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U.S. President's Trial Brief Due in Two Hours; Senate Leaders Arguing Over Rules on Eve of Trial; London Reacts to Harry Stepping Down as Royal; China Reports 222 New Cases of SARS-Like Virus; At Lease One Killed, 50 Injured in Deadline Demonstrations in Iraq; World Leaders Call for Sanctions if Any Ceasefire is Violated in Libya; Security Tight as Pro-Gun Advocates Gather in Richmond; 75 Years Since the Liberation of Auschwitz Death Camp; Heavy Rain Brings Some Relief to the Bushfires in Australia; Hailstorms, Heavy Rain Cause Problems for Australian Open. Aired 10-11a ET
Aired January 20, 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]
CHRISTINA MACFARLANE, CNN HOST: The U.S. Senate battles over the rules of impeachment with the President's trial just one day away.
Airports on high alert as a mysterious virus begins appearing outside of China.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PRINCE HARRY, THE DUKE OF SUSSEX: I know I haven't always done it right but as far as this goes there really was no other option.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MACFARLANE: Prince Harry explains his decision to quit his Royal duties.
And dust storms and golf ball sized hail batter southeastern Australia.
Hello and welcome to CONNECT THE WORLD. I'm Christina Macfarlane in London, in for Becky Anderson.
Now in a little more than 24 hours from now the third impeachment trial in the history of the United States will begin in the Senate. All eyes on
Capitol Hill this hour. And right now both sides are preparing their arguments. Any minute now Mr. Trump's high-powered legal team will lay out
the case they'll make before Senators. We've already seen glimpses of their defense, arguing Mr. Trump's actions regarding Ukraine were not crimes and
that abuse of power is not impeachable.
With the trial just a day away Senate majority and minority leaders are arguing over how it will be run. Democratic leader Senator Chuck Schumer is
promising a battle, telling reporters he's going to push for more evidence on abuse of power and obstruction of Congress charges.
Joining me to discuss all this is senior Washington correspondent, Joe Johns, and senior politics Congressional reporter Lauren Fox. Lauren, I
just want to begin with you. Because we've seen some opening shots traded between the two sides this weekend and we are getting set for what appears
to be a bitterly partisan trial.
LAUREN FOX, CNN POLITICS CONGRESSIONAL REPORTER: That's exactly right. And what I'll tell you is we expect another brief to be filed by the White
House this afternoon. The House Democrats will likely also respond to what the White House filed on Saturday.
But here's what to expect tomorrow when all this gets started. At 1 o'clock tomorrow the Senators again will be seated down in the chamber and we will
see the Chief Justice John Roberts presiding over the Senate. Then we expect we will see that from majority leader Mitch McConnell setting out
the rules of this trial. Something that Democrats have complained they haven't actually gotten a chance to look at yet. So we're still waiting on
that.
But you can expect that this trial is going to run six days a week. And while it's running, Senators will be in their seats, not able to talk,
without their electronic devices. And that's something that I will tell you a lot of Senators tell me privately is a concerting feature of this trial.
And it's something that you can bet the majority leader who wants a shorter trial is going to lean into to try to keep this on a condensed schedule --
Christina.
MACFARLANE: Yes, and I'll just head now and bring in our Joe Johns. Because as Lauren was saying that the White House due to submit their trial
brief in two hours from now. What are we expecting from Senator Mitch McConnell and the rules of the trial that we expect him to put forward.
JOE JOHNS, CNN SENIOR WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT: Well, Christina, he seems to be keeping everyone guessing. Robert Ray, one of the star members of the
defense team for the President, who was just added to the team, by the way, was on TV here in Washington, D.C., early this morning. And even he said he
wasn't sure exactly what the procedures will be. He's on the President's side as is presumably the majority leader. So anybody's guess.
What is presumed is that the Democrats, the House managers will get a couple days at least to present their initial case and the White House will
get equal time in order to do that. We do know from the standing rules on impeachment in the Senate, a couple of things -- that there will be an
opportunity for Senators to make motions as well as ask questions. But when they ask questions, they'll have to write them on a card and hand that card
to the Chief Justice of the United States presiding over the trial. And he's the one who will pose the questions or the motions.
The big issue, of course, as you've already talk about is that issue of witnesses. And one of the big questions there is whether we'll hear about
witnesses and whether they'll be allowed early in the trial or later in the trial.
So these are some of the things that are still up in the air. And hopefully whenever we get a resolution from McConnell explaining the situation, we'll
know how this thing is supposed to go -- Christina.
[10:05:03]
Yes, Joe, and just to go back to Lauren for a second. Lauren, because on that issue of witnesses and whether or not they're going to be allowed to
take part in this trial, we know that there are four crucial votes, Republican Senate votes, who could swing this one-way or the other. What is
the likelihood that they will vote in favor of these witnesses being allowed to come forward?
FOX: What we know already is that behind the scenes a group of moderate Republicans has been working very hard with the team and majority leader in
Mitch McConnell's office trying to secure a provision in this organizing resolution that would give a vote on witnesses after the presentation of
each case, both from the White House's defense team and Democratic managers on the House side.
So essentially what we expect to be in this resolution is a vote after those presentations and after the Senator's questions whether members will
be able to vote on whether or not they are willing to move on to discuss witnesses. Now that's a very different vote than an individual vote on
specific witnesses like John Bolton, the President's former national security adviser or Mick Mulvaney his acting chief of staff.
But remember, once this gets into a scenario where Republicans and Democrats can both be asking for witnesses, you might just not have
Democrats asking for them, you might have some Republicans forcing questions on whether or not people like the whistleblower should be deposed
or whether people like Hunter Biden should be deposed. So this could quickly devolve into wild west scenario and that's something that majority
leader McConnell has really been warning his conference about. Look, if Democrats start forcing votes on witnesses, Republicans might be forced to
do the same.
MACFARLANE: And, Joe, a final word to you on the events happening today. We know that amidst all of this, President Trump is on his way to
Switzerland, to the World Economic Forum in Davos where he's due to give a speech. That following, of course, the signing of a China trade deal
earlier this week. All of these attempts in some ways to maybe drown out the impeachment chatter back home. Is any of it working?
JOHNS: Well, there's certainly been an effort to try to get the President out there, to make it look like business as usual at the White House. The
President has tried to appear fairly nonplussed in the events he's attended. So he is going out to Davos this evening. He will be in Davos,
you know, just for about 24 hours or so. So it won't be that long. But he's expected to give a speech, a fairly high-profile speech and then come back
to the United States.
He'll also have an opportunity, apparently, to watch some of the trial because of the time difference. And so clearly if they are trying to drown
it out, it will only be one day and then the President will be back here in Washington, D.C., in the middle of it.
MACFARLANE: All right. So Joe Johns there and Lauren Fox. Thank you both for joining us. We'll, of course, be watching proceedings very carefully in
the coming hours.
Meanwhile here in London, Prince Harry met with Prime Minister Boris Johnson as he made an unannounced appearance at an investment summit. It
comes hours after the Prince broke his silence and spoke publicly about stepping back from the Royal family.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PRINCE HARRY: The decision that I have made for my wife and I to step back is not one I made lightly. It was so many months of talks after so many
years of challenges. And I know I haven't always gotten it right but as far as this goes, there really was no other option.
What I want to make clear is we're not walking away. And we certainly aren't walking away from you. Our hope was to continue serving the Queen,
the commonwealth and my military associations but without public funding. Unfortunately, that wasn't possible.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MACFARLANE: This comes after Buckingham Palace made the stunning announcement on Saturday that the couple would no longer represent the
Queen.
Anna Stewart is live for us at Buckingham Palace. And, Anna, what has been made clear over the weekend is that Harry and Meghan can no longer be
permitted to be both in and out of the Royal family. How much of a blow is this to Harry and Meghan and the future that they envisage for themselves?
ANNA STEWART, CNN REPORTER: I actually think it's a huge blow and the fact that Prince Harry spoke of the great sadness in this decision speaks for
itself. He wanted -- he and Meghan both wanted a more hybrid role within the Royal family but clearly that wasn't possible. And he said this was the
only option. It was a very heartfelt speech and has got lots of reaction here in the U.K. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think it told a lot. It showed that he was very uncomfortable with the decision that he's had to make. But to me the reason
why he's made this decision is because of the terrible treatment that Meghan Markle has received. Why has she received this treatment? Because,
A, she's a foreigner. B, because she's biracial. And she's seen to be diluting the purity of the Royal family.
[10:10:00]
And to me it's a bad indication for British society that somebody like that shouldn't be welcomed and treated in a respectful manner.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Probably not really the right thing to do in terms of, you know, the Queen, obviously, tries to be as kind as she can be. And it
kind of seems like she's been a bit stabbed in the back really by the speech.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think he's doing what he wants with his family and I support it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
STEWART: A lot of sympathy there. And I think recognition there are really no winners here. Prince Harry and Meghan wanted much closer sort of hybrid
role in the Royal family. We know the Queen wanted to keep the Duke and Duchess of Sussex as senior members of the Royal family, as working members
of the Royal family. You can hear lots of people supporting though this decision and understanding that it seems to be the only way possible --
Christina.
MACFARLANE: Yes, really interesting to hear that from the British public who have been so involved in this whole story it seems. One other thing is
that we heard that Prince Harry will actually step back from some of his honorary military roles. I wonder, Anna, how much of a personal blow that
will be to him given his association with the military and the fact that he served in the army for almost a decade.
STEWART: I don't think you can underestimate how important Harry's military connections are to him. He is a ceremonial head of the Royal
marines. He served in the army for 10 years. And at his wedding, he wore his blues and Royals' uniform, his army uniform. It is hugely important to
him. And as part of this agreement, he can no longer have his military associations. He can't even wear his uniforms. He can only wear the medals
given to him over the years. So I think that is a huge blow and a big part of the great sadness he says he feels in taking this decision -- Christina.
MACFARLANE: All right. So Anna Stewart there live from Buckingham Palace. Still so many questions remaining, of course, with how their future will
unfold. Anna, for now, thank you.
OK. An outbreak of a SARS-like virus in China is spreading and now finding its way to other parts of Asia. China has just reported 222 cases of
pneumonia caused by the new strain of coronavirus this weekend. Three people have died as the outbreak spreads beyond the city of Wuhan where it
was first identified. South Korea just confirmed its first case. A woman who flew in from Wuhan. One case has been detected in Japan and two in
Thailand, all linked to Wuhan. Now there's concern the virus could spread as millions prepare to travel for the lunar new year holiday. CNN's David
Culver has the very latest here from Beijing.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DAVID CULVER, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: China's President Xi Jinping says he wants, quote, resolute efforts taken to stop the spread of
a mysterious and potentially deadly illness -- that according to state media. They say President Xi stressed people's health and safety as the top
priority.
Meantime health officials here in China now acknowledging that the new coronavirus has surfaced here in Beijing and in southern China. Japan,
South Korea and Thailand have also identified cases of the virus, all of which they say are linked to Wuhan, China. The central Chinese city is
believed to be the epicenter of this illness.
It causes pneumonia and it can be deadly. Chinese scientists say it is in the same family as the deadly, severe, acute respiratory symptoms known as
SARS. But they advise it does not appear nearly as lethal.
The World Health Organization says there is evidence of human-to-human transmission and that an animal source seems to be likely the primary
source of the virus. The many unknowns are sparking concern, though, on Chinese social media in particular. Some there are questioning whether or
not health officials are truthfully reporting all of the cases.
But opinion pieces posted on Chinese state media are knocking down those claims. Stressing that withholding information and underreporting cases
would only negatively impact China.
The illness comes as hundreds of millions across Asia are traveling for the lunar new year holiday. The festival is the largest human migration that
takes place each year. And in recent years more and more Chinese have traveled outside of China during the festival. As a result health
authorities across the world are stepping up health screens at airports and rail stations.
Here in China they have begun distributing testing kits to multiple cities and they established a daily reporting system for new cases across the
country. China's foreign ministry is vowing to work collectively within Asia to fight this epidemic.
David Culver, CNN, Beijing.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MACFARLANE: Now in the U.S. the CDC says airports in New York, San Francisco and L.A. will start screening passengers arriving from Wuhan. For
the very latest on this, do go to our website, CNN.com/health. OK, we'll have more on the virus in Wuhan in the next hour.
But coming up here on CONNECT THE WORLD -- a deadline for leadership change in Iraq. Protesters step up their demands for the Prime Minister to step
down. An update on the situation just ahead.
[10:15:03]
And the U.S. city of Richmond on edge as gun advocates gather to protest legislation that would restrict taxes to fireplace arms in the state of
Virginia.
And massive clouds and dust engulf towns for miles across New South Wales. While in another region of Australia, the skies are the polar opposite of
what you see here.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): We want our demands, jobs, jobs, safe atmosphere. We want to feel like citizens. There are no jobs, no good
education, no schools. When we graduate, we sit at home.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MACFARLANE: Desperate protesters are demanding change from the Iraqi government and calling for an immediate overhaul of the leadership.
Protesters have set today as the deadline for a new interim Prime Minister Adil Abdul-Mahdi resigned last year but remains in office as a caretaker.
And security forces are responding to the demonstrators' demands with a crackdown. Using tear gas against them. CNN's Arwa Damon was in Iraq just a
few days ago. She joins me now live from Istanbul, Turkey. And, Arwa, we've obviously seen this nature, this type of protest before in Iraq. But it
appears now that Iraqis are becoming increasingly desperate. Where will this go next as we see this uptick in violence on the streets there?
ARWA DAMON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, at this stage, Christina, it's quite clear that these protesters aren't going anywhere.
And if we look at what they tried to do in Baghdad today, they moved away from sort of the main protest ground and were trying to block key highways
and roads. To prevent, they were saying, government workers from reaching their offices. They are basically trying to put as much pressure from the
government from any direction which they can so the government begins to move this process forward.
That being said. In Baghdad and southern areas of Nasiriyah and Basrah. You did this one person killed, another 50 wounded. In Baghdad there were 14
members of the Iraqi security forces who were wounded as well. But this is to a certain degree a reflection of the frustration of these protesters.
Mostly young adults who have an education. Who want to work towards making their country better but finding themselves blocked by corruption, by the
rampant unemployment and by a government that many will tell you, quite frankly, does not work in the interest of Iraq. But rather works in the
interest of any number of foreign entities or nation.
If we just look at the price that Iraqis have paid just to get to this point, we have the numbers in now. Since the start of October when these
demonstrations first began, at least 495 people have been killed. Another 27,000 were wounded.
[10:20:00]
Right now they are saying that it is time to elect this new Prime Minister who is meant to be leading an interim government until early elections can
be held. Yes, Prime Minister Adil Abdul-Mahdi resigned on December 1st. The President has been reluctant to accept some of the other names that were
floated as his replacement because he said that they were too close to Iran.
The tricky position right now is finding someone, and it really is up to the country's President, Barham Salih, to designate someone. But finding
someone who other players within the government can find palatable. But most importantly, who the protesters will find acceptable.
MACFARLANE: Those numbers really are staggering, Arwa, as you say since October of last year. We understand that these protests are not only
centered around political leadership or lack thereof but also the continued presence of U.S. troops in the country. How much is that also fueling this
anger we're seeing right now?
DAMON: You know, when these protests first began in October, you did hear them talking about wanting Iran out and wanting America out. But the
rhetoric being directed at the U.S. was not as harsh or laced with anger as it has become post the killing of Iranian General Qasem Soleimani and that
paramilitary Iraqi leader al-Muhandis. After those targeted killing is carried out by the United States at the Baghdad International Airport, you
really saw a surge in anger towards America and towards Iran.
Because these protesters, and most Iraqis know very well, that these two fairly powerful countries, America and Iran, are using Iraq as their proxy
battlefield and Iraqis are fed up with this. They are exhausted by all of the killing in their own land. They are exhausted as being the ones that
are effectively paying the price for other people's wars.
So after those killing took place, you did see a rise in anger towards the United States but also remember towards Iran. Now, also worth talking about
the fact that the Iraqi Parliament, at least its Shia members, who do form over half of Parliament, they did vote to authorize the Prime Minister to
begin the process for the removal of foreign forces.
This is, of course, a very complicated matter, not just for Iraq, but also for the United States. And it very well could be that the government is
choosing to go that route because it is perhaps, although risky, of course, easier to ask foreign forces to leave than it is to try to disentangle
itself from the grip Iran has on the country both militarily and politically. But caught again in the middle of all of this is the Iraqi
population and is this protest movement.
MACFARLANE: Arwa, that's great context. Arwa Damon there live from Istanbul. Thanks, Arwa, for bringing us the latest on that.
In Lebanon, it's actually a similar scene right now. Anger is turning violent as protests grip Beirut. Police and anti-government protests clash
for the second night in a row, Sunday. Some demonstrators tell CNN they decided to use violence in order to spur quicker change. They're frustrated
with lawmakers who've been unable to form a new government and that the turmoil on Lebanon's currency has lost 60 percent of its value and
inflation is skyrocketing.
Libya's oil flow has just taken a massive blow and the rest of the world is feeling the hit. Oil prices jumped to $66 a barrel after rogue military
commander Khalifa Haftar's forces choked production closing a pipeline and two major oil fields and halting exports from five ports.
Libya's national oil company says the shutdown will cut production by 800,000 barrels a day and cost $55 million each day in revenue. World
leaders are now calling for sanctions on anyone who violates any cease-fire in Libya. They just wrapped up a peace summit in Berlin where they also
pledged to respect an arms embargo and promised not to interfere in the war-ravaged country's ongoing civil wars.
The United Nations says hundreds of people have died and tens of thousands are now displaced in a conflict between a powerful general and U.N.-backed
government in Tripoli. CNN's Nic Robertson has more now.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR (voice-over): As leaders met in Berlin this weekend, one demand for Libya.
ANTONIO GUTERRES, U.N. SECRETARY GENERAL: First, we need to have a cease- fire.
ROBERTSON: The reality, it would have been easier several years ago. The long road to this summit strewn with lost opportunity, a lack of
international consensus and a worsening conflict. Turkey the latest regional power to escalate the stakes vowing to send its troops and already
helping hundreds of Syrian fighters get to Libya's front lines.
GUTERRES: Until now we have an escalation of the Libyan conflict with some foreign interference. Now we are facing the risk of a true regional
escalation.
ROBERTSON: The root of this crisis and the overthrow of dictator Moammar Gaddafi 2011. Gaddafi's forces were poised to crush Libya's Arab Spring
uprising. After disagreements, the U.N. backed NATO to intervene. French jets stopped Gaddafi's advance.
In the following weeks, British and French jets pounded Gaddafi's holds and army but not U.S. forces. President Obama contributed only what the
Europeans could not, surveillance and midair refueling. His message, Libya was Europe's problem.
And when Gaddafi killed, again, no consensus for what's next. Europe took his eye off the ball. Tribal divisions opened up. Islamist militia's took
control of the cities. U.S. Ambassador Chris Stevens and a colleague were killed in Benghazi, diplomats began to drawdown. ISIS and al-Qaeda found a
foothold. The U.N. helped create a government of national accord but it had little local buy-in.
International airstrikes, the only real point of Western consensus routed ISIS. But meaningful help rebuilding the country was in retreat. Waves of
migrants began using Libya as a launch pad to reach Europe. Oil flows fluctuated. Libya was a failing state. Fertile ground for regional and
global power plays. In the chaos General Khalifa Haftar, a retired secular commander who'd lived in the U.S. for years took control of Benghazi.
Planning purge the country of Islamists and install himself as ruler. He got Russia's backing and Egypt's and Saudis and UAEs.
By now President Trump was in the White House. He had no clear strategy and neither did the Europeans except stop the migrants and steady the oil
flows. Deals were struck with the U.N.-backed government and the capital's Islamic militias profited. Haftar ramped up his offensive to take the
capital, Tripoli. Civilian casualties escalated. The offensive stalled but still no international consensus on how to stop the bloodshed until this
weekend summit. Even that barely papering over divisions.
Nic Robertson, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MACFARLANE: All right. Still ahead, thousands of gun advocates gather in the U.S. city of Richmond this hour. They are upset over new laws proposed
by the Virginia governor that would restrict access to firearms in their state.
[10:30:00]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
MACFARLANE: Hello and welcome back to CONNECT THE WORLD with me, Christina Macfarlane in London. Where the time is 3:30 in the afternoon.
But right now we're heading over to the United States because as most Americans celebrate the birthday of the civil rights icon Martin Luther
King Jr. today, the city of Richmond in Virginia, is bracing for a massive pro-gun rally. This event happens every year.
But it's this time taken on new meaning after Virginia's Democratic governor proposed several gun control measures. Thousands of gun owners are
descending on the city. They stood in line early this morning despite the frigid temperatures. The governor has issued a temporary state of
emergency. He's also banned weapons on the capital grounds for today.
But outside the fenced area, many demonstrators appeared to be heavily armed and wearing body protective armor. As you can see there, security is
extremely tight.
Gun control has always been a hugely divisive issue in the U.S., as you know, but now it's becoming even more polarized. Let's bring in our Nick
Valencia who joins us -- well sadly Nick can't join us from Richmond. We will of course attempt to get him back up. We'll get to him in just a
second after this.
Now, next week marks the 75th anniversary of the liberation of the biggest mass murder site in the history of humankind, Auschwitz-Birkenau. On
January 27th, 1945, the Soviet army entered Nazi death camp in occupied Poland and freed the survivors. More than 1 million men, women and
children, mostly Jewish, had been murdered there.
Unfortunately the awareness of those atrocities appears to be falling across Europe just as the number of survivors is dwindling. Especially
striking in France where a CNN poll revealed in 2018 that one out of five people between the ages of 18 and 34 had never heard of the Holocaust.
Well Melissa Bell spoke to one of the Auschwitz survivors on why he's still trying to keep the memory alive. And we must warn you. Our report contains
some images that are quite graphic.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ZIGI SHIPPER, AUSCHWITZ-BIRKENAU SURVIVOR: The screaming at night was just unbelievable. We still didn't understand why they didn't kill us and be
finished. Why did we have to suffer so much?
BELL (voice-over): Zigi Shipper was only 14 when he arrived in Auschwitz- Birkenau in the summer of 1944. Now 90, he spends most of his time speaking about what he saw, like the moment the doors of his cattle train opened
onto the camp. Some went straight to the gas chambers. For the others, the suffering was just beginning.
SHIPPER: The guards came over to them and asked them to just put their baby down. She wouldn't do it. So they tried to rip that baby out of her
arms and if they didn't succeed, they shot the woman and sometimes the baby as well. Why kill babies? Why don't you give them enough food? I ask the
children when I speak, I ask the grown-ups, tell me something -- have we learned? And everybody says no.
BELL (voice-over): But these pictures had shocked the world 75 years ago. They were captured by Red Army soldiers as they liberated Poles, Russians,
Romas, homosexuals, and Jews. Ninety percent of the 1.1 million people who died in the camp were Jewish.
(on camera): This is both the scale and the depth of human suffering here that are really hard to fathom. However, what happened behind these fences
is still within living memory, but only just.
With Auschwitz marking the 75th anniversary of its liberation and with the recent rise in anti-Semitic attacks both in the United States and in
locations here in Europe, the question is whether collective memory can ever last longer than a single lifetime?
(voice-over): These schoolkids are being shown around by Ginette Kolinka, a 94-year-old French survivor of Birkenau.
Isn't it difficult to come back, asked one student? No, she replies, my feelings never made it out of here.
[10:35:00]
NOLWENN JOURDAIN, STUDENT: Hearing it from people that have lived it, like, this was a living hell. They were tortured. You really have to be
tolerant and accept people as they are because nobody deserves this.
BELL: It is that message of broader tolerance that drives Zigi to speak as often as he can about what he saw.
SHIPPER: I said whatever you do, don't hate. Hate is the worst thing you can do. Never mind what nationality they are, what religion -- to me,
everybody's the same. We are just human beings.
BELL: And yet, anti-Semitism in the United States is at near-historic levels according to the Anti-Defamation League. And worldwide, anti-
Semitic attacks rose by 13 percent in 2018 according to Tel Aviv University.
SHIPPER: It's not for me that I'm worried -- for my children, for my grandchildren, for my great-grandchildren.
But you know, we mustn't give up. You've got to think it will change. You've got to -- but we need the people to do something about it and that's
why we speak. We must not forget.
BELL: Melissa Bell, CNN, Auschwitz-Birkenau.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MACFARLANE: We're going to take a short break. We'll be back right after this. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
MACFARLANE: Welcome back to CONNECT THE WORLD.
We want to get you back to Richmond, Virginia, now where thousands of gun owners are descending on the city. They stood in line early this morning
despite the frigid temperatures. The governor has issued a temporary state of emergency. He's also banned weapons on the capital ground today.
Let's bring in our Nick Valencia who is there live from Richmond, Virginia. And, Nick, understandably a tense buildup to this rally today. Passionate
feelings on both sides whenever it comes to the issue of gun control. Just tell us what the mood is like today and what is being done to ensure that
today does not spiral into violence.
Well, we appear to be having some audio connection issues as you can see there. But we will, of course, be wanting to hear from Nick in the next
hour on CNN. But sadly let's leave that for now and move on.
Because I want to take a look at the giant golf ball-sized hail crashing down in Australia's capital of Canberra. Take a look at this. The storm
lasted for about 15 minutes and sent people running for cover here. Even some busting out of some car windows and injuring birds.
Further north of the city, Sidney saw powerful rainstorms as well, a day before that insane hailstorm. Extreme weather hit part of New South Wales.
Take a look at these images. This massive dust storm rolled in at least 10 stories high. The storm wasn't just tall, it also covered entire towns for
miles and blocking out the sun.
New South Wales has suffered from a drought for several years making it easy for dust to whip up into the air there. Well those hailstorms and
heavy rain we showed you, an abrupt change from the devastating bushfires the country has been dealing with up to now.
[10:40:03]
They're the worst most firefighters have ever seen even with relief from heavy rains. Experts say it still may not be enough to stop the fires and
end the drought.
The extreme weather has, of course, caused problems for the Australian Open tennis tournament. Take a look at the rained-out stadiums here in
Melbourne. Heavy rains are wreaking havoc on round one of the competition. Some matches have been postponed and lightning remains a concern. Although
cooler temperatures are proving some relief for players.
Our "WORLD SPORT" Amanda Davies joins me now. Amanda, all the talk last week was of course, about the poor air quality concerns, and the health of
the players, the exact these bushfires have been having. The good news is though, that the air quality has been rated good for the next few days. So
play on the outside court hasn't been affected by that, even though it appears to be affected by the rain, of course.
AMANDA DAVIS, CNN WORLD SPORT: Yes, absolutely, Christina. Some of may be the lesser names at the Australian Open, their opening matches on Monday
were affected. But the biggest stars have been in action. And most of them have made it through without suffering too much of an upset. We'll have
news of the first days play in Melbourne coming up in "WORLD SPORT" in just a couple minutes.
MACFARLANE: Yes, and that and the play, of course. Amanda Davies there with "WORLD SPORT" coming up after this short break. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[10:45:00]
(WORLD SPORT)
[11:00:00]
END
