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Israeli PM And Rival To Meet Trump At White House; Trump Impeachment; Coronavirus Outbreak; Iraq And Lebanon Protests; Earthquake In Turkey; Qatar 2022 World Cup. Aired 11a-12p ET
Aired January 26, 2020 - 11:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[11:00:00]
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE (voice-over): Live from CNN Abu Dhabi, this is CONNECT THE WORLD with Becky Anderson.
BECKY ANDERSON, CNN HOST (voice-over): Tonight, Middle East peace?
That is the big question this hour.
It's 11:00 am in D.C., it's 6:00 pm In the West Bank, same time in Jerusalem. It is 8:00 at night here in Abu Dhabi, our Middle East
programming hub. I'm Becky Anderson. A very warm welcome to our show.
Israel's prime minister and opposition leader racing to Washington ahead of what is a big announcement. On Monday, Benjamin Netanyahu and Benny Gantz
are meeting with U.S. president Donald Trump, who plans to unveil his Middle East peace plan.
The details are yet to be released. But the prime minister, Israeli prime minister, is still behind it.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, PRIME MINISTER OF ISRAEL (voice-over): We are in the midst of very dramatic diplomatic events but the climax is still ahead of
us. In a short while I'll leave for Washington to meet my friend, the President of the United States, Donald Trump, who will presenting his deal
of the century.
I think that an opportunity such as this comes once in history and cannot be missed.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: We don't know much about President Trump's peace plan since only the economic portion, of course, has been fully released. The political
part, however, is the delicate portion considering the disputed borders.
Israeli opposition leader Benny Gantz calls the plan a meaningful landmark in history, although he did refuse to reveal any details. And the Israeli
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, says the plan ensures the future of Israel and is an opportunity that will not come again.
Let's not forget the other side, of course. Importantly, we've got to talk with the Palestinians. CNN has learned the Trump administration made an
attempt to speak with Palestinian Authority president Mahmoud Abbas.
Two Palestinian officials tell CNN that the Trump administration sent a message through a third party to ask President Abbas if he would accept a
phone call from President Trump.
But the Palestinian Authority broke off all ties with the U.S. in 2017 in reaction to President Trump declaring Jerusalem the Israeli capital. Oren
Liebermann in Jerusalem joins us to break down what we know to date.
Oren, share, if you will.
OREN LIEBERMANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: We don't know too many details of the plan. This has been a very closely guarded secret in Washington. We know
the plan has largely been done for quite some time now.
You pointed out that we saw the economic part of it at the Bahrain economic workshop but we haven't heard much about that since that workshop. Now in
the coming days we expect to see the political part of the plan, this being the far more sensitive part that the Trump administration said would
address all of the key issues here, Jerusalem, refugees, borders and security.
What we do expect of the plan certainly is that it will be very pro Israel, the most pro-Israel plan probably that we've ever seen coming from any
administration, that it will tick all of the Israelis' boxes and then some and very few, if any, of the Palestinians' boxes. That's what we expect
from it.
Rival leader Benny Gantz will have the first meeting on Monday and then Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. It's worth viewing this from the lens of
Israeli domestic politics and critics say an effort by the White House to try to win an election for Prime Minister Netanyahu in a little over a
month.
ANDERSON: Oren Liebermann in Jerusalem for you.
The United Nations recognized the Palestinian Liberation Organization, denying contact between President Abbas and the White House. Chief PLO
negotiator Saeb Erekat is one of six Palestinians, six senior Palestinian officials, who tell CNN there has been no communication with the United
States for two years.
However, President Trump claims his administration briefly spoke with the Palestinians and will speak with them again, quote, "in a period of time."
I'm joined now by Saeb Erekat from Jericho in the West Bank.
Which is it, sir?
Has the U.S. administration, has the Trump administration spoken to the Palestinians or not?
[11:05:00]
SAEB EREKAT, CHIEF PALESTINIAN NEGOTIATOR: No. Since December 9, 2017, there has been no contacts whatsoever with the White House or the State
Department. As you see, President Trump is busy inviting Netanyahu, Gantz, so the three of them can determine my future.
They can decide what's best for me and they want to dictate on me. Actually, what we hear about Jerusalem being Israel's capital, dropping the
refugee issue, security, borders, it cannot be called the deal of the century. It is the fraud and the hoax of the century.
This is the most unfair game we've ever witnessed in international relations. Somebody who is trying to determine my future, my aspiration, my
tomorrow, my grandchildren's tomorrow without even bothering to consult me because he wants Netanyahu to win the election and he wants to win the
election in 2020, that's the most ridiculous chapter.
(CROSSTALK)
ANDERSON: It is very clear -- and Donald Trump detractors say that the viability of this plan is in doubt if they are only talking to one side and
there has been little or no input from the Palestinians.
Let me put this to you, sir. The U.S. administration say they are trying to reach out.
Should there be a back channel?
Should you get word that they are trying to speak to the Palestinians?
Would it not be better to interact at this point to get a seat at the table?
EREKAT: Becky, we have engaged with the American administration, with President Trump, 57 meetings in 2017. Then I would like to address the
President of the United States to say, what you're doing is very unfair. You go ahead and recognize Jerusalem as the capital. You say settlements
are legal.
You say you want to talk to Palestinians in the future after they decide our future. He is trying to dictate on us. This is, again, a fraud and
hoax. Palestinians and Israelis need to get re-engaged between themselves in direct negotiations in order to make the decisions required.
And what President Trump is doing and his team is really destroying the battle piece between Palestinians and Israelis. They want to destroy the
two-state solution.
Do they accept one man, one vote, Christians and Muslims and Jews to be equal?
Of course not. What they're trying to do is one state, two systems, apartheid. That's the end game that Trump and Kushner and Netanyahu are
trying to achieve.
ANDERSON: With respect, sir, by rejecting outright or out of hand whatever the substance of this political part of this deal is, surely the argument
goes that Donald Trump will simply greenlight Israeli annexation of the area in dispute, which quite frankly will do the Palestinians absolutely no
good whatsoever.
EREKAT: Actually, he already did, by declaring Jerusalem as Israel's capital, by saying that Israeli settlements, which is a violation and a war
crime under international law, that they are legal.
And by saying that they can annex the Jordan Valley and Dead Sea shores and settlement -- the so-called settlement blocs. He already did. They have
implemented the so-called deal of the century, the hoax of the century, the fraud of the century.
This is not going to fly. This is going to push Israelis and Palestinians. They are determining the future of my children and grandchildren and
Israeli children and grandchildren to live by the sword.
This is unfair. There is another way of peace. Solving problems by peaceful means in accordance with the terms of reference with all agreements signed.
If President Trump goes with this deal of his, the art of fraud, that means he is cancelling all other previous agreements signed in terms of
references and international law and international legality.
The only solution for Palestinians and Israelis is to live and let live, the state of Palestinian, with East Jerusalem as its capital, to live side
by side with the peace and security with Israel. That is the only option. What they are doing now is they are undermining this and paving the way to
chaos, lawlessness, bloodshed.
ANDERSON: Let me put this to you. If the deal is rejected outright in this format, as I understand it, Palestinian leadership has suggested it will
announce a series of measures to protect what it calls Palestinians' legitimate rights.
[11:10:00]
ANDERSON: And effectively demand that Israel assume its full responsibilities as, in quotes, "an occupying power."
Is that how -- I'm trying to work out what happens next from your perspective?
EREKAT: What will happen next, Becky, is that there will be a unanimous Arab decision to reject this fraud and this so-called deal and to reiterate
our position as Arabs on the two-state solution.
There will be opposition similar from the African Union, European Union, Latin America and the Caribbean, China, Russia, Canada, Japan and also Asia
and the organization of countries.
So I'm afraid at the end of the day Netanyahu and Trump will stand alone facing the whole international community, which would refuse to engage in
solving problems outside the international law and solving problems by peaceful means.
Secondly, once they take this step, they would have unilaterally declared the cancellation of the agreements, all agreements signed between Israelis
and Palestinians.
There is a big chance here that the Palestinian Authority will not be able to sustain such a hit and Netanyahu will find himself fully in charge and
shouldering his responsibility as an occupying power from the River Jordan to the Mediterranean.
I'm not threatening, I'm just saying, if they're going to annex, I'm speaking to you from the Jordan Valley. If they're going to keep me in
Jericho and confiscate 94 percent of the land around me, it means that my eight grandchildren, Becky, cannot get married, cannot have homes. That's
how dire the situation is for Palestinians.
How can I face these people?
This is my constituency. There is a big possibility that, with this hit of President Trump and Netanyahu, the Palestinian Authority will be destroyed
by Netanyahu and maybe that's what he wants.
Maybe that's what he wants so he can say, who shall I make peace with?
The man is facing charges of corruption. He is facing impeachment and I have to pay the price with the blood of me, my children and grandchildren
so both of them can get out of the troubles they are in.
ANDERSON: I understand this is emotional and certainly the argument that you are putting forward, I have certainly heard before from other sources.
Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas has met with the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, Britain's Prince Charles, French president Emmanuel Macron,
all in the past week.
As you understand it, where are the Palestinians allies at the point?
Has this been an effort for President Abbas to find allies ahead of Mr. Trump's peace deal?
EREKAT: I think the Palestinian allies are all those humans who believe in peace between Palestinians and Israelis, based on a negotiated settlement
that would achieve a state of Palestine to live side by side with the state of Israel in peace and security.
President Putin, President Macron, Prince Charles, every one on Earth had reiterated their positions.
And I'm sure after the announcement of President Trump's so-called peace plan, which may be called whatever it is but will not make peace, I think
the whole international community will stand shoulder to shoulder to support those of us who stand tall on the grounds of international law,
solving problems by peaceful means and trying to say that the only option for Palestinians and Israelis is the two-state solution.
ANDERSON: It will be fascinating to see where the Europeans stand in all of this. Sir, we don't know exactly when we will get the details of this
plan but it is expected. I thank you for your time. Let's talk again once the details are revealed.
Oren Liebermann back in Jerusalem.
Oren, break down what you have heard there from the Palestinian side.
LIEBERMANN: The Palestinian rejection of this plan isn't a surprise because we've seen the Palestinians cut off the American administration
ever since Trump recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel back in 2017 at this point.
The question becomes, where do they go from here?
The plan is also likely to be rejected by the European Union, by the Arab states and many others because it breaks so sharply from what we've seen in
the past, that is mutual land swaps, negotiations based on 1967 lines.
It might even depart from the idea of negotiations at all, giving a green light to Israel for unilateral annexation of parts of the West Bank. In
that case it becomes a question of what happens from here.
Do European states take action of any sort, whether it's recognizing the state of Palestine or something else?
[11:15:00]
LIEBERMANN: Or how does it play out?
That is a key question when we look at what's in the plan and when we look at how Israeli leaders and Palestinian leaders react to the plan. That's
one of the key elements of what we're watching for.
The problem at this point for the Palestinians, there is little they can do in terms of altering the plan or affecting the plan. And that was obvious
from what we heard from Saeb Erekat. So they have to wait and see what happens here.
That means in terms of their actions or their options, there aren't really good ones and it's a question of what they can do in response and who they
can rally to their side.
So when it does come out, not only are we looking for what the Palestinians have to say but where do the reactions come from elsewhere.
Is this just a tepid response or a tepid rejection from the Arab states?
Or is there a much stronger response from the Arab states and from the Europeans and in what form does that come?
ANDERSON: Oren Liebermann there in Jerusalem. Great to have you on, Oren. We will be speaking again in the next couple of days when we get the
details of what is being touted by the Trump administration as a deal of the century.
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ANDERSON: Even with all the talk of Donald Trump abroad, just now he's facing something at home, there's a chance, a very small one, that he could
be kicked out of office by the American Senate in the coming weeks.
That as the second week of his impeachment trial gets underway on Monday, when the president's lawyers will pick up where they left off, on laying
out their full defense arguments. They spent their first two hours of what is 24 allotted to them emphasizing two key arguments.
First, the Democrats are trying to steal the 2020 election from Donald Trump.
The second, there is no direct evidence of wrongdoing.
But before they stepped up to deliver their case, the Democrats had laid out their take on all of this.
One, Mr. Trump is a danger to American democracy because he has abused his power and will likely do it again, they claim.
Two, that Mr. Trump is acting like a dictator for ignoring lawmakers and trying to squash (sic) the investigation into efforts to hold up
congressional approved -- congressionally approved aid to Ukraine.
And last but not least, the president's actions, they say, regarding Ukraine have damaged U.S. reliability and credibility around the world.
Mr. Trump has claimed he doesn't know Lev Parnas, the Soviet-born businessman, who was indicted on campaign finance charges. But Parnas'
attorney has released a nearly 90-minute recording of President Trump speaking with his client, Parnas, and other donors. They discuss removing
the U.S. ambassador to Ukraine. Have a listen to this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LEV PARNAS, INDICTED RUDY GIULIANI ASSOCIATE: The biggest problem there I think where we need to start is we need to get rid of the ambassador she is
still left over from the administration Clinton administration.
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: What, the ambassador to (bleep) Ukraine?
PARNAS: She's basically walking around telling everybody, wait, he's going to get impeached. Just wait. I mean, it's incredible.
TRUMP: Get rid of her. Get her out tomorrow. I don't care. Get her out tomorrow. Take her out, okay? Do it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Well, Democrats arguing that the Senate impeachment trial should include witnesses and documents. In fact a senator from the party told me
that just a little bit ago. But -- and this is a big but -- they need at least four Republican senators to flip and vote with them.
How likely is that scenario?
Well, cnn.com has in-depth analysis for you.
We're cracking on. And ahead this hour, global infectious disease experts scrambling to contain what is this deadly coronavirus. But a new revelation
from China could frustrate their efforts. That is coming up.
And later, more dramatic rescues in Turkey. A child pulled from the rubble after a deadly earthquake. An update on the recovery efforts there is just
ahead.
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ANDERSON: The coronavirus outbreak has some 57 million people under lockdown, more than a dozen Chinese cities have now got transport
restrictions of one form or another. International flights and travel plans have been cancelled and Chinese officials are warning that people can pass
along the virus even if they don't have the symptoms.
Those 15 some cities are considered pretty small by Chinese standards. But 57 million people by many counts is bigger than the population of the UAE,
Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and Saudi Arabia put together. Just think about that.
China going full speed ahead on its response, Wuhan building two brand new hospitals, one in just six days and the other promised in 15. One hospital
will hold 1,300 beds dedicated to patients with symptoms of the coronavirus.
The design plan will be released Friday and construction will start soon after that. You can see how busy they are, laying the groundwork at the
site. It sits at the outskirts of Wuhan and is expected to be complete and operating by February the 3rd.
It does seem absolutely remarkable, doesn't it?
CNN's David Culver, who was recent in Wuhan, spoke to an American now stuck inside. Have a listen to this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DIANA ADAMA, U.S. CITIZEN LIVING IN WUHAN: I woke up feeling quite desperate, sad, angry. Most of this is because of lack of information and
lack of knowing what's going on. My mother's worried about me. I love her. She's 88 years old. My sister let her know the things I'm doing here. And I
don't want her to worry anymore. And I'd like to see her.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Well, the World Health Organization has yet to declare an international public health crisis. It has been criticized by some. The
organization says while this outbreak is an emergency in China, it has not yet become a global health emergency.
The WHO says, to be a global health emergency, it would have to involve a public health risk to other states through the international spread of
disease that may require a coordinated international response.
Well, it does seem on the surface at least that the Wuhan coronavirus has met that standard. WHO spokesman Tarik Jasarevic joins us now to help
clarify.
Sir, when you look at the map and see where these confirmed cases are across the world, why is it that your organization hasn't yet declared a
public health emergency?
TARIK JASAREVIC, SPOKESMAN, WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION: Well, the recommendation has been made by emergency committee that is a group of
independent experts. And as the director general said and you just mentioned it, it is clearly an emergency in China and we have seen cases in
other countries. Obviously we are monitoring the situation.
[11:25:00]
JASAREVIC: The emergency committee may be reconvened at any time on short notice. What is really important to say is declaring a public health
emergency does not mean that we start working.
We have been in contact with the Chinese health authorities from day one of this outbreak. And we've been working with a group of scientists around the
world, trying to understand this virus. And we have issued guidance 10 days after the virus has been reported for the first time.
ANDERSON: Let's be very clear.
By declaring a public health emergency, that does allow people to take appropriate actions in response to the emergency consistent with other
authorities, and I'm quoting here, "including making grants, entering into contracts, conducting and supporting investigations into the cause,
treatment or prevention of the disease or disorder."
None of this will be unfamiliar to you.
So I put it to you again, do you expect, should we expect to see or hear in the coming hours the declaration of a global health emergency?
JASAREVIC: We are monitoring the situation. Really everyone is at work right now trying to get to the bottom of what the virus really is. I think
what is important to understand how easily it's being transmitted between humans. It is important to understand the -- what's the severity of it and
also what's the source.
At the same time, we want public health authorities around the world to be on alert and level their preparedness to the point that they can quickly
treat, test and care for those who are sick. All of this is already happening and we may reconvene the emergency committee.
But again, the work is being done and it's really a race against time to try to understand the virus, at the same time providing the right
information to the public, as your viewer who just called in from Wuhan said.
We need to have this information to people so they know, first, what's the situation and, secondly, what they need to do. Really what's most important
is people who are sick, people who feel that they have coughing, they have a problem with breathing, they should not travel, they should go and seek
medical assistance.
ANDERSON: China is being criticized for this mass lockdown creating panic. I wonder what lessons the WHO has learned from the past about the balance
between getting the right information out there and the proper declarations made but not inciting more worry than necessary. Briefly, sir.
JASAREVIC: Well, it is important, it is crucial to provide the right information to the population in a timely manner and also what they should
be doing.
Now when it comes to the measures, every country should use measures that they seem appropriate for their context and based on their analysis. It is
difficult to find that balance between introducing measures that will benefit public health and disrupting social life. This is something that
China is really trying to do right now.
ANDERSON: With that, we'll leave it there. We thank you very much indeed for joining us, busy times at the WHO. Thank you, sir.
The outbreak of this virus has spooked financial markets as well. One analyst warns CNN that travel bans will have a major impact on the Chinese
economy. Some are calling for at least a 1 percentage point hit on the Chinese GDP this quarter.
Over 600 people have been killed in Iraq since protests there began in October. Those are official numbers. The U.N. calling the steps taken to
quieten the unrest hollow. That is just ahead.
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ANDERSON: Welcome back. You're watching CONNECT THE WORLD. I'm Becky Anderson. It is half past 8:00 here in Abu Dhabi. This is our Middle East
broadcasting hub in the UAE.
A region ended the new decade like it entered the past. People versus power: the end of 2019 saw a season of unrest with many hot spots still
currently alight. In Iraq, 12 protesters killed and 230 injured over the past three days alone.
These latest figures by the independent Commission for Human Rights of Iraq bring the death toll to over 600 people since anti-government
demonstrations began last October. This coming on the back of a tumultuous month for the U.S. in this region.
Let's bring in CNN's Senior International Correspondent, who's with me here in Abu Dhabi, Sam Kiley, who has been rather absent in Abu Dhabi over the
past month or so, spending a lot of time, and rightly so, across this region, where the story counts.
Let's start in Iraq.
What is your perspective of what is going on there now?
SAM KILEY, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: It's very interesting. Just yesterday, arguably one of the most top two Shia clerics in the
country, they got onto the ground more seriously last Friday, called on his supporters to end these demonstrations against the U.S. occupation --
rather, presence in Iraq.
And there has been a reduction in the numbers of people there. But -- and this is a big but -- what he didn't say is these demonstrations are also
about the continuing involvement of Iran. His close friend and ally, neighboring Iran, in Iraq. And that aspect of these demonstrations won't go
away.
There has always been since the very beginning of these demonstrations a very strong sense on the street. I saw it when I was there just over a week
ago and saw it before Christmas.
In every case when you ask people what they were demonstrating about, they would say government corruption, incompetence, the excessive influence of
the clerics and foreign influence.
When asked who, it's the Americans and the Iranians. It's not either/or there. What's going to be interesting is the extent to which these
demonstrations regrow. I think they inevitably will, because the country is still in a state of political paralysis, outside of the control of the
clerical establishment and the Shia militias.
[11:35:00]
KILEY: Who have been a very violent element in this process recently.
ANDERSON: At the back end of last year, we saw echoes of what was going on in Iraq, it seems, on the streets of Beirut and other cities around
Lebanon.
Lebanon has now ticked past its 100th day of protests. Saturday's demonstrations marking nearly 3.5 months of anger. We saw the resignation
of the prime minister Saad Hariri two weeks after the anti-corruption protests began.
Now with a new government and no end in sight for demonstrations, it does seem this too is becoming an even deeper crisis.
When I say we certainly saw echoes of Iraq in Lebanon and Lebanon in Iraq, perhaps it would be wrong to say they mirror each other entirely.
KILEY: Yes, they're both places where Iran has influence. The influence in Lebanon is largely, almost entirely through Hezbollah, which is both a
military organization and a political organization, an important political organization in a very delicate constitutional sectarian construct that is
modern Lebanon.
Now the interesting thing about these demonstrations, you were there yourself, is that they're against that formula of government, not the least
because it creates space for corruption and mismanagement.
Now the new prime minister Hassan Diab is in power with the support of Hezbollah but he's facing economic meltdown. This is a moment kind of
beyond the influence of certainly of a government as impoverished as Iran.
They're reaching out, they had a meeting yesterday with the finance minister and the International Monetary Fund. The sorts of reforms that the
IMF is likely to demand of Lebanon would cripple the system of patronage, make corruption extremely difficult and make the Lebanese poor.
And that is something -- and I just had to issue a reassurance to people owning foreign debt -- but Lebanon's middle classes have been very badly
hit by these years now of mismanagement. They have run out of cash.
Getting that country back on track, getting rid of the influence, of the malign influence of drug dealers, black marketers, money launderers that
have been washing their stuff through Beirut for decades, is going to be extremely difficult.
But that's the only route they're going to take if they go for IMF-style reforms. Those kind of reforms have not worked well in the rest of the
world, not at least in Africa, in my experience.
ANDERSON: It was $11 billion they were holding out for before these protests. They felt like that might stem the blood, as it were, of the
great wound that is the Lebanese economy at present.
You've talked about Iranian influence in Iraq and you've talked about Iranian influence through the Hezbollah setup in Lebanon. Let's talk about
Iran itself now and just focus for a moment on where we are at post this incredibly sort of busy, noisy beginning of the year with regard to U.S.-
Iranian relations.
President Trump tweeting the U.S. will not lift sanctions to bring Iran to the negotiating table at this point. At the end of last week the E.U. did
extend the deadline, which, for all intents and purposes, was about reaching a resolution that might salvage this Iran deal.
Is it salvageable at this point?
Are we sort of just -- sort of playing around the edges at this point and moving the deck chairs around on the Titanic?
And if there is no fix for this, what's the future?
KILEY: Well, it's a strategic moment for the E.U. At the end of last week, they were essentially saying we're going to issue a strongly worded letter
of complaint about your nuclear program if they continue with what they have said they will do, which is continue enrichment of uranium towards
weapons grade.
And they have been, very successfully, we now know, developing ballistic missiles capable of delivering potentially in a nuclear warhead with
considerable accuracy and force.
So in that context there is a sense of panic in Europe. Europe is dependent on the Persian Gulf for oil and gas supplies, as is Asia the way the
Americans aren't. So the Americans can play a game of chicken without real danger to their supplies.
If oil prices go up, they only benefit. From the European perspective, they're desperately trying to keep the Iranians on track but losing faith.
[11:40:00]
KILEY: Because at the same time their argument that over the long term there would be an economic bonanza that would follow joining up to the
JCPOA, the original nuclear deal, has not been forthcoming.
Under the Obama administration, the banking system, the federal banking system didn't allow for it. So in that context there wasn't been the
bonanza and the Iranians have been highly destabilizing in the region.
The Americans have said enough destabilization and gotten into bed with the Israelis and the Saudis. Europeans desperately trying to keep it going but
I think they're hoping against hope. It's starting to look like Monty Python's parrot. It's an ex-deal.
We're 26 days through 2020 at this point. Busy times, a roiling region, chaos reigns, many will say. This is the Middle East and the Gulf region.
Thank you, sir.
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ANDERSON: A CNN alert to bring you on one of our biggest stories. This video shows a building on fire by protesters. The government planning to
use this in Hong Kong as a quarantine facility. It was originally constructed to be public housing.
One protester told Reuters their message is, don't make this a quarantine area because there are lots of local residents around. When we talk about a
quarantine building, we are alluding to the need to quarantine people from the coronavirus.
Well, it is a race against time to find survivors in Turkey, as rescuers try to reach those still trapped in the rubble of the earthquake there.
We'll have a lot more on the frantic search after what was a deadly quake.
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[11:45:00]
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(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (Speaking foreign language).
ANDERSON (voice-over): You are looking at a dramatic rescue in Turkey over the weekend. This 5-year-old little girl pulled to safety after she spent
hours trapped under the rubble.
Dozens of buildings collapsed after an earthquake struck the country's east side on Friday. Rescuers also found this little girl's mom. Both of them
are, I can tell you, OK.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: At least 36 people sadly have been killed in that quake and more than 1,600 people are being treated in hospitals. Right now, teams in
Turkey are at the scene of two collapsed buildings, looking for trapped survivors. Aftershocks still being felt across the country, none as intense
as when the first quake hit.
Arwa Damon shows us some of the chaos just moments after.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ARWA DAMON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The earthquake hit at 8:55 pm on Friday, sending terrifying, violent tremors to
Eastern Turkey and beyond, felt hundreds of kilometers away in Syria, Lebanon and Iraq. Buildings collapsed. Residents streamed into the streets
in the freezing night.
"We were at home at the time," this man remembers.
"The first tremor was very long, it was 15 seconds. It was a very long earthquake and then everybody left their houses."
Shocked and shaken, survivors huddled around fires for warmth in some areas as teams rushed to the sites to rescue those trapped under the rubble,
working through the night.
"Our houses are either collapsed or damaged," this man says.
"We cannot go to our villages. Some people lost their lives."
The earthquake was shallow. Its impact causing buildings to crumble in a number of small cities and towns. Twelve hours after it struck, there were
still reports of people being trapped. Over a thousand people were wounded. The death toll is expected to rise.
There were some moments of muted relief as more and more were pulled out from under the remains of their collapsed homes. This woman shakes as she's
carried away.
Turkey is no stranger to nature's volatility. In 1999, a massive earthquake in Izmit killed an estimated 17,000 people.
In 2011, in the eastern province of Van, hundreds of people died.
There are regular smaller tremors with lesser death tolls that happen on a regular basis. Turkey lies on two major fault lines, a shorter one that
runs through the south of the country and another longer one that runs to the north.
DAMON: Turkey is still bracing itself for what many call the big one that is expected to also severely impact here in Istanbul. Whenever an
earthquake happens, coupled with the sorrow over the lives lost and those who have been affected by it, is also fear, fear of what the next one may
bring and just how ready the nation is for it -- Arwa Damon, CNN, Istanbul.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: You're watching CONNECT THE WORLD. Let's take a very quick break. Back after this.
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[11:50:00]
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ANDERSON: Well, you don't have to be a football fan to look ahead to the Qatar 2022 World Cup here in this region. It is massive. Countries across
Africa limbering up right now after finding out that their fate in the continent's second round of qualifications Tuesday, as are many other
regions.
Qatar itself, it is preparing as much as anyone for sport's most highly anticipated event. John Defterios caught up with the man responsible for
making it happen on the ground. Here is what they talked about.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JOHN DEFTERIOS, CNN EMERGING MARKETS EDITOR: I wanted to start with this idea of the scare that we've had in 2019 with the multiple attacks in and
around the Strait of Hormuz. This seems like a golden opportunity for the region itself.
How do you answer the question about having stability around the World Cup to make sure people feel secure enough to come into Qatar?
H.E. HASSAN AL THAWADI, QATARI SECRETARY GENERAL, SUPREME COMMITTEE FOR DELIVERY AND LEGACY: First, let me address the incidents. I understand
there were concerns. For example, the American national team decided to postpone their trip.
But we had teams who came within a few days of the incident and discovered how safe, how secure Qatar is, how secure the region is. And they continued
to winter camp as normal.
There are a lot of other clubs coming to the region and coming to Qatar in particular. Now of course, let's be clear. The World Cup, Dubai Expo 2020,
these are valuable opportunities for us in the region to galvanize the people around us, to enable, to empower the people of our region to find a
better future for themselves.
I think it's important for all of us to realize these aren't just tournaments, they really are milestones that, if utilized properly -- and
we're doing everything that we can in Qatar to utilize the 2022 World Cup properly -- can serve as a transformative event for the region.
DEFTERIOS: It's extraordinary because, as an economic journalist, it's $200 billion on an economy that is that size. So it's helped you break
through the blockade. It's been your elixir for the economy through the crisis.
AL THAWADI: The $200 billion is an investment into the country's infrastructure. What we did developing the plans for the World Cup is we
put it upon the development plans of the country. We didn't impose the requirements of the World Cup.
So for example, $200 billion went into development of the metro system, which, as we saw in 2019, was a great success not just for the tournament
but overall as a public transportation system.
It went in terms of the development of our infrastructure in terms of ICT. So the World Cup served as a catalyst and it provided the forward push and
momentum to accelerate initiatives. But they are invested in the country's overall development. During the blockade, as a testimony to the resilience
and the resourcefulness of Qatar.
[11:55:00]
AL THAWADI: We might have faced a little bit of an issue early on but then were able to resolve a lot of these issues. New supply chains were put in
place, new long-term partners were --
(CROSSTALK)
AL THAWADI: As I said, it's a testimony to the resilience and the resolve of Qatar and its people.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Hassan Al Thawadi, speaking to my colleague, John Defterios, at Davos.
If you look at some ancient hieroglyphs, you can figure something out: how to walk like an Egyptian.
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ANDERSON: But something eludes us about ancient Egypt, perhaps a deeper mystery.
How do you talk like an Egyptian?
Scientists at the university of London recreated the vocal tract of a 3,000-year-old mummy, no easy task. The team chose an Egyptian priest
because his throat was reasonably intact. So they then 3D printed a new one and connected it to a speaker.
So drum roll, please.
What does it sound like?
Wait, no more?
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ANDERSON (voice-over): You don't need to be a scientist to know that those are just sounds, not words. Because the mummy's tongue wasted away and you
need a tongue to form words.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: That was CONNECT THE WORLD. Thanks for watching.
END
