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Pro-Democracy and Antigovernment Parties Sweep Election in Hong Kong; Negotiating Team Preparing to Enter Besieged University; Navy Secretary Fired after Secret Agreement with White House; "Washington Post' Reports White House Review Shows Effort to Justify Trump's Decision to Block Ukraine Aid; Young Elephants Captured in Zimbabwe for China's Zoos; Chinese Foreign Ministry Says Hong Kong is Part of China No Matter What. Aired 10-11a ET

Aired November 25, 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]

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is a remarkable achievement and (INAUDIBLE) of all of the Hong Kongers that paid a price and sacrificed for the movement. I

never imagined it would happen.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BECKY ANDERSON, CNN HOST: Tonight a stunning landslide as pro-democracy parties flip all but one of Hong Kong's districts away from Beijing.

And America's Secretary of the Navy fired. Now he claims he just couldn't force himself to see eye to eye with his commander in chief anymore.

Details on that just ahead.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DAVID MCKENZIE, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: In cage after metal cage, the signs of suffering are clear.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: Young elephants in Zimbabwe plucked from the wild to be shipped to China. An exclusive investigation you will only see here on CNN.

It is 7:00 p.m. in Abu Dhabi, 11:00 at night in Hong Kong and 10:00 in the morning in D.C. I'm Becky Anderson. Hello and welcome to CONNECT THE

WORLD from our Middle East programming hub.

Hong Kong's local government has been transformed, pro-democracy and anti- government parties swept Sunday's election with what was a record voter turnout. According to the public broadcaster RTHK, opposition candidates

took almost 90 percent of the seats up for grabs. Dealing a serious blow to Beijing and its claims of a silent majority. It was one of the calmest

days we've seen in the Hong Kong since protests began in June.

Well to give you an idea of just how high this voter turnout was, in 2015 it was about 45 percent. In 2011, turnout about 41 percent. But Sunday's

election was only a brief respite from the violence we are seeing renewed tensions around Hong Kong Polytechnic University. Police preparing to send

in a negotiating team to try and clear the last of the protesters who took control of the university days ago. CNN's Nick Paton Walsh is there.

What's happening -- Nick?

NICK PATON WALSH, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Becky, you would have thought, wouldn't you, that an extraordinary result like we had

in the last 24 hours. Showing really that despite the extraordinary disruption, damage, recession imposed on Hong Kong by the protests here,

they still have an extraordinary mandate from the people of Hong Kong, this pro-democracy movement. You'd think that might cause things to calm a

little but still many of these young protesters feel galvanized.

Now you can see behind me here the sort of front of them stretching this police cordon tape as far as it will almost go. Police here have increased

in their numbers. Why here? Well because this is the route down to the Polytechnic University. Where there are still possibly 20, maybe 30

protesters who have been holed up in there since the violent clashes over a week ago.

Now across much of Hong Kong, this has been a place of calm in the days leading up to the vote. Protesters very clear they don't want to do

anything that could lead to the vote being canceled or reduced in some way. But here they are back on the streets again. And this really, Becky, leads

to the key question. What has changed after this vote?

Remember this is not a vote for the levers of power that run Hong Kong. That it's still held very much by Beijing's allies, Carrie Lam and the

legislative counsel here. This is a vote for local counselors. Bus routes, trash collection, things that really have no influence on how Hong

Kong is run on a larger level. So people have woken up today hearing this extraordinary mandate from Hong Kongers kicking away Beijing's idea that

there was a silent majority as you say of people here who are furious at how life had been torn apart by these protests. Yet still these protesters

are saying that place is still run as it was before by those loyal to Beijing.

So we're seeing them back on the streets again here. Their key demand is, get out of here police and allow those protesters out. That's clearly not

happening. So we're in this standoff again. There's a walkway above me you can't see there are police on there who are being taunted by protesters

all around in a fairly common standoff. But one has by no means reduced at all those astounding electoral victory -- Becky.

ANDERSON: Even the DAB, Nick, the city's largest pro-Beijing party, which has one of the most effective get out and vote operations, couldn't

withstand what is this anti-government tide.

[10:05:03] CNN spoke with the party's vice chairman who lost his seat to a pro-democracy candidate. Have a listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HOLDEN CHOW DEMOCRATIC ALLIANCE FOR THE BETTERMENT AND PROGRESS OF HK: People express their views via this election. Of course there is kind of

resentment towards the government. And as a political party, we are bound to press the government to do better or to sort of listen to the people.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: And in a statement on Monday the city's leader Carrie Lam said her government, Nick, quote, respects the election results. Which means

what going forward?

WALSH: That is frankly unclear. Now there are obviously two paths here. Potentially one is that Hong Kong's pro-Beijing government tried to calm

matters on the streets. Try to allow people to feel that this vote kind of hollow as it is, frankly, as a victory will lead to them reflecting

seriously, as Carrie Lam said, and perhaps conceding to some of these five demands. Four of which, frankly, are within the writs of the Beijing law

of government here to possibly grant. One is certainly not, and that's the key one of universal suffrage.

They could give them some leeway to perhaps reduce numbers here but then there's the counter argument that I'm sure many in the Chinese cords of

powers are listening to as well. Which is you start to give to these protesters, they feel embolden. They certainly feel emboldened here now no

doubt about that and often still on front lines there with that tape increasingly stretched.

So we're into a complicated motions here really because the demands of the protesters haven't changed. China's reaction today was very clear. Hong

Kong remains part of China no matter what. Frankly, that is almost likely never going to change. The question is the degree of latitude given to

Hong Kong's people and to its Chief Executive Carrie Lam, to try to calm this idea here and how far perhaps Beijing will allow the notions of

democracy to stretch here.

They're caught in a bind because they can't possibly allow self- determination to take on as a craze inside China. That would impact the Communist Party's grip on power. But at the same time, they can't send the

army in here and basically crack down likely would probably anywhere else in the mainland. Because the damage that would do to Hong Kong's economy

and the damage that would then have on the already fragile Chinese economy stuck in a trade war with the United States.

So tense days ahead here. The real takeaway is, I think people here feel they've won a victory but their simply not seeing it in the morning they

woke up to today in Hong Kong -- Becky.

ANDERSON: Yes, fascinating. Nick Paton Walsh is in Hong Kong for you. Nick, thank you.

Well a new trove of leaked documents once again shedding light on the Chinese government's detention camps in northwestern Xinjiang Province.

The U.S. government says up to 2 million Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities have been detained there in so-called reeducation camps. But

China insists the camps are voluntary, vocational training facilities. The new documents published by the International Consortium of Investigative

Journalists, allegedly reveal an operation manual for the camps. Stay with us next hour. We'll speak with Adrian Zentz one of the foremost experts on

China's ethnic policies. We will ask him exactly what is going on.

Let's get you to Washington and a double whammy of headaches facing the Trump administration. First, there is the fallout from these two weeks of

public impeachment inquiries where most witnesses it has to be said gave damaging testimony against President Trump. We'll have more on that in a

moment.

But today there is a new controversy involving the case of a Navy S.E.A.L. This man, Eddie Gallagher, was convicted in a military court of posing next

to the body of a dead ISIS soldier. For that, he was demoted in rank. President Trump overruled that demotion setting off a confusing course of

events that is culminated in the firing of the U.S. Navy Secretary. Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr breaks down what is this very

complicated story for us.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Navy Secretary Richard Spencer, forced to resign for going outside the chain of command by

proposing a secret agreement with the White House. Defense Secretary Mark Esper says, he lost confidence in Spencer over the case of Eddie Gallagher,

the Navy S.E.A.L., who posed with a corps of an ISIS fighter. Gallagher had faced a court-martial for premeditated murder and attempted murder but

was acquitted of those charges.

In a statement about Spencer, the Pentagon spokesman says Defense Secretary Esper lost trust and confidence in him for not disclosing White House

conversations. Secretary Spencer had appeared to be seeking a way to resolve a standoff between the Pentagon and the White House over

Gallagher's case.

[10:10:04]

Earlier this month, President Trump was advised by the Pentagon not to intervene in the case, but he pardoned two other service members and

restored Gallagher's rank anyway.

RICHARD SPENCER, FORMER U.S. NAVY SECRETARY: The President of the United States is the commander-in-chief, he is involved in every aspect of

government and he can make decisions and do things and give orders as he deems appropriate.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Sir, has the President explained to you his rationale behind restoring Gallagher's rank?

SPENCER: No. No, he doesn't have to.

STARR: A senior defense official tells CNN that Spencer had proposed allowing Gallagher's review to move forward, but with a secret guarantee

with the White House that Gallagher would still keep his Navy S.E.A.L. status. But Spencer never alerted the Pentagon to these back-channel

negotiations.

Spencer highlighting his disagreement with President Trump in his resignation letter writing, I no longer share the same understanding with

the commander in chief who appointed me, in regards to the key principle of good order and discipline. I cannot in good conscience obey an order that

I believe violates the sacred oath I took.

SEN. Chuck Schumer (D-NY): I believe he did the right thing. He should be proud. Good order, morale and discipline, in the armed services have to

transcend politics.

STARR: An administration official telling CNN the Defense Secretary and chairman of the joint chiefs raised serious concerns with the White House

after Trump tweeted support for Gallagher. Despite that, Secretary Esper now says Gallagher will keep his Navy S.E.A.L. Trident pin, his Navy

S.E.A.L. status, out of fear that he would not receive a fair review by the military at this point.

EDDIE GALLAGHER, U.S. NAVY SEAL: This is all about ego and retaliation. They could have taken my trident at any time they wanted. Now they're

trying to take it after the President restored my rank.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ANDERSON: That is Barbara Starr reporting for you. Now all of this, folks, as the impeachment inquiry into the U.S. President continues to

gather steam.

Suzanne Malveaux is on Capitol Hill. And, Suzanne, U.S. President Donald Trump has long insisted he did nothing wrong in blocking nearly $400

million in military aid to Ukraine. Bottom line as far as he is concerned. But a new report by "The Washington Post," as I understand it, shows there

was debate in the White House on whether it was legal after the fact. What do we have on this? And in the big scheme of things, just how significant

is this new information?

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN U.S. CORRESPONDENT: Well, Becky, it's very interesting because it really does peel back a layer here within the

administration. It shows division, debate, and some concern about the justification for freezing the Ukrainian aid. Now this is after the fact.

This was internal memo and investigation by the White House counsel that conducted it and that it reveals "The Washington Post" showing hundreds of

documents which showed the acting chief of staff Mick Mulvaney and budget officials talking to each other. Mick Mulvaney reaching out to them

essentially asking for the justification of whether or not this was even legal to freeze the Ukrainian aid. He got a response essentially saying as

long as it was labeled temporary, that it was, in fact, legal.

Also, this report showing that there were some members within the administration who feared that perhaps this aid would never be released.

And so, Becky, it does give you a sense of really kind of the battle that is ensuing inside of the White House over whether or not this was the right

thing to do, a legal thing to do, in hindsight and how they will move forward with their defense. All of this, Becky, at the same time that you

have the House intelligence staff writing up their report preparing for articles of impeachment.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MALVEAUX (voice-over): When House Democrats launched their impeachment inquiry into President Trump the White House quickly responded launching a

confidential internal review of his decision to withhold nearly $400 million in military aid to Ukraine.

As first reported by "The Washington Post", the White House counsel's office uncovering hundreds of documents with three sources telling the

paper one early August e-mail exchange between acting chief of staff Mick Mulvaney and budget officials shows the White House looking for a way to

explain the freeze, after Trump already paused security assistance funds in mid-July.

That conversation coming days after the White House counsel's office learned about the whistleblower complaint, scrutinizing Trump's July 25th

phone call with Ukraine's leader. Budget lawyers ultimately decided it was legal to withhold the security assistance, a person familiar with the

review confirms to CNN. As long as it was called temporary.

[10:15:00]

The office of management and budget writing in a statement Sunday, there was a legal consensus at every step of the way that the money could be

withheld in order to conduct the policy review. A source tells CNN that some Trump administration officials feared the money would never be

released.

The White House eventually sending the military funding to Ukraine in September, two days after the House was informed of the whistleblower

complaint. Which sparked the impeachment inquiry focusing on whether Trump abused his power by using that military aid and a possible meeting in

Washington to pressure Ukraine to investigate his political rivals. Meanwhile, after two weeks of public hearings, House Democrats pressing

forward.

REP. JIM HIMES (D-CT): Every single day provides new and incriminating evidence. So it's a little hard to tell you that this thing is done.

MALVEAUX: Trump's allies once again using this defense.

KELLYANNE CONWAY, COUNSELOR TO PRESIDENT TRUMP: They didn't hear anybody say when they were asked bribery, no, extortion no, quid pro quo for the

aid, no. Preconditions for meeting, did the President commit a crime, no, no, no.

MALVEAUX: House intelligence chairman Adam Schiff, wants top administration officials like John Bolton to testify, but not willing to go

to court to compel him.

REP. ADAM SCHIFF (D-CA): He will have to explain one day if he maintains that position why he wanted to wait to put it in a book instead of tell the

American people what he knew when it really mattered to the country.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MALVEAUX: And House intel Adam Schiff, the chair there, saying that he is now open to hear additional testimony as well as witnesses. He is waiting,

all eyes on a court ruling, a particular judge who is taking a look at an unrelated case. But that might open the door at least a little bit when it

comes to the ruling on absolute immunity, whether or not former White House officials can justify defying a Congressional subpoena.

As we said before, Schiff very much still interested in hearing from the former national security adviser, John Bolton, voluntarily. They say they

were not going to issue a subpoena because his lawyer has said that he will take Congress to court if that happens and he says he is not going to be

held up in court by the process, that they are going to be moving forward with very likely articles of impeachment -- Becky.

ANDERSON: Yes, fascinating. All right. Well Suzanne Malveaux, as ever, you have been fantastic on this story for us. Our viewers appreciate it.

MALVEAUX: Thank you.

ANDERSON: Keep going. It sounds like we've got until at least December 25 at this point before we get some sort of result in this.

We are living in the era of the 45th American President, one who really doesn't like it when people criticize him. So it is worth flashing back to

the words of the country's 26th President. One Teddy Roosevelt, in 1918 after his time in office he said this -- to announce that there must be no

criticism of the president or that we with are to stand by the president right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile but it is morally

treasonable to the American public. Keep that in mind, folks.

Well he calls allegations against him a coup. He questions the integrity of prosecutors. And as for the media, well he calls them enemies,

naturally. Sound familiar? We're not talking about the American President this time around. Just one of his closest allies borrowing a few lines

from his playbook. All the details after this.

And CNN goes deep into elephant country. The exclusive findings are heartbreaking. Those follow this.

[10:20:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DAVID MCKENZIE, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: In Botswana conservation success is increasingly coming at a cost. There are more elephants here

than anywhere on earth, more elephants to come into conflict with humans.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: Well gentle giants at the mercy of our actions. Wiped from the wild, if we don't protect their future. That was CNN's David McKenzie in

Botswana earlier this year. Well now in a CNN exclusive, David travels to Zimbabwe where in the heart of elephant country, human greed and

corruption, he says, are blindsiding conservation efforts. Dozens of baby elephants separated from their families, sold, shipped, and locked up all

to be put on show for tourists in China.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MCKENZIE (voice-over): 30 young wild young wild African elephants, captured, sold and sent to China, to fill amusement parks and zoos. But

first, they will be broken here. This cellphone video is an exclusive look at the latest shipment from Zimbabwe. In cage after metal cage, the signs

of suffering are clear.

Just weeks ago, they were among family groups in Hwange National Park.

(on camera): What they do when they capture these elephants, is they separate the youngsters. Not the very youngest but the young elephant from

the rest of the herd. And scientists say that elephants are incredibly social animals. They develop bonds for a lifetime. And by ripping them

away from their families and sending them off to a foreign country, they say, it's extremely traumatic for the elephants that go and the elephants

that remain.

(voice-over): Despite this concerns, the trade up until now has been legal. But that window is closing. New rules preventing overseas

shipments from countries like Zimbabwe come into full effect at the end of November. Zimbabwe park officials say, they will abide by those new rules.

CHRISPEN CHIKADAYA, ZIMBABWE SOCIETY FOR THE PREVENTION OF CRUELTY TO ANIMALS: There's no transparency anymore.

MCKENZIE: But animal rights inspector Chrispen Chikadaya, says he's already seen a shift towards secrecy.

CHIKADAYA: Something is not right.

MCKENZIE: For the past year, officials blocked his team from entering the park, claiming they needed special permits that were not actually required.

He fears that the already opaque sales won't end, they will just go underground.

(on camera): What was it like being pushed away?

CHIKADAYA: The government-appointed the inspector. And it's our mandate to see the welfare of those animals. They don't belong to national parks.

They belong to the people of Zimbabwe.

MCKENZIE: So now, we got the GPS coordinates of where we think these elephants have been kept. There are some 30 elephants that were shipped to

China caused global outrage.

(voice-over): Animal rights activists and park sources told us that just beyond this boom gate, elephants were left behind and were getting prepped

to be sent away.

(on camera): But it is not possible to come in now with you just to have a look?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, not (INAUDIBLE). Certainly not this place, for all of the clients who come here, they are cleared by the manager.

MCKENZIE (voice-over): We went to management and we are repeatedly refused entry. They told us there was nothing to see. But they did agree to an

on-camera interview.

(on camera): Why is Zimbabwe selling elephants to China?

TINASHE FARAWO, SPOKESMAN, ZIMPARKS: It's part of our management plan. We have rangers in this park who will spend 21 days in the bush protecting

these animals. They don't have uniforms. They don't have boots. They don't have tents and they don't have food. As an authority, we believe

that the elephants must pay for their upkeep. They must also pay for their protection. It's one of the elephants affected on this program.

MCKENZIE (voice-over): But protection for Zimbabwe's wild elephants is far from assured. Elephants are dying. More than 200 in just the last few

months, succumbing to the severe drought that hit the region. In these lean season, elephants in the wild are suffering too. Like ranger Patrick

Sibanda, says, better to let nature take its course.

[10:25:00]

(on camera): And do you think it's good that some elephants are sent away to zoos in China, Pakistan, the U.S.?

PATRICK SIBANDA, HWANGE PARK RANGER: No I don't think it's wise. It is part of our country, it is our animals, our children.

MCKENZIE (voice-over): But these elephants taken from Zimbabwe, remain trapped far from home.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ANDERSON: Let's bring David in now. He is live for you from Johannesburg tonight. David, in the past, Zimbabwe's National Park Service have argued

that it needs to earn hard currency to support other wildlife during what has been a devastating drought, which has already killed, of course, tens

of elephants. They clearly believed, at least in the past, that was sufficient argument for this trade. Is there any evidence that authorities

now have any sort of enforcement strategy in place?

MCKENZIE: Well they have an enforcement strategy in place to protect the remaining elephants in the wild. They say that's why they need to get this

money in to sell these wild elephants. But the evidence of the ground is quite opaque and many human rights, many animal rights activists, as well

as scientists, have said that well because this money isn't clearly defined, they can't prove exactly that it's going to conservation efforts.

But time and again, they told us that this is necessary for conservation. They also made the argument that, and to quote them, it's easy to make

these arguments in an air-conditioned office in Johannesburg or New York or Washington, as they put it. But at the same time, the Zimbabweans that we

met, said they didn't want the elephants to be sent away. They said it's their heritage and it shouldn't be sent off to China and Pakistan and other

places where you see the horrible conditions where they end up.

ANDERSON: Yes, David s live for you from Johannesburg this evening. Well bottom line these elephants, as David says, are Zimbabwe's. We'll put that

question and more to Zimbabwe's environmental minister when he joins us here at 8:00 p.m. Abu Dhabi time, 4:00 p.m. in London.

So, from conservation to our warming climate. There's no greater threat to the future of our planet. Well when asked, we've got to change our ways

before it is too late. And it's very much so the case that it nearly is. So that is why we here at CNN are launching "CALL TO EARTH", our pledge to

the environment. While the initiative is new, CNN's commitment has been there since the birth of this network starting with our founder, the

maverick, Ted Turner.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TED TURNER: And being myself very ecologically minded --

What do you want me to do? And he said, you need to use your reach through CNN to affect people's lives and to educate them.

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Have with we passed the threshold?

TURNER: No, I don't think so. I'm very hopeful. I'm a human being and I like being a human being and I like the other human beings that I know, but

we have to work hard.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: Well that full report just a little later on this show. While you wait, do tell us how you are helping our planet. Tweet me @BeckyCNN,

using the #calltoearth. You're watching CONNECT THE WORLD. I am Becky Anderson.

Coming up, we go back to what is our top story this hour as voters in Hong Kong turn out in droves to deliver a strong call for change.

And mourning the K-pop world as another young star is found dead and critics are pointing to a mental health crisis in the industry.

It is 28 minutes past 7:00 here in the UAE. Stay with us.

[10:30:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ANDERSON: Returning to our top story. Tensions in Hong Kong, flaring after a brief respite during Sunday's election. Police preparing to send a

negotiating team into Hong Kong Polytechnic University. Still occupied by pro-democracy protesters.

Sunday's election was swept by pro-democracy candidates for the record, voter turnout. But now police are preparing to send that team inside the

university, including social workers, psychologists, paramedics and organizations that prevent suicide. It is unclear how many protesters are

still inside.

James To Kun-sun is a Hong Kong lawyer and the Democratic Party member of the legislative council. He ran again for his seat and has just been re-

elected. Sir, we thank you for joining us. How would you describe the result of these local elections?

JAMES TO KUN-SUN, HONG KONG LAWYER AND THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY MEMBER OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL OF HONG KONG: Well, this order to use, say it is a

local election, but actually, it's dominated by political issues. And the people of Hong Kong sent a very clear signal to the government, not just

Hong Kong, but also the Beijing government, that we demand the Hong Kong government to respond to the people, the demand for the independent inquiry

of the recent turmoil and ask for democracy, universal suffrage, for the Hong Kong people.

ANDERSON: Right. Just out of interest, even at DAB, the city's largest pro-Beijing party, which is one of the most effective get out the vote

operations, couldn't withstand the anti-government tide. CNN spoke with the party's chairman who lost his seat to a pro-democracy candidate. This

is what he said.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HOLDEN CHOW DEMOCRATIC ALLIANCE FOR THE BETTERMENT AND PROGRESS OF HK: People express their views via this election and, of course, there is kind

of resentment towards the government and as a political party, we are bound to press the government to do better or to sort of listen to the people.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: OK. Well, he says the government must listen to the people. And in a statement Monday, the city's leader, Carrie Lam, said her

government respects the election results. What do you expect to happen next? What do you want to hear from Carrie Lam and her government?

KUN-SUN: Well, we want the government to answer directly to the request of the people. Well, you probably heard about the so-called five demands.

The first --

ANDERSON: Sure.

KUN-SUN: -- is for independent inquiry of the recent turmoil. So if the government just not use the present time within say one or two weeks to

reply to the people, I think I'm quite worried that even more radical action may happen.

ANDERSON: A spokesman for China's foreign ministry to your point saying and let me quote -- Hong Kong is China's Hong Kong. Hong Kong's affair is

purely China's domestic affair.

[10:35:02]

That does not sound like a government that is conceding to demands from pro-democracy supporters.

KUN-SUN: Well I don't quite see the conflict. Because we are promised by the Chinese government to the whole world and the Hong Kong people that we

can have universal suffrage. We will have true democracy, a high degree of autonomy. Well, of course, the foreign affairs and defense will go to

Beijing, so that's not inconsistent, it would not be inconsistent that we will have democracy while respecting Beijing's sovereignty.

ANDERSON: Sir, as we teed to this interviewed up, so we explained that authorities are ready. It has to be said, with the sort of infrastructure

of social workers and others, to negotiate the end of this sit-in as it were at the university. It is unclear just how many protesters are left

inside that building. What do you expect to see next from authorities? Are you concerned about the fallout from this?

KUN-SUN: Well, I'm very concerned about the standstill I would say. I call on the police to just be more relaxed. While they don't have to have

the blockade of the whole university, they can let them go. Because I believe while the so-called hard-core protester, the so-called most violent

ones, have been arrested or has been identified outside the campus. So now they can just reopen the university. And, well, to the worst scenario, for

any police operation, they're bounding to the wasting. That means you may not like to so-called catch each and every of a so-called target but you

have already dealt with the majority of far -- majority of the so-called target that you want to catch.

ANDERSON: These six months have been incredibly damaging for Hong Kong, the perceptions of Hong Kong, the economy of Hong Kong. These results, of

course, a big loss for pro-government parties. Clearly this could increase the pressure on Carrie Lam to come up with some sort of political solution

to address at least some of the demands of protesters and those who are advocates of democracy who voted in their hundreds of thousands in this

election. In the end, is it time to get Hong Kong back to work? Is it time to ensure that this city can survive this and get back on its feet?

It is doing nobody any good for Hong Kong to be torn apart at this point, is it?

KUN-SUN: Well, you're absolutely right. Even the Ali Baba company chose to have their IPO in Hong Kong even during this turmoil. But political

leaders with power must offer a political solution, and to have reconciliation with the people. Well, our chief executive, just hold on to

the situation for months, without putting forward political solutions. She is saying she will talk to various sectors, but she only holds one so-

called forum a month ago. But it's time for her to show her sincerity, to reach out to people and to offer reconciliation option to the community.

ANDERSON: Well, many have said it is time for her to go. That has been a demand for weeks and weeks, if not months at this point. Very briefly, yes

or no, should she go at this point?

KUN-SUN: She should. I believe that Beijing will review the situation and may let her go within months or hopefully within weeks.

ANDERSON: Fascinating. Thank you, sir.

Up next, one overexcited American football quarterback marks a milestone, starting the game but with this selfie.

[10:40:03]

Not everyone is as pleased though, as these fans are about that. We will explain why, up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ANDERSON: Now you know when you have that nagging feeling that you might be missing something kind of important, like really important at work.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: For the last --

As the Redskins defeat the Lions, 19-16. Their first.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: There is an American football player celebrating his first victory as a starting player with a selfie, except it wasn't a victory yet.

And going off and taking a selfie, the Redskins quarterback Dwayne Haskins actually missed the end of the game. Whoops. Alex is with us from "WORLD

SPORT." I would say we've all done that at work, except we haven't, not quite.

ALEX THOMAS, CNN WORLD SPORT: You don't want to be caught on your phone when supposed to be doing your job -- especially our job, Becky. We've got

more on that in a moment. And very sadly, another incident of racism only this time in cricket. That's all on "WORLD SPORT" in just a moment.

ANDERSON: All right. We'll see you all after this quick break.

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[10:45:00]

(WORLD SPORT)

[10:57:59]

THOMAS: That's all for "WORLD SPORT" for now, Becky. But we're also going to start looking ahead to the latest round of Champion League matches back

this week. Of course, Tottenham with their new manager, Jose Mourinho, against Olympiacos. It'll be keen to see how they get on.

ANDERSON: That's one to watch, isn't it. Thank you.

We've got another jam-packed hour for you on CONNECT THE WORLD. All the biggest stories from Hong Kong to Hariri to Washington. Plus -- a daring

heist of priceless jewels in Dresden. All that after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The Washington Post reports that in internal review shows an extensive effort by the White House to justify President Trump's

decision to block Ukraine aid.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: After Trump already paused security assistance funds in mid-July.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The office of management and budget is denying that anything improper took place.

KELLYANNE CONWAY, COUNSELOR TO PRESIDENT TRUMP: They didn't hear anybody say bribery, no, extortion, no, quid pro quo, no.

REP. ADAM SCHIFF (D-CA): It's really not contested what the President did. What is open to question --

END