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U.S. Diplomat Directly Ties Trump to Ukraine Quid Pro Quo; Trump Says Senator Mitch McConnell Said his Ukraine Call was Innocent; McConnell Says He Didn't Recall Taking to Trump About Ukraine Call; Russian Military Moves Into Northern Syria as Russian/Turkish Deal Takes Effect; 39 Bodies Found Inside Truck in Southeast England; EU Leaders Considering U.K.'s Request for Delay; U.K. Prime Minister Loses Crucial Vote to Fast-Track Brexit Bill; Lebanon Protesters Block Roads and Demand Reforms; Navarro Cites Nonexistent Expert in Books; China Slams Trump Trade Adviser's Credibility. Aired 10-11a ET

Aired October 23, 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]

BECKY ANDERSON, CNN HOST: This hour, explosive testimony from the top U.S. diplomat in Ukraine. But is it the smoking gun that the Democrats are

looking for?

Plus --

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RECEP TAYYIP ERDOGAN, TURKISH PRESIDENT (through translator): YPG and the terrorists will be removed out of the area beyond the 30 kilometers.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: Turkey and Russia strike a deal over what happens next in northern Syria. And the message could not be clearer. Russia is in.

America is out.

And the Brexit ball is back in Brussels's court after Britain's Prime Minister loses a key vote.

And this hour, a gruesome discovery in the back of a truck container in Essex in southeastern England. CNN on the ground with the very latest for

you.

It's 6:00 p.m. in Abu Dhabi, 3:00 in the afternoon in London and it is 10:00 in the morning in D.C. I'm Becky Anderson. Hello and welcome to

what is our expanded edition of CONNECT THE WORLD.

And I want to start in Washington for you in what is being described as a pivotal and dramatic day of testimony in the impeachment inquiry against

the U.S. President. On Tuesday, the top U.S. diplomat in Ukraine, Bill Taylor, gave the most explosive evidence yet of a quid pro quo between

Donald Trump and the Ukrainian President. Here is a bit of what he said in closed door testimony on Capitol Hill. And I quote here.

By mid-July, it was becoming clearer to me that the meeting President Zelensky wanted was conditioned on the investigations of Burisma and

alleged Ukrainian interference in the 2016 U.S. elections. It was also clear that this condition was driven by the irregular policy channel I had

come to understand was guided by Mr. Giuliani.

Well, that is a huge blow to Mr. Trump's impeach defense and a direct contradiction to what he and his supporters have repeatedly said in the

past.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: There was no quid pro.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Just turned into a full-blown threat. A full-blown quid pro quo, and I just don't see it.

TRUMP: And there was never any quid pro quo.

RUDY GIULIANI, DONALD TRUMP'S PERSONAL ATTORNEY: There's no quid pro quo.

TRUMP: No quid pro quo.

TRUMP: There is no quo pro.

TRUMP: There is no quo pro.

TRUMP: There is no quo pro.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: Well, the White House says Taylor's testimony, nothing but a smear campaign by House Democrats. Let's kick this off with Suzanne

Malveaux who has the very latest from Washington for you.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Bill Taylor sending shockwaves through Capitol Hill telling Congress multiple

administration officials informed him that President Trump personally blocked military aid unless Ukraine agreed to announce investigations into

the Bidens and the 2016 U.S. election. Sources say those inside audibly gasped and sighed, just from the top U.S. diplomat to Ukraine's opening

statement.

REP. ANDY LEVIN (D-MI): In my ten short months in Congress, this is the -- my most disturbing day in Congress so far.

MALVEAUX: Taylor providing a clearer timeline of events based on copious notes he kept of his communications. Saying he shared those notes with the

State Department, which is refusing to give them to Congressional investigators.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He's filling in some gaps. He's sharing with us in a pretty candid way, and you know, his experience.

MALVEAUX: The 50-year career diplomat detailing a conversation with U.S. Ambassador to the European Union, Gordon Sondland. Who he says told him

everything was dependent on such an announcement, including security assistance. Adding, he said that President Trump wanted President Zelensky

in a public box by making a public statement about ordering such investigations.

Taylor telling Congress, he disagreed with the tactic but Sondland repeatedly tried to explain the President's intent. According to Taylor,

Sondland told him, when a businessman is about to sign a check to someone who owes him something, the businessman asks that person to pay up before

signing the check.

The next day, the diplomat raised concern in a text message exchange with Sondland writing, I think it's crazy to withhold security assistance for

help with a political campaign. After speaking with President Trump, Sondland stressed, that was not the case.

Texting, I believe you're incorrect about President Trump's intentions. The President has been crystal clear. No quid pro quos of any kind.

[10:05:00]

The White House quickly attempting to discredit Taylor and the impeachment inquiry saying, this is a coordinated smear campaign from far-left

lawmakers and radical unelected bureaucrats raging war on the constitution. There was no quid pro quo. Trump's Republican allies doing the same.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He's been in there for ten hours. I can assure you there was no quid pro quo.

MALVEAUX: But House Democrats are adamant Taylor's testimony directly links the President to a quid pro quo.

REP. KAREN BASS (D-CA): You can't just commit a crime and say that you didn't and then expect it to go away.

MALVEAUX: And applauding him for testifying against the Trump administration's wishes.

REP. RAJA KRISHNAMOORTHI (D-IL): He came forward again at risk of his career at expense to himself.

He had no incentive but to tell the truth and I believe that's what he did today.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ANDERSON: That was a report by Suzanne Malveaux, of course. Let's bring in CNN's Joe Johns at the White House. And I guess the big question at

this point -- well, there's two big questions really -- was this testimony the smoking gun? Perhaps more than that, how much more can or will

Republicans take?

JOE JOHNS, CNN SENIOR WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT: Well, the fact of the matter is the White House put out a statement after all of that. And the

upshot of it was that not only were they attacking the process in the House of Representatives, they were also attacking the individuals who have

testified calling them leakers. Suggesting these are unelected diplomats and so on. And that is what the White House wants Republicans on Capitol

Hill to say.

It doesn't matter as much in the House, of course, because Democrats have control of the House. But in the Senate, where the President's firewall

is, he has to count on Senate Republicans essentially to acquit him should he be impeached in the United States House of Representatives. So it's

very important for him to stay on the same page with Republicans.

But that hasn't always worked for him. One example of that, Becky, is the President recently essentially said the Senate Republican leader, Mitch

McConnell, had, in his view, given the President a vote of confidence about that partial transcript of this conversation with the President of Ukraine.

And when asked about it, McConnell made it clear that he wasn't on board with the President's characterization. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: I spoke to him about it, too. He read my phone call with the President of Ukraine, Mitch McConnell. He said that was the most innocent

phone call that I've read.

SEN. MITCH MCCONNELL (R-KY): I haven't had any conversations on that subject.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: So he was lying about that?

MCCONNELL: Yes, I don't recall any conversations with the President about that phone call.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

JOHNS: There is a reason why this matters because the United States Senate would have to essentially hold a trial on the charges that would be filed

if the President were impeached. And Senators see themselves essentially as a juror of 100 -- a jury of 100 persons, and that jury has to remain

impartial until all the evidence is in. So that is why Mr. McConnell would back off. A lot of atmospherics up on Capitol Hill as we proceed on the

flight path toward what appears to be impeachment -- Becky.

ANDERSON: Yes, busy times, sir. Joe Johns at the White House for you.

Well it appears the Ukraine scandal is not negatively affecting former Vice President Joe Biden. According to a new CNN poll, he has increased his

lead in the race for the 2020 U.S. Democratic Presidential nomination. The poll shows 34 percent of Democratic leaning voters support Biden. He is

getting big spikes in support among moderate and conservative Democrats. Ethnic minorities and older voters according to this poll.

Well the big story on Syria right now, Russia is in and America is out. Russian forces deploying to set up border patrols, almost the same type of

border patrols that the U.S. forces were doing before they withdrew. The new deal in place in northern Syria stops the bloodshed of a Turkish

incursion, at least for now, but it gives Kurdish fighters no choice but to retreat.

You can see Russian military police heading into Syria according to Russian media. The truck started advancing at noon local time, the minute this

deal took effect. The plan is for Russian and Syrian forces to form joint patrols along Syria's northern border and demand that Kurdish militia

withdrew 30 kilometers south further into Syria.

[10:10:00]

Turkish forces standing down, but they are not leaving. Turkey says they are still sweeping through the border zone ready to, quote, clear the

weapons and booby traps that have been left behind.

This is a big win for Syria and President Bashar al-Assad. It opens the door for the Syrian government to take control of a part of the country

where it had previously been shut out. Turkey obtains its goal of pushing Kurdish fighters back from its border. And Russia fills the void left by a

U.S. withdrawal. The losers, the Kurds.

But what is next for them? Joining me now, Jomana Karadsheh near the Turkish/Syrian border. Fred Pleitgen is in Sochi where the new Syria deal

was struck and Nick Paton Walsh is in Erbil in Iraq. Let me start with you, Nick, because you are in Erbil as we speak now. But you've been back

and forth between Iraq and Syria in that sort of corridor on the northern Syrian border. What are those that you have spoken to telling you about

what happens next?

NICK PATON WALSH, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, it's very hard to see exactly how the Syrian Kurds retain control of as much of the

territory as they would necessarily like under this new deal. And it does seem already that we are seeing Russian units moving further into the town

of Kobani. And a map that was release by Russian state media seems a just a number of outposts all along the Syrian/Turkish border.

Now that could potentially cause issues for some of the major supply routes the Syrian Kurds have coming into Iraq. They'll likely still be open to

some degree but it's a sea change in freedom of movement for the Syrian Kurds. It's probably the lesser of two evils, frankly, because they've

known for some time that the Syrian Kurds were going to let in the regime and the Russians to bolster their positions. But I'm not sure they

expected it to be done with acquiescence to Ankara.

And there's a further complication. Now on that map you just showed -- I wonder if we can bring it back up again. But the big red area that Turkey

controls, there is no buffer area to the south of that. That Turkish- controlled territory abuts straight into areas where Syrian Kurds currently live. And that's of course, a deep complication and lends to the fact that

the possibility of a war of attrition in the hours or days ahead maybe.

There are it seems incidents across the country now which suggest violence to continue to flare up. It's likely, I'm sure, that in the short term,

the Syrian regime and Russians will tamp things down. But we're not looking at a solution here. It seems this puts an end to the enduring

problem of where the Syrian Kurds feel is their home. And more importantly the town of Kobani, a Syrian Kurd stronghold is part of this area for the

Syrian Kurds to withdraw from -- a central part of it. It's right on the Turkish border.

So we are at some point going to eventually see the Turkish ambition to control all of that border and feel the Syrian Kurds pushed away from it,

run into the reality of Kobani. Remember, Syrian Kurds Forces -- yes, they are fighters, they wear uniforms but they often go home. They have

families in these populated areas, commissioned outside of the areas, Qamishli outside of the area. Perhaps a reflection of how complicated

it's going to be to ensure the major population centers have no Syrian Kurdish fighters in them.

I don't know how that's going to impact Kobani. But certainly I think the Syrian Kurds here having felt betrayed by the United States, have looked to

the Syrian regime for backing, found Russia has come in and probably saw this deal and felt betrayed again, frankly. They probably expected it, but

this is not exactly good news for their position -- Becky.

ANDERSON: All right. Nick suggesting this is not good news for their position. Jomana, Turkey and Russia then, partners on the ground in a

country, lest we forget, that is not their own. Just explain, if you will, why this deal is a win for Turkey at this point. And how long that

partnership with Russia is expected to last?

JOMANA KARADSHEH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, you know, Becky, for Turkey, this is seen obviously as a big win. Their main aim is to push those

Syrian Kurdish fighters away from its borders, even if they had to accept something that, you know, wouldn't have been imaginable just a couple of

years ago for them to say they're OK with having the Assad regime back on their borders. And, you know, essentially, if you look at this agreement,

it means that it's inevitable right now that they're going to have to deal with the Assad regime and they are accepting it.

But for them, the biggest issue was having the YPG, having the Syrian Kurdish fighters on their doorstep. And it is seen as the biggest

existential threat for this country. So for them, this is a big win. And when it comes to Russia and their dealings with Russia, they have been on

opposing sides inside Syria when it comes to this conflict.

[10:15:00]

But they have had a working relationship. They have managed to reach various agreements and work with the Russians. Now at this point in time,

if you look at this agreement that is being described here as an historic agreement, the Russians have managed to give Turkey something that their

NATO ally, America, was not able to give them. You know, for months, the Americans and Turkey were negotiating a similar deal, a similar agreement.

This is far more comprehensive, but at the same time, you know, they got to the point where you had these joint American and Turkish patrols taking

place in parts of that designated safe zone.

And the last one of those patrols, Becky, took place just a day before the military operation began. And Turkish officials throughout were saying

that they were so frustrated with the United States. You know, initially they were blaming them for choosing that partnership with the Syrian Kurds

for arming them and then for not dealing with their NATO ally, Turkey's concerns here and they felt they were really dragging their feet. That

they were not really going to deliver on that agreement which left them, they say, no choice but to go ahead with that military operation.

And now, of course, they have at least found this partnership with Russia to try and basically get what they did not get from the Americans. Quite

an ironic situation right now but of course we'll have to wait and see how this all plays out -- Becky.

ANDERSON: Fred, so Russia helps Turkey push the Kurds away from Turkey's southern border with Russian boots on the ground. What's the end game here

for Moscow?

FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, look, I think for the Russians, the end game has been very clear. And I think the

Russians have been very clear about what they want to achieve in Syria. They are 100 percent backing Bashar al-Assad and his government. And to

them, what they've always said to them it's about the territorial integrity, as they put it, of Syria.

And one of the things that was quite interesting yesterday when reading that document, that memorandum of understanding between the Turks and the

Russians, one of the first articles in that memorandum of understanding said that both sides are committed to the territorial integrity of the

Syrian Arab Republic. That for the first time was the Turks essentially saying they're fine with Bashar al-Assad staying in power.

Now of course, Assad himself, he came out and he said, look, he wants all of Syria back. He, obviously, heavily criticizes Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the

President of Turkey. But for the Russians, that's the main thing. They want to make Bashar al-Assad stronger and they want the Syrian military and

Syrian government to exert influence in as many places in Syria as possible.

And one of the things that Nick was talking about is absolutely key to the Russians is getting the Syrian government forces back into those border

areas, into places that they haven't been in a very long time. Letting them put out outposts. And if you look at these patrols that are going to

be taking place. It's Russian military police and it's also Syrian border police that are going to conduct those patrols jointly. And that's also

something that's been very important to the Russians as well.

Now on top of that, of course, the Russians have shown that diplomatically, they can broker an agreement that pretty much all sides are happy with,

except, of course, the Syrian Kurds and the Americans as well. They managed to get a NATO ally on board. The Turks being that party. And,

really, managed to develop a strategic relationship also with the Turks as well. It's not only about Syria. It's also about the fact these two

countries now have big military cooperation that the Turks are buying military gear from the Russians. That the Turks are even thinking about

buying jet fighters from the Russians as well.

So the Russians really, with this agreement and generally with the way they've been conducting themselves in Syria, have made their position in

Syria, obviously, a lot stronger. Vladimir Putin by now, of course, the strongest player by far inside the Syrian territory, but then also in the

entire Middle East, the Russians becoming a lot stronger as well -- Becky.

ANDERSON: Fred, there's another player here and that is Iran. And I just want to allude to that with a statement from Turkey's foreign minister.

Who said that the United States' main reason for supporting Kurdish forces was that -- so that Iran couldn't gain a stronger foothold. Well, take a

look at this map showing Iran's possible land corridor where it can move weapons to its proxies throughout the Middle East. Fred, the U.S. has

moved out of the north end, but what about the south of the country? This is a big country. What can we expect to see happen there?

PLEITGEN: Well, the U.S. has said that it still wants to stay in the southern parts of Syria and still wants to maintain a force. I think it's

around the Al-Tanf area and of course in the oil fields as well. That's something that the U.S. has been saying. But of course, one of the big

concerns that America has had is the Iranians being able to bring military gear through Syria and possibly then threatening Israel in the west of the

country.

[10:20:00]

But that, once again, Becky, puts the Russians into play. Because Vladimir Putin is not only now a big ally of the Turks, of the Syrian government and

various other groups as well. He's also a big ally of the Israelis.

And one of the things that we saw, say, about a year and a half ago in the Syrian conflict is that there was a deal brokered essentially between the

Russians and the Israelis. Where the Israelis then stopped supporting certain groups in the west of Syria, and the Russians were able to move in

there with a fight but with a lot less of a fight than people thought. And the Russians essentially gave the Israelis the guarantee that they were

going to provide border security on Israel's border or in the Golan -- obviously, a disputed border in that area -- together with the Syrian

security forces.

The Russians have always said they're not going to be able to keep the Iranians out of Syria. The Russians are saying the Iranians are a partner.

They believe the Iranians were extremely important in fighting ISIS and, of course, fighting against a lot of other groups as well in the Syrian civil

war. But the Russians have very clearly told the Iranians they're certainly not on board with threatening Israel, and they have seemingly

told the Israelis that if the Israelis feel they need to take military action against Iranian targets inside Syria, the Russians, so far, have not

been interfering -- Becky.

ANDERSON: Fascinating to all of you. In Sochi, on the Turkish/Syrian border and in Erbil, thank you.

Well the bottom line here then, a political void never left empty for long. So as the American President unwinds his country's position, Russia, like

China, showing off their power and rolling into that vacuum. I'm going to do more on this top of the hour, 11:00 a.m. Eastern time, Washington time,

we are expecting to get a statement from the U.S. President on his Syria policy.

Police in southeastern England are investigating after 39 bodies were found inside a truck. They don't know where the victims were from, but they have

an idea where the truck originated. The latest from Essex is just ahead.

Plus, Boris Johnson now very unlikely to get the Brexit that he wants on October the 31st. And the EU weighing up whether to grant the U.K. another

extension. That Brexit saga continues. We have the very latest for you after this.

[10:25:00]

[COMMERCIAL BREAK]

[BEGIN VIDEO CLIP]

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE, BRITISH POLICE: At this stage, we have not identified where the victims are from or their identities. And we anticipate this

could be a lengthy process.

[END VIDEO CLIP]

ANDERSON: British police speaking just a short time ago. They have launched a murder investigation after 39 people were found dead in a truck

at an industrial park about 30 kilometers east of London.

[10:30:00]

One suspect, the driver of that truck, is in custody. Authorities believe the truck originated in Bulgaria and entered the U.K. through the Welsh

port of Holyhead over the weekend. The Bulgarian embassy says they are in touch with British authorities. CNN's Scott McLean live at that industrial

park where those bodies were found. What more do we know at this point -- Scott?

SCOTT MCLEAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Not a whole lot beyond what police have told us, Becky. This is a very heavy industrial area. You can actually

see the truck just behind this police barricade here. We were allowed through there an hour or so ago just to get a closer look.

But it is abundantly clear in just from talking to people who work in this area that even at 1:30 in the morning, a truck of that size would not have

raised any red flags. And what's interesting is police are only saying at this stage that it was the ambulance service that alerted to them to this

horrific scene, 39 people found in the back of the truck.

One industry expert says by the look of it, he believes that it's a refrigeration truck. Now police are not saying that this is human

trafficking or human smuggling. The Home Secretary Priti Patel has said that immigration authorities are working with police to investigate. But

the Prime Minister Boris Johnson went even further than that saying that he shares a strong desire now for the perpetrators of that crime and indeed

all those who engage in similar activity, because we know that this trade is going on, all such traders in human beings should be hunted down and

brought to justice. So the Prime Minister seems to be making the implication or jumping to the conclusion that this is likely human

trafficking or human smuggling of some variety -- Becky.

ANDERSON: Scott McLean on the scene. You can stay bang up to date on the very latest on that British investigation at CNN.com. Scott, appreciate

it. Thank you.

Well, the British Prime Minister spoke about the tragedy just a short time ago.

[BEGIN VIDEO CLIP]

BORIS JOHNSON, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: The whole House will be shocked by the appalling news that 39 bodies have been discovered in a lorry container

in Essex. This is an unimaginable tragedy and truly heartbreaking.

[END VIDEO CLIP]

ANDERSON: Well, the Brexit ball back in Brussels' court. It's over to the EU. A day and night of high drama in London leaves all eyes now on

Brussels as EU leaders mull whether to grant the U.K. a Brexit delay. Yes, it all sounds so familiar, doesn't it? This is after British Prime

Minister Boris Johnson failed to fast track his Brexit withdrawal agreement through Parliament effectively killing his dream of an October 31st

withdrawal.

Earlier, he faced questions and accusations from MPs in Parliament. But is claiming a victory in principle after lawmakers advanced a Brexit bill in

the House of Commons for the first time. Our international diplomatic editor, Nic Robertson, is outside Parliament. You win some, you lose some.

This seems to be the way of Boris Johnson's world these days. I mean, clearly the ball now back in the EU's court. It is very unlikely, isn't

it, that they would not now grant an extension. After all, it seems to me that the Europeans want this done as quickly as many in the U.K. do now.

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Yes, Becky, the sort of the debate at the moment appears to be what sort of extension, how long

should it be? Of course, Boris Johnson asked over the weekend as he was obligated to do by law. Asked for a three-month extension. But that

three-month extension itself that would obviously expire on the end of January 2020 could end sooner if the deal and all the agreements in

Parliament here and in the European Parliament get signed, sealed and delivered. Then the Brexit date moves forward to whenever that's

completed.

But you know the choice that seems to face Boris Johnson right now is, does he take what he got so far and allow a longer timeline? Rather, than the

three days he was giving Parliament, and this is something the opposition Labour Party has said to him again today. Look, we will work with you on a

longer time frame to do this. Or does the Prime Minister try to go for an election? And he can only go for an election when there's a support in

Parliament for that, and that will only come when the European Union gives the extension.

So you get the idea here of the cart and the horse. Boris Johnson is really waiting at the moment to hear what the European Union decides. And

then he can make its next decision.

[10:35:00]

I think a lot of people are expecting what we've been explaining for some time that we'll decide to go for an election, to roll the dice, that

outcome will be a better outcome for him.

ANDERSON: Fascinating. It's an outcome that many have said in is what, near 90 days as British Prime Minister has been something that he and his

team have been working towards. Not officially. But it does square with much of what we have heard. Nic, thank you.

Coming up on CONNECT THE WORLD, in Lebanon, thousands of protesters take to the streets to demand the resignation of that country's political elite.

More on that after this.

[COMMERCIAL BREAK]

ANDERSON: Beirut, Santiago, Barcelona, Hong Kong, all witnessing unrest. Their issues wide ranging but their message is the same. Leaders, hear us

roar. Time is up. And we are watching what many are describing as a revolution in the making as protests sweep through one of the most corrupt

countries in this part of the world. And that is Lebanon.

Take a look at the number of people getting out there. Hundreds of thousands protesting against the government for seven straight days. Now

blocking roads and waving flags, they are sick to death of being exploited by the political classes, they say. And they are still going on after the

Prime Minister laid out some ideas on Monday hoping to quiet them down, clearly to no avail. But this is Lebanon. And despite the boiling

frustration, there's a party vibe in place too. Take a look at this protest/rave.

[BEGIN VIDEO CLIP]

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Are you ready?

(MUSIC PLAYING)

[END VIDEO CLIP]

ANDERSON: Well, yes, those are incredible scenes and they are scenes of a protest. There is no one in a better place to help us understand what's

going on than our very own Ben Wedeman. He's been on the front lines of protest across the Middle East and beyond for years. Now witnessing tens

of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands in squares, on the streets, and this not just in Beirut, Ben. This is around the country as far as I

understand.

BEN WEDEMAN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, we are talking about perhaps more than a million people have come out in the streets.

Today the seventh straight day and it's from Tripoli in the north to Tyre in the south, Baalbek in the east. They are almost everywhere.

[10:40:00]

And what we've seen is the government, since these protests broke out on Thursday, has been scrambling, taking measures, hoping to calm the waters.

But these protests are not coming to an end any time soon.

[BEGIN VIDEOTAPE]

WEDEMAN (voice over): Whatever is on your mind, you can write it down on a long sheet of white paper stretching along the side of Beirut's Martyr's

Square. An initiative by the civil society group Beirut Madinati or Beirut is my city.

NAGHAM ABOUD, BEIRUT MADINATI CAMPAIGN: If the politicians don't want to hear us, they can see what is our demands today.

WEDEMAN: Monday the Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri went on television to insist he did hear the demands from Lebanon's increasingly restive streets.

Announcing a set of reforms designed to address the flagging economy and clamp down on official corruption. But that falls far short of what those

in the street are demanding. They want the entire political elite to go.

DAYNA AYASH, CIVIL SOCIETY ACTIVIST: The fact that you can come together now and say, yes, we can do these reforms only is proof of how corrupt you

really are because you never did them before. It just goes to show that you've had this power and you never exerted it, except to fill your own

pockets.

WEDEMAN: The gap between the ruling class and the rest of the population is becoming a yawning chasm.

GILBERT DOUMIT, CIVIL SOCIETY ACTIVIST: It's too late. It's too little. We're not going to take it and we don't trust them. Look at those people,

no one trusts they'll do anything.

RASHID QASIM, PROTESTER: We're done. We are fed up with this. We need reforms, real reforms.

WEDEMAN: Lebanon's October revolution has taken on a life of its own. Where public spaces have been reclaimed, a sense of community rekindled.

[END VIDEOTAPE]

WEDEMAN: And, really, all the action is in the streets these days. The country has come to a virtual standstill. This is the third day of a

general strike. Banks are closed. Schools and universities are closed. It seems almost everybody is in the streets at the moment -- Becky.

ANDERSON: Yes, and of course, Lebanese troops have been deployed across the country to keep the peace. But all those things the protesters are

angry about, Ben, the economic prices, the trouble with basic services. All that affects troops and, of course, their families, too. And there is

great affection for the army there as our viewers will see now. Stand by.

[BEGIN VIDEO CLIP]

(PROTESTERS TAKING PICTURES OF MILITARY AND CHANTING)

[END VIDEO CLIP]

ANDERSON: Ben, this puts these soldiers in a bit of a tight spot, doesn't it?

WEDEMAN: Yes, it does. And keep in mind that when the government several months ago was pondering what sort of austerity measures it could take --

those austerity measures of course have been shelved at the moment -- one of them was to cut the pensions of former soldiers. So people currently in

the military don't feel that they're in any sense immune from the government's arbitrary measures.

And what's interesting today is that Raya Hassan the Interior Minister said that apparently, she was asked to send in not the army but troops to start

breaking up these demonstrations and she flatly refused. So it doesn't appear that everyone within the government is opposed to what the people in

the street are demanding. So it's a fascinating situation -- Becky.

ANDERSON: Yes, Ben Wedeman is in Beirut for you. Always a pleasure, Ben, thank you.

You are watching CONNECT THE WORLD, folks. Up next, the White House trade adviser has been citing and expects to back up claims about China's threat

to the U.S. economy. The only problem is, he never existed. What Beijing has to say next.

[10:40:00]

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ANDERSON: Well, to Beijing's reaction to an awkward revelation about White House Trade Adviser Peter Navarro. Now China's Foreign Ministry is

slamming him for, get this, citing a nonexistent expert in at least six of his academic books to bolster his arguments about Beijing's threat to the

U.S. economy. Navarro has long had a hardline stance on China and he has championed U.S. tariffs on Beijing.

[BEGIN VIDEO CLIP]

HUA CHUNYING, CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESPERSON (through translator): I think this also reflects that certain people in the U.S. have tried all

methods without having any limits to suppress and tarnish China because of their own interests or political intentions. They fabricate and sell lies,

even make policies based on lies. This is not only ridiculous, but also dangerous.

[END VIDEO CLIP]

ANDERSON: Well, in a statement to CNN, Navarro admits he made up the character named Ron Vara -- an anagram of his own name -- for entertainment

value.

Meantime, China tied up in a spat with America's pro-basketball league, the NBA. The tension, you'll remember, began after the Houston Rockets General

Manager tweeted in support of Hong Kong protesters about a couple of weeks ago. Well, on last night's season-opening pregame show that aired on our

sister network in the states, TNT, basketball icon Shaquille O'Neal weighed in defending American free speech. Have a listen.

[BEGIN VIDEO CLIP]

SHAQUILLE O'NEAL, FORMER NBA PLAYER: China can't tell us what to do and we can't tell them what to do. That's the bottom line. We can send tweets.

We've got free speech. We can say what we want to say when we want to say it but --

[END VIDEO CLIP]

ANDERSON: Never been shy, Shaquille O'Neal. Amanda Davies in the house. Will this inflame tensions even more though, do you think?

AMANDA DAVIES, WORLD SPORTS: Well, it's certainly not going to help the issue, is it, Becky? If the NBA officials had been hoping that the action

getting under way for the new season was going to make this controversy go away, they really are going to be sadly disappointed. Things certainly not

showing any signs of calming down. We're actually going to be looking more at that issue, and the fact its advantage Clippers after their victory over

cross-city rivals the Lakers on Thursday night in "WORLD SPORT" in just a couple of minutes. Hope to see you then.

ANDERSON: Super. Thank you. Folks, taking a short break. Back after this.

[10:45:00]

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[10:55:05]

DAVIS: Well, Becky, certainly a very divisive controversial one that shows no signs of going away. Of course, Tuesday opening night action, plenty to

come over the next couple of days. The Rockets in action later in the week. But you know, just another example of who says sport and politics

don't mix? This one very, very difficult to extricate the two.

ANDERSON: Yes, it's always the way, isn't it? You always hope that politics stays out of sport unless you say this one is far from that one.

OK, we'll keep one eye on that. Thank you very much indeed. That's Amanda for you with "WORLD SPORT."

In the next few minutes, we are set to hear from the American President at the White House talking Syria as America moves out and Russia slips in.

We'll get what is sure to be a jam-packed hour for you just ahead.

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