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White House Budget Official: Trump Political Appointee Put Hold On $400 Million Security Aid To Ukraine; New Iowa Poll: Buttigieg Tops Democratic Field At 25 Percent; Hong Kong Demonstrations Growing More Violent; Iranians Protest Gasoline Price Increase And Rationing; IPO Set To Value Saudi Aramco At Up To $1.7 Trillion; St. Marks's Square Closed Again Amid Week Of Major Flooding; Hong Kong Demonstrations Growing More Violent; Season Three Of "The Crown" Premieres On Netflix. Aired 10-11a ET
Aired November 17, 2019 - 10:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[10:00:00]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. NANCY PELOSI (D-CA): What the President did was so much worse than even what Richard Nixon did.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LYNDA KINKADE, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: Democrats slamming the president of the first week of public hearings, but is this strategy working? Then -
-
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PETE BUTTIGIEG (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Well, it's extremely encouraging, obviously.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KINKADE: A New Democratic candidate leaps ahead in the polls in the state that votes first. Plus, the protests over fuel prices erupt in Iran and
people in Hong Kong face yet another weekend of violent clashes. Also, fires in Australia floods in Venice. We're going to take a look at what is
behind the extreme weather.
Hello and welcome to CONNECT THE WORLD. I'm Lynda Kinkade live in Atlanta. Good to have you with us. Well, bribery, intimidation, witness tampering.
Those are just some of the accusations facing us President Trump, as the impeachment process enters its second week of public hearings.
New testimony and transcripts on Capitol Hill reveal shocking details of the now-infamous July 25th phone call between U.S. president and his
Ukrainian counterpart. A White House Budget official testified Saturday that the budget process went off the rails when nearly $400 million in
assistance to Ukraine was withheld earlier this year. A source familiar with Mark Sandy's testimony says he had no idea why that aid was frozen,
that a Trump political appointee insisted on taking over the Ukraine account.
Also on Saturday, transcripts from earlier depositions were made public. A senior security official testify that he was told the transcript from that
July phone call ended up on a highly classified server by mistake.
Now, this all comes as U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says the President's actions are clear evidence of bribery and impeachable offense according to
the U.S. Constitution. Here's what she told CBS News.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PELOSI: What the President did was so much worse than even what Richard Nixon did, that at some point, Richard Nixon cared about the country enough
to recognize that this could not continue. I think part of it is his own insecurities as an imposter. I think he knows full well that he's in that
office, way over his head. And so he has to diminish everyone else.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KINKADE: CNN's Kristen Holmes is live in Washington to help break it all down for us. Good to have you with us. So the last few days, we saw
public hearings, Kristen, some major developments. And also we got a bit of an understanding of what was going on in both close testimonies.
One standout moment, of course, was in the public hearings where we saw a stunt by a Republican Elise Stefanik. Let's just listen to what she had to
say.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. ELISE STEFANIK (R-NY): The way the question was phrased in this model Q&A was, what can you tell us about Hunter Biden's, you know, being named
to the board of Burisma? So for the millions of Americans watching, President Obama's own State Department was so concerned about potential
conflicts of interest from Hunter Biden's roll of Burisma that they raised it themselves.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KINKADE: That wasn't exactly the one I was talking about. But she certainly had her moments breaking up this session, interrupting
consistently. She's being praised by Conservatives and of course, surprisingly, she has -- not surprisingly, she has a lot of support from
the U.S. president.
KRISTEN HOLMES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Lynda, that's right. So I think the moment you're talking about is when she sort of sparred with Adam Schiff,
essentially making him, daring him to interrupt her, which he did. And of course, it doesn't look good seeing as how she is the only woman and she
was speaking out.
Again, this was him following the rules. It was clearly a stunt. But she has started to gain a lot of attention here and Republicans are loving her.
She has appeared as this Trump ally. She's against these impeachment proceedings, and they really like having her, doing some of this
questioning.
And as you said, no surprise here, President Trump tweeting about her all morning long. One of them reading, "A new Republican star is born. Great
going, Elise Stefanik." So clearly he has caught her eye here.
Well, this tweet itself is probably not something that Republicans will take issue with. The tweeting, in general, is something that Republicans
have told me time and time again that they really wish that he would stop particularly during this entire impeachment proceeding.
Keep this in mind, last week, at the started those public hearings, they brought on two people to help with what they are calling a pseudo war room
here, a two former allies of President Trump to come kind of streamline the communication, all of that undone when Marie Yovanovitch is testifying,
that former Ambassador to the Ukraine. President Trump a slamming her in a tweet during this testimony and basically giving fodder to these Democrats
a to use that to say it was witness intimidation, which might, in fact, now become another article of impeachment that they bring forward.
So even though the Republicans really felt good about the fact that they had this new messaging coming out of the White House, that they had a team
there on the ground that they were working with, they did realize this week that that can all be undone in a matter of seconds when the President sends
out a tweet.
[10:05:38]
KINKADE: Yes. Despite the fact they want him to stop, he does continue to use it. He also took an unexpected trip to the doctor for what his press
secretary is calling an annual checkup. What can you tell us about it?
HOLMES: Yes. So this was incredibly unusual here. Yesterday and on announced trip to Walter Reed which is where he gets his annual physicals.
It's the military hospital just outside of D.C. But there were a lot of different circumstances around this trip than the other two physicals that
we've seen.
He spent about two hours there and the White House said oh, he was just having some quick labs and exams as part of his annual physical. Well, the
other two physicals took place at the beginning of the year. They have the exact same pattern. It was essentially that he was on the schedule. It
was noted. It was announced that he was going to be having this physical and he took Marine One to get to Walter Reed.
Yesterday, completely different set of events, unannounced, not on the President's schedule, and in fact, a source tells us that it wasn't on his
schedule as of Friday, so last minute trip, and he took the motorcade which shows one, how last minute it is and to a gives him less exposure to
journalists, to cameras there.
Now, everyone here saying at the White House that it's totally fine, he's completely healthy, not a big deal. Stephanie Grisham is saying they were
just getting out having parts of the exam now because 2020 is going to be such a busy year.
But again, the last physical was back in February. So this will be very early to start having even parts of a physical here. So a lot of eyebrows
being raised.
KINKADE: Yes, certainly. Good to have you to kind of break it down for us because as you say, it's not even 12 months since this last annual checkup.
But good to have you, Kristen Holmes with us from the White House. Thanks so much.
I want to bring in CNN Political Analyst Julian Zelizer in New York for us to help break down quite a few developments over the week. Good to have
you with us, Julian.
JULIAN ZELIZER, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: Thanks for having me.
KINKADE: So I want to start on impeachment because you write in one of the recent articles on cnn.com that impeachment -- the impeachment process so
far has been devastating for President Trump. Just explain why.
ZELIZER: Well, it's just been a very consistent story about administration officials conducting this rogue policy essentially toward Ukraine for the
campaign interest of the president. And no one has really broken with the story. We keep getting more evidence.
So while it might not change the opinion of Republicans in the Senate or in the House, I think it is solidifying the opinion of Democrats and even
Independents that something terribly wrong might very well have happened. And so that insulates the party from the kind of political backlash
Republicans suffered from in the 1990s.
KINKADE: Right. We also -- I just want to reference that graphic we had just pop up there, because it was from your article that you said the
predicted political backlash which you were referencing just then over impeachment that Democrats were frightened about will not be taking place.
Republicans won't have an easy time employing this standard partisan witch hunt argument. So what should their argument be here? Because clearly, it
seems that they still have support of their base and Democrats might have a pretty hard time convincing their base otherwise.
ZELIZER: I think the strongest argument that Republicans could make politically is that things clearly went wrong, a lot of bad actors were
operating in and around the White House, but impeachment is not the solution. Let this be resolved that the election.
And that's a strong straightforward argument. It's not the one a lot of Republicans are taking, but they're really pushing against the facts. And
the facts keep coming out at a pretty rapid clip to undercut the witch hunt type argument.
KINKADE: We've got some new polls out, Julian. Democrat presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg pretty much having a breakout moment in the state
of Iowa. This CNN-Des Moines Register poll showing that the 37-year-old mayor is surging to first place ahead of the Iowa caucuses, which is due to
take place in February. What is the Iowa -- like, doing well in Iowa, what does it really mean for the election in 2020?
ZELIZER: It doesn't bring you the kind of delegates that you need to win the nomination. What it does do potentially is create some momentum early
on and create the perception in the media among voters that you're a viable candidate because you won in Iowa. And I think that's what Mayor Pete is
hoping for.
So they're going into New Hampshire and even Super Tuesday, the next round of competitions. That victory in Iowa makes his candidacy more plausible
than it otherwise would be.
[10:10:27]
KINKADE: He was certainly chuffed when he heard the results of that poll. Democrats are also doing very well, a huge win in Louisiana. The incumbent
governor John Bel Edwards defeated his Republican challenger and remains the only statewide elected Democrat.
Edward has narrowly won his second term despite President Trump heavily campaigning against him. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: In two days, I really need you but you really need you, to send a message to the corrupt Democrats in
Washington. They are corrupt. They are crazy, crazy. They are crazy. That you're not going to let them destroy your country and rob your
children of the future. You have to let them know it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KINKADE: So, despite the fact that Donald Trump went to visit there twice and even said that, you know, if the Republican doesn't win, he would think
it was -- you know, if he failed, that he would consider it a personal loss. What does this mean for Donald Trump?
ZELIZER: Well, it shows that his coattails are not very strong. He went to a very red state, essentially beg the electorate to help him and give
him this as a victory to show that he is strong, and the electorate didn't do that. And so Republicans are going to be watching these kinds of
elections. They saw it here. They recently saw it in Kentucky with the gubernatorial race. And in Virginia, Conservative state, now has gone to
the Democratic Party.
And so they're starting to think, what is the cost of supporting President Trump? What is the cost of the Trump presidency to the Republican Party?
And that's why these elections matter. And that's how they also connect to this bigger story of will Republicans break it all with the president?
KINKADE: Yes. It was interesting though our reporter there who spoke to some people that voted for the Democrats that they still vote for President
Trump in the federal election. So we'll see how that plays out in that state. But I want to look ahead this week at the impeachment. This will
be the second week of public hearings. What should we look out for?
ZELIZER: Well, the ambassador Sondland is going to testify. He is the person now who's at the center of this story. He is essentially the point
man for the administration from what we have learned to push this argument that Ukraine aid should be withheld until the Biden investigations took
place.
And the more we've learned, the more intimate he was in his knowledge of what was going on in his connection to the directives of the President.
And so Congress is now going to want to hear, you know, what was your testimony, why did you change your testimony, and exactly what were you
doing?
And it will be a very dramatic moment to watch this official from the inner sanctum of the Oval Office speak to the public about what happened.
KINKADE: It certainly will. Julian Zelizer, we will, of course, be carrying it live here on CNN. Thanks very much for joining us.
ZELIZER: Thank you.
KINKADE: Well, after 24 weeks, the Hong Kong protests are getting more destructive and violent. Fires lit up the nighttime sky at Hong Kong
Polytechnic University. Protesters used catapults to held petrol bombs. And university officials accuse them of stealing dangerous chemicals from
laboratories.
Some of the protesters have started using bows and arrows and authorities say one of those arrows hit a police officer in the leg on Sunday. Well,
our Anna Coren is joining us live from the scene. Anna, certainly this has been going on for six months. And what we saw six months ago was quite a
passive sort of a protest even though sittings that we saw at the -- at the airport. Now quite aggressive tactics being deployed.
ANNA COREN, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, that's right Lynda. And we were expecting police to storm that university about an hour ago.
That's what was making rounds on social media. Now, the water cannons are moving in. And as you can see, our cameraman Brad Olson is showing you
those pictures of that water cannon spraying maybe 100 protesters down there.
They've been positioned there all day. There have been clashes. These water cannons have fired, and then they have retreated. But it is just
gone 11:00, 11:10 here in Hong Kong. And those water cannons firing at the protesters.
Now, as you might be able to see, above those protests is a balcony and we were up there earlier today on campus and there are hundreds of other
protesters and they have bricks. They have catapults up there. You can see petrol bombs going off. They have bows and arrows.
[10:15:21]
And earlier today, a police officer was shot with a bow. It went through his calf. And we spoke to the archers up there who said that they were
defending their university, that this is what they are doing. They see this is the last stand. Other universities have fallen obviously, that
huge standover Chinese University earlier in the week.
Many of those protesters have come here and inside this university, inside the campus, it is a full-on operation. They are all supporting each other.
They are helping each other. But they say that they are at war with police.
Now, this dispersal operation that we are expecting from police was meant to come about an hour ago. We know that police have blocked all exits.
There are three exits to the Polytechnic University. You're looking at one of them. One of them is behind us. The other one is up at this bridge
where there have been clashes with police as well.
There were dozens of riot police vehicles on the other side of this overpass. This goes over the Cross-Harbour tunnel entrance and that has
been blocked since Wednesday. This is a major piece of infrastructure. It connects Kowloon to Hong Kong Island. And that has been closed for days.
So this is something that the government certainly wants to get up and running. The government also announced today that schools would again be
closed. Tomorrow is closed for March of last week. So these protests are really having a huge impact as we know, not just on the economy, an economy
that is now in recession, but just on people's daily lives.
So there are hundreds of protesters here who are really just settling in. They are willing to take on the police with their -- with their bricks,
with their petrol bombs. But as we know that the police, they have the tear gas, they have the rubber bullets, and from what we're hearing, they
want to clear out this tonight. Lynda?
KINKADE: All right, Anna Coren, we'll leave it there for now but we will come back to you should things change them will speak to you next hour.
Anna Coren in Hong Kong, thank you. Well as the violence escalates between police and protest is in Hong Kong, some firefighters are choosing sides.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Police is using excessive violence, when they are arresting those young people.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KINKADE: Coming up, Hong Kong firefighters speak to CNN's Will Ripley about backing the protesters. And Iran wants security forces may act to
stop protests in its country. What's fueling the firing -- fiery demonstrations there when we come back.
[10:20:00]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KINKADE: Support, support law enforcement, support. That is what Iranian protest is chanting on the streets of Tehran, pleading for the security
forces to support them and their demonstrations. But the Iranian government is threatening security force action against protesters if the
"vandalism" continues.
So what vandalism is the government referring to? Well, videos published by Iranian media show demonstrations, blocking roads, and causing traffic
jams. However, other sources paint the situation as being much worse than just traffic. Clashes with riot police, gunfire, damage to public
property, and structural fires like these ones.
Well, the protests erupted Friday after Iranians learned that the price of petrol increased by about 50 percent and subsidies removed. CNN Senior
International Correspondent Frederick Pleitgen has more.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
FRED PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Violent protests in many parts of Iran. About a five hour drive south of Tehran, in Isfahan,
flames rage at a branch of Saderat Bank. A similar picture in (INAUDIBLE) in the border with Iraq as Iranians faced with high unemployment and a
crumbling economy take to the streets.
But the capital Tehran, this social media video purports to show protesters screaming death to the dictator, death to Rouhani, Iran's president. The
protests kicked off after the government announced a 300 percent hike in fuel prices, a move that hits many Iranians hard in an already struggling
economy.
The government claims it wants to combat fuel smuggling. And the country's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has back the gas price hike while
criticizing protesters.
Some people would definitely get upset over this decision, he said. But damaging and setting fire to property is not something normal people would
do, it's hooligans.
On Sunday morning, workers at the main bazaar in Tehran went on strike effectively shutting business down there. But the merchants have been
suffering for months since the Trump administration has pulled out of the Iran Nuclear Agreement and hit Iran with wave after wave of crippling
sanctions.
Iran's government says it will remain steadfast and initiated what it calls a resistance economy, an effort to become more self-sustained. But while
Iran's government says outside forces are fanning these new protests, many Iranians suffering under high unemployment and very little hope that things
could improve anytime soon. Fred Pleitgen, CNN, Moscow.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KINKADE: We'll stay in the region where oil giant Saudi Aramco is cutting the first slice of its IPO pie. The world's most profitable company
kicking off its offering period today for Saudi retail investors. The price of the shares in total amount floated is significantly smaller than
originally planned. That said it lines up to shatter record set to see the biggest IPO in history.
The company's valuation released today forecasting up to $1.7 trillion. Well, here to crunch the significance of that number, markets wiz John
Defterios.
JOHN DEFTERIOS, CNN EMERGING MARKETS EDITOR: Lynda, I would say this is considered a solid but not overly ambitious price range by Saudi Arabia.
If deliberate, it could give Saudi Aramco the number one ranking in two key categories, the most valuable company and the biggest Initial Public
Offering ever.
With the price range of $8.53 a share, the total value of the oil giant would be $1.6 to $1.71 trillion outgunning Apple by at least $400 million.
If it achieves a higher range, the sale would raise over $25 billion, making it bigger than Ali Baba his debut back in 2014.
Within its peer group, Aramco would also be five times the market capitalization of U.S. energy companies, Exxon Mobil, or Chevron. But
Aramco is fighting a strong current that is pulling investors away from big oil, with worries about climate change and the potential of what is called
peak oil or demand levels off.
[10:25:19]
That has not deterred the kingdom's ambitious Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman who was determined to get this IPO on the market after several
delays. At one point, the man known as MBS, floated the idea of a five percent listing, potentially in New York, London, or in Asia, as part of
his master plan to win Saudi Arabia of crude.
Those lofty aspirations have been brought down to size with a target of one and a half percent, a third of that allocated to Saudi retail investors.
Nevertheless, it's an important milestone and perhaps an effort to move on, after the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi in 2018, and the
arrests of Saudi billionaires at the Ritz Carlton the year before. Both incidents undermined confidence and foreign investment.
Oil companies may not be in fashion, but no one can argue Aramco's track record as the world's most profitable company. Lynda, back to you.
KINKADE: Our thanks to John Defterios there. Well, as John mentioned, the oil age is far from over but it is facing an unprecedented pushback
particularly when it comes to the climate crisis. Next, we'll head to the environmental front lines where record-breaking floods that threatening
Venice, while Australia bushfires continue to burn.
And in an apparent effort at damage control, Britain's Prince Andrew is speaking out about his friendship with a late-convicted sex offender
Jeffrey Epstein.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[10:30:08]
KINKADE: You're watching CONNECT THE WORLD. I'm Lynda Kinkade, welcome back. Well, Venice has endured another day of exceptionally high tides
just days after devastating flooding inundated the Italian city.
This was the scene in St. Mark's Square again today. Officials closing the iconic plaza ahead of a high tide of 150 centimeters. That is lower than
Tuesday's historic flooding, which was 187 centimeters. The worst the city has seen in 50 years. Well, the damage bill is estimated to be more than
$1 billion.
CNN's Scott McLean joins us now live from Venice. And it's just incredible seeing those pictures there behind you Scott, another high tide. Just take
us through what people are saying there about this.
SCOTT MCLEAN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hey, Lynda, yes, it is been a pretty tough week for Venice. As you said, there was another exceptionally
high tide today and this is all the while Venetians are still cleaning up from the last two.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MCLEAN: High tide on Saturday was actually welcome relief for Venetian struggling with the worst flooding in half a century. It filled historic
St. Mark's Square but was not enough to do more damage than already done.
This cafe opened for the first time since Tuesday's high watermark, sent more than a foot of water inside. Enough to break the dishwasher in the
fridge. This waiter told us.
We are Venetians. We roll up our sleeves and start working again. Venice is our lady, we will protect her.
Meanwhile, at St. Mark's Basilica, the water at the door didn't knock before entering. But it still got their attention.
PIERPAOLO CAMPOSTRINI, BOARD MEMBER, ST. MARK'S BASILICA: We have -- we have a more than this level of water.
MCLEAN: It's not uncommon for water to enter the outer atrium, even a special drainage system to handle it.
But Pierpaolo Campostrini, says it was just the second time there's been significant flooding in the main chamber. 10 centimeters there and another
meter in the crypt. The water came and went quickly, but the salt in the water stays in the 900 old walls much longer.
Eating away at the marble and a brick near the floor and even on the mosaic ceiling.
And that's the damage.
CAMPOSTRINI: And that's the damage there.
MCLEAN: The basilica has survived the centuries of threats but nothing like the one it faces today.
It's harder to defend the basilica from the risk of climate change than it is from invading armies.
CAMPOSTRINI: Exactly, and we went to the moon and we should be able also to defend this basilica from the climate changes, and we will.
MCLEAN: Just down the canal, you can still hear the sound of music at one of the most important conservatories in Italy. But the orchestra is being
conducted by students and volunteers working to dry out some 50 meters worth of bookshelves that ended up partially submerged. But why were they
ever on the ground floor?
This could have been easily prevented.
CAMPOSTRINI: And it is the first question. But the father -- this floor of the -- of the first floor was not strong enough to keep the weight. So,
that's why we had to move them downstairs.
MCLEAN: The most valuable books and manuscripts are being packed up, sent away to be frozen to stop the fragile historic pages from deteriorating.
They'll only be thought out when the conservatory has the money to restore them not anytime soon.
Back at St. Mark, they're preparing for their first mass in almost a week. Praying the worst has come and gone as they wait for what's forecast to be
another exceptionally high tide on Sunday.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MCLEAN: So, there is still water here in St. Mark's Square, though it should recede over the next couple of hours. There are some high tides
expected this week, though they'll be enough to flood this Square, they won't be enough to cause any more damage than has already been done.
Now, all of this flooding is quite frustrating for Venetians. You don't have to look hard to find one who will tell you that all of this seems
preventable. That's because Italian authorities have been working on a barrier project -- a hydraulic barrier project that prevent those
exceptionally high tides from flooding the city.
It's been going on for 15 years now, the problem is it's been plagued by mismanagement and delays and corruption. The current mayor told me
yesterday that he understands the frustration of the city. But says this project which is called MOSE is still the city's best hope for the future,
Lynda.
KINKADE: All right. Scott McLean, good to have you there for us in the flooded city of Venice. We will speak to you again next hour. Thank you.
Well, I want to get the latest forecast from meteorologist Allison Chinchar, who joins us now live. Good to see you, Allison. Just explain
what people can expect there in the coming days.
[10:34:58]
ALLISON CHINCHAR, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Yes. So, good to see you too. Yes, the good news is the worst of it really has kind of crested at this point.
We really should start to see things begin to decrease over the next 24 hours as that storm system finally begins to push itself away from this
region.
The problem is, there's another system on the heels of that and the question really becomes where do these levels go? Because when you look
back at the last week, look at some of these numbers. There is 187 centimeters, that's from last Tuesday when we really hit the peak of this
particular event.
But you've also had three other where you can see the red color there. That's what we're talking about another very high level. Now, the good
news is going forward. We're talking most of these to be between about 95 to 110 centimeters. But keep in mind that still puts them at that very
high tide level. Level four out of five.
So, again we need to start seeing these numbers coming back down. But Lynda, it may still take several more days before we can finally see those
numbers coming back down to where they need to be.
KINKADE: Excellent. And Allison, I just want to move on to Australia now. Because, obviously, we continue to see those bushfires right across the
East Coast. We -- there was that major fire in Bundaberg in the state of Queensland. And, of course, furthest south we've been watching that
unprecedented number of fires tear across New South Wales. What can you tell us about the conditions that firefighters will be facing?
CHINCHAR: All right. So, the good news is, they really have been able to make big strides in the containment numbers in the past few days. The real
big goal is getting them fully contained. The question is can they do that before conditions start to deteriorate in the coming days.
For Queensland, we have about 75 wildfires out there right now. In New South Wales, we're looking at about 54 of those bush fires. The concern is
going forward. Today and into Monday, the winds are starting to increase but not too high. The real big concern becomes Tuesday, Wednesday, and
especially Thursday of this upcoming week.
Look at some of these numbers. 50, 60, even 80 kilometers per hour. That's when the real danger really starts to tick in. So, the question
becomes can they get those fires fully contained before we start to see those winds increase by the end of the upcoming week?
However, in the short term, the big concern is going to be the temperatures. For Sydney and Canberra, again, we're talking about high
temperatures, Lynda. 28 in Sydney. The peak will be about 37 on Tuesday. So, they've got very hot conditions and also dry conditions even before the
winds begin to increase at the end of the week.
KINKADE: 37 that is a hot one. And not even summer yet. Allison Chinchar, good to have you with us. Thanks so much.
CHINCHAR: Thanks.
KINKADE: Well, a quick updates on one of our top stories in Hong Kong. Several pro-democracy lawmakers have arrived at the Polytechnic University
to mediate between protesters and police. A tense standoff and skirmishes have been going on there for hours.
Demonstrators have been hurling bricks and petrol bombs. Police have been responding to tear gas and water cannons. The Polytechnic University
officials accuse protesters of stealing dangerous chemicals from labs and damaging the school.
Hong Kong police have also fired tear gas, as I mentioned, at protesters at another location in the city as well.
Well, the police have been widely criticized for how they've handled the anti-government protests. But firefighters have been applauded for their
response. CNN's Will Ripley explains a growing number of firefighters admit that they actually support the protest movement.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
WILL RIPLEY, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: A Hong Kong firefighter points to his swollen face. Riot police accidentally hit his fire engine
with tear gas earlier this month. Tempers flare on both sides. Police pushed the firefighter into a corner before chasing and pepper-spraying a
journalist.
Police and fire services rushed to issue a joint statement within hours, calling it a misunderstanding. These men say it's more than that.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The power of police is like unlimited. They can do whatever they like.
RIPLEY: Two Hong Kong firefighters and one paramedic, all not authorized to speak to CNN. They'll only talk if we hide their identities.
Can I ask, have any of the three of you ever participated in the protests - - you know, covering your own faces?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
RIPLEY: Do you think you would be fired for -- if that ever came out?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Of course we will get fired.
RIPLEY: They say, many of their colleagues have also joined the protests, ignoring warnings like this.
MATTHEW CHEUNG, CHIEF SECRETARY, HONG KONG (through translator): You can't stand against the government, showing a negative image to the public.
RIPLEY: Videos like these show what some consider government-sanctioned police brutality. Skeptics argue they generally lack context about what
happened before.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Police is using excessive violence when they are arresting those young people.
RIPLEY: Can you describe, like, what kind of excessive violence you've personally witnessed?
[10:40:01]
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When someone is under arrest, and they didn't fight back, they are just lie on the ground, and the police were still beating
them. And now it's like a common practice.
RIPLEY: Like every week?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, it's --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Like every protest.
RIPLEY: This woman, pepper-sprayed and pushed to the ground. This office worker's head injury said to be from a tear gas canister. A protester shot
in the torso with live ammunition. All in the span of two days. Amnesty International accuses Hong Kong police of being out of control.
KONG WING-CHEUNG, SENIOR SUPERINTENDENT, HONG KONG POLICE: I do not agree that our officers is out of control in our use of force. But, of course,
we're under great pressure.
RIPLEY: Pressure including violent attacks targeting officers. Hong Kong police sent us this video -- frontline protesters beating an off-duty cop.
The firefighters watching said they tried to help, but were outnumbered.
Bricks and petrol bombs are the weapons of choice against police. Others include an improvised explosive device, metal poles, and flaming arrows.
This government supporter was even doused with a flammable liquid and set on fire.
CARRIE LAM, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OF HONG KONG: These rioters' act have gone overboard with their demands. And these acts are the enemies of the
people.
RIPLEY: Would you dispute the fact that the protesters are also putting lives in danger through their behavior?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, you're right. Some small group of protesters are putting things in danger. That's undeniable. But for me, I understand
what they are doing.
RIPLEY: So, are you saying that you -- if you had to pick a side, would you side with the protesters over the police as a firefighter?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, I will side with the protesters.
RIPLEY: Why?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They are desperate.
RIPLEY: They all say the biggest challenge facing Hong Kong right now is not violence, its lack of trust.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No one is trusting each other that's why we are hiding our face. People don't trust the government, we don't trust the police,
and there's no way back.
RIPLEY: And no way forward for the 70-year-old man hit with a brick and 22-year-old student who fell from a parking garage. Two protest-related
deaths in just one week. Will Ripley, CNN.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KINKADE: And just moments ago, I want to take you back to Polytechnic University there. You can obviously see water cannons have being deployed
against the protesters. Obviously, quite a few spot fires there. Now, that standoff which it's just almost midnight there in Hong Kong. This has
been going on for hours tonight as police clash where the protesters there.
We're going to keep you updated on this story over the coming hours. So, don't go anywhere.
For now, though, we're going to take a quick break. Still to come.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
EMILY MAITLIS, NEWS PRESENTER, BBC: Are you saying you don't believe her? She's lying.
PRINCE ANDREW, DUKE OF YORK: That's a very difficult thing to answer. Britain's Prince Andrew going public to tackle allegations against him, and
questions about his friendship with a convicted sex offender.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[10:48:30]
KINKADE: Well, Prince Andrew is speaking publicly for the first time about his relationship with the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. In
a BBC interview, the British royal, says he never saw anything suspicious while he stayed at Epstein's New York home.
The duke of York is also denying allegations from one of Epstein's accusers, who says she was forced to have sex with the duke. Well, here's
a photo of them together. The duke, of course, saying that he has no recollection of that photo being taken.
Hadas Gold joins us from London with more on this. And Hadas, the prince was under a lot of pressure to answer questions regarding his relationship
with Epstein and what took place. Just to explain what stood out to you from this interview?
HADAS GOLD, CNN POLITICS, MEDIA, AND BUSINESS REPORTER: I found this interview to be really astonishing. Both in just the fact that it took
place at all. The BBC said it took about six months to arrange it, and it was actually conducted in Buckingham Palace. And the BBC said it was done
with the Queen's approval.
But also just in the subject matter that was addressed here and the answers that Prince Andrew had for the BBC. And I have to say that if Prince
Andrew thought that sitting down for an extensive interview would help draw a line under this controversy and potentially help him move on, it seems to
have only made the situation even worse.
The British press has been pillorying him all day today for his reactions. For example, in one instance, when he was asked why did he continued seeing
Jeffrey Epstein? Even staying at Jeffrey Epstein's home in New York after Epstein had already been convicted of sex crimes.
[10:50:02]
GOLD: Prince Andrew said, he essentially went to break up a friendship, even though, earlier in the interview, he said that they weren't actually
that good of friends. Take a listen to some of what he had to say.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MAITLIS: I'm just trying to work this out because you said you went to break up the relationship and yet you stayed at that New York mansion
several days. I'm wondering how long?
(CROSSTALK)
PRINCE ANDREW: But I was doing a number of other things while I was there.
MAITLIS: But you were staying at the house of a convicted sex offender.
PRINCE ANDREW: Yes. It was a convenient place to stay. There's -- I mean, I mean, I've gone through this in my mind so many times. At the end
of the day, with a benefit of all the hindsight that one can have, it was definitely the wrong thing to do.
But at the time I felt it was -- it was the honorable and right thing to do. And I admit fully that my judgment was probably colored by my tendency
to be too honorable, but that's just the way it is.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
GOLD: Prince Andrew also addressed some of those allegations brought against him by Virginia Roberts-Giuffre. Denying all of them, saying, he
doesn't even recall meeting her. He even provided -- for the first time, what we've heard some alibis. For example, saying that on one night, that
Virginia Roberts-Giuffre claimed that they went out together, he was actually taking one of his daughters to a pizza express restaurant. All of
those are just being investigated right now, of course, by the British press who are really seemingly not taking this interview very well.
Prince Andrew also addressed some calls that we've heard for him to speak to U.S. investigators or speak under oath. Because essentially, people
like Gloria Allred, who's an attorney representing some of Epstein's victims are saying, if you can talk to the BBC, you can talk to
investigators. Prince Andrew said he would do so. Only if his legal advisers told him it was the right thing to do.
KINKADE: Yes, I can't imagine that happening anytime soon. Certainly, it was an eyebrow-raising interview, and oddly it happened at the palace.
What does that say about the support he has from the royal family?
GOLD: Well, it's been interesting because they're in a several occasions over the past few months while this controversy has sort of raged on.
Where we've seen Prince Andrew with the Queen, for example, on the way to events, driving in the same car as her.
And also, of course, by just conducting this interview at the palace, that clearly shows that the Queen is supporting this. And the BBC said that the
Queen gave her approval for this interview.
KINKADE: All right, Hadas Gold for us in London. Good to have you with us on this story. Thank you.
We're going to take a quick break. We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KINKADE: Well, grab your popcorn, get some comfy p.j.'s as your latest Netflix binge drops today. Yes, I'm talking about The Crown. Here's
what's in store.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: There are a great many changes, but there we are.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Age is rarely kind to anyone.
[10:55:04]
KINKADE: A changing of the guard for season three of The Crown that hit Netflix series returns Sunday. Leaving behind the young royal couple seen
in the first two seasons portrayed by Claire Foy and Matt Smith. And skipping forward to the mid-60s with a new cast headed out by Academy
award-winning actress Olivia Colman as the Queen and Tobias Menzies as Prince Phillip.
The actors say they're excited to be part of the new season but admit it's a bit daunting to play a royal especially one it could be watching.
TOBIAS MENZIES, ACTOR, PORTRAY PRINCE PHILIP, THE CROWN: It makes me a bit nervous imagine them watching it. I'd be amazed if they watch it, but
maybe they do. I'm not sure there would be a Netflix kind of in shield kind of guy. I think he's probably a bit more documentaries at
(INAUDIBLE).
KINKADE: Actress Helena Bonham Carter takes over the role of the Queen's younger sister Margaret. And says it was a challenge to pick up a roll
started by another actress.
HELENA BONHAM CARTER, ACTRESS, PORTRAY PRINCESS MARGARET, THE CROWN: It's quite intimidating, you to take over from somebody who was so brilliant.
But, the, I realize, one, I'm shorter than her, so I can do the shot, and I'm older, and we will employ to be old just kind of nice.
KINKADE: The new series also introduces us to a young Prince Charles, played by Josh O'Connor, who says the show can sometimes blur the lines,
but in the end, only the people they are playing can really ever know what life is like behind the scenes at Buckingham Palace.
JOSH O'CONNOR, ACTOR, PORTRAY PRINCE CHARLES: You know there are -- there are kind of punctuation marks of fact, and kind of real events. But
ultimately, it's just -- you know, it's we are creating drama.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KINKADE: Certainly is drama. Well, that was your first hour of CONNECT THE WORLD. I'm Lynda Kinkade. I'll be back for another hour in a very
short break. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
END
