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ANC Recalls President Zuma; Oxfam Scandal Deepens; Exclusive Reporting From Inside Syria; South Africa Political Crisis; Aired 10-11a ET

Aired February 13, 2018 - 10:00   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[10:00:18] LYNDA KINKADE, CONNECT THE WORLD, CNN: Zuma records South Africa's ruling and state party say I is time for the president to go.

Next we are live into Johannesburg also rock by scandal. A charitable organization Oxfam accused of covering up the staffer paid for prostitute

in Haiti after the 2010 earthquake. We are learning more about the shocking charges and how they might had been prevented. And...

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Hannah watches her bay fight in one of the last remaining facilities where even stand a chance, but kind of a world that

this babies are going to live in.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KINKADE: Hell on earth, in Italy's province Syria not even the hospital are safe. CNN Arwa Damon exclusive reporting later this hour.

Hello and welcome to "Connect the World," I am Lynda Kinkade live in Atlanta filling in for Becky Anderson. We begin with the show with a major

political development in South Africa, the ruling party the African national Congress has basically demanded the resignation of the country's

president. Jacob Zuma's time in office has being played by corruption allegations and scandals. While there had been any attempts to oust him in

the past, there had been many signs things could be different this time. Let us bring in CNN David McKenzie live in Johannesburg to break down what

happened next. David President Zuma has been record, but it is technically still the president of South Africa. What happens next?

DAVID MCKENZIE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: he is the president of South Africa and this is a constitutional move, it is a political move by the party was

clear when we were sitting outside those coastal meetings for many hours in Pretoria as they tried to debate this decision, but this was a tough one

for the party despite all the scandal surrounding President Jacob Zuma.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The decision by the ANC to recall his (inaudible) was only taken after (inaudible) discussion. The decision of the ANC provides,

we believe such people of South Africa at the time when the economic and social challenges facing the country by the Asian and resolute response by

all section of society.

MCKENZIE: Well the certainty is still uncertain in track because here is what could happen next, the best case scenario for the ANC that Jacob Zuma

resigns giving him a timeline, but said that they expect some kind of answer tomorrow. He has shown over years he is -- always try to find more

political maneuverability then if he does not it moves to the parliament with the opposition parties are circling. They will bring a no confidence

vote at this is slated for next week, but that could be move forward. And that means the simple majority vote in Parliament and we expect that some

ANC members will join the opposition could throw out Zuma and if unsuccessful with that, they would go for kind of a nuclear option, they

could move towards impeachment. That would require two thirds majority in parliament and would be a much tougher task politically but it would be a

way to punish President Jacob Zuma should ruling party (inaudible). At this point, the ball is in Jacob Zuma's court, it is actually him to decide

where to put himself or the party of the country first, Lynda.

KINKADE: For quite a few options there David, of course we know the president has survive no-confidence vote in the past, why would be the

outcome this time be different?

MCKENZIE: Well because he had been officially recalled by the party, that is an extraordinary step and see how within ANC rules they should be

compelled to resign, but he as I said has shown that he has sometimes disregard for the norms of politics in this country. There is a general

sense that South Africa about his time is up his frustration with the economy and anger on the ongoing scandals, you haven't South African's pile

onto the streets to oust him to go, be I think they had seen this political steps unfolding from the ruling party, but we should not say that this is

necessary and the ANC waking up to the scandals, already giving a conscience, I think it is largely about their electoral prospects for 2019.

They have Jefferson Zuma if they want to really secure their place as head of the parliament of this country as they have gone democracy, Lynda.

[10:05:20] KINKADE: They want to be in a decent position and next year for this election. David McKenzie good to have you with us. Thank you very

much.

In the U.K. shockwaves from a sex abuse scandal is hitting Oxfam hard and fast. It comes after accuse of covering the staff to pay prostitute in

Haiti after the 2010 earthquake. Some are said to be under age. Now a former top management say she wants to tell the manager for pre-allegations

of sexual abuse in a single day.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think the email that I mention February 2015 were he talk about three new allegations in a single day.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Do you remember those allegations?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes very much say and there was one woman being (inaudible) to have sex in a humanitarian response. Another aid worker.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This was a woman who was receiving Oxfam aid?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes. Another case where a woman had been (inaudible) to have sex in exchange for aid and another one when it comes our attention

that a member staff (inaudible) sex abuse -- concerns about what he might do and that was the allegations in one day.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KINKADE: Hell on earth, She also say the British charity commission never responded when she reported cases of sexual exploitation by aid workers.

Within the last few hours charity commission denied ignoring claims insisting that it took the concerns to raise very seriously. Earlier today

Haiti president called the abuse an extremely serious violation of human dignity Oxfam Deputy CEO resigned on Monday and it's chief executive says

the agency is trying regain the public's trust by the cover-up took place we are following this story very closely for you as it develop. CNN Erin

McLaughlin is live outside the Oxfam headquarters. Ern what happened in Haiti was truly shocking now as I think it is not an isolated incident?

ERIN MCLAUGHLIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That is right Lynda, that is the precise message Evans that you were just listening to their she was brought

in in the wake of the Haiti sex scandal by Oxford Oxfam rather to lead safeguarding practices and she said that during her time as the head of

safeguarding Oxfam she implemented reporting procedures, mechanism to help victims of sexual exploitation or sexual abuse of the hand Oxfam workers

help them to be able to report what was happening and she said as those mechanisms were put into play became very apparent that this was a much

wider problem than what was seen happening on the ground in Haiti.

She provided in a statement that she tweeted out a specific statistics to back that up. Let me just walk you through some of them that in 2012 to

2013, 12 allergies and safeguarding were reported but then in 2013 to 2014 the number escalated to 39 allegations reported for a total of 52. She

said all those 52, 20 allegations were either fully or partially substantiated that in addition to that, you are just hearing to a short

while it introduces a while ago in February 2015 and one day three allegations of sexual exploitation or sexual abuse reported in a span of

just one day. She also said she wants to raise concerns to Oxfam about the lack of resources, the lack of response.

Oxfam concern fell on that year. She feels that their response was not efficient. Oxfam releasing a statement saying quote thanks to Helen's work

we have introduce a whole range of measures to improve how we deal with safeguarding issues, we regret we did not act on Helen's concerns quicker

and with more resources. She also had issue with the way the U.K. Charity commission responding to all of this she said to raise her concerns with

them as well.

[10:10:00] Now the U.K. charity commission responding to that saying that they did take her concerns seriously back in 2015, that they address those

concerned with Oxfam although at the time that she did not raise any specific mention of any specific instances of abuse. That clearly is with

a wider problem that Oxfam was and is currently dealing with Lynda.

KINKADE: Yes. A very much widespread issue, All right Erin McLaughlin great to have you staying across all of that for us, thank you very.

Well the leader of North Korea has praised his neighbor to the south North Korean media reported that Kim Jong-un said he is impressed with South

Korea and how it accommodated Pyongyang official at the Olympic Games. The delegation break the leader on the trip including the meeting with South

Korean President Moon Jae-in. Kim Jong-un says the Olympics are an opportunity to keep pushing fill up better relations between the two

Koreas. CNN's Will Ripley is in Pyeongchang and as we saw some of those pictures there, Will very happy leader in North Korea clearly he believe

this charm offense in the South work.

RIPLEY: Well he was a winter if you if you look at what happened he said his sister Kim Yo-jong here with an invitation to visit North Korea,

President Moon Jae-in accepted an unprincipled kind of almost forcing the United States to begrudgingly say all right were going to endorse this as

long as you continue this campaign of maximum pressure and you don't pay any money under the table, because remember the past two North Korean

Summit North Korea South Korean Summit there were hundreds of millions of dollars in North Korea received in terms of concessions just for talks to

happen.

United States saying this time around with her foot down saying no money exchanged in less North Korea agrees to take steps toward denuclearization,

but what President Moon said today, that based on his discussions with the U.S. Vice President Mike Pence, he says the U.S. is now on board with this

plan that North South Korean engagement will eventually lead to engagement between North Korea and the United States which of course would be vital

for any sort of viable resolution to the nuclear crisis here in the Korean peninsula, but given that the United States has continued to insist that

North Korea must give up its nuclear weapons and North Korea has steadfastly insisted they're absolutely not going to get the nuclear

weapons it is still very unclear path forward at this point Lynda.

KINKADE: Will, looking at the athletic, the start of the competition being zero in on South Korea a 17 year old California girl creating quite a

sensation in South Korea and many wondering what life would've been like for her if had their parent stayed there rather than immigrates to the U.S.

RIPLEY: This is a phenomenal story and it's actually rising through all of the discussions about North Korea which is refreshing is Chloe Kim, 17

years old stands 5 foot three, yes a Southern California girl with the with the bleach blonde hair to prove it, but her parents are Korean they moved

to the United States 35 years ago, her father went to the U.S. with $800 in his pocket. It's a true American dream story and he pushed his daughter

hard she trained hard and she -- just was absolutely stunning into a nearly perfect runs on -- with the much about the about skiing, but she did back

to back 180's were to describe is two triple rotations in a flash to triple rotations on skis.

I can't even see ski downhill without getting terrified that I am going to go into a tree and here's this 17-year-old just you know a superstar who is

just charming fans all over the world and especially here in South Korea, because look this is a country where there so much pressure to study hard

to get in the best university a lot of times there are going to school on the weekends to practice for the exams to get them into college is so

competitive and a lot of the buzz and social media here in South Korea today, by the way Chloe Kim, the number one training topic in this country,

but people are saying look what she's had her parents stayed in this country at a state in South Korea she would not be where she is today.

She would have had the freedom to follow her dreams to chase her athletic dreams should probably be a businesswoman right now or should be doing

something much more typical much more standard and so really this young Korean American woman is serving as a true inspiration for a lot of young

people in this country who yearn to have similar opportunities maybe we'll see what she did hear in Pyeongchang on the slopes and they will try to

chase their own dreams as well.

KINKADE: Yes an incredible performance. I want to have you with us Will Ripley staying across the politics and sports, thanks.

A bit of change in phase, we will come back we got the latest major battlefield in the Syrian War. Were babies in the hospital are even

(inaudible). CNN was the first, we will bring you an exclusive report on that, plus more not on the political turmoil in South Africa for the ruling

party oust the president to leave. We will talk to a former opposition lawmaker.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[10:17:48] KINKADE: you are watching CNN and this is "Connect the World." With me Lynda Kinkade, welcome back. Well Syria has just had one of the

bloodiest week in a civil war that is dragged on for nearly seven years. The pro-government forces aided by Russian airstrike to trying to drive

oppositions and terror groups and Elijah's remaining hold out, Idlib province. The home to thousands who fled the fighting in the siege of

Aleppo. They now face a second nightmare. CNN is the first international network to go in to Idlib since warplane bomb the area last week. A senior

international correspondent Arwa Damon joins us now from Istanbul. You just return from the province there, some heartbreaking things Arwa.

ARWA DAMON, SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT, CNN: It really is Linda and keep in mind the population that has been going through this for years

now and increasingly it is feeling abandoned to the point that a lot of people when you talk to them quite simply have say we have no words left,

we don't know how to plead anymore, because so far all of our pleas have gone on heard. No one really seems to be reacting, you are tragedy no

matter how dire it becomes. Here's a look at what we saw in just a day in the province.

(BEGIN VIDEO)

DAMON: He was born during the week that even by Syria's ungodly standards was actually punishing. Her mother's body still trembles.

And that is not because she was born prematurely it is because the hospital he was at was bomb. The night is a glimpse into the magnitude of the

horror, the fear.

There were around 300 people, staff, patients and intensive care and the most precious and vulnerable.

[10:20:00] This was one of the key remaining functioning hospitals in the area, but nothing in Syria is secret.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They have incubators for the babies. Hana remembers just grabbing her fragile body, wrapping it whatever she can find and

running through the chaos.

In despair of just five days, six medical facility in Idlib province were targeted and airstrikes.

This is the lower level, underground and this were they used to do all the main emergency surgery that is also where right now or in whatever

equipment they manage to salvage.

Staff here wants to remain unanimous. This small center (inaudible) has already been targeted twice this year.

That is what (inaudible) says, they announce online that they were close and began operating in secret. Days before we arrived as doctors were

treating the wounded from an airstrike in a market the facility was hit again. The dead from the market for outside now buried not increase but

somewhere in the crater left behind. This is the population field on borrowed time. (Inaudible) was a makeshift underground bunker with

neighbors when an alleged coring strike took place. He vomited, could not breath and thought that is it, my numbers are up.

Luckily many of the women and children had fled just days before. Acute toxic shells impacted an empty field. There is still a little bit accrued

(inaudible). Yes it has been six days two members of the civil defense team responded were also affected. Romeo members shaking uncontrollably

feeling like he was screaming take off the mask, but no one could hear him. His father was among those treated in the toxic attack only to be killed

within days in a strike. He was loading grain nearby. He is almost matter-of-fact and accepting serious and inevitable fate for those who

refuse to leave their lands. The war here have long been a science of methodical cruelty as the world looks on. And Syria endorse one of the

bloodiest weeks of this conflict.

Hanan watches her baby fight in one of the last remaining facilities were he even stands a chance. So what kind of a world are this babies fighting

to live in?

(END VIDEO)

DAMON: Lynda that week during the beginning of February were the vast majority of those attacks took place was described by the U.N. High

Commissioner for human rights as a no holds barred type of assault, one of the doctors that we were talking to outside of the main hospital in Idlib

that you want to go on camera but he said how are you going to describe this in your report? How are you going to find the language to depict

exactly what it is that were going through, because he said from his experience he's witnessed the violent in Syria truly defies logic.

KINKADE: Surely does, Arwa Damon, a really great job there by you and your team, thank you very much for bringing us that report.

While military is under way just outside of Jerusalem for teenage girl who has become zero to Palestinians. Akhid Tomami is charged with aggravated

assault and other crimes after slapping and punching the Israeli soldiers in the West Bank home. A video of that incident went viral making her an

international face of resistance to the Israeli occupation. The chaos has divided opinion in Israel and Defense Minister says it's important to send

the message that the quote who ever goes wild during the day will be arrested at night. The judge denied a request by Tamimi attorney to have

an open trial.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The prosecution says that they don't care that we continue with open doors. The court decided to close doors, because he

think it is not good for eyes. What I think is that the court does not think it is good for the court to have all the viewing side of it I'm going

to argue that the occupation is illegal and so this court cannot be holding trials, because of the legality of the occupation and then will be getting

to the indictment to show having indictment in itself is that only wants to deter or other young people from resisting occupation.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KINKADE: Well just yesterday we heard the Israel's prime minister said he has been talking for some time the Trump administration about a possible

annexationist settlement in the West Bank, but the White House said that is simply false. Now a spokesman for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said

he tries any concrete proposals had been discuss. Let us bring in CNN' Oren Liebermann to help understand what exactly is going on and Oren it

seems the White House is completely throwing cold water to Netanyahu's claims. How is it playing out there?

OREN LIEBERMANN, CNN CORESPONDENT: Absolutely it has been to call it straight would simply be an (inaudible) because it really the first time we

had seen President Trump and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu not only in the same page, but appears really from an entirely different books here.

So Netanyahu who told him he could faction meeting, his party meeting talks that he didn't in talks for some time with American administration over

some sort annexation was specific about settlements, the entire was fake area C, but his statement was greeted with applause. Only a short time

later spokesman for the White House said any reports that the talks had been taking place in Israel and the U.S. are quote false. Completely

shooting down exactly what Netanyahu would have said.

Only a few hours early the Prime Minister office has been sort of walk that back say that we have only discussed quote initiatives with the Americans.

The question is why didn't Netanyahu say something he presumably knew was false and very happy with who he was talking to. Remember he is the head

of the right-wing government with elements both in his party and his coalition that are pushing for annexation. Do this could had been the

statement that tried to make them happy and showed his wish the same path was harshly criticized by Palestinians after that statement was made was

saying this is exactly what Netanyahu wants, he is reaching towards apartheid, but as you point out the White House quickly from cold water and

said any suggestion that there were talks of annexation between the two countries is false. Trump remains focus on his peace initiative.

KINKADE: Certainly an old story playing out there. Oren Liebermann good to have you with us, thank for explaining all of that.

Still to come members of a prominent aid group hurting those that claim to be trying to help. We will have more on the fallout of the Oxfam sex abuse

scandal in just a moment.

[10:30:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LYNDA KINKADE, CNN ANCHOR: You're watching CNN and this is "Connect the World" with me Lynda Kinkade. Welcome back. Well let's get back to one of

our top stories this hour, the fall out of one of the U.K.'s biggest aid agencies, after allegations of sex abuse and subsequent cover up following

the devastating earthquake in Haiti in 2010. Well condemnation is rolling in from the government of Haiti and the U.K. Haiti's president considering

criminal charges against the charity's workers.

And the British government warns it could pull millions of dollars in funding from the aid group. Well such a move could Oxfam's development

programs in more than 90 countries around the world. Let's get some more insights from Amy Dodd. She is the director of the U.K. Aid Network.

She joins us now from London. Good to have you with us Amy. This story as it continues to develop is getting bigger and bigger and it seems this is a

systematic failure that is going all the way up to the top. Do you believe that there are more allegations to come?

AMY DODD, DIRECTOR, U.K. AID NETWORK: I mean look, I think it is quite hard to say sort of what is left to come at the moment -- sorry, I'm having

trouble with this earpiece obviously. Sorry about that. Yes, I think it is very difficult to say what is to come but I think what is absolutely true

is that it would be incredibly naive of us to act as if there isn't one to come or as if isn't an issue that needs to be deal with and frankly that

would be quite irresponsible as well

I mean I think what is important now is to take this anger, this outrage, and this sort of sense that this is an appalling thing that has happened

from all of us and hopefully turn this into actions so it does not happen again.

KINKADE: Focus about that action, what safeguards are already in place? Is there an agreed guidance amongst NGO's of what happened when these sort of

issues emerge?

DODD: I mean, it depends a little bit where organizations are working and to some extent as well who they're working with. So you're working in a

humanitarian kind of crisis response situation or you're working with women or children, those obviously create different sort of safeguarding these,

but in general, so you'll see things like, you know, criminal record, background checks and things like that.

You know, making sure that you have a really strong code of conduct in place with your staff that you talked about earl. Strong education with

your staff so they know what is expected of them, but also what to look for in terms of safeguarding so you know one of the warning signs and how do

they go about reporting that if something does happen.

KINKADE: Given we're hearing now, the complaints were made and it went up the food chain so to speak and nothing was done about it. What can be done

to ensure that these sort of safeguards can be strengthened and implemented?

DODD: I mean I think, you know, obviously there have been some failings and what should have been done, and so absolutely no excuse for this and

absolutely there is tolerance, but I think it's not entirely fair to say that nothing happened. I mean, Oxfam had a review internally, strengthen

the safeguarding processes, strengthen the whistle-blowing policies and things like that.

So I think things were definitely done, but as you say, absolutely more news to be done now and I think the secretary has given us a pretty good

set of initial guidance there in terms of, you know, where we should be starting to think about this. So, she talks a lot about more leadership and

the need for real culture change to, you know, improve practices and procedures and things like that.

But also I think, you know, beyond the NGO sector, what needs to change in terms of, you know, are we doing the right thing across the entire aid and

development sector. So she talks about things like a unit kind of go in and look at this and, you know, make sure that we are

[10:35:00] doing all the things that we should be doing.

KINKADE: And so what happens going forward to people that are accused, and within Oxfam you spoke about this inquiry that they did internally, the

results which they did not want out in the public from what we can see at this point in time. What can be done for the people that are accused of

this? What will happen to them?

DODD: I mean I guess it's a little bit hard to say at the moment and I think we'll have to see, you know, to some extent that is absolutely for

the police and government and for the prosecution service to say if there's a case to (INAUDIBLE) absolutely if there is, these people need to feel the

sort of, the full force of the consequences of their actions.

I mean what I do hope is that we take that sense of anger that I was talking about and we do actually turn that into action so that we do focus

much more in prevention, but in terms of penalties, yes, I think it's a little bit hard to say until we know and obviously if people are working in

another country, there is a different set of circumstances that they're facing now.

KINKADE: Oxfam, like so many charities rely heavily on donations. Is there a few that donations across the board not just with Oxfam but other

agencies could dry up, could get tarnished by this scandal?

DODD: I mean yes, absolutely. I think there is no question that this has damaged the trust that the public has and also that the government has

enough as a practice. So, there's absolutely quite a lot of work to be done to rebuild that trust and I think, you know, the idea that this one have

consequences versus a sector. Yes, that is just not realistic. I think it will definitely will be but, you know, I'm hoping that the sector will also

focus on, you know, turning something as I said, pretty appalling and terrible and use it as an opportunity to improve and sort of meet higher

standards meet the high standards that reduce that for us all.

KINKADE: All right, Amy Dodd, director of the U.K. Aid Network. Good to have you with us. Thanks for showing your perspective.

DODD: Thank you.

KINKADE: Well let's get back now to the Winter Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea. Now, it may be cold and windy there but that is not stopping fans

from soaking up the Olympic spirit. Here's our Paula Hancocks.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: This is the Olympic Plaza. This is in Pyeongchang, South Korea. It's where the opening ceremony

for the Winter Olympics was held. It's also an area where fans are congregating now, some of them going inside to watch big screens set to see

the events that are ongoing now. This is also where some of the fans can buy tickets. There's not a lot of people here as you can see.

We understand from the officials that they have actually missed target. They sold about 85.9 percent of tickets at this point. They wanted it to be

higher, but there were a couple of issues that they have to deal with. The cold for example is being bitterly cold over recent days. Today is a little

bit better and of course the wind as well. Not just affecting the fans but also the athletes.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We're Canadians. We can handle this. It's a little windy especially for biathlon where, you know, the shooting really is

affected by the wind, but not too bad at all.

HANCOCKS: A lot has been made of the cold and the winds. How are you coping with that?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Wear four and five layers actually.

HANCOCKS: Some of the fans that we've spoken to say that the atmosphere here is very good, that the Korean volunteers are being very helpful, and

despite the cold, they're determined to enjoy themselves.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: As you can see, we are prepared for it so Im fully loaded and I'm ready for the occasion.

HANCOCKS: How you feeling? How you've been with the cold?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's warmer than yesterday.

HANCOCKS: There has been plenty of politics in this Olympics. Some of the fans are saying enough with the politics. Now let's focus on the Olympics.

Paula Hancocks, CNN, Pyeongchang, South Korea.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KINKADE: Well those whipping winds have actually cancelled races. Several competitions were cut (ph) off on Monday including the women's giant

slalom. And another problem for organizers, there is little snowfall. Paula Hancocks has more now on how officials are working around that problem.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

HANCOCKS: Snow making started early in South Korea this season, October saw the first artificial snow hit the ski slopes, and it hasn't stopped

since. Pyeongchang certainly doesn't have the same problem that Sochi in Russia had four years ago. Any natural snow that falls here is going to

stay on the ground. It is cold enough. But the issue is there is just simply not that much natural snow after all, winter in Korea is the dry

season.

IAN HONEY, PROJECT MANAGER, SMI SNOW MAKERS: Yes, at least five actually before that too.

HANCOCKS: Ian Honey is the project manager for SMI Snow Makers. His company has already made snow for five Winter Olympics. He started

preparing for Pyeongchang three years agor.

HONEY: Here, it's all 100 percent man-made snow. We've had great temperatures. We've been really lucky.

HANCOCKS: So none of this is natural snow then?

HONEY: Yes, 98 percent will be memory.

HANCOCKS: This has been the scene for months in Pyeongchang, mountainsides wrapped in a mist of man-made snow.

[10:40:00] So how do you actually make it?

HONEY: We're doing it very similar to what Mother Nature does. We're taking water and we're forcing it into the atmosphere and we're getting a -

- we're generating a crystal-like structure but the structure it will generate is a more consistent structure. Basically they're all the same

where natural snow is every flake is different.

HANCOCKS: Tourists don't seem to mind the snow is man-made. Asked for which is better, natural or artificial, these two ski instructor say there

is no contest.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Artificial snow is good for skiing more than because we get more speeding. It's really good.

HANCOCKS: And speed is what Olympic athletes want. We'll know that here soon enough whether they approve of Pyteongchang's snow. There have been

some heavy snowfalls in recent months. A few weeks ago there was a rush to preserve the snow after it fell carving it into massive blocks. We now see

why as the snow festival opens, massive sculptors towering over children who are more interested in the snow than the art.

So while it may not always look like the winter wonderland you'd expect from a Winter Olympics, the organizers say they're ready, let the games

begin. Paula Hancocks, CNN, Pyeongchang, South Korea.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KINKADE: We are watching "Connect the World." Still to come, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle takes Scotland by storm. We're live in Edinburgh as the

royal lovebirds visit.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

JOHN DEFTERIOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: In a crowded city like London where space is at a premium, it sometimes pays to look beyond the norm. And in

the tranquil but expensive corner of the city, just a stones throw from Paddington station, some people are opting to live on floating homes. Here

the regions canal runs through a prime location, Little Venice.

A state agent, river homes, have made their business selling properties near and on the water.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We've dealt with all bits and parts of people from bankers to famous actors so, there's not a specific person but their dreams

to live on the water is always there.

DEFTERIOS: The water bull (ph) is one of its offerings, built in 2016 as an office.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Welcome to the Water Bull. Mind your step.

DEFTERIOS: The boat with its (INAUDIBLE) is now on the market for more than $350,000. There is also a $9,000 annual fee, a typical price in

London.

This was kind of a boardroom setting.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It is a boardroom setting.

DEFTERIOS: The new owner could put in a full kitchen to use it as a home. It is valued around $17,000 a square meter, not cheap. But homes that

overlook the canal can go for five to $20 million.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Usually moorings are based in areas where you just look at them at boats.

[10:45:00] Here, you have beautiful architecture. It is really, you know, where you are.

DEFTERIOS: Overall in the U.K. about a third of those surveyed referred to these vessels as home, but the trend is much more pronounced here in

London, 70 percent called these boats a primary residence, a secondary home or at least a temporary abode. Then number of boats on London's 100 miles

of canals soared past 5,000 last year, thanks to the dramatic renovation of the 200-year-old network of waterways. Add to that, several hundred

moorings on the river towns.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's really a lifestyle choice. What we encourage people to do is not think of it necessarily as a cheap way of life because

there lots of hidden costs involved in running a boat.

DEFTERIOS: To ease the pressure, the canal and river trust is working with developers to put in moorings to give options outside of Central London.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We like them to explore further, go west towards Wembley, up north towards into the Lee Valley regional Park to (INAUDIBLE)

and beyond.

DEFTERIOS: Then there is a so-called nomadic option. If one was willing to move every two weeks they would be able to wave an annual mooring fee. That

is just the cost of the boat license, about $1,000 a year. A challenge perhaps if you work full time, but it means living here, waiting perhaps

for a primitive (ph) spot to open up in one of the city's iconic neighborhoods. John Defterios, one square meter, Little Venice, London.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KINKADE: You're watching CNN and this is "Connect the World" with me Lynda Kinkade. Welcome back. Well, it's not quite Valentine's Day in Great

Britain but love is in the air. Prince Harry and his fiance, actress Meghan Markle are making their first joint trip to Scotland, the lovebirds

attending a reception to celebrate Scottish youth. The trip back coming just after new details were revealed about their May wedding.

Our Ana Stewart is in the Scottish capital and it looks like a lot of people came out today to see the lovebirds walk the streets of Edinburgh,

and not surprisingly like a soon to be sister-in-law, the Duchess of Cambridge, a lot of fashionistas eyeing off Meghan Markle's wardrobe.

ANA STEWART, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That always seems to be the big question wherever Meghan Markle goes is what is she wearing? And this looks here

first official visit. It's taken her to Nottingham, to Wales, to Brixton, and now to Scotland. It is something of a crash course in the U.K. ahead of

that royal wedding which is now in the 94 days away towards as far as all to get very excited about.

Now, as you said, a lot of attention to what she's wearing and that is because whatever she steps out in, tends to sell out almost immediately.

And it is something we're calling the Markle sparkle effect. Here's a little bit more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

[10:50:00] STEWART (voice-over): A sleepy town in Wales, complete with castle and cobbled streets recently awoke to international headlines.

Cardigan, which sounds like it came to knitwear actually had a long history of jean making. It's home to fashion brand higher denim which recently made

jeans fit for a princess, (INAUDIBLE) soon to be (INAUDIBLE) of Wales.

Nottingham, Brixton, Cardiff, wherever Meghan Markle goes, she leaves behind a trail of magic.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's the Meghan sparkle, isn't it? The Markle sparkle I think I've heard this morning. (INAUDIBLE) a beautiful woman.

STEWART (voice-over): Markle sparkle, it's an economic phenomenon. Whatever Meghan steps out in, becomes an instant sell out success. There

was a handbag by Scottish brand Strathberry, the sweater from high street store Marks & Spencer and more recently the Hiut denim jeans from Wales.

Meghan Markle is wielding her sparkle power with care, promoting British brands and some like Hiut Denim, with a special story to tell. Cardigan was

home to a much bigger denim factory for three decades, up until 2002.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The powers that be decided to move all production over to Tangiers. They started to close the factories down, made a lot of people

redundant not such just single people, families.

STEWART: Fast forward nine years, and David and his wife, Claire, brought denim making back to town by founding Hiut Denim. They are hoping to move

to a bigger factory and even sooner than planned now Meghan Markle has raised profile.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The morale of the staff and (INAUDIBLE) when they discovered that she was wearing our jeans. It was amazing so, it has that

really good effect on sales and, you know, the awareness of our brand everywhere.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think what Meghan and Prince Harry are doing is well, we have this fame, how do we use it for the good.

STEWART: The big brands with big factories often production is fairly simple, but for smaller business like this where one pair of hands makes

one pair of jeans, it's not so easy. Apart from this big even I can't --

If you want a pair, you're going to have to wait until mid-March. There is some 75 process that's involved in making each pair and it takes an hour

and 10 minutes. Meghan Markle has put Hiut Denim on the map, a boost to business here and for the craftsmanship of Cardigan's resilient artists.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

STEWART: And I can tell you that today she was wearing tartan coat, very appropriate for Scotland, which was by Burberry and a Scottish brand

handbag by Strathberry. That's the second time she's wore that brand, which was relatively unknown before she wore it and then became a sellout

success, Lynda.

KINKADE: Yes, no doubt that jacket will continue to sell. And I understand that she has been meeting privately with some charity as she tries to

figure out which ones she wants to support.

STEWART: Yes, she's clearly making a big move towards going to (INAUDIBLE) with Prince Harry and she seems to carry this focusing what Prince Harry is

interested which is not to loose charities. So they did that in Cardiff, they're doing that today in Edinburgh. They finished their trip at

Hollywood Palace where they were meeting a lot of young Scots celebrating initiative for Scottish young achievements, Lynda.

KINKADE: Fantastic. All right, Ana Stewart, good to have you with us. Thanks so much.

Today's parting shot, a presidential celebration of African-American arts. On Monday the Smithsonian revealed two very different portraits of two peas

and a pod -- the Obama's of course. Take a look at those Barack and Michelle Obama. They picked their own artist for their self-portraits and

later Barack revealed that he negotiated less gray hair and smaller ears with his artist Kehinde Wiley, but to no avail. And these words from

Michelle Obama painted a powerful picture.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MICHELLE OBAMA, FORMER FIRST LADY: I'm also thinking about all of the young people particularly girls and girls of color who in years ahead will

come to this place and they will look up and they will see an image of someone who looks like them hanging on the wall of this great American

institution.

(APPLAUSE)

And I know the kind of impact that will have on their lives because I was one of those girls. And when I think about those --

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KINKADE: Some wonderful words there by the former First Lady Michelle Obama. Well, art is everywhere and our Facebook page is our own little

gallery of the latest world news and our exclusive reporting from politics

[10:55:00] to the Olympics and of course everything in between. We've got it all covered for you, that's at facebook.com/cnn. And of course you can

always follow us on Twitter as well, I'm @LyndaKinkade. And I am Lynda Kinkade. That was "Connect the World." Thank so much for watching.

[11:00:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

END