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Deadly Fire Rage Amid Record-Breaking Heatwave; Modi Says Citizenship Law Not Anti-Muslim; President Ghani On Track To Win A Second Term; U.S. Diplomat's Wife Charged In Death Of British Teen; Trafficked Women Share Their Traumatic Journey To The U.K.; President Falsely Claims Impeachment Is Unconstitutional; What To Expect In The Senate Impeachment Trial; Former Trump Press Secretary May Run For Governor. Aired 10-11a ET
Aired December 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)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SCOTT MORRISON, PRIME MINISTER, AUSTRALIA: I've obviously returned from leave and I know that that has caused some great anxiety in Australia.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LYNDA KINKADE, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: Australia's Prime Minister returns as the bush fire death toll rises. Also, India's Prime Minister
squashes the idea that he's controversial citizenship bill is anti-Muslim and --
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What's was a very dry region and area is now lush with the green vegetation just before Christmas.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KINKADE: How funding and nurturing Kenya's fragile ecosystem. And it is the season for everyone's favorite Christmas card. The British Royals bake
up a storm. We're going to have that story as well. Hello and welcome to CONNECT THE WORLD, I'm Linda Kinkade in Atlanta filling in for Becky
Addison. Good to have you with us.
Well, at least nine Australian families will wake up this Christmas without their loved one. Authorities say that that is the latest death toll from
the nationwide bush fires that have ravaged the country since September. Nearly 800 homes have been destroyed and Sydney is disappearing under a
blanket of smog from the nearby fires. Environmental officials say breathing in the city's air is like smoking more than 30 cigarettes a day.
One of the many symptoms of the devastation that shows no signs of slowing down.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KINKADE: Hundreds of actions bush fires are raging across Australia after a record-breaking heatwave. The unprecedented number of fires is already
been millions of acres destroyed hundreds of homes all over the country. Experts saying rain is desperately needed. But in some areas, rainfall has
not fallen in over a year, and it's not expected for months.
The blazes are exacerbated by rising temperatures surpassing 40 degrees Celsius, wind and of course the historic droughts. The conditions have
created the highest level of danger in recent days according to local authorities.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I feel extremely worried for the whole of (INAUDIBLE). The danger is extreme. I'm very afraid for all of us.
KINKADE: There are hotspots in every state, but in the southern parts of New South Wales and Victoria, the situation is desperate with over 100
active fires in each area.
COREY CHARTES, RESIDENT, BARGO: Everyone's offering to help, but there's nothing that you can do for us now. Just stay out, stay safe, and we hope
that the firemen can do their job.
KINKADE: But the firefighters, many of them volunteers are getting tired.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I can't just keep going day after day after day after day, but we have to at this stage.
KINKADE: They say it's time for the government to act.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They've got to come up with solutions for these problems, climate, climate fires, drought, farmers. That's their job.
That's what we vote them to do, their position in government to sort this out, to come up with solutions.
KINKADE: Two firefighters died earlier this week when a vehicle hit a tree and rolled off the road during a firefighting operation. It prompted Prime
Minister Scott Morrison to announces returned from a much-criticized holiday in Hawaii, while expressing regret for his ill-timed trip.
MORRISON: I have obviously returned from leave and I know that that has caused some great anxiety in Australia.
KINKADE: Critics blame their prime minister his inaction on climate change, something Morrison has denied in recent weeks. During his absence,
Acting Prime Minister Michael McCormack also recognize that further action is needed, but added that a lot of hysteria about climate change is also
part of the problem linking bushfires to other causes.
MORRISON: It has always been the case. Our government is always and I have always acknowledged the connection between these weather events and
these broader fire events and the impacts globally of climate change. I'm sure people equally would acknowledge that the direct connection to any
single fire event. It's not a credible -- we must take action on climate change.
KINKADE: In the meantime, authorities are asking residents in New South Wales to be wary and stay away from the danger zone. The fines they say
will continue throughout the holidays.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KINKADE: Well, authority says some of the fines is so big they're generating their own thunderstorms. Witness captured this video of one
fire climbing up the side of a mountain. He told Reuters that they were told to evacuate but decided to stay behind help fight the fires. That, of
course, is on the outskirts of New South Wales. Our correspondent Simon Cullen is in Queensland which is obviously just above the border of New
South Wales in the southeast of the state and he filed this report.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
[10:05:19]
SIMON CULLEN, CNN REPORTER: Well, Lynda, as we just heard the death toll from the Australian bushfire crisis, tragically rising to nine. That, of
course, is nine families that have been torn apart just days before Christmas. And nationally, the authorities are saying that 800 homes have
been destroyed. That of course, will make for a very sad Christmas as well.
Now, where I'm standing at the moment is very close to the border of Queensland and New South Wales. These, of course, is two states that have
been devastated by the bushfire emergency. And the smell of smoke is still relatively thick in the air even though the fire, the nearest fire is still
certain several kilometers away.
Further south though in New South Wales, that's where the bushfire Emergency is most intense. That's where dozens of fires still burning out
of control. It's forced the closure of major roads. That, of course, is going to make holiday travel difficult, the families as they head away for
the Christmas break.
Now the for the firefighters who are battling these blazes, there are thousands of them. Most of them are volunteers. They will be hoping that
a quarter change that is coming through Australia at the moment will offer some relief, but the forecast is that it will only be temporary. More hot
weather is expected in the coming days.
And according to the New South Wales fire chief, he says that there is no significant rain forecast for his days until at least the end of January.
So that means the hot dry weather is likely to continue. And Lynda, that means for the coming months, there are still several hot months of weather
still to come, and Australia's bushfire crisis is still far from over. Lynda?
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KINKADE: Our thanks to Simon Cullen there. Well, after weekend of deadly protest, India's Prime Minister is blaming all opposition parties for
misleading the public. Narendra Modi held a massive rally on Sunday telling supporters that the country's new citizenship law is not anti-
Muslim despite the widespread criticism.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NARENDRA MODI, PRIME MINISTER, INDIA (through translator): The Muslims who are born on Indian soil or whose ancestors are children of Mother India,
brothers and sisters, they have nothing to do with the citizenship law or the national register of citizens. Neither Muslims are being sent to any
detention centers, nor are there any detention centers. Brothers and sisters, this is a white lie.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KINKADE: Well, CNN-News18 Maha Siddiqui joins me now from New Delhi. Good to have you with us. So Prime Minister Modi not only accusing opposition
parties of inciting these deadly protests, he is, in fact, defending this controversial law.
MAHA SIDDIQUI, DEPUTY EDITOR, CNN-NEWS18Yes, in fact, he is defending it by saying that this law is meant to actually give shelter -- and citizenship
rather, fast track the citizenship of the persecuted minorities from three of the neighboring countries of India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and
Bangladesh, and that this has no bearing on Indian Muslims.
But the Citizenship Amendment Act is being opposed on two counts. One, the fact that citizenship should be linked to religion in the first place,
because this isn't what the opposition and all other protesters say violation of the Indian constitution article 14 which says equality before
law for everybody in the country.
Also, secondly, the larger concern of the Citizenship Amendment Act is when it's linked to the National Register for citizens, and that Home Minister
of the country, Amit Shah has said, will be conducted nationwide.
Now, the Prime Minister today said that there has been no dialogue within his government about the National Register for Citizens because That is
something that has not been discussed. However, the home minister himself has on five occasions made a connect between the Citizenship Amendment Act
and the National Register for Citizens, as well as on the 10th of December said so on the floor of the parliament that the National Register for
citizenship nationwide is going to be rolled out.
The National Register for citizens, what does it mean? It basically means that it will make a list of those who are Indians and those who are not
similar to what we have seen in Assam. However, the government says that it will be very different from what it has -- what has happened in the
state of Assam.
However, the connect here is that if you are left out of the National Register of Citizens, everybody barring Muslims will be automatically
granted citizenship because of the Citizenship Amendment Act. The only ones who will be left out will be the Muslims who do not have documentation
to prove that they are Indians. That has heightened concerns and that is why we have seen people step out on the streets against this law.
[10:10:06]
KINKADE: So, Maha, the death toll is now 22, and it critics obviously say this law is a way to marginalize India's Muslim minority. What is it going
to take for the Modi government to reconsider the law?
SIDDIQUI: Well, so far, they have shown no indication of backing down on this count. However, they have said that suggestions from people are
welcome. The home minister Amit Shah, who brought this bill in Parliament has said that they are going to roll out the Citizenship Amendment Act.
However, each state in the country have said that they will not implement the National Register for citizens at least. And some have also said that
they are not going to implement the Citizenship Amendment Act. Out of these eight states, there are some who are in alliance with the central
government and they have also now backed out. In fact, some of them had even voted in favor of this bill in Parliament, but looking at the public
sentiment, they have gone back.
So that is the only concern that the government could have in trying to push this law forward. Secondly, there are at least 60 petitions against
this law in the Supreme Court of the country. The Supreme Court has said that they will take up this matter on the 22nd of January.
Now, if these petitions that are in the Supreme Court are able to make an argument that this is unconstitutional, it is only then that this can be
stopped.
KINKADE: All right, Maha Siddiqui from News18, good to have you with us for that perspective. Thanks so much. Still to come, after months of
uncertainty and a tedious ballot counting, Afghanistan's election results are almost in. We're going to have a live update on this. Plus --
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): I was very scared then. Right now, I'm still scared. I'm scared that one day the Chinese men will catch
me or that if they see my uncle, he will sell me away again.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KINKADE: We're going to hear horrific stories of human trafficking from women who survived their treacherous journeys to the United Kingdom.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KINKADE: Welcome back. Well, to Afghanistan, where the incumbent president Ashraf Ghani is reportedly on track to be reelected for a second
term. Preliminary results from Afghanistan's independent election commission said Ghani received more than 900,000 votes in September's
contentious presidential election.
But Ghani's main challenger is refusing to accept the results citing widespread systematic fraud. CNN's Nathan Hodge has been following the
story and joins us now from Moscow for more on all of this. So Nathan, Afghanistan's president on course to win a second five-year term, and the
preliminary results, of course, looking very good for him.
[10:15:26]
NATHAN HODGE, CNN MOSCOW BUREAU CHIEF: Lynda, that's right. But I think there's as well a fear here that this could potentially turn into another
protracted political crisis for Afghanistan. Recall that back in the 2014 election, there was an extended dispute over the winner, the outcome of
that election between Ashraf Ghani and his chief rival at the time, and this time this round as well, Abdullah Abdullah, with lots of questions
raised about a ballot fraud and lots of questions and raising of tensions around the country.
And that seems to be the potential for repeat here, and that's a very major concern, I think, for many Afghans. But add to that another element. That
dispute was resolved by the U.S. -- in part by U.S. intervention with then- Secretary of State John Kerry helping broker a deal that essentially was a power-sharing agreement between Ghani and Abdullah.
This time around there isn't necessarily that kind of will from Washington. President Trump has made it clear that he would like to see U.S. troops
withdrawn. And the priority right now for Washington has been brokering some kind of deal with the Taliban for a peace deal and for an exit of U.S.
forces from the country, Lynda.
KINKADE: All right, Nathan Hodge, good to have you staying across that story for us. Thanks so much. Well, still to come here on CONNECT THE
WORLD, new developments in the case of its deadly car accident in the U.K. involving a teenager who died and a U.S. diplomat's wife. We'll have those
details when we come back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KINKADE: Well, the case of a traffic accident involving U.S. diplomat's wife and the death of a British teenage has now reached the highest levels
of government both here in the U.S. and in the U.K. The U.K. Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab spoke with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo about
the matter. Raab is calling for the suspect Anne Sacoolas to return to the U.K. and face the justice process.
Police say Sacoolas was driving a car on the wrong side of the road when it struck and killed how Harry Dunn. He was on his motorcycle. That happened
back in August. Sacoolas left the country shortly after that collision. The diplomat's wife now faces charges in the U.K. of causing death by
dangerous driving.
Mark Bolton is covering this story for us in London and joins us now live. Mark, this is really shaping up to be a diplomatic standoff. Prime
Minister Johnson is vowing to put as much pressure on the U.S. as possible. What will that entail?
[10:20:00]
MARK BOLTON, JOURNALIST: Yes, we're hearing from the top of British government right across the board here. It's interesting stuff. U.K.
criminal charged the death by dangerous driving carries a criminal jail sentence of 14 years potentially. Hence the reason Ann Sacoolas' lawyer
said she will not voluntarily return to the U.K. to face the charges for what they feel was the terrible but unintentional accident.
Of course, she fled under a diplomatic immunity scheme, which goes back to the Vienna Convention. She left in the summer. The CPS, the Crown
Prosecution Service issued those criminal charges on Friday. Harry Dunn's mother, the 19-year-old who, of course, killed was upset on Friday hearing
the news, but said it was the first in a series of steps towards doing what she promised for her son, which was defined justice after this awful case,
this awful, terrible accident going back to August.
But the U.S. State Department retorted that it wasn't helpful. They said it was disappointing, and they felt that this could faithfully not help to
reach a clear conclusion. So extradition, the process of bringing potentially Sacoolas across the Atlantic to the U.K. is underway. It's a
three-step process.
The first two, judicial. The police referring it through the Crown Prosecution Service. Next, the judge, he will assess whether it can go to
the home office. And at that point, stage three, this all becomes political, as you alluded to, when things really do start to get tricky.
It will go through a government department, the Home Office, ultimately will end up potentially on Priti Patel, the Home Secretary's desk. And it
will be her that makes the decision whether to push the U.S. State Department without formal extradition treaty.
Now, what does that entail? Well, of course, it means potentially the U.S. would have to fold and handover. Patel today spent time with the Dunn
family, not the mother. She was too emotional to even attend to see the Home Secretary. But Priti Patel said she was pleased to have had over an
hour with his father, Harry Dunn's father, and to reassure them that things will proceed in the manner that they want.
Now, what does that mean? Well, this spokesman for the family this afternoon who spoke after the meeting said that -- was that the rule of law
would be followed and that all would be done to seek that to happen, meaning that the U.S. government will be pushed by the British government
all the way to see that Sacoolas comes to the U.K.
As you mentioned, Boris Johnson has previously said he will do what he can to put pressure on the U.S. The foreign secretary who spoke with Mike
Pompeo, a U.S. official, in recent times also said that he backs the criminal charge and said to Pompeo in a conversation Saturday that indeed,
the Secretary of State should push to see that the American citizen is brought to the U.K. for justice.
The backdrop to this, of course, is trade negotiations, Britain's need to find friends in the world as Brexit draws to a close towards the end of
2020, the transition agreement. Britain is seeking a free trade agreement with potentially the U.S. as well as the EU. How much political clout will
they have to see this extradition treaty through when they're looking for friends on the economic global world scale.
KINKADE: All right, Mike Bolton, good to have you on that story for us and providing that context. Thanks so much. Well, the world was horrified two
months ago when we learned about a dozen people found dead in a trailer in England. But their story of seeking a better life only to end up with
smugglers heading to the U.K. is not unique. CNN's Scott McLean met two Vietnamese women who took a similar journey to England. And they tell him
how they risked their lives, and how organized crime played a role.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SCOTT MCLEAN, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: In October, the world heard news of a horrifying scene. 39 people found dead in the back of a truck.
For the victims inside, it was the end of a long journey that they would not live to see. But many others are still willing to make that trip.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): I feel very scared because that might have been me.
MCLEAN: In Northern England, we met two Vietnamese women we're calling Hannah and Michelle, who separately have made this dangerous trek
themselves. For Hannah, it wasn't by choice. She says she was sold by an abusive uncle and taken to China where three men forced her into
prostitution.
Months later, she was handed a Chinese passport and boarded a flight to a place she was told was Hungary. From there, a white man loaded her into a
trailer with another woman. She fell asleep, only to wake up somewhere in England, where she managed to escape from the back of the truck.
Did you feel like you were treated as a human?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): They wanted me to work so they could get their money. That's all.
MCLEAN: Debt that the trafficker said her uncle owed them.
Did you feel safe?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): I was very scared then. Right now, I'm still scared. I'm scared that one day the Chinese men will catch
me or that if they see my uncle, he will send me away again.
MCLEAN: Hannah has since found safety at a shelter supported by the Salvation Army. Michelle came to the U.K. for another reason. She says
her family was the victim of religious persecutions at home. Her grandmother had to sell land to pay for the journey.
[10:25:05]
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): I follow traditional Buddhism and it's not allowed in Vietnam. And therefore I was beaten up I'm very
scared because my father, my grandfather, my uncles, and my grandmother had died and being beaten up.
MCLEAN: She says a smuggler took her to China, gave her a Chinese passport, and together they boarded a flight to Paris. A day later, she
climbed into the cab of a truck that was loaded onto a ferry sailing across the English Channel. The driver was white and her Asian smuggler never
left her side. She's not sure how they avoided passport checks.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): I only know that I was transported in a boat and across the channel and nothing else.
MCLEAN: Both journeys trace a well-established route from Vietnam, through China, to Europe and then by truck to the U.K., involving both Asian and
European smugglers. Almost all of it is fueled by organized crime, sometimes even rival groups working together.
ALAN MCQUILLAN, FORMER BELFAST DETECTIVE: Well, money makes strange bedfellows put aside, but like two companies trading, that they regarded
exactly the same way. They regard themselves as a business. The biggest barrier the end is usually getting them across the channel and actually
enter the U.K.
MCLEAN: Former Belfast detective Alan McQuillan says cutting off the flow of illegal entries is a massive challenge for police. Some European ports
have sophisticated technology to detect stowaways. Others have much less stringent checks. Even retracing the route and the people involved is near
impossible.
Most people like Hannah and Michelle never actually learned the true identities of their smugglers or traffickers. Plus, there's a bigger
problem. Police budgets are dwarfed by revenues from organized crime.
MCQUILLAN: The Police are facing an uphill battle from the very start.
MCLEAN: It hasn't stopped Hannah from praying for justice.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): I just want those people arrested soon so they can't put other people in the same situation as me.
MCLEAN: Scott McLean, CNN, London.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KINKADE: Well, still to come here on CONNECT THE WORLD, when and if Donald Trump's impeachment trial gets underway, it won't look like any trial
you've seen in the court of law. Coming up, we'll show you what can happen and won't happen during those proceedings.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[10:30:15]
KINKADE: Welcome back. Well, U.S. President Trump is spending the Christmas holiday at his Florida resort, but he's not taking a vacation
from slamming the impeachment process.
Speaking to supporter Saturday night, the president falsely claimed that the House Democrats violated the constitution when they impeach him last
week. He said they didn't send it to the Senate immediately because they have no case and that it's unconstitutional.
Well, meanwhile, newly released e-mails show that Trump ordered his staff to freeze aid to Ukraine shortly after his call with Ukraine's leader back
in July.
Well, let's get some perspective on all of this. We're joined by CNN political analyst Josh Rogin, as well as White House reporter Sarah
Westwood. Good to have you both with us.
JOSH ROGIN, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: Good to be here.
KINKADE: Start first with Sarah, because we are hearing that aids are worried that Donald Trump might have too much time on his hands while he's
sitting down there at the resort in Florida, that he might be tweeting about things that just bring us up to speed with what they say.
SARAH WESTWOOD, CNN WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: That's right, Lynda. There are concerns among White House officials that the duration of the president's
trip here could affect the Senate trial preparations.
There are a lot of unanswered questions about how the White House will be handling the trial heading into this long vacation that the president has
here in Florida, including what the opening and closing arguments will be, who exactly will be presenting them, whether there's a role on that team
for people outside the White House like some of the president's conservative allies in the House.
But at Mar-a-Lago, the President's informal advisors and his friends have an unusual amount of access to him. It's a very unstructured environment.
And so, some White House officials told CNN that they are a little bit concerned that those people will have the opportunity to influence the
president the way he's thinking about the trial, perhaps play to his instincts.
Recall that President Trump had previously been pushing for a theatrical trial with a lot of live witnesses. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell
has advocated for a shorter trial, no live witnesses. He believes that would be better both for the president and for Republican senators. The
President had started to come around to McConnell's way of thinking, but aids fear he could be brought back to his original position.
Also, there is just a lot that's fluid right now with the Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the House withholding the articles from the Senate until trial
procedures are set.
And Lynda, a lot of decisions about what the White House strategy looks like just can't be made until those rules are finalized.
KINKADE: Exactly. Just stick by for us, Sarah, because I want to get to Josh on all of that a little bit more. So, they are still essentially
planning for a January trial, Josh, but as Sarah was just alluding to the two sides, a yet to agree on how this could play out.
ROGIN: Well, that's right. Right now, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi believes she has some leverage by holding back the articles of impeachment that may
or may not actually be true.
The real test of whether the Democrats have leverage will be whether or not the Senate Democratic leadership can convince four Republican senators to
join with them in -- so that they will have enough power to actually have influence over the rules of this trial.
Now, I don't see who those four Republican senators would be. It seems to me that in the end, the rules will basically be set by the Senate Majority
Leader Mitch McConnell, and he is promised to do that in conjunction with the White House.
Now, what's interesting is that, as Sarah mentioned, that McConnell and the White House have two different views on this. In the end, it seems that
the president will get his way, but McConnell is pushing him because he knows that the interests of the Republican Party and the interests of the
president are not exactly the same.
KINKADE: All right, Josh, standby for us. Thanks so much to Sarah there.
I want to go to a piece we got from our Tom Foreman because there are a lot of hypotheticals about what could take place when, in fact, those articles
of impeachment are handed over to the Senate. Let's take a look at this piece by Tom Foreman.
TOM FOREMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: When and if the impeachment of Donald Trump moved from the U.S. House of Representatives over to the Senate, much
of the freewheeling drama could be replaced by a much more staid process.
Here is the outline for the trial. Impeachment managers from the House will present their case. Arguing the president did indeed abuse his power
and obstruct Congress. The president's team will refute those charges. And the chief justice of the Supreme Court, John Roberts will sit up front
presiding over it all.
When does it happen? It was expected to happen in early January, starting at noon each day. That's not at all clear now with all of maneuvering
going on, could be a little bit later could not happen at all. We'll just have to find out.
Who is the jury? All of the Senators. Republicans and Democrats alike. They have to take an oath of impartiality that could be awkward since some
top Republicans have already said the president is innocent, they have no intention of being impartial.
Will there be witnesses? Probably not. The minority Democrats have asked for them. The majority leader Mitch McConnell for the Republicans has said
he will not permit that, that matters because witnesses can only be summoned by a majority vote.
[10:35:09]
FOREMAN: How much power does the Chief Justice John Roberts actually have in all of this? He will maintain general order and rule on evidence. And
if senators want to questions, they have to submit them to him in writing. But big catch here, he can be overruled on pretty much anything by a
majority vote.
What will we see? The rule said the T.V. cameras can show us who's talking, but no shots of who's listening or not listening.
Are the rules the rules? Not really, because at any time a majority vote can change them.
And how do we get a verdict? At the end, each senator must stand and cast his or her vote. And if that happens, remember the number 20, because even
if all the Democrats and the two Independents stand together, that's how many Republicans, they still have to have crossed the aisle and join them
if they want to reach this two-thirds vote that you would need to convict and remove Donald Trump from office. That is not likely.
And bear in mind, even here, some people could dodge accountability in the end by simply voting present.
KINKADE: Well, back to you, Josh on all of this because at this point in time, it is certain that we will see Donald Trump acquitted in the Senate.
Republican certainly sticking by him.
What is the point of all this? Because there is a fear that Democrats could actually lose votes over this. This circus that it has become.
ROGIN: Well, that's exactly right. Since we know that it's almost impossible that Donald Trump will be convicted, the real question is
whether or not the trial and its proceedings and what Americans see will play in the favor politically of Donald Trump or whether it will play in
the favor of his opponents.
And the truth is that neither side really knows. And I think one of the main reasons you're seeing this delay is because congressman, lawmakers,
senators are going back to their home districts to see what their voters have to say about this.
And based on what they hear, and based on the polling between now, and when Congress comes back in about a month, they will have a better idea of
whether or not a long trial is really in their respective political interests.
Now, right now, it seems like the Democrats believe that more witnesses, more testimony, a longer trial process will help them make the case to the
American people that President Trump should not be reelected, even if he's not removed.
And Republicans, led by Mitch McConnell seem to believe right now, again, that they don't want any of that. And they don't want to put their members
in the position of having to defend this president.
And meanwhile, President Trump wants the trial because he believes and he says it every single day that this is good for him. That he can run as an
outsider even as president the United States because he can tell his supporters that he's being persecuted by the Washington elite, and
therefore run on a change platform, even though he's the incumbent. If he can pull that off, that could be very powerful in his reelection campaign.
KINKADE: Yes. Sure, to have the Democrats worried, no doubt.
Looking at all the candidates who are throwing their hat into the ring -- this time in the governor's race. Donald Trump's former press secretary
may soon become a candidate. Sarah Sanders hinting she's going to run for governor in the State of Arkansas in 2022.
And at a student summit Saturday, she said, "I love Arkansas, I love my home state. I'm so happy to be back home and we'll see what happens. But
certainly, looking into that." And she added that she's currently focused on getting Donald Trump reelected next year.
So, of course, like that must be her long-term plan. And she was herself just criticized after she slammed Joe Biden for stuttering during the
Democratic debate Thursday, and he responded saying, it's called empathy.
What do you make of her play here?
ROGIN: Well, I think Sarah Sanders is working on getting President Trump reelected in Arkansas because she knows that if he is reelected, her
chances of being able to run for governor successfully in 2022 go way up. OK? And if Donald Trump is not the president, then her political capital
in that state goes way down. OK?
And, you know, we have to remember that Sarah Sanders' 23 months as White House press secretary was characterized by just a series of battles and --
with the press and demonstrably false statements that she made on behalf of this president.
And that gives her some credibility to run with the pro-Trump crowd because she is the enemy of most of the Washington establishment. But at the same
time, without President Trump's coattails, she doesn't have a record to run on and Arkansas is not a state that's short of powerful Republican
candidates, including Trump's former Attorney General Jeff Sessions.
So, I think Sarah Sanders is -- has tied her fate to Donald Trump, for better or worse, and she will either rise or fall with him politically.
KINKADE: That is a very good point, Josh Rogin, first in Washington, as always. Thanks so much, and Merry Christmas. Have a (INAUDIBLE).
ROGIN: Thank you.
[10:40:02]
KINKADE: Well, Boeing Starliner spacecraft, designed to fly astronauts to the International Space Station has returned safely to earth.
A test flight, of course, had to be aborted Friday, when Starliner's engines failed to ignite after detaching from the launch vehicle after
takeoff. Well, this is the latest effort by NASA to find a new way to ferry astronauts into space.
We often hear about the destruction heavy rains bring like landslides and, of course, flooding. But for the animals of East Africa, they are a
blessing. We're going to take you there after this.
Also, this is the season for the royal family. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex asking for two specific things for the holidays. We'll have that
story when we come back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KINKADE: Welcome back. Well, East Africa has had a turbulent year of dangerous wet weather. But what was a disaster for humans was quite the
opposite for animals. Our Farai Sevenzo shows us how animals at a national park in Kenya are thriving.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
FARAI SEVENZO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: For months now, East Africa has had heavy rainfall.
Hundreds died across the region and landslides and flash floods. But what did the heavy rains do to the region's animals? This park, we are told by
the rangers here had 1,930 elephants at last count.
The heavy rains fell here too, sending water down from the mountains. This park is looked after by Kenya's Wildlife Services.
The rains which had been falling so heavily all through Kenya and East Africa have affected this area to Amboseli National Park, up near the
border with Tanzania. These rains have been a huge blessing. You can see the animals grazing, the flamingos are back, and of course, the tribesmen
and villagers who live around this area are coexisting with the animals.
The rains have led to new grass and fresh foraging for the beasts here.
Were the animals adversely affected by this?
JOSEPH KABERERE, KENYA WILDLIFE SERVICES: Not at all. Not at all, because as you can see, we've seen a lot of elephants. There are, in fact, the
hippos.
Amboseli -- that dry area, (INAUDIBLE) area. So -- but physically because of the short -- the range we had, you can see the area is green.
SEVENZO: When the East Africa rains, first came cascading down mountains like Mount Kilimanjaro, they caused a lot of flash floods and there were
rumors are bounded that animals were being swept away.
But of course, they are very instinctive creatures, these beasts. They know when to move away from earthquakes, from volcanoes and, indeed, from
flash floods.
What was a dry region an area is now lush with green vegetation just before Christmas? It's a wonderful sight, which is, of course, completely the
opposite of what happened to people in East Africa.
[10:44:58]
SEVENZO: In this age of climate change debates, the rains are seen as another standoff between people and nature.
But here, in Kenya's Amboseli National Park, a delicate balance between man and beast seems to have been struck for now.
Farai Sevenzo, CNN, Amboseli, Kenya.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KINKADE: Well, many scientific reports put the world on a path towards unacceptable warming with serious implications for the African continent.
And while global heating is bringing about heavy rainfall like what we just saw in Kenya. It's also doing the complete opposite, causing severe bouts
of drought in places like Zimbabwe.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's incredible, isn't it? The Victoria Falls, one of the natural wonders of the world. The buts and it's a big but. This
entire stretch of rock should be turning with white water. Climate scientists say that the climate crisis is hammering this region.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KINKADE: With which CNN's full report on the drying of Victoria Falls, head to cnn.com.
Still to come, the royal family is storing up holiday cheer all around. We're going to take a look at their plans and their destinations for the
festive season.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KINKADE: Welcome back. With the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have decided that all they want for Christmas is a little privacy and a lot of family
time.
They've been in Canada with their son Archie. Prince Harry also released a video dressed up as Santa Claus. It was China children who lost parents
serving in the British Armed Forces.
Well, Queen Elizabeth is spending her Christmas at his Sandringham estate, but first, she enjoyed her own version of the Three Kings Day. He cheers
with the three future British monarchs. They're having a go at making Christmas pudding.
Well, that was all part of the Royal British legions together at Christmas initiative, which is in support of veterans.
Well, Royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams joins me now with a wrap of the year with the rose. Good to see you as always, Richard. So rather
than celebrating with the family, the Duke and Duchess Harry and Megan, who've had a very big year deciding for a little quiet time together in
Canada.
RICHARD FITZWILLIAMS, CNN ROYAL COMMENTATOR: Yes, they have indeed. And we should emphasize, it's been such a happy period with Archie's birth and
also with that absolutely triumphal trip to South Africa. But the issues also that have been raised about privacy about the intrusion of the media,
and most especially shown in the documentary about Southern African trip, showed that they are basically very unhappy with the pressures of royal
life.
[10:49:57]
FITZWILLIAMS: There are rumors, however, that their foundation, Sussex Royal may launch big in the United States in the New Year. So, we have
that to look forward to. I think, it also -- it's merely my thought that it would be wonderful if they paid an official visit to the United States
because they could then see the magnitude of the global reach that the Sussex brand has.
KINKADE: And, of course, it has been a big year for the entire royal family. Right now though, we know the 98-year-old duke of Edinburgh, the
queen's husband is in hospital. Do you have an update on his condition?
FITZWILLIAMS: Well, it is purely explorer trade for treatment for a pre- existing condition. That is what we understand. So, I mean, he has over the last decade, suffered from hip problems, there have been abdominal
problems, and the Diamond Jubilee celebrations, you may remember, he had that bladder difficulty that was (INAUDIBLE) re-stenting before. So,
they've been several and clearly one of those probably has caused further problems.
We hear this is an official, but he apparently is laughing and joking with the staff. You can imagine him very patient, patient and dying to get back
to Sandringham for Christmas for the royal family and let's hope he manages it.
KINKADE: Let's hope he does get to have Christmas with the queen and the rest of the royal family. But it has been a big year as we touched on
royal babies, royal weddings, of course, Prince Andrew's fall from grace.
FITZWILLIAMS: Of that, I have to say it was just extraordinary because the interview that he gave in Buckingham Palace to Emily Maitlis of "Newsnight"
to the BBC was I can only call it bizarrely imbecilic.
Six percent of the population believed what he said. I mean, it was unbelievable. I just sat there with -- you felt it was an excruciating
experience. This is a car crash of crack a toe and proportions because we don't know where it is going to lead legally in the future.
He was completely callous. I mean, he said nothing that showed sympathy for Epstein's victims, the pedophile, that he was so friendly with. And
also he had to step down from royal duty. So, of course, his charities that are over 200 of them, they're distancing themselves from him.
I mean, the whole thing is disastrous, it is the lack of judgment. He's a very stupid person too that came across.
KINKADE: Yes, it was surprising that he didn't realize how much that interview backfired after the fact. But moving on, obviously, he's
stepping away from royal duties, what's on the calendar for 2020 for the rest of the royal family?
FITZWILLIAMS: Well, I suspect very strongly that the Prince of Wales will be continuing to support the queen and the way that he has. But I
certainly would discard rumors that they've been a re-regency up in this whole time, and it's been balanced very well. The queen can use a large
number of duties last year, it was nearly getting to run towards 300. And she just opened Parliament, as you know, twice in the last couple of
months.
And I see the way she's handling things being balanced very carefully. I think that we've got a very exciting announcement apparently from the duke
and duchess of Cambridge, William and Kate are probably going to take on more patronage and charities that's coming in the next couple of months, so
that a couple of weeks, so, we should know about that.
Princess Beatrice, Andrew and Sarah Ferguson's daughter is marrying. If they have any sense, they'll make sure it is a very low-key wedding. I am
not intending to be on time during the festive season, it would only be practical given the difficulties of the current circumstances.
So far, as the rest of the world's family is concerned. There's talking about a slim down royal family. They do some 3,000 engagements each year,
and I see Princess Anne continuing to do what she's doing. So well in the Wessex is too.
Also, let's see what the Sussex is. I haven't seen that Christmas card yet, but what they've been doing on Instagram is posting the aspects of
different charitable organizations they've been linked with.
So, it'd be fascinating to see what they decide that they want to do in royal life in the coming year.
KINKADE: It certainly will. As always, Richard, good to get your perspective on the royal family. Always a lot going on with that family.
Thanks so much and have a very Merry Christmas.
FITZWILLIAMS: And the same to you.
KINKADE: Well, the artist Banksy is again turning heads with his latest work of art. It's called the Scar of Bethlehem, and it features the
nativity scene with baby Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. But they're behind concrete barriers with a bullet hole representing the Christmas star.
[10:54:58]
KINKADE: Now, those barriers represent the one separating Israel and the West Bank. The art is on display at the Walled Off Hotel in Bethlehem,
which itself overlooks the wall between those two territories.
Well, British supermarket, Tesco, says it has to suspend a production at a Chinese factory. For these allegations that prisoners were forced to pack
charity Christmas cards. The Sunday Times reported that a six-year-old who lives in South London opened a box of Tesco Christmas cards and discovered
a desperate message inside one of them.
The message said there are foreign prisoners in Shanghai that they were being forced to work against their will.
Tesco send a statement that they are shocked by the allegations and have withdrawn the cards from sale while they investigate.
Well, that was CONNECT THE WORLD. Your first hour. I'm Lynda Kinkade. I will be back after a very short break with another hour of news. Stay with
us. You're watching CNN
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