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Connect the World
Is Brexit A Deal Or No Deal?; North And South Korea Wrap Up Day Three of Their Summit; Moscow One Step Closer Towards Getting Back Into The Olympics. Aired 11-12p ET
Aired September 20, 2018 - 11:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[11:00:00]
BECKY ANDERSON, CNN HOST: Are we heading for a blind Brexit? With just six months to go before the big divorce, we had lukewarm words and warnings
at an informal summit. We are live in Salzburg with more for you this hour.
Also ahead, all smiles at the summit, but there's serious work ahead. The Korean's put on a united front. Details on that and in from the cold,
well, the World Anti-Doping Agency reinstates Russia after a ban, so fair play or foul? We're in Moscow and in London to find out.
You're watching Connect the World, I'm Becky Anderson. Hello and welcome. It is 7:00 o'clock in the evening.
Connecting tonight, an epic breakup, will they, won't they, deal or no deal? Right now, well, no deal, not even close, as we are sprinting head
first into Brexit, all of the E.U. leaders grabbing a bite to eat last night in an extravagant hall. Remember, they've been calling this an
informal get together.
On the menu, the hors d'oeuvres, deadlock. The main course, intransient, well, you can see where we're going with this. Amid all the schmoozing,
they couldn't order up an agreement, not even close. Not even expected. How far are they from one? Well, you could say 300 miles, 500 kilometers,
well kind of far, the length of this big sticking point.
The E.U. wants to keep Northern Ireland inside it's customs union, which really means dragging Britain's border from here to around here. To
Brussels, common sense, to London, well, unthinkable.
Connecting all this, CNN's Hadas Gold, on the ground right now by the fancy get together in Salzburg. So, Hadas, other than displaying an incredible
capacity to spend tax payer money, did anything actually get done?
HADAS GOLD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: No, and in fact, if European leaders were hoping that being in the birth place of Mozart would somehow bring some
harmony to this process, they were likely covering their ears today, because effectively, there was even more of a breakdown between the two
sides.
We didn't really get any progress on especially the question of the Irish border that you just referenced. In fact, the European Council, Donald
Tusk, said that the current plan that Theresa May has going forward, the Chequers plan, just will not work.
Here's what he said just a few minutes ago.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TUSK, EUROPEAN COUNCIL PRESIDENT: Everybody shared the view that while the further (ph) development in the Chequers proposal, these are just
a framework for economic cooperation (ph) will not work.
Mostly because it's undermining the single markets.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GOLD: I mean that's just not what -- it's probably not what Theresa May wants to hear right now. And, in fact, she spoke to reporters just a few
minutes after Tusk and she said that she still believes that her Chequers plan is the only credible proposal going forward, especially when it comes
with the Irish border and how to handle the frictionless flow of goods between the two of them while still maintaining the separation from the
European Union.
But, she did say that she will be coming forward with some new proposals for the Irish border. We are so running out of time and if things don't
come together by October, then Donald Tusk even said himself, and there's almost no point. Then it's pretty much just going to be no deal.
ANDERSON: No, they will be down to the wire. That's what negotiation is all about. Hadas, the British prime minister really getting flogged from
all sides isn't she? Let's have a listen to what the mayor of London has to say on this whole Brexit deal. Have a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SADIQ KHAN, MAYOR OF LONDON: This is really important, I'm not one of those advocating for rerun. I'm not (inaudible). What I'm saying is, for
the first time ever ...
UNKNOWN MALE: We need to (inaudible) referendum.
KHAN: ... the British public should have a say on the outcome of the negotiation, including what the Prime Minister negotiates with the E.U.,
plus the option of saving the E.U.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Well, you could argue that most remainers, and he is one of those, now wants a deal to give them the, well the chance, Hadas, to argue
for a vote, a people's vote as they're calling, if they cash out. That's a growing course for a vote on the deal at this point, is that the sense that
you are getting? Certainly -- I mean, certainly, the other E.U. leaders would love there to be a vote. They would love Britts to say, actually,
you know what, we really do want to stay in the E.U.
GOLD: Yes, I mean that would make life a lot easier, probably, for the European Union, however, despite some of the Prime Ministers were saying,
today and yesterday, that they wish that the U.K. would somehow allow a second referendum.
It seems as though, as long as Theresa May is in power, that's not going to happen. She said very clearly, multiple times, over these last two days,
that under he government there will never be another referendum because the people had already voted and this is what they voted for.
[11:05:00]
And now it's her job to see that through. Now, she might not be in power in the next few weeks. She does have her own party conference coming up.
And that's a big issue at play here, also, in terms of the summit. That's part of the reason why we haven't heard anything so firm is because a lot
of the leaders want to see Theresa May through her party's conference the next few weeks before they really get into the nitty gritty of the deal
which they hope to have together by October.
ANDERSON: Yes, better the devil (ph) you know, I think is the line here, than the devil you don't. And there are a number of people applying for
her job behind the scenes of course as the Tory party leader and - and - and they are big brexiteers.
I mean, these are people who really do not want to have very much to do with the E.U. going forward at all. Brexit, so far, has been very much,
all pain, no glory. And it, in a slightly perverse way, had - there is some all good news for the E.U.
One British paper today running this line that, quote, the whole Brexit process looks so agonizing that no other country would want to go through
it. And the E.U., of course, doesn't want anybody else to go through it. And this has been great marketing for their stay in campaign, right?
GOLD: Oh, yes. I mean, this has obviously been such a painful process and one we've been dealing with now for several years. And here we are, close
to the wire, and we don't seem to be getting anywhere closer. And, if anything, it's made life for the U.K. and for Theresa May incredibly
difficult as they're trying to negotiate through this.
Now, obviously things can change. As you said, as the negotiation things can come down to the wire and maybe things will all turn out for the best.
But it's very clear that the E.U. is showing its muscle here and saying, you can't just, somehow, win us over.
We're not going to acquiesce to whatever you want. We are a - 27 countries together. We're going to come up against you. And this isn't just going
to be some, sort of, easy negotiation. And that's why you are seeing this in (INAUDIBLE) because also Theresa May needs to show how strong she is
with, as you noted, the potential insurgency in her own party back in the U.K.
So, you have these two groups who really need to stand their ground, but eventually there's going to have to be compromise if there's going to be
any sort of deal - any sort of, at least, hope for a deal.
ANDERSON: Hadas Gold is in Salzburg. Theresa May is there. She won't be leaving that meeting anytime soon so that the other E.U. leaders can, well,
talk about it, and Britain (ph). Thank you.
In North Korea, a summit to cap off a summit, at the end of their three day gathering, the leaders of North and South Korea visited one of the
peninsula's most important cultural and geological sites. Standing at the top of Mount Paektu, the two men smiled, hands held high in the air. A
symbolic gesture mirroring what are these high hopes for peace following diplomacy over the past days.
South Korea's President says his North Korean (INAUDIBLE) gave him specific details on denuclearization plans, but the devil will be in those details
going forward. CNN's Will Ripley who has reported, extensively, from North Korea has more.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
WILL RIPLEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: There really couldn't be a more symbolic place for North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and South Korean President Moon
Jae-in to wrap up their three day summit than at the summit of Mount Paektu, considered the spiritual home of all Koreans from the North and
South, but a place that South Koreans have been unable to visit for many of years.
When South Koreans sing their national anthem, they sing about Mount Paektu. It's the very first line. Until the mountain crumbles, the song
goes, god will protect their country. But Mount Paektu isn't in their country. It's in North Korea, a place illegal to visit for most South
Koreans who can only hope to see it from the Chinese border.
That may be about to change. North Korean Leader Kim Jong-un and South Korean President Moon Jae-in standing together at a place deeply symbolic
to, both, North and South Korea, countries technically at war since before either leader was born.
The symbolic value of ending three days of peace meetings here cannot be understated. This active volcano is Korea's spiritual home. If the North
and South were still fighting over any place, it would likely be this place.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (THROUGH TRANSLATOR): Mount Paektu is the soul of Korea's revolution, the spirit of our people and our pride. We are members
of the great country of Paektu.
RIPLEY: I learned what Mount Paektu means to Koreans when I traveled there last year. All around me were pilgrims. Kim Jong-un's people are told the
water here is holy. This caldera is Heaven Lake, the centerpiece of a spectacular summit, a symbol of the nation's spirit and strength.
In April, Moon Jae-in took one small step over the military demarcation line hand in hand with Kim Jong-un. Now, Moon found himself standing in a
place that would've been impossible to visit just months ago, adding a new moment to the mythology of Mount Paektu.
[11:10:00]
Despite all of the symbolic and historic moments of the past few days, Moon Jae-in and Kim Jong-un know that in order for all of this to actually work
they need the support of The United States. Next week, on Monday President Moon will be flying to Washington to debrief President Trump and lay out
everything that Kim Jong-un told him.
Kim Jong-un has said he wants a second summit with Trump. Moon is acting as a mediator between the two right now trying to get stalled diplomacy
back on track. Will Ripley, CNN, Hong Kong.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Well, still to come, Puerto Rico one year after one of the deadliest storms in U.S. history. How the island has changed during its
fight to recover from Hurricane Maria. First though, the fight over U.S. President Donald Trump's Supreme Court pick, he said, she said, and what
the Senate Confirmation Committee says about sexual assault allegations against Brett Kavanaugh.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Welcome back. You're watching CNN. This is Connect the World. I'm Becky Anderson. It is 13 minutes past seven in the UAE. Republican
senators are giving a deadline of Friday morning, for the woman who is accusing U.S. Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of sexual assault, to
decide whether to tell them her story.
If not, Monday's scheduled hearing could be canceled and Kavanaugh's confirmation vote could happen midweek. Well, the attorney for Christine
Blasey Ford, seen here on the left, says, Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley is, unnecessarily, rushing things. Well, CNN White House
Correspondent Abby Phillip has the latest for you.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ABBY PHILLIP, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley setting an ultimatum for Judge Kavanaugh's accuser,
Professor Christine Blasey Ford, telling Democrats that Ford and her lawyer have until 10 a.m. tomorrow to let the committee know whether she will
testify at a hearing Monday about her sexual assault allegations, claims Kavanaugh denies.
SEN. CHUCK GRASSLEY (R), IOWA: We're not worried about anything other than just focusing, for the next few days, on encouraging her to come.
[11:15:00]
PHILLIP: Grassley rejecting Ford's call for an F.B.I. investigation, but giving her the option of a public or private hearing, and offering to send
his staff to California to speak with her directly.
Ford's attorneys responding in a statement to the media, writing, the committee as stated plan to move forward with a hearing that has only two
witnesses is not a fair or good faith investigation.
The rush to a hearing is unnecessary and contrary to the committee discovering the truth. Ford's lawyers also reiterating that Ford needs
time ton deal with ongoing threats.
LISA BANKS, CHRISTINE BLASEY FORD'S ATTORNEY: She has been dealing with hate mail, harassment, death threats. So she has been spending her time
trying to figure out how to put her life back together, how to protect herself and her family.
PHILLIP: Sources tell CNN that if Professor Ford chooses not to testify, the hearing will likely be scrapped. And a confirmation vote could occur
next week.
President Trump growing more vocal in his defense of Kavanaugh.
DONALD TRUMP, U.S. PRES.: He is such an outstanding me, very hard for me to imagine that anything happened.
PHILLIP: But also encouraging Ford to testify.
TRUMP: If she shows up, that would be wonderful. If she doesn't show up, that would be unfortunate.
PHILLIP: Ford's resistance prompting skepticism from some republicans who had initially called for a hearing.
SUSAN COLLINS, U.S. SENATOR: I don't think she can reject, having made all of these serious allegations, I don't think that she can reject all those
options. I think it's not fair to Judge Kavanaugh for her not to come forward and testify. Both of them need to testify under oath.
PHILLIP: Democrats accusing republicans of trying to rush Kavanaugh's confirmation before the midterm elections.
CHUCK SCHUMER, U.S. SENATOR: Leader McConnell delayed the filling of justice (inaudible) for ten months, and now they're saying we can't take an
additional few weeks to get a the truth at a serious allegation? What do (inaudible)?
PHILLIP: And throwing their support behind Ford's request for an investigation.
DOUG JONES, U.S. SENATOR: Dr. Ford is being reasonable. I think she needs to have the respect of h committee to let this play out.
UNKNOWN FEMALE: She keeps getting bullied by this committee, it's outrageous.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Well, that was Abby Phillip reporting for you.
Today marks one year since Hurricane Maria slammed the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico, killing nearly 3,000 people. The most powerful storm to hit
the island in 85 years, there's million without power, water or shelter and changed the island perhaps forever, only recovery is being painfully (ph)
slow.
CNN's Rafael Romo joins us now from the seaside town of (inaudible), where Maria made landfall as a category four hurricane and a year on then, what
are you seeing of how that recovery is going, Rafael?
RAFAEL ROMO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hey, Becky. I'm standing right here at the precise location where the hurricane made landfall as exactly a year
ago today. And you walk around and it looks like a normal beach but officials tell me that there used to be a 200 meter beach right here in
front of us.
So, the erosion that the hurricane caused is quite significant. All you see now is algae, and that tells you a lot about the problems that people
have seen here. It made landfall here as a category four hurricane with winds of up to 250 kilometers per hour, left the entire island of three
million people in darkness.
And still today, a year later, even though authorities say that they have restored power to all of the cities around the island, you see pockets here
and there where you still see people - you see them power generators because they don't have electricity just yet.
It's a situation that is going to take many may years for the island of Puerto Rico to g back to normal. But today at this very location, there
was a gathering of people to remember the victims. Becky, 2,975 people died during and in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria, one of the worst
natural disasters in the U.S. history, Becky.
ANDERSON: And when we think back to those awful awful days at the beginning when it was difficult to even get to those who needed help, it
was - it was infrastructure that always going to be go crucial to that recovery.
I specifically remember there being so little access by road to some many of those communities. What about the roads where you are now?
ROMO: Yes, that's a very good point, Becky. Just to give you an idea about how bad this situation was right after the hurricane. Out of the
16,700 miles of roads around the island of Puerto Rico, only 44 were passable roads.
[11:20:00]
Today the situation is much better. But you still see a lot of bridges, a lot of roads that are in bad shape. And the governor here - Governor
Rossello is asking the federal government for more money, $675 million worth because it's not only that.
It's also the people who have yet to rebuild their homes, also people still living under the now infamous blue tarps because they still don't have a
roof. But the realty is that people one way or another have found a way to go back to have some sense of normalcy and that's what we're seeing today,
Becky.
ANDERSON: The story in Puerto Rico a year on, CNN'S -- thank you. CNN's Leyla Santiago reported extensively from Puerto Rico at the time. A year
on, she revisits the island.
(BEGIN VIDEOCLIP)
LEYLA SANTIAGO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Clarissa Ramos has to do this. Every time it rains, neighbors in (inaudible) fill holes in the road to make what
Maria left passable, even if narrowly.
CLARISSA RAMOS, HURRICANE MARIA SURVIVOR: Because this the (ph) little road that we got. We just put dirt here. Look.
SANTIAGO: After Maria, Puerto Rico says only two percent of the island's roads were passable because of debris and landslides. But of course for
Clarissa, Hurricane Maria took away much more than a road. The storm stole her way of life.
You can't talk about Maria without shedding a tear. Why?
RAMOS: My first time I lived something like that.
SANTIAGO: It would take nine months for hundreds of families to have power restored, 11 months for the entire power grid. And some communities are
still on generators.
Ricardo Ramos was the CEO of Puerto Rico's power authority, PREPA when Maria struck the island.
RICARDO RAMOS, FORMER CEO OF PREPA: The storm was just too big.
SANTIAGO: You knew what was coming. I mean, I remember specifically you said our system is too weak to handle this. Why wasn't PREPA more prepared
if it knew how vulnerable the system was?
RAMOS: You don't fix in one day, you don't fix in one week. It takes ten years o fix the vulnerabilities that the PREPA system have.
SANTIAGO: Now in charge of PREPA, Jose Ortiz.
JOSE ORTIZ, CEO OF PREPA: It's going to take for to five months more to stabilize the system.
SANTIAGO: And if a storm comes tomorrow, he says they're ready. There are 32 contracts in place to bring people in. Why didn't Puerto Rico do that
for Maria?
ORTIZ: They did too late.
SANTIAGO: Too late for people like the (inaudible). His generator ran out of diesel in the middle of the night. The breathing machine he used shut
down. He died.
UNKNOWN FEMALE: We had illustrated (inaudible) he could be alive.
SANTIAGO: Nearly a year after the hurricane, Puerto Rico changed it's official death toll jumping from 64 to 2,975. A number president Trump
take issue with, tweeting 3,000 people did not die in the two hurricanes that hit Puerto Rico.
A change in death toll came months after CNN's investigation revealed the death poll was likely nine times what the government of Puerto Rico was
reporting. The latest death statistics are showing reasons for yet another concern.
This is Puerto Rico's 24 hour suicide hotline. 20 minutes after our arrival, a call comes in, a mother of two struggling with anxiety. She
tells the operator tropical storm Isaac is lauding too close.
So he says in one eight hour shift, he will take a call like that 30, 40 times. Callers reaching out for help with the trauma that lingers, loss of
a job, loss of a loved one, loss of a roof over their head.
(Inaudible) is one of at least 45,000 still depending on tarps in Puerto Rico. So were in her room, and I hear thunder.
(Speaking Foreign Language)
UNKNOWN FEMALE: (Speaking Foreign Language)
SANTIAGO: It tough because she thinks about what could be coming.
We last saw (inaudible) in the days after Maria. One year later, she acknowledged progress. But says she and the island have a long way to go.
(END VIDEOCLIP)
ANDERSON: Lelya Santiago reporting there and you can a full special report on Hurricane Maria and its aftermath this weekend. Storm of Controversy,
what really happened in Puerto Rico as this Friday at 10 PM Eastern Time in the United States, that is 6:00 AM Saturday here in Abu Dhabi, 10:00 am in
Hong Kong only on CNN.
[11:25:00] Lots more on this story on CNN.com. where you can now take a tour of the island with this interactive article, "Puerto Rico Then and
Now". You're watching CONNECT THE WORLD. I'm Becky Anderson, live from Abu Dhabi for your 25 plus seven here (ph).
Coming up, a major announcement with repercussions across the sporting world. We are in Moscow and in London for (ph) you up next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: If you're just joining us, you are more than welcome. It is about half past 7:00 here in the UAE. We are in Abu Dhabi, this is where
we broadcast from. This is our Middle Eastern hub and this is "CONNECT THE WORLD" Major news from the world of sports today. Moscow one step closer
towards getting back into the Olympics and other international competitions. Just a short time ago, the World Anti-Doping Agency voted to
reinstate Russia.
Now, Moscow, you'll remember, was suspended in 2015 following a damning report on state sanctioned doping, but many anti-doping advocates say well,
Russia simply hasn't done enough -- nearly enough to clear its name. We are covering this story as early we can. CNN'S Moscow Chance is in Moscow
-- CNN's Moscow Chance. I'm going to get my teeth back in, Matthew. Matthew Chance is in Moscow. What's the reaction there?
[11:30:00] MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN CORRESOPNDENT: Well, I mean, I understood what you meant, Becky. But the reaction here has been --
ANDERSON: Please. Help me out, Matthew (ph).
CHANCE: -- one of satisfaction and understandably, too. Understandably, too. I mean, Russia has essentially been reinstated back into -- backed by
WADA, the World Anti-Doping Agency, despite having not met either of the two conditions that were imposed upon it when the suspension was first
imposed. Firstly, that they admit that it engaged in a state sponsored program of doping. Russian officials have never admitted that.
They've always look, there may have been some officials involved, but, you know, it wasn't state sponsored. And secondly, to open up those labs in
which they orchestrated that doping program to international inspections, to provide them with the test results, access to the urine samples that are
still stored there. They've -- they've never done that either. But despite that, WADA has taken this deeply controversial decision now to
reinstate Russia back into the system, opening the doors for its athletes to compete once again on the international stage.
ANDERSON: Yes. Well, I'm sure Russia absolutely delighted. Matt, you've of course reported extensively on this issue. I just want our viewers to
get a sense of some of the work that you have done from several years ago. Stand by.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CHANCE: Do you know about the cheating that's been taking place here? Do you know anything about it? Do you want to talk to us about it at all from
CNN? You don't want to talk to us? All right, well the -- the employees at this lab are clearly being very tight-lipped, but the report from the
World Anti-Doping Agency goes into great detail describing the alleged activities inside that building.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: And what you're saying is -- what was clear was that this doping was systemic. Point being, here, Matthew, you're saying it is likely these
schemes will not have been dismantled, right?
CHANCE: Well, I mean, certainly that's the concern of the critics of this -- of this WADA decision. I mean, first of all, Russia didn't acknowledge
that it had a state-sponsored program in the first place. And so it's not clear what measures, if any, it instituted to make sure that didn't happen
again. And of course that big, glaring hole is the fact that they didn't allow the international inspectors into that lab to -- to test the results
(inaudible) they've already got there.
I mean look, this has been summed (ph) -- it's been criticized by all sorts of people. Athletes have criticized this, anti-doping bodies around the
world have criticized it, even the vice president of WADA itself was opposed to this decision to reinstate Russia. But it's the lawyer of
Grigory Rodchenkov who you may remember was the Russian whistleblower who used to head the -- that laboratory there we just saw in that report from
three years ago, used to head the lab.
He was in charge of the doping system. Apparently he's the whistleblower. He now lives in a federal witness protection program in the United States.
His lawyer said this. The decision to reinstate Russia is perhaps the greatest treachery against clean athletes in Olympic history. And I think
many people watching this will agree with those sentiments.
ANDERSON: Yes. It's quite remarkable. I want to bring in Christina Macfarlane who is covering this for us from London as well at this point.
Christina, just how significant is today's decision?
CHRISTINA MACFARLANE, SPORTS CORRECOPNDENT, CNN: Oh my goodness. I can't understate how significant it is, Becky. In the sports world, it's called
an unbelievable u-turn by the World Anti-Doping authority. It's just worth remembering and -- how we got here. You know, two years ago Russia were
found guilty of the biggest doping scandal in sporting history. And I just want to remind you of a few points of evidence that came out against them.
A thousand athletes across 30 sports were found to have doped over a period of 40 years, which included during the Sochi Olympics in 2014. This was
done by covert means such as swapping urine samples through a hole in the laboratory wall, tampering with those samples. And what it did, of course,
is it led to the ban of Russian athletes competing at this year's winter Olympics in PyeongChang.
They were forced there to compete as neutral athletes. But I think what is more controversial in the short term is some of the points that Matthew was
raising there, that in fact, Russia has been reinstated before they have met the criteria that was laid down by WADA in the first place. What you
may not know, Becky, is what is we found out earlier this week through a series of leaked letters between WADA and Russia's sports ministry, is that
they had actually compromised in order to get to the point where they could make this decision today.
So they compromised on two of the crucial sticking points that was laid out as part of that plan. And that is why when we heard today in the statement
from WADA that WADA will wait for ASADA to approach them with the data from the labs rather than WADA being given permission to go to those labs.
[11:35:00]
It really kind of raises the question is isn't this really the carrot coming before the stick, you know, why have WADA taken this decision now
and it is raising a lot of questions within the sporting community as to the integrity of the anti-doping fight moving forwards.
ANDERSON: This will be a new story, which is music to the ears, as it were of the Russian president. Matthew, finally.
CHANCE: Yes, well, I mean he's been - he's been quite closely associated with, you know, Russia's drive to become a sporting superpower.
He made kind of personal appeals to the Olympics back in 2014 to be brought to - to Sochi in southern Russia, the winter games. And - and he's very
much connected with it. Of course when we talk about a state sponsored program of doping and knowledge of that system going to the top echelons of
the Russian government, you know, we're talking about the potential of Vladimir Putin knowing about this and signing off on it.
Of course, something the Kremlin has categorically denied. But I also think what the Russians will be hoping is that this WADA decision will be a
step towards the rehabilitation of Russia, not just in the sporting arena, but in other areas too.
I mean it's the subject not just of sporting sanctions, but of international economic sanctions based - provoked by its annexation of
Crimea a couple of years ago, 2014. Its involvement in the conflict in Syria, its - its meddling in the U.S. political system, more recently it -
the allegations it was involved in sending Russian agents to Britain to try and kill the Skripals with Novichok poison.
All of this has provoked sanctions on Russia from the international community, and Russia has been defiant from the outset. And, you know,
this is how WADA has reacted by lifting their sanctions against Russia.
Russia hopes this will be followed - other players in the international community will follow suit.
ANDERSON: To both of you, thank you. Important story. Another one in the world of sports as well, football superstar Christiano Ronaldo was, well,
controversially given a red call on his first champion's league match.
(Inaudible) last night he was accused of pulling the hair of an opponent and was later seen crying as he left the field. In the end (inaudible) won
the match with Valencia two nil, but the red card means Ronaldo will miss at least one more match for (inaudible).
All right, let's get you up to speed then on some of the other stories that are on our radar right now and happening this hour, the catholic church
moving to deal with sexual abuse claims in New York.
A short time ago, Cardinal Timothy Dolan announced that the state archdiocese has appointed a special counsel and independent reviewer to
examine church policies and look at abuse allegations.
Now Dolan also promised the special counsel will have complete access to all diocese records and workers. The former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib
Razak has been slapped with 25 more corruption related charges.
(Inaudible) allegations he siphoned (ph) off $681 odd million from a public fund. Najib pleaded not guilty to each offense. Officials arrested him in
July, days after police seized millions in luxury handbags, jewelry and cash.
The handbags and jewelry mostly belonging to his wife. Ugandan pop star turned politician Bobi Wine returned to Uganda on Thursday and was properly
escorted by police to his home.
This is video of his supporters dancing outside that home. Wine, who has spoken out against the president, is being charged with treason after the
stoning (ph) of the president's convoy in August.
Israel is inaugurating its first ever high speed train, but the process to get here was, well, anything but speedy. The service promises to whisk you
from Jerusalem to Tel-Aviv in 30 minutes, a promise, well, 10 years in the making and still not quite finished.
CNN's Ian Lee takes us on board.
IAN LEE, CORRESPONDENT, CNN: Becky, this train is the largest transportation project in Israel, costing a whopping $2 billion. When you
get on board, you're stepping into the future alongside the past.
It'll be the quickest way for pilgrims to get to the holy city of Jerusalem or a businessman going to the tech hub of Tel-Aviv for a meeting. It's
also going to reduce the commute between the Mediterranean plains and the Judean hills, which usually takes about an hour to two to less than 30
minutes.
This project though has been delayed, it's 10 years behind schedule, officials blame bureaucratic problems that they've encountered.
[11:40:00]
But they hope to have 50,000 people riding this train a day at its peak. This project truly is immense. There's 14 kilometers of tunnels and
bridges like one we're traveling through right now, but it isn't without controversy.
This tunnel runs through the occupied West Bank. Something also that is interesting is that the train station in Jerusalem is one of the top five
deepest in the world and was built to withstand a nuclear blast.
And you won't be able to ride alongside me anytime soon as it's expected to be open to the public in the next few months. Becky.
ANDERSON: Well some breaking news to report for you. Taking place in the U.S. state of Maryland right now a gunman has killed three people and
injured two others at a drugstore distribution center.
People are now being asked to avoid the area, no word yet on the gunman. More on that of course as we get it. You're watching CONNECT THE WORLD,
I'm Becky Anderson, coming up there is a real stickler for grammar in the Trump administration and it's not the president.
We'll get a lesson on commas after this break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
Well if this global conflict weren't enough for the U.S. secretary of state, Mike Pompeo has declared war on commas. That's right, America's top
diplomat is a stickler for grammar it seems and he's making sure everybody knows about it.
CNN's Michelle Kosinski has more.
MICHELLE KOSINSKI, SENIOR DIPLOMATIC CORRESPONDENT, CNN: That is correct, there is a persistent problem deep within the State Department, throughout
this vast space and it is the improper use of commas.
So everybody has their grammar pet peeves and apparently this is Secretary Pompeo's. And now we know within the last few months two e-mails have gone
out on this subject, sent wide throughout the State Department, trying to get people back on track.
The last one just went out a couple of days ago and it said the secretary has underscored the need for appropriate use of commas in his paper, both
their inclusion and omission. And it goes on to list 10 different extremely detailed examples with explanations.
We'll give you a few. We activated the alarm, comma, but the intruder was already inside, that is correct. As I'm sure you already knew, that's
because those are independent clauses with separate subjects joined by a conjunction.
How about this, the wartime rations included cabbage, comma, turnips, comma, and bread.
Well that last comma is known as the Oxford comma. It is hotly debated among grammar types but get's a thumbs up here at State. And how about
this one. He stood up and opened his mouth, comma, but failed to remember his question. That is wrong. Because, as I know you were about to shout
out, that is a single subject. It's just the predicate that is compound.
So you can test your knowledge there. Depending on the level of grammar geekery among people here, some felt this was a good thing, that it's a
relief this problem is finally being dealt with head-on. Others just laughed, rolled their eyes and then forwarded us this e-mail. But if only
Secretary Pompe would use his grammar prowess to share this knowledge with maybe some others, maybe within his administration.
Wouldn't that be hashtag swagger. Michele Kosinski, CNN, the State Department.
ANDERSON: Well I can almost guarantee that Mike Pompeo would absolutely hate our next story. A Hong Kong based airline takes its massive typo to
new heights and turns of big goof into social media gold. Jeanne Moos has got (ph) the story for you.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JEANNE MOOS, NATIONAL NEWS CORRESPONDENT, CNN: This is one way for an airline to increase its name recognition -- misspell your own name.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: At Cafe Pacific, the world is at our finger tips.
MOOS: But pagers (ph) apparently didn't have an "F" at their fingertips, resulting in Cafe Paciic instead of Pacific. Cafe Pacific tweeted the
mistake saying, oops this special livery won't last long. She's going back to the shop.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Celebrating the new colors of Cafe Pacific.
MOOS: The internet celebrated the mistake. Welcome to the new cafe, where we give no "F." Someone inserted the "F" with the notation, "fixed it".
While yet another concluded, "If an airline is going to make a mistake, let it always be on the paint job". The Hong Kong-based airline likes to
explain who we are. You're the ones whose painters need to go back to school, as it's been misspelled in various school zones.
Sure there are bungled traffic signs and even tattoos, "else" with too many Es, and remember the time the Mitt Romney campaign spelled --
MITT ROMNEY, FORMER GOVERNOR, MASSACHUSSETS: America --
MOOS: -- wrong? Try pronouncing this.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Amercia (ph).
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Amercia (ph).
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Wow. Who is the genius?
MOOS: Probably not the same genius who turned --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Cafe Pacific --
MOOS: -- into Cafe Paciic. As someone tweeted, "I guess no one gives a flying 'F' these days". Jeanne Moos, CNN, New York. You're watching
CONNECT THE WORLD live from Abu Dhabi. Coming up, amazing images that also, well, pretty scary. We are off to the site (ph) of a dramatic
glacier. With a glacier break (ph), I'm going to tell you how it could impact the entire planet.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
Right, we're off to London's Hyde Park now, which is - well it's played (ph) host to a highly unusual guest this summer, a huge pyramid like
structure inspired by what could end up being the world's largest sculpture right here in Abu Dhabi in the UAE.
I've got a close up, have a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
First used as a hunting ground by Henry VIII in the 1500's, today London's Hyde Park is a sanctuary for many, offering an escape from the hustle and
bustle of the British capital. While it's beautiful landscapes have changed over the years, it's never seen anything quite like this before.
A giant floating instillation by Bulgarian born artist Christo. This is The London Mustaba, Christo's first public work in this city. It's 20
meters high, made up of some 7,000 oil barrels and one of a number of these structures that the artist has proposed for international sites.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He's completely kind of changed our perception of this lake, playing with scale, monumentality, and what's quite beautiful is
it's very temporary and then it will disappear and will remain in our memory.
ANDERSON: The project, which has completely transformed the Serpentine Lake since the beginning of the summer, draws inspiration from an idea
that's been on Christo's mind for decades.
It was during a visit to the then newly formed UAE in the 1970's. Then (ph) Christo and his late wife and collaborator Jeanne-Claude who died
almost a decade ago first came up with the idea to build a mastaba in the leeward desert, which have realized would be some 50 times larger than the
London project, making it the largest sculpture in the world.
This is a model of the Abu Dhabi project, from these little fellows, men and women down here, you can see the monumental scale. Standing 150 meters
high, it would be Chritso's only permanent sculpture, consisting of almost half a million multicolored barrels forming a pyramid like structure, a
mosaic of bright sparkling colors, echoing Islamic architecture.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This is their most important project. Jeanne-Claude was born in Casablanca, she grew up in Tunisia, so for her there was a
great kind of love for this project.
ANDERSON: A love Christo wants to see fulfilled in what could be his final chapter.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
New parting (ph) shot tonight, some truly stunning video. No secret that sea levels are rising and one of the main reasons is melting glaciers.
Well in June, an enormous chunk of ice the size of Manhattan, the size of Manhattan, just consider that, break away from the Helheim Glacier in
Greenland and slipping into the ocean.
And now we've got the videos, CNN meteorologist Jennifer Gray reports.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JENNIFER GRAY, METEOROLOGIST, CNN: A rarely seen event, newly released timelapsed video shows about 10 billion tons of ice collapsing into the
ocean. A frozen chunk the size of much of Manhattan breaking away from the Helheim Glacier in Greenland.
Often caused by warming oceans, it's a process called calving and it's happening on a massive scale.
DAVID HOLLAND, OCEANOGRAPHER, NYU: During that event we saw ice break off from the land, grounded on land, and fall into the ocean. At that moment,
that is sea level rise, that is ice going into the ocean, raising - albeit very slightly, global sea level.
I think it's supposed to do it itself.
GRAY: Oceanographer David Holland has been studying glaciers for 12 years. He says the June event was the largest he had ever witnessed, an enormous
chunk removing itself from the ice sheet in less than 30 minutes.
HOLLAND: It's the accumulation of many events like that that can lead to a large significant global sea level of many feet perhaps in a century.
GRAY: While rising seas threaten low lying areas, just how much isn't yet clear. As part of NASAs Oceans Melting Greenland project, Holland and his
team are working to improve sea level rise projections.
He and other scientists worry that calving like this, while magnificent, could spout disaster.
HOLLAND: We in the science community are going to have to come to grips with how does this happen, why does it happen. Right now that knowledge is
lacking and by studying this glacier, we will come to a better understanding of calving and ultimately a better understanding of how
future sea level around the world will look.
GRAY: Jennifer Gray, CNN.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: All those stories (ph) the team here is working on throughout the day can be found online, of course. Check out our Facebook page. It's
Facebook.com/CNNconnect. Let us know what we're not doing that you'd like us to do. Before we go, we leave you with a great granny who really knows
how to hold a grudge. This will be on the Facebook site soon. Judy Cochran, perhaps soon to be known as the terminator, hunting this almost
300 kilo, 12 foot monster alligator for three long years.
Why? Well, the feud started when Judy believes the giant crock crawled on to land and ate one of her miniature horses. Here is how it all ended.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JUDY COCHRAN: One shot in the head and he just went under. Typically they'll do a -- what they call a death roll and just roll over and over.
Well this one didn't.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: I'm Becky Anderson. That was CONNECT THE WORLD. Thank you for watching.
END
