunching slug up mountain. Just outside the capital

Sanaa.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: Our first report from this week's inside Yemen series took us to the frontline extremely rare access for a look at a conflict that is

entering its third year with no end inside. A war remember led by the Saudi coalition with support from United States amongst others. So another

file for Washington then. Our international diplomatic editor Nic Robinson producer Sara (inaudible) photo journalist Joe Shaffer, show us the

enduring impact of war on the most vulnerable that is children, force into combat, and their childhood filled with nightmares and anxiety and fear.

Tonight our team's latest exclusive report on the struggled to overcome the horrors of war.

(BEGIN VIDEO)

NIC ROBERTSON, SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CNN CORRESPONDENT: Neatly uniformed Yemeni schoolboys listen to their teacher. But this is no ordinary

classroom and this are no ordinary children they a former child soldiers force into battle by Houthi rebels.

Check this out, he is showing me this is the gun truck, he used to drive this gun truck, this is you, the driver?

Saleh shows me a picture of him driving a rocket launcher. He was 13 at the time. I ask if he feels better for the help here.

[10:20:00] UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.

ROBERTSON: He is cheerful now, but what ails older boys here the deep unseen scars PTSD, posttraumatic stress disorder. Psychologists at the

Saudi funded child soldier rehab center help the boys focus on the future. Even so, the past still holds them.

Naji is 12 years old. He tells me Houthis put him on the front line. Force him to drag bodies from the battlefield. This is his friend, 13-

year-old Eunice tells me that the Houthis kidnapped him, took him to the front line. I cry during the fighting. He says after month and a half. I

was injured in my right leg and taken to hospital. As I got better I escaped. At his bare two rooms send him back home, Eunice's mother knows

he is one of the lucky ones to get out alive. But worries about everything he has seen. He would wake in the night with nightmares, she says

screaming, the Houthis, they are coming to take me. I would go to him and say a prayer with him.

Eunice is still struggling. You see it in his eyes, hear it in his words, I saw people beside me get killed, they got a bullet in the head or the

chest. I was very scared. One time I was hit. I thought I was dying. I was overcome by fear and anxiety and even now, I feel the same way.

This project is only just beginning to scratch the surface. 81 children treated here so far, about 200 and other centers across the country.

Yemeni Many officials believe there are more than 6000 child soldiers across the country and suspect as many as 20,000 children may need some

sort of war rehabilitation house.

(Inaudible) here say here recruitment of children by Houthis is systematic. The U.N. has reported hundreds of cases, Saleh and his pictures epitomized

the long road to recovery.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It is quite amazing because you can see the (inaudible) here drop the rocket on them he had on him all the detail.

ROBERTSON: Detail that is hard for young minds like his to let go. The greatest salvation his friends say sharing their stories with each other

knowing they are not alone, knowing they are not forgotten.

(END VIDEO)

ANDERSON: CNN international diplomatic editor Nic Robertson is here in Abu Dhabi after that trip inside Yemen. And those kid it seems remarkable. We

have been having these conversations, suggesting they all obviously the lucky ones. And given the horror that they have seen they are getting

treatment as well. I mean that is where they are lucky that there are others.

ROBERTSON: There are and UNICEF said that last year it helps children put on the fringes not more caught up directly in the war but on the fringes

69,000 in the South of Yemen alone was psychosocial issues. The U.N. has documented 2,369 different cases of children they can verifiably say you

have been so directly into the conflict. The U.N. says 1340 children who have been in direct casualties of this war, yes these are the lucky once

getting help others just being pulled in.

ANDERSON: You are unfamiliar and with conflicts zone, we have been talking tonight about Somalia, we had been talking about on Afghanistan, America's

longest war, child soldiers not unique, of course to Yemen.

ROBERTSON: Not at all. I remember being in Somalia with the U.S. troops first went in there in 1992 under fighting has continued in one form or

another since then and one point is not a story but at one point I had to catch a plane south of the country when they work up until was a young boy

of 10 years old who is guarding me, he was so young when he took his weapon apart to clean it. You have to get somebody else to come and put it back

together is absolutely endemic if you look at Afghanistan, Pakistan, that there are schools that to train not children for class, for future life, to

train them to be suicide bombers. This is the evil minds prey on childish mind. And what we hear what the U.N. says and documented cases that, that

the differences in this case, predominantly in Yemen even is an environment with a lot of young kids who use the weapons will induce the kids come with

money tell them is going to be great. Tell them ISIS is going to come if they do not fight, they are very evil minds at work here.

[10:25:13] ANDERSON: Tremendous reporting and this is very, very rare for us to get sort of access that you got into Yemen for us to be able to

reveal exactly what that is going on the ground. The stories on that was also important, in recent days and since you have been back from Yemen. We

have seen violent clashes in the country between Yemeni government forces and southern separatist. This is in a in the South, what are the latest

developments, we need to break this developments, we need to break this down and remind ourselves and everybody is watching conflict minute by

minute. So this is important that we get this right.

ROBERTSON: So the Southern separatists who were really the main force fighting of the Houthis when the Houthis took aid and some of the other

areas in the South. The boys believes in a separate Southern state and they did have that until 1990. The government then came in and they open

the doors and let the government come in but now the southern separatist feel that with the national government is looking out for our interest and

specifically now for the last couple of days Southern separatist has gone on the offensive against the government and by the best, most accurate

accounts we can get at the moment the Prime Minister is holed up in a very secure residence in part of Aden. That some of the southern separatist

controls significant parts of the town and the coalition United Arab Emirates are in essence a buffer between the separatists and the Prime

Minister at the moment. But this is an incomplete picture, it is developing and we need to get the status and developments.

ANDERSON: And I know that some of the reporting that you will -- profiling on this show this week and it is from Aden. So we look forward to seeing

that. Nic you are also following another development of course in the region, exploring Saudi Arabia, the orthodox I must say it was really a

unique crackdown on corruption, seems to be wrapping up with some remarkable results and views back in November, you will remember the

Saudi's -- lots -- dozens of Royals businessmen and officials in the lavish hotel in Riyadh. Now the authorities have revealed how much money they

managed to get back and Nic, it is over a $100 billion.

ROBERTSON: $106 billion is the number they are putting on it, which is interesting, because if you compare to what they said back in November that

they believe that there was $100 billion worth of corruption going on, so is the best thing that they have arrived at that figure. The Attorney

General there saying 381 subpoenas. Most people have even been found not to be corrupt or come to an agreement, an arrangement with the government.

ANDERSON: 56, what happen to them?

ROBERTSON: At the moment they are still there. They are still locked up in the understanding and expectation is in this is to the Saudis now on

transparency because clearly they understand the pressure the international community saying, how can invest in your country when you have don't have

transparency on your justice system, those 56 were told and will probably move towards a something that we are all familiar with a court environment.

ANDERSON: Nic Robinson is set with me here in Abu Dhabi. More of Nic's analysis you can head to the website. Thank you Nic. They can read a lot

more about who is time with the Yemeni government forces on the front line is fascinating stuff. There is no ending sight for this war, Nic, looks at

why Yemen's primary back Saudi Arabia is so interested in -- in wrapping it all up, we can find all that on our website CNN.com. Just ahead on this

show, I am Becky Anderson this is Connect the World, if you are just join in, you are very welcome. Where is the world as millions of Yemen kids

suffer? UNICEF is out with a global appeals to try to help, I will talk to the head of its emergency program live and before we go to the break we

should note there is a bit if a sell-off happening right now at the New York stock exchange, more on that after this.

[10:30:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BECKY ANDERSON, CNN ANCHOR: You are watching CNN. This is Connect the World. I'm Becky Anderson. It's just after half past 7:00 in Abu Dhabi.

We are broadcasting to you from our Middle East programming hub here.

America's economy is booming. The country back in business and it's on track to become great again. Well, that at least is the message we are

expecting to hear tonight when Donald Trump delivers his first State of the Union Address to Congress.

It is a change for him to highlight the accomplishments of his first term and change the conversation from relentless headlines about the Russia

investigation, which has dug this presidency right from the start.

Let's get a preview of Mr. Trump's speech now from White House reporter Kaitlan Collins. And, well, I guess I would probably just outline what we

expect him to say.

We are also expects him to give himself an A plus school card. Just remind us -- for those of us who aren't, you know, avid watchers of State of the

Union Addresses over the year. There is some choreography to this, isn't there?

KAITLAN COLLINS, CNN WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: Yes, there are usually lengthy addresses. The president actually spent the weekend here at the White

House, preparing for that address.

We know he ran through it yesterday. He is likely going over it multiple times today. He doesn't have anything else on his schedule until the State

of the Union Address tonight.

And he is going to do two things tonight. He is going to lay out his -- what he sees as his successes from his first year here in office, not only

that Supreme Court appointment but the sweeping tax bill that passed late last year.

But he is also going to lay out what he wants to get done during his second year in office. So you can watch for him to touch on immigration,

infrastructure, rebuilding the military.

He is going to talk about the economy, reshaping the judiciary, all of those things and its overall message where he is going to project the sense

of immunity and success here in Washington.

But it's important to keep in mind that as the president talks about successful Washington, what is actually going on back here in Washington in

just in the recent weeks.

We have had that -- yesterday, we had the deputy FBI director resigned where the president very likely to released that controversial memo that

alleging the detailed surveillance abuse by the FBI, the DOJ's -- DOJ actually objects to. We have the attorney general who is pressuring the

FBI director to change -- to make staff changes among the senior ranks.

[10:35:00] We have the FBI director who threatened to resign over that. We have the government that recently shutdown but there is no bipartisan

agreement on immigration and the government runs out of funding a week from Thursday. So it's important to keep all of that in mind and what's

actually going on back here in Washington as the president speaks tonight.

ANDERSON: You make a very good point, Kaitlan. Mr. Trump's speech taking place against this extraordinary backdrop renouncing the FBI on the attack

in his credibility question as the Russia investigation intensifies.

The agency number two abruptly stepping down yesterday during this response from fired FBI Director James Comey. He tweeted, Andrew McCabe stood tall

when small people were trying to tear down an institution we all depend on.

And Comey added, I also wish continued strength for the rest of the FBI. America needs you. Kaitlan, that a rather dire warning, isn't it?

COLLINS: Yes, we have actually seen a lot of those from former FBI Director James Comey since he was fired by the president last May. He

often tweets something that is relevant to the news cycle, something relevant to what the president has done.

And he certainly have been very outspoken about what he thinks of the president's views on the FBI, something the president has said was in

tatters.

In December, the worst reputation has ever been and even though the president often goes after senior staffers at the FBI, the White House

maintained that he has great respect for the rank-and-file members, that he has full confidence in the FBI director that he hand-picked, Chris Wray --

the one who sworn in, in August.

So certainly all of those going on, but as I mentioned, the attorney general pressured Wray to fire people and make staffing changes at the top

of the FBI, something that you he likely sworn about with the president.

So there are things to keep in mind as we hear from James Comey and other former officials that have started the president before.

ANDERSON: Kaitlan Collins is in Washington for you today where it is 10:36 in the morning. We have got CNN coverage of President Trump's State of the

Union Address that begins Tuesday at 8 p.m. in New York, Wednesday, 1 a.m. in London, that would be 5 a.m. here in Abu Dhabi.

Many hours to go until the U.S. president gives his first State of the Union Address. So it's a good to ask, what sort of shape is the world in

after 12 months of Donald Trump's leadership of the U.S., of course.

Well, two long-running convicts in particular Syria and Yemen, the focus of a new appeal by the agency UNICEF in Yemen, in for example, nearly every

child in the country needs humanitarian assistance according to UNICEF.

That is more than 11 million children, making things worse, there are a lack of clean water. Last year, there were more than 1 million suspected

cases of cholera in the country.

Manuel Fontaine runs Emergency Programs from UNICEF. I'm delighted to say that he joins us from Geneva in Washington tonight.

And so let's take a look at the figures here. The UNICEF says that you need $3.6 billion for crises in 51 countries to meet the needs of 82

million people, including almost 50 million kids. With the greatest of respect, sir, how do that even go about calculating that figure?

MANUEL FONTAINE, DIRECTOR FOR EMERGENCY PROGRAMMES, UNICEF: Obviously, you calculate the figure by gathering the needs of the country level. You

know, you can project for example, based on data on food security and nutrition.

You can project the number children that will become severely malnourished in the country. And then you establish that as your targets. You are

looking at access to water and then you know that the number of children would not access to said water in particular situations.

And then you establish those targets. So obviously, the global need is a bit bigger than the target we fix to ourselves, because we are not the only

humanitarian actor.

There are other with us fortunately. We carry a big load around children - - the needs of children and we will continue doing so. we will work with others.

So we fix ourselves the target and we're going to try to reach 48 million children in these 51 countries with all the difficulties you can imagine.

ANDERSON: If you don't get what you need, sir, how do you decide who goes without?

FONTAINE: That is a very good question. Unfortunately, very often, it is not even us who decided its donors. Some of the monies very tied to

particular crisis. The donors tell us, well, we're going to give you money to do your educational work in Syria, we're going to give you money to do

this and that.

And then as a result, frankly, some children are left out. We are seeing that in the Central African Republic, we are seeing that in Mali. We are

seeing in the Democratic Republic of Congo last year, for example, where the money simply did not come.

[10:40:00] To the DRC, we've got 25 percent of the funds we have requested only last year. So, of course, children are missing out and this is why

were keep on telling and asking donors to not link the donation contribution to particular crisis but give us the capacity to allocate it

and be equitable.

ANDERSON: And I have heard you make that appeal before. We are looking at pictures from Yemen. As ever, children are the smallest victims who seemed

to suffer most in conflicts.

And we have been discussing this week with some terrific reporting for my colleague, Nic Robertson and his team on the disturbing elements of Yemen's

three year old war.

For example, from a hospital in the capital Sana'a, some images where more than -- of course a country where more than 11 million Yemeni children,

virtually all of them need humanitarian assistance.

Now, UNICEF figure show 25,000 babies that die at birth of before the age of one month. You're organization says that more than 5,000 kids in Yemen

having killed or maimed by the conflict.

And countless others are suffering immeasurably. Why do you think the tragedy in Yemen has not galvanized the international community in the way,

for example, Syria did or even Bosnia did back in the 1990s?

FONTAINE: Well, that is a good question and I am not sure I necessarily have the answer to that. I think as you said today, I think Yemen is

probably one of the worst places on earth to be a child.

In addition to the numbers you mentioned and your college in the previous, at least explained that about 2,500 children were recruited, and when the

numbers are getting out, the only numbers -- the numbers that we can verify, I mean, indicating the numbers of children killed, the numbers are

probably much higher.

And, yes, it is not getting all the attention it deserves. We have had this huge cholera epidemic. We are having many more challenges. What we

are asking, we are asking the end to violence.

We are asking to be granted access to all areas which is not the case today. We are asking for services -- basic services to be maintained and

reestablished if there are not. We are asking for financial support.

So, this is what we needs and of course, we are asking for the protection of children in the situation. Old children should be protected as much as

possible and this is honestly a trend we are seeing across the board.

It is not only Yemen. We are seeing increasing attacks on children across the board, and this is the new norm that we cannot accept.

ANDERSON: And nor should we. Manuel Fontaine, the head of UNICEF's Emergency Programs, joining us from Geneva tonight. It is good to have you

on. No child should have to face these challenges, as we have just discussed.

And yet millions are on a time when the world has never been more affluent. If you want to see how UNICEF is tackling these global challenges and what

you can do to help, go to UNICEF.org/appeals. You are watching this show, Connect the World with me Becky Anderson live from Abu Dhabi. Coming up...

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I was quite shocked that someone -- journal, this is supposed to be well read. You know, with things that there are no

bookshops in Africa and Nigeria.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: Nigerians react to a journalist controversial question, that's next.

[10:45:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ANDERSON: All right, if you are just joining us, you are more than welcome. It is quarter to 8:00 in the evening in Abu Dhabi. I'm Becky

Anderson. Welcome back to Connect the World.

She is one of a celebrated office in Africa and increasingly a household name around the world after writing about race identity and immigration.

Despite her international success, one Nigerian writer has often found herself fighting back against negative stereotypes about Africa, most

recently when a French journalist asked if there are any bookshops in her home country. Have a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CAROLINE BROUE, FRENCH JOURNALIST (Through a Translator): And do people read your books in Nigeria?

CHIMAMANDA ADICHIE, NIGERIAN WRITER: They do, shockingly.

(LAUGHTER)

BROUE (Through a Translator): Are there any bookshops in Nigeria?

ADICHIE: You know I think -- I think it reflects very poorly on French people that you have to ask me that question. Absolutely.

(APPLAUSE)

ADICHIE: Because -- I mean...

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: Let's bring in CNN's Stephanie Busari from more on this. She joins us live from Lagos. Well, that was pretty awful, Stephanie. I am

not quite sure how to describe it. How are reaction -- how are Nigerians reacting?

STEPHANIE BUSARI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Becky, I mean -- I must start by saying that Nigerians are very sensitive about the way they portrayed

around the world. They feel that there's a negative portrayal.

And so this -- it just trade right into that really, and it just added the growing sense of anger and frustration about the way the country is

portrayed.

You know, they tell us on social media and people conclude that no matter how much progress or development, and the advances they make in this

country, those who just don't seemed to move away from that now, (Inaudible) violence, which the journalist have self alluded to in that

conversation with Chimamanda. So, you know, take a listen to some of the things that people are saying on the ground here in Lagos. Becky.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I was very pleased with Chimamanda's response.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I was quite shocked that someone -- journal, this is supposed to be well read. You know, with things that there are no

bookshops in Africa and Nigeria.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It was really unfortunate, especially to be asked that question in the 21st century. I mean, who does that.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I wasn't sure whether she really meant that question or that was a joke or whether it was a way to taunt us.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BUSARI: So there you have it, Becky. Those are some of the reactions and frustrations that people are expressing to me here in Lagos.

ANDERSON: Yes, and absolutely rightly said. And I guess it begs the question on one -- on whishes, one didn't have to ask. But it does beg the

question, what do we all do about ensuring that we change these perceptions going forward, not back these nonsense misperceptions.

BUSARI: Well, you know, I mean, surprising that we have to say this in this day and age of information -- information and age, I'm told.

And I actually reached to Caroline Broue, herself, on Twitter and I asked her -- I invited her to come along to Lagos because she is having her

conversation there. She just don't know that much about Nigeria beyond Bokoharam and the violence.

But this is a country with a rich cultural heritage, the first African Nobel Prize Literature winner is from Nigeria, Wole Soyinka. You know, he

is well respected also, studied in universities all around the world.

Chimamanda, herself, is probably in strong literally heritage. And so, you know, it's just information, the information is there. It is available.

So I do hope Caroline Broue will take the invitation to come and visit us here, and see what's happening to report that to people of France.

[10:50:00] ANDERSON: Well, the invitation is extended. Well done. Let us know. Thank you. Well, this is Connect the World, lots more ahead. We

are going to take a very short break this time, back after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ANDERSON: Well, just this flood waters in Paris are starting to recede, there is a new warning, it will rain forecast for Wednesday threatening

towns downstream on the swollen Seine River.

Much of France has seen record rainfall since December. One extreme weather like flooding in France were often being tied to climate change.

France is being a leader in embracing climate science. And CNN's Jim Bittermann reports some of America's best scientists are flocking there.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

EMMANUEL MACRON, PRESIDENT OF FRANCE: Make our planet great again.

JIM BITTERMANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: French President Emmanuel Macron's famous rebuke of President Trump after he added America's participation in

the Paris climate change accords, included something else -- A promise that France would support climate change scientist who wanted to come here to

continue the research.

It was more than just words. Six months later, after sifting through 500 grant proposals, the first scientists were selected and are now in the

process of reestablishing themselves in French research centers. For many, it was a blessing.

CAMILLE PARMESAN, BIOLOGIST: Having a climate deny are becoming the head of state, become the president was just something I didn't think I salute

with for the four year.

BITTERMANN: What's more coming to France could be a significant career boost. Grand winner Delphine Renard, an agronomist is wrapping up her work

at the University of California in Santa Barbara before moving to Montpellier, France were her 1 million Euro grant will allow her to

assemble a team of 10 researchers to study the way plants survive climate change.

DELPHINE RENARD, AGRONOMIST: I think the United States in lose over the long-term, it will fund the research on climate change or ecology, or

environment. The society has something to lose, not only the government but everybody.

BITTERMANN: One particularly way the U.S. would lose on is in life or property, upon inside, you can say they share their work internationally,

any specific discoveries or patterns that arise in their work would belong to the institutions responsibly.

The government minister in charge of attracting the climate scientist says there is no question the country will benefit in that in other ways.

FREDERIQUE VIDAL, FRENCH MINISTER FOR RESEARCH AND INNOVATION: The idea is we need to have the opportunity to reinforce our research laboratories in

that topics and the universities is under research organisms.

BITTERMANN: That is certainly evident that the brand-new French photovoltaic institute outside Paris. When he got his wrath, Philip

Schultz left his position at the National Renewable Energy Lab in Colorado to pick up his research here.

[10:55:00] He will receive 1.3 million Euros over the next five years to put together a 10 person team to study how photocells can be layered to

make them more efficient.

PHILIP SCHULTZ, PHYSICIST: It's definitely an exhibit here and for me, it was the (Inaudible) to come here and to ramp up my research.

BITTERMANN: Most planet scientist join here by the French support will no doubt contribute toward making the planet great again, even if they won't

be in the U.S. to help make America great again. Jim Bittermann, CNN, Paris.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ANDERSON: All right. That is the back end of our show. Our coverage in Yemen, United States and elsewhere, of course continues as we bring you

your world, strange and captivating as it is.

You can see it all working and Facebook page actually helps us connect with your world, one pixel at a time, that is Facebook.com/CNNconnect.

I am Becky Anderson. That was Connect the World. From the team working with me here and those working with us around the world, thank you for

watching. We will see you same time, same place tomorrow.

END