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Erdogan and Putin Meet as Northern Syria Ceasefire Set to Expire; Boris Johnson Said, I'll Pull Brexit Deal if Timetable Doesn't Pass; Top U.S. Diplomat to Ukraine Testifies in Trump Probe; Trump Calls Investigation a "Lynching"; Trump Defends Troop Withdrawal Amid Kurdish Outrage; Interview with Rep. Tom Reed (R-NY), Defends Trump's Troop Withdrawal from Northern Syria; Protester Support Hong Kong at NBA Game. Aired 10-11a ET
Aired October 22, 2019 - 10:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[10:00:00]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BECKY ANDERSON, CNN HOST: Any minute now, we should hear from Russia and Turkey's Presidents on how they may want to reshape Syria as the end of a
five-day cease-fire looms.
Plus, a huge test in the British Parliament.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BORIS JOHNSON, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: If this House backs this legislation, if we ratify this new deal, which I believe is profoundly in
the interest of our whole United Kingdom and our European friends, we can get Brexit done and move our country on.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Britain's Prime Minister says he will pull his exit bill and put a general election in play if he doesn't win a crucial vote. Today the
next few hours in Parliament then set to be crucial.
Meanwhile, right now, on Capitol Hill in Washington, yet another former U.S. ambassador to the Ukraine appearing before Congress. This as the
investigation into President Trump's relationship with Ukraine balloons in size.
It's 6:00 p.m. in Abu Dhabi, 5:00 in the afternoon in Sochi, 10:00 in the morning in D.C. and it's 3:00 in London. I'm Becky Anderson. Hello, and
welcome to CONNECT THE WORLD. Well, we are following two major and fast- moving stories for you this hour.
In the British Parliament, the Prime Minister making a bold play saying if he doesn't win a vote in just a few hours, he could pull his Brexit bill,
as it's known, and possibly throw the U.K. into a general election.
And Russian President Vladimir Putin hosts the Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan with the clock ticking. Just hours left now until a cease-fire
expires and a break in fighting in northern Syria ends.
I promised you two big stories, and this is one of them. After days of debate and delays, Boris Johnson now trying to sell his Brexit plan to
Parliament before lawmakers vote on what is known as his Withdrawal Agreement bill. That is later on Tuesday. If they back that, they will
then be asked to vote on a lightning speed timetable and have just three days to consider it.
[10:05:00]
Many arguing that's not enough time. The Prime Minister says if they don't support a timetable, he will pull the bill entirely which could put a
general election firmly in play. Richard Quest outside Parliament in London. This and a major development in the last few minutes. What do we
know at this point?
RICHARD QUEST, CNN BUSINESS EDITOR-AT-LARGE: Well, well and truly into the plumbing of Brexit in the sense that this is the bill. This is the
Parliament behind is now getting ready to consider the massive 110-page legislation. But the Prime Minister says he wants that consideration done
in less than three days. And he says if you do not agree to debate and finalize this, in less than three days, then I'm pulling it and taking it
home and we'll see about what comes next. It's a major threat. It's a serious one.
And from the opposition's point of view, because there is no extension in place yet, it once again raises the specter of no-deal Brexit. Becky,
we're in very detailed, complicated areas, but I will say now that there is a real feeling here at Westminster that this is the meat and veg of it.
Where there is trench warfare taking place in the House of Commons with both sides literally going at it realizing this is probably the last
attempt they'll get.
ANDERSON: Right. Right, well I was wondering whether at this stage it's sort of all over as far as the British Prime Minister is concerned. But I
wonder if it is. If he were to call a general election, a snap election in -- at this stage, Richard, might that suit him?
QUEST: Well, first of all, you know, he does note -- he no longer has an election in his gift. You need two-thirds of the House to vote for an
election. And, of course, the opposition has said they won't. It depends when he calls it, Becky. If he was to call the election or try to get
Parliament to vote for an election tonight, he would fail because the extension to January for Brexit isn't in place. The feeling is Donald Tusk
offers him the extension, then they have an election.
But this is really detailed nitty-gritty stuff. The two sides are absolutely going at it today in Parliament. And the big votes are in about
four hours from now. In four hours, we will find out whether or not Brexit has been derailed once again.
ANDERSON: What sense that the British or U.K. population is as many of our viewers might feel weary of this entire process? There was a sense
certainly on what was slugged as super Saturday that ended up being sort of setback Saturday and the big vote or the potential vote at the weekend.
The Brits in the end just want to get on with this. Does that matter to lawmakers or not?
QUEST: It does because they just want to get on with it and get it over with anyway. But many senior politicians have -- and even clergy to some
extent have been saying, look, you may be weary. You may be sick and tired of it, but that's not reason to make a decision that will affect this
country's future for generations. Now that's very easy to say and difficult to do.
To answer your point, though, they have a phrase here, of course, the man on the trap of omnibus. It goes back to what does the reasonable man's
view. Well I can tell you, north, south, east, west, it doesn't matter where you are in this country, if you stop people on any omnibus or tram or
in any car, cafe or pub they will just say a plague on all the Houses. Get this thing done one way or the other and be done with it.
ANDERSON: Richard Quest outside the Houses of Parliament there. Back to you, Richard, later this hour. Thanks for that.
QUEST: Thank you.
ANDERSON: The American President wants to be focusing more on his foreign files like Syria and Iran. But there is one thing he claims that is
getting in the way and slowing him down. And that is the "I" word. Yes, it is a big day in the impeachment inquiry against President Donald Trump.
The acting U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine, Bill Taylor, is now testifying behind closed doors on Capitol Hill. Taylor was one of the officials whose
text messages were released by House Democrats earlier this month. In one he called the idea of withholding aid to Ukraine for political purposes,
quote, crazy.
[10:10:00]
It all comes as a new CNN poll shows that half of Americans now say Mr. Trump should be impeached and removed from office. But that same poll
shows his overall approval rating is holding steady.
CNN's Suzanne Malveaux following all of this for us from Washington. It is rather sort of odd when you see that polling. What we do know, though, is
this is another very big week on The Hill. Just walk us through what we can expect.
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN U.S. CORRESPONDENT: Sure, Becky. And we saw Bill Taylor. He is the acting U.S. ambassador to Ukraine arrive here on Capitol
Hill about 30 minutes ago. He is now behind closed doors before those key committees. Democrats are going to want to know a number of things from
him.
This is a career diplomat who came out of retirement to take the place of Marie Yovanovitch who was unceremoniously ousted from her position. And
he's behind a number of phone calls as well as text message chains, and he immediately seemed to get the sense that there was something very unusual
and something wrong that was taking place within the State Department and within this diplomatic effort regarding Ukraine.
He is in a number of conversations with the U.S. special envoy. Kurt Volker as well as the EU Ambassador Sondland. In those conversations, he
really pushes them to go ahead and admit or to acknowledge that this is unusual, that this is crazy, that this aid is being withhold and for what
reason? Democrats believe that he was perhaps trying to set up a paper trail, Becky, to actually put this evidence to writing and to present this
to somebody at a different time. Because he says, as I mentioned in our phone calls.
So they want to know, what are those phone calls? Who was he talking to? What did he know about the President's role, as well as the President's
attorney's role, Rudy Giuliani, in all of this in this shadowy second tier, parallel track of diplomacy regarding Ukraine and what were they getting
out of it.
The other thing, Becky, that you mentioned, of course, is the backdrop of all this is you've got the fighting contentious ugly words that are flying
between this President and lawmakers. The President tweeting this morning, telling Republicans, he says you can imagine the President without due
process or fairness or legal rights but all Republicans must remember that they are witnessing here a lynching. And those words, Becky, really
racially tinged, racially charged. A number of lawmakers coming out condemning those remarks.
This evoking a time when thousands of African-Americans were tortured and targeted by white mobs and hung on trees. And so there is a great deal of
emotion behind this as you can imagine. The President lashing out because of this very important key witness that is behind closed doors and so this
is, again, playing itself out in public as quietly and methodically these Democrats are building their case and taking more testimony and evidence
against him -- Becky.
ANDERSON: Suzanne Malveaux is on The Hill. Suzanne, always a pleasure. Thank you.
MALVEAUX: Thank you.
ANDERSON: Right, So as President Trump calls for Republican unity, I'll be speaking to one of the few Republicans who have backed Mr. Trump's troop
withdrawal from Syria. Tom Reed joining me live. That is just ahead. Plus, any moment now we are expecting to hear from the Russian President
Vladimir Putin and Turkey's Recep Tayyip Erdogan. All that coming up after this.
[10:15:00]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Welcome back. Let's connect you to our other big moving story here. You're watching CONNECT THE WORLD. And Russia's deepening foothold
in the Middle East on full display today. We're expecting to any minute now hear from Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkey's Recep Tayyip
Erdogan. That is the room, and the gathered press are ready. The two have been meeting in the Russian resort city of Sochi. Russia has been acting
as a go-between for Damascus and Ankara. Passing messages back and forth during the Turkish incursion into northern Syria. And a pause in the
fighting there is set to expire just hours from now.
Those images in Sochi in stark contrast to the pictures that we have seen recently of U.S. troops withdrawing from Syrian Kurdish towns being pelted
with vegetables and called rats by the locals as they head for Iraq.
President Trump says the U.S. isn't a world policing force and can't stay in the area forever. But are America's troops really coming home? Well we
know several hundred of them may stay in eastern Syria to protect oil fields and continue the fight against ISIS.
CNN's Fred Pleitgen is in Sochi for us covering the Putin/Erdogan meeting. Let's get to you. I know you're on the phone. You're in the room awaiting
this press conference. These two have now been talking for some time. And the fate, Fred, of Syria's border and the people who still live there in
the hands of what is, it seems, the Middle East region's new power broker. What can we expect?
FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (via phone): Well, I think you're absolutely right. First of all, I think you're
absolutely right, Becky, to say that Russia certainly is one of the main Middle Eastern power brokers now. And certainly now with the U.S. exit
from the northeastern part of Syria, certainly, by far, the most powerful nation in the Syrian conflict. And I think that you're going to see that
reflected in this meeting.
First of all, as we've been seeing, this meeting has gone on for longer than people think. And so, we do believe that there are substantial things
that these two leaders are going to be talking about. But in the end, right now, the fate of northeastern Syria, the fate also, of course, of the
Kurds who were abandoned by President Trump and the Trump administration now very much in the hands of Vladimir Putin.
Now from the Turkish side, what we've been hearing is they are going to want guarantees that there are not going to be armed Kurdish fighters in
the border area between Turkey and Syria. That's something that they're going to try to get a guarantee from, from Vladimir Putin.
Vladimir Putin, of course, Becky, as we've been talking really about over the past couple of years, 100 percent in the corner of Syrian leader Bashar
al Assad. What he wants is for Syrian forces to move into most of those border areas. As you know, they've already done that in certain areas.
They're up at the Turkish Syrian border. And they'll want to try to integrate some of these Kurdish fighters into the Syrian security forces
and essentially have the Syrian government forces, the Syrian military be the main force up there in northern Syria.
The Turks are going to want to keep some of that territory that they've already gotten their forces into. But right now, that's sort of the
balance that two nations are going to have to strike. The Turks are going to have their security concerns that they want addressed. The Russians are
very much gunning for the territorial integrity, as they call it, of Syria and obviously to have the Syrian government have its footprint and its
power up in that part of Syria.
Very difficult discussions it seems as though by us seeing how long these discussions have been going on. But, of course, Becky, we also know that
over the past couple of years, Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Vladimir Putin have struck up what can only be described as an exceptional relationship. If
you only look back only about -- it was about four years ago when the Turks shot down a Russian plane, to see where those relations are right now. So
it seems as though the two sides believe they can make a lot of headway on these issues. And possibly come up with something to make sure that
fighting doesn't erupt again as we see now. That cease-fire expiring today that was dealt out by Mike Pence -- Becky.
[10:20:00]
ANDERSON: A number of issues being discussed, one assumes, include these ISIS elements on the ground in Syria. There has been intense anger in
Kurdish-controlled cities in northern Syria as we know. People there accusing the U.S. of cowardice for President Trump's decision to withdraw
troops. The President defending his decision with what can be best described as fuzzy logic and facts. Have a listen to his comments from
Monday, if you will.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: They hated ISIS so they were fighting ISIS. But we never agreed -- where is an agreement that said we
have to stay in the Middle East for the rest of humanity, for the rest of civilization to protect the Kurds? It never said that. And we have
protected them. We've taken very good care of them. And I hope they're going to watch over ISIS.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Well, is the responsibility for the security of these ISIS elements, now Moscow's -- Fred.
PLEITGEN: Well I think in part, it certainly is. And I think that it's also one of the things that Vladimir Putin is also extremely concerned
about as well. One of the things that the Russians have sort of been messaging since that Turkish offensive started there in northeastern Syria,
is that Vladimir Putin's government does not necessarily believe that the Turks are up to the challenge of making sure that those ISIS prisoners that
are in jails up there guarded currently by the Kurds, at least most of them, that the Turkish government is going to be able to keep those ISIS
prisoners under lock.
The Russian President has come out and said that he is extremely concerned about potential Russian ISIS members and members of other armed groups as
well getting out of those prisons, possibly coming back to Russia. He's already instructed his own security services to keep an extra eye on that
and told other countries in the region that he believes they should do the same.
So that's also going to be, we believe, Becky, a major point that these two leaders are going to talk about. Is what are they going to do with the
ISIS prisoners. Are the Turks going to be securing those ISIS prisoners? How is that going to go? The Russians themselves also very concerned about
what happens there next.
It's highly questionable whether Russians would move in and themselves take control of some of that prisons? We don't necessarily see that happening
at this point but it's a big point of concern. And going to be very eager to see whether or not they can strike some sort of balance as far as that
issue is concerned and whether the Russians will be satisfied with what Recep Tayyip Erdogan is going to tell them and what exactly he plans to do
with those ISIS prisoners in the area the Turks have taken control of and the ones they maybe still want to take control of -- Becky.
ANDERSON: As the end of a crucial cease-fire looms in the next hours, we await the arrival on stage, as it were, of the Turkish and Russian
Presidents. What they say will have huge importance, significance and consequence for this, the Middle East region and beyond. So we'll keep one
eye on that as we get you back to London.
Because after days of debate and delays, Boris Johnson trying to sell his Brexit plan to Parliament before lawmakers vote on his new Withdrawal
Agreement bill later on Tuesday. If they back that, they will then be asked to vote on a lightning speed timetable and just three days to
consider it. Many arguing that is not enough time. The Prime Minister says if they don't support the timetable, he will pull the bill entirely
which could put a general election firmly in play. Richard Quest is outside Parliament in London -- Richard.
QUEST: Thank you, Becky. Obviously, we'll also keep an eye on what's happening with Putin and Erdogan and if that happens while we're talking,
we'll be right back there. Nic Robertson is with me here in Westminster. Nina dos Santos is in Brussels. Nic, first of all to you, the way this is
going to move over the next few hours.
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Yes, we've got about another three hours plus, plus of debate and discussion here and then it
goes to a vote, 7:00 p.m. local. And at that time we'll find out, does the government have support for the Withdrawal Act bill? And the answer
is, we believe probably yes. And it immediately goes to a program motion which is what they've been talking about that the government wants to race
this through and essentially in three days. A complex bill of historic proportions and the Prime Minister said, if you don't do that, then I'll
collapse the process.
QUEST: The Prime Minister will pull the bill and call for a general election. But there isn't an extension in place yet. Nina dos Santos,
what is the word out of Brussels on when they are thinking of granting an extension to January or whenever?
NINA DOS SANTOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, when it comes to the main leaders of the European Union, people like Donald Tusk, the European
Council, they'll be speaking in Strasbourg where the European Parliament is having one of its meetings today. And judging by what they had to say, it
seems as though Donald Tusk is urging EU countries to consider an extension.
[10:25:00]
The big question is, given what Boris Johnson has said today in the House of Commons, mainly that if this next vote that they're going to have
doesn't actually pass, he's going to cancel this Brexit bill and then push it to a general election. How long would that extension be? It would have
to be quite long to have something like a general election and that would mean they have to lean on the side of people like Germany who are more
amenable to a longer extension, rather than, for instance, France. The last time Emmanuel Macron spoke to Boris Johnson just over the weekend,
they both agreed a shorter extension would be better.
So the question is, how long will that extension eventually be? For the moment when it comes to ratification of the Brexit deal that Boris Johnson
brought back from Brussels last week, that, it seems, is on course until Westminster gets its back together --Richard.
QUEST: Nina, thank you. Keep watching when -- let's just come back to you quickly, Nic, for -- this is it, isn't it? There's a feeling that's
different about today.
ROBERTSON: Yes, because we know that there's going to be a straight up and down vote on Withdrawal Agreement bill which is in essence a "meaningful
vote" in anything but name.
QUEST: And then they, of course, would go on to discuss the minutia, the actual nuts and bolts. Becky, there you are. That's the way things are
looking in London. Things are moving forward, but as I say, it's good 2 1/2 to 3 hours before we get those two votes. They will give huge guidance
as to how this is going to go in the days and weeks ahead.
ANDERSON: Thank you, Richard. Richard is on Abington Green in London.
Well any moment we will -- well, we are certainly expecting to hear from the Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Turkish counterpart. Stay
with us for that.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Welcome back, you're watching CONNECT THE WORLD with me Beck Anderson.
Two huge stories causing President Trump major turmoil this hour. Russian President Putin replaces the United States as the Middle East power broker.
It's been going on for some time and it sort of feels like it's official now. Meeting with Turkish President Erdogan today as the hours tick down
to the end of the U.S.-brokered Syrian cease-fire.
Meanwhile, in Washington, a fuel continues to pour on what is now an impeachment bonfire. Another former ambassador to Ukraine testifies and
both headaches for the President. Mr. Trump called for Republican unity yesterday after many of his loyal allies criticized his Syria troop
withdrawal decision.
U.S. House Republican Tom Reed is one of the few to back it, and he joins me live now from Capitol Hill.
[10:30:00]
You believe that the U.S. President did the right thing in pulling U.S. troops from Syria, although it is really not clear whether those troops are
actually leaving Syria or not. But why did you support him on that decision?
REP. TOM REED (R-NY): Well, just as when President Obama asked me in Congress whether I supported boots on the ground in Syria and I opposed it
then. I opposed it now. I did not see a clear mission there for our men and women putting themselves in harm's way. And also fundamentally, we
never authorized those troops to be there. We never -- so there is a constitutional legal argument that I was compelled to say, I agree, bring
those troops back. Now we still have assets in the region, in the area and that are going to still be relevant to this conversation.
ANDERSON: Certainly the Kurds feel as if the U.S. has hung them out to dry. Does that bother you?
REED: Yes, I understand that concern. I recognize that concern. But when I have an obligation as an elected official to make sure that our men and
women in our military, when they are put in harm's way, that they have a clear mission and when their mission is completed, they should come home to
their families. I support that. Now that doesn't mean we abandon our friends, the Kurds, on the field. We're going to make sure we stand firm
and that we make sure that the world knows that we're still an influencer in that area of the world. And you cannot just go and slaughter hundreds
of thousands, tens of thousands of people because you no longer think we're there in your backyard.
ANDERSON: Well Mr. Trump isn't shy about his Middle East fatigue. Have a listen to what he said yesterday, sir.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: Where is an agreement that said we have to stay in the Middle East for the rest of humanity, for the rest of civilization to protect the
Kurds? It never said that. And we have protected them. We've taken very good care of them.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Well, he's left the Kurds but hasn't, sir, left the Middle East. Some troops even staying in Syria to guard oil while the rest move into
Iraq and recently 1,500 troops deployed to Saudi Arabia. Will this then be seen as the Middle East withdrawal? That being something that the U.S.
President campaigned on that never was.
REED: Well, I believe that what the President is doing exactly what I think many of us in America have asked for. Is that when we engage our men
and women in harm's way, and the military in particular, that we have a clear mission. And that when that mission is completed, we bring our
troops home.
But it doesn't mean we abandon our role in the Middle East and our influence in the Middle East. And again, we have assets there. We have
military assets. We have intelligence assets. We have air support. We are ready to strike if and when an imminent threat develops against our
national security interest.
And I think what the message needs to be sent to the Kurdish population, we're going to make sure this cease-fire and that their backs are protected
as the cease-fire takes hold.
ANDERSON: President Trump says that he doesn't believe or certainly the impression he gives is that he doesn't believe that ISIS is now a national
security threat. He has said time and time again what is going on 7,000 miles away, is not our problem. Do you buy that? Do you genuinely believe
that ISIS is no longer a threat to U.S. national security?
REED: I believe we made great strides in knocking down the ISIS threat. But with any ideology, especially extremism such as that demonstrated by
ISIS, you always have to be vigilant. You always have to be watching for this head to come back out of the sand or out of the hole and stick itself
up. And that is where taking on this ideology is going to mean we have to confront the ideology openly and honestly. And I will tell you, when you
do that and put the sunshine on them, I believe that ideology will not withstand the test of time. And we're as a nation, as well as the world,
that have to come together and say this type of ideology has to be held in check.
ANDERSON: Sir, the U.S. President's rhetoric is such that it really isn't a question of whether ISIS might come back. The rhetoric, many will say in
this region is quite frankly rekindling the flames at this point.
REED: I don't see it rekindling the flames. It's recognizing that when we engaged in the mission to take the ISIS threat down, we've been successful
to a great degree. But that doesn't mean tomorrow that threat doesn't erupt again. Is it ISIS today? Is it another organization tomorrow? You
always have to be vigilant to this extreme ideology and that's what many of us as elected officials in Congress are supporting.
But when we ask our men and women, just like any nation around the world, asks its men and women to go into harm's way we're going to make sure our
obligation to those men and women is first and foremost. Make sure they do the job and then come home to their families safe and sound.
ANDERSON: Again, I put it to you that this roiling narrative in this region is a concern that U.S. troops now in Saudi Arabia are there at the
behest of Riyadh and as Mr. Trump points out, quite basically that they're there because they're being paid for.
[10:35:00]
Paid mercenaries at this point?
REED: No, I disagree with that assessment, Becky. I mean, we're going to have assets, Saudi Arabia, other areas of the Middle East. We've had a
well-established forward operating facilities in order to make sure that the threat of the region is addressed when that threat becomes imminent and
erupts again. And so, those are longstanding authorized relationships with the U.S.
What we're talking -- what I'm talking about is when you get into a hostile war zone such as Syria, such as now this safe zone that will come as a
result of this cease-fire, you ask your men and women to go into harm's way, we need to have a mission, definition of success and when that success
is achieved, we come home. That is as simple as I can articulate it for you.
ANDERSON: Sir, did you anticipate the vacuum that was or is being left by the U.S. being filled by Russia as a significant power broker in this
region and are you comfortable with that?
REED: Yes, well, as you saw, when our Vice President, Mike Pence, and our Secretary of State went to the region, met with Turkey, we're still in that
arena. We're still in that room of influence. And I believe that is a role that we will continue to have, but it doesn't mean we're always going
to lead with our military might first and foremost. We're going to use all tools. Economic sanctions, economic tools in the toolbox, diplomacy,
diplomatic tools, and we're going to use those when appropriate in order to be an influencer in the area to bring stability to the region as best as we
can, as a nation that's concerned about that area.
ANDERSON: Good to have you on, sir. Always good to get your narrative. Thank you.
REED: Thank you so much, Becky.
ANDERSON: As the unrest continues in Lebanon, major political developments unfolding in its neighboring Israel. Prime Minister Netanyahu fails to
form a coalition government for the second time in less than a year. Next hour, my interview with the Arab Joint List's leader. Here is a preview
for you.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
AYMAN ODEH, LEADER, JOINT LIST OF ARAB PARTIES (through translator): Will say must reach every politician in Israel. Whomever incites against our
people in this way. We will be the ones to take him down.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Who takes charge next? We head to Israel to break that down for you.
First up, though, the latest in our "GLOBAL ENERGY CHALLENGE" series.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JOHN DEFTERIOS, CNN BUSINESS EMERGING MARKETS EDITOR (voice-over): The biggest power plant in the U.K., Drax was built nearly a half century ago
to burn coal. Looming large over the north Yorkshire landscape, change is in the air.
WILL GARDINER, CEO, DRAX GROUP: We've actually reduced our emissions I think probably fair to say by more than any other utility in the world.
And not by selling things, et cetera, but by really transforming the way we generate power.
DEFTERIOS: Once the biggest polluter in western Europe, Drax has converted 4 of its 6 coal-generating units to biomass and now produces 94 percent
renewable electricity. Biomass describes plant and agricultural matter that generates energy from the wood humans have burned for millennia to
modern re-inventions. Like Drax compressed sawdust pellets.
GARDINER: What we wanted to do was actually conserve the assets, the jobs and the livelihoods of the people here by moving away from coal to
something else. And so, biomass was a very sort of effective way to do that.
DEFTERIOS: While biomass has helped keep the lights on as the U.K. moves away from coal, the claim that burning biomass is carbon neutral, is a
divisive issue in the scientific community.
DR. RAPHAEL SLADE, SENIOR RESEARCH FELLOW, IMPERIAL COLLEGE LONDON: Whether that biomass as a fuel is carbon neutral, carbon beneficial or not
really depends on the time scale in which you would cut it.
DEFTERIOS: Time is the critical factor. Even if trees are replanted, some scientists estimate it can take a century for the carbon dioxide to be
reabsorbed into the atmosphere. Technology will be key to guarantee the place of renewable biomass in a low carbon economy. Drax is helping
pioneer a system to capture the carbon that the biomass emits on an industrial scale.
GARDINER: What we're doing here is we're capturing one ton of CO2 a day. And just to give you a sense of scale, this pipe is carrying enough flue
gas to capture one ton of CO2 per day. This very big pipe is carrying the flue gas from one biomass unit. If we captured all the CO2 from that gas
it would be 10,000 tons of CO2 a day or as much as 4 million tons of CO2 per year. And that's really what we're hoping to do by the middle of the
'20s or late '20s to have one biomass unit up and running with carbon capture and storage.
SLADE: The technology works but scaling it up and rolling it out and finding seen it is going to be really significant challenges.
DEFTERIOS: Biomass looks set to be part of the transition away from fossil fuels. But until we can make biomass with carbon capture sustainable at
scale, it's hard to see the wood for the trees. John Defterios, CNN.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
[10:40:00]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: In New York, pro-democracy protesters and basketball fans took to the stands to support Hong Kong protesters chanting "stand with Hong
Kong." At an NBA game over the weekend, many of them wore free-Tibet shirts or Winnie the Pooh costumes. This comes after a tweet in support of
Hong Kong protesters from the Houston Rockets general manager which United tension between the league and China a couple of weeks ago. "WORLD SPORT"
coming up after this short break. Stay with us.
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[10:45:00]
(WORLD SPORT)
AMANDA DAVIES, WORLD SPORT: That's just about it for myself and the WORLD SPORT team for now. Thanks for joining us. Becky, you don't need me to
remind you, I'm sure, also a big evening of Champions League football. Much-needed wins on the cards, Also, Spurs and Real Madrid fans are hoping.
[10:55:00]
ANDERSON: Yes, we're all hoping, all of us Real Madrid fans. No, I'm joking. Yes, I'm a Spurs fan, as you know. Amanda, thanks so much.
When we come back, we're following two big stories in the British Parliament. The Prime Minister makes a bold play saying if he doesn't win
a vote in just a few hours, he could pull his Brexit bill and probably throw the U.K. into a general election.
Any moment now we are expecting to hear from the Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Turkish counterpart. They, we are expecting, will have a key
update on Syria's future. That is the room cometh the hour. We'll be back in a couple of minutes.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: Where's the agreement that said we have to stay there for the rest of humanity, for the rest of civilization to protect the Kurds?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We didn't guarantee the Kurds safety for the next 1,000 years, but we absolutely told them we would protect them.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: All eyes on Sochi today. This is Vladimir Putin's favorite beachside resort where he brings his friends, so to speak.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The two leaders meeting just hours before the end of a fragile five-day pause in fighting in northern Syria.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Our operation of peace --
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANNOUNCER: Live from CNN Abu Dhabi, this is CONNECT THE WORLD with Becky Anderson.
ANDERSON: A very warm welcome to the show, live for you from Abu Dhabi where it is 6:00 -- sorry 7:00 in the evening. We're following two fast
moving stories for you. First, in Britain Boris Johnson tries to break the Brexit deadlock saying he may pull his deal if both don't go his way --
[11:00:00]
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