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Connect the World
Coronavirus Outbreak; London Metro Police Shoot And Kill Man In Terror Incident; Arab League Rejects Trump's Middle East Plan; Lebanon Forms New Government; U.S. Presidential Campaign 2020; BAFTAs 2020. Aired 11a-12p ET
Aired February 02, 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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CHRISTI PAUL, CNN ANCHOR: There is this swirling urgency around the world to contain the coronavirus.
VICTOR BLACKWELL, CNN ANCHOR: Three hundred five people are dead.
NATALIE ALLEN, CNN ANCHOR (voice-over): The Philippines reports the first death outside of China.
IVAN WATSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: The authorities in Macao aren't taking any chances.
DAVID CULVER (?), CNN CORRESPONDENT: The containment effort is getting more extreme by some standards.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (INAUDIBLE).
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: In the accommodation where we will be in quarantine for the next couple of weeks.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (voice-over): Live from CNN Abu Dhabi, this is CONNECT THE WORLD with Becky Anderson.
BECKY ANDERSON, CNN HOST (voice-over): Tonight, connect a world fighting back. It is midnight in Wuhan, same time in Manila, 8:00 pm in Abu Dhabi.
In each place, certainly in the UAE, the coronavirus has hit. The Philippines has reported the first death outside of China.
The capital, Manila, has run out of face masks as people try to protect themselves from the virus. Another 304 people have lost their lives in
China. And there, the country taking some extraordinary measures to contain this outbreak, the likes of which we never quite have seen before.
State media, publishing video of drones with speakers chasing people like this down, telling them to wear a mask or stay inside.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (Speaking Japanese).
ANDERSON: Look at how the virus has exploded, you can see how the virus increased tenfold in less than a week, at times jumping 2,000 cases in a
single day. Look at the places where it has spread.
Coronavirus cases are now in 26 countries and territories outside Mainland China, including in Macao. That is where Ivan Watson is standing by. David
Culver is also in the Chinese capital of Beijing.
Let's start with you, Ivan. Extreme measures are being taken where are you, for what are extraordinary times.
WATSON: That's right, here in Macao, this semi autonomous corner of China, the authorities have already declared if you come from Mainland China's
Hubei province where the Wuhan coronavirus originated, people are not allowed in unless they have a health certificate saying they do not have
the virus.
In a number of another measures, such as closing the schools here indefinitely, the authorities here say they have detected eight cases of
coronavirus from within the territory, most recently a 64-year-old woman, who never traveled to Hubei from Macao.
She reportedly bought live poultry at a wet market and was diagnosed later here in Macao at hospitals with a fever, a cough. Now a doctor and nurse
that treated her, they have now been put into isolation as well.
And this has sent chills through this territory's business model which relies very, very heavily on throngs of Chinese tourists that come to the
many casinos in this former Portuguese colony.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
WATSON (voice-over): This is what the coronavirus crisis looks like, an ambulance delivers a patient to the emergency room in the tiny former
Portuguese colony of Macao.
Health workers fully protected against the new disease. The authorities in Macao aren't taking any chances. They are informing the public if you
suspect you have symptoms of coronavirus and you have been in touch with somebody that you fear may also be sick, somewhere in Mainland China, call
for an ambulance, which will deliver you here to the emergency of the entrance of the city's main public hospital.
Images from inside the isolation ward: at least seven patients are being treated here. The health emergency has had a startling impact on this semi
autonomous corner of China. Macao, with its small population of 600,000 people, normally is a major tourism hot spot, welcoming nearly 40 million
visitors last year alone.
The main draw, Macao's towering casinos. This is the gambling capital of the world, with a casino industry that dwarfs Las Vegas.
[11:05:00]
WATSON: But since the coronavirus outbreak, tourism to Macao dropped 87 percent in January compared to the previous year.
You've never seen it this empty before?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, never.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I never saw something like this.
WATSON: Albano Martins is a Portuguese economist long based in Macao.
ALBANO MARTINS, ECONOMIST: You go through the streets, I never saw streets empty. You go to the main square, totally empty. I never saw this in my
life and I am here from 1981. So too long, never. I think people are scared, maybe scared because of the speed of this infection.
WATSON: The Macao authorities say they have been rounding up every visitor from the Chinese province of Hubei, the origin of the coronavirus. Those
people get a choice: either leave the territory or go into quarantine. But they're drawing a line when it comes to the critical engine of the city's
economy.
WATSON: Would one of your health measure be to close the casinos?
"We do not rule out this possibility," the city's economy secretary tells me.
"But at this point in time, the casinos in Macao are totally safe."
For now, Macao's glittering gambling houses are still opened. But like the rest of China, the city is struggling with the new virus and everyone here
agrees, this is just the beginning of the crisis.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (voice-over): This is CNN breaking news.
ANDERSON: I'm breaking away from that story to bring you breaking news from South London, where Metropolitan Police say they have shot and killed
a man in what they call a terror-related incident. Hadas Gold is on the phone.
Hadas, what do we know at this point?
HADAS GOLD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: So I am en route right now to this area. It's about 8 miles south of Central London. And we first -- it looks like
reports first started coming into emergency services about 2:00 pm local.
Metropolitan Police confirmed a man has been shot by armed officers. They say there are two injured victims and they declared them as terror related.
They have recently confirmed the suspect is dead and that the scene is contained.
This incident is strikingly similar to the incident we had in December, that was very much in the heart of Central London, where there was a man
who stabbed several people just off London Bridge.
Now this area is quite far from the central parts of London that the tours may be familiar with. But of course, for people here, this is a very sad
and frightening, similar story, similar situation.
We are seeing some photos, some videos on the ground of people there. This was a Sunday afternoon. It was along the High Street. It's lots of
shopping. Lots of shoppers around, doing their daily Sunday visits. This appeared to have happened in the center of High Street.
So it is still a developing situation. But as far as we understand, the tweets do say that the situation is contained, about two injured people and
they do say that the suspect in what has been declared as a terrorist- related incident is deceased.
ANDERSON: This is an incident in South London, sometimes described as southeast, sometimes southwest. It's south of central. Let's leave it that.
It's close to, if not on the Streatham High Road there.
While I got you on the phone, read you what the Met has said recently this is about two hours as we understand it after the incident occurred. The
Metropolitan Police say the man has being shot by armed officers, believed a number of people have been stabbed, circumstances being assessed.
Incidents being declared terror related.
As Hadas now points out, the police now saying that the man involved in this has been shot and killed.
Hadas, perhaps as important at this point is what we don't know, correct?
GOLD: Yes. And the one thing we don't know is exactly how this unfolded. We don't know where this person came from, whether they were coming out of
a shop, whether they were inside a shop at some point and left on High Street.
We actually still don't know where the stabbings occurred, whether they occurred inside a building or on the street, itself. We also don't know
where this person is from, if they are local, by they've showed this area. It does seem as though there has been a heavy police presence.
[11:10:00]
GOLD: At least a dozen emergency vehicles, many ambulances, some helicopters flying above.
Of course, London does patrol its streets. The police are well trained for these types of incidents. But there is still a lot of questions, including
the total number of injured. Police say they have two injured people; the ambulance services said they had a number of injuries. We are still trying
to collect and verify photos and videos on the scene.
Because as I said, this is High Street. There are a lot of people around. There will likely be a lot of pictures and videos. We know everybody starts
taking pictures and videos of the scene. We expect to be there in just a few minutes.
ANDERSON: Well, a man has been shot dead, not immediately being identified by the London Met Police. This incident in South London, in Streatham, it
is about 10 past 4:00 in the afternoon in London as we speak. And as Hadas has been reporting, this incident happening at around local time 2:00 pm,
so just about two hours ago.
And these are the scenes there in South London. Hadas is on her way to the scene. As soon as she gets there, as soon as the team is in place, of
course, we will get you more on what is a breaking news story here on CNN.
And what we are learning from an eyewitness, according to some media, is that the man who is being shot and killed, apparently, carrying or wielding
a machete, we will get you more information on this as we take it. Taking a very short break. Back after this.
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ANDERSON: Well, an update on our breaking news: a man has been shot dead in South London in what police are calling a terror-related incident. New
details coming in. The man apparently wielding a knife. An eyewitness at the scene tells PA Media, descriptions him as having filled canisters on
his chest. They will be silver tubes, perhaps designed to look like something dangerous.
Police say several people were stabbed. It happened in London just about a couple hours ago. A medical helicopter is on the scene, CNN en route there.
You can see the emergency services there.
This is South London. We will get updates on this story as and when we get them.
Let's return to one of our other top stories at this hour. Over 14,000 people now have the coronavirus, a jump of 2,000 cases overnight. Israel in
the last hour joining a list of countries, banning all foreign nationals coming from Mainland China. That is along with New Zealand, Singapore,
Australia and the United States.
Now here's how that works. With the U.S. by way of example. If you are flying there, you will be asked if you have been to China in the last two
weeks. If you have and you are a foreign national, you will be denied entry.
If you are an American citizen, you will be sent to one of seven airports, including Atlanta, which is very close to CNN World Headquarters.
Well, we've got David Culver, standing by in the Chinese capital of Beijing.
David, what is the latest where you are?
CULVER: I can tell you, Becky, today we saw the premier here in China, he was going around to the command center, in particular, he spent the weekend
talking with those who are leading this containment effort.
And one thing he's stressed that is fascinating is he is likening this to a military effort. You see that in some of the extreme examples of the
lockdowns in particular, the 15 cities. There are 16 million people centered around the city of Wuhan, in particular. That's the epicenter of
all of this.
He stressed the dire need for medical supplies. We have been talking to the nurses and doctors, the team in Beijing. They are expressing they are
simply not getting what they need to treat patients effectively, they themselves are getting sick. They say it's like going into battle without
the armor.
The premier saying factories need to step up prediction and they need to establish an arsenal so as to battle this epidemic. Another thing he says
that stands out has to do with food supply in particular.
He said there may be challenges, this is important, Becky, with regard to getting basic necessities. He acknowledged that food supply chains need to
stay open and need to be running smoothly.
What is he talking about in particular?
We can assume on social media in China, some are blocking off their towns, the road access to prevent people coming in and exposing them from the
virus. But they are blocking off groceries and basic necessities. For China, a country in recent years that has touted in a prideful way, said,
look, we've come into a prosperous era and the prosperity now contrasting that with conservative or basic necessities not getting to people, that's
significant.
ANDERSON: David Culver is in Beijing for you. David, thank you. Information about the coronavirus outbreak coming in fast. Just minutes
ago, we learned Israel now banning arrivals from China to prevent the spread of the virus. To get latest details, advisories and travel alerts,
do go to our live blog on cnn.com.
Well, the U.S. president Donald Trump's Middle East peace plan was being hailed as the deal of the century by himself and Israeli leaders. But they
are hearing immediate pushback from Palestinians and indeed the umbrella organization, which suggests it represents the Arab world.
That is the Arab League.
[11:20:00]
ANDERSON: The plan doomed from the get-go but not including basic Palestinian demands, such as honoring the 1967 borders, the Palestinian
right of return and Jerusalem as the capital. For that it has been categorically rejected.
Arab Israelis are out en masse, saying, no deal, chanting "Jerusalem is the capital of Palestine." The Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas says he
would sever security ties with Israel and the United States if the plan were ever implemented.
It's not just him, Mr. Trump's plan facing criticism with members of the Arab League, far and wide, calling it a setback to peace efforts of the
past three decades. They also say it sows the seeds for 100 years more of conflict.
Well, the person that has negotiated the deal on behalf of the United States is someone with no diplomatic experience, until, of course, the
Trump administration. President Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, who spoke earlier to our Fareed Zakaria. The interview conducted a couple days
ago. Here is what he told CNN about Israel's perspective of the peace plan.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JARED KUSHNER, TRUMP SENIOR ADVISER: Israel has been a very convenient scapegoat for the Palestinian Authority. By the way, it's been the unifying
feature of the Arabic world in the Middle East for the last 70 years, to deflect from the shortcomings in a lot of these countries.
But for the Palestinians, if they want their people to live better lives, we now have a framework to do it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Well, CNN's Sam Kiley is in Jerusalem, monitoring the story for us.
You heard Jared Kushner, that was a wide ranging interview. But that was the gist, many will say this was a man who wasn't negotiating peace, he was
working, his critics will say, on behalf of one side of what has been this intransient, sort of decades-old conflict.
What do you make of what you heard?
SAM KILEY, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, it's a very striking plan altogether. There is no great surprise it's finally been
rejected by the Arab League, Becky, because there had been some doubt. There was some fairly equivocal responses coming from the United Arab
Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, traditionally countries who would be fully behind the Palestinian immediate rejection of this plan.
As members of the Arab League, they clearly now have been swept up, perhaps, in this more blanket rejection from the Middle East. But that
caused considerable consternation among the Palestinians. I can say after being on the West Bank in terms of the leadership.
On the ground, ordinary Palestinians are in a state of kind of dismay. They say they're lacking leadership from the top. The rejection, the threat to
suspend security cooperation with Israel, there is only a threat they say. They want to see something more concrete from their own leadership.
Now, Becky, it is beginning to affect ethnically Palestinian or Arab Israeli citizens. In the heart of this plan, there is a proposal, subject
to agreement of all parties, whoever those parties might be, to actually move the boundaries of a future Palestinian state, to incorporate
ethnically Arab Israeli citizens. They are objecting to that pretty strongly. This is what they said on the ground.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KILEY (voice-over): Israelis, demonstrating against Donald Trump's peace plan, which he believes could lead to a Palestinian state alongside Israel.
They're not Jewish. They're ethnic Arabs and make up about 21 percent of Israel's population.
They're saying no to a plan, which, among other things, proposes redrawing the boundaries of a future Palestinian state. Among the proposals coming
from the Trump administration is to incorporate Israelis who identify as Palestinians into a future Palestinian state.
That means moving the boundaries between the two from there maybe to here. Now that's a journey of only about a mile. But it incorporates a population
of about 50,000 people. That's in this town of Taybeh alone. The total number being moved into a new Palestine could be over 250,000, human rights
groups say.
Amani Jaber-Awida's family has lived on this boundary between Israel and the West Bank for decades.
So if there was going to be a movement of Palestinian ownership, if this town was going to be moved into a future Palestinian state, that fence
effectively would have to be moved from there just somewhere over there?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes. Certainly.
How many people in your town?
AMANI JABER-AWIDA, SOCIOLOGIST: We have about 50,000 people, Palestinian people living in Taybeh.
KILEY: They'd get fenced into a new Palestinian state?
[11:25:00]
JABER-AWIDA: Yes, along with the other neighboring towns.
KILEY (voice-over): These youngsters are Israelis. Removing their citizenship could violate the Geneva conventions.
Ahmad Tibi leads the mainly Arab Joint List. It's the third largest bloc in Israel's parliament.
AHMAD TIBI, ARAB JOINT LIST: It's racist because they are sending a signal and a message for the Arab citizens of the state of Israel, because you are
saying that you are Palestinians, you can be moved or transferred for other sovereignty. So ridiculous. And so Jewish.
KILEY (voice-over): The ruling Likud Party has only authorized prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu to comment on the Trump plan. It controls a
U.S. green light for unilateral annexation of Jewish settlements on the West Bank and the Jordan Valley.
Netanyahu stood next to Trump when he said the plan will double the amount of land under Palestinian control.
BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, PRIME MINISTER OF ISRAEL: Mr. President, Israel wants the Palestinians to have a better life. We want them to have a future of
national dignity, prosperity and hope. Your peace plan offers the Palestinians such a future. Your peace plan offers the Palestinians a
pathway to a future state.
KILEY (voice-over): But these Israeli citizens are insisting that they don't want to be forced into being a part of it.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KILEY: Now, Becky, the Israeli cabinet was supposed to meet today to begin the planning or the discussions to lead to the annexation of the Jordan
Valley and the Jewish settlements on the West Bank.
But there have been signals from Mr. Kushner that that should not occur ahead of the results of the elections, the general elections here in
Israel, which are in the first week in March, Becky.
ANDERSON: Sam Kiley in Jerusalem.
Well, images of Arabs in Israel decrying Trump's Middle East peace plan echoed in Lebanon with demonstrators there, gathered at the U.S. embassy in
Beirut, waving Palestinian flags, screaming, "Down with the deal of shame."
Well, I spoke with Lebanon's new foreign minister, Nassif Hitti, about what's at stake for his country, home, of course, to hundreds of thousands
of Palestinian refugees, should this plan ever get enacted. Have a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
NASSIF HITTI, LEBANESE FOREIGN MINISTER: We are committed and we remain committed to a comprehensive approach to the settlement of the Arab-Israeli
conflict, which is found in the Arab peace initiative. It's 100 percent based on the principles of international law and also on pertinent Security
Council resolutions.
ANDERSON: If Donald Trump were to offer Lebanon a substantial economic rescue package in return for the naturalization of Palestinian refugees,
then would you accept that or would you refuse that?
It would be difficult, wouldn't it, to refuse, given the economic straits that Lebanon is at present?
HITTI: The issue is not a matter of restate (ph) approach, allow me to say that, giving us money in exchange for settlement. It's a Lebanese sovereign
decision not to accept settlement and we consider the Palestinians have the right to go home to go back home or, if not, perhaps as they choose
individually to settle somewhere else, according to U.N. General Assembly resolution 194.
So we don't have to accept settlements in exchange of money.
ANDERSON: Sir, you a veteran diplomat, well regarded. Your experience at the Arab League is well documented.
You, though, in this cabinet are aligned with a number of parties and lawmakers, who now have a pro-Syria, pro-Iran stance.
Does that concern you?
And how do you personally navigate this new government for the benefit of protesters, for the benefit of the country, with regard to the
international community and do you genuinely believe this is a cabinet and government that can last?
HITTI: Whatever this cabinet lasts or not lasts is for the democratic system to decide whether it should stay or not in the parliament. My
message is give us some time, when I say some time, I'm talking a couple of days to put our plan into action and then judge us and rate us on the plan
and on whether or how we succeed in that matter.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Well, I can tell you, folks, we spoke to the foreign minister for a good 20 minutes.
[11:30:00]
ANDERSON: He was unable to give me a single concrete action that might get his country out of the mess that it is in.
I pressed him again and again to explain how this new cabinet he is now a part of aims to appease protesters and the international community who are
running out of all, who have already run out of patience with the Lebanese government.
He kept asking us to be patient and to give that cabinet a few days. And he assured me that he would join us again on the show when his, quote, "plan
is ready." So we'll give him that time. We will also keep on top of this story for you. It's important.
We are tracking breaking news this hour. A man has been shot dead in South London after what police are assessing as a terror-related incident. Now
the situation is, police say, contained as of now.
Here's what we do know about what happened. An eyewitness tells PA Media that the man was wielding a machete and that he used silver tubes attached
to his chest. The eyewitness describes watching the alleged assailant be chased down by what he believes may be an undercover police officer.
Then soon after, hearing three gunshots ring out. As of now, the police believe there are two injured victims. Again, the situation seems to be
contained or over; a large police presence on the scene, alongside ambulances. The suspect it seems has been shot and killed. More after this.
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[11:35:00]
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE (voice-over): This is CNN breaking news.
ANDERSON: The breaking news this hour: a man has been shot dead in South London, in what police are right now describing as being terror-related. I
want to get to you the scene.
Hadas Gold is standing by. We are looking at some images here, at emergency services, what do we know at this point?
GOLD: Becky, what we know right now is just before 2:00 pm is when the first call started coming in to emergency services saying an incident had
occurred. As you can see behind me, this is the road where this incident happened. It appears it happened down toward where the road bends. We have
been pushed back by police.
You can hear the helicopters still circling around above us. Now from what we understand is that the calls came in just before 2:00 pm. Now the Met
Police have confirm it was two people that were believed in what may be a stabbing attack and that a suspect was shot and killed by police.
Now we have started to see quite a few images from Twitter that appear to be -- that appear to show a body on the ground. We still don't know a lot;
including, was there potentially a device that may have this somehow strapped to the body?
Of course, police in London are well versed in situations like these and responding to them very quickly. Now armed police in London, people might
not notice, are not as common as they are in cities in the United States.
They have an armed police response; it is a pretty heavy response here. We do know the suspect is dead. We do not know the condition of the victims.
We have seen comments from the London mayor, from the prime minister, extending their condolences to the injured, saying they are standing up
against terror around the city.
Now again, this comes just a few months, just not even I think a month or so, after that incident on London Bridge, which was eerily similar, an
attacker came out, stabbing people and shot by armed police. There is a lot of things we don't know, who the suspect is, where is he from?
Why here?
This is not a part of Central London, like London Bridge. This is not a big tourist area. We are 8 miles directly south of Central London. This is
rather residential. This is a very busy High Street. There is a lot of big shops and restaurants here. This is a Sunday afternoon. Lot of people out
doing shopping.
This happened in a very busy area. We still don't know where the attack started.
Was it in a stop, a restaurant?
The aftermath we have seen, from photos, from witnesses, is along the street. We just don't know exactly the timeline of the events. The police
are still here on force, Helicopters are still circling above us. We have been pushed back from where this incident took place on a very busy High
Street.
ANDERSON: This is Streatham High Road, you point out, directly south of central London. It is residential to both sides as it were. You'd consider
this a suburb of South London.
That road I know very, very well. This is a road you jump on the bus to get from Central London down to this area. So this would be very, very, very
busy with buses and taxis as you rightly point out. People are doing their shopping. It happened as you say -- go on.
(CROSSTALK)
GOLD: This is also, interestingly enough, this is one of the main roads to one of the biggest airports of London, to Gatwick Airport. This is a busy
road, Sunday afternoon, lots of people making their way back out to the airport to leave after a weekend visit. Again a very busy High Street.
As you know, on both sides of the street, it's very residential. Because the road was blocked off, I had to make my way down here, through the
neighborhoods. Very lovely houses, very quiet, lots of people still out walking their dogs, trying to figure out how to get around here.
On a Sunday afternoon, typically, this street would be absolutely full of people going to restaurants, going to shops. Of course, we seen this
incident happen just over two hours ago.
ANDERSON: And the prime minister, Boris Johnson, thanking emergency services. He has said that his thoughts are with the victims, no surprises
there. The Met Police, as they are known, have said this is a situation that is now, as far as we understand it, contained.
You were right to point out what we don't know is the identity of the suspect, where he was from or why he was in South London, today this
Sunday. What we do understand, Hadas, is that eyewitnesses at least describing him wielding a machete and with some -- as you described it --
silver canisters on his chest.
Anything more on the suspect to this point?
[11:40:00]
GOLD: We have no more information yet officially from police on the suspect, who he is, where he was from. These are questions that police are
going to be racing right now to answer.
First of all, the identity, who he is.
Where is he from?
Of course, was he acting by himself?
Did he have help in any way?
Police have said they do not believe there are more suspects. They have the area contained within about an hour. But there is a lot of questions now
they are probably looking for addresses, where he is. Any of his family friends, connections, to piece together who he is and what happened and why
he chose to come to this High Street to do this attack.
And also, of course, what were these devices that may have been on him, were they live, fake?
There is a lot of questions here still to be answered.
ANDERSON: Two-and-a-half hours ago and short change, an incident described as terror-related in South London, Hadas Gold reporting on what we know at
this point. As we get more information, Hadas will get it do you directly.
Hadas, for the time being, thank you very much.
We will take a very short break, folks, we'll be right back after this.
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ANDERSON: Let me start again. We are tracking breaking news for you. Apologies.
This hour, a man has been shot death in South London after what police are calling a terror-related incident. We understand that at least two people
are injured.
The prime minister saying his thoughts are with the injured and thanking police for what was their quick response. We are working to learn more
about the alleged assailant.
We know he has been shot dead by police, an eyewitness describing hearing three gunshots, the same eyewitness telling reporters that he saw the
assailant wielding a machete.
The home secretary, mayor of London are keeping a close eye on the situation. They say it's coming up to 5:00 pm in London on what should be a
busy High Street in London on a Sunday evening.
This is in the borough. Let me tell you, the borough of London I know for a fact is a part of London, which is extremely close to this. This is
Streatham. Mayor of London from south London himself. So this will be particularly resonant to man running the city.
Well, brace yourself for a busy week in American politics. On Monday the process of picking a presidential nominee begins with the Iowa caucuses. It
gives a candidate a proper boost going into the primary and caucus season.
On Tuesday, Donald Trump takes center stage with his annual State of the Union address in what could be an interesting dynamic. House Speaker Nancy
Pelosi, who initiated the impeachment proceedings, will sit right behind him.
[11:45:00]
ANDERSON: And on Wednesday, it is the end of the road for Mr. Trump's impeachment trial in the Senate. The Republican-controlled floor will
likely vote to acquit him.
President Trump's impeachment trial was not the outcome that the Democrats were looking for but perhaps welcome news for the Democratic senators who
got back to their campaigns this weekend.
They've spent their last days before the Iowa caucuses, hoping to get more people involved and to support them. Let's get some perspective on those
caucuses now. We are joined by Jeff Zeleny in Des Moines and Ryan Nobles who is in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
Ryan, let me start with you there, what is the story where you are?
This not necessarily turning out the way the sort of Democratic machine might have hoped for.
RYAN NOBLES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, you know, I think this is on display right now, Becky. We're at an event with Bernie Sanders' campaign in Cedar
Rapids. You can see this crowd behind me. This is a big crowd for a Sunday, right before the Iowa caucuses.
What was interesting is this isn't necessarily the biggest venue, this is a campus location where Sanders had come to rally the troops, to get them out
of in anticipation of the weekend. The crowd was so big they were forced to bring the event outside.
So we are expecting to hear from senator Sanders here at this event in the next few minutes. If he stays consistent what with what he has been saying,
a message of electability. There is doubt about his energy. They're feeling confident about his chances on Monday.
The only Achilles heel he may have is concern among Democratic voters, while they like Sanders, they're not sure he matches up against Donald
Trump in a general election. Sanders trying to tamp down that narrative and instead insisting that he could beat Donald Trump. Listen to what he said
yesterday on the campaign trail.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. BERNIE SANDERS (D-VT), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I believe that we are the strongest campaign to defeat Trump. Certainly I hope that we're going
to win. But if we do not win, we will support the winner and I know that every other candidate will do the same. We are united in understanding that
we must defeat Donald Trump.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NOBLES: And so that's the other part of this equation for Bernie Sanders, the idea that if he does get through the Democratic nomination, how does he
unite a Democratic Party, still in many ways healing from the wounds of a divisive 2016 primary, where Hillary Clinton's name is still coming up,
despite the fact that she has long removed herself from presidential politics.
That's the challenge for him. But Becky, do I have to say, there is a lot of enthusiasm right now with Bernie Sanders and his team. They do believe
he is in the best position to win. They do feel very positive about their chances here tonight -- Becky.
ANDERSON: So this is absolutely fascinating.
Jeff, since these candidates announced, it seems it has been forever and a day that the Democrats have been talking about electability. When they talk
about electability, they mean who can beat Trump. When they talk about who can beat Trump, they says Joe Biden.
We now have a poll out. This is the latest from CBS. We have Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders tied at 25 percent. Those two alone form the top tier.
Just how significant is this race as it shapes up to be so close?
And what might the consequences be going forward?
JEFF ZELENY, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Becky, there is no question that electability has been front and center in this race. But
electability has been in the eye of the beholder. There is a vast disagreement about electability, what it means, who is the strongest
candidate to take on President Trump?
If Bernie Sanders should win, the Iowa caucuses and go onto the second contest in New Hampshire next week, that is going to be a defining moment
for this Democratic Party. But it's not the end of the road at all.
This process will be several weeks, probably several months down the road, of who is the strongest candidate. And waiting in the wings, we should
point out is Michael Bloomberg. He is not on the ballot here in Iowa. He has decided to not run in New Hampshire.
But he is spending hundreds of millions of dollars. He is pledging to spend perhaps a billion or two, so if Bernie Sanders emerges as the strong early
favorite here, look for Michael Bloomberg to step in.
Again this is the beginning of the process, not the end. If you add up the moderate candidates, Pete Buttigieg, Amy Klobuchar and Joe Biden, that is
probably more than Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren. So just at the beginning of this. Let's not get ahead of ourselves. That's why these
elections are so long but so great here in the U.S. -- Becky.
It's peculiarly American, these caucuses and primaries.
[11:50:00]
ANDERSON: Fascinating. To both of you, thank you.
Politics taking precedent over impeachment, some will say. But politics is impeachment, impeachment is politics. Anyway, that's what some will say.
What I will say is we're taking a very short break. Back after this.
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(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
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ANDERSON: Well, the beginning of the year brings awards season. And before the Oscars come the BAFTAs. Those are taking place in London tonight. Isa
Soares is joining us from London with more.
Tell us, what have you got?
ISA SOARES, CNN ANCHOR: Hi, Becky. That right, Hollywood were expecting to descend on the Royal Albert Hall. The red carpet has opened. We have
started to see celebrities come in, from the likes of Al Pacino to Renee Zellweger, Brad Pitt, Charlize Theron.
In terms of themes, there is one title they don't want to talk about that is #BAFTAsSoWhite. It's the hashtag we have seen all over Twitter and one
we probably will see at the Oscars as well, #OscarsSoWhite is also trending, because from is, as many will argue, a lack of diversity.
Let's have a look at some of the people nominated, be it the actor category. We've got a category, all basically all white. If we look at the
Best Director and Best Film, Becky, also, no women being nominated.
You might ask, OK, where are the women?
Are there women worth the nomination?
Big snub, many consider to be Greta Gerwig from "Little Women." I can't tell you how many times I cried during that movie. There are several
nominations for many of the actors that were in that movie.
One of the best supporting actors, Margot Robbie, is in an enviable position. She has been nominated twice in the same category and she's up
against the incredible selection of women there.
And if she wins, of course, that will be the first time in history they're nominated twice. So lots of focus today on the lack of diversity, although
I have to say, the British Academy Film Awards is trying to draw attention elsewhere, Prince William is attending with the Duchess of Cambridge.
Prince William is the president and we are hearing a speculation in the British media that perhaps he may talk about a lack of diversity, Becky,
why is there a lack of diversity in the British film industry, in particular in the nomination.
But the Academy Awards is focusing attention on going green, asking celebrities to try and use up some of their old clothes to offset the
carbon footprint. The carpet here we can show you has been recyclable. The food they will be serving is all local. We're back to you, Becky.
ANDERSON: All right. Thank you for that.
Despite the lack of diversity, one documentary maker has made history at this year's BAFTAs during this particular region.
[11:55:00]
Proud Syrian filmmaker, Waad al-Kateab's harrowing story and film, "For Sama," has been nominated for four prizes, the most ever for a documentary
feature at the BAFTAs. I had the pleasure of speaking to her last year. Here's a snippet of what we talked about.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WAAD AL-KATEAB, FILMMAKER: And I think this is the same moment which all Syrian mothers now in Idlib, the last place out of the regime control, they
still have the same experience now and they are thinking about their children, how they are being bombed, as we're speaking right now. That's
really unbelievable that it's still happening.
It's now three years after what we went through.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Everything that she gets for that film, the very best of luck to her.
Before we go, a final update on a story we have been following closely this hour. A man has been shot dead by police in what was a terror-related
situation in southwest London. This incident happening about three hours ago.
You are looking at live pictures from the scene. We understand the incident is now over and is contained. According to reports, there are two wounded
victim. An eyewitness tells reporters on the scene that he saw the alleged assailant wielding a machete, with the described silver tubes that attached
to his chest.
There will be a lot more on this story next hour in what is CNN's ongoing coverage of this incident and the other news for you. I will be with Lynda
Kinkade at CNN's worldwide headquarters. That was CONNECT THE WORLD. More from us tomorrow.
END
