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108 Coronavirus Deaths Reported Monday, Deadliest Day So Far; U.K. Businessman Linked to Several Cases Recovers; Virus Impacting Businesses Around the World; Sudan to Hand Wanted Officials to International Criminal Court; Voting Underway in New Hampshire Primary; Buttigieg Speaks to CNN on New Hampshire Primary Day; Security Forces in Lebanon Clash with Protesters Ahead of Vote; World Health Organization Names Virus "COVID-19". Aired 10- 11a ET
Aired February 11, 2020 - 10:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[10:00:00]
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ZHONG NANSHAN, CHINA'S LEADING EPIDEMIOLOGIST: The time may be reached at the -- maybe in the middle or late this month.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ZAIN ASHER, CNN HOST: This hour, after China's deadliest day with the coronavirus, new predictions of the disease calming down. We investigate.
Plus --
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The 2020 New Hampshire primary is under way.
SEN. BERNIE SANDERS (I-VT) DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: If we win here, I think we have a path to the Democratic nomination.
JOE BIDEN, DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: You want to run with the top of the ticket to define the Democratic Party as a socialist?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If Sanders wins here, he'll be the front-runner for the Democratic nomination.
PETE BUTTIGIEG (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Senator Sanders' ideals are ideals many Americans share. At the end of the day, we have to explain how
we're supposed to get from here to there.
SEN. ELIZABETH WARREN (D-MA) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Democrats cannot do a repeat of 2016. We can't go into a general election divided.
SEN. AMY KLOBUCHAR (D-MN) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I've always told people that if you are tired of the noise and the nonsense, you have a home with
me.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ASHER: Get this. It's not so much first place that matters. It's all about fourth place. We explain.
And --
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Wow. Oh, my god.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Is that you --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That photo is me.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Doesn't look like you. That's when you were younger?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ASHER: This is your future. We speak to a man who is stockpiling billions of our photos.
It is 11:00 p.m. in Wuhan, 5:00 in the afternoon in Beirut, 10:00 a.m. in New Hampshire, same time here in New York. I'm Zain Asher. We are
conducting a very, very busy world for you right now and our big story this hour.
The coronavirus death toll is reaching new milestones. More than 100 deaths were reported on Monday. The deadliest day since the outbreak began. But
could China soon see a slowdown in the rate of new cases? That is the big question at this hour.
At last report, 1,018 people worldwide have died from this virus. All but two of them in mainland China, and most of those in Hubei province, home to
Wuhan and the epicenter of the outbreak. But here's what may be perhaps the most positive development of this outbreak so far since it started last
month. On Monday, the number of reported new infections decreased almost 20 percent from the day before. China's top disease expert is hopeful that the
worst will soon be over.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NANSHAN: We have a prediction based on the mathematical AI model, and also based on the monitoring of the realtime development of recent days, and
based on the risk factor, and also based on the strong intervention of the Chinese government. So we suppose maybe the peak time may be reach maybe in
middle or late this month, February.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ASHER: For that news, is of little comfort to the thousands of passengers and crew aboard the quarantined Diamond Princess cruise ship. There are now
135 confirmed cases of the virus contracted on the ship which docked in Yokohama, Japan. Newly diagnosed patients are being treated on shore.
Let's bring in a team. We've got David Culver who's been with us since the beginning, joining us from Beijing. He's been following, as I mentioned,
this outbreak from the very start. Scott McLean is in Brighton, England, where officials have identified a British citizen who is believed to have
infected several people. And also, we have John Defterios coming to us live from Abu Dhabi who's going to be talking about the growing impact on
business.
David, I want to start with you first. Even though it's clear now that the rate of infection is slowing, that doesn't quite mean that we're out of the
woods just yet.
DAVID CULVER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: No, and it is interesting that the words that you played a short time ago, part of that interview with Zhong Nanshan
who we should point out is a leading epidemiologist and somebody who gained international fame for his work back in 2003 in assessing the SARS
epidemic. That he does bring some hope in portraying that it's possibly a light at the end of the tunnel here when you look in the next few days he
suggests or even in a couple of weeks that this peak time that he assesses could be falling into place.
But he's also coming amidst out of concern. In a sense you look at the death toll numbers and we've seen day after day an increase. It's either
stayed the same or gone up. It's certainly not a decline. So those are alarming numbers. But state media here focuses heavily on what they
consider to be the recovery rate if you will.
[10:05:11]
And they stress that -- since two weeks ago, there's been a jump of about 7 percent in the number of folks able to recover from the coronavirus. So
those are just some of the many numbers, Zain, that they're putting out in the midst of all of this. But putting it in context, it's still happening
in the midst of containment efforts and really strong containment efforts that are freezing life for a lot of people. In fact, here in Beijing it's
back to business or so it's supposed to be. But it's not back to normal.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CULVER (voice-over): We are looking at the post lunar new year holiday rush on the streets of Beijing. Most years you'd see millions of migrant
workers pouring back into China's capital. But this year, a much slower pace and thin crowds. The normally bustling shopping districts, desolate --
on the outside at least.
And think you'd find more life indoors? Health checkpoints like this one screen people at every entrance of this shopping mall. Sanitized only to
enter a sterile and near empty space.
(on camera): On any other given Sunday, especially in winter, malls like this one would be packed with people. Instead, pretty much the only ones
here.
(voice-over): Popular Beijing restaurants like this one known for their Sichuan cuisine have had no need to change out the white tablecloths for
weeks. Many are scared to talk face to face to others let alone share a meal with them. But there's still a need to make money and there's still a
demand for fresh produce. Instead of wasting their supplies, the restaurant staff has set up tables outside their storefront creating a makeshift
farmers market of sorts.
ZHANG RUI BEIJING RESIDENT (through translator): They can't operate because of the epidemic so they need to sell out the stocks.
CULVER: It's convenient for customers like Zhang Rui. He's been working remotely in IT. for about a week. His company, like many here in Beijing,
encouraging their employees to work from home. But he's noticed a slump in company productivity.
RUI (through translator): It's not as efficient as working in the office because it's not very convenient if colleagues are not physically together.
CULVER: Zhang is still among the fortunate ones. The outbreak has left many without jobs to clock into. Huang Keyun video chatted with us from
central China. She, like many migrant workers, had expected travel back to Beijing to return to her job as a nanny.
HUANG KEYUN, MIGRANT WORKER (through translator): My boss told me he'd leave for America. I asked him when he'd come back but he said he might not
return.
CULVER: Now jobless, she's living off the two-months of extra pay her former employer provided her. But that's draining with each passing day.
KEYUN: I just stay at home and don't go out and the government asks us not to go out as well. I just stay at home with my family.
CULVER: And even if she wanted to return to Beijing immediately, she would be expected to self-quarantine for two weeks. That's two more weeks without
pay. Many migrant workers facing similar financial struggles as the government's effort to stop the spread of the virus intensify. For now at
least, there is no containing the growing economic uncertainty.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CULVER: And we know of at least two other individuals who are out of a job today. And Zain, they are the health leaders essentially within Hubei
province. At the local level we know they have lost their jobs. They been pushed out, fired. And this is part of what we were looking at early on as
likely being the case. And that is the central government putting more and more blame on the local government. But that's something also echoed by a
lot of the folks who you talk to within Wuhan and Hubei province. They believe the local government simply dropped the ball early on and so it
seems like those officials are facing the consequences.
ASHER: David Culver, live for us there. Thank you so much.
I want to brief our audience on something that's happening right now if we can show live pictures. What we're seeing here it's representatives of the
World Health Organization briefing reporters about the coronavirus. It is just about 4:00 p.m. in Geneva, Switzerland. We know that several
representatives of the WHO were just in Beijing to learn a little bit more about the outbreak. But we are hearing that the rate of the infection does
seems to be slowing so there is some good news there. We'll keep an eye on that press conference for you.
Now, the British citizen who contracted the coronavirus during a business trip to Singapore says that he has fully recovered. Steve Walsh infected a
number of other people. He says that he is remaining for the time being in isolation. All right, Scott, just walk us through and what more we know
about Steve Walsh and his role in perhaps spreading the virus to a few other people.
SCOTT MCLEAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, so for the rest of the world, Zain, the epicenter of this outbreak is in Wuhan, China. But for a lot of the
cases here in England, the epicenter might as well have been a sales conference in Singapore. That is where Steve Walsh was when he first
contracted this virus. He took it to the French Alps on vacation, to a ski chalet there and back to England and then to a pub in nearby Hove not far
from here.
Two of the four new cases announced are connected to that ski chalet in France and two Steve Walsh that were announced yesterday by health
authorities are belonging to health workers.
[10:10:00]
This clinic here has actually been closed down today. The pharmacy is open. But the clinic itself is closed. But none of the public health authorities
here in the U.K. will say exactly why. They won't link it definitively to the coronavirus other than to explain on this sign that this practice has
been closed for extensive cleaning as a precautionary measure. And it's aiming to reopen what was today and then there's another sign saying it's
aiming to open tomorrow. There's this other sign here that says if you suspect you may have or have come in contact with someone who has the
coronavirus, stop, go home and call us. And that's exactly what Steve Walsh says that he did before ending up in the hospital in a quarantine unit.
Now before we came here, Zain, we were actually at Imperial College in London where we were speaking to the lead researcher working to get a
vaccine for this coronavirus. He's not the only team that's working on one, but his is moving along quite quickly. Yesterday, in fact, his team started
with animal trials. That means injecting a drop size bit of the vaccine into lab mice. It'll take about six weeks before they know for sure. And
this is just the first step on a long road to potentially developing the vaccine. Listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ROBIN SHATTOCK, PROFESSOR, IMPERIAL COLLEGE LONDON: We're always challenging ourselves to go faster. And each time something like this
happens, the global vaccine community is challenged to do -- go faster and do better. We're still hopeful that this epidemic may well be contained by
the measures that are being put in place. And it's still not, you know, implausible that the virus may actually go away during the summer months.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MCLEAN: So of course, this is not the only team that is working to get a vaccine. And it is possible that this may not be the one that actually ends
up going to market. It could very well be from a different lab.
As for the animal testing process, well, we don't know anything about the results so far. You heard there, Robin Shaddock, saying it's a race, but
for now they just have to wait and see. It won't be for about six weeks until they'll confirm that the virus is actually working in those mice. At
this point they have no reason to believe that it won't work. After that it's human trials but could still be about a year out, Zain, before an
actual vaccine could come to market.
ASHER: All right, Scott, stand by for us.
The United Arab Emirates has confirmed an eighth case of coronavirus. An Indian national who had interacted with another diagnosed person. One
patient there is in intensive care, the rest are stable. So, John, just walk us through this. Because you're at the Milken Institute in Abu Dhabi.
What has been the fear like among the business community?
JOHN DEFTERIOS, CNN BUSINESS EMERGING MARKETS EDITOR: Well, clearly a lot of alarm having the eighth case here in the United Arab Emirates itself,
Zain, no doubt about that. One CEO says, look, it's very tricky because of the incubation period. You're traveling around. You don't know if you are
carrying it. You're coming in contact with people that have been to Asia. So that's uncertainty. Even in the green room before I went on stage today,
I saw the U.S. ambassador to the UAE. He gave me a fist bump and he said let's play it safe and not shake hands. That's the feeling everybody has
here at a very large event in Abu Dhabi.
We have to also remember the UAE built its reputation over the last 25 years being air bridged between Asia, the Middle East and Europe and beyond
to the United States. They strategically opened up a trade alliance with China and the new silk road over the last ten years and it has worked. But
the CEO of a division of a major sovereign fund here called Mubadala in the UAE, suggested that it's not just a commodity sell-off hitting oil prices.
It's the wheels of commerce which are grinding very slowly right now. Let's take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WALEED AL-MUHAIRI, DEPUTY GROUP CEO, MUBADALA INVESTMENT COMPANY: I think what's more important than where you are in the commodity cycle is what you
believe is going to happen as a result of kind of supply chain changes that are coming as a result of industry either moving or being reallocated out
of China. And so nobody knows how that's going to play out. But you are starting to see manufacturing businesses starting to shift supply chains.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
DEFTERIOS: So these connections here on the supply chains, the commerce and the dependency on China now because it's a $14 trillion economy. And
there's the other problem here, China as one was suggesting today and the panel could slow down to 4 percent. Does it really spill into the second
quarter of the year? Is it similar to SARS as a real question mark. And then one CEO complained, look, we can't get product out of China right now
and as a result, other countries are filling the gap but they're raising the prices. Which is also a threat to global growth. So this is a big deal.
We don't know how long it will spill in to the second quarter of this year -- Zain.
ASHER: John Defterios live for us there, thank you so much. And thank you to our team as well.
[10:15:00]
We've been bringing you the latest on the frustration aboard two cruise ships. One that became a floating quarantine zone in Japan with 135 people
on board confirmed with the virus and transferred off. The other in Hong Kong where thousands of passengers have finally been allowed to disembark.
Well, now there's a third. The Westerdam owned by Holland America is practically wandering the ocean looking for a place to dock. It's been
turned away from Japan, the Philippines, Taiwan and now Thailand. The ship's operator says there's no evidence of the coronavirus on board.
As for the cruise ships still under quarantine in Japan, more than 3,000 people are still stuck. The government says they can leave the ship on
February 19th. CNN's Matt Rivers spoke exclusively with the Japanese vice health minister on what's next. I want to play you part of that
conversation.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GAKU HASHIMOTO, JAPANESE VICE MINISTER OF HEALTH, LABOR AND WELFARE (through translator): We understand everyone is anxious. Spending 14 days
in small spaces is very difficult. So we need to take care of people, especially those with pre-existing conditions and the elderly. We're doing
our best to be ready and test those who are higher risk first and then bring them to special facilities should they test positive.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How challenging has this been for your government to try and deal with the problem that is not of your making?
HASHIMOTO (through translator): This ship has many nationalities on board so it's a problem involving many countries. They are all asking for our
help so we have to take responsibility for this. Our primary goal is to prevent a pandemic in our own country. But at the same time, we want
everyone on board to get home safely. So Japan can't do this alone. We need lots of cooperation from other countries to make this work.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ASHER: And Hong Kong authorities are taking no chances in working to control this outbreak. The city of 7 million has seen one death and 42
confirmed cases, including two in the same apartment building. Now people are being evacuated from that building.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
IVAN WATSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: It has raised concerns that there could be transmission taking place within the pipes of
the building. Between the sewage system and the air ventilation system. That there would be a leak that the virus could be transmitted that way.
And so, we see the police going into the building that's been partially evacuated.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ASHER: All right, stay with CNN. Next hour, Ivan's full report. How this outbreak is bringing back memories of SARS. You can find up-to-the-minute
updates on our live blog @CNN.com from travel warnings, the latest from the World Health Organization. And that's all at CNN.com.
Breaking news -- Sudan will says it will hand over former wanted officials to the international criminal court in the Hague. A senior government
source tells CNN that the list includes former President Omar al-Bashir who was toppled last April after months of mass nationwide protests. Al-Bashir
faces five counts of crimes against humanity and two counts of war crimes in connection with military actions in Darfur. Let's bring in CNN's
international correspondent Nima Elbagir who is just back from Sudan. This is huge news, Nima, just walk us through it.
NIMA ELBAGIR, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: It is, Zain, it's a hugely emotional moment for many people in Sudan, even if the details might
prove slightly complicated. Because in addition to the counts of crimes against humanity and war crimes, al-Bashir is implicated in the death of
protesters in these recent months of violence.
And for many of the parents of the martyrs, while there is a sense that at least justice is slowly beginning to move in the right direction, what does
this mean for their children and their cases? And that's what all remains to be played out.
What we understand, Zain, is that this was very much an internal deal. A domestic agreement between members of disparate rebel groups who had long
been fighting with al-Bashir, including in the Darfur region and this new transitional government. And this was about not only a show of faith but
really a statement that Sudan is moving forward and that, for once, for the first time in decades, there will finally be consequences not just for al-
Bashir but for those around him -- Zain.
ASHER: All right, Nima Elbagir, live for us there, thank you so much.
Coming up --
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BUTTIGIEG: I'm no stranger to holding office. I'm no stranger to government, and I'm no stranger to service.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: There's "Klobasurge." There is "Klobacharge." And there's "Klomentum."
KLOBUCHAR: OK, all good. I just want people to vote for me.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You said Iowa was a gut punch. What are you expecting here?
BIDEN: Well, I think as I told you it's an uphill race.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
[10:20:00]
ASHER: CNN is talking to U.S. presidential candidates as voting gets underway in the New Hampshire primary. We'll have an interview with Pete
Buttigieg just ahead.
And clashes erupting on the streets of Beirut as hundreds of people gathered to block lawmakers from reaching the Parliament building. We'll
explain why, just ahead.
And coming up later, just how private are your privacy settings on social media. Details on the facial recognition technology that's raising alarms
from lawmakers and tech giants alike.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SANDERS: Trump is not only a liar, but he's a fraud.
CHRIS CUOMO, CNN ANCHOR: The President of the United States thinks we're suckers.
WARREN: I've got the best chance to beat Donald Trump.
BIDEN: I damn well am ready to get rid of him.
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: My only problem is I'm trying to figure out who is their weakest candidate? I think they're all
weak.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
Oh, boy. That's what it looked like as U.S. President Donald Trump and the Democrats who want to replace him wrapped up their New Hampshire primary
campaign. Now it's up to New Hampshire voters. And when ballots are counted a few hours from now, the results could narrow the list of Democratic
candidates. Our Leyla Santiago takes a look at the rest.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SANDERS: I think we've got a path to victory for the Democratic nomination.
LEYLA SANTIAGO, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Tension growing between Senator Bernie Sanders and Pete Buttigieg making their last appeals to
primary voters. Buttigieg looking for support from those who may feel alienated by Sanders' progressive agenda.
BUTTIGIEG: I'm concerned the idea that you have to either be for a revolution or you must be for the status quo paints a picture where most of
us can't see ourselves. Where most of us don't know where we fit in.
SANTIAGO: Sanders once again attacking Buttigieg and Joe Biden for their rich backers.
SANDERS: My friend, Mr. Buttigieg and friend Joe Biden, they have dozens and dozens of billionaires contributing to their campaign. We don't have
any billionaires.
SANTIAGO: After a poor showing in Iowa, Biden looking ahead to contests in more diverse states.
BIDEN: I'm excited to get to South Carolina and Nevada. I view this, you know, a package of four out of the gate. I don't know how you can judge who
is going to be the likely -- be able to win the nomination until you have the African-American vote and the Latino vote. And that doesn't come until
a little later.
SANTIAGO: Biden isn't alone in needing a strong finish in New Hampshire.
KLOBUCHAR: So, as you probably heard, we're on a bit of a surge.
SANTIAGO: Amy Klobuchar making a plea to voters still on the fence.
KLOBUCHAR: I've always told people that if you are tired of the extremes in our politics and the noise and the nonsense, you have a home with me.
SANTIAGO: Elizabeth Warren stressing Democrats should reflect on how they failed in 2016.
WARREN: We can't have Democrats firing at Democrats or Democrats mad at other Democrats. We have got to pull together as a party because we've got
to beat Donald Trump.
SANTIAGO: President Trump was also here for a rally last night.
TRUMP: So I hear a lot of Republicans tomorrow will vote for the weakest candidate possible of the Democrats.
[10:25:02]
My only problem is I'm trying to figure out who is their weakest candidate. I think they're all weak.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ASHER: Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg is out on the campaign trail meeting and chatting with voters as they head in to cast
their votes in New Hampshire. CNN's John Berman caught up with the former mayor from Indiana and asked him how he felt going into the primary.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JOHN BERMAN, CNN CO-ANCHOR, NEW DAY: So when I last saw you, it was before the Iowa caucuses. Obviously, a lot has changed since then. You emerged
from there with a lot of momentum. How does it feel tonight? How different does it feel?
BUTTIGIEG: Well, it feels really good. The energy we're seeing among our volunteers, organizers and the voters showing up at our events, tells me
that we have momentum right now and are in a great position for a good night.
But New Hampshire is a state that thinks for itself. Voters don't like to be told what to do by other states or really anybody. And so, we know that
we need to earn every single vote. That's why we've been working so hard doing events across the state. Making sure we speak to those voters who
even now are still going through their options and making up their mind.
BERMAN: How does it feel different than it did before?
BUTTIGIEG: You know, it's -- every state has a kind of different feel to it. Here I think the fact that folks will go and cast a ballot is just a
different system from the caucus, of course. But the other thing is there's a greater than ever sense of urgency. As we speak, Donald Trump is in the
state, too, rallying his supporters.
And reminding us all why we need a new president. He's just rolled out a budget that will make savage cuts to education, environmental protection.
He said that Social Security even is on the table and Medicaid is up for cuts. We know what would happen if this presidency continues. And you can
feel, even more than before, I think, that voters are focused on the campaign that can go out there and beat Donald Trump.
BERMAN: I think the candidates in the campaigns perhaps feel a little more urgent also. And one of the ways you can tell that is the way that you all
talk about each other. I spoke with Symone Sanders, a senior adviser to the Biden campaign and I asked her outright. I said -- because Joe Biden has
been talking about your experience. And I asked Symone Sanders, I said, do you think that mayor Pete Buttigieg is ready to serve on president on day
one. And she told me no. Now --
BUTTIGIEG: I respectfully disagree and so do a lot of voters. Look, at the end of the day, this is about making sure we bring the perspective that
will be needed into the oval office. I'm no stranger to holding office. I'm no stranger to government and I'm no stranger to service both in uniform
and civilian roles. I know my way around Washington, and it's not that I don't accept or don't understand the way that Washington works. But we
can't accept the division and the dysfunction that is going on. And I think our best shot to change it and by the way, our best shot to beat Donald
Trump is a focus on the future.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ASHER: The Pentagon now says that 109 American troops have been diagnosed with traumatic brain injuries from last month's Iranian missile attack on a
U.S. base in Iran. That's an increase of 45 soldiers since the end of January when 64 injuries were reported. 70 percent of those service members
have actually returned to duty. President Trump initially said that no troops were hurt in the attack. He later insisted that potential brain
injuries, which he called headaches, were not as serious as other combat wounds.
Coming up -- Lebanon hours before lawmakers were set to convene in Parliament, smoke bombs and water cannons filled the street as security
forces attempted to disperse protesters. CNN is on the ground for you, up next.
[10:30:00]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ASHER: Returning now to our top story. We now have an official name for the novel coronavirus from Wuhan, China. The director general of the World
Health Organization spoke moments ago. He says the virus has now been named "COVID-19." Short for coronavirus disease and the year 2019. The group has
activated a United Nations crisis management team and they are kicking off a two-day meeting in Geneva. The director general also said a vaccine may
not be ready for another 18 months. At least a year and a half away. The group puts global cases at 43,101 with 1,018 deaths so far.
Hundreds of people have been hurt in clashes between protesters and Lebanese security forces after demonstrators tried to prevent lawmakers
from reaching the Parliament building in Beirut. Members of the Parliament are discussing a confidence vote on the new government.
CNN's Ben Wedeman is standing by for us in Beirut. So, Ben, just walk us through this. Just set the scene for us. What has the mood been like in the
lead-up to this confidence vote?
BEN WEDEMAN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well we were on day 118 of the protests that broke out against the power elite here in Lebanon.
And what we saw today was that even though there have been 118 days of demonstrations and protests here in Lebanon, the protesters are not running
out of energy or anger.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
WEDEMAN (voice-over): Battering rams, makeshift battering rams, crash into the barriers separating the streets from the corridors of power. Behind the
walls, behind lines of riot police, the Lebanese Parliament is debating the program of the new government of Prime Minister Hassan Diab to be followed
by a vote of confidence.
From early morning protesters gathered to make clear their rejection of the new cabinet. For 30 years, we've suffered from this rotten political class
who waged war and now are in Parliament says Abu Ziad. They robbed the country. They destroyed the country.
Security forces used water cannons to keep the protesters back and fired hundreds of rounds of tear gas. The protesters threw the tear gas back over
the walls along with volley after volley of rocks. Dozens were wounded in Tuesday's clashes.
(on camera): This is when the Parliament was supposed to begin its discussions leading up to a confidence vote. What is clear is that at least
from the streets and from the protesters, there is no confidence in this new government.
(voice-over): Protesters rip off the facade of one of Beirut's luxury hotels and throw the pieces over the walls. The area around Parliament
rebuilt after the civil war as an upscale neighborhood with expensive restaurants and high-end shops has become the hated symbol of a political
and economic elite, tone deaf to the demands of the street.
GHASSAN GEARA, PROTESTER: In Lebanon, we are sick of wars. We have been living on promises since the end of the war in 1990. And, in fact, you
cannot -- we cannot ask warlords to make peace.
WEDEMAN: The masked protest movement is now into its fourth month. The economy is collapsing and unemployment is skyrocketed as Lebanon grapples
with its worst crisis since the civil war.
TARIK, PROTESTER: And honestly, it's just sad. It really is just sad if you look around like at countries. Members of Parliament have to do all
this to be able to hold a session. They have to go against everybody's will and do the opposite of what everybody wants them to do. Look at all these
walls that are keeping us out.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
[10:35:00]
WEDEMAN: But those walls, Zain, are tumbling down.
ASHER: And, Ben, I actually want to play our viewers something from the government's side. I want you to take a listen to what the foreign minister
actually told Becky Anderson in an interview just last week.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NASSIF HITTI, LEBANESE FOREIGN MINISTER: My message is, give us some time. When I say some time, I'm talking about couple of days to put our plan into
action and then judge us, evaluate us on the plan and on whether or how we succeed in that matter.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ASHER: Obviously, Ben, it's been way more than just a couple of days. People are still clearly still angry. What do the protesters want to
achieve specifically in concrete terms here?
WEDEMAN: Well certainly these protesters who don't necessarily represent the entirety of political opinion here in Lebanon. They feel that the
members of this new government, many of whom are not politicians themselves but were approved and suggested and approved by the political parties
represent the interest of the elite who have been running this country since the end of the civil war in 1990. Many of them would like to see
early elections. An entire new crew to run the country but time is of the essence.
Some western diplomats believe that Lebanon could have a complete economic crash within the next two to three months. And, therefore, Lebanon really
needs to address its financial crisis sooner rather than later. By somebody, whether it's this government or a new government. But time is of
the essence -- Zain.
ASHER: Ben Wedeman live for us. Thank you so much. And Lebanon was actually one of the countries that firmly rejected the White House Middle
East peace plan along with all 22 members of the Arab League. Right now Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is addressing the U.N. Security Council
formally expressing his disapproval of that peace plan. CNN's Oren Liebermann is in Jerusalem for us -- Oren.
OREN LIEBERMANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Palestinian authority President Mahmoud Abbas is laying out what he sees as the problems with this plan.
Saying it rewards occupation instead of holding it accountable for its crimes against the Palestinian people. He's also is beginning to lay out a
vision of what he'd like to see. An international coalition leading negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians based on U.N. Security
Council resolutions which he says this plan isn't. Diverting far away from agreed parameters and skewing heavily towards Israel. But this won't be
backed up by any U.N. Security Council resolutions. So it lacks a bite, even a symbolic one. We'll talk more about this in an hour after Abbas
concludes his speech -- Zain.
ASHER: Yes, we will. Oren Liebermann, thank you.
Time for a quick break. But first, it's time for the "GLOBAL ENERGY CHALLENGE."
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DEFTERIOS (voice-over): Building cities. Connecting communities. It's an often-overlooked foundation that's fundamental to human life -- concrete.
JAMIE GENTOSO, CEO OF U.S. CEMENT, LAFARGEHOLCIM: Concrete is the second most consumed product in the world next to water.
DEFTERIOS: But cement, the main ingredient in this ubiquitous material comes with a huge carbon footprint. It's one of the largest industry
sources of CO2, responsible for up to 8 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions. This is a problem that LafargeHolcim, one of the biggest cement
producers in the world, wants to fix.
GENTOSO: This is our plant in Florence, Colorado. It is a great example of what we are doing to improve our environmental footprint. First and
foremost you see behind me, we've got the solar field. We also use tire- derived fuel here from tires that are literally collected in the Denver area. We chip them up and use them as fuel in place of coal or petcock.
GENTOSO: So behind me here is the control room being able to collect all the data that we collect. The equipment basically learns from itself and we
can run the equipment much more efficient.
DEFTERIOS: But power-saving measures and cleaner energy sources only solve 40 percent of cement's emissions problem.
GENTOSO: 60 percent of the emissions come from process emissions. The main constituent in cement is limestone. So limestone to is CaCO3. We need to
heat that up to about 2,800 degrees so it becomes free line which is CaO. And so in that process CO2 is driven off into the atmosphere.
DEFTERIOS: The company has developed a low carbon blended cement line called "Enviropour (ph)." These cement mixtures use alternative raw
materials or those bound for the landfill.
GENTOSO: So this is a fly ash blended cement. Fly ash is a product of coal combustion. They really fly into the air and it can be collected and
utilized in concrete. We've been producing these cements for 20 years or so.
[10:40:00]
But they haven't caught on in the marketplace.
DEFTERIOS: Just up the street, Castle Rock Construction Company has been using LafargeHolcim's sustainable cement on Colorado's major highways.
RALPH BELL, CEO, CASTLE ROCK CONSTRUCTION COMPANY: We were very nervous about it to begin with and concerned about the quality of the product, but
it's turned out great. It's a very sustainable product. It lasts 30 our 40 years and can be recycled. But there's more progress that needs to be made.
DEFTERIOS: With the use of concrete expected to rise, and a slow to change industry, the heat is on to decarbonize cement.
GENTOSO: The next step is working on carbon capture. One of the most exciting things we're doing right now is working at a scoping study. The
unit we're looking at will capture more than 700,000 tons of CO2 per year. Society is built on concrete, and we wouldn't be able to exist without
concrete. I think the industry has a ways to go, and we'll continue to evolve and continue to decrease our carbon footprint.
DEFTERIOS: John Defterios, GLOBAL ENERGY CHALLENGE, CNN.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ASHER: Lewis Hamilton's future is up in the air. With the Formula One world champion out of a contract at the end of the season. The question is
will he sign again with Mercedes who he's been with since 2013 or will he move on to a different team? Let's bring in WORLD SPORT, Amanda Davies.
Amanda, he's actually set to meet with Mercedes this week. Which way is he going to go?
AMANDA DAVIES, CNN WORLD SPORT: Oh, wow, Zain, team principal says re- signing Lewis is his top priority. Really not a surprise there given how successful the relationship has been in recent years. You have to say it's
more likely than less likely at the moment that he'll stay. But interestingly, the pair hadn't spoken since before Christmas. Before the
Christmas party. So we've got news of that and one signature that Mercedes have got their hands on this week coming up in "WORLD SPORT" -- Zain.
ASHER: Yes, some people think it's very likely he will stick with Mercedes. All right, Amanda Davies, thank you so much. We'll have more
CONNECT THE WORLD at the top of the hour. Next up is "WORLD SPORT."
[10:45:00]
(WORLD SPORT)
[10:57:26]
DAVIES: That was Sue Bird talking to my CNN sports colleague, Don Riddell. But that's just about it for myself and the team for now. Sue Bird and
Megan Rapinoe, talk about a sporting power couple. And with that I'll hand you back to Zain -- Zain.
ASHER: Yes, just really interesting about just keeping the pressure and still performing despite the entire world's eyes watching you. Amanda,
thank you so much. We'll have much more on the coronavirus and the New Hampshire primaries in the show coming up in about three minutes from now.
Don't go away.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(WORLD SPORT)
[11:00:00]
END
